Chapter 642 - 639

In Canalave City, in the Sinnoh region, stood an enormous library.

It housed a vast collection of historically significant books, making it the sort of place where one could spend an entire day without becoming bored.

In theory, a library was best kept quiet. Recently, however, exceptional circumstances had brought many exceedingly important people to this one.

Thus, Canalave Library was bustling with noise today.

Outside its entrance, Elaine stood in her Pokémon Ranger uniform, checking the time.

When a young man carrying a backpack finally appeared on the street in the distance, her eyes lit up.

"Hey! Over here!"

She waved vigorously, then excitedly straightened her uniform.

"You’re earlier than we agreed! It’s nice to meet you. I’m Elaine, a mechanic for the Ranger Union!"

Hikaru shook her hand.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Allow me to formally introduce myself. I’m Hikaru, one of Paldea’s Elite Four."

"That’s right—and you’re also the Sage’s Champion!" Elaine immediately added, wearing a peculiar expression. "Even the newspapers in Galar reported it!"

"I had no idea you were such an important person at first."

"Our region doesn’t have Trainers, but someone at the Champion level would be equivalent to the leader and central figure of an entire region."

"I heard Wendy witnessed the moment you became Champion."

"Ahem. I’m getting a little overexcited."

"I might not have a partner Pokémon, but there are Pokémon I like. And this is my first time visiting a place with so many Trainers."

"The outside world is fascinating!"

As expected, Elaine’s appearance was fairly similar to Kate, the female protagonist.

She wore goggles and a standard bright-red mechanic’s uniform, with two pigtails pointing upward.

Honestly, she was conspicuous enough standing in front of the entrance to serve as a landmark.

Her gaze swept across the surrounding area.

Humans traveling alongside Pokémon could be seen everywhere.

There were plenty of people accompanied by Pokémon in places such as Almia too, but they didn’t possess Poké Balls. Humans and Pokémon lived in harmonious coexistence, sharing a natural symbiotic relationship.

Wild Pokémon sometimes intruded upon human territory.

When that happened, Rangers acted as intermediaries. They rescued the residents, captured the Pokémon, and returned them to the wilderness—or first learned what the Pokémon needed and responded accordingly.

"Professor Hastings is already waiting, isn’t he?" Hikaru asked.

"I know you have a lot of questions about Gigaremo and Miniremo units, but let’s go upstairs and discuss them properly."

"Whew! That’s exactly why I’m here!" Elaine made no attempt to conceal her intentions.

"Everyone has already heard about what happened in Galar. Even somewhere as distant as Almia had the story in its newspapers, although it wasn’t the headline."

"Anyway, the Union is now conducting a deeper investigation into the Shadow Crystal. Nearly every Ranger who remained in the region has been mobilized, and experts stationed in other regions have been recalled."

"Strictly speaking, I don’t have a Capture Styler, so I’m not really a Ranger. I’m only a mechanic."

"But I do have a Ranger Rank. It’s approximately Rank 4—or what people commonly call small-fry status."

"That’s right."

Elaine took a deep breath.

"The Union is taking this situation extremely seriously. Even small fry like me have been dispatched to search for and destroy Gigaremo units."

"It’s an incredibly difficult assignment."

Rangers throughout every region had begun mobilizing.

That was indeed what should have happened in the original events of Shadows of Almia.

Almia’s Area Rangers were teams responsible for individual towns and villages. Their leaders generally didn’t exceed Ranger Rank 5, so they really were small-fry Rangers responsible for local affairs.

By comparison, Jack Walker, who could carry out solo missions in Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, possessed Ranger Rank 9.

Solana, who performed missions in Hoenn, was Rank 10.

The higher a Ranger’s rank, the more important the interregional missions they undertook.

In theory, no Ranger other than a Top Ranger should have been permitted to conduct an investigation alone. At least two Rangers were supposed to deploy together.

Of course, when something was "prohibited in principle," that meant it was permissible in practice.

Although Shadows of Almia never explicitly revealed every town and village in the region, Area Rangers at Union headquarters did mention how many Gigaremo units they had destroyed.

But even after headquarters deployed every Ranger it had, they ultimately failed to stop the actions of Altru Inc.

The enemy even attacked their headquarters directly.

The threat posed by Miniremo and Gigaremo units was simply too great.

Capture Stylers couldn’t keep pace. A Ranger could capture a Pokémon, only for it to be controlled again shortly afterward, creating an endless cycle.

That was why a new Vatonage Styler was required.

"Vientown, where I’m stationed, is an extremely peaceful town," Elaine said. "Nothing major ever happened there before."

"When we had nothing to do, our team would picnic on Lookout Ridge."

"But after the Gigaremo units appeared, one bizarre incident followed another: forest fires, explosions inside the beach cave, rampaging Pokémon..."

"It’s been an absolute nightmare."

"The data you transmitted to me last time included information about the Energy Amplification System."

"Professor Hastings called it extraordinary when he saw it."

"We came here to obtain more advanced technology. We have two objectives."

"To complete the Energy Amplification System and develop the ’Impossible Program’ as quickly as possible," Hikaru said.

"Has Nema reached the Ranger Union?"

"That little girl?"

Elaine spread her hands, looking genuinely astonished.

"How could that be possible? I expected Rand’s daughter to be much older, but she’s actually..."

"She’s even younger than the rookie Rangers! In our region, she wouldn’t be old enough to graduate from school!"

"It’s so frustrating for a genius mechanic like me!"

"It took me an entire day to disassemble a Gigaremo unit."

"But her? She finished taking it apart in five minutes!"

"And then she said, ’I’ve never seen circuitry like this before, so I had fun.’"

"Five minutes! You’ve got to be kidding me!"

"Ahem. Don’t take it too personally," Hikaru said. "There are people who can build rockets in minutes—or within two days. Humanity is an amazing species."

Elaine froze.

"Could it be that I’m not merely small fry when it comes to my Ranger Rank?"

"Am I actually a small-fry mechanic too?"

Sorry for being small fry.

Hikaru considered the matter.

It was perfectly normal for a third-generation mechanic to crush a second-generation one. Besides, Elaine was an early-game character.

Even though she accompanied the protagonist for a while, her ultimate destiny was little more than managing storage.

Professor Hastings was the person responsible for the later research, after all.

The two talked as they made their way to the upper levels of Canalave Library.

The library had only three floors in the games, but in reality, as Sinnoh’s largest library, it naturally possessed more than three.

A large television stood on its highest floor.

During the story, Professor Rowan had Dawn and the others hold a meeting here, where they learned through that television that Team Galactic had detonated a bomb.

The resulting earthquake had even reached Canalave City, despite its considerable distance from the explosion.

"That is impossible!"

The moment Hikaru and Elaine reached the upper floor, they heard an elderly man loudly refusing something.

Elaine immediately poked her head forward and saw the furious professor.

"Why is Professor Hastings so angry? Wait, the person opposite him is..."

"Lusamine. The Aether Foundation," Hikaru said.

How could he fail to recognize such a familiar blonde woman?

But...

"The Aether Foundation has come to Canalave Library."

"Hmm. This should be around the time they began investigating Arceus."

"The files in Aether Paradise mentioned this part of their research. To complete the development of the Beast Killer, they needed to find usable clues."

"I still don’t know how the Aether Foundation learned about the deity in the first place."

Arceus hadn’t appeared in Pokémon Platinum.

The Azure Flute had effectively been an abandoned event item until the Legends series finally provided a legitimate method of obtaining it.

From beginning to end, only three people had known the complete truth: Cynthia, the mountaineer at the Sinjoh Ruins, and the Hiker in Canalave Library.

Cynthia hadn’t rashly recorded her conclusions in this world.

Even though the history of the Sinjoh Ruins had been opened for investigation, no one would learn about it unless she wrote down her findings.

The Aether Foundation’s Beast Killer research was therefore bound to become stuck in its basic, uncontrollable phase.

Development of the RKS System would be obstructed, forcing the researchers to tackle the project’s genetic component ahead of schedule.

Mewtwo already provided a successful example in that field.

In other words, they would also be using the technology developed on New Island during the Mewtwo project.

"Hm? Elaine? Oh, is that you, Hikaru?" Professor Hastings exclaimed. "I could hardly wait for you to arrive!"

"How embarrassing. You had to witness this situation as soon as you got here."

"But never mind that."

Professor Hastings didn’t have the best temper and displayed certain workaholic tendencies.

Then again, what researcher didn’t?

Professor Hastings glanced at Lusamine. Professor Rowan was standing beside her.

The elderly Sinnoh professor raised his hand in greeting.

"Hm, Hikaru. You’ve arrived! The information you transmitted last time was astonishing as well."

He then attempted to placate Professor Hastings.

"Come now. Let’s sit down and discuss this properly. The person we were waiting for has arrived."

"President Lusamine, why don’t you sit down too? Certain matters cannot be rushed."

Lusamine nodded to Professor Rowan before looking at Hikaru and revealing a perfectly practiced, sunny smile.

"So you are Hikaru."

"Burnet mentions you from time to time—the mysterious deputy director of the Dimensional Research Lab whom hardly anyone knows."

"I also saw reports about you during the recent disturbance in Galar."

"The Sage’s Champion. It is a great honor to meet you here."

Although Lusamine was presently a madwoman, she still appeared perfectly normal on the surface.

She was the complete opposite of Chairman Rose and his supposed "rationality."

Lusamine acted entirely upon emotion.

Hikaru nodded in greeting.

"President Lusamine. It is an honor to meet you as well."

"I didn’t expect the Aether Foundation to participate in this academic summit."

"We have produced a considerable amount of research," Lusamine replied with a smile.

"Furthermore, with so many researchers gathered here, we intend to present some of our ongoing projects and explore whether we can study them jointly with the other professors and researchers."

"Burnet has already gone to the conference hall. She was organizing newly transmitted data."

"I believe you and a researcher named Sonia sent it to her."

"Our spatial research is advancing steadily. As you should know, the Dimensional Research Lab is one of the institutions funded by the Aether Foundation."

"We investigate books concerning space and seek to create habitats and paradises where Pokémon can live freely."

"I have heard that Sinnoh’s mythology speaks of a Legendary Pokémon capable of controlling space."

"Learning more about it would be extremely helpful to our research."

"Everything we do is intended to protect Pokémon more effectively. That is the Aether Foundation’s mission."

"We therefore conduct all manner of research projects—including studies into how Pokémon can feel our love and how we can love Pokémon more completely."

"I have also heard that you are an extremely important figure in Alola."

"Should I address you as the island kahuna?"

"I have been looking forward to meeting you."

Her expression changed slightly.

Hikaru contemplated her question.

"Island kahuna... Did you hear about that from Professor Burnet, President Lusamine? Or from Ms. Kahili?"

Hikaru had never concealed the fact that he was an island kahuna.

In Alola, people undertaking the island challenge, including Kahili, had gone to tremendous lengths to coax the guardian deity into revealing his existence.

By now, the news had probably spread among the current generation of challengers.

"Come to think of it, I still haven’t been able to fulfill my responsibilities as island kahuna," Hikaru said. "It is rather embarrassing."

"If any challengers cannot afford to wait, could one of the other island kahunas conduct their grand trial in my place?"

"After all, that is also one of Alola’s traditions."

"Please convey that message when you return to Alola."

The corner of Lusamine’s mouth curved upward.

"My, my. A request made in your capacity as an island kahuna. It seems I cannot refuse."

"But that is perfectly acceptable."

"Communication and mutual understanding between people begin through cooperation, after all."

Behind her stood a silent girl wearing a white hat, as motionless as a doll while she quietly observed the exchange.

Hikaru glanced at her.

The girl in the white hat immediately withdrew behind Lusamine, remaining completely silent.

Lillie.

Lusamine’s daughter.

She served as the protagonist’s assistant in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon and could also be considered one of their overt heroines.

Among the female protagonists and supporting characters throughout the generations, Lillie enjoyed extraordinary popularity.

Like her older brother Gladion, she had once been treated as a "doll" for Lusamine to manipulate.

In front of Secret Lab A, Gladion would reveal part of their shared past.

Lusamine had treated him like an ornament, forcing him to do whatever she wanted and making him live like a doll.

Consequently, he sympathized with the artificially created Type: Null.

Two years before the events of Sun and Moon, Gladion escaped from the Aether Foundation with one of the Type: Null specimens.

Two years later, at the beginning of Sun and Moon, he returned to Alola and fought Selene or Elio.

For part of that period, Team Skull even employed him as an enforcer.

Lillie, meanwhile, fled three months before the beginning of Sun and Moon—three months after the events of X and Y.

"Two years and three months... No, it should be two and a half years."

"Once the Aether Foundation gathered all the information from Canalave Library, they completed the RKS System remarkably quickly."

"RKS is simply an abbreviation of ’Arceus.’"

"Afterward, Gladion immediately escaped with one of the specimens and remained missing for more than two years."

"Once the events of Sun and Moon ended, Gladion gave the second Type: Null to the protagonist."

"Between six months and one year after the Alola incident, Chairman Rose sent spies to steal the third Type: Null."

"He then created additional Type: Null specimens in an attempt to alleviate Galar’s energy crisis."

Lillie was present with Lusamine, while Gladion was nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps, as the foundation’s young heir and future acting president, Gladion had to undergo extensive management training and consequently remained in Alola.

As for why Lusamine had brought Lillie...

Hikaru understood that as well.

It was probably because Lillie was responsible for caring for Nebby.

Furthermore, Lillie was also a researcher.

Although the animated series didn’t emphasize that aspect, the game version of Lillie assisted Professor Kukui with considerable research and was one of his assistants.

However, Lillie had been kept completely ignorant of anything concerning Nebby.

Despite caring for the Pokémon, she knew nothing about it.

That was why she sought out Professor Burnet and contacted Professor Kukui after escaping.

"If Lillie has already met and become acquainted with Burnet at this point, the later story will need to be rewritten somewhat."

"Judging from her current appearance, though, Lillie has no will of her own. She really does look like a doll."

With those thoughts in mind, Hikaru looked away.

"Is this young lady your daughter? She is very beautiful."

"This is my daughter, Lillie," Lusamine introduced happily.

"Beautiful? Of course she is."

"My daughter always listens to me. That is why she has remained so lovely."

"I personally and carefully select all her clothes."

"That is exactly why I said we would never cooperate with you," Professor Hastings suddenly interjected.

The stubborn old man looked toward the silent girl in the white hat.

"I cannot sense the slightest love in how you treat your daughter—or Pokémon."

"You care only about the things you personally like, without considering how the other party feels."

"That cannot be called love."

"Therefore, exchanging our Capture Styler technology with you—even the smallest portion of it—is impossible!"

"Whether from an official standpoint, for the sake of protecting our technology, or because of my personal feelings, there is absolutely no possibility of cooperation between us."

The atmosphere instantly turned cold.

Lusamine remained silent for a moment, then abruptly smiled.

"I merely want to make the world beautiful."

"I love those Pokémon as a mother would love her children."

"A machine capable of communicating emotions to Pokémon and making them understand our love greatly resembles a legend we discovered in a certain place."

"The legend of a spinning disc capable of crossing space... and the traces of light it leaves behind."

"I believed the Ranger Union might possess the answer."

"But if you are unwilling to cooperate, then I can only say that it is... deeply regrettable."

"Ahem. Hastings, perhaps we should discuss another matter first," Professor Rowan said, trying to mediate. "President Lusamine, please calm yourself as well."

Just then, Lucas hurried downstairs carrying an enormous stack of documents.

"Perfect timing, Lucas!"

Professor Rowan’s relief was completely sincere.

If these people continued arguing, the situation could become extremely unpleasant.

Lusamine had no intention of remaining there either. This floor didn’t contain the books on space that she needed.

"Forgive us for the disturbance. We will take our leave."

"Island Kahuna, I will see you again later."

"There are still certain unusual matters I wish to ask you about—"

"Pew!"

The ball attached to Hikaru’s backpack suddenly shook and released a cry.

Lusamine’s attention immediately snapped toward it.

Lillie raised her head as well.

"That voice... I recognize it."

The girl in the white hat blinked.

She remembered the tiny Pokémon in Aether Paradise that had been almost like family.

"President..."

Hikaru heard Little Nebby’s voice.

Little Nebby seemed to find the woman before them terrifying. After letting out a single cry, it fell completely still.

It had suddenly reacted because it sensed a treasure connected to itself on Lusamine’s person.

Little Nebby had never seen that item before, yet an inborn instinct seemed to be telling it that the object was related to its existence.

Hikaru understood its thoughts and regarded Lusamine with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Do you know of the Sun Flute and the Moon Flute?"

Lusamine’s eyes didn’t change. Her inquisitive smile remained in place.

Her expression, however, had subtly shifted.

"They are treasures handed down in Alola since ancient times," Hikaru continued. "They are played beneath the sun and moon."

"’Sun Flute and Moon Flute. Bring the twin flutes together and offer up a beautiful melody.’"

"Return the flute to the lake on Ula’ula Island."

"Put it back upon the altar at the Lake of the Moone."

"That flute has belonged there since ancient times."

"You..."

Lusamine’s expression finally changed.

She had discovered the flute by chance while researching Ultra Wormholes.

It was an object connected to Alola’s ancient legends, found among the ruins of the little-known Lake of the Moone.

She was certain it was related to the legendary "beast that calls the moon."

A peculiar idea had subsequently taken root in her mind.

She had imagined adding that Legendary Pokémon to her collection.

And now...

The island kahuna standing before her had issued a...

"Warning?"

Lusamine understood the unspoken meaning.

However, once she realized Hikaru wasn’t attempting to threaten or coerce her, she considered the matter carefully and believed she understood.

The island kahuna before her was an outsider, not a native of Alola.

It was rather interesting.

After Poni Island’s former kahuna died, the position had remained vacant, only for an outsider to be suddenly selected.

The other island kahunas barely knew anything about the person before her.

What would happen if she didn’t return the flute?

"You are very interesting."

Interest surged through Lusamine’s eyes.

She wasn’t merely curious about how Hikaru knew she possessed the secret flute.

She was also interested in the cry they had just heard.

Without question, that had been the voice of a Child of the Stars!

Poni Island was the oldest of Alola’s islands.

Its kahuna was said to have known many secrets, but after his death, only his wife and granddaughter remained on the island.

Lusamine believed that little farm girl probably knew something about the deity too, but questioning her had produced nothing.

The man before her appeared to know more than his predecessor.

Or perhaps he was simply more willing to communicate voluntarily.

Moreover, he apparently had a Child of the Stars with him.

In other words...

Had an outsider been selected as the fourth island’s kahuna—and as the person responsible for the seventh trial—because he possessed a method for awakening the legendary being?

Did he also know the Child of the Stars’ true secret?

"It appears we should find time to discuss certain matters properly before the conference ends," Lusamine said.

"We can speak about those flutes later."

"Perhaps there is room for cooperation between us."

Lusamine nodded, then turned and departed with the foundation’s other employees.

Lillie glanced at Hikaru.

Countless thoughts surged uncontrollably through her mind.

Ever since her mother discovered Nebby, she had been using it for certain purposes.

Lillie didn’t know what that research involved. She had merely obeyed her mother’s instructions and cared for the little Pokémon.

Because...

"The more a Pokémon like that is cared for, the closer it becomes to humans—and the more easily it can be placed in danger," Hikaru said.

"After years of research, its gaseous body might be used to create a special kind of wormhole."

"Someone once passed through such a wormhole, lost their memories, became an entirely new person, and even reached a distant world."

Lillie abruptly raised her head and stopped walking.

"Excuse me..."

Her pupils trembled violently.

"If you have nowhere else to turn, come to Poni Island," Hikaru said. "Of course, that assumes I’m actually there."

"Your mother appears to be planning something extraordinary."

"I’ve already experienced several cases where someone’s brilliant spur-of-the-moment idea caused an event that should have occurred years later to happen ahead of schedule—and in an even worse form."

"The ancient world left behind far too many legacies."

"One more thing."

"If a Child of the Stars expends too much power, it will become incapable of moving and may even endanger its own life."

"It is an extremely weak Pokémon."

Hikaru nodded.

Lillie heard Lusamine calling from downstairs.

She hurriedly bowed, then rushed down the stairs with confusion in her heart and her pulse pounding.

No one knew what decision the girl in the white hat would ultimately make.

One thing, however, was certain.

The time when Gladion would run away couldn’t be far off.

Except this time...

"Perhaps the Aether Foundation won’t be able to create Type: Null?"

No.

They had already seen an uncontrollable Type: Null during the Dream Battle Tower.

At this point, it should still have been called BK—Beast Killer—or S/N-01, S/N-02, and S/N-03.

A consciousness without a body.

That resembled the initial stage of the genetic cultivation technology Mewtwo had experienced, as well as Ambertwo’s period of existence as a disembodied consciousness.

"In other words, Dr. Fuji’s research on Mewtwo also existed in the game world."

"Those researchers scattered across the world like stars in the sky, leaving endless harm in their wake."

"Come to think of it, the Aether Foundation actually employs former members of Team Plasma."

"One former Team Plasma member cared for Pokémon in Driftveil City before leaving Unova and joining the Aether Foundation."

"In other words, despite the great N’s incredible charisma, even members of the reformed Team Plasma ran away during the period of Black 2 and White 2."

"And the Aether Foundation has its own dark secrets."

"Pokémon frozen and preserved as collectibles, Lusamine’s peculiar private hobby, foundation employees attempting to silence people permanently..."

"Macro Cosmos also has spies inside the Aether Foundation."

"Faba, one of the foundation’s senior employees, was even bribed by Team Rainbow Rocket during Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon and became a Team Rocket Executive."

"The foundation’s employees truly are a mixed assortment."

"The memory discs used by Type: Null were created from Plates and artificial composites, allowing the RKS System to change its type."

"Meanwhile, Alola’s background lore mentioned a transport vehicle that crashed, scattering Plates everywhere."

"Those Plates were probably gathered by the Aether Foundation from other regions."

"Ordinary Plates aren’t important. Every region has them."

"The important ones are the Plates engraved with inscriptions."

"In that case, the closest place where Plates can be collected, but where no records of Plates have ever appeared, would be..."

"Oblivia."

While thoughts surged through Hikaru’s mind, Elaine watched Lillie leave.

"That little girl is as delicate as a porcelain doll!" she said, spreading her hands. "She’s adorable, but it feels like she has no personality."

"And even though the Aether Foundation’s president never stopped smiling, there was something strangely cold about her."

"Sorry you had to witness that," Professor Hastings apologized.

"I never expected you to be such an important figure in Alola."

"An island kahuna is the strongest person responsible for protecting an entire island, isn’t that right? I’ve heard something about them."

"After all, my homeland is... Ahem. There is no point discussing that."

Hikaru suddenly spoke, leaving Professor Hastings frozen in place.

"’A deep, deep valley blocks the way. If you can cross it, then be on your way.’"

"’The fearsome valley is covered in thorns. Surely no one could ever cross.’"

"’A valley like that is nothing at all. Great Raikou need only leap—leap across while carrying the hero.’"

"I was about to speak with you regarding Oblivia."

Professor Hastings’s eyes widened.

"One of Oblivia’s folk songs: Raikou’s Song," Hikaru continued.

"Professor Hastings, I know your homeland is Oblivia and that you haven’t returned in decades."

"This song was passed down in Cocona Village, wasn’t it?"

"It tells how Raikou and a hero leaped across a bottomless chasm."

"Raikou is a Legendary Pokémon associated with Johto."

"Yet Oblivia apparently had legends of Raikou hundreds—or even thousands—of years ago."

"Why?"

"It was probably connected to some path that transcended time and space."

"The people of that land have passed the story down since ancient times."

"Don’t worry about what happened earlier, Professor."

"President Lusamine’s mental state has been unstable ever since her husband disappeared."

"Her husband, Professor Mohn, vanished while investigating an abnormal type of ’space.’"

"Our Dimensional Research Lab named that phenomenon an Ultra Wormhole."

"The incident was also recorded in an International Police investigation report several years ago."

"Oblivia has a legend about a Hero of Light."

"According to that legend, Ranger Signs can cross space and summon Pokémon to battle."

"I suspect President Lusamine has learned something and connected Alola to Oblivia."

"Then again, Alola really does possess something similar to Ranger Signs: Poké Ride, a tradition handed down since ancient times."

"Before summoning devices were invented, how did the people of Alola call Pokémon to them?"

"Sinnoh has something similar as well—the Celestica Flute."

The common features of three regions converged at this point.

"Myths...?"

Professor Hastings’s hands trembled uncontrollably.

He took several deep breaths, but couldn’t calm himself for a long time.

Thoughts surged through his mind. He felt as though several disconnected facts were finally linking together.

"That’s right. Myths," Hikaru said.

"As everyone knows, most mythological stories in our world are true."

"It appears you will have to dispatch Rangers to your homeland."

"The Aether Foundation is probably conducting certain investigative activities in Oblivia, although I don’t know precisely what it intends to do."

"But Oblivia isn’t a place where people can investigate freely."

"It is a dangerous lost paradise."

"What if their investigation uncovers something?"

"One particular object may have been lost in that region."

"If you send Rangers to strengthen the local patrols, please have them search for it."

"It is a blue-and-white orb."

"And then there are these."

Hikaru took out a card bearing the image of a glowing symbol.

Professor Hastings sprang to his feet the instant he saw it.

"A Plate... engraved with a symbol?!"

It was an object passed down in his homeland. The professor recognized it immediately.

"It isn’t a Plate," Hikaru explained. "It’s a card."

"But it does possess the same power as a Plate."

"This depicts one of Oblivia’s ancient legends: a Ranger Sign."

"The Plate isn’t important. The Sign itself is what matters."

"The Plates were meant for people who couldn’t use Ranger Signs."

"They also allowed those capable of seeing the Signs to record new ones."

"In the past, they seem to have been called Heart Slates."

"Of course, the present-day locals probably don’t know what Ranger Signs truly are."

"Only a small number of people know their origin."

"Do you remember whether your homeland possessed a temple?"

"A temple?" Professor Hastings repeated.

The elderly professor anxiously paced back and forth.

Memories of the past continuously resurfaced until he finally recalled something.

"The ruins between Teakwood Forest and Cocona Plaza!"

Professor Hastings was a researcher stationed at the Ranger Union’s headquarters in Almia.

His homeland, however, was Cocona Village in the Oblivia region, where he had an older brother.

The small village’s design and layout—including the Rainbow Dais at its center—were almost identical to Iki Town and its central stage on Alola’s Melemele Island.

Even the houses stood in nearly the same positions.

To the west of Cocona Village were completely abandoned ruins, overgrown with trees, vines, and moss.

Only a stone monument and an ancient structure remained.

No one knew what purpose they had once served.

"That was an abandoned Forest Temple," Hikaru explained.

"Long ago, it was inhabited by a group known as the Steelhead."

"They wore armor and special gauntlets. Those gauntlets allowed them to control Pokémon in battle."

"An organization called the Societea is currently hiding in your homeland."

"They discovered information about Ranger Signs and obtained power from them, along with the ancient armor and Control Gauntlets."

"And that power happens to be precisely what the Aether Foundation is seeking."

"The armor can be worn by anyone, but anyone who puts it on will be possessed by the consciousness of an ancient warrior."

"The Control Gauntlets can store Pokémon and release them at any time, forcing them to fight under the wearer’s control."

"They are considerably more dangerous than Almia’s Gigaremo units."

That wasn’t even mentioning the "overlord" hidden in Oblivia, whose weapon could annihilate an island with a single shot.

Even if Hikaru explained the Ultra Recon Squad, Professor Hastings probably wouldn’t understand yet.

Dialga and Palkia had not been summoned at Sinnoh’s Spear Pillar, so research into other worlds had been pursued only by Professor Burnet and the now-missing Professor Mohn.

Yes, Professor Mohn had disappeared.

Consequently, although Professor Burnet’s spatial research was still in its infancy, she had become a leading academic authority in the field at an extremely young age.

"In Alola, the Aether Foundation has probably made contact with a certain investigative team."

"That team is searching for a machine capable of controlling and suppressing Pokémon."

"The machine should originally have been developed by a certain scientist from Unova."

"But right now, that scientist is... How should I put it?"

Having Colress develop a machine for the Ultra Recon Squad would have been far safer than using Oblivia’s ancient equipment.

After Black 2 and White 2, the satellite-headed scientist had essentially been redeemed.

His objective changed from "forcibly drawing out a Pokémon’s potential" to "witnessing the power of bonds."

Thus, Colress transformed from a major villain into a powerful ally who even saved Lillie’s life.

Without the satellite head, resolving the Team Rainbow Rocket incident really wouldn’t have been so easy.

"It all connects now!" Professor Hastings exclaimed.

"No wonder that president repeatedly claimed to love Pokémon while stubbornly attempting to trade for our technology!"

Professor Hastings slammed his cane against the floor.

"This is a disaster!"

"The crystal incident hasn’t even ended, yet people are already conducting such activities in that distant lost paradise."

"But we have no one available to reinforce Oblivia’s patrols."

"Oblivia is extremely far from Almia."

"Because it is a remote lost paradise, only one person has been stationed there year-round."

"We genuinely have no personnel to spare."

Hikaru shook his head but expressed his understanding.

The crisis surrounding the crystal had already demonstrated their severe shortage of personnel.

"For some reason, international organizations always seem critically understaffed."

The International Police suffered from the same problem.

They supposedly employed numerous officers, but only a handful had appeared in either the animated series or the games: Scott from FireRed and LeafGreen, everyone’s old friend Looker, the retired Nanu, and Anabel from another world.

Those were practically all the recognizable names.

The International Police’s promotional material had at least shown bomb squads and various other units.

The Rangers were likewise short-staffed.

Small-fry Rangers would simply be captured and taken hostage, making them premium-quality hostages.

Only Rangers at Rank 9 or higher possessed enough strength to challenge an entire criminal organization alone, and there weren’t many elites at that level.

"Um... Shouldn’t we discuss the crystal, the Energy Amplification System, and the special program now?"

Elaine timidly raised her hand, attempting to ease the tension.

Professor Hastings sat down again, although he was clearly distracted.

Hikaru took out a machine and handed it to Elaine.

"Huh? What is this?"

"A prototype Colress Machine," Hikaru replied.

Elaine was overjoyed.

"Ah! This is the machine you mentioned before—the one created by that scientist named Colress!"

"Can I take it apart right now?!"

Hikaru waved a hand.

"Disassemble it however you like."

"Loves dismantling machines more than romance."

That was one of Elaine’s defining characteristics.

In other words, she genuinely could spend her entire life with machines—assuming no one forcibly paired her with somebody.

Elaine lovingly examined the little device in her hands.

Professor Hastings cleared his throat.

"I would like to discuss the crystal immediately, but problems seem to be emerging one after another."

"Professor Rowan also has something he wishes to discuss with you."

"Ahem. That’s perfectly fine," Professor Rowan said. "Please continue."

He carried up a bag of small snacks.

They were RageCandyBars, a specialty of Johto that sold exceptionally well in Sinnoh and happened to be among Professor Rowan’s favorite treats.

"Come. Let’s eat while we talk."

"I’m in no hurry."

Professor Rowan’s generosity left Professor Hastings slightly embarrassed.

Nevertheless, Hastings immediately continued speaking, tearing open a package of RageCandyBars in the process.

"Because of our personnel shortage, we are considering recruiting more people into the Ranger Union."

"Our first choice would be to promote Assistant Rangers into full-fledged Rangers."

"But there is a problem."

"Some of the Rangers working under the regional Pokémon Leagues are also Trainers."

"True Pokémon Rangers aren’t permitted to carry Pokémon or Poké Balls."

"However, in a crisis such as this, when something is prohibited in principle, that means it can be permitted in practice."

"I will ask you directly."

"Please accept the position of Top Ranger."

"This is an extremely serious proposal, reached only after careful consideration."

"We aren’t asking you on the grounds of protecting world peace or Pokémon lives."

"Those principles are certainly our organization’s mission, but persuading someone with ideals alone is extremely difficult."

"I understand," Hikaru said.

"The Ranger Union is an idealistic organization."

"It wants its convictions to be inherited for hundreds or thousands of years, but clearly, not everyone shares those ideals."

"I have no objections."

"If you’re willing to appoint me, I will naturally accept."

"But before that, I would like to recommend someone else."

(End of Chapter)

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