#::💠 crystallized {threads}

[kristallum]

🏜️—desert resort, unova.

Seeing the "statues" dotting randomly across the stretch of sand brings a knowing smile to Crys' face, squinting to her traveling companion with an all-knowing glint in her eye. "It's said that Darmanitan awaken from these statuesque states when tempted by Ragecandybars," she rattles around her knapsack, a look of disappointment following. "And, to think—I came all this way from back home with none to offer... bummer."

Awakening dormant Pokemon is not the mission of the hour for the Champion slash aspiring Professor, and certainly isn't what drove her to post up outside of Unova's Desert Resort for the last several weeks with eyes glued to the skies.

As a UAP enthusiast, what with the recent sightings reported over the area, it was only natural for Crys to wind up trailing the hotbed of rumors circulating through this distant region.

Verifiable by credible sources, as well as the usual conspiracy theorists (people after her own heart), strange activity above the Desert Resort has been recorded for nearly a century—and, if the nature of the phenomena mentioned in reports is anything telling to whats been behind these recent occurrences, then Crys is determined to be the one to make direct contact with whatever it may be that has been watching from above, for so long.

That, or she'd die trying—were others not there to talk sense into her, that is.

"Boy, roaming around in the heat is no joke... if you hadn't arrived with those extra canteens, I'm afraid we would've been goners." Buttercup seems to nod in agreement, the Heracross fluttering inches above the hot sands so as to not burn her feet. "My poor Bubbles doesn't care much for the grittier part of our investigations... some help she is!"

And, an investigation it is. Waiting for the cloak of nightfall for aerial surveillance to commence was a waste of time; Crys, ever the curious, knew traces from whatever had been visiting these wastelands in the middle of Unova had to be evident somewhere. Using every ounce of daylight to scan the dunes, the trenches, the valleys—it was all necessary to her line of work. No stone was to be left unturned, not in her presence.

"We are gracious you decided to join us, B." Rolling up a sleeve, the Johtonian wipes the sweat from her forehead; Buttercup's wings have about had enough, as she lowers herself to the ground. "Tell me—what's it been like, having May as a co-Champion? I know you missed her terribly."

—@littlerooted

[kristallum]

"Heat certainly isn't my thing either," though the calming cool of Shalour is very much up the researcher's alley. The two take to walking as their conversation continues, Crystal following both by ear and by foot down closer to the water's edge. "So, it's quite nice being in a region that's... temperate, compared to some of the other places I've been frequenting as of late." Between her exploits through Unova's Desert Resort as well as the Crown Tundra in the closer region of Galar, she's endured through some intense extremes recently, enough to last anyone a lifetime.

"I did consider—what with all of the closely-guarded information probably archived there—that it would be kind of futile to try looking into the Tower any deeper online... still, that didn't stop me from trying!" Bashful in tone, she turns towards the stretch of sea that upholds the distant sky, scanning her view once more to marvel at the monument they're heading towards. "I guess being spoiled of its mysticism would have numbed the surprise of it all, so I can't say I'm too disappointed to still be completely in the dark on what to expect once we arrive."

Still, these expectations are set fairly high. While their steps crunch over shells and wet sand, Crys recalls the two's lengthy phone conversations, following the women meeting during Kalos' Fashion Week. Though the events then—and those Serena has mentioned of her journey through Orre—were rather dizzying, intrigue for this moment hadn't waned even slightly. To learn more of mega-evolution will undoubtedly require Crys to look further within herself; but if there is anything she's needed more of recently, it's been to have the opportunity for some deeper introspection.

Serena's question doesn't hit the foreigner as intrusive, yet provokes much thought. And, despite coming across as vague, Crys still somehow relates to the exact feeling that is being described to her.

"Now that you mention it, I did feel a weightlessness overcome me, while passing over the water route to get here... it was a– I want to say, an almost floating sensation?" She's not sure she's making much sense, though carries on nonetheless—more context, hopefully enough to relay her point, as well as to make clear the emotions she's attempting to piece together for herself aloud.

"Almost as if my entire being was tapping into something I'd never before felt, like– I'm not sure I can quite put words to it, but it's as though this city's aura has shifted a feeling within me..."

Longingly, she enchants the idea that, perhaps, these new sensations bubbling up from her core are connected to those same powers tapped into to make mega-evolution possible. "Funny that you bring it up, as I wasn't sure whether or not to say anything—us researchers and our overactive imaginations, and all! I just hope I'm making some sense of myself."

Serena would clap her hands together, a wide smile on her face. "Excellent! I was worried I'd almost given you too much material to peruse." Indeed it was a rather thick binder, full of various research documents, peer reviewed journals, and other miscellaneous pieces of relevant information. Anything and everything Serena was able to get her hands on and make copies of, she certainly did. Thankfully, as she had expected, it wasn't lost on Crys either.

There's a light laugh that leaves the blonde, waving her hand in front of her. "Oh goodness, you're too much." Serena replies, a light shade of pink twinging her cheeks. "I'm surprised that I managed to come out of it relatively unscathed," and perhaps it would have gone vastly differently, should she had been without Jasmine, "but I'm very grateful to be back home - you're right about that. Even experiencing that harsh heat was enough for me... I don't know how they do it over there in Orre for much longer periods of time." It was another whirlwind of an adventure to tack onto the list of what she'd already been through - rising and surviving in spite of all the universe loved to throw at her.

"You're very welcome! I know a lot of the important figureheads in the Tower personally." Korrina and Gurkinn especially were far too kind to her, viewing Serena as an honorary part of their family. If it wasn't for their teachings, she would have never gotten aligned on her path in life. Her passion for Mega Evolution, which extended to the bonds that people and pokemon forge together. Her love for pokemon was boundless and bottomless, and she could only hope her work at Ever Seasons thus far was proving to be of service to some of them.

"There's not too much material online regarding the Tower of Mastery beyond its overall history - they're fairly strict about photography inside of the tower itself, and understandably so." Serena smiles once more, silver eyes looking to the tower that sat on the ocean horizon. "I promise you - pictures wouldn't do it justice anyways."

She breathes in deeply, the salt air filling her lungs. "I'm excited to show you around! I can tell you're excited too; we should get going." Serena leads her companion down the nearby stairs to the sandy beach below, a long stretch of sand making a pathway up to the Tower of Mastery.

As the two woman walk, the sea flanking either side of them, Serena looks over to Crys. "I have to ask and see if you're the same as me, so forgive me if this is a bit intrusive... Have you felt anything different within yourself since you stepped foot in Shalour so far? It sounds vague, however, I think you'll understand what I mean." There was a change deep within Serena when she had stepped foot in Shalour. Not many cities or towns had such an effect on her, besides Anistar and the city's sundial.

It wasn't a change of the physical, or even really the mental for her. It went beyond both, seeming to touch her very soul and spirit, opening a part of herself that Serena hadn't even realized was dormant. The sun sparkling in the ocean waves catch silver eyes - seems like someone is very curious to hear about Crys' experience so far.

[angel-selfshipper]

💠 now I've got to know what doll thinks of miles👀

@starryskyships

DOLL'S FEELINGS TWORDS MILES . . .

Miles Morales is... fascinating.

No, fascinating is too small, too breakable of a word. Miles Morales is a symphony of colors and warmth, stitched together with trembling hands and feverish desperation.I have a tendency to watch him move through the world, to watch the way the dark red thread binding him to his brother tangles, chokes, and weaves like a living thing—and my soul aches. Not from sadness, no—I do not understand sadness the way mortals do. Instead, I ache from wonder.

There is something terribly beautiful about the way Miles clings to Michelangelo, and how Michelangelo clings back, like shipwrecked sailors too stubborn to admit their going to die on their sinking ship.

It’s mesmerizing. Their bond is not clean or pure or sweet—it is wrong in a way my being finds comforting. It reminds me of a dirtied porcelain doll cradled too tightly by small, trembling hands. It reminds me of whispered prayers to silent gods, of devotion so deep it drips from the corners of your soul when you look at them.

"Codependent," the mortals say, "Toxic," they hiss behind trembling hands. But I can see it for what it truly is—holy.

In Miles Morales, I see something raw and unfinished, like wet clay still waiting for the right hands to mold it. In Michelangelo however, I see the frantic artist, desperate to leave his fingerprints on every inch of that clay before the world can take it away. Their endless, spiraling loyalty is a masterpiece—one that sings in the secret language only creatures like me can hear.

Miles is everything soft and sharp all at once. I find my platonic gaze constantly drawn to him without understanding why. Maybe it is because Miles’ heart hums at a frequency that resonates inside my hollow chest. Maybe it is because I—a being who was never meant to be mortal—feel an uncanny kinship with things that love too hard, too wrong, too much.

I wish to cup Miles Morales in my gloved hands and simply watch him—watch him until I understand the very essence of his being, watch how he and his brother bruise each other and call it love, watch how he stands so small against a multiverse that demands too much of a child—and still smiles like he’s the one holding all the strings.

I don't exactly love Miles, not in the way I love Hobie. No, no, no... my regard is something colder, something deeper. I want to etch his name into the soft meat of my non-existent heart, to place him in a crystal casket alongside all the other sacred things I enjoy watching.

Miles Morales is one of my favorite offering, other than Hobie of course—the one I watch with a cracked, trembling smile, the one I cradle in thought when the hollow place inside my bones grows too loud. The one I adore for being beautiful in the way rotting roses are beautiful—decay and devotion, intertwined.

And the way Miles loves his brother? The way Michelangelo would burn the entire world for him? It is sacred. It is divine. It is perfect.

TAGGING: @starryskyships

[kristallum]

[ starter for @sereina​]

Kalosian Fashion Week: the event to top all events.

Many may not peg the Johto girl of humble beginnings one to care about such ritzy soirees—and those many would most certainly be wrong. Whether it’s window-shopping in Goldenrod, or tuning into DJ Mary’s show to hear the latest on the trends taking the globe by storm, Kris always has had an interest in the world of entertainment and the arts (despite her ineptitude in either fields).

So, when the delicately-written invitation to attend the prestigious event landed in her mailbox (a written invitation, in this day an age!), she packed her overnight bag and headed to Kalos.

I... suppose I’m a little underdressed, she muses to herself, walking the aisles to find her seat upon the very first row. Her dainty sundress certainly isn’t as flashy as the couture worn by many of the other attendees, their ready-to-wear designer threads tailored to perfection. This is no time to be self-conscious! I’m an honored guest, after all...

Hands folded on her lap, her blue eyes wander around the dimly lit room. The runway before her, high above seating level, looks to be rather intimidating this up close, certainly more towering that they typically appear on television. For a second, Kris swears she sees Elesa and Diantha conversing on the opposite side of the room. Her heart skips a beat, though, the moment she notices someone settling in the seat beside her. Someone who’s face she’s seen countless times, whether it be in the tabloids or in an editorial.

“Excuse me, you wouldn’t happen to be... the Serena, would you?” Her tone hides her starstrucked, feverish excitement, the glimmer in her cerulean eyes perhaps betraying that composure. 

[kristallum]

TAG DUMP POST xx

[kristallum]

"Multiple points of contact is what I assume, exactly," her voice echoes down the way, torchlight now revealing the end of the passage ahead—in actuality, the stretch had been a lot shorter in length than one could've assumed at its mouth. Tricks of the torches and the shadows they cast.

"There is entirely too much evidence pointing to that being the case, like– say, when using the Galarian stone circles as a point of reference, right? Those formations began appearing around 2500 B.C.E., which, as I mentioned, was two millennia before this palace's construction was completed... safe for me to say, I believe we've been under observation for far longer than we, as a collective society, can fathom."

Much more than food for thought—the two Champions are assembling a buffet. It brings Crys to chuckle, oblivious to the fact that Peridot senses something mechanizing behind the walls to both sides of the three explorers. And, chilling as the implications are behind Brendan's conjecture, the Johtonian bears a sheepish grin.

"Look at the two of us—musing over hypotheticals, all while not knowing where in the hell we are." Though it has been worth swapping around theories; the woman is left with a lot to notate once breaking out of the castle's labyrinthine depths.

The end ahead nears, and the upcoming way out of the dungeon becomes visible: oddly slanted for a passage presumably meant to be navigable, to their right appears to be a hatch of some sort—intraversable, making the downward slope leading towards the left their only option.

Crys leaps from the end of the previous hallway, a short jump down but one that forces her to balance against the slight tilt of the flooring below. "Strange, the way this corridor was designed. I wonder if this slope was built with the intent to drain excess rain water? Seeing as this region wasn't nearly as arid back then." She hesitates to express aloud the idea of the tunnel being built to dispose of waste.

A tiny tug at her sleeve, and Crystal's gaze meets Peridot; the Illumise's entire aura seems sour, and very displeased.

Her trainer simply takes this reaction as a sign to what they are all experiencing, flashing the pokemon a sympathetic smile. Best she can do is be reassuring in times like these, to be the rock for her entourage. "It's gonna be alright, Peri. We'll be out of here as soon as possible, no need to fuss."

Joined by Brendan, the two steady themselves downwards, banter continuing to be a welcome source of distraction. "This chute could've served to assist in the transport of materials, back before the empire's prime... it's pretty plausible, don't you think? Despite their proficiency with ancient technology, they were still a primitive people..."

Brendan's lips pursed and he nodded a little. He'd never actually asked May how her encounter with Kyogre had gone - he barely spoke of Groudon and what he'd felt during the battle. How powerless he'd been.

He kept an eye on Groudon, but nothing else. If he was honest with himself, he had no interest in making any sort of accord with Pokemon of such power. Let sleeping gods lie, as it were. Primal Reversion, though, was another matter.

"No, no, it is interesting." He agrees with her. "Don't worry about that, either. Truthfully, we barely know anything about it. I've actually still got the Orb. Not on me, but given everything-- I felt like returning it to Mt. Pyre wasn't ideal. The family are wonderful people, but their duties are ceremonial. Nobody was ever actually expected to take the orbs, nevermind use them."

It sounded harsh, but given what Aqua and Magma had managed to do, what good was it to give them a potential second chance? That had never felt like much of a choice. Besides, it kept it away from Groudon, too.

His eyes drift over the carvings again as he listens, nodding along with her thoughts. Its certainly interesting, that these Pokemon would tie so strongly to places of human spirits, or sciences. There wasn't an obvious overlap he could find there - not on the spot - but that didn't mean there wasn't one.

Still, that would take a lot more deliberation - and this wasn't the place for that, really. Not if they didn't want to starve to death or dehydrate. They only had so many rations, after all.

"The question then becomes, what was the point of origin? While these carvings suggest Unova - as do the landing rumors - that doesn't mean they weren't elsewhere though?" He muses. "Though this may point to the fact that they had multiple points of contact.."

Brendan scratches his cheek as the pair begin to walk down the only exit available. At first he assumes its a dead end, but as they get closer he realizes it isn't; there's just a drop at the end.

Odd design. Damage, maybe? Either way, he has some time to keep talking - which is why he misses the soft sounds of gears turning in the walls. He is, however, at least careful to keep an eye out for any murder-holes.

Which he doesn't see!

"We know how intelligent some Pokemon are, and these ones are capable of building ships. That must mean they have a whole civilization out there." He folds his arms over his chest, guided as he was by Illumise and Crys herself. "-- If that is the case, it'll certainly throw a wrench into entering partnerships with these Pokemon, on some level."

[kristallum]

As always, Brendan's ability to parley between the series of these separate topics is unmatched. Crystal finds this similarity between them comforting, even despite their surroundings, and motions for Peridot to inspect the hallway out of this pit before the trainers are to follow; though reluctant at first, the Illumise bravely flutters ahead, not straying too far from the others. The two researchers slowly regather their bearings, readying to continue on their search for a way out from this underworld.

"Incredible, that you bring up Primal Reversion," she calls thoughtfully, hoisting her duffel bag over a shoulder and situating it comfortably while still keeping its compartments accessible. "This is, of course, no news to you—seeing as you lived through it—but..."

Her eyes narrow solemnly, in reference to what was occurring in Hoenn during her companion's initial Gym Challenge. The apocalyptic events both he and Champion May navigated through in order to prevent the devastation of not only their region, but presumably the rest of the world as well—it has made for a harrowing account, though still one she's been able to bond with him on over the years.

"Mt. Pyre—the family there served as caretakers to the two talisman Orbs, needed for both Groudon and Kyogre to undergo their reversionary transfigurations, correct?"

She's wanting nothing more than to peel apart every image splayed before them, most notably being a large engraving of the revered Volcarona adjacent to where they fell. Though faded through time, the petroglyph is accompanied by two other images, one to each side: to its left is what appears to be a quadrupedal insectioid, with the image to the right depicting another form eerily symmetrical in shape.

Peridot's return signals that it is time to continue on. Crys gives the bug-type a thankful nod, beckoning Brendan along before the two humans continue with their conversation.

"An Elgyem population being around that vicinity, and to the route north of the mountain, is... a strange coincidence. Here in Unova, they're commonly found around the Celestial Tower—coincidentally, another burial ground." Her voice is low, cautious even. She allows Brendan to read between those lines, as clearly a correlation can be made regarding the alien species and its propensity to appear around places where souls have been laid to rest.

"Aside from those two locations of cultural significance, as well as the areas in Galar associated with the region's monolithic anomalies, there is but one other place the species can be found naturally: around the Hokulani Observatory in Alola, atop the mountain that provided its namesake."

Peridot hovers as close as she can to the traveling pair, emitting a soft glow not out of necessity—the torches more than do well to dispel the shadows that linger—but out of an anxious uneasiness. A rather precocious one, the shining Illumise is pulled gently by her trainer to sit atop the researcher's free shoulder.

"The observatory is a world-renowned facility specializing in astronomical sciences, which makes as much sense as it should—either, specimen that were observed and later released repopulated along the mountain, or they were.... drawn to that area, perhaps instinctively, on their own accord."

Crys must admit, she's having a grand time rattling off these theories with her Hoennian colleague, though the crawl of uncertainty still shrouds over her. They have no idea where they're heading, and are practically defenseless with halved parties. Not an ideal situation, though thanks to her fellow Champion's diligence and sharp wit, it's easier for her to assure herself into believing the best of possible outcomes.

Brendan listens intently as Crystal speaks. Not only is he genuinely happy to give her a chance to speak about her research, but it gives a welcome distraction from the horrors of the chamber around them. The Hoennian lets his mind focus entirely on what she's saying, nodding along.

"Man-made Pokemon are honestly fascinating. If Roxanne hadn't gotten me hooked on primarily Cenozoic Pokemon, I probably would be studying them instead." He muses, before his brow furrows. Her words are enough to make him think. "And that does bring up a question, doesn't it? Were the secrets of the creation of Pokemon like Sigilyph or Claydol passed around from one culture to the next, or were the various regions colonized by the same culture that then splintered apart?"

Anthropology wasn't his field, but it tied in enough to it that he'd been to some sites that held cave paintings.

"Galar is especially fascinating in that regard because, like you just said, there's evidence of several different cultures that have settled the region at various points in time. You don't see that in most other places in the world. One or two, certainly, but three or four?" He shakes his head.

Hoenn had the Draconids and the even earlier culture that had enshrined the golems, in that regard.

Brendan steps off to one side to give her a better view of the carvings he'd been looking at. He squints himself, wondering why it seems to familiar to him. When she finally breaks it to him, he can't help but nod enthusiastically.

"I've been studying Primal Reversion - the state that Kyogre and Groudon can enter under certain circumstances that is believed the be their natural state before the passage of time and changing state of the world took it from them." Brendan begins, though he focuses on the wall as a particularly bad memory floods back to him. He masks it with thought. "It bares similarities to not only Mega Evolution but the evolution of certain Pokemon - or, reversion really - through Ancient Power."

He looks back to her, then.

"In the process of researching that, I was fortunate enough to speak to the Draconid tribe who still live in Meteor Falls - and visited there myself, before. Its one of the only places you can find both Solrock and Lunatone in Hoenn, and in ancient times - when Kyogre and Groudon were more powerful - the area was showered by meteors almost constantly, to the point it carved out much of the current area. Its not entirely out of the realms of possibility that both Pokemon came down with them, either, and were only discovered thousands of years later."

It made sense to him, and matched very well with what Crys was saying about Giant Chasm here in Unova. Just because modern science didn't see it, didn't mean it wasn't real.

"Not to mention it is highly likely that the experiences of 'dex holders such as myself and May only confirmed what was thought at the time. Outside of Tate and Liza, who we didn't battle until long after Meteor Falls, I cannot recall a single trainer who used a Solrock or Lunatone at the time. For all we knew, these Pokemon were only fairly recently discovered."

Again, he finds himself following her finger and listening. It took him a moment to click on to what she was suggesting, and its more than a little eerie. It certainly wasn't impossible - many Pokemon were sentient and a sapient, but there were a lot of implications there that he wasn't sure were ethical.

"They've been here before. Maybe coming for thousands of years, watching. It was only when a craft crashed that they became more naturalized." He frowns. "Of course, on its own that doesn't quite explain how populations have appeared elsewhere, unless some travelled or there have been more undocumented crashes..."

He folds his arms over his chest, nodding.

"But there's certainly evidence. We're looking at it." He frowns. "Now that I think about it, a few years ago I remember hearing that a small population of them had appeared back home on Route 121 and Mt. Pyre to the south of that. Places of power, like you said..."

Brendan looks around at the other walls. If they had more time, he'd gladly sit here for days and talk shop with her.

[kristallum]

Softly, she smiles at the mention of one of her favorite subjects she's ever studied. "During one of my first visits to the Resort, I ended up tracking the flight patterns of the Sigilyph population here—honestly, only because I found them to be incredibly intriguing to look at."

Hard to rouse excitement, considering their circumstances, but the small talk is enough to help distract her from the pieces of skull crunching to dust beneath her boots. "From what I gathered, the Relic Castle had previously covered more land mass than what we've been able to record from modern excavations and such."

The two Champions are experiencing proof of this hypothesis now, stuck here within some unknown reach of the palace's murky underbelly.

"Luckily, I had the opportunity to study Sigilyph more closely during my last trip out to Galar—the ruins found throughout the Wild Area there bare striking resemblances to ruins of other regions, most notably Sinnoh. I hadn't much luck in linking any of Galar's fallen empires with the ancient civilizations that once occupied Unova, unfortunately..."

And now she's rambling, her nerves getting the better of her. A call from Brendan, however, immediately beckons her attention.

"Hm?"

Crystalline eyes follow to where the man has found interest. Peridot clings to her shoulder timidly; seems she's as displeased with the current state of things as her trainer is, perhaps even more so. Crys gives her small head a reassuring pat, inching up to the engravings and pulling reading glasses from within her shirt to examine them closer. Thankfully, despite the flow of time having claimed many areas of the Castle, these murals have remained intact enough to still be decipherable.

She takes a couple steps back after her review, gathering the entire scene displayed before speaking up. "It– well, it appears to show an entity descending from—see this?" Her fingertips keep their distance from the petroglyphs, though outline them roughly to help visualize. "I'm assuming this symbol above it represents the sun. Notice the eight protrusions? The dark circles which, I believe, were meant to resemble eyes?"

Crys knows Brendan's catching on, the Hoennite probably familiar with what she's hinting this to be. "Solrock. Now, I know modern sources state this species began appearing within the last thirty-to-thirty-five years, however I believe they've been among us for far longer."

Peridot hovers from her trainer's shoulder, her natural glow revealing the vibrant gemstones wedged into the wall. "The Giant Chasm in northeastern Unova supports this claim, too, as the impact that created it is estimated to have happened approximately three millennia ago—prior to the beginning stages of this palace's construction."

She turns to Brendan, bashful for continuing on the way she is, though her enthusiasm doesn't dull one bit. "Considering Solrock, among other pokemon of extraterrestrial origin, purportedly began appearing in the Chasm following the comet's impact...? I think a pretty strong case can be made that they aren't as 'newly discovered', relatively speaking, as we are led to believe." Again, she curses those outdated 'dex entries, though she moves along.

Tracing below the solar symbolism, she directs the man to again view what had initially caught his eye—the entity descending over a mass of what looks to be a human audience. "Now, back to this glyph. The figures it hovers above represent an ancient tribe, as you can gather by examining the garb they wear, though the being itself doesn't appear to be depicted as human at all."

And, though the drawing is crude and creatively liberal to the species as they recognize it today, Crys has no second doubts.

"Beheeyem, 'The Cerebral Pokemon'. Its pre-evolution, Elgyem, began appearing around the Desert Resort after a highly-classified event that occurred 76 years ago. Many theorists speculate that a craft of some sort crashed here in the desert, thus introducing the species to this terrestrial ecosystem and leading them to be 'discovered'. Other notable researchers have objected to the idea of there ever being a spacecraft, though, instead stating that what was quietly salvaged had been nothing more than a weather balloon."

Smells of a cover-up, but Crystal swallows her opinions on the matter; she has no substantial evidence to prove otherwise, and a "hunch" is no reputable foundation to stand on. Still, her imaginative mind always leaves room for nuance. "When observing the megalithic stone circles found throughout the Wild Area of Galar, I noticed how the region's Elgyem took particular interest in them. They'd routinely survey the stones, almost as if on a schedule, and some would even grow hostile whenever I made an approach. I know to take conspiracy theories with a grain of salt, however–

–these stone circles, and other similar monoliths in close proximity to them, date back to the early-to-middle Bronze Age—quite the time gap, between then and only just eight decades ago." Brendan's sharp, so she's sure he knows what she's getting at.

Brendan is reminded of the sorts of gross, bloated things you'd see washed up on Hoenn's shores in the summertime. It's almost enough to make him lose his lunch, but pushes it aside. Falling apart now wouldn't do anything, now would it?

He looks Crys over briefly - she doesn't seem hurt; he presumes Penelope had caught her and itself before they'd slammed into the ground. That was good; he couldn't have imagined trying to get her out of here if she had been hurt. Still, no point in dwelling on what-ifs that hadn't happened.

Deciding not to release any of his own team (he wish he'd brought more, but the three he had wouldn't be much help right now) he stuck close to Crys and her own. The moonlight was replaced by torchlight, giving them a better view of the walls.

"You're fine." Brendan smiles, a genuine - if thin - one. He won't deny he's nervous. "The Sigilyph were likely one of the first lines of defence. And then-- this. They planned exceptionally long term."

Had there been other warnings? Maybe once, but with how the resort had claimed so much under the sands it would have been impossible to tell. And even then, there was every chance they may not have recognized it even if they wanted to.

His eyes drifted again, over the walls and the carvings. His brow furrows. It wasn't his area of expertise, but he gently directs her to one of them that sits astride to the doorway leading into the corridor. He vaguely understands some of it - maybe - but this isn't his field.

"You likely know better than me; any ideas of what they meant to convey?" He frowns, eyes drifting to what looked like something ascending from the skies.

[kristallum]

Relief settles in, despite their morbid surroundings, as both humans regroup close within the moonlit shroud Peridot emits. The rank smell permeating the claustrophobic pit is overwhelming, likely the result of recent decay; a hand quickly covers Crys' breathing passages, her eyes sparkling like jewels in the limited light. "Thank goodness."

Short, though what else could she possibly say? The whirlwind of events that have landed them here have been dizzying to say the least, so much so that the researcher can hardly remember why she's here in the first place. Then come the reminders of her study in the Desert Resort, a study that'll have to be put on an indefinite pause.

Wherever it is that they are, they are unwelcome. In fact, the only thing welcoming them here in the Castle's abyss seems to be the promise of death.

And, as unfortunate as it is to admit, Brendan is correct—forward would be their only option for escape. Silently, she both curses and marvels at the ancient civilization proficient enough to create such deathtraps, ones that clearly negate even the sharpest pokemon from navigating through them unscathed. As much is evident, by the skulls rolling from the mound on which they balance themselves.

"I... yeah, it would appear so."

"I think we've lost all luxury of safety—stick close."

Stumbling through the bone garden, the two follow closely behind Peridot and towards the hallway ahead of them. Torches flicker forebodingly for as far as the eye can make out; the pit of Crystal's stomach drops, knowing full well the creators of this forgotten kingdom would not have installed an exit route so conveniently out the end of this chamber.

Whatever obstacles await, the woman would like to believe that two Champions would be more than capable to navigate; however, with all that's transpired, that lofty hope cannot be ascertained.

"Whoever constructed these levels of Relic Castle surely were prepared for intruders." Could these traps have been built during a time of war? Were they created to protect a treasure of some sort? Her thought processes have been thrown completely off-kilter, her equilibrium rattled while the two move onward still. Peridot senses her trainer's unease, hovering as close to the two humans as her Moonlight drops in favor of torchlight.

"Apologies for incidentally dragging you into trouble... again."

Brendan grunts uncomfortably as Marilyn's talons clamp on his arms, jerking him to a stop. The heavy beats of her wings dislodge more of whatever is beneath them, sending them clattering and scattering into the darkness. When they're near enough to the ground Brendan reaches up to tap her leg and the Noivern releases him to land heavily, almost rolling his ankle as something shoots out from under his foot.

"Fine! We're fine--" Brendan calls, withdrawing Marilyn for now with a quick thanks. If not for her, he doubted he'd be alive right now. Diving down that confined passage couldn't have been easy nor comfortable for her, with her wingspan.

When Crys has her Illumise light the space up, Brendan can't suppress his gasp. That would explain what he'd heard, then - bones. Probably those that had fallen from above over an unfathomable time period, either dying on impact or being so broken that death took them soon after.

Or maybe those that found other ways in here and couldn't get back out. He wasn't sure if he was seeing sand or the residue from bones that had finally crumbled away to nothing, which painted an even grimmer picture for how long this had been going on.

Brendan looks back at his companion then, his eyes hard and his face etched with concern. There would absolutely be no way back the way they came - though Marilyn could easily blow through the stone hatch with a Boomburst, the resulting debris would certainly hurt her, to say nothing of what might happen to the rest of the structure.

"This would explain why we saw no Pokemon on the upper levels." He frowns. "I would imagine they've learned to stay out of most of the ruins."

He picks his way over the remains to stand beside the other Champion and her Pokemon.

"The only way through is forward, I think."

[kristallum]

His comment jogs memories of the countless submissions Dexholders have contributed over the past decades plus, since the device was implemented to be wireless. Inconsistencies aside, Crystal held respect for all those tasked with completing their regional dexes, whether they were properly suited for the job or not.

And, considering many young trainers favored battling over gathering data, she can't fault others for not pursuing that goalpost with the same passion that has fueled her.

"Good point! A majority of the pokemon we know to be of extraterrestrial origin have acclimated to life on this planet—to varying degrees of success, but still–"

She refrains from mentioning the caverns filled with alien Clefairy, beneath the isle of Altomare. Despite the fact such colonies exist to this day, she's a woman of her word—that, and disappointing Jasmine by breaking their promise to keep confidentiality on the subject would be a most heinous offense.

"What is allegedly happening now isn't the typical interactions we've had with species we are familiar with... it leads me to wonde–?!"

Nearly knocking into the back of Brendan and toppling them all like a line of dominoes, her voice trails and her eyes examine the cubic chamber they'd been led to. The nervous cries of the Noivern immediately bring a chill to crawl through each of the woman's limbs; a pokemon as sharp and reliable as Marilyn would never have purposely made a miscalculation.

The whirring continues, as do the wheels in Crystal's mind as she realizes what happened—Marilyn's echolocation, somehow, had been jammed. By what, she cannot even begin to fathom. Penelope, a dual-type with psychic abilities, hadn't foreseen these circumstances either. Whatever it was that mechanized within the walls of the tomb-like room had been powerful enough to throw both pokemon off the respective guards, a reality that becomes all the more worrisome when the floor beneath them starts to shift...

...before it drops open.

Within seconds, three of the four companions hurdle downwards in a spiral of confusion, the party plummeting into the Castle's deeper recesses. Marilyn, in the nick of time, swoops Brendan up before he impacts the bottom of the pit; Penelope, harnessing all she has within her, radiates telekinetic energy, halting both her and her trainer's falls as she levitates them lower.

Crys can hear rattling beneath her feet in the darkness, the toppling of things sounding both dry and brittle. Her footholds aren't good, and through the commotion of it all Penelope's Mirror Coat couldn't sustain itself. "I-Is everyone alright?" The Champion's call bounces between walls unseen, the pitch-blackness having swallowed everything into an endless void while the floors above seal up once more with thundering force.

Tracing her fingers to locate her carry-on, Crys unzips it haphazardly, recalling Penelope as she releases another of her teammates. Upon emergence, her Illumise brightens the room with a silvery glow courtesy of Moonlight, revealing exactly where it is they've now found themselves.

Bones, both human and pokemon, litter the dungeon for as far as the eye can make out. Ahead of them, torches alight along a narrow passage, leading down to Arceus-knows-where. Crys turns to Brendan speechlessly, yet the look of bewilderment on her face is unmistakable.

Brendan would be lying if he said he'd never browsed Occulture before. It was a Paldean-based magazine, primarily known for hosting 'paranormal' and 'otherworldly' occurences that supposedly weren't directly related to Pokemon. As a scientific tool it was worse than useless, but...

"I know how the community can be." Brendan frowns a little. "And I'm sure you do too, given how many Pokemon you've registered. We live side-by-side with monsters of untold power and potential, and yet sometimes information that is patently wrong can end up in regional dexes and probably won't be changed for years, if ever. If that's how our scientific community can be, then I can't say I blame anyone from seeking an alternative route to get their story out there."

He supposed that at least partially came about as the result of so many dex holders being children or young teengers, and the professors having to work off of their notes in their own dexes, though.

Brendan smiles a little then.

"Even if it is Occulture." He winked, but kept listening to her story. As he did so, he kept an eye on Marilyn. She almost seemed to take a few seconds now and again, as if she was more guessing than seeing. That was probably nothing though; a trick of the light - and he had asked her to get them out without taking them lower.

Her comment makes him shake his head.

"No, no, not at all. There's not much of an overlap between our two fields in that regard." He smiles. "And I enjoy learning. Besides, what you've just described isn't too terribly out-there. We have catagorical evidence that alien Pokemon exist, so what's taking it another step?"

Hell, didn't Beheeyem abduct other Pokemon in Galar?

Brendan believed Crys was likely onto something. He didn't know what, but ultimately she wouldn't waste her own time chasing things that were obviously false. She said as much herself, and in all the years he'd known her that had always remained true.

He hadn't been paying attention honestly; not enough that he hadn't dismissed the ticking and why they'd stopped walking. He'd almost slammed into the back of Penelope, herself blocked by Marilyn who was looking around the dead-end she'd led them to with confused irritation. She chirruped, wings flapping.

"Marilyn?" He asked, confused. That didn't make sense. She couldn't have gotten confused with her sonar; echolocation fundementally didn't work like that. And from her agitation, she hadn't meant to bring them here.

That was when the ticking stopped and the stone floor opened up under them.

[kristallum]

Offshoots from the main passage lead to endless reaches of the labyrinth, which begs Crys to ponder just how far these hallways stretch—could they potentially connect Unova as a whole, beneath its citizens very feet? Wild a speculation, her thoughts drift to stories of the twin heroes, Romola and Rema; the deity dragon, whose being was severed in two by the twins' conflicting virtues; the bloody conflict that soon followed...

Mythology may not serve any real purpose for most intellectuals, if not to provide a source of entertainment; but to write off the validity of legends completely, to discredit stories immemorial, Crys could never bring herself to do. After all, the elemental forces that govern their world reveal that both sides of the coin—science and spirituality—blend closer together than many might realize.

Sifting through ceiling tiles, raining sand is avoided by the two humans as they side-step around loose flooring. Despite the condition of these ruins being favorable enough to examine with substantial detail, the unseen dangers that undoubtedly lurk where few have tread still pose as potential threats.

Crys clings closely to Brendan as they shimmy through a particularly narrow passage, the teamwork of their partners guiding them deeper through the Castle. "I was moreso here investigating the rumors swirling around lately—about the series of trapezoidal crafts seen hovering over the Resort, these last few months." Before claustrophobia can get the better of her, the two spill behind Marilyn and Penelope into a wider chamber, what looks to have been a hub of activity several millennia ago.

"I wasn't going to bother looking into it any deeper at first... but, before you'd know it, witnesses started stepping forward. With the experiences they would describe—experiences scaled to CE2 status—I figured it was worth investigating a little more closely."

"From the evidence I've found online, to what's been published in the most recent issues of Occulture—it is all so eerily reminiscent of this one account, arguably one of the most famous abduction cases in recorded history."

The quartet examine the terminal-like room they've found themselves in, lit only by the glow of Marilyn's eyes and Penelope's sustained Mirror Coat. Presumably by use of echolocation, the Noivern seems certain the path (of many) they are to take. Crys doesn't think twice about where her feet are leading her, fully engaged on the topic of conversation.

"It was around... 70, or so, years ago? Off Unova Route 4, before sandstorms plagued the era. It'd been a fairly quaint dirt road back then, busy during daylight hours and less-so at night." Entering another narrow hallway, one sharp right plants the travelers at the top of a steep staircase. One foot after another, they begin to descend.

Crys has full faith their Pokemon won't lead the trainers astray—they've handled similar situations before, both separate and together. What could possibly go wrong?

"Arnie and Lettie Krill, an Unovan couple, were driving home on Route 4 late one November night, following a day-trip to Nimbasa's Amusement Park. The road at the time was relatively deserted, they were able to recall. It was a cloudless night, with temperatures a bit lower than the then-average, though nothing too noteworthy," and it is something she can attest to, having filtered through meteorological reports of that month.

"They were due to arrive back to their home in Castelia at their originally scheduled time and, without any traffic to slow them down, had little reason to think that that wouldn't be the case. Listening to the radio, singing together... those were the last few details they could recount before all purportedly went dark."

Around each landing Penelope turns, the Champions briefly become consumed by shadow before rejoining the bask of her silhouette shortly thereafter. Crys does begin to wonder, with each step growing steeper, where the two are being led. She carries on, nonetheless.

"When they'd both regained consciousness, the couple would realize that they had, at some point, parked along the side of the road. Daylight was breaking and, before their car battery would die completely, they'd then notice the vehicle's clock displaying their current time: 07:17am, roughly six hours after they had originally departed from Nimbasa."

Crystal's voice lowers, not for any dramatic effect, but to listen closer to a noise that catches her attention: a whirring sound, emitting through the walls at an incredibly low frequency. She hasn't a second more to think on it, as her feet threaten to slip from under her following a slight misstep; Penelope is quick, however, looping around to balance her trainer while the group descends the last lengthy flight of steps before them.

"They were able to relay—through a Hypno-trained therapist—accounts of an alleged abduction by an extraterrestrial race, and of... a series of tests, unwittingly conducted on them," she grows squeamish, at the thought of the things that have been alluded to through coverage of the events over the many years following.

"They recollected being shown a map that extended across the observable macrocosm, and stated that they'd witnessed technology so advanced, it was impossible for their mortal minds to fathom... indescribable to the point that both recalled nearing the brink of total madness—simply by trying to comprehend everything they were being exposed to."

Realizing she's spent the better half of ten minutes talking the Hoennian's ear off, Crys utters a sharp gasp, shielding her mouth with a palm. "I know that- well, you're incredibly versed in your own areas of research, that this all may be a little redundant."

Cerulean eyes scan the shadows, that whirring sound continuing to buzz in the back of her ear, growing louder and louder with each passing moment.

"If the similarities of these recent events correlate to Lettie and Arnie's account, then I'm almost certain the same beings that'd watched over the Resort less than a century ago are watching over it to this day."

Contrary to popular belief - in no small part thanks to Unovan dex holders being vague in their descriptions - Noivern where not obligate carnivores, nor did they take large prey. While they certainly did occasionally devour bug type Pokemon the overwhelming majority of their diet, much like Noibat, was fruit.

That did not, however, mean their large and rodent-like canines could not be used in defence and Marilyn gives an irritable hiss and a flash of fangs at the snappy rear-head before she flaps over her body (pausing to give Penelope's main head a polite greeting) and down the tunnel with heavy wingbeats.

Brendan puffed out his cheeks, shooting Crys an apologetic glance as he follows her into the once-darkness. Sand has gradually leaked in over the milleniums, coating the corridor and crunching underfoot. Its painfully loud.

"And it gives us an excuse to see the ruins." He agrees - flying out would have been trivial, but they both didn't want to miss the chance to look around, as impromptu as it was.

Her comment snaps him out of his thoughts as he nods. "Its a nice change of pace. My studies picked up and I have barely had chance to do anything like this when combined with my position in the League."

And as much as he'd rather drop being Champion, that wasn't going to be without a literal fight now.

"So when you asked me to come with you? I jumped at it." He grins. "If nothing else, things never seem to go as planned. That keeps it interesting. Besides, it does get lonely. It wouldn't be right to let you come out here without company."

He's not too terribly worried about where Marilyn seems to be guiding them - she's avoiding the sections the desert has collapsed, and they don't seem to be going down too much.

"You mentioned you were here to study UFO's?" He asks, without a hint of mockery.

[kristallum]

Even the glittering Altaria isn't fast enough to break her fall, though the fact they're quick to check on the researcher is appreciated nonetheless. Not only that, but the radiant glow of the Pokemon illuminates a large portion of the chamber's decrepit interior. Crys winces as she stands, supported by the cotton-soft wings of Zeus. Brendan joins them, not long after.

"...Dammit, how many times must this happen?" The rhetorical question comes with a lengthy groan. It has become too reoccurring for her liking, this ongoing battle she has with gravity. Turning to the Altaria as she brushes the dust and debris from her clothing, the woman is able to muster a smile. "Thanks kindly, Zeus."

Ripping the sand goggles from her face, their lenses hazy and in desperate need of some cleaner, Crys surveys the pillars holding the high ceiling above them. Through only the way they came is there any blatant damage to the chamber, with everything else relatively intact despite weathered appearances. Etchings along the walls and across tiled floors paint the image that these ruins were once important to a civilization of an era long past.

She's versed enough on the subject to give Brendan a clear answer, whether he's in need of one or not. "That this is," comes her voice, hushed as if not to disturb the spirits dwelling these forgotten halls. "This place was originally built by one of Unova's two legendary "heroes"—I'm sure you're at least partially familiar with those tales?" If not, she's the right person to ask.

"Either way, roughly 2500 years ago, this place was considered a metropolis of sorts. The ancient race that inhabited these halls, some say, worshiped the species Volcarona as a sun deity."

"However, it is speculated that this race actually feared the Volcarona—several archaeological journals accounting their history mention a Pokemon known then as "the rage of the sun", so I imagine there's some credibility to these claims..."

She hadn't come to Unova for an exploration of a castle she knew to exist, and yet stepping deeper into its dark recesses beckons her intrigue to grow all the more stronger. Besides, recording new information regarding Relic Castle could provide context to her other areas of interest—even her investigation of the strange lights seen assembling over the desert could benefit through learning more of the ancient city sleeping beneath its dunes.

Shaking the aches from her limbs, Crys retrieves a ball made of white apricorn. The boom as it unlatches and spills out her Pokemon is akin to a firecracker, reverberating from the marked walls and beyond into pure shadow. A light brightens the chamber once more, the sparkling form of her Girafarig coming into view. Her tail snaps its fangs wildly upon awakening, the giraffine-like beast trotting over to inspect her trainer's condition.

"Penelope, girl," cupping the Girafarig's chin, Crys gives her a welcoming nuzzle. "Mind throwing up a Mirror Coat for us? We've– kind of taken a tumble."

Snorting as she knows all the better, Penelope and her overactive tail quiet and sync their efforts to produce a vivid luminosity from their core. Her body envelopes within a wave of psychic energy, her alternate coloration enhancing brilliantly as though she's become a living beacon. Mirroring that energy into fragments of light that ricochet between herself and Zeus, the two expel the swathes of darkness until the void surrounding them is no longer all-consuming.

Now, the intense glow bathing the walls and curving up the ceilings reveals more that had previously been unseen, including a doorway that presumably leads farther into this long forgotten netherworld.

"Now that's better."

Brendan laughs as Crys takes his challenge, glad for the change of topic - primarily to prove he really wasn't just pushing things down for her sake. He watches as her mind works and she looked around for whatever he'd picked out.

It was almost a little unfair, given he wasn't quite sure the Sandshrew would surface from its burrow again so soon, but he supposed it was better than something obvious, right?

He has to admit, its oddly nice being out here. Well, other than the searing heat he supposes (he wipes his own brow and unscrews his canteen for a drink). He glances back to her just in time to catch her wicked grin. Has she seen it?

It takes the Champion a second to realize what has happened when Crys stops speaking and vanishes from his line of sight. Several things happen in a few scant seconds as instinct kicks in; Brendan recalls Emirati with one hand and throws another ball down the newly formed hole in the sand while bracing himself so the cascade doesn't sweep his feet out from under him.

The ball bursts open, illuminating the interior in a bright flash of light that sparkles almost as bright as the sun above. Zeus doesn't need to be told, rocketing down after Crys. He's too slow to catch her, but the shiny Altaria scoops her up in soft pillow-like wings, cooing and checking her over.

"Crys! You okay?!" Brandon yells as he drops down after her, grunting as he lands hard on the ground below. He's already looking the woman over, fumbling for his flashlight as the Altaria drifts away to give room, looking around at the walls. His brow furrows.

"... This must be Relic Castle, then?" He mutters. It wouldn't surprise him if the temple stretched all over beneath the sands. Just, well, he'd been hoping to use the main enterance.

[kristallum]

His words ring heavy, and Crys can sense the dip in his mood as they continue their traverse over the sands. Despite Brendan's best efforts to conceal his worry during his childhood rival's absence, he hadn't ever been particularly successful—the Johtonian researcher has always been perceptive to an indelible degree. Still, she knew when and where to speak her mind, and when and where it was more appropriate to offer a shoulder or an ear.

Though, some sound advice never hurts.

"I– can imagine how getting re-acclimated with each other comes with its... unique set of challenges," a hand shoots up to shield her face from the overhanging sun, crystalline eyes piercing for anything discernible in the distance. "Not only were the two of you close as kids, but now you're technically colleagues as well. That... can't be too easy to navigate, I feel that."

Buttercup can't take the heat from the harsh sands any longer, emitting an irritable cry as Crys quickly goes to recall her. She had more than earned her rest, after fending off the Resort's more hostile denizens for the better half of the day.

"I think it's best you do as you've always done... keep focused, and attentive. I'm positive that, beyond her improved skills and physical changes, she's very much the same girl you once remembered."

A reassuring pat against his arm serves as a reminder that Crys, too, is here for support should it ever be needed. Few in her line of work as a researcher shared her title as Champion, and she'd come to care for the Hoennite greatly over the years.

"Sometimes, it's best to just take it day by day. No use stressing yourself out over it, you know?" Words she, herself, has had to live by through learned acceptance.

But by day, she takes it, continuing the trek for any anomalies detectable across the desert terrain. Though the activity she'd been investigating was noticeably more prominent during the twilight hours, Crys still wishes to cover as much land as humanly possible to be prepared for any potential breakthrough. After all, with plans to eventually visit Blueberry Academy, she'd need a great deal of material to pour over while staying at the school for a spell.

The two humans and Brendan's Emirati maneuver around sinking sands, tiptoeing carefully side-by-side. By now, they've surpassed beyond the usual boundaries many tread, entering them into a wasteland devoid of anything other than the occasional Pokemon or coarse-looking clump of shrubs.

Delirium threatens to set in as the heat of the oncoming afternoon begins intensifying. "Hey," whether she's trying to change the subject or attempting to keep her mind active is not obvious, though both may very well be true. "Wanna play a game?"

Clapping her palms, she squints and scans the area before audibly giving an 'aha!'.

"I spy something... green."

Brendan had long since learned to dislike deserts. It had started when he and May ventured into the one that dominated Route 111 and he'd ended up falling down a Trapinch pit and getting bitten. He still had the scars on his right ankle for it.

And, May being May, now had that Flygon on her team. It made him laugh these days.

His battered go-googles continued to serve him well too, blocking out the worst of the glare from the sun. Fortunately, Unova's Desert Resort didn't seem to have the same constant sandstorms as Hoenn's did.

He takes a sip from his canteen, unwilling to mention that he'd seen her munching on a candybar was he'd approached. Let her save her dignity a little.

"I personally wouldn't be happy to be woken up either." He admits as he screws the lid back on and looks at her from out beneath the lenses. "Perhaps for the best you don't have anything to feed them?"

Her comment makes him smile.

"It helps I have had particularly bad experiences in deserts before! Its always good to pack more than you need, anyway." He offers a gentle shrug and another smile. Unlike Buttercup, Brendan's ornery Camerupt that lumbered alongside had absolutely no troubles in this heat. She'd been strapped with a pack between her humps that carried enough supplies that could see them through any eventuality.

Not that Emirati was totally happy with it, but Brendan bribed her with her favorite feed to get her to agree. She'd never been one to do something she didn't think made sense or wasn't in her best interests, even as a Numel. She grumbles something that might be agreement, all the same.

"Thank you for inviting me! May was eager to go and explore, and you offering me this chance wasn't something I could turn down. It gives us a little time apart, which I think she needs now again." He pauses then, and thinks over his choice of words. "She's so much stronger now than she was when we were kids. That's natural, I guess, but I wouldn't be surprised if all she's done for the past decade-plus is train."

He stares out over the desert for a moment, letting his mind count the Darmanitan as a distraction.

"I look at her and see my best friend, but other times I look at her and see someone I don't recognize. I don't even mean that in a negative sense, really, its just been a lot to adjust back to. I'd honestly started making peace with the idea I might never see her again."

[kristallum]

From the further discussion of Volcarona, Crystal bites her tongue reflexively. There's a trigger there, carrying on from when she herself raised a Larvesta to a Volcarona for data recording purposes. Studying the creature through its evolution and—doing as she'd always done, once research concluded—releasing them thereafter, the process of examining that peculiar dual-type had been surprisingly laborious.

Setting world records amongst Dexholders, having many of her own entries submitted to the database exclusive to a select few—it has come with its fair set of challenges. And, though not many share the passion for logging and observing every new species they come in contact with, Crys is content enough in what she's achieved so far to continue to pursue her dreams.

Marilyn is met with a welcoming neigh from Penelope, the Girafarig's second head stretching madly from her rear in attempts to chomp at the draconic bat-like beast. "Easy, now," Crystal sighs, as her Pokemon enhances their focus again to maintain an equilibrium. The Mirror Coat works well to illuminate a path ahead, its effervescent glow a more pleasant alternative to other moves capable of similar feats.

The Girafarig trots forth, tailing the Noivern while their human companions soon follow. "Brilliant thinking, B." It is apparent in her tone alone how anxious she is to scout the ruins before inevitably returning to her research above the subterranean city.

"Let us get going, then? I'm sure there has got to be a more convenient way out, as opposed to the way we came..."

Her boots kick up dust while the dark corridor leading from the forgotten tomb soon brightens around Penelope. It is evident enough in the architecture, how advanced this ancient civilization must have been. With depictions of unfamiliar deities, of wars and victories and customs long lost to time—Crys begins beating herself up for not having ventured this way sooner.

As they begin winding down long stretches of narrow passageways, taking sharp turns at the guidance of their leading Pokemon, the woman steps into a more leisurely stride. "It's been a minute since we've done anything like this together," she calls towards the other, remembering fondly several of their previous exploits. "I must say, it's nice having someone tag along. As you know, work in the field can get... incredibly lonely, at times."

Not knowing many who can keep up with her, Crys speaks from experience—her pursuit of knowledge has often left her in an isolated state. Perhaps it was through their separate experiences of handling isolation that the two Champions befriended one another so quickly, morbid as it may be. "I'm really glad you found the time to join me."

Zeus gives a gentle hum, glad that Crys wasn't injured so much as surprised. Brendan looks to Altaria over, offering a gentle smile - it wasn't his fault that he hadn't caught her before she landed. That was just physics, unfortunately.

The Hoennian pulls his goggles free and stores them, opting to leave the Altaria out for now just in case they ran into any aggressive wild pokemon. Deserts had a habit of breeding such creatures, always looking for their next meal or potential dangers. He gazed at the walls, squinting to see with the aid of what little light was offered from the hole they'd fallen through above.

"I admit, my field isn't anthropology, but I'd be lying if I said that the Heroes of Truth and Ideals weren't some of the more interesting legends." He nods with a smile.

The worship of Pokemon - either out of fear or genuine belief - wasn't uncommon. While Legendaries were naturally the most likely to receive such owing to their powers, 'normal' Pokemon were just as common in some cultures. Again, while not entirely his field there'd been many cave paintings from thousands of years ago depicting many species that were no longer around that factored deeply into these people's lives.

"I've never handled a Volcarona, but supposedly they can manipulate the fire they produce. The dander they shed from their wings is also highly flammable - it doesn't surprise me that they'd have a moniker like that, or that it would be influential enough to have a temple devoted to it."

He lapses into silence as Crys reveals her Girafarig and orders a Mirror Coat. He'd never considered using that in such a way before - how many times had she managed something like this to know that?

Its enough to make him smile. An idea comes to mind as he withdraws Zeus with a thanks and releases Marilyn instead. The Noivern flaps her large wings as Brendan hums.

"Marilyn, we're in a bit of a bind here. Help Penelope navigate. We don't want to go too much deeper - we're looking for an exit."

The great bat-wyvern chittered and let loose a gentle burst of supersonic from her ears down the darkness of the tunnel. Brendan looks to Crys then, smiling.

"Now we've got light and a way to navigate. Teamwork."

[kristallum]

His guess is right on the money, but it is the spark of enthusiasm that lightens her mood the most. Aside from the occasional intrusive thought, Crys generally likes to maintain a bright, positive atmosphere around herself. Seeing the spirit diminish in someone as capable as Hoenn's Champion is a souring sight.

For a moment, she considers this an opportunity to remind him how well he's held his position for so long. Instead, she saves her praises—his challenge has been accepted.

"Oh, okay, I see you," light-heartedly sarcastic as she unclasps the cap of her borrowed canteen, swigging as much of the cold water back while simultaneously analyzing her strategy here. 'Gold... a precious metal, highly malleable with incredible durability–'

Overthinking already. 'Let's take it easy.'

Much of the terrain looks exactly the same. Dunes roll along in wave-like formations, sprinkled at their bases with desert-willows and brittlebush. Spouts of sand can be seen spewing every now and again, without warning. The native Pokemon are active, presumably aware that they are now in the presence of a powerful set of humans. Emirati, too, likely inspires a little apprehension in them herself; each powerful stomp of her hooves rattles the earth, shooting up dust and debris as she trudges along beside the trainers.

The heat haze caused by the refraction of light melds most of these different aspects into one, seemingly endless blur. Lifting her pair of goggles briefly to gently wipe her eyes of sweat, and after blinking several times to clear them, she resumes her search.

From a particular cloud of sand arises a shrew-like desert dweller, though one Crys is more than familiar with. The hides of those found back home are browner in color, though this specimen shines brightly beneath the overbearing sun. She grins, flashing the glance of someone very pleased with themselves.

"...Got it! Is it Sandshre—?!"

Cut off mid-sentence, Crys blanks as her feet fall from under her, her body suddenly weightless within a cascading wall of sand. All goes dark, coarse, and a numbness overcomes the young woman as she plummets further from the sun. Within split seconds, a heavy thud and sharp sting rouses her from complete disorientation. Sand still spills from overhead, an echo of her reactionary yelp bouncing around unlit acoustics.

It wouldn't be until Crys was able to pick herself up, that she'd notice the tomb-like dungeon she's now inexplicably found herself within.

Brendan instantly feels guilt as he watches Crys's face change. He hadn't meant to get so heavy so quickly; May was just a very complex topic that he wasn't sure he'd ever fully solve for himself. He didn't want to sour her mood, and her advice is welcomed. He glances to her and nods along, letting her speak her peice.

"You're right. Sorry, I genuinely didn't mean to pull the mood down. Overall? I am happy. I'm the happiest I've been in a decade." He cracks a grin.

He meant it, too. He wasn't trying to placate her. She was a good and steady source of advice; always one with both feet on the ground (in a metaphorical sense at least). His eyes drifted back as she recalled Buttercup into the safety of her ball. Emirati continued to plod along, likely not even taking notice of whatever conversation the pair were having.

"But to be honest, being colleagues isn't too different from the norm. If anything, we get to spend more time together than we would otherwise. Getting May to sit still when she'd rather be out doing her own thing is a nightmare."

Plus, though he'd never say it out loud, it was a way to ground her so she wouldn't feel inclined to just leave again. He felt bad for thinking it, but at the same time it was true. May's leaving had changed his life entirely, and not for the better. It was true that becoming Champion was his choice, but their shared experiences had meant lapsing back into ignorance about the failings of the adults just wasn't on the cards for him.

But as he turns his attention back to the dunes, he realizes that this place is even more lifeless than 111 was - at a glance, anyway. Not that it helps keep his focus.

Until Crystal suggests a game, and how can he not?

Emirati sighs a tired grumble and Brendan pats her furry neck apologetically, grinning a little as he looks. Something green, eh? His first thought was Cacnea, but they weren't native to Unova. He squints through the glare, hunting.

Oh!

"Maractus!" He points, clicking his fingers at the hopping Pokemon as it vanishes behind a dune. He scans, and...

"I spy something gold." He grins.

[kristallum]

The flight from Johto to Kalos was a fairly lengthy one, a decent amount of time for the average passenger to enjoy a catnap, or to leisurely watch one of the films streaming on the screens hanging above each aisle—but Crystal had always been a different breed. Off three shots of espresso, each tossed back one after the other, the Johtonian spent the majority of her time pouring over articles she'd clipped from magazines, Pokepedia pages printed and notated in flurries of red ink, and documentation compiled through her own research as well as that of the friend's—one she is most anxious to see.

She had been thrilled to receive an invitation from Serena to visit Kalos, after their previous plans had been derailed—understandably so, all things considered. Crys didn't intend to disappoint her host by being ill-prepared, especially not when considering the lengths they'd spoken together regarding the phenomena of Mega-Evolution.

A generalist both in battle and through her own areas of research, the process of Mega-Evolution had always been at the top of her list of interests. As surprising as it was, even to herself, she'd not yet taken the appropriate amount of time to delve deeper into the subject.

So, to be invited to the mecca of all things surrounding the phenomenon was an honor, and a trip she'd been looking forward to since it was very first entertained between the two trainers-turned-friends.

Landing in Lumiose, the dazzling capital captured her eye for only a few moments before her sights were reset. Off westward, she took through the Lumiose Badlands, stayed briefly in the port city of Coumarine for a night, all before continuing her trek along the Kalosian coast towards the city of Shalour.

Surfing across Route 12, it isn't long before the Tower can be seen rising towards the skies ahead of her. Even this far from its threshold, its magnificence is breathtaking. Her heartbeat threatens to jump from her chest as her first few steps into Shalour are met with a breeze most invigorating. Something is awakening within her, perhaps spurred by the aura of the city itself.

Upon spotting her blonde confidante closer to the shoreline, Crys finally rips her gaze from the Tower, sprinting straight into the welcoming embrace.

"The trip wasn't entirely awful," though the accompanying jet-lag did land her in one of Coumarine's humble motels for a night. Shuffling through her traveling bag before fishing out a binder packed full of parchment, she juggles the materials as if already planning to dive right into it. "I got the opportunity to really read into all of the findings you sent my way—fascinating stuff, let me tell you!"

This reunion isn't worth rushing, however, and the mass of papers fluttering in the sea breeze are tucked away once more. "It is great to see you again, too! You look amazing, considering– well, everything that had occurred." The Kalosian is as radiant as ever, and the slight sun-kissed tint her skin has taken, following what Crys had heard to be a tumultuous journey through Orre, suits her surprisingly well. "I'm sure you are thrilled to be home, too."

Her carry-on is again hoisted over a shoulder, with a bow soon following—customary reflexes, something she has failed to shake. "I must thank you again for sticking your neck out for me here. I've heard how selective of their audience the Tower's staff are—it is incredibly kind of you to have invited me."

Feet tapping in place, boundless energy surging through her at the mere thought of getting to properly visit the Tower of Mastery, her smile widens. "A tour would be absolutely brilliant! I can't even begin to imagine what the interior must be like... I couldn't find very many references online, in all honesty."

closed starter for @kristallum - 🏰

A young woman wait near Shalour's modest beach, arms resting on the railing as the Tower of Mastery watched over the quaint town. It was referred to as 'a city of awakening', and Serena was always inclined to agree. It was here where she first delved into Mega Evolution - something that changed the way Serena and her team operated forever.

It was here, too, that she would be meeting up with Crys. Previously, she had intended to meet with the other woman in Johto, but certain circumstances had thrown that meeting entirely out of the window. In a whirlwind trip that had tasked Serena, and Johto's own Jasmine into the deserts of Orre, of which landed the two women in the hospital after it was all said and done, Serena had been itching to get back to her home region.

After her hundred or so apologies to Crys, they'd gotten to talking while Serena had been resting in the hospital. Subjects of the mundane, the philosophical, and even Mega Evolution, all to help distract Serena from such an environment and help pass the time. It was their conversations on Mega Evolution (and Serena's guilt), that had lead to present day. Serena had invited Crys out to Kalos, and to the Tower of Mastery personally. With the Kalosian's excellent rapport with those that oversaw the Tower's aspiring students and day to day operations, it was an easy invitation to swing.

Now that Serena had fully recovered from her desert travels, she was itching for some semblance of normalcy in her life once more. She donned an outfit that was more suitable for training and walking around in, and she had packed a bag for herself in order to stay at the Tower overnight. Silver eyes moved from the endless blues of the sea and sky, as another shade of blue caught the corner of her eye.

"Crys!" Serena is quick to pull her friend into a hug before soon pulling away. "I'm so happy to see you again - was your trip in alright? It's so exciting having you here again! I hope you're not too jetlagged," which, as a frequent traveler, is something Serena is very well acquainted with, "when we get to the Tower of Mastery, I can start by showing you around first!"