Chapter 37: Lamiaceae, part III

  Sada sat cross-legged on the warm rug that covered the pavement of the lighthouse living room, watching Arven as he played with her and their Pokémon. Well, "played" was a tall word: at the moment he was mostly picking up some shapes she had carved out of wood and painted and threw them as hard as he could, giggling as he watched ?tzi dutifully totter over and bring them back. Turo was in the laboratory, working on his most recent paper about humans influencing Pokémon evolution, doing something that was called "peer review" or whatever. Apparently, when you wanted to publish something in a scientific paper, you got assigned some other scientists that would all comment on what they thought was wrong about it or offer suggestions, and you did the same to someone else's article.

  She supposed it made sense; it was a way to double check everyone's work, but he didn't look happy about having to do it in the slightest.

  She was supporting the baby so that it could sit upright; she remembered doing the same thing to the small children in her tribe, and finding it boring. Now, she was too busy observing Arven for the thought to ever cross her mind.

  The way his eyes lit up every single time the Golett brought back his toy, the way he was slowly discovering new things and learning about the world, it couldn't help but make her smile.

  It made her think back to all the times she had watched her parents work quietly in the communal tent, with wood and pieces of horns, scales and tufts of fur scattered all around. Those had been her toys growing up, and looking at Arven play with simple wooden shapes, she thought that he probably would have loved them as much as she did.

  The Golett didn't seem to mind doing the same repetitive thing dozens of times; maybe it was just a byproduct of having been created as an assistant for menial labor, but she wondered for a moment if, centuries ago, it had done the same with other kids, maybe those from its old master. It really seemed to like interacting with children. Then again, a lot of Pokémon did. Maybe that was also one reason why most kids got their first Pokémon incredibly young.

  She watched as Arven picked up a wooden block, shaped a little like a stick: he didn't grasp it properly and it slipped between his chubby fingers, falling onto some others blocks with a thud. Intrigued by this new sound, he picked the stick up again and started banging it against the other blocks with a newfound purpose. She saw ?tzi's shoulders sag a little, the golem apparently displeased at having lost the baby's attention, and she smiled to herself.

  ? I wonder when you will evolve like Kim did...? You will be able to fly, then!? she said to the Golett, and it puffed out a small burst of energy from its chest with a whistle, looking enthusiastic.

  ? But you probably won't fit inside the house anymore after you do...? she added, and the golem whistled again as it lowered its head, dejected.

  On the floor next to her was a big, bulky book she had borrowed from Raifort; the one that spoke briefly about "Professor Olim". She turned the pages until she found the ones that spoke about her.

  ... Her biography seemed to match her own cover story in part. Born in Kalos, she had suddenly arrived in Paldea and immediately showed a great interest in Area Zero, researching the flora and fauna of the outer levels of the crater and helping develop the construction of Research Station 1, 2 and 3. She had apparently never ventured further.

  But outside of that, a few blurry photos and that one painting shown during Clavell's class, info on her was extremely scarce.

  "While she was instrumental in setting up the research stations in Area Zero for possible future expeditions, Professor Olim led an extremely secluded life and not much is known about her. She disliked public appearances and left Paldea after only a couple years, apparently retiring from research all together. The few pictures and the portrait done by an unknown artist are pretty much the only images that we have of her from that time."

  Sada stopped again to look at the painting, an idea hitting her as she stared at her mirror image.

  Was... was Turo supposed to be the "unknown artist" that would make this portrait?

  It looked exactly like her, except that she didn't have that big earring that looked like it had been made from a Tera crystal and the subject in the painting lacked her necklace. She touched it, frowning slightly. That necklace was important to her; would she lose it in the future?

  How far in the future was this supposed to be?

  ? Maaaah? Arven babbled, and Sada blinked and looked down at the baby. He was looking at the book with wide eyes, waving his arms in the air and pointing.

  Sada's eyes widened. Did he...recognise her face? Was he saying...?

  ? Yes! That is Mama, Arven, see?? she smiled, and Arven giggled. Her heart started pounding. He was! He really was trying to speak!

  ? Romero!? she called out, hoping he would hear her and not wanting to get up. ? Romero, come quick!? she repeated. ?tzi came to her help and ran out of the room. Some twenty seconds later, she heard the front door opening and Turo's steps walking towards the living room. He sounded busy in a phone call on his PokeNav.

  ? Yes, yes... thank you so much. ? he was saying, but she wasn't paying attention.

  ? Maaammh-?

  ? If we could set up a meeting, I'm sure you would see-? he walked in at the same time that Arven started talking again, and she jumped up and slammed his PokeNav shut, ending the call. Turo turned towards her, his face contorting in sudden anger.

  ? What are you -?

  ? Shhhhh! Look!? she shushed him and sat back down near Arven, pulling the baby in her lap.

  ? Where's Mama, Arven? ? she whispered and watched, mesmerized, as he eagerly pointed at the painting again.

  ? Maaa!?

  She turned towards Turo, eyes smiling.

  ? Did you hear??

  He slowly sat down next to her, his eyes fixed on Arven.

  ? ... yes.?

  The PokeNav started buzzing again, but they both ignored it, the device forgotten on the carpet.

  ---

  Turo watched as Arven sat up propped against the couch in the living room, wide eyes staring at the space between the couch and the sofa where he was sitting like it was some insurmountable distance.

  For him, it probably was.

  Sada watched him carefully from one end of the couch, her hands busy knitting a little scarf.

  Arven had learned to raise himself up more and more these last couple of weeks; he could sit upright without any help by now, and would sometimes pitch forward and hold himself on all fours, crawling forward.

  Miguel and Ampere both seemed to find the baby's difficulties in learning to walk delightful. The Murkrow would play with the kid by hopping left and right on the carpet, barely out of reach, encouraging him to chase after him at a slow pace.

  ? Arven! Arven! Treasure!? the Dark type cawed.

  Turo smiled nostalgically at that; Mirai would do the exact same thing with him as they bounced, almost weightless, back on the Moon, nipping at his arm to pull him along or wrapping his long, almost snake like body around his waist as he floated in midair, acting like some strange floating device that would keep him upright. Living his first couple of years on the Moon meant that, like many other people that had done the same in his time, Turo actually had memories of when he had learned how to walk under normal gravity the first time he visited Earth.

  Now he looked at Arven, a faint smile on his lips as he looked at how the baby's eyebrows furrowed and his face contorted. His eyes went over him, and he saw the baby's mouth open, one arm stretching towards him almost like he was asking his dad to just come over and pick him up. Turo didn't move for a moment, pondering. Should he...?

  A moment later, however, the baby's mouth closed again, and Sada laughed at how serious the baby looked now, lips curled in a deep, concentrated scowl.

  ? He looks just like you when you can't figure something out!? she exclaimed, and Turo couldn't help a little smile, feeling self conscious.

  ? ... do I??

  ? Yep. Exact same stubborn frown.?

  He kept watching Arven, thinking back to those first fateful steps he had taken on Earth. He remembered them like it was yesterday.

  The space shuttle's doors opened, and Romero, four -almost five!- years old, immediately looked up at the sky, his eyes widening. The sky really was blue! And there were clouds! Just like in movies!

  ? Romero, stay close!? Mom's voice came from behind him as she and Dad were taking their luggage, but the little kid couldn't wait.

  ? Let's go, Mirai!?

  He ran out, the little Dragon type following him, only to immediately stop as soon as he left the shuttle's artificial gravity, still set to the same level as the Moon's. He fell forward and slammed his face to the ground with a "oof". He blinked, not understanding what was happening. He couldn't walk. His legs felt so heavy. Why did everything hurt so much?

  Even as Miraidon started licking his face, worried, the little kid couldn't stop the tears as he slowly sat back up, wailing even after Mon and Dad had come running.

  Turo chuckled and shook his head. Learning to walk had been... an interesting experience. There were special courses divided by age for people who had lived part or most of their life on the Moon's reduced gravity, so he had learned together with kids of his own age. But consciously figuring out what normally was done so early in a kid's life... He watched Arven stare stubbornly at the couch he was using as a support, then at his tiny feet covered in socks.

  On the Moon, you weighted so much less. Falling didn't feel so scary; it was slow, controlled, and gradual. Not here.

  He still remembered being scared of those first few steps, how every movement felt sluggish, like he didn't know how to move his own body. How he had to take care in every step he took, how walking down a slope or flight of stairs had been terrifying. He looked at Arven now, as the toddler's hands trembled with the effort of holding himself up.

  For a moment, he looked ready to sit back down on the carpet, where things were safe, stable and soft. Then the baby turned his head to look at him and Sada - no, he was looking straight at him. Turo heard Sada's knitting stop, but didn't dare look away for not even a moment.

  Arven let go of the couch with both hands and took one wobbling step forward. Then another. And another.

  Turo swallowed a lump in his throat, watching the baby's eyes look eagerly at him, arms outstretched and hands held high.

  Then he tripped, but by now Turo had staggered forward on his knees, ready to catch the toddler. He was surprised, finding himself blinking back tears as he held the baby in his arms.

  ? You were so brave. Well done. ? he whispered at a giggling Arven as the baby raised both hands to tug at his beard.

  ---

  It was a bright morning, so Sada had brought Arven outside as she let her Pokémon train a bit. With the baby sitting firmly on her lap as she sat cross legged on the grass right outside the lighthouse, she watched as Kim and Bacon stared each other down. Well, at least that was what the Pyroar was doing. The Swinub, with all the long fur covering its face, was a bit more difficult to read. It was a little determined fella, however; the type disadvantages against the much larger opponent didn't seem to deter him from giving his all in a battle in the slightest.

  ? All right, Bacon.? maybe he really deserved a better name after all, she thought, but pushed that thought aside for the moment. That could wait.

  ? We are going to focus on your strong points, planning for when you will become a Steady Gl- a Mamoswine. ? she corrected herself at the last moment. It wasn't that difficult for Pokémon where she had never seen their past equivalent in her time to just learn their modern name, but for those she knew very well, she still struggled to think of them as anything else but the names she was familiar with. They just made more sense in her mind; what kinda name was "Mamoswine"? It may follow the "scientific naming scheme" or whatever, but it told you nothing about what they actually did! With a name like "Steady Glacier", you already know that they were probably pretty big and slow, and they could control ice. There. Easy!

  ? Try attacking Kim with what Grusha taught you. ? she said to the Pokemon. The Swinub huffed, then turned back towards his opponent, as Kim patiently waited for him to make the first move. The Swinub lowered his snout to the ground, scraped the ground once with one hoof, then started running towards the Pyroar. Once he was close, he dug his snout into the ground and lifted his head, trying to hit the Pyroar with a Mudslap. The Fire type, however, simply sidestepped the attack and leapt backwards, retaliating by batting the Swinub on the snout with her paw. Bacon snorted, shaking his head.

  Sada's eyes narrowed.

  ? Did you try using Mudslap because she uses fire? ? she asked, and the Swinub huffed.

  ? That makes sense, but having effective attacks doesn't mean much if you can't hit a much faster opponent... And you are only going to get slower and heavier as you evolve.? she commented.

  The Pyroar would have been able to run circles around him, blasting him with fire attacks the whole time.

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  The Swinub looked dejected, but Sada got momentarily distracted as one of Arven's grabby hands yanked a strand of her hair. She flinched and gently pried his fingers away from them. Maybe she should start putting her hair up...

  She thought back to how she saw Steady Glaciers fight back in her time. The times her tribe hunted one, what did they do? When they got surrounded, their enormous tusks and great back gave them really big blind spots, so they would often hunker down and use long range or wide hitting moves to try to keep them at bay, before trying to barrel someone over to escape.

  They didn't need to have to move or aim in that case, and the only direction they would attack was straight in front of them... That was what she wanted to focus on.

  ? All right, let's try this. Bacon, retreat and use Ice Shard! ? she ordered. The Swinub obeyed, shuffling backwards while firing rapid shards of ice towards the opponent. Kim growled, firing a Flamethrower to melt some of them and trying to avoid others, but still getting pelted by many of them. They melted on her fur, the Pyroar's mane sizzling as it got hit by the water droplets they made. A moment later, the Pyroar leapt forward, trying to close the distance with her opponent again. She opened her mouth, fire licking at her fangs as she readied an attack, preparing to pounce on the Swinub with a single leap.

  Sada noticed the little Swinub flinching, scared by the fire.

  ? Mudslap, now! ? she barked.

  The Ice type reacted instantly, jerking his head back to throw more mud towards the Pyroar.

  ? Mreow! ? Kim snapped her mouth shut and yowled, pawing at her snout as she tried to get the mud that covered it completely off. Bacon seemed surprised that it had worked. Sada smirked; Kim had to keep her mouth open for many of her attacks, and there were ways to take advantage of that.

  ? You don't have to try to match your opponent's speed. Play by your strengths and let them come to you. ? she said calmly, before looking down at the baby giggling in her lap.

  ? Right, Arvie? Did you like that? ?

  She wondered if you could bring your kid to a Gym Challenge.

  ? Now, Bacon! Take down! ?

  The Swinub charged forward, his little stubby legs gripping the ground hard as it crashed headfirst into the Pyroar's flank, his hard snout eliciting another yowl of pain from the Pyroar.

  ? That's enough. Well done, both of you! ? she smiled as the two Pokemon immediately snapped back to attention. Kim shook her head, scratching behind her ears with one back paw. Bacon nosed her, worried, and she started purring and licking his fur to reassure him she wasn't hurt.

  Sada smiled, hugging Arven close. Being able to work with creatures like this, with a family, not having to worry about survival every day... It was like a dream come true.

  ---

  Arven was sitting in his high chair, having just finished eating.

  They were slowly moving him to solid foods, which meant that Sada and Turo found themselves both very carefully cutting little pieces of fruits and berries and mushing them to a puree; to Turo's surprise, Sada said that that part of raising a kid wasn't particularly different from her time.

  Less sweets and already prepared baby purees, at the most. Some things were definitely universal.

  Thankfully, Arven didn't seem like a picky eater: he had never refused to eat anything until now, and would actually often look at whatever him or Sada were eating with comically wide eyes, mouth open. It almost made Turo feel guilty about it.

  At least his Pokémon looked happy to play with him to keep him occupied as Turo finished eating his sandwich.

  Miguel was flapping around the kitchen, moving from Arven's high chair, to the kitchen counter, to the table, each time cawing out one word about random objects. The toddler giggled and pointed to another object each time.

  Turo quietly wondered if all that time reading simple books and speaking to Arven had actually had the unintentional effect of increasing the Murkrow's vocabulary. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to what words the Dark type picked up. The vast majority of them were names, or food, a couple of words like "treasure" he must have picked up because he heard them so much, and of course "coffee", that he had taught him.

  ? Miguel. Come here just a moment.?

  The Murkrow stopped his little game and flapped over to his shoulder, Turo slipping him the last piece of Chesto berry in his sandwich.

  ? I have something for you.? Turo said, putting the Dusk Stone he had received from Raifort on the table. The Murkrow's eyes widened, and it flapped down to examine the stone. Maybe instinctually, it seemed to know what would happen if he touched it, because he seemed to avoid doing so, looking up at him.

  ? With this stone, you will be able to evolve into Honchkrow.? he observed the little Dark type as he spoke. Miguel clacked his beak and stared at the stone for a moment. He... didn't look convinced, and after a moment stepped back towards him with a caw.

  Turo frowned.

  ? You don't... want to evolve?? he asked, picking up the stone and turning it towards the Dark type again, just to be sure. Miguel gave another reluctant caw and backed away from the evolutionary stone, flapping back to his shoulder.

  The Murkrow started to peck at his hair, nuzzling him, and Turo sighed, putting the Dusk Stone back in his pocket.

  ? Look, Miguel. We're going to get into places that are much more dangerous than the Gym battles and Terastalized wild Pokémon we've faced now. I need... more Pokémon in my team. And I need them to be as strong as they can be.? he said after a short moment.

  He was definitely falling behind with his training, and he knew it. Only two Pokémon were not going to be enough to beat the League and get access to Area Zero... But he still hadn't heard anything about that Porygon, and didn't want to train anything else in particular right now. And even getting that Porygon wouldn't have solved the problem.

  He didn't want to force Miguel to evolve, but...

  ? Why don't you want to become a Honchkrow?? he asked, and the Pokémon shuffled on his shoulder. Turo sighed, trailing one hand through his hair.

  ? ... Is it just because you will become big enough to not fit on my shoulder anymore, is it? ?

  There was an uncomfortable silence from the Pokémon, then a caw. He chuckled despite it all.

  He knew the little bastard so well.

  ? ... Didn't think you were so lazy. I guess that's why we get along.? he stroked the Pokémon's feathers for a moment.

  ? If you change idea, you know what to do.? he said. Arven let out a giggle and clapped his hands towards Miguel, and the Murkrow flapped off his shoulders, eager to resume their little game.

  Turo frowned for a long moment. He didn't doubt Miguel's strength, but... if he didn't have a team strong enough to keep him safe in Area Zero and he didn't get permission to enter it...

  ---

  Sada's leg bounced restlessly as she sat at the table they had somehow squeezed through the narrow door of the lighthouse lab. Her eyes flicked first to the clock mounted to the wall, then to Turo, sitting motionless near side, his face a neutral mask, and then finally to Arven, who sat between them both at his high chair, happily and blissfully chewing on a teething ring. He had already destroyed two of them and looked determined to chew through his third. Nothing else moved in the room as two minutes passed. Then three. Five.

  The prototype Tera Orb sat on the table in front of them, placed carefully out of the way of Arven's curious fingers.

  ? M-maybe I should call her. Make sure she didn't get lost.?

  ? We're in one of the four lighthouses erected at the four cardinal points of Paldea. It's impossible to miss the place.? Turo answered, even as she saw a single bead of sweat go down his face and disappear into the collar of his turtleneck sweater.

  The familiar sound of a flying Taxi approaching - that unique cacophony of Squawkabilly chattering and metal clattering was unmistakable - made her head snap up, and she jumped towards the door. She checked her clothes one last time, even if she knew there wasn't much she could do now to remedy anything she would find, then opened the door to greet their visitor.

  ? Ms. Heath! Welcome!? her smile was maybe a bit too wide as she greeted the tall woman. Her appearance was as striking as the first time they had seen her; for a moment, Sada wondered if her ancestor had the same piercing, almost glowing eyes. All the pictures of the time were in black and white, so there was no way to tell.

  Briar walked in, letting out a small huff, heels ticking on the pavement. Sada noticed her almost stepping on one of Arven's toys, and discreetly pushed it behind the door with her shoes as she closed the door.

  ? I always forget how awfully noisy those Squawkabilly rides are... Skarmory and Noctowl work so much better! Too bad neither are native to Paldea... and I suppose Skarmory would have the same problem as Corviknight... oh well. It doesn't matter.? she said, getting out of her coat.

  She took one look at Arven, and her smile widened.

  ? So this is the Arven I've heard so much about in these months! I guess I can forgive your research slowing down if it's to take care of such a cute bab-? her voice trailed off, as her eyes landed on the Tera Orb on the floor.

  For a moment, she looked unable to breathe, then moved towards the table to peer at it. Her eyes reflected in the shiny surface of the orb.

  ? That... is what I think it is?? she breathed out.

  Sada nodded, moving back to the table and sitting back down next to Arven.

  ? Yes. The Tera Orb. It can hold a charge by getting exposed to a large quantity of Tera Crystal for an undefined amount of time, until it gets used to Terastal a Pokémon. After that, it needs to recharge. ? Sada explained, putting one hand on the sphere. No bigger than any Poké Ball, they had designed it to look quite similar to one, so the use would be more intuitive.

  ? ... There also may be other uses. We've been trying to explore the possibility of using it as a power source. Things look... extremely promising. ? Turo added.

  Briar's eyes widened at that.

  ? So you are already exploring other possible uses of Tera Crystal! Fascinating... but I have to say, for now I am more amazed that you managed to recreate Terastallization at will... To wield the power of Terap- umm.? she suddenly seemed to cut herself off, like she had almost said something she didn't mean to. Sada almost leant forward, interested: what had she just said? Tera... something...

  Briar sat down, pulling the chair closer.

  ? I suppose we should start over from the beginning. ? she said.

  ? Around two hundred years ago, as you know, my ancestor led an expedition into Area Zero. What he saw there is documented in both the Scarlet and Violet books... but not all of it. Parts of the books have been censored in the following reprints... he kept some things for himself. ? she said. Out of her shoulder bag, she took out a book and carefully laid it on the table in front of her. The cover was blank, nothing more than a simple page with a title on it.

  ?"The White Book"...?? Sada read, quirking one eyebrow.

  ? He probably hadn't thought of a title yet... this book contains the exact same info as what's transcribed in the Scarlet and Violet books, almost letter by letter... But as I'm sure you can see... he made some edits further down the line to get the two versions you know.? she said, opening the manuscript to a specific page. Sada recognised it immediately; by now, she had poured over the Scarlet Book so much she could tell what general chapter any random page of the book was in. This was the part where the exploration squadron got their first encounter with a Great Tusk (or Iron Threads in Turo's version), which had injured and killed a member of the group.

  ? "As we descended further into Area Zero, we began to catch glimpses of mysterious Pokémon—though we wondered if these beasts, either huge and ferocious or cruel and compact were indeed Pokémon at all"...? she read, before her mind caught on a little out of place detail.

  ? Wait... this has the text of both versions. So he really saw both Pokémon!? she excitedly turned towards Turo, who leaned forward to read the following paragraph in a hushed whisper.

  ? "These two beasts both had a passing resemblance to the Pokémon known as Donphan"... but I don't understand.? Turo shook his head, and Sada saw him furrow his eyebrows .

  ? Why not publish the book as it was? Wasn't splitting it in two versions just going to make it look even less realistic? Isn't that why people just discredited it as fiction?? he asked.

  Sada could understand his frustration; for her, the Scarlet Book offered the fascinating, tempting possibility that in Area Zero, somehow, Pokémon from long ago had either survived until today or had been brought here. But for Turo, the Violet Book was an impossible riddle; had Heath really seen Pokémon from his far away future? Why had his people never heard of it in that case?

  Briar, however, just shook her head.

  ? That, I'm afraid I don't know.... Nothing in the notes Heath left explains why he decided to print all he saw in two books... but what I wanted to show you was actually this. The page about the "Hidden Treasure of Area Zero". ? she opened the book near the end, where one page was completely covered by an illustration that Sada knew very well. It was a pretty striking one, of a great beast that looked surrounded by crystals, floating over a great sphere. It looked a bit like some ancient myths imagined the world to look like : a brilliant disk, held on the back of a giant Pokémon.

  ? Heath named this... he describes it as an "entity"... "Terapagos". According to him, it's the source of both what you have named "Terastalization" and Tera energy as a whole, and the true nature of the famed "treasure" of Area Zero. The page describing it was heavily edited in the published versions. And that is what I want you two to do.? Briar said, leaning closer towards both of them and in doing so, inadvertently, towards Arven, who shied away from this random stranger.

  ? I'm going to gladly do my part in funding your research as much as I can if you can prove that Terapagos exists and that my ancestor was right! If I could just see it with my own eyes... the very Treasure that's captured Paldea's imagination for untold centuries!? she gasped, her eyes shining again.

  ? ... and drew an untold number of people to their deaths looking for it.? Turo muttered, and Sada couldn't help but throw him a sideways glare.

  This wasn't the time to be snarky! This was exactly what they wanted! If Briar could fund them...

  ? I'm... I'm sure we could do it...? she answered, swallowing.

  ? Splendid! Then it's settled! I have great expectations for both of you. I've already read both of your publications! The idea that all Pokémon used to be affected by "Primal Energy", or that they could similarly adapt to new, unknown energy sources in the future... fascinating! But I admit that the Tera Orb is what I am most interested in by far.? she looked back at it, and there was a gleam in her eyes that made Sada almost want to snatch the Tera Orb away from her gaze and hide it back in her lab pocket.

  ? ... To be able to wield just a fraction of Terapagos's power... ah, but I suppose it would be limited to Paldea. What a shame...?

  ? Not necessarily.? Sada answered after a moment. Briar looked back at her, silent.

  ? You could, in theory, use a Tera Orb anywhere in the world.? Turo interjected, picking it up in his hand.

  ? Of course, you would then be stuck with a useless Orb and no way to recharge it ... unless you brought it near a large enough concentration of Tera crystals again. In that way, it's not exactly limited to Paldea, per se...?

  ? So if you brought enough crystals somewhere else, we could theoretically make Terastalization possible anywhere in the world! ? Briar nodded.

  ? Crystals... and soil from Paldea. ? Sada added. Probably better if both were from Area Zero, or as close to Area Zero as possible... she looked back to the depiction of Terapagos in the White Book.

  Was all of this really the effect of a single Pokémon? A single living thing, hidden deep in Area Zero?

  She knew from history that, apparently, many legendary Pokémon existed. Pokémon with enormous powers that controlled the very forces of nature... the very laws of reality.

  In that case... what did Terapagos command, then? Time ? Could it really be the reason those Pokémon - and she and Turo themselves - had appeared in Area Zero?

  ? So it would be possible to reproduce Terastalization anywhere in the world, as long as you bring some Tera Crystals there! ? Briar brought her hands together and nodded with enthusiasm.

  ? I'm getting a bit carried away... see, I've been away from Paldea for awhile. I've been busy teaching at a new institution called Blueberry Academy, in Unima.?

  The name meant nothing to Sada, but she heard Turo shuffle slightly at her side, sucking in a sharp breath.

  ? ... I've heard. Your curriculum places heavy emphasis on teaching Pokémon batting. And?? he said in a neutral tone.

  ? Unlike Uvanja Academy, Blueberry was founded just a couple years ago, using the most cutting edge technology available at the moment-?

  She heard Turo scoff, trying immediately to disguise it as a light cough, and she had to suppress a smile. She could picture exactly what he would say about any "cutting edge technology". Briar furrowed her eyebrows for a moment, before continuing.

  ? The most ambitious part of our Academy is surely the Terrarium, which is still being built: a place able to house a large number of wild Pokémon from all over the world and simulate their natural habitats. I'm sure you two would agree that it's a perfect opportunity to test reproducing Terastalization! Professor Sada, your studies about changes in climate influencing Pokémon in the past would be invaluable to help the engineers of our team design the various biomes! And you, professor Turo, Professor Clavell told me you are an incredible programmer! And your study about man made items that replicate the condition to evolve certain Pokémon... it would be invaluable in testing some theories about how certain Pokémon evolve...?

  Sada couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed about Briar's enthusiasm.

  ? W-wait a minute!? she put one hand forward on the table, subconsciously between Briar and Arven.

  ? Let's not... get ahead of ourselves. We were discussing looking for Terapagos in the depths of Area Zero, which we still need to access... we can't also help in building up this whole new Academy-? she said.

  ? ... but, Professor Sada-?

  Sada had to admit hearing Briar call her that felt good, even if... she didn't think that neither she nor Turo were officially recognised as "professors" yet. No one else had called her that, after all.

  ? That's pretty much how academic works! The more applications your research has, the easier it is to secure more funding!?

  But... they were doing that by developing the Tera Orb... and other uses of Tera Energy... right?

  ? Of course everyone would love to dedicate themselves completely to their favourite research!? Briar laughed like the idea was completely absurd, a silly, childish notion, and Sada had to fight the stab of anger and disappointment swirling in her chest.

  ? But whoever puts in the money also wants some actual results!? Briar added.

  ... she wasn't sure she liked the idea of getting funding by her anymore, if it meant that they were practically in her debt and had to indirectly do what she wanted. She felt Turo squeeze her knee under the table and turned towards him, expecting him to share her sentiment. Instead, she saw him hold his head low, shoulders kept straight, as he simply nodded and looked up again.

  ? We'll see... what we can do.? he answered. Her eyes widened. What? How could he just sit there and meekly say "yes"? They needed that funding, of course, but... but...

  ? Splendid! I'm sure your contribution will be invaluable!? Briar smiled, before she looked at the clock. ? Look at the time! I have to run to another appointment, but it was a pleasure speaking with you! And to see little Arvin here, of course...?

  ? Arven...? Sada corrected her, furrowing her eyebrows.

  She watched Briar get up and gather the manuscript, leaving as quickly as she had arrived.

  The silence that followed was broken by Arven.

  ? Ma-ma! Ma-ma! Hug!? he tugged at her hand, giggling. Sada blinked, looking down at the kid as she pulled him in her lap, then towards Turo.

  ? Why did you just agree to that? We-?

  ? We don't have the luxury to say "no", Sada. Our research, this very house, our Pokémon , everything... without someone willing to fund us, we've got nothing. We are nothing, here. ? he smiled sadly, looking down at Arven, and she felt a little chill at his words. If it was just her, or just her and Turo, she wouldn't have cared. She would have done whatever she wanted and if people decided to cut the funding... well, she would have found something else to do. Her past life had always been like that, after all.

  But they had Arven now. She couldn't do that to him.

  ... and she couldn't do that to Turo, either.

  ? I... I see. ?

  She felt like things had just suddenly gotten a lot more difficult. More complicated. She took a big breath, and nodded.

  ? So we'll have a bit more work to do than I thought. All right. Let's do it. ?

  ---

  Weeks passed between their research, new projects starting, training their Pokémon, Gym battles, and amidst all that, Turo could see Arven grow bigger and bigger. He seemed to learn new words everyday, surprising him when he suddenly blurted out something he had never heard him say before, wondering when exactly he had learned it.

  And with that milestone, came Arven's first birthday.

  That evening, there would be a big party on the beach near the lighthouse with Clavell, Raifort, Jacq and others.

  But that morning, he and Sada had planned something a bit different.

  Turo held Arven in his arms, walking across the bedroom and entering what had become the kid's room. They had decorated the room with plushies, toys, books, and a small bed, which he was still a bit too small to sleep in. On the wall, the handprints of both him and Sada and the footprints of their Pokémon were not the only decorations any more. Sada had added stylized plants and Pokémon; Turo had painted some star charts over the ceiling in silver lines. On the floor, different tin cans of paint waited.

  ? Now, Arven... this is really important. What color do you like?? he walked closer to one can in particular.

  ? Violet, right?? he whispered in a conspiratory tone removing the lid with one hand, eliciting some giggles from the kid.

  ? No! ?

  ? What?! But it's the best color!? Turo smiled, planting a kiss on the kid's cheek. Arven shrieked with laughter as his beard tickled him.

  ? Stop trying to influence our kid's taste in colours, Romero.? Sada smiled as she walked in behind them.

  ? Just let him choose.?

  Turo sighed and lowered Arven to the floor.

  ? You say that, but I bet you're also secretly hoping he picks scarlet.? he whispered back.

  Judging by her pout in response, he was right.

  They both waited with bated breath to see what Arven would do. The baby looked a bit unsure of what he actually had to do, but was quickly attracted to the bright colours depicted on the various tin of paint. He pointed to one, his eyes shining.

  ? Blue!? he exclaimed, and Turo shot a grin towards Sada. Hah! Well, it wasn't violet, but still, close enough!

  ? So you want this one?? he asked, crouching near him, only for the baby to immediately point to another one.

  ? Red... ?? he asked now, a bit confused, to which Arven giggled and pointed to another.

  He was just pointing to all colours, was he?

  ? Maybe it's still a bit too early to ask him to choose a favourite colour...? he commented after a moment, to which Sada smiled.

  ? Probably, yeah. ? she crouched near the baby, sitting cross-legged on the floor; Turo followed after a moment, looking at the two human handprints on the wall, where one day Arven's own handprint would join them.

  But not today. There was time.

  Arven tottered over and crawled on their lap, one thumb stuck in his mouth.

  He looked down at his son -sometimes, it still didn't feel real-, and brushed some short hairs out of his face. He seemed to have gotten a curious mix of his and Sada's hair colour.

  ? Happy birthday, Arven.? he whispered, holding him close.