After ensuring they had moved a safe distance from the castle, Jin and his companions made their way from the wing deck to the observation room. There, Diana retrieved an old journal from her belongings and handed it to Liko.
"This is the journal of Lucius, the one I wanted to show you…"
In Liko's hands was now the journal of Lucius, an ancient adventurer. Tentatively, Liko opened the journal and began to read aloud the words written within.
"I want you to discover the beauty of this world. I want you to discover the daily adventures shared with the Pokémon who live in this world alongside us. And I want you to discover the future."
These were the words recorded in the journal Diana had carried. Whether these writings were rooted in legend or fairy tale, it was unclear. But Diana, who possessed the journal, believed them to be true.
"Grandma, I believe it too."
"Yes, and so do we."
Liko, as well as everyone else aboard the ship, shared the same sentiment. Through this journey, they had encountered the Black Rayquaza and witnessed inexplicable phenomena with their own eyes. If they dismissed such things as mere fairy tales now, they would hardly be fit to call themselves adventurers.
"If you believe, then you must do this: search for the Six Heroes."
The Six Heroes were once Lucius's Pokémon partners. Thus far, Jin and the others had encountered the Black Rayquaza, Arboliva, and Galarian Moltres. Three more Pokémon whose identities remained unknown were yet to be found.
"The Black Rayquaza, Arboliva, Galarian Moltres, Lapras, Kleavor, and Entei—those are the Pokémon of the Six Heroes."
(The Six Heroes… The storybook mentioned running across the land, breaking down walls, soaring through the skies, healing wounds, and crossing the seas. Healing wounds must refer to Arboliva, and soaring through the skies would be Galarian Moltres. Based on their traits, crossing the seas would be Lapras, and running across the land would be Entei. That leaves breaking down walls, which must mean Kleavor…)
Jin had some knowledge of Lapras and Entei. Lapras, though their population had recently grown, was once classified as an endangered species. Entei, on the other hand, was a legendary Pokémon from the Johto region. Jin knew nothing of Kleavor, but based on the extraordinary nature of the Six Heroes they'd encountered thus far, it was unlikely to be an ordinary Pokémon.
To possess even one of these Pokémon would be a source of great pride, yet Lucius had tamed and traveled with all six. Jin couldn't help but feel a renewed respect for the ancient adventurer.
"Now that's what an adventure should be. This is getting exciting!"
Jin wasn't the only one thrilled by the story—Friede, too, seemed captivated, his expression lighting up like that of an eager child.
"Diana, may I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Terapagos… You mentioned it traveled with Lucius. Does this journal also mention anything about Terapagos?"
Though the Six Heroes and their whereabouts were of great interest, Terapagos was right before their eyes. For now, that was what Jin felt he needed to focus on.
"Oh yes, it's mentioned."
"Really?!"
"But not tonight. The Pokémon are tired, and it's late. Can we discuss it another time?"
As Diana made her suggestion, she glanced at Sprigatito, who was sitting beside Liko. Jin followed her gaze and noticed the Pokémon were visibly fatigued. They had been attacked by the Explorers late at night, and now the morning sun was rising. They'd fought through the night without realizing it, leaving the Pokémon understandably exhausted.
"…You're right. Understood."
Diana wasn't going anywhere, and the information she held wouldn't disappear. There was no need to rush; saving the excitement for later wouldn't hurt. With this in mind, Jin and the others prepared to leave the observation room and head to their respective quarters.
"Hold on a second."
As they were about to leave, Diana stopped Jin and Liko with a somewhat displeased expression.
"Grandma? What's wrong?"
"Aren't you two going to kiss? You do it every night before bed, don't you? I've been looking forward to seeing it. Go on, then!"
"G-Grandma?!"
"Oh, I forgot about that… Should we?"
"No way!"
---
The day after the group retreated from the ancient castle in Galar, the Rising Volt Tacklers gathered in the meeting room to share a meal, joined by their Pokémon. Most of the Pokémon present were smaller ones, like Sprigatito and Terapagos. The larger Pokémon, meanwhile, were enjoying their meals outside on the wing deck or the main deck, wherever they pleased.
"More, please!"
"Me too!"
"I'd like seconds as well!"
Among the crew now was Diana, Liko's grandmother, who had recently joined them on the ship. Despite her age, Diana had quite the appetite and was already on her second helping. Roy, not wanting to lose out, quickly emptied his plate and followed her example, asking for seconds.
"That's the spirit! The foundation of any adventure is health and energy. Eat up and build your strength!"
"Yes!"
(Grandma's as impressive as ever...)
Even though she had been on the ship for just one night, Diana had already bonded with everyone. Her Arcanine was no exception, having quickly befriended the crew's Pokémon, particularly those belonging to Friede and Jin. It seemed that strong Pokémon were naturally drawn to one another.
"Huh?"
"Liko? What's wrong?"
"Um, it's Terapagos..."
Liko's gaze was fixed on Terapagos, who sat among the other Pokémon. While the others happily ate their Pokémon food, Terapagos stared at its portion with a curious expression, not taking a single bite.
"Maybe it's not hungry?"
"No... I think it's something else."
Jin stood from his chair and approached Terapagos. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out several Oran Berries and offered them.
"Paago!"
Terapagos let out a delighted cry at the sight of the berries and eagerly began to munch on them.
"So it wanted berries instead."
"Or maybe it didn't even know what Pokémon food was? After all, it's been dormant for who knows how long."
Terapagos was discovered as a pendant during Diana's childhood. It might have been a pendant even before Diana was born, from an era when berries, not manufactured Pokémon food, were the staple diet for Pokémon.
"I see... I really don't know much about this little one yet. I need to observe it more closely!"
Liko's determination mirrored the way she felt when she first received Sprigatito at the Indigo Academy. Though Terapagos wasn't officially part of her team like Sprigatito, it was, in some ways, her longest companion, given its time as the pendant. Liko resolved to learn more about it and overcome her current ignorance.
"That's a good idea. But before that..."
Jin glanced at Diana, who had just finished her meal. Sensing his intent, Diana wiped her mouth with a napkin, took a sip of coffee, and pulled out an old notebook—Lucius' journal—from the belt around her waist.
"I know. I promised. I'll share everything I know about Terapagos. This journal contains records of the Pokémon Lucius encountered during his adventures."
The information Jin and the others had learned was already shared with everyone through their app, so they skipped over details about the Six Heroes and went straight to the pages about Terapagos. Diana placed the open journal in the center of the table for everyone to see. The page showed a Pokémon resembling a sea turtle, with its body mostly covered by a large shell, its head and limbs protruding slightly.
"Is this...?"
"This is Terapagos—the Pokémon Lucius bonded with."
"But..."
"It looks... a little different, doesn't it?"
Everyone compared the drawing in the journal with the present Terapagos. Though there were similarities, there were also noticeable differences.
"Maybe it hasn't evolved yet... or maybe it doesn't have enough energy to take this form."
"A lack of energy..."
"If it gathers enough energy, it might transform into the form depicted in the journal."
Whether this change was an evolution or a form change wasn't clear, as Terapagos wasn't registered in any Pokédex. Still, the possibility couldn't be ruled out.
If so, the crucial question was—
(How can Terapagos accumulate energy?)
If they could figure that out, Terapagos might regain its true form, as described in Lucius' journal. However, based on Diana's tone, it seemed that Lucius hadn't recorded that information in his journal.
(I'll have to piece it together from what we know...)
When Terapagos was still a pendant, it emitted a barrier whenever Liko was in danger. According to Liko, this was also when Terapagos took its current form. However, the barrier's disappearance always coincided with Terapagos reverting to the pendant.
(Was that a sign of extreme energy depletion back then? If so, why can it maintain this form now?)
Jin replayed the events of their journey, from Kanto to Paldea and finally Galar. He recalled instances when the pendant transformed into Terapagos, realizing that certain encounters seemed pivotal.
(Arboliva and Galarian Moltres... the Six Heroes.)
Meeting Arboliva allowed Terapagos to momentarily transform, and the encounter with Galarian Moltres seemed to stabilize its current form. If Terapagos met all the Six Heroes, it might fully restore its power and regain its original form. This hypothesis formed in Jin's mind.
(It was definitely the right decision to visit Diana...)
Before meeting her, they had no clue about the connection between Terapagos, the Six Heroes, and Lucius. Without this information, Jin wouldn't have reached his current theory. While still a hypothesis, it was something they could verify by meeting the remaining Six Heroes.
"Grandma, when we met Arboliva and Galarian Moltres, we saw a strange light. There was a man in that light."
As Jin processed his thoughts, Liko brought up the strange vision she and the others had seen. While only Liko and Roy experienced it with Arboliva, both Jin and Friede witnessed it with Galarian Moltres.
"What?! Is that true?"
"Yes! I saw it too... Jin and Friede did as well!"
Hearing this, Diana turned to Jin and Friede, who nodded to confirm it. Diana then flipped through the journal, took out an old photograph, and placed it on the table. It showed a man with long hair.
"Was it someone like this?"
"That's him! No doubt about it!"
"So, he really was... Lucius, the ancient adventurer?"
"That's right."
Though Jin had suspected it, Diana's confirmation solidified his theory.
"Everyone, listen..."
Jin began explaining his hypothesis: meeting Arboliva and Galarian Moltres helped Terapagos regain some of its power and transform. If they encountered all Six Heroes, Terapagos might restore its true form and abilities. He outlined the connections clearly for the group.
"Perhaps Jin's hypothesis is correct. That may be the moment the path to Laqua finally opens—just as Lucius was once guided there."
"Now this... this is getting interesting!"
"Yeah, it really feels like an adventure!"
"Pa~~go! Pago~~Pago!"
Hearing Diana's story stirred everyone's curiosity and energized the group. Suddenly, Terapagos, who had been playing with Sprigatito and the others in a corner of the meeting room, let out a loud cry.
"Terapagos?"
"What's the matter?"
"It seems to be reacting... to Lucius and Laqua. Could it be that Terapagos wants to meet Lucius?"
"Is that why it's crying?"
"Maybe it thinks going to Laqua would make that possible..."
Liko's speculation caused everyone in the room to fall into a contemplative silence. According to the journal, Laqua's location wasn't specified, and Lucius had lived over a hundred years ago. Logically, even if Terapagos deeply wished to meet Lucius, the chances of a reunion were nearly nonexistent.
"...Even so, I want to fulfill this little one's wish. Even if it can't meet Lucius, there might still be something left behind—memories of Lucius and Terapagos, a place they shared in Laqua. That's why I want to take it there!"
"Liko..."
As the atmosphere began to darken, Liko's determined declaration cut through the gloom. Diana, observing her, was struck by how much Liko had grown—a stark contrast to the timid girl she had known before Liko enrolled in Indigo Academy.
"In that case, I'm coming too."
"So am I!"
"Jin, Roy..."
"Of course, we're all in this together. We're a team. If one of us has something they truly want to do, we'll give it our all to support them. We all feel the same way."
"Everyone... thank you!"
Liko's feelings reached everyone in the room. No one aboard the ship would deny her desire to help Terapagos. Moreover, it aligned with the Rising Volt Tacklers' mission: unraveling the mysteries of Pokémon and the world itself. There wasn't a single reason to oppose her plan.
(Liko... you've really grown. And you've found such good companions.)
The Liko Diana remembered had struggled to express her feelings, which often left her without friends, let alone teammates. But now, Liko was ready to face challenges for the sake of Pokémon, with her friends by her side. Diana realized that Liko's adventures with Pokémon and her team had fostered incredible growth.
"Liko, I want you to have this."
Diana stood and removed the belt wrapped around her waist, handing it to Liko.
"This once belonged to Lucius. It was designed to hold the Poke Balls of the Six Heroes. You're the one searching for them, so it's only fitting that you inherit it. Will you take it from me?"
"...Yes!"
Liko carefully placed the Ancient Poke Balls containing Arboliva and Galarian Moltres into the belt's holders and fastened it around her waist.
"Wow, it suits you!"
"R-Really? Jin, what do you think?"
"It looks great on you. The colors match well, and it fits you perfectly."
"Hehe..."
Liko beamed, clearly pleased by Jin's praise. Jin, tempted to keep complimenting her just to see her flustered, stopped himself—there was important work to do.
"Alright, we need to decide where to start looking for the Six Heroes."
"Actually, after hearing Diana's story, I got curious and did some research on Lucius. Take a look at this."
Friede switched his Rotom Phone to tablet mode, revealing photos of four Pokémon on the screen. One depicted a Lapras swimming gracefully in the ocean, another an Entei standing majestically on a rocky mountain. The third showed a Rayquaza flying above Motostoke City, and the fourth was an old photograph, slightly blurred, capturing an indistinct Pokémon in motion.
"Could these be..."
"Yeah, the Six Heroes."
"Entei is a legendary Pokémon from the Johto region, right?"
"I've heard it's always on the move."
"That's right. Encounters are incredibly rare."
"And this Kleavor?"
"It's a Pokémon from the region once called Hisui. You can't see its form anymore."
After Diana's explanation, Jin shared what he had learned. The Hisui region, now known as Sinnoh, was home to Kleavor, a Pokémon that evolved from Scyther under special circumstances.
"But how do we find them?"
Murdock's question was valid. With no recent sightings of these rare Pokémon, it was hard to believe they lived near human settlements. If they were trapped in ancient Poke Balls, like the black Rayquaza once was, finding them would be a daunting task—even for Friede, a Pokémon professor.
"As for Lapras, it's hard to track down any specific ones now..."
"A while ago, it might have been easier."
Once endangered, Lapras had made a remarkable comeback thanks to Pokémon conservation efforts. Now thriving in large numbers worldwide, their overpopulation had even begun to disrupt ecosystems.
"Hey, let's go after the black Rayquaza first!"
"I get your enthusiasm, but we need a plan. Rushing in won't—"
Just as Friede was about to dismiss Roy's suggestion, his Rotom Phone rang, and Dot's image appeared on the screen.
"Dot!"
"Good news for Roy: there have been multiple sightings of the black Rayquaza across Galar. Chances are, it's still there."
Dot displayed a map of the Galar region, marking the locations of the reported sightings.
(...Roy can't handle Rayquaza yet, but it's worth investigating.)
Jin pondered. Terapagos had awakened after encountering the Six Heroes. Perhaps the one who had awakened the Six Heroes in the first place was the black Rayquaza.
(...Following Rayquaza's trail might lead us to the other Six Heroes as well.)
"There's a cluster of sightings here. Dot, do you know where this is?"
"That's... the Wild Area."
"The Wild Area! Of course..."
The Wild Area was known as a haven for wild Pokémon, including many powerful ones. For Jin, it was a place he'd always wanted to visit while in Galar.
"It's not far from here."
"Does that mean we can catch up to the black Rayquaza?"
"That depends, but... what do you think, Friede?"
"With no other leads, it's worth a shot. Let's head to the Wild Area!"
With no better clues, the team decided to pursue this lead.
"Alright! Let's do our usual thing!"
Friede stood, extending his right fist to the center of the table. The rest of the team followed, forming a circle and joining fists.
"Unite! Rising Volt Tacklers! To the black Rayquaza!"
"Go!"
With their goal clear, the Rising Volt Tacklers set sail for the Wild Area, determined to uncover the secrets of the black Rayquaza and the Six Heroes.
---
// END