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"I'm sorry, sir, that is not for sale. Consider it a display piece, too valuable to me, couldn't bear to part with it." The man behind the counter informed Terashi, selling him the food stuffs but not budging on selling him the plushie. "I do have others if you'd like. Plenty of Applin and Diplin ones. I even have some of the Loyal Three. Can I interest you in one of them?" He would try to get Terashi to buy another plushie but whether or not he was successful he would give Terashi his desired items and bid him a good day and to enjoy the Festival of Masks later.

"Hey! Tristen, Freth!" Sub shouted as the two called out to them, the man waving at them excitedly as they approached. The man would smirk and wiggle his eyebrows at Freth a bit in response to Darts' comment about 'writing knots' but said nothing verbally, not wanting to talk like that in front of the kid but still wanted to make sure Freth got the joke, not that she needed help that is. As Darts mentioned Area Zero his interest was stirred, having not heard Freth mention the place as his human hearing was not keen up to pick up on it from such a distance. "Why are we talking about that literal hell hole?" He asked.

Sub would recognize Monique as well and give her a little wave but before he could say much else the girl was off, evidently to work on an assignment for the academy. He knew she had chose to continue her academic career like Tristen, just didn't see why she couldn't take a break just for the day. "Okay well, bye Momo! See you tonight!" He said to her with a wave.

With Monique gone Sub would convince the group to start walking, to head east towards Reveler's Road and up to the festival sight which was the same direction Monique went in but he had always intended to go that way. As they crossed over the old stone bridge Sub would look over the side and down at the flowing water. His eyes would follow the rivers path, flowing south, providing water to the rice paddies they saw when they first came into town. The man would also note the many Magikarp swimming around, many of them larger than what you might normally see in the wild telling the Snagem leader that the locals must feed the wild Magikarp, he has encountered the practice elsewhere so it wasn't surprising to the man.

"This place reminds me a bit of Ecruteak. Much smaller but it has that same traditional vibe to it, like it's frozen in time almost." Sub commented to no one in particular. "Though Ecruteak didn't have stories about an evil mountain ogre so that's one difference." He chuckled softly as he kept walking, passing under the triangle arch that marked the beginning of Reveler's Road. Unbeknownst to the group two more Snagems were a ways ahead of them out in the plains of Reveler's Road, practicing for tonight.

"Its going." Freth would tell Terashi. "Nothing much to talk about. We've just been walking around all morning taking in the sights around town." She then couldn’t help but to roll her diamond-colored eyes from Sub’s and Darts’s offhand comment. She very well did catch the apparent joke. As soon as they were asked, however, about Area Zero, Freth just shook her head. “Oh nothing.” Freth said to Darts and Sub. “Tristen mentioned thinking about going to a place up on the mountain to investigate for his report and insinuated that people should have been around there, only for me to bring up Area Zero. You know, how no one other than those professors went down in there…and no one else. For whatever reason, that is.”

“Didn’t realize it until after I said it.” Tristen followed up, a bit dejected. “But on the plus side, even if I don’t go up the mountain within the next day or so, at the very least I do have stuff around town to go look into and people to ask stuff for my report back at the academy.” Tristen then noticed Monique taking her leave from the group and stared in confusion for a moment. Even Mr. Sanguaro would understand the need to at least enjoy the trip. In fact, if nothing else, he’d probably be more understanding to that than Ms. Raifort was. He’d just not bother. Maybe it was something just with her.

Sub would start waving others to follow him and not really having too much more to look at around town, at least at this part, Tristen would follow along, with Freth floating close by. As they started to head eastward, onto Reveler’s Road, Tristen would start taking in the scenery. He did see a little bit of this the day before, but couldn’t see too much of it since it was getting into the evening hours here and jet lag was a real thing. “I don’t know…I’d think it be closer to say Oldale Town out of Hoenn really.” Freth said. “Though then again, considering the aesthetic? Maybe you’re right.”

“What about Floraoma in Sinnoh?” Tristen asked.

“Eh…nah, I think Sub might have hit the nail on the head. Though, doesn’t look like Kitakami had a dozen story tower to burn down…that we’re aware of.” Freth said to Sub.

As Tristen walked along, listening to the conversation, Tristen realized something just now. Tristen only saw Darts only briefly in Paldea before getting headfirst into the studies, or at least trying to until he got caught up in the Team Star mess. And even in the subsequent two weeks following that during his recovery period after the major incident before being made to go back to Paldea, he heard effectively nothing out of the Giratina hybrid. “So what had you been up to for the past month and a half?” Tristen asked, trying to see how talkative Darts was today. The Giratina hybrid, like a lot of adults in Snagem, had a major influence in the Manetric hybrid’s life; he’d probably felt a bit of a disservice if he didn’t at least check in with him after all that time.

"What even.... is Area Zero?" Darts asks, a little perplexed. He had missed out on a lot while on his special assignment from Sub, clearly. "I know the region's split into separate provinces, each with their own little areas subdividing them. But as far as I can remember I don't think we ever saw an Area 'Zero'..." The hybrid wasn't a reader, cartographer, and he certainly didn't pay attention in school. But to be fair to him, everyone else had a lot more exposure to Paldea than he had. He was hoping Sub or Freth were going to be able to give him a bit more insight, and he waves goodbye to Monique as she runs off to whatever she had been muttering about with an assignment. Their connection at the bus stop yesterday had touched the gambler's black heart and he was going to keep an eye on her moving forward with the team.



Playing follow the Leader while he was talking, Darts keeps his hands in his jacket pockets as they stroll along discussing things. The rustic countryside air felt good going in and out of whatever served as his lungs. Probably lungs, though he didn't need to breathe. That didn't stop the natural beauty sprawling out in front of them from taking his breath away, and he stops for a moment as they cross a small arched wooden bridge built of beams in the traditional fashion for the area. Looking out across the pond and seeing the Magikarp flopping in and out of the slow-flowing water he takes another deep inhale, closing his eyes for a brief second. He had already put his two cents in on this area reminding him of Mymay to Sub earlier, and didn't feel like retreading what he had already talked about. Instead, he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a golden Pokedollar. The coin shimmered in the rays of the waning sun making its way across the sky above them, matching the gleam off his head and hands. Afternoon was turning into evening quickly, and even though they were outside of town there was a low kind of thrum in the air. The excitement of the oncoming festival was building and nature itself was responding to the excitement, sort of like the natural world knew. Maybe it did, Darts figured. He had seen enough odd things to not presuppose anything.



He turns around as the Manectric kid approaches, having been idly moving the coin between his fingers while lost in thought. 'Clink'. His thumb makes a metallic-sounding impact with the dollar piece as he casually flicks it up and over his shoulder into the river. It floats, slowly starting to run downstream following the lazy current as it began losing momentum, starting to sink from its own weight. It was considered lucky to toss money into wishing ponds, so in his own way Darts was hoping for some of that same effect.

"Heya kid!" Darts greets Tristen warmly, waving a hand slightly. Their family had been good to him, so his smile was genuine even if it was hidden beneath his crest. "It's been a little bit." After he hears his first sentence though, he had one thing to say: "Oh..." Of course, this question again. He supposed it was natural that his teammates were going to want to know where he had been for the last couple months, and it was getting harder and harder to duck them. Crystal was already extremely pissed off, and given their last couple of interactions Darts wasn't going to blame her. Cera seemed to have given up for the moment, but now add Tristen to the list. It was pretty apparent he wasn't going to be able to keep ducking the entire team, so he settled for the truth, at least to the kid. "I was all over, but most of the time I was in Orre, on a mission for Sub. How about you, I hear you're in school now?" There weren't going to be any more details coming freely, as the gambler tried to shift the topic a little bit. While talking, out of the corner of his eye he caught a little movement in the river, on the other side of the bridge from where he and Tristen were conversing. He didn't want to be rude and interrupt the conversation, so he just keeps a half an eye peeled in that direction. Probably another Magikarp anyhow.

Clare nodded to Rachel as they were introduced to her Eevee, offering the little fox Pokemon a small wave as well as it cried out in greeting. "That's right!" They replied, confirmimg Rachel had remembered their name correctly. "We were actually about to head up the mountain to go visit the Crystal Pool. Would you like to join us?" They asked, pausing as Tsuki seemed to have an odd reaction to something in his pamphlet.



"Is everything alright?" They asked him, turning to face the younger(as far as they were aware, at least) trainer. "You seem troubled by something all of the sudden..." He seemed to have gotten over whatever it was almost immediately, however, having moved on to introducing himself and his Pokemon.

"Or not... Perhaps it was just my imagination." They decided, watching Tsuki for a moment longer to be sure he didn't seem troubled. They didn't want to force him into doing something or going somewhere if he wasn't feeling up to it, after all. Not that Clare would attempt to force someone into doing something if they could help it at all.

Turning their focus back to Rachel an Rainer after only a moment, they would catch the girl's response to being invited along.

Hearing Freth's rant, Darts can't help but laugh a little at her reaction which was very unlike her. Maybe becoming a different species of Articuno hybrid had affected her more than she was willing to admit. "Come on Freth, not everything is some grand conspiracy theory.... next thing you'll be telling me you're going on Alex Cubone's show ranting about how there's chemicals in the water turning all the Greninja into Froakie or something." He chortles, one hand clutching his ribs a little as he laughs. He didn't know who Geeta was, so he lets her opinion on that slide, shifting his attention back to Tristen. Darts nods a couple of times, thinking through what the teen was telling him.

"It had to be tough being a secret celebrity and not even being able to let the girls in the class know." He answers with another laugh, not trying to undercut the seriousness of the situation but he knew how he would have used fame at that age. And he knew how Drake would too, the old scalawag's face filling his mind for a second chasing girls in his teens with a full head of hair which elicits another laugh seemingly out of nowhere. "Sorry. But still, it's good for you to get an education and to meet some people outside of this wacky unit we call a team. It's not quite the army, it's not quite family, but it's still different enough especially for you at that age... I'm sure I'm just beating a drum that Blizzard has talked to you about ad nauseum." It was a good thing that Tristen was getting to socialize, and Darts was about to ask him about his classes and some of the other students but that movement behind Tristen catches his eye again, prompting him to hold a finger up and move to the other side of the bridge behind the Electrike hybrid. "Hey, Tristen, c'mere for a second. You ever seen a Pokemon like this?"

Down in the river below the bridge, following the trajectory of where Darts had casually tossed the Pokedollar coin, there was a strange looking Pokemon hanging off the bank attempting to collect the money from the idle current before it sank. Looking for all the world like a small gray gingerbread man with gold specks set in the dough for eyes, it was hanging off the edge precipitously in an effort to try and haul the coin out of the water, much heavier than the tiny Pokemon struggling after it. Both of its antenna were wiggling furiously as it scraped both legs into the dirt, trying to give itself enough traction to flip the money past Archimedes' principle and out into the open air. Little furrows were forming in the earth as it attempted, without much success. "Gimmi..... Giiiimmiiiiiii......" It squeaked, furiously shuffling further and further downstream as its efforts redoubled to try and retrieve it before the next bend up ahead would take the currency out of reach of its tiny arms.

"It has a treasure... chest?" The gambler asks, cocking an eyebrow despite himself. "And it wants money? Money for what?" Rather than hoping Tristen was going to give him a cogent answer, he reaches into his jacket, pulling out his fairly well-worn and travel-beaten SNAG out of it. Gengar stickers adorned the back of it, but dispite the look of disrepair it was in he thumbs the lock open with precision, clacking the screen a few times to pull up the Dex app and point it at the Pokemon.

"Gimmighoul." it beeps out, in a sultry purring female tone, reading the information out loud to the air. Clearly Darts had spent some time loading in a custom voice pack for his SNAG and never thought he might be using the Dex feature publicly.

"Ask me when you're older." He says by way of response, smoothly ignoring the daggers Freth was no doubt shooting into his back as the analysis continued.

"The 'Coin Hunter' Pokemon. This Pokemon was born from passion that seeped into a coin. It wanders, apparently seeking to return to the treasure chest it once inhabited. And believe you me, I know a thing or two about passion, daddy..."

"Alrighty, I think that's about all the info we're going to get from that." Darts interrupts his device sheepishly, clicking it off and cutting off any further dialogue from the sexy voice. He watches the Gimmighoul struggle for a second further, before letting out a resigned sigh. "Okay, let's go at least help the little guy out." Decision made, he starts walking down and around to the foot of the bridge. "I can't let anyone who loves money as much as it clearly does languish too much longer. Can you at least tell me what type it is? Do you have any idea?" He shoots over his shoulder at Tristen, clearly expecting the kid to follow as they head towards the riverbank.

Monique began taking the hike up Reveler's Road, the town yielding to gently rolling grasslands along the trail. It was vibrant, green (though not exactly lush like Alola), and teeming with life. Her head was on a swivel. Starly were chirping up a racket. She narrowly avoided stepping on a Spinarak crawling on the trail. Two Sentret were chasing each other in a stand of grass along the roadside, revealing a Furret that with its head poking above the blades. Two scurrying Seedot shuffled along, the sun glimmering off their acorn caps.

She took a deep breath and stopped to think about this place. It had been a long time since she had seen so many Pokémon in one spot, so happy. This is what I'm fighting to keep, she was reminded. In fact, she was in such a good mood that she let Kalama out of her Poké Ball. Wak! it cried out, happy to be around and adjusting to the bright light as it emerged from its container. "I know, right? Like the good old days but better," she thought, thinking of how she walked with Kalama on so many patrols. It was easy to see in the wastelands since there wasn't much to move. Reveler's Road, though, was a center of activity. Monique was far from alone on the trail, with people (and Pokémon) walking to and from the festival site carrying supplies for last-minute preparations.

The road made a sharp bend at a bluff shaded in a bamboo grove, which reinforced something Monique had barely realized: This path had a grade to it. It wasn't like Aether Island—ahem, Poni—where there were lowlands and then sudden cliffs and canyons. Sure, Kitakami had a huge and kind of fearsome-looking mountain that loomed over it, and sure there were cliffs here, but she'd been walking enough that the path had risen significantly, and only now was she taking stock.

The bluff made for a good resting spot and scenic overlook over the low shelf of eastern Kitakami, dominated by a large and running river that tumbled over a falls at the start. She stood for a moment, admiring the view. There were one or two structures in the far distance, way off south on the opposite bank of the river, but otherwise it looked truly undisturbed.

She looked off at Kalama, the Marowak serene as can be, the flames on her bone lightly flickering in the breeze. Any Pokémon would be good company, but... Kalama and I... Any welling up of emotion was cut short as soon as it began as, suddenly, Kalama ran off, behind Monique and toward the road, sensing something. "Kalama!" she called out to the Marowak, running off behind it. This was unusual behavior for the Bone Keeper Pokémon, who rarely left her side. What had disturbed her so much?