"Don't panic yet. Let me get in touch with the League and confirm the situation, okay?"
In as soothing a tone as he could manage, Lucas tried to steady Arven. He could understand Arven's panic and confusion.
Arven's parents had already been away from home for months because of their research at the Paldea Crater. Their routine check-ins had mysteriously stopped for unknown reasons, and with Naranja Academy currently suspended, it was easy to spiral when you were alone.
From Arven's emotional outburst to him asking Lucas for help, the progression made sense.
Maybe because they'd already built some trust—and because before they left, Professors Sada and Turo had told Arven he could seek out Lucas if anything happened—Lucas's reassurance worked.
Curled up in the corner of his bed, Arven calmed down a little. He glanced at his Mabosstiff and Skwovet, both anxiously circling by the bed, forced a wan smile for them, and then spoke into the phone: "Yeah, I get it. I'll wait patiently."
Lucas nodded slightly. "Wait for my news."
After hanging up, Lucas hesitated a moment and dialed Geeta's private number.
The League's official line might be picked up by Geeta's secretary, or be tied up. The private line was almost always clear.
After a few rings, the call connected. Geeta's puzzled voice came through the receiver: "Lucas. Are you calling to discuss the matter I asked Hassel to pass on to you the other night?"
"No—that can wait." Lucas shook his head and said gravely, "Chairwoman, I want to ask about the Paldea Crater research project spearheaded by Professors Sada and Turo. Do you know they may be out of contact?"
At that, Geeta's expression changed on the other end. "I'll confirm with the personnel at the Zero Gate immediately."
A moment later, Geeta's voice returned: "It's true that the Zero Gate hasn't received any messages from below for four or five days. But the Paldea Crater remains a place full of mysteries. In the past, we've had abrupt magnetic surges that interrupted signals without warning."
"The staff there consider it a normal phenomenon. Communications usually recover after a few days, so they didn't escalate it."
"If something goes wrong," Lucas said, "it'll be too late."
Geeta nodded. "I agree. A search team is already being put together."
"I intend to go down myself."
The words were so unexpected that even Geeta looked surprised.
Softly, she asked, "Is it because of their child? I remember his name is Arven. He's a kind-hearted kid."
Lucas gave a slight nod. "He's very anxious right now. Even if you're assembling a team that's qualified on all fronts, that will take time. Better to let me head into the crater alone."
Geeta was silent for a beat. "It's dangerous down there. A large number of wild Pokémon live in isolation in the crater. After so much fighting, their temperaments retain a primal edge—very aggressive. Preparation does take time."
"Maybe you going in alone would be quicker. But you've never entered the Paldea Crater before. The terrain is complicated. If you're careless, you'll get lost."
"Find Larry and have him go with you. When the professors rebooted the Tera Project last time, it was Larry who escorted them."
When he finished speaking with Geeta, Lucas called Arven back and calmly informed him he was going into the Paldea Crater, telling him to stay home and wait for contact.
Then he gathered his Pokémon and explained that due to an emergency he had to leave for a few days and might not be back soon.
He also chose a team to accompany him into the crater.
Swampert, Mimikyu, Serperior, Dragonite, and Comfey would go with him. Luxray and Ceruledge would guard the farm.
Even if Paldea wasn't especially dangerous, Lucas felt he needed to leave reliable combat power behind to guarantee safety on the home front.
If the Paldea Crater could remain shrouded in mystery for so long, there had to be more to it. Although he had played through Area Zero's sequence in the game, he wasn't about to assume Area Zero was some picnic spot just because of so-called game memory.
He brought along his newly crowned ace Swampert—thanks to its temporary boost from Mega Evolution—plus his other three mainstays, and Comfey, a medical specialist who could unexpectedly fight and synergize with Serperior.
He also took his trump cards: a Z-Ring; Groundium Z, Grassium Z, and Mimikium Z; a Tera Orb; and the Key Stone set into the pendant he wore.
He was, in short, fully kitted out.
After all, he couldn't be sure whether Professors Sada and Turo had run into a tough enemy—or if it was just a communications outage.
Given the urgency, Lucas only gave Oranguru some basic instructions about the farm's affairs over the next few days, then mounted Dragonite and took to the sky, flying straight toward Medali.
Medali lies in western Paldea, a town steeped in nostalgia, lined everywhere with eateries vying for attention—its food culture is famously vibrant.
Setting out around three, Lucas reached Medali at about five. He was familiar enough with the area and had no time to admire the endless stream of food tourists.
After recalling Dragonite, he jogged straight to the town's most famous restaurant: the Treasure Eatery.
The reason he didn't head to the Medali Gym was simple.
He knew Larry's temperament. Years of corporate drudgery had filed down his edges; the man lived in a state of perpetual burnout. After suddenly getting word from Geeta that he'd be doing 24-hour overtime of uncertain duration in the Paldea Crater, he would absolutely be at the Treasure Eatery quietly self-medicating with good food.
Pushing the door open, Lucas first saw the tatami battle stage. Larry liked to hold Gym battles here. Lucas had once battled him on that very floor.
He let the nostalgia sit for a breath, then shifted his gaze to the bar, where a man in a fitted suit—meant to convey energy but worn with a slumped, desolate air—sat with drooping shoulders.
He spooned steaming, fragrant omurice into his mouth, his receding hairline and heavy eye bags testifying to relentless overwork.
This was Paldea's salaryman emperor, the ultimate corporate drone—Larry!