Unfortunately for Hideo, their first visit was to the tower. Which, to be fair, Uxie wanted him to do, but their last visit almost had them sucked into a wormhole to who-knows-where. There was a lot of stuff here to look into, but he could already tell it was probably gonna be less friendly than whatever it was that slammed the door in his face.

Absent this time around was Uxie - the Pokemon on Hideo's shoulder was an Elgyem, the little Pokemon looking around and serving as his eyes - a job that it wasn't very skilled at yet. It was time for it to get some practice.

Though he wasn't defenseless this time: a Magearna floated beside him. It'd be strong enough to handle any Ultra Beasts that came by.

At least, he hoped it would.

"My Elgyem's saying it's seeing something neat," Hideo said, making his way over towards a glowing z-crystal. His Magearna was the first to touch it, grabbing it and looking it over, before handing it to the boy. "Some kinda z-crystal? Think Elgyem's saying it looks different from the other ones it's seen?"

Weird. But maybe something they could use, if they needed a z-move in a pinch.

Arceus knew the Ultra Beasts around here could necessitate that kind of firepower.

40 encounter tampered z-crystals that are still active. using these z-crystals by crushing them will allow a chosen pokemon to temporarily assume a state similar to TOTEM POKEMON.

CIAN MAHER , Eva Morales

"Ah, a map!" Unfortunately, not that useful to Hideo, but CIAN MAHER would (probably) be able to read it and guide them to wherever it led. And with Eva Morales scavenging the tech like a gremlin, Hideo was left to keep looking around for anything else his Elgyem considered worth taking.

Which, unfortunately, wasn't much. He pocketed the strange Z-crystal he got as he looked around, listening to Eva read out the note. "Sounds about right," he sighed.

They wouldn't have to stay for much longer, though: Cian's Silvally started to bark at an incoming threat, and Eva took Hideo by the hand to guide him away from whatever let out that deep scream.

Through a window.

Hideo's Magearna stepped (floated) in, grabbing the boy and lifting him into its arms in a bridal carry, his Elgyem moving from his shoulder to his belly.

The Magearna would be the one to hold the child. Not Eva.

Its body easily pushed through the shattered glass, gently descending down all ten stories. "Least we're outta that building," Hideo said. "So we gonna follow that map Cian found?"

CIAN MAHER , Eva Morales

While Eva Morales and CIAN MAHER had their dramatic descent, Hideo was gently brought down by his Magearna. Not that he minded it all that much; he wasn't a fan of the sensation of falling - not when he didn't know how he was going to make his landing.

Hideo and his team touched ground around the same time Eva's Gardevoir did, his Magearna gently placing him on his feet. His Elgyem resumed its position on his shoulder.

And so, Hideo received his answer: they would indeed be following the map.

"Lead the way!" Hideo said, following Cian, his Magearna floating closely by his side. "Any idea what we're headed towards?"

Had to be something important, if the map was still intact in all this chaos.

CIAN MAHER , Eva Morales

"Oh, uh, sure." He didn't distrust CIAN MAHER (or Eva Morales ), but he was curious where they were going. And he didn't have Uxie around this time to assure him that Cian really did know where he was leading them.

But follow he did - even as the scent of the sewers assaulted his nose. At least his boots kept the sludge out.

It didn't take long for them to encounter something, though: Cian's scream stopped Hideo before Eva could. His Elgyem notified him of what they encountered: people who looked human, but had abnormal eye colors - though Hideo knew what they actually were: Megalopolans.

Though the moment he heard them speak, he could breathe a sigh of relief: they weren't crazed ones.

Hideo nodded as Eva spoke. "Yeah. Like she said, we found a map…what'd you mean by us not being the first ones down here?"

"You'll find out soon. Follow us."

With little other leads to work with, Hideo would follow along. Which seemed to be for the best; these sewers were like a maze.

Though as they traveled along, a noise could be heard through the sewers. "Is that…jingling?" Hideo asked aloud, "Sounds like bells."

"Our frequent guest. Move to the side for a moment."

Said guest would make their appearance shortly after, an all-black Tapu Bulu making an appearance. Should nobody attack it, it'd make its way past the group, though it did keep its eyes on them. Hideo wouldn't make any move against it, his Pokemon standing (or in his Magearna's case, floating) aside.

39 encounter a SHINY TAPU BULU that is either hostile to you during a rampage (for it is frustrated it can not grow vegetation here) or a temporary ally. it rings its bell to warn those who are nearby of its presence.

CIAN MAHER , Eva Morales