While the Salamence might find the quarters of the Halls of Origin somewhat cramped, they were certainly large enough not to impede the movement of a Pokémon as agile as a Salamence. Their labyrinthine environment was one of the reasons Shalin chose to remain ground-bound at the reins of Kiara. "Right, Theo!" she nodded. "We need to keep moving, just like Alex said! Only fight the ones that matter, and run!"

The Salamence's hiss agitated the slobbering Poison-types, giving chase through the grey halls depicting truly apocalyptic moments in Hoenn's ancient past. Some may have looked familiar to Theo and Alex, for history had a nasty tendency to repeat itself. Depictions of gods clashing against one another, warring triads of them reshaping the region with the wake of their destruction, and even natural calamities filled the upper half of the walls. Unfortunately, there would be very little time to admire or study them - the aggressive Alolan Muk and Swalot were giving chase!

If THEO BECKETT or Alexei Ivanov were paying astute attention, they may have been able to hear the cries of Poipole from beyond the southwest wall. Were they to take the time to investigate, they would find that it was completely solid - not a single weak point in sight. Even an explosive blast wouldn't shatter it. Even if the cries were misunderstood, there was clearly something of tremendous value beyond. Perhaps it was the power Shalin was seeking to make a difference in the war - what she had gathered the Medallions of Eight for.

As Shalin and her Pyroar fled northwest, leaping over a river of burning sludge created by a combination of the poison-types and their environment, they were trapped by two waves of the same Poison-type Pokémon: one from where they fled, and one from the east. Furthermore, two new foes appeared in a flash of light: Porygon. Only in a Space-Time Distortion did these Pokémon exist apart from trainers. Perhaps the distortion pulled from not only the past, but also the future? It was difficult to understand how they could exist outside the hands of a trainer, given what they were.

The polygonal, cybernetic Pokémon fired quick, DISABLING beams at the three explorers, the green-ette singed by one despite Kiara's efforts to get her out of harm's way. Feeling a draft from the west side as the hostile Pokémon backed her that way, she reached for Treble's Poké Ball to grind another weak wall section to shreds, only to find the Porygon's beam locked the release mechanism of her Poké Balls. Pointing at the one that attacked her, Kiara darted toward it in a HEADBUTT, stunning it long enough for one of her friends to finish the job if they were so inclined. They might have been too busy, though; there were still poison-type Pokémon crowding both other exits!