Shalin frowned; he was right. She should have let the archaeologist know. "It's not like we can't come back here if you want to try, but they're so old. Even if you could get the pages open without them crumbling too much, could we even read them?"

The darkness in the western room was piercing; even Crumble's COSMIC POWER failed to light the room. Shalin, though, knew what was up. She led the way inside, the ghost of a Fearow and that of an elderly man under his wing appearing before them both. He presented them both with a cryptic message for them both:

"SPECTACLE ROCK IN SOOTOPOLIS IS AN ENTRANCE TO DEATH."

The message was more than familiar to Shalin, the girl immediately turning around. Provided Howard would as well, she would explain its meaning. "So that's referring to the Halls of Origin beneath Sootopolis, perhaps the only location in Hoenn where Ultra Beast eggs can be hatched. It was sealed by the Medallions of Eight, that is, until I found them all and took them there." Her eyes began to well up. "If I could turn the clock back and seal it up again, I would... That way... Kiara wouldn't have had to..." she trailed off, sniffing. The obvious word that finished that sentence was "die".

"I'm a shameless polyglot, Shalin. I can speak several languages, and translate a hundred more." Howard shrugged, than reconsidered. "Not a hundred, but decently close. If it's not one I know off the top, I'd need time to translate it."

Each archaeologist had a certain field of study. Howard's was languages and cultures, more than anything. Several of his articles for Archaeology Annually were built on the subject, and Howard considered himself a leading authority on the matter.

As the ghost appeared, Howard let out an "eep!" He hid behind Shalin and poked his head out, before sliding to the side. "Oh... It's just a memory. It's rare for ruins to have something so... Shalin?"

She was shaking slightly as she explained, and Howard's heart sank. Sootopolis's Cave of Origin. The city was under control of Team Rocket, which meant that opening that valued historic sight had done more aid to Team Rocket's cause than anyone could ever know. That didn't include the hatching of Ultra Beasts on top of that.

It was a grave error.

And yet...

"You explored eight different ruins to recover eight separate keys to a lock. If the Cave of Origin was truly meant to be sealed, the medallions would've been tossed into the ocean to be forgotten." Howard's hand clapped her shoulder. "Maybe it's your fault for seeking out the medallions, maybe it's this culture's fault for failing to accurately describe the risks. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Kiara might be... gone. You can always look back and remember the times you spent. That's what history—what life— is all about."

Maybe dredging up Shalin's past was a mistake. Maybe assuming too much was a mistake. If you looked back far enough, there were enough mistakes to swallow someone whole. If that happened, you...

"It's a dead-end. Let's turn back and find a new path."

...found another way forward. That was what exploring was all about.

---

NAME	SPECIES
Shirley	Aerodactyl
Ayer	Nosepass
Celpho	Anorith
Crumble	Baltoy

Shalin Nariya

Howard's knowledge of languages was just as impressive as Shalin's rodeo act. Everyone had their expertise, and Howard's was more practical than hers was. While it largely served as entertainment, Shalin had carved out some niche applications for it, mostly in tandem with her Sygna Suit.

While Howard's remarks were comforting, they didn't immediately stop Shalin's sniffing. "Halls of Origin, not Cave of Origin - those are distinct. One's a lot larger than the other." There were so many good times the lioness had together. She was agile, a fantastic hunter, and sported a mean buck that Shalin loved to struggle against. It was just the right strength to test her ability to hold onto an uncooperative mount, yet not so much that it would overwhelm her like a Tauros would.

She stopped sniffing and addressed some of the explorer's points. "They would have been thrown into the ocean if there was no need for that power. Hoenn's ancient culture must have seen a need for the power coming, and made it difficult, but not impossible, for someone to reclaim it in times of dire need. If it were not for their foresight, Olivia and Toxrill would still be inside their eggs," she referred to her Buzzwole and Poipole.

At Howard's prompt, Shalin turned back, her head back up at last. Giving Treble a break, Shalin withdrew the Kommo-o for Scar, her Pyroar, taking a seat on the male lion's back. "Kiara's loss has been really hard on Scar here, too. While I was scouting Mount Chimney for Death Crater's entrance, she rescued him from the top of the dome Death Crater happened to be within. I didn't even have to battle him; he joined me on his own accord." Shalin buried her head in Scar's red fur as a sign of affection, gently scratching behind his ears.

The two moved on, the fortress's master bedroom straight ahead, a spiral staircase leading upward in between it. "If you think this is wondrous, wait 'til you see what's on top. Upstairs, there's a nice view of it."

"Guh. You're right. I'm an insult to my profession." Howard sighed, wilting at his weakness and oversight. Many regions and religions had similar names for important sites, but Hoenn had so many layers of names stacked on top of each other. Some were vague. Some were specific, but you were expected to know them all.

Plus, she had stopped focusing on the past and began to focus on an academic debate, instead. That alone made his claim worth it. Best to be wrong sometimes in order to make someone feel right.

"Perhaps. Yet any civilization who leaves something for another to use in times of crisis runs the risk of creating an unsolvable puzzle. Is it truly just to hide objects behind puzzles to fight against a catastrophe they were incapable of preventing?" Howard scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Of course, you can barely trust the League to keep potholes off the road, so perhaps I shouldn't be so harsh."

It was best to elect to not mention Kiara's death as a point. Howard thought a lot of things, but he elected to keep his mouth shut.

"Those do make the best partners... Pokémon that don't have to be fought, I mean." Howard chuckled, before taking her advice. "Let's make a quick detour and check, then."

It was almost therapeutic to climb stairs. He half-expected the ruin to lack them, and just expect people to fly about on birds. A childish expectation, but ruins had a tendency to invite the fantastic.

---

NAME	SPECIES
Shirley	Aerodactyl
Ayer	Nosepass
Celpho	Anorith
Crumble	Baltoy

Shalin Nariya

After two rotations around the room, the light source was apparent: an array of arrow slits were hewn in the stone that made up the side of a dais on the mountain's plateau-like summit. She pointed to the ruins of several buildings, including one of a watchtower. "That's where the ancients hid the Gale Medallion that's now resting in the Halls of Origin," she explained what she remembered of the place from her trip here with Fortree's Gym Leader. "This place is warded, too; keep your eyes open for trip wires. That is, if you like having legs."

Carefully stepping around a series of four trip wires, Shalin led the way to a room with eight bird statues arranged in a diamond shape. The wear and tear of the stone surrounding the westmost statue was all the reminder she needed. Having withdrawn Scar before the climb, she sent the Pyroar back out again, who pushed the statue out of the way as instructed.

"Beyond is a cellar where I found this." Shalin took out the AVIAN BOW, an intricately-carved wooden bow decorated with green feathers. Its bowstring and lumber seemed immune to the passage of time. She nocked an arrow on the bow's string, the sound of a whirlwind coming from the ranged weapon. "There were two of these here. Alexei Ivanov has the other one. It's a wonderful weapon from the ancient past. He says they were blessed by the Wandering Stormbringer, Tornadus."

All of a sudden, a loud, deep, avian screech echoed from the east. "You've got to be kidding me..." Shalin sighed. "Wow, what awful timing to run into him. If you want to see the summit for yourself, I hope you're ready for a fight."

"Only the legs? Puh-lease, Shalin. I once saw a trap hidden inside an exploding brick." Howard chuckled as he danced around the tripwires. "We never did find the body of that guide. Poor bloke."

As they climbed, Howard took notes as he scribbled onto a notepad. It included a few things, such as the dimensions of the ruin they had explored, alongside a substantial amount of theories regarding the books located in the library. Howard really wanted to take a crack at them and translate them. They'd make for a spectacular paper!

Such notes were quickly forgotten as Shalin revealed her artifact. With a loud shout of glee, Howard inspected it from every angle. Crumble floated around it, too. "Impressive. Spectacular! Marvelous!" Howard beamed as he looked at it. "What an interesting design! It's nothing like records of old bows in western Hoenn! Was the design influenced by Tornadus's blessings? Is it a tribute? did the blessing come later? How far can it shoot? You have to let me study it, Shalin! Pretty please! I'll pay you!"

'He would pay her'. Yeah, and then get kicked out of his apartment. That didn't matter, though. An artifact like this was essentially priceless! Maybe he could ask this Alexei Ivanov to let him study it!

As the screech assaulted Howard's ears, Crumble disappeared into Howard's hat. He looked at Shalin with a mixture of worry and annoyance, as if he was upset that the cry had interrupted his gushing. Howard definitely had his priorities in order.

"Summit? This isn't just about the summit! How can I grill you on this bow if whatever's up there is gonna screech every few moments!?" Howard's lip and voice quivered slightly. "Doesn't this bird know that it's rude to interrupt! Lead the way, Shalin!"

Was it rude if Howard and Shalin were trespassing? Probably not.

---

NAME	SPECIES
Shirley	Aerodactyl
Ayer	Nosepass
Celpho	Anorith
Crumble	Baltoy

Shalin Nariya

There were certainly creative traps Shalin had seen in her journey to unite the Medallions of Eight and open the Halls of Origin. Mirage Palace in particular was devious. That was a place she could positively not take him, for the sake of his own health. Fire on the lower level, ice on the upper level... it would be too much for him. "I know you're excited, but I'm gonna need this if..." she trailed off as the deep screech of a Pidgeot echoed again. "That. Anyway, might be best to set up a meeting with the three of us. Alex knows a lot more about the Tornadus stuff than I do. That's his wheelhouse."

Shalin reluctantly did as asked. "This will put you in real danger. That bird's no joke. I just want to make sure you're ready," she warned as the two passed through a hallway into what appeared to be the fortress's master bedroom. Beyond the north exit from the room was a spiral staircase, light filtering from beyond. It clearly led to the summit, but it was also apparent they would not get far without engaging the giant Pidgeot. "If you have any way to prepare your Pokémon, do it now."

"..." Howard stared at her for a moment, and then deflated. "I know you're looking out for me. I appreciate it, Shalin. I'm nervous, and I've never been brave. Especially when I have to fight something. Especially something..." The Pidgeot screeched again. "Like that. Ruins are fine. Traps are fine. A giant bird..."

Howard deflated even more. It was just a stark contrast from how he had been acting mere moments ago. Then, it became clear. It was bravado. A façade. However competent Howard said he was, no matter how boisterous he acted, there was always that level of fear underneath.

He was just good at hiding it.

"I..." Howard sighed. It looked like he was going to reconsider and turn around. He did. He started turning, faced the other way, and then turned around again. "...will do better."

In a bright light, Howard's Nosepass appeared. Ayer and Crumble stood together and faced the stairwell Shalin had highlighted. "My two starters. Two against one is only fair if you're as mediocre as me." Howard gave a firm nod, and a wry grin. "To adventure!"

He walked towards the stairwell.

---

Shalin Nariya

NAME	SPECIES
Shirley	Aerodactyl
Ayer	Nosepass
Celpho	Anorith
Crumble	Baltoy

The sudden show of bravery from Howard came as a big surprise for Shalin. "You sure?" she asked. "That bird's serious stuff. It almost killed Alexei Ivanov and I. Of course, I'm a lot stronger than I was back then, but still!" If Howard wouldn't back down, then Shalin wouldn't try to stop her; instead, she would mimic the archaeologist's apparent bravery.

The two ascended the staircase to a balcony on the east wing, above the cloud layer obscuring the fortress's peak. Once both were on the balcony proper, two large slabs of stone rose in front of the frames the entrances were at, as though they had triggered a trap of some kind. On cue, the enormous bird made its presence known: a naturally Mega Evolved Pidgeot almost the height of a two-story building. Roughly the size of the Great One, Ho-oh, TWISTERS whirled toward both the explorers with every beat of its titanic wings.

Such dominance over the wind would make it difficult for the two to get into the air. "It's doing everything it can to ground us! Scar!" she cried, sending out her Pyroar. "Use your FLAMETHROWER to try to buy us some time!" Nodding, the male lion belched cones of flame toward their foe. While its size made dodging quick attacks almost impossible, the avian's seemingly boundless well of stamina let it shake off the blaze like it was nothing.

"Wait, seriously?" Howard's eye blinked in surprise as his mouth hung open. "That's kinda important to mention! You're a waaaaay stronger fighter than me, Shalin!"

He was going to throttle this girl, assuming the bird didn't throttle him first. Even if throttling was a term used to describe choking or something equally menial, this bird could end his life in a dozen different ways. It'd be easier to list what ways it couldn't kill Howard. Incidentally, the top of that list was throttling.

Then, he saw it.

Man, he was really going to murder Shalin for this, and Josh for introducing Howard to her.

The largest complete fossil ever discovered in Hoenn was a fossilized Wailord. It was large enough to ride alongside a cargo ship. Unfortunately, its fossil was never completely recovered, given the difficulty of extracting underwater fossils during the time. It was a little known secret, and something Big Archaeology© would rather keep secret. It had been buried in several old newspapers that could be found at the Mauville Public Library, if you asked for the Mauville Gazette dated 1858, August 7th.

Tell them Howard sent you.

This bird dwarfed that Wailord.

"You have GOT to be shitting me." Howard's voice was a whisper against this Mega Pidgeot's massive gusts of wind. Keeping himself close to the ground, Howard grabbed onto his Nosepass in an attempt to weigh them both down more. Nosepass were infamous for their lack of movement, and that lack was about to become Howard's abundance. "Ayer, Sandstorm!"

Ayer shook, then sneezed out a massive cloud of sand that covered both Shalin, Howard, and their team in a haze. It wouldn't last long, though. This was akin to putting tape over your cellar door during a tornado. It would last for as long as this Pidgeot would allow it to last.

And that was not to be long.

Shalin's Scar had proved that they'd need to fight this thing for a while. It had plenty of stamina, and all the time in the world to beat against Shalin and Howard. The bird began to flap its wings, blowing away Ayer's protective veil of sand, even as the Nosepass continued to produce more.

As the Pidgeot flapped its wings, a dozen rocks slammed into its beak with a refreshing bonk sound. The sandstorm was a haze, and the Ancient Power from Crumble had been the actual attack! A moderately clever strategy, if the bird in question was an ordinary Pidgeot, and not one that was two stories tall.

SQUAWK!

"Shalinnnnnn!!!" Howard yelled at her. "I pissed it off! That was like, my only pre-planned strategy!"

---

Shalin Nariya

NAME	SPECIES
Shirley	Aerodactyl
Ayer	Nosepass
Celpho	Anorith
Crumble	Baltoy

Ayer's SANDSTORM and Crumble's ANCIENT POWER gave the duo a window to hide behind bird Pokémon statues that were carved into the balcony, keeping them out of sight of the Mega Evolved bird for the time being. It wouldn't hide their Pokémon, though! Scar in particular was too large to truly hide in the swirling sands.

Though one of its wings was singed by the Pyroar's cone of flames, that didn't seem to bother the Pidgeot as much. This bird was one she wished she could capture, despite already owning a Pidgeot, but she knew that it would be far too easy for the majestic creature to simply blow her Poké Ball back in her face at speeds that would shatter it upon impact with anything. Taking it down completely would be almost impossible, too; they would have to do what they could to chase it away, lest they became snacks for the wrathful bird.

And what a wrathful bird it was; unable to see the hiding trainers, the Pidgeot beat its wings at full power, a HURRICANE enveloping the Pokémon and trainers. Though Shalin and Howard had taken cover, even cover would serve NO GUARD against the potent flying-type attack. There was no shot for Scar to remain standing, lifted off the ground in an instant. He went flying into the cliffside above the balcony, pinching him against its sharp rock and felling him in a single blow. Shalin's strength had grown to where she could withstand the attack, painful as it was. She was worried for Howard, who may have been a totally different story...

Shalin did not have an answer to Howard's query. The bird had an answer, though: blowing away her Pyroar and defeating it in a single shot. A single shot. Shalin was far more powerful than Howard was. Her Pokemon had been trained to a far higher caliber than Howard's. His Pokemon were chosen to help him excavate fossils and explore Hoenn. They did not aid in fighting giant birds.

Howard, meanwhile, was hosted off the ground by the ferocious winds. In a desperate grab, he grabbed hold of the stone wings of a Pidgeot statue, his hat fluttering in the wind.

There was one benefit Howard's team had over Shalin's. Their typing. Ayer, at least, was borderline indestructible. Nosepass were impossible walls for most Pokemon, and their evolution was a huge step forward.

Ayer was flung back by the massive hurricane, though its heavy weight prevented it from being flung too far. Nonetheless, it still slammed into a bird statue, with the rubble adorning his head like a crown. One statue had fallen, but another had taken its place.

Damn, Howard really wanted to study that statue.

Crumble, meanwhile, was not so lucky. The sentient toy's psychic powers had stalled the wind for a split second, but the energy keeping Baltoy anchored to its spot was quickly spent, sending the toy flying into a wall, with rubble crashing down on it. As Howard screamed in anger, it felt as if the air had frozen, wind completely vanishing for that precise moment.

Yet the wind did not lessen, and Howard and Shalin had each lost a member to brave the coming storm. The wind continued to grow stronger as the Mega Pidgeot flapped its wings with more and more ferocity, making the Hurricane more and more unbearable.

Then, it lessened. The Pidgeot's wings flapped laboriously, but the winds did not pick up again. As Howard looked up at it, he saw that small arcs of electricity were racing across its wings. The residue from a Thunder Wave. Ayer stood proud, despite the damage, and had struck the Pidgeot again while it continued to raise up its storm.

Then, Ayer shook again, before releasing a powerful Stone Edge, causing massive stone spires to erupt from the walls as they raced towards the Pidgeot.

"Shalin!" Howard pointed at the bird. It wouldn't be paralyzed forever. Not something of that size.

---

Shalin Nariya

NAME	SPECIES
Shirley	Aerodactyl
Ayer	Nosepass
Celpho	Anorith
Crumble	Baltoy

The Thunder Wave was the explorers' saving grace, the electricity dancing around the Pidgeot's wings and grounding the bird. This left it wide open to the follow-up Stone Edge, its screech maddening loud due to their proximity. It was only when the majestic creature landed on its own talon-covered feet that the duo could get a true sense of the bird's scale. Zuh was a big girl, but this creature was like a monarch among Pidgeot.

With the creature grounded, it was the perfect opportunity for Shalin's Yanmega to take a shot at it. Reaching for his Poké Ball and clicking the switch with her hand, the bug-type emerged next to her and loosed the one offensive technique that didn't require his wounded wings to use: ANCIENT POWER. Boulder-sized stones rose in a line from Flit toward the emperor bird, flinging it high into the air. With a beleaguered screech, the Pidgeot retreated. The slabs trapping the two on the balcony receded, their way to the fortress summit now open.

Shalin did not look like she was in good shape after that battle. She was breathing heavily and bleeding in multiple locations concentrated around the point where she was blown into the stone wall thanks to their foe's Hurricane.

She would never go on one of these adventures without a healing Pokémon again.