"Hello, Uncle, my name is Arven, I'm ten years old—"
On the way to the research lab, Arven, now recovered, chattered non-stop at Lucas' side.
Lucas was a little exasperated. Would this talkative kid grow into the slightly gloomy upperclassman Arven from Scarlet/Violet?
What a big change.
Arven's chatter didn't bother Lucas too much—he was the kind of man who could endure four-hour meetings after work.
But there was one thing he really couldn't stand.
After Arven called him "Uncle" once more, Lucas put a hand on his shoulder and smiled,
"You know, I'm only about eight years older than you. Call me 'big brother,' okay?"
"...Brother Lucas," Arven said weakly.
Though he preferred calling Lucas "Uncle," the smile on Lucas' face hinted at something he shouldn't push, so Arven wisely gave in.
Kids' moods change fast. Arven was soon chattering away again, "brother, brother" this time.
Finally, even Sada couldn't take her son's constant babble anymore and snapped,
"Quiet! Go play in your room with Mabosstiff."
Arven, long used to her temper, made a face at her and galloped away on Mabosstiff.
Sada could only watch helplessly, a softness in her eyes she didn't even realize.
Watching all this, Lucas suddenly pictured the grown-up, sorrowful Arven.
His parents spent years researching the time machine in Area Zero. When the AI replaced them by contacting Arven, perhaps he sensed that the parents he spoke to were now strangers.
No wonder Arven always looked troubled.
Genuine emotion is hard for AI to mimic. Even with all their memories, the Sada/Turo AIs only gradually learned real feelings after witnessing the protagonists' adventures.
Could his arrival change these tragedies?
Lucas fell into deep thought.
Sada noticed the mood shift after Arven left—still feeling guilty for misjudging Lucas, she tried to change the subject.
"Mr. Lucas, do you know why I was so nervous just now?"
Lucas snapped out of it, puzzled.
Good point.
Paldea hardly ever had evil organizations; crime was rare.
So why had Sada been so on edge, almost scared?
Lucas nodded,
"I'm curious."
Sada grew serious,
"The police recently reported that a group of criminals from another region escaped into Paldea. Their business is abducting or kidnapping children."
"If the parents are rich, they extort ransom. Ordinary kids are sold to evil organizations in other regions. That's why I reacted so strongly to you."
"I see..."
Lucas' eyes grew cold. He despised such criminals.
He wasn't the type to go looking for trouble as a vigilante, but if he ever did run into such scum, they wouldn't have a good end.
Soon, the labs of Professors Sada and Turo came into view.
The lab wasn't like the high-tech, metallic places Lucas imagined, but rather full of life.
The research area had plenty of advanced equipment, but there were also cozy living spaces, especially the bookshelves stacked with books.
Seeing Lucas' curiosity, Sada explained her research:
"Besides making Tera Orbs, my husband and I study the legends of Paldea."
"The four ancient shrines, the ultimate secrets of the Great Crater... Just thinking about it excites me."
Sada was passionate about her work—her face glowed when she spoke of it.
She pulled a red-covered book from the shelves and introduced the lab.
But Lucas wasn't listening. His gaze locked on the book in her hand, his pupils shrinking.
It was The Scarlet Book!
He remembered: this book was written by the explorer Heath, who reached the bottom of the Great Crater one or two hundred years ago.
It recorded what Heath's team saw in Area Zero—the mysterious zone at the crater's bottom.
But its contents were so wild that most people in Paldea considered it fiction or delusion.
The Scarlet Book was classified as supernatural literature, and Heath was called a fraud.
The Violet Book was published soon after, also by Heath.
Lucas remembered the general contents of both books, and Naranja Academy's library had copies. If he ever forgot, he could reread them after teaching class.
But what shocked Lucas wasn't the books' existence, but the fact that Sada was holding the Scarlet Book.
This meant Sada and Turo might already be considering going to Area Zero to build the time machine and study ancient/future Pokémon.
Once they got that idea, the Paradox Pokémon—and the legendary mascots of Scarlet/Violet—wouldn't be far behind.
Lucas was silent for a long time. His dream was a peaceful, easy life, but he didn't want to see tragedy, either.
After a moment's hesitation, he asked,
"Professor Sada, do you like the Scarlet Book?"
Sada froze, then flashed a dazzling smile,
"I'm fascinated by the wild, ancient Pokémon described in it. That's what inspired me to devote myself to Area Zero research."
"You came at the perfect time—we're restarting the Tera Project in the crater this month. My husband's out negotiating with investors; otherwise, he wouldn't have time to make your Tera Orb."
"Are you interested in the Scarlet Book too?" Sada looked at Lucas, her eyes full of hope. When Geeta contacted her, she emphasized that Lucas was a Champion-level trainer as strong as herself.
If she could recruit him, wild Pokémon in the crater's depths would no longer be a threat.
Lucas thought for a moment and replied modestly,
"I've only read a little, just know some basics."