Just when Kallisto thought he was getting used to how UNOVR looked, the new area just kind of...blew everything out of the water. This area was something else, and a part of him wondered how much of this was really constructed block by block by artists, or was simulated and left to rot. When he flew on Zapdos' back with many, many others, he didn't have the chance to tell him that Big Bird Jr. was in his inventory, safely tucked away from the very likely dangers they would be facing here. There was both chatter and silence, moreso of the latter once they saw Ostellia underneath them. The hostile terrain was actually visible rather than the ever shifting inky darkness of Mistra. He wasn't sure which he preferred.

In any case, he highly doubted Big Bird's words about there being no corruption here, but frankly, he had forgotten what was mentioned about this place. Did they cleanse the corruption? They just fled from here, didn't they? So there was nothing to keep it in check, and now the players were here to pick up the pieces, put something together, and pray that it worked. Woo boy. Where to start?

Well, with Aegis newly evolved, they might as well test out his swimming skills, right? So there they were, in the Drowned Harbor, trying to navigate between rusted metal, water, and whatever other places were left to stand on. Kallisto wasn't used to the class flavor of the Swimmer class yet (he did equip it before they got close to the water, because he remembered seeing the effects up close with odile in the Thunderfall Raid), but it was still weird, expecting to be wet but feeling very much dry. At least he could admire his partner Pokemon, who was now a much larger penguin, more imposing and powerful-looking.

Even his voice had gotten a little deeper, but he still referred to him as "Master" anyway, and it put him a little at ease that he was also still the same on the inside.

❝Wait,❞ he raised his hand up, noticing a hovering name plate in the horizon, near the edge of the walkable "land" and teetering towards watery oblivion. He didn't really recognize her, but if she was here, then it was very likely she was in the Thunderfall Raid. Kallisto approached, trying to pick up his pace, but then the creaking became louder. Shit shit shit.

❝Hey, you're exploring this place as well? Might be safer in numbers.❞ he said once he got fairly close enough to be in earshot. But after he said that, the rumbling and creaking didn't stop. It was distant, but present. ❝Looks like we're not the only ones here either.❞

Laguna. He would keep the name in mind as waves crashed and splashed and sputtered around them, far from pleasant, closer to turmoil. ❝Likewise. I've only been here briefly and have yet to encounter what exactly's around here, but...❞ if it wasn't Pokemon, what was it? Some kind of monstrous entity? Weren't Pokemon inherently monsters, just cute? Maybe these were also monsters, but not cute? That seemed plausible. Anyway, the little crying fish was also looking super nervous, yelling that they were going to die. Wasn't that dandy? Aegis was similarly nervous, looking around constantly. They were in near open waters, and while he knew that both trainers had something to help them with the water, it didn't mean that they were fast swimmers. Being able to move in water did not mean that they were safe from a pair of jaws.

But it was not teeth that were going to attack them. <Watch out!>

Aegis quickly shot a Bubble Beam at a white tentacle that was about to grab Kallisto. It came from the water, and retreated back into the depths. ❝W-what was that?!❞ some kind of giant squid?! Were they going to fight a Pokemon after all? It was then a small section of the water began to glow a bright blue, and out from the turbulent waves rose a human-sized jellyfish, white and ghostly. ❝Hey uh, do you happen to know what that is?❞ he asked in a panic, because if this thing was entirely new to all players, they were going to be in a heap of trouble. The jellyfish floated silently, as if appraising them, and then there were noises - it was hard to discern. Kallisto thought it was static, but it was more like he couldn't understand what language it was speaking in.

Just as suddenly as it had appeared, it lunged towards the pair, tentacles spread out.

❝An Ultra what?? Is that even a Pokemon?!❞ whatever tiny fish said was pretty much on everyone's minds at that moment, for even if Kallisto didn't know what exactly an Ultra Beast was, he could already tell that it was no ordinary creature and could potentially hit as hard as Big Bird if they were not careful. Basically, they could die, and it would be so much worse than the episode with the piranha. The player tried to figure out where to move, but there was really nowhere else safer than land, so he turned back, keeping distance. The fish that had formed into a much bigger fish (how did that happen?) was able to block the tentacles lashing out at them, but then Laguna provided some more information that was rather horrifying.

❝A parasite?!❞ immediately he questioned in his mind if it was the same as the one he had, but no, she mentioned toxins prior to that, so it seemed different, but still equally deadly. Kallisto was almost tempted to quip that he already had a parasite stuck on him, but that was only going to cause more panic than lighten the mood. He gritted his teeth when he already saw some of the fish falling off (ah, it was a giant school! Goddamn that was cool), ❝Aegis! You're part Steel now, right? Hammer it down!❞ he researched on this -- if a Pokemon had the steel typing, they were pretty much immune to poison. He made sure to remember that since his Pokemon would gain that typing once he evolved, making it quite useful. It had its drawbacks, of course, like gaining weaknesses to other typings, but in this case, he hoped it would be what would turn the situation around.

<Right away, Master!> the edges of the Empoleon's flippers glowed silver before leaping into the air and striking the Ultra Beast while it was still fending off the fishies. The attack sent it closer to the water's surface, which Aegis followed up with a powerful Bubble Beam.

The Nihilego was violent, it's tentacle-like arms swirling about in the water as it was blasted, twisting about like a jellyfish caught in the storm. And yet, Laguna couldn't tell at all if it even looked hurt! It was as if it was letting the Wishiwashi just expend all their energy, before pouncing.

"Look out!" Laguna had shouted, twisting and leaping to the side as the Nihilego began to move again, attempting to float straight into the school of fish.

A few more fell from the paralyzing stingers, even as the school constantly attempted to reform around it.

"Die! Die! Die!" Cried the Wishiwashi School, continually attempting to blast water at it from the inside, attempting to trap it and keep the trainer safe.

"Be careful!" Laguna shouted in response. "It's just gonna take you on one by one!"

The warning was too late, water fired off in every direction with such an intense force. The water pierced into the concrete below, shredding a slice off the dock and down into the water. Laguna herself was blasted backwards, even as the swarm managed to mostly open and spread apart, lessening the damage they took.

"Laguna!" One of the little fish in the swarm suddenly spoke, her Pokemon, her friend.

"I'm fine!" She coughed, spitting up some blood and wiping at her lips as she picked herself back up from the ground. She was clearly not fine. "Just, get that thing! Knock it out, before we do! If you feel unsafe, book it."

The fish once again joined its school, roaring loudly as it dashed forwards, deciding if both close, and ranged attacks were both equally deadly to itself, they might as well simply hit with everything they got in something that couldn't be reflected.

A powerful Beat Up slammed every single fish into the bulbous head of the Ultra Beast, its tentacles oddly graceful as it moved, almost dancing in response.

She was here again. The time where she had first understood that Ostelia was populated by Ultra Beasts. This very same spot, staring into the distance. She had readied to jump into the water and swim before realizing what dangers laid within.

But she knew more now. She understood. Plasma meant something more. She knew she had to do better.

It hadn't even been that long, but already she was seeing things differently. The Nihilego was an alien, unknowable and incomprehensible but if she didn't at least attempt to communicate, then what was she doing?

If only she could find the same one.

Laguna appeared alone this time, standing on the shore as she looked out into the water. There was only one real way to find it. Fate.

And so, she stood on the shore, completely still, hoping, imagining that the Nihilego would arrive, and that somehow, she could communicate. Maybe... a dance, or simple gestures. Anything that could communicate a concept. She had lost track of how long she had been staring out at the horizon. Her gaze drifted to the shipwrecks all in the distance, just dreaming, wondering what kind of place this must had been so long ago. The people here must have been happy, before it all fell apart.

The sun had already begun to set, and she was just starting to give up hope, turning around to go somewhere safe and log off. When she nearly bumped straight into the Nihilego that had been floating right behind her for who knows how long. Minutes, perhaps hours? She really hadn't been watching.

Laguna stiffened immediately, not moving. She didn't know what was going on, or what to do, but she didn't move a single muscle. It just floated there, silently, without any words, like a ghost watching the living. Perhaps it was... curious.