After watching closely for a moment, Jason realized something was wrong.
Very wrong.
This Miraidon's body bore multiple obvious, charred burn marks—as if it had been seared head-on by some energy. Several purple armor plates with a metallic sheen were even faintly cracked. And the electronic eyes that should have radiated majesty and composure showed nothing of a sovereign's calm—only naked fear and panic.
The next second, everyone gaped.
After meeting their eyes for only two or three seconds, Miraidon seemed to sense something that terrified it all over again. Its gaze snapped to the bottomless pit below—then, like it had seen a ghost, electricity exploded across its body. Without so much as a roar, it whipped around and bolted straight for the upper layers of Area Zero—fleeing for its life.
Its escape was downright pitiful.
It looked just like Jason himself back when he'd first crossed over—unarmed, scrambling for the exit with everything he had. Except it had one advantage over the old Jason: it could fly—and fast. Jason back then could only crawl up that bottomless pit like a helpless bug.
Cynthia watched the purple streak vanish into the light above; her pretty face turned hard. "It's… running, isn't it?" Disbelief colored her voice. She could feel, clearly—Miraidon was fleeing. To make a legendary-tier Pokémon radiating that aura turn tail without looking back… what on earth lurked in the depths?
"That's right," Jason squinted his beady eyes, confirming it. "It's running for its life."
He could feel the fear pouring off it. His one simple line doused the group's excitement like a bucket of ice water.
Suddenly, Miraidon seemed to fully panic. As it fled, it unleashed the entirety of the vast Electric energy inside it without restraint.
Rumble—!
A raging, visible storm of power swept the whole station. The massive rocks of the upper strata lost stability at once; they shook violently, then broke free from the walls one after another, tumbling into the pit below.
One car-sized boulder, mid-fall, happened to be plummeting straight for Liko—standing at the edge of the group, stunned by the scene and too slow to react.
"Liko—look out!"
Iono and Nemona spotted the danger first and shouted together. The appearance of Miraidon had scattered their formation a bit; they were too far. And they'd all been focused on Miraidon—their reactions were a beat behind. Bellibolt and Pawmot had no time to intervene.
Cynthia, after the briefest startle, reacted instantly. She didn't even speak—just shot Lucario a look. Lucario's legs coiled and released; his body blurred blue as he lunged for Liko.
The boulder, though, fell too fast.
Liko finally sensed the threat. She looked up, the stone swelling in her pupils—face draining of color, mind blank. She couldn't even scream—she just squeezed her eyes shut.
At the very last instant—while Lucario was still mid-dash—
A white light burst from Liko's arms.
Whummm!
The glow cleared. A small, pink, deceptively cute Pokémon appeared in front of Liko—hands gripping a gigantic iron hammer utterly out of proportion to its body.
Tinkaton.
Clang.
Jason—now Tinkaton—eyes were razor sharp. He didn't even look up; he simply flicked the hammer up with a backhand swing. The massive head carved the air with a shriek and smashed precisely into the boulder's flank.
Gigaton Hammer.
BOOM!
The blast rattled the entire station. That death-bringing boulder—a slab that could've flattened a dozen adults—took the hit like a baseball off a pro's bat, rocketing away in a ridiculous arc to the far side of the pit. It slammed into the distant wall and blew apart into dust.
From Jason's transform to the swing to the rock's shatter—all of it happened in a flash. Too fast for anyone to process. Iono's chat, already screaming from the quake and Miraidon's appearance, truly detonated now.
What the—what was that? Where'd Jason in Liko's arms go?!
Tinkaton? Since when can Jason transform into Tinkaton too?!
How many Pokémon can Jason swap into on the fly?!
Among the flood, a gold, verified line stood out:
Paldea Elite Four — Poppy: Mm. Jason looked kinda cool just now~
With the danger passed, Jason lowered the hammer and flowed back into his soft, lilac Ditto form. He hopped lightly back into Liko's arms—still trembling—like the pink war god who had just swatted a boulder into dust had never existed.
Liko finally returned from the brink of death. She instinctively hugged Jason tight, little black eyes full of shining stars.
Everyone else silently thought—close call. Thank goodness Jason was here.
Jason, however, didn't bask in the looks. He simply lifted his head and stared upward. The others followed his gaze—Miraidon had already pierced the zone's invisible barrier and escaped to the surface.
Jason yawned lazily. "Tell me—what kind of Pokémon lies in the deepest depths of this place?"
"The kind that can maul a legendary—"
"—and scare it off like a whipped cur?"
His words trailed off. Eyes turned, as one, toward the abyss. Jason added, "So, in that case… do we still keep going?"
Do they?
Silence fell. A legendary had been battered and fled Area Zero like a stray dog. Whatever did that—what kind of terror was it?
Liko reflexively hugged Jason tighter. The little color her cheeks had recovered drained again; she trembled. She was afraid. The shadow of that falling rock hadn't yet left her heart—now Jason had shattered the courage she'd just pieced together. Her first impulse was to run—leave this dangerous place at once.
But… she looked down at Jason—the soft, safe weight in her arms—then at her companions. Grave as their faces were, there was no retreat in their eyes. She forced the urge down.
Nemona, by contrast, was the opposite. Jason's words didn't frighten her—they poured scalding oil on a dry bonfire. The battle maniac's heart blazed. Her eyes shone—not with fear, but with excitement—the thrill of an even stronger foe.
Something that could scare a legend? Such a Pokémon existed? She had to see it. And fight it to her heart's content.
Her fists clenched; she could feel her blood race.
Jason glanced at her and snorted. Careful, iron crush—don't go falling for someone else…
Iono's broad heart held no fear of "strong Pokémon," and since even Nemona wasn't saying "leave," how could she? Iono-sama never retreats.
Cynthia, though not calm, thought more coolly and deeply. A being above ordinary legendaries? Sinnoh wasn't without them—Time, Space, Antimatter. But this was Paldea. Another such being here? Thrilling.
Hearts churned—but no one said "back off." They were Trainers. The word itself meant a taste for exploration and danger. If you fear this much unknown, what Trainer are you? May as well go home.
At last, after a long silence, Nemona and Iono spoke first.
"Do we even need to ask? Of course we go!" Nemona's shout shattered the quiet. "We came this far—why not? I want to see what scared that Pokémon!"
"Exactly." Iono smiled at her lens. "How could the 'Area Zero Expedition Squad' turn tail over this little bump?"
Their fearless declarations poured a warm rush through Liko's uneasy heart. She drew a breath and hugged Jason hard. "With Jason here, I'm not scared!"
Jason's worry eased a bit. Liko had no Pokémon; of course she lacked confidence—fear was normal. If this watered her seed of becoming a Trainer, he'd blame himself.
Cynthia smiled, genuinely. She admired their headlong spirit.
"Then it's agreed—we continue." Her tone sharpened. "Even legendary Pokémon aren't invincible."
As spirits rose again, Gast drifted out from behind Jason and sighed, spoiling the moment a little. She sidled up and muttered, aggrieved, "Jason—when are you going to get your own Poké Ball?"
"Look how dangerous it is… If I could stay in a ball with you, I… I wouldn't be so scared."
Jason bumped her gently; her timid heart steadied a little. She was only venting—she wouldn't retreat now that she'd chosen to see the world with him.
"Exactly," Cynthia said, eyes on the pit. "Chairwoman Geeta asked us to explore Area Zero mainly because that Iron Boulder turned up outside with no cause. Now a legendary has fled as well. I suspect there's a necessary link between these two events."
"Iono—alert the Chair—tell her Miraidon has escaped. Have her ready to handle it if it causes trouble topside."
"And with things as they are, who knows what else might leave Area Zero—post a watch at the exit, just in case."