Ray Lucian and June arrived at Byron's house along with the police, and the chief officer immediately got to work cracking the lock on the front door. It wasn't long before she managed to get it open, and she and her subordinates stormed inside with methodical precision. Ray and June followed Lucian inside, who'd been granted access by nature of his status as an elite 4 member, and the three of them watched in silence and the police officers combed every inch of the building in search of incriminating evidence...
"They appear to have this process practiced down to a T" Lucian commented. "I feel like we'd just get in the way if we tried to assist them..."
"I guess we just wait and see if they find anything..." June responded.
Lucian turned to Ray with a curious expression, as the police officers continued to work in the background.
"So, did you manage to catch a glimpse of this alleged 'Palkia'? I heard people whispering about it, but I arrived too late on the scene to see it for myself..."
"A-actually, I did..." Ray replied "I'm not sure what to make of it; I'm deeply skeptical of things like 'legendary pokemon sightings,' and the rational part of me doesn't want to believe it - but I did see something... something huge that blipped in and out of existence like it was nothing! I don't know what else that could be - but I'm not believing anything for certain just yet..."
"I see..." Lucian seemed dissatisfied with his answer. "I was hoping that you'd tell me that you didn't see anything, and that the sightings were just exaggerated rumours... that would make things a lot easier to explain. But if you're telling me that you actually did see something otherworldly, then I trust you; sometimes things aren't as simple as we'd like them to be..."
"I FOUND SOMETHING!" Ray and Lucian's conversation was interrupted by the shout of a police officer from upstairs, and everyone rushed over to see what was going on.
The police officer was in Byron's study, behind an open drawer in his desk, holding a folder containing numerous Galactic plans and documents.
"His desk is full of 'em!" the police officer told his colleagues, pulling out folder after folder of yellow 'G'-marked papers.
The chief police officer speed-walked over to the desk and looked over the evidence; her eyes widened...
"That crazy guy was right!" she proclaimed. "Byron was funding team Galactic all along! Where is he now!?" she turned frantically to her subordinates. "He needs to to put in cuffs - no - PRISON immediately!"
"An interpol officer took him earlier..." one of her them responded meekly.
"AND? What happened to him after that? Where is this interpol officer? I'd need to speak to them immediately!"
"I-I don't know..."
* * *
The street preacher snickered at Makers impatience.
"I must warn you, what's on the other side of this portal may shock you... but I advise you to keep calm!"
With that the portal lit up pink and anyone who chose to walk on it was instantly whisked away...
On the other side of the portal was an expansive, cathedral-like chamber. The walls were etched with ancient hieroglyphics, and lined with crumbling statues of people and pokemon from an entirely different era. There were no windows and the room was lit entirely by enigmatic orbs of light. Dozens of hooded figures knelt alongside the walls, and the street preacher immediately joined them upon entering. At the far end of the room stood the self-proclaimed champion of Palkia himself: the white and pink robed man from the crater.
"AND WHO HAVE WE HERE?" his voiced boomed.
"N-new initiates, master Hermaeus!" replied the now-kneeling street preacher. He looked back at Maker and anyone else who'd decided to join her and frantically signalled for them to kneel, terrified that his master may get upset...
