League Year 798, December 6th.
At the lighthouse on Small Key Trail.
This was the famed research center of Paldea's two top Pokémon professors—the Lighthouse Laboratory. It was also Arven's childhood home—full of memories, both sweet and bitter.
For once, Arven left Naranja Academy early, hurrying home.
He even stopped by Los Platos to borrow some helpers from Lucas.
"Tandemaus, the dusting and cobwebs are up to you."
"Tinkatuff, please repair the broken furniture."
"Audino, please guide me in today's cooking…"
Arven bowed seriously to the Pokémon, full of earnest gratitude.
Apart from his parents, the closest, most reliable person in his life was his mentor—his big brother Lucas.
So, at the first sign of trouble, Arven instinctively reached out to Lucas, just as he had when the Paldea Great Crater incident erupted.
Except this time, it wasn't danger but celebration—near year's end, after nearly a year in Area Zero, his parents Professors Sada and Turo had been granted holiday leave from the League, thanks to Geeta's efficient approval.
Even Geeta felt they'd worked hard enough and deserved to be at home with their child for once.
Without Lucas's company, Arven really might've developed psychological problems—being a left-behind child was a tragic and scarring thing, even for a prodigy. Geeta herself feared getting on the bad side of the professors if she forced them to keep working.
From December 6, all work on the Great Crater paused. Area Zero's lab was on holiday, with flying-type Elite Four Larry and ground-type Elite Four Rika to escort the researchers out.
Of course, with how things were now, Professors Sada and Turo probably didn't need an escort anymore. The ancient roaring-moon and futuristic iron-serpent Pokémon had become reliable partners and would accompany the professors on a month-long "field study" outside the crater.
Would bringing them out change the world for the better or worse? Would they adapt to the real ecosystem? All were questions to be observed.
And to make up for the year spent alone, Sada and Turo planned to spend their vacation at home, letting the new paradox Pokémon bond with Arven.
That's why Arven was organizing the house so intensely now.
—He'd only heard the news thanks to Lucas.
The long-vacant house needed deep cleaning, hence Tandemaus for cleaning, Tinkatuff for repairs, and Audino (actually an Audino in the original, but contextually Audino is more fitting for cookbook mentoring) for cooking.
Arven, a boy in his teens, was giddy at the thought of his parents coming home. As he chopped vegetables under Audino's guidance, he watched the Tandemaus blitzing around with their feather duster.
He wondered where Lucas bought such a wonderful duster; with a mere sweep, all dust and cobwebs vanished. Sometimes, when the duster moved, a fiery red light would flash—he added it to his mental shopping list.
Tinkatuff, meanwhile, was methodical—one hand holding a half-busted chair, the other rhythmically tapping it with a hammer. The sound was almost musical, becoming household background music.
Time slipped to noon.
More Pokémon visitors arrived at the door.
"Bwooo~"
Dragonite, clutching a bouquet, politely knocked—dragging along Ogerpon and Comfey, both with flowers and garlands.
Dragonite had often delivered Arven home before, so it knew the route well.
Soon, Arven appeared, fingers bandaged, apron tied hurriedly.
As he opened the door, Dragonite, Ogerpon, and Comfey handed over the flowers and garlands.
"You guys…"
Arven was delighted and surprised.
"Bwooo!"
Dragonite pointed at the wilted bouquet on the dining table, then at its own flowers.
"Bwooo!"
Dragonite felt it had explained things very clearly.
"Bo-ni bo-ni!"
"Huan huan~!"
Ogerpon and Comfey both wanted to present their own blooms.
Arven realized they wanted him to decorate the house for his parents' return, and that the garlands were a surprise gift, likely for him and Mabosstiff.
So, why did Comfey prepare four garlands? His and Mabosstiff's, but who else? Would Cloyster and the others be jealous?
He mentally rambled but gratefully accepted the flowers and garlands.
After the Pokémon left with food, Arven placed fresh blooms in vases throughout the house, and left the garlands for the evening celebration.
Finished, he returned to cooking at Audino's gentle urging.
…
Meanwhile, further down Small Key Trail, out over the vast South Paldea Sea.
Wearing only swim trunks—effectively winter swimming—Lucas sat atop Milotic, gazing out at the calm sea under falling snow.
The ocean hadn't frozen yet.
Hovering above the calm waves was the mermaid-like Tapu Fini, its black shell agleam, quietly floating and glowing blue to match the ocean's current.
Tapu Fini was communing with the sea.
It wasn't fast work. According to Tapu Fini, even with an altar and ceremony, communicating with nature took time.
This was only the first day. Lucas had come solely to observe.
As legendary Pokémon, Tapus are deeply tied to nature—Tapu Fini, right now, was as if "introducing" itself to Paldea's nature, hoping for acceptance, weaving a bond with the currents to draw power.
Unlike other regions, Paldea lacked its own native legendary Pokémon—most were migrants or from the distant past or future. Tarabagos might half-count as local, but being gone to extinction from tectonic shifts felt so… underwhelming.
Lucas figured Tapu Fini's communion might be easier here.
Before all this, Lucas had given Geeta a call. She had sounded almost weirdly excited, but voiced no objections.
Through this, Lucas learned Professors Turo and Sada had applied for vacation—which he'd immediately told Arven during class.
Counting time, Arven was probably prepping dinner—and Dragonite had probably delivered the flowers.
With Audino's help, Lucas felt reassured—this was someone else's rare family reunion, so he left it at that.
Audino, having just arrived on the farm, had already shown great skills—helping Comfey with the workload, especially medicinal cuisine. With so many Pokémon, the occasional scuffle or injury wasn't rare.
With Audino's Healer ability, recovery was swift and impressive.
With Comfey freed up, she could tend to the greenhouse flowers—Lucas planned to have her and Vespiquen plant the Gracidea seeds gifted by Hideko and Yukito.
By next spring, maybe Shaymin would come too.
Yet, not all was well.
Pokémon are full of surprises. Just days ago, the farm's thirteen Tauros calves were newborn—now, almost the size of normal adults.
Their leader, sired by the "Sap Sipper" Miltank, was already as large as a grown Tauros.
Lucas strongly suspected Spectrier's blessing of the eggs had something to do with it.
Healthy—but far too vigorous.
They spent most of the day rampaging—shaking the fields like earthquakes.
The cause: these unbeholden, bursting-with-energy baby Tauros, endlessly butting heads.
In just a few days since hatching, they looked nearly grown.
And, well, Lucas suspected…they might be a bit masochistic.
To be blunt: the "M" in S&M (not Mother).
What kind of normal Tauros repeatedly headbutts its siblings until bruised, then gets healed by Audino and Comfey, and then jumps back in with excitement?
Just what kind of genes did Ash's Tauros line have—no wonder watching them rampage amid flying snow and dust made Lucas's head ache.
Tapu Fini's ceremony continued until sunset, orange sun sinking below the waves.
Lucas didn't ask about progress. Instead, with Tapu Fini and a playing Popplio in tow, he headed home for dinner.
The snow had stopped. As he passed Small Key Trail, he looked at the distant lighthouse, musing—the professors must be nearly home now.
With Audino's help, Arven had worked till evening to make a feast he was proud of.
Tandemaus and Tinkatuff had gone home, leaving only Arven's own Pokémon and Audino.
"Thank you, Audino," Arven said quietly.
"Ta-bu-nai."
Audino shook her head, then, surprising Arven, gently took his bandaged hands.
Audino closed her eyes, channeling energy.
A warm, living wave pulsed, and Arven discovered all his wounds—some under the bandages already itching, some still bare—were completely healed.
"What—?"
"Ta-bu-nai~"
Audino smiled and pulled back.
To a chef, kitchen scars prove their hard work, medals like a warrior's—but tonight, for a boy welcoming his parents home, scars would only bring a heavy mood.
Best to enjoy an evening together.
Leaving her blessing, Audino bade Arven goodbye and left the lighthouse.
Not long after, two hurried figures—accompanied by strange, curious Pokémon—appeared on the path outside.
Staring at the golden glow from the windows, they hesitated, rehearsed, then nervously rang the bell.
Snow was falling again. The clear chime rang out, and the door opened.
Seeing their son—eyes already red—Sada and Turo said softly, "We're home, Arven."