July 2nd, two days before the Fourth of July; after leaving Roy's island and sending the Explorers running with their tails between their legs on Amethio, Onia, and Zirc's latest attempt to capture Rosebelle, Hiroto, Liko, the latter's pendant, and the Terapagos Three, the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft were continuing on their way to Paldea. With Roy as the newest member of the Rising Volt Tacklers, things were starting to get lively for the team in question but, with Rosebelle and her family, they unfortunately got stowaways of their own in the form of Lazuli and her Partner Pokémon: Galaxagus and Pantherra.
Despite risking their lives to save everyone against Amethio and his Ceruledge, they were still under house arrest but with the new addition of heavy escort wherever they went so there would be no trouble between them (with Charger and Silver suggesting that she had a new outfit on her to replace her old uniform). The former Explorer and her partners held no objections to the arrangement as they were comfortable with their current position (while also feeling eager for payback against their old syndicate for their supposed betrayal towards them, especially in Lazuli's case).
Still, though, unless something drastic happens, the royal family decided not to tell the Rising Volt Tacklers, Liko, and Roy about Lazuli and her partners and keep them out of the crossfire they were in.
With the crew in question, the crew of eight were doing their own thing on the Brave Olivine; Cap and Friede were manning the bridge until the latter left his partner to watch the controls, Ludlow was fishing from the starboard bow with Quaxly for company, Murdock was cooking in the kitchen with Rockruff and Alcremie watching him, and Orla was manning the engine room with Elekid, Carkol, and Slugma's help.
With Liko, she and Sprigatito were enjoying the breeze on the deck joined by Sunny, Hiroto, Robbie, Arctic, Crest, Silver, Sinistea, the Terapagos Three, and Rosebelle who came to see them.
As for the royal couple's family back on the Dragon Craft, they were either keeping themselves occupied in its training room, the craft's playroom, or anywhere else in it or keeping a watchful eye on Lazuli and the Terapagos Three whenever the three Tera Pokémon were sent back to it for their own safety.
But, in another bedroom, there was also a ninth member of the Rising Volt Tacklers, a young girl around Liko and Roy's age as she was working on a video presentation on her computer. Amazingly, she seemed to be a natural in video making as she made some edits to some videos she finished filming and was set to make another one, already wearing a Nidorina cosplay she had on her before slipping into the suit after checking the microphone on her equipment and beginning to make the next video she had in mind (with Quaxly joining her as she popped her head in front of the camera for the beginning of her part in the video before she met up with Ludlow).
Little did Roy, Rosebelle, Hiroto, and Liko know that the girl making the video alongside the Duckling Pokémon was the genius behind the Nidothing videos they were watching. But, it would take a while before any of them would get to know her, and in the process, eventually meet her face to face.
As Liko, Rosebelle, Hiroto, and the Pokémon with them got lost in the cool breeze they were enjoying on the Brave Olivine's deck (the young girl continuing to take notes on her partner and her behaviors), the peace and tranquility of their surroundings were shattered by the excited cries of a certain new trainer and his partner.
"Liko! Hiroto, Rosebelle!"
"WAH!"
The three of them and their Pokémon jumped with fright, having just been greeted by Roy and Fuecoco as they stepped out from the door behind them.
"There you are!" he grinned.
"Roy, you idiot! Don't do that!"
"You scared us!"
