Upon arriving in Rhine City, Kalia took a moment to appreciate the picturesque surroundings. The air was filled with floral fragrances, lifting her spirits immensely.
She then headed towards the Pokémon Center, navigating through bustling streets teeming with people engaged in lively chatter and laughter.
Kalia recalled that every year around this time, Rhine City hosted a Flower and Plant Conference. Participants showcased their cultivated flowers, with the most beautiful blooms claiming victory.
Eager to attend the conference, although she couldn't remember the exact date, Kalia assumed it would be within the next few days. This would provide an opportunity to witness numerous stunning flora displays.
Upon reaching the Pokémon Center, Kalia first submitted her mission report before heading to the battlefield at the rear, hoping to find Julian there.
"He's not here?" Scanning the area, Kalia didn't spot Julian. He must have been elsewhere, but she wasn't concerned; she planned to check back later in the evening. For now, she decided to visit the research institute and meet Professor Evergreen.
After leaving the Pokémon Center, Kalia proceeded to Rhine City's Pokemon Research Institute, intending to seek out Professor Evergreen first.
There was no rush; for now, things seemed relatively quiet. The Dark Guild issue had been resolved, and it was unlikely to resurface anytime soon.
With high-level Trainers from multiple regions joining forces against Kyogre, they would likely swiftly repel it back into the deep sea.
Currently, Kalia's priority was focused training her Pokemon, ideally leveraging the Dream World to enhance their capabilities further.
The path of a Trainer is long and arduous; Kalia, as a mid-level Trainer, hadn't even challenged the Totem City Gym yet.
Soon, she arrived at the Pokemon Research Institute and pushed open the door to enter.
Kalia was well-known here, having spent considerable time daily at the institute earlier, collaborating with numerous researchers and scientists on Z-Ring technology development.
Although it had been a while since her last visit, everyone still remembered her fondly, greeting her with smiles upon seeing her.
"Hi," Kalia politely acknowledged the researchers' greetings.
"Kalia, what brings you here?" one researcher asked with a smile.
"Is Professor Evergreen around? I need to speak with him," Kalia replied.
"He's probably resting right now. Feel free to knock and go in directly."
"Understood."
Kalia nodded and headed towards Professor Evergreen's exclusive laboratory within the research institute, knocking on the door.
"Come in," replied Professor Evergreen's voice from inside.
Kalia opened the door to find Professor Evergreen lying on the sofa, looking somewhat weary—likely due to another all-nighter spent conducting experiments.
As a research fanatic, Professor Evergreen often neglected meals and sleep for his work, pulling all-nighters being quite common.
However, today he appeared particularly troubled, with signs of concern evident. Kalia guessed that he might be facing some difficulties in his studies.
"What brings you here?"
Professor Evergreen rubbed his temples, clearly showing signs of fatigue. Upon seeing Kalia, surprise registered on his face.
It had been a long time since Kalia last visited; their previous encounter was brief during her time at the North Sea.
"Professor, I need to discuss something with you, but you seem quite tired. Why don't you rest first? I can come back later," suggested Kalia. The exhaustion in Professor Evergreen's eyes made it apparent that he desperately needed a good night's sleep.
"I am indeed a bit tired, but it's alright; please go ahead and tell me what you need." Professor Evergreen knew his body well; otherwise, he would have already been immersed in work instead of lying here.
Kalia retrieved the Lunar Feathers. She had examined them earlier—there were four complete ones and half of another feather, which seemed partially used, likely by Kentra accessing the Dream World.
"Where did you obtain these?" Professor Evergreen asked, surprised. Although research on the Dream World was temporarily halted, his interest in collecting Lunar Feathers never waned.
Despite his efforts, there hadn't been any news about Lunar Feathers for quite some time due to their extreme rarity. He was astonished that Kalia managed to acquire four and a half feathers at once.
"From the Dark Guild," Kalia replied, briefly summarizing the events in the Ellie Region.
The incident in the Ellie Region had occurred recently, and Professor Evergreen evidently hadn't received the news yet. Hearing about the Dark Guild's failure came as a surprise to him.
However, what intrigued him more was the mention of Genesect. With a slight frown, he acknowledged having some knowledge about Genesect—an ancient Pokemon that had undergone modifications in the past.
It seemed likely that the Dark Guild had accidentally obtained this technology, reviving ancient fossils and subsequently transforming them into Genesects.
With the Dark Guild's defeat, the Ellie Region emerged victorious, potentially gaining access to this transformation technology and now studying it further.
"If the Ellie Region manages to control Pokemon like Genesect, their overall strength could significantly increase," Professor Evergreen pondered. This development might not bode well for the Sebas region.
Historically, tensions existed between the two regions. Although the Ellie Region's progress outpaced Sebas, the difference was not substantial.
However, if the Ellie Region gained mastery over powerful entities like Genesect, their collective power would likely far surpass that of the Sebas region.
Professor Evergreen shook his head, feeling concerned. He needed to expedite his research on techniques to unlock latent powers within Pokemon swiftly. In case the Ellie Region controlled Genesect, having some trump cards up Sebas' sleeve could be crucial against potential future challenges.
Professor Evergreen had a strong intuition that if this technology could be developed successfully, it would mark a significant transformation for the Sebas region.
However, his recent research hit a bottleneck, with no progress despite persistent efforts. He found himself stuck, unable to resolve the issues at hand.
This was one of the reasons Professor Evergreen appeared somewhat weary lately. Conducting research was routine for him, something he had grown accustomed to over time.
"Are you planning to enter the Dream World?" Professor Evergreen asked. Seeing Kalia with the Lunar Feather indicated her intention to access the Dream World, as its primary function served that purpose.
"Yes, do you have any extra Dream Machines here, Professor? I promised a friend to bring him along into the Dream World," Kalia nodded and inquired.
She didn't hold much hope, recalling that during her last visit, the research institute only had one Dream Machine available.
"No, but I can apply for more. We acquired several from the Dark Guild's base previously; now, the League has quite a few Dream Machines." Professor Evergreen shook his head before changing the subject.
"Excellent, no rush for now. Thank you, Professor." Kalia felt relieved upon hearing that it was possible to apply for one. Professor Evergreen had always been reliable; if he said they could obtain a Dream Machine, she trusted him to make it happen.