Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hello there!

…?

Can you hear me? Are my words reaching you?

W-Who are you?

The one who offered you a helping hand in the dark. It's time, child. Time for your journey to finally begin.

What do you mean?

I mean it's time for you to wake up. Literally. The Challenge awaits you, and I'm eager to see just what you're capable of.

Challenge? I don't…wait. I think I recognize your voice. You're the one who-

Rise and shine!

A brown-haired boy with amber-colored eyes jolted upright with a startled yelp and nearly toppled out of his chair, panting slightly. The teen then realized where he was and let out a sigh of relief. He was in his room, he was safe, and…why did that dream seem so weird to him?

The teen could hardly remember the details, save for a voice that mentioned a challenge? It was a familiar voice, one that the teen knew that he had spoken to once before. But why was this voice in his dreams? He assumed the last time had been a hallucination. Weird.

The boy then coughed a few times before rubbing his eyes and then stretching with a grimace as his bones yelled at him in protest. He then became aware of the fact that a voice was speaking throughout the room.

"We, the faculty and staff at Naranja Academy, can't wait to welcome you with open arms." Spoke a cultured but warm voice through a podcast that the teen had left on. Blearily he tapped the pause button, having already heard the rest of the man's monologue so many times he could practically rehearse it from memory.

"Milo! Breakfast is going to be ready soon! Come on down, would you?" a female voice from downstairs called for the teen. The teen known as Milo pushed back the magazine he had been reading about Naranja Academy and stood up, stretching again before deciding to head downstairs, glancing around the loft that was his new room.

It was a warmly lit and spacious area with various Pokémon stickers adorning the closet, a brand new TV and the latest model of the Switch OLED hooked into the wall already and various other things that Milo had finished setting up earlier that week. The boy stifled a yawn and walked downstairs, spotting several of the paintings that his mother had made years ago.

Milo got to the first floor, stopping as he spotted a fat Skwovet loitering at the bottom of the stairs before scampering off towards the kitchen with an enthusiastic, "Muncha!"

Considering the delicious smell of bacon, Milo didn't blame the Pokémon one bit and followed it into the kitchen. He spotted his mother washing her hands in the sink, with two steaming hot omelets sitting on two nearby plates.

"Good morning, Milagro! " Milo's mother said brightly, walking over to her son with a wide smile. "Oh! Already in your uniform and everything! Looking sharp, Milo."

"I don't think there was any doubt about that. So, Omega Omelets for breakfast, huh?" Milo remarked, grabbing the two plates and helping set the table for his mother, who grinned thoughtfully.

"Well, it is your first day at your new school, after all. I'm so excited for you!" His mother gushed, with Milo shrugging in response, trying to downplay how pumped he actually was for this next step in his life.

"Gotta dress for success. I've got everything packed, item-capsuled up and I'm ready to roll." Milo said with an eager grin. It was then that his mother's smile faltered, replaced with some concern.

"Still, you might want to cool your engines before you go racing out the door." She remarked, surprising Milo. "The school contacted me and said that you're supposed to wait here a little while longer. Their words, not mine!"

"If you say so. Wonder why they want me to wait... it's gonna be a long trek to the school from here." Milo muttered, curiosity piqued. However his stomach then chose to remind him that he was hungry by growling loudly, and Milo continued setting the table while his mother cleaned up in the kitchen.

"Milagro, would you mind grabbing the orange juice?" His mother asked as she turned off the water and dried her hands. Milo obliged and grabbed the juice and helped his mother finish setting the table. Milo powered through his mother's famous Omega Omelet (four eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, chorizo, chives, onions, green peppers and copious amounts of cheese) in record time.

Mostly because Skwovet was eyeing his breakfast greedily and Milo wanted to enjoy his food.

"Florian, do you…" Milo glanced at his mother as she stopped speaking, smiling ruefully. "Sorry, I'm so bad at that. I'll keep working on calling you Milo instead of Florian. I've never really understood why you dislike the name, dear."

"You're the one who keeps calling me Milagro, Mum. If that's going to be your new nickname for me, the least we can do is shorten it down. And then use it to replace my actual dorky name." Milo remarked before sipping his orange juice, causing his mother to chuckle.

Florian Caballero hated his first name with a fiery burning passion. "Milo" was simply a shortened version of Milagro, which meant "miracle" in Paldean and it was what his mother kept calling him. Considering the fact that his father had been born and raised in the region, it was fitting in a way.

Milo shook his head slightly, trying to shake off the encroaching feelings of dread. It wouldn't do to think about things like that on his first day of school. He had been looking forward to finally going on his own big adventure for so long. Even if the whole family couldn't be here, Milo still had his mother cheering him on as he entered this next big stage of life. And he knew they were cheering him on in spirit anyway.

Hannah Caballero smiled at her son, noticing that he was starting to think gloomy thoughts. "Are you excited to meet up with Juliana again, sweetie? Do you think you'll share classes with her?" 

"You bet. I haven't seen the dork in months. I'm really hoping she wasn't lying about how great Naranja Academy is in her phone calls." Milo responded with a grin as he set down his fork, sighing after a moment. "And I hope we share some classes. If only so I can keep her out of trouble."

Juliana had been Milo's best friend since the age of four and the two had practically grown up as siblings. Both she and Milo had applied to Naranja Academy on music scholarships, but unfortunately the plans to move to Paldea changed at the last second. Juliana ended up going to Paldea from their home in the Galar region ahead of him by several months while Milo was stuck in Galar and...indisposed.

Once Milo had been deemed medically cleared to travel, the Caballero's packed up their things and continued their big move to Paldea so that Milo could go to Naranja Academy, pursuing his education while at the same time living out his dream of becoming a top-rate Pokemon Trainer alongside his best friend. His best friend who, in truth, Milo missed terribly. He was looking forward to giving Juliana a hug. And probably a noogie. She'd probably retaliate by punching him in the stomach.

Milo was really looking forward to seeing her again.

Hannah poured some Pokémon food into Skwovet's bowl, causing the fat squirrel to sigh and eat his food with an annoyed expression on his face. Milo attempted to get up and help his mother clean the freshly-dirtied dishes, only for her to shoo him away with a grin.

"Not on your big day, honey. Just relax in the living room while we wait. Apparently there's something very important for your first day that hasn't arrived yet." Hannah said before the doorbell rang, causing her to blink in surprise.

"If that's a Sinnoh's Witness, I'm getting my potato gun." Milo remarked from the couch, earning an eye-roll from his mother.

"Maybe that's the very thing we're waiting for! Milo, get the door, would you?" Hannah asked her son, who nodded and walked over to the door before peering through the peephole. He spotted an older man with white hair and glasses, wearing a bright orange suit that he recognized immediately even though Milo had never met him. Six Premier Balls were clipped onto the lower portion of the man's jacket. The teen opened the door, smiling at the man who stepped through the door after Milo gestured for him to come in.

"Do forgive the intrusion." The man said politely in a warm, measured tone. Milo had been listening to this man speak not even twenty minutes ago on his podcast, which was why the boy was staring at the older man in shock. The man looked down at Milo expectantly. "You are…Master Florian, yes?"

"Yes sir. I'd like if you called me Milo, though." The boy said as he extended a hand towards the man, who smiled amiably at the teen and shook his hand firmly.

"How polite. And I will be sure to remember that, Master Milo. In our school records you will still be recorded as Florian, but do let our staff know so that they can address you by your preferred name." The man said to the teen, who nodded. Milo was somewhat impressed that the man took him seriously.

"Mum said I can't change my name until I'm 18. Says it has to do with building character or something." Milo said dryly, causing Hannah to give him a bland look of amusement while the man coughed, discreetly disguising a laugh before turning towards the other adult in the room.

"On behalf of the academy, I must apologize for the late arrival of your enrollment documents. Ah. And also for the delay in introducing myself." The man said as he crossed his arms behind his back. "I am the Director of Naranja Academy. You may call me Mr. Clavell."

"The Director?!" Hannah  exclaimed, walking over to them. "And you came in person to help my son with his first day?"

"Well, I am responsible for the entire academy ma'am - including any failures on its part…" Clavell said as he walked forward, handing a large bag to Milo's mother with an apologetic expression. "So here are the enrollment documents that should have already been delivered to you."

Milo saw his mother frown, and the teen knew his mother was uncomfortable at causing any kind of inconvenience, even if it wasn't her fault. His suspicion was confirmed when his mother said, "Goodness, you really needn't have…"

"Perhaps. But some things should be handled directly after such mishaps, and I felt it was appropriate." Clavell said as he adjusted his glasses.

Hannah sighed softly, smiling a moment later. "Since you've come all this way, can I least offer you a cup of tea?"

Now it was Clavell's turn to be uncomfortable at causing an inconvenience, and Milo had to glance away to hide his amused smirk as the man demurred, saying, "Ah, no need to trouble yourself…"

Hannah glanced at Milo, who had just managed to keep a neutral expression on his face through sheer force of will. "Milo, I've got a thing or two to discuss with the Director here. Why don't you head back up to your room and finish getting ready for school? You'll need your bag - and your hat as well!"

"Sure thing. Be back in a flash." Milo said as he walked back upstairs to grab his things.

The two adults watched Milo depart before Hannah turned back to Clavell with a grin and said "Now, Mr. Clavell, you simply must join me for a cuppa. This way…"

Clavell smiled ruefully, knowing he wasn't getting out of this one. "Well, how can I refuse such a kind offer?"

Director Clavell was directed to sit down on the couch while Milo's mother quickly poured the man a cup of tea, handing it to him less than a minute later. Clavell blew on the cup gently and then took a sip, humming softly. "Thank you, Mrs. Caballero. You're most kind."

Hannah shook her head, offering the older man a reassuring smile. "First off, please, call me Hannah , Director Clavell. I'm not as stuffy as some of the other moms you probably tend to deal with."

"Very well, Hannah . Now…I have a question regarding young Master Florian's health." Director Clavell hesitated as Hannah 's expression smile slipped a bit. "Are you quite alright with entrusting his safety and well-being to our Academy? We are more than happy to take him on as a student, especially considering how he scored on his aptitude tests. But I must still ask considering the unique circumstances surrounding him. He will be away from home for long periods of time, and the Wilds of Paldea are as dangerous as they are beautiful. There will be periods of time where Master Florian…"

Clavell coughed and said, "Excuse me, I mean Master Milo. There will be times where he will be away from the Academy to pursue his own interests. Meaning he will be away from our watchful eye and be forced to fend for himself. Are you alright with your child being in such situations?"

Hannah offered the man a smile, glancing upwards. "Yes, I'm sure. This is what Milo wanted to do, and it's important for children to be able to spread their wings and learn to fly all on their own. He's been looking forward to becoming a Pokémon Trainer for so long and I won't stand in his way. My little miracle is a fighter, and I'm sure he'll be just fine out in the Wilds should he pursue such a path."

"I can tell. Miss Juliana has spoken of him at great length, and is quite excited to see her friend again. She also commented how glad she was not to have been in Galar when-" Clavell began to say, only for Hannah to shake her head and make the Director fall silent.

"I don't know how he managed to survive, but Milo's here and alive and I will help make his dreams come true." Hannah remarked, smiling sadly at the man. "I have faith that he'll be just fine. But I appreciate your concern, sir."

Clavell nodded, smiling a little after a moment at the faith Hannah had in her child. "I promise you, we shall take good care of him. Most of our staff may be relatively new, including myself, but we pride ourselves on providing an environment where those who wish to learn can flourish."

"Glad to hear it. Back when I visited the Academy, it was a nice place, but some of the people there made me and others somewhat uncomfortable. I remember poor Hassel got bullied relentlessly until I knocked the offender out cold." Hannah remarked, smiling a touch more brightly as she fondly remembered the uppercut she had given at the time.

Clavell's eyes widened in surprise. "I was not aware you knew one of our instructors, nor that you had been to the Academy in your youth. How was it back then?"

Hannah opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the arrival of Milo who was now equipped with a fancy white sunhat and a black backpack with everything he needed for school. Hannah beamed at her child, standing up along with Director Clavell and walking over to the teen.

"Oh, just look at you! All ready for your big first day!" Hannah gushed excitedly as Clavell looked over the boy, an approving smile on his face.

"Yes, the uniform of our storied Academy suits you quite well indeed." Clavell chimed in, though a moment later his eyes widened and he frowned in frustration.

"Oh, gracious. How very careless of me. I had entirely forgotten that I've something else for you, Master Milo. A most important thing." Clavell remarked, but after glancing around the newly furnished living room said, "But your living room is hardly the place for it. Would you care to follow me outside?"

Clavell walked past Milo and out the front door, and Hannah stopped by her son with a curious expression. "I wonder what this important thing might be…Let's follow the Director out and see, shall we?"

Milo and Hannah walked outside to find Director Clavell standing just past their mailbox. As a slight breeze blew by, Milo adjusted his sunhat and approached the Director alongside his mother.

"Right then, dear Pokémon. Time to come out of your Poké Balls." Clavell said as he reached into a coat pocket and pulled out three small Poké Balls, tossing them into the air with a single movement and sending three Pokémon out in flashes of light.

Milo couldn't help but grin as he looked down at the three entirely new Pokémon. One of them was a green cat with large pink eyes, which began licking its paw to clean itself as soon as the light faded around it. The second was a red, yellow and white crocodile-like Pokémon with a goofy grin on its face. The final member of the trio was a blue and white duck with perfectly coiffed hair that it stroked with its wing to ensure that nothing was out of place.

Clavell smiled at Milo's enthusiastic grin as the teen knelt down to greet the three Pokémon. "We provide each student entering the Academy a Pokémon of their own. Some choose not to opt for a Starter Pokémon, usually if they have one already, but we do make the offer at the very least to every student no matter what. I'll ask you to choose which among these three you'd like to have as your Partner."

Clavell gestured to the green cat as it gave a deep purr and began to lick its other paw. "Sprigatito, the Grass Cat Pokémon."

The man then held out a hand towards the Pokémon directly in front of him, who cried out as it scratched its chin. "Fuecoco, the Fire Croc Pokémon."

The Director then pointed to the final Pokémon in the lineup, who shook its hair while waving a wing. "And Quaxly, the Duckling Pokémon."

"They're all very good company. Why, they usually refuse to even leave my side." Clavell said with a smile, but was caught off-guard when all three Pokémon approached Milo at once and looked up at him with curious expressions. "What's this? Hmm. So it turns out they're more interested in you, Master Milo, than familiar old me."

"Looks like I'm popular today. Good morning everyone!" Milo greeted the Pokemon, patting Sprigatito and Fuecoco on the head before reaching towards Quaxly, realizing what he was about to do and held out a hand for Quaxly to high-five with its wing instead. Clavell smiled at the interaction, but was distracted by a beep that went off on a digital watch he promptly pulled out of his pocket. The Director sighed and then turned to Hannah and Milo.

"I do wish I could stay and see which one you'll choose, but I must be off to my next home visit…" Clavell said as he glanced at the large mansion about a half mile down the road, clearly visible. "I'll be at the house just over there. Take your time with your decision, then come find me once your mind is made up."

"Sounds like a plan sir." Milo said with an eager grin, holding out a hand to the Pokémon which they all sniffed. Sprigatito licked his fingers, chirping softly as Milo chuckled. Meanwhile Hannah was discreetly taking pictures with her phone, trying not to squee at how adorable she found all of this.

"Now if you'll excuse me. Until next we meet." Clavell said with a small bow before turning smartly and beginning his trek down the road. Hannah walked forward, stashing away her phone.

"What a mannerly fellow that Director of yours is!" Hannah remarked with a laugh, though she turned her attention to the three Pokémon now staring up at her. "These three are all lovely - but you need to choose just one, right? Not an easy task!"

"You're telling me. My Starter is gonna be the cornerstone of my team. My right-hand Pokémon." Milo mused as he looked down at the trio. "I didn't really do much studying on Paldea's Pokémon before we got here, so I'm kinda in the dark on how good one of them is over the other. Grass, fire or water. Which one works for me?"

"Why not take this opportunity to walk about with these little ones and get to know them? I'm sure they have lots to teach you!" Hannah said to Milo, earning a nod of agreement.

"Yeah, I can get a better look around the area and give Director Clavell time to run his other errand." Milo agreed, standing up and looking down at the trio of Pokémon with an excited smile. "You three ready to go on a little trip?"

All three of the Paldean Starters cried out happily in response, making Milo laugh. The teen barely took a step forward before Hannah tapped her child in the shoulder to get his attention.

"Oh! But before you go…I got you a little something to celebrate your big day!" Hannah said as she pulled out a shiny red phone with bright blue eyes that blinked at Milo with a small grin on the back. "Take it with you if you're going out on your own!"

"You got me a new Rotom Phone?" Milo asked, completely taken aback by the sudden present. "This is pretty sudden."

"Yep! It's a brand-new phone!" Hannah said brightly, beaming at her son's shocked face. "According to the instructions, you can check the map app with the press of a button. It'll help keep you from getting lost, so take good care of your new gadget, okay?"

"Of course. I'm not like Juliana, who has the sense of direction of a eggplant." Milo remarked, pulling out his old phone and syncing the contacts to his new Rotom Phone. The boy sat down on the ground as the three Pokémon clustered around him, looking at the device with interest. Hannah chuckled and knelt down, petting Fuecoco while Milo fiddled with the Rotom Phone. Five minutes later the boy had the phone set up, and put the phone into his pocket (and his old one into his backpack) before turning to his mother.

"I'll be talking to you later about not waiting until the last second to spring this surprise gift on me." Milo remarked, crossing his arms with a smirk on his face that barely concealed how excited he was about finally starting his journey and the gift he had just received.

"Now off you go. Have fun!" Hannah said as she stepped forward and hugged her son. Milo hugged his mother back before watching her depart back into the house. Milo turned back around to see three Pokémon staring up at him.

Look at you, taking your first steps…I wonder what awaits you?

Florian 'Milo' Caballero froze as the voice from his dream spoke clear as day to him once again. The boy shook his head wondering why the voice felt familiar.

He knew he had definitely heard it before this morning, but couldn't quite place it. Milo glanced down at the three Pokémon who were staring up at him before grinning to himself and grabbing Sprigatito and putting it on top of his head. The cat meowed happily as Milo picked up both Fuecoco and Quaxly in his arms, with both Pokémon crying out excitedly.

"Come on, you three. Let's see what kind of trouble we can get into." Milo said as he began to walk around the yard with the trio on hand. Eventually Milo set the three Pokémon down in the grass and let them run around the yard, smiling at them and trying to consider which one he wanted to accompany him on whatever adventures awaited him in Paldea.

The teen spent about ten minutes exploring the yard with the trio, stopping only to pick up a stray Antidote and Potion that had likely dropped from one of the moving boxes that promptly went into his backpack. Milo temporarily lost control of the trio when showing them the backyard, where Fuecoco tried to eat some of the vegetables Hannah was growing while Quaxly laughed and Sprigatito shook its head at the Fire Croc's antics.

Milo gathered the Pokémon up and began heading down the long path that led to the mansion the Director had indicated he would be going to. The teen inhaled the fresh salty sea air and grinned widely, allowing his excitement for what was to come to surface.

"Come on, you three!" Milo said as he jogged forward past the Pokémon, who all cried out and chased after Milo with faces full of joy and excitement.

All the while Milo ignored the bubbling unease of the Voice, which had been speaking to him the entire time.

And so your adventure begins…

A quest to truly prove to the world that you are alive.

I will walk beside you in your quest to reach your dreams.

Always watching. Always waiting. Always supporting you.

However…you must win .

My foolish friend.

You have no idea what lies in wait for you.

I look forward to seeing you fight for your life.

FlygonNick presents…

Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet

Chapter Text

Milo's trek down the path alongside three energetic Pokémon was about as eventful as he imagined it would be. It started off well enough when Sprigatito ran off into the grass and brought Milo back a Poké Ball that had been hidden from sight. But then Quaxly started getting chased by Fuecoco and Milo had to start chasing them down.

After ten exhausting minutes the three Pokémon were wrangled up and Milo was letting them walk down the path with himself a few paces behind. About halfway down the path Milo came across a middle-aged woman who was admiring the wonderful sea view, but turned to face the teen with a cheery expression.

"Well, well! Haven't seen you around here, dear. This is Cabo Poco! It's not much - just a little pinch of community - but it's home!" the woman said brightly to Milo, who wished the woman a good morning and continued on the way, ignoring a nearby man who was ranting about the power of science.

The Galarian teen had done some cursory research on the community that his home now resided in. The coastal village of Cabo Paco had been established centuries ago by Paldean royalty and nobles as a place where they could enjoy the bounty of the ocean, establishing lavish estates by the coastal cliffs. The nearby town of Los Platos had actually been built to house the servants and farmers who sustained those fancy homes.

Milo was thinking of none of this at present, considering that he was now being sidetracked by Fuecoco. The Fire-type had found and brought back a Poké Ball to Milo. The teen thanked the Fire Croc, patting it on the head before heading up the stairs to the mansion with the trio of Pokémon barely under his control before momentarily stunned by the opulence of the home he was now staring at.

"Whoa…this place is a palace." Milo murmured, looking around the luxurious front yard with an amazed expression. He realized that naturally such a massive beachside residence was going to likely have a yard to match, but Milo was still stunned by the display. The enormous mansion was easily three times the size of Milo's house (which was saying something, considering it's own large size). It even had a fountain out front!

"Wait, where'd they go?" Milo said as he glanced around, realizing that all three Pokémon had vanished. Milo glanced around in worry, but spotted all three of the Paldean Starter Pokémon running around the immaculately kept yard.

Quaxly was currently in the fountain, splashing water into its hair and ensuring that it was perfectly slicked back and wet by combing through its plumage with its wings. Sprigatito was admiring the flowers, sniffing them with a joyful smile on its fair before letting out a small meow, sending a wave of petals into a nearby breeze which scattered the petals along. Fuecoco was hopping up and down with glee at seeing a fallen apple on the porch where it was standing. As the Fire-type approached the apple, it was suddenly assailed by the flowery breeze Sprigatito called forth moments ago, causing the Pokémon to sneeze violently.

Which promptly charred the apple to the point where it was inedible. Milo fought the urge to smirk at the scene when he noticed that the front door to the house had opened and Director Clavell had walked out, accompanied by a teenage girl that only looked a little older than himself.

She stood about six inches taller than Milo with bright orange eyes and black hair, though two locks of her hair at the front of her head were highlighted green. She was wearing a similar version of the uniform that Milo was wearing, with a white button-up short-sleeve shirt and orange shorts that was the Naranja Academy uniform. However, she also wore a pair of black tights under her shorts as well as a small backpack on her back with a strap going across her chest.

The girl walked forward and knelt down, gently patting Fuecoco on the head and a bright smile. She then turned towards Milo with a hand on her hip and asked, "Are you these three's Trainer?"

As she spoke, Sprigatito and Quaxly returned to Milo as the girl and Clavell joined him on the path. Fuecoco was holding onto the apple with a hopeful expression.

"Not quite." Clavell explained to the girl. "Master Milo has yet to make his choice, you see. I do wonder which of them he will choose as his first Pokémon…"

By then all three of the Paldean Starters had reassembled themselves into an orderly line in front of Milo. Milo's attention was on Fuecoco, who had just taken a bite of the charred apple and noticeably cringed. Quaxly gave the Fire-type a disappointed look and held up a wing, shaking its head. Fuecoco dropped the apple and it rolled away while Milo, Director Clavell and the girl promptly burst into laughter at the ridiculous scene.

"Buenas! We haven't met, have we?" The girl said to Milo with a cheery grin, putting a hand on her hip again. And as she greeted Milo, the teen had one thought on his mind

Oh wow. She's really, really pretty. Milo thought to himself, a blush rising to his cheeks. Thankfully he managed to keep his composure and offered the girl a smile of his own.

"Nope. I only got here myself a few days ago, and haven't really had much of a chance to explore before today." Milo admitted, earning a hum from Director Clavell.

"I must say, I wasn't expecting to see you here quite so soon." Clavell remarked, adjusting his glasses. The girl then gave the Naranja Director a quizzical look, glancing briefly at Milo.

"Well, after getting sidetracked by these rascals a few times I figured it was about time to just come meet you, sir." Milo remarked, looking at the three Pokémon in question who all chose that moment to look innocent.

"Hang on, Director…Is this who I think it is?" The girl asked, earning a nod from Clavell.

"Yes, this is our academy's newest student, Master Florian Caballero. He will be attending as of today." Clavell explained to Nemona, who's eyes widened in excitement.

"So you're the kid who moved in up the road!" the girl said excitedly, her eyes lighting up. "I've been dying to find out more about you! I'm Nemona! Normally I live in the school dorms, but home is here. Whaddya say, new neighbor - wanna be friends?" the girl greeted him, extending a hand out to Milo. The boy matched Nemona's grin, clasping her hand and shaking it.

"Yeah, why not? And please feel free to call me Milo, I kinda prefer my nickname instead of the real thing." Milo said to Nemona, making her quirk an eyebrow in confusion before her grin returned.

"Sure thing, Milo. By the way, love that enthusiasm! We're gonna get along just fine!" Nemona responded, putting a hand on her hip while Clavell gestured to the girl beside him.

"Miss Nemona is President of our Student Council and a Champion-ranked Trainer in her own right." Clavell explained to Milo, who was surprised to find out someone like that only lived down the road from where he did.

"Wow. So you're a big shot around here, huh?" Milo said to Nemona, who seemed to practically vibrate from sheer excitement.

"I absolutely love Pokémon battling! In fact, we should battle right now - you and me!" Nemona cried out, putting her hands together with the expression of sheer enthusiasm that Milo felt as if his heart would burst out of his chest.

Why, Arceus, would you do this to me? Cute, perky, and a badass Trainer? Her boyfriend is gonna murder me! Milo thought to himself, grateful for the distraction Clavell provided a moment later.

"Easy, now - you two will be in the same class, so you'll have plenty of time to battle later! And get to know one another better, of course." Clavell remarked, which seemed to only fuel Nemona's enthusiasm more.

"We're gonna be neighbors AND classmates? Nice! We'll be able to battle all we want!" Nemona laughed as Clavell cleared his throat, once again getting everyone's attention.

"Oh that note, Master Milo…Have you decided which one of these Pokémon you would like to be your first Partner?" Clavell asked Milo, gesturing to the Pokémon before him. This only ended up somehow exciting Nemona further.

"Oh my gosh, your very first Pokémon! I'm getting chills just watching you pick!" Nemona cried out, pumping her fists. Milo was wondering if she would start generating static or something. "The Paldean Starters are all great too. Choose wisely, Milo!"

Milo nodded, looking over the trio with a critical eye. Truthfully, he liked all of them and knew next to nothing about them, so it was just a matter of personal preference. Milo looked to the first Pokémon in the line-up, Sprigatito.

"Sprrr?" the Grass Cat Pokémon purred, finishing licking its paw before peering up at Milo questioningly. Milo grinned at Sprigatito and scratched its head gently, earning another purr.

"That's Sprigatito, a Grass-type Pokémon! It can use its plant powers to soak up whatever water you throw at it!" Nemona said helpfully to Milo, who nodded.

"I actually don't know anything about these three, so thanks for the info." Milo said with a smile as he walked to the next Pokémon in the lineup.

"Pom?" Quaxly said as it brushed it's perfect hair, looking at Milo expectantly.

"That's Quaxly, a Water-type Pokémon!" Nemona pointed out, stepping forward. "It may seem quiet, but it's mighty streams of water can put out any fire - you'll see!"

"I myself have a fondness for the Quaxly line. I find their sense of style to be quite charming." Clavell admitted, causing Nemona to giggle as Milo walked to the final Pokémon in the line-up.

"Craaaw?" Fuecoco cried out as it stared up as Milo with a vacant, goofy smile. Milo stifled a snicker as he patted the Fire Croc on the head.

Nemona beamed and gently poked the Pokémon on the head. It didn't seem to mind one bit. "That's Fuecoco, a Fire-type Pokémon! The burning-hot sparks it scatters will fry any and all plants in a flash!"

"That's all three of them. Now, which one do you feel a connection with, Master Milo?" Director Clavell asked Milo as he took two steps back and looked over all three of the Pokémon and thought hard about it. The teen sighed inwardly, annoyed that he didn't do any research on these Pokémon beforehand. He'd just have to go with which one he liked the best.

"Gaaah, the suspense is driving me nuts!" Nemona said quietly, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet while Clavell chuckled.

"It's a big decision. One that must be considered very carefully, as this choice will dictate how one's journey shall begin." Clavell said sagely, unaware that Milo was currently facing a dilemma.

Cool, so I'm completely unable to make any kind of educated guess here. Uhhhh…I'm just gonna pick one, screw it. Milo thought to himself with an internal sigh before saying out loud, "I think…I'm gonna go with our hungry friend."

"I see. Would you like to go with our good Fire-type Pokémon Fuecoco here?" Clavell asked Milo rather officially as he knelt down to pet the Fire Croc Pokémon again, making him cry out happily as it was patted on the head. Milo smiled at the Pokémon and nodded at the Director.

"So, are you gonna name your new friend?" Nemona asked Milo, who blinked twice before looking back at the Fire Croc Pokémon. Milo thought about it for several moments.

"Considering I'm in Paldea now, maybe something interesting." Milo mused as he considered the issue. "Give me a minute to think."

Nemona pulled out her phone and after a moment, she remarked, "For the record, that's a male Fuecoco you've got there. His Ability is Blaze and he knows Tackle, Leer and Ember."

"Thanks for the info. Hmmm…" Milo considered that as he thought about what to name his very first Pokémon. "It's gotta be important, right? This first name."

"Indeed. When I was a boy, I named my Starter after my godfather. He was who inspired me to become a teacher." Clavell said to the boy, who's eyes widened at the admission. "Take some time to think about it, Master Milo."

"How about you Nemona?" Milo asked the girl as she smiled at the question.

"I named my first Pokémon after the thing that made me realize that I loved Pokémon battles." Nemona said excitedly, causing the two males to look at her. "It was watching Agatha and Bruno battle at a field in Celadon City on TV with a big storm going on in the background. A huge tornado popped up in the background as the camera kept rolling and the battle got even more intense. It was incredible!"

"I know that video!" Milo remarked, grinning at the Champion as he laughed softly. He then looked at Fuecoco again as an idea came to him. "I think I have my answer."

After all…It's a good name. And it's a good way to remember someone like him. Milo thought to himself as he smiled down at the Fuecoco who looked back up at him. "Reginald. Reggie for short."

"A rather dignified name. I like it." Clavell remarked, smiling with approval. Milo hummed as he crossed his arms, debating the matter further.

"In fact, how about this? Sir Reginald the Spicy!" Milo declared as he rubbed Fuecoco's head, causing Nemona to snicker and Clavell to hide a smirk as he looked away. "Does that work for you, little guy?"

Reggie the Fuecoco seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding, much to Milo's surprise. He wasn't entirely sure if the young Pokémon even understood Milo's question in the first place.

"Oooh, that's a fun name! What's the significance, if you don't mind me asking?" Nemona remarked, earning a thoughtful hum from Milo.

"They were someone very brave that I owe a lot too." Milo said quietly, grinning at Fuecoco. "They were kind and helped people when they needed someone like him the most."

Reggie cried out happily before leaping up onto Milo's shoulder, nearly knocking over the teen before he righted himself, standing on one foot while Milo laughed with delight. Clavell and Nemona smiled at the display, seeing clear as day how excited Milo was in having picked his first Pokémon and how happy the Fuecoco looked.

"Reggie seems to have taken quite a liking to you, Master Milo." Clavell noted as Milo set the Fire Croc back onto the ground. "This is your first Pokémon, yes? Please raise it with love and care. And of course, be sure to keep it tucked safely inside of a Poké Ball."

Clavell handed a Poké Ball to Milo, who accepted it gratefully and returned Reggie. Meanwhile Nemona was looking at Milo intently.

"Milo…I can't believe you actually chose Fuecoco…" Nemona said quietly, suddenly bursting into another enthusiastic smile as she leaned forward. "I mean, like, way to make the perfect choice for you! You two make such a good combo!"

"We haven't even battled yet, Nemona." Milo pointed out to Nemona, who laughed at the very true statement. She then turned to Clavell and asked, "Can I choose one of these Pokémon too, Director Clavell?"

Clavell looked confused. "Oh, but…did you not receive a Pokémon when you entered the Academy, Miss Nemona?"

Nemona nodded in response. "Not back then, no! I had other Pokémon I was focused on raising at the time, like Tornado and Dudley. But now I want to raise a new Pokémon alongside Milo while he raises his own new Partner!"

"I honestly kinda get that." Milo remarked, clipping Reggie's Poké Ball to his belt. "Sometimes seeing people experience things for the first time makes you nostalgic, you know?"

"See! You get it! How fun would it be to battle like that?" Nemona said excitedly while Clavell offered the two teens a soft smile.

"Indeed, a rather splendid idea. If you wish to raise one of these Pokémon on equal footing with Master Milo here, I shall be more than happy to allow it." Clavell said to Nemona, who was practically vibrating with sheer joy.

"Yesss!" Nemona cheered, putting her hands together joyfully before shifting her gaze to the two Pokémon on the ground. Quaxly suddenly looked nervous upon seeing Nemona's intense expression and casually walked behind Sprigatito, gently pushing the Grass Cat Pokémon forward.

"Since Milo chose Fuecoco, I'll go for this little one!" Nemona decided as she knelt down to Sprigatito, extending a hand towards the cat. The feline meowed softly before licking Nemona's hand and nuzzling it.

"Nice to meet you, Sprigatito. Welcome to the team!" Nemona said to the Grass Cat Pokémon, doing a fist pump. Clavell tossed the Poké Ball for the Starter to Nemona, who clipped it to her belt.

"All right, then!" Nemona said, her ton becoming more businesslike, a gleam coming to her eyes. "Now that we've chosen our Pokémon, we HAVE to battle! I'll be waiting for you down at the beach. Come join me when you're ready!"

Nemona then promptly bolted down the path to the beach, with Sprigatito frantically running after it's new Trainer while Clavell sighed quietly, offering a bemused Milo a smile. "As you may have noticed, Miss Nemona is a tad overly fond of Pokémon battling."

"You know…I hadn't noticed."

Clavell coughed to hide another laugh, but compromised by smirking at Milo's humor. "But I do hope you'll join her for a battle. It will help you get to know your own Pokémon as well."

"It sounds fun, honestly. Plus I'm sure someone who's as into battling as her has a lot to teach me." Milo said as he began to walk down to the beach, with Clavell walking down the steps to the beach beside the newest academy student. Milo was surprised by the battlefield on the beach itself, and wondered how much getting one installed on the beach cost Nemona's parents.

The girl herself was waiting patiently in the middle of the battlefield as Milo approached, flashing him a bright smile and waving excitedly as he approached. "Over here!"

"Anyone can be a Pokémon Trainer as long as they have Pokémon by their side! And it's our duty as Trainers to help our Pokémon grow stronger through battle!" Nemona said to Milo, reciting her words as if it was something she had learned in class. "So, you ready to battle me, Milo?"

"You bet. I'll do my best, but I'm a novice at this, so try not to totally crush me and Reggie, alright?" Milo said jokingly, but Nemona seemed to miss his words because she giggled excitedly, putting her hands together once again.

"Perfecto! I'm so excited! For this battle, I think I'll use-" Nemona began to say, only to be cut off by someone clearing their throat.

"Miss Nemona." Milo and Nemona looked towards Director Clavell, who wore a stern expression. Quaxly trailed behind the older man, who stopped a few feet onto the battlefield. " I trust you remember that Master Milo is wholly inexperienced in Pokémon Battling?"

Nemona flushed with embarrassment, laughing awkwardly while Milo smirked and moved to his side of the battlefield. "Heh, whoops…Good call, Director. I was about to send out one of my usual partners right off the bat…I guess I'll take this chance to try out my new buddy instead!"

"C'mon, Milo! Let's have us a fruitful battle!" Nemona called to the teen standing across from her as she pulled out Sprigatito's Poké Ball.

"Bring it on, neighbor! I'm a quick study, so show me what you've got!" Milo called with a grin, unclipping Reggie's Poké Ball and tossing it up and down in the air a few times before sending out his Pokémon. Nemona adjusted her arm brace before flashing Milo a bright grin of excitement, throwing a hand aside.

"Alright, let's teach Milo how we do it here in Paldea!" Nemona cried out as she sent out her new Sprigatito. The Grass Cat Pokémon looked up at Nemona with a questioning look. "We've totally got this, mi amigo."

"Purrr!" the Grass Cat Pokémon cried out, smiling with excitement as it faced Reggie and Milo.

"I know this is your first Pokémon Battle, so let's just have some fun!" Nemona called to Milo, who gave the girl a thumbs up. Milo was then taken off-guard when the somewhat familiar sound of evil laughter began to ring out in his head. Milo tried to ignore it and opened his mouth to issue a command to his Fuecoco, only for the Voice to speak.

Let the show begin!

Milo gasped and nearly toppled over into the sand, clutching his chest as an intense pain suddenly gripped his heart. For several moments he couldn't breath, he couldn't see and he only just barely stopped himself from falling over into the dirt.

"Master Milo, are you quite alright?" Director Clavell called out, a concerned expression on his face. Nemona looked confused, staring at Milo as he clutched his heart.

"W-w-what…What the hell is going on!? Am I dying?" Milo wondered to himself, panic gripping him. An amused scoff reverberated within his mind and the Voice spoke up.

You should really learn to listen to the ominous voice in your head, kid. Now, pay attention to what I say. We made an agreement, you and I, and now it's time that we begin our little game.

"So, you want to explain what the hell you're talking about?" Milo snapped back, standing up straight as the pain and shortness of breath faded away, but the sensation of something gripping his heart was still there. Almost like a pressure settling on his chest. Milo's heart was beating wildly, but he no longer felt like he was about to die, which allowed the teen to regain his composure. To quell Clavell and Nemona's concerns Milo said out loud, "I'm fine, just some heartburn. Give me a sec to think."

It's simple. Every time you enter battle, you'll feel the sensation you just experienced. It's harmless…So long as you win.

"Wait, what? What does me winning have to do with anything? How does that connect with why I had a heart murmur or whatever that was?" Milo asked the voice as he put a hand to his chin, trying to nonchalantly buy time and not make it seem like he was arguing with a voice only he could hear.

It has to do with the nature of our deal. But that probably doesn't matter right this second, especially if you lose to the Champion-level Trainer in your first ever battle. Just remember…You either win or you die. It's the price you have to pay.

Milo fought the urge to scowl at that. "Excuse me!? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Uh, Milo? You gotta make a move!" Nemona called to the teen, who snapped back to the battle he was currently having. His new Fuecoco was also looking at him expectantly, and Milo realized he would just have to ignore the Voice for now and focus on the battle. While Milo had been dealing with the Voice, Nemona had thrown on some battle music for the two of them to have play in the background. "Guess I'll do one first. Leafage, Foehn!"

"You named him in the thirty seconds it took to walk over to you?" Milo asked as the Sprigatito unleashed a wave of leaves at Reggie, who grimaced in pain but took no serious damage.

"Reggie, let's start this off with…Ember!" Milo called to the Fire Croc Pokémon, who cried out and opened his mouth wide to fire off a sphere of pure flames that struck Sprigatito directly, knocking him down to the ground with a pained yelp.

"You must've been studying up! Smart move - Fire is strong against Grass!" Nemona praised Milo, grinning with excitement. Milo smirked, now getting into the rhythm of the battle and considered the moves that Nemona had mentioned earlier that his new Pokémon had.

"Now, hit 'em with Tail Whip!" Foehn pranced forward, smacking Reggie in the face several times with its tail, weakening his defenses.

"Don't take that from him! Use Leer!" Milo called as Fuecoco gave Foehn a fierce glare, which made the small cat recoil slightly in fear, lowering his defense as well.

Well, you got the basics down at least. Good thing she's going easy on you.

Can you shut up? If you're even real, and not some weird delusion. Milo thought as Nemona instructed Foehn to lash out with Leafage again. Milo had Fuecoco counter-attack with a Tackle, sending Foehn crashing to the ground hard. Milo noticed that as the Sprigatito got up, it started glowing bright green.

Fine. I'll wait until you're not in mortal danger and all that.

"Tail Whip again!" Nemona called out, with Milo grimacing as Reggie's defense was lowered further. He needed to end the battle sooner rather than later.

"Reggie, hit it with Ember!" The Fuecoco dove at the Sprigatito, blasting it at point-blank range with Ember and sending it tumbling backwards across the battlefield. The grassy feline tried to get back up, but let out a soft groan as its legs gave out.

As Foehn fainted in a crumpled heap on the battlefield, Reggie let out a small roar of joy as Milo did a fist pump in victory. Nemona looked genuinely shocked that her Pokémon had gotten knocked out. The girl got over her surprise quickly, crossing her arms as she returned her Sprigatito and began playing with her hair, smiling warmly at Milo.

"Wow! Not bad, neighbor!" Nemona praised Milo, who responded with a cheery grin as he knelt down beside Reggie and scooped up the small crocodile.

"Nice work, buddy." Milo said to Reggie as he cried out joyfully, wriggling in Milo's arms. The strange pressure that had gripped Milo's heart before suddenly vanished, causing the boy to sigh with relief. Reggie gave his Trainer a confused look, but both were distracted when Nemona walked up to them excitedly.

"Look at you, winning your first battle ever! You've got even more potential than I thought! You're gonna be a strong Trainer for sure!" Nemona said to Milo, giving the young man a thumbs up…before promptly running back to her side of the battlefield. "But now I want to try a different strategy! Let's go again - just one more battle!"

Milo looked surprised at the sudden suggestion, but before he could speak Director Clavell stepped forward and cleared his throat loudly. "Master Milo and his Fuecoco are surely weary already from that last battle. I understand your enthusiasm, Miss Nemona, but you must temper yourself."

Nemona flushed at the rebuke and ran forward, her face set in a guilty frown. "Ah, sorry! I got kinda caught up in all the excitement…"

She then turned to Milo with an apologetic expression. "I'm really sorry, Milo. Same to your Fuecoco, too."

Milo smiled at the other teen. "Don't worry about it. We should battle again soon, yeah?"

Nemona's cheer was right back. "Heh…All right! Thanks, Milo!"

"You two seem to be becoming fast friends, though you've only just met." Clavell watched the exchange with a smile of his own, approval in his eyes. He then turned to Nemona and asked, "Can I count on you to take your new schoolmate here under your wing, Miss Nemona? I'm sure he can learn a great deal from a Champion-ranked Trainer, such as yourself."

"You bet, sir!" Nemona responded with a smart nod. She then turned to Milo, pointing at Milo after a moment. "Oh, that reminds me! Since you're new to training Pokémon, there's an app you definitely need! You've got a smartphone, right? Lemme see it for a sec."

Milo pulled out his new Rotom Phone, which floated in front of him for a moment before Nemona grabbed it and tapped the screen a few times before the phone beeped and then flew back into Milo's hands. Milo saw a notification that the Pokédex App was added to the Rotom Phone's list of apps.

"The Pokédex will automatically register any Pokémon you catch. It's a must-have for Pokémon Trainers! It's a super handy app! Our homeroom teacher, Mr. Jacq, actually made it himself!" Nemona explained to Milo, who realized that the app had automatically registered both Sprigatito and Quaxly into its entry list.

"Back in my day, we used ordinary paper and handwritten notes to compile our Pokédexes. It's quite the age we live in now." Clavell remarked, looking upwards with a nostalgic expression on his face. Naturally Milo and Nemona were both horrified at the idea.

"I think I'd literally sweep the beach here with a toothbrush." Milo deadpanned with a grimace.

"Oof!" Nemona hissed, shuddering visibly. "Filling out a Pokédex by hand? I can't even imagine how much work that would take!"

"Ohoho…No, I suppose you can't." Clavell said with a chuckle, walking away from the two teens before stopping a short distance away. "Yet no matter how much the times may change, the wonder of meeting new Pokémon never does. That is a truly timeless pleasure."

Clavell turned around and took in the smiling expressions of Milo and Nemona and nodded at them. "And the more Pokémon that you encounter, the more you'll find yourself growing and changing. I hope you will both work hard towards the goal of completing your own Pokédexes."

The Director then winced as his coat pocket beeped again, and after pulling out a watch and checking the time, looked towards Nemona. "Now, Miss Nemona, I do still have a few matters to discuss with your parents. Could I depend on you to see Master Milo to the Academy? You would be doing me quite the favor."

"Of course! Leave it to me!" Nemona responded, earning a nod from Clavell.

"Then I leave him in your capable hands." Clavell said to his Student Council President before looking down at Quaxly, who was staring up at him. "All right, little one. It's time you and I were on our way."

Clavell walked off with Quaxly trailing behind him, and as they departed Milo heard Nemona mutter under her breath, "Maybe I oughta make a little more time to work on my Pokédex along with all my battling…"

"Por que no los dos?" Milo asked Nemona, who snapped back to reality and laughed sheepishly, apparently having completely forgotten about Milo.

"Oh! Right! Speaking of Pokédexes, Milo, you've probably never caught a wild Pokémon, right?" Nemona asked Milo, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Not myself, no. I did help a friend do it once, but it didn't go great." Milo admitted, remembering vividly the scolding he and Juliana got afterwards from his parents.

"I'll show you the ropes before I take you to the Academy. Come with me!" Nemona said before jogging off down the beach path that led back to her house, leaving Milo on the beach by himself with Reggie. With the coast clear, Milo spoke almost hesitantly to the strange presence that had been speaking to him that morning.

"Alright, so Mister Voice. Wanna explain what the mini heart attack was for?"

Simply put, you're now under a curse.

"...Go on."

You're cursed by my powers, and that curse requires you to win in any fight that you enter until you've reached the end of the journey you have fought so hard to reach. Trainer battle, Pokémon battle, or a fight to the death. Any of them will result in the curse activating, and if you lose…you die. Once you finish this journey, you're free of the curse. It's as simple as that.

"What journey?"

The one you just started. You are going to have a chance to fulfill your greatest, deepest wish. The one you expressed while you were at death's door. But you have to succeed. I'll be watching the entire way.

"Okay, so say that I believe you. What does this curse entail besides me always needing to win?" Milo asked as he picked up his Fuecoco.

There's a lot to the Nuzlocke Curse that I'll explain briefly. I'd go see why your new friend is chatting with your mother.

"Wait, what?" Milo snapped out of his thoughts and looked down the road leading away from Nemona's house and saw that his new neighbor was chatting with Milo's mother, with Hannah wearing a warm smile. Milo walked over to the two women to join them, with Hannah beaming at her son and the Fire Croc Pokémon in his arms.

"Oh, Milo! I hear that Nemona here will be taking you to school?" Hannah asked her child, who opened his mouth to respond, only for Nemona to beat him to the punch.

"That's right, ma'am. Leave it to me!" Nemona said brightly, putting a hand on her hip with a grin. Hannah reached forward to scratch Reggie on the chin, earning a hearty growl of appreciation from the Fuecoco.

"So you've already managed to make a friend!" Hannah said to her son, earning a grin and a nod from Milo. "And I read about all the wonderful teacher's you'll have looking after you at the school. Plus so many handy facilities you can use as much as you like! Add in your new friend, Nemona, plus your Pokémon and it sounds like your school life is shaping up to be fantastic!"

Her expression then became somewhat stern. "Now, you'll be staying in the school dorms, so I want you to promise me you'll eat proper meals."

"Nemona, what are the rules for owning an air fryer in the dorms?" Milo suddenly asked his new friend.

"They're within regulations, but they can be confiscated depending on bad behavior or fooling around with them." Nemona answered almost automatically, waving a hand dismissively.

"Milo…" Hannah said warningly, though she was fighting back a smile of her own as Milo smirked at her. Hannah reached into a pocket and pulled out a large ziplock bag with a sandwich inside, handing it to Milo along with a wad of money. The boy accepted the items, feeling a little embarrassed. "Here's a bit of spending money to start off with. I also packed a lunch for your first day. Oh! And maybe you'd better take these, too!"

Milo accepted five Potions from his mother as well, not even bothering to ask why she had brought him all of this stuff. Hannah Caballero was someone who thrived off of being overprepared, and it was just her way of showing her support. "Use them on that precious little Partner of yours, should it get hurt in battle. I know every day in your new life is going to be full of exciting experiences, far from home."

"I'll be alright. You won't need to worry about me. Reggie's got my back. Plus Nemona's not gonna rest until we battle in every city in Paldea, right?" Milo said to the girl, who's eyes lit up like fireworks.

"Oh my god, do you wanna?! Because I'm totally down to do that!" Nemona was grinning ear-to-ear with excitement, causing Milo and Hannah to laugh at her enthusiasm.

"Just try to savor them all - the good times and the hard times, too! But if you ever want to come back home, you know your bed is always ready for you." Hannah said to Milo, who's expression softened for a moment.

"Thanks for everything, Mom." Milo said as stepped forward and hugged his mother, who returned the embrace and held her son for a few moments.

"Love you, sweetie. Show them just what you can do. I'll be rooting you on the whole way!" Hannah murmured into her son's hair before pulling away, wiping away a tear. "Oh, all right then! You two had better be off, I suppose. Take care on your way to school!"

Hannah walked off after the two teens nodded at her, and as they watched Mrs. Caballero walk up the road to her house Nemona turned to Milo and said, "Your mother's so nice, Milo!"

"She's the best." Milo agreed, crossing his arms. "So, what's next? Heading to school?"

"Oh!" Nemona gasped, suddenly remembering something important. "But I was going to teach you how to catch wild Pokémon! C'mon, vamos!"

Nemona then promptly charged down the pathway while calling out, "This way!"

Milo's new neighbor darted down the side path that he had seen earlier, and Milo exchanged a glance with Reggie before shrugging and heading after the excitable girl, wondering just what other surprises he was in for today.

Chapter Text

"All right! This here is Poco Path!" Nemona said to Milo as he finally joined her on the side path, turning around and gesturing to the route that was crawling with wild Pokémon. Several pig Pokémon scampered around while several birds chirped within the trees, with several spider Pokémon dangled from webs leading from the trees. A lighthouse rose out from the distance, dominating the skyline by the cliffside. "It's the path that leads to adventure for you and me! Out here, things are different than in town. You're gonna see wild Pokémon out and about. They'll be on the path and in the grass and such!"

"Back home we had a huge place called the Wild Area that stretched miles long and had all sorts of cool Pokémon." Milo remarked, thinking back to several times his family had gone on train rides that allowed him to look at the Wild Area as it rolled by the countryside. Milo wondered at that moment whether or not Paldea had trains. "You had to keep your distance, though, unless you were looking for a rough fight."

Nemona turned towards Milo, flashing him a bright smile. "Same thing applies here. Get too close to one, and you'll have to battle. But you've got Reggie for that, right? And if you want to try to catch a Pokémon, you gotta use…a good ol' Poké Ball!"

Nemona dug into her bag and pulled out the capsule in question. "I've got tons. Have a few!

Milo ended up receiving five Poké Balls from Nemona, but a loud oinking sound caught the two Trainers off-guard and made them look to their right, where the two of them spotted a black and brown pig with pink feet and snout.

"Oooh, what luck! Time for some learning by doing! Try battling this Lechonk, Milo!" Nemona said as she bolted to the side, leaving Milo alone to face off against the Lechonk. Milo grimaced as the same strange pressure that he had felt when battling Nemona earlier struck his chest, but Milo ignored it and focused on his first wild Pokemon battle.

"Alright then Reggie, let's get some practice in." Milo said as the Fire Croc Pokémon leapt out of his arms and landed on the ground. "Use Ember!"

The Fuecoco let out a joyful cry before firing off a fireball that struck Lechonk, knocking it to the ground with a pained squeal as the smell of seared pig filled the air.

Smells like bacon. Milo thought to himself, fighting back a smirk. He stopped smirking when the Lechonk got back to its feet and slammed into Reggie with a Tackle. Milo had Reggie finish it off with another Ember, and sighed with relief as the pressure on his chest faded.

"Nice! Defeating Pokémon in battle will help Reggie grow and get stronger!" Nemona called to Milo as he walked back over to her. "Next time, try throwing a Poké Ball when a Pokémon's riiight on the tip of being defeated. You'll have a decent chance at catching it then!"

"Gotcha. I'll go for a catch next time."

"Anyway, have some more Poké Balls just in case. Not every catch works out!" Nemona said to Milo, who accepted another ten Poké Balls gratefully.

"Weaken the Pokémon, then throw the Poké Ball! Remember that, and you'll be fine!" The Student Council President explained to Milo, putting a hand on her hip. "Now go battle those wild Pokémon and catch some of 'em!"

"I'll see about getting Reggie a new friend or two." Milo said as he pulled out an empty Poké Ball and tossed it up and down a few times. "You gonna hang around while I explore the route?"

"I mean, I could. But where's the fun in just watching? I'm gonna see what I can nab myself!" Nemona remarked cheekily, winking at Milo and making the teen's heart skip a beat. "Let's meet back up at that lighthouse over there! You can see our school from the top!"

"S-sure. See ya in a bit." Milo managed to stammer out before Nemona bounded off, and Milo slapped his cheeks several times in an attempt to focus on his job. Unfortunately the Voice chose that moment to speak again.

So I should probably explain to you how the rules will be for this little…challenge of mine. Needless to say, you're gonna want to listen to me about the Nuzlocke Challenge and subsequently, the Nuzlocke Curse.

"You have my attention." Milo said quietly, crossing his arms with annoyance as Nemona vanished up the route. "So what the hell is that Nuzlocke thing?"

The Nuzlocke Challenge is a little game I like to play with those I've…meddled with. It essentially boils down to three core rules. The most relevant of which is that the number of Pokémon you're allowed to catch is limited to the first one you encounter on a route as you go about your journey. You can only catch that Pokémon, and no more. If you fail to catch a Pokémon during one of the opportunity windows I give you, then you must move on. I'll adjust the rules as your world…opens up.

"Okay, that's weird. But I understand. So I should probably try to be careful about what I try to battle here. Though it sounds like I'm battling against luck more than anything else."

Yes. I will give you a freebie though. Sending your Pokémon off on its own to battle whatever it wants doesn't count as an encounter. Once you begin directing your Pokémon or a wild Pokémon directly confronts you, that's when the Curse kicks in and that's what'll count for you encounters.

"Interesting…I guess I should thank you for the tip."

Don't thank me yet. I should probably tell you about the second rule of the Nuzlocke Challenge, and what happens when one of your Pokémon faints.

"Um…what?" Milo asked, raising an eyebrow as he picked up Reggie and began to carefully walk up the road.

The purpose of this is all to test your skill…and worth. Therefore, if any of your Pokémon faint in battle, they can never be used in battle again. For all intents and purposes, they're dead to you.

"What the hell!?" Milo shouted, scaring some of the nearby Pokémon and making Reggie wince. "How is that fair? My Pokémon hasn't done anything!"

It's the nature of our deal. My powers always come with a price. In fact, this particular curse is the way I can assist people directly with the most amount of agency. So be grateful I didn't make you give up something worse. Remember that you're the one who made this deal in the first place.

"That's still awful. What the hell…" Milo breathed, gritting his teeth in anger. He hugged Reggie close to his chest, feeling a cold icy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

It's not all bad. You can always throw them in a PC Storage or something.

"That doesn't make it better!" Milo snapped back, looking down at the ground. "What if I use them even after they faint? I can always use a Revive or a Pokémon Center."

True. But if you try to use them even when they've been knocked out, the Nuzlocke Curse will kick in and they'll be killed the second their Poké Ball opens. There's no getting around this, mostly because I'm actively watching you.

Milo sighed as he shut his eyes, realizing the true scope of the challenge that lay before him. He was limited by what Pokémon on his "journey" that he could catch. And if he was careless in a battle, his team's lives could be in danger…as well as his own if he loses a battle at all.

"I'm gonna get my next Pokémon. Can you go quiet for a while?" Milo asked, trying to move forward and shake off the dread he felt. The teen felt the faint chuckle of the Voice before its presence vanished.

Milo set Reggie down and instructed it to fight whatever it felt like before stepping back. The Fuecoco stared at him with a confused expression for a few moments, but soon enough it was rampaging through the route, leaving a troubled Milo to look around at what Pokémon were around.

Milo spotted more Lechonks wandering around, as well as some Scatterbugs and some spider-like Pokémon he didn't recognize. The teen also spotted some Hoppip and Fletchlings flying around, but he decided to continue on the route and see what else showed up. He also made a habit of picking up the various items that he found as he explored the area, marveling at the kind of stuff people dropped on the ground.

Eventually an exhausted Fuecoco returned to the boy with a path of unconscious Pokémon in his wake and wearing a happy smile. Milo picked up Reggie with a smirk and made his way down the path, spotting Nemona relaxing on the grass near the fence, sitting on a picnic blanket next to Foehn the Sprigatito.

"Hey there, neighbor! How's being a Pokémon Trainer treating you?" Nemona asked merrily as she patted the spot next to her, inviting Milo to sit down. Milo joined Nemona and sighed, accepting a water bottle the Champion-ranked Trainer handed to him. While it was pleasantly warm out, Milo had done a lot of walking that morning so he grateful took a swing of icy water.

"Yeah, so far so good." Milo responded as he picked up the fatigued Fuecoco. "Reggie's getting a bit worn out, so I figured now's a good a time as any for a break."

"If your Pokémon are getting tired out, I can heal 'em for ya!" Nemona offered, reaching forward to pat Reggie on the head, causing him to growl happily. Milo accepted the offer and Nemona quickly had Reggie back to fighting-fit shape after an Ether and a few Oran Berries.

"Oh, and if you get real good at catching Pokémon, gimme some advice! I'm not great at the actual 'throw the Poké Ball' part." Nemona admitted with a laugh as Milo chuckled. The two teens chatted briefly about the kind of Pokémon on the route, only for Reggie to begin wandering off further up the road while Milo wasn't paying attention. By the time Milo noticed, the Fire Croc Pokémon was almost out of sight.

"Ugh, I better run after him. I'll see you in a bit!" Milo huffed as he got to his feet and jogged after the Fuecoco while Nemona snickered at him.

The Galarian teen caught up with Reggie fairly quickly and soon was walking around with the Fuecoco, stopping at what looked like the edge of a cliff with a truly spectacular view of the ocean. Pristine white beaches stretched out in the distance as clear blue water shimmered in the morning sun. All the while Pokémon frolicked in the air, sea and around him.

"Wow, what a view." Milo sighed, looking down at his Starter with a smile. "Ain't that right buddy?"

"Craaaw?" Reggie responded, yawning in response. Milo rolled his eyes and turned around, only to spot that a small orange mouse-like Pokémon that had wandered right up to him with a skittish squeak. Milo stared at the Pokémon for several moments before the Pokémon let out a cry, charging its body with electricity. Milo gasped as the Nuzlocke Curse struck him, and he realized that his lapse in concentration meant that this was his encounter for this route.

"Reggie, let's get 'em! Tackle!" Milo called to his Pokémon, who leapt into action and charged at the small mouse, who gave a terrified squeak. It retaliated with a Scratch right before Reggie struck it with Tackle, knocking it down.

Milo activated a Poké Ball and hurled it, connecting with the side of the downed Pokémon and sucking it into the capsule. The Poké Ball landed in the grass as Milo stared at it hopefully.

One…two…three…click.

"Hey! I caught it!" Milo whooped, jogging forward and scooping up the Poké Ball with a triumphant laugh. Reggie cried out, offering his Trainer a wide grin.

"Great job buddy. Now, let's see what the heck we just caught." Milo said as he fumbled around with his Rotom Phone. He opened the Poké Dex App, making sure to register both Reggie and the new Pokémon under his Trainer Account since he hadn't done that yet. After that, the teen pulled up the appropriate Dex entry.

"Pawmi. The Mouse Pokémon. It has underdeveloped electric sacs on its cheeks. These sacs can produce electricity only if Pawmi rubs them furiously with the pads on its forepaws." The Rotom Phone explained through the Pokédex App. "This Pawmi is Male and has the Ability Static. Its Tera Type is Electric."

"Kinda like Pikachu…" Milo mused as he called out his new Pokémon, who looked up at him timidly, shrinking back. "Hey there little guy. I'm Milo."

The Pawmi was slow to approach Milo, sniffing his outstretched hand hesitatingly before inching forward. Milo patted the mouse on the head as Reggie waddled forward, growling several times as the Pawmi squeaked. Milo watched the back and forth with interest before the Pawmi nodded and looked up at the teen expectantly.

You need to name it.

"Huh?" Milo asked, surprised that the Voice had suddenly spoken up after leaving him alone for about a full hour.

That Pawmi you just caught. You have to name it. Along with every other Pokémon you catch on your journey. It's the third and final essential rule to the Nuzlocke Challenge, and the Curse you're under.

"Huh. Can I ask why?" Milo said with a bewildered expression.

Because you'll grow more attached to them that way. And if you lose them, it'll be all the more heartbreaking.

"You're an asshole."

I've been called worse by better. Now, get going. And be aware that you can't catch anything else…on this route.

"Stupid disembodied voice…" Milo grumbled as he picked up the surprised Pawmi and set it on his shoulder while he held Reggie. "Alright, new friend. I'm not the best at names, so I'm gonna call you Sparky. Sound good?"

A soft squeak from Milo's shoulder was his response. Milo nodded as he scratched the Pokémon on the chin, earning a cooing sound of delight that made Milo smile. "Cool. I'm glad you like it. Let's explore a bit more before we meet up with Nemona."

To Milo's delight, Sparky listened to him just as well as Reggie did and was soon zapping Fletchlings out of the sky with Thunder Shock. Not to be outdone, Reggie bullied the local Hoppip and Scatterbug population while Milo watched on with a smile at the mild destruction his Pokémon were wreaking. After about a half hour and picking up more fallen items off of the ground, Milo decided to head up the route to meet up with Nemona. The Student Council President was fiddling around with her phone in the middle of the path, having apparently passed him while he was training. She looked up and smiled at Milo as he approached.

"Hey, Milo! You getting the hang of how to catch Pokémon okay?" Nemona asked, jogging over to him with her usual cheer as he trudged up the hill. "Let me see. So far you've caught-"

"Guh-GYAOHHH!"

Nemona and Milo both jumped at the force of a furious roar that reverberated across the clearing, terrifying a flock of Fletchlings that were roosting in a nearby tree and making what other small Pokémon were on the route flee in terror.

"Whoa! What was that?!" Nemona yelped, glancing around the area worriedly alongside Milo. The same roar cried out again, but this time it was quieter and served to make the two teens more confused than scared. Nemona frowned and muttered, "I've never heard that kind of cry before! Could be some strong Pokémon or something!"

"It sounded like it was hurt." Milo remarked quietly, putting a hand to his chin thoughtfully and returning his two Pokémon. "What do you think we should do, Nemona?"

"I say we find whatever made that cry! Let's take a look around, Milo!" Nemona suggested bright, pumping her fist before drawing a Poké Ball and calling out a black bull Pokémon that Milo vaguely recognized. "C'mon Tornado, let's get looking!"

"Is that a Tauros?" Milo asked as he examined the powerful-looking bull as it mooed softly, nuzzling Nemona's hand as she stroked his head.

"You betcha. This is my Partner, Tornado! He's a Paldean Tauros and my strongest Pokémon. See, Tauros can become different types here in Paldea…but that's a conversation for another day! We've got a Pokémon to find!" Nemona laughed, realizing she was going off-topic as she gave Milo a thumbs up. Her smile faded just a bit as her expression became a bit more serious. "Just be careful - there's a kinda unsafe cave not far from here, so steer clear!"

"Gotcha. I'll be careful." Milo said as he began to walk down the path, but not before Nemona called back to him.

"And I know your Rotom Phone can help keep you safe, but watch your step by these cliffs anyway!" Nemona added before bounding off back down the road a ways while Milo hummed and slowly walked towards the cliffs, noticing that the rope guardrails that had been placed along the cliff for this route had been knocked down.

"That's definitely suspicious…Hmm…" Milo mused as he inched closer to the cliff, trying to peek down towards the beach. He slowly walked towards the edge of the cliff, peering out into the ocean to see if there was anything down there that may have made such a weird roar. His eyes caught a splash of color and noticed a strange-looking creature lying down on the beach nearby, with two Houndour barking angrily at it.

The Galar-native stared at the creature, cautiously inching closer to the edge of the cliff to try and get a better look. "What the hell is that? I've never seen anything like it…" Milo muttered, closing his eyes for a moment and considering what he was seeing now. Was it some Pokémon native to the Paldea region?

Milo opened his eyes to see the strange Pokémon slowly lift up its head and roar at the two Houndour furiously, which had the effect of making the earth tremble around the area. Milo yelped as he stumbled forward and tumbled right off of the cliff he was standing on!

Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap! Milo thought frantically, screaming as he plunged towards the beach from a high enough height that the fall would surely kill him-

And then suddenly Milo was halted in midair, with his Rotom Phone halting the boy's descent as it floated upwards, its screen shining brightly. The teen was gently set upon the ground by the Rotom Phone, which showed him that the Anti-Fall feature had kicked in and would do so every time the phone sensed that Milo was falling from a high place. Milo realized that this was what Nemona had been talking about, and realized that he had been very lucky to receive the phone from his mother just that morning.

"That…was awful. I've got to read more about my phone's safety features the next time I can." Milo sighed with relief, leaning against the face of the cliff and taking several deep breaths. Meanwhile, he watched as the Houndour that were accosting the strange Pokémon fled in terror, yipping loudly as they scampered off.

Milo turned his gaze towards the Pokémon and saw that it had collapsed back onto the ground, groaning softly as it curled inward. Milo took that moment to actually inspect the Pokémon itself.

It was mostly a scarlet-colored reptile-like Pokémon with white accents along its body, as well as a black spiked structure along its neck. Blue, purple and white-colored antennae stuck out of the Pokémon's head, and its yellow eyes were lidded with exhaustion. Orange pupils flicked up to Milo as he cautiously drew closer, with the teen sending out both his Fuecoco and Pawmi, slowly approaching the downed Pokémon.

"Whoa…what are you?" Milo whispered, taking in the sight of the strange Pokémon. For some reason, the young Trainer just felt like the creature didn't belong here. It was the strangest feeling and Milo couldn't place why he felt that way.

However, the teen was able to tell that the creature was too weak to move, based on the fact that it seemed to be having trouble keeping its eyes open and its head out of the sand. Milo felt a pang of sympathy for the beast.

"Well, whatever you are, you're in trouble. Maybe some medicine can help you out." Milo said quietly as he walked closer to the Pokémon, who growled softly at the boy.

Milo smiled at it comfortingly. "No worries, big fella. I'm here to help. Reggie, Sparky, can you help talk me to it?"

The Fuecoco and Pawmi didn't move forward, instead both inching behind Milo to keep away from the strange creature. Milo wondered if they could sense something he couldn't. Milo ignored the fear of his Pokémon and set his backpack on the ground, rifling through it and immediately realizing that he didn't have any healing berries on him. Which was annoying, because he didn't spot any injuries on the creature and that was how Potions normally worked.

Well crap…Maybe it's just hungry? Milo thought as he looked at the creature, considering that fact. Milo pulled out the sandwich that his mother had made that morning for him out of its ziploc bag and held out the sandwich to the strange beast. "You hungry, big fella?"

"Gia?" the Pokémon suddenly perked up, lifting its head out of the sand to look at Milo questioningly, sniffing the offered sandwich with confusion.

With a soft growl, the Pokémon slowly extended its neck out and snapped up the sandwich, ripping it free from Milo's hands and scarfing it down hungrily. A contented rumble erupted from the Pokémon as it chomped and chewed with a pleased expression. Milo felt a pang of guilt at his mother's sandwich going down the gullet of a hungry Pokémon, but he brushed that aside as the Pokémon let out a strange barking sound.

"There we go!" Milo smiled as the Pokémon finished eating the sandwich within seconds, swallowing with a soft growl before releasing a strange trill into the air. The creature then shifted its weight, placing its hands on the ground and pushing itself upright and rearing on its hind legs, letting out a loud bark-like cry before landing back on its four legs and looking at Milo with interest.

"Hey, look at you! Back on your feet already. Hope you're feeling better!" Milo said with a grin to the strange beast, who stared at Milo for several long moments.

"Hahaha! You're such a messy eater, aren't you?"

The creature grunted softly before padding past the teen and going further down the beach towards the cave tucked into the side of the cliff.

And then suddenly, the beast let out a sudden roar to the skies. "Ah-GIIIAAAS!"

The strange Pokémon shut its eyes and lowered its head as a shining orange light enveloped the creature. Milo winced as the energy struck the beach itself, blasting sand backwards and making Milo gasp as the wind rushed past him. The teen still managed to see the creature leap into the air and throw apart its limbs, coalescing into a field of raw energy around itself that erupted outwards with a wicked shockwave.

Milo watched as the creature's antennae expanded outwards, resembling bird-like plumes on its head and back spread outwards. Its hands and legs seemed to gain a webbed quality to them, with a large tire-like protrusion sticking out of its chest. The beast landed on the ground and let out a deep growl, and Milo's eyes were wide in shock at the sheer aura of power radiating from the strange Pokémon. It held itself proudly and almost regally, its eyes sharpened with a ferocity that only came to Pokémon that was an apex predator.

"What kind of Pokémon is that?" Milo asked in a whisper, pulling out his Rotom Phone. However, the scanning function didn't seem to register the creature at all, pinwheeling repeatedly before showing several question marks.

That was when the creature glanced back at Milo, who felt his breath catch as the wild gaze of the creature locked onto him. After staring at him for several seconds, the beast turned around and began walking towards the cave. Milo raised a hand and stepped forward before realizing he didn't quite know what he was going to say.

"This Pokémon is way out of my league…I should probably just be grateful it didn't attack me." Milo sighed, wiping his forehead before glancing down at his Pokémon. "By the way, I appreciate the backup guys."

Reggie and Sparky both looked away, ashamed, but Milo scooped them both up into his arms and sighed. "It's not your fault. We met literally minutes ago. But we're a team. So…how the hell do we get back up?"

Milo looked around the beach and realized he had no answer to that. He didn't have Nemona's number and he didn't have anything to scale his way back up the cliff. His eyes glanced at the Pokémon as it walked away, approaching what Milo assumed was the very cave Nemona had just warned him about. Each step it took across the beach shook the ground beneath them, and within seconds it had vanished within the cave. Milo sighed and reluctantly followed, hoping that somehow things would work out.

To his surprise, the Pokémon seemed to be waiting for him, looking over its shoulder as Milo entered the cave and approached. Once the teen had gotten close enough, the beast continued to walk through the cave path. And so Milo began trailing behind the creature at what he hoped was a respectful distance.

The cave itself was surprisingly cool inside. That was likely due to it being by the beach, but Milo was surprised to see glowing green moss alongside the walls of the cave and flowing seawater within pools.

"Oyeee! Milo!" came a familiar shout. Milo looked up and saw Nemona far in the distance on the ledge of what looked to be an exit to the cave, and the girl was wearing a rare expression of distress. She gasped as her neighbor came into view and called, "There you are, Milo! You okay?! You're not hurt, right?"

"I'm fine! I tumbled down the cliff, but my Rotom Phone stopped my fall!" Milo yelled to Nemona, who sighed with relief.

"Thank goodness. I was really worried!" Nemona's expression fell further, and she looked away for a brief moment. "If you'd gotten hurt because I said we should go looking for whatever made that cry…"

Tornado the Tuaros mooed softly, nudging Nemona's side. The girl then shook her head, her regretful expression becoming more serious. "No, never mind that! Right now we've gotta focus on getting you back up here!"

"How exactly?" Milo asked the girl, who considered that for a moment as she put a hand on Tornado's head, considering that question.

"You've just gotta find some way to climb out of there! If you can get close enough, I'll try pulling you up with one of my Pokémon's moves!" Nemona suggested to Milo, kneeling closer to the edge of the cave's entrance. That was when she spotted the strange Pokémon ahead of him.

"Hey, what's that Pokémon in front of you? It looks SUPER strong!" Nemona asked, her usual enthusiasm coming back as the strange creature stopped and glanced at the excitable human girl for a moment before looking to Milo. It then continued on its way through the cave.

"Kinda seems like it's waiting for you. Does it want you to follow it?" Nemona asked as Milo continued to trail behind the strange beast, who seemed to be glancing around the cave with an interested expression. Milo wondered why that was, but he decided to focus on getting out of the cave first and wonder later. His Pokémon were on high alert, looking around the area for threats.

The quartet soon came to a stop upon reaching a pile of crumpled rocks, which blocked their path. Milo didn't even have a second to try and consider how they would get past the rocks before the beast lunged forward with a snarl, swiping at the rocks with glowing claws and pulverizing them into dust immediately.

"Whoa! That was amazing! That Pokémon might be as strong as mine! Maybe stronger!" Nemona cheered as Milo continued to follow the creature deeper into the grotto, their path clear now. The cave changed somewhat as well, with the main path now covered in glowing green moss while being overlooked by small ledges. Some Pokémon now littered the path, such as Yungoos and Diglett. However, Milo spotted something very concerning within moments of entering the cave.

A large black canine with bones protruding from its back was observing Milo and the Pokémon walking through its cave with an irritated expression, growling softly. Milo recognized it as a Houndoom - a Pokémon he certainly didn't want to deal with on his own. The teen slowly continued after the strange beast, hoping that they could get out of the cave sooner rather than later.

However, Milo soon learned that things weren't going to be that easy. A pack of Houndour burst out of the path leading onwards, growling and snapping at the beast and Milo, who balked at the sight of nearly a dozen angry dogs. The beast wasn't deterred by the numbers, releasing another furious roar that sent the dogs scampering away fearfully.

"Nice work, big guy." Milo said quietly as the creature huffed, glancing back at Milo for a moment before continuing onwards through the cave.

"Hey, heads up - some pretty rough and rowdy Houndour live in this cave! I'm glad you've got your bodyguard, but watch your back! They're strong!" Nemona warned Milo as the two of them approached another pile of boulders, which the creature destroyed within seconds before continuing onwards.

"Oh my gosh, it straight up pulverized that rock! How powerful even IS it? I wonder what move that was. Man, I wanna see it up close!" Milo smiled at Nemona's excited shouts, unable to help himself. However that smile soon faded when Nemona's next shout was one of alarm. "Milo, look out! Something's coming!"

Milo tensed, standing beside the creature and glancing around the area with confusion. That was when Nemona yelled out, "Behind you - it's behind you!"

The teen whirled around and felt his blood run cold as he stared at the menacing Houndoom that had been watching him mere moments ago padding up the cave path. The Dark Pokémon released a booming howl that made Milo shiver with fear. But to Milo's shock, Reggie leapt forward…and growled right back at the Houndoom! The Fuecoco stood its ground against the hellhound, standing protectively in front of his new Trainer.

"Reggie, stop it! That thing is way too strong!" Milo shouted as Reggie rushed at the Houndoom, who promptly roared and rammed its head into the Fuecoco and sent him crashing to the ground. Milo swiftly returned Reggie as the Nuzlocke Curse struck him, not wanting to chance invoking the Curse and risking his Pokémon's life…but Milo had no idea what to do. The Houndoom inched closer, growling hatefully at him with its razor-sharp teeth barred.

Meanwhile the strange creature had continued to walk forward through the cave, and glanced back in confusion upon hearing a howl of rage. It saw the little human standing against the furious Houndoom, and it knew instantly that the boy was no match for it. The creature hesitated, looking at the ground for a moment and considering its options.

"No! You have to stop fighting! You can't hurt it!"

As memories rushed through its mind, the creature thought about what it could do. The human was practically defenseless against the Houndoom, who was clearly agitated and ready to kill the child. If the hellhound's flames didn't kill the boy, then the furious canine would simply tear him apart with its fangs and claws.

However, that was an outcome the Pokémon couldn't accept.

The creature grit its teeth and turned around, crouching low right as the Houndoom inhaled deeply, flames trickling from its mouth. The beast dashed forward, leaping high into the air and dropping down onto the ground in front of Milo, swiftly spinning around and slapping its tail hard enough against the Houndoom's face to stop the Flamethrower and send the Dark Pokémon skidding backwards with a pained growl, blood trickling down its mouth.

The Houndoom retaliated by attacking the strange Pokémon with Flamethrower, only for the beast to counter with a Flamethrower of its own. The two attacks connected, and Milo watched in awe as the Pokémon's harsh white flames slowly overpowered the Dark Pokémon's own Flamethrower attack. The beast's flames engulfed those of the Houndoom and struck the hellhound directly, throwing it backwards and causing it to crash down hard on the floor of the cave.

"That was awesome! Kick it's ass!" Milo cheered as the Pokémon roared defiantly at the Houndoom, who was slowly rising from the ground with a pained gasp. The hellhound looked up at the human and the Pokémon protecting him with blood dripping down its maw and hatred blazing in its evil gaze. The Houndoom then let loose a howl of its own, and dozens of Houndour poured into the cave like before, only this time they surrounded both Milo and the creature.

"Oh, this isn't good…" Milo muttered, unable to help the fear in his voice. He hated the fact that he knew neither him or his Pokémon could stand against such numbers. Not on their first day as a team.

Meanwhile, the beast glanced around at the Pokémon surrounding it with disdain, recognizing how weak they were compared to it. The beast then raised a claw, determined to defeat the fools standing against it…but then it looked at Milo, and saw that the defenseless boy was surrounded. Even worse, more and more Houndour were pouring into the cave. It considered what to do, and then made another fateful decision.

Milo's head shot towards the creature as it suddenly darted towards the boy, knocking aside the Houndour and scooping the boy into its powerful arms while snarling fiercely at the Houndour, who backed away fearfully. The beast glanced around, hoping to find some way out as several of the Houndour began to bark and snarl at them.

"Heeeeey!" The beast and Milo looked up, seeing Nemona waving her arms. She was now much closer to them. "Up here! Quick!"

The beast nodded and kicked off of the ground, leaping over sixty feet across the cave and landing roughly on a faraway ledge. The strange Pokémon then proceeded to kick off of the ledge and swiftly land on another to reach the lip of the cave Nemona was standing on, ascending hundreds of feet within moments. The girl whooped triumphantly, clapping her hands as the creature glanced at her with a small smile before gently setting Milo on the ground. Down below the Houndour and Houndoom howled up at them, furious that their prey had escaped.

Chapter Text

“Way to go! For a second, I thought you were both goners!” Nemona sighed with relief, grinning at the two of them. Milo nodded and opened his mouth to respond, only to notice that the strange creature that had saved him was now staring intently at the lighthouse about a hundred yards away from where they were now.

“I wonder what it’s looking at the lighthouse for…” Milo said as Nemona tilted her head in confusion, noticing it as well. The creature walked out of the cave, but only made it about ten steps towards the lighthouse before a shining orange light enveloped the creature again. However this time, the creature let out a soft groan of pain before collapsing onto the ground, its form shifting into the same way it looked when Milo first encountered it on the beach.

Milo and Nemona both bolted out of the cave, concerned for the Pokémon’s health. Nemona even called out, “Whoa! What’s wrong?!”

“Looks like it did on the beach…when I first found it, it looked like this.” Milo muttered, crossing his arms. “I fed it and that helped it out. Helped it turn into that super form we saw. But it also used a few high-power moves and battled that Houndoom...I really don’t know. Any ideas Nemona?”

“Maybe it used up all its power?” Nemona mused, looking down at the Pokémon carefully. “What is this Pokémon, anyway? It kinda looks like a Cyclizar, but I’ve never seen one quite like this before…And now it looks so different from a minute ago. You think it’s okay?”

Milo thought about it, concern evident on his face. “Hard to say…”

“You can’t tell either, huh, Milo?” Nemona remarked, sighing as she rubbed her head. “Well, all that aside, I’m seriously glad to have you back up here in one piece! You know…that battle down there was really something. You and this fella looked perfectly in sync facing down that Houndoom!”

“Were we? It was acting on its own there. It jumped in front of me…saved my life.” Milo responded with a shake of the head, causing Nemona to gasp in shock.

“What?! You didn’t even tell it what to do?” Nemona asked, with Milo nodding in response. Nemona glanced down at the strange Pokémon with the calculating eye of an experienced Trainer. “I guess it’s not like you’re this Pokémon’s Trainer yet, huh…”

Both teens were startled when the creature suddenly got up, letting out a growl-like yelp as it reared on its hind legs and landed all fours again. Nemona and Milo both smiled with relief that the Pokémon was seemingly alright.

“Oh good! Looks like it perked up a little!” Nemona said brightly before glancing at Milo. “Do you think this fella was the one making that mysterious cry before?”

“Giaos…” the strange Pokémon growled, sniffing the air in front of it. Somehow this made Nemona more and more excited, because she was beaming with sheer enthusiasm once again.

“Oh man, oh man, oh man! The more I look at this Pokémon, the more mysterious it seems!” Nemona practically squealed, turning to Milo excitedly. “If you do become its Trainer, you gotta let me battle against it!”

“Uh…you know what? Sure, why not?” Milo ended up saying, trying to process the several leaps in logic Nemona had just made in rapid succession. 

Milo’s poor brain was further fried when Nemona pulled out her black Rotom Phone and said, “Let’s exchange numbers so we can get in touch if we somehow get separated again!”

“O-okay.” Milo managed to reply, flushing at how forward the girl was in getting his contact info. A few seconds later Milo and Nemona had exchanged numbers digitally. “I appreciate you looking out for me, Nemona. Thanks.”

Nemona beamed at Milo, pumping a fist. “Anytime, mi amigo! And here - this’ll let you teach your Pokémon a move to help it battle stronger opponents!”

The girl swung her pack around and dug through it, pulling out a sturdy travel case that contained a collection of discs. Milo gaped at the massive collection of TM’s that the girl had on her, and she pulled out a white one and handed it to Milo. It was TM032, Swift.

“Think before you use it, though! TM’s can only be used once!” Nemona reminded Milo, who frowned thoughtfully at that before shrugging and stowing the disc away carefully in his pack. He’d need to get his hands on a TM Case sometime soon.

“I mean, it depends on the region. Galar calls them Technical Records and calls the sturdy ones that a lot of other regions use Technical Machines.” Milo said to Nemona, who nodded smartly.

“Too true! But I guess that’s one of the many things that makes every region different. I hope you’ll get a chance to really explore everything that makes Paldea special, Milo.” Nemona responded as cheerily as ever. She then gestured towards the lighthouse nearby. “You've both been through enough for a minute! I think we better take a breather. Let’s just get to the lighthouse - that’ll be a good spot to relax.”

“Good idea. You coming along, big fella?” Milo asked the strange creature, who tilted its head at Milo questioningly before letting out a soft cry, shaking its body slightly. “Gonna take that as a…maybe?”

Milo and Nemona made their way towards the lighthouse alongside the creature, sliding down the hill without issue and walking up the road. As they drew closer, Milo realized that the lighthouse seemed to be more than just that. There was a building connected to the back of the lighthouse, with the lighthouse itself simply being the front of the main building with a ladder that led upwards. A door was off to the side of the building, and someone was standing right outside of it, trying to peer inside of the glass door.

The person turned around, revealing a rather tall teen with messy light brown hair wearing what Milo recognized was a Naranja Academy uniform, along with a purple vest and a large traveling backpack. He had teal colored eyes that immediately fell upon the strange Pokémon standing beside Milo, and an expression of barely-restrained fury crossed the teen’s face. “Why, that little…”

The teen bolted towards them, stopping short of the group and pointing a finger down at the creature. “What are you doing out here?!”

The strange Pokémon simply stared at Arven with a confused expression. The teenager growled with annoyance before half-glancing at Nemona and Milo. “I’m not talking to you two. You can shove off.” 

“Excuse me? You wanna run that by me again, mate?” Milo demanded angrily, stepping forward, only for Nemona to put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Her brow was furrowed, as if she was trying to think of something.

“Wait, I know you…Aren’t you Arven? You’re enrolled in the humanities track, right?” Nemona asked the teen, who went very still. “And aren’t you the son of that Pokémon Researcher - Professor Sada?

“Doesn’t matter who my Mom is!” Arven suddenly barked at Nemona as he whirled around, who flinched at the sheer fury in the young man’s voice. Milo instantly stepped in front of Nemona, staring up at the tall teen who seemed to grow more irate by the second.

“The real issue here is what in the world this Pokémon is doing out here! And what is with this form it’s in?!” Arven demanded, glancing at the two of them before turning a frustrated gaze to the strange creature.

“It saved me from a tight spot. If it didn’t step in to protect me, I would’ve been mauled by a pack of Houndour.” Milo responded in a measured tone, crossing his arms. Arven raised an eyebrow at that, glancing at Milo and turning back to the creature with a grunt. 

Nemona meanwhile was looking down at Milo in surprise, because she had noticed that a few moments ago her new neighbor was rather angry at Arven. Now, however, Milo’s face was set into a perfectly neutral expression. She couldn’t tell what emotions he was feeling, because his face was set into a complete and total mask of calm .

The Champion-ranked student shook her head, snapping back to reality and decided that she should probably explain things, so she decided to back Milo up. “See, we heard this strange cy, and we tried to investigate, but Milo fell off a cliff…That Pokémon saved him, but it seems like it wore itself out in the process. It got kinda…slumpy afterward. But you shoulda seen it before! It looked totally different - it was unbelievably strong!”

Arven nodded before turning towards the creature, his expression darkening. “Well, yeah. As it should be. But it can’t fight while it’s like this. The form Koraidon takes in battle…That’s its true form.”

“Koraidon? Is that this Pokémon’s name? How’d you know it?” Nemona asked as the strange creature padded forward, sniffing at Arven even as the teen jerked backwards with a hiss. Koraidon then looked towards the door of the Lighthouse and cried out.

“You can’t go in the lab. It’s locked.” Arven grunted, turning towards Milo and Nemona. The teen looked at the other boy and said, “I don’t remember ever seeing you around. But given the uniform…you go to the Academy too, do you?”

“Yeah, today will be my first day. Not that it should matter to someone so rude.” Milo remarked in a matter-of-fact tone, earning a scoff from Arven before he glanced at Koraidon. The teen hummed for a minute before a sharp exhale escaped his lips.

“Koraidon isn’t the sort of Pokémon that any old Trainer can hope to command. It’s special. And it certainly can’t be running around unchecked like this…dammit.” Arven muttered, crossing his arms. This raised even more questions, which Nemona chose to voice.

“Special how? What sort of Pokémon is it?” Nemona asked Arven, who glanced at her and answered with silence for several long moments before looking back at Milo.

“You think you’re up to ordering Koraidon around? Then how ‘bout I test your worthiness?” Arven remarked with a smirk, with Milo now taking his turn to scoff at the teen. However, Milo matched his smirk with one of his own.

“You’re on.” Milo responded defiantly, causing Arven’s smirk to shift into a genuine grin as he put his hands on his hips. The Voice chuckled in Milo’s head, but the teen wasn’t worried at all this time.

“Heh! Well, look at you - quite a little go-getter!” Arven remarked before turning around and getting a short distance away from Milo. The younger teen did the same as Nemona and Koraidon backed away, allowing the two Trainers plenty of room to battle. Arven rolled up his sleeves, huffing loudly slapping his cheeks and letting out a shout.

“I’ve been feeling all out of sorts, so I’m gonna use this battle to blast these doldrums away!” Arven shouted as he took several steps back, pulling out a Poké Ball and calling out a Skwovet. Milo nearly gasped as the Nuzlocke Curse struck him, gripping his heart. Milo grit his teeth and focused on his annoyance at the rude teen who had forced him into this meaningless battle, even if it was one Milo had willingly accepted.

“Reggie, let’s go!” Milo barked as he sent out his Fuecoco, who let out a cry as it braced itself to battle.

“These memories are leaving a bad taste in my mouth - and I want it gone!” Arven muttered as he swiped a hand through the air at Milo. The Galarian teen hummed for a moment before pointing forward. 

“Reggie, hit hit with Ember!” Milo commanded his Starter, who’s eyes narrowed before he fired off a sphere of pure fire that struck Skwovet hard, sending it flying backwards with a pained squeal. Arven’s eyes widened at the sudden critical hit, realizing that he was starting off this battle immediately on the back foot.

“Don’t let him get any more shots in! Use Bite!” Arven called to his Pokémon as it slowly got up, glaring at Reggie before lunging at him and chomping down hard on the Fuecoco’s head. The Fire Croc growled in pain, and after several long seconds managed to shake off the Skwovet while grimacing at the bite marks on his head.

“Leer!” 

“Bite again!”

Milo scowled as the Skwovet weathered the harsh look his Fuecoco was giving him and dashed at Reggie a second time, biting down even harder on the Fuecoco’s noggin. This time however Skwovet managed to make Fuecoco let out a howl of pain, and Milo’s eyes widened at the intense reaction. Arven smirked, realizing that he wasn’t out of this battle yet.

“You’re not the only one with luck on their side. Looks like I can score Critical Hits too, new kid!” Arven remarked as Reggie began running around the clearing, frantically trying to get the squirrel off of his head.

“Bash your head into the ground with Tackle!” Milo suddenly called out, catching Arven completely off-guard. Nemona broke out into a pleased smile at the command, watching as Reggie leapt towards the ground with a small burst of speed and tackled Skwovet into the dirt, smashing him hard against the earth and dislodging him from Reggie’s skull. 

“Alright then! Skwovet use Bite again to…huh?” Arven trailed off as he realized that his Pokémon was lying on the ground unconscious from that last attack. “Well, that’s not good. Did I just lose?”

“The winner of this battle is Milo!” Nemona shouted, raising a hand in Milo’s direction as walked forward to apply a Potion to Reggie, taking a moment to rub the Fuecoco’s sore head before returning him. Nearby, Koraidon let out a bark-like growl as it realized the brief battle was concluded. Milo felt the curse release him and he relaxed slightly.

Arven also returned his Pokémon, his expression one of absolute frustration as he put a hand to his forehead and glared at the ground. “Seems you know a thing or two about battle.”

Milo shrugged as Nemona ran over to him, beaming at her new friend. “Wow, Milo! That was awesome!”

“It wasn’t anything special.” Milo remarked bashfully, flushing at the praise from the girl. Nemona then looked at Milo interestedly, seeing that her neighbor seemed to be back to normal. Before she had time to think on that further, Arven threw his hands up into the air dramatically, letting out a loud exhale.

“I guess I wasn’t ever going to stand a chance using some Pokémon I’d only just caught…” Arven grumbled, with Milo giving the teen an annoyed look. Nemona then watched his expression go completely neutral again, with no trace of emotion on Milo’s face. 

Now the Student Council President was genuinely intrigued.

“I’ve known this Fuecoco for about an hour. Wanna try again?” Milo asked Arven, who looked irritated for a second before his expression schooled into something more thoughtful.

“Not bad. You’ve got quite the spine for someone so short. But if you really think you can take Koraidon off my hands for me…you’ll need this.” Arven dug into his pocket and pulled out a rather old Poké Ball that he tossed at Milo, who barely caught the device. “It’s the Poké Ball that brute’s been kept in.”

“So why’d YOU have it?” Nemona suddenly asked Arven, who immediately clammed up and remained silent as he looked away. 

“The lady asked a question. Best you could do is give some kind of-” Milo began to say, only for Arven to cut him off.

“Anyway, that thing’s your problem now, not mine. Good luck.” Arven said before suddenly running full-tilt down the road, actually leaving behind a trail of dust in his wake.

“What? Oye! Can you not hear me or something?” Nemona shouted out indignantly to the teen, who quickly became a retreating figure in the distance. “Fine, be that way! But you better actually show up for school!”

“What a weirdo…” Nemona grumbled, crossing her arms with an annoyed huff. 

Milo also exhaled, annoyance returning to his face. The day had started off so promising too. But after the recent excitement he was starting to hope that the day would end sooner rather than later so he could process what had actually happened. The boy checked his new Rotom Phone for the time.

09:32 AM.

“Dammit…” Milo thought before Koraidon ambled over to him. Milo smiled despite himself and held out the Poké Ball, returning Koraidon. Nemona walked back over to her new neighbor, her expression one of deep thought.

“That Arven guy definitely knows more than he’s letting on.” Nemona remarked, humming as she considered it. “What do you think, Milo? He’s super suspicious, right?”

“To be honest, I really don’t care about him.” Milo admitted with an annoyed sigh, crossing his arms. “We all have problems going on. That doesn’t give him an excuse to act like a prick out of nowhere to me and you. And the way he talked about Koraidon? Totally uncalled for.”

“You’re not wrong.” Nemona agreed, nodding before punching her palm with a stern expression. “Next time, he and I are battling! I’m gonna wring some answers outta him!”

“Let me know when you do that. I’ll buy some popcorn for the ass-kicking.” 

Nemona smirked at Milo’s response, but then seemed to remember something important because an excited expression bloomed across her face as she clasped her hands together. “But oh, right - we gotta climb the lighthouse! Can’t wait to show you the view of our school!”

Nemona bolted towards the iron ladder and quickly began to climb. Milo made a move to follow her, but then realized that he should probably let her climb up first and then join her once he was sure she was at the top. He didn’t want to accidentally look where he wasn’t supposed to be, after all.

“After how nice she’s been to me so far, I don’t want to ruin things by coming off like a creep.” Milo thought before his mind turned to Arven and Koraidon. There were so many warning signs and weirdness centering around that entire situation and Milo found it profoundly troubling. 

“That guy made it sound like he’s been through some rough times, but that didn’t give him the right to talk to us like that. Even after we explained how Koraidon saved my life. What the hell was his problem?” Milo scowled angrily, crossing his arms. 

“Milo! Where are you?” Nemona called to the boy, who shrugged and pushed aside thoughts of Arven and climbed up the ladder, getting to the top of the lighthouse huffing and puffing. He walked over to where Nemona was leaning against the rail, looking out over the Paldean landscape. The boy leaned against the railing as well, earning a smile from Nemona.

“Look, Milo! That’s Mesagoza!” Nemona said to him as she pointed out over the trees, buildings and rising cliffs that rose up over the landscape and to the large city in the distance. The spires of Mesagoza were distinctive, almost resembling a castle of sorts. The tallest building was one Milo recognized, with four spires surrounding the tallest fifth spire with a Pokémon sculpture beneath it. “And that huge building with the Poké Ball on it is our school!”

“Yeah, I’ve seen it in magazines and stuff but seeing it in person is…wow. I bet it’s absolutely massive up close.” Milo remarked, smiling a little now. 

“It’s gonna be so great having you in the same class, Milo!” Nemona said excitedly to her new neighbor, who held out a fist to Nemona. The Champion grinned and tapped it with her own. 

“I’m looking forward to it!” Milo said honestly, causing Nemona to giggle and turn towards him.

“Right? I can’t wait to get back. We’re gonna get to learn so much…and battle so, so, SO much!” Nemona practically sang, causing Milo to smile back at her.

“Somehow I knew that was coming.” Milo remarked as Nemona caught herself and laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head while Milo leaned further over the railing. “This is one hell of a view though. Plus with the sea breeze at our backs…it’s really nice.”

“Isn’t awesome what you can see from up here?” Nemona asked Milo, who cast his gaze out over the route. Looming mountains rose up in the distance, clouds masking their true height as rolling green plains stretched out before them. 

“Mountains! Forests! Grasslands! Beautiful nature stuff, as far as the eye can see! And you know what’s waiting for you all over these natural spaces? Tons of Pokémon!” Nemona said brightly as she and Milo gazed out over the distance, relishing in the incredible view over the Paldean Wilds that only height could give you.

“I can’t wait to meet them all. ” Milo remarked with quiet excitement, grinning at Nemona as she turned towards Milo, matching his smile. 

“Consider this me officially telling you: Welcome to Paldea!” Nemona said to Milo, who nodded in response and offered the girl a thumbs up. “But anyway, like you can see, it’s kind of a hike to get to school from here. Let’s make it to Los Platos for starters. That’s right on the way.”

“Sounds like a plan. Should we-” Milo began to ask, only for Nemona to cut him off.

“ Vamos ! C’mon!” Nemona said to Milo before bolting to the ladder that led downwards, leaving a bewildered Milo behind. After blinking several moments, Milo shrugged and followed after his neighbor downwards and by the time he reached the bottom Nemona was a speck on the horizon.

“I guess I’ll meet her at Los Platos then…” Milo muttered as he began walking down the path, somewhat surprised he had been left behind like this. Unfortunately Milo wasn’t alone, as he soon found out.

You are allowed one capture on this route, depending on the first Pokémon you choose to battle. 

“Oh wow, thanks so much.” Milo remarked as he walked down the path, sending out Reggie and Sparky. 

You’re lucky I’m giving you this much. You really have no idea what kind of journey you’re in for, huh?

“Uh, no? Why are you acting like you already know what’s gonna happen?” Milo asked as he walked across a bridge, pointedly making sure not to pay attention to the chaos Reggie and Sparky were wreaking so as not to invoke the so-called Nuzlocke Curse. 

Because there are certain events that can and will happen, should you survive to encounter them. However, life is a chaotic thing and sometimes events will play out that even I can’t see in advance. Knowing how life tends to work out for you Protagonists, I’m sure you’ll run into more than a few curve balls.

Milo stopped on the bridge that was built over a small creek and considered that information. The Voice that had cursed him was hinting at some very strange things, and Milo wasn’t sure if he could believe any of it. 

The sound of pattering feet broke Milo out of his musing, and he nearly toppled over a Psyduck that had wandered into his path. Milo heaved out a sigh of relief and walked further down the path, keeping his head on a swivel to ensure he didn’t encounter any Pokémon he didn’t want to before he had a chance to scope out the path. 

Reggie and Sparky came back to Milo a few minutes later, panting with exhaustion but both looking rather pleased with themselves. The new Trainer took a few minutes to heal and clean up both Pokémon, even feeding them some berries that he found while wandering around on the route. Sparky was more wary when eating the food than Reggie, who dug in happily, but eventually the Pawmi ate its snack and seemed happier after the fact.

Milo returned Sparky and allowed Reggie to attack some of the Pokémon by a nearby lake, spotting a Magikarp and some Psyduck loitering around. Milo gasped as he spotted an incredibly rare Ralts lingering around near the water’s edge, walking through the grass. 

However, Milo spotted an even rarer sight that instantly made him freeze and go completely still. A Pokémon he recognized, a Wooper, was walking beside the small pond nearby. However, it was brown instead of blue. Which could only mean…

“No way. Is that a Shiny !?” Milo murmured quietly, eyeing the brownish Wooper with an awed look. Shinies were incredibly rare, and encountering one was worth celebrating like you had won the lottery. 

Look closely and you tell me.

Milo frowned at the comment, but did as the Voice asked. That was when he noticed the strange antenna on the sides of the head of the Wooper and how it looked different than usual Woopers (beside the color), and it was then Milo realized the truth of the matter.

“It’s a Regional Variant, isn’t it? Like Nemona’s Tauros.” Milo concluded, earning a chuckle of amusement from the Voice that confirmed Milo’s suspicion.

For the record, if you did encounter a Shiny Pokémon, the Curse does permit you to catch those Pokémon and use them outside of the allotted choices you have.

“I actually do appreciate knowing that in advance. Now, I’m gonna catch it!” Milo said as he tapped Reggie on the head and said, “Reggie, use Tackle!”

The Fuecoco growled and nodded before charging at the Wooper, who didn’t even react upon seeing the Fire Croc charging at it. Reggie connected with the Wooper and sent it flying backwards, but it landed on its feet and fired off a Mud Shot, causing Reggie to cry out in pain at the super-effective move. Milo grimaced as the Nuzlocke Curse kicked into effect, but he pushed through it and prepared himself to capture a new Pokémon.

Milo drew a Poké Ball and hurled it as hard as he could, connecting with the forehead of the Wooper and sucking it into the Poké Ball. One…two…three…

Click.

“Yes! That’s Pokémon Number 3!” Milo cheered, laughing as he walked forward to pick up the Poké Ball. Milo knelt down and pulled out a towel to help clean the mud off Reggie, using some of the nearby water to do so and ignoring some minor discomfort he felt from being so close to the water’s edge. After cleaning his Starter, Milo pulled up the Pokédex entry for the strange Wooper.

“Wooper. The Poison Fish Pokémon. Paldean Regional Variant. After losing a territorial struggle, Wooper began living on land. The Pokémon changed over time, developing a poisonous film to protect its body.” The Rotom Phone said aloud, with Milo looking down at the Poké Ball with a smile. “This Wooper is Female and has the Ability Water Absorb. Its Tera Type is Ground.”

“A Regional Variant, huh? Just like with Ponyta and Slowpoke back home.” Milo remarked as he called out his new Pokémon, who looked up a him with its unchanging silly smile. “So, what to name you?”

“Wooopa!” came the cheery response. 

“Well, you certainly look way different than a normal Wooper. Kind of a brown color…how about Cocoa?” Milo suggested to his newest capture. The Paldean Wooper stared at Milo for a moment before bobbing her head in response, much to the boy’s surprise. Milo  looked towards the nearby village of Los Platos and said, “Let’s explore for just a bit longer. Get you all some exercise.”

Milo began walking along the route with his Fuecoco, Pawmi and now Paldean Wooper out in front of him. The three Pokémon chattered to one another, with Milo unable to understand any of it. If Milo had to guess, they were trying to learn more about one another. Upon seeing a wild Deerling, Reggie rushed forward and attacked it without any input from Milo except for the teen to point at the opponent in question.

“I still can’t believe I have such a strange and powerful Pokémon here with me. Koraidon…” Milo said as he pulled out the Poké Ball containing the ferocious Pokémon. Milo examined the Poké Ball and recognized it as one of the slightly older models. As the years went by, Poké Balls underwent small tweaks in design to make them more user-friendly or stylish. It was these kinds of innovations that led to things like the Timer and Quick Balls. 

“Well, whatever happens, I’ll take care of you. You’re part of the team now, Koraidon.” Milo muttered quietly, holding the ball firmly in his hand for several seconds. For a moment, Milo could have sworn he heard a faint growling sound from the capsule, but he shook away the strange feeling and clipped the Poké Ball to his belt and went after his trio of Pokémon as they continued to lay waste to the wild Pokémon in the area. 

Milo picked up a handful of useful items laying on the ground before finally deciding that he was ready to go see Nemona. The boy scooped up a panicked Sparky and placed the Pawmi on his own head before corralling his team towards the village of Los Platos, eager to continue on with his journey to Mesagoza and begin his first day at school.

Chapter Text

"Oye, Milo! Over here!" Nemona called to a rather exhausted Milo, who offered his friend a relieved grin as his new Wooper cried out excitedly. Thankfully Reggie had settled into his arms and was napping, with Cocoa and Sparky perched on the boy's shoulders. He was grateful that they were all so small, but it did make Milo happy that all of his Pokémon were fond enough of him to want to be close. His two newest captures were chattering to one another with smiles on their faces, which made Milo smile in turn.

He had heard stories from famous Trainers like Silver, Lance and even the Alolan Champion Sunshine Smiles that they had members of their world-famous teams that had initially given them a lot of trouble. Reggie, Sparky and Cocoa all seemed agreeable enough.

"Ooooh! You caught yourself a Wooper! And one native to Paldea! Very nice!" Nemona said excitedly, beaming at the little Pokémon with a kind smile. "I know one of our Elite Four adores Wooper and Cl-um, it's evolved form. So yeah! Solid catch!"

"I'm glad you approve. So what's up?" Milo asked Nemona, who took that moment to gesture towards upwards, in the general direction of the clouds overhead.

"The sky." Nemona responded immediately, causing Milo to give her a deadpan expression while the girl giggled at him. "But that's beside the point. This here's a Pokémon Center! You can come here to take care of a lot of things related to your Pokémon. But I'll leave the explanations to the pros here."

"Happy to be of service - and welcome to the Pokémon Center!" The pink-haired woman greeted Milo from behind the counter, nodding to him with a bright smile. Milo was a bit confused at the setting of the Pokémon Center, since the building in question was little more than a series of counters surrounding an outpost. It was extremely bizarre-looking to Milo.

"I'm here to keep everyone's Pokémon healthy." The woman then gestured to her left, where a man wearing a blue shirt stood behind a blue counter. "Here on my left is the Poké Mart counter! You can buy things like Poké Balls and Potions."

"Hello!" The man greeted Milo just as cheerily as his coworker. "We accept payment both in cash and in LP - League Points, that is. One LP is worth one Poké Dollar."

The woman took over speaking, gesturing to her right while saying, "And this to my right is the Technical Machine Machine - TM Machine for short! It's your ticket to making TM's, which you can use to teach moves to your Pokémon. You'll need to pay in LP and supply the machine with materials that Pokémon drop."

You bastard, you knew that would be a thing beforehand, didn't you? Milo thought at the Voice, who simply laughed in response.

Nemona suddenly chimed in, snapping Milo out of his thoughts. "LP comes in handy both at the machines and at stores! I've got a lot - here, have some!"

"You don't really gotta give me money…" Milo groused, even as he pulled out his phone and his neighbor transferred 5000 LP to Milo's meager account. The boy really didn't like the fact that his new neighbor was doing all of this for him, but at the same time he found that he couldn't really tell her no since she was going out of her way to help Milo feel welcome. Nemona didn't seem to pick up on Milo's discomfort, as she began to dig around in her bag.

"Oh yeah, and some of these too!" Nemona said before pulling out a square item capsule, setting the item capsule on the ground and enlarging it to reveal a large organized suitcase of sorts that was filled with organized Pokémon materials. Nemona swiftly pulled out a little bit of several types of materials and handed them to Milo, even going so far as to give him something to actually store them in.

The woman at the counter continued while Milo dealt with more of Nemona's shenanigans. "And at the Union Circle, you can connect with other Trainers to find yourself some adventuring companions! Come visit us at the Pokémon Center anytime you need any help!"

"We will. Thanks!" Nemona said to the two workers, who both bowed their heads at the Champion before the girl turned to Milo. "Remember: 'Had a rough adventure? Get to the Pokémon Center!' Sometimes you have to know this sort of stuff for quizzes at school. But mnemonics help out!"

"Don't you mean Nemona-ics?" Milo joked as he zipped up his backpack, with Nemona giving Milo a confused look before she realized he was making a joke and smirked.

"You're a punny guy, aren't you?" Nemona asked as the boy adjusted his tie, offering her a smirk in response.

"Wordplay is a critical part of Galarian culture." Milo said as he put his backpack back on. "If we're gonna be friends, then that's part of the deal. Though we're not as bad as the stereotypes make it out to be."

"Fair enough! So, one more thing. Paldea is a huge place, so feel free to let your Pokémon off the leash so to speak and let them battle on their own initiative. They can collect materials and items for you if you let them do their own thing. And with the latest developments in Poké Ball tech, you can recall them instantly if you need to." Nemona helpfully explained to Milo, who's eyes widened as he realized how helpful that actually was.

"I was kinda already doing it and no one told me to stop, so I figured it was okay. Cool. Good to know." Milo said to Nemona, while inwardly thinking. Wait a sec, did you already know that was a thing too? Was that why you told me about that?

Yep.

You asshole.

You know…I may be a non-corporeal voice living inside your head, but I have feelings too, you know.

"Now, time to go. Once we leave Los Platos, we'll hit the best-known spot in the South Province's Area One: the massive hill on the way to school!" Nemona said to Milo, smirking at the teen with amusement. "You'll usually find Trainers there who are just itching to battle. Good luck!"

"I think before I do that, I'll craft some TM's. My team is pretty weak as of right now, so I should try correcting that early by giving them some better moves." Milo remarked as he walked over to the TM Machine and began typing away at it, making an account with the Pokémon Center while Nemona practically hovered over his shoulder, looking at what her new friend was doing with excited interest. It took the boy everything in his power to not blush from Nemona being so close to him.

"So, you'll learn this in one of the courses, but I can tell you right off the bat that having a bigger move pool is a tried and true way to find success as a Trainer." Nemona said to Milo, pointing at the various moves depicted on the screen. "Your Pokémon are in their first forms right now, so there's only so many moves they can learn. But keep it in mind for later, okay?

Milo ended up making a TM for Disarming Voice for Reggie, teaching him the move after Nemona loaned Milo her TM Teaching Machine. The Champion promised Milo that she'd take him shopping for one of his own once they got to the city. As Milo packed up his things and put his backpack on again, Nemona gave him a thumbs up and a grin.

"Let's meet in front of the big gate whenever you're ready to head to Mesagoza. Who knows what else you may run into while you're traveling?" Nemona said brightly before dashing off, leaving Milo behind.

"She's really nice, but man she's a handful." Milo admitted quietly, smiling as he watched Nemona depart, his eyes drifting low for a moment while a very unhelpful Voice laughed at him.

I bet you'd like to get a handful, if you know what I mean.

"Oh, shut up. I can't help it that she's exactly my type!" Milo shot back, his cheeks burning with embarrassment, shaking his head. "She's tall, beautiful, and confident. Plus she's really nice and helpful and she's got a really strong personality, which is something I really like. Her boyfriend is a lucky, lucky man."

You're completely smitten huh. That's actually hilarious.

Milo rolled his eyes at that, some of his embarrassment fading away. "Whatever. I am happy she's putting in this effort for me. I actually do appreciate that a lot, since I'm new to this place…To be honest, I'm really anxious about going back to school. I've never been great with people."

The Voice remained silent at that and Milo walked forward, catching up with Nemona rather easily since she had been instantly sidetracked by an old woman who recognized her.

"Look at you, little Nemo! You've grown at least another foot since I last seen you!" the old woman wearing a shawl tittered, smiling at Nemona with a proud look. "A Champion and a legend in the making! Just know that we're very proud of you, dearie."

"Thank you, ma'am. I'm going to keep working hard to be a Champion that Paldea can always be proud of!" Nemona said brightly, grinning in response. Milo was surprised to see that the girl was just as cheerful around him as everyone else, it seemed.

Milo spotted a nearby cart selling ice cream and his eyes lit up. He then tapped Nemona just as she was about to bolt off again. The girl who looked at him in confusion before following where Milo was now pointing. "Wanna get some ice cream?"

"Our desserts will melt your heart!" the middle-aged woman said brightly, adjusting her sunglasses. "Would you like some delicious, refreshing ice cream?"

Nemona and Milo ordered a single-scoop of Mint Chocolate Chip and Strawberry respectively and sat down on a nearby bench, enjoying the frozen treat in the warmth of the summer afternoon.

"So, tell me about yourself Milo! You're from Galar, right?" Nemona asked Milo, who stopped mid-lick and nodded.

"Yeah, I lived in Motostoke. Pretty nice place to grow up, plus you can visit other places pretty easily thanks to the trains and Flying Taxi's." Milo responded, smiling at her. "The Stadium there's the highlight though. You'd get a kick out of that, considering how epic the battles are in Galar. It's what made me want to be a Trainer. Especially watching Leon, the former Champion, battle his heart out with that badass Charizard of his."

"I've heard the battling scene there is super fun! During the big Winter Solstice Celebration we had a Gym Leader from Galar come by and take part in an exhibition match. It was really intense!" Nemona said excitedly to Milo, who considered that.

"Who was it?" Milo asked out of curiosity.

Nemona thought back for a moment. "A dark-skinned girl who used Water-types. I think she was a model, but I was more focused on her awesome battling skills."

"Sounds like Nessa. She's pretty famous in Galar, actually. I've seen her battle once or twice, and she's getting even more popular outside of Galar for her modeling." Milo said as he pulled out his Rotom Phone, quickly going online before showing Nemona a picture of the Gym Leader in question battling on a beach in a bikini, a massive Gyarados attacking an Appletun in front of her.

"Ooh, that's her! I should've asked for an autograph in retrospect. Darn. Well, I'll probably get a chance to meet more cool Gym Leaders later this year." Nemona shrugged her shoulders before finishing off her ice cream. "So good!"

"Yeah, this really hits the spot." Milo agreed, taking his time eating his ice cream. He was always a bit of a slow eater anyway, which was fine because Nemona was happy to lead the conversation and start talking about some of the finer points of some of the big celebrations the school did. Apparently Naranja Academy has occasionally hosted big social events for the Summer and Winter Solstice, as well as various holidays.

Nemona also explained how as Champion, she performed some executive functions as a representative of the Paldean Pokémon League to assist whenever she was asked. Milo was surprised to learn that she was even paid whenever she performed such functions, and rather well too. Not that she needed to worry about money, considering her family was loaded anyway.

Eventually, Nemona hopped up from the bench and stretched. Milo was shocked to learn that half an hour had passed. He was honestly enjoying his chats with the friendly, if somewhat overenthusiastic, girl.

"Well, we can chat more later! Now that I'm refreshed, I'm gonna go ahead and see if I can catch something new! See you soon!" Nemona said before dashing off, leaving Milo behind. Milo watched the girl leave, smiling after her as he finished eating his ice cream.

So now's a good time to mention some more of the rules you're under right now.

"Oh good. I was in danger of actually enjoying my day." Milo remarked sourly as he hopped up dusting off his hands and walking towards the nearest path that led him out of the small village. "So what am I dealing with?"

I'm banning you from buying items from the Poké Mart for the purposes of the challenge.

"Wait, what? Why!?" Milo demanded, shocked at the sudden revelation from the Voice. In response it chuckled darkly at Milo, who grimaced as he entered the next route and called out Cocoa, who promptly ran ahead and attacked a Sunkern.

Because it's cheap. While it's frowned upon to use items in battle here in Paldea, some Trainers do. And I have no problem with that. However, I don't want you stocking up on so many healing items that you can use those as a crutch and get past all of your problems.

"That still seems insanely unfair."

There's nothing stopping you from scavenging items you find on the ground. See, there's a Potion right there. Trainers here really are careless when it comes to their items, huh?

Milo glanced down at the ground and saw that there was indeed a Potion lying on the ground. Milo picked it up off of the ground and sighed before pulling out a towel he had in his backpack, brushing the dirt off of the Potion before putting it away.

"What about going to other stores?"

I'll inform you where you can or cannot go. Buying vitamins and battle items is completely fine. In fact, I recommend it. But I'm sure you'll learn about how useful those are in your classes.

Milo didn't respond to that, instead stuffing his hands into his pockets with a grumble of annoyance. More and more he was wondering if he was in over his head.

Despite his churning thoughts, Milo did explore the route as the Voice had advised him and actually ended up picking up a few Poké Balls and medicines that would all come in handy. It annoyed him that he wasn't able to just buy as much stuff as he wanted from the Poké Mart, but he knew better than to argue with something that wasn't actually there.

After about an hour of walking, Milo decided a break was in order and walked over to a pond that happened to be nearby. Milo sat down by the water and sighed, allowing the knot of tension within his stomach to lessen as his team walked over to where he was at. Milo put a hand on Reggie's head, rubbing it and earning a happy growl. The teen made sure to likewise pat Sparky and Cocoa, though he had to wash his hand afterwards in Cocoa's case considering the sliminess of her skin.

While he enjoyed the rather beautiful day, he let his Pokémon continue to attack everything in sight. It allowed him to consider the ramifications of the strange curse he was under, as well as what it may mean for his life here in Paldea. What did he really and truly want? Was it worth dying for? He had put his life on the line when dealing with Arven too!

"I'll have to do some soul-searching once I get to the Academy…" Milo muttered as he shook his head and hopped to his feet. He looked to his Pokémon and saw that they were looking up at him expectantly. "Come on, let's get going."

The teen made quick work of any wild Pokémon in the area and made sure to avoid the gaze of any Trainer along the path. According to Nemona, Trainers in Paldea would only challenge you if you directly asked them too, and were more than happy to let you walk by without a fight. Normally Milo would have been weirded out by that, but considering his current situation he was relieved more than anything else.

Eventually Milo made his way to the Pokémon Center situated right next to a large door surrounded by an elegant stone archway. After healing his Pokémon and glancing around to see if his hyperactive neighbor was around, Milo approached the door.

"Oyeee! Milo!"

The new Trainer turned around to see Nemona jogging towards him, stepping just short of Milo. "Didja battle some Trainers on the hill? Bet your Pokémon are getting stronger!"

"I actually focused on scouting out the Pokémon on this route and spending time getting to know the three I've got. I've never had a Pokémon of my own before today, you know?" Milo said to Nemona, who nodded in understanding. "I'm learning a lot though. They've each got their own quirks."

"Of course! No two Pokémon are the exact same, just like with people!" Nemona said as she raised a finger in the air. "There's some really cool studies done on the subject, which goes into Pokémon genetics, personality and even what Pokémon they battle and how this can influence the strength of a Pokémon! I've actually been able to prove that myself, thanks to some of my own experiences."

"Sounds like you really do learn a lot at school." Milo responded, sounding rather impressed. "Now you're just getting me pumped to learn more in my classes. I'm already learning a lot just from what's gone down today."

"How about you show me how much you all have learned…in a battle?" Nemona asked, smiling expectantly at Milo, barely concealed excitement in her eyes.

Milo felt a twinge of dread, knowing full-well that Nemona was capable of crushing him. And of course, inadvertently killing him and his team through the Nuzlocke Curse. He tried to let her down gently. "I don't know…I-"

"If you're not sure, all the more reason to give it a shot! A nice battle will help us get to know each other better, too!" Nemona pointed out, and Milo inwardly fumed at the logic. If he was going to go through with the whole Pokémon Trainer thing, he'd have to get comfortable with battling. And if he was going to continue being friends with a battle fanatic like Nemona, then he'd have to get so good that he could keep winning against her.

"Come on, Milo! Let's have us a fruitful battle!" Nemona said before running off to the side of the path, with Milo moving in the opposite direction with an inward sigh. Milo turned around as Nemona adjusted her arm brace and threw aside her hand, flashing Milo a bright smile.

"You seem like you're getting better at this, so I'm coming at you with TWO Pokémon this time!" Nemona called to Milo before thrusting a hand forward and shouting, "Foehn, come on out!"

"Reggie, let's go!" Milo shouted as he sent the Poké Ball forward, calling forth his Fuecoco. The Fire Croc growled at his opponent while Milo winced at the Nuzlocke Curse taking effect.

"I'll start things off! Foehn, use Scratch!" Nemona shouted as Foehn dashed forward and began furiously scratching at Reggie, who cried out in pain and tried running away from the ferocious cat. Milo called for Reggie to retaliate with a Tackle, which served to get the cat away from him.

"Leafage!" Nemona called out as Foehn meowed loudly, the leaves around his neck glowing bright green before fluttering towards Reggie. The Fire Croc yelped as the Leafage crashed into him, knocking him into the dirt.

"Ember!" Milo called as Reggie's eyes narrowed at the feline standing across from him on the battlefield. Reggie inhaled deeply before firing off a sphere of pure flames that exploded against Foehn, knocking him out cold.

"You really work on your type-matchups. I can tell how badly you wanna win!" Nemona called to Milo as she returned her Sprigatito, clipping the ball to her belt before drawing a second one.

"Wow, doing even better than I expected." Nemona muttered, turning to the side and putting a hand to her chin thoughtfully, grinning with excitement before turning back to her new friend. "You're legit, Milo!"

"You're pretty neat yourself, Nemona. Now come on, that can't be the only trick up your sleeve!" Milo called back before he remembered that Nemona was very much holding back on him right now.

"Too true. Let's see how you handle Sirocco!" Nemona said as she tossed out a second Poké Ball, sending out a four-legged orange rodent Pokémon with yellow cheeks that Milo recognized immediately as a Pawmi. Milo debated switching to Sparky, but he decided to just keep Reggie in battle since he was already doing well.

"Battling you is a blast! I better pull out my ace in the hole!" Nemona shouted as smiled broadly at Milo, who responded with a good-natured smirk.

"You gonna keep me in suspense? Reggie and I can't be beat!" Milo shot back as Nemona chuckled lightly. It was then that she pulled out a strange-looking Poké Ball from her backpack.

It was translucent and black, and Nemona regarded it with excitement as she glanced at Milo. She tossed it up and down for a moment before her smile became somewhat sharper and more fierce, sending a shiver down Milo's spine.

Nemona held out the Poké Ball and tapped the button on the front, activating it and causing a vortex of shimmering light to suddenly be sucked into the Poké Ball. Nemona noticeably winced at the backlash as an intense wind kicked up around the battlefield, but the Champion-ranked Trainer grinned a moment later as the vortex faded and the Poké Ball shined brightly. Nemona then threw the strange orb forward, with shards of raw energy showering Sirocco the Pawmi before light and crystals totally enveloped the Mouse Pokémon.

Suddenly the crystals that had entombed the Pokémon shattered, revealing a crystalline Pawmi wearing a yellow light bulb-shaped crown on its head with a yellow bolt of lightning crackling within it. Sirocco let out a cry as a yellow-colored wave of energy erupted from the Pokémon, kicking up a fierce wind that made Milo and Reggie wince.

"What the hell was that?" Milo muttered, staring at the Pawmi in confusion. It looked as if it had been turned into a living crystal statue. And what was with the weird orb that Nemona was tossing up and down in her hand?

"Well? We're waiting." Nemona said coyly, making Milo frown as he considered the very obvious trap she was baiting him into.

"Please, after you. Sir Reginald the Spicy can handle whatever you and your living gemstone has in store for us." Milo remarked as his Fuecoco growled an affirmative. Nemona nodded at the remark, seemingly pleased before she gestured towards Sirocco the Pawmi.

"Terastalizing is always a solid strategy! It gives moves of a Pokémon's Tera Type more power." Nemona helpfully informed Milo before grinning wickedly. "Hit 'em with a Thunder Shock, Sirocco!"

"Paaawww!" the Pawmi cried out as a wave of energy radiated off of it before a large bolt of lightning erupted from the Pawmi with a loud crackle and struck Reggie directly, sending him flying backwards with a yelp and leaving scorch marks on the ground where the Fuecoco had been standing. Milo's eyes widened in surprise at the sheer force behind the attack. He knew from experience that Sparky was nowhere that powerful. So how did Sirocco unleash such a powerful attack?

"Reggie! Are you alright?" Milo called to his Starter, who growled from the ground. After a few moments the Fuecoco began to rise, and Milo thought quickly as to what his next move would be.

"That had some force behind it. And this is from a Pawmi that she just caught within the past few hours or so. What the heck is this 'Terastalizing' thing?" Milo muttered, thinking quickly. "I've just got to power through and knock this thing out ASAP. Even if it's got an attack boost, it may not be that strong defensively!"

"Come on, Milo! What's your next move?" Nemona asked cheekily, excitement dancing in her eyes as she grinned at her friend. Milo crossed his arms, shifting his weight to his left leg for a moment.

"My next move is to take your sparkly new friend out. Use Ember Reggie!" Milo commanded his Starter, who lashed out with an Ember that the Pawmi tanked without issue. Milo felt a sliver of dread crawl down his spine as Nemona flashed him a grin.

"Thunder Shock again, Sirocco!" Nemona called to the Terastallized Sirocco, who cried out as the crown-like jewel atop his head exploded with electricity before Sirocco threw out both hands to release a wicked Thunder Shock at Reggie. The Fuecoco was thrown backwards this time, crashing heavily on the ground with a pained groan…

And for a moment Milo felt his heart stop. Remembering the Nuzlocke Curse, he knew what Reggie getting knocked out meant. It would mean that his Partner, his first-ever Pokémon, was as good as dead.

"Come on, buddy! Get back up!" Milo shouted to his Starter, who twitched several times on the ground.

Then suddenly, Reggie's body began to glow bright red, and Milo's eyes went wide at the crimson aura of fire that was now enveloping his Fuecoco as he slowly got back to his feet, panting hard. Milo grinned from ear-to-ear as he watched Reggie rise once more.

"Good work, Reggie. We're not done yet!" Milo called to Nemona, with Milo taking a step forward. "Reggie's Ability, Blaze, is now active. And that means he should get a big boost in firepower thanks to being badly hurt. So let's turn the tables and win this thing!"

"Graaaaw!" Reggie growled in agreement, narrowing his eyes as the alarmed Chsipa who stood across from him winced.

"Reggie, dig deep and use that Blaze! Ember!" Milo barked as Reggie braced himself and inhaled deeply, a roaring sphere of flames forming within his mouth as Sirocco the Pawmi watched in stunned surprise. Reggie fired off the Ember that rocketed towards Sirocco, exploding against the Pawmi and sending him skidding through the dirt with a pained squeal.

"Whoa, now that was some firepower!" Nemona remarked with wide eyes before looking at the state of her Pokémon. Sirocco the Pawmi swayed on its feet with a soft cry before a sharp flash erupted from its body, with the crown on its head exploding into a thousand shards of light. As the Pawmi hit the ground and fainted, the shards of the crown faded into particles of light that quickly faded into nothingness.

Nemona returned her Pokémon as Milo did a fist pump, walking forward scooping up an exhausted Reggie into his arms and began to pet the Fire Croc, which soothed him as Nemona walked forward with a bright smile. "Man, I can't believe how fast you're improving!"

"Am I? I nearly lost Reggie…that was too close." Milo muttered distractedly there as the weight in his chest vanished, causing him to almost sigh with relief. Nemona didn't hear Milo, as she was still raving about how impressed she was with his battling.

"Amazing! Look at you, taking on a Terastallized opponent and winning, no problem!" Nemona gushed before her eyes went wide, a hand going to her mouth. "Come to think of it, you can't Terastallize your Pokémon yet, huh?"

"Nope. I literally never even heard of it before you just unleashed that on me." Milo admitted to the surprised girl.

"And yet you still beat Sirocco. Wow…Don't worry - I'll get you taken care of!" Nemona promised, her usual smile fading away. "Sorry about that Milo. You're so good with Pokémon battles, I forget how new you are to this stuff sometimes."

"Don't worry about it. You're helping me out a lot and I appreciate that." Milo said to the girl, who beamed at him in response before pulling around her backpack and digging out a handful of stones that Milo recognized as Revives. "Anyway, it was fun to battle you! Here, have some Revives as thanks!"

Milo gratefully accepted the Revives, ignoring the chuckling of the Voice. Milo then noticed Nemona was staring at the large wooden door within the gate that led into the enormous city beyond.

"Now, Mesagoza's waiting just past this gate! At last, the city where our school is!" Nemona cried out with a wide grin, putting a hand on her hip as Milo looked at her. "There's a ton of hills and stairs and stuff in the city, so I'm gonna take a quick breather and then catch up with you soon!"

"Sounds good. See you in a minute." Milo said with a smile of his own, turning towards the gate and striding towards the door. Reggie let out a growl from Milo's arms as the boy shouldered open the door and entered the central hub of the Paldea region, Mesagoza.

This was where Naranja Academy awaited him, as did whatever else fate had in store for the boy.

Chapter Text

Milo was immediately greeted with a massive slope that he had to climb, huffing and puffing all the while before he was able to actually see Mesagoza. The teen’s jaw dropped at the sight of the city, and he slowly panned his head around to actually take it all in.

Mesagoza easily lived up to its name as the biggest city in Paldea. The main square alone stretched out before him for what seemed like miles, with an enormous beautifully painted mural splashed with vibrant shades of every color of the rainbow. The grassy lawns that stretched across the city were obviously well taken care of, as were the flower beds and shrubs that added to the beauty of the city itself. Staircases and bridges weaved throughout the city and added a layer of verticality to Mesagoza.

Hundreds of people crowded the streets, with Milo spotting several people wearing the Naranja Academy uniform. Even more surprising was the sheer amount of Pokémon that were out and about, flying through the air or simply following their Trainers as they made their way through the city. Milo watched on in interest as a young man wearing a biker helmet sped across the nearby path on top of a strange lizard-like Pokémon, quickly vanishing from his sight. Milo realized after a moment that he had a smile of wonder on his face. 

“Wow… It’s even better in person.” Milo muttered as Reggie cried out in his arms. It was at that moment that Nemona chose to join Milo, panting even harder than him as she gave him a pained smirk.

“All right, here I am! We finally made it, huh?” Nemona wheezed before she stood up, taking in a few gulps of air before throwing apart her arms and facing forward. “This is Mesagoza! The biggest city in Paldea!”

“I’ll say. This place is enormous.” Milo remarked, eyeing the tall buildings and still wearing an expression of genuine awe on his face. “Definitely bigger than Motostoke. So tell me about Mesagoza.”

“It’s been a big trade hub since a long time ago. Lots of folks come here to learn about advances in technology and all kinds of other stuff.” Nemona explained, huffing as she finally caught her breath. “Mesagoza is known as the crown jewel of the country. There’s loads of awesome history behind it, including famous battles that have taken place. There was even a time when pirates invaded and a big chunk of the city was burned down. But you’ll learn about that in Miss Raifort’s class. All you need to know is that this city has it all, and there’s tons to do and see!”

“I did a bit of research on the city this past week when reading about Naranja Academy.” Milo chimed in, putting a hand to his chin. “According to Director Clavell on his podcast, there’s been a big push from foreign companies to set up shop in Mesagoza. Especially since being close to the academy allows them to recruit students fresh out of school.”

“Yep. Obviously there’s competition between them, but we do have businesses like Silph Co. and Aupuni Industries that have offices in Mesagoza, though the latter one we keep an eye on for obvious reasons.” Nemona remarked with a shrug that Milo understood. Things had been relatively peaceful for the past few years. No one wanted another maniac trying to end the world like what had happened in Alola a few years ago. 

“So give me the highlights. What’s right by us?” Milo asked.

“There’s a hair salon where you can change your look, plus places with tasty food and fixings…And that’s just on this main street! Loads to see and do here!” Nemona said as she pointed at various shops within their line of sight. “What do you want to see first, Milo?”

Milo opened his mouth to answer, only for his stomach to rumble. It was then Milo considered that he had in fact given his lunch to Koraidon and that he had only eaten an ice cream since breakfast that morning. Add in the fact that he had hiked several miles, and Milo realized he was starving. “To be honest, I want to check out some of those restaurants.”

Nemona smirked teasingly at Milo, crossing her arms. “Hah! I didn’t have you pegged for a big eater!”

“You try living with my Mom and not be a foody.” Milo pouted, crossing his arms and flushing as Nemona chuckled at his expense. “Besides, a certain dragon-lizard thing ate my lunch for the day. I’m grabbing some food as soon as I can, if our schedule allows it.”

“Nah, that’s smart. You can’t battle well with a growling tummy, right?” Nemona remarked before suddenly gasping, putting a hand to her mouth. “Oh, and speaking of battling…”

“Again!? We just battled!” Milo yelped as Reggie groaned in Milo’s arms, dreading having to battle Nemona more that day. Nemona quickly waved her arms, a panicked expression on her face.

“No no! Not that, I swear… at least not yet .” Nemona muttered the last part quietly enough that Milo couldn’t hear before clasping her hands together with a wide smile. “I wanna be sure you’ll be able to Terastallize your Pokémon too, Milo!”

“Oh thank Arceus.” Milo sighed, patting Reggie on the head. “I still don’t get what that actually is, but I appreciate it anyway Nemona.”

“No worries!” Nemona responded brightly, giving Milo a thumbs up. “There’s a few things that gotta get done for that to happen, but I’ll take care of ‘em! Meanwhile, you just have fun looking around the city for a bit!”

“You sure?” Milo asked.

“Yep! There’s so much to do - grab a bite, buy some accessories to spice up your uniform…within regulations of course!” Nemona added after a pause, earning a laugh from Milo. 

“Any recommendations? There’s no way I can explore even a fraction of this place today. Plus I want to actually get to the school before sundown.” Milo asked the Champion-ranked Trainer, who considered that question. It was already well past noon, after all.

“If you want my personal recommendation, you’ve gotta see Delibird Presents! They sell handy items for Pokémon to hold.” Nemona suggested to Milo, who smiled at that. Of course the Champion would recommend a store like that. But it was still something that piqued Milo’s interest, so he’d go for it.

“Once you’ve seen your fill, we can meet up again in front of the school! Just…be ready. The stairs up to the school are no joke.” Nemona warned Milo, who couldn’t help a smirk at the dread in Nemona’s voice.

“They can’t be that bad. Maybe you just need to up your cardio game?” Milo suggested, earning a smirk from Nemona as she shrugged. 

“You’ll see for yourself soon enough.” Nemona said playfully, sticking her tongue out at Milo before she began walking towards the school. “Later, then! Get pumped for some Terastallizing!”

Milo watched Nemona run off yet again, leaving him to slowly walk up the steps and enter Mesagoza’s main square. Again, Milo’s senses were almost overloaded with the sights and sounds of the population of the biggest city in the region going about their day. Shops lined the sides of the square, the center of which had a massive circular mural that Milo slowly walked towards, and upon further observation Milo noticed that it was a massive sundial of sorts showcasing the symbol for every Pokémon type.

The teen continued to wander around the main square for a time, even calling out his team to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells. On the topic of that last one, Milo’s stomach growled painfully and the boy realized now was as good a time as any for some lunch. Milo sniffed the air and looked to his left, heading to where he could smell something delicious. 

Upon entering the Go-For-Broke Grill, Milo and his team walked up the front counter where he was greeted by the cashier. After less than a minute of deliberation, Milo ended up ordering the most interesting-looking thing on the menu, which was the Klawf al Ajillo and a Fruit Punch. He also purchased some Pokémon food that was mostly made of toasted potatoes covered in various spices that the cashier assured Milo his team would love. Currently the Pokémon in question were peeking up at the counter with interest, with Milo holding Reggie in his arms as he tried to decide if he wanted to order anything else. He ended up ordering some extra sides of bread, which was rather cheap.

The Galarian teen walked outside and went to a nearby table, which even had an umbrella stand to protect him from the sun beating down from above. Milo set the food on top of the table and instructed his Pokémon to hop up on top of it so they could eat along with him. He even called out Koraidon, who emerged with a growl in a flash of light.

“Hey there, big fella. You want some lunch?” Milo asked the strange creature, who tilted its head for a moment before sniffing several times. Koraidon barked out before nodding its head, moving closer to the table, much to the alarm of Sparky and Cocoa. 

“Hey guys, don’t worry about it. Koraidon’s part of the team too. It won’t hurt ya.” Milo said placatingly to the two newer Pokémon, who both stared at the larger Pokémon in confusion. Koraidon growled softly, leaning forward and sniffing them both before grunting. 

“See? We’re all friends here.” Milo said with a smile, grabbing a chunk of bread and dipping it into the soup-like liquid that the large Klawf claw was sitting in. The boy handed out the chunk of bread to Koraidon, who scarfed it down hungrily before wriggling with what Milo realized was delight. Milo did the same with his other Pokémon, who all enjoyed the extra food on top of the special Pokémon food that their Trainer had gotten for them.

After making sure his team was taken care of, Milo dug into the Klawf al Ajillo himself and hummed as he sipped some of the oily soup. It was a little spicy, but the vegetables and the Klawf meat were delicious. Milo took a chunk of bread and dunked it into the soup before taking a large bite as his team chowed down on their lunches beside him.

It was a sensation he never thought he’d know. Milo had wanted to be a Pokémon Trainer for so long. After everything he had dealt with, he finally came to Paldea to have the chance to go to school. Break out of his shell at long last. It was almost overwhelming for the boy, who couldn’t help an excited grin on his face.

“It might’ve been more eventful than I would have liked, but today’s a really good day.” Milo thought with a mouthful of food and happy Pokémon around him, enjoying the warm weather and the delicious lunch in the vibrant city they were all now in.

Meanwhile…

Today was a terrible day.

At least it was for a morose-looking girl staring up at Naranja Academy from Mesagoza Square, not too far from where Milo himself was enjoying his lunch. The girl had multicolored red and blue hair and a dour depression, her large glasses hiding unhappy black eyes. She wore a large black hoodie with Poké Ball on the front with a large fluffy backpack that resembled an Eevee. On her legs were a pair of gray shorts hidden by a transparent skirt and leggings with red and blue pluses and minuses on them.

“Oh no…I can’t do this.” The girl whispered, unable to look up at the school that towered above Mesagoza. To her, however, it was an enormous giant monolith that struck raw fear into her heart. The girl’s knees wobbled, and she began to have trouble breathing as her vision swam, the anxiety swiftly overwhelming her. To the girl’s surprise, a Poké Ball clipped to her belt popped open, revealing a Sylveon looking up at her with concern. 

“Veeeon?” the Pokémon questioned worriedly, reaching its ribbon-like feelers around the girl’s hands and meeting the girl’s eyes. The girl almost sobbed in relief as some of the terror washed away, but she realized she needed to sit down. She quickly made her way to a nearby fountain and practically collapsed onto the stone seat, exhaling as she wiped her face free of sweat and tears.

“I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m totally…and completely not okay. ” The girl sighed harshly, putting her head into her hands. She was nuzzled by her Sylveon, earning a weak smile from the girl as she hugged the Intertwining Pokémon.

“Maybe I should call and let him know how things are going…Distract myself for a few minutes. Bolster my morale. You know?” The girl suggested to the Sylveon, who purred at the suggestion as the girl pulled out her Rotom Phone and tapped a few buttons on it. After two rings, a familiar voice answered.

“Good afternoon, darling. Are you already set up at the Academy? A bit ahead of schedule, aren’t you?” spoke a warm voice over the phone. The girl flushed at being called “darling”, but her smile widened at the affection in the speaker’s voice. She was already feeling a little better.

“G-g-good evening. Um, sorry to bug you. J-just wanted to let you know I’m back in Mesagoza. Had, um, a little bit of a freak out. A-Aurora dragged me over to somewhere we could take a break.” The girl admitted, sighing deeply as she leaned back and closed her eyes. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Penny, you have nothing to worry about. You’ll be just fine. My girlfriend isn’t about to let some Academy get the better of her.” 

“That’s easy for you to say. You’re awesome.” The girl known as Penny hated the fact that she was whining, but the anxiety was overwhelming. She glanced up at Naranja Academy and saw that the school still loomed above her like a monolith, causing her heart to beat wildly. Aurora the Sylveon cried out in concern, wrapping her ribbon-like feelers around the girl’s shoulders.

“Maybe so. But still, you’re there now and you’re the one who wanted to go through with this. All I can do is be with you in spirit and support the hell out of you from back here. Not that you need it, of course.”

“Still can’t believe I managed to get a boyfriend as good as you. I don’t deserve this.” Penny whispered, smiling at the laughter coming from the phone.

“You deserve the world, darling. Thankfully, I’m pretty bloody amazing, so it worked out pretty well for the both of us.” Penny snorted at the remark, but after a few seconds pause her boyfriend spoke again.

“Listen to me.” The voice over the phone now carried a note of firmness, causing Penny to go quiet. “You are strong. And the smartest woman I’ve ever met. You can do this. And you know I would never say something like that if I didn’t completely believe it. Alright?”

Penny couldn’t help but giggle at that. “You’re right. S-sorry, my anxiety is getting the better of me again. Stupid brain being stupid and all that. That does make me feel a little better.”

“It happens to the best of us. You’re going to do great, okay? Just…try and make some friends while you’re there.” Penny’s eye twitched at the request. It had been something they had discussed at length in the past, and the topic filled the girl with dread. “You need to work on not hiding so much. It’s a crime for someone like you not to be seen out in the world. Network, get out of your comfort zone, and leave your room for goodness's sake.”

“Awwww…Alright. It’ll be hard…But I’ll do it!” Penny said with a determined fist pump that she realized after a second that her significant other couldn't see. She flushed with embarrassment at how silly she must’ve looked and said, “Thank you for answering, by the way. I know you’re busy. I feel bad having to bother you just because I had a freak out…feels like I’m abusing your support or something.”

“You can always call me for a pep talk, darling. I don’t mind at all.” The affectionate laugh over the phone made Penny smile and reassured her. “I’ll call right before bedtime. I’m only an hour or so ahead of you, so we don’t have to worry about time zones. Take care, darling. I love you.”

“Love you too.” Penny mumbled, her face burning bright red at the words. The call ended and the girl looked up at the infamous stairs that led to the famous Academy and slowly marched up them, bolstered now and reinvigorated by the words of her boyfriend. She already missed him, but even he couldn’t help her deal with all of her problems. She had to be brave and confront her fears.

Penny felt pretty good up until she finished getting up the first round of stairs. She heaved a tired sigh and wiped her sweaty face until something caught her eye. Two teens walking towards her, a male and a female each around her age were dressed in Naranja Academy uniforms, except these two students wore large white helmets with shimmering stars emblazoned on the sides. The girl’s blood went cold at the sight, especially when she saw both teens notice her and start heading your way.

“Oh no. Oh nonononononono-” Penny’s panicked train of thought was swiftly derailed, completely snapping her back to reality.

“Hey you!” The male called, his tone attempting to put on a friendly tone. Penny realized immediately how fake it was and cringed as the two teens drew closer to her. 

“You look like you’re in the market for some cool new friends! How about you join Team Star? We’re the best damn thing in Paldea! Way better than this lame-o school!” the male said to Penny, who shrank back from the two of them. 

“I…I n-need to…go…” Penny gasped in a panic, trying not to meet the eyes of the two pushy teens. The duo exchanged an annoyed look before their smiles returned. 

“Don’t you get it?! If you join Team Star, you can shine as bright as anybody!” the girl said to Penny, who simply stared at the girl without responding. How could she? Out of all of the implausible scenarios her anxious mind had come up with for how today would go, this was not one of them. 

Unfortunately, silence was not the answer the female Team Star Grunt wanted, as the girl scowled with annoyance. “Seriously, what’s with you? Don’t you wanna burn bright with awesome friends like us?”

Aurora the Sylveon hissed at the Team Star Grunt, wrapping her feeler’s around Penny’s left arm as the girl sighed and closed her eyes, looking away. “...Not really.”

“Look - we’ve got a quota we’re supposed to fill for new members, so just sign up already!” the girl snapped at Penny, who looked back at the girl with some surprise in her eyes. 

“Um…I’d rather not…” Penny mumbled in response, with the Team Star Grunt stomping her foot in frustration at the response. She opened her mouth to retort, only for a new shout to interrupt the girl before she could speak.

“OI! Leave the lady alone!” came an unfamiliar shout, causing the two Team Star Grunts and the girl to look towards the source of the noise. It was a rather short teen wearing the Naranja Academy uniform, looking at the two members of Team Star with narrowed eyes as he stepped protectively in front of Penny.

Milo had been having a pretty good day now that he had arrived in Mesagoza. He’d had a delicious lunch with his team, went window-shopping through some of the apparel shops in the city and had even taken a look through Delibird Gifts. He didn’t buy anything, mainly because he wanted to come back with Nemona to get advice on what worked best with his team. He had even gotten a really silly picture with him and his team outside of a store, complete with Reggie and Cocoa standing on Koraidon’s head with a doofy smile.

He was surprised when he trudged up the first half of the stairs that led up to the school to see two teens aggressively questioning a girl who very obviously looked uncomfortable and was giving them short responses. The two teens questioning the girl were one boy and one girl, both wearing Academy uniforms but with the addition of white bike helmets covered in stars. 

Milo watched for a few moments, and when the girl wearing the white helmet began throwing a tantrum, he decided to step in. Now the Galarian was standing across from the two teens while standing in front of the girl that they had been pestering.

“Huh? You want in on this, too?” The girl asked Milo, sounding annoyed at the interruption. 

The male member of the duo spoke up. “If you’re here to sign up, we’ll get to you next! We’ve nearly got this one in the bag!”

“Sorry, I’m new around here. Didn’t realize the big Doofus Convention was this week.” Milo remarked mildly, looking the two of them up and down. The two teens scowled at the dig, but took that moment to puff out their chests proudly.

“We’re Team Star, kid. We burn so bright, it hurts to look at us! But you knew that, right?” the male remarked, grinning at Milo who gave him a deadpan look in response.

“Nope. Never heard of you.” Milo responded honestly, shaking his head. Milo glanced back at the girl behind him who was watching the exchange with wide eyes. “You’re good, right? Saw these guys bugging you and it didn’t feel right to not say something.”

The girl nodded timidly in response, and opened her mouth to speak when an annoyed squeal came from the female Team Star Grunt ahead of them. “Ugh another ignorant little nobody…”

“Excuse me? If I’m a nobody, then what the hell does that make you ?” Milo asked, flashing them a grin. “At least I’m not wearing a bike helmet that looks like it was designed by my grandma.”

“Here I’m finally a part of Team Star, and still I get no respect? I gotta work my way up the ranks…” the female Grunt grumbled, stomping her feet up and down childishly. 

Her male counterpart tapped her on the shoulder, looking at her bracingly. “Hey - we can’t just let something like this slide! The honor of our team’s on the line, so we’ve got no real choice but to battle, yeah?”

“Oh damn…Didn’t think that I’d have to battle again.” Milo thought with a grimace, knowing what was coming.

“That’s true!” the female Team Star Grunt exclaimed, grinning nastily. “You keep watch on that little four-eyes over there! I’ll make sure this fresh-faced nobody ends up seeing stars!”

Milo sighed as the two Team Star Grunts quickly put some distance between themselves and Milo, who called out Reggie. The teen watched on in confusion as the girl struck a pose, drawing a star with her arms before pulling out a Poké Ball with a smirk on her face. “Shroodle, show them some respect!”

The Galarian teen grimaced as the Nuzlocke Curse struck him, but endured it as he pulled out his Rotom Phone to see what this new Pokémon was.

“Shroodle. The Toxic Mouse Pokémon. Though usually a mellow Pokémon, it will sink its sharp, poison-soaked front teeth into any that anger it, causing paralysis in the object of its ire. To keep enemies away from its territory, it paints markings around its nest using a poisonous liquid that has an acrid odor.”  Milo nodded as his phone flew back into his pocket, focusing now on the battle he was in. 

The Team Star Grunt instructed her Shroodle to use Leer. While Reggie winced at the harsh look he was being given, Milo already knew how this was going to go down.

“Ember!” Milo barked as Reggie steeled himself and fired off a fireball of pure fire that exploded hard against the side of Shroodle as it tried to dodge. The Toxic Mouse Pokémon shook slightly before looking towards the Fuecoco with a hiss.

“Hit ‘em with Scratch!” Milo was surprised by how quickly the little mouse reacted to the command, skittering forward and delivering a nasty scratch to Reggie’s face. The Fuecoco cried out in pain at the hit, causing his Trainer to frown. 

“Reggie, power through it and hit it with another Ember!” Milo called to his Fuecoco, who shook off the pain much like Shroodle did and gave his opponent an annoyed look before firing another Ember. This once served to be more effective than the first and as the fireball struck, it scattered small flickers of flames into the air.

As her Shroodle hit the ground it fainted. The Team Star Grunt let out a squeak of surprise, shrinking back for a moment before clutching her head with frustration. “How come I’M the one seeing stars?”

“Hey, I appreciated that pun. Maybe you guys aren’t too bad after all.” Milo remarked lightly as he grinned at the bewildered expressions on the Team Star Grunts. Meanwhile behind Milo, Penny was observing things with a stunned expression. She then frowned as an idea came to her, and began lightly tapping her forehead with her fist as she muttered to herself.

“Urk, why’s a nobody like you so good at battling, anyway? That’s just not right…” the female Team Star Grunt grumbled with annoyance while her male comrade recoiled in surprise.

“No way, he beat you?!” the teen yelped, his eyes widening in terror. “Does that mean I gotta battle this kid now since I’m higher up Team Star’s ranks?!”

“ Pero bueno! What do you think you’re doing?!” came a familiar shout to all of them, which made them look towards the stars that led up to the Academy. Nemona was running down the stairs, her expression set into an unusually stern frown. She noticed Milo and immediately ran over to him, with the two Team Star Grunts paling in unison at the sight of the Champion.

“Ugh! It’s that student council dweeb!” the male Grunt hissed as the female Grunt noticeably trembled beside him. Both of the Team Star Grunts knew that there was no one in the entirety of Team Star that could stand up to the Champion-ranked Student Council President of Naranja Academy.

“She’s gonna report us if we don’t book it…” the female Grunt whispered fearfully. “Thankfully she’s distracted.”

“I can’t believe you, Milo!” Nemona chided her neighbor, who was surprised at the stern tone the normally cheerful girl had now. He wondered if he had violated some major school rule or something. 

Nemona promptly shattered that thought into a thousand pieces by giving Milo a wide smile, closing her eyes. “You don’t have to go find randos to battle! You’ll have all the battles you’ll ever need…with me!”

Milo stared at Nemona for several long seconds, processing that he wasn’t in trouble and that his friend apparently had yandere tendencies. 

Which unfortunately for him, he thought added to her charm. 

“That’s really not what happened…” Milo briefly explained how he ran into the two students bothering a girl and how they challenged him to a battle. Nemona gasped, a hand going to her mouth. “Wait - THEY picked a fight with YOU? Wow, I read that way wrong! Sorry!”

“No worries. But seriously, what’s with these guys? Do they actually go to the Academy?” Milo asked Nemona as she looked at the two Team Star Grunts, who both quailed at the Champion’s glare. 

“I get it now. You two have got Team Star written all over you for sure! I bet you were trying to pressure people into signing up again, weren’t you?” Nemona demanded to know, causing the two Team Star Grunts to start sweating bullets.

“Ah, hi. We weren’t… not doing that.” The male Grunt responded sheepishly, causing Nemona to sigh with frustration.

“Well, that explains it.” Nemona muttered under her breath as she closed her eyes in thought. She then spoke a bit louder and said, “As head of the student council, stopping this type of nonsense would normally be MY job…”

Nemona opened her eyes and smiled at Milo. “But this is also the perfect chance for you to try my amazing and ultra-rare gift to you!”

The Student Council President reached into her backpack and pulled something out, handing it to Milo excitedly. Milo looked down at what he had been given, holding his hand out and examining it with interest. It was a strange orb that resembled a Poké Ball, except that it was black and somewhat translucent, allowing Milo to see a shining blue gemstone that seemed to radiate light. It was even sparkling within the afternoon sun, and Milo could feel the power thrumming through the strange sphere.

“With this Tera Orb, you can Terastallize your Pokémon during battle!” Nemona explained as Milo stared at the sphere with a curious expression. Meanwhile Nemona looked down at Milo’s Fuecoco and said, “Let’s see. After it Terastallizes, I’m pretty sure your Fuecoco will beee…an Fire type!”

“Wow, you can tell from a glance? Guess that’s why you’re the expert.” Milo remarked, impressed at his friend’s insight. 

Nemona chuckled at the praise, flashing him a smile. “Normally you’ve gotta take special classes to be able to get one of these Tera Orbs, but I put in a good word for you!”

Before Milo could thank her, Nemona bolted to the side of the square and called, “Now time to give it a whirl! You’ll learn to use it faster in battle than if I just explain it to you!”

“Sounds good.” Milo responded, giving the girl a thumbs up. Meanwhile the Team Star members were actually sweating with fear now. Even worse, there was a crowd starting to form on the Academy steps and on both sides, with roughly a dozen people on both sides observing the exchange with interest.

“Wait, what? You want this kid to practice whaling on us with his Tera Pokémon, is that it?” the female Team Star Grunt whined, causing Nemona to give her a somewhat smug smile.

“Got a problem? You wanna battle me instead?” Nemona asked smoothly, causing the male Team Star Grunt to noticeably shiver.

“Hnnng…Never mind! I’ll take my chances with the new kid!” the male Team Star Grunt yelped, drawing a Poké Ball as Nemona rolled her eyes. Milo snickered the entire time, enjoying the fact that Nemona wasn’t taking any crap from Team Star either.

“Then take your places, and…battle!” Nemona called from her position as referee for the showdown between Milo and Team Star. Penny continued to watch on, now with an interested expression as the male Team Star member struck the signature pose of the group and sent out a Yungoos. Milo gasped once again as the curse struck him, and Reggie gave him a concerned look that Milo responded to with a smile and nod.

He then looked down at the Tera Orb in his hand and considered how exactly to use it. He thought about how Nemona had used the Tera Orb earlier in their battle outside Mesagoza…and then he looked up at the Team Star Grunt and smirked.

Milo held out the ball, holding it tightly and letting his thumb hit the trigger on the front of the ball. As the ball began to shake violently in his hand, Milo held it high above him as energy began to flow into the sphere, kicking up a violent gust of wind around him as he stared up at the sphere with surprise. 

Finally the sphere flashed brightly, and Milo tossed the ball towards Reggie. As the ball fell down to earth and tapped Reggie on the head it exploded in a shower of light and crystals, causing crystals to explode out of the ground and surround the Fire Croc Pokémon. Milo gaped at the sight for several seconds before the crystals exploded, revealing Sir Reginald the Spicy in all of his glory. The Fuecoco was completely encased in bright red crystal and faintly glowing, and atop his head was a jeweled crown that resembled a candelabra. Even more incredible was the sheer power radiating off of his Pokémon.

“Oh hell…This is gonna blow.” The Team Star Grunt sighed before pointing forward. “Use Tackle!”

Yungoos mimicked his Trainer’s weary sigh before running forward, tackling the crystalline Fuecoco and knocking Reggie back a step with a pained growl. Milo adjusted his cap and simply grinned back at the Team Star Grunt.

“Let’s see if we can’t do some damage here, Reggie. Ember!” Milo called out as his Fuecoco cried out, his Tera Crown exploding outwards with fiery energy for several moments. Reggie then opened his mouth and charged up a pulsating fireball that erupted from his maw, hurtling towards Yungoos at an incredible speed. 

Milo’s eyes widened at the large fireball that crackled with crimson energy now racing towards Yungoos and winced as the attack struck it. A wicked explosion of flames roared from where Yungoos had been standing, sending the Loitering Pokémon careening backwards into a nearby lamp post with enough force to leave a dent in the metal pole. 

“Whoa…that might’ve been more powerful than the Blaze-powered Ember earlier. What the hell kind of power is that?” Milo thought to himself as the smoke cleared from the battlefield. Needless to say that the attack knocked Yungoos out in a single hit, much to the approval of the crowd now cheering on Milo. He even spotted a handful of students here and there that had been recording the showdown on their Rotom Phones. Milo winced at that, not liking the sudden attention he was now drawing, but he was distracted by the Team Star Grunt ahead of him who was sighing dramatically. 

“Your Pokémon burned so bright…” the Team Star Grunt remarked, sagging his shoulders as he returned his charred Yungoos. Reggie let out a happy cry as the crystals surrounding his body shattered, fading away and returning the Fuecoco back to normal.

“Nice, Milo! You pulled off Terastallizing no problem!” Nemona praised her new neighbor, looking at Milo with a proud grin as he knelt down and rubbed Reggie’s head. “Moves of your Pokémon’s Tera Type will hit even harder when Terastallized, y’know! Sometimes you’ll find a Pokémon whose Tera Type is totally different from its usual type. That difference can open up your strategic options!”

“That was definitely something. This thing gave Reggie an insane power boost.” Milo remarked with a smile as his Fuecoco gave him a happy growl. Milo looked back down at the Tera Orb and saw it was no longer shining like before. “Um, is it supposed to do that?”

“Yep. You gotta charge your Tera Orb at a Pokémon Center after every use. They’ve got special equipment that they can use to energize it while they’re healing up your team.” Nemona explained to Milo as he returned Reggie, nodding in understanding. 

A nervous laugh caught their attention as the Team Star members slowly started moving towards the stairs leading down to the lower section of Mesagoza. “W-well…I’ll be on my merry way then, yeah? Hasta la vistaaarrr!”

The Male Team Star Grunt bolted down the stairs, followed closely by his female comrade who called, “Me too! Hasta la vistar!” 

Milo and Nemona watched as the two teens fled down into Mesagoza proper, and that was when Milo rounded on Nemona. “So you wanna explain what the hell that was about?” Milo asked Nemona, who winced uncomfortably. Milo felt a stab of concern for his friend, but she soon answered Milo’s question.

“So, yeah - Team Star is basically a group of students who like to kick up trouble. They hardly ever show up to class, and when they get together in groups, they’re a real headache.” Nemona explained quietly, ignoring the excited chattering around them from the onlookers who had watched the battle take place. Several students actually cheered out for Milo, who ignored them and focused on what Nemona was saying.

“Even the teachers don’t know what to do with ‘em, from what I hear…” Nemona sighed, causing Milo to cross his arms as he thought about that. He didn’t realize that this was a thing at the prestigious Academy. Perhaps school life would be more interesting than he thought.

“Um…’scuse me!” 

Milo looked towards the girl who had been getting bothered by Team Star before he had stepped in. Her voice had been rather quiet, but Milo immediately recognized that she had an accent very similar to his own. 

The girl looked away shyly, her cheeks flushing as she realized Milo and Nemona were looking at her now. “I…uh…I just…Well, thanks.”

“No problem. Are you gonna be alright?” Milo asked the girl, who nodded before taking a few steps away while not meeting Milo’s eyes. 

“So, yeah…See you around.” The girl bolted up the stairs without another word, much to Milo’s confusion. Nemona laughed, thumping Milo on the back enthusiastically.

“Aww, look at you, Milo! Already becoming the big hero around campus!” Nemona said brightly, though she did look up the stairs to the Academy where the girl had run. “I don’t think I’ve seen that girl around. Maybe she’s a new transfer, like you…”

“She seemed pretty shy. I’m glad she’s okay though. Hopefully those clowns leave her alone.” Milo grumbled under his breath, crossing his arms. 

“That Eevee bag, though! Love that fluff!” Nemona remarked, snapping Milo out of his thoughts as he thought about it. He wondered why the girl hadn’t been wearing a uniform, and wondered if she was a student at all. Still, he had to agree with his neighbor. 

“Yeah, her bag was pretty awesome. It was a limited-edition item if I remember right.” Milo said aloud as he thought about it, with Nemona looking at him in confusion. “It’s a Gigantamax Eevee. I’ve seen it before during one of Kabu’s battles in the past.”

“Really? You gotta tell me more about it later, then! I can’t imagine seeing something like that in person!” Nemona said to Milo, who promised her that he would do that. “Anyway, seems like the trouble’s died down, so we’d better book it up to the school! Get ready to climb the worst staircase in the world!”

Meanwhile…

Arven sighed deeply as he leaned against the wall in an alleyway on the other side of Mesagoza, rubbing his forehead to fend off an encroaching headache. After hours of research in the Mesagoza Library, he still didn’t have any more promising leads than what he had discovered earlier that morning. 

“Can I really do it though? All on my own?” The teen muttered, rubbing his forehead slightly harder with an annoyed grunt. 

That was when a soft ding interrupted his train of thought, and Arven’s Rotom Phone popped out of his pocket to show him that one of the students in the Cooking Club text chat had pinged everyone in a message. Arven frowned and decided to open the chat up, and saw that his classmate had uploaded a video. 

Arven was about to stow the phone away and ignore the chat once more, but upon recognizing some of the people in the still image of the video, the teen tapped the video to make it play with an interested expression. 

To his surprise, the boy that had taken Koraidon off of his hands earlier that day was there, facing off against a Team Star Grunt. He was further surprised when he watched the boy soundly defeat not just one of the Grunts, but both of them back-to-back.

“Whoa…He crushed those Team Star twits like it was nothing .” Arven muttered with a wide-eyed expression as he replayed the video, amazed at how effortlessly the boy he had encountered just earlier that day was battling Trainers with far more experience than himself.  “Hell, he even Terastallized like a pro and didn’t even flinch at the backlash. And this kid has only been a Pokémon Trainer for a few hours. It’s like seeing Nemona 2.0!” 

Arven frowned as he stuffed the phone into his pocket and thought about it. “Guess he’s worth keeping an eye on, even if he wasn’t looking after that damn brute for me.”

An idea suddenly came to Arven, who blinked twice before putting a hand to his chin. “Maybe going to school today isn’t totally out of the question…I probably should apologize for being so rude earlier.”

Arven ducked into a side alley, leaning against the wall as he hummed, his thoughts racing with ideas. He then stopped and reached into his backpack, pulling out a rather strange-looking book. It was thin and rather old, but despite that it was in good condition. The hardback cover was a brilliant shade of scarlet, and Arven held it very carefully as he flipped through it, as if scared to damage it. 

“It’s almost too good to be true, but I can’t do this alone. But I’ll have to ask. No harm in that, right?” Arven’s expression remained thoughtful as he began making his way back towards Naranja Academy, the book still in his hands as he considered what his plan of action would be.

Chapter Text

By the time Milo had reached the top of the staircase, he was huffing and puffing. Nemona wasn’t much better off. Milo was mostly unable to appreciate the massive Academy that now loomed above him, with dozens of students loitering in the courtyard with even some sitting on the grass with their classmates and Pokémon. 

“Hah…hooh…Milo, follow me. I’m gonna…Lobby.” Nemona wheezed as she staggered forward, barely doing better than Milo who was breathing hard after trekking up the rest of the stairs. And while he knew the exact reason he was having trouble with the stairs, it didn’t annoy him any less.

Nevertheless, Milo followed his neighbor towards the castle-like Academy and Nemona tapped a small panel on the side of the enormous oak doors that led into the school, causing them to creak open and allow the two students inside. Milo was immediately struck by glorious air-conditioning, which made him sigh with relief. He then noticed his new surroundings and his eyes widened in surprise.

Nemona finally took a deep breath and exhaled, giving Milo a bright smile and a wave. “Okay, I’m alive again. Here we are, Milo! Welcome to Naranja Academy! This here’s the entrance hall!”

"Whoa…and this is the entrance?” Milo asked with an awed voice, overwhelmed by what looked like a multi-levelled library combined with the lobby of a luxury hotel. There were several study areas where students were reading or quietly conversing, with small terminals dotted around the foyer displaying the Academy sigil. At the front desk a kindly woman was talking to another student about a missing book. 

“You can sign up for all kinds of classes at the desk behind me, and those halls off to the sides lead to all different parts of the school.” Nemona explained before looking around the enormous lobby/library/entranceway herself. “It’s totally big enough to let loose and battle in here, but for some reason, they banned Pokémon battling in the main entrance…”

“Master Milo. Miss Nemona.” The two students turned around at the familiar voice and saw Director Clavell approaching them. He stopped a short distance and crossed his arms behind his back. “How did you find your first school commute?”

“We had a blast! Caught some Pokémon, had some battles. Definitely an interesting start to things.” Milo responded with a smile, earning one from the Director himself.

“I imagine Miss Nemona’s high spirits helped with that. She’s a true asset to our fine academy.” Clavell said as he glanced at the Trainer in question. “Not that I was expecting any less from our Champion-ranked student council president. Reliable as ever, Miss Nemona.”

“Well, I know how to look after my friends! Right, Milo?” Nemona said to her new neighbor, who simply responded with a thumbs up. Nemona’s expression suddenly changed to surprise before she turned to the Director and said, “Oh! But speaking of which…we saw those Team Star kids in town, Director!”

“You did?! Where?!” Clavell exclaimed, showing open shock at this development.

Nemona crossed her arms with a frustrated expression. “It was down the stairs from the front gates. They were hassling this kid with an Eevee backpack…”

Clavell sighed quietly, clearly troubled. “That is quite the news. Are they still to be found out there?”

Nemona shook her head and gestured to her fellow student. “Actually, Milo flexed on ‘em and ran ‘em off.”

Clavell turned to look at Milo with a stunned expression. “You don’t say…And I only gave you a Starter Pokémon this morning.”

“It was nothing. Really.” Milo remarked, trying to downplay what he did. He was starting to get a bit uncomfortable with all of the attention he was getting now. While Nemona smiled at Milo with pride, Clavell looked at him with concern.

Eventually Clavell nodded, though now he wore a frown. “Of course it’s a fine thing to try to help a fellow student, Master Milo…But you may wish to show a bit of restraint as you find your feet here at our Academy.”

“Of course, sir. It won’t happen again.” Milo promised the Director before the man turned to Nemona. 

“And, Miss Nemona, do remember that the school’s staff is here to resolve any such troubles.” Clavell chided the girl, who blinked twice before nodding in response.

“Uh…right! Yes sir, Director!” Nemona said sheepishly, remembering full-well that she had actively encouraged Milo to take part in one of the two battles against Team Star. 

Clavell then took that moment to adjust his glasses, his expression thoughtful. “A child with an Eevee backpack, you say…I suppose that might have been Miss Penny. I’m relieved to hear she’s come to class, at least.”

“Yeah, she was running up the steps towards the school last I saw. She seemed kinda shy.” Milo remarked, shrugging his shoulders. “I can relate, to be honest.”

The Naranja Academy Director turned back to Nemona and said, “Ah, and Miss Nemona. If you’d be so good, do report to Mr. Jacq about this Team Star business. As your homeroom teacher, he should be kept apprised of all such goings-on.”

“You got it, sir!” Nemona responded brightly, causing the older man to chuckle before glancing down at his wristwatch. 

“Ah, but look at the time. You two had better hurry along - classes will be starting soon.” Clavell instructed the two students, with Nemona turning to Milo with a wide grin of excitement.

“We’re in class 1-A, Milo! It’s the General Studies track classroom. C’mon, I’ll show you the way!” Nemona said before walking towards the east wing, with Milo following behind her. After going through a labyrinth of hallways, they arrived at the classroom that was labeled for Mr. Jacq.

“Lemme go in real quick and figure out what the gameplan is. Wait here!” Nemona instructed Milo before darting into the room. Less than thirty seconds later Nemona poked her head out of the classroom. “So, Mr. Jacq told me to have you wait out here until he calls you in. And then you just tell the class about yourself. Easy peasy.”

With that, Nemona darted back into the classroom and left Milo by himself outside. The nervous teen crossed his arms, rubbing them uncomfortably as he listened to the chatter inside the classroom. 

Nervous?

“Yeah…I don’t like getting up in front of people. Social anxiety is the worst…Embarrassing, huh?”

There are worse things to be afraid of. But that’s also not your only fear, is it?

“How do you know these things? Are you some kind of weird god?” 

I’m sure you’ll learn what I am eventually. 

“All right then, keep your secrets.” Milo grumbled before he heard many voices speak up at once. 

“Good morning, Mr. Jacq!” the students chorused as the teacher chuckled softly. Milo could hear the muffled footsteps from outside the door.

“Hello, hello, everyone. We have some exciting news this morning. Who wants to hear it?” a relaxed voice asked the classroom of students.

“Oooh oooh! Me! I want to hear the news!”

“Are you getting a promotion?”

“Are you getting fired?”

“I’ve got it! You’re pregnant!”

Milo hastily covered his mouth to avoid bursting into laughter at that comment. As it was, there was a series of laughs coming from the classroom, including from Mr. Jacq.

“Last I checked, no. I’m not pregnant, Steve.” Mr. Jacq said as soon as he stopped chuckling. “I suppose I should have told you sooner, but we have a new little friend joining our happy homeroom as of today.”

“Oh wow! That’s awesome!”

“I wonder what they’ll be like?” 

“All right! You can come on in!” Mr. Jacq called out, and after exhaling a nervous breath Milo opened the door and walked right in. The classroom was fairly colorful, with an electronic board at the front where Mr. Jacq was sitting. Seated in front of the teacher were several rows of desks where the students watched Milo walk inside with interested expressions. Milo turned towards the class and saw that besides himself, there were 23 other students. Nemona gave Milo two thumbs up, which made him feel a little better about how nervous he was. 

Mr. Jacq himself was a man who looked to be in his early thirties with messy purple and gray hair and hexagon-shaped classes, glad in a T-shirt, sweatpants, a white lab-coat and a pair of sandals. He had a relaxed, easygoing smile on his face.

“Could I trouble you for a few words introducing yourself?” Mr. Jacq said to Milo, who nodded stiffly.

“Right. I’m Florian Caballero, but please just call me Milo.” The teen said to the class, keeping his voice as steady as possible. “I’m originally from Motostoke in the Galar region, and it’s great to be here. I hope we can all be friends.”

“So calm and collected! He’s pretty cool!”

“I dig the accent!”

“I wonder if he likes tea?”

Milo smiled at the last one as Mr. Jacq grinned at his students. The teen felt some of his nervousness fade away. “Looks like everyone’s eager to meet you Milo. All right, then. Who wants to be the first to ask our new friend a question?”

“Me! Me! Can I ask a question?!” Milo turned to a boy in the front row who was grinning cheerily at him. “What’s your favorite thing about Pokémon?”

Milo blinked at the question and considered it. “I only became a Trainer today, but…Honestly, I like just about everything about Pokémon. I can’t really decide.” 

The student’s grin widened at the answer. “Really? Awesome! I’m totally the same! How can you decide on just one thing?”

“Does anyone else have a question for their new classmate?” Mr. Jacq asked the class as Milo swallowed, trying to remain calm. So far so good.

Nemona bolted out of her chair with a smile. “Me! I have a question!”

“Um…okay. Shoot.” Milo asked the girl, wondering what she wanted to ask him in front of a crowd of students that she couldn’t have asked earlier during their walk to Mesagoza.

“You went through all the trouble of enrolling here, so spill, Milo…What do you hope to get out of it? You must have some kind of dream, right?” Nemona asked her neighbor, her expression one of genuine interest. Milo was surprised she had chosen now to actually ask Milo about it.

“I don’t actually know, Nemona.” Milo admitted with a frown, which caught several students attention. 

“I grew up hearing about this place from my Dad. And my mom’s art career means we could afford the move to Paldea.” Milo answered with a shrug, a wan smile on his face. “Trainer Schools in Galar weren't the best, so we got the idea to move here. A few years later I'm at one of the best schools in the world on a music scholarship. Maybe I’ll become a pro. Maybe I’ll get a job somewhere else…I guess I just wanna figure things out here.”

“Fair, I get it!” Nemona responded with an understanding smile. Around her several of the other students wore surprised and contemplative expressions at Milo’s honest response. “The possibilities are endless, right? Who can decide! Thanks for answering, Milo!”

Milo smiled at his friend’s enthusiasm and picked another male student way in the back for the next question. “What’s your favorite Pokémon?”

The new student hummed for a moment, still smiling. “Corviknight. It looks awesome and it’s such a big part of life back home in Galar. I’ve always wanted to catch one for myself.”

“You can find them here in Paldea!” the student responded gleefully. He then caught himself and laughed. “You just gotta watch out for Tinkaton. Them and Corviknight don’t get along too well.”

“Guess I’ll have to find out what a Tinkaton is. Uh…Alright, next up is…you on the right!”  Milo pointed to another female student, who did a fist pump.

“What instrument do you play!?” another girl blurted out from the back of the class. Milo took note that she had very tanned skin, but not quite in the same way as Nemona’s. Milo opened his mouth to answer, but the teacher clapped his hands loudly and cut Milo off.

“Sorry, but that’s all for now, folks. We’ve got a lesson plan we've got to stick to. I’m sure you’ll get to know all you want about Milo over the course of the new school year.” The Instructor said with a warm smile, turning to Milo. “Well, thank you for telling us a bit about yourself, Milo. I’m Mr. Jacq. I teach Biology here at the Academy, and I’m also your homeroom teacher.”

Jacq stuck his hand out and Milo firmly shook it, smiling at the man. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

The Biology teacher pointed to a spot in the middle of the classroom. “That’s your seat. Second row from the front.” Milo walked over to the indicated seat as Jacq clapped his hands together with an easy smile. “All right, you ragamuffins. Be nice and friendly to our new classmate!”

“We will, Mr. Jacq!”

To Milo’s surprise, the class passed pretty smoothly. Apparently today was the third day of class for the new semester, so Milo didn’t miss anything despite arriving at school so late. Most of the first week was orientation anyways, so Milo didn’t lose anything but missing most of the first day. 

As Milo later found out, students were typically able to come and go in regards to their classes, so long as they attended enough to satisfy credit requirements per semester. As such, Jacq spent most of the period reviewing the syllabus and classroom expectations. 

Before he even knew it, the bell had run for the end of class. Mr. Jacq bid farewell to everyone, reminding them to be at the classroom at 0800 sharp. Milo quickly made an alarm for a 0700 on his Rotom Phone, but as he finished he looked towards where Nemona was sitting and was surprised to see that she was already gone. Milo frowned before sighing, realizing that the Champion-ranked Trainer likely had far more important things to do than show him around campus or anything like that.

“Looking for Nemona?” Milo turned to his right and towards the girl that had been sitting next to the Student Council President. She offered him an easy smile and added, “She got called to the Staff Room just now. She’s usually running all sorts of errands for the school.”

“Oh, cool. I’ll go find her then. Thanks…?” Milo trailed off as the girl chuckled.

“Suzie. See ya around, Milo!” the girl said with a friendly wave before Milo headed out of the classroom-

And realized that he had no idea where the heck he was going.

Unfortunately for him, this turned into an hour-long trek through the hallways of the school while growing increasingly annoyed with himself. Worse still was that he couldn't find his way back to the entrance of the school, where the terminals that gave people directions were located. Finally as Milo stopped and rubbed his temples with frustration, he heard someone call out to him. 

“Hey dork! You lost?” 

Milo blinked at the very familiar voice and whirled around, a wide grin on his face as a girl walked right towards him with a matching smile. She had long brown hair styled into a braided ponytail and expressive brown eyes, wearing a similar uniform as Milo except that her sunhat was a navy blue color as opposed to white. 

The girl and Milo walked towards one another for several moments before the girl ran forward and tackled Milo into a fierce hug. Milo returned it, laughing as he was reunited with his childhood best friend. 

“Juliana! About time you showed up!” Milo said as the two separated, with Juliana giving him a once-over. “It’s really good to see you again.”

“Same to you, dude. You look well enough. Last time we did a video call was back when you were in the hospital!” Juliana said reproachfully to Milo, who winced at the girl’s bluntness. Especially because it was at that moment Milo realized that his best friend hadn’t come alone and that three other female students were watching the exchange with bemused looks.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Things were hectic the past month. But I’m here now!” Milo said with a grin to Juliana before peeking over her shoulder to get a better look at Juliana’s friends. Milo noticed immediately that two of the girls were what looked like identical twins with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes, with the only difference between them being that one of the girl’s had a faint scar on her left cheek. 

The third girl had long jet-black hair with tanned skin and a friendly smile, her dark brown eyes twinkling with amusement. Milo realized this had been the girl who had asked what instrument he played back in Mr. Jacq’s class.

“Julie! Introduce us!” the two twins chorused in unison as the third girl rolled her eyes at the two of them.

“Right-o! Milo, this is Sara and Kara. They’re twins who are both in the Humanities Track. This is Nalani, an exchange student from the Alola region! Turns out she’s in your class and in the General Studies Track, just like us.” Juliana introduced her friends, earning Milo a round of waves from the girls. “This is my best friend from back home, Florian Caballero. Call him Milo though, because he gets cranky if you call him anything else.”

“Do not!” Milo said in a not -cranky manner. The girls laughed and one by one shook Milo’s hands. The non-twin girl blinked in surprise before taking a step back and pointing at Milo.

“Oh crap, you really are the guy who thrashed Team Star!” Nalani realized, her mouth wide in shock as Milo nodded. “That video blew the heck up over Festival Plaza! Everyone’s talking about you!”

Juliana nodded knowingly, patting Milo on the shoulder. “Told ya it was him. I’d recognize this dork anywhere. Though that does beg the question, Milo. Didn’t you just get your first Pokémon today ?” Juliana asked Milo, who shrugged again. “How’d you beat two of those goons back-to-back?”

“Yeah, I got my first Pokémon this morning. And they weren’t that hard to beat. Is it really that impressive?” Milo asked the girls, who all nodded. “I stand by that statement.”

“Guess humility is one of your strong suits, huh?” Nalani asked with a smirk, causing the teen to shrug in response.

“So getting back to the original topic, were you lost?” Sara asked Milo, who sighed but nodded. The twins both snickered before Kara said, “It happens. We can show you around if you want.”

“I was trying to find the Staff Room to meet up with Nemona, but I have no idea where I’m going. So…yeah, thanks.” Milo said awkwardly, smiling at them before Juliana grabbed Milo by the arm and pointed forward dramatically.

“Come, my loyal companions! Let’s give Milo the grand tour of our distinguished Narrrrrranja Academy!” Juliana proclaimed with a fist pump, rolling the r in Naranja as hard as she could. Juliana and her friends closed in around Milo, cutting off the chance for escape. 

“Figures that Julie would be friends with other people who also have no sense of personal space.” Milo commented as the girls laughed all around him. Not that Milo necessarily minded . He was a teenager after all, and Juliana’s friends were all really pretty.

Milo was given a tour of the entire school, which took the better part of two whole hours. This included all of the other homerooms where the instructors gave out their lessons. Milo also got a look at the School Store, Cafeteria, Director’s Office, Nurse’s Office, the Entrance Hall and the Schoolyard. Also included was a large treehouse-like structure at the top of the school which Milo learned was a club for students who wanted to relax somewhere with a view. There was even a small cafe inside of the rather cozy structure, with several bookcases, desks and chairs scattered around to lend it a rather comfortable vibe.

The tour also included 3 large swimming pools that looked like it could be used for professional swimming competitions. According to Kara, one was for actual exercise, one was used for humans only, and one was dedicated to both Pokémon and humans to enjoy the water together. There was even a big water slide for two of the recreational pools.

Unfortunately for Milo, the sight did make him feel uncomfortable. He maintained his poker face and listened as the twins explained how this area was used for fitness and for simply blowing off some steam and cost the Academy a lot of money. He was grateful when they left the area, and let out a soft exhale of relief before reasserting his mask of calm. 

He was painfully aware of Juliana looking at him with concern the entire time.

At the schoolyard Milo and the girls took a break so Milo could show them his team. The girls immediately fawned over Reggie, who simply stared up at them with a blank smile while Cocoa and Sparky fidgeted from the attention. Milo debated calling out Koraidon, but he wasn’t sure how smart it was to call attention to it quite yet. After all, he knew next to nothing about it. 

“Look at him! He’s so dang cute!” Sara and Kara cooed at the same time, patting Reggie on the head as the Fuecoco let out a confused growl.

“He’s the perfect Pokémon for you, Milo. That dopey expression is a one-to-one match with your usual look!” Juliana agreed, smirking as Milo grinned back at the ribbing. 

“That’s my son you’re speaking about! I shall not accept such slander!” Milo said dramatically, putting a hand on Reggie’s head and doing his best to look deeply offended. He then promptly pulled his other two Pokémon into a hug. “Oh yeah, these are my kids too. They just don’t like people yet, do you?”

Sparky let out a small chirp of agreement, crawling out of Milo’s arms and sitting on his shoulder. Cocoa was happy to remain in Milo’s arms, crying out happily as Milo chuckled at his team. 

“You got a fourth Poké Ball there, Milo. You're not gonna send out your last ‘mon?” Nalani asked the new student, who shook his head.

“I’m not sure if it’s okay for them to be out just yet. They’re…interesting. I think I’ll see about asking Mr. Jacq about it and maybe hunt down the guy who gave it to me before I chance it.” Milo explained to the girls, who all looked interested.

“Oooh, sounds mysterious!” the twins laughed at the same time before returning to fawning over Reggie, who continued to look baffled. Milo snorted with amusement, but caught Juliana’s expression of confusion on her face. Milo nodded at her, causing his best friend to nod in return. They’d talk about things later.

After another half hour of walking around and getting some insider tips from the girls about navigating the school, which Milo was very thankful for, they eventually arrived at a nondescript door that was labeled Staff Only .

“And here’s where we’ll leave you. The Staff Room!” Juliana announced dramatically as she did jazz-hands and crouched, much to the amusement of her friends who all gave her a round of enthusiastic applause. 

“Thank Arceus you found friends willing to put up with your strange sense of humor.” Milo rolled his eyes and walked forward, fist-bumping his best friend as she stood back up.

“She’s a weird one. But she’s our weird one!” Nalani exclaimed as the twins latched onto Juliana, who burst into giggles. 

“Thanks for the tour, ladies. I appreciate you all taking the time to make me feel welcome.” Milo said sincerely, earning a round of happy waves and dismissals about how it wasn’t a big deal. With that, the girls all began to head down the hallway, with Juliana lingering behind.

“You should join me for dinner later. Have Nemona show you where it is. We can catch up!” Juliana said brightly before bounding off after her friends, sticking her tongue out at Milo as she departed. Milo returned the gesture in kind before opening the door to the Staff Room.

Milo entered the rather boring room which surprisingly held several students as well as staff members. After glancing around the room several times he spotted Nemona talking to someone in a black suit who had a wild mess of black hair with yellow highlights behind them. Milo walked towards Nemona, who was happily chatting with the individual with the oddly massive hair.

“Very well, Champion Nemona. I trust you to handle this in my stead.” The person, who Milo realized now was a woman, spoke in a dignified but polite tone.

Nemona fist-pumped with her usual excitement. “Sure thing! You can count on me! In fact, I bet this is gonna be fun!”

“I’m glad to hear it. Good day, then.” The woman then turned around and Milo actually got a good look at her. She wore a crisp and professional black and blue suit with a yellow ribbon around her collar, with stylized blue gloves with a star-like sigil on them. The woman herself had skin a shade tanner than Nemona with strangely-colored blue and yellow eyes. She had black hair with blue and yellow highlights within it that extended down to her waist and billowed behind her. She seemed to hold herself proudly, and Milo had the oddest feeling that this was a woman who he should never cross.

The woman walked past Milo, stopping for a moment in surprise. “Oh-pardon me.”

“Excuse me, ma’am.” Milo said as he moved to the side, allowing the woman to pass through. She smiled gratefully at Milo and walked out of the room with her arms behind her back, humming a tune under her breath. Milo stared at her for a few moments before turning back towards a surprised Nemona.

“Oh, Milo! Hey!” Nemona greeted her friend, who smiled back at her with a small wave before jerking a thumb towards the door.

“Hey there. Who was that?” Milo asked Nemona, who smirked at her neighbor. 

“Piqued your interest, huh? That lady is…Well, they call her La Primera! ” Nemona practically gushed, beaming at Milo. “She’s strong, she can do pretty much anything, she’s got cool practically coming out of her ears…She’s basically everything I wanna be - or that any Pokémon Trainer would wanna be, really!”

“Wow, she’s that big of a deal?” Milo remarked, surprised by the fact that a Trainer as skilled as Nemona would be… fangirling over someone else like that. It made Milo wonder even more about the strange lady who had just walked past him. 

“Oh! Which reminds me!” Nemona exclaimed, shaking her head and derailing the thought in Milo’s head for the moment. “Remember in homeroom when I asked what your dream is?”

“Yeah, it was kind of a cop-out answer, huh?” Milo muttered, rubbing the back of his head uncomfortably.

“No, not at all.” Nemona said to her friend, smiling reassuringly. “Though, if you’re still trying to decide what it is you’re looking for…I’ve got an idea for you! You should try to reach Champion Rank like me!” 

“Champion Rank?” Milo responded with confusion before realizing what that would mean. Tons of battles and the chance of earning an early grave thanks to the Nuzlocke Curse. “I don’t know…”

Nemona looked surprised at his response, frowning and looking down with a disappointed expression. “Aww, but talent like yours deserves to be used! Hear me out…”

Milo winced at that, immediately feeling guilty about letting Nemona down. After how nice she had been to him today, it felt so rude to Milo to immediately turn her down like that. “Okay, sell me on it. Why should I go for the Champion Rank?”

Nemona’s expression lightened up slightly, and sensing that Milo was willing to humor her, launched into an explanation. 

“Within the Paldea Region, there’s a ranking system for the Trainers based on how many official Gym Badges they have earned by defeating the Gym Leaders. If you don’t have any badges, you’re ranked as a Beginner Trainer. ” Nemona began explaining to a curious Milo. “If you have a Gym Badge, but have less than four total, then you’re considered a Novice Trainer . If you have four to five Badges, you have the Rank of Adept Trainer . At six and seven Badges, you’re an Ace Trainer . And once you conquer all eight Pokémon Gyms you earn the title of Expert Trainer. ” 

“And finally… Champion . The Trainers that reach Champion Rank are the ones who raise their Pokémon really strong. They’re pro-tier battlers. Their moves keep crowds absolutely on the edge of their seats!” Nemona gushed, proudly pounding a fist against her chest as Milo smiled at her. It was clear she valued the position she had put so much hard work in for.

“You have to prove yourself to the Pokémon League to officially get the title of Champion. And to do that, you have to do more than just take classes here.” Nemona continued as Milo listened intently. “You’ve got to take on eight Pokémon Gyms and win so you can collect their Gym Badges! Once you’ve done that, all that’s left is a special test - the Champion Assessment.”

“Sounds pretty familiar to me. Galar has something similar, like a lot of the regions do. The fact that it’s a test is different though.” Milo remarked, with Nemona nodding eagerly.

“It is! And once you pass THAT, then at long last you’ll be a Champion!” Nemona cried out, her expression growing in intensity. Milo could practically see the waves of sheer passion rolling off of the girl. “It’s every Pokémon Trainer’s dream! The coolest title anyone could ever hope to get!”

Nemona then coughed, regaining some of her composure. “Not to brag or anything!”

“It’s alright, I still think you’re cool.” Milo said with a chuckle while Nemona joined him, flushing slightly at how excited she had gotten and losing her composure. 

“I reached the Champion Rank during our last Treasure Hunt, you know!” Nemona remarked, putting a hand on her hip with a smile.

“Treasure Hunt? Is this place home to pirates or something? I thought that was only in Alola and Hoenn…no wait, you did mention pirates earlier, didn’t you?” Milo questioned, with Nemona snorting in amusement before explaining.

“The Treasure Hunt is a special independent study thing we’ve got here. Should happen soon! Our last one started not too long after the beginning of this school year!” Nemona explained, pumping her fists as she got excited again. 

Milo couldn’t help the smile on his face watching her get hyped up, her energy being rather contagious. “You’re making this sound like fun, actually. So what do you actually do?”

“It’s great!” Nemona cheered, beaming at Milo now. “You get to leave school to go have an adventure and learn however you want!”

“Oh wow…I didn’t think the Academy would do something like that. I figured it’d be more by the book.” Milo said with some surprise, putting a finger to his chin thoughtfully. “Though considering the insane reputation this place has, maybe that kind of thing just works. Eh, what do I know? So you did this Treasure Hunt thing last year. What did you end up finding?”

Nemona nodded and crossed her arms, shutting her eyes as she hummed. Milo was surprised by the lack of enthusiasm and the sudden introspective look on her face. “I guess you could say my journey to becoming a Champion was the treasure I found…maybe?”

“You don’t sound too sure.” Milo pointed out, with Nemona sighing in response.

“I dunno yet if that’s the answer I’m looking for…” Nemona admitted, opening her eyes and looking at Milo. “Ayway, I’ve got a feeling I’d be able to get even stronger if you and I were both working at it…”

“You definitely made it sound cool. I’ll think about it, Nemona. I think I’ve got some more soul-searching to do first.” Milo replied as Nemona smiled back at Milo, pulling out her phone.

“Lemme go ahead and save the Gyms’ locations in your map app just in case you decide to go for it!” Nemona said to Milo, who pulled out his phone. 

Moments later it beeped as data was transferred to it, and a map of the entire region popped up on Milo’s phone with a series of coordinates with small pictures attached to each one, including a series of symbols. From a glance, it looked like Nemona had sent him the locations of the Gyms, with a picture of the Gym Leader and what seemed to be the specific type they specialized in.

Milo could have sworn he heard a bell suddenly toll, and as that thought occurred to him the Voice snickered within his mind. The teen ignored the intruder in his head as Nemona put away her phone. 

“Give it some thought!” Nemona said brightly, extending her fist towards Milo, who smiled and tapped it. “And thanks for humoring me, Milo. I appreciate it.”

“What are friends for?” Milo responded with a smile that matched hers, causing the girl to beam at him in such a way that the Galarian teen felt butterflies in his stomach. 

“How about we grab some dinner? I’ve got to do some research on a thing for La Primera tonight, but we’ve got time for some chow.” Nemona offered to Milo, who realized with a start that he was actually pretty hungry after the events of the day. 

Milo even noticed that the sun was beginning to descend in the sky, and that was when it set in that the myriad of events that had all happened to him so far in Paldea had all just been today.

Soon enough the two friends were walking down the hallway, with Nemona happily chatting to her neighbor about the Gym Challenge and all it entailed. Despite his own reservations and concerns, Milo had to admit that it did sound pretty fun.

Chapter Text

Nemona led Milo to one of the three mini-cafeterias that were present in Naranja Academy, and the new student was once again caught off-guard by the facilities provided. While the cafeteria was smaller than he imagined, it was fully decked out. There was a main service-line and a small section dedicated to pre-made sandwiches and meals for students who were trying to grab food to go. Off to the side was a large kitchen where student volunteers were helping prepare meals as well for hungry students. Nemona told Milo to snag whatever he felt like and skipped off to the main service line.

Milo nervously walked up to one of the lunch ladies, who gave the boy a friendly smile and said, "Hope your studies are goin' okay! What'll you have today?

"I'll have a whole Peanut Butter Sandwich and some milk, please." Milo said to the lunch lady after taking a few seconds to look over the menu. The woman happily pulled out a loaf of sourdough bread and expertly slathered it in peanut butter before swiftly dicing up a banana and placing them on the sandwich before handing that and a milk carton to Milo.

"Hoo! You must be hungry! Well, take care out there, dear! Enjoy your meal!" the lunch lady said brightly, with Milo nodding and thanking her before sitting down next to Juliana, who was waving to Milo from an empty section of a nearby table. A minute later Nemona joined them, giving the two freshman a warm smile.

"Oh wow, sitting with the Class Prez. How's it going, Champion Nemona?" Juliana asked the older teen, who responded with a joyful laugh.

"Just call me Nemona! You're Juliana, right? You're in the General Studies class with Miss Fairchild?" Nemona asked Juliana, earning a nod.

"Yep. I've only been here a few months, myself. Milo was supposed to come with me but then…well, things happened." Juliana finished lamely, partly because Milo gave her a sharp look that somehow Nemona missed.

"Well, he's here now! I'm glad I'm not the only friend Milo has at Naranja Academy. Did you know he was such a skilled Trainer?" Nemona asked Juliana, causing her to look at Milo with some confusion.

"No, actually. Milo didn't even have a Trainer's license back home. Though you were always annoyingly quick on the uptake. Doesn't surprise me that you're an awesome Trainer from the get-go." Juliana said as she gave her friend a smile. Milo shrank a bit in his seat, not particularly fond of the combined front of praise coming from the two girls. He chose to start eating so that he didn't have to immediately answer. Eventually he went back to one of his old reliable ways of killing a conversation, and that was passing the buck to someone else.

"Anyways, what have you been up to, Juliana? You and the other girls just randomly found me in the school before you took me on that tour." Milo tried to divert their attention.

"Oh, I was just seeing if there were any new school announcements. You'll sometimes find out about cool meetings and club meetups that aren't usually advertised by teachers or in class on handy bulletin boards scattered throughout campus." Juliana explained as Nemona nodded in agreement, with Milo looking rather interested.

"I might have to look into that. I'll probably want to do a club or two." Milo said as he considered it. "It'll be after I get settled in though. Maybe after all this attention dies down about the Team Star thing."

"Why not just run with it?" Nemona asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Milo here doesn't like being the center of attention. That's why he keeps downplaying how cool it was that he made those Team Star dorks back off all on his own." Juliana said with a knowing smirk while Milo glared at his best friend.

"Traitor." Milo grumbled before tearing into his sandwich, promptly killing the conversation and allowing the teens to eat their dinners. Once most of the food was eaten, Nemona broke the silence with an excited smile.

"So what did you think of the school, Milo? Pretty awesome, right?" Nemona asked excitedly before devouring the rest of her sandwich, something that had fried eggs in it, bacon and some kind of gooey cheese. It smelled amazing though, and Milo decided then and there that he'd be trying whatever Nemona was having for dinner tomorrow.

"I'm liking it. Juliana and her minions showed me around the place, or at least most of it. It's even more impressive in person than it was in the brochures and reading material they gave me." Milo replied honestly, smiling at the Student Council President and earning a big grin in response.

"Minion!?" Juliana sputtered, completely flabbergasted. "You call them that like I pay them!"

"You mean they hang out with you willingly?"

"How dare you slander my good name like this? I should sue you for defamation!"

"Can you spell the word defamation?"

Nemona glanced back and forth at the two freshmen as they bickered back and forth. The girl opened her mouth to interject, but her Rotom Phone let out a soft beep, causing Milo and Juliana to jump in surprise.

Nemona's reaction was a sigh. "Well, that's all the time I've got. I need to start on some research in the Library before it gets too late. It was nice getting to eat with you both!"

"We should do this again sometime." Milo said with a smile to the Champion, causing her to smile brightly and nod. Meanwhile Juliana wore a knowing smirk, but she also nodded in agreement with Milo's statement.

"Absolutely! I'll catch you two later!" Nemona said as she hopped to her feet, with Milo and Juliana waving farewell to the Student Council President.

"I actually haven't had a chance to sit down and chat with her like this. She's actually alright." Juliana remarked with some surprise, earning a confused look from Milo.

"What do you mean by that? She's kinda ditzy, but she's been really nice to me the entire time I've been with her today." Milo said to his best friend, who hummed at that statement.

"Oh yeah, she's really nice. But she's also…kinda intimidating. She's really famous in the Paldea region and there's rumors that she's destined for some incredible things once she graduates." Juliana explained quietly, putting a finger to her chin. "She's also not the best when it comes to social settings. She means well, but she can come off as really socially inept and kinda rude."

"I think I get what you mean." Milo muttered, thinking back to several of his interactions with Nemona. "She was super helpful and walked me to school, though. I wanted to make friends here, and for better or worse, she's a friend. Maybe I can help her with that a bit, like she's been helping me."

Juliana gave her best friend a bright smile. "Good for you! You might have the social battery with about as much charge as a 50-year old flashlight but you're giving it your best to make some friends! Way to not be a total gremlin like you were back home, Milo!"

Milo narrowed his eyes at Juliana, who was smirking like crazy at him. "You keep talking trash, and I'll make sure to keep whatever snacks Mom sends to me as a care package all for myself. Including her peanut butter fudge!"

Juliana gave a horrified gasp at the threat. Hannah Caballero's famous Peanut Party Fudge had won the Motostoke Sweet Treat Competition for the past three years back-to-back.

The girl hung her head in defeat as Milo did a fist pump in victory. Milo then noticed that Juliana's expression had shifted into an uneasy one.

"I wanted to ask earlier…Um, how are you holding up? After the-" Juliana began to ask, only for Milo to shake his head.

"I have my good days and bad days. I'm honestly trying not to dwell on it and focus on the here and now. I just…I don't want to think about it." Milo admitted, closing his eyes and exhaling hard. Juliana looked at her friend with open concern and grabbed his hand.

"No matter what, I'm here for you. Remember that. So's Mrs. Hannah and all the awesome friends you're gonna make here. We've got your back. Okay?" Juliana said intently as Milo opened his eyes and nodded at his best friend. Juliana let go of Milo's hand and the two of them got up to put away their dinner trays. It was then that Milo spotted someone he decidedly did not want to see again.

"Oh great…this guy." Milo muttered as he watched the familiar figure of Arven walk through the entrance to the cafeteria and walk over, stopping at the same counter they were at with a contemplative expression.

"What are you talking about?" Juliana asked as Milo tried to move away from Arven, who unfortunately glanced in their direction. Recognition registered in his eyes as he offered the two of them a friendly smile.

"Oh, hey. So we meet again!" Arven said to Milo, without any of the anger that Milo had remembered from their encounter just a few hours ago at the Lighthouse. "You remember me, right?"

"Yeah, from the lighthouse. Arven, right?" Milo replied tiredly, with Arven grinning at the younger student's response.

"Yeah, exactly! That's my little know-it-all-buddy! Got a mind like a steel trap, eh?" Arven said with a laugh as he crossed his arms, which threw Milo completely off. The last time he had run into Arven, he was forced into a battle where the teen was yelling furiously at him. Now they were buddies? "No need to tell me your name. Milo, right? The student council girl mentioned it earlier, but even if she didn't I would've known."

"What do you mean?" Juliana asked Arven, confused.

"Whole school seems to be talking about you. The new kid who showed up with the president of the student council and whooped Team Star's ass while protecting another student. Stuff like that gets around, you know?" Arven answered with a shrug.

"So here's my question…Why are we talking?" Milo asked, narrowing his eyes as Arven's own widened. "You lashed out at me and Nemona earlier and wouldn't stop talking crap about Koraidon, even after we explained how it saved my life. And now you're acting like we're the best of pals. What's going on?"

Arven looked taken aback for a moment before sighing, slumping his shoulders. "Y-yeah, alright. I'll admit it. I was acting like a total jerk earlier today. To be totally honest, you guys kinda caught me at the worst possible moment. I was emotional and angry and seeing Koraidon again just made me freak out. I shouldn't have taken that out on you and the student council girl…And I'm sorry. You didn't deserve any of that, and I shouldn't have taken my problems out on you both like that."

"At least you admit it…" Milo remarked before considering the other teen's words. Milo sighed and said, "You know what? Fine. We were both short with each other earlier. Let's try this again."

Arven was surprised when Milo extended a hand to him. "Florian Caballero. My friends call me Milo, though."

"I call him Princess Fluffyflower." Juliana chimed in, causing Milo's expression to sour. Arven fought back a snicker and he turned to the girl, extending a hand towards her. Juliana met his hand with a smirk. "I'm Juliana Anderson. Milo's my bestie from back home in Galar."

"I'm Arven Sada. Nice to meet you both, officially." Arven said with a nod, smirking at the dynamic between the two freshmen.

"Pleasure's all mine. So what the heck happened between the two of you?" Juliana asked, causing Arven's smile to take a slight hit as he turned away with a sigh. Milo and Juliana did catch sight of the guilty expression on his face.

"Like I said before, I lost my temper and acted like a jerk earlier. Milo here kicked my butt in a battle and snapped me out of things…and then apparently a few hours later started knocking around Team Star!" Arven remarked, sounding rather impressed. "Looks like you've got some serious skills, man."

"Thanks. So, now that we're on the same page, why are we actually talking in the first place?" Milo asked Arven, who turned away and considered that very question.

"I normally wouldn't even bother showing up for class, but I came all the way to school today just to talk with you - our new celebrity." Arven glanced at Milo with a serious expression. "You've gotta help me out so I can finally make my dream a reality!"

"What's this dream, first?" Milo asked suspiciously, crossing his arms. Juliana simply watched on, completely baffled as Arven turned around with a grin, giving Milo a thumbs up.

"Hehehe…Caught your interest, have I? You want to hear all about my dream, right?" Arven said as he put his hands on his hips. "Well, this might come as a surprise, but fact is, I'm all about that picnic life: the great outdoors, the perfectly prepared sandwiches, all of it. Not half bad at cooking either, I can tell you."

"Okay, so what's the catch?" Milo asked Arven, who set down his backpack and pulled out a dark red book from within. The tall teen flipped through it and continued explaining. "Right now I'm researching new recipes that'll help Pokémon feel better. Real health food, see. I found this book the other day, and it had a section about these Herba Mystica things…Basically, they're some kind of special herbs that heal up any Pokémon as soon as it eats them!"

"Oh wow, so it's like a panacea?" Juliana asked with a curious expression.

"I don't think they have anything to do with pancakes." Arven said with a shake of the head, causing Milo and Juliana to exchange a bewildered look. "Now, there are a total of five different types of Herba Mystica, based on what I read. Just taking a little lick of them once they've been powdered will get your blood flowing, provide nutrients, prevent aging- it'll even boost the immune system!"

"That sounds pretty incredible." Milo admitted, nodding along with what Arven was saying.

"These herbs seem like they're the real deal. Only found here in Paldea-and rare to boot!" Arven said excitedly, but his tone dimmed a bit as he added, "But the book says they're all guarded by Titan Pokémon, meaning that it's gonna be pretty tough to try to grab even a few sprigs."

"Titan Pokémon? That sounds like a fairy tale, Arven." Juliana said to the teen with a frown, even as Arven flipped through a few pages of the book he held.

"'Cause, see, Titans are-Well, I think they've gotta be…things like this!" Arven said as he showed them two pages from the book, at the top of one of the pages was a short passage with the title Monsters of Area Zero.

"As we descended further into Area Zero, we began to catch glimpses of mysterious Pokémon-though we wondered if these huge, ferocious beasts were indeed Pokémon at all. One of our team suffered a brutal blow from such a beast and was mortally wounded, forcing us to retreat for a time." Milo read quietly, eyeing the strange drawing of a massive tusked monster with tough-looking armor and a tail.

"That's not all. There's more!" Arven said as he flipped the page, showing a blurry photograph that was somewhat torn and withered with age, though Milo and Juliana could tell it was a picture of the same monster that had been drawn in the previous page.

"A member of the survey team captured this photograph by chance. I notice a passing resemblance to the Pokémon known as Donphan, yet differences such as its sheer size and shape of its back set it apart-as do its great tusks." Juliana recited from the book, shivering slightly at the strange creature shown in the photo. It definitely didn't look like any Donphan she had ever seen.

Arven snapped the book shut and put it away, hefting his backpack onto his shoulders as he sighed, turning away from them. "I really want to get those herbs for myself, but…I'm not very good at Pokémon Battles."

The tall teen looked down at the ground as he muttered, "Don't have any friends with strong Pokémon to lend me a hand, either…And I'd never hear the end of it if I went crawling to that student council girl."

"You know, she's really not that bad man-" Milo began to say before Arven turned around, excitement on his face.

"But here you waltz up! You've got to help me out with this-you'd be perfect!" Arven said to Milo, practically begging the other teen to help. Before Milo could speak to give his answer, Arven held up a hand. "Nope! Wait! I don't need an answer yet! I'll just register the places where it seems there might be Titans in your map app for you."

"...Fine. I'll think about it." Milo grudgingly got out his phone as Arven's phone (covered in flowers and a stylish Flabébé), sent him the map data. Five icons showed up detailing the types of the five Titans, each with an odd name to them.

Milo could have sworn he heard another bell toll, much like earlier with Nemona when she was asking about the Gyms. The Voice snickered in Milo's mind again, but he ignored that and focused on Arven speaking.

"Let it stew a bit, and we can get more into the details later. And in the meantime…take this. A little gift for listening and all." Arven said as he pulled out a small satchel and handed it to Milo. The Galarian teen would later discover it was a bag of Stardust.

"Give the idea some serious thought! Please!" Arven called to Milo as he suddenly bolted out of the cafeteria, nearly knocking over a student as he did so.

"Juliana…what the hell did I just walk into with this school?" Milo asked his best friend, who offered him a shrug in response.

"Don't blame this on the Academy. It's been pretty dull here. You're the one with the crazy life." Juliana said as she smirked at Milo, who sighed and hung his head. "We should get going, though. I've got an archery club meeting in a half hour that I can't miss.."

"You go ahead. I'm gonna snag a desert and…process all of that." Milo muttered, rubbing his temples as Juliana looked at him with some concern.

"You sure? You seem…pretty stressed. You usually have a better poker face than this."

"I know. Today's been fun, but it's also been a lot to take in at once and I'm not as good at handling stress as I used to be. I can give you my new number so we can text later, go do your thing." Milo remarked as he and Juliana both pulled out their Rotom Phones, exchanging contact info and a fist bump before the girl bounded off, waving at her friend as she departed. Milo went to the main line of the cafeteria and bought a pudding cup, taking a few minutes to regain his composure and simply enjoy the desert.

As he got up and threw his trash away, he made a move to leave the Cafeteria when his phone started ringing, which Milo was confused by because he had the phone set to silent. The teen was even more confused when his Rotom Phone popped out of his pocket and floated in front of him. On the screen was a single question mark that changed colors every few seconds. Milo then realized that someone had called him and that the phone had answered the call by itself.

"...This is Florian Caballero, correct? Better known as Milo?" the voice spoke through Milo's phone, their voice strangely distorted so that Milo couldn't tell what they sounded like at all.

"Okay, this is…new. What the hell?" Milo muttered as he stared at his phone, glancing around the cafeteria to see if anyone was messing with him.

"I hacked your smartphone so I could talk to you. Hope you don't mind."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Milo asked, genuinely puzzled as to why anyone would go through the trouble of hacking his phone to speak with him.

"My name's Cassiopeia. But never mind that-it's you I want to talk about. I hear you're a Trainer with serious potential. If that description is accurate, there's something I'd like to ask of you."

"Seriously, first Arven and now you. I just started this Pokémon Trainer thing today. Am I really that big of a deal?" Milo demanded, causing Cassiopeia to remain silent for several long seconds.

"I understand you may be frustrated. Please, at least hear me out." Cassiopeia said to Milo, who crossed his arms and sighed with frustration. "Milo, you are getting noticed. Your actions today have the school buzzing. Rumors are flying around about the new student who showed up alongside the Champion-ranked Student Council President…And caught my attention."

"My actions?" Milo asked, confused.

"Yes. Tell me, Milo…You know about Team Star, right?"

"Yes. I beat two Team Star Grunts who were bugging a girl with an awesome Eevee backpack." Milo informed Cassiopeia, seeing no reason to lie about it. If they were reaching out to him directly, it's likely they had heard about it. Or seen the video like Juliana had.

"Great. I appreciate you being up-front here."

"Listen, you hacked my phone and made it clear you know some stuff about me. I'm not about to make you mad." Milo admitted, shrugging his shoulders. He then realized something terrible, and it was a thought he had to say aloud. "You can't see my internet history, can you?"

"I could take a peek at it if I felt like it. I just have no reason to."

"And just like that, you're already more terrifying than the Houndoom that nearly killed me today." Milo muttered under his breath before saying aloud, "Okay, so what about Team Star?"

"I saw the video circulating around school about how you trounced two of them back-to-back, despite being a greenhorn Trainer. Needless to say, it's impressive, even if you don't seem to agree."

"Okay. But what exactly is Team Star? They looked like a bunch of annoying bullies from what I could tell. Is there something more to them?" Milo asked Cassiopeia, who went silent for several long moments before responding.

"Team Star is a group of troublemakers formed by some Academy students a while back…They cause headaches for the school and try to bring other students down to their level. And I refuse to sit idly by and let them get away with it! So I've come up with a plan to take down Team Star and force them to disband for good. I call it…Operation Starfall!"

"Sounds overly dramatic. Actually, it reminds me of an anime I saw once." Milo remarked, thinking about a show he watched with Juliana before things went pear-shaped back in Galar.

"...Anyways, I would do this on my own, if I could. But I'll need allies to carry out this operation…and I'd like you to be one of them."

"Are you serious? This has nothing to do with me, why would I-" Milo tried to say, only to be cut off by Cassiopeia.

"No need to reply right this second. We can discuss the details another time. Till then, I'll leave you to it. Bye."

And like that, the question mark vanished from Milo's phone as Cassiopeia hung up. The Rotom Phone shuddered for a moment before flying back into Milo's pocket.

"Seriously, what the hell is going on here? That's the third time I've been asked to take part in something totally out of the blue. Did you have something to do with this, you stupid voice?" Milo demanded angrily, only to get an ethereal chuckle in response.

Nope. I only affect things that have to do with the battles you go through. The school stuff is all just life in this wacky world you call your reality.

"You make it sound like you're not part of this reality…You know what. Don't answer that. You're just going to be cryptic and make my migraine worse." Milo muttered as he rubbed his temples as the Voice snickered. "I wanted to make friends here, damn it. Not get wrapped up in nonstop drama."

"Ah, Master Milo." The boy snapped out of his thoughts when Director Clavell himself walked through the door, looking at him with an odd expression.

"Oh, sorry sir. I didn't mean to block the way. I'll get going now." Milo said apologetically, moving to the side of the room.

"Thank you. However, a word of warning." The Director said, his voice dropping to an undertone. "Please do try to keep your voice down if you're making calls within the school, won't you?"

"I'll be more careful." Milo promised, nodding at Clavell who considered the new student for a moment before smiling at him.

"You don't want anyone else overhearing any personal information, after all. Honestly…There are so many things we need to be careful about in this day and age." Clavell remarked ruefully, shaking his head in dismay. He then gestured towards the door and said, "On you go, then, young man."

"Of course. Have a good day sir." Milo said to the man before walking away, with the Director waving farewell to Milo. After a few moments the man lowered his hand and looked away, his expression contemplative.

"Team Star, you say…?" Director Clavell muttered to himself, shutting his eyes for a brief moment and adjusting his glasses. He considered the conversation he had just overhead, as well as the new student who had already begun making waves at the school.

And that's on top of the request she sent for me earlier…Intrigue swirls around you, Florian Caballero. I hope you settle in quickly enough, because it seems as though your days here in Paldea will be quite busy indeed. Clavell thought to himself before heading over to grab himself some dinner prior to his meeting later. Or at the very least, one of the very appetizing fruit cups that were practically calling his name from across the room.

Milo sighed with relief as he pressed a cold water bottle against his forehead, sitting in one of the plush armchairs of the Main Entrance as Reggie, Sparky and Cocoa sat in his lap snacking on some candy that he had bought from a vending machine.

Unfortunately he was starting to get a headache from the stress of the day. It was insane to think that everything that had happened so far had only occurred over the course of about eight hours or so, but it was his life now. And that wasn't even taking into account the strange voice and the deadly challenge he was now forced to undergo.

"Calling Master Milo to the Director's Office, please. Once again…Master Milo to the Director's Office, please." Clavell's voice spoke over the intercoms, with the pleasant tone chiming again before the intercom switched off.

"I guess there's no rest for the wicked." Milo sighed as he dug out the Poké Balls and returned his team before lurching out of the chair. He made his way to one of the terminals and pulled up a map to the Director's Office, and after two wrongs turns (and nearly running into an annoyed Oranguru) Milo arrived at the Director's door and knocked three times.

"Come in!"

Milo entered the office and walked past what resembled half of a science lab and half of an office. Milo made his way across the room and over to where Clavell was sitting behind his desk, with his Quaxly napping in the corner with a small nameplate that read Quincy. Director Clavell looked up from his desk and nodded at the student entering the room.

"Thank you for coming, Master Milo. Have you been enjoying your time here at Naranja Academy?" Clavell asked the boy politely, gesturing for him to take a seat in the cushy chair that was on the other side of the desk.

"Yes sir. Nemona's been showing me the ropes, and I got a tour of the school from Juliana. It's been great, but I am getting run a bit ragged." Milo answered honestly as he sat down, earning a pleased smile from the Academy Director.

"That is most wonderful to hear." Clavell said as he leaned back in his chair. "I'll admit, I was a little worried that you would have trouble adjusting to the school given the events that had occurred back in Galar. I'm happy your rehabilitation went smoothly and you're able to embark on this journey into academia with us, Master Milo."

Milo frowned and leaned back in his chair as well, his expression one of frustration before he offered the Director a smile. The mask was back in place. "Well, I'm happy to be here, in any case."

"Of course. Now, you may be wondering why we could not have simply conversed earlier in the cafeteria." Clavell said as he stood up, walking towards the TV on the side of the room. Milo stood up and walked over to him, confused at the strange change in topic.

"I assumed it was because you wanted dinner. Was there another reason?" Milo asked, realizing that this was indeed a bit odd.

"Not quite, though I did enjoy a refreshing fruit cup at the cafeteria before returning to my office." Clavell admitted, chuckling softly. "Let me assure you, there is a reason why I asked you to meet me here in my office."

"It seems a friend of mine has a rather serious matter that they would like to discuss with you." Clavell explained, causing Milo to glance around the room for several moments. To his confusion, he and the Director were the only ones present.

"Ah, no, I'm afraid they aren't actually here in this room with us. One moment, please. Just allow me to connect us…" Clavell said as he grabbed a remote from his desk and began to fiddle with it. "Oh blast, how do you do this again…Input 2? Or was it Input 1?"

Several embarrassing minutes later the TV was both turned on, and tuned to a camera call that was already in progress.

On the screen was a rather attractive woman who looked to be in her mid-to-late twenties. She had wild light brown hair that tumbled down her back and cyan eyes. She wore a rather primitive-looking orange dress and a necklace that looked to be made of beads and stones, along with a white lab coat with a faint pink fur trimming.

The woman gave the two of them a friendly wave and a smile. "Hello, Florian. It is nice to meet you. My name is Professor Paulina Sada. I carry out Pokémon research within the Great Crater of Paldea - at a site known as Area Zero."

An image suddenly appeared on the screen showing the crater in question, mostly obscured by thick cloud cover. The image vanished a few moments later. Director Clavell took that moment to explain things further.

"The Professor is, in fact, a graduate of our fine Academy, as well as a splendid researcher. She specializes in researching the Terastal Phenomenon as well as the development of Pokémon from the past to the present day." Director Clavell told Milo, who looked at the man with surprise.

"Well. Allow me to get straight to the point." Professor said as she closed her eyes, scratching the side of her head for a moment. "Florian Caballero, student ID number 805C393…You are the student that travels with the unusual Pokémon Koraidon, is that correct?"

"Yes ma'am." Milo responded, causing the Professor to smile at him.

"Thank you. I appreciate that you were honest in confirming the facts." Professor Sada said before she seemingly caught herself. "Ah, not that I-I do not mean to offend you. In fact, I wish to ask for your assistance."

"Assistance? Umm…with what ma'am?" Milo asked, genuinely confused as to why such a renowned researcher was seeking him out personally. Sada opened her mouth to answer, only for a Poké Ball on Milo's hip to open of its own accord in a flash of light.

Koraidon appeared with a soft growl, padding forward and surprising both Milo and especially Director Clavell, who actually staggered back with a horrified expression on his face. Sada grinned upon seeing the Koraidon, who tilted its head at her and barked out.

"How good it is to see that you are well. It has been quite a while since we last met, my friend." Professor Sada said to Koraidon, earning another happy snarl from the strange Pokémon. Milo and Clavell turned back towards the screen as the Professor explained.

"Koraidon was once in my care, you see." Sada explained to the two of them, holding a hand to her chest for a moment. "Its Poké Ball was also originally mine. I assume you received it from a young man called Arven."

"Yeah. He challenged me to a battle to see if I was good enough to control Koraidon. I beat him and he handed me the Poké Ball." Milo explained, causing the Professor to blink twice in surprise before nodding.

"That does not surprise me." Professor Sada remarked, sighing softly. "I have been attempting to reach out to Arven for quite some time. He is understandably frustrated with me and…well, that's another topic for another day."

Clavell and Milo exchanged a brief glance of confusion at that. Milo remembered how angry Arven had gotten when Nemona had mentioned his mother. While the woman herself seemed to be nice, Milo wondered what the situation was between them.

"Back to Koraidon. I am no longer in any position to be able to manage that Pokémon myself." the Professor said as she shut her eyes, opening them a moment later as she gathered her thoughts. "This is what I would ask of you: Will you continue looking after Koraidon on my behalf?"

"Sure thing. I think we'll end up being pretty good friends. Ain't that right?" Milo asked Koraidon, who growled in agreement before licking Milo's cheek. The boy flinched away, laughing as he wiped the slobber away from his mouth before rubbing Koraidon's head. Clavell and Sada watched the display with amused smiles.

"I do appreciate your agreement." Professor Sada said gratefully as Koraidon tried to lick Milo again, only to catch sight of the Quaxly napping nearby. "Koraidon has been greatly weakened and is currently incapable of battle. It can, however, take on a form specialized for mobility."

"When I met it, Koraidon did transform for a few minutes into its battle form. It was incredible…but then it went back to this state." Milo explained to the Professor, who nodded in response.

"In all likelihood, it will require some time to fully regain the capabilities it once had." Professor Sada explained to the boy before gesturing with her hand. "I will provide you with my contact information. If you would please get out your phone?"

Milo pulled out his Rotom Phone as it synced with the data Professor Sada was transmitting, registering her as a contact in his phone. "I will be in regular contact going forward to keep tabs on your status. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out in return. Until then."

Professor Sada waved cheerily to them for a brief moment before walking off-camera, with the connection cutting a few moments later. Koraidon cried out, stepping forward and barking several times before lowering its head, sighing despondently.

"What's the matter, bud? You sad that the Professor couldn't stick around?" Milo asked the Pokémon, who nodded morosely. "I'm sure we can chat with her later. How's that sound?"

While Milo was talking to Koraidon, Director Clavell was watching the two of them with an intense expression, a feeling of stunned amazement running through the older man.

"Could this Pokémon have its origins within Area Zero…?" Clavell whispered to himself, looking away as the implications dawned on him. "Sada…Don't tell me you actually did it…"

"Everything okay, Director Clavell?" Milo asked, looking at the man in confusion. Clavell coughed and regained his composure, smiling at Milo as if nothing was wrong.

"Well, it seems that the Professor is asking quite the favor of you." Clavell remarked as Milo returned Koraidon, turning towards the Director. "But of course the Academy is always here to support you in any way that we are able."

"Thank you, sir." Milo replied gratefully, looking down at the Poké Ball that contained Koraidon, which Milo now knew originally belonged to Professor Sada herself.

"I do hope you'll continue to enjoy your school life, together with that Koraidon." Clavell said to Milo, nodding to the boy. "That's all for now, Master Milo. You may depart now. Classes have ended for the day, so have free reign to go as you will. Just be aware of the 2300 curfew for students on Academy grounds and that class begins at 0800 in the morning at your homeroom."

"Of course sir. I'll get out of your hair. Have a good night!" Milo said to the man, who smiled and nodded at the teen before turning towards the window and walking towards it, staring at across Mesagoza with a troubled expression.

As Milo turned around and began to walk away, he caught the Director muttering to himself. "Area Zero, hm…What are you doing down there, Professor…?"

Milo stopped in his tracks, glancing back at Director Clavell who was not paying any attention to Milo. But the boy made his way towards the door, knowing that it was rude to eavesdrop-

And then suddenly Nemona!

"Hellooo! 'Scuse me!" Nemona's voice called out, knocking three times before bursting into the room. Surprisingly enough this did nothing to disturb Director Clavell, and Milo was soon distracted himself by his cheery neighbor.

"Oh! You're still here, Milo!" Nemona said with a smile before bursting into giggles. "Oof. Getting called into the Director's office? How'd you land in that much trouble already?"

"It was probably all of the drugs I did in the bathroom on the way here." Milo said sarcastically, causing Nemona to laugh even harder.

"Naw, kidding! I know it wasn't like that." Nemona giggled before turning around, grinning at Milo. "Mr. Jacq wanted me to show you the way to your room in the school dorms."

"Oh. Somehow I totally forgot about that." Milo remarked, realizing he never even considered that part of his time here at school.

Nemona seemed to be more hyped about Milo's room than he was, because she started fist-pumping with excitement. "Your very own private room, Milo! Let's go check it out!"

Twenty minutes later, Nemona and Milo had walked to the student dorms section of the school. Students were milling about here and there, walking past them or chatting with friends. Milo noticed that every single one of them glanced at Milo and Nemona with surprised expressions, making sure to move aside for the formidable Student Council President and the new celebrity on campus.

Eventually they reached room 2-CH and Nemona pulled out a key and handed it to Milo. The teen took a moment to carefully insert the key and unlock the door, which opened after Milo turned the handle. Milo stepped into the dark room with Nemona close behind, and to his surprise the lights in the room turned on themselves, showing Milo his new living space.

"Ta-ta-tachán!" Nemona said as she whirled around and threw apart her arms dramatically. "From today on, this is your room, Milo!"

The dorm room was more than what Milo was expecting. It was a rather large room with an entryway that led to a small personal and modern kitchen area with a hot plate and a microwave, as well as a sink and several cupboards and drawers for Milo to keep and store items. To his immediate right upon walking into the room was a potted plant and a door that led to a rather nice bathroom, complete with a toilet, sink, and walk-in shower for him to use.

To the right of the kitchen was a side room where the bedroom was, with a large comfortable-looking bed sat against the wall by the window with a thick orange comforter on top and a fluffy pillow that was practically calling Milo's name at this point. Several boxes that were marked with his name were stacked against the wall as well by the L-shaped desk in the corner of the room. Milo also spotted a nightstand and a shelf at about eye-level above the desk, presumably to put knick-knacks and decorations.

"This is really nice." Milo let out a low-whistle, eyeing the place with an amazed expression. "And this is all mine? What the heck am I going to do with all of this space?"

"Yep yep. Mine looks something similar to this, but as for this place, it's as new to me as it is to you. Never been in here before." Nemona admitted with a shrug as she looked around the room. "Maybe check out your new bed? Looks comfy. And you must be pretty worn out from all this stuff happening on your very first day, huh? You can decorate later. And if you want, I can help!"

"Decorating later sounds good. I'm wiped out." Milo sighed with a rueful smile, causing Nemona to chuckle at her friend.

"Yep! A quick rest on a bed is all you need to get yourself and your Pokémon healthy again!" Nemona said brightly before realizing that her statement wasn't exactly true. "I mean, unless the Pokémon is super big. Then you may need a bigger bed. Or the floor. Thinking about it now, that's actually kinda silly, huh?"

"Probably? Is there anything else I need to do, or am I basically just getting settled into things?" Milo asked Nemona, who responded with a bright smile.

"Just unpack and unwind. I'll see you tomorrow, when you've rested up. Then we can battle even more! Take care!" Nemona said with a bright smile, which Milo matched with a thumbs up.

"See you later. Thanks for everything, Nemona." Milo said gratefully to the girl as she departed, waving at Milo as she passed by before exiting the room.

The moment Nemona departed Milo let out a deep sigh and called out his three Pokémon and Koraidon before slowly walking over to his bed and collapsing into it, kicking off his shoes haphazardly. The exhausted teenager was out cold in less than a minute, snoring softly as all of the sudden surprises and stresses of the day caught up with him.

Chapter Text

The next week or so of school passed by without any issues, and Milo settled into a relatively normal schedule, much to his relief.

Milo was shocked to learn that as a result of his actions against Team Star, his status as the school celebrity lingered long after the battle with the two Team Star Grunts on the Academy steps. Milo's reputation was further bolstered by the boy's humility regarding the situation, which unfortunately for the Galarian made him even more popular.

Despite that, Milo found himself spending time with both Nemona and Arven outside of class, though due to Arven's strong dislike of Nemona, never at the same time. Milo grudgingly admitted that Arven was a friendly enough guy when he wasn't under immense stress and fun to be around for the most part, though he was still somewhat prickly at times.

Milo even spotted a few occasions where Arven would lapse into long silences, a rather depressed expression on his face. Milo eventually decided to bring Juliana to some of his lunches with Arven, and thankfully she was able to inject some much needed life and joy into proceedings.

Sometimes Arven would even make the three of them large bento boxes filled with fresh vegetables, perfectly steamed rice and meat that was seasoned just right. Arven was always happy to cook for Milo and Juliana, the latter of whom warmed up to the older student fairly quickly, which Milo found immensely amusing due to the fact that Juliana was even more of a foodie than he was.

During these lunches Milo learned a bit more about the older teen. The most surprising of which was the fact that Arven was practically a pro when it came to surviving out in the Wilds on his own. He gave Milo and Juliana both tips on what brands of clothes and supplies to buy when going out on your own. The trio had even made a few excursions into Mesagoza proper to shop for equipment to ensure a comfortable time outdoors.

However, these excursions into the city were something done fairly rarely, as Arven wasn't usually around Naranja Academy, at least compared to the rest of them. The older student left the Academy for long periods of time despite having room and board at the school. According to Nemona, Arven had only a handful of credits under his belt despite being an upperclassman like her.

However, due to being the famous Professor Sada's son and the fact that his education already had been paid for by his mother in advance, Arven was able to come and go as he pleased without any serious consequences.

Milo wondered what Arven was up to during his long absences away from Naranja Academy. Unlike Nemona, who occasionally had to take a day or two away from class to deal with Student Council issues or even to assist the Paldean Pokémon League with important matters, Arven had no such obligations. So what kept him away from the school?

During the periods of time that he didn't hang out with Arven or Juliana, Milo happily enjoyed his lunch and dinner periods with Nemona. The Champion-ranked President of the Student Council was always thrilled to hang out with her new rival and neighbor. Spending time with Nemona would always leave Milo feeling rather tired, but he always had a smile on his face. Nemona also took that time to introduce her friend to her true team, the one that had led her to victory against the Champion of Paldea.

Her ace, Tornado, was a friendly Paldean Tuaros who was a bit protective of Nemona out in the wilds. Milo wasn't surprised, given how ditzy Nemona was sometimes. According to Nemona this was the Pokémon that had won her the Championship, and Tornado hadn't ever lost a battle.

Then there was Haboob the Orthoworm, a Pokémon that Milo had never seen before but looked somewhat silly to the new Trainer. According to Nemona, she was a rather goofy Pokémon and was notorious for being difficult to wake up in the mornings. Then there was Khamsin the Dundunsparce, which was the evolved form of Dunsparce. Even more interesting was that Nemona's Dundunsparce was an apparently rare Three-Segment version of the Pokémon who had a rather irritable disposition, but always listened to Nemona no matter what.

And of course there was Foehn the Sprigatito and Sirocco the Pawmi. Milo eventually learned that Nemona hadn't actually caught Sirocco. She had hatched him from an Egg that had been laid by a Pawmot that she also owned, but was currently on loan to her sister as a bodyguard. Nemona had about two dozen more Pokémon besides the ones she had on her at the moment, all of whom were happily enjoying their time at her mansion or being used by her family as security guards.

Milo also learned why this was. Nemona's father was head of the Rotom Phone Company, which explained many things, chief among them being how Nemona was rich beyond belief. However Nemona was very sure to inform Milo that her strength as a Trainer was something she attained on her own, and wasn't influenced by the wealth of her family. Considering her grades and how much weight her name carried on campus, Milo believed her wholeheartedly.

The days rolled by into weeks as Milo found his footing and began life as a student of Naranja Academy. The teachers were as eclectic as they were effective, and Milo thrived in the school he had looked forward to going to for years alongside both his friends, both old and new. Milo's status in school made him pretty popular too, and to his shock he found himself invited to more than a few different clubs and even a few parties over the course of the few first weeks he started at the Academy.

Even better, the Voice mercifully left him alone and the Nuzlocke Curse didn't strike again despite some of the training battles that he was roped into during the occasional battle class he had scheduled on the clock. Thanks to those, along with Nemona's pointers, the Galarian teen managed to get a better handle on Pokémon battling and figuring out the strengths and weaknesses of his team. He also learned of a few different tactics to employ with the Pokémon that he had, such as using Reggie as a Special Attacker or using Cocoa the Wooper to weaken and disorient opponents with her poison and ground attacks once she got stronger.

This all culminated in the realization that for the first time in a long while, Milo felt comfortable. At peace, happy with his lot in life, and finally able to go to school and make friends and learn at one of the best schools in the world. One that he had grown up hearing about from his parents all throughout his childhood.

The Galarian teen knew that there were of course downsides to being in Paldea, and he missed his home region sometimes. And while he was currently happy and in the honeymoon phase of being in Naranja Academy, Milo also knew that there were always going to be rough days ahead.

He could only hope he was strong enough to weather them.

Three Weeks into the School Year...

"Come on, Juliana! We're gonna be late!" Milo called to the girl from outside her door, leaning against the wall as he played a game on his Rotom Phone. Cocoa the Wooper and Sparky the Pawmi watched the screen in fascination while Reggie yawned from the floor, curled up at Milo's feet.

"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying-EEP!" Juliana's voice was cut off by a loud bang, followed by a groan of pain. Milo sighed and glanced down at his watch. While they still had some time before class, the two of them had wanted to grab some breakfast from some big bake sale happening in the foyer today that they had seen on a flyer.

"Are you alive in there, or should I go fetch help?" Milo asked in a bored tone as Sparky tried poking the screen of his Rotom Phone, only for Milo to gently move it out of reach.

"I'm…in pain. Hold on…owwwww…" Juliana opened the door a few moments later, limping out of it with a wince as she closed and locked her door. Milo sighed and returned his Pokémon before grabbing the girl's backpack from her, gallantly walking ahead of her as she hobbled alongside her best friend.

"Don't say I don't look out for you."

"Shuddap Milo. Ow ow ow…this sucks. Gonna be feeling this all friggin' day."

"How do you take so long in the mornings?"

"I said shut your face, Florian."

Milo rolled his eyes at the dig. She knew full well how much he disliked his first name, and so he simply decided to walk slightly faster in response, forcing Juliana to hobble along faster despite the pain she was in.

Yes it was petty. But Milo never claimed to be perfect.

"Freshly baked treats! Nice and warm, nice and cheap!"

As they reached the lobby, a familiar voice that Milo immediately recognized called out loudly. Milo glanced down from the staircase he was at now and gaped in surprise. Arven was standing in front of a large display in the main foyer of the Academy, surrounded by several tables and a massive line of what Milo realized were customers.

Dozens upon dozens of desserts and baked goods covered the tables, all wrapped and packaged with frilly bows and dainty wrappers. While one or two students helped ring up customers, it became clear that Arven was the one in charge of the food stand given how he was not only assisting customers, but manning the large portable oven behind him. He was wearing a hairnet and a large apron with a Slurpuff on it.

Juliana eyed the bake sale happening in the lobby with a terrible gleam of hunger in her eyes, and not for the first time Milo wondered if his best friend was part-Sharpedo. He also knew that not even Arceus itself would be able to stop the hungry girl from partaking in the bake sale happening, so with that Milo began moving towards the end of the line. Juliana snapped out of her trance and ran after her friend, eagerly awaiting her turn in line.

About ten minutes later, Milo and Juliana were standing in front of a rather surprised Arven, who gave them both a grin.

"Hey there, you two! Wanna buy some baked goods and donate to the Booster Club? All proceeds go straight to the school, and you get some tasty treats made by yours truly!" Arven said to them before his smile slipped away somewhat, replaced by something that Milo realized was mild concern as he saw Juliana eyeing his wares with a ravenous glare. "Uh, is she okay?"

"Let's just say this. The easiest way to Juliana's heart is through her stomach, and with the spread you've got out here she's in a whole other world." Milo remarked as Juliana eagerly picked up one of everything present, as well as three Pecha & Pinap Berry Muffins. The smile she was currently wearing was from ear-to-ear and practically lit up the entire foyer. "Seriously man, you made all of this yourself?"

"Yep! Honestly, the hardest part was carrying it all downstairs by myself! But I managed in the end." Arven said with a grin as Juliana deposited what she wanted in the small basket in front of the cash register. Arven's eyes went wide at the dozen or some pastries that the short girl had picked up, and after looking down at the excited Juliana, the taller teen glanced at Milo with some confusion.

"Don't ask. She's small, but her spirit animal is a Munchlax. It's genuinely insane how much food she can put down and not gain any weight." Milo said dryly, earning a venomous look from Juliana while Arven smirked at the exchange between the two friends.

"Hey, ain't nothing wrong with splurging a little, little buddy. Juliana, you don't have any allergies, do you?" Arven asked the girl as she pulled out her wallet to pay for her baked goods. Juliana shook her head and handed some cash to Arven, who happily took it and gave her back her change and bagged up the desserts in a rather cute shopping bag of a spider Pokémon Milo didn't recognize.

"Mama's gonna eat like a queen tonight!" Juliana practically sang as she accepted the bag from Arven with a joyous smile. "Arven, you rock and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"You should swing by Soapberry then. Miss Katy's a pro baker and the stuff she can come up with puts my stuff to shame." Arven remarked, a modest smile on his face.

"Don't sell yourself short. I don't really care for sweets all that much, and even I'm getting hungry looking at this stuff. And you said donations go to the Booster Club?" Milo asked the chef, who nodded.

"Yessir. This helps us put on extra school spirit events and helps the League out with funding stuff for the school. I figured since I'm hanging around a bit this month for personal reasons, I could help out. I think I put out a decent spread." Arven said with a surprising amount of humility considering the large line of customers and how happy Juliana was chowing down on one of the muffins. The three tables worth of baked goods was a testament to the young cook's skills.

"That's putting it lightly, Arven. Uh…give me some of that banana bread, if you don't mind. And some of the apple fritters. I can share them with Reggie, Sparky, Cocoa and Koraidon later." Milo said to the other teen, who grinned with delight and quickly sliced up some of the banana bread he had just finished preparing in the portable oven behind him just minutes ago. He swiftly rang Milo up and handed the other boy his breakfast and the treats for his team, with Milo inhaling the delicious scent with a smile.

"Thanks for this, Arven. I might have to come by after homeroom!" Milo laughed as Juliana licked her fingers behind him, with Milo pointedly handing her a napkin. The girl blushed in embarrassment before accepting the napkin (and discreetly using some hand sanitizer on her hands).

Arven shrugged his shoulders, but the older student couldn't resist a smile. "Thanks, little buddy. You two should get on going to class, though. There's only a few minutes left before the bell."

"What about you?" Milo asked.

"Got special permission since I'm part of the Booster Club. Besides, it's not like they've gotten on me about my truancy before." Arven said carelessly, shrugging his shoulders. Milo frowned at that, but decided that this was a conversation for another day. So instead he bid his friend farewell and ran after Juliana down the nearest hallway, with Arven and Skwovet waving to them both as they departed.

Several Days Later…

Nemona pretended not to hear the whispers as she made her way through the hallways.

"There goes the queen of the academy…"

"Miss Silver Spoon herself…"

"Jeez, she's scary. I bet any one of her Pokémon could sweep my whole team…"

The accusations and snide remarks that followed in her wake as she made her way through the halls of Naranja Academy. Nemona couldn't help the frown on her face as she continued to ignore the rude remarks that passed her by.

Let them talk. Their words mean nothing… Nemona thought with an inward sigh, reflecting on why her fellow students would say such things about her. It was frustrating, because for all of Nemona's strengths, she had a hard time understanding people. She was a master of the battlefield, but socially she was admittedly not the most skilled of warriors.

More often than not, Nemona spent time with her team or spending time in the teacher's lounge, looking into various things for the Pokémon League. And she enjoyed doing so, for the most part.

However there was a part of her that longed for something…more. She felt that part of her cry out when she was in the cafeteria, seeing students happily mingle with one another and chatting happily about their days. Battling students out in the courtyard, wearing determined smiles as they fought their hardest to win. Nemona couldn't really take part in any of that.

Nemona stopped in the middle of the hallways and sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead. Why did things have to be so complicated?

Before she could do much more than consider that question, her Rotom Phone began to ring. Surprised, Nemona pulled out her phone and saw it was Milo calling her. Nemona smiled upon seeing the name and tapped her phone, answering the call.

"Oh hey, Milo. What's up?" Nemona said brightly, forgetting her woes for a moment as she talked to her friend, a smile coming to her face. A few more whispers passed the Champion-ranked Trainer, but she was able to completely tune them out.

"I was gonna grab dinner in Mesagoza and wanted to know if you wanted to come with me. Juliana can't come since she's got two club meetings back to back." Milo explained as Nemona's eyes lit up with joy.

"Yeah, sure! Sounds like fun! Where'd you want to go?" Nemona asked excitedly, turning down a side hallway to head towards her room.

"I saw an advertisement for some battle food court thing and wanted to check it out. You can do solo or tag-team battles too, and the more battles you win the better the food you get and the cheaper the bill will be. We'd have to hop on the train or fly over there on a Flying Taxi or something, but it sounds worth it. You want in?" Milo asked the girl, who's smile practically split her face in two.

"Battles and dinner? Suena divertido!" Nemona responded with a laugh, delighted by the idea. She always appreciated new ways to experience the sport of battling and this sounded like it would be a blast.

"Feel free to invite anyone else you think might be interested! Milo needs to meet new people!" Juliana called from somewhere in the background, causing Milo to sigh and Nemona to chuckle with amusement. She enjoyed the fact that Milo's best friend from their home back in Motostoke was trying to help him get over his unease when talking to people. Nemona hadn't talked with Juliana as much as she did with Milo, but she was friendly enough.

"They're all busy, so it'll probably just be me and you. Unless you wanted to invite anyone else." Nemona said to her friend as she reached her room, closing and locking the door behind her.

"Nah, they're at some party tonight and I'm not in the mood for that. And I don't feel like listening to Arven whine about you, so I guess it'll be me and you in a battle for dinner." Milo said before Juliana burst out laughing in the background. "Stop laughing at me, you little twat! It's not what it sounds like."

"What does it sound like?" Nemona asked, genuinely confused.

"Seriously? A guy and girl getting dinner together on a Friday night? It's totally a da-" Juliana tried to reply, only for a loud thud to reverberate through the phone. After a few moments of shouting, Nemona frowned.

"Umm. Is everything okay?" the Champion-ranked Trainer asked.

"Peachy." Milo panted, picking up the phone again. "I'll meet you in a half hour. I need to get this clown out of my room, first."

"Bye Nemona! Qué tengas buenas noches!" Juliana called in the background before Milo hung up, likely so he could deal with Juliana's shenanigans. Nemona smiled as her Rotom Phone flew back into her backpack, already looking forward to spending time with her friend.

Two Weeks Later…

Milo frowned as he leaned back in his chair, considering the essay he was writing for Mr. Jacq while ignoring the sound of Cocoa splashing around in the bathtub in the other room.

Nearby, Reggie and Sparky were napping on his bed while Koraidon snored gently on a giant padded rug that he had moved into his room for the strange beast to sleep on. Milo wondered if the powerful Pokémon would be okay sleeping inside a somewhat small room like this and being cooped up in its Poké Ball all day long, but apparently that suited Koraidon just fine.

The teen smirked as he recalled Juliana's reaction to meeting the strange Pokémon the other week.

"Milo, what the hell is that and why is it trying to eat me?!"

"That's Koraidon. I'm taking care of him for Professor Sada. And it really likes sandwiches, so it's trying to get a bite of the sandwich you just made using my kitchen."

"Giaaaaah! No, this is my sandwich!"

"That's not how it works Juliana. If you make a sandwich, you have to split it with Koraidon. If you don't, then you're a bad person."

"It's my lunch!"

"Sounds like a you problem. I'll grab a knife so you can cut it in half."

"What the hell is even happening anymore?"

Milo grinned at the memory, laughing softly as he leaned back in his comfortable desk chair. He had been able to outfit his room with a few things to make things more homey. His mother had sent him his Switch and even sent him his signed poster of Kabu and Leon respectively, which Milo proudly put on his wall. It wasn't completely set up, but the room was becoming more comfortable with each passing day. As was the Academy, surprisingly enough.

If he wasn't hanging out with Juliana and her friends, he was tagging along with Nemona who was a constant source of amusement and fun. He had learned a lot more about battling from the Champion and was wondering if he should take her up on that offer to tour the Gym Circuit in Paldea. He wanted to test his skills, but the Nuzlocke Curse stayed his hand.

So instead he simply worked on learning as much as possible, which even went into learning more about himself. Especially since people like Juliana were determined to not let Milo be a recluse in his room.

Juliana practically dragged him out of his room and forced him to spend his evenings out and about in the school instead of relaxing in his room with the door locked. Whether those days were spent hanging out with Juliana and her friends or simply just walking around the campus was dependent on Milo's mood, but it was still something different.

Getting out of his comfort zone was…interesting. Before Naranja Academy, Milo could count the number of friends he had ever had on just one hand, and Juliana was at the top of the list. But now? Several people were wanting to spend time with him, such as Arven, Nemona, and Juliana.

He had even been invited to a dorm party here and there by Juliana's friends. While Milo did indeed have a very limited social battery, it seemed that just being there was more than enough for Juliana, Kara/Sara and Nalani, and the Galarian teen was allowed to hang around at the edge of the room and be a wallflower like he preferred to be.

The teen sighed and closed his book, shaking his head to dismiss the retrospective thoughts. It was too late at night and he'd gotten half the essay done. He'd finish it in the morning and maybe spend the day relaxing with Nemona out in the city. Sometimes Milo got the feeling that he was the only person Nemona actually hung out with, but it dismissed the thought as ridiculous.

Nemona probably had loads of friends and she personally helped the Pokémon League with important tasks. He was grateful that she had any time for him in the first place. Milo just hoped her boyfriend wasn't the jealous type.

"Come on, Cocoa! Time to start winding down for bed." Milo said as he walked into the bathroom, grabbing a towel from the sink as the Wooper continued to swim in circles with a big 'ol grin on her face. Milo unplugged the tub and scooped the Wooper up with a towel, earning a happy cry from Cocoa before Milo returned her.

Another thing Milo learned from his past three weeks at Naranja Academy was that every Pokémon had different likes, dislikes and preferences. For example, Cocoa preferred to sleep in her Poké Ball while Reggie and Sparky preferred to stay out of them. It was a learning experience and Milo relished everything he learned about his small family.

A yawn escaped the teen's mouth and he glanced at the clock. It wasn't that late, but it was late enough for him to be tired. With that, quickly went about his nightly routine and got ready for bed. He was surprised when he walked out of the bathroom to see that his phone was buzzing rather incessantly.

"Who's calling me this late at night?" Milo muttered as his Rotom Phone floated into the air. He recognized the colorful question marks that had shown up on his phone, and to his surprise his phone accepted the call without any input on his behalf.

"Good evening, Milo."

"Cassiopeia…What's up?" Milo asked guardedly, causing a distorted laugh to echo out from the Rotom Phone.

"The sky."

Milo groaned at the terrible joke, shaking his head. "Guess I fell for that one. What do you want? I was about to go to sleep."

"I won't be too long. I just wanted to follow up on our previous call. Discuss some more of the details and see if you're still onboard with Operation Starfall."

"I still don't know why you singled me out. I've got three Pokémon to my name, and you're asking me to battle a bunch of Team Star people who are probably a lot stronger and more experienced than me." Milo responded as he walked over to a small desk fan he had situated in his room and flicked it on. The comforting background noise was just enough to drown out the snores of his Pokémon.

"Hmmm. Well, I imagine you'll soon find yourself with a considerable amount of free time on your hands. You can probably use that time to beef up your team…We'll see how you feel then. I'm not exactly in a rush."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Milo asked, frowning at the strange wording. Cassiopeia laughed in response, further annoying the teen.

"Oh, just a hunch. Naranja Academy likes to do this thing every year that…Ahh, I won't ruin the fun. Either way, I do agree with your assessment. You're good, but you definitely need more experience, power, and Pokémon if you're gonna actually be useful in Operation Starfall." Cassiopeia mused aloud as Milo sat back down at his desk, frowning in consternation.

"The more you talk, the more I don't trust a thing you say. I've never even seen you, Cassiopeia. How can I trust that this isn't some crazy prank?" Milo asked the stranger, who hummed for a moment.

"You can't. Not really. But I feel like I can trust you to keep this on the down-low. And I know that you're capable of taking down Team Star and putting an end to their schemes. It's just a matter of getting you to that point. But it's fine. I'll leave you alone for a while and give you some peace, if I rile you up so much."

Milo scoffed, shaking his head. "Rile me up. Yeah, okay."

"I dunno, I think you're getting annoyed quite quickly, Milo. But yes, Team Star will be quite tricky to take down at your current skill level. But they're a threat to the Academy and I have a vested interest in making sure they go down."

"Whatever. I'll think about it." Milo said with a shake of the head, seriously considering doing the exact opposite. He had no reason to go poking a hornet's nest like Team Star, especially as a total rookie. " So, what's your story?"

Milo had asked the question casually, leaning back in his chair. However, he soon noticed that quite a prolonged silence from Cassiopeia had been his answer. Milo started to wonder if the phone had crashed when he finally got a response.

"I don't like talking about myself. Hence the need for anonymity. However, I'll tell you what. If you do end up helping me see Operation Starfall to the end, Milo, I'll shake your hand in person."

"Are you that paranoid or just shy? There's really no need for so much cloak and dagger stuff, is there?" Milo asked incredulously, looking at the phone with surprise.

"Maybe, maybe not. I'll let you continue to speculate. After all, I don't dig into your business."

Milo considered that fact and frowned. Cassiopeia was good enough to hack into his phone repeatedly. It probably meant that they were good enough to hack into his records and learn a lot of things Milo would rather remain buried. "I appreciate that. Fine, I'll back off. But if I do end up going through with this, I'd like some answers."

"I'll think about it. However, I won't take up any more of your time. Goodnight, Milo. Chat with you soon." Milo blinked as the enigmatic Cassiopeia hung up, leaving the teen looking at his phone with a bewildered expression.

Cassiopeia leaned back in their chair, eyeing the bright screen with a troubled expression as they considered the conversation they just had with Naranja Academy's newest student and celebrity.

"He's not wrong. He's only got three Pokémon registered to him, and they're all pretty weak by the Paldean standard of things. But there's no mistaking that he's a sharp battler and if he's given the chance to explore his talent, he can flourish."

"But that could take years. Not everyone's a prodigy like Champion Nemona…Dang it. But it's not like I can reach out to anyone else for help." Cassiopeia remarked, sighing quietly as they considered their options. "I was lucky that he had such a high-profile encounter with Team Star and he's new on the scene here in Paldea. I'll have to keep in touch frequently and see how things play out."

They did feel bad about roping Florian Caballero into this against his wishes, but at the same time, the boy was at least kind enough to hear them out. So there was time to get Naranja Academy's new celebrity totally onboard with Operation Starfall.

"It's fine. There's plenty of time." Cassiopeia said with a faint smile on their face, leaning back in their chair. "Plenty of time for Milo to become a force to be reckoned with. And considering that he's backed by Nemona, there's no reason to doubt that he can fulfill the potential I think he's got. Yeah…no reason to worry at all."

Cassiopeia leaned back in their chair, smiling at the screen as they reached a hand forward, their fingers dancing across the keyboard fluidly as several images depicting several fortified structures appeared, complete with banners that had brightly-colored stars emblazoned on them. With each of those bases, a detailed list of names appeared beside them, as well as the pictures of five people that Cassiopeia stared at for a long while.

"All stars fade in time…and Team Star will be no different."

Chapter Text

Another week rolled by at Naranja Academy, and the only event of note for Milo was discovering that Nemona got a discount at restaurants for being a League Official due to her status as Champion and the work she did on behalf of the Pokémon League.

Meaning Milo's efforts to pay the bill whenever the two of them went out to eat were generally overruled by Nemona, especially after she pointed out that she was filthy rich and an upperclassman. Milo made his arguments, but unfortunately he wasn't able to convince Nemona otherwise.

He made it up to the girl by doing some practice battles with her whenever these occasions did happen, which never failed to make Nemona happy.

One bright summer afternoon found Milo with a free afternoon during the school week. Apparently there was a big announcement later in the Courtyard on that day and most of the students were allowed to enjoy most of the day on campus before having to show up.

Nemona, however, had been quick to spoil in her excitement that this was to be the announcement of the independent study. Milo had managed to silence the excitable Champion before she ruined the surprise even more, but apparently this particular tradition of Naranja Academy was well-known in Paldea after last year's success.

Anyways, Milo, being the introvert that he was, decided to lock himself up in his room and enjoy a nice book while awaiting some kind of notification about the announcement.

Reggie, Cocoa and Sparky were napping around his feet while Milo himself was lying down against Koraidon's side, with the draconic Pokémon snoring softly behind him. Sometimes Milo truly was amazed that such a Pokémon had come under his care, and that it responded so well to him. He chalked it up to being another one of the weird but awesome things about his life now.

"The Voice has been quiet for a little while now…I wonder if it's gone away." Milo thought to himself, earning silence in response. The teen smirked and continued to enjoy his book in peace, enjoying the quiet and the bonding moment with his team as they just relaxed.

Milo looked up as a sudden chime echoed throughout the entire school. Several moments later the familiar voice of Director Clavell spoke through the PA system in the hallways. "Attention, all students. Today marks the beginning of an important new assignment. Please assemble in the schoolyard, where I will explain in detail."

The tone rang out again as Milo slowly stood up, smiling as he realized that this was likely the big announcement that Nemona had been hyping up. The big independent study that had allowed Nemona to achieve the Champion Rank. And speaking of Nemona-!

"IT'S TIIIME!" Nemona practically screamed as she burst into the room, with Milo giving her a bewildered look. He could have sworn he had deadbolted and locked the door that Nemona just sauntered through.

"I must've forgotten somehow…weird." Milo thought to himself with a frown before shaking it off and smiling at his hyperactive neighbor.

"Good morning, Champ. How's it going?" Milo said to Nemona, who beamed at him and pumped her fists like she was shadow-boxing. She stopped a few moments later as Milo laughed quietly at her enthusiasm.

"I'm hyped! And happy! Did you hear that announcement?" Nemona asked Milo, who nodded before the girl continued. "I've been waiting FOREVER for this! C'mon, let's go out to the schoolyard!"

"Yeah, yeah. Let me grab my stuff." Milo said as he walked over to desk and grabbed his backpack. He took a moment to let his team all wake up properly before returning his four Pokémon and walking back over to Nemona, who looked like she was about to start pacing back and forth if Milo didn't hurry up.

"We gotta get to the schoolyard! Director's orders!" Nemona called as she opened the door to her neighbor, who obeyed the girl and walked out his front door. After letting Nemona through, Milo quickly locked it and practically jogged to the courtyard. Along the way he passed Juliana, who looked confused at their hurried pace but made no effort to hurry up as she walked and chatted with the twins and Nalani.

Upon arriving at the courtyard, the faculty began shepherding students into organized rows. It took longer than expected, especially since there was an outburst from Team Star who attempted to spread the word about their group by marching into the courtyard with megaphones. They were promptly chased off by some of the older students before the teachers could do much. Milo just shook his head in annoyance at the group causing a ruckus for no reason.

Eventually the school was assembled in the courtyard and Director Clavell walked on stage with a somewhat exasperated expression, adjusting his tie as he approached the podium. Upon seeing the assembled students of Naranja Academy, the Director's expression lightened considerably.

"Excellent. It seems everyone is here." Director Clavell said with a pleased smile, looking out over the sea of students as he tapped the mic on his collar. "Well then, it's time that I explained your independent study assignment. As usual, the theme will be A Treasure Hunt!"

"Yes! So exciting!" Nemona whispered, barely keeping herself from bouncing in place.

"I ask each of you to set out and travel the world in search of your own treasure." Clavell proclaimed, his voice echoing across the schoolyard. "You have all learned much within the walls of our fine academy...But now it is time to turn your eyes upon the wider world and deepen your understanding. Explore Paldea's abundant nature, soak in its rich culture...discover the Pokémon that live here...and get to know the people, too."

"Where will you travel? Who will you meet? And what will you achieve?" Clavell asked, allowing himself a small chuckle. "Of course, your Pokémon partners will be there to help you. You will journey together...learn new things together...share each other's thoughts and feelings...and find something you might always treasure!"

Clavell looked down at the students with a warm smile. "I look forward to welcoming you all back after your independent study...when you return to us as fine young Trainers! Let the Treasure Hunt begin! Onward!"

The crowd erupted into a roar of cheers, with many unable to contain their excitement that the fabled Treasure Hunt had at long last started. Milo looked over at Nemona, who was now bouncing up and down with unrestrained glee.

Milo and Juliana looked at one another and matched one another's grins. The crowd began to disperse, with students heading back to their rooms to grab their bags and go. Some had even carried their travel packs with them and were already on their way out of Mesagoza.

Milo was in the former category. Arven had told him to make sure he had packed to leave the school and be able to be on the road for at least a week, and Milo had taken that advice to heart. He had stocked up on several MRE meals at a military surplus store that had been on the east side of town as well as plenty of medical and camping equipment. Nemona had even given him some pointers on some brands to buy and what to avoid, and considering that the Champion Rank Trainer spent weeks at a time out in the wilderness when in the throes of her hunger for battles, Milo took her at her word. Between Nemona and Arven's advice, as well as his own research, Milo felt prepared for anything.

A tap on the shoulder snapped Milo out of his musings, and he glanced to his left to see Juliana grinning at him. "Hey! You ready to get outta here?"

"Yeah, I'm ready to explore. You got your bag packed? I'm already good to go." Milo asked Juliana, who shook her head.

"I've got to finish packing. You go on ahead. I'll catch up with you later!" Juliana said brightly, extending a fist out that Milo tapped with his own. A minute later the two students had separated, going to their respective rooms. Milo opened his door and did a once-over of the room and snagged an extra drink from the fridge before heading out.

Thankfully item capsules were something his Mom had given him plenty of before he left, so he had anything and everything he could have possibly needed to bring.

Five minutes later Milo was inside the Entranceway of Naranja Academy with an eager grin that wasn't even tempered by the ominous storm clouds overhead, threatening a fierce downpour very soon. Milo walked out of the front doors to the Academy as dozens of students sprinted past him, shouting and hollering loudly.

"First one out is a rotten egg!"

"I can't wait to find me some treasure! Maybe I'll find gold! Hahaha!"

"Toma ya! It's time for the great outdoors!"

Milo stood in front of the door, smiling at the sheer excitement in the air. He happened to be standing next to a girl who was standing next to a strange lizard-like Pokémon that vaguely resembled Koraidon that Milo recognized now as a Cyclizar. He heard the girl hop atop her Pokémon while shouting, "Come on, Cyclizar! We're riding out!"

The Pokémon cried out and charged off with its Trainer in tow. Milo watched the duo dash down the stairs, but was surprised when a moment later Director Clavell walked through the doors and shouted out, "Take care, everyone! And remember-the Great Crater of Paldea is exceedingly dangerous! Entering it is a violation of school rules!"

Milo was about to ask about that, but was distracted by Nemona running past him. "What're you waiting for, Milo? Let's go!"

"Man, she just never runs out of energy does she?" Milo remarked with a fond smile, taking the girl's enthusiasm in stride as she dashed away.

"Indeed. I must admit, I am happy to see that she's made such a steadfast friend in you, Master Milo." Director Clavell remarked, causing the boy to look at the Director in surprise. He offered the boy a somber smile in return. "Not all of your peers have been as understanding as you when it comes to Miss Nemona's appetite for Pokémon Battles. In all honesty, I've noticed that she's been much happier at the Academy since you arrived."

Milo actually blushed at that statement, causing Clavell to chuckle. "Friends are to be cherished, Master Milo. I hope you will help Miss Nemona grow throughout your Treasure Hunt, just as she will surely help you grow. The Treasure Hunt is designed to assist students in self-discovery and allow them to blossom into the people they want to be."

"Interesting…Well, I guess I'll have to start by exploring Paldea to see what kind of trouble I can get into." Milo responded with a shrug, causing Clavell to frown after a moment's thought.

"I do hope that trouble keeps you away from the Great Crater of Paldea, Master Milo. I wasn't joking when I remarked how dangerous that location is." Clavell warned the boy before his expression became thoughtful. "Hmm. Do you think everyone heard my warning? With the students so full of vim and vigor, I find it hard not to worry."

"I'm sure it'll be fine sir. I've gotta catch up with Nemona, so I'll hopefully see you around!" Milo said respectfully before charging off after his neighbor, who was impatiently waiting for him by the stairs.

"Milo! Milo!" Nemona called out, waving frantically to the boy while grinning from ear-to-ear. "The Treasure Hunt-it's finally starting!"

"So what're we supposed to do?" Milo asked Nemona, who blinked before looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Yeah, fair question, since it's your first time! C'mon, let's walk and talk!" Nemona said brightly as she skipped down the stairs. Milo followed her, but slowed his steps as he noticed a curtain of rain approaching the city from the south. Mere moments later, it began to lightly drizzle onto Naranja Academy, and Milo hurried after his neighbor.

"The Treasure Hunt is a-" Nemona began to explain as Milo caught up with her, the Champion seemingly uncaring about the storm about to hit the city. Fortunately for her, Milo did care and he was prepared.

"Hold on, before we go further." Milo interrupted the girl as he reached into his backpack and pulled out a large black umbrella. The Galarian opened the umbrella and moved it over his and Nemona's head, shielding them from the drizzle that less than ten seconds later became a steady shower. "Last thing I want is you involuntarily having a wet T-shirt contest here in Mesagoza with all of the students out. You do realize we're all wearing white shirts, right?"

Nemoan glanced down and then laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head as she realized what Milo had meant. He was surprised to see that Nemona was actually blushing. "Y-you're not wrong! Talk about embarrassing…Thanks for the save, Milo."

"Anytime. So tell me about this Treasure Hunt." Milo said as the two of them continued down the steps rather carefully, aware that the storm was making the steps slick now thanks to the water.

"Right! So the Treasure Hunt is a huge part of the Naranja Academy school year." Nemona explained as they carefully made their way down the steps, with Milo carefully angling the umbrella so that it kept them mostly dry. Milo may or may not have also angled the umbrella so that it covered Nemona more than him, but thankfully no one cared enough to point that fact out.

"The point isn't to get us all looking for some actual hidden treasure, necessarily…" Nemona went on as they reached one of the sub-plazas on the steps. Milo remembered this spot as the one where he infamously took down two Team Star Grunts, which made him a celebrity on campus.

"Is there actually buried treasure in Paldea?" Milo asked out of curiosity, with Nemona shrugging casually.

"Depends on what you mean. There's legends of cursed treasure, according to Miss Raifort. And there was an age of piracy for a lengthy period of time at the height of the Paldean Empire. But these days? Nah. Really, we're more just making our own adventures to see what experiences Paldea's got to offer!" Nemona said brightly as a flash of lightning ripped across the sky, with the sound of thunder booming a few moments later.

"You could try to beat Pokémon Gyms, you could help out people in need…You actually could hunt for real capital-T treasure if you wanted, even!" Nemona said with a wink, laughing for a moment. "There's stuff we'd never learn sitting in a classroom, y'know? This is our chance to learn it!"

"True. Real life does teach you a lot that books and school can't." Milo commented, fighting the urge to shrug because he didn't want to shift the umbrella.

"Plus there's so many chances to battle, which is obviously perfect for me!" Nemona finished brightly as Milo smiled at his battle-fanatic friend.

"The first step in combating an addiction is admitting you have one." Milo said jokingly, causing Nemona to snort with amusement. As they reached the end of the steps, the duo walked onto the large multi-colored star mural at the heart of Mesagoza. Nemona turned to Milo and said, "You and me for sure gotta battle if we run into each other out there! Hope you're ready!"

"You're on, neighbor." Milo responded, giving her a thumbs up. He still felt a thrill of dread at the mere thought of putting his life on the line with whatever battles lay in wait for him, but he had to admit that he had come to truly enjoy being a Trainer so far. It was everything he wanted it to be, even with the Nuzlocke Curse looming overhead. And in making friends like Nemona and Arven, and of course being able to spend time with Juliana again, he was happy.

"Oh yeah-battling can wait. I meant to tell you…Did you know your phone's map lets you set yourself destinations?" Nemona asked Milo, who blinked in surprise because he actually hadn't known that all. Even after about two full months of having the Rotom Phone! "You could try setting one of the Gyms as your destination! That'd get you on your way easy!"

"Tch! How's that for a Student Council President! Giving your friends an insider advantage?" an annoyed but familiar voice drawled. Nemona and Milo turned around and spotted Arven walking down the stairs holding a Sinistea-patterned umbrella.

"Ay! A-Arven!" Nemona yelped, completely thrown off by the sudden appearance of the teen. She recovered a moment later, frowning at him. "Insider advantage? Sheesh, you make it sound like we're cheating or something! All I did was suggest that he check out the Gyms. It's up to Milo whether he goes."

"Milo's gonna have his hands full searching out Titan Pokémon with me. He doesn't have time to waste on something like chasing after the Champion Rank." Arven shot back before looking at Milo meaningfully. "Me and him are gonna be too busy visiting the lairs of Titans and nabbing their Herba Mystica!"

Nemona actually gasped in surprise at that, scowling at Arven. It was the most irritated Milo had ever seen the girl. "En serio? Don't go filling his head with weird stories! Not only are those things not real, the areas they're purported to be in are dangerous!"

"Hey! All I did was invite him along. It's still up to Milo whether he goes, right?" Arven shot back, smirking at Nemona as she growled with frustration. Milo could practically see the sparks flying between the two, but he also was getting frustrated with his two friends for fighting over him like this.

"Hey, can we just cut this out for a sec and-" Milo began to say, only for his phone to ring loudly and cut him off.

"Hm? Milo, your phone's ringing." Arven pointed out as the phone leapt out of Milo's pocket and faced him, with the phone auto-accepting the call. To Milo's surprise a familiar question appeared on the phone, and a distorted voice greeted him.

"Hey, Milo. Cassiopeia here. It's about Operation Starfall. Remember what I told you before?"

"About Team Star? Yeah, what about it? You haven't contacted me in a while. Are you finally gonna tell me what the hell is going on?" Milo asked as Nemona and Arven stared at him with confusion.

"Team Star is made up of five individual squads. And each one's got their own base. I need you to go to each base-all five of 'em-and beat the squad boss there. Team Star's grunts might try and get in your way, but I'll be helping you out…from a distance."

"Naturally. I have a feeling you're not done, though." Milo remarked, hearing a distorted chuckle from Cassiopeia.

"You're sharp. No, that's not all. I also wanted to give you a heads-up that the Bosses each specialize in a different Pokémon type. Just remember the names of their crews, and you'll figure it out. Still, no need to worry. With your skills, I'm sure you're more than up to the task."

"Oh, I'm sure it'll go just dandy. Me against an entire gang with my three barely-trained Pokémon." Milo responded sarcastically, not even bothering to hide his frustration. Normally he'd be more tactful, but Nemona and Arven arguing over him had put him in an annoyed mood.

"I'll just go ahead and add the bases' locations to your phone for you." Milo wasn't even surprised this time as the data loaded automatically in his phone, showing the names and faces of the five Team Star bosses, as well as their locations and what type each crew specialized in. Milo was also unsurprised when a familiar chime echoed in his mind and the Voice chuckled menacingly.

"Oh hey, you're still there. I was hoping you went away." Milo thought at the Voice, who scoffed within his mind.

Not a chance. I just had no reason to be interested in your school life. The Curse didn't even trigger because most of that stuff doesn't matter for your journey, despite what you may think.

"Good luck with those bosses. I'll hook you up with some nice rewards every time you beat one. And don't worry about going after them immediately. Like you said, you're a relatively new Trainer. If you wanted to take some time and get your crew powered up I completely understand. Getting someone hurt is the last thing I want out of all of this."

"Wait one second! Who are you supposed to be?!" Nemona demanded angrily, shouting at Cassiopeia who had gone silent. It was the first time Milo had seen her shout in such a manner. "And Team Star-those punks are a serious hazard! They're not Milo's problem!"

"That's right! Because he's got more important things to do, like searching out awesome ingredients with me!" Arven interjected unhelpfully, causing Nemona to glare at him while Milo simply raised an eyebrow. "Hey, can't fault a guy for trying."

To their surprise, Cassiopeia chuckled over the phone. "I thought it was up to Milo to decide whether he goes or not…Isn't that what you said, Nemona Valdez? And Arven Sada?"

Both of Milo's friends looked stunned that Cassiopeia knew exactly who they were. Nemona even sputtered out, "How do you know my-?"

"I'm looking forward to seeing what you can pull off, Milo. Bye." Cassiopeia hung up the phone, shutting down the conversation before either Arven or Nemona could recover their wits.

"What was that all about?" Arven muttered, putting his hands on his hips. He then blinked and lowered his umbrella. "Huh. Rain finally stopped. Nice."

Milo also noticed that the rain had stopped and lowered his umbrella, closing it and collapsing it but not quite putting it away just yet. Nemona shook her head and looked towards Milo with a worried expression. "Milo…I'm glad you're making plenty of friends here, but try not to get dragged into anything dangerous."

"I'll try." Milo remarked, feeling somewhat guilty. After all, if he lost a battle while under the Nuzlocke Curse, he'd be dead. Things couldn't get more dangerous than that.

Nemona perked up again after hearing Milo's response, grinning excitedly at him. "Anyway! No more weird vibes-we've got a big adventure to start!"

"So what's next for you?" Milo asked Nemona, wondering just what the Champion Rank Trainer would be doing for her independent study.

"I'm gonna battle every single Pokémon Trainer I meet!" Nemona declared, surprising no one present.

"Called it." Milo and Arven remarked at the same time, exchanging a brief smirk. Nemona stuck her tongue out at the two boys in response before continuing.

"If I just keep trying to become the strongest, I bet that experience will be the thing I treasure!" Nemona continued, crossing her arms and looking down as she shut her eyes, thinking about the matter. "Guess I'll start by heading to a Gym and training up some new Pokémon! Here, I'll send you a pic of what the Gym buildings look like, Milo!"

Nemona quickly pulled out her Rotom Phone and a few taps of the screen later, Milo received a picture of an official-looking building with a Poké Ball symbol and another symbol inside of it.

"Thanks Nemona. I'll keep an eye out." Milo promised the girl, who gave him a dazzling smile of happiness.

"Oh, and…" Nemona trailed off for a moment, glancing at Arven before looking at Milo meaningfully. "I know we've been running our mouths, but it's your call what to do, Milo. Go where you want, and do what it is you really wanna do the most!"

"A treasure…of our very own…" Arven muttered darkly as he considered the dilemma for himself, his expression becoming serious. "For me, that's got to be Ma-Er, my big dream of tracking down the Herba Mystica, that is!"

Now it was Nemona and Milo's turn to exchange a brief glance, but one of a bit more of concern. Arven continued as if he hadn't almost said something he didn't mean to by declaring, "Once we get those herbs, I'll make you the absoluuute best sandwich you've had in your life!"

Milo opened his mouth to respond to that, but a Poké Ball on his hip opened and in a flash of light Koraidon appeared, letting out a growl. Arven's smile immediately turned into a scowl of disgust.

"Argh! What'd you come out for?" Arven demanded furiously before catching himself, mostly because Milo gave him a sharp look. Meanwhile Nemona burst into a loud cackle, clutching her stomach as she laughed uncontrollably.

"Oh my gosh! Did it seriously come out 'cause you said sandwich? Hahaha!" Nemona wheezed with delight, with Milo even smiling at the possibility. It did make sense. Koraidon had popped out of its Poké Ball several times during lunch and dinner and seemed to prefer sandwiches. It certainly enjoyed the one his Mom had made for him when they had first met.

"Well, you're not getting one…" Arven grumbled as Milo walked towards Koraidon, who barked in Milo's direction before lowering itself slightly.

Nemona hummed before commenting, "It seems like it wants you to start moving…Is it telling you to get on, Milo?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders and walked over to Koraidon and then sat atop the strange creature, who shimmered white for several seconds before transforming slightly as the top of its body became coated in softer feathers, making the 'seat' that Milo was sitting on considerably more comfortable. The group also noticed that Koraidon's tail was now coiled into its lower body, which would likely allow the Pokémon to move easier. Milo put his hands on two of the armor-like pieces that were sticking out in front of him as if they were handlebars on a bike before grinning at his two friends.

"Whoa, it transformed! Now it REALLY looks like some kinda weird Cyclizar!" Nemona let out a whoop of excitement. "As long as you've got Koraidon, you can go pretty much anywhere! Paldea's your Cloyster!"

Arven looked distinctly troubled as he looked at Milo atop the Koraidon. He looked away and muttered, "Hmph…Yeah? Maybe."

"Arven, you good?" Milo asked, genuinely considered. Nemona looked at Arven as well, almost sensing his unease.

The older teen waved a hand dismissively before saying, "Well, if you're going to search out those Titan Pokémon, I'd say set out from the east gate!"

"But since Milo is ACTUALLY headed to take on some Gyms, I'd say go for the west gate!" Nemona chimed in, earning a dirty look from Arven. "Besides, it's way too easy to get lost out east!"

Arven rolled his eyes at Nemona. "Tch! Man, this is why I can't get along with you…" Arven remarked with an irritated sigh before looking at Milo with a small smirk. "I'm out of here!" Catch up soon, little buddy!"

"Later!" Milo called to Arven as he took off, and within moments the teen was out of sight. He then turned to Nemona and said, "So, you heading off too?"

"I'll head to a Gym." Nemona answered, grinning at Milo. "Gotta get started sooner rather than later! See you around, Milo!"

Milo watched Nemona depart (respectfully), but chose to sit in silence on top of Koraidon for several moments before saying, "Let's get moving, buddy. Come on!"

"Aaaagis!" Koraidon agreed as Milo urged the Pokémon forward. He very quickly found that Koraidon could travel at a fairly steady pace, and could manage a complete lap of the city in less than a half hour. The teen also discovered that he could control Koraidon with the handlebars like an actual motorcycle or bike, so Milo was able to get some practice in riding the strange Cyclizar that he had befriended.

However, after three laps around the city, Milo realized he was stalling. He didn't know what path he wanted to take. So he decided to voice his concerns to a certain entity that he knew for sure was listening.

"So where do you think I should go? After all the cryptic crap you've been saying, how do I even start this journey?" Milo asked quietly, letting out a soft exhale as Koraidon looked back at him with confusion.

So now your paths are open to you. Eighteen different Objectives scattered throughout the region. Each tied to the three individuals who seek your involvement. Eight Gyms. Five Titans. Five Team Star Bosses. What I can tell you is that the Objectives will come in various difficulties, with some being tougher than others. These Objectives make up the core of your journey here…at the conclusion of that journey, you'll be free from the Nuzlocke Curse and you win the game. If you win, you're free to spend your life however you wish with no strings attached.

"Go on…"

You can choose to tackle the Gym Circuit, embracing your desire to become a strong Trainer despite the risk.

"I owe Nemona for everything she's done, and I've wanted to be a strong Pokémon Trainer more than anything else. But that means a lot of battles, and that means risking losing my Pokémon…and my own life."

You can choose to help Arven investigate the Titans and track down the mysterious Herba Mystica.

"Arven's a friend, but I don't know if I buy his story about wanting to make sandwiches with these things for the hell of it. Something's off…But I can't call him out on it. Maybe I'll figure out what's going on there. I dunno."

Or you can fight the Bosses of Team Star in an attempt to shut down the group and help Cassiopeia. And perhaps figure out what her angle is.

"That's the one I have the least investment in. Team Star has annoyed me precisely once, and I don't care enough to risk my life to deal with them. I'll wait a little while before I decide to do that." Milo said as he pulled out his Rotom Phone, studying the map. "I don't know. I really don't. Nemona wants to see what I can do, Arven's counting on my help, and Cassiopeia is capable of making things really weird if I don't at least try and sort out Team Star with her. I just wanted to make friends and be a Trainer…is that worth risking my life for?"

The more important question is…are the things you'll experience on your journey worth the price you might pay? You're concerned about losing your  Pokémon. Losing your life. You'll only lose those things if your Pokémon are defeated. Simply be good enough to not lose and you have nothing to worry about.

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one with everything to lose." Milo muttered, and for several long moments the Voice was silent. When it spoke, the words came slowly and carefully.

If you really want, I can guide you. I already know how hard of a time you'd have against any of the Gyms, Titans or Bosses. For example, Cortondo and the Bug Gym there would be the easiest for you to handle right now, as opposed to attempting to battle the Lurking Steel Titan or the Fairy Boss of Team Star.

"How can I trust that you're not just trying to send me to my death?" Milo asked the Voice, who responded with a twisted chuckle.

You don't. But I will say that it'd be very boring to watch your journey end in such a way. We made a deal, you and I. I intend to see what you're really made of, kid. So how about it? You follow my instructions, and maybe have an easier time of things? Or do you really want to risk biting off more than you can chew right now?

Milo thought about it with some annoyance, but try as he might he didn't have a concrete argument against what the Voice was suggesting. Milo didn't know Paldea that well yet, and the Voice seemed to be omnipotent. If completing his journey was the key to escaping the Nuzlocke Curse and the deadly challenge he found himself in, then he'd be stupid not to turn down the help.

Plus, he had heard that Cortondo was a place beginner Trainers visited first on the Gym Circuit, so there was no reason to doubt that logic. Nemona had even suggested heading to it before too. Milo considered it for another few minutes, patting Koraidon on the head as he deliberated. Finally, with a heavy sigh and a muttered curse, Milo made a decision.

"I'll check Cortondo out then. Consider this me trusting you on a trial basis. But don't think I'm going to just do whatever you say whenever you say it." Milo asserted as he turned Koraidon towards the east and began heading that way. The Voice snickered within Milo's mind, clearly amused.

If you say so. Once you leave the city, I'll have new instructions for you. It's time to expand your little team and get this adventure really going.

Chapter Text

After getting lost and having to ask a passing Trainer for directions, Milo was eventually able to track down the large gate that led out of Mesagoza, out to the west. The teen stared at the gate for several long moments, gulping nervously as he considered what this actually meant. The Voice's reappearance today meant that the Nuzlocke Curse was most definitely still in effect. And that meant his life was on the line with every battle he took.

Remember…You made this deal.

"I know that!" Milo growled back as glanced skyward, exhaling hard as he tried to get his emotions under control. Looking at the young man, however, you wouldn't even be able to tell how frustrated and scared he truly was. "You can't imagine what it's like! You know, I could just stay in school and travel around normally. Avoid the Gyms and Titans and all the other stuff! What do you have to say about that?"

I'd say that you would be completely squandering your second chance and the possibilities open to you. What's better, kid? Defying the odds and truly embracing life? Or hiding like a coward because you're too scared to take a risk?

Milo looked down and truly considered the words that the strange presence was saying. Because as much as Milo didn't want to admit it, the Voice was completely correct. He had chosen this and he had made the deal. Was he really that much of a coward that he wouldn't even take the risk to try and explore the wonderful new world he was a part of?

He had two new friends and a strange acquaintance asking for his help to do extremely interesting things. Hell, if it wasn't for the fact that he was being kept in the dark about Team Star, he might've gone off to tackle that particular challenge first. It was frustrating to admit, but the Voice was right, and it was actually trying to help him for some unknown reason. This sort of experience was why he wanted to move to go to Naranja Academy in the first place.

"Fine…You're right. It's hard trying to really process all of this." Milo sighed and closed his eyes, focusing on calming himself down for several moments before adding, "Thanks for setting me straight. You're still awful, but I do appreciate you not being a total asshole for five minutes."

Remember that the next time you get sassy with me,  Florian.

The presence of the Voice faded as Milo cringed from his own name being used against him like that. Milo heard the ringing of his Rotom Phone and jumped up with some surprise, even as it flew out of his pocket to show that Nemona was calling him. Confused as to why she was calling him even though he had seen her less than two hours ago, Milo answered the phone.

"Hey! It's me, Nemona!" the girl yelled out from over the phone, the sound of wind in the background. Milo wondered if she was riding her Paldean Tauros much like he was riding Koraidon. "We should call and catch each other up on how things are going from now on!"

"Sounds good to me. I'm about to head out of Mesagoza."

"You decide to set out heading west from the school, right, Milo?" Nemona asked her neighbor, who snorted with amusement. Naturally she had guessed that sort of thing.

"Yeah, I ended up deciding to tackle the Gym out west. You said it was about a two or three day walk from the city, right?"

"Yeah! Starting from there, you'll be pretty close to Cortondo! With Koraidon, I wouldn't be surprised if you got there by nightfall if you made a beeline straight for the town!" Nemona gushed, causing Milo to smile at the girl's excitement. "Anyways, that's where you'll find the Bug-type Gym! You can go take on the Gym Leader if you want!"

"Bug-type, huh? With Reggie that shouldn't be too hard." Milo remarked, causing Nemona to laugh. A loud moo sounded off in the background, followed by the cries of several Pokémon. Milo wondered if his neighbor was battling wild Pokémon while on the phone with him, or just not paying attention to where she was going.

Truthfully, both options made equal amounts of sense for Nemona.

"Anyways, I'm sure you can beat her, Milo! Good luck-I'll call you soon!" Nemona called out, causing Milo to blush in response. The Champion hung up then, giving Milo a chance to regain his composure before heading out the west gate…

The adventure had truly begun.

As the doors swung open, Koraidon ambled out of the gates and Milo was unable to stop himself from grinning with excitement. Before him was a well-worn dirty path that wound through a grassy cliff, with the faint roar of a river rushing nearby audible in the distance. The rolling green fields of Paldea stretched out to the south…and in every direction there were wild Pokémon.

Some Milo recognized, like Sunkern and Mareep. Others he didn't, like the strange green seed-like Pokémon that fled as soon as he tried to get closer. Either way, Milo ended up laughing softly to himself before calling out, "Alright Koraidon, let's get in some trouble!"

"Aigiasss!" Koraidon growled in reply before darting forward, bounding across the path past a startled young woman preparing for a picnic. But Milo was too focused on the road ahead, directing Koraidon as it navigated around the wild Pokémon by responding immediately to Milo's directions.

"This is what I've always wanted. To be a Trainer! To experience the Wilds with nothing but my Pokémon at my side!" Milo thought with a fierce rush of joy as he spurred Koraidon on, leaping off of a small cliff and easily landing twenty feet down onto a patch of grass before charging towards a flock of Mareep.

An idea occurred to Milo then, and a moment later the teen unclipped a Poké Ball from his belt and hurled it. Cocoa the Paldean Wooper appeared, smiling as she landed on the ground.

"Wooopa!" Cocoa cried out as the five Mareep nearby stared at them with concern on their faces.

"Cocoa, let's get some training in! Mud Shot bombardment, just like we practiced!" Milo called as his Wooper leapt into the air, raining down blobs of mud upon the Mareep who quickly began to scatter at the sudden attack. Two fainted immediately after being struck, and the remaining three lashed out with Thunder Shocks that struck Cocoa and did nothing. Milo winced at the Nuzlocke Curse gripping his heart, but pushed through and kept commanding Cocoa.

Three Mud Shots later and Milo was returning Cocoa and moving on to another batch of Mareep, and so on and so forth. Milo sent out Reggie to deal with several floating bands of Hoppip not too long after, and used Sparky to deal with some roaming Psyduck and Fletchling. Milo hadn't had too many chances to head outside of Mesagoza to train, instead relying on bouts with Nemona and class battles to keep his Pokémon in fighting-fit shape.

The trio of Pokémon enjoyed themselves immensely, finally able to let loose for the first time in about two months and knocked out Pokémon after Pokémon. Milo grinned as he watched his Pokémon continue to do their thing, taking time to heal them whenever they got too fatigued.

Milo knew the Nuzlocke Curse would only take effect if he directed the actions of his Pokémon, so he made sure to only do so when it was against Pokémon he knew that they would win against. In any other circumstance, he just had his Pokémon do their own thing. Either way, Milo had made sure to invest in a few Poké Dolls before leaving Mesagoza.

After about two hours of training alongside the cliffs by the large river winding through the route he was on, Milo took a break and ate a pre-packaged sandwich he had bought from the school the day before and fed his team as well, thanking them for their hard work. It was while taking this break that he noticed something odd in the distance.

It was a strange crystal-like structure in the distance, shooting a beam of energy into the sky. Milo couldn't tell exactly what it was so far away, however.

"What's with the pillars of light?" Milo muttered quietly as he packed up his things and returned his Pokémon, hopping aboard Koraidon again. Milo then let out a startled yelp as his phone began to ring, and after pulling out his phone, he blinked in surprise at who exactly was calling him.

"Professor Sada?" Milo questioned as he tapped the Accept Call button and the woman appeared on his screen, sitting down in an armchair with one hand tapping away at a nearby keyboard, though her attention was directed at him. The Professor offered the student a friendly wave as Milo spoke. "Um, good afternoon ma'am. Is there a problem?"

"Greetings, Florian. It has been some time since I checked in on you and Koraidon. I simply wanted to follow up with you, after all. I can see that you're already making use of Koraidon's other form to make your way across Paldea." Professor Sada noted, smiling warmly as Koraidon growled a greeting to its friend and Trainer. "Hello to you too, Koraidon. I can see that you're outside of Mesagoza and have entered the beautiful Wilds of Paldea. I was able to detect your departure three hours ago, as a matter of fact."

"How were you able to tell?" Milo asked, raising an eyebrow. Sada chuckled with amusement, putting a finger to her chin.

"Once upon a time I put a special tracker on Koraidon to keep track of it while I was distracted with other matters here in Area Zero. Thanks to that, whenever it's not in its Poké Ball, I can keep tabs on it." Professor Sada explained, much to a surprised Milo. He hadn't noticed a tracker or device of any kind on the creature in the entire time it had been under his care.

"Um, the tracker doesn't hurt it, does it?" Milo asked, concern in his voice.

"Not at all. I'd explain the specifics, but it'd involve quite a bit of jargon that would require even further explanation. Ask Director Clavell about it. We worked together for quite a while and he's familiar with the tracker agent. These days it's used in Pokémon Conservation efforts, in particular by the Aether Foundation to track Pokémon for data analysis." The Professor shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. "My apologies, I'm rambling. Anyways, I simply wanted to check in on you both. My studies here in Area Zero do keep me very busy, but Koraidon's rehabilitation and overall happiness are also a great concern of mine. How has it been adjusting to your school life?"

"Pretty well. The other students think it's awesome and it's a big softie, despite looking intimidating. It gets along well with the other Pokémon as well." Milo responded as he rubbed Koraidon's neck, earning a happy wriggle from the draconic mount.

"Fantastic! I'm happy to hear it's being well taken care of. It's been through a lot, and seeing it being cared for well proves I was right to entrust it to you." Professor Sada praised Milo, clapping her hands together with a wide smile on her face. Milo flushed at the compliment, unfortunately still not used to hearing such heartfelt praise.

"Well, that was honestly all I required from you, Florian. Is there anything I can assist you with? Any questions you may have? That aren't related to Area Zero, of course." Professor Sada then chuckled, shaking her head. "As much as I'd like to shed more light on the important work I do down here, that information is classified and unable to be released to anyone not of a Champion-Rank or higher who has also been given special clearance by the Top Champion of Paldea."

"Top Champion? Where have I heard that before?" Milo muttered under his breath before shaking his head. Thankfully he didn't really care about Area Zero right now, but he did have other concerns. "Actually, I do have a question while I have you on the phone. Do you know anything about those weird crystal things shooting out of the ground?"

Milo flipped the phone around to show her the nearby crystal in question. Professor Sada hummed for a moment before responding. "Ah, that's a Tera Den. It is the home of a special Pokémon that has been empowered by Terastal Energy. They've been cropping up more and more with each passing year. I've been looking into it as best I can, but I have no promising leads at the moment on why they have been growing in number."

"Pokémon live in that thing?" Milo questioned, raising an eyebrow and turning the phone back around. Professor Sada nodded sagely, leaning back in her chair slightly.

"Yes. I would recommend exploring them, Florian. I know for a fact that the Pokémon League employs enterprising students and skilled Trainers to help keep the Tera Dens from appearing too frequently around Paldea. The Pokémon you can find within could be a valuable asset while on your Treasure Hunt."

"How do you know about that?" Milo asked, surprised by the sudden mention of the independent study. Professor Sada chuckled at the boy's shock, leaning forward in her chair.

"My husband was the one to suggest such a thing to Director Clavell years ago, when we worked together in my old lab. He was even briefly a teacher at the Academy for a short while." Professor Sada explained to a surprised Milo. "To see the Treasure Hunt happen twice in two years makes me quite happy, as we always suspected it was a great way to explore the true potential of Trainers within Paldea."

"Aiigass!" Koraidon cried out, with Milo rubbing the creature's head with a smirk on his face. Professor Sada considered the scene for a moment before saying, "Do you have any further questions, Florian? As always, if you require anything at all or wish to update me on Koraidon's recovery, I'm just a phone call away."

"Nope, that's all. Thanks for answering my questions, ma'am. Take care!"

"You as well, young man. Thank you for helping me with Koraidon." Professor Sada said gratefully, bowing her head for a moment before ending the call. It was at that moment that the Voice made its presence known.

So, about those Tera Dens. Those are the fulcrum upon which your entire journey will rest on. From here on in, you will be able to expand your team by making use of the Tera Dens scattered throughout Paldea.

"Wait, what?"

In-between Objectives you are allowed to choose three Tera Dens and attempt to catch the Pokémon within. Once you choose a Tera Den, you either catch what's inside or move on and lose your chance to catch a Pokémon inside of it. Once you clear any of the eighteen Objectives, you will be given another chance to delve into three Tera Dens and expand your team further.

"That's…insane. Let's back up a few steps and go through that all again." Milo tried to say, only for the Voice to sigh with annoyance.

I could explain, but if I went into the details of how your world operates you'd go insane. And that's boring for me. So just accept that this is your way forward and prepare to go exploring.

"You're so unbelievably unhelpful sometimes."

Too bad, so sad. Oh, wait. I should probably take this time to mention that due to the strange nature of the dens, any fainting or knock-outs that happen when attempting to subdue the Tera Pokémon inside of the Tera Dens won't trigger the Nuzlocke Curse.

"Wait, really? Why?" Milo asked, surprised by this sudden nugget of knowledge.

Truthfully it's because of how these battles are set up. It's weird as hell and difficult to keep track of, so the Curse doesn't actually trigger despite a battle occurring. For lack of a better way of explaining it, Tera Raids are too chaotic for the Curse to keep track of, so knock-outs inside them don't count.

Milo waited for some kind of elaboration, but he didn't get one. "...Okay. So what aren't you telling me?"

Ha! You're not wrong. There is more I can tell you. But I won't do that because what's life without a little mystery? Or misery, for that matter.

"You enjoy doing that, don't you? Offering some information, but withholding the whole story and taunting me with what could be?" Milo demanded as he directed Koraidon over to the nearest crystal he could see, which happened to be a vibrant purple-colored one. Milo hopped off of Koraidon and walked over to the gemstone, amazed at the size of it and wondered idly whether or not they were actually worth anything.

Milo tentatively reached out and touched the crystal, and his entire body went rigid as a pulse of energy suddenly shot through his arm and through his body.

The student's mind went blank, save for the image of a shadowy silhouette of what looked like a Pokémon. A dog of some kind, perhaps. He could also see a single star floating above the image as well, as well as the faint impression that this Pokémon was…Poison-type? Milo wasn't sure.

Suddenly the vision broke and Milo staggered backwards, panting from the strange connection that had been forged between his mind and the crystals. Koraidon nudged Milo worriedly, growling softly as Milo gathered his bearings. He then shook his head and swore quietly before noticing that there was a small hole inside of the crystal, just big enough for him to crawl inside of.

Go on. Hop down the hole.

"If it wasn't for the fact that Professor Sada already assured me this was safe, I'd seriously consider telling you to piss off." Milo grumbled, sliding into the hole as carefully as he could. Milo then yelped as his grip slipped on the crystal and he fell several feet before landing roughly on the ground.

"Howdy! We were hoping we'd get some more helpers down here!" A young woman's voice cried out brightly, much to the confusion of Milo as he adjusted to the strange light of the cavern he found himself in. To Milo's amazement, there were three people already inside of the cavern.

"Um, hi? What the hell are you all doing down here?" Milo asked the two young women and a young man about his age. Even more surprising was the fact they were all wearing Naranja Academy uniforms.

"Oooh, a newbie. This'll be fun." The girl remarked, grinning with excitement. Milo then noticed some more details about the other students. The other woman hadn't spoken yet, and stood next to a Stunky, leaning lazily against a wall. The young man was sitting down on the ground next to a Pawniard.

"You all just hang out down here or what?" Milo asked, raising an eyebrow as the girl helped him to his feet.

"Not quite. I'm going to assume you have no idea what these things are, but if you're willing to lend us a hand, we'll be more than happy to explain. Long story short, we're the Crystal Containment Crew. 3XC for short. We're a club at Naranja Academy that's sponsored personally by the Pokémon League!" The brown-haired girl then gave Milo a wide smile. "I'm Eli and this is my Kirlia."

"Kiiir!" the green and white humanoid Pokémon greeted Milo with a slight bow. Eli then gestured to her two other cohorts and said, "This is Gianna and her Stunky, and Henry with his Pawniard. They're part of the group as well."

"So what do you all, um, do down here? You said you were the Crystal Containment Crew, but I don't know what that is." Milo asked the trio, who allowed Eli to explain.

"You're familiar with the Terastal Phenomenon, right? The thing that lets us Paldeans Terastallize our Pokémon to power them up and even change their types, right?" Eli explained to Milo, who nodded and even pulled out his own Tera Orb.

"Well, out in the Wilds of Paldea, there are all sorts of large crystals that pop out of the ground. These crystals give off the same energy as our Tera Orbs. These crystals lead into little dens and caverns like these, and if a Pokémon gets into it, then it gets….well, empowered by the crystals here. They get a big power up and they're really hard to battle. That's where we come in!" Eli said as she put a hand to her chest.

"There's all sorts of theories out there about how and why these things happen. Some say it comes naturally from the core of the planet. Some say it's Arceus itself spawning the crystals here, or even that it's some kind of uber-powerful Legendary. It may even be some kind of insane experiment in the Great Crater of Paldea gone wrong." Eli remarked with a shrug, seemingly uncaring. "The point is that they crop up occasionally and are a bit of a nuisance. The light they shoot out can be distracting and the Pokémon that escape the dens and run around are really tough, which can make traveling through the area a bit tough."

"So the Pokémon League made a special program with the Academy to deal with the crystals?" Milo asked, crossing his arms as he attempted to make sense of it all.

Eli nodded smartly. "Yep. Naranja Academy gets a nice boost in funding for helping out the League and we get extra credit for lending a hand. We even got authorized to hand out goodies to fellow students who help us out, even if they're not a part of the team!"

"So, you want in?" Henry asked from the back of the cavern, drawing Milo's attention. "Protocol says not to try and fight these things unless we've got a team of four. It'd help us out and you can get some good rewards out of it. All you have to do is help us beat the Tera Pokémon inside and get rid of this crystal. Easy enough, right?"

"What happens to the Pokémon after we beat them?" Milo asked, with Eli fielding the question.

"Usually we just knock out the Pokémon. The Tera Den eventually shifts itself around and the Pokémon gets deposited outside after a short time, if they don't flee as soon as the Terastal Energy fades away from them. You're totally welcome to catch them yourself!" Eli said before putting a finger to her chin. "I think that's everything. So, you want in?"

"So this is what you were talking about, huh?" Milo thought at the Voice, who chuckled darkly within his mind.

Sure is. Because of how these battles work, the rules of the Nuzlocke Run don't apply to it. So if your Pokémon gets knocked out, you can heal it back up with no penalties. You're free to catch three Pokémon within the Tera Dens before you'll be able to catch any more. You're also free to keep going into them, if only for the experience and items you can acquire from these weirdos.

"Weirdo? Isn't that kind of harsh?"

They jump into holes in the ground for extra credit at school. That's weird as hell. And that's coming from me. And I'm just a voice in your head.

Milo directed his attention back to reality and nodded at Eli. "Sure thing, I can lend a hand. Just tell me what I need to do."

Eli quickly explained how the Tera Dens actually worked. Using one Pokémon each, they would team up and battle against the single Tera Pokémon that was now linked to the structural integrity of the cavern within the Tera Den. Milo was told that due to the strange properties of the cavern, he couldn't use multiple Pokémon, so he had to choose one and stick with it.

Milo was also informed that there was a time limit to win the battle once the Tera Pokémon was engaged. If the group took too long to defeat it, then the Tera Pokémon would blast them with energy and force them out of the cavern.

After sending out Reggie, Milo was escorted deeper into the cavern. To his surprise, the group quickly stumbled upon the lair of the Tera Pokémon itself.

The cavern's main chamber was circular and had a circumference of around thirty meters. Every inch of the chamber they found themselves in was coated with bright purple crystals, with a strange light shining faintly off of them. Milo's skin tingled slightly, feeling the strange energy in the air that very much reminded him of when he used his Tera Orb. However, his focus was on their target, the Tera Pokémon that dwelled within the chamber that was currently growling angrily at them.

The Tera Pokémon itself was shining brightly with energy, but Milo was able to make out that the Pokémon in question was a dog of some kind that he vaguely remembered seeing out in the fields earlier that day. It wore a purple shimmering Tera Crown that resembled a skull and crossbones symbol and stood atop a raised platform made of crystals tinted a darker shade of purple.

"A question before we start. Do you want to catch it, or let it go?" Eli asked Milo, who nodded in response.

"Catch it." Milo responded as Reggie tensed beside him. All four Trainers slowly fanned out, surrounding the Tera Pokémon as it growled even lorder at them.

"It's a Maschiff! Shouldn't be too hard. Let's get it!" Henry called to all of them. Each of the four Trainers nodded in unison, and the Tera Raid Battle began.

"Disarming Voice!"

"Metal Claw!"

"Acid Spray."

"Reggie, Ember!" Milo called out as the other three Trainers called out commands. The Fuecoco nodded and let loose a small fireball at the Maschiff as it bit and snapped at the air, even as the wave of attacks struck it. Upon getting struck with Ember, the canine barked loudly before bounding forward, slamming hard into Pawniard and Stunky before turning towards Reggie and biting him.

The Fuecoco yelped as he was tossed around before being thrown onto the ground, with Maschiff quickly returning to the platform to avoid an attack from Stunky. Maschiff whirled around once it reached its perch and let out a vicious Snarl, releasing a dark shockwave of sound that washed over all of them.

All three members of the 3XC and Milo were blasted backwards as the attack washed over them all, dealing damage to all of their Pokémon and throwing the Trainers to the ground. Thankfully for the Trainers, the brunt of the attack had hit the Pokémon, so the wave of force from it was what was left by the time it reached them.

"This one ain't so bad!" Henry said with a laugh as he got back to his feet, punching forward and calling out. "Metal Claw!"

"This isn't too bad?" Milo thought Pawniard leapt forward and delivered two slashes to Tera Maschiff before being smacked away by the glistening canine. Milo had Reggie attack with Round, sending a wave of sound at the Tera Pokémon and causing it to whine in pain before Reggie and Milo earned a furious glare from the crystalline Pokémon.

Reggie and the rest of their team was struck with another Snarl, knocking him onto the crystallized ground and stunning him for several seconds before he regained his bearings and got back up. Kirlia and Stunky pressed the attack, sending waves of energy at the Tera Pokémon as it roared in pain.

This is slightly more chaotic than normal. You all shouldn't be struggling this hard against a One-Star Pokémon.

"Do you have to constantly chime in? I'm kinda busy here!" Milo thought before ordering Reggie to keep shooting Embers at the Maschiff as it tackled Stunky hard enough to send it flying into a nearby wall.

Get used to it, kid. You're going to be doing a lot more of these before you're done.

"This is pure chaos…" Milo thought before his eyes widened in surprise, watching as Tera Maschiff suddenly dashed forward and collided with Kirlia, a faint blast of white-colored energy erupting from the blow that sent the Emotion Pokémon hurtling into the crystal walls of the chamber they were in.

"Kirlia!" Eli called out as her Partner fell onto the ground unconscious, with the Tera Maschiff howling in triumph before turning its angry gaze to Gianna and her Stunky. Milo saw a surge of energy flow through the entire chamber, making it reverberate as the energy seemingly flowed into the Tera Pokémon they were all facing.

"Hey kid! Terastallize your Pokémon!" Eli shouted to Milo, who frowned at being called a kid, but nodded as he pulled out his Tera Orb. It was shining faintly, which it hadn't been earlier. Milo decided to ignore why that was and prepared himself for the next phase of the battle.

"Reggie, let's turn up the heat! Terastallize!" Milo shouted as he held up his Tera Orb, which quickly generated a whirling burst of Terastal Energy. With a bright flash of light, the Tera Orb was primed and thrown over to Reggie, who became engulfed with crystals and became a Tera Pokémon. Reggie and the Maschiff glared down at one another, growling fiercely as the room began to shine even brightly.

"Ember!" Milo shouted as Reggie's Tera Crown let out a burst of flames, even as Reggie growled softly and opened his mouth. A sphere of raging fire quickly formed within the Fuecoco's maw before firing off like a cannonball towards the other Tera Pokémon. The sphere of raw flames exploded in the face of the Tera Maschiff, knocking it off of the platform and causing it to tumble onto the floor of the Tera Den.

"Damn, that's got some punch! Come on, let's keep up the pressure!" Eli called out encouragingly, doing an excited fist-pump.

Tera Maschiff slowly got back to its feet, shaking its head for a moment before locking eyes with Reggie and returning to the platform, releasing another Snarl that battered the Pokémon as they continued trying to bring the Tera Pokémon down. Another wave of attacks from the 3XC and another Tera-boosted Ember from Reggie somehow made the Maschiff even more agitated.

The crystal hound bounded forward with a small roar, dashing through the squad of Pokémon and tackling through each one of them, a loud ethereal growl of anger erupting from the jewel-empowered Pokémon. Shining light trickled from the Tera Maschiff as it returned to the platform yet again, spinning around. It then narrowed its eyes ominously, striking all of the remaining Pokémon with a Leer, weakening their defenses. However, it was obvious that the Tera Pokémon was tiring.

"Just a bit more!" Henry shouted as his Pawniard dashed forward, using Aerial Ace to deliver a swift strike to Tera Maschiff. The Tera Pokémon let out a howl of pain, stumbling forward as one of its legs gave out. Milo then remembered a very important fact that had completely escaped him until the last second.

"Wait a sec, isn't Dark weak against Fairy? Reggie, Disarming Voice!" Milo shouted as the Maschiff released a powerful Snarl, with the shockwave of sound ripping across the cavern and knocking back Eli's Kirlia, sending her to the ground as well as knocking out Stunky. Reggie hopped forward and released its own burst of sound at the Tera Maschiff, causing it to grunt in annoyance but do little else.

"Remember, it's Poison-type now! Fairy won't do anything to it!" Eli shouted to Milo, causing him to blink a few times before muttering a curse under his breath. He had forgotten about the type change, and an attack that should have done serious damage had done next to nothing at all. Milo ordered Reggie to fire off one last Ember, boosted by the Fire Tera Crown resting atop the Fuecoco's head, and the sphere of raging flame exploded against the side of the Tera Maschiff as it attempted to attack Gianna and her Stunky.

The Poison Tera Crown resting atop the head of the Tera Maschiff shattered and released a powerful shockwave throughout the entire room. The Tera Pokémon staggered atop the platform, clearly dazed. Eli gasped and then looked at Milo urgently.

"Catch it! Pull out a Poké Ball and hold it out!" Eli shouted to Milo, who dug through his bag for a few moments before he pulled out a Poké Ball, holding out the capsule. To his surprise, some of the latent energy in the air seemed to converge on the ball, causing it to sparkle.

"Alright…time to see if those ball-throwing lessons at the Academy paid off!" Milo thought as he spun around and chucked the Poké Ball as hard as he could at the Tera Maschiff. The ball spun rapidly through the air, picking up both speed and more energy as more and more Terastal Energy converged on the sphere, causing a swirling mass of light to envelop it. Milo's eyes went wide as the Poké Ball he had thrown crystalized completely before stopping a short distance away from the Tera Maschiff, who looked weakly up at the sphere before it shot out a beam of light, sucking the Tera Pokémon inside of the Poké Ball.

Finally the crystal around the Poké Ball shattered as it fell to the ground. It shook a single time before clicking, signifying that the capture was complete.

"Hell yeah!" Henry called out, punching the air as Eli sighed with relief. Gianna silently clapped her hands a few times, seemingly applauding Milo for his catch of the Tera Pokémon. The crystals around the room seemed to lose their luster almost immediately, with some even cracking the moment Milo had destroyed the Tera Crown.

"That was intense. I can see why you all team up and tackle these things together." Milo said as he picked up Reggie, who let out a happy growl. "Good work, buddy. You did great." Milo then returned Reggie as the 3XC healed their teams, with Eli walking over to Milo with an impressed grin.

"Here's your reward for helping us." Eli said as she dug through her bag. She handed Milo two Rawst Berries, a shining Pearl, and several small candies shaped like a pyramid. Eli helpfully explained the concept of Exp. Candy, which helped boost the experience of a Pokémon to make it stronger.

"We'll hang around for a bit to make sure we didn't miss anything. You can head on out." Eli said to Milo, who nodded before glancing down at the Poké Ball containing the Tera Maschiff.

Milo made his way over to the Tera Den entrance and with some effort pulled himself out of the pit. He rolled onto the ground and took a minute to catch his breath before staggering to his feet and calling out his newest Pokémon. Without the coating of crystals, the Maschiff was a rather scraggly-looking dog with brown fur, save for a black patch on its face and stomach and a streak of yellow fur on its back. Milo pulled out his Rotom Phone as the canine looked at him quizzically, tilting its head.

"Maschiff. The Rascal Pokémon. It always scowls in an attempt to make opponents take it seriously, but even crying children will burst into laughter when they see Maschiff's face. This Maschiff is Female and has the Ability Run Away. Its Tera Type is Poison." Milo stowed away his Rotom Phone and looked down at the canine looking up at him expectantly.

The teen knelt down and held out a hand, smiling at the Maschiff who had now become his fourth official Pokémon. "Hey there. You're a good girl, aren't you?"

The Maschiff barked in response, and Milo scratched her on the head and then behind her ears, causing the Maschiff to close her eyes and kick her back leg a few times, showing that Milo had found the perfect scratching spot. The teen smiled at the dog for several moments as he brainstormed, trying to think of a name.

"Pepper. Because you're a puppy, and and I'm still awful with names. How's that sound?" Milo asked the Maschiff, who tilted her head at her Trainer before barking out, sniffing him several times before licking his hand. Behind him the three members of C3 began pulling themselves out of the Tera Den.

Milo walked over to help them out, earning a grateful look from Henry and Gianna. Soon enough the trio were out of the cavern and looking towards the setting sun.

"So, are you heading to Cortondo or gonna hang out in the Wilds a bit more?" Henry asked Milo, returning his Pawniard as he did so.

"I'm going to get some training in and catch a few more Pokémon. I'm definitely interested in learning more about the Tera Dens though." Milo answered, though inwardly he was thinking. "If I'm stuck using these as my only way of catching Pokémon, I'll have to learn more about them."

"We're always looking for new members. Or folks who just want to help out without the commitment." Eli remarked with a grin, stuffing her hands into her pockets. "If you're around tomorrow, I'll still be in the area knocking out Tera Dens. Feel free to help out!"

"Sounds good. You all take care!" Milo said as he shook each of their hands, with the trio departing to tackle more Tera Dens. Milo glanced at the setting sun yet again and decided now would be as good of a time as any to wind down for the day. Milo then looked down at Pepper, who was sniffing Milo's shoes curiously.

The teen knelt down and petted the Maschiff, causing Pepper to lick him on the cheek. Milo laughed for a moment as he called out Koraidon, who promptly licked his other cheek without warning.

Pepper was understandably terrified of Koraidon, and it took several long minutes before Milo managed to convince her that it was a friend. By the time Milo had done that and made his way to the nearest Pokémon Center Outpost, nightfall had come.

Milo sighed with exhaustion as he hopped off Koraidon and stretched his sore muscles, but he knew he needed to set up camp sooner rather than later and couldn't relax just yet. Milo handed over his Poké Balls to Nurse Joy and started working on erecting his tent. Nearby, there were a few other tents set up, with three more in the process of being set up just like Milo's.

According to Arven, many Trainers tended to camp close to the Pokémon Center Outposts scattered throughout the region due to the security these facilities provided. While not an actual building Trainers could get rooms at, the Outposts allowed Trainers to achieve similar results if they had come prepared with their own camping equipment.

The outposts had state-of-the-art security systems, along with plenty of cameras to deter thieves and bandits. It was also an unspoken rule for Trainers when it came to these Outposts to treat them with respect and to be polite to the workers, since these facilities were open 24-hours a day.

Even Pokémon tended to avoid the facilities, mostly due to the light and the constant jingle echoing out from the buildings for most of the day. So security and safety were assured so long as you camped close to the Outpost.

Nemona had told Milo and Juliana a few stories where Trainers were able to escape certain death or great injury thanks to the help of the workers at the Pokémon Center Outposts. Milo had even been told that underneath the Pokémon Center Outposts were secret rooms set up in case of severe weather or for other emergencies, but neither Nemona or Arven were able to confirm that.

By the time Milo's team was healed, he had set up the tent and even eaten a light dinner before taking his team from Nurse Joy, who he thanked for her help before walking over to his tent and calling out his team. He ducked into the tent and changed out of his uniform and as he opened his sleeping bag, wondered whether or not his Pokémon would want to sleep beside him outside.

This question was answered a moment later when a long tail opened the tent flap and Sparky, Cocoa, Reggie and Pepper scampered into the tent excitedly. Milo looked at Koraidon with a raised eyebrow as the massive lizard allowed the tent flap to fall, but Milo could have sworn he saw it smiling. He noticed that just outside of the tent that Koraidon had curled up around the entrance, and Milo was initially confused as to why. He also realized Koraidon wasn't lying down to sleep, but had its head up and was completely alert.

After a few minutes of thinking about it, Milo realized what was going on. "It's not sleeping…it's protecting all of us by keeping watch since we're out in the Wilds. If anyone or anything wants to get to me and the rest of the team in the tent, they've got to get through Koraidon."

"Thanks buddy." Milo said to the strange Pokémon as he leaned out of the tent. Koraidon's response was licking his cheek and causing Milo to laugh as he wiped the slobber off of his face. He then retreated back into the tent and began getting his team settled for bedtime. Milo got into his sleeping bag and laid down, already feeling tired.

Unsurprisingly, most of the group was ready to doze off right then and there, curling up on the tent's floor and passing out. Pepper the Maschiff and Reggie slept pressed up against Milo's side, much to his surprise and delight. It looked like the newest addition to the team was already warming up to everyone.

Milo grinned as he huddled into his sleeping bag, closing his eyes and relaxing as he thought over the events of the day. He had a path forward and the makings of a team now, with two more catches hopefully rounding out what would be a full team of six. He was feeling more than ready to take on his first true challenge as a Trainer. Sure his life hung in the balance and he was still a rookie, but this was just the first Gym Leader.

How bad could it be?

Chapter Text

"Hey, look who it is!" Eli called out with a merry wave as Milo dropped into his second-ever Tera Den, this time one filled with orange crystals. Milo greeted the 3XC member with a small wave of his own while Cocoa the Paldea Wooper stood on his shoulder.

To Milo's annoyance, he wasn't really well equipped to deal with the current Tera Pokémon either. He now recognized it as a Shellder, which was a Water-type normally and could've been easily countered with Sparky. Instead he had to rely on Cocoa, who was immune to Water-type attacks but wasn't very strong yet, and hope that she was enough.

Thankfully for Milo, partners were able to pick up the slack. Eli's Kirlia was able to do the bulk of the damage while Milo and the other two 3XC members whittled down the Tera Shellder's stamina. Making matters even worse for the Tera Shellder was Milo's use of moves like Mud Shot and Mud-Slap, which slowed down the Tera Shellder and made its moves miss more and more as time went on.

Finally the Tera Crown atop the body of Tera Shellder exploded, and Milo held out his Poké Ball to be engulfed by the residual Tera Energy before hurling it as hard as could. The Poké Ball flew through the air for several long moments, tendrils of energy swirling around it before the capsule Terastallized. It shot out a beam of energy at the stunned Tera Shellder, and as the Pokémon entered the Poké Ball the crystals exploded, causing the Poké Ball to drop onto the floor and shake a single time before clicking, signifying the capture was successful.

"You got a hell of an arm." Eli remarked, handing Milo a handful of Exp. Candies as thanks for helping them with the Tera Den. Milo pocketed them before glancing down at the Poké Ball in his hand for several long moments and then looking back at Eli.

"I guess so. I'm probably hopping to another Den, soon. You all want to come with?" Milo asked the group, earning a few shaking heads.

"Sadly we gotta report back to the Academy later today. I can put in a good word for you if you want?" Eli offered, which Milo considered for several seconds before nodding.

"I'll have to think on whether or not I want to join 3XC or not, but yeah that sounds good." The Galarian said to the other student, earning a grin and a thumbs up from Eli.

"See you around, Milo! Thanks for the help!" Eli called as Milo waved the 3XC members goodbye, hopping out of the den and heading over to Koraidon. He then promptly called out his newest Pokémon, his Rotom Phone already pulling up the Pokédex App.

"Shellder. The Bivalve Pokémon. It is encased in a shell that is harder than diamond. Inside, however, it is surprisingly tender. This Shellder is Female and has the Ability Shell Armor. Its Tera Type is Fighting." Milo considered the new name of his Pokémon while Cocoa and the Shellder exchanged greetings with one another, with both Pokémon sporting wide smiles.

"Well, aren't you friendly?" Milo remarked with a smile as the Shellder cried out, bouncing up and down a few times on the ground. "How about I name you…Shelly?"

The newly caught Shellder responded with another cheerful cry, and Milo grinned as he reached down and patted the Bivalve Pokémon, causing her to float up to his shoulder and rest on it.

"Sheeeellll!" the Pokémon cried out, its eyes shutting happily. Milo chuckled as he sent out the rest of this team, who all looked up at him expectantly.

"Everyone, this is Shelly. She'll be the newest member of our team. Say hi!" Milo said to the assembled Pokémon, earning a chorus of growls and cries from Sparky, Cocoa, Reggie, Pepper and even Koraidon. Shelly cried out a greeting to them in return, which made Milo crack a grin. So far everyone was getting along with one another. He only hoped the last member of the team would be so accommodating. He expected that he'd need a few days to make sure the team could work together before tackling the Gym Leader, but he was feeling optimistic.

Those feelings continued two hours later as Milo was back in another Tera Den, this time with Sparky being his Pokémon of choice as he joined another new batch of 3XC members.

"Sparky, let's go! Terastallize!" Milo grinned as his Pawmi exploded in a shower of crystals and electricity, revealing the Tera Pokémon in all of his glory.

Standing across from them all was a fairly worn-down yellow bird Pokémon that one of Milo's allies explained was a Wattrel. Currently the Wattrel was wearing a Flying Tera Crown, which made Sparky perfect for dealing with it. Milo was with an entirely new 3XC crew that consisted of all girls and an entirely new group of Pokémon. Hailey with her Magnemite, Zoe with her Sandile, and Brooklyn with her Rockruff.

The Galarian was also getting a better handle on how to deal with the Tera Raid Battles. He quickly fell into a rhythm and focused solely on bringing down his opponent.

"Nuzzle!" Milo shouted as Pawmi darted forward, rubbing against the side of the other Pokémon and causing it to seize up as paralysis took over. This allowed Hailey's Magnemite to lash out with a Thunder Shock, and with Brooklyn's Rockruff hitting the bird with a Rock Throw, victory was secured.

"Go for it, man!" Zoe shouted as Wattrel's Tera Crown exploded violently. Milo prepped a Poké Ball and threw it at the Wattrel. Several moments later the student was picking up the Poké Ball off of the ground, smiling down at his newest catch.

After getting a reward of Persim Berries and Tiny Mushrooms, as well as some Exp. Candies, Milo was back on the surface and walking towards Koraidon, who was barking back and forth with several nearby Maschiff.

"Down boy." Milo said jokingly as he patted the strange Pokémon on the head, calling out his newest catch while Sparky cried out from atop his shoulder. The Wattrel appeared in a flash of light, chirping softly before looking at Milo with curiosity. The teen himself was busy pulling up the appropriate Pokédex entry for his newest Pokémon.

"Wattrel. The Storm Petrel Pokémon. When its wings catch the wind, the bones within produce electricity. This Pokémon dives into the ocean, catching prey by electrocuting them. This Wattrel is Female and has the Ability Wind Power. Its Tera Type is Flying." Milo put away his phone and considered this information.

"So its Tera Type is the same as one of the types it actually is. Interesting." Milo remarked as he knelt down and held out his hand. The little bird let out a small chirp and approached the teenager before fluttering to his arm and chirping again.

Milo grinned with excitement, seeing that the Wattrel was just as agreeable as Shelly was earlier. He did still need to name her, and considered it for several moments before thinking back to her Pokédex entry.

"I'm going to name you Storm." Milo said quietly, reaching out to slowly stroke the small bird's head. The Wattrel chirped again, nodding at the boy who was surprised by the acknowledgement of the nickname.

Milo's smile faded when the newly-named Storm pecked at his finger, causing it to bleed and make Milo to let out several loud expletives in surprise.

While you're trying and failing at birdwatching, I'll also warn you now. You've acquired your third and final  Pokémon for this stretch of your journey.  Before you commit to any of the Objectives, your team has to be at the appropriate level to handle it. If they're too powerful, you will be unable to use them.

"What? So I can just power up out here for the Bug Gym?" Milo demanded, looking skyward with annoyance as the Voice responded back.

Feel free to power up your team. They just can't be any stronger than the strongest  Pokémon you'll face when dealing with her. I'll let you know when any of your Pokémon get to that point. It's really not that big of a deal at the present, since your team isn't that strong yet. There's a reason I suggested just going for the Objective that's the easiest and then going to the next hardest thing and so on and so on.

"Should've known there would be some catches. Especially if you're going to let me catch three Pokémon every time I accomplish one of the Objectives." Milo sighed with some frustration, gently patting Storm on the head and trying to not let the depths of his annoyance show.

Now you're getting it. I call this a Hardcore Nuzlocke Run, but that's just me. Oh, and be aware of the over-levelling thing when you're catching Pokémon too. Some of them will be stronger than you're ready for when you catch them in the Tera Dens, and you'll have to get further into your journey before you'll be able to appropriately use them.

"Fabulous. Do you have any other sagely advice, or can I go back to what I was doing?"

Nope, that's all. Don't die out there!

Milo sighed with relief as the Voice faded and the teen stood back up, returning Storm as he did so. He then considered his options before deciding to just head on over to the nearby town of Cortondo to heal his team and regroup. Now that he had a full team, he needed a game plan for tackling the Gym.

"Fuecoco, Pawmi, Wooper, Shellder, Maschiff, and Wattrel." Milo thought as he considered the dilemma. "Overall it's not that bad of a match-up. Reggie and Storm have the advantages against Bug-types and the rest of them shouldn't have too much trouble either. I just need to be careful and try to end things as soon as possible."

By the time he had finished coming up with a plan of action, he and Koraidon were making their way through several massive fields of farmland. Milo received a few cheery waves from a few farmers who were hard at work on their farms, and Milo waved back at them as he rode on by. The teen spotted a variety of different Pokémon lurking around the farms including Diglett, Combee, Kricketot and (weirdly enough) swarms of Igglybuff.

Milo reached Cortondo around noon or so, and quickly made his way to the town of Cortondo's only hotel, a two-story building known as the Everfree Suites Hotel. Nemona had sent him a text recommending the place to him, and even instructed Milo to tell the front counter that he was a student of Naranja Academy since students got a ten-percent discount on their stay at the hotel.

After booking a room for three nights, Milo was given the keys to his room and inspected it upon opening the door. It was easily big enough for his whole team plus Koraidon, but only just. It had just about everything you'd expect a hotel room to have, but had the addition of several tasteful paintings of olive fields and various depictions of farmers working side-by-side with their Pokémon partners as they worked to ensure a bountiful harvest. All in all, it was a pretty comfortable place to crash for a few days.

Milo had learned in his History Class about Cortondo, the biggest farming community within the Paldea region. It held the distinction of being the only settlement within Paldea to not have been attacked by pirates or invaders over the course of the Paldea Empire's impressive reign, thanks to being so far inland as well as the staunch defenders of Alfornada on the coastal cliffs to the southeast.

The town of Cortondo was world-famous for its olives and had them shipped everywhere. But the town was also a mass producer of other products such as grapes and wine, tomatoes, and various types of beans and legumes that were known for their extremely high quality.

Milo returned his team and went downstairs, ignoring the rumbling of his stomach. However, he did make a point to swing by the front counter, where a young man with messy black hair was leaning against the back wall with a bored expression whose name nametag identified him as Mark.

"Excuse me. Do you have any recommendations for a good place to grab some food?" Milo asked the man as he pushed himself off of the wall and then leaned against the counter, thinking about the question for a moment before shrugging.

"Well, when in Cortondo, there's really only two places any tourist or Trainer worth their salt should check out." Mark said to the student, who pulled out his phone to take notes. "One is the Patisserie Soapberry that's run by our Gym Leader, Katy. She's a baking legend who learned from Master Chef Kofu, who's another Gym Leader. Her stuff is reasonably priced and it's delicious."

"Patisserie?"

"Think of a bakery that specializes in specific sweets. Katy's a whiz when it comes to cupcakes and a few other desserts, and ever since she got engaged to some hotshot Trainer from another region, she's got enough employees helping her out to consider expanding her store by the end of the year. Probably in Levincia and Mesagoza. She's certainly talented enough for it. Her Big Bad Brownies are worth their weight in gold." Mark said to Milo, with the young man practically drooling as he described it.

"I'll probably snag some snacks from there then. I'll bet they have some treats for my team as well." Milo thought, inwardly wondering if Juliana was familiar with the place. He vaguely recalled Arven mentioning it in passing a few weeks ago.

"Second place I recommend is Smoliv Garden, which has some of the best pasta in the entire region. This place actually has branched out to other regions. I know for a fact that Kanto, Johto, Unova and Kalos all have them there. It's got a ton of different pasta, breadsticks, and all sorts of awesome sauces made fresh from stuff harvested here in Cortondo. The original location is right here in town. They even have a lunch special that I usually hit up on weekends. It's a bit of a wait, but it's totally worth it." Mark explained to Milo, who felt his stomach rumble with want.

"That does sound pretty awesome. Thanks for the info." Milo said with an appreciative smile, earning a grin in response.

"Just watch out for the unlimited breadsticks and alfredo sauce combo. It's so good that you can get filled up on it before your main course arrives. You won't regret it at first because the food is so good, but two hours later, your stomach is gonna hate you." Mark chuckled as Milo nodded, smirking as well. The teen walked outside and inhaled the fresh air, sighing at the warm summer day and grateful he had changed out of his academy uniform for some comfortable gym shorts and a tank-top.

As Milo made his way through Cortondo, it truly struck him how Cortondo was a farming town through and through. It was an astonishing experience through his senses. The humid feel of the warm air as the breeze rustled by, bringing the scents of fresh earth along with it. The amiable chatter of the townsfolk as they called joyful greetings to one another. It was a community of people where everyone knew everyone.

To Milo's own surprise, he felt at ease walking down the cobblestone path. He glanced to his right and left and saw colorful one-story houses lined up down the main road. From the hotel, it was about a 45 minute's walk to where the beginning of the town started. Milo estimated that it'd probably only take two hours to go from one end of the town to another.

As he was mulling over what he wanted to do, an overwhelming smell struck him. Specifically the smell of something sweet and heavenly that assailed Milo's nostrils, and several minutes later Milo found himself standing outside of the very building Mark had recommended to him.

The Patisserie Soapberry was a one-story establishment nestled underneath a large structure that towered above it. Milo spotted a dozen or so cocoon decorations of different colors hanging above the bakery, as well as a large stairway that led to what Milo later learned was a battle court above the establishment.

The building itself was decorated in various bug-themed baubles, with a spiderweb motif being heavily used all around the shop. In the windows of the store were various confectionaries on display, including rows of artisan cupcakes and bug-themed desserts such as web macarons and cookies decorated with various Bug-type Pokémon designs such as Wimpod, Scyther and Pineco. Milo frowned at the rather long line extending out from the register and for several long moments stared at the building wistfully.

It took everything in him to not walk over to the line and wait so he could walk away with a dozen of the artisan-crafted cupcakes with decorative icing spiders on top. Milo didn't even care for sweets that much, and even he was drooling as he pulled himself away from the bakery. He imagined Juliana would've bankrupted herself if she visited the place.

Instead Milo took a selfie with his Rotom Phone outside of the shop and walked away, fully intent on trying out Patisserie Soapberry's artwork-like confectionaries when he wasn't focused on exploring the town. However, as he lowered his Rotom Phone, he glanced down at it with a wistful expression.

"I should do pictures with my team…It's been a really long time since I did that." Milo muttered quietly, a small smile on his face.

Milo had several passions and hobbies that seemingly contradicted one another. One of which was taking pictures of whatever interested him. He'd usually take pictures with his family and various other things he and Juliana came across in Motostoke, but it had been a long time since he had taken any pictures for fun. Back in Galar he had a large board in his room filled with the different pictures he had taken.

"We'll get some pictures in tomorrow. Before the Gym Leader battle." Milo decided as he turned away from Patisserie Soapberry and called out Koraidon, intent on finding the other restaurant he had been directed to try out. It didn't take very long to find Smoliv Garden, thanks to the large dancing Smoliv that was on the restaurant's sign.

Milo hopped off of Koraidon, bemused as he returned it and walked into the restaurant. Immediately Milo inhaled a whiff of something heavenly, with the smell of freshly baked bread filling the restaurant. The teen was quickly escorted to a small room that was known as the Trainer's Room, and contained several students wearing Naranja Academy uniforms. Thankfully Milo wasn't wearing his uniform, so he was able to sit down without being talked to.

After being handed a menu, the Galarian ordered the unlimited breadsticks and salad, along with an infinite refill package for the alfredo dipping sauce as well as the restaurant's famous lasagna. As the waiter delivered the appetizers, Milo's mouth began to water. Milo devoured six whole breadsticks and two bowls of alfredo sauce before he got his main course, which was a massive plate of steaming-hot lasagna coated in different kinds of cheese.

"I'm going to soooo regret this later…but that's future me's problem!" Milo grinned as he dug a fork into his lasagna and took a bite, savoring the thick ricotta cheese and parmesan drizzled on top. Combined with the freshness of the sauce, Milo was soon in heaven and began tearing into his lunch with gusto.

"How was dinner?" Mark said with a shit-eating grin as a familiar teen shambled in through the revolving door three hours after he had originally departed.

Milo seemingly ignored Mark, continuing to shamble slowly over to the elevator while holding his slightly larger stomach. He then hefted up the bag containing all of his leftovers from Smoliv Garden without saying a word. Mark snickered as Milo vanished into the elevator to return to his room, eager to collapse onto his bed and lapse into a food coma.

Milo woke up the next day violently sick to his stomach. After spending the morning on the toilet…Milo decided to eat all of his leftovers and then head out into the town to explore more.

He got several pictures with his team throughout Cortondo. Shelly thoroughly enjoyed a nearby public swimming pool while Cocoa swam after her. Pepper the Maschiff napping beside Koraidon in the shade was Milo's current favorite picture, with the shot of Reggie chasing after Storm (who in turn was chasing after a terrified Sparky) being a close second.

Eventually Milo found his way to the Gym Building, a rather standard looking building with the Pokémon League's symbol on the side of it. The teen returned his team, including Koraidon, and made his way towards the front entrance and through the double-doors.

Milo walked into the large building, sighing quietly as the wave of air-conditioning swept over him. He glanced around what he realized was the lobby of the building, with several Trainers loitering around and chatting with one another. Milo even noticed a small play area where a Trainer was watching his Pokémon play tag. In the corner of the room two large butterfly Pokémon he vaguely recognized were peering into a potted plot while something within chirped frantically.

The Galarian's eyes immediately went to a familiar figure he saw standing at the front desk. The teen smiled and called out, "Nemona!"

The Student Council President whirled around and grinned at her friend. "Oh, hey! Milo! Came to see this Gym, huh? That can only mean one thing…"

"Don't say something sarcastic, don't say something sarcastic, don't say something sarcastic…" Milo chanted to himself, resisting the urge to do that very thing.

"You're out to earn some Gym Badges and take on the Pokémon League, aren't you!?" Nemona demanded to know, pointing a finger at her friend rather dramatically. Unfortunately for Milo, the temptation was just too much. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the keychain he had bought yesterday.

"Nope. I actually came to check out Smoliv Garden. Have you been there?" Milo asked Nemona, who's smile widened at the Smoliv keychain he had bought for his mother that day.

"Yeah, sure you're not! Just came to the Gym for some sight-seeing, right? Hah! You fibber!" Nemona giggled as Milo grinned unashamedly at his friend.

"You saw right through me. Since I had so many options open to me, I figured I'd just go with yours first and challenge the Gym Circuit. Figure things out from there." Milo explained to Nemona, who did an excited fist-pump.

"Yesss! I knew it! I'm so glad I asked you to do it!" Nemona gushed, putting her hands together and beaming at Milo with an expression of sheer joy on her face that Milo couldn't help but blush.

"Before you can battle the Gym Leader, you've gotta pass a certain challenge set by them-their Gym Test." Nemona explained, putting a hand on her hip and glancing over her shoulder at the Gym Receptionist standing behind the nearby counter. "Every Gym's test is different. If you ask the lobby staff about it, they'll tell you what's up!"

"I like the suit." Milo commented as the man at the counter glanced over at him, smiling slightly at the compliment. "Hey, I just call it like I see it. It's a cool uniform."

"I'll tell La Primera you think so!" Nemona said brightly as she handed over three Super Potions to a surprised Milo. "Here, have these! When you use 'em, consider it me healing up your Pokémon!"

"Thanks Nemona. You don't have to do this, but I do appreciate you looking out for me." Milo thanked his friend, who waved a hand dismissively as he expected. Nemona was just that kind of person, it seemed, and Milo respected that about her.

"Ahhh, I'm so glad you're aiming to be a Champion, too! This is the best news ever!" Nemona squeed as Milo smiled at his friend, feeling rather touched that she was so happy for him following in her footsteps. "Man, I'm so excited, I can barely stand still…"

"Wait for it…" Milo said quietly before Nemona suddenly bolted past him, wearing a familiar manic grin of sheer joy on her face.

"Guess I'll just go battle every Trainer I run into!" Nemona called as she burst through the doors, leaving behind an embarrassed Milo and a very confused lobby full of people.

"Sorry. She's just happy." Milo said apologetically before walking over to the front counter. The man out the counter offered Milo a broad smile and shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. We all know Champion Nemona can be a tad overeager, but she's a good kid." The Gym Receptionist remarked good-naturedly, laughing for a moment. "Champions such as her are good to have in these troubled times. But I'm getting ahead of myself."

The Gym Receptionist cleared his throat before saying in a more professional voice. "Welcome to the Cortondo Gym! Let me register you as a challenger. Your name is Milo, yes?"

Milo nodded as the man began to type away at the keyboard. "Florian Caballero, actually. I go by Milo, though."

"Great! Now, in order to face Gym Leader Katy, you'll first need to pass the Gym Test." The Gym Receptionist said before looking back up at him. "Here at the Cortondo Gym, that means taking on the Olive Roll!"

"Olive Roll?"

The Gym Receptionist nodded and explained. "Olive production is a big part of life in Cortondo. We've held the Olive Harvest Festival here each year for generations to usher in bumper crops! We take great pride in the quality and quantity of the olives we produce for Paldea. We even get them shipped to other regions across the world."

Milo nodded at that, and so the Gym Receptionist went on. "To pass our Gym Test, you'll need to roll an olive-shaped ball all the way to the goal. Your efforts should help ensure we get a great olive harvest next year, too!"

"Makes sense. So how do I start?" Milo asked.

"The staffer over at the olive-rolling field will explain the rules to you in further detail. I'll register the location in your map app. It's just north of town!" The Gym Receptionist said as Milo held out his Rotom Phone. The man held out a small keycard, and after a moment Milo's phone pinged as a set of coordinates were registered on it. The student noticed that it was maybe two miles away from where he was standing.

"Now get out there and have fun!" The Gym Receptionist said with a cheery wave as Milo nodded and thanked him, walking outside and into Cortondo proper once again.

Milo opted to walk over to the field registered in his phone due to his still-upset stomach, and heard a woman calling and waving to him as he approached. "Try the Olive Roll right here!"

"Good afternoon. Um, I'm here for the Gym Test?" Milo said to the woman uncertainly. The woman, who wore a lanyard identifying her as part of the Gym Staff, smiled and nodded at the student.

"Welcome to the olive-rolling field! This Gym Test is all about stamina - you'll need to push with all you've got to get a large olive ball rolling and make it all the way to the end." The Gym Staff member explained as she glanced behind her, where several Gym Trainers were quickly setting up a bunch of fence posts.

"Get the ball over various obstacles, then push it into the goal to clear the course." Milo gulped nervously as one of the Gym Trainers called out a Heracross and began to assemble something really large close to where he was at.

"Now that you're all filled in, are you ready to start the Gym Test?" the Staffer asked, with Milo sighing softly before nodding. "Great! Put in a wish for a good olive harvest, and roll, roll, roll away!"

About ten minutes later, Milo was wondering if he had gotten in over his head. He was now standing on top of a large ramp at the beginning of a somewhat elaborate obstacle course. Now inside of the field were large ramps, fences and even walls erected to ensure the path to the goal was as tricky as possible to get it.

"Gym Test starts in three…two…one…GO!" the Gym Staffer called out as Milo walked over to the olive-shaped ball and shoved his body weight against it. Milo grunted and shoved as hard as he could, sending the ball two meters ahead of where he was at. He grimaced as his stomach made a loud rumbling sound.

"Ugh…I thought I got all of this out of my system." Milo muttered before remembering he ate his leftovers from dinner last night for breakfast this morning. "I knew that'd come back to bite me."

"Is everything okay?" the Gym Staffer asked, seeing Milo's pained expression.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay." Milo responded as he grit his teeth. He was about a twenty-five minute walk from town and, more importantly, the nearest toilet. He needed to finish this sooner rather than later.

"And considering the state of my stomach, there's no chance in hell I'm going to actually be able to shove this huge thing all the way over to the goal without ruining my pants. How do I go about this?" Milo muttered as he considered the problem before glancing to his right, where one of the Gym Trainers was standing by to observe. He was smirking at the student with an amused expression, but Milo turned around and asked him. "Excuse me, are there any rules I have to worry about breaking? Can I use Pokémon?"

"So long as you get that thing from Point A to the next without causing injury, and keeping it mostly inside of the course, you can do whatever you want within reason. It's definitely preferred that you roll it though." The Gym Trainer replied with a smirk, crossing his arms. "We had a guy chunk the ball across the course with his Alakazam once and had him restart from the beginning."

"Got it. Okay, then I'll just work smart, not hard. Koraidon, come on out!" Milo called out his trusty mount, who looked at him with confusion. The Gym Trainer yelped in surprise at the sudden appearance of the large and intimidating Pokémon. Milo pointed at the large olive-shaped ball in front of them.

"We're going to try and knock that thing around, okay? Just don't hit it too hard." Milo explained to Koraidon, who nodded. Milo hopped on top of the mount and urged it forward, headbutting the ball and sending it flying forward.

"What the hell is that?!"

"It's some kind of demon Cyclizar!"

"W-w-where the heck did a kid get something so scary!?"

Milo was grinning maliciously as Koraidon dashed throughout the course, repeatedly bashing into the ball and knocking it into the fences. The Smoliv that were standing on the various fence posts squealed in fear, hopping away as Koraidon booped the ball again and again.

Of course, Koraidon itself was having the time of its life. It wore a big smile on its face as it happily battered the ball throughout the course, its tongue lolling out with excitement as Mio cheered it on.

However, soon Milo was forced to make a decision once he got to the middle of the map. He had noticed a few Gym Trainers standing beside a blockade of Smoliv, and knew that they were probably waiting for a battle, so he ignored them so as not to invoke the Nuzlocke Curse.

He actually could see a direct path to the goal now, but a Gym Trainer now stood in his way. Milo glanced around, wincing as his stomach rumbled again, but thankfully noticed a side path with several small ramps and directed Koraidon that way, making sure not to go over the ramps himself so as to not upset his stomach further.

Koraidon turned two more corners and now that they had reached the goal, Milo urged his mount to headbutt the olive ball into the goal as the nearby Gym Trainer and his Smoliv barricade dove for cover. The olive ball flew into the net and Milo let out a laugh, throwing up his arms.

"GOAL!" Milo shouted as confetti exploded out from the four pillars beside the goal, with Koraidon letting out a joyful growl as it puffed out its chest proudly. The Gym Trainer nearby picked himself up off of the ground and gave Milo a thumbs up. "Gym Challenge complete! I'll escort you back to the Gym Staffer."

A few minutes later was standing in front of the Gym Staffer he had reported to originally. The woman stared at Koraidon dubiously before looking at Milo.

"Sorry, I've never seen a Cyclizar like that. A-anyways…" The Gym Staffer cleared her throat before smiling at Milo. "With that performance, I'm sure we can look forward to a great olive harvest next year."

"If I wasn't sick to my stomach, I would've had a lot more fun with that. It's a cool way to show tourists and students stuff important to the town's culture." Milo remarked with a smile before wincing as his stomach rumbled. The Gym Staffer smirked then, noticing the problem that Milo was having.

"I'm happy to declare your Gym Test officially cleared. Congratulations! Please report your result to the lobby staffer at the Gym. Good luck in your battle against Katy!" The Gym Staffer said as she pulled out a datapad, tapping it a few times. Milo assumed she was contacting her counterpart at the Gym Building.

"I guess all that's left is to take down my first Gym Leader." Milo said as he patted the side of Koraidon, who glanced up at him. "Come on, bud. Let's get back to the Gym Building and report in!"

Aiigias!" Koraidon snarled before rearing back on its hand legs and then darting forward, heading directly towards the Gym Leader building and barreling through a group of startled Jigglypuff and Igglybuff. Milo fought the urge to hurl the entire time.

Chapter Text

"Welcome back, Milo! I hear you were on a roll out there!" the Gym Building Receptionist said with a warm smile, laughing at his own joke as Milo smirked. "A big congratulations from me for successfully clearing the Gym Test! You've now earned the right to challenge the Gym Leader! Best of luck!"

"So how does that actually work?" Milo asked the man behind the counter, who helpfully explained the process.

Essentially, Gym Challengers would book an appointment within 24 hours to battle the Gym Leader after completing the Gym Test. It was all very professional and organized, and after a glance at the appointment book Milo chose a spot in the early afternoon at 1300 the next day. Plenty of time for his stomach to settle and spend some more time with his team.

Milo went back to the hotel and headed to bed early, but not before getting a group photo of himself and all of his Pokémon on his Rotom Phone. The teen woke up early the next morning and simply enjoyed sleeping in without worrying about the dangers of the Wilds. His stomach was also feeling much better. After going downstairs and greeting a very sleepy Mark, Milo also enjoyed the complimentary breakfast while attempting to keep his team under control.

Reggie and Cocoa were getting into a loud squabble with Storm, who was chasing Sparky around and around the dining area (much to the amusement of the other hotel guests). Pepper just barked loudly the entire time, adding to the chaos. Shelly floated in the air, giggling the entire time as Milo attempted to restore calm.

Thankfully Koraidon had things in hand. After ten minutes of pandemonium, it finally lost its patience and the draconic mount let out a menacing growl that forced all of the Pokémon totally still. A stern glare from the powerful beast made them lower their heads in submission before meekly returning to their meals.

The large lizard nodded once, grunting a few times before turning towards the table. It then stuck out its long tongue and scooped up the last piece of Milo's bacon (Lechonk, of course) and devoured it without an ounce of shame as Milo gave the Pokémon a deadpan stare. Milo returned to his toast and eggs with a roll of the eyes, though he was smiling at how easily Koraidon had asserted its will over the other Pokémon. Even with its injuries, it was still an apex predator and demanded respect from the weaker Pokémon on Milo's team.

An hour later Milo was walking into the Gym Building. He had healed his team and ensured that they had everything they needed to fight at their absolute best. All he could do was hope he could sweep through Katy's team quickly.

"Ahh, good morning Mister Milo. You're a few minutes early for your appointment, but that's fine. Are you ready to challenge Gym Leader Katy, the Sugarbug?" the Gym Building Receptionist asked Milo, who nodded in response as he approached the counter. "Very well. Allow me to show you to the battle court."

The Gym Building Receptionist walked out from behind the counter and called out an Ralts. Within moments, the Gym Building Receptionist and Milo were teleported to just outside of the Patisserie Soapberry. The Gym Building Receptionist led Milo up the large set of stairs and up to the large battle court.

On the sides of the court were dozens of excited spectators, snacking on what Milo assumed were treats sold at the Patisserie Soapberry. There were several teens (wearing aprons and nametags identifying them as workers at the establishment) handing out refreshments, but Milo tore his attention away from that and looked to the Gym Building Receptionist.

"This is where I leave you. Good luck." The man said with a warm smile, bowing to Milo as the teen thanked him for his help.

As the Receptionist teleported away with his Ralts, Milo walked onto the battle court. He stood opposite a woman who was speaking to one of the butterfly Pokémon Milo had seen down in the Pokémon Gym Building lobby earlier. She held out her hand to the butterfly Pokémon, allowing it to eat something from her hand.

"Eat up, my cute little Vivillon!" the woman said sweetly, beaming at the Vivillon. The Pokémon let out a soft cry, spinning around and scattering sparkling powder onto the ground. Milo smiled at the display, and as Vivillon fluttered away the Gym Leader turned to face Milo so he was able to get a proper look at her.

She was a rather beautiful woman in her late-twenties with bright green eyes wearing a brown and tan chef's outfit, with a kindly face and a mole on her left cheek. She had pale green hair with a portion of it tied into a tight bun that resembled a cocoon. She wore long gloves and an apron that had a white spider-web on the front, with three Poké Balls attached to it.

"Oh? What a lovely Trainer you are." The Gym Leader said as she crossed her arms, smiling warmly at the student. She dropped her hands and said, "Thank you very much for your skillful olive rolling yesterday. It was quite impressive."

"I feel a little bad that I used my Pokémon to help me out, but after Smoliv Garden, I needed the assist. I had fun with it though, ma'am." Milo said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. The woman giggled at the remark before she straightened up, realizing something.

"Oh? Did I forget to introduce myself? Forgive me." The Gym Leader apologized, placing a hand against her chest while holding out the other. "My name is Katy, and I am the owner here at Patisserie Soapberry."

"Florian Caballero, ma'am. You can call me Milo, though." The Galarian offered, shaking the Gym Leader's hand respectfully as the crowd let out several whoops in response.

Katy then gasped, shaking her head. "Oh? That's right, I'm not in my shop-I'm on duty as leader of the Cortondo Gym right now!"

"It's okay, Katy! You rule!"

"Go Sugarbug!"

"Yo yo, Katy's the best!"

Milo glanced over at the crowd, where some of the spectators were holding signs showing support for the Gym Leader. In particular, several teens Milo's age were sporting foam fingers and waving a sign in the air.

"Forgive me." Katy said as she cleared her throat. "My name is Katy, and I am the Gym Leader here in Cortondo. My main line of work is crafting sweets as a pastry chef."

"I saw some of the stuff on-sale as we passed by. It looked really good." Milo said with a grin as the woman laughed demurely.

"Little sweets that bring happiness with just one bite, Bug-type Pokémon hiding in the foliage…Both are small and yet very powerful." Katy said with a smile, closing her eyes for a moment and then re-opening them. "Don't let your guard down unless you would like to find yourself knocked off of your feet!"

"The Gym Battle between the Challenger, Florian 'Milo' Caballero of Naranja Academy and Cortondo Gym Leader Katy will now begin. Trainers, assume your positions on your side of the battle court!" the referee called to the two of them. Katy and Milo turned on their heels and took their spots. "The challenger is allowed to use up to six Pokémon. The Gym Leader will be using three for this Gym Battle. Substitutions for both Trainers are allowed. Trainers, are you ready?"

"Yes!" Milo called, drawing his first Poké Ball. He mentally went through the list of Pokémon he had with him. Reggie, Sparky, Cocoa, Pepper, Shelly and Storm. Fuecoco, Pawmi, Wooper, Machiff, Shellder and Wattrel.

"I'm ready!" Katy nodded, her pleasant smile becoming a smirk. The crowd let out a loud cheer at Katy's declaration.

"Let the Gym Battle begin!" the referee shouted, waving his flag downwards before stepping back. Milo's eyes widened as music began to play, and he glanced to his other side to see a brass band with a variety of instruments playing an upbeat jazz tune. Meanwhile, Katy adjusted her glove and pulled out a Poké Ball of her own.

"Nymble, let's go!" Katy called as she tossed her Poké Ball, sending out a small grasshopper-like Pokémon that Milo had seen a few times now.

"Time to roll the dice…Reggie, let's heat things up!" Milo called as he sent out his trusty Starter, who let out a loud growl as he appeared in a flash of light. Milo bit back a hiss of pain as the Nuzlocke Curse struck, sending a stab of tension through his body.

"Don't take my Bug-type Pokémon lightly. You will be in for a world of pain if you do!" Katy warned Milo as the younger Trainer pulled out his Rotom Phone, quickly pulling up the Pokédex App to see what Nymble's entry was.

"Nymble. The Grasshopper Pokémon. It has its third set of legs folded up. When it's in a tough spot, this Pokémon jumps over 30 feet using the strength of its legs." Milo nodded as he stuffed his phone into his back pocket. It was then that a very unwelcome presence made itself known.

It's showtime!

"Shut your face, I've got a battle to win!" Milo thought at the Voice with annoyance as he pulled out his Tera Orb. As he did so, he closed his eyes and his face became a mask of absolute calm as any stress about the present situation was hidden away. "Reggie, let's go full-power right out of the gate! Terastallize!"

"Oh dear. Already?" Katy said with a small sigh as Milo held out his Tera Orb, gathering Terastal Energy and throwing the orb towards Reggie, causing him to Terastallize into his Fire-type Tera Form.

"Now we're cooking." Milo said with a man excited grin as Reggie let out a cry, flames exploding forth from his Tera Crown.

"Double Kick, Nymble!" Katy was quick to issue the command, and to Milo's surprise the small bug darted forward and delivered two sharp kicks to Reggie's chest, causing him to stagger back with a pained snarl.

"Let's return the favor. Reggie, use Ember!" Milo called as the Tera Fuecoco charged up his attack, with the Tera Crown atop his head bolstering his flames and causing the sphere of fire to expand rapidly within his maw. Finally the attack shot at Nymble with the force of a cannon, exploding into the face of the Pokémon before it even had the chance to dodge.

Katy winced at the wave of heat washing over her, and wasn't terribly surprised to see that her Pokémon was lying unconscious at her feet. Katy hummed as she returned her Pokémon, laughing softly as the music playing in the background switched to a different part of the same song.

"My, my. You both shine so brightly." Katy said with a smile, almost amused as Reggie let out a cry and released a faint wave of sparks.

"I'd make a joke about burning cookies or something, but I'm not that clever!" Milo called as Katy adjusted her hat.

"Alrighty. Tarountula, come on out!" Katy called as she sent out her second Pokémon. It was a strange spider-like Pokémon covered almost completely in a wad of webs, with only its yellow and green head and legs poking out. Milo pulled up the Pokédex entry for the Pokémon as Reggie stared it down.

"Tarountula. The String Ball Pokémon. The ball of threads wrapped around its body is elastic enough to deflect the scythes of Scyther, this Pokémon's natural enemy." Milo considered the Pokédex entry for the Pokémon in front of him before nodding, pointing at the spider with a smirk.

"Reggie, Ember again!" Milo commanded as The Tera Crown atop Reggie's head exploded with flames and he opened his mouth. The Fuecoco growled loudly, charging up and firing off another fireball that exploded harshly in Tarountula's face, knocking it to the ground and scattering embers of flame throughout the air.

Katy made a pouting face as her Pokémon slowly got back to its feet. "How boring! Are you going to just use Ember the entire time?"

"That was the plan! But I can switch things up if you want!" Milo called back, but before he could issue a command, Katy cut him off.

"Bug Bite!" The Gym Leader barked as Tarountula dashed forward, two bright fangs appeared within its mouth as it bit deeply into Reggie's chest. The Fuecoco howled in pain, thrashing around to try and dislodge the String Ball Pokémon.

"Reggie, use Bite right back!" Milo called as the Fuecoco regained a bit of its composure, opening his jaws wide and biting down on Tarountula as hard as he could. The spider shrieked for several long moments before fainting in Reggie's mouth, causing the Fuecoco to spit him out.

"Oh? You're quite good, aren't you. How should I roll things out from here?" Katy asked with an amused smile, returning her Tarountula and unclipping her final Poké Ball from her apron. "Cupcake, let's go!"

Katy sent out her Pokémon, who appeared with a flash of light. Milo blinked several times in confusion at the small brown bear standing in front of Katy, because he recognized it as he did the previous two Pokémon. The pressing question was why was Katy using it? Milo pulled out his phone for a third and final time and got the Pokédex entry for Katy's last Pokémon.

"Teddiursa. The Little Bear Pokémon. This Pokémon discreetly follows Combee to find their hive. It scoops up big dollops of honey in its palms to eat." Milo stowed his phone while staring down the adorable bear that stood proudly in front of Katy, daintily licking its paw.

"That's not a Bug-type Pokémon. What's going on here?" Milo muttered quietly, unable to help the confusion on his face. He got his answer when Katy reached into her apron and pulled out a Tera Orb.

"Now, my little Pokémon! Time to break free from your cocoon and come into your own!" Katy shouted as she held out her hand towards Milo, a fierce cheer rising up from the crowd.

The Gym Leader of Cortondo held up her Tera Orb as a whirling gust of light kicked up violently, making Katy wince at the backlash and hold onto her chef's hat for several moments. A flash from the Tera Orb then signaled that the capsule was primed and ready for use. Katy threw the orb towards Cupcake the Teddiursa, showering her in Terastal Energy and causing her to Terastallize. As the crystals engulfed the small bear, they exploded several moments later to reveal a Teddiursa wearing a light-green Tera Crown with small antennae protruding from its head.

Meanwhile, the music the live band was playing had changed once again. Now it had become a triumphant-sounding melody and picked up in pacing, with the crowd beginning to sing along to the music and chant.

Milo felt like he was back home in Motostoke, watching the Gym Leader battles again. He couldn't help the massive grin of excitement on his face.

"Nemona was right. This is one hell of a rush!" Milo thought before his mind swapped back to battle mode, with him considering the new development of the Tera Teddiursa. He saw that the Gym Leader was smiling at him, and wondered why that was.

"You do realize you gave your Teddiursa a weakness to Reggie's fire attacks, right? Because you changed it from a Normal-type to a Bug-type?" Milo asked the baker, who shrugged in response.

"As the kids say these days…let me cook." Katy giggled at her own joke before pointing forward. "But let's not ruin the surprise yet. Cupcake, use Fury Swipes!"

"Reggie, use Ember!" Milo called as the Teddiursa lunged at Reggie, her claws elongating with white light as she frantically slashed and clawed at the Fuecoco, who cried out as the attack struck three times, leaving Reggie barely able to stand with blood gently trickling down his side. A harsh crimson aura suddenly enveloped the Fuecoco, and Milo realized that his Starter's Blaze Ability had kicked into effect.

The Fuecoco responded as soon as the Teddiursa's attack ended, blasting the Little Bear Pokémon point-blank with a Tera-boosted Ember. The explosion of flames sent Cupcake flying backwards, but to the amazement of Milo, the Teddiursa flipped in midair and landed on her feet. Cupcake stumbled a little, but still seemed to have plenty of fight left in her.

"How is she still standing after that!?" Milo thought incredulously as both Katy and Cupcake smirked in unison at Milo, who was looking down at the barely-standing Reggie with concern. The teen had underestimated the damage that Reggie had taken dealing with Katy's previous two Pokémon, and after Cupcake's move, he was worn out.

"Reggie, return!" Milo called as he returned his Fuecoco, his face giving every appearance of total calm despite the genuine concern he was feeling now.

"We've got him on the ropes, dear. Brace yourself." Katy said with a doting smile to the Teddiursa, who glanced back at her Trainer with a big grin and nodded in understanding.

"That Teddiursa is way stronger than her other Pokémon. I can't believe it took a Tera-boosted Ember that had a powerup from Blaze!" Milo thought quickly, considering his options and trying to squash down the mounting panic he felt. Reggie was his best Pokémon, and Milo wasn't going to risk him getting knocked out like that. He needed someone fresh who could finish the job.

"It's fine…It's fine. I've got six Pokémon to her one. That Teddiursa may have endured that attack, but it's still badly hurt. I just need one or two good shots in and I've got this." Milo thought as he unclipped another Poké Ball from his belt and put away Reggie's.

"Shelly, give me a hand!" Milo called out, sending his Shellder into battle. Milo figured with her strong defense, she'd be able to withstand whatever Cupcake had to throw at them.

"Feast your eyes on my shining bug decoration! Though this one is not so sweet!" Katy shouted as Cupcake let out a cry. "Fury Cutter!"

The Teddiursa let out a cry as a wave of energy erupted from the Bug Tera Crown, with the small bear holding out its paws. With a flicker of light, large foot-long green glowing claws erupted outwards. Cupcake then lunged at Shelly, raking her claws over her shell. To Milo's horror, the Shellder squealed in pain, with the Fury Cutter leaving a deep cut against her shell. He was once again reminded that Terastallizing Pokémon was very much something that could be used against him.

"Shelly!" Milo hissed as Cupcake darted away, with her claws suddenly growing by another foot in length. Milo held out the Shellder's Poké Ball and returned it as Teddiursa was preparing to lunge again.

"Shelly's too slow, but she can't tank another hit like that…What the hell do I do now!?" Milo screamed as himself as he looked down at the Poké Ball in his hand, considering it. "I need someone quicker. If they can absorb a hit and hit back before Cupcake can, then we'll win. That's all I need to do."

"Pepper, let's go!" Milo shouted as he sent out his Maschiff, who barked at the Terastallized Teddiursa. The Galarian noticed that Katy was smiling with amusement at him, but he was unsure as to why. It gave him a bad feeling, but the teen brushed it aside.

"Pepper's completely fresh. If she can land a single solid hit, this thing will be done." Milo muttered as Katy clapped her hands together. "Pepper, use-"

"Fury Cutter!" Katy cut Milo off with a shout, her smile matching the dark grin on Cupcake's face as she sped towards Pepper, slashing at the Maschiff with Fury Cutter and earning a howl of agony from the Maschiff…who collapsed onto the ground and fainted.

Milo's blood went cold, the air going out of his lungs. Meanwhile the sound of menacing laughter filled his head as the Voice openly cackled with delight. Milo didn't even hear the cheers of the crowd or Katy's giggle, so great was his distress.

For several long moments, Milo let the mask slip completely and allowed the absolute horror on his face to show. Katy then noticed Milo's expressions and became somewhat concerned that something bad had happened to her opponent. She was then completely taken aback as the expression of terror was washed away with the expression of bland calmness on the boy's face.

"Nononononono! Shit shit shit!" Milo screamed at himself as he stared at the unmoving form of his Maschiff, who he had only caught three days prior. His first catch within the Tera Dens…gone.

Hahahahaha! Fool! Man, you really messed that one up! Yes, she's gone! You can't be so careless when swapping out your  Pokémon, can you? Poor little puppy is all gone because you thought you were hot shit! Did you really think you were above making mistakes like that?

"I forgot that Fury Cutter gets stronger every time you use it! And that Dark was weak to Bug! Are you happy!?" Milo screamed at the Voice, somehow keeping his mask of calm in place while trying not to have a nervous breakdown. Meanwhile the Voice continued to snicker at Milo's distress, which was increasing by the second as the realization of how badly he messed up. The pure guilt and shame pounding through him right now was almost enough to make him start crying.

Knowing that he had come in so overconfident that he had forgotten that Dark-type Pokémon were weak to Bug-types. Not realizing that the Gym Leaders could likely Terastallize their Pokémon just as much as he could his. And for not being more knowledgeable about what kind of moves his opponents might employ.

You were so damn cocky going into this fight and you made such stupid mistakes. Now what are you going to do?

"I don't know!" Milo shouted back at the voice, taking the time to return Pepper and look down at her Poké Ball. He'd never be able to use her again. He hadn't even had the chance to use her that much at all. This was her first Trainer battle.

Better send out your next  Pokémon. But this time, try not to send them to their death, alright?

Milo exhaled softly, trying to let loose some of the roiling emotions within him. He still had five Pokémon. He wasn't nowhere near done yet. He couldn't send out Reggie or Shelly, who were both barely standing and were both slower than Cupcake the Teddiursa.

"So it's going to be Sparky. He's quick and should be able to take that damn bear down." Milo thought as he unclipped his Poké Ball. "Sparky, let's go!"

The Pawmi appeared with a flash of light, looking back at Milo and sensing his Trainer's unease. Milo smiled and nodded at his Pokémon, who nodded back at his Trainer before turning to face the Tera Teddiursa.

"Let's hope this one can withstand Cupcake's claws." Katy remarked coyly, grinning as she held out a hand. "Fury Cutter, sweetie!"

"Quick Attack! Everything you've got!" Milo shouted as the Pawmi dashed forward, a trail of white light trailing behind the Pawmi as it rocketed towards the surprised Teddiursa. Sparky slammed hard into Cupcake, sending her skidding backwards across the battlefield. The Teddiursa stabbed its claws into the ground, forcing itself to stop after a moment.

Milo grinned triumphantly as Cupcake staggered forward after removing its claws from the ground, panting hard from the hit while being so battered from the attack she had taken from Reggie earlier. It was obvious that she was using every bit of strength she had left to remain standing.

To Milo's absolute shock, it suddenly let out a battle cry and flexed its claws, slouching over as Katy clapped with delight. This also had the effect of rallying the crowd as they began cheering for Katy again.

"Are you kidding me!? That wasn't enough to knock it out!?" Milo thought incredulously as the Teddiursa wiped its mouth, flashing a mean smile to the now-terrified Pawmi.

Katy chuckled before snapping her fingers, causing Cupcake to lash out with Fury Cutter once again. The attack struck Sparky hard, causing him to fly backwards across the battlefield and hit the ground with a dull thud. Milo saw his Pokémon roll along the ground twice before coming to a halt several feet away from him, and Milo knew in an instant that he had just lost a second Pokémon.

And another one bites the dust! Man, you really can't win against this bear, huh?

"I'm going to murder you if you don't shut the hell up!" Milo snarled internally, returning the unconscious Pawmi and looking down at his Poké Ball. Sparky had been the very first Pokémon he had caught on his journey once the insane Nuzlocke Challenge had begun. Milo had owned the Pawmi for over two months…and now Milo could never use him in battle again. For all intents and purposes he was dead.

"It's moments like these that truly make me smile." Katy said with a hint of smugness, the baker laughing despite herself and not knowing the mental maelstrom running through her opponent's head. "I rarely have the opportunity to truly let loose, you know."

Milo nodded stiffly at the remark, his trembling hand the only sign that the teen was internally screaming at himself and cursing his luck. Instead he clipped the Poké Ball of his fallen Pokémon to his belt and considered his options. He'd mourn his losses and berate himself for his failures later.

"Reggie and Shelly are about to drop and that stupid bear is faster than both of them. Cocoa isn't much better and can't stand up to that kind of power after so many hits of Fury Cutter. And Storm…wait!" Milo unclipped the Wattrel's Poké Ball and looked down at it for several long moments.

"Storm's pretty quick. And she'll resist Fury Cutter even if she does get hit with it." Milo thought before nodding to himself. "I'll have to chance it. Don't have much of a choice!"

"Storm, let's finish off that bear once and for all!" Milo shouted as he tossed the Poké Ball out, sending forth his newest capture. The Wattrel chirped as she took to the skies, with Katy raising an eyebrow at the Wattrel's appearance.

"Quite the varied team. But can you manage what your last two Pokémon couldn't?" Katy asked with a mischievous grin. Beside her, Cupcake the Teddiursa flexed the now three-foot long claws that were Fury Cutter with a dark laugh escaping the normally adorable Pokémon.

Storm screeched back in response, causing Milo to smirk as some semblance of confidence returned. Clearly the Wattrel was ready to fight. The teen punched forward as the crowd cheered at the student rallying back against the Gym Leader.

"Let's find out together! Storm, hit her with Pluck!" Milo shouted at Storm, who nodded at the command and darted forward. Her beak elongated as it glowed bright white and she swiftly approached the Tera Teddiursa standing opposite her on the battlefield.

Cupcake braced herself for the hit a few moments before Storm's beak connected with her stomach, sending her flying backwards. The Teddiursa rolled a few times before regaining her footing, panting hard at taking the super-effective hit.

Katy's eyes went wide as the Tera Crown upon Cupcake's head exploded, sending shards of light everywhere as her final Pokémon finally collapsed onto the ground. The Gym Leader returned her Pokémon as Storm let out a fierce screech, with Milo heaving a sigh of relief. The music from the band finally came to a stop as they concluded their piece, with the crowd going wild at the conclusion of the fiery battle. Milo had won his first Gym Battle.

Katy clasped her hands together with a smile on her face. "All of my sweet little Pokémon dropped like flies!"

Milo heaved a sigh of relief as Storm returned to him, with the Trainer holding out his arm to the Storm Petrel Pokémon as she landed on his shoulder. Milo reached up a hand and rubbed the side of the bird's head, and to his delight he didn't get pecked this time. To his greater relief, the Nuzlocke Curse lifted once again, releasing the pressure from Milo's chest.

"Thank you, Storm. You were great." Milo muttered quietly, managing a small smile. Meanwhile Katy had walked over to the teen, wearing a wide grin.

"Your strength rose during our battle like a nice bread in the oven." Katy said to Milo, chuckling quietly as she gestured to the crowd. "I feel that I may need to work on my own strength as well!"

"That Teddiursa of yours was brutal." Milo remarked, offering the Gym Leader a tired smile. He was feeling rather drained, even if he was feeling relieved that he had finally overcome Katy and her team.

"Congratulations! You passed! As proof of your victory against me-the Gym Leader- allow me to present you with this Gym Badge. I hope you'll enjoy it alongside a heaping serving of some of my deluxe handmade treats!" Katy said as she handed Milo the Bug Badge, a symbol of his victory over the Gym Leader.

The teen was then escorted to Patisserie Soapberry by the owner herself, bypassing the line of customers and allowing Milo to skip straight to the register. Milo was then allowed to have a half-dozen artisan cupcakes for free, which Katy called a special treat for those who managed to overcome her. Milo excitedly picked out his cupcakes, and even ended up taking several photos just outside of the Patisserie Soapberry with the Gym Leader, who indulged the boy's request for a picture.

The one he would end up posting on Festival Plaza and even put in a small frame in his room was one of him holding two cupcakes in his hands with a wide open mouth, grinning at the camera. Katy was standing beside him, winking as she held another three delicious cupcakes on a small platter.

"With one Gym Badge in your possession, Pokémon of up to Level 25 will be easier to catch and will listen to your commands as well." Katy remarked as they departed from the bakery, with Milo licking his fingers clean of the frosting. He then pulled out a small bottle of hand sanitizer and cleaned them, much to the Gym Leader's amusement.

"I see you have quite the appetite as well. How about a little TM as the frosting on this cake?" Katy said as she reached within her apron and pulled out a light green disc, handing it to Milo. The label on the Technical Machine identified it as TM021, Pounce.

"Once you've found a TM during your travels, you can then use a TM Machine to make copies of that TM. You did know that, right?" Katy asked the student, who nodded as he stowed the gift in his TM Case. Nemona had explained it to him on more than one occasion and he had even found a few of the discs during his travels. If someone found a TM or just acquired one from someone, they could simply scan it with their phone and it would update the list of TM's they were able to make with the TM Machine.

"Hmmm. It's a shame my fiancé isn't around." Katy commented, putting a hand to her chin. "He would've enjoyed seeing a battle like that. It's always the ones getting their first badges that end up having the best battles, after all. The beginning of Trainers coming into their own strength."

"Your fiancé?" Milo questioned as Katy folded her hands over her apron.

"Yes. He works as a liaison for the Pokémon League, but spends most of his time helping me with running the bakery and Gym Challengers. He was quite the hotshot Trainer before he moved to Paldea to be with me." Katy remarked fondly, giggling to herself. "I'm sure you'll run into him sometime. He's quite the character."

"Well, if I run into him, I'll be sure to say hi." Milo offered with a smile, causing Katy to chuckle.

"I'm sure he'd like that. Anyways, you should report back to the Gym Building to officially log into the system that you've acquired the Bug Badge. I wish you luck in your future adventures. May they be as sweet and lovely as a good dessert." Katy said to Milo, offering the boy a smile. She then waved at him with both of her hands. "Off you go, then. Until we meet again!"

Milo watched as Katy walked back to her store, letting out a deep sigh. He realized after a moment that he hadn't asked what the name of Katy's fiancé actually was. He then remembered that he had other, bigger problems, and turned away from the Patisserie Soapberry.

"I lost two of my Pokémon…I can't use Sparky or Pepper ever again. They're as good as dead! And it's all my fault!" Milo mentally shouted as he walked down the sidewalk, internally screaming at himself while maintaining a proud smile on the outside.

Yeah, that's absolutely what someone who's NOT teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown would say.

"Just shut up! Give me a few minutes to freak out!" Milo yelled at the Voice, who surprisingly went silent at the request. The teenager sat down and ran his hands over his face, struggling to hold back tears.

"I've got to do better. I lost Pepper and Sparky because I let myself get too cocky. I didn't realize how powerful Fury Cutter was. I forgot that Dark was weak against Bug. And I didn't take into account that Katy could possibly Terastallize her own Pokémon. I have to be a better Trainer…or else my Pokémon will pay the price. To say nothing about my own life being on the line." Milo thought bitterly, banging the back of his head against the wall as his eyes stung with tears. One ran down his face despite his best efforts.

It was such a tragically stupid loss that meant he could never use his Maschiff or Pawmi again. If he did they would die the moment he opened their Poké Balls. Milo slid down the wall and buried his face into his hands, letting out a muffled scream of anger and sorrow. Milo may have won the battle, but it felt like such a hollow victory. His first catch and his first Tera Den catch were both completely unusable to him now…and it was all his fault.

About an hour later, Milo had managed to pull himself back to his feet. Thankfully the Voice had remained silent, though Milo knew it was watching and listening as always. With a ragged breath, Milo trudged out from behind the building and made his way back onto the main road of Cortondo.

The mask slipped back into place just in time for Milo to walk back through the Cortondo Gym Building and meet with the receptionist wearing a smile of pride that he had defeated Katy. The man behind the counter also proudly informed him that he had been promoted to Novice-Rank and that his Bug Badge was officially recorded on his Trainer Profile and Trainer's License.

After thanking the Gym Receptionist, Milo considered his next plan of action. Mainly getting back to the hotel and finally breaking down where no one would see him.

However, Milo turned around and got about five steps away from the counter before his phone began to ring. It popped out of his pocket and showed that Nemona was calling him. Milo managed a weak smile at the girl's timing.

The Galarian teen accepted the call and was greeted with a cheery voice. "Hey hey, Milo! Just had to tell you-my Pokémon are learning some pretty cool new moves! Be ready! How'd it go at the Gym, by the way?"

"I passed!" Milo responded, flashing his first-ever Gym Badge to the girl as she grinned with delight.

"Yesss! Hah haaa! I mean, it was obvious you were gonna pass, but congrats! I'm so glad I encouraged you to take on the Gyms. Nice job, past me!"

"Yes yes, you're very awesome." Milo said with several nods, causing Nemona to roll her eyes, though Milo could see the proud smile on her face. The teen felt a warmth in his chest at that, and for a few moments he forgot what he had just lost in his victory against Katy.

"Oh hush, you. I'm training hard too, by the way-day and night! Going all over the place to boot! Thank goodness we've got the map app. It helps a ton with figuring out what to do next-especially in a huge place like Paldea. After all, the path to getting stronger usually has some strange stops and detours!"

Milo nodded in agreement. "No kidding. I've been exploring a few of the Tera Dens and some old ruins scattered around here and there. All kinds of strange spots here in Paldea."

"Hm. Speaking of strange places, I wonder what Arven's up to…" Nemona mused, putting a hand to her chin before shrugging her shoulders. "Anyway, catch you later! I hope you know I'm gonna want a battle if we run into each other!"

"Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to have lunch together since we're both in the same area and hang out, but if you only want me for battles, I guess it's not meant to be. After all, my team is exhausted after that Gym Battle…" Milo trailed off, looking away from the camera with a disappointed expression.

Nemona gasped, looking alarmed for a moment before she caught herself. "What? Oh! Um, sorry Milo! I didn't mean to-uh, I mean…"

To Milo's quiet amusement (and slight surprise), Nemona looked flustered for a moment that she had hurt Milo's feelings. He felt a little bad for teasing her, but before he could say anything, Nemona recomposed herself and grinned at her friend.

"Lo siento, amigo mío. If you ever want to just hang out, no battles included, then I'm always happy to do just that!" Nemona said brightly, rubbing the back of her head with embarrassment. "I kinda forget that there's more to life than battles. Sometimes you just want to hang out with a friend."

"Naturally. I do appreciate that you're willing to hang out with me. I'm sure there's a lot of other people with better teams and all that you could be spending time with instead."

"I-it's no bother at all! I might have other friends, but you're my rival!" Nemona replied, but Milo noticed how the girl's eyes didn't quite meet his as she answered. She did look back at him and said, "I'll meet you at the eastern Pokémon Center in about twenty minutes. Since you won your battle, your good pal Nemona is treating you to lunch! I won't take no for an answer!"

"I've learned not to fight it at this point. You can choose where we go though." Milo offered to Nemona, who did a fist pump of excitement.

"Yes! We're going to Smoliv Garden! Trust me, Milo, you're gonna love it!" Nemona gushed as Milo felt his stomach warble in protest. However…

"Sounds good. I'll see you soon!" Milo said with a laugh as Nemona waved at him, ending the phone call as Milo sighed. He resigned himself to another night of sitting atop the porcelain throne, but he knew that being able to hang out with his friend would lift his spirits a bit.

It goes without saying that you've now been granted another three catches within the Tera Dens throughout Paldea. Make sure they count, kid. And try not to crap your pants in front of Nemona after another helping of Smoliv Garden.

"Yeah, yeah…Just leave me alone for a while." Milo muttered as he walked over to the Pokémon Center, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He healed his team and then, with a heavy heart, put Sparky and Pepper both into PC Storage until he could figure out what to do with them. He could just release them, but he was hoping he could figure something better out before that.

Nemona arrived about five minutes after Milo adjusted his team composition. She hopped down from Tornado, with the Paldea Tauros mooing a greeting to Milo. The teen smiled and pet the bull on the head, making Nemona smile.

"Come on, hotshot! You've got to tell me all about your battle!" Nemona said as she grabbed Milo by the arm and began dragging him down the road. Thankfully before Milo's face could combust with embarrassment, she let go and the two were able to walk their way to the restaurant. Nemona kept up an almost nonstop chatter, talking about how she was taking down Trainers and keeping an eye out for cool Pokémon to catch. Milo was content to listen, enjoying the Champion-Ranked Trainer's cheer and allowing it to slowly pull him out of his despair. As the duo neared the restaurant in question, Milo spoke up for the first time in about ten minutes.

"Thanks Nemona." Milo said quietly as they neared. The girl offered her friend a confused look, unsure of why she was being thanked. "Sorry, that probably came out of nowhere. But right now I just appreciate you hanging out with me. You probably have better things to do-"

"No way!" Nemona protested, surprising Milo as she waved her hands emphatically. "Your successes are important, Milo! And I want to support you during your Gym Challenge! And other times that don't involve battling! You'll be something amazing, have no doubt about it. And spending time with my awesome rival is always time well-spent!" Nemona straightened up and offered her friend a bright grin. Milo looked at her with surprise for a few moments before smiling back at her with a bit more happiness on his face now.

And Milo's heart grew three sizes that day…

"Shut your face!" Milo snapped internally, blushing a little. Thankfully his Rival hadn't noticed.

"Now come on! We've got some breadsticks to power through!" Nemona declared as she pointed dramatically at Smoliv Garden, dragging Milo towards the restaurant with a wide smile. Milo didn't even feel embarrassed this time, instead letting his gratitude for his friend's support wash away the feelings of frustration and sadness at the loss of his two teammates.

Milo very wisely ordered a salad and made sure to indulge somewhat less than he had the past two days. Nemona scarfed down three bowls of pasta and just as many breadsticks as Milo had two days ago, much to his shock and horror.

She also came to regret that decision two hours later. Thankfully, Milo had brought along some antacid tablets.

Chapter Text

"Milo! It's all you!" Nemona cried out as Milo Terastallized Reggie, causing him to explode in a shower of fiery crystals. The Tera Fuecoco let out a growl as he faced down a strange floating Pokémon covered in green crystals. The three other members of the Crystal Containment Crew that were currently attempting to bring down the Tera Flittle standing in the center of the chamber redoubled their efforts.

Nemona had decided to tag along when Milo had told her he wanted to expand his team. The Champion decided to sit back and watch as Milo started catching his next batch of Pokémon, offering advice whenever Milo asked for her expert opinion. He had started out fairly lucky, encountering a Grass Tera Den and using Reggie to great effect.

One Tera-boosted Ember later and the Tera Flittle's crown exploded, allowing Milo to follow up with a Poké Ball throw and catch it. The teen walked over and regarded the Poké Ball with a small smile.

"Slowly rebuilding, teammate by teammate." Milo muttered under his breath before turning around and seeing Nemona jogging towards him with an excited grin.

"That was awesome! I don't usually mess with Tera Dens because I'm awful at throwing Poké Balls, but you're in your element!" Nemona praised Milo, who blushed at the compliment. The other three students who had been helping him take down the Tera Flittle all smirked at the exchange. Milo thanked them for their help, and accepted their rewards in return.

After Nemona and Milo crawled out of the Tera Den, the Galarian sent out his newly captured Pokémon and regarded the small floating creature with a smile.

He then pulled out his phone and accessed the Pokédex entry for the Flittle as it regarded him with curiosity. "Flittle. The Frill Pokémon. Flittle's toes levitate about half an inch above the ground because of the psychic power emitted from the frills on the Pokémon's belly. This Flittle is Female and has the Ability Frisk. Its Tera Type is Grass."

"That could be helpful. I don't have a Psychic-type yet." Milo remarked as he registered the Pokémon to himself. "Now the hard part. Naming her."

"That's the hard part? I love coming up with names for my Pokémon. It's really rewarding after the whole catching them part." Nemona remarked as she sat down on the grass, grinning at her rival and friend. Milo nodded as he considered it.

"I'm drawing a total blank. She's kinda dainty and pretty, so maybe a name that's pretty?" Milo remarked, causing the Flittle to let out a happy cry. "Good to know that she likes being called pretty."

"Fiona is a pretty name! How about that?" Nemona suggested, with Milo blinking several times in surprise. Mostly because he was shocked that his friend's first suggestion was a great name. Unfortunately another unwelcome presence agreed as well.

Considering how shit you are at naming things, maybe you should just field the names to Nemona from now on. Reggie and maybe Cocoa are just about the only names you've come up with that weren't lame as hell.

Milo growled internally but he registered the Flittle's name in his Pokédex and then thanked Nemona for her help. With that, the two students continued on their way back to Naranja Academy.

After defeating Katy, Milo and Nemona spent several days exploring the area around Cortondo as well as various landmarks and ruins in the area. Milo had gotten a crash course in history from the Champion-ranked Trainer as well. Nemona was more than happy to expound at length the various battles that happened just a few miles away from Cortondo, but thankfully always well away from the farming town.

Upon arriving at Naranja Academy, Milo scheduled himself for some of the upcoming classes, very much intent on becoming a more savvy trainer after his hard-fought win against Katy and the losses of both Pepper and Sparky. He decided a few weeks at school were in order so that such a series of mistakes never happened again.

Milo had calmed down significantly in the few days that had passed, but was still upset. It had really struck home how serious the situation he was in actually was. All it took was a simple mistake or oversight for him to lose a valuable ally.

Milo made the decision to enroll in both Battle Studies and Biology classes over the next few weeks, as well as ensure he was able to attend the online classes for both courses. According to Nemona it was how she stayed on top of her courses while traversing the Wilds of Paldea battling everyone she met and doing various errands for the Pokémon League.

After taking care of business in the Lobby, Milo quickly departed to go to his room for a shower and to unwind a bit, but not before promising Nemona that they would get some batting practice in later on. That made the Champion-ranked Trainer beam with excitement, and she practically skipped out of the lobby while Milo went to his room.

As for Nemona, she merrily made her way back to her own room. She had intended on making herself and her team a snack before taking a catnap. She unlocked her door and called out her entire team, who quickly assumed various positions of lazing around her room. Tornado received a head pat as his Trainer walked by, humming softly as she debated internally what she felt like making today.

Right before she could open her mini-pantry to see what ingredients she had available, Nemona's phone rang. As her Rotom Phone popped out of her pocket, she saw who was calling and immediately tapped the Accept Call button.

"Good afternoon, Champion Nemona. I hope you're faring well today."

Nemona grinned at the smooth and cordial female voice speaking from her phone. "La Primera! Yes, I'm doing well. Just got back to school with my friend Milo! He just crushed Katy in his Gym Battle, so we've been going over battle tactics on the trek back to Mesagoza!"

A soft chuckle was her response. "Naturally. I must admit, given the high praise you have for your new friend, I must meet him myself one of these days. It's good to see you assuming a mentorship role, Champion Nemona. Teaching is a wonderful way to not only help others grow, but ensure your own knowledge and skills blossom even further."

Nemona nodded at the nugget of wisdom. "Too true! It's pretty fun! But was there something you needed? I know you're swamped!"

"Yes. In two week's time, I'll need several Paldean representatives to join me at an international party involving delegations from Sinnoh, Hoenn, Galar, Unova and Alola. I was hoping you would consent to join me. As I understand it, there will be quite the Trainer presence there, including some current and former Champions."

"Of course!" Nemona agreed immediately, hopping on her feet excitedly. "I can't wait to battle them all!"

The woman on the other hand laughed at Nemona's enthusiasm. "I'd expect nothing less from you, Champion Nemona. Though I should warn you that this is a formal affair, and there will be a dress code. I know it's a lot to ask on such short notice, but you should acquire a formal dress for this occasion."

Nemona opened her mouth to immediately agree, but after a few moments thought the girl winced as she realized something. It had been almost an entire year since she had last gone on a shopping trip with her parents and maids, and as such her wardrobe was a bit out of date. Chiefly, Nemona was pretty certain that none of the immaculately tailored dresses she had at home actually fit her still. Especially since Nemona had gone through a growth spurt since then, and was at least three inches taller. She'd probably have to get something new.

Which meant that she'd either have to call some of her maids who worked at her villa to come all the way to Mesagoza just to help her get a fancy dress, which would be a major inconvenience to the people who worked so hard for her parents. She could quickly go home and achieve the same outcome, but that would be such an imposition on them that Nemona recoiled at the idea.

Or…she'd have to figure things out on her own. Which worried her because she wasn't the kind of person to really care about looks or appearances However, she knew that they were important for events like the one La Primera was asking her to attend. Nemona didn't want to let her down.

"Champion Nemona?"

The girl started, realizing she had been completely silent for several long moments in her internal panic. "I'd be more than happy to come along. I'll need to get a new dress for the occasion, but it shouldn't be a big deal."

"Wonderful! I appreciate your help on such short notice. Especially since this will cut a little bit of time out of your Treasure Hunt."

"It's all good! It'll be a nice breather before I come back and kick some butt! Maybe some time with foreign Champions might give me a bit of perspective on what my Treasure really is!" Nemona said brightly, sitting down on her bed.

A gentle chuckle answered her. "I certainly hope so. Director Clavell will be notified by the end of the day about the development. If you run into any issues, please let me know."

"Can do!"

"Farewell for now, Champion Nemona."

"Goodbye La Primera! See you soon!"

The call ended and Nemona's smile shifted into a grimace as she collapsed onto her bed. Beside her, Tornado the Tauros mooed gently, sensing his Trainer's mood. Nemona groaned and put her head in her hands as Foehn the Sprigatito hopped up onto her bed and nuzzled her. The young woman pulled the cat into a hug and let out another frustrated sigh.

"I don't want to let La Primera down, but I suck at stuff like this! I know a Champion needs to be prepared, but what do I do? I don't know what looks good! I haven't worn a dress in ages!" Nemona muttered as she closed her eyes, considering the issue. The easiest solution to this would be to just go into the city and get a dress, but Nemona knew next to nothing about fashion and she didn't want to look silly when representing Paldea at an international conference.

If only she could get a second opinion…it wasn't like she had any friends who could-

"Wait a sec. Milo could probably help!" Nemona realized, grinning to herself as she sat up. Foehn leapt out of her hands, tilting his head in confusion.

She quickly hopped to her feet and began to pace, already coming up with a plan. "Yeah, yeah! I'm sure he'd be more than happy to lend a friend a hand! I don't know if he knows anything about dresses, but he's a guy! All he'd need to tell me is what dress looks the best on me! Easy peasy!"

Nemona excitedly snatched her phone off the bed while Tornado snorted in amusement at his Trainer's shenanigans. The Champion-ranked Trainer called her friend, getting an answer almost immediately.

"Hey Nemona, what's up-Storm, stop bothering Reggie, he's sleeping!"

"I need a big favor, Milo! Could you help me with something out in the city in a little bit? I wouldn't bug you about it, but it's kind of important." Nemona asked, trying not to sound too desperate. Even though she knew Milo was basically her only chance at this point.

"Um, sure. I was just talking to Juliana to see if she wanted to meet up with me and you later on tonight for dinner or something. You want her to come too? I'm sure she wouldn't mind helping out with whatever you've got going on and we can hang out together later."

Nemona almost let out a cheer, but just barely managed to contain her relief and excitement. "Sounds great! The more the merrier. When can we meet up?"

Two hours later Nemona walked through the doors of a rather fancy-looking formal wear shop named El Mango Dorado. Milo followed behind her, feeling somewhat out of place as most of the outfits on display were well out of his price range. Sitting on his shoulder was Storm and Fiona, with Reggie waddling in alongside him.

"Whoa…isn't this a bit much?" Milo asked Nemona weakly, causing the girl to shrug. Milo shook his head and quickly texted Juliana the name and address of the store that they were in so she could find them when she was free. The other Galarian was currently running errands herself, though Milo hadn't inquired what those errands had been.

"Nah. There's a few stores like this across Paldea. It's owned alongside a ton of other apparel stores by some savvy businessman named Amancio Gaona. I even met him once! He was quite friendly! Oh, I also remember Father mentioning that Mr. Gaona had a kid who went to Naranja Academy a while ago…" Nemona mused for a moment before remembering why she was here and dashed to the counter to see if she could be measured for a few dresses requiring a custom order.

Nemona then flashed an official-looking card to the older woman at the counter, who's eyes went wide for a moment before she nodded and quickly escorted Nemona off to a curtained area so she could be measured.

Bet you wish you could see behind that curtain.

Shut up, man. She's my friend. Even if I'm…interested in her, I'm not gonna be a creep about things like this.

Which reminds me. We should probably address the strange question of why Nemona spends so much time hanging out with you when she's clearly quite important to the school and as a Champion-ranked Trainer. Doesn't that come across as weird to you?

That…did cross my mind once or twice. She's been nothing but helpful and kind to me, but it is kind of strange that she'd put so much time and effort to help me out as a Trainer. I really appreciate her, but it is weird." Milo thought, frowning as he truly considered it. Hope her boyfriend isn't the jealous type.

Maybe she doesn't have any other friends?

Impossible. Milo responded flatly, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. She's super nice and is really famous in this region, plus she's an insanely talented Trainer. No way in hell that she doesn't have other friends. I think she's just helping the new kid at school out and just likes having someone who doesn't mind indulging with her battle obsession.

"Okay, I'm going to come out. How's this look Milo?" Nemona's voice called out, cutting off the conversation. Nemona took that moment to step through the curtain, wearing a vibrant red dress with orange sequins running down the side like fire. Milo's jaw dropped at the sight of Nemona, who laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, it's a bit much, huh?"

"Um…I like the dress itself, but it doesn't seem like your color." Milo remarked meekly after his brain started working again. Nemona nodded in agreement, running a hand down her side.

"I thought something similar. Red isn't a great color for me. I could go with orange, since that's the color of the school…" Nemona muttered the last part under her breath as she went back behind the curtain. Milo took that moment to smack himself in the face while the Voice chuckled.

You kids and your hormones. Never thought I'd be so glad to be just…well, whatever the hell I am.

Wait, do you not know? Milo asked, surprised by this admission. So far the Voice hadn't revealed anything about itself whatsoever. And of all the things to reveal, this wasn't what Milo was expecting.

Not really. My own memories are pretty scrambled, but things become a little more clear with every day. Most of what I know is what comes from a friend of mine.

You have friends!?

Yes, not that it should matter to  you . Remember our contract and what dangers await you, Florian Caballero. Your last challenge resulted in a very sloppy battle. Should your remaining challenges go the same way, you will not survive our little game.

Which is why I'm staying at school for a few weeks and pumping Nemona for strategies based on the team I have now. I understand the stakes… Milo growled internally, though his annoyance stopped when he heard the distinct sound of cloth hitting the floor. Several mental images raced through Milo's mind as a deep blush crept across his face. The Voice snickered, but remained silent for several blessed minutes before Nemona came out from behind the curtains again.

Milo's brain froze yet again for several moments as he stared at Nemona, who looked a bit embarrassed in her current dress. It was a bit shorter than the last one and was jet-black. It was a smarter-looking dress in Milo's opinion, but not quite her. The Galarian said as much, trying to focus on staring her in the face without blushing too hard. Nemona nodded at Milo's feedback and returned to the dressing room. While Milo was distracted, Fiona floated away from him while Reggie walked towards some of the dresses, with Storm eye-balling them both with a soft chirp before flying off herself.

I cannot believe you're getting this flustered. You're a few years shy of being an adult and you're acting like this is the first time you've seen bare shoulders!

Before Paldea, I didn't get out much. And that means interacting with girls my age besides Juliana, who's basically a sister to me. I think if I saw Nemona in a bikini, I'd probably pass out. Milo admitted ruefully, choosing not to dwell on how pathetic his social life was before Naranja Academy. The fact that I get regularly invited to things is proof that Arceus is real and hasn't completely abandoned me.

Milo then hopped up from his seat and grabbed a panicking Fiona, who was getting chased by Storm. Milo frowned at the Wattrel, who had apparently been appointed the troublemaker of the team and returned her with a sigh. Milo walked back over to the benches and was about to sit back down when a familiar voice piped up.

"Umm…Milo? Can you give me a zip-up? I can't really reach from the back." Nemona said with a laugh from behind the screen. Milo went completely still and gulped nervously, hoping he had misheard her. "Sorry to bug ya, but these things have always been tricky. Can you give me a hand?"

Come on, kid! Get in there and help a friend out! Besides, you should learn how to do this now rather than later.

And what's that supposed to mean!? Milo demanded, still frozen in surprise at the request. Was she expecting him to go behind the curtain and help her!? She wasn't decent, was she!?

It means you'll be helping her OUT of the dress instead if you play your cards right.

Milo's face turned crimson at the suggestion, which wasn't helped when Nemona stepped out from behind the curtain to look at Milo mostly-wearing her dress. The Voice openly cackled at the teen, who had a deer-in-the-headlights expression.

Juliana chose that exact moment to walk around the corner, sipping from a milkshake before stopping dead in her tracks. She saw Nemona peeking out from behind a changing screen with a confused look and then noticed her friend's flustered expression as he stared at Nemona. The other Galarian teen suddenly smirked as she walked up and helped Nemona zip the dress the rest of the way up.

"Thanks Juliana! How's it look?" Nemona asked, stepping out from behind the screen. This dress was a bit more traditional and bright orange, though it was obvious Nemona couldn't really move that well in it.

"Nemona, you look awesome. Milo, do you want to keep helping or do you want to tag out?" Juliana asked with a waggle of the eyebrows. Milo scowled despite how badly he was blushing and shook his head.

"I'm fine!" Milo responded hotly, looking away from both girls as his face slowly began to return to normal. "Can you actually battle in that, Nemona? It looks good, but is it comfortable?"

The Student Council President frowned and tried walking around the store. She found that it definitely restricted her movement, which would be distracting in a battle. She wasn't one to stay totally still, after all.

"Good catch, Milo. Guess this isn't the one after all. Dang…Um, can I get an unzip?" Nemona asked, laughing awkwardly. Milo's face erupted bright red again while Juliana sighed, walking forward and dragging a surprised Nemona behind the changing curtain.

"Nemona, get back behind that screen before you give Milo a nosebleed and give me more blackmail material." Juliana said to the upperclassman while Milo took that moment to slap himself in the face before muttering a swear under his breath.

"God, everyone's trying to screw with me today." Milo muttered grumpily as he crossed his arms. Juliana emerged from behind the curtain, patting her friend on the shoulder as she sat down next to him with a wide grin.

"I just wish I had gotten a picture. Not only did Nemona look great, but you looked so flustered!" Juliana giggled before a soft growl alerted both teens to something glaring up at them from the ground. Milo glanced down and saw a small fox-like creature staring up at him expectantly. Milo smiled as he patted his leg, causing the Pokémon to let out a happy cry.

"Niles, hop up!" Milo said fondly as the Nickit hopped off of the ground and curled up into his lap while Juliana crossed her arms, pouting.

"I'll never understand why that little jerk likes you so much." Juliana grumbled as Milo pet the Fox Pokémon. Niles calmly stared back at his Trainer, enjoying the petting from Milo who smirked at the girl.

"Real recognizes real." Milo remarked, unable to help the smugness in his voice. And how could he?

Niles was Juliana's first Pokémon, but it had been a misguided group effort from both Milo and Juliana that resulted in the Nickit being captured while their families were on vacation in Wedgehurst. The two of them had been yelled at for almost an hour afterwards and they hadn't escaped the experience unscathed, but it was a testament to the stubbornness of both Milo and Juliana that they had succeeded on their own with no Pokémon to help and without knowing what they were doing.

Which made the fact that Niles listened and generally liked Milo more than his Trainer all the more annoying to Juliana.

Juliana rolled her eyes at the comment. "Whatever, man. So my big question is why does Nemona need our help with dress stuff?"

"The way she explained it is that she's helping out with a huge League function next week and she needs a nice dress. She's outgrown the stuff she has and she doesn't want to bother the maids she's got back home, so she asked me for a second opinion. I don't mind helping her out, but you're actually up-to-date on fashion stuff so I figured you could help me help her." Milo explained to his closest friend, who frowned at him.

"Sometimes I wonder if Nemona has any friends but you, Milo." Juliana said quietly, sitting down beside him. The Voice coughed loudly in Milo's head, but that only served to make him more concerned about Nemona considering this was the second person to point this out to him in less than an hour.

"What do you mean? She has you too." Milo pointed out, causing Juliana to sigh.

"I mean, yeah, but I only hang out with her when I'm hanging out with you. It's not like she actively seeks me out or anything. We're friends, but not anywhere as close as you and her are. Aside from me and you, who else does she hang out with?" Juliana pointed out, causing Milo to frown as he considered it. Now that Juliana had mentioned it, there were several times where Nemona had sounded almost uncomfortable when the topic of her social life came up.

"That doesn't make sense…Why would she not have friends?" Milo asked his best friend quietly, earning a sad smile in response.

"Because as nice as she is, Nemona is off-putting in a whole bunch of ways?" Juliana admitted, looking rather guilty when admitting it. "It's hard for you to tell, Milo, because you're still not great at the whole socializing thing. But to someone who's really outgoing and spends a lot of time with people, dealing with Nemona is exhausting. Which sucks because she's super sweet and I honestly want to be her friend. That's why I agreed to come out here in the first place."

"I just hate the idea that I'm the only person who enjoys being around her. Seriously, she has to have other real friends besides me." Milo muttered, leaning back in his chair as well and considering the issue. He then sighed, feeling a headache coming on.

"She might, but I kinda doubt it. The rumor mill at school isn't super kind to her." Juliana remarked, sighing as she considered the various rumors she had heard about the Champion-ranked Trainer.

"I mean, she's got her boyfriend at the very least. So that's something" Milo remarked after a long pause, shrugging his shoulders. Juliana stared at Milo with a bewildered expression for several moments before she suddenly realized what was going on.

Juliana grinned at her childhood friend and leaned back in her chair as well. "Dude…Nemona doesn't have a boyfriend. She's probably never had one."

"...what?"

Juliana snickered at the sheer shock in her best friend's voice, his face looking absolutely dumbstruck. She decided to explain by saying, "Yeah, she's single. She's mentioned it once or twice when she turned down some other new transfers who asked her out on a date earlier this year. It was like, a month before you showed up. Considering how high-profile Nemona is, if she had a significant other, they'd be the talk of the school."

Juliana then gave Milo a shark-like grin. "Which means, my friend, that you absolutely have a shot with her."

And that's what real friendship is all about.

"Alright, let's try this!" Nemona called out from behind the curtain, cutting off whatever response Milo had. Both Galarians looked towards the curtain as it opened, revealing a somewhat embarrassed Nemona.

The Champion-ranked Trainer had walked out in a forest green dress that matched the color of the highlights in her hair perfectly. It had some frills on the waist and shoulders, which were mostly bare and her left leg was visible from the knee down, but it was quite tasteful. Nemona walked towards them, smiling sheepishly as she did a small twirl. "What do you think?"

Juliana's eyes widened a little at the ensemble. All in all, the dress seemed to be made for Nemona. The Galar girl couldn't help but feel a small pang of jealousy at the older student and how gorgeous she looked. Juliana then glanced at Milo, who was staring at Nemona with a starstruck expression.

"Nemona…you're beautiful." Milo whispered in a dazed tone while Juliana burst into giggles. Milo caught himself and looked away, his blush returning in full force while the Voice cackled with delight inside of the boy's head. "I-I-I mean, it suits you! That's what I meant!"

Nemona beamed happily at the heartfelt complement, clasping her hands together. "That's the best reaction I've gotten yet! I think we have a winner! Juliana, what do you think?"

The other girl offered the Champion a thumbs up and a smile. "You look awesome. How does it feel to move around in it?"

Nemona walked up and down the store in the dress, and confirmed she had no problems moving around in it. After making sure she could incorporate a belt of some kind to hold her Poké Balls for battling purposes, she was happy to buy the dress and accessories that Juliana helpfully picked out for her. Milo allowed Juliana to take point, as he was scared he'd embarrass himself further in the shop and he was very happy to be out of the place when the trio departed.

Nemona happily treated her friends to a delicious taco dinner in eastern Mesagoza as thanks for helping her. Juliana continued to tease Milo about seeing Nemona in a variety of different dresses. Meanwhile, Nemona continually asked why Milo kept getting flustered about it and wondered aloud if her friend was feeling okay.

Milo continually distracted Nemona whenever that question came up, much to Juliana's disappointment.

The next day, Milo decided to take his team to the training yard and put them through their paces. He got Fiona used to the team and spent some time looking over his Pokémon's movesets.

Milo joined Juliana and her friends for a late lunch, which involved more talking than Milo would have liked but it was enjoyable regardless. Nalani, Kara and Sara all were eager to hear about Milo's battle with Katy. The Galarian admitted it was a sloppy battle, but he would be taking some time to buckle down and prepare for whatever challenge came next for him.

The girls agreed with Milo's plan, and Nalani even offered to show him some videos later that she used to watch back in Alola when the current Champion had first become popular. Milo took the Alolan up on that, and the group proceeded to watch several intense battles of Champion Sun facing off against elite Pokémon Trainers at the world-famous Battle Tree in Alola.

Eventually the group had to disperse, with the twins having night classes and Nalani wanting to do some shopping before it got too late. With a start, Milo realized that the sun was setting and that most of the day had passed with him just enjoying the company of Juliana and her friends.

"Didn't think we'd blow through the whole day. I was planning on seeing if any of the school clubs were looking for new members." Milo remarked, putting his phone back into his pocket. He had actually just gotten a text from Nemona asking about his day, and he had replied with a comment about seeking out the clubs and hanging out with friends.

"Ehh, they'll be there tomorrow." Juliana remarked, not looking overly concerned.

"I guess. By the way, your friends are really nice. Did you tell them to be like that?" Milo asked Juliana somewhat suspiciously. The girl rolled her eyes at Milo's paranoia.

"Nope. That was all you, Star Slayer. They're your friends too, you dork." Juliana said with a grin as they walked down the stairs to the main lobby. "The twins and Nalani think you're awesome. We must've watched your battle with Katy five times by now."

"Which I was meaning to ask about. How were you all able to see my battle with Katy?" Milo asked his best friend, who helpfully explained.

"The Pokémon League records and broadcasts all of the Gym Leader matches that take place in the region. If you have a paid subscription to the Paldea League website, you can watch them all for free. So we all sat down, grabbed some popcorn and watched your match." Juliana explained, grinning at her friend. "That Teddiursa was rough, but you managed to clinch the win with Storm. It was exciting!"

"Yeah, it was a thing alright." Milo said with a shrug, able to avoid Juliana's eyes by pretending to stumble down a step. He really didn't want to talk about battling Katy, and with any luck he wouldn't be losing another Pokémon ever. "I swear these steps are bigger than the others."

"Nope, you're just clumsy!" Juliana remarked, causing Milo to look at her with a scandalized expression so shocked that he almost fell down the steps for real. Juliana put a hand on her chest and began speaking in an even thicker Galarian accent. "Come now, Princess Fluffyflower, you must not make such a fool of yourself! Whatever shall your adoring public think?"

"Coming from you!? The Spaz Queen herself? The woman with the coordination of a concussed Doduo?" Milo demanded in an outraged tone as he and Juliana finally reached the lobby. Juliana held his gaze for a few moments before the two of them burst into laughter.

"It's a good thing there's no rules on being quiet in here!" called a familiar voice from somewhere above them. Milo and Juliana turned their heads and saw Arven waving to them from the third floor railing.

"Arven! You're back at school?" Milo asked, smiling up at his upperclassman friend.

"Milo! How's it hanging, bud?" Arven said merrily as he walked down the stairs, hefting his backpack over his shoulders. "And Juliana too? What are you my two favorite freshies up to?"

Juliana began to answer, but then paused and blinked slowly. Milo smirked at seeing his friend have a complete brain fart at the sudden question. "Uhhh…what were we about to do?"

"Brainstorm on how to take over the world?" Milo suggested, earning a raised eyebrow from Arven while Juliana shook her head, though she was now smiling.

"Nah, we rescheduled that for next Tuesday."

"Ah, that's right. We should really get started on that, Juliana."

"Absolutely, but our schedules conflict sometimes. Ahh, such is life."

Arven chuckled for a moment before turning to Milo. "Anyways, I wanted to hold off until you got back to school, but I found a few interesting leads on the Stony Cliff Titan. I was hoping you were still down to help me out with the whole Herba Mystica thing."

Milo frowned, but considered it. He had been instructed by the Voice that the Titan that Arven had mentioned was next on his to-do list. An Objective that needed to be cleared on his journey, whatever that actually was. However, Milo was wary of dealing with anything else and wanted to be prepared for whatever happened.

The Galarian teen crossed his arms, thinking about it. "I dunno, mate. I was going to spend a few weeks here at school and study up on some things. Plus I wanted to catch some more Pokémon. If these things are real, then we'll probably be in for a fight."

Arven frowned, but nodded at him. "Too true. I've only got Munchy, my Skwovet, and that's it. I could probably benefit from adding a new member to my team myself."

That was when Juliana chimed in. "I'm surprised you don't have more Pokémon, Arven. You actually travel all over the place with just one? I've got three and I usually don't mess around in the Wilds all that much." Juliana remarked, gesturing to the three Poké Balls clipped to her belt.

Arven shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not that kind of Trainer, to be totally honest. I don't bother with the Gyms or any of that." Milo caught a flicker of emotion in his eyes before the older student hid it. Milo wondered, not for the first time, what the son of Professor Sada was hiding.

"Wanna roam around the wilds and see if we can find you a new friend?" Juliana asked, smiling brightly at Arven. The older student considered it, and was about to respond with a familiar voice called out.

"Heeeeey! What are you two up to?"

"Oh boy…" Milo muttered as he turned and saw Nemona jogging towards the group. Arven noticeably tensed and then scowled at Nemona, who pulled a face at Arven before turning towards her friends.

"Milo, I thought you were going to look into more clubs? Whatcha doing hanging around in the lobby?" Nemona said to her friend, who considered answering in a way that deflected from what he was actually up to. But then he recalled his earlier conversation with Juliana in the dress shop, and how he was likely Nemona's only true friend.

Milo knew that he couldn't lie to her like that.

"Arven wanted to talk more about the Titans. I think now that I've gotten some experience under my belt, I can help him look into those Herba Mystica things." Milo answered, causing Arven to look at him in shock.

"Huh? Wait, you're actually thinking about searching for those things?" Nemona asked, looking surprised before shooting a dark look at Arven, who weathered the Champion's ire with a bored expression.

"So what if I am? It's a free country. Are you still running around harassing anything with a pulse to battle you?" Arven shot back, causing Nemona to scowl at Arven.

"Harassing? I ask people to battle me and they say yes!" Nemona protested, causing Arven to roll his eyes. "But you're missing the point! You're trying to drag Milo into something that'll waste his time or get him hurt! You're being a poor role model for him!"

"Me!? A poor role model!? That's pretty rich coming from someone like you!"

"And what's that supposed to mean!?"

"Wow, they really don't like each other." Juliana muttered under her breath, taking a step back as the two upperclassman glared each other down. Milo silently agreed, and decided to finally interject between his two friends.

"How about we do some scouting instead?" Milo suggested, breaking up the argument and talking over the two other students. "Arven, we can head out and get familiar with the area and figure out exactly what we're looking for. Spend a few days training, maybe see if we can find any leads. We'll spend a few days out there, come back to the school and come up with a game plan for dealing with the Titan if we find any actual evidence it's out there. How does that sound?"

Nemona pouted, but she couldn't exactly object. After all, what Milo did in his spare time was entirely up to him. She had to respect that he was smart enough to know what he was doing, even if she didn't like it.

Arven was grinning excitedly and did a fist pump. "Yes! You're the best, little buddy! We can catch you some new pals and see if we can catch a whiff of that Herba Mystica! Hahaha!"

"I can't believe you're going monster-hunting, Milo. That's absolutely insane." Juliana murmured, crossing her arms and voicing her own concerns. "I know the Scarlet Book has some history to it, but there's no way those Herba Mystica things are real."

Milo shrugged his shoulders. "Considering recent events, I'm willing to give this a chance. There's been weirder things in the world that ended up being real. Why should these Titans be any different?"

"Especially since a certain asshole voice in my head is saying I need to look into this just as much as I need to beat the Gyms and deal with Team Star. I'm willing to bet Arven's not chasing shadows." Milo thought sourly, though in his head he was looking forward to something that wasn't an intense battle. After Katy, Milo was feeling less confident in himself than he was before. With any luck the two of them could find the herb that Arven was looking for and be on their merry way without a hassle.

"Well, as long as you're being safe..." Nemona grumbled before she glanced down at her watch and grimaced. "Unfortunately, I've got somewhere else I need to be right now. I only really had time to say hi, so I'll catch you all later."

Milo and Juliana bid their friend farewell while Arven rolled his eyes again. The two younger students turned to Arven who grinned at them both.

"Thanks for humoring me, Milo. I really owe you. But I'll get out of your hair, I know you were busy with something else. I'll text you when I'm ready to head out and we can compare schedules later." Arven said to Milo before looking at Juliana. "You're always welcome to tag along too, Juliana. The more the merrier, after all!"

"I'll think about it, Arven. Thank you." Juliana said with a smile as Arven grinned even wider.

"As thanks, I can make you two some awesome sandwiches while we're outside looking for our Titan. Picnics are always better with company!" Arven said as he gave them a thumbs up. The upperclassman then bid the duo goodnight, heading out of the front entrance of the school and leaving the two Galarians by themselves.

"I'm kinda shocked you're actually taking Arven up on his request. He's a friend, but that's still really weird." Juliana remarked with a frown as Milo crossed his arms, considering the situation carefully.

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I only said I'd help him look. We can do some research, plan things out and see what we can turn up. Who knows, maybe we'll find something awesome. And if not, I was able to help a friend out. Either way, I'm going to get some more training in and catch some new Pokémon. Katy was way too close of a battle and I need more experience." Milo then sighed with annoyance, remembering the loss of Pepper and Sparky. He was mostly done feeling depressed about his mistakes during that battle, but he wasn't done learning from them. He wasn't going to get overconfident like that again.

"You sound fired up." Juliana noted with a small smirk.

"That's a word for it. You want to grab a snack from the school shop before they close? After that nonsense, I'm about ready to call it a day. We can look at clubs tomorrow." Milo said to his best friend, who promptly snapped to attention and delivered a military salute that would've made Lt. Surge shed a manly tear.

After acquiring some packaged peanut butter sandwiches from the school store, Milo finally got back to his room. After locking the door, the teen called out his team and collapsed into his desk chair.

"Who would've thought that finally having friends meant dealing with so much drama?" Milo asked no one in particular. Milo's only answer was a snort of amusement from inside of his own head, courtesy of the Voice, which Milo ignored as he grabbed his Nintendo Switch and began playing Breath of the Wild.

What else was better after a long day?

Chapter Text

"Hello, hello. My name's Jacq, and I'll be your Pokémon biology teacher." Jacq said with a friendly smile to the assembled class, which included Milo, on a bright Tuesday morning.

"In my class, we'll all learn about the various quirks of our beloved Pokémon together!" Jacq said as he clapped his hands. "I hope you all come to love Pokémon even more from the things you learn here."

Milo listened intently as Jacq continued in a relaxed voice. "In today's class, I'll teach you a great way to get to know Pokémon in more depth. If you'd like to become better friends with your Pokémon…you can let them come out of their Poké Ball and walk along with you! Sounds great, huh? Nothing cuter than watching your Pokémon run around underfoot, if you ask me."

"I'd also advise talking to them. They'll be sure to respond in some way. Pokémon are just as social creatures as you and I. It's a great way to get to know them better!" Jacq went on, pacing back and forth. He turned to the class with a mischievous smirk. Jacq went on to explain several in-depth studies done on the nature of friendship and affection respectively.

"However! Letting your Pokémon out of its ball isn't such a great idea in some locations." Jacq said, his smirk becoming a rather sly smile. "Can anyone tell me where it is that you shouldn't have your Pokémon walk along with you?"

Milo considered it, and after a few moments raised a tentative hand up. Jacq pointed at the boy, who responded quietly. "Inside of buildings?"

"That's right!" Jacq beamed, laughing with delight. "Great job, Milo. I see you did your homework. The correct answer is that we should not walk with our Pokémon indoors. How about that!"

"Now, that may be common sense, but you'd be amazed at how often things need to be replaced because some thoughtless person decided to send out an Onix inside of a post office. I won't name any names, but it's definitely a situation I've seen firsthand!." Jacq said with a helpless shrug. "Some Pokémon might damage walls, desks and other things walking around inside buildings, so it's not allowed regardless of the species."

"Therefore, please only let your Pokémon out of their Poké Balls while outdoors. Okay, everyone?" Jacq asked before blinking a few times, as if remembering something. "I think I see them out and about in classrooms from time to time, but still…"

Milo smirked himself at the thought of someone calling out a Gyarados in the school Entranceway and causing mayhem as Jacq continued. "Anyway, you may become even closer friends with your Pokémon pals by walking together!"

"Professor, do you walk with your Pokémon?" one of the students asked.

Jacq nodded, grinning at the question. "Of course! I go for an evening stroll with my Pokémon every night before we have dinner. It stimulates the appetite and it's a wonderful way for us to bond."

Jacq continued his lecture for a long while, explaining various other ways to bond with your Pokémon. He even mentioned how there was a place in Sinnoh that was specifically designed for such a purpose. Amity Square was a place well-known for allowing visitors to amble around with "cute" Pokémon, which resulted in countless arguments over the years about what counted as such. The class itself even had a long discussion about the subject, however Milo found himself not joining in because he had the oddest sensation that someone was watching him.

For the record, you are being watched. And not just by me.

"Wait, what? By who? Can you tell me?" Milo asked the voice, earning a mental scoff in response.

Nope.

"Thanks for nothing." Milo thought back sarcastically, leaning forward at his seat with an annoyed expression.

Anytime.

A loud chime that everyone recognized echoed throughout the school, causing Jacq to jump slightly. "It looks like that's all the time we have for today. See you all next class!"

Milo hopped up from his seat and exited the classroom, waving back at Jacq as he waved at the class in farewell before heading to his room to do some studying…unaware that he was still being watched.

The student in question watched as Milo departed, heaving a sigh and throwing up the hood on her hoodie to cover her face. She quickly walked through the hallway and ducked around the corner with a frustrated expression, with her fluffy Eevee backpack vanishing from sight without anyone glancing her way.

Milo walked up to his dorm room, only to spot both Juliana and Arven standing beside the door chatting. Both students looked at Milo as he approached, stopping their conversation.

"Not one, but two visitors? I'm popular today." Milo asked, smiling at his two friends as Arven waved at him.

"I ran into this big lug at lunch and sat him down with the girls. We all came to the conclusion that Arven has some awesome hair, so we tried getting him to tell us what he does to make it so nice!" Juliana chirped, grinning at the taller student who laughed nervously.

"Y-yeah, that was a conversation I wasn't ready to have." Arven replied, rubbing the back of his head with a faint blush on his face. Milo grinned at the mental image of the quartet of excitable girls badgering Arven about his hair.

Milo opened his door and let his friends inside, calling out his team and allowing them to frolic around the room. Reggie continued to waddle alongside Milo as he walked over to the fridge and pulled out a water bottle.

"Huh. So this is your room. Cozy." Arven commented, though a shadow passed over his face as he noticed Koraidon napping on the massive mat that Milo had bought for it.

Arven shook his head and turned his attention to the signed posters of the Galar Gym Leaders and a few knickknacks Milo had seemingly brought from home. He also noticed a half-open cardboard box with what looked like a picture frame sticking out the top. Juliana looked over at the package and realized what it was.

"Ooh, you got a care package? Wait, I swear to god, if you have some of Mrs. Hannah's fudge and you didn't share, I'm going to dropkick you down the huge stairs in front of the school!" Juliana proclaimed as Milo gave her a bored look.

Milo walked over to the box and carefully closed it before pushing it back. "She's sending some in the next care package, actually. Mum didn't have the ingredients on hand when she sent this one."

"Hey Milo, have I ever told you how great of a friend you are?" Juliana said sweetly, giving her best friend an almost pleading look. Arven snorted with amusement at the exchange while Milo rolled his eyes.

"So what's up?" Milo asked his two friends as he sat down in his desk chair.

Arven crossed his arms, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Well, I was thinking about what Juliana said the other day and realized that she was right. I'm gonna need another Pokémon for my team if I'm gonna take on the Titans. It ain't fair on Munchy to have him do all the work."

"Good call. Any idea what you wanted to find?" Milo asked his friend, who considered it as he looked over Milo's team. His eyes lingered on Shelly, who was floating around Storm's head and giggling at her.

"I'm thinking a Water-type would be good." Arven admitted as Shelly let out a cry and floated to Milo, who rubbed the Bivalve Pokémon's shell. Storm also chose that moment to land on Milo's shoulder, her talons digging somewhat painfully into his shoulder.

"Good idea. I've got Shelly and Cocoa for dealing with Rock-types, so I'm good on that front. With the two of us having an advantage over the Titan, we'll be set." Milo said easily, leaning back in his chair.

"So where's the best place to get Water-types?" Juliana asked, looking at Milo and Arven, who both considered it.

"I mean, there's a ton of places to find them, but some are easier than others. We're not exactly Trainer powerhouses, so let's aim for something we can handle." Milo said in reply, with Juliana nodding in agreement. She had more experience as a Trainer than Milo did, but not by much.

"We could probably head out to Los Platos and check out the water over there. I think I've got a canoe tucked away somewhere in my bag, so we can go even further out over the water if we want." Arven suggested, grinning now at the thought of adventuring in the ocean.

"I've never been canoeing! Sounds like this'll be a blast!" Juliana chimed in as she picked up Fiona and sat down on Milo's bed.

"Wait, you want to go out over the water?" Milo asked, going somewhat pale. Arven looked at him for a moment before nodding. "I'd…rather not. I'm not good around deep water."

Arven looked surprised by this. "Really?"

"I mean, looking at the ocean doesn't bother me. But getting close to the ocean, or really any big bodies of water, makes me really nervous" Milo said apologetically, with Arven realizing Milo actually somewhat looked uncomfortable.

"Can you swim?" Arven asked, earning a nod from Milo. "And still you're scared of large amounts of water?"

Milo's response was another silent nod. Arven stared at Milo for a second, looking concerned. If he had been paying attention, he would've noticed the profoundly uncomfortable look on Juliana's face as she looked away from him.

"You can hang out on the beach, little buddy! It's no problem at all!" Arven said bracingly, giving Milo a wide grin. It took a surprised Milo a few moments to smile back at Arven, open relief on his face.

"T-thanks Arven." Milo said gratefully as Shelly landed on his lap, crying out happily as Milo patted her head.

"You can set everything up for a big beach picnic!" Juliana suggested, causing Arven to do a small fist pump.

"That sounds good. I can get things set up for Arven so he can make us some awesome sandwiches the second you both get back from getting him a new teammate." Milo offered, with Arven letting out a laugh as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Now you're speaking my language! How about we head out first thing tomorrow? I'm already itching to get back out there!" Arven said excitedly, giving the two freshman an enthusiastic thumbs up. "We're in for some inclement weather where the Stony Cliff Titan is anyway, so we might have to hold off on any in-depth exploration for another few days."

"If we're making this an all-day thing, we should probably figure out more to do than just a beach lunch and getting you a water-type. But what…?" Juliana put a finger to her chin, thinking of how they could pass the time. Milo considered that, and then realized he could kill two birds with one stone.

"Hey Arven, you want to help me do something while we're out getting you a teammate?" Milo asked his friend, who raised a single eyebrow at the rather vague question. Juliana also quirked an eyebrow, wondering just what her best friend was up to.

The Next Day…

"How do I let you rope me into these things!?" Arven shouted as Munchy the Skwovet squealed in pain from the Acid that the bright blue Toxel had launched at him.

The Tera Toxel let out a wail as it flailed its arms and legs from its crystal podium. Arven returned Munchy and called him back out so that Arven could quickly heal the poor Pokémon. The Tera Raid Den that they found themselves in gleamed and shimmered around them as the battle raged on.

"Just keep attacking!" Juliana called out, her expression one of total fear as Niles continued to spam Snarls to whittle away the Toxel's strength. The Nickit was faring better than Munchy, but that was just because it was a stronger Pokémon. Juliana was very unnerved being inside of the Tera Den and it showed on her face as she battled.

Milo glanced at his friends with a faint smile, not particularly bothered by the Tera Toxel. Especially when his Tera Orb flickered brightly, showing that it was ready for use within the Tera Den. Of the three of them, he was the only one he had access to the device.

"Cocoa! Terastallize!" Milo shouted as he primed his Tera Orb and hurled it, causing his Paldean Wooper to become a Tera Wooper. She lashed out with a Mud Shot, bolstered by the power of Terastallization, and struck the Tera Toxel hard enough that the crown atop its head shattered into a thousand pieces.

One spectacular ball throw later, followed by some rewards from the 3XC member who was assisting them with the Tera Den, and Milo was sitting on a rock looking down at the rather grumpy-looking lizard that was sniffling a little.

"Toxel. The Baby Pokémon. It has no problem drinking dirty water. An organ inside Toxel's body filters such water into a poisonous liquid that is harmless to Toxel. This Toxel is Female and has the Ability Static. Its Tera Type is Ice." The Pokédex App informed Milo as flicked through what moves the newly-caught Pokémon knew.

"Dirty water. Like mud?" Arven questioned, wondering about that particular fact.

"Well, we shouldn't have to worry about that." Milo said as he lowered his phone. He smiled down at his newest Pokémon, already excited at having a new teammate.

"She needs a name." Juliana remarked as she sat down on the grass, looking at the Toxel and cooing at her. "Aww, you're just a big stinky cutie baby! Aren't you?"

"Toooox!" the newly caught Toxel cried out, getting on all fours and padding over to Milo, who had slipped on the gloves he tried to use whenever handling Cocoa and her slimy skin. He held out a hand to the Toxel, who sniffed it for a few moments before Milo petted her on the head. The Toxel made a soft noise before nuzzling Milo's hand.

"Man, this is always the hard part. I'm awful with names. Maybe something electrical…?" Milo muttered quietly, still petting the newly-caught Pokémon.

"How about Echo?" Arven suggested as Milo and Juliana both looked at him in surprise at the sudden suggestion. "If I remember right, Toxel evolves into some kind of cool rocker Pokémon, right?"

"Yeah, Toxtricity. They're kind of rare, but they can be found in the weird dens that are in the Wild Area back home in Galar." Juliana remarked, grinning at the thought. "It's a good name, Arven!"

"She's right, it is a good name." Milo agreed, ignoring the snickering inside of his head.

How is everyone better at naming your  Pokémon than you?

"Because I suck sometimes, now zip it." Milo thought before registering the name in his Pokédex. He spotted another Tera Den not too far from where they were at, shooting up a black beam of light. "Looks like our next target is in sight."

"Good. I'm definitely not built for this outdoorsy stuff." Juliana grumbled, brushing her hands on her shorts to get the dirt off of them, only to realize she had gotten her shorts dirty. Juliana frowned in annoyance, but decided to just start walking as Milo returned Echo and joined his friends trekking through the area.

"You get used to it." Arven said as he adjusted his pack, grinning at the younger Trainers. Milo had noticed that the older Trainer seemed particularly enthusiastic about their latest adventure, and wondered why that was. He brushed the thought aside and went hiking towards the next Tera Den.

The trio made their way past several ruins, large ponds and even a few cliffs, which were easily scaled thanks to Arven being somewhat familiar with the path. Despite that, it took the better part of an hour to get to the next Tera Den. Milo recognized the black crystals with a faint red coloring to them as belonging to a Dark-type Tera Pokémon.

Milo dropped down into the Tera Den with Juliana and Arven alongside him. It didn't take long for another 3XC member to poke their heads into the den and join them in a Tera Raid. The group made their way into the lair of the Tera Pokémon. It was a small Pokémon that looked like a fruit, and Milo recognized it as a Bounsweet, a Pokémon he had seen several times.

Thankfully for the team, it wasn't very powerful, so the battle didn't last particularly long. Milo used Storm for the battle, with the Wattrel making quick work of the Tera Bounsweet with repeated Plucks. As the crown shattered, Milo hurled another Poké Ball and acquired his ninth Pokémon.

"With a competent team, these Tera Dens aren't too bad. Thankfully these are just the One-Star Dens." Arven remarked as he helped Milo and Juliana out of the hole. The 3XC member was loitering behind them, so they stopped caring and focused on the adorable fruit Pokémon Milo had called out of the Poké Ball.

"Sweeet!" the Pokémon cried out in a high-pitched voice, bouncing up and down. Milo chuckled softly as he pulled out his Rotom Phone and pulled up the Pokédex entry.

"Bounsweet. The Fruit Pokémon. Its sweat is sweet, like syrup made from boiled-down fruit. Because of this, Bounsweet was highly valued in the past, when sweeteners were scarce. This Bounsweet is Female and has the Ability Leaf Guard. Its Tera Type is Dark." Milo looked at the Pokédex entry for several moments before thinking of a name.

"Aww, just look at her!" Juliana squealed with delight as she knelt down and held out her hand, rubbing the top of Bounsweet's head and causing her to let out a delighted sound. "You should name her Fleur!"

"What? She's my Pokémon! Stop suggesting names!" Milo said with a slight panic, ignoring the Voice that was laughing at him again. Juliana reached forward and snatched the Pokédex out of his hands. Milo made a move to grab it from her, only for Arven to step in front of Milo and block him. By the time Milo had slipped past Arven, Juliana had already registered Fleur's name in the Rotom Phone.

Milo snatched his phone back and glared at his two friends before sighing and picking up his newest Pokémon. "You guys suck."

Arven and Juliana exchanged a fist bump while Milo started walking towards the beach nearby, which even had a Pokémon Center Outpost. This struck Milo as odd, but Arven explained that many of the outposts were in odd locations to help Trainers as they traveled through the vast Wilds of Paldea.

Arven quickly threw out an item capsule and prepped his canoe, with Juliana joining him. Soon the two were paddling out over the water, with Milo watching them nervously.

"Get over it man…You're here. You're okay!" Milo hissed to himself, clenching his fists as he stared at the ocean. He felt trepidation that his two friends were heading out over the deep water, but forced down the emotions and focused on the beach by turning his back to the ocean.

Milo had already swapped around his team, swapping Cocoa for Fleur and sending out his three new Pokémon. Milo managed a smile at the trio as he stared at them on the beach.

"We're expanding the team again. Awesome." Milo muttered as he thought about what to do next. He had a lot more options now, especially since he had spent a few weeks working on strategies and ways to make the most of his Pokémon's movesets. He checked the levels of his Pokémon and found they were all sitting around the same power as the rest of his team. He also noticed that he had a growing pile of the XP Candies rattling around in his bag, and he eyed them for a few moments before pulling out a handful of them.

"I wonder how much they boost experience by. It can't be that much if they're so tiny, right?" Milo muttered as he fed a few to Echo, with the Toxel happily munching down on the candy. As Milo offered some to his newly caught Fleur and the Bounsweet gobbled down the treats, the Voice spoke up.

So remember how I said to be careful about overleveling? You accidentally just made your Toxel and Bounsweet too powerful to face the Stony Cliff Titan.

Milo froze as his hand began to move towards Fiona, another XP candy in his hand. He paused for several long seconds before an angry growl escaped him.

"You couldn't have warned me before I tried that, Mister I Know Everything About Nothing?!" Milo barked angrily, frustrated by the knowledge that his entire day catching new Pokémon for his team was effectively pointless against whatever the Stony Cliff Titan had in store for him.

What I know and don't know don't matter. You did something, and it has consequences. You were going to have to figure out what those candies did at some point. May as well have it happen now, as opposed to later when it may matter more.

Milo nearly screamed in frustration at that, but held himself in check because his Pokémon were still out and he didn't want to scare them. But now Milo was truly in a bind.

If Echo and Fleur were banned from being used, then that meant Milo had to make due with the rest of his team. He felt a fresh wave of fear and anger at himself, but also the Voice for being so unhelpful. How was he supposed to know how potent the weakest of the XP candies were?

Maybe you should've just given the candies one at a time? I guess there's no harm in telling you that those candies give set amounts of experience. And that experience is relative, so giving a candy like that to your  Pokémon means more than giving one to Nemona's Pokémon.

"Shut up! Just sod off and leave me alone." Milo grumbled as he rubbed his face, feeling the exhaustion of the day seep into him. The Voice let out a bark of laughter, but its presence faded.

Well, it's not all bad. Your  Pokémon are roughly as strong as what you'll face with the Stony Cliff Titan. You don't need to do any more battling with them to have a fair fight against it. Be wary of over-leveling your team any further. Toxel and Bounsweet are already off-limits, after all.

"I know that, Captain Obvious, thank you!" Milo grumbled as he sat back down on a rock, only to freeze when he noticed Fleur the Bounsweet suddenly glowing with a beautiful blue light.

"No way…" Milo breathed, his eyes going wide in surprise as the Fruit Pokémon's entire body became a beacon of blue energy that bathed the beach in light. The Pokémon that Milo had just caught was evolving before his eyes.

His very first evolution.

Milo's team watched the spectacle in awe as the Bounsweet's body began to shift and change before their eyes, and soon enough the light faded. A new Pokémon was standing there on the beach, smiling up at Milo brightly.

"Steeee!" the newly-evolved Pokémon cried out, causing Milo to break out into a wide grin as he knelt down.

"Wow…look at you Fleur! You evolved! You look awesome!" Milo excitedly gushed, pulling out his Rotom Phone to pull up the appropriate entry.

"Steenee. The Fruit Pokémon and the evolved form of Bounsweet. Steenee spreads a sweet scent that makes others feel invigorated. This same scent is popular for antiperspirants." Milo listened to the entry intently as the Steenee bowed slightly, smiling joyfully up at her new Trainer.

"Looks like we're both experiencing a lot of crazy stuff today." Milo said with a grin, patting Fleur's head gently. By that point Echo was letting out a whining sound, jealous of the attention Fleur was getting, but Milo ignored that. He picked up Fluer, since she was still fairly light, and carried her over to the team.

"Maybe I should just relax. I'll figure something out…It's a nice day and we deserve some rest." Milo said to everyone, making sure to pet Echo so she got her much-needed attention. All of the Pokémon let out various cries at that, eager to play to their heart's content.

Even Koraidon got into it, letting out a loud growl of delight as it wriggled its body, overjoyed at the afternoon sunshine soaking the beach in its warmth. With a few quick swipes of its powerful claws, it made a large hole in the sand that it quickly curled up inside of. Now that it was covered in hot sand, the beast closed its eyes to take a long nap. Milo smiled fondly at the Pokémon before turning his attention to his team.

"Enjoy yourselves but don't get into trouble, okay?" Milo instructed his team, earning several nods and a bored look from Storm. The Wattrel flew off and landed on a rock while the rest of the team tore across the beach, leaving Milo in peace to consider his options and just relax in the shade on the beach.

About an hour later, and well after Milo finished setting up the picnic for everyone. Milo spotted Juliana and Arven paddling back towards the shore. Arven was grinning triumphantly, while Juliana had a sour expression on her face. Milo realized with some amusement that his best friend had a bright red face and looked exhausted, her hair somewhat frazzled*.

"She doesn't go out and rough it in the Wilds very often, so this little adventure has her cranky." Milo thought with a smirk as he pulled out an item capsule and made a small cooler appear on the table. As Arven and Juliana stepped out onto the beach, Milo walked over to greet them.

"So, mission success?" Milo asked the duo, causing Juliana to glare at him and then walk over to the table, where she collapsed with exhaustion. Arven laughed quietly and pulled out a Poké Ball, sending out a Shellder that looked very much like Milo's.

"Oh wow. Looks like Shelly has a new friend!" Milo remarked cheerfully as Shelly floated over and greeted her fellow Shellder, who responded by joyfully crying out to its counterpart.

Arven sat down at the table and began going over the stats on his Shellder, learning that his new Pokémon was a male. Arven began to consider names for his new Pokémon while he quickly whipped up some delicious Ultra Avocado Sandwiches. The sandwich aficionado made excellent use of avocado, smoked filet, tomato, lettuce and a dash of salt to the delight of his freshman friends.

Milo even managed to bully Arven into making an extra sandwich that Milo fed to Koraidon, much to the latter's delight. He also revealed how he had accidentally evolved his Bounsweet to a Steenee, with Fleur hopping up onto the table to show off her new form, much to the amusement of them all. Juliana naturally thought she was adorable while Arven was curious about the medical benefits of having a Steenee on Milo's team.

Sometime later, as Arven sipped the last of his canned lemonade, he finally came to a decision. "I've settled on the name Barbossa for my Shellder."

"You mean like the bad guy from that one pirate movie?" Milo asked, remembering the movie series in question. The second movie with the giant Tentacruel in it was his favorite.

Arven smirked as he patted his Shellder, the newly-named Barbossa crying out happily as he did so. "The very same. I've got a good feeling that with him and Munchy, we'll be unstoppable!" The Skwovet bounded across the table and hopped onto Arven's shoulder, causing him to laugh as Juliana and Milo smiled at him.

The group continued to chat and enjoy one another's company. With good food, great Pokémon and even better friends the hours rolled by quickly. However, the sun soon started to descend in the sky, and that meant that they needed to either set up camp or start heading back to school.

"I think we should head back to the Academy and regroup. If we're going to be searching for this Titan, then I'm going to make sure my team is up to it. Make sure my coursework is good before taking a few days to hunt down this monster." Milo said as he returned his team, more than ready to go home and relax for the day.

Milo had purposely avoided using Koraidon to travel around, due to Arven's animosity towards the creature, and so hiking around on foot had worn him out completely. Poor Juliana looked more ragged, and was sporting bright red skin as a result of the sunburn she had received from being out on the ocean for so long with Arven. Milo had offered her the sunscreen he had packed, but it was too little too late for the Galarian girl.

"I need some aloe vera, a Rawst Berry smoothie, and a bloody nap!" Juliana huffed grumpily, returning her own Pokémon and crossing her arms.

Arven shrugged his shoulders, not looking particularly bothered by everything that they had done today. If anything, Arven looked like he had enough energy to hike through the rest of the night. "Pffft. Like I care about that. I'll be roughing it out here looking for any leads. Maybe head up to Artazon to see if there's been any sightings. Plus I've got to train up my new friend!"

"Are you sure you don't want to come back with us?" Juliana asked Arven, who shook his head.

"Nah. Gonna look around for a bit and see what other materials I can scavenge, too. I'll be back at the Academy sometime in the next few days, so don't wait up for me." Arven said with an easy smile before ruffling the hair of both Juliana and Milo. "And thanks for the help, you two. I appreciate it."

"No problem!" The two freshman chorused at the same time, grinning back at their friend. Arven walked down the path alongside his friends, parting ways with them at Los Platos.

Milo and Juliana got back to Naranja Academy via the Flying Taxi. Within an hour, Milo was walking through the door to his bedroom (and locking it behind him as always) and calling out his team, ready for an early bedtime. He had already rearranged it so that he had Reggie, Cocoa, Shelly, Storm, and Fiona with him while Echo and Fleur were in PC Storage. He'd have to be very careful about the XP Candies that he had acquired while pillaging the Tera Dens, as well as what Pokémon he had on him when training. After all, Pokémon could gain experience from battles even when they weren't actively involved. If Milo wanted the freedom to use his team how he wanted, he would have to be careful.

"Time for a hot shower and a…" Milo paused as his phone started buzzing from where he had set it on his bed. He walked over to it, tossing his shirt onto his bed with a sigh. As Milo went to pick it up, the call went to voicemail. With a pang, Milo saw that Nemona had been trying to call him.

"Too slow. Damn. Well, I'll text back in a little bit-" Milo muttered, throwing his phone back onto the bed and grabbing a towel-

And then suddenly Nemona!

"Hey Milo! You wanna-" Nemona threw open the door with a wide smile on her face…before realizing Milo was standing there shirtless with a towel over his shoulder. Milo let out an embarrassed yelp and clutched the towel to his chest, glaring daggers at Nemona as she let the door close behind her. Nemona just stared at Milo for a few moments before she blinked a few times and let out a yelp of surprise.

"Can't you knock!?" Milo yelped, flushing bright red as he glared at an embarrassed Nemona, who quickly turned around as Milo walked around the corner of the room and put his shirt back on.

At least you're wearing pants.

"S-s-sorry! I was gonna ask if you wanted to go into the city and grab dinner! I fly out for my League thing tomorrow and won't be around for a while." Nemona asked Milo, who regained his composure and smiled as he walked back around the corner, throwing his towel over his shoulder. He saw Nemona was currently facing the other way, fidgeting slightly.

"You can turn back around, you know." Milo said with a chuckle as Nemona did just that, grinning at her friend. "And dinner sounds good. Just give me a few minutes to clean up. I've been out all day and I'm sweaty and gross."

"Alright. I'll head back on over to my room then." Nemona said with a nod, only for Milo to shake his head.

"Nah. You can chill here if you want. I shouldn't be too long." Milo said as he grabbed a change of clothes and went into his bathroom, leaving Nemona to her own devices.

"I know I locked that door." Milo grumbled as he rubbed his face, willing the embarrassment to drain away from him before he set about getting clean. He made sure to lock the bathroom door, and even went the extra step of bracing a small decorative rock against the door.

Meanwhile, Nemona staring at the door Milo had vanished behind, mentally kicking herself for not knocking or at least sending a text to let him know she was on her way over. With a shrug, Nemona made herself at home, sitting down at Milo's desk as Koraidon growled softly in greeting.

"Hey there, Koraidon! How are you today?" Nemona asked the draconic mount as she rubbed its head, earning a strange hum from the Pokémon as it smiled at her. Nemona cast her eyes around the room as Koraidon laid its head back onto its bed, seeing that Milo had decorated the place further. She spotted a newly put-up signed poster from current Galar League Champion Victor, joining the other posters Milo had of Leon and Kabu. Milo had also added a small picture of himself posing with Katy, a reminder of his victory over the Sugarbug.

Nemona took a few minutes to just relax, enjoying the peace and quiet as she played with Milo's team. However, a troubling thought came to her mind as she considered something from a few minutes ago. It had been just for a brief moment, but she could have sworn she saw-

"Alright, ready to roll!" Milo said as he walked out of the bathroom, dressed in a fresh academy uniform and looking refreshed. Nemona hopped out of the chair and smiled at her friend, who promptly returned his team and Koraidon before the two students exited the room. Milo locked the door behind him, taking a moment to ensure it was actually locked, and then walked down the hallway with Nemona.

"So how was your day? Didn't you and Juliana go out adventuring with Arven?" Nemona asked Milo, who nodded and happily began to tell his Champion-ranked friend about his day. Nemona listened to her friend intently, but quickly found her attention returning to what she had seen earlier. And what had concerned her so much.

A series of strange lines that stretched across Milo's entire chest, with some appearing rather faded with age. It had been for a few moments, but Nemona had seen them. And she knew what they were.

"Why is Milo's chest covered in scars?" Nemona wondered to herself, glancing at her friend as he continued to speak, unaware of the worry in his friend's heart. Nemona considered it for a few moments before putting it out of her mind. She knew her friend was a bit of an enigma, especially because he never talked about his life in Galar, but Nemona would figure her rival out soon enough.

Milo couldn't keep his secrets forever, after all.

Chapter Text

Osu! Say hello to your battle instructor! The one! The only! The hot-blooded Dendra!"

A crowd of students in the Naranja Academy courtyard stood before a grinning woman with black hair and bright orange eyes. Longtime students knew that Ms. Dendra wore a tracksuit at all times and never seemed to run out of energy. Milo fought back a yawn at how early he was up right now, but the Battle Studies course was typically done first thing in the morning.

The Galarian teen was once again surprised by the eccentricity of the staff at the prestigious academy that Milo called his home away from home. But he also heard of Ms. Dendra's reputation as a fierce and skilled Pokémon Trainer who had been recruited by the school personally by Director Clavell.

According to Nemona, Dendra was a niece of the world-famous Karate Master Koichi back in Saffron City in the Kanto region. The Battle Studies instructor had moved to Alfornada as a child and had grown up in Paldea, but Dendra still embodied many of the teachings from her beloved uncle back home. Word on the street was that she and the Gym Leader of Alfornada, Tulip, were best friends to this day.

"Osu is a karate thing, by the way. Look it up!" Dendra seemingly dared the class, only to sweat-drop when several students pulled out their phones to do just that. "I didn't mean right now!"

Milo was able to maintain a neutral expression, but Arven (who happened to be standing nearby) openly snickered. After the class put away their cell phones, and confirming that osu was indeed a karate thing, Dendra continued.

"Now, to start off, I'm going to answer any questions from you all that you have for me!" Dendra called out, causing several hands to go into the air.

"How old are you ma'am?"

"My age? 25!"

"Do you have any hobbies?"

"My hobby? Working out!"

"What's the best battle you've had?"

"Against my uncle! Or if that doesn't count, against Tulip!"

"What's your type, ma'am?"

The entire class went dead-silent at that question, asked by a smirking Nalani. The Alolan teen also seemed to have genuinely caught the instructor off-guard, because Dendra looked completely baffled by the question.

"My…m-my type?! Well…" Dendra trailed off, a faint blush on her face before she shook her head, offering a wide grin. "Strong and muscular Fighting-types, of course!"

"That was a good save. I wonder what her actual answer is." Milo wondered aloud, but quietly. Arven chuckled softly at that, but the duo listened intently as Dendra went on.

"That's all for my introductions! As for my class, this is where you all get to learn the nitty-gritty of Pokémon battling!" Dendra said as she punched the air with a laugh. "We'll start with the basics so that no Trainer gets left in the dust! Even if you're new to this stuff, have no fear! Leave it to me and my muscles, and you'll be pros in no time!"

"Let's set out fighting spirits ablaze - together!" Dendra cried out, causing the class to let out a chorus of cheers. Dendra pumped her fists with an enthusiastic smile, feeding off of the student's excitement.

"Pokémon have all kinds of attack moves at their disposal, and each move has certain qualities that you'll want to remember!" Dendra said as she bobbed up and down, with her Medicham nodding sagely beside her.

"I'm talking about power, type, and category of these moves!" Dendra continued, finally calming down enough to stand still. "Higher power means more damage - especially if your opponent is weak to that move's type!"

The Battle Studies instructor then glanced over through the crowd before locking eyes with Milo, who winced. "Heads up, new kid! Question coming your way! There are two categories that attack moves can fall under. Know what they are?"

Milo nodded at the question. He had discussed these things at length with Nemona even before he went off to battle Katy. "Physical moves and special moves, ma'am."

Dendra was delighted by the answer, because she gave Milo a wide smile of pride that actually made him smile back at the instructor. "Awesome! You're just as sharp as I expected, new kid! Looks like you have a handle on the basics!"

The woman turned to the crowd of students and continued her lecture. "Anyway, attack moves are split into two categories - physical and special! Physical moves do more damage the higher the Pokémon's Attack stat is! And special moves do more damage the higher the Pokémon's Special Attack stat is!"

"Special moves include things like Ember, Charge Beam, Bubble and Energy Ball. Physical moves are stuff like Mega Punch, Blaze Kick and Headbutt! There's also physical and special moves that make contact with their opponent that you've got to watch out for!" Dendra went on as she shrugged her shoulders. "That's why studying moves can be so important. If you're really looking to study up on it, then I recommend looking out for Professor Kukui's lectures online. They're super interesting and he's got loads to say on the topic!"

"On the other side of things, Pokémon getting hit by these moves can take less damage by having a high Defense or Special Defense stat, respectively!" Dendra then shut her eyes, remaining silent for about ten long seconds before her eyes snapped open again. Her expression was oddly serious.

"In conclusion! Pokémon that are good with physical moves should raise their attack stat! And Pokémon that are good with special moves should raise their Special Attack stat!" Dendra boomed enthusiastically, pumping her arms. "Trying to raise both of these stats will just make it hard for the Pokémon to shine in battle!"

Dendra nodded, chuckling softly before beaming at the students. "Make your strong points stronger, I always say - that goes for both people and Pokémon!"

It was at that point that the end of period bell went off, causing Dendra to deflate slightly. "Aw, man! I was just about to suggest we do some hands-on practice to really drive the point home, but I guess we're out of time…"

The Battle Studies instructor shook her head, her usual cheer returning. "We'll generally meet for my class here in the schoolyard - even for book learning! Nothing like a little fresh air to make studying more fun, am I right?"

Several students alongside Milo nodded, with him joining them. "But class is over for now! Take care, you little rascals!"

"I'm shocked to see you came to class today, mate." Milo said to Arven as the older student fell into step alongside him, with the upperclassman smirking as they entered the school. Nalani caught up with the two boys and cracked a grin as Milo offered her a silent fist bump before she went down another hallway.

"Well, sometimes it pays to attend class every now and then. Refreshers on battling are something I kinda need, since it's been a minute. Juliana's been helping me train up Munchy and Barbossa this past week too." Arven explained, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, we planned to find the Stony Cliff Titan today, right? Only made sense for me to come by school personally so we can head out together."

"You think you're ready to really start trying to find that Titan?" Milo asked Arven, who nodded firmly.

Truth be told, Arven had already been more than ready to fight for the Herba Mystica. It had only been Milo's caution that had kept him from rushing into a fight on his own.

Now Arven had an extra partner and some extra training, thanks to Milo and Juliana, and he realized that this had only improved his chances of success. Plus he had Milo watching his back as they explored the area where the Titan surely lurked. There was no way they could lose!

"We'll be eating delicious sandwiches in no time." Arven assured Milo, who laughed quietly at the ridiculous statement. He still had doubts about Arven's true motivations, but at this point the older student had earned his trust. He'd help out his friend and clear another Objective so that Milo could escape the deadly game he was playing.

It was later in the afternoon when Milo and Arven arrived at Mesagoza's eastern gate. After going through the massive door, Milo was greeted with the view of crags, mountains, plateaus and treacherous terrain.

It all looked considerably more formidable than the open plains that had been outside the western gate. Milo did appreciate that there were swaths of bright green grass and trees despite the rugged area, with plenty of Pokémon swarming around who seemed to be flourishing.

"I know you don't like her, but Nemona was right about doing the Cortondo Gym before this Titan. If I went east first with my team before getting some more experience and tried to help you out first, I'd probably have a really rough time." Milo remarked as he adjusted his backpack and wiped his brow with his hand.

Arven grunted at that, but chose not to comment. Instead he looked up and smiled at the clear skies, grateful for the luck. "Good weather today. And I checked the weather forecast for the week too, and we'll have a few days of sunny weather before we get some rough storms later."

"And we both packed enough stuff to make sure we're ready for that too." Milo remarked with a grin, double-checking the Poké Balls clipped to his belt. He was forced to forgo using Echo the Toxel and Fleur the Steenee, so he would be using five Pokémon for this adventure instead of a full party. Thankfully Arven hadn't commented on this, as he was too focused on finding their target.

Milo checked his map app on the Rotom Phone and found that the distance between where they were now and where Arven estimated the Titan to be at was roughly the same distance Milo had initially traveled from Mesagoza to Cortondo. However, the two of them would be going over much harsher terrain. The heat of the afternoon sun beat down on them and seemed to bounce off of the rocks around them.

"Well, we're not getting any closer by standing around. Let's get a move on!" Arven said as he began to stride forward, with Milo following close behind.

What followed was a fairly rough four-day long hike through the rugged path. There were plenty of different Pokémon that Milo and Arven spotted along the way, including Rookidee, much to Milo's delight. Along the path were Makuhita, Shinx, and a strange rock-like Pokémon that Milo learned was a Nacli.

Evenings were spent huddled on the path, where Arven happily gave Milo pointers for flourishing in such a harsh environment. He pointed out which plants were safe to eat for both humans and Pokémon as well as advice for what to do if he found himself hurt along the way. He even made note of which Pokémon would be friendly enough towards humans to be willing to assist him if it became necessary.

When the duo had finally reached the location in question on their fifth day out, they found…nothing out of the ordinary. Just more paths, caves and cliffs.

That hardly deterred the two teens, however, and the hunt was officially on. Over the course of the next few days Milo and Arven furiously searched around for the Stony Cliff Titan. However, it simply could not be found.

Arven finally started feeling discouraged about finding the Titan as night fell on the ninth day. Worst still was that any travelers passing by, when asked about the Titans, chided the two teens for chasing after fairy tales. Some hadn't even heard of the Titans. It was disheartening to see that in this venture, the duo were truly on their own.

As morning came on the tenth day, Milo and Arven ate an MRE each for breakfast (Milo got the ever-popular Chili Mac while Arven enjoyed his Beef Stew). The two teens had already fed their Pokémon and returned them to their balls, and so the two students ate their meal in silence as they brainstormed on what to do next. Finally, as Milo finished drinking his water and put his trash back into the bag that the meal had come in, an idea came to him.

"Why the hell are MRE's easier on my stomach than Smoliv Garden!?" Milo wondered angrily, reflecting on what the restaurant had done to him previously.

That was when another, more relevant thought came to him, and he looked over at a sullen Arven.

"Maybe we're going about this the wrong way." Milo remarked as he leaned against the rock.

"What do you mean?" Arven asked, confusion on his face.

"Well, right now the two of us are traveling together and are covering the same amount of space. This thing could be moving or doing something that makes it harder for us to find it. Who knows, right?" Milo said to his friend, who listened intently. "Maybe we should both go different ways and see if that speeds things up?"

"Good idea! If one of us finds or sees any signs of the Stony Cliff Titan, we send a ping of our location so that the other person can come and check it out. That's using your noggin, little buddy!" Arven laughed as he got to his feet, with Milo doing the same. The taller teen clapped Milo on the shoulder before calling out Munchy, having the Skwovet ride on his shoulder. "Text me every few hours, and we'll meet up later, alright?"

Unfortunately for Milo, he had about as much luck as before, even after calling out Koraidon so that he could cover more ground. He suspected at this point that either the Titan was camouflaged so well that no one could find it, or that it was moving around and they kept missing it somehow.

After about five hours had passed, Milo was about ready to throw in the towel. He was sweaty, tired and annoyed at the constant searching and was really wishing he had access to some air-conditioning. Milo then became annoyed at his own internal whining and got back to searching for the Stony Cliff Titan.

Shhh. Be vewy, vewy quiet, Milo's hunting Titans.

Milo was about to say something rude to the Voice and it's very accurate Elmer Fudd impression when his Rotom Phone suddenly started ringing. The teen stopped Koraidon so that he could answer the phone, ignoring the laughter in his head. Upon seeing that it was Arven calling, Milo accepted the call.

"Hey, Milo! So, from what I can gather, the Stony Cliff Titan likes to lurk somewhere in this rocky area. I had a look around, but I couldn't find any trace of it all afternoon!" Arven grumbled from the other end of the call. "Maybe I got some bad information."

"I haven't had any luck either. You'd think a Titan Pokémon would be easier to spot." Milo remarked, leaning back in his seat while Koraidon eyed some nearby Skiddo hungrily.

"Maybe it's way up high on a cliff or something?" Arven suggested, and Milo took a few moments to consider that. "...Nah, that's impossible! I don't think it'd be hiding somewhere that tricky, so don't go falling off any cliffs or anything trying to search it out somewhere too strange."

"I'll keep that in mind. That cliff idea isn't bad though. Maybe some elevation is what I need." Milo replied, considering the issue. He figured this thing had to be around this area. Maybe it was hiding on a cliff.

"You think so?" Arven asked, sounding thoughtful.

"Or maybe it's camouflaging itself? Some Pokémon are good at blending in." Milo remarked, thinking back to some of the Pokémon he knew off back home that did that. Galarian Stunfisk in particular liked disguising themselves to catch their prey. Maybe the Titan did something similar. "Honestly, I'm just happy there's a path here. It's so easy to get lost in this canyon."

"Maybe just give your map app a look if you're feeling stumped or get lost? It's pretty handy! Either way, I'll contact you a little later to check in! Bye!" Arven then hung up the line, leaving Milo to his own devices. The teen continued to travel along the route with Koraidon, leaping across the rock spires and charging down the canyons trying to track down the elusive beast, but to no avail.

Around mid-afternoon, Milo healed back up at the Pokémon Center and took a break. His skin was starting to show signs of sunburn despite the copious amounts of sunscreen he was slathering on his skin. He wished he could find a nice cave to hide in for a while, but Milo promised Arven that he would help in any way he could.

Koraidon carried Milo further down the path, with Milo keeping an eye out for another out of the ordinary. About an hour up the road, he finally spotted something new. Several large rock crabs that were scuttling around the path. Milo pulled out his Rotom Dex to see what they were.

"Klawf. The Ambush Pokémon. Klawf hangs upside-down from cliffs, waiting for prey. But Klawf can't remain in this position for long because its blood rushes to its head." Milo listened to the entry and considered that. It was somewhat odd that these Klawf were just moving around the main road.

"Oh. I ate one of those once on my first day in Mesagoza! Or at least a claw." Milo remembered, grinning at the memory of his first lunch with his Pokémon team. Milo sent out Cocoa and directed her to battle the trio of Klawf that were eyeing her warily. The Wooper soundly crushed all three Klawf with ease, which Milo made note of as he returned her.

"They're probably pure Rock-type. Good to know." Milo thought as he veered from the path, heading down on a slope where he spotted several Shinx, Gogoat, Growlithe and more Klawf. As Milo glanced around the area, a strange feeling of unease settled over him.

"Why do I feel like I'm being watched?" Milo muttered as he glanced around the area. Koraidon growled softly, catching Milo's attention and causing him to look ahead.

"What's up bud? Do you see…something…weird?" Milo trailed off, looking at the massive boulder jutting out of the cliff high above him. If he had been passing by and not directly looking at it from about thirty feet away, Milo would've passed it off as just part of the scenery.

But the boulder looked weird. It had weird tufts of what Milo thought were bushes growing high up on the cliffside, but were actually black bristles that resembled fur. And then the boulder shifted slightly. On a whim, Milo pulled out his phone and moved Koraidon closer to the large boulder. He then aimed his Rotom Phone at the cliff with a concerned frown…

…and the Pokédex App identified the large boulder as a Klawf.

Milo felt a chill roll down his spine as two eyes snapped open on the boulder, and with a rumble two eyestalks emerged from its face to glare at Milo before it scuttled up along the cliff. Milo gaped at the size of the monstrosity before him, but quickly snapped himself out of his daze and sent Arven a text of his coordinates.

"Come on, Koraidon! Let's get 'em!" Milo urged his mount, with the beast letting out a growl as he bounded forward. Koraidon leapt over several small Klawf and a pack of Shinx before spotting a side path that looped around the cliff. Koraidon quickly scaled the path, growling softly as Milo readied himself for whatever was about to happen. Finally the path ended and led to a large cliff where Milo had seen that the big boulder, or rather the giant Klawf, had stopped.

As Milo approached, the huge crab's eyes suddenly twitched and locked onto Milo. With a soft grunt the enormous Klawf suddenly launched itself off of the side of the cliff and high into the air.

Koraidon reacted quickly, leaping back and putting another fifteen feet of distance between themselves and the Klawf as it slammed down onto the ground with tremendous force, sending up a downpour of rock shards that landed right where they had been mere moments before.

"Glaaaw!" the Stony Cliff Titan bellowed furiously, raising its claws into the air as Milo braced himself for a battle. Milo hopped off of Koraidon and then gasped, clutching his chest as a searing pressure struck his heart, with the Voice chuckling as the Nuzlocke Curse took effect. Milo grimaced and shook off the pain, but the pressure remained.

He grabbed one of the balls off of his belt before pausing and then reaching for another, only for Milo's hand to suddenly sear with a sharp pain as black static crackled around the Poké Ball. Milo stared at the sphere and reached for it again, only for an even worse blast of raw agony to sear through his entire arm and force a scream out of his throat.

"What the hell's going on!?" Milo thought frantically as he looked down at his hand, which was trembling violently. The Voice spoke up, its tone almost mocking.

One Pokémon at a time. This is a battle, kid.

"Against that behemoth!? Are you insane!?" Milo practically screamed with equal amounts of fury and fear.

Probably? Anyways, I wouldn't try that a third time unless you feel like losing your hand. It'll be bloody, too.

"W-w-w-what?" Milo hissed, his entire body trembling with raw terror. The Voice sighed with irritation, as if annoyed Milo had pushed the issue.

Try that again and you'll lose your hand. I'm not kidding.

"Screw you! This is ridiculous-" Milo angrily shot back before realizing that enormous Klawf wasn't going to wait around for Milo to make the first move.

The Stony Cliff Titan let out a roar of fury, raising one of its massive claws into the air to attack Milo. The boy froze in horror, paralyzed by fear as Klawf prepared to strike him down. A red blur raced past Milo and crouched down protectively in front of the boy, glaring up at the behemoth about to attack.

"Giiiaas!" Koraidon snarled at the massive Klawf, who seemed to hesitate as its eyes flicked to the intimidating Pokémon. Koraidon may not have been able to fight, but it was definitely able to look scary enough to give even the Stony Cliff Titan pause. The beast took several steps back, hissing furiously at Koraidon with a challenging glare.

This gave Milo a moment to snap back to reality, and he quickly considered who he was going to send out. "Reggie, Cocoa, Storm, Shelly and Fiona…well that's a no-brainer." Milo thought before drawing a Poké Ball and preparing himself for battle.

"Cocoa, let's go!" Milo shouted as he tossed forth the Poké Ball, sending out the Paldean Wooper in a flash of light. Cocoa looked up at the enormous Klawf as its attention went to Milo. The Stony Cliff Titan let out a low and terrible rumble, shaking the cliffs with its anger. Cocoa continued to smile up at the massive crab, not even being remotely phased by its anger.

"Let's roll the dice…" Milo muttered quietly, hoping against hope that he could overcome the odds. His little Pokémon taking down such a massive beast looked impossible on paper. But that was exactly why Milo had spent the past several weeks buckling down on his studies.

"Cocoa! Let's hit this sucker with everything we've got! Terastallize!" Milo shouted as he pulled out the Tera Orb, pressing down on the trigger as the student held the device high. A whirlwind of swirling light was sucked into the ball before it was primed, signaled by a flash of light.

Milo hurled the ball and it exploded above Cocoa, showering the Paldean Wooper in Terastal Energy and causing several brown crystals to erupt from the ground before shattering revealing the Ground-type Tera Wooper, a Tera Crown shaped like half of a world globe on its head.

"Wooopa!" Cocoa cried out, smiling up at the furious and enormous crab that towered above them. Titan Klawf roared back in response, and Cocoa lowered her head slightly as she prepared for battle. Milo took a few steps as his mask fell into place, adopting an expression of firm calm despite the fear he felt beneath.

"Let's do this. Use Mud-Slap, Cocoa!" Milo shouted as his Wooper leapt into action, dashing towards the enormous crab. Titan Klawf narrowed its eyes and growled deeply, pulling back its now-glowing right claw before thrusting it towards Cocoa as it opened dangerously. The Wooper tried to dodge by jumping over the attack, but she was a second too slow and the attack connected.

"That's Vise Grip!" Milo realized as Cocoa went flying through the air with a cry of pain. To his surprise, the Paldean Wooper landed onto the ground and rolled a few times before flinging a blast of mud right into the face of Titan Klawf, bolstered by the Ground Tera Crown atop Cocoa's head.

A furious bellow of pain rocked the canyon as Klawf violently jerked backwards, swinging a claw wildly and striking the side of the cliff. The partially-blinded Titan ended up ripping out a chunk of the wall, hissing as it shook its head back and forth to dispel the mud as a faint blue glow enveloped it for several moments. Milo exhaled softly as he adjusted his hat, thinking quickly as to what his next move was.

"Mud Slap weakens the accuracy of the opponent with each hit. If I can score enough hits, this thing won't be able to touch us unless it gets really lucky. Plus with Cocoa Terastallized, each shot is doing a lot of damage, even if Mud Slap is a pretty weak attack." Milo thought to himself, considering his approach. He had two other moves in his back pocket for this battle just in case.

His train of thought was completely broken when his Rotom Phone started ringing loudly, completely snapping him out of the battle. Cocoa glanced back at him with a confused look while Titan Klawf continued to stumble around.

"Wait what!? Really? Of all times!" Milo shouted as his phone flew out of his pocket on its own and a familiar question mark showed up on his phone, colored in a rainbow outline.

Cassiopeia spoke in their usual distorted voice, seemingly oblivious to the noise of Klawf rampaging in the background. "Good afternoon, Milo. It's been quite some time since we had a chat, and I was wondering if we could talk."

"What the hell do you want!? I've got big crab problems and I don't have time for this!" Milo shouted as Titan Klawf groaned loudly before swiping a claw where Cocoa was, only for the Wooper to nimbly leap back to dodge it.

"...They make a special shampoo for that, I hear."

The Voice burst into laughter at that while Milo's face burned crimson in embarrassment as he realized what he had actually said. Despite himself, took his attention off of the battle to glare at his phone. "NOT THOSE KIND OF CRABS, YOU BLOODY MORON!"

"Oooh, someone's getting crabby." Cassiopeia chuckled with amusement, causing Milo's eyes to twitch with pure fury and indignation. "So about Team Star. I've noticed you've made no headway against them, and I was curious as to why."

"Because I'm kinda dealing with other things! Can you call me back later!?" Milo shouted at the phone, with Cassiopeia sighing into the phone.

"I'd rather not. What's so important that we can't have a five-minute conversation?" Cassiopeia asked, with Milo glaring at the phone and tapping the video call button. "Yeah, that's not happening. You-"

"I'm literally fighting one of the Titans! It's a massive goddamn Klawf!" Milo bellowed as he grabbed the phone and aimed his camera right at the Klawf, which was still trying to hit Cocoa as she ducked under several repeated swipes from the beast's claws.

"Holy shit! It's a giant enemy crab!" Cassiopeia's voice distortion made it hard to tell, but they sounded genuinely horrified. "Kill it with fire!"

Milo grabbed the phone and angrily hung up on them before pointing at the Titan. "Use Mud-Slap again, Cocoa!"

The Paldean Wooper nodded, only to be surprised when Titan Klawf let out a bellow of raw fury as it raised its claws into the air. To Milo's horror, they both started glowing bright orange before Klawf stepped forward and slammed them into the ground where Cocoa was. The Paldean Wooper was knocked to the ground as she cried out in pain from the Rock Smash.

"Cocoa! Come on, get back up!" Milo called to the Wooper, who slowly rose again. "There we go! Mud Slap again!"

"Woopa!" Cocoa responded, leaping forward and launching another wave of mud that struck the Titan, causing it to roar in agony as it staggered backwards. Its entire body glowed faintly blue again, signifying that Mud Slap had reduced Klawf's accuracy again. Suddenly Klawf glowed a harsh red color and the Rotom Phone beeped in Milo's pocket. The teen quickly pulled it out and saw that Klawf's ability, Anger Shell, had activated due to Klawf taking a considerable amount of damage.

Thanks to Anger Shell, Titan Klawf's Defense and Special Defense had dropped, but its Attack, Special Attack and Speed stats had been boosted. It was at that point Milo then realized something. This Ability only activated when a Klawf was low on health.

"Those two attacks did a lot more damage to it than they should have…" Milo muttered to himself as he considered the possibilities. He was forced to abandon the thought when Klawf snarled angrily.

Milo then noticed that his Wooper was in the middle of eating a blue berry, and Milo glanced back at his backpack on a whim and realized that it was open. The teen then looked back at his Pokémon as she finished gobbling down her snack, looking considerably more energized.

"An Oran Berry! You snuck one out of my bag?" Milo asked as the Wooper quickly gobbled down the berry. It turned around to face Titan Klawf as the massive beast attempted to wipe the mud out of its face, but having giant claws instead of hands made that pretty hard. Instead its eyes and cheeks glowed bright red, and a red shimmer of energy washed over Cocoa and himself, but nothing else seemed to happen.

"Alright, let's see if we can't make use of that Defense drop from its own ability. Hit it with a Low Kick!" Milo shouted confidently as Cocoa charged at the Titan, who was still trying to clear the mud off of its face.

It was even more surprised when Cocoa spun around, her left leg glowing white before connecting with one of Titan Klawf's legs. A deafening crunching sound reverberated through the canyon as a crack run down the side of the Stony Cliff Titan's leg.

Titan Klawf suddenly pitched forward with a surprised yelp and crashed into the ground face-first, completely losing its balance due to the power of its own weight being used against it. The huge crab twitched for a few moments, groaning in pain from the super-effective attack.

"Yes! That's my girl!" Milo grinned with triumph. His extra training with Nemona was paying off. Cocoa had an extremely useful move set when dealing with a single powerful opponent, and it was showing. And thanks to the type-advantage, she was dealing plenty of damage to her much-larger opponent.

"Woopa!" Cocoa responded with a merry grin, and with that her Terastallization effect ended, as did the Nuzlocke Curse's hold on Milo as the pressure was released. He quickly pulled out a Super Potion and applied it to Cocoa's injuries, restoring her to full health.

To their collective surprise, Titan Klawf suddenly jerked back to consciousness and slowly rose, hissing in pain before its eyes went to where Milo, Koraidon and Cocoa were still standing. Its eyes narrowed with fury, murderous intent radiating off of the massive crab.

"We didn't want a fight, but we're ready for more!" Milo called to the Stony Cliff Titan, with Koraidon and Cocoa crying out in agreement. Klawf hissed softly…and then took a single step back.

The enormous crab quickly turned around and scuttled away, leaping off of the cliff. Milo growled, clenching his fists in indignation.

"Oh no you don't! We're not done with you!" Milo shouted as he returned Cocoa and hopped atop Koraidon, who growled an affirmative and charged towards the edge of the cliff that Klawf had jumped off of. Milo grit his teeth as Koraidon leapt over the edge and into the air.

With a jolt of surprise Milo realized that the Titan hadn't gone very far, and was actually right beneath them. Thankfully Koraidon cleared the behemoth and landed on the ground without issue, spinning around so that it and Milo could face the massive beast.

"Why are you running? Are you scared!?" Milo called to the massive crab, who stared at the student for a moment before growling softly and turning around. With a swift motion, its right pincer darted forward and smashed the cliff apart, causing Milo to have to cover his face as rocks and debris exploded into the air. Koraidon snarled at the display, crouching low on the ground as Milo grunted at the rocks, dirt and dust billowing past him.

When Milo was able to see again, he saw that Titan Klawf had reached into what seemed to be a small cave within the cliff. With a small hiss, it pulled its claw free of the cave and was now holding a glowing pinkish-purple pink plant of some kind. It then began to slowly eat the plant, and that's when it clicked for Milo.

"The Herba Mystica! It's real! And that thing is eating it!" Milo realized with a tinge of horror, wondering how this would affect the Titan Pokémon. He quickly pulled out his Rotom Phone and snagged a few pictures of the beast, making sure he had proof of both the Titan's existence and of the Herba Mystica. He was also sure to get a selfie as well, but mostly because he wanted a picture for himself.

"Milo! You found it?! And you're taking selfies? What the hell?" The Galarian turned around and saw that Arven had finally joined him, looking both relieved and horrified at what was standing before them. "And THAT thing's the Stony Cliff Titan?! No Klawf has got any business being that big!"

"Don't judge me, I like taking pictures. Besides, we've got a bigger problem. Klawf just ate the Herba Mystica." Milo pointed out, with Arven paling as he noticed that the Titan had indeed finished its mid-battle snack. Milo then blinked as he heard the nearby rumble of thunder and looked towards the skies. Gray clouds were directly overhead, and he could already see a curtain of rain slowly making its way towards them. The storm that had been lurking in the distance was nearly here.

"Is it gonna be even stronger now, after eating those herbs…?" Arven murmured, his hand drifting towards a Poké Ball as Milo unclipped one of his own, looking back towards the giant crab.

"Knowing our luck? Probably." Milo muttered too quietly for Arven to hear, earning a laugh from the Voice.

"Let's watch ourselves, Milo!" Arven warned the freshman as Titan Klawf's body twitched several times, as if it was shuddering. It then launched itself high into the air and spun around, landing with a powerful crash onto the ground facing the two Trainers. Milo gasped as the Nuzlocke Curse struck for a second time, ensnaring his heart.

That was when Titan Klawf let out a powerful roar, with an enormous pillar of purple-colored energy that resembled a tower of flames erupting from the beast. Both Arven and Milo grunted as they were almost blasted to the ground by the strength of the backlash.

Milo opened his eyes and watched as Titan Klawf's injuries from their previous battle were healed before his eyes, and the beast somehow seemed even more formidable now than before. Energy seemed to roll off of the creature in wisps, pink threads of raw power that had now infused the Stony Cliff Titan with renewed vigor. Milo sent out Cocoa again, and Arven sent out Barbossa the Shellder. The two Pokémon seemed so laughably weak compared to the enormous Titan.

Did they really stand a chance?

Milo's eyes widened as he heard a soft ding come from his bag. Milo pulled it off and looked inside, and with an awed look pulled out his Tera Orb. His fully recharged Tera Orb.

"That wave of energy…it recharged my Tera Orb!" Milo realized as he held it in the palm of his hand before grabbing it tightly. He looked up at the mighty Titan with a fierce grin as a rush of hope surged through the teen.

Milo should've been terrified, facing something so terrifying. But facing the odds in a battle for your life somehow had his adrenaline pumping. He felt…alive. Just as much as he had battling Katy during his last Gym Battle, Milo wanted to win.

"Come on, Cocoa! Let's take this sucker down! Terastallize!" Milo shouted as he primed the Tera Orb and threw it forward once again, transforming his Wooper into a Ground-type Tera Wooper.

As the battle began, Titan Klawf looked at Milo and Cocoa with an intense expression, narrowing its eyes. Its eyes flashed red again, and Milo and Cocoa both felt another cold wave of energy ripple through them. Even worse, Milo noticed that the Poké Balls on his belt were now glowing red.

"It did this move before…What does that mean?" Milo said aloud, completely confused.

"Milo, that was Block! You can't swap out Pokémon!" Arven shouted worriedly, realizing that his friend was now forced to keep just his Wooper in battle. Milo had realized that Klawf was even using a move before, but even though he now understood that, Milo wasn't troubled. Even if it did mean that he couldn't recall Cocoa if she got into any trouble.

"I don't need to swap Pokémon. Cocoa's got this!" Milo called back as his Tera Wooper looked back at her Trainer, nodding in agreement before facing the enormous Titan with a glint of determination in her eyes. There was no way she was going to let her Trainer down now.

"Well, this is looking a little rough! Barbossa, let's serve up a helping of defeat - on the half-shell!" Arven shouted before pointing a finger at the Stony Cliff Titan. "Hit 'em with a Water Gun!"

"Sheeell!" Barbossa cried out as it fired off a pressurized stream of water, hitting Titan Klawf directly between the eyes. The massive crab recoiled in pain, letting out a hiss as it shrank back from the super-effective shot.

Arven smirked and made a small finger-gun gesture. "How's that for sharpshooting?"

"Cocoa, let's back him up! Mud-Slap!" Milo called as Cocoa let out a cry, focusing on the Terastal Energy coursing through her. As a pulse of energy erupted from the earth-like Tera Crown atop her head, she lashed out at Titan Klawf with another wave of mud.

The Stony Cliff Titan roared loud enough for the cry to reach Mesagoza, incensed as more mud got into its eyes. Milo grinned at the slight blue pulse that emitted from the beast like before, showing that its Accuracy stat had taken a hit. That smile didn't last much longer when Klawf hissed and fixed its gaze directly on Milo.

With another furious groan, it snatched up several fallen boulders and used Rock Throw, missing Cocoa but causing her Trainer to throw himself to the ground as the beast actively tried to attack him.

"This thing is out for blood!" Milo realized with a horrified wince as Klawf let out another terrible rumble of anger. "Maybe it's starting to take all the Mud-Slaps a little personally…"

"Oh no you don't!" Arven growled as he picked up Barbossa. "Let's get him!"

"Shell shell!" Barbossa agreed, looking rather angry at the cowardly attack from the bigger Pokémon. Klawf continued to throw rocks at Milo as Cocoa tried to blast them out of the sky with Mud Shot, a move Milo had been holding off on using until now. And while it was holding the rocks at bay for now, Cocoa wouldn't be able to hold them off forever.

"Stop pelting me with rocks, asshole!" Milo shouted as he got to his feet, his face still utterly calm despite the horror of nearly getting crushed to death by a shower of boulders. Titan Klawf groaned in response, drawing back a claw and taking several steps forward. Titan Klawf then snarled as another burst of water struck it from behind. However, the water suddenly darted left and right, completely soaking the backside of the creature.

The Stony Cliff Titan's eyes swiveled to see Arven sprinting across the open area, holding out Barbossa and allowing the Shellder to hit more parts of the Klawf as Arven ran.

"Keep up the pressure!" Arven ordered Barbossa as Titan Klawf held up its claws, attempting to shield its vulnerable face from the attack. Klawf began to slowly move towards Arven and Barbossa, causing the older student to pale in horror, only for a familiar shout to cut through the air.

"Low Kick, Cocoa!"

The Stony Cliff Titan suddenly roared in agony, nearly dropping to the ground as a gleaming Wooper violently kicked the back of one of Klawf's back legs, causing it lose its balance. Arven grinned at Milo, who grinned right back at his friend.

Arven and Milo then winced as they suddenly felt several cold droplets hit them, and within moments they found themselves in a downpour of rain. Despite the rainfall, Milo was able to see that Klawf was glowing even more erratically than before, and after quickly checking his phone (and thanking Arceus that his Rotom Phone was water-proof) he saw that Anger Shell had activated again.

"Arven, watch out for its Ability! Anger Shell just activated, so its attacking stats went up! Plus it's a lot faster, but its defenses both dropped!" Milo called to Arven, who nodded in understanding. An irate hiss caught Arven's attention, and he glanced back at Klawf to see that its eyes and cheeks were glowing red. Arven and Barbossa both felt a cold chill roll over them as the other Poké Ball at his waist gleamed red.

"Ah! It got us with Block!" Arven grunted, annoyed that he couldn't switch to Munchy even if he wanted too. "Well, no way we're backing down! Barbossa, get him with another Water Gun!" Arven instructed his Shellder as he held out the Bivalve Pokémon, who fired off another blast of water that struck the Klawf in the mouth.

Thanks to the power boost from the rain, the stream of water was now a torrent, physically knocking back Klawf and forcing it away from Arven. Klawf threw its claws into the air, snapping them threateningly as it snarled in fury. It slammed its forward claws in frustration, preventing Cocoa from getting closer while forcing Arven to suddenly leap to the side to avoid it, performing a dodge roll like something out of an action movie.

"Come on, we're so close!" Milo muttered quietly, seeing the mounting damage that the Titan Pokémon was suffering. However, Arven and Milo had gotten very lucky so far. Klawf was clearly beyond furious at the two of them and it was still a wild Pokémon, meaning it had no qualms about attacking the Trainers. It had already done so by targeting Milo himself.

Meanwhile, oblivious to Milo, a certain draconic mount watched the battle with mounting irritation.

Koraidon growled softly as it watched the two smaller and weaker Pokémon battling the enormous Titan and hating the fact that it couldn't assist. The beast closed its eyes and tried to concentrate and call upon its power, only for an agonizing tremor to wrack his body as crimson static crackled around him. Milo glanced over at the Pokémon and could sense its frustration as a soft snarl of pain escaped it. The teen suddenly realized what was going on and felt a pang of sympathy for his scaly friend as he realized how it must be feeling.

After all, Koraidon could have likely taken down the Titan with a single hit at its full-power. As it was right now, battle just wasn't an option for Koraidon, despite how much it wanted to help. Milo couldn't imagine how irritating it was for such a powerful and proud Pokémon to have to sit on the sidelines while others did the fighting.

Milo turned his attention back to the fight, and to his horror saw that Titan Klawf was focusing on Arven. It continued slamming its claws into the ground as Arven sprinted hard to avoid the strikes, holding Barbossa as the Shellder shot blasts of water to try and repulse the big meaty claws of Klawf.

"It's alright bud, we've got this. Cocoa, get ready for a Mud Shot!" Milo called as Titan Klawf let out a furious hiss and lunged forward, slamming another claw down where Arven was running. Thankfully the teen had quick enough reflexes to continue dodging with Barbossa, but Milo knew that he would tire sooner or later.

"That Klawf is slowing down too. Even after getting a snack of Herba Mystica, Cocoa did some major damage to it. There's no way it has more than another hit or two left!" Milo thought as he considered the Titan carefully.

"Giaaasss…" Koraidon snarled, padding forward and joining Cocoa on the battlefield. An action that made Milo immediately concerned, and caused Arven to scowl with annoyance despite the high-stakes situation.

"Koraidon?" Milo questioned, raising an eyebrow as Koraidon's tail snaked out, wrapping around a smiling Cocoa as Koraidon growled something to the Wooper. To Milo's further confusion, the Wooper smiled even wider and nodded in understanding at whatever the beast had said.

"What the hell is the brute doing?" Arven asked after dodge-rolling again, tiredly pushing himself upright as Barbossa repulsed another angry claw with Water Gun.

Milo watched on in confusion as Koraidon eyed Titan Klawf with narrowed eyes before grunting softly. Koraidon suddenly spun around, letting out a snarl as it jumped and then swept out its tail, releasing Cocoa and sending the Paldean Wooper flying into the sky.

Cocoa let out a cry of surprise as it flew roughly a hundred feet into the air. Koraidon landed on the ground and then let out a loud snarl, causing a determined gleam to appear in Cocoa's eyes. Milo's jaw dropped in shock at the sudden development…and then he understood what Koraidon did as Cocoa began to fall back towards earth, directly above the unsuspecting Titan Klawf.

"Koraidon got Cocoa into a position to attack from above!" Milo realized with a sudden grin. He then gave the order, "Now Cocoa! Mud Shot!"

"Woooopa!" Cocoa cried out as she opened her mouth wide, releasing a torrent of mud globules that rained down upon the exposed back of Titan Klawf, who wasn't expecting the sudden attack from above as it was focused on Arven and Barbossa below.

Titan Klawf let out a bellow of agony as Cocoa bombarded it from above with Mud Shot, with the enormous Pokémon writhing as the attack struck it atop its head. Making matters worse for the Titan Pokémon was the fact that it was moving around in a vain attempt to dodge the attack it couldn't see, allowing the airborne Cocoa to strike more parts of the giant crab.

Finally Titan Klawf shuddered and its front legs buckled, causing its head to crash down onto the ground violently. The Titan let out a bellow of pain as it pushed itself up, only to overcompensate and end up flopping down on top of its back with an almighty thud.

Arven let out a loud whoop of excitement, while Milo ran forward and managed to catch his Paldean Wooper in his arms, causing the teen to let out a relieved sigh.

"Woopa!" Cocoa cried out happily as Titan Klawf twitched on the ground behind it, squiggles in its eyes as it finally fainted. Milo simply stared at Koraidon and then his Wooper, and then took a few moments to process that they had actually done it.

Milo and Arven were victorious in taking down Klawf, the Stony Cliff Titan.

The Nuzlocke Curse released its pressure from Milo, who gasped with relief before stepping forward and pulling his Wooper into a hug. Thankfully for Milo, Cocoa's Terastal form had dissipated while she was falling.

"That was awesome Cocoa! You were such a little badass!" Milo gushed as he held out the Wooper, who simply smiled back at him. Koraidon let out a happy snarl, and Milo looked at the beast with a grin. "And you! That was a brilliant move there, big guy. Guess you learned a thing or two from those training videos with me and Nemona, huh?"

Koraidon puffed out its chest proudly and sat down, nodding in response with a big smile. Milo laughed and walked over to Koraidon, hugging the draconic mount and thanking him again for its help. Meanwhile Arven was staring at Titan Klawf with an expression of wonder.

"We really did it…the Titan got beat. By us. Me and Milo." Arven whispered in a dazed voice, a weak smile on his face, his eyes watering as he was almost overcome by emotion. "And the Herba Mystica…t-there's a chance. There's a chance I can-"

"Huh? Reggie, I didn't call you out."

Arven turned around and saw that Milo was looking at his Starter with a confused expression. The Fuecoco himself looked confused, staring up at his Trainer with bewilderment. The Fire Croc Pokémon growled softly, putting a hand to his chin.

And then Reggie began to glow.

Chapter Text

Milo and Arven stared down at the Fuecoco as the blue light of evolution enveloped him, much as it had Fleur the other day. Reggie slowly grew in size, becoming larger and shifting in shape. When the light died down, a red, white and yellow-colored reptile stood in the Fuecoco's place with fiery hair and a strange egg sitting atop his head that glowed brightly.

"Craaaaw!" Reggie growled in a deeper tone, smiling up at Milo as the teen knelt down to look at his Pokémon, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Looks like Reggie got an upgrade!" Arven laughed as he clapped Milo on the shoulder enthusiastically as the younger teen stood back up. Milo stared at his Partner with an expression of awe before beaming at the newly-evolved Pokémon. Milo quickly pulled out his Pokédex and the appropriate entry for Reggie came up.

"Crocalor. The Fire Croc Pokémon and the evolved form of Fuecoco. The combination of Crocalor's fire energy and overflowing vitality has caused an egg-shaped fireball to appear on the Pokémon's head." The 'Dex entry explained, with Milo grinning from ear-to-ear as Reggie let out a relaxed yawn. He didn't even seem particularly bothered by the rainfall.

"Sir Reginald the Spicy! We bow to thee!" Milo said dramatically, bowing as if he was a character in an old play. Reggie growled and actually bowed back while Koraidon padded over, also taking a moment to bow its head in respect, with Reggie bowing to the draconic mount as well.

"All right! Look at my little buddy, coming through like a champ!" Arven laughed, clapping his hands as he laughed with delight. Both their victory and Reggie's evolution had the older teen grinning widely with joy. Even Koraidon had let out a happy bark while Cocoa and Barbossa hopped up and down on the ground.

It was at that moment Titan Klawf twitched, and suddenly flopped onto its side and back upright again. Milo and Arven let out screams of terror and prepared themselves for another round, only for the Stony Cliff Titan to flee down one of the canyon paths.

The two teens and their Pokémon observed for a few moments before Arven sighed and sagged his shoulders. "But these Titan Pokémon are…yeesh. I sure don't like having something so tough out to get me!"

"Oh come on, you had fun. Look at all those dodge rolls you were doing, mate! That was badass!" Milo said with an excited grin, causing Arven to chuckle a little. Arven then took a few steps towards the entrance to the cave that Titan Klawf had revealed, a curious expression on his face.

"I bet somewhere in here there's more of that Herba Mystica the Titan was eating. Quick, let's have a look around before it comes back!" Arven suggested, earning a nod from his friend. The two Trainers returned their Pokémon and quickly ran inside the cave, eager to escape the storm and to see what lay within the Titan's lair.

"Watch your step. It's pretty dark…" Arven muttered, pulling out a flashlight and illuminating the path. The cave itself was almost pitch black, but seemed to have plenty of room for them to walk.

After a few seconds of walking, the two teens found themselves in a large room that was illuminated enough for them to see clearly which struck Milo as odd. There was nothing of note about the cave except for one single item, which immediately caused Arven to shout, "No way!"

Arven bolted towards the back of the cave, with Milo close behind. Sitting atop a mound of rocks that were coated in bright green bioluminescent moss was a tall plant that was glowing a bright pink color (and was the single source of light in the cave). It was the same kind of plant that the Stony Cliff Titan had consumed to empower itself in the second battle.

"This is one of the Herba Mystica! It's exactly how it looked in the book!" Arven examined the glowing plant close, getting down on one knee to get a better look while Milo crouched slightly, slightly awed. Up close, he could feel power flowing from the plant.

Arven set down his bag and pulled out a small pair of scissors. He then carefully reached forward with a steady hand and snipped a few leaves off of the plant (being very careful not to damage the plant itself) and stored them in a small plastic bag. Arven carefully put away the leaves in his backpack before turning to Milo, barely able to contain his excitement.

"YES! We actually found one! And it's all thanks to you, Milo!" Arven cheered, doing several excited fist pumps in a way that reminded Milo of Nemona. The younger student smiled at the remark, happy that he was able to help Arven out and relieved that all their hard work paid off.

"It was a team effort, mate. I doubt me and Cocoa would've been able to deal with that monster a second time." Milo said as he held a hand up, which Arven high-fived a moment later with a wide smile.

"You're seriously the best. Thank you." Arven said sincerely, causing Milo to look away somewhat bashfully. He wasn't the best when it came to being complimented, but he appreciated the gratitude either way.

Arven turned around to his backpack and quickly pulled out the Scarlet Book, flipping it open and looking down at it with an intense expression. "Now then, let's see…What does the book have to say?"

Milo waited patiently as Arven found the spot in the book he was looking for. Finally, the upperclassman pointed at a page. "It says here that the Sweet Herba Mystica is good for gut health and that it aids digestion. Says it's great for stomachaches too, or when you want to stimulate the ol' appetite!"

"Sounds like it'll make one hell of a sandwich." Milo remarked, amazed that a herb could do all of that stuff even after seeing it power up the Titan like it had mere minutes ago. Arven closed the book with a serious expression and stowed it in his bag, crossing his arms as he became wrapped up in his thoughts.

"Now if I can just get him to eat some…" Arven muttered to himself almost too quietly for Milo to hear, with the older teen smiling happily as he closed his eyes. Before Milo could ask about that, Arven opened his eyes and rolled up his sleeves with a determined expression. "All right! Now it's my turn to show off what I can do. You're about to get a taste of my cooking!"

While the cooking was going on, Milo managed to snap a picture with Arven using his Rotom Phone of them both smiling next to one of the sandwiches as its wondrous scent filled the cave, with Milo leaning on the table with a content smile. Arven meanwhile wore a goofy grin, holding his hands against his cheeks. The two teens also changed into dry uniforms, since they had happened to be in their Naranja Academy uniforms when they had confronted Titan Klawf and got caught in the rain.

If Arven noticed anything odd about Milo going behind a rock to change while Arven changed out in the open, he didn't comment on it.

"Here you go!" Arven said after several minutes of prep-work, setting down two plates of sandwiches onto the table. "An Arven-original sandwich packed full of herbs!"

Arven beamed at Milo, who was staring at the sandwiches with both surprise and clear hunger. The smell from the herbs being prepared by the masterful chef had filled the cave completely, causing Milo to become extremely hungry.

"And I'll even give you a badge - y'know, as a thank-you for taking on that Titan Pokémon." Arven remarked, causing Milo to look at him in confusion. The upperclassman reached into his pocket and handed Milo the badge, which greatly resembled the badge that Milo had gotten from Katy. However, it had a rock-like symbol in the center of it.

"I call it a Titan Badge. Made it myself, using a replica of the Gym Badges, see?" Arven pointed out, with Milo staring down at the badge still. With Katy, the badge had been a symbol of his strength in overcoming the Cortondo Gym Leader.

With the Titan Badge, it was a symbol of Arven's gratitude and a reminder of their triumph over the Klawf, the Stony Cliff Titan.

Milo's eyes became somewhat misty as he smiled, continuing to look down at the badge for several long moments. He then looked to Arven, who was still smiling at him. "Thanks mate. I'll take good care of it."

The two students grabbed their sandwiches and sat down on rocks and began to eat. Milo sank his teeth into the sandwich, which in addition to special herbs, had been also filled with two slices of Unovan yellow cheese, yellow bell peppers, two fried Magikarp filets and a liberal amount of mayonnaise. Needless to say, the Fried Fillet Sandwich with a touch of Sweet Herba Mystica was absolutely delicious.

However, Milo hadn't gotten more than a few bites into it when a certain sandwich-obsessed lizard popped out of its Poké Ball with a loud cry. Milo smirked as Koraidon began sniffing the air, but Arven had a more extreme reaction. He recoiled sharply and leapt to his feet, angrily putting down his sandwich on the table before crossing his arms and glaring at the beast.

"Argh! What's up with that thing?! It just comes out of its ball on its own whenever it wants?" Arven practically growled, with Milo frowning at the sheer venom in the normally friendly-teen's voice. Koraidon seemed oblivious of Arven's ire, instead focusing on the sandwich in Milo's hands and sniffing eagerly at it. Milo smiled at Koraidon, knowing exactly what it wanted.

"...Hey now." Arven said in a very firm voice, staring intently at Koraidon. "No. That's not for you."

Koraidon heard that, glancing at Arven for a moment before glancing at Milo and growling softly. Milo looked at the massive lizard, and then at Arven, and then back to Koraidon.

"Sorry, buddy. This is mine…" Milo said meekly, causing Arven to relax a little. Koraidon jerked back in surprise at being told no, and after sniffing the delicious sandwich a few more times, Milo shook his head.

"Giaaawn…" Koraidon whined, with the lizard visibly deflating with despair. Its entire body sagged with disappointment as it looked at Milo with a pleading expression. The draconic mount looked like a dog pleading for scraps at the dinner table, even somehow having wide watery eyes. Milo winced at how depressed Koraidon looked at being told no and felt extremely guilty, even as Arven nodded in approval.

Give it a bite of the sandwich, you monster! Look at how sad Koraidon is!

As much as Milo wanted to tell the Voice to go away, it had a very valid point. Koraidon looked down at the ground, a trickle of drool coming down its face as it stared forlornly at the sandwich in Milo's hands. Milo felt his heart ache at seeing Koraidon so upset, knowing full-well how much it enjoyed sandwiches. After another glance at Arven, Milo decided that he was willing to do what must be done.

"Here you go, bud!" Milo said with a wan smile, extending his hand holding the sandwich out to Koraidon. The lizard perked up and almost seemed to grin with joy. It then snapped its head forward and chomped down on the sandwich, ripping it out of Milo's outstretched hand and into its own gullet.

The Sandwich Lizard has been appeased, and all was right in the world.

Arven scowled as he watched Koraidon noisily chomp down on his masterfully-crafted sandwich. He then sighed and sagged his shoulders, looking exasperated. "Hey! I went through all the trouble of making that for you, and you just give it away?!"

"Like I had a choice. That sandwich was delicious, but look how happy it made Koraidon." Milo remarked with a smile at the beast who looked like it was having the time of its life scarfing down its lunch. Arven walked over to them, putting his hands on his hips and looking at Koraidon with irritation.

"I hope you realize that's all there was, so now there's none left for you." Arven pointed out, causing Milo to frown. But then the boy shrugged his shoulders.

"That's totally fine! I had a few bites and what I tasted was awesome." Milo said with an easy smile, causing Arven to frown and shake his head, his hair bouncing around.

"Aw, come on! Now you're making me feel like I'm the selfish jerk here!" Arven groaned, causing Milo to chuckle at his distress. He was surprised when Arven walked over to the table and carefully used a knife to slice his own sandwich in half. He walked back over and handed the uneaten part of his sandwich to Milo.

"Here, you can have half of mine. But you'd better savor every last bite!" Arven insisted, with Milo grinning at Arven as the teen stomped back over to his seat and sat down. Milo did the same, taking a large bite of the sandwich and enjoying the taste of the herbs, which were the clear highlight in the meal.

"Happy now, you insatiable dork?" Milo called to Koraidon after swallowing a mouthful of food, earning a joyful growl from the beast in response as it licked its lips. Milo and Arven sat back down and enjoyed what was left of the sandwiches, making sure to send a selfie of themselves to Juliana to prove that they had succeeded.

"You know, we could always take this and replant it somewhere else." Milo suggested as he gestured to where the plant still stood, glowing brightly. Arven considered that option for several moments before shrugging.

"We know where it is now. We can always come back later and do that. For now, this is more than enough." Arven remarked, pulling out his phone and marking the location of the cave. Milo saw what he was doing and did the same thing. Since he had his phone out anyway, he decided to check his Festival Plaza account.

The Alolan social media account he had made a few months ago was somewhat popular, thanks to his actions against Team Star on his first day at Naranja Academy. Somewhat amazingly he continued to get regular followers. This was likely because not only did Juliana regularly tag him in posts and pictures with her friends, but Nemona did as well. The two girls had fairly large followings on Festival Plaza compared to him.

It was while he was glancing through his mentions that he saw something that made him sit up in surprise.

"Oooh, the Iono Zone is on." Milo remarked, smiling at his phone as he saw notification that the Levincia Gym Leader was currently streaming live. Arven smirked, raising an eyebrow at Milo. The younger student frowned and gave Arven a look. "What? I've watched her streams for over a year and a half now. She's really fun to watch."

"Oh yeah, I bet she is. I'm sure you like to watch her." Arven responded with a sly grin, causing Milo to blush at being called out like that. Especially since it was true.

"Fine, I do think she's really cute. But me and Juliana both watched her before we moved here from Galar. She's really popular in other regions, even though she's a Gym Leader here in Paldea." Milo commented, crossing his arms and ignoring the smirk still on Arven's face.

"Fair enough. You know, it's kind of incredible that she's older than I am. You'd never guess it from how wacky she acts online." Arven remarked as he started to pick at his teeth with a toothpick. "To be honest, I don't really care for social media or any of that stuff. I hate catching crap because of how super-famous Mom is, and it's why I don't have a Festival Plaza account myself. You'd be amazed at how many scam callers or reporters I've had to deal with."

Arven's expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly shook off those feelings and focused on the here and now. Enjoying a picnic lunch with his friend. Arven then caught Milo glancing down at his phone and smirked again with amusement, leaning back on his seat.

"Anyways, I should say I'm shocked you think Iono's pretty, but I guess we've all got our types. I know you're also head-over-heels for the Student Council President, even though I think she's annoying." Arven replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"She's actually great once you get to know her. But I understand you just don't like her." Milo said quietly, not looking at Arven directly.

Arven frowned at Milo's expression of discomfort. He then sighed and said, "It's nothing personal, we just rub each other the wrong way. I'm sure she's very nice once you get to know her, but right now, I really don't want to know her."

"Fair enough, I suppose-"Milo began to say, only for Koraidon to abruptly stand up and let out a loud cry. Milo and Arven turned towards the giant lizard, who seemed to look around the cave and snarled again.

"Gia! Giaaaw!" Koraidon growled as Arven glared at the beast in amazement.

"Huh? You already ate that whole thing?" Arven asked Koraidon, who didn't respond right away. Milo realized that Arven hadn't really been paying attention to Koraidon, as the draconic mount had finished its sandwich several minutes ago.

The beast suddenly reared back on its hind legs as a warm orange glow suddenly suffused the Pokémon, with a faint aura of power radiating outward from it. Koraidon landed back on the ground and let out a loud growl.

Milo and Arven both looked at the beast, confused at what they were seeing. Koraidon seemed to be holding itself a little more proudly now, and its scales seemed to glisten a bit more in the light of the cave. It wasn't just a trick of the light. Something had changed within Koraidon. The two boys could actually feel it.

"Wha-?! Hey, is it me or has this thing sort of…powered up somehow?" Arven asked Milo, receiving a growl of affirmation from Koraidon. Arven's eyes widened in surprise, and a smile of joy bloomed across his face.

"Whoa! I can't believe it! The power of these herbs really is worth guarding!" Arven yelled out, doing several fist pumps as he danced around the room. Milo grinned at his friend's cheer and walked over to Koraidon.

"Looks like it. It's definitely perked up a bit." Milo said as he walked over to the beast, rubbing its neck with a smile. "You feeling a bit like your old self again, bud?"

"Agiaaas!" came the happy response from the mighty beast, grinning at Milo and licking his cheek. Milo rubbed Koraidon's head with a laugh.

Arven finally calmed himself down and took a few steps towards the picnic table, his enthusiasm slowing down enough to catch up with his thoughts. "If they had that big an effect on your Pokémon, then I bet-"

The older teen seemed to realize what he was saying, because he turned around and gave Milo a thumbs up. "Uhhh…I bet it'll come in super handy for that Treasure Hunt assignment we've got! Yup! That's what I bet!"

"Arven…are you sure that-" Milo began to say, only for Arven to cut him off.

"Well, you've both filled your bellies with some of my legendary sandwiches! Guess it's time to tidy everything up…" Arven said with a nervous laugh before walking towards the table. Milo made a move to help, but Arven shook his head. "Oh, don't you worry about helping! After battling the Titan, you've earned a break!"

"You sure?" Milo asked, uncertain about that. Something about all of this just didn't seem right to him.

"Just leave it all to me! Though I'd be much obliged if you'd get a start on searching out the remaining four Herba Mystica for us." Arven said to his friend, who looked doubtful, but at Arven's insistence relented.

Arven waved farewell to Milo and Koraidon, smiling at them as they rounded the corner of the cave to head outside. Once they were out of earshot Arven called out Barbossa and Munchy, who both looked at their Trainer in confusion. The Trainer simply watched the exit to the cave with a troubled expression for another few moments, thinking about what they had been through today and what it meant.

"I really owe you…" Arven whispered, closing his eyes and letting out a deep, pent-up breath. He then turned away and began digging through his backpack…and pulling out a third Poké Ball as Barbossa and Munchy watched on. "Okay. Coast is clear."

Arven knelt down onto the ground and held out the Poké Ball, letting out a tired sigh. It had been a long, hard road, but here it was. His last hope.

This had to work.

"You can come out now."

Milo was happy to see that the storm had passed by the time he had exited the cave. He took a few steps out into the open, feeling energized after eating lunch with Arven and enjoying the Herba Mystica sandwich.

He hadn't gotten more than a few steps away from the cave before he heard his phone ringing. Milo continued to walk alongside Koraidon as he answered the phone, and saw that it was Professor Sada calling him. The teen wondered if it was a coincidence that he had just finished a luncheon with her son. Milo answered the call regardless.

"Hello, Milo. This is Sada." The Pokémon Professor said in greeting, waving at the boy with a cheery expression. Milo smiled at the Professor and gave her a small wave.

"Good afternoon, Professor. Um, can I help you?" Milo asked, realizing that the Professor had called him out of the blue.

"I understand that this call comes as a surprise, and I apologize for that." Professor Sada said with a small nod as she put a hand to her chin. "I detect that Koraidon has regained some of its original power."

Koraidon took that moment to lean into shot behind Milo, letting out a loud bark and scaring the living daylights out of the teen. Professor Sada grinned at the display and added, "It certainly looks more lively than it did the last time we spoke.

Once Milo managed to get his heart to stop beating out of his chest, he glared at Koraidon and then looked back at the Professor. "What do you mean it gained some of its power back? Is it able to fight again?"

Professor Sada shook her head. "Not quite. Rather, it seems it will now be able to dash at high speeds while you're riding upon it."

"Dashing huh?" Milo remarked, grinning at the beast who took a step back and growled softly, its antenna wriggling slightly.

Professor Sada nodded, her hand going to pick up a small clipboard and glancing it over. "Yes, Koraidon's top speed when we last spoke was just under twenty miles per hour, with the ability to continue at that pace for hours at a time if required. With the current levels I am detecting, Koraidon can now reach a top speed of almost seventy miles per hour without needing to stop for a full day. Its endurance has also increased dramatically as a whole."

Milo blinked several times as he processed that as Koraidon sat down and barked, causing Professor Sada to chuckle. "Yes, my friend, you are very special. I hope you're enjoying yourself as you spend time with Milo. Life is precious, and you should be free to enjoy its pleasures."

"That's an insane powerup. We could really get some good traveling in with this." Milo remarked, crossing his arms and adding in an undertone. "Did eating that Herba Mystica really give it the power boost?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that." Professor Sada remarked, causing Milo to jump in surprise.

Milo waved a hand, laughing nervously. "It's fine, Professor. Just talking to myself. Is there anything else I should know?"

"Yes. Koraidon possesses a multitude of special skills and abilities, so be on the lookout for any of them to manifest, especially if it is able to recover more of its energy and strength. I studied it for quite some time, and even then I was unable to determine the true scope of its power." Professor Sada explained to Milo, offering him a smirk. "I'd simply keep an eye out for anything out of the norm and reach out to me if there are any unexpected developments."

"Can do. Koraidon's been great and I'm happy to have it along." Milo said with a smile, patting the draconic mount on the head and earning a loud purr-like noise in response.

"I hope you will continue to explore Paldea with Koraidon, as you have done here." Sada went on, leaning forward in her chair. "Your route is not fixed but open before you. Seek out your own path, using your map and the tools you have at hand. Whenever you have your curiosity piqued, you should go and explore as your heart desires. All that you experience will help you grow in some way, great or small."

The woman then seemed to realize she had been rambling and laughed softly, leaning back in her chair. "I apologize for going on and on. You're quite busy with your studies, after all. And as I said previously, should you require anything I'm just a phone call away."

"Thank you ma'am. I'll keep in touch." Milo said with a nod, shoving back the urge to ask her to talk to Arven. He knew how strained his friend's relationship with his mother was, and knew it bothered him. But Arven was being mysterious enough as it was and he didn't want to make things worse for him.

Professor Sada smiled and waved at the two of them. "Go forth on your journey…and take good care of Koraidon for me."

The call ended, with Milo deep in thought. It had been an extremely eventful day, and nightfall was a few hours away at this rate. It was at that moment a certain someone spoke up.

You're allowed three more catches within the Tera Dens. You did well with the last Objective, but don't get overconfident. Otherwise you'll be faced with a bloodbath.

"I don't plan on being overconfident. Not after Katy. I went in with a plan against Klawf and we won. Whatever's next, I'll have a plan and I'll win." Milo said firmly, exhaling softly as the Voice chuckled.

So you say. I actually like that phrase. Bloodbath…I'll have to keep that one in mind.

"Thanks for the heads up, now leave me alone." Milo said to the Voice, hopping back onto Koraidon as it shifted into its ride form again and within seconds becoming ready for travel. Milo gripped the antennae that had now become handlebars for him to hold on to. "Alright big guy, let's see what you can do!"

Koraidon growled softly before suddenly bounding forward, nearly throwing Milo off entirely as the beast dashed swiftly along the path, knocking aside a small herd of Skiddo and leaping across another chasm, landing with a harsh thud on a rocky pillar about forty feet away. Koraidon grinned widely and let out a loud snarl of joy, even as Milo violently trembled on its back while holding its antennae in a death-grip. He was glad that the Herba Mystica helped fortify his stomach, because he was barely holding back the urge to throw up.

Milo took about twenty minutes to recover from that, and then had Koraidon proceed at a more sedate pace. Eventually Milo found his way to a Tera Den that was sending a beam of pure yellow light into the air.

The Galarian ventured into the den and found a trio of 3XC members who were ready and waiting for him, and Milo used Cocoa in the upcoming battle against what Milo was informed was a Tera Venonat. The fuzzy Bug-type wore a Tera Crown that resembled a lightbulb, standing in the middle of its lair and made a strange purring sound as the group surrounded it.

Unfortunately for Venonat, it was no match for Milo and Cocoa, and so it quickly went down and was caught. Milo accepted his reward and crawled out of the den, quickly swapping out his newly-caught Venonat.

"Let's see…there we go." Milo muttered as he found the Pokédex entry. Meanwhile the purple bug stared up at Milo quizzically, cooing softly.

"Venonat. The Insect Pokémon. Poison oozes from all over its body. It catches small bug Pokémon at night that are attracted by light. This Venonat is Male and has the Ability Tinted Lens. Its Tera Type is Electric." The Rotom Phone explained before flying back into Milo's back pocket.

So what extremely lame name are you going to give this one?

"Don't put me on the spot…uhh…uhhh…"

It's alright, you can't disappoint me anymore than you have already. Just pick something.

"Fine. I'll go with Victor."

…I lied.

"Screw you." Milo muttered as he registered Victor's name in the Pokédex before returning the Venonat. Milo hopped back on Koraidon, spotting a nearby Tera Den with a light blue light shooting into the sky. Milo took that time to return to the main path and spend time getting used to Koraidon's newfound dash ability.

The teen found that when he was on level ground, the experience was quite exhilarating. Riding on Koraidon could be tough sometimes, but with how powerful the beast was (even in its weakened state) it could traverse whatever terrain it wanted with ease and easily land on the ground from hundreds of feet in the air.

Not that Milo would ever admit to anyone that he'd done that, because he knew his three closest friends would never let him hear the end of it.

By the time Milo found his next Tera Den, which was located at the top of a large spire of rocks, it was starting to cool down outside as the sun sank lower in the sky. Milo entered the Ice Tera Den and waited about a half hour for backup to arrive. When he finally entered the lair of the Pokémon within, he saw it was an adorable dog covered in icy crystals. Soon, the battle was on.

"Reggie! Let's show them what real firepower is! Ember!" Milo called to trusty Starter, who let out a loud growl as he stomped forward. The Fire Croc Pokémon opened his mouth and charged up a sphere of smoldering flames before firing it off with the force of a cannon. Milo immediately noticed that the attack had significantly more power behind it than it did when Reggie was a Fuecoco.

Tera Fidough whined as the attack struck it, dealing major damage while also filling the air with the delicious smell of freshly baked-bread. Two more Embers later, and the Fidough was defeated and Milo had caught his next Pokémon.

Milo spent the time after he received his reward and crawled out of the Tera Den playing with the Fidough, all the while making sure Koraidon didn't get any funny ideas about eating the Pokémon because it smelled like a sandwich.

Finally, Milo pulled out his phone and looked up the Pokédex entry for Fidough, quickly getting a response from the Pokédex App. "Fidough. The Puppy Pokémon. This Pokémon is smooth and moist to the touch. Yeast in Fidough's breath induces fermentation in the Pokémon's vicinity. This Fidough is Female and has the Ability Own Tempo. Its Tera Type is Ice."

"Hmm, she needs a name…Oh wait. I've got one. Donut." Milo said as he input the name into his Rotom Phone, causing the Voice to hum for a few moments.

Wait, so you're misspelling it. You're thinking of doughnut, like the food.

"I saw it spelt this way once. I think it was an online show about colorful soldiers or something in a canyon. There was a pink guy named Donut."

Okay, that one's not as terrible as the past few, so I'll allow it.

Milo was frowned at the descending sun overhead and made the executive decision to find the closest Tera Den he could so he could wrap things up before the sun went down completely. He found a nearby Fire Tera Den and was shocked to find three 3XC members just about to walk out of the crystal hole, apparently convinced that they wouldn't find anyone willing to help out this late into the day.

Milo hopped down into the den and called out Cocoa, and was greeted by a shining fish covered in red crystals when he walked into the lair of the Tera Pokémon. Unfortunately for it, Cocoa was yet again more than enough to defeat what Milo learned was a Tera Barboach when he caught his twelfth Pokémon.

After accepting his reward, Milo clawed his way out of the cavern and called out his newly caught Barboach. He pulled up the Pokédex entry on his phone, glancing up at the sky and seeing a cascade of blue, pink and orange streak across the sky.

"Barboach. The Whiskers Pokémon. Its two whiskers provide a sensitive radar. Even in muddy waters, it can detect its prey's location. This Barboach is Male and has the Ability Anticipation. Its Tera Type is Fire." The Pokédex App informed the teen, who considered that while smiling.

"I have no idea what to call you. Uhhh…Bronson? Bronson the Barboach!" Milo said as he typed the name into his Rotom Phone, all while the Voice continued to mock him internally. Milo continued to ignore it, even as the Voice just spoke louder.

"There's such a beautiful irony of catching a fish that's also a Fire-type." Milo remarked with a chuckle as he sat down on a rock, calling out Donut, Victor and Bronson and smiling at them. He was grateful that despite the limitations he was under thanks to the Nuzlocke Curse, he was still given the chance to catch so many new additions to his team. He had to be careful about over-leveling them like he had Echo and Fleur. Milo quickly rearranged his team, and after a few minutes he came to a decision.

Cocoa, Reggie, Storm, Donut, Victor and Fiona would end up being the line-up he went with. Wooper, Crocalor, Wattrel, Fidough, Venonat, Flittle. Milo figured the Grass-gym in Artazon (which was about a two-day trek from his current position) wouldn't be super difficult with the team he had now. Milo had plenty of extra type-coverage and was feeling a bit more comfortable with how his team looked now.

A loud ringing sound snapped Milo out of his thoughts, and he realized that his phone had flown out of his pocket and was showing a rainbow-colored question mark. Cassiopeia was calling, and the phone auto-accepted the call.

"Greetings, Milo. I guess since you answered my call, that means that the giant Klawf didn't murder you. And it means that the Titan Pokémon are real."

"That they are. Sorry for yelling like that earlier, I'm usually better composed."

"Oh, don't worry about it. You were fighting for your life back there. You'd never catch me doing something that crazy. Anyways, I did want to talk to you about Team Star still. If you're not busy."

Milo sighed and leaned back against Koraidon. "I guess I have some time. Not sure what to tell you, though. I don't think I'm ready to take on an entire group like that with the team I've got."

Cassiopeia sighed over the phone, clearly not liking that response. "I would deal with them sooner rather than later. Team Star is getting bigger and bigger every week. I'm worried that the group might try and do something rash if they're not suitably dealt with."

"Not just yet though, I'm afraid. I'm only just now starting to actually have a bit of confidence in how I can battle after that mess with Katy. Give me a few more weeks and I'll see where I'm at. Hopefully by then I'll be strong enough to deal with them and make them back off." Milo said to Cassiopeia, who remained silent for several long moments before grunting with annoyance.

"...Fine. You better not be blowing me off."

Milo frowned and crossed his arms as he stared at the phone. "You're the one who roped me into this. I'm a brand-new Trainer in a brand-new region and the only person you seem to have helping you out. Unless you can give me more information about what the hell is going on with Team Star and why you're being so mysterious, this is the best you're going to get. You haven't even deigned to meet me in-person, so don't get snippy with me."

"Alright, alright! You've made your point! Sorry!"

There was a long pause as Milo scowled at the phone, clearly annoyed at catching grief from the mysterious caller. The worst part was that Milo had been telling the truth. He truly didn't think he was ready to deal with Team Star. Milo had to be totally confident he could crush whatever the group had to throw at him with the Nuzlocke Curse hanging overhead. Any mistakes could be fatal.

"I guess that's all I wanted to call about…I'll reach out again in a few weeks. Hopefully you'll be more prepared by then."

"I'll look forward to it." Milo remarked dryly, making it obvious how he wasn't looking forward to her calling. After all, her phone call earlier had nearly gotten him killed by the Stony Cliff Titan.

"Uh-huh. Well, I'll talk to you soon. Bye."

The call ended, and Milo rolled his eyes and hopped back onto Koraidon so he could return to the Pokémon Center and get some sleep after an extremely long day. All the while Milo wondered what sort of secrets Arven and Cassiopeia were keeping from him.

And whether or not the cost of them keeping those secrets would be his own life.

Chapter Text

Hoenn Region, Ever Grande City

Pokémon League International Conference

Nemona was grinning ear-to-ear as she recalled Khamsin the Dundunsparce, who had fallen to the intimidating and infamous Garchomp that stood opposite her on the battlefield. Meanwhile the owner of said Garchomp, the current Sinnoh Champion Cynthia, looked somewhat relieved. Both Champions were now down to their final Pokémon.

"I can't believe I get to battle someone like you, Miss Cynthia! This is so much fun!" Nemona called out before she pulled out the ball containing her final Pokémon. "Tornado, let's show them what we're made of!"

Nemona sent out her strongest Pokémon, and the Combat Breed Paldean Tauros appeared in a flash of light. Cynthia frowned as she regarded Tornado warily, trying to remember what this form was like. She was unfortunately not well-versed in the Pokémon typically found in Paldea, but she found herself smiling despite this. This was the second time she had battled Nemona today, and the girl had used an entirely different team the previous match. It was a fantastic test of skill.

"Guess I'll have to pull out all the stops." Cynthia remarked as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her lipstick, reapplying it for several moments before pointing the lipstick forward…and pointing the Key Stone held within the end at her Partner.

"Let our bond be made manifest! Mega Evolve!" Cynthia cried as a fierce crackle of energy erupted from the end of her Key Stone, connecting to the Garchompite the Garchomp held. The Mach Pokémon was soon consumed in a pink sphere of energy, and emerged with a massive blast of raw power covered in spikes and with its claws now transformed into massive scythes. The dragon let out a low, menacing growl that filled the room.

"So cool…" Nemona whispered, her eyes wide with sheer excitement at the thought of battling such a ferocious opponent. She then straightened up and grinned at Cynthia and called, "If you're pulling out all of the stops, then so can I!"

"We can take whatever you've got!" Cynthia called back, letting out a light laugh.

"C'mon Tornado, let's Terastallize!" Nemona cried out as he pulled out her Tera Orb, wincing as a whirlwind of shining light erupted from it. The device was soon primed and Nemona hurled it, Terastallizing her Paldean Tauros In a shower of light and crystals, Tornado appeared with its balloon-themed Tera Crown atop its head. "The sky's the limit, as they say! Now get 'em! Zen Headbutt!

"Dragon Claw!" Cynthia barked, realizing that any Ground-type attacks were no longer effective. The dragon rushed forward as its scythes became wreathed in emerald flames, delivering two brutal strikes to Tornado's chest as the Paldean Tauros managed to ram a shining head into its chest. The Mega Garchomp leapt backwards, snarling in pain as Tornado spun around.

"Blizzard, but keep running right at him!" Nemona called as the Tauros bounded forward, quickly charging towards the Sinnoh Champion's ace Pokémon.

Cynthia's eyes widened at the sudden move and attempted to pivot. "Stone Edge!"

Garchomp roared and slammed its scythes into the ground, sending several jagged blue pillars of stone towards Tornado. Nemona's Partner was swift as the wind, leaping to the side and avoiding the four pillars before getting close enough to blast the Mach Pokémon with a close-up Blizzard, causing it to howl in agony as ice slowly crept across most of its body.

"A freeze…of all the rotten luck. Break out of it!" Cynthia commanded her dragon, who remained completely unresponsive. Nemona smirked as her Tauros cried out, wincing in pain from the brutal attack he had withstood earlier.

"Close Combat!" Nemona called as her bull glowed a harsh orange color and rammed the ice-covered dragon, sending the block of ice flying across the battlefield. As it struck the ground, the block exploded violently, revealing a battered Mega Garchomp that was glaring down Nemona and her Tauros with raw fury in its gaze.

"Only for one turn. Now this is what I'm talking about!" Nemona laughed quietly, her eyes gleaming with an almost manic joy at being able to let loose a little. However, as a skilled Trainer, she could sense Cynthia's annoyance and frustration at being on the backfoot. Nemona knew that this was not the kind of battle she was really looking for. The one that she craved…

She'd still have as much fun as she could with it.

"Poison Jab!" Cynthia barked as her Mega Garchomp's scythes glowed bright purple before the speedy dragon lunged forward, connecting directly with the Tauros and earning a loud cry of pain from the Wild Bull Pokémon. Cynthia could also see that a dark pall had spread over Tornado, meaning he had been poisoned. Cynthia's eyes flitted over to Nemona, who she was confused to see was smiling now broadly.

Nemona's thrust out a hand. "Now, use Outrage!"

Cynthia's heart sank as the Combat Breed Tauros snorted, his eyes shining bright red as a similar-colored glow enveloped Tornado's body. Cynthia called for her Mega Garchomp to get away, but his opponent was almost as quick as he was and would not be denied.

Tornado rammed his head into Garchomp's chest, sending him flying backwards and crashing down into a crumpled heap across the battlefield. A piercing light enveloped the Pokémon before fading away, revealing that Cynthia's Garchomp had reverted to its original state and had fainted. After several long seconds, the referee called the battle.

"Garchomp is unable to battle. The winner is Champion Nemona Valdez!" The referee called, throwing up a hand in Nemona's direction. The Champion-ranked Trainer did a fist-pump and jogged forward, hugging her Tauros and thanking him for his hard work. Meanwhile Cynthia was just staring at her ace Pokémon who had been beaten by a student. For the second time that day.

"That was great, Miss Cynthia! I think I've got the beginnings of a new strategy coming up now!" Nemona said as she walked over to the Sinnoh Champion and extended a hand towards her with a bright smile. Cynthia grinned back at Nemona and clasped the girl's hand, shaking it.

"I've never met someone with such a pure love for battling. You're incredible, Champion Nemona." Cynthia remarked, trying not to let her own fatigue show. Nemona was a brutal opponent, but a fun and intense one. The sound of light clapping filled the Battle Court, followed by a laugh. Both Champions were surprised, as they had been alone at the start of the battle, and glanced off to the side of the room where there was indeed a spectator. Sitting in the bleachers was a young man with messy brown hair, not much older than Nemona herself. He was wearing a Galar League Battle Uniform with an elegant red cloak with fur lining the outside of it resting over his back.

"It seems we had an audience." Cynthia remarked with a smile. "Victor, you could have said something before sneaking up on us."

The reigning Galar Champion hopped up from his seat and gave a broad grin to the two women as he walked over. "And mess with the intense vibes between you two? Fat chance. I'm of half a mind to ask Nemona for a battle now. That was fantastic!"

"Oooh! Do you wanna!?" Nemona practically squealed, only for a loud whistle to cut her off. The trio turned around and saw that there was a small group walking towards them, with the man at the front of the group lowering his hand and using it to run it through his light brown hair.

"Who let Nemona loose on the battle court?" Blue demanded with a joking grin. Nemona turned around and waved over at the legendary Trainer, including the silent form of Red walking alongside him with a blank expression. Standing with the two of them was a tall and powerfully built man with long purple hair dressed in a tasteful red suit. Holding his hand was an attractive red-haired woman wearing a strapless aquamarine dress.

"Leon! There ya are, mate!" Victor called to the former Champion and-now Chairman of the Galar League. "Sonia, you're supposed to help that big lug with directions, aren't you?"

"A woman can only do so much." Sonia deadpanned while Leon laughed sheepishly, blushing in embarrassment while the others chuckled. "So what did we miss?"

"Nemona defeated Cynthia in her rematch and finally used that Terastal thing against Cynthia's Garchomp. Pretty neat stuff." Victor recapped while Cynthia noticeably winced at the rather blunt description of what had been a very close battle between two high-caliber Trainers.

"Best battle I've had here was my rematch against Sun yesterday. I can safely say his Garchomp is definitely more terrifying than yours is, Cynthia." Blue said to the Champion, who looked offended.

"Excuse me?" Cynthia said with a pointed look at the former Champion, who just shrugged again.

"Your Garchomp basically made the species famous for how powerful and scary it is. However…Sun's Garchomp, Tetra, is roughly about the same power as yours except she beats the shit out of you while wearing the most adorable smile ever. You don't expect it, and that scares me more than your giant shark aptor dragon does."

Cynthia opened her mouth to retort, but then considered Blue's words and realized that he had a good point. What was even scarier was that the aforementioned Garchomp had managed to defeat her own more than once. And she wasn't even Sun's ace.

"I wouldn't mind a good battle myself." Leon said with an excited smile, causing Sonia to chuckle beside him. "We've got a few more days to be here, so maybe we can squeeze in a few more while Steven Stone and Lance argue about taxes or whatever they were going on about yesterday."

"Hopefully this doesn't sound rude, but I'm about ready to get back home to Paldea." Nemona said with a bright smile, drawing several surprised looks from the other Trainers.

"Now that's a surprise. Usually you're begging for these events to go on forever so you can battle everyone you can." Leon asked with a friendly grin, causing Nemona to laugh sheepishly.

"I'm just excited to get back to school and hunt for my Treasure." Nemona responded, rubbing the back of her head. "Plus, Milo's running through the Gym Circuit right now, and I'm really curious to see how his training is coming along."

"Milo?" Victor asked, tilting his head in confusion. Usually Nemona was very loose-lipped about her exploits back in Paldea, so the Champions usually heard about her antics at Naranja Academy. This name was new to him though.

Nemona nodded. "Yeah, he's my friend, neighbor and Rival back home. He just moved to Paldea from Galar actually. And Milo's just a nickname. His real name is Florian Caballero, but he doesn't like being called that so it's Milo instead."

"Florian…" Leon muttered quietly, looking towards the ceiling as an expression of concentration settled on his face. Why did that name sound familiar?

"A rival? To you!?" Cynthia nearly yelled out incredulously, but caught herself at the last moment and regained her composure. "I'm surprised any student would be able to stand up to your skill."

"Oh, he's still a rookie Trainer. He's only got one badge." Nemona clarified, earning several nods from the other Champions. "I've been giving him some tips and advice on battling, but he's already gotten really good in just a few months!"

"Coming from a Champion like you, that's high praise." Sonia said with a smile, seeing how genuinely happy Nemona was talking about her friend. She could tell the girl didn't really get to socialize much with others her age, even at school. "It sounds like he's pretty special to you."

"Milo's the best! He's smart, nice and always trying to look out for me. He's also, uh…really patient with my battle-mania. I can't wait to see where he goes from here!" Nemona's cheer seemed to spread to the other Champions, who smiled back at the excitable girl. She then turned to Leon and Victor. "He's a big fan of you both, actually. He's got signed posters in his room!"

"He's got good taste." Victor remarked with a smug smirk, earning a roll of the eyes from Sonia and a clap on the shoulder from Leon as the Galar League Chairman laughed.

"That's fantastic Nemona. I'm happy you made a good friend who understands you like that." Leon said to the girl, who nodded happily. "Those kinds of friends are precious."

"Here, here!" Sonia said brightly, causing them all to laugh as she showed off the large diamond engagement ring on her hand. After all, Leon had proposed to his lifelong friend earlier that week. The couple were now engaged after reconnecting almost a year ago.

"Nemona! We need you over here for a meeting!" called a voice that all of them recognized, with Nemona turning towards the source of the sound.

"Coming La Primera!" Nemona then turned back towards the Champions and looking at Cynthia. "I'll be back soon for our rematch, ma'am! I hope you're ready!"

Nemona practically skipped off, a smile of excitement and joy on her face while Cynthia noticeably sagged with exhaustion. Meanwhile Victor and Leon shared a brief glance of concern between the two of them. It seemed that they had both come to the same conclusion.

The Next Day…

Milo finally arrived in Artazon late in the evening and promptly booked himself a weeklong stay at the nicest inn he could find in the town. He promptly collapsed in bed and slept until late the next morning, and spent another two days relaxing in the hotel room and catching up on schoolwork. Unlike Arven, Milo actually cared about his education, even if there was a chance he'd be killed from the Nuzlocke Curse.

He also took that time to get to know his two newest captures. Victor the Venonat was extremely hyper and constantly bouncing around the room. Meanwhile Donut was extremely well-behaved for a freshly-caught Pokémon and listened to every word Milo said.

On Milo's fourth day in Artazon he finally left the hotel and took Koraidon for a few laps around the city, taking in the sights of the city. Artazon itself was a city that was built in the shape of a large circle, which meant that the world-famous windmill in the center of the town was always visible.

Known as Aliento Esmeralda, the windmill had been named after a famous knight who died defending it, Sir Vivar Rodrigo. According to Miss Raifort, the windmill had been named after one of the few battles in which Artazon had managed to drive off Hoenn pirates. The windmill had been originally designed by Vivar's lover, an architect who had perished within the bloody battle. One of the many that the town had endured over the centuries, since it had been sieged and pillaged multiple times in centuries past due to its proximity to Levincia Port and the coastline. It had even been set to the torch twice, having to be rebuilt from scratch.

And yet somehow the old windmill had always managed to survive, as if Vivar's spirit continued to safeguard the heart of the city.

Milo continued his trek through the city, marveling at how generally pretty the town looked. Flower beds were commonplace throughout the town as tasteful and beautifully designed houses lined the outsides of the town. It was a considerably larger town than Cortondo, and from what Milo had been told that this town was an artist's paradise, as evidenced by the dozens of intricately designed Sunflora statues that were scattered throughout the town.

Various parks lay within Artazon, further amplifying the green and welcoming aura that the town had as Milo and Koraidon rode through the streets. The teen even spotted what looked like a hedge maze, which he then proceeded to get lost in for an hour before finding the center. He promptly had Koraidon leap over the wall to escape, since he had no desire to get even more lost trying to find his way out.

A wooden bridge encircled half of the town by the maze, passing over several large ponds and by various sculptures that Milo couldn't discern the meaning of. Milo still could appreciate the skill and dedication for the pieces. Milo spotted the Gym Building next to an enormous swimming pool and a playground, but didn't go into the building himself. He'd save that for tomorrow after spending some more time in the town.

However, Milo hadn't gotten past thinking that thought when a very familiar voice spoke up from behind him. "Florian? What are you doing here?"

Milo whirled around in surprise and saw none other than his own mother standing a few yards away with a confused expression. Hannah Caballero regarded her son for a few moments in stunned shock as the family Skwovet, Conker, waved happily to Milo in greeting from her shoulder. The teen hopped down from Koraidon and approached his mother.

"Mum?" Milo remarked with a bewildered expression before getting pile-drived into a hug.

"Florian! It's so good to see you, honey!" Hannah Caballero cried out as she pulled away from her son, beaming at him. Milo smiled back at his mother and hugged her back. Despite the fact that he called her several times a week, Milo had to admit that seeing his mother in person again felt great.

"Good to see you too, Mum. But what are you doing here in Artazon?" Milo asked his mother, who shrugged her shoulders.

"I was invited to be a judge for some art exhibit by the Gym Leader of the town. It paid surprisingly well, so I figured why not?" Hannah admitted, causing him to smile back. His mother was always practical like that. "Plus I've got a friend in town who wants to catch up now that he's back in the region."

"Giaaas?" Hannah and Milo turned towards Koraidon, who had drawn closer and was sniffing the woman. Hannah remained still until Koraidon had finished smelling her and pulled away, barking loudly.

"Mum, this is Koraidon. I know you've seen it in video calls, but it's the Pokémon that Professor Sada asked me to look after." Milo explained before looking at Koraidon. "This is my mother, Koraidon. Say hi!"

Koraidon nodded before leaning forward and licking Hannah's face repeatedly, causing the woman to laugh as she was quickly covered in slobber. Milo dutifully pulled out a hand towel from his backpack for just such an occasion and handed it to her after his mother rubbed Koraidon's head affectionately.

"Well, aren't you just a big friendly fellow?" Hannah said with a warm smile as Koraidon hummed happily. "Please make sure to look after my boy, Koraidon. He's my world."

Koraidon nodded, seemingly understanding the request. Milo smiled at the lizard before looking to his mother, who was looking over him with a critical eye. "So, what brings you here sweetie?"

"I'm going to try and beat the Gym Leader here. I've got some more experience under my belt and I'm pretty sure I can win this one." Milo answered, with Hannah nodding in approval at the response.

"How about we grab some lunch and you can tell me all about your adventures? You definitely look a bit worse for wear." Hannah remarked, eyeing Milo's sunburned skin. Milo agreed and the two of them grabbed some Tropical Sandwiches at Every Wich Way, which delighted Koraidon. Milo told Hannah of how he had won the Pokémon's affection and loyalty by offering it the sandwich she had made for him on his first day of school.

Hannah promised Koraidon that she'd make the massive lizard more sandwiches in the future, earning her several happy licks from the draconic mount.

Milo and Hannah made their way by an enormous swimming pool, where families were walking by with their Pokémon. Several vendors were selling ice cream and snow cones as well. Milo bought several of each and called out his team, experimenting to see what they each liked. It went mostly well, except for Reggie nearly melting the icy treats the moment they got close to him. Milo eventually resorted to dumping them into the Crocalor's mouth.

Right after Milo disposed of their trash and Hannah was finished petting Donut the Fidough, Milo's Rotom Phone began to ring. He quickly checked it and saw that it was Juliana, and so he answered it and went to video call. Juliana grinned at her best friend from the screen.

"What's up, dork?" Milo said as Hannah leaned into the shot waved at the girl from behind Milo. Juliana gasped and waved excitedly back at her.

"Hi Mrs. Caballero!" Juliana called out, beaming at the woman who was basically a second mother to her. "How've you been?"

"Pretty good! Setting up a house and enjoying some much-needed peace and quiet. I was invited to attend an art event here. All-expenses paid." Hannah said with a smirk, causing Juliana to grin.

"Your networking skills are awesome. No wonder Milo's so popular at school, despite being a complete disaster." Juliana said with an impressed nod, causing Hannah to giggle.

"I'm right here you know."

Hannah rubbed Milo's head with a laugh. "So what have you been up to, dear? Besides keeping my baby out of trouble."

"What!? I'm keeping her crazy butt out of trouble!"

Juliana was happy to ignore Milo's protests. "I've been working on trying to get more involved with school stuff. I'm already part of Naranja Academy's Intermediate Level Band alongside Milo and do stuff for the Archery, Drama and Ecology Clubs. But I think I can get a spot on the Student Council in a few months if I keep working hard."

"I'm pretty sure Nemona could just get you a spot on your own." Milo pointed out, with Juliana shaking her head.

"She probably could, but I don't want to take advantage of her. Nemona's got other things to worry about, like the Pokémon League running her ragged. I think she's supposed to be back in the country tonight, actually." Juliana remarked before shrugging her shoulders. "Anyways, I asked Mr. Jacq about how I can help out. He suggested I volunteer to help organize the big school pep rally at the end of the month. Director Clavell has already put me in touch with some of the other folks organizing things too."

"Smart." Milo noted, putting a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "It's a great way to be seen and doing stuff at school. Especially since there'll be a League presence there and it's always good to impress the school's financial backers."

"Exactly! I can't be like you and suddenly make friends with a bunch of people by being an awkward dork! Networking takes effort!" Juliana declared dramatically while Milo and Hannah laughed. "So, how did you two end up meeting up? Milo would've mentioned something if he was going to see you in Artazon."

"She surprised me. I'm only here to get my next Gym Badge, since me and Arven were able to do the thing back on the previous route. I've got proof too." Milo said with a smirk as Juliana's mouth dropped.

"Holy sh…shizz." Juliana caught herself right as Hannah narrowed her eyes. The girl knew full well that Milo's mother hated profanity in any capacity and wouldn't hesitate to inform her parents about it. "That's seriously cool though, Milo. You'll have to tell me about it later. You enjoy your time with your mother. I only called to check in."

"Thanks for keeping tabs on my boy, Juliana. It was wonderful to hear from you again." Hannah said warmly to the girl, waving to her again. "I'll make sure to send some extra fudge in my next care package to Milo, just for you."

"You're the best! Thank you!" Juliana almost sobbed with delight while Milo coughed in his hand, badly disguising his laugh while Juliana flushed at her lack of decorum. Milo said goodbye to his best friend and hung up the phone.

"Sounds like she's doing well here." Hannah remarked, sighing with some relief. "I was worried about the move over here being too much for you two."

"It's everything we wanted and more." Milo responded, looking to his mother. "Which reminds me, Mum. If I'm able to do my Gym Battle tomorrow, will you be there to cheer me on?" Milo asked his mother, who gave him a warm smile and nodded eagerly.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Milagros. I can't wait to see you and your team kick some butt!" Hannah replied with a little fist pump. Conker mimicked her, doing a small chirp while Milo grinned with excitement. He was already looking forward to the battle.

Milo and Hannah toured the city for the remainder of the day, getting dinner together at a rather posh vineyard where Hannah was able to secure a private room due to her own artistic talents. This was also when Milo learned that in Artazon, well-known and influential artists were often given the VIP treatment.

Milo was able to allow his team and Koraidon out to enjoy the delicious food, with Milo being able to tell his mother all about his school days and the friends he was making. This conversation continued even as the mother and son walked back to the hotel Hannah was staying at, an upscale one that was much nicer than the inn Milo was residing in.

By the time Milo and Hannah had reached her room, he had just finished explaining some of his concerns regarding Arven and his suspicions that the older boy was hiding something. Hannah sat down on her bed, frowning as she considered the situation.

"Poor kid. I understand being dedicated to your work, but that's no excuse for Professor Sada to ignore her child like that." Hannah muttered darkly, sitting on her bed. Milo sat down in a nearby armchair, calling out Koraidon and sighing deeply.

"I talk to Professor Sada every other week or so and give her updates on Koraidon. I don't bring up Arven because it's none of my business, but I really want to. I can tell it bugs him, but I dunno…" Milo remarked, looking to his mother for advice. Hannah considered it for several moments before sighing with annoyance.

"I would leave it be for now. I know you hate it, but it's not your place to get into Arven's business. After all, you wouldn't like it if your friends started prying into your business." Hannah said pointedly to Milo, who flinched. "Have you talked with anyone besides Juliana about what happened back home?"

"No. And I don't plan on it." Milo answered shortly, crossing his arms while Hannah looked at him with clear disapproval.

"You're avoiding it then." Hannah responded coolly, causing Milo to flinch at the accusation.

"I'm not avoiding it. I just need time to process everything. With the move and school and everything else I haven't really had time to sit down and figure out my feelings." Milo responded without meeting his mother's eyes.

"Despite the fact that you've declined counseling or therapy. You really should look into your options at Naranja Academy, Milagros. The longer you wait to confront how this has all truly affected you, the harder it will be to overcome." Hannah said to her son with a somber smile. "I would know. I still go to therapy every Saturday in Levincia. Talking about things has helped me a lot, dear."

Milo froze at that, and truly considered his mother's words. After all, she was an adult and suffered just as much as he had. Perhaps even more, considering she had to deal with the fallout all alone. The teen suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he realized that she was right.

Even worse, he had kept Nuzlocke Curse a secret from his mother, and it was something he should have told her about months ago.

"Mum…I need to tell you something. About that day. The incident and everything that's happened since." Milo said quietly, with Hannah looking at her son with concern. After all, the two of them had just been having a conversation about Milo not discussing his problems. Now he was opening up all of a sudden?

"What do you mean, dear? Is everything okay?" Hannah asked worriedly. Milo shook his head and took a few moments to organize his thoughts, trying to figure out how he could come clean about the deal he had made.

"T-there's a reason why things happened the way they did afterwards. Why I'm still here. I made a deal with a monster to-" Milo began to say, opening his eyes…and seeing that his mother's eyes had gone completely white, with a strange glitching effect enveloping Hannah Caballero. Milo gasped and ran over to his mother, who was eerily still and not moving an inch. She wasn't even breathing.

Come on, kid. No one likes a blabbermouth.

"What have you done?!" Milo shouted as he leapt to his feet, whirling around the room furiously as Koraidon growled with concern beside him.

I have effectively paused your mother and erased the past twenty seconds of your conversation. When I end the effect, she'll be dazed and unable to remember that you were about to reveal a secret. One that you don't have the right to talk about.

"What!? Why did you do that!?" Milo demanded, looking around the room as an annoyed grunt echoed through his mind.

She'll live. I could have paused time within the room you were in, but that's not easy. Now then, what the hell are you doing?

"Telling my mother about the crazy deal I had to make with you? She deserves to know what I did…and what it might mean if I fail. What if her son suddenly drops dead someday? I'd never be able to forgive myself." Milo answered hotly, clenching his fists.

Hmm. Well, that sucks for you. One of the conditions of our deal is that you cannot tell anyone other than another Protagonist the terms of the deal. Consider informing anyone about it a breach of the contract, which will result in your death.

"Wait…are you saying I can't tell anyone that if I lose a Pokémon battle that I die?" Milo asked, his eyes widening in shock.

Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. I should've mentioned it before, but I was distracted with other matters. Whoops.

"I can't tell anyone about the Nuzlocke Curse. At all? I can't…why!?" Milo demanded of the Voice, who audibly growled with annoyance.

Do you have any idea what would happen if word got out that I'm active? There's enough issues without dealing with insane cults or would-be heroes. No, the fewer people who know I'm around and still influencing things the better.

"And you said that if I tell anyone, somehow, that I'll die. Just like I would if I lost in battle." Milo reiterated to the entity that was controlling his life. He completely failed at holding back his bitterness and anger at the force. "How does any of this shit work!? And why are you acting like this is all just some standard procedure?"

You think you're the first person I've made a deal with? Hardly. You're not even the first one I've dealt with ever since…well, recently anyway. Anyways, the last guy who made a deal with me managed to spill the beans on national television, but everyone assumed he was being sarcastic. After that fiasco I've made tweaks to my deals where you can't tell others about it. I'm somewhat surprised this hasn't come up before now and that this is the first time you've tried to tell someone about it.

"Who would believe me? I hate talking about what happened and only Juliana and Mum know about it. None of them would take me seriously if I told them what happened to me. It's impossible…" Milo muttered bitterly while the Voice scoffed with annoyance.

And yet here you stand, shackled to the constraints of our contract. You little fool. You're nothing special. You've yet to prove you can defy your fate.

"I'll win. I'll beat this stupid game and be free of it." Milo vowed as the Voice laughed in his face, causing white-hot fury to burn through him.

You're certainly free to think that. But nevertheless, you won't be spilling any of my secrets nor will you be divulging any details of our deal. I will actively prevent it. Should you do so anyways, you will die. And I won't be sorry to see you go.

"That's insane! How could you possibly enforce something like that?" Milo demanded, only to get a sigh of irritation in response. Milo felt the temperature of the room plummet drastically, and a shiver of fear rolled through him.

I suppose you've earned a demonstration.

Suddenly Milo's world shifted and he was facedown on the floor, feeling as if his throat was in a vice and his lungs were completely empty of air. It was as if a snake was wrapped around his body and strangling him. Milo's life flashed before his eyes, however the images were warped and distorted. Images of his life played in agonizingly slow detail, reminding him exactly how he ended up involved in a deadly game such as this.

Koraidon hissed in surprise and was able to take one step towards Milo before suddenly its entire body went rigid. The draconic mount struggled against the force holding it in place before its eyes rolled into the back of its head. Milo could do nothing but watch as his faithful companion collapsed and passed out. Milo tried to move towards it, but he was only able to writhe weakly on the ground as the life was throttled out of him. Eventually he was unable to do even that, and simply lay there on the carpet as his life trickled away, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Do not challenge me, boy…I will end your story and make it so you never EXISTED.

Milo continued to writhe on the floor for several long, torturous moments before the pressure faded and he collapsed onto the floor, gasping desperately as he filled his lungs with air. Milo could sense the amusement coming from the presence that was connected to him. After several long minutes Milo slowly picked himself up off of the ground and into a sitting position.

Now then, are you done being stupid or can we move on?

"I-is there anyone I can tell about the Curse?" Milo demanded as he rubbed his throat, even though there would be no marks or signs of injury. The teen coughed harshly several times before reaching over to Koraidon, who seemed to be just unconscious.

Technically yes. If you found one of the other Protagonists that I made a deal with, you could tell them anything you wanted. But none of them are in Paldea, so that sucks for you.

"So basically, I've got to find ways to not look like a total psycho while avoiding battles that aren't absolutely essential so the Nuzlocke Curse doesn't kill me. Wait, I battle Nemona all the time. Why have only two actually triggered the curse?" Milo asked the entity in his head, who actually laughed.

Do you want an honest answer? It's because that girl battles you so damn often that I had to alter the curse just so you didn't die the first week you were in school. It's only certain battles that count with her.

"Shoutout to Nemona being so hardcore that even an eldritch monster can't handle her." Milo thought with a smug smile, earning an annoyed growl within his mind. Milo pulled himself into an armchair and collapsed tiredly.

Don't sound so cocky, brat. She's the impressive one, not you. You've completed two of eighteen objectives and have a long way to go. The next time you mess up, I'm going to enjoy it.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Baron Von Evilsatan. Just go away while I figure out how I'm going to make any of this make sense. Since I can't actually explain that I'm under a curse and all." Milo thought before the world around him glitched again and his mother moved, putting a hand to her head.

"Ooh…my head." Hannah muttered, rubbing her temples. She looked up and saw her son sitting in an armchair and looking at her with concern. "I'm sorry, I must've had a dizzy spell or something. W-what were we talking about, dear?"

"We were talking about school stuff, but we can save that for another day if you don't feel well, Mum." Milo said worriedly, with Hannah nodding in response before wincing again.

"I think I'll go to bed early tonight. We can swing by the Gym Building tomorrow and get you your next badge." Hannah said tiredly, smiling at her son. Milo hugged his mother goodnight before returning Koraidon and leaving, carefully closing the door behind him. He remained standing where he was for several long moments, thinking about everything he had been through and what remained to be done. As well as the metaphorical sword dangling overhead. Milo quickly left the hotel and went towards the inn he was staying at, his thoughts troubled.

The teen walked around in Artazon, enjoying the salty sea air coming in from the coast as well as the beautiful lights that illuminated the town during the evening. Yet even as Milo neared his destination, he couldn't stop but wonder about the presence that had so much power and control over him. Enough to murder him with ease should he ever break any of the rules of the deadly game he was playing.

"What even are you? Why did you reach out to me? After all of this you owe me some answers." Milo asked inside of his head as he continued to walk through Artazon, looking forward to collapsing into his bed and sleeping off the day.

I have many names. The Broken One. The  Pokémon That Never Was. The Voice of Reality's Soul. That last one is even one I've imparted onto you, since intellectually you had to refer to me as something. Up until now, I've simply been known as the  Voice .

"Well yeah, because you're not just a voice. You're the Voice." Milo remarked, causing the presence to hum for a moment. Milo entered the inn and quickly returned to his room, collapsing into a desk chair and sighing with exhaustion.

My actual name, which would destabilize your reality if it were uttered, isn't something I really want bandied about. I do have a name I allow only my friends to call me, or those who have earned my respect. Neither of which apply to you, Florian Caballero.

"So what can I call you then?" Milo asked bitterly, leaning back in his chair and throwing his hat aside, closing his eyes. Silence was Milo's answer for a long while, and Milo was close to dozing off in the chair before he heard a very quiet response from the Voice.

You may call me…the Remnant. A fragment of what was and will never be.

Chapter Text

Milo spent the next day with his mother exploring Artazon and enjoying the family time together, with Milo's team being doted on by Hannah Caballero. They both had a chance to investigate the museum and attend an art show, where his mother acted as a judge for a sculpture exhibition. Back in Galar she had been a renowned artist, and Milo learned that in a place like Artazon, Hannah Caballero was treated like a world-class celebrity.

Milo lurked in the crowd and was unfortunately rather bored with the show, but applauded when necessary and did his best to support his mother as she evaluated the artist's hard work and offered commentary, praise and criticism. He did note that when Hannah had been introduced to the crowd of young artists, she had gotten a very loud applause.

The day after that, Hannah looked over Milo's team to make sure there weren't any issues that he had missed. When she was satisfied, Hannah and Milo then had a healthy but tasty lunch at a café along the way to the Gym. Hannah then insisted on trying to ride on Koraidon to the Gym Building. Milo shrugged his shoulders and Koraidon let out a joyful bark at the additional passenger onboard before speeding towards the Gym Building.

When Milo finally stopped the Sandwich Lizard, Hannah was looking distinctly green as she gingerly removed herself from the beast.

"Just…give me a minute. Oooh, getting that apple fritter was a mistake." Hannah grumbled as she took several breaths to steady herself. Koraidon made a soft whining sound, causing Hannah to turn around and wave her hands frantically.

"Oh no! Don't worry about it, Koraidon! I was the one who insisted you go fast!" Hannah said placatingly to the massive lizard as Milo patted Koraidon's side.

"You're fine, buddy. Just takes a while to get used to it." Milo reassured Koraidon, who bobbed its head before the teen recalled the Pokémon to his ball. Milo turned around and looked up at the Gym Building. Milo and Hannah walked inside, and as the doors shut behind him, Milo suddenly heard a voice shout his name.

"Vaya! Milo?!" Nemona practically squealed, walking over and grinning at her friend. Milo matched Nemona's smile while Mrs. Caballero watched as Nemona ran forward to hug Milo. Milo returned the embrace with some surprise, blushing a bright pink before separating from the girl and now aware that everyone (and his mother) was staring at them.

"It's so wild that we end up randomly visiting the same Gym at the same time - again!" Nemona said as she clasped her hands together, but there was something in her tone that made both Hannah and Milo both raise an eyebrow. Nemona's smile took a hit as she realized she wasn't making that sound convincing. "What a weird coincidence…"

"Uh huh…"

Why do I not believe her?

Milo winced internally at hearing the voice of the Remnant, especially after the terrifying conversation they had shared the other night. "On that, we agree."

"I swear I'm not just sneaking ahead of you so I can lie in wait and go, 'Oh wow, weird, might as well battle now that you're here!'" Nemona protested as Milo crossed his arms, smirking at the upperclassman.

"Nemona, if you want to battle you can just ask." Milo said as his mother giggled behind him. Nemona's eyes lit up with joy, and for a moment it seemed like she was going to take her friend up on that, but with visible effort Nemona shook her head.

"No, seriously! Look, to prove it, I won't even challenge you to a battle this time!" Nemona declared before glancing away and muttering in an undertone. "Much as I'd like too…"

"What was that?" Milo asked teasingly, causing Nemona to stiffen in surprise.

"I mean, uh…But look at you and your Pokémon! They've definitely gotten stronger since last time!" Nemona said with her winning-smile, nodding in approval. "Add these to the mix, and you'll be 100 percent set to go, no problem!"

Nemona handed over three Ethers before she did a small fist pump. It was then that the Champion recognized the woman standing beside Milo and exclaimed. "Mrs. Caballero! What're you doing here?"

"Oh, this and that. Right now I'm doing the same thing as you, Nemona. Cheering on my Milo and watching him take the Gym Circuit by storm." Hannah answered with a warm smile. "How have you been?"

"Great! The big League conference went well and La Primera even secured some extra funding for the school. We get to hold the big Winter Solstice party next year too since BB Academy got to do it last year. It should be great!" Nemona said brightly before she seemed to realize the conversation had gotten off-topic. With that, she turned back to Milo.

"I'll be cheering for ya! I'll go train like, maybe 20 Pokémon or so while you tackle the Gym!" Nemona proclaimed before sprinting from the Gym, with the doors shutting behind the Champion-ranked Trainer. Milo and Hannah laughed at the girl's speed to escape, with Milo shaking his head and pulling out his Rotom Phone. He quickly texted out a message and sent it.

"I asked her to try and catch my battle whenever I actually battle the Gym Leader." Milo explained as he tucked his Rotom Phone away. He then caught the mischievous look on his mother's face and his blood ran cold.

"Do you like her, Milagro?" Hannah asked with a knowing grin. Milo blushed bright pink, but offered a shrug in response.

"Not sure why you're asking. I'm not great at hiding that kind of thing so it should be obvious. Nemona's been really good to me. Definitely a friend I'm glad to have, even if she can be a bit excitable sometimes." Milo said in a way that he hoped would deflect his mother's attention from his crush on Nemona.

"She seems lonely." Hannah commented, causing Milo to look at his mother in surprise. But then after a moment, he remembered just how good his mother was at reading people. As good as Milo's mask was, he was never able to fool his mother.

"I think a lot of people don't give her a chance. She's so strong and successful, but as far as friends go, I don't think she has very many. Juliana noticed it too." Milo commented as Hannah looked at her child. Milo then quietly explained his suspicions about Nemona's social life and what Juliana had said about the school rumor mill. Hannah looked troubled, biting her lip as she considered it.

"She's such a sweetheart though. It's obvious that girl really cares about you." Hannah said with a sad smile before closing her eyes. "I wonder if she even realizes that she…"

"That she…?" Milo asked his mother, who opened her eyes again and waved a hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it. Get your Gym Trial out of the way and let's see you kick some butt." Hannah said bracingly to her child, who looked at her doubtfully before shrugging his shoulders and walking to the front desk.

"Welcome to the Artazon Gym!" the Gym Receptionist, a cheery blonde-haired woman, greeted Milo with a smile. "Let me register you as a challenger. Your name is Florian Caballero, yes? Your Trainer ID identifies you by the nickname Milo?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Great! Now, in order to face Gym Leader Brassius, you'll first need to pass the Gym Test." The Gym Receptionist said to Milo, grinning at the student. "Here at Artazon Gym, that means completing a game of Sunflora Hide-and-Seek!"

Milo looked confused, so the receptionist explained further. "As you may know, Artazon is a city of artists with a rich history. The artwork made by the people is largely inspired by nature and the sun that nurtures it. Since Sunflora embody these concepts, we try to gather them and take good care of them!"

Hannah Caballero smiled as she watched her son nod in understanding, listening with rapt attention as the Gym Receptionist continued. "Your job today is to find the Sunflora located throughout Artazon. Remember - these Pokémon look like sun-shaped flowers!"

"Gather up ten of them and bring them to the Sunflora Lawn, and you pass the test. I'll register the Sunflora's Lawn location in your map app to get you started." The Gym Reception said as she sent the data to Milo's Rotom Phone. "When you leave the Gym, turn right and you'll see two large Sunflora statues - head for those! Once you're at the lawn's entrance, the staffer there will tell you more about the Gym Test. Now get out there and have fun!"

Milo nodded and turned towards his mother, who was still smiling. The two of them walked outside, and that was when Hannah spoke again. "I'll let you do your Gym Test and just head over to the battlefield where you'll be battling Brassius early. Maybe see if I can get a good seat."

"I'll try to keep it quick then." Milo said as he called out Koraidon and hopped atop the mount. "Alright Koraidon, let's go on a hunt!"

Hannah watched with a fond smile as her child charged towards the nearby lawn before turning around and heading towards the large windmill in the center of the town.

Meanwhile, Milo and Koraidon quickly reached the Sunflora Lawn and were greeted by another Gym Receptionist. "Hi there! I look after the Artazon Gym's Sunflora. I hope you're ready, challenger. It's time for a game of Sunflora Hide-and-Seek! I'll go ask the Sunflora to spread themselves out around town!"

Milo then yelped as a chorus of shrieks erupted from the Lawn and ten Sunflora sprinted off into the city, without so much as a command from the Gym Receptionist, who just shrugged her shoulders. "Sounds like the Sunflora are ready for you! With that, your Gym Test has begun! Once you've found ten Sunflora, please bring them back here to the Sunflora Lawn."

"That's all from me, now! Good luck out there!" The Gym Receptionist waved to Milo, who nodded and turned Koraidon around so he could consider a plan of attack. In the end, he decided a quick lap around town would be best.

He was surprised when he spotted one just outside the Gym Building, sitting in a series of hoops that were on the ground. Milo approached the flower Pokémon and it hopped to its feet, crying out happily before joining his crew.

Milo then went around the building and began glancing around, seeing if there was any more of the Sunflora out in the open. After a few moments, he spotted a Sunflora napping in an empty pot located in the shade directly behind the Gym Building. It took several minutes of prodding and Koraidon growling at the annoyed Sunflora before it would consent to join him.

The next Sunflora ended up being one that was beside the large community pool, staring forlornly at a vending machine. Milo hopped off of Koraidon and walked over to the flower Pokémon, who was pointing to a lemonade within the vending machine. Milo smiled and put some money in the machine, buying a lemonade for the Sunflora.

The happy Sunflora followed Milo from that point forward, joining the gaggle that he had acquired around and bringing his total to three.

To Milo's annoyance, the Sunflora started to get more and more difficult to track down as time went on. On top of that, they started to run away from Koraidon and Milo. Two more of the Sunflora were caught after being chased down by Koraidon, with the sixth involving a high-speed chase through a playground that required Milo to use Storm and Victor to corral the renegade Sunflora back towards Milo's horde of living flowers.

"For the love of everything, just follow me!" Milo called to the Sunflora as he continued his trek through the town, with the Sunflora constantly stopping or getting caught looking at things instead of following him. "It's like getting Juliana to remember to get bounties before she goes on raiding with her other dorks online."

Things weren't improved by the cheering from some of the townsfolk, who recognized when a challenger to their Gym had arrived and was doing the Gym Test. Some laughed and pointed at Milo as he struggled to keep the Sunflora in line, which didn't do wonders for the boy's mood. He managed to keep focused on tracking down the seventh Sunflora, which was hiding behind a building.

"Move! Move, move, move, move, move!" Milo practically chanted as he sat backwards on Koraidon, calling out instructions to the gaggle of flowers wandering behind him as Storm chirped loudly overhead and Victor cried out angrily to the horde from beside Milo.

"This is like dealing with a flock of braindead Wooloo. Except at least they're cute!" Milo growled internally as he hopped off Koraidon and had to use his Venonat and Wattrel to get the Sunflora back on the main path.

Things came to a head when the eighth Sunflora, which was hiding in the flowers at the entrance to the town, decided that it didn't want to cooperate and join the crew. Instead it glared at Milo and braced itself for a fight. The teen gasped as the Nuzlocke Curse took effect, causing him to realize this was indeed a battle. Milo chuckled darkly as he pulled out a Poké Ball, ready to battle.

"Cocoa, get 'em!" Milo called as he sent out his Paldean Wooper, causing Victor the Venonat to bounce up and down with excitement. Milo smiled at the little bug cheering on the Wooper, who had landed on the ground and was staring down the rogue Sunflora. All of the other living-flowers that Milo had wrangled up to this point were loudly cheering for their counterpart as it sent a wave of Leech Seed at Cocoa.

The Wooper simply ducked to avoid it and on Milo's command, lashed out with a Poison Tail that sent Sunflora flying backwards with a pained squeal. The Sunflora attempted to use Ingrain to regain its health, but Milo showed no mercy and had Cocoa hit it again with Poison Tail. The Wooper was equally ruthless, making sure to slap Sunflora multiple times for good measure while making direct eye contact with the other Sunflora.

Cocoa's goofy smile remained on her face the entire time.

"Now that I've got that out of my system, let's continue the test, shall we?" Milo proclaimed with a smug grin as he returned Cocoa, with Koraidon nodding in agreement while the seven Sunflora standing nearby stared on in abject horror. Koraidon then snarled something to the Sunflora, who quickly began to follow behind Milo as he continued his hunt through the city. The group of Pokémon seemed a lot more compliant now, especially while carrying their unconscious counterpart around.

Finding the last two Sunflora went fairly smoothly after that, with Milo being able to track them down behind some of the buildings on the opposite end of town. Thankfully he didn't have to battle them, and he brought back the Sunflora to the lawn where he had first started.

As Milo reached the Sunflora Lawn, all ten of the Sunflora raced past him and back into the enclosure. The Gym Receptionist smiled and nodded with approval. "Well done finding all of these Sunflora! You pass the Gym Test with flying colors. Now, please head back to the lobby at the Artazon Gym to report your result."

Milo sighed with relief and returned both Victor and Storm before Koraidon ambled over to the front of the Gym Building. Milo walked in through the front of the building, sighing with relief at the air-conditioning it provided.

"It seems you successfully gathered ten Sunflora and brought them over to the Sunflora Lawn." The Gym Receptionist said with a pleased smile as Milo gave her a thumbs up. "That means you've cleared the Gym Test! Congratulations!"

"Are the Sunflora always so…rambunctious?" Milo asked, causing the woman to smirk.

" All the good-natured Sunflora typically get used for shows and marketing purposes. The ones involved in the Gym Test are the most rambunctious ones that the city has around. We tell the Sunflora to give Trainers as difficult a time as possible during their tests too."

"Why would you do such a terrible thing?" Milo demanded as the Gym Receptionist snickered.

"We've got to get our kicks somehow." Was the woman's reply, causing Milo to sag his shoulders further. "You've now earned the right to challenge the Gym Leader. Best of luck!"

"When's the earliest I can battle him?" Milo asked, causing the receptionist to check a small datapad.

"We do have an opening in the next half hour for Gym Leader Brassius to battle you. Are you ready to challenge Gym Leader Brassius, the Verdant Virtuoso?" The Gym Receptionist asked Milo, who nodded. "Very well. Allow me to show you to the battle court."

And so began to trek to the battle court. Milo made sure to use an Ether on Cocoa along the way, since none of his Pokémon had actually taken damage. Soon enough he was being walked up the stairs to the battlefield where Milo would do battle with the Gym Leader, right beside the famous windmill of Artazon, the Aliento Esmeralda.

Milo felt a wave of excitement as he glanced over at the crowd that had gathered for the Gym Battle. He spotted Nemona and Hannah Caballero standing near the middle of the battlefield, both smiling and cheering for him as he walked onto the battle court. Milo blushed with embarrassment and waved back at them, as well as at the camera that was set up to record the battle (to be uploaded later online).

Milo also spotted the band that would be playing during the fight and made sure to wave over at them as well. As a fellow musician, he felt inclined to thank them for their role in making the battle memorable as well.

The boy was snapped out of his thoughts by a loud shout from somewhere above him. "Greetings, challenger!"

Milo looked up and his jaw dropped. Standing atop one of the windmill blades (which had conveniently stopped moving as well) as a tall man with messy green hair. He had a gaunt expression with cold gray eyes, wearing a strange maroon and light green coat and black slacks. Attached to his belt were three Poké Balls and a strange coiled-up whip.

"Hmph!" the man grunted before suddenly leaping off of the windmill. This caused onlookers to scream, though several pulled out their phones to record the man as he plummeted to the ground. The man did a front flip through the air before perfectly sticking the landing on the battle court in a crouch. The man slowly rose to his feet before turning to a stunned Milo, nodding to the boy before turning towards the windmill and making a sharp gesture with his hands. Within moments, the windmill was spinning once more.

"You did well to come this far!" The man declared as he looked back to Milo and crossed his arms. "I am Brassius - an artist specializing in Grass-type Pokémon. I am also the Gym Leader here at the Artazon Gym."

"That was probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen." Milo responded, still dazed from the Gym Leader's incredibly badass entrance. Brassius smirked at the compliment and bowed in Milo's direction before straightening up again.

"I was observing your Gym Test from atop the windmill, you know." Brassius admitted, stroking his chin. "The perception you displayed in finding Sunflora was truly…Oh, how shall I describe it?"

"Annoying as hell?" Milo thought ruefully as the artist considered a way to explain himself.

At least this time you weren't in danger of crapping your pants. Smoliv Garden doesn't have a branch in this town from what I've seen.

"True dat." Milo thought back before Brassius suddenly let out a shout that surprised the student.

"Yes! It was truly avant-garde!" Brassius declared with a delighted grin, looking extremely excited. He seemed to get ahold of himself and his dour frown returned. "I only pray that you might demonstrate that eye for beauty in our battle as well."

Brassius then threw aside his hands, an intense gleam leaping into his eyes. "Enough talk! We must begin creating our collaborative work of art!"

Milo nodded and hurried to his side of the battle court while Brassius strode over to his. The man did an about-face and called over to Milo. "I trust that you are ready? It is time for our masterpiece to take shape!"

"The Gym Battle between the Challenger, Florian 'Milo' Caballero of Naranja Academy and Artazon Gym Leader Brassius will now begin." the referee called to the two Trainers. Brassius and Milo grinned at one another from either side of the battle court. "The challenger is allowed to use up to six Pokémon. The Gym Leader will be using three for this Gym Battle. Substitutions for both Trainers are allowed. Trainers, are you ready?"

"Always!" Brassius declared confidently, much to the delight of the crowd.

"Yes." Milo answered, nodding at the referee.

"Kick some butt, baby! You've got this!" Hannah Caballero cheered, causing Milo to flush with embarrassment. He was smiling despite himself though, with even Brassius smiling at the scene before his expression became serious again.

"Let the battle begin!" the referee declared as the brass band suddenly began playing their tune, with the crowd letting out a loud cheer as the Gym Battle officially got underway. Brassius finally uncoiled the whip at his belt and swept it aside, revealing it to have a paintbrush-like tip. He snagged a Poké Ball from his belt with his other hand and hurled it forward, revealing a small green Pokémon.

"Art is creation and destruction! Struggle, else your defeat shall nourish my Pokémon!" Brassius declared with a sharp grin, pointing forward. "Petilil, show them our might!"

"Liiiil!" the small Pokémon cried out in reply. Milo smirked at the small Pokémon, wondering how something so adorable could be a threat. He knew better than that, though, and wondered what Brassius was up to.

It's showtime!

The Remnant's sudden declaration roared through Milo's mind as the boy winced in pain, with the Nuzlocke Curse taking effect. The boy struggled to breathe for a moment before he stabilized. Milo exhaled hard as his mask slipped into place, his face completely calm as he pulled out a Poké Ball. He briefly thought over the team he had brought with him.

Reggie, Storm, Cocoa, Donut, Victor and Fiona.

Crocalor, Wattrel, Wooper, Fidough, Venonat and Flittle.

"Let's roll the dice…Cocoa, let's go!" Milo shouted as he hurled the ball forward, sending out his Paldean Wooper in a flash of light. Cocoa beamed as she bobbed her head, with Brassius letting out a laugh of delight at the Pokémon. Milo quickly pulled out his phone to check the entry of Petilil.

"Petilil. The Bulb Pokémon. The leaves on its head grow right back even if they fall out. These bitter leaves refresh those who eat them." Milo nodded at the Pokédex entry, considering his options.

"Delightful! Let's start the show, Petilil! Sleep Power!" Brassius called as he snapped his fingers.

"Dodge it and use Toxic Spikes!" Milo called as Cocoa hopped to the side and easily dodged the move before opening her mouth. A purple sphere of energy quickly formed before she fired it skyward, where it exploded. Thin trails of purple smoke drifted downwards, enveloping the battlefield as Brassius grunted with annoyance.

"For the rest of the battle, whatever Pokémon that Brassius sends out will be poisoned thanks to Toxic Spikes. But I can set up a little better." Milo thought as he smiled inwardly, grateful for the Battle Studies lessons he had taken. Miss Dendra had explained in detail how potent setting up 'entry hazards' were and how to take advantage of them. Thankfully, Cocoa had a very useful one in the form of Toxic Spikes.

"How crude. But effective. I shall simply have to best you before the cruel poison of defeat creeps in. Sleep Powder, once more!" Brassius called as he snapped his fingers again. Petilil cried out angrily before launching another blast of light-blue powder at Cocoa, who hopped to the side again to dodge.

"Great work, Cocoa! Now use Toxic Spikes again!" Milo called as Cocoa fired another orb of poisonous energy into the air. It detonated, causing the purple smoke around the battlefield to darken in color, becoming a harsh shade of violet.

"Ah, what a lovely hue." Brassius remarked, shaking his head. "But not bad. Not bad at all. Setting up two layers of Toxic Spikes will badly poison my Pokémon instead of simply poisoning them."

"After how things went with Katy, I realized I needed to be a bit smarter with how I battle." Milo explained with a shrug as Brassius nodded in understanding.

"Hmph. Well then, let's try for a third time. Sleep Powder, Petilil, but get close!" Brassius commanded his Pokémon as she leapt forward, surprising Cocoa by launching a Sleep Powder at her from just a few feet away. Cocoa fell onto the ground, quietly snoring as the move finally connected.

"I knew I couldn't dodge that forever. Cocoa, return!" Milo said as he returned his Paldean Wooper, keeping her in reserve for later. She had done her job anyway.

"Victor, let's go!" Milo shouted as he sent out the excitable Venonat, who hopped up and down and let out a cry before turning to his Trainer. "Let's finish what Cocoa started, little buddy."

"Naaaat!" came Victor's happy reply before it spun around and faced Brassius and his Petilil. The Verdant Virtuoso nodded before pointing forward.

"Mega Drain! Let its life force sustain your own!" Brassius declared as Petilil's eyes glowed bright green before a beam of light shot outwards and struck Victor, causing the Venonat to glow bright red. When the beam had faded away, Petilil glowed white for a few moments before the light faded away.

"Counter with Bug Bite!" Milo ordered as Victor bounced forward, colliding with Petilil and sinking his glowing white fangs into the Petilil's head. The Bulb Pokémon let out a shriek of pain before throwing off the Venonat, who flipped into the air and landed nimbly onto the battlefield.

"Get him, Milo! Show us that Naranja Academy fighting spirit!" Nemona cheered as she did a fist-pump, causing Milo to smile as the crowd roared in agreement. Brassius smirked and snapped his fingers.

"Sleep Powder, once more!" Brassius called as Petilil let out a soft growl of anger and launched another blast of Sleep Powder. Victor surprised everyone but suddenly leaping high into the air and flipping over the attack to dodge it, with the excitable Venonat landing right in front of the now-scared Petilil.

"Bug Bite!" Milo called as the Venonat dove forward, biting the Petilil hard enough for it to collapse onto the ground and faint. Brassius returned his Petilil, pressing the ball against his head and whispering something to the fainted Pokémon within. He then clipped Petilil's ball to his belt and drew another Poké Ball, sending out a Pokémon Milo recognized immediately as a Smoliv.

The teen's stomach warbled in protest.

Upon appearing on the battlefield, Smoliv winced as the purple smoke suddenly enveloped Smoliv, and when it parted the small Pokémon was looking sickly, a purple hue creeping over its skin. Thanks to the two-layered Toxic Spikes, Smoliv had been badly poisoned the moment it entered the battlefield.

Milo pulled out his phone again, pulling up the entry for Smoliv in the Pokédex App. "Smoliv. The Olive Pokémon. It protects itself from enemies by emitting oil from the fruit on its head. This oil is bitter and astringent enough to make someone flinch."

"Out of curiosity, do you like Smoilv Garden?" Milo asked the Brassius as he stowed his phone in his back pocket. The artist just shrugged in response.

"I enjoy the breadsticks and alfredo sauce quite a bit, but the food always leaves me with a terrible stomachache. We don't have a branch here in Artazon because they refuse to design a building with a halfway appealing aesthetic." Brassius admitted, causing Milo to nod in understanding. "Now then, Smoliv,, use Tackle!"

"Bug Bite!" Milo countered as the two Pokémon rushed at one another. Smoliv rammed hard into Victor, who managed to sink his teeth into the Olive Pokémon and elicit a pained shriek from it. The Smoliv managed to throw off Victor and tried to put some distance between itself and the Venonat, but stopped when a wave of pain from the poison flowing through it struck the Olive Pokémon.

"Struggle Bug!" the student commanded as Victor let out a loud cry and a red aura enveloped him. It suddenly burst outwards and struck Smoliv, sending her flying backwards towards Brassius and land hard onto the battlefield. The Smoliv tried to rise for a moment, only to go limp a few moments later. The crowd cheered in approval, and Milo glanced towards where Nemona and his mother were standing. He suddenly blushed in embarrassment despite his mask being in place.

Hannah Caballero had apparently made a large sign decorated with bright orange colors, adorned with the symbol of Naranja Academy. Written in large words in stunning calligraphy were the words "GO MILO!"

Meanwhile, Nemona had somehow acquired a foam finger and was waving it wildly beside his mother, wearing a bright smile that made the teen's heart skip a beat. The girl did another fist pump and let out a shout. "Get 'em, Milo! You can do it!"

Milo adjusted his hat with a sheepish smile, with the crowd cheering at the boy's humility. Meanwhile the Remnant chuckled with amusement within the boy's mind. Thankfully, Brassius was able to distract Milo from his supporters when he barked out a laugh, returning the teen's focus to the battle.

"This has promise! Yes! Let us lead this artistic endeavor to its conclusion at once!" Brassius practically cackled, grinning with delight as he returned his Smoliv and pressed the Poké Ball to his head, whispering something to the Pokémon within before clipping it to his belt.

He unclipped his last and final Poké Ball and regarded it with a strange fervor. "Salvador, lend me your strength!"

Brassius tossed the Poké Ball forward and sent out a strange tree-like Pokémon that Milo remembered seeing on a TV program once. It turned to the crowd and bowed to them, much like Brassius had, earning a round of cheers. While it did this, the Toxic Spikes struck, badly poisoning the new arrival and causing him to groan quietly. Meanwhile, Milo had pulled out his Rotom Phone for a third and final time to check the Pokédex entry.

"Sudowoodo. The Imitation Pokémon and the final evolved form of Bonsly. Although it always pretends to be a tree, its composition appears more similar to rock than to vegetation." Milo hummed as he considered that, as well as the fact that the Grass-type specialist had sent out a Rock-type Pokémon.

"Wait a sec, Katy pulled something weird like that too. Her ace was a Teddiursa, a Normal-type, despite her being a Bug-type specialist." Milo muttered as he considered the situation. "And then she Terastallized her Pokémon into a Bug-type. Is he going to-"

"Allow me to touch up this work slightly! I will call it…Truleewoodo!" Brassius called as he pulled out a Tera Orb, confirming Milo's suspicions before he could even finish the sentence.

The device began to suck in light with a whirling gust, with Brassius smirking as the wind brushed through his hair and caused his arm to jerk back slightly. With a flash of light, the Tera Orb was primed and the Verdant Virtuoso hurled the orb forward, showering Salvador the Sudowoodo in Terastal Energy.

The Imitation Pokémon was engulfed in crystal for several moments before the gem exploded, revealing the gleaming Sudowoodo with a large flower-like Tera Crown atop his head. Salvador the Sudowoodo snapped to attention and offered Milo and Victor a salute before adopting a battle stance.

"That Sudowoodo is a Grass-type now, which means I've got an advantage against it." Milo remarked, considering the situation. "But…Victor's weak against Rock-types. Even if that Sudowoodo isn't a Rock-type anymore, it's got to have Rock-type moves. And those'll deal a ton of damage."

"Come now, my young friend! You were so eager to attack, attack, attack!" Brassius called to Milo, who ignored the Gym Leader and instead allowed a smile to slip past his mask. Instead of ordering Victor to do anything, he instead pulled out his own Tera Orb.

"Victor! Let's show them what we're made of! Terastallize!" Milo called as he held up his Tera Orb, summoning a whirlwind of light into the device before it flashed to show that it was primed for use.

Milo hurled the ball forth and it exploded over Victor, Terastallizing him into a new form. When the crystals that had enveloped the Venonat exploded, he was now wearing a lightbulb-shaped Tera Crown. His body was now coated in crystals while electricity crackled alongside him. Brassius seemed genuinely taken aback by this development while Milo's mask slipped back firmly into place.

"Ooh! Now that's something I wasn't expecting!" Nemona gasped, clasping her hands together and looking at Milo and Victor with a proud grin. "Look at you go, Milo."

"Hasn't he done that Terastallization thing several times now? Why's this one so interesting?" Hannah asked the Champion, who chuckled and looked to her friend's mother so she could explain.

"So, a lot of Pokémon innately have Tera Types that match whatever their own typing is. Like how Milo's Crocalor has a Fire Tera Type and is a Fire-type regularly." Nemona explained before gesturing to Victor. "Milo's Venonat was caught in a Tera Den, and most of the time Pokémon found in them have different Tera Types than you'd expect."

"Okay, I'm following so far." Hannah said with a nod, and Nemona continued.

"Milo's taking advantage of that. Most Trainers use Terastallization offensively, giving themselves a big attack boost and doing nothing more with it." Nemona explained, beaming at Hannah before looking excitedly back to her friend and bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. "Milo's using his Terastallization defensively, protecting his Venonat from any Rock-type moves that Brassius' Sudowoodo will no-doubt be using on a Bug-type Pokémon. It's an advanced strategy that I didn't even start using until after my sixth badge. Milo's doing this in his second Gym Battle! And that's super impressive!"

Hannah considered the implications of that, and the fact that Nemona seemed so genuinely impressed and proud of her child. Hannah smiled over at her boy and crossed her arms, waiting to see what her Milagro would do next.

"Very interesting, my young friend! So now, both of our Pokémon shine bright with the beauty they hold within! Now it's simply a matter of which of our Pokémon can shine brightest with the power we have given them." Brassius said as he flashed a grin as Milo, who allowed the mask to lapse so he could grin right back at the Gym Leader.

Despite the deadly game, Milo was really enjoying the battle. Cocoa had set him up well and Victor was doing great in the battle. Milo knew he had to remain focused, though, because all it took was a single mistake for the tides to turn.

"Victor, hit 'em with a Bug Bite!" Milo called as his Tera Venonat cried out, launching himself forward and slamming into Salvador, biting down hard on the Tera Sudowoodo. This caused Salvador to let out a high-pitched scream of pain as he flailed violently, attempting to dislodge the bug that had sunk his teeth into his chest.

Finally Salvador smacked off Victor, following up with a Rock Throw that sent the Insect Pokémon flying across the battlefield. Victor flipped in midair and landed on his feet, panting hard from the damage the move had dealt to him. Salvador's body then trembled as the poison damage struck, weakening him further.

Milo nodded slowly, realizing that his strategy had paid off. He sacrificed being able to do extra damage at the cost of removing Victor's weakness to Rock-type attacks from play. If Milo hadn't done that, he knew Victor likely would've been KO'd instantly.

"Bug Bite once more!" Milo cried out as Victor bounced forward, springing at Salvador and chomping down hard onto the face of the Tera Sudowoodo, a faint flash of light erupting from the hit. The Imitation Pokémon panicked, letting out a shriek of fear and pain as it began to run around in circles. Finally, after it began to stop-drop-and roll, Victor released the Sudowoodo. Salvador scrambled away, glaring angrily at the little bug that had menaced it. Salvador then grimaced as poison damage struck again, causing the fake tree Pokémon to sway on its feet.

"Tch, a critical hit. My friend, you are looking worse for wear. Are you alright?" Brassius politely asked Salvador as the Sudowoodo hunched over, panting hard and trying to remain standing. It promptly snapped to attention and delivered a salute to his Trainer, who nodded with a smile of gratitude. "If you're sure. If you refuse to give in, then I shall do the same!"

"Just a little more, Victor! You're doing great!" Milo called to his Venonat, who looked back at his Trainer with a happy chitter before turning back towards the battlefield.

"At times, art becomes a race against the clock. Let us increase the pace!" Brassius called with a wild laugh, thrusting a hand forward as his Sudowoodo suddenly gave them a smug smile. "Unleash your true might with Trailblaze!"

Salvador the Sudowoodo let out a cry as its Tera Crown pulsed with energy, releasing a blast of force outward as the Pokémon's body glowed a harsh green color. Milo's eyes widened in shock as the Sudowoodo suddenly sprinted towards Victor, frantically zigzagging directions before suddenly rocketing forward and slamming into the Venonat with the force of a truck.

With a pained screech the Victor went hurtling backwards, bouncing off of the battle court and rolling to a stop in front of Milo. The teen saw the Pokémon stir slightly, looking towards him for a moment…before fainting. Milo felt a cold chill roll down his spine as he realized he had just lost another Pokémon.

Hahahaha! And that's another one down!

"I thought I could win this without taking a single loss. I did everything right, didn't I?!" Milo internally shouted at himself, his face maintaining an expression of calm as he struggled to deal with the fact that he had now lost a third Pokémon.

In your defense, you had a great strategy set up. But sometimes you just come up short, kid. Now pick yourself up and finish this!

"Victor…" Milo whispered as he slowly raised the Venonat's Poké Ball, returning his fallen Pokémon while the Remnant chuckled with twisted delight at the fate of the defeated Pokémon. Milo looked down at the ball for several long moments. "Thank you for your hard work. You did great, little guy. I won't forget this."

Milo clipped the now-unusable Poké Ball to his belt and pulled out another, a wave of anger rolling through him as he considered how best to finish off the Sudowoodo. In the end, he opted for pure power to end this fight decisively.

"Reggie! Let's take this sucker down!" Milo shouted he sent out his trusty Crocalor in a flash light. The Fire Croc Pokémon let out a loud growl as Salvador the Sudowoodo stood its ground. Milo internally growled, seeing how badly weakened the Sudowoodo was. It was likely a single hit away from fainting. "Let avenge Victor and burn them away!"

Brassius thrust out a hand and called to his Terastallized ace. "Banish it with a Rock Throw!"

"Incinerate!" Milo called out as Reggie braced himself and let loose a harsh blast of flames that struck the boulder as it flew towards the Crocalor. The blast was enough to divert the rock so that it missed Reggie completely, with the attack continuing forward and hitting Salvador directly in the chest. The Sudowoodo flew backwards and crashed down onto the ground, with his Tera Crown exploding into a shower of light and crystals. Salvador groaned weakly from the ground, swirls in his eyes as he fainted.

Milo sighed with relief as Brassius returned his defeated Pokémon, with the Gym Leader's face adopting an expression of bewildered anger as he ran his fingers frantically through his hair. Milo let out a sigh of relief as the Nuzlocke Curse released him from its clutches, at least for now. The band finished their tune on a triumphant note while the crowd cheered for both Trainers.

"Avant-garde!" Brassius declared before suddenly shaking his head, regaining his composure and calming down. He stared at Milo and Reggie before smirking, and then soon that smirk became a grin of joy. The Gym Leader of Artazon walked towards his challenger, who met him in the center of the battle court.

"Oh! What artistic tactics you employ!" Brassius practically gushed, gesturing with his hands excitedly. "The patterns of your moves! The minute details of your Pokémon's performance! Everything you did was honed to perfection! Our battle was, in a word, art! Indeed, if we could not call that a work of artistry, then nothing else in this world could be labeled as such!"

"Umm…thanks?" Milo managed to respond, not sure how else to take the verbal onslaught that Brassius was unleashing upon him.

"If I were to judge your work, I would say it passes my inspection. Yes - a pass without exception!" Brassius declared to the crowd, who roared with approval after such a spectacle. Milo blushed somewhat as he heard Nemona scream out his name while Hannah Caballero whooped loudly over the crowd.

"As proof of your artistic prowess, you may have my Gym Badge! Shall we take a photo as well?" Brassius offered Milo, who blinked in surprise at the offer but happily took it. He always enjoyed getting fun selfies.

Milo and Brassius ended up getting a selfie of them posing with the windmill of Artazon, the Aliento Esmeralda, prominently rising behind them in the background.

"If you possess two Gym Badges, then it will be easier to catch Pokémon of up to Level 30, and those Pokémon should follow your commands as well!" Brassius explained as he handed Milo the Grass Badge, a symbol of his victory over the Gym Leader of Artazon. "To a fantastic Trainer such as yourself, I would like to offer this - a favorite of mine!"

Brassius handed over TM020 Trailblaze, which Milo accepted with a smile and a thanks. Brassius suddenly let out a chuckle, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Ah! My inspiration is overflowing, as if drawn from a bottomless well! Please make your way back to the Gym Building to have everything officially documented."

"Thanks for everything, Brassius. Hope your new art thing goes well." Milo said amiably to the Gym Leader, extending a hand to the man. Brassius shook Milo hand enthusiastically before stepping back, his smile vanishing as a determined frown bloomed across his face.

"I will begin on a new piece at once! You must excuse me. Farewell!" Brassius said before striding off in the other direction and departing the battle court. Milo watched the Gym Leader depart, but then his thoughts turned inward.

"Victor's gone now…I can never use him again, despite how hard he worked. Damn it!" Milo screamed mentally while maintaining an expression of absolute calm. He returned Reggie, but saw that the Crocalor had been looking at him with concern in his eyes.

And then suddenly Nemona!

"Milo! You were so good!" Nemona tackled Milo and pulled him into a tight hug. Unfortunately for Milo, there were still plenty of people around to witness Nemona's public display of affection before she released her friend with an excited grin.

"I…you…thanks Nemona." Milo said with a dazed smile, bewildered and blushing furiously. Hannah soon joined them, smiling at the two teenagers while trying to hold back her laughter.

"Dear, you did wonderfully." Hannah said to her son, hugging him as well. She broke away a moment later and put a hand to her chin. "It was pretty exciting. Not quite as loud as the battles with Kabu back in Motostoke, but still really fun."

"I agree. But I kinda like it like this. It feels more…personal?" Milo said with a smile, shrugging his shoulders. "I do need to head back to the Gym Building though."

"How about you run ahead and we'll grab some lunch along the way? We can have a nice picnic by that big pool behind the Gym Building." Hannah said to Milo, earning a nod from her child. Soon Milo was riding on Koraidon back to the building in question, his thoughts in turmoil.

"I did the best I could and it wasn't enough." Milo sighed, shaking his head. "I just have to try and do better. That's all I can do."

That's just about the smartest thing you've ever said.

"Quiet you." Milo muttered as he walked back into the delightfully air-conditioned building and officially registered his new Grass Badge onto his Trainer Profile. Milo thanked the woman for her help and admired his badge with a bittersweet smile. He was happy about taking down another Gym Leader and being a step closer to escaping the Nuzlocke Curse. But at the same time, he had lost another Pokémon, and he'd never be able to use Victor the Venonat again.

"Pardon me. Would you be the Milo I've been hearing so much about?" a man suddenly spoke out from behind him. The accent was foreign to Milo's ears, which caught his attention.

Milo turned around in surprise at who would've been asking for him, only to see a man with long blond hair standing behind him wearing a green coat and blue jeans. He wore a short cape behind himself and had intense amber-colored eyes. Milo stared at the man for a moment, surprised, before eventually nodding.

"Yes sir. I'm Florian Caballero, but I go by Milo." Milo said as the man smiled at the boy's politeness.

"Nemona had mentioned there was a promising new face in the academy - yes, indeed." The man almost muttered the last part to himself before realizing how strange all of this sounded. "Oh, but I do apologize. I didn't mean to startle you by addressing you so suddenly."

"It's not the worst way I've been greeted. What can I do for you? My mother and Nemona herself are waiting for me outside." Milo remarked, earning a nod from the man.

"My name is Hassel Skulblaka. I'm one of the Elite Four of the Paldean Pokémon League." The man introduced himself, extending a hand to Milo. The bewildered teen shook it, with the man smiling at the younger Trainer. "I also teach art classes at the Academy. I was forced to take a short sabbatical due to health concerns, which is why this is the first time we are meeting. Between that and my duties in the League, I have had little time to be at Naranja Academy this year."

"That makes sense. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Milo said with a smile, earning a nod from the mysterious Hassel. His eyes seemed to regard Milo in a calculating manner, as if trying to look into the boy's soul.

"So, do tell me, young Milo: What compels you to collect these Gym Badges and strive to be a Champion?" Hassle asked the boy, who considered it. He had several reasons to continue down the road he walked. The Nuzlocke Curse, his own desire to get stronger, because Nemona asked him to, the fun of it all. But most of all…

"I want to find my treasure." Milo finally decided, nodding at the teacher. "I think going down this path will help me find what I'm looking for here in Paldea. I've always wanted to come here and be at Naranja Academy, ever since I heard about it. Maybe I'll figure out some other stuff along the way."

"Asked and answered. Thank you." Hassel said with a nod, smiling at the student before shaking his head. "Naturally there is no single correct answer. All paths lead to the Great Crater of Paldea, as they say."

"Do they? Isn't it against school rules to enter the Great Crater?" Milo asked Hassel, who nodded sagely.

"Indeed. More than that, it's considered illegal. That and Area Zero are forbidden places. Only La Primera and Professor Paulina Sada are allowed to even access that area." Hassel confirmed, crossing his arms. "Even Elite Four members like myself know very little about that accursed site. The tales of careless adventurers and foolhardy students who ventured within, only to never return, are numerous."

"I wonder how someone like Nemona would handle it. She's insanely tough." Milo wondered aloud, causing Hassel to smile.

"You know, your friend Nemona is the youngest to achieve Champion Rank in all of Paldean history…it is entirely possible that such great potential lies within you as well." Hassel said warmly, earning a smile in return from Milo. Hassel then walked past the teen and towards the exit of the building, but he stopped short.

The Elite Four member glanced over his shoulder at Milo, closing his eyes. "Should you continue striving to reach Champion Rank, you will one day have to battle me."

Hassel opened his eyes and Milo saw fire within them, as well as the man's power. "You would be wise to train hard starting now. It will save you from experiencing the bitter regret of defeat."

"U-uh…duly noted." Milo muttered, awed by the man's bearing and how he carried himself. This was a Trainer who had felled countless opponents, and if Milo wanted to survive and escape the Nuzlocke Curse, then he would have to overcome this man. Would that even be possible?

Oblivious to Milo's internal struggle, Hassel turned back around. "Oh, and do come along to my art class sometime. I would be thrilled to have you attend." Hassel said lightly, not even facing Milo before walking towards the door. The Art Teacher was surprised when the door opened and Hannah Caballero walked in, flanked by Nemona herself who happened to be holding a bag full of food.

Before anyone could comment on that, the nearby lobby elevator opened, revealing a rather annoyed-looking Brassius. His expression immediately brightened upon seeing Hassel and Milo standing together, but then his eyes widened when he saw Hannah and Nemona.

"Two fantastic Trainers and two fantastic artists stand in my lobby. How delightful." Brassius remarked, chuckling as he walked forward and clapped Hassel on the shoulder. "Mrs. Caballero, how have you enjoyed your time in Artazon? I appreciate an artist of your skill coming to our humble town."

Hannah nodded, smiling as did so. "Artazon has been wonderful. I'm grateful for you getting me the VIP treatment while I've been here. Hopefully I was able to help like you wanted me too."

Brassius barked out a laugh, grinning wildly. "Your insight was truly avant-garde! Two of my friends have already informed me that your advice has spawned several promising paintings and a sculpture based in ancient Hoenn mythology. You're as wonderful as Hass said you were, ma'am. And you're welcome to come back at any time!"

"What a second…I've heard of you!" Milo suddenly called out, pointing to Hassel with shock. "Dad told me about a guy he used to go to school with! It was the same year Mum went to Naranja Academy as a foreign exchange student! You're the crying dragon guy!"

"Is that how I'm known?" Hassel chuckled while Hannah sighed, shaking her head. She was about to respond to that, but Nemona had a question.

"Wait, hold on. How do you know Milo's mother, Brassius?" Nemona asked the Gym Leader, who regarded the Champion-ranked Trainer for a moment before giving an answer.

"Hannah Caballero is one of the Galar region's most skilled painters and is widely regarded for her perceptive nature and kindly demeanor." Brassius said with a raised eyebrow. "As such, she's given the utmost respect here in Artazon, and is held with the same esteem as Hassel. As Gym Leader of this town, I ensure that visionaries such as them are properly given the respect and treatment that their station deserves when they visit Artazon."

Brassius then looked to Milo, eyeing him with a smile. "It should come as no surprise that such a fantastic mind such as yourself is the son of such a refined artist such as her, my friend!"

"I-I'm really not all that impressive!" Hannah tried to say, only for Hassel, Brassius and Milo to give her a trio of skeptical looks in response.

"You have paintings in some of the most premiere art galleries in the world, Mum. You've gotten offers to teach art at several universities and turned them all down to be with the family. Just face the truth and admit that you rock." Milo chided his mother, who rubbed the back of her head with an embarrassed laugh. Brassius quickly launched into an excited tirade regarding one of Hannah's recent pieces and how fantastic it was, and so Milo and Nemona were left standing outside of the conversion.

"Whoa! Milo, your mother is awesome!" Nemona said in an undertone as Milo grinned back at his friend. Hannah was currently talking to Hassel animatedly, talking about a sculpture she had seen earlier in the day. He saw how excited she was to discuss her thoughts and feelings on the piece, with Brassius taking notes on a pad and Hassel nodding thoughtfully.

"Yeah, she's the best." Milo said quietly, trying to focus on the here and now. He had survived another Objective and was in good company. And for now, that was what mattered most.

Chapter Text

Milo spent the better part of the afternoon taking a stroll through Artazon with Nemona, Hannah, Hassel and Brassius. The Gym Leader eccentrically praised each of them on at least three different occasions, even after they finally sat down for a picnic lunch by the pool.

The highlight of the picnic for Nemona, who eagerly talked with all of them about Milo's recent battle and her own rematch against Brassius earlier that day, was when Hannah Caballero talked about her school days at Naranja Academy. This included both how she got suspended from school for fighting and how she met Milo's father.

Considering today was the first time Nemona had heard of him, the young Champion was very interested. For Milo's part, he simply listened to the stories quietly and without comment.

After spending another night in Artazon as VIP's of Brassius, Milo and Nemona both decided to trek back to Naranja Academy through the Wilds, with Hannah taking the Flying Taxi back to Cabo Poco and Hassel remaining in Artazon to assist Brassius with a project for a few more days.

Naturally the duo found themselves in another Tera Den, with Milo and Nemona being joined by more members of the Crystal Containment Crew. This culminated in Milo snagging another Pawmi within a Fighting Tera Den. Upon exiting the den, Milo debated what to call the second Pawmi that had come under his care.

"This Pawmi is Female and has the Ability Static. Its Tera Type is Fighting." The Rotom Phone supplied, Milo making note of that information. His first Pawmi, Sparky, had been a boy and has an Electric Tera Type. This one was the opposite, in a way.

Well, there's no rules against getting Duplicates in your little challenge, so I guess we can let this happen. Just make sure this one doesn't faint!

"Volt." Milo said quietly as he registered the Pokémon in his Pokédex App. The Remnant snorted with derision from within Milo's head, but he ignored it.

The Remnant is right though. I've gotta make sure she doesn't go out the same way as Sparky…Do I even want to use her? I might let her down like I did him. Milo thought to himself, his thoughts bitter for a moment before he returned the confused Pokémon and looked over at Nemona. The upperclassman was looking at Milo with some confusion, but he slipped his mask back on and smiled at her so she didn't really see how troubled he was. Nemona smiled back at her friend as he sent Volt's ball to PC Storage.

"I can see another Tera Den. Let's move!" Milo said with forced cheer as he started heading towards another outcropping of rocks in the distance. This time it was a blue pillar of light, and Nemona was able to call out that it was Water Tera Den well in advance. When asked how she could identify that, she admitted it was because of Hassel's Art Classes back at the Academy. Milo filed away that information for later.

Milo dropped in and found three 3XC members waiting for him, playing a round of rock-paper-scissors for some reason. Milo had to wait patiently for them to finish their game before the group went into the main chamber where a strange apple-like Pokémon sat awaiting them, coated in blue crystals.

"Oh hey, that's an Applin." Milo said immediately, grinning at the Pokémon he knew very well due to their popularity in Galar. He sent out Storm the Wattrel, who eyed the Applin hungrily for a moment before the Tera Battle began. Once again, the battle went fairly quickly due to how much stronger Milo and his team had gotten over the past few weeks.

"There's a few more Tera Dens just south of here!" Nemona remarked as Milo sent out his newly-caught Applin outside on the rocks, patting the Pokémon on the head as he pulled up its Pokédex entry.

"Applin. The Apple Core Pokémon. It grows by eating the flesh of an apple. Applin uses its own body fluid to strengthen the apple's skin and prevent it from rotting. This Applin is Male and has the Ability Gluttony. Its Tera Type is Water." The Rotom Phone explained as Milo hummed thoughtfully, smiling as he looked down at the Applin.

"I've always wondered what it'd be like to have my own Applin. It's not Corviknight, but I've always liked them." Milo admitted to Nemona, who looked interested.

"Oh yeah! They're supposed to be a big deal in Galar, aren't they?" Nemona asked Milo, who nodded.

"Yeah. There's an old tradition where you give an Applin or Applin-themed stuff to someone you have feelings for. It's still super popular even today…" Milo trailed off, realizing he was looking Nemona right in the eyes as he was saying that. Especially while holding the Applin in his arms, facing her direction.

"Um, are you good Milo? You look a little red." Nemona asked, sounding a little worried for her friend. Milo coughed and set the Applin on the ground, trying not to look her in the eyes and forcing himself to regain his composure. Unfortunately, as good as Milo was with his mask, getting flustered was one of the best ways to make him lose his composure. And Nemona was unintentionally great at doing that.

"I'm fine. Now I just need a name for this little guy." Milo remarked as he crouched on the ground, rubbing the top of the Applin with a smile as his blush slowly faded.

Well, let's hear your latest crap name, kid. We're all waiting with bated breath.

"I think I'll go with Smith. Like the apple breed, you know?" Milo said to Nemona, who's face lit up with a bright smile. "He isn't red like a Smith apple, but the name still fits."

"I like it!" Nemona said excitedly, with Milo grinning as he input the name into the Pokédex. With that, Smith the Applin joined the party.

How is that like, only the fourth or fifth halfway decent name you've come up with!? I actually like that one!

Milo ignored the Remnant yet again and returned Smith, adding it to his current lineup of Pokémon. He hopped to his feet and began scouting the area with Nemona, quickly spotting a Steel Tera Den about a mile away hidden by a cliff.

With Nemona's help and plenty of fire from Reggie, Milo easily managed to take down his next target. This time it was Steel Tera Type Skwovet lurking within the rocky outcropping. After catching the Pokémon, Milo made sure to take a picture of it for his mother, sending it to her before sitting down and pulling up the 'Dex entry for Skwovet, a Pokémon who's name is very annoying to spell for me.

"Skwovet. The Cheeky Pokémon. It stores berries in its cheeks. When there are no berries to be found, Skwovet will stuff pebbles into its cheeks to stave off its cravings. This Skwovet is Male and has the Ability Cheek Pouch. It's Tera Type is Steel." Milo nodded as he listened to the entry, considering a possible name as the Remnant quietly began humming a tune in the background.

"Hmmm…Momo." Milo said with a shrug, inputting the name into the Pokédex. Milo noticed that the little squirrel-like Pokémon was much smaller than Conker, the Skwovet Hannah Caballero owned. Milo pet the Skwovet for a little while as Nemona fed Momo a berry, admiring the little Pokémon for a short time. He then recalled Momo to his Poké Ball before standing up and stretching, noticing that the sun was setting and that it would be nightfall soon enough.

"You wanna camp out here for a little while or head back to school? We might be able to beat curfew if we get a ride soon." Milo asked Nemona, who considered it.

"Let's head to school. I can try to schedule some more classes and get ahead of my studies. I fell a little behind in handling my League duties, so I've got to catch up." Nemona explained, earning a warm smile from Milo.

"You have an awesome work ethic, Nemona. I admire that." Milo remarked fondly, making the girl in question beam at her friend and Rival before giving him a thumbs up. Soon the Flying Taxi whisked them back to school, where they were able to sleep in their own beds and get a good night's sleep.

A week later Milo found himself sitting in Home Ec Class, joining Arven in a room filled with other students. Considering that it was late in the afternoon, the class was bright and alert as the instructor cleared his throat, preparing to speak.

The teacher in question stood at the front of the classroom wearing a rather bright outfit, with a pink and yellow striped button-up shirt and a purple apron. He had lustrous black hair that was combed back, but several long strands extending outwards despite that. He was also somewhat buff, with his hairy and toned arms catching the eyes of several female students in particular.

"Your time with me will be spent obtaining knowledge and skills indispensable for daily life." The man explained, his voice a deep baritone. He then gestured to the entire class for a moment and looked at them all. "I see we have some energetic young ones in our class this time around. You may call me Mr. Saguaro."

"Many of you have left the care of your parents to live here on your own in the academy dormitory. I pray that the knowledge I impart to you will improve the quality of your lives and the necessities thereof - food, clothing, and shelter." Saguaro went on with a grin, lowering his hands to his sides. "Of those three categories, I assume the most pressing and interesting for you all is food."

Several students laughed at that comment, with Arven smirking as he exchanged a glance with an amused Milo. Saguaro allowed the moment to pass before he continued his lecture. To the delight of Arven, the lesson mostly centered on sandwiches and how to prepare them.

This was mostly because sandwiches were extremely versatile as far as meals and snacks went, and could be had for breakfast, lunch and dinner depending on what you put in them.

"It's become a bit of a cultural thing here in Paldea." Saguaro explained, rubbing the back of his head with a wide smile. "So much so that even here at the Academy, our cafeteria sells all kinds of sandwiches to our students and staff."

"That's so weird though, sir. Isn't it?" Kara chimed in, with her twin sister nodding in agreement at the table behind Arven and Milo. "Like, don't get me wrong, I love a good sandwich. But the fact that they're so popular here is…odd."

"Not at all. Other regions do something similar, based on other trends and their culture." Saguaro responded gruffly, crossing his arms. He was smiling despite this, however. "Some places are absolutely crazy about certain foods. This can even sometimes stem from one person being a maniac for them."

"How do you mean, sir?" Sara asked, looking confused.

"Well, for instance, a certain Kahuna in Alola is an absolute fiend for malasadas. Malasadas are a type of exotic fried doughnut with delicious fillings inside. As a result of this, a malasada chain restaurant opened up in his town where there hadn't been one before! And people flock to this store, despite there being dozens throughout the region, just to eat a malasada with this Trainer. That is the power of food and culture, my young friends!" Saguaro boomed to the classroom, with Kara and Sara both nodding in understanding.

"It goes even further than that, though. Poffins, Poké Puffs, and even curry in the Galar region all follow a trend. Making food for the benefit of both yourself and Pokémon. And that's where picnics come in." Saguaro gestured to the screen, where a blown-up picture was on display. It was a photo of the teachers at Naranja Academy eating at a picnic table, with all of them wearing merry smiles. Rolling green hills could be seen in the background with a large lake nearby.

Saguaro gestured to himself in the picture, holding a large sub that was practically bursting with peppers and other spicy vegetables. Milo shuddered at the thought of eating so many spicy things, and felt his respect for the teacher grow. "Yes, picnics are a great way to bond with both your Pokémon and others. It's been a recent movement within Paldea, but one I'm happy to see. Now, let's go into some of the more technical benefits of picnics, which'll be of use to the Pokémon Trainers in this class."

"When you eat sandwiches on your picnics, your Pokémon will of course be involved. As such, the HP of your party Pokémon will be restored. You will also gain something called Meal Powers, which can provide all manner of benefits. For example, these powers can make Pokémon easier to catch or increase the Exp. Points that your Pokémon receive."

"I think you will also find that the breadth of these effects can be expanded by crafting sandwiches of superb flavor. I know young Arven over there is particularly experienced when it comes to concocting fantastic sandwiches." Saguaro said warmly as he gestured to the upperclassman, who chuckled embarrassedly.

The class then spent a good half hour working on making sandwiches, referring to several pamphlets provided by Mr. Saguaro as a reference guide for good combinations for sandwiches. Thanks to Arven, Milo already knew them all, even if he still hadn't mastered the art of sandwich-making yet. The class even got to eat their own creations, which was a well-received announcement to the classroom of hungry students.

The instructor cleared his throat and continued with his lesson as the class ate. "There is a certain something that is particularly important if we wish to receive Meal Powers with even more helpful effects. Let me see…" Saguaro glanced around the room, and his eyes landed on Milo as the teen wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Master Florian! Tell me - what must you keep in mind to receive even more helpful Meal Powers?"

"My choice of fillings and condiments. Just because I like extra pickles on my sandwich doesn't mean that I'll get a lot of benefits from just that." Milo answered, earning a wide grin and a nod from the burly man.

"Perfectly correct, Master Florian!" Saguaro laughed, clapping his hands together. "Perhaps you were already aware of this fact from having helped your family with cooking at home?"

"I try to help, but I'm hopeless in the kitchen." Milo admitted sheepishly, blushing with embarrassment and earning a couple of chuckles from his classmates.

Saguaro smirked at the honest response, shaking his head. "Well, let's see if we can't work on that. After all, that's what we're here for!"

"But getting back to the lesson. Your choice of ingredients - including both fillings and condiments - is an important factor in gaining even more helpful Meal Powers. For example, using sweet ingredients in your sandwiches may help you gain Egg Power. Including numerous bitter ingredients, on the other hand, can gain Item Drop Power."

"Learning to aim for specific effects when crafting sandwiches will almost certainly make your culinary endeavors more enjoyable." Saguaro said with another joyful laugh, looking over the class. "Please be aware, however, that you can also receive Meal Powers by eating at restaurants."

A familiar chime echoed through the entire school, signaling the end of class. Saguaro seemed to deflate a little, but he clapped his hands together loudly.

"I must say that I would feel the utmost joy if you all learned much here in my class and came to better understand Home Economics. Our time together has come to an end for today. I bid you all farewell." Saguaro said as the class got out of their seats and exited the room, with Milo and Arven quickly falling into step with each other.

"Why were you in that class, Arven? You're already a pro when it comes to cooking and I bet you can out-sandwich the teacher." Milo asked his friend, who shrugged.

"I have a minimum number of classes I have to attend per semester and today was a review lesson. Meal Powers are easy-peasy. The real question is why you were there. You can't cook to save your life!" Arven accused Milo, who flushed at the very true remark. He had tried several times to cook simple things like scrambled eggs or grilled cheese, only for them to turn into culinary disasters. Anything more simple than cooking ramen noodles was beyond him.

"Because I suck at cooking and need to get better. Pre-packaged meals and MRE's can only get me so far." Milo remarked, crossing his arms huffily. "There's some Pokémon Trainers in other regions who can kill, skin and cook Pokémon out in the Wilds with no issues. I need to do better."

"And I agree with that. So, changing the subject, what's on your agenda for the rest of the day?" Arven asked Milo, who shrugged his shoulders in response.

"I'll probably try and track Nemona down before heading over to talk with the 3XC Club. I feel like I should've done it by now, but that's a really long walk and I keep putting it off." Milo remarked, earning a snort from Arven. "With how much I interact with the 3XC in the Tera Dens, it makes sense."

"Then why not just go there now? Why have Nemona with you?" Arven asked, trying not to sound too put-off when mentioning the Champion's name.

"Because meeting new people is scary and she said she was cool with coming with me." Milo admitted honestly, which earned him a worried frown from Arven before the teen nodded.

He was well aware of Milo's discomfort around crowds and people in general. Juliana had once explained it away as social anxiety, and once Arven looked up the term, he found that Milo probably suffered from it.

Arven found that he respected his friend more for accomplishing his goals despite his anxiety. After all, Milo had helped Arven take down the Stony Cliff Titan despite the risks.

"Well, have fun with that little buddy. I'm gonna grab some snacks before checking out the Library. Do you have any issues with me swingin' by later to compare notes on the Titan we've been researching?" Arven asked Milo, who shook his head.

Since Milo had returned to school, Arven had informed him about his research into the Open Sky Titan, who lurked somewhere within the mountains that lay between Cortondo and Cascarrafa. Apparently the Titan was a bird of some kind who kept throwing boulders down the mountainside, and had actually injured several Trainers passing through over the years. No one had been daring enough to try and confront the beast head-on.

Until now, of course. Milo had already been informed by the Remnant that the next Objective for Milo to complete was dealing with the Open Sky Titan. Milo would have to try and keep a careful eye on his Pokémon's levels and hope he could take down this Titan as smoothly as Titan Klawf.

"Juliana might be joining us. She's been super busy with her Pep Rally stuff, so I forced her to take a break and come hang out with me for a bit." Milo responded as they rounded a corner and entered the main lobby of the school.

"That's fine with me. See you soon!" Arven said as he fist-bumped Milo and walked up the stairs to get to the second floor of the library. Milo watched his friend for a moment before texting Nemona. After a few minutes of waiting and getting no response, he decided to try and track her down on his own.

His first stop was the Biology Lab, which was Milo and Nemona's homeroom. Milo found the room fairly easily, since attending Naranja Academy for almost four months had helped the teen figure out the layout of the school at long last.

The Galarian student walked into the room and glanced around, seeing that only a few students were hanging out in the room. Mr. Jacq himself was standing at the front of the classroom and eating an apple, glancing over something on his Rotom Phone as he did. Milo took a fortifying breath before walking over to his homeroom teacher.

"Hey Mr. Jacq, have you seen Nemona?" Milo asked Jacq, who paused with his teeth about to bite down on the apple again. The man lowered his apple and raised a hand in greeting.

"Ah! Hello, hello!" Jacq said brightly to Milo, grinning at the student. "And I have not seen Miss Nemona, but I'm sure she's around here somewhere."

"Oh well. I'm sure she'll answer her phone eventually. Thanks anyway." Milo said to the teacher, with Jacq considering that response for a moment before his cheery smile became a little more serious.

"Have you gotten used to things here at the Academy, Milo? Moving from one region to another is no small thing, after all, and Paldea and Galar are very different places." Jacq asked the teen, who nodded in answer.

"Yeah. It's really starting to feel like home to me." Milo admitted sheepishly, but it was true. His room at the Academy felt more homey than his room back home, and he had more friends now than he ever had back in Galar. Naranja Academy was exactly as good as his parents had said it was, if not better.

"Great! Glad to see you're having fun." Jacq said with a nod before straightening up, putting a hand to his chin. "Oh! Have you been using the Pokédex App?"

Milo nodded. "I've been using it whenever I see a new Pokémon. It's been really helpful. I caught a Skwovet, an Applin and a Pawmi the other day, so the Pokédex App got a bunch of use then."

Jacq laughed at that comment, scratching his cheek. "I'm, uh, hehe…I'm the one who made it, you know. Every time someone using the app catches a Pokémon, that data gets sent to me. It's really helping with my Pokémon research! So be sure to catch any new Pokémon you find and work on filling in your Pokédex."

"Can do, sir. I've caught some Pokémon already, so hopefully that's helped a little bit." Milo replied, with Jacq laughing good-naturedly.

"For your first goal, let's aim for, say…30! Register 30 Pokémon in your app!" Jacq said to Milo, catching the student off-guard. He wasn't expecting that! "Let me know once you've done so!"

"Um, okay sir. I'll check back in with you once I've caught more Pokémon." Milo promised his homeroom teacher before departing for the day and heading back to his room. He was only slightly surprised to see Arven and Juliana chatting outside of it. Milo walked past his two friends, opened his door and walked in, with Juliana and Arven following behind him.

Juliana immediately hurried to Milo's fridge and began riffling through it, pulling out a small carton of chocolate milk and opening it. Arven smirked at the girl as she chugged it, with Milo huffing in annoyance.

"Yes. Please drink my chocolate milk. It's not like I bought that for me or anything." Milo grumbled as he slung his backpack onto his bed and called out his team. Arven snickered at Milo's annoyance, causing Juliana to grin happily.

"I'm glad you're so understanding. Hey Arven, you want one?" Juliana asked, pulling out a second carton and tossing it to Arven. Milo's right eye twitched as the girl walked over to Milo and plopped down on his bed.

"Before I strangle Juliana, did you need something Arven? Tonight's probably a night-in for me. I can't find Nemona and that 3XC meeting was about the only thing I wanted to do. I know we wanted to go over Titan stuff, but I don't have much research to show for it yet." Milo said to his friend, who looked a little disappointed hearing that.

"Damn. I was hoping you wanted to hang out some. It occurred to me that we could outfit our teams with some Held Items. Especially since the Open Sky Titan is supposed to be even tougher than the Stony Cliff Titan was." Arven remarked, crossing his arms.

"How about this? You did some research about it already. How about I do some research, and we go out shopping for equipment later this week?" Milo suggested to Arven, feeling bad about inconveniencing his friend. Arven grinned at the young Trainer, giving him a thumbs up.

"Sounds good to me! If you find something interesting, let me know. I'll get out of your hair and get back to you later. Goodnight!" Arven said to the two Galarian students, who both nodded and waved at Arven as he departed.

"You are such an antisocial Skitty." Juliana giggled as the door shut behind Arven. Milo walked over to the door and locked it, but paused when his friend spoke.

"I've gotten better…haven't I?" Milo asked quietly, looking back at her. Juliana saw the unsure expression on her best friend's face and mentally kicked herself for teasing him. She quickly clapped her hands loudly and hopped up from the bed as she walked over to Milo.

"Yes, mate. You're doing a lot better." Juliana said with a comforting smile, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You're making friends. You're being a Pokémon Trainer like you've always wanted. You're really pushing yourself and it's incredible. Just…don't forget to drop your Poker Face every now and then, Milo. You're awesome and people should be able to see you for who you really are. Not for who you want to be."

Milo remained silent at that, not really having a response to his friend's wisdom. It was almost a relief to the boy when his phone started ringing loudly, flying out of his pocket and showing a rainbow-colored question mark.

Cassiopeia was reaching out to him. With a click, the call was automatically accepted by Milo's Rotom Phone.

"Hello Milo. Sounds like you're back at the Academy."

"Cassiopeia. What can I do for my favorite anonymous spooky person?" Milo asked as he picked up Smith the Applin from the floor and walked over to his bed, sitting down on it and putting the Applin in his lap. Cocoa and Reggie hopped up onto his bed and joined him while Storm went to start trouble with Echo and Fleur, chirping at them.

"So you're Cassiopeia!" Juliana exclaimed, pointing at the phone while Milo smirked triumphantly. His fellow Galarian hadn't believed that Milo had been press-ganged into dealing with Team Star by an anonymous caller who could hack into his phone at will.

"Of course I am. And you're Milo's best friend from Galar, Juliana Anderson." Cassiopeia replied after a moment's pause. "You have four Gym Badges under your belt and you're currently in the General Studies track, enrolling at Naranja Academy on a music scholarship like Milo here. You play the violin and have an internet browsing history more cursed than Milo's by a country mile."

"Oh wow…that's spooky." Juliana said quietly, shrinking back from the phone as everything Milo had warned her about truly sank in.

"Yep. Kinda terrifying, huh?" Milo asked in a stage-whisper, causing Cassiopeia to cough a few times to get their attention again.

"I was curious about your current status. It's been a little while since I've checked in and I see that you have another Gym Badge under your belt. Very impressive, by the way. You nearly had a perfect battle against Brassius. And because of that, I think you may have just what it takes to topple the weakest of the Team Star Bosses."

Milo crossed his arms, annoyed at being pestered again. "It's on my to-do list. I've got some more experience and caught a few more Pokémon. I'll probably head out that way in a week or two and see what Team Star really is all about. Mostly because you won't tell me a damn thing."

"And the Titans?"

Milo scowled at the blatant invasion of his privacy, which Cassiopeia seemed to sense. "Sorry, but I took the liberty of going through your phone and spotted some very interesting things you had open in your tabs. The Open Sky Titan, huh? After how close things seemed to be with Titan Klawf, do you really want to put yourself in danger like that again?"

"I know the danger, but I want to help my friends out. And beating those Titans and uncovering their secrets is something I'm committed to. I don't have to explain myself to someone who won't explain themselves in return." Milo shot back, causing Juliana to give him a thumbs up.

"Hmm. Well, I'll be keeping in touch. There's still plenty of time to handle Team Star and I wouldn't want my favorite partner in crime to get hurt." Milo snorted in amusement at the statement, shaking his head. "Farewell for now, Milo."

The phone call ended and Milo let out a deep sigh. Juliana stared at her best friend with a concerned expression. Milo stuffed his phone away into a pocket and then leaned back, sighing tiredly.

"At least their phone calls are brief. Doesn't usually call me for more than a minute or two, but they're annoying." Milo explained, closing his eyes with a small smile. "Do you want to hang out or go somewhere more lively? I'll be researching the Titans tonight, but you're more than welcome to hang out here with me and my team instead of working your fingers to the bone on that pep rally thing. I know Koraidon enjoys having you around."

Koraidon let out a loud growl of agreement, causing them both to chuckle. Milo had only let the beast out of its Poké Ball after Arven left, due to his strong feelings about it.

"Koraidon likes everyone, Milo. But no, I think I'll head out and take a nap in my room. I don't want to bother you. But thanks for reminding me about taking breaks…Sometimes I get too focused on stuff." Juliana thanked her best friend, smiling at him.

Milo hopped to his feet, with Juliana doing the same. She then surprised Milo by moving towards him and pulling him into a tight hug. Milo returned the hug, somewhat confused, and when he pulled away from Juliana he saw her worried frown.

Juliana sighed, an annoyed sound that bespoke the concern she felt. "This is so wildly out of character for you and it's insane…but I trust that you're not dumb enough to die. So be safe with this stuff. You and Arven watch each other's backs, okay? If there's anything I can do to help, let me know."

Milo grinned at his longtime best friend. "I haven't died yet, and I don't plan on dying anytime soon. I'll be around for a while before we start trying to find this thing."

"I mean it, Princess Fluffyflower. If you die, I'll kill you."

"That's the spirit."

Milo said farewell to his best friend before hopping on his laptop and booting up a search engine, intent on prowling the web for rumors about the Open SKy Titan. He'd already made plans to stop through Cortondo with Arven to stock up on any extra supplies just in case the search for the Open Sky Titan took as long as the Rocky Cliff Titan did, but Arven seemed optimistic.

Sunset had rolled around by the time Milo eventually closed his laptop, rubbing his eyes and glancing down at the various notes he had made. Thanks to the various reports he and Arven had tracked down, Milo was successful in narrowing down the list of Pokémon that the Open Sky Titan could be, which made dealing with it easier.

It was only luck that Milo had gone into battling Titan Klawf with a team that had such a big advantage against it. He wanted that same luck for whatever Titan was waiting for them next. Milo also expected some answers from Arven, because the older student was clearly hiding something.

Milo sighed, leaning back in his chair. His eyes drifted over to a large cardboard box that was sitting on his desk, half-opened. It was the latest care package from Hannah Caballero, and it contained various items that Milo had been asking about for the past month or so. Chiefly, some of his room decorations and Galar Pokémon League merchandise.

It also contained various personal items that Milo hadn't asked for, which was why it had been sitting on his desk for the past three days.

"Mum can be really stubborn sometimes…" Milo muttered, shaking his head at the open box.

Milo's stomach rumbled then, and he debated whether he wanted to head down to the cafeteria or make a bowl of cereal. Juliana, Hannah Caballero and even Nemona had all attempted to teach Milo to cook something simple, but all attempts ended in failure. He hadn't been lying in Mr. Saguaro's class about his lack of skill in the kitchen.

And speaking of Nemona-

The Champion-ranked Trainer suddenly opened the door, grinning as she made eye-contact with her friend. Milo jumped in surprise as she bounded through the door, closing it behind her with a slam.

"Milo! Sorry I haven't answered your texts! I was helping Hassel with something for the Pokémon League and lost track of time!" Nemona apologized, running forward while Koraidon barked a greeting to the girl.

"Does the term breaking and entering mean anything to you?" Milo asked with a laugh as Nemona froze, realizing that she had once again done just that. The Champion blushed with embarrassment, rubbing the back of her head.

"S-sorry, Milo! I can leave if now's a bad time." Nemona apologized, but Milo waved off her concerns with an easy smile.

"Nah, you're good. If it was anyone but you, I'd probably be annoyed." Milo admitted, laughing as he walked over to Nemona. "I had actually given up on meeting the 3XC today. Did you still want to go meet them tonight with me?"

Nemona nodded enthusiastically, beaming at him. "Yeah! You pretty much catch Pokémon exclusively from Tera Dens and keep battling alongside the 3XC, right? Well, the Club President himself just got back from his vacation back home in Sinnoh, so it's a perfect time to meet him and see if you can join the club."

"Still undecided on that, but it's worth meeting the guy in charge." Milo agreed, but was interrupted by his own growling stomach. "Maybe after I get some food. I got caught up researching stuff for Arven and forgot to eat. Maybe I can snag something from the cafeteria on the way if they're still open."

"Ooh, I haven't eaten dinner yet either. Would you mind some company?" Nemona asked tentatively, with a nervousness that surprised Milo. A few moments later Milo realized exactly why that was. Nemona was afraid of bothering him when it was obvious he had been planning on spending the night inside, even if they did have plans for the 3XC.

"Not at all. In fact, we can go out into Mesagoza and visit the Battle Food Court after we meet with the 3XC. I hear they're starting a thing for tag-battles on weekends and winners get free dessert." Milo suggested, causing Nemona's eyes to light up with joy. Good food and battles with her friend? To her that sounded like an amazing time!

"Well, what are we waiting for!?" Nemona declared with an excited laugh, with Milo chuckling as he walked over to his dresser and pulled out a clean uniform. He was currently dressed in gym shorts and a hoodie, since he had decided to just stay in for the night.

"Let me change and get ready. Give me a few minutes, and we can go bother the President of the Crystal Containment Crew. Even if I don't join the club, which is always a possibility, it never hurts to say hi." Milo offered, shrugging his shoulders.

"Even though you'd rather be stuck in your room?" Nemona asked cheekily, causing Milo to blush at being called out like that, but he still laughed at the lighthearted jab.

"Especially because I'd rather be in my room. But hanging out with you is more important. But yeah, give me like three minutes and I'll be ready to roll." Milo said as he walked into his bathroom and locked the door, leaving Nemona to her own devices. The girl found herself smiling happily at his parting comment about her being more important than his own unease.

He's so patient. I didn't even have to ask him about battling! Nemona thought excitedly, doing a small fist-pump. And he's always looking for ways to improve himself. I respect the heck out of that!

Nemona glanced around the room, seeing several textbooks out on the desk and a half-packed backpack resting nearby. No doubt Milo was preparing for another extended outing, though where he was planning on going was something she wasn't privy to. But Nemona knew that no matter what her friend had going on, he always had time for her.

"I've been here at the Academy for a while, but no one's really understood me like Milo." Nemona reflected with a small frown, her words quiet as she really thought about her friend.

All the battles they had shared, the conversations they had, their hangouts within Mesagoza and how highly Milo seemed to think of her in general. It made her feel appreciated, and not just for what she had done for Milo as his friend and mentor, but just for Nemona being herself.

"He really seems to appreciate all the stuff that I do for him, but he kinda does even more in return…He treats me like a friend, rather than just Champion Nemona. He doesn't judge me for how much I enjoy battles, and even supports me. No one else really does that…" The upperclassman realized, leaning against Milo's desk and considering just how important that fact was to her. Milo of course respected her skills as a Trainer and what she had accomplished, but that wasn't all she was to him. She was his friend, first and foremost.

The young Champion noticed that her heart was beating quickly, and she giggled to herself. "That guy rocks. Milo gets me so amped up that I can barely control myself! I can't wait for some tag-battling later!"

Nemona decided to look around the room a bit more closely, since Milo seemed to be taking longer than he said he would be in the bathroom. She made sure to take a few moments to pet Koraidon, rubbing its head. It was then that Nemona noticed a half-open box on Milo's desk. Curiosity got the better of the Champion, and she walked over to the box and peeked inside.

Within it were several packaged bags of chocolate and candy, as well as several Galar League Trainer Cards that were all signed. Nemona recognized the cards from Raihan and Bea, and even a rare Trainer Card from Opal tucked away in a protective covering.

However, it was the two items at the top of the box that Nemona's zeroed-in on. The first of which was a photograph in a wooden frame, leaning against the side of the box. She then noticed that a silver necklace was draped around it, with a six-sided dice attached to it that looked to be made of silver. Nemona leaned in to get a better look, and saw that there were words on the dice. Engraved in delicate calligraphy was a small quote in what Nemona noticed was Paldean. The Champion squinted, trying to read the small font without touching any of the items within.

"Roll the dice and truly live, for life is nothing without risk." Nemona read the inscription softly before she looked at the picture more carefully. "What is this…?"

It was a family photo of four people, and Nemona recognized Milo and his mother Hannah instantly. Hannah Caballero herself was beaming at the camera, holding up her hand in a peace sign. Milo himself was looking at the camera with a shy smile. But it was the two new faces that dominated Nemona's attention.

Nemona looked carefully at the man in the picture who could only be Milo's father. He had tanned skin and a handlebar mustache that had been groomed to perfection with a rugged and handsome face. His eyes were the same shade of brown as Milo's, and he wore a warm smile as he regarded the camera with a mischievous wink. He had one arm wrapped around his wife's waist with another resting lightly on Milo's shoulder. What was surprising was how short the man was, not being much taller than Milo himself.

The other new face was a girl that looked to be no more than ten years old, with dark brown curly hair wearing a yellow sundress. She also had the same color eyes as the man and Milo, but her eyes seemed to twinkle brightly with excitement. The girl was clutching Milo's arm with a wide toothy smile, pressed up against the teen's side while standing on her toes. Conker the Skwovet was standing on her shoulder eating an Oran Berry.

Milo's father…and his little sister? Nemona thought with a tilt of the head as she looked down at the happy family photo. How strange that I haven't heard about them yet from Milo. He talks about his mother all of the time, and I even met her in-person twice! Are his father and sister living back home in Galar? Mrs. Caballero didn't say anything about where they were when we had that picnic the other day. They look so…happy.

"Alright, I'm finished! Sorry about that!" Milo called out as he opened the bathroom door. Nemona quickly moved away from the picture and walked over to Milo, who was now back in a pristine academy uniform.

"You look refreshed! Ready to go see if the 3XC has any openings?" Nemona said excitedly as Milo grabbed his Poké Balls from the counter and clipped them to his belt after returning all of his Pokémon and Koraidon. He then walked over to his backpack, threw in a few items that were on his desk, and zipped it up.

"Absolutely. Even if I don't join, they might have some tips about the Tera Dens. Hopefully the Club President isn't mad about a late visit." Milo replied with a grin, throwing his backpack over his shoulder as he followed Nemona out of his room, closing and locking the door behind him. The two friends continued down the hallway, which was empty at the moment.

Nemona chose that moment to inquire about the picture she saw. "Hey Milo, I saw a picture in your room. The one with the silver dice around it that had you and your mother. What's up with that? That guy was your father and that girl was your sister, right?"

"So you snooped through my stuff…That was a family photo we took at the beginning of this year." Nemona winced at the sudden change in Milo's tone. While his facial expression was completely neutral, as his mask had slipped firmly into place, his voice was terse. The change in his bearing and tone had been almost instant.

"Oh! Okay. Do you-" Nemona began to say, not seeing Milo's eyes narrow slightly before he cut her off.

"Nemona, I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not? They're your family, right?" Nemona asked, confused as to why that would be. It didn't make any sense to her.

"Let me try this another way. Nemona, I am not talking about it." Milo stated firmly in a tone that made Nemona stop in her tracks. It was a tone that brooked no argument. Milo also stopped walking, but didn't look at her as he spoke his next words. "You either respect that or you don't. And I hope my friend can understand that I have things I don't want to talk about, and care about me enough to appreciate that."

The Champion-ranked Trainer winced at the harshness in Milo's voice as he refused to meet Nemona's eyes. Nemona looked at Milo in surprise for several long seconds at the completely neutral expression on his face that betrayed no emotion. She wouldn't have known he was upset if it hadn't been for the tone of his voice, something he was unable to hold back. The mask had slipped back into place, but now Nemona understood what kind of emotions her friend was hiding.

He was holding back anger. At her.

"If you're sure…I'd like to know more about them, though." Nemona said weakly, unnerved by the realization that she had made her friend and rival angry. And with such simple questions too!

"And you will. When I'm ready to talk about it. Not a minute sooner. Now are you going to keep pushing this? Or am I going to walk to meet with 3XC on my own?" Milo asked Nemona pointedly, finally looking at his friend. Nemona felt a shiver run down her spine at the intensity of Milo's stare, and after a moment she shook her head. She could feel the tranquil fury behind Milo's gaze, and even with her boundless curiosity, she knew not to push the issue.

"Nope! I'll drop it. S-sorry for bringing it up." Nemona apologized to her friend, rubbing the back of her head. "I just…want to learn more about you. And sometimes when you get cagey about stuff, I start to worry. Not wanting to talk about big stuff like this just makes me even more curious."

Milo's expression softened, with the teen even smiling at her. Nemona somehow knew that the smile was more for her benefit than anything the teen was actually feeling. She wondered why that was. "There's no need to be worried. I'm just, uh, processing a lot of stuff. I'll be happy to talk about it when I'm ready, okay? Please don't pry or dig for answers. I just need to figure some things out."

Nemona wasn't quite sure what he was alluding to, but she nodded regardless. "Of course! I totally understand! And whatever is going on, know that I've got your back!"

"Thank you…That means a lot, Nemona." Milo said quietly, his smile becoming more genuine. Milo exhaled a breath and some of the tension in the teen seemed to seep out of him. The duo took a left turn and continued their way to the headquarters of the Crystal Containment Crew.

But all the while Nemona wondered what secrets her friend was hiding. She thought back to the photo of Milo's family, and of the man and girl who had to have been his father and sister. Why didn't he talk about them? What exactly happened before Milo moved to Paldea?

Nemona yearned to know so she could learn more about him. She wanted to help her friend through whatever was bothering him so much. Getting through this would just make Nemona and Milo even better friends and rivals. Besides, he had done so much for her since arriving in Paldea, and she wanted to return the favor and support him back.

Besides, the best way to get past painful things is to talk about them with your friends, right? Nemona thought to herself, smiling as Milo talked with her about his most recent catches and his plans for the team. Nemona half-listened to her friend, partly dwelling on the secrets he was keeping from her.

Little did Champion Nemona truly understand that not all questions needed to be answered.

Chapter Text

Artazon, an hour after Milo defeated Brassius…

The Paldean sun shined brightly overhead as Milo, Nemona, Hannah, Hassel and Brassius set up their picnic behind the Gym Building, which ended up being next to the large pool in town. The food was good, of course, but the company was better.

Hassel, of course, was intrigued by Koraidon when Milo had called out the draconic mount to enjoy another one of Hannah Caballero's fantastic sandwiches. When Milo explained to the teacher that he was looking after the beast as a favor to Professor Sada, Hassel seemed impressed and counseled Milo to seek out his expertise at Naranja Academy.

"Dragon-type Pokémon are powerful and beautiful in their own way, but caring for one and commanding it in battle can be difficult even for skilled Trainers. I have plenty of dragonlore sequestered away back at school that you're more than free to borrow if it means properly taking care of Koraidon." Hassel said before crouching down to look at the scarlet-scaled lizard. Koraidon always enjoyed meeting new people and was happy to lick the face of Hassel, who laughed with delight.

Nemona in particular was quite happy about being able to spend time with her friend and the other adults, her ever-present curiosity quietly bubbling away under the surface. It was most apparent when Hannah Caballero discussed her school days back at Naranja Academy almost two decades prior, when she briefly attended as a foreign exchange student from Galar.

"I got selected in a big lottery my school back in Motostoke held every year, and got to go to Naranja Academy for a full year." Hannah recounted to an amazed Nemona, with the others listening in with interest. The artist was calmly petting Storm the Wattrel on the head, having the rather aggressive bird totally calm in her lap. Milo had frequently made comments about how the bird was a little hellion, but it seemed Hannah had her completely under control.

"I enjoyed my time there. The teachers were kind and my friends took me around quite a bit of Paldea before I had to leave." Hannah said fondly, looking into the sky and casting her mind back. "The culture shock was pretty bad, but I got used to the spicy food and strange Pokémon. Whether it was going to the beaches near Levincia or skiing down the slopes of Glaseado Mountain, Paldea has held plenty of amazing memories for me to look back on. My little Milagro has heard me and his father talk about it forever."

"It's lived up to the hype." Milo said with a smirk, patting Koraidon's side as the draconic mount plopped down on the ground next to him and Reggie. "Naranja Academy has been great too."

"Mmhmm. Plenty of good times there. Learned a lot, plus I made some lifelong friends that I'm still in contact with, like Hassel here. And that was where I met Milo's father. I remember that day pretty fondly too, since that was when I got into a huge fight in the cafeteria." Hannah said with a wistful sigh, closing her eyes and putting a finger on her chin. "Some big jerk was giving poor Hassel some grief, since you were an older student returning to school for some extra credits or something."

"I was taking a sabbatical and returned to Naranja to find myself, and decided to pursue some further education. However, just because I was nearly twenty by that point didn't mean I was immune to bullying. If I recall, you confronted the goons harassing me and told them to…what was it?" Hassel asked Hannah, who smirked.

"I told them to piss off and go jump head-first down the big steps in front of school." Hannah remarked as she sipped her tea. Nemona's eyes went wide at that while Milo smirked, knowing how the story ended.

"Ooooh…I bet they didn't like that." Brassius said with a small laugh, with Hannah nodding.

"No, they didn't. Because they turned towards making fun of me and my Galarian accent. And of course, I wasn't going to take any of their rubbish. So I stood my ground." Hannah said, causing Hassel and Brassius to exchange a glance.

"And that means…?" Brassius asked before taking a drink.

"I kicked the main offender in the balls and then punched him in the face so hard he lost his front tooth." Hannah said flatly, causing Brassius to choke on his lemonade while Hassel chuckled. Milo just grinned with pride, knowing already how the story ended. Nemona had stars in her eyes, amazed at how bold the woman was. "I got yelled at by a teacher afterwards, but I didn't care. No one messes with my friends."

"So that's where you met Milo's father?" Nemona asked with interest, with Hannah nodding with a warm smile.

"Yes, my Diego was a charmer even back then. He asked me to marry him as soon as the teacher stopped yelling at me, right in the middle of a crowd of students! I turned him down then, of course, but I did say I'd let him take me out to dinner." Hannah said with a wink as Hassel and Brassius chuckled. Nemona looked completely stunned at this news while Milo remained quiet, sipping his lemonade with a small smile. Nemona seemed like she wanted to ask more questions, but Hassel interrupted with his own anecdote.

"Your little whirlwind romance with Diego was the talk of the school for weeks. The foreign exchange student going out with the bad boy who taught the younger freshman students how to gamble and fleeced the Battle Studies teacher out of his entire paycheck? Scandalous!" Hassel laughed with delight, grinning widely.

"Sounds like he's pretty cool! What does Mr. Caballero do if you're an artist?" Nemona asked Hannah, who smirked in response, but it was Hassel who answered.

"Besides win all the time?" Hassel remarked with another chuckle. "Diego Caballero professionally played poker and was a lifetime gambler who constantly defied the odds. He also battled at a high level, earning Champion Rank himself back here in Paldea before moving to gamble in various places and tournaments across the world." Hassel explained to Nemona, who looked amazed to hear that Milo's father once held the same rank she had attained as the youngest Champion in Paldea's history.

"He was known as the 'Cascarrafa Cardshark'. I remember sometime a few years ago he beat Grimsley in a game of Sinnohan Showdown in the finals of that year's International Poker Tour held in Jubilife City." Hannah added, giggling softly in amusement. "I seem to recall the poor Grimsley never got over the shock of losing a small fortune in a single game. It paid for our family trip to Wyndon to see Leon defend the title at the Champion Cup."

"Whoa…that's so cool." Nemona muttered, excitement in her eyes. She glanced over at Milo, and was curious as to the completely neutral expression on his face before he gave her a shy smile and looked away.

Present Day

Nemona was deep in thought as she and Milo trekked up to the upper floors of Naranja Academy and the younger student knocked on the door of a door covered in posters and crude drawings of what looked like crystals.

She was worried about her friend. And not just because he was hiding things, but because he wasn't okay. Nemona may not have been as good with friends as she was with battles, but she knew in her heart that her Rival was hiding something.

The crystal-covered door opened and Milo was greeted by a taller student in a Naranja Academy uniform who looked around his age. He had dark green hair and wore black glasses, his dark brown eyes glancing over Milo and Nemona curiously before a tired smile crossed the teen's face.

"Hey there, how can I help you both?" the teen said as he opened the door fully. Milo stood there for a moment, his brain freezing at the sudden prospect of introducing himself, before Nemona nudged him and kick-started his brain into saying something.

"Um, hi. The name's Milo. I've been exploring a lot of the Tera Dens with the Crystal Containment Crew, and some of them told me I should come back and talk with the Club President. That's you, right?" Milo said haltingly, nervous despite himself.

The teen didn't seem the least bit bothered, and instead hummed for a moment before nodding and letting them into the room. "Right, right. I got a few texts from my friend Eli about some student who was particularly helpful about some of the Tera Dens lately. Your name's popped up in a lot of the reports I've been catching up on."

It took Milo a moment to remember the name of the student who had been part of the very first team he had battled alongside in the Tera Dens. "That's right."

"Well, the name's Flynn Caddel! I'm in the Humanities track. Nice to meet ya, Milo!" the tall student said enthusiastically, shaking Milo's hand firmly. He then looked over to Nemona, who was watching the exchange with interest. "Didn't mean to ignore you, Champion Nemona. Are you here to help out or are you hanging out with this guy?"

"I came for moral support." Nemona said with a cheery smile, patting Milo's shoulder and making him flush despite himself. Flynn smirked at the exchange and wriggled his eyebrows at Milo, but turned around and faced a large map of Paldea behind him pinned onto the chalkboard with four throwing knives.

"Well, we're always looking for more members to join the crew. Keeping the Tera Dens in check is important business, and the Pokémon League helps keep our club funded since our expeditions into the Wilds help keep the region safe." Flynn explained as he poked the dead center of the map. "Tera Dens have been popping up more and more often, and even with our club at work, it's tough staying on top of it."

"And…I'm willing to bet that something in Area Zero is the cause." Flynn said dramatically, turning around and grinning at Milo and Nemona. Suddenly a stern and annoyed voice cut across the room.

"Flynn, stop boring them and get to the point."

All eyes turned to another teen who slowly rose from a nearby couch, tousling his long black hair and giving them all a smug smirk. He was tall and looked older than them by several years, with tanned skin and several faded scars on his face.

"Whatever Rafael. Are you done with your nap? Or do you want a foot rub before bed?" Flynn said sarcastically, which made the older student think for a sec before waving a hand dismissively.

"Meh. It's too crowded up here. Didn't expect La Primera's prized Champ to come up and grace us though." Rafael remarked with a raised eyebrow, causing Milo to frown. The older student's tone was disrespectful, but not enough to where he could call the young man out on it.

"Just helping out a friend. You're Rafael Cezar, right?" Nemona asked, causing him to nod but not respond vocally. The older teen sauntered out of the room without another word, leaving behind a confused Nemona and an annoyed Milo.

"Prick…" Flynn muttered under his breath, causing Nemona and Milo to look at the teen in surprise. "Sorry about that. Rafael is the 3XC Vice President and we clash a bit more than we should. He doesn't show anyone much respect."

"He's a good Trainer, but he relies too much on brute force. No strategy. It's why he keeps failing to beat even Rika at the Elite Four." Nemona said with a shake of the head, with Flynn nodding in agreement.

"He's also got some funny ideas about Area Zero and the ancient history behind the place. The madman wants to check it out himself, personally." Flynn said with a grimace, causing Nemona's eyes to widen in surprise.

"I keep hearing crazy rumors about it. Is Area Zero that bad?" Milo asked, glancing at Nemona and Flynn.

"Yes. Even I wouldn't step foot in there, and I'm probably one of the top battlers in Paldea." Nemona said seriously, crossing her arms.

" I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm a history buff and I'd love to learn about the place firsthand, but that place is off-limits for a reason." Flynn said warily, fighting back a shiver. "I've heard enough horror stories from Paldeans who've lived here their whole lives to know that I wouldn't last a minute there."

"Which makes it all the more weird that Professor Sada is set up there with her lab. I wonder what it's really like." Milo muttered to himself quietly enough to where only Nemona heard him. She glanced at him in surprise, but Flynn suddenly yawned loudly and blinked his eyes a few times.

"Sorry, jet-lag has me whooped. So how can I help you?" Flynn asked Milo, who swallowed his nervousness and put on his game-face.

"Long story short, could you tell me more about the Crystal Containment Crew? I've been helped and have been helping them a lot over the past few months, and I wanted to know more about the benefits of being a member." Milo asked politely, with Flynn sitting down in what looked like a gaming chair behind his desk.

The older teen leaned back in his chair, sighing as he thought about it. "Honestly, that depends on how much you're willing to invest in the group. Our full-fledged members get a few neat perks from the Pokémon League itself and our club gets funding directly from La Primera."

Nemona talks about this person a lot…gonna have to ask who this La Primera is. Milo thought idly to himself before nodding.

"I'm honestly just interested in catching Pokémon inside the dens. They're really helpful for my Treasure Hunt, plus the rewards the 3XC gives me really help out too." Milo answered, with Flynn nodding in response.

"You get even more stuff for joining. But my big question is can you commit long periods of time to just hunting down Tera Dens? Or even more importantly, finding one and waiting…and waiting…and waiting for people to show up to help you take down the Tera Pokémon inside?" Flynn asked Milo, raising an eyebrow at the other young man.

Milo frowned at the question. "Um, no. I'm doing the Gym Circuit right now, but I've kinda got a bunch of other stuff happening too. I can't really commit to just waiting around in Tera Dens all day."

"Sadly, that's a requirement for the club. We need people safeguarding the dens until they can be dealt with. So it sounds like being a member of the club isn't quite right for you." Flynn said with a rueful smile, causing Milo to sigh.

"Oh well. It was worth a shot at least." Milo remarked to Nemona, who nodded in agreement. Flynn wasn't done, however.

"It sounds like just being an affiliate instead of a fully-fledged member works better for you. Your help's been great these past few weeks from what I've heard from some of the other members, so thanks for giving them a hand. Not a lot of people appreciate the hard work that goes into keeping Paldea safe."

"The Tera Dens aren't dangerous though, are they?" Milo asked, with Flynn nodding in response.

"Usually no, but if you're gonna try to tackle it all on your own, then good luck. There's dangers in the Tera Dens, like the insane amount of Terastal Energy flying around with a juiced up Pokémon controlling a whole cavern. Sometimes those caverns collapse prematurely, too. It's why we've got people keeping an eye on them or even waiting inside at the entrance. We've got rules in place to safely remove the Tera Dens for a reason." Flynn explained to Milo, who considered that information. It made sense, considering that the 3XC members led him through each of the Tera Den Raids themselves and made sure he left safely every time. They also didn't confront the Tera Pokémon until they had a full squad ready to battle.

"So what now? I'll still be doing a lot of Tera Raids. Can I still help out?" Milo asked, with Flynn grinning in response.

"Of course! If you're not interested in joining officially, you can still come to our meetings and sign-in and stuff. Looks good on extracurriculars and we appreciate the support either way." Flynn said tiredly, with Milo nodding and accepting a flier that had a date of the next few meetings of the 3XC and even a free t-shirt. Nemona and Milo took that time to bid the Crystal Containment Crew's President goodnight and head back to their own dorms for the night.

Conversation was light as the two students made their way through the hallways. Milo looked over the t-shirt that Flynn had given him and talked about whether or not he wanted to commit to a club or not. Nemona responded somewhat distractedly to Milo, her mind seemingly in another place. After a few minutes, Milo finally noticed this and decided to bring it up.

"Hey, you okay? You've been out of it for the past few minutes. We're heading back to the dorms, too. I thought we were gonna grab food." Milo said with some concern, and Nemona looked blinked several times in startled confusion. The girl looked away from Milo, not meeting his eyes. "Nemona?"

Milo was surprised when Nemona suddenly stepped forward and pulled him into a tight hug. The young man tensed for a moment as his face blushed bright pink at the sudden embrace. And then slowly, Milo wrapped his arms around Nemona and returned the hug. For several long moments, the two students stood there in the hallway hugging each other.

Nemona broke contact first, with Milo following a second later. The younger student was blushing furiously, but was confused at the sudden display. Nemona looked at Milo with a worried expression, and bit her lip for several moments. The Galarian realized immediately that Nemona was still thinking about his earlier anger regarding the box she had snooped through and her questions about his past.

"Milo, I don't know what's going on with you. And I respect that you don't want to tell me about what happened before you came here. But I've got your back, no matter what. Friends help each other, even if it's just supporting them. I'll…I'll be patient with you. I mean it. Okay?" Nemona said quietly to her friend, who looked into her eyes and saw nothing but sincerity and concern. Nemona meant every word she was saying.

Milo gave Nemona a small, but genuine smile. "Thanks Nemona. I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. Admittedly, I'm going through a lot right now. I don't know when or if I'll be okay again. But you reminded me that I've got friends now who have my back. And that's something I didn't really have back home in Galar besides Juliana. But her parents and mine were neighbors and we've been best friends since we could talk."

"Really? But you're so nice and helpful! How could anyone not want to be your friend?" Nemona asked Milo, who remained silent at that for several moments. He started walking down the hallway, but his pace was slow so Nemona could walk alongside him.

"Mostly because people suck and being around them can be hard." Milo admitted, sighing as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I was a really shy kid growing up. Had a few experiences with bullies when I was younger that just made it hard for me to get close to people."

"Bullies?" Nemona asked, with Milo shrugging.

"Nothing crazy. Get shoved into the mud one day, kids laughing at you for being scared of Swoobat another. Stuff like that. It's enough to make someone who already doesn't like other kids even more reluctant to make friends." Milo explained haltingly, clearly not wanting to talk about it, but doing so anyway. He felt obligated to explain himself to Nemona. "Pathetic, right? I don't even have some kind of crazy bullying backstory to explain why people are hard for me to be around. After a while I just realized people kind of suck, besides my family and Juliana and some of the Gym Leaders I look up to."

"But now you have a bunch of friends! Juliana, me, Arven, those twins and that Nalani girl and probably even more!" Nemona said bracingly, causing Milo to chuckle.

"Yeah, it's weird how that worked out. Naranja Academy has been…well, everything Dad said it would be for me." Milo admitted, smiling despite himself. "We were always planning on moving here once the time was right, and I had always looked forward to coming here with Juliana. She just left ahead of me and then I got caught up in-"

Milo suddenly stopped talking and shook his head. "A-anyways, the point is I'm here now and have been for months now. And it's great! I appreciate all of my new friends and my awesome Pokémon. And with all the excitement from the Treasure Hunt, I can try and figure out a lot of stuff about myself. See new things, meet new people and learn all about my crazy new home."

"It sounds like you have a lot on your mind, too." Nemona remarked, with Milo nodding.

"I just have a lot of things to figure out. Between school, the Gym Challenge, the Titans and ignoring Team Star's crap? I've really just had a lot on my plate ever since I got here, helping other people or listening to their advice." Milo said as he crossed his arms, thinking hard on that last comment.

Maybe I should really start putting my foot down and telling people no. Milo thought with an inward smile.

"But…what do you want, Milo?" Nemona asked the other student, her voice surprisingly gentle. Milo stopped in the hallway, turning to Nemona. It had been such an innocent question, but it struck Milo like a thunderbolt.

What do I want? Milo thought, thinking about it. The Galarian wished then that he could tell Nemona about the Nuzlocke Curse. About what he wanted more than anything right then was to escape it. To be free of the twisted game he had chosen to be in.

Ah, ah, ah…must be so tough to not be able to spill the beans.

"I want…I want Milo to be the person Florian wished he could be back in Galar." The teen said in a quiet voice, with Nemona's eyes widening in surprise. She hadn't expected an answer to the very personal question. She certainly didn't expect an answer that made her tear up a little.

"I want to be stronger. Strong enough to deserve all the friends I have now. I want to help people with a smile and be brave enough to face my fears, like Leon, Hop and Victor did when they saved Galar. Maybe that's what I'm really looking for on this Treasure Hunt. I want…I w-want to be worth it." Milo's words ended in a whisper, his voice choked up.

"If it makes you feel any better, I think you're really great, Milo. I know you can do anything you set your mind to. You're completely worth our friendship, because your friendship is that important to all of us." Nemona said earnestly, and that made Milo turn around and look at Nemona. By this point, the two students had reached Milo's dorm room, but Milo ignored that fact for now.

For several long moments, Milo stared at the girl who had become a close friend in the short time he had been in Paldea and looked deeply into her eyes.

The girl who had offered to become his friend and Rival on the very first day of his journey. Nemona had encouraged him to grow as a Trainer by going through the Gym Circuit. And even now, when Milo was being vague about his struggles, she was offering her unconditional support despite not knowing the details about his past.

"Well, here's my stop. Thanks for listening, Nemona. Sometimes…I forget that I've got more people rooting for me than I think I do. Like I said before, I know hat you care, and I appreciate that." Milo said with a grateful smile, stepping forward and hugging Nemona. It was the first time he had initiated any kind of physical affection like that since they had become friends. Nemona grinned with delight and hugged her friend right back with a giggle.

"That's what friends and Rivals are for, amigo. We support each other and make each other better and better!" Nemona said as she broke away from Milo, beaming at her blushing friend. She never quite understood why he did that around her, but she could tell that his smile was real and he was happy again. And that's all that mattered to her.

"Goodnight Nemona. See you tomorrow?"

"Bet on it! We can do some practice battles after class! I've got a strategy with Foehn I wanna try out on Reggie!"

"Sounds good like a plan. Take care!"

"Goodnight Milo! Sweet dreams!"

Milo closed the door and locked it, leaving Nemona smiling in the hallway. The Champion stared at the door for several long moments, her thoughts racing as she considered what Milo had revealed to her about his past. And what he still wouldn't tell her.

Her smile threatened to dip into a frown, but she swallowed her concerns and took comfort in the fact that Milo had trusted her enough to tell her what he did. He had opened his heart, even just a little, and told her things she hadn't known about him. Milo trusted her, and that meant the world to Nemona.

For now, Nemona could live with that. He was her Rival, after all, and she knew he'd go on to do amazing things. The Champion believed in her friend, and that he would overcome whatever obstacles were in his path. She'd help him pursue the strength he hoped for so he could become the incredible Trainer she knew he was capable of being.

What followed was two week's of routine classwork for Milo, giving him a welcome break from the excitement of his Treasure Hunt. He had gotten roped into helping Juliana with the school pep rally, where she would have a speaking role as the newly-installed Captain of the Archery Club (the previous Captain had quit, due to a desire to focus on their schoolwork and less on extracurriculars).

Milo yawned as he took his seat, sitting in the center desk and looking forward as the instructor walked into the room. A woman with dark skin and purple hair with intelligent gray eyes gazed at them from behind a green pair of glasses. The woman was dressed in a somewhat strange shirt with red frills and blue dress pants. She wore various bits of jewelry depicting strange-looking creatures that looked vaguely familiar.

"Oho…I see we have some new students here with us today." The woman said in a low voice, smirking at the class. "My name is Raifort. I will be the one to impart knowledge of the past to your little minds."

Oh wow, she called you out.

Milo ignored the Remnant as usual, listening with a frown as Raifort continued. The teacher bowed her head, smiling softly. "History is a wonderful thing. Truly splendid. The lives of our ancestors throughout history forged the path to the present in which we live!"

Raifort's eyes snapped open, her gaze sharp. "Today you shall learn about the most mysterious location in all of Paldea - the Great Crater."

There were several murmurs within the class and even Milo sat up a bit straighter. Raifort smirked, sensing the change in atmosphere within the room. And so she began her lecture.

"As you are all aware, a massive crater known as the Great Crater of Paldea exists in the heart of our region. The area inside this creator is called Area Zero, and research of its geological strata and material composition has shown that the crater is in fact over one million years old." Raifort explained, gesturing to the screen behind her as several dynamic pictures showing an overhead view of Area Zero. All that was visible were the steep rocky wall-like cliffs that extended high into the air, with thick clouds obscuring what lay within.

"It was long believed that a certain something rested at the bottom of this mysterious crater." Raifort went on, grinning with excitement. The teacher glanced around the room and locked eyes with Milo, who was listening intently. "Aha. Perfect timing to make eye contact, young Florian. Answer me this…What exactly was believed to rest in the depths of the Great Crater - inside Area Zero?"

Milo went still at being called out like that, but thought about it. He had done some cursory research into Area Zero already, and even then he had read the course material for Raifort's history class beforehand. "It's treasure, isn't it?"

Raifort's eyes gleamed with amusement as she grinned. "Heh. That is correct! You are a surprisingly clever one, aren't you? I see you did your homework prior to coming to my class."

Milo didn't reply, instead sinking a bit further into his chair. Meanwhile Nalani gave Milo a double thumbs up from her side of the room.

Raifort continued with her lecture with an excited grin, turning to the board again. "But yes, that's right. Some believed that a treasure more valuable than anything else in this world rested in the depths of the Great Crater!"

Raifort sighed then, shaking her head with a forlorn expression crossing her face. "So much for the dreams of treasure hunting, though, as a lab has been built in those very same depths."

Professor Sada's lab… Milo thought to himself before Raifort whirled around, pointing to the class.

"Oh, and before I forget - you would all do well to remember that the Great Crater and Area Zero are both off-limits to all but those who have official business there. It requires a security clearance so high that it's limited to a number of people that I could count on one hand." Raifort warned everyone, including a surprised Milo. "This place is dangerous to an extreme degree. Do not dare entertain the foolish notion of gallivanting off to Area Zero in search of riches. It is no place for children dreaming of treasure and adventure!"

There was a pronounced pause in the seriousness of Raifort's warning. She promptly ruined it several seconds later.

"Besides, if it were at all possible to investigate the area, I would surely be the first to do so!" Raifort admitted, causing a peal of laughter to roll through the class. Even Milo was chuckling at the admission, as out of place as it was. A few moments later, a long bell toned throughout the school, signaling the end of the lesson.

"Oho, is that the time already? I must've gotten swept up in filling your minds with knowledge." Raifort said with a smile, placing a hand against her chest.

"Should we bring in signs and foam fingers about how awesome you are, Miss Raifort?" Nalani asked, grinning at the teacher. Raifort shrugged her shoulders, smirking mischievously.

"No, instead bring sparklers and noise-makers. Those are more fun." Raifort answered without missing a beat. "This ends today's lesson. We will unravel more of history's enigmas together next time. Farewell for now, kids."

The class failed a few moments later, with Milo falling into step with Nalani. The Alolan teen grinned excitedly and said, "Well, that was fun."

"Area Zero…I'm super curious about it. There's so much mystery surrounding the place." Milo remarked, his arms crossing his chest.

"I think it's neat. Alola has a bunch of sacred sites, but nothing so off-limits and taboo. Even the Ruins of our Tapu can be reached by anyone willing to visit them." Nalani remarked before freezing alongside Milo at the sudden chime ringing throughout the school.

Director Clavell 's voice rang out. "Master Milo, please report to the Director's Office. Master Milo, please report to the Director's Office."

"In trouble already?" Nalani said with a teasing smirk. Nalani suddenly waved at someone to Milo's left, and the teen's gaze caught sight of the twins running towards them.

Milo pouted, shaking his head. "I get in a battle with Team Star one time and everyone suddenly thinks I'm a badass. I should look into getting a leather jacket and sunglasses soon."

"To be fair, Koraidon is super cool-looking and you ride it everywhere. Plus you're buddies with the strongest Trainer we know. And Juliana even said you fought one of those Titans with that cute Arven guy, but she told us to keep that a secret." Kara said as she and her sister joined Milo and Nalani, completing the girl circle that now surrounded Milo.

"So should I expect a video of that battle to somehow be on Festival Plaza tomorrow?" Milo asked in a deadpan voice, causing the girls to laugh.

"Nah, we've got a track meet in twenty minutes. And no video proof that you actually did that, though I totally believe it. Later Milo!" The twins chorused their farewell before running ahead, waving to Milo together before rounding another corner. Milo waved back, smiling at them before he turned in the opposite direction, heading towards Director Clavell's office. Nalani kept walking with Milo for about another minute before she took left, heading towards the cafeteria.

Milo knocked politely on Director Clavell's office door, and after being called to enter, the teen did just that. The office looked the same as it did last time, with Clavell sitting behind his desk sipping from a coffee mug.

"Oh? Why hello, Master Milo. Thank you for joining me. Do come in." The Director of Naranja Academy said as he gestured towards the seat in front of him.

"I'm surprised you called for me, sir. How can I help you?" Milo asked somewhat nervously.

"Simply by chatting with me for a little while. You see, every now and then I'll call a student into my office and simply ask them how they're doing. Especially those students who come from abroad who may have trouble adjusting to Paldea." Clavell explained with a casual shrug. "I recall Miss Nalani having a hard time in her first month here, for instance, since she came from Alola."

"Makes sense." Milo replied easily, though something told him that the man had another reason for calling him in here than just that.

"How is your Treasure Hunt coming along? Having all sorts of fun adventures, I hope?" Clavell asked the student as he sat down in the chair.

Milo considered the answer for a second before smiling and nodding. "Yeah, it's been great! I've already got two Gym Badges and I'm catching a lot of Pokémon."

"Wonderful, I'm glad to hear it." Clavell said with a pleased smile. "Do keep in mind that the Treasure Hunt has no set course or criteria you must follow. Simply go where your heart takes you, and you shall do splendidly."

"I'll keep that in mind, sir. I honestly appreciate it being set up like this." Milo admitted, laughing quietly. "It lets me explore as much of the region as possible and focus on different things instead of one thing."

"I quite understand. Expanding your boundaries and exploring to your heart's content is such a wonderful way to grow. I remember my own Treasure Hunt quite fondly, and approached it in a similar manner as you have." Clavell said to Milo, who was surprised by this admission.

"Admittedly, I was very concerned with you joining the Academy so soon after getting out of the hospital. Not many can escape such horrors unscathed, my boy." Clavell said as his tone became serious, and Milo's mask slammed into place. "You are a strong one, Master Milo, for enduring such hardship and continuing to stride onwards with your best foot forward. I commend you for it. Just…"

Clavell considered his words carefully, already seeing that Milo was fighting to keep his face neutral. "We are here to support you here at Naranja Academy, and we strive to look out for our students in all aspects of life. For example, Nurse Miriam can assist in any physical therapy or counseling concerns you might have alongside Miss Dendra. And of course, my own door is always open should you require anything."

"I'll think about it sir. But I think for now I just need to…be. Does that make sense?" Milo asked the man, who nodded in understanding.

"Much like your own mother, I will not force you into decisions that you are not comfortable with." Clavell said with a nod of the head, undeterred. He then smiled at Milo, catching the boy off-guard. "Though, I must admit, that was not my only concern. I was also worried that you would cause a bit of a stir ever since your first day. Your actions in defending Miss Penny against Team Star, as noble as they were, gave you a bit of a reputation as a man of action here at the Academy." Clavell explained, causing Milo to flush in embarrassment. He was anything but a man of action in his own opinion.

"I haven't been involved with those clowns since then." Milo responded, with the Director nodding in agreement. "But if they cause trouble again, I can't promise not to drive them off like I did last time.

"I trust and respect that you will do what you have to. Team Star has been an issue for some time now. As tempting as it is to send some of our students or even an instructor to confront them at their bases, such an act could possibly be met with reprisal against the Academy. Perhaps even with violence." Clavell admitted, causing Milo's eyes to widen in surprise. He had never considered that.

"Team Star's reputation at this school precedes myself and most of the staff here, and I'm unsure what they may be truly capable of when pressed like that. I was warned that they were a dangerous group of hoodlums by concerned parents and students from the very first day I took this position." Clavell explained, his brow furrowing with frustration. "I'm considering various options, however, and you shouldn't need to worry about them."

Milo thought about that and realized the difficult position the Director was in. The teen had wondered why the school hadn't brought the hammer down on Team Star for being nuisances. The issue of Team Star retaliating with violence should they be taken down was something Milo hadn't considered. Letting the gang commit petty acts of annoyance against the school seemed to be the lesser of two evils for now until a better solution was devised.

Clavell seemed to remember something, as the man snapped his fingers. "Speaking of such pursuits, there has been something on my mind of late. If I could ask for your expertise on the matter, I would be most grateful." The Director of the Academy asked Milo, who nodded in agreement.

"You see, I recently heard a word whose meaning escapes me. I believe it to be some sort of slang." Clavell explained, leaning back in his chair with a bemused expression. "Tell me, what does cheugy mean?"

"Uh…I'm pretty sure that word means something is outdated or uncool." Milo remarked, thinking about it for a few moments. The only reason he knew that was because Juliana and him had played plenty of Scrabble back in Galar. They had fallen out of the habit in Paldea, but that was because of how busy they were these days. "I'll have to check with Juliana later, but I'm fairly confident on that.

"Ah…" Clavell closed his eyes with a small frown. "I think I understand. For both the speaker and recipient, it is not a pleasant word, I take it…"

"Not really. But I don't think it's a word a student here would use, though." Milo explained to Clavell, who nodded back at him.

"The words used by young people these days are quite often beyond my comprehension." Clavell admitted, sighing softly. He still wore a smile despite that. "But when I learn the meanings behind the words, I find that I feel that much closer to my students. I am most grateful to you for your help on that front."

"I'm happy I could help sir." Milo said with a smile, pleased he was able to lend the Director a hand. Clavell took that moment to glance at the nearby clock and hummed for a moment.

"It seems our little talk must come to an end for now, Master Milo. I have a faculty meeting soon and it would hardly be appropriate for me to be late." Clavell said as he rose from his chair, with Milo doing the same. "Thank you once again for coming by. And as always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, feel free to come by my office anytime."

Milo stepped out of the office and made his way back to his room deep in thought. Team Star hadn't been officially dealt with because they had been around for longer than Clavell himself and the man had heard nothing but bad things about them. Fearing a violent response to the group being forcibly torn apart by school officials was a very reasonable concern.

Though if a lone student took the fight to them, then they'd be focused on that student instead of the school. Milo thought to himself, thinking of Cassiopeia and their request for Milo's help in dealing with the group. I need more information and more experience before I deal with these clowns, if they're not already handled by the time I get around to it.

Milo was so distracted he didn't notice Juliana walking alongside him until she flicked the side of his head.

"Oww. The hell was that for?" Milo grumbled as he rubbed his head. Juliana offered a sly smirk, crossing her arms as best as she could while holding a violin case.

"What'd Director Clavell need you for? Everything good?" Juliana asked, concern in her voice despite her attempt to hide it behind a smile.

Milo nodded in answer as he rounded the corner of the hallway and continued walking towards his dorm room. "He was making sure I was adjusting well and curious as to whether or not I would consider therapy in the future. I know Mum does it, but I don't know if I'm ready for that. We'll see."

The teen opened the door to his room and walked inside, Juliana right behind him. He called out his team, plus Koraidon, and sighed with relief at being back inside of his own little sanctuary.

"Band practice, remember?" Juliana said to Milo as he made a move to grab his Switch, causing the teen to sigh. He walked over to his bed and pulled out a black case from underneath it, flipping it open. Inside of the velvet-lined case was a brass-colored alto saxophone. It gleamed in the lighting of the room, and save for a few scratches here and there, it was very well-maintained.

Milo did a once-over of the case, making sure that he had a few spare reeds in case one broke. He then closed the saxophone case and picked it up, also making sure to snag a small folder sitting on his desk that contained many pages of sheet music.

"Hey! I was here first! Shove off!"

"Excuse me! I was going to invite him to dinner! You don't have to be so rude!"

Milo and Juliana exchanged a brief glance upon hearing the two familiar voices shouting at one another. They both hurried to the door, opening it and seeing Arven and Nemona glaring at each other. Both of the upperclassmen turned to their two young friends and both blushed with embarrassment.

"Um, sorry about that! I was going to ask if you wanted to do those practice battles, Milo." Nemona said with a sheepish expression while Arven scoffed.

"And I was going to ask when you wanted to head out towards Cortondo. That's the closest town to the Open Sky Titan and we discussed dealing with it this week." Arven countered, crossing his arms and huffing.

"I promised that I would do both things. Arven, we can head out the day after tomorrow. I'm already packed and ready. Nemona, I'm up for some battles and dinner afterwards if you're free." Milo said to both of his friends, who both glanced at one another and Milo.

"We're kinda busy now, though. We need to practice this song, so we'll be preoccupied for a while." Juliana offered, which made Arven and Nemona pause for a moment.

"Practice? Wait, you play an instrument Milo?" Arven asked, surprised by this.

"Yeah. I've played the alto saxophone for the past five years. Juliana plays violin, see?" Milo said as he pointed to the distinct violin case Juliana held under her arm. "If you want, you're more than free to come hang out with us. We'll be kinda focused on practicing, but it's something."

"Sounds like fun! I'm in." The two older students said at the same time, causing the two of them to glare at one another for a few moments before Milo coughed loudly.

"Well, we're burning daylight. Let's get some practice in before we spend the day blabbering." Milo said as he locked his door behind him and walked past them all, holding his saxophone case. Juliana quickly followed her best friend, with Arven and Nemona trailing behind. The upperclassmen exchanged petulant glares at one another before eventually being led to the Band Room.

It was here that students of Naranja Academy could come to practice with instruments or sing. An enormous room filled with dozens of chairs, with a podium sitting in the middle of the room. A music stand was in front of practically every seat, and a wall of lockers containing instruments was on the far right side of the room.

Pictures of students posing with their instruments and Pokémon were on the wall behind the podium, some of them showing a tall man with bright sapphire-colored eyes and jet black hair with a whimsical smile, as if he was trying not to laugh.

"You know, I've never been here before." Arven remarked as he walked through the empty room, which struck Arven as odd. "It's empty though."

"There's a few people playing in soundproof rooms over there." Milo pointed out, gesturing to several closed doors with glass doors where students were playing instruments with muffled noises coming from the doors. "And most people don't use this room for practice, either because they don't practice or they do it somewhere else. Or just play with their band and that's it."

"How many bands are there?" Arven asked.

"I think there's four, right?" Nemona said with an unsure frown, trying to remember.

"There's four main ones. Beginner, Intermediate, Symphonic and Wind Ensemble. There's a Jazz Band for the elite musicians as well that I've been pushing Milo to join, but he's being dumb about it." Juliana said casually, earning a glare from Milo.

"I'll try out when I've got less stuff going on. Now let's practice already." Milo remarked with a roll of the eyes, brushing aside her comment.

"Which band are you both in?" Nemona asked her friends, curious about how it all worked.

"We're both in the Intermediate Level Band, which is where most new students with musical experience go." Juliana explained as they walked into a room. "But we can audition to get moved to the higher level bands, which is why we need to practice this song. We're good, but some of the people we're trying to join are fantastic."

Nemona and Arven both weren't very familiar with the room, since they both weren't musically inclined, so they looked around the place with curious eyes. Meanwhile, Milo and Juliana quickly set up some chairs for the four of them and brought over two music stands. Within minutes the two friends were sitting beside each other and talking quietly about a piece of music they were expected to play tomorrow for a test. Both freshmen warmed up, with Milo quickly playing a series of scales with the ease of someone who had done it hundreds of times. It reminded Nemona of how easily battling came to her.

"I've got it mostly down, but the tempo change is obnoxious." Milo said after he was warmed up and ready to try the sheet music. "Let me run through it a few times and see how it sounds."

Milo took a sharp breath and began to play his saxophone, filling the room with music. Juliana joined him, her bow dancing across the strings of the violin.

Arven leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, simply listening to the music. Meanwhile Nemona watched on eagerly, both enjoying the music and seeing her friends taking part in another aspect of their lives that she hadn't had much of a chance to see yet. After repeating the song three times, Milo and Juliana both quietly talked as they pointed at the sheet music before launching into another repetition of the song. It wasn't perfect, since they were still learning the piece, but it was still impressive to the two other students.

"He's really good." Nemona remarked in a hushed voice to herself, leaning forward in her chair. Juliana mentioned something quietly about the tempo of the piece before readying her violin and diving into the music again, filling the room with a wonderful melody. "They're both really talented!"

"I'd expect nothing less from them…Milo and Juliana are pretty great, after all." Arven remarked quietly, smirking despite himself. Nemona smiled at the teen, despite their animosity, since she completely agreed.

Chapter Text

“I think it’s about time I catch a new Pokémon.”

Milo blinked at the sudden comment from Arven as they trekked towards Cortondo from Mesagoza’s west gate. The weather was pleasantly warm and the skies were full of white clouds today, providing the Trainers with a rather comfortable day to begin their journey towards the Open Sky Titan.

“I’ve only got Munchy and Barbossa for battling. You’ve got plenty of Pokémon for basically any situation, right?” Arven asked Milo, who nodded as they continued down the trail. 

“According to the info you sent me, the Open Sky Pokémon is a Flying-type. You’ve already got a Normal and a Water-type Pokémon. I’d say an Electric, Rock or Ice-type would be your best bet if you wanted to have an advantage against this thing.” Milo remarked, thinking about it. “My own team isn’t set up for the Titan right now, but I’ll probably fill it with Pokémon that have a Type-Advantage against it or have a Tera Type that’ll give them an advantage. I’d recommend you do the same on the way to the Titan.”

“Man, that Class President is really rubbing off on you.” Arven remarked with a snort, shaking his head as they made their way up one of the slopes that led up the cliffside. “Whatever. You’ve got a point.”

“Having Barbossa against Titan Klawf was a big help. So we should just keep up the winning strategy.” Milo remarked, shrugging his shoulders. But not before giving Arven an annoyed look. “And lay off of her, mate. Nemona’s taught me a lot. If she hadn't spent so much time showing me the ropes, I probably wouldn’t have held my own against Titan Klawf with just Cocoa.”

“What do you see in her, man? She’s so obnoxious. You and Juliana are the only people who willingly put up with her crap.” Arven asked, putting his hands behind his head.

“She’s been nothing but kind and helpful since the literal minute I’ve met her. You’re more than free to not like her, but I’m not okay with you talking crap about Nemona behind her back.” Milo said with a frown that was serious enough for Arven to consider his friend’s words. Especially considering how much Milo was helping him out now.

“F-fine…not worth harping over. We’ve got bigger fish to fry. Like getting me another Pokémon.” Arven said before glancing around, spotting several Mareep and Hoppip mulling around the air. Arven ran ahead down the path, gazing around with a determined expression while Milo continued strolling behind him at a steady pace.

The older student peered down the cliff and his heart caught at the sight of a small pack of Maschiff frolicking in the grass alongside a few Pikachu and Azurill. He quickly turned his head to walk away, only for his foot to catch on something hard and trip him into the dirt.

“Arven!” Milo called out, only for Arven to wave him off as he staggered to his feet.

“Agh…that hurt. Bad things keep happening to me, like I have bad luck or something.” Arven groused as he regained his balance and stood back upright.

“Arven, you don't have bad luck. The reason bad things happen to you is because you're a dumbass .” Milo said with a smile, causing Arven to glare at him for a moment before smirking.

“Eh, sometimes.” Arven admitted before looking down at what he had tripped over. It was a small brown and white rock-like Pokémon that the two of them recognized immediately as a Nacli. Its orange eyes stared up at them, and Arven bent down to speak to it. “Sorry for tripping over you there, little guy.”

“Naaaaa!” the Pokémon cried out in response, seemingly unbothered by the incident. It was then that Milo caught up to Arven and stopped by his side, gesturing to the Pokémon.

“You know, a Nacli would probably be great for you.” Milo remarked, with Arven’s eyes widening in surprise. “It’s a Rock-type, isn’t it? And from what we learned in Mr. Jacq’s class, they’re great to have around for cooking because their salt replenishes naturally.”

“Which would be amazing for me out here in the Wilds. Fresh salt on hand for sandwiches anytime I want and a new friend for Munchy and Barbossa? Win-win!” Arven exclaimed with a wide grin. “Barbossa, come on out!” 

The Shellder appeared in a flash of light as the Nacli’s eyes narrowed. It tried to throw a rock (by using the move Rock Throw of course), only for Barbossa to blast it in the face with a Water Gun and cause the move to go wide and go flying off the cliff.

Milo chose to ignore the pained cry of something in the distance as Arven called for a Tackle, further weakening the Nacli. It retaliated with another Rock Throw, doing some slight damage to Barbossa but not nearly enough to make a difference.

“Poké Ball, go!” Arven shouted as he hurled the ball at the salty Pokémon, who let out a cry as the capsule connected and sucked the Nacli inside. The device shook back and forth three times before clicking, showing that the capture was complete. 

“There we go. Another friend for the team.” Arven said with a satisfied nod, patting Barbossa’s side as the Shellder floated nearby. Arven pulled out his Rotom Phone while Milo clapped enthusiastically for his friend, with the upperclassman calling back out his newly-caught Pokémon and scanning it for the Pokédex entry.

“Nacli. The Salt Pokémon. It was born in a layer of rock salt deep under the earth. This species was particularly treasured in the old days, as they would share precious salt. This Nacli is Male and its Ability is Purifying Salt. Its Tera Type is Rock.” The Rotom Phone explained as Arven looked down at his newest Pokémon. 

“I should get a case like that.” Milo remarked, seeing the Flabébé design of Arven’s Rotom Phone case. It was pretty adorable in Milo’s opinion.

Arven smiled at the compliment. “We’ll have to swing by Delibird Presents on our way back and get you something unique.” 

“What are you going to name him?” Milo asked, crossing his arms. “I suck with names, so this one’s all you, Arven.”

“Hmmm…Nusret.” Arven remarked, smirking to himself. Milo frowned, wondering where he had heard the familiar name before. Arven grinned upon seeing Milo’s thoughtful expression. “Come on, Milo, you should know this reference!”

“I’m thinking, mate. I just can’t remember where that name is from.”

“Think. It’s a meme that has to do with salt.”

Ooh, I know what it is!

“No one asked you!” Milo thought angrily at the voice in his head, who snickered and faded away. 

“I’ll give you a bit more time to figure it out.” Arven said smugly, amused at Milo’s annoyance at the Remnant and thinking it was because he couldn’t get Arven’s reference.

“It has to do with…wait. Salt Bae! Yeah, I remember! That’s the name of the guy behind the Salt Bae meme! I like it.” Milo said with a laugh as Arven registered Nusret the Nacli into his Rotom Phone. Arven grinned and knelt down to his new Pokémon, patting it on the head. 

“We’ll make a great team, I know it.” Arven said to the Nacli, who let out a cry before Arven returned him. Arven returned Barbossa and clipped the Poké Balls to his belt.

The duo spent the better part of the afternoon and early evening getting Nusret  Nathecli some combat practice, even diving into a few Tera Dens to get some more experience battling in strange conditions against powerful Pokémon. Eventually Arven and Milo decided to camp out down by the river, setting up their tents in the shade of one of the bigger trees. 

Towards the end of the night, Milo sent out Koraidon, ignoring Arven’s protests and explaining that it could keep watch for trouble and was the strongest Pokémon between the two of them. Arven couldn’t refute that logic, so he just sighed with annoyance and went to bed. 

Several hours later, Milo woke up with a start, breathing hard. The teen  quickly got into a sitting position, a panicked look on his face as he glanced around the darkened tent and realized where he was. Echo the Toxel, Smith the Applin and Fleur the Steenee continued to doze, undisturbed by their Trainer’s sudden awakening.

“It’s okay…I can breathe. I can…damn it!” Milo muttered, rubbing his face and wiping away the sweat. With a ragged exhale Milo got out of his tent to get some fresh air, hoping it would help himself calm down. The teen emerged from his tent, carefully moving past his team as they dozed around the entrance.

At least until Koraidon stirred, raising its head and sensing the mood of the Trainer it now obeyed. This woke up Storm, Reggie and Cocoa, who all looked at their Trainer with concern as Koraidon sniffed the air, tilting its head. Milo walked over and patted the beast on the head and rubbed its neck. “I’ll be okay, buddy. Just a nightmare.”

“Giaasss…” Koraidon replied quietly, yawning and extending his jaw widely before glancing to its left. Milo followed its gaze and spotted something moving through the grass nearby. Milo stared at the tall grass and managed to pick out a splash of orange, but it wasn’t until the Pokémon moved out from behind the grass and out into the open that Milo realized the Pokémon was a Pikachu. An orange Pikachu.

Pikachu weren’t usually orange.

Milo blinked several times, rubbing his eyes at the sight of the orange Pikachu before realizing that his eyes weren’t deceiving him. By that point, Reggie and Cocoa had wandered in front of Milo, eyeing the Pikachu carefully.

“Holy crap, I’m not crazy.” Milo breathed as an excited grin leapt to his face. Milo stepped forward and locked eyes with the orange Pikachu, who quickly fell to all-fours as its cheeks sparked with electricity. A flash of sparkles flickered around the Pikachu as Milo felt the Nuzlocke Curse grip his heart, but he didn’t really care right then.

Blugh! Huh? What? What’s going on? Why did the curse activate?

Milo shook off the sensation and ordered Cocoa to use Poison Tail, with the Paldean Wooper leaping forward to battle the strangely-colored Pikachu. The orange Pikachu tried to attack with a Thunder Shock, but unfortunately for it, Cocoa easily withstood the attack and smacked the Pikachu hard with her glowing tail. The orange Pikachu landed hard on the ground and slowly rose, wincing as its body began to twitch painfully.

“It’s poisoned. Gotta be careful and just go for the catch!” Milo muttered as he prepared an Ultra Ball he had scavenged from the ground a few weeks prior. Milo had acquired a large stockpile of various items at this point, which included more than a few special Poké Balls. He had been keeping the Ultra Balls for just such an occasion, and this definitely qualified. 

Milo took a step forward and let the Ultra Ball fly, with the sphere connecting with the Pikachu’s chest and sending it into the capsule. Milo stared at the device with baited breath as it shook once…twice…thrice… click .

“And that’s that.” Milo said with a grin as he picked up the Ultra Ball, practically bubbling with joy at the incredible rare Pokémon he had found. And it because it was within the rules of the Nuzlocke Challenge, he was more than free to catch and use-

A SHINY PIKACHU!? I take a nap for five minutes and you catch a SHINY PIKACHU!? What the hell kind of luck is that!?

“Choke on it, asshole.” Milo thought happily as he beamed down at the Ultra Ball, sitting down in the grass and marveling at his good fortune. He quickly accessed PC Storage from his Rotom Phone while Arven finally scrambled out of his tent, looking rather annoyed. He then blinked several times as he watched Milo send out his newest catch and quickly realized what happened. Milo accessed the appropriate Pokéded entry and it played aloud.

“Pikachu. The Mouse Pokémon and the evolved form of Pichu . When it is angered, it immediately discharges the energy stored in the pouches in its cheeks. This specimen has been identified as Shiny. This Pikachu is Female and its Ability is Static. Its Tera Type is Electric.” The Rotom Phone intoned as Milo did a small fist pump. Arven looked genuinely stunned for a few moments before grinning widely and walking over to Milo.

“Well, well, well! Looks like you’ve got a shiny addition to your team! Hahaha!” Arven laughed as he patted Milo on the shoulder. “That’s amazing, little buddy. You got a name for your new friend?”

“Watt.” Milo said with a wide smile, extending a hand out to the Pikachu. She sniffed it for a moment before smiling, smacking his hand with her own. Arven chuckled at the display, genuinely ecstatic that his friend had chanced upon such a rare Pokémon. He then blinked suddenly and slapped a hand to his forehead, a horrified expression on his face.

“We’re idiots!” Arven yelled out, with Milo giving him a confused look. “We didn’t need to walk all the way out here! We could’ve used a Flying Taxi and saved an entire day of traveling!”

Milo blinked several times before suddenly clutching his head and groaning with frustration. 

The next morning was a lively one, and the duo were in good spirits as they traveled through Cortondo, despite feeling rather stupid that they had walked all that way for nothing. However, Arven and Milo convinced themselves that Arven catching Nusret and Milo catching Watt were worth the extra steps.

After a light lunch at Every Wich Way , Milo and Arven made their way up the large cliffs by taking the sloping path through the countryside. Milo spent that time rotating his team around and getting them more experience, focusing on his newly-caught Shiny Pikachu since she would have a big advantage against the Open Sky Titan. 

The issue of giant boulders raining down from the mountainside became very apparent, and it prevented the two Trainers from being able to quickly travel up the mountain. This was especially important because Arven suspected that the Titan itself was the one responsible for the downpour of rocks, and that it was defending its territory at the top of the mountain. 

Arven and Milo eventually split up for a short while, with Arven focusing on finding a path that led up the mountain safely while Milo explored the area for tunnels. On top of that, Milo was determined to familiarize himself with the area. 

Several hours later, the Galarian student took a break and decided to play with his Pokémon for a few minutes. A ringing Rotom Phone caught Milo’s attention, and after realizing it was Arven, the teen answered the call.

“Yo Milo! How’s your luck going?” Arven asked, waving to him over the video call. Milo waved back, with Reggie growling a greeting to the other student. Munchy cried out a greeting back from Arven’s shoulder.

“Kinda crap. Find anything interesting yet?” Milo asked, rubbing Reggie’s back as the Crocalor hummed with pleasure. As Milo did so, he watched several large boulders rolling down the other side of the mountain. Milo shivered at the thought of getting crushed by whatever was causing this.

“Not yet. It’s pretty annoying, to be honest. I’m worried about getting too close to the mountain with those boulders. There’s gotta be something we can do.”

"How about this? Let’s just start from the beginning. What do we know?” Milo said to Arven, who took a moment to gather his thoughts before answering.

“So from what I gather, it seems like the Open Sky Titan lives somewhere up on this mountain close to Cortondo. But there are all these crazy boulders raining down from the mountain, too.” Arven explained to Milo, who considered that. “Meaning that finding a tunnel is a long-shot. We might just have to charge our way up alongside the mountain.”

“That sounds awful, mate. I don’t want to play Dodge the Deadly Rocks with a Titan Pokémon.” Milo remarked, frowning at the idea. Arven winced, nodding in agreement.

“It’s gonna be a little tricky to stand around and look for the Titan while dodging all those.” Arven continued to muse, thinking aloud more than anything else. “I think you’ll be sent flying if you get hit by a falling boulder - but maybe you could power your way through atop that brute of yours!”

“Its name is Koraidon , Arven, stop being a twat.” Milo said firmly, earning a scoff from the teen.

“Yeah, yeah. You know, I think Mom actually gave that thing a proper nickname way back, actually. She just calls it Koraidon because it sounds more impressive.” Arven remarked dryly, catching Milo’s interest. It was rare that Arven said anything about Professor Sada at all considering how poor their relationship was.

“Really? Do you remember what Professor Sada’s nickname for Koraidon was?” Milo asked, genuinely curious.

“Nah, I can’t remember at all. But forget that brute, we’ve got a Titan to find!” Arven said before hanging up the phone. Milo rolled his eyes and hopped back atop Koraidon, urging the mount further down the path. Milo marveled at the lush green landscape around him, with the fresh sea breeze rolling through the air. It lent a special atmosphere to the trek, as if adventure and discovery was right around the corner.

“There’s gotta be a side path or something. There’s no way I’m going to charge up that path with just Koraidon…not that I don’t think you can do it.” Milo said quickly to the draconic mount, who bobbed its head in understanding. Milo decided to take a closer look at some of the side caverns on the eastern side of the mountain towards the ocean.

After saying a prayer, he urged Koraidon to leap off of the main section of the mountain and land on a large ledge that jutted out from the side of the cliff. The several hundred foot drop into the ocean terrified Milo as they soared through the air, but Koraidon landed onto the safety of the ledge without any issues. Milo glanced around the ledge, spotting nothing of note except for a cluster of Drifloon-

“Is that what I think it is?” Milo said in a quiet voice, doing a double-take as he stared into the cluster of Drifloon…and spotting a bright yellow one in the cluster of purple Drifloon. The Remnant was dead silent in Milo’s head, but the teen could feel its overwhelming annoyance.

Milo quickly sent out Reggie and approached the cluster of Drifloon. The teen was grinning with excitement. “Reggie, Disarming Voice!”

 The Drifloon cluster drifted apart, save for the Shiny Drifloon that Milo was targeting. The Shiny Drifloon let out a small cry as sparkles erupted from its body, letting loose a Gust attack. Reggie withstood the attack with an annoyed growl, but it didn’t do too much damage. The Crocalor counter-attacked with a pink-colored wave of sound that stunned the Drifloon, and Milo saw his opportunity. The Galarian Trainer primed another Ultra Ball he had been keeping in reserve, grateful he had thought ahead.

“Alright, if I somehow blow this I’ll never live this down!” Milo pulled back his arm and let the Ultra Ball fly, praying that it wouldn’t go flying off of the cliff if he missed. 

Thankfully his experience within the Tera Dens throwing Poké Balls in a dramatically cool fashion allowed him to hit the Shiny Drifloon with the capsule, sucking it into the Ultra Ball. The ball landed on the grass as the other Drifloon drifted away, twitching one…two…three times…and click .

Milo did an excited fist pump while Koraidon let out a joyful growl. The teen swapped his party around and sent out the Shiny Drifloon, which spun around in a circle as several sparkles erupted around it. Milo pulled out his Rotom Phone and pulled up the appropriate entry, healing his newest capture with a Potion as he did so.

“Drifloon. The Balloon Pokémon. It is whispered that any child who mistakes Drifloon for a balloon and holds on to it could wind up missing. This specimen has been identified as Shiny. This Drifloon is Male and its Ability is Unburden. Its Tera Type is Ghost.” The Rotom Phone explained while Milo chuckled uncontrollably, with Koraidon looking at its caretaker with confusion.

“Sorry bud. I just can’t believe my luck. Two Shinies in two days. I should play the lottery.” Milo apologized to Koraidon, rubbing the Pokémon’s head. With that, Milo turned to his new Pokémon with a thoughtful expression.

“I shall name you Floom, and you are my floaty boy.” Milo declared with a silly smile as the newly-captured Drifloon let out a cooing sound, wrapping its legs around Milo’s arm. “And you won’t drag me into hell or…whatever it is that actually happens.”

“Flooon!” Floom exclaimed, sounding slightly offended. He still continued trying to drag Milo towards the cliff’s edge, even as his fellow Drifloon cried out in what seemed to be farewell to their Shiny friend. Milo looked back and smiled at them, waving to the group as well before turning back around to hop atop Koraidon and return to his trek.

The Galarian teen decided to return to the safer portions of the cliff above the alcove where he had found his latest capture and quickly made camp on the main path. Milo didn’t stop smiling the entire time, for once absolutely giddy about his luck as he watched his Shiny Pikachu and Shiny Drifloon playing alongside his other Pokémon as night fell. 

When Milo reunited with Arven the next day, he was absolutely dumbfounded at the Shiny Pikachu riding on Milo’s left shoulder and the Shiny Drifloon flying over his right shoulder.

“How!? Why!?” Arven demanded, pointing a finger at Milo, who just shrugged in response.

Trust me Arven, I’m right there with you. Lucky little shit…

“Your guess is as good as mine. I saw a bunch of Drifloon floating around a cliff, and I saw one that looked different. Of course I was going to try and catch it.” Milo remarked, causing Arven to scowl before shaking his head.

“Well, either way, I did our work for us. I found where that Titan is, but there’s an issue.” Arven said to his friend, who looked confused.

“What’s the issue?” Milo asked.

“Let’s regroup at Cortondo and figure out a plan of attack. Besides, I’m getting hungry. Maybe we can hit up Smoliv Garden.” Arven said with a casual shrug, ignoring the sudden look of panic Milo gave his friend. The younger student spent several minutes trying to convince Arven not to eat at the famous restaurant chain. Eventually Milo gave up, and the conversation turned to the topic of school.  

“To be honest, I feel bad about missing the Pep Rally. Juliana was going to do a big speech to kick things off, plus she had a demonstration for the archery club.” Milo remarked, frowning as he and Arven waited for the Flying Taxi to arrive. “I guess we can catch the livestream, but I still feel terrible.”

“I had a discussion with her earlier and she seemed pretty understanding. I told her that this was an emergency, and she was disappointed, but understood.” Arven said to Milo, who looked at his friend with some surprise.

“Well, what are the chances we can deal with the Titan in time to hightail it to school so we can watch Juliana do her thing?” Milo asked his friend, who sighed in response. It was clear he disliked the situation more than Milo did.

“Not likely. Sorry, Milo. I’ll make it up to you both. This just…this can’t wait.” Arven said seriously before catching himself and plastering on a grin. “I-I-I mean the sandwiches can’t wait! Yeah!”

Milo opened his mouth to speak, but closed it, thinking better of the situation. Arven smiled at Milo and patted the teen on the shoulder. “Thanks for trusting me, little buddy.”

“You don’t bug me about my past, I don’t bug you about yours.” Milo said with a shrug, causing Arven to nod.

“I’m curious for sure, but I’ll let you tell me when you’re ready. It’s the least I can do after you helped me deal with Titan Klawf.” Arven remarked with a shrug, smirking as the Flying Taxi finally arrived. The duo quickly made their way to Cortondo, where they booked a hotel stay at the same place Milo had stayed during his first visit to the city. 

Eventually Milo and Arven found their way towards the Patisserie Soapberry. They spotted a large line outside of the bakery where the Cortondo Gym Leader, Katy, worked as a famous baker. The teens patiently waited their turn in line by and were greeted with a smile from the Sugarbug herself.

“Good morning! Welcome to the Patisserie Soapberry!” Katy said brightly, laughing a little as Milo gave her a shy wave. “And if it isn’t Milo and Arven! How wonderful to see you both again!”

“Good morning ma’am. You wouldn’t happen to have any of Spidops Sugar Cookies?” Arven asked the Gym Leader, who nodded and quickly got Arven his desired treats. Milo ordered several items, including some treats for his team to enjoy, but the Galarian realized something that he had to vocalize.

“Miss Katy, how do you remember me?” Milo asked, looking confused as he accepted his Wonderful Wimpod Walnut Cupcakes. “You battle all sorts of Trainers, don’t you? And we battled over a month ago.” 

“Of course I remember you, Milo. You were very fun to battle, despite being a complete rookie at the time. I even got a chance to watch you battle Brassius. Your little Venonat was quite the superstar!” Katy gushed, and Milo had to catch himself from pulling a face at the mention of Victor the Venonat. He was the third Pokémon that Milo had lost in his journey thanks to the Nuzlocke Curse he was under. And it wasn’t like he was able to explain that to anyone either, so he kept quiet.

“The Gym Leaders here in Paldea typically keep tabs on certain Trainers that interest them. Sometimes you just make a strong impression on people, little buddy!” Arven said with a grin as he clapped Milo on the shoulder, with Katy nodding in agreement.

“Being Miss Nemona’s good friend and having a rather popular presence on Festival Plaza doesn’t hurt either. I was very impressed when I saw that video of you stopping those Team Star thugs from bothering that girl.” Katy said as Milo blushed at the compliments.

“I was j-just doing what was right.” Milo stammered out, with Katy smiling kindly at the student in response.

“And sometimes that’s all it takes to earn someone’s admiration, dear. This world would be a better place if people were more willing to do the right thing.” Katy said to the student, who blinked at the comment before Katy shrugged her shoulders.

“Is there anything else you’d like? I’ll be closing up shop early today and I’ll be closed tomorrow, so get what you can!” Katy said to the two students, who exchanged a brief glance of confusion. Katy’s Patisserie Soapberry was open seven days a week, even when she was acting in her capacity as a Gym Leader. 

“Do you mind me asking why you’re closing early, ma’am?” Arven asked with a curious frown. 

“I’ll be closing shop a few hours early today because my fiancé is coming back from his overseas trip tomorrow. I was hoping to spend the day with him.” Katy explained to Arven and Milo, with the latter nodding in understanding. “I was even going to close the Gym Building down and reschedule my appointments.” 

“I think you talked about him the last time I was here. Isn’t he a Pokémon League employee?” Milo asked, trying to remember.

“Officially he works as a Pokémon League International Liaison between the different regions. He has dual-citizenship with Paldea and Alola, so he travels a lot for work.” Katy explained with a warm smile, making it obvious she missed her romantic partner. “He’s a very strong Trainer. Tough enough to battle the Paldea Elite Four at their best. We actually met after I beat him in a battle.”

“He sounds awesome.” Milo said with a grin while Arven nodded, putting a finger to his chin.

“I’ve met him before, actually. He’s quite the character, but not the best cook. His brownies were overdone.” Arven remembered, with Kay nodding in agreement.

“He-” Katy stopped speaking suddenly, blinking a few times. That was when the sound of loud music playing could be heard somewhere behind the two students. They looked towards the main road and saw several townspeople hurrying towards the end of Cortondo that faced Mesagoza. Several loud and enthusiastic shouts could be heard.

“He’s back! Hell yeah!”

“Come on, let’s go see!”

“Hey, the boss is here! Woooo!”

Katy gasped and quickly closed the window, and moments later was hurrying out of her shop and heading in the direction of where the other townsfolk were running towards. Milo and Arven exchanged a glance and hurried after the Gym Leader. After several minutes, they reached a large horde of people who were clamoring around a man who had seemingly just arrived in Cortondo. The sound of a boombox was playing in the background, held by a teenager in the crowd.

The man in question was tall and powerfully built, with snowy white hair and gray eyes that were the color of tempered steel. He wore a black cargo pants and a simple black and white tank-top adorned with laughing skulls which revealed hard, strong muscular arms. He had a pair of snazzy golden sunglasses with the Paldea League sigil emblazoned on them and had a golden diamond ring on his right hand. He wore a confident grin, glancing around the adoring crowd with his head held high.

Standing behind him was an enormous and terrifying-looking armored bug Pokémon that Milo recognized as a Golisopod. It was eyeing the crowd with narrowed eyes while holding a suitcase in one hand and wearing a straw sunhat on its head. The Pokémon’s Trainer stood in front of the Golisopod with a wide grin, throwing apart his arms as the crowd cheered greetings to him.

“What’s up, my people!?” the man bellowed to the crowd as the boombox behind him continued to play. “It’s your boy Guzma, back and better than ever!”

Roughly a dozen people suddenly ran past Milo and Arven as they slowed down to the horde of people. Katy had reached the crowd before them, and the large group quickly parted to allow their Gym Leader to reach the new arrival. Guzma spotted the woman and grinned from ear-to-ear as he stepped forward, pulling the woman into a tight hug and lifting her up. He spun her around for a few moments before setting her down gently on the ground and kissing her full on the mouth. Katy leaned into the kiss, cupping the man’s cheek for a moment before separating from him.

“Hey babe! Looking good!” Guzma declared, laughing as Katy beamed at the man. “Hope you didn’t miss me too much!”

“Well, well, well! This is a surprise, honey! You said you wouldn’t be back until tomorrow!” Katy said with a wide smile as planted a kiss on his cheek. Guzma laughed as he wrapped an arm around Katy’s waist and fist-bumped one of the locals, turning towards the town.

“What can I say, I just couldn’t stay away from ya for another day longer!” Guzma remarked with a bark of laughter, making Katy blush and giggle quietly. 

“That’s Katy’s fiancé!? That guy looks wild!” Milo said as he stared at the man known as Guzma with a stunned expression. “He looks kind of familiar , doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, Guzma Kahananui was a gangster back in Alola who led a bunch of thugs who caused trouble. He’s pretty well-known on the battling scene here from what I understand.” Arven replied as he and his friend watched the man in question walk alongside his wife-to-be. The excited expression of happiness on his face as he talked to Katy made Milo wonder how he came to be in Paldea.

Meanwhile, Katy and Guzma were walking through the crowd as people clapped the man on the shoulder and shouted greetings to him. His Golisopod handed off the suitcase it was holding to a young man wearing a skull-patterned t-shirt and the big bug lumbered after his Trainer.

“Ol’ Johnny Kukui managed to get people to come to an agreement. If Princess hadn’t stepped in to shut La Primera Grano en el Culo up for eight whole seconds, who knows how long it would’ve taken.” Guzma remarked, rolling his eyes. Katy chuckled softly, shaking her head.

“That sounds like her. I’ll have to thank Miss Lillie for speeding things along. It’s great to have you back, darling. You’ve missed a lot these past few weeks!” Katy said before gesturing to several of the townsfolk, who eagerly had pulled out a few Poké Balls. “But I think you have some battles to handle before we can properly catch up.”

“That’s right, bitches! Now who wants to throw down with me and Goliath!?” the man declared with a wild grin, causing several of the townsfolk to cheer even louder at the return of the man who would soon marry their beloved Gym Leader Katy. 

Milo and Arven watched on in surprise as Guzma’s Golisopod, known as Goliath, thrust out its claws, letting out a menacing hiss as it prepared for a homecoming battle against the locals. Two watery swords morphed into existence within the claws of the Hard Scale Pokémon while Guzma laughed almost manically. The crowd roared with approval and adoration while Katy beamed at her fiancé.

Chapter Text

Naranja Academy Schoolyard

"Juliana, for the last time, you'll be fine!" Nalani said with an annoyed sigh as she watched her friend pace back and forth, staring down at her cue cards as if her life depended on it. Juliana sighed and rubbed her temples, glancing at her Alolan friend with a grimace.

"Sorry! It's just, this could make or break my reputation here! I want to do a good job!" Juliana tried to defend herself to her three closest friends at the Academy besides Milo. The three other girls were sitting on the grass off to the side of the track, taking a break and trying to fully wake up. Dozens of vendor stalls, decorations and event stands had already been set up in the massive clearing. About forty students and faculty members were still helping finish the last of the preparations before the pep rally started a few hours from now. Naranja Academy took them rather seriously, which only added onto Juliana's nerves.

"Especially since you went from volunteering to help organize the event, to becoming the Archery Team Captain, and then being told you're doing a speech to kick the whole thing off." Sara said with a smirk, watching Juliana grimace again. A loud growling sound caught her attention, and Juliana glanced to the where she saw her team once again glaring at one another. Specifically, a very annoyed Nickit glaring at a Camerupt, Ampharos and Swablu who were all a short distance away. Juliana huffed and walked over to the cluster of Pokémon with her hands on her hips.

"Monty, Drake, Selene, it's okay. Niles is just being a little gremlin again." Juliana said to her three Pokémon respectively before turning to her unruly starter. In the many months that she had been a Trainer, and even after she had started the Paldean Gym Circuit, she had never managed to earn the respect of her Nickit. The rest of her team adored her, but the Nickit was still a hellion to anyone except her best friend. It was baffling to say the least.

"Oh, Niles…please stop picking fights." Juliana muttered as she scooped up Niles and walked back over to her friends, with her team following behind her. "Take five, everyone. We're taking a break."

Selene the Swablu trilled in response while Monty the Camerupt simply plopped down onto the ground and rested his head in the grass. Drake simply stood nearby, openly glaring at the Nickit held in Juliana's arms with frustration.

"You'd think after four badges that Niles would start behaving." Nalani said with a frown as the Nickit growled at the student. Juliana patted the Nickit on the head, quieting him a little.

"It is what it is. He'll grow up eventually, won't you Niles?" Juliana said with a small smile, causing the Nickit to let out a cry of protest. "Fine, fine. Anyways, I just gotta have faith that this'll all work out fine. I'm super nervous and that's fine."

"You'll do great, Julie!" Sara and Kara both called to their friend in unison, making the girl in question smile at her friend's support.

"It's kinda crap that Arven and Milo aren't here to back you up." Nalani remarked as she watched her friend sit down and lean against Monty the Camerupt, who had quickly drifted off to sleep.

"I know. I really didn't like it either, but Arven actually talked to me about it before he left. He said the Titan thing was way more important than school, and he promised me that he'd explain everything when he and Florian got back." Juliana explained with an annoyed huff. "He sounded so serious that I couldn't say anything else about it. Why he needs Florian though is a mystery."

"I keep forgetting that that's his actual name and not Milo." Nalani remarked lightly, with the others shrugging.

"Yeah, but he wants to be called that, so I indulge him." Juliana replied, sighing as she rubbed the side of her Camerupt. "He's Milo to you all, but he's always been Florian to me."

"You know, Arven doesn't really have any close friends besides you and Milo. Hell, I know me and Sara don't really talk to him a lot because he's had a few shouting matches with some of the other students that made us want to steer clear. But he seems to have mellowed out a bit recently." Kara said with a frown.

"Florian has that effect on people." Juliana said with a fond smile, closing her eyes as she tried to unwind. Draco the Ampharos nodded in agreement beside her before curling up into a loaf next to his Trainer.

"He managed to befriend both Nemona and Arven at the same time. Dude's the most socially antisocial person ever." Nalani giggled, earning a round of laughs from the other girls.

"Florian's got a lot of faults, but his best quality is that he lets people be themselves without judging them. He weathers Nemona's battle-obsession and puts up with Arven's prickliness. And in return, he's made two really good friends who think he's fantastic." Juliana said warmly, a note of pride in her voice when speaking about her closest friend.

"That's right, you've known Milo for ages, haven't you?" Sara asked Juliana, who nodded.

"Ever since I was three. His parents moved into the house next door to mine and Mum brought over a big cake to welcome them to the neighborhood. We went to primary school together and have always had each other's back. It's pretty interesting to see where Florian's gone since then." Juliana explained to her friends with a thoughtful smile.

"What do you mean?" Sara asked.

"Well, Florian back in Galar used to be pretty spineless." Juliana admitted, causing the three girls to gasp in surprise. "He's always been shy, no matter how much he wanted to make friends. I've always had to protect him when we were at school. Keep him safe from some of the jerks in class and get him out of the house, since he was always more comfortable at home than outside." Juliana explained, sighing as she thought about it. "Florian has kind of been in my shadow as a result, but I think he preferred it that way. He doesn't like to draw attention to himself."

"Yeah, dude's a recluse through and through. But that's not necessarily bad." Kara remarked, with Juliana nodding in agreement, but her expression had darkened.

"Bullies might have wanted to sometimes mess with him, but I could always stand up to those people. I've always been able to protect Florian, no matter what." Juliana said as she closed her eyes, her voice shaking despite herself. "Until I came here. And everything went wrong back home, and he got h-hurt…I wasn't there for him when he needed me most."

"But that wasn't your fault!" Nalani said angrily to her friend, knowing where this was going. In her early days at the Academy, this had been a recurring conversation.

"The second I wasn't there to protect him, he got hurt…it was so bad. I remember hearing him on the phone when he woke up. It was horrible. He sounded so broken…" Juliana whispered, her voice hitching as she spoke, opening her eyes. There were unshed tears in them.

"Juliana…" Nalani murmured, seeing how distressed the girl was as she curled into a ball.

"Julie, you had no choice when you had to leave Galar for Paldea a week ahead of Milo. You were pissed about not being able to go there at the same time as him. You wanted to watch the Champion Cup together and were livid that you couldn't. And if you stayed behind, you would have died." Kara said firmly, with Juliana slowly nodding in agreement.

"And…and Florian got better. He recovered, and he finally got to come to Naranja Academy. And I thought that everything would go back to how it always was. He'd be safe and happy and make a bunch of friends and I could make sure he was okay...I never felt truly comfortable here until Florian came back to me." Juliana admitted softly, shaking her head.

"Ua like ʻo ia me ka home, ʻaʻole anei?" Nalani asked Juliana quietly, who blinked at the question. Nalani caught herself and responded in her second-language. "He feels like home, doesn't he? You two are practically siblings. Of course you'd not feel truly okay until your closest friend was standing beside you once again."

"You know, that's a good way of putting it." Juliana answered, wiping her eyes and trying to focus on regaining her composure. "He's always had my back. He's my rock. I wouldn't be where I am today without Florian backing me up."

"I can see why. He's the kind of person you can be yourself around. You can let your walls down, you know?" Sara noted, earning the attention of the other girls. "Even if you didn't ask us to be nice to him when he first showed up, I would've wanted to be his friend anyway. Plus, he's kinda cute."

"Oh god, don't say that. Don't be weird." Juliana said with a grimace, though she and the other girls giggled.

Kara chimed in as soon as they had stopped laughing. "It's nice being around someone who's mellow and supportive like he is. Plus, he might be shy, but he's a lot more bold than he looks. Standing up to Team Star on your first day of school takes some guts! Especially when outnumbered two-to-one!"

"Florian's using Naranja Academy as a fresh start. A reset, you know? He's running with this second chance and doing all sorts of crazy stuff and it's awesome, but kinda scary. Who'd have thought Florian would take to being a Trainer so naturally?" Juliana asked rhetorically, remembering the boy who used to always hide behind her and lurk in his room all the time.

"And now he's gonna monster-hunting alongside Arven. What a world, huh?" Kara remarked with a smirk, causing Juliana to snort in amusement.

"Yeah…what a world." Juliana muttered, taking a deep breath and leaning back onto her warm Camerupt and attempting to actually relax. Everything was fine, after all. Florian could handle himself as a Trainer and Arven was watching his back. She had nothing to worry about.

Meanwhile…

Milo and Koraidon dashed up the mountainside overlooking Cortondo, with Koraidon grinning at being able to go full-throttle. Milo simply held on for dear-life, though that wasn't to say that the ride was rough. Koraidon seemed to be getting better about navigating Paldea with Milo riding onboard with enough care that the teen wouldn't get thrown around too much. Sometimes it was even comfortable sitting atop the beast while it dashed through the Wilds.

The Galarian student occasionally zoned out during the long stretches of time where he was traveling with Koraidon, and he reflected on the previous night.

Arven and Milo had indeed gone to Smoliv Garden, where the former enjoyed the endless pasta bowl special with all-you-can-eat breadsticks while Milo enjoyed some soup and, of course, the all-you-can-eat-breadsticks. Milo, however, exercised caution and didn't gorge himself like he had the first time that he had visited the establishment. Arven had no such reservations and ate his heart out.

The Galarian had also spotted Katy and her husband-to-be, Guzma, eating at the same restaurant and seated at the largest table surrounded by the other Gym Staff. The Alolan-born Trainer had been boisterous and uncouth the entire time, openly making inappropriate jokes and being way too loud when the wine was brought out. Milo openly wondered how the wild man had landed a polite and kind-hearted woman like Katy who seemed to be his polar-opposite.

And yet he saw the tenderness in his gaze when he talked to his fiancé. And Milo saw the adoration the woman held for the man who she would marry, and knew that despite their vastly different personalities, the two of them were deeply in love and happy. It was something Milo had thought about several times the previous night and even that morning.

"I wonder if I can ever be that happy with someone." Milo thought to himself before briefly thinking of Nemona. The teen flushed and shook his head, mentally berating himself for getting distracted. He had a Titan to hunt down.

Arven had explained his findings in-depth over dinner last night. According to him, the only way to get to the top of the summit where the Titan lurked was up the enormous slope that led right to the top of the mountain. The very same slope that had boulders rolling almost nonstop down it. The duo had spotted what looked like a massive bird dropping things from up in the clouds, but the distance and danger made it impossible to get a better look at the beast.

"Koraidon's probably more than up for the challenge, considering how good I've gotten at guiding it and how quick it can run now." Milo thought to himself, which caused the teen to ironically slow down Koraidon until it reached a comfortable stride that didn't disturb Milo as he pulled out his Rotom Phone and called Arven's number. Arven picked up on the third ring, letting out a groan before a horrific sound reverberated in the background.

"W-w-what is it?" Arven rasped, causing Milo to chuckle despite himself.

"Why does it sound like a Hippowdon trying to operate a forklift right now?" Milo remarked with a smirk while Arven sighed angrily in the background.

"S-s-shut up…ooooaaaghh my stomach…" Arven wheezed while the Remnant cackled within Milo's mind.

You did warn him about Smoliv Garden. Ask him if he needs any antacids.

"Do you need any antacids? Maybe some moist towelettes or baby wipes? Things gotta be a little rough back there." Milo said with a massive grin while Arven scoffed. Meanwhile the Remnant just laughed harder.

"J-just…find that Titan. I'll catch up." Arven responded before hanging up the phone, with Milo giggling as he hopped back on Koraidon and sped up the mountain. This time he was oddly pleased by how much easier trekking around this side of Paldea was. He was surrounded by lush green grass and the sea breeze rolled over the mountains, keeping him cool. He had Koraidon take a break after crossing a bridge.

As Milo bit into a granola bar he walked alongside Koraidon and some of his team. Watt the Shiny Pikachu sat on his left shoulder while Storm the Wattrel sat on his right. Reggie waddled alongside him, growling what sounded like a tune of some kind. The trek alongside the mountain and past the windmills was invigorating for Milo, even if he was a homebody who enjoyed staying indoors.

"Hopefully the weather holds up. It's a nice day out for a picnic-" Milo began to say, only for a massive boulder to roll past him. Milo followed where the boulder had come from and saw dozens more rolling down the mountain. He even spotted the massive bird-like monster chucking them downwards. The teen hadn't realized that he had reached his goal already.

"You gotta take some time to relax, you know?" spoke a voice to the right of Milo, who turned and saw a man in a blue shirt and dress pants sitting down at a picnic table, enjoying a sandwich with a Goomy. Milo blinked several times before he was able to come up with some kind of response to this situation.

"There's a bunch of deadly boulders raining down the mountain and you're having a picnic a few hundred feet away? Are you crazy?" Milo demanded as he returned Reggie, Storm and Watt before hopping atop Koraidon.

"Ha! You sound just like my parole officer!" the man remarked, throwing up even more red flags in Milo's mind and making the teen desire nothing more to get away from the Weird Picnic Guy.

With that Milo urged Koraidon towards the mountain, his apprehension growing as more and more boulders rained down. Two full days of searching for a path to the top yielded no results, which meant that the only path to the top was the one with the boulders. Even more tellingly, this path offered Milo a direct view of the Titan itself.

"Alright bud…let's go!" Milo shouted as Koraidon let out a soft growl of acknowledgement before suddenly zooming forward. The grass rushed past them as Koraidon began to zig-zag up the mountainside, dodging the large spherical boulders that rained down from above. Milo held onto the mount for dear life as he guided the movements of the Pokémon that Professor Sada had entrusted to him.

The ground quickly shifted into dirt as Milo and Koraidon rushed forward, darting in-between the boulders as they drew closer and closer to the top of the mountain. Milo also got a better look at the massive bird that was the culprit behind the rockfall, and noticed it narrowing its eyes in anger at their efforts to scale the mountain. Milo noticed that the bird was white and black, with a strange white strange protrusion sticking out of its chest. As Milo and Koraidon zoomed past several broken wooden posts in the ground, the Titan let out a screech of anger.

"Giaaas!" Koraidon barked out as it swerved to avoid a small boulder, with Milo gritting his teeth as he urged his mount faster and faster up the mountain. Eventually, the boulders stopped rolling past them as the bird flew away, allowing Milo and Koraidon to reach the top. The teen let out a harsh sigh before realizing where he was actually at. On a rather large ledge at the top of the mountain that overlooked West Paldea. It offered an amazing view of the country, with Cortondo a faint smudge down below.

It also meant that if Milo and Koraidon fell from this position, they would never survive.

As if on cue, the Open Sky Titan swooped around the mountain and lobbed another boulder at Milo and Koraidon. The draconic mount dashed to the side to avoid the massive rock as it slammed into the side of the mountain and then promptly rolled down the cliff. Milo shuddered at the Titan's blatant attempt to kill him, and then noticed that the bird was unamused that its efforts had failed.

"Sto-o-o-o-ork!" the Titan shrieked at Milo, swooping down from on-high and hovering over the path that led back down the mountain. Milo's mouth twitched at the Pokémon's actions, realizing that it was actually quite clever. Now Milo had no escape off of the mountain and was effectively trapped.

"That's fine. I was planning on kicking your ass anyway!" Milo said to the Titan Pokémon as he hopped off of Koraidon and readied the Ultra Ball in his hands. In response the bird screeched at Milo, flapping its wings and sending a fierce blast of wind into the face of the teen and Koraidon. The draconic mount growled in annoyance, but Milo was preparing for battle.

Watt, Storm, Echo, Momo, Reggie and Donut.

Pikachu, Wattrel, Toxel, Skwovet, Crocalor, and Fidough.

"Let's roll the dice…Watt, you're up!" Milo shouted as he sent out his Shiny Pikachu, who appeared in a flash of light and a faint shower of sparkles. Watt crouched to all fours and glared up the massive bird ahead of them. Milo winced as the Nuzlocke Curse took effect, with the all-too-familiar pressure gripping his heart as the Remnant cackled with delight. The teen shook off the sensation and pulled out his Rotom Phone and scanned the Titan, pulling up the appropriate Pokédex entry through the app.

"Bombirdier. The Item Drop Pokémon. It gathers things up in an apron made from shed feathers added to the Pokémon's chest feathers, then drops those things from high places for fun." The Rotom Phone explained to the teen, who shook his head with an annoyed sigh. Watt caught his attention by crying out to the Titan Pokémon, who honked back at the much, much smaller Pikachu.

The Shiny Pikachu glanced back and nodded at Milo, who smiled and nodded back. He had gotten to know both Floom the Shiny Drifloon and Watt the Shiny Pikachu a bit since catching them the day before, and he had learned that Watt really enjoyed battling compared to some of his other Pokémon. Milo pulled out his Tera Orb, already knowing how he'd deal with a Flying-type like this.

"Let's show this thing what we're made of, Watt! Terastallize!" Milo shouted as he held his Tera Orb to the sky, priming it. A whirlwind of Terastal Energy surged into the object before it flashed white, signaling that it was ready for use. Milo tossed the ball towards his Shiny Pikachu, who was showered in sparkling energy that allowed her to Terastallize into an even shinier Tera Pikachu. Glowing yellow crystals covered the Pikachu, with a lightbulb-like Tera Crown resting on her head.

"Pika pii!" Watt cried out, a crackle of electricity surging through her as she glared down the massive bird with a fierce smile.

"I've only had her for a day, so she doesn't have much experience. But I fed her some XP candies, so she should be roughly as strong as Cocoa or Reggie. Let's see how she does!" Milo thought to himself as Titan Bombirdier suddenly surged forward with a screech, diving at them. Koraidon moved quickly, wrapping its tail around Milo and pulling him away from the attack while jumping to the side itself. Meanwhile Watt jumped into the air, flipping over the Titan Pokémon and landing on its back.

Titan Bombirdier let out a squawk of surprise, stopping in its tracks as it felt a light weight on its back. The mighty bird screeched as it turned around and spotted the Tera Pikachu on its back, matching her Trainer's smirk of amusement.

"Nuzzle!" Milo shouted as the Pikachu began to rub its cheeks with its hands, generating a fearsome charge of electricity thanks to the Tera Crown atop her head that was amplifying the power of the move. Watt then began to rub nuzzle the back of the Titan, who screeched loudly as the super-effective attack dealt major damage to it.

Titan Bombirdier's body also began to seize up, and it actually dropped out of the sky and collapsed onto the ledge that Milo was standing on with a pained groan as electricity sparked around it.

"And there's the paralysis…thank god for Battle Studies." Milo muttered, smiling despite himself. He may have been in a fight for his life, but the adrenaline from battling always served to make that part of the fight more palatable. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Titan Bombirdier let out a deafening screech as its wings glowed brightly. It suddenly swooped forward, smacking Watt hard and sending her flying into the side of the mountain with a audible crack of stone.

"That's Wing Attack! Watt, are you okay?" Milo asked his Pikachu as she fell to the ground. Watt got back to her feet quickly, shaking her head violently as if to clear it. She then looked to Milo and nodded before dashing over to where her Trainer was standing.

"That was a nasty Wing Attack…okay, let's try this out. Let's hit that thing with an Electro Ball!" Milo shouted as his Pikachu crouched low before leaping high into the air, dodging an attempt from Bombirdier to smack the Pikachu away. A small sphere of rapidly expanding electricity formed at the tip of the Shiny Pikachu's tail, and soon it was ready to be released. When the Pikachu was at around eye-level with the Item Drop Pokémon, she attacked.

"PIKAAA!" Watt yelled out as she spun around, flinging the Electro Ball straight into the face of the paralyzed Titan Pokémon. A deafening crackle of electricity erupted as the attack connected, releasing a shockwave of of power as Watt landed lightly on the ground and ran back towards Milo.

The Galarian student watched as Titan Bombirdier staggered forward, its eyes glazed. It then swayed back and forth on its feet and before it collapsed onto the ground with a mighty thud, fainting a few moments later.

In just two attacks, huh? You're getting better at this.

"Yeah, that went way quicker than last time." Milo remarked with an amazed smile, glancing over at Watt as the Terastallization effect faded away. The Shiny Pikachu ran over to Milo, who knelt down and rubbed her head.

I also saw what you did there. It was admittedly pretty clever. Nuzzle will basically always paralyze the opponent if it connects. Paralysis slows down your opponent drastically. Following that up with Electro Ball, which does more damage if your Pokémon outspeeds the opponent, creates an interesting one-two punch. If your friend Nemona was here she'd be ecstatic.

"I'll take the compliment." Milo said with a smile, pleased with how well the battle had gone. He had even earned some praise from the Remnant, which shocked him even more.

"Good work, Watt. You were great." Milo quickly knelt down and applied a Potion to Watt, who was looking distinctly proud of herself for bringing down such a mighty opponent. The teen scratched the back of the Pikachu's ear, earning a happy sigh from the Pokémon.

Koraidon let out a loud growl of warning to Milo, who glanced up and then swore in surprise. Titan Bombirdier had regained consciousness with an alarmed expression as it slowly stood back up, albeit wobbly. It then let out an angry chirp before flying to the higher ledge nearby and landing on the ground. Milo watched the enormous bird slowly draw back its head before slamming it hard enough into the mountain to smash apart some loose rocks on the side of the cliff and reveal a massive hole.

Seriously? Why did it need to headbutt the…never mind. Forget it.

"Another cave? Looks like the one Titan Klawf used." Milo thought with some surprise as he winced at the explosion of dust and dirt that was billowing past him. Through it, he saw the Titan Pokémon reaching into the cave and pulling out something bright green from within.

"Wait a sec, is that…" Milo trailed off as he watched the bird eating something off of the ground. However, he was sidetracked from his thoughts when a familiar shout caught his attention.

"Milo! You managed to get to the Titan somehow, huh?" Arven said with a huff as he jogged over to his friend, who looked at him with an exasperated expression.

"About time you got here! What, did you run out of toilet paper?!" Milo demanded from Arven, who flushed with embarrassment. Milo then noticed that a small piece of toilet paper was actually stuck to the bottom of Arven's shoe and rolled his eyes.

"A-a-anyway, looks like you started fighting without me." Arven said with a cough, holding a hand over his eyes to block out the sun and get a clear view at the bird that was still chomping away at something green that was out of their field of view. "So that's the Open Sky Titan…Wait, is this Titan what's been drooping all those boulders?!"

The younger student crossed his arms and nodded. "Yeah. Shockingly enough, it was actually a Pokémon that apparently loves to drop crap on people. Go figure."

Arven nodded, smirking a little as he glanced at Milo. "I was lucky enough to be able to sneak up here because it had all its attention on you, little bud!"

"Stoo-o-ork!" Titan Bombirdier screeched as it slowly turned towards them, a stalk of what looked like a glowing green plant in its mouth that it swiftly gobbled down. The bird flared its wings threateningly as Watt stood protectively in front of her Trainer.

"I knew it! That's Herba Mystica!" Milo called out, feeling a tinge of horror grip him. He remembered how much stronger Titan Klawf had gotten after the boost it had received from the potent plants.

"Looks like it's trying to power itself up. Like with some kinda mystical Meal Power or something." Arven remarked as he readied a Poké Ball, a smirk coming to his face as he glanced at Milo. "So we'd better be ready to go all out!"

Titan Bombirdier suddenly launched itself into the sky with a mighty flap of its wings, soaring through the air until it was able to turn around and come to face the two Trainers, glaring furiously at them before releasing a deafening screech. A massive explosive plume of green energy erupted outwards from Titan Bombirdier, blasting the group away from the enormous bird. When the plume cleared, a faint green aura was burning around the Titan Pokémon.

"Looks like it's taking a note from Titan Klawf's playbook. That thing's going to be a menace!" Milo said with a wince, since he was actually able to feel the raw power emanating from the bird now.

"Stooo-ooorrrrk!" Titan Bombirdier screeched as it suddenly swooped past, causing Arven to throw himself to the ground while Koraidon leapt to the side along with Watt. The massive stork circled around, glaring down at them hatefully.

"Trying to drop rocks on folks is dangerous! Let's give this thing a good taste of defeat!" Arven shouted, throwing aside one of his arms before throwing the Poké Ball in his hands. "Nusret, let's go!"

"Naaaa!" the Nacli cried out, appearing on the ground beside Watt. The Pikachu and Nacli stared down the Titan Pokémon as it released another deafening screech, and the battle officially rolled into the next phase. Milo glanced down at his Tera Orb and saw that it was back to full-power, despite having used it a few minutes ago.

"Thanks to that weird explosion, my orb got recharged again." Milo thought before pointing a finger at Titan Bombirdier. "Quick Attack, Watt!"

"Pika pika pika piiiika!" Watt cried out as she sped forward in a streak of light, leaping forward and slamming hard into the chest of Titan Bombirdier, causing the massive bird to wince in pain. Milo gasped as the Titan's wings glowed white, and the Titan retaliated with a Wing Attack that sent the Shiny Pikachu flying backwards with a pained cry. Milo ran over to his Pokémon, who slowly got back up with a pained grimace.

"Watt, are you okay!?" Milo called out to his Pikachu, who nodded without looking away from the Titan Pokémon. A sudden screech of surprise caught Milo's attention, and he realized that the Open Sky Titan was, for the second time, wincing in discomfort as a crackle of static enveloped it.

"Looks like it's having trouble moving! Good stuff!" Arven called out to Milo, who was amazed at his continued streak of good luck.

"It's paralyzed again?" Milo muttered, confused as he tried to figure out why the massive bird was struggling to move. He then glanced down at the crystalline Pikachu next to him before it hit him.

"Static…that Wing Attack made contact with Watt, and that activated her Ability. Now that bird's paralyzed, and we have the upper hand!" Milo called to Arven, who grinned with excitement as he rolled up his sleeves.

"Perfect. Nacli, go for Rock Throw!" Arven called as the Nacli suddenly launched a large rock towards the Titan Pokémon, smacking it upside the head and causing it to plummet out of the sky for several long seconds before it shot high into the air with a dangerous gleam in its eye.

"How does it feel having rocks dropped on your head for a change, you big jerk!?" Arven asked as he shook his fist at the Titan, who shot the older teen a nasty look in response.

"Stoork stoor!" the Open Sky Titan cried out, even as it circled around the peak of the mountain. Milo and Arven both noticed that the bird was keeping its distance, seemingly realizing that it was facing two opponents that had a type-advantage over it.

"Well, that's just great! How are we supposed to win a fight against something so far away?" Arven demanded, crossing his arms. Milo was likewise concerned, and thought quickly about what they could do. "We need to get it close again. Maybe we could provoke it somehow? Any ideas on how to piss it off?"

"That's a thought. Well, looks like it's time to annoy something that's perfectly capable of smashing me to bits." Milo thought with an annoyed sigh before suddenly taking a deep breath and yelling out. "Bring it on, you oversized chicken! We're not scared of you!"

"Giaaaaasss!" Koraidon roared in agreement, rearing on its hind legs and forcing Milo to hold onto the creature for dear life.

"Pi pika pi!" Watt cried out in agreement as the Titan Pokémon narrowed its eyes before suddenly soaring right at them all. Milo saw his chance and prepared himself to act.

"Watt, let's go! Terastallize!" Milo shouted as he yanked out his recharged Tera Orb and held it up as Koraidon snarled at the ever-approaching and infuriated Bombirdier, trying to intimidate it long enough for Milo to empower his Pikachu with energy. The Mouse Pokémon Terastallized, emerging from her crystal in a shower of sparks and wearing her Tera Crown once more. The Titan Pokémon tried to stop its forward flight, but only managed to slow itself down a little due to its paralysis.

"Watt, let's go! Electro Ball!" Milo shouted as his Pikachu jumped high into the air, charging a sphere of pulsating electricity before spinning around and slinging it downwards at Titan Bombirdier as it flew under her. Unfortunately for the Open Sky Titan, it was moving too fast to dodge the sphere of electricity. The Titan was struck directly, screeching even as it smashed hard into the mountainside and threw Milo and Koraidon backwards, knocking them to the ground.

"No, Milo! Get away from him, you stupid stork!" Arven shouted as he picked up his Nacli and ran over to where Milo and Koraidon had been knocked down. Watt was running towards them as well, but that didn't help the fact that Milo and Koraidon were effectively trapped by the dazed bird that was more than capable of killing them up close.

Koraidon got back up, glancing up at a dazed Milo who was clutching his arm while sitting on the beast's back. Blood gently leaked from a scrape on his elbow due to making contact with the rock, but the teen was otherwise just fine. As Milo recovered, he noticed that the Titan Pokémon had them cornered and was absolutely livid, taking flight into the air and screeching angrily at the young Trainer as it hovered mere feet away.

The Open Sky Titan then spotted Arven out of the corner of its eye, running towards the action with a worried expression. The mighty bird hissed softly in annoyance.

Titan Bombirdier quickly lashed out with a wing and launched a wave of rocks at the Trainer using Rock Throw. Arven screamed out in surprise, but it was Nusret who leapt out of Arven's arms and tanked the attack for his Trainer. The Rock Salt Pokémon landed on the ground with a pained groan, causing Arven to cry out.

"No! Nusret, are you okay!? Please be okay!" Arven shouted out almost hysterically, dropping down to his knees with a frantic expression on his face. He was relieved to see only minor scrapes along the side of the Nacli, who let out a small cry and bobbed up and down on the ground. Arven let out a shaky sigh of relief before glancing back at Titan Bombirdier, who had still pinned Milo and Koraidon to the mountain but was now facing them. Arven clenched his fists with an expression of absolute fury on his face.

"We're not just gonna sit here and take that, you oversized turducken! Nusret, hit 'em with a Smack Down!" Arven said as he held out his Nacli, who charged up and fired off an orange sphere of energy that flew towards the Titan Pokémon and struck it right in its chest. The Open Sky Titan cried out as it suddenly shot towards the ground and crashed down hard beside Koraidon, Watt and Milo.

Koraidon growled threateningly at the stunned Bombirdier, who was now stuck on the ground thanks to Smack Down. A faint crackle of scarlet energy surged through Koraidon as it tried to call upon its powers, but a tremor wracked the body of the beast and it let out a pained gasp. Milo pressed a hand against the side of the draconic mount, intending to comfort the creature.

But it was then that Milo got an idea. He gauged the short distance between themselves and Titan Bombirdier, and after realizing it was enough to get a running start, Milo placed a hand on Koraidon's side and patted it a few times.

"I know you can't fight right now, but…You think you can run really really fast for a second and headbutt that jerk?" Milo said to Koraidon, who stared at Milo for a minute before grinning and nodding at the boy. Titan Bombirdier blinked a few times as it regained awareness, but by that time Milo was ready to make his move.

"RAM IT!" Milo shouted as Koraidon suddenly let out a loud snarl, lunging forward and slamming its head right into the Titan Pokémon's skull. A sharp crack reverberated through the air as Watt, Arven and Nusret all flinched simultaneously.

"STO-O-O-ORK!" Titan Bombirdier let out an agonized screech, staggering backwards as blood streamed from the wound that Koraidon had just dealt. If Milo hadn't already known how powerful Koraidon actually was, he would've been shocked by how effective the non-move had been. It looked like the head of the Titan had been cracked open.

"Watt, go for another Electro Ball! Make this one count!" Milo called to the Tera Pikachu, who's crown let loose a small pulse of electricity as she leapt into the air once again. Electricity quickly formed at the tip of her tail in the shape of a sphere, expanding until it was a foot in diameter. The Shiny Pikachu swung around and let the attack loose right into the face of Titan Bombirdier.

"STORK!" Titan Bombirdier cried out, staggering backwards several steps with a disoriented look in its eyes as it flailed its wings uselessly. And then finally, the Titan Pokémon opened its beak to let out one last honk of pain before tripping and falling backwards onto the ground and fainting.

The Open Sky Titan had been defeated.

…It had also been standing very close to tip the ledge. And when the Titan collapsed, it promptly slid over the ledge and off of the cliff. Arven's jaw dropped as Milo winced at the sudden development.

I wish I had a witty joke about that, but I've got nothing.

"Um…whoops?" Milo said with an awkward laugh, even as a distinct boom rang out that echoed throughout the mountainside. The Nuzlocke Curse suddenly lifted from Milo, who let out a sigh of relief while Arven ran over to him.

"Yesss! Way to go, Milo!" Arven cheered once he recovered his composure, giving Milo a thumbs up and a wide grin. Arven did several excited fist pumps, and Milo matched his friend's smile with a grin of his own. The Galarian held up his hand and Arven slapped it, with Nusret and Watt (who had returned to normal) letting out joyful cries alongside Koraidon's loud growl.

"Good work everyone. That was excellent." Milo said proudly to the team, with Arven clapping the younger student on the shoulder as he laughed. He then pulled Milo into a tight hug for a few moments before pulling away.

"Looks like we don't have to worry about any more boulders falling on us now, huh?" Arven said brightly before looking towards the cave opening that Titan Bombirdier had revealed. It was obvious that this cave, much like with Titan Klawf, had been where the Open Sky Titan had pulled out the Herba Mystica it had used to power itself up.

"There has to be more of that Herba Mystica it ate in there." Arven muttered, pulling out a flashlight as Milo returned Watt and Koraidon. Arven returned Nusret, a thoughtful expression on his face before he glanced back towards the cliff that their opponent had fallen off of.

"Let's hurry and find it before the Titan can come back for another go at us!" Arven suggested, with Milo nodding in agreement. The two of them dashed into the cave, and their search began in earnest.

"If we're lucky, there'll be another herb here…" Arven remarked quietly as he led the way through the cave, with Milo close behind. Finally, the duo emerged into a large cavern that was illuminated by the green glow of a large plant growing out of the ground at the far end of the chamber.

"I knew it!" Arven shouted as he and Milo approached the Herba Mystica, which was surrounded by shining moss. A powerful aura of green light poured from the special herb, and Milo wondered yet again what all these strange plants were truly capable of.

"It really is here! This is one of the herbs, make no mistake!" Arven whispered, kneeling down on the ground and inspecting it carefully. Arven carefully snipped several leaves off of the plant, making sure not to damage it. He then stood and let out a laugh of what seemed to be relief and excitement. "Woo-hoo! We did it! Thanks, Milo!"

"Always happy to help, mate." Milo said with a grin as Arven returned his smile. The older student then pulled out the Scarlet Book from his backpack and began to flip through it.

"Now then, let's see…What does the book have to say?" Arven muttered under his breath as he tried to find the appropriate entry. "Ahh, there we go. Bitter Herba Mystica's great for your circulation! It really gets the blood flowing! And that warms you right up, nice and toasty, even boosting the immune system!"

"That's incredible. Just a plant can do all of that?" Milo asked, glancing at the large plant still glowing beside them.

"...Or so it says." Arven finished saying, rubbing the back of his head. He then put away the book with a thoughtful expression, crossing his arms. "If I can just slip this into a tasty sandwich and get him to eat some…"

"What was that?" Milo asked, not quite hearing his friend. Arven waved away the question before rolling up his sleeves.

"Well, what are we waiting for, Milo? It's time to dig in! Let me whip something up for us!" Arven said with a laugh, marching over to the table and setting down his backpack and pulling out ingredients. He also called out Munchy, Barbossa and Nusret so that they could relax. Milo did the same and called out his team, save for Koraidon, and let out a sigh of relief as he sat down on a nearby rock as he watched Arven get started on their lunch.

Chapter Text

"Yeeeeaaaart! Hyah! Whatataatcha!"

Does he really have to do battle cries while cutting bread and meat?

"It adds character to the meal." Milo thought with a smirk as he rubbed Donut's head while the Fidough rested in his lap. Meanwhile, Watt was playing with Momo and Echo while Storm sat on a nearby rock and napped. Reggie was humming a little tune beside Milo, who occasionally joined his Crocalor and hummed along with him.

"...And Bob's your uncle!" Arven finally declared after about fifteen minutes, putting his hands on his hips with a proud smirk. "Here you go! My special, whimsical, herb-filled super sandwich!"

"As a Galarian, I appreciate the use of that phrase." Milo remarked lightly as he approached the table, amazed at the spread Arven had thrown together. Unlike the last Herba Mystica sandwich Arven had made, this one had a far more diverse batch of ingredients.

"My Master Spicy-Sweet Sandwich! Complete with hamburger, tomato, kiwi, pineapple, avocado, Unovan sliced cheese, butter, horseradish, and a good ol' helping of Bitter Herba Mystica!" Arven said with a proud grin as he pulled out a bag of salted chips and poured some on the side of both his and Milo's plates. Two ice-cold cans of lemonade were also sitting on the table, completing the meal.

Milo slipped his Rotom Phone out of his pocket as he drew closer to the sandwich, with Arven leaning in as well to join in the picture. Both teens then suddenly recoiled at the strange smell coming from the sandwich.

Which was unfortunate because the Rotom Phone snapped a picture of them both recoiling, and Milo wouldn't notice for several days. He'd keep the picture as a commemorative photo of his battle with Titan Bombirdier and his success with Arven in overcoming the massive bird together.

"And it comes with a side of…Titan Badge! As a token of my gratitude, 'course!" Arven added as he pulled out a shiny silver badge and handed it to Milo. The younger student looked over the badge, which had a gleaming light-blue feather in the center. It was clear Arven had put a lot of care into making it.

"Thanks Arven. Like I said before, I'm happy to help." Milo said warmly as he pocketed it, with Arven rubbing his nose with a pleased smile. With that, the two teens set about feeding their Pokémon before indulging in their own lunch. Arven managed to shred up a small amount of the remaining Bitter Herba Mystica and sprinkle it over the food of both Milo and Arven's teams, allowing them to enjoy the fruits of their labor as well.

Finally Arven and Milo sat down on some convenient rocks, plates sitting in their laps. Milo took a big bite of the sandwich and flinched for a moment at the strange clash of flavors coming from the different ingredients within the sandwich. But then he began to chew and swallow the bite, and realized that it all came together very well.

"Arven, how on earth did you know that this would end up being good?" Milo asked his friend, who shrugged good-naturedly.

"I've always been great at making sandwiches and had years and years to figure out how to make them with whatever ingredients I had around. You'd be amazed at what you pick up when you have to fend for yourself." Arven replied, with the second sentence holding a somewhat frosty undertone to it. Milo frowned at that, and Arven seemed to realize how that sounded because he smirked at Milo.

"We should get together and try to get you some more cooking experience, Milo. I know you can't make anything more complicated than cereal, and no friend of mine is going to live like that!" Arven proclaimed dramatically, with the Galarian in question smirking at his friend. Milo nodded in agreement, though.

"Sounds good. We can work on that some more when we get back to Naranja Academy-" Milo began to say, only for a Poké Ball on his waist to twitch erratically for a moment and cause him to stop speaking. Suddenly the Poké Ball in question opened and Koraidon appeared with a joyful cry.

Arven sharply recoiled with a gasp while Milo rolled his eyes, amused that the beast had showed up again during a sandwich lunch. He had intended on giving the beast some rest after running up the mountain and helping with the battle against the Open Sky Titan.

"Oh, come on! You again?!" Arven growled as he hopped to his feet, fury on his face as Koraidon sniffed the air before padding over to Milo, smelling the mostly-intact sandwich he was holding that contained the Herba Mystica. The creature whined softly, eyeing the sandwich hungrily as a faint trickle of drool slowly dripped down its chin.

"How can you smell this and be hungry? Even if it is delicious…oh, whatever. You can have it if you really want it!" Milo said as he held out the partially-eaten sandwich to Koraidon, who made a move to snap it up.

Shockingly, the creature paused and then turned to look directly at Arven. "Gians!" Koraidon growled at the older teen, who scoffed and looked away from the creature, closing his eyes.

"Hmph. Is it trying to say thanks or something?" Arven muttered with obvious disdain.

"I think so. I know you don't like Koraidon, but it does appreciate you at the very least, Arven." Milo said with a frown as Arven remained silent for about ten full seconds.

"Well, good thing I made extra. May as well give the brute your sandwich, if only to shut it up." Arven grunted as Milo grinned at his friend, clearly amused despite his words. Arven walked over with a second sandwich, handing it to his friend with a smile. "You're helping me out a whole bunch with the hard stuff, so it's only fair that you get more."

"See, this time you came super prepared." Milo said with a teasing smirk, causing Arven to flush with embarrassment as Milo handed Koraidon his first sandwich, causing it to growl happily.

"I definitely, absolutely did not make extra so that Koraidon could have a sandwich, okay?!" Arven grumbled as Koraidon grabbed the entire thing and trotted off in a way that almost looked like it was prancing. It then quickly scarfed down the sandwich, noisily gobbling it down within moments.

"Couldn't even savor my hard work for more than eight seconds, huh?" Arven deadpanned while Milo snickered.

"It's just that good, man. Ain't that right, Koraidon?" Milo asked the beast as it licked its lips. To their surprise, the draconic mount reared back on its hind legs with a snarl of surprise as a warm rush of scarlet-colored energy seemed to surge outwards from Koraidon. The beast landed on the ground, blinking rapidly as the two Trainers just stared at the creature.

"Did it grow stronger again?" Arven asked, putting his hands on his hips. Koraidon turned towards Arven and growled a response, bobbing its head. Arven grinned despite himself, closing his eyes.

"Man, these Herba Mystica really do pack a punch, don't they?" Arven remarked with a laugh, walking away from them both and off to the side of the room. Milo couldn't hear most of what Arven said, but he did catch some of it.

"I mean…they'd better. Or else I'm really up the creek." Arven muttered distractedly, not noticing that Koraidon had walked over to the table and was eyeballing the last of the four sandwiches that Arven had made. It sniffed loudly, letting out a hungry growl as it realized that the last sandwich had more of the delicious herbs. Milo frowned at the creature, and had opened his mouth to speak, but Arven had finally noticed Koraidon's actions as well and let out a shout. "Don't you dare touch that!"

Milo flinched at the sudden command. It got worse when Arven's expression deepened into pure fury as he bellowed out to Koraidon. "That isn't for you!"

Koraidon jerked back, flinching at the Trainer's yell. Milo had also jumped up, surprised at the pure and desperate anger in the voice of his friend. Koraidon growled out questioningly to Arven, who seemed to realize that he had lost control of himself. The older student glanced at the surprised Koraidon to Milo's worried face, and looked down at the ground in shame.

"Oh, uh…sorry. I shouldn't have shouted like that…" Arven mumbled, even seeing his own Pokémon looking at him with open concern. Arven remained silent for several long moments, his eyes shut as he got his breathing under control.

"Arven…are you okay, mate?" Milo asked, his voice soft in the silence of the cave. Arven's eyes snapped open and he looked away, sighing hard before he spoke again.

"I guess I should at least tell you the full story, Milo." Arven muttered as he turned around and walked over to his backpack, digging a hand into a side pocket. Arven pulled out a Poké Ball, and Milo noticed it was an older model than anything that had been made recently, likely several years old.

"Come on out, bud…" Arven said gently before tossing out the ball, sending out a Pokémon in a flash of bright light. The Pokémon within materialized on the floor of the cave, and Milo's eyes widened in surprise.

The Pokémon was a large canine with brown, black and gray fur with a bright orange nose. It had a long streak of longer gray fur atop its head that ran down past its back, with shaggy gray fur covering most of its currently closed eyes.

The Pokémon's breaths were slow and shallow, as if it was struggling to get in the air. Milo's heart caught at the sight of the Pokémon, who he realized was badly hurt. Milo looked closer and saw that the poor dog was too weak to even open its partially obscured eyes despite being called out of its ball.

"This is my Mabosstiff, Moe. My Partner." Arven said in a low voice, staring down at the Pokémon with sorrow in his eyes. Koraidon growled softly, tilting its head. Arven walked over to the table and grabbed the sandwich that Koraidon had been about to eat before walking back over to his Pokémon. The older student kneeled onto the ground, his smile brittle but his voice soft.

"Here you go, bud. Eat up. This sandwich should help you feel better." Arven assured Moe, unable to help the quiver in his voice. Arven tore part of the sandwich off and then held it out to his Partner. "Slowly now. Take your time. Small bites are fine. Just chew nice and slow…"

Moe's nose twitched slightly, and Milo watched as the dog slowly used what little strength it had to lean forward and slowly bite down on the offered sandwich. It took about a full minute before Arven's Pokémon had managed to eat the small chunk of sandwich.

"So…Mabosstiff?" Milo finally spoke, getting out his Rotom Phone and pulling up the appropriate entry. Meanwhile, Arven had pulled out a large napkin and set it down in front of Moe, with the Herba Mystica sandwich resting on the napkin so that it was right in front of the large dog. Moe sniffed the sandwich a few times before slowly nipping at it, tearing a small chunk away. It was hard for Milo to watch, and he was almost grateful when the Pokédex App loaded Mabosstiff's entry and read it aloud.

"Mabosstiff. The Boss Pokémon and the final evolved form of Maschiff. This Pokémon can store energy in its large dewlap. Mabosstiff unleashes this energy all at once to blow away enemies." The Rotom Phone explained, and Milo realized with a pang that this is what Pepper the Maschiff would have evolved into if she hadn't been taken down by Katy in Milo's first Gym Battle.

"My buddy here was…hurt pretty bad a while ago. Real bad, in fact. He never really recovered." Arven explained as he looked away from Milo, his voice showing plainly how worried he was about his Pokémon.

"Have you tried a Pokémon Center? What about any of the special hospitals here in Paldea? I know that there's one in Mesagoza and Levincia, they could take a look at Moe." Milo asked Arven, who shook his head in response.

"They said this wasn't any regular old injury or illness…" Arven responded, shaking his head. "They didn't know what to do, and the tests just hurt him. And I couldn't let that keep happening…I…I…"

Arven took a long, deep breath to calm himself down. "Moe here is the only thing in the world I care about. The only thing…he's all I got." Arven admitted in a broken voice, and Milo saw the tears in his eyes as he said those words. The older teen then leaned forward, his voice raising in volume. "So, I promised that I'd make him better - whatever it takes."

Whatever it takes, huh? I can respect that.

Milo was surprised at the softness of the voice within his head. He wondered what was on the Remnant's mind. While he was distracted, Arven pulled out the Scarlet Book once again and flipped through it.

"I searched online, I read books, I looked all over and tried every cure and remedy I could find. But nothing really worked. I'd almost given up hope…" Arven trailed off before slapping the Scarlet Book with the back of his hand. "That's when I found out about the Herba Mystica!"

"That book - what is it?" Milo asked, crossing his arms. "It's like a weird history book, isn't it?"

"I found it in my mom's lab." Arven looked up at Milo, his expression darkening. He then showed the pages he had flipped to within the Scarlet Book. Faded writing was on one page, while the other showed detailed drawings of happy and healthy Pokémon beside a surprised Trainer.

"Herba Mystica. Area Zero was home to wondrous herbs that instantly impart vigor when eaten. We dubbed them Herba Mystica and attempted to grow some in areas around Paldea. However, before we could harvest, the herbs were eaten by Pokémon - which in turn grew large and strong. We call these Titan Pokémon." Milo read aloud from the passage, his eyes widening in surprise.

"It's this book full of crazy stories and legends and things - stuff nobody'd usually believe." Arven closed the book with a snap, his expression somber for a few moments before he gestured wildly with his hands. "But I believe it! I think what it says is true!"

"I mean, the stuff about the Titans and herbs probably checks out. I know I felt great, and Koraidon got some power-ups out of it." Milo responded, putting a finger to his chin thoughtfully. He noticed that while they had been talking, Moe had been slowly eating the sandwich that Arven had set down in front of him, and had finished most of it at this point.

Arven nodded, tapping the Scarlet Book once again. "And according to this book, eating all five Herba Mystica can cure anything that ails you!"

"Wait, they each have those crazy health benefits. You're saying all five can heal anything?" Milo asked, suddenly realizing where this was all going.

Why Arven was so intent on finding the Herba Mystica despite the danger. Why Arven was so desperate to recruit Milo to battle against the Titans. And why Arven had reacted so strongly when Koraidon was about to eat the last sandwich just now.

"Case in point, Moe's paws were cold as ice before he ate that last herb. But they've warmed up a little now - I'm sure they have!" Arven said confidently, looking back at Moe and realizing that the sandwich that he had given the Mabosstiff was nothing but crumbs on the napkin. "Oh! You done eating, bud?"

Moe the Mabosstiff's response was to slowly attempt to push himself up off of the ground, much to Arven's complete shock. The large canine's legs gave out and he dropped back to the ground. With a grunt, the Pokémon's eyes suddenly snapped open, revealing two dark brown orbs peering back at them.

"H-hey! Moe! Can…can you see? Are your eyes open?!" Arven yelped, stepping back with an astonished gasp. He then did a fist pump before jumping up and down with a triumphant grin on his face. Milo watched with a smile as his friend whooped, laughing ecstatically with sheer joy while Moe simply watched his Trainer impassively.

"Yes! I did it!" Arven shouted, panting hard as he calmed down. That was when the emotion behind his joy caught up with him, and his tears finally began to flow. The older teen wiped his eyes on his sleeve, even as he openly wept with relief.

"It's…it's been so long since he was able to open his eyes! I was so worried…" Arven gave a loud sniff then, his smile returning with fresh tears in his eyes. He continued to pump his fists, allowing himself to appreciate the fact that his hard work had paid off. "Oh man, I-! I'm so-! I'm so glad!"

Moe whined softly, causing Arven to drop to one knee. He gave Moe a watery smile as he continued to sniff, gently scratching the Mabosstiff behind the ears. "Heh…Ehehehehe…Aw, look at him. Those fiery orange little eyes…hard to even tell if they're open or not, but I know the difference!"

Arven then stood up, suddenly letting out a belly laugh. "The power of those herbs is amazing! I knew the book wasn't lying!"

"He seems to be a bit more at-ease too. He's not struggling as much as he was when you called him out." Milo noticed, seeing that the canine's labored breaths seemed to have stabilized considerably.

Arven gave Milo a determined look with his eyes alight with fire. "I'm gonna bring Moe back to full health, I swear!"

"And I've got your back the whole way." Milo promised Arven, giving his friend a thumbs up. Arven grinned back at Milo gratefully, rubbing his eyes and regaining his composure.

"Oh…uh, yeah. So, that's my story. Three herbs to go. Let's find them - together!" Arven said with a warm smile, with Milo nodding and Koraidon barking out in agreement.

"I guess between what you told me earlier and learning about Moe, I know why you're so obsessed with sandwiches now." Milo asked, causing Arven to bark out a laugh despite himself.

"It's what my buddy loves eating, ever since he was a Maschiff. Mom taught me how to make them. She was a sandwich pro, let me tell you!" Arven said with a chuckle, seemingly forgetting about his estranged relationship with his mother.

"And you said you found out about the Herba Mystica when you went through her lab?" Milo asked with a confused frown. He was curious, but didn't want to force Arven to talk about a subject that was sensitive.

"Yeah. That lab brings back bad memories for me, so unfortunately I took that out on you and the Student Council President." Arven remarked, rubbing the back of his head as he walked over to his friend. "Sorry again for that, little bud. It's been pretty hard handling all of this on my own, you know?"

"Well, you're not alone anymore." Milo grinned at Arven, lightly punching him in the shoulder.

Arven's smile was so wide it practically split his face.

Naranja Academy Courtyard

Nemona couldn't help a yawn as she made her way across the schoolyard, with Tornado the Tauros padding alongside her. Everything was set up and arranged exactly how she had hoped it would be.

This year she had to take a backseat to proceedings due to her other obligations. If she was being totally honest, Nemona would have rather been battling her way across Paldea rather than helping the Pokémon League with administrative duties. But she was a diligent Champion and she knew it was her duty to do her best, and so she did what was asked of her without complaint.

"Looks like we've just got to wait until noon for the schoolyard to open back up and things can officially start!" Nemona said to herself, with Tornado letting out a soft moo of agreement. The Champion rubbed the head of her Partner affectionately before spotting a familiar gaggle of students sitting under the shade of a tree not too far from where she was walking.

Nemona considered it for a second before veering from her path, heading towards Juliana and her friends. She didn't often interact with the Galarian if Milo wasn't hanging out with her as well, but the Champion was determined not to let that stop her. After all, they were friends!

"Hey there ladies! How's everyone doing this morning?" Nemona greeted the gaggle of girls with a cheery wave. Juliana waved back to her friend with a smile.

"Hey Nemona! Everything ready to roll?" Juliana asked the Champion, who nodded.

"Looks like we're just waiting for the event to start. We'll start letting in students shortly, and then we kick things off with your speech to welcome everyone. Then we'll have the Archery Team show off how cool they are, and then you can take a load off." Nemona assured the younger student, who nodded. "You seem really worked up. You okay?"

"Just nervous. I have really bad stage fright and I'll have a lot of eyes on me. I don't want to make a mistake and look stupid." Juliana admitted, with Nemona nodding in understanding.

"You're taking this way too seriously. These pep rallies are meant to be fun little things done every few months. No one's going to care if a freshman flubs her lines." Kara said consolingly, but Juliana didn't seem convinced.

"I get you. Public speaking isn't easy. I feel bad for asking you to do it for me now, but I've been so busy with my own League duties that I didn't really have time to prepare for this as much as I wanted." Nemona said apologetically, though a moment later she snapped her fingers. "Ooh! I know!"

"Know what?" Kara asked.

"Why don't you have your team on-stage with you?" Nemona suggested, with the girls looking at her in confusion. "It'll help you relax and not be so nervous."

"How so?" Juliana asked, still not following.

Nemona did a small fist-pump, an excited grin leaping onto her face. "Well, there's nothing stopping you from having your team with you when you do your speech. Wouldn't you feel a lot better having them with you so that everyone's attention isn't just on you? Plus, your Pokémon team supports you just as much out of battle as they do in battle!"

Niles the Nickit grumbled at the Champion's words, but the rest of Juliana's team cried out in agreement. The Galarian girl looked at Nemona in surprise before smiling at her.

"That's a great idea, Nemona. Thanks." Juliana said gratefully to the Champion, who just gave the younger student a thumbs up. "Come take a seat with us, Champ. We were just taking a small break."

"I probably need one. Been running around all morning helping Director Clavell organize stuff. Between that and my own duties, I've been getting run ragged." Nemona sighed as she plopped down onto the grass. She reached over and pet Niles on the head, earning a soft growl from the grouchy fox. "So what've you all been up to?"

"Mainly just trying to calm Juliana down. She might kick ass in most things, but she's not great when it comes to public speaking and she's super nervous." Kara said with a smirk, earning an elbow to the chest from her twin. "Oh yeah, and we were talking about Milo and how he's kind of awesome."

"Yeah, Milo's pretty great, isn't he?" Nemona asked, grinning with excitement. "I'm hoping he finishes his errands with Arven sooner rather than later. I was hoping to try out some new strategies with him now that Foehn's evolved."

"Say, Champion Nemona. You've been spending a bunch of time with Milo. What's up with that?" Nalani asked, raising an eyebrow at the older student who had seemingly taken their friend under her wing since he had arrived at the Academy.

"Ooooh, maybe she has a crush on him!" Kara suddenly squealed out, with Sara smirking alongside her twin. Nalani and Juliana exchanged a brief glance, but Nemona seemed unbothered by the remark and shrugged her shoulders.

"Nah, that's not it. Milo's my neighbor, friend, and my Rival! I like spending time with him and teaching him whatever I can about being a Trainer. Especially since he's such a quick study!" Nemona said brightly, her usual enthusiasm showing. "Besides, I doubt he's interested in me like that. He's always been a complete gentleman to me."

The four other girls glanced at one another in absolute surprise. It was pretty obvious how badly Milo was crushing on the Champion, who just kept speaking. "That being said, I do wonder if something's wrong with me sometimes. No one's really ever caught my eye here at the Academy, and I've never really been interested in dating. I know that's at least a little unusual."

"Never?" Juliana asked.

"Nope. Weird, huh?" Nemona said with a small laugh. "Maybe I'm just too focused on battles to give romance any attention!"

"Except for Milo. He's got your attention." Sara said with a knowing smirk, earning a nod from Nemona.

"Milo's the exception, yes." Nemona agreed, not seeing where Kara was going with that statement.

"Some people are like that, though." Kara remarked, crossing her legs and sitting up straighter. "They don't care about looks when it comes to liking someone. Or, they don't feel romantic or sexual feelings at all towards people. There's even some who don't feel romantic or sexual feelings towards someone unless there's a deep emotional attachment. Nothing wrong with that at all, Champ."

"Maybe." Nemona seemed unsure, but her expression was contemplative. Juliana frowned and sighed before launching into her next question.

"Then why do you spend so much time with Florian? You kinda…latched onto him. You're so strong and successful. But you're spending what time you're not being a Champion and a student with a shy Galarian transfer who just became a Trainer a few months ago. Why?" Juliana asked Nemona, who seemed a bit taken aback by the intensity behind the girl's questioning. It was almost accusatory, which Juliana seemed to catch a few moments after she spoke.

"Sorry, I'm just…protective of Florian. He's my best friend in the whole world, and I'd hate for anyone to take advantage of him." Juliana admitted to the other girls, leaning back and resting her head against Monty while rubbing Niles' back with her hand. "I just want him to be happy. He deserves it after everything he's been through, and I'm scared of him getting hurt."

"I understand." Nemona said gently, smiling at the younger student. Privately, she made note of the fact that Juliana was referring to Milo by his actual name as opposed to his preferred nickname. "Milo's a great guy, but he's gone through a lot and he's trying to bounce back, right? It's only natural to be worried about your best friend."

"It's not just that, Nemona. Florian's always kind of been in my shadow, as much as I hate to admit it." Juliana admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "I'm kind of really good at a lot of things and Milo's never had a chance to really shine. So I was popular in school back home in Galar while he wasn't, and he got picked on a bit from it. I've always had to protect him from bullies and other jerks who wanted to try and mess with him for being an easy target."

"It's still crazy to hear that about Milo, since he's so popular here." Kara remarked, frowning thoughtfully.

"So why are you best friends with him then, Julie? It sounds like he was a big loser back in Galar while you had all the tools for success, ya know?" Sara asked, earning a nasty look from her twin. Kara held up her hands in defense. "I'm just saying that with all the context I have. If I were Milo, I'd be super jealous of you for being so successful and awesome while I wasn't."

Juliana shook her head in response to that. "Like I said before, he was the first friend I ever had and we've known each other forever. And he's always had my back. Always. He's never been jealous of me and always supported me no matter what…that's why I'm so happy to see him shine so brightly here in Paldea. He struggled back in Galar, but here he's finally getting the chance to show the world what he's made of. To attend the school our parents made such a big deal about when we were growing up and getting a new lease on life!"

"He's really hit his stride in Paldea, hasn't he?" Nalani asked Juliana, who's expression became troubled.

"And that also worries me. He's running the Gym Circuit and fighting this Godzilla-sized Pokémon and even had a big stand-off against Team Star on his very first day of school. He's doing so much so fast and it's out-of-character for him! I'm worried he's pushing himself too hard and he'll…break." Juliana's voice went quiet towards the end of that sentence. Her next words were a low murmur. "I can't protect Milo from everything he's got going on. And I'm scared for him."

Nemona considered what Juliana, Milo's oldest and closest friend, had told her. The Champion completely understood why she was worried for her friend, and privately, the Champion was likewise worried. Team Star was no joke, and Nemona suspected there was more to the fabled Titan Pokémon that Milo was chasing than what most people accepted as true. That said, she took a few moments to gather her thoughts so she could articulate why she bonded so tightly with Milo.

"To answer your question, it's really hard to explain it. Like you mentioned before, Milo's my new neighbor in Cabo Poco. We happened to get along right away and we decided to become friends. What I wasn't expecting was for him to be such a good Trainer! He even managed to earn the respect of a crazy cool Pokémon like Koraidon! Not just any Trainer can pull something off like that on their very first day." Nemona explained to the quartet of curious girls, who listened intently.

"But then me and Milo had a second battle later that day, and that's what made me realize just how much potential Milo had. He beat me even when I surprised him with my Tera Orb! And then I realized how much fun I was having and how much I enjoyed spending time with Milo, even on our first day of knowing each other." Nemona went on, sounding even more excited. "It's electrifying, in a way. I don't think I've felt the kind of rush I get when battling Milo since I started as a Trainer. Even spending time with him without battling is super fun."

"Seriously? That's…a little weird, to be honest." Kara remarked, laughing a little. Nemona's cheery expression fell at that, but Nalani was quick to interject.

"She said that Milo seems like a great guy and they hit it off, and followed it by saying he's an awesome battler and that excites her. How is that weird?" Nalani asked Kara, who opened her mouth to speak, but her twin cut her off.

"Whenever two Trainers battle, their feelings are shared. It's like communicating with someone on a whole different level. You share a special connection." Sara remarked, smiling a little as she thought about it. "Maybe that's why you bonded with Milo so well."

"Really? Battling can be like that?" Nalani asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sara nodded in answer. "There's a lot of studies that support it. Why do you think some of the crazy criminals that sometimes pop up every few years give up and submit after getting beat in a Pokémon Battle? Maybe Nemona's just more sensitive to that phenomena, since she loves battling so much."

"That would explain a lot!" Nemona agreed, nodding excitedly with a wide smile. "Battling has always been a great way of getting to know people. Maybe that's how I knew Milo would be such a great friend! And he's proved it every day since!"

"So is it just the whole battling thing and him being a cool guy?" Kara asked, with Nemona shaking her head.

"Of course not. I know that I can be a lot to handle. I'm not the best with people. And I am a little bit of a battle maniac, as we just said." Nemona said in a calmer voice, earning several raised eyebrows at what was the understatement of the year. "But around Milo I can just be myself. Milo's been a really patient friend and accepts me for who I am. But he also helps me try and grow in other ways, and I really appreciate him letting me mentor him and be his Rival. He's a good guy and I just feel really comfortable around him. That's why I'm so interested in Milo. He's become one of my closest friends and I want to help him however I can."

"That all genuinely sounds like you have a crush on him." Nalani deadpanned, with the twins nodding in agreement. Nemona looked surprised at that before she looked back at Juliana, who was smiling patiently at her.

"That's just how Nemona is. But thank you for the honest answer. I've been a Trainer long enough to where I can feel the same thing you do when it comes to battling people, though definitely not as intensely as you do." Juliana said to Nemona, with the two girls laughing at the very true statement. "Would you mind doing me a favor, Nemona?"

"What's up?" Nemona asked the Galarian, who's smile waned just a little.

"Watch over Milo. He's really trying to work through some issues, and he needs his friends right now." Juliana said to the Champion, who smiled and offered the younger student another thumbs up.

"I've got your back and his. Friends look out for each other, right?" Nemona said brightly to Juliana, who grinned back at Nemona and nodded. "So let's get out there, have an awesome pep rally and watch you kill this speech!"

Juliana considered the Student Council President's words and what she had said before. And that caused the younger student to smile back at the Champion gratefully. "Well, if our fearless Champion says I'm gonna do a great job, then who am I to disagree?"

"On that note, we should probably get up. Looks like they're about to start letting people in." Kara said as she hopped to her feet, with her twin following a moment later. In the distance the rumble of hundreds of footsteps could be heard.

"Yeah, let's get to it you twatmuffins!" Nalani proclaimed as she got up, with Kara and Sara both exchanging a mischievous smirk between each other.

"She's not allowed to appropriate Juliana's language! Get her!" The twins shouted in unison, running at a startled Nalani who began sprinting in the other direction. Considering the fact that the twins were on the Track Team, they quickly began to catch up with the Alolan teen.

"Is…is that considered appropriation?" Nemona asked, completely baffled by the exchange. Juliana just shrugged, but couldn't hold back a chuckle at Nemona's confusion.

"Not really, but it's funny either way. Let's do this!" Juliana said as she scooped up Niles off of the grass, earning a grumpy sigh from the Nickit. The rest of her team followed beside her, with Nemona joining the younger student as the shouts from the twins and Nalani intensified.

Meanwhile…

Milo and Arven continued to chat as they opened a small package of store-bought banana cakes and enjoyed them, feeding some to their Pokémon while waiting for the Naranja Academy pep rally livestream to start so that they could watch it on their phones.

"So you and Juliana…you're like best friends, right?" Arven asked, with Milo nodding as he pet Watt as she snoozed in his lap. Meanwhile Reggie was sitting next to Moe, his ambient warmth keeping the large Mabosstiff comfortable, which Arven appreciated. The rest of the Pokémon were relaxing on the cave floor and enjoying the comfortable atmosphere.

"She's been my best friend for as long as I can remember. She's basically an older sister to me. I feel bad not being there for her, but after seeing why you're after the Titans, I don't regret skipping out on the pep rally to help Moe." Milo said with a shrug, causing Arven to nod. He was grateful for that, but he was still curious about his friend.

"Juliana's talked about how she was Miss Popular over in Galar and that's basically true here. What I'm wondering is what school was like for you. You're kind of a little badass at Naranja Academy, bud. Were you like that back in Motostoke?" Arven asked Milo, who frowned at the question. Arven picked up on the change of mood in his friend, and quickly tried to backpedal. "W-we don't have to talk about that if you don't want to, Milo."

"Sorry, Arven. I really don't like talking about myself because before Paldea…I wasn't anyone worth talking about." Milo admitted to Arven, who's eyes went wide at that surprise statement. "Not trying to make things depressing, but it's true."

"W-what do you mean?" Arven asked, taking a bite of his cake. Meanwhile Milo remained quiet, even when Reggie nudged his leg with concern.

"I grew up with a loving family who's always supported me. A mother and father who were great parents and a…a…" Milo swallowed hard and looked up at the ceiling to avoid making eye-contact with Arven. "And a little sister who thought I was so much better than I really was."

"You have a sister?" Arven asked, surprised that he hadn't heard about her by now. Come to think of it, he never heard Milo talk about his father either. Plenty of stories about his mother, who was a famous artist on-par with Hassel. But nothing about his sister or his father. He assumed that there was a reason behind it, and that it was unpleasant for Milo to talk about.

"Yeah. Amy thought I was the best big brother ever, even when I was just a cowardly dork who hid in his room playing video games all day." Milo's words were quiet, but Arven wasn't able to pick up on any other emotion in his friend's voice thanks to Milo's Poker Face, which was currently up. Juliana had mentioned it before and how it was hard to spot sometimes, but now that Arven knew what to look for, he noticed it as well.

It was a mask that Milo threw up when a situation required a cool and calm face, like battling the Titans or Gym Leaders. Milo's Poker Face seemed to pop up whenever he was in battle, usually accompanied by an easygoing smile and a self-assured expression. But now Arven saw that he was doing it now, and realized that it was also something else.

"It's like a coping mechanism…" Arven thought to himself, wondering if he should push any further. "Amy…Where is she now?" Arven asked Milo, who remained completely silent at that question.

You know, you could always fire back with something about Professor Sada. That'd make him shut up and stop trying to pry.

Milo ignored the Remnant, knowing that would solve nothing. "She's not here in Paldea. I don't want to talk about her or my Dad. Sore subject these days." Milo said as he looked at Arven, his face showing no hint of the emotions he was feeling.

"I understand. Whenever you feel like talking about it again I'm all ears, little buddy." Arven said with a nod, earning a sigh from Milo.

"Sorry man. I just…dwelling on the past doesn't solve anything. It doesn't make things better, it just hurts you." Milo tried to explain, closing his eyes. "I'm trying not to focus so much on what I can't change. I've got better days ahead and more friends than I could have ever dreamed. I'm going to focus on becoming a strong Trainer, and a person worthy of faith that friends like you put in me."

Arven smiled warmly at that. He was pretty short in the friend department himself, and Milo had his back in a way that few people ever did. The fact that his friend was opening up about sensitive subjects was just another sign that Milo trusted Arven, and that made the older student happy.

"Would you mind telling me about your dad and sister? I'm an only child and I uh, never knew my father. You don't have to if you don't want to." Arven asked Milo, who didn't respond to his friend's question right away. Instead he thought of the information his friend had offered, and how Arven had opened up to Milo about Moe and his own past with Professor Sada.

"My Dad's name was Diego. He was a student at Naranja Academy and he was kind of a delinquent. Got into fights, gambled illegally, all sorts of stuff. Still managed to graduate with high marks. According to Mom he achieved the Champion Rank before becoming a professional poker player and making a fortune. He was born and raised in Cascarrafa before he started traveling the world. He met Mom at the Academy when they were students and dated briefly, and they kept in touch over the years. He settled down in Galar, married Mum and had me and Amy." Milo explained, his voice quiet as he focused on telling Arven what he deserved to know. Arven was a friend and had earned his trust.

"He sounds pretty cool." Arven remarked, with Milo nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, he was. Never raised his voice or spanked us, and he always pushed me to do my best. And when my best didn't feel like it was enough for me, he supported me anyway." Milo said with a small smile. "It's funny. He was such a rebel when he was younger from what Mum tells me, but I don't think I've met a more relaxed person than him in my life."

Arven nodded at that, smiling back at his friend. "How about Amy?"

Milo sighed quietly, trying to think of how to respond. "I'm only four years older than her. She, like me, idolized Leon and loved Pokémon Battles. Had a knack for art rather than music, and couldn't lie worth anything. Dad's poker lessons never seemed to make sense to her. She hated to lose at just about everything. And for whatever strange reason, she thought I was the coolest person ever."

"How's that strange? You're a good guy and you look out for your friends." Arven pointed out to Milo, who shook his head.

"I dunno. Either way, we were very close. She loved watching me play video games. Nothing made her happier when she was little than bringing her stuffed Corviknight into my room and watching me play Minecraft with Juliana." Milo said with his expression still neutral, but Arven noticed that his voice shook a little bit.

Milo was snapped out of his thoughts by the sensation of something wet moving on his hand. The teen glanced down and saw that Moe had crawled closer to him and was licking his hand. The Mabosstiff glanced up at the Galarian and whined softly, with Arven smiling at his friend.

"Looks like Moe's asking if you're alright, little bud." Arven said to Milo, who stared down at the injured Pokémon who was concerned about him, With that, Milo dropped his Poker Face and reached over to gently pet Moe's head, a small smile on his face.

"Thank you, Moe…we're gonna make sure you get all better. I promise." Milo swore to the Mabosstiff, causing Arven to beam at his friend. A sudden burst of sound from Arven's Rotom Phone made both Trainers jump, and they turned to the device to realize the livestream had started.

A large crowd had been assembled in the decorated schoolyard of Naranja Academy, with various displays, games and panels set up around the area. At the front was a proper stage, unlike the one Director Clavell used for his Treasure Hunt announcement. The stage had a fancy wooden and metal awning and bright orange banners displaying the school sigil. It also had the benefit of providing welcome shade to those on-stage, since it was a rather hot day outside.

"Good morning, students and faculty of Naranja Academy!" Director Clavell said from behind the lectern that was on-stage. Behind him stood Juliana, Nemona, Flynn (President of the 3XC) as well as several students that Milo recognized as different club presidents and captains.

"Today we have assembled here for the sake of taking pride in our prestigious school! A day free of classes, but full of merriment and good times with your fellow students, faculty and Pokémon." Clavell continued, smiling at all of them. He then coughed before gesturing to Juliana, who wore a nervous smile.

"I'll save you all the pains of hearing an old man ramble, and instead allow one of Naranja Academy's freshmen to give the opening remarks. Please give a warm welcome to Juliana Anderson, Captain of the Archery Team!" Director Clavell said to the assembled crowd, taking several steps back as Juliana approached. She took that moment to call out her team, who stood beside her as she took her position behind the podium. Niles hopped atop the lectern, swishing his tail.

"Hey there everyone! How're we doing today!?" Juliana asked the sea of students, earning a roar from the crowd in response. "Excellent! Hopefully we're all awake and ready for a day of fun!"

"I'd like to take a moment and thank everyone who helped put this together. Give a round of applause for our volunteers, faculty and student leaders!" Juliana said to the crowd, who responded with a wave of clapping. Juliana used that time to clear her throat and steel herself for the rest of her speech.

"I know I've only been in Paldea for a little less than a year. But it's become a home to me. Both me and my best friend Florian, or Milo to you lot, grew up hearing about Naranja Academy from our parents. And it's been everything we could've dreamed!" Juliana went on, earning several shouts and cheers from various students in the crowd.

"Niiiii!" Niles agreed, bobbing his head as his cry echoed out across the courtyard. Several students laughed at that, and Juliana visibly relaxed.

"See, Niles agrees with me." Juliana said with a chuckle, petting her unruly Partner on the head for a moment. "Naranja Academy is our little home away from home. Where we get a chance to learn, grow and figure out who and what we truly want to be. And with the Treasure Hunt, perhaps even more."

"But today's all about fun! You don't want to hear this Galar girl natter on and on and on! We've got all sorts of cool stuff set up today, and our clubs worked their butts off to give you all a great showcase! First up, we've got an exhibition from our very own Archery Team-'' Juliana began to say, only for the sound of air horns to suddenly interrupt her, followed by what resembled revving engines. Juliana's expression shifted to one of surprise and embarrassment before the camera suddenly panned over to the source of the noise.

Five students wearing modified Naranja Academy uniforms were racing across the schoolyard at a rapid pace. The students in question were riding strange engine-like Pokémon like they were motorbikes, and they wore white helmets with stars emblazoned on the sides.

"Team Star!" Milo practically growled as he stood up, stepping closer to the phone. The Team Star Grunts had flags with both black and red stars on them respectively, with the teens screaming their heads off with wide smiles on their faces as they sped along the track that surrounded the schoolyard with their air horns blaring noisily.

"What a bunch of clowns. They're ruining Juliana's speech! Look at them riding around on those Varoom's!" Arven muttered darkly, gritting his teeth in anger. Milo let out a small exhale, trying to hold back the absolute fury he felt at the group for having the nerve to interrupt his best friend's biggest moment at the school.

Some of the crowd members panicked and ran away from the commotion, heading into the school. Nemona could be seen for a brief minute trying to confront the Team Star members before suddenly being knocked over several students trying to get away from the group that had effectively crashed the pep rally.

"Hello Naranja Academy! You wanted school spirit, then you've got it! Woo woo!" one of the Team Star Grunts yelled out with a wide smile.

"Schedar Squad and Segin Squad have turned up to represent, baby!" a female Grunt screamed with a wild laugh, taking aim with a t-shirt cannon and firing it into the crowd. The noise from the five Varoom's was deafening to the crowd, with many people visibly covering their ears in pain as the Pokémon circled the crowd and came dangerously close to hitting several people trying to get away from the commotion.

"I can't believe they had the balls to do this!" Milo hissed as he clenched his fists, seeing the camera quickly pan to a stunned group of teachers onstage and a baffled Juliana, who had just been rudely interrupted by the delinquent students during a speech that she had spent several days worrying about.

Some of the students tried to forcibly subdue the Team Star students, with the 3XC Vice President Rafael sending out a Salazzle and unleashing a Flamethrower at Team Star with a savage grin. The Team Star Grunts screamed in fear and scattered in different directions, with Rafael ignoring several shouts from what sounded like Flynn, Clavell and Nemona to stop.

Suddenly one of the Team Star members let out a yelp as his Varoom suddenly swerved to avoid the flames as they chased them, throwing the Team Star member to the ground as the Pokémon sped towards a knocked over stand. The Varoom struck the stand and was sent flying at high speed through the air towards the center stage, where some of the faculty and students were still standing. The airborne Pokémon struck several parts of the upper stage in quick succession before landing harshly onto the ground next to Director Clavell, who audibly yelled out in surprise. The sound of the stage shaking slightly due to the damaged wood caught their attention and everyone fled from the stage.

Juliana tried to scramble away as well, only for her foot to catch the edge of the lectern in her haste and send her tumbling to the floor. She quickly got back to her feet and tried to get away from the stage alongside her Pokémon team, but a deafening crack soon alerted everyone watching that disaster had just struck.

Milo and Arven both shouted out as they watched the large metal awnings and support beams break under their own weight and collapse, with Juliana vanishing underneath a cloud of debris with a scream of pain. The camera swung around as shouts filled the air, with the camera shifting away from the stage and across the courtyard as pandemonium ensued.

The last thing visible was a brief shot of the horrified Team Star Grunts faces before they turned around and ran in the opposite direction, fleeing deeper into the school before the livestream suddenly cut off.

Chapter Text

Motostoke

Seven Years ago…

The first thing that alerted Diego Caballero that something was amiss was the front door opening and slamming shut from across the house, followed by the sound of crying. The man sighed inwardly before glancing down at his burnt muffins with a disappointed look. He had tried to make a treat for the kids, but he wasn't a very good cook.

"It's a shame Hannah's at that art conference in Wyndon." The Cascarrafa Cardshark muttered as he took off the frilly apron he had been wearing and walked into the living room, only to see the retreating figure of his son running up the stairs and Juliana looking upset as she stood in the entryway of the house. Nearby a confused Breloom glanced up the stairs and then back at his Trainer.

"Looom?" the Breloom asked her Trainer, with Diego shaking his head. Nearby in the same room, a dozing Tyranitar opened a single eye for a moment, which Diego noticed.

"He'll be fine, Verde. Crusher, go back to sleep, we're good. Now, what's going on Juliana?" Diego asked, kneeling down a little so that he was closer to eye-level with the girl.

"Nolan and Sammy pushed Florian into some mud on the way home! And then Stupid Steve stole his dad's Swoobat from home and made it chase Florian down the road. It was so mean!" Juliana was practically in tears from how angry and upset she was.

"What little brats." Diego grumbled, trying not to let his own frustrations show. He had already talked with the parents of some of the young delinquents within the local school. They had promised to try and rein in their children's awful behavior, but apparently that didn't seem to be taking effect. Diego wondered briefly if he should get some payback on them all with some…shenanigans, but pushed that aside.

Comfort the kids first, terrible unrelenting revenge on the crappy parents second.

"Florian hates that thing! I got in Steve's face and started yelling at him. I just wanted him to stop! And…and after I hit Steve's face with a rock he and his jerks started yelling at me too." Juliana confessed, with Diego raising an eyebrow.

"You hit Steve with a rock?" the man asked, with the girl nodding.

"He ran away crying. I think his nose broke?" Juliana said with an unsure but worried expression. She then glanced down her muddy hands and Diego spotted some red mixed in, no doubt from Steve. Diego frowned and considered the situation carefully as he walked over to the kitchen with the girl following him. Diego grabbed a clean rag and ran some water over it as Juliana continued to talk.

"Florian's my friend! No one should be mean to him!" Juliana said emphatically, stomping her foot. "They said he's weak! That me protecting him means he's a loser!" Diego carefully wiped the girl's hands clean with a damp cloth before offering her a smile.

"Which is nonsense. Florian is a gentle soul, but that doesn't mean he's weak. Some people simply don't want to fight, or don't want to harm another. Of course he didn't want to confront someone who had a fully-evolved Pokémon." Diego comforted the girl, who calmed down a little at the man's words. He then patted her on the head with his usual crooked grin. "Now then, leave Florian to me. I'll make sure he's okay. You go home to your parents. If they have any questions, tell them to call me and I'll explain. And thank you for looking after Florian. He's blessed to have a friend like you."

"Okay Mr. Diego. Thank you!" Juliana said gratefully before Verde the Breloom offered the girl her hand. Juliana grabbed it and walked off with the Breloom, who would assure that the girl got back home safely. With that being done, Diego quickly went in search of his son.

He wasn't surprised to find Florian in his room, curled up in his bed with a despondent expression and tears in his eyes. Diego also wasn't surprised to see Amy hugging her brother with a worried look. Even as young as she was, the little girl was very perceptive and she knew when her big brother was upset.

"Daddy! Fluffy sad!" Amy told her father, who smiled at the girl's words before she made some room on the bed for her father to sit down too. Florian glanced up at his father for a moment before looking away.

"How you let Juliana give you such a silly nickname like 'Princess Fluffyflower' is beyond me." Diego remarked lightly, rubbing his son's head for a moment. "What happened, son?"

"I don't want to talk about it. It's stupid and embarrassing. Just like me." Florian mumbled dejectedly as Diego sat down beside his son and gave him a one-armed hug.

"Well, that's just not true. My son happens to be fantastic." Diego said before looking at his daughter. "Right Amy?"

"Yep yep!" Amy said brightly, crawling over to them to hug Florian as well, sandwiching the boy between his family.

"Juliana already explained some things. Tell me what happened, Florian." Diego said gently, and it took almost a minute for the boy to speak in a composed voice.

"Steve brought his dad's stupid Swoobat to school and made it chase me after class. Then he pushed me into the made and made me get some of the dirt in my mouth." Florian explained quietly, trying not to cry in front of his father.

"What rotten boys. I may have to introduce that Swoobat to Crusher." Diego mused, causing Amy to clap her hands excitedly. Florian just shook his head, not wanting to get his father involved.

"Why? They're just going to think I'm an even bigger loser." Florian mumbled, a tear rolling down his face. "Juliana had to protect me. Why can't I just do it myself?"

Diego pretended to think for a moment before shaking his head dramatically. "You're being too harsh on yourself, son."

"Maybe that's why Juliana's so amazing and I'm just a weirdo. I'm different from everyone else. I'm a scaredy-cat. A big fat chicken." Florian sighed quietly, with Diego patting the boy's head affectionately.

"Some people are more ready to…" Diego struggled for a way to put in simpler terms. "Juliana is what we call assertive. She is not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for others. You are a more meek sort of person, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Everyone is different."

"I'm different in the worst way. I can't protect myself from those jerks. I'm not strong like Juliana. She's brave and I'm a coward. She's good with people and I'm not. I just…wish I could hide away from everyone. Stay in my room forever. Can I do that, Daddy? I don't know if I want to go back to school." Florian said quietly, trying to hold back his tears and failing. "I don't deserve a friend like Juliana! I don't deserve a family like you all!"

Diego frowned at the disheartened words coming from his son. Florian had always had low self-esteem, and it worried him to no end. For not the first time, he wondered if therapy was in order. Diego pushed the thought away and focused on his next words. Right now Florian needed his father's guidance.

"Shhh…Now, that's simply not true. Your mother, myself and Amy love you. We love our Florian who plays his games, reads his books, enjoys card tricks and is simply…himself." Diego reassured the boy, who didn't look convinced. So instead, Diego tried a different tactic.

"Do you think Juliana would have been as brave as she was today without knowing she was protecting someone precious?" Diego asked his son, who looked surprised at the sudden question. "She stood up to those boys because you're her best friend in the whole wide world. Because she cares about you and values your friendship so much. Friends stand up for and support each other. And when they falter, you help them."

"Julie's the best!" Amy chimed in, earning a chuckle from her father.

"She certainly is. And if she was in trouble, you'd do anything for her, right?" Diego asked his son, who nodded in answer.

"So it's not bad that I didn't fight those jerks with her?" Florian asked his father, who brushed away the last of his boy's tears.

"Of course not. Fighting is not always the answer. And not everyone can fight, should. Some people are not made for it. You didn't want to fight, and so you didn't. There's no shame in that, mi pequeño niño. You don't need to be willing to fight to be strong." Diego explained to his son, who looked even more confused. "That being said, being able to stand up for what's right is pretty important. I know that didn't stop me back in my school days."

"That makes even less sense!" Florian protested, earning a bark of laughter from his father as the man tousled the boy's brown hair.

"Florian Caballero, sometimes…those souls that are the most gentle possess a greater strength that can be imagined." Diego remarked, placing a hand over his son's heart before grinning at him. "¿Cómo lo explico…? Maybe you'll understand in time. But know this…I will never stop being proud of you. Even if some dorks from down the road tease you. Let them. We all have fears, and you are young. When you grow up, you'll be big and strong enough to laugh at those fears and stand tall! Maybe you'll be the one protecting Juliana next time."

"You really think so, Daddy?" Florian asked his father.

"I know so, mi tesoro. You're my son. You have my looks and your mother's brains, my boy! How can you be anything but a legend in the making!?" Diego declared with a laugh, reaching forward and tickling Florian's chest and earning a giggle from his son, which seemed to dispel the boy's gloomy thoughts.

"All better?" Amy asked her older brother, with Florian smiling and finally hugging his sister back.

"Y-yeah. All better." Florian said to the girl before the both of them were pulled into their father's arms. Florian closed his eyes, smiling warmly, all thoughts of the bullies and his own worries forgotten.

Present

Arven slowly lowered the phone, his eyes wide with horror at what he had just witnessed. The livestream of the pep rally had ended, and both he and Milo had no idea whether or not Juliana was okay or if anything else was hurt. The stage she had been on had collapsed, thanks to being struck by a high-speed Varoom, and Juliana had been showered in debris.

Unfortunately, Arven currently had more pressing concerns. The current panic attack that his closest friend was currently having.

"No! No! No! Juliana!" Milo screamed out as he grabbed the phone from Arven's hand, his entire body shaking. Arven let out a harsh rasping sound of frustration and anguish, his heart gripped with pure fear at the thought of his friend being hurt.

Or worse.

"This can't be happening! No! Absolutely not! I can't lose Juliana! I can't! I'm not losing anyone else-!" Milo frantically stammered before suddenly being pulled forward. He felt a sharp lance of pain as a hand slapped him hard in the face, sending him back to reality and breaking him out of his panic attack. That allowed him to see that Arven was holding onto him by his shirt with a worried expression on his face.

"Get a hold of yourself! You freaking out isn't going to help her!" Arven shouted at Milo, who was snapped out of his hysterics and paying attention to Arven fully. Arven shook Milo again for a second to make sure the younger teen was truly back with him, and when Arven Sada spoke it was with a tone of authority.

"I'm going to pack everything up and work on sealing this place back up so that damned bird can't get back here. You need to go outside and call a Flying Taxi to this location. There's a way to get them to come to your location faster if you go through the service's app and select it from the drop-down menu. It'll require a bigger tip, but I'll cover that. We'll be back at the school within the hour to get some answers. Do you understand?" Arven said in a firm tone that Milo could only nod to. Arven then stepped forward to gave Milo a brief hug before releasing him.

"Sorry for slapping you, but it was the only thing I could think of to snap you out of it." Arven apologized to his friend, who rubbed the side of his face with a wince.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about it…I-I'll head outside and get the Taxi." Milo said as he quickly returned everyone to their Poké Balls and ran outside, leaving Arven to pack up everything.

Milo emerged into the sunlight and pulled out his Rotom Phone, accessing the Flying Taxi and following Arven's instructions. When he was done, he was given an estimated time of five minutes before the Flying Taxi would arrive at the very ledge he was standing on.

"That's amazing. It usually takes a half hour or so before someone comes to your location." Milo muttered as he lowered his phone and put it into his pocket, letting out a ragged exhale. "Good. We can get back to school and…she's got to be okay. She has to be."

Milo froze when his Rotom Phone began to ring, and it flew back out of his pocket to show that Professor Paulina Sada was calling him. Milo took several seconds to gather his composure and throw up his Poker Face before accepting the call.

"Hello, Milo. This is Sada." The Professor waved at the student, a friendly smile on her face.

"Professor Sada! Um, can I help you?" Milo asked, still surprised that she had called at a time like this.

"I detected that Koraidon has regained more of its original power. While riding upon it, it seems you should now be able to move across water." Sada explained to Milo, leaning back slightly in her chair. "Koraidon might be capable of breathing fire, but it quite enjoys swimming. I recall it being able to dive to a considerable depth underwater and hold its breath for several minutes without issue."

"That's incredible. I'm not a fan of the open water, to be honest, but I'll have to try that out later. Now's not the best time." Milo said to the Professor, who nodded in understanding.

"Of course. I am relying on you to continue taking good care of Koraidon." Sada said with a nod, but it was then that the woman tilted her head slightly, as if confused. "Um…Is everything alright? You seem tense, my child."

Milo was surprised that the Professor saw through him, but realized after a moment that he hadn't had to put so much pressure on his Poker Face before. Juliana had never been hurt like this before, and Milo knew that his usual façade likely had several cracks in it. Milo sighed and allowed his worried frown to come forth.

"Sorry ma'am, I just got some really bad news from school. I'm about to fly back there and see for myself what's going on, but it looks like my best friend was hurt really badly at the pep rally that just happened." Milo explained to the Professor, who's eyes widened in surprise.

"I used to love those back when I was at school! What happened?" Professor Sada asked Milo, clearly alarmed. Milo explained what happened as quickly as he could, with the Professor nodding along. As the teen spoke, Professor Sada began typing away at the keyboard in front of her.

"I see. Well, if all you can do on this end is wait for your ride to get there, then maybe there's a way to get you some immediate answers when you arrive at the Academy." Sada said to Milo before finally reaching back her hand and dramatically tapping a key on her keyboard with a flourish. "And that was a message to Director Clavell, informing him that you are on your way back to the Academy and that, considering the circumstances, he should be ready to meet you. I'd assess that there's a pretty strong chance he'll have answers for you the moment you return to school."

"W-wait. You just messaged Director Clavell just like that? I know you're an old friend of his, but that's crazy." Milo muttered in amazement, wondering just how influential this woman actually was.

Professor Sada offered Milo a rather smug smile. "You'd be surprised what I'm capable of even from down here at the Zero Lab, my child. I could have the Top Champion of Paldea herself come to your location and escort you back to the school if I simply asked for it."

"Seriously? Wow…" Milo remarked with some bewilderment, though he wasn't sure what a Top Champion was. It sounded familiar to the frazzled teen. He vaguely recalled Nemona mentioning it in passing.

"The region owes much to my efforts in the study of the Terastal Phenomena. You'd be amazed at how much funding they're willing to throw my way due to the amount my research has bolstered Paldea's strength. And the Tera Orbs are simply surface-level, my young friend." Professor Sada said to Milo, with a light chuckle. "But back to my point. I have just received a reply from Director Clavell, and he will be reaching out to you with an update within the next thirty minutes. He's currently on the phone with the Chairwoman of the Naranja School Board. I imagine she isn't happy about what happened."

"You work fast, ma'am. Thank you." Milo said gratefully to the Professor, offering her a tired smile but one of appreciation for the woman's help at such an intense time.

"If you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask. Take care, young Milo, and hurry to your friend's side. I'm praying for her safety." Professor Sada said with a warm smile and a wave before ending the call.

With that, Professor Sada hung up the phone, leaving Milo to his troubled thoughts. It was then he became aware of an approaching Flying Taxi heading his way.

Right on cue, Arven emerged from the cave and walked over to Milo with a focused expression as he waved to the Flying Taxi and drew their attention. One minute later, Milo and Arven were onboard and were flying towards the school as quickly as they could. Milo stared at the slowly approaching school, his thoughts whirling with worry and fear.

Meanwhile, Arven was re-watching the footage from the livestream with the sound muted, trying to see if he could glean anything from it. After the third re-watch, Arven's eyes narrowed at what he saw on the screen the moment Juliana was obscured from sight and the debris cloud kicked up.

A faint flash of green light.

His fourth and fifth re-watch of the incident confirmed what he saw, but he didn't know what that meant. He put away his phone and focused his attention on Milo, who was visibly pale and looked like he was going to be sick, his mouth set into a firm like as he struggled to keep his composure. Arven couldn't imagine what his friend was going through right now.

"They're going to pay for this." Milo thought grimly, his fists gripping the railing of the car until they were white. Arven put a hand on his shoulder to try and comfort his younger friend, but Milo's thoughts were a tempest as they drew closer and closer to Naranja Academy.

Naranja Academy

"I don't give a damn, Henry! I keep hearing excuses!"

The Director of Naranja Academy flinched at the fury of the Chairwoman of the Naranja Academy School Board. She held many other positions, of course, but right now she was acting in the capacity of being Clavell's boss.

"Miss Geeta, with all due respect, this is a complicated situation. Team Star as a whole is a tangled mess that the faculty is trying to unravel. We simply need more time." Clavell tried to explain, but the woman was hearing none of it.

"I saw that livestream and I refuse to accept any more excuses. I've been too preoccupied with my own duties to do anything about them myself, and I'm finding myself running out of patience with you and your lack of progress on this Team Star matter. Those kids have set up bases in Paldea's countryside and have been causing disruptions for years now, Henry."

Director Clavell sighed and remained silent for several long moments. It wasn't as if he had any true rebuttal to the fury of the Chairwoman on the phone. "What would you expect of me, La Primera?"

"I want results. This is supposed to be a place of learning. Where bright minds in Paldea can be nurtured and allowed to flourish in safety. If you can't safeguard those lives from a bunch of delinquents, then clearly there needs to be a change in leadership. I expect something concrete to be done about Team Star no later than by the end of next week…or I'll expect your letter of resignation on my desk." Geeta said firmly before ending the call, leaving the Director of Naranja Academy to his thoughts.

"What a mess…" Clavell murmured, running a hand down his face with a ragged sigh. It had been a very long day, and he expected his headache wouldn't be ending anytime soon. He glanced back down at his Rotom Phone, opening it and rereading the series of texts that he had received out of the blue from his longtime friend Paulina Sada.

"How odd that she would reach out to me on Master Milo's behalf. She says that she learned of what happened when speaking to the boy, who was watching the livestream and saw his friend be buried alive in real-time…" Clavell hummed for a moment before sighing and rubbing his face. He got to his feet and gathered his things before exiting his office and heading downstairs to the lobby, texting his faculty through a group chat about his conversation with Chairwoman Geeta.

Director Clavell was waiting in the lobby for less than five minutes when Arven and Milo stumbled through the front doors of the Academy with worried expressions. Clavell held up a hand to stop the stream of questions about to spill forth and offered them a tired smile.

"I understand you both saw what happened at the pep rally. To answer the most urgent of your questions, Miss Juliana is okay." Clavell said to the two teenagers, who both seemed to sag with relief.

"However, she was injured and was transported to the hospital. Last I was updated, she was awake and talking to doctors. I'm more than happy to offer my services to get you two gentlemen to her side quickly." Clavell said to the two students, who both nodded.

Director Clavell then unclipped one of the Premier Balls from his belt and called out a green and white humanoid Pokémon that Milo recognized as a Gallade. He would've checked its Pokédex entry, as he usually did when encountering a Pokémon he didn't usually see, but time was of the essence and he stepped closer to the Gallade. Arven did so a few moments later, with Director Clavell handing the older teen a sticky note.

"That should allow you to find her room and give you permission to see her. I would tag along myself, but I must be here to unravel this mess. If there are any issues, call up to the school and I'll come down myself to resolve them. Caesar, if you would?" Clavell asked the Gallade, who nodded and closed its eyes, and within moments the two boys were whisked away from the school thanks to the Pokémon using Teleport.

Central Mesagoza St. Calasanz's Hospital

Milo and Arven teleported into what looked like an enormous lobby, and Arven recognized it as the lobby of Central Mesagoza St. Calasanz's Hospital, the biggest hospital in the Paldea region.

The room was pristine, with freshly-mopped floors and the scent of disinfectant in the air. The white leather furniture practically shined in the sunlight streaming in from the massive windows around the lobby and the soft sound of a violin played in the background. Milo shuddered violently for a moment before a hum from Caesar the Gallade caught his attention.

Clavell's Gallade stepped away from the boys and nodded to them before teleporting back to the school, leaving the two teens to walk to the front desk and give her the note showing the information Director Clavell had given them. They were pointed down one of the hallways and away they went, though the silence between Arven and Milo remained heavy. Arven could tell Milo was distinctly uncomfortable and still looked nauseous, so he asked his friend if he was okay.

"I'll be fine. Not a fan of hospitals. Not as bad as my deep water phobia, but when you spend enough time in one…" Milo trailed off as he spotted two figures he recognized immediately. A middle-aged couple who were standing at a vending machine about a hundred feet away.

"Mr. and Mrs. Anderson!" Milo called out to the man and woman, who both turned towards the teenager they recognized immediately.

"Florian!" both adults cried out, walking towards the young man and pulling him into a tight hug. Arven watched the display with a wistful smile, standing back a respectful distance.

"How is she!? I'm so sorry, I was busy helping Arven with something but came as quickly as I could-!" Milo began to sputter, but Juliana's father put a hand on the boy's head and looked at him intently.

"It's okay. None of this was your fault, son. Now take a deep breath, and introduce us to your friend here." Mr. Anderson said in a gentle tone as he removed his hand, with Milo taking a few seconds to calm down and recover his bearings. He then turned to Arven and introduced everyone.

"This is Adam Anderson and Marie Anderson. Naranja Academy Alumni and my neighbors for most of my life in Motostoke. They're the best." Milo said to Arven, gesturing to the man and woman respectively before doing Arven. "This is my friend Arven Sada. He's an expert in survival and the outdoors, and he's been a great friend to me and Juliana both since I got to the Academy."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both." Arven said respectfully, shaking their hands. He could see the family resemblance, with Juliana having her somewhat portly father's hair-color and eyes but looking very much like her mother, who was skinnier and about as tall as Arven.

Adam Anderson nodded, offering the boy a warm smile. "The pleasure is ours, Arven. Juliana's told us a lot about you!"

"H-has she?" Arven said with some surprise, taken aback.

"She went on and on about how good your pastries were. You'd think we never fed her with how much that girl eats, but she loved your muffins." Mrs. Anderson chuckled, shaking her head with mirth. Milo stepped forward, burning with questions.

"Is she okay? What happened?" Milo asked the parents of his closest friend, with Adam Anderson placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and patting it in a placating manner.

"It's alright, Florian. She'll be okay. We were just stepping out of Juliana's room for a moment to get ourselves some water. We'll show you the way and hopefully let you have a chance to speak with her." Mr. Anderson said before leading them down the hallway and to Room 302.

The group entered the room and Milo immediately ran toward Juliana, who was lying down on a bed with her eyes closed, her legs propped up in a white sling and covered in a thick blanket. It was then that Milo realized how chilly the hospital was and remembered another reason why he didn't like them.

"So what happened? She got hurt and she's not awake." Milo said urgently to Juliana's parents, his voice quiet but still nervous.

"She's just taking a nap. Thankfully she wasn't even knocked unconscious when the stage supports collapsed onto top of her and her team. They gave her some medicine to dull the pain and to help her get some rest." Adam Anderson said quietly, glancing at his sleeping daughter. "It's likely her injuries would've been far more severe if not for that little bundle of fur there."

Mr. Anderson then gestured to a Nickit that was currently sitting on the nearby windowsill. Niles was staring at his sleeping Trainer with a small frown, his tail swishing slightly behind him.

"Niles? He was caught in the debris too." Milo asked the man, confused.

"Turns out Niles used the move Protect right when the metal and wooden parts of the stage collapsed on top of Juliana and her team. The move failed, but it stopped the debris from hitting her, so the debris simply falling onto her. The little stinker managed to use the move successfully when he and the others were buried under the rubble and pushed the debris away, which allowed the others to free her before she was crushed." Mr. Anderson explained, walking over to the small fox and petting him on the head. "He was too slow to prevent any damage to Juliana's body, but it was enough to save her life. She broke a few bones in both of her feet and legs and got roughed up quite a bit, but she'll be right as rain."

"Niles, you little gremlin." Milo breathed as he walked over to the Nickit, rubbing his head and earning a happy sigh from the fox. "I keep forgetting you're just as strong as everyone else on Juliana's team. Thank you. Good job, little guy."

"Y-yeah…he's pretty awesome, huh?" mumbled a sleepy voice that made everyone go still in surprise. Milo whirled around and saw Juliana looking at him with an exhausted smile. "Heya Princess Fluffyflower."

"Juliana!" Milo yelled out as he ran to the bed, hugging his friend as she tried to sit up and earning a pained gasp from the girl.

"Watch out! I'm sore as hell!" Juliana muttered as Milo released her, smiling with open relief that his best friend was okay.

"You're okay…you're okay." Milo muttered, grabbing Juliana's hand and letting out a long breath. "You're okay! Thank Arceus you're okay…"

"I'm fine, Milo. Banged up like crazy with two jacked up legs, but still in one piece." Juliana responded with a weary grin, squeezing his hand back. She then turned to look at Arven, who seemed to be feeling a bit out of place. "And you brought me this awkward lug! Come here!"

Arven walked forward and smiled down at Juliana, giving her a thumbs up. "We saw what happened on the livestream. You scared us really badly, and Milo's been in a state since we left the mountain."

"Did you beat the thing?" Juliana asked cryptically, meaning the Open Sky Titan that she knew that her two friends had been hunting. It would've been a bad idea to let her parents know what was going on, after all.

"Yeah, we took it down. And…I'm sorry we weren't there. Milo helped me with something really important. And when you're able to come back to school, I'll let you meet someone very important to me that our little buddy helped out in a big way." Arven said quietly, unclipping the Poké Ball from his waist that contained Moe. Juliana looked confused for a few moments before she realized that this Poké Ball was different from the others on his waist.

"D-don't worry about, Arven. You guys have your own things going on and I don't feel bad at all that you couldn't be there." Juliana said to them both emphatically, turning her gaze to Milo. "And before you start, we're still not even for what happened the week we left for Paldea. Not by a long shot."

Milo sighed, rolling his eyes. However, a new voice spoke up and caught their attention. "Ahh, I see we have some other visitors."

Milo turned around to see a middle-aged doctor with a shaved head enter the room with a clipboard, offering them all a friendly smile. The man introduced himself as Doctor Gonzales and gave them an update on Juliana's status.

"She'll be just fine, but we're keeping her overnight for observation and a few tests. I am considered about a possible head injury, but we're just being careful. Thankfully most of her other injuries were superficial and shouldn't leave any lasting damage. We'll be running some x-rays on her legs to see the extent of the damage, but from what tests we were able to do here it's not anything that can't be fixed in time for her to be right back in the classroom in no time." Doctor Gonzales said to the group, with Arven raising an eyebrow at that.

"That quickly, huh? And you sure you won't miss anything or that's too fast? She was buried alive by that debris, you know." Arven said skeptically, with Gonzales chuckling good-naturedly at the teen's remark.

"You'd be surprised. Thanks to advances in the past few years, mostly thanks to Doctor Colress and his Advanced Heal Pulse treatment, we've made strides in cases like this. See, it starts with-" the doctor realized he was about to lapse into unnecessary details and shook his head slightly. "Anyways, things have improved to the point where Miss Anderson will make a full recovery in no time. She'll be back at school attending classes by next week, and I imagine she'll be good as new in about three weeks or so."

"Things have improved that much?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"You'd be amazed at what docs can do these days. It's what helped me." Milo said with a weak smile, gesturing to himself. Both adults nodded in understanding and they shook Doctor Gonzales' hand, thanking him for his help.

"Ten years ago, we'd be talking about a few months of recovery. Now? She'll be back on her feet in a jiffy." Gonzales said with a grin, though his smile did take a hit. "I do want to stress however that if that little Nickit hadn't done what it did, it's likely that the impact of the debris would've likely been fatal. You were very lucky today, Miss Anderson." Gonzales said to all of them, with a noticeable shiver running over the room as the group realized how close Juliana's brush with death truly was.

Things were subdued after that, with Arven and Milo talking to Juliana, making sure to shower the Nickit with praise and pets for saving his Trainer. The Nickit grumbled softly when he was picked up and deposited on Juliana's bed so she could pet him too, but he acquiesced without much complaint.

All too soon, it was time for visitors to leave the hospital. Director Clavell arrived and took Juliana's parents outside for a brief conversation before coming back inside with them and informing Milo and Arven that they were returning to the Academy. Milo and Arven both hugged Juliana and promised to see her tomorrow, and after Milo hugged the Andersons goodbye, both Arven and Milo were teleported back to Naranja Academy by Director Clavell.

Speaking of the Director Naranja Academy, his expression was troubled. He adjusted his glasses and had his brow furrowed, as if he was in deep thought. He then turned to both of the students, who both looked mentally and physically exhausted as they stood in the lobby of the school.

"Boys, I'd strongly recommend getting some rest. Today's been a grueling day for all of us. Miss Juliana will be just fine and should be back with us in a few days of recovery. I'll be discussing the events of today with the other faculty and speak with the student body tomorrow. However, let me assure you both that this won't happen again and you have my most sincere apologies for what you've been through today. I know you were both very worried for your friend." Clavell said as he placed a hand over his chest and bowed slightly.

"It's not your fault sir. Hell, even Team Star isn't totally at fault. They were just being annoying until that idiot Rafael attacked them." Arven remarked, earning a sharp look from Milo. Arven noticed this and turned to his friend. "I watched that footage like five times today. I know what I saw. That one Grunt lost control of their Varoom after nearly being hit by Rafael's Salazzle. It looked like a freak accident to me."

"A freak accident!? Was it an accident that they tried to crash the pep rally in the first place!? Driving around a crowded schoolyard like absolute morons!?" Milo demanded of Arven, who took a step back in surprise. Milo was nearly yelling by this point, and the teen seemed to realize it because he took a deep breath and exhaled deeply.

"Accident or not, Team Star tried to make a fool out of Juliana and she got hurt. If they hadn't been there, she would be fine. But she's not. And I won't forget that." The Galarian said in an icy calm voice that made even Director Clavell's eyes widen in surprise. "As for Rafael, I'll be swinging by the 3XC HQ sometime later to ask him some pointed questions."

Clavell took that as a moment to interject. "I'll be talking with Master Rafael in regards to his conduct, so any actions on your part are unnecessary, Master Milo. As I understand it, he has some personal history with Team Star himself, though I lack the details. I urge you not to confront anyone about the events of today. As Master Arven said, this seems to have been a series of unfortunate events that nearly resulted in tragedy. Thankfully they were avoided."

Isn't that a book series or something?

Milo ignored the very unhelpful voice in his head and crossed his arms. "I'll wait until I've calmed down a bit. But that's all I can promise."

"I see…well, in any case, have a pleasant evening and do let me know if you need anything." Director Clavell said to the two boys before walking back to his office. Arven and Milo watched him leave before the former turned to the latter with a worried look.

"I'm going to my room. I need some time to myself to…process this." Milo muttered as he began walking, with Arven noticing the calm expression that was on his friend's face. Once again, the Poker Face was back up. However, Arven knew that his friend was in distress and followed him.

"Milo…what are you thinking?" Arven asked, concerned about the grim expression on his face. Milo's hands were clenching and unclenching themselves as they made their way through the school. All too soon, they had reached Milo's room.

"I dunno, mate. I've got a long, sleepless night to figure out the details. Juliana's going to be okay, and that's what matters most." Milo said as, swiftly unlocked his door before turning to face Arven. The older teen stared at his friend for several moments before dropping his Poker Face offering a tired smile.

"Well, I'm sure you'll make the best decision regardless. Catch you later, little buddy. And thanks again for all the help." Arven said as he extended a fist out to Milo, who tapped it before walking into his room and closing the door. As soon as it was locked, Milo walked towards his bed and promptly flopped down onto it, letting out a ragged sigh. He simply lay there for a while, fighting to keep back the tears.

"Can't let your emotions get away from you. Gotta focus…Team Star hurt her. Those idiots crashed the pep rally and hurt her! I just need to stay calm. Logically figure out a path forward, and make those bastards pay." Milo growled as he pushed himself up, his eyes stinging as he swung his feet out of his bed. He then sent out his entire team, along with Koraidon, who immediately realized how upset their Trainer was.

"Alright guys…Juliana's going to be okay. Just laid up for a few days. We're going to train like crazy and deal with those idiots. I don't know what to expect with Team Star. And, honestly, I'm shocked that Cassiopeia hasn't reached out yet. But when she does I'm getting some answers!" Milo said to his team, who watched their Trainer with concern as he walked over to his kitchenette to grab a drink, his brown eyes alight with fury.

He was surprised when all of a sudden, his door swung open and Nemona burst into the room, despite Milo being pretty sure he locked the door. The two students stared at each other in surprise for a moment before Milo offered Nemona a dull smile.

"Nemona. Sorry I didn't text you that I was back at school. I should've checked in on you. You were at the pep rally too." Milo said as he opened his fridge and pulled out a water bottle. "What do you need? Are you okay?"

Nemona closed the door behind her and looked at Milo with a guarded expression, and Milo felt himself being scrutinized by the older student in a way that made him feel slightly uncomfortable. Finally, Nemona took several steps towards her friend and offered him a kind smile.

"Milo…let it out." Nemona said quietly to her friend, who blinked at her several times. "I can't imagine what you're going through. And admittedly, I'm not great when it comes to comforting people. But I'm here. And I don't want to leave you alone right now by yourself to handle this. You've been really strong, so let me help you. Please."

"Nemona…" Milo began to say, but Nemona shook her head as she stepped closer to her friend.

"You can trust me. So just…release it. I'm not going anywhere. Let me be here for you." Nemona said gently to her friend, who just stared at her.

Maybe it was the emotional dam finally breaking. Perhaps it was the kindness in the Champion's voice. But either way, Milo's eyes continued to blink rapidly, and he looked up at the ceiling as he took a long shaky breath. A choked sob escaped his throat, and Nemona took several steps forward as Milo finally broke down tears, letting go of the water bottle in his hand and letting it hit the ground.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! I…I…" Milo's words became incomprehensible as his crying intensified, and Nemona gently moved him over to his bed and sat him down. Nemona pulled Milo into a tight hug, trying to do her best to console him.

"It's okay, Milo. I'm here. I'm here." Nemona murmured as she rested her chin on Milo's head, holding him close and he released an entire day's worth of stress, anger and fear in the company of one a friend who had offered her shoulder to cry on. The Galarian's team quickly made their way over to the two Trainers and hopped onto his bed, doing their best to comfort him.

Koraidon watched the group for a few moments, its tendrils wriggling as they extended towards the two humans. The tips of the antennae slowly began to glow for a brief moment, but Koraidon grimaced in pain as a soft crackle of red static erupted around its body, and with that the antennae's glow faded.

The draconic mount growled softly in annoyance at its own weakness before looking back to the human who had cared for it. Koraidon padded over with a soft growl, extending its tendrils outwards and wrapping them around Milo and Nemona as the boy sobbed in his friend's arms.

It couldn't do much right now, but at the very least, it could try and show that it cared.

Meanwhile…

"Guys, this is bad. The optics look awful online and the videos circulating at that pep rally don't make things look much better."

"Eri's right. That school hates us anyway, as do most of those idiots at the Academy. Grrr…it's so unfair! So now what? They gonna throw the book at us? Arrest us for what happened to that girl!? Try and fight us!?"

"Calm thyself, dear Mela. Naranja Academy would not dare. Besides, we still have one another. That shall not change."

"...Right. Right…sorry Atticus. Gotta focus on the real problem. Whether or not the school is gonna try to deal with us. We haven't had something blow up like this in about two years or so."

"I'm pretty sure La Primera's pet Champion wouldn't show herself at one of our bases. It would look pretty bad for the Pokémon League. That's why the old fogie at the Academy hasn't lifted a finger to stop Team Star from being on-campus or recruiting in some of the bigger cities."

"Do you think someone might actually come and try to stop us, Ortega? You know the rules, after all. The ones we swore to uphold as the Bosses of Team Star."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Eri. That only happens if someone has the nerve to storm our bases and fight us head-on. And I'd like to see who has the stones to try it. We've got the crews and we've got our secret weapons, on top of our own skills. We're fine."

"You're that confident, Giacomo? You and Mela are directly implicated since some of your crew was at that rally. If someone does come for us, it'll be you two on the chopping block first."

The young man in question, an older teenager with jet-black eyes and messy black hair, grinned wickedly back at his fellow bosses who looked at him with concern on the screen. "It ain't over until it's over. We've got to hold our ground until the very end, Eri. So let them come. I'll be ready to shine brighter than any fool who dares to try and take us on."

Chapter Text

One Week Later…

Naranja Academy

Language Class

"My dear students! How ARE you all today? Feeling good, I hope?"

Milo leaned back in his chair as the class returned the greeting that the instructor had given them. The instructor in question was a smiling man with darker skin and short black hair, with a tasteful goatee on his chin. He wore a crisp black and gray suit with a yellow tail-like pin that resembled a Raichu's tail. A pair of expensive-looking polarized sunglasses were clipped to his suit's pocket.

"Je m'appelle Salvatore. My name is Mr. Salvatore!" The teacher greeted them all with a friendly smile and an accent Milo had yet to place yet. Though, the teen realized that from the teacher's introduction that there was a new student or two within the class.

"Merci beaucoup! That is, thank you very much for your attention here in my class!" Salvatore continued, clasping his hands together. I'm so heureux - or happy - for this chance to re-experience my younger days with you all!" the teacher called to all of them, earning a chorus of agreements from everyone. Milo remained silent and instead patted his Applin, Smith, that had cried out alongside the others.

"Do you know what 'Salvatore' means? It means 'savior'! So just imagine I'm here to SAVE you from spooooky new languages. Haha! Funny, no?" Salvatore laughed for a moment, though that didn't have much of a reaction, so he continued. "That's right! My classes will teach you about various languages from different regions."

"You may say 'Good morning!' or 'Hello!' as a greeting, but people from elsewhere may say 'Bonjour!' or "Salut!' I've heard there's even a popular streamer out there who smashes several languages together and says ''Ello, 'ello, hola! Ciao and bonjour!'" Salvatore said with a grin, adapting a rather interesting accent that Milo and most of the class recognized immediately.

"Yeah, that's Miss Iono!" Nemona laughed at the impression, with Salvatore nodding in acknowledgement of that fact. Milo found himself smirking a little. He actively followed the streams of the Gym Leader of Levincia and was a fan of her himself. It was a bit fun to see her work referenced in one of his classes.

"Are you fluent in Iono-ese, Mr. Salvatore?" Sara asked, giggling despite herself.

"I dabble a little." Salvatore admitted, chuckling softly. "Miss Iono is a friend of mine and I do watch her streams on occasion. Some of the educational bits she does in her shows were influenced by some of the conversations we've had. She's always eager to have a new angle for her streams, and those segments tend to do well for her numbers."

And my respect for this Academy and what it stands for has dropped several notches. I've watched you drool over that woman's streams! I know what they're like! Not even the slightest bit educational.

"Okay, her streams are interesting and entertaining and Iono is gorgeous. We all suck for watching her. Now can you be quiet?" Milo thought at the Remnant, who grumbled with annoyance but went silent once more.

"Ahem! But back to the lesson, my dear students. There are so many regions out there in the world, and each can have their own unique languages!" Salvatore explained as he stepped out from behind his lectern and began to walk around the class.

"Gracias, merci, xièxie, arigato, danke—these all have the same meaning! Can you guess what it is?" Salvatore asked the class, his eyes darting around the classroom to see if anyone would be bold enough to volunteer. His eyes landed on Milo, who inwardly sighed at the clear expectation to answer the question.

"They all mean 'thank you', don't they?" Milo said quietly, with Salvatore beaming at the student and clapping his hands together.

"Waouh! Milo, was it? Bravo! That's correct! And speaking up is important in language learning, too!" Salvatore praised the Galarian, who nodded in acknowledgement.

"Aaaaap!" Smith cried out, with Salvatore chuckling as he patted the Applin on the head before turning around and walking back towards the front of the classroom.

"Gracias, merci, xièxie - these words all mean 'thank you.' I guess some of you probably knew at least one of those! Despite meaning the same thing, their lengths and sounds are all different! Isn't that interesting?" the Language instructor asked the class, earning a round of nods.

"And now, apropos of nothing, let me give you all one of my wise words of advice! When you travel abroad, you should try to speak the local language as much as you can—even if you can't speak it very well! I'm sure your willingness to try will make the people you meet très heureux - very happy!" Salvatore advised the students, with Nemona nodding her head at the teacher's words. Salvatore placed a finger to his temple and closed his eyes, as if in deep thought.

"Honestly, from my experience, just being able to say 'hello,' 'delicious,' and 'thank you' in the local language will get you pretty far." The Language instructor then chuckled and gestured towards the class with his hands.

"For everything else, just pretend you're Mr. Mime and gesture away!" Salvatore let out a joyful laugh, but was interrupted by the familiar chime of the school bell.

"Oh! There's that pesky bell. I guess that's all the time we have for today! Well, adios! Mata ne! À la prochaine! See you later, everyone!" Salvatore said merrily to the students, many of which returned the farewell from the Language instructor. Milo got out of his chair and made sure he had his things before scooping up Smith and heading towards the door. He glanced back towards Nemona, who was still packing up her things.

"I'll catch you later, Nemona. Gonna go to my room and be a vegetable today." Milo said to his friend with a tired smile, waving to her before he left the classroom. He didn't have time to see the worried frown on her face before he left, however.

Milo made his way down the hallway, holding Smith the Applin in his arms and debating whether or not he wanted to go to lunch or not. He figured the chances of someone bothering him was pretty high.

His decision having been made, Milo opted to skip lunch and head straight to his room. Unfortunately, he only got a few steps past the lunch room before a shout caught his attention. Milo turned around and saw a familiar student with green hair running towards him.

Flynn stumbled to a stop, panting slightly. Milo raised an eyebrow and wondered if it was too late for him to run to his room. Upon realizing that it'd come off as rude, he instead chose to address the President of the Crystal Containment Crew. "You good, mate? Where's the fire?"

"I've been meaning to talk to you for the past few days. I wanted to apologize for Rafael's conduct. I don't know what got into that maniac!" Flynn said as he straightened up, looking at Milo with a frown.

"It's not your fault he tried to murder people." Milo pointed out, his voice perfectly neutral. His mask was in place, so Flynn had no idea of the smoldering anger behind it.

It had taken several days for Milo's white-hot fury to simmer down to an acceptable level, and the only reason he hadn't stormed the nearest Team Star Base was because he had promised himself not to until Juliana was out of the hospital. Arven had also done his best to hammer home the fact that what happened to Juliana was almost certainly an accident, and Milo had seen the video enough times to reluctantly accept that fact.

"Yeah, but he's the 3XC Vice President and I'm at least responsible for him being there. He didn't want to be and I made him, and if he wasn't there then he might not have freaked out so bad. Rafael can't stand Team Star." Flynn explained, with Milo considering that information. Director Clavell had mentioned that as well the other day.

"Do you know why?" Milo asked.

"Nah. This was way before my time. I'd ask one of the upperclassmen, maybe they know." Flynn answered as Milo crossed his arms.

"What if I just asked Rafael?" Milo suggested, wondering why Flynn hadn't done just that.

Flynn flinched at the question and shook his head quickly. "I wouldn't. Man's been absolutely livid since the other day. They're talking of taking away his scholarship for endangering the lives of students, even after Team Star's actions at the pep rally. Just…don't talk to Rafael. He's angry enough to not care about getting violent and I'm worried someone's going to get hurt because he's not thinking clearly." Flynn warned Milo, who nodded in understanding.

After a few minutes reassuring the other student that Milo knew that Flynn wasn't responsible for Rafael's actions at the pep rally and that the Galarian held no grudge against him, Milo continued on his way to his room. He made it about halfway there before he encountered his neighbor.

"Milo! ¿Cómo estás? How are you? I know we had class together, but I did want to check on you and see how you were doing!" Nemona cheerfully greeted her friend, who offered Nemona another weary smile in return.

"Hanging in there. It's been a long week. How about you?" Milo asked as he began walking again, with Nemona falling into step beside him.

"I'm all done for the day! Not much is on my schedule this week, so I have plenty of time for battles!" Nemona said excitedly, smiling brightly at him as she unclipped a Poké Ball from her belt. "Does my Rival want to get some training in today?"

"I'm not really feeling up to battling today, Nemona. Like I said earlier, today's an indoor day for me. Tomorrow I'll be hitting the battle courts and figuring out my game plan for dealing with Team Star. I probably won't be around much after that." Milo admitted to his friend, who bit her lip with a concerned frown at hearing that.

"Do you…do you want to be alone today? Or can I just hang out?" Nemona asked Milo, who looked at her with some surprise.

Ever since Milo had returned to the school after Juliana's hospitalization at the hands of Team Star, he had noticed that Nemona was spending more and more time with him. Milo had eventually realized that the Champion was trying to support Milo during a stressful time.

It was something that the teen appreciated immensely. Though, he was a bit surprised with how protective Nemona seemed to be of him.

Even more shocking was the fact that Milo had been opening up to the Champion more and more over the past week. He had already confided in her the same information that he had talked to Arven about during their picnic lunch in regards to his sister Amy and his father Diego. Nemona had patiently listened to Milo and hadn't pushed for any further information.

"She's really worried about me, isn't she? Nemona's never seen me so angry or upset. Tch. Not sure if I've ever been this pissed before." Milo thought darkly, looking away from Nemona as he clenched and unclenched his fists. "Team Star is going down, one way or another, but it's not fair to make Nemona worried. She's just looking out for me."

"You can hang out with me if you want. I won't be very good company, but I always enjoy hanging out with you." Milo said with a weak smile to his friend, who brightened up considerably. Milo and Nemona made it to his room and the Galarian teen opened the door, calling out the rest of his team and quickly preparing all of them lunch and setting out food into various bowls.

Nemona offered to use Milo's kitchen to make them something to eat, which was an offer that Milo accepted. Nemona was a solid cook when it came to simple meals, though there usually tended to be an emphasis on nutrition instead of taste.

Meanwhile, Milo stashed away his books and cleaned up his room a bit before loading up a game on his Nintendo Switch, letting out a long sigh as he sat down on his bed. Watt curled up on Milo's lap while the rest of his team napped around Koraidon, who snored lightly from his large bed.

Nemona ended up making them some grilled-cheese sandwiches, including an extra one for Koraidon, which of course made the massive lizard very happy. While they weren't up to the insanely high standard that Arven had for sandwiches, Milo still found it delicious.

Milo ate his sandwich while sitting on the floor and Nemona sat in his desk chair, and for a while the two students silently enjoyed their lunch along with the Milos team. Once he was done, Milo tossed their plates into the sink and plopped back down onto the floor, sighing again as Nemona looked at him with some concern.

"I feel like I'm a big ball of angst and problems these days. I'm probably not a lot of fun to be around right now." Milo muttered as he ran a hand over his face as the game loaded. Nemona tilted her head in confusion, and so Milo elaborated. "I'm just a mess. I'm so angry and frustrated and it's so hard to keep myself focused on what's in front of me…by the way, thank you for listening to me, Nemona."

"Thank you for telling me what's on your mind." Nemona said with a patient smile, causing Milo to look back at her. Milo matched Nemona's smile with his own before leaning against his bed, focusing on his game and enjoying Nemona's company. For her part, the Champion just allowed herself to relax with her friend.

The past week as a whole had come and gone without any surprises. Milo attended his classes while trying to form a game plan for dealing with Team Star, trying to grapple with his fury towards the group. Nemona was an almost constant fixture at Milo's side whenever she wasn't running errands for the Pokémon League or attending her own classes.

This, inevitably, led to several awkward moments where Arven also wanted to hang out with Milo. Weirdly enough, it resulted in a situation where the two older students were forced to coexist with each other while trying to support Milo during such a rough time period. And it was something the Galarian appreciated immensely between his two closest friends at the Academy besides Juliana.

The next day, however, had Milo departing his room and heading out to the track in the schoolyard. Arven had been insistent on Milo getting some exercise while at school, and the older student's nagging had finally paid off. The Galarian wore a simple black t-shirt and gym shorts, but felt out of place as he walked around the schoolyard and watched various other students running or working out alongside their Pokémon.

"It's a good thing Nemona agreed to meet me out here for some training. I only have to do this for a half hour." Milo muttered under his breath. After hanging around the edges of the track awkwardly, a familiar shout caught his attention. A black-haired woman in a black jumpsuit that Milo recognized as Dendra, the Battle Studies teacher.

"Osu, new kid!" Dendra said brightly, punching her fists out and getting into a stance. "Have you come out here to the schoolyard for some training?!"

"Uh, yeah. I'm not really sure where to start though." Milo admitted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Aha! I knew I could see a fighting spirit burning behind those eyes of yours!" Dendra laughed merrily, walking past Milo with an excited grin. "Why don't we do a bit of running together here to get to know each other a little better? Even if you don't know how to work out, anyone can do some cardio and it's great for you!"

"Um, sure? I guess that'd be a good place to start-" Milo began to say, only for Dendra to cut him off.

"Ready? Let's go!" Dendra called before jogging off onto the track. Milo blinked a few times before sighing and running after the Battle Studies teacher. The Galarian winced at the sensation, his feet hitting the track hard again and again as he attempted to keep up with Dendra.

However, what Milo noticed immediately was that the energy he had while running seemed to remain constant. Soon enough he had completed a lap and had plenty left in the tank for more running, which confused the teen. He continued in his efforts to keep up with Miss Dendra, who was effortlessly outpacing him on the track and occasionally called words of encouragement to him over her shoulder.

"You got this, new kid! Push it! Dig deep and keep going!" Dendra cheered Milo on with a wide grin. Milo grit his teeth and continued to run alongside the teacher as she easily jogged slightly ahead of him.

Soon enough, Milo and Dendra completed three entire laps of the courtyard, which Milo would later find out was a three-quarters of a mile in total distance. As Dendra motioned for Milo to head into the grass, Milo realized just how odd it was that he had managed such a feat.

"I shouldn't be able to do that. I should be wheezing and coughing like crazy, but I've got plenty of energy to go. Is this from eating the Herba Mystica?" Milo wondered aloud as he slowed down, panting hard but in a controlled manner. If his body wasn't so sore, he'd be able to run even more.

"Phew! That really worked up a nice sweat!" Dendra said with a laugh before she clapped Milo on the back enthusiastically, nearly knocking him over. "You've got a good pair of legs on ya, new kid!"

"T-thanks ma'am. Maybe I should just stick to cardio until I get more used to it. I don't know anything about working out." Milo caught his breath, smiling tiredly despite himself.

"Now, it's important to do cool-down stretches, even after a lighter workout like that. Are you familiar with those or do you want some pointers?" Dendra asked the student, who realized that he had no idea what she was talking about. And so Dendra taught Milo the importance of stretching before and after working out and what to look out for to avoid a potential injury.

"Oh! A good 'bout of training sure does make a body hungry, doesn't it?" Dendra asked Milo, who cautiously nodded. "I'll let you have one of my homemade sandwiches as my way of saying thanks for running with me today! Feed those muscles!"

Dendra reached into her jumpsuit pocket and pulled out a somewhat flat sandwich in a zip-lock plastic bag. She eagerly handed it to Milo, who stared at the sandwich…and had many, many questions as to why the Battle Studies teacher had one on her.

But, Milo was starting to get hungry. So he succumbed and opened the bag, taking a tentative bite of the sandwich. Immediately the teen's gag reflex kicked in and Milo's eyes went wide in shock. This sandwich was awful!

Meanwhile…

Arven had just finished making snacks for his team, as well as a stacked club sandwich for himself and Moe to split. However, as he prepared to spread a liberal amount of mayonnaise on the sandwich, a chilling wave of pure horror crept over the teen.

"I sense a disturbance in the Force…" Arven whispered, clutching the butterknife he was holding tightly. "As if a good friend of mine had just eaten a disgusting sandwich."

Thank goodness I don't have normal senses. That thing looks like something a Meowth ate, spat up and crapped in.

"It tastes about as good as it looks. It's super dry…ugh, and what's with the smell?" Milo fought back with a grimace as he ate the sandwich, not wanting to be rude to the instructor that was watching him. However, Milo privately thought even he could make a better sandwich than Dendra had.

"How was it? I hope it was tasty." Dendra asked Milo as he finished his impromptu lunch. The Galarian looked a little pale and nauseous and seemed to be holding back the urge to burp.

"Uh, yeah, tasty…" Milo remarked with a shudder, which Dendra noticed.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that. Heh…" Dendra laughed awkwardly, which was something that caught Milo by surprise. "I'm athletic and all, but I don't know the first thing about making good food….as your honest reaction just reminded me."

"Sorry ma'am." Milo apologized, but Dendra waved her hands with a smile.

"Oh no, don't apologize! Just gives me more reason to keep working at it. The only way you can improve at what you suck at is to keep trying, you know?" Dendra said with a laugh, though Milo could tell the woman was at least a little discouraged. "Well, uh…see you later. Enjoy your sore muscles tomorrow."

Dendra waved at the student before jogging off towards the school proper, and despite the terrible meal, he found himself smiling a little. He had gotten a little closer to the Battle Studies instructor, which was a positive, he felt. She might not have been a good cook, but she was nice and overall a supportive instructor who had given him solid advice.

However, Milo turned his attention to another matter. Nemona still hadn't shown up in the courtyard and was almost ten minutes late, which worried Milo. Usually she was early for anything involving battling, so this was out of character for her.

The Galarian student left the track and decided to wash down the awful sandwich Dendra had given him with a drink. He swiftly found a vending machine and bought a lemonade, downing it quickly. He threw away the can and turned around, and that was when he finally spotted Nemona.

Talking to a visibly furious Rafael.

Kid, you should probably get over there.

The Remnant's voice was firm, but Milo was already moving towards the two Trainers, who were in intense conversation. The teen cursed his aching legs, but ignored the pain as much as he could to get there before anything could happen. He could now hear their conversation.

"-and yet you continue to act out instead of dealing with them yourself? Do you realize how you looked on that livestream? You nearly killed someone, Rafael!" Nemona tried to explain to her fellow upperclassman, who's right eye twitched.

"And what the hell would you have done? Those little idiots deserved some second-degree burns. Always coming onto campus and acting like they own the place. What did you expect me to do?" Rafael's words were forced through gritted teeth, as if he was just barely holding himself back from shouting.

"I expect you to act like someone of your age and Trainer Rank! You're supposed to act as a role model to younger students, not terrify them!" Nemona shot back, with Rafael closing his eyes and glancing away from Nemona. "Your actions have consequences, Rafael!"

Milo moved even faster as he saw Rafael's hand dart out and suddenly grab Nemona by the collar of her shirt, pulling her up off of the ground with a pained gasp from the Champion. Several students cried out at the scene, but none of them seemed willing to draw the fury of the Vice President of the 3XC and one of the more skilled Trainers within the school.

"I don't like your tone, Champ. And I don't have to take disrespect from an absolute weirdo like you!" Rafael snarled at Nemona, drawing back his fist as pure fury ignited in his eyes. Nemona shut her eyes in fear of the blow that was sure to come.

"GIAAAS!"

Rafael flinched at the sudden roar and released Nemona, who dropped to the ground and nearly fell over if she hadn't been grabbed and pulled back by Milo. The teen was standing beside Koraidon, who was furiously glaring down Rafael with flames trickling from its mouth and red static crackling around its body. Rafael gasped as he stared at the ferocious creature, as well as the freshman who was giving him a look of such cold fury that it was almost as intimidating as the beast standing beside him. He also made note of the fact that Milo was standing protectively in front of Nemona, who seemed to not know what to make of the situation.

"You mess with her, you mess with me! Back off!" Milo's words were almost a growl he glared up at the upperclassman, who suddenly barked out a laugh as he took another step back.

"You wanna catch these hands, you limey little prick? I ain't scared of you!" Rafael said as he cracked his knuckles, with Milo crossing his arms with an unimpressed frown.

"M-Milo, stop! You're going to get in trouble!" Nemona whispered to the freshman, who continued to stare at the older student dead in the eyes.

"Come on, mate. Make the stupid freshman shut up. Because I've had a really crappy week and I'd love to see you try." Milo challenged the upperclassman, his eyes practically flashing with anger. He then slowly raised his chin and tapped it mockingly. "Take a swing. Do it. I dare you."

Rafael raised a fist, but saw that Milo wasn't showing any signs of fear. Just the same composed frown of barely-restrained anger. After almost ten seconds of waiting, Milo nodded at the older student. "Exactly. Now apologize to her. Just because you're an angry asshole, that doesn't give you the right to physically assault people."

Rafael let out an angry exhale as he dropped his fist and crossed his arms, so as to not give in to any urges of violence that were crossing his mind. "Fine. I'm sorry I grabbed you, it was unbecoming of me."

"I…um…okay?" Nemona said with some confusion, genuinely unsure how to react to such an openly insincere apology.

"Right, now that we've gotten official confirmation that you're a Grade-A piece of work, what's your deal with Team Star? You tried to kill those idiots the other day and Juliana nearly died from that accident." Milo said to Rafael, who's left eye twitched for a few moments in raw fury at being confronted like this. He was also very aware of the several students recording them at the moment with their phones, so he decided to give the freshman his answer.

"Because Team Star's a bunch of bullies who run around doing whatever the hell they want. And they're the reason my little brother Hugo withdrew from the school, along with a bunch of other students." Rafael explained, scowling angrily at Milo. "Poor kid came home crying after those clowns terrified the hell out of him. Begged our father to send him somewhere else. He's at Blueberry Academy now and I hardly ever see him. And it's all Team Star's fault!"

"Is that so?" Milo remarked, crossing his arms.

"You bet. And I've never forgiven them for driving my little brother away from here. We were supposed to take on the Elite Four together, you know. Be Co-Champions once La Primera steps down…" Rafael remarked, smiling as he closed his eyes at the thought. He then shook his head and sighed with irritation. "Tag-Team Champions. That would've been something…"

Rafael's expression hardened as his scowl of anger returned. "But Team Star took that dream away. So yeah, I tried to set those idiots on fire. So what? They deserve it. I'm sorry your friend nearly died from what happened, but Team Star's not innocent. They shouldn't have shown their sorry faces around this school. If it wasn't for the fact that they all hide in those stupid bases with dozens and dozens of them inside, I'd have torched them myself by now."

"So you don't think you can take them on?" Milo assessed, with Rafael's eye twitching again at the accusation. He didn't deny it though, only scowling even more.

"You think you can do it, hotshot? I saw what you did to those idiots online a few months ago. You dealt with two of them easily enough. You think you can walk right into the lion's den with that attitude?" Rafael challenged Milo, who responded with a nod to the shock of the upperclassman.

"Absolutely. Because Team Star doesn't scare me and neither do you." Milo said with a winning smile before turning around and grabbing Nemona's hand, leading her away from the sputtering and bewildered form of Rafael. The Galarian also didn't see the respect in the eyes of the students who had watched him stand up for the Champion and deal with Rafael's anger.

Milo walked with Nemona for several minutes through the school, his thoughts whirling as he considered the information he had been given. He released his Poker Face and let out a harsh exhale, feeling the anger that had been building during that entire exchange.

Team Star was an anomaly. They certainly needed to be stopped, especially after the information he had been able to gather over the past few days. At this point in his journey, Milo felt confident enough in himself that he felt he could take on one of the Team Star Boses and he now had the proper motivation to do so.

"Cassiopeia better call soon though." Milo inwardly fumed, wondering why the mysterious figure hadn't reached out to him.

And then, Milo considered his own actions and how he had handled the situation with the furious upperclassman, as well as the blatant lack of fear Milo had felt. Milo had stood up to someone who was perfectly willing to try and seriously injure a bunch of people with fire and tried to physical assault a Champion-ranked Trainer.

"I can't believe I just did that." Milo suddenly realized as he stopped in his tracks, blinking several times in shock at his own actions. "I just stood up to someone waaaay stronger than me and talked trash to him like it was nothing!"

You did. You also made him look like a moron, which I found very amusing. I should probably also mention that there were several students recording that exchange on their phones. It's amazing what you humans can do when you give yourself a chance to grow and become stronger.

"Those Gym Battles and Titan fights must've had some kind of effect on me. Usually I'm not that…snarky. Or bold. I can keep calm when things get dicey, but never just outright taunting someone who wants to hurt me!" Milo yelled internally, wondering what had gotten into him.

Compared to the Titans and facing down challenges where your life is on the line if you lose, a furious idiot like Rafael isn't very impressive. It's likely a combination of those two things, plus you standing up for your friend. Who, by the way, happens to still be holding your hand.

Milo realized this himself and glanced at Nemona, who was still staring at Milo with wide eyes. Milo gasped and let go of Nemona's hand, blushing profusely in embarrassment.

"S-s-sorry about that, Nemona. I just wanted to get you away from that maniac before he tried something else. Are you okay? Should we see the school nurse?" Milo asked his friend, who shook her head. "Are you alright? You look flushed."

Nemona blinked a few times before looking away from her friend. It was then that Milo realized that Nemona was actually blushing almost as much as he was, a look of bewildered surprise in her eyes.

"S-Sorry, I'm just…no one's ever stood up for me like that before..." Nemona admitted quietly, rubbing the back of her head. "I was honestly afraid he was going to hurt me. And you made him back down, just like that. That was really brave of you, Milo. Thank you."

"Don't worry about it. You're my friend. You would've done the same for me in a heartbeat. If I was a better friend then that jerk wouldn't have gotten near you-" Milo began to say, but Nemona put a hand on his shoulder and he stopped speaking.

"No. You're a great friend, Milo. Thank you for that. It…it feels good, seeing that you care so much about me." Nemona said with a warm smile, bowing her head to him for a moment before suddenly perking up. "So, now that Rafael's dealt with, what's next?"

"I need to get ready to deal with Team Star, and that means organizing the right team for the job. We were going to hit the battle court and get some training in, remember?" Milo asked the girl, who beamed at him and nodded emphatically.

"Yeah, let's hit the battle courts! They tend to empty out around this time since classes are about done for the day." Nemona said eagerly, doing a small fist-pump.

With that the two Trainers quickly made their way towards the courtyard, falling into step with each other. Milo had turned his thoughts towards half-formed plans and strategies in his head.

Meanwhile, Nemona's whirling thoughts were on the teenager walking alongside her. She wasn't sure if she was confused, excited, scared, or anxious but she knew she needed to talk to him. Milo's most recent actions in defending her from Rafael cemented the fact.

"Hey, Milo?"

"What's up?"

"I have a question for you. An…offer."

"Oh?"

"There's a neat little event happening next week in Mesagoza. It's the yearly Friendship Festival that happens in West Mesagoza. I was…um, w-wondering if you wanted to spend the day together. Explore the festival." Nemona asked her friend, who looked at her with a stunned expression. "Just the two of us. You've had a rough time of things and I think we'd have a lot of fun there."

"I…um, sure Nemona. I'd love to." Milo agreed with a mixture of happiness, confusion and apprehension. He was almost concerned by how relieved Nemona looked for a moment there, but soon the upperclassman was beaming with joy again. Milo noticed that she was still sporting the blush from earlier, though it had faded somewhat.

"Fantastic! We're going to have so much fun!" Nemona practically cheered before realizing what they were in the middle of doing. "Well come on then, let's get to the schoolyard! We've got to get your training in and then we're getting dinner! My treat!"

The duo hastened in their trek to the courtyard, with the Galarian wondering what was going through Nemona's mind and how she had asked him to spend time with her like that out of the blue. Specifically, time alone with just the two of them.

Kid, you might have actually just scored a date with your crush.

"Wait, what?"

You just stood up for her in a way that even she admits no one ever has before. And she just asked you to go out for a day of fun with just the two of you. That sounds like a date.

Milo's face slowly turned more and more red as the Remnant went on, and he didn't even dare chance a look at Nemona.

"There's no way! She's so far out of my League! She could have any guy in the school that she wants! Why would she be asking me out? There's got to be way cooler people than my nerdy ass to go out with?

And yet she enjoys spending time with you instead of anyone else she could be with. She obviously sees something in you that she doesn't see in other people.

"You know, you're being surprisingly nice today. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were impressed."

Oh damn, does it actually sound like that? I'll have to try harder to show my contempt.

Milo inwardly smirked at the sarcasm of the Remnant, who seemed to have earned a little respect for the Galarian after standing up to Rafael. All too soon, Nemona and Milo entered the schoolyard again and made their way to the battle court. Milo called out the team he had been planning on battling with against Team Star, with Nemona nodding in approval at the lineup.

Reggie, Cocoa, Watt, Volt, Fleur and Shelly.

Crocalor, Wooper, Pikachu, Pawmi, Steenee and Shellder.

"I can't train them up too much, but I'm thinking I could get them some more practice. Especially Volt, Fleur and Shelly." Milo explained as he gestured to the three Pokémon in turn.

"I should probably point out that I can't help you directly, as much as I would like too." Nemona remarked with a wince, rubbing the back of her head. "I was kinda banned from doing anything to Team Star."

"Really?" Milo asked, wondering who could have the authority to do that.

"Yeah, La Primera banned me from interfering with the Team Star situation. She wants Director Clavell to handle it and said that I'm not allowed to do anything that'll create an issue for the Pokémon League. Considering how much work I do for the League, they don't want me damaging my reputation. It's a stupid mess and I wish I could help…" Nemona trailed off weakly, but Milo smiled at her understandingly.

"Don't worry about it, Nemona. There's nothing stopping me from knocking those fools down a peg or twelve." Milo remarked with a casual shrug. "By the way, thanks for keeping me company these past few days, Nemona."

"You know, I actually like spending time with you, Milo." Nemona said to her friend, who looked at her and saw that the Champion looked annoyed. "I know you appreciate me, but you do a lot for me too. That's what friendship's all about, right? So please stop acting like I'm spending time with you out of pity or something, okay?"

"Y-yeah…okay. Thanks." Milo stuttered, with Nemona's usual smile coming back in full force. "It's sometimes hard to come to grips with, you know? That people actually want to spend time with me and do all this stuff for me. I feel like I don't really give a whole lot in return."

"That's nonsense. If people didn't want to spend time with you, Milo, then they wouldn't. There's no one else I'd rather have for a Rival than you." Nemona said with a fist pump. "Now, let's get to the good part! Making sure you and your team are ready to take on Team Star! Do you know which Base you're tackling first?"

Milo nodded, having made the choice days ago. "Segin Squad, the Dark Crew of Team Star. They're led by a guy named Giacomo."

"Giacomo…I remember him briefly from my super early school days." Nemona remarked, drawing Milo's attention. "He wasn't a bad guy, but he was insanely strict for no good reason. At least that's how I remember him."

"I remember Cassiopeia mentioning that the Team Star Bosses are all former students of the Academy." Milo replied, nodding his head. "What can you tell me about him?"

"Not a lot. And you'd be surprised how many students here at Naranja Academy are a part of Team Star." Nemona admitted, causing Milo to look at her in complete shock. "It's probably why they haven't all been expelled yet. There's a couple hundred students total who are a part of Team Star and live out in those wacky bases out in the countryside. Just getting rid of them all would be a terrible look for the Academy, you know?"

"Which is probably why they haven't been dealt with by the faculty. So what's Giacomo's deal, Nemona?" Milo asked his friend, who shrugged her shoulders.

"I was too busy focusing on my Gym Challenge to really pay attention to what happened at school way back when. I don't think he's been on campus for around two years now?" Nemona remarked, frowning as she thought about it.

"So tell me what you do remember." Milo said to the Champion, with Nemona nodding in response.

"He's smart, but focused way too much on rules and seemed to really enjoy the power he had in making them. I remember him shouting at me for having green highlights in my hair. I think he got some grief over it." Nemona remarked, gesturing to the streak of bright green currently in her hair before putting a hand to her chin as she struggled to recall the Team Star Boss from when he was a student at the Academy.

"How was he as a Trainer back then?" Milo asked.

"He didn't care for it, which is probably why I can't remember much of him besides the insane love of crazy strict rules. But I also don't remember him as a bad person, though. I think he had strict parents and that was what he was taught. From what I remember, he had a rough time of things before leaving the school." Nemona hummed as she thought harder, but shook her head to show that what she had said was all that she could recall.

"He's about to have an even more rough time. That goes for the clowns in Segin Squad." Milo muttered darkly, crossing his arms. "I did a bit of research online and saw that it was members of Segin Squad and Schedar Squad that crashed the pep rally. And I'm going after them first."

It's very convenient that Giacomo was your next target anyway, in terms of where you should go next. I'd be very careful in dealing with a group as big as Team Star though.

Milo considered that and sighed tiredly as he looked up towards the night sky. He was so, so angry at the mysterious group of delinquents for what they had done to Juliana. But even moreso, he was frustrated at his own emotions and how they had completely dominated his thinking the past few days.

Milo snapped out of his thoughts when something bumped into his leg, and he looked down to see Cocoa looking up at him with her usual smile. Milo smiled back at his Paldea Wooper, kneeling down to the ground as he glanced at his team. Reggie, Watt and Fluer all seemed to be looking at their Trainer with concern.

"Sorry Cocoa. You and the others must be worried, huh? I'm not acting like myself." Milo apologized to his Pokémon, shaking his head. "You and my human friends have been great these past few days. I'll bounce back and be back to normal in no time. Thank you. Now, who's ready for some training?"

"Wooo! Now that's our Milo!" Nemona cheered, with Milo's team crying out in agreement. Cocoa hopped up and down beside Milo, smiling up at him.

And then Cocoa began to glow.

Milo and Nemona gasped as the Paldean Wooper illuminated the area around them with a pure white light. Meanwhile, Cocoa's body shined a gentle blue color as she slowly elongated and expanded in size. When the glow of evolution finally faded, a new Pokémon stood in Cocoa's place.

It was a brown fish-like Pokémon with a rounded body with a darker brown coloration on top and a lighter brown color on the bottom of its body. It had small four rounded legs and a short dorsal fin on its lower back that extended into a stout bulbous tail. Six light purple spots sat in the middle of the Pokémon's back.

"Clooood!" Cocoa cried out, slapping her tail onto the ground with a heavy thump. Milo just stared at his Pokémon in amazement, stunned that she had just evolved like that.

"That's so cool! Cocoa evolved into a Clodsire!" Nemona said with an excited fist pump, marveling at the Pokémon's new form. "She must've been super close to evolving this whole time!"

"Wow…look at you! You look so strong, Cocoa!" Milo said with a genuinely delighted laugh, making the sound for the first time in days. Nemona saw the pure happiness on the teen's face as he knelt down on the ground and rubbed the Clodsire's head.

"Aww, look at you now, Cocoa! You're all big now, huh?" Milo asked Cocoa, who looked up at him with her black bead-like eyes. Did you do this just to make me feel better?"

"Clooood!" Cocoa replied as she bobbed her head up and down, wearing a wide smile. Milo pulled out his Rotom Phone and scanned his Pokémon, with the entry popping up a moment later.

"Clodsire. The Spiny Fish Pokémon and the final evolved form of Paldean Wooper. When attacked, this Pokémon will retaliate by sticking thick spines out from its body. It's a risky move that puts everything on the line." The Rotom Phone explained to Milo, who was sitting on the ground in front of his newly-evolved Pokémon. He rubbed the Clodsire's head with a big smile on his face.

"That's right. You're my big, silly girl." Milo laughed as he rubbed Cocoa's cheeks, earning another happy cry from the Clodsire. Nemona watched the exchange with a fond smile, but then she heard Milo gasp.

"Wait…Nemona. I have a plan." Milo said quietly, his eyes suddenly alight with a fire in them that Nemona hadn't seen before. But it was a fire she recognized with some familiarity. It was the excitement of learning something new about battling, a feeling Nemona knew well. And it was something that, seeing it happen with her friend, made Nemona's own heart race.

"For how you're going to fight Team Star?" Nemona questioned her friend, who continued to pat Cocoa on the head.

"I don't plan on fighting Team Star. I'm going to humble them." Milo said in a careful tone, smirking as he rubbed the head of his newly-evolved Clodsire while glancing back down at his Rotom Dex, reviewing the move-list of his Clodsire and what other moves she could learn.

"What do you have in mind? Is it good?" Nemona asked, her friend's smirk not fading.

Milo nodded, patting Cocoa on the head as the Clodsire hummed with pleasure. The younger student then stood up and looked at Nemona. "Yeah. It's underhanded as hell, but that's the point. But I'll need some practice first. Nemona, can we get some training in with Cocoa and some of the others?"

"Whatever you need. I've got your back, Milo." Nemona said to her friend, who surprised her by standing up and giving her a hug. Nemona grinned and hugged Milo back, grateful that he was bouncing back to his old self and not brooding. She trusted her friend to do the right thing when it came to Team Star, and she would do whatever she could by making sure her friend was able to unleash his full potential against the Segin Squad when Milo went to confront them.

"After all, I can't do anything directly to Team Star…but there's nothing wrong with helping my awesome friend train so that he can face them!" Nemona thought with an inward grin, separating from Milo even as the other teen blushed furiously at realizing he had done that in a courtyard with people around. Indeed, one or two students were already pointing towards the two Trainers in surprise.

"S-sorry, it's been a long week. Um, hopefully I didn't-" Milo said awkwardly, but Nemona waved aside his concerns with a bright smile.

"You're fine! Feel free to hug me whenever you'd like, Milo!" Nemona said as she did a small fist pump of excitement. Milo was somewhat taken aback by the casual response, but Nemona didn't give him time to linger on that further. "But for now, you've got some strategies in mind! What are you thinking, Milo? How can I help?"

"It'll be easier to show you than explain it." Milo responded with a grin, earning one in return from the Champion. And with that, the two Trainers began to spar with their Pokémon, matching smiles on their faces.

However, the two Trainers were unaware of the fact that they were being watched. A girl around their age with a fluffy Eevee backpack was watching them closely from behind a nearby tree, her expression troubled as she watched Milo and Nemona train under the dimming light. As the hours trickled by, the stars slowly emerged from behind the clouds in the night sky to twinkle above the two Trainers.

Chapter Text

The Next Morning…

Naranja Academy

Nemona sat at her desk in her room, frowning as she looked down at her phone and debated what she wanted to do. Her team slumbered around her room, with only Tornado the Tauros awake and watching his Trainer with some concern. Because for the first time in a long while, the usually confident Champion was truly at a loss and had no clue how to proceed.

The Champion's thoughts had been muddled ever since the disastrous pep rally that had seen one of her few friends hurt and embroiled Naranja Academy in controversy. Shockingly, however, it was what happened before Team Star crashed the event and Rafael tried to set them on fire that had Nemona out of sorts. The conversation that Nemona had with Juliana and her friends about her relationship with Milo and why she had become so close to him so quickly. Nemona had claimed to only be Milo's friend, and that should've been the end of things.

But then things went south with the pep rally, and Nemona's thoughts had been consumed concern for her friend's mental health upon returning to the Academy. Nemona knew that it was unusual for her to be this focused on someone else like this. Things only got worse when Milo stood up for her and made Rafael back down from attempting to physically assault her, putting himself in harm's way without a trace of fear. Since then, Nemona was unsure what she felt, because as of right now she could only think about her Galarian friend that had become her Rival.

"I…I don't actually have a crush on him. Do I? He's my neighbor. My Rival. My closest friend." Nemona muttered as she glanced around her room, hoping an answer to her questions would materialize out of nowhere. So Nemona closed her eyes and reflected on the matter.

Nemona, at her core, was a Pokémon Trainer who adored the sport more than anything else. Battling made her blood race and heart pound, and ignited a fire in her soul. She had put her all into becoming strong and she thrived on the battlefield alongside her team. Nemona had reached the rank of Champion in record time and had maintained her power as a Champion, unlike many who allowed their skills to languish once they had achieved the title.

However, that didn't mean that she didn't have her problems. Confidants were scarce in her life, as were people she could truly count on, and for the most part Nemona walked the path of Champions on her own. She knew deep down that many people were intimidated by how dominant of a Champion she was, especially at school. Combined with her lack of social skills, and that made things…lonely, to say the least.

But that all changed when she met Florian Caballero. The student she knew as Milo was someone she could be herself around without fear of being judged. He appreciated Nemona for who she was, faults and all. Their friendship had become something Nemona cherished greatly, and she found herself enjoying her time at school now more than ever thanks to her Galarian friend.

But as of late, Nemona's heart would race and she would feel the urge to smile more around her neighbor. Even doing things that had nothing to do with battling, such as going on walks through Mesagoza or playing video games were fun because they were with her friend. She felt such an intense desire to spend time with him that it was almost overwhelming!

"When he led me away from Rafael and held my hand the other day…my head keeps flashing back to that moment. I'm a Champion capable of taking on anyone in this region, but in that moment, Milo made sure I was safe and put himself in harm's way to make sure I was okay." Nemona muttered to herself, slowly placing a hand over her heart. "He held my hand and it felt good. Strange, but in a nice way. But what does it mean? Is this just how it feels to have a friend as good as him? Or is it something more?"

Hence Nemona's current issue, where she was debating who she could talk to for advice. She couldn't ask Juliana, who was currently in the hospital and would likely be surrounded by her gaggle of friends upon her return to school. She certainly couldn't ask Milo himself. Arven Sada couldn't stand her and would be of absolutely no help, despite being a good friend of Milo too. And so Nemona was forced to turn to outside sources.

"I won't even bother calling Mother or Father, and my sister Olivia is likely too busy to help. So I guess that leaves…" Nemona sighed before she finally bit the bullet and video-called the number on the phone listed La Primera.

It rang twice before a familiar voice answered the young Champion, with the camera opening and showing a woman smiling back at her. The tan-skinned woman was in a tasteful black and blue suit with a yellow ribbon around her collar, with stylized blue gloves with a star-like sigil on them. Her black hair had streaks of blue and yellow within it, with her long hair tied into a ponytail today. Her blue and yellow eyes gleamed with a sharp intelligence.

"Good morning, Nemona. How can I help you?" the woman asked Nemona politely, with Nemona hesitating for a few moments. Nemona noticed that the woman was sitting in what looked to be the break room, with a cup of steaming hot coffee in her hand.

"I'm so sorry to bug you, Miss Geeta. But I was wondering if you had a few minutes to answer some questions. I need some advice and I wasn't sure who else to ask." Nemona said nervously, which the woman picked up on.

"I'd be happy to help. What's the problem? Is everything okay at school?" Geeta asked, raising an eyebrow. "It isn't Team Star again, is it?"

"N-no! Nothing like that. I, um, have some questions about a thing concerning my friend Milo. You know, the one I've told you about. The really, really skilled rookie Trainer I made my Rival?" Nemona clarified, with Geeta smiling at the young Champion. Nemona had told her and the Elite Four quite a bit about her friend at this point. She was obviously close to him.

"Ah yes, Milo. Or rather, Florian Caballero. I actually did some research on the boy the last time you mentioned him. His matches against Katy and Brassius were impressive. An interesting path forward for the Motostoke Miracle, but maybe he'll go far here in Paldea." Chairwoman Geeta remarked, earning a confused look from Nemona.

"The Motostoke Miracle?" Nemona asked, her curiosity piqued. She knew Hannah Caballero occasionally called her son Milagro, which was Paldean for the word Miracle, and that Milo was originally from the Galar region city of Motostoke. But that sounded like a nickname of some kind. She didn't have time to dwell on that remark because Geeta continued.

"You said you had some questions about Milo. What kind of questions?" Geeta asked Nemona, who considered how she wanted to approach this. She was somewhat self-conscious about it and wasn't sure what she even wanted to ask.

"Mostly about how to approach sensitive topics. He's been through some rough times before coming to Paldea, and he doesn't like talking about it. It's obviously stressing him out a bunch, but I want to help him open up more. He's so strong and I know he can overcome it! But I don't want to upset him…he won't tell me what happened either. I'm honestly a little scared to ask." Nemona admitted, with Geeta humming softly in answer as she considered it. "I could probably find out some other way, but I want him to tell me. It'd feel like a betrayal if I started digging into his past behind his back."

"You have mentioned before that you bonded very quickly with this boy, Nemona. Would you mind telling me about that?" Geeta asked the young Champion, who nodded.

"Milo kind of just embraces my love for battling and lets me help him, but also talks with me whenever I want. He doesn't just humor me. Milo lets me be myself without judging me. No one's ever done that before, Miss Geeta. But he's also been really helpful in teaching me about there being a time and a place for battling too!" Nemona explained to the older woman, who nodded in understanding. "On top of that, he encourages me to do other things. Life isn't all about battling, even if it is my favorite thing. I've started looking into reading for fun thanks to Milo, and helping teach him battle strategies instead of battling itself has been really fun and has me thinking about looking into tutoring at school. I've even enjoyed trying out some of those video games he plays so much."

"It's important to find people who make you realize that there's nothing wrong with being who you are. From what you've told me, your friend Milo embraces and accepts your passionate nature while also attempting to help you learn some restraint. Your single-mindedness is, after all, your biggest weakness as both a Trainer and a person." Geeta remarked, leaning forward in her chair while offering Nemona a patient smile. "True friends are ones who help you grow, not coddle you. And he seems like a very good friend, Nemona. I'm happy you've managed to finally connect with some of your fellow students. I think I understand why you're so enthralled with this boy."

"But the problem is that I'm worried I might be…developing a crush on him." Nemona admitted, with Geeta blinking several times in surprise. The woman then beamed at Nemona, clearly pleased.

"You? Having a crush on someone?" Geeta asked, wanting clarification on this. Nemona nodded in response, clearly nervous about admitting that fact.

"Only Nemona would be calling you for relationship advice." A dull voice spoke up from somewhere behind Geeta, causing the woman's mouth to twitch into a scowl. Nemona decided to answer the Chairwoman's question before she got into an argument with her employee.

"I'm not sure what else it is. He's such a supportive friend and so patient with me. He's also a great Trainer and absorbs information like a sponge and has amazing battle instincts!" Nemona realized she was gushing about her friend again and flushed in embarrassment upon seeing Geeta's amused smile. "And I don't want to ruin our friendship by doing something dumb. He's really good to me, Miss Geeta."

"Did you always feel this way towards him?" Geeta asked the student before taking a sip of her coffee.

"No. When I first met him, I didn't feel this way at all. He was just a normal guy with a funny accent. But the more time I spend with him, the more amazing I realize that he is!" Nemona said excitedly, standing up in her room.

"Do you think he's cute?" Geeta said teasingly, with Nemona blinking a few times before reflecting on it.

"Umm…he's kind of cute? I haven't really paid much attention to his looks, but he's got a really nice smile when he's really happy. Or when his eyes light up when he starts getting into a battle. I'll have to start paying attention to stuff like that. But I don't usually care for boys and their looks. Is that weird?" Nemona asked Geeta, who shook her head.

"Not at all. We all like who we like in different ways." Geeta responded to Nemona with a small laugh. "So, when did you first realize you might be feeling something towards your friend? Think about it."

"I think it really started the other day when Milo stood up for me and made Rafael, a bigger and stronger person who was a much better Trainer than him, back down from trying to hurt me." Nemona said quietly, with Geeta frowning at the mention of the teen. Rafael Cezar had been suspended after nearly trying to attack Nemona when compounded with his actions at the Pep Rally. Geeta was privately grateful Clavell had stepped in to handle that matter before she did.

"After that, he led me away from Rafael and I suddenly realized just how much he does for me and how great he is. He's humble, kind and willing to help others. He's shy and reserved, but he's got some real fire when he's motivated!" Nemona said with a wide smile, realizing yet again that she was gushing about her friend. She then realized something about her and Milo's relationship, and perhaps why she was so enthralled by her friend.

"He made me feel special. I don't have any real friends besides him. Juliana too, but Milo's just completely different for me on an entirely different level. My heart starts to beat faster and my stomach feels weird and it's just…I don't know! I want to spend as much time as I can with him! I think about him all the time, Miss Geeta, and I don't know why. He's a really wonderful person, and I'm scared that developing a crush on him might ruin our friendship." Nemona had finished her explanation in a soft voice, her concerns laid bare as worry pounded through her heart.

"Calm down, Nemona. You care a lot for your friend. There's nothing wrong with that. Nor is there anything wrong with developing feelings for someone precious to you." Geeta explained to the younger woman, who nodded in understanding. Geeta leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes and considering what advice to give the anxious Champion.

"Sometimes people are simply beautiful. Not in looks. Not in what they say. Just in what they are, Nemona. And that in turn may lead to you appreciating other parts of Milo that you once overlooked." Geeta said to the young Champion, who slowly nodded in understanding. "If you feel an attraction to your friend, then foster your close bond whenever you can. Perhaps he returns your feelings. You are a strong and kind-hearted young woman who anyone would be lucky to have as a partner."

"I asked him to spend some time with me at the Friendship Festival in Mesagoza next week." Nemona remarked, crossing her arms as she thought about it. "I've been wanting to spend some time with him that isn't battling, like you suggested a few weeks ago, and the Mesagoza Friendship Festival seemed like a good opportunity."

"Festival de la Amistad de Mesagoza…it's been some time since I was able to attend one myself." Geeta then raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly as she realized the implications of what Nemona had said. "You asked him out on a date?"

Nemona actually blushed at that, much to Geeta's surprise. "It was a spur of the moment decision. I knew Milo would say yes, but I stressed that it would be just the two of us spending time together. I wanted to use the Festival as a way to spend time with him."

"A wise decision. I'm sure you'll figure things out, Nemona. You're a smart girl." Geeta said warmly, taking another sip of her coffee. "Either way, you can use this as a way to get closer to your friend. Perhaps then he'll open up more to you about his past. You are right to not push him about it."

"Phew! I was worried I was going about this the wrong way. Thanks for the feedback, ma'am!" Nemona thanked the woman, who held up a finger to pause Nemona's words.

"I do have a warning, however, about your friend Milo." Geeta's expression became more serious, and Nemona knew it was her cue to listen carefully. "Even the nicest people have their limits. Don't push them too far and don't try to reach those limits. Because the nicest people can also be rather intimidating when they've had enough. Your fellow classmate Rafael learned that the other day when Milo stood up for you."

"This wouldn't happen if you spent less time cleaning up after the mistakes of other regions." The dull male voice chimed in again, causing Geeta to suddenly frown in annoyance. "We all know the system in those places is in utter shambles."

Another voice chimed in, this one female. "You know, Larry's kinda cooking. You'd think after what happened back in Kanto, Unova and Alola with Cipher, some of the other Champs would retire. At least Galar finally figured itself out, but only after the horrific crap Theodore Rose pulled-"

"Rika, we've been over this, so please drop it." Geeta said in a tired tone, leaning back in her chair before glancing over to the side of the room. "Larry, your input is not required or requested, so why must you say these things?"

"I can choose to be the bigger person, La Primera. But being the reason HR makes a new policy is much more exciting." Larry remarked, earning a cackle of delight from Rika. "Besides, I just so happened to be the person you sent to Galar after what that maniac pulled-"

"Nemona, I've got to handle some sudden League business. Please feel free to reach out if you need anything else. Farewell for now." Chairwoman Geeta said with a strained smile before hanging up the line. Nemona lowered the phone and considered the words of the woman who she regarded so highly.

"Do I actually have feelings for my closest friend?" Nemona asked, sitting down on her bed and considering that question. She placed a hand over her heart for a moment and felt it beating quickly, with her stomach feeling like it was fluttering somehow. It was an entirely new sensation for the young Champion, who finally flopped backwards onto her bed and grappled with what might be her greatest challenge yet.

Her first crush.

Later that Day…

Eastern Paldea Outskirts

Milo and Arven slowly extracted themselves out of the Tera Den, eyeing the sun as it hovered just overhead and beat down on their backs. Milo glanced down at the Poké Ball in his hand and grinned with triumph.

Alright, you did your three catches and held off on naming them long enough. Now do so and figure out what you want to do with them.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm working on it." Milo grumbled internally as he pulled the two other Pokémon out of PC Storage and called his three latest catches out of their Poké Balls.

Two of the Pokémon Milo recognized immediately as a Chewtle and an Igglybuff, but the third Pokémon was something Milo had only spotted in passing and wasn't familiar with, though he was sure he had battled it once before. It was a gray mole-like creature with a black head and light green eyes that Arven explained was a Shroodle, which he believed were native to Paldea, and that it had been one of the Pokémon that Team Star had tried to battle Milo with several months ago. Milo chose to check the Pokédex App for the creature's entry and chose to name this one first.

"Shroodle. The Toxic Mouse Pokémon. Though usually a mellow Pokémon, it will sink its sharp, poison-soaked front teeth into any that anger it, causing paralysis in the object of its ire. This Shroodle is Female and has the Ability Unburden. Its Tera Type is Water." The Rotom Phone explained to Milo, who considered the new Pokémon for a few moments, wondering what on earth he could name it.

He was drawing a complete blank.

"Uhh…Sem…see…yeah, sure. Semsee." Milo said awkwardly before inputting the name in the Pokédex App.

What the hell kind of name is that?

"What the hell kind of name is that?" Arven asked, unknowingly echoing the sentiments of the Remnant and annoying Milo further. The teen just shrugged his shoulders and moved onto the second Pokémon, and upon locking eyes with the Chewtle Milo could barely repress a small shudder.

It's fine…it's just a Chewtle. Milo thought with a grim smile, trying not to think too much about it. His Poker Face was firmly in place, but his hesitation was noticed by Arven.

"You good?" Arven asked his friend, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Let's get this entry up." Milo muttered as he found the appropriate entry in the Pokédex App.

"Chewtle. The Snapping Pokémon. Its large front tooth is still growing in. When the tooth itches, this Pokémon will bite another Chewtle's horn, and the two Pokémon will tussle. This Chewtle is Male and has the Ability Shell Armor. Its Tera Type is Bug." Milo sighed as he looked back down at the expectant Pokémon. He considered a few possible different names, but knew full-well this was likely a Pokémon he would never use.

"Dread. You're Dread." Milo muttered as he input the name in the Rotom Phone. Arven looked at Milo with a confused expression before he moved onto the final Pokémon.

"Igglybuff. The Balloon Pokémon. Its body has a faintly sweet scent and is bouncy and soft. If it bounces even once, it cannot stop. This Igglybuff is Female and has the Ability Competitive. Its Tera Type is Electric." Milo listened to the entry and considered what he knew of the Pokémon.

"I've already got my team set up for this, but it'll be good to have Pokémon like her in reserve. From what I understand they have really solid movesets." Milo remarked as Arven nodded in understanding. "I'll name her Puffy. That's a good name, right?"

"I think everyone who's ever caught a Jigglypuff or anything from that line names them that." Arven responded, earning a raspberry from the younger Trainer. It was then that Milo remembered something, and he unclipped a Poké Ball from his belt and sent out Volt, his Pawmi.

"Can't believe I forgot about this. I need to give you some candies so you can be as strong as some of the others." Milo said with a little smile, picking some Small XP Candies out of his backpack and feeding them to the Pawmi. The small electrical mouse let out a small cry, happily eating the treats and nuzzling Milo's outstretched hand.

Like Milo expected, a familiar blue glow erupted outwards from the Pawmi, who began to evolve. Within moments the Pokémon began to grow larger and taller, eventually becoming a larger more yellow Pokémon who stood tall on two feet.

"Paaaaw!" the Pokémon cried out, doing a few punches to the open air before grinning at Milo, who rubbed her head.

"Congrats Volt! You evolved!" Milo said with a smile, pulling up the Pokédex App on his phone and getting the appropriate entry.

"Pawmo. The Mouse Pokémon. When its group is attacked, Pawmo is the first to leap into battle, defeating enemies with a fighting technique that utilizes electric shocks." The Rotom Phone explained, with Milo grinning now.

"I remember Nemona mentioning that the Pawmi line became Fighting-types later on. You'll be great against the Dark Crew, Volt." Milo said as the Pawmo nodded happily.

A few hours later, Milo and his friends were pushing a wheelchair containing Juliana through the front doors of the school. The twins and Nalani walked alongside Arven and Milo, the latter of whom was pushing Juliana into the main entryway.

Juliana wasn't happy about having to use a wheelchair for the next week while the doctors coordinated with Miss Dendra and Nurse Miriam about her rehabilitation. She also wasn't happy about being unable to use the stairs in the lobby to get to her room, which was located close to the main lobby. To transport the girl up the stairs to her room, they'd have to go the long way to the elevator which wasn't in the lobby.

"Ugh, we'd have to go the long way though. That's the best part about my room! It's close to the stairs!" Juliana complained, looking up the stairs with annoyance. Arven sighed and walked around the wheelchair.

"Milo, grab her chair. I've got this." Arven said before hooking an arm around Juliana's legs, much to her confusion. She then let out a squawk of surprise as the upperclassman effortlessly lifted her up into his arms, having picked up Juliana in a bridal carry.

"Huh, you're actually really light." Arven remarked with a smirk upon seeing Juliana's face as he easily carried her up the stairs. Milo grinned upon seeing how embarrassed Juliana was, with the freshman blushing furiously as she noticed all of her friends were smirking up at her.

"S-S-shut up! Are you calling me fat, Arven?" Juliana pouted as Arven gently began to carry her up the stairs. Milo carried the wheelchair up as the twins and Nalani helped carry the rest of Juliana's things.

"Well, you never seem to be able to help yourself when it comes to eating my muffins."

"You ARE calling me fat!"

"Now you're putting words in my mouth. Just like you do with my muffins."

Milo and the girls snickered as they got to the top of the steps, with Juliana still bickering with Arven even as the older teen set the embarrassed girl back down into her chair. He then stopped back and gave Juliana a winning smile and a thumbs up, which made the girl pout even more.

"Thanks Arven, I appreciate you and your big strong arms." Juliana grumbled, fighting the urge to smile at the older teen's silly antics. "They go well with your big fat head."

"Ouch, my feelings. Milo, you want to take over?" Arven asked his other friend, who was trying not to start laughing again.

"I kind of want to let you keep doing your thing. It's been a while since I've seen Juliana so frazzled." Milo grinned as he began to push the wheelchair again, with Juliana somehow pouting even harder.

"I hate it here."

"No you don't, you love this place."

"I wonder if I throw myself down the stairs I can go back to the hospital?"

The very short trip to Juliana's room was uneventful, save for her pouting. The group quickly made sure Juliana was properly set up in her room, with her crutches within arms reach. When the Galarian girl was situated on her bed, Juliana let out a tired sigh and flopped down onto her pillow.

"Hopefully if your rehab goes well, you won't have to deal with that chair anymore." Milo remarked, eyeing the wheelchair that was beside Juliana's bed with distaste.

"If she needs anything at all, I'll be around to give her a hand. I'm sure the girls would be more than happy to help out for as long as you need." Arven said brightly, grinning at the annoyed girl.

"Which means you're free to go kick some butt, aren't you Milo?" Juliana asked her closest friend, who glanced back at her with some surprise.

Juliana smiled knowingly at Milo, shaking her head. "I'm not stupid. After that Cassiopeia person reached out to you a few months back, I figured it was only a matter of time before you looked into Team Star. After I got hurt, I knew you'd probably want to take the fight to them directly."

"I'm pissed as hell that you got hurt because of them. And I'm going to teach them a lesson. Are you going to try and stop me?" Milo asked Juliana, who snorted with amusement.

"Hell no. If our roles were reversed, we wouldn't be having this conversation because I would've burned their bases to the ground." Juliana said matter-of-factly, with Milo grinning in response as he held out his fist. Juliana tapped it with her own, smiling back at her best friend.

"Be careful out there, okay? If you get into trouble, I'm bringing the posse with me and we'll steamroll that place." Juliana promised, with Milo laughing at the remark.

"I wouldn't expect anything less. I'll try to livestream the showdown, but at the very least I'll take some pictures of what happens." Milo said to his friend, crossing his arms. "Like I told Nemona the other day, I don't want to stop Team Star. I'm going to humiliate them like they tried to humiliate you. I want to walk right into those bases and make them realize they shouldn't have messed with Naranja Academy. And more importantly, they'll learn to not mess with my friends."

"You've grown, Milo." Juliana said quietly, shifting her body so that she was leaning against the wall. Milo blinked at the comment, with Arven chuckling from off to the side of the room.

"Have I? I stood up to Rafael the other day, but I'm not so sure that I-" Milo began to say, only for Juliana to cut him off with a loud scoff.

"Well, you downplaying your damn accomplishments certainly hasn't changed. You've definitely gotten a bit tougher and more outgoing than you used to be back in Galar. Honestly, it feels sometimes that you've become a totally different person. But I know at the end of the day you're still the same old dork I've always known. You're just a bit more badass now." Juliana said with a warm smile. "So, are you heading straight there?"

"Not quite. Nemona gave me a shopping list of sorts and highly recommended I swing by Cascarrafa first. Considering she's a Champion and has been training with me these past few days, I'm going to follow her advice. Especially if it gives me an edge against Giacomo and Segin Squad." Milo explained to the girls and Arven, who all became rather pensive.

"It just sucks that we can't back you up, dude." Kara remarked, sighing with some annoyance.

"We don't really do much battling. Julie's easily the best battler out of all of us, but she's in no shape to be joining you." Nalani remarked, with Juliana exhaling hard at the very true comment. Milo offered them a grin despite that, however.

"Don't worry. I've got things handled. Let me know if anything happens school-wise with Team Star or with the faculty. I shouldn't get in trouble for this, but who knows." Milo said as he put his backpack on. Milo gave Juliana another hug and bid his friends farewell, but Arven offered to walk with Milo to the front steps of the Academy to see him off.

The walk there was uneventful, with Arven seemingly having nothing to say until they walked through the front doors and approached the steps. Milo called for a Flying Taxi, and three minutes later it was coming down for a landing to pick up Milo. It was then that Arven spoke up.

"You know, I was really worried about you the other day. But you've been bouncing back over these past few days. Good for you, little buddy." Arven said to Milo, causing the freshman to look towards his friend.

"It helps to have friends who look out for you. It's time for me to return the favor and deal with these clowns." Milo responded with a shrug, earning a chuckle from the older Trainer.

"Stay safe out there, alright. If there's any trouble, let me know and I'll be there." Arven promised Milo, extending a hand to his friend. Arven then grinned as the Galarian student reached forward and clasped it.

"Take care of Juliana and focus on keeping Moe healthy. We're not done hunting down those Titans, you know." Milo grinned back at his friend before releasing his hand. With that, Arven began to trek back towards the school while Milo stepped onto the Flying Taxi, whisking him away. Milo ended up flying to the Pokémon Center closest to where he and Arven had battled Titan Bombirdier, choosing to stay the night there and head out at first light the next day.

All too soon, Milo was speeding through along the grassy hills of the mountain, except with Milo going through the cave system as opposed to trying to find a path to the summit. With Koraidon's speed and following a path via his Rotom Phone's map app, Milo made quick progress through the countryside of the west coast of Paldea.

Nightfall came soon enough and Milo camped out on top of a grassy hill and slept huddled against his team and Koraidon, with the mighty lizard more than enough to keep away any wild Pokémon.

On his second day since leaving the Academy, Milo spotted a Pokémon Center Outpost. While healing his team, he saw a series of massive flags sticking out of barricades and walls in the distance. Emblazoned on the flags were a strange fiery symbol of blue, yellow and black.

"Looks like we're getting closer…" Milo thought as urged Koraidon forward, going past the open gates and finally coming around to a large field situated between two massive cliffs. A large closed gate rose upwards, guarded by two Team Star Grunts that Milo could see. The teen grit his teeth in anger, resisting the urge to ride Koraidon forward now and tear through the base now.

Gotta hit Cascarrafa first. Then I'm coming for you clowns. Milo thought darkly, eyeing the base with barely-restrained fury.

"~Ro-to-to-to-to…~"

Milo flinched as he was snapped out of his thoughts by his Rotom Phone ringing. It flew out of his pocket and the screen showed a rainbow-colored question mark. Milo moved Koraidon out of sight of the sentries, despite how far away he was, and the teen hopped off of Koraidon right as the call picked up.

"Cassiopeia here. I see you're getting close to one of Team Star's bases. I take it this means you've decided to join my operation?"

"That's right." Milo said with a raised eyebrow, genuinely surprised they had chosen now of all times to call him. Was Cassiopeia tracking him somehow?

"Thank you. With this, you're officially a member of Operation Starfall!"

"Hold on a second!"

Milo jumped and then turned around in surprise, spotting someone walking up to them. For a moment, Milo thought he didn't recognize them, but then he realized that he knew the person quite well. It was an older man wearing bright purple glasses and a Naranja Academy uniform, with an immaculate Academy light gray coat and orange shorts like the kind Milo was wearing. On his head was a sleek blond pompadour, with the hair slicked backwards.

"Does this 'Operation Starfall' of yours have room for one more member?" the man asked in an accent Milo couldn't quite place, offering the teen an easy smile. Milo was completely flabbergasted, and it looked like Cassiopeia was similarly confused.

"Wha-? Who are you?!"

The man that absolutely wasn't Director Clavell in a Naranja Academy uniform smiled and ran his hands through his pompadour. "The name's Clive."

"Right, right. Totally." Milo said with a nod, crossing his arms.

"Oh? And how long have you been spying on us?"

Clive seemed to realize that Cassiopeia seemed to be agitated, because he raised his hands placatingly. "No need to get your hackles raised. I'm a pal of our mutual friend here. Isn't that right, Milo?"

"I guess…maybe?" Milo said uncertainty as he put a finger on his chin, with Clive grinning at the younger student.

"Ahaha! Shy as ever, I see!" Clive laughed, giving Milo a thumbs up. Meanwhile, Cassiopea hummed thoughtfully.

"We're talking about going up against Team Star here. It's not something you can join in for fun."

Clive put his hands behind his back, closing his eyes. "I'm well aware. I just need to sort out some…unsettled business with Team Star, that's all."

The older student opened his eyes and gestured to the six Poké Balls on his waist. "Besides, I tend to get the job done well. Not that you can take my word for it, but it's true."

There was a long pause from Cassiopeia, who seemed to be considering the situation. Meanwhile Milo was staring at Clive, wondering just what the hell he was playing at.

"I suppose I'm hardly in a position to refuse help. Welcome to the operation, Clive."

"Great. That settles it, then." Clive said with a pleased smile, nodding. "I think I heard your name earlier…Cassiopeia, was it? Who exactly are you?"

"Team Star and I…share some history. That's all I can say for now."

Can't say I'm surprised that they're not divulging any details. They like talking about themselves just as much as I do. Milo thought with an inward smirk.

Clive nodded once more in understanding, adjusting his glasses. "I see. In that case, I won't press you further."

"Good. Now, back to business - let's talk about Operation Starfall."

"Yes. What would you have us do?" Clive asked their mysterious friend, who was more than happy to explain.

"Simply put, I want you to raid each one of the Team Star bases. Then you'll defeat the bosses of the team…and put an end to their rule!"

"Put an end to their rule…? You mean we need to oust these bosses from their roles somehow?" Clive asked, curious as to what the unknown caller had planned.

"That's right. Team Star is made up of five squads, and each of those squads has its own base. You should be able to see the front gates of one of those bases now, in fact."

"Ah, yes…I can see them over there." Clive remarked, crossing his arms as he peered over at the twelve foot tall gate that stretched from one cliff to the other.

"On the other side of those is the base proper. And somewhere within that base lies one of your targets: a squad boss."

"Okay. I'm starting to get the idea." Clive said as he nodded, with Milo frowning at that.

"I feel like there's a lot of details here that we don't have." Milo remarked, glancing at Clive, who nodded in agreement. Cassiopeia was actually happy to elaborate on that front.

"Well, that's just the outline. The key to the whole operation is the code that the team has to follow. If someone challenges one of the squad bosses to a battle, they have no choice but to accept. And what's more, if they just so happen to lose that battle…they must forfeit their role as a boss altogether!"

"So that's your angle…we take down the boss, we take down their leadership and strip that away from the group." Milo realized, amazed that they had such a strange rule.

"I went ahead and issued challenges to each base under your name, Milo. They're basically declarations of war. Now all of Team Star knows that we're looking for a fight."

"Good. That's what I'm after, considering everything those clowns have done." Milo said with an eager smile, earning a frown of concern from Clive.

"So let's say we defeat all the bosses and they step down from their roles…What happens next?" Clive asked Cassiopeia, who eagerly responded.

"The rest of the team crumbles with no one left to lead them. That's what happens. It's a solid plan, but not without wrinkles."

"What do you mean?" Milo asked.

"Each base has a bunch of Pokémon inside to fend off intruders, and the bases themselves are a considerable size. Your garden-variety Trainer would be overrun long before they'd get anywhere near the boss. That's why your skills are essential to this operation, Milo. Defeat the Pokémon inside the base, and drag the boss out from where they're hiding."

"Consider it done." Milo said with a nod, grinning fiercely at the thought of finally getting retribution for Juliana. "I've had enough time building up my team. It's about time they had a chance to really shine."

"First thing's first, though - you'll need to deal with any grunts that might be guarding the front gates."

"And what will you be doing in the meantime?" Clive asked with an innocent tone, but it was enough for Milo's eyes to narrow.

"Like I said before, I have a history with Team Star. That means I can't operate out in the open. I'll back you up from afar."

Clive nodded in understanding. "All right. And what will my role be?"

"Sorry, but I don't trust you completely just yet…For now, I'd like you to monitor the bosses and act as Milo's support. While he's inside, you need to back Milo up as he clears the way to the crew boss."

"You're a cautious one, all right…I respect that." Clive said with an amused smirk.

"Speaking of support, you've been awfully quiet since that pep rally that Team Star ruined." Milo said to Cassiopeia, his tone frosty enough to draw a second look of concern from Clive. "My best friend got hurt because of these idiots. There's no way you didn't know about that. So why have you been so stingy on communication these past few days when you've been more than happy to nag me about Team Star before now?"

"I don't appreciate your tone. I don't have to answer any questions I don't feel like, Milo."

"You know, I have my own motivations for kicking their teeth in, but you've been avoiding me. I want to know why." Milo said firmly, glaring at the phone and receiving several long moments of silence. Clive looked distinctly uncomfortable, and was about to speak when Cassiopeia finally answered.

"Me contacting you after the pep rally incident would have been…counterproductive. I have my reasons for not reaching out, and I rectified that by doing so now. Be happy I even bothered in the first place."

Milo scoffed at that. "My life was already difficult enough before Team Star started making things more stressful. The least you could do is answer my questions if I'm going to help you-"

"I'll be in touch again when the plan advances to the next stage. Good hunting out there."

Cassiopeia hung up then, with Milo snorting with amusement at the annoyed response from the anonymous person. After all of the cloak and dagger silliness and the lack of answers up until now, Cassiopeia deserved some sass.

"Welp. Go get 'em, Milo!" Clive said with a winning smile, only for that smile to falter when Milo gave him a suspicious glare.

"You look familiar…why are you here?" Milo questioned the much, much older student. Clive shook his head at the question, his smile fading away.

"I have no idea what you mean. But if anyone asks you about me, remember this…" Clive then ran his fingers through his pompadour. "I'm Clive, a normal academy student just like you. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Uh huh...Well, I'm not going to complain about having a helping hand dealing with these jerks. I'll be swinging through Cascarrafa to get some things and then coming back here around noon tomorrow." Milo turned away from Clive and called out Koraidon again, hopping atop the beast with ease. "I'll see you at noon tomorrow, Clive."

Clive waved as Milo departed, with the teen wondering just what else he was going to have to deal with on this trip. He was answered in the form of a large barricade blocked by two Team Star Grunts, with the city of Cascarrafa visible about five miles down the road behind them.

"I need to get to Cascarrafa, you morons." Milo said to the two Team Star Grunts standing in front of their barricade. Both teens crossed their arms and smirked at Milo mockingly.

"Nope! You can't get through here!"

"If you've got complaints, take 'em up at the base!"

Milo stared at them for several seconds before glancing towards the nearby cliff. He then shrugged his shoulders and bent down to mutter something that the grunts couldn't hear into Koraidon's ear. The draconic mount nodded eagerly before letting out a snarl towards the teens, startling them, and then suddenly charging right towards the nearby cliff. The beast kicked hard off of the ground, rushing forward and off of the cliff into open air.

The teen dropped through the air, much to the shock of the two Team Star Grunts. Milo meanwhile flipped them off with one hand while keeping the other on the handle, bracing himself for the impact as they leapt into the desert.

Koraidon landed as gracefully as he could from several hundred feet drop, skidding into the Asado Desert and kicking up the sand with a soft growl. Milo took that moment to stagger off of Koraidon and violently throw up into the sand, his stomach not handling such an insane drop so well.

Milo took a few moments to sit down on a nearby rock and gather his composure. Meanwhile Koraidon happily chased some nearby Rufflet, barking loudly as it did so. Milo pulled out the map on his Rotom Phone and noticed that he actually wasn't far from the Quaking Earth Titan, which lurked further out into the desert.

You are absolutely not ready for that thing. Stick to the outskirts.

"If you're warning me about it, then I'll steer clear of it. Thanks." Milo muttered as he hopped back on Koraidon and began to trudge his way through the desert, picking up a few items along the way and avoiding the local wildlife. He spotted a glint of blue amidst the sand next to a fallen tower, and Milo reached down into the sand while still riding Koraidon and scooped it up.

"Rain Dance. That's a pretty useful TM." Milo muttered as he made Koraidon stop. He pulled a cloth out of his backpack and brushed the sand off of the disc. Milo then put it into a case and headed towards the city of Cascarrafa. The Remnant made an annoyed sound of disgust within Milo's mind.

I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating…and it gets everywhere.

"Did you just quote Star Wars?!" Milo asked the Remnant, grinning widely as he wiped his sweaty forehead. The Remnant scoffed in response, but after a few moments it did answer the question.

I'm everywhere and not. Unfortunately, some of the other Protagonists I keep tabs on are nerds just like you. So yes, I have seen it.

"So who's your favorite Star Wars character?" Milo asked, genuinely curious what an omnipresent entity capable of warping reality at will had to say about the franchise.

…Jar jar Binks.

"I regret asking you anything." Milo sighed with disappointment, shaking his head while the Remnant cackled with amusement in his mind.

Meanwhile…

Cassiopeia, despite their best efforts, was annoyed.

Not because of the Team Star situation. Quite honestly, they were pleased that not only had Milo finally committed to dealing with the group and taking them seriously, but they had also gained an unexpected ally in Clive. Cassiopeia obviously didn't trust the newest addition to the team at all, but maybe he'd prove themselves in time.

No, what annoyed Cassiopeia was how rude Milo had been to them earlier that day. Yes, they had been avoiding talking to the Galarian teen due to the fallout from the pep rally, but that was no excuse for how Milo had talked to them.

"It's not like we all don't have baggage or bad days. Who the hell does he think he is?" Cassiopeia grumbled, crossing their arms and considering what they knew about Milo. Aside from what they had gleaned from social media accounts, Cassiopeia had respected his personal privacy up to this point and had looked no further into the teen.

"Not anymore." Cassiopeia muttered, a mischievous smirk blooming across their face as they sat down in their desk chair. They then proceeded to casually break into Florian Caballero's school records, which offered them an interesting insight into his school life at Naranja Academy. He was a solid student across the board and had a few positive notes from the Naranja Academy staff in his file. But it wasn't quite what they were looking for-

"Oooh, a six-month hospitalization before coming to Paldea? Now that's spicy." Cassiopeia remarked, eyes widening in curiosity as their hands flew across the keyboard, leaning forward in their chair as they went further back. However, there was no elaboration as to why the Galar student had been hospitalized. "But I won't find the answers I want here. Let's go further back to his time in Galar."

Cassiopeia changed tactics and quickly accessed the portal for the Galar Pokémon League's Employees, seeing as that typically had the juiciest info and it was the best way to find out what was even worth knowing. The current administration was making great strides in undoing years of Galarian propaganda that had run rampant under the previous League Chairman's oversight.

"Pfft. Like the Galar League's security is any match for me." Cassiopeia muttered smugly, their keys flying across their keyboard. Within seconds the hacker had crushed the defenses of the Galar League's computer network and had access to all the information they needed. However, the rabbit hole they found themselves going down slowly made Cassiopeia sit up in their chair as the information became more and more interesting. Distracted muttering soon filled the room as Cassiopeia made their way through pages and pages of documents online.

"Several mentions of Florian Caballero within the internals and chat rooms…Wait, his mother sued the Galarian Pokémon League? That's wild…The Motostoke Miracle? Why does that sound familiar?" Cassiopeia asked themselves before suddenly gasping, their hand going to their mouth. "Wait, I remember that name!"

Cassiopeia quickly did an internet search of the term and immediately found what they were looking for. They let out a triumphant laugh, doing a small fist pump, before suddenly realizing something.

"How did I not realize it? Milo's the Motostoke Miracle! How did I not put that together? But that means that my…that he…" Cassiopeia trailed off, their hands flying across the keyboard before they managed to pull up a news report from almost a year ago now. And it told them exactly what they had wanted to know…and that knowledge chilled Cassiopeia to their core.

"No…w-w-what have I done?" Cassiopeia whispered as they stared at the two pictures on the screen, physically shaking in distress. One of the pictures was of Milo that looked a year or two younger than he was now. The second picture was someone that Cassiopeia recognized immediately and this picture filled their heart with absolute horror, as did the accompanying report that was read within mere moments.

Cassiopeia slowly reached up and grabbed their head and pulled their hair tightly, tears threatening to spill from their eyes as they realized just who they had wrapped up in their convoluted scheme to take on Team Star. Their breath came in shaking gasps as a panic attack slowly consumed them.

"Milo…I'm so sorry…"

Chapter Text

"Alright, first thing's first. Delibird Presents…" Milo muttered as he hopped off of Koraidon and returned the beast, stretching his legs and walking around the rather picturesque city.

Cascarrafa was known as the City of Water, situated right at the edge of the Asada Desert and the base of a large cliff. Water flowed throughout the city through various fountains and channels, making the city seem more like an oasis than anything else. The city was almost entirely painted over in white and blue, creating a pleasing visage for those who lived there and for mesmerized tourists. Residents of the city walked past with their Pokémon, which were usually water-types like Psyduck or Buizel.

Speaking of tourism, Cascarrafa was considered by many in Paldea to be the cuisine epicenter of the region due to how many different restaurants and types of food could be found in the city. Milo walked through the streets and after five minutes realized he could easily eat at a different restaurant every day for a month in just the lowest district of the city! This was due to its proximity to Porto Marinada, a small town with an incredibly influential port that was disproportionate to the size of the settlement. Exotic foods, spices and more flowed from there into the City of Water and resulted in Cascarrafa being the crown jewel of culinary expression. Chefs and cooks from all around the world viewed visiting the city as a must on their bucket lists.

It also had the distinction of being one of the few cities in Paldea to not see a major conflict in its storied history, due to how vehemently the soldiers of old defended the City of Water. Its importance to the region couldn't be overstated.

Milo found the Cascarrafa branch of Delibird Presents pretty quickly, but he was floored when he had asked the cashier about the price of the item that he had been seeking out. The item in question was Leftovers, which was a Held Item that Nemona had insisted he pick up and go out of his way to Cascarrafa to get.

"20,000!? I could put a down payment for a house with that much money!" Milo grumbled under his breath, double-checking that he had enough money. Upon seeing that he did, he decided to follow through with Nemona's advice and purchase the item. He gave Leftovers to Cocoa, making sure that the item was attached to the Clodsire.

Lucky for you, there's nothing stopping you from buying Held Items or making use of other stores besides Pokémon Centers.

"According to Nemona, Leftovers will slowly restore the strength of a Pokémon throughout a battle. It'll keep Cocoa in a fight longer, which is great for a kind-of bulky Pokémon like her. It's apparently used a lot by some of the more competitive battlers out there. Hopefully it'll help me survive what's to come." Milo muttered as he returned Cocoa and thanked the cashier before leaving the store.

Milo walked through the lower level of the city for a few minutes, enjoying the sea breeze mingled with the warm wind of the desert nearby and the trickle of water that permeated the city itself.

"I'll have to make some time to visit here once we're done here." Milo said quietly, smiling to himself as he looked around.

Why? I assumed that you'd be in a hurry to get back to school to celebrate if you survive the encounter with Team Star.

"Well, my grandparents live here." Milo explained to the Remnant, who hummed in understanding. "Abuelito Terry and Abuelita Maya are getting up there in years, so they can't really travel too much. It's been years since I've had the chance to see them."

Sounds like a reunion is in order.

"Unfortunately, I don't know where they live or I'd see them now. But I can get the address from Mum later. I'll swing back here on my way back from dealing with Segin Squad and spend some time with them as a reward for myself if I survive the experience." Milo said with a smile, already looking forward to seeing his grandma and grandpa again. It had been a few years since they had visited Galar. He actually felt a little guilty that he hadn't gone to see them in the six months or so since he had been in Paldea, especially since he knew his grandmother wasn't able to travel very easily.

It'll be something to look forward to, at the very least.

"Exactly. I'll make some time for them. But first, I have to deal with Team Star." Milo said as he walked to the nearest water elevators and made his way to one of the upper levels. Milo was suddenly hit with a wave of homesickness as it rode the elevator upwards, getting reminded of Motostoke and its steam-powered transit systems.

"I wonder if that's why Dad was so happy to settle down there." Milo muttered thoughtfully, closing his eyes and considering it.

Milo debated swinging through the famous Kofu Lounge for a bite to eat. The eatery was owned by the even more famous Gym Leader of Cascarrafa, Kofu, but the teen knew from both Arven and his grandparents that you had to have reservations far in advance to dine there or be a VIP. Though from what Milo understood, beating Kofu in a battle and winning his respect earned Trainers that coveted VIP status.

Milo enjoyed some Grilled Rice Balls from Chic Kebab as well as some Pinchitos, which were Paldean meat skewers that were marinated to perfection with small slices of onions and peppers stacked along the skewer. He bought himself a lemonade and sat down at a small pavilion, calling out his team for a group lunch. Koraidon enjoyed a large sandwich Milo had purchased from Every Wich Way.

These are really solid. Milo thought as he bit down and chewed his way through a grilled rice ball, savoring the soy flavor and enjoying the meal he was having with his team. He spotted Fleur, Reggie, Cocoa and Shelly happily munching down their lunches while Watt and Volt curled up next to a dozing Koraidon for a post-lunch nap.

Milo booked a room at a local hotel and made sure he went to bed early. The next morning Milo grabbed some breakfast from the hotel lobby and reviewed some of the notes on his phone that he had taken with Nemona during their training sessions. The Galarian teen found himself smiling as he remembered the various comments the Champion-ranked Trainer had made while they were training together.

I'll have to make sure to get in some battles with her when I get back to school. That'll make her happy. Milo thought warmly as he hopped out of his chair, stretching for a moment and checking the clock before gathering his things.

All too soon, Milo was back on the road and riding Koraidon towards the base of Segin Squad. This time he went towards the other entrance to the base, approaching from the opposite direction.

Milo hopped off of his draconic mount and returned it as he approached the gate that stood between him and sweet revenge. He spotted the two guards at the gate, and so he threw on a winning smile and walked right up to them with confidence.

"Whoa, whoa! Hold it, you!" Female Grunt called out, with Milo stopping a few yards short of her.

"Up ahead's the base of operations for Team Star's Dark Crew. You may know us as the Segin Squad!" the Male Grunt added, with Milo still smiling at them.

"Yup! And we don't take too kindly to random kids sniffing around our turf." The Female Grunt added, with her male counterpart nodding as he put his hands behind his head.

"Sorry, but if you don't turn yourself around here, amigo, we'll have to send you packing!" the male Grunt said with a mean smirk.

"Wait, hold up…" the female Team Star member muttered, squinting at the Galarian student. "Just going on a hunch here, but…are you that Milo kid? Y'know, that piece of work we're out to get for declaring war on Team Star?"

"Maybe I am." Milo said, his smirk becoming a grin. "You see anyone else coming to this trash heap?"

"'Maybe I am' he says. Cool as a cucumber! Honesty's not always the best policy, you know…" the male Grunt remarked, exchanging a glance with his counterpart.

The female Team Star Grunt didn't seem impressed. "Ugh, you know what? Doesn't matter who you are. You're not gettin' through. Buzz off or get thrashed by me in battle, kid. What'll it be?"

"I'll take you on!" Milo remarked, unclipping a Poké Ball from his waist and tossing it into the air, catching it. "You'll be the first."

"Graaah! Sassy kids like you are the worst! That's it - prepare to get stomped into the dirt!" the female Grunt shouted, stomping the dirt angrily as she threw a tantrum before grabbing a Poké Ball and pointing it at Milo. The Team Star Grunt sprinted off to the side of the path, giving the two Trainers room to battle.

The female Team Star Grunt quickly made a star-like symbol with her hands before throwing a Poké Ball forward and sending out a black bird that Milo identified as a Murkrow.

"Reggie, let's go!" Milo shouted as he sent out his trusty Starter, who appeared in a flash of light. Milo winced as the Nuzlocke Curse took effect, with the teen shaking it off and pulling out his Rotom Phone to check the Pokédex App for the bird's entry.

"Murkrow. The Darkness Pokémon. Feared and loathed by many, it is believed to bring misfortune to all those who see it at night." Milo nodded at the Pokédex entry, but the Team Star Grunt wasn't willing to wait for him.

"Wing Attack, Murkrow!" the female Grunt shouted as she pulled out her phone, tapping something on it. Loud electronic music began to play, and Milo recognized it as the Team Star Grunt Battle Theme. It was widely circulated online, and even Milo had to grudgingly admit it was really good.

While Milo was facing a crisis as a musician, his opponent's Murkrow flew forward with glowing wings and smacked Reggie with them both, laughing as the Crocalor growled in pain.

"Reggie, hit 'em with Disarming Voice!" Milo shouted as his Starter growled in affirmation, letting out a loud growl that resulted in a bright pink soundwave that rushed towards the Murkrow and struck it hard. A faint white light erupted from the attack, signaling that the attack had been critical hit. The Murkrow landed on the ground with a pained squawk, wincing in pain.

"Don't let this chump get the better of you! Gust!" the Team Star Grunt called to her Pokémon, who suddenly glared at Milo and Reggie before flapping its wings hard and letting out a harsh blast of wind. Reggie winced at the blow, but Milo simply smiled at the Grunt.

"Incinerate, Reggie!" Milo instructed his Crocalor, who leapt to the side of the attack and escaped from the wind and then released a stream of flames at the Murkrow, blasting it backwards into the grass and knocking it out.

The Team Star Grunt stumbled backwards, returning her Murkow before putting her hands on her helmet. "Why did such a sassy kid have to be so strong…Graaaag! How the heck could I lose?!"

"You know, it's okay to say hell. You're not at school." Milo said with a smirk as Reggie growled softly, rubbing his stomach. Milo sighed with relief as the Nuzlocke Curse released its grip on him, now that the battle was over.

"Well, whatever, it's your problem now! Finish up here for me, would ya, bud?" The Female Team Star Grunt said to her male counterpart, who looked surprised as the girl did the Team Star sign-off pose. "'K, thanks, hasta la vistaaaaaar!"

"Hasta…la…vi…star…" the male Grunt remarked, raising an eyebrow as the girl quickly scaled the gate and hopped over it. He then promptly turned to Milo, sighing softly. "She's new to the team, y'know. Might have to have a little chat with her about that attitude…"

"No one likes losing." Milo responded as he used a Potion on Reggie. The Team Star Grunt let out another heavy sigh, sagging his shoulders.

"Well, I'm gonna go into the base now and give the rest of the squad the heads-up. We'll come at you full force if you set foot inside, so you might wanna consider turning tail." The Team Star Grunt said with a shrug before offering Milo a smile. "Either way, best of luck to you, amigo! Hasta la vistaaar!"

The Team Star Grunt struck the Team Star sign-off pose before following his female counterpart and scaling the gate as well.

"You know, he was actually pretty polite." Milo remarked, considering that for a moment before his phone rang, catching him off guard. His phone flew out of his pocket, revealing that it was Cassiopeia contacting him.

"I see you took care of the guards. Nice work."

"Thankfully the Grunts seem to be pushovers. But I'm willing to bet the Boss isn't." Milo said as Cassiopeia chuckled in response at Milo's statement.

"You would be right. Now, holed up in that base is Team Star's Dark Crew - the Segin Squad. Their Boss, Giacomo, pretty much runs the whole of Team Star, and he also produced that wild soundtrack of theirs himself."

"I've heard the Team Star tune a few times. It's pretty catchy." Milo admitted grudgingly, knowing full well it had over a million downloads online.

"He's a sharp guy. Even our declaration of war won't have ruffled him in the slightest. His plan is probably to wear you down with a wave of grunts, and then finish you himself."

"So what do you recommend? I've got a few strategies in mind, but you seem to have a better read on this guy than I do." Milo asked, crossing his arms.

"No use trying to outthink strategic types like him. Bring him down with a head-on attack! Just keep defeating as many Pokémon as you can until the big man himself shows up. Ring the bell on the gates once you're ready to kick off this phase of the operation. Time to wipe Segin Squad off the map!"

Milo grinned darkly at that, eyeing the gate in front of him critically before turning around and feeding Reggie a Leppa Berry and making sure any damage done to him in the short battle he had been in was healed.

"Milo!"

The Galarian teen looked up and saw Clive jogging towards him. The student took a moment to catch his breath before giving Milo a wide smile.

"Sorry about the wait, man. Had to make sure I was ready for the operation!" Clive said to the young student, who just stared at him for several long seconds before nodding and turning around.

"Right. Let's just do this." Milo said as he unlatched the gate and threw it open, with Clive helping him. Moments later the two of them were walking into a massive open space, eyeing their new surroundings warily.

The moment the two Trainers walked into the clearing, the sound of music began to play. As an electric guitar rang out, Clive turned to Milo with a worried expression.

"Careful now, Milo. Team Star has a unique way of doing battle." Clive said to the Galarian, who turned to look at him in confusion. "They call it a Star Barrage!"

"A Star Barrage?" Milo asked.

"Yes. To get through it, you'll need to send out multiple Pokémon and have them battle at the same time. Team Star, in return, will send out a horde of Pokémon en-masse to do battle with their opponent…which would be you." Clive explained to Milo, who frowned as he considered this information. "According to the rules I read online, you're allowed three Pokémon in battle when participating in a Star Barrage."

"Three at once, huh? Interesting." Milo muttered as he looked over the base itself, eyeing it critically. It certainly had an interesting setup. Various buildings and tents had been constructed for the Team Star members to live in, with several long ramps and wooden structures that were clearly more designed for Pokémon to enjoy. At the very back of the base was what looked like some kind of enormous garage.

At this point, dozens of the Team Star members stared at Milo and Clive with open surprise, though many of them looked rather annoyed at the intrusion. A few even started walking angrily towards the two students, Poké Balls in hand.

"If your Pokémon get low on health, come back here and I'll heal them up for you." Clive offered, gesturing towards his backpack. "The grunts you'll be facing will heal up their Pokémon, too, so stay sharp out there."

"Right." Milo muttered before remembering something very important. "Hey Clive, can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?" Clive asked.

Milo pulled out his Rotom Phone and said, "I want to record the entire showdown with Team Star and stream it live on Festival Plaza. Tag the school, myself and all the accounts associated with Team Star. I want everyone to see these clowns get what they deserve. With you here, I can focus more on battling instead of worrying about that."

"Yes, I can do that." Clive said as he pulled out his own Rotom Phone and began to set up the livestream. As he did so he called out a Pokémon of his own, which was a rather large and menacing Houndoom with long cracked horns. "Zagreus, we'll be supporting our buddy Milo from the back."

Clive then turned towards Milo with a grin. "You'll be in the thick of things, so we'll be making sure those grunts don't surprise you or try to overwhelm you. Focus on bringing them down, dude."

Milo raised an eyebrow at that, thinking about how weird it was that 'Clive' was calling him that as the older student got the livestream going. Meanwhile, Zagreus the Houndoom gave his Trainer a rather interesting look that communicated exasperation to an extreme degree. Milo barely fought back the urge to laugh, just as the sound of static crackled throughout the base, and the two students perked up as they heard a PA system burst to life.

"Heads up, gang! Some jumped-up kid has wandered in thinking he can raid our base! Clearly he doesn't know who he's messing with. Let's teach him a lesson he won't forget!"

"'Jumped up kid?'" Milo scoffed, annoyed at the insult. Clive gave Milo a thumbs up to show that the livestream was now going, and Milo gave a thumbs up to the phone before facing forward and bracing himself for whatever came his way.

"To our unwanted guest - if you can defeat 30 of our Pokémon in the next 10 minutes, our boss might just honor you with an appearance!"

I should make a note that this isn't technically a battle…so feel free to let loose a little. The curse won't affect you within the rules of a Star Barrage.

Milo's smile widened as he unclipped three Poké Balls and called out Reggie, Cocoa and Volt. The Crocalor, Clodsire and Pawmo came out in three flashes of light to stand beside their Trainer. The Galarian student spotted a large electric clock that suddenly had a ten minute countdown timer, and he smirked with anticipation.

"A chance to let loose with my Team against these jerks and I don't have to worry about the threat of death? Let's do this." Milo breathed with a laugh, clenching his fists. A loud buzzer suddenly went off, and the clock began to tick down from 10 minutes as intense music began to play from the speakers set up around base. At the sound of the music, the horde of Pokémon rushed at Milo and his team.

"Let's go guys! Reggie, Volt, Cocoa! Take them down!" Milo shouted to his team, with his Pokémon nodding in unison and bracing themselves for a showdown alongside their Trainer.

"Clod! Clooooodsire!" Cocoa cried out as she let loose a wave of mud that smacked two charging Zorua in the face. The two Dark-types cried out in pain, stumbling around blindly as a result. Reggie then let out a loud growl before attacking with Disarming Voice, blasting away the two Tricky Fox Pokémon and causing them to faint.

A Sableye suddenly leapt into the middle of the trio and slashed at Volt and Cocoa, only for all three Pokémon to suddenly rush the Darkness Pokémon together and knock it out with a triple-team attack.

Milo then cried out a whirlwind of sand erupted from underneath him, causing Reggie and Volt to cry out alongside him in pain. Cocoa winced slightly, but was less affected than the others and was able to see a mischievous Sandile with flashing brown eyes nearby. Cocoa bounced forward and struck with Poison Tail, knocking away the Sandile and ending the Sand Tomb that her comrades had been stuck in.

"There's a lot of them, but they don't seem to be very strong." Milo muttered to himself as he saw a Stunky and a Sneasel tried to attack his Clodsire, but by that point Reggie and Volt had been freed and were able to hurry to assist her within moments.

The Stunky attacked with a Venoshock that Volt dodged with a swift leap, only to counterattack with an Arm Thrust that managed to down the smelly Pokémon. Reggie let loose a stream of flames that the Sneasel managed to dodge by leaping onto the nearby vending machine. The Sneasel grinned before firing off an Ice Beam that the Crocalor barely avoided by throwing himself into the grass.

Cocoa and Volt let loose a Thundershock and a Mud Shot at the Sneasel, blasting it off of the vending machine and into the grass where it went still. Milo turned around, wincing as he rubbed his arms at the burning sensation from the sand that had ensnared him.

"We're doing this…we're really in a fight against Team Star. And holding our own!" Milo breathed with a grin as he felt the rush of adrenaline push him onward.

No more being too weak to defend myself. No more hiding in my room! I'm a Pokémon Trainer and my team is strong! And I won't let anyone stand in the way of my dreams! Not even myself! Milo thought to himself as Reggie waddled up beside him, glancing up at Milo with a smile. Milo knelt down and rubbed the Crocalor's back for a moment before facing forward and seeing a Sableye charging towards them.

"Sic 'em, Reggie!" Milo called out as pointed forward, with Reggie charging forward and blasting the Sableye with Disarming Voice, throwing it backwards into the grass with a pained cry.

A cry of anger caught Milo's attention and he turned around in time to nearly get scratched by an angry Zorua. Meanwhile, a Stunky had wandered its way over to them and had fired off a Venoshock that knocked Cocoa back.

Volt leapt forward and lashed out with a Thundershock, which the Zoroa dodged and retaliated with a Fury Swipes. The Pawmo cried out, staggering backwards in pain, only for Reggie to blast the Tricky Fox Pokémon off of him with a rush of fire. Then, both Pokémon turned towards Cocoa to help her out, only to find that the Stunky that Cocoa was battling was in the middle of being blown away by a Mud Shot.

"Good work you three! Let's keep it up!" Milo called as he began to jog through the base, seeing as they had cleared the first wave of Pokémon. All the while, Clive continued to livestream the mayhem, making sure that Naranja Academy caught Operation Starfall as it happened.

"Croooooo!" Reggie sang along with the music blaring throughout the base as Milo and his team continued to tear through Team Star's defenses. Just barely audible over the music were the chants from the various Team Star Grunts who stood on the sidelines and watched their Pokémon valiantly fight off the intruder.

"Come on! You can do it!"

"Show that twerp not to mess with Team Star!

"You've got this! We believe in you!"

"Go! Go! Go!"

Milo barely registered the cheers of Team Star, so focused he was on surviving the Star Barrage. Pokémon continued to rush Milo and his team, who continued to lash out at anything that came near. Two Murkrow tried to dive-bomb Cocoa, only to be double-teamed by Reggie and Volt, who attacked with an Incinerate and Thundershock respectively.

Cocoa swung her tail around as a Sneasel slipped by them and slashed her side with its claws, only to be sent flying backwards thanks to a Low Kick. The Clodsire still smiled on, even as the Pokémon horde continued to come towards them.

You're really giving it to them! I like it! Muahahaha!

Milo ignored the Remnant as Cocoa was knocked back by an Ice Shard from another attacking Sneasel, only for Reggie to suddenly let loose a stream of fire and blast back the Sharp Claw Pokémon.

A Sandile suddenly snapped at Milo's heels, causing the teen to jump back with a startled yelp. That distraction allowed two Murkow to fly in and attack Volt and Reggie with Wing Attacks.

Thankfully, Cocoa managed to send the Sandile flying with a well-placed Low Kick and allowed Milo to direct Reggie and Volt to take down the two birds that were accosting them. It was then that Milo noticed that more Team Star members were actually following him around, calling out Pokémon of their own and boxing him in.

"Looks like we're surrounded…keep pushing! We can't waste time on them!" Milo urged his team, who nodded in response before facing forward and rushing at the nearest cluster of Pokémon, determined to withstand the onslaught. Milo was surprised when Clive suddenly walked into the clearing from his position off to the side and stood between the crowd of Trainers and Milo.

"Not so fast, homies! Me and Zagreus won't let you get the drop on our good pal, Milo!" Clive said as he adjusted his glasses, even as the Houndoom growled menacingly at the crowd of Team Star Grunts. The group of Team Star Grunts and their army of Pokémon eyed the massive Houndoom warily, with some of them looking annoyed that they couldn't jump Milo from behind.

"Who's this guy? Another crazy student who wants some pain?" a female Grunt called out, grinning meanwhile as two Sneasel slowly advanced towards Clive and his hellhound.

Excellent. My little ruse is working! I knew this disguise was foolproof! Clive thought with a triumphant smirk, adjusting his glasses. He then held a hand and dramatically snapped his fingers. "Inferno!"

Zagreus the Houndoom let out a booming howl before releasing a torrent of hellfire towards the advancing horde, causing a literal wall of fire to erupt from the ground and prevent them from moving any further. It was enough to catch the attention of Milo and his team, who were stunned at the casual display of raw literal firepower from Clive. Crimson flames tinged with white illuminated the base of Segin Squad, though thankfully Clive was savvy enough with his Rotom Phone to make sure that he had stopped the stream for a few moments.

"You'd be a fool to underestimate me, dudes." Clive said with a grin, with the hellfire giving the man a terrifying visage and scaring Team Star enough to where all thoughts of trying to jump Milo and his team were effectively gone.

"Guess he's in charge for a reason…holy crap." Milo whispered as he glanced back at the wall of flames that separated the reinforcements from swarming them. Clive glanced back at Milo with an amused smirk.

"Keep going, dude! I've got your back!" Clive called to Milo, who took a few moments to process that before the teen grinned back. Milo turned to his team, who were awaiting further orders. The timer was running down, but the initial wave of Pokémon that had come at them were hanging back, eyeing them cautiously. Clive got the stream going again while Milo continued wreaking havoc on Team Star.

"Come on, everyone! One last push! Reggie, long-range support! Cocoa, Volt, let's get them!" Milo shouted as Cocoa pushed herself hard off the ground and flopped into the air, letting out a cry as she rained down Mud Shot into the horde of Pokémon who were blasted backwards. Volt rushed forward, lashing out with Arm Thrust and knocking out anything he could get his hands on. Two more Sneasel, a Sandile and a Stunky were KO'd.

Any stragglers were promptly set on fire with Incinerate thanks to Sir Reginald the Spicy, with the Crocalor merrily humming along with the music blaring from the speakers set up around the base. Five more Pokémon fell to Milo's team, and with that, Team Star officially started to get concerned about their chances of holding off the fury of Milo.

"How's does it feel, huh!? You don't like someone else barging into your place and messing everything up, do you!?" Milo demanded as his Pokémon continued to lay waste to the horde that continued to rush at them. Three more Stunky and a Zorua fell to Milo's team, thanks to a combination of Arm Thrust, Disarming Voice and Poison Tail.

Milo hated to admit it, but letting out all of his frustrations like this was incredibly satisfying. Showing the fruits of his hard work as a Trainer against the ones responsible for nearly killing Juliana, accident or not, made Milo feel like the past two weeks were worth it. His fury finally had an outlet, and in pitting his power against the might of Segin Squad, Milo was gratified to see that he was easily holding his own against Team Star.

"What the hell!? It's just one Trainer!" One of the Team Star members screamed in dismay as his Stunky was struck by a Mud Shot from Cocoa and then KO'd by an Arm Thrust by Volt. The Pawmo landed with a tired grin beside Milo, with Cocoa and Reggie crying out from beside the Trainer.

Suddenly a loud ringing sound echoed out from the base, and Milo looked up with some surprise. He had no idea what that meant, but he did notice some of the Team Star Grunts eyeing him with amazement.

"H-he withstood the Star Barrage?!"

"No way! It's just one student! How did he beat 30 of our Pokémon?!"

"Guys, this is bad!"

"Is that all you got!?" Milo shouted as he dropped his backpack onto the ground and began pulling out items to heal up his team. He then turned towards the biggest building, which resembled some sort of garage. "Or do I gotta start hunting for your big bad boss yourself?"

"He's way above our level! We've gotta get the Boss!" the Grunt called out over the PA system, clearly panicking now that Milo had withstood the Star Barrage. Milo grinned with triumph as he healed his team, and as he finished restoring their health he turned towards Clive and smiled at him and those who were watching the livestream.

"Alright, alright…you've made your point. Come on and meet me at the back of the base." The voice that now spoke over the PA was different from the one who had been speaking before. It carried a note of authority, and Milo knew that he had finally gotten the attention of the Boss.

Milo looked towards Clive, who nodded, and with that the two of them made their way to the back of the base where the massive garage-like building was located. Segin Squad filled in behind the two students, surrounding them and also joining them in their meeting with the leader of Team Star's Dark Crew.

As Milo stood in front of the garage, Clive slowly walked away and stood a respectable distance away, holding his phone in front of him to keep the livestream going.

"Well? I'm waiting!" Milo called out, only for the white curtains in front of the garage to suddenly get pulled apart and a roar of sound to suddenly rush past Milo, who winced for a moment. It was then that he realized that inside of the garage was a massive vehicle that was driving towards him, with a Trainer riding atop the behemoth.

The vehicle itself was black and decorated with just about everything a car could have. Speakers, strobe lights, a massive flag and a multitude of colors streaking along the vehicle. Music pounded out from the construct, a booming guitar riff that had several members of Team Star head-banging enthusiastically. It was a visual and auditory punch in the face, but Milo couldn't deny it was both impressive and genuinely intimidating.

"Whoa…" Milo muttered nervously as the enormous vehicle slowly drove towards him, but it stopped a short distance away from the Galarian Trainer and gave him a better look at the strange car.

In front of the vehicle was a strange-looking engine-like Pokémon with a single eye that somewhat resembled the Varooms that Team Star had been riding on during the pep rally. Milo then spotted two Varooms on the back left and right sections of the vehicle, powering the strange machine further.

Maybe it's an evolved form or something? Milo thought with some confusion before turning his attention to the Trainer riding the vehicle, who was eyeing him with an appraising look.

Sitting atop the vehicle was an older teenager with black spiky hair, wearing a white hat with green and pink symbols over it. He wore a black jacket, a blue vest and a white-undershirt with black slacks and shoes that matched his hat. A pair of headphones sat around the teen's neck, with a white laptop held open in his left hand. He regarded Milo and his team with a crooked smile of amusement. Milo grit his teeth as the teen stood up, tapping a key on his computer and lowering the intense guitar music down.

This would be a good time to remind you that in a proper battle, like the one about to happen, you can only use one Pokémon. So return two of the ones you have out.

Milo nodded at the instructions of the Remnant and returned both Reggie and Volt, leaving Cocoa as the only Pokémon he had left out on the field. It was then that the teen riding atop the vehicle finally addressed Milo.

"You've done a real number on us, party-crasher! Milo, was it?" the young man called to Milo as he closed his laptop, holding it at his side and sneering down at the younger Trainer with derision. Milo's eyes then narrowed with anger, realizing that this was his target.

The Boss of Team Star's Dark Crew.

"I'm Giacomo! At the deck, I go by DJ Vice! Call me whichever - it's a vibe either way." The leader of Segin Squad greeted Milo, giving a casual wave as he chuckled. "Nice to meet you and all…but how 'bout we skip straight to your outro? Don't worry - I'll play you a sick requiem as you crash and burn."

"Fine with me. You and your buddies have a lot to answer for, and I'm not settling for anything less than abject humiliation!" Milo called to Giacomo, who raised an eyebrow at the comment. The Team Star Boss saw the righteous anger in the eyes of the younger Trainer. He had also seen how quickly Milo had torn through the Segin Squad via the cameras placed throughout the base. For a rookie Trainer, defeating thirty Pokémon within a few minutes was astounding.

"Heh. You might've taken down my crew, but I'm no slouch. You're out of your mind if you think you can topple one of Team Star's Bosses!" Giacomo remarked with a shake of the head, though his black eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Bring it on! Your show is canceled, Giacomo!" Milo shouted back to Giacomo, who's sneer turned into a fierce grin.

"Hehehe! You can shit-talk too? This is gonna be fun! Hit the music! Let's get this party staaarteeed!" Giacomo shouted as Team Star suddenly roared with approval all around Milo, who winced as the Nuzlocke Curse finally took effect. The sensation gripped his heart as he and Cocoa stared down the Team Star Boss atop his massive vehicle, bracing themselves for whatever came next.

Meanwhile

Paldea Pokémon League HQ

Hassel hurried through the hallway, his phone clenched tightly in his hand. The Elite Four member's expression was troubled, his mouth set in a firm line as he made his way through the building quickly.

Trailing behind him was a slender woman with bright red eyes and long green hair that was tied into a ponytail. She wore a gray dress-shirt and a black tie with black suspenders. She wore a concerned frown on her face, occasionally glancing at the older Trainer with some concern.

The two adults walked at a rather intense pace, making their way through the building with a sense of urgency. The duo finally approached a large set of double doors made of mahogany and Hassel sharply knocked three times before waiting for a response.

"Come in!"

Hassel opened the door and walked a few steps into the room before he was standing in front of a large antique desk with a Chairwoman Geeta sitting behind it. Sitting beside Geeta was a stack of paperwork nearly six inches high and a steaming cup of coffee resting next to it.

"Hassel, Rika…is everything alright?" the woman asked, seeing the serious expressions the two other adults had.

"Boss, we've got some news for you!" The woman known as Rika remarked, crossing her arms as Geeta set down her pen and folded her hands.

"Sorry to interrupt your work, Miss Geeta, but this is important. There's been a development with the Team Star situation." Hassel said to the Chairwoman of the Naranja Academy Schoolboard.

"Is it Director Clavell finally taking action?" Geeta asked with a raised eyebrow, taking off her reading glasses and setting them onto her desk. Hassel and Rika both walked further into the room and towards the Chairwoman.

"Get on your computer and pull up Festival Plaza. There's a livestream happening from one of the Team Star Bases that Naranja Academy's account was tagged in, including several other accounts. Some kid stormed one of the bases and is clearing house!" Rika explained as Geeta did as she was asked. Within a matter of seconds the Chairwoman was on Festival Plaza and was shocked to see that there was indeed a livestream of a standoff between two teenagers she recognized immediately.

Giacomo DiNozzo and Florian Caballero, two students of the esteemed Naranja Academy.

Giacomo had been a longstanding delinquent as far as his records at Naranja Academy were concerned, having been truant for over two years. A child of two prominent police officers in Cascarrafa, the teen had seemingly gone astray and had become one of the main leaders within the notorious Team Star. Geeta was vaguely aware that the teenager frequently sold his music online with some success.

Florian Caballero, or Milo to his friends, was a name she had seen cropping up more and more lately. A popular new student at Naranja Academy who had transferred to the school from Galar about half a year ago. Geeta knew of the boy due to Nemona's close friendship with him and her praise of the Galarian teen. His own tragedies aside, the boy had also left a strongly positive impression on both Katy and Brassius when he defeated them both in his Gym Battles.

"Looks like one of the students from the Academy decided to take matters into his own hands." Rika explained to Geeta, putting a hand on her hip. "Honestly, it's amazing that someone had the guts to pull that off, let alone a kid. But, uh, are we sure that's not against any kind of school regulations?"

"He's breaking no rules that I can think of. There's nothing stopping anyone from the Academy from battling another Trainer in this manner." Hassel confirmed, his brow furrowing with concern. "Poor Milo must've decided to face those misguided kids himself after they accidentally hurt Miss Juliana. From what I can tell he's fiercely protective of his friends."

"Yeah, that kind of thing should be…wait, hold on. He's got a CLODSIRE!" Rika suddenly squealed, leaning forward and quickly grabbing onto the chair Geeta was in so that she could get a better look. Hassel snorted with amusement at the woman's antics, practically able to see the sparkles of joy in her eyes "Awwwww! She's so cute! This kid's got good taste in Pokémon! What's his name again?"

"Florian Caballero. He goes by the nickname Milo at school, though. He's the son of some good friends of mine and is a rather new Trainer, but he's been making some waves recently. Nemona's very close to him." Hassel explained to Rika, who's eyes suddenly lit up in recognition.

"This is the guy Milo that Nemona won't stop gushing about!? Ooh, now this just got interesting, right Miss Geeta?" Rika asked the Pokémon League Chairwoman, who had leaned forward in her chair. Geeta's golden eyes intently stared at the teenager, barely listening to the conversation happening behind her.

"What does my protégé see in you? Let's see what you're made of, Florian Caballero." Geeta muttered, unable to help the curious smile that spread across her face. Hassel and Rika exchanged a brief glance between each other, wondering what was going through the Naranja Academy Chairwoman's head.

Meanwhile on the computer screen, Milo and Giacomo braced themselves for a showdown with all of Segin Squad surrounding them. The Galarian student had braved the gauntlet of Team Star, but now he'd be facing his greatest challenge yet.

Chapter Text

Over Two Years Ago…

Giacomo frowned as he leaned forward in his chair, staring at the awkward teenage girl who was standing before him. He was sitting in his chair at the head of the table, surrounded by his Student Council and ignoring the disapproving looks they were shooting his way.

Meanwhile, Nemona Valdez was standing ramrod straight and was nervously trying not to meet the angry eyes of the Student Council President. Indeed, Giacomo had made a big show of shouting at her in the hallway over the color of the highlights in her hair before physically dragging her into the Student Council Office with the rest of the rather frustrated Student Council.

"Giacomo, you're going overboard with these stupid rules. Who cares if Nemona's highlights aren't the 'proper shade of green'?" Suzie the Treasurer asked, almost pleading with Giacomo to calm down. But the Student Council President shook his head before turning back to the extremely nervous teenage girl who was standing in front of him.

Nemona had already made waves at the school by crushing Katy in her debut match on the Gym Circuit with only a single Pokémon and following up that by defeating Brassius…without her Pokémon even getting hit. She was clearly a prodigy, despite her short time as a Trainer. But that wasn't going to stop Giacomo from administering his judgment.

"Miss Valdez, what made you think that debasing yourself in such a way was acceptable!?" Giacomo growled as he stood up and stared down the younger student, who flinched at the sheer fury in his tone. The other members of the Student Council rolled their eyes all at once, which was something the President noticed, but ignored.

"I didn't know that this shade of green wasn't allowed! I can wash it out!" Nemona worriedly replied to the Student Council President, who scoffed as he shook his head.

"Stuff like this is why Paldea's going down the crapper. People just think they can do whatever they want whenever they want. No respect for the rules." Giacomo grumbled, not impressed with the younger student's excuse.

"For the record, the rules she broke weren't the Academy rules." A snide voice spoke up, causing Giacomo's eye to twitch. Antonio, his Vice President, had been the one to speak and even stood up. The short blond-haired teenager gave Giacomo a dull look.

"The rule she broke was one of the hundreds of micro-rules that you came up with. And they're so insanely strict that they make no sense. Who cares if Nemona's hair color isn't a lighter shade of green?" Antonio asked Giacomo, who crossed his arms and snorted with derision.

"Of course you would think that. I've already had to report you three times for unacceptable behavior." Giacomo said to his Vice President, who raised an eyebrow.

"Holding hands with my girlfriend and talking in the hallway aren't a punishable offense. And they're not worth the marks I've got on my record. And now you're tormenting freshmen over things that literally don't matter, or affect anyone!" Antonio responded, clenching his fists.

"So what? I was elected Student Council President and I make the rules the students need to follow. If the Faculty doesn't interfere, I have free reign." Giacomo sneered at Antonio, who suddenly smirked and unclenched his fists.

"True. But you know what?" Antonio asked Giacomo, glancing to his equally annoyed Student Council members. "Maybe we should change that."

Giacomo's eyes widened and he shoved Nemona out of the way so that he could glare at Antonio, who stepped forward with a suddenly mean grin. "What are you saying, Antonio?"

"I'm saying…screw you. The Student Council is meant to be a team, and we're not right now. I looked up the rules that determine how a member can be removed from their position. All it takes is a unanimous voice of No Confidence…and the member losing in a battle to his replacement." Antonio whispered before slowly raising his left hand and speaking louder. "All who feel the same way I do, raise your hand."

The Student Council President sneered at Antonio, but then watched in cold horror as every single member of the Student Council raised their hands in unison. What made matters worse was that Giacomo was a terrible Pokémon Trainer. His chances of winning against anyone weren't good.

"Umm…should I go?" Nemona asked, glancing around and realizing that she probably shouldn't be here. The new student knew that something was going on, but was trying not to listen due to feeling that this was something she shouldn't be privy to.

Little did Nemona know that she would become involved in the Student Council's drama without even truly knowing it. To her surprise, Antonio laughed and waved a hand dismissively.

"Nah, you're fine Nemona. Don't worry about the hair thing, Giacomo's just cranky and an insane prude." Antonio said with a smile, causing Giacomo to actually snarl at the other student for overruling his authority.

"We need rules to enforce standards here, Antonio. No one can handle things the way I can. You don't know your place!" Giacomo snapped back at Antonio, who scowled in anger for a moment as he looked at the President as he walked over to Giacomo and met his gaze.

"Anyone with a lick of sense can do your job. Even the new girl can…and I can prove it." Antonio whispered with a sudden grin before turning to Nemona again.

"Hey Nemona, how'd you like to have a battle with President Giacomo?" Antonio asked with a grin as the other Student Council Members exchanged surprised glances.

"Oh! Um, I'd be happy too! Is this because he's mad at me?" Nemona asked, confused by the question but also happy because it was an invite to battle. Antonio waved his hand dismissively once more while giving the infuriated Giacomo a smirk.

"Yeah, but Giacomo's been out of it lately and a battle is just what he needs to cheer up." Suzie said with a smile to the new girl, who smiled back at the Treasurer. Suzie then turned to Giacomo with a frown of frustration. "You know you can't refuse this. It'd ruin your reputation here."

Giacomo slowly looked over at the Student Council, who showed no signs of trying to stop what was about to occur. Indeed, Giacomo suddenly realized that in his enthusiasm to be a good Student Council President, he had perhaps gone a little overboard. But that revelation had come too late, judging from the frowns everyone wore on their faces.

"Ten minutes. Courtyard. No running in the halls." Giacomo said stiffly before walking out of the room, looking down at the floor.

The results were predictable, with Nemona effortlessly defeating Giacomo in front of a sizable crowd. Giacomo could do nothing but return his barely-trained Pawniard and walk away, trying to fight back his anger as the laughter and jeers filled the courtyard. A confused Nemona was surrounded by an eager Student Council, who raised her hand in victory. Even they were astounded by how easily Nemona had crushed Giacomo.

In fact, they were so astounded, that none of them saw Giacomo wipe the tears from his face and flee into the school, feeling betrayed and humiliated in front of the entire student body.

Present

Team Star's Dark Crew Base

Giacomo stopped the music blasting from the speakers on the enormous car he was riding upon, catching Milo by surprise. However, the Galarian watched as the young man tapped a few keys on his keyboard before lifting one side of his headphones to his ear, nodding along to music only he could hear.

And then suddenly, an intense guitar riff erupted across the base of Segin Squad, causing the assembled Team Star members to cheer loudly. Giacomo smirked as he reached backwards without looking away from Milo and pulled out a Timer Ball. Meanwhile, the guitar riff had settled into an intense metal song that boomed from the speakers of the vehicle.

Oh my god, this song is awesome! Milo thought as the guitars continued to play through the speakers attached to the customized car that the Team Star Boss rode upon. Giacomo seemed to catch Milo's reaction and offered a smug grin.

"You like it? I made this little tune myself. It's the Team Star Boss Battle Theme, available for download at-" Giacomo stopped himself with a chuckle. "I'll plug my tunes later, after I've kicked your ass."

"Your music might be awesome, but I think that's my line!" Milo called to Giacomo, who barked out a laugh before tossing his Timer Ball into the air and swiftly catching it.

"Kingsley, let's shine together!" Giacomo shouted as he chucked the Timer Ball in his hand, sending out a small red and black Pokémon with sharp blades covering its body.

"You're going down, right Cocoa!?" Milo shouted over the intense music, with the Spiny Fish Pokémon letting out a cry in response. Milo pulled out his Rotom Phone and scanned the strange Pokémon, pulling up the appropriate entry.

"Pawniard. The Sharp Blade Pokémon. Pawniard will fearlessly challenge even powerful foes. In a pinch, it will cling to opponents and pierce them with the blades all over its body." The Rotom Phone said to Milo, who could barely hear it over the sound of the music.

"You don't really think things through, do ya? Declarin' war on Team Star is a real bad move." Giacomo called down to Milo, clipping the Timer Ball to his belt and tapping away at the keyboard he held in his hand.

"If you keep this up, I'm going to start thinking Team Star's all talk…oh wait, too late." Milo said with a mocking expression, his voice thick with sarcasm. Several members of Team Star got visibly angry at that comment, but Giacomo took it in stride.

"This beat drop'll bust your ears open! DJ Vice bringin' the house dooown!" Giacomo laughed before pointing right at Cocoa. "Metal Claw!"

Kingsley the Pawniard sprinted off of the vehicle and leapt into the air, flipping once before dropping towards Cocoa and slashing her across the side with its glowing blades. Cocoa cried out as blood spattered the grass, with Team Star crying out encouragement to Giacomo and his Pokémon.

"Ha! How's that for an openin' track?! I'll spin you up good, party crasher!" Giacomo cackled as Cocoa grimaced in pain, with Kingsley the Pawniard leaping backwards and landing nimbly in the grass. Milo's response was to drop his backpack onto the ground and reach inside. The Galarian student pulled out his Tera Orb, causing Giacomo's eyes to widen in surprise.

"Let's roll the dice…" Milo muttered, remembering why he was here. To send a message to Team Star not to mess with Naranja Academy. To get retribution for the group nearly killing Juliana. And to prove to himself that he wasn't just a scared little boy anymore.

He was a Pokémon Trainer, and he was done hiding from the world.

"Cocoa, let's Terastallize!" Milo shouted as he held the Tera Orb high into the air. A whirlwind of energy surged into the device until it dinged to show that it was primed and ready, with the teen throwing it towards his Clodsire. Cocoa was showered in Terastal Energy and her body was engulfed with crystals which soon exploded, revealing the Clodsire wearing her globe-like Tera Crown.

"Looks like you're busting out the big guns!" Giacomo remarked, grinning wildly as Milo's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Cocoa, use Mud Slap!" Milo called as the Clodsire let out a cry, her Tera Crown pulsing with energy before the Spiny Fish Pokémon launched a large wave of mud at the Pawniard. Kingsley was knocked to the ground with a pained grunt, but the Steel/Dark-type rolled to its feet with a grimace as its body glowed a faint blue color. It then suddenly glowed a harsh red color in response.

Milo quickly glanced at his Rotom Phone, and saw that thanks to Kingsley's Ability, Defiant, the Accuracy drop from Mud-Slap had boosted its Attack power greatly in response. Meanwhile, Giacomo then noticed that Milo's Clodsire faintly glowed white for a moment, with the long scratch on its side healing somewhat. He spotted the pedant-like object attached to the Clodsire, but dismissed it and focused on his opponent.

"Looks like you know your stuff. A Ground-type attack like that'll do major damage against my Pawniard since he's part Steel-type. But we're not going down that easy, are we Kingsley!?" Giacomo called to his Pokémon, who nodded sharply. Pun-intended. "That's right! Use Metal Claw again!"

"Cocoa, use Amnesia!" Milo commanded the Clodsire as she was struck once again by the powered-up Metal Claw. Cocoa took a deep breath and her expression became totally blank, much to the confusion of Giacomo. The Clodsire glowed again, healing slightly thanks to Leftovers.

"Metal Claw again! Tear it apart!" Giacomo called to his Pawniard, who was grimacing in annoyance at the mud coating its body, with its eyes in particular twitching wildly. Kingsley nodded in acknowledgement of the command and lunged at Cocoa, who saw the rather sloppy attack coming and simply rolled onto her side out of the way. Kingsley swiped blindly through the air, missing the Clodsire completely.

"What?! A miss?" Giacomo shook his head, smirking at Milo and his Pokémon, even as Leftovers healed Cocoa again. "Eh, it's all good. These things happen. Look at your silly Pokémon, tilting her head like that. What's she gonna do?"

"What she's going to do is this. Cocoa, use Mud Shot!" Milo barked as Cocoa's expression suddenly became one of total focus as her Tera Crown surged with power. Cocoa leapt into the air, opening her mouth and firing a barrage of muddy blobs at the Pawniard. Kingsley let out a cry as the ground around him exploded violently, throwing the Pawniard backwards and into the front of the Starmobile, leaving a small dent on the hood of the vehicle. The Pawniard struggled to get back up for a few moments before collapsing onto the ground and fainting, earning several gasps from the crowd.

"Looks like the song's done. What's next on the track, DJ Doofus?" Milo asked as Cocoa bobbed her head up and down in agreement. Giacomo looked surprised that his Pawniard had been knocked out, but he shrugged it off and returned Kingsley with a twisted smirk.

"Time to up the tempo! This show ain't over yet!" Giacomo called out with a laugh, tapping several more keys on his keyboard. The teen then unstrapped what looked like a velcro band that was attached to his laptop and wrapped it around his arm tightly.

"I'm out of Pokémon, but not out of options!" Giacomo muttered with a smirk, causing Milo to raise an eyebrow.

"What's this guy doing?" Milo muttered under his breath. Either way, Milo ran forward and sprayed Cocoa with a Super Potion, healing the injuries she had sustained so far. To Milo's surprise, using items mid-battle didn't break any of the Remnant's rules for the Nuzlocke Challenge. It was simply frowned upon in most professional battles and in official Gym Battles, not allowed. Considering the stakes for this battle, however, Milo didn't care about that.

"Safety protocol, go!" Giacomo barked, tapping a key on his computer. In response, three metal cuffs suddenly emerged from the roof of the car and secured themselves around each of Giacomo's ankles and around his waist.

The moment the Team Star Boss was locked into place, the Starmobile he was on suddenly let out a booming roar that eclipsed the music for a moment before the single eye of the modified Pokémon glared furiously at Milo and Cocoa. Cocoa shuddered as a faint blue glow enveloped the Clodsire, and when Milo checked his Rotom Phone he saw that she had been hit with the Ability Intimidate. Her attack had been lowered by the strange vehicle-turned-Pokémon.

"My Segin Starmobile is about to leave you speechless, party crasher! Let's go, Nocturne!" Giacomo bellowed with a savage grin as the Pokémon rumbled in response. "Wicked Torque!"

A harsh black and red glow suffused the Starmobile before it suddenly zoomed forward, charging right towards Milo and Cocoa. Milo let out a scream of horror and threw himself out of the way of the contraption as it sped towards him. However as Milo looked up from the grass, he watched the Segin Starmobile collide with Cocoa head-on and send the Clodsire flying backwards until she hit the ground hard.

"Did you just hit my Clodsire with your CAR!?" Milo demanded furiously, picking himself up out of the grass with a scowl.

"Once more for style, Nocturne! Wicked Torque!" Giacomo cried out as Team Star cheered on their leader. To Milo's surprise, the Starmobile then made a u-turn and sped right back at Cocoa, slamming hard into the Clodsire again. Once she landed on the ground, Cocoa rolled over several times before she came to a complete stop.

"What is that thing's deal!?" Milo muttered, pulling his phone out of his pocket and scanning the Segin Starmobile. After a few seconds of confusion an entry was loaded.

"Revavroom. The Multi-Cyl Pokémon and the final evolved form of Varoom. It creates a gas out of poison and minerals from rocks. It then detonates the gas in its cylinders—now numbering eight—to generate energy." The Rotom Phone explained, with Milo frowning as he looked at the picture being shown on the screen before looking at the massive vehicle the Revavroom was hooked into. Aside from being much larger than usual, it didn't look very much like what he was facing.

"Heh. My buddy Ortega set up this badass little buggy." Giacomo remarked with a smug grin "Two Varoom's supporting a Revavroom and combining to make the ultimate weapon of Segin Squad! You don't stand a chance, Milo!"

Milo grit his teeth as he glanced down at his injured Clodsire, who had powered through the Star Barrage and taken out Giacomo's Pawniard. Even with the Leftovers item he had given her, she had taken a lot of damage. He was tempted to recall her and send out another member of his team-

"C-clodsire!" Cocoa grunted as she flopped back onto her belly, glancing back at her Trainer. Milo stared at his Pokémon for a few moments before nodding at her.

"Alright Cocoa. I trust you. Let's crush this guy together!" Milo said to his Clodsire as she turned around to face Giacomo again.

"Had a nice pep talk? Ready for a ass-whooping!?" Giacomo demanded, letting out a cackle as he stood tall upon his tricked-out vehicle. Milo matched his grin with one of his own before unclipping a Poké Ball from his belt.

"You think you're the only one here with a cool ride? Koraidon, let's go!' Milo shouted as he sent out Koraidon, much to the surprise of Team Star. Even Giacomo was caught off-guard seeing such a strange and formidable creature. It was more surprising when Milo hopped on top of the monster with ease and grabbed two of its tendrils like handlebars.

"Giaaaass!" Koraidon roared, wriggling with anticipation as Milo's face smoothed over once again, showing no trace of anything but focus. Giacomo was interested in how the younger Trainer could be almost overflowing with emotion one minute but be cool as a cucumber the next. It was fascinating to him, and only made the showdown between them all the more interesting.

"Now we're fighting on even ground!" Milo called as Koraidon bobbed its head and prepared itself to move if it needed to. Not that it would get involved in the battle, of course, but it was another showing from Milo that Giacomo's antics hadn't rattled him. Indeed, Team Star was looking a little nervous as they watched Milo control such a powerful beast with utter confidence.

"Hahaha! You're making this fun, Milo! Let's dance!" Giacomo shouted as Nocturne, the Revavroom that was the Segin Starmobile, roared loudly as it prepared to go another round.

"Mud-Slap, Cocoa!" Milo called as Cocoa let out a cry, a pulse of energy erupting from her Tera Crown before she launched a wave of mud at the Segin Starmobile. Giacomo grunted in annoyance as the entire vehicle shook in response to the attack, but he simply smirked down at Milo.

"You gotta hit a lot harder than that, kid. Wicked Torque, Nocturne!" Giacomo called as his Segin Starmobile glowed a harsh black and red color before speeding forward, striking Cocoa for the third time head-on. To Milo's horror, a loud cracking sound could be heard as the car made contact with the Clodsire, who was sent hurtling backwards by the attack. However the Clodsire landed upright and skidded across the grass for a few moments before letting out a low groan of pain.

"Stay calm, Milo. Remember your strategy. We planned for something like this. Trust your team..." Milo muttered to himself, forcing himself to remain calm despite the serious damage Cocoa had taken. His Poker Face held strong, despite the whirlwind of emotions happening behind it. "Cocoa, use Mud-Slap again!"

"Cloooodsire!" Cocoa cried out as her Tera Crown hummed with power, amplifying the wave of mud that she launched at the Segin Starmobile. The Revavroom snarled in protest, with the vehicle backing up slightly, but Giacomo still didn't seem bothered.

"You're a one-trick Ponyta, Milo! Where's the spice? I'm getting sick of hearing the same tune you're playing!" Giacomo complained, with Milo giving him an unimpressed look.

"I didn't know using Wicked Torque three times in a row was considered a diverse move-set, you vehicular douchebag." Milo deadpanned, with Giacomo throwing back his head and laughing at the response.

"That's a new one! And you've got a solid point, party crasher! I guess we'll keep doing it too and be boring together. Nocturne, use Wicked Torque!" Giacomo commanded the Segin Starmobile, grinning wickedly as the vehicle roared with power as its aura returned once more. The Revavroom rushed forward and collided for the fourth time with Cocoa, who flew through the air and landed roughly on the grass beside Milo and Koraidon. The Spine Fish Pokémon weakly stirred for a few moments with her eyes shut.

"Giaaas!" Koraidon cried out to the downed Clodsire, its tail lashing behind it.

"Come on, Cocoa! Hang in there! Just a little more!" Milo called to Cocoa, who opened a single eye with a pained grimace. Leftovers healed the Clodsire slightly, and it was just enough for the Clodsire to let out a defiant cry to her opponents. "Atta girl. Now Mud-Slap, one more time!"

"C-C-Clooood!" Cocoa cried out as a pulse of energy thrummed through her Tera Crown, bolstering the wave of mud that erupted forth and struck the Segin Starmobile for the third time. Giacomo grimaced as flecks of mud landed on his shoes.

"That'll be annoying to get off later, but you're not doing crap to us! Face it, Milo, you bit off way more than you can chew! Your big dumb fish is barely hanging on!" Giacomo called to the Galarian teen, who didn't rise to the bait. "Wicked Torque, Nocturne! Finish off his Clodsire right now!"

The Segin Starmobile rushed forward, shining a dark black color as it sped towards the barely-moving Clodsire. Milo's eyes widened in surprise as Nocturne suddenly began to swerve left and right before suddenly veering off to the left. The Segin Starmobile missed Cocoa entirely, driving towards the crowd of surprised Team Star members before making a sharp turn and returning to the front of the garage. Giacomo had the vehicle spin around to face Milo with a slightly nauseous expression.

"Ugh, that attack starts to make you woozy after a while. I definitely shouldn't have eaten pizza bagels before getting into a battle." Giacomo grunted, trying to fight the urge to hurl. "But how on earth did the attack miss?"

"And there we go." Milo seemed to sigh with relief, which the Team Star Boss noticed.

"You wanna speak up for the rest of the class, party crasher?" Giacomo yelled out to Milo, who to his surprise, smirked up at him.

"Man, not being at school for so long must've made you forget some of the basics. Good thing I've been to enough classes with Miss Dendra to know what happens when your stats get ruined. Those Mud-Slaps weren't just for show, you prick!" Milo called to Giacomo, who frowned at the student's words before looking down at Nocturne. It was then that he noticed the thick layer of mud coating the outside of the Starmobile, in particular the front where the Revavroom was located.

"Wait a sec…" Giacomo muttered as he looked closer at the Segin Starmobile. Nocturne's eye was twitching rapidly, as if the Revavroom was having trouble seeing. Giacomo stared at the Revavroom for a moment before looking over at Milo and Cocoa.

And then a terrible chill of horror rolled through the Team Star Boss as he realized what Milo had done.

Meanwhile…

Naranja Academy

"I can't believe he's going toe-to-toe with that thing…" Juliana muttered, hugging a pillow as she watched the computer screen with a worried frown. She was sitting on her bed, with a pouting Niles curled up beside her. Meanwhile Nalani, Kara and Sara were sitting on the floor watching the livestream. Nemona was sitting in the chair nearby, watching the battle intensely while Arven finished making cookies, taking them out of the oven and setting them on the counter to cool.

"What Milo said, though…what's he talking about?" Kara asked, glancing at the others in the room. Arven walked back over to where they were at, shooting Nemona a glare that she didn't see before standing against the wall close to Juliana.

Juliana had privately asked for Arven to once again drop whatever issues he had with Nemona and be civil with her so that they could all watch Milo's fight with Team Star together. Nemona was just as close to Milo as Arven was, and so it was only fair she be part of the group to watch his battle with Team Star unfold as well.

Indeed, watching the live footage being streamed at the moment showed thousands of people were already tuning into the battle. Hundreds were piling into the livestream by the minute, eager to see someone try and take on Team Star directly.

"No idea. Milo's pretty crafty as a Trainer, so it could mean anything." Arven remarked, confusion on his face. To their surprise, Nemona spoke up for the first time since the livestream started.

"Milo's completely shut down Giacomo's Starmobile…" Nemona said quietly, grinning widely at the computer screen. "And I don't think Giacomo's got a way to deal with it if that panicked look on his face means anything. This battle is done."

"What do you mean, Nemona?" Nalani asked the Champion, who was happy to explain.

"When Cocoa evolved into a Clodsire, Milo got the idea to start working on moves that restrict what your opponent can do. That means paralyzing them, boosting your defenses, ruining their stats in battle and so on. One of the most underhanded ways to battle, at least that I can think of, is ruining your opponent's accuracy so that they can't ever hit you. And Milo's done just that with Cocoa by using Mud-Slap repeatedly."

"She only hit it three times and that didn't do much damage to it. Is that really enough to tip the scales in Milo's favor?" Arven asked Nemona, his curiosity overriding his disdain for her.

"Absolutely. Three status drops to accuracy is brutal. And what's better is that, thanks to Leftovers, Cocoa's been able to stay in the fight long enough to be able to deal with a Pokémon like that Starmobile thing and ruin its accuracy." Nemona explained, laughing a little.

"What makes you think he doesn't have something else in reserve?" Juliana asked the Champion, who looked to her other Galarian friend.

"If he had something else in reserve, then he would've called out another Pokémon and reset the stat changes on the Starmobile. But he's not doing that. Instead Giacomo's panicking." Nemona explained as Juliana looked back to the screen, and she saw that Nemona's analysis was spot-on. Giacomo was looking back and forth between Milo and his Starmobile, his face going pale.

"So, in layman's terms, what does that mean?" Kara asked the Champion, who turned to the computer screen.

"Milo was preparing for a Pokémon too powerful for him to overcome the normal way, and that preparation paid off. Even with Giacomo pulling out that crazy vehicle, Milo had an effective counter to it so long as Cocoa could withstand its onslaught. Milo's already won the battle." Nemona said with a bright grin, her eyes flashing with excitement. "Milo, you look so cool! Keep going!"

"Oh, she totally has a crush on him." Juliana muttered to the twins, who both matched her smile of amusement. It was honestly quite the sight to see the Champion of Naranja Academy fangirl over their reclusive friend, but also heartwarming in a way.

"Our dork's kinda cool, huh?" Arven remarked quietly, smiling at the screen with a gentle pride in his friend. "Give 'em hell, little buddy."

"KICK HIS ASS, MILO!" Nalani shouted, doing a fist pump as the twins cheered loudly in agreement. Juliana turned back to the computer screen, seeing firsthand how good of a Trainer her best friend had become.

Giacomo felt a bead of sweat roll down his face as he realized how bad things were. His modified Revavroom was covered in mud and its accuracy was in tatters. Getting a single worthwhile hit on his opponent was very unlikely after three whole accuracy drops and he had no other Pokémon to switch to to shake off the stat changes. And Milo still had an entire team left!

"Looks like you finally understand." Milo smiled darkly at Giacomo, crossing his arms as he sat upon Koraidon. His exhausted Clodsire panted hard in front of him with a wide smile, the culprit behind utterly ruining the Segin Starmobile. "You're done."

"You little twerp!" Giacomo yelled out angrily before pointing a finger down at him. "We're not done yet! There's too much at stake here!"

"I didn't want this." Milo responded, causing Giacomo to blink in surprise at the coldness in the younger Trainer's voice. "I was happy to ignore you morons and keep on enjoying being at school with my friends."

"But no. You idiots weren't happy to leave it like that. You hurt my friend and now you're going to deal with the consequences." Milo suddenly grinned at Giacomo, who would've taken a step back if he hadn't been strapped onto the roof of his Starmobile. Milo's smile was almost menacing in how much the teen seemed to be enjoying Giacomo's unease now that tide of the battle had changed. "And that consequence is me."

"We're just getting started, Milo!" Giacomo called out, his smile fierce as Team Star cheered in approval. Milo stared up at the Team Star Boss, his face shifting back to calm despite the righteous fury burning within.

I'm not that weak little boy anymore. Florian might have been too weak to stand up for himself, but Milo isn't. I have my Pokémon and my friends now. And I'll protect them with what power I have now! Milo thought as he tightened his grip on the handlebar-tendrils of Koraidon. The draconic mount let out a loud roar of defiance to Team Star, with Cocoa crying out as well.

"Cocoa, let's go on the offensive!" Milo shouted as the Clodsire's smile widened, with Giacomo suddenly feeling another cold chill of fear. What else was this thing capable of? "Use Low Kick!"

"Cloooood!" Cocoa cried out as she suddenly slapped her fins onto the ground and flew towards the Segin Starmobile, her tail glowing a bright white color. Giacomo desperately tried to get Nocturne to move, but the mud-covered Starmobile was unable to before the Clodsire swung her tail into the side of the vehicle hard. Giacomo yelled out as the vehicle was rocked by the powerful strike from the Clodsire, with Nocturne groaning in response. As Cocoa landed on the ground, Leftovers healed her slightly.

"Looks like that got a reaction. Is that because it weighs a bunch, or is that thing a Dark-type too?" Milo asked Giacomo, who suddenly smirked down at the Galarian student.

"Not bad, not bad at all. You're not just a good opponent, but you're smart too. But I'll ignore your question, because I just realized something. I don't necessarily need to see you in order to hit you. Nocturne, use Swift!" Giacomo called out to his Revavroom, who revved loudly in response. The Segin Starmobile roared and a series of glowing stars shot out of the front of the vehicle, soaring towards Cocoa and bombarding her. The battered Clodsire winced in pain, but to Giacomo's annoyance did little else.

"That's going to be annoying, but we can power through it. Low Kick again!" Milo shouted as Cocoa lunged at the Starmobile, which was unable to avoid getting struck by the Clodsire. Cocoa was once again healed by her Held Item, Leftovers.

"Swift again! Keep at it!" Giacomo urged the modified Revavroom, which whirled to face Cocoa and released another wave of stars. Despite the mud that coated the front and sides of the vehicle, Swift would always be able to hit its mark. And hit it did, with Cocoa getting blasted by the attack once more.

"Looks like your Clodsire is seeing stars, kid!" Giacomo laughed, grinning at Milo from atop the Starmobile. To the surprise of the Team Star Boss, Milo didn't seem particularly bothered.

"She definitely is. But Swift isn't doing all that much damage to her. You think your Starmobile can outlast her? Because that thing looks like it's about to fall apart." Milo pointed out, gesturing to the vehicle in question. Smoke was consistently seeping out of the Starmobile by this point, and the Revavroom was having trouble keeping its single eye open.

"So what? I'm a Team Star Boss! I've had to face way scarier threats than you!" Giacomo sneered at Milo, with the boy shrugging his shoulders in response.

"You know, I really thought this was going to be way scarier. But you really aren't what I thought you would be." Milo remarked, shaking his head. "Cocoa, Low Kick!"

"Clooood!" Cocoa cried out as she flopped forward and struck the Starmobile with another Low Kick, creating another dent in the vehicle. As Leftovers healed more of her strength, Giacomo called for another Swift, which was met with another Low Kick and Cocoa healing the damage right back.

"I'm…I'm not doing enough damage! Those Leftovers are healing her just as much as Swift is hurting her! But I can't land a hit with anything else thanks to the mud!" Giacomo fumed inwardly, before bracing himself for more stomach troubles. "Wicked Torque!"

"Mud Shot!" Milo shouted from atop Koraidon as Cocoa took aim and fired a barrage of muddy blobs at the Segin Starmobile as it sped by and missed with Wicked Torque completely, causing the Nocturne to groan in pain as smoke started to pour out of the back of the vehicle now. Giacomo groaned in frustration as Milo continued to smile at him.

"This all could've been avoided if you guys just got a booth at the pep rally instead of deciding to ride in on Varooms like you did." Milo said just loudly enough to be heard over the music. "But you chose to try and make a spectacle of it. You interrupted my friend's speech and she ended up breaking her legs because of you idiots. She would've died if it wasn't for her Pokémon reacting in time!"

"That was an accident! Shit happens, you know!?" Giacomo desperately tried to say, but Milo shook his head at the words of the Team Star Boss.

"I might have declared war on Team Star, but you all fired the first shot when you nearly killed my best friend. And I'm going to tear your stupid gang apart!" Milo said to Giacomo, emphasizing the words slowly so that his meaning was absolutely clear. Giacomo grit his teeth, realizing that Milo had managed to completely reverse his fortunes in should've been a one-sided battle.

"Wicked Torque!" Giacomo called out again as the Segin Starmobile rushed forward, completely missing Cocoa entirely. Milo called for Cocoa to attack with another Low Kick, forcing even more smoke out of the Starmobile as the Clodsire's tail struck the side of the vehicle and nearly caused it to topple over.

"What the hell? How could this happen!? I've been completely shut down…Metal Sound!" Giacomo called out frantically, with the Segin Starmobile letting out a terrible roaring noise that made Cocoa, Milo and Koraidon flinch. Cocoa's Special Defense stat dropped harshly as a result.

Unfortunately, for the Team Star Boss, it didn't matter.

"Cocoa, use Mud-Slap!" Milo shouted as the Clodsire's Tera Crown pulsed with energy, with the Spiny Fish Pokémon releasing another wave of dirt into the front of the Starmobile. Giacomo shouted out in surprise as the entire vehicle continued to sputter.

Finally, with a horrible roar of pain, the entire Starmobile suddenly collapsed onto the ground and became completely inert. The supporting Varooms all let out groans before fainting in sync. Giacomo staggered for a moment atop the vehicle before the realization of what had happened struck him, and he sagged his shoulders with a stunned expression.

"Guess that's that…" Giacomo muttered, staring forward as he grasped with the enormity of what had just happened. He had no more Pokémon left and his Starmobile had been defeated. Milo had beaten him, and with that the Segin Squad was done.

About Two Years Ago…

"Guess that's that…" Giacomo stood in the same clearing he did in the present, nodding along as he jammed to music from his headphones. That didn't stop him hearing the sound of approaching footsteps and turning around, spotting his fellow Bosses walking towards him. He smiled slightly upon seeing the four other Trainers, each dressed in different outfits that were more outlandish than the next.

"What up, Giacomo? Did something happen?" Ortega asked, tilting his head at the older Trainer. Ortega was a pink and brown-haired teenage boy that was noticeably younger than the rest of them, and was dressed in an immaculate pink suit with a red bowtie. In his hands he held a winged cane that looked extremely expensive.

Giacomo folded up his laptop and shrugged his headphones off of his head before turning towards Ortega. "The Big Boss just wanted my take on some stuff…So we had a chat and settled on a few plans."

"A few plans…? Like, for what?" Mela asked with a cautious frown, her voice low. The teenage girl had a pale and freckled face with a fiery head of short red and yellow hair. She wore a black strapless bodysuit with a tattered white shirt draped over her chest. She also wore a loose orange belt and a matching collar around her neck, with large fiery red boots with the Team Star sigil on them.

"Operation Star, first of all. And also…a new code of conduct for the team." Giacomo explained, smiling at them. "You know how tons of new members have joined up, recently? Well, we figure we gotta make some team rules - like a code - so we'll all be on the same page."

"Nice! You'll come up with a great code for us, won't you Giacomo?" Eri said cheerfully, crossing her arms. The tall and muscular young woman stood well above the other Team Star Bosses, wearing a white lucha libre outfit that consisted of white boots, a matching skirt with athletic shorts underneath and a white top. She wore a blue, white and purple mask with fangs on the front.

"Hah, no thanks." Giacomo said with a grimace, earning several confused looks. "Waaay too much pressure."

"What do you mean?" Ortega asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"I mean, yeah, I used to be President of the Student Council. But you know everyone ended up hating me after that, right?" Giacomo reminded his fellow bosses, who nodded in understanding.

"'Course we know. You forced a ton of stuffy rules on everyone, and they wouldn't take it." Mela said matter-of-factly, causing Giacomo's left eye to twitch. "We got some other nerd to replace you after, like, five minutes."

"Even worse it was the same chick you went off on during your last day. Talk about irony." Ortega said with a rueful shake of the head. Giacomo scowled with annoyance at the memory, but shook off the lingering frustration.

"I cannot help but concur with our dear Mela…" Atticus chimed in, his voice quieter than the others. Not much could be seen from the slender young man, who was dressed head-to-toe in what resembled ninja robes colored in purple, black and green colors. A single blue eye peered out at Giacomo, who turned to his fellow Boss.

"Male students' hair must stray no further than 1.8 inches below the nape and so forth…" Atticus recited, his one eye narrowed at Giacomo in memory of the draconian rules the teen had imposed on them all. "Your rules were vexation made manifest!"

"My point exactly!" Giacomo responded, gesturing wildly with his arm. "So you'll all agree that I shouldn't be let anywhere near this new code."

Ortega shook his head at that. "But you always know what's best for the team, Giacomo! You look out for us!"

Eri did a small fist pump, nodding in agreement. "You've earned our trust many times over. Without you, Team Star just wouldn't work."

"That stuck-up student council prez isn't who you are anymore, man." Mela said with a small smile, causing Giacomo to frown as he realized where this was going. "A code written by the Giacomo I'm lookin' at now…I'd follow that any day."

"As would I!" Atticus suddenly declared, causing Mela to look back at him with a smile. A loud sigh escaped Giacomo as he waved at everyone, grinning at them all now.

"Okay, okay, thanks for the ego boost everyone. I'll do it…I'll write up the darn code." Giacomo finally relented, causing the other Bosses to cheer.

"And one of these days, we'll get you to swear too!" Mela said with a determined expression, causing Giacomo to sweatdrop as the others laughed in amusement at his discomfort.

Present

Giacomo hopped down from the remains of the Segin Starmobile, shaking off the sensation of pure dread he felt and trying not to meet the eyes of the Team Star members who had watched their Boss get taken down. Milo, for his part, eyed Giacomo with wariness as the other Trainer slowly walked towards him. Milo then let out a sigh of relief as the Nuzlocke Curse's effects faded away, releasing its grip on him. The teenager then hopped off of Koraidon and walked over to Giacomo, meeting him in the middle of the ruined field. The Team Star Boss let out a hard exhale, closing his eyes.

"I did the best I could…" Giacomo muttered, opening his eyes and looking down at Milo. "I wrote that code myself, and there's no goin' back on it now. My days as a Boss are over. So here - take my Star Badge, would ya?" Giacomo asked Milo, reaching into his coat pocket and holding it out towards the Galarian student.

Milo took the badge and stared down at it, noticing that it resembled the Gym Badges that he had received from Katy and Brassius. However, it was certainly designed with a Team Star flare, and Milo pocketed it thoughtfully.

"You were channeling some crazy stuff during that fight." Giacomo noted, stuffing a hand into his pocket. "You said you were friends with the girl that got hurt when some of our crew crashed that pep rally. I wanted to say sorry for that. With a group this big, it's sometimes hard to control the actions of some of the more rowdy members. As the Boss of Segin Squad, I apologize for what we put you through."

Milo felt a moment of struggle within himself. After all, he was still angry at Team Star for what had happened and still held a grudge for them nearly killing Juliana. But his experience battling Segin Squad had shown him a glimpse into Team Star that he hadn't been expecting. And battling Giacomo had made him even more confused.

Because what Milo understood through battling the Team Star Boss was that the DJ wasn't a bad person by any means. He had even apologized without any prompting from Milo and seemed to be a good sport about losing. It would've been easier if Giacomo had been more hostile or even standoffish about Milo breaking into the base and confronting him, but the Team Star Boss had handled things in a way that made sense and hadn't tried anything that might've seriously resulted in Milo getting hurt, despite the Galarian student walking into the lion's den.

"Apology accepted. I don't know if I can forgive Team Star yet for what you guys pulled, but I've beaten you. And that's what matters." Milo responded, with Giacomo nodding in understanding.

"Yeah, neither me or Mela signed off on that stunt. I don't know if it means anything, but I hope your friend gets better soon and I'm glad that they're okay." Giacomo said sincerely, which made Milo raise an eyebrow.

"You're a lot different than I expected you to be. After what Rafael told me, I expected the base to be a lot more challenging…uh, you okay?" Milo suddenly asked, seeing a flash of anger in Giacomo's eyes for a moment.

"Rafael's still at school huh?" Giacomo's formerly relaxed expression turned to fury for a moment before he sighed and shook his head. "And still talking crap. Lovely."

"So you two know each other?" Milo asked, with Giacomo nodding in response.

"Oh, we've met." Giacomo said darkly, narrowing his eyes. "But forget that idiot for a minute. Let's get back to you and Team Star. What's your angle? Just getting payback for your friend getting hurt?"

"Let's just say I have a vested interest in taking down Team Star. Your team hurt my friend and have been causing trouble at the school I spent most of my childhood dreaming I could go to. And…" Milo trailed off for a moment, thinking about Juliana, Nemona, Arven and the others. "I was going to do whatever it took to protect my friends. That's more than enough reason to confront you guys and get some answers. Don't you dare try another stunt like that again."

"Heh. Doing whatever it takes to protect your friends? I can respect that." Giacomo said with a smirk, nodding with approval. "You're not so bad, Milo. Considering how some of the other students treat Team Star, you're being a lot more civil than I imagined you'd be. Especially since you have a reason to hate us."

"If you really feel that way…then how about a picture?" Milo said to the Team Star Boss, who blinked a few times before grinning at the younger Trainer. The Rotom Phone beeped loudly before flipping around and snapping a picture of the two Trainers smiling as they exchanged a handshake, with Team Star cheering at the display of respect between the two of them.

"I couldn't resist. I like pictures and I may as well commemorate the battle somehow." Milo remarked as Giacomo peeked over his shoulder to see the shot, with the former Team Star Boss smirking in response.

"Everyone needs a hobby. I'll give you this choice TM, too. You earned it fair 'n' square." Giacomo added, dropping his backpack down onto the ground and pulling out a TM Case. He handed over a black disc, which Milo saw was for TM062, Foul Play.

"Haaah. So this is how the party ends…" Giacomo sighed, smiling sadly as he glanced around the base. He then turned back to Milo, grinning at the other Trainer. "But let's talk about those Pokémon of yours. They're crazy strong, huh. You learn those Trainer chops at the Academy? Like, what moves you should use 'n' stuff?"

"Sure did! Plus my friends helped me train to get ready to take on Segin Squad. If it wasn't for them…I wouldn't have gotten this far." Milo admitted, causing Giacomo to look at the teen curiously.

"Huh. Okay…You like it at the Academy? Havin' fun?" Giacomo asked tentatively, with Milo nodding in response.

"Yeah, I'm enjoying it! Finally getting to come to the school my parents talked about, making new friends and becoming a Trainer…it's been everything I ever wanted." Milo admitted to the former Team Star Boss, who smiled softly at that. "Plus getting to have my own team and growing with them has been amazing. Ain't that right, Cocoa?"

"Clooood!" Cocoa cried out in agreement, causing Milo to kneel down and rub her head. Giacomo watched the display for a few moments, seeing how the other Trainer treated his Pokémon.

"No kiddin'..." Giacomo muttered, smiling back at Milo and nodding at him. "You're a real one. I could feel it during our battle. Hopefully the others fare better than me against you, but I'm not sad that we battled. Maybe someday we can have a rematch with less hard feelings involved, huh?"

"Ahem. Sorry to interrupt, but are you Giacomo DiNozzo?"

Milo and Giacomo both jumped in surprise at the sudden question, and turned to see Clive walking towards them both with a pensive expression. He had turned off the livestream as soon as Giacomo had stepped down from the Starmobile, and was now walking towards the two other Trainers with his hands clasped behind his back. Unfortunately, Giacomo took one look at the student's hair before cracking a wide grin.

"Whoa-ho! Wasn't expecting a giant pompadour to make a guest appearance today." Giacomo said with some surprise, chuckling at Clive's unusual look. "You get a Quaxwell to style that up for ya?"

"Well yes, actually, but how did you know that-" Clive suddenly coughed a few times, ignoring the sound of Milo snickering uncontrollably in the background, especially since Clive took that moment to slick back his hair with his hands. "I'm just after a quick word. Would you mind?"

Giacomo gave Clive a thumbs up, still grinning. "Sure. I can tell it's gonna be somethin' annoying, but I guess I'm newly freed up for time."

Clive put his hands behind his back, nodding at the answer. "Thanks. I'll get straight to it. It seems all of you in Team Star are headed for expulsion if you keep up your current activities. So why won't you break up the team and start attending class at the Academy again?"

Giacomo's smile fell, and Milo could tell he was caught off-guard by the question. "That's what you wanna know? As it happens, we're actually waitin' on a pal….though we don't know if they'll be comin' back."

"A pal…?" Clive muttered, adjusting his glasses as he considered this "A close friend of yours, are they?"

Giacomo laughed, grinning at Clive as he answered. "They're only the strongest boss in all of Team Star! Like how there's a Top Champion who's the absolute number-one Trainer, y'know? They're the one who invited us other Bosses to form the team. We call 'em the Big Boss."

"And where is this Big Boss of yours now?" Clive asked Giacomo, who frowned and let out a sigh as he considered that question.

"Wouldn't we like to know. We haven't heard from 'em in, I dunno…must be about two years now?" Giacomo answered, which earned a response from the Remnant within Milo's mind.

That's about a year and a half from when you got to the Academy, wasn't it?

Yeah, sounds like they've been waiting a while. Milo thought in response to the Remnant's question.

"We thought that if we kept Team Star going, then they'd get back in touch one day." Giacomo scowled as he stomped his foot into the grass, clenching his fists. "But the teachers keep pressin' us to call it quits, and then we get party crashers like you two…"

Milo was surprised at the anger on display, but Giacomo's frustrations cooled just as quickly as they had started. Clive also seemed rather pensive, considering what Giacomo had said.

There's so much going on with Team Star that I don't really know what to think. Giacomo doesn't seem like a bad guy at all, even if the Team itself is obnoxious as hell. Milo thought as Giacomo broke the silence, his voice sounding almost defeated.

"Maybe the Big Boss did ditch us…They were talkin' about breakin' up the team before and all." Giacomo muttered, looking down at the grass. Clive spoke up again, causing Giacomo to look back up at him.

"So, Team Star and this Big Boss of yours…They're really that important to you?" Clive asked, his voice softer now.

"Heh. Is the sky blue?" Giacomo shut his eyes, beaming at them both as he gave them a thumbs up. "Let me put it in words you eggheads at the Academy might understand…They're my greatest treasure."

Chapter Text

Several Years Ago…

Mototoke

Hannah Caballero sighed with relief as she flopped down on the couch, rubbing her temples. Diego glanced up from where he was lounging on the couch, drifting in and out of a doze after a long day. The kids were already fast asleep, and so the two adults had the house to themselves.

"What's wrong?" Diego asked as he shifted slightly, choosing to rest his head in his wife's lap. Hannah began playing with her husband's hair, trying to channel her annoyance with that.

"Just frustrated, love. I know it's an isolated incident here and there, but Florian continually getting bullied by those rotten kids at school just makes me wonder if I made a mistake insisting that we settle down here in Galar instead of Paldea." Hannah admitted, causing Diego to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "And with how hard things have been with Amy lately, I've been reconsidering some things."

Much to the chagrin of the Caballero adults, their son had continued to have sporadic issues with bullying at Trainer School. Florian had become even more reclusive as he had gotten older, with his self-esteem worryingly low. Hannah had debated getting her son looked at by a professional with her husband, but Diego was somewhat wary of that course of action.

Antidepressants and other medications that treated things like anxiety and depression often had substantial side-effects, and that was something Diego Caballero wanted to avoid. Indeed, the man hoped that his son would make a breakthrough of some kind with enough love and support from his family.

On top of that, Amy had been diagnosed with asthma and had been complaining about how hard it was to breathe sometimes outside as a result of the rampant pollution and how generally unhealthy the air quality was in several of the larger cities within Galar. After all, the pollution crisis in Galar had gotten to the point that several species of Pokémon had been permanently changed as a result.

"This is your home, darling. You grew up here and it's where you grew your fame as an artist." Diego pointed out, with Hannah shaking her head. "I agree that the bullying is frustrating, but there's only so much we can do without taking him out of Trainer's School. And our son wants to be a Pokémon Trainer like me more than anything else. And as for Amy, we can try and get a referral to a specialist. Medical science has come a long way these past few years."

"Even if you think psychology is for nerds." Hannah pointed out, causing Diego to sigh.

"I'm skeptical. I don't think drugging Florian until he's happy with himself is the solution." Diego said firmly, narrowing his eyes for a moment. "I remember taking those medications myself years ago when my Partner, Alejandro, died. Medications like that change you, and I won't have my son subjected to that."

Hannah sighed, but nodded in understanding. She then smiled tiredly at her husband. "Maybe so, but it makes me wonder if I made a mistake by being so inconsistent that we settle down here to raise our family. We could've settled down in Paldea instead, you know."

"We could've, but you wanted to be closer to your parents when your mother got sick. I couldn't deny you that." Diego said quietly, frowning as he let out a small sigh. "Moving to Paldea instead of here would be a huge undertaking and wouldn't solve the problems our children are having."

"No, but it would help. Besides, I've missed Paldea and think fondly about my time there as a foreign exchange student. And I know you're homesick, even if you hide it well." Hannah said with a smile, causing Diego to wince. As good as he was hiding his emotions and deception, he could hide nothing from his wife.

"Maybe so. A move to Paldea isn't too difficult. And Naranja Academy would be good for Florian and Amy. It's the best school in the world, and it's not just for Pokémon Trainers, unlike Blueberry Academy." Diego said the final words with some scorn, causing Hannah to snicker.

"You're just saying that because they're your school's rivals."

"Of course I am! I'm biased as hell!"

Hannah and Diego laughed for a few moments, but the silence returned soon after. Diego's thoughts were racing at what his wife was suggesting. He had come to enjoy the Galar region, but Paldea was his home.

"It's tempting." Diego muttered as he closed his eyes. "But it would be good for them. I know Florian and Amy love to hear about our school days. Even more from my battles I get into on my trips."

"You're a good storyteller, Diego. Don't be so harsh on yourself." Hannah gently scolded her husband.

"Nah. I'm not nearly as exciting a battler as my boy thinks I am." Diego muttered, with Hannah flicking him on the nose and getting a pained yelp in response.

"Please. Even if you're out of practice, you're just about the strongest Pokémon Trainer in this city. Only Kabu can beat you, and that's if he gets lucky and uses his full-power." Hannah remarked, with Diego frowning at that. He was someone who, despite his considerable talents, was humble to a fault. But his wife was correct.

"Yes, but I cannot always protect them, Hannah. Florian's bully issues are a big deal and I can't battle a bunch of kids into not being jerks anymore. The boy already has confidence issues and Juliana, bless her heart, cannot defend him forever. He will either have to deal with it or become strong enough to make his problems go away by himself, as much as it pains me to admit." Diego said to his wife, who leaned her head back against the couch.

"And that's why I think Galar might've been a mistake. I was thinking of myself and settling down somewhere centrally located with a large community for my own career, rather than a place where our children could grow up." Hannah explained, slowly running her hands through Diego's hair and earning a soft sigh of content from her husband as he relaxed. She smiled fondly at him for a moment, amused that Diego enjoyed having his incredibly soft and fluffy hair played with so much. Florian had inherited this quirk from his father, much to her delight.

"The Trainer School here in Motostoke is nothing special. Naranja Academy would let both of our children flourish in a way that they can't here." Hannah said quietly but firmly, relaxing on the couch as she continued to mindlessly play with Diego's hair.

"You think moving to Paldea would be the solution?" Diego asked, his eyes still closed as Hannah nodded.

"Why wouldn't it be? You're still a registered Champion with the Paldean Pokémon League and you're a diplomat on top of that. We both know how great Naranja Academy would be for Florian and Amy. Hassel's even talking about teaching there someday himself!" Hannah reminded Diego, who thought about it.

"You know, Naranja Academy's got a musician's scholarship. And Juliana's just about as good at the violin as our Florian is at the saxophone. If we want to move to Paldea, maybe we can convince the Andersons to come along. They talk about their old school days at Naranja Academy just as much as we do." Diego remarked, with Hannah's expression becoming thoughtful.

"Maybe we could coordinate with them. Juliana's practically a sister to Florian and Amy and it'd be terrible to split them apart." Hannah suggested, sitting up a little and causing Diego's eyes to open.

"I would be willing to move, but we leave it up to the kids. This is their future we're talking about." Diego finally said, with Hannah smiling at her husband.

"We can ask them about it tomorrow." Hannah said, surprising her husband with the sudden statement.

"So you mean it? Truly?" Diego asked, sitting up with an excited expression. Hannah cupped her husband's cheek and kissed him, pulling away after a moment before nodding.

"If Florian and Amy want to move to Paldea…we can make the move. Goodness knows Florian talks about wanting to visit the school more than enough." Hannah said to her husband, who looked delighted. "He'll be old enough to attend the Academy as a freshman in a few years. And Amy after that."

"Florian and Amy going to Naranja Academy…" Diego said with a grin, sitting up off of the couch and wrapping an arm around Hannah. The woman leaned into her husband, nuzzling his neck. "That'd be something special."

Present Day

Segin Squad's Base

Milo walked outside of the Team Star Base alone, with Clive electing to stay behind and talk more with Giacomo. He only made it a few steps outside of the base before a ringing sound surprised him.

"~Ro-to-to-to-to…~"

The Galarian teenager stopped in his tracks and blinked as his Rotom Phone flew out of his pocket, showing a rainbow-colored question mark on the screen. A few moments later, a call picked automatically and Cassiopeia spoke.

"Milo…It's me. It seems Giacomo no longer carries his Star Badge, the symbol of his status as a Boss…He gave it to you, didn't he?"

Milo nodded, pulling it out of his pocket and showing the badge to Cassiopeia. He wasn't ever sure if they had the camera on during these calls, but he wasn't about to ask that now. It'd be awkward.

"I see. With its Boss out of the picture, the Segin Squad is pretty much done for…You fought well. I'm surprised you managed to take down the Boss with just a single Pokémon."

"I can't take all the credit. Cocoa was a trooper and I got some great advice from my friend Nemona that came in clutch. Plus, Clive kept those other Grunts off my back during the Star Barrage. It was a team effort." Milo said with a shrug, earning nothing but silence in response. And then-

"Oh, Giacomo…" Milo caught the muttered words, as quiet as they were, and frowned at that. But before he could ask about it, Cassiopeia spoke louder to him and continued their conversation.

"Sorry. Got caught up in my thoughts for a second. Now, about your reward."

"Reward?" Milo repeated, confused as to what they were talking about.

"Yes, I did say I would compensate you for your help. Now, about your reward. I'll transfer some LP over to your phone, as promised."

Milo's phone then beeped loudly, and he saw a notification pop up showing that 5,000 League Points were just deposited into his account. Milo grinned at the surprise money transfer, since he had completely forgotten about after getting caught up in his quest to avenge Juliana.

"I took the liberty of adding some new entries to the range of TM's you can make at TM Machines. These new TM's should help you improve your Pokémon's battle capabilities even further."

Milo chuckled at that. "You know, I would've done all this without payment. But that'll definitely help out in the future. Thanks."

"I should be thanking you. In any case…you did some solid work out there. So much so that you deserve an extra reward."

"You don't have to do that-" Milo began to say, but Cassiopeia cut him off.

"Consider it an apology. You volunteered to help me with this, reward or not, and I haven't been the most accommodating when it comes to this partnership. I'll try and do better, Milo. I'm sorry for being difficult."

"Don't worry about it. All water under the bridge. But thanks for apologizing." Milo replied easily, crossing his arms as he spoke. His answer was several moments of silence from Cassiopeia.

"Very well. Someone from my supply unit will be there soon to give you some materials for making TM's. That'll be all for now, but I'll be in touch in a week or two. Take care, Milo."

Cassiopeia hung up the phone, and as it flew back into his pocket Milo frowned as he thought about the anonymous caller who had orchestrated Operation Starfall. They claimed to have history with Team Star, but that comment about Giacomo gave Milo pause.

"Maybe they knew Giacomo? It's not entirely outside the realm of possibilities. Giacomo was at school before this Team Star thing kicked off." Milo muttered, trying to ponder the issue. Before he got too far into his thoughts, a nervous voice suddenly spoke up.

"H-hello…" Milo looked up at the sound of a female voice, specifically with a Galarian accent, and saw a girl around his age walking towards him. She had multicolored red and blue hair and a dour depression, black eyes peering at him warily behind a pair of glasses. She wore a large black hoodie with Poké Ball on the front with a large fluffy backpack that resembled a Gigatamax Eevee. She had on a pair of gray shorts partially hidden by a transparent skirt and leggings with red and blue pluses and minuses on them. She looked vaguely familiar, but Milo couldn't place where he had seen her.

"I'm Penny…from the supply unit." The girl said timidly, looking at Milo almost warily. "You probably don't remember, but you got me out of a tight spot by the school stairs…"

Milo suddenly remembered exactly where he had met this girl before. She was the student that he had helped protect from Team Star on his very first day as a Pokémon Trainer in Mesagoza. He remembered that she had run off before Milo could get her name, so he was a bit surprised to see her here.

"I'm glad I could help! You ran off before we could chat, so I'm sorry it took me a minute to recognize you." Milo said with a sheepish smile, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Penny jerked back in visible shock. "Oh! So you do remember…"

"Yeah, it's kind of hard to forget that sort of thing. Plus I remember your awesome backpack. That's the limited-edition Gigantamax Eevee Surprise Backpack that came out a few years back, right?" Milo asked Penny, who let out a small gasp of surprise.

"You recognize it!?" Penny asked, once again caught off-guard. However this time she looked noticeably excited.

"Yeah, mainly because someone I knew really wanted one and it sold out before we could get her one." Milo remarked, remembering vividly how his little sister had cried when Diego Caballero had to explain to her that she wasn't able to get the rare backpack. "It's an awesome collector's item."

"Y-yeah it is! Um, I'm kinda surprised you think it's awesome." Penny remarked, frowning at Milo as she tilted her head.

"Eevee's are awesome. I'm a little jealous you've got such a cool backpack." Milo laughed, grinning at Penny. "Maybe if I'm lucky I can snag an Eevee for my team. Where do you even catch Eevee in Paldea?"

"They're super rare. I caught most of mine outside of Paldea-oops! We're getting sidetracked. But, um. I'm helping out with Operation Starfall as part of my independent study…You know, the Treasure Hunt." Penny explained, noticeably getting a bit more into the conversation now. "I'm good with machines and hacking and stuff, so I'll be working behind the scenes."

Milo raised an eyebrow at that particular bit of information, but then realized that he had no place to judge. "Well, I guess everyone needs a hobby. Is the hacking thing how you and Cassiopeia met?"

"Y-yes, actually. It's really weird not knowing who they are, but they like the work I do and they don't bug me about it. Thankfully dealing with them doesn't even require me to have to leave my room." Penny awkwardly explained, clearly looking uncomfortable. Milo stared at the girl for a moment, experiencing the strangest sensation of looking into a mirror.

"She's just as socially awkward as I am…or was." Milo realized, thinking about how much better he was at dealing with people these days compared to how he was back home in Galar.

"So…here you go. Your bonus reward from Cassiopeia." Penny reached into the pocket of her hoodie and handed a large bag of different Pokémon materials over to Milo. Milo stashed it away in his own pack, fully intending to organize it properly later. "You should be able to make a ton of TM's with those. And Cassiopeia said you'll get more rewards each time you take out one of Team Star's Bases. Also, um…"

Penny trailed off awkwardly before looking away shyly, and Milo waited patiently for her to speak again. "I heard all about how you had your Pokémon charge into battle. Seems you were pretty amazing."

"My Pokémon were amazing, but I appreciate the compliment." Milo said with a smile, causing Penny to look at him for a moment before speaking again.

"With a Trainer as strong as you on our side, I'm sure the operation will go just fine." Penny said as she looked back at him and nodded, putting a hand to her chest. She seemed to falter a bit though, having trouble meeting Milo's eyes. "There's four more Squad Bosses left, so, um…good luck…"

"Thanks Penny. I'll see you around." Milo said with a friendly smile. Penny gave a weak smile in return, adding in a little wave before walking away, leaving Milo to his thoughts.

You know the drill, kid. Three new Pokémon are available for you to catch. You're on a hot streak, but don't get cocky. All it takes is one mistake for you to lose your life!

"Yeah, yeah. I'm in a good mood and won't let your crap ruin it. Now then, let's call Mum." Milo said as he pulled out his Rotom Phone and called his mother.

After checking in on Hannah Caballero and asking for the address of his grandparents, Milo was dismayed to find out that his grandparents had actually just gone to the faraway town of Montenevera for a funeral and would be staying up there with some old friends for another two weeks.

Annoyed with himself, he decided to head the opposite direction from Cascarrafa and focus on catching his next batch of Pokémon. And so, he dove right into a bright green Tera Den and acquired the help of some of the 3XC that were inside. Thanks to them, Milo was able to acquire a Luvdisc and a Nacli of his own, similar to Arven's. However it was when he ventured to his third Tera Den that he ran into a friendly and familiar face.

"Heya Milo! Fancy meeting you here." Flynn Caddel said as he walked up to the Galarian teen, shaking his hand with a grin.

"I'm kinda surprised to see you out here, Flynn. Why is the President of the 3XC out here?" Milo asked, earning a shrug of the shoulders.

"I always enjoy hanging out with my fellow clubmates. Plus Tera Battles are fun. Now come on, let's get started." Flynn said as he led the group further into the Den. Within the massive chamber as a single Smoliv, wearing a globe-like Tera Crown.

"Get ready, folks! Chief, let's go!" Flynn called out a Crogunk, who instantly fell into a combat stance. The two other 3XC members sent out a Buizel and a Skiddo respectively while Milo sent out Reggie, and the battle was on.

Unfortunately for the Smoliv, it was just a Smoliv, so it went down pretty quickly. Milo spun around and chucked a Poké Ball, which quickly became engulfed with energy and struck the stunned Pokémon. Three shakes and a click later, Milo had another new teammate.

After collecting his rewards from the 3XC President himself, Milo climbed out of the hole and sat down on the grass, calling out his three new catches. The Luvdisc, Nacli and Smoliv all looked at him expectantly.

"Alright, let's learn a bit more about you three…" Milo muttered as he pointed his Rotom Phone at the floating Luvdisc to his left, scanning it. The appropriate Pokédex entry popped up a moment later.

"Luvdisc. The Rendezvous Pokémon. Its heart-shaped body makes it popular. In some places, you would give a Luvdisc to someone you love. This Luvdisc is Female and its Ability is Swift Swim. Its Tera Type is Rock." The Rotom Dex explained to Milo, who hummed for a moment as he considered that.

"So it's sort of like how you give an Applin to a person you like in Galar." The Galarian teen muttered, smiling to himself. He remembered how he had held one out to Nemona when he had caught Smith, his own Applin. The memory made Milo blush little, but he focused on the task at hand.

"I'll name you Lovely. Lovely the Luvdisc." Milo said with a smile as the Pokémon trilled softly, floating gently off of the ground. With that, Milo went to the next Pokémon, a small salty rock that simply stared at him, and scanned it with the Rotom Phone.

"Nacli. The Salt Pokémon. It was born in a layer of rock salt deep under the earth. This species was particularly treasured in the old days, as they would share precious salt. This Nacli is Female and its Ability is Purifying Salt. Its Tera Type is Bug." The Rotom Phone explained, with Milo humming thoughtfully as he tried to think of a name.

"Kosher." Milo finally decided, with Flynn giving the other student a confused look.

"Your names suck, dude." Flynn remarked, with Milo's face souring a little at hearing that. He then turned to his last Pokémon and scanned it with the Rotom Phone.

"Smoliv. The Olive Pokémon. It protects itself from enemies by emitting oil from the fruit on its head. This oil is bitter and astringent enough to make someone flinch. This Smoliv is Male and its Ability is Early Bird. Its Tera Type is Ground." The Rotom Phone explained as Milo grinned at the little Pokémon, who looked a bit confused as Milo debated what name he wanted to choose for it.

"Ozzy. Ozzy the Olive Pokémon. I'm so witty." Milo said with a chuckle as he input the name into the Rotom Phone, sitting down onto the ground. Ozzy chose that moment to hop into Milo's lap, letting out a cry. "I've seen you around a lot, little guy. I hope we get a chance to kick some butt together."

"You've got three totally different Pokémon there. Tera Dens are pretty amazing, right?" Flynn remarked, with Milo nodding as he returned his three newest catches and transferred them to PC Storage. He'd figure out team composition later.

"Yeah, but they're really weird." Milo said to the 3XC President, who nodded in agreement.

"Oh, definitely. They're supposedly unique to Paldea, but I've heard stories about Tera Dens showing up in Kitakami and even that fancy Terrarium at BB Academy. Now why that is, I have no idea. I'd love to find out though." Flynn said with an eager grin, crossing his arms. "I've actually asked Director Clavell about sponsoring a school trip to Kitakami for the students."

"Kitakami? I've never heard of it." Milo admitted, with Flynn shrugging his shoulders.

"It's a beautiful country. Lots of nature and culture in a small space. For history buffs and people who enjoy the great outdoors, like me, it sounds amazing." Flynn said to Milo, who thought about it.

"Since you mentioned it earlier, doesn't Blueberry Academy have some crazy high-tech bio-dome that has entire ecosystems inside of it? I think I've heard about that before." Milo said to the other student, vaguely remembering his father mentioning something about the subject before.

"Yep. The headmaster there spent a fortune on creating the Terrarium, but I've heard it uses some of the most advanced tech in the world to simulate tons of various ecosystems so that the Pokémon there can live peacefully." Flynn explained, putting a hand on his hip. "Devon Corporation, Silph Co. and even Aupuni Industries contributed to the construction of the Terrarium. I'd kill to see it myself."

The two Trainers talked for a short while longer before Milo said bye to Flynn and continued up the mountain on Koraidon. With three catches in the bag and with the sun setting, Milo decided to camp out on the grass and called out his team to relax in the grass alongside him. The teen was completely drained, but feeling pretty great about how the day had gone.

However, he was slightly alarmed by how much his phone was blowing up with texts from his friends, as well as notifications from his Festival Plaza account. A quick scroll through his feed revealed that his showdown against Giacomo was already trending and spreading fast with over a hundred thousand views in just a few hours.

"Um…I guess I didn't think this through all the way." Milo muttered to himself, leaning against Koraidon's side as Reggie growled in agreement. "I might've accidentally made myself more popular at school."

Sucks to suck.

"Don't you have better things to do than annoy me?" Milo asked as he set an alarm for early in the morning and crawled into his tent. Cocoa was more than happy to block the front entrance while the others crowded around their Trainer. Koraidon, of course, was coiled around the tent and kept alert for danger, even while dozing through the night.

Morning arrived all too soon and Milo decided to dive into a few more Tera Dens to get more battling experience for his team. Unfortunately, he realized that he was stalling and got annoyed with himself for that, so around mid-afternoon the teen called a Flying Taxi to transport him back to Naranja Academy. The teen managed to make it to the lobby before several students recognized him and hurried over to the teen, who yelped as multiple students tried to talk to him at once, with two roughly shaking his hand.

"You were awesome!"

"Hell yeah, man! Way to knock those jerks down a peg!"

"Starslayer in the house!"

"Too many people. Oh god…" Milo thought with a grimace as he was crowded on all sides but people congratulated him on his victory over Team Star. While he appreciated the support, his anxiety and discomfort were through the roof. Milo smiled despite himself and thanked them for their support, shaking their hands back and trying to appear appreciative. After all, it wasn't their fault he wasn't fond of crowds.

And then a loud, snide voice cut clearly through the chorus of students. "Not bad, Florian. You've got some balls."

Several heads turned and Milo's eyes went wide at the familiar voice. He then spotted Rafael Cezar walking through the crowd with a smirk. The teen wasn't wearing his Naranja Academy uniform, but instead some torn jeans and a black shirt.

"I thought you were suspended." Milo remarked quietly, with Rafael grinning in response as the crowd parted around him.

"I am, but Director Clavell is allowing me to appeal my suspension today. But what timing…the school's big hero coming back victorious." Rafael said with a chuckle, thumping Milo on the back. "You've got a lot more guts than I thought you did, Florian. Or is it Milo? I keep hearing two different names."

"Officially Florian, but I go by Milo these days. So what do you want?" Milo asked Rafael, who chuckled before clapping his hands together.

"I saw your battle with Giacomo and Segin Squad. That was some pretty great stuff. I was even wary of jumping right into that place, but you didn't give a damn. I respect that." The older student explained, crossing his arms with a satisfied smile. Not for the first time, Milo wondered what the history was between Rafael and Team Star. Giacomo had seemed pretty angry hearing Rafael's name, but Rafael had claimed that Team Star had driven his brother Hugo from the school.

"Thanks. But just because I dealt with one of the Team Star Admins, that doesn't mean that I'm finished with Team Star. I'm going after all of them." Milo responded, crossing his arms and refusing to let the upperclassman intimidate him. He remembered how the teen had nearly physically assaulted Nemona for daring to call him out.

Rafael's grin widened, an excited gleam leaping into his bright blue eyes. "Hell yeah, man. Good on you. Make those idiots pay for nearly killing your friend. Get revenge for all the people those assholes drove out of Naranja Academy."

"Also, me going after Team Star for what they did to Juliana doesn't make us friends, either. I'm not okay with what you tried to do to Nemona." Milo said pointedly to Rafael, who's expression darkened for a moment as his fists clenched. The crowd went silent for several long moments, and Rafael's eyes narrowed as he glared down at Milo, stepping closer to the younger student.

"Fair enough. But I do want a favor from you, if you wouldn't mind." Rafael said quietly, smiling once again at Milo.

"And what would that be?" Milo asked, raising an eyebrow at Rafael as the teen took a step back and jerked a thumb at his own chest.

"I want to test your skills myself. Battle me." Rafael said as he unclipped a Dusk Ball from his belt and primed it, grinning wolfishly at the Galarian teen. Milo's Poker Face went up as he considered with a perfectly neutral expression exactly why Rafael was challenging him. And if this would count as a battle that would trigger the Nuzlocke Curse.

It would. And he'd crush you at his skill-level. I'd recommend avoiding any battles with this joker for a while unless you have a death wish.

"So what's it going to be, Milo?" Rafael said to the freshmen, his smile twisting into something a little more dangerous " After all, it's just a friendly match. Nothing to lose for either of us. You were pretty damn brave standing up to Team Star. I want to see what you're really made of."

"No you don't." Milo thought to himself, thinking about what Rafael's game was. It was after several moments of staring at the older Trainer and seeing the crowd of students around them that he realized what the Vice President of the 3XC wanted.

"I did what he was too scared to do when I took on Segin Squad. I also pissed him off when I defended Nemona from him. So now he's trying to one-up me in front of everyone, even though he's a much stronger Trainer than me. He's got eight badges to my two badges, so there's no chance I would win." Milo mused as he put his hands on his hips, pretending that he was considering the proposal and not intending to reject Rafael outright.

"Excuse me! Coming through!"

Milo's heart soared as he heard Nemona's voice cut across the cacophony of shouts. The Champion made her way through the crowd, who saw the serious expression on the face of the Student Council President. Rafael's expression darkened at the arrival of Nemona and he quickly turned on his heel, retreating into the library as the Student Council President arrived.

"Milo's had a long day and will be happy to talk some other time. He appreciates your support, but I'll need to have a talk with him before he can answer any questions about what happened with Team Star. Please disperse, everyone, and have a great day!" Nemona said to the crowd as she stood next to Milo. The Champion then smiled cheerily at them and grabbed her friend by the hand, leading him further into the school.

Several cheers and even a wolf-whistle followed Milo and Nemona as they went into the school. Milo let out a big sigh of relief as he realized Nemona was leading him back to his room. As they entered his hallway, the Champion finally let go of her friend's hand and offered him a grin.

"What's wrong, hotshot? Are you having trouble with your fans?" Nemona said teasingly, with Milo sighing as he rubbed his temples.

"I didn't go after Team Star for the acclaim. I never even considered for a second that going after them would make me more popular." Milo lamented, shaking his head. "I have the poise and charisma of an unassembled shelving unit. What the hell do people like about me?"

Nemona giggled at the self-deprecating humor, with even the Remnant snickering at the remark. The other teen was beaming at her friend with open pride, and Milo felt himself smiling even if he didn't want to be. Nemona had that effect on him, after all.

"What isn't there to like about you?" Nemona countered, bumping into his side before dashing ahead of him. "Now come on, hurry up! ¡Apresúrate! You don't want your adoring public to know where you've gone off too, now do we?"

"You've been hanging out with Juliana too much." Milo grumbled as he used his key and opened the door, visibly relaxing as he walked into his room for the first time in several days. He promptly called out his team, plus Koraidon, and flopped into his desk chair while Nemona closed the door behind them and bounded forward.

"So, as you can tell, basically everyone in the school saw your big battle against Giacomo and you're even more famous at school. I was so pumped seeing you take on that Star Barrage thingy that I almost ran off to join you!" Nemona practically squealed as she neared her friend. "You looked so cool, Milo!"

Milo flushed with embarrassment at the compliment, especially since Nemona was looking at him with such a happy smile. "Y-you really think so?"

"Yeah! You were so confident and determined, and your team was perfectly in-sync! You looked like a total pro out there!" Nemona gushed, bouncing on the balls of her feet with a bright smile. "And against Giacomo himself? Sending out Koraidon to show that you weren't scared and then taking him down with just Cocoa? ¡Excelente trabajo, amigo mío!

"T-thanks Nemona. I wouldn't have managed as well without your help, though. And my team was awesome as always-" Milo tried to stammer out as he stood up out of his chair, only for Nemona to frown at him and walk forward.

"No." Nemona stated simply, marching up to her friend and putting her hands on his shoulders. "You're going to admit, right here and now, that you're awesome and you won because you're a great Trainer."

"...I'm awesome and I beat Giacomo because I'm a great Trainer." Milo mumbled, with Nemona beaming back at him and nodding with satisfaction.

"And don't you forget it." Nemona said brightly as Milo walked over to his bed, laying down on it and pulling out his Rotom Phone. He rolled his eyes as the screen lit up again, a small annoyed sigh escaping him as Nemona sat down in his desk chair and began to pet Koraidon.

"I could do without the nonstop Festival Plaza notifications. I might have to mute the app." Milo muttered as he scrolled the long list of follows, likes and comments he was getting on his social media account. Part of him did enjoy the attention, but it was pretty overwhelming.

Suddenly, Milo jolted slightly as a line of text caught his eye. The teen sat up in his bed and read the notification in absolute astonishment, a shocked smile coming to his lips.

"Holy shit!" Milo swore out loud, his eyes going wide in surprise. Nemona blinked at the sudden profanity, immediately concerned.

"Milo? Is everything okay? What is it?" Nemona asked worriedly, especially since Milo was staring down at his phone without responding to her. Instead, the teen continued to reread the same line of text that had popped up on his notifications feed again and again, as if trying to determine if what he was seeing was real or not.

Iono, the Supercharged Streamer, now follows you on Festival Plaza.

Chapter Text

Motostoke

Several Years Ago…

"Amy, stop running!"

"Come on, Amy, you know you're supposed to stay with us!

"But I wanna see the stars! I don't wanna go home yet! I wanna…hah…see…"

Juliana and Florian were currently chasing a rebellious Amy through the streets of Motostoke, with the night having fallen several minutes prior. Unfortunately for them, Amy was pretty quick and was smarter than your average six-year old.

Unfortunately for Amy, running came with risks when you had respiratory problems, so the girl was forced to stop much sooner than she would've liked. Florian and Juliana managed to catch up with Amy as she slowed down, a rough coughing fit suddenly coming on. Amy soon came to a complete stop by the railing of one of the bridges, struggling to breathe as she dropped the Corviknight plushie that had been held tightly in her arms onto the stone bridge.

Florian dropped his backpack on the ground and dug around inside while Juliana grabbed Amy's beloved Corviknight doll, rubbing the girl's shoulder and trying to keep her calm. Within seconds Florian had Amy's inhaler in hand and made sure it was ready for her.

"Here. Calm down…it's okay." Florian said quietly as he held up his sister's inhaler. After a few puffs of her medicine, Amy let out a shaky breath. Juliana took that moment to hand the little girl back her stuffed Corviknight, which Amy hugged tightly with an upset frown.

"You know better than to run off like that. Didn't you hear what my Mum said? All sorts of scary people are out there. We have to be responsible so she and Dad don't worry." Florian said to the little girl, who suddenly looked up at her brother with a fierce grin.

"I'm not scared! Miss Midnight can beat them all!" Amy said with a laugh, flapping the wings of her Corviknight plushie. Juliana and Florian exchanged tired smiles, amused at how the girl was so convinced that she was invincible.

"Is everything alright?" spoke a calm but firm voice that all three children recognized. They turned their heads and spotted an older man wearing a red Galar League uniform. Kabu, the Gym Leader of Motostoke, took several steps forward and looked to Florian and Juliana for answers. The two children exchanged a worried glance, concerned that they were in trouble for some reason.

"We were getting ready to head home when Amy slipped away from us, sir." Juliana explained, with Amy pouting and crossing her arms as best she could with her plushie in her hands.

"I'm fine! I'm not a baby!" Amy protested, with Florian putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Of course you're not. But we can't just run off and do whatever we want, Amy. When we're older, and especially when we're Pokémon Trainers, we can do whatever. But not now." Florian said gently, causing the girl to finally relent.

"Awww…okay. Sorry Florian." Amy mumbled, with Florian bending down and hugging his sister to show that he wasn't mad at her. Kabu and Juliana smiled at the exchange, though after a few moments the Gym Leader checked his watch.

"I will escort you home. I was nearly done with my jog, so it'll be no trouble." Kabu said to the children, who had no qualms with that. After seeing the man battle at the Motostoke Stadium so many times, they considered it an honor.

However, the group didn't make it very far down the road before a voice they all recognized called out to them.

"There you are!"

Kabu and the children turned around and spotted Diego Caballero running towards them. The group stopped in the street and waited for Florian and Amy's father to catch up, with the man huffing slightly.

"You kids know what time you were supposed to be back. What happened?" Diego asked with a pant. Florian quickly explained what happened while Amy pouted again, and Diego sighed and smiled at his kids.

"Florian and Juliana, thanks for handling that so well. Good job." Diego said to the two older children before looking at his daughter. "Mi pequeño tesoro, you know you can't run off like that. If you want to see the stars so bad, we can head out into the Wild Area and go on a camping trip sometime. How's that sound?"

Amy gasped in excitement and hugged her father's leg, beaming up at him. "Can we go now!?"

"Not tonight, Amy. Your mom's got dinner waiting for us at home!" Diego said to his daughter, who nodded in understanding. "But soon, okay?"

"Okay Daddy!" Amy said happily, bouncing up and down. Florian took that moment to grab her hand and continued leading her down the path with Juliana. Kabu and Diego exchanged a brief glance with one another and fell back a few feet so they could talk. Juliana noticed this and began to talk with Amy about why she wanted to see the stars so badly, serving as a distraction so that the adults could talk.

"I'd make sure those kids are well-supervised in the next few days, my friend. The streets of Motostoke are as safe as ever, but I got word that there's been some rumblings of violence back in my homeland of Hoenn. We're worried it could spill over to other regions." Kabu said to Diego, who looked interested. "After how Team Magma was attacked in their Mt. Chimney hideout a few years ago, there's been concerns about more attacks."

"I hadn't heard about Team Magma. I know Team Aqua was completely wiped out by a lone assassin, but they never caught them. You're saying the same happened to Team Magma? Maybe the same person?" Diego asked as a mask of calm washed over the man.

Kabu had seen this happen with Diego in the several years he had come to know the Cascarrafa Cardshark. The man would wipe all emotion from his face or adopt an easy smile in the wake of troubling news or when a situation required a calmer approach. It also made him very difficult foe to take down, as a more level-headed Trainer tended to make fewer mistakes in the heat of battle.

"One man managed to kill all of Team Magma, save for the leaders who are now under government protection. Team Aqua was completely wiped out a few years ago, as you said, and other rumblings are also concerning. Team Plasma, out in Unova, are making many people very nervous. Alder is a great man, but his control over things in the region has loosened…enough for evil to spread its wings, so to speak." Kabu said to Diego, who looked away and frowned.

"My own contacts abroad are pretty much in the same boat as you. After some of the craziness in Sinnoh with the remnants of Team Galactic, it makes me almost glad that Theodore Rose has such a tight grip on things in Galar." Diego remarked with a careless shrug, though Kabu wore a thoughtful expression.

"You never cared much for Chairman Rose. Why is that?" Kabu asked.

"I hate politicians and that man is just way too powerful. No one man should hold that much sway over a region. He's a wonderful guy, don't get me wrong. But I also know he actually doesn't care how much trouble the other regions get into so long as Galar isn't affected." Diego remarked, with Kabu considering that.

"Chairman Rose cares about the future of Galar. The other regions…much less so." Kabu agreed tactfully, which Diego smirked at. His mask of calm slipped away, and the Paldean man became a bit more animated. "However, he is a leading voice within the International Pokémon League and is adept at making other people see his way. He's the kind of leader we need in troubled times like this."

"I know. I just…with everything going on in Hoenn, Sinnoh, and now Unova I'm just worried. I might be out of the game these days, but things are still bad." Diego remarked, scowling at his own inability to help. "And still the do-nothing Champions sit around and twiddle their thumbs. I'm glad that Mayor Spencer and you run a tight ship here in Motostoke. That's the only reason I feel alright letting the kids play after dark."

"Many of the Champions we look to in these troubled times are more reactionary, which is a cause of personal frustration for me. Steven Stone did little to stem the tide of the Great Flood when Kyogre unleashed its wrath upon Hoenn. Cynthia was not the one who stopped Team Galactic from ending the world…that task fell to a child." Kabu remarked with some distaste, his tone rather cold. "Recent events in Unova and the Orre region make me worried too."

"All the more reason to keep an eye out and not focus on how amazing Leon is. I don't know what kind of game Rose is playing with his nonstop propaganda." Diego said to Kabu, earning a nod from the Gym Leader.

"The kind where the region is united with their Champion and the leader who continues to work towards bettering our futures. Theodore Rose is a good man, Diego."

"He is a good man. He also has his head shoved up his own ass and I worry he doesn't see the value in making sure other regions, and not just his own, are secure. If Unova burned, but Galar was A-OK, I suspect he wouldn't lose sleep over it." Diego remarked with a crooked smirk as Kabu frowned.

"...You suspect he is withholding information?" Kabu asked, his eyes widening in surprise. Sometimes it was difficult reading between the lines of what Diego was actually saying.

"I suspect he's doing what he has to in order to ensure Galar, and Galar alone, stands at the top of the mountain." Diego said pointedly to Kabu, who nodded in understanding. "I travel a lot and see a lot of things, my friend. And I worry. I've got kids and a wife now and I want them to be safe. That's why they're here in the heart of Galar and not out in the countryside of Paldea. I can't gamble with their futures…pun not intended.".

"Your wife mentioned in passing that you were considering moving last time I spoke with her."

"It's a few years off. Turns out transferring out of Galar requires getting some other sucker to act as the Paldean Ambassador to this region. The new Top Champion, Geeta, doesn't have a whole lot of use for me but protocols are still protocols and I have to follow them. As soon as I can manage a transfer back home, I'm gone. Florian's already excited to go to Naranja Academy." Diego said with a fond smile, and Kabu smirked.

"Your old stomping grounds. I hear it's a truly wonderful place. Our own schools in Galar are wonderful, but nothing compared to places like Naranja and Blueberry Academy." Kabu said to Diego, who grinned in response.

"I've had a chance to go back home a few times and see some of my friends from the old days too and it's just as wonderful as I remember every time. I even managed to get some drinks with Larry on my last trip. Turns out the guy's busier than ever even after stepping down as Top Champion and becoming a Gym Leader a few years ago." Diego said to Kabu, causing the Gym Leader to smirk.

"Some people never change. Larry and I might be very different men, but he shares the same drive to serve his people as I do." Kabu said with an approving nod. "Rest assured I'll keep an eye out for trouble. Galar has been free of such hardship and evil for many years. Groups such as Team Plasma or Cipher have no place here."

Diego frowned and as they reached his home, Kabu stopped walking and clapped his hands together. "This is where I leave you. Kids, make sure to stay out of trouble and listen to your parents."

"Bye Mr. Kabu!" the children chorused, with Amy flapping the wings on her plushie excitedly. Diego nodded to the Gym Leader as he departed, considering his words and the conversation they had shared.

With a sigh, the gambler and Champion-ranked Trainer began herding the children towards the house. His thoughts were churning about the dangers abroad, and the family he had to protect.

Present

Naranja Academy

"No way…" Milo whispered, his eyes going wide as he looked down at his Rotom Phone. He tapped the profile to make sure that it was legitimate, and sure enough it was.

Iono, the Gym Leader of Levincia, now followed him on social media. The worldwide sensation that was the Supercharged Streamer now followed him on Festival Plaza.

"Milo?" Nemona asked, looking confused. "Is everything okay? You look surprised."

The Galarian teen stared at his phone for several long moments, checking and double-checking his phone to make sure that what he was seeing was true. He then did a loud whoop and a fist pump, surprising Nemona. Milo wasn't usually so expressive.

"Iono's following me on Festival Plaza! Oh my god, that's so awesome!" Milo began to gush, his eyes lighting up with excitement as he held his phone with both hands, grinning widely with pure joy on his face. "I wonder how she even heard of me! I wonder if she saw what happened with Team Star?"

She's a Gym Leader here, isn't she?

More than that! She's a super popular streamer who's known all-over the world! Milo responded, not even bothering to hold back his excitement. Me and Juliana have been fans of hers for years!

"Oh, that's cool! I wonder if she saw your battle with Giacomo." Nemona remarked, smiling at Milo's genuine excitement. However, the Champion felt a strange feeling bubbling within her chest. An unease that Nemona couldn't place as she watched Milo celebrate the news of having a famous Pokémon Trainer noticing him like that.

Why…why do I have the sudden urge to throw Iono into Levincia Harbor? Nemona wondered to herself as she felt an uncomfortable bubbling sensation growing within her. Nemona's right eye twitched a little, especially as she watched Milo do another fist pump with a massive smile. Is this what jealousy feels like? Nah, I can't be jealous of Iono. Right?

"You're…awfully happy about Iono following you." Nemona said as Milo continued to pace back and forth, frantically texting Juliana the screenshot that he had taken.

"Why wouldn't I be!? She's awesome! And-" Milo stopped as he felt a suddenly prickling feeling along his neck, like goosebumps. The student had the strangest feeling that he was in danger, but was unsure as to why.

And then, unbidden, he glanced back at where Nemona was standing and saw his friend watching him with a somewhat strained smile. It was then Milo felt a shiver of fear roll down his spine for reasons he couldn't articulate.

Oh shit. Uhh…yeah, you're on your own kid.

To Milo's surprise, he felt the Remnant's presence vanish as he locked eyes with his friend, with the sound of a door slamming shut reverberating in his head. Milo took a moment to process that before focusing on his friend.

"Um…Nemona? You okay?" The Galarian student asked the Champion, who's weird smile widened somewhat. Milo could tell it was absolutely forced, which made him even more concerned.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be, Milo?" Nemona asked in a slightly too cheery tone. This sent off several alarm bells for Milo, who's Poker Face went up. He quickly tried to think of why Nemona was smiling weirdly, and the only conclusion he could come up with was that this information had agitated his neighbor for some reason.

"You're just…um…I dunno. It looked like that news bothered you a little." Milo said slowly, trying to figure out the best way to explain it without possibly upsetting her.

Nemona's eye twitched slightly harder. "Bothered? Me? Nothing ever bothers me! I'm Nemona!"

Milo felt even more concerned hearing that. "I know you are, but even you can get upset. If anyone knows about hiding what he feels, it's me-"

"So now I'm upset?" Nemona cut off Milo, who blinked at the sudden and rather pointed question. He was also concerned before Nemona still sounded far too cheerful. In fact, Milo started wondering if he was moments away from a fatal error.

"I honestly don't know. Maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions." Milo admitted, walking away from Nemona and tossing his phone onto his bed.

"It's entirely possible. After all, Iono following you on Festival Plaza is such a big deal! If you battled her, you can only get more famous here in Paldea." Nemona said brightly, but her tone almost sounded sarcastic. Milo looked over at her as his Poker Face slipped away, letting Nemona see how he actually felt, and the girl seemed to flinch slightly.

"I don't care about being famous. I just want to be a Trainer. And just because I've got Miss Iono following me on Festival Plaza doesn't mean that she'll be replacing you as my Rival or anything. It's really cool, but she's got nothing on you." Milo said to Nemona as he sat down on his bed. The upperclassman stared at Milo in surprise for several long moments. Nemona then seemed to deflate a little, a sigh of what Milo realized was relief escaping her.

A few moments later, the Champion gave her friend a warm smile and walked over to Milo, pulling him off of his bed and into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry about that! I don't know what came over me!" Nemona apologized, pulling away from an incredibly flustered Milo with her usual smile.

Calm down, you idiot! It's fine. She only just hugged you! Stop being stupid! Milo thought as he moved away from Nemona, ignoring the sound of Koraidon making a strange coughing noise in the background. The presence of the Remnant seemed to slowly trickle back into Milo's mind, and he heard a scoff of disbelief.

I have no idea how you managed to say exactly the right thing to diffuse that situation. And yet, you are the most socially awkward individual I've ever met.

Shut up already! Milo screamed at the voice internally as he walked away from Nemona, trying to regain his composure somewhat desperately. He then sighed in annoyance, catching Nemona's attention.

"Well, I was originally going to ask you for a battle and maybe grab some dinner to celebrate your big victory, but you look really worn out." Nemona realized, frowning with concern at her friend as she realized how tired he looked. "Sorry, I forgot you only just got back to school after the whole Team Star thing. Should I go?"

"No, you don't have to go, Nemona. Honestly, I would totally battle you, but I am super burned out. I wouldn't say no to getting some food with you, but I just know I'll get swarmed by people if I try to leave." Milo remarked, with Nemona putting a finger to her chin and considering the matter.

Nemona then snapped her fingers, smiling as an idea came to her. "Then how about we order some pizza? There's a place called Pizza de Duadaña de la Muerte in East Mesagoza that makes some really good stuff. They're pretty affordable too!"

"...Wait, doesn't that translate to Deathscythe Pizza?" Milo asked slowly, raising an eyebrow. He was starting to pick up Paldean, but that made him do a double-take.

Nemona nodded eagerly, happy to explain further. "Deathscythe Pizza, besides having a really cool name, is a local pizza joint that employs students here. So they can come onto the campus and deliver straight to your room. No socializing with your new fans required!" Nemona suggested, with Milo grinning at her a few moments later. Milo held up a hand and high-fived the Champion, delighted with her suggestion.

Nemona quickly made the order and Milo shot Arven and Juliana a text to let them know that he got back safe and that he was hanging out with Nemona tonight, but that he'd see them tomorrow morning. As he did so, he discreetly flicked back to Festival Plaza and reopened the message telling him that Iono now followed him.

For the first time in a truly long time, Milo felt genuine satisfaction with himself. He had conquered one of the Team Star bases and had built up a strong and capable team. And now he was being recognized by a powerful and influential Trainer like Iono.

What's funny is that battling Iono is your next Objective. Sooner or later, you'll be meeting her in-person.

I'll be looking forward to it. But for tonight, I'm going to enjoy the night with Nemona and just relax. Milo thought to the Remnant, and to Milo's surprise he felt the entity's presence fade away enough to where Milo knew it wasn't listening in.

A few minutes trickled by as Milo lapsed into a doze, with Nemona wandering around the room and keeping up a constant chatter. It was a testament to how much Milo trusted the Champion, despite his own anxiety issues, that he'd spend time with her while tired enough to pass out at any given moment.

"Ooh, this is cute! Is this a Corviknight?" Nemona suddenly asked, causing Milo to open his eyes and glance over at his friend. Nemona was looking at the small Corviknight plush that was sitting on his desk. It was a new addition to his room, so he wasn't surprised that his friend had noticed it. Milo knew that Nemona had her own plushie collection back home.

"That's Midnight. I'm holding onto her for a while, so don't touch her if you can help it." Milo said to Nemona, who opened her mouth to ask a question before there was a knock at the door.

"Pizza delivery!"

Five minutes later Nemona and Milo were reviewing the footage of his battle with Giacomo while devouring pepperoni pizza served on plates sporting the Grim Reaper with a truly evil-looking scythe. Reviewing the livestream of his duel with Giacomo also gave Milo the opportunity to see what he looked like while battling.

The Galarian teen was surprised and how flattering the footage made him seem, with his sharp but focused commands coming across well in the video. Milo had to admit that he and Cocoa looked pretty cool as they stood against Giacomo's onslaught. Milo's smile as he revealed his plans to cripple the Starmobile of the Team Star Boss was the most watched portion of the stream, which the Galarian was surprised by. The video of his showdown with Segin Squad and Giacomo had already acquired over a million hits within 30 hours of upload and was still trending in the Paldea region.

"You know, if the other Bosses try the same trick, it'll likely work on them as well. Evasion manipulation isn't something everyone has a counter to." Nemona commented before taking a sip of orange soda. Milo looked at her as he scarfed down a garlic knot, waiting for her to explain. "Giacomo busted out the Starmobile when he didn't have any Pokémon left. There's a good chance the other Bosses have one too, and that they'll use it when their backs are against the wall. Ruining their accuracy with a Pokémon like Cocoa or boosting your own stats before fighting it could still work wonders."

"Yeah, I'm glad Cocoa's stat drops kicked in when they did. Another Wicked Torque and she would've been done for." Milo muttered, shuddering at the thought of one of his Pokémon being lost forever as a result of being knocked out. He had managed to avoid taking any losses since Brassius, but he knew it only took one mistake to lose a valuable teammate. And with how fond he was getting of his team, such a loss would be heartbreaking.

"Yeah, I never like seeing my own Pokémon get knocked out. That Starmobile looked pretty intimidating too, so who knows what it could've done if you hadn't ruined its accuracy." Nemona responded, not quite understanding why Milo looked so unsettled. He settled for feeding the rest of his pizza slice to a hungry Cocoa, who was looking at him expectantly. Spark was currently curled up in Nemona's lap while Shelly, Volt and Fleur were napping on their Trainer's bed.

"...right." Milo remarked, unable to explain further due to the additional restrictions that were on him thanks to the Nuzlocke Curse. He was snapped out of his thoughts as Nemona nudged him, letting out a laugh as she pointed at the screen.

"Aww, look how happy Koraidon is there! You were having fun too, weren't you?" Nemona said to the lizard, who hummed happily in response and bobbed its head in response. Milo grinned as he looked at the footage, spotting Koraidon's excited smile as the battle went on. It was clear the draconic mount had been enjoying itself a lot out there against Giacomo.

"It was kinda scary, but that was a pretty awesome battle. Hopefully my luck against the rest of Team Star goes the same way." Milo remarked, with Nemona laughing as she wrapped an arm around Milo's shoulder and pulled him into her for a moment.

"Are you kidding? You're gonna kick their butts!" Nemona said cheerily, removing her arm from a flustered Milo. To his surprise, Nemona didn't move away and instead remained shoulder-to-shoulder with him as they enjoyed their dinner. Milo didn't mind, and in fact found himself smiling almost the entire night as he and Nemona talked tactics and how to approach future battles with Team Star in the future.

It's good to be back. Milo thought as he tossed the last of the garlic knots to Reggie, who happily snapped it up. The Crocalor rubbed its stomach happily, resuming his place resting against his Trainer's side as the night wore on.

About a week later, found himself in Math Class fighting back a yawn. After the class had finished taking their seats and organizing their items for the lesson, an older woman with darker skin and white hair walked into the classroom and regarded the class warmly with her kindly green eyes. She wore a comfortable light purple sweater and a dark purple dress underneath.

Milo knew from Nemona and some of his other classmates that Miss Tyme, while currently Naranja Academy's Math Teacher, was once the Gym Leader of Montenevera. However, her little sister Ryme now had command of the Gym, and for some reason Tyme refused to speak of her time as a Gym Leader despite the considerable respect she commanded at the Academy.

"Hello, everyone. Nice to meet you. My name's Tyme, and I will be your math teacher." Tyme said with a smile, looking around at them all.

"Good morning Miss Tyme!" the class greeted the instructor, who nodded and began her lecture about classroom expectations and what she wanted out of the class.

"Sorry to put you all on the spot at the start of class, but let me ask you a quick question—Do you enjoy numbers, arithmetic, and the like?" Tyme asked the students, who gave some noncommittal answers. Nemona answered yes, while Milo just shrugged without giving a real answer. Truthfully, he didn't really care for math a whole lot and preferred his music class.

"Oh, my." Miss Tyme chuckled at the varied answers. "Thank you for your honest responses. Some of you may like numbers, and some may not. I think that makes a wonderful mix. But no matter your opinion on math, I hope you find yourselves enjoying our lessons together! I'll do my best to find a good way to match up your interests with all types of math lessons!"

"Speaking of which, are you all caught up on your studies of Pokémon type matchups? For example, Grass is strong against Water, and Water is strong against Fire, correct?" Tyme said to the class, who all nodded. Tyme then glanced at Milo, who braced himself to be asked a question.

"Milo, you seem to be good with Pokémon, so let me ask you this... Bearing in mind that Water is strong against Fire... If the move Water Gun hits a Fire-type Pokémon, what becomes of the move's damage?" Tyme asked the Galarian teen, who responded right away.

"It gets doubled." Milo answered immediately, earning a grin from the instructor.

"That's right! I knew I could count on you for this question, Master Milo." Tyme remarked, nodding at him. "If I remember right, you have two badges under your belt. At this point in your Trainer career, you would know that."

"Yes ma'am." Milo answered politely, with Nemona chuckling softly in front of him. Tyme nodded and resumed her lecture.

"Using moves of a type that your opponent is weak to is a super-effective tactic! it multiplies the damage of those moves by two! On the other hand, using moves of a type that your opponent is resistant to isn't very effective. It divides the damage of your moves by two." Tyme went on, tapping the lectern in front of her with her hand.

What followed was about another hour of lessons, running through several exercises and calculating damage. Tyme even went into the art of figuring out whether or not you could knock out a Pokémon based on an assessment of how many Health Points they likely had left. At one point, Tyme laughed as she finished running through one of her math drills.

"I don't mean to encroach on Ms. Dendra's battle studies territory, of course, but I thought it best to use a lively topic as an example. That can make math fun even for those of you who don't much like the subject, don't you think?" Tyme asked the class, only for a loud chime to ring out.

"Oh, my. Is that the bell? I suppose that's all for now." Tyme remarked, shrugging her shoulders. "What a shame... I'm looking forward to seeing you all in the next class. I hope you're looking forward to it, too!"'

The class filed out, with Milo walking out of the door alongside Nemona. The Champion tapped Milo on the shoulder and muttered under her breath. "Meet me in the Teacher's Lounge in twenty minutes! I've got a surprise for you!"

Before the Galarian had even a moment to say anything Nemona sped off, leaving a confused Milo behind. The teen shrugged his shoulders before walking off towards the Teacher's Lounge. After about twenty minutes and getting lost twice, Milo finally found the correct room. A quick glance around informed him that some of his teachers were hanging out there, including Raifort at the back of the room and Salvatore directly to his right.

"Oh, hey Mr. Salvatore." Milo greeted the Language instructor, who perked up slightly upon being greeted. The dark-skinned man glanced around for a moment before smiling at the student.

"Oh! Milo!" Salvatore said to the teen as he glanced around the room. The Galarian looked over at the Languages teacher and walked over to him. "Did you come all the way here to the Staff Room just to see me?"

"All the way here?" Milo responded, frowning in thought. It wasn't that far of a walk to the teacher's lounge, even if Milo had gotten lost. Meanwhile, Salvatore laughed heartily and grinned at the student.

"Seems I've finally made it into the hearts of my students! That makes me très happy!" Salavtore remarked, gesturing widely with his arms. He calmed down a bit though and looked at a somewhat confused Milo as he put a hand on his hip.

"After all, like I said in class, communication is very important! If there's anything you're confused about in class, or if you're having trouble here at the academy...you can always come here and tell me, ton ami Salvatore—your friend Salvatore, that is! Ouais!" the man said warmly, with Milo smiling back at him.

"Thanks sir. I'll keep that in mind. Everything's been going pretty well, though." Milo responded with a nod, causing Salvatore to clap his hands together lightly.

"Wonderful! That being said, I should be off soon. My next class starts in a few minutes! Keep your chin up and have a good day, my young friend! Farewell! Au revoir!" Salvatore said before walking past Milo, who found himself smiling as the teacher departed. He made a move to walk over to one of the nearby chairs, only to run headfirst into someone else and almost topple onto the ground.

"Agh! Sorry about that…" Milo muttered as he regained his footing. Raifort looked hardly bothered, instead giving him a cool look. "Oh! Sorry, ma'am."

"You're... Ah, yes. Mio from class 1-A." Raifort said quietly, tilting her head as she gave the student a piercing look. Milo felt a shiver roll down his spine, and was inwardly glad that there were several other people in the room with him.

"The way you conduct yourself in my class and the answers you give to my questions... I admit they pique my interest. You are quite the interesting pupil, I must say." Raifort intoned, causing the student to be even more confused.

"Um…I'm going to take that as a compliment?" Milo said unsurely, with Raifort nodding slowly in response. She then offered him a crooked smile.

"Tell me, Milo - given a choice, which do you prefer? Things of old? Or things that are new?" the History teacher asked, with the student considering the question for a moment.

"I prefer older things. History's not my forte, but it's definitely better than math." Milo remarked, though he glanced around nervously for a moment. "Just don't tell Miss Tyme I said that."

"Ah. So you prefer the things of the past, do you? The potential I saw in you was real after all." Raifort glanced off to the side and seemingly stared off into space, causing the student in front of her to look even more confused. "Yes, this one may indeed be of good use to me someday..."

"Excuse me?" Milo asked, his eyes widening in surprise at that strange statement.

"Ah, you can disregard that. I was simply thinking out loud." Raifort said with a wave of her hand.

"No seriously, what was that about you using me-"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"But you just said-!"

"I enjoyed our little conversation today. You have my thanks, Milo." Raifort said with a nod to him, giving him a mysterious smile before brushing right past the bewildered teen. Milo barely had any time to process what the hell had just happened because Nemona entered the room and immediately saw him standing there.

"Milo! Thanks for waiting! Took longer than I thought it would to print out the reservations, but then I realized that it was all on our phones anyway!" Nemona tried to explain, only to further confuse her friend.

"So what's your big surprise?" Milo asked Nemona, who beamed at him before showing him her phone. On it was a confirmed reservation at the Harbor's Haven, which looked to be a rather ritzy-looking hotel in Levincia with a stunning view of the ocean.

"You're heading to Levincia soon to battle Iono, so I took the liberty of booking a stay at the best hotel in Levincia for us!" Nemona said brightly, catching Milo by complete surprise.

"Separate rooms, of course!" Nemona quickly added, seeing the growing blush on her friend's face. Her own cheeks had gotten a bit red with embarrassment, especially as Dendra snickered from a nearby chair. Milo had no idea when the Battle Studies teacher had shown up, but her timing was awful. "But the owner owed me a favor and comped me two free rooms! I was thinking a few days in Levincia would be a bunch of fun! Levincia has everything! Shopping, beaches and a really fun battling scene."

"I probably should do some shopping." Milo muttered under his breath, catching Nemona's attention. "Storm shredded some of my clothes the other day when she was fighting with Reggie. All of my swimming shirts got ripped to tatters and my favorite trainer cap got ruined."

"Well, we can do some shopping there for sure then!" Nemona chirped, grinning at her friend for a moment before she seemed to realize something and looked rather worried. "Oh, um. This isn't too much, is it?"

"Nemona, this is awesome. Never stop being you." Milo said to his friend, who beamed at him with an expression of such joy that Milo felt almost embarrassed that there were other people in the room. With that, Milo and Nemona filed out of the Staff Room and made their way to their next classes.

Unfortunately, Milo realized a little too late that he had signed up for a history lesson today, which meant that he'd have to confront Raifort once more. However, to help ease his discomfort, he called out Shelly so that the cheery Shellder could keep him company in the strange woman's class.

And so the teen sat down for his lesson, sitting his Pokémon onto his desk. Milo exchanged a nod with Flynn as the teen waved at him from the other side of the room and flat-out ignored Rafael as the older teen tried to catch his eye.

Rafael had been allowed back into classes now that his suspension was over and he had been able to appeal to prevent further repercussions. However, the teen hadn't given up trying to get into a battle with Milo no matter how many times the Galarian had shot him down.

"Greetings, my little students. Whatever you did yesterday, it is now a part of history." Raifort said to them all, her mysterious smile sending shivers down Milo's spine as the last of the students got to their seats.

"Today, we will continue to unravel the marvels that history has presented to us." Raifort said as she gestured to the electronic board, which began to show various images detailing several important-looking figures wearing crowns. One in particular wore a cold expression, his black eyes gleaming with an almost unnatural sheen.

"About two thousand years ago, this region came under the rule of the Paldean Empire. Historical accounts describe the Paldean emperor as being quite the dictator." Raifort explained, smirking deviously as she poked the man's portrait. "Emperor Alfonzo the First, also known as Alfonzo the Almighty. Such a fascinating topic that I could devote an entire year to discussing..."

Raifort glanced to the class, her expression souring slightly. "However, I've yet to be able to swing that with Director Clavell, so I'll give you some tidbits here and there."

"Tidbits like what, ma'am?" another student sitting to the left of Milo asked.

"You see, this Emperor also zealously believed the legend of the treasure that rests deep within Area Zero." Raifort added, catching the attention of most of the class. Rafael in particular leaned forward in his chair, his expression intense. Raifort continued her lesson, detailing some of the history of Alfonzo the Almighty and the might of the Paldea Empire, though naturally the teacher's attention eventually wandered.

"I must mention that the civilizations of our ancestors were not as developed as ours is today." Raifort lamented with a shrug of the shoulders. "People back then were far more likely to believe in mysterious legends, magic, and beings beyond human comprehension. In an attempt to gain the power to stand against Paldea's neighboring countries, the Emperor sent people in droves to join the hunt for the fabled treasure of Area Zero."

"But what is the treasure of Area Zero, Miss Raifort? Surely you have some kind of idea." Flynn asked, with Raifort cracking a grin at the question.

"Scholars have been debating it for years, my child. Is it a weapon? A treasure horde? Perhaps it's a Pokémon? It could even be something else entirely…a monster beyond mortal comprehension." Raifort's eyes shimmered with excitement and as she turned around she noticed one student staring at her with a bewildered expression.

Raifort's grin twisted into a devious smirk. "Aha. Perfect timing to make eye contact, young Milo. Answer me this...approximately how many years ago was it that the Paldean Empire began to rule this region?"

"About two thousand years ago." Milo muttered, causing Raifort to grin with delight.

"Heh. That is correct! You are a surprisingly clever one, aren't you? I see you're listening intently to my lecture." Raifort then inclined her head towards the Galarian student, who just nodded since he had no idea what the proper response to Raifort was.

"The answer is about two thousand years ago. That is when the Great Era of Exploration began. However, it is said that not a single adventurer sent out by Emperor Alfonzo ever reached the depths of Area Zero." Raifort remarked with a chuckle, tapping the picture on the screen with a smirk. "Yes, you were a crazy, crazy man. They said his greed was his undoing, as was his terrible curiosity for the unknown and mysterious."

Raifort's eyes flickered to Rafael, who she noticed was leaning forward in his chair with interest and hanging onto her every word. "Emperor Alfonzo cared not who died in his hunt for answers and treasure. And so countless souls were lost in the hunt for the hidden treasure of Area Zero."

"Was it the punishing journey itself that barred their way? Or perhaps some unknown creature?" Raifort asked, the interested gleam in her showed how much she wanted to know the answer to that question. "The resounding failure of this Great Era of Exploration almost certainly heightened the air of mystery surrounding the crater."

"Oh, what I wouldn't give to explore Area Zero in its untouched state at that time! I suppose I can only hope for the swift invention of a time machine." Raifort lamented, with several of the students in the class laughing at the absurdity of the idea. Even Milo cracked a smile at the idea of it. A loud chime rang out through the school, signalling the end of class.

"Oho, is that the time already? I must've gotten swept up in filling your minds with knowledge." Raifort said as she seemed to calm herself down, with the teacher straightening her back and gesturing towards the door. "This ends today's lesson. We will unravel more of history's enigmas together next time."

Milo picked up Shelly and quickly made his way out of the door, checking his phone to see if he had any missed messages. He was surprised to see that Juliana had made plans to have lunch with Arven and that they had started half an hour ago, so any lunch plans with either of them weren't happening. Shrugging his shoulders, Milo decided to head to the cafeteria to grab some food and then head back to his room to study.

However, en route to the cafeteria, he spotted a familiar girl walking with slumped shoulders, her Eevee backpack bouncing behind her. Milo also noticed the unhappy expression on her face and frowned. He then quickened his pace until he was about even with the girl before greeting her.

"Hey Penny, how's it going?" Milo asked with a grin, causing the girl to yelp in surprise.

"H-holy…don't scare me like that!" Penny whispered, taking a second to breathe. Milo smirked for a moment, but wiped his face clear of emotion by the time Penny looked back at him.

"Alright, now that I can breathe again, what do you want? Cassiopeia's been quiet lately and hasn't said anything about the timing for the next step in Operation Starfall." Penny said in a low voice, her expression rather dour as she looked nervously at Milo.

"I was going to ask if you wanted to grab something to eat. My lunch plans fell through and I'm starving." Milo said to the other teen, who's eyes widened almost comically at the question.

"Umm…gimme me a sec to think about it." Penny heaved a heavy sigh and muttered something under her breath that Milo didn't quite catch. After several seconds of silence, Penny spoke up in a louder voice.

"Y-yeah, why not?" Penny relented, with Milo grinning as Shelly cried out from within his arms. The two Galarians made their way deeper into the school, a silence between them that felt natural.

After all, what more did two introverts need to say to one another when their objective was food?

Schoolyard

Arven paused to take a shaky breath as he spoke to the four girls who were staring at him intently. He was oddly nervous about what he was going to say next, but the upperclassman felt like he owed them an explanation. "So like I was saying earlier…I've been trying to help one of my Pokémon who got badly injured a while back. And…I guess it's easier to show rather than tell. Ladies, this is Moe."

The older teen was already sitting on the large blanket he normally had ready for picnics, with a massive spread of food already set out for everyone. Sara, Kara, Nalani and Juliana were sitting nearby and watching with expectant expressions as Arven pulled out his fourth Poké Ball, one that none of them had seen before, and called out Moe the Mabosstiff.

Immediately the girl's impatient attitudes turned to horror, seeing the badly injured Pokémon who didn't even seem capable of standing. Moe grunted softly, but it was a small noise with no energy behind it.

"That's your Partner…the one you said who got hurt?" Nalani asked in a small voice, seeing the dire state the Mabosstiff was in. Moe was lying down on his belly, breathing deeply as his eyes glanced at each of the girls. While two doses of Herba Mystica had helped him immensely, Moe was nowhere near healthy enough to even move on his own.

"Moe's my best buddy. I've had him since I was a kid. He's…the only real family I've got these days." Arven admitted quietly, looking away from them. The girls exchanged looks of sadness, now understanding the awful position that Arven had been put in. "I've already mentioned the Herba Mystica and the Titans. Milo agreed to help me out because that's the only thing I could find in my research that even had a chance of helping."

"And has it?" Kara softly asked Arven, who nodded as he rubbed Moe's head.

"Yeah. Moe couldn't even open his eyes until we got our hands on the Bitter Herba Mystica that the Open Sky Titan had hidden away. He's gotten loads better, but he's still not in good shape. If Milo hadn't agreed to help me, there's no way I would've been able to take on the Titans by myself. And by this point…Moe would be gone." Arven said with a sigh, earning a small whine from Moe. Arven managed a weak smile as he scratched Moe's head.

"Milo was helping me battle the Open Sky Titan the day you got hurt. That's why he wasn't there when Team Star crashed the Pep Rally. I know you already said you're not mad, but…I'm sorry we weren't there for you. I don't know how long Moe can hang on, and I-" Arven tried to apologize, but Juliana wasn't having any of it.

"Apology accepted. Again. Is there any way we can help you and Moe?" Juliana asked Arven in a firm voice, causing the older teen to blink twice in response.

Just like Milo…no hesitation to help once they knew what was going on. Arven thought as he stared at the girls with a dumbfounded expression, absolutely speechless by the immediate understanding and support he was given.

"Come on, man. You're trying to save your best friend. It's really sweet." Sara said with a big grin, crossing her arms. "Ol' big bad Arven's just a big softie!"

"Maybe we can help. I'm crap at battling, but Juliana's pretty decent and at the very least we can look into rumors about the Titans." Nalani offered to Arven, who looked completely floored by the suggestion of more people helping him. Milo had practically been a godsend. A handful of other friends lending a helping hand? Arven felt tears sting his eyes, and he fought to keep his composure as he looked away from them.

"You girls are the best. T-thanks. Thank you so, so much." Arven muttered as he took a shaky breath. Kara suddenly clapped her hands hard, drawing everyone's attention away from Arven as he tried to steady his emotions.

"Now then, I'm starving! Let's eat our lunch before Juliana devours it all." Kara said as she opened the picnic basket. Juliana glanced around for a moment before making an extremely rude gesture in Kara's direction while Sara and Nalani snickered.

Moe grunted softly, but Arven couldn't help a watery smile as he watched his Mabosstiff's tail wag slowly with excitement. There were times he thought he'd never see Moe wag his tail ever again.

Now though…now I've got friends who have my back. And we're going to make you better again. I promise you. Arven thought to himself as he fought back tears, looking down at his Pokémon and gently rubbing Moe's back. He then noticed Juliana giving him a warm smile, and Arven returned it with a happy grin of his own.

Chapter Text

Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet

Chapter 32: Crazy Carlos' Cyclizar Cleaning Center

Many Years Ago…

Galar Region, Motostoke

Diego Caballero had been on the phone all day, and he wondered if he would start sprouting gray hair.

There had been an attack in Alola during a tournament that was being broadcast live to the world. Akala Island had been compromised by the terrorist group known as Cipher and the Pokémon League as a whole was scrambling to figure out a game plan to handle the situation as it spiraled out of control. People had already been killed and there were countless injured at Royal Avenue.

Diego was a mere ambassador to Galar, and barely even knew anything more than what was circulating online and the live footage that was being shared in the center of the stadium. That was where the Cipher Admin leading the attack was holding a bloodied and unconscious foreign Champion hostage and broadcasting his grievances to a worldwide audience.

"Oh yeah, and a Champion got tortured in front of the whole world. That also happened." Diego groused, feeling a headache coming on. Dozens of foreign Trainers and other important people were stuck in the midst of complete chaos. The scene was one of absolute devastation, and Diego had no idea how on earth to proceed or even if he could do anything about it. He hated this helpless feeling, but he was in Galar and had no way of assisting. And so after a long day of doing his actual job, he had no other recourse than to return to his family and hope for the best.

Diego finally got home and when he got inside, he was greeted with an excited shout from Florian as he peered into the entryway. The boy's face was pale, but despite that he was wearing an excited smile. Diego felt a pang of fear as his oldest child ran towards him as he walked into the hallway. Hannah Caballero looked like a nervous wreck on the couch, and she looked at her husband questioningly. Diego shook his head a single time before Florian grabbed his father's hand and pulled him into the living room.

"There was this crazy attack in Alola, Dad! But this kid! He beat the bad guy all on his own!" Florian said excitedly, grinning at his father who blinked in genuine surprise. "He was about my age!"

"Really? A boy fighting a Cipher Admin?" Diego muttered, glancing towards his wife. This had to have been a recent update, because it was the first he had heard of it.

Hannah Caballero nodded and patted the couch, and with that Diego went to join his wife in watching the news coverage of the incident. Florian sat down beside them, watching the highlights and playback.

Sure enough, a boy with black hair and storm-gray eyes was in a Pokémon Battle with a man wielding a gun that was wreathed in golden flames. It was like something out of a cartoon, but the bloodied and unconscious Champion behind the villain informed him this was something all too real.

The terrible gleam of madness, hatred and obsession within the man's eyes horrified Diego and made Florian and Hannah both noticeably shiver with unease. The man was apparently obsessed with justice and getting back at the Pokémon League for their failure to stop recent calamities. The boy continued to try and talk sense into the villain, who was facing some kind of internal struggle while they battled.

What Diego was interested in was the fact that the boy and the man seemed to know each other somehow and the boy kept trying to talk down the villain despite the danger he was in. Diego faintly recognized the man as a bounty hunter from Hoenn that had slipped through the cracks for years, but the details escaped him.

But what was apparent was that the boy had managed to change the heart of the villain after defeating him in a high-pitched battle. He had even managed to convince the villain to stand down and flee with his forces rather than continue fighting. It was an oddly moving experience, even for a man who was as well-travelled as Diego Caballero.

"That boy…Sunshine Smiles was his name, right?" Diego asked Florian, who nodded.

"Yeah! And Sun saved the day! I mean, it's horrible what happened already, but he stopped more people from getting hurt and made those guys retreat. Isn't that crazy?" Florian said with an excited smile, and Diego looked at his son with some surprise.

"I wonder if I could ever be like that. When I get my Trainer's License and we move out of this place…could I be that cool?" Florian whispered excitedly, seeing Sun walk over to an unconscious man and check his pulse as a tanned boy ran over to Sun.

There was an inspired light in Florian's eyes that he had never seen before, and it took Diego a moment to realize why this was. Florian had gotten to see what a hero was in real-time.

A mere boy his age had managed to save the day, and had even managed to talk down a villain and ensure more lives weren't lost during a terrible situation. And that had motivated the boy immensely, and more importantly, given him hope. It had inspired him and made him hope to work towards being like that brave boy on TV.

But on the other hand…Florian had also seen firsthand the evil that truly lurked out there in the world. He had witnessed someone do terrible things for the sake of their own convictions, resulting in pain and suffering to others.

Diego could only hope that his children would never have to witness something like that again.

Present

Naranja Academy: Schoolyard

After Arven's big reveal, the girls all let out their Pokémon and enjoyed the massive spread of sandwiches and homemade pastries that Arven had made for them. Sara already had sent out her own bird, a Squawkabilly named Peepo who kept trying to peck her hands. Kara had called out a Spidops named Parker, who was a quiet but excitable bug. Juliana's team was already clustered around them, with Niles sitting besides Juliana looking uncomfortable as usual. Arven then noticed Juliana giving Nalani a very unimpressed look, which he assumed was because of the small owl sitting on her lap.

"Don't judge me! This is Notch's first time getting to meet everyone! He's usually so shy, so I'm taking this as a win!" Nalani said defensively, knowing full-well that Juliana and the other girls were looking at her skeptically. The Alolan girl was the newest Trainer amongst them, so she was still getting used to the whole experience. That being said, Juliana still had thoughts.

"You totally got one because Champion Sun has Oliver." Juliana muttered loudly under her breath, causing Nalani to blush furiously. The Champion of Alola's Decidueye was infamous as his ace, and the owl evolutionary line had a surge of popularity when the boy had been crowned Champion of the Alola region over two years ago.

"S-So what!? He's a national hero, my Champion, and he's cute! Besides, Notch is my perfect little angel! Aren't you baby?" Nalani cooed to the owl, who tilted his head and hooted in response.

"Anyway, I meant to ask before we got sidetracked with Arven's big reveal, but what are you doing for your current event reports?" Sara asked the other girls, leaning back on her hands.

"Current events?" Arven asked as he fed some small bites of his sandwich to Moe. Meanwhile, Barbossa and Munchy were attempting to devour the pile of treats Arven had set aside for them while Nusret happily sat in his Trainer's lap.

"You'd know about this if you went to class more." Sara remarked with an amused smirk. "Current events are literally that. Recent events that have happened in the world, whether they're here in Paldea or elsewhere. I was debating doing one and the efforts to control illegal Pokémon Breeding here in Paldea."

Nalani nodded at that. "Yeah, in some regions you don't need a special license to have more than six Pokémon. I know Paldea's a bit iffy with that, depending on who you know."

"Galar has some interesting laws too. We've got some of the strongest gun control in the world. But on the other hand, we also have the death penalty for criminals too dangerous to keep in prisons. Plus stuff like assisted suicide." Juliana explained, causing the twins to jerk back in response.

"Assisted suicide!? That sounds horrible!" Nalani cried out, also sounding horrified.

"Does it? If it works how I'm thinking, isn't that only for people who are already dying a slow, painful death and don't want to suffer anymore?" Arven asked, surprising all of the girls who didn't expect him to know about that. Juliana nodded at the question.

"Yep. It's considered a way out for people who have no options for treatment. Some consider it a way to die on their own terms. My Aunt Sylvia used it after going through several years of treatment for cancer…I miss her, but I'm glad she's not suffering anymore." Juliana said quietly, but she cleared her throat loudly after a moment and spoke again in a firmer tone. "I also know that there's some people who choose to go that way but also donate their healthy organs to people who need them. It's a bit morbid, but interesting."

"Sounds like you've done your research." Arven remarked, causing Juliana to shrug her shoulders.

"I looked into it a while back when my aunt died. I learned a lot. Anyways, back to the topic at hand, topics for this report. What are you all planning to write about? I'm struggling for ideas." Juliana asked the others.

"I'm digging into La Primera's initiative to try and get more Trainers to tackle the Gym Circuit. From the sounds of things, she's having a hard time handling foreign affairs due to a lack of manpower." Sara said as she leaned back on the blanket. "From what I hear online, Hassel's classes are so sporadic because he's handling a bunch of the international coordination stuff that the League usually relies on Champions for."

"Whoa. That's a pretty complicated topic." Arven said with some surprise, with Sara nodding in agreement.

"Maybe you should interview Nemona about that. She might know. I don't think there's many active Champion-rank Trainers in Paldea at the moment." Kara remarked, frowning for a moment. "I know a bunch of them died in some crazy accident a few years ago."

"I remember that…And you're right, sis! How'd I forget about that? Maybe I can grab her when she's not dragging Milo around school." Sara said with a giggle, causing the other girls to smirk and Arven to roll his eyes. With that, it was Kara's turn to talk about what she was going to be working on.

"I'm doing a report on Katy and her outreach program! Guzma, Katy's fiancé, started a big program to help ex-prisoners out of jail get jobs to support themselves and Katy's been spreading the word! It's really wholesome and it's really helping Cortondo!" Kara said excitedly, reaching into her backpack and pulling out a notebook. "I actually plan on heading to interview them both at the Cortondo Gym later on. Probably once the Friendship Festival is wrapped up."

"Yeah, from what I know of that Guzma guy he had a rough life back in Alola. You spreading the word even further about how he and Katy are helping people support themselves and adjust would help out even more, I bet." Arven said with a grin, causing Kara to beam at the other student.

"Man, you both have super cool topics. I'm drawing a blank myself. I was actually considering doing a report about something local here, but I'm having second thoughts." Juliana said with a small sigh, rubbing her head.

"Maybe there's something happening back in Galar you could report on. That'd make your report stand out." Nalani suggested, with Juliana perking up at the idea.

"Maybe I could do something about Motostoke. There's been a bunch of crazy changes lately, especially in leadership." Juliana muttered under her breath, hit by a stroke of inspiration. "I could maybe do one on how awesome Victor or Leon are, but that'd be restating things people can just look up on Festival Plaza. Maybe I could do one about Mayor Spencer and his achievements?"

"Who's Mayor Spencer?" Arven asked Juliana, who turned to her upperclassman friend.

"Mayor Spencer was the mayor of Motostoke back home in Galar. Mum always enjoyed hearing his speeches on TV and Dad always talked highly of him. I never got a chance to meet him myself, and only saw him when he did speeches at the stadium before Kabu's Gym Battles." Juliana said with a smile. However, Arven caught onto something about what she had said.

"...was the mayor of Motostoke?" Arven asked, noticing the past tense. Juliana nodded, her expression becoming rather somber as her smile slipped away.

"He passed away about a year ago. I heard they're even building a statue of him in the center of Motostoke to honor him. When he was alive, he was considered one of the best leaders Galar ever had. He was basically the exact opposite of a lot of politicians these days. Really cared about other people and he he died saving lives." Juliana's expression became thoughtful after a moment. "It'd be a cool way to honor his memory, thinking about it. Doing a school report on Mayor Spencer."

"Ooh, that's giving me some ideas. I lived in Alola during some of the crazy stuff that happened a few years back. I could totally do one on Gladion or Lillie Jardin! Or the cute new Kahuna on Melemele Island! Or maybe I could-" Nalani was stopped when Kara stuffed a cupcake into her mouth, causing the Alolan girl to topple over with a muffled cry. Arven and Juliana snickered as the Nalani tried to cough up cupcake and desperately lunged for the lemonade, only for Sara to dangle it out of reach.

What resulted was yet another mad dash where the twins and Nalani chased each other around the schoolyard. Juliana and Arven both watched with amusement, with a sleepy Moe deciding now was the perfect time to take a nap.

Meanwhile

Cafeteria

Milo grabbed his sandwich from the food line and sat down to the table furthest away from everyone else, which is where Penny was already sitting with her hood drawn up over her face. Not that it mattered, since no one was paying any attention to her anyway.

"You good?" Milo asked before taking a bite of his sandwich, with Penny nodding mutely in response. After about five minutes of silence, and Penny managing only a few nibbles of her sandwich while Milo had finished half of his own, the girl finally spoke.

"S-sorry. Being out in public makes me…nervous. The cafeteria food is tasty though, so I can't complain." Penny murmured, taking a larger bite of her sandwich. "People are scary and I prefer to keep my head down. I do my classes and then hide in my room so no one bothers me. It's better that way."

"It's all good. You don't have to talk whatever's going on if you don't want to, but I'm happy to listen." Milo said with a smile, earning a nod from the girl. To Penny's relief, the other Galarian didn't pester her too much and just enjoyed her company, which was something entirely new to the girl. She did think it was nice that he was concerned about her, though.

I'm not used to people actually being happy that I'm around… Penny thought ruefully, though she was snapped out of her thoughts when her phone buzzed for a moment. Penny took a moment to glance at it and see that it was her boyfriend texting her. With a swift hand movement, Penny unlocked her phone and shot him a reply before closing it again, a faint smile on her face.

"So, how've you been adjusting? Paldea's different from Galar, you know?" Penny asked Milo, who looked surprised that she had asked him a direct question.

"I've been enjoying it. I've been trying to fight and old instincts to just hide in my room and play games, but it's been really fun exploring the region on my Treasure Hunt." Milo answered, with Penny tilting her head slightly with a confused frown.

"You're a recluse too?" Penny asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not so much these days. Before Paldea, I had nothing but time to play video games and too few reasons to go outside." Milo remarked with a chuckle, thinking back to how far he had come since his days struggling at Trainer school. "Here, I've got too much going on."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. I do nothing but watch anime and game these days. Though to be blunt, I'm honestly just shocked to see you of all people show up at Naranja Academy. Seeing you in the flesh on the Academy steps that first day was…weird." Penny remarked, taking another small bite of her sandwich.

"You heard of me before we met?" Milo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course. You're Florian Caballero, the Motostoke Miracle, aren't you? I remember hearing about what happened to you on the news. How'd you end up coming to this place after all that?" Penny asked Milo directly, looking him in the eyes. The boy's expression suddenly went blank, and Penny was somewhat impressed that he was able to do something like that. Few people could manage their emotions that well, but Penny noticed the other Galarian was noticeably shaking despite his emotionless face.

"Sorry if this came up out of the blue. Cassiopeia mentioned it to me, and I remembered why you seemed a little familiar." Penny remarked, watching Milo's facial expression somehow becoming even more difficult to read. She looked away from him as her phone buzzed again, showing that she had gotten a reply from her boyfriend. "For what it's worth…I'm sorry you had to go through all of that. And-"

"Don't you ever call me that again." Milo finally said, cutting Penny off and making the girl freeze. She chanced a glance at the other student, and saw that his expression was no longer neutral. It was angry. His eyes were narrowed, and his voice was as cold as ice.

"That stupid title isn't something to be proud of. It's not a good thing. It's just a horrible reminder…and I just want to forget it. Forget it and move on." Milo muttered as he let out a small exhale of frustration, taking a bite of his sandwich. He had lost his appetite, but he knew he needed to finish eating. "The only good that came out of that terrible name was my nickname."

"Your nickname? You mean Milo?" Penny asked in a tiny voice, barely a squeak. She was now realizing that she had made an awful mistake, and that she should've realized the other teen was sensitive about what had happened. Understandably so, and Penny inwardly cursed the fact that she lacked any kind of people skills. She had accidentally stepped into a minefield with the other teen.

"Mum calls me Milagro, which is Paldean for miracle. I turned that into a nickname for myself, since I kinda hate the name Florian. But that's the only exception. I refuse to let people here call me the Motostoke Miracle. Don't say that around me again, please." Milo said to Penny, who nodded frantically.

"Okay, okay! Message received! I won't ever mention it again!" Penny said in a panicked whisper, sounding genuinely terrified at how far south the conversation had gone. Milo looked genuinely annoyed, his eyes still blazing with emotion. "Sorry I ever brought it up."

Milo took a few seconds to calm himself down, and Penny once again saw his mask slip into place. He was, outwardly at least, cool as a cucumber. "Most people don't think to mention it. I think you're the only one who put two and two together and figured out who I am. I haven't even told my closest friends about it…it's too painful. I haven't figured things out yet. All I can do is keep trying to move forward."

"I see. Um, I hope you don't mind me saying that trying to push your feelings through like that probably isn't healthy." Penny said meekly, with Milo shrugging his shoulders.

"As long as I can handle my pain, I'll keep on saying that I'm okay. I can't afford not to be." Milo muttered that last part so quietly Penny almost didn't catch it. She felt a shiver run down her spine at that ominous comment, but she also didn't want to push him further. She had no right to pry any further into his past than she had already.

"I'd like to offer you moral support, but I have questionable morals." Penny muttered uneasily, causing Milo to finally shake off his gloom as he smirked with amusement.

"Maybe so. But the point is I'm here in Paldea and I've got other things to think about. This is a fresh start for me. And between the Gym Circuit, fighting Titans and dealing with Team Star I can't get bogged down with things that I can't change." Milo said to Penny, who considered all of that and what she knew about the other Galarian.

Yeah, this guy is totally avoiding his problems and not dealing with his trauma appropriately. I wonder how quickly that'll come back to bite him? Penny thought to herself with a grimace before suddenly realizing something that made her lower her sandwich.

"Wait, you have all that stuff going on. You're also still dealing with…things." Penny said slowly, as if trying to wrap her head around a concept she couldn't grasp. Milo just looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to finish her thought.

"And despite the amount of stuff on your plate, you invited me to have lunch with you and make sure I was okay. Why?" Penny asked Milo, who didn't respond right away. He had a thoughtful look on his face as he chewed his food. When he swallowed, he looked at Penny and answered.

"To be totally honest, when I saw you walking down the hallway you were frowning. You looked like you wanted nothing more than to vanish into your own shadow. And I thought that…you looked like you needed a friend right now" Milo answered quietly, giving her a wan smile as Penny blinked in surprise.

"Besides, I'm still learning how to fight old habits and stop being such a home. I know how much having some mates around has made me happier. Sorry if I overstepped or anything, Penny." Milo said to the girl, who finally snapped out of her shock and looked away from Milo, considering his words.

She thought of everything he had been through. And how despite all of that, he reached a hand of friendship out to her for no other reason than kindness.

But to have a friend? Would that be okay? Especially if it was him? Do I have that right…? Penny thought to herself, feeling a bubble of guilt in her gut, knowing what he didn't.

"T-thanks, Milo. I…I appreciate it." Penny muttered to the other student, offering him a small but genuine smile. Milo grinned at Penny and held out a fist to the girl, who lightly tapped it with her own.

The two students finished up their lunch and bid each other farewell. Milo went up to his room for a small break and a short nap. After studying for a little while and spending some time with his Pokémon, Milo decided to finally bite and bullet and deal with an errand he had been putting off for over a week.

He glanced over at Koraidon, who was looking towards the window with an expression of intense concentration. Milo noticed that the two antennae on either side of the beast's head were faintly flickering with a bright white light. However, after several moments of watching Koraidon, the beast let out a small hiss of pain as red static crackled around its body.

"Didn't Professor Sada mention that Koraidon probably has powers that even she's unaware of?" Milo muttered to himself, watching the creature shake its head back and forth as if to clear it. His answer came in the form of Storm the Wattrel letting out a piercing screech as she swooped overhead, clutching Smith the Applin in her talons as he cried out in horror.

Five minutes later, Milo was returning Storm while patting a distraught Applin on the head. Reggie growled something to the Applin, who seemed to perk up a little, with Watt and Fleur also trying to calm the Applin down. The words of the Crocalor, Pikachu and Steenee seemed to succeed after a few minutes as Smith looked noticeably more upbeat when Milo glanced down at him again.

"Alright, now that terror time is dealt with, I've got to stop procrastinating and handle my one big errand. I just hope I can find a spot to do this without having to head out into the Wilds. That'd be annoying as hell." Milo grumbled as he hopped to his feet, returning his entire team and glancing over at Koraidon. The beast looked at him expectantly, and Milo sighed as he smiled wanly at his faithful companion.

Meanwhile…

Student Council Room

"Looks like everything's going smoothly, Prez. The teachers did a lot of the heavy-lifting for the Friendship Festival, which just left getting the cultural booths and stuff sorted out. I think we'll all be able to cut out of school early the day after next to enjoy the Festival ourselves without having to babysit anyone."

"Good! Thank you all for being so on top of things! I've smoothed out things as much as I could on my end with the mayor of Mesagoza and the Pokémon League, but you all have done a great job." Nemona said to the students gathered at the table, nodding in particular to Antonio, her Vice President. The upperclassman nodded, leaning back in his chair while the others talked excitedly.

"And remember, I'll be handling the booth for Naranja Academy. Consider it paying back all the times you helped me out here, Champ." Antonio said with an easy smile, with Nemona nodding gratefully to the senior.

"Gracias, Antonio. Normally I'd take that on, but I've got plans for the night and really want to be able to enjoy the Festival." Nemona thanked the older student, but her comment had drawn the attention of the rest of the student council.

"Ooooh, you're busy? Are you taking the cute new transfer student out on a date?" asked the Treasurer, a senior named Suzie with a teasing smile on her face. Nemona shook her head, ignoring the heat rushing to her face and the strange swooping sensation in her chest.

"Naw, me and Milo aren't like that. I did want to show him around though. He's never had a chance to experience one of these Festivals, since they don't really have them back in Galar from what he's told me." Nemona said to the rest of the Student Council, with some of them exchanging dubious looks.

"I dunno. I saw you two holding hands on more than one occasion…"

"He's like, the only boy you actually hang out with. Are you sure you're not a thing?"

"I think you two would be pretty cute together."

"W-we're g-getting a bit off-track here!" Nemona sputtered as the entirety of the table began to get into the conversation.

"Ooooh, she's getting embarrassed!" Suzie snickered as Nemona sat down in her chair and crossed her arms with annoyance.

"Cut the Champ some slack. Besides, Milo is pretty impressive. I still can't believe he took down Giacomo and Segin Squad…I hope our old Prez doesn't hold a grudge for what we did to him." Antonio muttered under his breath, a guilty frown on his face.

"Maybe you can get Milo to become part of the Student Council? Me and Antonio have another two months until graduation, and you'll need some new blood." Suzie suggested to Nemona, who perked up at the idea. The Student Council President then frowned and shook her head after a moment.

"I can suggest it, but I don't want anyone to get a job on the team through nepotism. If he's interested, he'll have to go through the same process everyone else did to get onto the Student Council. We all worked hard to help represent the students and make sure everyone has a good time here learning at the Academy, right?" Nemona said with a bright smile, earning nods from the rest of the team. Under Nemona's guidance, the Naranja Academy Student Council had never been more popular or effective. People could spin the rumor mill as much as they wanted, but Nemona was very good at what she did for the school.

"Well, either way, I do have a recommendation for you about Milo. Keep him away from Rafael, Champ." Antonio warned Nemona, who looked at him with some concern. "He's kept a low profile since he got back into school, but the word going around is that he's looking to battle your friend. I think it has to do with Team Star. And he's an arrogant prick who won't keep taking no for an answer."

Nemona considered that and frowned at the thought of a student like Rafael wanting to harass her friend. Milo didn't need to battle anyone he didn't want too. She'd have to be on-guard for any trouble. Milo had enough going on as it was and Nemona wanted to make sure he was at his best.

"Thanks for the warning, Antonio. Do we have any other business on the agenda?" Nemona asked the Secretary, who reviewed the notes and then shook her head. Nemona then beamed at all of them. "So, on that note, who feels like battling?"

"Pass." Everyone in the room said at the same time with deadpan expressions. Nemona visibly deflated at that, with Antonio sighing loudly.

"Prez, with all due respect, you'd annihilate us. Battling you isn't fun." The Vice President said bluntly to the girl, who winced at the young man's tone. "Now if you'll excuse us, I think we're done here.

Five minutes later, Nemona was walking into the main foyer of the Academy, ignoring the usual whispers that brushed past her. While the ending to the meeting left a bitter taste in here mouth, Nemona was ignoring that for a moment as she was in thought. The Champion was considering the issue that as popular as Milo was at the Academy, he had a lot of eyes on him in more than one sense of the word.

Which not only meant the eyes of the Gym Leaders and maybe even the Pokémon League, but others who wanted to test him. Rafael was a stubborn Trainer and would likely keep trying to hound Milo for a battle, and that was something Nemona wouldn't stand for.

Milo was her Rival, after all.

Nemona snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of giggling, and spotted a gaggle of female students talking to a taller male student who seemed rather flustered. Nemona walked past them, her thoughts churning as they shifted into another direction.

Other eyes were on Milo as well, Nemona realized with a shudder. After all, he was the new transfer student who had quickly become a popular and well-liked member of the student body. Milo's humble personality and reserved but friendly nature had gained him some friends, and his rising fame as a Pokémon Trainer had earned him respect.

"But if someone like me is…interested in him. There could be other girls." Nemona muttered under her breath, feeling the strange squirming sensation in her chest again. It made her uncomfortable, realizing that she could ever feel like this. The thought of her Rival being with other girls unnerved her, and Nemona had finally realized that she had become a little possessive of Milo.

"Would I be okay with that?" Nemona thought, remembering how annoyed she had felt when Milo had been celebrating the fact that Iono had followed him on Festival Plaza. She didn't like how she had felt then. Upon reflection, Nemona had realized that she had become jealous of the happiness Milo had in earning Iono's attention and that it was unfair to them both for her to be acting that way.

"No. I need to do better. If Milo ends up dating anyone, then I need to be a supportive friend no matter what. But I do want to see if he likes me." Nemona admitted to herself, a troubled frown on her face. She was stumped on how to proceed, with romance being an area she was completely unfamiliar with.

"Maybe I could ask him if he wanted to make our time at the Friendship Festival a…date." Nemona felt herself smiling a bit at the last word and quickly shaking her head. She was getting distracted!

I should get my dress dry-cleaned and ready for the Friendship Festival. Their work is quick, so everything can be ready before the Friendship Festival this weekend. Nemona thought to herself, adding that to her list of errands for the day. Her thoughts then drifted back to her closest friend, and her smile returned. He's really come far in just a few short months. He's got so much potential. I want to see just how far he can go.

But…there's something holding him back. Nemona thought as she continued walking down the halls. His past. Something happened to him before he left Galar for Paldea. Something really, really bad that probably involves his father and his sister. After all, they're not here in Paldea and he's very touchy about the subject. So what happened?

Nemona yearned to know, if only so she could help her friend deal with it. It wasn't something that she could just drop, and her single-minded nature rebelled against her desire to not upset her Rival. The scars on his stomach that she had glimpsed for a mere moment stuck out in her mind, and she wondered if it was all related.

She was his friend, and she wanted him to be happy and thrive in his new home. And with his problems resolved, Milo could focus even more on becoming the incredible Trainer that Nemona knew he could be.

Nemona snapped out of her thoughts when she felt a small drop of rain hit her on the nose, and it was then that she realized that she was now outside. The weather was just clearing up from a small scattered storm that had been pouring for the past hour. The Champion glanced around for a moment, amazed that she was so engrossed in her thoughts that she had made it all the way here without realizing it. Nemona then spotted a very welcome face standing on the other side of the courtyard standing next to his Koraidon and made her way over to him.

"Hey Milo, whatcha doing?" Nemona asked her friend, who pointed to Koraidon with a grimace.

"I'm trying to figure out the logistics of giving this smelly dork an actual bath." Milo said to his friend while Koraidon gave his caretaker an offended look. Nemona took a few cautionary sniffs and recoiled slightly, though she dared not vocally agree with Milo since Koraidon was present.

However, what she did have was an immediate solution to his problem. "You could always go to Crazy Carlos. Everyone takes their Cyclizar there since they're the most common way Trainers get around here in Paldea. Koraidon kinda looks like one, so maybe Crazy Carlos can take care of him and make an exception?"

Milo gave her a completely confused stare, so Nemona elaborated. "Crazy Carlos' Cyclizar Cleaning Center. It's located in one of the upper districts in west Mesagoza. He does good work there."

"Crazy Carlos, huh? Is he really crazy?" Milo asked.

"He's kinda eccentric, but he's really nice and will take good care of Koraidon. You can also buy coffee, coasters for drinks, and churros there as well as all kinds of other things." Nemona answered as Milo frowned with some concern.

"Wait…those things all start with the letter C. And there's a bunch of them in the name of his business. That's kind of weird, isn't it?" Milo asked Nemona, who giggled at the question.

"No idea! I just know that he really digs the letter C. He's known to even start randomly adding new things to his business to sell just because he enjoys alliteration so much." Nemona said with a shrug. "Everyone needs a hobby, I guess."

"Well, I may as well give him a shot." Milo muttered under his breath as he returned Koraidon, rubbing his head for a moment before looking to Nemona. "Do you want to go there with me? I hate to take up your time, but I'll be honest, I'd be a bit more comfortable going somewhere new with a friend who's been there before."

"Sounds like an adventure! Come on, Milo!" Nemona said with an excited fist pump. Meanwhile, Milo heard a grumble from the voice inside of his head.

If this ends up being like that Fossil Man bullshit, count me out.

"...who the hell is the Fossil Man? And why do you sound scared?" Milo asked, genuinely astounded at how unnerved the Remnant sounded.

Oh, he never scared me. But trust me when I say you want none of that energy, kid.

"Now I have to know. You're some kind of god-like entity who acts like it knows everything. You even stopped time, I think. What could be so bad that you get weirded out by someone who reminds you of someone else?" Milo demanded to know, earning a deafening silence from the voice in his head. And then-

I can't tell you. Not without raising this story's rating.

Before Milo had a chance to ask what the hell that meant, Nemona's voice called out for him. "Milo, come on! What're you doing?"

The Galarian teen sighed and followed his neighbor, who had called a Flying Taxi to take them to an address that Nemona rattled off to the driver. Along the way, Nemona and Milo kept up a constant chatter about what to expect from the Mesagoza Friendship Festival.

Milo had already gotten a nice outfit for the event, with Juliana's supervision and approval, and had it ready to go already. Nemona admitted that it was something she still had to sort out, and the Champion hoped that she didn't look too embarrassed talking about the event that as of now wasn't a date.

After about ten minutes, the group arrived at a rather strange looking building situated a large hill. It resembled an enormous carwash that was decked out in shades of blue, green, gray and white. About two dozen Cyclizar were being sprayed down with hoses or being scrubbed by workers while Trainers nearby enjoyed what looked like churros or cookies. The smell of the desserts made Milo's stomach rumble, but that wasn't where Nemona was leading him too.

"We need to find the owner. I think he'll be able to make sure Koraidon gets well taken care of." Nemona said to Milo, glancing around the place. "Ah, there he is."

"I'm willing he's the guy he looks like an insane used car salesman." Milo remarked with a small smirk as Nemona led him towards a man loudly talking to an employee before sending them away. The man in question was wearing an absolutely horrendous three-piece suit that was a kaleidoscope of colors, with the most prominent being a bright orange and deep purple. As the two teens approached, the man turned around and let out a small chuckle of amusement. He had short grey hair with mismatched eyes, with one being dark green and the other a brilliant shade of blue. He had a neatly-trimmed goatee and a small mustache, and his smile was ever-so-slightly twisted.

"Hello there! If it isn't my favorite Champion and some kid I don't know!" the man boomed, stepping forward and extending a hand towards Milo. "I love meeting new people. The name is Crazy Carlos! Owner and proprietor of my Cyclizar Cleaning Center!"

"Um, hi. I'm Milo." The teen said awkwardly, smiling at the man and shaking his hand while Nemona watched on.

Milo shook the man's hand, surprised as the firm grip, but the man released Milo and gestured to the facility behind him. "Yes sir, this place is the brainchild of mine that services Cyclizar all around Paldea while also channeling my love of alliteration!"

"Or just the letter C." Nemona chimed in, with Crazy Carlos wagging a finger at the Champion.

"Wow, you're actually kinda crazy, aren't you?" Milo said before wincing, forgetting himself and blurting out something he didn't mean too. Amazing enough, Crazy Carlos let out a booming and somewhat maniacal laugh.

"Ha! You sound just like my parole officer!" Carlos chortled, slapping his thigh and giving Milo a wide smile. "I'm absolutely insane! You have to be these days in order to survive! Mwahahahahaha!"

Yeah, I'm just gonna nope right on out of here. Don't mind me. Might see if I'm needed in Alola or Unova or something…

Milo heard the sound of a door closing inside of his head, and the Remnant's presence vanished completely. Milo shuddered for a moment, unnerved by how used he was to the strange entity that practically controlled his life doing its thing.

"So anyways, what can I do for you two? I'm going to assume since you didn't just go to any of my fabulous employees that there's something else you need." Crazy Carlos said to Nemona, who bumped Milo with her hand. The Galarian cleared his throat and pulled out Koraidon's ball, sending out the strange creature. Koraidon wriggled for a moment before looking towards them with a confused expression.

"Giaaas?" Koraidon asked them all, with Nemona smiling fondly at the beast while Milo turned to a dumbfounded Crazy Carlos to explain.

"So, I know it's not exactly a Cyclizar, but I was wondering if I could get it cleaned anyway. Trying to spray him down in the tub or outside just doesn't cut it." Milo said to the man that was now staring at Koraidon with an awed expression.

"So you weren't some insane delusion!" Crazy Carlos proclaimed, grinning from ear-to-ear as he leaned towards Koraidon. "I heard rumors about a boy riding around the city with some weird Cyclizar, but I found that ridiculous. There's only one creature I know of that fits that description…and it vanished several years ago when one of my best customers packed up to places I can't talk about."

Milo's eyes widened at the sudden statement, and even Nemona looked completely confused. Meanwhile Koraidon was staring at Crazy Carlos with an odd expression, narrowing its eyes and sniffing the air.

"I always wondered if this fine fellow was some sort of regional variant of Cyclizar. Or perhaps, some mutation of the Cyclizar breed?" Crazy Carlos muttered, stepping towards the creature and holding out an upraised palm without an ounce of fear. Koraidon sniffed the man's palm and immediately hummed with joy, leaning forward and licking the man's cheek.

"Giaaaas!" Koraidon growled, smiling at the man as it bounded up and down on its front legs before sitting down.

"Koraidon! Yes, hello there old friend!" Crazy Carlos burst out into laughter, rubbing the beast's head and smiling widely and earning more happy licks in response. "It's so good to see you again! My favorite customer has returned after all these years!"

"Wait, wait, wait…you two know each other!?" Milo yelled out in amazement, with Crazy Carlos nodding at the question.

"Naturally. Though it's been ages since…well, since its caretakers came by so that I could give this fine fellow a proper cleaning." Crazy Carlos explained, shrugging his shoulders after a moment. "Once they stopped coming by, I assumed that I had imagined the whole thing. But I always held onto hope that my favorite customer would come by someday."

"Favorite customer?" Nemona asked, smiling at the entire scene. It wasn't every day that she saw the eccentric owner of the establishment so merry.

"Of course! Do you have any idea how rare a creature like this is? Two of a kind! It's amazing!" Crazy Carlos howled, letting out a cackle of delight.

"Wait, what was that?" Milo asked, but Crazy Carlos was still ranting as he patted Koraidon's back.

"Anyways, we've got to get you the VIP treatment! All the works, all the bells and whistles! You'll look and feel amazing, don't you worry! I've only gotten better since the last time you were here, ol' pal." Crazy Carlos assured Koraidon, who bobbed its head. It clearly was comfortable in the presence of the man, which at least proved that Koraidon was at the very least familiar with him.

"So how much will cleaning Koraidon cost?" Milo tried to ask, causing Crazy Carlos to twitch for a moment before giving Milo a shocked look.

"Pffft. How much?" Crazy Carlos scoffed, rolling his eyes as he hopped onto Koraidon and let out a snicker. "My good sir, Koraidon doesn't pay for cleanings here. So take a load off and let me catch up with an old friend."

"Giaaass!" Koraidon agreed, bounding forward and carrying Crazy Carlos into the car wash proper. Frantic and loud commands from the owner of the establishment could be heard loudly bellowed with manic joy as Nemona and a bewildered Milo were left behind.

"Nemona?"

"Yeah?"

"What the hell just happened?"

"You just met the most unstable man in Paldea."

"...I'm really glad I didn't come here alone."

"Well, while Koraidon's getting the VIP treatment, you want to get a churro? I'll buy."

"And after that, we'll buy a clock too. I mean, may as well since we're here."

"And some chocolate?"

The two friends laughed as they made their way into the building, smiling at the silliness of it all. Milo and Nemona both enjoyed some coffee and churros, while also taking note of the various items being sold inside of the main store. Clocks, cakes, chess sets, cookies, churros, coffee, clothes (official Crazy Carlos merchandise), novelty coins, cups, calendars and much more. It was a surreal experience, made all the better because Milo didn't have to deal with the Remnant and its running commentary.

When Crazy Carlos finally called for Milo two hours later, the teen was amazed to see that Koraidon looked absolutely radiant. His scales gleamed and his plumage was pristine. The creature wore a big happy smile on its face as it wriggled for a moment, with Crazy Carlos laughing as he patted the big Pokémon on the shoulder.

"This big guy is welcome here anytime he wants." Crazy Carlos said with a broad smile of pride, slapping his chest. "And if there's anything else I can do to help Koraidon, please don't hesitate to come by! Anything for my VIP!"

"I bet if you sold sandwiches here Koraidon would want to come by every day." Milo remarked, smirking as he glanced at the very clean Pokémon.

"An interesting suggestion, but if it doesn't start with the letter C, then I'm simply not interested." Carlos Carlos said with the shake of his head. Milo frowned, realizing that there were several things that came to mind that fit both criteria.

"I mean, what about cheeseburgers. Those are sandwiches and start with C." Milo pointed out, causing Crazy Carlos' jaw to drop. "Oh, and cheesesteaks. Koraidon likes those too-"

"EVERYONE! TEAM MEETING! NOW!" Crazy Carlos bellowed as suddenly sprinted towards his shop, terrifying everyone present while Nemona and Milo giggled uncontrollably. Meanwhile Koraidon barked out a farewell to its old friend, its scales shimmering brightly in the Paldean sun.

Chapter Text

Several Years Ago

Motostoke Outskirts, Wild Area

"Look! It's so pretty! Florian, you see it?"

"Yeah. Check out the Corviknight flying overhead, Amy."

"Ahh! It's so small from down here!"

"It's so cool that you two have the same favorite Pokémon." Hannah Caballero remarked as Diego chuckled softly. The family had decided to make a trek into the Wild Area, an enormous stretch of untamed wilderness outside of Motostoke that stretched miles. The Caballero's weren't going that far, of course, but it was still an adventurous trek that would be an all-day affair.

Amy was beaming as she ran ahead, entering the Wild Area proper while her family walked behind her at a more sedate pace. Thankfully, Diego's team had already been called out and was flanking the little girl, all too ready to pummel any wild Pokémon that even considered going towards Amy. Florian walked behind his sister at a leisurely pace, looking more relaxed than he usually did.

"You sure Mayor Spencer won't mind pushing your meetings to tomorrow?" Hannah asked Diego, who simply shrugged.

"The mayor understands the realities of life. I have a family and can't fly around to other countries just like that. He's cool with me putting it off until tomorrow" Diego explained to Hannah, who smiled and grabbed her husband's hand.

"Hey Dad, can I ask you a question? In, uh, private?" Florian suddenly asked Diego, who looked surprised but nodded.

"I'll head down to the lake with Amy while you two chat." Hannah said with a warm smile, ruffling Florian's hair before jogging ahead to grab Amy's hand. That left the father and son alone on the grass, save for Crusher the Tyranitar who lingered close to his Trainer.

"So what's up, son? Everything alright?" Diego asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets and looking down at a somewhat uncomfortable Florian.

"Um…I have a dumb question, but it's a guy question." Florian muttered, looking away from his father. Diego raised an eyebrow, interested in what his son had to say. After a few more seconds of stalling, the boy finally blurted out. "Dad, how do you talk to girls?"

"Like they're anyone else? With general respect? If you're asking how to talk to a girl in a romantic sense, that's another answer entirely." Diego said to his son, who looked annoyed for a moment but nodded.

"Yeah, I meant…um, romantically. I know you and Mum fell in love at school, but what else happened. Did you date before her? How'd you approach girls?" Florian asked his father, who took a moment to think about how to explain things in a way that a 11-year old boy would understand.

"To answer one of your questions, I dated around quite a bit before I met your mother, but after that I was smitten with her. I realized she was a cut above the rest for reasons I couldn't figure out back then, but looking back I think what got me about her was that she challenged me. Pushed me. I was a troublemaker back then and she didn't take any crap from anyone." Diego then chuckled softly, rubbing his head bashfully. "And to be honest, I've always found your mother's accent enchanting."

"Really? Her accent?" Florian raised an eyebrow, but Diego shrugged.

"You'd be surprised. Some women dig foreign guys because of how different they are to the men they usually see. Uniqueness is attractive to women. You'll probably find out when we finally move to Paldea."

"I dunno about that. None of the girls at school give a crap about me except Juliana, but she's my best friend. She doesn't count."

"Give it time. You never know what will happen." Diego said consolingly, but Florian shook his head. "And to answer your other question, girls appreciate honesty and you being upfront with your intentions. If you're friends with a girl and start to see her in a different light, and you think there's a shot that she reciprocates, then tell her. If she feels the same, then you see where that takes you. If she doesn't, then respect that fact and her feelings. That's what I did and Hannah and I have been going strong for years. But I'm sure you'll find your match eventually."

"Yeah, it's easy for you to say. You were a cool guy at the best school ever. Meanwhile, I just suck. There's pretty girls at school, yeah, but I don't have the guts to talk to them and it'll just give the bullies more ammo. Plus, I'm just plain unlucky, Dad." Florian muttered, sighing as he laid down on the grass. Diego was silent, considering the words of his son.

After a few moments, Florian glanced at his father, surprised to see the look of deep thought on his face. Diego finally reached underneath his shirt and pulled out the necklace he always wore. A silver chain with two silver dice attached. Diego held the dice in his hands, smiling fondly at them.

"Roll the dice and truly live, for life is nothing without risk. You have to make your own luck, Florian. And trust that the dice fall in your favor. This goes for all things, son. Love, life, money, battling, whatever." Diego answered, causing his son to smirk back at him.

"You watch way too many movies, Dad." Florian replied, causing a look of panic to cross Diego's face. "Is that really the full movie quote you keep saying at your poker games?"

"What!? Oh come on, that's a good line!" Diego yelped out, but Florian was having none of it.

"Uh huh. How long did you stand in front of the mirror practicing that one?" Florian shot back, with Diego's eye twitching after a moment. Unfortunately, Florian's knack for sassing back people was matched only by Hannah Caballero. Diego was admittedly proud and annoyed in equal measure because he didn't always have a comeback for his son's sarcasm. For someone so shy, Florian was a menace in certain situations and it baffled the boy's father immensely.

"The audacity. Such betrayal from my own flesh and blood." Diego sighed dramatically, and then hopped to his feet while Florian laughed at his father's embarrassment. He took a moment to dust off his pants before extending a hand down to his eldest child and helping him stand. "We can talk more later and even get your mother's advice, if you still have questions. But let's join the girls down by the lake for now. Isabella loves coming out here because it means she can bully the Gyarados."

"You think she'll suplex one again?"

"Knowing my insane Partner? Probably."

The sound panicked roaring followed by the sound of Amy cheering loudly informed the both of them that their guesses were accurate. By the time they had reached the shoreside, an extremely muscular dolphin-like Pokémon was standing on top of the unconscious form of not one but three Gyarados while Amy and Hannah applauded enthusiastically.

"Isabella, you rock!" Florian cheered as he ran down the hill with a grin. The Palafin perked up at the sound of his voice and kicked off of the back of the Gyarados and swiftly flew towards Florian, flipping acrobatically through the air and landing on the shore next to Hannah and Amy. Isabella held up a muscular hand and Florian hi-fived the Palafin, grinning widely as Amy ran over to her brother and hugged him.

Diego made his way sedately down the hill, watching the scene with a warm smile. He had a trip to Alola coming soon and some meetings to deal with tomorrow, but for now he'd just enjoy the time with his family while he could. Isabella cried out loudly, lifting up a hand to her Trainer in greeting while effortlessly holding up Hannah, Florian and Amy with a single arm.

"Yeah, yeah, you're the coolest. Are you done terrorizing the Gyarados or do you want to punch something else?" Diego asked his Palafin, with the Pokémon considering it as she gently lowered the Caballero family to the ground.

Diego was answered by Isabella diving back into the water…only for the sound of panicking roaring erupting underwater moments later, quickly followed by the laughter of the family standing on the water's edge.

Present

Naranja Academy

"Holy crap, I'm actually freaking out here. Is this what a heart attack feels like?" Milo muttered as he paced in his room, already dressed up and ready for the evening. Even though this wasn't a date, the Galarian student wanted to look as good as possible for Nemona. The Mesagoza Friendship Festival was finally here, and the teenager wanted the night to go smoothly.

Milo was dressed in a white dress shirt with a jet-black vest and black slacks. He wore an orange tie with the Academy sigil on it with black dress shoes that were polished and immaculate. He wasn't sure how exactly he looked, being the self-conscious teenage boy that he was, but at the very least he felt he wouldn't make Nemona look bad for hanging out with him.

"How's it look? Be honest." Milo said to the assembled group of Pokémon. Reggie growled loudly, nodding as Watt and Fleur clapped. Cocoa bobbed her head up alongside Shelly and down while Storm just stared at her Trainer with a bored expression. Koraidon let out a bark of approval, its tail swishing about excitedly as Milo smiled at his team.

"Thanks everyone. I appreciate it. Even you, Storm." Milo then took a shaky breath, letting out a hard exhale. "It's fine, Milo. You've got a half hour before you have to go downstairs to meet her. And you'll have a great time. No sudden plot twists. No surprises-"

And then suddenly Nemona!

"Hey Milo!" Nemona said as she burst through the door with an excited grin, startling the young man as the Champion opened and closed his door. "Sorry, but I was getting antsy and wanted to come by-"

Nemona stopped for a moment, blinking as she finally noticed how her friend was dressed up. She took a few moments to admire his outfit and smiled at him. Admittedly, she found that he cleaned up rather nicely and despite looking rather embarrassed in formal wear, he wore it well.

"Oh wow. You look great, Milo! Did you get all dressed up for me?" Nemona gushed, beaming at her friend as he blushed profusely. Though that may have had to do with the fact that Nemona was wearing the very same forest green dress that he had helped pick out for her a few months ago alongside Juliana. She also wore hair hair down instead of in its usual ponytail, which pleasantly surprised the teen as he thought it was a nice change of pace.

"One of these days you're going to barge in here while I'm juggling knives or just getting out of the shower or something and it'll be a whole embarrassing thing." Milo muttered, crossing his arms and failing to look annoyed while so flustered. Nemona giggled at that, walking into the room further and petting several members of Milo's team. As she scratched Koraidon's chin, Milo walked into the bathroom and left Nemona to her own devices for a moment.

Nemona took that moment to see if Milo had added any other decorations to his room. It had become something of a game for her to try and glean more information about her friend before his time in Paldea. Her neighbor was still so cagey about his life before they met, and she was eager as ever for answers.

This time she noticed a single quill that was hanging from a single string on his lamp nearby. What made it stick out was that it was very sharp, and resembled an arrow more than anything else. Before Nemona could figure out why the arrow quill looked familiar, Milo emerged from the bathroom looking somewhat more composed.

"Alright, I'm all set. Are you ready to go?" Milo asked Nemona, who nodded eagerly. Milo quickly returned his team and opened the door for Nemona, following her outside and locking the door behind them. Nemona and Milo made their way out of the school, joining several groups of students already heading out into the city. Nemona kept up a running commentary about the Mesagoza Friend Festival, or Festival de la Amistad de Mesagoza.

"It's a newer thing than most people think it is. The Festival started out as a bunch of Paldean soldiers getting together for a big party almost a hundred years ago. Some of those friends were comrades from other regions who brought foreign food to these parties, and told stories from their hometowns and the sights there. The friends kept meeting together every year, adding more friends and colleagues and making an effort to include people from other regions. It kept happening until it got bigger and then began to evolve! More friends, more viewpoints and more ideas! Soon it became a thing for Naranja Academy too." Nemona explained to her friend as they made their way down the steps. Milo listened intently, smiling as Nemona continued her history lesson.

"Eventually the mayor of Mesagoza at the time officially recognized the celebration and created a crew that organizes the event. People get off of work early to attend and help set up booths to sell things or advertise or educate people! Most importantly, the Friendship Festival was a means for people from all walks of life to get together for a night and have some fun, food and learn some stuff. Especially in a city as large as Mesagoza, since there's a bunch of pockets of super different cultures tucked away in different neighborhoods!"

"All in all, it's pretty awesome! Loads of good food and sights! A few battles even break out from time to time, but I haven't had a chance to take part in one myself…oh." Nemona laughed sheepishly, rubbing her head as she realized she had been talking for about ten minutes straight. "I talk a lot, huh?"

"Yeah, but it's nice. I like hearing your thoughts." Milo admitted, which earned him a wide smile from his friend who playfully bumped into his side. By that point, the two Trainers were reaching Mesagoza proper, where the Festival was in full swing.

"Let's snag food later and just sightsee." Milo suggested, eyeing the massive crowds. Students were out in full-force alongside locals. The Friend Festival was an assault on the senses in the best way possible. The sound of live music drifted through the night, mingled with the cacophony of the sea of residents and students chattering happily as they sampled the various things on offer. Like Nemona had said, the Festival was a mixing of various cultures, since Mesagoza had become such a melting pot over the years. Kanto, Alola, Hoenn, Galar, Kalos and more were represented in small sections throughout the city with exhibits and shows and food stands. The streets that Milo and Nemona would be traveling down would only be one part of the massive celebration that had taken over Mesagoza.

After several minutes of walking, the two teens decided to sample some of the foreign food from the different regional stands. Milo and Nemona ended up chowing down on some dango from the Kantonian section of the festival along with some yakitori skewers cooked by a Johtoan couple who's cooking could be smelled halfway down the road. The duo continued walking through the streets, making their way out of the Johto section and heading further down the streets.

About an hour after Milo and Nemona had arrived at the Festival, they finally spotted someone they recognized. Nalani was standing behind a large stand with several students scrambling around behind her cooking. It was then that Milo realized that they had wandered into a smaller Alolan-themed section of the festival. Several vendors were selling what looked like strange charms of yellow, pink, red and purple and various statues and idols meant to represent different things.

Several strange Pokémon roamed the area, either napping beside their Trainers or flolicking in the streets. Milo immediately noticed a darker-colored Meowth ambling by as a Regional Variant and even spotted a few Pikipek roosting on a nearby tree as gentle music wafted through the air. Milo even spotted a representative of the Aether Foundation standing behind a large booth wearing an all-white uniform, but the teen ignored that and focused on his friend selling food.

"Whatcha got there, Nalani?" Milo asked as he and Nemona approached the stand their friend was standing behind.

Nalani smirked at Milo, gesturing to the several boxes of pasties sitting on the counter in plastic see-through boxes. "Malasadas! I worked with the Home Ec class and managed to get Mr. Saguaro to give me some help. I figured why not share the best treat in Alola? All proceeds go to the Booster Club!" Nalani opened a box, where a cluster of what looked like small circular pastries covered in sugar and various fillings sat. The smell of sugar, custard and chocolate wafted outwards and made the two Trainers' eyes widen in shock.

"We'll take one each." Milo said with a smile, reaching for his wallet. Before he could even try to pay, Nemona was handing Nalani a handful of bills and even threw in a few extra into the donation jar. Nalani quickly handed Milo and Nemona a piping hot malasada each and the two students dug in.

"It's so warm!" Nemona sighed, beaming with happiness as she scarfed the treat down. Milo took his time enjoying the malasada, having never eaten one before and trying desperately not to get anything on his outfit. While her two friends ate, Nalani kept the conversation going.

"Oh yeah! You two don't know! I've got news!" Nalani announced, smiling widely at them both. "My scholarship for the school was approved! I'm no longer just a foreign exchange student! I'll be here full-time starting next week!"