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Chapter Text

In the Paldea region, a mighty battle took place within its depths known as “Area Zero”. With the support from her three trusty companions, Juliana managed to head to the deepest part of Area Zero to meet one of Paldea’s most famous researchers. This led to battling against the A.I. version of the professor and stopping a time machine from going berserk to prevent more Paradox Pokémon from appearing in their time. In another world, there were no significant changes and that would have been the end of it. But in this world, the battle did have consequences towards Paldea and the regions beyond its borders.

The result of the battles in Area Zero caused the Tera Crystals in its underdepths to resonate with other to send a huge pulse of Terastal that reached regions beyond Paldea’s borders. Within Paldea’s surface, it caused its Tera Crystals to surge in energy, becoming stronger as a result. And while the crystals in Paldea were big enough to contain that energy, it was noted that smaller Tera crystals were reported to have cracked or shattered due to their lack in size to contain said energy, which led to an unexpected event happening in a faraway land.

In the small land of Kitakami, there lived a fearsome Pokémon that was said to have terrorized the people of the region’s biggest town in the past. Known by its people as the "Ogre", it was said to have slaughtered three Pokémon as they defended their village from its onslaught, who were later immortalized as the heroes of the village for their courageous sacrifice. As a result, the villagers came to fear and resent the Ogre for its crimes, even leading to rumours over the centuries that it would steal the souls of people who did not wear a mask late at night.

While many people these days thought that the monster was just a myth, the Ogre of legend was indeed real and would soon embark in a series of events that started because of its beloved Teal mask, driven to fix it as a result the surge affecting the Tera crystals adorning it. And with this determination, came with it meeting two native trainers in its land, leading to the events of a certain school trip to be altered beyond what was originally intended.

______________________

Within the deepest parts of her cave, Ogerpon was currently thinking of a solution to her current problem. She was trying to grasp what had occurred before her. After all, this was the first time this had ever happened, and it was causing no end of negative feelings welling up in her heart.

The Teal Mask that she possessed was suddenly damaged and she had no idea why or how it could have happened. All of the crystals that adorned the mask suddenly cracked as bursts of energy escaped furiously out of them. They had been relatively undamaged for centuries without any problems, so why would this have happened now? Maybe the huge waves of energy she felt moments beforehand was the cause, but that didn’t matter right now. The fact that the mask was damaged was leaving the green Pokémon screaming in panic and worry. Or crying out a lot of loud “Pon Pon” noises if anyone else had heard it.

Eventually, she managed to calm down so she could focus on what to do. She had to find a way to fix the mask. It was too important to her to leave in its current state.

But there weren’t a lot of useful ideas that came into her mind since she had neither the knowledge nor the tools to even try to fix the large cracks. But she was resolved to fix it no matter what. It was the only thing connecting Ogerpon to her partner, after all. And it was both the mask and the memories of her partner that managed to keep her moving ahead throughout centuries of loneliness in a land that feared and hated her.

As she was about to give up; however, a flash of insight popped into her head. She recalled that there was a mask-maker who created the masks for the two of them to help them blend in with the villagers. Even now, she was grateful there was someone who didn’t treat them cruelly; because it was thanks to him that gave the two a chance to live a life beyond the mountains for a short while.

The mask-maker was most likely dead though. Ogerpon learned a long time ago that humans didn’t have such long lifespans as she did. But she figured he might have some descendants who inherited his skills. From the interactions she had with the man in the past, he seemed extremely dedicated in his craft, so he would have made sure those skills wouldn’t be forgotten. And if there were any descendants, they was a good chance they would still be living in Mossui Town.

If she wanted to get there though, she’d need to go there undetected.

That thought worried Ogerpon a lot. It had been a long time since she interacted with any humans, and she wasn’t looking forward to doing so given how they had responded to her actions centuries ago. But who could blame her for what happened that day. She would never forget those three poisonous monsters, empowered by their wicked chains, and the peach-shaped manipulator that commanded them. It was their selfish actions that took her only friend in the world away, along with most of their precious masks. To Ogerpon, it was only fair they should be struck down for their crimes. At least she managed to take out the peach’s retainers even though said peach managed to escape her rage to who knows where.

Unfortunately, the villagers didn’t share the same sentiments since they mistook Ogerpon’s actions as an attack on their home and believed the retainers were heroes trying to protect them. Clearly that sentiment didn’t change over the centuries with all the statues and celebrations in their name still going on to this day. It made her sad thinking about how they still believed this misunderstanding, but it wasn’t like she could just suddenly change their minds.

At least there was a small window every year she could as least interact with other humans to appease her curiosity and loneliness. The annual Festival of Masks that the villagers celebrated gave her the opportunity to blend in with the other villagers and tourists. Everyone would be wearing masks too, so no one batted an eye on her appearance.

But showing up as she was now before the festival began would likely draw her unwanted attention and Ogerpon didn’t want to think about what would happen to her if she got caught. If the villagers from before were displeased with her then, she’d imagined interacting with the ones now would cause all sorts of trouble.

Even if she was infamous in Kitakami legend, she had no desire to harm anyone who didn’t deserve it. Not that she had much power to do so without the energy from all of her masks to support her, but she would have no choice but to engage if she were attacked because of said infamy.

So, Ogerpon decided to wait until night to head towards town. She assumed there wouldn’t be as many people out at night and the darkness would help conceal her presence. Travelling through the wooded areas of Kitakami would help with her concealment as well. With that in mind, she used the time she had to formulate a safe path to reach the town.

______________________

After a long trek around the mountain, Ogerpon felt confident she was almost at her destination. She didn’t see many people so far and the few that she did see never noticed her, as they just went about their business. She also tried to avoid any hostile Pokemon within her path as well. The starry-eyed Pokemon was not in the mood to get into any unnecessary fights or distractions. But that didn’t appear to be a problem as she reached the edge of the Mossfell Confluence.

It was then as she was near her destination that Ogerpon was struck with a terrifying thought.

She had no idea where in the town the mask-maker’s potential family even lived!

Ogerpon was at a loss over what to do now. Going door-to-door to each of the villagers’ houses was out of the question. And there was no way to tell which house she was looking for just by looking at the house’s interior. Maybe if she saw crafted masks inside a room, that might have been an indicator, but Ogerpon was not getting her hopes up for that to work out.

The leafy Pokémon let out a sad sigh and considered heading back to her den when she heard a loud argument happening out in the fields. At first, she thought it would have better to ignore it, but curiosity got the better of her and so she headed towards the origin of those heated sounds.

Standing near some trees and tall bushes to conceal herself, Ogerpon saw two humans wearing strange outfits she had never seen any of the villagers wear before.

One was a tall girl wearing a blue outfit and had long, black hair accented with red highlights. The other was a shorter boy who wore a white outfit. He had black hair too but with purple highlights instead. She guessed he was probably the younger of the two. Ogerpon did not understand human speech all too well, but she could tell that the pair did not look happy with one another given the anger radiating through their eyes and words.

“Look, I get why you like the Ogre so much, but you shouldn’t aim to be as strong as a monster who terrorized our town,” Ogerpon heard the long-haired girl say.

“That’s not true!” the other boy shouted. “He’s actually a good guy! He wouldn’t do something like that for no reason. There has to be more to the story, I just know it!”

“That’s all in your head!” She shouted back. “Everyone knows the Loyal Three protected this land from the evil Ogre who tried to attack us. That's been the truth for hundreds of years!”

“Yeah well, maybe everybody’s just a dummy! Including you, Sis!”

“Hey! Watch who you’re calling a “dummy”, if you know what’s good for you!”

Oh. It looked like those two were talking about her, Ogerpon surmised. There wasn’t any other “Ogre” that was associated with Kitakami besides her after all. Still, she thought it was nice that there was someone else who didn’t think of her as a monster like the rest of the villagers did. It made her want to hear more of their conversation.

As Ogerpon tried getting closer; however, she accidentally brushed the bush she was near too much, causing it to make a loud, shaking noise.

Moments later, she heard the younger boy looking at her direction, “Huh? Did you hear something coming from over there?”

The older girl looked in the same direction before responding, “Yeah, I did. Maybe it’s a wild Pokemon or something. I’m going to go check it out.”

“Aw man! Don’t leave me behind!”

Uh oh, one of them heard the noise she caused, and they were both heading this way!

She didn’t want to think about what would happen if those two caught her. Visions of the past flooded her mind, causing her spiral into a deep panic. Her best option to escape was clear, because there was no way she wanted to experience those painful moments again.

She hightailed it as fast as those wooden-like legs could handle and didn’t look back. But in her haste to get away, she accidentally tripped on some roots on the ground when moving on the uphill part of the woods.

The Teal Mask slid out of her face and down towards the bottom of the hill. As she turned to retrieve it, she came face-to-face with the two humans she had been watching before, both staring in surprise at her appearance. It was then that she accepted the realization that she had been discovered.

Chapter Text

As the moon shined brightly over Kitakami's Mossfell Confluence, Carmine was in a pretty mood as she felt the night air blowing around her.

“Phew, nothing beats doing a training session back home!” Carmine exclaimed, “The Terarium’s nice, but it can’t beat the fresh air of Kitakami! It’s great that we were able to come back a few days before the school trip started, huh?”

“I guess…,” Kieran responded while wiping some dust from his uniform.

In all honesty, Carmine didn’t want to be a part of the school trip between their academy and the academy from Paldea. Besides the fact that it being a trip to their hometown, she wasn’t in the mood to be interacting with nosy outsiders who she knew would just see their home as some sort of tourist attraction to goof around in.

It didn’t help that the town’s caretaker was hellbent on making the home that she loved into a tourist trap. It was why she was always on his case whenever they interacted. Just thinking about it made her subconsciously grip her fists tightly in rage.

But the one good thing about it was that she could get back to the routine she had here before entering Blueberry Academy. The timeline for the trip even gave her the chance to go to the Festival of Masks after having to skip the last two years due to school.

She was grateful Director Cyrano easily gave them permission to return to Kitakami a few days early. Although given the man’s flippant attitude, he was pretty agreeable on a lot of requests.

Ms. Briar would also take part in the trip as Blueberry Academy’s designated chaperone. She had told them that she would arrive later with the students from Paldea, but she had no reservations with them arriving in Kitakami early either. Despite her eccentric nature and tendency to be single-minded during their research trips, Carmine was glad that she was her instructor.

Because of that, she and her brother could spend time exploring the tiny region and do training sessions together as they were doing now. They had been doing a few double battles matches with Carmine using her Mightyena and Sinischa, while Kieran was using his Sentret and Yanma. Double battles were the norm in Blueberry Academy, so she needed her skills to stay sharp to maintain her rank in the BB League Club.

She was happy with how her Pokemon have improved and even happier to see how much Kieran had improved his battle tactics as well.

“You know, you’ve gotten a lot better in battling, Kiki.” Carmine complimented, “You’re focusing more on using super effective moves and exploiting type advantages. I’d say you almost as strong as me now.”

“C’mon, Sis…You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” Kieran sighed, as he looked down on the ground, “The way I am now, there’s no way I’d ever be as good as you.”

“Not with that attitude! You need to have more confidence in yourself! Ugh, why are you always like this!?”

Kieran didn’t know if her sister was trying to give him a pep talk or was just being her usual, abrasive self whenever she thinks he’s questioning her. Either way, to him it was just hollow words coming from someone strong like her.

“It’s not like I wanna stay this way forever...I want to be strong enough to handle anythin’, cause I don’t want you to have to do everythin’ for me,” Kieran replied with tears slightly welling up, “But it’s just too much for me! No matter how hard I try to change…to try to be better, it’s never enough!”

He tried to be more confident about himself to other people when they were younger, but that just resulted in the local town kids making fun of him because of his admiration for the Ogre. Which led to his sister protecting him yet again when she threatened to beat them up afterwards. The adults weren’t much better when they kept gossiping how odd his views on the Ogre were behind his back.

He tried to be a better trainer when he started going to Blueberry Academy. He even tried his best to grow stronger by participating in the BB League, although Carmine had forced him to join at first. If he could be as strong as the top members, he could be strong enough to rival that of the Ogre of Kitakami.

But even after a few months since joining, he was still within the lower end of the rankings. It didn’t help that many students kept comparing him to his sister, who currently stood within the Top 10 of the league. And of course, his sister had to fight his battles for him because he was too weak to get those students to leave him alone.

In the end, it always led to the same result. No one acknowledged him. There was nothing about him that made him worthy of anyone’s gazes. Someone had to help him out every time. Every time he tried to be someone who can stand on their own; it just made him feel worse about himself. And those painful feelings of worthlessness hurt more than any physical pain he could’ve possibly endured.

“Sigh, no matter how hard I try, I just can’t be the ‘Me’ that I wanna be…”

“Kieran…”

“If I was as tough and awesome as the Ogre, I could learn to be strong…I’d have the strength to make others acknowledge me. I’d do anythin’ for the chance to meet it. That way, I can finally be someone who people can rely on…but that’s just a stupid dream…”

The Ogre managed to survive and fight even when it was outnumbered three to one. It overcame all sorts of adversity with its power and skills. It didn’t care what other people thought about it and lived on. Kieran wanted to be as tough and cool the Ogre of legend. If he could, then he’d have the strength to stand on his own and be someone he could be proud of.

Carmine; however, scowled a little at that comment. Even after all these years, her brother was still idolizing the monster who ravaged their home. She was okay with it when they were younger, but now that they were both teenagers, it just felt silly for him to still have those beliefs. Obviously, she needed to remind him to let go of such thoughts. He couldn’t keep acting like a little kid forever.

“Look, I get why you like the Ogre so much, but you shouldn’t aim to be as strong as someone who terrorized our town.”

That comment made Kieran’s blood boil. While he was a doormat to his sister most of the time, he would not stand for any slander towards his idol.

“That’s not true!” Kieran shouted. “He’s actually a good guy! He wouldn’t do something like that for no reason. There has to be more to the story, I just know it!”

“That’s all in your head!” She shouted back. As an expert on Kitakami lore, she wouldn’t let those comments slide, “Everyone knows the Loyal Three protected this land from the evil Ogre who tried to attack. It’s been that way for hundreds of years!”

“Yeah well, maybe everybody’s just a dummy! Including you, Sis!” Kieran shouted back.

“Hey! Watch who you’re calling a “dummy”, if you know what’s good for you!”

Both siblings were getting really heated up, the conflict likely to have escalated if they didn’t hear a rustling noise coming from the bushes near them.

Kieran turned his eyes towards said bushes, “Huh? Did you hear something coming from over there?”

Carmine turned in the same direction and nodded, “Yeah, I did. Maybe it’s a wild Pokemon or something. I’m going to go check it out.”

Kieran turned to go after his sister, “Aw man! Don’t leave me behind!”

______

As they went further into Mossfell Confluence’s wooded area, they could see something small running really quickly into the woods. She’d never seen a Pokemon that looked like that, and she was well-versed with the Pokemon in Kitakami. Carmine thought maybe it was just some kid that got lost. But what kind of kid would be out this late at night and here of all places?

Whatever the circumstances, Carmine was focused on finding the kid and making sure they were safe. Maybe it was her big sister instincts that was driving her, but she felt like she would regret it if something bad happened when she could have prevented it.

Then, she noticed Kieran suddenly running faster than her.

“Kiki?!” Wow, her brother can run really fast when he’s motivated.

From a glimpse, she noticed that he was really focused on the chase. It was rare for him to see him so determined like that. Was he more concerned about the kid than she was? Whatever the case, she sprinted at a faster pace as she was tried to catch up with both of them.

______

Kieran definitely saw it. It might have only been for a few moments, but there was no doubt in his mind that the figure from before was wearing a mask.

The Teal Mask.

The Ogre’s mask.

While growing up in Kitakami, he had developed an appreciation for mask-making, often helping his grandfather with constructing them or gathering the necessary materials. He’d even made a few masks himself when he was younger. With that knowledge in mind, he eliminated any thoughts that the mask was a fake.

It was definitely the real thing!

And that meant it was the Ogre who he was currently chasing after. The one he had idolized for many years because of its strength and ability to perseverance against all odds. He knew this was his one chance to finally meet it in the flesh, giving him great excitement.

He ran as fast as he could, brushing past his sister with the intent to catch up with the Ogre no matter what. Years of scaling up Oni Mountain to see the Ogre helped build a lot of endurance that helped him close the distance between them. The distance between them was closing further and further until the Ogre suddenly tripped on some thick roots as it was moving uphill.

The green mask fell downwards, revealing the Ogre’s face as it turned around in panic to get it back. Now that Kieran had the chance to observe the Ogre in its entirety, it…was honestly not what he expected the feared being of the land to look like.

It was a small thing, with a leafy cloak and what he assumed was small horns on its head. Its orange face revealed starry eyes and sharp but tiny fangs expressing bouts of fear. It looked rather weak and pathetic looking like that. For a moment, it was like he was seeing an image of himself.

This…did not match up with the powerful Ogre he had envisioned at all. Definitely not the cool and tough look anyway. Did he make a mistake after all? Was it just some other Pokemon wearing a mask that was similar to the Ogre’s? But the design of the mask was definitely well-made and it had a ferocious look that the Ogre would wear.

A few seconds after he stood there thinking, Carmine caught up with the two of them. With that look on her face, she was pretty angry that he ran ahead of her.

“Huff…huff…What the heck was up with you back there, Kiki?! I had to use up all my energy just to get here!” Carmine exclaimed before looking surprised that the ‘kid’ she was chasing after was here, “At least we managed to find them before they went too deep into the woods. C’mon, we gotta take them back to town. I’m sure their family’s worried sick about them.”

“Uh, Sis? I don’t think it’s a kid from town. I…think we’re lookin’ at the Ogre.”

Carmine was shocked from hearing those words. Now that she had a closer look, the being in front of them didn’t look like a kid like she thought.

But what Kieran was saying couldn’t be right, “This little guy’s the Ogre? There’s no way…I mean the Ogre’s supposed to be a scary and terrifying monster, not…a round, orange puffball that’s shaking like a leaf right now! Wait, is it actually wearing a bunch of leaves right now?!”

“Look, I’m trying to wrap my head around it too! But the mask on the ground’s the same shape and form that the Ogre wears! Plus, those crystals look really high quality material. I mean they’re kinda cracked, but still, they’re not like the knockoffs that get made for the festival.”

“Okay, I can see your point, ‘Mister Ogre Expert’. But why the heck would the Ogre come all the way down here? Shouldn’t its home be all the way up in Oni Mountain? No one’s ever spotted it around these parts.”

“I don’t know, maybe it had something important to do here! But my gut’s tellin’ me the Ogre’s here right in front of us.”

Carmine could tell Kieran was serious about this. He did spend a lot of time fixated on the Ogre, so what he’s saying might actually be true.

“I’m still not convinced that it’s the Ogre,” Carmine remarked. “But if that’s what you think then I’ll go along with it. It looks like it really wants the mask, so we should give it back. I’ll let you have the honour of handing it over.”

“I know you’d love the chance to do something good for your hero,” she continued with a small smirk.

“R-right! I’m on it,” Even with the small teasing in the end, he appreciated these caring moments his sister showed towards him.

Kieran knelt to pick up the mask before putting in front of the Ogre to grab. Despite his prior doubts earlier, he was still excited for the chance to meet and help out his idol. Giving off a shy smile, he hoped the Ogre would trust him enough to retrieve its mask.

______

Ogerpon gazed at the human holding her mask. He was smiling at her and gave off a kind aura that she hadn’t felt in a long time.

At first, she was terrified that the duo had caught up to her. But they had just been talking to each other as she stood there, apparently discussing her or the mask. Ogerpon felt a little more relaxed after seeing that they weren’t planning on attacking her.

She wanted to grab the mask back from him, remembering how happy she felt that he was the first person who had a different belief about her actions and how she thought that he was someone who she could trust. And despite what she said about her before, the girl seemed to care about Ogerpon too.

But as she extended her cloak to retrieve the mask, terrible memories flashed in her mind. The hateful gazes and violent actions from the villagers she recalled caused her to shake and panic.

“Monster! You’re going to pay for attacking our village!”

“We’ll avenge our brave defenders with your blood!”

“That mask suits what a lowly beast you are!”

No, I don’t want to suffer like that again!

She turned and ran deeper into the forest, not turning back to see the shocked faces from the two humans who had chased after her.

This was all a mistake, Ogerpon thought as she kept running. Now her mask was in the hands of the people who despised her. The one thing that showed her partner was still with her in spirit was gone.

She had no one left and now she had nothing left.

In her despair, Ogerpon kept moving throughout the woods, not bothering to see where she was going. It wasn’t until she crashed into a group of Arbok that she stopped. The purple serpents were not happy with the leafy Pokemon, taking the crash as an unprovoked assault against them.

They shot a multitude of Poison Stings towards Ogerpon, with the starry-eyed Pokemon trying to parry each strike with her cudgel. But without any of the masks to give her strength, any attempts to fight against the serpents were met with intense counterattacks.

One of the Arbok managed to sneak up behind Ogerpon from behind, landing a Sludge Bomb directly at her and making her body go numb. It was clear to Ogerpon that the attack caused her to become badly poisoned, her vision starting to go fuzzy as she knelt to the ground in an attempt to retain consciousness.

Looks like this was it…maybe I can finally reunite with my partner at long last.

She braced herself for the end, but suddenly a loud cry roared from the distance.

“Sentret, use Quick Attack! You do the same, Yanma!” Kieran cried to his Pokemon as he sent them out to battle against the Arbok.

The two Pokemon sped up to unleash their attacks at the serpents, knocking them away from Ogerpon.

“Alright! Keep it up, you two! Now use Take Down and Air Cutter!”

Their attacks hit the mark again, dealing even more damage and pushing the Arbok even further. Kieran took this moment to move in front of the green-cloak Pokemon. It was a good thing he ran fast enough to save her. Although Carmine was probably going to yell at him again for leaving her behind.

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you,” Determination shining throughout the boy’s face.

In truth, Kieran never expected to take such an initiative like he just did, given his low opinion on his battling skills. But he felt he had to do something, especially if the Ogre was in danger. The poor thing was definitely poisoned, and he had to make sure the battle wrapped up quickly to get it the help it needed.

Just then, Carmine came rushing to the scene, quickly grasping the situation and grabbed her Pokeballs, “Hey, I’m helping out too! Let’s go Mightyena and Sinischa!”

Mightyena and Sinischa came out ready to fight. Their eyes gazed towards their trainer waiting to hear her commands.

“Let’s give those jerks a good thrashing!” She declared, “Mightyena, take em’ down with Crunch and Sinischa use Shadow Ball to do the same!”

The group of Arbok was hit by the new assault, still standing but definitely getting weaker from the multiple attacks. They retaliated with more poison attacks, managing to lay in some hits towards the siblings’ Pokemon. Nevertheless, they stood strong and unwavering in protecting their fellow Pokemon.

“Looks like they’re almost done. Let’s finish this up with one final blow together!”

“You got it, Sis!”

“Mightyena, use Fire Fang! Sinistcha, time for another Shadow Ball!”/ “Sentret and Yanma, double Quick Attack!” They both shouted simultaneously.

The combined attack rushed through to land a devastating blow, forcing all the Arbok to retreat after taking too much damage.

Kieran felt amazing after winning the fight. Protecting the Ogre gave him an accomplishment that he could be proud of. It was something that made him feel like could be relied upon for once in his life.

Still reeling from the adrenaline from victory, he could only mutter out, “W-wowzers! We did it! We saved the Ogre!”

Carmine couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at her brother’s excitement, “We sure did! That’ll teach em’ to mess with Kitakami’s best sibling duo!”

Normally, she would have scolded him for charging off into the battle without a plan, but it was nice to see that Kieran was slowly gaining confidence in himself. Not that she would ever admit it to him using sweet words.

After taking a few moments to calm down, they focused on the next important task at hand. The Ogre was looking worse for wear and there were clear signs that poison had been inflicted towards it.

“We gotta make sure to give it the help it needs. I didn’t bring any healing items or antidotes though. Did you bring any, Kiki?”

Kieran looked down in disappointment, “Aw man…I didn’t.”

“Shoot…that’s a problem. Well, maybe we can bring the Ogre home. There’s plenty of medicine that’ll heal the poison and it doesn’t look too heavy to move back to town.

“Yeah, but what if someone in town sees us bringin’ the Ogre with us? They’re probably gonna freak if they find out.”

“Guess we’ll just have to be super sneaky bringing it back home. We can carry the mask with us so if we do get spotted, they’ll just think it’s some cute Pokemon.”

With their plan set, the siblings put their arms on each side of Ogerpon’s “arms” to carry her. They never imagined they’d spend the night meeting and helping the Ogre of Kitakami, but it left a nice feeling for both of them.

______

Ogerpon’s eyes flitted between opening and shutting, feeling herself being dragged by someone. Her mind in a daze and breathing feeling raspy over the damage she took from the attack earlier. She still felt the poison seeping throughout her body, making her grow weaker and weaker by the second.

If this was going to be her end, then so be it. She can finally be free from the loneliness and suffering she had endured for centuries.

But then she thought about the two humans who were currently carrying her. They had both saved her from the group of Arbok with their Pokemon and even chased after her despite everything that had happened before.

Ogerpon had trusted only two people in the world: her partner and the mask-maker who helped them live more freely in this land. But maybe there were others who would show her the same love and kindness like they had in the past. Maybe she could form a bond with the two and possibly escape the pain of being alone for so long. It was a nice wish to consider, she thought, as she managed to form a smile before passing out completely.

Chapter Text

The trip from Mossfell Confluence to Mossui Town didn’t take too much time as Kieran and Carmine continued moving Ogerpon closer towards their house. Along with the darkness of night, they used the town’s side streets to help them move without any stray townspeople noticing them. Growing up in Kitakami meant that they knew its roads and paths like the back of their hands, so they had no issues weaving through the most efficient paths to reach their destination.

As they traveled, the siblings decided to have a conversation about what had happened earlier, wanting to clear the air over the Pokémon they were currently carrying.

“So, do you still think this little guy’s the ogre?” Carmine asked, “Given its rep, I thought it would’ve put up more of a fight back there. But it’s not like I didn’t want to protect it or anything. I am glad things didn’t get worse than they did.”

“Honestly, I’m still wonderin’ about that,” Kieran replied, “The mask is definitely the real deal. But when I first saw it back there, it looked so afraid. The ogre wouldn’t be someone to just run away or get pushed around from those Arbok.”

“Yeah, I thought it would be this terrifying and malicious creature like in the legends. Though I gotta admit, it’s quite the cutie!”

“Uh, I guess…” Kieran wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the supposed ogre he admired so much being described as cute, but whatever.

Soon enough, they finally reached the back of their home after managing to avoid getting detected. As they quietly entered through the back door, both siblings let out a big sigh of relief.

“We’re finally back! I am so exhausted; I think I could sleep in the whole day tomorrow.” Carmine exclaimed as she stretched her arms from carrying Ogerpon for so long.

“Yeah, me too. D’ya think Grandpa and Grandma are asleep right now?”

“Probably. It’s past midnight. We should bring the ogre up to our rooms quickly, so we don’t wake them up.”

“That won’t be necessary, Carmine.”

Kieran and Carmine were shocked at the new voice calling out to them, as their grandparents revealed themselves from the living room.

“Whoa! What’re you two still doing up so late?” Kieran asked, not expecting them to be having a cup of tea this late in the night.

“We should be asking you two the same question,” Yukito responded, “You and Carmine hadn’t come back yet, so your grandmother and I were in the living room waiting for you.”

“I’m just glad you kids came back safely, but maybe next time you could let us know beforehand that you’d return late so we don’t have to worry,” Hideko added.

“You’re right. Sorry for worrying you, Gran.”

Kieran followed his sister in apologizing, feeling guilty for worrying them, “I’m sorry too. We won’t do this again…”

“Well, I’m sure you two will follow through with that promise, so I don’t think I’ll need to worry anymore,” Hideko responded while giving off a slight laugh.

“Well, I suppose we’ll let you two off the hook for now,” Yukito added on, “But it looks like you and Carmine have got a new friend with you.”

“O-Oh, this is um…” Kieran stuttered, trying to think of a good excuse to avoid them from finding out the leafy Pokémon’s identity.

“It’s all right, Kieran. I’m fairly certain I know who this is based on that mask that you’re carrying. I never thought that the ogre would reveal its presence in our home, though. The poor thing looks to be worse for wear.”

Carmine was surprised from hearing those last words, “Wait, you know that this is the ogre? Wasn’t the ogre the scoundrel that attacked the village? This little green puffball didn’t seem like it could do something like that when we saved it earlier.”

Yukito pondered deeply for a few moments before responding, “Hmm, I wasn’t expecting on telling you two this until you were older. But I suppose now that you’ve met the ogre…or rather Ogerpon, as it is rightly named, I should tell you the true story. A story that has been passed down through our family for generations.”

“The ogre’s name is actually Ogerpon?” Kieran questioned, “And what do you mean by the true story?”

Yukito pointed towards the living room, signalling Kieran and Carmine to follow him, “We’ll talk about this after helping Ogerpon get better. I assume that’s the reason you brought her here. We should have some Heal Powder and Energy Powder to help stabilize her condition.”

______

Soon after Ogerpon was given the various powders to ingest, its condition appeared to have improved. Now it was lying on the living room floor sleeping, with a blanket draped over its leafy body. The siblings’ grandmother had opted to retreat to their bedroom, leaving her husband and grandchildren to handle their business.

With Ogerpon having been treated for now, Yukito sat with Kieran and Carmine at the living room table, each with a cup of matcha, as the old man got ready to share the ogre’s secret tale.

“This is going to be a long story to tell. Will you two be all right with that?” Yukito asked the siblings.

“Yeah, I wanna hear the Ogre’s true story,” Kieran answered back.

“We’re ready, Grandpa,” Carmine added, “What happened to Ogerpon?”

“Alright then. This story has been passed down in our family by word of mouth. I learned it from my father. It's a story of truths... A story that must never be told to the rest of the village. You must never speak of it to others. Do you two understand?”

Kieran and Carmine nodded silently, signalling their grandfather to continue with the tale.

“A long, long time ago, a man and an ogre came to Kitakami from a foreign land. The people of the village feared the man and the ogre, who looked so different from them... And so they refused to let the travelers come anywhere near the village. The man and the ogre were saddened that the villagers did not welcome them... But they were happy just to have each other. They settled quietly in a cave on the mountain. There was only one villager who pitied the two travelers: the village mask maker.”

“Wait, was this person our ancestor? The one who made all the masks that everyone carried around?” Kieran inquired with curiosity.

“Indeed, he was Kieran. He made several masks for the man and the ogre. The masks were brilliant works, adorned with gems the man brought from somewhere far away. By wearing these masks, the travelers could hide their true faces and mingle with the villagers. The man and the ogre were overjoyed. They thanked the mask maker for his kindness. Wearing the masks, the man and the ogre started secretly joining the village festival.”

“Sounds like they were pretty happy together. It’s kind of nice that our family helped them out the way he did,” Carmine added, feeling touched from hearing their ancestor’s kindness.

Yukito continued, “The mysterious pair soon became the talk of the village because of their brilliant masks. In fact, rumors about them quickly spread far and wide, even to distant lands. But rumors of exquisite, shining masks attract more than just innocent curiosity...”

Kieran was starting to get worried over how the trajectory of this story was going, “Did something bad happen to the ogre and his friend?”

“A group of greedy Pokémon soon made their way to the land of Kitakami. These Pokémon sneaked into the cave in which the man and the ogre lived...and tried to make off with the masks, which were carefully stored away. The man happened to be there. He managed to hold on to one of the masks...but he was not strong enough to protect them all.”

Carmine gasped in horror over what was said, “You don’t mean their friend was killed by those Pokémon, do you?”

“I cannot say for sure, but afterwards the Pokémon stole the other three masks. Several hours later, when the ogre returned to the cave...it found its beloved home in ruin. All that was left were the signs of a struggle and a teal mask. The ogre donned that mask and went down to the village, perhaps to search for its friend. It found the greedy Pokémon there, gloating over their stolen masks, and defeated them.”

“So, the ogre did defeat those Pokémon after all,” Kieran remarked, “It must’ve been super tough to deal with ‘em all at once…then the greedy Pokémon that you’re talking about were the Loyal Three, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. But because of Ogerpon’s actions, it led to the villagers from back then misunderstanding the situation. They had no idea what was happening at the time nor why. All they saw was the raging ogre. And they felt great fear. The villagers thought the three Pokémon had fallen trying to protect the village from the ogre. To honor their sacrifice, the villagers named them the Loyal Three and interred them with care. Wounded and weak, the ogre returned to its cave, alone and with great sadness.”

As Yukito’s story came to an end, Kieran and Carmine were feeling different emotions over the revelations that they had heard. Carmine couldn’t stop balling her fists in anger over how Ogerpon had been treated and the loss of their dear friend.

Kieran stood in disbelief knowing that Ogerpon wasn’t the monster the others in the town believed it to be after all, with a huge misunderstanding leading it to be unjustly reviled and driven away.

After taking a few moments to process everything she had heard, Carmine couldn’t keep control herself anymore, “Ogerpon didn't deserve that! And the Loyal Three. They're the worst! The story everyone's been told is the complete opposite of the truth! They gotta hear about this!"

Kieran agreed with the same angry disposition of his sister, “Yeah, that’s right! There’s no way we’d just let the village keep believe this lie about the ogre! It’s not fair it lived centuries bein’ hated like that!”

“Calm yourselves, both of you! I already told you to keep this story to yourselves! The villagers believe their own version of history. They revere the Loyal Three. So how would they react to being told that they've got it all wrong?”

“They’d probably get…angry?” Was all Carmine could say after thinking about the implications from telling the truth.

"Exactly. Back when this all first occurred, the mask maker…that is to say, our ancestor, tried desperately to tell the truth of the matter. But nobody would take him seriously. In fact, it's said he was persecuted as a heretic.”

“Seriously?! The villagers from the past are such dummies! The Loyal Three were the real bad guys, but they decided the ogre’s the one they should treat like an outcast!”

“Yeah, just hearing they just dismissed our ancestor like that really gets my blood boiling! Ugh, it makes me wanna throttle them if I had the chance!”

“In the end, the mask maker chose to protect his descendants, meaning us, by keeping his mouth shut. However, he kept the truth alive, passed down from generation to generation as a family secret," Yukito commented, before he eyed concerningly at his grandchildren, “So I need you two to swear to do the same.”

As Carmine looked over to Kieran, she was carefully thinking about how to answer. She looked at Ogerpon’s sleeping form, feeling that they didn’t deserve to have been shunned and despised for such a misunderstanding. She wanted to tell everyone in the town what she had just heard to vindicate the starry-eyed Pokémon. No doubt Kieran would also want to the first chance he got if it would clear Ogerpon’s name.

But she also considered what her grandfather had told them about their ancestor. They had tried to share the same story to the villagers, and it led to them being vilified too. Would the same happened to her and Kieran as well?

Carmine could handle the backlash. Aside from being a way to express her high opinion about herself, it was partly why she developed her caustic personality in the first place. She learned to respond harshly to people who thought she wrong or weak that it became a habitual mechanism for her to express towards most people she met.

But she wasn’t sure about Kieran. He was always a pretty sensitive kid, often crying when the other kids picked on him because of his admiration for Ogerpon, leading to her protecting and consoling him when they were kids.

She didn’t want him to have to suffer like that again. Because despite all the abrasiveness she’d exhibit towards Kieran at times that even she felt was too much, she deeply loved her brother and cared about his well-being.

So, she made her decision clear, “Alright, Grandpa. We’ll keep what really happened with Ogerpon a secret…”

Kieran couldn’t help but feel betrayed at what he had heard, “You can’t be serious, Sis?! You’re just gonna keep up this lie when we’ve got a chance to vindicate the ogre! I thought you’d were as fired up in telling everyone as me?!”

“Sigh…I don’t want to risk anything happening to us.”

“I don’t care what happens to us! I’ve gotten used to the people here lying behind my back because they thought my admiration for the ogre was crazy. But we’ve got the chance to fix this lie, so the ogre doesn’t have to suffer anymore.”

“You think I don’t know that!” Carmine objected, “My heart’s screaming to tell those idiots how they got a sweet Pokémon like Ogerpon mixed up with those Lousy Three as the villain just because of a stupid misunderstanding! But we can’t be reckless about this! Telling them now would just lead us to being ignored or worse. And with Ogerpon here, we gotta think about her safety too! We gotta play it smart so when the time comes to tell them, they’ll listen for sure!”

Kieran couldn’t really find fault in what his sister had just said. Even if they told the people in town what they’d heard, they probably believe they were just stupid kids or something. And if they found Ogerpon here, who knows what would happen. Just like Carmine said, they needed a way to absolutely convince them before making the big reveal. He would just have to accept this fact for now, albeit begrudgingly.

“Sigh. Ok, I hear you Sis. I’ll keep my mouth shut too for now.”

Yukito sighed in relief, “Glad to see you both understand the situation. I only said what I did because I care about you two, and Ogerpon as well. I’m sure there will be a right time to share this story someday, so until then, take care not to breathe a word of the truth to anybody!”

Both siblings reaffirmed their agreement, promising not to tell for now.

Yukito then went to pick up Ogerpon’s mask to inspect, leading him to him pointing out the crystals adorning it.

“I noticed there were sizable cracks on the jewels adorning the mask. I might be able to fix it but given the scale of the damage and the amount of jewels, it will take some time. I would guess it would take a few days at least to gather the necessary materials, along with the repair work needed. I’d wager the damage to the mask being the reason Ogerpon came all the way towards the edge of Mossui Town in the hopes of getting it fixed.”

“It’s ’cause it was the only thing the Ogre had to remember its only friend, huh?” Kieran noted sadly, “I get why it want to take a big risk to fix it if the mask was the only thing that kept it from bein’ absolutely alone…”

“I believe that to be the case.” Yukito answered, “And while I’m making the repairs, I think it’d be best for Ogerpon to stay here for now. It would be safer for it to recover here from its wounds, and it’d be too risky for it to return to the Dreaded Den in its current state without being spotted.”

“In that case, why not let Ogerpon stay in Kiki’s room? There’d be plenty of space and you’d be able to stay close to your idol, right?” Carmine remarked with a smug look towards Kieran.

“W-Wha? Shut up, Sis! Don’t just up and decide things like that on your own!” he protested, as he felt his face heating up and blushing from this sudden declaration.

“Watch it, Kieran! I know you were dreaming to be together with the Ogre one day and I’m giving you this chance! So just shut up and accept it already!”

“Aw man…” His sister had to be so pushy at times.

With the matter settled, all inhabitants of the house moved to their rooms to get some sleep. Ogerpon was carried up to Kieran’s room by both siblings before Carmine headed back to her room. Her gushing over the tiny Pokémon before she left was something he did not need to have seared into his mind though.

As he was lying on his bed, Kieran gazed his eyes towards Ogerpon and then towards the ceiling.

He had a lot of weird feelings that came from Ogerpon currently sleeping beside him. Normally, he’d be over the moon that the ogre of Kitakami would be living in the same roof as he was. But after meeting his idol in real life, it was still hard to process the major differences in what he expected Ogerpon to be and who they really were.

He expected someone that was insanely powerful, scary, and survived against all adversity. But aside from the latter being true after hearing Ogerpon’s story, he felt that Ogerpon was more similar to him than he originally thought. They were both outcasts in this land who were never truly accepted by its people. Given their initial interaction, they feared what others thought of them too. But he felt the most important similarity between them was how they yearned to form a meaningful bond with someone. While he didn't hear Ogerpon say it, he could tell from their body language that it wanted to connect with the two siblings.

So, maybe his impression of Ogerpon were misplaced. He learnt that firsthand when he helped protect Ogerpon and how they did their best to avenge their friend. From the years he spent learning about the ogre, he always thought true strength meant standing alone and doing whatever it took to achieve it would lead to true happiness, but maybe that line of thinking was wrong.

From the time since meeting Ogerpon, Kieran found that he could be strong in a different way from what he initially thought.

As those conflicting ideas kept swirling in his head, he decided to put thinking about them on hold until tomorrow. It was really late, and he could feel his eyelids getting heavy from fatigue as a yawn escaped his mouth.

Exhausted from everything that had happened this fateful night, he drifted deeply to sleep.

Chapter Text

Ogerpon awoke to sunlight pouring out the window near her. Feeling groggy, she tried to remember what had happened the night before. She recalled her mask being damaged and heading to Mossui Town to get it fixed, leading her to encounter the boy and girl who chased after her deep into the forest. Which led to her getting attacked by a group of Arbok and seeing the boy from before defending her with his Pokémon, while his sister doing the same soon after.

Everything that happened after that was a blur. She didn’t know where she was right now, but it looked like she was brought into someone’s house given that she was currently lying on the floor with a pillow and sheet tucked onto her body. In fact, she was surprised that she wasn’t feeling as unwell as she thought. The poison attacks did a lot of damage, so she expected to feel a lot more pain than she did right now. But aside from some mild discomfort coming from the parts of her body that were hit, she felt alright.

As the door to the room opened, breaking Ogerpon’s thoughts, the boy stood in front of her. She was shocked at first but was relieved to see a friendly face, instead of someone out for her blood like she feared. He looked both happy and hesitant as he approached Ogerpon.

“Looks like you’re awake,” the boy remarked, “I’m glad you’re looking better. Um, I guess you’re gonna be staying in my room for a while since it’d be bad for you to move without someone seeing you and you need time to recover. So, uh…make yourself at home.”

Ogerpon could only utter a few cries of confusion over what was said. Did he go out of his way to help her recover from her injuries? And was he also letting her stay here to keep her safe from the other townspeople? She never expected someone do something so kind for her besides her partner, but she might have been right to trust the two siblings after all.

Before she could process her thoughts further, the door opened once again. This time, it banged opened as the girl from before ran towards her with great urgency.

“Ogerpon! Are you alright? Are you feeling any better?” the girl spoke as she was checking on Ogerpon, “You don’t look as bad as you did yesterday, so that’s good. Thank goodness the medicine did its job if you’re able to stand without any problems.”

“Can you not barge into my room without permission, Sis?! Seriously, you do this all the time!” the boy admonished her with exasperation.

The girl just argued back, “I came here to check on Ogerpon to see if she was okay! Is that so wrong?!”

Ogerpon could sense how much the girl cared about her well-being too, so she let her know that she was doing alright with a few happy cries.

The tall girl couldn’t help but smile from her response, “Aww, you’re just so adorable! I never would’ve thought the fearsome ogre would act like this until I actually met you.”

“Can you please not gush over the ogre when I’m here? It’s gross seeing you act like this…”

“You gotta learn to get use to public displays of affection, Kiki. It’s something that’s a part of growing up,” she said with a playful smirk, “Oh yeah, I’m letting both of you know it’s time for breakfast. So, make sure you’re ready to eat fast.”

____________________

After Kieran and Ogerpon had some time to get ready, all three of them went downstairs to the dining room, making eye contact with Yukito and Hideko who were slowly eating breakfast.

Yukito looked towards the two new arrivals, “Good morning, Kieran. And good morning to you, Ogerpon. I see Carmine informed you two about breakfast.”

“I’m glad to see Ogerpon is looking much better,” Hideko added, “I’ve made a nutritional berry breakfast for it to restore even more of its health.”

Ogerpon gazed at the bowl of berries for her and let out a few happy ‘Pon’ noises to highlight how satisfied she was as she gobbled them all up.

Kieran looked at the table of light food for them to eat, “Looks good as always! Thanks for the food!”

As the family ate through breakfast, Yukito looked towards the siblings and the ravenous Pokémon to discuss Ogerpon’s living arrangements.

“Regarding Ogerpon living here, she’ll most likely be staying here for a few days at least. It will take time to gather the necessary materials to fix the mask and repair the many crystals that were damaged. Ogerpon will also need to stay inside the house to avoid be spotted by any townspeople. She may not look as terrifying as what they believe her to be, but her appearance will still cause them to ask questions.”

Carmine frowned a little at that, “That’s too bad. It’d be nice if Ogerpon could have more freedom to spread its leaves, but I wouldn’t want her to get caught.”

“Your grandmother and I can stay with Ogerpon while I work on fixing the mask, so you two are free to do and go where you like per usual.”

“Well, it’s not like I wanted to do much here beside do battle training and exploring some spots I couldn’t because of the academy, so I wouldn’t mind staying inside to hang out with Ogerpon at times,” Carmine responded while moving in to give the leafy Pokémon a hug.

Ogerpon happily reciprocated the warm embrace as she looked towards her brother, “What about you, Kiki? Are you going to spend time with Ogerpon too while she’s here?”

Kieran nodded, “Yeah, I’d be happy to hang out with the ogr-…I mean Ogerpon too. I wanna see what the real ogre of Kitakami is like, instead of what I expected it to be.”

Yukito chuckled, “It looks like you’re in good hands Ogerpon. I hope you enjoy your stay here.”

Ogerpon bounced up and down to signal her content. She was looking forward towards having time to bond with the ones she had grown to trust.

____________________

The next few days resulted in Ogerpon continuing to recover from her injuries, while getting to know the siblings more through their time spent together. She found that while Carmine could be very prone to anger at times, especially when things didn’t go her way, she had a loving nature in her as well. She could see it in the ways the tall girl encouraged her brother to be more bold or confident, as well as giving Ogerpon various forms of affection.

Ogerpon’s interactions with Kieran were more growth-oriented between the two. She was depicted as a beacon of strength from the way the legends portrayed her, and the violet-highlighted boy was looking to her for inspiration on how to attain such strength.

To be honest, she didn’t have much to say about that as she thought she needed to get stronger too. Despite avenging her partner by striking down those poisonous monsters, her power had waned significantly over the centuries and the fears that held her back weren’t doing her any favours either.

So, the starry-eyed Pokémon decided she wanted to train to get stronger, just like the Pokémon her new friends did. She wanted to have the strength to not only fight for herself, but to use that strength to protect the treasures she’s gained and now held dear.

It took a lot of convincing due to the risk of her getting caught if they did their Pokémon battles outside, but Carmine eventually agreed to her request. After talking about it with their grandparents, she was allowed to train alongside Kieran and Carmine so long as they did so at night and were very careful when moving in and out of town.

The first few battles she had were pretty lopsided, with Carmine’s Mightyena, Sinischa, and Ninetales defeating her easily. Even so, Ogerpon kept pressing on and got back up each time, with greater resolve than before. She wielded her cudgel with ever growing confidence and with every battle, she felt that she grew a little bit stronger.

The battles even caused some significant changes with some of the siblings’ Pokémon too. One night, as Ogerpon was battling Kieran’s Sentret, the clash between the two caused the scout Pokémon to evolve into a Furret. Then, as the battle wrapped up, Kieran went up to her and knelt to her level to speak.

“Ya know, I’ve always wondered what the best way for me to change. I…I don’t like the ‘me’ that I am right now, so I thought if I was as strong and cool as the ogre in the legends, I could be someone I’d be happy bein’. That’s why I thought pursuin’ absolute power was what I needed, so I’d have what it takes for people to acknowledge me, even you.”

“But, after watching you battle me and Sis these past couple of nights, I think that wasn’t the right way to do so. Even when you lost time and time again, you got back up. The determination you showed to keep going no matter what happens is what I learned I can do too to become better. I know I’m not gonna change overnight, but it’s somethin’ that’ll help me start.”

Kieran beamed a big smile towards her, “So, thanks for helpin’ me figure myself out a little, Ogerpon!”

Seeing that smile radiating from Kieran for something she did, Ogerpon leapt towards him with a hug and a fanged smile of her own. Kieran was surprised at the sudden gesture but leaned in to reciprocate her hug.

“Ehehe, I’m glad I came back just in time to see this.”

Suddenly, Carmine appeared using her Rotom Phone to take pictures of their embrace. Kieran was all too shocked and embarrassed over what happened as his emotions soon turned to anger for her sister’s actions.

“W-What are you doin’, Sis?! Don’t just take pictures of people without tellin’ them! And what’ll happen if someone sees Ogerpon on your phone?!”

“Relax, Kiki. These pics are just for me, so no one’s goin’ to be seeing them. I couldn’t just not record this adorable moment between my little brother and our cutie ogre together.”

“Sigh, you’re such a pain sometimes…”

Carmine made a dangerous smile over that remark, “You wanna say that to me one more time, Kieran?”

Kieran decided not to proceed further. He may have become a little more aware about himself, but he was not yet ready to go against her big sister and leave unscathed.

Therefore, he decided to change topics instead, “I-It’s getting’ pretty late. Why don’t we head back home so we don’t worry Grandpa and Grandma again?”

“Fine with me. I think we all trained plenty enough. And Ogerpon did pretty great too!”

The journey towards home went without any complications. The trio had grown skilled in evading detection during their nighttime training sessions, which allowed them to focus more on improving their skills without fear.

As they stopped right outside their home, Kieran and Carmine were reminded of the students from the Paldea region who they would be grouped up with during the school trip tomorrow.

“So, what do you think they’ll be like?”

“Ugh, probably just some outsiders who think coming here’s going be some sort of sight-seeing tour. It’s making me mad thinking about it.”

“Maybe they might not be so bad. I don’t think we should judge people without getting to know them first. I mean, if we did, we’d be exactly like the people who shunned Ogerpon. We’d get caught up in some misunderstanding that led us to make stupid choices.”

Carmine looked towards Ogerpon and couldn’t deny that her brother had a point. She was fiercely devoted to getting others to respect her home and culture, but if she just assumed everyone outside of her town with distain, that wouldn’t be fair to them. She now knew Ogerpon and her partner were treated the same way when they came to Kitakami, and she definitely didn’t think the two should’ve been treated like outcasts because of narrow-minded assumptions. Assumptions she herself made before finding out the truth.

“I guess I’ll give them a chance. But I’ll see if they’re worthy to be here with a battle!”

“Uh, how’d you work that out?”

“In a Pokémon battle, you can see a trainer’s true nature. When the first student comes to the town’s gate, I’ll be sure to see their true colours!”

“Sigh, sounds like you just wanna battle…”

Carmine just ignored Kieran’s comment and headed straight inside. Her brother followed suit and after saying goodnight to their grandparents, they went towards their rooms to get enough sleep for tomorrow. The fiery girl gave one more hug towards the cloaked Pokémon before heading to her room, leaving Kieran and Ogerpon alone in his room.

Kieran pulled the covers on his bed and lied down thinking out loud, “I wonder what those students will be like? Maybe I’ll be able to make friends with one of them. I’d really like to have more people I could talk to about stuff. Well, Crispin’s pretty friendly with me when we have classes together, but I don’t know if we’re really friends if he’s friendly to everyone.”

He could hear Ogerpon whining near him, which probably meant the grass-type didn’t take kindly to hearing his little monologue.

“Sorry, Ogerpon…I forgot for a moment that we were friends too. I’ll make sure not to forget that next time.”

Ogerpon seemed satisfied with his response as it let out some chatter seemingly to say “You better not”.

Well, he was looking forward to what tomorrow would bring. He wasn’t too enthusiastic about returning to Kitakami before, but with everything that happened over the past couple of days, he was glad that he did.

____________________

Juliana was looking forward to spending tonight with her friends. Her life had changed so much after meeting Nemona, Arven, and Penny that she would be eternally grateful that they would always be by her side. Thanks to them, she got involved in the road to becoming one of Paldea’s champions, battling Titan Pokemon to get herbs to help Arven’s dog become healthy again, and reforming a student gang for the better with the support of its leader.

Not to mention, they had bonded together when they were doing their exploration under Professor Turo’s orders, which led to a lot of fun interactions as they got to know each other better. Except she wouldn’t be able to see them for about a week because of the school trip she would be participating in.

According to Mr. Jacq, she had been selected to take part in the annual trip between their school and another school called Blueberry Academy. While she didn’t know where exactly their trip was taking place, she did know it was a small region called Kitakami. Apparently, he got her mom to agree for her to go too. Though when exactly he had the chance to clear things up with her mom, Juliana couldn’t say.

While Mr. Jacq did say she wasn’t forced to go on the trip if she didn’t want to, Juliana thought it would be fun to explore a different region. She was sure there would be a lot of different Pokémon she would have never seen before and getting to know students from a region outside of Paldea sounded exciting to her too.

And above all else, this school trip would give her a chance to unwind after everything that happened while she and friends were exploring Area Zero. There were a lot of crazy things that happened down there the brunette would have liked to step away from her mind. She would be happy to not be reminded of anything related to robots, time machines, or mechanical monsters, Miraidon being the exception. A sense of normalcy was what she needed if she wanted to move past those previous ordeals.

That was why she had invited Nemona, Arven, and Penny to her dorm room for one final hangout after she had spent some time making sure she had everything packed for the plane ride tomorrow. Penny had insisted they do an anime marathon of her favourite show while Arven, as the chef of their friend group, would help with cooking up something to eat. After a couple of hours of binge-watching episodes with the comfort of eating delicious food, they took a little break before resuming their marathon.

“Aww, I wish I could come too!” Nemona sighed wistfully, “It would’ve been nice to explore a whole other region with my best friend and rival. Imagine all the strong trainers and Pokémon we’d get to battle there...Oh, and we could see how strong those Blueberry Academy students are too…Oh, and…”

“Nemona, just chill! Can’t you see Juliana’s getting overwhelmed right now?” Penny interrupted, looking to make sure Nemona wasn’t going into a battle-crazy mindset again, “But yeah, it would’ve been nice to be with you too. I would’ve even been fine with being outdoors a lot if we were together.”

Juliana laughed a little, “Ehehe, I would’ve loved you to go with you and Nemona. And Arven too. But I’ll make sure to let you guys know everything that happens when I get the chance. We’ve got video calls, after all!”

Arven joined in one the conversation, “You better. If my little buddy’s going to a faraway region, I wanna see that you’re having fun all throughout the trip.”

“Thanks, Arven. But let’s talk about someone besides me for a moment.” Juliana replied before making a worried face towards him, “Are you doing alright? I mean, with everything that happened in Area Zero and with the Professor…I know you said you were going to move on, but you don’t have to do it immediately, you know?”

Honestly, the experience took a huge toll on her too and she wasn’t related to the professor like Arven was. She hoped her friend was going to be okay.

“I’m…I’m still trying to process my feelings about it. I mean, I’m glad I got to know everything that happened with my dad, but realizing that your parent’s been dead all this time and that you’ve been talking to an AI for who knows how long…that’s a lot to take in.”

“Oh, Arven…”

Arven sighed wistfully, “I…wanted to see him again. Even though I resented him for leaving us alone all these years, a part of me wanted us to be together. I thought when we reunited in Area Zero, we’d be able to do that, but I guess my life’s always been pretty rough, huh?”

Juliana was about to say something, but Arven continued speaking on a happier note.

“But you don’t have to worry about that, Juliana. I’m just glad I’ve got you, Nemona, and Penny with me to enjoy the future with. And Mabosstiff too, obviously. As long you guys are with me, I know I can move on with no regrets.”

Juliana smiled, “That’s the spirit, Arven! We’ll be there with you every step of the way.”

Nemona smiled too, “Yep, we’re all pals here! If one of you needs support, I’ll come racing in!”

Penny added her support too, “Yeah, me too. But I’ll only support you 100% if you stop pestering me to eat healthy all the time. Otherwise, I’m only giving you 60% at most.”

“Heh, I’m lucky to have you guys.”

Juliana thought it would be best to steer this conversation towards another topic, now that she confirmed that Arven would be fine. She had been concerned that her dear friend was acting tough for them and himself, but his words alleviated those concerns.

So, she turned to Nemona and asked, “What about you, Nemona? What’ve you been doing these days?”

“Well aside from trying to improve the Academy Ace Tournament, La Primera’s been giving me more responsibilities with the League so that’s been a lot of fun! She’s having me do battle evaluations for the gyms to make sure to gym leaders are still up to snuff.”

Juliana paused, “Wait, Geeta just asked me last week to do her gym inspection thing! Now she’s got you doing it too?”

She didn’t think the gym leaders would be happy that they were being continually test by different Champions. Given how anxious Grusha was when she said she was going to battle him for Geeta, along with some negative comments from Tulip, Ryme, and Larry about her before they battled, she wondered if the Top Champion really cared about their well-being or was just doing these things on a whim.

“Well…I’m glad that Geeta’s been giving you a lot of battling opportunities,” Juliana continued, “Hopefully, that’ll fill the gap until I come back for our next battle.”

“Oh, I’ll always enjoy battling my rival the most! No offense to Arven and Penny,” Nemona remarked, with no both of them just shrugging, “But you don’t have to worry. I’ll be sure to use these matches to improve so we’ll have the best battle yet when you’re back!”

“Looking forward to it! I’ll be sure to train while I’m in Kitakami so you won’t leave me in the dust!”

Penny let out a sigh, “Geez, get a room you two…We know you two enjoy battling a lot, but there’s other things we can talk about. Especially since Juliana will be gone for a while.”

Juliana blushed a little for getting carried away, “Sorry, Penny. What about you? How’ve you been doing these days?”

“Same old, same old. Been hanging out with my Team Star friends and they’ve been doing pretty well with adapting back to the academy. I heard their training thing’s also gotten more publicity too. I’ve been making sure my Veevees are shining like usual, so there’s that. Although…”

“You alright, Penny?” Arven asked with concern.

“Yeah, it’s just…Geeta’s been getting me to help with improving the League Point system because of the whole “I hacked into the system multiple times” thing, but every time I see her it feels like I’m going to have a heart attack! Like, she is freaking scary at times and when she does her ominous silence glare…Seriously, every time she does that, I feel like I’m going to be in big trouble!”

Nemona just laughed at her comment, not seeing how done Penny looked when she did, “You don’t have to worry about that, Penny. La Primera may seem scary, but she’s always nice and keeps a cool outlook. That’s what I learned over time. It’s what makes me want to be as great as her one day!”

Penny just let out another sigh, “That doesn’t reassure me when it’s coming from Geeta’s Number #1 superfan…”

“Looks like Penny doesn’t believe me, Juliana. But you’ll back me up, right?” Nemona pleaded with her eyes radiating like stars.

Juliana took a few seconds before responding, “I’ll…just say that she’s supported me on my journey, so I’m grateful to her for that.”

After chatting some more, Juliana and her friends continued their anime marathon. While Juliana could see Nemona getting very invested in some of the characters, she couldn’t help but chuckle a bit over Arven getting confused by some of the in-universe terminology the characters used. Fortunately, Penny was all too happy to educate Arven given the various smirks she showed while they were watching.

Soon, the last episode finished and Nemona, Arven, and Penny were preparing to head back to their dorm rooms while saying their goodbyes. She had to wake up early to catch the plane ride to Kitakami with Ms. Briar and her fellow schoolmates, so quick farewells were agreed upon from all parties.

“Take care, little buddy! You gotta tell me how the food is where you get there!”

“Have fun for all three of us! And let me know if the trainers at Blueberry Academy are really strong!”

“Hasta la vistar! ☆ Make sure you bring back souvenirs!”

With one pull towards the door to close it, Juliana was alone in her dorm room. She moved to her bed, pulling her covers to head to sleep. As she stared towards the ceiling, she wondered what adventures and experiences the school trip would bring for her. She hoped the students from Blueberry Academy were friendly, since it would be nice to make connections with people from another region.

Well, she would have a lot of time tomorrow to think about that. She didn’t want to act like a zombie when she reached Kitakami because she didn’t get enough sleep. As her eyes closed shut, she drifted to sleep and abandoned all thoughts until morning.

Chapter Text

Carmine was currently standing outside of her house waiting for Kieran to finish getting ready. She tried to kill time by checking for any messages or phone calls on her Rotom Phone. She knew the service in Kitakami was spottier compared to other, larger regions, but it still got the job done.

There was a message from Amarys asking her how she was doing after returning home and a request to bring back some Kitakami apples when she returned to Blueberry Academy. She quickly replied to her best friend that things were good and that she’ll remember to collect the apples at some point during the trip.

She also got a message from Drayton for some reason, although she was surprised at what he texted her.

Bozo: “I know u said u two didn’t really wanna do dis trip but hope you guys are having fun back home. Lookin forward to seein u again when u get back”

Normally, he’d text some sort of sarcastic quip or something when they texted, but she was genuinely happy that he sent this sort of message. Maybe the toothpaste-haired bozo wasn’t so bad at times, she thought. So, she decided to text him back for once by telling him they were having fun and that she’ll show him how much stronger she’s gotten when they return to Blueberry Academy.

As soon as she sent her text, Kieran stepped out the door ready to go. Ogerpon appeared behind him waving the leaves on her cloak, as if to wave them goodbye. Both siblings happily waved back as they went on their way to the community center.

“You’re still sure you wanna battle them, Sis? Seems pretty excessive, y’know.”

“I told you I’d test their character through a battle. If these outsiders are really interested in our town and culture, I’ll see for myself as we clash with our Pokémon!”

“Guess Ogerpon’s rubbed off on you. Normally, you’d be scowling even thinking about people outside of our town comin’ here, but you’ve mellowed out a lot.”

“Yeah, guess you’re right. After hearing Ogerpon’s story and hanging out with her these past few days, I’ve softened up my view on outsiders. I mean, I don’t fully trust them, but I’m willing to give them a chance. And don’t think Ogerpon’s only rubbed off on me. You’ve changed a bit because of her too, Kiki!”

Kieran smiled a bit, “I think I did. I’m glad we were able to meet her all those days ago!”

Carmine smiled as well, thinking how their fated meeting with the ogre helped them both grow. After a few more minutes of walking, they reached the community center, with both siblings standing watch to see when the Paldean students would arrive.

Time to see what these outsiders are made of.

____________________

Juliana sat comfortably on the bus headed to Kitakami. After the five-hour plane ride, she was ready to enjoy the school trip to its fullest. Seated with Juliana were three other students from the academy who were selected for the trip. She never interacted with them as they were in different classes, but she hoped to get to know her fellow classmates better during their time in Kitakami together.

Near the front of the bus, there was one of the teachers from Blueberry Academy, Ms. Briar. The instructor was currently looking at the book her ancestor wrote centuries ago, seemingly obsessed with the information that was presented to her and mumbling to herself about great research potential in Kitakami.

The newly crowned Champion was surprised to hear that Ms. Briar was a descendent of Heath when she told her during their first meeting at the academy. She never imagined she’d keep meeting people who were related to Area Zero or learn that there was potentially another special Pokémon lying deeper than where they traversed, but she wasn’t going to think deeply about that now. Besides, the instructor seemed nice, despite how obsessive she could be with the Terastal phenomenon, so she thought they would get along fine.

Honestly, Juliana thought this school trip was just what she needed. She’d get to meet new trainers from a different region, explore said region during her time there, and catch as many different Pokémon as she possibly could. Best of all, she could forget the harrowing experiences she and her friends had to face within Paldea’s Great Crater. But her thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the bus to Kitakami started slowing down to a halt.

“Here we are folks, Kitakami Road! Just follow the long path and you’ll be in Mossui Town in no time!” The driver announced before opening to door to let everyone exit.

With everyone accounted for after everyone departed the bus, Juliana was ready to begin her trip with the others in earnest. However, suddenly one of her classmates started saying he was feeling unwell. While Ms. Briar suggested to everyone else that they stay near the bus stop to take in the sights, the instructor approached Juliana soon after.

“Oh, Juliana. I have a request for you. Could you run ahead to the community center in Mossui Town and let the caretaker know we're here? It would also be great if you could explain that one of our students is feeling unwell.”

Ever the helpful person, Juliana was happy to accept her request, “Sure thing, Ms. Briar. I’ll make sure to get there as fast as I can!”

“I knew I'd be able to count on you. On your way, then! I'll look after your poor travel buddy here.”

And so, Juliana raced through Kitakami Road while taking in the sight of Kitakami’s fields and rice paddies in the meantime. It was certainly quaint and peaceful here, she thought. She looked forward to exploring it in its entirety when she had the chance.

The town appeared closer and closer in her eyes as she kept running. She could see a large white building in the centre, which she assumed was the community center Ms. Briar had spoken about. However, once she reached the gate, she could see two people, a tall girl and a short boy, standing in front of said building.

One of them appeared to be staring intently at her as the brunette stopped to stare back. The boy was standing beside her, also gazing at Juliana but with a more timid outlook compared to the girl. He seemed harmless though, so she shot him a smile his way before the boy shyly smiled back.

“Looks like you got your wish, Sis! One of them’s shown up.”

Carmine took her chance to approach Juliana, “So…You’re one of those students that came from the Paldean region, right?”

Juliana met the girl’s intense gaze and stood her ground before answering, “Yep, my name’s Juliana. If you know that, then I’m assuming you two are from Blueberry Academy? I’m looking for the town caretaker. One of my classmates isn’t feeling very good and Ms. Briar asked me to tell the caretaker that so they could help.”

Kieran seemed impressed over Juliana not wilting over his sister’s gaze that he couldn’t help but admire her right off the bat, “Wowzers…this girl’s so cool!”

Carmine was quick to respond, “Hush, Kieran. The name’s Carmine. So, Ms. Briar asked you to help your classmate or whatever? You sound like such a sweetheart accepting no questions asked. But I can’t let outsiders just waltz into Mossui Town. You want to get through, you’ll have to battle me first!”

Juliana felt Carmine was intense in a way different from Nemona, but even if she wanted to battle, someone needed her, “Um, don’t get me wrong. I’d like to battle, but I need to help one of my classmates quickly. Could we save this for after I’ve found the caretaker?”

“Yeah, c’mon Sis…If someone’s not feelin’ well, you should just let her through.”

“I told you to hush, Kiki! Remember what I said before? This battle will determine something for myself and for our new friend! So, we’re doing this now, no excuses!” While Carmine was more tolerant of outsiders than previously, she still needed to see if the girl that stood before her deserved the same trust she now had with Ogerpon.

Juliana could sense how passionate Carmine was with the reasoning of her battle challenge. While she still had reservations battling now, as a fellow trainer, she would accept. She supposed Nemona’s influence really was rubbing off on her. Hopefully, she would be able to finish this battle as quickly as possible.

“Alright Carmine, I’ll accept your challenge.”

Carmine smiled, “Good! Then get into position! We’ll settle this with a 3 on 3 Double Battle. That’s the standard battle format at Blueberry Academy. Or is that too much for you?”

“A double battle, huh?” Juliana didn’t have a lot of experience with this battle format, with her battles at Ryme’s Gym being the only time. But learning more about different types of battles was always exciting for her, so she’d make sure to take notes as the battle progressed.

Both Juliana and Carmine stood on opposing corners of the community center, ready to throw their Pokéballs once both were ready to start. Kieran moved a few metres beside Carmine ready to cheer his sister on.

“Welcome to Kitakami, Juliana. I’ll make sure to see what you’re really like in this battle! You’re up Mightyena and Ninetales!”

Carmine’s Pokémon popped out reading to fight. One had a menacing aura as it howled, while the other poised itself with a feel of elegance.

Juliana had never seen these Pokémon before, but she was interested to see what they could do. Responding in kind, she sent her two Pokémon with her usual flair.

“Time to battle, Meowscarada and Tinkaton!” Juliana shouted out as she made an elegant spin before both of her friends appeared in earnest.

Filled with confidence and resolve, Carmine decided to make the first move, “I’ll make sure when this is over, you’ll be down on the ground eating dirt! Mightyena use Fire Fang and Ninetales use Flamethrower! Burn that Meowscarada up to cinders!”

Both unleashed their flames as their trainer commanded, looking to strike from both close-range and long-range.

If Carmine was going to focus on one of her Pokémon to hit, then she’ll do the same, “Meowscarada, dodge those fire attacks and use Play Rough on Mightyena. Tinkaton, you do the same!”

Meowscarada jumped and moved nimbly as it avoided the super-effective attacks before using its speed to hit Mightyena with its fairy-empowered claws. Tinkaton swung its hammer to land the same hit, leaving Mightyena with serious damage despite the smug cat having its attack power lowered during the start of the battle.

Carmine grimaced as her hound took the hits, “O-Oh, so you know about type matchups too? But my Mightyena won’t go down so easily! Slam into Meowcarada with Take Down! Ninetales, use Will-o-Wisp on Tinkaton!”

Mightyena shook off the damage and took off towards its opponent, but Meowscarada managed to use its speed to dodge its attack once more. Meanwhile, Ninetales sent its wisps of flame towards Tinkaton and manage to inflict a burn towards the hammer-wielding fairy, leaving it scorched every few moments during the battle.

Juliana’s blood raced faster and faster as the battle continued, though she was still mindful to finish as quickly as possible. While she wasn’t very keen on Carmine’s attitude before, she could sense a similar drive between them as trainers. So, she would show the proper respect towards her opponent by fighting with all she had.

Fortunately, while Tinakton’s attack power was lowered by the burn, Juliana had other options.

“Alright Tinakton! Time to show them what you’re made of. Fire your Flash Cannon while Meowscarada uses its Flower Trick!”

Tinkaton moved to fire its attack, using the Flower Trick its partner made to distract Mightyena, effectively knocking it out of the battle.

Carmine was raising her fists in anger, “I can’t believe I’m losing! But I’m going to make sure I’ll come out on top! Time for you to take center stage, Sinistcha!”

Another Pokémon appeared before Juliana, with its appearance looking very similar to the Sinistea evolution line. She looked forward to what Carmine’s new Pokémon could do.

“With Sinistcha by my side, I’ll sweep through all three of your Pokémon. Just you wait!”

“Bring it on! We’ll handle whatever you dish out!”

With Carmine having only two Pokémon left; Juliana was feeling more pumped up to keep up the momentum. Although, she could see that a certain someone was looking at her with joyful intensity as well.

____________________

Kieran was absolutely mesmerized by the battle that unfolded before him. He was shocked that his sister was being pushed back so easily, especially since she was within the Top 10 members of their school’s League Club. But what intrigued him the most was the girl in front of him. Juliana looked absolutely radiant as she declared her moves with grace, transfixing his gaze more and more towards her than his sister. Not only that, but the confidence she exuded before and during the battle was simply breathtaking.

As he kept focusing his eyes on Juliana, Kieran could feel his heart swell in admiration. She was just so amazing and cool that he couldn’t help feeling smitten towards the Paldean student. Just as fellow trainers though, he kept telling himself.

Carmine must have noticed because she shot him an intense glare signalling him to support her instead. He had hoped them bonding with Ogerpon would’ve made her less intense, but oh well. He’ll just have to cheer loudly while continuing to gaze at Juliana’s brilliant form in secret.

____________________

Carmine had to admit that Juliana was pretty good as a battler. She wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she could tell how much experience the Paldean girl had as a trainer. The way she adapted to each move she used and the teamwork she had with her Pokémon was quite impressive. She even imagined Juliana could hold her own against the Blueberry Elite Four if she became part of the League Club. Hell, maybe she could even manage to hold her own against Drayton if she tried her absolute hardest.

Perhaps Juliana was someone she could trust, given how their battle had gone so far. Even so, Carmine wasn’t one to back down from a strong opponent. So, with Sinistcha and Ninetales alongside her, she readied herself to fight until her last breath.

“Now Sinistcha, slow down Meowscarada with Stun Spore!”

“Move quickly to dodge the attack, Meowscarada!”

Meowscarada used its speed to avoid the paralyzing spore, but Carmine had anticipated this and had her Ninetales use her Flamethrower on the smug cat, dealing massive damage.

“Wow! I didn’t see that coming. But we’re still in this!” Juliana declared as she ordered Meowscarada to use Night Slash on Sinistcha.

However, Ninetales sensed her partner was going to be attacked and moved in front of Sinistcha to take the hit. It was a move that was rewarded as Carmine had Sinistcha counterattack without worry of further serious damage.

“Looks like the battle’s going my way right now,” Carmine commented, “Sinistcha, use Shadow Ball and Ninetales use Flamethrower once more!”

“Meowscarada, break through with Night Slash and Tinkaton provide support with Gigaton Hammer!”

All four Pokémon struck with full power as Meowscarada broke through the flames and slashed Sinistcha with its claws, leaving it down for the count after it was disoriented after being hit by Tinkaton’s hammer. Meowscarada fainted right after, succumbing to the fire-type attack and Shadow Ball it had endured to attain the victory.

“Phew, we’re almost done,” Juliana breathed a sigh of relief, “But current situation aside, I’m amped up seeing how strong the trainers at Blueberry Academy are!”

“You think I’m strong, huh? Then I’ll just prove it by stomping your two remaining Pokémon to the dirt. Right, Ninetales!?”

The golden-white fox cried in agreement, ready to continue fighting for Carmine. Juliana grinned at seeing how much of a bond the Pokémon had with the fiery trainer. But bond or not, she’d win in the end as she sent out Baxcalibur to join Tinakton. Tinkaton had taken a lot of burn damage, but Juliana believed it had enough strength to keep going until the end.

“This is the final stretch, so let’s wrap this up! Time for a Dragon Claw and Brutal Swing combo!”

“I need to lower their attack to reduce the damage…Ninetales, hit that Baxcalibur with Will-o-Wisp,” Carmine commanded, hoping the reduced damage would help increase their chances for a turnabout.

Unfortunately for the Blueberry girl, Baxcalibur didn’t even have a single burn even after taking the attack.

“What the?! Why didn’t my attack work?!”

“Sorry, but Baxcalibur’s Thermal Exchange prevents it from getting burned. Too bad for you, Carmine!”

The battle was decided at that moment as Baxcalibur and Tinkaton slammed their claw and hammer towards the already weakened fire-type Pokémon, knocking it out.

Carmine couldn’t believe what had happened, but she felt different from how she usually felt when she lost a battle. Don’t get her wrong, she was absolutely livid that she had been trounced by the younger girl. Yet at the same time, she felt joy throughout the match as their Pokémon clashed. Carmine decided to give the Paldean student a pass for now, albeit with some distrust that hopefully will clear up whenever they interacted more.

That didn’t mean she wouldn’t vent her loss in front of Juliana though.

____________________

Juliana felt ecstatic that she had won the battle, and she didn’t even have to Terastallize her Pokémon to do it. She was glad Blueberry Academy had such strong trainers such as Carmine, although the blue uniform girl might not have shared the same outlook as she raised her fists in rage. And she could swear her eyes looked different for a moment as well.

With hands still shaking, Carmine couldn’t hide her disbelief, “I can’t believe you were able to beat me! And I gave it all I had too! Just who are you?”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you this before because of the whole caretaker situation, but I’m actually one of Paldea’s Champions. I only got the title recently, but it’s one of the reasons why I’m really strong.”

Kieran couldn’t hide his amazement as he just uttered, “Wowzers! You’re really a Champion-level trainer?! You’re even more awesome than I thought, Juliana! I’d really wanna battle against you too someday!”

“Yeah, you’re actually pretty special! Our academy has its own league and Champion, but I never thought someone like you would be a Champion of their own region! Huh, after knowing that and how you conducted yourself in battle, I’ve got a higher opinion of you now. Feel free to thank me for the praise any time now ehehe.”

“Um, maybe later…But I still have to find the caretaker to help my classmate. Can you tell me where they are now?”

“Well, you did win this time, so I’ll let you into the town. He should be around…”

Another voice yelled across the distance, clearly not happy, “Oi! What’re you two doing?!”

Carmine just sighed, “Here comes trouble…Let’s go, Kiki. We’re done here!”

As Carmine started running in the opposite direction from the man, Kieran tried to follow suit as he tried catching up with her, “Hey, wait up Sis!”

As Juliana saw both Blueberry Academy students run off, the man yelling before approached her. His face had softened as he approached, “Why, hello there, stranger. You must be one of the students from that Paldean academy, right?”

“Yes, I am,” Juliana politely responded, “I’m looking for the caretaker of the community center. Do you happen to know where they are?”

The man just smiled, “Well, you’ve got the right man! I run the community center here and will be looking after your group while you’re visiting.”

“Oh, by the way,” the caretaker commented, “The two kids that you talked to. They weren’t giving you any trouble, were they?”

“Well…Kieran not so much, but Carmine did make me battle her to see if I could enter the town. The battle was fun, but it did cost more time than I wanted…”

“Sigh, those two can be such a handful…especially that Carmine. She’s always had a temperamental personality. I hope they didn’t cause too much of a problem. Oh, sorry. You said you were looking for me, so what did you need?”

“I’ve got a classmate who isn’t feeling well, and the teacher in charge of our trip asked if you could assist him.”

“One of your classmates is ill?! I better get out there and give them a hand so they can make it into town.”

The caretaker started moving towards Kitakami Road before stopping to face Juliana.

“You’re free to get yourself settled in at the community center. I’ll make sure everyone in your group makes it there safely.”

“Alright, thank you!” Juliana replied as she started walking towards the community center.

It didn’t take too long for her to take a look around the facilities and heal her Pokémon. As she waited for everyone to arrive, she thought about the two students she had just met. While one was really intense at first, it appeared they had formed a bond of respect given Carmine’s words to her before. She did hope they could battle again if they got the chance, without any urgent business chaining them down. Juliana was sure Nemona would take an intense liking to her too, so she would be sure to inform her friend about Carmine the next time they talked.

As for Kieran, she couldn’t but feel interested in the boy after he looked very awed by her ever since they laid eyes on each other. And to be honest, she had instinctively taken a liking to the boy as well. In her eyes, he looked quite cute, and she felt they would probably get along well once they had the chance to get to know each other better. Juliana just hoped Arven wouldn’t be jealous if she and Kieran did become friends, although she was sure Penny would be okay with meeting a fellow introvert if Kieran and her crossed paths one day.

She didn’t have much time to ponder on those thoughts once she noticed her fellow classmates and Ms. Briar arriving with the caretaker. Apparently, it was just their school staying in the community center since Carmine and Kieran were from Kitakami. Well, she’ll just have to see if she could get closer to the Blueberry students tomorrow.

____________________

Kieran and Carmine managed to return home without getting into too much trouble. The caretaker didn’t even attempt to chase them, so they got away with just a scolding. Although Carmine didn’t much care about the old man’s opinion on her these days.

Their grandfather was still busy repairing Ogerpon’s mask when they got back, but he said it wouldn’t take too long for the work to be complete. Now they were chilling in Carmine’s room with Ogerpon happily relaxing on Carmine’s bed. Or Carmine would be if Kieran hadn’t kept bringing up Juliana every few seconds. It was honestly getting on her nerves, especially since she didn’t want to keep being reminded of her loss against the outsider. And Kieran had the nerve to say that her moments of gushing over Ogerpon were gross.

But being the self-proclaimed romantic that she was, Carmine could tell Kieran had a crush on the Paldean girl the moment their eyes met. So maybe she would try helping him express those feelings tomorrow. She was sure Kieran would thank her when the two got together one day.

“You sure have lots to say about Juliana, don’t you Kiki…I mean the only other thing you wouldn’t ever shut up about was Ogerpon.” Carmine said while giving a side-eye at how oblivious her brother was with his crush.

“I-I mean, it’s just that she’s so strong and cool. The way she commands her Pokémon so easily and the trust they have with one another. Plus, she was so nice and sweet like apples even when you kept bombarding her like that before. I just…wanna be like that too.”

Carmine would let the middle part slide, “If you admire her so much, then maybe you should pair up with her for the orienteering thing tomorrow. You’d get to have a lot of time to get to know each other ehehe.”

Kieran couldn’t help but blush over her sister’s words, “W-Why are you sayin’ it like that Sis?! You’re such a dummy!”

“You better watch who you’re calling a dummy if you know what’s good for you!” Carmine yelled out as she raised her fist, making her brother flinch.

Ogerpon couldn’t help but laugh at the siblings’ antics, now used to their daily squabbles. She could tell deep within the displays of aggression; they showed their love to one another in their own unique way.

“A-Anyway, I don’t think Juliana would wanna partner with me. I mean, there’s definitely gonna be way better people than me she could pick tomorrow…”

“I keep saying this, but you need to have more confidence in yourself. Seriously, I’m sure Juliana would be over the moon to partner up with you if you took the chance to ask.”

While Kieran appreciated Carmine’s support, he still couldn’t help feeling doubtful about that, “How would you be able to tell? She seemed more focused on you when you two were battlin’.”

“Because I could see she was staring at you a few times when we were battling. It was pretty obvious she was interested in you too. So, you should trust your big sister on this one. Otherwise, I’ll ask Juliana myself to partner with you. By force, if I have to!”

That would have been way more embarrassing for Kieran than if he asked Juliana himself. He still had reservations about her partnering with him tomorrow, but Carmine was clearly supportive of the idea, and he could see Ogerpon giving some sort of thumbs-up over the idea too. Plus, he truly did wish to know the breathtaking girl more.

With a sigh, Kieran accepted his fate, “Fine, I’ll work up the nerve to ask Juliana tomorrow. Just don’t do or say anythin’ that’ll cause either of us trouble, okay…”

“As long as you do ask her, you’ve got nothing to worry about,” Carmine smirked.

____________________

Juliana was currently looking at the items spread out in Peachy’s shop. After dinner, she asked the caretaker about any stores to buy souvenirs, and he had recommended the shop near the community centre to meet her needs. She had some time before she needed to rest for tomorrow’s orienteering, so she figured she might as well get some souvenirs for her friends.

As Juliana browsed through the shop’s wares, she looked really hard to see what would make for the best gifts to bring back. They’d probably be happy with anything, but Juliana wanted them to be special to show how much she valued their friendship.

Seeing as Nemona was a hard-worker and battle fanatic, some battle items to help with training her Pokemon might be best. Juliana imagined Arven would be happy with getting some ingredients exclusive to Kitakami for his cooking. And Penny did treat her Veevees like her pride and joy, so the set of Eeveelution plushies was a given for her to buy. Now Juliana just needed to get something for herself, and she’d be all set.

As she was browsing around some more, something caught her eye. The object of intrigue looked similar to a pecha berry with its purplish colour and peach-like shape. Perhaps it was a type of plushie like the other ones she had found? She thought it looked really cute and she’d never seen anything like it before, so it made for the perfect souvenir in her book.

As she set down her friends’ souvenirs, she approached the elderly owner to inquire more about the purple toy, “Could you tell me more about that item over there? I want to buy it too.”

“Hmm, I don’t remember where this one came from. I might have just forgotten, though. I have been getting on in years. But if you really want it, I’ll sell it to you for 1000 Pokédollars.”

“Deal!” Juliana smiled as she transferred the money to the owner, “Thank you very much!”

“Anytime, dear. Please come again.”

With souvenirs in hand, Juliana began heading back towards the community center. The peach-shape plushie kept grabbing her eye even as she kept walking. For some reason, it was hard to tear her gaze away from it, as if it had her in some sort of trance. Eventually, she did manage to focus her attention to her surroundings once more and decided to keep the plushie inside her backpack to avoid any further distractions. She needed to wake up tomorrow for the first day of orienteering after all!

“Let’s hope tomorrow will be as great and exciting as today!”

But as Juliana headed toward her private quarters, she was unaware of the violet, menacing aura that kept radiating within her backpack.

Chapter Text

Juliana headed towards the door leading outside of the community center. For some reason, she didn’t get as good of a sleep as she had hoped. She still felt energetic, but there was also an odd feeling she had ever since she woke up. Oh well, Juliana wouldn’t worry about that now, especially since it was time for the first day of orienteering to begin. Leaving all her souvenirs out of her backpack except for the plush she bought for herself, Juliana began heading outside.

As she exited the community center, she saw Kieran and Carmine already standing outside. The Paldean Champion had hoped she would be able to interact with the siblings. Carmine was a strong trainer given their bout yesterday, so Juliana wanted to battle with her more. She wanted to get to know Kieran more too since he seemed like a sweet kid and someone who she thought would be a good friend to have. Hopefully, Juliana would be able to partner up with one of them so that they could grow closer.

Ms. Briar started the introductions off by turning her attention to Kieran and Carmine who were waiting patiently for their cue.

“Morning, everyone! Did you sleep well? Starting today, you’ll be joined by our two students from Blueberry Academy. Go on kids, time to introduce yourselves.”

Carmine stepped up with an uncharacteristically peppy tone to introduce herself, “Hi! I’m Carmine! It’s a pleasure to meet all you outsiders…I mean, visitors from Paldea! Hee hee! I look especially forward to getting to know one of you in particular.”

Juliana saw that Carmine was gazing at her when she said that last sentence. Looks like they might be able to forge a good relationship after all.

Kieran stepped up to introduce himself next but looking quite nervous, “I-I’m Kieran…I hope we get along…”

Kieran simply stared at the ground after, not looking at Juliana at all. Uh oh, did he not want to be friends with her after all? She thought Kieran had been really interested in her before, but maybe he changed his mind after they parted. It looked like Carmine had similar thoughts as she looked at her brother with a scowl.

“Carmine and Kieran actually grew up here,” the caretaker added, “So feel free to ask them for help if you need to know about anything here. And you two had better be of real help, you hear me?”

“Aye-aye.”

“R-Right…”

It was Uva Academy’s turn to introduce themselves next, so Juliana took the initiative to go first.

“Hello! My name is Juliana and I look forward to getting to know my new tripmates! I hope we all have fun during this week of adventure!”

Everyone looked pleased with Juliana’s introduction, and she could even see Carmine forming a small smile afterwards. Kieran even started gazing at her as well.

After everyone made their introductions, the caretaker started explaining the orienteering event to everyone present. They were to work in pairs and locate three signboards around Kitakami, highlighting a famous folktale from the region. They also had to take a snapshot of each signboard with each pair standing in front of it. The Roto Stick they were given would help each pair with taking their selfies too.

It looked like a way for them to explore Kitakami on their own and learn more about the region’s culture, which did interest Juliana. She did want to learn all she could about this land and explore it to her heart’s content, so it was a win-win scenario for her. Now, she just needed to know how the pairings would work.

Fortunately, Ms. Briar made one suggestion on how to group each pair, “I believe it would be best for the students of Uva Academy and Blueberry Academy to partner with one another. Remember that one of the goals of this trip is to deepen the ties between our two schools. It seems like having someone who knows the area well would be a big help. That being said...Let's try to maximize the number of interschool pairs, OK?”

Juliana was excited hearing about this opportunity, with the Paldean student immediately heading towards the siblings to talk to about it.

“Hi, there! It’s great to see you two again!”

“You came straight for us, Juliana? Let me guess, you want to pair up with one of us poor, lonely, Blueberry students?”

“Yep! I’m looking to get to know you two more!”

Carmine chuckled a little, “Gosh, it’s so sweet of you to go out of your way like that. What would we ever do without you?”

The blue-uniformed girl turned her eyes towards Kieran, who still hadn’t said anything during their conversation. In fact, he seemed to be breathing in and out instead. It seemed like her brother was getting all Torchic on Juliana after all, she thought. Looks like she would have to help him out like she said she would.

“Oh yeah. So, my little brother here-”

But Carmine was immediately interrupted by Kieran’s voice, “Um, Juliana? I-I was wonderin’ if you’d like to uh be my p-partner for the orienteering thing? N-Not that you have to say yes, ‘cause I’m sure there are other people you’d want to go with…”

Carmine didn’t see that coming. But she was proud of Kieran for mustering up the confidence to ask in the end. Not that she’ll be admitting that to him anytime soon.

Juliana smiled and answered, “Of course I’ll be your partner, Kieran! Let’s make sure we have lots of fun together!”

Kieran breathed a huge sigh of relief, “W-Wowzers, really? You don’t mind?”

“Yep! It was my plan to partner with one of you two, after all. Assuming you don’t mind me partnering with your brother, Carmine?”

“Not at all! You probably don’t know this, but my brother’s usually no good at talking to people. He’s so shy that I honestly thought he’d never work up the nerve to ask you that. So, I’ll give my blessing for you two to be partners.”

Kieran blushed deeply over what his sister just told them, “Y-You didn’t need to say it like that, Sis! Why are you such a dummy?!”

Carmine narrowed her eyes towards her brother, “I’ll that comment slide, but you better remember how to properly talk to your big sis in the future, got it?!”

“Aw man…” were the only words Kieran said as he sighed in defeat.

Carmine just continued talking to Juliana after, “So, Juliana. Before you go with Kiki, why don’t you two have a battle? It would make him even happier if he got the chance to face you like I did yesterday!”

“Sure! I’m always up for a battle! Let’s get started right away!”

“Good to hear. You hear that, Kiki?! Juliana said she would be happy to battle with you!”

“O-Oh? You really mean that, Juliana? Then I’ll make sure to battle my heart out!”

“Looking forward to it, Kieran!”

With both trainers accepting the challenge, Carmine urged everyone to give enough space for both of them to battle without worry. She stood behind her brother, ready to cheer him on like he had done for her yesterday.

“Do you mind if we do a double battle, Kieran? Carmine said that’s the common battle format you guys do at Blueberry Academy, and I want to get more experience doing it with my Pokémon.

Kieran happily nodded, “Yeah, no problem! We can do a 2 on 2 double battle since I’ve only got two Pokemon on me right now.”

“Alright, then let’s get started! You’re up Meowscarada and Baxcalibur!”

Juliana spun around and threw her Pokéballs revealing her two partners for the battle. Kieran was getting excited over the chance to finally battle someone so amazing that he fumbled with his Pokéballs for a bit. Fortunately, he managed to hold them steady before sending out his partners.

“Let’s go, Furret and Yanma!”

At Kieran’s command, a long-tailed Pokémon and a dragonfly Pokémon appeared ready to battle as well. He couldn’t hide the exhilaration he felt over this opportunity.

“Wowzers, I can't believe this! I really get to battle you! This is awesome!”

Juliana took the time to observe her opponents and was feeling pumped to face off against Pokémon from this region she had never seen once more. She was glad to see Kieran had become more active now that they had the chance to talk. She was looking to see what the Blueberry student could do.

“I’ll make the first move”, Juliana decreed, “Meowscarada use Night Slash on Furret and Baxcalibur use Icicle Crash on Yanma!”

Both Pokemon quickly made their way towards their opponents, with Meowscarada using its speed to hit Furret backwards while Baxcalibur landed major damage on the flying-type with its icicles falling from the sky.

“Ehehe, I guess I’ve got a lot of weaknesses,” Kieran commented while scratching his head, “But we won’t back down! Yanma, strike back against Meowscarada with Bug Buzz! Buzz those wings to victory!”

Yanma flew faster and faster as it buzzed its wings to shoot waves of energy against the green cat, managing to land a lot of damage due to the type advantage. Meowscarada still held on, nodding to Juliana that it still had the will to fight.

“You’re doing pretty good, Kieran! Seems like you know a lot about Meowscarada’s weaknesses too.”

“I was watching your battle with Sis really carefully, so I know a grass-type like Meowscarada would take a big hit from Yanma’s moves.”

“I bet it wasn’t only my Pokémon that you were focused on, huh? I did see you staring at me a few times, you know?” Juliana responded with a mischievous tone.

Which led to Kieran’s face being flushed with a deep scarlet, “Y-You saw me lookin’?! U-Um, I just thought you were amazing handling yourself like that…and um…”

“Don’t worry about it, Kieran. I was just teasing! I thought it was really sweet that you took such an interest in me. But we’ll save the talking for after the battle. Baxcalibur and Meowscarada, aim your Dragon Claw and Flower Trick on Furret next!”

“Furret, hide underground by using Dig!” Kieran ordered his partner as Furret started digging a hole to dodge both attacks.

“Guess I’ll need to focus on Yanma first. Let’s go with an Icicle Crash and Play Rough combo next!”

“Yanma, c-cut through the wind and show 'em what you've got by using your Air Cutter to counterattack!”

Refocusing their efforts on Yanma, Juliana’s Pokémon moved to avoid the dragonfly’s wind slashes before striking it with both attacks. But just as they completed their moves, Furret rose from the ground and dealt damage to Baxcalibur with its attack.

Unfortunately, its attack came a little too late with Yanma being unable to battle after taking too much damage.

Kieran wasn’t perturbed and recalled Yanma, choosing to focus his attention on defeating the opposing Pokémon with Furret.

“Wowzers! The way your Pokémon work together is so cool! I’ve got a lot to learn before I can be at your level.”

Juliana giggled, “You’re not doing too shabby either. I didn’t expect Furret to jump out of the ground like that. You’re pretty amazing too, Kieran! This battle just keeps getting me amped up the longer it goes!”

Kieran couldn’t help but grin at Juliana’s compliment, “Yeah, I wanna see this battle ‘til the end! Furret feels the same, don’t ya buddy?”

Furret stood tall in agreement with its trainer, ready to battle with everything it had.

“That’s the spirit! Then, I’ll respond by going all out too! Baxcalibur use Thunder Fang and Meowscarada use Flower Trick for a two-pronged attack!”

“We can handle this! Use Dig to escape their attacks!”

Furret once again burrowed underground and avoided their attacks. But Juliana was prepared for the counterattack as she had Baxcalibur use Earthquake to shake the ground, causing Furret to be forcibly pushed above ground.

“Wha?!”

“I learned a while back that using Earthquake doubles the damage of any Pokémon that’s underground. Looks like this battle’s going to end in my victory!”

The Earthquake dealt damage to Meowscarada too, which was something Juliana was surprised to find out. But her leafy companion toughed out the hit for her. As Furret struggled to get back up, Meowscarada and Baxcalibur used their most powerful attacks to land a double blow, knocking the furry Pokémon out.

Looking at how thoroughly outclassed he was once the battle ended, Kieran had only one thing to say to highlight his shock.

“W-Wowzers…”

Juliana giggled at the boy’s remark and offered her hand to him, to which Kieran shook wholeheartedly. It was a nice feeling for them both that gave a wonderful sensation as their soft hands touched.

A few moments after, Carmine walked up to them to congratulate the pair for a well fought battle.

“You really are a strong battler, Juliana. Kiki’s nearly as strong as I am, you know?”

“C’mon Sis, I dunno about that…”

“Strong or not, I thoroughly enjoyed my battle with you. It might be because of my friend Nemona’s influence, but the types of trainers I feel thrilled battling are the ones who give it their all with their Pokémon. The drive and passion you exhibited back there is something I truly admire about you, Kieran! And I hope we can have even more fun battles together!”

Kieran could feel his heart flutter once more. The Blueberry student had lost yet again. But this loss felt different from the other times it happened. Normally, he would have been devastated that he still wasn’t strong enough. But Juliana battled against him wholeheartedly, looking like she was having fun no matter who she was facing.

He remembered when he had fun battling against other trainers when he first enrolled in Blueberry Academy. He didn’t care about needing to be the strongest as long as he and his Pokémon fought together with joy. It seemed he had both Ogerpon and Juliana to thank for setting him straight.

“Juliana. I…thank you,” Kieran replied with a tearful smile, happy to have remembered that part of himself once again.

Juliana really liked him for who he was. And she was honest about her feelings about him too. It was something he never expected to happen when he was surrounded by people who either thought of him as odd or weak. He hoped they could grow even closer. He hoped he can become a better person with her at his side.

With the battle concluded, everyone was ready to start their orienteering journey. The caretaker had generously inputted the locations of each of the signboards in their Rotom Phones, so there was no need to wander around trying to find them.

Carmine had chosen to partner up with one of Juliana’s classmates, while asking Juliana to take care of Kieran for her. Juliana promised they’ll watch out for one another, causing Kieran to blush a little and vow the same.

“Are you ready to go, Kieran?” Juliana asked.

“Y-Yeah, I’m good to go. U-Um, so it looks like we should start with the signboard to Loyalty Plaza. That's out past the apple orchards on the west side of the village, so it’s close by. And I figure it might, um, make sense to...y'know...visit them all in order.”

“Sounds good to me!” Juliana replied, “You look like you want to say more, though. Was there anything else I need to know?”

“U-Uh, not really. But…I was just thinkin’. Do you want to walk together to get to the first signpost? I might just be gettin’ in your way if I stay too close, but I wanted to ask y’know?”

Juliana looked confused for a moment, “Of course I’d want to walk together with you. We’re partners after all. And I would love for you to show me all that Kitakami has to offer along the way!”

The boy in front of her simply nodded and moved his hand to grasp hers, with Juliana accepting it wholeheartedly. Then, both of them started walking side by side towards their first destination.

____________________

Kieran was feeling overjoyed right now. Juliana had kindly accepted his request to partner up with him for the orienteering event and he was even more happy that he had worked up the courage to ask her. If it were any other world, he might have been too shy to ask, or Carmine would have stepped in to ask Juliana on his behalf. He did notice that he was feeling more confident about himself ever since rescuing and bonding with Ogerpon, so it seemed as if he was starting to change for the better.

He even managed to walk and talk beside Juliana as they were heading towards Loyalty Plaza. Again, if it were any other world, he probably would have suggested for her to walk ahead of him so he wouldn’t be a bother. Given his self-esteem issues and how wonderful of a person Juliana was, he thought that was the most likely outcome. But he stood tall and was able to talk to her like a normal human being, so Kieran considered this moment a win in his book.

After thirty minutes of walking past Apple Hills’ beautiful orchards, they had arrived at Loyalty Plaza. The signboard and the shrine for the Loyal Three were in full display at the center of the park area. Juliana looked intrigued about the text, but Kieran couldn’t hide his apprehensiveness over the words that lay ahead of him.

He never liked the story etched on the signboard much to begin with, but now that he knew what really happened between Ogerpon and the Loyal Three, he felt disgusted that everyone in town besides their family would believe such lies. Still, Juliana was an outsider of Kitakami’s culture, so maybe she might feel differently.

“We're s'posed to read the signboard, right? I mean, already know the whole story, so you should go check it out.”

Juliana stepped towards the front of the shrine, reading the text in its entirety. Apparently, there was an ogre that lived in Kitakami a long time ago and tried to attack the village. Then, the Loyal Three came to defend the village at the cost of their lives to drive the ogre away. Which led to them being idolized as heroes and how the shrine and statues here came to be.

“Hmm, Kitakami culture sure does have some interesting legends. I can see why Carmine was so defensive about her town. She must care a lot about her home’s culture and traditions. I’m guessing you feel the same way, right Kieran?”

“Um, I’m not as passionate about our culture as Sis is. But I’ve lived here for most of my life, so I do enjoy some parts of our legends.”

Kieran looked a bit nervous afterwards, wondering if Juliana really would believe the real story. She was from another region, and she was kind, so maybe her opinions of Ogerpon would be different from the townsfolk. So, he took a deep breath and asked Juliana his question.

“Hey, Juliana? The Loyal Three monument was built over there because people thought they were heroes. But…don’t you think the ogre in that folklore wasn’t really the bad guy the villagers thought it was?”

Juliana thought about it for a few moments and answered, “Well, I can’t say for sure since this is the first time I’ve heard this story, and I don’t know if it’s true or not. But I think you shouldn’t take things at face value without knowing more about it first. I’ve certainly had plenty of experiences during the Treasure Hunt where that was the case.”

Kieran was elated at the girl’s response. She really was someone special.

“I’m glad you’ve got a different view about the ogre too. Most people here would think the ogre was scary, but I thought differently. I used to climb up Oni Mountain so many times at night for the chance to meet it. The only scary thing that happened were the grown-ups givin’ me a real earful about it after every climb.”

“You must really admire the ogre, Kieran.”

“Yeah, I do. Though, I used to admire it because it was so strong and cool. But after some things happened a while back, I’ve seen that the ogre is awesome in other ways.”

It was at this time that Kieran realized he had been talking about Ogerpon long enough. For now, he would savour knowing someone like Juliana could accept the leafy Pokémon too.

“Oops, we gotta keep focused on the orienteering. Umm...So yeah, we're s'posed to take a photo in front of the signboard, right? I don't have a smartphone though.”

Juliana was simply shocked at what she just heard, “Wait, you seriously don’t have a smartphone?! Doesn’t Carmine have one?”

Kieran simply answered, “Sis does have a phone, but she didn’t have one until two years ago. My grandparents told me they’d get me one too one day. Told me to be patient until they saved enough money to buy it.”

“I didn’t think there were still people our age who could live without a phone! You should totally get one someday. I don’t know if I could take it if I was away from my Rotom Phone for too long.”

Juliana could see that she was rambling, so she grabbed her phone and positioned it in front of herself and Kieran to take their photo.

“I’m going to take the photo now, Kieran. How about we do a V sign as our pose?”

“Oh, sure. I’m sorry if I’m not very photogenic…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Juliana waved, “I think you’re pretty cute already, so I’m sure the photo’s going to be awesome!”

Kieran felt like he was about to explode. She had just called him cute so nonchalantly and still kept a joyful smile on her face. How could someone as awe-inspiring as her even exist? If she kept this up, he was sure he’d end up a hot mess.

Mustering up his best smile and pose before his emotions overwhelmed him, Kieran stood beside Juliana who was doing the same before the flash of the camera clicked. They both took a look at the picture currently stored in Juliana’s photo gallery, with Kieran grimacing at how awkward he looked despite trying his best to look good.

“You look great in this picture, Juliana. You must be good at taking photos. Sorry I had to look so awkward though.”

“I think you look good too. Like in an adorkable way,” Juliana replied.

“I…um, don’t know what to say to that. But if you think it looks good, then I believe you.”

Kieran looked up towards the sky, “Y'know...I didn't wanna have to come do this whole school trip thing, but it might actually be kinda fun. I get to be out in nature around my hometown…and I get to spend it with you, Juliana.”

“That’s really sweet of you to say, Kieran.”

Suddenly, their stomachs growled at the same time, indicating it was time to have something to eat before they started heading to the next signboard.

“H-Hey, if you want, maybe we could set up a picnic? Would you like a sandwich?”

“Kieran, no!” Juliana cried as she waved her arms left and right to get him to stop talking.

But it was too late when Miraidon popped out of its Pokéball, its futuristic mouth ready to consume the sandwich it had heard uttered before him.

Kieran jumped from shock at the new Pokémon appearing, “Gyah! Wh-what is that thing?! Some kinda...kaiju or somethin'?!”

“Yeah…This is Miraidon! We’ve been traveling together since I started my Pokémon journey in Paldea and its also my main mode of transportation when I travel. A lot had happened between the two of us, so I consider it to be one of my most trusted companions!”

Miraidon let out a happy growl to let Juliana know how pleased it was over her loving words.

“Anyways, Miraidon really loves sandwiches. So, once it hears the word uttered, it’ll leave its Pokéball to get a taste. It really took a toll on my friend Arven’s sanity every time it happened when the two of us travelled together hehe.”

“Wowzers, this one looks really cool with all its colours and energy radiating out. And it seriously comes out when it hears the word ‘sandwich’? With awesome Pokémon by your side, it’s no wonder you’re so strong…and so special to me…”

Juliana could hear Kieran start mumbling afterwards and she wanted to hear more on what he wanted to say.

“Sorry Kieran, I couldn’t hear that last part. Would you mind repeating that?”

Kieran looked at Juliana in surprise. He wasn’t expecting her to hear that last part and he didn’t want to reveal those thoughts to her just yet. He swore he would when they had the time to become even closer to one another.

“I-It’s nothin’. Just mumblin’ to myself. Anyways, why don’t we set up that picnic now? I’ve got lots of candy in my bag that’ll go great with the sandwiches!”

“Alright, we’ll leave it at that for now,” Juliana giggled, “Wow! You really do have a lot of candy in there! I should’ve guessed you had a sweet tooth.”

“Ehehe, guilty…but I’m willing to share as much as I have with you!”

“Don’t mind if I do!”

They managed to find a secluded spot near Apple Hills with a good shady area. Juliana let out all her Pokémon to relax while Kieran did the same. Turns out Juliana had a huge, sweet tooth like he did. Kieran wished he could share this moment with Ogerpon too, thinking the starry-eyed Pokémon would enjoy a nice time outside with the great company among them.

Maybe if Juliana learns the truth about Ogerpon and he was absolutely sure she would accept her, he could introduce Juliana to the loveable round ball of fluff. He was sure she’d be charmed by her adorableness and tenacity when that meeting happened.

His inner thoughts were disrupted when he noticed Juliana staring into space for a few moments. She seemed to be in some kind of daze and Kieran could swear her eyes were more glazed than they were previously. Even Miraidon and Meowscarda were giving worrying glances at their dear companion.

“Hey, Juliana? Are you alright?” Kieran asked concerningly as he gently shook her arm.

Juliana snapped out of her daze, “Huh? Y-Yeah, I’m alright. I just felt weird for a second, but I’m fine now. Sorry if I worried everyone. I might just be tired because of the battling and walking we did today.”

Kieran breathed a sigh of relief, “It’s cool. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Maybe Kieran had nothing to worry about after all. Juliana did look a lot better now and the glazed eyes might have been her being tired like she said. Or it could have been a genetic thing like how his eyes and Carmine’s would dull whenever they were extremely focused or stressed.

Juliana gasped and shook Kieran’s arm, “Kieran, take a look at that! They look so adorable!”

Kieran gazed to where Juliana was pointing at and saw a pair of Applin sleeping together near the tree they were in front of. They were in Applin Hills, so it made sense there would be lots of Applin lounging in this area. He did have to admit it was cute seeing two of them sleeping so close to each other.

“Hey, I’ve got an idea! Why don’t we both catch one? That way we’ll have matching Applin!”

That seemed like a good idea to Kieran. There were two Applin and there were two of them, so the math worked out.

Kieran nodded, “Alright, let’s do it!”

Both students pulled out a Pokéball from their bag and proceeded to do a back strike throw on the two Applin. After a few turns, the Pokéballs clicked to signify that they had been captured.

“W-We did it! We both caught an Applin!”

“We sure did! There were Applin in Paldea too, but they were so hard to catch since I had to keep shaking trees for them to reveal themselves. So, I’m really happy they just hang around on the ground here!”

“Wowzers, that does sound like it’d be annoyin’. Paldea must have lots of places to explore though if you’ve had to shake that many trees.”

“Yeah, I’ve visited a lot of wonderful sights throughout my Treasure Hunt journey. Although, I hope to have more time to keep exploring since I only arrived there eight months ago.”

“You weren’t born in Paldea?”

“Mhm. I was actually born in Galar, then me and my mom moved to Paldea because of certain reasons. But I don’t regret it since I got to experience so much at Uva Academy, and I’ve met a few friends who have become so dear to me.”

“Friends…that must be nice. I hope I can make friends as easily as you did one day.”

Juliana could sense that that word was a sore spot for Kieran, so she decided to change the subject.

“Speaking of Galar, did you know they have a folktale about Applin? They say if you give an Applin to someone, it acts as a symbol of love to the one you wish to be romantic partners with.”

Kieran tried to make sure he had heard her right. Was her suggestion to catch their Applin a way to symbolize romantic affection between the two of them? Did Juliana see him that way? I mean, it’s not like they planned to give their Applin to each other, right? Right???

No, I’m just overthinking it. I should just leave that thought outta my mind. I don’t wanna look or sound like an idiot for thinkin’ the wrong thing.

“Kieran, are you alright? Your face is looking really red right now.”

Oh no, he had to get himself under control. He did not want Juliana staring at him while he was in this state. With as much willpower as he could muster, Kieran calmed himself and gave a shy smile to alleviate Juliana’s worries.

“Errr, we should go the next signboard! It’s on the grounds of Kitakami Hall. Um, Kitakami Hall is...Well, first we’ll double back to town from here, then there's this bridge we cross, and from there, we'll need to climb up the mountainside.”

“Maybe we can take a break when we’re back at the town before heading there? That way we’ll have more energy during the journey.”

“Oh, sure! We’ll had back to town and relax. Plus, if you said you’re tired, you could head back to the community center to take a nap.”

“A nap sounds good to me. You’re sure you won’t mind, Kieran?”

“No problem. I’ll just walk around town while you’re restin’. We can meet back at the community center in an hour.”

Their plan decided, the duo headed back to Mossui Town. Once they reached the community center, Juliana said her goodbyes to Kieran before heading inside to rest.

Once she entered her room, she slid her backpack off and crashed right onto her bed. She could 100% say that her time with Kieran was excellent. They had bonded a lot during their few hours together and she was looking forward to meeting up with him again to grow even closer. When they were interacting, she could feel a spark between them that made her heart race. It was a feeling she wished to experience more as they continued traveling. For now, she’ll get some much needed rest before they resumed their journey.

____________________

Ogerpon felt uneasy.

She didn’t know why she was feeling this way, but the feeling only started appearing the night before. It gave her chills as the dreaded sensation permeated over her leaves.

There had only been one time when she had felt something similar, and it was a memory she would rather not have to remember.

The violet, toxic miasma that radiated from those three monsters and their master all those centuries ago.

Chapter Text

“Aah, that felt good!”

Juliana woke up from her nap forty minutes later. She felt a lot more refreshed and was ready to continue the orienteering quest with Kieran. Grabbing her backpack, she headed out of the community center, but could not see Kieran anywhere. She supposed the boy was still walking around town since she was twenty minutes early from their meeting time.

Juliana thought she might as well walk around Mossui Town too since she didn’t have time yesterday to explore it in its entirety. She moved her legs westward, where she spotted a woman with blue and green hair taking pictures with her camera. Beside her was a Pokémon that looked like a Growlithe, but with a different look. The photographer didn’t look like she lived in Mossui Town, so Juliana decided to introduce herself to see what her deal was.

“Hi there!” Juliana shouted as she approached the photographer.

The photographer in turn replied in surprise, “Whoa! Where’d you come from? I didn’t even notice you there. Anyways, you are…?”

“I’m-”

“Wait, no! Don’t say a thing! I want to guess first,” The photographer simply responded as she looked Juliana up and down, “I got it! You’re one of the students from the Paldea region on a school trip!”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

The photographer simply chuckled, “Heh heh, it’s a small town you know. News tends to spread pretty quickly! But anyways, the name’s Perrin. I’m a traveler with a bit of a thing for photography.”

“Nice to meet you, Perrin!” Juliana politely greeted, “My name’s Juliana. And who’s that Pokémon with you? It looks like a Growlithe, but different.”

“You’ve got a good eye! This Growlithe’s a different variant from the ones you usually see. Doesn’t the horn on its head make it the cutest?”

“It sure does! I’d love to feel it if you don’t mind.”

Perrin gave her assent and Juliana proceeded to feel the rocky pup, “Wow! I never imagined this Growlithe would feel so rough.”

“This particular Growlithe’s a rock-type, so it makes sense that it’s hard to the touch. By the way, this may sound weird, but would it be all right if I took your photo?”

Juliana nodded, “I guess so, but can I ask why?”

“One look and I could sense there’s something special about you, so I thought why not capture it, you know? Although, I’m a bit worried about how open you are to someone you just met, kiddo. Anyway, let me snap that photo.”

Juliana gave her best smile as the camera clicked to signal the photo had been taken. She was quite happy it turned out well after Perrin gave her moment to look at the result.

“Looking at this picture, you’ve got this unique vibe that’s a bit different from what I’m used to,” Perrin complimented her before pondering for a bit, “Actually, you might just be the right trainer for the job. I’ve got a favour to ask and I’m sure you’ve got the right amount of experience as a Pokémon trainer for the job.”

“What kind of favour?” Juliana curiously asked.

“To help me look for a rare Pokémon here in Kitakami so I can photograph it. I’ve been searching for ages, but I couldn’t find it. Though with your help, maybe I can. Plus, I heard this Pokémon is ferociously strong, so if you catch it, I’m sure it’ll be a big help in your adventures!”

Juliana had to admit that Perrin’s words piqued her interest. Although she wanted this to be a normal trip, it wasn’t everyday she had the chance to witness a rare Pokémon in a foreign land.

“I think I can help you out with finding this rare Pokémon, Perrin.”

“That look in your eye is a good one. Yeah, you seem like you have what it takes to handle Ursaluna, the Bloodmoon Beast. It’s a Pokémon I’ve heard that were plentiful a long time ago and had a big yellow mark resembling the full moon on its forehead. But this one’s got a red mark, which is why it’s called the ‘Bloodmoon Beast’.”

“Is it a native Pokémon in Kitakami?” Juliana asked.

“Actually, it used to live in my homeland, back when it was still called Hisui. Seems like it crossed the waters and settled in Kitakami. But I’m sure if we work together, we’ll be able to find it and snap a shot of it. So, what do you say…partner?”

Juliana took a few moments to consider the offer before answering, “I would be honoured to go with you to find Ursaluna, Perrin. But I’m currently busy doing an orienteering event with my own partner, so could I meet up with you to search after I’m done?”

Perrin gave a smile to the schoolgirl and waved her hand in acknowledgement, “Hey, it’s no problem at all! I’ll be here until I can get my shot, so take your time with your school trip activities.”

“Thank you very much!” Juliana responded before turning to head back to the community center.

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot!” Perrin shouted, “There was another Pokémon that caught my eye a few nights ago. I managed to get a picture, but it wasn’t as clear as I’d hoped. You want to take a look?”

Juliana nodded and looked at Perrin’s camera, with it revealing a green Pokémon that appeared to wear some sort of green mask.

“I’ve never seen this Pokémon before, but I have heard tales about an ogre that terrorized the town long ago while wearing a mask. Maybe the Pokémon in the photo’s the ogre that’s talked about. But anyway, if you see this Pokémon too, let me know and we can try taking some photos of this one together.”

Juliana said her goodbyes to Perrin and proceeded to meet up with Kieran. Their deadline to meet was fast approaching and she didn’t want Kieran to think that she had forgotten or overslept. Fortunately, she managed to see the Blueberry student standing in front of the community center.

Juliana yelled out to get his attention, “Hey, Kieran! Over here!”

Kieran turned his gaze towards her shout and replied, “Juliana? I thought you’d still be in the community center?”

“Yeah, I woke up about twenty minutes early and didn’t see you here yet. So, I thought to explore the town for a bit until then.”

“Oh, that makes sense! I would’ve been waitin’ here sooner, but I decided to head out of town to do some trainin’. I even managed to catch a new Pokémon too! And I got us a little something that I’m sure will be helpful for both of us!” Kieran happily told her.

“Ooh, what did you get? You gotta tell me!” Juliana inquired with intense curiosity.

“Ehehe, I’ll leave it a secret for now,” Kieran giggled back, “It took some time to get it, but I’ll be sure to let you know later.”

Juliana giggled back, “Wish I could’ve come with you to see what you got! Oh well, shall we head to the next signpost? I’m all refreshed and energized!”

“Yep, let’s go!”

Juliana and Kieran started heading towards the town’s east gate, casually talking about what they’ve been up to since they separated. Juliana thought Kieran might be interested in the Pokémon Perrin had been searching for and his knowledge of the region could be a big help in determining their locations. So, once they reached Mossfell Confluence, she decided to talk to him about it.

“So, there’s really a Pokémon called the Bloodmoon Beast here in Kitakami? I never knew there was such a beast living here. I don’t think Sis knows about it either and she’s a self-proclaimed expert on Kitakami.”

“I was wondering if you’d want to join me in finding it. I think it’d be really great to search for an amazing Pokémon like that and with your knowledge of the areas here, I know we’ll be able to find it for sure!”

Wowzers, Juliana was getting excited about this. Kieran could basically see her eyes shining over the opportunity she just told him. In his heart, Kieran wanted another moment with Juliana to himself and it was nice that she wanted to depend on him. It made him feel like he could be counted on instead of having to count on others. He had depended on his sister to do everything before, so it made him happy that the reverse could be true for his friend.

“That sounds really fun! I’d love to do this together with you, Juliana!” Kieran answered happily.

“Yay! You’re the best, Kieran!” Juliana replied as she grasped Kieran’s hands with her own, “There was another Pokémon Perrin talked about, but I don’t know much about it so I’d say finding Ursaluna should be our first priority. Though, we should focus on heading to the second sign first ehehe. We can search when we’re done the orienteering.”

Juliana and Kieran continued walking through the luscious fields while continuing to enjoy each other’s company. She felt a nice feeling as the breezy wind blew through her hair and the wonderful sounds of nature calmed her heart. After dealing with Area Zero, she was glad she could experience this pleasureful moment, especially with her new friend walking by her side.

Eventually, they had reached the outskirts of Kitakami Hall, with the second signboard visible for both to see. Kieran urged Juliana to head to the signboard and read the next part of the legend, but Juliana looked towards him with a bright smile.

“Do you think you could stay beside me?” Juliana asked, “Last time, you stayed behind to let me read it and even though you said you know the story, I’d like to enjoy this moment with my friend.”

Kieran could feel his heart beating faster as soon as Juliana called him that word once more. She truly thought of him as a friend, someone she enjoyed spending time with despite how he usually felt about himself. There weren’t many people in his life that had same mindset with him in the past. The only ones he could think of were Carmine, Crispin, Amarys, and most recently, Ogerpon. Wishing to preserve that title, Kieran happily nodded while Juliana grabbed his hand with hers to express her content.

The two friends stood in front of the signboard, with Juliana looking very excited to learn more about Kitakami’s famous legend. She gazed intensely at each word, becoming more enthralled with each sentence.

The ogre possessed four mysterious, glimmering masks.
It is said that depending on the mask the ogre donned, the powers of its cudgel would change.
When wearing the teal mask, it could bring life back into withered greenery around it.
When wearing the crimson mask, it could turn a candle's flame into a raging inferno.
When wearing the blue mask, it could stop the very flow of a river.
When wearing the ashen gray mask, it could easily break the hardest stone in two.
Before the Loyal Three fell, they wrested away three of the ogre's masks, greatly weakening it.

“So, the ogre had four different masks that could change its powers? It must have been extremely powerful before they were taken from it.”

If the ogre still had the teal mask, could the ogre really have been the Pokémon Perrin was talking about? Nah, probably not.

“Yeah, those three masks are still being kept locked within the temple in Kitakami Hall. Only the caretaker has access to the place,” Kieran replied.

A few days ago, he wanted to sneak in and take them so that Ogerpon could finally reunite with all four of her precious masks. But that idea was quickly shut down when Carmine used common sense against him. Maybe one day, he thought.

“Oh, I wish I could be able to see them myself! They must so pretty and powerful if they can grant the ogre such might! I wonder if they would count as held items. I so wish I could find out one day!”

Kieran couldn’t help but laugh in his mind at her enthusiasm. Would she be completely shocked if she learned that parts of the legend were biased towards the wrong Pokémon? Would she even believe the true story? Kieran would let Juliana decide for herself what was true and what was fiction when that time came.

But he could think about that later. They still had to take a picture of the signboard before they could move on.

“You ready to take the picture, Kieran?” Juliana asked.

“Y-yeah. You can take the next picture too, if you don’t mind. I don’t have a lotta experience using a smartphone and I know the ones you take will be amazin’!”

“Aww, that’s really sweet of you to say! In that case, let’s do a different pose this time. Why don’t we extend our arms with a big smile?”

“Oh, sounds good. Um, I just hope I can pose right this time…I don’t wanna have to settle with just lookin’ adorkable like last time.”

“Aw, don’t worry. Just give it your best pose and smile and it’ll look great. I believe you can do it, Kieran!”

Grateful that Juliana had the utmost confidence in him, he opened his arms as wide as he could with a smile that matched in magnitude.

Juliana took at the photo and was thoroughly pleased with the result. Kieran had to admit that he looked better in this photo than in the last one, being more confident and expressive than before. He had Juliana’s encouraging words to thank for that, he supposed.

Juliana, on the other hand, was feeling great with the pace they had so far, “Alright! Two down and only one left to go. We’re doing good with the time we’ve spent so far. Maybe we’ll be able to finish the orienteering in one day. That’d be pretty impressive, huh!”

“We just might,” Kieran replied, “And you know, maybe that means we’d have some time for me to show you what I was talkin’ about earlier.”

“Oh my gosh, I’d almost forgotten about that! So, what’d you get for us, Kieran?”

Kieran opened his yellow bag and revealed three different types of apples as he held each one with his hands. Two of them looked like a Tart Apple and a Sweet Apple, but Juliana wasn’t familiar with the third one. Although, she knew enough about the first two that she could guess what Kieran’s intentions were.

“You want to use these apples to evolve our Applin, right?”

“Yep, you got it! I should’ve known you’d be really smart, Juliana! I thought we could evolve them at the same time, s-so we’d become um c-closer,” Kieran answered, though with less confidence than he had before.

Juliana laughed a little at how shy he got. He really was a sweet kid, as sweet as apples she would even say. She sent out the Applin she had recently caught, and Kieran moved to do the same. Looking at the choices laid before her, Juliana decided to grab the Sweet Apple, while Kieran took what he later said was the Syrupy Apple.

When their Applin touched the apples that were held in their trainer’s hand, they started to glow white ready to evolve. Juliana had experience using items to evolve her Pokémon before, but this was the first time she had done it together with a friend before. The experience made her feel warm and tingly inside, which she wouldn’t object feeling again in the future.

Juliana took a good look at their new Pokémon while remarking, “Looks like my Applin evolved into a Appletun, just like I figured. But I’m not familiar with the Pokémon you now have, Kieran.”

Indeed, the Applin Kieran had turned into a syrup covered Pokémon with two wyrms occupying its inner core.

“Ehehe, guess you don’t have this Pokémon in Paldea or Galar. If you give an Applin a Syrupy Apple, it evolves into this Pokémon here called Dipplin. I…like candy apples a lot, so I thought it’d be great to evolve it into a Pokémon that looks like one.”

Kieran felt a little embarrassed after, shaking the side of his hair with his hand, “It’s kinda childish if you think about it, huh?”

Juliana shook her head, “I don’t think that way at all. And I don’t think people should do things based on what others’ think about it. As long as you wanted to, that’s all that matters!”

Kieran was amazed at how kind and caring she could be. He had figured she would be this way as they traveled together, but now he was absolutely certain this was the real her. If that was the case, then maybe he could show her…

“Hey Juliana, I was thinkin’. You were really interested in the ogre before. So, if you wanted…we could go up Oni Mountain to see the ogre’s home? It’s called the Dreaded Den.”

“Hmm, I do want to learn more about the ogre. And it’d be awesome if I could check on where it lives, so count me in!”

“Awesome! I can guide us there, but it’ll take some time since the den is really high up and the mountain path can get really steep at times.”

“No need to worry! I’ve got an idea that’ll save us time and headaches getting there!” Juliana replied as she released Miraidon from its Pokéball.

“Agias?”

“Miraidon, we need your help getting us up Oni Mountain so that we can visit the Dreaded Den. I’ll be counting on you!”

Miraidon simply roared happily as it lowered its body so that Juliana could climb up its back. Once ready, she called out for Kieran to do the same.

“Y-you want me to ride on Miraidon? Is it safe?”

Juliana waved her hand, “It’ll be fine. I’ve ridden on Miraidon more times than I can count, and we never had any issues. But if you’re feeling scared, you can sit behind me and hold my waist the entire journey.”

“H-hold your waist?!” Kieran responded in shock. He didn’t know if it would be appropriate to touch her like that when they’ve only met for one day. Handshakes and handholding aside, this was a new level of physical contact Kieran was not ready for. But he didn’t to risk falling off and dying, so what choice did he have?

The yellow headband boy stepped up to seat himself behind Juliana and held her waist like she wanted him to. He had to admit that her body felt nice and soft, making the experience more comfortable. Although it had the side effect of making him feel like a creep when he thought about it like that.

“Looks like we’re ready to go. Oh yeah, I hope you hold on really tight because we’re going to go pretty fast.”

“Wait, what?”

But Juliana just went ahead with her instructions, “Let’s go, Miraidon! Engage!”

Kieran didn’t even have a chance to speak as Miraidon revved its electric powered appendages and blazed through the stone steps of Kitakami Hall towards Oni Mountain.

___________________

Juliana was right when she said they would save time riding Miraidon with the electric beast zipping through the rough mountain path like it was nothing. They even managed to reach the Dreaded Den in less than half the time it took if they had walked.

But Kieran was more focused on not throwing up his lunch from how fast they had been going. Even though she had warned him a few seconds before they departed, it would take a while before he could get hold of his bearings. Thankfully, Juliana was completely understanding of his current turmoil and waited patiently for him to recover.

Juliana started at the large cave in front of them, looking intrigued as she scanned the area.

“This is the Dreaded Den, huh? Hmm, I thought it would look scarier than that? Or maybe the ‘dreaded’ part came from the jagged and steep path we went through to get here.”

“I think it’s because they thought the ogre who lived here was so scary and terrifying that they named its home like that. Although, the ogre turned out to not be so scary without its mask…”

“Really? Did someone take a picture of it before?”

Shoot, he had said that last part out loud. He needed to do some damage control before he could muster his absolute confidence to tell her the full story. Not until he fulfilled what he had planned out.

“Uh, I just think that it might just be using the masks it has to make people think it’s scary to leave it alone. Yeah…that’s it.”

“Oh! I gotcha! I gotta say, that’s pretty smart if it wanted to avoid the people who tried to get rid of it before.”

“No one’s ever seen it before, but maybe if someone who believed in it could show it in battle, then maybe it’ll show up. With the trainin’ I did earlier, I think I’ve gotten stronger the last time we battled, you know? So, what do you say? You up for a battle?”

“I’m itching for another battle with you, especially if we can test how much stronger our newly evolved Pokémon. And with the way you admire it so much, I’m sure it’ll come witness our clash if it’s you battling, Kieran.”

I want that person to be you too, Juliana.

Kieran would use this chance to see once and for all if Juliana would be accepting of their new friend and a possible ally as well. Carmine had said she could see the girl’s true nature when they battled, so he would fight his hardest to do the same.

____________________

Juliana and Kieran agreed to have a 3 on 3 single battle this time, which would include using their recently evolved Pokémon. As they both spread out on opposite sides of the cave, they assumed their battle poses and held their Pokéball tightly.

“I’m ready whenever you are!” Juliana declared.

“Ready here! I’ll give it all I’ve got. I’ve got this!” Kieran replied as he psyched himself up for this important battle and pointed his Pokéball in her direction.

“Then let’s get this battle underway! Ceruledge, take the stage!”

Juliana spun around once more as she threw her Pokéball and revealed a blazing Pokémon with twin blades radiating with unbridled intensity. Even though he saw it when they had their picnic together, Kieran was still surprised that Juliana possessed so many incredible Pokémon who fought at her side.

But he pulled himself together and stood ready, “Poliwhirl, let’s do this!”

Poliwhirl emerged standing ready to fight against Ceruledge. Juliana assumed this was the Pokémon Kieran had caught before. She was exhilarated once more to face off against another native of this beautiful land.

Kieran’s eyes shined in determination to match Juliana’s, “This time I’ll put up a good fight! Poliwhirl, drench Ceruledge with Liquidation!”

Poliwhirl surrounded itself with a torrent of water before rushing towards Ceruledge to inflict heavy damage. But Ceruledge held the frog Pokémon tightly after getting hit to stop it in its tracks.

“It’s our turn now,” Juliana declared, “Strike back with Psycho Cut!”

Ceruledge’s blades glowed pink as it slashed Poliwhirl to deal it critical damage. The water-type was reeling from the hit took, almost ready to go down.

“Wha? That attack made my heart skip a beat...”

“There’s more where that came from! Time to power up using Swords Dance.”

“Come on, Poliwhirl! Use Liquidation again to charge at Ceruledge with everythin’ you got!”

Poliwhirl slammed at Ceruledge with as much power as it had. But the Fire Blades Pokémon once again held on and unleashed a Brick Break that sent its opponent falling to the ground.

Kieran couldn’t help but put his hands on his head, “Aw man, you’re as tough as ever. But we’re just getting’ started. I’m gonna need your help this time, Furret buddy!”

Furret emerged from its Pokéball, ready to redeem itself from the results of its last battle. Juliana could see the fire in its eyes and its dedication towards its partner. She would show them the close bonds she had with her Pokémon too.

“Ceruledge, time to switch. Now it’s time for your debut, Maushold,” Juliana said and then spun to release her next partner to join her.

“Wowzers! You’ve got a Maushold too? There are plenty of Tandemaus livin’ in Kitakami, but I bet yours travelled with you for a long time in Paldea.”

“Mhm, you got it. It just so happened mine evolved into a rare one with a family of three. Guess I got lucky getting this amazing partner of mine.”

“Or maybe you’re like the hero of a story, always getting everything they could ever want,” Kieran commented, “Just kidding! I know you’re not like that, Juliana.”

“Maybe you’re not that far off. I consider myself grateful for the chances I’ve gotten making many friends and Pokémon along my journey, and I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything. But why don’t we get back to the battle. Maushold, use Hyper Voice on Furret!”

“Furret, use Dig to escape!”

Furret managed to evade Maushold’s echoing shout, while shooting up from behind it to send it staggering back. But the mice trio caught Furret off guard and slammed it by using Play Rough.

“Time for a Population Bomb! Pile onto Furret with as much furry cuteness as you can!”

“Meet ‘em head on with Double Edge!”

As both normal types collided with one another, they used al their strength to push the other back. This time, Furret managed to overpower the family of mice to send them flying across the battlefield and made them unable to battle. And though it took some hits, the long-tailed Pokémon toughed it out so it’s trainer wouldn’t feel sad.

Juliana recalled Maushold back into its Pokéball, “You got me there! You really have gotten a lot stronger, Kieran! It’s making this battle really exciting!”

“T-thanks! I feel like I’ve gotten stronger too! A strength I can be proud of!”

“We’re one for one, so let’s break this tie here! Ceruledge, time to get back in there and use Bitter Blade!”

“Whoa, that was fast! Furret, use Quick Attack to dodge.”

Furret managed to outspeed the blades aiming for it. However, Juliana had anticipated this and had Ceruledge shoot a Psycho Cut towards it, landing another critical hit and causing Furret being unable to battle.

Kieran looked down as he gripped his hand, “Down to one Pokémon…But I’ll keep goin’ until the very end. I won’t lose heart like I did in the past!”

Juliana nodded happily over those words, “Yeah, let’s finish this battle with all we’ve got! It’s time for us to show off the power of our new friends. Let’s battle together, Appletun!”

With his body racing from the adrenaline, Kieran planned on doing the same.

“You heard her, Dipplin! Let’s show ‘em what we can do as a team!”

Both apple Pokémon appeared out of the Pokéballs ready to battle with their trainers for the first time, looking excited at the opportunity to face off against each other.

“They look pretty excited and so am I, so I’ll take the first move. Alright Appletun, hit them with your Dragon Pulse!”

“Dipplin, use your Dragon Pulse too!”

Blue shockwaves appeared from both dragons’ mouths, rippling and being shot adjacent to one another to hit their targets. Juliana and Kieran could feel the amount of damage that their new Pokémon had endured, but they stood their ground for their trainer’s sake.

“Wowzers, they both did just one attack and they inflicted so much damage to each other!”

“That goes to show how strong they really are. But we’ll be the ones who’ll be stronger, right Appletun!”

“Don’t count me an’ Dipplin out yet! Let’s cover ‘em with syrup with your Syrup Bomb!”

“Then we’ll respond with Apple Acid, Appletun!”

Both Pokémon roared with all their might and unleased their signature moves toward one another. With as much power and speed they could muster, their attacks hit the other sending them back spiraling. Even though their moves weren’t very effective due to their typing, they managed to cause Appletun and Dipplin to collapse at the same time.

____________________

“Looks like this battle’s a draw,” Juliana remarked.

But Kieran shook his head at the outcome, “Nah, you clearly won this Juliana. You’ve still got your Ceruledge ready to battle while all of mine are knocked out. But…”

Even though he lost once more to the radiant girl, Kieran couldn’t help but feel happy over the outcome. Juliana’s warmth and kindness shined throughout the entire battle, supported by the loyalty and dedication of the Pokémon who fought alongside her. Miraidon also seemed very happy with Juliana after travelling with her so long. And even the Appletun she had only recently caught showed unwavering affection towards its new trainer.

There was no doubt in his mind that Juliana would be another friend that Ogerpon could have. Maybe she could even help them out with clearing her name, as nonsensical as it seemed right now. Oh well, having them meet and bond together would be good enough at the moment.

He approached Juliana with a joyful smile, “That was incredible, Juliana! You shined so much during our battle with how strong you were, but also how kind and sweet you were too! If the ogre saw our battle today, it’d definitely want to meet you.”

“You were amazing too, Kieran! That battle was much more exhilarating for me than our first one. I could tell you were really focused on getting stronger when you were training before. I’m sure the ogre would’ve love to see your performance more than mine.”

Kieran blushed at the compliment, but he managed to form a smile to express his content to his friend.

“Thanks! You know, not that long ago, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be strong enough. See, my school Blueberry Academy is a school that focuses on teachin’ the art of Pokémon battlin’. I’ve never won much against the trainers there, so it made me think I didn’t have the skills to belong there.”

“Hmm, you shouldn’t be so down on yourself. I just know you’ve got the potential and drive to be as strong as you can.”

“Ehehe, don’t worry. I’ve learned that lesson now. After meeting you and someone else, I feel a lot more motivated to prove those thoughts wrong. If I could have the type of strength you two have, maybe I could aim to be the strongest trainer there.”

“As a new Champion myself who only started out as a trainer eight months ago, I’ll just say if I can be one of the strongest trainers in my region, then so can you! I’ll cheer for you both here and in spirit when you go back to your academy!”

Kieran could feel his heart warming up again. If she kept saying such encouraging things to him with such a determined face, he was sure his senses would overload. So, he tried to steer them towards Ogerpon’s den for them to take a look.

“Watch your head,” Kieran warned, “It’s pretty dark and cramped in here, so make sure you don’t get hurt.”

“You’re a sweet kid, Kieran. That’s my partner for you.”

“I’m…uh, just helpin’ like how anyone would…But you know, thinking about it, it seems pretty miserable living alone in a place like this. We’ve got plenty of room in our house, so I’d totally let it stay with us.

Technically, Ogerpon was currently living in their house, but it would be nice if she could stay even after she fully recovered and had her mask was fully fixed. Carmine would definitely be happy if she did with how much she spoiled their new leafy companion, and he did think she deserved a better life with them instead of hiding away in isolation. Kieran wasn’t ready to hear what Juliana had said to him after, though.

“Plenty of room, huh? When can I move in?” Juliana mischievously asked.

“Huh?! You’d wanna live together with me?!”

“I wouldn’t mind! I’d have to tell my friends in Paldea about this, but I think we could make it work. Plus, we can get to be a lot closer ehehe,” she replied with a sensual smile.

Kieran could feel himself getting overwhelmed again. She may be as sweet as Ribombee honey, but he sensed she could be a merciless teaser like his sister.

And like an idiot, he just stammered trying to get his words across saying there wouldn’t be enough room for them both, even though there totally would. Juliana must have had enough fun as she playfully apologized for saying what she did, something the timid boy was immensely thankful for.

“But seriously, I would love to see your home. You must have a caring family with the way Carmine interacts with you. Plus, it’s getting kind of late, so we’d probably have to wait until tomorrow to finish up with the third signboard.”

“Whoa, you’re right. The sun’s already gone down,” Kieran confirmed, “Oh! That’s right! Today’s the first day of the Festival of Masks over at Kitakami Hall. It's this big event where everyone puts on masks and runs around celebratin'.”

“That’s probably why I saw a lot of stalls getting set up when we were at Kitakami Hall earlier. Seems like it’ll be a lot of fun!”

“Um…if you wanted to check it out, w-we could go together. I could show you around a-and we’ll have lots of fun!” Kieran stuttered.

His nervousness over asking someone who shined so brightly as Juliana was being made apparent. He assumed she wasn’t the type of person to turn him down, but there was still a nagging feeling in his mind that she would.

But those doubts were dispelled when she gave her answer, “I’d love to go with you, Kieran! I love festivals, so I hope you’ll show me everything this one has to offer. Maybe we can think of this as a date!”

“A d-date?!”

“Yeah, a friend date so we can spend the night becoming even better friends!”

“O-oh, t-that’s what you meant! It’d be great to go together…as friends,” Kieran exclaimed.

He did want to become better friends with Juliana, but somewhere deep in his heart, he had wanted it to be more than that. No, it wasn’t good for him to think this way. He was perfectly content there was someone who he could celebrate the festival with that wasn’t his sister. Especially someone who enraptured him as soon as their eyes gazed at one another.

“There’s just a few things we'd have to get ready first, and since you wanted to, we should swing by my house before heading to the festival. We live in the northwest corner of the village.”

“Do you mind putting the location on my map app? That way I’ll be able to tell where we’ll be going when we head back on Miraidon.”

“Oh, your Rotom Phone has a map in it, huh? I’ll try putting the location on it now.”

A few clicks later and Kieran’s home was inputted on the map ready to show Juliana the way.

"Wowzers! It sure is handy having a map that shows you everything right there in your phone...I really wanna get a phone of my own soon!”

“If you do, you gotta make sure you add me in your contacts. I can be your second person after Carmine.”

“I wouldn’t mind if yours were the first number I added, but I wouldn’t want to get on Sis’s bad side if I did that ehehe. I don’t wanna deal with her when she’s blasting at me like a hurricane.”

The happy pair chatted a little more before Juliana sent Miraidon to take them down the mountain towards Kieran’s house. As they kept traveling closer to their destination, they could see the ends of the sunset altering the sky into a vibrant orange. It was a kind of beauty both remarked about at the same time, making them laugh at how connected they were now and their souls feeling vibrant as they held each other tightly.

__________________

Now then, who should I choose?

Pecharunt continued sleeping within Juliana’s backpack as her and the boy she befriended kept travelling together. It felt pleased that it had attached its essence into the naïve girl despite having its power significantly weakened over the centuries, but there was another target that caught its attention.

The boy that she was travelling with exerted a great number of negative emotions: sadness, loneliness, regret, anger. And while it could sense that those emotions were not as strong as they were before, Pecharunt could use them to manipulate him when the time came. For now, it would continue conserving its energy, waiting for the right moment to strike to fulfill its goal.

After centuries of fulfilling many desires, Pecharunt would do whatever it took to make its own desire a reality. And the poisonous puppeteer would make sure to have the perfect pawn at its disposal to help fulfill it.

Chapter Text

Carmine was currently looking at the mirror positioned in front of her. She had already changed into her jinbei for the Festival of Masks and wanted to see if it still looked good on her. She always loved wearing blue and the outfit simply wonderfully complimented her figure. But she wanted a second opinion, and Ogerpon was a great companion to give her thoughts to the fiery girl as she currently sat on her bed.

Carmine spun around, “Well, what do you think Ogerpon? Does this outfit encapsulate my luscious look and radiant beauty?”

Ogerpon happily voiced its opinion with some satisfied chirps. But then, she let out a sad sigh afterwards. Carmine knew full well why she was feeling disheartened.

“Oh, you’re sad because you can’t go to the Festival of Masks this year, right?”

Ogerpon gave a sad nod.

Carmine petted her head in response, “I know you wanted to go like you did every year, but Grandpa said it’s too risky. We don’t want you to get caught by one of the townspeople or tourists there, you know? But at least your mask is almost fixed, so that’s good news, right?”

Carmine really did want her friend to enjoy herself tonight. From what her grandfather told them, Ogerpon only descended towards the town when the festival happened and now they were denying her the opportunity to have her one day of fun without worrying about being captured or mistreated.

But with Ogerpon currently in hiding while the mask was being repaired, her leaving the house would have been too dangerous. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if someone found out the ogre was still alive and spotted in the festival.

Well, if Ogerpon couldn’t enjoy the festivities tonight, then she’ll have to have enough fun for the both of them. And she’d be sure to share all the memorable events and scenes to her when they returned home.

Carmine’s thoughts on the matter were interrupted when she heard her brother’s voice downstairs. It looked like he had returned just in time to get ready for the festival. This was a good chance for her to see how close he’d gotten with his crush, and she needed to ask her grandmother where her mask was anyways.

____________________

Juliana and Kieran had finally arrived at their location. It was a good thing she had Miraidon with her, otherwise she didn’t know how long it would have taken to get down that mountain. Kieran appeared to have gotten used to Miraidon’s speed, given that he didn’t seem unwell and happily chatted with her during the ride.

Now that Juliana had a look of the siblings’ house, she had to see it looked quite homey and beautiful with its design. It wasn’t the type of design she had ever seen in the houses from Galar or Paldea, so she was very much in awe at the form and structure of its exterior.

“You have a very nice home, Kieran,” Juliana commented, “Really does make me want to live here with you!”

Kieran blushed a little, “Geez, you’re just like Sis with your teasing personality. But I’m happy you like it. You can see more of the place once we get inside. And…maybe you can see my room too, if you want?”

Juliana smiled brightly, “That would be wonderful! I’d get to know more about you if I saw what your room was like. But you said you needed to get some stuff first, right? We should probably do that first.”

Both trainers went through the gate, where Juliana could see an elderly man standing outside taking in the outdoor air.

Kieran waved at the man, “Grandpa, I’m home!”

“Oh, welcome back Kieran. And who’s this with you?”

“Oh, um…This is Juliana!” Kieran beamed, “She’s part of the same school trip as me and Sis.”

Yukito took a good look at Juliana before looking pleased, “Oho! So, this is a new friend of yours eh, Kieran?”

“I sure am! It’s a pleasure to meet you! Kieran’s been a wonderful friend and companion throughout our time together as partners!”

Kieran could feel himself feeling ecstatic after hearing Juliana call him that title once more. Especially when the girl beside her was practically beaming with her honesty towards him.

“Ehehe, being called friends by you makes me feel all tingly and funny inside. In a good way, that is.”

“Well, thank you for being such a good friend to our Kieran here,” Yukito added, which led to Juliana happily nodding in response.

Suddenly, Juliana saw another person walk towards them. If she had to guess, it was probably Kieran’s grandmother given that his friend had called the old man ‘Grandpa’ before.

“Oh, Kieran made a friend? And she looks quite lovely,” Hideko remarked.

“Yep, this is Juliana! Juliana, this is my grandma.”

“I figured as much. My name’s Juliana and it’s lovely to meet both of you. I was thinking about how much Kieran’s family cared a lot about him, and it turned out that I was right!”

Hideko smiled, “Oh, I like this one. And it’s wonderful that you’re a friend of Kieran’s. We’re absolutely delighted to have you here, Juliana!”

“Indeed. But it looks like the sun has already gone down,” Yukito added.

“Goodness me, I’d nearly forgotten. The Festival of Masks starts tonight, doesn’t it?” Hideko pointed out before turning to the two kids, “I’ll make sure to get out some jinbei for you both so you can go to the festival all gussied up.”

“That sounds great!” Juliana responded, “But I’m not sure what a jinbei is…I’ve never worn something like that before.”

“It’s an outfit people in town usually wear during the festival,” Kieran happily answered, “They come in different colours and designs, but they look really nice and they’re comfortable too! But it’s even more great that we get to both dress up in jinbei. Yay!”

Kieran couldn’t hide his excitement. He knew that Juliana would look very cute in it, and he couldn’t to see her when that time came. Plus, they could have semi-matching outfits to complement their friend date moments at the festival. Oh, this was the happiest day of his life!

“Well, if your grandparents don’t mind offering me one when we’ve only just met, then who am I to refuse!”

“It’s no trouble at all after all the time you’ve spent with Kieran! And don’t go running off just yet. We need to do up your hair, too! That way, you’ll be absolutely perfect for walking around the festival grounds!”

Juliana was getting excited at the prospect, “Thank you! I’ll leave my hair in your capable hands!”

One outfit and hairstyle change later, Juliana was now wearing the green jinbei Kieran’s grandmother had given her. She had to admire at how soft and freeing it felt wearing the outfit, especially with her hair tied into a cute side ponytail that made her feel beautiful. Kieran must have thought so too, given his mouth was still gaping at her.

“Wowzers! You look so beautiful wearing that, Juliana! And you look even more dazzling than before that I just can’t tear my eyes away!”

She appreciated the compliments her friend had given her, but what really took her breath away was how adorable Kieran looked in his white jinbei. Looking at him smiling at her just made her want to hug him like a stuffed animal. But she didn’t want to get too familiar with him before they had the chance to walk around the festival for their friend date, so she’d save that chance for later.

“You look really good in your jinbei too, Kieran! Glad we got to wear the same outfit for the festival!”

Soon after, Juliana could see Carmine walking out of the door, with the same aura of confidence as she had this morning. Looked like Kieran was shocked to see her here from the way he stepped back after seeing her.

“Hey, Gran, d'you know where my…huh? What are doing here, Juliana?!”

“Juliana said she’d go to the Festival of Masks with me,” Kieran answered.

“Yep, that’s right Carmine! Kieran invited me to the Festival of Masks, and I thought it sounded really fun, so I agreed. I’m looking forward to spending even more time with him, and you too since you’re also going!”

Carmine gazed at them intensely, “Is that so? I didn’t think you’d make your move so soon Kiki, but I guess it’s nice to see you being more forward with your wants.”

Kieran scoffed, “Why don’t you stay outta my business? I mean, what’s it matter to you who I bring home?! What’re you doin’ here, anyway?!”

“I came back early after me and my partner finished taking most of the signpost pics. Oh, that reminds me, Gran. I couldn’t find my mask for the festival. Do you know where it is?”

“Oh, the masks?” Hideko pondered, “They should be in the shed. I put them away after last year’s festival. It shouldn’t be locked right now, so you three can go together to see what you can find.”

Carmine thought that checking the shed would be a good idea. Plus, she wouldn’t say it out loud, but keeping Juliana away from the house would be ideal to keep her from seeing Ogerpon if she decided she wanted to take a look around inside.

She took a running stance and sprinted towards the shed, “All right! To the shed! First one to the shed wins!”

Kieran looked at her in surprise and anger as he ran to match her pace, “Hey, that’s cheating Sis!”

Juliana just softly giggled at the siblings’ antics. Despite the way they argued with each other at times, she could tell they cared about each other in their own way.

Their grandfather must have picked up on what she was thinking, as he approached her with the same smile as before.

“Please forgive those two, Juliana. They can be a bit rambunctious.”

“Oh, no worries!” Juliana replied, “It’s pretty amusing seeing them act like regular siblings. I’m an only child, so I don’t know what having a brother or sister is like, so it’s nice to see that kind of relationship up close. Anyways, I should follow them so that I don’t get left behind.”

After saying her goodbyes, Juliana raced towards the shed where she found Carmine looking rather frustrated as Kieran looked on with a worried look on his face.

“You sure you trust her enough to tell her this?!” Carmine growled as her fists started shaking, “Did you two become so close that you think she’d accept her, no questions asked?”

“I’ve got no doubt that Juliana’s trustworthy. She really nice, kind, and not someone who judges based on appearances or rumours. I even battled her like you did to be absolutely sure, so you gotta trust me!”

“Then, I’ll see for myself when I battle against her this time…”

“Sigh, bet you just want to get revenge because she beat you last time too…”

Feeling curious over their conversation about her, Juliana walked up towards the siblings, “Uh, what’s going on? Is something wrong, Carmine? You look really stressed about something.”

Carmine turned in shock before reverting back to her normal demeanor, “Tch! You’re just rolling up here like you own the place. If you must know, there are only two masks in the shed, so there’s nothing I can do about getting you one. I mean, following first come, first served rules, right?!”

“It’s alright, Carmine. I don’t mind not getting a mask,” Juliana politely responded.

Kieran could see that look in his sister’s eye. She was going to take this moment to challenge Juliana to another battle to make up for the mask and to see if Juliana was really trustworthy. Well, he did get the chance to battle her twice, so he supposed it was fair for Carmine to get the same opportunity. And that way, she would be convinced about Juliana like he was.

____________________

Juliana accepted the offer wholeheartedly and got into her battle position as they moved towards the front of the house. They decided on a Triple Battle format this time, as Carmine wanted to see the rest of Juliana’s team battling against her. Juliana had never experienced a Triple Battle before, but Carmine explained how three Pokémon battled at the same time.

Apparently, it was a popular format in Unova, specifically in a battle facility called the Battle Subway. Well, the Champion-level trainer had never been one to shy away from a challenge before, and she wasn’t going to now!

Yes, show me how strong you truly are!

Juliana shook her head and then grabbed her Pokéballs, swinging them high in the air with an elegant turn to match, “Ceruledge, Maushold, and Appletun, time to take the stage!”

Her three Pokémon shot out standing side by side with one another, prepared to battle under this unusual format. Teamwork would be key in this battle, so Juliana would make sure they were all in sync as the fight raged on.

Carmine smirked, “Feel free to be dazzled by how great I look in my jinbei. I'll win while you're distracted! Let’s win this, Morpeko, Swadloon, and Sinistcha!”

Juliana saw Sinistcha appearing in the center, while a cute hamster and leafy Pokémon stood between the Matcha ghost. They must be more Pokémon indigenous to Kitakami, which meant she was excited to see how strong they were.

“Good luck you two!” Kieran cried, “I’ll be cheerin’ for both of you. But I’ll make sure to cheer you on a little harder, Juliana!”

“What?! I can’t believe you’d betray your own sister like that!”

Juliana chuckled, “I appreciate the thought, Kieran. But I don’t need any extra praise to battle my hardest. Besides, I want to make sure me and Carmine can fight as equals, so cheer us both on with the same intensity.”

“Huh, I’ve got a better opinion of you now, Juliana. But that doesn’t mean I’ll hold back! Morpeko, use Lash Out and Sinsistcha use Shadow Ball on Ceruledge!”

“Ceruledge, dodge the attacks and use Bitter Blade on Swadloon!”

Carmine’s Pokémon unleashed their attacks from close-range and long-range towards the Fire Blades Pokémon, the Shadow Ball dealing super effective damage after it avoided the Lash Out. But its speed helped deal significant damage to Swadloon and healed itself in the process.

“Is this about the mask? C’mon stop with the super effective moves! This is my time to shine!” Carmine growled.

“Sorry, but all’s fair in battle and war! Appletun, use Dragon Pulse on Swadloon to finish it off while Maushold uses Play Rough on Morpeko!”

“Use your Aura Wheel to escape and strike Ceruldge, Morpeko! And use Energy Ball to meet that Dragon Pulse head on, Swadloon!”

Morpeko suddenly changed forms and appeared with a hangry expression, dodging the strong attack from Maushold and striking Ceruledge with extreme speed to deal super effective damage. Unfortuately for Carmine, the blasts from the other Pokémon ended with Swadloon’s attack being overpowered and falling from its opponent’s attack.

Carmine grimaced, “It went down already?! Don’t get so smug just because you’re ahead! I’ve still got plenty of fight in me! Sinistcha, use Shadow Ball on Cerudledge again and Morpeko use Thunder Wave to immobilize him!”

“Maushold, get in front of Ceruledge and take that Shadow Ball head on!”

“What the?!”

Maushold stood in front of its partner, taking the ghost-type attack with no damage thanks to its typing. Meanwhile, the electric waves had paralyzed Ceruledge and left it moving a lot slower than normal.

“I think I’m getting used to Triple Battles too,” Juliana noted, “Now it’s time for us to use three attacks at once. Maushold, Ceruledge, and Appletun, use your Population Bomb, Bitter Blade, and Apple Acid towards Morpeko!”

“Oh no you don’t! I’m gonna crush you and go to the festival as a winner! Time for an Aura Wheel and Foul Play combination you two!”

All five Pokémon unleashed their moves simultaneously, causing a large explosion to form. The dark-type moves from Carmine’s side easily hit Ceruledge thanks to the paralysis and knocked it out. But the other attacks hit their mark too, causing Morpeko to take enough damage to fall despite Sinistcha shielding it from Maushold’s Population Bomb strikes.

Juliana let out a fierce smile, “Looks like we’re two vs one now, Carmine! I’m getting really excited now! Let’s finish this with Play Rough and Dragon Pulse!”

Carmine stood her ground, still filled with resolve, “I won’t back down! Sinistcha, go for one final push with Matcha Gotcha and show them our strength!”

The three Pokémon unleashed their moves once more, with the ghost-type hitting Appletun after it moved ahead to take the damage, before Maushold’s three mice combination struck Sinistcha from behind, leaving it too wobbly to continue.

The Blueberry student could only stare sorrowfully on the ground as she had been defeated once more, “Sigh, you were supposed to be enamoured and distracted by my festival style!”

“I felt pretty enamoured by your moves, Carmine! That’s why I made sure to respond with the same passion and intensity as you did as the battle kept going on!”

Juliana was honest and kind to a fault, wasn’t she? Maybe that’s part of the reason why Kieran was so captivated by the chestnut-haired girl. And if she was being honest, her words and actions were worming into her heart too. Like her brother, she had no doubt that Juliana would be a great, new friend to Ogerpon if they met. Perhaps they could meet each other after they finished going to the festival.

____________________

Juliana let out a sigh of relief over her win. It was hard taking command of three Pokémon at once, but she managed to pull through with style and grace. Maybe she could ask Nemona and the others if they wanted to do Triple Battles when they came back. It was a lot of fun, so she was sure they’d enjoy it, or Nemona would at least.

Carmine approached Juliana, but this time, she wasn’t as angry or sad over her loss as before. If anything, she seemed to have become more relaxed than before.

“That was a good match, Juliana. I really wanted to win and leave you enraptured by my beautiful battling, but you’ve completely changed my perception about you. Although, it’s not like beating me would give you an extra mask, so I’m just gonna grab mine to wear.”

“It’s okay, Juliana. You can just wear my mask,” Kieran offered.

But Carmine was quick to object to that, “What?! No! I already said it's first come, first served! And besides, that's your mask. And you’ve always loved that mask the best!”

Kieran really did love Ogerpon over the years and Carmine had to admit that she was wrong about the green cutie once she found out the truth. That wasn’t even including all the negative assumptions she loudly told him about Ogerpon over the years. So, in her mind, it was only fair he wore that mask to show his continued dedication to their new friend.

“Don’t worry! Juliana can get her own mask at the festival, so she’s fine! Now let’s move it!” Carmine declared, sprinting quickly towards Kitakami Hall and leaving only Kieran and Juliana standing together.

“Sorry, Juliana. I know my sis can seem harsh at times, but she’s not all that bad. She seems to have a better opinion about you now and she took time tearin’ the shed apart to find a third mask for you to wear. O-oh, but don’t tell her I said all that or I’ll have to deal with her hurricane mood like I said before…”

“Your secret is safe with me! After battling with Carmine twice now and getting to know her better, I know she’s sweet to others who have her trust. Her attitude reminds me of a friend back home with the way she tries to hide her true self with her words. But me and my other friends love her all the same, no matter how sarcastic or crabby she gets.”

“Ehehe, I’d love to meet your friends in Paldea someday. They sound like great people to be with. Maybe…I could be friends with them too. But we should probably get goin’ to Kitakami Hall, so that we don’t miss the festival.”

“Lead the way! And by the way, I’m sure they’d be happy to be friends with you and Carmine. Nemona would absolutely love your sister’s competitiveness, but Arven might be a bit jealous of me having another guy friend hehe.”

Juliana grasped Kieran’s hand and he held onto it as tightly as he could. With joyous steps and smiles, they ran together towards Kitakami Hall as they tried catching up with Carmine, never letting go of each other along the way.

____________________

Ogerpon saw Carmine sprint away from their home, with Kieran and his new friend following moments later. She didn’t know why, but seeing the girl gave her a sense of dread, even though she seemed very kind and gentle. Well, she didn’t have time to worry about that right now because this was the perfect opportunity to enact her plan.

The green-cloak Pokémon quickly snuck into the mask workshop and grabbed her beloved teal mask to adorn on her face. Despite it still needing one last repair, she felt comfortable at the familiar feeling that she felt every time she wore the mask, reminding her of the happy times she spent with her partner so long ago. Even if it was too risky, Ogerpon would not let this chance to celebrate another Festival of Masks pass her by. Besides, if she had her mask on, she was sure the festival goers would just assume she was a kid celebrating just like everyone else.

She mapped out her route, ensuring she used the darkness from the growing night and the less used paths to avoid detection. Luckily, she managed to get to the festival grounds without a single person spotting her. She sighed in relief and wore an open smile underneath her mask as she planned to enjoy this festival to the fullest. She would need to make sure Kieran and Carmine didn’t see her while she enjoyed herself, but she’d adapt as the festival went on.

____________________

Juliana was simply amazed at how bright and pretty Kitakami Hall had become. She knew they were setting up the stalls and attractions when she came with Kieran to find the second signboard, but she never expected it to look so vibrant. The lanterns especially gave a mystical and energetic feel to the long path of stalls lined up among the stone tiles.

“This is the Festival of Masks!” Kieran pointed out, “Tonight’s only the first day, so it’ll be goin’ on for a while. I hope we get the chance to go together every night!”

“Alright, save the future dates for later, you two,” Carmine added, “But the festival really is great, huh? Bet you didn’t have any festivals this big in Paldea or whatever, right?”

“Hmm, we’ve had pretty big festivals before, but I’d say this one gives off a very energetic vibe I’ve never experienced in the festivals back home.”

“Hehe, I knew that Kitakami could compete with the big cities from your region!”

Kieran sighed, “Just ignore Sis when she gets like this…”

“I heard that!” Carmine scowled, “I am the epitome of kindness and grace! I’ll even snap a photo so you can remember this night forever, Juliana.”

Juliana did want to get something she could remember the siblings when the trip was over, so she happily agreed. It took a while since they needed to squeeze tightly to fit and there was some toe stepping, but they managed to get a great photo in her opinion. The smiles from all three of them and the poses highlighted their personalities perfectly!

Carmine sighed happily, “Now that’s what I call a good festival vibe! The Festival of Masks is held to honor the Loyal Three, said to be the heroes of Kitakami. They were the Pokémon said to have defended this land from the evil ogre…or so it’s told by the townspeople.”

Juliana could sense that Carmine became more annoyed as she kept telling her about the Kitakami legend.

“Most of the kids in town wear masks of the Loyal Three, but only because they think it’s cool to dress like the supposed heroes of this region. I used to think the ogre was pretty malicious too before…well, I just have a different opinion now. What about you? What do you think about the Loyal Three and the ogre?”

“I think it’s hard to judge something without knowing the full picture. I don’t think it’s good to form opinions based on assumptions, and I’ve had experience with that type of stuff before. So, I’d be willing to give the ogre a chance if I ever had the chance to meet it.”

I’d like to meet the ogre again too. SO SO MUCH!

Carmine looked intrigued by the girl’s answer before responding, “I see. You do seem like the type not to take things at face value. I’m glad you’re different from the others, even me when I still believed that the ogre was an evil monster.”

“Hehehe, it was pretty funny how you didn’t know a single thing about the ogre like I did before you found out,” Kieran laughed, “And you were goin’ on about knowin’ the legends of Kitakami the best.”

Carmine’s eyes dulled in light, “You’re pretty brave laughing at your big sis. Do you want to see what happens if you keep going?!”

Uh oh, maybe Kieran shouldn’t have been so hard on her when she’d been treating Ogerpon so well over the past couple of days. He needed a way to get out of this situation. And it so happened to be a sweet way out too.

“Oh, look! They’ve got candy apples! Why don’t we go check out the stalls?” Kieran shouted, running quickly towards the stall to get away from his sister.

“Why don’t we go get some candy apples too?” Juliana asked.

Carmine shook her head, “I’m not in the mood for sweets just yet, unlike my brother who could practically eat them any time of the day…I’ll just head to do the Ogre Oustin’ further off from here. You should join Kiki in getting them. I’m sure he’d be thrilled to spend time alone eating them with you.

The blue-clad girl ran off deeper into the festival area, leaving Juliana heading towards the stall Kieran was at. He appeared to be looking very enthusiastically at the two sweet apples currently in his hands.

Noticing her, he shyly approached, “Oh hey, Juliana. I got some candy apples with the pocket money I have. Do you…do you want one?”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to use up your money for me,” Juliana replied.

“Don’t worry about it! I’ve got some pocket money left and…I thought this would be a good way to show you h-how much of a gentleman I can be on our um f-friend date.”

“Well then, I will happily accept this candy apple gift from you,” Juliana gestured as she took the sweet treat her friend had offered, “Wow! This is really good! The sweetness just melts on my tongue, and it goes well with the fruity flavours too!”

Kieran giggled, “Yeah, that’s what I love about candy apples too! I wish I could eat ‘em every day, you know? But I already told you somethin’ like that when we were talkin’ about Dipplin right? Oh, why don’t we see if you can get a mask for you to wear? There’s lots of stalls that sell festival masks, so you’ll be able to get one in no time!”

Juliana nodded, “That sounds like a plan! Why don’t we head there together, and then you can help me figure out which ones you would recommend.”

The Paldean student offered her hand to Kieran, and he once again held onto it tight as they both walked merrily through the long winding path that was in front of them. They could feel the warmth from their hands heating up, giving them a nice, tingly feeling all over them. Soon, they arrived at one of the mask stalls that Kieran was talking about.

“Maybe you could get an Eevee mask since you’re both so cute an’ adorable,” Kieran commented, not letting Juliana see the redness forming on his face as he said that.

Fortunately for him, Juliana was very busy scanning through the array of masks lining up the stall. She did think getting that mask was a good idea, though that was mainly because Penny loved Eevees and giving that mask to her as a souvenir would make the dual-colour haired girl ecstatic.

Then, she saw one mask in particular and she knew from one look that it was the perfect choice for her. Using the money that she had packed for today; she bought the mask she desired and instantly put it on her head.

“Are you sure you wanted to get that one, Juliana? It’s not as popular as the other masks in that stall.”

“Nope, it was the one I wanted the most. Because now, we get to wear matching masks along with our beautiful outfits! And I know how much the ogre means to you, so I also got it to show how much I support your admiration towards it.”

Kieran felt his chest well up again in joy and content over the amazing girl that was standing beside him. She had gotten the ogre mask to match with his and she was clearly enjoying his company as they travelled together. In the past, he would’ve felt like he didn’t deserve these happy moments, like when he was mainly alone and accepted the demeaning words others would say about him, but he would hold these memories dear in his heart for as long as he lived.

Juliana winked and looked towards Kieran, “Shall we keep going? I’d like to enjoy this date to the fullest and see every sight!”

They both continued walking until they found Carmine talking with Ms. Briar. It looked like their teacher was enjoying the festival too.

“I’m glad to see you’re enjoying yourself, Carmine,” Briar expressed, “You’ve been very busy with the League Club and helping me with my research excursions that I was afraid you were overworking yourself. But I see, that isn’t an issue.”

“You know me, I’m always the type to try her hardest whenever there’s a challenge. And it has been fun being back home and enjoying myself. Even the students from the other academy aren’t as bad as I thought.”

“Hey, Ms. Briar!” Juliana announced as she walked up to them, “What are you two talking about?”

“Good to see you, Juliana. You as well, Kieran. I was just discussing how fun this festival has been so far and how it looks like you all are having fun too. I do wish I could take a look at the three masks that are being held in the temple, but the caretaker was adamant that they be kept safely inside even during the festival. I had hope to inspect the crystals in each mask to see if they held Terastal energy, but perhaps there are other ways I could find out.”

Terestal energy from the ogre’s masks, huh? Was that what she used to slay them?

“I hope you’re not going to try to pry them away during the festival for your research, Ms. Briar…” Carmine glared.

“Of course not!” Briar replied, “I may be a researcher, but I will still show respect to other peoples’ customs. I’ll just make sure to continue pestering the caretaker until he agrees to my request. But please don’t mind me. You should all continue enjoying the festival. It will last for a while, so celebrate it to your heart’s content!”

Ms. Briar turned away from the three students and proceed to head towards where the caretaker was standing.

Carmine sighed, “Honestly, even though I like her as my instructor, she can get really obsessed when it comes to the Terastallization phenomenon…But anyways, you up for a run of Ogre Oustin’, Juliana? I did one before Ms. Briar came to talk to me and it was pretty, for me anyway. My score was 6390! Think you can do better?”

Juliana was definitely intrigued in this game and her competitive nature sparked a desire to beat Carmine’s high score. She let out a fierce grin to signal that she would accept. The stall owner was even generous enough to let her play one game for free since she saw that she was one of the students from Uva Academy.

“Oh, you’re going to try it, Juliana? Then I’ll cheer you on…from a safe distance. But even if it’s your first time doing the Ogre Oustin’, I know you’ll be able to beat my sis. So…good luck and go get ‘er!”

“Thanks, Kieran! I’m going do my best and win!” Juliana declared as she sent out Miraidon to support her during the game.

Once she stepped foot on the grassy field with her partner, everything that followed after was just a blur. For her first time doing the Ogre Oustin’, she was quick to adapt to her surroundings and moving at lightning speed to take down the mask balloons to grab the berries inside. It was as if instinct had taken over her actions as she went with the flow, or she had entered a moment of concentration where she was able block all distractions.

Whatever happened, Juliana managed to gather as many berries as she could before placing them inside her baskets. The wild Pokémon dared not to consume the berries that she had gathered, as they stood intimidated by the burning aura she had and the threatening roars her semi-mechanical partner exerted.

Juliana felt herself return to a sense of calm once she heard the time limit had passed. Her body was still filled with excitement and adrenaline from the experience, but she became even more ecstatic when she had seen her score. She even managed to get a prize for her extraordinary performance.

The stall owner was clearly impressed, “Wow! You scored 6800 points on your first try! For a oustin’ that spectacular, I’m going to give you our rarest prize. We call it the ‘Mythical Pecha Berry’. It’s a Pecha Berry that’s said to only be grown in Kitakami once every few years. The gardener that grew it is very particular about its quality, so I’m sure if you give it to a Pokémon, they’ll be absolutely thrilled with its taste!”

Oooh, don't mind if I do!

Juliana could feel her eyes sparkle at the rare gift that just been handed to her. There were three Pecha Berries stored neatly in a white box for her to take. She decided to put the awe-inspiring berries in her backpack for safekeeping.

She exited the playing area to meet back up with the siblings, only to be met with a certain girl’s angry gaze as she approached.

Carmine’s hands were shaking furiously from looking at the current score, “I, Carmine, Mossui's reigning champion of Ogre Balloon busting...have been defeated?! Aaaagh, I hate losing! I wanna have another go to get even, but I'm all out of pocket money...”

The Blueberry student turned towards her brother with a look of determination and intimidation on her face. Kieran could already tell what she was going to say.

“Kiki, you need to go and beat Juliana’s score for me!” she commanded.

“I’ll pass,” Kieran quickly blurted back, “Juliana’s performance was amazing and breathtaking, so she deserves the top spot.”

“What?! You got so lovey-dovey with each other that you’re willing to side with Juliana than your own sister?! That makes me so…mad!”

“Sigh, she’s goin’ to be like this for a while. Don’t worry, I’ll deal with Sis while you go explore more of the festival, Juliana.”

Juliana gave an awkward smile to show her affirmation, “Sure. Hope you two get along again really soon.”

The Paldean student headed further into the festival, taking a look at the large, red building standing tall within the festival space. Maybe that was the temple that Ms. Briar had been talking about, the place where three of the ogre’s three masks were stored, she thought.

Those thoughts were cut off when she noticed a green figure moving happily around a few dozen metres near her. Based on her size, she assumed they were a child enjoying the festival, but what really got Juliana’s attention was the outfit they were wearing. She had never seen an outfit like what she saw at that moment, but the natural beauty and adorable feel it had made the girl curious. So, she decided to approach the stranger to inquire more about it and to see if her guardians were nearby. Because she didn’t think it would be wise for a child to be wandering around the festival unsupervised.

Could it be? Yes, there’s no doubt. That’s the one who took everything from me! Let’s go go GO!

____________________

Ogerpon was simply overjoyed.

She had been enjoying all the sights from the festival area and it looked even more spectacular than the years prior. She had managed to take some coins lying in the house before she snuck out to buy delicious sweets and treats that left her tastebuds screaming with joy. She wished that she could take back the masks that had been stolen from her centuries ago, especially when they were so close, but she didn’t want to draw unwanted attention on herself. If there was a chance to do so, it would have to wait for another day.

She ran ahead to explore more of the festival areas near Kitakami Hall’s north exit when the girl that she had seen earlier with Kieran and Carmine approached her from behind. The girl approached Ogerpon with a friendly smile and looked at her with joyful eyes.

“Are you enjoying the festival?” She asked, “That mask of yours is so cool! It looks like the one me and my friend are wearing, but a lot more impressive. And that outfit of yours is amazing too! Did your parents make it for you or was it someone from the town?”

Ogerpon tried to give a happy response to the cheerful questions the girl had asked her. But despite the friendly atmosphere the girl was creating between them, she could feel a more twisted sensation emanating around her. There were traces of it around the girl’s body, but Ogerpon sensed the sensation to be most concentrated in her backpack.

Suddenly, Ogerpon could hear a voice speaking from inside her mind. Its tone gave her shivers down her spine as memories from the past rose up towards her thoughts.

It’s been so long since we’ve last seen each other, hasn’t it you wretched ogre?!

No, it couldn’t be! There was no way that monster was here of all places. It had been centuries since they had faced each other, but there was no mistaking the playful and sinister tone that she had heard just now.

Because of you, I lost my precious retainers and was forced to hibernate in this foreign land for hundreds of years! But now, I’ll make sure I get my revenge for separating me from the ones I love. This girl will be a useful puppet to help enact my plan to destroy you!

Ogerpon realized why the girl from before had given her such feelings of dread before. She had been harbouring that wretched peach all along! Well, there was no way she was going to go down without a fight!

Ahahaha! That’s right! Try to strike me down if you can in your weakened state!

The leafy Pokémon raised the cudgel from her cloak, gathering energy from the land in combination of the crystals on her mask to unleash her attack. As her cudgel was enveloped in a light green colour, she aimed to strike the purple creature down once and for all! She would not suffer anymore from that poisonous fiend anymore. Even if she had to take out the young girl in front of her to do so!

____________________

Juliana could feel the child intent on attacking her, not just to incapacitate her, but to completely wipe her out. If she hadn’t narrowly dodged that last swing, it wouldn’t have been pretty. The fear that she felt right now was like when the other Miraidon attempted to do so back in Area Zero.

Could she be the fearsome ogre from the legends? It did look similar to the Pokémon Perrin had shown her earlier. Even though it looked ready to strike again, Juliana could tell beneath its mask that it was afraid of her, or maybe something near her. Still, she had to think about that later because she needed to make sure to do something to avoid getting hurt or worse.

She only had her Miraidon to battle with her back then, but this time she had many of her wonderful partners to help. She would stand strong even against the enemy that stood before her.

But just as she was about to send them out, she heard Carmine running with worn out breaths and yelling her name as she came closer.

“Juliana! Ogerpon, stop! Don’t hurt her!” Carmine cried.

The ogre, or rather Ogerpon, looked straight at Carmine before it started hesitating with her weapon. The energy coming off the cudgel started dissipating as her body stood trembling like a leaf.

Ogerpon didn’t want Carmine or Kieran to have seen her like this, like the raging creature that had been willing to kill for her friend. The crimson-highlight girl was clearly shocked at what she was seeing that she could only stare at her. In her fear, she tried to jump back to gather distance between them. But she had lost her footing, and the mask was let loose away from her face. It fell down from the stone stairs between them and revealed her starry-eyed appearance to them both.

Juliana took a look at Ogerpon in its unmasked form and could see that it was definitely fearful of them right now. Looking closely, Ogerpon looked and acted a lot different from what the legends stated, seeing as it was trying to back away in terror.

She picked up the mask that was dropped and tried to approach her slowly and with as much non-aggression as possible. Even if it did try to attack her, it instantly stopped when Carmine told her to, and it seemed the fiery girl knew it personally with the name she called it. Plus, this whole situation reminded her of when Miraidon and her had started travelling together, so she didn’t bear any grudge towards the leaf-covered Pokémon.

But as she tried to hand it over as gently as possible, there was loud shouting coming from behind them.

“Hey, what’s going on? I heard shouting coming from over there!”

“Maybe something happened? We should go check it out!”

Juliana could hear some of the festival goers heading towards their location, which made Ogerpon start fleeing further up the mountain in fear. Fortunately, they manage to convince them that it was an argument between her and Carmine that got resolved before they headed back to enjoy the festival once more.

As they continued standing near the north gate, she could hear Carmine mutter something after, “Dammit…I thought she was still at home. She actually snuck out and came to the festival?”

“Did you know who that was, Carmine? You seemed to be close to it when you ran here, and you even called it ‘Ogerpon’.”

Juliana needed answers on what exactly was going on and Carmine seemed to be the best person right now to get them.

Carmine simply sighed wearily, “Yeah, I know her. The one that ran away into the mountain…Her name is Ogerpon and she’s the ogre that’s part of the story plastered all over the signboards.”

Hmm, so this girl knows about the ogre too. Interesting…she could be a good candidate too.

“So, the story really is true?”

“The real story is, not the lies that everyone else blindly believes…the lies even I believed for a long time before I was told about it a few days ago. Ogerpon was treated as the villain while the ‘Lousy Three’ were worshipped as heroes, when they were the ones that took the most precious person in Ogerpon’s life! But you can hear about that later. We need to take the mask back with us and head back to where Kiki is.”

Juliana nodded, “Right! Speaking of which, where is Kieran? I thought he would’ve come with you. Also, I’m curious on why you ran all the way to find me before you saw me with Ogerpon.”

“Well, I kinda strongarmed Kiki into doing the Ogre Oustin’ anyways, so he’s probably still at the stall waiting for us. And I wanted to look for you because…I was afraid you might’ve gone too far since it was your first festival here.”

Carmine looked more flushed as she tried to say her next words out loud, “So…I was worried about you. Because I’ve…come to like you a lot since getting to know you. I can see why Kiki was so enraptured by you when you two first met, so…yeah.”

Juliana chuckled, “Thanks for revealing your true feelings about me Carmine, despite how hard it must have been to admit it.”

“And that’s the last time you’ll hear that from me!” she replied, pulling her hair in front of her face to signal her embarrassment over the situation, “But we’re wasting time! Let’s head back now!”

Turns out they didn’t need to once they saw Kieran heading towards the north gate a few moments later.

The boy approached them with curious eyes, “Juliana! Sis! What’re you guys doin’ over here?”

“We bumped into Ogerpon and a lot of things happened,” Juliana casually remarked.

“Wha? You know about Ogerpon? Did you tell Juliana about her, Sis? I thought you didn’t want to and now you just go blabbing it straight away?” Kieran sulked, “I wanted to tell her myself, you know?”

Carmine sighed once more, “That’s not the whole story. We’ll put you up to speed, so listen carefully, got it?!”

“Um, o-okay?”

After Carmine explained the entire situation to him, Kieran felt more aware of the conflict that happened between Juliana and Ogerpon.

“But I still don’t get why Ogerpon would attack Juliana like that. I mean, she’s so kind, sweet, and amazin’ that it’d be crazy for her to attack someone like that,” Kieran pondered while trying to hide the blush on his face from his last words.

“I don’t know why either, but that’s something we should ask Ogerpon when we find her and give her back the mask,” Carmine responded, “Grandpa told me the mask was almost fixed and it looks like it didn’t take any significant damage from the fall. So, he should be able to completely repair it when we bring it back to him.”

“Why don’t we search for Ogerpon right now? She might've went back to the Dreaded Den and I’m really good at scalin’ Oni Mountain!” Kieran suggested.

“Look, I get how much you want to look for Ogerpon Kiki, but we can’t be reckless,” Carmine chided, “It’s really dark right now and we have no idea where she could have gone. And if she’s trying to avoid us, she might not return back to the place where we’d most likely investigate! We can figure things out in the morning, where we‘ll all be refreshed, and it’ll be bright outside.”

“Aw man, I guess you got a point…Alright, we’ll go look for her tomorrow.”

The blue-clad girl then turned to Juliana, “Hey, Juliana? Would you help us find Ogerpon too? Kiki and I trust you enough to ask this and I did see you try to give her mask back even after she tried to attack you? So, what do you say?”

Juliana thought about the request asked of her. She never imagined getting herself involved with business concerning another unique Pokémon, especially when all she wanted from this trip was a sense of normalcy amidst all the chaos she had to endure since coming to Paldea. But, even so, it was not in her nature to not help out someone in need when she had the power to do so. And she hoped that she could clear up this misunderstanding with Ogerpon if they did find her.

She placed her hand toward her chest to accept, “Alright, I’ll join you two in helping and finding Ogerpon! I’m sure we’ll be able to see her in no time!”

Carmine smiled, “Thanks, Juliana. You really are special.”

Kieran smiled as well, “Yeah, you’ve been so wonderful and marvelous ever since I met you, Juliana. With you by our side, I know we’ll be together with Ogerpon again. Maybe we can have a picnic together once this is all over!”

“That sounds wonderful! I’m looking forward to it!”

With their partnership settled, Juliana and Carmine exchanged numbers so that they could contact each other when needed. Later in the moonlit night, the three friends soon left the festival, resolved to find Ogerpon together and growing even closer. Kieran had escorted her to the community center while Carmine ran ahead to talk to their grandparents about the whole Ogerpon situation.

“I know it wasn’t the festival date you were expectin’, but I had a lotta fun with you Juliana! And I’m really glad you’ll be there to help us find Ogerpon. I’ve always admired her even before I knew her backstory, but she’s helped me think more clearly about myself. So, since she’s been helpin’ me, I want to do my best to help her!”

“You can count on me, Kieran! I want to clear things up with Ogerpon too, the next time I see her, so I’ve got a reason to help too. And deep down, I think she’s a wonderful Pokémon to be with.”

They both went to hug one another, savouring the warmth the other exerted for as long as they could.

Meanwhile, a certain Pokémon was enjoying the sweet taste of the Pecha Berry that was stored within Juliana’s backpack.

Ahhh, this sweet taste is enough to make me feel good as new. Now let’s see if these puppets are useful as we go on this little adventure hahaha!

Chapter Text

“So, let me get this straight. You met a Pokémon that’s well-known in the region you’re in right now and it tried to attack you. But it got scared off after and now you’re helping the students you met on this trip to help find it?”

“Yep!”

Juliana was currently chatting with Nemona, Penny, and Arven after she was too tired to do so the previous night. She had a lot to say about the trip so far, ranging from her first meeting with Carmine and Kieran, to partnering up with Kieran and getting to know each other, then spending time with him during the festival before meeting Ogerpon in a shocking way to say the least. Boy, it was sure nice that she was able to talk to her friends right now.

“I don’t know if you’ve got good or bad luck if you keep getting yourself into these situations,” Penny sighed.

“Was it strong? It seemed to be really powerful from the way you described it. Man, I wish I could’ve been there to see it in action!”

“She seemed strong to me, but I don’t think she was using her full power from what I felt before. I had to defend myself, but luckily, I didn’t have to once Carmine came along. Oh, you would definitely like her Nemona! She gets really fired up for battling just as like us.”

Arven added, “I’m just glad you’re okay, little buddy. I don’t know what I’d do if you got hurt back there and I couldn’t do anything to help.”

Juliana giggled softly, “Sorry to worry you, Arven. I’ll be sure to be more careful before I come back. I’ve got Carmine and Kieran by my side too, so I’m sure I’ll be okay.”

“Alright, I’ll trust you on that. But make sure you’re taking care of your health too. You look really exhausted over there. And I could swear your eye changed colour at some point.”

“You saw it too? I thought I was just imagining it, but they looked purple for a bit,” Penny added.

“That’s weird. My eyes don’t feel different, and I’m probably just exhausted from spending time at the festival with Kieran and all the things that happened with Ogerpon. I wouldn’t worry about it, but I’ll make sure to take better care of myself to relieve both of your worries.”

“You seem pretty close to this Kieran guy when you’ve only just met, little buddy. Anything going on between you two that we should know about?

Juliana slightly blushed, “We’re just friends that partnered with each other for the school trip, that’s all! That’s…all there is too it.”

Penny sighed, “Uh huh…Whatever, I’m not gonna comment on other people’s relationships, especially when it’s about my friends. Just make sure whatever decision you come to; you don’t regret it.”

“Can we please stop talking about this? Please? It’s getting really late, and I need to wake up early tomorrow. I’ll update you guys on this situation later.”

“Sure thing! Good luck with finding Ogerpon! Make sure to tell us every exciting detail!”

“Stay safe, little buddy. Make sure you’re eating properly and taking care of yourself.”

“Yeah, make sure you don’t die on us and come home safe.”

Her Paldean friends exited the video call, leaving Juliana alone in her room to think about today’s events. She had a wonderful time spending the day getting to know Kieran and become friends as a result. The way he battled, his personality, and how much they adored each other’s company gave many ecstatic feelings in her heart that she didn’t want to lose. Was she falling in love with him? Were those feelings a signal supporting that observation? Right now, she couldn’t say. But she was perfectly happy with them being friends for now and she didn’t want to do anything to negatively affect that.

Besides, they would be working together to look for Ogerpon tomorrow. She didn’t expect to meet the legendary ogre in a seemingly normal trip, but she supposed her journey had been far from normal ever since she started the Treasure Hunt back in Paldea. Maybe she should just accept that these series of adventures would be the norm in her life. Well, thinking about that could wait for tomorrow. She was pretty exhausted, and her friends could clearly see that during their video call, so she opted to sleep for as long as she could to recover her strength.

____________________

The next morning, Juliana was feeling a lot more refreshed as she left her bed and got dressed for the day. She did feel a little odd despite the greater amount of energy she had right now, but those thoughts were interrupted when her Rotom Phone started ringing. It looked like Carmine wanted to talk to her, so she quickly accepted the call.

“Hey Juliana, you awake?”

“Yep! I just woke up. Is this about Ogerpon?”

“Yeah, I want you to come to our house to talk about our strategy. You didn’t tell anyone about what happened with Ogerpon, right?”

“No, I didn’t. I know you guys wanted to keep her existence a secret, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Juliana could hear Carmine sigh in relief, “Good. I’m near the community center right now, so I’ll be waiting outside until you’re ready to go. Just make sure you don’t take too long, okay!”

“Hehe! Yeah, I got it. I’ll see you soon, Carmine.”

Juliana went to grab her backpack, but as she touched one of the straps, she heard a rustling noise coming inside. Feeling curious, she opened the zipper, and suddenly a floating purple object came out of it. It was the plushie souvenir she had bought a few days ago and it was currently floating in front of her, with a face that wasn’t there previously.

Juliana reeled back in shock, “Whoa! Who are you?! I’m not going crazy right now, am I?”

She could hear a voice sounding out in her mind, probably from the mysterious plushie using some sort of telepathy to speak to her.

“Sorry to bother you. I’m actually a Pokémon called Pecharunt. I’d lost a lot of power after something that happened a long time ago, but thanks to the Pecha Berry that was in your bag, I managed to regain a lot of my strength back! Enough that I can freely move and communicate like this!”

Juliana stood surprised, “So, you’re actually a Pokémon? I thought you were some toy, like the other plushies at that store. What were you doing there all this time?”

“I was sleeping for a long time to recover from the injuries I suffered long ago. I couldn’t move much, so I somehow wound up there when you bought me. But I’m thankful you had something to help me recover! I want to repay you by helping you with your problem!”

“My problem? You mean you know about what happened with the ogre?”

“Mhm! Even when I was sleeping, I was still able to hear and get a feel on what was going on outside your bag. So, I want to help you and your friends in finding it!”

Hmm, the Paldean student certainly never expected to meet another unique Pokémon during her journey, but having more help would be useful.

“That would be great!” Juliana happily responded, “I should introduce you to Kieran and Carmine when we meet them. They’d be happy to know you’ll be helping!”

But Pecharunt looked very apprehensive over the idea, based on the face it was currently making.

“I’m sorry, but I would rather you be the only one to know about me right now. I’ve had bad experiences with humans, and I don’t know if I can trust them yet. The only reason I’m talking to you right now is because of how much you’ve helped me so far. So, could you keep my presence a secret…just for now?”

Juliana knew all too well about Pokémon having bad experiences, given her relationship with Miraidon and based on what she had heard about Ogerpon. So, she decided to keep the purple peach’s existence a secret like it had asked. Although in her heart, she felt guilty that she was lying to her new friends by keeping this secret. She had a feeling Kieran in particular was the type to react badly if people weren’t being honest with him.

She’d have to think about that later, not wanting to keep Carmine waiting and facing her exasperation for taking too long.

“I’m sorry for asking you to do this. But I’ll make it up to you by giving you this!”

Pecharunt opened its outer shell, revealing its true face and generated a pinkish ribbon with a few round circles and two tips at the end before placing it on Juliana’s palm.

“It’s a hairband you can wear to communicate with me while you’re all focused on finding the ogre. I promise it’ll be a big help on your journey!”

Juliana happily accepted the gift and placed it on her hair before making a small braid to hold it. She strapped Pecharunt onto her backpack to lower suspicion and allow it to see outside before exiting the community center and seeing Carmine looking very impatient at her exit.

“You kept me waiting!” the Blueberry girl huffed for a bit, “At least you’re here now. You ready to go?”

“Yep, I’m ready! Is Kieran with you?”

“Kiki’s currently back home resting. Or he should be if I have anything to say about it! I figure you’d want to see him after spending yesterday together, so you can check in on him when we head to my house.”

The two girls quickly headed towards the siblings’ house, arriving there in no time at all. Juliana could see that their grandfather was standing outside waiting for them.

Yukito eyed Juliana with a happy wave, “Good morning to you, Juliana. I hear you’re aware of Ogerpon’s disappearance and wish to help. I hope you weren’t too shaken up over your encounter with her.”

“To be honest, I was really scared back then. But then I saw her scared expression and fear that came after the attack. I want to understand what she was going through at that time, so I’m determined to find her to understand the truth!”

Yukito smiled, “That’s good to hear! You truly are a kind and gentle soul as my grandchildren say. It’s no wonder Kieran likes you so much that he’s always talking about you.”

Juliana could feel herself heat up a little, “O-oh! I knew Kieran enjoyed our time together, but I didn’t expect him to talk about me that much.”

“Did someone say my name?” Kieran asked as he exited the door, “Oh hey, G’Mornin’ Juliana!”

Carmine shook her fists, “You should be resting, Kiki! You were up all-night doing battle training, despite me constantly telling you to take a break. Let us handle this while you get some more sleep!”

Kieran scoffed, “I can handle myself, Sis! I’m old enough to make my own decisions without you worryin’ about me! I don’t wanna have to depend on you to do things for me forever! And Juliana and I are partners, so I’m stickin’ with her no matter what you say!”

“Gah, fine! But don’t cry to me if you suddenly pass out and need our help getting it together!”

“Honestly, you two need to control yourselves better,” Yukito reprimanded, “Especially when we have a guest with us!”

“It’s okay! I understand this is how they act around each other and I’ve gotten used to it,” Juliana responded, “Besides, we’ve got important business to discuss, and it’d be great if all three of us got to hear it.”

“Yes, you’re right. I’ll start by telling you the whole story about Ogerpon to help you get the full picture about her origin and background. You’re fine if it will take some time to tell?”

Juliana simply nodded and listened intently to the story the old man had told her. How Ogerpon came to Kitakami with her partner, the masks given to them by the siblings’ ancestor to help them fit in, the Loyal Three attacking them and taking three of the masks, Ogerpon slaying them to avenge her only friend, and the pain of isolation it suffered because of a huge misunderstanding. After hearing the story in its entirety, Juliana could understand why Ogerpon did what she did last night, and she felt more determined to find and help her.

“I hadn’t intended to tell Kieran and Carmine about it, much less an outsider from our region, but I do appreciate your willingness to help Ogerpon. But in regard to her mask, I will require a special material called a ‘Crystal Cluster’ to finish the repairs. It will help keep the energy from the mask’s crystals from leaking out like it’s doing now.”

“Are those crystals similar to the Tera crystals that are found all over Paldea?” Juliana pondered, “It’d make sense if they were broken when the Tera wave happened during my time in Area Zero.”

“Tera crystals? Like the ones Ms. Briar’s currently researching? I heard her saying the Crystal Pool might have them. Maybe that’s how Ogerpon was able to gather up all that energy in its cudgel. Let’s go grab them and make Ogerpon happy when we show her the mask perfectly restored!”

With their mission set, Carmine told them to wait for her at Peachy’s while she informed her partner about her whereabouts before they continued their orienteering. While walking back to town, they happily chatted about Ogerpon and calling themselves the ‘Mask Assembly Squad’ after Carmine pitched the name. But Kieran mainly stayed silent throughout their conversation, more focused on the peculiar plush strapped on Juliana’s backpack. He didn’t know why but it gave him a bad feeling.

Once they had reached their location, Carmine headed towards the community center and started talking to her partner, leaving Juliana and Kieran alone to wait until she was done.

Kieran turned towards his partner, “Hey, Juliana? I…I was gonna ask. What’s with the purple plushie you’ve got on your backpack? And that ribbon on her your hair; I don’t think I saw either of them during the festival.”

Juliana froze. She didn’t want to lie to Kieran about Pecharunt, especially after how close they had gotten during their time together. But she also didn’t want to betray the purple Pokémon’s trust after she swore to keep it a secret until the time was right. With Kieran patiently waiting to hear her answer, she made her choice clear.

“It’s…it’s nothing much. Just…a toy that I bought as a souvenir. To remind me of my time here, that’s all…And the hair ribbon’s just something I wanted to put on today to try on a new style.”

“Thank you for keeping your promise. I’ll be sure to repay the favour when the time is right.”

Kieran closed his eyes for a moment before answering, “Oh, I-I see…I’m glad you were able to get something to remember our home. Looks like Sis is done talking to your classmate, so let’s catch up to her.”

Juliana nodded and went ahead to talk to Carmine, resuming their friendly conversation from earlier. While they were talking, Kieran couldn’t help but feel betrayed by her friend’s response. He could tell there was something that she was keeping from her that she couldn’t trust him to know about. The mere thought broke his heart a little.

Kieran sighed sadly, “Why…Why are you lying to me, Juliana?”

____________________

About half an hour later, all three students arrived at the base of the Crystal Pool. Juliana was once again thankful Miraidon was there to take her wherever she wanted, with the promise of delicious sandwiches when their mission was complete. While Kieran had gotten used to riding on Miraidon by now, Carmine had to take a moment to catch her breath after how fast they were going.

“Seriously, how are you two used to riding on that Whatchamadon without feeling like you’re gonna hurl?!” Carmine yelled as she was currently sitting down to recover.

Juliana shrugged, “I got to used it months ago and Kieran already rode on Miraidon twice, so he’s probably used to the speed too.”

Kieran nodded, “Yeah, it’s actually not so bad riding on Miraidon after the second time. And…I had a good distraction in front of me.”

“Ugh, I don’t need all this lovey-dovey talk when I’m feeling like this…”

They gave Carmine a few minutes to rest before all three started walking towards the long bridge heading towards the Crystal Pool. Juliana couldn’t help but feel awed at all the pretty colours and stones that surrounded them.

“This is the Crystal Pool. Bet you didn’t expect it to be so pretty, huh? The crystals here are always shining. Strange, right? And there’s even a weird rumour that you can meet people who’ve passed away.”

Juliana didn’t expect to hear something like communicating with spirits in a place like this. Maybe she could bring Arven here next time if he wanted closure with his dad, if the rumour turned out to be true. Looking at crystals in the bottom of the water, the three students figured what lied beneath was the cluster they were looking for.

Carmine smiled, “Now we just need to get a little bit of the crystal from the bottom of the pool so we can fix the mask properly! And that’s where you come in, Juliana! Go on, then! Jump in! Don’t be scared!”

Juliana raised an eyebrow, “Wait, you want me to jump in?!”

“Well, yeah. Kiki and I can’t swim. And besides, my clothes would be soaked if I went in. Plus, you’ve got your trusty friend that took us here to help, so you’ll be fine!”

Sigh, Carmine was sure…something at times. She could see Kieran instinctively sigh too. Just when she tried to argue back, they all heard a strange sound and shaking coming from the pool. Bubbles appeared from the water with intense ferocity before a snake-like Pokémon jumped and landed on the rocky surface.

“That’s a Milotic! And it looks really powerful!” Kieran commented.

Carmine scoffed, “Powerful or not, it’s no match for us! Let’s beat down this snake and get what we’re looking for!”

“I can help too by giving your Pokémon a little power up!”

I appreciate your help, Pecharunt, but I think we’ll be fine if the three of us battle as a team.

Juliana nodded to Carmine after, sending out her Meowscarada, while Carmine and Kieran sent out their Morpeko and Dipplin respectively. Outside her eye’s view, Kieran was keeping a close observation of Juliana as she kept staring at the plush from time to time.

With their combination of grass and electric-type moves dealing super effective damage to the strong water-type, they were able to handle this battle with ease. The wild Milotic fell unconscious on the ground before Carmine took a Pokéball and threw it towards its limp body, capturing it after a few clicks.

Feeling satisfied, Carmine grabbed the Pokéball and declared her victory, “This’ll be a good partner for my team. Though now that I think about it, Pokémon like that one do show up from time to time. Well, you are a Champion, so I’m glad you’re able to handle yourself well, Juliana.”

“Thanks for the compliment! And you and Kieran weren’t too shabby either.”

Juliana could see a green cluster of stones near where the Milotic had been standing. It must’ve been the Crystal Cluster they were looking for. Perhaps they had been stuck on the Milotic before they were pushed off it during the battle. Not that she had time to think about that when a certain instructor appeared behind them soon after.

“The energy coming from those crystals at the bottom of the pool…I knew it!”

Carmine turned and gasped in shock, “Ms. Briar! What’re you doing here?”

Briar smiled in response, “Hi there, Carmine. Oh, and Kieran and Juliana, too! I’m surprised you three are here together. I thought you’d all be focusing on the orienteering activity.”

Kieran shrugged, “Me and Sis are doin’ something important with Juliana, but we’ll finish up taking our pictures after we’re done, Ms. Briar.”

Carmine shook her head afterwards, “Speaking of being here, I know you’re really passionate about your research Ms. Briar, but this place is really special. I’m not a big fan of outsiders just wandering around here, even if they’re one of my teachers.”

Briar simply nodded, “I am aware that this is sacred ground. But I did get permission from the caretaker after I managed to convince him to take a look at the masks last night. Their jewels were quite beautiful just like the Tera crystals that appear to cover this area as well.”

“Um, if you got permission here, what’s your reason for comin’ here Ms. Briar? I’m not as knowledgeable as Sis is in your research stuff…”

“I’d be happy to share with you, Kieran. Carmine and Juliana, as well. I’m currently doing a bit of field research and I was interested in the properties in the water here. And I’ve found out that the Crystal Pool’s water emits energy of the same wavelength as Terastal energy. I don’t know why that is, but once I figure it out, I might be able to stabilize the Terestal phenomenon in regions away from Paldea!”

Juliana remarked with interest, “So, that means Terastallization could happen in regions like Galar or Kalos, right? Assuming you’re able to understand how to apply Terastal energy to those areas like in Paldea.”

“That’s exactly right, Juliana!” Briar responded, clapping her hands in affirmation, “I’m actually trying to see if Terastallization is possible in Blueberry Academy. If I could do that, then I would be one step closer to apply the effect to other regions. Oh, I can’t wait to get some samples to test it out! Maybe this’ll get me one step closer to Terapagos too haha!”

“Uh, Carmine?” Juliana whispered, “I haven’t known Ms. Briar for very long, but does she usually get so…heated when doing her research?”

“Yeah…that’s typical of her,” Carmine answered plainly, “Well, it was good to see you Ms. Briar, but we’ve got somewhere to be, so let’s all head back to where we need to be.”

Hmm, maybe she’d be useful too. I could use her obsession with this Terastal energy for my benefit if I need to. But for now, I’ll just focus on playing with these toys.

With their mission complete, Juliana called out Miraidon again to get them back to the siblings’ home as soon as they could, but Carmine was not feeling confident over handling another long-distance ride on the Electric Pokémon. So, they settled on walking back instead. It took a lot longer for them to return to Mossui Town, but Juliana used that time to chat with Carmine about things like common interests, her friends in Paldea, and the siblings’ encounter with Ogerpon. It was also a lot of fun for her getting to know Carmine a lot more.

But she was also worried about how quiet Kieran was during the trip back. They had talked and gotten to know each other a lot yesterday, but now he was acting like how he did before they had become partners. It honestly hurt how aloof he had been to her since they talked earlier today, but perhaps he just needed some space about their talk before, or he was really worried about Ogerpon.

“Maybe I can help make you feel better later, Juliana. I’d be happy to help if you need it.”

Thanks, Pecharunt. I’m glad you’re here with me.

Soon, the long trip was completed, and they ran straight towards the elegant house to give the good news. Yukito stood on the porch drinking some matcha tea from what Carmine had told her about the tea here.

Carmine rushed to the porch with the cluster in hand, “Hey, Grandpa! We got the Crystal Cluster you needed! Now you can completely fix Ogerpon’s mask, right?”

Yukito took the cluster from her hands and carefully inspected it, then gave a nod of approval.

“Indeed, I can! Well done finding it, you three! I’ll make sure to begin the repairs straight away. I would say I should be finished tomorrow given the amount of work needed. In the meantime, you should all focus on finishing that orienteering activity so you’ll be able to look for Ogerpon without any distractions.”

Yukito took the mask and headed straight for his mask workshop to complete his work.

“Grandpa has a point. We better finish taking pictures of the signposts and then we’ll be free to do whatever we want,” Carmine pointed out before turning to the street, “I’m going to go find my partner, so you two better have your pictures done as soon as possible! And let me know with your phone when you’re finished too!”

Carmine started sprinting towards the community center, leaving her and Kieran together once more. Now was as good a time as any to clear the air with him.

“Hey, Kieran? Is everything all right? You haven’t said much when we were working to get the Crystal Cluster. Even when you did say something, it wasn’t towards me.”

Kieran just turned around and sighed a little, not wanting to look at her gaze.

“I’m…fine. I’ve just been thinking about things. But we can talk about it later. Right now, we gotta get to the third signpost. It’s at a place called Paradise Barrens, which is a wasteland area northwest from here and on the other side of Oni Mountain. Sorry, could you go ahead for now? I still need to think some more about certain stuff, but I’ll catch up as soon as I can.

Juliana deflated a little, but tried not to show it, “Sure! Take all the time you need, Kieran. I’ll see you there when you’re ready.”

Juliana called on Miraidon once more and rode on her back, ready to guide it towards their next destination. As she rode farther and farther away from the boy, she couldn’t help but think that he knew that she was hiding Pecharunt from him. The guilt eating her had grown stronger as she tried to think of a way to make it up to him when she could finally reveal the truth. They had just approached Loyalty Plaza before Pecharunt asked to stop to talk for a bit.

“I’m really sorry this is hurting you and your friendship. But I promise I’ll reveal myself when I feel the time is right. And I feel like that could be very soon.”

Juliana sighed in relief, “That would be great. I don’t feel about lying to them, especially when Kieran’s been avoiding talking to me. Which I’m pretty sure is because of you, but I’m still happy you’re willing to help us.”

“Of course! I’m a partner to you too! In fact, I have something that could help you with fulfilling your desires.”

The purple Pokémon opened its core again and created a few purple and round discs that were created from its liquid secretions.

“I call these discs Binding Mochi. It’ll boost your Pokémon’s strength if they eat it and are very delicious if I do say so myself. Humans can eat them too, just like with regular mochi, so I hope you give them a try.”

Juliana gave an appreciative smile over the gesture and proceeded to store them in her backpack to use when she needed it. She kept one in her hand and proceeded to try out the mochi given to her. It tasted quite sweet and melted in her mouth as she bit into the soft delight, making a few satisfied noises to express her content.

“Is it good? It’s been a while since I made this type of mochi, and I wasn’t sure if I made them tasty enough.”

Juliana nodded in delight to dissuade her new friend’s doubts, “It was delicious! They’re just as sweet as the candy apples I had yesterday! Thanks for the sweet treat!”

She could see Pecharunt expressing content, while also turning its gaze at the shrine in the plaza. At least one of them was happy with her right now. Hopefully, when they get to their location, she and Kieran could finally resolve this sharp tension between them.

There’s no mistaking it. That’s where they are buried.

____________________

Kieran sighed again. He had been doing that for a while now, but he couldn’t help it. The girl who had shined upon him with her radiant light had been lying to him. And he was fairly certain that it was because of the purple object that she kept looking at during their journey.

Throughout his life, he despised people giving false words or gestures towards him. It meant that they didn’t bother to get to know or cared about him. They were just essentially laughing behind his back. It was honestly worse than the teasing he endured as a kid. At least they were honest about what they thought about him, even if it did still hurt all the same.

He thought Juliana would be different. She had treated him like a normal person, one to be respected and not pitied. The joy and happiness she shared with him still brought him warmth in his chest as he remembered the deep memories they made together. But with everything they’ve done together, she still couldn’t trust him, resorting to weak lies and awkward gazes to keep her secret from him. He didn’t know why, but his gut told him that plushie was related to what happened with Ogerpon last night.

But Kieran was different than who he was before, and he had grown from his time with Juliana and Ogerpon. With great resolve building within him, he would figure out the truth about that object that she was hiding, even if his friend was adamant on not telling him. He would get the truth even if he had to defeat her through a battle if he had to, which made him more determined to win once they met once more.

____________________

Meanwhile, a lone Pokémon stood gazing at the nearing sunset as the foggy forest covered her presence. She would need more time to think on how to fix this mess that she had caused, but in her heart, she wanted to reunite with the ones who showed her so much kindness during their fated meeting all those nights ago.

Chapter Text

Juliana approached the wasteland area that Kieran had talked about. She found it ironic that the empty area around would be called the Paradise Barrens. But at least the area’s barren nature allowed her to see the third signpost easily as she guided Miraidon to stop in front of it. The sharp rock formations and wide-open space really gave a lonesome vibe as she stared through miles of nothing.

Now all she had to do was wait for Kieran, then they could take their photo and finish their orienteering activity. She still felt bad about lying to him, with the anxiety in her chest being very apparent in her mind. He had treated her so kindly, and she in turn treated him with the same warmth, that she wanted to go back to having that relationship with him. She hoped he could forgive her after they talked it out, but at least Pecharunt seemed to be less hesitant in revealing itself to the siblings. That was a good sign.

She didn’t have to wait too long once she could see Kieran’s form getting closer and closer towards her location. He sprinted as fast as he could and faced her with a look in his eyes she hadn’t seen before during their time together.

Kieran turned to the sign, “Figured you’d be here first, Juliana. These are the Paradise Barrens. Pretty lonely place, huh? The legends said Ogerpon used to come here lots, but I don’t know if that was true, and I never asked her about it when we were together. If we’re lucky, she might actually be wanderin’ around this place.”

“I’m sure we’ll be able to find Ogerpon soon enough. Hopefully, we’ll be able to talk it out when the time comes and then we’ll all be together,” Juliana reassured him.

“Yeah, I hope so. I really miss her being by my side,” Kieran replied back before meeting her gaze once more, “You still wanna look at the sign? We both know they’re just false stories that were made up by the townspeople, but this sign’s lore is really out there even if we didn’t know.”

Juliana was indeed curious about what the townspeople from back then thought about Ogerpon, falsities aside. Maybe they can use their misconceptions to convince the citizens of the present that the leafy Pokémon was the victim of circumstance. Surely, that would make Ogerpon very happy if she were free to wander the region without fear or stigma against her.

She walked closer towards the signboard to read its content.

If you see a shadowy figure approaching you outside the village at twilight, be wary. Don a mask and hide your face. Do so, and whether the shadow is man or monster, you will pass each other by as fellow mask wearers. If you should meet the shadow when you have no mask in hand, then pray it is only a man. If it is, you will live to see another day, and you will remember to never forget your mask again. But if it is the ogre, you will meet your end, as do all humans whose faces are seen by it. Once it sees your face, your soul will be forfeit. And you shall never return to the village.

Juliana raised an eyebrow, “Well, I certainly didn’t expect that to be written out. These people actually believe Ogerpon could steal people’s souls and spirit them away like some sort of ghost-type?”

“Probably not the people here today, but our family did come from a long line of mask makers who made masks for the villagers back then,” Kieran replied, “In the old days, everyone carried masks wherever they went. The one who made them was my ancestor, our great whatever numbered grandpa…or something. He’s the one who made the masks for Ogerpon.”

“He did? And he managed to make them with those powerful crystals infused within them that gave Ogerpon its powers. You’re family’s pretty amazing, Kieran.”

“I never thought much about my ancestor, but after finding out the truth, I can say that he was. I even heard he came up with the idea to hold the Festival of Masks. But after knowing the truth, I can’t stand how these signs created this false image of Ogerpon during all these centuries.”

“Kieran…”

“They saw things the wrong way and got so afraid of Ogerpon that they drove her away from the village. Ogerpon must’ve been lonely for so long without anyone to be there for her. To be left alone and treated like an outcast…I know what that’s like all too well. Maybe that’s why I admired her so much, besides how strong I thought she was. And maybe that’s why we grew closer after all our time spent together.”

“You know, you did seem uncomfortable when I brought up my friends before. Was what you’re talking about part of the reason why?”

Kieran balled his right hand into a fist, while repeatedly tapping his leg with his left. She figured it was a way to help him with regulating his emotions.

“All my life, I’ve never been able to fit in. Growing up in Kitakami, I had to rely on Carmine to help me with the other kids when they teased me. The adults just thought I was weird, especially when I expressed how much I liked Ogerpon, so they were never honest about what they thought of me. Even when I got into Blueberry Academy, I was always bein’ compared to my sister and bein’ treated like nothing when I lost my battles. It made me feel weak, made me feel like I couldn’t change. I just wanted to be able to stand on my own without relyin’ on anyone and have people acknowledge me for who I am…”

Juliana frowned, “That must’ve been hard for you, Kieran. I don’t know what it’s like to experience the lives that you two had, but I can understand how hard it is to be alone at first. And I promise that I won’t be like those people. I like you for who you are, and I want to get to know you much more together. The real you that you want others to see!”

She could see Kieran smile a little before it had turned into a deep frown, “If that’s true, then why aren’t you bein’ honest with me? Why are you tryin’ to hide something you don’t want me and Sis to know about? It’s obvious to see with that look on your face. Are you just gonna treat me like so many others did before, using false words and avoidin’ the topic? If there’s anything that’s relevant to us or Ogerpon, you gotta say something!”

Juliana struggled to think of a good response. She knew she shouldn’t be keeping this from them. But if Pecharunt had major trust issues about humans like Ogerpon did, she didn’t want to break its trust with her after she swore herself to secrecy.

Kieran turned to Juliana, hardened eyes staring at her intensely, “So, you’re gonna stay quiet? Then, there’s somethin’ I want to do before we head back to town. I want you to battle me, Juliana!”

“Huh? I mean, I’m not one to shy away from a battle, but why the sudden challenge?”

“I wanna see how much stronger I’ve gotten…and I wanna see your true feelings as we battle! If I win, you’re gonna reveal what you’re hidin’ from us! This time I’ll make sure I’ll win to find out the truth, so are you ready to battle?!”

She wanted to say yes. It would give her an excuse to stop lying to him, but that wouldn’t be fair to Pecharunt’s feelings. The purple Pokémon sensed her concerns and tried to comfort her.

“I’d like to see how strong you two are! I don’t mind if you have to reveal my presence if he wins. Maybe If I see him in action, I might fully open up to him and you’ll both be happy. So, why don’t you accept his challenge. Fight with all you’ve got! I’ll support you all the way.”

Juliana wanted to express her intentions to Kieran through this battle, so they could understand each other even without words being said. And then, they could erase this tension that stood between them. Because even though they had only met a few days ago, the boy in front of her had already took a spot in her heart that was different from how she felt about her friends from Paldea. And if Pecharunt could trust Kieran afterwards, then this would be the ideal opportunity to push their relationship back on a high note.

Juliana nodded, “Alright, I accept your challenge!”

They both agreed to a four vs four Double Battle, each standing in their respective corner with a fierce look in their eyes. For some reason, Juliana could feel even more adrenaline and ecstasy coursing through her body than she had during her previous battles with Kieran. Perhaps it was a signal for her to give this battle everything she had to lay bare her true feelings to him.

“Let’s go, Furret and Yanmega! I’ll be countin’ on both of you to win this!”

Kieran revealed two of his Pokéballs before throwing them together with his right hand, sending out Furret and his newly evolved Pokémon to join him.

“I wanna win…So we can reveal everything between each other! That’s why…I’ve got this!”

Juliana felt the boy’s determination as he assumed the same battle position from previous battles and vowed that she would respond in kind.

Throwing her Pokéballs with an elegant spin, she called out, “Baxcalibur and Ceruledge, let’s show them a battle that they won’t soon forget!”

All four Pokémon stood with their partners ready to engage once their trainers ordered their first move. But suddenly, Juliana started feeling a little dizzy as her mind was getting interrupted by something she couldn’t identify. Maybe it was because she was tired from all the travelling and battles she fought with the siblings, but…

Hmm, let’s see how much control I can exert over her now. I’m sure you don’t mind if we fight together, right? I’d like to inflame the boy’s emotions too.

“Ceruledge, use your Bitter Blade while Baxcalibur uses its Icicle Crash to take down that Yanmega straight to the ground!”

The girl’s partners hesitated at the tone she had taken with her order, but they proceeded to use their moves as commanded.

Kieran’s eyes narrowed a little, “Furret use Tidy Up to power up and Yanmega use Ancient Power on Baxcalibur and Cerdulege to inflict major damage!”

Yanmega generated a plethora of stone to throw them towards its opponents, dealing super effective damage to both and avoid Ceruledge’s blades while getting hit by the Icicle Crash in the process. Fortunately for Kieran, Furret managed to get stronger and faster thanks to its move.

“Ceruledge, power up your Flame Charge, and Baxcalibur use Icicle Crash to take down that Yanmega for good!”

“Try to strike back against Ceruledge with Sucker Punch, Furret! And Yanmega use your Bug Buzz to attack Baxcalibur from afar!”

Their attacks hit the mark as Yanmega was unable to dodge the super effective hits aimed by both of its opponents, despite Ceruledge completely ignoring Furret after hitting it with its dark-type move.

“That’s one down. Time to keep up the momentum and crush the rest of your team the same way!”

Kieran recalled Yanmega back into its Pokéball before sending out his next partner.

“The battle’s just started and I feel like something’s different,” Kieran whispered, “I’ll need to keep goin’ to see the whole truth. I’ll be countin’ on you to help me out, Poliwrath!”

The evolved Frog Pokémon stood strong as it nodded towards its trainer that it was ready to see this battle through.

“Wow! Your Poliwhirl evolved! That’s amazing! But there’s no way you’ll be able to beat me with weak Pokémon like those. I’ll gladly show you the sheer difference in strength between us!”

____________________

Kieran knew something was off with this battle. Even with her recent secretiveness, he expected Juliana to battle how she usually did during their last two bouts together. But her strategies were more aggressive than before, and her tone contrasted how she usually expressed herself. He could see this change when even her own Pokémon looked concerned over how she was acting.

And there was something strange in terms of her aura. He didn’t know what it was, but he felt the same chill that made him shiver like earlier. And as he looked at her eyes, he could swear they changed into shades of purple at times. Was the person he was battling really Juliana? The girl looked the same, but even with the few battles they had, he knew she would never act as condescending as she was now. No matter who her opponent was, she would always treat them with respect. That was one of the reasons why he admired her so much.

The battle was reaching its climax, and they were down to two Pokémon each. His Furret had helped in defeating Juliana’s Baxcalibur and Ceruledge, thanks to its power boost from its Tidy Ups, before getting knocked out by Meowscarada. Now he just had to deal with the Magician Pokémon and Juliana’s Tinkaton that was still standing strong. If he focused and made the right moves, then he could deinfitely win this!

He grabbed his last Pokéball and pressed it as tightly as he could, “I’m countin’ on ya, Dipplin. Let’s win this together!”

The Syrupy Pokémon appeared beside Poliwrath, letting out multiple squeals to signal its determination to win.

“Oh, you saved Dipplin for last. I thought you said you were going to prove that you were stronger. But if this is all you’ve got, that just means you’re okay with being weak forever!”

Kieran raised his fist to make an air punch with steely eyes to match. “Just you watch! I'm gonna beatin’ both of your Pokémon, here and now! Poliwrath! Dipplin! We can do this! Time for a Syrup Bomb and Liquidation barrage!”

Poliwrath charged itself with its water before moving in to slam Tinkaton with as much might as it could muster as the latter used its mighty hammer to block its strike, while Dipplin unleashed a wave of syrup bursts towards the opposing masked cat.

“Whoa, I’m surprised you’re using a grass-type move on Meowscarada. Using not very effective moves like an amateur is why you’ll always be stuck as a useless weakling! If you were as strong as me, you’d gladly have the strength you’ve always desired.”

“Ya think so? Guess I’m smarter than you think I am ‘cause I was makin’ sure Meowscarada got slowed down enough for my next assault. Poliwrath, hit it with your Close Combat at max power!”

“We’ll just have to match it blow by blow! Meowscarada, crush them with Flower Trick!”

The charged-up barrage of punches clashed with the rigged bouquet of flowers, causing both Pokémon to be slammed by their opponent’s super effective moves. Enduring too much damage from earlier, they both fell unconscious to the ground in a double KO.

They were both down to one Pokémon each. Kieran just needed to push a little more and he’ll be able to secure victory. Even with the type disadvantage his dragonic partner had against the pink terror in front of them, he would make sure they prevailed.

“Use your Syrup Bomb with all the energy you’ve got!”

“Take the attack and strike back with Play Rough!”

Dipplin managed to unleash all its syrup towards its deadly foe and managed to score a critical hit. But it wasn’t enough to take down Tinkaton thanks to its durability and type advantage, as it used its hammer to repeatedly strike Dipplin. The dual wyrm was barely holding on but remained strong with the same resolve as its trainer.

“We’re not goin’ down! We’re gonna win this, Dipplin! Use Energy Ball and give it all you’ve got!”

“We’ll meet them head on with Gigaton Hammer to finish this! Show him he doesn't have enough power to fulfill his desire!”

With the reduced speed and evasiveness Dipplin inflicted thanks to its move and ability, it was easily able to land a direct hit with its Energy Ball. But Tinakton still endured and used the smoke formed from the impact to jump before swinging its hammer to Dipplin. The wyrm was completely decimated by the heavy blow, falling instantly to the ground with a massive thud.

As the smoke cleared, Juliana felt her head feel light for a bit before shaking her head and cheered in delight for her victory and relishing another fierce battle with her friend.

Kieran; however, couldn’t help but stare at his fist before slamming it towards the ground. He had lost against Juliana once again. But this time, instead of excitement or contentment for a wonderful battle they shared before, it was replaced with anger and sorrow. He wasn’t strong enough to follow through with his vow. What good was determination if he didn’t have the power to back it up? He thought he had begun to change from his past self, but the doubt and negative emotions in his heart just grew ever stronger.

Worst of all, the words he heard hurt coming from the girl he had admired ever since they first met. He wouldn’t have minded that much if it were anyone else saying those things, but Juliana had become special to him that he had to do everything in his power to keep himself from breaking down. Then again, he questioned if those words really came from her in the first place.

The behaviour she exhibited during their battle was a total contrast from her cheerful and kind self, but it looked like she didn’t even realize what she was saying to him as their battle raged on. Was Juliana even aware of what she was even doing at the time? Did the plushie that she currently possessed have something to do with it? He didn’t have time to dwell on those question once Juliana started moving to get his attention, with the same smile she radiated before.

“That was a wonderful battle, Kieran. I never thought we’d be fighting to our last Pokémon, but it just made me get myself more fired up! You’ve definitely gotten a lot stronger since our last battle!”

Kieran sighed bitterly, “I’m still not strong enough. I didn’t have enough power to push through to win…I-It’s all ‘cause I’m too weak. You even said so yourself…”

Yes! Indulge in those negative emotions. Let your hurt and distrust fuel your desires.

Juliana looked perplexed from his words, “I…did? Well, to be honest, I did feel a little weird when we started battling. But I just thought it was because I had to try as hard as I could to win this battle compared to our last two.”

Kieran looked back at her with the same confusion, “Are you sure? ‘Cause I’ve gotten to see how nice and respectful you were during the time I’ve got to know you and the way you were actin’ before was completely different from that!”

“I honestly don’t know what you mean. Aside from us battling more passionately and seeing how much we wanted to win, I didn’t think anything I said was out of the ordinary. Maybe I was just really tired from everything we did today and…”

They both stood in silence for a few minutes trying to puzzle out what was going on before Pecharunt communicated through Juliana’s ribbon.

“It’s okay, Juliana. I was impressed by your friend’s determination to grow as strong as he could. I feel like I can trust him now, so I’ll introduce myself tomorrow at the Loyalty Plaza.”

Juliana internally breathed a huge sigh of relief. Things still seemed awkward between her and Kieran, but if Pecharunt was now okay with revealing itself to him and Carmine, then she was sure things would be fine between the two of them. She’ll wait for one more day, then they can search for Ogerpon and have a happy reunion.

She relayed tomorrow’s meeting to Kieran, with an apology for lying to him before. Kieran looked a little apprehensive as his amber eyes remained dimmed, but he soon nodded after a little while as his eyes filled with light again.

“You promise you’ll really tell us tomorrow? I don’t wanna have to keep thinkin’ you’re a liar if you don’t keep your word.”

“Of course! I’ll even pinky promise to show how serious I am!”

Juliana raised her pinky towards Kieran with a happy smile. Despite everything that happened between them before, Kieran could tell her words were genuine. He raised his pinky with the same smile as their fingers clasped one another to solidify their vow.

“Oh, I almost forgot! We still didn’t take our photo. We should take it now and report back to Carmine as soon as possible.”

“Right…The sooner we take it, the more time we’ve got to see where Ogerpon’s hiding. I’m ready whenever you are.”

Juliana got out her Rotom Phone and after a few moments, their signboard picture was complete. Both of them took a look at their finished product, with Juliana trying to act as fierce as possible while Kieran tried to give a cool, aloof look. Out of all the photos she took, Juliana thought this one made him look the most pleasing to her eyes.

“Well, we're all done with our assignment. I wanna start lookin’ for Ogerpon right now, but it’s getting’ dark and Sis will chew me out if I try searching so late.”

Kieran did have a point. Juliana could see the stars beginning to shine into the night as the sun had set. And as if on cue, Juliana’s phone started ringing with Carmine’s caller ID on full display. She clicked to accept the call only to hear the fiery girl on the other side displaying her usual boisterous attitude.

“Hey! Are you and Kiki done yet?! I finished taking my signboard pictures a long time ago, so you better say the same!”

“We just finished taking our photo,” Juliana replied, “We’re going to start heading back to Mossui Town now.”

Even without seeing her, Juliana could feel Carmine’s smug attitude permeating from the other line. “You better be quick, ‘cause I’ve got some juicy information about Ogerpon that’ll knock your socks off. I’ll be waiting for you two near the edge of town.”

Juliana heard Carmine disconnect from their call, leaving her and Kieran to start heading back towards town with Miraidon transporting them with breakneck speed. Neither of them said anything during the trip, but at least their relationship was slightly back to what it was before. About twenty minutes later, they had arrived at their destination as they both noticed a familiar swath of red and black hair near the town’s gate.

Carmine waved towards the pair, “Took you long enough. I thought you’d both be here way faster than that.”

Juliana pouted, “Well, excuse me princess! But traveling from Paradise Barrens to here still takes a lot of time even with Miraidon helping us! Anyways, what’s this juicy information that you were talking about earlier?”

“Glad you asked, my dear outsider friend!” Carmine smirked as they started walking into town, “There’s someone else in town that spotted where Ogerpon was last night! Feel free to thank me for my wonderful sleuthing work!”

Kieran gasped in surprise, “Wowzers! You’re serious? Where are they?”

“They’re standing near the community center adjusting their camera or something. She’s another outsider who’s looking to snap pics of some unique Pokémon living in Kitakami. Didn’t even know there was such a Pokémon beside Ogerpon and those Lousy Three. She had some weird looking Growlithe with her too.”

“Weird looking Growlithe? And they were looking for a unique Pokémon? That’s probably…”

Her assumption was proven correct when she saw the tri-tone haired photographer she had met yesterday, who had a wide grin once she saw Juliana.

“Hey, partner! Didn’t expect to see you so soon,” Perrin commented, “Looks like you’re working with this girl in trying to find that Pokémon I told you about yesterday.”

“You know where that Pokémon is, Perrin?”

“It was lucky I saw it. I was setting up camp at the Timeless Woods to see if the Bloodmoon Beast was there when I managed to spot a green figure running around the forest late into the night. I thought it might’ve been the ogre from the region’s legends, but this one didn’t have the mask from the photo I showed you.”

“So, they’re in this place called the Timeless Woods? Do you two know where it is?” Juliana asked the siblings.

“Yeah, it should be north of Oni Mountain,” Carmine replied, “I checked the Dreaded Den earlier to see if they were there, but the place was obviously empty. I’d say Miss Photographer’s account is worth looking into.”

“Then we’ll wait until tomorrow morning and head there straight away. You two must be really relieved that you’ll get to reunite with them!”

Kieran gave a bright smile, “Yeah! I can’t wait to see them. And who knows, maybe they’ll be happy to see us even after everything that happened last night.”

Seeing their excitement, Perrin gave a light chuckle, “Glad I was able to help. I can tell you’re trying to keep this all under wraps, so I won’t pry. Hopefully, you’ll be able to help me in finding the Bloodmoon Beast after you’ve sorted your Pokémon matter.”

“Yep, I’ll be ready when the time comes! Thanks again, Perrin!”

The photographer gave a wide wave before coolly turning around and heading towards the town’s gate. The three students stood where they were with happy expressions over the news before Kieran initiated another conversation that needed talking about.

“Hey, Juliana? Are you gonna tell Sis the same thing you told me? You know, about the big thing that you’re hiding?”

“Wait, you’re hiding something from us Juliana? I thought we were a team?! None of us should be keeping secrets from one another!”

“Well, I didn’t want to hide it, but I made a promise and now I’m ready to tell it tomorrow. We’ll have to stop by Loyalty Plaza first, before we search the Timeless Woods for Ogerpon though. But I need you to trust me on this, Carmine.”

Carmine played with her front bangs a bit to help her think before answering.

“Fine, I’ll trust you. But make sure you don’t hide anything else from us or I swear I’ll make you swallow a Koffing whole!”

Juliana winced. She had a feeling Carmine would literally try to do that given her attitude.

Waving her hands together, she tried to calm the displeased girl down. “You don’t need to worry. I’ll totally be secret-free, I promise! I’ll head straight to your house tomorrow morning and we can go there together to sort things out!”

Carmine huffed, “You better or I will do what I said the next chance I get!”

After a lot of consoling from Juliana, the trio agreed to meet tomorrow morning at Loyalty Plaza before setting towards the Timeless Woods to search for Ogerpon. Carmine went back to her house first, leaving Juiliana and Kieran alone once more today.

The boy reached for her hand, like they had done so a few times before, “You really are okay, right Juliana? You can tell me if there’s somethin’ wrong. We are friends, aren’t we?”

Juliana felt the love and care from his hand as she grasped tightly with her own. The closest she had ever felt these types of feelings was with Arven, and even then, they figured out that their relationship was more like ones before siblings. With Kieran, she wanted to know more about him, to share more experiences with him, and to see how much farther their feelings with one another could soar as time went on. Like a desire that hungered within her, she wished for that above all else. Maybe her friends were onto something when they noted something was going on between her and her dear partner.

She lit a glowing smile to reassure him, “I’m fine, just tired. We did a lot of exploration and battles today, so I just need some sleep to wipe away the exhaustion. But I’ll be alright for tomorrow and I’ll tell you and Carmine everything, like I said.”

Juliana moved to hug Kieran, with the boy pressing his arms back with the same amount of care. He could feel the warmth of her body permeating over his, one that he wanted to experience even more with her even when they had to return back to their respective academies. But despite that warmth, his mind felt something was still off about her. It was a nagging feeling that he couldn’t shake, but his heart won out in the end as he chose to trust her reassuring words.

Both feeling satisfied by their display of affection toward one another, they parted in opposite directions, knowing that they would see each other tomorrow. Juliana kept walking back towards the community center and headed straight toward her room, with Pecharunt moving around more freely now that it was just the two of them.

“You really care a lot about that boy, don’t you Juliana? So much so that you desire to be together with him even after you two have to go your separate ways.”

Juliana bit her lip, “I…I do. It was nice getting to know Kieran over the course of the school trip so far, where I could experience a sense of normalcy from all the crazy adventures I had before. I want to get to know him more, have fun with him, and maybe even be more than friends one day. But anyways, I’m just glad you’re ready for them to meet you. Then, we can finally work together as a team with no secrets holding us back.”

She was expecting Pecharunt to be excited or relieved that it had more humans it could trust, but all she saw were predatory eyes gazing all over her and pink chains extending from its body as its outer shell revealed its true face.

“I can help you fulfill that desire. A life with the boy you’ve grown close to together forever. All I require is for you two to be my puppets side-by-side as I use you to annihilate the ogre who left me powerless for all these years!”

____________________

The next morning, Kieran awoke at the scheduled time and got ready to head out as soon as he could. He decided to do some late night training yesterday after he and Juliana went their separate ways to improve his skills, so he couldn't help but yawn a lot. After his previous loss, he needed to get even stronger, to be useful to the people he cared about. His sister was probably getting ready too, so he quickly changed into his uniform and adjusted his hairband to give his hair its usual style. Maybe he should change his hair up a little. Sometimes his bangs would obscure his eyes during a battle, and he wanted to be able to let himself loose. He’d have to put those thoughts on hold until their current tasks were completed.

He needed to hear what Juliana had to say today and he wanted to check to see if she was okay like she said she was yesterday. Then, they needed to reunite with Ogerpon to resolve this divide between them. So, the Blueberry student wasted no time in being prepared before he and Carmine headed towards their next destination.

As he left his bedroom and headed downstairs, he could hear his grandfather and Carmine talking. They seemed to be having a serious discussion based on the tone he was hearing from their conversation.

“She didn’t tell you and Kieran beforehand?”

“No! This is the first I’m hearing about it. Why would she want to take it now and head there without talking to us in person?”

Kieran approached the two to join in the conversation, “Hey, what’re you guys talking about?”

“Good morning, Kieran. I was talking to your sister about what happened earlier. I had just finished repairing Ogerpon’s mask with the crystal cluster you gave me yesterday. Your friend Juliana came earlier and asked about it, so I told her that it was ready. Then, she asked if she could take it to give to Ogerpon when you found her, saying that she would go ahead to Loyalty Plaza to meet with you two later. I had thought you two knew about this since she told me she called Carmine earlier to talk about it.”

“Again, she didn’t say anything to me about that! Argh, I told her if she kept anything else from us, I would stuff a Koffing into her mouth! What the heck is she thinking?!”

Kieran could tell something wasn’t right and he was sure Carmine was feeling uneasy about Juliana’s actions too. Did it have something to do with the important information she was going to tell them? Or maybe it might be about the plushie that had been giving him bad vibes since he first laid eyes on it. Either way, they needed to head to Loyalty Plaza as soon as possible to find out.

“We should head to Loyalty Plaza to see what’s up with her. I kept thinkin’ something’s felt off about her ever since yesterday and I’m gettin’ really worried.”

Carmine nodded in agreement, “You too, huh? I thought it was just my imagination, but I could’ve sworn she was focused on talking to someone during our journey to the Crystal Pool. The way she was staring away from us at times was pretty suspicious too. I didn’t think much about it, but I should’ve been more attentive if something strange is happening to her.”

“No, it was my fault too, Sis. I should’ve kept myself wary over her behaviour. But after all the time I spent knowin’ her, deep in my heart, I wanted to trust her when she made that promise to me. We’ll get to the bottom of this once we meet her at the plaza.”

With their destination set, the siblings rushed towards Loyalty Plaza as much quickly as their legs could handle. Kieran and Carmine were determined to find out what was going on with their friend, even if they had to deal with any threats that would come their way. Hopefully it wouldn’t have to come to that, but they needed to be prepared for the worst.

When they reached the plaza and moved towards the shrine of the Loyal Three, they saw Juliana staring at the hallowed monument. She held the completed Teal Mask in her hands, placing it in front of the statues that adorned the shrine. Kieran could feel even more chills coursing through his body as he gazed his eyes towards the currently silent girl, not even turning her body to acknowledge their presence.

“Juliana?” Kieran called out, trying to get her attention. But the girl still wouldn’t budge.

That’s when Carmine moved and decided to take the aggressive approach to get their answers from the Paldean girl.

“Juliana! What do you think you’re doing?! Why did you take Ogerpon’s mask without telling us?! You’ve got a lot of things to answer for, so tell us now!”

Neither sibling expected to hear the distorted voice that came out of Juliana’s lips as she moved to face them.

“Ahaha! So sorry, but Juliana can’t speak to you right now. She’s all mine!”

The figure talking through Juliana revealed itself to the siblings, the same plushie that she had been carrying hovered beside her with a look of sinister excitement in its eyes. But what really caught their attention was Juliana imitating the same expression on her face as she stared at them with hollow, violet eyes, and a large, pinkish chain covering her neck.

Chapter Text

Kieran still couldn’t believe his eyes as he stared at the possessed gaze from his friend. He figured something strange was going on with Juliana, but he never expected some purple plushie, if it was even a plushie in the first place, was possessing her mind and body. It just kept looking at them with the same expression while it kept eyeing him and his sister, before using Juliana to speak.

“With those dumb looks on your faces, I bet you’re wondering what’s going on.”

Carmine couldn’t hide the disdain emanating from her. “That’s pretty obvious! Who or what in the world are you?! And what did you do to Juliana!”

“If you did anything to harm her in any way,” Kieran added with sharp eyes to match, “We’ll make sure you regret it!”

“Ahaha! So scary! But Juliana’s fine. She may be under my control but I treat my vessels well. And to answer your first question, I am Pecharunt. I have waited hundreds of years to fulfill my desire and that time has come.”

“Your desire? What in the world are you talking about, you…stupid peach?!”

“If you listen without interrupting me girl, you’ll know. Now shut up and let me finish! Anyways, centuries ago, an old couple I loved asked me to bring a set of masks from Kitakami to them. Which I tried to do before that damned ogre and her partner got in the way!”

“You masterminded stealing Ogerpon’s masks and killed her partner?!” Kieran growled, “Everything that happened to her was because of you?!”

“Hey, didn’t I say not to interrupt?! Shut up and let me talk!” Pecharunt replied in a petulant tone through Juliana, “Things wouldn’t have to come to that if that man let us take them without a fuss. But because of the ogre’s meddling, I lost my retainers and spent centuries recovering from the brink of death! Now I’ll make sure she pays for her crimes and bring those masks back to the family I love!”

Carmine facepalmed in disgust. “Are you kidding me?! You’re talking about her ‘crimes’, but you’re responsible for killing Ogerpon’s partner and because of you and the Lousy Three, she suffered being treated as an outcast when you were the bad guys! The loneliness and heartbreak she endured is much more important than your petty sense of revenge!”

“As if I care what sympathizers of the ogre think! I’ll get what I want no matter what!”

Kieran gripped his fist at the nonsense his enemy was saying, but there was something more important they needed to know. “You’re talking about what you’re plannin’ to do and what you want, but why did you drag Juliana into this?!”

“She was useful for a multitude of reasons. One, she helped me move around when she inadvertently obtained me days ago. If she hadn’t, I would’ve been stuck in that store for who knows how long. Two, it was because of her getting those Pecha Berries during the festival that allowed me to regain my strength, even if she never meant to. Three, I needed more intel on the ogre and the power of her mask. Since she was already buddies with you two, I decided to use her to get that information and access to the mask for my plan. Lastly, strong trainers and Pokémon would make good retainers since I currently don’t have any. It’s why I’m so interested in your strength too, boy.”

Kieran raised an eyebrow over its words. “Me? What do ya mean?”

“You may try to hide it, but I can sense those feelings deep within your heart. You crave power to escape the loneliness, rejection, and inadequacy you’ve suffered throughout your life. I can give you what you desire. Just accept my power and you’ll be stronger than anyone, equal to those you wish to stand side-by-side with. Even with the girl you currently care so much for. It’s what she desired too, which is why I tried motivating you so much during your last battle.”

Kieran gasped, “That was you? All those mean things that came from Juliana was because of you?! Why?!”

“She was strong, and you needed motivation, so I simply guided her to helping you improve yourself, even if she wasn’t aware of it. You should be thanking me! Even now, I’m trying to help you fulfill your desire.”

“I never asked for your help! I can get stronger on my own!”

“Ahaha, it’s delusional that you even think that! No matter how hard you try, you’ll never be able to reach the level of strength you desire, and you know it! But if you accept my power, I can grant you what you wish for! And this way, you can be with the girl that you care about so much. What do you say? Not a bad deal, huh?”

Carmine glanced at her brother with a worried expression. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Kieran took a few moments closing his eyes before formulating his response. And he made sure to respond with all he had within him. “In some other universe, I might’ve taken your offer. I don’t wanna admit it, but I wanted to get stronger to change from the weak and scared person I was before. Someone who didn’t need to rely on others and was respected by everyone. I...might've done anything to make that happen.”

Pecharunt grinned in glee using Juliana to mimic its expression. But it soon turned to scorn after hearing the boy’s next words.

“But my ideals are different now! Thanks to the kindness and understanding I’ve felt from Ogerpon and Juliana, I’ve realized that type of thinking is wrong! I wanna become stronger in a way they had done, and I know if I accepted your power, I’d just abandon everyone else to seek absolute strength. I refuse to accept a path where I would become the worst version of myself and side with a monster who’s willing to hurt the ones I care about the most! I’m not gonna hold anything back against you, you hear me?!”

Carmine couldn’t help but smile at her brother’s words. She knew she gave him a lot of unnecessary flak at times, but she was proud at how much he had grown these past few days. “You heard Kieran, you damn peach! Now let Juliana go and return the mask you stole if you don’t want us to thrash you!”

“What a fool! If you’re okay with following such garbage feelings, then I’ve no use for you. You can fall one by one right in front of your precious friend!”

With Pecharunt’s influence, Juliana grabbed three of her Pokéballs before throwing them into the air and revealing her Ceruledge, Maushold, and Baxcalibur. But the siblings could tell there was something off about their appearances. Their eyes had a dull, violet shade just like Juliana currently did and exerted a suffocating aura of malice with angry expressions to match. The puppeteer Pokémon smiled viciously at the confusion its opponents exhibited.

“What?! Too afraid to fight your own battles?!” Kieran disdainfully exclaimed.

“Why fight myself when I can send minions to fight for me ahaha! You’re going to have a tough time against these Pokémon with the binding mochi I fed them! Not only does my poison amplify their abilities, but it also makes them susceptible to my control. I’ll savour every moment that you struggle to overcome the almighty strength I gave them!”

Carmine took a step forward in defiance and piercing eyes to match. “Ngh, powered-up Pokémon or whatever, we’re going to fight no matter what! Let’s bring Juliana back to her senses Mightyena!”

Kieran followed suit as his eyes gleamed with focus, “Hang in there, Juliana! I’ll do whatever it takes to free you from that lousy monster! Let’s fight with all we’ve got Shiftry!”

The siblings’ Pokémon entered the battlefield ready to fight for their trainers’ wish, with a new Pokémon joining the fray as it appeared in front of them. Miraidon roared out in rage towards Pecharunt as it changed into its battle mode and spread its Electric Terrain throughout the plaza. The Iron Serpent nodded towards its allies to combine their strength and save its partner.

Pecharunt merely sneered through Juliana at the Paradox Pokémon. “Of course, this mechanical dragon would fight by your side. I had attempted to get it out along with the rest of Juliana’s Pokémon to influence it with my mochi, but it was smarter than I thought.”

“Guess Miraidon knew what a snake you were and knew this moment would come where we stopped your idiotic plan!” Carmine smirked, “Mightyena, use Crunch on Ceruledge!”

“We’ll see who gets the last laugh, ahaha! Ceruledge, use Bitter Blade to silence that hound!”

The siblings stared in shock after Ceruledge sped through to slash Mightyena before its it even moved to bite its foe and took it down with one hit. Carmine let out a frustrated growl and sent out her new Milotic next.

Kieran remained calm despite the quick defeat. “If it’s more speed that we’ll need, then I’ll set it up. Shiftry, use Tailwind to make our side even faster than their speed boost!”

Shiftry whipped up a large whirlwind that blew behind it and its allies, even giving him greater attack power thanks to its Wind Rider ability. With those boosts, Shiftry and Milotic were able to combine their Dark Pulse and Scald attacks to hit Ceruledge, defeating it despite the mochi’s influence.

Kieran sparkled in triumph over their first victory. “Yes, got ‘em. Now we just gotta keep up the momentum now!”

“I…I…won’t let…”

Kieran and Carmine were shocked to hear Juliana’s voice. Despite Pecharunt fully controlling her, her regular voice was shining through as she tried resisting the possession.

Kieran let out a small smile. “Even when she’s bein’ controlled, Juliana’s tryin’ to fight back. She really is an amazing person!”

Carmine could only smile back in response. “Yeah, that’s something we can both agree on. And maybe if we keep defeating her mochi-fed Pokémon, we can fully snap her out of it!”

“Hehe, you may think she’s tough but everyone who falls under my thrall won’t escape. I’ll prove it here and now! Tinkaton, crush these fools with your Play Rough!”

Just as soon as Tinakton appeared, it sped towards Shiftry and bashed its body repeatedly with its steel hammer, knocking it out. Kieran knew this would be an extremely tough battle, but he would do his utmost to triumph. For the one who freely called him her friend, he would do whatever it takes to help her.

“You’re up next, Gliscor! Show that purple monster what we’re capable of with Earthquake!”

Carmine sighed, “You’re taking a big risk dealing damage to us too, but I wanna end this quickly too! Milotic, help out by hitting Baxcalibur with your Ice Beam!”

Miraidon followed suit by charging up its Electro Drift to pierce its targets with its ultrafast electrical charge.

“You two are nothing before my power! Slam Gliscor with Gigaton Hammer, while Maushold and Baxcalibur uses their Play Rough and Dragon Claw on that damned dragon!”

The battlefield shook and trembled in destruction as all of their attacks were unleashed in full force. Both sides took massive damage from the barrage of strikes that their opponents had inflicted upon them. While Miraidon was relatively unscathed from the attack, the same could not be said to Baxcalibur, Gliscor, Maushold, and Milotic who had shielded the assault towards Miraidon as all four Pokémon crashed to the ground.

At that moment, Kieran noticed Pecharunt was exhibiting a lot of pain even when it wasn’t fighting. Maybe Carmine was right and its control over Juliana would continue to slip as they defeated more of her Pokémon. He wasn’t 100% sure about this theory, but it was the best option they had. And if that was the case, he would not back down until this battle ended in their victory.

You can do it…Kieran…Carmine…Miraidon…I believe you will…

____________________

The battle continued to rage as Kieran and Carmine were forced to send out their last Pokémon. They had done well to handle to onslaught of Juliana’s amped up Pokémon even when Yanmega, Furret, Poliwrath, Ninetales, Morpeko, and Swadloon fell. They were lucky Miraidon was still capable of fighting to free its partner, with the electric dragon assisting in taking down a few of Juliana’s Pokémon earlier in the battle.

The mochi-enhanced Pokémon Juliana possessed had been extremely tough to handle, but they managed to reduce her team down to just Meowscarada and Tinkaton. Kieran took a look at his Dipplin, before turning his gaze to Carmine’s Sinistcha, who had managed to provide relief to its allies thanks to its Hospitality ability.

Still, they were so close to winning this battle. So Kieran steeled himself with as much resolve to push through and win this fight. “Don’t worry, Juliana! We’ll see this through to free you from the curse that’s bindin’ you! You were the one who accepted me for who I was and the one who I admire and aspire to stay close to. As your friend, I’ll make sure we’ll prevail! Won’t we, Dipplin?!”

His partner squealed as loudly as it could. As it did, Kieran could see Juliana hesitate with her commands as she uttered once more with her own voice.

“Kie…ran…I know…you’ll save me…fight with all you have!”

Looks like his words and actions were getting more into her, which pumped him up even more. “Juliana! Keep tryin’ and you’ll break free! If you’re fightin’ back against its control, then I’ll help you out! Dipplin, use your Energy Ball on Tinkaton!”

“Don’t count us out of this fight either,” Carmine decreed, “Let’s give that hammer-wielding fairy a dose of your Shadow Ball, Sinistcha!”

The two grass-types worked in unison to shoot their energy attacks toward Tinkaton, with the latter using its hammer to deflect their attacks harmlessly towards the side. But in the midst of its counterattack, Miraidon launched a surprise attack at the distracted fairy with its Electro Drift, striking it with a direct hit that overwhelmed Tinkaton.

They were so close now. So close to ending this battle and hopefully returning Juliana to the kind and lovely girl she was to the ones fighting so hard for her sake. But Pecharunt would not lose a strong retainer like Juliana so easily.

“Guess I underestimated your tenacity. Looks like I’ll have to unleash my secret weapon. Witness the power of Terastallization that your friend never needed to unleash before in your previous battles!”

The floating Pokémon commanded her puppet to grab her Tera Orb and gather enough Terastal energy as the girl shot it up in the air towards Meowscarada. It was at this moment that the dark cat began to become enveloped in radiant green light, with a large flower crown adorning it before it shouted towards the sky.

Kieran and Carmine could only stare in awe over the level of power the newly transformed Pokémon exerted.

“I’ve heard about the Terastal phenomenon from Ms. Briar, but this is the first time I’m seeing it in person! It’s so powerful!”

“I can’t believe Juliana was keeping such a technique hidden all this time. She never even used it during any of our battles. It’s incredible how strong she is!”

Their awe was interrupted by the high-speed movement Meowscarada performed as it zipped through and hit both Sinistcha and Dipplin with its Night Slash. The ghostly matcha and apple wyrms barely held on so their trainers wouldn’t feel sad, but at this rate, they wouldn’t last long against more attacks from their empowered opponent. Even so, Kieran wouldn’t give up. No matter what, he would save Juliana from her current fate. He owed her that much for everything she’s done for him so far.

He knew he wouldn’t be able to defeat Meowscarada on his own, but he’s learned by now that he didn’t need to do everything by himself. He had allies who he could support and fight with, and he’d help them with this move.

“I know this is the first time you’ve used this move Dipplin, but let your voice ring through to help Sis and Miraidon! Let them hear your supporting shout and boost their strength with your Dragon Cheer!”

Dipplin heard the spirited command from its partner, yelling with all its might to provide support towards Miraidon and Sinsitcha and infusing them with new power as their focus sharpened immensely.

“Dragon Cheer? Isn’t that Drayton’s move?” Carmine questioned.

“He…uh said it could come in handy during the trip before we left the academy hehe,” Kieran sheepishly remarked, “Guess he was lookin’ out for me.”

“Ugh, that’s two things I gotta thank that bozo for when we get back…”

As it continued to give out its mightiest shout, Dipplin soon became enveloped in white light, transforming into an even greater form. The number of syrpents in its apple core increased until one tall head sprouted from the core with four others poking out from the sides. Kieran couldn’t believe his eyes once he saw his Dipplin evolve into this mighty form.

“Wowzers! You really evolved, Dipplin! I didn’t even know you could evolve further.”

Carmine laughed in response to her brother’s excitement. “Maybe Dipplin felt your determination and confidence and decided to evolve to match it. If that’s the case, you should have the honour of naming your new and improved partner before crushing that floating peach.”

“Kinda wish I wasn’t put on the spot like that Sis…but I’ve got the perfect name,” Kieran smiled, “With your many ferocious heads, I know we’ll be able save Juliana with your help. Let’s show ‘em what we can do together, Hydrapple!

For the first time, Pecharunt shuddered under the intense gaze the boy had towards him. And it was plainly seen through Juliana’s reaction reflecting its own.

Kieran took a step forward and roared at the sky as loudly as he could. “I’m gonna finish this here and shatter your control over Juliana! And I’ll do it with my evolved partner to do it! Let’s show them how determined we are with your max power Fickle Beam, Hydrapple!”

Exhilarated by Kieran’s boldness, Carmine followed suit. “That’s the spirit, Kieran! Sinistcha and I will help out too. Join the fun by giving that cat your finest Matcha Gotcha serving!”

“I’m not losing! I refuse to lose to pathetic beings like you! Meowscarada, use all your strength to crush them with your Tera Blast!"

Hydrapple’s seven Syrpents resonated with their partner’s call, working together to unleash a devastating beam towards Meowscarada with Sinistcha’s Matcha Gotcha and Miraidon’s Dragon Pulse combining together to create one ultimate burst of energy. The combined wave collided with the Tera and mochi enhanced energy blast Meowscarada unleashed, with neither attack giving one inch of ground. But at the last second, all three Pokémon unleashed even more energy to overwhelm the Tera Blast that soon scattered into flecks of green light as the Terastallized Meowscarada suffered a direct hit.

The attack broke Meowscarada’s crown, losing its Terastallized form before it fainted. Juliana started to lose her balance as she too fell to the ground unconscious in the aftermath. The pink chain on her neck slowly dissipated too as its remnants scattering in the wind. Kieran couldn’t bear to see her in this state, but he told himself that she would be okay now that Pecharunt’s grip on her had been broken. The toxic Pokémon had taken a lot of damage from their combined attack, so it currently didn’t have the strength to maintain its ability, at least that’s what Kieran thought.

Despite that, Pecharunt seemed to have taken this development more as a slight annoyance than a serious issue as it moved towards the shrine.

So, my control over her has been broken. Seems I underestimated the girl’s willpower and the power those two had, especially the boy’s. Oh well, at least I had enough time to absorb the mask’s Tera energy and mix it with my own. Now the main act can truly begin!

Pecharunt began unleashing its energy towards the shrine, causing it to rumble fiercely. The mixture of purple and green energy swirled together to unleash a new power, making the siblings see it as a bad sign.

“That doesn’t look good. We gotta stop it from getting’ whatever its doing done!” Kieran warned.

The Blueberry student aimed a punch towards the purple Pokémon, but it easily dodged his assault even with the injuries it suffered.

Kieran could feel the pain emanating from his hand as he slammed it towards the stone fence surrounding the shrine. “Owww...that’s gonna leave a mark.”

“Focus on your hand later!” Carmine admonished, “We’ve got trouble coming!”

The shrine continued to shake as a massive pillar of pink light shined around the effigies at the shrine’s center, causing a large explosion. When the smoke started clearing, they could see the shrine had been completely destroyed, replaced with the shadows of three creatures observing their surroundings. The three creatures revealed themselves, with one looking like a large dog, another a small monkey, and the last one a radiant bird. They each possessed pinkish adornments around their bodies similar to the one Juliana had on her neck.

Oh, my dear retainers. At long last, you have come back to me! Now you can help me in fulfilling my desire, just as you had done before!

Pecharunt hovered towards the trio and spoke at them with a comforting tone, making them shriek in joy as they huddled together in secret. Not like they could understand what they were talking about, but it seemed like they were pledging their loyalty towards the floating Pokémon.

Carmine became more bewildered as they kept whispering to one another. “What the?! What is going on now?! Who are these guys?!”

Kieran gasped, “Do you think they’re the Loyal Three from the legends? There are three of them and they look pretty sinister. Plus, the shrine was said to be place where they were laid to rest in the legend.”

“I think you’re right, Kiki. They definitely got that ‘Lousy Three’ vibe. I’d like to go and say ‘Hey, what’d you all want?’, but it’s not like that stupid peach is interested in talking to us right now!”

“If you must know, we’re going to go fulfill our plan now. You can have Juliana back for all I care. A toy that’s broken is of no use to me. Plus, I’ve drained enough Tera Energy from the mask to bring back my loyal retainers back, so I’ll let you guys keep it for now.”

At Pecharunt’s call, the three Pokémon started running east towards Mossui Town, with Okidogi grabbing its master to help with its movement. Kieran and Carmine remained trying to process everything that had happened, as well as keeping an eye on Juliana, who was still sleeping.

Carmine sighed, “I don’t know how, but Pecharunt must’ve used the mask to help it bring the Lousy Three back to life. And it looks like they’re heading to Kitakami Hall.”

“Aren’t Ogerpon’s other masks at Kitakami Hall?” Kieran replied, “They might be going there to take them too as part of their plan!”

“That can’t be good! We gotta make sure to get there quick so we can stop them! Kiki, I’ll head over there first while you make sure Juliana’s okay!”

Kieran nodded, “R-right! I’ll make sure she’s okay. We’ll catch up with you as soon as we can!”

They gazed at each other in silent agreement before Carmine started sprinting towards Kitakami Hall, leaving Kieran to start moving towards Juliana to check on her. The girl’s body seemed fine as he couldn’t see any external injuries and in any other context, it would have seemed like she was just tired from exploring too much. But he knew she must have been mentally and physically exhausted from the possession. Miraidon must have been worried about her well-being too with the protective position it was assuming to keep others away.

Kieran moved closer to Juliana and grabbed her hand with his own. He was glad Juliana was freed from Pecharunt’s influence because of the combined might he, Carmine, and Miraidon exhibited during the battle’s climax. But he still felt guilty that he didn’t do enough to help her when she needed it. Even if he had helped break Pecharunt’s control, if he had been more concerned over her safety and been more assertive in getting her to open up, then maybe this whole mess wouldn’t have happened.

The tears started pouring down his cheeks as he lamented his previous inaction. He was still the same kid who screwed things up. Someone who tried to change but was still stuck with the same powerlessness as before. He wanted to be strong for her, but the negative thoughts were too overpowering that he couldn’t but cry louder. He was so trapped within his thoughts that he almost didn’t notice a hand gently caressing his cheek.

Juliana’s eyes started flitting as they slowly started opening wider. “K-Kieran? Is it really you?”

Kieran looked at the beautiful girl in front of him as he tried answering through choked tears. “Yeah. It’s me, Juliana. I’m so glad you’re awake.”

The girl did her best to form a smile. “Me too.”

“Juliana, I…I’m so sorry for letting this happen to you!” Kieran cried out, “If I was better and had tried harder to make sure you were okay, Pecharunt wouldn’t have possessed you so easily! I just can’t do anything right! I couldn’t help you when you needed it the most!”

Juliana gripped Kieran’s hand more tightly as she tried staring at his eyes with her own. “None of this is your fault, Kieran. I was the one to keep Pecharunt a secret from you and Carmine. I was the one that trusted Pecharunt’s words and left myself vulnerable to its possession. Everything that happened was my responsibility, so don’t blame yourself for my mistakes.”

“But…”

“You’re a lot stronger than you realize, Kieran. As I was trying to fight against Pecharunt’s control, I could hear your voice trying to reach me. The determination I felt with your words and actions while you were battling gave me the strength to resist its control. So, I’m really grateful you tried your hardest and made your feeling reach me during those moments.”

“Juliana…*sniff*, thank you. You and Ogerpon are the best things that have ever happened to me. You two are the special treasures I've obtained and never want to let go!”

He was useful after all. He helped Juliana enough to free her from the wicked spell that bound her. He was someone she could rely on and the joyous emotions from that revelation overwhelmed him so much that he couldn’t help but shed even more tears. But he would let those tears of joy out as his precious friend did her best to comfort him even in her weakened state.

Kieran and Juliana took a few minutes to rest, hoping that she recovered enough before heading to Kitakami Hall. Fortunately, Juliana managed to be well enough to stand and moved towards Miraidon, signalling Kieran to get on so that they could head to their destination as soon as possible. Juliana took the Teal Mask that Pecharunt and its retainers left behind so they could give it to Ogerpon later.

The duo headed straight towards Mossui Town, while noting that it would be wise for them to heal their Pokémon at the Pokémon Center. Thank goodness the nurse didn’t ask any questions at the sight of them before they continued on their journey. With Miraidon’s dash ability going into overdrive, they quickly made it to Kitakami Hall, meeting up with Carmine who had just arrived there as well.

Carmine eyed Juliana with a rare look of concern. “Juliana! Are you feeling alright now?”

The girl had to exert more energy to do so, but she did her best to respond with a spiteful and determined look. “I’ll be fine once Pecharunt and those Lousy Three are taken care of!”

They headed deeper into the northern area, where they noticed a large crowd around the temple that Ogerpon’s other three masks were held. The caretaker was at the center of the crowd, so he must have been the crowd’s leader. The man took note of their presence and waved happily at them as they moved closer.

“Ah, Juliana! And I see you’re with Carmine and Kieran. If only you three had been here moments earlier, you would have seen them!”

“Hey, did those lousy three Pokémon come here, then?!” Carmine demanded.

“I believe you mean the Loyal Three, Carmine,” the caretaker replied.

“This isn’t the time to argue about titles! We need to know where they went!” Kieran impatiently responded.

The caretaker simply shook his head, “Hmph. I expected that sort of attitude from your sister, but not you Kieran. But you did miss out on an incredible treat. The Loyal Three were just visiting our humble little hall. It seemed they wished to collect the shining masks we’ve kept safe here in Kitakami Hall. So naturally, we representatives were happy to return the masks to them with all haste! I hope they didn’t mind if the crystals adorning them were chipped. Perhaps they were damaged at some point, and I didn’t notice.”

Oh, that was not good. Juliana could sense Carmine was ready to pounce at the caretaker over more news that came out of his mouth.

“We even gave them a platter of our special Kitakami Mochi, packed full of our best herbs! The Loyal Three gobbled them up in a flash! They’re bound to be bigger and stronger now!”

Carmine couldn’t help but shake her fists in rage. “Let me get this straight. You gave them the masks?! Then, you fed them mochi that made them stronger?! Are you people idiots?!”

“Watch your tone, Carmine! You must not disrespect our heroes like that! This is a once in a lifetime moment that we are blessed with, so keep that in mind!”

Kieran tried to contain his anger after hearing those words. “Pecharunt and the Lousy Three are the bad guys and they just got handed Ogerpon’s masks. I wish we could tell everyone the truth, but if they believe in these lies so much, it’ll probably end badly.”

Juliana slowly moved her hand towards Kieran’s shoulder to reassure him. “We’ll worry about telling everyone later. First, we need to get to Ogerpon. Excuse me Mr. Caretaker, do you know where those Pokémon went?”

“They left immediately north of here,” the caretaker happily replied, “Perhaps they have it in mind to finish off the terrible ogre from our legends!”

After hearing the caretaker’s words, the three students headed towards Kitakami Hall’s north gate to discuss their next move.

“If that’s the case, then they must be heading towards where Perrin said Ogerpon would be to get their revenge,” Juliana pointed out.

“Yeah, that would make sense,” Carmine responded, “I did check the Den yesterday and Ogerpon wasn’t there, so I doubt she’d head there when she currently thinks she’s safe from anyone finding her.”

Kieran gave a worried look over this situation. “But Ogerpon gets its powers from the masks it wears right? If she doesn’t have any of the masks on her right now, then she won’t stand a chance against them!”

“Then we should find Ogerpon and return the mask as soon as possible! Pecharunt may have a head start, but if we ride on Miraidon, we should be able to narrow the gap between us by a lot.”

Kieran and Carmine nodded in approval, seating themselves on Miraidon to head towards their next destination. Fortunately, Kieran was used to Miraidon’s speed even when they were semi-flying during the trip and Carmine seemed to have adjusted too based on her calmer behaviour compared to last time.

As they inched closer and closer towards the Timeless Woods, Juliana could see the shadows of the three pink-chained Pokémon taking a surrounding position around the one they were looking for. Even with Miraidon’s help, they were still too late from stopping them from finding Ogerpon. But at least they would be able to stop them from causing any more damage to her this time around, and she could tell that her friends were thinking the same. Juliana commanded Miraidon to land a few feet behind them to avoid the poisonous Pokémon seeing them. If they launched a surprise attack from behind, they could deal even more damage.

____________________

Ogerpon stared at the dense trees surrounding her. Compared to her centuries-old home, the lush forest helped give her a sense of calm to reflect on everything that had happened. She was thankful the large bear Pokémon she met that night allowed her to stay here during these past two days. She would have to find a way to show her gratitude to him later.

But Ogerpon wondered how long she would be staying here. She didn’t want to go back to the Dreaded Den for fear that her new friends would try looking for her there. She would have liked nothing more than to see Kieran and Carmine again, but the display she put during the festival left her fearful over their reactions. Carmine had seen her unbridled rage when she tried to strike the girl down and likely told Kieran about it too. Even if their friend wasn’t aware of that damned peach’s presence, it didn’t matter to her at that moment as she wanted to finish her enemy no matter the cost.

She couldn’t bear to face all three of them after they saw her become the very monster the people in Kitakami had feared. Maybe it would have been better for her to have never met them at all. At least that way, she wouldn’t negatively affect the people she had grown so close to, even if it meant living her entire life with loneliness and solitude. It was a fate that she deserved, to live as the dreaded ogre who only brought misery to the ones she interacted with, unmourned and unloved until the end.

Ogerpon snapped out of her self-pity when she sensed a strong presence getting closer to her location. Was it the bear from before coming to check on her? No! She could feel that this presence only oozed malice and resentment, just like…

“We’ve finally found you, you despicable ogre! The four of us have come to exact our revenge for everything you’ve inflicted on us! And no one will save you from our wrath!”

Ogerpon saw four shadows revealing themselves through the fog, ones that she wished she would never have to see again. That destestable peach stood in the forefront, with its retainers behind it. Even after all these years, she would never forget the monkey, dog, and bird, adorned with their symbol of loyalty on their bodies, that took her partner away. On instinct, she summoned her cudgel ready to fight. Even if she didn’t have the power of her masks, her time with Kieran and Carmine had made her different than the Pokémon she was before. She would fight to her last breath to eradicate those who had wronged her.

“Oho, the little ogre wants to fight? Then, we’ll show her no mercy. Go, my retainers! Surround her and attack all at once to end our wretched foe!”

“As you command, Lord Pecharunt!” The chained Pokémon cried out as they moved to assume their position to encircle Ogerpon.

It looked like the peach was using its minions to fight for it, as expected for something so cowardly. Even if it was a three on one battle, Ogerpon would not yield until her last breath. But just as they began initiating their first attack, a voice rang loudly throughout the trees that surrounded them. It was a voice she knew all too well.

Kieran ran closer and closer to reach his friend. “Ogerpon! Now Hydrapple, fire a Fickle Beam on those Lousy Three!”

The Apple Hydra launched its energy attack towards the three dastardly attackers, forcing them to leap back from Ogerpon’s position to avoid being hit. Now it was them who were surrounded by this surprise arrival.

“Those pests just keep getting in my way…So annoying!”

Even in front of his master, Munkidori couldn’t contain his frustration. “How did they get here so fast?! It’s inconceivable.”

Okidoki simply scoffed, “Even if they come at us, they’re no match against the awesome might Lord Pecharunt has given us!”

Fezendipiti fluttered his wings to express the same sentiment. “Indeed. Lord Pecharunt’s divine abilities have granted us our innermost desires. There is no way such ugly creatures could ever triumph against us!”

Ogerpon felt both ecstatic and guilty that Kieran and Carmine had to come all this way to protect her. She was glad to see them again, but the lingering sorrow from that fateful night still made her wonder if they could forgive her for hurting their friend, who was also standing beside them looking worse for wear. But the girl looked surprisingly happy to see her even in her weakened state, despite Ogerpon attempting to attack her that night.

Perhaps they innately knew what the leafy Pokémon was thinking because Kieran simply approached her with his hand lightly patting her head.

“Don’t worry Ogerpon, all of us will fight together. We’ll make sure these bullies get what’s comin’ to them!”

Carmine moved to tenderly touch her shoulder as she tried reassuring her too. “Yeah, I guess a fair fight’s too much to expect from them if they were trying to go three against one on you. But now that we’re here, we’ll make them all regret coming back to life!”

Their confident faces and supportive gestures left an impact in Ogerpon’s heart, realizing she had been overthinking things all along. There was no doubt in her mind that they would always care about her no matter what. She tightly gripped her cudgel, ready to finish this long feud. This time, she would avenge her old partner once and for all, with her new partners standing by her side.

Chapter Text

“And that’s all I have to say on the subject for now. I’m glad you’re so interested in the Terastal phenomenon! You’re quite the studious one, aren’t you?”

“I just wanted to know more about Terastal energy for a project. I knew you had expert knowledge on it, so I figured I could get to know more from you while we were here.”

“Well, it’s always nice to see young minds so interested in the subject. Perhaps you would be able to help me with finding Terapagos one day. Maybe you could ask the Chairwoman for access the Great Crater on my behalf? Just a joke, of course. But it is getting late and young minds like yours need sleep for further growth.”

“Of course. Thank you again for helping me learn more about the subject.”

They turned to move farther away from the purple clad woman, noting everything they learned to help with their plan. The time was quickly approaching to see their goals through.

___________________

“Can’t believe they keep getting in the way like annoying flies!”

They had the opportunity to silence the ogre once and for all, but those human companions of hers continued to interfere for her sake. The ogre was so weak before, and yet, she mustered an invigorating resolve as soon as they had their little pep talk.

With Kieran, Carmine, and Juliana supporting Ogerpon, Pecharunt and its retainers were slowly getting overwhelmed as the battle dragged on. They had gotten a few hits on the ogre and her allies, but clearly they needed time before they could unleash their nasty surprise. The puppeteer analyzed the situation and decided falling back would be best. Vengeance would have to wait for now. Pecharunt had plenty of time and other options after all.

“They’re stronger than I thought they’d be…Guess we’ll have to retreat for now. Come, my loyal retainers! We’ll split up to preserve the three masks that we have, and when the time is right, we’ll take back the one we abandoned before.

Pecharunt spread its smog to reduce their visibility, with the Loyal Three moving in separate directions to escape from their foes. Pecharunt joined Okidogi before all four poison-types disappeared deeper into the fog.

“Darn, they ran away!” Kieran lamented.

“Hmph! I guess I was too much for them to handle!” Carmine responded, “But at least Ogerpon’s safe and sound!”

Ogerpon responded with a few happy cries. She had taken some damage from the Loyal Three’s attacks, but she was happy to have been able to drive them back with her friends’ help. Their presence and care toward her proved she was different from the Pokémon she was before. But even so, she still wondered if the girl with them felt the same way about her.

Juliana moved closer and kneeled to Ogerpon’s level. The starry-eyed Pokémon tried moving back a little with doubt weighing on her mind. After all, she thought Juliana would be resentful over her actions, or at least hesitant to approach her, but all she saw from her was a comforting and understanding smile.

Juliana gave Ogerpon a tight and warm hug. “It’s okay, Ogerpon. I’m not mad at you for what happened at the festival if that’s what you’re thinking about. I heard everything that happened with you in the past, so I get why you thought I was an enemy. I’m sorry for bringing the one who took your partner away that night, even if I didn’t know it. You must have been so scared and worried over what would happen. Honestly, I’ve felt similar fears from things that happened to me in the past too, even when I try to hide it…”

Ogerpon couldn’t help but feel even more relaxed by Juliana’s words and the warmth of her hug. She had such a skewed impression over the caring girl that she felt a little embarrassed for ever doubting her.

“But I’ll make sure to do all I can to help you get your masks back and dish some payback on Pecharunt and the Lousy Three. I’ve got beef with them after what that they did to me, so we’ll work together to make sure they get their just desserts!”

Ogerpon jumped up and down to show her content over Juliana’s declaration. Looks like she had another friend she could count on. Soon, the Paldean student moved back before Kieran started walking up towards her.

“I’m really glad you and Juliana worked things out!” he happily remarked, “And we managed to get this back for you too! This is for you, Ogerpon.”

The Blueberry student presented the completely repaired Teal Mask to Ogerpon with a joyous smile. She happily took it from her friend and placed it in front of her face, feeling comfortable from the familiarity and nostalgia the mask contained.

Carmine couldn’t help but looked pleased during this moment. “Hee hee, she seems so happy! I’m glad she’s comfortable around us again after everything that’s happened. I’ll bet she’d be even happier when we get the other three masks back, don’t you think?”

“Right, and we need to ensure they don’t cause any other unnecessary trouble too,” Juliana added.

“Yeah, if they’re free to do whatever they want, they’ll be major problems. And with that lousy peach gunning for Ogerpon, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were planning a second ambush. Even if she can fight, we need to keep Ogerpon safe as we deal with them!”

Carmine had a look on her face that made both Juliana and Kieran know what was coming.

“And that’s why the three of us are gonna form the ‘Mask Retrieval Squad’! Pretty great name, huh?”

“Uhh…It’s better than the ‘Mask Assembly Squad’, I guess…” Kieran replied, unsure on how to respond to his sister’s naming sense.

Juliana just took it with enthusiasm. “Well, count me in! I’m ready to help out!”

“That’s the spirit, Juliana! Just what I would expect from my second-in-command!”

“Shouldn’t we be treated as equals, Sis? It's not fair for you to be the leader...”

“Hey, I’m the one who came up with the name and I’m the prettiest, so I should be the leader!” Carmine refuted, “But you can be my second-in-command too, as you’ve always been.”

“Sigh, whatever…As long as we’re working together on this,” Kieran responded, not wanting to escalate this conversation into an argument.

“Glad you’re seeing things my way for once! And now that that’s settled, let’s go gather intel on Pecharunt and its Lousy Three! We’re gonna get those masks back and take them down no matter what it takes!”

The three students shouted with cheer to boost their spirits before heading back to Mossui Town to gather information on Miraidon. On the way, Juliana noticed a picnic table near Reveler’s Road and a certain homeroom teacher observing the environment. How she had never noticed him was a mystery to the Champion trainer, but she might as well say hello. They might have been in a hurry, but Juliana agreed to be quick to see him.

She waved towards her teacher to get his attention. “Hi, Mr. Jacq!”

“Oh, hello, hello, Juliana! Enjoying that school trip, are you?”

“It’s been…exciting to say the least. But I never expected to see you in Kitakami, Mr. Jacq.”

“Once I got here, I decided to do a bit of research on the Pokémon of Kitakami and…Oh, I was so engrossed in my research that I forgot to come find you these past few days, didn’t I? How about I make up for it by treating you to a picnic! I have some snacks some of the locals gave me and I’m sure you’d enjoy them as well!”

Juliana chuckled over her teacher’s words, expecting him to be so engrossed studying the Pokémon here. “I’d love to, but me and the students from Blueberry Academy I’ve made friends with are in the middle of important business. Did you happen to know anything about a couple of unique looking Pokémon recently spotted in Kitakami?”

“As a matter of fact, I did notice an unusual Pokémon flying up the mountain. I wish I could have gotten a better look as its biological appearance was simply astounding, especially the pink necklaces on its neck.”

“Hmm, I should let Kieran and Carmine know about this. Thanks for the help, Mr. Jacq! I’ll make sure to take you up on that picnic later.”

“Oh, feel free to enjoy this trip to your hearts content first. I’ll be doing fieldwork here for a while, so feel free to come back here anytime!”

Juliana said her farewells before running back towards Kieran and Carmine’s location to relay the news she had heard. She had turned around so quickly that she never noticed the sweet mochi her teacher had been eating at the time.

They soon reached Mossui Town, ready to begin gathering information on Pecharunt and the Loyal Three. However, they noticed Ogerpon to be very hesitant in following them as they stood near the town’s border.

“I figured she wouldn’t wanna go back to the village,” Kieran sadly surmised, “With them bein’ happy the Lousy Three are back, they might chase her away like back then…”

Carmine reluctantly agreed, “Yeah, there’s no doubt. Maybe Ogerpon can wait here while we gather information. You got that, Ogerpon?”

Ogerpon turned to Carmine and nodded in understanding.

“Ehehe, glad you guys can understand each other very well,” Juliana commented, “It shows how close you three are.”

The three students set into town, asking as many people as they could find on their targets’ locations. Juliana managed to get information on Munkidori and Okidoki, as well as confirm Fezandipiti had flown towards Oni Mountain. After messaging Carmine to confirm her findings, she rushed back towards Ogerpon’s location, who happily waved through her cloak as she ran closer to her location. Kieran and Carmine came soon after, as they began sharing their findings to each other.

Carmine took a moment to consider the clues they gathered before relaying her findings. “Hmm, I see. With the information we got, I know exactly where those Lousy Three are hiding! I knew the Mask Retrieval Squad I assembled wouldn’t let me down! Your leader appreciates all the hard work you’ve put towards this mission!”

Kieran sighed again over his sister’s power trip. “That’s great and all Sis, but we still don’t have any info on Pecharunt. If it could control Juliana like before…it’s probably the most dangerous out of all of them.”

Juliana agreed with the assessment. “That’s true. I know better than anyone how scary Pecharunt’s powers can be. But maybe we should focus on the Lousy Three first since they’re the ones holding Ogerpon’s masks. The sooner we get them back, the more power Ogerpon will have when we confront Pecharunt.”

The siblings and Ogerpon concurred with Juliana’s judgment and set their sights towards finding Pecharunt’s retainers. With the locations Carmine sent to Juliana’s Rotom Phone, they decided to set their sights on Fezandipiti first since he was the closest. They echoed their shouts and raised their hand up to the sky to get themselves psyched up before heading to Oni Mountain.

___________________

When they came face to face with the beautiful bird, they couldn’t believe at how much he had changed since last time.

“Hey, I may be wrong about this, but…has it gotten bigger than when we last saw it?!” Carmine pointed out.

“No, you’re right. It’s huge!” Kieran concurred, “But I think there’s someone else with Fezandipiti too! No way! Is that who I think it is?!”

“Wait, what?! What the heck is going on?! Why’s he here with that oversized bird?!”

True enough, the Mask Retrieval Squad was faced by both Fezandipiti and the town’s caretaker who stood in front of him. His eyes were filled with the same violet hue and vacant stare that Juliana had before. No doubt he was under Fezandipiti’s control. To prove their point, the caretaker started speaking with the same distorted voice the siblings had heard before.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the three humans currently a thorn in Lord Pecharunt’s side and the disgusting ogre who took us out. Why don’t you stay out of our way and let us take the masks peacefully this time?”

“That’s not happening! We’re gonna get all of Ogerpon’s masks back, starting with yours!” Carmine angrily responded, “And you’ve better explain why the caretaker’s on your side!”

“Thanks to Lord Pecharunt’s power, we were able to bind some humans under our control. They were so happy to receive the mochi our Lord had created that they were so easy to obey our orders when we needed them. More retainers would serve to fulfill Lord Pecharunt’s desires more easily. Why don’t three join us too? With Lord Pecharunt’s power, you can become as powerful and beautiful as I have.”

Kieran merely replied in disdain. “I already said this to your master, but there’s no way I’ll ever accept its wicked power!"

Juliana added to his friend’s resolve with the same anger. “I’ve already had Pecharunt’s power within me once and I am not going to experience that again! We’ll defeat you, free the caretaker, get Ogerpon’s mask, and then you’ll tell us where that lowdown peach went!”

“What ugly expressions! There’s no way I will ever allow you to face Lord Pecharunt! And if you won’t join us, then filthy creatures like you need to be disposed of! Watch as I unleash the power given to me by Lord Pecharunt and the ogre’s mask!”

Fezandipiti let out a loud cry before the Terastal energy from the Hearthflame Mask‘s crystals poured into his body, increasing its attack power and adorning a chandelier crown to symbolize its new burning power.

“That’s…definitely new,” Juliana remarked, “I didn’t know they could use Ogerpon’s mask to Terastallize. And based on the type of energy, it must’ve transformed Fezandipiti into a fire-type, so we’ll need to plan accordingly. It’s a good thing I’ve handled Titan Pokémon with Arven before, so I’m ready to battle whenever…”

But Juliana suddenly felt her legs turn to jelly before she knelt to the ground to maintain her balance. Seems like she hadn’t recovered her strength as much as she would’ve liked, and her friends could tell with how they were helping her out.

Carmine put a hand on the girl’s shoulders. “We’ll handle this buffed-up Fezandipiti while you take a break, Juliana. Just leave it to me and Kiki, no ifs or buts! Let’s show that flying jerk that it’s no match against our sibling teamwork, Kiki!”

“Yeah, Sis and I can handle this! You make sure to conserve your strength and we’ll beat this arrogant bird in a flash!”

“I’ll enrapture you so much that you’ll be left crying for mercy when I’m done with you! And I’ll take that mask on the ogre’s face after I rip it to pieces!”

Undaunted by his threats, the siblings grabbed their Pokéballs and sent out Poliwrath and Milotic. Ogerpon stood ready to fight too, her mask bringing out an intimidating presence as she readied her cudgel. While she was currently watching her friends getting ready to fight, Juliana came up with a great idea before she started fiddling with her Rotom Phone.

“Drill my dazzling beauty into your very bones!” Fezandipiti declared before releasing its Dazzling Gleam towards his foes.

The added power from the Terastal energy Fezandipiti had dealt effective damage against their side, but they persevered and retaliated with their strongest water-type attacks against him, dealing massive damage despite the bird’s increased strength.

“Ahhh! How did such attacks deal so much damage to me?!”

“Guess ol’ birdface doesn’t know its typing changed,” Carmine smirked, “We’ll just have to keep educating it by dishing more pain! Milotic, hit it with one more Scald burst!”

“I’m right with ya, Sis! Let’s make ‘em really hurt with Liquidation, Poliwrath!”

Fezandipiti tried to evade its attacks, but its larger body made it a bigger target as the water-type moves hit its wings before he cried out in pain. But its pained shrieks were quickly silenced when Ogerpon aimed its Throat Chop on the Titantic Pokémon’s neck.

Speaking through the caretaker, Fezandipiti couldn’t hide his discontent. “My beautiful voice! You dare attack the gift Lord Pecharunt has given me?! You will suffer a hundred-fold for your sickening actions!”

Blinded by anger, Fezandipiti laced his wings with immense poison before flying straight at Ogerpon. Fortunately, Milotic and Poliwrath moved to defend its ally, happy to have helped despite having been poisoned by the furious assault. Kieran and Carmine exploited this moment of frustration to land one final attack to finish this.

“Milotic, blast that stupid bird with Dragon Pulse!”

“Poliwrath, hit ‘em close with Close Combat!”

Becoming overwhelmed by his three opponents attacking simultaneously, Fezandipiti attempted to use its Dazzling Gleam to protect itself, but the trio overcame its light and struck down the Retainer Pokémon as its flaming crown shattered and its size returned to normal. As Fezandipiti became disoriented from the amount of damage it had endured, Carmine took this as her chance. She threw an Ultra Ball at the dizzy Pokémon and surprisingly managed to catch it with one throw. To say Kieran and Juliana were flabbergasted at the girl’s actions was an understatement. Even Ogerpon was shocked over the affair as Carmine moved to pick up the Pokéball that now housed one of Pecharunt’s retainers while striking a haughty pose.

“Sis, did you…”

“…just catch Fezandipiti?!”

Carmine simply responded with her signature smug smile. “Yep! Guess this feathered jerk is mine now! Who knows what would’ve happened if we let it run back to its master. Serves it right for siding with that controlling peach! And we managed to get one of Ogerpon’s mask back, so that’s a nice bonus!”

“I guess it worked out,” Juliana shrugged, “And besides the mask, it looks like the caretaker’s returning to normal. I’m guessing it was the same for me, right? Oh yeah, I also managed to record the battle while I was recovering!”

“You did?!”

“Yep! Figured we could use proof of the Lousy Three’s bad deeds to help convince the town of Ogerpon’s innocence at some point. I made sure to get her good side too!”

Ogerpon ran over to Juliana to give her a hug, one in which Juliana happily reciprocated. Carmine even suggested taking a celebratory photo of all four of them to commemorate their success. The photo turned out great with everyone smiling happily and Ogerpon holding her newly returned mask with pride.

Now all they had to do is decide what to do with the caretaker that was currently lying unconscious. They couldn’t just leave him on the mountain after all.

“Um…we should probably head towards the next area to get Ogerpon’s mask,” Kieran proposed, “I’ll stay here to help the caretaker back to town. Juliana needs time to get better and Sis would probably leave him in a ditch with how much she hates him.”

Carmine took offense to that. “Hey! That’s…probably true. Fine, you can take the geezer back, but make sure you head to our next location soon!”

The fiery girl gave Kieran her phone to keep in contact with them since he didn’t have a phone himself. Which led to a lot of fussing from Carmine and pouting from Kieran when he had rebuffed her for treating him like a little kid. Guess some things stayed the same between them, Juliana thought, and she could tell Ogerpon shared the same sentiment.

Juliana moved to release Miraidon, now feeling much better with the break that she had. She nodded to Kieran before she, Carmine, and Ogerpon moved to their next location, to which Kieran answered with a wave and gentle smile. The boy never ceased to make her heart flutter when he smiled so earnestly.

___________________

Thankfully, Miraidon made travelling to the Wistful Fields a breeze, where Munkidori was certain to be. And true enough, the three female companions could see the poisonous monkey meditating near the large lake. It too had grown bigger like Fezandipiti had, probably from the mochi they ate and the Terestal energy from Ogerpon’s mask. Standing near him was another human who had been controlled by Pecharunt’s mochi, but it was who they were that shocked Juliana.

“I can’t believe Mr. Jacq got possessed by Pecharunt too!”

“You know that guy?” Carmine inquired.

“Yeah. He’s my homeroom teacher at Uva Academy and the one who gave me that info on Fezandipiti back at Reveler’s Road. I can’t believe he ate the mochi too…Oh Arceus! Don’t tell me that was the ‘snack’ he got from the townspeople!”

“Either way, we gotta deal with this. We’ll beat Munkidori to free your teacher and get Ogerpon’s mask back!” Carmine responded before running straight for the Retainer Pokémon, with Juliana and Ogerpon following to avoid being left behind.

Speaking through Jacq, the giant monkey didn’t hide his annoyance at their presence. “Hmph, if it isn’t Lord Pecharunt’s former chained, the overbearing girl, and the dreaded ogre. I suppose you’re here for the mask and this human my Lord has given to me?”

“If you know that much, fork over the mask and free Juliana’s teacher from your control! Otherwise, we’re doing this the hard way!” Carmine threatened.

“This is why I can’t stand brutish types like you and the ogre. If you used your minds once in a while, you wouldn’t spout such idiocy. Lord Pecharunt requires this mask to make its desires a reality and I will help fulfill it for all my Lord has done for me!”

Munkidori took the Wellspring Mask and started absorbing the Terestal energy leaking out from its cracks. Its body shined with a clear blue colour before a crown of crystalized water formed on its head and its defensive power greatly increased. With Juliana battle-ready once more, she sent out her Appletun while Carmine sent out her Morpeko. Ogerpon wielded its cudgel and the Teal Mask ready to fight with her fellow Pokémon.

Carmine felt invigorated over this moment. “I’m glad we’re teaming up together this time, Juliana. Let’s make sure we give this oversized monkey our best performance! Morpeko, hit ‘em with your Aura Wheel!”

Juliana giggled excitedly as she got her Rotom Phone out to record the battle. “I’m right there with you, Carmine. Time to put it in its place! Appletun, use Apple Acid!”

Ogerpon charged its cudgel with green energy to attack alongside its allies as they all sent them straight towards Munkidori. But their foe had prepared for their onslaught and unleashed its Sludge Wave, inflicting major damage at the grass-types while taking less damage from the Apple Acid thanks to its increased defense.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice you would aim for the weakness I had from my new typing? Such recklessness is why lower intelligent beings are no match for me!”

“Then let’s see how you like it when we slow you down. Morpeko, use Thunder Wave!”

Munkidori took the paralysis in stride before entering a state of relaxation by stimulating its brain using Nasty Plot before unleashing another Sludge Wave against its opponents. Ogerpon used its Spiky Shield to defend herself, but despite Carmine and Juliana retaliating with Seed Bomb and Energy Ball, Morpeko and Appletun were overwhelmed by Munkidori’s increased attack power.

Carmine gritted her teeth. “Guess this one’s going to be harder to beat than Fezandipiti. But we’ll make that cocky jerk pay by trouncing it. You’re up, Leavanny! Match its increased power with Swords Dance!”

“If it’s poison to watch out for, then Tinkaton will be the perfect Pokémon for the job. Slam it with your Play Rough!” Juliana declared before sending her partner out.

“Poison’s not the only move I can do,” Munkidori arrogantly answered before charging up a large Shadow Ball towards Tinkaton, dealing heavy damage to it despite taking a direct hit from the fairy-type move.

But as kept airing his superiority towards the two trainers, he was blindsided by Leavanny’s Leaf Blade as the speedy Pokémon wiped the grin off Munkidori’s face.

“Had enough yet, you lowdown jerk? ‘Cause there’s more coming!” Carmine smugly commented.

“Ngh, not very likely. My genius can’t even compare to dim creatures like you! And you’ll see that here!” he angrily answered through Jacq before shooting a barrage of Psychic attacks towards Leavanny and leaving it poisoned due to its ability.

Noticing Juliana’s nod, Tinkaton exploited the distraction and moved to slam Munkidori repeatedly with its hammer, savouring each blow that it dealt towards the smarmy foe. Losing its footing, Munkidori attempted to strike with another wave of poison, but its paralysis caught up to him and he was blindsided once more by Ogerpon’s furious Ivy Cudgel, slamming him down into oblivion.

The Tera crown adorning Munkidori’s head shattered while he could only stumble helplessly from the amount of damage he had taken, and his size returned to normal. Juliana took this opportunity to throw her own Ultra Ball towards the Munkidori and successfully captured him in one throw. Picking up the Pokéball housing her new catch, she could only smugly smile over their good fortune. They took another photo to highlight their achievement with matching energy.

“That’s two down!” Juliana happily pointed out while picking up the newly dropped Wellspring Mask, “Now all that’s left is to confront Okidogi and put him into the dirt like we did with the other Lousy Three!”

Carmine laughed at her partner’s comment, noticing that her attitude had been rubbing off on her. “Couldn’t have said it better myself. The two of us make a pretty good team, don’t we? Though, it’s a good thing Kiki’s not here to hear that, otherwise he’d get jealous over how much we’re bonding right now.”

“I’m sure Kieran would be okay with it if it were his sister…maybe. But I’m looking forward to seeing him again once he’s done bringing the caretaker back to town. Speaking of which, I need to make sure Mr. Jacq is safely brought back too.”

While she was happy that her teacher was freed from Pecharunt’s spell, she felt a little guilty for not stopping it sooner, even if she didn’t know he possessed the Binding Mochi at the time. Taking him back to safety was the least she could do to make up for this unfortunate result.

“Well, as long as we all fight as a team, no enemy will give us trouble! Sigh, I wish Kiki could’ve been here though but with only one mask left to get, let’s make the Loyal One a Loyal None!”

Not that she had much time to say more because an enlarged Okidogi crashed the party and swiftly grabbed Carmine with its arms.

“Why are all of you such giants?! And what do you think you’re planning to do with me?!” Carmine angrily yelled at her kidnapper, struggling to escape his grip to no avail.

“The human Lord Pecharunt’s mochi controlled is too soft and twiggy. But from what I saw, you seem fiery and strong, so you’ll make the perfect partner to fight with!”

Juliana and Ogerpon looked helplessly as Okidogi went farther away with a furious Carmine yelling her lungs off at the large dog. And to make matters worse, Kieran was currently calling using her sister’s phone.

“Hey, Juliana! I managed to bring the caretaker back to the community center. How are you and Sis doing dealing with the Lousy Three?”

Juliana grimaced, “I’ve got good news…and bad news…I’ll meet you back in town to give you the full details.”

Juliana and Ogerpon rushed back to Mossui Town with Miraidon. Once they reached the town’s gate, she saw her friend’s iconic messy hair and headband. Kieran was clearly concerned over Juliana’s words before and wasted no time asking her for an explanation. Juliana wasted no time informing him about their current situation, even as she understood the shock and worry that he was feeling towards his sister.

“S-so, Okidogi kidnapped Sis and took her away?! We gotta get her back pronto, especially if it’s gonna try to brainwash her like Pecharunt did to you!”

Ogerpon cried sadly at the prospect of her friend succumbing to such a fate, but Juliana reassured the Mask Pokémon that they would bring Carmine back.

“We should head to Paradise Barrens to see if Okidogi went back. Hopefully it did or it’ll be trouble having to ask everyone again if they spotted it.”

Juliana got on Miraidon and Kieran hopped on too, holding Juliana’s waist just like before. He had gotten used to the soft and comfortable feeling, but it still made him feel happy experiencing it with his friend, especially with his other friend gripping his waist from behind. Thanks to Miraidon’s abilities, it didn’t take them too long to reach the barren lands they travelled to yesterday.

___________________

They were relieved that Okidogi had returned to the same area it was spotted before. Although, there appeared to be two humans standing beside the Titanic Pokémon. On one side, he could see one of her classmates with the same vacant purple eyes as the others. She remembered he had partnered with Carmine for the orienteering activity. Speaking of Carmine, Juliana saw she was standing on the other side with the same eyes and expression. Looks like the giant hound had fed her the mochi too.

The two students and Ogerpon confronted Okidogi, determined to free both Carmine and Juliana’s classmate out of his control, as well as get Ogerpon’s remaining mask back.

“Let Carmine and my classmate go. Now!” Juliana demanded.

“And while we’re at it, tell us where Pecharunt is! Otherwise, you’ll wish you’d stay dead when we’re through with you!” Kieran threatened.

Speaking through Carmine, he scoffed at their intimidation tactic. “You three came to fight me? Fezandipiti and Munkidori must’ve been absolute weaklings for letting themselves get beat by you even with our new power. Unlike them, I’ll make sure to crush you thoroughly, especially the ogre that took us out before!”

Okidogi let out a howling roar and Ogerpon responded with the same ferocity before aiming its cudgel towards the large Titan. Juliana and Kieran nodded at one another before facing Okidogi with the same deadly stare.

Juliana spun and released her partner to battle and aimed her Rotom Phone ready to record another fierce fight. “Time for your new debut, Ceruledge! We’ll show it that we’re not toys to be played with!”

Kieran followed suit ready to battle. “Let’s cut it down to size as a team, Juliana! Let’s go, Yanmega!”

“Only absolute strength matters in a battle. If you wanna see things through, you gotta have the power to do it! I’ll show you with the power Lord Pecharunt gave…Agh!”

Okidogi’s possession was suddenly interrupted by the real Carmine’s boisterous voice. “Don’t just stand there talking! Get me outta this mess! Having this mutt control me makes me all gross inside!”

“Uh…guess Sis is too angry to be fully controlled. She’s always been too hotheaded for her own good, so it makes sense. Better free her fast or else we’ll be under her bad side again…”

Juliana felt both relieved and confused over the situation. “R-right…Let’s do that. Never a dull moment in my life these days…”

Okidogi switched to Juliana’s classmate to communicate, finding him much easier to control. “Like I was saying, I’m gonna use the strength Lord Pecharunt gave me and the ogre’s mask to crush you fools!”

The loyal retainer absorbed the Terastal energy leaking out of Ogerpon’s Cornerstone Mask, imbuing him with rock-solid defense and stood tall with a gem-shaped crown adorning its head.

Juliana took this time to analyze the situation. “Judging from the colour and crown, I’m guessing Okidogi’s turned into a rock-type. We need to keep that in mind as we battle. You ready to go wild, Kieran?”

Kieran responded with a confident smile. “As long as I’m fightin’ alongside you, we won’t lose!”

The battle was on, with both sides fighting with all they had to claim their victory. Ceruledge used it Psycho Cut along with Yanmega’s Bug Buzz and Ogerpon’s Ivy Cudgel to directly hit the Titanic Pokémon, but he took the damage like it was nothing.

“Hahaha! I’m literally solid as a rock. Your puny attacks got nothin’ on me! Now it’s my turn to dish out the pain!” Okidogi fearlessly exclaimed before using its Brutal Swing to slam its large body towards all three of its opponents, taking out Ceruledge and Yanmega in one hit.

Ogerpon managed to hold on by using its Spiky Shield to protect itself, but she growled in anger over the defeat of her allies. Undeterred, Juliana and Kieran sent out Meowscarada and Shiftry to take over, hoping their type advantage would overcome Okidogi’s defenses.

“Shiftry, use Leaf Blade!”

“Meowscarada, use Flower Trick!”

The three grass-types unleashed their strongest attacks at the giant, dealing super effective damage through their combined might. But even as Okidogi took more damage than last time, he still appeared to remain as haughty as before. The retainer simply retaliated by unleashing a frenzy of Close Combat strikes at them, knocking Shiftry and Meowscarada out and inflicting major damage at Ogerpon.

Speaking through Carmine again, he couldn’t hide his mocking attitude. “Is this really all you got? For ones who faced against Lord Pecharunt, you guys are so, SO WEAK! You should just give up to save yourself the torment of…Argh, not again…What’re you two doing?! The Kiki and Juliana I know are so much better than this! Fight like your life depends on it, because mine sure does!”

“I…can’t tell if Carmine is with or against us here,” Juliana questioned with uncertainty.

“I’m sure Carmine's is cheering us on in her typical Carmine fashion…I think?” Kieran answered, “But she’s right that we’ve been battlin’ like amateurs back there. We gotta rethink our strategy here.”

“If it’s physical defense is the one that’s being boosted, then maybe this’ll turn things around.”

She whispered her strategy to Kieran and Ogerpon, who agreed earnestly before they sent out Tinkaton and Hydrapple. It was a simple strategy but if Juliana was correct, then it would be very effective against their rocky foe.

“Tinakton, use Flash Cannon!”

“Hydrapple buddy, unleash your Syrup Bomb!”

Both Pokémon followed their trainers’ orders and unleashed their energy blasts against Okidogi, with Ogerpon providing backup with its Low Kick to exploit his large weight to deal damage. The poison-type howled in pain over the surprising amount of damage it took.

“Grrgh, why did that hurt so much?! You guys weren’t dealing any significant damage on me before.”

Juliana grinned. “Looks like I was right. Your physical defense may have gotten stronger, but your defense against special attacks haven’t. Which means more of those attacks will take even a giant like you down eventually!”

As Okidogi continued to take damage and have both its speed and Special Defense lowered from the bursts of energy striking it, Pecharunt’s loyal retainer succumbed to the onslaught before Ogerpon dealt the finishing blow with its cudgel.

“This isn’t possible! Me…Lord’s Pecharunt’s strongest retainer…was defeated by lowly humans like you?!” Okidogi sputtered out from Juliana’s classmate as he kneeled in defeat before collapsing and his Terastallized crown having shattered.

Kieran took this chance to throw his Ultra Ball at Okidogi, just like Carmine and Juliana did with the others, cheering on the inside after the ball’s third click sealed the deal. The boy picked up the ball and he and his partners celebrated with a high-five.

“Wowzers! The three of us managed to bring out our full power to beat all three of those lousy jerks! Kinda like how Ogerpon’s masks bring out her true power. Speaking of masks, we got the last mask we need! Looks like it worked out, right Ogerpon?” Kieran happily asked his friend.

“And we got another video to show the townspeople the true nature of Ogerpon and the Lousy Three. I’m sure they’ll change their tune on her once they see how bravely she fought!”

Ogerpon jumped in joy to indicate her content with the two students happy that their mission had been completed, taking another photo with Ogerpon to celebrate. Now all that’s left was to find Pecharunt and this crazy journey would finally end. And it was a good thing that Carmine was starting to wake up after being freed from her possession.

“Ughh, I feel like I got hit in the head by a Mudsdale twenty times…Was it like this when you got freed from that peach’s control, Juliana?”

“Kinda…It felt like getting vertigo and having all my energy drained out of me. The important thing is that you’re back, Carmine!”

“Yeesh, I hope I never get possessed like that. But I’m really glad my big sis is back to normal!” Kieran responded, giving Carmine a hug to show his relief and the girl returning it with the same amount of love.

“Alright, just give me a couple of minutes for your dear leader to recover and we’ll start heading back to town to help my orienteering partner rest at the community center. Still can’t believe that beast was controlling both of us…”

___________________

Moving through the Barrens to Mossui Town was more difficult with five people and the darkness of night upon them. But Kieran opted to use Gliscor to carry him while Juliana, her classmate, Ogerpon, and Carmine rode on Miraidon. Thanks to that, they managed to take less time than expected to reach the town’s gate, where Perrin was currently standing with a concerned look on her face.

Juliana approached the photographer to inquire more about her current mood. “Are you alright, Perrin? You seem worried about something.”

“Oh, Juliana! Yeah, something strange is going on in town. I just got back from another Ursaluna scouting trek when I saw the townspeople doing this crazy dance and shouting ‘Mochi Mochi’ or something like that.”

No, it couldn’t be. “They weren’t eating purple sweets before, were they?”

“Actually, yeah. I thought I saw some of them eating those before they started acting crazy. How’d you know?”

Well, at least they knew now what Pecharunt had been doing while they were hunting down the Lousy Three. And Juliana could tell Kieran and Carmine arrived at the same conclusion. They all heaved a large sigh before Kieran shouted out what they were all thinking.

“Aw man! Now we gotta go and deal with this 'Mochi Mayhem'…”

Chapter Text

This had to have been some sick joke. That was all Kieran could think about when he saw the townspeople’s crazed looks as they were doing some silly chicken dance while shouting the word ‘mochi’ over and over. He honestly didn’t know what that stupid peach was thinking by pulling this stunt, but he knew they were the only ones who could stop it.

First, they needed a plan on how to proceed. Good thing Juliana was always a quick thinker when it came to strategizing.

“We should try battling them to calm them down. Maybe Pecharunt’s control over them will wane like what happened with me and Carmine. And if that doesn’t work, we could try knocking them unconscious until we find and beat Pecharunt. That way, we won’t have to deal with any excess battles later.”

Carmine agreed with Juliana’s analysis. “That’s probably our best option. I don’t wanna hurt the townsfolk, but if it’ll help snap them out of its control, I’ll follow through. You feel the same, right Kiki?”

“Yeah! I’ll do whatever it takes to save our town from that monster!” Kieran replied with Ogerpon giving a few determined ‘Pons’ of her own. The leafy Pokémon knew the people here didn’t have a positive outlook on her, but she couldn’t leave them under the mercy of the one who took her partner’s life. She wouldn’t act the same as that monster.

Perrin chuckled a little before stepping towards them. “Sounds like you’re all ready to do this. And since you’ve been dealing with this problem for a while, I’ll help too. As an adult, it wouldn’t be right to leave handling this mess to you kids.”

Juliana felt appreciative at the photographer’s gesture. “We could use all the help we can get, so I’m glad you can back us up, Perrin. Alright, let’s go everyone!”

The four trainers and starry-eyed Pokémon stepped through the town’s gate, ready for any potential battles from its inhabitants to break them from their curse. With Pecharunt’s strong influence all over the town, Ogerpon could sense Pecharunt’s presence centred around the community center. As soon as they moved a few blocks westward, they were already confronted with a few citizens who stood in their way, purple miasma emanating from their bodies.

Kieran recognized them after eyeing them for a bit. “It’s hard to tell since the sun’s gone down, but I think those two are workers from the orchard.”

The two workers started dancing erratically in front of their presence before Pecharunt started speaking through them. “We need to stop meeting like this. I don’t need you humans causing more problems for me. Especially when you’re fighting with that despicable ogre.”

“Too bad! We’re going to fix this huge problem you’ve caused from turning everyone into your puppets by crushing you!” Carmine angrily declared.

The puppeteer scoffed. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen. I spread my mochi to these people to get more retainers for my cause and I’m NOT letting you fools get in my way! Plus, it’s amusing to see how much I can make my toys entertain me.”

The humans under its control let out another dance with the same mindless expressions to demonstrate its point, childishly laughing at the group in the process.

“We don’t care about your nonsense! We’re just gonna free the town from your control no matter what!” Kieran furiously shouted, “We've already captured the Lousy Three and got Ogerpon’s masks back, so there’s no way we’re stopping now!”

Pecharunt expressed its surprise through its chained. “Did you say you caught my retainers? Not only did you overpower them with the Terastal energy I imbued them, but they’re now in your possession? I'll just have to free them by using sheer numbers to crush you and that wretched ogre into oblivion! Then I’ll take the masks you took back and bring them back to my beloved family!”

The possessed trainers raised their Pokéballs ready to battle. Juliana and her team pulled theirs out to do the same. But Kieran decided to show how serious he would be during this climax. He took off his headband before slicking his hair back and tying it with the headband he now tightened. A single strand poked on his right side, while two others were pointed up at the sky as he unzipped his jacket to finish up his new look. His eyes dimmed with focus as he stood more resolved and freer than ever. The moment he finished setting up his new look, he knew it represented how much he had changed. To say his friends and sister were surprised by the change was an understatement.

“Whoa, didn’t expect the hairstyle change! What’s with the new look, Kiki?”

“I…just thought with how big the stakes are, I might as well go all out. I can show everyone the new me that I became thanks to you guys. So, I thought this look would help me let loose when we battle, you know?”

Carmine shrugged, “I guess it’s not bad. But it honestly makes you look too edgy. I don’t think a cinnamon roll like you would be able to pull it off in the long term.”

“Wha?! That’s not what I was goin' for! You can be such a dummy at times!”

“You better watch your mouth if you know what’s good for you!”

“You’re the one who started it by callin' me edgy!”

Oh boy, they were already getting into a heated argument with each other, and they hadn’t even started battling yet. Juliana had to do her best to calm them down.

So, she smiled brightly at the boy and said her honest feelings. “I think it looks good on you, Kieran. It really makes you look super cool and confident! I think it’s the perfect look to show the real you!”

Kieran madly blushed at the compliment. “T-thanks, Juliana. At least someone here likes and appreciates it, unlike a certain sister of mine!”

“Ugh, figures you’d support Kiki with how much you two have been crushing over each other…”

“Shut it, Sis! I-It’s not like that! Me and Juliana are just f-friends!”

“Suuuure you are…”

Getting extremely annoyed over the siblings’ petty argument, Pecharunt had its puppets send out their Ariados and Salazzle, while Juliana’s side brought out Ceruledge, Gliscor, Milotic, and Noctowl.

Fortunately for Juliana, while Pecharunt managed to control their Pokémon, their opponents weren’t the most skilled battlers, making them easy to defeat and render unconscious once the battle ended. Pecharunt making them dance for its entertainment also impeded them from giving proper commands, but Juliana and her friends didn’t mind if it made things easier to help the possessed citizens.

“Well, that was easy. Not that I’m complaining since it’ll save us time in dealing with that floating peach!” Carmine happily pointed out.

“We’re getting closer to the community center too, so hopefully we won’t get confronted by a lot more mochi zombies. I don’t want to have to fight my classmates if they did get possessed too,” Juliana replied with a sad look.

“I’d make sure to keep your guard up,” Perrin warned, “We might’ve gotten an easy win this time, but some of the trainers in Kitakami are no joke. I should know since I’ve photographed some of them in action.”

Kieran nodded, “Yeah, I think there were a few trainers here callin’ themselves the Kitakami Ogre Clan. You can tell from their black outfits and the ogre mask they wear. Me and Sis have never faced them, but their power is probably around the level of our academy’s Elite Four.”

Carmine simply scoffed, “Even if we do face them, Juliana’s already a Champion-level trainer and Kiki and I are strong enough to rival our academy’s Elite Four. We’ll win no problem, right?”

Juliana readily agreed, “I’m sure if we all battle together, there’s no way we’ll lose. We’ve grown so close during this school trip that there’s no doubt in my mind!”

Kieran couldn’t help but gasp and feel overjoyed at the girl’s words. “Juliana…You’re right! Ehehe, the way you’re always so positive is just one of the many things I like about you! Let’s keep moving onward!”

____________________

As they kept moving closer towards the community center, the group decided to split up into pairs, with Carmine and Perrin handling the front while Kieran and Juliana handling the rear in case they were ambushed from behind. Their perseverance gave them strength as they kept pushing through the waves of brainwashed citizens that kept blocking their path. And despite the massive amount of Pokémon that they had to defeat each time, all four trainers managed to break through their sheer numbers with only a few Pokémon knocked out from their side.

Even so, the pressure and endless battles were starting to get to Kieran. How much longer would they have to keep going until they reached Pecharunt? Would their Pokémon be ready to face off against it after how much they battled so far? And what would happen if they failed in the end? Would he become one of that lousy peach’s ‘retainers’ too? One of its playthings to be used for its amusement like the others? The very thought terrified him as his breathing rose from his increasing panic.

“W-what if we can’t do it? What if we get overwhelmed by the sheer number of people Pecharunt’s controlled?! It’ll just be a matter of time before it gets me too, just like it did with you and Sis! I-I’m gonna end up just like them!”

But Juliana grabbed his hand and gave it a tight squeeze. It felt so comforting, just like the other times they shared physical contact. His heart became calmer from the sensation as they looked straight towards one another.

The radiant girl turned her hazel eyes toward his golden ones, expressing the same joyful smile he had always loved seeing. “Just calm down, Kieran. As long as we’re together, we’ll be able to handle anything that comes our way! And if you did get possessed, I would fight my hardest to save you just like you did for me and Carmine. You can count on me for that!”

The boy looked awfully embarrassed right after she said that. She was still encouraging him even when he had been acting so uncool in front of her that he couldn’t help but blush a deep scarlet. But he was thankful his friend was always there to help him when he needed it. Ogerpon must have picked up on his mood because she walked up to him and grasped his other hand. Aw man, he really didn’t deserve such wonderful pals.

“S-sorry about that, Juliana…you too Ogerpon. I kinda panicked there, but I-I’m happy for that pep talk you gave me. I’ll be okay now, so let’s keep going!”

With renewed vigour, the two partners and Ogerpon raced their way towards where Carmine and Perrin had gone, seeing them battle three trainers clad with an ogre mask. They were facing off against members of the Kitakami Ogre Clan that Kieran talked about earlier and their skills were nothing to scoff at. What was more surprising were the people battling alongside them.

“Aren’t those people over there battling with Carmine and Perrin your grandparents, Kieran?”

“Hey, you’re right! What’re they doing there battlin’ with Sis and Perrin? Well, we can ask them later. First, we gotta help ‘em out against those Ogre Clan trainers!”

The duo headed towards the rest of their team to support them in their battle, sending out Shiftry and Maushold. Despite a couple of their Pokémon fainting against such tough opponents, they managed to secure another victory in a long line of battles so far. Kieran went up to Carmine and his grandparents to understand what happened. Ogerpon went up and hugged the elderly couple, happy that they were alright.

“What’s going on, Sis? Why’re Grandpa and Grandma here?”

“Beats me. Me and Perrin were racing ahead towards the community center when we saw them battling against those Ogre Clan guys. So, we decided to help them out before you, Juliana, and Ogerpon came along.”

“We were actually taking a walk around town when suddenly some of the townspeople started acting bizarre,” Yukito responded, “They started chanting about mochi and performed some strange dance before we got tangled into a Pokémon battle by these folks.”

“Yes, it was bizarre indeed. We had seen mochi being offered by some in town, but we never had time to eat them before all this happened. I’m just happy you’re all acting fine and that dear Ogerpon is safe and sound.”

“Seeing as you’ve no doubt been fighting your way through to reach this point, perhaps one of you could explain how this all came to be?”

Juliana and the siblings took some time to explain the situation to them, including what happened to Juliana, the revival of the Loyal Three, how they found Ogerpon, and everything involving Pecharunt. To say they were shocked at these revelations were an understatement, but they returned to their usual, calm demeanor after comprehending these series of events.

Kieran breathed a sigh of relief, “Anyways, I’m glad you’re both okay. I don’t wanna think about what would’ve happened if we had to face you in a battle like the others in town…”

Carmine added, “Speaking of battles, you two should head back home. Me and Kiki wouldn’t know what we’d do if something did happen to you during this mess.”

“We appreciate your concern, Carmine. But we’d be more helpful if we battled alongside you. You all look exhausted from confronting many of Mossui Town’s inhabitants, I’m sure. So, allow your grandmother and I to lend you a hand.”

“Don’t worry, we’re up for the challenge. We never told you and Kieran this, but we were considered ace trainers back in the day!”

Kieran and Carmine still had hesitations over the idea, but then Perrin went up to the siblings to share her input.

“I’d let them join us, kids. I saw how they handled themselves and against so many of these crazed inhabitants, we need all the trainers we can get if we want to stand a chance.”

Juliana gave an optimistic smile, “I know you two are worried, but I’m sure they’ll be okay. We’ll just finish this business with Pecharunt quickly to avoid such trouble from happening.”

They turned to one another before relenting to Juliana and Perrin’s words, while asking their grandparents to be careful as they kept moving towards the community center. The elderly couple agreed wholeheartedly to the request as the Kitakamian family shared a heartfelt hug before continuing on.

____________________

With the siblings’ grandparents joining the fray, Juliana and her team managed to reach the community center without much issue, where they noticed another unexpected person being surrounded by members of the Kitakami Ogre Clan. The Paldean girl recognized her as the town’s Pokémon center attendant, clearly unamused at what was happening.

“Hey! You don’t look out of your minds like these guys. Ya mind getting them away from me? They keep doing some stupid dance and crying out ‘Mochi Mochi’ and it’s seriously getting on my nerves. Plus, they’re blocking me from healing anyone’s Pokémon except theirs, so it’d be great if I could resume doing my job properly.”

Juliana gave her a thumbs-up. “Sure thing! The more powerful trainers we can snap out of Pecharunt’s control, the better. Let’s go, everyone!”

Everyone released their Pokémon ready to fight, along with Ogerpon who empowered its cudgel with more Terastal energy to defeat its new opponents.

Just like before, Juliana had to put in a lot of effort to overpower their expertly trained Pokémon due to their competitive skills. But the young Champion never considered quitting before when she was at a disadvantage, and she wasn’t going to stop now. With the help of her friends and allies, they managed to break through the opposing Pokémons’ defences as the clan members fell unconscious upon their defeat. If it weren’t for this crazy situation, Juliana would’ve relished a battle against such powerful trainers.

At least they were one step closer to ending this mochi madness, with the attendant they saved clearly sharing the same sentiments as she walked towards their group.

“Finally! Those jerks were really getting on my nerves. And I thought I’d seen everything when that floating plushie came around here some time ago…”

“I’m actually surprised you weren’t affected by that thing or ate the mochi that was being passed out in town,” Juliana remarked.

“I got bad vibes from the mochi the others were eating, and it wasn’t until I woke up from my post-work nap that I saw things getting freaky here. Thought there was some sort of curse with all the dancing and shouting around me…”

“It might as well be…” Carmine sighed, “You think you can lend a hand with this mochi mayhem? We could use all the help we can get, and your medical knowledge would be really great for us and our Pokémon.”

“Least I can do when you saved me from those guys. I’m guessing your Pokémon are feeling utterly exhausted, so I’ll use the healing machine to fix them up.”

Looks like things were finally looking up for them. Their Pokémon were indeed feeling wiped from everything that’s happened and the healing items they had could only got them so far. Juliana and her group handed the nurse a few of their Pokéballs for them be healed. Based on the current situation, it would be better to heal a few Pokémon from each trainer given the limited slots from the machine and in case Pecharunt noticed what they were doing.

Which turned out to be the right decision because after half of their team was fully healed, a Shadow Ball and a few other powerful attacks struck the device and completely blew it into pieces. Pecharunt had finally shown its face from above the community center, with the remaining members of the Kitakami Ogre Clan and Juliana’s other two classmates standing behind it. All were completely under its control as the puppeteer Pokémon’s eyes signaled scorn towards their group.

“Why do you pests keep getting in my way?! Continue taking everything from me?! My army of retainers! The Loyal Three which I can sense are with you! The ogre’s masks that I gathered! I just wanted to fulfill the desire of my family! That’s all!”

Kieran looked at his foe with disdain, “That’s all?! You and the Lousy Three caused so much trouble to Ogerpon and the town all for your stupid desire! You even hurt the people I cared about the most! There’s no way we’d ever let a selfish monster like you get away with everything you’ve done!”

“Besides, if this war between you and Ogerpon started hundreds of years ago, what makes you think your family would still be waiting for you?” Juliana pointed out, “They must’ve died long ago after so much time had passed. Is there even any point to this when they’re…”

But Pecharunt became even more unnerved over her words. “Shut up! Shut up!!! They’re still waiting for me, I know it! I refuse to believe otherwise! And if you keep spouting such nonsense, I’ll completely erase you! I’ll get my way, NO MATTER WHAT!!!”

Pecharunt ordered the remaining trainers under his control to show no mercy against those who dared defy it, forcing them to release all their Pokémon at once and shooting mochi into their mouths from its core to empower them. Juliana could see some tough contenders on their side, including powerful Pokémon like Kingambit, Kommo-o, Basculegion, and Gengar.

Feeling undeterred, Juliana responded by grabbing her Pokéball ready to fight, signaling her friends to do the same. “This is the final stretch! Let’s beat these guys and free everyone for good! Let’s get going, Baxcalibur!”

Kieran and Carmine brought out their healed up Poliwrath and Ninetales who were more invigorated than ever to battle it out to the end. Perrin and the siblings’ grandparents joined them by bringing out their Leafeon, Arbok, and Mamoswine. With this massive array of Pokémon gathered, it was going to be an all-out war.

____________________

Even with all their combined might, Juliana knew this had been their toughest battle yet. Her classmates weren’t as strong as she was, but the numbers advantage they had with the sheer battling skills the Clan members possessed made it hard for them to prevail without a few fainted Pokémon from their side. But they managed to it through, and the aftermath had caused their possessed opponents to faint from the strain of Pecharunt’s possession.

Speaking of Pecharunt, the purple peach had looked completely worn out from the damage it must have taken from all the people that were defeated by Juliana and her friends. It gave one last enraged and defiant roar before turning around and moving away.

“Where do you think you’re going?! You’re next!” Kieran venomously shouted.

“I’ve had enough of you ingrates messing up my plans! So, it’s time for me to make a strategic retreat.”

Pecharunt quickly floated westward towards the town’s gate, slipping farther and farther away from their grasp. They were about to follow the purple Pokémon, but a mass group of mochi-fed citizens surrounded them. Even worse, they were the same people who they had defeated earlier. Seemed like Pecharunt wasn’t going to make it easy for them to get to it. Things were going to become even more annoying with the multitude of battles they would have to endure before they could keep going.

But Perrin comforted her despairing thought when she placed her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “The three of you and your Pokémon friend go on ahead, Juliana. We’ll be able to handle these guys and keep them from getting in your way.”

“Are you sure, Perrin?” Juliana asked with a worried look, “There’s lots of people here still under Pecharunt’s control. Can you three handle that many battles?”

“Juliana’s right! I don’t want you or Grandma getting’ hurt while tryin’ to help us…”

“Hahaha! Your Grandma and I still got it in us to fight, Kieran. You, Carmine, and Juliana should focus on catching up to Pecharunt quickly if you want to save the town.”

“We’ll just have to show you kids that we haven’t lost our touch in Pokémon battling,” Hideko boasted while she used her Chandelure’s Shadow Balls to carve an open path along with the Heat Wave from Yukito’s Weezing.

“Guess we should leave it to them. C’mon, the four of us got to hightail it if we wanna settle things with that damn mochi-making monster!”

The siblings and Juliana moved through the opening given to them, trusting their allies would remain safe until they took out the malicious peach that bound this town.

They ran as much as their legs to move them to catch up to Pecharunt before spotting it at Loyalty Plaza. The endless battles they faced had exhausted most of their Pokémon, but they still had their aces ready to fight. This time, they would finally bring this poisoned night to an end.

When they reached the broken shrine its retainers rested previously, Pecharunt stood alone with no one to fight for it. But even in its weakened state from handling all the people it controlled, Pecharunt stood defiantly against its hated foes.

Juliana took a step forward. “Give up, Pecharunt! We’re going to win and free everyone from your wicked control, whether you like it or not!”

“Why must you keep getting in my way?! All I want is fulfill my family’s wishes! Even if I have to fight myself, I will do whatever it takes to see my desire realized. With every fibre of being, I will bring you to your knees!”

Pecharunt released its outer shell to reveal its true form. It’s anger and resentment were plain to see with the scornful look on its face. Juliana, Kieran, and Carmine answered in kind by releasing their ace Pokémon, standing alongside Ogerpon who had changed into its Hearthflame Mask to express her rage.

Juliana responded with a determined look in her eyes. “This is the final battle, and we’ll make sure to see it through to the end! Meowscarada, let’s end this!”

“For everything you did to Ogerpon, Sis, Juliana, and the town, I’ll make sure to beat you so badly you’ll never think about comin’ back!” Kieran added, “We’ll prove that together, won’t we Hydrapple!”

“Don’t count me and Sinistcha out either!” Carmine angrily declared, “Revenge will be served cold when you’re lying in the dirt!”

Pecharunt roared with fury and desperation, undaunted by their words. “I will crush you into nothing, using the all the Terastal energy I have gathered inside me to do it. Watch as you fall like ants under my new power!”

Pecharunt released all of the Terastal energy stored within its body, adorning itself with a purple light and a toxic crown. Its power and speed rose exponentially, and a malicious and suffocating miasma surrounded it as it spread throughout the battlefield. Its size increased exponentially as it took on the same Titan form the Loyal Three had before. Even so, Juliana wouldn’t relent as she held her Tera orb ready to use the same power herself.

“Meowsarada, let’s match that peach with your own Terastallization!” the girl yelled before throwing her orb towards her partner, enveloping it with a radiant green light.

Pecharunt still remained unperturbed. “Four against one. Doesn’t matter. I’ll fight and win no matter what!”

It aimed its Malignant Chains towards its foes, spreading them quickly to wrap them under its toxins and relishing the pained screams its victim yelled as it constricted its chains tighter. But Meowscarada aimed its Night Slash after breaking free to push the puppeteer Pokémon back. Ogerpon followed suit by using its Throat Chop to slash Pecharunt’s face, making it howl in contempt.

“Gah! Even after all this time, you still bare your fangs at me you damned ogre! I’m gonna hurt you every which way and fulfill my desire!” Pecharunt furiously cried before wrapping its Malignant Chain on the leafy Pokémon. Ogerpon couldn’t stop from letting out pained cries as the poison seared over its cloak. But she mustered enough strength to slam its fiery cudgel against its accursed enemy to free herself from its grasp.

“Yeah, you go Ogerpon!” Kieran cheered, “We’re gonna help you out too! Hydrapple, shake the ground and blast ‘em with Earth Power!”

The earth beneath Pecharunt shook with intense fury before erupting flames from below to sear the poison-type with intense heat. Even so, Pecharunt held out with even more mad resolve than before, retaliating against the apple dragon with a barrage of Shadow Balls. Sinistcha fired back its own Shadow Balls as they collided with one another, with Hydrapple unleashing its Fickle Beam while Pecharunt was distracted.

“Argh! Why won’t you stay down?! Succumb from my poison and never wake up?!” the peach screamed manically before unleashed a stream of poisonous liquid from its outer core.

While Ogerpon and Meowscarada managed to evade the poison with their speed, Hydrapple and Sinistcha became badly poisoned and extremely disoriented due to Pecharunt’s innate ability.

“Anyone who falls under my poison will succumb to my whims, as it has always been!”

“Tsk! Figures it’d have some cheap trick that would help it. Sinistcha and Hydrapple aren’t going to do much if they’re this confused.”

Kieran slammed his fist to highlight his frustration. “Aw man, this bites! Sorry we’re not gonna be any help to you or Ogerpon right now, Juliana.”

Juliana simply flashed her usual confident smile. “Don’t worry, Kieran. Meowscarada and I can handle it no problem! Ready to give it your all too, Ogerpon?”

The starry-eyed Pokémon nodded in assent, swinging its cudgel ready to launch its next attack with its allies. Using their nimble and quick bodies, the two grass-types moved in tandem to launch a simultaneous attack on Pecharunt, who shot back with more Shadow Balls before they got too close. Ogerpon used its Spiky Shield to block the dark orbs from touching either of them before Meowscarada jumped to strike Pecharunt from behind with another Night Slash.

Juliana could see Pecharunt moving more slowly despite the increase in power it had from its Terastallization, so she assumed the amount of damage it took was getting to it. If they could just keep pushing forward, even the toxic Pokémon in front of them would succumb to their onslaught.

But instead of lashing out like Juliana expected it to, Pecharunt simply stood still. It was like the mochi-making Pokémon didn’t even care about what was happening in this battle. She had a bad feeling about this, but if Pecharunt wouldn’t retaliate, then this was their best chance to finish this once and for all.

“Alright, Meowscarada. Let’s wrap this up with your Tera Blast!”

Juliana’s partner charged up the Terastal energy stored within its body to unleash a devastating beam at its foe. However, just before the attack reached it, Pecharunt flashed a malicious smile before launching an enormous Shadow Ball that easily scattered the Tera Blast away. In a blink of the eye, the shadowy blob struck directly at Meowscarada and left it stumbling backwards as it was forced to its knees. Juliana was thankful the ghost-type move wasn’t very effective, but she knew they couldn’t take any more hits if they wanted to survive.

“Did you think I was just floating there doing nothing while you were planning your next attack? Hahaha, you guys are so stupid it’s almost sad. I was merely maximizing my power through stimulating my energy. And your shocked looks when your hopes of winning were completely shattered was priceless!”

Juliana couldn’t resist scowling at the mockery from the monster in front of her. She knew it was too good to be true and now they had to deal with this new advantage Pecharunt held.

“Aww, what’s wrong? Are you frustrated that your pathetic hopes of winning are gone now? Don’t worry. You’re all not going to live long enough to regret your mistake when I use my complete power to annihilate all of you! And I will relish dealing the fatal blow towards the ogre who had taken everything from me!”

Pecharunt charged another Shadow Ball and released it with immense speed towards Ogerpon. With the rate of fire, there was no way Ogerpon would escape from the attack unscathed. But at the last moment, two bursts of energy collided with the shadowy blob trying to block its path. From the corner of their eyes, Juliana and Ogerpon could see Hydrapple and Sinistcha unleashing their signature attacks with all their strength.

Kieran sighed in relief. “Phew, we're lucky the confusion just wore off. I-I’m glad we were able to make it in time,”

“Yeah, but we won’t be able to hold off that large ball with just us!” Carmine called attention to, “You and Meowscarada better help out!”

With a nod, Juliana ordered Meowscarada to fire another Tera Blast at their direction, colliding with the different energies vying for control before erupting into a large explosion.

Juliana and the siblings regrouped in a close formation to discuss their next battle strategy. With Pecharunt’s now amped-up moves, they needed to consider the best course of action to strike it down once and for all.

Moments later, the girl let Kieran and Carmine in on her plan. “I’ve got an idea. It’s risky, but it’s the only chance we’ve got against its overwhelming speed and attack power.”

“I’ll always trust your judgment, Juliana! I know whatever strategy you’ve come up with will end that no-good peach for good!”

“Seeing as someone as great as me couldn’t come up with anything, I’ll defer to you this time in executing this plan. What do you want us to do?”

Juliana whispered the plan to their ears, leaning down on Ogerpon to highlight her most important role. The starry-eyed Pokémon nodded in understanding and raised her cudgel to signal her readiness to proceed.

At her command, Kieran and Carmine ordered Hydrapple and Sinistcha launching an Energy and Shadow Ball towards Pecharunt. But the venomous Titan merely mocked their performance.

“This is the strategy you came up with? That’s just sad. I’ll put you all out of your miseries, so you won’t even have time to regret your idiocy!” it sneered with another giant Shadow Ball approaching them with deadly speed.

Ogerpon used its own speed to intercept the attack and used its Spiky Shield to sharpen its body to defend itself from the blow. At that moment, Meowscarada moved swiftly to strike Pecharunt with a Night Slash to deal major damage.

“You think I would get distracted by this pathetic display when I’ve already seen the ogre use the same trick before?! Big mistake that’ll cost you your lives!” Pecharunt derided as it extended the chains from its outer core to counterattack.

But just as Meowscarada barely dodged the fatal blow with its speed, Sinistcha appeared before it and unleashed a wave of numbing powder from its Stun Spore, paralyzing the once quick Pokémon.

“Serves you right for underestimating us!” Carmine snickered, “Sinistcha, follow up with another Shadow Ball!”

Kieran followed suit with the same smug energy. “Hydrapple, blast that purple monster with Earth Power!”

With its decreased speed, Pecharunt was taking more damage that it had expected. Still, it was undaunted by its current setback as it slammed its toxic chains towards the two opposing grass-types to finish them. But in that one moment, the puppeteer Pokémon realized something that would cost it dearly.

In the ensuing chaos, it had lost sight of Ogerpon.

The resolute ogre appeared from behind and jumped up high as it slammed its fiery cudgel toward Pecharunt with all of its fury. Pecharunt tried to avoid the blow, but its paralysis prevented it from escaping before it was sent hurtling towards the ground. Ogerpon savoured every moment of that hit as it released centuries worth of resentment towards its hated foe. The Terastallized crown Pecharunt wore shattered in an instant before the puppeteer Pokémon slowly started succumbing to its injuries.

Feeling satisfied, Ogerpon let out a multitude of ‘Pons’ to signal how relieved it was for the battle to be over. The three students ran towards Ogerpon to congratulate it on its victory, each patting her head on a job well done.

Elsewhere, the people of Mossui Town slowly started to snap out of their trance, feeling confused over what had happened to them. It wouldn’t be long before the chains that bound them would fully snap from the puppeteer’s defeat.

But Pecharunt slowly lifted itself off the ground before turning its hateful gaze towards the one who took everything from it. Its anger and resentment reaching its peak, the toxic peach launched its last attack while Ogerpon’s guard was down.

“I will not lose here! Not to her! If I’m going down, I’ll take you down with me!” it bellowed as it released the malevolent chains from its outer core with as much speed and venom to fatally strike its foe.

Kieran didn’t know why, but he ran as fast as he could to push Ogerpon out of the way. In a split second, his body moved on its own with the desire to save his friend from possible doom, taking the hit instead before falling to his knees from the piercing pain. The sharp chains ripped through his jacket and left a gash on Kieran’s abdomen as Pecharunt’s poison spread towards the affected area, causing Kieran to feel woozy as he struggled to maintain consciousness.

Filled with immense rage, Ogerpon let out a despairing growl before sending a burst of flame from its cudgel with its allies instinctively following suit. The combined burst of energy caused a large explosion that enveloped the area, with no trace of Pecharunt remaining when the smoke cleared. They had no time to determine the status of the puppeteer Pokémon when Kieran continued to be affected by its poison, his breathing becoming shallower and large purple spots bloomed around his wound. Ogerpon’s tears were soaking into Kieran’s jacket as she held the boy tightly and thought about the worst. She couldn’t bear to lose someone close to her again.

Carmine quickly knelt to her brother, completely shocked at what had happened. “Kiki, you idiot! Do you know how reckless you are?! What made you do this?!”

Despite the pain, Kieran did his best to answer. “I…I don’t know what came over me. All I knew was…Ogerpon was in danger and in my head…I wanted to protect her. I…thought I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I did nothin’…”

“Dammit! You’re always such a reckless fool! You…you’d better stay with us! So please don’t…”

Juliana could see Carmine shaking beneath her tough act. She knew the Blueberry student was trying her best not to break down after seeing her brother’s condition. Truth be told, she was trying her best to hold it together too. After her time in Area Zero, she didn’t want to see her friends get hurt from the dangers she got involved in. Especially when the boy in front of her had meant so much more.

She reached for his hand and grabbed on tight, making sure to avoid Ogerpon who was still pressed onto the boy’s body. “You’re going to be fine, Kieran. I know you’ll be able to make it through this. You’ve proven time and time again how strong you truly are, and I know that isn’t going to change now! You can beat this; I just know it!”

Even as his body became weaker, Kieran chuckled softly as he tried pressing her hand with the same intensity. “You’re always sayin’ nice things about me, Juliana. When it’s from someone as honest as you…it makes me so happy to hear it. I’m…so glad I was able to meet you…to be your partner…to be by your side…I wanna keep it that way forever…with you and Ogerpon…”

"You're going to make it, Kieran! We're going to be together, so don't give up!"

"Ehehe...even now, you make me feel so warm...You're the most special person to me, Juli-"

Those were the last words Juliana heard from Kieran’s lips before he lost consciousness and the world around him went pitch black. There was nothing but silence and the cold pool of tears within the sorrowful girl’s heart.

Chapter Text

There was nothing but a black, empty space all around him, save for a violet mist reaching his knees. No one was here as far as Kieran could see. Everything had been a haze ever since he was struck by Pecharunt’s chains, desperate to hold on while Juliana, Carmine, and Ogerpon were encouraging him not to give up. But the poison must have been too much for him to handle if he was here. His body felt numb from the toxins flowing throughout his body. It looked like he wasn’t going to be moving anytime soon.

Was this the afterlife? If so, he expected a lot more. But at least he was able to do something important in his life before he passed. He had helped defeat the one who had cursed his home and freed them from its control. He was able to protect his precious friend who he had admired for so long and gained another precious friend along the way. And instead of clinging to others like he had in the past, Kieran had learned to be someone reliable and confident. Even if this was the end, he was happy he was finally able to make a difference for the ones he had become close to.

Suddenly, he heard voices calling out to him. Even if he couldn’t see where they originated from, they sounded so familiar.

“I am not losing my brother, so you have to wake up!”

“I know this’ll work. It has to! So don’t give up until the very end, Kieran!”

“Pon Ponio!”

Juliana, Carmine, and Ogerpon were calling out to him as a shining light appeared from far away. He wanted to be with them no matter what. No matter how far he had to go or how much pain he had to endure, he would make that desire come true. Mustering as much energy and determination as he could, Kieran ran towards the light. Even as he pushed his body towards his limit, he would not stop.

He kept going, reaching closer and closer.

“Carmine, I think his arm moved!”

“I saw it too! He’s still fighting it!”

Just a little more.

“I think he’s starting to wake up! C’mon, open your eyes already Kiki!”

“Oh, thank Arceus! I don’t want to lose anyone else because I got involved!”

And when he reached the hallowed white on the other side, his world changed back to a familiar space. But as the darkness was illuminated by the warm light before him, he heard another voice echoing behind him.

“Do whatever it takes to make your desire a reality. Grow even stronger to surpass anyone who dares stand in your way. I’ll be watching you move through that path from the shadows.”

Kieran slowly opened his eyes, feeling a sense of familiarity around him. He gazed around his surroundings, noticing he was somehow in his bedroom. The sun’s light shined through his window, providing him warmth and comfort. But as he kept looking around, he noticed three familiar faces from both sides.

Carmine had a panicked look about her, something that was a rare sight to see for him. He expected to get another scolding from his sister for what he did, but she merely pulled him into a tight hug. A little too tight since he was still recovering from his injuries, so he had to shout for her to get off him. Which led to light bantering between the two, but both knew they were happy to talk to each other again. Who would have thought it would take almost dying for him and Carmine to share a heartfelt moment like old times.

On the other side, Juliana was holding his hand with a look of relief and former tears over her face. He must have been so out of it before that he never noticed she had been holding it all this time. Normally, he would’ve felt flustered over the gesture, but he was just happy she was by his side. Her radiant light shined upon him and lit his heart up into a wonderful feeling. They both smiled at each other, happy to be in each other’s company.

Ogerpon was excited to see that he was okay too given the amount of ‘Pons’ she was making when he turned and looked at her cute and smiling face. He gently patted her head to tell her that he was okay as the starry-eyed Pokémon happily purred from the gesture.

But now that Kieran was awake, he needed to know what happened since he had been unconscious. He had no idea what time it was, even though he assumed it must have been sometime during the day given the sun, nor what happened to the town.

“Everyone in Mossui Town’s back to normal,” Juliana pointed out, “After we defeated Pecharunt, we went back to town to check up with everyone and they seemed to have returned to their senses.”

“They looked confused and didn’t remember how they got possessed by that lousy peach or what they did while under its control,” Carmine added.

“They seem fine now, though. No purple eyes or weird dances from that I saw.”

“And what about me? I’m glad I’m still here, but I thought I was a goner from the poison that was spreadin’ through me.”

Carmine erratically shook her arms as her eyes narrowed. “You’re lucky that stunt of yours worked out, but reckless moves like that from you every time really will get you killed! So, promise me you won’t ever do something stupid like that again!”

Ah, there was the scolding he expected from her. While he normally got annoyed at how overprotective Carmine could be, he admitted this one was justified given his near fatal experience. He moved on to apologize and promise to be more careful next time, which somewhat satisfied his sister’s current anger before Juliana moved on with explaining things.

“Turns out the Pokémon nurse we saved last night quickly came to Loyalty Plaza and helped with treating you. We had the Lousy Three secrete some of their antibodies of the poison they inherited from Pecharunt to make an antidote and luckily you turned out okay in the end!”

“They actually helped you out?”

“They were hesitant at first, but with Pecharunt no longer here, they lost motivation to fight and agreed to help us. They’re not so bad once you get past the whole killing Ogerpon’s partner and brainwashing us thing. Although, Ogerpon kept snarling at them, so she’s not yet in a forgiving mood towards them. She was so protective about your health that she even stayed near you until you woke up.”

Carmine huffed. “I wouldn’t forgive them either, but they did help save your life, so I have a slightly better opinion on them. Also, the nurse told us if that chain had been a few meters closer, you would’ve been a lot more trouble from your injuries! So, make sure you thank her properly the next time you see her for making your better again!”

“Yeah, yeah…I’m old enough to understand that without you remindin’ me, Sis.”

Kieran hoped this wouldn’t lead Carmine to be even more overprotective over him. He did want to become more independent with his life, not less. Well, he would worry about that later. Now that he was feeling better, fresh air would do him some good. He felt he had enough rest and spending time with the people around them made him ecstatic. Though, there was one issue.

“I guess Ogerpon’s gotta stay at home. I mean, with the townspeople out an’ about during the day…”

But Juliana simply beamed at Kieran, clearly knowing something he didn’t. “You don’t have to worry about that, Kieran. Ogerpon should be fine to go wherever she pleases now.”

“But what about the people in town? Are you sure it’s safe for her to be out in the open?”

“If you don’t believe us, you can see for yourself. Juliana and I put in a lot of work last night to make this happen, so you gotta trust us!”

Kieran felt skeptical considering Ogerpon had been treated like an outcast for centuries and all the times he expressed wanting to tell them were shut down for fear of being labeled heretics made it a bad idea. Ogerpon seemed apprehensive over the idea too, given her terrified face. But Juliana and Carmine looked extremely confident that things would be okay, so he decided to trust their judgment. If there were people that he could have faith on right now, it would be his sister and friend.

The Blueberry student took time getting his hair ready, making Carmine point out the ‘edgy’ look he had again. Which made Kieran vent out his frustration at his sister over that comment before they escalated it into another sibling squabble. Thankfully, Juliana cheered him up with some sugary compliments. His bliss would outweigh confronting the gagging noises his sister made afterwards.

Now ready, Kieran walked with his companions outside towards the community center. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the caretaker standing with a large group of the town’s inhabitants, with even his grandparents standing there happily chatting as if nothing terrifying happened last night. When they noticed their presence, they immediately turned their attention towards Ogerpon.

The caretaker happily grinned at her presence. “I cannot believe this was the ogre of Oni Mountain. For far too long, we’ve told tales where you were deemed the villain. We owe you a great apology.”

Kieran could see Ogerpon looking agape with surprise, and to be honest, he felt the same. They really did change their minds about her in a span of one night.

Still needing answers, Kieran went and asked, “What’s going on? Why the sudden change about Ogerpon?”

Juliana went up to him, shimmering with pride. “After the whole ordeal with Pecharunt, Carmine and I told everyone the truth about Ogerpon and her story. We even told them about her heroic deeds when she helped everyone break free from Pecharunt’s control and how she tried defeating it in that climatic showdown!”

“We were worried they’d think we were crazy, but thanks to Juliana recording Ogerpon in action against the Lousy Three, the photos Perrin took during that mochi mayhem last night and forcing the Lousy Three to apologize for their actions, they easily changed their tune about her.”

“We wanted to tell Ogerpon sooner, but she looked so determined to stay by your side that Carmine and I thought it’d be better for her to wait until you got better. Thankfully, you managed to recover fast. I worried a lot about you last night, but now you’re fine and Ogerpon’s name has been cleared! A happy ending all around!”

Ogerpon looked overjoyed at all the villagers crowding towards her and showering her with compliments. Kieran was glad everything turned out for the best. She had managed to avenge her partner and she was now celebrated as a hero of Kitakami.

He turned towards Ogerpon with a toothy grin. “You must be so happy, Ogerpon! From now on, you can go to the village whenever you want, and you don’t need to hide your face when you do!”

Ogerpon responded in elation. She was even more elated when the caretaker told her she could keep the masks that they reclaimed yesterday. Apparently, his grandfather had been hard at work repairing the other three masks. Thankfully, he had plenty of the crystal cluster they collected to repair all the crystals as he handed the three masks back to Ogerpon, which she happily took.

“I was worried that there would be consequences for telling everyone the truth, but you kids proved me wrong. Now Ogerpon can return to its home without the fear and reprisal she had endured for centuries.”

That was true. With Ogerpon’s name cleared, she didn’t have to worry about being ostracized anymore. She was free to return home and start a better life for herself in Kitakami. In his heart, Kieran wanted her to stay with them in Mossui Town. He bet Carmine would too with the way she’d spoiled Ogerpon ever since they met. They certainly had the room given the number of days she’d stayed with them so far, but the cave Ogerpon called home for so long belonged to her and her partner. If she wanted to remain there to continue honouring his memory, then he wouldn’t object. Besides, he and Carmine needed to return to Blueberry Academy in a few days, so he wouldn’t be seeing her for a while anyways.

Accepting the situation, Kieran spoke, “Alright, now that things are good now, let’s escort Ogerpon back to her home!”

Juliana suggested they ride Miraidon to head back to the Dreaded Den, but Kieran wanted to walk instead. Even if the poison had been treated, he didn’t want his injuries being aggravated by the ride and he could spend as much time with Ogerpon before they had to part ways.

They traversed through Kitakami Hall and up Oni Mountain, talking to each other all the while. Just like with Ogerpon, Kieran would have to part ways with Juliana too. When they first met, he never thought he would become friends with such a wonderful girl like her. She had been so nice and encouraging when they travelled together. They had bonded closely during the orienteering activity and the festival, and they overcame their fair share of obstacles too.

Kieran was never much of a social butterfly, and he knew he could come across as awkward a lot. And he understood how his shyness and anxiety made him a prime target of being ignored or made fun of. But throughout their time together, Juliana stood by him all the way. She always liked Kieran for who he was and made sure to remind him of that when they were together.

It was partly because of her that Kieran was able to grow a backbone and change for the better. It was because of her that he wanted to be as cool and strong as she was, who could handle any type of challenge that stood in her way. And it was her earnest kindness and charm that made him want to be with her forever. But he would accept that wish as a faraway dream, circumstances as they were.

Kieran must have lost track of time because he didn’t expect to reach the Dreaded Den so quickly. Looks like it was time to say goodbye to Ogerpon for now.

“Well, here we are!” Carmine pointed out, “It’s a bit lonely out here, but I guess it means a lot to Ogerpon. It’s where she and her partner spent their time together after all.”

“You’re right, Carmine. I’m sure she’ll be happy to live here knowing she won’t have to worry about the people here anymore. You think so too, right Kieran?”

Kieran hesitated a little but agreed. “Yeah! I’m sure she’ll be happy. Make sure you take care of yourself, Ogerpon.”

The boy started walking away, but he felt something grabbing his arm. Ogerpon looked distraught as she kept tightening her cloak at his arm, not intending to let go. His sister must have been thinking the same thing he was when she approached them.

“If I didn’t know better, I think Ogerpon wants to be with you Kiki. No, I’m sure that’s what she wants 100%!”

“But we’re gonna have to go back to the academy in a couple days. I don’t wanna make her leave her home just to be with me. That just doesn’t sound right…”

“I think even so, she wants to be with you,” Juliana responded, “You and Ogerpon have been through so much together these past couple of days and she stayed by your side ever since you got hurt by Pecharunt. Wherever you go would be her home as long as she’s with you, Kieran. At least that’s what I think.”

Kieran never thought about it like that. He and Ogerpon did become a lot closer ever since they met that night. Plus, he did feel like they understood each other more over time, especially when he initially thought of her as this terrifying, cool, and strong ogre he aspired to become before. He wanted them to be together and if Ogerpon was willing to leave Kitakami for that to happen, then he’d be all too happy to agree. But before that, he needed to prove himself worthy first.

He turned to Juliana with a determined look in his eyes. “Juliana, I need you to do me a favor…I want you to battle me!”

The cheery girl looked surprised. “You want to battle now? Why?”

“I wanna see if I’m worthy enough for Ogerpon and I to be partners. That means I need the strength and skills to prove it. That’s why I wanna battle against you, Juliana. If I can defeat someone as tough and inspirin’ as you, I know I’d be worthy! So, will you face me with all you’ve got?”

Juliana happily nodded and with a bright smile said, “I would love to battle you, Kieran! We’ll make it the greatest battle ever!”

Kieran and Juliana stood at their respective sides, ready to battle with all they had. Carmine and Ogerpon stood between them from the sidelines, exhilarated to cheer them on. They decided to use their full teams before grabbing and gripping their Pokéball within their hand.

“Here we go, Juliana! Don’t…Don’t you dare hold back!”

Juliana threw her Pokéball in the air with as much flair as before. “I intend with all I’ve got! Let’s give them a show they’ll never forget, Ceruledge!”

So, Juliana was starting off with Ceruledge. With all the information he had on it so far, Kieran sent out his first partner with flourish.

“I’m countin’ on you, Gliscor! I’ll use all that I’ve learned these past few days to show everyone I’m worthy bein’ Ogerpon’s partner!”

Fiery blades lit up against sharp wings as the two Pokémon clashed with all their might. Juliana had Ceruledge strike from long-range with its Psycho Cuts as Gliscor flew up high and started slamming the ground with powerful Earthquakes to deal powerful damage against the fire-type. And despite getting hit by a few Bitter Blades in the process, the winged scorpion took Ceruledge out after slowing it down with a barrage of Rock Tombs.

Juliana then sent out Baxcalibur to hit Gliscor with its finest Icicle Crash, sending Kieran’s partner spiraling. It managed to deal Baxcalibur major damage with its Rock Tomb before fainting, however.

Kieran looked pleased as he smiled. “You’re not holding back…Thank you. But I’m not gonna back down either!”

“I won’t either! Let’s kept going!”

Kieran released Poliwrath to take advantage of Baxcalibur’s slower movements by maximizing its attack power before repeatedly punching it into submission with its Close Combat. But Juliana became even more fired up as she sent out Tinakton next. Trusting her partner’s strong defenses, she managed to take down Poliwrath with Tinakton’s hammer smashing at the water-type with terrifying intensity, enduring the tremendous damage from its Liquidation.

They were both tied again, but Kieran was feeling even more exhilarated as the battle continued. Battles with Juliana had always been fun ever since they met, but this one made his heart race even more than before. Because for once, he could imagine himself beating someone as awe-inspiring and powerful as the girl in front of him. With all his might, he would push through to seize victory.

Juliana was really impressed with Kieran performance during their battle. Compared to their last bouts, she could sense a blazing light within the boy’s heart that shined so brightly now. When they first battled, Kieran had looked so hesitant at times when commanding his Pokémon. Now he had such confidence in himself, and it showed with his moves and strategies. She was happy he was able to grow so much these past few days and would respond to it in kind.

They were both down to just two Pokémon and neither one would give up here. With a powerful burst of its Apple Acid, Appletun had managed to eke out a win against Kieran’s Furret, leaving him to his last Pokémon. Even so, she knew Kieran would keep fighting to the end.

“Aw man…You really are strong, Juliana. But it doesn’t matter how strong my opponent is…I gotta face them head on! And we’ll do it together, right Hydrapple!”

The Blueberry student brought out his most powerful partner as its Syrpents roared with determination. This was his final chance, and he was not going to blow it now. He would overcome this obstacle and prove himself here and now!

“Now Hydrapple, combine your might and launch your strongest Fickle Beam!”

The seven Syrpents responded to its trainer’s wishes, working together to unleash a fearsome blast of draconic energy and blew away its fellow apple Pokémon into submission before it could even respond.

Juliana’s exhilaration reached its climax as they had reached this battle’s final moments.

“I’m haven’t been so pumped up during a battle for a while now! You’re so amazing Kieran! I just want this battle to last forever, but I’m ready for the finale! Meowscarada, let’s settle this once and for all!”

At her call, the elegant magician joined the battlefield, its eyes hardened with resolve to win. The hydra that stood before it responded with the same level of resolve. Juliana grabbed her Tera Orb and filled it with Terastal energy before releasing it towards Meowscarada. If she was going to go all out against Kieran, she needed to power up her partner as much as she could to leave them both satisfied.

Standing behind her radiant partner, Juliana aimed her fist at the sky. “Like I promised, here’s my all just for you! Meowscarada, bare your fangs by throttling Hydrapple with your Play Rough!”

“Launch your Syrup Bomb to slow ‘em down!”

Hydrapple launched its sticky syrup towards Meowscarada, who pushed through and slammed it with as much force as possible. But this damage would be worth it to Kieran if he could slow it down enough to land a clean and powerful hit to knock the cat for good. And his plan worked as the syrup kept holding Meowsarada in place. Now was the time to deal the final blow.

“Hydrapple, go get ‘em with your Fickle Beam and unleash your full might!”

“Meowscarada, we’ll counter with a dose of your Tera Blast at full power!”

The two grass-types charged and shot out their most powerful moves in tandem, creating an intense collision with neither holding back. Meowscarada’s Tera Blast slowly pushed more and more against Hydrapple’s beam. It looked like they were going to become overwhelmed, but even so, Kieran would not give up. He would believe in his partner until the very end.

As if Hydrapple sensed his trainer’s resoluteness, the other Syrpents within its core rushed out to shoot their beams in unison. Their draconic blast raged against the opposing energy burst, creating a turnabout as the tides turned against Meowscarada. Letting out one last push, the Syrpents overpowered the Tera Blast and landed a direct hit, causing Meowscarada to faint as it let out one last pained cry before its crown shattered.

Kieran stood in shock, but also with joy. “I…I did it! I-I managed to win against Juliana. And it was because I never gave up until the end.”

He saw a hand reach out to him, Juliana beaming over his victory. He would have loved to keep seeing her brightness forever, but he would savour this moment for now.

“You were magnificent, Kieran! Even with all my strength, you managed to overpower me at the most critical moment. I think you showed Ogerpon how cool and worthy you were with your performance, don’t you?”

Ogerpon loudly cheered in agreement and went to him with shining eyes. Carmine walked up to him too, congratulating him on his achievement. It was another rare feat for his sister to compliment him like that, so he accepted her words with pride.

“I think it’s time for you to catch Ogerpon, Kiki. What better way to show you’re partners than standing together as trainer and Pokémon!”

“Catching Ogerpon, huh? Well, if I wanna catch her, then I gotta test my strength against her too. With her four masks, she’s gonna be insanely strong.”

Kieran turned to Juliana, hoping his request wouldn’t be too forward. “Juliana, w-would you mind battlin’ together with me against Ogerpon?”

The Paldean girl looked surprised. “Are you sure? Wouldn’t it be better to challenge her yourself?”

Kieran simply shook his head. “I want you to battle with me. We’ve been through so much together, so I really share this moment with you, Juliana. Besides, y-you’re my partner…and someone s-special to me…”

“Sigh, just battle with Kiki so I don’t have to hear any more sappy stuff from him, okay? Hearing him gush about you for one night was painful enough…”

“Why don’t you mind your own business, Sis?!” Kieran angrily replied with a pout and a blush, “Always teasin’ me like that…stupid…”

“Hehe, just calm down you two. And if that’s how you feel about me, I’ll gladly join you. Let’s give Ogerpon a magnificent performance as a duet, Kieran!”

“Glad you two are over the moon with each other right now, but I can’t believe I gotta remind you two that your Pokémon are completely wiped from your last battle…”

The two students laughed awkwardly at each other for forgetting such a fact. Fortunately, they had brought plenty of healing items.

They quickly recovered their Pokémon and stood together ready to face Ogerpon. The masked Pokémon jumped in excitement ready to battle the ones who had helped her so much these past few days. She assumed her battle position and flicked the Hearthstone Mask on her face, changing the colour of her cloak into a fiery red. Feeling the thrill of battle and the happy memories of her past and present flowing within her, she channelled all the Terastal energy from the mask’s crystals and Terastallized.

The mask grew and shone brilliantly before Ogerpon let out a burning roar that echoed through the battlefield. Kieran, Juliana, and Carmine couldn’t help but be awe-struck at its new form.

“She Terastallized her mask! I didn’t even know she could do that! So, this is what Ogerpon’s really capable of.”

Juliana stared in marvel over Ogerpon’s amazing feat. “She really does look beautiful in that form! But we’re here to defeat Ogerpon and that’s what we’ll do. Let’s get this party started, Maushold!”

“With you and me together, we’ll can handle anythin’ that comes our way. Let’s make a splash and show Ogerpon how tough we are, Poliwrath!”

As Maushold and Poliwrath joined the scene, Ogerpon raised its fiery cudgel towards them to signal its readiness to fight. With a burst of red energy, she shot a burst of intense flame towards her targets, striking them immediately before they expected it.

“So, this is Ogerpon at her full strength! And her attack power is off the chain! Let’s counter with a Population Bomb barrage!”

“We’ll join the fun too! Poliwrath, pierce through Ogerpon’s defenses with your Liquidation!”

Both Pokémon struck the empowered ogre with all their might, with Maushold managing to land multiple hits as the mouse family launched their combo attack. But Ogerpon remained unfazed with the extra energy it had giving it even greater stamina than before. It launched another wave of flame bursts, managing to overpower Kieran and Juliana’s partners.

Despite the setback, both trainers looked at each other with a competitive grin as they released Ceruledge and Gliscor next. Thanks to the Hearthstone Mask, fire-type moves from Ceruledge wouldn’t deal much damage, but it did make it weak to rock-type moves. Knowing this, Kieran and Juliana exploited this information by having Ceruledge act as a shield from Ogerpon’s flames while Gliscor’s Rock Tomb dealt even more damage than before but also reduce Ogerpon’s speed in the process.

Ogerpon’s blazing mask shattered from the strain as she started staggering. But despite the pain, her memories of Kieran, Juliana, and Carmine gave her strength. The kindness and love they had shown her these past few days fueled her resolve and kept going as she wore her Wellspring Mask next. Her cloak transformed into a lovely blue before her mask underwent the same Terastallization to envelop her in a radiant shine, increasing her defense.

She swung her cudgel again, this time blasting a large torrent of water with an exhilarated roar towards her opponents. Knowing that they couldn’t escape, Ceruledge and Gliscor unleashed their Psycho Cut and Dual Wingbeat in tandem to deal enough damage to help their teammates before succumbing to the watery attack.

Juliana could feel her heart race even faster. She was having the time of her life facing against Ogerpon, with no worries about any dangers they had faced before. She could enjoy a fun battle without holding back. And she could tell Kieran was feeling similar as his smile didn’t fade despite both being down two Pokémon.

“This is really exciting; don’t you think Kieran? My body can’t stop shaking with adrenaline over how this battle will go!”

“I agree with ya all the way, Juliana! It’s so amazin’ that Ogerpon can be this strong, just like how the legends portrayed her when she fought the Lousy Three. I’m glad you’re here battlin’ and sharin’ these moments with me!”

They stared at each other with deep gazes and then focused once more on the battle. Now that Ogerpon was also a water-type, they decided to send out Shiftry and Appletun. With Shiftry manipulating the wind to increase their speed, they unleashed a wave of Leaf Blades and Apple Acids to slowly lower the blue ogre’s massive stamina. But Ogerpon adapted to their strategy and moved nimbly to strike Shiftry with a flurry of Low Kicks to deal massive damage, managing to knock it down before succumbing to its current injuries.

Carmine smiled and cheered at the current outcome. “Great work, you two! With two masks shattered, you’re halfway done. So, make sure you don’t slack off!”

Ogerpon got back up from its latest stumble and remembered the times where the three standing before her helped retrieve her masks. She recalled the power and confidence she exhibited fighting against Pecharunt’s retainers, with the three sticking by her side and supporting her throughout their journey.

She pulled out her Cornerstone Mask next, wearing it with an indomitable will to win. Her cloak transformed into an ethereal gray with even more Terestal energy gathering around Ogerpon and making her new mask shine as brilliantly as the others. Then, she struck Appletun with the rocks formed from her cudgel to take it off the battlefield.

Juliana took a moment to analyze Ogerpon’s new change. “Judging by the colouring and how Okidogi changed types with that mask, Ogerpon should be a rock-type now. In that case, let’s switch things up a bit.”

With a dazzling flourish, she sent out Tinkaton next and Kieran released his Yanmega to join the fray. With the knowledge they had when facing against Okidogi, they knew Ogerpon’s physical defense would be powered up from the Terestal energy gathered around her. That made their strategy clear.

“Tinkaton, strike Ogerpon with your Flash Cannon!”

“Yanmega, soar high and hit em’ with your Bug Buzz!”

Ogerpon stood her ground as she took the attacks in stride. And with fervor in her heart, she sent a wave of rocks towards Yanmega. But Tinakton managed to jump up and take the damage in its place, before hitting it with its steely hammer. Ogerpon used the close-range attack to her advantage and struck the hammer-wielding fairy with multiple Low Kicks to leave it disoriented. With its heavy weight working against it, Tinkaton soon fell to her Ivy Cudgel. Using the distraction created, Kieran had Yanmega hit her with a swath of Air Slashes to disorient Ogerpon before both its Bug Buzz and Ivy Cudgel collided with one another for a double KO.

The third mask shattered like the others, leaving Ogerpon almost at its limit, but the starry-eyed Pokémon had pushed them to their limits too. Even with only two Pokémon left, Juliana remained undeterred at the outcome and let out the same flourish as she released her first partner to join the act. A fitting entrance to signal the battle’s climax.

“Let’s make this a beautiful finale, Meowscarada!”

Kieran followed his partner’s cue with his own ace. “We’ll make this act a duet with your entrance too, Hydrapple!”

Ogerpon felt the drive the two trainers exhibited as she held onto her last mask. The Teal Mask gleamed in her cloaked hands with the memories of her old partner giving her strength, along with the new friends she made today. It was thanks to this mask that she met the ones she had grown to treasure. She would make sure to repay the love and care they gave her by fighting with the last of her strength.

The Tera crystals radiated with immense energy when she put her mask on, enveloping her with even more power than before and transforming the mask into its most brilliant form. The surrounding energy made her feel freer and faster than before, and she used that feeling immediately to knock Meowsarada down with her Low Sweep. But the dramatic cat got up on its feet and retaliated with a close-range Night Slash, while Hydrapple seized this opportunity to increase Meowscarada’s power with its Dragon Cheer and struck Ogerpon with its Syrup Bomb while she was distracted.

But even after taking so much damage before, Ogerpon fueled her cudgel with even more power. She decided to unleash all its naturous energy at her foes, her wonderful memories giving it even more strength than before. She swung her Ivy Cudgel at such speed that even her speedy opponent couldn’t evade the mighty blow.

Juliana and Kieran knew this would be the final attack and they made sure to make their last moves flourish into a dramatic finish.

“I know you’re not Terastallized Meowscarada, but let’s settle this clash with a huge bang with your Tera Blast!”

“We’ll give ‘em a huge bang together, Juliana! And we’ll do it with a dose of your Fickle Beam, Hydrapple!”

Fueled by their trainers’ emotions, they combined their energy into a torrent of colours aimed at Ogerpon. Feeling even more excited as the burst came closer, Ogerpon charged her cudgel with her own energy to deflect it. The two attacks clashed with intense ferocity that it slight shook the ground. But at the last second, the energy burst pierced through Ogerpon’s defenses and landed a major hit, causing a massive explosion that could be seen even from the town.

At that final moment, Ogerpon had all its energy drained from it. Its final mask had shattered from their combined blow, and she quickly lost her balance. She used her cudgel to keep herself standing, but all three knew the grass-type no longer had the power to fight. Even though she lost, she was happy that she had a kind and reliable friend to be her partner.

Carmine couldn’t help but shake in exhilaration with the result. “I think that’s everything Ogerpon’s got! Now’s your chance to catch her, Kiki!”

Kieran gazed upon the Pokéball in his hand; a Friend Ball he had gotten at the academy. He never used it after all this time, but he knew this would be the perfect Pokéball for this moment. With a look of encouragement from Juliana and Carmine, he threw it towards Ogerpon, watching her enter the ball with no resistance and a smile towards her opponents.

One shake.

Two shakes.

Three shakes.

And a click to finally seal the deal.

Moving towards the now filled Pokéball, Kieran could feel a mix of emotions in his heart. There was happiness, joy, warmth, and pride as he held his new partner in his gloved hand. He and Juliana instinctively grabbed each other’s bodies and bounced simultaneously in joy, not realizing what they had done before it was too late. Leading to them getting flushed with embarrassment as they stammered to respond over what had happened.

Carmine cheerfully came to congratulate the pair while secretly gushing at their display. “Well done, you two! That was an impressive battle that made my heart race!”

“Yeah, I felt the same way! The way Ogerpon was able to Terastallized four times with its masks was incredible! And I’m glad you managed to catch her in the end, Kieran!”

“Ehehe, I’m glad too! If I never met Ogerpon that day, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out like this. I-if you had gotten her Juliana, I might’ve gotten angry at you and myself. I might’ve torn our friendship apart, left feelin’ jealous and inadequate with how spectacular you are…It makes me sad thinkin’ about it…”

Juliana shook her head and eyed him with a comforting smile. “Even if that did happen, I would do whatever I could to salvage our friendship. You’ve become special to me Kieran, and I don’t want that to change!”

Kieran could feel a few tears prick through his eyes. “You’ve become special to me too, Juliana. More special to me than just a friend…”

“Hmm? What was that last part? “

“O-oh! I-It’s nothin’! Just sayin’ how glad that we’re friends…”

Kieran felt himself grow red in embarrassment for saying that last part out loud. He didn’t need to let the girl he grew to treasure know about his true feelings yet. But given how his sister was glaring at him, she was probably going to grill him about it later. He was not looking forward to that moment.

Oh well, he was perfectly happy with the journey he had these fateful days. The day he met Ogerpon, the day he met Juliana, their duo’s adventures in Kitakami, finding Ogerpon again, defeating Pecharunt and the Lousy Three, as well as becoming Ogerpon’s partner; they were all memories he would keep deeply in his heart forever. They were the things that showed how much he had grown from the passive, submissive, and unassertive boy he was before.

As the sun started to set, Carmine suggested heading back home. She had invited Juliana to dinner with them and the girl happily accepted. They happily chatted with one another on the way back, with Ogerpon merrily joining them after Kieran let her out. If they were in a story, he would say this was the start towards their happy ending.

Chapter Text

Juliana was happy with how the school trip had gone. Despite having to deal with Ogerpon attacking her, Pecharunt possessing her, battling against its retainers, and saving Mossui Town, she had fun overall. She got to explore a beautiful region like Kitakami, but she also met some amazing friends along the way. A lot of that she owed to her time journeying with Carmine and Kieran. She was glad they were able to get to know each other and grow into close friends.

It was a shame they would have to go their separate ways when the trip ended. Considering Kieran didn’t have a smartphone; it would be hard for them to communicate with each other when they returned to their respective academies. Maybe she could call Carmine and let Kieran borrow her phone when they talked. Or they could keep in touch with emails or letters.

Just thinking about Kieran made her chest ache with a strange sensation. Was it because she’s come to think of the boy as more than just a friend? The closest she’s ever felt that way was when she travelled with Arven to heal his Mabosstiff. The times they spent together hunting Herba Mystica and the bond they developed from those experiences had made her mind swirl with emotion as they grew ever closer.

Those feelings only intensified when she and her friends journeyed down Area Zero to meet Arven’s father. She remembered how she supported him after learning the truth about Professor Turo, with the sandwich prodigy hugging her after. They soon realized that their relationship was more between an older and younger sibling. But that didn’t matter to them, and they still considered each other as ‘best buds’. They were content with that title and were happy together just the same.

But with Kieran, she felt differently. At first, she was happy to have made a new friend. That was why she had approached Carmine and Kieran after meeting them for the first time. It also helped that she found the timid boy interesting. But after spending so much time together, getting to know him better, and supporting each other through all the craziness they faced, she felt like wanting something more between them. Was that odd when they had only met a few days ago? Not to mention things with Ogerpon and Pecharunt made things insane for them. Not to mention how broken she felt that he almost succumbed to Pecharunt’s poison. And would a closer relationship between them even work when they would be living their lives in separate regions?

Juliana honestly couldn’t get her thoughts straight when it came to her relationship with Kieran. Well, she still had a few days to think about it before she headed back to Paldea. She would enjoy her time with him while it lasted, and Carmine too of course.

Kieran and Carmine had invited her to dinner at their house to celebrate Kieran’s recovery and becoming Ogerpon’s new partner. She happily accepted the invitation and let them know that she looked forward to trying their grandparents’ cooking. Carmine let her grandparents know beforehand that she was coming, so Juliana enjoyed her fill on the delicious Kitakamian cuisine on her plate when they arrived.

“Bet you’ve never had food this good, right Juliana?” Carmine bragged.

“You’ve really gotta stop making everythin’ a competition, Sis…”

“Ehehe, I will say that the food left my tastebuds wanting more. Thank you both for providing such wonderful dishes for me to try!”

“Haha! It’s no trouble at all, Juliana,” Yukito replied, “It’s the least we can do for giving our grandchildren a new friend and helping Ogerpon with her troubles!”

“That’s quite true. In fact, we wouldn’t mind having another grandchild like you dear. Especially if you and Kieran get together,” Hideko added, turning her gaze towards Juliana and then to Kieran.

“W-Wha? W-What are you saying, Grandma?! Juliana and I are just…”

“Oh? Carmine told me you and Juliana had developed a special relationship.”

Kieran turned to his sister, clearly displeased over those last words. “Sis! What’re you telling Grandma, you dummy?!”

Leading to the angry girl raising her fist. “You better watch who you call a dummy if you know what’s good for you!”

Juliana could only laugh uncomfortably over yet another argument between the siblings. Still, it wouldn’t be Carmine and Kieran if they had behaved differently with each other. But she wondered if Kieran did have romantic feelings towards her. Carmine might have proclaimed herself to be a romantic expert at one point, but Kieran looked adamantly against the idea given his outburst. Maybe she was just thinking too much about this. After all, she was still trying to make sense over how she felt about him.

After saying her goodbyes, Juliana walked back towards the community center, where she saw a familiar photographer staring at the moonlit sky. The charming woman waved towards her as Juliana headed towards her location.

“Hey, fancy meeting you here this late Juliana. Oh yeah! You and your friends are done with your journey with Ogerpon, right? Do you have time to help me with finding Ursaluna?”

Oh, that’s right. She had almost forgotten about Perrin’s request from a few days ago. She did promise to help her track the Bloodmoon Beast and she wasn’t one to break her promises. Plus, looking for a Pokémon that wasn’t trying to kill or control her was a nice change of pace from recent events.

“You’ve got my full support! I’d be happy to help you find Ursaluna!”

The photographer happily chuckled. “I knew you’d be up for it! Meet me at the Timeless Woods tomorrow night. You can bring your friends too if you like!”

Perrin ran eastward to set up camp at the Timeless Woods. Juliana felt excited about this opportunity. Not only because she had the chance to see another rare Pokémon, but she could spend it with her new friends before they went their separate ways. She would make the most out of the time they had left, especially with the boy still lingering within her mind. Though, it made her sad over how little time it was.

The next day, Juliana went to Kieran and Carmine’s house to ask them whether they wanted to help Perrin look for Ursaluna. Kieran looked overjoyed at the chance to spend more time together with her and look for more unique Pokémon in Kitakami. That made sense given how much he had admired Ogerpon for so long. Carmine agreed too, wanting to know more about Ursaluna to keep her reputation as Kitakami’s legend expert intact.

In the meantime, they spent their time exploring more of Kitakami together, happy to be in each other’s company. They even had a large picnic with all their Pokémon along the way, with Ogerpon being extremely thrilled to spend time with Juliana and her Pokémon. Carmine decided to walk around for a bit, leaving her and Kieran alone. They decided to chat for a bit as they sat beside each other eating the candy from Kieran’s bag.

“I’m glad everything worked out in the end. It’s been really challenging these past few days, with learning about Ogerpon, meeting Pecharunt, dealing with the Lousy Three, and the whole ‘Mochi Mayhem’ situation.”

“Yeah, I never expected we’d be caught up in all of that. But we made it through, together as a team. It was thanks to you and Ogerpon that I was able to start changin’ myself. And you even helped save me from certain doom.”

“Well, I couldn’t just let the poison get to you,” she chuckled sadly, “You’ve…become important to me, and I didn’t want to fear losing someone close to me again.”

“You looked so confident ever since we met, but I guess even you get scared at times. Guessin’ you had somethin’ similar happen to you and your friends before?”

She nodded in affirmation. “It’s a long story, but let’s just say if things hadn’t gone our way, we might not still be here… I was hoping this trip would help me overcome those memories, but I suppose I’m fated to keep getting involved in insane events huh?”

Kieran fiddled with his hair for a bit before coming up with a response. “You know, I used to think you really were a hero in a story with how amazin’ and inspirin’ you were to me. It was like nothin’ could stand in your way. But now I get that you’ve got your own issues about yourself that you keep hidden inside.”

He took her hand and pressed it tight as he gave comforting gaze. “So, if you need help, I’ll make sure to support you, Juliana. Just like you’ve done for me all this time.”

Juliana gave a radiant smile in appreciation. “Thanks, Kieran. I’m happy to have another friend who’s got my back.”

The two students looked at each other with faint blushes on their cheeks as they continued happily talking with one another. It made their hearts warm being side by side as they held hands with content smiles all the while.

Kieran was immensely happy right now. He was spending another moment alone with the girl that changed his world. Ever since they met, he had been so awe-struck by the Champion trainer it made him feel like there were Butterfrees in his stomach. Juliana was as adorable as a Cutiefly and so sweet like honey that he felt like he didn’t deserve her at times.

She had been nothing but friendly to him ever since they partnered up to do their orienteering journey and so always showed care to him every step of the way. Even when she lied about Pecharunt, she felt so guilty about keeping its existence a secret to him. Something he never got from most people he ever interacted with.

Most importantly, Juliana liked him for who he was. She just wanted him to be himself and always encouraged him to do so despite how others may feel. Being able to spend as long as he could with such a girl by his side made him feel so tingly inside. And it made his chest burn in excitement too. Was it because he had feelings for the Uva girl? Was Carmine actually right that he had a crush on Juliana? And even if he did, would Juliana feel the same way?

He had no doubt that they had grown very close during the school trip. But he never really had friends to compare this experience, so maybe this was what friendship was like for her. Juliana seemed to be friendly to everyone, even abrasive types like his sister, and she did call him ‘friend’ just a few moments ago. Besides, the amazing girl could be interested in better people besides him. Maybe one of her friends had deep feelings for her too and she just didn’t say anything.

If he did confess the feelings he had, and she didn’t feel the same way… Well, he didn’t want to jeopardize the relationship they had now by making things between them awkward. Hmm, now he felt anxious and depressed. Not that he had time to keep thinking about this when Carmine returned with a surprisingly soft gaze towards him. Uh oh, when she gets like that, he knew he was in for trouble.

Soon, the three students headed towards the Timeless Woods to meet with Perrin. Juliana could hear Kieran and Carmine discretely talking to one another, but she paid it no mind. The fog was especially thick tonight, so it took them a while to spot the photographer’s tent. But once Perrin had spotted them, she signaled their attention with an enthusiastic look on her face. Her trusty Growlithe stood beside her, running up to them in excitement.

“Hey, partner! You made it! And you brought your friends to help out! Aaanyway, it's right around this part of the forest people have supposedly seen the Bloodmoon Beast. Curiously, all the sightings have been on nights with heavy fog.”

“And that’s why you wanted us to come here tonight?” Juliana surmised.

“Bingo! I've heard that all kinds of unusual Pokémon appear on foggy nights. I'm sure that the Bloodmoon Beast is one of them—it's gotta be...”

“So, what do we gotta do to find the Bloodmoon Beast?” Carmine asked, “I don’t think it’s gonna be easy to find if it’s been hiding here for so long.”

“You’re right. The Bloodmoon Beast is way more wary than ordinary Pokémon. Which is why there’s so few sightings. So, we’re going to need some slow and steady groundwork if we wanna find it! I want you three to take photos of Pokémon that appear around here on foggy nights.”

“Wait, why do we need to take photos of other Pokémon?”

“If I have photo data from a variety of Pokémon, I can register it into my handy Pokémon Searcher! Over time, that'll train it to ignore any sign of other Pokémon that live around here. Clearing all that noise will let us pinpoint exactly where the Bloodmoon Beast is!”

“I don’t really get it, but taking photos sounds simple enough. Though, Kiki doesn’t have a smartphone, so that’ll be a problem.”

Juliana noticed Carmine staring at her with a fiendish smile. This didn’t look good.

“Hey Juliana, why don’t you and Kiki take those photos together? With all the time you’ve spent together on this trip, I’m sure you would love the chance to spend this night with him alone hehehe.”

She didn’t like the implications the fiery girl had with that last sentence, but it wasn’t like she wasn’t keen on doing this task with Kieran. She was perfectly happy to do so! “What do you think? You want to pair up to take some photos?”

“S-Sure! I’d love to!” He replied, while giving a nasty glare at his sister in the process.

And so, they all set off to gather ten different photos of various Pokémon living in the area. Perrin told them they needed to sneak close to the Pokémon by foot, so that would be a bit of a challenge. They tried searching as many different areas as they could, from the tall trees, the small rocky caves, and the small river flowing throughout the foggy forest.

As they kept moving, Juliana was amazed at how stealthy Kieran was as they managed to take all their photos without even alerting a single Pokémon. He was like a ninja with how he silently moved undetected, which he said came from experience exploring Kitakami during his younger years. Apparently, his love of Pokémon that lived in the region made him very adventurous in seeing every part of Kitakami, at the expense of scoldings from his grandparents and sister.

It made her content hearing about all those wonderful experiences Kieran had as a kid. She initially thought he had a tough time growing up in Kitakami given the negative experiences he had shared with her before, but at least there were some memories here that he cherished. She hoped they could make more happy memories together before they parted.

With their task complete, the pair made their way back to report their results to Perrin. Carmine had returned too, but her sour mood was apparent from not getting any good shots. Apparently, the Pokémon were scared off each time she approached, leading to a major hit to her ego. The Paldean girl tried comforting her with sugary compliments to appeal to her prideful nature before Carmine returned to her normal, prideful self.

The photographer took this moment in stride to analyze their photos. She looked very pleased with their progress and quickly got to work with processing them into the Pokémon searcher.

"You know, the photos you took were all real good, partner. You've got an eye for this!"

“It was a team effort! Kieran helped spot them without them noticing us and I made sure to capture them in a way that showed off their best sides!”

“Yeah, I can see how well you worked together. Guess spending all these days getting to know each other really helped you two be in sync, huh?”

The two turned away to hide the light blushes that permeated their faces. Carmine simply put her hands over her mouth to cover up her laughter over the sight. Not that they would stay that way for long as they suddenly heard a loud noise coming from Perrin’s machine. Looks like it was done analyzing the photos.

“It looks like there's still one hit out there in the foggy woods. That's gotta be the Bloodmoon Beast. We've finally found it... I think I'm ready to go meet the Bloodmoon Beast! How about you three?”

“Yep! I’m ready to go whenever!”

“I wanna see how tough and strong the Bloodmoon Beast is! Bet it’ll be really cool!”

“Bet it won’t be as tough as yours truly, but I’m interested to see what it’s made of!”

“Haha! That’s good to hear. If things start getting dicey, I’ll be counting on you all to handle the battling.”

The group took some time to prepare before heading to the location Perrin was talking about. The fog became even thicker as they moved deeper through the forest, their visibility nearly non-existent at this point. But it did nothing to damper Juliana’s enthusiasm as they inched closer and closer to their target. Still, the eerie quietness of the forest was suspicious, so she made sure to stay on guard.

Soon, they heard loud, booming steps approaching them. A menacing shadow appeared through the fog as the red jewel on its forehead gleamed blood red. There was no doubt that it was the terrifying creature they were searching for.

Perrin stared at the figure in wonder. “That moon on its forehead… It’s really the Bloodmoon Beast! We’ve found it! Now, you just be a good little beast and stay right there while I snap a photo…”

But as Perrin’s camera shot out a bright light, Ursaluna roared in anger. It must have not liked the camera flash towards its eyes as it assumed a battle position, ready to strike at any moment. Looks like they had no choice but to fight after all.

Juliana grabbed her Pokéball and assumed her position. “Don’t worry, we’ve got this covered! Kieran, Carmine, you ready to battle?”

“You even have to ask? Let’s take down this oversized bear!”

“If the three of us work together, we’ll be able to handle this no problem!”

The three trainers released Meowscarada, Hydrapple, and Sinistcha to subdue the furious beast. Ogerpon popped out too, recognizing the friend that had helped her before. She tried to pacify the large Pokémon, but its rage made words useless, forcing her to calm it down through fighting.

Ursaluna looked very durable and powerful given the fierce aura it exerted, but they weren’t deterred one bit. Juliana could see Perrin move to another position to take shots of their battle, looking pleased with herself that she was so close to the action. Fortunately, it was highly susceptible to grass-type moves when they attacked it. But Ursaluna would not go down so easily, because it just shot a large red beam that shined as bright as blood towards them. The intense energy struck their Pokémon hard as they tried holding on against the furious onslaught.

But a couple more hits later, even the Bloodmoon Beast started to succumb to its injuries. Now that it was weak enough, Juliana grabbed a Pokéball from her bag and shot it towards the disoriented bear. A Dusk Ball seemed fitting to catch a Pokémon that moved within the foggy night. Three turns and a click later, Juliana grabbed the now inhabited Pokéball from the ground, smiling happily over her new partner.

Perrin came up to congratulate them, happy getting some awesome photos during their big scuffle. “I didn't seriously think you'd go toe-to-toe with the Bloodmoon Beast. And you even managed to catch it, Juliana! You three were amazing! just couldn't stop snapping shots of you all battling the Bloodmoon Beast!”

The Paldean girl giggled in response. “It was touch and go there for a moment, but we were able to handle it…together. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The siblings beamed with pride over her words, eliciting another chuckle from Perrin over how close-knit they had become.

“Well, I bet you all wanna give your Pokémon a chance to rest and recover. So, let’s head back to camp for now.”

They soon headed back to the campsite with a celebratory mood over their achievement. The fog had started to let up, revealing the full moon shining brightly across the starry sky. With such a beautiful sight, they decided to stay in the woods a little longer before heading back to their respective lodgings for the night.

Perrin was busy developing the photos she took, while Carmine had taken Kieran to a nearby tree to discuss something. Ogerpon and Ursaluna were happily chatting after she and Kieran let them out. That left Juliana all by her lonesome. Well, she might as well keep herself busy in the meantime. There was a river in the Timeless Woods that she wanted to explore, so now was as good a time as any to do so. She walked up to Perrin to let her know where she was going and marked the location on her phone. The photographer gave an affirmative wave before she left.

The river flowing in front of her was simply beautiful. The water sparkled with crystalline light as it was brightened by the moon’s glow. Basculin with stripes different from the ones from Paldea rapidly swam by. Juliana took a deep breath and let the crisp air travel throughout her body, giving her a state of tranquility she sorely needed.

But her mind soon wandered towards the shuffling noises behind her. She turned around, seeing Kieran slowly walk closer to her with a bashful look on his face.

“S-Sorry for disturbin’ you, Juliana. Perrin told me you wanted to come here, so I decided to come look for you. Um, unless you wanna be alone right now…”

She lightly waved her hand. “It’s okay. I’d love it if we gazed upon this beautiful sight together, Kieran.”

The two students sat beside each other, admiring the beauty of nature around them. Their minds and hearts became calm over their surroundings as they stared up at the starry sky.

Kieran breathed a deep sigh, turning to Juliana with a determined, yet nervous look on his face.

“T-There’s somethin’ I need to tell you. I didn’t know what to make of these feelings before, but after Carmine grilled me about them back at the camp, there’s no doubt in my mind.”

Wait, was he doing what she thought he was doing?

“U-Um, I think I l-love you, Juliana! You’re the first person who’s liked me for who I am and kept pushin’ me to be my best. You’re super nice and always show respect to others, even when they don’t deserve it. And after everythin’ we’ve been through, you’re still so amazin’ that I feel like I want to be someone who's worthy to walk by your side.”

She was surprised as her eyes widened over his words, but she greedily wanted to hear more. She wanted to know how he truly felt about her.

“E-Ever since we met, my heart’s felt so warm being next to you. I’ve never felt that way before until we journeyed together. It was the most fun I’ve had in so long…and you helped me feel comfortable about myself. Most of all, bein’ with you made me believe like I could become the ‘me’ I wanna be. Your smiles, kindness, and belief in me helped with that! S-So, um, I want us to be even closer…so we can keep havin’ these beautiful moments together by each other’s sides…w-where we’re more than… just friends…”

The boy poured his heart and soul towards Juliana, feeling anxiety yet relief over expressing his feelings to the girl he loved. The feelings she had for him went into overdrive and she craved to let him know her true feelings too.

She grabbed his hand and held it tight as her cheeks turned into a light pink and an adoring grin grew from her lips. “To be honest, ever since I met you, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you more and more. I loved seeing you so excited whenever we talked about our interests. I enjoyed the sweet moments we shared at the festival. I admired the times where you grew more confident and self-assured, both during our battles and when we were dealing with Pecharunt. And most of all, I loved the sweet, tender moments we shared throughout this life-changing trip.”

“D-Does that mean you love me the same way?”

She let out a fond sigh. “I think I do! I wasn’t sure about how I truly felt about you either. But hearing your true words, experiencing those wonderful moments with you, and seeing how we fit so well together, I know my heart wants only you.”

That was how she truly felt. But…

“And because of that, I want our relationship to evolve even more…at least one day.”

Juliana could see the regretful look on his face as she said that. “O-Oh! I-I guess you just wanna stay friends…But that’s fine! I didn’t wanna push you into somethin’ you didn’t want, and I’d be happy if we stayed this way. I just don’t wanna lose the one I care so much about in my heart…”

He slowly moved his hand to let go of hers, but she continued clasping it tightly.

“Ehehe, I’ve noticed you sometimes assume things without hearing all the details…I do want to be with you as boyfriend and girlfriend, Kieran. But with everything that’s happened during the trip, I’m still trying to process what I truly want right now. My life’s been hectic since I started my journey. Even counting this trip, I got possessed by a rotten reach and you almost died two nights ago! I feel like…I want a sense of normalcy without having to worry about a new relationship into the mix. Plus, I heard long-distance relationships are usually hard to maintain …”

He nodded with a look of inquiry and understanding. “Y-Yeah… You got a point there. Don’t think letters or emails will work out in the long run…”

“But one day, I’ll figure things out for myself, and I’ll let you know when I do. So…would you mind waiting until that happens?”

After seeing him feel depressed before, she was glad to see a genuine smile on Kieran’s face. “I’d be willin’ to wait as long as it takes! Because I know now that I still have a chance.”

Juliana leaned in closer until they stood inches away from each other. “I-In that case, d-do you want to seal our future relationship with a…k-kiss?”

She was feeling so bashful over just a few words, but considering the implications, she had every right to be. Kieran was as much of a mess as she was when he tried sputtering a response.

“U-Um…I-I’d l-like that. T-This’ll be my first k-kiss from someone who’s not family, though…”

“D-Don’t worry!” she replied. Although, it was a lot more high-pitched than she wanted. “T-This’ll be my first k-kiss too…”

Oh Arceus, this was so awkward.

But they were determined to engage in this sensual act, so they gripped each other in a tight hug and started pressing their lips towards each other. The closer their distance, the more their hearts beat in excitement and fretfulness.

Their lips pressed together with warmth and softness, the sensation filling their eyes with a radiant glow and their satisfaction reflected by the breathless pants they exerted afterwards. And the sparks racing through their nerves felt as divine as the taste of the sweetest candy imaginable.

“Wowzers!”

“I didn’t think you’d be the one saying that ehehe.”

That was their first kiss.

As expected, it was sloppy, awkward, and unrefined. Clearly their experiences with kissing were limited to watching TV shows and what they saw in video games.

But it was their first one. A kiss that proved that they could be something more one day. A sealed contract demonstrating they were the only ones meant for each other, and nothing would get in their way of that desire.

Juliana offered her hand to Kieran, a cheerful smile beneath a loving blush that made the violet-hair boy swoon as he accepted with his own hand. “Shall we head back? I bet Carmine would love to hear about what happened between us.”

Kieran let out a tired sigh before making another sweet-tooth grin. “You’d better watch out when Sis gets into her romance mode. She’ll keep askin’ you questions about us until you get dizzy.”

That sounded like Carmine alright.

“I think I can handle her if you’re willing to share the pain with me. What do you say? Pretty please?!” The chestnut-haired girl replied with an adorable face that made the boy she cared about weak in the knees.

The two budding sweethearts shared more sweet laughter before heading back to the campsite. No matter what happened between them, they knew one day they would stand together as the couple they desired to be. Until then, they would be content with being close friends bound together by the ends of a Destiny Knot. A connection that could survive the harshest of obstacles.

Deep into the night, Briar had finished collecting the last samples she took from the Crystal Pool. She was fortunate to have gotten the chance to research such a wonderful area and that her dedication to her research saved her from the strange events that Carmine and Juliana said had happened to the town. Experiencing a mochi craze that would impede her from documenting her findings would be terrible.

With the pool’s Terestal crystals along with the soil she gathered during her last trip in Paldea, she would soon be able to create her own Terestal environment. The Terarium at Blueberry Academy would be the ideal place to demonstrate the gains of her research. And she was sure the students would be pleased to have a new method to strengthen their Pokémon.

If she could expand the Terastal phenomenon to areas outside of Paldea and Kitakami, she was sure she would be one step closer to finding Terapagos. Then, she could finally prove her ancestor Heath was right all along with his findings. That had been her goal for many years, and she would do whatever it took to achieve such a momentous desire.

As she did one more sweep throughout the Crystal Pool to see if there were other areas of note, she detected an interesting signal coming off one of the objects on the ground. Just like the water and crystals here, the object radiated a faint trace of Terastal energy. She was surprised to see such a reading, considering how it looked out of place compared to the rocks and crystals that filled the area. But it did pique her interest, so she decided to take it with her so that she could study it more thoroughly when she and her students returned to Blueberry Academy.

Maybe this object could lead to another breakthrough in her research or get her even closer towards discovering Terapagos. Briar shivered with intellectual excitement as she started heading back to Mossui Town, unaware of the slight movement its dormant form made.

Chapter Text

“You seriously have terrible luck when these things keep happening to you…”

“Yeah, I can’t deny that… But at least everything worked out, right?”

“Those Lousy Three guys and Pecharunt sound really strong! I would’ve loved to battle them if I was there!”

“Er, I’m glad you didn’t. I don’t think we’d be able to handle your skills if Pecharunt possessed you too, Nemona.”

“Speaking of possession. I’m glad you’re safe, but you gotta stop being so reckless and trusting to others. I don’t want my little buddy to have to keep going through these insane events because you want to believe in the good in everyone.”

“I mean, we’re not the best people to judge when our squad includes a battle-obsessed maniac, an antisocial teen with parental issues, and…me. All of us pestered you to do a lot of crazy stuff when we needed you.”

“Even so, I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything in the world!”

Juliana missed these chats with them as she called her friends to update them to everything that's happened since the last time they talked. Even if they were a group of mismatched kids, they somehow managed to fit together. She looked forward to seeing them again once she returned to Paldea. But before that, this was the perfect time to introduce her old friends to her new ones. Given how quirky Kieran and Carmine were too, she was sure they’d get along well if they ever met face-to-face.

“Speaking of friends, I want you all to meet my new friends from Kitakami. They’ve got their own unique personalities from what I’ve told you, so I’m sure you’ll love them!”

With Juliana's signal, the siblings headed towards her, trying to get as close to her phone as possible despite some complaints from Kieran about Carmine stepping on him.

“Hmph, so you’re the friends Juliana talked about. I’m sure you’ll all be dazzled by my grace, beauty, and skills just like she did if we ever meet hehehe!”

“Ooh, you must be Carmine! Juliana told me you’re a rough and tough trainer who never backs down from a challenge. I want to battle you so much; my heart can’t take it! Oh, and Kieran too! Ahh, I can't wait!”

“Wowzers! This girl’s intense like Sis is, but different…”

“I wanna say you’re wrong…but I can’t. But I won’t lose to anyone, even if its someone as battle frenzied as her!”

“Yes! That’s the spirit! I’m always looking for new rivals to fight!”

“Geez, settle down… Don’t think either of them want to join the ‘Nemona Survivors Club’ so soon. But it’s nice meeting you two. Juliana’s told us some stuff and it’d be nice getting to know a fellow introvert like you Kieran.”

“Y-Yeah! Any friend of Juliana’s would be a good friend of mine!”

“Yeah, Kiki’s desperately in need of more friends, so the more the merrier I’d say. And feel free to do whatever you’d like with him heehee.”

“Wow. Juliana was right about you, Carmine. Your ‘big personality’ takes center stage like a certain someone we know.”

“What?! What do you mean by ‘big personality’?! I am the most sweet and charming person you’ll ever meet!”

“To be fair, you were really intense when we met. And you can be insensitive and rude at times,” Juliana rebutted.

“Hey! We became good friends in the end! You should be grateful you were blessed by my wonderful generosity!”

“See what I mean?”

“Argh! You are impossible!”

Juliana laughed awkwardly at the argument happening between them right now. Not sure Nemona was helping when she tried handling the situation with her own ‘big personality’ though. Speaking of her friends, Juliana noticed a certain sandwich enthusiast being unnaturally focused on Kieran right now. She had a feeling over what was going on, but she decided to ask anyway to clear the air.

“You alright, Arven? You’ve been staring at Kieran for a while now.”

“W-Wait, was he? I never even noticed.”

“Sigh, I’m glad you’ve made new friends. But I just want to make it clear that no matter how close you two are, I’m always going to be Juliana’s absolute best friend! You’ll see that firsthand if we ever meet!”

“Way to make yourself look like an obsessive weirdo, Arven,” Penny chided, “From what Juliana told us, he seems like a nice guy.”

“Penny! Don’t go sympathizing with the enemy! This kid’s only been with Juliana for like a week!”

“Don’t worry Arven, you’ll always be my best bud!” Juliana replied, “Kieran and I simply hit it off when we paired up for the trip and got involved with the region’s legends.”

She made sure to leave out certain events that followed, though. She didn’t need Arven getting even more jealous over Kieran, especially when she would have to one day tell them about the kiss they shared.

Kieran giggled, “Your friends seem like a quirky group. But if you’re good friends with them, then they must be just as amazin’ as you. I wanna meet them one day too!”

Arven was taken aback. “Yeah? Huh, maybe I had the wrong idea about you.”

Juliana remained content as she continued chatting with her old and new friends deep into the night, before heading back to Mossui Town for some much-needed rest.

The next morning, Juliana woke up refreshed and raring to go. It had been almost a week since she arrived at Kitakami and she was happy to spend another day here with her fellow schoolmates and friends.

Speaking of friends, her smartphone loudly rang to signal the now regular morning phone calls from Carmine. Not wanting the hot-headed girl to get into one of her moods, she quickly answered.

“You sure took your time answering! Anyways, could you meet me and Kiki at Loyalty Plaza right now? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

Guess she can’t win against her unrealistic expectations. “Got it! I’ll head there now!”

After ending the call, Juliana ran out of the community center and waved back to her schoolmate as he passed by. She was glad he was fine after the Okidogi incident, but he did complain a lot about how Carmine treated him when they partnered up. At least she seemed to have softened up a bit since the first time they met. They did manage to become friends after all even when Juliana was deemed an ‘outsider’ by the Blueberry student.

The caretaker was outside too, his tasks assisted by Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti. Juliana and the siblings decided to leave Pecharunt’s retainers in Kitakami as their master was now gone. And now they were doing ‘community service’ to make up for their past deeds, which they seemed to have no issues doing. She supposed they weren’t as bad as she thought they’d be. The trio were just fervently grateful to Pecharunt for helping fulfill their desire that they followed whatever orders it asked to repay it for its generosity.

It didn’t take too long for her to reach Loyalty Plaza, where Carmine was impatiently stomping her foot, while Kieran tried calming her down. Both were staring deeply at the ruined shrine of the former Loyal Three. Not wanting to anger her further, the Paldean trainer yelled out to them to signal her appearance.

“There you are! You took longer than I thought!”

Juliana simply rolled her eyes at the predictable response. “Sorry! I’m here now, so what did you and Kieran want to talk to me about?”

“O-Oh, I’m actually in the same boat as you Juliana. I got no idea what Sis wanted me here for either. When I tried askin’, she just yelled at me…”

Which led to Carmine yelling again. “I’m going to tell you now, okay!”

The two immediately looked at each other and knew they had better listen quietly at her request to avoid any unnecessary trouble.

“I was thinking about how everything’s been resolved. You know, with Ogerpon, the Lousy Three, and Pecharunt. It made me see just how strong you two were during those challenging battles. No, not just you two. Ogerpon handled herself well when she fought her hardest to get back her masks and save the town. She even dealt the final blow against that rotten peach and shined so brightly back at the Dreaded Den.”

“What are you trying to say, Sis?”

“I’m saying…you’ve all grown so much during this trip. Especially you, Kiki. You’ve been so down on yourself for a while now. But now, you gotten a big boost in confidence that’s shines when you battle. But I won’t be left behind while you continue getting stronger. So, face me in a two on one double battle! And Kiki, I want you to use Ogerpon during our match too!”

“Are you sure you want to battle both of us at the same time? Seem pretty unfair for you,” Juliana inquired hesitantly.

Carmine simply responded with the same smirk she always had. “Think I can’t handle it? I’m still one of the top ten trainers at Blueberry Academy. With my pride as one of the toughest trainers there, you’ll see how wrong your doubts are when I make you and Kiki eat dirt!”

“We might as well accept, Juliana. You know how Sis gets when she makes up her mind about somethin’.” Kieran sighed before turning to his sister, “Just don’t get mad when we beat you, okay?”

“Heh, you’re assuming I’m going to lose, little brother. Hope your big ego doesn’t bruise too badly when I leave you in the dust like the other times we battled.”

“Argh, that’s it! You’re goin’ down, Sis!”

The taunting girl ignored her brother and gazed upon her other opponent. “Are you going to accept my challenge too, Juliana?”

Well, Carmine looked really determined to face her and Kieran. Plus, it wasn’t in her nature as a trainer to refuse a challenge.

With an exhilarated grin, she immediately grabbed one of her Pokéballs. “Alright, Carmine! You’ve got yourself a battle!”

“I knew you'd say yes! You're not one to turn down a good battle. Then, let’s all get into our positions!”

Juliana and Kieran stood on one side of the plaza while Carmine stood on the other with their Pokéballs gripped tightly. Without any signal, they threw their Pokéballs into the air, releasing Baxcalibur, Ogerpon, Mightyena, and Morpeko into their battlefield. Ogerpon looked particularly intrigued that she was going to battle against her friend, excited to fight her after not doing so for some time.

Carmine smiled, “I’m glad I get to face you, Ogerpon. I’ve grown really fond of you after all this time and I wanna see how much stronger you’ve gotten since then. But don’t get mad when my Pokémon beat you, okay?”

Ogerpon gave an excited cry as she raised her cudgel and wore her Teal Mask with pride. Even Mightyena’s Intimidate couldn’t stop her excitement when she stood defiantly against its frightening roar.

Kieran matched his partner’s mood ready to strike. “You asked for this Sis, so I’m not holdin’ back one bit!”

“Hehe, look at you act tough! But I’ll crush you all with my dazzling beauty and grace!”

Juliana saw their eyes gleam with a dull, golden shine. It was like watching two predators battling for dominance. Honestly, she felt like a third wheel watching the siblings gaze at each other so fervently. She needed to give it her all too as she commanded Baxcalibur to use its Glaive Rush against Morpeko.

Carmine must not have been paying attention because her ice dragon completely slammed its body at the hangry mouse with no resistance.

“Yeesh, you really hit where it hurts, don't you? I bet you're real popular back home hitting a girl when she’s not looking!” Carmine remarked indignantly.

Juliana gave a smug look of her own in response. “What happened to making us eat dirt, huh? If you’re going to ignore me, it just makes this battle too easy!”

The fiery girl chuckled a little before refocusing her attention to both her opponents. “Well, you’ve got my full attention now! I’ll make sure to wipe the floor with you first!”

All three trainers became even more fired up as they relayed their next attack to their partners, creating an explosive clash between them that left this battle’s outcome anyone’s guess.

Or that was what Carmine had hoped before she found herself down to only Sinistcha and Ninetales. She expected that she would struggle against battling Juliana and Kieran simultaneously, but she thought she would fare better than this. She did manage to take out Baxcalibur, Maushold, Yanmega, and Shiftry, but having an eight vs two Pokémon disadvantage was rough.

Still, Carmine was a fighter until the very end, guided by her burning passion and desire to win in the forefront. That wasn’t going to change today as her mood slightly improved when Sinistcha spilled its matcha over Kieran’s Gliscor to recover its strength before the winged scorpion succumbed to its burns.

Serves him right for underestimating his big sis!

But her brother remained undeterred and happily smiled at his partner before he sent out Ogerpon once more. They didn’t need to exchange words; all three knew that these next few moments would be climax of their fierce battle.

Even so, Carmine would fight to her last breath to prove herself no matter what! Even if the odds were stacked against her and her opponents battled together in perfect harmony, she would never give up. All that was left was to push ahead with all her might!

“Time to stir this finale up by firing your Shadow Ball on Ceruledge, Sinistcha. And Ninetales, burn Ogerpon to a crisp with your Flamethrower!”

Juliana responded her command with the same fervor. “Ceruledge, slash through that ball with your Bitter Blade!”

“Ogerpon, let ‘em have a taste of your Throat Chop with all your might!” Kieran followed with the same zeal as his partner.

Carmine’s Pokémon released their ranged attacks against its foes, blasting as much of their energy towards Ceruledge and Ogerpon’s close-range strikes. Ceruledge and Ogerpon pushed trhough the damage they took and struck a heavy blow towards Sinistcha and Ninetales.

But as they finished making contact, Sinistcha unleashed its spores to paralyze Ceruledge while Ninetales let out its ghastly orbs to burn Ogerpon.

“Bet you’re both in awe over how cool I am with my awesome strategy! Feel free to praise me as much as you like when I score another win against your team!” Carmine happily gloated before getting Sinistcha and Ninetales to unleash another Shadow Ball and Flamethower at their now weakened opponents.

With only a nod, Juliana and Kieran signaled their partners to attack simultaneously with Ceruledge taking care of offense while Ogerpon used its Spiky Shield for defense. Their quick teamwork shielded them from the blasts aimed at them before Ceruledge struck Sinistcha with its Bitter Blade to recover and slashed it into oblivion.

In retaliation, Ninetales took the opportunity to unleash its flames towards Ogerpon, while the ogre used its Ivy Cudgel to strike back. The resulting clash led to a large explosion of energy that knocked both of them out at the same time.

The match ended there, and Carmine had lost. She gave it her best shot, but this was as far as she could go with her current skills. Yet despite losing, she felt pleased with the result. She managed to hold her own against a Champion-level trainer like Juliana and she could witness firsthand how far her brother had come as a trainer. His eyes lit up brightly when he battled now, a stark contrast to how he acted back at Blueberry. There was no doubt the girl beside him had reignited the spark he had in battling before.

Carmine was happy Kieran had found someone like Juliana, who made him self-assured and confident. So much so, she was a bit sad that he was starting to grow up so fast. She felt like a mother bird whose child was leaving the nest, but in her heart, Carmine knew she had to let him fly free without being so overprotective.

It was a lonely thought, but Juliana had helped him better himself more than she ever did. As long as he was happy, she would be okay letting him go.

Juliana felt satisfied with her victory. Not only did Carmine become even tougher the last time they battled, but she got the opportunity to partner up with Kieran once more. The way they were able to work in tandem was both extraordinary and amazing, and she was certain her partner felt the same. It was good to know her feelings about him were true after all, yet it made parting with him even more saddening.

Meanwhile, Carmine didn’t seem angry that she lost this time around. In fact, she appeared quite pleased as she approached her and Kieran.

The Blueberry student gave a few congratulatory claps before smiling. “Sheesh! You two are seriously too strong! I hate losing, but I wasn’t surprised how this would go. You and Kiki worked together so well back there, I knew you two would be perfect for each other. It’s almost sickening, to be honest.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” Kieran asked confusingly.

“Obviously! I may rag on you a lot, but I do want you to be happy! And clearly Juliana’s the perfect person to do so. Sigh, she’s a much better person to support you than I ever was…”

Kieran chuckled in response. “You know, you may have no filter, and like to push my buttons, and can be a major pain sometimes…”

“That isn't cheering me up!”

“But I know how much you care about me deep down. You’ve always been encouragin’ me when I felt down in your own way and even though I wish you wouldn’t be so overprotective and overbearing, I wouldn’t want anyone else to be my sister. I’ll always love you, Carmine!”

He pushed himself towards his sister with a big hug and the girl was all too pleased to do the same.

“Heh, I’ll always love you too, dummy. Oh, and Juliana? The next time you see each other; make sure you’ll treat my brother right. I won’t forgive you if you make him cry or anything.”

“I promise we’ll always be happy together no matter what!” Juliana replied with a light chuckle and blush.

“Good! I actually wanted to say something else now that you two confessed and stuff. It’s awkward to say, but I-”

Carmine’s words were interrupted when Juliana’s smartphone began ringing. She accepted the call to hear Ms. Briar on the other line.

“Hey there, Juliana! It seems all student pairs have completed their orienteering as of this morning. The caretaker wanted to have some words, so could you head back to the community center?”

“Is that Ms. Briar? Tell her Kiki and I are heading there too.”

“Is that Carmine’s voice? Wonderful, that’s one less phone call I have to make. I’m amazed at how you’ve all become such fast friends in the briefest of moments. Well then, please head back to the community center! I’ll be there with the rest of the students.”

And with that, the call ended. Juliana wondered what the big announcement was. She knew it would relate to celebrating the orientation, but she had a feeling there was more.

“You know, she’s right that we managed to become friends so quickly. And what’s more, you’ve changed our lives in more ways than one!”

“Y-Yep! Just like with Ogerpon, it was fate that I was able to meet you, Juliana. Now I have friends I would do anythin’ for! Friends who I hold dearly in my heart!”

She could feel her face hurt from smiling so much. But this joyous moment was one she’d keep forever in her memory. “Thanks! I’m glad to have met both of you too!”

They walked to the community center, chatting as if it would be the last time they would see each other. Soon, they could see Ms. Briar, Juliana’s schoolmates, and the town’s caretaker within sight. Juliana stood with the other Uva Academy students while Kieran and Carmine stood beside Ms. Briar. She spoke with the siblings privately, their faces a little saddened as she kept talking. What had happened to make them react that way?

The caretaker started his speech by letting everyone know that with each pair having completed their signpost photos, their self-guided tour of Kitakami was over. They were now free to explore the rest of the region to their hearts content. But while Juliana was happy with the news, what she heard next left her completely in shock.

“I'm sorry for suddenly springing this on you, but Carmine, Kieran, and I will need to return to Blueberry Academy a little early. I’m truly sorry, but there have been some developments concerning the Great Crater. I'm afraid we really must be heading back. I realize I was here as your chaperone, but you kids have all proven to be very capable. I'm sure you'll be fine without me.”

So, they were leaving already? Juliana knew they wouldn’t have much time left to spend together, but she never expected now to be the moment that they would part ways.

Ms. Briar kept speaking, motioning towards Carmine and Kieran in the process.

“Now then, I believe Carmine and Kieran have something to say before we depart.”

The older sibling stepped up, and after taking a deep breath, moved to speak. “As you all know, this village is where I was born. And I'll be honest. I didn't want any outsiders coming here at all!"

Juliana winced a little at her loud declaration. But she was sure there was more to Carmine’s words after getting to know her well.

“It felt like our home was being turned into a tourist trap for a buncha ignorant strangers... But then we spent some time together, and none of you were the way I imagined you'd be at all... You were all really nice once I actually talked to you! I shouldn't have been so quick to judge people I didn't know anything about. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is...I had fun! Thank you all so much for visiting our village! And you, Juliana…”

Carmine turned towards Juliana and gave her a warm smile. One she reciprocated with her own bright smile.

“I’m glad you came to visit. You were completely different from what I expected, and you’ve helped us so much along the way. Blueberry Academy has tons of strong trainers, so you’d better come visit us soon! Alright, you’re up, Kiki.”

“Got it, Sis!” Kieran responded and turned to say his piece to his tripmates, “I wasn’t thrilled with goin’ on a trip back to my hometown. But I thought maybe I could meet new people to help me break outta my shell. Turns out I did with everyone here bein’ so nice. And I was able to find someone who really liked me for who I was!”

He turned to Juliana too and gave the brightest smile she had ever seen from him. She couldn’t help but smile at him with as much intensity.

“I’m grateful for gettin’ to know you, Juliana! You’re the greatest friend I could ask for! And when we see each other again, I’m hopin’ we can become even closer!”

Carmine lightly chuckled before continuing the conversation. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ve still got to get packed before we leave tonight. But this is not good-bye, ok? We’ll definitely see each other again!”

The Blueberry student gave a friendly wave before moving ahead with Ms. Briar, leaving Kieran to move towards Juliana with an affectionate smile.

“I heard Blueberry Academy’s doin’ some exchange program in the future, so if you get selected as one of the exchange students, we might be in the same classes and stuff! And we’d be able to see each other for as long you’re there! Wowzers, I’m gettin’ all tingly just thinkin’ about it! Me and Sis will do everythin' we can to recommend you for it!”

“Ooh, it’d be great if could go there! I’d really want to see what this battle-centred academy is made of! And meeting you again makes me even more excited. I’m looking forward to when that day comes.”

The two shared one last farewell before Kieran caught up with Carmine and Ms. Briar, leaving Juliana with her fellow academy students. But not before she waved towards them with all her might. Parting with them was saddening for her, but she knew in her heart that one day they would see each other again.

Plus, if she was selected for that exchange program, she could grow even more as a trainer in a battle-focused school like Blueberry Academy. She bet Nemona would love the curriculum there. Maybe her friends from Paldea would get picked too. Then, both of her friend groups could finally meet in person. Juliana became even more enthusiastic just thinking about it.

And when she had everything about herself all sorted out, she would be able to commit to a relationship with the boy who had captured her heart.

Kieran looked around the large plane they were currently in. Ms. Briar sat a few aisles away, so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t even spare a glance. Carmine was next to him alongside Ogerpon, who was happily sleeping, browsing whatever social media app she was currently on. He really hoped he could have a Rotom phone like Carmine and Juliana did. That way, he could communicate with the sweet girl as much as he’d like.

He never expected so many things to happen over the course of their trip back home. But he was happy with how things turned out. Despite having to deal with an ancient grudge between the Ogre of Kitakami and the Lousy Three, he was blessed with meeting said ogre and the girl who had given him so much light in his life. It was thanks to them that he was able to change into the type of person he aspired to be.

“Bet you’re thinking about Juliana, aren’t you? Hehehe, you’re so easy to read, Kiki," Carmine said with her typical teasing tone.

Kieran wasn’t in the mood for another teasing session from her, especially after what happened last night, but he was currently too tired to care.

“W-Well, bein’ with Juliana helped me grow, you know? If I hadn’t met her, I’d still be as spineless as a Wimpod like Drayton teased about once. She’s part of the reason I want to become the best I wanna be!”

“You really have come a long way since clinging onto me as a kid. It’ll be lonely not having you rely on me so much, but I’m proud of you. Don’t think I’m not going to keep growing either, though! Once we’re back at the academy, I’ll make sure I’ll be strong enough to make you and Juliana’s heads spin over how awesome I am!”

“Not if I rise to the top of the League Club first! For once, I feel like I actually have a chance with the way I am now. So, I’ll keep trainin’ and one day become Blueberry Academy’s Champion, just like how Juliana’s a champion in her region. Then, I can finally stand as her equal and someone who’s worthy to be by her side!”

“To get her approval, become stronger. Stronger! STRONGER! So no one can stand in your way!”

Huh? Did someone just say something just now? Nah, it’s probably just my imagination.

He vowed he would fly higher and go further than everyone else in the academy as the Blueberry League Champion. He would go beyond their expectations and rise up to become someone who was a role model to all and himself. Especially as a trainer worthy to his new partner and the new friend he loved deeply.

Wait for me, Juliana. The next time we meet, I’ll become someone who’ll shine just as brightly as you!

Briar was simply overjoyed. The trip to Kitakami was simply wonderful with all the discoveries she made. With her samples in hand, she would set her sights on constructing the Terarium orb to experiment filling the area with Terastal energy. She was ecstatic to commence building it, knowing the students would appreciate using it in their battles and all the data she could collect.

She was even more ecstatic with the information she received about the Great Crater of Paldea. There even seemed to be a deeper part of Area Zero that housed special crystals filled with Terastal energy, just like her ancestor recorded so long ago. Perhaps within the underdepths of Area Zero, may lay the Legendary Terapagos that she had been seeking for so long. If she could explore those underdepths and find the Legendary Pokémon, then her desire would finally become a reality.

But she would be patient for now. She still needed clearance to explore Area Zero and she was willing to wait until she could get through the proper channels. In the meantime, she also looked forward to exploring the various other regions she had her eye on, as well as researching the mysterious object she had picked up in the Crystal Pool. She found it marvelous it could possess Terastal Energy and would make sure to examine it thoroughly when she had the time.

As Briar continued rejoicing in her scientific reverie, the mysterious object inside her trunk started slowly absorbing the Terastal energy from the crystals around it.

“I. Will. Fulfill. My. Desire. No. Matter. What!”

To be continued in Part 2: Fated Clash Beyond the Indigo Disk