"Elo, Dragon Pulse!"
As Nozomi's Altaria blasted a beam of draconic energy at one of the Unfezant they were fighting, the sounds of Swan Lake's theme floated out from Mizore's oboe. Instantly understanding the message, her Swanna Pyotr launched a Hydro Pump at the other Unfezant, knocking it out of the air. However, it plummeted directly into the path of Elo's Dragon Pulse, unwittingly intercepting the attack meant for its teammate.
"Tch. Who knew that such sloppy coordination-" one of Nozomi and Mizore's opponents commented out loud. As they were fighting a pair of twins, it was difficult for Nozomi and Mizore to figure out who was who. With the only exception being that one of them wore a grey blazer on top of their dress, the duo were virtually indiscernible from each other. That remark had come from the non-blazered twin.
"-could've led to my Unfezant fainting?" Blazer finished. Befitting their status as siblings, the twins' teamwork was top notch. Though Mizore was a prodigious battler by any measure, how good the twins were at anticipating each other's maneuvers and acting accordingly was keeping her on edge. Nozomi fighting alongside her didn't seem to help much with this. "But still-"
"-that's going to be your downfall! Brave Bird!" Cloaking itself in off-white light, Non-blazer's Unfezant charged straight at Pyotr, aiming to deal some serious damage at close range. Playing Saint-Saëns' Le Cygne on her oboe, Mizore was planning on blowing her opponent's Unfezant away with a powerful Hurricane. Unfortunately, Nozomi seemed to have misread her intentions.
"Elo, block that Brave Bird!" Wanting to protect Pyotr from the powerful attack, Nozomi's sacrificial ploy had several unintended consequences. As he spread his wings out in front of Pyotr, Elo was right in the middle of both attacks, and he took both friendly and unfriendly damage head-on. The speed boost provided by Pyotr's Hurricane also propelled Elo forward, causing him to collide with the remaining Unfezant.
"We lost…" Recalling her Unfezant as it dropped down from above like a Rock-type, Non-blazer looked longingly at the sky. Despite the twins' best efforts, their opponents were simply more powerful than them. Not even their superior coordination was enough to turn the tide. Stepping forwards, Non-blazer extended out a hand to Nozomi. "Congrats on winning. You fought well."
"Likewise." Shaking Non-blazer's hand, Nozomi noticed that Blazer was standing all alone a short distance away, just like Mizore. Based on their similar facial expressions, it seemed they both weren't the social type. Mentally shrugging at that random observation, it didn't take long for Nozomi's mind to return to the conversation. "Wait, I didn't catch your names the first time. Where did you say you were from?"
"I'm Mion Saijou, and she's my 'older' sister Kanon Saijou." Surprisingly, it was Blazer- no, Mion who spoke from the back. Though her voice sounded softer than her sister's, it still carried the same cool tone. With Kanon only smiling in response, Nozomi briefly wondered if this was some sort of twin telepathy thing. "We're from the Rikka Battle Institute."
"Oh, that explains the uniforms." Noticing that the twins were both wearing Rikka's signature pale-blue dresses with white highlights, Nozomi was surprised she didn't notice that sooner. Seeing as how the design was so recognizable, it seemed that the twins immediately challenging Mizore and her to a battle had drawn Nozomi's attention away from what they were wearing. "Anyways, it was nice meeting you."
"You too-" Kanon's reply was abruptly cut short by the sound of a phone vibrating. Quickly glancing to see if it was her own, Nozomi then got her answer when Kanon took hers out instead. Knowing that the ensuing conversation wouldn't hold any relevance to her, it didn't take much effort for Nozomi to drone it out and focus on other things in the vicinity instead.
"Sorry about that sudden interruption, but we've gotta go. Boss lady said so." Sending out an Elgyem from a Pokéball, Kanon motioned for Mion to come over as they held onto each other. The distance separating the twins being much closer than what would normally be expected with siblings, the last Nozomi saw of them was Mion waving a small goodbye. "See you!"
"Bye!" Returning the farewell as Kanon and Mion disappeared from sight, Nozomi's attention then shifted back to Mizore. Having not said anything even once during Nozomi's conversation with the twins, it seemed that Mizore had completely concealed her presence. To Nozomi's surprise, she was just idly playing around with her Qwilfish Fugue during that time.
For some reason, seeing Mizore doing something so mundane like that entranced Nozomi. She didn't know what made it so captivating, but these little actions somehow exhibited Mizore's personality more than anything else. Perhaps it was because Mizore wasn't that good with words, which made what she did the chief indicator of her feelings. At least that was what Nozomi thought.
"Ohmigosh! That battle was so awesome!" Out of nowhere, a new voice emerged behind Mizore. Looking in that direction, Nozomi saw a girl several years younger than her standing behind her friend's back. With a Staraptor perching on her shoulder, the girl looked vaguely familiar to Nozomi, though she couldn't place where that memory was from. "The way your Altaria swooped in to block that Brave Bird was so cool!"
"Uhh, thanks?" Upon realizing the girl was addressing her, Nozomi didn't know how exactly to respond. She had rarely received such overt praise from someone else before, and seeing this level of admiration from someone younger made Nozomi a bit embarrassed. To her, it felt like she was a celebrity suddenly being greeted by her biggest fan. "Were you watching us battle just now?"
"Yup, and not only back there. I've been following all your battles since the Double Battle tournament in Edian City!" The girl excitedly exclaimed, surprising Nozomi. Who was she? As the finer details of the girl's face seemed to mysteriously elude Nozomi's gaze every time, there were no potential answers to be found there. "Well, at least the few I could find online. You're like, the best Trainer ever!"
"Ehh… what?" There wasn't any possible way Nozomi could reply to that. Forget admiration, this was full-on hero worship. However, Nozomi didn't seem to be bothered by that as much as she expected. In fact, she found the praise being heaped on her quite pleasing. "Nevermind. How about we get the introductions out of the way first. My name's Nozomi Kasaki, and my friend's is Mizore Yoroizuka. What's yours?"
"Uh, Takasaki…" That name appeared to ring a bell in Nozomi's mind, but whatever memories it conjured up quickly faded from her consciousness. Did she really never meet this girl before? If so, then this was most definitely a case of déjà vu. "Nah, I've got a feeling that name's too common, so just call me Taka instead. I'm not somebody famous or anything, so I don't want you to get confused."
"Well then, nice to meet you, Taka." Shaking her hand, Nozomi could feel the enthusiasm coming from the younger girl, but there was something else mixed in as well. Noticing a book sandwiched between Taka's body and her other arm, it was natural that Nozomi's eyes were drawn to that oddity. "What's that book you've got there? Can I take a look at it?"
"Sure! It's called Liz and the Blue Bird, and it's my favourite book! They even made a movie out of it!" The mere mention of the book's name by Taka instantly struck a chord inside Nozomi. Of all the people she would meet today, one of them just so happened to share her preference in children's literature. What a blessed coincidence. "You should watch it!"
"Oh, I also really like the book too!" While finding out they shared something in common with each other was a boon for Nozomi, she couldn't help but wonder why Taka was carrying that book around. As they were currently in a field between towns, there didn't seem to be any libraries nearby. "Speaking of which, why are you carrying it around here? Aren't you afraid the book will get dirty?"
"Nope, not at all. I'm trying to find the Legendary Pokémon depicted in Liz." Taka shook her head before continuing to speak, but what she just said surprised Nozomi. "While everyone knows the book tells the story of a young girl meeting a Swablu who transformed into a human girl, it's actually based on a legend about an encounter between Lugia and Ho-oh. See? It even says so in the afterword."
"Can I have a look?" Taking the book from Taka's hands, Nozomi flipped past the beautiful watercolour illustrations until she reached the last pages of the book. In contrast to the vibrant pages Nozomi skipped, the final piece of paper her hands rested on solely consisted of black words on a simple white background. Scanning through its content, Nozomi read out the highlights.
"The tale of Liz and the Blue Bird is inspired by an ancient fable depicting Lugia and Ho-oh." Nozomi recited. "If the melody as shown below is played before Cage Waterfall in the Octiva region, the blue bird of legend will be summoned. After it appears, the blue bird will seek to reunite with the one it separated from, and it will stop at nothing to do so."
"Don't you think that's an interesting story?" Taka chimed in once Nozomi finished. "According to some further research I did, Ho-oh is sometimes said to be a 'blue bird' in legends for whatever reason. That's why I'm here in the first place: we're only a few hundred meters away from Cage Waterfall, so I want to play the piece and summon Ho-oh! I want to see just how beautiful it is!"
"Um, if you're planning to summon Ho-oh, what instrument are you playing?" Nozomi asked Taka. Though she only carried a small backpack with her, that didn't narrow down the possible answers much if at all. Nozomi had seen tiny bags which could fit improbably large objects without deforming before, so there was no telling what Taka was packing inside there.
"I thought about bringing other instruments, but I thought an ocarina would be the most fitting." Taking out a strangely-shaped clay flute from her bag, Taka showed it to Nozomi and Mizore. "I've heard stories about shrine maidens in the Orange Islands playing an ocarina to summon Lugia in times of crisis, so it should make sense that one be used to summon Ho-oh as well."
"Huh. I've heard of that story before. Was it in a movie or something?" Nozomi mused, her mind grasping at faint straws of long-forgotten memories. "Anyways, if you're really heading to Cage Waterfall, good luck. I've never been there myself, but it's said to be one of the most beautiful places in the region alongside Crescent Moon Lake. If Ho-oh truly resides there, I can only imagine how magnificent it looks."
"Um, I think you're underselling yourself here, Ms. Nozomi." Taka's gaze shifted to the ground as she prepared to speak her mind. "The truth is, meeting you and Ms. Mizore in this place really was a stroke of luck, but I think there's a reason we're all here. While this is the first time we've seen each other, I've got a request for both of you. Could you accompany me to Cage Waterfall so we can see Ho-oh together?"
"But… why?" Nozomi questioned out loud. She wasn't Taka's closest friend or anything, so there couldn't be any reason the younger girl would ask her this out of the blue. Or was there? Confounded by what Taka said to her, Nozomi didn't know how to respond. With her knowing next to nothing about Taka at all, there wasn't much Nozomi could work with.
"I can see only one obvious reason." Hearing Mizore's quiet voice speak up next to her, this surprised Nozomi more than anything else that happened today. As Mizore wasn't the type to normally say something during discussions, the mere fact that she contributed to the conversation caught Nozomi off-guard. "Miss Taka wants us to join her. It's as simple as that."
"...Ah." Slightly tilted by Mizore's relatively mundane answer, Nozomi didn't have much to say after that. Since Mizore was unhindered by the complex web of social cues and ties burdening Nozomi's judgement, she swiftly got to the point of what Taka was saying. Nozomi nearly kicked herself on the spot for not understanding the underlying message. "Well then, since Mizore and I don't have anything else to do, let's get going!"
"Wow, I can't believe how beautiful this looks! It feels like we're in paradise!"
Marvelling at the sight in front of her, Nozomi was awestruck at just how magnificent Cage Waterfall was. The mounds of water gushing off a cliff created a misty rainbow at its bottom, before pooling into a medium-sized lake that drained into a flowing river further down below. Surrounding the lake were a ring of large silver bells on wooden posts, which were tied together with thick red and white strings.
Right now, Nozomi, Mizore, and Taka were standing right before the lake. After walking the short distance from their previous location, the destination that greeted them was too breathtaking to ignore, so the three of them couldn't help but stare in awe for a few moments. It wasn't until a few quiet minutes had passed that Taka remembered what they came here for in the first place.
"Oh, that's right!" Taking the ocarina she brought out of her bag, Taka was about to step forward when something completely unexpected caught her eye. Right next to her, Mizore was almost finished with assembling her oboe. Staring in shock at how someone could have done that impossibly fast, it was only when Mizore looked right back at her that Taka snapped back to reality.
"...What?" Mizore blankly asked her. Unsure of how she should reply to such a short answer, Taka was left awkwardly standing there. As the silence continued to persist, Mizore got tired of it, so she glanced in Nozomi's direction. Though she simply wanted to ask Nozomi if they could play the blue bird's melody together, it was challenging for Mizore to get those words out of her throat.
"Eh? Mizore, is something the matter?" Curious as to why Mizore was gazing at her with that sort of expression on her face, Nozomi was dumbstruck. Just what was Mizore trying to tell her? Left with no idea of the intention behind Mizore's ambiguous actions, the relative lack of sound Nozomi previously heard had now been abruptly transferred to the conversation between them.
Seeing the tension surrounding Nozomi and Mizore, it was immediately obvious to Taka what their problem was. From her perspective as an outsider, the inability for Nozomi and Mizore to effectively communicate with each other was clear as day. With both of them teetering around each other without making much progress in their aims, there wasn't much Taka could do here. Except give them the push they needed.
"Um, Nozomi, do you play an instrument?" Judging by the way Mizore seemed to wait for Nozomi to do something, the most likely possibility was that she also had an instrument with her. Since Mizore most likely wouldn't have asked if it wasn't at least somewhat compatible with the tone of her oboe, Taka deduced it was most like a clarinet, piccolo, or flute.
"Oh, yeah! I forgot I had my flute with me! We could play the piece together!" As Nozomi took out her instrument's case from her bag and hastily assembled it, a sigh of relief being let out from Mizore's lips didn't escape Taka's notice. Based on that strange interaction she just saw, it appeared that despite being friends, an unnatural disjoint existed between Mizore and Nozomi. "Well then, let's get going!"
Placing her flute to her lips, Nozomi's actions only gained the attention of Mizore's eyes a few moments later, right as she was finishing the last of a series of runs on her oboe. Nearly flinching at how Nozomi suddenly started on short notice, Mizore scrambled to follow along as her fingers flew towards the right fingerings. Just why had Nozomi left her behind?
Surprised at Mizore's abrupt entry into the song, Nozomi's own playing faltered as well, having no idea how to adapt to this new presence. Though both of them were skillful musicians in their own right, the lack of synchronicity between them threw even their hardened musical instincts off-kilter. With how irregular the resulting melody sounded, Taka wondered if Ho-oh could still be summoned like this.
Eventually, Nozomi and Mizore managed to harmonize after multiple repetitions, as they looped back to the piece's beginning once they reached the end. Their notes were still audibly clashing with each other, but the sound produced by Nozomi and Mizore's instruments finally sounded coherent. As the simple duet repeated over and over, Taka basked in how pleasant it sounded, even in its imperfect state.
"Certain… elements of your duet appear dictated by the flawed nature of your bond. Nevertheless, it was marvelous enough to guarantee my arrival." Hearing a deep voice inside her head, Taka's first instinct was to look up as Nozomi and Mizore did the same. Did that crazy idea of hers really work? Eager to see a genuine Legendary Pokémon in-person, there was just one problem with Taka's hopes and dreams.
"Lu… Lugia?" How had this happened? They had played the piece exactly according to what the sheet music dictated. Nothing more, nothing less. Was there somehow a typo in the book's melody? Or was the information just plain wrong? Staring in disbelief at the wrong Legendary Pokémon, Nozomi and Mizore wondered just where they messed up. "Then… where's Ho-oh?"
"Ah, I see you assumed the 'blue bird' of legend would be my partner." That same booming voice echoed again. "I understand. Various legends have conflated my partner and the 'blue bird' together because of our dichotomy as a pair, when in fact said 'blue bird' refers to yours truly. The fact that blue skies are seen as a 'predecessor' to a rainbow must also further complicate matters."
"So do you know how to summon Ho-oh?" Taka asked Lugia. While this clearly wasn't the Legendary she had been expecting, there was still a possibility Lugia knew where their error occurred. As Ho-oh's counterpart, that would certainly make sense. "Since the ritual we performed successfully called you here, there must be something similar we could do for Ho-oh."
"There is. However, I will not reveal my secrets unless you defeat me in combat, as per tradition." As that booming voice faded one last time, Lugia's wings unfolded, creating a gust of wind which nearly knocked the trio over. Facing them with a determined glare once those air currents subsided, Lugia looked almost too eager to fight. "Have at thee, young ones!"
"Nao, Brave Bird!" Seeing Lugia rush forwards towards them, Taka's first instinct was to send out her own Staraptor, who immediately charged back in retaliation. However, just one cursory bat of Lugia's left wing was enough to swat Nao out of commission, causing the Staraptor to quickly careen off-course into a nearby tree. Seeing Taka rush over to Nao, Nozomi and Mizore couldn't just stand by.
"Elo, don't hide away!" Before Lugia could fire off another attack to finish Nao off, a Dragon Pulse from Elo managed to hit the Diving Pokémon on the side, followed up by a Hydro Pump from Pyotr. These twin blasts alerted Lugia to the new challengers approaching, and were responded to by a resounding roar. Now that Lugia's attention had been shifted away from Taka, it was time for Nozomi and Mizore to take the stage.
Playing Le Cygne on her oboe, Mizore prepared to have Pyotr launch a Hurricane at Lugia right as she saw the Diving Pokémon open its mouth. Recognizing the tiny sphere of air forming in front of Lugia's mouth as the powerful signature move Aeroblast, using another attack to counter it was the best option from Mizore's point of view. Until Nozomi had her own idea.
"Elo, Cotton Guard!" His fluffy wings increasing in size to form a barrier of pure softness, Elo positioned himself in front of Lugia to prevent Pyotr from getting hit. Since Nozomi knew that Mizore's raw power would be key in getting out of this unscathed, protecting Pyotr to make sure their chances of winning remained high was of tantamount importance. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to notice Pyotr's Hurricane.
"Nozomi!" Mizore exclaimed. Seeing Elo right in the way of both Lugia's Aeroblast and Pyotr's Hurricane, Mizore's first instinct was to warn her special one about the imminent calamity. However, she was only able to gain Nozomi's undivided attention with her words, and that lapse in comprehension caused a repeat of what happened during their earlier battle. This time, the stakes were far worse.
While the strength of Pyotr's Hurricane was unchanged, the other attack being Lugia's signature move kicked up the situation's intensity by many notches. Alarmed by what Nozomi's rash decision entailed for Elo, Mizore wanted to shout out another warning, but the words for that were lodged in her throat. As the scene continued to unfold. Mizore did the only thing she could.
Rapidly placing her oboe to her lips again, Mizore barely avoided cutting herself with its sharp reed before breathing in. Playing Swan Lake this time around, Pyotr shot his Trainer a look which mixed shock and aggravation as he quickly slowed then stopped beating his wings. Right as Pyotr's Hurricane ceased to exist, Lugia's Aeroblast finished charging, and the mighty pulse of wind was shot right at Elo.
Holding back a sigh of relief beginning to form in her mouth, Nozomi watched as Elo weathered the full-impact of Aeroblast head-on, all while Pyotr tried his best to maneuver around these strong winds. Despite the raw power of Aeroblast, especially with it being a direct hit, Elo's Cotton Guard was strong enough to prevent him being instantly knocked out. However, withstanding it left him severely exhausted.
Thanks to Elo's 'sacrifice', Pyotr was able to get into position without catching Lugia's attention, and charged up his Hydro Pump with little issue. About to fire it out, it was then that Lugia's fiery glare turned to Pyotr, who nearly flinched in quick response. Now that Lugia finished dealing with Elo for the time being, Pyotr had become the number-one target.
Though she knew this was inevitable, the calmness Mizore displayed in the face of such a tide-turning situation surprised even herself. Deducing this was most likely because she had complete confidence Pyotr could weather this storm, Mizore nearly let her guard down for the first time in this entire battle. However, Nozomi seemed to have other plans. "Elo, Perish Song!"
No. Of all the things Mizore expected her to do, the option Nozomi chose was the worst possible. The malevolent melody of Perish Song was enough to make any Pokémon faint within three minutes, Legendaries included. This would certainly knock Lugia out, but Mizore had other plans in mind which didn't require such self-destructive techniques or their own Pokémon being unable to battle.
Despite the time limit which Nozomi arbitrarily enforced on all parties involved, Mizore pressed on with her current plan. If everything went well, then there would still be hope. Right as Pyotr's Hydro Pump impacted Lugia's side, the Legendary Pokémon's attention quickly shifted away from Elo, having been drawn there by Perish Song in the first place. Without any hesitation, Lugia's second Aeroblast directly hit Pyotr.
This was truly the worst case scenario. While Mizore thought Pyotr had the raw power to directly contest Lugia, he wasn't bulky enough to tank multiple hits from the Diving Pokémon, and receiving that attack head-on had severely exhausted him. Trying to think of a way to win without Pyotr or Elo succumbing to Perish Song, Mizore's train of thought was soon interrupted.
"Wait!" Hearing a voice she didn't expect to burst in, looking over at where it came from revealed to Mizore that Taka was holding her book in hand, frantically leafing through the pages. "There's actually another page behind the page on how to summon the blue bird! It talks about how to call Liz once the blue bird has arrived, so they can reunite with each other again!"
"Say what?" Nozomi was puzzled by this new bit of information Taka offered, but soon put the pieces together. If Lugia was the 'blue bird', then that meant Ho-oh would most definitely be Liz. Seeing as Lugia's battle rampage didn't seem like it was going to stop until Perish Song fully took effect, and Nozomi wasn't sure if Pyotr and Elo could last that long, maybe this was the best way to end the battle. "How?"
"Well, the book says you need to ring the bells around Cage Lake in a clockwise order, starting from the one to the waterfall's right." Taka used her hand to indicate the bell she was talking about. "Since I don't think you or Miss Mizore could go around and do that with Lugia flying around, I was thinking about having your Pokémon do that instead. Would that be possible?"
"Sure, I'm down for it. Elo, go fly around and hit the bells with your wing-" Right as Nozomi gave out her order, she was shocked to discover Mizore had acted first, having already sent Pyotr to ring the bells. In all this confusion, Elo ended up in front of Pyotr, preventing him from flying any further. With this misunderstanding causing the two Flying-types to bicker, this made Pyotr and Elo a prime target for Lugia.
"No!" Nozomi exclaimed, but she knew it was too late. As Lugia's Aeroblast made its way towards Pyotr and Elo, it couldn't be any more obvious there wasn't any chance they could still be conscious after this. However, Nozomi's expectations were soon subverted when Mizore played the Galarian national anthem (something about Arceus protecting their queen), having Pyotr use Protect at the last second.
The translucent barrier also managing to shield Elo as well, Nozomi breathed yet another sigh of relief. Disaster had been prevented yet again. With Lugia's glare shifting away from Pyotr and Elo now that they couldn't be harmed, an unnerving sense of fear pervaded Nozomi's thoughts as she sensed it being directed towards Mizore and her. Then, one more sensation joined that.
"Nozomi!" As she was enveloped by a sudden glomp, Nozomi looked up to see Lugia swooping above, before her eyes shifted to what- no, who just hugged her. Being pressed against a post by that force, it nearly surprised Nozomi that Mizore was the one behind it. Initially confused at Mizore's actions, the gears began turning in Nozomi's mind until she thought of a potential reason for them.
Since Lugia wasn't interested in fighting Pyotr and Elo anymore, attention previously targeted towards them had settled on a new target next, that being Mizore and her. With Mizore spotting Lugia's incoming dive first, she would most likely move to get them out of the way. At least, that was what Nozomi thought, but Mizore remained clinging to her for far longer, even after Lugia had already passed.
"Mizore… why?" Nozomi was curious as to the reason Mizore continued to stay by her side. This clearly wasn't normal. As she heard the beating of Mizore's heart gradually increase in tempo, Nozomi's befuddlement could only increase in tandem. Feeling slightly uncomfortable by the awkwardness of all this, the urge to push her away grew stronger within Nozomi's mind, which Mizore's next words then challenged.
"Nozomi… don't let go." Mizore uttered out, which complicated the entire situation much more. Though Mizore was the one who wrapped her hands in an embrace first, Nozomi had also found her arms in that same position, tightly clutching her friend's waist. Wondering why Mizore said that at all, seeing Pyotr and Elo caught in the throes of inaction made Nozomi realize the truth.
Similar to how their Pokémon ended up, Mizore wanted to get closer with Nozomi, and had always followed her lead. Whether that was in battle or music, whatever Nozomi did would eventually result in Mizore joining in as well. However, because of her natural talent, Mizore ended up outshining Nozomi in both with little effort. This ironically caused Nozomi to prevent Mizore from leaving her behind.
"Mizore… I'm sorry, but I've got to do this." Knowing this was the right decision, Nozomi swiftly pushed Mizore away after freeing up her arms. Still, one pondering remained in her mind: Why hadn't Mizore let go of her own volition earlier? Even when she already freed Mizore from her shackles, Nozomi swore she could still see a look of reluctance on her face. Remembering the warmth of Mizore's body, it then hit Nozomi.
"Love…?" Nozomi breathed out that word, though it was only a miniscule fragment of the revelations coursing through her mind. Was that it? Were her true feelings the reason why Mizore hesitated to let go? If that was the case, then Nozomi had never felt more lost. As Mizore eloquently commanded Pyotr to ring the bells using her oboe, Nozomi could only stand there in a mixture of disbelief and admiration.
Just like she always had.
The resonant bells chiming out their melody across the waterfall, their sound was powerful enough to make even Lugia stop and listen. Ringing towards the sky, the odd serenity the bells offered jarred Nozomi's mind, causing her to remember she was currently in a battle. A battle she was on the verge of losing. If nothing changed in the next few moments, they were completely at Lugia's mercy. Thankfully, change did come.
Once the ringing subsided, everyone involved about to resume this climactic clash when something else caught their attention. With the silence that ensued, it was only natural that a sky-splitting shriek coming from above would be what enraptured their ears next. Her gaze being drawn up instinctively, the sight Nozomi saw instantly seared itself into her memory.
Multicolored wings of red, white, and green announced Ho-oh's arrival, which surrounded a white underbelly wreathed by a golden plumaged tail, ebony feet, and red feathers. The magnificent beak which had just let out such a sonorous cry was accompanied by a similarly-gilded headcrest, befitting a Legendary Pokémon. Awed by Ho-oh's presence, Nozomi found herself unable to speak.
"Ah, it seems I have been summoned. And right in the middle of a battle too." Hearing a booming voice in her head for the second time today, it was markedly different compared to Lugia's. Or at least that was what Nozomi assumed, as she was too occupied with processing this entire scenario. "Lugia, I assume you were fighting these two maidens here, and they called me here to quell this clash. Am I correct?"
"...Yes. I was afraid I got too engrossed in the battle to inform them how all this could be ended. Thankfully, they managed to figure it out themselves." Lugia seemed a bit embarrassed upon admitting that. Coming to a rest in midair, Lugia perched on a bell post as Ho-oh did the same, their huge frames somehow not crushing the tiny supports they were resting on. "My sincerest apologies about that error."
"It's fine. It was still an honor to battle with you nonetheless. I think I also learned a few things from this experience." Mizore's actions continuing to occupy Nozomi's mind, she just spoke without thinking at all. Even when facing two Legendaries, it was alluring to Nozomi how Mizore somehow found a way to captivate her far more than what she could presently see.
"...Thank you." Sounding relieved upon hearing Nozomi's reply, Lugia's wings flapped a few times in elation before they were nestled away again. With both Ho-oh and Lugia now gathered beneath the waterfall, Nozomi wanted to bask in the magnificence she was seeing. However, everything Mizore did still weighed on Nozomi's mind. "I appreciate that humans can see even we have fallacies as well."
"Excuse me, may I take a picture of you three, along with Ho-oh and Lugia?" As a new voice interrupted Nozomi's thoughts, she looked over to see a brown-haired teenage girl wearing a navy blue sailor fuku with white ribbon and highlights, who carried a small film camera in her hands. "It's rare that two Legendary Pokémon are in the same place, much less interacting with humans."
"Sure! I'd like to." Surprisingly, it was Taka who replied. Though she didn't know whether everyone else would approve, Taka still thought it was worth a shot. After all, opportunities like this didn't come every day. Once a few moments of awkward silence soon passed, Taka was overjoyed to see Ho-oh and Lugia give looks of approval, and she then looked over at Nozomi and Mizore to see if they would do the same.
"Alright then." Glancing over at Mizore, it initially didn't seem she was interested, but Nozomi made an effort to try and read further into her expression. Observing the miniscule motions of Mizore's face more closely, Nozomi then saw the tiniest hint of her lips being lifted up. Taking that hint for what it was, an answer prepared to leave Nozomi's mouth when Mizore's own reply cut it short.
"Of course. We would like to." Going over to where Taka was, Mizore's assertiveness caught Nozomi off-guard, causing her to merely follow along this time around. It seemed Mizore interpreted her former actions quite differently than what she expected, though Nozomi's guesses were as good as any. Getting into position along with Taka, Nozomi patiently waited as the girl snapped a few pictures.
"I'm done now. Thank you for your time." After she placed her camera back into her bag, the girl rummaged around in it for a few moments before taking out the photo she always carried by her side. Handing it for Nozomi, Mizore, and Taka to see, the girl asked her routine question yet again. "I'm looking for the girl in this picture. Have you seen her?"
"Wait, isn't that Kumiko?" Taking a second look at the photo to confirm her suspicions, Nozomi quickly concluded Natsuki's friend really was the person being depicted. Recalling what Natsuki mentioned to her nearly a month ago, it took little effort for Nozomi to muster up a short response. "She's a friend of my friend. Last I heard of her, she was off on a training trip somewhere far off."
"...Oh, I see. Thank you for your reply." Though she already knew the circumstances behind Kumiko's departure, the girl still felt a bit of catharsis after hearing the truth from someone else. "Anyways, that reminded me of some advice I was recently given. While friends come and go, it's always good to check up on those close to you every once in a while. That's how relationships stay strong over time."
"Especially considering the roles you will play in the coming future, Nozomi Kasaki, Mizore Yoroizuka." She thought to herself. "Though you have your own challenges to face, what you learn from them will also shape those around you for the better."
"Nozomi, why don't we invite Natsuki and Yuuko to my home later today? We haven't seen them in a while, and it may be good to connect with them a bit more."
"Ehh, this doesn't seem like you, Mizore. But whatever, I'm in!" Having parted ways with Taka, Ho-oh, Lugia, and the mysterious girl once they left Cage Waterfall, Nozomi and Mizore were currently heading down the mountain it was on. "Anyways, did you have something you wanted to talk with me about? It looked like there was something big on your mind when we were fighting Lugia. You know, when-"
"Maybe we should save that conversation for another time." Recalling how she suddenly hugged Nozomi for longer than she anticipated, Mizore could feel her cheeks heat up. The thoughts she held were far too important to reveal right now, especially in such a casual context. Still, Mizore knew she would one day need to face the reality in front of her. The reality of loving Nozomi Kasaki, and telling her so.
All the while, Nozomi was grappling with the exact same thoughts as well. Without both of them realizing it, their relationship had subtly taken one step forward.
"So, what have you remained here to tell us about?"
As Taka looked on from the sidelines, the mysterious girl from earlier prepared to address Ho-oh and Lugia. Bidding Nozomi and Mizore farewell a few moments earlier, Taka was about to depart as well, but her instincts persuaded her to stay and watch. Whatever was about to transpire didn't look normal, and how odd this entire situation was only intrigued Taka even further.
"It concerns certain events which I believe should garner your attention as Legendary Pokémon." Taking out many more photos than she was normally accustomed to, Mayu Kuroe briefly wondered if this was the right decision, but she knew there were few other ways to gain any advantages in this scenario. "The first event will happen sometime tomorrow. Allow me explain the details…"
A/N: For the final interlude chapter next week, we're going to explore what everyone else (aside from Kumiko and Reina) have been doing. Stay tuned for what direction this story will go in after that!