All those Anipoke news, I'm so happy and sad at the same time, words seriously can't describe it, geez.


"Dear diary, it's Penny again... been a while, huh? Guess I should tell you what I'm doing, Bombirdier is taking me to the Schedar Base, apparently Team Star is holding a big reunion and the Academy is worried that they could be doing something harmful, but I know they wouldn't... Team Star... I've already written this a lot of times, but I feel like I should do it again... I am the founder of Team Star, it was back when me and my friends got bullied a lot in the Academy, we started the team two and half years ago and they made me the leader since it was more or less my idea to form it, at first it was some kind of bullying support group, we called it 'The Anti-Terrorism Squad', I know, a bit exaggerated, but ongoing bullying definitely feels like terrorism to those experiencing it, it was rather simple, we warned each other about which stairwells and bathrooms to avoid on any given day, we walked with each other to and from school. That kind of thing, we just wanted to protect ourselves and it kinda worked for a few weeks, but then the bullies somehow found out, they just wouldn't stop, the situation just worsened and one day Mela was..."

"It was enough, we had enough, we knew the teachers weren't going to help us so we organized ourselves to confront the bullies, Eri helped us train our Pokemon, Atticus made outfits for the other bosses, Ortega made the Starmobiles, Giacomo made a soundtrack... which wasn't that important, but at least he did his part, I hacked all of the bullies' phones and sent them a message for them to be in the courtyard at night, we then confronted the bullies and it was massive chaos but no one got seriously injured in the end, the bullies escaped and then they started dropping out from the Academy, saying they were scared of Team Star, that we attacked them without reason, that we had been bullied them... and everyone believed them... we ended up being the villains in everyone's eyes..."

"I went with Director Harrington and I tried to explain him that we were just defending ourselves and that I was going to take full responsibility for everything, but he didn't fully agree with the idea, he said that he was going to 'investigate' about the truth of what happened, meanwhile he sent me back to my home in Galar to study abroad... the day before I left, I asked the bosses to disband the Team, telling them that now that the bullies were gone they could start over, they were all shocked and I had to leave so I never got an answer... and we never talked to each other while I was in Galar..."

"When I returned after a year, I found out that Team Star was still active, their numbers and the negative rumors about them just kept increasing, the Director didn't do anything at all… or maybe he only did what was the most convenient for him… I asked the bosses to have a meeting with them and when we did... yes, I once again tried to convince them to disband the Team Star and I told them that I was leaving the team for good... of course they didn't accept either of the ideas, they asked me to join them again, but I declined... all I could was leave..."

"I tried to move on, I tried to go back to the Naranja Academy and it worked for some time, since Team Star was kept secret before the incident and all of the school staff was new, no one knew I was a member of them since I was sent abroad, but it wasn't the same without my friends, I waited day after day to see them in school again, but that never happened, I started skipping school more and more and... some time later I met with Ash... and I still find myself unable to tell him anything about all this… I was going to try and ask him to fight the bosses in official battles so they would be forced to give him their badges and resign their positions, tosave them from being expelled for their actions, but that could have risen some suspicions from our traveling group, not to mention any of the bosses could tell Ash the truth about me, no, I can't let that happen, I'll explain him when I'm ready…"


Naranja Academy, Mesagoza, Paldea.

"Dendra confessed to Ash before any of us could!" Iono shouted while she was in Nemona's room, both of them now wearing Team Star outfits. "Nemo, what are we supposed to do?! What if she makes him develop a mommy fetish?! We can't compete with that! Her boobs are so big! ...I mean, yours are not that small, but Penny are I are pretty flat... hey, Nemo, are you listening?"

"...Ah? Y-Yeah, sorry, I'm just thinking about what Penny said." Nemona answered. "I mean, she's kinda right, Team Star have never been a huge deal, but I guess we don't lose anything by going to check... though I still wonder why she defended them like that, considering they've cause us some trouble before."

"Wait, uh, you don't know?" Iono asked.

"Don't know what?" Nemona asked.

"About Penny and..." Iono thought for a second before looking away. "Uh, nothing… hey, shouldn't we leave already?

"Guess we should, Ash and Miss Dendra must be waiting for us outside the Academy." Nemona answered. "Let's get going."

'So Nemona doesn't know either.' Iono thought. 'I didn't mention it because I knew Penny's secret was important to her, but... the things I read in her diary...'

"Something in your head?" Nemona asked.

"N-NO! Of course not!" Iono giggled nervously. "I'm just, you know, thinking about the whole situation with Dendra."

"Yeah, I suppose we should confess to Ash too, right?" Nemona asked.

"Sure, but let's wait until this thing is over." Iono replied. "Even then, Nemo, which one of us do you think Ash will choose?"

"I'm not sure, you know Ash won't tell us who's his favorite."

"Well, he explicitly said he didn't have a favorite." Iono replied.

"But he also said that he liked us all." Nemona said. "If that's the case... he surely wouldn't want to hurt out feelings, so I guess the most likely outcome is that he'll reject us three and we'll all simply stay as friends."

"Not necessarily..." Iono trailed off. "You know Ash could have one more option."

"You don't mean..." Nemona simply covered her mouth as she blushed. "H-How would that even work?"

"Well, it all started out as a joke from my fans, but the more I think about it..." Iono smiled to then sigh. "Listen, this a very big decision, so let's wait until we can talk it out with Penny, fine?"

"O-Of course." Nemona stuttered.


Meanwhile with Ash and Dendra.

"Hey, kid, do you mind if I ask you a question?" Dendra said in the entrance of the Academy, both Ash and her also wearing Team Star uniforms.

"Uh, it's about that date you mentioned?" Ash asked.

"...Let's leave that for another day." Dendra replied blushing. "No, it's not that, it's about you, about what you're doing right now, I mean, you're the World Champion, why are you challenging Gyms here in Paldea?"

"Well, you know, I just wanted to keep exploring, seeing new things, meeting new people and Pokemon." Ash answered. "I don't like to stay still in one place."

"That's what you say, but...your face says something else." Dendra said. "And that still sounds like a bit of a downgrade, I mean, you defeated Steven, Cynthia and Leon, you became the strongest trainer in the world, only to start from scratch in another region with a new Pokemon team? Why?"

"Well, to be honest..." Ash stood silent for a moment until he let out a heavy sigh. "I've already explained this to Penny, Nemona and Iono so I guess it's fair to tell you too... truth is that since the Masters 8 ended I've been feeling... odd... I'm confused, I'm wondering what I'm supposed to do next, everyone says that I'm the best trainer in the world now, and well, my dream was to become a Pokemon Master, but I feel like I still have so much more to learn before I get to be that... and these last years made me realize that at the end of the day both of those titles are, well, titles, nothing more than that, they don't really define what I am... right?"

"I see... so you're having a bit of an existential crisis." Dendra said.

"Not only that, but I also feel like being a World Champion is already too much for me, like, I have never been that much fan of 'being famous', sure, I don't mind doing interviews with Iono, but that's because it's just the two of us, being surrounded in a studio with people and a 'professional' asking me private questions is quite different, going to events day after day, stuff like that... guess you can say I'm running away from my responsibilities."

"You're being too hard on yourself, kid." Dendra replied. "You're still quite young, it's perfectly normal that all those things confuse you so much... but even then, first you became the Alolan Champion, then the World Champion, and since you're taking on the Paldean Gyms, what will happen if, or rather, when you become champion-rank here? Or even Top champion? Will you just reset again and keep hoping from region to region until you're 50?"

"I honestly don't know... maybe I should just take a break from travelling altogether." Ash sighed.

"Just take it easy, kid." Dendra put a hand over his shoulder. "Listen, you need to stop trying to push yourself, I told you, if you're not ready for those things yet that's nothing to be embarrassed about, everyone has struggles, that's what makes us humans, best you can do is listen to your heart and simply do what you feel it's the best for you."

"...Thanks a lot, Miss Dendra." Ash smiled at her.

"Geez, you can just call me Dendra, don't make feel so old." She replied blushing again.

"Only if you stop calling me kid." Ash replied.

"I guess that's fair." She smiled as well. "Ash."

"Very well, Dendra." He winked and caused her to giggle.

"We're ready, guys!" Iono shouted walking to them alongside Nemona.

"Are we good to go?" Nemona asked.

"I'm ready if you are." Dendra looked at Ash.

"Then let's move." Ash answered. "...Or maybe we should go to Penny's room and try to convince her to come with us?"

"N-No, Ash, I think we should let her be, you know?" Iono asked rather nervous. 'I honestly have a feeling she's not even there.' She thought.

"Guess you're right, wouldn't want to push her if she doesn't want to." Ash said. "We'll just tell her everything that happened once we're back."


Schedar's Squad Base, Area 1.

"Very well, guys, the code has been officially changed." Giacomo said to the other Team Star bosses, the five of them were sitting in a round table with a few papers on top of it. "Not that I'm too happy about that, but situation changes."

"And with 'situation', you mean Ash Ketchum, correct?" Ortega asked. "And the fact he beat you AND beat Mela three times no less."

"That's not gonna happen again." Mela said holding a Net Ball. "Not now that we got our little friend."

"Even then, the only reason why you two are still bosses is because Ketchum wasn't aware of the condition that forced us to hand over our badges and positions if we were defeated." Atticus answered. "Thought I do wonder why didn't she say anything about it."

"Not only that, but I'm still surprised that she straight-up fought against you, guys." Eri said. "I mean, she does know we're all still friends, right?"

"She honestly seemed to be hesitating a bit." Giacomo said. "But when Ketchum asked for help she joined him in an instant."

"My bet is that she hasn't told Ketchum about her relationship with us." Ortega said. "She must be making a facade for him."

"If that's true then you two could have busted out her masquerade." Atticus asked. "You could have simply told Ash the truth about her."

"Well, I didn't know he didn't know." Giacomo said. "And we didn't even talk to her, you know Mela has gotten really sensitive-"

"I'M NOT SENSITIVE!" Mela shouted slamming her fist into the table. "I just thought it wasn't worth it, besides, she has been traveling with him for a while and she would obviously defend herself, Ketchum would have no reason to believe us."

"I really don't like the way things have turned out." Eri said. "Now she's acting like she doesn't know us because of Ash?"

"That was her choice, girl." Giacomo said. "No use wasting tears on her."

"Guess our dear Cassiopeia decided she had become too important, so now she only hangs out with the World Champion instead of her true friends." Mela said. "Or well, former friends."

"Mellie..." Eri sighed.

"Nevermind that, all of our Grunts are here as we accorded." Ortega said. "Shall we announce them the plan?"

"Of course we will." Mela said standing up.

"Are we totally sure about this though?" Eri asked. "You saw how much damage that thing caused."

"And it's exactly because of that that we're gonna use him, Eri." Mela smirked. "We need all the damage possible."

"Even then, it could get out of control." Eri insited. "And guys... I still think this is a bad idea. This definitely feels like a no-return point, if we do this, people will never stop fearing us."

"We can't control their fear, my lady." Atticus replied. "Only our own."

"Uh, excuse me, Bosses." A grunt walked in their room.

"What's the matter, Carmen?" Eri asked.

"She, uh... the Big Boss is here." She answered surprising the five of them.

"Speak of the devil." Atticus said.

"So she shows up her face again." Ortega said.

"What should we do?" Giacomo asked.

"Well, let her in, of course." Eri replied.

"After all that we just talked about?" Ortega asked.

"We still owe her respect despite everything." Atticus replied. "None of us would be here if it wasn't for her."

"...Tell her to come in." Mela said. "We can do that at much."

"Understood." Carmen nodded and left the room only to return some seconds later accompanied by Penny, whild the five bosses looked at her in silence.

"...Carmen, leaves us alone." Mela said.

"Uh, s-sure, hasta la vistar." She made their salute rather nervous and left the room.

"It's been a while, guys." Penny smiled at them finally breaking the silence. "Glad to see you all again."

"Penny!" Eri exclaimed to then go and hug her. "I'm so happy to see you again! It's been ages!"

"E-E-Eri, my bones." Penny stuggled to talk.

"Oh, right, sorry." She answered letting go off Penny.

"My lady." atticus took a bow at her. "It's a pleasure to be graced by your presence again."

"Glad to see you didn't change either." Penny smiled again. "Momo, Ortie, Mellie, guys."

"You got some nerve showing up here again, Cassiopeia..." Mela said.

"You know you guys don't have to call me that anymore." Penny answered.

"Cassie, Penny, whatever, I don't really care." Mela replied.

"What brings you here?" Giacomo asked.

"Or rather, what do you want?" Ortega asked.

"Director Clavell heard about your reunion and is going to send a group to find out what it'll be about." Penny replied.

"So you came to warn us?" Eri said hugging her again. "That means you still care about us!"

"O-Of course I still care about you guys." Penny said. "But I mean, it's not like it's a warning, the people they're sending aren't dangerous at all and you... you're not doing anything harmful, right?"

"Yeah, uh... harmful." Ortega coughed.

"What... what is this reunion all about?" Penny asked.

"Should we tell her?" Giacomo asked.

"Tell me what?"

"That depends, can we trust you?" Ortega asked.

"She did come and warn us." Atticus replied. "I imagine we should."

"Well, I say we shouldn't." Mela replied and walked towards Penny until she was face to face with her. "In case you forgot, Penny, you abandoned us some time ago, you're not part of Team Star anymore, wasn't that what you wanted?"

"Come on, Mellie, she's still our founder." Eri replied. "What about the times when we were back in the squad? We all relied so much in Penny."

"That doesn't change what happened later, what you did." Mela answered pointing at Penny. "You really thought we'd follow you into disbanding Team Star?"

"There's no more need for this. The bullies have been gone for a long time now." Penny said.

"So you haven't heard the news?" Atticus asked.

"What news?" Penny asked.

"How many times do we need to say that we don't have to tell you anything?" Mela asked.

"I'm being serious here, guys." Penny continued. "You can't just keep skipping school, everyone's scared of you, there's rumors running around, Director Clavell even think you guys could do something against the school."

"Heh, until he has somethig right in his mind." Mela smirked.

"Mela... please tell me he's wrong." Penny said.

"Listen, Penny, Team Star is way more than a support group now." Eri said. "We're all a family, us and all of our grunts, even you, you can't just ask us to disband a family like it doesn't matter."

"Which is why we all agreed to changed the code." Ortega said. "Now none of us are forced to give up our positions as bosses if we're ever defeated."

"So you did that.." Penny sighed. "I actually was going to tell Ash about that rule to see if I could make you all stand down."

"What?! B-But Penny!" Eri shouted.

"So you were even willing to try and force us out?" Atticus asked. "How dare you?"

"I'm just thinking about your future!" Penny shouted. "You can't just keep doing this forever! You've been skipping school for over a year now! It's a miracle that Director Clavell hasn't expulsed you yet!"

"Great, now you're sounding like my mom." Giacomo complained.

"Don't speak like you're some kind of angel, Penny." Mela said. "Who was the one who pushed us to form the Anti-terrorism squad in the first place? Wasn't that you?"

"Y-Yes, but-"

"Listen, we're NOT going to disband Team Star." Mela interrupted. "It doesn't matter what you, Ketchum or anyone else in that stupid academy thinks, so out of the way!" Mela pushed Penny to the floor and left the room being followed by Giacomo and Ortega while Eri and Atticus stayed to help Penny stand up.

"She didn't hurt you, did she?" Eri asked.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Penny replied.

"You'll have to excuse her, my lady." Atticus said. "You know she's always been hot-tempered and since she took over most of you duties after you left, it only has gotten worse."

"Don't say it like that, Mellie just wants our family to stay together." Eri said. "Penny... where you really going to use Ash to force us out of the team?"

"Yes, I was, but like I told you, I only wanted to do it because I'm worried about you." Penny replied. "Ash is the best trainer I've ever seen so if guys hadn't changed the code it would have worked."

"And even then, knowing that we were all here in this spot, knowing that he could have challenged us in some kind of 'boss rush', you didn't bring him with you." Atticus said. "So our theories must be right, you've been keeping thy story with Team Star as a secret from him."

"I... yes, I haven't told him." Penny admitted.

"But why would you lie to him?" Eri asked. "You know people are scared of us, but if you explained Ash the truth about us then someone like him could spread the word and help us."

"I... I guess I haven't thought about that." Penny sighed. "But by now, it's been so long since I met him, if he finds out I've been hiding something like that from him... I don't want to lose Ash's trust."

"It's seems like Cassiopeia is ashamed of her past with us." Atticus said crossing his arms.

"W-What?! No! Atticus, I could never!" Penny shouted.

"Eri, I fear is about time we leave." Atticus said to then abandon the room as well. "Our people are waiting, the announcement must be done with all five of us there."

"Just what is that announcement about?" Penny asked.

"If you really want to know... best way is that you go and see it yourself." Eri said. "Penny... are you really ashamed of us?"

"Of course not, but... we have to grow up, guys." Penny replied.

"I see..." Eri clenched her fists for a moment as she looked at Penny. "I see you've changed, can't say I blame you, no one stays the same after a year of overseas studies... but why do you think we haven't gone to school in more than a year too? We were waiting for you, we welcomed you with open arms and the first thing you say once you're back is that Team Star should disband?! And now- and now you're even fighting against us! All because you met Ash and he's suddenly more important to you than all the memories we had together?!"

"Eri, Calm down!" Penny shouted.

"DON'T YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" Eri shouted slamming her first into the wall and leaving a big crack on it, a few tears then came out of her eyes and her face paint started to wash out. "Oh, that's just perfect." Eri pulled out a white cloth and fully cleaned her face to then look directly at Penny. "I... for a second, when I saw you walking in some minuted ago, I thought that you changed your mind." She said while her ters continued to flow out. "I-I-I thought that you were gonna come back with us... you just don't know how much it hurts ALL OF US to see you of all people trying to pull us apart... I thought... I thought that Mela's idea was too extreme, I thought there could be another way, but Atticus and I lost the voting 2 to 3, maybe if you were you could have done something about it."

"Mela's idea?" Penny asked.

"It's all because of that stupid school, those stupid teachers who never did anything about it... and after seeing what happened to you..." Eri clenched her fists again and quicklh cleaned her tears. "Guess Mela is right, guess it has to be this way... I won't tell you the plan, but you can stay and watch the announcement, then you're going to leave and you better don't show up your face here or in any of our bases ever again! And if you and your boyfriend even try to stop us-!" Eri punched the wall and broke a hole onto it. "...You know perfectly what I'm going to do."

"Eri, what happened?!" Carmen shouted running back into the room. "I-I heard you screaming and then... oh..." She took off her glasses to look at the hole in the wall.

"Sorry about that, I lost my temper." Eri said to then leave the room.

"Uh, d-don't worry, I'll fix it, do you need help putting on your mask again?" Carmen asked running behind Eri while Penny was left with nothing but plenty of thoughts in her head.

"...What have I done?" She asked.


Meanwhile outside the base.

"So this is the place." Ash said while Dendra, Iono and Nemona were hiding behind some trees alongside him and Koraidon, who had given the group a ride to the base, with the four trainers still wearig Team Star outfits.

"What's the plan, captain?" Iono asked him.

"We'll simply get inside and blend in, don't do anything that could look suspicious." Ash answered. "We're only here to know why the bosses are holding this big reunion, let's try to not start a fight."

"Hold on a second there!" A voice shouted from behind them and the group turned around to see a man wearing an academy uniform and a big blonde wig. "How do you do, fellow kids?"

"Uh, Director Clavell?" Ash asked.

"Oh, I see you're confusing me with my dear friend, the Director." He answered. "My name's Clive, a normal student of the Academy, since you're a member short, Mr. Clavell personally asked me to join you in this investigation."

"Uh, Mr. Clavell-"

"Like I said, my name's Clive, please don't forget it." He interrupted Dendra. Ash and the girls then looked at each other in confusion for a moment.

"Well... welcome in, Clive." Ash said.

"I hereby thank you." Clive answered.

"Sure, so... here." Iono looked in her backpack and gave Clive another Team Star helmet. "You can use this to blend in if you're really coming with us."

"Interesting idea, but are you sure they'll let us in?" Clive asked putting on the helmet above his hair. "It can't be that easy."

"Hey! what are you doing here?!" A Grunt shouted after spotting them. "Come on in, the bosses will make their announcement in a minute."

"It was that easy." Dendra said.


A few moments later.

After being guided by the Grunt, Ash and his group were now in the middle of a crowd, apparently none of the Grunts suspected anything, Penny was also in a different spot between the crowd, but not her nor Ash's group had noticed each other presences, meanwhile, Mela, Ortega, Giacomo and Atticus were all standing in a stage in front of the group of Grunts, until Eri finally walked into the stage as well, now with her face paint done again.

"Thanks for coming, everyone." Mela said to the Grunts. "I think it's been enough mistery, the reason we asked you all to come here, is this little orange envelope and what's inside it. I'd like to read this to all of you."

"That's a school notice from the Naranja Academy, isn't it?" Nemona asked.

"Looks like it." Dendra replied.

"Dear students." Mela started reading the letter. "This is a special message from the Naranja Academy, now that's it been almost two years since the incident, it seems like perfect moment to tell you that we're terribly sorry that the villanous Team Star forced you to drop out from our prestigious academy." She said earning a gasp from the crowd.

"Yeah, that's right." Giacomo said. "This letter was sent to each and every one of those dumbassess that we scared off."

"We know Team Star pestered you for months." Mela continued reading. "And that simply leaving was the best choice you had to escape from those savages."

"Well, quite the fancy words they're using." Ortega said to then grab the letter and continue to read. "That's why we'd like to offer you a chance to return to your studies in our Academy, we know that we failed to protect you from Team Star... pfft, I can't even read this nonense." Ortega then handed over the letter to Atticus who sighed before taking it.

"But have it be known that the Academy now has a completely new staff." Atticus continued. "They were informed of what happened and they'll make sure that none of you have to suffer from such threats again and we can assure you that this MENACE known as Team Star will be promptly dealt with and punished for what they shamelessly did to you, they'll all be expelled and rrested, we'll be waiting for your return... signed by Director Clavell."

"What in the heck was all that, Mr. Clavell?" Dendra asked.

"L-Like I said, my name is Clavell." He answered. "Er, I mean, Clive, but I can assure you that the Director had no idea of this, he couldn't have sent that letter… but then who sent it?"

"Well, isn't that just great?!" Mela shouted to the Grunts. "The bullies get an apology and they're all going to return to the Academy! Do you think that's fair?!"

"NO!" The crowd shouted.

"Do you think they changed?! Do you think they won't bully the other students anymore?!" Mela shouted again. "Do you think we should forgive them?!"

"NO!"

"Forgive them?" Ash asked.

"So the new staff knows what happened, huh?" Mela asked. "The idiots that were before them just told them the version that saved their asses, well, that's perfect." Mela tossed the Net Ball in the air and it released what appeared to be a Volcarona but far more large and apparently unable of flying since it landed straight into the stage to then roar, the Volcarona also was far more fuzzy and had four legs and a long tail.

"That's a very weird Volcarona." Iono said.

"Wait, Ash, don't you think that's one of the Pokemon the professors mentioned?" Nemona asked and they both looked at Koraidon who was looking surprised at the bug.

"Is that one of your friends?" Ash asked and Koraidon nodded.

"The professors?" Clive aske dlooking at both Pokemon. "Sada, Turo, what have you done?"

"Meet our little fella, we call it Strolcarona." Giacomo said to then laugh. "Get it? Cause he's a Volcarona, but it can't fly, so it goes for a stroll, hahahaha!"

"Yeah, we definitely need a better name." Mela said. "I've been thinking of... Slither Wing, that sounds way cooler. Point is, this big guy is gonna help us."

"We tried to talk to the teachers about the bullying many times." Eri finally talked. "We... we asked for their help, but they never listened."

"Well, people! I think it's about they hear us out, don't you think?!" Mela shouted.

"YES!"

"Mela, what are you doing?" Penny asked.

"We're gonna send the Academy a message that they'll never forget, a message that they won't ignore." Mela said. "Those idiots bullied us for years and no one ever cared! And when we finally gathered the courage to stand up and fight back, the bullies are now the victims?! So they want to make us the villains? They want to treat us as the villains? They want to expell us! They want to arrest us?! Heh, not if we strike first! That Academy never gave us anything but suffering! So we're going to make our own school!"

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad." Nemona said.

"But a foundation has to be built on something." Mela smiled. "We're gonna burn down the Naranja Academy into nothing but an ugly black! WE'LL TURN THE WHOLE BUILDING TO CINDERS!" She shouted and Slither Wing roared again as the Grunts started to cheer.

"I take it back." Nemona said.

"We can't let that happen." Clive said.

"You don't say." Iono replied.

"Miss Dendra, the things that they said…"

"I honestly don't know, Ash." Dendra said. "I'm part of that new staff, they told us that Team Star were the bullies."

"I also didn't get any details." Nemona said. "According to the student council, it was something not worth to bringing up."

"So they all just swept it under the rug?" Iono asked.

"But what exactly did they sweep?" Ash asked.

"Looks like we'll have to find out." Clive said. "But first, we have to try and put a peaceful ending to all this."

"We'll break down that corrupt school and rebuilt it in what it should have been since the start!" Mela continued. "A safe place where no kid has to be hurt, where no girl is going to be... left behind... but we'll have time to rebuild tomorrow, tonight, we strike."

"GIAAAAAS!" Koraidon roared getting the attention of the crowd and the bosses, including Penny who recognized the group despite their outfits and quickly hid away from them.

"Vraahhbrbrbr!" Slither Wing roared as well and attacked with a Hyper Beam.

"Skeledirge!" Ash released the Fire croc who took the hit and recieved no damage thanks to his Ghost typing.

"Hey, what? I thought Koraidon was its leader or something, why did it attack him?" Iono asked.

"Maybe because Koraidon doesn't have access to his full form right now." Nemona replied.

"Well, well, well, looks like our special guests did arrive after all." Mela smiled.

"So the group that she mentioned..." Atticus trailed off.

"Why don't you just show yourselves and save us the trouble?" Ortega asked.

"Guess there's no use in hiding anymore." Dendra was the first to take off the helmet and was followed by the rest of the group, with Ash taking a step forwards as the Grunts surrounded them.

"Speak of the devil 2.0, huh?" Giacomo asked.

"So this is Ash Ketchum..." Eri said clenching her fists again.

"The villanious trench who was meant to be a danger to us." Atticus said.

"Welp, is always a pain in the ass to see you, Ketchum." Mela said. "You didn't have enough with stealing Charlos from me, did you?"

"Charlos decided to come with me because he wants me to stop you." Ash answered releasing Armarouge who set his eyes in Mela. "He knows this isn't what you want."

"Pfft, you have no idea of what we want." Mela smirked.

"I can see you all care for each other and I can tell you suffered." Ash answered. "But I can't let you do this."

"SHUT UP!" Eri shouted jumping from the stage and landing in front of the group, causing the ground to shake a little. "ASH KETCHUM! YOU'LL PAY FOR TAKING HER AWAY FROM US! I'M GONNA BEAT YOUR ASS LIKE A RILLABOOM DRUM!"

"Why a Rillaboom drum specifically?" Clive asked.

"Maybe because she looks like one." Nemona whispered.

"Hey! No body shaming!" Iono said.

"Take her away from you?" Ash asked. "What is going on in this place?"

"If you want to hurt him you'll have to get through me!" Dendra shouted.

"Alright, I'm flexible." Eri crackled her knuckles while the rest of the grunts released their Pokemon.

"And as you can imagine, Ketchum, we can't let you go now that you know the plan." Mela said as Slither Wing roared again.

"I-I have to help them." Penny stuttered. "But then they'd know the truth... and if I help them I'd be a fully-fledged traitor to Team Star... what am I supposed to do?"


And that's it! Let's see if the situation with Team Star can be resolved in the next chapter. 'All the other kids' sounds like a good title.

Who sent that letter?

Will we get a peaceful end?

Will Penny reveal her secret?

Will Mela and Eri join the harem -cough-

We'll see next time.


Here goes:

Part of the concept of this chapter and its title 'The Anti-Terrorism Squad' are based on the episode of the same title from Criminal Minds, which centered around bullied kids.

"If we do this, people will never stop fearing us." "We can't control their fear, my lady. Only our own." - Captain America: Civil War.

"How do you do, fellow kids?" - 30 Rock.

"It can't be that easy." "It was that easy." - Spider-Man: into the Spider-Verse

The name 'Strolcarona' for Slither Wing comes from Mandjtv.

"A foundation has to be built on something." - Man os Steel.

"We're gonna burn down the Naranja Academy into nothing but an ugly black!" - Lyrics from 'Echo' by Crusher-P.

"We'll break down that corrupt school and rebuilt it in what it should have been since the start!" - The Dark Knight rises.

Slither Wing's cry "Vraahhbrbrbr!" is the text from the Relic Castle's Volcarona's cry in the Unova games.

"I'M GONNA BEAT YOUR ASS LIKE A RILLABOOM DRUM!" - Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.

"If you want to hurt him you'll have to get through me!" "Alright, I'm flexible." - Enchanted.


This will probably be the last you hear of me this year, I've been real busy, way too busy to focus in the longer chapters that Fighting Dreamers has, I'll read you guys later. Take care.