New day, new Momo. It was time to set out and try to make a name for herself. It was an easy trip back to Cortondo, with a triumphant breeze through the olive fields, and-

"Ow. Ow. Ow." Momo rubbed her head and waved her fist at her Bombirdier. "Come on, Alti! I thought we were friends now!"

Alti only squawked, then jabbed at Momo's head some more.

Momo wasn't sure what to expect when she decided to train up such a ruffian of a Pokémon. Even if the Bombirdier was back to a less than titanic size, Alti still seemed like she had a bone to pick with her. Momo was at least thankful it just resorted to annoyingly pecking at her instead of throwing pebbles. Maybe this was just how Bombirdier showed affection?

"Hola, Momo!" It was a good thing Nemona showed up, though her chipper smile in the face of Momo's struggles was less than reassuring. "Are you trying to catch your second team member now? About time! But silly girl, you're not supposed to fight Pokémon with your bare hands!"

"Ow. Oh hey Nemona." Momo flinched from another peck and waved at her. "This is… actually my second team member. She's just a bit cranky. And she keeps trying to nick my stuff. Do you know anything about how to make her not want to break my head open?"

"I'm a natural when it comes to training Pokémon! I used to have a Tauros that kept barreling into me for the same reason!" Nemona laughed proudly at that. "Your Bombirdier just wants to battle, of course! She just needs to let it all out in a good fight! Here, I'll help, we can even use the Cortondo battle court for this!"

"Well, if you say so! Ow."

Up the spiral staircase to the battle space, Momo kept getting pecked along the way, which was starting to get irritating. Thankfully, it wouldn't be much longer before she got to unleash it all, and in the thick of battle, her Bombirdier got to let loose that fury as well.

Momo and Alti may have had their rocky start, but through a thrilling battle with Nemona, they finally got to agree on a common foe. At last, Momo got to channel her Bombirdier's ferocious agility in all her surprisingly graceful splendor. She had no idea how Nemona did it, but she couldn't help but indulge in her competitive spirit and lose herself in the thrills of it all.

Ending the rival bout with her signature smirk and a flamboyant pose, Momo finished the fight off with her Bombirdier landing calmly by her side. Nemona gave her a glare, Momo glared back, and then the two broke into hearty laughter. It was as if they were back on the beach by Cabo Poco. Nemona even continued to praise Momo's tactics as she offered to treat her to some sandwiches as a victory meal.

"Buying premade sandwiches from Deli Cioso?" Momo sneered from her seat. "Let me guess, you're no good with making your own sandwiches either?"

"You could say me and Ms. Dendra are alike in that regard!" Nemona laughed as she passed Momo a plate. "I can never get those cookbook measurements right…"

"You and me both."

It had been a hot minute since Momo got to eat lunch with Nemona, so she appreciated the opportunity to sit down and talk with someone so excitable. She was still super supportive too, which was surprising since she thought they were supposed to be rivals and stuff. They spent a good while enjoying the brisk atmosphere of Cortondo, with Nemona giving Momo battle pointers and Pokémon raising tips. In return, Momo taught Nemona how to do sick hand movements to throw her ball in a cool way, which she greatly appreciated.

"Oooh, with these new moves, I'll be sure to get you next time, Momo!"

"Ohohoho! I'm ever looking forward to that, Nemona!"

Nemona only seemed to get giddier as the conversation went on, and as if she was building up speed over time, she felt compelled to dash off to train some more for their next bout. Momo was a bit surprised to see just how eager Nemona was to run off and away from her, but she just giggled and waved at her speeding rival. Nemona certainly loved her battles, and Momo did like indulging in the hype that spirit brought, so she was happy to see her again at least.

She then recalled Nemona's advice, which was to take on the Gyms to get the badges which would help plenty in getting stronger Pokémon. Momo wasn't going to say no to getting better at this Pokémon training thing, so she focused her determined gaze on the Cortondo Gym as she called her Bombirdier and her Crocalor to her side.

"Come on, Alti. Come on, Diego. Let's see if getting these Gym Badges is worth it."

"Oh yeah, so worth it…"

Victory may have been sweet, but cupcakes were sweeter. If Momo knew that Gym Leader Katy handed out pastries to anyone who won against her, then she would've gone there much sooner. She ate some on her own, then shared some with her Pokémon, then had an idea and decided to keep the rest of them for later. Psyched up on sweets, Momo looked at the grand Paldea map on her phone, wondering where to go next.

"So the next recommended Gym is in Artazon. No biggie, I can make my way through the east in no time! It's just one letter away from being easy!"

The afternoon air was still fresh, and Momo wondered just how hot she could keep her streak going as she hailed a flight back to Mesagoza. Her eastern excursion brought her to dusty orange paths, and Momo had to hold on to Mirage as their trek got rocky. While Momo wanted to speed through lickety split, the winding craggy paths Mirage tried to step away from made navigation easier said than done.

With a huff, Momo found herself squinting at the cliff faces that jutted around them. "Come on, one of these paths has to be the way up and out of here… Wait, is that another titan?!"

Before her eyes, she had spotted the massive Klawf crawling around the cliffsides, and it seemed to scurry away at the sound of Momo's amazement.

"Hey, wait!" Momo was momentarily distracted as she pulled a Pokéball out of her bag. "I want to catch you! Please join my team, we have cupcakes!"

With the paths too narrow for Mirage to speed through, Momo made the pursuit herself, taking off after it at a breakneck pace. Her new objective was as set in stone as the rocky cliffs looming around her. Fight the titan, catch her new team member, snag the herb, on second thought, maybe she should've called Arven first-

And then as if she somehow summoned him, she ran headfirst into his backpack. She staggered for a moment against his larger frame, and then he turned around.

"Hey, watch your step!" He had an outburst, though he ended up sharing her surprised look. "Oh, it's you, little buddy! Didn't think I'd see you again so soon, Momo! Feeling better?"

"Right, yeah!" Momo scratched her head, then gave him a mischievous stare. "Nice to see you again… grumpy worrywart. Guy from the lighthouse. Ar-something. Remind me again, was it Ar…" She stifled a giggle. "... soul?"

Arven sighed over with a slump as Momo continued giggling. "You know what, let's just talk about this later. I spent the whole day trying to catch up to that giant Klawf, and you arriving to help out couldn't have come at a better time! Now, after that stony titan!"

"You said it!"

Momo and Arven both had to crane their heads upwards at the jagged cliffs above to keep track of the Klawf that bellowed and fled. For a big crab, it was surprisingly mobile, and while being high meant it was mostly out of reach, Momo was ready to put her strategy face on as they followed. She sent her Bombirdier out, and with some well placed divebombs against the Klawf's rugged shell, she managed to budge the giant beast to lower ground, where they were able to corner it by a rock wall.

Momo sent Alti forward for another swipe, but with nowhere left to run, the Klawf decided to fight back. Its massive claw ripped out a chunk of the wall behind it, which it hurled at the bird. Momo flinched at the sight, but as she saw her Bombirdier falling out of the skies, she quickly leapt into action, returning her Pokémon before she hit the ground.

"Whew…" Momo quickly got up with an unexpected shortness of breath. "You did good, Alti. I can just finish this with Diego."

The Titan Klawf pulled a glowing herb out of the wall it just shattered and was quick to bite down on it. The ground shook as the Klawf let out a rejuvenated roar.

Arven sent out his Shellder, his gaze stern and determined. "There's our cave, and also our victory! Shellder, let's serve up a helping of defeat—on the half shell!"

"Serve up? Half shell?" Momo resisted the urge to snicker beside him. "Do bad food puns happen to be your thing?"

"... maybe." Arven sighed before he picked his Shellder up and leapt away. "Look alive! Giant Klawf enemy incoming!"

Tremors and debris rocked as the titan started stomping towards them. Arven was quick to leg it, all while Momo stayed where she stood. With deep breaths, she stared at the way the Klawf's giant legs moved as it rushed closer to her.

"I can do this…" Momo steeled herself. "I can do this. I can do this!" She looked up at the titan, ready to charge. "Yaaaaaa-eep!"

Arms suddenly came around her from behind, and Momo was suddenly pulled away. She was momentarily bewildered by the way Arven held her under his arm as he continued running.

"H-Hey, what'd you grab me for?" Momo weakly pounded against his arm, trying her best to get to her dangling legs to push against the ground. "I almost had it and everything!"

"Had what?!" Arven cried out, almost shrieking when a piece of rock was hurled a bit too close to his head. "What you almost had was the chance to be ground into beef, that's what! This is all too risky and perilous—I had to whisk you away for the good of both of us!"

Momo stopped flailing to stare at him. "Were those more bad food puns?"

Arven turned a corner, and with heaving breaths, he set Momo down, furrowing a brow at her. "Alright, my little know-it-all buddy…" He stopped to catch his breath, eyes frantically darting around. "What exactly were you planning with that steel trap mind if yours?"

"Well." Momo dusted off the wrinkles of her jacket from where his arms wrapped around her. "Since you asked. I thought I'd be able to slip past its legs. Have a go at it from its back, right where it hurts. I saw it in an anime once."

Arven raised an eyebrow. "You mean like some sort of flank? A pincer attack?"

Momo grinned. "Ohohoho, that is exactly it! I guess I should've told you earlier. You run off to get its attention, while I do the sneaky thing and have my Pokémon topple the giant from behind! It's foolproof!"

Arven's frown was still uncertain. "Isn't there a safer option?"

Momo gave him a determined look. "Well, it's the flashiest way forward, just the way I like it! I'm gonna make my move again, so I'm trusting you on this one, Arsoul!"

"It's Ar-" But Momo had already run off, waving back at him with a trusting smile. Arven sighed again, and as he brought his Shellder back out, they shared an bewildered look. "I really hope she knows what she's talking about. If anything happened, that'd make me the real 'arsoul' here."

Momo was already making her way back to where she was before being dragged off. The craggy cracks she was hauled away from lay upon a treacherous path, but Momo didn't mind the danger. She was going to conquer these fearsome rocks one way or another.

The Klawf's flitting eyes watched Momo's advance curiously, and as she got closer, the titan roared. The sides of its face grew red as it bellowed, and it concentrated the power that surged through its body as it lifted a hefty claw. Momo wanted to hesitate as she felt the ground shake again, but she clung to her trust and kept heading forward.

"Hey, crag sticks! Feast your eyes on me instead!" Arven yelled from further back, frantically waving his arms to make himself seen. "How's this for an angry shell?!"

From Arven's Shellder came a furious spritzing of a Water Gun attack. It was an underwhelming spray for Water Gun standards, but against the Klawf's rocky shell, the attack left it hissing in pain at the touch of moisture. The Klawf's eyes darted towards Arven, and this time it readied another hurling rock attack to shut down the source of the water spray.

As the Klawf's attention shifted, Momo swiftly ran past the giant's many legs. It took a bit of close call weaving, especially with the uneven ground the Klawf left, but Momo continued daring and dashing. At last, she turned on her heel and found the Klawf's back exposed, ripe for the picking.

"Let's go, Diego! Incinerate them to smithereens!"

Heat and water met as the Klawf ended up being met in the middle of a barrage. The fire may not have been very effective, but against the wide and unguarded behind, Momo was making the most out of her surprise attack and didn't let up. Cracks started to appear on the Klawf's shell, and she knew she had this in the bag, because there was definitely no way it would suddenly become fast enough to retaliate against them.

"Heck yeah, we got this!" Momo rallied.

And then the Klawf's eyes rolled back, all the way behind itself, fixating towards Momo.

"Wait, it can do that?!"

As if the cracks in its shell only made it stronger, the Klawf roared with a deafening fury. With unforeseen agility, it leapt into the air, turning itself around as it did so that it was facing Momo and Diego. When it landed, the ground shook with a forceful tremor that left them staggering. And from the dust that was kicked up, a massive pincer reached forth.

"Diego!" Momo yelled, but her Pokémon was already scooped away in the Klawf's grasp. Just as the titan held a look of fury, Momo found herself glaring with a newfound anger as well. "Not on my watch, you don't!"

Thinking quickly and decisively, Momo pulled out the glassy Tera Orb from her bag in all its crystalline shining glory. It pulsed with a growing glow as Momo held it to the skies, and she kept her feet firmly planted so the winds that suddenly rushed didn't knock her away. After taking a second to aim her throw just right, Momo hurled the Tera Orb.

The capsule burst by the Klawf's claw, and the bright energy it contained gravitated towards the Crocalor that struggled within. With a blinding, empowering flash, Diego broke free, now carrying that pristine glow for himself. The glowing aura solidified, covering Diego in a crystalline surface as red as raging flames, reinforcing his body with the powerful material. As if to emphasize that crimson power boost, the construct of burning candles formed atop his head, serving as a manifestation of the excess energy he now held.

"Incinerate!"

When Diego broke free, he landed back by Momo's side with the weight of a crushing diamond. On Momo's word, Diego's flames crackled through the air, this time empowered by the brimming energy of the Crocalor's crystallized form. The fire spewed out was blinding, leaving the Klawf to shield itself with its claws, but it only cried out in pain once the flames engulfed them. Like diamond cutting through stone, the Klawf's claws were cut off, and from the smoke of the flames came the kicking up of dust. All at once, in power and in presence, the stony cliff titan disappeared.

With the looming presence gone, Momo wanted to cheer, though she only ended up coughing as she waved the dust of rock, soot, and crystal powder away. The last thing she remembered seeing were those giant claws snapping off, but when she went to where she saw them fall, they were back to normal size.

"Yeesh…" Momo winced at the sight with a concerned frown. "I didn't think that would happen… Is that Klawf gonna be alright?"

"Oh, these?" Arven jogged over, kneeling to pick up the claws before shoving them in his large backpack."Don't worry. A Klawf's pincers will always grow back pretty quickly. Plus, they make for a scrumptious sandwich ingredient, so good on you for getting these, little buddy!" He eagerly looked towards the shattered cave wall. "Okay, onto the Herba Mystica!"

"I'll… catch up." Momo watched as he ran off, then went back to peering through the dust. "I could've sworn I saw you scurrying away, you big Klawf…"

In the distance, she heard a guttural bellow, and she followed. The pained cry echoed weakly, and a very worried Momo picked up her pace as she found the source. By an isolated corner sat a vulnerable, weeping, clawless Klawf. While the former titan was still large for Klawf standards, it still cowered as Momo approached, trying to shield itself with claws that weren't there.

"Hey there…" Momo knelt down to meet it with a gentle voice. "It's okay, big guy…"

The Klawf bellowed in protest, still trying to hide its eyes from her.

"Oh, big girl? Okay, okay…" Momo slowly nodded with a smile. "I'm sorry about your claws… If you want, I can take you to a Pokémon Center, I'm sure the nurse there can help you."

The Klawf's fearful eyes focused on her, now curious.

"I'll have to take you there in a Pokéball, though. Would you like to join my team? It'd probably be better than roaming the wilderness all defenseless and stuff." Momo's stare was warm. "And… we'd keep you safe. I know you're not exactly big and scary anymore, but you still left a gigantic enough impression on me. Not literally, of course."

The Klawf's eyes flitted for another hesitant second before focusing on Momo. Then, the crab nodded.

"And one more thing." She quickly rummaged through her backpack for something before presenting it. "Here you go. It's a cupcake. Just like I said I had."

The Klawf gasped a delighted sounding gasp. It hesitantly looked between Momo and the cupcake, then carefully took the treat into its mouth.

"Still got it." Momo giggled. "Food always wins the damaged Pokémon over."

As the Klawf ate and let out what was probably a bellow of glee, Momo held out a Poké Ball.

"Whaddaya say, you big brawny girl? Wanna join us?"

The Klawf's eyes focused on Momo once more, and without hesitation, it tapped its head against the ball. Easy capture.

"Phew." Momo giggled, and in her growing excitement, she planted a kiss on her Pokéball. "Titan Pokémon… obtained."

"Well, look at you."

Momo turned around to see Arven standing there, hands on his hips and a pleased look on his face.

"Didn't expect you to be such a gentle and tender charmer there, Momo."

"What can I say, Arville?" Momo looked back at him with cheeky stare. "I like being soft sometimes."

They were to take a quick trip to the nearest Pokémon Center, which was thankfully not too far. Momo's Pokémon were a bit roughed up by that encounter, so the nurse healed them back up and even patched up the debilitated Klawf's limbs to allow for quickened regeneration. Whatever that meant.

Considering Momo's navigation skills were rubbish, Arven had to lead the way as they walked back to the cave where the Herba Mystica was supposed to be. All the while, Momo skipped beside and around him, with the pride of her accomplishments showing in her smile and in her words.

"I can't believe I caught another titan so soon! I'm on a roll, Arville!"

"You sure came through like a champ, little buddy." Arven chuckled, keeping his eyes on the map on his phone. "Still not my name, though."

"And we were such a great team out there! We were, weren't we?"

"Not wrong there. Think the cave should be this way…"

"And that means I have a team of three now! Maybe four once I can get Mirage fighting fit! I'm so stoked, I could jump off a-"

Momo's stride left her foot over an edge, and she gasped. She flinched as she expected to fall forward, but something grabbed her arm. Arven pulled her back, dusted her off, and gave her a worried but gentle stare.

"Maybe don't actually do any jumping yet, okay? I know you're one to start rambling, but I can't make you another sandwich if you're too busy tumbling like a Bramblin, alright?"

"Okay, okay." Momo smiled back. She was grateful for the save, and she shuffled closer to his side, though she find herself quieting down as she wondered how to thank him. "Worrywart."

"Little buddy." Arven stopped to tousle the top of her hair before proceeding. Momo followed closely, stomping after him as she tried to do the same, but still stomping all the while.

It was back to the cave without much incident, and it was yet another roomy space. Must've been ideal growing conditions for magic herbs or something, or so Momo guessed. Arven had already set up his table and supplies, though he saved the actual herb plucking for when she was around. Momo found herself rolling her eyes as he took out that book again and enthusiastically recited what this herb did. Good for gut digestion and for stimulating the ol' appetite, as if hearing about how sweet it was didn't already get Momo's mouth watering.

Momo found a rock to sit on and curiously watched as Arven set his backpack on his table. "You know, I'm wondering how you manage to fit an entire table and the rest of your stuff in that big bag. Do you think I could fit in there?"

"Easy there." Arven gave her a frown as he arranged his things. "Don't try stuffing yourself into a Pokéball while you're at it. I have enough baggage as is."

"I'd be like a little demon in there." Momo snickered.

"Sure you would." Arven rolled his eyes, though his stare lit up as he pulled out a knife and some frozen meat-looking slices. "All right, let me whip something up to celebrate our first proper team victory! I got another taste of what your battling skills are really like, and now you're about to get another taste of my cooking!"

"Wait, was that supposed to be another bad food pun-"

"Yeeeaaarrrt! Hiya! Huwatcha!"

With a sudden fire in his eyes, Arven had already started chopping and sorting with unmatched gusto, and all Momo could do was stare in sudden awe. There was that professional prowess in his eyes and his movements, tossing around cooking tools as herb flakes flew through the air, done with such precision that no crumbs fell upon the table's cloth. He was efficient in his speed, effortful in his shouts, and an entire spectacle to gawk at all the while. And when it was all done, it was as if the swiftness of his movements lingered in a wafting aura around the sandwich batches that were as visible as they were fragrant.

Momo's watering jaw already hung open for several reasons, and she couldn't help but give him a round of applause once Arven presented the result with a triumphant flourish. "I can't believe I missed out on this the first time…"

"... And Bob's your uncle!" Arven proudly declared with a grin, handing her a plate. "My special, whimsical, herb-filled super sandwich! With the usual filling of Liechi meats, just in case you're that type of person."

"I am that type of person, actually." Momo accepted the delicacy with eyes of awe, bit into it, and clutched her cheek as she squealed.

"Guess you can't help yourself, huh?" Arven stared with shocked eyes. Not a second had passed and Momo was already shoving it into her mouth. "You're… really just scarfing it down, wow."

With astounded eyes, Momo looked at him with am eager thumbs up and a smile. "It'sh perfect! I dun wanoo to schange a sching!"

Arven shielded his face, though his smile softened. "Maybe slow down there, little buddy. I didn't make that to choke you."

Momo gave him another thumbs up and a more subdued sound of approval. Arven turned to go back to his own rock seat, and as Momo continued chowing down, a Pokéball burst open near her. A curious growl and sniff later, Mirage was out and nudging her shoulder.

"Oh, come on! You again, already?" There was Arven's grumpy frown, with the raise of an eyebrow as Mirage stared back. "What's that look you're giving me? Is it trying to say thanks or something?"

Mirage's eyes lit up, and the Miraidon bounded towards him to start nudging his shoulder instead.

Momo swallowed her bite and snickered. "That's just a sign that he likes you, Archen."

"Okay then. Is that your sign? Because that's still not my name." Arven grunted, then shoved the Miraidon away from him with both hands. "Well, good thing I made extra." He quickly picked up a sandwich from the plate on the table and tossed it. "You're helping me out a whole bunch with the hard stuff, especially with getting Momo here, so it's only fair that you get more." His eyes flicked towards Momo. "I definitely, absolutely did not make extra so that brute could have a sandwich, okay?!"

"Whatever you say." Momo narrowed her eyes at him, then watched as her Miraidon snapped the sandwich out of the air and carried it to a corner.

A silent, yet peaceful moment passed as the two stayed on their rock seats and ate away at their sandwiches. It wasn't exactly much for conversation, but considering the excitement they just survived through, Momo didn't mind a moment of relaxation. Another moment passed, and Momo's bites slowed down as she packed what was left of her sandwich away for another time. Desserts left her full, anyway.

She still had something on her hesitant mind, and as she glanced at the way Arven kept spacing out, it looked like there was something he was mulling over too. Momo gulped, recalling the sweetness once more, before deciding to take the initiative for another kind of sweetness as she pulled something out of her bag.

"I got you cupcakes." Momo cleared her throat, holding the bag of treats out as she found herself glancing away. "At least, I hope I still got some left. You know. As thanks for the other sandwich, and for this one. And also for… saving my life. From the Bombirdier. The hug was sweet too. That's why… cupcakes."

"Oh, thanks." Arven raised an eyebrow as he accepted the carefully prepared plastic bag. "Whoa, these don't look half bad. Did you make these yourself?"

"I wish I did." Momo sheepishly chuckled. "I'm about as good with food as our battle studies teacher is, which isn't very good."

Arven took a cupcake for himself. As he did, his usually troubled expression softened once more, and he smiled at her. "You know, you're more thoughtful than I took you for, little buddy."

Momo snickered with a more confident grin. "I could say the same for you, you grumpy worrywart." As if to emphasize her point, she spared a glance towards Mirage's direction, just in time to see him finish his sandwich.

"Speech functions temporarily enabled. Enhanced thruster functions restored."

"Whoaaaaa…" Momo watched in awe as Mirage reared back once more. "Looks like we're finally picking up speed now! Literally!"

"Another miraculous power boost for that robot brute, huh?" Arven scratched his head. "Man, these Herba Mystica really do pack a punch, don't they? I mean… they'd better. Or else I'm really up the creek."

Even in Momo and Mirage's moment of triumph, Arven still looked off to the side like there was something else bothering him. Momo thought the cupcakes would've lightened up his mood more, but maybe he didn't feel like celebrating for some reason. She hoped he wasn't lying about liking the cupcakes.

Mirage was definitely having the time of his life, at least. His excited growl barks made him sound more like a dog than a weird robot lizard, and he ended up bounding around the place with a case of zoomies. He sniffed the air some more, shoved past Arven, then plopped his snout on the table, scoping out yet another extra sandwich, and-

"Don't you dare touch that! That isn't for you!"

Arven's sudden yell echoed around the cave, and everything stopped. Mirage whimpered back to Momo's side, Momo quietly shrunk back into her seat, and Arven gulped as the silence around them started to feel tense. His glare lingered over the Miraidon, but then he saw Momo's uneasy look, and he tore his guilty eyes away.

"Oh, uh… sorry." Arven's frown quivered as his stare shifted. "I shouldn't have shouted like that…"

Momo pursed her lip, glancing at Mirage as she caressed him, then at the table. "What's… what's with the sandwich?"

Arven's eyes widened, and he sighed. "I guess I should at least tell you the full story, Momo. Alright, come on out bud…"

He gently set down a Pokéball, and with an unceremonious flash, a large mound of matted dark brown fur appeared on the ground. It lay there, with the only sign of movement being the rise and fall of what looked to be breathing.

"This is Mabosstiff." Arven kept his eyes on it. "He's my partner."

His expression softened, he took the sandwich from the table, and knelt down by the Pokémon, placing a napkin on the cave floor. "Here you go, bud. I got another sandwich to help you feel better." He broke off a piece, setting it down near his mouth. "Look, our friend Momo even got us some cupcakes. It's okay, small bites are fine…"

Momo stared with a surprised and pitied look. "What happened to him?"

Arven kept his eyes low, gently petting the top of Mabosstiff's head as he ate. "My buddy here was… hurt pretty bad a while ago. Real bad, in fact. Not even Potions or Pokémon Centers could help, and all the nurses I've asked told me this wasn't any regular old injury or illness…"

Momo continued watching, unable to form the words that her mind continued to mull over. Arven got up, took a deep breath, and looked back at her with a serious stare.

"Mabosstiff here is the only companion in the world I care about. The only thing… So, I promised that I'd make him better—whatever it takes." The unwavering resolve in his voice was evident. "For the past month or two, I've just been searching online, reading books, talking to people, looking all over and trying every cure and remedy I could find. But nothing really worked. I'd almost given up hope… but that's when I found out about the Herba Mystica from this book!"

"So that's where you've been, doing all this research." Momo's eyes lit up when she recognized the violet cover he pulled out. "Wait, I've seen that book in the library before. I… remember Miss Raifort talking about it in history class." She bit her lip.

"Well, I found this book in my dad's lab. It's full of crazy stories and legends and things—stuff nobody'd usually believe, but I believe it! I think what this book says is true about the miracle herbs and everything!" His grin perked up with hope, and he knelt back to Mabosstiff's side.

Momo's thoughts were still on history class and Ms. Raifort's blunt way of putting things. She glanced at Mabosstiff, then at Arven, and was reluctant to mention the part where Miss Raifort said the book was proven to be nothing but hoaxes. That was what she was taught, but yet, Arven seemed so happy clinging on to that hope. The hope that must've given him that enthusiasm she only saw in brief moments.

Arven continued rambling about the book, giving Mabosstiff's paw a pat. "... case in point, Mabosstiff's paws were cold as ice before he ate that last herb. But they've warmed up a little now—I'm sure they have, they gotta!"

Momo mustered a smile. "Oh, yep."

Arven continued petting his Pokémon, and all the while, Momo awkwardly shifted in her seat. She heard a faint whine as Mabosstiff continued eating, and she felt her heart sink once more. History class be darned, Mirage was getting better thanks to these herb sandwiches, so maybe…

"Mabosstiff! Can… can you see? Are your eyes open?!"

Momo's own eyes widened with surprise as Arven's excitement reached her ears. At that moment, all uncertainty slipped away as she bolted out of her seat, rushing to his side. They both watched as Mabosstiff stirred and struggled to get up, but sure enough, past the bushy fur on his face were glimpses of orange.

"Whoa…" Momo gasped at the miraculous sight. Just a few moments ago she wasn't even sure if Mabosstiff was even alive.

"Yes!" Arven whooped beside her, pumping his shaking fists. "I did it! I really did it! It's… it's been so long since he was able to open his eyes! I was so worried…" His triumphant voice started to crack, and he sniffed. "Oh man, I—! I'm so—! I'm so glad!"

He turned away, lifted his arm to cover his eyes, and Momo watched as he quickly hid himself and his sniffling. She still looked on, watching with a soft smile, as Arven went back and forth between victorious and sentimental.

"I didn't expect him to be so… emotional. Kinda like Mr. Hassel," Momo spoke softly, and giggled to herself. "Is he often like this?"

Mabosstiff could only stare back at her. Momo took that as a yes and stroked his furry head, starting to feel a bit emotional herself.

Arven eventually joined her in petting Mabosstiff, with Momo getting a good look at his genuine tearful smile as he continued chuckling to himself.

"Aw… look at him. Those fiery orange little eyes… Hard to tell if they're open or not, but I know the difference!" And Arven's voice was quick to elevate back to confidence. "I knew the book wasn't lying about these miracle herbs! I'm definitely gonna bring Mabosstiff back to full health, I swear it!"

"You will…" Momo stared at him with a quivering smile as she rubbed her eyes. "You'll absolutely, definitely, super duper do it…"

"Oh… uh, yeah. With your help, of course. I'm sorry you had to see me like that." Arven scratched his head with a sheepish smile. "I've been kinda hush hush about Mabosstiff's situation just in case anyone would think I'm some kind of uncaring and reckless trainer for letting him get like this in the first place."

Momo tilted her head with a tender gaze. "After hearing about all this, I would never think of you like that, Arven. So, how many Herba Mysticas do we still have to search out?"

There was a brief look of surprise, then a genuine smile. "Three herbs to go. Let's find 'em—together!"

"Heck yeah!" Momo chimed alongside his hopeful determination.

Their smiles lingered as they got back up, though Arven glanced at her one more time.

"And… thanks for helping make all this possible, little buddy."

There was that rare glimpse of soft gratitude. In the face of such ingenuity, the warmth she felt was natural. "It's no biggie, Arven. I like helping out."

His smile perked ever wider. "Did… you actually get my name right? Twice?"

"Uh…" Momo suddenly found herself stammering. "No I didn't."

Arven raised an eyebrow. "Okay, so you admit you've been getting my name wrong on purpose?"

"I admit nothing! Anyways!" Momo quickly scrambled to the table, gathering whatever she could get her hands on. "Shouldn't we start cleaning? Up? Because I think it's night!"

Arven held his hands on his hips and chuckled. "Well, you're not wrong there. While we're at it, we should probably head off to find a town to take shelter in. Don't want either of us getting a cold from chilly weather."

The mention of town had Momo recall something. "I actually have some business in Artazon, now that I think about it. If we use Mirage's super cool turbo speed, we can probably get there in record time! Maybe you'd like to come with?"

"You mean…" Arven blinked. "Ride? On that brute?"

"Yep!" Momo nodded eagerly. "Come on, it'll be fun and the fastest way there! And I hear they have good crepes there too!"

Arven stopped and stroked his chin. "Your crepes offer is tempting, little buddy… I haven't exactly had the chance to sightsee or anything with how occupied I've been in tracking down these titans and all…"

"No biggie, I'll help you out with that, you worrywart!" Momo grinned and nudged him. "It'll be cool to live a little, don't you think? And I'll even treat you to the crepes as thanks for this sandwich!" Momo eagerly pointed at her backpack.

"Well, you really don't have to try and repay me for every sandwich I make, but you got me there." Arven shrugged. "I could actually go for a crepe right now."

Momo snickered to herself as she rubbed her hands together. "Good."

The moon was still up as Momo rode off into the night with Mirage's trail of mauve and a companion in tow. Arven sat behind her, holding onto her shoulders in such a way that was awkwardly noncommittal. Artazon was in sight, and Momo still wasn't exactly sure what compelled her to haul Arven along with her, and the question still lingered in her mind as the wind blew her brown locks behind her.

She knew she wasn't the best at putting together words for sincerity, so maybe she figured this was just a weird roundabout way of thanking him again. For… making her feel safe. Maybe she wanted to give him the chance to see some cool towns and do some cool things and eat a cool crepe. Or maybe it was an urge to protect, like the way he also protected her for those other times he definitely meant to. Those counted. And seeing the situation with him and his Mabosstiff absolutely tugged at her heartstrings, so that also could've played into her protective urge. Whatever it was, having him around made her feel warm, or maybe that was just the way his hands were on her shoulders.

She kept glancing back to make sure he was still there, and before they knew it, they were in tranquil and arty Artazon. They briefly split up so Momo could "buy crepes", which was actually her way of saying she needed to go to the Gym to get something started real quick. Hopefully Arven wouldn't mind, and the thought of what she had brewing got her snickering again.

"There you are, Archen!" Momo waved as she met him by a fenced corral-looking area. "Kept me waiting, huh? I thought I told you to meet me here!"

Arven hiked up his backpack with a befuddled look. "What you told me was to meet you by the weird sculpture. Doesn't exactly narrow it down here. Did you buy the crepes?"

"Oh, for sure. Here." Momo handed him the wrapped treat.

"Nice one, little buddy." Arven accepted it with a smile and tousled at her hair. "So why did you want me to meet you behind the Pokémon Gym? Seems like a pretty out of the way place for this 'town tour' you told me about."

Momo smirked. "I'll get to that. You just stand right there." She took a few steps away, turned towards the corral and yelled. "I'm ready to begin my Gym Test now!"

Footsteps started picking up from nearby, much to Arven's shock, especially when he realized they were headed his way. A whole horde of joyful Sunflora stampeded past him, and in his surprised state, he dropped his crepe. As soon as it was over, he had to recover from his dazed state, and he was left with was a crushed stare.

"Aw man…" He sighed as he looked down at the ruined crepe splattered on the floor. "And I was really looking forward to that, too…"

"Oh don't worry, I bought you an extra one." Momo giggled and handed him another treat.

"That's a relief, at least." Arven quickly accepted the delicacy and took a quicker bite. "So what was the deal with those Sunflora? Those our tour guides or something?"

"Not exactly…" Momo paused as she took a bite out of her creamy crepe as well. "Figured I'd kill two birds with one stone by bringing you here. Do my Gym Test, show you what it's like around town, all in one fell crepe Sunflora swoop!"

Arven raised an eyebrow. "That's a pretty… interesting way of doing things, Momo."

Momo put a hand on her hip and proudly smirked up at him. "And I'm nothing if I'm not interesting." Her bold stare was oblivious to the crumbs on her own face.

"Sure you are, little buddy." Arven chuckled with a shake of his head. "I'm guessing you want me to help you go out and gather those Sunflora or something. What makes you think I'll just run along for that when I've spent most of today chasing a giant Klawf?"

Another Sunflora ran out from the fenced garden. It approached Arven, jumped up to snag his crepe, and ran off with it. All Arven could do was watch as it disappeared into the Artazon crowd with his tasty treat in hand while Momo continued giggling to herself.

Arven shifted his bewildered stare to her. "Did you… by any chance buy me a third crepe?"

Momo turned her treat away from him. "This one's mine."

"Well… fine." Arven rolled up his sleeves and put on a determined look. "Looks like I'm gonna have to fight my way to some fine eats yet again! Those Sunflora won't know what's coming!"

Momo giggled as she stowed her crepe away and got ready to dash. Arven had already taken off without her, and while Momo wasn't the fastest runner, she was quickly able to catch up to him with Mirage, and she got him to hop on.

"Hey, Archen?" Momo called out over the wind as they sped through town. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"We're friends, right?" She hurriedly glanced back at him as she asked that. "I-I mean, back at the cave, you said 'our friend Momo' and I was wondering if I was just hearing things."

In her brief look, she noticed Arven's reassuring smile. "I've been calling you little buddy all this time, haven't I?"

That answer got Momo smiling even more. She really did have another friend. With another giggle, she had Mirage zoom faster after those Sunflora, and her smile only felt right with the elation that came with rushing through the beautiful city of Artazon. Was going out of her way to bring Arven to a Gym Test worth it?

"Oh yeah, so worth it…"

And Momo had a feeling it was only gonna get better from there.