Guess who finished the Teal Mask DLC this weekend and agrees with the Internet consensus that Nemona/Carmine weren't allowed to appear together because they'd be unstoppable girlfriends and also spent half the evening cobbling this together to capitalize on lingering ScarVi hype?
I know we still have to wait for Indigo Disk to see the end of Carmine and Kieran's story, so if they both wind up dead or something just consider this an anachronism. Otherwise it kinda fits somewhere later on the nebulous timeline of my fic ideas featuring Paldea's Fearsome Foursome, as I like to call them.
Please enjoy, part 2 might be here sooner than you'd expect!
A storm is looming over Paldea, threatening to pour out from a dark canopy of clouds that roils like the eternal typhoon obscuring Area Zero. However, weather reports promise no rainfall to come before Monday, so residents of the region are more than happy to spend their Sunday afternoon out-and-about.
Florian is loosely wrapped in the collared shirt and shorts of his Uva Academy spring uniform, not quite accustomed to the Mediterranean climate's dreadful humidity.
"I just want to make sure you're prepared."
He rests a hand on the cool, metallic shoulder joint of Miraidon, which trots alongside him through the olive-hued dirt of Area Two in Paldea's South Province. The practically canine reptilian Pokemon looks to its trainer with sharp, digital irises that stand out against the smile running down its elongated snout. With the glistening container of starry lavender energy taut against its neck rather than in wheel form, Miraidon is able to trace its trainer's gaze back toward the girl lying prone over the curve of its back.
Nemona's eyes are closed as she hugs the Paradox Pokemon; head resting near a heat vent where the armor plating of its body connects to the silvery metal of its neck.
"Florian, you don't have to keep asking! If she's a girl around my age and she loves to battle with all her heart, I think we'll be fast Flamigos."
Miraidon's antennae eyelashes jolt upward to give the monster an even happier expression, and it opens its mouth wide for a resounding, "Mrraw!"
Nemona giggles. She rewards her steed with a pet along the side of its neck.
"See? Even this cutie agrees." She coos against its back. "Who's a good starry guy?"
The Pokemon leaps around, sharp claws marking up the dirt pathway.
"That's right! It's you. You are, mi amor!"
Florian smiles at the sight. Miraidon's activity kicks up more of the damp, earthy smell that lingers in their calm pre-storm environment.
"Alright." He crosses his arms to give her a more serious look. "I'm just saying. She's a bit… Abrasive."
As Nemona finally lulls her eyes toward Florian, the rotating neon sign above Cortondo's eastern Pokemon Center fast approaches. She reluctantly pats Miraidon until it comes to a stop. It heels so she can roll off in a less-than-graceful maneuver.
"Have you met Arven and Penny?" She chides, petting Miraidon one last time before giving the digital monster a wide berth. "You've got a knack for attracting some abrasive companions, amante."
He can't come to a great rebuttal, even after a moment of silence.
"Fair enough."
Florian returns the Pokemon to its standard red Poke Ball and hooks it onto the belt of his purple trousers as the duo saunter into Cortondo. When they transition from packed dirt to clattering steps against a collage of beige-and-grey brick, so too does their surrounding transition from muddy patches of stout olive trees to the brilliant gold-plastered Paldean ranch houses that their farmers can afford. The vine-infested facade of Cortondo's Deli Cioso does little to hide its fresh produce in glass displays, and every residence has an adjacent patio lot with genuine Alfornada tile swimming pools. Few make use of their pools today, contributing to the scent of still water on the air.
A pair of chittering Smoliv atop a yellow delivery truck shy away as a youngster jumps through the chalk hopscotch course on the road in front of his house. Nemona also takes a pass once he clears the space, getting through the activity with ease in spite of her much longer limbs; draped in fine black leggings. Her ponytail and purple necktie bounce high each step of the way.
When she reaches the end, she gives the excited boy a double high-five before joining Florian where he waits against a cobbled-stone wall around the opposite property.
They continue on toward Patisserie Soapberry, a bakery at the base of a tree cluster housing a jungle gym walkway with both outdoor dining areas and the town's Gym arena. It's hard to miss as Paldean landmarks go, especially with the modernist steel-and-glass welcome center just across the street. On this cloudy afternoon, the bakery has a standout visitor lounging on one of its park benches.
Carmine sees the pair of trainers approaching, Nemona eagerly waving her arm to-and-fro, and drops the olive that a gleeful Morpeko is eating out of her hand.
Her Pokemon heaves the treat up all on its own to finish it.
"Took you long enough."
The visitor from Kitakami is dressed down, wearing a pair of puffy short pants and a more modern, casual jinbei than what Florian remembers from the Festival of Masks, tied loose over a white tee. Both outer pieces are dyed the same navy shade as her Blueberry Academy uniform.
Her sullen gaze is chilling as ever, despite the heat.
"This place has nothing over the apple orchards back home," Carmine remarks in a snide tone, face shaded by the curling 'X' bangs over her nose. However, a smile breaks through her pale, glossy lips soon after. "But I suppose olives have their own charm."
"Figured you would want to see the difference." Florian nods, returning her smile.
He also figured it would be best not to start her off in the overwhelming bright lights and skyscrapers of a city like Levincia.
Florian stops in front of Carmine and presents her with a shallow bow, which he learned is a traditional greeting in Kitakami during his trip. Nemona looks upon the display with awe.
However, Carmine rolls her eyes at the formality.
She instead pulls him into an aggressive hug that quickly transitions into a more aggressive head-lock noogie; the kind Florian saw her perform on Kieran a half-dozen times prior.
"Ow- Hey!" He squirms in a halfhearted attempt to escape, which leaves Carmine giggling maliciously. "S-Stop it!"
She doesn't stop it.
While continuing to torture the poor boy, Carmine glances up toward Nemona. The tawny Paldean girl is struggling to hold back her own laughter, a fist over her mouth.
"And you must be the 'great' Nemona I've heard so much about."
Despite venom seeping out of that supposed compliment, Carmine is surprised to find Nemona tug both her arms out of their sockets for dual arm-waggling handshakes as soon as Florian is freed.
"¡Bienvenida!" Nemona chirps, eyes closed and smile bright. "It's so nice to finally meet you!"
Carmine's golden eyes continue to look flustered after Nemona pulls away. However, Nemona's attitude shifts like the crack of a whip. She gives Carmine her most determined stare as she juts out the bare index finger of her gloved right hand.
"Now, you've gotta battle me!"
The visitor blinks a few times, her shoulders slumped into an almost ape-like position. She glances toward Florian, who's on the tail end of an exhausted sigh.
"Well." Her gaze drifts back to Nemona. "You work fast."
"There's no better way to get to know somebody than meeting them in glorious combat!" Nemona radiates giddy energy, hopping from sneaker to sneaker as she pumps both arms up-and-down in unison. "I want to see what they're teaching you over in Blueberry Academy!"
Carmine composes herself by tousling her jet-black hair ribbons, exposing more of the red highlights on the interior shell of each. She regains her deathly, chilling stare before turning to stomp down the brick road in her split-toed Tabi boots.
"Fine, fine. But I can assure you that uniform design isn't the only thing superior about Blueberry Academy."
Florian sheepishly peers down the collar of his shirt. Yet Nemona is unperturbed; rather she vibrates more at this calculated display.
As Carmine comes to an abrupt stop, she whirls her upper body around to stare down the duo from her Sister School, right arm outstretched with an expanded Poke Ball.
"And I never lose to an outsider."
Florian purses his lips, muttering to himself.
"Pretty sure I beat you a few times in Kitakami…"
The comment hangs over heavy air between the trio. Carmine's breathing picks up until she's nearly hyperventilating, and her posture falls apart as she storms back over to Florian. He winces as her intense snarl comes out, and she balls both fists at her chest like she's ready to knock his lights out.
Morpeko stands on the back of its bench, abandoning a picked-clean olive pit, dark purple and chanting hangry squeals to back up its trainer.
"Florian." She hisses through gritted teeth. "If you don't shut the hell up, I'm gonna gouge your eyes out like a mob of Murkrow!"
"¡Oye!"
Nemona pushes Florian aside (he stumbles into a hedge, the only thing that keeps him upright) and stands face-to-face with Carmine's fury.
"You can't talk to him like that!" Nemona heroically puffs out her chest, hands at her hips. "Only his girlfriend Penny can talk to him like that!"
The young boy groans as he sinks deeper into the foliage.
"I think you've got a very skewed perspective on our relationship, Nemona…"
"Aaagh!"
Carmine erratically swipes her hands all about, and Nemona has to duck away.
"It doesn't matter!" Carmine screeches, voice at its most gravelly from the strain. A few passersby stop to watch. "I'll still kick your so-called 'Champion' ass with three Pokemon tied behind my back!"
As she straightens out a few paces away, Nemona looks excited again. Her orange eyes flash with inspiration as she lets the green stripe of hair flutter across her face.
"Oye, a challenge! That's what I like to hear." Her pearly teeth shine with an eager grin. "I'll do you one better – I only need two Pokemon to beat you!"
A vein practically bursts in Carmine's forehead as she pulls her arms back to their boxing position. They vibrate uncontrollably.
"You're on. But don't go crying to Florian there when you're eating dirt."
"¡Estupendo!"
Nemona leaps in place to really exaggerate her arm flying up before she pumps it back down at her side. Then, without warning, she dashes off to the boxy Gym building across the street, quickly clearing its line of palm trees.
"I'll go see if we can rent the main arena!"
Carmine's anger simmers into abject confusion as her head swivels to watch Nemona's Olympic-level sprint. Her mouth hangs agape.
"… What, do you Paldeans not battle on the street or something?!"
Florian pulls her attention back with a sigh as he bumps his shoulder against her arm.
"No, just let her have this one." He offers an exasperated half-lidded stare. "Nemona loves to show off how much access she's got to official League amenities."
The visitor from Kitakami stares back at Florian. Her gaze is sullen as she scratches around the mole under her left eye.
"This battle better be worth it."