Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet
Chapter 2: The Choice
Milo's trek down the path alongside three energetic Pokémon was about as eventful as he imagined it would be. It started off well enough when Sprigatito ran off into the grass and brought Milo back a Poké Ball that had been hidden from sight. But then Quaxly started getting chased by Fuecoco and Milo had to start chasing them down.
After ten exhausting minutes the three Pokémon were wrangled up and Milo was letting them walk down the path with himself a few paces behind. About halfway down the path Milo came across a middle-aged woman who was admiring the wonderful sea view, but turned to face the teen with a cheery expression.
"Well, well! Haven't seen you around here, dear. This is Cabo Poco! It's not much - just a little pinch of community - but it's home!" the woman said brightly to Milo, who wished the woman a good morning and continued on the way, ignoring a nearby man who was ranting about the power of science.
The Galarian teen had done some cursory research on the community that his home now resided in. The coastal village of Cabo Paco had been established centuries ago by Paldean royalty and nobles as a place where they could enjoy the bounty of the ocean, establishing lavish estates by the coastal cliffs. The nearby town of Los Platos had actually been built to house the servants and farmers who sustained those fancy homes.
Milo was thinking of none of this at present, considering that he was now being sidetracked by Fuecoco. The Fire-type had found and brought back a Poké Ball to Milo. The teen thanked the Fire Croc, patting it on the head before heading up the stairs to the mansion with the trio of Pokémon barely under his control before momentarily stunned by the opulence of the home he was now staring at.
"Whoa…this place is a palace." Milo murmured, looking around the luxurious front yard with an amazed expression. He realized that naturally such a massive beachside residence was going to likely have a yard to match, but Milo was still stunned by the display. The enormous mansion was easily three times the size of Milo's house (which was saying something, considering it's own large size). It even had a fountain out front!
"Wait, where'd they go?" Milo said as he glanced around, realizing that all three Pokémon had vanished. Milo glanced around in worry, but spotted all three of the Paldean Starter Pokémon running around the immaculately kept yard.
Quaxly was currently in the fountain, splashing water into its hair and ensuring that it was perfectly slicked back and wet by combing through its plumage with its wings. Sprigatito was admiring the flowers, sniffing them with a joyful smile on its fair before letting out a small meow, sending a wave of petals into a nearby breeze which scattered the petals along. Fuecoco was hopping up and down with glee at seeing a fallen apple on the porch where it was standing. As the Fire-type approached the apple, it was suddenly assailed by the flowery breeze Sprigatito called forth moments ago, causing the Pokémon to sneeze violently.
Which promptly charred the apple to the point where it was inedible. Milo fought the urge to smirk at the scene when he noticed that the front door to the house had opened and Director Clavell had walked out, accompanied by a teenage girl that only looked a little older than himself.
She stood about six inches taller than Milo with bright orange eyes and black hair, though two locks of her hair at the front of her head were highlighted green. She was wearing a similar version of the uniform that Milo was wearing, with a white button-up short-sleeve shirt and orange shorts that was the Naranja Academy uniform. However, she also wore a pair of black tights under her shorts as well as a small backpack on her back with a strap going across her chest.
The girl walked forward and knelt down, gently patting Fuecoco on the head and a bright smile. She then turned towards Milo with a hand on her hip and asked, "Are you these three's Trainer?"
As she spoke, Sprigatito and Quaxly returned to Milo as the girl and Clavell joined him on the path. Fuecoco was holding onto the apple with a hopeful expression.
"Not quite." Clavell explained to the girl. "Master Milo has yet to make his choice, you see. I do wonder which of them he will choose as his first Pokémon…"
By then all three of the Paldean Starters had reassembled themselves into an orderly line in front of Milo. Milo's attention was on Fuecoco, who had just taken a bite of the charred apple and noticeably cringed. Quaxly gave the Fire-type a disappointed look and held up a wing, shaking its head. Fuecoco dropped the apple and it rolled away while Milo, Director Clavell and the girl promptly burst into laughter at the ridiculous scene.
"Buenas! We haven't met, have we?" The girl said to Milo with a cheery grin, putting a hand on her hip again. And as she greeted Milo, the teen had one thought on his mind
"Oh wow. She's really, really pretty." Milo thought to himself, a blush rising to his cheeks. Thankfully he managed to keep his composure and offered the girl a smile of his own.
"Nope. I only got here myself a few days ago, and haven't really had much of a chance to explore before today." Milo admitted, earning a hum from Director Clavell.
"I must say, I wasn't expecting to see you here quite so soon." Clavell remarked, adjusting his glasses. The girl then gave the Naranja Director a quizzical look, glancing briefly at Milo.
"Well, after getting sidetracked by these rascals a few times I figured it was about time to just come meet you, sir." Milo remarked, looking at the three Pokémon in question who all chose that moment to look innocent.
"Hang on, Director…Is this who I think it is?" The girl asked, earning a nod from Clavell.
"Yes, this is our academy's newest student, Master Florian Caballero. He will be attending as of today." Clavell explained to Nemona, who's eyes widened in excitement.
"So you're the kid who moved in up the road!" the girl said excitedly, her eyes lighting up. "I've been dying to find out more about you! I'm Nemona! Normally I live in the school dorms, but home is here. Whaddya say, new neighbor - wanna be friends?" the girl greeted him, extending a hand out to Milo. The boy matched Nemona's grin, clasping her hand and shaking it.
"Yeah, why not? And please feel free to call me Milo, I kinda prefer my nickname instead of the real thing." Milo said to Nemona, making her quirk an eyebrow in confusion before her grin returned.
"Sure thing, Milo. By the way, love that enthusiasm! We're gonna get along just fine!" Nemona responded, putting a hand on her hip while Clavell gestured to the girl beside him.
"Miss Nemona is President of our Student Council and a Champion-ranked Trainer in her own right." Clavell explained to Milo, who was surprised to find out someone like that only lived down the road from where he did.
"Wow. So you're a big shot around here, huh?" Milo said to Nemona, who seemed to practically vibrate from sheer excitement.
"I absolutely love Pokémon battling! In fact, we should battle right now - you and me!" Nemona cried out, putting her hands together with the expression of sheer enthusiasm that Milo felt as if his heart would burst out of his chest.
"Why, Arceus, would you do this to me? Cute, perky, and a badass Trainer? Her boyfriend is gonna murder me!" Milo thought to himself, grateful for the distraction Clavell provided a moment later.
"Easy, now - you two will be in the same class, so you'll have plenty of time to battle later! And get to know one another better, of course." Clavell remarked, which seemed to only fuel Nemona's enthusiasm more.
"We're gonna be neighbors AND classmates? Nice! We'll be able to battle all we want!" Nemona laughed as Clavell cleared his throat, once again getting everyone's attention.
"Oh that note, Master Milo…Have you decided which one of these Pokémon you would like to be your first Partner?" Clavell asked Milo, gesturing to the Pokémon before him. This only ended up somehow exciting Nemona further.
"Oh my gosh, your very first Pokémon! I'm getting chills just watching you pick!" Nemona cried out, pumping her fists. Milo was wondering if she would start generating static or something. "The Paldean Starters are all great too. Choose wisely, Milo!"
Milo nodded, looking over the trio with a critical eye. Truthfully, he liked all of them and knew next to nothing about them, so it was just a matter of personal preference. Milo looked to the first Pokémon in the line-up, Sprigatito.
"Sprrr?" the Grass Cat Pokémon purred, finishing licking its paw before peering up at Milo questioningly. Milo grinned at Sprigatito and scratched its head gently, earning another purr.
"That's Sprigatito, a Grass-type Pokémon! It can use its plant powers to soak up whatever water you throw at it!" Nemona said helpfully to Milo, who nodded.
"I actually don't know anything about these three, so thanks for the info." Milo said with a smile as he walked to the next Pokémon in the lineup.
"Pom?" Quaxly said as it brushed it's perfect hair, looking at Milo expectantly.
"That's Quaxly, a Water-type Pokémon!" Nemona pointed out, stepping forward. "It may seem quiet, but it's mighty streams of water can put out any fire - you'll see!"
"I myself have a fondness for the Quaxly line. I find their sense of style to be quite charming." Clavell admitted, causing Nemona to giggle as Milo walked to the final Pokémon in the line-up.
"Craaaw?" Fuecoco cried out as it stared up as Milo with a vacant, goofy smile. Milo stifled a snicker as he patted the Fire Croc on the head.
Nemona beamed and gently poked the Pokémon on the head. It didn't seem to mind one bit. "That's Fuecoco, a Fire-type Pokémon! The burning-hot sparks it scatters will fry any and all plants in a flash!"
"That's all three of them. Now, which one do you feel a connection with, Master Milo?" Director Clavell asked Milo as he took two steps back and looked over all three of the Pokémon and thought hard about it. The teen sighed inwardly, annoyed that he didn't do any research on these Pokémon beforehand. He'd just have to go with which one he liked the best.
"Gaaah, the suspense is driving me nuts!" Nemona said quietly, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet while Clavell chuckled.
"It's a big decision. One that must be considered very carefully, as this choice will dictate how one's journey shall begin." Clavell said sagely, unaware that Milo was currently facing a dilemma.
"Cool, so I'm completely unable to make any kind of educated guess here. Uhhhh…I'm just gonna pick one, screw it." Milo thought to himself with an internal sigh before saying out loud, "I think…I'm gonna go with our hungry friend."
"I see. Would you like to go with our good Fire-type Pokémon Fuecoco here?" Clavell asked Milo rather officially as he knelt down to pet the Fire Croc Pokémon again, making him cry out happily as it was patted on the head. Milo smiled at the Pokémon and nodded at the Director.
"So, are you gonna name your new friend?" Nemona asked Milo, who blinked twice before looking back at the Fire Croc Pokémon. Milo thought about it for several moments.
"Considering I'm in Paldea now, maybe something interesting." Milo mused as he considered the issue. "Give me a minute to think."
Nemona pulled out her phone and after a moment, she remarked, "For the record, that's a male Fuecoco you've got there. His Ability is Blaze and he knows Tackle, Leer and Ember."
"Thanks for the info. Hmmm…" Milo considered that as he thought about what to name his very first Pokémon. "It's gotta be important, right? This first name."
"Indeed. When I was a boy, I named my Starter after my godfather. He was who inspired me to become a teacher." Clavell said to the boy, who's eyes widened at the admission. "Take some time to think about it, Master Milo."
"How about you Nemona?" Milo asked the girl as she smiled at the question.
"I named my first Pokémon after the thing that made me realize that I loved Pokémon battles." Nemona said excitedly, causing the two males to look at her. "It was watching Agatha and Bruno battle at a field in Celadon City on TV with a big storm going on in the background. A huge tornado popped up in the background as the camera kept rolling and the battle got even more intense. It was incredible!"
"I know that video!" Milo remarked, grinning at the Champion as he laughed softly. He then looked at Fuecoco again as an idea came to him. "I think I have my answer."
"After all…It's a good name. And it's a good way to remember someone like him." Milo thought to himself as he smiled down at the Fuecoco who looked back up at him. "Reginald. Reggie for short."
"A rather dignified name. I like it." Clavell remarked, smiling with approval. Milo hummed as he crossed his arms, debating the matter further.
"In fact, how about this? Sir Reginald the Spicy!" Milo declared as he rubbed Fuecoco's head, causing Nemona to snicker and Clavell to hide a smirk as he looked away. "Does that work for you, little guy?"
Reggie the Fuecoco seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding, much to Milo's surprise. He wasn't entirely sure if the young Pokémon even understood Milo's question in the first place.
"Oooh, that's a fun name! What's the significance, if you don't mind me asking?" Nemona remarked, earning a thoughtful hum from Milo.
"They were someone very brave that I owe a lot too." Milo said quietly, grinning at Fuecoco. "They were kind and helped people when they needed someone like him the most."
Reggie cried out happily before leaping up onto Milo's shoulder, nearly knocking over the teen before he righted himself, standing on one foot while Milo laughed with delight. Clavell and Nemona smiled at the display, seeing clear as day how excited Milo was in having picked his first Pokémon and how happy the Fuecoco looked.
"Reggie seems to have taken quite a liking to you, Master Milo." Clavell noted as Milo set the Fire Croc back onto the ground. "This is your first Pokémon, yes? Please raise it with love and care. And of course, be sure to keep it tucked safely inside of a Poké Ball."
Clavell handed a Poké Ball to Milo, who accepted it gratefully and returned Reggie. Meanwhile Nemona was looking at Milo intently.
"Milo…I can't believe you actually chose Fuecoco…" Nemona said quietly, suddenly bursting into another enthusiastic smile as she leaned forward. "I mean, like, way to make the perfect choice for you! You two make such a good combo!"
"We haven't even battled yet, Nemona." Milo pointed out to Nemona, who laughed at the very true statement. She then turned to Clavell and asked, "Can I choose one of these Pokémon too, Director Clavell?"
Clavell looked confused. "Oh, but…did you not receive a Pokémon when you entered the Academy, Miss Nemona?"
Nemona nodded in response. "Not back then, no! I had other Pokémon I was focused on raising at the time, like Tornado and Dudley. But now I want to raise a new Pokémon alongside Milo while he raises his own new Partner!"
"I honestly kinda get that." Milo remarked, clipping Reggie's Poké Ball to his belt. "Sometimes seeing people experience things for the first time makes you nostalgic, you know?"
"See! You get it! How fun would it be to battle like that?" Nemona said excitedly while Clavell offered the two teens a soft smile.
"Indeed, a rather splendid idea. If you wish to raise one of these Pokémon on equal footing with Master Milo here, I shall be more than happy to allow it." Clavell said to Nemona, who was practically vibrating with sheer joy.
"Yesss!" Nemona cheered, putting her hands together joyfully before shifting her gaze to the two Pokémon on the ground. Quaxly suddenly looked nervous upon seeing Nemona's intense expression and casually walked behind Sprigatito, gently pushing the Grass Cat Pokémon forward.
"Since Milo chose Fuecoco, I'll go for this little one!" Nemona decided as she knelt down to Sprigatito, extending a hand towards the cat. The feline meowed softly before licking Nemona's hand and nuzzling it.
"Nice to meet you, Sprigatito. Welcome to the team!" Nemona said to the Grass Cat Pokémon, doing a fist pump. Clavell tossed the Poké Ball for the Starter to Nemona, who clipped it to her belt.
"All right, then!" Nemona said, her ton becoming more businesslike, a gleam coming to her eyes. "Now that we've chosen our Pokémon, we HAVE to battle! I'll be waiting for you down at the beach. Come join me when you're ready!"
Nemona then promptly bolted down the path to the beach, with Sprigatito frantically running after it's new Trainer while Clavell sighed quietly, offering a bemused Milo a smile. "As you may have noticed, Miss Nemona is a tad overly fond of Pokémon battling."
"You know…I hadn't noticed."
Clavell coughed to hide another laugh, but compromised by smirking at Milo's humor. "But I do hope you'll join her for a battle. It will help you get to know your own Pokémon as well."
"It sounds fun, honestly. Plus I'm sure someone who's as into battling as her has a lot to teach me." Milo said as he began to walk down to the beach, with Clavell walking down the steps to the beach beside the newest academy student. Milo was surprised by the battlefield on the beach itself, and wondered how much getting one installed on the beach cost Nemona's parents.
The girl herself was waiting patiently in the middle of the battlefield as Milo approached, flashing him a bright smile and waving excitedly as he approached. "Over here!"
"Anyone can be a Pokémon Trainer as long as they have Pokémon by their side! And it's our duty as Trainers to help our Pokémon grow stronger through battle!" Nemona said to Milo, reciting her words as if it was something she had learned in class. "So, you ready to battle me, Milo?"
"You bet. I'll do my best, but I'm a novice at this, so try not to totally crush me and Reggie, alright?" Milo said jokingly, but Nemona seemed to miss his words because she giggled excitedly, putting her hands together once again.
"Perfecto! I'm so excited! For this battle, I think I'll use-" Nemona began to say, only to be cut off by someone clearing their throat.
"Miss Nemona." Milo and Nemona looked towards Director Clavell, who wore a stern expression. Quaxly trailed behind the older man, who stopped a few feet onto the battlefield. " I trust you remember that Master Milo is wholly inexperienced in Pokémon Battling?"
Nemona flushed with embarrassment, laughing awkwardly while Milo smirked and moved to his side of the battlefield. "Heh, whoops…Good call, Director. I was about to send out one of my usual partners right off the bat…I guess I'll take this chance to try out my new buddy instead!"
"C'mon, Milo! Let's have us a fruitful battle!" Nemona called to the teen standing across from her as she pulled out Sprigatito's Poké Ball.
"Bring it on, neighbor! I'm a quick study, so show me what you've got!" Milo called with a grin, unclipping Reggie's Poké Ball and tossing it up and down in the air a few times before sending out his Pokémon. Nemona adjusted her arm brace before flashing Milo a bright grin of excitement, throwing a hand aside.
"Alright, let's teach Milo how we do it here in Paldea!" Nemona cried out as she sent out her new Sprigatito. The Grass Cat Pokémon looked up at Nemona with a questioning look. "We've totally got this, mi amigo."
"Purrr!" the Grass Cat Pokémon cried out, smiling with excitement as it faced Reggie and Milo.
"I know this is your first Pokémon Battle, so let's just have some fun!" Nemona called to Milo, who gave the girl a thumbs up. Milo was then taken off-guard when the somewhat familiar sound of evil laughter began to ring out in his head. Milo tried to ignore it and opened his mouth to issue a command to his Fuecoco, only for the Voice to speak.
Let the show begin!
Milo gasped and nearly toppled over into the sand, clutching his chest as an intense pain suddenly gripped his heart. For several moments he couldn't breath, he couldn't see and he only just barely stopped himself from falling over into the dirt.
"Master Milo, are you quite alright?" Director Clavell called out, a concerned expression on his face. Nemona looked confused, staring at Milo as he clutched his heart.
"W-w-what…What the hell is going on!? Am I dying?" Milo wondered to himself, panic gripping him. An amused scoff reverberated within his mind and the Voice spoke up.
You should really learn to listen to the ominous voice in your head, kid. Now, pay attention to what I say. We made an agreement, you and I, and now it's time that we begin our little game.
"So, you want to explain what the hell you're talking about?" Milo snapped back, standing up straight as the pain and shortness of breath faded away, but the sensation of something gripping his heart was still there. Almost like a pressure settling on his chest. Milo's heart was beating wildly, but he no longer felt like he was about to die, which allowed the teen to regain his composure. To quell Clavell and Nemona's concerns Milo said out loud, "I'm fine, just some heartburn. Give me a sec to think."
It's simple. Every time you enter battle, you'll feel the sensation you just experienced. It's harmless…So long as you win.
"Wait, what? What does me winning have to do with anything? How does that connect with why I had a heart murmur or whatever that was?" Milo asked the voice as he put a hand to his chin, trying to nonchalantly buy time and not make it seem like he was arguing with a voice only he could hear.
It has to do with the nature of our deal. But that probably doesn't matter right this second, especially if you lose to the Champion-level Trainer in your first ever battle. Just remember…You either win or you die. It's the price you have to pay.
Milo fought the urge to scowl at that. "Excuse me!? What the hell are you talking about?"
"Uh, Milo? You gotta make a move!" Nemona called to the teen, who snapped back to the battle he was currently having. His new Fuecoco was also looking at him expectantly, and Milo realized he would just have to ignore the Voice for now and focus on the battle. While Milo had been dealing with the Voice, Nemona had thrown on some battle music for the two of them to have play in the background. "Guess I'll do one first. Leafage, Thorn!"
"You named him in the thirty seconds it took to walk over to you?" Milo asked as the Sprigatito unleashed a wave of leaves at Reggie, who grimaced in pain but took no serious damage.
"Reggie, let's start this off with…Ember!" Milo called to the Fire Croc Pokémon, who cried out and opened his mouth wide to fire off a sphere of pure flames that struck Sprigatito directly, knocking him down to the ground with a pained yelp.
"You must've been studying up! Smart move - Fire is strong against Grass!" Nemona praised Milo, grinning with excitement. Milo smirked, now getting into the rhythm of the battle and considered the moves that Nemona had mentioned earlier that his new Pokémon had.
"Now, hit 'em with Tail Whip!" Thorn pranced forward, smacking Reggie in the face several times with its tail, weakening his defenses.
"Don't take that from him! Use Leer!" Milo called as Fuecoco gave Thorn a fierce glare, which made the small cat recoil slightly in fear, lowering his defense as well.
Well, you got the basics down at least. Good thing she's going easy on you.
"Can you shut up? If you're even real, and not some weird delusion." Milo thought as Nemona instructed Thorn to lash out with Leafage again. Milo had Fuecoco counter-attack with a Tackle, sending Thorn crashing to the ground hard. Milo noticed that as the Sprigatito got up, it started glowing bright green.
Fine. I'll wait until you're not in mortal danger and all that.
"Tail Whip again!" Nemona called out, with Milo grimacing as Reggie's defense was lowered further. He needed to end the battle sooner rather than later.
"Reggie, hit it with Ember!" The Fuecoco dove at the Sprigatito, blasting it at point-blank range with Ember and sending it tumbling backwards across the battlefield. The grassy feline tried to get back up, but let out a soft groan as its legs gave out.
As Thorn fainted in a crumpled heap on the battlefield, Reggie let out a small roar of joy as Milo did a fist pump in victory. Nemona looked genuinely shocked that her Pokémon had gotten knocked out. The girl got over her surprise quickly, crossing her arms as she returned her Sprigatito and began playing with her hair, smiling warmly at Milo.
"Wow! Not bad, neighbor!" Nemona praised Milo, who responded with a cheery grin as he knelt down beside Reggie and scooped up the small crocodile.
"Nice work, buddy." Milo said to Reggie as he cried out joyfully, wriggling in Milo's arms. The strange pressure that had gripped Milo's heart before suddenly vanished, causing the boy to sigh with relief. Reggie gave his Trainer a confused look, but both were distracted when Nemona walked up to them excitedly.
"Look at you, winning your first battle ever! You've got even more potential than I thought! You're gonna be a strong Trainer for sure!" Nemona said to Milo, giving the young man a thumbs up…before promptly running back to her side of the battlefield. "But now I want to try a different strategy! Let's go again - just one more battle!"
Milo looked surprised at the sudden suggestion, but before he could speak Director Clavell stepped forward and cleared his throat loudly. "Master Milo and his Fuecoco are surely weary already from that last battle. I understand your enthusiasm, Miss Nemona, but you must temper yourself."
Nemona flushed at the rebuke and ran forward, her face set in a guilty frown. "Ah, sorry! I got kinda caught up in all the excitement…"
She then turned to Milo with an apologetic expression. "I'm really sorry, Milo. Same to your Fuecoco, too."
Milo smiled at the other teen. "Don't worry about it. We should battle again soon, yeah?"
Nemona's cheer was right back. "Heh…All right! Thanks, Milo!"
"You two seem to be becoming fast friends, though you've only just met." Clavell watched the exchange with a smile of his own, approval in his eyes. He then turned to Nemona and asked, "Can I count on you to take your new schoolmate here under your wing, Miss Nemona? I'm sure he can learn a great deal from a Champion-ranked Trainer, such as yourself."
"You bet, sir!" Nemona responded with a smart nod. She then turned to Milo, pointing at Milo after a moment. "Oh, that reminds me! Since you're new to training Pokémon, there's an app you definitely need! You've got a smartphone, right? Lemme see it for a sec."
Milo pulled out his new Rotom Phone, which floated in front of him for a moment before Nemona grabbed it and tapped the screen a few times before the phone beeped and then flew back into Milo's hands. Milo saw a notification that the Pokédex App was added to the Rotom Phone's list of apps.
"The Pokédex will automatically register any Pokémon you catch. It's a must-have for Pokémon Trainers! It's a super handy app! Our homeroom teacher, Mr. Jacq, actually made it himself!" Nemona explained to Milo, who realized that the app had automatically registered both Sprigatito and Quaxly into its entry list.
"Back in my day, we used ordinary paper and handwritten notes to compile our Pokédexes. It's quite the age we live in now." Clavell remarked, looking upwards with a nostalgic expression on his face. Naturally Milo and Nemona were both horrified at the idea.
"I think I'd literally sweep the beach here with a toothbrush." Milo deadpanned with a grimace.
"Oof!" Nemona hissed, shuddering visibly. "Filling out a Pokédex by hand? I can't even imagine how much work that would take!"
"Ohoho…No, I suppose you can't." Clavell said with a chuckle, walking away from the two teens before stopping a short distance away. "Yet no matter how much the times may change, the wonder of meeting new Pokémon never does. That is a truly timeless pleasure."
Clavell turned around and took in the smiling expressions of Milo and Nemona and nodded at them. "And the more Pokémon that you encounter, the more you'll find yourself growing and changing. I hope you will both work hard towards the goal of completing your own Pokédexes."
The Director then winced as his coat pocket beeped again, and after pulling out a watch and checking the time, looked towards Nemona. "Now, Miss Nemona, I do still have a few matters to discuss with your parents. Could I depend on you to see Master Milo to the Academy? You would be doing me quite the favor."
"Of course! Leave it to me!" Nemona responded, earning a nod from Clavell.
"Then I leave him in your capable hands." Clavell said to his Student Council President before looking down at Quaxly, who was staring up at him. "All right, little one. It's time you and I were on our way."
Clavell walked off with Quaxly trailing behind him, and as they departed Milo heard Nemona mutter under her breath, "Maybe I oughta make a little more time to work on my Pokédex along with all my battling…"
"Por que no los dos?" Milo asked Nemona, who snapped back to reality and laughed sheepishly, apparently having completely forgotten about Milo.
"Oh! Right! Speaking of Pokédexes, Milo, you've probably never caught a wild Pokémon, right?" Nemona asked Milo, who shrugged his shoulders.
"Not myself, no. I did help a friend do it once, but it didn't go great." Milo admitted, remembering vividly the scolding he and Juliana got afterwards from his parents.
"I'll show you the ropes before I take you to the Academy. Come with me!" Nemona said before jogging off down the beach path that led back to her house, leaving Milo on the beach by himself with Reggie. With the coast clear, Milo spoke almost hesitantly to the strange presence that had been speaking to him that morning.
"Alright, so Mister Voice. Wanna explain what the mini heart attack was for?"
Simply put, you're now under a curse.
"...Go on."
You're cursed by my powers, and that curse requires you to win in any fight that you enter until you've reached the end of the journey you have fought so hard to reach. Trainer battle, Pokémon battle, or a fight to the death. Any of them will result in the curse activating, and if you lose…you die. Once you finish this journey, you're free of the curse. It's as simple as that.
"What journey?"
The one you just started. You are going to have a chance to fulfill your greatest, deepest wish. The one you expressed while you were at death's door. But you have to succeed. I'll be watching the entire way.
"Okay, so say that I believe you. What does this curse entail besides me always needing to win?" Milo asked as he picked up his Fuecoco.
There's a lot to the Nuzlocke Curse that I'll explain briefly. I'd go see why your new friend is chatting with your mother.
"Wait, what?" Milo snapped out of his thoughts and looked down the road leading away from Nemona's house and saw that his new neighbor was chatting with Milo's mother, with Hannah wearing a warm smile. Milo walked over to the two women to join them, with Hannah beaming at her son and the Fire Croc Pokémon in his arms.
"Oh, Milo! I hear that Nemona here will be taking you to school?" Hannah asked her child, who opened his mouth to respond, only for Nemona to beat him to the punch.
"That's right, ma'am. Leave it to me!" Nemona said brightly, putting a hand on her hip with a grin. Hannah reached forward to scratch Reggie on the chin, earning a hearty growl of appreciation from the Fuecoco.
"So you've already managed to make a friend!" Hannah said to her son, earning a grin and a nod from Milo. "And I read about all the wonderful teacher's you'll have looking after you at the school. Plus so many handy facilities you can use as much as you like! Add in your new friend, Nemona, plus your Pokémon and it sounds like your school life is shaping up to be fantastic!"
Her expression then became somewhat stern. "Now, you'll be staying in the school dorms, so I want you to promise me you'll eat proper meals."
"Nemona, what are the rules for owning an air fryer in the dorms?" Milo suddenly asked his new friend.
"They're within regulations, but they can be confiscated depending on bad behavior or fooling around with them." Nemona answered almost automatically, waving a hand dismissively.
"Milo…" Hannah said warningly, though she was fighting back a smile of her own as Milo smirked at her. Hannah reached into a pocket and pulled out a large ziplock bag with a sandwich inside, handing it to Milo along with a wad of money. The boy accepted the items, feeling a little embarrassed. "Here's a bit of spending money to start off with. I also packed a lunch for your first day. Oh! And maybe you'd better take these, too!"
Milo accepted five Potions from his mother as well, not even bothering to ask why she had brought him all of this stuff. Hannah Caballero was someone who thrived off of being overprepared, and it was just her way of showing her support. "Use them on that precious little Partner of yours, should it get hurt in battle. I know every day in your new life is going to be full of exciting experiences, far from home."
"I'll be alright. You won't need to worry about me. Reggie's got my back. Plus Nemona's not gonna rest until we battle in every city in Paldea, right?" Milo said to the girl, who's eyes lit up like fireworks.
"Oh my god, do you wanna?! Because I'm totally down to do that!" Nemona was grinning ear-to-ear with excitement, causing Milo and Hannah to laugh at her enthusiasm.
"Just try to savor them all - the good times and the hard times, too! But if you ever want to come back home, you know your bed is always ready for you." Hannah said to Milo, who's expression softened for a moment.
"Thanks for everything, Mom." Milo said as stepped forward and hugged his mother, who returned the embrace and held her son for a few moments.
"Love you, sweetie. Show them just what you can do. I'll be rooting you on the whole way!" Hannah murmured into her son's hair before pulling away, wiping away a tear. "Oh, all right then! You two had better be off, I suppose. Take care on your way to school!"
Hannah walked off after the two teens nodded at her, and as they watched Mrs. Caballero walk up the road to her house Nemona turned to Milo and said, "Your mother's so nice, Milo!"
"She's the best." Milo agreed, crossing his arms. "So, what's next? Heading to school?"
"Oh!" Nemona gasped, suddenly remembering something important. "But I was going to teach you how to catch wild Pokémon! C'mon, vamos!"
Nemona then promptly charged down the pathway while calling out, "This way!"
Milo's new neighbor darted down the side path that he had seen earlier, and Milo exchanged a glance with Reggie before shrugging and heading after the excitable girl, wondering just what other surprises he was in for today.
Shoutout to the legends who reviewed the first update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, BlazingIncineroar, mndgrdy, BraviarScout and Ways. Your support on this fledgling story means a lot to me and I hope you all stick around for this wild ride!
Take care and stay awesome.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!