Chapter 9: Melty
(The next morning)
Naofumi, Raphtalia, Filo, and Kurisu were cornered by a horde of fly-like monsters and salamander-like monsters. The reason for it was that they accepted the task as a cleanup around the area after the incident with the Dragon Zombie. Tyler and Chelsea weren't with them because they decided to stay at the village, because the latter had the former to stay and recover. And Merleo wasn't here because he had departed to meet up with his connection to buy some high-grade Holy Water using his Abra's Teleport.
Naofumi had Chespin out to battle while Raphtalia had Zigzagoon because she was still suffering from the effects of the curse. Though it doesn't stop her from fighting herself.
"Don't push yourself too much, okay?" Naofumi told his slave.
"Understood." Raphtalia said as she was able to block an attack from one of the fly monsters. "Zigzagoon! Use Headbutt!"
"Of course, Raphtalia!" The Tiny Raccoon Pokémon proceeded to slam herself onto two of the fly monsters, killing them.
Where did Raphtalia know what moves that Zigzagoon has? She learned them from Tyler before leaving.
"All right, Chespin! Use Bite!"
"Got it, Shield Bro!" Chespin's incisors glowed white before he bit one of the salamander monsters, causing it to screech in pain.
"Riolu! Finish the one that was fighting Chespin with Metal Claw!" Kurisu commanded.
"On it, Kurisu!" The rounded bumps on each of Riolu's forepaws glowed white and then they grew into three claws. Riolu then slashed the salamander monster with it, killing it instantly as Chespin let go.
"Thanks for the help, Riolu!" The Spiny Nut Pokémon thanked him.
"No problem." The Emanation Pokémon replied.
"Look alive, everyone! We're not done yet!" Naofumi told them as the remaining monsters were ready to attack them once again.
"Yeah. Let's push on through!" Kurisu said as she readied her tonfas.
It was grueling, but their efforts were rewarded as they managed to defeat every monster that was in the area.
"Well. That was the last one." Naofumi then turned towards Raphtalia. "How are you holding up, Raphtalia?"
"I'm okay. Just as you ordered, I didn't push myself too hard." Raphtalia ordered.
"We're okay on our end, Shield Bro!" Naofumi turned to see Chespin. "We got so much experience today." He then felt something surging inside him. "In fact, I'm starting to—"
He didn't get to finish as Chespin was suddenly enveloped in a blue light, surprising everyone.
"Whoa!? It's so sparkly!" Filo noted as she was mesmerized
"What the!? What's happening!?" Naofumi said before glancing towards Kurisu. "Hey, Kurisu! What's wrong with Chespin!?"
"Naofumi. It's fine. Chespin is evolving right now." Kurisu assured him.
"Evolving?" Naofumi repeated as they saw Chespin begin to grow in size and change shape.
"Look! He has become rounder now!" Raphtalia said. "It makes him look like a ball, Master Naofumi."
"Wow… You're evolving already, Chespin…" Zigzagoon said with awe at her friend.
As the light dissolved, they were able to see some drastic changes on Chespin. His body was now largely covered in armor-like shell that resembles a chestnut. Said armor was colored green along with two red tipped quills that jutted out like ears. His shell is banded over his arms and on his back, and the fur on his lower body creates a three-pointed pattern on the front. The only things that his green shell didn't were his face, lower body and legs, and the undersides of his arms. The visible parts of his body are dark brown, except for his lighter brown face. The face has dark, oval eyes, a small, pink nose on a pointed snout, a dark brown, red sideways triangle on each cheek, and a three-pointed patch of dark brown fur on his forehead. His tail is also red-tipped. And he also has three, white clawed digits on his hands and two on his feet.
"Whoa… That was weird." The newly evolved Pokémon commented.
"Chespin… You look different now." Naofumi told him.
"Different?" The Pokémon then realized what his Trainer meant. "Oh! I get it. I must've evolved somehow."
"Here. Let's see what Chespin is now" Kurisu pulled out her Poryphone before opening the Pokédex app inside of it. It didn't take long for her to find the entry she was looking for.
"Quilladin, the Spiny Armor Pokémon. And the evolved form of Chespin. It relies on its sturdy shell to deflect predators' attacks. It counterattacks with its sharp quills."
"Quilladin, huh?" Naofumi said. "So, he's not Chespin anymore?"
"Yup. Though appearances and different species aside, it's still the very same Pokémon that you caught." Kurisu stated.
"I see…" Naofumi stated. "So how does Pokémon evolve anyway?"
"I'll tell you on the way back." Kurisu told him.
"Okay then." Naofumi then pulled out Quilladin's Poké Ball. "Let's get stronger together, Quilladin. But for now, take some rest."
"Whatever you say, Shield Bro." Quilladin replied before he was returned to his Poké Ball.
"Oh, that's right!" Raphtalia then pulled out Zigzagoon's Poké Ball. "Thanks for the help, Zigzagoon. I hope you can evolve someday like Quilladin has."
"I hope so too, Raphtalia!" Zigzagoon stated before she was sent back to her Poké Ball.
"I'll keep Riolu out so we can have a safe trip." Kurisu told him.
"Fine by me. Let's go." And with that, the party left the area.
They decided to go through the woods there in order to take a shortcut back to the village. As they venture through, Naofumi decides to speak up.
"So, Kurisu…" Naofumi began while walking through the forest. "How does evolution work with Pokémon?"
"Yes, I am curious about it as well." Raphtalia chimed in. "Tyler once told me that I'm like a Pokémon. I have to wonder, what could he possibly mean?"
"It's going to take some time to explain about all of these…" Kurisu sweatdropped at this. "Here's the short version: when Pokémon reach a certain level or have fulfilled some criteria, they will undergo an evolution, where they become stronger."
"I see…" Naofumi said before looking at Quilladin's level, which was now level 16. "Does this mean Chespin evolved into Quilladin at level 16?"
"Yup." Kurisu nodded. "Though there are some Pokémon who require special conditions before they could evolve. Through either some evolutionary items, becoming friends with them, and so forth."
"Becoming friends? You mean friendship is actually a factor in evolution?" Naofumi inquired, curious about evolution through friendship as well as how cheesy it is.
"To a few Pokémon, yes." The former police intern confirmed. "Riolu here is one of the few who evolves through friendship."
"You sure? But why is he still a Riolu?" Raphtalia asked him.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to be friends with Kurisu." Riolu stated. "But I feel like our friendship isn't quite up there. Not enough to trigger my evolution."
"I see." Naofumi said, understanding the explanation. 'So it's like the natural version of the Class Upgrade in this world.'
"But I have a feeling we're going to reach that soon." The Emanation Pokémon said.
"Yeah." Kurisu nodded as everyone kept walking.
"Just a reminder, we're going to meet up with Merleo at the royal capital, right?" Raphtalia asked him.
"That's the plan." Naofumi answered. "So, I'll end the business travel so you and Tyler can be treated."
"Understood." Raphtalia complied.
After some walking through the forest, Riolu's expression became tense as he sensed a presence or two.
"What's wrong, Riolu?" Kurisu asked her partner.
"I sensed some presence to our right." Riolu stated before pointing to the direction that he sensed.
Everyone stealthily went towards the direction that Riolu was pointing. After walking a few steps, they were able to see the "presence" that Riolu detected. It turned out to be a flock of wild Filolials of various colors. And to their surprise, they were crowding around a little girl.
"Is that…?" Naofumi muttered as he decided to get a closer look. However, he stepped on a branch, which alerted his presence to the Filolials. The flock stood in place before making a run for it. This allowed the others to see the one that Filolials were playing with.
It was a girl, presumably ten years old. She has blue hair that she tied with purple ribbons into two curly pigtails and purple eyes. Her outfit consisted of a purple regal dress with white and purple frills in some areas.
"A human child?" Naofumi muttered as the others saw the flock running away in the distance. Filo then licked her beak.
"Those birds look yummy." Filo stated as she was staring at her own kind with hunger. "If we start now, we can hunt them down."
"Huh? What do you mean "yummy"?" Raphtalia asked.
"Now hang on just a second. Those were Filolials, just like you." Naofumi told Filo.
"Like me?"
"Oh good. Filo's also a cannibal." Kurisu sweatdropped.
"Can't say we saw this coming." Riolu added.
"So big…" Everyone turned to the little girl, who was focusing her gaze towards Filo. "Are you really and truly a Filolial?"
"Do you mean me?" Filo pointed one of her wings at herself.
"And you can talk as well!?" The little girl asked again, which Filo nodded.
"I always dreamed of talking with a Filolial, and here I am doing it!" The girl squealed in excitement, much to the shock of Filo. She then pulled out something from her pocket, which was some sort of dried meat. "This is for you. It's dried meat."
"Oh! Thanks!" Filo approached the girl before she plucked the treat from her hand and ate it.
As Filo was eating the treat, the girl took the time to stroke the feathers on her body, which she greatly enjoyed.
"Do you think she's from the village?" Raphtalia asked her master.
"No way. Too well-dressed." Naofumi replied. "Probably some noble family's daughter."
"She certainly gives off that impression." Kurisu commented.
"What's your name?" The blue-haired girl asked.
"Filo. And you?" Filo replied.
"Filo is a beautiful name. I'm Melty, Filo! Nice to meet you." The girl named Melty introduced herself.
"That's great! I'll call you "Mel"!" The big Filolial stated, which was greatly accepted by her new friend.
"Oh, right!" Melty proceeded to pull out some more dried meat. "Would you like some more of this?"
"I do! I do!" Filo happily said at being given more treats.
"I've never seen anyone that loves Filolials so much before." Raphtalia remarked as she, Naofumi, and Kurisu watched the sight unfold.
"Hey, Filo!" Naofumi shouted. "Don't forget, we still need to go to the village to do some work! But in the meantime, you can play that girl."
"You mean it?" Filo asked eagerly.
"Can she really?" Melty added.
"Oh boy!" The big Filolial jumped with joy before a puff of smoke engulfed her, transforming into her human form after she emerged from said smoke.
Raphtalia and Kurisu were bewildered at how random Filo is with her transformation while Naofumi was indifferent at the sight.
"Wow! Can you really transform whenever you want to!?" Melty asked excitedly.
"Sure, I can." Filo answered.
"So cool!" The blue haired girl complimented her.
"She took that surprisingly well." Naofumi commented.
"They certainly like each other." Raphtalia agreed.
"It's a good thing. Filo needs to talk with someone close to her age." Kurisu added as she suddenly remembered the time when she spent some time with Elaine. She was very fond of the times she spent with her late best friend.
"Master! Can I play a little longer with Mel?" Filo asked her master.
"Just make sure you're back by sunset." Naofumi answered.
"Okay!" Filo replied before she turned towards her new friend. "Let's go!"
"And don't go far away, okay?" The messy haired young man added as he, Raphtalia, and Kurisu saw them leave.
"'Kay!" Filo's reply could be heard as she took Melty somewhere to play.
Raphtalia simply giggled at how laid-back her master had become and she loved it, much to the latter's confusion.
They proceeded to return to the village where Naofumi submitted the request. After that, they proceeded to treat some of the patients at the village's clinic. Thanks to his Potion Enhance skill, he was able to cure a good number of people out of their illness.
Once that was done, they returned to the room where Raphtalia and Tyler were.
"Yo! Welcome back!" Tyler greeted his friends before he flinched when Chelsea was changing the bandage. "Ow! Take it easy, will you!?"
"I'm doing the best I can, idiot. So shut up and let me do my work!" Chelsea reprimanded him as she carefully changed the bandages.
"Okay okay, I hear you." Tyler said before he noticed the absence of a certain someone. "Hm? Where's Filo?"
"She's off playing with a new friend that we met on our way back." Naofumi replied as he got Raphtalia to sit on her bed before preparing to change her bandage.
"Did she? Who is it?"
"It's a little girl named Melty. Naofumi said she's probably from a noble family." Kurisu answered.
"Okay then." Tyler continued before he silenced himself to let Chelsea treat him.
Naofumi managed to unwrap the old bandage from Raphtalia's arms and proceeded to wrap the new one. When wrapping the bandage around her right arm, Raphtalia flinched a little.
"Does it hurt that badly?" Naofumi asked.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about it." Raphtalia assured him.
"I'm sorry. It's all my fault."
"Dude, we went over this. Everyone's to blame in all of that fiasco. So don't worry." Tyler assured his friend.
"Tyler's right. We're still alive now, so that's all it matters." The demihuman swordswoman stated.
"Okay…" Naofumi said before everyone heard the sound of the door opening. It was none other than Filo, who came back.
"Master! I'm back!" Filo greeted everyone.
"We're glad that you're back." Naofumi stated.
"Are you all right, Big Sis Raphtalia?" The winged girl asked, which Raphtalia replied. "I'm so happy 'cause I met such a wonderful friend today!"
"You mean that Melty girl, right?" Tyler asked her.
"Mm-hmm! She told me that she has traveled through all sorts of amazing places! Just like me." Filo explained.
"Uh-huh…" Naofumi simply spoke.
"And then, she told me about so much other stuff I didn't know!"
"That so?"
"She also told how she got separated from the rest of her people while she was playing with Filolials."
"Well, good for her…" Naofumi said before it took some moments to realize what he and the others just heard.
"Hold up. What do you mean she was separated?" Tyler asked.
"Everyone." Raphtalia gained everyone's attention as the aforementioned girl walked into the room.
"I apologize for showing up so late." The girl spoke in a polite manner. "Could you, um… would it be a problem for me to travel with you for just a little a while?"
"Wait a sec! You can't travel with us!" Naofumi denied the request.
"I… I was on my way to the royal capital and um…" Melty began. "But then, when I saw all those beautiful Filolials, I… uh…" She then slightly bowed towards them. "I was having so much fun playing with them that I got separated from my bodyguards and left them behind!"
"Bodyguards?" The messy haired young man repeated.
"Savior, I hear you're leaving for the capital tomorrow." The blue-haired girl continued. "Would you please consider taking me with you?"
'She must've found out about me from the villagers.' Naofumi contemplated as he folded his arms.
"I know it is a selfish request, but you see…" She stated her reasons. "I just have to return to the capital right away! I beg you!"
'If she's a nobleman's daughter, we might get a reward.' Naofumi pondered about the request. 'But it'll cause some trouble if I'm the one who takes her home.' He then felt a tug in his shirt, which snapped him out of his train of thoughts. He realized it was Filo.
"It's important, Master!" Filo pleaded. "I really want you to help her."
"Yeah, man! We should help her out." Tyler chimed in. "It doesn't sit right with me if you refuse to take her with us."
"Yes. We can't turn her away if she's in trouble like that, Master Naofumi." Raphtalia added. "I want you to help her too."
"Plus, this kind of thing is one of the most important duties of being a hero." Kurisu said, reminding her of one of the duties of the police.
"If Tyler said you should help the little girl, then you best do it." Chelsea added. "What's your call, leader?"
Naofumi simply scratched the back of his head before he decided to relent. "Well, you're gonna have to cough up a reward, you know."
"Of course! I'll ask my father! He'll be glad too!" Melty replied, happy that the rumored savior accepted her request.
Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched by one of the cloaked figures that interrupted Malty, who was sitting by the tree.
(The next day…)
"O' Savior… We truly can't find the words to thank you." The doctor of the clinic thanked Naofumi for his efforts. Most of the party and Melty were aboard the carriage and Filo was already on the front to pull the carriage. And with that, everyone was ready to depart.
"Yeah, well. I'd rather have money than thank-yous." Naofumi replied as he handed a sack to Raphtalia, which she took. "Next time I come around, I'll collect the money.
"Oh. Of course!" The doctor said as the nurse next to him gave Raphtalia a "Hang in there" gesture, which the latter appreciated
"Okay, Filo!" Naofumi gave the signal.
"Here we go!" And with a cheerful tone, Filo swiftly pulled the carriage as the party and Melty left the village.
Things were getting interesting ever since they had Melty on board the carriage. Naofumi was shocked to see her sitting beside him as he was holding the reins. And for some reason, Raphtalia suffered motion sickness once more, which was likely due to the effects of the curse.
They then stop for a moment to just hunt some deer-like monsters that were roaming in the area for dinner while Naofumi attended the motion sickness stricken Raphtalia before moving on. They then stopped by a riverside as Naofumi tried to fish something out while everyone took a break. They were surprised that Filo managed to catch a fish by hand.
Seeing that the sun was about to set, Naofumi told everyone that they would camp here for the night and allowed Filo to play with Melty just a little bit.
Naofumi and Raphtalia were preparing dinner while Tyler, Chelsea, and Kurisu were doing something else. That being a mock battle between the latter two. Chelsea had Rhyperior battle against Kurisu's Riolu. They've been at it for quite a while. With the latter being at a disadvantage from how overpowered the former is.
"While your strength is still weak, I can still see some improvements." Rhyperior told his smaller opponent. "I commend you for enduring this long."
"Thank you." Riolu stated he was panting. "I shouldn't be surprised that you were able to tank several hits from my super-effective moves."
"It would be either my thanks to my impressive physical defense or because of Solid Rock." The Drill Pokémon added.
"I have to say, you're not bad." Chelsea complimented. "Only a few could keep up with Rhyperior."
"Thank you. Tyler wasn't kidding when he said you're a skilled Pokémon Trainer." Kurisu replied.
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me." Chelsea said before she ordered Rhyperior the next move. "Now use Dig!"
"This is where things get serious!" Rhyperior's drill-like horn began to spin around before diving into the ground head first. The impact caused some dust to fly around the area, which made Riolu cover his eyes. By the time the dust had settled, Rhyperior was nowhere to be seen.
"That doesn't scare us. Quick Attack! Run around!" Kurisu called.
"Try and catch me!" Riolu challenged the underground Rhyperior, as he dashed around the field in a burst of speed. And thanks to his aura detection, he could tell where Rhyperior was and do all he could to avoid getting a surprise hit from the Drill Pokemon.
Chelsea grimaced slightly upon seeing this. "Okay, this changes things... Then how about this? Pick up the pace with Megahorn!" As soon as she called for that next attack, Riolu could sense the increased velocity of the Drill Pokémon's burrowing. This also surprised Kurisu.
"Oh no! Riolu, be careful!" The former police intern warned, because Megahorn have enhanced the digging speed of Dig, which she could tell that Rhyperior was as fast Riolu who was using Quick Attack.
"I know, I know!" The Emanation Pokémon repiled, fully aware of this. Despite his efforts, the ground burst upward and Rhyperior emerged and nailed the attack to the center, sending him flying upwards.
"Riolu!" Kurisu cried out in worry.
"Now's our chance! Use Rock Wrecker skyward!" Chelsea commanded.
"Think you can handle this?" Rhyperior then put his hands together, and small chunks of gray stones came out of the holes on Rhyperior's hands and formed together into a large gray boulder. Then he threw the boulder upwards, aiming towards the falling Riolu.
"Tried breaking it with Force Palm!" The former police intern said.
"All right!" Riolu then dove towards the Rock Wrecker attack before putting one of his palms on it, which then fired off a light blue blast from the paw that made contact with the boulder. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to overpower Rhyperior's Rock Wrecker and it managed to hit Riolu, causing some explosions afterwards.
"Riolu!" Kurisu cried in worry once more as Riolu emerged from the smoke and fell to the ground hard. She saw that the attack took out a big chunk of his HP. But she was fortunate that her partner managed to endure the attack, thanks to the resistance against Rock type moves. "Hey! Can you stand?"
The Emanation Pokémon heard his partner's voice as he managed to stand up, albeit barely. "I'm okay… That was pretty hardcore back there."
"I'm impressed. Not many could withstand the raw power of Rock Wrecker." Rhyperior complimented his opponent as he felt tired from using Rock Wrecker.
"Now that Rhyperior became temporarily exhausted from using Rock Wrecker, we still have a chance." Kurisu remarked. "Riolu! Use Metal Claw and then Force Palm!"
"Right!" Riolu then rushed towards his vulnerable opponent. The gray bumps on one of his paws glowed white and it grew, transformed into three claws.
"Hold it in, Rhyperior!" Chelsea said.
"Of course!" Rhyperior braced himself as Riolu slashed him with said glowing claws before they disappeared. But the onslaught was not over as it was then followed up by another Force Palm to the center, something that Rhyperior felt despite being protected by his Solid Rock ability. It certainly helped that Riolu got a boost in his Attack stat thanks to Metal Claw.
"Tch! That actually hurt!" Chelsea saw the HP of Rhyperior, which was in yellow. "Rhyperior! Hang in there!"
"I will!" The Drill Pokémon replied.
"Now, why don't we finish this with Thunder Punch!" She continued.
One of Rhyperior's fists began to crackle in yellow electricity, which then grew into a ball of electrical energy. He then rushed towards Riolu with the intention of punching him.
"We're not going down without a fight! Counter it with another Force Palm!" Kurisu commanded.
"Here I go!" Riolu then lunged towards his bigger opponent with one of his paws rearing backwards. But just as they were about to land the blow on each other…
"What is going on here!?" Both of the Pokémon stopped their moves as they, including their Trainers and Tyler, looked towards Melty, who appeared in the battlefield with Filo in tow.
"Whoa! Melty!? What are you doing here!?" Tyler asked.
"I could ask you all the same thing!" Melty then glanced towards Riolu and then Rhyperior. "Why are you putting that poor raccoon against a monster like that? Have you no shame?"
"We're not battling seriously, Melty. It's just a mock battle." Kurisu reasoned with the noble girl. "So, it's just a practice battle."
"But that's still no excuse for using that raccoon to fight a burly monster like that one." Melty said before looking at Tyler. "And you did not do a thing to stop this nonsense! What were you thinking?"
"Oh boy…" Tyler muttered, knowing how difficult it would be to explain the concept of Pokémon battle to her.
"It's all right, Mel! Tyler, Kurisu, and Chelsea are Pokémon Trainers." Filo assured her friend. "I saw Tyler using his Pokémon, especially that three headed dragon of his, battle a bunch of times. They know what they are doing."
"Even so…" Melty said, realizing that Filo has a point. "So, what are these "Pokémon Trainers" then? And for that matter, what exactly are "Pokémon"?"
"Well…" But just as Kurisu was about to explain.
"Hey! Dinner's ready—" Naofumi entered the scene, where he noticed the tension in the atmosphere. "What's all this about?"
"Ah, Savior! Perfect timing!" Melty called him out. "Tell these three that they shouldn't indulge themselves in situations like this—"
"What are you talking about? This is actually a normal thing from the world they came from." Naofumi intercepted, much to the shock of Melty. Due to the time he, Raphtalia, and Filo spent with the otherworldly trainers, mainly Tyler and Kurisu, They managed to learn a few things about their world, which included Pokémon battles.
"Wait! They hailed from another world!?" Melty exclaimed.
"Right. I guess it slipped out of my mind." Naofumi muttered. "I'll fill you in on the details of it as we eat dinner. So, come on. Let's go!"
"Yay! Yummy yummy food!" Filo proceeded to go ahead and walk towards the camp with her master.
"Filo, wait for me!" Melty immediately followed her best friend.
"Well, that worked out just fine." Chelsea commented before she pulled out a Poke Ball for Rhyperior. "That was a great job back there. Not take a good rest, big guy."
"It will be my pleasure, Chelsea." Rhyperior accepted the praise before he was returned to his Poke Ball.
"That goes for you too, Riolu." Kurisu then pulled out Riolu's Poke Ball. "Let's keep that up, okay? For now, take a break."
"All right. See you later." The Emanation Pokemon complied as he went back inside his Poke Ball.
"Come on, you two. It's chowtime!" Tyler told the two young women before going to where Naofumi was.
"I'll say this much, Kurisu…" The aforementioned girl glanced towards Kurisu. "You're not bad. That combo of Metal Claw and Force Palm was something that I didn't expect. That was very clever.
"Thank you." Kurisu replied, feeling grateful for the praise. "Solid Rock or not, your Rhyperior was quite the bulky Pokemon. If it wasn't for the fact that Fighting type Pokemon resists Rock type moves, Riolu would've lost."
"Yeah." Chelsea nodded. "So listen, I'm sorry about the other day. Especially accusing how fake your ability is."
"It's fine. Just as long as you understand." Kurisu stated. "But I do know one thing…"
"What…?" The hammer wielder inquired.
"That you have some feelings about Tyler."
"W-Wha!?" Chelsea widened her eyes and her face was blushing slightly. "I-I don't know what you're talking about! Can't I just worry your friend?"
"I don't know, but I have a feeling that you want to be more than just a friend to him." Kurisu continued in a teasing tone. "In case you forgot, have a knack to know if people were telling me the truth or lying. For you, you are fibbing right now."
"Hey, come on! Let's go!" The two heard Tyler's yelling.
"L-Let's just go! I think Tyler is calling for us." And with that, Chelsea hastily left.
"You can run all you want, but there's no hiding the truth." Kurisu muttered as she left for where the others were.
(Later that night…)
"I see." Melty stated as she sat while eating her dinner, which was grilled fish and beef skewer. Naofumi and others took the time to explain to her about Pokémon, the two worlds that Tyler, Chelsea, and Kurisu originated from, and the concept of Pokémon Trainer. "But this does beg the question: Why do these Pokémon fight?"
"That is something that I couldn't figure out." Naofumi replied as he was eating one of the beef skewers on his plate.
"One could say that some Pokémon really enjoy battling." Kurisu explained. "One of the few ways that a Pokémon could get stronger is to battle. Their Trainer, in a sense, could get stronger as well. And of course, if a Pokémon was injured, their Trainers could run towards a Pokémon Center to recover."
"That is a relief." Melty sighed in relief as the Pokémon Trainer was attentive towards the well-being of their Pokémon.
"Okay…" Naofumi stated as the others understood it all. Truth to be told, Naofumi planned on adding Pokémon battle in his fighting style so he can become versatile in any situation. The Shield Hero was very open at the idea of adding some creativity to his fighting style. He could feel the benefits of it very much. So, I was right that Pokémon battles is a form of sport"
"Yup." Tyler nodded. "And that's pretty much the Gym battles in a nutshell."
"Gym battles? What do you need to battle there since you're going there to work out?" Naofumi stated.
"Not that kinda gym, dude." Tyler began. He decided to explain the concept of the Gym battles as well as the Gym Leaders. Sure enough, the others managed to understand it all.
"So, these Gym Leaders served as hurdles for Pokémon Trainer, huh?" Naofumi said. "What happens if you beat them all?"
"Well, you get to take on the region's Pokémon League. The opponents are the Elite Four, which is a group of four Trainers who are skilled compared to Gym Leaders, and once you beat them, you're gonna to take on the Champion, the strongest Pokémon Trainer in the region." Chelsea explained on Tyler's behalf. "From what I've heard, you have only one shot at conquering the Pokémon League and becoming the Champion. And if you lose, then that's it. You're not allowed to tackle it ever again."
"So, the Pokémon Trainer's endgame is becoming a Champion, huh? This Pokémon League thing almost looks like the sports league back home…" Naofumi remarked.
"That certainly explains why Quilladin was so eager to fight this morning." Raphtalia said.
"That was very knowledgeable. I suppose Pokémon Trainers are quite skilled fighters." Melty said before noticing Filo, who was eyeing the sole beef skewer that the former has on her plate. "Filo, do you want this?"
"May I!?" Filo asked eagerly.
"Sorry, but I'll take that." Naofumi took the beef skewer from Melty. "You already had your share, Filo."
"Master! Give it to me!" Filo pleaded.
"Ooh! Can I take that?" Tyler asked his leader.
"Go ahead." And with that permission, Tyler took the beef skewer and ate them one at a time. "This is so good!"
"Master! How could you do that!? That beef skewer was mine!" Filo whined.
"Filo! Master Naofumi said that you had your share! No means no!" Raphtalia berated her as Filo puffed up her cheeks as she pouted at them, which earned a laugh from Melty.
"Probably for the best since it could lead Filo to gain some weight." Chelsea remarked. "Not an ideal habit for a girl."
"Hey! I'm not fat!" Filo snapped at her.
"I never said that!" Chelsea retorted.
And then, Naofumi decided to bring up a new topic.
"That reminds me…" Naofumi spoke up as he remembered something. "Chelsea, you said that you are a Pokémon Performer, right? What exactly is that?"
"Oh, right. I guess you were wondering about that." Chelsea said. "Pokémon Performers are female Pokémon Trainers who raise their Pokémon to compete in a contest known as Pokémon Showcase."
"So, it's different than taking on the Gyms then?" Raphtalia asked.
"Pretty much, by a large margin. Especially since only female Trainers could participate." Chelsea continued. "As a Performer, it's my job to teach my Pokémon to create dance routines and series of movements so I could show the audience how coordinated I am with my Pokémon."
"So instead of battling, you get to dance around with your Pokémon in ways that could amaze the audience? That's actually pretty fun." Kurisu commented.
"Well, it's not all that easy." Tyler commented. "I heard that you gotta put some serious effort into performing. Like say, the creative way of usin' Pokémon moves, the synchronized movement between the Performer and Pokémon, dressin' up to look cute and everythin' and so much more."
"I'm surprised you know about that, Tyler." Naofumi said. "I thought this Pokémon Showcase thing is for girls only."
"Well, my mom used to do all of these things and she kinda told me about it." Tyler was scratching the back of his head. "She was the Kalos Queen when she told me about it."
"Kalos Queen? Does that mean your mother is the queen of the Kalos region?" Melty asked him.
"Not like that." Both Tyler and Chelsea spoke in unison.
"I get it. It's like a beauty pageant." Kurisu speculted. "If it is, then the "Queen" in Kalos Queen is just a title and not effectively making you the queen of the region."
"Yup." Chelsea said as the others nodded in understanding. She then pulled a black Poké Ball with a red and yellow circular pattern on the top and a dominant yellow on the center. This is a Luxury Ball. "Melty, you love Filolials right?"
"Yes. Why?" Melty answered with uncertainty.
"You'll see." Chelsea then threw the Luxury Ball upward. "Come out and meet everyone!"
The Luxury Ball opened up as the familiar blue energy burst forward and landed in front of everyone. It didn't take long for the Pokémon to emerge from the blue light.
Appearing before them was a blue avian Pokémon. Covering its body was a pair of cloud-like wings that consisted of white, fluffy feathers. Said wings folded behind it, covering its back. It has two blue streamers like plumes that extend from its head, a white hooked beak that was accompanied by two matching cheek patches and a pair of beady, black eyes. It has a long neck and a pair of short legs that protrude from its fluffy body. Its feet are blue in coloration and have three claws forward and one claw backward. The tail was made up of five blue feathers, with the outer two longer than the inner ones. And it also wore a white collar around its long neck with a light pink stone that has white, blue, and light blue colored marble patterns embedded on it.
"H-Hello everyone…" The Pokemon greeted meekly.
"It's also pretty cute." Raphtalia complimented.
"Ah! That's actually a pretty looking bird!" Melty squealed in awe. She touched the feathers and noticed how soft they were. "And its feathers are just as soft as Filo's."
"I don't know, Mel. There's something not right about that bird." Filo added.
"How the heck a bird like that have cloud shaped wings?" Naofumi said as he noticed the stone that was embedded on the collar. 'What kind of stone is that? It looks almost like marble…'
"I didn't know you had an Altaria." Kurisu said as she was in awe as the others. And much like Naofumi, she also noticed the stone as well. 'And it also comes with a Mega Stone for it too. This girl means business…'
"Altaria?" Naofumi, Raphtalia, and Melty repeated in unison.
"Listen to this." As usual, Tyler pulled out his Pokédex.
"Altaria, the Humming Pokémon. A Dragon and Flying type. It flies gracefully through the sky. Its melodic humming makes you feel like you're in a dream."
"Wait a sec. You mean this bird is a dragon!?" Naofumi exclaimed. "But it looks nothing like a dragon!"
"I agreed. It doesn't seem as fierce looking as Hydreigon." Raphtalia added.
"Hydreigon?" Melty repeated.
"Here you go." Just then, the picture on the Pokédex switches to Hydreigon's.
"Hydreigon, the Brutal Pokémon. A Dark and Dragon type. The heads on their arms do not have brains. They use all three heads to consume and destroy everything."
"To consume and destroy everything…" Melty shuddered at the word, as with Naofumi and Raphtalia despite having heard of its entry when he first joined them.
"You don't have to worry about my Hydreigon." Tyler assured them. "He's pretty chill."
"Yeah. Any Pokémon can be docile as long as you treat them with care. Don't judge a Pokémon by their appearance." Kurisu added, easing their minds.
"But I don't get it! Why is that cloudy bird a dragon like that three headed meanie!" Filo whined, bringing back the subject. "She's supposed to be a bird like me! Why is she also a dragon too!?"
"I don't know about that Filo…" Melty began to caress the cloudy wing. "It's so soft and nice. It's like touching the clouds…"
"So what's the idea? Why's that bird a Dragon type Pokémon?" Naofumi asked.
The three otherworldly trainers looked at each other in wonder at the question. As he said, why was Altaria classified as a Dragon-type? The answer?
"... No idea." they replied in unison.
"Seriously?" Naofumi questioned in disbelief.
"To be fair, Altaria's pre-evolved form, Swablu, is classified as a Normal and Flying type. And there is a Pokemon known as Charizard that, although looks like a dragon, is not really classified as such," Kurisu defended, only to serve in confusing the group even more.
"Okay, and how did something that is not known to be a dragon to start with turn into one? And given how typing works, I thought that type classification is given out based on a Pokemon's appearance and behavior" the Shield Hero said.
"I wouldn't exactly say that." Chelsea said. "I think I remember hearing about a creepy-looking Pokemon in a region known as Alola that is supposedly a Fairy type. I've never seen it for myself, but from rumors I heard, for a Pokemon known to be a Fairy type... It actually is less like a Fairy type as it's more of a Ghost type."
While Naofumi was looking at her in shock at the description, as he knew what fairies were supposed to look like, their three female companions of this world looked at them in confusion, unfamiliar with the word.
"You wouldn't be talking about Mimikyu, would you? That is the only Pokemon I could think of that has that sort of description in my world," Kurisu asked.
"I think that's the one. So, is it true?" Chelsea asked.
"Eh… Kinda." Kurisu replied hesitantly.
"There's also Bonsly and Sudowoodo." Tyler chimed in. "One might think that they are buncha Grass type Pokémon just because they looked like trees, but really they are just Rock type Pokémon." He continued, remembering how he encountered one as a part of a horde of tree-like Pokemon called Trevenant. "Just soak 'em with water and see how they'll react."
The Shield Hero could only look at the trainers in increasing bafflement. "... Just what sort of world do you three come from, really...?"
Altaria could only look towards the bafflement with an oblivious expression.
After that, they decided to turn in for the night. Though Tyler and Naofumi decided to keep watch for the night. To ensure that there are no monsters that attack them in their sleep.
"You know, you don't have to stay awake with me." Naofumi told Tyler. "Especially with the curse still in your body."
"It's okay, Man. I can keep going. I've been resting so much lately that I gotta do something." The gunman told them.
Due to the sound of the conversation, Raphtalia woke up. This did not go unnoticed by the two young men.
"Did we wake you?" Naofumi asked Raphtalia.
"No. I can keep watch with you two if that's okay." Raphtalia then got up and walked towards her master. She then sat beside him on top of a fallen log.
"Fine." Naofumi relented. At this point, he knew that once Raphtalia set her mind on something, she'd be willing to go through with it. So, it was pointless to talk her out of it.
Then Tyler noticed that something was amiss. "Hey, uh… Where's Filo's new BFF? That Melty girl. Where's she at now?"
"Huh?" Naofumi and Raphtalia proceeded to look around and the three noticed Melty's dress that was lying on the ground next to Filo, who was sleeping in her Filolial form. Along with the ribbons that are used to tie her hair.
Seeing this caused the three to abruptly stand up, especially Naofumi who dropped the book that he was reading. They approached it as Raphtalia picked the discarded dress up.
"You don't think…" Raphtalia asked them as she feared for the worst.
"Uh-uh…" Naofumi also seemed to be thinking the same thing. "There's no way."
"Hoo boy…" Tyler scratched the back of his head in frustration as he too caught on to what his friends were getting at.
"I can't believe that Filo—"
"Well, she did say that even her own kind is yummy." Naofumi reminded her, much to the surprise of Tyler.
"Are you for real!? She's seriously thinking of eating her own friends?" Tyler inquired as he got his answer with a nod from Naofumi and Raphtalia. "Damn, Filo. You scary."
The three were contemplating their options to this predicament. Fortunately, it was Naofumi that broke the silence.
"Raphtalia. Tyler." He called out their names.
"Yes?/What up?" Both Raphtalia and Tyler replied in unison.
"We saw nothing, okay?" Naofumi stated.
"Wha!? What are you saying!?" Raphtalia exclaimed.
"Dude! What the hell!?" Tyler added.
"Look. If we destroy the evidence—"
"Y-You can't be serious!" Raphtalia interrupted him.
"What? You think it's better to confess that Filo ate some nobleman's daughter?" Naofumi retorted.
"That's true. It's better that we burn the dress down now and take the secret to our graves." Tyler said, agreeing with Naofumi's opinion.
"Tyler! Not you too!"
The voices of the three's bickering woke Filo up.
"Something wrong, Master…?" Filo asked.
"Filo, what did you do this time?" Tyler asked him.
"Yes. Did you seriously eat Mel?" Raphtalia added.
"What are you talking about? She's been sleeping in my feathers the whole time."
"Wait, what?"
"Time to wake up, Mel!" As Filo called out her friend's name, the aforementioned came bursting from the side of Filo's body. Considering that she took of her clothes, they could tell that the little girl was sleeping nude
"Whoa!" To say that the three were shocked was an understatement.
"What's the matter?" Melty asked with one eye open.
"What're you doing?" Naofumi asked her.
"Filo's feathers were so nice and comfortable that I couldn't resist sleeping in it." She answered.
"So you take off your clothes?" The messy haired young man asked again, which was replied with a nod.
"But how did you get in there?" Raphtalia reached out her hand towards Filo's body and proceeded to push said towards it. It was then that she and the others realized how spacious it is despite her appearance. "Ah… Unbelievable. It's so nice and warm…" She stated before she fell asleep in the feathers.
Two others also noticed that Filo and Melty had fallen back to sleep. Naofumi then picked up one of the feathers that was lying on the ground.
"So, these feathers have sleep-inducing powers?" Naofumi wondered as he saw how peacefully the three girls in front of him and Tyler are in their sleep.
"Prolly makes for a good pillow, huh?" Tyler remarked.
"You could say that again." Naofumi stated before a sudden gust blew the only feather that he had on hand.
(The next day…)
"Welp… We managed to get through." Tyler commented as he got off the carriage as the party and Melty parked their carriage behind a building.
The first thing in the morning, they continued their journey back to the royal capital. When they finally reached it, Naofumi proceeded to hide at the back of the carriage because Chelsea was the one holding the reins, and so that none of the guards or anyone could identify him.
Due to her experience as a police intern, Kurisu volunteered to secure the perimeters of the area in case there was someone to look out for. Sure enough, there was nothing and no one out of the ordinary.
"All clear." Kurisu told everyone.
"Good." Naofumi said. The young man is not in the mood to deal with any more nonsense from Malty, her father, or Motoyasu.
"Well then." The Shield Hero turned to see Melty, who did a curtsy towards him. "I really can't thank you all enough for escorting me home."
"Master! Is it alright if I take Melty home?" Filo asked.
"Sure. Just make sure you collect the reward." Her master replied.
"Okay!" She then turned towards her friend. "Let's go."
"Right!" And with that, both Filo and Melty started walking forward. Though they stopped for a bit as the latter turned and waved her arm. "Farewell 'til next time!"
Everyone except Naofumi waved goodbye at her as she left with Filo.
"I have to say, that Melty girl is pretty nice." Chelsea commented.
"I think we'll miss her." Raphtalia told her master.
"I'm sure we'll see her again." Naofumi replied.
"Uh-uh!"
After that, Naofumi and Tyler decided to go ahead as Raphtalia, Kurisu, and Chelsea chose to stay behind.
They proceeded to enter the main street of the capital, where there were many people who didn't notice their presence.
"So where do you think Merleo is going to be?" Tyler asked him.
"Don't know. While we kinda agreed that we're supposed to meet at the royal capital, I kinda forgot to get some more details." Naofumi told him.
"I'm sure he's going to hold a big sign over his head that says "Over here!" at us. "
"No. That'll be too convenient."
"Hey! Shield Hero!" The two froze up as they turned to see who was calling out in the open. It was someone familiar to them. It was one of the knights that they encountered during the Wave.
"Wait. Isn't that…" Tyler began as he recognized him.
"I thought so too." Naofumi then turned towards his friend. "Run for it!"
"You got it!" And with that, the two decided to run away.
Eventually, they entered the market district of the city where the two were still chasing after them.
"Damn it, I didn't think someone ID'd us so soon!" Tyler commented while still running away.
"Yeah. It's a real pain in the ass all right." Naofumi replied.
"Wait!" The young knight told him.
"That guy's a real pest." He muttered before he saw pathways that lead to a back alley. "This way!"
"Got it!" Tyler complied as the two young men ran towards the pathway to the left in order to shake off their pursuer.
After taking a few steps down, he proceeded to swiftly go right and leaned on the wall.
"You okay?" Naofumi asked him.
"I should be asking you that." Tyler retorted. "I don't know if you noticed, but the guy got his eyes on you."
"Yeah, I noticed that too." Naofumi remarked. "Let's split up. You go ahead and get Filo. We'll meet up with others back at the carriage."
"Okay, man. Be careful out there." Tyler proceeded to go in the other direction.
Naofumi proceeded to step out from the side.
"Hey, over here!" He called out to the guard that was chasing him before starting to run away.
"Please, wait!" The knight pleaded but it fell on deaf ears as not only did the Shield Hero give him the slip, but he was not able to get past a crowd of people.
After several minutes of running, Naofumi stopped as he tried to catch some breath.
"Did I do it? Did I lose him?" He muttered while panting. But just as he was about to run again…
"Naofumi!" He looked up to see one of his least favorite people jumping towards him with the intent to attack. Said person was none other than Motoyasu.
Fortunately, Naofumi leapt backwards to avoid the incoming strike.
The people around them were surprised at how sudden the attack was and began to talk amongst them.
"You're attacking me in the middle of the streets!? Have you lost your mind!?" Naofumi berated him.
"Shut your face!" As usual, Motoyasu ignored him as he went for a swipe, which Naofumi ducked under it. "Where's that slave girl? Release her now!"
In response to the threat, Naofumi swapped his Book Shield for the Chimera Viper Shield, which he used to block the spear.
"You're a real pain, you know that?" Naofumi muttered. "I told you that Raphtalia isn't—"
"I'm not talking about her!" The deluded young man interrupted his "archenemy", causing the latter to widen his eyes in surprise. "I'm talking about the blonde girl with wings on her back! I saw her with you. So, don't lie to me."
"You mean Filo?" Naofumi said.
"Filo's her name! How can you make her your slave?" Motoyasu reprimanded him. "I've never seen a girl that perfect. She's incredible! It's hard to believe that there is a girl just like Freyon from Hellworld."
"Huh?" Naofumi didn't understand what the idiot in front of him was talking about.
"Actually, I have this thing for angels."
"Nobody cares." He replied but it was ignored.
"My heart's been in overdrive since I laid my eyes on that wonderful face." Motoyasu began. "I love Otherworlds! And I love those beautiful blonde angels!"
"This is ridiculous…" Naofumi groaned in annoyance before he saw something armored around his groin. He quickly changed his mood as he barely contained his laughter. "Pfft! Dude! What's with that?"
"Eh?" Motoyasu looked down before he glared towards him. "Oh, right. I almost forgot! That fat bird is yours too, isn't it?" His mind suddenly flashed back to how he was kicked to the groin. Though he failed to connect the dots, the bird that kicked him and Filo was one and the same.
"Don't blame me. You did that to yourself." Naofumi said.
"Shut it! I'm gonna send you and your chumster friend back to hell! Air Strike Javelin!" Motoyasu said as he threw the spear with one hand
"Crap!" Naofumi quickly pulled out Quilladin's Poké Ball. "Quilladin! Come out and intercept it!" He threw the Poké Ball in the air as Quilladin came out.
"One Needle Arm coming right up!" Quilladin stated as a light green orb of energy with four spikes on it form around one of his arms. He then deflected the attack by hitting it. However, the deflected attack went towards one of the food stands, destroying it in the process.
"Tch! I see that you got one of those "Pokémon" things yourself. You really are a coward." Motoyasu gritted his teeth.
"Hey! Don't badmouth Shield Bro like that, Jerk Spear!" Quilladin retorted.
"Like I ask your opinion, Fatso 2.0! Chaos Spear!" Motoyasu proceeded to do the next attack.
"Dodge it, Quilladin!" Naofumi commanded as he also braced himself.
Quilladin barely dodges all of the attacks from Motoyasu. Though this ended up creating more collateral damage from the stands that were destroyed. And people around the area were avoiding it so they wouldn't get hit in the crossfire.
"Hey, are you crazy! You can't fight here!" One of the passersby scolded them.
"What's the big problem? Come and get me!" One of the men taunted as he and a few others decided to take advantage of the ensuing chaos.
"Oh really? Go on, say it again!" One of the men grabbed him by the collar before he got socked in the face.
This resulted in another fight within the ongoing fight as all the men in the area were beating each other out.
"Naofumi!" Motoyasu shouted as he prepared to make his next move.
"Quilladin! Get ready for another Needle Arm!" Naofumi warned him.
"Anything for you Shield Bro! I'm not letting this jerk walk over you!" Quilladin complied as he went for another Needle Arm.
But just as the duo were about to strike each other, the same young knight got between them.
"Wait! Spear Hero, you can't—" The spear managed to barely miss its target as the young man closed his eyes, knowing that going between them would result in his death. Fortunately, he survived.
"Wait a minute. What's going on!?" Naofumi asked.
"This is a public place." The knight scolded them. "Take your differences elsewhere! This is not a place to fight!"
"Yeah, well. Tell that to Jerk Spear over here!" Quilladin retorted. "He's the one who suddenly jumps and ambushes Shield Bro! For someone who was supposed to be in the same position as Shield Bro, he's very lame! So uncool! And you picked a fight with Shield Bro just over a stupid reason like that? What a loser!"
"What did you say!?" Motoyasu was seething in rage at the accusation.
"Will you two knock it off!? I told you, this place is not for—"
"It is now!" Everyone turned to see Malty, who was accompanied by her personal bodyguards. The men who were brawling with each other also stopped what they were doing.
"Surround them!" Malty ordered her knights as they immediately surrounded Naofumi, Quilladin, and the young knight with their swords drawn.
"Tch! It's one thing after another." Naofumi gritted his teeth as he found himself caught in one of Malty's shenanigans once more.
"Ladies and gentlemen! I hereby declare this as an official duel between the Spear Hero and the Shield Hero who decided to cheat by sending his pet to fight in his place! All thanks to the royal crown that was bestowed upon me—"
"Don't you ever get tired of lying?" Malty froze up as everyone turned towards the newcomers, who were the rest of Naofumi's party. Leading the way was Kurisu's Riolu.
Y-You!" Malty gasped, pointing at Kurisu accusingly.
"Yes, me." the living lie detector sighed. "You know, one would think after the previous few times you lied, you would learn from your lesson. But it seems lying is all you're good for, isn't it? Some "princess" you are."
"Excuse me?! Do you not know who you're talking to at all?"
"I know who I am not talking to. You say that the royal crown is bestowed upon you. Does this mean you're the crown princess or something?"
A smug smirk formed on Malty's face at the question. "Hmph. So, you do have a brain in that feminine brute figure. That's right. I am the-"
"Who the hell are you trying to fool?" Kurisu instantly interrupted. "Princess you may be, you are far from a crown princess, aren't you?"
Malty instantly fumed at how she was interrupted. "How dare you! Not only did you interrupt when someone of higher power was speaking, but you have the nerve to accuse me of my position?!"
"You tell me first. Do you have any single one of these civilians here convinced that you are next in line for the throne?"
At that question, Malty glanced at her surroundings and saw several people looking at her and whispering to one another in either confusion or suspicion, and for a good reason.
"If this was my world— Heck, I'm sure this sort of rule is the same in all the heroes' world, but if I still have my original position, I would have you arrested for claiming to be someone of greater power." Kurisu continued before glaring towards Motoyasu. "Hero or no Hero, don't think for a second that you're above the law. You would have been arrested for disturbing the peace and vandalism on private property."
"Why you..." Malty was fuming at Kurisu's insolence.
'Wait, arrest?' Tyler wondered.
"Put your weapons down!" Everyone turned to see Melty, who had arrived with a small squad of knights. Some of the knights that were with Malty knelt down to greet the younger girl. "I absolutely forbid the heroes to fight amongst themselves!"
"It's Melty." Kurisu said as she and the others were surprised.
"What are you doing back here?" Malty inquired.
"It has been way too long, dear sister." As she said that, Naofumi and the others were shocked.
"Whoa… She's actually a princess." Tyler muttered.
"I knew she's some fancy girl, but I didn't think that she's actually a princess of this kingdom." Chelsea added.
"I hope you don't think that you and your Hero's privilege could cover up this mess. The damage that has been done was plain for everyone to see." Melty stated before glancing towards Motoyasu. "Spear Hero! Look around you. Can a man truly call himself a Hero when you put other's lives at risk?"
Motoyasu glanced at the surroundings and he saw some people were talking about how big of a damage he inflicted in his selfish stunt to attack Naofumi. He even saw a mother comforting her crying son, who most likely was traumatized by the experience. As a result, he lowered his spear.
"Dear sister, your fun and games have gone on much too long." Melty berated her older sister.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." The redhead girl replied, feigning ignorance. "I'm simply doing my job as the Hero's aide. That's all."
"Yeah well, you sucked at it since you obviously couldn't keep Jerk Spear over here on a leash." Quilladin remarked, which irked Motoyasu and Malty.
"Hey!"
"You insolent little—"
"I'm afraid he's just stating the facts. As harsh as it is." Melty interrupted her. "And to think that making Spear Hero fight in a public area is your idea of help as his aide. I am very disappointed in you."
"Did you dare to defy me, your older sister?" The redheaded girl growled.
"If I have to, I will let Mother know about this." Upon hearing that threat, the older princess simply gritted her teeth.
'Melty is Myne's little sister?' Naofumi muttered in his thoughts as she saw the little girl willingly bow her head at one of the shopkeepers to apologize on her older sister's behalf.
"Wha!?" Motoyasu then immediately laid his eyes on Filo and proceeded to rush towards her. "Filo. Is that what they called you, right my dear?"
"Tch! That guy seriously has issues." Chelsea muttered irritatedly, tempting to call out her Arbok to use Toxic on him again.
"Yeah, that's me." Filo replied.
"Oh, you poor thing. I bet that Naofumi has been working you like some beast of burden."
"There he goes again with this bullshit." Tyler groaned. Much like Chelsea, he was tempted to either sic Hydreigon or his "secret weapon" on him for making such baseless assumptions.
"But I like pulling the carriage a lot!" Filo proudly stated.
"Naofumi, you swine…" The deluded Hero began as he stood up. "How could you!? You're making her pull your wagon like that big, fat bird!? You'll pay!" He braced himself for another even though he was forbidden to do so. But then…
"Why did you have to go and call me fat like that?" Filo began with her bangs overshadowing her eyes.
"Huh?" Motoyasu then glanced at her, looking oblivious as usual.
"You made fun of me the last time we met too!"
"Did I? And when was…?" Before he could get an answer, Filo transformed into her Filolial in a puff of smoke, towering over him as she looked at him with extreme hate.
"I hate you, Spear Guy!" The "Heavenly Fowl" said.
"Uh… You mean… You're that big, fat bird—" He didn't get to finish as Filo kicked him upwards, right in the groin once more. The plates of armor that protected his groin didn't help at all as it broke off.
"My turn!" Quilladin jumped into the air before he reared back a Needle Arm coated fist. "Get lost, loser!" The Spiny Armor Pokémon then punched Motoyasu in the face with it, causing him to be sent crashing towards one of the food stands.
"Sir Motoyasu!" Malty cried in worry before glancing towards her guards. "Quickly! Someone calls a doctor, at once!"
Melty simply facepalmed as more damage had been done because of one of the Cardinal Heroes's impulsive actions. Tyler and Chelsea were seen laughing at the sight while Kurisu couldn't help but to break a smile.
"And that's game!" Quilladin said as he gracefully landed on the ground on his feet.
"Yeah! Filo and Quilladin win again!" Filo cheerfully raised one of her arms.
"Good job, you two. I'm so proud of you both." Naofumi proceeded to pet Filo and Quilladin on the head with each arm.
"Master Naofumi! Don't praise them!" Raphtalia scolded.
"Come on. You know he had it coming." Naofumi said, justifying their action. "He always puts us through hell."
"No, but… what's with that satisfied smirk?"
"Can't really blame him, Raphtalia." Tyler told her once he was done laughing. "You had to admit, it was funny as hell!"
"Our Savior of the Heavenly Fowl." The party turned to see Melty, who was approaching them. "No, the Shield Hero was your name. I need to speak with you urgently."
Naofumi simply glared at this sight, not liking where this was going.
Next: Chapter 10: In the Midst of Turmoil
Party Data
Tyler Bryant - Level 39
- Hydreigon (Male) - Level 70
Ability: Levitate
Moves: Hyper Voice, Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor, Dark Pulse
- Vivillon (Elegant Pattern) (Female) - Level 67
Ability: ?
Moves: Hurricane, Signal Beam
- Scrafty (Male) - Level 68
Ability: ?
Moves: High Jump Kick, Stone Edge, Iron Head
- Rapidash (Female) - Level 65
Ability: ?
Moves: Megahorn, Flamethrower, Protect, Extreme Speed
- Dunsparce (Male) - Level 67
Ability: Serene Grace
Moves: Thunderbolt, Drill Run, Coil, Last Resort
Naofumi Iwatani - Level 38
- Aron (Male) - Level 26
Ability: Sturdy
Moves: Headbutt, Metal Claw, Rock Tomb, Protect
- Quilladin (Male) - Level 16
Ability: ?
Moves: Vine Whip, Bite, Needle Arm
Raphtalia - Level 40
- Zigzagoon (Female) - Level 15
Ability: Pickup
Moves: Headbutt
Filo - Level 40
Kurisu Hanatabi - Level 39
- Riolu (Male) - Level 31
Ability: ?
Moves: Force Palm, Quick Attack, Metal Claw
- Floette (Red Flower) (Female) - Level 45
Ability: ?
Moves: Vine Whip, Moonblast, Aromatherapy
Chelsea Arel - Level 37
- Vanilluxe (Female) - Level 65
Ability: ?
Moves: Water Pulse
- Delphox (Female) - Level 68
Ability: ?
Moves: ?
- Rhyperior (Male) Level 66
Ability: Solid Rock
Moves: Dig, Megahorn, Rock Wrecker, Thunder Punch
- Sawsbuck (Spring Form) (Male) - Level 63
Ability: ?
Moves: Double Edge, Horn Leech, Jump Kick
- Arbok (Female) - Level 67
Ability: Intimidation
Moves: Toxic, Venoshock, Sucker Punch
- Altaria (Female) - Level 66
Ability: ?
Moves: ?
Merleo Goneri - Level 40
- Abra (Male) - Level 12
Ability: ?
Moves: Teleport
That's a wrap for this lengthy chapter, I hope you all enjoy it!
I also updated the previous chapter's party data a bit for plot purposes.
It was fun writing this chapter because it introduced the concept of Pokémon evolution to Naofumi and the others, Pokémon battles, and Pokémon Showcase. I chose Altaria as Chelsea's sixth Pokémon because it's a really great Pokémon and the reactions from Naofumi, Raphtalia, Filo, and Melty were worth it.
As always, don't forget to leave a review and see you next time!