Chapter 3

We follow the two Dragon Pokemon as they lead us to our destination, the towering lighthouse standing proudly against the horizon. As we approach, our attention is drawn to a boy who stands before us. He's dressed in a shirt, sharp blue vest, and a neatly knotted purple tie. Strapped to his back is a conspicuous giant green backpack, a familiar sight for me. Brock and Cilan are the usual bearers of such backpacks, reserved for all their cooking supplies.

Upon spotting the Dragons, my annoyance bubbles up when the boy explodes in anger, shouting, "What're you two doing out here?!"

Serena, ever polite and concerned, attempts to defuse the situation, asking, "Um... are you okay?" However, she is met with a harsh shove, and his reply leaves no room for courtesy.

"I'm not talking to you three. You can shove off," he snaps dismissively.

My temper flares, and I step forward, determined to address his rudeness. "No need to be so rude toward us!" I assert firmly.

Nemona, ever the voice of reason, intervenes with her observation. "Wait," she begins thoughtfully, "I know you... Aren't you Arven? You're enrolled in the humanities track, right? And aren't you the son of those Pokémon researchers—Professor Sada and Professor Turo?"

Sada and Turo? I rack my brain for any mention of these names by Professor Oak or elsewhere, but I draw a blank. Serena, standing beside me, appears equally perplexed, sharing my confusion.

Arven's frustration is palpable as he yells back at us, "Doesn't matter who my mom or dad is! The real issue here is what in the world these Pokémon are doing out here! And what is with this form they're in?!"

We exchange concerned glances but maintain our composure. I respond, my wariness is still intact, "We found them at the bottom of the cliff. They saved us from a pack of wild Houndours."

Nemona elaborates, "See, we heard this strange cry, and we tried to investigate, but Florian and Juliana fell off a cliff... These Pokémon saved them, but it seems like they wore themselves out in the process. They got kinda... slumpy afterward."

Serena inquires, her curiosity getting the better of her, "Haven't you seen them before? They looked completely different, and they were unbelievably strong!"

"Well yeah. As they should be. But they can't fight while they're like this," Arven finally seems to calm down a bit as he turns his attention to the two Pokemon. "The form that both Koraidon and Miraidon take in battle... That's their true form," he explains.

"Koraidon and Miraidon? Are those the Pokemon's names? How do you know them?" I ask, genuinely intrigued by the connection between Arven and the mysterious creatures.

As the two Pokemon start heading towards a door beside the lighthouse, Arven delivers a somewhat discouraging message. "You can't go in. It's locked."

Arven's curiosity about our origins seems to have cooled slightly as he takes in our uniforms. "I don't remember ever seeing you around. But given the uniform...you go to the academy too, do you?" he inquires.

I offer a friendly introduction, eager to establish a rapport. "Well, yeah, I'm Florian, and this is Juliana," I reply, gesturing towards Serena. "And these are our Pokemon: Pikachu, Zoroark, and Sylveon."

Arven nods in acknowledgment and begins shedding light on the mysterious Pokemon, Koraidon and Miraidon. "Koraidon and Miraidon aren't the sort of Pokemon that any old Trainer can hope to command. They're special," he explains.

Serena, intrigued by this revelation, seeks more information. "Can you tell us more?" she asks. "I mean, both of them seem to trust us quite a bit."

As Arven notices the two Pokemon approaching us, standing loyally by our side, he proposes a test of our worthiness. "So you think you're up to ordering Koraidon around? Then how 'bout I test your worthiness?" he challenges.

Serena accepts the challenge with enthusiasm. "Sure, I'll battle you," she agrees confidently.

"Good, I've been feeling all out of sorts, so I'm gonna use this battle to blast these doldrums away!" Arven grins, seeming eager to shake off his earlier frustrations. He swiftly throws a Pokeball, and out pops a Skwovet. Serena, in response, releases her Sylveon.

Arven wastes no time in getting the battle started, his determination clear in his voice. "These memories are leaving a bad taste in my mouth, and I want it gone...let's start off with Tail Whip!" he commands, and Skwovet obediently whips its tail, lowering Sylveon's defense stats.

Serena, quick to respond, seizes the opportunity to gain the upper hand. "Sylveon! Let's set up the Misty Terrain!" she instructs, and Sylveon conjures a mystical mist that blankets the entire battlefield.

Arven counters with a "Bite!" command, urging Skwovet to charge at Sylveon. However, the mist makes it challenging for Skwovet to spot its target, and Sylveon gracefully sidesteps the attack. Serena seizes the moment, issuing her next command, "Draining Kiss!"

Arven's eyes widen in realization as Sylveon uses the Fairy-type move to siphon energy from Skwovet. With a burst of power, Sylveon finishes the battle with a super-strong Moonblast, defeating Skwovet.

Arven holds his head, seemingly in both frustration and admiration, and mutters, "Seems you know a thing or two about battling."

Serena responds to Arven's acknowledgment of our battling experience, saying, "Of course, we've been trainers for 8 years."

Nemona, clearly impressed by the battle, chimes in with praise. "Wow, Juliana! That was awesome!" she exclaims.

Arven, seeming somewhat defeated after witnessing our skills, reflects, "I guess I wasn't ever going to stand a chance using some Pokémon I'd only just caught..." He then surprises us by handing over two Pokeballs, which belongs to Koraidon and Miraidon. "But if you really think you can take Koraidon and Miraidon off my hands for me... you'll need these."

Both Serena and I accept the Pokeballs, holding them with a mixture of astonishment and gratitude. Curiosity gets the better of Nemona, and she asks, "So why do you have them?"

Arven's response is tinged with bitterness. "Just some stupid farewell gifts from my parents who never come back to me. Anyway, those are your problems now, not mine. Good luck."

With that, Arven hurries away, seemingly uninterested in further conversation. Nemona, frustrated by his abrupt departure, yells after him, "What? Oye! Can you not hear me or something? Fine! Be that way! But you better actually show up for school!"

As we watch Arven's figure disappear into the distance, a sense of responsibility settles upon us, accompanied by a growing curiosity about the mysteries that shroud the two special Pokemon and the enigmatic Arven himself.

The two Dragons, sensing our contemplation, come closer, and we decide to return them to their respective Poke Balls for now.

Nemona, ever determined, voices her resolve. "That Arven guy definitely knows more than he's letting on. Next time, he and I are battling! I'm gonna wring some answers outta him! But oh, right - we gotta climb the lighthouse! Can't wait to show you the view of our school!" she exclaims with excitement.

"Sure, let's go," I agree, eager to explore the lighthouse.

As we reach the top of the lighthouse, our awe is palpable as we gaze upon the sprawling city of Mesagoza. "Look! That's Mesagoza! And that huge building with the Poké Ball on it is our school!" Nemona excitedly points out, her enthusiasm infectious.

"It looks so tall..." Serena remarks in awe, and her Sylveon chimes in with an agreeable yelp.

Nemona continues, "It's gonna be so great having you in the same class, Florian, Juliana!"

I express a moment of surprise, saying, "Since you're the student council president, I assume we're in the same class? I'm looking forward to becoming your classmate."

Nemona playfully retorts, "Right? I can't wait to get back. We're gonna learn so much...and battle so, so, SO much!"

As Pikachu and Zoroark finally join us, Pikachu perches on the fence and takes in the breathtaking view, I engage in the moment. "Look, Pikachu, Zoroark, isn't it awesome what you can see from up here?" I ask, and Pikachu enthusiastically agrees with a joyful squeal, while Zoroark gives a little, "Great..."

Serena reflects on the surroundings, saying, "Mountains! Forests! Grasslands! Beautiful nature stuff, as far as the eye can see!

Nemona adds, her excitement undiminished, "And you know what's waiting for you all over these natural spaces? Tons of Pokémon! Consider this me officially telling you: welcome to Paldea!

"Thanks," I respond with gratitude. "Now that the happy stuff is over... the school is pretty far away from here..."

Nemona agrees, acknowledging the distance. "You're right; it would be quite a hike. Let's start by making our way to Los Platos. It's right on the way. Vamos, come on!" She takes the lead, and we follow.

As we depart from the lighthouse and continue our journey, we come across an unusual sight on the road – a brown-colored Wooper. I point it out, asking, "Is that a Wooper?"

Serena is quick to offer her thoughts on this unique discovery. "Wow... a brown Wooper... I have to assume that it is a Paldean Regional Form," she speculates. "Though it seems to me like a Poison Type."

Intrigued by this new encounter, we decide to capture the brown Wooper. Serena readies a Pokeball and throws it towards the Pokemon. To our delight, the Pokeball successfully captures the brown Wooper with just one try.

Wooper (Paldean Form): The Poison Fish Pokemon: Poison and Ground Type. After losing a territorial struggle, Wooper began living on land. The Pokémon changed over time, developing a poisonous film to protect its body.

Nemona remarks, "Sometimes I'm surprised at your ability to throw Pokeballs. You really need to teach me how to do it."

"Of course," I reply with a smile, open to sharing my knowledge and skills with her.

As we stroll along the beach, we notice peculiar Pokemon that resemble Diglett popping out from the sandy shore. I inquire, "Are those Digletts?"

Nemona corrects me, explaining, "No, they are Wigglets. They look similar, but they are a different species."

Intrigued by this unique Pokemon, our curiosity gets the better of us, and we decide to try capturing it. Its proximity to the sea suggests that it may be a Water Type, adding to our excitement as we attempt to add this new species to our growing roster of Pokemon.

Wiglett: The Garden Eel Pokemon: Water Type. Though it looks like Diglett, Wiglett is an entirely different species. The resemblance seems to be a coincidental result of environmental adaptation.

As we arrive at Los Platos and enter the Pokemon Center, I express my surprise at its design. "This here is a Pokemon Center, I guess it is all the same since you're from Kanto, right?" Nemona asks.

I take a moment to observe the surroundings and respond, "Except that it doesn't look very outdoor-looking like in the other regions... this is very odd because there're no interiors..."

Curiosity piqued, I decide to purchase some Poke Balls and Potions. The cashier informs us, "Hello! We accept payment both in cash and in LP, which stands for League Points. One LP is worth 1 dollar."

The mention of "League Points" leaves me perplexed, and Nemona steps in to clarify. "Oh, I see that this is not very common outside of Paldea. Let me show you," she says, taking out her Rotom Phone to display the currency. "The League Points can be stored on your cellphone. I'll share some with you."

To our surprise, she generously transfers 5000 LP to each of us, helping us acclimate to this unique Paldean currency. Serena's curiosity is piqued as she notices a robot-like machine in front of her. "What is that?" she wonders aloud.

Nemona, always ready to share her knowledge, explains, "Oh, that's the TM Machine. It can make TMs for you, which you can use to teach moves to your Pokemon. Though you need League Points and materials from Pokemon if you want to create them. How about I show you?"

We all nod in agreement, eager to learn more about this intriguing process. Nemona proceeds to demonstrate how to create TMs. "I have 5 Shinx Fangs, sometimes Luxray drops them to the ground, and I just pick them up. And then I have 3 Tynamo Slime, which I got from the body of Eelektross... and Pikachu, do you mind giving me three of your fur?" she requests.

Pikachu willingly obliges, shaking his body to release three furs onto the ground. Nemona expresses her gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Pikachu."

Next, she places the three Pichu furs into the TM Machine and inserts 10,000 LP. We watch in amazement as the machine springs to life, eventually producing a disc. "Here, this is a TM for Wild Charge. This is for you," she offers.

Serena, touched by Nemona's generosity, expresses her gratitude. "You've already given us 10,000 LP, and you also spent 10,000 LP for a TM to give us? You're so kind."

Nemona humbly responds, "I love Pokemon battling, and I have a lot of ways to gain LP."

I hold the TM disc in my hands, fascinated by the process of how TMs are created. "But to think that's how TMs are made... I've seen a lot of them back in other regions, but I never once got to know how it works... all I know is that after using it, it just breaks..."

Serena adds some insight, saying, "Some TMs in Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Galar won't break as well."

With newfound knowledge about the mechanics of TMs, we're ready to move on. Nemona takes the lead once again, suggesting, "Okay, now that we're done here, I'll buy some ice creams for you. There's a Sugar-N-Ice vendor in this place."

With Nemona off to buy ice creams, we decide to take a leisurely stroll around the area, hoping to encounter more Pokemon and explore the serene and peaceful town of Los Platos. The prospect of discovering new Pokemon and soaking in the local culture fills us with excitement as we set off on our adventure in this charming corner of Paldea.

And here is a new chapter, and as you can see, Serena battles Arven and wins, and now they are at Los Platos, I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be heading to Mesagoza.

Ash and Serena's Pokemon:

Charizard x2, Pikachu x2, Primeape, Lapras, Wooper (Paldean), Girafarig, Dunsparce, Steelix (Crystal), Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Garchomp, Lucario, Krookodile, Zoroark, Bisharp, Greninja, Sylveon, Noivern, Lycanroc (Dusk), Mimikyu (Shiny), Corviknight, Indeedee x2, Kleavor, Sneasler, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, Lechonk x2, Tarountula, Pawmi, Wiglett