Chapter 35

Upon our arrival at Kitakami Hall, we find a significant gathering of people, and the Caretaker immediately notices our presence. Regretfully, the Caretaker informs us, "Ah, if it isn't Ash and the others! If only you'd been here a few minutes earlier!"

Carmine, eager to get answers, inquires, "Hey, did those lousy three Pokémon come here?!"

The Caretaker, emphasizing the trio's title, corrects her, saying, "I believe you mean the LOYAL Three, Carmine."

Unperturbed, Carmine dismisses the title, prompting the Caretaker to sigh and comment, "Always with your attitude..." However, the Caretaker proceeds to reveal the astonishing development, explaining, "But yes, you did miss out on an incredible treat! The Loyal Three were just visiting our humble little hall! It seemed they wished to collect the shining masks we've kept safe here at Kitakami Hall... so naturally, we representatives of the hall were happy to return the masks to them with all haste!"

Our collective shock and dismay are evident as we process the Caretaker's revelation. Alice, unable to conceal her astonishment, gasps, "You gave them the masks?!"

The Caretaker seems quite pleased with their interaction with the Loyal Three, and they proudly add, "And we offered them a platter of our special Kitakami Mochi, packed full of our best herbs! The Loyal Three gobbled them up in a flash!"

Our astonishment deepens as we learn more about the extent of the villagers' hospitality. Luke can't help but exclaim, "And you FED them?!"

The Caretaker defends their decision, asserting, "Kitakami Mochi are full of nutrition! The Loyal Three are bigger and stronger now, I'm sure!"

However, Carmine remains resolute in her stance, emphasizing, "But those lousy three are the bad guys! The masks belong to Ogerpon! Ugh, I really wish I could tell them everything..."

I share Carmine's frustration, responding in a hushed tone, "I know what you mean, Carmine." I whispers back before asking, "So, where did those three go?"

"They went at once to ascend Oni Mountain! Perhaps they have it in mind to finish off the terrible ogre that lurks in the Dreaded Den." The caretaker replies.

"No wonder they were dubbed the Loyal Three! Such hardworking heroes they are!" The villagers, ignorant of the true nature of the Loyal Three's actions, cheer and praise their dedication. Frustrated and concerned, Serena asserts, "This isn't the time to be laughing at all! If the story we heard is true, then those three must've gone to get revenge on Ogerpon. They say the ogre fought using the powers of its masks. But Ogerpon doesn't have any masks right now, right?! It won't stand a chance!"

"We must return the Teal Mask to Ogerpon," I emphasize.

"Absolutely, we're in agreement! However, it's best if we split up for now. I'll make my way to the Dreaded Den to assist Ogerpon. Meanwhile, I'll return home with the mask and crystal to get it repaired. Please, pass me the mask and crystal," I say, handing over the Teal Mask to Carmine.

Golly readily offers his assistance, saying, "I'll accompany you."

Luke expresses his intent to join as well, stating, "Count me in."

Carmine acknowledges our support, saying, "Thank you! We'll head your way immediately after the mask's been fixed. In the meantime, ensure Ogerpon's safety!"

Upon our arrival at the Dreaded Den, we're met with the distressing sight of Ogerpon being relentlessly attacked by the Loyal Three. Ogerpon is in a pitiable state, poisoned and weakened, lying on the ground defenseless. Without hesitation, we launch a coordinated assault on the Loyal Three.

I command Pikachu to use Thunderbolt, Zoroark to unleash Night Daze, Serena orders Sylveon to fire Moonblast, and Alice directs Espeon to use Psychic and Eldegoss to create a Leaf Tornado.

The combined efforts of our Pokémon strike the Loyal Three simultaneously, causing them to stagger. While they're momentarily distracted, we rush to Ogerpon's side. I quickly administer a Pecha Berry to alleviate the poisoning and inquire, "Ogerpon! Are you alright?"

Ogerpon responds with gratitude, "You... you saved me... why..."

However, the Loyal Three quickly regain their footing, and the dog Pokémon among them remarks, "It seems the nuisances have returned."

The avian Pokémon chimes in, "Imagine someone attempting to rescue the 'evil' ogre."

The monkey Pokémon steps forward and proposes, "How about we settle this with one-on-one battles?"

I firmly declare, "You won't harm Ogerpon any further. Krookodile, I choose you!"

I choose Krookodile as my Pokémon to battle the monkey Pokémon of the Loyal Three. The monkey Pokémon begins the battle by using Nasty Plot, increasing its Special Attack, and then follows up with Sludge Wave, which hits Krookodile and poisons it.

Despite the poison, I encourage Krookodile to endure and retaliate with Crunch. To our surprise, the attack deals super-effective damage to the monkey Pokémon. Alice remarks, "It's not just a Poison Type; it's also a Psychic Type."

"Great job, Krookodile! Now, finish it with Earthquake!" I command, and Krookodile executes the powerful Earthquake attack. The monkey Pokémon is unable to withstand the force of the attack and is defeated. It mutters, "You're just lucky that our powers haven't returned yet."

"Let's see how you face us at the same time," the dog and the avian threaten, but just as they're about to interfere, Serena and Alice ready their Poké Balls. Before they can make a move, Carmine, Golly, Luke, and even Kieran arrive on the scene. Carmine firmly states, "Knock it off, all of you! Now that we're here... We'll make you regret ever coming back to life!"

The Loyal Three appear to panic as they realize they're outnumbered and decide to flee instead. Alice exclaims, "They ran away!"

"We'll deal with them later," I say.

Carmine, ever confident, proudly adds, "Hmph! I guess I'm just too much for them to handle!" We all share a bemused sweatdrop at her boldness.

Kieran steps forward and stammers, "Ash and Serena... I... Uh..."

Carmine encourages him, saying, "Go on, say it properly, Kiki!"

Kieran takes a deep breath and continues, "A-about the mask. I just got so angry, and... What I did was real dumb... So... I'm sorry." He wears a frown.

"Don't mention it. We were the ones who should apologize to you for hiding the truth..." I respond.

"Thanks, Ash..." Kieran mutters, a hint of relief in his expression.

"He was sulking around, so I grabbed him by the collar and dragged him here! And, well... I'm glad I did!" Carmine says with a sigh.

Ogerpon is now fully recovered and she's jumping up and down. Kieran gasps, "It's really you... The real-life ogre... Wowzers... You're really something!"

"You wanted to be the one to give the mask back to Ogerpon, right, Kiki?" Carmine suggests.

Kieran steps forward, clutching the mask tightly, and says with a hint of nervousness, "This is... for you, dear ogre."

But Ogerpon seems hesitant and backs away from him, much to his dismay. Carmine observes, "It seems scared... Maybe it's not good with new people, Kiki."

Kieran takes a step back and declares, "I don't think it'll take the mask if I'm the one giving it back. You should be the one to do it, Ash."

He hands me the mask, and I let out a sigh as I'm the one responsible for returning the mask to Ogerpon. She expresses her happiness as she puts the mask on. "Thank you!"

Golly beams with a smile. "It seems so happy! It's pretty comfortable around you, Brother."

Luke chimes in, "It'd be nice if we could return the other three masks to Ogerpon too, don't you think?"

Kieran looks puzzled and asks, "Did those... Did those three Pokémon take the masks that were in Kitakami Hall?"

"Yeah! Never mind that the masks rightfully belong to poor Ogerpon here! I wouldn't put it past the so-called Loyal Three to plot a second ambush, either. We need to keep Ogerpon safe while we deal with them!" Carmine adds enthusiastically. "That means the eight of us are gonna form a team—the Mask Retrieval Squad!"

"Are you serious right now?" Serena mutters under her breath.

"You got a problem with the name? Think carefully, or I may demote you from second-in-command!" Carmine declares, raising her voice.

Kieran gasps with surprise, "I can come too?"

"Of course you can! And now that that's settled, let's go gather intel about those 'Loyal' Three in Mossui! We're gonna get those masks back!" Carmine declares with determination, and we all exclaim that we can do this.

I turn to Ogerpon and suggest, "Since it's not safe for you to continue staying at your den, how about you come with us?"

Ogerpon nods and starts following us as we make our way to Mossui Town. However, just as we are about to arrive at the town, Ogerpon suddenly backs away and frowns, saying, "No... not the town..."

Carmine inquires, "What's wrong, Ogerpon?"

Alice speculates, "I bet it doesn't want to go into the village. The villagers did a pretty good job of chasing it away back then, so..."

"Yeah, you're right," I sigh, "If that's the case..."

We decide to bring her to our Ghost Manor, located outside of town, as it's a safe place for her to stay. When we inform our Ghost Pokemon about what happened, we have to restrain them from making threats to the Loyal Three or the villagers.

"Okay, maybe Ogerpon can wait for us here. We can go gather information while it waits," Carmine suggests.

I turn to Ogerpon and say, "Ogerpon, our Ghost Pokemon are nice, so wait for us here until we come back, okay?" Ogerpon nods in agreement before Gengar decides to playfully drag her away.

Back in Mossui Town, we split into four groups, each trying to gather as much information as possible. Kieran and I come across a friendly woman who smiles and says, "Have you seen Okidogi of the Loyal Three? That purple scarf it wears is so lovely! I saw it wandering around in the barrens!"

"Okidogi... that must be the dog one," I mutter, taking note of the information.

Meanwhile, Serena and Golly also find a man who mentions, "I thought someone had collapsed, so I went to check on them, but it was just Munkidori taking a nap! It can be so peaceful around that pond out there. What an ideal place for a snooze!"

Alice and Bryce encounter a boy who excitedly shares, "I saw Fezandipiti zoom through the sky over Oni Mountain! It was so much cooler than the stories say!"

After gathering the information and returning to our Ghost Manor, Ogerpon is waiting for us, and Carmine says, "All right! Let's combine the info we've gathered!"

We exchange information and finally piece together the locations where the Lousy Three, which Carmine has now dubbed the Loyal Three, might be hiding. Carmine smiles proudly, "I knew the Mask Retrieval Squad I assembled wouldn't let me down! Rest assured, your fearless leader—that's me—appreciates your hard work and effort! I'll record everything we found out about those three on your Rotom Phone so we won't forget any of it!"

We register the locations of the three of them, and once we're done, Carmine declares, "Now then, let's go retrieve those masks! We can do this!"

Kieran suddenly frowns, saying, "I'm... I'm not going."

"What? You're part of the team! You need to come along!" Carmine gasps, clearly surprised.

"As long as Ash's around, I'm sure Ogerpon will feel safe..." Kieran continues, "Besides, I've got things to do... Sorry!"

With that, he rushes off, leaving Carmine with a frown as she mutters, "Huh. I wonder if he's still upset? Oh well! I can't force him to tag along. Let's just take care of this ourselves!"

With determined nods, we make the decision to head to the Paradise Barrens to confront Okidogi as our first target among the Loyal Three. Our Mask Retrieval Squad is ready for action.

Here is a new chapter, and now we are going to battle the Loyal Three and I hope you like this chapter.

Ash and Serena's Pokemon:

Charizard x2, Pikachu x2, Primeape, Tauros (Paldean) x3, Lapras, Girafarig, Dunsparce, Steelix (Crystal), Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Garchomp, Lucario, Krookodile, Zoroark, Bisharp, Greninja, Sylveon, Noivern, Lycanroc (Dusk), Mimikyu (Shiny), Corviknight, Indeedee x2, Kleavor, Sneasler, Floragato, Crocalor, Quaxwell, Oinkologne x2 (Male/Female), Spidops, Lokix, Pawmot, Maushold x2 (Family of four/three), Dachsbun, Dolliv, Squawkabilly x4, Naclstack, Armarouge, Ceruledge, Bellibolt, Kilowattrel, Mabosstiff, Grafaiai, Brambleghast, Toedscruel, Klawf, Scovillain, Rabsca, Flittle, Tinkatuff, Wugtrio, Bombirdier, Finizen, Varoom, Cyclizar, Orthworm, Glimmet, Flamigo, Clodsire, Dipplin, Sinistcha