Paldea Region
*Hmm, hmm, hmmm!*
"Sis, what are you doing?"
Kieran watches as his older sister moves around the hotel room they are in. He's been sitting in the room for a while now, bored, while his sister was busy getting ready for something. Taking out a small hand mirror, she then works on her hair.
"Well if you must know..." Carmine said, then with a deep sigh, turns to her younger brother and smiles, "Florian asked me to the school dance that the Uva Academy is having!" She then has a blush on her face as she turns her attention back to her mirror, applying some lipstick to her lips. "While I'm not surprised that he asked me to be his date, there's no way I'd turn him down! He is pretty cute after all!"
Kieran groans, not wanting to hear his sister fawning over Florian. Carmine never makes a fuss over anyone, but it would seem that Florian is different. Looking her up and down, that would probably explain the change in his older sister, and the dark blue dress that Carmine is wearing. He then wondered something.
"Is this why you dragged us to Paldea? I thought we were here on our break to explore this region?"
"We are," Carmine feigned, "but since we're here, no harm in going to one small dance!"
Kieran deadpanned, "Is that really the order things happened in?"
"Zip it, Kiki!"
Nice to see that things have gone back to normal with these two.
*Ding Dong*
They were soon startled by the sound of the room's doorbell ringing.
Carmine squealed, "He's here! How do I look?"
"Like a fool..." Kieran sassed. He then gulped as Carmine glared at him.
"Kiki!" She was shaking in place, teeth clenched, fists shaking. But now was not the time. She then composed herself, and opened the door, to greet her date. "~Hi Florian!~" Her greeting was full of cutesy fluff.
They both then complemented each other on their attire. He was decked out in a black tuxedo, with purple bowtie. Very handsome in Carmine's opinion. And for Florian, Carmine can't wear a bad outfit.
Kieran had a different reaction in mind.
*Blegh!* He pretended to vomit in the background. Florian laughed, although a sweatdrop runs down his head, as he could tell Carmine was trying her best to not attack her brother. "Have fun, I guess." Kieran waved at them.
"Oh no, you're too young to be here all by yourself!"
Kieran blinked, "What? Then where am I supposed to go?" Carmine gave him an evil grin. "No way, I didn't bring a tuxedo!"
"Too bad! You should have thought of that sooner!"
"Hey, let go!" Kieran's cries of protest were ignored, as his big sister dragged him with her, asking Florian sweetly if he wouldn't mind if her kid brother tagged along with them. Not really having much choice, Florian agreed, although feeling bad that his friend was essentially now a carry-on.
Their chariot awaited: Florian's Miraidon. It was a tight squeeze, Kieran was miserable, but at least Carmine got to enjoy sailing through Paldea on the back of a Legendary Pokémon.
Later
At Uva Academy, there was an almost nauseating amount of purple color used in designing the dance hall. But the dark color is something the youngsters like. And it goes well with the music being played.
"P-O-K-E-M-ON, POKEMON!"
A certain Gym Leader from Unova happened to be exploring Paldea, interested in the different Poison-types in the region. When asked, she was willing to perform for this school dance.
"Ah ha, there you are!" Florian's group was startled by the sound of a familiar, energetic voice. They turned back to see Nemona of all people, wearing her own purple dress. "Funny running into you here!"
"Hey, Nemona." Florian lazily greeted her.
Nemona then greeted their visitors. She was then going to say something else to Florian but is caught off guard when she noticed that Carmine had grabbed onto his arm, likely because of being startled by Nemona's loud voice.
"Oh, I see..." Nemona said, clicking her tongue. Then she reads the room completely wrong. "You thought that you'd get the first battle in this new Dance Battle format!?" The group narrowed their eyes at her.
"It's really all you think about, huh?" Keiran sighed, shaking his head. It's one of the few times he and Carmine fully agree on something.
Nemona pouted, "It makes sense! See: new clothes, schoolmates, and it takes place at the school. What else could it be?!"
"Let's go..." Carmine pulled on Florian's arm. Her action was met with a similar reaction from Nemona. The two girls then stared at each other, laughing politely as a tug-of-war began over Florian.
"I've known him longer," Nemona complained, "And he owes me, it's been a few hours since we last battled! He escaped when I turned my back to heal my team after he won."
"C'mon Florian, let's go dance..." Carmine's patience is starting to wear thin.
It feels nice to be fought over. But neither side is giving an inch. Keiran decides the best way to settle things is with... a battle! Nemona loves the idea, while Carmine knows he only suggests it because he knows Nemona will win, and it's his way to get back at his sister. But this allows Keiran to rescue his friend. Carmine yells at her brother to come back with Florian but is stopped by Nemona.
"Sorry, there's no running from a Trainer battle!"
Carmine practically shrieks, "Would you knock it off?!"
The two boys back away safe, until -
A gloved hand then clamps down on Florian's shoulder. "I'll dance with you, kiddo!" He looks up to see a familiar green-haired woman.
"Rika?!"
"You know it!"
But Florian was confused, "What are you doing here, this is a dance for students!"
That got him a scolding from the Elite Four member. She came all the way here, and this is the reaction she gets? Rika then sighed, "Honestly, you're just as bad as Larry is... which is no fun!" She gestured over to said man, who was standing nearby, with his usual blank demeanor. Apparently, Rika made him go with her.
"...Hello."
"H-hey..." Florian sweatdrops. Larry looks so out of place.
Larry then takes a moment to look around, before staring back at Rika. "We're going to be here a while?" She nods, wanting to loosen up a bit. But he has other things on his mind. Opening his briefcase, he takes out a few papers. "Well, maybe I can get caught up on some work..." He then heads off to find a place to sit down and set up his temporary workstation.
Rika groans, giving up. But he's not going to stop her from having some fun. She then grabs Florian, dragging him with her onto the dance floor, "Forget him, let's go!"
"I may have made things worse..." Kieran mumbles to himself, before giving up as well, sitting down with Larry. Misery loves company.
Being her unexpectant dance partner, Florian has no choice but to go along with Rika's high energy. But it's not so bad! He compliments her, surprised that she can dance so well.
Rika chuckles, "C'mon kiddo, just look at me. You should have known that I'd be a good dancer." She then proceeds to scold Florian for not taking the lead more while they're dancing.
Meanwhile, Carmine's shaking with anger. And her anger is directed at only one person: Nemona. "Oooooh! Look at what you've done now! I lost my date!"
"Wow, that really is something." Nemona nods. But then showing her one-track mind, offers her own special way of helping. "You know what cheers me up when I'm feeling down?"
"You've got to be joking..." Carmine groans, facepalming.
"That's right, a battle!" Poké Ball in hand, Nemona's ready for her own kind of tango. This just results in more back and forth, devolving to the point where both girls are just grunting at each other.
"That dummy..." Kieran chuckles, then ducks as his sister turns to glare at him. She apparently could hear him all the way across the dance hall. But he then could feel someone else staring at him. It was his tablemate, Larry.
Staring down at the nervous boy, Larry dramatically spoke. "Do..." Kieran gulped, imagining he's going to be scolded for insulting his sister. "...you mind getting me getting me some Rice Balls or something? And maybe a Tea, I'm feeling adventurous..." All delivered in his signature, dry, monotone pattern of speaking.
"Aw man..." Kieran groaned, then slinked off to do as the adult asked.
Kieran might as well, he's got nothing better to do. Being dragged here by Carmine, bored out of his mind, and not knowing most of the people who attend this school, has the young man feeling like he could just... snap.
He even puts his hair up, ready to act out. But just then -
"Wow, wild party, huh?"
Kieran's mouth falls open as he's joined by a brown-haired girl. She points to Florian, who's currently being spun around wildly by a laughing Rika. Kieran can't take his eyes off the pretty girl talking to him. Her orange dress makes her stand out from all of the purple around them.
She then smiles and holds her hand out.
"Hi, my name is Juliana."
