A/N: So, this one has been on my mind. I think it's time for our boy Kieran to get his own Ogerpon, don't you?
This one takes place about a year or so after the epilogue, and Kieran and Juliana are already in a relationship. So they're about 15 or so?
Prepare for a lot of headcanon stuff in this one, lol. This one is about Juilana and Kieran as much as it is about Ogerpon.
Story 2: Into the Den of Ogerpons
Part 1: The Conflict
"Juliana, do you have any idea where we are going?" Kieran asked as he dodged another low hanging tree branch in his path for the thousandth time.
"Um, maybe? Gonna be honest, I've never been in this part of Paldea before," Juliana responded as she stepped over a large root.
"Aww man, you can't be serious! We're gonna end up dying out here!" Kieran whined as he stopped moving and sat down on a large rock.
"Oh stop being so dramatic," Juliana said with a roll of her eyes. "Besides, we have plenty of Pokémon between us to ensure we get out of here safely, so relax, will ya?" Pulling up her phone she checked the time. "Well, it's getting late anyway, so we might as well set up camp. Go gather some firewood while I set everything up."
"Why do I gotta gather the firewood?" Kieran mumbled thinking that Juliana would not hear him, but unfortunately she did.
"Because I'm the one with traveling and camping experience here, that's why," Juliana said, giving her boyfriend the stink eye. "Once you learn how to set up a tent without getting completely tangled in it, then I'll let you set up camp, got it?"
"That was one time!"
"More like one hundred!"
"Ugh!" Kieran just threw his hands in the air and stomped away to gather the firewood.
'I swear, that boy has more mood swings at times than someone who's pregnant.' With a shake of her head, Juliana quickly set up camp in record time. Soon after she released the Pokémon on her current team that would fit in the immediate area—that being Cha Cha her Quaquaval, Hama the Pecharunt, and of course, Fiona the Ogerpon. The other three were just too big for the area at the moment. Juliana knew she needed to keep an eye on Fiona while Hama was outside their ball, she had a nasty habit of trying to bash the other Pokémon with her cudgel when her trainer was not looking.
To solve this issue for the moment, she grabbed ahold of the little Poison and Ghost-type and held it close to her, much to the little Pokémon's delight.
Juliana had learned quite quickly that the four Pokémon she had defeated and captured were not bad Pokémon whatsoever, just misguided and looking for love and affection, something she was more than happy to provide. However, Fiona still held a huge grudge against the four of them and often liked to torment them at every opportunity.
"Pon! Ponio pon poni!" Fiona yelled out, pointing her cudgel at the Pecharunt.
"No, Fiona, I'm not letting you hurt Hama," Juliana said calmly. She has had this conversation with her Ogerpon way too many times for her tastes.
"Grah! PON! Poni pon pon!" she growled out and stomped in a tantrum.
"I most certainly do not like Hama over you, I love you all equally. Now please, stop being a brat about this for once and sit there in silence," Juliana said as she rubbed her free hand down her face as Fiona did as she was told with a huge pout. She missed the days where Fiona was just a happy Pokémon who loved life, but ever since she captured Pecharunt and the other three, her attitude took a deep dive south and has given her a near constant headache since.
Juliana was just glad her other Pokémon were not like this, especially Cha Cha, who was currently filling up their flasks and buckets with water. 'So glad I don't have to tell her what to do.'
The sound of wood falling in a pile in front of her startled Juliana out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see Kieran wiping his hands off with a small smirk on his face.
"Trouble in paradise?" he asked smugly.
"Oh shut up, Kiki," she said and playfully shoved him, nearly knocking him off balance, but he just playfully laughed as he took a seat next to her.
"She'll come around one of these days, you just have to give her time," Kieran muttered and Juliana sighed as leaned against him and began petting Hama, causing the little Pokémon to call out happily. Kieran wrapped an arm around her and held her close.
"I hope so. I've tried everything I could think of, but she's being stubborn about her feelings and holding on to her grudge. She doesn't have to like the four of them, but I just want her to stop tormenting them every chance she can get," she whispered as she glanced over at Fiona, who was still pouting.
"All you can do is keep trying, I guess," he said with a shrug, and Juliana rolled her eyes.
"Big help there, thanks," she droned.
"Hey, I'm no good with this stuff, you know that."
"Well, you came around from your funk, didn't you?" Kieran gave a short laugh at that.
"Yeah, after nearly getting killed by my own stupidity and recklessness. So, sorry to say, I don't know about this any better than you do," he said with a shake of his head.
"Reckless I'll give you," she said, ignoring the indignant 'hey' that came from her boyfriend, "but you're far from stupid."
"My ability to put together a tent says otherwise, apparently," he retorted. Juliana just shook her head with a smile.
"Send out Incineroar and get the fire going, it's going to get cold soon and I'd rather not freeze." Kieran lifted an eyebrow and gazed down at his girlfriend with confusion in his amber-yellow eyes.
"You don't have a Fire-type on you?"
"Well, Fiona can't learn Fire-type moves, other than her Ivy Cudgel changing its type, and I'm not about to bug her for that at the moment. Hama can't learn Will-o-Wisp weirdly enough, and the only Fire-type I have on me is Royalty, and they are far too big to be let loose in these woods, as is Toothless, so... Incineroar?" Juliana explained and ended with a shrug. Kieran just sighed and swiftly released the Dark and Fire-type, instructing him to get the fire going.
"I still don't get where and how you got those three beasts. They're absolute menaces in battle, too," Kieran said with a grimace. He would know quite well, he got his butt handed to him by those three on a regular basis.
"The short answer is I found them in Area Zero while I was down there exploring and training near the bottom where the waterfalls are," she explained as she grasped one of Kieran's hands and began playing with it. "There is no long answer."
"Wowzers... Of course... I shouldn't be surprised at this point," he said with a shake of his head and a small chuckle. He blinked in surprise as one of Juliana's hands gently turned his head towards her.
"You're too cute sometimes, you know that?" The abrupt compliment had him reeling and his mind stopped working for a second.
"Uh, wha-?"
"Exactly." Without any hesitation, she crashed her lips against his causing him to squeak out in surprise at first before he melted in to it. He wrapped both arms around Juliana and pulled her closer against him, being careful not to smash the little Pecharunt she was still holding in her arm.
Across the campfire, Cha Cha let out a small, but deep, quack with a roll of her eyes as she watched her trainer suck face with her mate. She looked over at Incineroar, who was basking in the warmth of the fire, and got his attention before pointing over at their humans.
"I will never understand why humans enjoy sucking one another's face like that," Cha Cha said.
"Eh, I learned not to question human mating rituals. I'm just glad Kieran isn't the slave driver he was a year ago," Incineroar said with a grimace. "If he wants to suck face with his mate, he can, doesn't bother me."
"Was he really that bad? Juliana trained us hard, still does, but we always got breaks to just relax and have fun," she responded with a tilt of her head. Memories of their travels popped into her mind. Those certainly were the days.
"Worse. He trained us into the ground. Himself included. We certainly got stronger, but I don't think it was worth the pain, if you ask me," he said with a huff.
"It's why I chose to not go with him." The sudden soft voice popping up made Cha Cha and Incineroar look in the direction of Fiona. "I know he really wanted me to go with him, but I could feel the growing darkness in his heart at the time. It's why I chose Juliana as my companion instead."
"Is... Do you still feel any?" Incineroar hesitantly asked, but Fiona just shook her head.
"No, no darkness lingers in his heart anymore." That caused the Heel Pokémon to heave a sigh of relief. Cha Cha looked at her with an intense gaze.
"If you can feel such a thing in the hearts of others, then why do you constantly torment Hama and the others?" Cha Cha asked with seriousness. "They have done nothing to you or us since they joined our team." That caused the ogre to snort.
"I will never forgive those four for what they did to me and my old companion! Not to mention that little runt is stealing the attention Juliana usually gives the rest of us!"
"That is not true and you know it!" Cha Cha stood up at this and stalked over to the much shorter Pokémon, poking her in the chest with one of her feather fingers. "I'm not begrudging you for your feelings over what they did to you personally, but don't you dare accuse Juliana of not paying us any attention! She loves and cares for all of us equally! Hell, she probably cares more about you than you could possibly realize, considering the fact that she never rotates you out of the team like the rest of us! And that's despite your horrible attitude as of late!"
"That doesn't mean anything!" Fiona growled back and smacked the feathered hand poking her away from her with enough force to cause Cha Cha to cry out. Incineroar just backed up and away from the growing conflict between the two teammates.
Kieran was panting and lightly moaning as Juliana gently sucked on his neck right over his birthmark. She had been obsessed with the thing ever since they started dating. He did not understand it, but it was a sensitive area, so he enjoyed when she lavished attention upon it.
Unfortunately, their private time was interrupted by loud quacking and angry 'pon pon pons' that were coming from the other side of the campfire.
"What in the world?" Juliana mumbled as she sat up from her boyfriend, who complained at the lack of her weight on him. "Oh hush, we can continue this later, I have a fight to break up." She gently placed Hama, whom she even forgot she was holding until then, into his hands and stormed over to the other side of their makeshift campsite.
In the few seconds it took Juliana to get there, Fiona had grabbed her cudgel and swung it at Cha Cha, who deftly grabbed it with her hands. She winced at the slight pain from the spikes, but put all of her strength into holding the weapon back, which was easier said than done; Fiona had incredible strength in her body for someone so small.
It did not help that she was infusing it with Grass-type energy, either.
"Hey! Hey hey hey! Both of you, break it up this instant! Fiona, put the cudgel down, now!" Both Pokémon looked over at their trainer before Fiona reluctantly stopped powering her cudgel and brought it back towards her, letting it lay limp next to her side. Cha Cha took a step back and breathed a quiet sigh of relief, but glared at the ogre, who glared right back.
Juliana pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation at the exchange as she felt a headache coming on.
Kieran decided it was a good idea to just stay on the other side of the camp for the time being.
"Alright, since this is completely unlike you... Cha Cha, I want your side of the story first," Juliana said.
"Pon!" Fiona yelled out as she felt this was unfair. Juliana just held up a hand in her direction to quell any more complaints.
"I'll hear your side in a moment, just be patient." Taking the invitation, Cha Cha began explaining her side of the story with embellished movements to go along with it. Juliana could tell the Quaquaval's story was angering Fiona, but she thankfully kept quiet.
"I see, so you're saying you were talking with Incineroar, but Fiona butted in, you asked her something, and then it devolved from there?" Juliana asked, and Cha Cha gave a short quack with a nod. "Alright. Fiona? What do you have to say?"
"Pon! Ggr pon! Poni poni pon!" She started off with, then continued with her side of the story, clutching her cudgel tight to her side.
"So you just made a comment about something, confirmed something with Incineroar, then Cha Cha got accusatory? And because of that, you got defensive, causing the two of you to end up in an argument?"
"Popon!" Fiona confirmed with a nod and Juliana sighed.
"I really don't know who to believe in this, so I just want you two to apologize and make up so we can move on, is that acceptable?" she said as she crossed her arms, gazing back and forth between her two Pokémon.
Fiona did not like it, but she bit her tongue, frowned, and apologized to the much taller Pokémon a few feet across from her.
Staring down at the Grass-type ogre, Cha Cha had no idea where the words came from, or why they came out of her, but before she could stop them, they came flowing from her beak like a raging river.
"I'm not sorry! You should have stayed in that den of yours because no one here likes you you little menace!"
The five who could understand, which included Hama, who heard from the other side of the campsite, all gasped and stared wide-eyed at the Quaquaval, whose eyes had also gone wide as she slapped her feathered hands over her beak in shock at her own words.
"Wait, what's going on?" Kieran asked in confusion as he looked at the situation, though no one answered him.
"Pon..." Fiona sniffled as tears came to her eyes. She quickly turned and ran deep into the forest, clutching her cudgel tight against her.
"Fiona, wait!" Juliana called out in worry before turning to her first partner in anger. "Cha Cha, that was completely uncalled for!" Said Pokémon flinched back from her trainer's fury and had the decency to at least look ashamed. "I have never been so disappointed and ashamed in you before! We're definitely going to have a talk about your behavior later and you are going to profusely apologize to Fiona when she comes back!" Without further ado, Juliana returned her Quaquaval to her ball before running over to the edge of the forest and calling out for the Ogerpon.
"FIONA! FIONA! COME BACK!" Juliana shouted, but it was to no avail. With a forlorn sigh she headed back over towards Kieran. She noticed that his Incineroar was now sitting by his side.
"What the heck happened?" Kieran asked with confusion as he handed over Hama back to Juliana when she sat down.
"Ugh, Cha Cha and Fiona got into an argument and Cha Cha said something really nasty to her, so she ran off. I hope she didn't go too far, we don't know this area at all," Juliana explained as she crossed her arms, subconsciously rubbing her upper arms as if to warm herself. She had already returned Hama to her ball for the time being.
Kieran wrapped a comforting arm around her and pulled her against his side comfortingly and Juliana leaned into him.
"I'm sure she'll be fine," he murmured. "She cant take care of herself, you know that."
"I'm not worried about her being attacked since even my beast trio fears her." Kieran winced at that because of just how true that statement was. Hell, even he feared fighting against her. He learned first hand what a year under a competent trainer could do for a Pokémon with her kind of strength, much to his vexation at the time. "I'm more worried about her getting lost. Like I said, this is uncharted territory for us, who knows where she could end up?"
Kieran bit his lip at that.
"Well, tell you what, if she doesn't come back on her own in say... half an hour, we'll go looking for her, alright?" he suggested. "That way it gives her time to cool down and for us to come up with a plan if she doesn't show up."
Juliana had to chuckle at that.
"And you say you're not smart," she said with a small grin as she kissed him on the cheek. This caused a small blush to appear on Kieran's face and he had to look away to hide it. Incineroar just looked away with a shake of his head, keeping his attention on the fire to keep it going.
"I-I mean, it's just a basic idea, nothing fancy," he mumbled as he played with the loose strands of hair that fell over the side of his face.
"Aww, there's my cute and shy Kieran!" This just caused his face to redden even further. "But on a more serious note, we should come up with a plan like you suggested. Any ideas?"
'Screw that stupid, dancing peacock, peahen, chicken, duck, whatever she is!' Fiona thought to herself bitterly as she sat upon a rock she found when she was as far away from the camp as she dared to venture. 'And screw those stupid mochi-heads as well! And Juliana... Who needs them?'
She sat there for a while longer, tears streaming down her face and her knees drawn up against her as her cudgel lay leaning against the rock she was on. She soon let out a little whimper.
'I need them...'
END OF PART 1
A/N: Yeah, so originally I wasn't going to end it here, but I felt this was a good place to stop. Besides that, this was going to get a lot longer than I planned it to be, so I felt splitting it up was wise.
Also, I know my naming conventions are weird, deal with it, lol. Those were the names I came up with for the Pokémon in my game, so they are gonna be here. XD Cookies to those who get where the name 'Hama' comes from, though.
Stay tuned for part 2!