"Make sure you got everything you need, Kiki, because we're not coming back home any time soon!"
The time had come at last. Both Carmine and Kieran were at the bus stop on Kitakami Road, patiently waiting as the morning sun had yet to fully emerge over the Kitakami horizon. The rays of dawn have just illuminated their land into awakening for a brand new day. Carmine's warning as the self-described caring older sister only served to strengthen Kieran's resolve to stay and wait for the bus to Kitakami airport. He stood firm, only fidgeting when adjusting the band holding up his hair. There was no turning back now.
Both siblings had already said their goodbyes to their grandparents, treating it as another adventure away from home and promising to share their stories once they returned. A quick home breakfast was enough to keep them energized for the trip, whether they would also purchase additional snacks at the airport. This was nothing new, though somewhat unfortunate that they did not spend much time together as family. Of course, this also was not the first instance, but their little family found a way to make it work each time.
"Let's not keep Florian and the others waiting on us, Sis," Kieran nodded. "The bus will be here soon for its morning schedule."
"Yeah, and once we make it to Paldea, we will so many stories to tell Grandpa and Grandma!" Carmine grinned. "They'll be listening to our longwinded tales for a change!"
"Hasn't really stopped you before from sharing everything you've seen every time we come back here from Blueberry Academy," Kieran noted.
"Oi! I'm not a blabbermouth!" Carmine quickly bristled. "You better not insinuate my cool stories as mindless filler, Kiki!"
"I didn't say anything else!" Kieran recoiled. "… Aw, man."
Fortunately, in Kieran's mercy, his sister's volatile glare was soon cut short as the familiar engine roars of the Kitakami bus was approaching their stop. Previous moods were forgotten, overwritten with boundless excitement on this latest venture into a region where a special group of friends waited for them. Though this would technically be the second major visit to the Paldea region, this time they were aiming to see Paldea in its entirety and not simply for the singularly dangerous Area Zero.
At least, they hoped not to revisit that place or its Underdepths anytime soon.
Recounting the story alongside Florian to his friends was one thing, but visiting the seemingly otherworldly section of the Paldea region was crossing the line.
"C'mon, Kiki!" Carmine chirped, immediately sprinting to the bus's opening doors. "Let's get this show on the road!
"Wowzers!" Kieran grinned, proceeding to mumble to himself before following his sister's trail to the waiting bus. "Sometimes I wonder who the younger sibling really is."
Upon stepping inside the bus and taking a pair of empty seats with barely any passenger around, the bus prepared to close its doors and depart with no one else aside from the Kitakami siblings joining for the round. It was still fairly early in the morning and the land of Kitakami was generally quiet, but everyone had a responsibility to do.
"Next stop to the airport!" the bus driver announced. "I've seen you two come and go many times now. Hope this latest leg of your adventure is fun and safe!"
Hours later, in front of Naranja Academy…
"I got word that the Flying Taxi from the airport will take them here, as planned," Nemona broadcasted, putting away her Rotom Phone. "It has begun, mis amigos!"
The Paldean Gang shared excited glances. It was fitting that they gathered at the same spot where they, or rather Florian, shared the idea to invite their new friends from abroad to join them in Paldea. At the spacious circle by the Naranja Academy front gates.
It was nearing noon. There were very few students still going in and out, some seeming to prefer staying near school grounds for reasons despite the ongoing school break. The difference of hours between Paldea and Kitakami was significant enough to note that early morning departure from Kitakami would result in an arrival considered a few hours of passing in the morning compared to Paldea.
"I have a few questions about this," Arven spoke up. "From the airport to Naranja Academy, they'll still see Mesagoza flying overhead. Won't the experience be rotted for them when we give them the grand tour?"
"I think you mean 'spoiled', not 'rotted,'" Penny shook her head.
"Whatever!" Arven threw his hands up in exasperation. "Sheesh! There's no pleasing you, Penny."
"… You really don't consider your words before thinking, do you, Arven?" Penny shrugged. "Always so extra."
"Extra? Extra what?" Arven questioned, searching around himself. "Thick? Did I get bigger?"
"I find your lack of slang knowledge disturbing," Penny leered before releasing a sigh. "… Oh, well. I suppose you're not as bad as 'Clive' though."
"Huh? What does Clavell have to do with this?" Arven questioned, actually mishearing the name.
"She said 'Clive', not 'Director Clavell'," Nemona corrected while Florian had stiffened in the background when Arven said the Naranja Academy Director's name instead of repeating what Penny said. "… Right? Hmm, I don't think I know a 'Clive.' Are they also a student at Naranja Academy?"
Penny completely froze with Arven and Nemona's scrutinizing gazes upon her. She looked at Florian, who could only shrug. Though Florian was not particularly talkative, the fact that not even he was willing to divulge that particular information between Clive and Clavell meant that it was best kept secret until the Director himself decided to share that information.
"Um…" Penny was sweating bullets, resisting the urge to pull up her hoodie lest she was seen more guilty by her friends. A serendipitous sight overhead came to her rescue to pull the other's attention off her completely. "Hey! Up there! Our friends from Kitakami are finally here!"
Arven, Nemona, and Florian followed the direction on where Penny pointed above them from the east. A Flying Taxi handled by a small squad of Squawkabilly, composed of all its known colors, and managed by an experienced Cabbie was descending towards them. The two familiar passengers had carefully poked out of both sides from the carriage door windows, waving to them with great beaming smiles.
It did not take long for the Flying Taxi to touch ground, and its eager foreign passengers leapt out of the carriage to proceed with the reunion.
"Greetings, our esteemed Paldean hosts!" Carmine performed an extravagant bow. "Well met at the designated time and place to finally indulge in your invitation to your home region!"
"… … …" Florian, Nemona, Arven, and Penny all blinked, having been rendered completely speechless.
"Wowzers, Sis, that was completely unnecessary," Kieran facepalmed. "Sorry about that, guys, but you know how she can get."
"Extra," Penny quietly gestured to Arven, her hands indicating Carmine as the example from their prior discussion.
"Ohhh!" Arven slowly understood the connection.
"Excuse me!" Carmine quickly broke out of her gracious persona to glare at her younger brother, balling her fists to her chest. "Who are you apologizing for, Kiki?! Have you forgotten that we're supposed to be well-mannered guests honoring the people that invited us like Grandpa told us?!"
"Ah, I'm sure we all appreciate the thought, but seriously, there's no need to stand on ceremony," Nemona quickly defused the situation. "We're just glad you arrived to us safely! Now…" She pulled out a Poké Ball, as if no one saw that coming, which everyone in the present company did anticipate. "Let's battle!"
"… … …" Carmine and Kieran were next to have no words.
"Nemona, I don't think our Kitakami friends flew across the ocean and other lands just to battle you first thing," Penny interrupted, placing her hands on Nemona's raised arm holding the Poké Ball to gently push it down.
"You can battle them twelve or more times later," Arven also stepped in, taking place on Nemona's side opposite of Penny. "They're here just to hang out and check out Paldea for themselves, like any other curious visitor."
Florian walked forward, passing his friends to meet the Kitakami siblings closer. Everyone seemed to calm down and expectantly watched the young boy serving as the one link to their grown friend group taking center stage. It had been a new dream come true now that they were together again in one place, and with plenty of time to play and explore.
"Kieran, Carmine, welcome to Paldea!" Florian smiled, spreading his arms out as his own grand introduction.
"Aww~! Florian!" Carmine squealed, seizing the advantage of the shorter boy's opened arms to sweep him into a big hug. Florian found his head unwittingly pulled into her chest at his height. "Aren't you the straightforward one! Although…" She then moved him slightly back so that she could look him in the eye. "Why did you say Kiki's name before mine?! I—WAH!"
"That's enough, Sis!" Kieran pulled her away from Florian, thinking that she was inadvertently suffocating his dear friend. After making sure his sister was safely off, much to her protest, Kieran smiled back at his first Paldean friend. "Hi, Florian! We're finally together again."
"We're glad you made it," Florian continued, glancing at the Flying Taxi behind them. "And thank you for bringing them here, sir!"
"Y-Yes, thank you, sir!" Carmine mentally reprimanded herself for forgetting her manners while she and Kieran quickly bowed to the Cabbie, grateful for the transportation.
"Glad to be of service," the Cabbie nodded, signaling to his Squawkabilly to prepare for liftoff. "Please feel free to call upon us again for your transportation needs!"
With that, the combined might of the Squawkabilly unleashed a burst of wind to push the Flying Taxi off the ground and back to work as Florian and his friends watched. The gusts from the Squawkabilly's wings rippled through a small area, blowing through everyone's hair. For Kieran, though, he kept his hands on his band to not lose it. The force diminished as the Flying Taxi further ascended into the bright blue and sunny sky.
"I'm thinking before we figure out what to do before having you guys settle in, lunch might be a good idea right now," Florian suggested once things had calmed down.
"I was wondering when we'd be eating!" Carmine grinned, clasping her hands. "There weren't any good snacks at the airport. And Kiki and I spent most of the flight catching up on our sleep!"
"Don't worry, guys, we're not tired," Kieran added. "Matter of fact, both our sleep during the flight and the chance to reunite with you guys kept us really energized for this moment!"
"Then allow me to take the lead!" Arven announced. "As someone who considers himself pretty knowledgeable of food, there are many restaurants and food stands all over Paldea that we can visit. Including here in Mesagoza!"
With a passionate flourish of an arm, Arven led Carmine and Kieran to see beyond the Naranja Academy gate to the large city beyond the descending staircase. It was one thing for the Kitakami siblings to experience the many tall buildings and lively activities of the Mesagoza population while in a Flying Taxi. It was completely different to see the largest Paldean city at a live normal pace.
"Wowzers…" Kieran gasped, his yellow eyes darting around the city below before looking up to see the horizon beyond. "So… this is Paldea!"
"So different than Kitakami!" Carmine commented, also anxiously taking in the brightly colored sights under the sun's yellow rays. She also looked back to see the sister school to Blueberry Academy in its traditional wonder. "And so much different than Blueberry Academy! Naranja Academy looks like a castle! To think, we were only here briefly with Ms. Briar before setting out to Area Zero. We didn't have time to enjoy this at all!"
The mention of Area Zero had caused the rest of the Paldea gang to share concerned glances, most of which were directed towards Florian. There was still the matter of Florian opening up to share his latest experience in Area Zero with Kieran and Carmine involving the Underdepths, which went further below Professor Sada's time machine within Zero Lab, to his wonder. But their Kitakami friends' arrival and reunion just now was not the time or place to discuss such things.
Wanting to clear the air with his Paldean friends while moving things along for the Kitakami siblings, Florian stepped up to clear his throat and make a new suggestion.
"Say, who here is ready to eat?" Florian reminded.
*rumble* *RUMBLE*
By that prompt, a synchronous pair of loud low groans echoed from the stomachs of both Kitakami siblings. Their fascinated gazes over Mesagoza interrupted by hunger pangs, Kieran and Carmine looked at each other and laughed over the sheer coincidence of the timing. The lightened atmosphere got Florian and the rest of the Paldean gang to join in the merriment, the anxiousness over the Area Zero Underdepths story departing their minds for another time.
"I can't believe I almost forgot how hungry we were!" Carmine grinned. "This city you call Mesagoza, it's so big and beautiful!"
"Florian and friends, do you have any recommendations on what's for lunch?" Kieran asked. "I bet there's many restaurants to try while Sis and I are visiting."
"There are many good places to eat in Paldea, but we decided to let you new buds choose what you want to eat for your first day," Arven resumed his role as the group gourmet, gesturing with an arm to follow him as he proceeded to go down the lengthy staircase. "At least for lunch. We have dinner plans, so that you don't have to wander around Paldea and figure out where to it. At least, not until you become familiar with our home."
"Wowzers! We're really climbing down these steps?" Kieran gasped, his eyes tracing how far down from the Naranja Academy entrance gate to the rest of Mesagoza.
"I… don't know if I'll survive," Carmine grimaced over the outdoor staircase. "I'm already feeling tired and sweaty just looking at these stairs."
"It's called 'the worst staircase in the world' for a reason, y'know," Penny consoled, having slipped herself between the two siblings and patting them on the shoulders. "Over one-hundred fifty steps, I believe."
"We're kinda used to it, but we do have something prepared if you're not up to climbing these steps," Nemona offered, glancing over to Florian.
"You're our friends and our guests," Florian smiled, holding up a Poké Ball as to show the gang's contingency for this scenario. "We don't want your experience in Paldea to sour because of something like this."
Carmine and Kieran appeared touched by their Paldean friends' sincerity. Looking at each other and nodded, they both shook their heads regarding whatever Florian had to offer.
"We couldn't ask for better foreign friends like you guys!" Carmine clasped her hands.
"Sis and I agreed that we were going for the full Paldean experience," Kieran declared, brushing aside the single strand of hair hanging from the right side of his face. "We're not that weak! We'll brave these stairs and make our lunch worthwhile because of it!"
"That said…" Carmine hummed nonchalantly before suddenly grabbing one of her brother's arms and pulled him along as she ran down the steps past Arven. "Last one down is a rotten Exeggcute!"
"H-Hey!" Penny shouted, her face turning slightly red as she, Nemona, and Florian began to chase after them, realizing the sudden game that they were thrusted into. "Cheater!"
"Uh… What just happened?" Arven blinked as his friends raced down the staircase while he was still processing the transpired interactions. The urge to catch up with them occurred shortly after. "Hey! Buds, wait for me!"
And after the long flight of stairs descending to the city of Mesagoza, and even passing the second set of mercifully fewer stairs that continued downward…
"… pant… That was… a rush!" Carmine heaved in between breaths, leaning forward with her hands on her knees. She leered at the lengthy staircase, up to the elevation that Naranja Academy stood majestically upon, where she, Kieran, and their Paldean friends initially started. "… To think… this is what… Naranja Academy… students… get to do every day."
"I don't think… it's every… day… Sis," Kieran wiped his glistening forehead with an arm while also catching his breath. "It… depends. Right? … Florian?"
"Something like that," Florian responded, his arm holding up his aching chest. "Everyone's class schedules are different. … Some leave to do… the Treasure Hunt. Others stay in the Academy for classes throughout the day."
"Ugh! As if I wasn't already sweltering enough!" Penny protested, removing her glasses to wipe off the excessive sweat that it collected. "But at least I wasn't the rotten Exeggcute!"
"Me… neither!" Nemona coughed, holding an arm up in victory before collapsing it out of fatigue.
"Wowzers! Nemona!" Kieran gasped, seeing Nemona on her arms and knees on the ground compared to the others still standing. To him, she looked like she was nearly depleted of energy. "Are you okay?! Do you need water?!"
"No te… preocupes!" Nemona managed a quick shaky thumbs-up before pushing her upper body off the ground and seizing a water bottle out of her sling backpack. "I'll be fine! Promise!"
"Nemona's short stamina strikes again," Arven remarked, having regained his bearings after the run. "But somehow, I lost despite catching up to her at the final stretch. Guess her stamina has been improving, after all. So says the so-called 'rotten Exeggcute.'"
"Step by step, slowly but surely," Nemona added after a swift swig of water to refresh herself. Florian and Penny came to her aid, both extending a hand which she graciously accepted. Though she was back on her feet, her shorter friends still provided support until her legs regained stability. "That was fun! We should do it again soon!" She was soon met with varying expressive degrees of fear and repulsion from the others, with Penny clearly threatening to let her fall back to the ground from her eyes alone. "… Fair enough. I prefer Pokémon battles anyway!"
"I honestly prefer battling over that stupid stunt I just pulled, but where are we getting lunch?" Carmine asked.
"Here, in Mesagoza, of course!" Arven flourished his arms once more to the rest of Mesagoza.
Carmine and Kieran were in awe to see the great Paldean city at ground level, from the colorfully designed battlefield that stood before the staircases to the plentiful outdoor tables and various stands placed about within the square formed by the buildings. And of course, there were many civilians going about, filling the square with lively activity and commerce.
"Holy…!" Carmine gaped, glancing about within the Mesagoza central plaza. "There are even clothing stores, a picnic store, and even a beauty salon in walking distance!" Her elation turned into wide-eyed concern as she glared at the Paldean Four. "This is such a major tourist trap, how are you guys not bothered with visitors like us just coming in without any regard to your Paldean customs?!"
"Sis!" Kieran yelped. "That question… Aw, man!"
"That… is a good question," Florian mumbled, sharing bemused looks with Nemona, Arven, and Penny.
"I… don't think I can answer as I'm not even from Paldea, but I guess I can consider Paldea as a second home," Penny contemplated. "Although I don't think about it much, I'm mainly here for my friends and Naranja Academy. It's simpler to think of my motivations as such."
"I've had other things to worry about than tourists and outsiders," Arven shrugged, though the uneasy expression he held had hidden thoughts that might be too personal to discuss at this time. "I haven't been around people much either until I met Florian. Now, I feel free and willing to entertain friends and guests with whatever I can do!"
"Kinda the same as the others, even though I have lived in Paldea for a good part of my life," Nemona replied. "For what it's worth, Paldea's natural beauty and unique architecture stands out from other regions, which in turn, invites people outside of Paldea to see for themselves. And as they do so, they just learn about the history of Paldea along for the ride and appreciate it their own way!"
"I think Nemona describes it the best," Florian continued. "Though to be fair, I haven't lived in Paldea for too long either, but every region has what makes them special. It's kind of like if you decided to go on a journey in a faraway region. It really just depends on how you look at it."
"Sis, Kitakami is small while Paldea, and even Unova, are large," Kieran added. "Some places seem to have found their balance between tourism and traditions. I think for Paldea, it just… works out somehow. I don't know how to explain it."
Carmine appeared to seriously ponder the provided answers and weighed them to her own experiences with her traditional home of Kitakami. Granted, trying to compare Kitakami to Paldea was very much like comparing apples and oranges, but the principle was the same in finding a balance between celebrating one's customs and attracting outsiders under marketable premises.
Her empty stomach was quick to force her to understand faster.
"Hah, I suppose that's fair," Carmine ultimately shrugged before glancing specifically towards Nemona. "But to show that I'm someone who understands hospitality on both sides, allow me to honor your request for a battle… as soon as I get something to eat."
"Wait, en serio?!" Nemona's eyes sparkled, hands clasped in elation. "Not even Florian was that quick to offer to battle me!"
"Ahh, even I have my limits," Florian responded with an awkward grin, though no one else actually begrudged him for it; compared to the rest, he had the patience of a saint when it came to handling Nemona's battling desires.
"Carmine, you know you don't have to battle if you don't want to," Arven warned, providing a way out before his foreign friend locked her fate. "It's not even a Paldean tradition to battle someone immediately as soon as you arrive in Paldea. I would know, being the most 'Paldean' compared to the others."
"It's more of a Pokémon Trainer tradition to accept battles, if anything," Penny added. "In other regions, including where I'm from, battles are imminent the moment Trainers lock eyes with one another."
"I've heard of that, actually!" Kieran interjected. "Even though Blueberry Academy is in Unova, where Trainers follow that rule, no one in the Academy actually does it when training in the Terarium. Though I guess it's because we were in Academy property and battles between students have to be regulated… Something like that, maybe?"
"Ha! Either way, I'm not one to turn down challenges!" Carmine brushed aside, fighting her growing hunger to assert her confidence. "I did challenge Florian when he first set foot in Mossui Town, though whether he won that bout or not is no one's business but ours alone."
"Florian totally thrashed her," Kieran interjected dryly.
"W-Whose side are you on, dearest BROTHER?!" Carmine hissed, shaking the recalled humiliation off to assert her point. "I'm not the one going around point out YOUR losses, such as the one you had against Nemona when Florian returned to Kitakami with his friends!"
"… Aw, man," Kieran sulked.
"Oh, yeah!" Nemona snapped her fingers from the memory. "That's funny how it's all a coincidence. Florian battled Carmine when he first arrived in Kitakami. Then I did with Kieran when Florian brought me, Penny, and Arven along. Guess we have to make it a tradition now!"
"That does check out, but we didn't battle anyone in Kitakami when first visited, did we?" Penny glanced at Arven, who shrugged in response.
"Unless you count that crazy night with the possessed townspeople and poisonous mochi," Arven considered. "But that wasn't even right away when we made it to Mossui Town."
"As I was SAYING!" Carmine bellowed, seizing control over the group conversation back. "After lunch, let's spice things up! Nemona, you and Florian are supposedly the strongest Trainers that the Paldea region has to offer, right?"
"Hmm, I suppose you could say that as both me and Florian are Champion-ranked, though if you ask me, La Primera should be considered in your assessment," Nemona replied. "Why do you ask?"
"I'm sure Kiki doesn't mind as he loves battling just as much, so we, as Kitakami's mightiest, challenge you and Florian as Paldea's strongest in a Multi Battle with one Pokémon each!" Carmine declared with a determined accusing point. "No Tera Orbs, too! At least, not now! Knowing you, we'll be battling again later. So, how's that for making an impression? Paldea will soon know of Kitakami's power!"
"Wowzers… I can't tell if she really is that dramatic or if it's the hunger that's talking," Kieran sighed, shaking his head briefly before perking up. "But I'm willing to battle too. Believe it or not, Sis and I have been training and improving since we last faced you, Florian and Nemona. We're eager to show you what we got!"
"What do you say, Florian?" Nemona smiled, adjusting her arm brace resolutely. "Me working with you, my greatest treasure! Are you ready to truly shine brightly against our strong Kitakami friends? I remember we've only teamed up once, and I think the only other thing I enjoy aside from battling you is battling alongside you!"
"That's really sweet of you, Nemona!" Florian beamed. "I've enjoyed our battles a lot, too. Even if I'm not as… passionate as you are about them. I think it's sweet that you still find enjoyment battling me despite that."
"Aw, Florian~!" Nemona giggled with a mild blush. "You're the sweet one! I haven't even thanked you for the times you were able to indulge me with battles!"
"Gah! There's just no keeping up with them," Arven groaned, slumping over exhaustedly from watching the display. "I secretly take on the Gym Challenge just so I can get as strong as my little buddy, and Nemona still raises the bar…"
"Annoying as it is to suddenly be left out like this because of said power gap, there's still the fact that they both still consider us as strong Trainers," Penny attempted a form of consolation. "Again, Nemona saw you as a rival for the right to be Florian's rival… and again, how does that even work?"
"I still don't know… and I don't want to know," Arven sighed. "I told you I kept it secret from Nemona for a reason."
"Oi! Save your tag-teaming for later!" Carmine fumed, incensed by the brilliant bond between Florian and Nemona. "Do you have any food stands to recommend?!"
"Uh… Chic Kebab has some savory foods I think you'd like?" Florian suggested from the top of his head.
"I'd give Kanto Crepes a visit too!" Penny interposed. "Their crepes are so sweet and fresh!"
"If you want snacks to save as the day goes, you can snag some authentic Paldean churros from Smoochurro," Arven added.
"And don't worry about the costs," Nemona reminded. "You're our guests, of course, so please enjoy whatever you want to taste! Dinner tonight will also be on us at Go-For-Broke Grill!"
"Ooh! Now we're talking!" Carmine had been salivating. "Keeping me this well-fed will promise you quite the battle after!"
"Aw, man, I kinda feel guilty about you having to cover our expenses," Kieran uncomfortably scratched the back of his head, below his hair tie.
"Don't worry about it, Kieran," Florian assured with a firm pat on his arm. "We've planned out what we'll be doing for the coming days and budgeted accordingly. We'll be fine."
"Shucks, really?" Kieran brightened his expression. "In that case, I'll order whatever you'll get, Florian!"
As brought up before seeking out the convenience of nearby food stands in the Mesagoza central plaza, Chic Kebab had filling grilled foods deserving for a lunch to be indulged in the Mesagoza outdoors. Ordering a wide spread of Pinchitos and Grilled Rice Balls for a party of six, as well as snagging fresh crepes from the neighboring Kanto Crepes cart, Florian and friends moved the food to a nearby open space with a large table and parasol before finally digging in to fresh hot savories.
Carmine found herself drawn to the Grilled Rice Balls due to their cultural familiarity, finding herself immediately filled up after a couple of that dish along with one Pinchito piece. She had already wanted to move on to tasting the crepes while Kieran enjoyed going back and forth between the two grilled foods, telling his ravenous sister to at least save a crepe for him when he was done with his lunch.
While they all were enjoying lunch, they gave a brief rundown of the formed itinerary of the Kitakami siblings' Paldean visit. The day of arrival was to help them get acquainted with Paldea in general and take things a bit slow, the impending Multi Battle notwithstanding.
The days to come, though…
"Because of the ideas we've been coming up with and received from others since inviting you guys to Paldea, we four will be in charge of activities for different days," Florian surmised.
"Hold on a moment, does that mean that you'd be in charge on what we'd be doing tomorrow?" Carmine asked.
"That's the idea," Nemona nodded.
"However, whether Florian is in charge of tomorrow's fun remains to be seen by you guys," Penny winked.
"Wowzers, so Sis and I won't know who's in charge until tomorrow comes," Kieran deduced. "It could be Florian, or it could be someone else, like Penny, leading the fun."
"That's one way to maintain the elemental of surprise!" Arven laughed.
"Hah… close," Penny mumbled to herself, pinching a thumb and index finger together.
"That's actually creative," Carmine commented. "The four of you Paldean friends are so different, the next days will be exciting no matter what! The guessing is supposed to be part of the fun, on who's on which day and what is planned. Although I can already guess what Nemona is going to want on the day she's in charge…"
"Ha ha ha! Am I really that predictable?" Nemona giggled. "Well… Ni modo! Just wait and see!" She took a paper napkin off the table to wipe her hands clean of Pinchitos grease before getting up from her seat. "Are you two ready to battle as promised?"
"As your honored guest, I accept your terms!" Carmine smirked, leaping to her feet as well. "I'm ready to get into position! You and Florian, on the other hand, better be ready for a good pounding!"
"… Phrasing," Penny blinked, watching Florian wipe his mouth clean before taking a stand to join the battle.
"Aw, man! Already?" Kieran moped, just as he was about to take a bite into an untouched succulent Strawberry Chocolate Crepe. He reluctantly placed it back on the table. "… I wanted to taste it."
"It'll still be here waiting for you," Arven consoled. "I promise Penny won't be getting near it."
"And who's going to protect Kieran's crepe from you, creep?" Penny glared.
"Listen, you!" Arven huffed. "… …" He inflated his cheeks for nothing, much to Penny's smug amusement. "… I'll come back with a better retort, just wait and see!"
There were no announced battles taking place in the Mesagoza central plaza battlefield at this time. Florian and Nemona stood at the opposing edges of their shared Trainer box while Kieran and Carmine did the same. All four participating Trainers already had a Poké Ball on hand, having decided on which partners would be in play for this one Pokémon each only Multi Battle.
"The both of you may be powerful individually, but how well can you keep up with a stronger sibling team like me and Kiki?" Carmine challenged, lightly tossing up the Poké Ball in her hand.
"We might not have been able to beat either of you in battle, but let's see if we can finally get a victory on you together!" Kieran declared, throwing in his Poké Ball alongside his sister.
The Pokémon representing Kitakami were their aces, Hydrapple and Sinistcha. The unique Pokémon that could not be found in the Paldea region, the pair being a large syrupy apple composed of multiple syrpents and a ghostly chawan bowl filled with matcha tea that bore a slight resemblance to a Polteageist under certain angles, drew in some more intrigued onlookers who weren't already interested in discovering that two of Paldea's strongest have teamed up for this battle.
A roar from Hydrapple signaled an alluringly sweet scent pervading the battlefield. His Supersweet Syrup had just activated. This was already promising to be quite the uphill battle for Team Paldea.
Florian gripped his Poké Ball tightly. He did not have much experience with Multi Battles, and it didn't seem like Nemona had much experience in that field either. It was one thing in thoroughly learning the dynamics of Double Battles while in Blueberry Academy. At least he was responsible for both of his Pokémon. But in a Multi Battle? He would be in charge of his one Pokémon while also placing trust in his partner's battling skill and ability to cooperate. And as Pokémon battles go, there were many other unpredictable factors to take into account.
As Nemona mentioned earlier, they only got to team up once, and that was during their first expedition into the dangerous Area Zero. They were battling for survival back then. It took a combination of sheer power and quick-witted strategy to overcome the ancient Paradox Pokémon. Now, he and Nemona were dealing with an experienced sibling team who clearly knew what they were doing in place of relying on vicious primal instinct.
Florian soon felt a wave of relief once Nemona placed a hand on his shoulder. He curiously looked up to the taller girl, who merely nodded to him confidently. Florian softly smiled in return, resuming his focus on starting the battle.
Nemona and I have been together for many battles, Florian thought. It'll be enough, win or lose.
"Florian, let's get ready to give our visiting friends a great Paldean bienvenida!" Nemona cheered, readjusting her arm brace. "Let us all have a fruitful battle!"
Feeling her battling spirit, Florian synchronously tossed in his Poké Ball alongside Nemona. From Nemona's Poké Ball emerged her Pawmot. Florian had opted to call upon a partner that had been with him slightly longer than Koraidon. His own starter, Quaquaval.
Pawmot took to stretch out his limbs upon release, watching as his designated partner for this Multi Battle instantly fanned out his water tail feathers and stepped into a steady rhythm. The electric marmot remembered the times he and this dancing peacock coot-duck had clashed due to their Trainers' friendly rivalry, so teaming up together was going to be an interesting experience. Sporting his Trainer's optimistic outlook and eagerness to constantly grow stronger in battle, Pawmot found himself nodding along in Quaquaval's steps.
Both Pokémon sniffed into the air amidst their movements, appearing entranced by the Supersweet Syrup smell. Their bodies briefly glowed blue, their evasive abilities shot down one stage.
"… You're not going with Skeledirge for this one, Nemona?" Florian quickly asked.
"I thought about it, at first," Nemona admitted. "But Pawmot is very versatile and might work as a better partner for you, especially if you went with Quaquaval. Besides…" She glanced at the opposing Hydrapple and Sinistcha, both of them happening to be part Grass-types. "A type advantage alone won't guarantee us victory. Also, you also have stronger Pokémon that have surpassed your starter in your possession. I know Koraidon is one of them."
"I… I'm not holding back," Florian reasoned, not wanting to give that impression due to his starter being part Water-type.
"I know," Nemona simply smiled. "Neither am I. Multi Battles take more than brute force to win, or did you forget what I'm good at already just because you've defeated me many times?"
Florian blinked a few times out of astonishment before shaking his head. For a brief moment, he really did forget who he was dealing with. Perhaps even with the lack of practice of battling together in a team with Nemona, he had a feeling that the older Trainer did have the needed experience and competence to keep up, maybe even give him a surprise or two.
"Alright!" Carmine yelled. "Time to show our Paldean hosts what Kitakami is made of! Ready, Kiki?!"
"Ready when you are, Sis!" Kieran smirked. "Let's see how strong their friendship is compared to us! Hydrapple, use Earth Power on Pawmot!"
"Sinistcha, use Stun Spore on Quaquaval! Shut 'em down fast!"
Two Hydrapple syrpent heads emerged from the sides of the syrup apple, simultaneously slamming themselves in front to generate and unleash the rippling vibrations of Earth Power towards the Hands-On Pokémon. Sinistcha, on the other hand, floated erratically about the battlefield, homing in on Quaquaval to spray the paralyzing cloud of orange powder upon.
"Quaquaval, use Aqua Step!" Florian commanded. "Get away from the Stun Spore!"
The water feathers behind Quaquaval began to spin in tempo to his dance steps. The Dancer Pokémon was within a miniature tornado of his feathers, all while controlling it with his calculated movements within the eye. A handful of water feathers were flung from the circle and sliced through the incoming Stun Spore cloud, barraging Sinistcha's bowl and really shaking up its matcha tea body.
A burst of red light emanated from Quaquaval, signaling his raised speed by a stage. Quaquaval then leapt horizontally at the last moment before the remaining Stun Spore enveloped where he stood. He avoided the move in time from Florian's shout.
"Oi! There your Pokémon goes again, pulling off crazy impossible stunts in battle!" Carmine prickled over the missed Stun Spore. "How?!"
"They're not that impossible!" Nemona stepped up. "Pawmot, use Double Shock on Sinistcha!"
Quaquaval sidestepped without missing a beat, having sensed his partner dashing in from behind to charge into the lingering Stun Spore. His Electric-type attribute protected him from the numbing paralysis, using the orange powder cloud as cover to charge up his electricity and charge in on Sinistcha, who had shaken off the ineffective hit of Aqua Step.
Pawmot jumped up and collided against Sinistcha from the bottom, using up all his electricity and exhausting his Electric attribute for the remainder of the battle to send the Matcha Pokémon flying and flinging drops of its tea everywhere.
"This feels targeted!" Carmine shrieked through her teeth.
"No worries, Sis!" Kieran intervened. "Earth Power is still on its way!"
The surging Earth Power under Hydrapple's control had slowly crawled over to where Pawmot landed after his Double Shock. Pawmot was quick to see the glowing ground reaching underneath him and instinctively braced his arms to take the hit as the concentrated Ground energy erupted and pushed him back.
Pawmot was sent skidding back to his team's side, joined with a cautious Quaquaval, while Sinistcha regained control of its body and hovered down to join Hydrapple, whose main syrpent head was snarling over the damage reduction of Earth Power due to Pawmot losing his Electric attribute.
"Time we got serious, Kiki," Carmine muttered. "It's clear that Florian and Nemona are tough and clever, even when thrown into a Multi Battle. It's time we pulled of some special sibling moves!"
"I'm with you, Sis!" Kieran nodded, flicking the one stray bang on his forehead and resuming his attention on the battle. "Let's dismantle them! Hydrapple, use Gyro Ball on Pawmot!"
"Quaquaval, intercept Hydrapple with Ice Spinner!" Florian reacted.
Hydrapple withdrew the main syrpent into the syrup apple and motioned into a high-speed spin, gaining a spherical metallic gray sheen before rolling towards the intended target. Quaquaval passed Pawmot and quickly encased his legs with the element of Ice, pirouetting his form into a visibly icy spinning top tearing through the ground.
Two powerful rotating forces quickly met in the center and clashed. A number of factors came into play, such as Ice Spinner being four times super effective against Hydrapple while contending its own weakness against the Steel-type Gyro Ball, but it ultimately came down to sheer will.
Due to the move type disadvantage, Quaquaval was forced out of his Ice Spinner first. He was sent dragging back on his feet and winged hands, fortunately not looking worse for wear with sufficient Steel resistance and general defensive bulk.
Hydrapple soon ended his Gyro Ball, revealing a number of steaming bruises on his apple as the main syrpent poked out, showing how completely out of breath he was. At the very least due to Florian's efforts, the Apple Hydra Pokémon had to endure a bit of the incredibly super effective damage from the Ice Spinner. However, it was also clear that he would not be able to handle at least one or two more Ice-type moves.
"Aw, man, I thought I had them!" Kieran recoiled.
"Nice save, Florian!" Nemona praised.
"But not nice enough!" Carmine sneered. To Nemona and her Pawmot's surprise, Sinistcha had managed to slip into their territory during the big confrontation, sharing its Trainer's uppity smirk. "Kiki, you did enough! Now, Sinistcha, use Stun Spore on Pawmot!
"Ah! Pawmot, watch out! Use Ice Punch!"
Flaunting over the advantage with a mischievous cackle, Sinistcha sprayed a new cloud of Stun Spore over Pawmot. The double-edged aftereffects of Double Shock left Pawmot without his natural immunity to paralysis. The Hands-On Pokémon began coughing from inhalation as numbing electric discharges coursed throughout his body, the paralysis status effect taking full effect. He reacted too late to the Stun Spore and his body was locked in place, unable to carry out the commanded Ice Punch.
The Kitakami siblings have certainly played to their strengths pretty well, with Kieran's offense and Carmine's support. Simple tactics tend to provide significantly effective results. With Hydrapple having distracted Quaquaval in reality, Sinistcha used its ghostly stealth to weave past the commotion and under the radar to begin weakening the opposing team, starting with paralyzing Pawmot. Of course, had Hydrapple made it to attack Pawmot, Nemona would soon be out of the Multi Battle with one more hit.
Sensing his Multi Battle partner was in distress, Quaquaval ran and somersaulted stylishly to return to Pawmot's side as swiftly as possible while Sinistcha retreated to the other side with Hydrapple. As of this point of the battle, Quaquaval suffered insignificantly minor damage while Pawmot, though having plenty of health left to continue, was afflicted with paralysis. Meanwhile, Hydrapple managed to tank a super effective hit while still raring to go despite the clear wounds, with Sinistcha was also capable of more despite suffering a couple of type ineffective, but still fairly fierce, blows.
"Now to go all out!" Kieran declared. "Hydrapple, use Fickle Beam and finish off Pawmot!"
"It's game and match now!" Carmine laughed. "Sinistcha, use Matcha Gotcha!"
Upon their given commands, the Pokémon prepared to execute. Sinistcha withdrew into its bowl, its chasen whisk vigorously stirring up its matcha tea. As for Hydrapple, four syrpent heads emerged from each side of the syrup apple while two more popped out next to the central head from the top and joined the dominant syrpent in gathering light made of pure Dragon energy in their mouths. United by the mutual desire to win, the power of the Fickle Beam was promising to be spectacular.
"Amazing… To be backed into a corner like this while teaming up with Florian," Nemona breathed out, a wide manic grin soon taking over. "Multi Battles are so amazing!"
"Safe to say we're not giving up yet," Florian interpreted his partner's reactions as such. "Then let's match their ability to work together with our own, Nemona!"
"I'll follow your lead, Florian!" Nemona exclaimed. "I'll follow your lead no matter what so that I can truly feel like I deserve to stand side-to-side with you!"
"This is where we'll need to trust our Pokémon, now more than ever," Florian advised. His Quaquaval looked back with a solemn twinkle in his eye and responded to his wish with a resolute nod. "Quaquaval, get ready! Use Aqua Step on Hydrapple! Stop that Fickle Beam!"
"Pawmot, don't let paralysis get you down!" Nemona yelled. "Use Mach Punch on Hydrapple!"
Fighting through the surging paralysis affliction, Pawmot charged up a large forepaw with power while enabling himself to close the distance between him and Hydrapple in the blink of an eye. Right while Hydrapple was still gathering energy for maximum output.
Pawmot unleashed an uppercut that repelled two syrpents from the left side, causing a retreat and a substantial decrease in Fickle Beam's expected release. Following the successful blow, Pawmot utilized the momentum from the rebound to bounce away from Hydrapple and, at the very least, make it difficult to aim.
"A couple syrpents may be down, but Hydrapple is still strong enough to take you down at last!" Kieran objected. "Hydrapple, fire Fickle Beam!"
His Pokémon was suddenly roaring in pain, much to Kieran's growing dread. In his pursuit to take down Nemona's Pawmot, he lost sight of Florian's Quaquaval following Pawmot's lead and unleashing a flechette storm of his water feathers while nimbly prancing about onto the syrpents on the other side of Hydrapple's syrup apple, causing them to also retreat and reducing the main contributors to three. It might not have been enough to stop the Fickle Beam, but it was substantially weakened by their combined efforts.
"I've seen many Multi Battles from online before, including those from the Galarian Star Tournament, but seeing one up close like this is truly mind blowing!" Penny remarked. To think Dad really shined so brightly in some of those Star Tournament rounds… Maybe I should've gone with Mum and Peonia to cheer for him live back when he competed.
"I don't have any doubts about our buds, Penny, but it's become clear that Kieran and Carmine are well-coordinated with their moves," Arven added.
"Sinistcha, hurry and help Kiki!" Carmine growled.
Her supposed patience was soon rewarded with a huge burst of scalding matcha tea erupting from Sinistcha's bowl after all that stirring with its bamboo whisk. The wave of matcha tea was wide enough to cover Quaquaval and Pawmot's area, made even easier as the latter was seized in his movements by paralysis.
At the same time, Hydrapple unleashed what was salvaged from his disrupted Fickle Beam upon the intended target of the paralyzed Pawmot. From what it appeared, both moves had surrounded the opponents and swallowed them into a dusty cloudy aftermath. Though it looked like Fickle Beam had reached Pawmot first, the impact creating an explosive cloud as Sinistcha's Matcha Gotcha splashed the area.
"Wowzers… That was intense," Kieran exhaled while Carmine excitedly hopped in place, clapping her hands. "Fate is a fickle thing, just like Fickle Beam."
"Florian's Pokémon was also close to Pawmot!" Carmine pointed out. "Maybe Hydrapple got them both!"
Carmine's elation only grew as she saw energy particles being siphoned from where Quaquaval and Pawmot were, even though the other side was still obscured by the dust cloud, and heading towards her Sinistcha, meaning that her own Pokémon succeeded in landing hits. And given the large amount of energy that appeared to have been drained and healed Sinistcha nearly back to full health, it should've drained the part-Water-type Quaquaval dry.
Did that do them in?
The cloud finally dissipated to reveal the actual aftermath of the double attacks.
"Quaquaval!" Florian called out.
The Dancer Pokémon was still on his feet, showing heavy battle wear on his otherwise pristine blue plumaged body. Water feathers still presented themselves proudly from his tail. He was leaning forward, catching his breath. However, red flames seem to be flaring from his body. Matcha Gotcha managed to land a burn on Quaquaval, which would severely cripple his physical attack power. As for Pawmot, he appeared facedown on the ground and was placed a short distance from where he previously stood.
"Aha! That's one down!" Carmine celebrated.
"Ay! So sorry about this, Florian!" Nemona sighed with a small smile, glancing to where her Pawmot was.
"Just believe in the Pokémon," Florian responded, resolutely looking forward.
"Kiki, we can't let up now!" Carmine warned. "Florian will be especially dangerous! His Pokémon have proven to go even beyond for him! Let's force him to his knees and give it to him hard!"
"… Phrasing… again," Penny glared dryly.
"I got this, Sis!" Kieran took the initiative. "Hydrapple, use Fickle Beam on Quaquaval! Give it your all!"
The dominant syrpent bellowed, but no one had answered the call to go all out. It was up to the lone syrpent to charge up the Fickle Beam this time around, but even that should be enough to finish off Quaquaval, right?
Notwithstanding Quaquaval's partner, in which one of his forelimbs twitched. Nemona caught the sight and acted on her battle instinct.
"Pawmot, Mach Punch on Hydrapple!" Nemona followed.
"HUH?!" Carmine and Kieran gasped.
Invoking a temporary speed boost, Pawmot pushed himself off the ground and practically flew towards Hydrapple, sending a straight jab into the charging syrpent's head. Caught off guard and reeling from the strike to the face, Hydrapple unwittingly unleashed the Fickle Beam in an erratic motion.
As it so happened, the Fickle Beam seared through the air near where Sinistcha was hovering, nearly shooting it out of the sky. Of course, the backfiring Fickle Beam became the least of Sinistcha's worries as it sensed calculated dance movements from behind. Twisting its body within its bowl, it was face to face with a rather displeased Quaquaval. The orange-red feathers really accentuated his menacing stare.
"Quaquaval, use Knock Off on Sinistcha!" Florian ordered.
Sinistcha quickly flew back when a wing attempted to slap it down, but that turned out to be a clever feint as Quaquaval had flipped into the air and used a long leg powered with Dark energy instead to smack it down hard. An Occa Berry was seen knocked out of Sinistcha's bowl and bouncing on the ground, soon to be reunited with its owner as the Matcha Pokémon slammed down hard next to it, forming its own sizeable crater.
"What the heck just happened?!" Carmine shrieked, gripping her bangs while her yellow eyes glanced between the Pawmot that was supposed to have fainted, but instead, it was her own Sinistcha that was officially out first. "HOW?!"
"If you wanted to take me out of the battle, actually make sure my Pokémon is down for the count!" Nemona challenged, smiling fondly towards her Multi Battle partner. "That was so clever, Florian! I can't believe I caught onto your plan!"
"You're a pretty good actress, Nemona!" Florian lauded. "Your genuine concerns for the battle really sold it."
"Aw, man, what actually happened?" Kieran questioned.
"From our end, Quaquaval actually reached Pawmot in time and pushed him away to avoid full contact from Hydrapple's Fickle Beam," Nemona explained. "Pawmot would've been done for if not for Florian's planning!"
"Quaquaval's speed!" Carmine balked.
"All those Aqua Steps were to help Quaquaval move faster," Kieran mused.
"And YOU… you pretended to be down about Pawmot's defeat when he was still able to battle!" Carmine seethed. "I wouldn't have expected such tactics from you, of all people!"
"Subtext!" Nemona grinned. "When you have friends like Penny and Arven, you start to understand how their minds work when they say things that are don't mean what they're supposed to mean."
"It's a mutual relationship," Penny added with Arven nodding along solemnly. "We learn to be better battlers from Nemona since she asks to battle us many times when Florian isn't around, and Nemona learns to pick up hidden meanings and intent from everyday conversation."
"Plus, the Trainer is a huge part of a battle as much as their Pokémon!" Nemona lectured. "It wouldn't be right if I didn't do my part after my Pokémon is giving all their effort to battle!"
"After Quaquaval saved Pawmot from a fatal blow, he took on his portion of the Matcha Gotcha since there really was no time to dodge after," Florian continued. "It was a risky payoff, but well worth it in the end."
"Was it worth it in the end?!" Carmine prodded. "Your own Pokémon taking a super effective hit like that and being burned on top of it! Speaking of which, how was Quaquaval strong enough to faint my Pokémon in one hit?! Just because Knock Off was stronger because my Sinistcha held an item aside from the type advantage?!"
"You're not the only one using held items," Florian winked, gesturing an arm out to his Quaquaval. The Dancer Pokémon held up his arms and revealed his held item, a certificate-like image that soon disappeared seconds after. "As it so happens, Quaquaval was equipped with a Weakness Policy."
"And Pokémon holding a Weakness Policy when hit with a move they're weak against, their attack and special attack are boosted by two stages," Kieran sweatdropped, his head dropping upon realizing the severity of the changed situation. "… Aw, man. Florian was prepared for this! That shouldn't be a surprise, though."
"A little burn isn't enough to stop Florian's starter," Nemona laughed. "Trust me! I've battled that Pokémon ever since he was a plucky little Quaxly! … Wow, time flies!"
"We're not done yet, Nemona," Florian reminded. "Quaquaval, ready to go?"
Quaquaval gave a forceful quack in response, his body alight in red. Moxie activated in response to Sinistcha's defeat, arming him with another increased stage in attack. Pawmot ambled over to him, swinging his forelimbs and eager to fight with the occasional paralyzing pause.
"Kiki, it's up to you," Carmine grumbled, pulling back Sinistcha into its Poké Ball. "Don't lose!"
"I-I'll do my best, but Florian and Nemona are fast learners with Multi Battles," Kieran muttered. "Guess I'll need to use a more reliable move. It'll be harder to hit Quaquaval, so I'll even it out first. Hydrapple, use Earth Power on Pawmot!"
A syrpent slithered from a side and sent a ripple of Earth power on the ground towards Pawmot. As luck would have it, Pawmot was locked in place by paralysis, but before Nemona could attempt a command, a blue wing grabbed Pawmot by the paw and pulled him away right as Earth Power exploded where he stood.
"You've gotta be kidding!" Carmine grimaced.
Taking center stage was Quaquaval, not only engaging in a dance routine, but he managed to pull in Pawmot as a dancer partner on top of his Multi Battle partner. Pawmot was clumsily trying to match Quaquaval's steps and movement, only for the Dancer Pokémon to wag what resembled a finger before demonstrating easier to follow dance steps. The intent was for Pawmot to find his own rhythm and combine it with Quaquaval.
This was further demonstrated as Hydrapple sent out more Earth Power ripples with each emerged syrpent head. Their timed tango had Quaquaval demonstrate how to save one's partner from an attack while still looking fabulous, to which Pawmot soon returned the favor. Rather than doing a basic pull-aside, Pawmot used his strength to flip Quaquaval from one side to another, narrowly evading another Earth Power eruption.
"I knew my little buddy was center stage material, but this is really awesome!" Arven applauded. "Wasn't expecting a dance battle, of all times!"
"Florian can be fabulous when he wants to," Penny nodded. "His Pokémon are no exception. Though I think Florian learned it from his Pokémon rather than them learning from him."
"Stop them, Kiki!" Carmine pleaded. "At this rate, everyone watching will see that their cooperation is better than ours! And we're siblings!"
"I don't think that matters as much, but I won't go down without a fight!" Kieran pumped himself up with his fists pulled back. "Hydrapple, let's try again with Fickle Beam! Target whoever is easier to reach! Don't hold back!"
Kieran's earnest plea was answered with full cooperation from all syrpents emerging from the syrup apple this time around. Hydrapple concentrated his power to go all out, aiming to take all remaining opponents out at once.
"Quaquaval, twirl!" Florian guided. "Use Ice Spinner!"
"Pawmot, match with Ice Punch!" Nemona followed. "Hold on tight!"
Hand in hand, Quaquaval began to spin on one foot, forming Ice Spinner while pulling Pawmot along for the ride. Even if paralysis struck, Pawmot concentrated his power into his free arm for the Ice Punch while allowing the momentum from Quaquaval's spinning to do the work for him. All he had to do was maintain the Ice Punch until it could connect on Hydrapple.
Facing the looming peril of an Ice move combination tearing through the ground at a rapid pace, Hydrapple forced himself to improvise his fully powered Fickle Beam. Rather than keeping it concentrated at one focal point, Hydrapple used his seven syrpents to evenly split the Fickle Beam orb into seven, each mouth wielding the energy to breathe out on his own terms.
The first syrpent on the right took aim and fired. Quaquaval tilted to the right, causing that beam to harmlessly miss before dissipating.
The second syrpent to take charge sought to throw Quaquaval's spinning balance by also firing and expecting the blue dancing peacock duck to lean further in. Quaquaval's flexibility was highly underestimated.
The third syrpent to go seized the chance to aim for the feet and actually jolt Quaquaval off balance by that manner, especially following his previous evasive maneuver. Quaquaval managed to jump high into the air, using his incredible leg strength, while still in his Ice Spinner form.
Syrpents number four, five, and six immediately panicked over the unexpected nimble act and fired their portions of the Fickle Beam to shoot down the airborne Quaquaval and Pawmot. Numbers four and five wound up missing due to unfocused aim. Number six, having had delayed to aim, managed to fire a Fickle Beam within the Ice Spinner target range. However, said Fickle Beam wound up rolling off the rotation, unable to stop Quaquaval's move.
The last and dominant syrpent held onto the last portion of Fickle Beam, carefully watching the opponents' movements.
"Hydrapple!" Kieran yelped.
"We've reached the climax!" Carmine tittered. "I don't think I can stand after this!"
"… Rule of three," Penny adjusted her glasses and lowered her head to hide her blush.
"This is it!" Arven announced.
"Vamos!" Nemona exclaimed.
"Quaquaval, dive!" Florian commanded.
The Dancer Pokémon tilted forward, using his spinning motion to control his descent and crash into Hydrapple. Back on the ground, Hydrapple narrowed his eyes, waiting for Quaquaval and Pawmot to get extremely close to blast them squarely and blow them away.
Seconds until the collision, everyone observed with great attention.
Hydrapple had let loose the last Fickle Beam into the center of the Ice Spinner. The volatile Dragon energy strained in pushing Quaquaval off, resulting in a brilliant explosion. That time, the force was enough to send all parties flying back.
To Kieran's horror, Hydrapple had tipped backwards, the dominant syrpent lying on the ground with no other signs of movement from the fallen syrup apple.
As for Quaquaval and Pawmot, they were bouncing back to their side of the battlefield from the explosive aftershock. Pawmot finished rolling onto his back, his dazed expression showing that he was unable to battle. Quaquaval managed to land on a knee, but had exhausted his stamina to the point that he could no longer fan out his water feathers.
Quaquaval let out a wounded squawk as flames suddenly consumed his body, reminding everyone of his existing burn affliction. His upper body soon fell forward once the burn died down, collapsing with a plop.
The entire central plaza had been entirely silent for the moment, waiting for the final verdict.
"Uh, I'm not good as a referee," Penny broke the silence first. "Florian's Pokémon did remain standing after the others fainted, but is down now. Do we still call this a draw?"
"No," Kieran interrupted with a small smile, pointing back to the battlefield. "Looks like Sis and I are taking the loss this time."
Following Kieran's indication, Quaquaval was seen struggling to stand back up while Pawmot and Hydrapple were down for the count. With huge effort, he threw his upper body up and utilized the momentum for an elegant flip, sticking the landing with fanning out his water feathers.
"Whoa… Did Quaquaval tough it out so that Florian wouldn't feel sad?" Arven commented.
"It wasn't just that, actually," Nemona answered, grinning knowingly. "Though past history battling Florian has shown that to happen from time to time."
"I stood from the side for a clean view, but I didn't see anything else aside from the huge Ice Spinner top crashing into the Fickle Beam," Penny shook her head. "Did you… give another command to Pawmot?"
"Call it intuition with my Pokémon," Nemona explained, the event somehow clear in her battle-obsessed mind. "What actually happened at the final clash was that Pawmot took the full brunt of Fickle Beam. Pawmot had let go of Quaquaval, using the push from the Ice Spinner for a huge Ice Punch to the face while absorbing much of the Fickle Beam in return. This was while Quaquaval followed through below with Ice Spinner on the rest of Hydrapple. With Quaquaval's enhanced attack combined with super effective damage from both Ice Punch and Ice Spinner, Hydrapple didn't stand a chance."
"The remaining matter was if my longtime partner had enough health to be called the victor," Florian added, clapping. "I never doubted Quaquaval once, but win, lose, or draw, I really enjoyed this Multi Battle."
"Wowzers! Same!" Kieran immediately agreed, also clapping.
"This has truly been a fruitful battle!" Nemona joined in.
"I can applaud for an epic battle like this," Penny commented, clapping her hands.
"Everyone was crazy strong and skilled!" Arven lauded, also joining in the growing applause.
"… Well, I had the feeling that Paldeans were built different," Carmine smiled to herself, clapping as loud as she could. "Ironic to learn that those two aren't native to Paldea, but have called this region as their home, all the same."
The expected domino effect took place as the various bystanders of Mesagoza that stopped by to watch the impromptu Multi Battle between two of their Champion-ranked Trainers against equally skilled Pokémon Trainers from Kitakami also joined with the applause, throwing in their own cheers and whistles for a great battle.
At least for the sake of Carmine's ego, though bruised over the loss, she was elated to hear of the great impressions that she and Kieran left because of the hard-fought Multi Battle.
Amidst the ongoing applause and practical standing ovation, Florian made his way to his Quaquaval at the center, who had ended his dancing and retracted his water feathers to take a bow post-performance. Nemona and Kieran had recalled their fainted Pokémon, thanking them to their Poké Balls.
"We made it so far together," Florian began, raising a fist to his starter. "Let's continue growing together, as always."
"Qua!" Quaquaval returned the gestured with fist made from a wing.
Later in the day…
"I think I know why it's called 'Go-For-Broke Grill' now!" Carmine exhaled, her hands on her stomach. "They really did go for broke with their food. Whew…"
"Are you guys sure that you didn't mind spending to have one of each dish?" Kieran asked. "Well, except for the Fruit Punch, that is. At least, we got to pay for our own Fruit Punches."
"We totally planned this one out, bud," Arven assured. "Just like with lunch, we wound up sharing the food. I figured that it would've been tough to decide on just one dish."
"We can totally afford it!" Nemona cheered.
"At least you could without breaking your bank account," Penny rolled her eyes. "Maybe Florian could, too. All those battle victories and saved League Points should mean something to him."
"No worries!" Florian laughed. "I've been wanting to do something like this anyway, so it worked out."
"No kidding!" Carmine grinned. "I don't know anyone who could down an entire Paella de Paldea! It was so huge, but so delicious! I'd say it's my favorite Paldea food, so far! Although… the Escalivada was also very flavorful."
"It was good, but I don't think I can decide on a favorite just yet," Kieran pondered. "It's still our first day. But I did enjoy trying the Klawf al Ajillo and the Potato Tortilla."
"Really smart idea to order one of each and share!" Nemona concurred.
This energetic group of friends had just finished dinner at a Go-For-Broke Grill restaurant, visiting one at a southwestern end of Mesagoza that was part of the ringlike arrangement of buildings. Following the Multi Battle, which did take up a good portion of the afternoon, the Paldean gang opted to use the remaining hours before dinner to give the Kitakami siblings a more thorough tour of the Paldea region's largest city by visiting a number of alleys, stores, and natural parks. Not to mention the gorgeous views of the rest of Paldea from the corners of Mesagoza, which only served as previews for Kieran and Carmine on what to expect once they proceed exploring the rest of Paldea in the coming days.
Of course, coming across another smaller battle court along the way had prompted Nemona to invite everyone for another battle, which was quickly shut down by the others since there were still other areas of Mesagoza to explore. It worked out to explore as even the supposed Paldean experts found themselves to be clueless on certain areas of Mesagoza. Given that they mainly stayed in Naranja Academy, it was something that they would say that they have taken for granted as Mesagoza was just below the Academy.
And now, night has fallen, and these tightly knit friends were walking away from the restaurant.
"So… Kiki and I are going with Nemona and Florian," Carmine surmised the next course of action. "To Cabo Poco, is what the town is called?"
"Where our families are, exacto!" Nemona winked.
"Call me skeptical to believe that you're really from a wealthy family," Carmine admitted. "Had I not listened to Lacey a while back that she knew you before at some fancy party, I wouldn't be able to comprehend this at all. But I should be thankful for you for extending your home to me and my brother."
"I know, I know!" Nemona laughed. "I don't fit the rich girl image. That's fine with me, honestly! But I think you'll like the guest room! And we'll be staying near Florian too!"
"… Hmm," Arven grunted, bemused.
"A League Point for your thoughts, Arven?" Penny inquired.
"I've been thinking about Cabo Poco, what it would be like to settle there," Arven explained. "Florian and Nemona already live there, so it'd be nice to live close to friends, especially after graduating from Naranja Academy."
"But what about…?" Penny was about to mention Poco Path, knowing of the lighthouse laboratory, but held her tongue back. She still wasn't sure if bringing it up would still cause a negative association due to his childhood memories. Though Arven's curiosity about Cabo Poco had also sparked something within her. "… Yeah, it would be nice to be close by whenever."
"Oh? Are you guys thinking of moving close by to us?" Nemona asked, having overheard the discussion.
"N-Not right now!" Arven huffed. "Just saying as a good possibility to be near people you're close with, that's all."
"I know I said I'm not from around here, but I wouldn't mind settling down here either," Penny confessed.
"I'm sure Cabo Poco and Paldea, as a whole, would be nice to live in," Carmine complimented, waving a hand rather flippantly. "But Kitakami has always been my home. Besides! Living in Paldea would take it away as the one place I don't mind visiting on a regular basis just to see friends!"
"Wowzers, I don't really know what to say about this," Kieran chuckled. "I do agree with Sis, though. Kitakami is my home. And what I think she's trying to say is that Paldea is a place she'd rather visit because that's how she sees it as special."
"Well… wherever we decide to live in, Paldea, Kitakami, or even continuously traveling, I just hope that we'll all remain in contact for as long as we live," Florian concluded succinctly.
"Well said!" Nemona approved.
"Here, here!" Penny raised an imaginary glass.
"For as long as you'll have me, little buddy!" Arven gave a thumbs up.
"Always so sincere~!" Carmine nodded softly.
"I'm glad we're all friends!" Kieran beamed.
"It's time to retire for the night," Florian announced. "Are we meeting at the Mesagoza south gate in the morning?"
"That's right!" Arven confirmed as he and Penny proceeded north to Naranja Academy. "We're heading back to our dorm rooms. Have a safe trip to Cabo Poco!"
"Hasta la vistar! " Penny waved her good-bye.
"Good night!" Florian, Nemona, Kieran, and Carmine responded back, heading for the south gate.
"… So, how far is it walking from Mesagoza to Nemona's house?" Carmine queried once they crossed the bridge passed the gate into South Province (Area One).
"At the rate we're walking, it will be getting pretty late," Nemona calculated.
"Aw, man," Kieran yawned. "I guess I'll toughen it out a bit longer then. I'll be fine."
"We can always call in a Flying Taxi, though the carriage might be small for four passengers," Nemona contemplated.
"Actually, we can get to Cabo Poco pretty quickly if you guys don't mind riding on Koraidon," Florian offered. "Koraidon can handle up to four people on its back. The rest of you just need to hang on tight if we want to go fast."
"Wowzers! Really?!" Kieran asked ecstatically.
"I've seen you meander about on your Koraidon's back," Carmine remarked. "If it really doesn't mind the extra passengers, then I'm in! My feet feel like they're going to fall off any moment anyway."
"It'd be nice to experience riding on Koraidon's back again, for sure!" Nemona accepted.
"Alright then," Florian took out Koraidon's Poké Ball and tossed it high. "Koraidon!"
"Agias!" the legendary scarlet dragon that held the title of the Winged King barked, looking at Florian and his friends curiously. Currently in its Limited Build, it could sense the intent of its Trainer needing transportation for his friends. "Agi?"
"Koraidon, we'll need your help in getting the rest of us home," Florian explained as he took his seat and grabbed the blue protrusions that served as the steering handlebars. "Do this, and an extra-large sandwich will be your reward."
"Ag Agias!" Koraidon screeched in delight, clearly motivated to do as it was asked.
"Time to join on!" Nemona gestured to Kieran and Carmine to get on top of Koraidon.
"R-Right," Kieran gulped. This was the same powerful Pokémon that protected him from a stray berserk blast from Terapagos. Was it really okay for him to just ride it after all that? He soon noticed Koraidon glancing at him before managing a curt nod. Kieran felt an immense weight being lifted from his shoulders. "O-Okay."
"Let me help you, Kiki," Carmine spoke, helping her brother to get behind Florian before taking her seat behind Kieran and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Hang on to Florian."
"Got it, Sis," Kieran responded, also wrapping his arms around Florian's abdomen.
"And last but not least!" Nemona managed to fit herself behind Carmine, sitting on the border of white of Koraidon's closed rear plume. "Listo for liftoff, Florian!"
"On my mark!" Florian replied.
He got Koraidon to begin moving slowly for his passengers to adjust to the ride at an easy pace. He also decided to only go as fast as to utilize Koraidon's Sprinting Build. No gliding or flying at this time, not until everyone got used to riding Koraidon and Koraidon can prove being able to handle multiple people on its back.
They were already heading downhill near Los Platos before turning left and heading down the road to Poco Path and ultimately Cabo Poco.
"This is pretty awesome!" Carmine yelled over the wind. "This kind of travel feels nice on my hair!"
"Not that nice for me though!" Nemona laughed, having to duck to avoid getting Carmine's hair in her face.
"Haha! Sorry!" Carmine shouted back.
"Florian, how fast can Koraidon go?" Kieran inquired.
"Let's see for yourself!" Florian answered, giving one final warning before taking it up a notch with Koraidon. "Hang on tight! Seriously!"
At that moment, the citizens of Los Platos and Cabo Paco heard two distinct screams that night.
Well, this wound up being finished later than I anticipated. I wound up getting struck with life stuff and writer's block on how to do this reunion chapter before settling on a tried-and-true Pokémon battle as the main event. I wanted to see how well I can do a short battle after all this time.
As for choosing the player's starter as Quaxly, I figured that I might as well stand out with all the other stories that have utilized Sprigatito and Fuecoco. Other reasons include that from the very beginning, I felt that Fire best suited Nemona before it was clear that she favored Fighting, so I made that choice when I first started Pokémon Scarlet. I also deduced from most official and promotional material of the games that with Juliana, she gets Sprigatito, leaving Florian with either Fuecoco or Quaxly. I also like to think that the evolution of Quaxly to Quaquaval demonstrates a good growth, seeing as players in general like to play dress up and all with their avatars regardless of gender, it would make a good call back with this memetic fabulous duck to represent that.
And while it would also seem fitting for Clavell to wind up with Quaxly due to the hair, on a more symbolic note, Meowscarada also fits him as one who wears a mask (in a way) and having plenty of clever tricks up his sleeve. Plus, Quaquaval's colors match the Blueberry Academy Autumn uniform pretty well, in my humble and foolish opinion anyway.