We're a little over halfway through this book, which means we're approaching the end with all speed. Let's continue that trend with Chapter 13.
Chapter 13
An Order
To say that Team Star was floored would have been nothing less than an understatement.
Smoke poured out of the Starmobile, and steam issued with it, masking the fires that were dwindling down with every passing second. Every gaze, obscured by star-shaped glasses or not, was fixed on where Eri and Annihilape had fallen. The bosses were all standing without movement, unable to comprehend the gravity of what had just occurred.
After a moment, some of the eyes finally shifted to Juliana. The smoke wafted around her, cutting her figure as one that was confident. She snorted, a bit of fatigue visiting her to cover up the bruises and pain. They had managed it, somehow. Arven picked himself up from the ground.
"Is it over, then?" he asked, his voice low. Koraidon joined, bumping against the boy and earning a scowl, but Juliana waited to answer.
"That depends on them," she said.
A groan issued from the caved-in front of the Starmobile. Eri's hand shot up again, this time finding the strength to grip the chassis and pull herself up. Her clothes were tattered, and her makeup smeared, revealing some of the once striking girl beneath it all. Tears remained in her eyes, hidden by her ragged, growling breaths.
"You… You…" Eri stumbled forward, caught by Mela and Ortega as they finally regained enough power to move. She quickly threw them off, lumbering forward. "How? How, Juli?"
Juliana tensed, readying herself for a second round, even if it spent everything she had to give. She would have done so, too, her mouth ready to issue commands, only for Eri to fall to her knees. Past her, Annihilape didn't stir, utterly bested by the pair that showcased the best and worst parts of her. As if proving it, Ceruledge moved to defend her, only for Juliana to push him back. After a moment of fraught tension, Eri looked up once again.
"How did you become so strong?"
That wasn't the question she expected, and nor could she find the words to answer it. Somehow, it didn't feel like words could do it justice. So, she said nothing. She just stood there before Eri, watching the older girl as her Pokémon came to surround her. Arven was there, too, a hand clapping her shoulder to reassure her that she'd done good.
That sight alone made Eri's eyes widen. "I…see…"
She fell forward, collapsing to the grass. Giacomo was the first to make a move this time. "Eri, are you all right?"
"Mm. Wouldn't you know it, but I don't think I can move right now, Giacomo."
"That part, I can see. Come on, get up." He bent down, hoisting the girl over his shoulders and dragging her back. As he did so, Atticus stepped forward, but his body radiated no hostility. He merely came close enough to be at the forefront, and then bent down on one knee, his head bowed as if in servitude.
"Thou hast bested us."
"No," Juliana said, walking forward until she stood right in front of Atticus. She, too, bent and extended her hand. It grabbed his and helped pull him up. "I'm helping us all to start over. Like Penny feigned wanting, I'm only ending Team Star."
"Ah, Penny!" Arven's reminder saw him digging in his vest to pull out Juliana's phone. He tossed it to her, causing her to let go of Atticus's hands to deftly catch it. Soon as she did, she faced the screen to her. "Don't know why you gave me your phone when I'm just giving it back…"
"Because I didn't want her to get in the way. But now…" Her fingers flew across the screen, finding Penny's contact info. Eyes remained on her, unsure of quite what she was doing until she finished. The phone began to ring, Rotom's eyes lighting up. After a second, the screen flashed, and on it appeared Penny, looking even better than the last time they'd spoken. The other girl didn't say anything. She just waited. "It's done."
"I had no doubts." The screen went dark, but Rotom remained floating, rising higher. A sudden ringing filled the entire base, but was nothing like the shrill sounds that often entered her head. Rather, it was almost a hundred different ringtones going off at once. Only Arven was spared, though he was quick to cover Crocalor and Mabosstiff's sensitive ears, if unsuccessfully.
"Kooor…" Koraidon whined, swatting at one of the Rotom Phones that started to float. Juliana patted him, convincing him it would be fine, and she stepped back.
Atticus's phone, a deep, pink Rotom Phone, rose out of his pockets, soon joined by those of the other bosses. They all flew higher until they created one shape, suspended in midair and all displaying the same face upon them: Penny's. Arven had to choke back a laugh.
"For a shut-in, she sure likes putting her face out there."
"Arven…" Juliana said, half-chiding and half-rolling her eyes. They, however, were the only two to not stand there in awe.
"Cass…" Mela muttered. She bowed her head, either in reverence or shame; it was hard to tell which. "You really were back. It was…so hard to believe when I wasn't there."
"Funny you could recognize me, Mela. Though I guess you have something to do with that, Eri, Orti?" Penny's magnified voice sounded borderline distorted, bouncing back from the falls and the walls that surrounded them. It was a voice of legion that carried all the authority that Juliana couldn't carry, propping her up in the place where words were needed over deeds.
"You're our friend," Giacomo said. He, too, began to bow, leading all of the bosses to do the same. "How could we not recognize you, even without the vocal change?"
"If I'm your friend, why are you bowing?"
"Thou art the boss."
"Not anymore." Two words were enough to make all of Team Star descend into confusion and chaos. There was enough that both Juliana and Arven stepped back, away from the center of it all, their Pokémon in tow. "As of this moment, I'm officially disbanding Team Star!"
"You can't!" Ortega cried out. Tears immediately fell from his eyes, the pink-clad boy stumbling forth like he could grab Penny and hold her close. Many of the others reacted the same way. Some widened their eyes, and some hung their heads. Others drooped enough that their sunglasses slipped off and yet more fell to their knees. "We… This is all we have! Where are we supposed to go if you take it away, Cass?"
"It's Penny," she said, the ball of Rotom Phones turning to face her admins. "And you go out, into the world. It's time we stop shutting ourselves in, pretending things can work out that way. If we want people to accept us, for us to make amends and prove who we are to jerks like the Disciplinary Committee, then we need to stop hiding."
"Th-they won't accept us," Mela replied, shaking her head. Her whole body was shaking, the loss of their support system rattling her. "We'll still be outcasts."
"You still have each other," Juliana said, folding her arms and letting words out before she could stop herself. She walked forward a bit, her Pokémon with her in case any ire was directed her way. "Sorry, Penny, but it's true."
"Go ahead, Juli."
"I told you, it's time to start over." They each took their eyes away from Penny and put them on Juliana, though none could resist the urge to flick between the two, as if they were in a fever dream with the pair back together again. "This time, it won't just have to be Team Star holding you together or pulling you apart. You can just be Eri, Ortega, Mela, Giacomo and Atticus. But you'll have the world in front of you. And if they don't accept you…
"Then you find a way to help them understand. That's how we can all make something genuine."
"Gen…uine?" They seemed absolutely flummoxed by the concept. Perhaps it was because of what they had believed in all along, or perhaps it was that they never thought they could find it. Juliana understood the latter, thinking forward, to the one thing she had left to do.
"If you can reach an understanding, no matter how far apart you are, I think you can build something genuine in between all the muck."
"And that's exactly what I'm asking you to do," Penny said, taking command of the conversation once more. "We tried, but our methods were poor. If you want to really show them who you are, that genuine side of you, then we need to be a force for good. I'm disbanding Team Star, but I think we can build something better in its place."
"H-how?" Eri asked, looking up. Penny's many screens peered down at her, contemplating a moment how to phrase it all.
"By completing one last mission." The bosses and grunts both stood a little straighter. "In three days, the Final Zero Expedition begins. We've no idea what will happen, or if Mesagoza will be safe. So, I want you all to protect the Academy from the skies and on the ground. That no matter what breaks through, the students know they have someone to count on."
"But we-" Ortega tried to say, only to shrink in on himself.
"I know what we tried before, but this is different. Because you won't be Team Star. You'll be Academy students, protecting the place that, yes, caused us pain, but also brought us together. Don't you think that's enough?"
It was the strongest Juliana had ever heard Penny sound as her usual self. The old wall she had hidden behind as Cassiopeia had broken down. It was a stunning sight, even to herself. Koraidon appeared to agree, trying to lick at the screens, only for a zap to issue forth and cause him to back off. The wait with bated breath returned.
"It's a lot to think about…" Arven commented. He was nodding his head, watching the bosses. His understatement was obvious: Penny was asking them to toss away the thing they believed was their treasure to try and find a genuine one in a cold and scary world that wanted to reject them. It was scary enough for Penny and for Juliana, but somehow, standing next to her face on the screens, she knew it was possible.
And from the way Eri and the others were staring at them together, they must have thought it possible, too.
Giacomo, however, was the first to rise from his position. "Well…I can't say I like the idea. But if we keep being rigid, we won't find a way forward. And if this is a final mission from the boss… then I guess you're the boss."
"I could manage some repairs quick for that."
"We shalt need to strip the decals if we'll no longer be Team Star."
"And you'll…you'll need some strong fighters, too. Schedar Squ-er, my group form up?"
Discourse erupted around the camp, all of the random grunts suddenly gaining energy from their bosses. The strength needed, the mechanics necessary; each believed in Penny's words, drawing power from it to strive forward and find a different future, treasuring what they had gained along the way. Only Eri remained silent.
"And you, Eri?"
"I…" The girl raised her head and wiped at her face with her overly large sleeve. When she withdrew it, she was wearing a smile, showing her true face for the first time in years. "I want to start over, too. I don't want to be just the thug. I want to help. But all I can do is… I just-"
"Talk with Miss Serena," Juliana suggested. "I think you'd be a fit, Eri, and if anyone can help convince the students you mean well, it's her."
"Miss Serena?" Eri questioned, trying the name out on her tongue. "Can…can we really start over?"
"Of course, you can!" Arven said. He hooked his arm around Juliana and slapped the amalgamation of phones. "Even if you're worlds apart or have never met, all you need is a moment to form a connection. Like me and Juli, or Juli and her Pokémon."
"Tinkaaaa!"
"Kix!"
"Koraaaai!"
"See?" Arven reiterated, grinning the whole while. "So, you can do it. And if you're worried about finding friends, then I can be your friend, too."
Eri started to shake, pouring out tears that her sleeve couldn't stop. They drained into her smiling mouth, and she sobbed forth a different response, one at complete odds with earlier snarling. "Let's go home, then! Let's protect the Academy!"
"YEAH!"
A different kind of energy began to permeate the base, though it started to feel more like a cozy hideaway as every former Team Star member moved into their squads. It was heartwarming, in its own way. The sounds of battle were replaced by tinkering and hammering, with exuberance echoing from every corner. Every phone fell away, flying back to their respective owners as Penny's mass hack came to an end. Juliana was the last to catch her phone.
"Well, it's done then," the girl said, adjusting the glasses on her face. "Scares me a bit, to be honest. But I think now, we can just focus on being…being f-friends."
"Guess we pulled off a miracle," Arven said, still refusing to let go of his arm around Juliana. She didn't feel the need to remove it, either. "Everything's set for the expedition, too. Hope we can pull off another miracle there."
"Not everything," Juliana said. That was what caused Arven's arm to slip, and Penny to purse her lips. Both knew what she meant. Juliana looked over at her Pokémon, sluggish in their fatigue, but standing straighter all the same. "It's time we return to Mesagoza."
"Give us the night and we can get you there by tomorrow," Ortega called out. He was already in the middle of fixing up the whining Starmobile with his squad, and only poked his head out for a minute. Revavroom pouted at the lapse of attention. "Our flying Starmobiles make good time."
"Besides, if it's just in three days," Giacomo said, tapping away on his laptop, "we'll need to get there right away."
"Posthaste, my friend."
"Yeah, sure. Whatever, Atticus."
Arven slapped Juliana on the back, a sign that he wanted her to rest up. On the screen, Penny nodded. "See you soon."
The screen went black. Juliana let loose a sigh and her legs turned to jelly. She nearly collapsed under their weight, only for something to grab her and hold her upright. Two somethings, more like, as both Arven and Eri were revealed to be supporting her. She nodded in thanks, unable to formulate words as they both escorted her to a small corner of the base to rest. She sat down, ready to pass out after all she'd been through that day.
Before she did, however, she watched Eri turn back, the rage gone from her face. "Juli…"
She couldn't find the words. Unable to, she walked away. Juliana knew what she wanted to say though; they were the same words she wanted to utter to so many people. And they resonated as she passed out, her Pokémon surrounding her.
"Thank you."
Ortega wasn't lying when he said the Starmobile was fast. Juliana, of course, knew they were, at least over land. She hadn't expected that speed to transfer into the air, however. Even with the amount of people a single Starmobile was ferrying, including the bulky Koraidon, it didn't lose any of the speed on its track to Mesagoza. Only once did they dip, as they approached the source of all the woes plaguing the region.
"So, the Great Crater, huh?" Mela commented as they passed by the shrouded center of Paldea. Her scowl was evident, as if glaring at the place could change it. "You want to go in there?"
"We don't have a choice," Arven said, cracking his knuckles. "The Phantom is down there, and who knows what he could be doing with my parents or their research."
"I think we can see a bit of it," the red-haired girl replied. "Those creatures that seem like Pokémon. You really think we can defend Mesagoza from those."
"If anyone can, it's you," Juliana said. Her voice, however, was distant, staring at the approaching spires of the Academy, now within sight. "You do what you can. We'll do our part. Land near the battle court."
Juliana's order caused no small amount of worry to pass through the bosses and their squads, including those flying on Pokémon. It was clear they were revisiting their last attempt at landing and how poorly it had gone over. Juliana, however, knew this time things would be different.
With the sun high in the sky, wending towards the late afternoon, the Starmobiles began to dip towards the center of the city. Shadows were cast on the battle court, and when Juliana looked down, she could see one of the most recent battles with Nemona and the others in full swing. She had to wonder just what her record had extended to, knowing there was no chance the girl had lost yet.
That'll be my job.
Shaking away that promise for a moment, Juliana focused on their descent, holding fast to the Starmobile so she wouldn't be shaken off. Voices rose from the crowd, many of the students already reacting with anger and fear to the sight of what had caused so much chaos. On the court, Nemona's Tauros charged down her latest opponent with a silvery strike that sent a final Pokémon flying. The action complete, Nemona turned to face their arrival.
"Team Star?"
"What are they doing here?"
"Hey, get what's left of the Disciplinary Committee!"
"That won't be necessary," shouted a voice from within the crowd. Steam hissed at the landing of the vehicles, and all of the bosses remained stock still, unsure of what to say or do. They looked to Juliana as she and Arven jumped off, ready to greet those that were coming from the crowd. As it parted, Clavell was revealed, flanked by the likes of Serena (with Hanna attached to her) and Gloria. Elsewhere in the crowd was Geeta, cutting through it with purpose as Ash trailed her. "Team Star is here by my request."
"What're you talking about, Director?!" a student shouted. "They attacked-"
"That was just a giant misunderstanding!" It was Nemona, the girl calling back her Tauros and dusting her hands off. She quickly crossed the court, looking far too energetic for the situation, and paused only to shake the hand of the student she had thrashed. He just seemed too floored by the appearance of Team Star to even notice. "If any of you were paying attention, you'd remember they actually tried to help the school."
"And that's what they're here for now. Or am I wrong?" Geeta's question sent the crowd into a hush. So palpable was the silence that all the previous fervor and excitement felt strangled in an instant.
Should I say something? Anything? Juliana's head flew from side to side, her braid traveling with her as she took in the students. Some already had hands on their Poké Balls, prepared to give Team Star what-for. Others just mumbled incomprehensible threats. Far as they were concerned, Team Star was still there to cause trouble. The bosses didn't make it any better by hanging their heads. And with Penny nowhere to be seen, it seemed no other explanation was forthcoming.
So, Juliana issued forth the loudest and most annoyed groan she could muster.
"Haven't there been enough problems without you trying to start some again?!" she shouted, silencing even the lingering murmurs. "Yeah, Team Star screwed up, but they all tried acting from the goodness of their hearts. We all did. So can't we cut each other some slack and move beyond all that anger?"
"Juli…" the bosses finally spoke.
"Ay, Juli's right!" Nemona shouted. She brushed her way through the rest of the crowd to join with Juliana and stand next to her. The confident air lent legitimacy to everything. "All these bad feelings are just gonna lead to a worse situation, both for Paldea and the Academy. Instead, why don't we try thinking of how we can move forward as one student body. Team Star, que quieren hacer?"
Once again, the crowd waited for their response. And again, it fell to silence. Juliana turned around, looking straight at them in disbelief.
After a moment, Eri took a trembling step forward. "I want to protect my friends, and the place that brought us all together!"
Her voice echoed around the battle court. Some students immediately expressed disbelief, while far more looked uncomfortable at having been part of a mob going after them. From the corner of her eye, Juliana could spy Jessie, James and Meowth watching and nodding their heads, as if they understood more than any other. As the volume changed, Giacomo stepped forward as well, and bent forward, so low his headphones threatened to slip off.
"Please, let us help!"
"We beseech thee!"
The remaining bosses did the same, prostrating themselves. The grunts copied them, their earnest plea and cry for help washing over. Nemona addressed the crowd. "Isn't it better if we all help each other?"
More silence. Juliana swallowed. Her head started to droop, and Arven's too.
Then, from the crowd, a young girl stepped forward, looking just a couple years older than Hanna. She was meek, a Fidough at her feet, but she seemed the only student capable of walking up. "You really wanna help?"
"More…more than anything," Mela said, managing a smile. It looked almost twisted, like a contortion of her usual snarl, but the intent behind it remained. The girl continued forward and her tiny hand extended, touching to Mela's.
"Then I wanna help, too."
"A-and me!"
"Me, t-too!"
An avalanche of responses followed, each coming to join in agreement. The past transgressions of Team Star fell away, replaced with an overwhelming want to protect the place that was their home. The crowd swelled and surged, wrapping up the former Team Star in a wave of understanding.
It was far from acceptance, but with a smirk tossed Serena's way, Juliana communicated that it was a step.
Nemona began to laugh. "Ay, now it's a party! That means we have time for one more battle before we get started! Everyone wants to protect the Academy, but who else is comin' to Area Zero!"
"Nobody's beating you, Nemona," a student to the side complained. It looked to be the one she had just beaten, but Juliana wasn't sure. She laughed in response to that. "You're just too monstrous."
"Yeah…I think we're better off helping Team Star protect the city."
"Shame," Geeta said, her eyes twinkling. "I was hoping someone could knock her off her perch. Guess we'll have to put more focus on Mesagoza."
"Primera!"
More emotion filled the crowd, coming from all different angles. Clavell addressed Team Star, just long enough before Jessie suddenly butted in. Her adoration caused more of the attitude to change, especially when she began giving instructions to a suddenly enamored Mela. Nemona continued to laugh. Her beaten foes started to groan. Cheeriness returned to Mesagoza, even as the threat of the Expedition lay over all their heads.
Arven tapped Juliana on the back. Their eyes met. He nodded.
"I'll beat Nemona," she said. It was quiet at first, or at least not loud enough to overcome the crowd. She sucked in a breath, stamped her foot (causing Koraidon to jump) and shouted. "I'll challenge Nemona to a battle! I'll go on the Expedition!"
That visited another hush, surprise over one final challenge being issued. Only Gloria started to laugh, until Nemona turned.
A grin bloomed across her face. "Finally. I accept!"
"Whoa…" a student remarked, keeping watch as Nemona crossed the small distance to clasp Juliana's hand. "She's crazy. Hasn't she seen how much Nemona whupped us?"
"Juliana's always kinda done things at her own speed."
"Terms?" Juliana asked, ignoring the rest of the chatter. Nemona gripped tighter.
"Full battle." Both girls nodded. "I want to see you bring your best, amiga. And I'll bring my best. So, we'll battle tomorrow. No holding back."
"Fight to the finish."
They gripped tighter, letting go as the crowd reached peak curiosity. Another nod later and Nemona turned away, disappearing into the city with barely concealed enthusiasm. Juliana huffed and did the same, but instead of facing the city, she let her feet carry her from the square and towards the Academy. A voice boomed after her, sounding like James.
"Well, you heard her! Battle's set for tomorrow! If you want to watch, be here on time! If you want to join the Beauty School, please apply with Wobbuffet! And if you want to be part of the defense-"
"James, get down from there!"
Their petty argument and the entire crowd passed out of earshot, leaving only Juliana and the stairs to the Academy. Well, her as well as the likes of Arven, Koraidon, Serena and Gloria. The latter was quick to tackle her from behind, practically putting her in a headlock before she could set foot on the stairs.
"Look at you! You managed it!" Juliana struggled under Gloria's hold for a moment until she managed to break free. The loss of restraint caused her to stumble backwards up the steps, but she quickly regained her balance and looked right at the two women before her. "You find what you were looking for?"
"I'm…not sure," Juliana answered. There was hesitation, something that didn't go away when her eyes fell on Arven. He scratched the back of his head, and with a tap to Koraidon, the two began to walk away.
"It's okay to doubt, even when you have it figured out," Serena said, still smiling at her. It simply reiterated everything she'd said to Eri. "Even now, I'm not sure if I've found my way forward."
"And I've made big boasts, but my goal is still out of reach. The kind of Champion I want to be, kind of world I'd want to help make and all that. The important point is that you kept going and made a tremendous stride." Gloria approached again, but instead of grabbing her roughly, she placed a soft hand on her shoulder. "You brought Team Star back, like you promised. And you even challenged Nemona. I think that's a good start."
"A step forward, huh?"
"It's the steps forward that allow you to take on anything," Serena said, pumping her fists. She looked fifteen years younger all of a sudden, a youthful spark that hadn't been beaten down by trauma and experience returning to her eyes. It remained there, glittering. "Day by day and step by step. It's how Ash and I get through parenting."
"I…don't know if I'd say I'm ready to take on anything," Juliana countered. Her head craned back, taking in the Academy and the Great Crater beyond it. She would make it there. "But I do think I'll find the last piece in Area Zero. Whatever that is, I'll be able to handle it. Won't be going in alone, after all, and…and I think I've found something to hold on to. Something to keep me going. Something that isn't just a memory."
Serena stepped back at those words, the glimmer fading, drawing into some dark recess. Juliana would have asked what was on the woman's mind, but Gloria squeezed her shoulders. "That's right. You're not alone. Not in the Crater, and not in the battle tomorrow. We'll be rooting for you the whole way!"
"Though speaking of the Crater, maybe we should save Ash from Geeta. She looks liable to over-plan."
"Good idea!" Gloria tapped twice and let Juliana go with a wave. "Geeta's great at planning, but I don't think she's realizing what we're heading into. Oh, speaking of, Serena, I had an idea for you as we head in…"
The two women walked away, their backs facing Juliana. Yet it didn't upset her to see them go. Because they hadn't fully left, their well-wishes and support remaining with her.
Feeling more confident than ever, Juliana climbed back up the steps towards the Academy. Some students seemed to have returned or never left, a couple of them greeting her, but for the most part it appeared empty. The sounds from within the city were enough to confirm the overall reason why. It all but reminded Juliana of the festival, and the battle that awaited her tomorrow.
She picked up her pace until, an elevator ride later, she arrived at the top of the Academy in the empty battle yard. With a click, she called all of her Pokémon out before her.
"Tomorrow's it, guys," she said, standing before all of them. They did the same, each proud in their own ways, from Kilowattrel's tilted head to Quaquaval's energetic feet. Ceruledge remained stoic while Tinkaton eyed him mischievously. Arboliva and Lokix were straight at attention, attuned to her orders. "Tomorrow, we face Nemona."
"Tink."
"Yep," she confirmed, causing Tinkaton to play with her hammer and glare. "We lost to her before. But this time we won't, because we're fighting for more than just our pride. Now we understand that battling isn't a waste of time. It's a way to move forward, all of us, together. And…I want Nemona to understand us. We're going into the battle of our lives in Area Zero, and I want to prove we can. We've all made it this far."
"Quaqua!" Quaquaval stepped forward, his feathery limb extended. The reason was obvious, and Juliana reached forward to put her hand on top of his.
"This has been a long road, but we've walked it together. I want you to continue walking it with me, right to the very end. Will you?"
"Tinkaton!"
"Ser."
"Kix!"
"Liva!"
"Kiwaaah!"
The sudden tower of wings, hammers blades and leaves entered atop her hand, weighing her down with their nearly unbearable love. Looking at each of the Pokémon that had stuck by her side and fought to reach this point, Juliana swelled with pride and emotion. They were her friends, the ones that had chosen her. The ones she couldn't do without.
And that's why I can do this. With them, I'll never be alone.
"Hope there's room for one more." A paw inserted itself, and another hand. Juliana looked up and chuckled at the sight of Arven standing over her, as if to protect her. "I might not be able to be in the battle tomorrow, but all of us here will be right there."
"Koraaaai!" Koraidon roared, earning a scratch behind his ears from Juliana's free hand.
"Of course, there's room! You and I have done this together, after all. I couldn't have brought back Team Star without you!" She gripped a bit tighter and they faced to the center. "Together, let's win!"
Their cries followed, all of them raising their hands and fists to the sky in a great proclamation. Instruction complete, the Pokémon dispersed, either to train or gambol around the field, leaving Juliana and Arven alone. With nothing much left to do, and sunset drawing close, the pair moved over to a bench and sat upon it.
"What a year, huh?" Arven said after they'd settled in. "Wouldn't have thought the two of us would pair up for the Treasure Hunt."
"Not in a million years," Juliana said, laughing. She sat forward and turned just a tad to look at him. "We'll have to really up our game for next year. I don't think anything could compare to this otherwise."
"Mm, if we're still here." Arven's remark sobered up the moment, but he didn't lose his content smile. "Juli, you find your treasure?"
"Don't know," she answered, sitting back. "Might've. I'll have to go to Area Zero to be sure."
"I found mine," Arven said back.
"Mabosstiff?"
"It's a secret!" he teased. His finger was held up to his lips and he winked at her, causing Juliana to let a barking laugh loose. That laugh was followed by Koraidon roaring at Tinkaton and tackling her, the two tussling on the field. "But I think once all of us visit Area Zero, bring Koraidon home, see my parents, we'll know for certain. I do know I'll hold on to this year for as long as I can, though."
"Yeah. It's something worth remembering." Juliana felt a breeze roll past, drawing attention to the orange-tinted sky. She closed her eyes a moment, recalling all they'd been through. From their battle with Klawf to the tussle at Segin Squad. Training, Zapapico, Larry, the dueling Titans and all of the strange Pokémon flooded her. Through it all had been Arven. Joining them had been Penny and Nemona.
And waiting at the core of it all had been Area Zero.
"Arven," she said, jerking him out of his own reverie, "no matter what happens the next two days…thanks for being my friend."
"And thanks for being mine. Until the end."
Until the end… Juliana's lips twitched into a smile. Another breeze passed by. The pair fell into a calm quiet, staring at the setting sun until, at long last, they fell asleep, dreaming of what was to come, and the battle that had been a long time coming.
And it was that battle that began when the sun rose the following morning; the morning before the Final Zero Expedition, and the future of Paldea was decided.
Author's Note: Bit more of a transitional chapter this time around, but I felt some things needed to breathe. In the original there wasn't as much of a resolution with Team Star following Eri's loss, particularly in regards to the students needed to accept them. It may have been a little rushed, but I felt it important to include in the overall story.
Other than that, this simply finished the setup for what was inevitable: the battle with Nemona. I hope it doesn't disappoint. Regardless of that, though, let me know your thoughts on the this chapter with a review or comment and, of course, Dare to Be Silly.