Hello there!
…?
Can you hear me? Are my words reaching you?
W-Who are you?
I am a friend. The one who offered you a helping hand in the dark. It's time, child. Time for your journey to finally begin.
What do you mean?
I mean it's time for you to wake up. Literally. The Challenge awaits you, and I'm eager to see just what you're capable of.
Challenge? I don't…wait. I think I recognize your voice. You're the one who-
Rise and shine!
A brown-haired boy with amber-colored eyes jolted upright with a startled yelp and nearly toppled out of his chair, panting slightly. The teen then realized where he was and let out a sigh of relief. He was in his room, he was safe, and…why did that dream seem so weird to him?
The teen could hardly remember the details, save for a voice that mentioned a challenge? It was a familiar voice, one that the teen knew that he had spoken to once before. But why was this voice in his dreams? He assumed the last time had been a hallucination. Weird.
The boy then coughed a few times before rubbing his eyes and then stretching with a grimace as his bones yelled at him in protest. He then became aware of the fact that a voice was speaking throughout the room.
"We, the faculty and staff at Naranja Academy, can't wait to welcome you with open arms." Spoke a cultured but warm voice through a podcast that the teen had left on. Blearily he tapped the pause button, having already heard the rest of the man's monologue so many times he could practically rehearse it from memory.
"Milo! Breakfast is going to be ready soon! Come on down, would you?" a female voice from downstairs called for the teen. The teen known as Milo pushed back the magazine he had been reading about Naranja Academy and stood up, stretching again before deciding to head downstairs, glancing around the loft that was his new room.
It was a warmly lit and spacious area with various Pokémon stickers adorning the closet, a brand new TV and the latest model of the Switch OLED hooked into the wall already and various other things that Milo had finished setting up earlier that week. The boy stifled a yawn and walked downstairs, spotting several of the paintings that his mother had made years ago.
Milo got to the first floor, stopping as he spotted a fat Skwovet loitering at the bottom of the stairs before scampering off towards the kitchen with an enthusiastic, "Muncha!"
Considering the delicious smell of bacon, Milo didn't blame the Pokémon one bit and followed it into the kitchen. He spotted his mother washing her hands in the sink, with two steaming hot omelets sitting on two nearby plates.
"Good morning, Milagro! " Mom said brightly, walking over to her son with a wide smile. "Oh! Already in your uniform and everything! Looking sharp, Milo."
"I don't think there was any doubt about that. So, Omega Omelets for breakfast, huh?" Milo remarked, grabbing the two plates and helping set the table for his mother, who grinned thoughtfully.
"Well, it is your first day at your new school, after all. I'm so excited for you!" Mom gushed, with Milo shrugging in response, trying to downplay how pumped he actually was for this next step in his life.
"Gotta dress for success. I've got everything packed, item-capsuled up and I'm ready to roll." Milo said with an eager grin. It was then that Mom's smile faltered, replaced with some concern.
"Still, you might want to cool your engines before you go racing out the door." Mom remarked, surprising Milo. "The school contacted me and said that you're supposed to wait here a little while longer. Their words, not mine!"
"If you say so. Wonder why they want me to wait... it's gonna be a long trek to the school from here." Milo muttered, curiosity piqued. However his stomach then chose to remind him that he was hungry by growling loudly, and Milo continued setting the table while his mother cleaned up in the kitchen.
"Milagro , would you mind grabbing the orange juice?" Mom asked as she turned off the water and dried her hands. Milo obliged and grabbed the juice and helped his mother finish setting the table. Milo powered through his mother's famous Omega Omelet (four eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, chorizo, chives, onions, green peppers and copious amounts of cheese) in record time.
Mostly because Skwovet was eyeing his breakfast greedily and Milo wanted to enjoy his food.
"Florian, do you…" Mom stopped, smiling ruefully. "Sorry, I'm so bad at that. I'll keep working on calling you Milo instead of Florian. I've never really understood why you dislike the name, dear."
"You're the one who keeps calling me Milagro , Mom. If that's going to be your new nickname for me, the least we can do is shorten it down. And then use it to replace my actual dorky name." Milo remarked before sipping his orange juice, causing his mother to chuckle.
And it was true.
Florian Caballero hated his first name with a fiery burning passion and one of the few good things that came of the Incident was a decent nickname. "Milo" was simply a shortened version of Milagro, which meant "miracle" in Paldean and it was what his mother kept calling him. Considering the fact that his father had been born and raised in the region (and considering again, the Incident), it was fitting in a way.
Milo shook his head slightly, trying to shake off the encroaching feelings of dread. It wouldn't do to think about things like that on his first day of school. He had been looking forward to finally going on his own big adventure for so long. Even if the whole family couldn't be here, Milo still had his Mom cheering him on as he entered this next big stage of life. And he knew they were cheering him on in spirit anyway.
"Are you excited to meet up with Juliana again, sweetie? Do you think you'll share classes with her?" Mom asked with a cheery grin, which was infectious to Milo and helped drag him out of his gloomy thoughts.
"You bet. I haven't seen the dork in months. I'm really hoping she wasn't lying about how great Naranja Academy is in her phone calls." Milo responded with a grin as he set down his fork, sighing after a moment. "And I hope we share some classes. If only so I can keep her out of trouble."
Juliana had been Milo's best friend since the age of four and the two had practically grown up as siblings. Both she and Milo had applied to Naranja Academy on music scholarships, but after the Incident, Juliana ended up going to Paldea from their home in the Galar region ahead of him by several months while Milo recovered.
Once Milo had been deemed medically cleared to travel, the Caballero's packed up their things and continued their big move to Paldea so that Milo could go to Naranja Academy, pursuing his education while at the same time living out his dream of becoming a top-rate Pokemon Trainer alongside his best friend. His best friend who, in truth, Milo missed terribly. He was looking forward to giving Juliana a hug. And probably a noogie. She'd probably retaliate by punching him in the stomach.
Milo was really looking forward to seeing her again.
Mom poured some Pokémon food into Skwovet's bowl, causing the fat squirrel to sigh and eat his food with an annoyed expression on his face. Milo attempted to get up and help his mother clean the freshly-dirtied dishes, only for her to shoo him away with a grin.
"Not on your big day, honey. Just relax in the living room while we wait. Apparently there's something very important for your first day that hasn't arrived yet." Mom said before the doorbell rang, causing her to blink in surprise.
"If that's a Sinnoh's Witness, I'm getting my potato gun." Milo remarked from the couch, earning an eye-roll from his mother.
"Maybe that's the very thing we're waiting for! Milo, get the door, would you?" Mom asked her son, who nodded and walked over to the door before peering through the peephole. He spotted an older man with white hair and glasses, wearing a bright orange suit that he recognized immediately even though Milo had never met him. Six Premier Balls were clipped onto the lower portion of the man's jacket. The teen opened the door, smiling at the man who stepped through the door after Milo gestured for him to come in.
"Do forgive the intrusion." The man said politely in a warm, measured tone. Milo had been listening to this man speak not even twenty minutes ago on his podcast, which was why the boy was staring at the older man in shock. The man looked down at Milo expectantly. "You are…Master Florian, yes?"
"Yes sir. Florian Caballero at your service. My friends call me Milo, though." The boy said as he extended a hand towards the man, who smiled amiably at the teen and shook his hand firmly.
"How polite. And I will be sure to remember that, Master Milo. In our school records you will still be recorded as Florian, but do let our staff know so that they can address you by your preferred name." The man said to the teen, who nodded. Milo was somewhat impressed that the man took him seriously.
"Mom said I can't change my name until I'm 18. Says it has to do with building character or something." Milo said dryly, causing Mom to give him a bland look of amusement while the man coughed, discreetly disguising a laugh before turning towards the other adult in the room.
"On behalf of the academy, I must apologize for the late arrival of your enrollment documents. Ah. And also for the delay in introducing myself." The man said as he crossed his arms behind his back. "I am the Director of Naranja Academy. You may call me Mr. Clavell."
"The Director?!" Mom exclaimed, walking over to them. "And you came in person to help my son with his first day?"
"Well, I am responsible for the entire academy ma'am - including any failures on its part…" Clavell said as he walked forward, handing a large bag to Milo's mother with an apologetic expression. "So here are the enrollment documents that should have already been delivered to you."
Milo saw his mother frown, and the teen knew his mother was uncomfortable at causing any kind of inconvenience, even if it wasn't her fault. His suspicion was confirmed when Mom said, "Goodness, you really needn't have…"
"Perhaps. But some things should be handled directly after such mishaps, and I felt it was appropriate." Clavell said as he adjusted his glasses.
Mom smiled after sighing, saying, "Since you've come all this way, can I least offer you a cup of tea?"
Now it was Clavell's turn to be uncomfortable at causing an inconvenience, and Milo had to glance away to hide his amused smirk as the man demurred, saying, "Ah, no need to trouble yourself…"
Mom glanced at Milo, who had just managed to keep a neutral expression on his face through sheer force of will. "Milo, I've got a thing or two to discuss with the Director here. Why don't you head back up to your room and finish getting ready for school? You'll need your bag - and your hat as well!"
"Sure thing. Be back in a flash." Milo said as he walked back upstairs to grab his things.
The two adults watched Milo depart before Mom turned back to Clavell with a grin and said "Now, Mr. Clavell, you simply must join me for a cuppa. This way…"
Clavell smiled ruefully, knowing he wasn't getting out of this one. "Well, how can I refuse such a kind offer?"
Director Clavell was directed to sit down on the couch while Milo's mother quickly poured the man a cup of tea, handing it to him less than a minute later. Clavell blew on the cup gently and then took a sip, humming softly. "Thank you, Mrs. Caballero. You're most kind."
Mom shook her head, offering the older man a reassuring smile. "First off, please, call me Hannah, Director Clavell. I'm not as stuffy as some of the other moms you probably tend to deal with."
"Very well, Hannah. Now…I have a question regarding young Master Florian's health." Director Clavell hesitated as Hannah's expression smile slipped a bit. "Are you quite alright with entrusting his safety and well-being to our Academy? We are more than happy to take him on as a student, especially considering how he scored on his aptitude tests. But I must still ask considering the unique circumstances surrounding him. He will be away from home for long periods of time, and the Wilds of Paldea are as dangerous as they are beautiful. There will be periods of time where Master Florian…"
Clavell coughed and said, "Excuse me, I mean Master Milo . There will be times where he will be away from the Academy to pursue his own interests. Meaning he will be away from our watchful eye and be forced to fend for himself. Are you alright with your child being in such situations?"
Hannah offered the man a smile, glancing upwards. "Yes, I'm sure. This is what Milo wanted to do, and it's important for children to be able to spread their wings and learn to fly all on their own. He's been looking forward to becoming a Pokémon Trainer for so long and I won't stand in his way. My little miracle is a fighter, and I'm sure he'll be just fine out in the Wilds should he pursue such a path."
"I can tell. Miss Juliana has spoken of him at great length, and is quite excited to see her friend again. She also commented how glad she was not to have been in Galar when-" Clavell began to say, only for Hannah to shake her head and make the Director fall silent.
"I don't know how he managed to survive, but Milo's here and alive and I will help make his dreams come true." Hannah remarked, smiling sadly at the man. "I have faith that he'll be just fine. But I appreciate your concern, sir."
Clavell nodded, smiling a little after a moment at the faith Hannah had in her child. "I promise you, we shall take good care of him. Most of our staff may be relatively new, including myself, but we pride ourselves on providing an environment where those who wish to learn can flourish."
"Glad to hear it. Back when I visited the Academy, it was a nice place, but some of the people there made me and others somewhat uncomfortable. I remember poor Hassel got bullied relentlessly until I knocked the offender out cold." Hannah remarked, smiling a touch more brightly as she fondly remembered the uppercut she had given at the time.
Clavell's eyes widened in surprise. "I was not aware you knew one of our instructors, nor that you had been to the Academy in your youth. How was it back then?"
Hannah opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the arrival of Milo who was now equipped with a fancy white sunhat and a black backpack with everything he needed for school. Hannah beamed at her child, standing up along with Director Clavell and walking over to the teen.
"Oh, just look at you! All ready for your big first day!" Hannah gushed excitedly as Clavell looked over the boy, an approving smile on his face.
"Yes, the uniform of our storied Academy suits you quite well indeed." Clavell chimed in, though a moment later his eyes widened and he frowned in frustration.
"Oh, gracious. How very careless of me. I had entirely forgotten that I've something else for you, Master Milo. A most important thing." Clavell remarked, but after glancing around the newly furnished living room said, "But your living room is hardly the place for it. Would you care to follow me outside?"
Clavell walked past Milo and out the front door, and Hannah stopped by her son with a curious expression. "I wonder what this important thing might be…Let's follow the Director out and see, shall we?"
Milo and Hannah walked outside to find Director Clavell standing just past their mailbox. As a slight breeze blew by, Milo adjusted his sunhat and approached the Director alongside his mother.
"Right then, dear Pokémon. Time to come out of your Poké Balls." Clavell said as he reached into a coat pocket and pulled out three small Poké Balls, tossing them into the air with a single movement and sending three Pokémon out in flashes of light.
Milo couldn't help but grin as he looked down at the three entirely new Pokémon. One of them was a green cat with large pink eyes, which began licking its paw to clean itself as soon as the light faded around it. The second was a red, yellow and white crocodile-like Pokémon with a goofy grin on its face. The final member of the trio was a blue and white duck with perfectly coiffed hair that it stroked with its wing to ensure that nothing was out of place.
Clavell smiled at Milo's enthusiastic grin as the teen knelt down to greet the three Pokémon. "We provide each student entering the Academy a Pokémon of their own. Some choose not to opt for a Starter Pokémon, usually if they have one already, but we do make the offer at the very least to every student no matter what. I'll ask you to choose which among these three you'd like to have as your Partner."
Clavell gestured to the green cat as it gave a deep purr and began to lick its other paw. "Sprigatito, the Grass Cat Pokémon."
The man then held out a hand towards the Pokémon directly in front of him, who cried out as it scratched its chin. "Fuecoco, the Fire Croc Pokémon."
The Director then pointed to the final Pokémon in the lineup, who shook its hair while waving a wing. "And Quaxly, the Duckling Pokémon."
"They're all very good company. Why, they usually refuse to even leave my side." Clavell said with a smile, but was caught off-guard when all three Pokémon approached Milo at once and looked up at him with curious expressions. "What's this? Hmm. So it turns out they're more interested in you, Master Milo, than familiar old me."
"Looks like I'm popular today. Good morning everyone!" Milo greeted the Pokemon, patting Sprigatito and Fuecoco on the head before reaching towards Quaxly, realizing what he was about to do and held out a hand for Quaxly to high-five with its wing instead. Clavell smiled at the interaction, but was distracted by a beep that went off on a digital watch he promptly pulled out of his pocket. The Director sighed and then turned to Hannah and Milo.
"I do wish I could stay and see which one you'll choose, but I must be off to my next home visit…" Clavell said as he glanced at the large mansion about a half mile down the road, clearly visible. "I'll be at the house just over there. Take your time with your decision, then come find me once your mind is made up."
"Sounds like a plan sir." Milo said with an eager grin, holding out a hand to the Pokémon which they all sniffed. Sprigatito licked his fingers, chirping softly as Milo chuckled. Meanwhile Hannah was discreetly taking pictures with her phone, trying not to squee at how adorable she found all of this.
"Now if you'll excuse me. Until next we meet." Clavell said with a small bow before turning smartly and beginning his trek down the road. Hannah walked forward, stashing away her phone.
"What a mannerly fellow that Director of yours is!" Hannah remarked with a laugh, though she turned her attention to the three Pokémon now staring up at her. "These three are all lovely - but you need to choose just one, right? Not an easy task!"
"You're telling me. My Starter is gonna be the cornerstone of my team. My right-hand Pokémon." Milo mused as he looked down at the trio. "I didn't really do much studying on Paldea's Pokémon before we got here, so I'm kinda in the dark on how good one of them is over the other. Grass, fire or water. Which one works for me?"
"Why not take this opportunity to walk about with these little ones and get to know them? I'm sure they have lots to teach you!" Hannah said to Milo, earning a nod of agreement.
"Yeah, I can get a better look around the area and give Director Clavell time to run his other errand." Milo agreed, standing up and looking down at the trio of Pokémon with an excited smile. "You three ready to go on a little trip?"
All three of the Paldean Starters cried out happily in response, making Milo laugh. The teen barely took a step forward before Hannah tapped her child in the shoulder to get his attention.
"Oh! But before you go…I got you a little something to celebrate your big day!" Hannah said as she pulled out a shiny red phone with bright blue eyes that blinked at Milo with a small grin on the back. "Take it with you if you're going out on your own!"
"You got me a new Rotom Phone?" Milo asked, completely taken aback by the sudden present. "This is pretty sudden."
"Yep! It's a brand-new phone!" Hannah said brightly, beaming at her son's shocked face. "According to the instructions, you can check the map app with the press of a button. It'll help keep you from getting lost, so take good care of your new gadget, okay?"
"Of course. I'm not like Juliana, who has the sense of direction of a eggplant." Milo remarked, pulling out his old phone and syncing the contacts to his new Rotom Phone. The boy sat down on the ground as the three Pokémon clustered around him, looking at the device with interest. Hannah chuckled and knelt down, petting Fuecoco while Milo fiddled with the Rotom Phone. Five minutes later the boy had the phone set up, and put the phone into his pocket (and his old one into his backpack) before turning to his mother.
"I'll be talking to you later about not waiting until the last second to spring this surprise gift on me." Milo remarked, crossing his arms with a smirk on his face that barely concealed how excited he was about finally starting his journey and the gift he had just received.
"Now off you go. Have fun!" Hannah said as she stepped forward and hugged her son. Milo hugged his mother back before watching her depart back into the house. Milo turned back around to see three Pokémon staring up at him.
Look at you, taking your first steps…I wonder what awaits you?
Florian 'Milo' Caballero froze as the voice from his dream spoke clear as day to him once again. The boy shook his head wondering why the voice felt familiar.
He knew he had definitely heard it before this morning, but couldn't quite place it. Milo glanced down at the three Pokémon who were staring up at him before grinning to himself and grabbing Sprigatito and putting it on top of his head. The cat meowed happily as Milo picked up both Fuecoco and Quaxly in his arms, with both Pokémon crying out excitedly.
"Come on, you three. Let's see what kind of trouble we can get into." Milo said as he began to walk around the yard with the trio on hand. Eventually Milo set the three Pokémon down in the grass and let them run around the yard, smiling at them and trying to consider which one he wanted to accompany him on whatever adventures awaited him in Paldea.
The teen spent about ten minutes exploring the yard with the trio, stopping only to pick up a stray Antidote and Potion that had likely dropped from one of the moving boxes that promptly went into his backpack. Milo temporarily lost control of the trio when showing them the backyard, where Fuecoco tried to eat some of the vegetables Hannah was growing while Quaxly laughed and Sprigatito shook its head at the Fire Croc's antics.
Milo gathered the Pokémon up and began heading down the long path that led to the mansion the Director had indicated he would be going to. The teen inhaled the fresh salty sea air and grinned widely, allowing his excitement for what was to come to surface.
"Come on, you three!" Milo said as he jogged forward past the Pokémon, who all cried out and chased after Milo with faces full of joy and excitement.
All the while Milo ignored the bubbling unease of the Voice, which had been speaking to him the entire time.
And so your adventure begins…
A quest to truly prove to the world that you are alive.
I will walk beside you in your quest to reach your dreams.
Always watching. Always waiting. Always supporting you.
However…you must win.
My foolish friend.
You have no idea what lies in wait for you.
I look forward to seeing you fight for your life.
FlygonNick presents…
Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet