Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet

Chapter 28: Retribution

Cascarrafa

"Alright, first thing's first. Delibird Presents…" Milo muttered as he hopped off of Koraidon and returned the beast, stretching his legs and walking around the rather picturesque city.

Cascarrafa was known as the City of Water, situated right at the edge of the Asada Desert and the base of a large cliff. Water flowed throughout the city through various fountains and channels, making the city seem more like an oasis than anything else. The city was almost entirely painted over in white and blue, creating a pleasing visage for those who lived there and for mesmerized tourists. Residents of the city walked past with their Pokémon, which were usually water-types like Psyduck or Buizel.

Speaking of tourism, Cascarrafa was considered by many in Paldea to be the cuisine epicenter of the region due to how many different restaurants and types of food could be found in the city. Milo walked through the streets and after five minutes realized he could easily eat at a different restaurant every day for a month in just the lowest district of the city! This was due to its proximity to Porto Marinada, a small town with an incredibly influential port that was disproportionate to the size of the settlement. Exotic foods, spices and more flowed from there into the City of Water and resulted in Cascarrafa being the crown jewel of culinary expression. Chefs and cooks from all around the world viewed visiting the city as a must on their bucket lists.

It also had the distinction of being one of the few cities in Paldea to not see a major conflict in its storied history, due to how vehemently the soldiers of old defended the City of Water. Its importance to the region couldn't be overstated.

Milo found the Cascarrafa branch of Delibird Presents pretty quickly, but he was floored when he had asked the cashier about the price of the item that he had been seeking out. The item in question was Leftovers, which was a Held Item that Nemona had insisted he pick up and go out of his way to Cascarrafa to get.

"20,000!? I could put a down payment for a house with that much money!" Milo grumbled under his breath, double-checking that he had enough money. Upon seeing that he did, he decided to follow through with Nemona's advice and purchase the item. He gave Leftovers to Cocoa, making sure that the item was attached to the Clodsire.

Lucky for you, there's nothing stopping you from buying Held Items or making use of other stores besides Pokémon Centers.

"According to Nemona, Leftovers will slowly restore the strength of a Pokémon throughout a battle. It'll keep Cocoa in a fight longer, which is great for a kind-of bulky Pokémon like her. It's apparently used a lot by some of the more competitive battlers out there. Hopefully it'll help me survive what's to come." Milo muttered as he returned Cocoa and thanked the cashier before leaving the store.

Milo walked through the lower level of the city for a few minutes, enjoying the sea breeze mingled with the warm wind of the desert nearby and the trickle of water that permeated the city itself.

"I'll have to make some time to visit here once we're done here." Milo said quietly, smiling to himself as he looked around.

Why? I assumed that you'd be in a hurry to get back to school to celebrate if you survive the encounter with Team Star.

"Well, my grandparents live here." Milo explained to the Remnant, who hummed in understanding. "Abuelito Terry and Abuelita Maya are getting up there in years, so they can't really travel too much. It's been years since I've had the chance to see them."

Sounds like a reunion is in order.

"Unfortunately, I don't know where they live or I'd see them now. But I can get the address from Mum later. I'll swing back here on my way back from dealing with Segin Squad and spend some time with them as a reward for myself if I survive the experience." Milo said with a smile, already looking forward to seeing his grandma and grandpa again. It had been a few years since they had visited Galar. He actually felt a little guilty that he hadn't gone to see them in the six months or so since he had been in Paldea, especially since he knew his grandmother wasn't able to travel very easily.

It'll be something to look forward to, at the very least.

"Exactly. I'll make some time for them. But first, I have to deal with Team Star." Milo said as he walked to the nearest water elevators and made his way to one of the upper levels. Milo was suddenly hit with a wave of homesickness as it rode the elevator upwards, getting reminded of Motostoke and its steam-powered transit systems.

"I wonder if that's why Dad was so happy to settle down there." Milo muttered thoughtfully, closing his eyes and considering it.

Milo debated swinging through the famous Kofu Lounge for a bite to eat. The eatery was owned by the even more famous Gym Leader of Cascarrafa, Kofu, but the teen knew from both Arven and his grandparents that you had to have reservations far in advance to dine there or be a VIP. Though from what Milo understood, beating Kofu in a battle and winning his respect earned Trainers that coveted VIP status.

Milo enjoyed some Grilled Rice Balls from Chic Kebab as well as some Pinchitos, which were Paldean meat skewers that were marinated to perfection with small slices of onions and peppers stacked along the skewer. He bought himself a lemonade and sat down at a small pavilion, calling out his team for a group lunch. Koraidon enjoyed a large sandwich Milo had purchased from Every Wich Way.

These are really solid. Milo thought as he bit down and chewed his way through a grilled rice ball, savoring the soy flavor and enjoying the meal he was having with his team. He spotted Fleur, Reggie, Cocoa and Shelly happily munching down their lunches while Watt and Volt curled up next to a dozing Koraidon for a post-lunch nap.

Milo booked a room at a local hotel and made sure he went to bed early. The next morning Milo grabbed some breakfast from the hotel lobby and reviewed some of the notes on his phone that he had taken with Nemona during their training sessions. The Galarian teen found himself smiling as he remembered the various comments the Champion-ranked Trainer had made while they were training together.

I'll have to make sure to get in some battles with her when I get back to school. That'll make her happy. Milo thought warmly as he hopped out of his chair, stretching for a moment and checking the clock before gathering his things.

All too soon, Milo was back on the road and riding Koraidon towards the base of Segin Squad. This time he went towards the other entrance to the base, approaching from the opposite direction.

Milo hopped off of his draconic mount and returned it as he approached the gate that stood between him and sweet revenge. He spotted the two guards at the gate, and so he threw on a winning smile and walked right up to them with confidence.

"Whoa, whoa! Hold it, you!" Female Grunt called out, with Milo stopping a few yards short of her.

"Up ahead's the base of operations for Team Star's Dark Crew. You may know us as the Segin Squad!" the Male Grunt added, with Milo still smiling at them.

"Yup! And we don't take too kindly to random kids sniffing around our turf." The Female Grunt added, with her male counterpart nodding as he put his hands behind his head.

"Sorry, but if you don't turn yourself around here, amigo, we'll have to send you packing!" the male Grunt said with a mean smirk.

"Wait, hold up…" the female Team Star member muttered, squinting at the Galarian student. "Just going on a hunch here, but…are you that Milo kid? Y'know, that piece of work we're out to get for declaring war on Team Star?"

"Maybe I am." Milo said, his smirk becoming a grin. "You see anyone else coming to this trash heap?"

"'Maybe I am' he says. Cool as a cucumber! Honesty's not always the best policy, you know…" the male Grunt remarked, exchanging a glance with his counterpart.

The female Team Star Grunt didn't seem impressed. "Ugh, you know what? Doesn't matter who you are. You're not gettin' through. Buzz off or get thrashed by me in battle, kid. What'll it be?"

"I'll take you on!" Milo remarked, unclipping a Poké Ball from his waist and tossing it into the air, catching it. "You'll be the first."

"Graaah! Sassy kids like you are the worst! That's it - prepare to get stomped into the dirt!" the female Grunt shouted, stomping the dirt angrily as she threw a tantrum before grabbing a Poké Ball and pointing it at Milo. The Team Star Grunt sprinted off to the side of the path, giving the two Trainers room to battle.

The female Team Star Grunt quickly made a star-like symbol with her hands before throwing a Poké Ball forward and sending out a black bird that Milo identified as a Murkrow.

"Reggie, let's go!" Milo shouted as he sent out his trusty Starter, who appeared in a flash of light. Milo winced as the Nuzlocke Curse took effect, with the teen shaking it off and pulling out his Rotom Phone to check the Pokédex App for the bird's entry.

"Murkrow. The Darkness Pokémon. Feared and loathed by many, it is believed to bring misfortune to all those who see it at night." Milo nodded at the Pokédex entry, but the Team Star Grunt wasn't willing to wait for him.

"Wing Attack, Murkrow!" the female Grunt shouted as she pulled out her phone, tapping something on it. Loud electronic music began to play, and Milo recognized it as the Team Star Grunt Battle Theme. It was widely circulated online, and even Milo had to grudgingly admit it was really good.

While Milo was facing a crisis as a musician, his opponent's Murkrow flew forward with glowing wings and smacked Reggie with them both, laughing as the Crocalor growled in pain.

"Reggie, hit 'em with Disarming Voice!" Milo shouted as his Starter growled in affirmation, letting out a loud growl that resulted in a bright pink soundwave that rushed towards the Murkrow and struck it hard. A faint white light erupted from the attack, signaling that the attack had been critical hit. The Murkrow landed on the ground with a pained squawk, wincing in pain.

"Don't let this chump get the better of you! Gust!" the Team Star Grunt called to her Pokémon, who suddenly glared at Milo and Reggie before flapping its wings hard and letting out a harsh blast of wind. Reggie winced at the blow, but Milo simply smiled at the Grunt.

"Incinerate, Reggie!" Milo instructed his Crocalor, who leapt to the side of the attack and escaped from the wind and then released a stream of flames at the Murkrow, blasting it backwards into the grass and knocking it out.

The Team Star Grunt stumbled backwards, returning her Murkow before putting her hands on her helmet. "Why did such a sassy kid have to be so strong…Graaaag! How the heck could I lose?!"

"You know, it's okay to say hell. You're not at school." Milo said with a smirk as Reggie growled softly, rubbing his stomach. Milo sighed with relief as the Nuzlocke Curse released its grip on him, now that the battle was over.

"Well, whatever, it's your problem now! Finish up here for me, would ya, bud?" The Female Team Star Grunt said to her male counterpart, who looked surprised as the girl did the Team Star sign-off pose. "'K, thanks, hasta la vistaaaaaar!"

"Hasta…la…vi…star…" the male Grunt remarked, raising an eyebrow as the girl quickly scaled the gate and hopped over it. He then promptly turned to Milo, sighing softly. "She's new to the team, y'know. Might have to have a little chat with her about that attitude…"

"No one likes losing." Milo responded as he used a Potion on Reggie. The Team Star Grunt let out another heavy sigh, sagging his shoulders.

"Well, I'm gonna go into the base now and give the rest of the squad the heads-up. We'll come at you full force if you set foot inside, so you might wanna consider turning tail." The Team Star Grunt said with a shrug before offering Milo a smile. "Either way, best of luck to you, amigo! Hasta la vistaaar!"

The Team Star Grunt struck the Team Star sign-off pose before following his female counterpart and scaling the gate as well.

"You know, he was actually pretty polite." Milo remarked, considering that for a moment before his phone rang, catching him off guard. His phone flew out of his pocket, revealing that it was Cassiopeia contacting him.

"I see you took care of the guards. Nice work."

"Thankfully the Grunts seem to be pushovers. But I'm willing to bet the Boss isn't." Milo said as Cassiopeia chuckled in response at Milo's statement.

"You would be right. Now, holed up in that base is Team Star's Dark Crew - the Segin Squad. Their Boss, Giacomo, pretty much runs the whole of Team Star, and he also produced that wild soundtrack of theirs himself."

"I've heard the Team Star tune a few times. It's pretty catchy." Milo admitted grudgingly, knowing full well it had over a million downloads online.

"He's a sharp guy. Even our declaration of war won't have ruffled him in the slightest. His plan is probably to wear you down with a wave of grunts, and then finish you himself."

"So what do you recommend? I've got a few strategies in mind, but you seem to have a better read on this guy than I do." Milo asked, crossing his arms.

"No use trying to outthink strategic types like him. Bring him down with a head-on attack! Just keep defeating as many Pokémon as you can until the big man himself shows up. Ring the bell on the gates once you're ready to kick off this phase of the operation. Time to wipe Segin Squad off the map!"

Milo grinned darkly at that, eyeing the gate in front of him critically before turning around and feeding Reggie a Leppa Berry and making sure any damage done to him in the short battle he had been in was healed.

"Milo!"

The Galarian teen looked up and saw Clive jogging towards him. The student took a moment to catch his breath before giving Milo a wide smile.

"Sorry about the wait, man. Had to make sure I was ready for the operation!" Clive said to the young student, who just stared at him for several long seconds before nodding and turning around.

"Right. Let's just do this." Milo said as he unlatched the gate and threw it open, with Clive helping him. Moments later the two of them were walking into a massive open space, eyeing their new surroundings warily.

The moment the two Trainers walked into the clearing, the sound of music began to play. As an electric guitar rang out, Clive turned to Milo with a worried expression.

"Careful now, Milo. Team Star has a unique way of doing battle." Clive said to the Galarian, who turned to look at him in confusion. "They call it a Star Barrage!"

"A Star Barrage?" Milo asked.

"Yes. To get through it, you'll need to send out multiple Pokémon and have them battle at the same time. Team Star, in return, will send out a horde of Pokémon en-masse to do battle with their opponent…which would be you." Clive explained to Milo, who frowned as he considered this information. "According to the rules I read online, you're allowed three Pokémon in battle when participating in a Star Barrage."

"Three at once, huh? Interesting." Milo muttered as he looked over the base itself, eyeing it critically. It certainly had an interesting setup. Various buildings and tents had been constructed for the Team Star members to live in, with several long ramps and wooden structures that were clearly more designed for Pokémon to enjoy. At the very back of the base was what looked like some kind of enormous garage.

At this point, dozens of the Team Star members stared at Milo and Clive with open surprise, though many of them looked rather annoyed at the intrusion. A few even started walking angrily towards the two students, Poké Balls in hand.

"If your Pokémon get low on health, come back here and I'll heal them up for you." Clive offered, gesturing towards his backpack. "The grunts you'll be facing will heal up their Pokémon, too, so stay sharp out there."

"Right." Milo muttered before remembering something very important. "Hey Clive, can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?" Clive asked.

Milo pulled out his Rotom Phone and said, "I want to record the entire showdown with Team Star and stream it live on Festival Plaza. Tag the school, myself and all the accounts associated with Team Star. I want everyone to see these clowns get what they deserve. With you here, I can focus more on battling instead of worrying about that."

"Yes, I can do that." Clive said as he pulled out his own Rotom Phone and began to set up the livestream. As he did so he called out a Pokémon of his own, which was a rather large and menacing Houndoom with long cracked horns. "Zagreus, we'll be supporting our buddy Milo from the back."

Clive then turned towards Milo with a grin. "You'll be in the thick of things, so we'll be making sure those grunts don't surprise you or try to overwhelm you. Focus on bringing them down, dude."

Milo raised an eyebrow at that, thinking about how weird it was that 'Clive' was calling him that as the older student got the livestream going. Meanwhile, Zagreus the Houndoom gave his Trainer a rather interesting look that communicated exasperation to an extreme degree. Milo barely fought back the urge to laugh, just as the sound of static crackled throughout the base, and the two students perked up as they heard a PA system burst to life.

"Heads up, gang! Some jumped-up kid has wandered in thinking he can raid our base! Clearly he doesn't know who he's messing with. Let's teach him a lesson he won't forget!"

"'Jumped up kid?'" Milo scoffed, annoyed at the insult. Clive gave Milo a thumbs up to show that the livestream was now going, and Milo gave a thumbs up to the phone before facing forward and bracing himself for whatever came his way.

"To our unwanted guest - if you can defeat 30 of our Pokémon in the next 10 minutes, our boss might just honor you with an appearance!"

I should make a note that this isn't technically a battle…so feel free to let loose a little. The curse won't affect you within the rules of a Star Barrage.

Milo's smile widened as he unclipped three Poké Balls and called out Reggie, Cocoa and Volt. The Crocalor, Clodsire and Pawmo came out in three flashes of light to stand beside their Trainer. The Galarian student spotted a large electric clock that suddenly had a ten minute countdown timer, and he smirked with anticipation.

"A chance to let loose with my Team against these jerks and I don't have to worry about the threat of death? Let's do this." Milo breathed with a laugh, clenching his fists. A loud buzzer suddenly went off, and the clock began to tick down from 10 minutes as intense music began to play from the speakers set up around base. At the sound of the music, the horde of Pokémon rushed at Milo and his team.

"Let's go guys! Reggie, Volt, Cocoa! Take them down!" Milo shouted to his team, with his Pokémon nodding in unison and bracing themselves for a showdown alongside their Trainer.

"Clod! Clooooodsire!" Cocoa cried out as she let loose a wave of mud that smacked two charging Zorua in the face. The two Dark-types cried out in pain, stumbling around blindly as a result. Reggie then let out a loud growl before attacking with Disarming Voice, blasting away the two Tricky Fox Pokémon and causing them to faint.

A Sableye suddenly leapt into the middle of the trio and slashed at Volt and Cocoa, only for all three Pokémon to suddenly rush the Darkness Pokémon together and knock it out with a triple-team attack.

Milo then cried out a whirlwind of sand erupted from underneath him, causing Reggie and Volt to cry out alongside him in pain. Cocoa winced slightly, but was less affected than the others and was able to see a mischievous Sandile with flashing brown eyes nearby. Cocoa bounced forward and struck with Poison Tail, knocking away the Sandile and ending the Sand Tomb that her comrades had been stuck in.

"There's a lot of them, but they don't seem to be very strong." Milo muttered to himself as he saw a Stunky and a Sneasel tried to attack his Clodsire, but by that point Reggie and Volt had been freed and were able to hurry to assist her within moments.

The Stunky attacked with a Venoshock that Volt dodged with a swift leap, only to counterattack with an Arm Thrust that managed to down the smelly Pokémon. Reggie let loose a stream of flames that the Sneasel managed to dodge by leaping onto the nearby vending machine. The Sneasel grinned before firing off an Ice Beam that the Crocalor barely avoided by throwing himself into the grass.

Cocoa and Volt let loose a Thundershock and a Mud Shot at the Sneasel, blasting it off of the vending machine and into the grass where it went still. Milo turned around, wincing as he rubbed his arms at the burning sensation from the sand that had ensnared him.

"We're doing this…we're really in a fight against Team Star. And holding our own!" Milo breathed with a grin as he felt the rush of adrenaline push him onward.

No more being too weak to defend myself. No more hiding in my room! I'm a Pokémon Trainer and my team is strong! And I won't let anyone stand in the way of my dreams! Not even myself! Milo thought to himself as Reggie waddled up beside him, glancing up at Milo with a smile. Milo knelt down and rubbed the Crocalor's back for a moment before facing forward and seeing a Sableye charging towards them.

"Sic 'em, Reggie!" Milo called out as pointed forward, with Reggie charging forward and blasting the Sableye with Disarming Voice, throwing it backwards into the grass with a pained cry.

A cry of anger caught Milo's attention and he turned around in time to nearly get scratched by an angry Zorua. Meanwhile, a Stunky had wandered its way over to them and had fired off a Venoshock that knocked Cocoa back.

Volt leapt forward and lashed out with a Thundershock, which the Zoroa dodged and retaliated with a Fury Swipes. The Pawmo cried out, staggering backwards in pain, only for Reggie to blast the Tricky Fox Pokémon off of him with a rush of fire. Then, both Pokémon turned towards Cocoa to help her out, only to find that the Stunky that Cocoa was battling was in the middle of being blown away by a Mud Shot.

"Good work you three! Let's keep it up!" Milo called as he began to jog through the base, seeing as they had cleared the first wave of Pokémon. All the while, Clive continued to livestream the mayhem, making sure that Naranja Academy caught Operation Starfall as it happened.

"Croooooo!" Reggie sang along with the music blaring throughout the base as Milo and his team continued to tear through Team Star's defenses. Just barely audible over the music were the chants from the various Team Star Grunts who stood on the sidelines and watched their Pokémon valiantly fight off the intruder.

"Come on! You can do it!"

"Show that twerp not to mess with Team Star!

"You've got this! We believe in you!"

"Go! Go! Go!"

Milo barely registered the cheers of Team Star, so focused he was on surviving the Star Barrage. Pokémon continued to rush Milo and his team, who continued to lash out at anything that came near. Two Murkrow tried to dive-bomb Cocoa, only to be double-teamed by Reggie and Volt, who attacked with an Incinerate and Thundershock respectively.

Cocoa swung her tail around as a Sneasel slipped by them and slashed her side with its claws, only to be sent flying backwards thanks to a Low Kick. The Clodsire still smiled on, even as the Pokémon horde continued to come towards them.

You're really giving it to them! I like it! Muahahaha!

Milo ignored the Remnant as Cocoa was knocked back by an Ice Shard from another attacking Sneasel, only for Reggie to suddenly let loose a stream of fire and blast back the Sharp Claw Pokémon.

A Sandile suddenly snapped at Milo's heels, causing the teen to jump back with a startled yelp. That distraction allowed two Murkow to fly in and attack Volt and Reggie with Wing Attacks.

Thankfully, Cocoa managed to send the Sandile flying with a well-placed Low Kick and allowed Milo to direct Reggie and Volt to take down the two birds that were accosting them. It was then that Milo noticed that more Team Star members were actually following him around, calling out Pokémon of their own and boxing him in.

"Looks like we're surrounded…keep pushing! We can't waste time on them!" Milo urged his team, who nodded in response before facing forward and rushing at the nearest cluster of Pokémon, determined to withstand the onslaught. Milo was surprised when Clive suddenly walked into the clearing from his position off to the side and stood between the crowd of Trainers and Milo.

"Not so fast, homies! Me and Zagreus won't let you get the drop on our good pal, Milo!" Clive said as he adjusted his glasses, even as the Houndoom growled menacingly at the crowd of Team Star Grunts. The group of Team Star Grunts and their army of Pokémon eyed the massive Houndoom warily, with some of them looking annoyed that they couldn't jump Milo from behind.

"Who's this guy? Another crazy student who wants some pain?" a female Grunt called out, grinning meanwhile as two Sneasel slowly advanced towards Clive and his hellhound.

Excellent. My little ruse is working! I knew this disguise was foolproof! Clive thought with a triumphant smirk, adjusting his glasses. He then held a hand and dramatically snapped his fingers. "Inferno!"

Zagreus the Houndoom let out a booming howl before releasing a torrent of hellfire towards the advancing horde, causing a literal wall of fire to erupt from the ground and prevent them from moving any further. It was enough to catch the attention of Milo and his team, who were stunned at the casual display of raw literal firepower from Clive. Crimson flames tinged with white illuminated the base of Segin Squad, though thankfully Clive was savvy enough with his Rotom Phone to make sure that he had stopped the stream for a few moments.

"You'd be a fool to underestimate me, dudes." Clive said with a grin, with the hellfire giving the man a terrifying visage and scaring Team Star enough to where all thoughts of trying to jump Milo and his team were effectively gone.

"Guess he's in charge for a reason…holy crap." Milo whispered as he glanced back at the wall of flames that separated the reinforcements from swarming them. Clive glanced back at Milo with an amused smirk.

"Keep going, dude! I've got your back!" Clive called to Milo, who took a few moments to process that before the teen grinned back. Milo turned to his team, who were awaiting further orders. The timer was running down, but the initial wave of Pokémon that had come at them were hanging back, eyeing them cautiously. Clive got the stream going again while Milo continued wreaking havoc on Team Star.

"Come on, everyone! One last push! Reggie, long-range support! Cocoa, Volt, let's get them!" Milo shouted as Cocoa pushed herself hard off the ground and flopped into the air, letting out a cry as she rained down Mud Shot into the horde of Pokémon who were blasted backwards. Volt rushed forward, lashing out with Arm Thrust and knocking out anything he could get his hands on. Two more Sneasel, a Sandile and a Stunky were KO'd.

Any stragglers were promptly set on fire with Incinerate thanks to Sir Reginald the Spicy, with the Crocalor merrily humming along with the music blaring from the speakers set up around the base. Five more Pokémon fell to Milo's team, and with that, Team Star officially started to get concerned about their chances of holding off the fury of Milo.

"How's does it feel, huh!? You don't like someone else barging into your place and messing everything up, do you!?" Milo demanded as his Pokémon continued to lay waste to the horde that continued to rush at them. Three more Stunky and a Zorua fell to Milo's team, thanks to a combination of Arm Thrust, Disarming Voice and Poison Tail.

Milo hated to admit it, but letting out all of his frustrations like this was incredibly satisfying. Showing the fruits of his hard work as a Trainer against the ones responsible for nearly killing Juliana, accident or not, made Milo feel like the past two weeks were worth it. His fury finally had an outlet, and in pitting his power against the might of Segin Squad, Milo was gratified to see that he was easily holding his own against Team Star.

"What the hell!? It's just one Trainer!" One of the Team Star members screamed in dismay as his Stunky was struck by a Mud Shot from Cocoa and then KO'd by an Arm Thrust by Volt. The Pawmo landed with a tired grin beside Milo, with Cocoa and Reggie crying out from beside the Trainer.

Suddenly a loud ringing sound echoed out from the base, and Milo looked up with some surprise. He had no idea what that meant, but he did notice some of the Team Star Grunts eyeing him with amazement.

"H-he withstood the Star Barrage?!"

"No way! It's just one student! How did he beat 30 of our Pokémon?!"

"Guys, this is bad!"

"Is that all you got!?" Milo shouted as he dropped his backpack onto the ground and began pulling out items to heal up his team. He then turned towards the biggest building, which resembled some sort of garage. "Or do I gotta start hunting for your big bad boss yourself?"

"He's way above our level! We've gotta get the Boss!" the Grunt called out over the PA system, clearly panicking now that Milo had withstood the Star Barrage. Milo grinned with triumph as he healed his team, and as he finished restoring their health he turned towards Clive and smiled at him and those who were watching the livestream.

"Alright, alright…you've made your point. Come on and meet me at the back of the base." The voice that now spoke over the PA was different from the one who had been speaking before. It carried a note of authority, and Milo knew that he had finally gotten the attention of the Boss.

Milo looked towards Clive, who nodded, and with that the two of them made their way to the back of the base where the massive garage-like building was located. Segin Squad filled in behind the two students, surrounding them and also joining them in their meeting with the leader of Team Star's Dark Crew.

As Milo stood in front of the garage, Clive slowly walked away and stood a respectable distance away, holding his phone in front of him to keep the livestream going.

"Well? I'm waiting!" Milo called out, only for the white curtains in front of the garage to suddenly get pulled apart and a roar of sound to suddenly rush past Milo, who winced for a moment. It was then that he realized that inside of the garage was a massive vehicle that was driving towards him, with a Trainer riding atop the behemoth.

The vehicle itself was black and decorated with just about everything a car could have. Speakers, strobe lights, a massive flag and a multitude of colors streaking along the vehicle. Music pounded out from the construct, a booming guitar riff that had several members of Team Star head-banging enthusiastically. It was a visual and auditory punch in the face, but Milo couldn't deny it was both impressive and genuinely intimidating.

"Whoa…" Milo muttered nervously as the enormous vehicle slowly drove towards him, but it stopped a short distance away from the Galarian Trainer and gave him a better look at the strange car.

In front of the vehicle was a strange-looking engine-like Pokémon with a single eye that somewhat resembled the Varooms that Team Star had been riding on during the pep rally. Milo then spotted two Varooms on the back left and right sections of the vehicle, powering the strange machine further.

Maybe it's an evolved form or something? Milo thought with some confusion before turning his attention to the Trainer riding the vehicle, who was eyeing him with an appraising look.

Sitting atop the vehicle was an older teenager with black spiky hair, wearing a white hat with green and pink symbols over it. He wore a black jacket, a blue vest and a white-undershirt with black slacks and shoes that matched his hat. A pair of headphones sat around the teen's neck, with a white laptop held open in his left hand. He regarded Milo and his team with a crooked smile of amusement. Milo grit his teeth as the teen stood up, tapping a key on his computer and lowering the intense guitar music down.

This would be a good time to remind you that in a proper battle, like the one about to happen, you can only use one Pokémon. So return two of the ones you have out.

Milo nodded at the instructions of the Remnant and returned both Reggie and Volt, leaving Cocoa as the only Pokémon he had left out on the field. It was then that the teen riding atop the vehicle finally addressed Milo.

"You've done a real number on us, party-crasher! Milo, was it?" the young man called to Milo as he closed his laptop, holding it at his side and sneering down at the younger Trainer with derision. Milo's eyes then narrowed with anger, realizing that this was his target.

The Boss of Team Star's Dark Crew.

"I'm Giacomo! At the deck, I go by DJ Vice! Call me whichever - it's a vibe either way." The leader of Segin Squad greeted Milo, giving a casual wave as he chuckled. "Nice to meet you and all…but how 'bout we skip straight to your outro? Don't worry - I'll play you a sick requiem as you crash and burn."

"Fine with me. You and your buddies have a lot to answer for, and I'm not settling for anything less than abject humiliation!" Milo called to Giacomo, who raised an eyebrow at the comment. The Team Star Boss saw the righteous anger in the eyes of the younger Trainer. He had also seen how quickly Milo had torn through the Segin Squad via the cameras placed throughout the base. For a rookie Trainer, defeating thirty Pokémon within a few minutes was astounding.

"Heh. You might've taken down my crew, but I'm no slouch. You're out of your mind if you think you can topple one of Team Star's Bosses!" Giacomo remarked with a shake of the head, though his black eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Bring it on! Your show is canceled, Giacomo!" Milo shouted back to Giacomo, who's sneer turned into a fierce grin.

"Hehehe! You can shit-talk too? This is gonna be fun! Hit the music! Let's get this party staaarteeed!" Giacomo shouted as Team Star suddenly roared with approval all around Milo, who winced as the Nuzlocke Curse finally took effect. The sensation gripped his heart as he and Cocoa stared down the Team Star Boss atop his massive vehicle, bracing themselves for whatever came next.

Meanwhile

Paldea Pokémon League HQ

Hassel hurried through the hallway, his phone clenched tightly in his hand. The Elite Four member's expression was troubled, his mouth set in a firm line as he made his way through the building quickly.

Trailing behind him was a slender woman with bright red eyes and long green hair that was tied into a ponytail. She wore a gray dress-shirt and a black tie with black suspenders. She wore a concerned frown on her face, occasionally glancing at the older Trainer with some concern.

The two adults walked at a rather intense pace, making their way through the building with a sense of urgency. The duo finally approached a large set of double doors made of mahogany and Hassel sharply knocked three times before waiting for a response.

"Come in!"

Hassel opened the door and walked a few steps into the room before he was standing in front of a large antique desk with a Chairwoman Geeta sitting behind it. Sitting beside Geeta was a stack of paperwork nearly six inches high and a steaming cup of coffee resting next to it.

"Hassel, Rika…is everything alright?" the woman asked, seeing the serious expressions the two other adults had.

"Boss, we've got some news for you!" The woman known as Rika remarked, crossing her arms as Geeta set down her pen and folded her hands.

"Sorry to interrupt your work, Miss Geeta, but this is important. There's been a development with the Team Star situation." Hassel said to the Chairwoman of the Naranja Academy Schoolboard.

"Is it Director Clavell finally taking action?" Geeta asked with a raised eyebrow, taking off her reading glasses and setting them onto her desk. Hassel and Rika both walked further into the room and towards the Chairwoman.

"Get on your computer and pull up Festival Plaza. There's a livestream happening from one of the Team Star Bases that Naranja Academy's account was tagged in, including several other accounts. Some kid stormed one of the bases and is clearing house!" Rika explained as Geeta did as she was asked. Within a matter of seconds the Chairwoman was on Festival Plaza and was shocked to see that there was indeed a livestream of a standoff between two teenagers she recognized immediately.

Giacomo DiNozzo and Florian Caballero, two students of the esteemed Naranja Academy.

Giacomo had been a longstanding delinquent as far as his records at Naranja Academy were concerned, having been truant for over two years. A child of two prominent police officers in Cascarrafa, the teen had seemingly gone astray and had become one of the main leaders within the notorious Team Star. Geeta was vaguely aware that the teenager frequently sold his music online with some success.

Florian Caballero, or Milo to his friends, was a name she had seen cropping up more and more lately. A popular new student at Naranja Academy who had transferred to the school from Galar about half a year ago. Geeta knew of the boy due to Nemona's close friendship with him and her praise of the Galarian teen. His own tragedies aside, the boy had also left a strongly positive impression on both Katy and Brassius when he defeated them both in his Gym Battles.

"Looks like one of the students from the Academy decided to take matters into his own hands." Rika explained to Geeta, putting a hand on her hip. "Honestly, it's amazing that someone had the guts to pull that off, let alone a kid. But, uh, are we sure that's not against any kind of school regulations?"

"He's breaking no rules that I can think of. There's nothing stopping anyone from the Academy from battling another Trainer in this manner." Hassel confirmed, his brow furrowing with concern. "Poor Milo must've decided to face those misguided kids himself after they accidentally hurt Miss Juliana. From what I can tell he's fiercely protective of his friends."

"Yeah, that kind of thing should be…wait, hold on. He's got a CLODSIRE!" Rika suddenly squealed, leaning forward and quickly grabbing onto the chair Geeta was in so that she could get a better look. Hassel snorted with amusement at the woman's antics, practically able to see the sparkles of joy in her eyes "Awwwww! She's so cute! This kid's got good taste in Pokémon! What's his name again?"

"Florian Caballero. He goes by the nickname Milo at school, though. He's the son of some good friends of mine and is a rather new Trainer, but he's been making some waves recently. Nemona's very close to him." Hassel explained to Rika, who's eyes suddenly lit up in recognition.

"This is the guy Milo that Nemona won't stop gushing about!? Ooh, now this just got interesting, right Miss Geeta?" Rika asked the Pokémon League Chairwoman, who had leaned forward in her chair. Geeta's golden eyes intently stared at the teenager, barely listening to the conversation happening behind her.

"What does my protégé see in you? Let's see what you're made of, Florian Caballero." Geeta muttered, unable to help the curious smile that spread across her face. Hassel and Rika exchanged a brief glance between each other, wondering what was going through the Naranja Academy Chairwoman's head.

Meanwhile on the computer screen, Milo and Giacomo braced themselves for a showdown with all of Segin Squad surrounding them. The Galarian student had braved the gauntlet of Team Star, but now he'd be facing his greatest challenge yet.

Milo's Current Party:

Reggie (Crocalor) M - Tera Fire

Watt (Shiny Pikachu) F - Tera Electric

Cocoa (Clodsire) F - Tera Ground

Fleur (Steenee) F - Tera Dark

Shelly (Shellder) F - Tera Fighting

Volt (Pawmo) F -Tera Steel

Benched/PC Storage:

Storm (Wattrel) F - Tera Flying

Floom (Shiny Drifloon) M - Tera Ghost

Fiona (Flittle) F - Tera Grass

Bronson (Barbcoach) M - Tera Fire

Smith (Applin) M - Tera Water

Momo (Skwovet) M - Tera Steel

Donut (Fidough) F - Tera Ice

Echo (Toxel) F - Tera Ice

Semsee (Shroodle) F - Tera Water

Dread (Chewtle) M - Tera Bug

Puffy (Igglybuff) F - Tera Electric

Graveyard:

Pepper (Maschiff) F - Tera Poison

Sparky (Pawmi) M - Tera Electric

Victor (Venonat) M - Tera Electric

Apologies about the long wait for this chapter! Life has been insanely busy lately, and my writing as a whole had to go onto the backburner for a while.

But we're finally at Objective Five, and Milo's got his showdown against the Dark Crew's Boss, Giacomo! Will Milo's righteous fury be enough to overcome the Team Star Boss? Or will Giacomo be the obstacle that finally ends Milo's run? Stay tuned!

Q & A

From: SolanaLeonhart

I'm starting to get a guess of what might have happened in that incident but I'll wait and see. Out of curiosity, can Milo change a Pokémon's nickname?

He absolutely can, but he likely won't over the course of this story.

Massive shoutout to the absolute legends who reviewed since the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, General C, Critical Sass, BraviaryScout and a new reviewer known as ZoyeZest! Thanks for all of your support!

That's all for now, folks! Thanks for reading and supporting the fic. Reviews are always appreciated and I answer questions if you want to ask them. If you haven't favorited and/or followed AS at this point, then please do so! I also upload on AO3 if that's how you roll.

Take care and stay awesome!

Until next time, FlygonNick out!