Liko - Our adventure with the Rising Volt Tacklers and the Power Rangers continues! Recently, my pendant turned into a mysterious Pokemon called Terapagos, the same Pokémon in the care of Princess Sarah Tomoe and her husband, Race Konami. However, while their Terapagos were happy living with them, my Terapagos wanted nothing more than to find a legendary paradise called Laqua. To do that, we need to find the final member of Lucius' Six Heroes, their leader and his first partner: Rayquaza, and help Terapagos regain the powers it once had. To solve the mysteries surrounding it and find Rayquaza, we've returned to the Paldea Region!
The next day (August 14th), directly following where we left off in the previous episode, the heroes were still in the desert outskirts of Steelbound Town as they carried out the repairs needed for the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft. The wild Orthworm and the Orthworm Titan had damaged both aircraft badly during their fight with them and they would need to stay another day before they would continue their journey to find Lucius' Rayquaza and the answers to the mysteries involving Terapagos, Larmina, Garnet, and Topaz.
As Friede, Naomi, Rabbit, Mistral, Ox, Murdock, Orla, Metagross, and some of the others along with their Pokémon and a few of the dragons got to work on the repairs, Tinkatink happily scrambled out of the Brave Olivine as she, Dot (who had her hair up as she finished another morning livestream), Quaxly, and Plume were planning to return to Steelbound Town to look for stuff for the little Metalsmith Pokémon to make another hammer out of.
"Tinkatink! Come on, you can't just run off like that!" Dot cried before she sighed in defeat and pulled off her hair braid as she, her Duckling Pokemon, and her Featherhide went after her. "Aw, what a pain, this is a lot of work."
"Hammers are her life, alright."
"What can ya do?" sighed Quaxly and Plume as they and Dot followed Tinkatink to Steelbound Town.
"Making a shopping trip today just for a hammer?" joked Friede in amusement as he, Orla, and Murdock watched on.
Murdock sniffed, feeling a tear of an uncle's pride coming to him as he sighed, "I'm so proud of her, I never thought I'd see the day... Kids truly grow up so fast these days."
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," Orla remarked at him in amusement.
With Sarah, after she fed her family, Char, Serrate, Plume (Dot's male Featherhide), and Breeze (Lazuli's female Featherhide) breakfast and bottle-fed Astraeus, she had just finished new saddles for the four dragons in question. Ever since Plume and Breeze came into Lazuli and Dot's lives during the time Polteagiest and Sinestea came into the Rising Volt Tacklers, one of the things the little princess had in mind was to create saddles for the two Featherhides so the swordswoman and the young recluse would someday learn to ride them and fly. And, after she, Roy, and Liko met Serrate and Char while the two girls, Hatenna, Tony, Jessie, Pincher (Stormfly's little brother), Mollie, the Royal Healers, Crest, Chili, and Rosie saved the Maushold, she decided to make two more saddles for them as well.
After her and Dot's shopping spree in Steelbound Town the previous day, she managed to make the saddles she had in mind for them while making little upgrades to the saddles worn by her own dragons:
- With the saddles of her dragons, they had been meticulously fitted with plush leather seats designed as first-class Pullman car seats and weatherproof covering with ergonomic armrests for enhanced support. The fronts of the saddles sported bike-style handles with securely attached saddlebags (made detachable if needed) and a spacious storage box placed on the back with an Undetectable Extension Charm. For the time being, however, they were placed inside Drogon's saddle box
- The new saddle she made for Char was a deep shade of red with black and violet-red accents made out of durable leather with soft padding lined with heat-resistant wool and steel-reinforced buckle straps that are coated in a flame-resistant finish and a backrest adorned with flame-etched designs. On the saddle's right side was a saddle bag for storing items such as a detachable fireproof cloak. There was even a quick-release mechanism she added that would allow Roy to dismount him swiftly in case of an emergency
- in the case of Serrate, her saddle featured silver and metallic blue lightweight durable leather with navy blue highlights with soft padding, a flexible and strong strap around her neck, sturdy handlebars positioned in front of Liko's new seat, stirrups for ease of mounting and dismounting, and discreetly integrated compartments on both sides
- As for Plume's saddle, his was more of a cobalt blue and forest green coloration with cerulean and jade flashes mirroring his scales and sharing the same padding from the very lightweight synthetic material used for the padding on Char and Serrate's saddles. But, it had feather-lined straps with a quick-adjust buckle on the underside of her neck that secured her saddle and kept it snug on her, and to top it off, there were expandable pockets integrated on either side
- Unlike Plume's saddle, Breeze's saddle has a coloration comprised of blue and a deep shade of violet accented with hints of silver, straps made from reinforced nylon with sapphire-hued metal buckles in the same positions, mounting stirrups, and integrated side pouches for convenient storage of essential items
Liko, Lazuli, Dot, and Roy liked the new Sarah made for their dragons once they saw them fitted and they gave them a try.
Then, came the task of beginning Liko, Dot, and Roy's Junior Dragon Rider lessons as well as Lazuli's advanced Dragon Rider lessons; being the overconfident Viking that he is, Snotlout (with Hookfang's help) personally offered Roy the chance to train with him on riding a Monstrous Nightmare like Char. However, Ruffnut and Astrid didn't think he was up to the task as they knew Hookfang often played pranks on him due to his lapses of respect for his own dragon. So, instead, Zenna, Hiccup, and Fishlegs took it upon themselves to teach Roy, Liko, Dot, and Lazuli with help from Toothless, Loki, Kaulu, Stryka, Dragonair, and Meatlug.
As for Moto, Maji, Jiwe, Mti, Radi, Barafu, Nuru, and Nyeupe they were relaxing together on a spot close to the Dragon Craft as the little princess was making progress on the planning stages for their home in the mountain range bordering the Great Crater of Paldea.
Presently, she and Race were giving Yamper, Wooloo, Larmina, Topaz, Garnet, and Astraeus a bath with the baby dragon happily babbling at his human mother as he splashed her, making her laugh, "Yes, cutie. These here are bubbles, nice and soft like your Big Brother Wooloo. Just hold still while we wash you down."
"Mama..." the baby dragon chirped before he stared at Race and peeped, "Dada?"
Race blinked in surprise at him, reacting exactly like how Phineas did when Fire Heart once referred to him as "Dada" during his short time with him (after he was left in the forest in Briarwood by Jenji who was initially jealous of Fire Heart for getting his friends' attention away from him), "...Oh, boy."
At the same time, as Sprigatito was watching Dot, Plume, Quaxly, and Tinkatink leave for Steelbound Town to buy the Metalsmith Pokémon materials for her hammer-making, she heard Liko from nearby, seeing her giving Hatenna and Terapagos a bath.
"Come on, please stay still. The longer you move around, the longer this will take, geez!" she laughed as they babbled cheerfully and splashed her.
As she watched them having fun, Sprigatito couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Terapagos and Hatenna keeping Liko's attention on them. Despite coming to terms with the issue concerning her jealousy twice and knowing better than to think the worst of her partner, it seems that old habits die hard as she is starting to become left out again. There was also some nagging feeling bugging her from inside like she couldn't help but wonder when she had a moment of genuine peace like this with her friends (despite having done so numerous times).
"Hey, do you want a bath too, Sprigatito?"
"No," the Grass Cat Pokémon replied bluntly before she walked off, leaving the young girl and her sister figures surprised as they watched her go.
"Sprigatito?"
She walked across the Brave Olivine's rim to its stern and was about to continue to mind her own business when she spotted a familiar cat-shaped roof belonging to a familiar Cat Breeder Sarah, Race, and Asha briefly reunited with and introduced their family to a few months ago. She couldn't help but gasp in surprise as she immediately recognized the building, remembering exactly who the building belonged to and feeling a wave of nostalgia flowing within her.
(Opening)
Now, head forth! Pierce through the clouds~
(Our opening for Part 2 of Pokémon Horizons (i.e. The Gleam of Terapagos) begins with Liko, Sarah, and Race in a triangle formation (Liko up top, Race from the bottom right-hand corner from her left, and Sarah from the bottom left-hand corner on her right) as their pendant and Terapagos Three shone in darkness before the former turned into Liko's Terapagos)
(We swiftly pan across the oceans akin to the beginning of the opening of Attack on Titan S4 Pt. 2 (The Rumbling by SIM) before stopping amongst the horizon as the titles for Pokémon Horizons: The Gleam of Terapagos appeared amidst a sunset/sunrise)
When I remember the words I couldn't say
I dove down to hide myself
Swimming my way through in uncertainty
I cut through the clouds and head for the blue sky
(We see a young Liko walking with her parents through a marketplace before we see her as she is, her uncertainty lifted as she holds and looks at her pendant underneath a moonlit sky from the rooftop of her family's house along with Sarah as she enjoyed her life in Alola growing up before she is shown holding her family's Sun Sword in its powered-down form as the young woman she is and held it above her head underneath the Alolan sun in a split-screen sequence. Then, in a flurry of Leafage and cosmic energy, we see the pair with their three Terapagos, Sprigatito, Hatenna, Blitz, Curly, and Silvally enjoying the breeze together on the observation decks of the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft)
One day, I'll look back
At that fiery red sunset
And burn it all into memory
(A young Roy is shown being fascinated by stories his grandfather was showing him until we see him as the boy he is (looking dirty all over and wearing the Brave Olivine's flag like a cape) eyeing the Ancient Pokeball that once held Lucius' Rayquaza in his right hand and raising it high above him in the rising or setting sun while Race is seen being found by Brandon, enjoying life with him and the other Frontier Brains, and being the man he is now as he eyed the camera and held a Pokeball in front of him while glaring at the camera in the same split-screen sequence before they're shown via Flamethrower, Shadow Claw, and Thunder watching the sunset on the Brave Olivine's Wing Deck and the Dragon craft's sun deck watching the sunset with Bella, Robbie, Tou-Tou, Wattrel, and Fuecoco)
Even if I can't reach the truth of the world~
Or the feelings of that girl~
It's okay to not understand~
Just shine like a rainbow~
(We are shown their friends and Sarah's family including a few of their Pokémon in five/six slot group sequences as follows: Friede, Orla, Mollie, Dot, Ludlow, and Murdock with Charizard, Metagross and Elekid, Chansey, Quaxly, Rockruff and Alcremie, and Quagsire; Burnet (with the cute addition of Lei) and Kukui with Munchlax, Incineroar, and Braviary joined by Diane, James, Nikki, and Johnathan with Romeo, Dragonite, Lucario, Clover, Catnip, Juliet, and Melon; Ash, Lana, Mallow, Kiawe, Lillie, and Sophocles with their respective partners; and Delilah, Doug, Donna (former queen), David, Asha, and Gladion with Mischief, Persian, the Tomoe Squad, Flicker, Flicka, June, Proud, Ziracon, Umbreon, Silvally, and Lycanroc; Goh, Nemona, Arven, Penny, and Team Star with Meowscarda, Pawmo, Killowattrel, Cinderace, Inteleon, Grookey, Mabostiff, the Eevees, Bisharp, Torkoal, Skuntank, Revavroom, Azumarill, Wigglytuff, Passimian, and Toxicroak; and the Blueberry Academy students with Hydrapple, Mightyena, Toucannon, Magmortor, Empoleon, Reuniclus, Whimsicott, Granbull, Flygon, and Haxorus)
(We see a smirking Cap from the Brave Olivine's bridge and Friede taking the wheel along with MK-1 on the Dragon Craft's Bridge at its controls with an eager bark, the three of them preparing to take everyone aboard their respective ships to new heights and continue discovering all the world has to offer among the horizons)
Now, head forth! Pierce through the clouds~
Stumbling, staggering~
Standing firm and reaching farther~
Now, run forth! Towards my future~
(In the horizons, with the heroes riding their respective ships, they dash forward with Lucius' Rayquaza roaring and flying alongside them before Liko, Roy, Dot, Murdock, and Ludlow are shown with their partners stumbling, running, or sliding along Rayquaza's body with Mollie, Chansey, and Orla following on Metagross and Sarah and Race tailing their new friends aboard Bolt and Winter with the rest of their family joining them before Marena and Stormcloud joined them. Meanwhile, Amethio is shown training with his Ceruledge and Corviknight with the former forced back by the latter and their master staggering to the floor and sitting on his ass from the intensity of the training battle. As his partners sparred, he gritted his teeth and tugged his shirt, feeling unsatisfied about the current progress he was making and wanting to do more to improve themselves and himself on something while Hamber and Dusknoir watched on)
At the end of this long, long journey
I'll remember you
One day, we'll shake hands
And laugh
(Lucca, Diana, and Liko were seen together with the final Terapagos in the young girl's arms who cried out and unleashed an energy wave, showing Moltres, Arboliva, and Rayquaza with the second half of the Six Heroes: Entei, Lapras, and Kleavor, in small bursts along with Lucius and Liko's Terapagos, before Sarah, Race, Liko, their Terapagos Four, Sprigatito, Rosie, Chili, Crest, Silvally, Tou-Tou, Robbie, and Bella along with a tearful Marena come across Lucius on a cliff point before they joined the Ancient Adventurer on his current spot)
A light appeared
At the end of the rainbow
And I found my dream
(We see the Explorers in short bursts along with a Tera Orb in Sarah's hand, Lucius' gear and records, one of the Terapagos Four in Stellar Form, and someone reaching out in between the heroes looking out to the horizon and the sun in the heavens before Sarah, Liko, Marena, and Race are seen face to face with the Six Heroes as the opening ends)
(End Theme Song)
Before long, Sarah, Race, and Liko had finished giving their younglings their respective baths with Sarah having Astraeus swaddled in his blanket again as Terapagos, Larmina, Garnet, and Topaz chirped happily over being squeaky clean. The young girl was now drying off Hatenna when Roy and Fuecoco came over, ready to begin another training battle between them and her and Sprigatito.
"Are you done yet, Liko? Come on! Let's battle!"
"Battle!" they grinned.
"Okay. Let's go, Sprigatito!" Liko called with a nod.
"Hmm?" Sprigatito replied, turning to her partner as she snapped out of her trance.
Out on the Wing Deck, with Hatenna and Terapagos as their witnesses, the two young trainers and their partners were ready for their sparring match.
For their latest match, Roy made the first move for Fuecoco as the young adventurer shouted, "Fuecoco, use Ember!"
"Bombs away!" Fuecoco barked, building up his Fire Type power and shooting Ember.
"Dodge and use Quick Attack!" Liko countered, having Sprigatito dart past Ember and charge at him with Quick Attack.
"Use Disarming Voice!"
Aiming at his fellow Paldea Starter, Fuecoco fired his new attack and stopped her dead in her tracks, prompting Liko to shout (while Terapagos and Hatenna continued to watch), "Sprigatito, get out of there!"
The two Starter Pokémon then circled one another as Sprigatito moved, trying to find a new opening she needed to attack Fuecoco from before he could blind-sight her again with Disarming Voice.
"Use Ember/Scratch!"
The Fire Croc Pokémon fired a second Ember at Sprigatito, hoping to score a lucky hit on her. Despite that, she quickly countered with Scratch which canceled his most basic attack and sent each other back (essentially giving her the distance she needed for a long-range attack). Unfortunately, Terapagos and Hatenna were so amazed and entranced by their big sister figure's battling that they started to toddle closer, not realizing that they had wandered too close to the battle and put themselves within range of one of Sprigatito or Fuecoco's next attacks.
"Use a lot of Leafage, go!" Liko signaled, having Sprigatito fire her favorite attack.
"I knew you'd go for that one, dodge it!" Roy grinned, allowing Fuecoco to jump out of the way.
However, this was a mistake as he had exposed Terapagos and Hatenna and put them in harm's way with Leafage coming straight towards them, much to his, Roy, Liko, and Sprigatito's horror (the Grass Type more staggered than the other two as she saw her move coming towards her little siblings).
"LOOK OUT!" Liko screamed as she shielded her two younger Pokémon only for the powerful Leafage attack to blow her down and make her land harshly on her left wrist, horrifying Sprigatito.
"Liko! Are you okay?!"
"I'm sorry..." Roy and Fuecoco gasped, looking worried and sorry for Liko.
"Ugh, yeah... Just, took a little fall, no big deal, really," she reassured them as a grief-stricken Sprigatito came over.
"Liko, Liko! I'm so sorry! I really am! I didn't mean for this to happen!" she meowed frantically.
"I'm totally fine, Sprigatito," Liko continued to smile despite wincing as she held her left wrist.
"Liko, you're hurt!"
"It's okay, my hand just hit the deck."
"Let's go get Mollie and Sarah and have them check it out," the young trainers bantered before they went off to find Mollie and Sarah with Fuecoco, Hatenna, and Terapagos joining them, Sprigatito feeling incredibly guilty as she went after them.
They were right to find Mollie and Sarah soon after Liko hurt her left wrist; after they found the pair along with Race, Audino, Blissey, Tony, Jessie, Wigglytuff, Astraeus, Wooloo, Yamper, Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet in the Brave Olivine's medical bay, the little princess and the traveling doctor set to work on her wound. Thankfully, they discovered that it was nothing more than a sprain with Mollie wrapping her left wrist in a bandage and Sarah carefully putting a small wrist brace to ensure it stays put as it healed.
"You should consider yourself lucky when you saved Terapagos and Hatenna from Sprigatito's Leafage after Fuecoco dodged it, Liko. While you did have the right intentions in mind, you could've made your sprain much worse had you hit the Wing Deck harder. Also, not only did Roy and Fuecoco make a wrong call at that moment but you two should've found me sooner before you started so I could've offered protective measures for Hatenna and Terapagos should this happen," Sarah groaned in exasperation.
Liko frowned sadly as she replied, "I'm sorry."
Sarah sighed but smiled in relief as she continued, "But, as I said, you're lucky. It's just a sprain you got when you fell but try not to move your wrist too much for today, okay?"
"Right," Liko replied again, feeling a little better.
Despite feeling relieved that her partner only got a sprain on her left wrist and she didn't break it, Sprigatito still felt guilty as she watched Mollie and Sarah treat it while Liko winced from the door. If she had known Fuecoco would dodge after she used Leafage upon Liko's call and Terapagos and Hatenna were in the way after they were left in awe of her battling, none of them, not even Liko, would have been hurt. It made her feel worse when she saw and heard Sarah gently scolding the young girl over what had happened that caused her to sprain her left wrist in the first place. Her heart wrenched itself from within as her guilt festered and feeling as though she could never look Liko in the eye again after what happened this morning, she quietly walked out of the hallway and onto the Brave Olivine's bridge (hanging her head low as she did so).
She looked to her left and saw the cat-shaped house belonging to the Cat Breeder, Manya, in the distance. After a moment, she steeled herself and with a heavy heart, she decided to go to Manya's house to clear her mind (hoping she would never have to hurt anyone, not even Liko, with her Leafage attack again).
"Goodbye, Liko..." she meowed with a sad sigh as she left.
But, as she made her way to Manya's house, Rosie, Clover, Catnip, June, and Melon (who were having a little bit of time to themselves on the Dragon Craft's sundeck) noticed Sprigatito leaving the Brave Olivine for Manya's house (the four royal Sprigatito immediately recognizing the building's cat-shaped roof as well). Feeling worried for Liko's partner, the five Grass Type Paldea Starters went to find their respective owners and tell them what she was doing.
And, it wasn't just them looking worried for the spunky Paldea Grass Starter; her leaving for Marnya's place also caught Ludlow and Serrate's attention (as the latter basked quietly in the sun on the Brave Olivine's bow while he was fishing).
"If you keep it still for today as Sarah said, it should feel better in no time. And, of course, if you have to lift anything, don't use that hand," Mollie finished once she and Sarah were done wrapping Liko's left wrist.
"Mm-hmm, thank you," Liko thanked.
"We're glad it wasn't anything too serious."
"We're lucky," Roy and Fuecoco quipped in relief.
"Mama hurt, sorry."
"Sorry," Hatenna and Terapagos apologized to Liko, not liking seeing their human mother hurt and knowing they were indirectly responsible for the sprain on her left wrist.
"I'm fine, you two. It doesn't hurt as long as I don't use it," the young girl reassured before she turned to Sprigatito's original location (only to find she had vanished without a trace), "Sprigatito, don't you worry eith-huh...? Sprigatito, where did you go...?"
In the forest bordering Marnya's home, Sprigatito was walking closer and closer to the building (which also doubled as her old home before being sent to meet Liko at Indigo Academy months ago), following a path she obviously knew. It wasn't long until she came across the cat-shaped gates and stared at the familiar house before hearing a series of meows from other Sprigatito looking like her running happily around as they played with each other.
As memories of her time before her meeting with Liko came flooding back in, she entered the house's front lawn and garden through the partially opened gates, catching the attention of Marnyaas the Cat Breeder (who had gotten some food for the cat-like Pokémon she was looking after from a recent shopping trip) took notice of her and stared in surprise.
"What's this?" she mused, not expecting her to be back (suggesting that she knew Liko's partner for some time beforehand).
"Sprigatito went into the forest?" Liko pondered, having gone to Ludlow to ask where her partner went.
"Yes, over in the direction of the house peaking out of the trees there," nodded the sagely fisherman, pointing her towards Marnya'shouse. "If you ask Serrate and I when we saw her leaving the ship earlier, she looked rather disappointed about something."
"Really? Mmm... Thanks, Ludlow."
"Hey, Liko!" Sarah shouted as she, her human family, Koraidon, Miraidon, Athiusa, Serpent, Absol, Mulan, and the Royal Grass Cat Pokémon approached the pair, Terapagos, and Hatenna. "Rosie told us about Sprigatito and what happened to her. Is she really heading back to Manya's house in the forest?"
Liko and Ludlow were surprised as the fishermen puzzled, "You mean you know that house in the forest and whoever owned it?"
"Marnya's a Cat Breeder, specializing in raising Pokémon that look like cats including Litten, Meowth, and Meowstic. Her house was Catnip, June, Melon, and Clover's old home before they were given to Mom, Granny, Aunt Nikki, and Diane during my, Asha, and Race's reunion party at Uva Academy."
Liko blinked as she stared at the four Royal Sprigatito, "You lived there before?"
"That's right!" they meowed happily in reply.
"If your partner is going to Lady Marnya's house, Ms. Liko, we should head there straight away Perhaps she could help you understand why she was so down with herself and she could also do with a bit of familiar company," Tsukumaro offered.
"Thank you," Liko nodded in appreciation before she turned to Hatenna and Sprigaito. "I'm going with Sarah's family to look for Sprigatito. Hatenna, can you watch over Terapagos while I'm gone?"
"Okkie-dokie!" Hatenna cooed cutely before her human mother, Sarah, Nikki, James, Diane, Johnathan, Doug, Delilah, David, Donna (former queen), Tsukumaro, and Rosie left onboard Koraidon, Serpent, Miraidon, and Athisua and Absol and Mulan followed as they carried June, Clover, Melon, and Catnip, all of them (along with Serrate who flew close by) making their way towards Manya's house to find Sprigatito.
"Good luck!" she cooed to them before she turned to her left and discovered, to her horror, that Terapagos was gone as she frantically looked for him. "Wah! Little Brother! Little Brother, where are you?! Oh, man...!"
"Sprigatito! Where are you?" Liko shouted as she and the royal family drove or ran through the forest aboard the Paradox Pokémon with Serrate, Mulan, and Absol (along with their four royal Paldea Starter passengers) following closely behind, continuing towards Marnya's house.
"Maybe, she was feeling impulsive again. But, I guess she's never left the Brave Olivine all by herself before..."
Eventually, they came across the gates leading them to Marnya'shouse in front of them, knowing Sprigatito must be inside with Liko asking her best friend, "Is this place where you and your family got your other Sprigatito?"
"Nice cat layout," Serrate admitted as she looked at Marnya'shouse.
"The one and only; Race, Asha, and I first came here and met Marnya during our Treasure Hunt, she's a nice lady and an amazing Pokémon Breeder once you get to know her. When it comes to raising Cat Pokémon, she's second to none. You'll be surprised at how much she has that called her house and everything she has here their home until they are given to or picked by passing trainers or those from abroad who want a Cat Pokémon of their own," the little princess smiled sentimentally as the royal family, Liko, and the Royal Sprigatito dismounted Koraidon, Miraidon, their counterparts, Serrate, Mulan, and Absol and approached the open house gates.
"Hello! Ms. Marnya! We're back, anybody home?" she called as they carefully entered Marnya's abode.
"Sprigatito, where are you?" Liko called carefully, still looking for her partner until a flash of green (the owner of which was actually one of the other Sprigatito in Marnya's care) passed by, prompting her to follow it around the corner of the Cat Breeder's house and get a big surprise. "Sprigatito? Huh?!"
"Hey, wait... You're not my Sprigatito?" she puzzled as the Sprigatito she found hissed at her suspiciously before it was joined by five more Sprigatito, all looking at her with various expressions (the second sharing the first's distrustful nature as it also hissed at her, the third and four looking at her in surprise and curiosity, the fifth eyeing her with a relaxed expression, and the sixth looking surprisingly jovial at her) and giving her a start. "Uh, u-Dwah!"
Sarah had to laugh and her family also chuckled in amusement as they joined Liko and saw how flustered she was at the Sprigatito before her, "I told you you'd be surprised by how many Cat Pokémon she has here! This also included the Sprigatito you're seeing right now!"
"Hi, guys!" Clover, Catnip, June, and Melon grinned happily as they met up with their old friends who were greatly surprised to see them back after so long.
"Hello, Princess, back again with your family and a new friend, I see," a familiar voice called, startling Liko as she and the royal family turned to find Marnya behind them as she shared the latter group's amused smiles over the young girl's surprise.
"Ms. Marnya," Doug greeted as he and his family smiled at her.
"Hi, Ms. Marnya," Rosie grinned as she stood next to her human mother, making the Cat Breeder smile back at her.
"Well, it's a pleasure to see you and your friends-turned-sisters again, Rosie. And, look at you, you've evolved into a Floragato now; I'd hardly recognize you from that little Sprigatito I once cared for before sending you along with Crest and Chili to Uva Academy before you joined the princess."
She then turned her attention to Liko as she warmly said, "So many Sprigatito here, I know... May I help you and the Alolan Royal Family with something?"
"Oh! I, uh... I'm sorry for barging in on you! My name is-" replied Liko frantically as she gave Marnya an apologetic bow before the Cat Breeder recalled who she was after looking at her.
"Hang on. If memory serves, you are... Oh, yes! You attend Indigo Academy in the Kanto Region with Sarah and Race as guest lecturers, Liko, right?"
"Uh... Huh?!" the young girl blinked in bewilderment, startled by how she recognized her even though they never met before.
"You're a breeder specializing in feline Pokémon like the Royal Sprigatito belonging to Sarah and Asha's mothers and grandmothers?" Liko asked Marnya once everybody settled down to talk as Clover, June, Catnip, and Melon played with their old friends and Rosie joined in (the other Sprigatito taking in and admiring her new appearance, being lost in their amazement as they happily mingled with her as well).
"That's right, I keep things running around here. My name's Marnya as you already know. We got all kinds here and not just Sprigatito," Marnya nodded, gesturing Liko to her other feline Pokémon living with her and the remaining Sprigatito including Skitty, Espurr, Litten, Galarian Meowth, Sneasel, Torracat, and much more while playing on her playground or having catnaps. "I just love them, they're so cute! You think so, too, don't you? Even Delilah, Donna, Nikki, and Diane couldn't help but fall head over heels for their Sprigatito when Sarah, Race, Asha, and I introduced Clover, Catnip, Melon, and June to them."
"Y-Yes... But...how did you know my name and I attend Indigo Academy?"
"Oh, I never forget any of the children in my care that left the nest when they're ready. That includes the Sprigatito that became your partner months ago when you began your studies."
Liko gasped and was in awe of what she heard since she didn't know Sprigatito's previous life before their first day together, "Then, does that mean Sprigatito-my Sprigatito-was raised here by you? And, Clover, June, Catnip, and Melon, you also raised them here before giving them to Sarah and Asha's mothers and grandmothers... Does that mean Rosie was also raised here before she was sent to Uva Academy and met Sarah?"
Marnya nodded in confirmation as she continued, "Yes, that's correct; I raise feline Pokémon and teach them how to become comfortable with their Partner Pokémon. I remember most of the students who partnered with my feline Pokemon, and to be honest, I especially remember you. Your partner, Sprigatito, was one of a kind and the same can be said for Rosie and the other four in the royal family."
Liko blinked as she asked the Cat Breeder (all while Liko's Sprigatito lounged about on the roof, still lamenting over her previous mistake and with her back turned), "What do you mean?"
"Most Sprigatito in the region are unique and independent, always marching to the beat of their own drums. Yours was even more distinct as far as I could tell; she never seemed to fit in very well with her fellow Sprigatito."
Liko awkwardly smiled at her as she thought, "...I had a hunch that might be the case."
"And, that's why I got so worried when I saw her return earlier, looking so dejected and ashamed of herself."
"Then, Sprigatito did come here shortly before we arrived, right?" Sarah questioned.
"Yeah! So, Sprigatito is here?" Liko grinned in relief.
Marnya was surprised as she asked the girls, "So, she didn't come here with you two and the rest today?"
Well, uh... No, it's just...she just, went off by herself," Liko replied.
"Oh, dear... Did you two have a fight or something?"
"Uh, no. It, I-It wasn't anything like that."
Sympathetic to Liko's plight, Marnya explained to the young girl, "I understand, it does happen sometimes. A feline Pokémon will leave his or her partner without warning and make his or her way back to this place for one reason or another. What those reasons are, sadly... Even I can't tell until they open their hearts to me about them if they want to talk. It's unfortunate, but when a Pokémon and partner can't seem to get along after some time, their partnership is broken and I take that Pokémon in."
Liko was horrified by what she had heard as she spluttered, "T-T-Their partnership is broken?! N-No! I can't accept that! Sprigatito's my friend and we make a great team! I'm going to look for my partner now, excuse me!"
And, with that, she went off to find Sprigatito around the area with Serrate quickly going after her rider.
"...Should we, oh, I don't know, help Pippi Longstocking look for her lost cat?" Serpent questioned as she, Koraidon, Miraidon, and Athiusa lounged about and acted as makeshift and living playground structures for Marnya's feline Pokémon.
"Nah, let's leave Liko alone for a few minutes. I think this is something best left to her since she knows Sprigatito better than we do," Sarah replied before she heard a soft meow and looked down to see a female Litten staring at her.
To her surprise, however, the Litten before her wasn't an ordinary Litten; she was a Shiny Litten who retained her species' traditional red stripes and yellow eyes but sported snowy white fur throughout her body.
"Hello, there... Now, who might you be?" she mused as she gently took the Shiny Fire Cat Pokémon in her arms and stroked her (the white-and-red Alolan Fire Starter showing no signs of aggression as she purred warmly and continued to look at her).
"Ah, Princess, I see Sora's taken a liking to you already. I've never seen even one feline Pokémon take to a human it's interested in instantaneously but it's amazing from what I'm seeing. I'm surprised to see her taking a shine to you off the bat," Marnya noted, looking at the Shiny Litten.
"Sora, that's her name? You know something about her?"
"Yes. I'm sure you know Prof. Kukui well since he was your old teacher at Principal Oak's Pokémon School, correct? From your understanding, as Alola's Pokémon Professor, one of his responsibilities was to give new trainers their first Pokémon including Litten but Sora's a peculiar case since she's one of the Pokémon I took in after she left her trainer without warning."
"For real...?" the little princess gasped in quiet shock.
"But... Why did she leave her trainer and end up with you?" puzzled Asha, confused and worried for Sora.
"Sadly, before I took her in, this sort of thing with her happened quite often. She's much different compared to the Litten I've seen and cared for; refusing to listen to her trainers during battle, going through five different trainers who had a lot of trouble with her... There had been times when she ran away and left them all together simply because she never liked them no matter what. It was like...she was never satisfied with them based on what she felt they wanted out of her and what they didn't understand about her. And, many times, trainers came to Kukui only to return her. It had gotten so bad with her that he had no choice but to send her to me when he found out about my home and what I do. I gladly took her in but her remarkable intelligence always made her an oddball with the rest of the feline Pokémon here. With her being quite judgmental compared to the other Litten here, I'm amazed she came to you now."
"Oh, dear..."
"That's terrible..." breathed a stunned Delilah and Doug, feeling bad for Sora.
Marnya nodded as she asked Sarah, "I'm sure you know of another Pokémon in your family that shared her judgmentalism, do you, Princess?"
Sarah returned her nod as she replied, "Yeah, I know that Pokémon very well...Snivy. It's always a tried and true testament that all Snivy are incredibly intelligent; I've known for a while that if they think they have a bad trainer, they'll leave them."
"Five trainers, bloody hell... I cannot imagine the torment and pain a Litten like her went through with all of them, forcing her to leave them before coming here," Tsukumaro sighed sadly for the Shiny Litten who just huffed.
"It's their own fault; they only care about power, never friendship or trust. A real bunch of lame-os," she replied before looking at Sarah again. "But, you're different..."
Meanwhile, Liko continued to look for Sprigatito alone with Serrate running alongside her. She had been rattled by the sad truth about some humans and their Partner Pokémon Marnya had laid on her and she didn't want the same thing to happen to her and Sprigatito, wanting to do whatever she could to make amends with her and ensure their bond lasts forever if she was still feeling down on herself.
And, despite having only joined the pair days ago, the female Razorwhip had grown fond of her rider and her partner and was worried about what could happen to them if Sprigatito decided to leave for reasons only she knows.
"I never wanted to break our partnership, our friendship...! Nobody knows Sprigatito better than I do, well... Apart from Sarah, I'll admit, but still... I'll bet she's high up there where she could sit in the sun and enjoy the view..." she mused worriedly as she continued to look for her partner until she noticed a Sprigatito on the roof of Marnya's house watching the heavens and immediately recognized who it was.
"Ah, I knew it! Sprigatito! There you are!"
"Huh? Serrate, Lik-!" Sprigatito began in surprise as she looked down at her partner and Serrate but noticed the wrist brace on Liko's left hand, still feeling guilty about earlier and turning away from them.
"Sprigy?" Razorwhip warbled quietly, feeling worried for Sprigatito.
"Oh, this? It'll heal up in no time! Please, don't think what happened earlier is your fault. Sprigatito, I've heard from Marnya that this was where you were raised along with Rosie, Catnip, June, Melon, and Clover, right? It's a really nice place! You wanted to visit again, is that it?"
Sprigatito said nothing; she still felt glum about her mistake and Liko's sprain coming out of it and wanted nothing to do with her if it meant the young girl getting hurt because of her. With her back still turned to her partner and Serrate, she began to walk away, much to their growing concern as they tailed her from below.
"Wait! Are you mad at me or something? You can't fool me! You're definitely a little peeved, I can tell. Maybe after we leave... We can stop somewhere and buy you some of your favorite sweets-Green Tea Cake, my treat."
"Sprigy, wait! This is just a misunderstanding! It's not that bad! You don't have to be mad at Liko! Please, wait!" Serrate begged as the Grass Cat Pokémon jumped through an open window and entered Marnya's house, prompting her and Liko to continue following her (while passing by a couple of Sprigatito enjoying themselves as they let out their sweet scent on two pillows).
"Hey, we should be getting back to the ship soon. We can finish that battle with Fuecoco and Roy if you want. Or, maybe you want a snack first, I bet you're hungry."
"These two are cute when they do that but not as cute as you, though, when you do that... H-Hey, wait! Where're you going?"
As Liko and Serrate continued to chase after Sprigatito back into the front yard, little did they and the royal family know that while they were too busy with the spunky Grass Cat Pokémon and Sora, Terapagos toddled after his human mother with Hatenna quickly following him until they came across Marnya's home.
"Sprigatito/Sprigy!" screamed Liko and Serrate as they jumped Sprigatito and caught her, trying to understand why she was pushing them (mostly Liko) away despite not knowing about her deeply stemmed guilt.
"H-Hey! What's the big idea?! Let me go! Let go of me! It's none of your business! You don't need to know!" she resisted, fighting against their combined hold while the other feline Pokémon watched from where they were as they sensed something was wrong.
"Come on, please look at me! Tell me and Serrate! What's going on?! Are you mad, are you worried? Maybe you're sad! Come on, we're supposed to be partners! We've been through so many battles and adventures together! You don't want all that to end, do you? Do you?!"
"Let go of me!"
"Not until you calm down!"
"Shut up! This is for your own...GOOD!" Sprigatito roared at them, her guilt eating away at her from within as she scratched Liko's right hand and Serrate's left paw through impulsive defiance, forcing them to let go before she ran off.
"Sprigatito...!" Liko gasped in horror, not understanding why her partner was trying to push her away and extending the same treatment to her equally-aghast Razorwhip (recalling her first encounter with the spunky and stand-offish Paldea Starter). "I-I don't understand... I don't get it, it's like everything we did was for nothing now. And, now, we're back to square one. Did I make Sprigatito hate me somehow?"
"...Liko, is Sprigy gonna...?" crooned Serrate with a whimper as she joined her rider and carefully nuzzled her wounded right hand in comfort despite sharing her worries about Sprigatito.
Liko didn't know how to answer her dragon but she truly didn't have an answer for her; she felt like crying as she eyed the cuts they got from Sprigatito's Scratch attack while she tried to push them away from her. She didn't know what else to think until she felt a comforting hand on her right shoulder, seeing Sarah as she smiled sadly at her best friend with Marnya and Sora close by.
"Sprigatito still playing 'Hard to Catch' while you're gone?" she asked, making her deflate a little before she continued, "You know... Marnya and I-we mulled it over after I told her what happened this morning before we arrived; we know why she came back here and acted as she did."
"...Really?" Liko pondered curiously as Marnya nodded in agreement, smiling warmly.
"How about some tea to help pass the time?"
Later, after inviting them, Serrate, and the rest of the royal family to her house, Marnya shared some Green Tea and biscuits with them, handing Liko one of her Meowth-shaped tea cups.
"Green Tea... Sprigatito's favorite, still bitter yet relaxing, too," the young girl thought with a sad yet bittersweet smile after she drank her tea.
"If any of you are hungry, please have a snack," Marnya added as she brought a bowl of biscuits and sweets to her guests while helping herself to a cup.
"Thank you, Lady Marnya," Tsukumaro smiled in appreciation with Liko nodding in agreement despite her worries about Sprigatito pushing her away as she did.
The Cat Breeder eyed Liko's downcast face and continued smiling warmly at her, seeing so much of Sprigatito in the young girl as she told her, "Maybe the truth is...partners tend to act and think alike. Our Pokémon of the hour made the exact same face I see on you now."
Liko gasped in surprise as she asked Marnya, "Wait, which Pokémon is that? Was it, my Sprigatito?"
"...Liko."
The young girl turned to her best friend (who was gently rubbing Sora as she had a catnap on her lap) as the little princess told her, "I know Rosie told me about Sprigatito leaving the Brave Olivine to come here and about how down she looked when she, Clover, June, Catnip, and Melon saw her but I also talked with Roy about your sparring match earlier. He told me that when you two used Leafage and Fuecoco dodged upon his order, when Terapagos and Hatenna were in the attack's path, and then, you jumped in to save them, you ended up spraining your wrist as a result and she looked rather shocked about it. I also could've sworn I saw her looking downtrodden while she watched you from the medical bay's door as Mollie and I patched you up though it never crossed my mind until later."
She looked at the Cat Breeder, wanting to know how Sprigatito became the Pokémon she is now before meeting Liko, "Marnya, has Sprigatito always been like that? When exactly did you know that she was meant for Liko?"
Marnya smiled as she recalled Sprigatito's story and everything she went through before meeting Liko at Indigo Academy, "You know, it's quite the story despite how sad it became for her before meeting your young friend, Princess."
(Flashback)
Sometime before she discovered Liko and was sent to Indigo Academy to meet her and become her Partner Pokémon, Sprigatito would spend her days in Marnya's home basking in the sunlight on her favorite spot on her house's roof. In those days, she was bored with her life and wanted something exciting to happen; something that would allow her to become part of something bigger than she was and that was more fun to her. She wasn't content with her current life as she didn't want to mingle with the other feline Pokémon let alone the other Sprigatito (which also included the likes of Rosie, Catnip, June, Clover, and Melon before they all formally met her and joined the royal family).
"She was basking in the sun on her favorite rooftop before you met her. She seemed to be saying'This is so dull. Come on, take me someplace more fun!'. Even when the other Sprigatito including Rosie, June, Clover, Melon, and Catnip before the quintet met you all sometime later, she remained aloof and distracted, bored even. And, yet, there was a time when the other Sprigatito were having play Pokémon Battles."
This continued until one day when the other Sprigatito were having fun doing pretend Pokémon battles when one of them fired a small Leafage attack at one of its fellow Grass Cat Pokémon but the Sprigatito that dodged the move lost its footing on the rooftop and started to fall. However, Liko's Sprigatito gasped in surprise before she used her own Leafage (which was surprisingly powerful despite the attack being her most basic move) to soften its fall. That did the trick as it landed safely on the ground and the other Sprigatito (including Rosie, June, Clover, Melon, and Catnip) were all left in admiration, thanking her for saving their friend and singing their praises despite her not being fond of seeking attention.
"I was astonished by what I saw, her Leafage had such impressive power. Your partner truly has a natural talent for battling, right, Liko?"
"It's true, Sprigatito's Leafage is amazing, So, what happened after she saved that other Sprigatito from falling?" the young girl asked.
"After that day, she came to be widely admired by the other feline Pokémon as the one with the most formidable Leafage out of all the Sprigatito living here. She came down from the roof and started to have fun with her fellow Sprigatito, she looked so much happier back then."
"Wow, so she did manage to make friends before we met. I'm so glad to hear that, I would never want her to feel lonely."
However, Marnya frowned sadly as she began to recall something that would rock Sprigatito's life and change her forever until her eventual meeting with Liko.
"Well, about that..." she began carefully.
"...Did, something happen that shook her to her core, badly?" Sarah asked, trying to be as gentle with the topic of Sprigatito's past life as she could from what she picked up from Marnya's tone.
The Cat Breeder nodded gravely; one day, Liko's Sprigatito was hanging out with the five female Grass Cat Pokémon that would later become the Royal Sprigatito after meeting Sarah and her family (and before Rosie's eventual evolution to Floragato). They were in the front yard and forest bordering their home while harvesting ripe Oran Berries using Leafage and Petal Blizzard for Marnya (while she was sweeping nearby) and their fellow Sprigatito and playing with each other as usual. Liko's Sprigatito continued to surprise her friends by jumping up and using her favorite attack to knock down several ripe Oran Berries she found before they ate them happily.
"One afternoon, she had joined the others including Rosie, Catnip, Melon, Clover, and June, and was playing with them as usual. But, then..."
Suddenly, without warning, two web threads came down and entangled three of the nine Sprigatito that were playing, terrifying them and catching Sprigatito, Rosie, Clover, Catnip, Melon, June, and Marnya's attention as they stared at the culprit.
"What was that?!" Marnya gasped as they saw a deadly Spidops, the Trap Pokémon, having successfully ensnared its chosen prey with glee.
But, their three Sprigatito friends weren't the only ones captured by the wild Spidops and there was worse to come because Rosie and her four fellow Sprigatito noticed a younger Spidops joining the fray. However, she, Clover, June, Melon, and Catnip gasped in shock as the second Spidops captured a male Quaxly and a female Fuecoco in its web (the two Paldea Starters having been wounded badly, telling her that they had been fighting who was their mortal enemy sometime before and were finally captured as they didn't have the strength to keep resisting it).
"It was a pair of Spidops, the Trap Pokémon; every now and then, they would sneak into the grounds to lay traps and terrorize our Pokémon. This included a wild Quaxly and Fuecoco we saw with the second Spidops, realizing that they fell into one of its traps while they minded their own business from afar and tried to fight their way out after they got caught but to no avail."
Angered by the wild Spidops pair and wanting to help their friends, Quaxly, and Fuecoco (despite the Trap Pokémon pair's taunts), Liko's Sprigatito and Rosie channeled their anger and attacked the evil predatory spider-like Pokémon. Unfortunately, while Rosie was able to free the wild Quaxly and Fuecoco (whom Catnip and Clover caught) and June and Melon used Quick Attack and Leafage to send the second Spidops away, Liko's Sprigatito had not only blown the first Spidops away with her powerful Leafage but also got their friends caught in the crossfire.
To their and Marnya's horror, as the captured Sprigatito were freed and blown away, they ended up being knocked into a nearby tree and got minor wounds in the process. The Grass Type attack that made Liko's Sprigatito so popular with everyone had now become her greatest folly.
"Oh, Arceus!"
"Guys!"
"Oh, no!"
"Oh, those poor things!"
After the Spidops pair were dealt with and their friends, Quaxly, and Fuecoco were rescued (the latter two who would eventually become Crest and Chili after meeting Sarah during her, Race, and Asha's Paldea escapades), Marnya set to work on treating their wounds, feeling relieved that none of them were too badly hurt. But, as she, Rosie, June, Clover, Catnip, and Melon watched from the door, despite the relief they felt for their friends and the wild Duckling and Fire Croc Pokémon, Liko's Sprigatito couldn't help but feel great shame as she knew her Leafage attack was too much for their friends to comprehend.
"It's alright, loves. You'll all be just fine."
The ramifications of what happened after that became apparent when she came to see her friends and play with them as normal after they were healed. Unfortunately, they became terrified of her strength despite their previous admiration and ran off in fear, wanting nothing to do with her anymore despite her attempts to reconnect with them. Realizing that the friends she once had were gone because of her own power, she regressed to her previous behavior as a lone wolf (vowing never to use her Leafage attack again if it meant hurting those she loved).
However, five Sprigatito who weren't scared of her after the Spidops incident were Rosie, Catnip, June, Clover, and Melon. They tried to get her to come down from the rooftop and hang out with them instead, never blaming her for what had happened that day. But, no matter what they did, and to their dismay, she always avoided the quintet and kept her distance from them (despite appreciating them for not fearing or hating her for what she had done).
Saddened by Liko's Sprigatito regressing to her original lone wolf persona but in a much more heartbroken fashion, Rosie, Catnip, June, Melon, and Clover thought it best to give her time alone until she is ready to speak with and hang out with them again (all of them vowing to wait until she felt ready to open herself up to having friends and being happy again).
"Your Sprigatito, Liko, was just trying to help her friends just as Rosie, Catnip, Melon, June, and Clover were able to help Quaxly and Fuecoco. But, it seemed her Leafage was perhaps...too strong for them; after that, they were afraid of her and whenever she would approach them, they would run away apart from Rosie, Clover, Catnip, June, and Melon, as they didn't blame her for what happened nor were they scared of her. They tried everything to get her to hang out and play with them like always but she always avoided them, keeping a good distance away from her. That experience with the Spidops pair left Sprigatito so despondent and rattled to her core that she vowed never to use Leafage again."
(End Flashback)
The silence that followed was amazing. Sarah and her family were astonished and shocked by what they heard while Rosie, Catnip, June, Clover, and Melon frowned sadly, remembering everything that happened following the Spidops incident. But, Liko was most shocked by how tragic things had become for her partner despite the happier moments she once had. She now understood why Sprigatito never gelled with her immediately when they first met at Indigo Academy.
"Wow..."
"Oh, the poor dear..."
"Bloody hell, that must've been rough for the little darling," David, Donna (former queen), and Tsukumaro frowned solemnly.
"I-I had no idea..." Liko began, unsure of what to say.
"...So, is it true that Rosie, Clover, Melon, Catnip, and June never blamed her for the aftermath of the Spidops incident?" Sarah asked Marnya, now feeling a deep pain and worry for Liko's Sprigatito given her sad background.
Marnya nodded again as she finished, "The other Sprigatito eventually found their partners and went off to their own homes but Liko's Sprigatito stayed on the roof alone."
Liko thought back to the first time she tried to have Sprigatito learn to use Leafage only for her to hesitate at her call, now with a newfound understanding of why she initially didn't want to use it again (looking at her bandaged and braced left wrist as she thought back to her and Roy's sparring match), "Come to think of it... I get it, it all makes sense now. Maybe Sprigatito didn't want to use Leafage after the Spidops affair, that's why she's so...possessive of me. And, when I got hurt earlier this morning, I unintentionally brought back those bad memories for her. She must've thought I would be afraid of her now and pull away from her as her old friends had even after I told her I was fine. After that, she left and came back here..."
"As for Rosie, June, Melon, Clover, and Catnip, they stayed for her sake and Quaxly and Fuecoco offered to remain here to help keep her company. Of course, many trainers who passed by wanted them as their Partner Pokémon but they wanted nothing to do with them, thinking she was more important than them. But, they did find time to care for Quaxly and Fuecoco once they started to live here, Rosie making the most effort given it was her they owed their lives to."
The Cat Breeder smiled at Rosie as she played with an Espurr and Skitty, telling Sarah, "And, speaking of the wild Quaxly and Fuecoco Rosie rescued at that time, Princess, have you ever wondered what happened to them afterward?"
Sarah looked at Rosie and tried to picture her as a Sprigatito and the Espurr and Skitty living in Marnya's care as the wild Quaxly and Fuecoco she mentioned. It took only a moment for her to imagine the trio in their current evolved forms while having fun together and it finally clicked with her.
"Wait... You mean, Rosie saved Chili and Crest?" she gasped in utter shock.
Marnya giggled and confirmed to her, "And, after some time together, she, Crest, and Chili were brought to Uva Academy by Director Clavell and made part of your, your husband, and your sister's new student orientation when you'd have to choose one of them as your new Partner Pokémon. Since they first met you from what Clavell told me, however, they've often had you of all people on their minds after he saw how well you got along with them. They couldn't imagine being with another trainer apart from you. Of course, it was a little hard for Catnip, Melon, June, and Clover to say goodbye to them when they left for the academy but I had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time they'd see them, especially Rosie."
She returned her attention to Liko as she told her how she unintentionally changed Sprigatito for the better (thinking back to her student interview with the Indigo Academy faculty and the Grass Cat Pokémon took a keen interest in the young girl during her entire meeting when she saw her for the first time), "It was also a huge relief for me throughout your first online meeting that Sprigatito saw you there, Liko, and well, I just knew."
"Huh, what first meeting?" Liko pondered in surprise.
(Flashback)
It was during Liko's first days in Indigo Academy shortly before or after she first met Ann and was currently doing her interview with the school faculty, being shown a variety of Starter Pokémon since one of them would be her very first Pokémon. Amongst the Starters present at the meeting were Tepig, Cyndaquil, Squirtle, Chikorita, Totodile, and Rowlet, and to top it all off, Sprigatito herself was there. With her was Marnya and as they watched her meeting taking place, the Cat Breeder could see that Sprigatito was looking at her with interest, something she had never seen in her before which gave her reassurance that the lone wolf of a Grass Type still burdened by her Leafage attack and knack for battling needed someone like Liko to help her out.
"Remember your meeting with the school and they showed you a bunch of Starter Pokémon, knowing that one of them will eventually become your Partner Pokémon? I happened to be there, too, observing, and I could tell with one glance that this promising young girl would become the best partner for her. Her wide-stricken eyes said it all, she was gazing at your image on that screen from your teacher's Rotom Phone the entire time. I think she knew intuitively you two were meant to be friends from that day forward..."
(End Flashback)
"Sprigy!"
"Sprigatito! Sprigatito" Liko and Serrate shouted as they went out looking for Sprigatito again, now joined by Sarah and Rosie who decided to help them look for and console her in her darkest hour yet.
"And so, if your Sprigatito came back here on her own accord, it could be because she didn't want to hurt anyone precious to her anymore. At least, that's what I believe in my heart to be true."
Eventually, their search took them to the Oran Berry patch where the Spidops incident occurred several months ago (with Rosie recalling everything that led to Sprigatito being abandoned by some of her old friends and her, Clover, June, Melon, and Catnip meeting and rescuing Crest and Chili when they were a Quaxly and a Fuecoco). With Liko's partner, Sprigatito was sadly walking alone until she came across a fallen ripe Oran Berry and noticed the berry patch, letting out a sad meow and thinking of her old friends who abandoned her in their newfound fear of her and her power after she saved them despite the minor wounds they got in the aftermath of the Spidops debacle.
"Sprigatito! We found you!"
"Liko, Serrate! Sarah, Rosie...!" she meowed upon seeing her partner, Sarah, Rosie, and Serrate having caught up with her.
A part of her wanted to feel happy but her guilt from earlier continued to eat away at her further and she tried to walk away from them until the young girl got in front of her, "No, you don't."
She frowned in annoyance and tried to jump over her partner only for Liko to catch her and begin tickling her in response, "Gotcha! You're not getting away from me this time, take this!"
Sprigatito yowled over this and she started to laugh the more Liko tickled her until she extended her claws and tried to use Scratch on her again to make her let go. But, as she prepared to attack, the young girl immediately stopped and smiled at her, making the Grass Cat Pokémon wonder what she would do next. All the while, Sarah, Rosie, and Serrate just smiled warmly at them, knowing they needed a moment like this together after everything they went through.
"It's okay, I don't mind if you scratch me again."
"Liko...?" Sprigatito meowed, surprised.
"You scratched me when we first met, too. So many things started for us that day, and since then, my heart has been pounding non-stop over everything; Sarah getting kidnapped after saving you, jumping off of rooftops, running around, going to unfamiliar towns and regions," Liko continued, recalling everything she and Sprigatito went through since they met Sarah, Race, and their family during their Indigo Academy days.
"So many things felt new and scary but I went through all of them...because I had you with me. Because of you, I kept smiling to the end and had fun with our friends no matter how terrible or scary things got for us. Because of you, I was able to find the courage to live these last several weeks since we first met Sarah and her family to the fullest. Whenever I need to overcome something new on the horizon, I want you to be with me when we do, Sprigatito. Don't you agree?"
Sprigatito was awestruck by Liko's words from her heart and she realized that despite her need to protect her and her family and friends by pushing them away when they get hurt because of her, she couldn't imagine life without the joy and happiness they brought her. She needed them in her life and didn't want to go back to being a lone wolf.
Eventually, she retracted her claws after coming to this realization. And, finally, when her partner brought her in for a hug, she gently touched her left cheek and accepted a long-awaited hug from her human partner (the emotional connection of family and friendship she desperately needed back in her life after being abandoned by her former friends).
"Sprigatito..." Liko sighed heavenly.
"Liko..." Sprigatito smiled, no longer ashamed of herself while accepting Serrate's warmth and forgiveness for earlier as the relieved Razorwhip joined their group hug and Rosie and Sarah smiled brightly at them.
"MAMA!"
"HATENNA, TERAPAGOS!"
"WHERE ARE YOU TROUBLEMAKERS?!"
A chill suddenly ran down Sarah and Rosie's spines and Serrate, Sprigatito, and Liko gasped in surprise when they broke off their group hug as they all heard the voices, the little princess and her Floragato immediately recognizing all three of them coming from the forest.
"It can't be...!" Sarah breathed before they and Liko and her partners nodded, immediately going into the forest before they came across Hatenna, Terapagos, and a flustered and annoyed Chili and Crest (the latter two panting and looking furious at the Calming Pokémon and baby Tera Pokémon as they had been searching for the pair after they disappeared from the Dragon Craft and the Brave Olivine).
"Hatenna, Terapagos!"
"What are you two doing here?! You're supposed to stay at the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft!"
"Chili, Crest!? What have you two been doing, why are you here?" Rosie gawked at her friends/siblings.
"Don't ask!"
"But, you can pin the blame on those two for wandering off as they did," Chili and Crest grumbled as they continued to catch their breath, referring to Liko's Terapagos and Hatenna before Sprigatito noticed a familiar web of thread trained on her sisters.
"LOOK OUT!" she hissed before Hatenna and Terapagos were snatched by a familiar predatory Pokémon.
Rosie soon noticed another web coming down towards Chili and Crest and she quickly pushed them out of the way before she was also snatched by a second predatory Pokémon that was also all too familiar to the trio, "WAAAAAAHHHH!"
"ROSIE!" Chili and Crest cried in horror as they, Serrate, Sprigatito, Sarah, and Liko saw Terapagos, Rosie, and Hatenna in the clutches of the Spidops pair from before.
"Oh, no!"
"Those Pokémon!"
"Are they-?!"
"It's the Spidops Brothers!" Doug, Delilah, Asha, and Marnya shouted in alarm as they, David, Donna (former queen), Tsukumaro, Nikki, James, Catnip, Melon, June, Clover, Koraidon, Miraidon, Absol, Mulan, Athiusa, and Serpent arrived at the scene of the disaster.
"Rosie/Oh, no!" Catnip, Melon, June, and Clover screamed as they saw Rosie, Terapagos, and Hatenna struggling and flailing about, trying to break themselves free from the Spidops Brothers' webs but to no avail.
"Nobody move!"
"You meddling kittens! If you move one inch, we'll rip their little hearts out and have them for dinner!" sneered the two Spidops glaring at the five Grass Cat Pokémon standing, eager for revenge.
Seeing Liko's baby Pokémon and Rosie in trouble, Crest, Chili, Sprigatito, Clover, Melon, June, and Catnip growled furiously at the Spidops pair, their fur, hair tuffs, and feathers bristling with rage as they recalled the Trap Pokémon from their first encounter with them. Sprigatito prepared to attack first as her neck leaves shone in a green light. But then, she recalled how she got her old friends hurt by using Leafage and striking the Spidops out of anger and sending them to a tree by accident and suddenly stopped, not wanting to go through that ordeal again.
"Sprigatito?!"
"Come on, Sprigatito!"
"What are you waiting for?"
"We don't blame you for what happened months ago! Remember?!" June, Clover, Catnip, and Melon begged their friend, not wanting her to lose to her old fears again.
"Mom! Come on, we need to get our heads in the game!"
"We gotta break Rosie, Terapagos, and Hatenna free from those Pet Sanctuary spider brains!" Crest and Chili called to Sarah.
"Right!" the little princess agreed.
Then, Clover, June, Catnip, and Melon turned to Delilah, Donna (former queen), and Nikki as they wanted to fight to help save Rosie and their friends. They didn't need to say anything; they knew exactly what their Grass Cat Pokémon meant and agreed Diane would also approve of their actions without hesitation if it meant saving everyone they loved from evil beings and predatory Pokémon such as the Spidops Brothers.
Liko concurred with them as she encouraged Sprigatito to go through with the attack despite her worries, "Don't sweat it, Sprigatito. You can do it. Just remember everything we've been through, we're in this together and you're not alone anymore!"
"...Right!" Sprigatito replied, looking between her friends as they gave her reassuring nods and smiles and trusted her to lead them into battle against the Spidops Brothers. "Formation!"
With the five Sprigatito standing together and Chili and Crest on either their right or left, the seven Pokémon steeled themselves as they focused their respective energies, eyeing the Spidops Brothers and remembering everything they went through with the rest of their family and friends. Once they were ready, upon their respective owners' calls, they fired their chosen attacks at the Trap Pokémon while remembering to free their victims.
"Use Leafage!"
"Attack, now!"
"Ember plus Water Gun!"
Together, Crest, Catnip, June, Sprigatito, Clover, Melon, and Chili fired their attacks at the Spidops Brothers. But, rather than a convergence of Leafage, Water Gun, and Ember as intended, they shot what looked like a concentrated beam of heat, a more powerful high-pressured beam akin to Water Gun, a raging and swirling plumage of leaves, and a beam of glowing leaves that supposedly looked like Leafage.
And, there was another surprise in store that helped them save Hatenna, Terapagos, and Rosie; without warning, a swift blur of white and red appeared in a burst of speed, darting around the predatory Bug Types as the converged attacks made their marks (with the two new Grass Type moves veering in a curve and striking the two Spidops without mercy while freeing their victims in the process). Then, once they were wounded and sent flying, the blur charged toward them with a loud battle cry before it encased itself in a ball of fire and increased its speed. It then bashed them hard, inflicting them with a burn status and sending them flying further away from the forest and Marnya's home to where they could do no more harm.
"LOOKS LIKE WE'RE BLASTING OFF WITHOUT A MEAL!" the Spidops Brothers wailed in defeat as they twinkled out of the sky and Hatenna and Terapagos landed safely in the bushes while Chili and Crest caught Rosie before she could hit the ground.
"And, stay out, you parasitic scum!" the blur snapped at the defeated Bug Types, revealing itself to be none other than Sora.
"Sora!" Sarah gasped, shocked to see the Shiny Litten (since she was left inside Marnya's house when the little princess, her family, and the Cat Breeder left to see what the matter was after hearing Hatenna's cry and Chili and Crest's exasperated screams) who just gave her a nod.
"Is everybody okay?" Sora asked the five Sprigatito, Rosie, Crest, and Chili as she joined them and helped Terapagos and Hatenna off the bushes.
"Sure, we are!"
"No problamo!"
"We got everything under control."
"Absolutely," grinned Catnip, Melon, June, and Clover while Sprigatito remained silent, completely astounded by what she did and her new move.
"You're late, girlfriend."
"But, better late than never with your cool entrance," Crest and Chili joked.
"Not a moment sooner, thanks," thanked Rosie, smiling in appreciation at the Shiny Alolan Fire Starter.
"We...we did it! You did it! That was great, Sprigatito!"
"Liko!" Liko and Sprigatito cheered as Sarah, her family, and Marnya became astonished at the new attacks they saw from Chili, Crest, Sprigatito, Catnip, Melon, June, and Clover.
"Those moves they just used; they looked like Magical Leaf, Leaf Storm, Hydro Pump, and Heat Wave!" Marnya gasped in awe.
"Wait, Magical Leaf, Leaf Storm? Hydro Pump and Heat Wave?" Liko echoed in surprise.
"They forsook Leafage, Water Gun, and Ember for those moves to protect Rosie, Terapagos, and Hatenna?" Sarah added in amazement.
Maryna smiled in confirmation as she told the little princess and the young girl, "Your bonds with them were so strong that they caused their moves to strengthen as well. And, with Chili and Crest, they owed their lives to Rosie for saving them months ago so you could say, Princess, everything that happened to them since that day came full circle with them returning the favor they owed her."
"Really?"
"Whoa," Sprigatito, Chili, and Crest breathed in awe while Clover, Melon, Catnip, and June cheered and shared their happiness with their royal human partners.
"I'll say it again, Sprigatito, you're amazing!" Liko cheered for her partner just as Hatenna and Tearapgos reunited with them with Sora and Rosie joining them. "Are you two alright?"
"We're fine, Mama."
"Sprig-Sprig save us!" Hatenna and Terapagos cooed in reply as they happily nuzzled their big sister, the spunky Grass Cat Pokémon now appreciating the love they gave her and with the events of her past finally off her shoulders.
With Sora, she went towards Sarah and gave her a small smile; she had seen everything after following her family and Marnya before she decided to help them save Hatenna, Rosie, and Terapagos at the last moment.
"Sora, I wasn't expecting you to come, but... What you did after my family's Sprigatito, Liko's partner, Chili, and Crest learned their new moves, thank you," she smiled back at her.
Sora nodded in reply, but then, she was given the shock of a lifetime that would change her forever when the little princess offered, "...Sora, I know you had it rough with stupid trainers who wanted nothing but power out of you. And, Marnya did mention how you would refuse to listen to them all because you didn't like them, I get that... I can't imagine what you've gone through just by how you've been treated beforehand. If you're looking for a new trainer and a new life, to make the most of your smarts, would you consider having me as your trainer? I'll make sure you'll live your life to the fullest the way *you want* and we'll have lots of fun together throughout our adventures with your new family, mine..."
The Shiny Litten was baffled by what she had heard. But, after thinking about it for a moment, she couldn't help but smile and give her a warm nuzzle (with tears of joy starting to well up in her eyes despite her species' cool cat disposition) as she realized that she had found her true trainer; someone who actually showed her what she was looking for in a human she'd call "Partner" and didn't see her as a tool for power. There were certainly no objections from Sarah's parents, grandparents, godfather, and their Pokémon as they smiled at her with Clover, Catnip, Melon, June, Crest, Rosie, Chili, Miraidon, and Koraidon eagerly giving her happy nuzzles to welcome her as the newest member of the Alolan Royal Family.
Marnya noticed how happy Sprigatito and Sora were with their human companions (old and new) and their families and friends and she couldn't help but feel relieved and overwhelmed with joy for them, "Well, now, you two finally found them - two real families of your own."
The Cat Breeder didn't need to say anything else; she finally felt at peace in her own way and was truly happy and content for Sprigatito and Sora having found people, creatures, and Pokémon to call families and were no longer burdened by their respective pasts bogging them down.
Dusk fell after the group said their goodbyes to Marnya and returned to the Dragon Craft and the Brave Olivine with Sora in tow. Of course, Kukui was surprised to see her again after so long and to find out she was now under Sarah's wing as her newest Pokémon and her final Alolan Starter. The Shiny Litten was also glad to see the Alolan Professor again, being formally introduced to his family upon seeing Burnet and Lei (the baby boy babbling curiously at her as she gently nuzzled her).
The Alolan Professor was delighted to hear that Marnya had given Sora to his best student as he shared her happiness in knowing she had finally found the trainer she was looking for. Hootie, Primarina, Aqua, and Ash's Rowlet were ecstatic to have another Alolan Starter and they welcomed her into their group with open arms with Zorua joking that Sarah now had three sets of Starter Pokemon on her (which the little princess didn't mind at all).
For the matter concerning the new base and her home for her family's new Zords, Sarah got into contact with Greeta, Clavell, the AIs of Arven's Parents, Lusamine, Commander Shaw, Solon, and the Beast Morphers and Dino Fury teams to tell them what had happened the day before. They (especially Nate and Steel) were stunned to hear about the Leo Eight (whom Sarah and her family decided to call after they accepted them as their own) but quickly understood the need for and logic behind a new base in the Mountain Range bordering the Great Crater once she went into detail about them (given it was close to the Barbaric Archipelago in the Viking Teens' case, the possibility of more dragons having made their homes in Paldea, and it'll give the heroes another leg up against the Explorers in their next inevitable plan to capture Rayquaza).
To her delight, and with AI Sada and AI Toro's emphasis on the base providing better supervision of the rogue Paradox Pokémon, the mountain base and the need for it was green-lit and she had permission to construct it.
Feeling like they could do anything now with their bond renewed and her new Magical Leaf attack, Liko and Sprigatito decided to resume their sparring match with Roy and Fuecoco. But, this time, they had Sarah, her human family, Rosie, Chili, Crest, Clover, Catnip, June, Melon, Sora, Friede, Cap, Murdock, Orla, Mollie, Serrate, Char, Plume, Quaxly, and even Dot all watching them battle.
"Fuecoco, use Ember!" Roy began, having Fuecoco make the first move with Ember once more.
"Quick Attack, go!" Liko countered, having Sprigatito dodge Ember and charge at her friend.
"Stomping Tantrum!"
"Jump to dodge it!" they continued as Fuecoco used Stomping Tantrum to send stalagmites straight at Sprigatito which she easily dodged as she then hovered in the air (getting into position to use her new attack).
"Here it comes, Fuecoco! Dodge it!"
"Got it!"
"Use Magical Leaf!"
"Huh, what's Magical Leaf?!"
"Eat my new magic, Fuecoco!" Sprigatito smirked as she fired off her new attack.
Roy was surprised by Liko's calling of her partner's new attack but Fuecoco was staggered by Sprigatito's Magical Leaf coming at him as he had nothing in his current move set to counter it. He did his best to dodge it but despite that, there was no contest as it veered back towards him and dealt him a massive blow, clinching the sparring match for its owner and Liko.
"OH, NO, FUECOCO!" screamed the young adventurer as he saw his partner crash-land on the Wing Deck and groan in defeat, having swirls over his eyes.
Sarah and her family smiled proudly and cheered for Liko and Sprigatito while the Rising Volt Tacklers gasped in amazement with Friede and Cap looking impressed and Dot in awe as they breathed, "Ah, how about that?"
"What a finish."
"Whoa, they got even stronger..."
"We did it, Sprigatito!" Liko cheered.
"Liko!" Sprigatito grinned as they shared a high-five, their bond stronger than ever and with a brighter future ahead of them.
Occurred Events
Clover, June, Catnip,Melon and Sprigatito learn Leaf Storm
Crest learns Hydro Pump
Chili learns Heat Wave
Liko learns her Sprigatito's History and meets Marnya for the first time and learns Magical Leaf
Sarah catches Sora, a female Litten with ties to Kukui and with a troubling past
To Be Continued...
