Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet

Chapter 13: Showdown with the Sugarbug

"Welcome back, Milo! I hear you were on a roll out there!" the Gym Building Receptionist said with a warm smile, laughing at his own joke as Milo smirked. "A big congratulations from me for successfully clearing the Gym Test! You've now earned the right to challenge the Gym Leader! Best of luck!"

"So how does that actually work?" Milo asked the man behind the counter, who helpfully explained the process.

Essentially, Gym Challengers would book an appointment within 24 hours to battle the Gym Leader after completing the Gym Test. It was all very professional and organized, and after a glance at the appointment book Milo chose a spot in the early afternoon at 1300 the next day. Plenty of time for his stomach to settle and spend some more time with his team.

Milo went back to the hotel and headed to bed early, but not before getting a group photo of himself and all of his Pokémon on his Rotom Phone. The teen woke up early the next morning and simply enjoyed sleeping in without worrying about the dangers of the Wilds. His stomach was also feeling much better. After going downstairs and greeting a very sleepy Mark, Milo also enjoyed the complimentary breakfast while attempting to keep his team under control.

Reggie and Cocoa were getting into a loud squabble with Storm, who was chasing Sparky around and around the dining area (much to the amusement of the other hotel guests). Pepper just barked loudly the entire time, adding to the chaos. Shelly floated in the air, giggling the entire time as Milo attempted to restore calm.

Thankfully Koraidon had things in hand. After ten minutes of pandemonium, it finally lost its patience and the draconic mount let out a menacing growl that forced all of the Pokémon totally still. A stern glare from the powerful beast made them lower their heads in submission before meekly returning to their meals.

The large lizard nodded once, grunting a few times before turning towards the table. It then stuck out its long tongue and scooped up the last piece of Milo's bacon (Lechonk, of course) and devoured it without an ounce of shame as Milo gave the Pokémon a deadpan stare. Milo returned to his toast and eggs with a roll of the eyes, though he was smiling at how easily Koraidon had asserted its will over the other Pokémon. Even with its injuries, it was still an apex predator and demanded respect from the weaker Pokémon on Milo's team.

An hour later Milo was walking into the Gym Building. He had healed his team and ensured that they had everything they needed to fight at their absolute best. All he could do was hope he could sweep through Katy's team quickly.

"Ahh, good morning Mister Milo. You're a few minutes early for your appointment, but that's fine. Are you ready to challenge Gym Leader Katy, the Sugarbug?" the Gym Building Receptionist asked Milo, who nodded in response as he approached the counter. "Very well. Allow me to show you to the battle court."

The Gym Building Receptionist walked out from behind the counter and called out an Ralts. Within moments, the Gym Building Receptionist and Milo were teleported to just outside of the Patisserie Soapberry. The Gym Building Receptionist led Milo up the large set of stairs and up to the large battle court.

On the sides of the court were dozens of excited spectators, snacking on what Milo assumed were treats sold at the Patisserie Soapberry. There were several teens (wearing aprons and nametags identifying them as workers at the establishment) handing out refreshments, but Milo tore his attention away from that and looked to the Gym Building Receptionist.

"This is where I leave you. Good luck." The man said with a warm smile, bowing to Milo as the teen thanked him for his help.

As the Receptionist teleported away with his Ralts, Milo walked onto the battle court. He stood opposite a woman who was speaking to one of the butterfly Pokémon Milo had seen down in the Pokémon Gym Building lobby earlier. She held out her hand to the butterfly Pokémon, allowing it to eat something from her hand.

"Eat up, my cute little Vivillon!" the woman said sweetly, beaming at the Vivillon. The Pokémon let out a soft cry, spinning around and scattering sparkling powder onto the ground. Milo smiled at the display, and as Vivillon fluttered away the Gym Leader turned to face Milo so he was able to get a proper look at her.

She was a rather beautiful woman in her late-twenties with bright green eyes wearing a brown and tan chef's outfit, with a kindly face and a mole on her left cheek. She had pale green hair with a portion of it tied into a tight bun that resembled a cocoon. She wore long gloves and an apron that had a white spider-web on the front, with three Poké Balls attached to it.

"Oh? What a lovely Trainer you are." The Gym Leader said as she crossed her arms, smiling warmly at the student. She dropped her hands and said, "Thank you very much for your skillful olive rolling yesterday. It was quite impressive."

"I feel a little bad that I used my Pokémon to help me out, but after Smoliv Garden, I needed the assist. I had fun with it though, ma'am." Milo said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. The woman giggled at the remark before she straightened up, realizing something.

"Oh? Did I forget to introduce myself? Forgive me." The Gym Leader apologized, placing a hand against her chest while holding out the other. "My name is Katy, and I am the owner here at Patisserie Soapberry."

"Florian Caballero, ma'am. You can call me Milo, though." The Galarian offered, shaking the Gym Leader's hand respectfully as the crowd let out several whoops in response.

Katy then gasped, shaking her head. "Oh? That's right, I'm not in my shop-I'm on duty as leader of the Cortondo Gym right now!"

"It's okay, Katy! You rule!"

"Go Sugarbug!"

"Yo yo, Katy's the best!"

Milo glanced over at the crowd, where some of the spectators were holding signs showing support for the Gym Leader. In particular, several teens Milo's age were sporting foam fingers and waving a sign in the air.

"Forgive me." Katy said as she cleared her throat. "My name is Katy, and I am the Gym Leader here in Cortondo. My main line of work is crafting sweets as a pastry chef."

"I saw some of the stuff on-sale as we passed by. It looked really good." Milo said with a grin as the woman laughed demurely.

"Little sweets that bring happiness with just one bite, Bug-type Pokémon hiding in the foliage…Both are small and yet very powerful." Katy said with a smile, closing her eyes for a moment and then re-opening them. "Don't let your guard down unless you would like to find yourself knocked off of your feet!"

"The Gym Battle between the Challenger, Florian 'Milo' Caballero of Naranja Academy and Cortondo Gym Leader Katy will now begin. Trainers, assume your positions on your side of the battle court!" the referee called to the two of them. Katy and Milo turned on their heels and took their spots. "The challenger is allowed to use up to six Pokémon. The Gym Leader will be using three for this Gym Battle. Substitutions for both Trainers are allowed. Trainers, are you ready?"

"Yes!" Milo called, drawing his first Poké Ball. He mentally went through the list of Pokémon he had with him. Reggie, Sparky, Cocoa, Pepper, Shelly and Storm. Fuecoco, Pawmi, Wooper, Machiff, Shellder and Wattrel.

"I'm ready!" Katy nodded, her pleasant smile becoming a smirk. The crowd let out a loud cheer at Katy's declaration.

"Let the Gym Battle begin!" the referee shouted, waving his flag downwards before stepping back. Milo's eyes widened as music began to play, and he glanced to his other side to see a brass band with a variety of instruments playing an upbeat jazz tune. Meanwhile, Katy adjusted her glove and pulled out a Poké Ball of her own.

"Nymble, let's go!" Katy called as she tossed her Poké Ball, sending out a small grasshopper-like Pokémon that Milo had seen a few times now.

"Time to roll the dice…Reggie, let's heat things up!" Milo called as he sent out his trusty Starter, who let out a loud growl as he appeared in a flash of light. Milo bit back a hiss of pain as the Nuzlocke Curse struck, sending a stab of tension through his body.

"Don't take my Bug-type Pokémon lightly. You will be in for a world of pain if you do!" Katy warned Milo as the younger Trainer pulled out his Rotom Phone, quickly pulling up the Pokédex App to see what Nymble's entry was.

"Nymble. The Grasshopper Pokémon. It has its third set of legs folded up. When it's in a tough spot, this Pokémon jumps over 30 feet using the strength of its legs." Milo nodded as he stuffed his phone into his back pocket. It was then that a very unwelcome presence made itself known.

It's showtime!

"Shut your face, I've got a battle to win!" Milo thought at the Voice with annoyance as he pulled out his Tera Orb. As he did so, he closed his eyes and his face became a mask of absolute calm as any stress about the present situation was hidden away. "Reggie, let's go full-power right out of the gate! Terastallize!"

"Oh dear. Already?" Katy said with a small sigh as Milo held out his Tera Orb, gathering Terastal Energy and throwing the orb towards Reggie, causing him to Terastallize into his Fire-type Tera Form.

"Now we're cooking." Milo said with a man excited grin as Reggie let out a cry, flames exploding forth from his Tera Crown.

"Double Kick, Nymble!" Katy was quick to issue the command, and to Milo's surprise the small bug darted forward and delivered two sharp kicks to Reggie's chest, causing him to stagger back with a pained snarl.

"Let's return the favor. Reggie, use Ember!" Milo called as the Tera Fuecoco charged up his attack, with the Tera Crown atop his head bolstering his flames and causing the sphere of fire to expand rapidly within his maw. Finally the attack shot at Nymble with the force of a cannon, exploding into the face of the Pokémon before it even had the chance to dodge.

Katy winced at the wave of heat washing over her, and wasn't terribly surprised to see that her Pokémon was lying unconscious at her feet. Katy hummed as she returned her Pokémon, laughing softly as the music playing in the background switched to a different part of the same song.

"My, my. You both shine so brightly." Katy said with a smile, almost amused as Reggie let out a cry and released a faint wave of sparks.

"I'd make a joke about burning cookies or something, but I'm not that clever!" Milo called as Katy adjusted her hat.

"Alrighty. Tarountula, come on out!" Katy called as she sent out her second Pokémon. It was a strange spider-like Pokémon covered almost completely in a wad of webs, with only its yellow and green head and legs poking out. Milo pulled up the Pokédex entry for the Pokémon as Reggie stared it down.

"Tarountula. The String Ball Pokémon. The ball of threads wrapped around its body is elastic enough to deflect the scythes of Scyther, this Pokémon's natural enemy." Milo considered the Pokédex entry for the Pokémon in front of him before nodding, pointing at the spider with a smirk.

"Reggie, Ember again!" Milo commanded as The Tera Crown atop Reggie's head exploded with flames and he opened his mouth. The Fuecoco growled loudly, charging up and firing off another fireball that exploded harshly in Tarountula's face, knocking it to the ground and scattering embers of flame throughout the air.

Katy made a pouting face as her Pokémon slowly got back to its feet. "How boring! Are you going to just use Ember the entire time?"

"That was the plan! But I can switch things up if you want!" Milo called back, but before he could issue a command, Katy cut him off.

"Bug Bite!" The Gym Leader barked as Tarountula dashed forward, two bright fangs appeared within its mouth as it bit deeply into Reggie's chest. The Fuecoco howled in pain, thrashing around to try and dislodge the String Ball Pokémon.

"Reggie, use Bite right back!" Milo called as the Fuecoco regained a bit of its composure, opening his jaws wide and biting down on Tarountula as hard as he could. The spider shrieked for several long moments before fainting in Reggie's mouth, causing the Fuecoco to spit him out.

"Oh? You're quite good, aren't you. How should I roll things out from here?" Katy asked with an amused smile, returning her Tarountula and unclipping her final Poké Ball from her apron. "Cupcake, let's go!"

Katy sent out her Pokémon, who appeared with a flash of light. Milo blinked several times in confusion at the small brown bear standing in front of Katy, because he recognized it as he did the previous two Pokémon. The pressing question was why was Katy using it? Milo pulled out his phone for a third and final time and got the Pokédex entry for Katy's last Pokémon.

"Teddiursa. The Little Bear Pokémon. This Pokémon discreetly follows Combee to find their hive. It scoops up big dollops of honey in its palms to eat." Milo stowed his phone while staring down the adorable bear that stood proudly in front of Katy, daintily licking its paw.

"That's not a Bug-type Pokémon. What's going on here?" Milo muttered quietly, unable to help the confusion on his face. He got his answer when Katy reached into her apron and pulled out a Tera Orb.

"Now, my little Pokémon! Time to break free from your cocoon and come into your own!" Katy shouted as she held out her hand towards Milo, a fierce cheer rising up from the crowd.

The Gym Leader of Cortondo held up her Tera Orb as a whirling gust of light kicked up violently, making Katy wince at the backlash and hold onto her chef's hat for several moments. A flash from the Tera Orb then signaled that the capsule was primed and ready for use. Katy threw the orb towards Cupcake the Teddiursa, showering her in Terastal Energy and causing her to Terastallize. As the crystals engulfed the small bear, they exploded several moments later to reveal a Teddiursa wearing a light-green Tera Crown with small antennae protruding from its head.

Meanwhile, the music the live band was playing had changed once again. Now it had become a triumphant-sounding melody and picked up in pacing, with the crowd beginning to sing along to the music and chant.

Milo felt like he was back home in Motostoke, watching the Gym Leader battles again. He couldn't help the massive grin of excitement on his face.

"Nemona was right. This is one hell of a rush!" Milo thought before his mind swapped back to battle mode, with him considering the new development of the Tera Teddiursa. He saw that the Gym Leader was smiling at him, and wondered why that was.

"You do realize you gave your Teddiursa a weakness to Reggie's fire attacks, right? Because you changed it from a Normal-type to a Bug-type?" Milo asked the baker, who shrugged in response.

"As the kids say these days…let me cook." Katy giggled at her own joke before pointing forward. "But let's not ruin the surprise yet. Cupcake, use Fury Swipes!"

"Reggie, use Ember!" Milo called as the Teddiursa lunged at Reggie, her claws elongating with white light as she frantically slashed and clawed at the Fuecoco, who cried out as the attack struck three times, leaving Reggie barely able to stand with blood gently trickling down his side. A harsh crimson aura suddenly enveloped the Fuecoco, and Milo realized that his Starter's Blaze Ability had kicked into effect.

The Fuecoco responded as soon as the Teddiursa's attack ended, blasting the Little Bear Pokémon point-blank with a Tera-boosted Ember. The explosion of flames sent Cupcake flying backwards, but to the amazement of Milo, the Teddiursa flipped in midair and landed on her feet. Cupcake stumbled a little, but still seemed to have plenty of fight left in her.

"How is she still standing after that!?" Milo thought incredulously as both Katy and Cupcake smirked in unison at Milo, who was looking down at the barely-standing Reggie with concern. The teen had underestimated the damage that Reggie had taken dealing with Katy's previous two Pokémon, and after Cupcake's move, he was worn out.

"Reggie, return!" Milo called as he returned his Fuecoco, his face giving every appearance of total calm despite the genuine concern he was feeling now.

"We've got him on the ropes, dear. Brace yourself." Katy said with a doting smile to the Teddiursa, who glanced back at her Trainer with a big grin and nodded in understanding.

"That Teddiursa is way stronger than her other Pokémon. I can't believe it took a Tera-boosted Ember that had a powerup from Blaze!" Milo thought quickly, considering his options and trying to squash down the mounting panic he felt. Reggie was his best Pokémon, and Milo wasn't going to risk him getting knocked out like that. He needed someone fresh who could finish the job.

"It's fine…It's fine. I've got six Pokémon to her one. That Teddiursa may have endured that attack, but it's still badly hurt. I just need one or two good shots in and I've got this." Milo thought as he unclipped another Poké Ball from his belt and put away Reggie's.

"Shelly, give me a hand!" Milo called out, sending his Shellder into battle. Milo figured with her strong defense, she'd be able to withstand whatever Cupcake had to throw at them.

"Feast your eyes on my shining bug decoration! Though this one is not so sweet!" Katy shouted as Cupcake let out a cry. "Fury Cutter!"

The Teddiursa let out a cry as a wave of energy erupted from the Bug Tera Crown, with the small bear holding out its paws. With a flicker of light, large foot-long green glowing claws erupted outwards. Cupcake then lunged at Shelly, raking her claws over her shell. To Milo's horror, the Shellder squealed in pain, with the Fury Cutter leaving a deep cut against her shell. He was once again reminded that Terastallizing Pokémon was very much something that could be used against him.

"Shelly!" Milo hissed as Cupcake darted away, with her claws suddenly growing by another foot in length. Milo held out the Shellder's Poké Ball and returned it as Teddiursa was preparing to lunge again.

"Shelly's too slow, but she can't tank another hit like that…What the hell do I do now!?" Milo screamed as himself as he looked down at the Poké Ball in his hand, considering it. "I need someone quicker. If they can absorb a hit and hit back before Cupcake can, then we'll win. That's all I need to do."

"Pepper, let's go!" Milo shouted as he sent out his Maschiff, who barked at the Terastallized Teddiursa. The Galarian noticed that Katy was smiling with amusement at him, but he was unsure as to why. It gave him a bad feeling, but the teen brushed it aside.

"Pepper's completely fresh. If she can land a single solid hit, this thing will be done." Milo muttered as Katy clapped her hands together. "Pepper, use-"

"Fury Cutter!" Katy cut Milo off with a shout, her smile matching the dark grin on Cupcake's face as she sped towards Pepper, slashing at the Maschiff with Fury Cutter and earning a howl of agony from the Maschiff…who collapsed onto the ground and fainted.

Milo's blood went cold, the air going out of his lungs. Meanwhile the sound of menacing laughter filled his head as the Voice openly cackled with delight. Milo didn't even hear the cheers of the crowd or Katy's giggle, so great was his distress.

For several long moments, Milo let the mask slip completely and allowed the absolute horror on his face to show. Katy then noticed Milo's expressions and became somewhat concerned that something bad had happened to her opponent. She was then completely taken aback as the expression of terror was washed away with the expression of bland calmness on the boy's face.

"Nononononono! Shit shit shit!" Milo screamed at himself as he stared at the unmoving form of his Maschiff, who he had only caught three days prior. His first catch within the Tera Dens…gone.

Hahahahaha! Fool! Man, you really messed that one up! Yes, she's gone! You can't be so careless when swapping out your Pokémon, can you? Poor little puppy is all gone because you thought you were hot shit! Did you really think you were above making mistakes like that?

"I forgot that Fury Cutter gets stronger every time you use it! And that Dark was weak to Bug! Are you happy!?" Milo screamed at the Voice, somehow keeping his mask of calm in place while trying not to have a nervous breakdown. Meanwhile the Voice continued to snicker at Milo's distress, which was increasing by the second as the realization of how badly he messed up. The pure guilt and shame pounding through him right now was almost enough to make him start crying.

Knowing that he had come in so overconfident that he had forgotten that Dark-type Pokémon were weak to Bug-types. Not realizing that the Gym Leaders could likely Terastallize their Pokémon just as much as he could his. And for not being more knowledgeable about what kind of moves his opponents might employ.

You were so damn cocky going into this fight and you made such stupid mistakes. Now what are you going to do?

"I don't know!" Milo shouted back at the voice, taking the time to return Pepper and look down at her Poké Ball. He'd never be able to use her again. He hadn't even had the chance to use her that much at all. This was her first Trainer battle.

Better send out your next Pokémon. But this time, try not to send them to their death, alright?

Milo exhaled softly, trying to let loose some of the roiling emotions within him. He still had five Pokémon. He wasn't nowhere near done yet. He couldn't send out Reggie or Shelly, who were both barely standing and were both slower than Cupcake the Teddiursa.

"So it's going to be Sparky. He's quick and should be able to take that damn bear down." Milo thought as he unclipped his Poké Ball. "Sparky, let's go!"

The Pawmi appeared with a flash of light, looking back at Milo and sensing his Trainer's unease. Milo smiled and nodded at his Pokémon, who nodded back at his Trainer before turning to face the Tera Teddiursa.

"Let's hope this one can withstand Cupcake's claws." Katy remarked coyly, grinning as she held out a hand. "Fury Cutter, sweetie!"

"Quick Attack! Everything you've got!" Milo shouted as the Pawmi dashed forward, a trail of white light trailing behind the Pawmi as it rocketed towards the surprised Teddiursa. Sparky slammed hard into Cupcake, sending her skidding backwards across the battlefield. The Teddiursa stabbed its claws into the ground, forcing itself to stop after a moment.

Milo grinned triumphantly as Cupcake staggered forward after removing its claws from the ground, panting hard from the hit while being so battered from the attack she had taken from Reggie earlier. It was obvious that she was using every bit of strength she had left to remain standing.

To Milo's absolute shock, it suddenly let out a battle cry and flexed its claws, slouching over as Katy clapped with delight. This also had the effect of rallying the crowd as they began cheering for Katy again.

"Are you kidding me!? That wasn't enough to knock it out!?" Milo thought incredulously as the Teddiursa wiped its mouth, flashing a mean smile to the now-terrified Pawmi.

Katy chuckled before snapping her fingers, causing Cupcake to lash out with Fury Cutter once again. The attack struck Sparky hard, causing him to fly backwards across the battlefield and hit the ground with a dull thud. Milo saw his Pokémon roll along the ground twice before coming to a halt several feet away from him, and Milo knew in an instant that he had just lost a second Pokémon.

And another one bites the dust! Man, you really can't win against this bear, huh?

"I'm going to murder you if you don't shut the hell up!" Milo snarled internally, returning the unconscious Pawmi and looking down at his Poké Ball. Sparky had been the very first Pokémon he had caught on his journey once the insane Nuzlocke Challenge had begun. Milo had owned the Pawmi for over two months…and now Milo could never use him in battle again. For all intents and purposes he was dead.

"It's moments like these that truly make me smile." Katy said with a hint of smugness, the baker laughing despite herself and not knowing the mental maelstrom running through her opponent's head. "I rarely have the opportunity to truly let loose, you know."

Milo nodded stiffly at the remark, his trembling hand the only sign that the teen was internally screaming at himself and cursing his luck. Instead he clipped the Poké Ball of his fallen Pokémon to his belt and considered his options. He'd mourn his losses and berate himself for his failures later.

"Reggie and Shelly are about to drop and that stupid bear is faster than both of them. Cocoa isn't much better and can't stand up to that kind of power after so many hits of Fury Cutter. And Storm…wait!" Milo unclipped the Wattrel's Poké Ball and looked down at it for several long moments.

"Storm's pretty quick. And she'll resist Fury Cutter even if she does get hit with it." Milo thought before nodding to himself. "I'll have to chance it. Don't have much of a choice!"

"Storm, let's finish off that bear once and for all!" Milo shouted as he tossed the Poké Ball out, sending forth his newest capture. The Wattrel chirped as she took to the skies, with Katy raising an eyebrow at the Wattrel's appearance.

"Quite the varied team. But can you manage what your last two Pokémon couldn't?" Katy asked with a mischievous grin. Beside her, Cupcake the Teddiursa flexed the now three-foot long claws that were Fury Cutter with a dark laugh escaping the normally adorable Pokémon.

Storm screeched back in response, causing Milo to smirk as some semblance of confidence returned. Clearly the Wattrel was ready to fight. The teen punched forward as the crowd cheered at the student rallying back against the Gym Leader.

"Let's find out together! Storm, hit her with Pluck!" Milo shouted at Storm, who nodded at the command and darted forward. Her beak elongated as it glowed bright white and she swiftly approached the Tera Teddiursa standing opposite her on the battlefield.

Cupcake braced herself for the hit a few moments before Storm's beak connected with her stomach, sending her flying backwards. The Teddiursa rolled a few times before regaining her footing, panting hard at taking the super-effective hit.

Katy's eyes went wide as the Tera Crown upon Cupcake's head exploded, sending shards of light everywhere as her final Pokémon finally collapsed onto the ground. The Gym Leader returned her Pokémon as Storm let out a fierce screech, with Milo heaving a sigh of relief. The music from the band finally came to a stop as they concluded their piece, with the crowd going wild at the conclusion of the fiery battle. Milo had won his first Gym Battle.

Katy clasped her hands together with a smile on her face. "All of my sweet little Pokémon dropped like flies!"

Milo heaved a sigh of relief as Storm returned to him, with the Trainer holding out his arm to the Storm Petrel Pokémon as she landed on his shoulder. Milo reached up a hand and rubbed the side of the bird's head, and to his delight he didn't get pecked this time. To his greater relief, the Nuzlocke Curse lifted once again, releasing the pressure from Milo's chest.

"Thank you, Storm. You were great." Milo muttered quietly, managing a small smile. Meanwhile Katy had walked over to the teen, wearing a wide grin.

"Your strength rose during our battle like a nice bread in the oven." Katy said to Milo, chuckling quietly as she gestured to the crowd. "I feel that I may need to work on my own strength as well!"

"That Teddiursa of yours was brutal." Milo remarked, offering the Gym Leader a tired smile. He was feeling rather drained, even if he was feeling relieved that he had finally overcome Katy and her team.

"Congratulations! You passed! As proof of your victory against me-the Gym Leader- allow me to present you with this Gym Badge. I hope you'll enjoy it alongside a heaping serving of some of my deluxe handmade treats!" Katy said as she handed Milo the Bug Badge, a symbol of his victory over the Gym Leader.

The teen was then escorted to Patisserie Soapberry by the owner herself, bypassing the line of customers and allowing Milo to skip straight to the register. Milo was then allowed to have a half-dozen artisan cupcakes for free, which Katy called a special treat for those who managed to overcome her. Milo excitedly picked out his cupcakes, and even ended up taking several photos just outside of the Patisserie Soapberry with the Gym Leader, who indulged the boy's request for a picture.

The one he would end up posting on Festival Plaza and even put in a small frame in his room was one of him holding two cupcakes in his hands with a wide open mouth, grinning at the camera. Katy was standing beside him, winking as she held another three delicious cupcakes on a small platter.

"With one Gym Badge in your possession, Pokémon of up to Level 25 will be easier to catch and will listen to your commands as well." Katy remarked as they departed from the bakery, with Milo licking his fingers clean of the frosting. He then pulled out a small bottle of hand sanitizer and cleaned them, much to the Gym Leader's amusement.

"I see you have quite the appetite as well. How about a little TM as the frosting on this cake?" Katy said as she reached within her apron and pulled out a light green disc, handing it to Milo. The label on the Technical Machine identified it as TM021, Pounce.

"Once you've found a TM during your travels, you can then use a TM Machine to make copies of that TM. You did know that, right?" Katy asked the student, who nodded as he stowed the gift in his TM Case. Nemona had explained it to him on more than one occasion and he had even found a few of the discs during his travels. If someone found a TM or just acquired one from someone, they could simply scan it with their phone and it would update the list of TM's they were able to make with the TM Machine.

"Hmmm. It's a shame my fiancé isn't around." Katy commented, putting a hand to her chin. "He would've enjoyed seeing a battle like that. It's always the ones getting their first badges that end up having the best battles, after all. The beginning of Trainers coming into their own strength."

"Your fiancé?" Milo questioned as Katy folded her hands over her apron.

"Yes. He works as a liaison for the Pokémon League, but spends most of his time helping me with running the bakery and Gym Challengers. He was quite the hotshot Trainer before he moved to Paldea to be with me." Katy remarked fondly, giggling to herself. "I'm sure you'll run into him sometime. He's quite the character."

"Well, if I run into him, I'll be sure to say hi." Milo offered with a smile, causing Katy to chuckle.

"I'm sure he'd like that. Anyways, you should report back to the Gym Building to officially log into the system that you've acquired the Bug Badge. I wish you luck in your future adventures. May they be as sweet and lovely as a good dessert." Katy said to Milo, offering the boy a smile. She then waved at him with both of her hands. "Off you go, then. Until we meet again!"

Milo watched as Katy walked back to her store, letting out a deep sigh. He realized after a moment that he hadn't asked what the name of Katy's fiancé actually was. He then remembered that he had other, bigger problems, and turned away from the Patisserie Soapberry.

"I lost two of my Pokémon…I can't use Sparky or Pepper ever again. They're as good as dead! And it's all my fault!" Milo mentally shouted as he walked down the sidewalk, internally screaming at himself while maintaining a proud smile on the outside.

Yeah, that's absolutely what someone who's NOT teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown would say.

"Just shut up! Give me a few minutes to freak out!" Milo yelled at the Voice, who surprisingly went silent at the request. The teenager sat down and ran his hands over his face, struggling to hold back tears.

"I've got to do better. I lost Pepper and Sparky because I let myself get too cocky. I didn't realize how powerful Fury Cutter was. I forgot that Dark was weak against Bug. And I didn't take into account that Katy could possibly Terastallize her own Pokémon. I have to be a better Trainer…or else my Pokémon will pay the price. To say nothing about my own life being on the line." Milo thought bitterly, banging the back of his head against the wall as his eyes stung with tears. One ran down his face despite his best efforts.

It was such a tragically stupid loss that meant he could never use his Maschiff or Pawmi again. If he did they would die the moment he opened their Poké Balls. Milo slid down the wall and buried his face into his hands, letting out a muffled scream of anger and sorrow. Milo may have won the battle, but it felt like such a hollow victory. His first catch and his first Tera Den catch were both completely unusable to him now…and it was all his fault.

About an hour later, Milo had managed to pull himself back to his feet. Thankfully the Voice had remained silent, though Milo knew it was watching and listening as always. With a ragged breath, Milo trudged out from behind the building and made his way back onto the main road of Cortondo.

The mask slipped back into place just in time for Milo to walk back through the Cortondo Gym Building and meet with the receptionist wearing a smile of pride that he had defeated Katy. The man behind the counter also proudly informed him that he had been promoted to Novice-Rank and that his Bug Badge was officially recorded on his Trainer Profile and Trainer's License.

After thanking the Gym Receptionist, Milo considered his next plan of action. Mainly getting back to the hotel and finally breaking down where no one would see him.

However, Milo turned around and got about five steps away from the counter before his phone began to ring. It popped out of his pocket and showed that Nemona was calling him. Milo managed a weak smile at the girl's timing.

The Galarian teen accepted the call and was greeted with a cheery voice. "Hey hey, Milo! Just had to tell you-my Pokémon are learning some pretty cool new moves! Be ready! How'd it go at the Gym, by the way?"

"I passed!" Milo responded, flashing his first-ever Gym Badge to the girl as she grinned with delight.

"Yesss! Hah haaa! I mean, it was obvious you were gonna pass, but congrats! I'm so glad I encouraged you to take on the Gyms. Nice job, past me!"

"Yes yes, you're very awesome." Milo said with several nods, causing Nemona to roll her eyes, though Milo could see the proud smile on her face. The teen felt a warmth in his chest at that, and for a few moments he forgot what he had just lost in his victory against Katy.

"Oh hush, you. I'm training hard too, by the way-day and night! Going all over the place to boot! Thank goodness we've got the map app. It helps a ton with figuring out what to do next-especially in a huge place like Paldea. After all, the path to getting stronger usually has some strange stops and detours!"

Milo nodded in agreement. "No kidding. I've been exploring a few of the Tera Dens and some old ruins scattered around here and there. All kinds of strange spots here in Paldea."

"Hm. Speaking of strange places, I wonder what Arven's up to…" Nemona mused, putting a hand to her chin before shrugging her shoulders. "Anyway, catch you later! I hope you know I'm gonna want a battle if we run into each other!"

"Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to have lunch together since we're both in the same area and hang out, but if you only want me for battles, I guess it's not meant to be. After all, my team is exhausted after that Gym Battle…" Milo trailed off, looking away from the camera with a disappointed expression.

Nemona gasped, looking alarmed for a moment before she caught herself. "What? Oh! Um, sorry Milo! I didn't mean to-uh, I mean…"

To Milo's quiet amusement (and slight surprise), Nemona looked flustered for a moment that she had hurt Milo's feelings. He felt a little bad for teasing her, but before he could say anything, Nemona recomposed herself and grinned at her friend.

"Lo siento, amigo mío. If you ever want to just hang out, no battles included, then I'm always happy to do just that!" Nemona said brightly, rubbing the back of her head with embarrassment. "I kinda forget that there's more to life than battles. Sometimes you just want to hang out with a friend."

"Naturally. I do appreciate that you're willing to hang out with me. I'm sure there's a lot of other people with better teams and all that you could be spending time with instead."

"I-it's no bother at all! I might have other friends, but you're my rival!" Nemona replied, but Milo noticed how the girl's eyes didn't quite meet his as she answered. She did look back at him and said, "I'll meet you at the eastern Pokémon Center in about twenty minutes. Since you won your battle, your good pal Nemona is treating you to lunch! I won't take no for an answer!"

"I've learned not to fight it at this point. You can choose where we go though." Milo offered to Nemona, who did a fist pump of excitement.

"Yes! We're going to Smoliv Garden! Trust me, Milo, you're gonna love it!" Nemona gushed as Milo felt his stomach warble in protest. However…

"Sounds good. I'll see you soon!" Milo said with a laugh as Nemona waved at him, ending the phone call as Milo sighed. He resigned himself to another night of sitting atop the porcelain throne, but he knew that being able to hang out with his friend would lift his spirits a bit.

It goes without saying that you've now been granted another three catches within the Tera Dens throughout Paldea. Make sure they count, kid. And try not to crap your pants in front of Nemona after another helping of Smoliv Garden.

"Yeah, yeah…Just leave me alone for a while." Milo muttered as he walked over to the Pokémon Center, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He healed his team and then, with a heavy heart, put Sparky and Pepper both into PC Storage until he could figure out what to do with them. He could just release them, but he was hoping he could figure something better out before that.

Nemona arrived about five minutes after Milo adjusted his team composition. She hopped down from Tornado, with the Paldea Tauros mooing a greeting to Milo. The teen smiled and pet the bull on the head, making Nemona smile.

"Come on, hotshot! You've got to tell me all about your battle!" Nemona said as she grabbed Milo by the arm and began dragging him down the road. Thankfully before Milo's face could combust with embarrassment, she let go and the two were able to walk their way to the restaurant. Nemona kept up an almost nonstop chatter, talking about how she was taking down Trainers and keeping an eye out for cool Pokémon to catch. Milo was content to listen, enjoying the Champion-Ranked Trainer's cheer and allowing it to slowly pull him out of his despair. As the duo neared the restaurant in question, Milo spoke up for the first time in about ten minutes.

"Thanks Nemona." Milo said quietly as they neared. The girl offered her friend a confused look, unsure of why she was being thanked. "Sorry, that probably came out of nowhere. But right now I just appreciate you hanging out with me. You probably have better things to do-"

"No way!" Nemona protested, surprising Milo as she waved her hands emphatically. "Your successes are important, Milo! And I want to support you during your Gym Challenge! And other times that don't involve battling! You'll be something amazing, have no doubt about it. And spending time with my awesome rival is always time well-spent!" Nemona straightened up and offered her friend a bright grin. Milo looked at her with surprise for a few moments before smiling back at her with a bit more happiness on his face now.

And Milo's heart grew three sizes that day…

"Shut your face!" Milo snapped internally, blushing a little. Thankfully his Rival hadn't noticed.

"Now come on! We've got some breadsticks to power through!" Nemona declared as she pointed dramatically at Smoliv Garden, dragging Milo towards the restaurant with a wide smile. Milo didn't even feel embarrassed this time, instead letting his gratitude for his friend's support wash away the feelings of frustration and sadness at the loss of his two teammates.

Milo very wisely ordered a salad and made sure to indulge somewhat less than he had the past two days. Nemona scarfed down three bowls of pasta and just as many breadsticks as Milo had two days ago, much to his shock and horror.

She also came to regret that decision two hours later. Thankfully, Milo had brought along some antacid tablets.

Milo's Current Party:

Reggie (Fuecoco) M - Tera Fire

Cocoa (P. Wooper) F - Tera Ground

Shelly (Shellder) F - Tera Fighting

Storm (Wattrel) F - Tera Flying

Benched/PC Storage:

None

Graveyard:

Sparky (Pawmi) M - Tera Electric

Pepper (Maschiff) F - Tera Poison

That's all for now! How will Milo regroup after his rather pyrrhic victory? Will his next three catches be a suitable replacement for the two major losses he's already suffered? What's next on his agenda? Stay tuned!

Big shoutout to BraviaryScout for reviewing the previous update, as well as assisting with the above listing for Milo's catches and team composition as of the end of each chapter. Since that's something I actually kept track of for each Objective, it's easy enough to update and should hopefully make things easier.

That's all for now! We're officially done with the first stretch of Milo's Nuzlocke Challenge and well on our way to the second Objective! Stay tuned for more nonsense.

Take care and stay awesome!

Until next time, FlygonNick out!