Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet
Chapter 18: Remnant
Hoenn Region, Ever Grande City
Pokémon League International Conference
Nemona was grinning ear-to-ear as she recalled Dedede the Dundunsparce, who had fallen to the intimidating and infamous Garchomp that stood opposite her on the battlefield. Meanwhile the owner of said Garchomp, the current Sinnoh Champion Cynthia, looked somewhat relieved. Both Champions were now down to their final Pokémon.
"I can't believe I get to battle someone like you, Miss Cynthia! This is so much fun!" Nemona called out before she pulled out the ball containing her final Pokémon. "Tornado, let's show them what we're made of!"
Nemona sent out her strongest Pokémon, and the Combat Breed Paldean Tauros appeared in a flash of light. Cynthia frowned as she regarded Tornado warily, trying to remember what this form was like. She was unfortunately not well-versed in the Pokémon typically found in Paldea, but she found herself smiling despite this. This was the second time she had battled Nemona today, and the girl had used an entirely different team the previous match. It was a fantastic test of skill.
"Guess I'll have to pull out all the stops." Cynthia remarked as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her lipstick, reapplying it for several moments before pointing the lipstick forward…and pointing the Key Stone held within the end at her Partner.
"Let our bond be made manifest! Mega Evolve!" Cynthia cried as a fierce crackle of energy erupted from the end of her Key Stone, connecting to the Garchompite the Garchomp held. The Mach Pokémon was soon consumed in a pink sphere of energy, and emerged with a massive blast of raw power covered in spikes and with its claws now transformed into massive scythes. The dragon let out a low, menacing growl that filled the room.
"So cool…" Nemona whispered, her eyes wide with sheer excitement at the thought of battling such a ferocious opponent. She then straightened up and grinned at Cynthia and called, "If you're pulling out all of the stops, then so can I!"
"We can take whatever you've got!" Cynthia called back, letting out a light laugh.
"C'mon Tornado, let's Terastallize!" Nemona cried out as he pulled out her Tera Orb, wincing as a whirlwind of shining light erupted from it. The device was soon primed and Nemona hurled it, Terastallizing her Paldean Tauros In a shower of light and crystals, Tornado appeared with its balloon-themed Tera Crown atop its head. "The sky's the limit, as they say! Now get 'em! Zen Headbutt!
"Dragon Claw!" Cynthia barked, realizing that any Ground-type attacks were no longer effective. The dragon rushed forward as its scythes became wreathed in emerald flames, delivering two brutal strikes to Tornado's chest as the Paldean Tauros managed to ram a shining head into its chest. The Mega Garchomp leapt backwards, snarling in pain as Tornado spun around.
"Blizzard, but keep running right at him!" Nemona called as the Tauros bounded forward, quickly charging towards the Sinnoh Champion's ace Pokémon.
Cynthia's eyes widened at the sudden move and attempted to pivot. "Stone Edge!"
Garchomp roared and slammed its scythes into the ground, sending several jagged blue pillars of stone towards Tornado. Nemona's Partner was swift as the wind, leaping to the side and avoiding the four pillars before getting close enough to blast the Mach Pokémon with a close-up Blizzard, causing it to howl in agony as ice slowly crept across most of its body.
"A freeze…of all the rotten luck. Break out of it!" Cynthia commanded her dragon, who remained completely unresponsive. Nemona smirked as her Tauros cried out, wincing in pain from the brutal attack he had withstood earlier.
"Close Combat!" Nemona called as her bull glowed a harsh orange color and rammed the ice-covered dragon, sending the block of ice flying across the battlefield. As it struck the ground, the block exploded violently, revealing a battered Mega Garchomp that was glaring down Nemona and her Tauros with raw fury in its gaze.
"Only for one turn. Now this is what I'm talking about!" Nemona laughed quietly, her eyes gleaming with an almost manic joy at being able to let loose a little. However, as a skilled Trainer, she could sense Cynthia's annoyance and frustration at being on the backfoot. Nemona knew that this was not the kind of battle she was really looking for. The one that she craved…
She'd still have as much fun as she could with it.
"Poison Jab!" Cynthia barked as her Mega Garchomp's scythes glowed bright purple before the speedy dragon lunged forward, connecting directly with the Tauros and earning a loud cry of pain from the Wild Bull Pokémon. Cynthia could also see that a dark pall had spread over Tornado, meaning he had been poisoned. Cynthia's eyes flitted over to Nemona, who she was confused to see was smiling now broadly.
Nemona's thrust out a hand. "Now, use Outrage!"
Cynthia's heart sank as the Combat Breed Tauros snorted, his eyes shining bright red as a similar-colored glow enveloped Tornado's body. Cynthia called for her Mega Garchomp to get away, but his opponent was almost as quick as he was and would not be denied.
Tornado rammed his head into Garchomp's chest, sending him flying backwards and crashing down into a crumpled heap across the battlefield. A piercing light enveloped the Pokémon before fading away, revealing that Cynthia's Garchomp had reverted to its original state and had fainted. After several long seconds, the referee called the battle.
"Garchomp is unable to battle. The winner is Champion Nemona Valdez!" The referee called, throwing up a hand in Nemona's direction. The Champion-ranked Trainer did a fist-pump and jogged forward, hugging her Tauros and thanking him for his hard work. Meanwhile Cynthia was just staring at her ace Pokémon who had been beaten by a student. For the second time that day.
"That was great, Miss Cynthia! I think I've got the beginnings of a new strategy coming up now!" Nemona said as she walked over to the Sinnoh Champion and extended a hand towards her with a bright smile. Cynthia grinned back at Nemona and clasped the girl's hand, shaking it.
"I've never met someone with such a pure love for battling. You're incredible, Champion Nemona." Cynthia remarked, trying not to let her own fatigue show. Nemona was a brutal opponent, but a fun and intense one. The sound of light clapping filled the Battle Court, followed by a laugh. Both Champions were surprised, as they had been alone at the start of the battle, and glanced off to the side of the room where there was indeed a spectator. Sitting in the bleachers was a young man with messy brown hair, not much older than Nemona herself. He was wearing a Galar League Battle Uniform with an elegant red cloak with fur lining the outside of it resting over his back.
"It seems we had an audience." Cynthia remarked with a smile. "Victor, you could have said something before sneaking up on us."
The reigning Galar Champion hopped up from his seat and gave a broad grin to the two women as he walked over. "And mess with the intense vibes between you two? Fat chance. I'm of half a mind to ask Nemona for a battle now. That was fantastic!"
"Oooh! Do you wanna!?" Nemona practically squealed, only for a loud whistle to cut her off. The trio turned around and saw that there was a small group walking towards them, with the man at the front of the group lowering his hand and using it to run it through his light brown hair.
"Who let Nemona loose on the battle court?" Blue demanded with a joking grin. Nemona turned around and waved over at the legendary Trainer, including the silent form of Red walking alongside him with a blank expression. Standing with the two of them was a tall and powerfully built man with long purple hair dressed in a tasteful red suit. Holding his hand was an attractive red-haired woman wearing a strapless aquamarine dress.
"Leon! There ya are, mate!" Victor called to the former Champion and-now Chairman of the Galar League. "Sonia, you're supposed to help that big lug with directions, aren't you?"
"A woman can only do so much." Sonia deadpanned while Leon laughed sheepishly, blushing in embarrassment while the others chuckled. "So what did we miss?"
"Nemona defeated Cynthia in her rematch and finally used that Terastal thing against Cynthia's Garchomp. Pretty neat stuff." Victor recapped while Cynthia noticeably winced at the rather blunt description of what had been a very close battle between two high-caliber Trainers.
"Best battle I've had here was my rematch against Sun yesterday. I can safely say his Garchomp is definitely more terrifying than yours is, Cynthia." Blue said to the Champion, who looked offended.
"Excuse me?" Cynthia said with a pointed look at the former Champion, who just shrugged again.
"Your Garchomp basically made the species famous for how powerful and scary it is. However…Sun's Garchomp, Tetra, is roughly about the same power as yours except she beats the shit out of you while wearing the most adorable smile ever. You don't expect it, and that scares me more than your giant shark aptor dragon does."
Cynthia opened her mouth to retort, but then considered Blue's words and realized that he had a good point. What was even scarier was that the aforementioned Garchomp had managed to defeat her own more than once. And she wasn't even Sun's ace.
"I wouldn't mind a good battle myself." Leon said with an excited smile, causing Sonia to chuckle beside him. "We've got a few more days to be here, so maybe we can squeeze in a few more while Steven Stone and Lance argue about taxes or whatever they were going on about yesterday."
"Hopefully this doesn't sound rude, but I'm about ready to get back home to Paldea." Nemona said with a bright smile, drawing several surprised looks from the other Trainers.
"Now that's a surprise. Usually you're begging for these events to go on forever so you can battle everyone you can." Leon asked with a friendly grin, causing Nemona to laugh sheepishly.
"I'm just excited to get back to school and hunt for my Treasure." Nemona responded, rubbing the back of her head. "Plus, Milo's running through the Gym Circuit right now, and I'm really curious to see how his training is coming along."
"Milo?" Victor asked, tilting his head in confusion. Usually Nemona was very loose-lipped about her exploits back in Paldea, so the Champions usually heard about her antics at Naranja Academy. This name was new to him though.
Nemona nodded. "Yeah, he's my friend, neighbor and Rival back home. He just moved to Paldea from Galar actually. And Milo's just a nickname. His real name is Florian Caballero, but he doesn't like being called that so it's Milo instead."
"Florian…" Leon muttered quietly, looking towards the ceiling as an expression of concentration settled on his face. Why did that name sound familiar?
"A rival? To you!?" Cynthia nearly yelled out incredulously, but caught herself at the last moment and regained her composure. "I'm surprised any student would be able to stand up to your skill."
"Oh, he's still a rookie Trainer. He's only got one badge." Nemona clarified, earning several nods from the other Champions. "I've been giving him some tips and advice on battling, but he's already gotten really good in just a few months!"
"Coming from a Champion like you, that's high praise." Sonia said with a smile, seeing how genuinely happy Nemona was talking about her friend. She could tell the girl didn't really get to socialize much with others her age, even at school. "It sounds like he's pretty special to you."
"Milo's the best! He's smart, nice and always trying to look out for me. He's also, uh…really patient with my battle-mania. I can't wait to see where he goes from here!" Nemona's cheer seemed to spread to the other Champions, who smiled back at the excitable girl. She then turned to Leon and Victor. "He's a big fan of you both, actually. He's got signed posters in his room!"
"He's got good taste." Victor remarked with a smug smirk, earning a roll of the eyes from Sonia and a clap on the shoulder from Leon as the Galar League Chairman laughed.
"That's fantastic Nemona. I'm happy you made a good friend who understands you like that." Leon said to the girl, who nodded happily. "Those kinds of friends are precious."
"Here, here!" Sonia said brightly, causing them all to laugh as she showed off the large diamond engagement ring on her hand. After all, Leon had proposed to his lifelong friend earlier that week. The couple were now engaged after reconnecting almost a year ago.
"Nemona! We need you over here for a meeting!" called a voice that all of them recognized, with Nemona turning towards the source of the sound.
"Coming La Primera!" Nemona then turned back towards the Champions and looking at Cynthia. "I'll be back soon for our rematch, ma'am! I hope you're ready!"
Nemona practically skipped off, a smile of excitement and joy on her face while Cynthia noticeably sagged with exhaustion. Meanwhile Victor and Leon shared a brief glance of concern between the two of them. It seemed that they had both come to the same conclusion.
The Next Day…
Milo finally arrived in Artazon late in the evening and promptly booked himself a weeklong stay at the nicest inn he could find in the town. He promptly collapsed in bed and slept until late the next morning, and spent another two days relaxing in the hotel room and catching up on schoolwork. Unlike Arven, Milo actually cared about his education, even if there was a chance he'd be killed from the Nuzlocke Curse.
He also took that time to get to know his two newest captures. Victor the Venonat was extremely hyper and constantly bouncing around the room. Meanwhile Donut was extremely well-behaved for a freshly-caught Pokémon and listened to every word Milo said.
On Milo's fourth day in Artazon he finally left the hotel and took Koraidon for a few laps around the city, taking in the sights of the city. Artazon itself was a city that was built in the shape of a large circle, which meant that the world-famous windmill in the center of the town was always visible.
Known as Aliento Esmeralda, the windmill had been named after a famous knight who died defending it, Sir Vivar Rodrigo. According to Miss Raifort, the windmill had been named after one of the few battles in which Artazon had managed to drive off Hoenn pirates. The windmill had been originally designed by Vivar's lover, an architect who had perished within the bloody battle. One of the many that the town had endured over the centuries, since it had been sieged and pillaged multiple times in centuries past due to its proximity to Levincia Port and the coastline. It had even been set to the torch twice, having to be rebuilt from scratch.
And yet somehow the old windmill had always managed to survive, as if Vivar's spirit continued to safeguard the heart of the city.
Milo continued his trek through the city, marveling at how generally pretty the town looked. Flower beds were commonplace throughout the town as tasteful and beautifully designed houses lined the outsides of the town. It was a considerably larger town than Cortondo, and from what Milo had been told that this town was an artist's paradise, as evidenced by the dozens of intricately designed Sunflora statues that were scattered throughout the town.
Various parks lay within Artazon, further amplifying the green and welcoming aura that the town had as Milo and Koraidon rode through the streets. The teen even spotted what looked like a hedge maze, which he then proceeded to get lost in for an hour before finding the center. He promptly had Koraidon leap over the wall to escape, since he had no desire to get even more lost trying to find his way out.
A wooden bridge encircled half of the town by the maze, passing over several large ponds and by various sculptures that Milo couldn't discern the meaning of. Milo still could appreciate the skill and dedication for the pieces. Milo spotted the Gym Building next to an enormous swimming pool and a playground, but didn't go into the building himself. He'd save that for tomorrow after spending some more time in the town.
However, Milo hadn't gotten past thinking that thought when a very familiar voice spoke up from behind him. "Florian? What are you doing here?"
Milo whirled around in surprise and saw none other than his own mother standing a few yards away with a confused expression. Hannah Caballero regarded her son for a few moments in stunned shock as the family Skwovet, Conker, waved happily to Milo in greeting from her shoulder. The teen hopped down from Koraidon and approached his mother.
"Mum?" Milo remarked with a bewildered expression before getting pile-drived into a hug.
"Florian! It's so good to see you, honey!" Hannah Caballero cried out as she pulled away from her son, beaming at him. Milo smiled back at his mother and hugged her back. Despite the fact that he called her several times a week, Milo had to admit that seeing his mother in person again felt great.
"Good to see you too, Mum. But what are you doing here in Artazon?" Milo asked his mother, who shrugged her shoulders.
"I was invited to be a judge for some art exhibit by the Gym Leader of the town. It paid surprisingly well, so I figured why not?" Hannah admitted, causing him to smile back. His mother was always practical like that. "Plus I've got a friend in town who wants to catch up now that he's back in the region."
"Giaaas?" Hannah and Milo turned towards Koraidon, who had drawn closer and was sniffing the woman. Hannah remained still until Koraidon had finished smelling her and pulled away, barking loudly.
"Mum, this is Koraidon. I know you've seen it in video calls, but it's the Pokémon that Professor Sada asked me to look after." Milo explained before looking at Koraidon. "This is my mother, Koraidon. Say hi!"
Koraidon nodded before leaning forward and licking Hannah's face repeatedly, causing the woman to laugh as she was quickly covered in slobber. Milo dutifully pulled out a hand towel from his backpack for just such an occasion and handed it to her after his mother rubbed Koraidon's head affectionately.
"Well, aren't you just a big friendly fellow?" Hannah said with a warm smile as Koraidon hummed happily. "Please make sure to look after my boy, Koraidon. He's my world."
Koraidon nodded, seemingly understanding the request. Milo smiled at the lizard before looking to his mother, who was looking over him with a critical eye. "So, what brings you here sweetie?"
"I'm going to try and beat the Gym Leader here. I've got some more experience under my belt and I'm pretty sure I can win this one." Milo answered, with Hannah nodding in approval at the response.
"How about we grab some lunch and you can tell me all about your adventures? You definitely look a bit worse for wear." Hannah remarked, eyeing Milo's sunburned skin. Milo agreed and the two of them grabbed some Tropical Sandwiches at Every Wich Way, which delighted Koraidon. Milo told Hannah of how he had won the Pokémon's affection and loyalty by offering it the sandwich she had made for him on his first day of school.
Hannah promised Koraidon that she'd make the massive lizard more sandwiches in the future, earning her several happy licks from the draconic mount.
Milo and Hannah made their way by an enormous swimming pool, where families were walking by with their Pokémon. Several vendors were selling ice cream and snow cones as well. Milo bought several of each and called out his team, experimenting to see what they each liked. It went mostly well, except for Reggie nearly melting the icy treats the moment they got close to him. Milo eventually resorted to dumping them into the Crocalor's mouth.
Right after Milo disposed of their trash and Hannah was finished petting Donut the Fidough, Milo's Rotom Phone began to ring. He quickly checked it and saw that it was Juliana, and so he answered it and went to video call. Juliana grinned at her best friend from the screen.
"What's up, dork?" Milo said as Hannah leaned into the shot waved at the girl from behind Milo. Juliana gasped and waved excitedly back at her.
"Hi Mrs. Caballero!" Juliana called out, beaming at the woman who was basically a second mother to her. "How've you been?"
"Pretty good! Setting up a house and enjoying some much-needed peace and quiet. I was invited to attend an art event here. All-expenses paid." Hannah said with a smirk, causing Juliana to grin.
"Your networking skills are awesome. No wonder Milo's so popular at school, despite being a complete disaster." Juliana said with an impressed nod, causing Hannah to giggle.
"I'm right here you know."
Hannah rubbed Milo's head with a laugh. "So what have you been up to, dear? Besides keeping my baby out of trouble."
"What!? I'm keeping her crazy butt out of trouble!"
Juliana was happy to ignore Milo's protests. "I've been working on trying to get more involved with school stuff. I'm already part of Naranja Academy's Intermediate Level Band alongside Milo and do stuff for the Archery, Drama and Ecology Clubs. But I think I can get a spot on the Student Council in a few months if I keep working hard."
"I'm pretty sure Nemona could just get you a spot on your own." Milo pointed out, with Juliana shaking her head.
"She probably could, but I don't want to take advantage of her. Nemona's got other things to worry about, like the Pokémon League running her ragged. I think she's supposed to be back in the country tonight, actually." Juliana remarked before shrugging her shoulders. "Anyways, I asked Mr. Jacq about how I can help out. He suggested I volunteer to help organize the big school pep rally at the end of the month. Director Clavell has already put me in touch with some of the other folks organizing things too."
"Smart." Milo noted, putting a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "It's a great way to be seen and doing stuff at school. Especially since there'll be a League presence there and it's always good to impress the school's financial backers."
"Exactly! I can't be like you and suddenly make friends with a bunch of people by being an awkward dork! Networking takes effort!" Juliana declared dramatically while Milo and Hannah laughed. "So, how did you two end up meeting up? Milo would've mentioned something if he was going to see you in Artazon."
"She surprised me. I'm only here to get my next Gym Badge, since me and Arven were able to do the thing back on the previous route. I've got proof too." Milo said with a smirk as Juliana's mouth dropped.
"Holy sh…shizz." Juliana caught herself right as Hannah narrowed her eyes. The girl knew full well that Milo's mother hated profanity in any capacity and wouldn't hesitate to inform her parents about it. "That's seriously cool though, Milo. You'll have to tell me about it later. You enjoy your time with your mother. I only called to check in."
"Thanks for keeping tabs on my boy, Juliana. It was wonderful to hear from you again." Hannah said warmly to the girl, waving to her again. "I'll make sure to send some extra fudge in my next care package to Milo, just for you."
"You're the best! Thank you!" Juliana almost sobbed with delight while Milo coughed in his hand, badly disguising his laugh while Juliana flushed at her lack of decorum. Milo said goodbye to his best friend and hung up the phone.
"Sounds like she's doing well here." Hannah remarked, sighing with some relief. "I was worried about the move over here being too much for you two."
"It's everything we wanted and more." Milo responded, looking to his mother. "Which reminds me, Mum. If I'm able to do my Gym Battle tomorrow, will you be there to cheer me on?" Milo asked his mother, who gave him a warm smile and nodded eagerly.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Milagros. I can't wait to see you and your team kick some butt!" Hannah replied with a little fist pump. Conker mimicked her, doing a small chirp while Milo grinned with excitement. He was already looking forward to the battle.
Milo and Hannah toured the city for the remainder of the day, getting dinner together at a rather posh vineyard where Hannah was able to secure a private room due to her own artistic talents. This was also when Milo learned that in Artazon, well-known and influential artists were often given the VIP treatment.
Milo was able to allow his team and Koraidon out to enjoy the delicious food, with Milo being able to tell his mother all about his school days and the friends he was making. This conversation continued even as the mother and son walked back to the hotel Hannah was staying at, an upscale one that was much nicer than the inn Milo was residing in.
By the time Milo and Hannah had reached her room, he had just finished explaining some of his concerns regarding Arven and his suspicions that the older boy was hiding something. Hannah sat down on her bed, frowning as she considered the situation.
"Poor kid. I understand being dedicated to your work, but that's no excuse for Professor Sada to ignore her child like that." Hannah muttered darkly, sitting on her bed. Milo sat down in a nearby armchair, calling out Koraidon and sighing deeply.
"I talk to Professor Sada every other week or so and give her updates on Koraidon. I don't bring up Arven because it's none of my business, but I really want to. I can tell it bugs him, but I dunno…" Milo remarked, looking to his mother for advice. Hannah considered it for several moments before sighing with annoyance.
"I would leave it be for now. I know you hate it, but it's not your place to get into Arven's business. After all, you wouldn't like it if your friends started prying into your business." Hannah said pointedly to Milo, who flinched. "Have you talked with anyone besides Juliana about what happened back home?"
"No. And I don't plan on it." Milo answered shortly, crossing his arms while Hannah looked at him with clear disapproval.
"You're avoiding it then." Hannah responded coolly, causing Milo to flinch at the accusation.
"I'm not avoiding it. I just need time to process everything. With the move and school and everything else I haven't really had time to sit down and figure out my feelings." Milo responded without meeting his mother's eyes.
"Despite the fact that you've declined counseling or therapy. You really should look into your options at Naranja Academy, Milagros. The longer you wait to confront how this has all truly affected you, the harder it will be to overcome." Hannah said to her son with a somber smile. "I would know. I still go to therapy every Saturday in Levincia. Talking about things has helped me a lot, dear."
Milo froze at that, and truly considered his mother's words. After all, she was an adult and suffered just as much as he had. Perhaps even more, considering she had to deal with the fallout all alone. The teen suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he realized that she was right.
Even worse, he had kept Nuzlocke Curse a secret from his mother, and it was something he should have told her about months ago.
"Mum…I need to tell you something. About that day. The incident and everything that's happened since." Milo said quietly, with Hannah looking at her son with concern. After all, the two of them had just been having a conversation about Milo not discussing his problems. Now he was opening up all of a sudden?
"What do you mean, dear? Is everything okay?" Hannah asked worriedly. Milo shook his head and took a few moments to organize his thoughts, trying to figure out how he could come clean about the deal he had made.
"T-there's a reason why things happened the way they did afterwards. Why I'm still here. I made a deal with a monster to-" Milo began to say, opening his eyes…and seeing that his mother's eyes had gone completely white, with a strange glitching effect enveloping Hannah Caballero. Milo gasped and ran over to his mother, who was eerily still and not moving an inch. She wasn't even breathing.
Come on, kid. No one likes a blabbermouth.
"What have you done?!" Milo shouted as he leapt to his feet, whirling around the room furiously as Koraidon growled with concern beside him.
I have effectively paused your mother and erased the past twenty seconds of your conversation. When I end the effect, she'll be dazed and unable to remember that you were about to reveal a secret. One that you don't have the right to talk about.
"What!? Why did you do that!?" Milo demanded, looking around the room as an annoyed grunt echoed through his mind.
She'll live. I could have paused time within the room you were in, but that's not easy. Now then, what the hell are you doing?
"Telling my mother about the crazy deal I had to make with you? She deserves to know what I did…and what it might mean if I fail. What if her son suddenly drops dead someday? I'd never be able to forgive myself." Milo answered hotly, clenching his fists.
Hmm. Well, that sucks for you. One of the conditions of our deal is that you cannot tell anyone other than another Protagonist the terms of the deal. Consider informing anyone about it a breach of the contract, which will result in your death.
"Wait…are you saying I can't tell anyone that if I lose a Pokémon battle that I die?" Milo asked, his eyes widening in shock.
Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. I should've mentioned it before, but I was distracted with other matters. Whoops.
"I can't tell anyone about the Nuzlocke Curse. At all? I can't…why!?" Milo demanded of the Voice, who audibly growled with annoyance.
Do you have any idea what would happen if word got out that I'm active? There's enough issues without dealing with insane cults or would-be heroes. No, the fewer people who know I'm around and still influencing things the better.
"And you said that if I tell anyone, somehow, that I'll die. Just like I would if I lost in battle." Milo reiterated to the entity that was controlling his life. He completely failed at holding back his bitterness and anger at the force. "How does any of this shit work!? And why are you acting like this is all just some standard procedure?"
You think you're the first person I've made a deal with? Hardly. You're not even the first one I've dealt with ever since…well, recently anyway. Anyways, the last guy who made a deal with me managed to spill the beans on national television, but everyone assumed he was being sarcastic. After that fiasco I've made tweaks to my deals where you can't tell others about it. I'm somewhat surprised this hasn't come up before now and that this is the first time you've tried to tell someone about it.
"Who would believe me? I hate talking about what happened and only Juliana and Mum know about it. None of them would take me seriously if I told them what happened to me. It's impossible…" Milo muttered bitterly while the Voice scoffed with annoyance.
And yet here you stand, shackled to the constraints of our contract. You little fool. You're nothing special. You've yet to prove you can defy your fate.
"I'll win. I'll beat this stupid game and be free of it." Milo vowed as the Voice laughed in his face, causing white-hot fury to burn through him.
You're certainly free to think that. But nevertheless, you won't be spilling any of my secrets nor will you be divulging any details of our deal. I will actively prevent it. Should you do so anyways, you will die. And I won't be sorry to see you go.
"That's insane! How could you possibly enforce something like that?" Milo demanded, only to get a sigh of irritation in response. Milo felt the temperature of the room plummet drastically, and a shiver of fear rolled through him.
I suppose you've earned a demonstration.
Suddenly Milo's world shifted and he was facedown on the floor, feeling as if his throat was in a vice and his lungs were completely empty of air. It was as if a snake was wrapped around his body and strangling him. Milo's life flashed before his eyes, however the images were warped and distorted. Images of his life played in agonizingly slow detail, reminding him exactly how he ended up involved in a deadly game such as this.
Koraidon hissed in surprise and was able to take one step towards Milo before suddenly its entire body went rigid. The draconic mount struggled against the force holding it in place before its eyes rolled into the back of its head. Milo could do nothing but watch as his faithful companion collapsed and passed out. Milo tried to move towards it, but he was only able to writhe weakly on the ground as the life was throttled out of him. Eventually he was unable to do even that, and simply lay there on the carpet as his life trickled away, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.
Do not challenge me, boy…I will end your story and make it so you never EXISTED.
Milo continued to writhe on the floor for several long, torturous moments before the pressure faded and he collapsed onto the floor, gasping desperately as he filled his lungs with air. Milo could sense the amusement coming from the presence that was connected to him. After several long minutes Milo slowly picked himself up off of the ground and into a sitting position.
Now then, are you done being stupid or can we move on?
"I-is there anyone I can tell about the Curse?" Milo demanded as he rubbed his throat, even though there would be no marks or signs of injury. The teen coughed harshly several times before reaching over to Koraidon, who seemed to be just unconscious.
Technically yes. If you found one of the other Protagonists that I made a deal with, you could tell them anything you wanted. But none of them are in Paldea, so that sucks for you.
"So basically, I've got to find ways to not look like a total psycho while avoiding battles that aren't absolutely essential so the Nuzlocke Curse doesn't kill me. Wait, I battle Nemona all the time. Why have only two actually triggered the curse?" Milo asked the entity in his head, who actually laughed.
Do you want an honest answer? It's because that girl battles you so damn often that I had to alter the curse just so you didn't die the first week you were in school. It's only certain battles that count with her.
"Shoutout to Nemona being so hardcore that even an eldritch monster can't handle her." Milo thought with a smug smile, earning an annoyed growl within his mind. Milo pulled himself into an armchair and collapsed tiredly.
Don't sound so cocky, brat. She's the impressive one, not you. You've completed two of eighteen objectives and have a long way to go. The next time you mess up, I'm going to enjoy it.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever Baron Von Evilsatan. Just go away while I figure out how I'm going to make any of this make sense. Since I can't actually explain that I'm under a curse and all." Milo thought before the world around him glitched again and his mother moved, putting a hand to her head.
"Ooh…my head." Hannah muttered, rubbing her temples. She looked up and saw her son sitting in an armchair and looking at her with concern. "I'm sorry, I must've had a dizzy spell or something. W-what were we talking about, dear?"
"We were talking about school stuff, but we can save that for another day if you don't feel well, Mum." Milo said worriedly, with Hannah nodding in response before wincing again.
"I think I'll go to bed early tonight. We can swing by the Gym Building tomorrow and get you your next badge." Hannah said tiredly, smiling at her son. Milo hugged his mother goodnight before returning Koraidon and leaving, carefully closing the door behind him. He remained standing where he was for several long moments, thinking about everything he had been through and what remained to be done. As well as the metaphorical sword dangling overhead. Milo quickly left the hotel and went towards the inn he was staying at, his thoughts troubled.
The teen walked around in Artazon, enjoying the salty sea air coming in from the coast as well as the beautiful lights that illuminated the town during the evening. Yet even as Milo neared his destination, he couldn't stop but wonder about the presence that had so much power and control over him. Enough to murder him with ease should he ever break any of the rules of the deadly game he was playing.
"What even are you? Why did you reach out to me? After all of this you owe me some answers." Milo asked inside of his head as he continued to walk through Artazon, looking forward to collapsing into his bed and sleeping off the day.
I have many names. The Broken One. The Pokémon That Never Was. The Voice of Reality's Soul. That last one is even one I've imparted onto you, since intellectually you had to refer to me as something. Up until now, I've simply been known as the Voice.
"Well yeah, because you're not just a voice. You're the Voice." Milo remarked, causing the presence to hum for a moment. Milo entered the inn and quickly returned to his room, collapsing into a desk chair and sighing with exhaustion.
My actual name, which would destabilize your reality if it were uttered, isn't something I really want bandied about. I do have a name I allow only my friends to call me, or those who have earned my respect. Neither of which apply to you, Florian Caballero.
"So what can I call you then?" Milo asked bitterly, leaning back in his chair and throwing his hat aside, closing his eyes. Silence was Milo's answer for a long while, and Milo was close to dozing off in the chair before he heard a very quiet response from the Voice.
You may call me…the Remnant. A fragment of what was and will never be.
Milo's Current Party:
Reggie (Crocalor) M - Tera Fire
Cocoa (P. Wooper) F - Tera Ground
Storm (Wattrel) F - Tera Flying
Victor (Venonat) M - Tera Electric
Donut (Fidough) F - Tera Ice
Fiona (Flittle) F - Tera Grass
Benched/PC Storage:
Echo (Toxel) F - Tera Ice (Overleveled for Objective #3)
Fleur (Steenee) F - Tera Dark (Overleveled for Objective #3)
Shelly (Shellder) F - Tera Fighting
Bronson (Barbcoach) M - Tera Fire
Graveyard:
Sparky (Pawmi) M - Tera Electric
Pepper (Maschiff) F - Tera Poison
Name drop! Sort of.
Those of you who read Radiant Sun may have noticed that both this chapter and the other update that coincided with this one ended on a similar note. Consider that a fun easter egg for those who follow both stories.
Next up, Milo's second Gym Battle! Will he make it through without losing a teammate? Or will it be Katy all over again?
Massive shoutout to BraviaryScout and DaGuest for reviewing since the last update! Additional shoutout goes to SpiderMarko favoriting and following the story.
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Take care and stay awesome!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!