(Just want to make a quick note that I've made the decision to bump this fic's rating from K+ to T. The rating will reflect mild suggestive themes and possible language in future chapters. Nothing else with the fic has changed.)
"The Loyal Three were the real bad guys, but the ogre's the one that gets treated like an outcast!"
Kieran gazed bitterly at the Loyal Three's monument in the center of Loyalty Plaza. The stone structure displayed statues of the three Pokémon as fallen heroes, with hand-knitted purple accessories bestowed upon them, ostensibly a symbol of the community's continuing support for the trio and their "noble" sacrifice.
Carmine and Juliana stood several feet away, having tailed Kieran to the Plaza after finding out he had stolen the ogre's mask from his grandfather's workbench.
"You… you really knew?" said Carmine.
Kieran turned around and angrily faced the both of them.
"And you two did the same thing to me!" He balled up his fist in immense rage. "You treated ME like an outcast when you went an' met with the ogre!"
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean—" Carmine blubbered.
"Kieran, it's—it's not like that at all!" Juliana exclaimed.
"You acted like you didn't know anything Juliana, but you were laughing at me behind my back all along!"
"That's not what happened at all!" Carmine defended her friend.
"Kieran, I promise you, I wanted to tell you from the beginning!" Juliana all poured her heart out to him. "Carmine and I literally just decided that we were gonna tell you the whole truth and have you come with us to give Ogerpon its mask together! I swear it!"
The glare in Kieran's eyes intensified as he locked onto Juliana's pleading face.
"Liar!" Kieran screamed. "You're a LIAR! You do nothing but LIE!"
"N-no!"
Juliana could feel the tears coming up again, and it was much harder to stop them this time.
"You… I thought you were cool. I thought you were the first person to finally understand me. But you're no different from the villagers back then…"
Juliana desperately tried to wipe her eyes to keep them dry. But when she stopped to look again, Kieran's eyes were cutting through her like daggers.
"My sis was right about outsiders this whole time. I should've never trusted you."
"No…"
Now at this moment… Juliana didn't feel like crying anymore. In fact, she was struggling to feel anything.
Her legs completely shut down. And she collapsed onto her lap, her pupils shrunken and her face trembling in a complete state of shock. Her face sunk and she slumped over completely like a robot losing its batteries.
Carmine ran in front of Juliana.
"That's ENOUGH, Kiki! I don't know what's going on with you today, but it needs to stop now!"
Kieran started furiously ruffling his hair.
"Why, sis!? Why are you standing up for her instead of me? You lie to me all the time, and you love makin' fun of me for your own kicks."
Carmine was horrified. "Kiki! That's—that's not—"
"But you Juliana… WHY!?" He barked at her again. Juliana didn't respond at all, like she had completely disassociated with the world. "You promised not to lie to me, and then you DID! Why would you lead me on like that!? This whole time, I really thought you were my—I was gonna tell you that I, I—"
"Kiki, stop blaming Juliana! It's not her fault at all!" Carmine interrupted. "If you're gonna be angry at someone, be angry at me, okay!? I was the one who told Juliana to keep our meeting with Ogerpon a secret! And I told her to lie because I didn't know how much this would all affect you! I just, I just wanted to stop you from doing anything rash… LIKE THIS! So… so just stop all this foolishness right now, okay?"
Carmine could feel her eyes getting watery too, despite trying to be brave. She had never had an argument with Kieran this visceral before in all the years they grew up together, and was still struggling to comprehend how she had let things get this bad.
Kieran for his part, just started trembling harder. Both of his fists were balled up as tightly as could be now.
"You already know how I felt," he grumbled. "Not just about the ogre, but everything! You wouldn't let me have anything… You just want everything I love for yourself! How could you do this to me? How could you both be so selfish and uncaring!?"
Carmine fretted, trying not to let her own tears fall and look weak in front of her brother.
"Kiki… I swear, if I could apologize for a thousand suns I would. I'm so sorry! I didn't know this is how you felt. I would do anything, anything to make it up to you!"
"…"
Kieran shut his eyes. He tried to get a handle on all the blind rage he felt. It was strangely hard for him to see past the dark thorns in his head. He finally had an idea, and opened his eyes again with a look of steely determination.
"Battle me."
"Me, battle you? Is that really what you—"
"Not you, sis," he said, shaking his head. He pointed at Juliana. "You."
Juliana, still trembling on the ground, slowly lifted her head up, revealing black streaks going down her face.
"I want a battle with you, Juliana. To prove who really deserves to meet the ogre."
…
Juliana didn't respond. Carmine looked at her with concern, not sure if the poor girl was even on the same planet right now.
"C'mon Kiki, cut it out… This is getting really weird."
But Kieran just stared at Juliana with a crazed look in his eyes, seemingly oblivious to his sister's pleas.
"If you win, I'll give back the mask. So come on, battle me." There was no response. "Battle me!" he yelled.
"Kiki, stop!" Carmine stepped forward and shielded Juliana with her arm. "If you want a battle so badly, then I'll battle you right here."
"What!? Sis? What are you doing?"
Carmine readied one of her Poké Balls. "If it's a battle for the mask you want, then pull out your best."
Kieran was distraught. "Sis! Why? Why do you keep ruining everything!? I need to prove that I'm the strongest!" He started frantically ruffling his hair again. "And you always beat me in a battle!"
"Then let's see how badly you want this, little bro!"
"NO!" came a sudden shout.
Carmine and Kieran both jumped, and whipped their heads Juliana's way.
Juliana slowly and calmly stood up. She wiped the mascara running down her face, and pulled her head up.
"Both of you, stop. There's not going to be a battle."
"Y-you don't get to decide that!" Kieran stammered, trying to maintain control. "I'm the one who has the ogre's mask! T-that means I'm in control!"
"Kieran… no," Juliana said firmly again. "You're upset. And I know why you're upset. But a battle isn't going to prove anything. If I win, you'll just be more upset. And if you win..." She sighed. "I know you. You'll give us the mask back anyway, because you've got a good heart Kieran… and you know how much this means to the ogre."
"What?" Kieran said meekly.
Juliana maintained an assertive tone. "So come on. Just give us the mask back and let's put us all this behind this."
Carmine was stunned. Wow… where's this girl been the whole time?
"I—I—"
Juliana made her eyes glossy. "Please. You're my friend."
"…"
"…"
"DARN IT!"
With a great sense of reluctance, Kieran drew out the mask he'd been holding behind his mask… and without another word, walked over to Juliana.
He held out the mask. Juliana received it, and smiled at Kieran.
"Thank you."
Carmine was at a complete loss for words. She looked captivated by what she just saw.
She… she convinced him to back down? Just like that? No battle, just… words!? I didn't know she could be so forward…
"Juliana… That was, incredible…" she breathlessly said out loud. Her cheeks went red when she realized Juliana could hear her.
"Aw… man…" Kieran looked completely downtrodden. "Why does… nothing go right for me? All I wanted was a battle to prove I'm strong enough… That I'm worthy of the ogre…"
Carmine and Kieran both looked at him with intense sympathy—no, pity.
Juliana reached her hand out. "Kieran, I—"
"Aaaagh!"
Kieran yelled out of nowhere and ruffled his hair some more. Then, he ran over to the monument. Suddenly, much to both their surprise, he punched the stone monument with his fist.
Juliana gasped.
Unseen by both her and Carmine, when Kieran's fist made contact, a small burst of purple mist emanated from his hand.
…Then he pulled it away and clutched it in pain.
"Owww…"
"Kiki, are you alright…?" Carmine asked out of concern.
Kieran gritted his teeth.
"Just… just say hi to the ogre for me, okay?"
"What!?"
"Kieran…" Juliana lamented.
"Hey, listen Kiki…" said Carmine. "I should apologize for—"
"I told you already, just go! Just leave me here and—"
He was interrupted by a sudden rumbling sensation that seemed to overtake the whole Plaza.
"What the…?" Carmine reacted. "Did you guys hear that?"
Another rumble almost shook them off their feet.
"It's—it's coming from that statue, I think!" Juliana pointed.
Suddenly, the entire Loyal Three monument began to shake and rumble. The statues in the center shook most intensely of all, as a strange and sudden purple aura began to shine around them.
Kieran fell to the ground in shock.
"What's happening? Di—did I do that?"
"KIKI, LOOK OUT!"
Carmine ran to Kieran and pulled him away just in time as the aura overloaded, and the entire monument suddenly burst as a beam of bright purple light shot into the air.
All three of them covered their eyes and yelled at the sudden event happening right in front of them. The explosion of light covered a huge portion of Loyalty Plaza where the monument stood, before finally dissipating.
Juliana and the siblings all coughed and tried clearing the air as it filled with dust and particles of debris.
"Wh—what's going on?" Carmine shouted over all the noise and the dust.
Eventually, the dust cleared out… revealing a very peculiar sight.
The monument to the Loyal Three had been completely destroyed in the blast, only the stone fence surrounding it remained.
And in its place… stood three very strange looking Pokémon.
"What… what are those things?" Juliana wondered.
The largest of the three Pokémon sniffed the air loudly, getting a grasp of its surroundings. Then, as the dust cleared, the three Pokémon spotted the human witnesses and took a mighty pose.
The largest, a dog-like Pokémon with green markings, flexed its might. A small monkey-like Pokémon with blue markings crossed its arms and hissed haughtily. The third, a large bird Pokémon with long pink eyelashes, spread its splendid wings and chirped.
All three of them were primarily black, casting a very mischievous aura, and had purple-colored bands wrapped around themselves in various positions that almost appeared like broken chains.
They all stood proudly atop the remains of the monument.
"Huh? Huh!? What in the world!?" Carmine was rendered speechless and confused.
"What's happening? Wh-what are they!?" a frightened Kieran cried.
Julina gazed upon this trio of mysterious Pokémon, and immediately noticed something familiar about them.
"They look… just like the statues from that monument… Is it… possible?"
"Wh… Noooo!" Carmine said in disbelief. "You're not trying to suggest that they're—"
"The Loyal Three!?" Kieran uttered.
"Bu—but that's impossible!"
The trio of Pokémon seemed to respond to Kieran bestowing that title upon them by chortling with great brashness.
"Grrrific!" the dog-like one boasted.
"Mmmkay?" the monkey-like one pondered.
"Yip-ip-ippy…" the bird-like one graciously bowed.
"They're unbelievable…" said Kieran.
"They're majestic …" Juliana marveled.
"They're supposed to be DEAD!" Carmine growled. "Quit gawking at them! How are they even alive!?" She addressed the trio. "Wh-what do you want?"
The three Pokémon turned around, huddling up like a football team, and even seemed to start whispering among each other.
"What are they doing…?" Carmine wondered.
"I hope you didn't make them want to attack us…" Kieran worried.
The three Pokémon faced the three Trainers again, all gave a mighty cry once more… and then took off in the other direction, far past Loyalty Plaza, with the bird-like one sailing through the air and the other two running down the hills.
"Well… that was something you don't see every day," was all Juliana could say.
"Seriously, WHAT is going on!?" Carmine shouted.
"You're right, that's gotta be the Loyal Three…" Kieran concluded, still off his feet. "The stories said they were laid to rest right under those statues, and—and we just saw 'em pop outta there!"
"So what brought them back to life?" asked Carmine. She put a finger to her head, trying to think, but then she realized she could still see them in the distance. "Wait, they're headed towards Kitakami Hall!"
"Are they going after the townspeople?"
"Maybe they want something…" said Kieran.
Carmine tried to think. "But what would they want in Kitakami Hall? The only treasures being stored at the Kitakami Hall temple are… oh no," she suddenly realized. "We need to get going."
"Huh? Why?" Juliana demanded to know.
"No time to explain, I'll tell you on the way! Come on!"
Carmine took off running towards the entrance. Juliana started to follow, but noticed Kieran was still sitting on the ground.
"Kieran…?"
Kieran sat motionless, staring at the destroyed statue.
"…You two should just go," he said quietly. "I'll only s-slow ya down. Besides… I yelled at you. So I totally understand if you hate me now."
…
"Juliana! Let's go!" Carmine shouted from a distance. "We're wasting time!"
"Kieran…"
Juliana knelt down beside her friend.
"That's silly talk."
"What?"
"Nothing you say or do could make me hate you. I'm… I was upset that you yelled at me. And I want to talk things out later. But, even when we have our fights, I'll still be with you to the end. That's the promise I made… being your friend. And, and this time it's a promise I will keep."
She held her hand out. Kieran looked upon it, unsure.
"So come on. Let's go kick some Loyal Three butt!"
Eventually, but cautiously, Kieran reached his hand out and accepted Juliana's.
She smiled.
Carmine watched from a distance, amazed.
"S-seriously, how do you do that?"
I never knew she had such an assertive side to her. It's… kinda… Carmine fiercely shook her head. FOCUS, GIRL!
"C'mon, you two! We need to gooooooo!"
"That big one, it's gotta be Okidogi!" Kieran huffed. "The legends about it say it can pulverize anything!"
"Then the little one … what was its name?" Juliana gasped. "Munkidori? Supposed to have a really big brain?"
"That means the big flying one has to be Fezandipiti! The legends weren't kidding, it's almost as gorgeous as me!"
Juliana, Carmine, and Kieran all rushed to Kitakami Hall as fast as they could, only to discover that the Loyal Three—or the Lousy Three as Carmine had taken to calling them, had already come and left.
Adding to their bad luck, Nao and the rest of the elders cheerfully admitted to welcoming the three Pokémon upon their arrival, who'd come to recollect three of the shining masks stored within the Kitakami Hall's sacred temple.
The caretaker had even given them a platter of special Mochi, packed with sacred Kitakami herbs, to help the beasts regain their strength!
Juliana and Kieran were horrified. Carmine looked like she was going to throw hands with everyone.
"If they've got three of the masks that belonged to the ogre…" Kieran gasped. "The next place they'll probably wanna go is to the Dreaden Den looking for the last one!"
"And to get revenge on that poor defenseless creature!" Carmine bristled. "Come on, all of you! We're going to Oni Mountain!"
"A-all of us?"
"Yes, Kiki, all of us! Let's go!"
"Woah… watch out!"
Kieran halted both Carmine and Juliana in their tracks as they approached the Dreaded Den… and made it to the very thin land bridge connecting the hidden grotto with the rest of the mountain.
"Oh… that's right," Juliana remembered. "Forgot how thin this path is."
"Wait…" Carmine blinked in surprise. "Have you two… been up here before? This place is forbidden!"
Kieran looked like a deer in headlights. "Uhhh…"
"I-I suggested we visit the Dreaded Den," Juliana claimed. "Cause Kieran was so excited to see it, and… I didn't know it was forbidden! So… that's my bad."
Kieran was surprised, and to be honest so was Juliana. That was the most natural that lying had ever come to her.
"You… took my little brother somewhere dangerous?" Carmine reacted a little angrily. "Well… we've got more important things to worry about for now, but after we've banished those jerks back underground… I don't care how cute you are, I'm not going to let that one go. Now let me go first."
Carmine started crossing the land bridge slowly, with Juliana and Kieran slowly following.
Kieran, now feeling an immense sense of guilt, quietly said "psst" to get Juliana's attention.
"Hey… t-thanks."
"It's okay," Juliana whispered. "I'd rather I be in trouble with Carmine than you, and spoil your secret."
"I… Uh…" Kieran fidgeted awkwardly with his hands. "Listen… A-about the mask. I, I just got so angry…" His face shied away. "I got into my own head… And said a lot of mean things. What I did was real dumb. And… and…"
Juliana patiently listened. Finally, he sighed.
"I'm real sorry. I didn't mean to be so terrible t'ya…"
Juliana nodded. "Apology accepted. I'm sorry too, for breaking my promise and lying to you." She held out her pinky. "Still friends?"
Kieran paused cautiously, but returned the gesture. "Y-yeah. 'Course. Thanks, Juliana."
"Ponnnoooo!"
They heard a sudden child-like cry, and all three hastened their pace to cross the bridge where they saw a terrifying sight.
The Lousy Three had beaten them to the Den, and they were all standing menacingly in a circle. The frightened and defenseless Ogerpon was cowering between all of them, looking worn out as if it had already taken a couple swipes.
"Grragh…"
They were each wearing one of the three masks taken from Kitakami Hall, and growled at Ogerpon while wearing them, as if trying to taunt the poor creature.
Okidogi raised its fist, ostensibly about to take a swing at their past tormentor, when…
"Knock it off, all of you!"
Carmine was the one to shout it, gaining the Lousy Three's attention, as the three of them ran up to defend Ogerpon.
"You were trying to go three against one on that poor ogre, huh? I guess a fair fight's too much to expect from you jerks! But now that we're here…" Carmine raised her fists and proclaimed, "We'll make you regret ever coming back to life!"
"That's right!" Juliana chimed in.
"Y-yeah…"
All three of them sent out their Pokémon to do battle. Juliana's Floragato, Kieran's Dipplin, and Carmine's Poltchageist all faced up to the three bullies and cried war.
Munkidori bristled uneasily and seemingly motioned the other two to hear its next devious plan, and they could hear it make whispering noises again.
The three Trainers all reacted in shock as the Lousy Three started charging towards them… only to run past them completely away from the den, still wearing the masks on their faces.
"Ah—they ran away!" said Kieran. "…Thank goodness."
"Hmph!" Carmine flipped her hair. "I guess I'm too much for them to handle!"
Juliana cupped her hands together and laughed, which made Carmine feel a bit bashful.
"Y'know… it sure is a good thing that worked," Kieran dwelled.
"Why's that?" asked Juliana.
"Well, I remember reading in the old legends, umm, all three of them are supposed to pack a lot of strong Posion attacks."
"Yeah? So?"
"…We all sent out our Grass-type Pokémon."
Juliana and Carmine's eyes widened.
"You're right."
Carmine coughed. "That's a… that's a good thing they didn't call our bluff then, isn't it?"
"Pon pon! Pon pon!"
Their attention was drawn to the childlike chant from their adorable rescuee.
The Mask Pokémon Ogerpon gathered its strength to slowly stand up. Now Juliana could see up close its unique features: its little black feet wrapped in leaves that made them look sandal-like. Its bright green, grassy cloak wrapping around its arms like a warm blanket. Its distinctive black horns, long and sharp but nowhere near comparable to something like say, a Gogoat.
But most of all, Juliana was starstruck, for lack of a better word, at Ogerpon's round yellow face. Its cute, tiny little fangs. And its twinkling, literal star-shaped eyes that bestowed the Pokémon an appearance not that of a terrifying monster, but that of a small, innocent playful creature.
Juliana had never seen anything like it. Nothing as unique, nor especially so heart-meltingly adorable.
"You must be the cutest Pokémon I've ever—"
"Oh. My. Gosh." Carmine suddenly threw her hands together and jumped up and down. "You are so much more adorable up close!"
Juliana calmly walked over to the joyous but slightly timid Ogerpon. She made sure not to approach it too closely, and then knelt down on one knee.
"Your name's Ogerpon, right? You're safe now," Juliana reassured it, like talking to a small child. She then looked mournful. "I'm sorry we couldn't get your masks back."
Ogerpon looked downtrodden for a second, but shook its cloak vibrantly and smiled at Juliana, as if to let her know that it still appreciated their timely intervention.
Carmine, taking this as her safe signal to approach, dashed over and squeed in delight.
"Ohhh, I simply can't resist how cute you are, you precious little thing!"
Ogerpon jumped in shock, but Juliana's snorted giggling seemed to placate it.
"Carmine. Friend," she explained, fighting back her laughter. Showing yet another new side of herself!
"You're absolutely perfect. Just like me! Both creatures of unparalleled beauty."
Ogerpon gasped, and then blushed. Carmine giggled at her advanced flattery techniques.
"I think this little ogre and I will get along just fine!" she smiled.
Ogerpon smiled too and jumped for joy.
Juliana and Carmine both turned, and then stepped aside, noticing that Kieran was hanging back and fidgeting nervously.
"Well… come on then, Kiki!"
Kieran gulped. "Ya—ya sure?"
Juliana nodded. "You wanted to meet Ogerpon right? Now's your chance."
He cautiously stepped forward. Ogerpon made a noise reacting to the presence of another. Slowly but surely, a smile began to curl on Kieran's lips.
"It's really you… The real-life ogre…"
Ogerpon tilted its head and made a questioning cry, unsure if this other visitor was friend or foe. It seemed to turn to Juliana for affirmation, who nodded warmly.
Then Kieran found himself chuckling in delight.
"Wowzers… you're really something!"
"Oh!" Juliana remembered. "We've got a surprise for you!"
"Pon pon?"
Juliana reached into their bag for something… then thoughtfully, she stopped.
"Hey… Kieran?"
"Huh?"
Juliana motioned for him to come over… and then she lifted something into his hands.
"I think… you should be the one to give the mask back to Ogerpon."
Kieran was taken aback. "Y-you want me to do it?" Juliana nodded once more. "Wowzers… thanks, Juliana."
He graciously accepted Ogerpon's newly repaired Teal Mask and slowly walked over to Ogerpon.
"This is for you… dear ogre," he said, humbly bowing to the small Pokémon.
"Pon?" Ogerpon approached slowly and realized what Kieran was holding, and jumped up and down happily. "Pon pon! Pon pon!"
Kieran giggled.
Ogerpon reached out with its cloak-covered appendages to take the mask. But… as it did, something seemed wrong. Ogerpon gazed up at Kieran again, but in that moment seemed to sense… something off. Like a bad aura of some sort subtly radiating in the air.
And a smell that tickled the ogre's nose in an unpleasant way.
"Gah… Grrr…"
Suddenly, Ogerpon took a step back from the boy holding its mask, and began growling timidly at Kieran, as if telling him not to approach any closer.
"H-huh?" Kieran's face dropped.
"It seems… scared?" Carmine observed. "Maybe it's not good with new people, Kiki."
"Oh, because it already saw the two of us at the festival," Juliana agreed. "…Maybe you're right."
"…"
Kieran didn't respond for a few seconds, seeming glum. He took a moment to exhale. With a sad face, he looked over at Juliana.
"I'm sorry… I appreciate what ya did, but… I guess it won't take the mask back if it's from me. You—you should be the one to do it, Juliana."
He held out the Teal Mask to her. Juliana frowned, mortified that her kind gesture had only created more sadness.
Wordlessly, she accepted the Teal Mask from Kieran… and held it out to Ogerpon.
Ogerpon stopped trembling and looked at the mask again. It looked at Juliana, like it was scanning her for something.
And just like that, the ogre was suddenly smiling again, and took the mask. Although the three young Trainers had found the Teal Mask somewhat heavy, Ogerpon gleefully plopped the mask onto its face like it weighed nothing.
The Teal Mask fit on Ogerpon's face like a glove. It cast a new menacing-looking face upon the ogre, capturing its appearance much more closely to the depictions of a fearsome ogre with a wicked expression on the various illustrations Juliana had seen around Kitakami.
"Pon! Pon-yo!"
Such 'menace' however was quickly dissolved by Ogerpon's still-very-cute cries and movements, jumping up and down in joyous glee to finally have its mask back.
"Hee hee, it seems so happy!" Carmine smiled, infected by Ogerpon's cheeriness. "Seems like it's pretty comfortable around you, Juliana. You must have that magic touch!"
Kieran turned his face away, unnoticed by Carmine but earning a look of sorrow from Juliana.
"Kieran, I—"
"It's okay," he waved her off. "I'm just glad it has its mask back."
Carmine sighed. "It'd sure be nice if we could give the other three masks back to Ogerpon too, don't you think?"
"Yeah, but those big blowhards are still holding onto them," Juliana pointed out.
"And… aren't the elders gonna want the masks returned to Kitakami Hall?"
"Yeah… they might," Carmine grimaced.
She crossed her arms in thought, and gazed indignantly upon the ogre, who seemed to bristle at being reminded what it was still missing.
"Never mind that the masks rightfully belong to poor Ogerpon here! I wouldn't put it past the so-called Loyal Three to plot a second ambush, either!"
She gathered her fists and seethed again. Except… it was different from all the other times. Her fists shook hard like she was seriously boiling over.
"Ogerpon did nothing, nothing! To deserve spending its whole life being swarmed by bullies, and being misjudged by everyone…"
Somehow, Juliana was brought back to Carmine's previous conversation about the troubles she'd experienced in school… and all the scorn she said she faces from the ignorant adults. Was she seeing a mirror of herself in Ogerpon?
Juliana had come to find Carmine's ragefests oddly… adorable. But she could sense that the girl was really boiling over this time. That this time, it was true rage.
"Carmine…" She wanted to placate her friend, and put an arm on her shoulder. "We need to do something to help."
Carmine's fists slowly calmed down, as did the redness on her face. The jolts she felt from Juliana's touch seemed to douse the fire within her.
"Yeah… yeah…"
She gave Juliana a look, saying "Thank you" without the use of words. Brought back down to Earth again, she pondered on what to do, before slamming her fist in her hand.
"We need to keep Ogerpon safe while dealing with those Lousy Three! That means the three of us are gonna form a team!"
"A team?"
"Look out, bullies of Kitakami! For here comes… the Mask Retrieval Squad!"
She flashed a peace sign over her eye and posed like some kind of superhero. Juliana couldn't keep it together, and slumped to her knees bursting with giggles.
Kieran sighed. "Yup. Definitely watching too many Riolu Girl movies…"
"Count me in!" Juliana chimed in, still giggling. "Sounds like a lot of fun!"
"Good idea, isn't it?" Carmine clapped, pleased with the reception. "And YOU get to be my second-in-command!"
Juliana saluted. "Ready to serve, boss!"
"…I can come too?"
"Of course you can!" Carmine addressed her brother. "Every nickel makes a muckle, or… whatever Grandma always says! And now that that's settled, let's gather intel about those Lousy Three in Mossui!"
"And then we fight them, and get the masks back!" Juliana declared, spurred on by Carmine's energy.
"Yeah! That's a great idea!" Kieran agreed. "The elders of the town will probably think those three wanted the masks to keep so… if we defeat them in battle, we can take the masks ourselves, give them back to Ogerpon, and the adults will never be the wiser!"
"That's great thinking, Kieran!" Juliana winced. "…I just hope they never ask us about it. I've never really lied to adults before, and I don't want to get in trouble with my school…"
"It'll be fine!" Carmine assured her. "We're gonna get those masks back and give them to their rightful owner! We can do this!"
Carmine pumped her fist in the air, roasting with newfound energy. Kieran and Juliana laughed, and they both put their fists up too.
Ogerpon looked between the three of them, and it raised its tiny arm up too.
"Pon… pon PONNN!" It gave a determined war cry, and ran up alongside Juliana.
"Ha ha… are you, are you saying you wanna come along too?"
"Ponnee!"
Carmine giggled. "That's the spirit! Every Squad needs an super adorable pint-sized mascot to fire us all up!" She eagerly pointed in the distance. "Now everyone! To Mossui! We're going to make those Lousy Three regret all their misdeeds and make Ogerpon happy!"
"YEAH!" the other two cheered.
Carmine took off to lead the pack. Juliana excitedly followed, with Ogerpon trailing right behind her, bouncing and smiling happily all the while.
Kieran found it a cute sight… but then he stopped, letting the other two blaze past him. A happy sight like that, oddly started to affect him in a different way.
He reached into his pocket. And looked back at the Dreaded Den.
The happiness he was feeling moments ago seemed to melt away… and he started feeling negative thoughts again, his mind focusing on Ogerpon's seeming rejection of him, and how easily it latched onto Juliana instead.
Why doesn't the ogre like me? I've practically known it and admired it my whole life… Doesn't it appreciate that?
Dark thoughts began to consume the boy again. He couldn't get the images of the ogre growling at him, but being all smiles and sunshine when Juliana was the one to give it the mask, out of his head. It was like everything else was being blotted out.
Kieran opened his eyes… With a fierce resolve, he glared at the ogre's home.
"I will find a way to make you love me."