Liko -Alongside our friends from Blueberry Academy and the Alolan Royal Family, Dot, Roy, and I are taking Uva Academy's Terastal Course in the Paldea Region to learn the process of Terastallization. Roy, Lazuli, and I had completed our Basics tests against Ms. Katy and Brassius. And, now, it's Dot's turn as we make our way to Levincia to meet with Iono
The next day (September 8th on a Monday (Terastal Course: Day 5)), the heroes were now on their way to Levincia for Dot's Basics test with Iono after enjoying the rest of Artazon's art festival the previous night. They were riding high on the success of Liko, Lazuli, and Roy passing their Basics tests with Katy and Brassius and were eager to see how the young recluse would fare against her fellow streamer and idol during her test.
Izzy, however, was having so much fun being with them again that even after the art festival was over, she and Maractus didn't want to leave them and return home soon after. What's more, they were curious about Levincia and Iono, too. So, with great reluctance and despite knowing Hitch would be a worrywart over her being alone (especially since he was the only male in their group besides Sparky), Sarah agreed to let them tag along until Dot completed her Basics test (as long as they behaved and caused nobody in the seaside city grief).
"He sure is in a good mood, huh?" Liko joked, smiling at how happy Roy and Fuecoco were over passing their Basics test with Brassius.
"Can you blame them, though? Like us with Ms. Katy, they passed their Basics test under Brassius and took something out of the entire experience that helped them to Terastallize," smiled Lazuli, chuckling as she crossed her arms and shook at the singing pair.
"That's a happy thought."
"Sure is," remarked Floragato and Lazuli's Flareon (whom she decided to nickname Tera).
"Passing his Basics test last night must've lifted a giant weight off his shoulders that he had for the last several months," Dot noted.
"He's pretty lucky to be free from that and catch a second wind even though we still have our reports and our Implementation and/or Advanced tests to deal with," added Crispin.
"Crispin's right, it's not gonna be easy and we'll have to work diligently to pass the course once this is over. It does make us wonder what Kofu, Larry, and Tulip would be like when we finally meet up with them for our Basics tests," Drayton agreed, knowing the heroes are still in it for the long haul.
"D-Don't worry about it, guys. Lazuli and I were able to pass our tests days ago and it should be no problem for you guys!" Liko reassured.
"W-Well, yeah... But, you didn't have to get so fussy about it," Dot replied sheepishly.
"That's you, Dot," sighed Quaxly knowingly before Liko's Rotom Phone got a notice and she saw what looked like a new Nidothing video that was uploaded as of late.
"A new Nidothing video?" she blinked in surprise before she noticed several other Nidothing videos after it that were also made and uploaded before the heroes' Terastal Course began.
"You mean that cosplayer popping up around the net detailing facts about Pokémon with a fun and mythical twist with her Quaxly and Tinkatink and a dragon?" Izzy quizzed.
"How did you find time to do more Nidothing videos while you went through the course, Dot?" Arven puzzled with intrigue.
"I actually scheduled that video in advance and made it and a few others ahead of time. They were from the time spent before we began the Terastal Course and just after our new student orientation."
Liko then blushed as she asked Dot, "Well, um... Wouldn't it be more fun and easier if...you know, you could've filmed more of them...? Well, I don't know... While we're...out and about? But, were any of them filmed like that?"
"Nidothing, unlike everyone else streaming, doesn't film her videos 'out and about'. But, if you wanted... Maybe, I could film a few like that for you, someday..."
"Really, you would?!" Liko asked gleefully.
"Yo, Liko, chill out," quipped Cripsin over her continued fangirling of Nidothing.
"Isn't it great?! I've always wanted to see what Levincia is like! The city, the people, everything in it, the sea it stands near, it's gonna be a blast! Are we there yet, are we there yet, ARE WE THERE YET?" Izzy then rambled as she happily bounced along the path to Iono's Paldea home.
"We get there when we get there," Carmine reminded her.
"Maybe while we're there, you can shop for a few more items for your Pokémon, Sarah," Liko suggested to her best friend.
"Yeah, I guess... It has been a while since I've got something or two or made a trinket from the stuff I bought for them," Sarah replied, nodding thoughtfully in agreement.
"HEY! Hey, guys, we made it! I can see it from here!"
"We're back!" Roy and Fuecoco called, directing everyone to Levincia from the end of the path the group was traveling on (which was actually the top of a hill overlooking Levincia and its outskirts).
"There's Levincia, over there!"
"It's finally time, then," Dot breathed as she and the others looked on in awe at Levincia's unspoiled seaside splendor.
"The big one," Quaxly agreed as the young recluse looked at her Tera Orb, knowing it was time for her to begin learning to Terastallize herself and Quaxly under Iono when they meet her again.
(Theme Song - Hiten (TV Size - Rurouni Kenshin (2023)) ft. AyaseR-Shitei) Pokémon Horizons Pt. 3: Terastal Debut Ver.
~Kizu ari no sasurai no mi, itami ni donkan na boku tachi~ (Wounded wanderer, we are insensitive to pain!)
~Mou sabitsuitari wa shinai, nozarashi joutou no kissaki~ (Won't rust anymore, exposed to the elements, our blades are sharp!)
Our opening to Part 3 of Liko, Roy, and Dot's journey with the Rising Volt Tacklers and the Alolan Royal Family begins as Liko and Floragato walk out of Uva Academy's gates together before the young girl greets the readers/viewers first and she's later shown holding a Pokeball as they walked along. Roy then greets the viewers/readers before he is shown walking with Fuecoco and Dot and Quaxly following suit as the young recluse greets the viewers/readers herself. After Dot greets the viewers/readers, Sarah, Race, and their family are shown with the Paldea School Gang and their Partner Pokémon
Akumade mo kankaku teki ni, tadashii to omoeta michi wo~ (Always instinctively, we've been running, deceiving ourselves)
Boku tachi wa damashi damashi hashitte kitan da, machigai no hitotsu ya futatsu wa atta~ (Along a path that seemed right to us, there may have been a mistake or two)
Our Horizons Trio, Quaxly, Floragato, and Fuecoco are seen with Galaxagus (with Lazuli on his back), Char, Serrate, Plume, Breeze, and Shadow and his fellow Night Furies flying overhead beside Mistral (who was in her Dragon Form). Next, the group was shown with their Pokémon, mythicals, dinosaurs, and dragons enjoying sandwiches by a campfire at night.
Surikomareta soutai teki na, shiawase ni kyoumi nado nai~ (Ingrained relative happiness but we have no interest in it)
Yuzurenai mono mamoru tame kono, atama wo hineru katana wo nigiru~ (To protect what we can't give up, we grasp the sword that twists our minds)
Then, the group was shown trudging through a snowstorm as Articuno flew above them and Glastrier and Glacial covered them from either side, all keeping a watchful eye for anything that could give them trouble during the frigid blizzard. As our heroes then laid down on the grass (happy over the chance to catch a break after wandering around together), we are shown various Pokémon that reside in Paldea from the nearby trees and brush including a Kingambit.
Juujiro de kousa, kinou no you da, kioku no oku de me wo samasu douran~ (Intersecting at the crossroads, it feels like yesterday, disturbances awaken in the depths of memory)
Itomo kantan, miiraresou da, makka na ame ga kanaderu chinkonka~ (So easily, it could enchant us, a requiem played by the crimson rain)
A singalong shot features Ann and Nemona on the bench closest to the camera with Liko, Sarah, and Kieran directly behind them in the middle, Dot, Penny, and Race on the left, and Roy and Carmine on the right with Ann's evolved Dewott, Kieran's Hydrapple, Carmine's Mightyena, and Pawmot jumping and cheering to the beat first and Floragato, Quaxly, Blitz, Bella, and Fuecoco doing the same afterward. Soon after, we are greeted by good ol' Captain Pikachu, Friede, and the unconventional professor's Charizard as they smirk at the viewers/readers.
Hakanaku chiru mouja temaneiteru monban, mi no uchi kara yakitsukusu gouka~ (The fleeting undead beckon as the inferno consumes from within)
Jigoku darou ga, tengoku darou ga, miteru mae saki wo isogou ka~ (Whether it's hell or whether it's heaven, should we hurry ahead before our eyes?)
Amid a sunset or sunrise before them, Sarah, Race, their Pokemon, dragons, dinosaurs, and mythicals, joined by Diancie and her friends, Lazuli, Breeze, Galaxagus, Pantherra, Dragonite, Honchcrow, Timburr, Delight, Woobat, Gengar, Mismagius, Roggenrola, Lacey, Granbull, Drayton, Flygon, Crispin, Taloneflame, Metagross, Amarys, Incinearoar, Kieran, Mightyena, Carmine, Liko, Floragato, Serrate, Roy, Char, Fuecoco, Dot, Plume, and Quaxly braced themselves, ready for what lies ahead of them.
Kizu mamire nan da tokku ni, kasabuta mou ichido hagashi~
(Covered in scars long ago, peeling off scabs once again!)Hiten takaku tobitatsu tame ni~ (To soar high into the sky!)
We are then shown Sidian, Coral, Garganacl, and Glalie as the two Explorers are in disguise, going incognito for a supposed mission of espionage for their comrades, Hamber, and Gibeon by secretly learning about the Terastal Phenomenon.
Tatoe kyou ga kusatta hi demo, asu ga motto owatteitemo~ (Even if today is a rotten day, even if tomorrow is even worse)
Returning to Dot, Liko, and Roy, they unleash the power of their newly-gained Tera Orbs amidst three Tera symbols glowing in their respective colors and Tera Crystals appearing after. Through the power of Terastallization, Floragato, Fuecoco, and Quaxly Terastallize, thus becoming a Tera Grass Type, a Tera Fire Type, and a Tera Water Type respectively.
Hitori kurai wa konna no demo, aishite kureru to honki de shinjiteru ze~ (I truly believe that at least one person will love me, even in this state)
Amid the approving stares of Jacq, Clavell, Geeta, and Dendr and a nonchalant stare from a disguised Chalce, Liko, Roy, Dot, and their partners run across a field to join their friends and face the challenges the Terastal Course provided for them as we're shown transitions of Paldea's Gym Leaders, the Paldea Elite Four, and their respective Partner Pokémon they would formally meet throughout the course: Katy and Teddiursa, Brassius and Sudowoodo, Iono and Bellibolt, Kofu and Wugtrio, Tulip and Espathra, Ryme and Houndstone, Grusha and Cetitan, Larry and Staraptor and Flamigo, Hassel and Baxcalibur, Poppy and Tinkie, and Rika and Clodsire.
Aa itsuka itsu no hi ni ka, doro no naka ni saite kumo no ue de chiru no sa~ (Ah, someday, somehow, blooming in the mud, scattering in the clouds)
Liko is then shown preparing to eat a sandwich she prepared only for Floragato to jump in and cheekily snatch it from her. Then, we see one of her eyes as it crystalizes as if Terastallization or something else dazzles and amazes her.
Aa baka mitai na hibi wo, ikinuite miseru no sa~ (Ah, those foolish days, I'll show you that I can survive them)
Finally, we see the heroes on a hill overlooking a stunning view as Lucius' Moltres and Rayquaza (with Marena riding on the latter's back again) soar overhead into the heavens before the opening closes with multiple Pokeballs thrown in the air before they become the new main titles and Cap, Blitz, Rosie, Chili, and Crest appear and wink at the viewers/readers, smirking together.
The Trials of Sarah - Pokemon Horizons Pt. 3: Terastal Debut
Eventually, the heroes entered Levincia and not only was it just as packed as it was previously during their last visit, it was just as thriving in the day as it was throughout the night. There were various video advertisements scattered throughout the city advertising products with the help of Pokémon, the city and tourists were mingling with each other and wondering what they should do next, and it seemed more peaceful now that the heroes weren't trying to go after Spinel with him and the Explorers out of their minds (for now).
"Ahh! Levinicia is just as awesome as it was when we were last here!"
"Sick!" Roy and Fuecoco gushed.
"Look, Floragato! I see a Sprigatito on that soda poster! Doesn't it remind you of yourself when you were a Sprigatito, too?" Liko beamed, seeing her partner's old form in a soda advertisement.
"I'd rather not remember," Floragato replied awkwardly, getting a giggle out of her partner.
"And, that's the lowdown."
"After Roy's test with Brassius' was done, we thought we'd meet up with Iono here and see how she's doing before beginning Dot's Basics test," Sarah and Race said to Friede, Orla, Cap, and Mollie, whom they, Asha, and Dot called to let them know of the group's progress while the BA students looked around the city.
"I see, so after Lazuli, Liko, and Roy completed their Basics tests, you're now in Levincia again?" Friede smirked.
"Yep, we just got here," Dot confirmed.
"In that case, while you're here, you should swing by the dock at some point!"
"You all can bed down here in addition to the hotel during your stay for your Basics test, Dot," Orla and Mollie offered, smiling.
"Thanks a lot, guys. We'll see ya when we get there," Asha thanked.
"Hey, Dot! How've ya been? I've got us some Tamantu-la-Torte from my part-time job with Katy! Hope you and the others have your pallets ready when you come down!" Murdock finished happily, glad to see his niece doing well
. "W-Well, you didn't have to, really. Bye," Dot gulped in reply as she blushed and ended the call.
"Well, since we're here and we'll be staying for a spell, I guess...it won't hurt to go shopping again... Maybe Levincia has some Expert Belts for those I didn't get a trinket for... Or, I could rework some stuff I can get for them," Sarah thought, thinking of going on a shopping spree again.
"Hey, Sarah!"
"We're here!" a pair of voices called, getting the heroes' attention before they saw Ash, Hau, Gladion, and the Pokémon School gang running toward them.
"Hey, guys, didn't expect to see you here so soon," Race grinned.
"You here for a Basics test with Iono?" Asha questioned.
"Yep, that one's mine so I'll be joining Dot for the next few days to take it and for us to cheer her on. Seems only fitting since our shared specialty is Electric Types," Sophocles grinned excitedly.
"Ash, Gladion, Mallow, Hau, guys!"
"Hey! Alright! How did everything go with you, guys?" Liko and Roy smiled brightly as they, the BA students, and their Partner Pokémon noticed and met with Sarah's old friends.
"Great, Ash and Lillie passed their Basics test from Ms. Katy!"
"Mallow and I were given ours by Brassius the day before and we passed his tests as well," Lana and Kiawe added.
"They're just as powerful, unconventional, and tactical as you said they were. They really surprised us when they first battled them, Ash and Mallow lost their battles and Kiawe and Lillie won theirs but they all passed regardless. I can imagine the others being just as powerful and unconventional for the trainers taking on the Paldea League," Hau concurred.
"After Sophocles is done with Iono, Lana and I will meet with Kofu for our Basics tests."
"How are things going with you and your group, Sarah?" Mallow then asked.
"It was pretty interesting; Lazuli and Liko managed to pass their tests from Ms. Katy with tasty results after a small bake-off between them and Roy passed his Basics test after demonstrating his newfound creativity and clue-finding from Brassius," Sarah replied.
"Really? Congrats, Lazuli!"
"You too, Liko, Roy!"
"You all must be really proud of yourselves!" Lana, Mallow, and Lillie praised heartily.
"That's great! So, does that mean along with Sophocles, Dot is next with her Basics test with Iono?" Ash questioned excitedly.
"That's right," Dot confirmed.
"Excellent, we'll all soon have our Basics tests passed!" Kiawe grinned.
"And, that's after we, Hau, Gladion, and Lana complete ours once Sophocles and Dot wrap their tests with Iono up," Carmine chuckled.
"Hi~!" Izzy greeted jovially, shocking Sarah's old friends as she bounced around them.
"IZZY?!" they screamed in alarm.
"What are you doing here?"
"You're not supposed to be in our world!"
"What if somebody sees you out here?!" Sophocles, Hau, and Lillie told her, looking flabbergasted.
"Oh, she and her Maractus appeared at the Artazon Art Festival yesterday after Hassel asked us to do some art projects," Liko explained.
"Given her artistic and creative nature, she wanted to let loose her artistry there and went to town with what they delivered. Now, she and Maractus are joining us to see Levincia for herself and meet Iono, too," Sarah added.
"But, don't you think she'll be attracting unwanted attention to us with her presence and how she sticks out like a sore thumb?" Kiawe reminded, concerned.
"Nah, Sydney and the kid passed her off as my 'babysitter' hired by Mommy and Daddy, and after we told them, Mr. Hassel and Brassius let it slide after they noticed her. She was quite the show-stealer while we were there; she and Maractus made a crazy mixed media piece everybody in town went head over heels for. Even Mr. Hassel and Brassius couldn't hold back their praise over their shared creativity done in practice and song," Lazuli told him.
"Whoa, that's a relief," sighed Ash in relief.
"That's awesome! I wish we could've been there to see it," Hau chuckled.
"Where are you guys planning to meet Iono, by the way?" Mallow inquired the little princess, curious about Iono and Dot and Sophocles' Basics tests with her.
"We're heading to the Levincia Gym to tell her about Dot's Basics test while we're here."
"And, to spend a day here relaxing before we continue with Carmine, Kieran, Lacey, Amarys, Drayton, and Crispin's tests or return to Uva Academy after she passed her test," Asha and Liko replied.
"Hey, why don't we meet with her together? I also got my Basics test with her, after all," Sophocles offered.
"Awesome, that'll be great!" Roy cheered.
"And, you can see our new Tower of Cat, too!" Wild grinned as he, Rory, Shade, and Leo arrived.
"Tower of Cat?" the others chorused in confusion.
"Oh, right! Remember that phony tower the Explorers set up as a 'jail cell' for Lazuli or Friede during the Rayquaza fiasco? Well, since they no longer own it after Lazuli busted her way out and one-uped Spinel, I took custody of it and turned it into a building for the Cat Pack," Sarah explained.
When Spinel and the Big Three were beaten and returned to their main base to give their report on the entire ordeal with Lucius' Rayquaza to Gibeon, they abandoned the fake tower on the spot which Sarah noticed after she scouted the deserted island and saw it deserted. Not wanting it to go to waste and recalling that the Cat Pack doesn't have a building of their own, she decided to redesign and upcycle it to be a new home and HQ near Levincia's port for Wild, Rory, Shade, and Leo. This also meant they were now acting as Paldea's official first responders to any emergency hitting the region. And, with the addition of the new Tower of Cat, they were allowed to help their family throughout their continued tenure in Paldea given they already had a workshop in the city.
"Wow! That's just like you, Sarah!"
"You never stop given an opportunity like this, do you?"
"As expected of our princess!"
"I'll say!"
"Another example of 'Manalo' and 'Alola' put into practice by sharing Paldea's beauty with the Cat Pack, huh?"
"Awesome!"
"Nice work, Sarah!" the Pokémon School Gang, Hau, and Ash grinned with Gladion giving the little princess a smile and an approving nod.
"Oha-kon-ciao-bonjour!"
The entire city jumped to its feet and cheered loudly as the heroes all noticed a video billboard advertisement of Iono and her Partner Pokémon, Bellibolt, promoting the city's specialty Wasabi Sauce. They could tell just by looking at the video and seeing how much fun the pair was having, once she caught wind of them, the Levincia Gym Leader would be over the moon to see the group again and administer Dot and Sophocles' Basics tests.
"Is that Iono herself?!"
"Wow, look at her and her Bellibolt!"
"Cool!"
"I never thought an internet sensation like her would be the Levincia Gym Leader of all people."
"She's looking peppy today," Ash, Mallow, Lana, Sophocles, and Gladion remarked.
"I thought as much," Race sighed, holding the bridge of his nose in exasperation.
"Think we'll see her again before your and Sophocles' Basics tests begin, Dot?" Roy wondered to the young recluse.
"No way. Iono's a super popular streamer and gym leader, let's leave her alone. She's too busy to waste with us for casual get-togethers, anyway," Dot denied, trying to excuse herself from taking her Basics test in public.
However, a text notice from Rotoscope and Rotospark got the young couple's attention and when they saw who it was from, they could only sigh in dismay as they knew who it was that texted them at that moment.
"...Uh, Dot, you ever, uh...get the feeling you might've... Well, spoken too soon?" Race began slowly.
"No, why?"
"You're not gonna like it when we get to the dock to meet with the Rising Volt Tacklers, Seiya, Mary, Sis' grandparents, and your uncle," Sarah finished awkwardly.
"Alola, hello, ciao, and bonjour~! Alola, alola, alola, Ms. Nidothing minus the suit! Been missing your adventures as of late but good to see you finally drop by my way!"
Dot had indeed spoken too soon; when they met with the Rising Volt Tacklers and her uncle again, they found Iono and her Bellibolt of all people and Pokémon with them at the apartment where they were staying for the time being. In truth, they and MK-1 moored the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft at Levincia's port because the one who offered them a dock that would allow them to carry out the repairs was the Levincia Gym Leader herself. To make matters worse for the horrified young recluse, shedidknow about the heroes coming to her hometown for coursework and wanted to meet them for a small get-together before her and Sophocles' tests.
"I guess...she knew and had the time," Arven blinked as he and the BA students watched in disbelief.
"Shit..."
"Holy crap," gulped Asha and Race, sweatdropping anxiously at her.
"Oh, no..." Sarah groaned as she shook her head, holding it in her right hand in dismay.
"I-Iono, you're here?! What are you even doing in this place, anyway?" Dot spluttered, still horrified and shocked by her presence.
"What do you mean, ''What I am doing here, anyway'? Why, it was Yours Truly who showed your uncle and his friends along with that friendly robotic puppy and the princess' family this dock when I was told you'd be staying in the region for the Terastal Course," Iono replied matter-of-factly, not understanding Dot's horror and confusion as she helped herself to a plate of Tamantu-la-Torte and a cup of tea (generously provided to her by Murdock himself).
"That's about the gist of how we're stationed here if you're wondering."
"And, how," Friede and Cap concurred.
"But, still... It's not like you to be living here when you and Bellibolt were more at home in the Levincia Gym," Dot whimpered to her idol and fellow streamer.
"I'm not as stuffy as you with this stuff, no-no! Besides, I find looking for a place like this to relax and kick back a must for any streamer, including one who actually shows his or her face to friends and fans alike," Iono grinned, getting an exasperated sigh from Dot.
"Home is where the heart is, after all," agreed Bellibolt as he happily shared her sentiments.
"Anyways, dig in and spruce these up if you please, kids, Sarah!"
"Enjoy!"
"Featuring again, for your culinary delight, Ms. Katy's world-famous Tamantu-la-Torte!" Murdock and Alcremie beamed, presenting a tray of Tamantu-la-Torte they got from Katy from their part-time job under her wing.
"Don't forget about these cuties," Mary chirped happily as she and Seiya brought in the cake Petunia tried to make off with and the double of Lazuli's cake from her and Liko's bake-off.
The heroes were delighted as Roy cheered, "Yeah, whoo-hoo! Let's eat!"
So, after Sarah created more of the Tamantu-la-Torte using the Doubling Charm (making sure to preserve one for Lucius at Marena's request should they eventually find him) and cutting Lazuli's cakes (with the Pokémon, the Six Heroes, and the dragons also getting their own cakes or slices), the heroes happily chowed down upon their pre-Basics tests snacks. This served to calm Dot down as she happily ate her Tamantu-la-Torte and approved of its familiar taste.
As they were eating, Seiya and Mary noticed Tera eating with his new friends and their daughter, prompting them to ask, "Dearie, is that a Flareon you have there?"
"He's quite the oddball with how he looked compared to the other Pokémon, Dewdrop."
"He is but he's quite the powerhouse when we first met. Mommy, Daddy, this is Tera, he's my new Fire Tera Type Flareon. His transformation's permanent due to the Tersatal Energy he has on him," Lazuli replied as their Pokémon family and Breeze mingled with the Fire Tera Type Eeveelution.
"How very peculiar."
"Interesting, I've never seen a Pokemon with a permanent Tersatallized form before."
"So, kids, now that you're back together again, how's the Terastal Course going for all of you?" Friede asked the heroes.
"It was great! Lazuli and I passed our Basics tests with Ms. Katy in Cortondo Town!"
"I passed my test with Brassius at Artazon, too!"
"Lillie and I also passed Ms. Katy's test!"
"So did we with Brassius," Liko, Roy, Ash, and Mallow replied with Lillie and Kiawe giving him agreeing nods.
"After Sophocles finishes his test with Iono, we'll move on to Cascarrafa for my and Lana's Basics tests. Hau will have his own soon after," Gladion informed.
"While they're doing that, after we're done here, we will meet up with Ms. Tulip, Ms. Kofu, and Larry for my and Sis, Drayton, Lacey, Amarys, and Crispin's Basics tests, too," Kieran finished.
"By the looks of it, many of them are doing great. They're gonna go places if they keep this up," Arven smiled approvingly with Mabosstiff, Floragato, Pikachu, Snowy, Turtonator, Pyroar, Tsareena, Shaymin, and Fuecoco sharing the group's happy sentiments.
"That's good, very good!" Friede chuckled before he turned to Sophocles and Dot, "And, since nearly half of you are done and you're all here, that means Sophocles and Dot will be next in the Terastal ring with Iono."
"Oh, yes! Hey, IRL Nidothing, before we begin your and Mr. Sophocles' Basics tests, would you mind doing me a small itty-bitty favor here?" the Levincia Gym Leader coaxed cutely to the young recluse, confusing her.
Sarah noticed Dot wincing at the offer and she could only gulp before letting out a quiet, "Oh, dear..."
Later, after everybody had finished their tea and cakes, the group gathered on one of the piers as Iono and Bellibolt (joined by a small army of his pre-evolved forms called Tadbulb that were in a large circle) demonstrated to Dot what her and Sophocles' Basics tests for the Terastal Course would be.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen! It's...showtime! Survey says, show me...IONO!" Bellibolt began as he lit his Tadbulb circle with his Electric Type power.
"W-What is all this?!" gawked Dot as Iono appeared in the middle of the circle and detailed how it'd all go down according to her specifications.
"Now, IRL Nidothing! My Basics tests for Terastal Course students like you and Sophocles are shown to the world and the entire city on special Whozat TV livestreams! And, that means, means, means... Like the princess, her man, and her biggy sissy before you two last year, we're going to rehearse it until the night event tonight!"
"W-Wha-?! Wait, hold on, you'll be streaming the whole thing tonight, really?" Dot gulped in horror, her fears proven as Iono brought in a small army of Rotom Phones that would record their rehearsal. "C-C-Cameras?!"
"H-Huh?" peeped a bewildered Quaxly.
"Now, in your case, Bellibolt and I know that we're only rehearsing for tonight as we speak but I want you and your Quaxly to battle it up with us like this is the real deal! But, but, but...! I obviously can't have you going up against me today. So, I'll have one of your IRL friends step up as your opponent in my place, mind you, without having a Terastal Battle as ruled by the academy. Then, when it's time for Mr. Sophocles to have a go, we'll repeat this process for him and see him shine at his brightest as you would!"
"We'll help you and Iono, Dot! IRL rep pals, YAY!"
"Leave it to us!" Roy and Fuecoco volunteered as they stepped up first to rehearse in Iono's place for Dot's test.
"Leave it to our two resident hotheads to get carried away with Iono's fun and games," Mollie sighed with a knowing smile.
"They sure are in high spirits since passing their Basics test with Brassius," grinned Orla.
"I guess we're about to find out how much Dot has improved since becoming a trainer," Friede noted.
"We'll see," Cap nodded.
"I can't believe she's doing this all over again and with all eyes on Dot this time. That's more than enough pressure for her to deal with and it's not even her Basics test yet," Sarah griped in exasperation, recalling her Basics test with Iono the previous year.
"Did she...stream your Basics test before, honey?" Diane questioned her adoptive granddaughter.
"She did... I was unlucky to be saddled with her for it while Race and Sis got lucky with Katy and Brassius when we began. It didn't help that she got Clavell's attention and invited him to see it. I was so embarrassed even though I passed!"
Race and Asha shrugged apologetically (since they only battled Iono as a favor she personally made to them) as Iono then noted, "Well, then... With all that said, let's get battling and cracking now, shall we? I'm not streaming today but for the real deal tonight, whenever you're ready, the eyes of the world will be on you, IRL Nidothing!"
But, Dot was completely frozen with fear as she looked at the Rotom Phones around her acting like cameras. She had done streaming before as Nidothing but without her cosplay as a security blanket (since it had proven to be her ideal way of making her Pokémon videos and livestreams without needing to show her face to anybody, especially since she gets stage fright from showing herself to the public), she was completely out of her depth.
"Dot's sure acting a bit odd," Liko noted.
"Yeah, something tells me she's having it rough right now," Kieran nodded and Carmine agreed, both of them sharing her worries for their reclusive friend.
"You got this one, Dot!" Murdock encouraged.
"Well, well, well, then... Let Operation: Battle It Up begin!" Iono announced, beginning the rehearsal.
"Let's get 'em, Fuecoco!"
"Yes!"
"Come on, Quaxly, we can do this!"
"Right!" the two trainers and their partners bantered knowingly before Roy made the first move.
"Flame Charge, go!" Upon Roy's call, Fuecoco charged at Quaxly head-first and increased his speed with Flame Charge, landing a hit on him.
"Quaxly! Hang on, we'll use-" Dot began before she froze again, the Rotom Phones suddenly making her feel small and as if the eyes of the world were already on her.
The poor reclusive trainer was indeed out of her depth in the rehearsal as she couldn't focus nor concentrate on doing her and Quaxly's part, her mind going completely blank with no idea what to do in the heat of battle without her Nidothing cosplay.
"Dot, concentrate!" Quaxly begged her, wanting to get her head back in the game.
"Gotcha! Now, use Stomping Tantrum!" Roy grinned as Fuecoco unleashed Stomping Tantrum and they scored another hit on Quaxly, continuing to go at him with Flamethrower soon after.
While some of the heroes like Ash were caught up in the rehearsal and cheering Roy on, most were growing worried and scared for Dot when they saw how much of a frightened and paralyzed mess she was becoming.
"This isn't how it's supposed to go!"
"Roy and Fuecoco are not letting up!"
"What are they doing?!"
"What's going on with Dot?!"
"Dot, are you okay?! Get back in there, Quaxly's in trouble!"
"Think, Dot! Don't think about the cameras! Remember your partner!"
"Roy, stop! Call off your attacks! You're making a mistake, this rehearsal's completely one-sided!"
"Stop the rehearsal, Iono, Roy! Please, stop this rehearsal for Dot's sake, now!" Lillie, Lana, and the BA students cried in alarm.
But, Roy and Fuecoco didn't stop; they were too busy having fun with the rehearsal and treating it like a real battle to realize Dot's plight and what's becoming of her thanks to the Rotom Phones around her acting as cameras. Despite the pleas of a majority of the heroes (surprising everyone else as they watched them calling to stop the rehearsal and for Dot to pull herself together), it was fruitless as Iono didn't end the rehearsal and Fuecoco and Roy continued to pummel the poor Duckling Pokémon while being engrossed in the ordeal.
However, one particular dragon watching with the other Brave Olivine dragons would beg to differ as he could no longer stomach what was happening to his rider and Water Type brother. Horrified over seeing Dot with stage fright with all of the Rotom Phones (with their camera apps on) and Quaxly taking a beating despite dodging as best he could, he couldn't bear it anymore and he finally snapped, glaring daggers at Roy and Fuecoco.
"...IDIOOOOOTS!" he roared, finally having enough and charging at Fuecoco in a fury.
"Plume!"
"Hey, wait!"
"No!"
"Stop, Plume, come back!" gasped Serrate, Pincher, Breeze, and Char.
But, Plume didn't stop; he was in such a rage at Roy and his partner that he mercilessly head-butted Fuecoco into the air before he joined the startled Fire Starter and smacked him back to terra-firma with a harsh tail slap (leaving everyone shocked by how violent the male Featherhide was being towards him).
"AAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"
"Fuecoco!" Roy cried in alarm as he rushed to his battered partner while Plume flew back to Dot and Quaxly, comforting them and apologizing for not stepping in to help them sooner nor stopping the rehearsal for their sake.
"Ahh... Mommy, is my omelet ready?" Fuecoco groaned feebly as his partner rushed to his side to check on him.
"Dot! Dot okay?! Me sorry, me sorry me don't stop game! Me sorry you got scared bad! Me sorry you hurt, Quaxly!" Plume sobbed as he regretfully nuzzled the wounded Quaxly who was already beaten by the time Fuecoco was done with him.
"Plume, Quaxly! I'm so sorry...!" Dot told her dragon and partner, seeing how badly Quaxly was battered and how upset Plume was over what happened to them throughout the rehearsal.
"Ugh... No worries, Dot," Quaxly replied, reassuring Dot that he was fine but not before apologizing to Plume for making him scared and worried for them (and feeling guilty as he did so), "Plume...I'm sorry."
"Now, Dot is really not acting like her old self," Liko mused worriedly.
"Oh, man..."
"That was harsh."
"Good grief, what's gotten into Plume?" gulped a staggered Drayton, Lacey, and Crispin.
"Looks like Plume noticed what was going on with Dot, too..."
"I've never seen the poor guy so emotionally hurt and frightened for her and Quaxly before," breathed Kieran and Carmine, astonished by what they saw from Plume.
"You think he couldn't stomach watching Dot paralyzed with fear from the Rotom Phones acting like cameras surrounding her as they did?"
"It has to be or else he wouldn't have been so protective over them. He could tell what was going wrong with this rehearsal as we could," Race and Asha noted with great concern for Dot.
"This is bad... There's no way Dot can take her Basics test with Iono like this, she's having it worse than me; she was only rehearsing with Roy, and already, she's on a boat with no paddle on her!" Sarah griped for Dot.
Right away, even Iono could tell something was wrong as she looked at Quaxly and Plume and turned her attention to Dot, asking her, "Oh, my, my, my! IRL Nidothing, is something the matter with you?"
"Mmm... It's just that, with all of those cameras pointed at me, I suddenly froze up. My mind went black when I tried to counter Fuecoco's Flame Charge," Dot replied, trying to calm her nerves as Plume came over and nuzzled her (while having the wounded Quaxly on his back).
"Wait, the cameras...?" Liko blinked, also realizing what the problem was.
"But, you do your videos and livestream as Nidothing all the time-" Roy began cluelessly before Plume harshly cut him off.
"SHUT UP! DOT NO ASK YOU OPINION, BOZO!" he snapped, angrily growling at the young adventurer and making him and Fuecoco flinch fearfully at him (knowing what he meant despite not understanding him fluently).
"Uh, Roy, maybe this is where you move out, for now," a fearful Sarah told Roy as gently as she could, trying to ensure he didn't incur more of Plume's wrath as he continued comforting his rider and Quaxly.
"Ack! Oh, la, la, la! I finally understand after reading you like a book! Ai-yi-yi! I see, I see. Did those cameras give you stage fright already because you're no longer in suit for the fun of it all?" the Levincia Gym Leader noted as she realized what the problem was, getting a confirming nod from Dot and allowing the Rotom Phones to pull back from her and turn themselves off.
"Oh, Dot..." Liko breathed, now feeling sorry for the girl behind Nidothing.
"That was a low blow to a friend, even for you and Fuecoco, Roy!"
"You guys really stepped it in this time, didn't you?!"
"It seems old habits die hard for the two of you," Mallow, Hau, and Kiawe grumbled at the young adventurer with their partners giving Fuecoco disapproving looks.
"You two never know when to stop when something's wrong, do you?" Sarah sighed curmudgeonly.
"...We're sorry/We're sorry," they peeped sadly.
Lazuli was also disappointed at how Roy and Fuecoco handled the situation as even she dressed them down (while facepalming in exasperation at the pair), "You and your crocodile may be good with your flames, Human Torch, but your empathy and consideration for others still leaves much to be desired."
"Streaming as one's alter-ego to help you reach out to your audience and doing so as oneself are two completely different things, Roy. That's a fine line streamers had to cross depending on which videos they make whether they'd be videos on stuff such as cosplays, conventions, theme parks, and all that jazz and videos on real-life matters such as home, personal well-being, family matters, you get the point. Dot is more distinguished to the world by her work while donning her Nidothing alter-ego more so than her actual self," Race explained to Roy firmly.
"I get it; she could reach out to the world and share everything she learned about Pokémon through her Nidothing cosplay since it allowed her to explore hidden potential not even she was aware of! As a result, she had virtually no experience doing livestreams and videos without her cosplayandher own persona!"
"So, when she was exposed to those cameras and tried to call out a move for Quaxly to counter Roy and Fuecoco's attacks, she froze up and couldn't do anything as long as anybody saw her without her suit on!" Hau and Gladion realized.
"Is that true, Dot?" Lillie asked the young recluse who nodded in confirmation again.
"Oh, well, no need to worry! Of course, I've got some sound advice you'll need to help get you through this pickle; influencers and Terastallizers are not all that different so they must have the same thing, and that something is... The ability todazzle!" Iono perked up reassuringly to Dot, having an idea to help her overcome her stage fright.
"...Ability to dazzle?"
"By Terastallizing, how come?" Liko and Roy quipped, not understanding what the Levincia Gym Leader meant by those words.
"You've got to Terastallize to a gorgeous demeanor level and put on a fabulous show for everyone watching! As I always say, 'Dazzle, dazzle, dazzle, until you can't dazzle anymore!'; If you can Electroweb their eyes, you'll be on your way to battlin' and hypin' it up!"
Sarah groaned in exasperation as she slumped down while Asha shrugged sheepishly and Race facepalmed and shook his head; even though they were used to Iono's unconventional energy and demeanor and knew how eccentric she could be (given how much they learned from her while Sarah took her Basics test with her and they held official gym battles with her for the Paldea League), they couldn't help but feel a little awkward about her 'advice'.
"Is that so...?" Orla trailed off, unsure of what to make of her advice.
"You know, as unconventional as that sounds, she might be onto something here," Friede stated, giving Iono's pep-talk the benefit of the doubt.
"Is she really?"
"I doubt it," Johnathan and Cap replied, raising an eyebrow at the unconventional professor.
"But, how can I do that? I don't know how! If I'm not Nidothing and only myself, plain old me, how am I supposed to put on so much 'dazzle' in our battle? How am I supposed to go through my Basics test now?" Dot mused, still concerned about her stage fright and not being her alter-ego in front of the cameras.
"No-no-no-no-no-no! Not to worry, IRL Nidothing! It won't be a problem for you especially 'cause I, Iono of the Levincia City Gym, will zap into you just the spark of inspiration you'll need!" Iono reassured again.
The young couple could only look at each other as they wondered what Iono planned to do; both knew that Dot would be in for the long haul before her Basics test even began and they didn't like where the Levincia Gym Leader's plan was going. Despite that, the little princess was determined to help Dot battle without being her alter-ego and she would need the help of Equestria's most popular streamer to do just that.
Later, while resting for a moment in her room on the Brave Olivine, Dot mused over Iono's 'advice' as she looked over her Nidothing cosplay and Tinkatink (who joined her to keep her company) fiddled with the zipper for a moment. She wondered what she meant by 'dazzle' and 'Terastallizing to a gorgeous demeanor level' and thought she could put it into practice while wearing her suit, believing it was what her fellow streamer meant.
"Hello! Dot, are you in there?"
"We got something to help you overcome your stage fright and take your Basics test as yourself with Iono later tonight," Sarah and Race called from the door, getting her attention.
"Okay, I'll be with you in a moment," she called as she quickly put on her cosplay and began a new Nidothing livestream on the spot.
Meanwhile, out on the Brave Olivine's deck, Liko, Roy, Carmine, Kieran, Arven, Hau, and Lillie along with their Partner Pokémon were thinking about Iono's plan to help Dot deal with her stage fright while preparing her to take her Basics test as herself without donning her Nidothing alter-ego.
The plan she had in mind was to do a collaboration loophole away from her Basics test, the Levincia Gym Leader allowing the young recluse to battle her as her alter-ego via an unofficial livestream battle between them (essentially making it a warm-up act for her before the main event that night). Iono was confident that it would build up Dot's self-confidence as she was being filmed (and benefit her personally with her growing viewership since she and Dot would be collaborating for the first timein person). But, despite that, Liko, Carmine, Arven, and Lillie couldn't help but feel that she was overreaching it a bit and were worried for Dot's wellbeing given the circumstances involved.
"It's a good thing Iono was nice to think of that plan of a warm-up battle for Dot before her Basics test," Roy grinned.
"Yeah..." Liko sighed.
"Though, I guess she wasn't doing it forher, exactly..."
"...Hey, Roy, we've been thinking," Carmine began thoughtfully. "Do you think that's what Dot would've wanted?"
"Yeah... I mean, that warm-up battle Iono had in mind while having Dot do it as her alter-ego before her Basics test tonight; I don't know if she's up to it given how much of a challenge it poses for her self-esteem."
"Mm-hmm... What's more, do you think she would be happy about that working out?" Lillie and Kieran added, feeling concerned for Dot and her self-confidence.
"I agree, do you and the others think Dot's really okay with this?" Liko nodded.
"What do you mean?" Roy asked, confused.
"Liko, guys?" Floragato inquired curiously.
"Think about it; it's not like Dot and Nidothing are one and the same, their personalities are about as different as ice cream. Nidothing's Vanilla and she's Rocky Road but would Dot really go through with doing that warm-up act as Nidothing and hide behind her cosplay without understanding she needed to stand out and shine in her own right?" Arven detailed, trying to explain Dot's predicament as best he could.
Liko nodded as she added, "And, as we've seen throughout our adventures together, Nidothing isn't necessarily Dot..."
"You mean like...there was nobody inside Nidothing while she was doing her usual thing?"
"I don't think they mean it like that," Hau chuckled sheepishly over Roy's answer.
"He's not taking this affair seriously as the rest of us are, is he?"
"I suppose...that's why Plume went aggro on him and Fuecoco earlier and became protective of Dot and Quaxly after the rehearsal bombed."
"Indeed, I'm positive our friend of a male Featherhide read Dot like a book when he saw how terrified she was about the cameras being pointed at her and how vulnerable she looked being her natural self and not as Nidothing in the here and now."
"Poor Ms. Dot..." Mabosstiff, Carmine's Sinistcha, Decidueye, and Snowy sighed, sympathetic to Dot's plight before Liko's Rotom Phone got a video notice.
When Liko looked at the notification, she discovered that a new Nidothing livestream was happening now, "Huh, a new Nidothing livestream?!"
"Nidothing's back?"
"Nidothing? We haven't seen Dot's alter-ego in a while," blinked Kieran and Hau in surprise.
"But, what is Dot even doing? Why is she making a new Nidothing livestream now?" Lillie pondered as they saw Dot doing her livestream with Tinkatink, Plume, and Quaxly.
But, as they watched the first few seconds, while they saw Tinkatink having fun doing the new livestream, Lillie, Hau, Carmine, Arven, Hau, Snowy, Sinistcha, Masbosstiff, and Decidueye noticed that Plume and Quaxly were not into it as they used to be. They soon found Dot's Rotom Stick above them on the Brave Olivine's bow and realized she was streaming in real-time, eventually seeing that she was about to announce that she was taking her Basics test as Nidothing.
However, after a deep and momentary pause for effect, Dot ultimately sidelined the announcement, making them comically fall over in disbelief and shock at her.
Later, as Dot continued her livestream, she, Tinkatink, Plume, and Quaxly were having churros at a churro stand and were joined by Sarah and Race (with Blitz, Curly, Silvally, Bella, Blaze, Calculator, Espathra, Hootie, Chien, Cocoa, Larmina, Topaz, Garnet, Aurequine, Infernound, and the former BF Champion's Emboar, Bonfire, tagging along). While the majority enjoyed their snacks without fuss, Sarah, Race, Blitz, Silvally, Cocoa, Plume, and Quaxly ate their churros slowly, looking concerned for Dot and what she was doing.
The truth was that when the young recluse finally told the young couple what she planned to do according to Iono's plan, they grimaced in response and were not pleased and even Quaxly and Plume were dismayed by her plan of action. They didn't want her to take her Basics test as her alter-ego and would rather have her take it as her real self. But, at Dot's insistence, the young couple eventually relented.
She did plan to go through the Basics test with Iono as Nidothing. But, despite that, like the young couple, Plume and Quaxly hated the idea because they wanted her to take it as herself and not her alter-ego (knowing she would be hiding her true self under her cosplay for the umpteenth time). Even so, they didn't want to give her the wrong idea and played along just for her sake.
Eventually, they were in an alleyway as Dot mused over the success of her real-time Nidothing livestream, "Phew, good. Well, guys, it looks like we're a hit. Now, I know, for sure, I can dazzle everybody during the Basics test tonight."
"Mmm..."
"Yeah, sure, whatever..." Plume and Quaxly sighed, still disappointed over Dot's plan of action for her Basics test and overcoming her stage fright.
"Quaxly, Plume?" the young recluse blinked, wondering what was bugging them.
"...Hey, Dot. This seemed a little fun after you started this gig earlier, but... About you and your idea to do your Basics test as Nidothing, are you sure you want to do this?" Sarah asked, worried for her young streamer friend.
"Of course, I'm sure. This plan is absolutely foolproof, I did what I had to do. At least, this way, I'll dazzle everybody tonight just as Iono said. It'll also allow me to get around those cameras so I won't look like a fool to everyone nor freeze up while having all eyes on me," Dot smiled reassuringly.
"But, don't you think you're not being fair to viewers who wanted to see your face behind your cosplay by masking your true potential? You've done this for a while and some fans would've liked to meet the real you at some point," Race quizzed, unsure of the supposed success of the Nidothing livestream.
"Iono did say I have to dazzle to hype things up for everybody watching so I thought that by taking it as Nidothing, I'd pass *and* show my best to everyone tonight. That's what you want, too, right, Plume, Quaxly?"
Quaxly and Plume just sighed as the former grimly replied, "Dot?"
"Hey, Dot!" Liko called as she, Asha, Lazuli, Roy, Carmine, Kieran, Lacey, Drayton, Crispin, Amarys, Arven, Ash, Gladion, Hau, and the Pokemon School Gang came over to her and her group.
"Little Buddy, Race, there you are!" Arven beamed.
"You're really looking fired up now!" Roy grinned at the young recluse.
"That's true; my viewers seemed to enjoy me being out and about, too," Dot replied.
Liko nodded, "It sure looked like a lot of fun from what we've seen."
"You looked so energetic while in your Nidothing cosplay throughout your entire outing."
"I still couldn't recognize you with how you're showing yourself off and becoming Levincia's IT Girl of the Day with what you're doing," Drayton and Lacey said.
"The cameras didn't bother me even a little whenever I'm in suit; it's as if what happened during the rehearsal was a distant memory! I truly feel stronger... Stronger than ever felt whenever I'm Nidothing!" Dot grinned broadly, showing everyone her Nidothing cosplay (despite getting worried looks from the young couple, Plume, and the Pokémon with them).
Liko also frowned as she began to inquire about the supposed announcement she sidelined from the stream, "Hey, Dot... Listen, about that 'something' you mentioned you tried to talk about this morning, is it...?"
"I know what it is! You wanted to take your Basics test with Iono as Nidothing, right?!" Roy gleefully asked, cutting Liko off.
"WHAT?!" the BA students, the Pokémon School Gang, Ash, Gladion, and Hau gasped in shock at Dot.
"A-Are you serious?!"
"You're going to wear that thing tonight while dueling the city's Streaming Queen?"
"Wait a minute, Dot, I hope you're not thinking of risking disqualifying yourself from the Terastal Course by taking your Basics test as your alter-ego!" Asha, Lazuli, and Arven gawked in disbelief.
"Mm-hmm! I've got Iono's permission and everything and she went through with it as Race and Sarah did when I told them about it."
"...I see," Liko sighed, disappointed.
"Is that not okay for me to do?" Dot questioned, seeing Liko's hesitation.
"Huh? Uh, no! I mean, well, it's fine with where you're going. I do support you on that, but still... I couldn't help wondering...if you're really okay with this."
"Liko's right, Dot; some of us are worried for you after Iono laid out her plan earlier. Are you really happy about doing your Basics test tonight with Iono as Nidothing?" quizzed Carmine, trying to put it to the young recluse as gently as she could.
"What do you mean?"
"We couldn't help but think you were trying to force yourself to do it. This whole livestream you're doing now; going out and about in costume out of the blue, trying to act as cheerful as possible... We even noticed how out of place Quaxly, Plume, Sarah, Race, and their Pokémon with you felt throughout. It's like you're doing this out of obligation rather than personal choice," Kieran explained.
"Wait, she is?" Roy blinked in oblivious surprise.
"Look, Dot, don't take this too personally but we mulled around for a bit before meeting up with you and... We don't think it's best to force yourself to go through with the idea," Ash told Dot firmly, wanting to help Dot with her stage fright but not in the way she intended.
"We don't think it's fair for you to do this at the cost of your hidden potential and personal happiness!" added Mallow, giving Dot a well-meaning glare with Lana and Lillie nodding in agreement.
"L-Look, it's fine! I wasn't...you know, forcing anything. I just wanted to do this as I intended, that's all," Dot muttered, trying to back up her plan.
However, at that moment, Quaxly and Plume had had enough; when Dot turned to her cosplay, she noticed them dragging away from her as they didn't want to go through with the plan anymore.
"Q-Quaxly! Plume, what are-?! Hey, wait! No! Stop it! You can't just-!" she yelped in shock as she tried to stop them.
"NO!" Plume snapped as he and Quaxly finally put their feet down on her ill-fated idea.
"This has gone far enough! This is not what we wanted from you!Ipersonally didn't want this! Do you really think everything will magically go your way by being someone else and not yourself? Are you making yourself feel better just by doing this crap?! I've known you for months since I was given to you by Mr. Ludlow! You're simply not the kind of girl who would forsake her own happiness by doing something you're not happy with and being someone you're not! I know you're not! This costume isn't you, Nidothing isn't you! Where's the Dot who shut down the Explorers' resonator used to call Lucius' Rayquaza so they could capture him? What happened to the Dot who accepted the friendships of everyone who joined our crew the night before and after we confronted the madman that is Spinel?! The girl who joined us for lunch at one of the Galar Region's Wild Areas and learned how to make curry and made a friend out of Lazuli when she was overwhelmed by having a dish like that? The girl who made Tinkatink's day by unintentionally giving her a new hammer and joined our family when we got it back for her? The girl who was the first to become a junior rider when Plume and Breeze entered the scene and he chose her? Where's that girl? Where's my partner, where's Plume's rider, where's our good friend?!" Quaxly ranted angrily in agreement.
The heroes, their Pokémon, Serrate, Breeze, and Char were staggered by Quaxly's passionate rant toward his partner and Plume glaring at Dot for what they now saw as her biggest misstep as a trainer and streamer.
Even Sarah and Race didn't know what to say as they stared at the pair, their jaws dropped and their eyes widened in shock. They wanted to tell Dot that what she was doing was wrong and that she should have thought about her approach to her Basics test with Iono more thoroughly but Quaxly and Plume beat them to it.
"Hey, wait... Quaxly, Plume, you two also notice something off with Dot?" Roy questioned, still surprised.
"Dot, please! Tell us! Are you absolutely sure you want to take your Basics test tonight as-?" Liko pleaded.
"It's fine! I've thought it through, okay?! My mind's made up, I'm taking my test as Nidothing tonight. What's wrong with that, huh?!" the young recluse snapped as the pressure finally got to her, leaving the heroes shocked and unable to respond. "...Tch, I can't believe it...!"
"Dot, just listen! It's fine if you took your test as Nidothing but how do you think Iono would feel if she was here now and noticed what you're doing? And, if she got Clavell roped into it as she did with my Basics test, how do you thinkhewould've felt?" Sarah questioned, trying to make Dot see sense.
"...Video Princess, hear us out. I'm not that in-depth about this streaming thing and I know nothing about alter-egos and such but I know enough now to know that what you're doing just isn't right. If you take your test as Nidothing and not yourself, you'll never live it down since nobody else besides us and Iono knows that you two are one and the same. What's worse, if you do go through with it, you'll be confirming to everyone that you're not fit to take the Terastal Course let alone harness the power of Terastallization asyou and you alone. You said to Mr. Clavell you wanted to solve the mysteries of Pokémon during our first day in school, didn't you? Are you willing to go back on that promise just because you're afraid to show your face to everyone, that you're ashamed of being you and not Nidothing in public?" Lazuli explained gently, joining Dot and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Dot didn't have an answer to Lazuli's truth because she knew it was all too true and could only stutter, "I, I-uh... Um, er... Well..."
"AAAAHHHHHHH!"
Everyone heard Tinkatink scream in horror and turned to the Metalsmith Pokémon as she confronted a wild Swanna that came swooping in and took Dot's Nidothing cosplay in its talons, desperately trying to get it back.
"Tinkatink!" Dot gasped.
"What is that thing?!" Hau gawked in bewilderment.
"It's a Swanna!" breathed a surprised Carmine.
Liko and Roy looked on in surprise at the White Bird Pokémon from Unova with the latter pulling out his Rotom Phone and scanning the intruder for its entry.
"Swanna, the White Bird Pokémon, and the evolved form of Ducklett. A Water and Flying Type; because of its long and powerful neck, Swanna can deliver forceful attacks repeatedly with its beak."
"Sounds like this one's a real fighter!"
"But, what's it doing here?!"
"Never mind that, it's got Nidothing in its talons!" Crispin, Amarys, and Roy cried in alarm, seeing the Nidothing suit Swanna was carrying as Plume and Tinkatink failed to stop it before it flew away with Dot's cosplay.
"Oh, no! It's getting away!" Liko screamed.
"STOP, THIEF!" Quaxly roared furiously as he chased after Swanna with Tinkatink and Plume quickly tailing him to help.
"Quaxly, Tinkatink, Plume!" Dot gasped as she and the others went after her team and dragon.
"Oh, no!"
"Where did it go?"
"It could be anywhere!" Lana, Sophocles, and Liko fretted.
"Over there!" Quaxly called, leading everybody to a path that went to the center of the city and pointing the group to Swanna.
Quaxly's instincts were correct; Swanna was in the center of Levincia (i.e. the city's main square) and still had Dot's Nidothing cosplay in its talons as the people watched on in surprise. At this, Dot froze as the tourists and townsfolk all of the people looking at her and her friends while the White Bird Pokémon landed on the ground and eyed Quaxly before pointing its right wing at him (making him glare at his fellow Water Type).
"Hey, look!"
"Over there, it's the princess!"
"She's back!"
"What's with the Swanna there?"
"Where'd it come from?"
"What are those kids doing?"
"What's going on?"
"What's that in the Swanna's talons?" the townsfolk and tourists muttered in surprise, wondering what was happening before them.
Dot's stage fright returned with a vengeance as the terrified young recluse was paralyzed with fear, immediately recalling Iono's Rotom Phones on their camera apps staring her down during the rehearsal and still not knowing how to cope with the attention drawn to her now that she was out of costume.
Quaxly, on the other hand, didn't share Dot's fears as he was determined to retrieve the Nidothing cosplay. Accepting Swanna's challenge, he charged at her to get Dot's cosplay back without hesitation but was blown back when it used Hurricane on him.
"Quaxly!" Dot cried, worried for her partner.
"Swanna's so powerful!"
"But, we have to do something to get Nidothing back from it..." gulped Roy and Liko, staggered by Swanna's power.
"Ngh! Come on, Dot, let's get her!" Quaxly shouted to his partner, getting back on his feet despite feeling winded from the wild Swanna's Hurricane attack (and immediately deducing the White Bird Pokémon as a girl).
Dot wanted to help her partner even as Plume beggingly nudged her, wanting her to focus on the battle and not be overcome by her stage fright. But, despite that, the young recluse was still terrified of the people surrounding them watching the fight between the two Water Types and seeing how it plays out (many of them having their Rotom Phones in their camera apps out to record the entire thing).
"Q-Quaxly, I-!" she began but trailed off as her stage fright overtook her.
"Trust me!" Quaxly barked at her, immediately jumping back in as he began to land a Pound attack on Swanna.
But, the wild female Swanna gracefully flapped her wings, her elegant form showing proudly in the sunlight before it let out a Mist attack to blind the Paldea Duckling Pokémon. Quaxly couldn't see where she could be until it was too late as she reappeared and took him by surprise, using her neck and beak to peck at him repeatedly as her species' Pokedex entry said (while also using her wings and feet to slap and kick him while he was down).
With each attempt, Quaxly fought back twice as hard but he couldn't match the powerful White Bird Pokémon on his own despite the beating he was taking. All the while Dot stood where she was and did nothing as she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, wondering what she could do to help her downed partner and realizing that her selfish wish to bypass the cameras during her Basics test by doing it and posing as Nidothing was what led them into their biggest pinch to date.
Quaxly skidded towards Dot on his stomach following another beating session. But, the Paldea Water Starter was willing to press on for her sake and was relentless as he pushed himself up and glared pleadingly at her, wishing she could join him and they could get her cosplay back together despite everyone watching.
However, the battle was too much for Ash, the Pokémon School Gang, Liko, and Roy to bear and they felt they had to do something to help them before things got any worse.
"Quaxly!"
"This isn't good, we gotta get in there!"
"You're right! We must help them!"
"Fuecoco!" Pikachu, Ash, Liko, and Roy cried as they and some of the others tried to step in only for the young recluse to hold out her left arm to stop them (having come to a realization and finally knowing she and Quaxly have to finish this ordeal).
"Leave this to me," she demanded before she joined Quaxly and nodded to him.
"...Ah, alright, Dot!" Quaxly grinned with delight as he picked himself up and faced Swanna again, gaining a second wind from his partner making the right choice this time (which earned her happy cheers and warbles from Plume as he jumped up and down ecstatically for her and Quaxly).
"Let's go, Quaxly!"
"I'm with ya, Dot!"
"Use Water Gun!"
Now, working together out of costume with Quaxly, Dot made the first move as her partner fired his Water Gun attack before Swanna dodged just in time. However, as the pair battled Swanna, neither realized they were unknowingly being watched from above.
Unbeknownst to the heroes safe for Sarah and Race, the Swanna Dot and Quaxly were dueling is not wild but actually thePartner Pokemonof Pipp Petals (the youngest daughter of Queen Haven and the younger sister of Zipp Storm from Equestria). With her are Sarah and Race (who quietly slipped away from the others after they started chasing her White Bird Pokémon and joined her on the rooftops of one of the city's skyscrapers where nobody can see them) as their presence was part of their backup plan for Dot to help her overcome her stage fright.
Seeing how things were going as Swanna continued her fight with the pair, Pipp turned to the young couple and they nodded, giving her the go-ahead to begin the next phase of their plan (to which she responded by grinning and pulling out her Lucky Microphone).
Then, without warning, she began to sing "Bestie Life!" and "I Put a Spell On You" from Disney's Hocus Pocus to help Dot and Quaxly as the music surprised them and everyone else, wondering where it was coming from. But, Swanna moved in sync with her partner's singing as she swiftly dodged another Water Gun attack, gliding effortlessly before firing another Hurricane at him (as if she was dancing to the music).
Everypony needs a good friend, every now and then, yeah~
Somepony, you can turn to for a little magic, for a little strength~
When we are together, everything is great, yeah~
Bright sky, fly high, this life's gettin' better every day, whoa~
Day and night, you and I, side-by-side, wouldn't have it any other way~
I'm livin' my bestie life when I got you by my side~
Nothin' that we cannot do, all I really need is you~
Bestie Life, the bestie life, whoa, oh, oh~
As Pipp sang, Quaxly charged at Pipp's Swanna again to try and give Dot more time to think of a plan as he used Pound several times over. But, Swanna dodged each blow coming at her before she soared gracefully above him, her wings shimmering and allowing her to execute a perfect Air Slash attack. The crowd gasped in shock at the dazzling display as Quaxly was put on the defensive again.
"Where's that music even coming from...? No, come on, Dot, think it over later...! I still need to figure out how we can deal with Swanna's elegant yet fast movements and those Hurricane attacks," Dot mused while trying to combat her stage fright, still seeing everyone's eyes and Rotom Phones on her.
"Focus, Dot!" Quaxly barked at her, trying to get his partner back in the game.
"Come on, Dot! You can do it!"
"Don't take any notice of everyone else watching and filming you!"
"Concentrate and focus on the battle only!"
"Don't worry about everyone else! Just stop Swanna!" cheered Arven, Carmine, Gladion, and Hau.
Everypony needs a little boost when it's time to cut loose~
Hey, whoa (yah, yah, yah)~
You can party, party, party, you can dance 'til the day is through, oh, oh~
When we are together, everything is great, yeah~
Bright sky, fly high, this life's gettin' better every day, whoa~
Day and night, you and I, side-by-side, wouldn't have it any other way~
I'm livin' my bestie life when I got you by my side~
Nothin' that we cannot do, all I really need is you~
Bestie Life, the bestie life, whoa, oh, oh~
"That's right! I just need to focus on the battle and forget everything else! Swanna is our main concern right now!" Dot realized as she focused on Pipp's partner, ignoring everyone eagerly watching and recording the battle.
She even recalled something she learned from Sarah while taking a battling lesson from her sometime before joining the Terastal Course, "With concentration and as long as you keep a leveled head, you and Quaxly can do many things. Clear your mind of all unnecessary thoughts and trust your Partner Pokémon. Don't worry about anything and anybody else whenever you're in the heat of battle. Focus, the rest is up to you..."
After blocking out everyone else and setting her sights only on Swanna, Dot took a deep breath and made her plan of attack.
"Right. Now, Quaxly, use Pound and fire a Water Gun ricochet at Swanna!"
And, so, Quaxly did just that as he took a swipe at the White Bird Pokémon with Pound and fired Water Gun multiple times (with Swanna gracefully dodging each blow thrown at her) until one of his streams managed to hit her mid-flight.
But, to Dot and Quaxly's surprise, Swanna smirked in approval and changed her fighting style from graceful and elegant to slick and sharp with a touch of pop (following a slow but steady and foreboding intro) as Pipp transitioned from "Bestie Life!" to "I Put A Spell On You" for she now wanted to put them through their paces and truly prove their mettle.
I put a spell on you, and now, you're mine~
You can't stop the things I do, I ain't lyin'~
It's been three hundred years right down to the day
Now, the witch is back, and there's hell to pay
I put a spell on you, and now, you're MINE~!
"So, she's changed her fighting style according to the music, huh? Well, that won't stop us from doing the same to beat her! Quaxly, keep up with your Water Guns!" Dot ordered, seeing what Swanna was doing and allowing Quaxly to continue his Water Gun attacks (adapting and keeping to the changed beat so he could keep up with Swanna as the main song kicked in).
Hello Levincia, my name's Pipp! What's yours?
"This isn't good, Dot can't get a get shot if Quaxly's Water Guns keep missing-!" Roy fretted.
"No, Roy, I'm sure Dot has a plan in mind!" Liko rebutted as she cut Roy off, not wanting to lose hope for Dot.
"Liko's right! She's got something worked out for Swanna, they haven't lost yet!" Kieran nodded, keeping his faith in the young recluse.
I put a spell on you, and now, you're gone (Gone, gone, gone, so long!)
My whammy fell on you and it was strong (So strong, so strong, so strong!)
Your wretched little lives have all been cursed 'cause of all the witches working, I'm the worst~
I put a spell on you, and now, you're mine~
"Keep it up with those Water Guns!" Dot reassured, having Quaxly continue his Water Gun barrage and analyzing Swanna's movements until she saw her beginning to use Ice Beam. "Dodge, Quaxly!"
Quaxly sidestepped to the right just in time before Swanna unleashed Ice Beam and froze the ground before she flew up in the sky and came back down on him, preparing to use Brave Bird to end the battle with a one-hit KO (all while the audience watching and recording everything bounced to the beat).
Watch out, watch out, watch out, watch out~ (She 'ain't lyin'!)
But, when she was low enough to meet Quaxly and land her most powerful Flying Type attack yet, Dot saw her chance and initiated Quaxly's response, "Now, stop her with Low Kick!"
If you don't believe, you better get superstitious! Ask my sisters~
She's vicious!
The Paldea Duckling Pokemon agreed and met Swanna's Brave Bird with Low Kick, the two Water Types skidding back to their respective sides as they dealt considerable damage to each other. However, Swanna fared worse than Quaxly as she winced and her body sparked with electricity from the recoil damage done to her in return.
I put a spell on you, a wicked spell~
I put a spell on you! Everybody~
"They did it!"
"Swanna doesn't have much strength left after using Brave Bird!" Roy and Liko grinned with delight.
"Now, Quaxly!" Dot screamed, seeing their chance as Swanna straightened herself and recovered with a determined flap of her wings.
Not wanting to lose this moment, Quaxly charged at the White Bird Pokémon with all his might, letting out a loud battle cry as his body became coated in a light blue light and was engulfed in white streaks of light while crashing into Swanna.
Pipp -Ah-say-into-pie, oppa-maybe-uppen-die~
Levincia Citizens & Tourists:Ah-say-into-pie, oppa-maybe-uppen-die~
Pipp -In-kama-koray-ah-ma
Levincia Citizens & Tourists:In-kama-koray-ah-ma~
All -Hey! (Hey!)
High! (High!)
Say!
Bye, bye~!
Oh-oh-aah~
Bye-bye~
By the time the song ended, Swanna let out a final pained honk and ultimately collapsed in defeat as she couldn't go on, the battle ending in Dot and Quaxly's favor.
"Yes!"
"We did it!" Dot and Quaxly cheered happily as Swanna eventually picked herself up and went over to Quaxly (setting down Dot's undamaged Nidothing cosplay as she did so).
The White Bird and Paldea Duckling Pokemon glared hard at each other before Swanna eventually smiled and offered a handshake via her right wing as she told him, "...Congratulations, dear, you won. You beat me."
"Yeah," replied Quaxly, returning her smile and accepting her handshake.
"SO COOL!"
"Who was that girl there?"
"She was great!"
"Her Quaxly was phenomenal, too!" the citizens and tourists gushed excitedly at Dot, making the young recluse blush as she realized they were talking about her and not Nidothing (completely caught off guard by their response to her battling alongside Quaxly as herself).
Thankfully, she was then interrupted by Iono who appeared on one of the city's video billboards as she ecstatically greeted, "Alola-hello-ciao-bonjour! My, my, my, what a musical yet fiery display of battlin' it up we bore witness to today!"
"I-Iono?" Dot peeped as she turned to her fellow streamer.
"Hey, ya'll! Did ya fellas save up your memory of our guest of honor's battlin' it up in your mind drives? That's 'cause I've big, big news! The quiet and intelligent girl you see before you...is a trainer set to face me as part of her run in the Terastal Course!"
"Huh?"
"Awesome!"
"For real?!"
"That's incredible!"
"Yes, she and her Quaxly did prove to be a formidable pair!"
"That battle against that Swanna proved why they're the ideal opponents to battle her!"
"Why, they're grand!"
"Give it all you got tonight, Miss!"
"You can do it!"
"Her Basics test will be live-streamed exclusively for tonight or a later date. I've got high hopes for the Terastal Battle of the ages, Madam Dot!"
"M-Madam...Dot?" Dot echoed, blinking in surprise at what Iono said.
"Streaming to one and all for your viewing pleasure! Who's that there? It's me, the Electrical Streamer; this has been IONO!"
The crowd exploded into cheers and applause, eagerly anticipating Dot's Basics test and wanting to offer her their support. Immediately after the announcement, however, the young recluse remembered her Nidothing cosplay and quickly went over to retrieve it only to discover that it was already gone and Swanna no longer had it.
The ones responsible for its disappearance were Roy, Liko, and the others as they managed to retrieve it while everyone's eyes were on Iono, returning to the alleyway to check it out before anybody could notice and figure out Nidothing's "ruse".
"That was close."
"Good thing everybody was fixated on Iono when we got away," sighed Arven and Carmine with relief.
"Did it get any rips somewhere?" Roy asked, wondering about the cosplay's condition.
"Not a single rip anywhere, thank goodness," Liko smiled, seeing it practically undamaged.
"That's good but I'm surprised that Swanna didn't tear into it when it tried to get away before challenging Quaxly to a match," Kieran noted curiously.
"Yeah but what did Quaxly do to beat it just now?"
"That was Aerial Ace!" Ash said, recognizing the move.
"Do you think Quaxly learned it because he was willing to do anything to help Dot whenever she was in a pickle including getting her past her stage fright?" Crispin theorized.
"Oh, yes, yes, yes! It is, it is!" Altaria chirped happily.
"Hey, Liko, Roy, guys!"
The group looked over and saw Dot, Quaxly, Tinkatink, and Plume joining them, the young recluse smiling with relief as she saw their Nidothing cosplay with them, "Thanks for grabbing that, I was afraid I'd lost it."
Then, she looked at everyone gathered and plucked up the courage to tell them, "...Listen, about earlier... I'm sorry for all of this; me trying to hide myself behind Nidothing, yelling at and taking my frustration out on you, thinking you wouldn't understand why I did all that... I get it now; when I was battling with Quaxly after Swanna took my cosplay and he took the initiative to fight in my stead and by himself earlier, I pulled through because of him and your support. The cameras stopped bothering me entirely the more I got into it, and after we won, I heard Iono calling me Madam Dot for the first time..."
She then smiled and finished, "I've decided... I'm taking my Basics test *not as Nidothing but Dot*."
The others were happy for Dot finally making the right choice unlike before and nodded in approval, agreeing to give her the support she needed to pass her Basics test as herself and not her alter-ego.
"Stunn-i-i-i-i-i-i-ing! That was some battle you and your Quaxly put out there!" called an ecstatic-sounding voice as everyone saw Pipp appearing from above before she descended into the alleyway to meet them.
"PIPP PETALS?!" balked Liko, Roy, and Dot in shocked bewilderment at the Equestrian social media influencer.
"What are you doing here?" Lazuli blinked before she noticed Swanna landing beside her. "Hey, wait, isn't that the Swanna we saw with you during our sleepover?"
"Sure is and she played her part beautifully. Good job, girl," Pipp grinned as she gently stroked her Partner Pokémon (who lovingly leaned into her touch to nuzzle her).
The others were shocked by the reveal but Lazuli was stunned as she recalled the entire ordeal and remarked, "But, if that was your Swanna battling Quaxly at the city square, why would she...? AH!"
She turned to Sarah and Race who cheekily tried to sneak out of the alleyway before, in a fit of disbelief and anger, pointed her sword at them and thundered, "YOU TWO!?"
The others noticed them trying to leave unnoticed and were equally shocked as they realized what they had done.
Dot, on the other hand, took it the worst, immediately putting two and two together before she pointed at them and shouted, "Sarah, Race! Did you have something to do with this?!"
Race gulped worriedly as he didn't know how to explain his and his wife's plan to help Dot overcome her stage fright but Sarah pulled a poker face on her and quipped, "You're on your own, Race. Run like the wind!"
"W-HEY!" the former BF Champion yelped in shocked betrayal as he rushed after Sarah.
"YOU JERKS ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!" Dot raged as she charged after them in a fury, leaving everyone else to laugh at the trio despite knowing that Dot would finally be alright during her Basics test with Iono.
To Be Continued...