Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet

Chapter 25: When the Stars Fall

Motostoke

Seven Years ago…

The first thing that alerted Diego Caballero that something was amiss was the front door opening and slamming shut from across the house, followed by the sound of crying. The man sighed inwardly before glancing down at his burnt muffins with a disappointed look. He had tried to make a treat for the kids, but he wasn't a very good cook.

"It's a shame Hannah's at that art conference in Wyndon." The Cascarrafa Cardshark muttered as he took off the frilly apron he had been wearing and walked into the living room, only to see the retreating figure of his son running up the stairs and Juliana looking upset as she stood in the entryway of the house. Nearby a confused Breloom glanced up the stairs and then back at his Trainer.

"Looom?" the Breloom asked her Trainer, with Diego shaking his head. Nearby in the same room, a dozing Tyranitar opened a single eye for a moment, which Diego noticed.

"He'll be fine, Verde. Crusher, go back to sleep, we're good. Now, what's going on Juliana?" Diego asked, kneeling down a little so that he was closer to eye-level with the girl.

"Nolan and Sammy pushed Florian into some mud on the way home! And then Stupid Steve stole his dad's Swoobat from home and made it chase Florian down the road. It was so mean!" Juliana was practically in tears from how angry and upset she was.

"What little brats." Diego grumbled, trying not to let his own frustrations show. He had already talked with the parents of some of the young delinquents within the local school. They had promised to try and rein in their children's awful behavior, but apparently that didn't seem to be taking effect. Diego wondered briefly if he should get some payback on them all with some…shenanigans, but pushed that aside.

Comfort the kids first, terrible unrelenting revenge on the crappy parents second.

"Florian hates that thing! I got in Steve's face and started yelling at him. I just wanted him to stop! And…and after I hit Steve's face with a rock he and his jerks started yelling at me too." Juliana confessed, with Diego raising an eyebrow.

"You hit Steve with a rock?" the man asked, with the girl nodding.

"He ran away crying. I think his nose broke?" Juliana said with an unsure but worried expression. She then glanced down her muddy hands and Diego spotted some red mixed in, no doubt from Steve. Diego frowned and considered the situation carefully as he walked over to the kitchen with the girl following him. Diego grabbed a clean rag and ran some water over it as Juliana continued to talk.

"Florian's my friend! No one should be mean to him!" Juliana said emphatically, stomping her foot. "They said he's weak! That me protecting him means he's a loser!" Diego carefully wiped the girl's hands clean with a damp cloth before offering her a smile.

"Which is nonsense. Florian is a gentle soul, but that doesn't mean he's weak. Some people simply don't want to fight, or don't want to harm another. Of course he didn't want to confront someone who had a fully-evolved Pokémon." Diego comforted the girl, who calmed down a little at the man's words. He then patted her on the head with his usual crooked grin. "Now then, leave Florian to me. I'll make sure he's okay. You go home to your parents. If they have any questions, tell them to call me and I'll explain. And thank you for looking after Florian. He's blessed to have a friend like you."

"Okay Mr. Diego. Thank you!" Juliana said gratefully before Verde the Breloom offered the girl her hand. Juliana grabbed it and walked off with the Breloom, who would assure that the girl got back home safely. With that being done, Diego quickly went in search of his son.

He wasn't surprised to find Florian in his room, curled up in his bed with a despondent expression and tears in his eyes. Diego also wasn't surprised to see Amy hugging her brother with a worried look. Even as young as she was, the little girl was very perceptive and she knew when her big brother was upset.

"Daddy! Fluffy sad!" Amy told her father, who smiled at the girl's words before she made some room on the bed for her father to sit down too. Florian glanced up at his father for a moment before looking away.

"How you let Juliana give you such a silly nickname like 'Princess Fluffyflower' is beyond me." Diego remarked lightly, rubbing his son's head for a moment. "What happened, son?"

"I don't want to talk about it. It's stupid and embarrassing. Just like me." Florian mumbled dejectedly as Diego sat down beside his son and gave him a one-armed hug.

"Well, that's just not true. My son happens to be fantastic." Diego said before looking at his daughter. "Right Amy?"

"Yep yep!" Amy said brightly, crawling over to them to hug Florian as well, sandwiching the boy between his family.

"Juliana already explained some things. Tell me what happened, Florian." Diego said gently, and it took almost a minute for the boy to speak in a composed voice.

"Steve brought his dad's stupid Swoobat to school and made it chase me after class. Then he pushed me into the made and made me get some of the dirt in my mouth." Florian explained quietly, trying not to cry in front of his father.

"What rotten boys. I may have to introduce that Swoobat to Crusher." Diego mused, causing Amy to clap her hands excitedly. Florian just shook his head, not wanting to get his father involved.

"Why? They're just going to think I'm an even bigger loser." Florian mumbled, a tear rolling down his face. "Juliana had to protect me. Why can't I just do it myself?"

Diego pretended to think for a moment before shaking his head dramatically. "You're being too harsh on yourself, son."

"Maybe that's why Juliana's so amazing and I'm just a weirdo. I'm different from everyone else. I'm a scaredy-cat. A big fat chicken." Florian sighed quietly, with Diego patting the boy's head affectionately.

"Some people are more ready to…" Diego struggled for a way to put in simpler terms. "Juliana is what we call assertive. She is not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for others. You are a more meek sort of person, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Everyone is different."

"I'm different in the worst way. I can't protect myself from those jerks. I'm not strong like Juliana. She's brave and I'm a coward. She's good with people and I'm not. I just…wish I could hide away from everyone. Stay in my room forever. Can I do that, Daddy? I don't know if I want to go back to school." Florian said quietly, trying to hold back his tears and failing. "I don't deserve a friend like Juliana! I don't deserve a family like you all!"

Diego frowned at the disheartened words coming from his son. Florian had always had low self-esteem, and it worried him to no end. For not the first time, he wondered if therapy was in order. Diego pushed the thought away and focused on his next words. Right now Florian needed his father's guidance.

"Shhh…Now, that's simply not true. Your mother, myself and Amy love you. We love our Florian who plays his games, reads his books, enjoys card tricks and is simply…himself." Diego reassured the boy, who didn't look convinced. So instead, Diego tried a different tactic.

"Do you think Juliana would have been as brave as she was today without knowing she was protecting someone precious?" Diego asked his son, who looked surprised at the sudden question. "She stood up to those boys because you're her best friend in the whole wide world. Because she cares about you and values your friendship so much. Friends stand up for and support each other. And when they falter, you help them."

"Julie's the best!" Amy chimed in, earning a chuckle from her father.

"She certainly is. And if she was in trouble, you'd do anything for her, right?" Diego asked his son, who nodded in answer.

"So it's not bad that I didn't fight those jerks with her?" Florian asked his father, who brushed away the last of his boy's tears.

"Of course not. Fighting is not always the answer. And not everyone can fight, should. Some people are not made for it. You didn't want to fight, and so you didn't. There's no shame in that, mi pequeño niño. You don't need to be willing to fight to be strong." Diego explained to his son, who looked even more confused. "That being said, being able to stand up for what's right is pretty important. I know that didn't stop me back in my school days."

"That makes even less sense!" Florian protested, earning a bark of laughter from his father as the man tousled the boy's brown hair.

"Florian Caballero, sometimes…those souls that are the most gentle possess a greater strength that can be imagined." Diego remarked, placing a hand over his son's heart before grinning at him. "¿Cómo lo explico…? Maybe you'll understand in time. But know this…I will never stop being proud of you. Even if some dorks from down the road tease you. Let them. We all have fears, and you are young. When you grow up, you'll be big and strong enough to laugh at those fears and stand tall! Maybe you'll be the one protecting Juliana next time."

"You really think so, Daddy?" Florian asked his father.

"I know so, mi tesoro. You're my son. You have my looks and your mother's brains, my boy! How can you be anything but a legend in the making!?" Diego declared with a laugh, reaching forward and tickling Florian's chest and earning a giggle from his son, which seemed to dispel the boy's gloomy thoughts.

"All better?" Amy asked her older brother, with Florian smiling and finally hugging his sister back.

"Y-yeah. All better." Florian said to the girl before the both of them were pulled into their father's arms. Florian closed his eyes, smiling warmly, all thoughts of the bullies and his own worries forgotten.

Present

Arven slowly lowered the phone, his eyes wide with horror at what he had just witnessed. The livestream of the pep rally had ended, and both he and Milo had no idea whether or not Juliana was okay or if anything else was hurt. The stage she had been on had collapsed, thanks to being struck by a high-speed Varoom, and Juliana had been showered in debris.

Unfortunately, Arven currently had more pressing concerns. The current panic attack that his closest friend was currently having.

"No! No! No! Juliana!" Milo screamed out as he grabbed the phone from Arven's hand, his entire body shaking. Arven let out a harsh rasping sound of frustration and anguish, his heart gripped with pure fear at the thought of his friend being hurt.

Or worse.

"This can't be happening! No! Absolutely not! I can't lose Juliana! I can't! I'm not losing anyone else-!" Milo frantically stammered before suddenly being pulled forward. He felt a sharp lance of pain as a hand slapped him hard in the face, sending him back to reality and breaking him out of his panic attack. That allowed him to see that Arven was holding onto him by his shirt with a worried expression on his face.

"Get a hold of yourself! You freaking out isn't going to help her!" Arven shouted at Milo, who was snapped out of his hysterics and paying attention to Arven fully. Arven shook Milo again for a second to make sure the younger teen was truly back with him, and when Arven Sada spoke it was with a tone of authority.

"I'm going to pack everything up and work on sealing this place back up so that damned bird can't get back here. You need to go outside and call a Flying Taxi to this location. There's a way to get them to come to your location faster if you go through the service's app and select it from the drop-down menu. It'll require a bigger tip, but I'll cover that. We'll be back at the school within the hour to get some answers. Do you understand?" Arven said in a firm tone that Milo could only nod to. Arven then stepped forward to gave Milo a brief hug before releasing him.

"Sorry for slapping you, but it was the only thing I could think of to snap you out of it." Arven apologized to his friend, who rubbed the side of his face with a wince.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about it…I-I'll head outside and get the Taxi." Milo said as he quickly returned everyone to their Poké Balls and ran outside, leaving Arven to pack up everything.

Milo emerged into the sunlight and pulled out his Rotom Phone, accessing the Flying Taxi and following Arven's instructions. When he was done, he was given an estimated time of five minutes before the Flying Taxi would arrive at the very ledge he was standing on.

"That's amazing. It usually takes a half hour or so before someone comes to your location." Milo muttered as he lowered his phone and put it into his pocket, letting out a ragged exhale. "Good. We can get back to school and…she's got to be okay. She has to be."

Milo froze when his Rotom Phone began to ring, and it flew back out of his pocket to show that Professor Paulina Sada was calling him. Milo took several seconds to gather his composure and throw up his Poker Face before accepting the call.

"Hello, Milo. This is Sada." The Professor waved at the student, a friendly smile on her face.

"Professor Sada! Um, can I help you?" Milo asked, still surprised that she had called at a time like this.

"I detected that Koraidon has regained more of its original power. While riding upon it, it seems you should now be able to move across water." Sada explained to Milo, leaning back slightly in her chair. "Koraidon might be capable of breathing fire, but it quite enjoys swimming. I recall it being able to dive to a considerable depth underwater and hold its breath for several minutes without issue."

"That's incredible. I'm not a fan of the open water, to be honest, but I'll have to try that out later. Now's not the best time." Milo said to the Professor, who nodded in understanding.

"Of course. I am relying on you to continue taking good care of Koraidon." Sada said with a nod, but it was then that the woman tilted her head slightly, as if confused. "Um…Is everything alright? You seem tense, my child."

Milo was surprised that the Professor saw through him, but realized after a moment that he hadn't had to put so much pressure on his Poker Face before. Juliana had never been hurt like this before, and Milo knew that his usual façade likely had several cracks in it. Milo sighed and allowed his worried frown to come forth.

"Sorry ma'am, I just got some really bad news from school. I'm about to fly back there and see for myself what's going on, but it looks like my best friend was hurt really badly at the pep rally that just happened." Milo explained to the Professor, who's eyes widened in surprise.

"I used to love those back when I was at school! What happened?" Professor Sada asked Milo, clearly alarmed. Milo explained what happened as quickly as he could, with the Professor nodding along. As the teen spoke, Professor Sada began typing away at the keyboard in front of her.

"I see. Well, if all you can do on this end is wait for your ride to get there, then maybe there's a way to get you some immediate answers when you arrive at the Academy." Sada said to Milo before finally reaching back her hand and dramatically tapping a key on her keyboard with a flourish. "And that was a message to Director Clavell, informing him that you are on your way back to the Academy and that, considering the circumstances, he should be ready to meet you. I'd assess that there's a pretty strong chance he'll have answers for you the moment you return to school."

"W-wait. You just messaged Director Clavell just like that? I know you're an old friend of his, but that's crazy." Milo muttered in amazement, wondering just how influential this woman actually was.

Professor Sada offered Milo a rather smug smile. "You'd be surprised what I'm capable of even from down here at the Zero Lab, my child. I could have the Top Champion of Paldea herself come to your location and escort you back to the school if I simply asked for it."

"Seriously? Wow…" Milo remarked with some bewilderment, though he wasn't sure what a Top Champion was. It sounded familiar to the frazzled teen. He vaguely recalled Nemona mentioning it in passing.

"The region owes much to my efforts in the study of the Terastal Phenomena. You'd be amazed at how much funding they're willing to throw my way due to the amount my research has bolstered Paldea's strength. And the Tera Orbs are simply surface-level, my young friend." Professor Sada said to Milo, with a light chuckle. "But back to my point. I have just received a reply from Director Clavell, and he will be reaching out to you with an update within the next thirty minutes. He's currently on the phone with the Chairwoman of the Naranja School Board. I imagine she isn't happy about what happened."

"You work fast, ma'am. Thank you." Milo said gratefully to the Professor, offering her a tired smile but one of appreciation for the woman's help at such an intense time.

"If you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask. Take care, young Milo, and hurry to your friend's side. I'm praying for her safety." Professor Sada said with a warm smile and a wave before ending the call.

With that, Professor Sada hung up the phone, leaving Milo to his troubled thoughts. It was then he became aware of an approaching Flying Taxi heading his way.

Right on cue, Arven emerged from the cave and walked over to Milo with a focused expression as he waved to the Flying Taxi and drew their attention. One minute later, Milo and Arven were onboard and were flying towards the school as quickly as they could. Milo stared at the slowly approaching school, his thoughts whirling with worry and fear.

Meanwhile, Arven was re-watching the footage from the livestream with the sound muted, trying to see if he could glean anything from it. After the third re-watch, Arven's eyes narrowed at what he saw on the screen the moment Juliana was obscured from sight and the debris cloud kicked up.

A faint flash of green light.

His fourth and fifth re-watch of the incident confirmed what he saw, but he didn't know what that meant. He put away his phone and focused his attention on Milo, who was visibly pale and looked like he was going to be sick, his mouth set into a firm like as he struggled to keep his composure. Arven couldn't imagine what his friend was going through right now.

"They're going to pay for this." Milo thought grimly, his fists gripping the railing of the car until they were white. Arven put a hand on his shoulder to try and comfort his younger friend, but Milo's thoughts were a tempest as they drew closer and closer to Naranja Academy.

Naranja Academy

"I don't give a damn, Henry! I keep hearing excuses!"

The Director of Naranja Academy flinched at the fury of the Chairwoman of the Naranja Academy School Board. She held many other positions, of course, but right now she was acting in the capacity of being Clavell's boss.

"Miss Geeta, with all due respect, this is a complicated situation. Team Star as a whole is a tangled mess that the faculty is trying to unravel. We simply need more time." Clavell tried to explain, but the woman was hearing none of it.

"I saw that livestream and I refuse to accept any more excuses. I've been too preoccupied with my own duties to do anything about them myself, and I'm finding myself running out of patience with you and your lack of progress on this Team Star matter. Those kids have set up bases in Paldea's countryside and have been causing disruptions for years now, Henry."

Director Clavell sighed and remained silent for several long moments. It wasn't as if he had any true rebuttal to the fury of the Chairwoman on the phone. "What would you expect of me, La Primera?"

"I want results. This is supposed to be a place of learning. Where bright minds in Paldea can be nurtured and allowed to flourish in safety. If you can't safeguard those lives from a bunch of delinquents, then clearly there needs to be a change in leadership. I expect something concrete to be done about Team Star no later than by the end of next week…or I'll expect your letter of resignation on my desk." Geeta said firmly before ending the call, leaving the Director of Naranja Academy to his thoughts.

"What a mess…" Clavell murmured, running a hand down his face with a ragged sigh. It had been a very long day, and he expected his headache wouldn't be ending anytime soon. He glanced back down at his Rotom Phone, opening it and rereading the series of texts that he had received out of the blue from his longtime friend Paulina Sada.

"How odd that she would reach out to me on Master Milo's behalf. She says that she learned of what happened when speaking to the boy, who was watching the livestream and saw his friend be buried alive in real-time…" Clavell hummed for a moment before sighing and rubbing his face. He got to his feet and gathered his things before exiting his office and heading downstairs to the lobby, texting his faculty through a group chat about his conversation with Chairwoman Geeta.

Director Clavell was waiting in the lobby for less than five minutes when Arven and Milo stumbled through the front doors of the Academy with worried expressions. Clavell held up a hand to stop the stream of questions about to spill forth and offered them a tired smile.

"I understand you both saw what happened at the pep rally. To answer the most urgent of your questions, Miss Juliana is okay." Clavell said to the two teenagers, who both seemed to sag with relief.

"However, she was injured and was transported to the hospital. Last I was updated, she was awake and talking to doctors. I'm more than happy to offer my services to get you two gentlemen to her side quickly." Clavell said to the two students, who both nodded.

Director Clavell then unclipped one of the Premier Balls from his belt and called out a green and white humanoid Pokémon that Milo recognized as a Gallade. He would've checked its Pokédex entry, as he usually did when encountering a Pokémon he didn't usually see, but time was of the essence and he stepped closer to the Gallade. Arven did so a few moments later, with Director Clavell handing the older teen a sticky note.

"That should allow you to find her room and give you permission to see her. I would tag along myself, but I must be here to unravel this mess. If there are any issues, call up to the school and I'll come down myself to resolve them. Caesar, if you would?" Clavell asked the Gallade, who nodded and closed its eyes, and within moments the two boys were whisked away from the school thanks to the Pokémon using Teleport.

Central Mesagoza St. Calasanz's Hospital

Milo and Arven teleported into what looked like an enormous lobby, and Arven recognized it as the lobby of Central Mesagoza St. Calasanz's Hospital, the biggest hospital in the Paldea region.

The room was pristine, with freshly-mopped floors and the scent of disinfectant in the air. The white leather furniture practically shined in the sunlight streaming in from the massive windows around the lobby and the soft sound of a violin played in the background. Milo shuddered violently for a moment before a hum from Caesar the Gallade caught his attention.

Clavell's Gallade stepped away from the boys and nodded to them before teleporting back to the school, leaving the two teens to walk to the front desk and give her the note showing the information Director Clavell had given them. They were pointed down one of the hallways and away they went, though the silence between Arven and Milo remained heavy. Arven could tell Milo was distinctly uncomfortable and still looked nauseous, so he asked his friend if he was okay.

"I'll be fine. Not a fan of hospitals. Not as bad as my deep water phobia, but when you spend enough time in one…" Milo trailed off as he spotted two figures he recognized immediately. A middle-aged couple who were standing at a vending machine about a hundred feet away.

"Mr. and Mrs. Anderson!" Milo called out to the man and woman, who both turned towards the teenager they recognized immediately.

"Florian!" both adults cried out, walking towards the young man and pulling him into a tight hug. Arven watched the display with a wistful smile, standing back a respectful distance.

"How is she!? I'm so sorry, I was busy helping Arven with something but came as quickly as I could-!" Milo began to sputter, but Juliana's father put a hand on the boy's head and looked at him intently.

"It's okay. None of this was your fault, son. Now take a deep breath, and introduce us to your friend here." Mr. Anderson said in a gentle tone as he removed his hand, with Milo taking a few seconds to calm down and recover his bearings. He then turned to Arven and introduced everyone.

"This is Adam Anderson and Marie Anderson. Naranja Academy Alumni and my neighbors for most of my life in Motostoke. They're the best." Milo said to Arven, gesturing to the man and woman respectively before doing Arven. "This is my friend Arven Sada. He's an expert in survival and the outdoors, and he's been a great friend to me and Juliana both since I got to the Academy."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both." Arven said respectfully, shaking their hands. He could see the family resemblance, with Juliana having her somewhat portly father's hair-color and eyes but looking very much like her mother, who was skinnier and about as tall as Arven.

Adam Anderson nodded, offering the boy a warm smile. "The pleasure is ours, Arven. Juliana's told us a lot about you!"

"H-has she?" Arven said with some surprise, taken aback.

"She went on and on about how good your pastries were. You'd think we never fed her with how much that girl eats, but she loved your muffins." Mrs. Anderson chuckled, shaking her head with mirth. Milo stepped forward, burning with questions.

"Is she okay? What happened?" Milo asked the parents of his closest friend, with Adam Anderson placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and patting it in a placating manner.

"It's alright, Florian. She'll be okay. We were just stepping out of Juliana's room for a moment to get ourselves some water. We'll show you the way and hopefully let you have a chance to speak with her." Mr. Anderson said before leading them down the hallway and to Room 302.

The group entered the room and Milo immediately ran toward Juliana, who was lying down on a bed with her eyes closed, her legs propped up in a white sling and covered in a thick blanket. It was then that Milo realized how chilly the hospital was and remembered another reason why he didn't like them.

"So what happened? She got hurt and she's not awake." Milo said urgently to Juliana's parents, his voice quiet but still nervous.

"She's just taking a nap. Thankfully she wasn't even knocked unconscious when the stage supports collapsed onto top of her and her team. They gave her some medicine to dull the pain and to help her get some rest." Adam Anderson said quietly, glancing at his sleeping daughter. "It's likely her injuries would've been far more severe if not for that little bundle of fur there."

Mr. Anderson then gestured to a Nickit that was currently sitting on the nearby windowsill. Niles was staring at his sleeping Trainer with a small frown, his tail swishing slightly behind him.

"Niles? He was caught in the debris too." Milo asked the man, confused.

"Turns out Niles used the move Protect right when the metal and wooden parts of the stage collapsed on top of Juliana and her team. The move failed, but it stopped the debris from hitting her, so the debris simply falling onto her. The little stinker managed to use the move successfully when he and the others were buried under the rubble and pushed the debris away, which allowed the others to free her before she was crushed." Mr. Anderson explained, walking over to the small fox and petting him on the head. "He was too slow to prevent any damage to Juliana's body, but it was enough to save her life. She broke a few bones in both of her feet and legs and got roughed up quite a bit, but she'll be right as rain."

"Niles, you little gremlin." Milo breathed as he walked over to the Nickit, rubbing his head and earning a happy sigh from the fox. "I keep forgetting you're just as strong as everyone else on Juliana's team. Thank you. Good job, little guy."

"Y-yeah…he's pretty awesome, huh?" mumbled a sleepy voice that made everyone go still in surprise. Milo whirled around and saw Juliana looking at him with an exhausted smile. "Heya Princess Fluffyflower."

"Juliana!" Milo yelled out as he ran to the bed, hugging his friend as she tried to sit up and earning a pained gasp from the girl.

"Watch out! I'm sore as hell!" Juliana muttered as Milo released her, smiling with open relief that his best friend was okay.

"You're okay…you're okay." Milo muttered, grabbing Juliana's hand and letting out a long breath. "You're okay! Thank Arceus you're okay…"

"I'm fine, Milo. Banged up like crazy with two jacked up legs, but still in one piece." Juliana responded with a weary grin, squeezing his hand back. She then turned to look at Arven, who seemed to be feeling a bit out of place. "And you brought me this awkward lug! Come here!"

Arven walked forward and smiled down at Juliana, giving her a thumbs up. "We saw what happened on the livestream. You scared us really badly, and Milo's been in a state since we left the mountain."

"Did you beat the thing?" Juliana asked cryptically, meaning the Open Sky Titan that she knew that her two friends had been hunting. It would've been a bad idea to let her parents know what was going on, after all.

"Yeah, we took it down. And…I'm sorry we weren't there. Milo helped me with something really important. And when you're able to come back to school, I'll let you meet someone very important to me that our little buddy helped out in a big way." Arven said quietly, unclipping the Poké Ball from his waist that contained Moe. Juliana looked confused for a few moments before she realized that this Poké Ball was different from the others on his waist.

"D-don't worry about, Arven. You guys have your own things going on and I don't feel bad at all that you couldn't be there." Juliana said to them both emphatically, turning her gaze to Milo. "And before you start, we're still not even for what happened the week we left for Paldea. Not by a long shot."

Milo sighed, rolling his eyes. However, a new voice spoke up and caught their attention. "Ahh, I see we have some other visitors."

Milo turned around to see a middle-aged doctor with a shaved head enter the room with a clipboard, offering them all a friendly smile. The man introduced himself as Doctor Gonzales and gave them an update on Juliana's status.

"She'll be just fine, but we're keeping her overnight for observation and a few tests. I am considered about a possible head injury, but we're just being careful. Thankfully most of her other injuries were superficial and shouldn't leave any lasting damage. We'll be running some x-rays on her legs to see the extent of the damage, but from what tests we were able to do here it's not anything that can't be fixed in time for her to be right back in the classroom in no time." Doctor Gonzales said to the group, with Arven raising an eyebrow at that.

"That quickly, huh? And you sure you won't miss anything or that's too fast? She was buried alive by that debris, you know." Arven said skeptically, with Gonzales chuckling good-naturedly at the teen's remark.

"You'd be surprised. Thanks to advances in the past few years, mostly thanks to Doctor Colress and his Advanced Heal Pulse treatment, we've made strides in cases like this. See, it starts with-" the doctor realized he was about to lapse into unnecessary details and shook his head slightly. "Anyways, things have improved to the point where Miss Anderson will make a full recovery in no time. She'll be back at school attending classes by next week, and I imagine she'll be good as new in about three weeks or so."

"Things have improved that much?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"You'd be amazed at what docs can do these days. It's what helped me." Milo said with a weak smile, gesturing to himself. Both adults nodded in understanding and they shook Doctor Gonzales' hand, thanking him for his help.

"Ten years ago, we'd be talking about a few months of recovery. Now? She'll be back on her feet in a jiffy." Gonzales said with a grin, though his smile did take a hit. "I do want to stress however that if that little Nickit hadn't done what it did, it's likely that the impact of the debris would've likely been fatal. You were very lucky today, Miss Anderson." Gonzales said to all of them, with a noticeable shiver running over the room as the group realized how close Juliana's brush with death truly was.

Things were subdued after that, with Arven and Milo talking to Juliana, making sure to shower the Nickit with praise and pets for saving his Trainer. The Nickit grumbled softly when he was picked up and deposited on Juliana's bed so she could pet him too, but he acquiesced without much complaint.

All too soon, it was time for visitors to leave the hospital. Director Clavell arrived and took Juliana's parents outside for a brief conversation before coming back inside with them and informing Milo and Arven that they were returning to the Academy. Milo and Arven both hugged Juliana and promised to see her tomorrow, and after Milo hugged the Andersons goodbye, both Arven and Milo were teleported back to Naranja Academy by Director Clavell.

Speaking of the Director Naranja Academy, his expression was troubled. He adjusted his glasses and had his brow furrowed, as if he was in deep thought. He then turned to both of the students, who both looked mentally and physically exhausted as they stood in the lobby of the school.

"Boys, I'd strongly recommend getting some rest. Today's been a grueling day for all of us. Miss Juliana will be just fine and should be back with us in a few days of recovery. I'll be discussing the events of today with the other faculty and speak with the student body tomorrow. However, let me assure you both that this won't happen again and you have my most sincere apologies for what you've been through today. I know you were both very worried for your friend." Clavell said as he placed a hand over his chest and bowed slightly.

"It's not your fault sir. Hell, even Team Star isn't totally at fault. They were just being annoying until that idiot Rafael attacked them." Arven remarked, earning a sharp look from Milo. Arven noticed this and turned to his friend. "I watched that footage like five times today. I know what I saw. That one Grunt lost control of their Varoom after nearly being hit by Rafael's Salazzle. It looked like a freak accident to me."

"A freak accident!? Was it an accident that they tried to crash the pep rally in the first place!? Driving around a crowded schoolyard like absolute morons!?" Milo demanded of Arven, who took a step back in surprise. Milo was nearly yelling by this point, and the teen seemed to realize it because he took a deep breath and exhaled deeply.

"Accident or not, Team Star tried to make a fool out of Juliana and she got hurt. If they hadn't been there, she would be fine. But she's not. And I won't forget that." The Galarian said in an icy calm voice that made even Director Clavell's eyes widen in surprise. "As for Rafael, I'll be swinging by the 3XC HQ sometime later to ask him some pointed questions."

Clavell took that as a moment to interject. "I'll be talking with Master Rafael in regards to his conduct, so any actions on your part are unnecessary, Master Milo. As I understand it, he has some personal history with Team Star himself, though I lack the details. I urge you not to confront anyone about the events of today. As Master Arven said, this seems to have been a series of unfortunate events that nearly resulted in tragedy. Thankfully they were avoided."

Isn't that a book series or something?

Milo ignored the very unhelpful voice in his head and crossed his arms. "I'll wait until I've calmed down a bit. But that's all I can promise."

"I see…well, in any case, have a pleasant evening and do let me know if you need anything." Director Clavell said to the two boys before walking back to his office. Arven and Milo watched him leave before the former turned to the latter with a worried look.

"I'm going to my room. I need some time to myself to…process this." Milo muttered as he began walking, with Arven noticing the calm expression that was on his friend's face. Once again, the Poker Face was back up. However, Arven knew that his friend was in distress and followed him.

"Milo…what are you thinking?" Arven asked, concerned about the grim expression on his face. Milo's hands were clenching and unclenching themselves as they made their way through the school. All too soon, they had reached Milo's room.

"I dunno, mate. I've got a long, sleepless night to figure out the details. Juliana's going to be okay, and that's what matters most." Milo said as, swiftly unlocked his door before turning to face Arven. The older teen stared at his friend for several moments before dropping his Poker Face offering a tired smile.

"Well, I'm sure you'll make the best decision regardless. Catch you later, little buddy. And thanks again for all the help." Arven said as he extended a fist out to Milo, who tapped it before walking into his room and closing the door. As soon as it was locked, Milo walked towards his bed and promptly flopped down onto it, letting out a ragged sigh. He simply lay there for a while, fighting to keep back the tears.

"Can't let your emotions get away from you. Gotta focus…Team Star hurt her. Those idiots crashed the pep rally and hurt her! I just need to stay calm. Logically figure out a path forward, and make those bastards pay." Milo growled as he pushed himself up, his eyes stinging as he swung his feet out of his bed. He then sent out his entire team, along with Koraidon, who immediately realized how upset their Trainer was.

"Alright guys…Juliana's going to be okay. Just laid up for a few days. We're going to train like crazy and deal with those idiots. I don't know what to expect with Team Star. And, honestly, I'm shocked that Cassiopeia hasn't reached out yet. But when she does I'm getting some answers!" Milo said to his team, who watched their Trainer with concern as he walked over to his kitchenette to grab a drink, his brown eyes alight with fury.

He was surprised when all of a sudden, his door swung open and Nemona burst into the room, despite Milo being pretty sure he locked the door. The two students stared at each other in surprise for a moment before Milo offered Nemona a dull smile.

"Nemona. Sorry I didn't text you that I was back at school. I should've checked in on you. You were at the pep rally too." Milo said as he opened his fridge and pulled out a water bottle. "What do you need? Are you okay?"

Nemona closed the door behind her and looked at Milo with a guarded expression, and Milo felt himself being scrutinized by the older student in a way that made him feel slightly uncomfortable. Finally, Nemona took several steps towards her friend and offered him a kind smile.

"Milo…let it out." Nemona said quietly to her friend, who blinked at her several times. "I can't imagine what you're going through. And admittedly, I'm not great when it comes to comforting people. But I'm here. And I don't want to leave you alone right now by yourself to handle this. You've been really strong, so let me help you. Please."

"Nemona…" Milo began to say, but Nemona shook her head as she stepped closer to her friend.

"You can trust me. So just…release it. I'm not going anywhere. Let me be here for you." Nemona said gently to her friend, who just stared at her.

Maybe it was the emotional dam finally breaking. Perhaps it was the kindness in the Champion's voice. But either way, Milo's eyes continued to blink rapidly, and he looked up at the ceiling as he took a long shaky breath. A choked sob escaped his throat, and Nemona took several steps forward as Milo finally broke down tears, letting go of the water bottle in his hand and letting it hit the ground.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! I…I…" Milo's words became incomprehensible as his crying intensified, and Nemona gently moved him over to his bed and sat him down. Nemona pulled Milo into a tight hug, trying to do her best to console him.

"It's okay, Milo. I'm here. I'm here." Nemona murmured as she rested her chin on Milo's head, holding him close and he released an entire day's worth of stress, anger and fear in the company of one a friend who had offered her shoulder to cry on. The Galarian's team quickly made their way over to the two Trainers and hopped onto his bed, doing their best to comfort him.

Koraidon watched the group for a few moments, its tendrils wriggling as they extended towards the two humans. The tips of the antennae slowly began to glow for a brief moment, but Koraidon grimaced in pain as a soft crackle of red static erupted around its body, and with that the antennae's glow faded.

The draconic mount growled softly in annoyance at its own weakness before looking back to the human who had cared for it. Koraidon padded over with a soft growl, extending its tendrils outwards and wrapping them around Milo and Nemona as the boy sobbed in his friend's arms.

It couldn't do much right now, but at the very least, it could try and show that it cared.

Meanwhile…

"Guys, this is bad. The optics look awful online and the videos circulating at that pep rally don't make things look much better."

"Eri's right. That school hates us anyway, as do most of those idiots at the Academy. Grrr…it's so unfair! So now what? They gonna throw the book at us? Arrest us for what happened to that girl!? Try and fight us!?"

"Calm thyself, dear Mela. Naranja Academy would not dare. Besides, we still have one another. That shall not change."

"...Right. Right…sorry Atticus. Gotta focus on the real problem. Whether or not the school is gonna try to deal with us. We haven't had something blow up like this in about two years or so."

"I'm pretty sure La Primera's pet Champion wouldn't show herself at one of our bases. It would look pretty bad for the Pokémon League. That's why the old fogie at the Academy hasn't lifted a finger to stop Team Star from being on-campus or recruiting in some of the bigger cities."

"Do you think someone might actually come and try to stop us, Ortega? You know the rules, after all. The ones we swore to uphold as the Bosses of Team Star."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Eri. That only happens if someone has the nerve to storm our bases and fight us head-on. And I'd like to see who has the stones to try it. We've got the crews and we've got our secret weapons, on top of our own skills. We're fine."

"You're that confident, Giacomo? You and Mela are directly implicated since some of your crew was at that rally. If someone does come for us, it'll be you two on the chopping block first."

The young man in question, an older teenager with jet-black eyes and messy black hair, grinned wickedly back at his fellow bosses who looked at him with concern on the screen. "It ain't over until it's over. We've got to hold our ground until the very end, Eri. So let them come. I'll be ready to shine brighter than any fool who dares to try and take us on."

Milo's Current Party:

Reggie (Crocalor) M - Tera Fire

Storm (Wattrel) F - Tera Flying

Watt (Shiny Pikachu) F - Tera Electric

Echo (Toxel) F - Tera Ice

Momo (Skwovet) M - Tera Steel

Donut (Fidough) F - Tera Ice

Benched/PC Storage:

Cocoa (P. Wooper) F - Tera Ground

Floom (Shiny Drifloon) M - Tera Ghost

Fiona (Flittle) F - Tera Grass

Shelly (Shellder) F - Tera Fighting

Bronson (Barboach) M - Tera Fire

Volt (Pawmi) F -Tera Steel

Smith (Applin) M - Tera Water

Fleur (Steenee) F - Tera Dark

Graveyard:

Pepper (Maschiff) F - Tera Poison

Sparky (Pawmi) M - Tera Electric

Victor (Venonat) M - Tera Electric

Looks like things are taking a turn, but at least Juliana's going to be okay. How are things going to shake up from here? Stay tuned! We've got the Team Star's Dark Base coming up as our next Objective!

No questions in need of answering right now, so we'll roll into ending thoughts. We've got a few short chapters before we roll into the next Objective, but I've got some fun stuff planned between now and then!

Sidenote while I'm editing, but this site seems to be having some issues with formatting words. So some bolding or italics may be missing here or there when they'd normally be around.

Anyways, massive shoutout to the wonderful folks who reviewed since the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, BraviaryScout, a Guest reviewer, WyldClaw, AzureFury75 and a new reviewer who goes by alexmharrison3468! Thank you all so much for the support!

Additional shoutout to ShadowLabrys.07 and alexmharrison3468 for favoriting and following the story. You rock and I appreciate the heck outta you!

That's all for now folks. Thanks as always for reading and supporting the story. Reviews are always appreciated and I answer questions as well. If you haven't favorited and/or followed the story yet, please do! I also upload on AO3 if that's your preference!

Take care and stay awesome!

Until next time, FlygonNick out!