Pokémon Nuzlocke Novels: Ancient Scarlet

Chapter 19: Viva La Verdant Virtuoso!

Milo spent the next day with his mother exploring Artazon and enjoying the family time together, with Milo's team being doted on by Hannah Caballero. They both had a chance to investigate the museum and attend an art show, where his mother acted as a judge for a sculpture exhibition. Back in Galar she had been a renowned artist, and Milo learned that in a place like Artazon, Hannah Caballero was treated like a world-class celebrity.

Milo lurked in the crowd and was unfortunately rather bored with the show, but applauded when necessary and did his best to support his mother as she evaluated the artist's hard work and offered commentary, praise and criticism. He did note that when Hannah had been introduced to the crowd of young artists, she had gotten a very loud applause.

The day after that, Hannah looked over Milo's team to make sure there weren't any issues that he had missed. When she was satisfied, Hannah and Milo then had a healthy but tasty lunch at a café along the way to the Gym. Hannah then insisted on trying to ride on Koraidon to the Gym Building. Milo shrugged his shoulders and Koraidon let out a joyful bark at the additional passenger onboard before speeding towards the Gym Building.

When Milo finally stopped the Sandwich Lizard, Hannah was looking distinctly green as she gingerly removed herself from the beast.

"Just…give me a minute. Oooh, getting that apple fritter was a mistake." Hannah grumbled as she took several breaths to steady herself. Koraidon made a soft whining sound, causing Hannah to turn around and wave her hands frantically.

"Oh no! Don't worry about it, Koraidon! I was the one who insisted you go fast!" Hannah said placatingly to the massive lizard as Milo patted Koraidon's side.

"You're fine, buddy. Just takes a while to get used to it." Milo reassured Koraidon, who bobbed its head before the teen recalled the Pokémon to his ball. Milo turned around and looked up at the Gym Building. Milo and Hannah walked inside, and as the doors shut behind him, Milo suddenly heard a voice shout his name.

"Vaya! Milo?!" Nemona practically squealed, walking over and grinning at her friend. Milo matched Nemona's smile while Mrs. Caballero watched as Nemona ran forward to hug Milo. Milo returned the embrace with some surprise, blushing a bright pink before separating from the girl and now aware that everyone (and his mother) was staring at them.

"It's so wild that we end up randomly visiting the same Gym at the same time - again!" Nemona said as she clasped her hands together, but there was something in her tone that made both Hannah and Milo both raise an eyebrow. Nemona's smile took a hit as she realized she wasn't making that sound convincing. "What a weird coincidence…"

"Uh huh…"

Why do I not believe her?

Milo winced internally at hearing the voice of the Remnant, especially after the terrifying conversation they had shared the other night. "On that, we agree."

"I swear I'm not just sneaking ahead of you so I can lie in wait and go, 'Oh wow, weird, might as well battle now that you're here!'" Nemona protested as Milo crossed his arms, smirking at the upperclassman.

"Nemona, if you want to battle you can just ask." Milo said as his mother giggled behind him. Nemona's eyes lit up with joy, and for a moment it seemed like she was going to take her friend up on that, but with visible effort Nemona shook her head.

"No, seriously! Look, to prove it, I won't even challenge you to a battle this time!" Nemona declared before glancing away and muttering in an undertone. "Much as I'd like too…"

"What was that?" Milo asked teasingly, causing Nemona to stiffen in surprise.

"I mean, uh…But look at you and your Pokémon! They've definitely gotten stronger since last time!" Nemona said with her winning-smile, nodding in approval. "Add these to the mix, and you'll be 100 percent set to go, no problem!"

Nemona handed over three Ethers before she did a small fist pump. It was then that the Champion recognized the woman standing beside Milo and exclaimed. "Mrs. Caballero! What're you doing here?"

"Oh, this and that. Right now I'm doing the same thing as you, Nemona. Cheering on my Milo and watching him take the Gym Circuit by storm." Hannah answered with a warm smile. "How have you been?"

"Great! The big League conference went well and La Primera even secured some extra funding for the school. We get to hold the big Winter Solstice party next year too since BB Academy got to do it last year. It should be great!" Nemona said brightly before she seemed to realize the conversation had gotten off-topic. With that, she turned back to Milo.

"I'll be cheering for ya! I'll go train like, maybe 20 Pokémon or so while you tackle the Gym!" Nemona proclaimed before sprinting from the Gym, with the doors shutting behind the Champion-ranked Trainer. Milo and Hannah laughed at the girl's speed to escape, with Milo shaking his head and pulling out his Rotom Phone. He quickly texted out a message and sent it.

"I asked her to try and catch my battle whenever I actually battle the Gym Leader." Milo explained as he tucked his Rotom Phone away. He then caught the mischievous look on his mother's face and his blood ran cold.

"Do you like her, Milagro?" Hannah asked with a knowing grin. Milo blushed bright pink, but offered a shrug in response.

"Not sure why you're asking. I'm not great at hiding that kind of thing so it should be obvious. Nemona's been really good to me. Definitely a friend I'm glad to have, even if she can be a bit excitable sometimes." Milo said in a way that he hoped would deflect his mother's attention from his crush on Nemona.

"She seems lonely." Hannah commented, causing Milo to look at his mother in surprise. But then after a moment, he remembered just how good his mother was at reading people. As good as Milo's mask was, he was never able to fool his mother.

"I think a lot of people don't give her a chance. She's so strong and successful, but as far as friends go, I don't think she has very many. Juliana noticed it too." Milo commented as Hannah looked at her child. Milo then quietly explained his suspicions about Nemona's social life and what Juliana had said about the school rumor mill. Hannah looked troubled, biting her lip as she considered it.

"She's such a sweetheart though. It's obvious that girl really cares about you." Hannah said with a sad smile before closing her eyes. "I wonder if she even realizes that she…"

"That she…?" Milo asked his mother, who opened her eyes again and waved a hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it. Get your Gym Trial out of the way and let's see you kick some butt." Hannah said bracingly to her child, who looked at her doubtfully before shrugging his shoulders and walking to the front desk.

"Welcome to the Artazon Gym!" the Gym Receptionist, a cheery blonde-haired woman, greeted Milo with a smile. "Let me register you as a challenger. Your name is Florian Caballero, yes? Your Trainer ID identifies you by the nickname Milo?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Great! Now, in order to face Gym Leader Brassius, you'll first need to pass the Gym Test." The Gym Receptionist said to Milo, grinning at the student. "Here at Artazon Gym, that means completing a game of Sunflora Hide-and-Seek!"

Milo looked confused, so the receptionist explained further. "As you may know, Artazon is a city of artists with a rich history. The artwork made by the people is largely inspired by nature and the sun that nurtures it. Since Sunflora embody these concepts, we try to gather them and take good care of them!"

Hannah Caballero smiled as she watched her son nod in understanding, listening with rapt attention as the Gym Receptionist continued. "Your job today is to find the Sunflora located throughout Artazon. Remember - these Pokémon look like sun-shaped flowers!"

"Gather up ten of them and bring them to the Sunflora Lawn, and you pass the test. I'll register the Sunflora's Lawn location in your map app to get you started." The Gym Reception said as she sent the data to Milo's Rotom Phone. "When you leave the Gym, turn right and you'll see two large Sunflora statues - head for those! Once you're at the lawn's entrance, the staffer there will tell you more about the Gym Test. Now get out there and have fun!"

Milo nodded and turned towards his mother, who was still smiling. The two of them walked outside, and that was when Hannah spoke again. "I'll let you do your Gym Test and just head over to the battlefield where you'll be battling Brassius early. Maybe see if I can get a good seat."

"I'll try to keep it quick then." Milo said as he called out Koraidon and hopped atop the mount. "Alright Koraidon, let's go on a hunt!"

Hannah watched with a fond smile as her child charged towards the nearby lawn before turning around and heading towards the large windmill in the center of the town.

Meanwhile, Milo and Koraidon quickly reached the Sunflora Lawn and were greeted by another Gym Receptionist. "Hi there! I look after the Artazon Gym's Sunflora. I hope you're ready, challenger. It's time for a game of Sunflora Hide-and-Seek! I'll go ask the Sunflora to spread themselves out around town!"

Milo then yelped as a chorus of shrieks erupted from the Lawn and ten Sunflora sprinted off into the city, without so much as a command from the Gym Receptionist, who just shrugged her shoulders. "Sounds like the Sunflora are ready for you! With that, your Gym Test has begun! Once you've found ten Sunflora, please bring them back here to the Sunflora Lawn."

"That's all from me, now! Good luck out there!" The Gym Receptionist waved to Milo, who nodded and turned Koraidon around so he could consider a plan of attack. In the end, he decided a quick lap around town would be best.

He was surprised when he spotted one just outside the Gym Building, sitting in a series of hoops that were on the ground. Milo approached the flower Pokémon and it hopped to its feet, crying out happily before joining his crew.

Milo then went around the building and began glancing around, seeing if there was any more of the Sunflora out in the open. After a few moments, he spotted a Sunflora napping in an empty pot located in the shade directly behind the Gym Building. It took several minutes of prodding and Koraidon growling at the annoyed Sunflora before it would consent to join him.

The next Sunflora ended up being one that was beside the large community pool, staring forlornly at a vending machine. Milo hopped off of Koraidon and walked over to the flower Pokémon, who was pointing to a lemonade within the vending machine. Milo smiled and put some money in the machine, buying a lemonade for the Sunflora.

The happy Sunflora followed Milo from that point forward, joining the gaggle that he had acquired around and bringing his total to three.

To Milo's annoyance, the Sunflora started to get more and more difficult to track down as time went on. On top of that, they started to run away from Koraidon and Milo. Two more of the Sunflora were caught after being chased down by Koraidon, with the sixth involving a high-speed chase through a playground that required Milo to use Storm and Victor to corral the renegade Sunflora back towards Milo's horde of living flowers.

"For the love of everything, just follow me!" Milo called to the Sunflora as he continued his trek through the town, with the Sunflora constantly stopping or getting caught looking at things instead of following him. "It's like getting Juliana to remember to get bounties before she goes on raiding with her other dorks online."

Things weren't improved by the cheering from some of the townsfolk, who recognized when a challenger to their Gym had arrived and was doing the Gym Test. Some laughed and pointed at Milo as he struggled to keep the Sunflora in line, which didn't do wonders for the boy's mood. He managed to keep focused on tracking down the seventh Sunflora, which was hiding behind a building.

"Move! Move, move, move, move, move!" Milo practically chanted as he sat backwards on Koraidon, calling out instructions to the gaggle of flowers wandering behind him as Storm chirped loudly overhead and Victor cried out angrily to the horde from beside Milo.

"This is like dealing with a flock of braindead Wooloo. Except at least they're cute!" Milo growled internally as he hopped off Koraidon and had to use his Venonat and Wattrel to get the Sunflora back on the main path.

Things came to a head when the eighth Sunflora, which was hiding in the flowers at the entrance to the town, decided that it didn't want to cooperate and join the crew. Instead it glared at Milo and braced itself for a fight. The teen gasped as the Nuzlocke Curse took effect, causing him to realize this was indeed a battle. Milo chuckled darkly as he pulled out a Poké Ball, ready to battle.

"Cocoa, get 'em!" Milo called as he sent out his Paldean Wooper, causing Victor the Venonat to bounce up and down with excitement. Milo smiled at the little bug cheering on the Wooper, who had landed on the ground and was staring down the rogue Sunflora. All of the other living-flowers that Milo had wrangled up to this point were loudly cheering for their counterpart as it sent a wave of Leech Seed at Cocoa.

The Wooper simply ducked to avoid it and on Milo's command, lashed out with a Poison Tail that sent Sunflora flying backwards with a pained squeal. The Sunflora attempted to use Ingrain to regain its health, but Milo showed no mercy and had Cocoa hit it again with Poison Tail. The Wooper was equally ruthless, making sure to slap Sunflora multiple times for good measure while making direct eye contact with the other Sunflora.

Cocoa's goofy smile remained on her face the entire time.

"Now that I've got that out of my system, let's continue the test, shall we?" Milo proclaimed with a smug grin as he returned Cocoa, with Koraidon nodding in agreement while the seven Sunflora standing nearby stared on in abject horror. Koraidon then snarled something to the Sunflora, who quickly began to follow behind Milo as he continued his hunt through the city. The group of Pokémon seemed a lot more compliant now, especially while carrying their unconscious counterpart around.

Finding the last two Sunflora went fairly smoothly after that, with Milo being able to track them down behind some of the buildings on the opposite end of town. Thankfully he didn't have to battle them, and he brought back the Sunflora to the lawn where he had first started.

As Milo reached the Sunflora Lawn, all ten of the Sunflora raced past him and back into the enclosure. The Gym Receptionist smiled and nodded with approval. "Well done finding all of these Sunflora! You pass the Gym Test with flying colors. Now, please head back to the lobby at the Artazon Gym to report your result."

Milo sighed with relief and returned both Victor and Storm before Koraidon ambled over to the front of the Gym Building. Milo walked in through the front of the building, sighing with relief at the air-conditioning it provided.

"It seems you successfully gathered ten Sunflora and brought them over to the Sunflora Lawn." The Gym Receptionist said with a pleased smile as Milo gave her a thumbs up. "That means you've cleared the Gym Test! Congratulations!"

"Are the Sunflora always so…rambunctious?" Milo asked, causing the woman to smirk.

" All the good-natured Sunflora typically get used for shows and marketing purposes. The ones involved in the Gym Test are the most rambunctious ones that the city has around. We tell the Sunflora to give Trainers as difficult a time as possible during their tests too."

"Why would you do such a terrible thing?" Milo demanded as the Gym Receptionist snickered.

"We've got to get our kicks somehow." Was the woman's reply, causing Milo to sag his shoulders further. "You've now earned the right to challenge the Gym Leader. Best of luck!"

"When's the earliest I can battle him?" Milo asked, causing the receptionist to check a small datapad.

"We do have an opening in the next half hour for Gym Leader Brassius to battle you. Are you ready to challenge Gym Leader Brassius, the Verdant Virtuoso?" The Gym Receptionist asked Milo, who nodded. "Very well. Allow me to show you to the battle court."

And so began to trek to the battle court. Milo made sure to use an Ether on Cocoa along the way, since none of his Pokémon had actually taken damage. Soon enough he was being walked up the stairs to the battlefield where Milo would do battle with the Gym Leader, right beside the famous windmill of Artazon, the Aliento Esmeralda.

Milo felt a wave of excitement as he glanced over at the crowd that had gathered for the Gym Battle. He spotted Nemona and Hannah Caballero standing near the middle of the battlefield, both smiling and cheering for him as he walked onto the battle court. Milo blushed with embarrassment and waved back at them, as well as at the camera that was set up to record the battle (to be uploaded later online).

Milo also spotted the band that would be playing during the fight and made sure to wave over at them as well. As a fellow musician, he felt inclined to thank them for their role in making the battle memorable as well.

The boy was snapped out of his thoughts by a loud shout from somewhere above him. "Greetings, challenger!"

Milo looked up and his jaw dropped. Standing atop one of the windmill blades (which had conveniently stopped moving as well) as a tall man with messy green hair. He had a gaunt expression with cold gray eyes, wearing a strange maroon and light green coat and black slacks. Attached to his belt were three Poké Balls and a strange coiled-up whip.

"Hmph!" the man grunted before suddenly leaping off of the windmill. This caused onlookers to scream, though several pulled out their phones to record the man as he plummeted to the ground. The man did a front flip through the air before perfectly sticking the landing on the battle court in a crouch. The man slowly rose to his feet before turning to a stunned Milo, nodding to the boy before turning towards the windmill and making a sharp gesture with his hands. Within moments, the windmill was spinning once more.

"You did well to come this far!" The man declared as he looked back to Milo and crossed his arms. "I am Brassius - an artist specializing in Grass-type Pokémon. I am also the Gym Leader here at the Artazon Gym."

"That was probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen." Milo responded, still dazed from the Gym Leader's incredibly badass entrance. Brassius smirked at the compliment and bowed in Milo's direction before straightening up again.

"I was observing your Gym Test from atop the windmill, you know." Brassius admitted, stroking his chin. "The perception you displayed in finding Sunflora was truly…Oh, how shall I describe it?"

"Annoying as hell?" Milo thought ruefully as the artist considered a way to explain himself.

At least this time you weren't in danger of crapping your pants. Smoliv Garden doesn't have a branch in this town from what I've seen.

"True dat." Milo thought back before Brassius suddenly let out a shout that surprised the student.

"Yes! It was truly avant-garde!" Brassius declared with a delighted grin, looking extremely excited. He seemed to get ahold of himself and his dour frown returned. "I only pray that you might demonstrate that eye for beauty in our battle as well."

Brassius then threw aside his hands, an intense gleam leaping into his eyes. "Enough talk! We must begin creating our collaborative work of art!"

Milo nodded and hurried to his side of the battle court while Brassius strode over to his. The man did an about-face and called over to Milo. "I trust that you are ready? It is time for our masterpiece to take shape!"

"The Gym Battle between the Challenger, Florian 'Milo' Caballero of Naranja Academy and Artazon Gym Leader Brassius will now begin." the referee called to the two Trainers. Brassius and Milo grinned at one another from either side of the battle court. "The challenger is allowed to use up to six Pokémon. The Gym Leader will be using three for this Gym Battle. Substitutions for both Trainers are allowed. Trainers, are you ready?"

"Always!" Brassius declared confidently, much to the delight of the crowd.

"Yes." Milo answered, nodding at the referee.

"Kick some butt, baby! You've got this!" Hannah Caballero cheered, causing Milo to flush with embarrassment. He was smiling despite himself though, with even Brassius smiling at the scene before his expression became serious again.

"Let the battle begin!" the referee declared as the brass band suddenly began playing their tune, with the crowd letting out a loud cheer as the Gym Battle officially got underway. Brassius finally uncoiled the whip at his belt and swept it aside, revealing it to have a paintbrush-like tip. He snagged a Poké Ball from his belt with his other hand and hurled it forward, revealing a small green Pokémon.

"Art is creation and destruction! Struggle, else your defeat shall nourish my Pokémon!" Brassius declared with a sharp grin, pointing forward. "Petilil, show them our might!"

"Liiiil!" the small Pokémon cried out in reply. Milo smirked at the small Pokémon, wondering how something so adorable could be a threat. He knew better than that, though, and wondered what Brassius was up to.

It's showtime!

The Remnant's sudden declaration roared through Milo's mind as the boy winced in pain, with the Nuzlocke Curse taking effect. The boy struggled to breathe for a moment before he stabilized. Milo exhaled hard as his mask slipped into place, his face completely calm as he pulled out a Poké Ball. He briefly thought over the team he had brought with him.

Reggie, Storm, Cocoa, Donut, Victor and Fiona.

Crocalor, Wattrel, Wooper, Fidough, Venonat and Flittle.

"Let's roll the dice…Cocoa, let's go!" Milo shouted as he hurled the ball forward, sending out his Paldean Wooper in a flash of light. Cocoa beamed as she bobbed her head, with Brassius letting out a laugh of delight at the Pokémon. Milo quickly pulled out his phone to check the entry of Petilil.

"Petilil. The Bulb Pokémon. The leaves on its head grow right back even if they fall out. These bitter leaves refresh those who eat them." Milo nodded at the Pokédex entry, considering his options.

"Delightful! Let's start the show, Petilil! Sleep Power!" Brassius called as he snapped his fingers.

"Dodge it and use Toxic Spikes!" Milo called as Cocoa hopped to the side and easily dodged the move before opening her mouth. A purple sphere of energy quickly formed before she fired it skyward, where it exploded. Thin trails of purple smoke drifted downwards, enveloping the battlefield as Brassius grunted with annoyance.

"For the rest of the battle, whatever Pokémon that Brassius sends out will be poisoned thanks to Toxic Spikes. But I can set up a little better." Milo thought as he smiled inwardly, grateful for the Battle Studies lessons he had taken. Miss Dendra had explained in detail how potent setting up 'entry hazards' were and how to take advantage of them. Thankfully, Cocoa had a very useful one in the form of Toxic Spikes.

"How crude. But effective. I shall simply have to best you before the cruel poison of defeat creeps in. Sleep Powder, once more!" Brassius called as he snapped his fingers again. Petilil cried out angrily before launching another blast of light-blue powder at Cocoa, who hopped to the side again to dodge.

"Great work, Cocoa! Now use Toxic Spikes again!" Milo called as Cocoa fired another orb of poisonous energy into the air. It detonated, causing the purple smoke around the battlefield to darken in color, becoming a harsh shade of violet.

"Ah, what a lovely hue." Brassius remarked, shaking his head. "But not bad. Not bad at all. Setting up two layers of Toxic Spikes will badly poison my Pokémon instead of simply poisoning them."

"After how things went with Katy, I realized I needed to be a bit smarter with how I battle." Milo explained with a shrug as Brassius nodded in understanding.

"Hmph. Well then, let's try for a third time. Sleep Powder, Petilil, but get close!" Brassius commanded his Pokémon as she leapt forward, surprising Cocoa by launching a Sleep Powder at her from just a few feet away. Cocoa fell onto the ground, quietly snoring as the move finally connected.

"I knew I couldn't dodge that forever. Cocoa, return!" Milo said as he returned his Paldean Wooper, keeping her in reserve for later. She had done her job anyway.

"Victor, let's go!" Milo shouted as he sent out the excitable Venonat, who hopped up and down and let out a cry before turning to his Trainer. "Let's finish what Cocoa started, little buddy."

"Naaaat!" came Victor's happy reply before it spun around and faced Brassius and his Petilil. The Verdant Virtuoso nodded before pointing forward.

"Mega Drain! Let its life force sustain your own!" Brassius declared as Petilil's eyes glowed bright green before a beam of light shot outwards and struck Victor, causing the Venonat to glow bright red. When the beam had faded away, Petilil glowed white for a few moments before the light faded away.

"Counter with Bug Bite!" Milo ordered as Victor bounced forward, colliding with Petilil and sinking his glowing white fangs into the Petilil's head. The Bulb Pokémon let out a shriek of pain before throwing off the Venonat, who flipped into the air and landed nimbly onto the battlefield.

"Get him, Milo! Show us that Naranja Academy fighting spirit!" Nemona cheered as she did a fist-pump, causing Milo to smile as the crowd roared in agreement. Brassius smirked and snapped his fingers.

"Sleep Powder, once more!" Brassius called as Petilil let out a soft growl of anger and launched another blast of Sleep Powder. Victor surprised everyone but suddenly leaping high into the air and flipping over the attack to dodge it, with the excitable Venonat landing right in front of the now-scared Petilil.

"Bug Bite!" Milo called as the Venonat dove forward, biting the Petilil hard enough for it to collapse onto the ground and faint. Brassius returned his Petilil, pressing the ball against his head and whispering something to the fainted Pokémon within. He then clipped Petilil's ball to his belt and drew another Poké Ball, sending out a Pokémon Milo recognized immediately as a Smoliv.

The teen's stomach warbled in protest.

Upon appearing on the battlefield, Smoliv winced as the purple smoke suddenly enveloped Smoliv, and when it parted the small Pokémon was looking sickly, a purple hue creeping over its skin. Thanks to the two-layered Toxic Spikes, Smoliv had been badly poisoned the moment it entered the battlefield.

Milo pulled out his phone again, pulling up the entry for Smoliv in the Pokédex App. "Smoliv. The Olive Pokémon. It protects itself from enemies by emitting oil from the fruit on its head. This oil is bitter and astringent enough to make someone flinch."

"Out of curiosity, do you like Smoilv Garden?" Milo asked the Brassius as he stowed his phone in his back pocket. The artist just shrugged in response.

"I enjoy the breadsticks and alfredo sauce quite a bit, but the food always leaves me with a terrible stomachache. We don't have a branch here in Artazon because they refuse to design a building with a halfway appealing aesthetic." Brassius admitted, causing Milo to nod in understanding. "Now then, Smoliv,, use Tackle!"

"Bug Bite!" Milo countered as the two Pokémon rushed at one another. Smoliv rammed hard into Victor, who managed to sink his teeth into the Olive Pokémon and elicit a pained shriek from it. The Smoliv managed to throw off Victor and tried to put some distance between itself and the Venonat, but stopped when a wave of pain from the poison flowing through it struck the Olive Pokémon.

"Struggle Bug!" the student commanded as Victor let out a loud cry and a red aura enveloped him. It suddenly burst outwards and struck Smoliv, sending her flying backwards towards Brassius and land hard onto the battlefield. The Smoliv tried to rise for a moment, only to go limp a few moments later. The crowd cheered in approval, and Milo glanced towards where Nemona and his mother were standing. He suddenly blushed in embarrassment despite his mask being in place.

Hannah Caballero had apparently made a large sign decorated with bright orange colors, adorned with the symbol of Naranja Academy. Written in large words in stunning calligraphy were the words "GO MILO!"

Meanwhile, Nemona had somehow acquired a foam finger and was waving it wildly beside his mother, wearing a bright smile that made the teen's heart skip a beat. The girl did another fist pump and let out a shout. "Get 'em, Milo! You can do it!"

Milo adjusted his hat with a sheepish smile, with the crowd cheering at the boy's humility. Meanwhile the Remnant chuckled with amusement within the boy's mind. Thankfully, Brassius was able to distract Milo from his supporters when he barked out a laugh, returning the teen's focus to the battle.

"This has promise! Yes! Let us lead this artistic endeavor to its conclusion at once!" Brassius practically cackled, grinning with delight as he returned his Smoliv and pressed the Poké Ball to his head, whispering something to the Pokémon within before clipping it to his belt.

He unclipped his last and final Poké Ball and regarded it with a strange fervor. "Salvador, lend me your strength!"

Brassius tossed the Poké Ball forward and sent out a strange tree-like Pokémon that Milo remembered seeing on a TV program once. It turned to the crowd and bowed to them, much like Brassius had, earning a round of cheers. While it did this, the Toxic Spikes struck, badly poisoning the new arrival and causing him to groan quietly. Meanwhile, Milo had pulled out his Rotom Phone for a third and final time to check the Pokédex entry.

"Sudowoodo. The Imitation Pokémon and the final evolved form of Bonsly. Although it always pretends to be a tree, its composition appears more similar to rock than to vegetation." Milo hummed as he considered that, as well as the fact that the Grass-type specialist had sent out a Rock-type Pokémon.

"Wait a sec, Katy pulled something weird like that too. Her ace was a Teddiursa, a Normal-type, despite her being a Bug-type specialist." Milo muttered as he considered the situation. "And then she Terastallized her Pokémon into a Bug-type. Is he going to-"

"Allow me to touch up this work slightly! I will call it…Truleewoodo!" Brassius called as he pulled out a Tera Orb, confirming Milo's suspicions before he could even finish the sentence.

The device began to suck in light with a whirling gust, with Brassius smirking as the wind brushed through his hair and caused his arm to jerk back slightly. With a flash of light, the Tera Orb was primed and the Verdant Virtuoso hurled the orb forward, showering Salvador the Sudowoodo in Terastal Energy.

The Imitation Pokémon was engulfed in crystal for several moments before the gem exploded, revealing the gleaming Sudowoodo with a large flower-like Tera Crown atop his head. Salvador the Sudowoodo snapped to attention and offered Milo and Victor a salute before adopting a battle stance.

"That Sudowoodo is a Grass-type now, which means I've got an advantage against it." Milo remarked, considering the situation. "But…Victor's weak against Rock-types. Even if that Sudowoodo isn't a Rock-type anymore, it's got to have Rock-type moves. And those'll deal a ton of damage."

"Come now, my young friend! You were so eager to attack, attack, attack!" Brassius called to Milo, who ignored the Gym Leader and instead allowed a smile to slip past his mask. Instead of ordering Victor to do anything, he instead pulled out his own Tera Orb.

"Victor! Let's show them what we're made of! Terastallize!" Milo called as he held up his Tera Orb, summoning a whirlwind of light into the device before it flashed to show that it was primed for use.

Milo hurled the ball forth and it exploded over Victor, Terastallizing him into a new form. When the crystals that had enveloped the Venonat exploded, he was now wearing a lightbulb-shaped Tera Crown. His body was now coated in crystals while electricity crackled alongside him. Brassius seemed genuinely taken aback by this development while Milo's mask slipped back firmly into place.

"Ooh! Now that's something I wasn't expecting!" Nemona gasped, clasping her hands together and looking at Milo and Victor with a proud grin. "Look at you go, Milo."

"Hasn't he done that Terastallization thing several times now? Why's this one so interesting?" Hannah asked the Champion, who chuckled and looked to her friend's mother so she could explain.

"So, a lot of Pokémon innately have Tera Types that match whatever their own typing is. Like how Milo's Crocalor has a Fire Tera Type and is a Fire-type regularly." Nemona explained before gesturing to Victor. "Milo's Venonat was caught in a Tera Den, and most of the time Pokémon found in them have different Tera Types than you'd expect."

"Okay, I'm following so far." Hannah said with a nod, and Nemona continued.

"Milo's taking advantage of that. Most Trainers use Terastallization offensively, giving themselves a big attack boost and doing nothing more with it." Nemona explained, beaming at Hannah before looking excitedly back to her friend and bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. "Milo's using his Terastallization defensively, protecting his Venonat from any Rock-type moves that Brassius' Sudowoodo will no-doubt be using on a Bug-type Pokémon. It's an advanced strategy that I didn't even start using until after my sixth badge. Milo's doing this in his second Gym Battle! And that's super impressive!"

Hannah considered the implications of that, and the fact that Nemona seemed so genuinely impressed and proud of her child. Hannah smiled over at her boy and crossed her arms, waiting to see what her Milagro would do next.

"Very interesting, my young friend! So now, both of our Pokémon shine bright with the beauty they hold within! Now it's simply a matter of which of our Pokémon can shine brightest with the power we have given them." Brassius said as he flashed a grin as Milo, who allowed the mask to lapse so he could grin right back at the Gym Leader.

Despite the deadly game, Milo was really enjoying the battle. Cocoa had set him up well and Victor was doing great in the battle. Milo knew he had to remain focused, though, because all it took was a single mistake for the tides to turn.

"Victor, hit 'em with a Bug Bite!" Milo called as his Tera Venonat cried out, launching himself forward and slamming into Salvador, biting down hard on the Tera Sudowoodo. This caused Salvador to let out a high-pitched scream of pain as he flailed violently, attempting to dislodge the bug that had sunk his teeth into his chest.

Finally Salvador smacked off Victor, following up with a Rock Throw that sent the Insect Pokémon flying across the battlefield. Victor flipped in midair and landed on his feet, panting hard from the damage the move had dealt to him. Salvador's body then trembled as the poison damage struck, weakening him further.

Milo nodded slowly, realizing that his strategy had paid off. He sacrificed being able to do extra damage at the cost of removing Victor's weakness to Rock-type attacks from play. If Milo hadn't done that, he knew Victor likely would've been KO'd instantly.

"Bug Bite once more!" Milo cried out as Victor bounced forward, springing at Salvador and chomping down hard onto the face of the Tera Sudowoodo, a faint flash of light erupting from the hit. The Imitation Pokémon panicked, letting out a shriek of fear and pain as it began to run around in circles. Finally, after it began to stop-drop-and roll, Victor released the Sudowoodo. Salvador scrambled away, glaring angrily at the little bug that had menaced it. Salvador then grimaced as poison damage struck again, causing the fake tree Pokémon to sway on its feet.

"Tch, a critical hit. My friend, you are looking worse for wear. Are you alright?" Brassius politely asked Salvador as the Sudowoodo hunched over, panting hard and trying to remain standing. It promptly snapped to attention and delivered a salute to his Trainer, who nodded with a smile of gratitude. "If you're sure. If you refuse to give in, then I shall do the same!"

"Just a little more, Victor! You're doing great!" Milo called to his Venonat, who looked back at his Trainer with a happy chitter before turning back towards the battlefield.

"At times, art becomes a race against the clock. Let us increase the pace!" Brassius called with a wild laugh, thrusting a hand forward as his Sudowoodo suddenly gave them a smug smile. "Unleash your true might with Trailblaze!"

Salvador the Sudowoodo let out a cry as its Tera Crown pulsed with energy, releasing a blast of force outward as the Pokémon's body glowed a harsh green color. Milo's eyes widened in shock as the Sudowoodo suddenly sprinted towards Victor, frantically zigzagging directions before suddenly rocketing forward and slamming into the Venonat with the force of a truck.

With a pained screech the Victor went hurtling backwards, bouncing off of the battle court and rolling to a stop in front of Milo. The teen saw the Pokémon stir slightly, looking towards him for a moment…before fainting. Milo felt a cold chill roll down his spine as he realized he had just lost another Pokémon.

Hahahaha! And that's another one down!

"I thought I could win this without taking a single loss. I did everything right, didn't I?!" Milo internally shouted at himself, his face maintaining an expression of calm as he struggled to deal with the fact that he had now lost a third Pokémon.

In your defense, you had a great strategy set up. But sometimes you just come up short, kid. Now pick yourself up and finish this!

"Victor…" Milo whispered as he slowly raised the Venonat's Poké Ball, returning his fallen Pokémon while the Remnant chuckled with twisted delight at the fate of the defeated Pokémon. Milo looked down at the ball for several long moments. "Thank you for your hard work. You did great, little guy. I won't forget this."

Milo clipped the now-unusable Poké Ball to his belt and pulled out another, a wave of anger rolling through him as he considered how best to finish off the Sudowoodo. In the end, he opted for pure power to end this fight decisively.

"Reggie! Let's take this sucker down!" Milo shouted he sent out his trusty Crocalor in a flash light. The Fire Croc Pokémon let out a loud growl as Salvador the Sudowoodo stood its ground. Milo internally growled, seeing how badly weakened the Sudowoodo was. It was likely a single hit away from fainting. "Let avenge Victor and burn them away!"

Brassius thrust out a hand and called to his Terastallized ace. "Banish it with a Rock Throw!"

"Incinerate!" Milo called out as Reggie braced himself and let loose a harsh blast of flames that struck the boulder as it flew towards the Crocalor. The blast was enough to divert the rock so that it missed Reggie completely, with the attack continuing forward and hitting Salvador directly in the chest. The Sudowoodo flew backwards and crashed down onto the ground, with his Tera Crown exploding into a shower of light and crystals. Salvador groaned weakly from the ground, swirls in his eyes as he fainted.

Milo sighed with relief as Brassius returned his defeated Pokémon, with the Gym Leader's face adopting an expression of bewildered anger as he ran his fingers frantically through his hair. Milo let out a sigh of relief as the Nuzlocke Curse released him from its clutches, at least for now. The band finished their tune on a triumphant note while the crowd cheered for both Trainers.

"Avant-garde!" Brassius declared before suddenly shaking his head, regaining his composure and calming down. He stared at Milo and Reggie before smirking, and then soon that smirk became a grin of joy. The Gym Leader of Artazon walked towards his challenger, who met him in the center of the battle court.

"Oh! What artistic tactics you employ!" Brassius practically gushed, gesturing with his hands excitedly. "The patterns of your moves! The minute details of your Pokémon's performance! Everything you did was honed to perfection! Our battle was, in a word, art! Indeed, if we could not call that a work of artistry, then nothing else in this world could be labeled as such!"

"Umm…thanks?" Milo managed to respond, not sure how else to take the verbal onslaught that Brassius was unleashing upon him.

"If I were to judge your work, I would say it passes my inspection. Yes - a pass without exception!" Brassius declared to the crowd, who roared with approval after such a spectacle. Milo blushed somewhat as he heard Nemona scream out his name while Hannah Caballero whooped loudly over the crowd.

"As proof of your artistic prowess, you may have my Gym Badge! Shall we take a photo as well?" Brassius offered Milo, who blinked in surprise at the offer but happily took it. He always enjoyed getting fun selfies.

Milo and Brassius ended up getting a selfie of them posing with the windmill of Artazon, the Aliento Esmeralda, prominently rising behind them in the background.

"If you possess two Gym Badges, then it will be easier to catch Pokémon of up to Level 30, and those Pokémon should follow your commands as well!" Brassius explained as he handed Milo the Grass Badge, a symbol of his victory over the Gym Leader of Artazon. "To a fantastic Trainer such as yourself, I would like to offer this - a favorite of mine!"

Brassius handed over TM020 Trailblaze, which Milo accepted with a smile and a thanks. Brassius suddenly let out a chuckle, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Ah! My inspiration is overflowing, as if drawn from a bottomless well! Please make your way back to the Gym Building to have everything officially documented."

"Thanks for everything, Brassius. Hope your new art thing goes well." Milo said amiably to the Gym Leader, extending a hand to the man. Brassius shook Milo hand enthusiastically before stepping back, his smile vanishing as a determined frown bloomed across his face.

"I will begin on a new piece at once! You must excuse me. Farewell!" Brassius said before striding off in the other direction and departing the battle court. Milo watched the Gym Leader depart, but then his thoughts turned inward.

"Victor's gone now…I can never use him again, despite how hard he worked. Damn it!" Milo screamed mentally while maintaining an expression of absolute calm. He returned Reggie, but saw that the Crocalor had been looking at him with concern in his eyes.

And then suddenly Nemona!

"Milo! You were so good!" Nemona tackled Milo and pulled him into a tight hug. Unfortunately for Milo, there were still plenty of people around to witness Nemona's public display of affection before she released her friend with an excited grin.

"I…you…thanks Nemona." Milo said with a dazed smile, bewildered and blushing furiously. Hannah soon joined them, smiling at the two teenagers while trying to hold back her laughter.

"Dear, you did wonderfully." Hannah said to her son, hugging him as well. She broke away a moment later and put a hand to her chin. "It was pretty exciting. Not quite as loud as the battles with Kabu back in Motostoke, but still really fun."

"I agree. But I kinda like it like this. It feels more…personal?" Milo said with a smile, shrugging his shoulders. "I do need to head back to the Gym Building though."

"How about you run ahead and we'll grab some lunch along the way? We can have a nice picnic by that big pool behind the Gym Building." Hannah said to Milo, earning a nod from her child. Soon Milo was riding on Koraidon back to the building in question, his thoughts in turmoil.

"I did the best I could and it wasn't enough." Milo sighed, shaking his head. "I just have to try and do better. That's all I can do."

That's just about the smartest thing you've ever said.

"Quiet you." Milo muttered as he walked back into the delightfully air-conditioned building and officially registered his new Grass Badge onto his Trainer Profile. Milo thanked the woman for her help and admired his badge with a bittersweet smile. He was happy about taking down another Gym Leader and being a step closer to escaping the Nuzlocke Curse. But at the same time, he had lost another Pokémon, and he'd never be able to use Victor the Venonat again.

"Pardon me. Would you be the Milo I've been hearing so much about?" a man suddenly spoke out from behind him. The accent was foreign to Milo's ears, which caught his attention.

Milo turned around in surprise at who would've been asking for him, only to see a man with long blond hair standing behind him wearing a green coat and blue jeans. He wore a short cape behind himself and had intense amber-colored eyes. Milo stared at the man for a moment, surprised, before eventually nodding.

"Yes sir. I'm Florian Caballero, but I go by Milo." Milo said as the man smiled at the boy's politeness.

"Nemona had mentioned there was a promising new face in the academy - yes, indeed." The man almost muttered the last part to himself before realizing how strange all of this sounded. "Oh, but I do apologize. I didn't mean to startle you by addressing you so suddenly."

"It's not the worst way I've been greeted. What can I do for you? My mother and Nemona herself are waiting for me outside." Milo remarked, earning a nod from the man.

"My name is Hassel Skulblaka. I'm one of the Elite Four of the Paldean Pokémon League." The man introduced himself, extending a hand to Milo. The bewildered teen shook it, with the man smiling at the younger Trainer. "I also teach art classes at the Academy. I was forced to take a short sabbatical due to health concerns, which is why this is the first time we are meeting. Between that and my duties in the League, I have had little time to be at Naranja Academy this year."

"That makes sense. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Milo said with a smile, earning a nod from the mysterious Hassel. His eyes seemed to regard Milo in a calculating manner, as if trying to look into the boy's soul.

"So, do tell me, young Milo: What compels you to collect these Gym Badges and strive to be a Champion?" Hassle asked the boy, who considered it. He had several reasons to continue down the road he walked. The Nuzlocke Curse, his own desire to get stronger, because Nemona asked him to, the fun of it all. But most of all…

"I want to find my treasure." Milo finally decided, nodding at the teacher. "I think going down this path will help me find what I'm looking for here in Paldea. I've always wanted to come here and be at Naranja Academy, ever since I heard about it. Maybe I'll figure out some other stuff along the way."

"Asked and answered. Thank you." Hassel said with a nod, smiling at the student before shaking his head. "Naturally there is no single correct answer. All paths lead to the Great Crater of Paldea, as they say."

"Do they? Isn't it against school rules to enter the Great Crater?" Milo asked Hassel, who nodded sagely.

"Indeed. More than that, it's considered illegal. That and Area Zero are forbidden places. Only La Primera and Professor Paulina Sada are allowed to even access that area." Hassel confirmed, crossing his arms. "Even Elite Four members like myself know very little about that accursed site. The tales of careless adventurers and foolhardy students who ventured within, only to never return, are numerous."

"I wonder how someone like Nemona would handle it. She's insanely tough." Milo wondered aloud, causing Hassel to smile.

"You know, your friend Nemona is the youngest to achieve Champion Rank in all of Paldean history…it is entirely possible that such great potential lies within you as well." Hassel said warmly, earning a smile in return from Milo. Hassel then walked past the teen and towards the exit of the building, but he stopped short.

The Elite Four member glanced over his shoulder at Milo, closing his eyes. "Should you continue striving to reach Champion Rank, you will one day have to battle me."

Hassel opened his eyes and Milo saw fire within them, as well as the man's power. "You would be wise to train hard starting now. It will save you from experiencing the bitter regret of defeat."

"U-uh…duly noted." Milo muttered, awed by the man's bearing and how he carried himself. This was a Trainer who had felled countless opponents, and if Milo wanted to survive and escape the Nuzlocke Curse, then he would have to overcome this man. Would that even be possible?

Oblivious to Milo's internal struggle, Hassel turned back around. "Oh, and do come along to my art class sometime. I would be thrilled to have you attend." Hassel said lightly, not even facing Milo before walking towards the door. The Art Teacher was surprised when the door opened and Hannah Caballero walked in, flanked by Nemona herself who happened to be holding a bag full of food.

Before anyone could comment on that, the nearby lobby elevator opened, revealing a rather annoyed-looking Brassius. His expression immediately brightened upon seeing Hassel and Milo standing together, but then his eyes widened when he saw Hannah and Nemona.

"Two fantastic Trainers and two fantastic artists stand in my lobby. How delightful." Brassius remarked, chuckling as he walked forward and clapped Hassel on the shoulder. "Mrs. Caballero, how have you enjoyed your time in Artazon? I appreciate an artist of your skill coming to our humble town."

Hannah nodded, smiling as did so. "Artazon has been wonderful. I'm grateful for you getting me the VIP treatment while I've been here. Hopefully I was able to help like you wanted me too."

Brassius barked out a laugh, grinning wildly. "Your insight was truly avant-garde! Two of my friends have already informed me that your advice has spawned several promising paintings and a sculpture based in ancient Hoenn mythology. You're as wonderful as Hass said you were, ma'am. And you're welcome to come back at any time!"

"What a second…I've heard of you!" Milo suddenly called out, pointing to Hassel with shock. "Dad told me about a guy he used to go to school with! It was the same year Mum went to Naranja Academy as a foreign exchange student! You're the crying dragon guy!"

"Is that how I'm known?" Hassel chuckled while Hannah sighed, shaking her head. She was about to respond to that, but Nemona had a question.

"Wait, hold on. How do you know Milo's mother, Brassius?" Nemona asked the Gym Leader, who regarded the Champion-ranked Trainer for a moment before giving an answer.

"Hannah Caballero is one of the Galar region's most skilled painters and is widely regarded for her perceptive nature and kindly demeanor." Brassius said with a raised eyebrow. "As such, she's given the utmost respect here in Artazon, and is held with the same esteem as Hassel. As Gym Leader of this town, I ensure that visionaries such as them are properly given the respect and treatment that their station deserves when they visit Artazon."

Brassius then looked to Milo, eyeing him with a smile. "It should come as no surprise that such a fantastic mind such as yourself is the son of such a refined artist such as her, my friend!"

"I-I'm really not all that impressive!" Hannah tried to say, only for Hassel, Brassius and Milo to give her a trio of skeptical looks in response.

"You have paintings in some of the most premiere art galleries in the world, Mum. You've gotten offers to teach art at several universities and turned them all down to be with the family. Just face the truth and admit that you rock." Milo chided his mother, who rubbed the back of her head with an embarrassed laugh. Brassius quickly launched into an excited tirade regarding one of Hannah's recent pieces and how fantastic it was, and so Milo and Nemona were left standing outside of the conversion.

"Whoa! Milo, your mother is awesome!" Nemona said in an undertone as Milo grinned back at his friend. Hannah was currently talking to Hassel animatedly, talking about a sculpture she had seen earlier in the day. He saw how excited she was to discuss her thoughts and feelings on the piece, with Brassius taking notes on a pad and Hassel nodding thoughtfully.

"Yeah, she's the best." Milo said quietly, trying to focus on the here and now. He had survived another Objective and was in good company. And for now, that was what mattered most.

Milo's Current Party:

Reggie (Crocalor) M - Tera Fire

Cocoa (P. Wooper) F - Tera Ground

Storm (Wattrel) F - Tera Flying

Donut (Fidough) F - Tera Ice

Fiona (Flittle) F - Tera Grass

Benched/PC Storage:

Echo (Toxel) F - Tera Ice (Overleveled for Objective #3)

Fleur (Steenee) F - Tera Dark (Overleveled for Objective #3)

Shelly (Shellder) F - Tera Fighting

Bronson (Barboach) M - Tera Fire

Graveyard:

Pepper (Maschiff) F - Tera Poison

Sparky (Pawmi) M - Tera Electric

Victor (Venonat) M - Tera Electric

Gonna keep this AN short because I'm experiencing food poisoning and struggling mightily here during this edits. But we've got another Objective in the books and we've got more fun times coming!

Massive shoutout to the absolute legends who reviewed since the last update, which includes SolanaLeonhart, General C, DaGuest, BraviaryScout and Rare Joe Star. You all are fantastic and your feedback and support motivate me to keep on trucking at the pace I've been going lately. Thank you so much.

Additional shoutouts go to tylerbob1055, Dachshund-in-an-Alien Costume, prietoubinasanti, and DanTra12 for favoriting and following the story as well.

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Until next time, FlygonNick out!