From Trainer to Beast Tamer Pokémon Trainer! Reader x Twisted Wonderland

Special Event: Fireworks Festival

Sorry this took so long guys (events are so...so long), I have a new work schedule and then got sucked into all of the events that came out back to back. I somehow pulled the SSR Fairy Gala Leona...on my first 10 pull...as my first card...and then also got Jamil. Sorry to those who voted for Make a Wish, Fireworks Festival won out by one vote. I own nothing.

(Y/N), Grim, Cufant, and Archeops were walking down the halls of Scarabia, looking for the dorm's leaders. Unsurprisingly, she found them in front of Kalim's room, Jamil looking ready to blow a gasket.
"We don't need any of that!" Jamil yelled. "You will be taking the luggage I packed for you!"
"Eh? But what if something happens?" Kalim argued.
"Don't worry, I will take care of it. I won't let my guard down."
"I see...okay! I'm counting on you!"
Jamil sighed. "I'm really worried about you..."
Cufant sounded her trumpet and ran up to Kalim as Archeops flew over to Jamil. Both boys gave their respective Pokémon a scratch.
"Hey guys." (Y/N) greeted. "Do you have a moment?"
"(Y/N), Grim." The vice dorm leader acknowledged. "What's the matter?"
"The principal wanted us to tell you that the dark mirror is ready to be used!" Grim answered.
Kalim beamed, still hugging Cufant. "Oh, thank you! We get to move to distant places in an instant now!"
"Where are you guys going?" The cat asked curiously. "And why are you taking so much luggage?"
"Al-abu narih."
"What's that? Is that the name of a dish?"
"Al-abu narih is an old fashioned word used in our country." Jamil explained. "It means fireworks. The Yasmina Fireworks Event is really popular."
"Yasmina?" Grim repeated. "I've never heard of it before."
"Seriously!?" Kalim yelled, spooking Cufant and Archeops. "But it's a super popular event!"
"Kalim, Grim didn't know what Halloween was."
He ignored the girl. "We have a lot of visitors that come from another country when this event arrives. The bazaar is filled with food stalls and souvenir stalls! They sell all kinds of fruits too! The fireworks show is the main event for this festival! It's just amazing! The festival is very lively and exciting!"
"Oooh!" Grim cheered as he and the Pokémon became starry eyed. "It sounds fun to me!"
"I'm sure some influential people will take this as an opportunity to make money..." Jamil pondered.
Kalim nodded before turning to (Y/N). "That's right! Do you guys want to come too?"
His second in command jerked. "Wha-? Kalim!"
The white haired male pouted. "(Y/N) came from another world, so I want to show her the fireworks event. Not only that, I want to show her how beautiful the Land of Hot Sands is."
"Fnya! We want to go too!" Grim spoke for himself and the other monsters. "There will be a lot of delicious food right!?"
"Yeah! The food is all tasty! We welcome you with open arms!"
"Wait a minute!" Jamil butted in. "Why are you deciding this on your own!? Do you think it's fine to suddenly make this decision!?"
"Oh come on, you don't have to make a big deal about this. They'll be watching the fireworks show in the audience seat."
Jamil sighed. "I guess you're right...that's the privilege of being the organizer. I can keep an eye on them...but that's not the main problem!"
"Jamil, I resent needing to be kept an eye on." (Y/N) pointed out.
"Organizer?" Grim asked. "What does that mean?"
"All the noble families from the Land of the Hot Sands take turns organizing the festival every year. The Asim family is the organizer of the festival this year. We are not allowed to make a mistake during this important event. It's a great honor to Kalim's family."
"I have to greet all the customers at the event too." Kalim added.
"As a servant, I will be going with Kalim. Hence why I can't look after two more people and a few monsters."
"Jamil, I am an adult in a position of authority. I have attended several high profile events. I really don't need a babysitter." (Y/N) argued.
"Sorry, but you can't come with us."
The monsters all turned to the girl, big pouts on their faces. She then gestured towards Jamil.
"Go for it."
"Wait, what?"
"FNYA!" Grim screamed. "WE WANT TO GO! WE WANT TO GO! WE WANT TO GO!"
Jamil held firm, even as Cufant began stamping her feet. It was only when Archeops began giving him sad eyes that he began to slip.
"Oh that's blackmail!"
"How is it worse than mind control?"
"...touché."
"Please, Jamil!" Kalim pleaded. "I really want to show them how beautiful our hometown is!"
"I'm begging you, Jamil!" Grim piled on. "If you don't take me with you, me and Cufant will mess up the dorm while you're gone!"
"Fant!"
"You will do no such thing." (Y/N) said firmly.
Jamil groaned, but gave in. "...I have no choice then."
"Yay!" The boys cheered as Cufant trumpeted.
Archeops then cuddled into Jamil's neck appreciatively.
"Don't think I'm not mad at you."
"Ah! We should invite more friends!" Kalim declared. "It's more fun that way!"
"Wait! There's limited seats available for us! You can't invite too many people!"
The white haired male brushed his advisor off. "Is that so? There are still some remaining empty seats too. How many, Jamil?"
He sweatdropped. "Errr...if I remember correctly, we have 6 empty seats."
"Does that mean we can go too?" Grim asked.
Kalim nodded. "Of course! We just need to invite four more people. Let's ask Lilia and Cater first!"
Kalim, Grim, and the Pokémon all took off, leaving Jamil behind to grumble and start to develop a headache.
(Y/N) patted his back. "There, there."
(Timeskip)
"...and that's why I want to invite you guys to my hometown!" Kalim finished, beaming at Cater and Lilia.
Grim nodded vigorously. "It's a big festival!"
"Yay!" Cater cheered. "Of course I'll go! Beautiful architecture, unique food, and the white castle towers above the desert, all of those are the best spots to take pictures! I have always wanted to visit the Land of Hot Sands, but I'd given up since I don't have the money to travel abroad. I seriously didn't think my dream would come true this way! And this fireworks event is only held once a year, so I'm sure I could take a viral photo! And I get to watch the fireworks show in such a beautiful place! I'm happy I have a friend like you!"
"I'm glad to hear that!" Kalim said gleefully. "How about you, Lilia?"
The fae tilted his head, seeming to reminisce about the past. "I visited the Land of Hot Sands a long time ago. It's a very interesting country. I believe the streets have changed a lot since then. I want to see how it looks now."
"A long time ago?" Cater parroted. "When exactly was that, Lilia-chan?"
"Hehehe...too bad, I can't tell you! Hiding some secrets makes me look even more charming."
"One of these days, I will trick you into admitting how old you are." (Y/N) declared.
"All right, since it's a rare opportunity, I shall visit your hometown again."
"You'll come too?! Yes!" The white haired boy yelled in victory. "I'm so excited to go on a trip with my club members! Ah, that's right! We still have two empty seats. That means you guys can invite a friend with you too!"
"Seriously?" Cater said excitedly. "Now, who should I invite?"
"Hmm..." It only took Lilia a moment. "I have decided. I know a person that will be suitable for this trip. It will be a great experience for him."
"Experience?" Grim asked. "What do you mean?"
"I think I can take a guess as to who." (Y/N) teased as the fae smirked at her.
"Hehehe, now now, you, don't ruin the surprise."
(Timeskip)
The next day, everyone was to meet in the exterior hall to the Mirror Chamber. (Y/N) had spent the night packing with Grim and deciding on which set of Pokémon she was gonna bring. Swampert, Cufant, and Archeops were obvious choices, but that meant someone from the Scarabia incident would have to be left behind. Eventually, Lucario volunteered given that someone had to help Crobat keep the other Pokémon in check, Flygon and Garchomp were specifically desert dwelling Pokémon, and Arcanine adored fireworks.
The next morning, after soaking Grim to get him to wake up on time, the Ramshackle residents met up with the Scarabia duo at the appointed spot, Jamil unsurprisingly lecturing Kalim.
"Good morning!" The trainer greeted.
"We came on time!" A still slight soggy Grim boasted from atop Swampert's back. "I'm so excited I even told Swampert to hose me down to make sure I woke up! You better appreciate that, y'know!"
"I see." Jamil turned to the girl. "(Y/N), I'm sorry for causing you some trouble."
"Hey!"
She waved him off. "Nothing we're not used to."
"I understand Grim's feelings!" Kalim declared. "I didn't get to sleep well last night because I was too excited! Jamil has been staying up late at night too. Are you excited for the festival?"
The vice dorm leader deadpanned. "No way. I'm doing the preparations for today. I needed to check our luggage, rearrange the schedule, and contact the people from our hometown. I managed to finish it all while you were sleeping."
"You have woken me up! I would've helped you!"
"...ha. It's okay, that's my responsibility."
(Y/N) rubbed her temples. "Jamil, are we going to have another talk about communication?"
The sound of footsteps interrupted any retort he may have had as Grim looked over his shoulder to see who was coming.
"Ah! Cater is walking towards us! Hey!"
"You're right! Morning, Cater!" Kalim greeted.
Jamil sighed in relief. "I'm just glad they gathered before the meeting time. Not bad, I'm sure this will be fine. Good morning, Cater-senpai, I'm so excited for our trip today."
The orange haired male greeted them with a grin, patting Swampert's head as he joined them. "Morning, guys! It's the perfect day for a vacation."
"But we don't know what the weather is like in the Land of Hot Sands." Grim pointed out.
"Don't worry! I just check the weather with my phone. The weather there is sunny too. Plus, I'm sure one of (Y/N)'s Pokémon could change the weather if it wasn't."
She nodded. "That is very true."
"I want to take as many pictures as I can, which is why my battery is full! I even brought my charger."
"Cater-senpai, who did you invite?" Jamil asked.
"Ah, are you curious? Okay, let me introduce him! My travel partner is...this guy!"
Cater grabbed and pulled Trey from behind the corner. The green haired senior adjusted his glasses bashfully.
"Please stop introducing me that way."
"Oh! You invited Trey!" Kalim said excitedly.
(Y/N) nudged Jamil. "Well that's a weight off your shoulders, eh Jamil?"
"Immensely."
"I feel like I always see you guys together." Grim stated.
(Y/N) agreed. "And yet Cater always teased Ace and Deuce for it."
"Good morning, everyone." Trey said. "Thank you for inviting me."
"When I knew that we were going to visit the Land of Hot Sands, I immediately thought of inviting Trey-kun with me!" Cater explained.
Trey nodded. "I've always wanted to see the strange desert in the Land of Hot Sands. It could give me a new dessert idea for the next Unbirthday Party."
"I'm sure you'll find a lot of your favorite ingredients there as well." Jamil assured him. "Our hometown is famous for local cuisine and dessert stalls."
"I'm looking forward to it. Can you please tell me your recommendations? Since you're so skilled at cooking, I would like to taste the food you recommend."
"Sure. I'll show you my favorite restaurant."
"I heard that Lilia will be going with us too. Do you have any idea who he invited?"
Grim shrugged. "(Y/N) said she knows, but she won't say anything."
"I'm not gonna be on the receiving end of a Lilia prank for spoiling the surprise. Honestly, it's not hard to guess guys, especially with the whole 'social experience'."
"I guess it should be someone from Diasomnia." Jamil pondered out loud.
"Maybe he'll invite Silver." Trey suggested.
"I'm sure it is." Cater agreed. "Lilia-chan is so fond of Silver-kun! That would explain the social experience thing, since Lilia-chan is the teacher of Silver-kun."
Trey chuckled. "If that's the case, I feel like he's been teaching Silver inaccurate knowledge..."
Kalim jumped in. "Indeed, I always see them together!"
Jamil then looked at the clock. "Ah, it's going to be meeting time soon. We should head to the Mirror Chamber."
The group filed in. Crowley was there, waiting by the Dark Mirror.
Jamil greeted him for the group. "Good morning, principal."
"Good morning!" He returned cheerfully.
"Thank you for giving us permission to use the Dark Mirror."
"Yep yep!" Kalim added. "Thank you for helping us!"
"It's your big moment, right?" The crow pointed out. "Of course I will help you. I am so kind! Please send my regards to your father, if possible. I'm looking forward to your souvenirs too."
"Why is bribery the only way to get you to do things?" (Y/N) asked, unsurprised.
"I suppose it's to be expected." Trey said with a nervous smile.
"All right, everyone." Crowley announced. "Stop talking. We shouldn't keep him waiting any longer."
"Who?" Jamil asked before nodding. "Ah, Lilia-senpai. Was he here before us?"
"Oh?" The principal hummed in surprise. "But the person waiting for you guys is not Vanrouge."
"Eh! It's not Lilia?!" Kalim cried. "Is it Silver?"
Footsteps were heard as a familiar tall, dark figure loomed over them.
"Good morning." Malleus greeted.
"MALLEUS-SENPAI!?" Jamil yelped.
(Y/N) smiled and waved. "Hey, Tsunotaru."
"Good morning, child of man." He said back. "You guys are going to the Land of Hot Sands, right? I will go with you."
"EHHHH!?" The boys all yelped.
"Lilia-senpai invited Malleus-senpai!?" Jamil yelled.
(Y/N) rolled her eyes. "Really, Jamil, how did you not see this coming?"
"How did you see this coming!?" Cater shot back. "It's totally unexpected!"
"It's really not."
Malleus then began to explain himself. "As the next King of the Valley of Thorns, I spend most of my time inside the castle. I rarely have the chance to go out. I want to broaden my knowledge, but if I spoke of this in my castle, people would get nosey, hence why Lilia invited me. It's a rare opportunity, he said he wanted me to enjoy this vacation without worrying about anything."
"Good for you, Malleus." (Y/N) said, grinning. "Take it from an expert, there's no greater learning experience than travel!"
"Lilia-chan is so kind." Cater said.
"But why isn't Lilia here?" Kalim asked.
"Ah, he had a sudden stomachache this morning." Malleus admitted. "That's why I'm going by myself." Cue more yelling. "The food he ate yesterday seems to be the cause of his stomachache. He was laying on the ground this morning, telling me to go enjoy myself. It's my first time going to another country without my bodyguard. I'll enjoy this trip on his behalf."
"First time without a bodyguard....!?" Jamil repeated.
"I see..." Kalim said. "I didn't know something like that had happened...that's too bad, I thought Lilia could come with us too...but I'm sure he'll be happy if you enjoy this trip! I believe this will be a great experience for you!"
"Wait a minute!" Jamil intervened. "Kalim, Malleus-senpai is the heir to the Valley of Thorns."
"Hm? What about it?"
"You have to ask? Lilia is not coming, that means there's no one that could look after him! What of something happens to him!? It might turn into a diplomatic issue! It's too much for us to handle!"
"Relax, Jamil. I'm here too." (Y/N) declared. "I'm pretty sure me and Pokémon can handle anything the desert could throw at us. Plus, let's face it, Malleus could mop the floor with any problem we could face. Besides, wouldn't it be great for diplomatic relationships if the heir to the Valley of Thorns had an amazing time at the festival?"
"Well...I suppose you're right, but-,"
She cut him off. "Then there's nothing to worry about! Besides, I'm sure Tsunotaru is super excited to travel with us. He was invited."
"It's true." Crowley agreed. "Draconia-kun has been waiting here for three hours."
"Really!?" Cater gasped. "He's way too excited for this trip!"
"Maybe he wouldn't if you guys bothered to remember to invite him to stuff."
"Hey, Jamil, you don't have to make a big deal about this." Kalim butted in. "I just want to bring my friends to visit our hometown, it's nothing serious."
Malleus smirked. "Yeah, I'm just your ordinary schoolmate. Do you have any problem with that?"
Jamil sighed. "N-no, I don't...I suppose I have no other choice. I should just give up now."
"Well then let's get a move on, gentlemen, we're not getting any younger!" (Y/N) said enthusiastically.
"Goodbye, everyone!" Crowley waved. "Have a safe trip! Ah, just so you know, I'm not responsible for helping your if you get involved in trouble during your holiday!"
Swampert growled as (Y/N) swung her head at him. "As if we can depend on you during normal circumstances."
"I feel like the fireworks event this year will be a chaotic mess." Jamil mumbled.
The trainer waved him off. "You're worrying too much."
"Yeah!" Grim cheered. "Let's go to the Land of Hot Sands!"
Everyone piled in the Dark Mirror, and in an instant, they were transported to a bustling, oasis market place which reminded (Y/N) of Stow-on-Side from the Galar region, only more vibrant.
"It's such a sunny day!" Kalim cheered. "It feels great to be back!"
"We didn't really get the chance to visit home during break." Jamil pointed out as (Y/N) decided to tease him.
"Yeah, I wonder whose fault that was."
Jamil coughed, slightly embarrassed.
She laughed and decided to let it go. "So this is the Land of Hot Sands?"
Kalim nodded vigorously. "Yeah! Our hometown is so lively and exciting, right? You should let out the rest of your Pokémon, (Y/N)!"
"Hey, wait!" Jamil protested, but (Y/N) already had her Pokeballs out.
"Great idea, Kalim. Come on out, everyone!"
Flygon, Garchomp, Arcanine, Cufant, and Archeops all popped out with happy cries, immediately enjoying the sunny weather.
Cater slinked under Garchomp's shadow, already looking overheated. "It's really hot. I'm already sweating so much."
"The sky is bright too." Jamil pointed out. "Please be careful so you don't get heat stroke. Actually, (Y/N), are you sure Swampert will be all right in this heat? I remember you saying something about some water types being prone to dehydration."
"No worries here." She assured the boys. "Water types with secondary rock, ground, or steel typings are better capable of retaining water. As for the rest of us." She pulled out a bottle of sunscreen. "Lather up, everyone."
The boys took her up on her offer, and Trey looked quite impressed.
"I suppose we should've expected this from the experienced traveler, but you seem just as eager for this trip as Malleus, (Y/N)."
She beamed. "Are you kidding? Traveling to new locations? Experiencing new cultures? It's like I'm 12 years old again! I'm half hoping someone will challenge me to fight to complete the experience!"
"Please don't!" Jamil said. "I'm relying on you to not be chaos incarnate."
"Don't worry, I'm not gonna start anything. I'll finish it, but I'll never start it."
Jamil sighed, but decided to start giving them the rundown of the place. "The vast desert of our country is an area with a tropical climate. Most of the area of this country is peninsula. There are many luxury houses and resort hotels located near the sea coast. The place we're at right now is the center of this country. It's a famous tourist destination for travelers."
"It seems so." Malleus said. "I can see many people holding maps."
"It's from the tourism guidebook." Cate explained. "They're also wearing short sleeves and shorts."
Trey chuckled nervously. "Yeah, we're the only ones in uncomfortable outfits, except (Y/N)."
"Ironic given I'm used to tropical climates."
"Hey, what's the name of this place?" Cater asked.
"Silk City." Jamil answered.
"We grew up here." Kalim added.
The orange head nodded and looked at the book he had brought. "I see. This place is in the guidebook to. The white stone building is really pretty. It's just like what I saw on social media! Let's take a picture!"
The gang all piled in and smiled, (Y/N) having to stand on Swampert because of height differences. Jamil then began to give them a history lesson on the architecture.
"Originally, it was really hard to obtain wood, so they could only build houses with stone they dug up from the mountain. It helps that stone can stand super hot temperatures."
"And doesn't catch fire as easily." (Y/N) quipped.
"That too."
Trey nodded. "Indeed. The Land of the Hot Sands is famous for houses made from stone."
Cater's eyes were starry. "It looks like it came out of a movie! It's so cool!"
"Other than the buildings, our country is famous for food too!" Kalim informed them. "The people who live on the peninsula deliver fresh seafood everyday, which is why our seafood dishes are famous and many of our five star restaurants are mostly seafood."
During this, Grim had snuck away and was now dipping his paw in the nearby canal.
"Hey! There's a river here. It feels so nice and cold."
"Grim, careful! You might fall in!" (Y/N) scolded as Malleus studied the water.
"Is this the canal you were discussing earlier?"
Grim ignored him. "Ah! The water is splashing! Are there fish in the river?"
"Hey, don't get so close, it's dangerous!" Trey reiterated.
"Nyahaha, don't look down on me! I'm not as stupid as you think-eep!"
Unsurprisingly, the cat fell in and began flailing.
"I told you so!" (Y/N) yelled.
"Funya!? T-the ship is getting closer! I'm gonna get run over by a ship!"
The 'ship' was in fact a gondola, manned by an older looking gentleman. He plucked Grim out by his collar and handed him off to a very annoyed (Y/N), who apologized profusely for the inconvenience.
"Keep an eye on your pet. Don't let them jump into the river again or something more serious might happen!"
The girl and her Pokémon bowed. "It won't happen again, sir. Thank you."
"I am not a pet!" Grim protested before being smacked by Archeops.
"I'm surprised you still have the energy to argue." Malleus taunted, amused by all this.
Jamil glared at the cat. "This canal is used for boat transportation. It's exactly like a road. Boats pass by every second. You can't swim in there, it's dangerous."
Trey rubbed his head. "I'm glad you got saved before you were hit by a boat, Grim."
"It's not good at all! I thought I was gonna get washed away! I was really panicked, y'know!"
(Y/N) rolled her eyes. "Flygon, Archeops, or Garchomp would've gotten you out. Maybe now you know to be careful when on vacation."
Archeops and Flygon then began to whip up wind with their wings to get Grim dry as Cater, Malleus, and (Y/N) looked out over the canal. The Heartslabyul third year was obviously going photo crazy.
"I just saw a boat with a roof passing by! It's so cool! Let me take a picture!"
Malleus pondered a bit at the sight of it. "What a strange boat. It doesn't appear to be used for fishing."
"It's probably a ferry boat." (Y/N) remarked, which Jamil nodded at.
"That's right. I didn't know you knew anything about boats, (Y/N)."
"I really don't, but my home region is like 70% water, so I can tell the difference."
"Well, the ferry boats are famous among travelers because of the beautiful scenery. And thanks to this river, the water vapor that rises into the air helps prevent droughts. The desert areas without a river will get super hot, but the temperatures immediately drop to 0 during the night."
Cater sighed. "Uwah, that sounds tough to me..."
"I thought this place was hot enough for me, but it's way better than the sudden change of temperature in the desert."
"It's always important to study up on the environment when you're traveling." (Y/N) said. "Many injuries and deaths occur because people are ignorant of the hidden dangers and are ill prepared."
Malleus frowned, which Cater was the first to notice.
"What's wrong, Malleus-kun?"
"Nothing...I just feel surprised because everything that was said now is different from the information I learned. From what I know, most areas in the Land of Hot Sands turned to desert due to the lack of rainfall. The residents here can barely obtain any water because of the dry temperatures. That's what I learned in the Valley of Thorns."
"That's a story from a long time ago." Kalim corrected.
"The Land of Hot Sands has been improving as generations pass." Jamil added in.
The fae tilted his head. "When did the situation in your country start to change?"
"The spices and decorations here are very popular overseas, all of them being sold at expensive prices."
"Indeed." Trey jumped in. "Spices like saffron, cumin, and pepper are all commonplace in meal prep. I always add some spices to adjust the taste of food."
Cater nodded. "The folks here are very famous too. I've seen them in art galleries before."
"My ancestors are the ones that came up with the idea!" Kalim said proudly.
"Kalim's family was the first to start shipping items along the coast in this country." Jamil further explained. "They didn't have a nautical chart back then. I'm sure it was very dangerous."
"But they succeeded in the end! Don't you think that's amazing!?"
"After that, the Asim family renovated the river into a man made canal."
"Ah, that's the canal Grim fell into." Trey joked as Grim huffed.
"You don't have to mention that again!"
Swampert growled at him to not complain as Jamil continued the history lesson.
"The canal expanded the area for trading. They're able to make millions with this business, and they became one of the most famous families in the Land of the Hot Sands."
"It seems as though the ancestors of Asim possessed great foresight." Malleus noted.
"After that, many people followed suit and the city improved as time passed. They eventually used modern technology to create a perfect environment for the people living here. Thanks to the new water system, the population in our country has increased. As the trading business expanded, our country became more wealthy and the tourist attractions have become more well known."
"It's known as the best place to vacation all around the world now." Cater emphasized.
"Even so, there are still people living in the dry desert areas. We can't live without water, which is why the rich and poor gather in this place to trade. The main export of this place is silk, hence the name."
Kalim beamed. "This is one of the biggest cities in the Land of Hot Sands!"
"Yeah, it's not the capital city, but it is the business center of the country."
Malleus nodded. "I see. I have only heard about the story of this country from my grandmother. Humans can improve faster than we thought. How interesting."
(Y/N) grinned. "If there's one thing we're good at, it's adapting. Honestly it's the only reason we've survived as a species."
"You're not even from this world." Jamil pointed out.
"And yet I am also human. Same rules apply."
Kalim ignored that little exchange and began to pull them alone, Cufant at his heels. "All right, before we start looking around, let's go to my house first!"
"Is your home far from here?" Grim asked. "I'm exhausted...I don't want to go if I have to walk very far."
(Y/N) rolled her eyes. "You're just gonna laze on my Pokémon either way."
"It's not that far." Kalim assured. "You can even see it from here."
"Glad to hear it." Trey sighed in relief. "Can we get here in a few minutes?"
"Huh? Are you gonna walk there? If that's the case...I think it might take three to four hours to get there."
"Eh!?" Cater yelped. "But you said you could see it from here! Why does it take so long!?"
His dormmate was equally as concerned. "Which one is your house!?"
Kalim pointed at a palace-like structure in the distance. "Look, that building on the hill is my house."
"Really!?" They all screamed.
"How big is your house!?" Cater asked for clarification as Trey shook his head.
"It looks more like a theme park or a palace."
"The Asim mansion is the symbol of Silk City. It's very well known. We can grab a taxi to get there."
"There are many travelers that come to visit my house everyday with the tourist buses."
(Y/N) blew hair from her face. "Yeah that checks out. Why do we keep forgetting how stupidly rich Kalim is?"
"So how will we get there?" Malleus asked.
"Don't worry, we have arranged a car for us." Jamil said.
"Ah there it is!" Kalim said gleefully as a luxury car rounded the corner.
Trey had to adjust his glasses. "I've never seen such a long car before. How many meters is it!?"
"15." Jamil answered. "It's a customized car, complete with a refrigerator and a massage chair. It's used for important guests."
"When I told my parents my friends were coming to visit our hometown, they immediately arranged this car for us. Only the best for my precious friends."
Trey laughed. "I think Malleus is more suited to this car since he's royalty. Don't you think so, Cater?"
"Eh, it's fine, let's get in the car. We'll never get the chance to ride in such an expensive car again."
(Timeskip)
After a long car ride (somehow the car was also able to accommodate (Y/N)'s Pokémon), the group arrived at the overly luxurious Asim residence. The garden was decked out in fountains and gilded archways.
"It's still hot." Malleus said.
"Yeah, I'm so glad the walkway is covered with a roof." Trey agreed.
Kalim, who had spent the whole car ride cuddling Arcanine's fur, beamed. "Just walk straight down this path and we'll arrive at my house!"
"Easy enough." (Y/N) said.
Cater was dipping into his inner photographer. "This place is so amazing! Look at that peacock sculpture in the fountain! It looks so cool! Let me take a picture!"
Malleus was equally as entranced. "Oh! This fountain sculpture is so stunning. It's not a gargoyle, but it looks interesting. Let me take a closer look."
"Malleus-senpai, you'll get drenched!" Jamil warned as he approached the fountain. "Let me get an umbrella-! Wait, why isn't the water hitting him!?"
The vapor was completely bouncing off a field around Malleus and pelting Grim who squealed, Swampert, who quite enjoyed it, and Jamil.
"I can create a barrier with magic." Malleus explained. "By the way, are you okay, Viper? The temperature is hot, but you will catch a cold if you're being soaked with water."
The second year looked like he was about to have a heart attack, while Trey crossed his arms.
"I'm surprised to see Jamil walking with an umbrella on such a sunny day."
"As expected from him." Cater said. "Prepared for anything."
"I understand your feelings." Kalim said. "I get super excited when I look at the fountain! I used to play in the water with Jamil when we were little."
Jamil deadpanned, crossing his arms. "Yeah, I was bringing you extra clothes and wiping you down with a towel."
Malleus was completely oblivious to all of this. "You can clearly see the details of the tail feathers. What amazing craftsmanship!"
Jamil sighed, but cracked a smile. "This fountain will spray water every hour and the peacock sculpture will look colorful at night when the lights are turned on."
"Interesting."
"Now I'm wet again." Grim grumbled. "I can't stand it anymore!"
Suddenly, the cat flung himself into the fountain and began dancing about.
"Hahaha! It feels so nice and cold!"
Cufant trumpeted happily and began to frolic as well, much to Jamil's annoyance.
"Jeez...and Archeops and Flygon just dried you off..."
"It looks fun! I'll join in-," Swampert immediately grabbed Kalim by the collar, much to the appreciation of Jamil.
"Thank you, Swampert, for not weighing down my workload."
"Hey, there's a camel at the back of the garden!" Cater noticed before taking a picture.
"There's giraffes and elephants too." Trey pointed out.
"Camels have been used as a means of transportation to walk across the desert a long time ago because they can withstand the high temperatures." Jamil explained and Cufant merrily ran up to the other elephants. "As of now, these animals are being rented by tourists to walk around the place."
"It's a free garden, but it seems more like a theme park or a zoo to me." Cater stated as the elephants warmly greeted the smaller pachyderm, only to get spooked by her steely exterior. "Is every park in this country the same?"
"Nope, only the Asim's garden. The others are just normal parks."
"...eh?"
"D-did you just say the Asim's garden?" Trey asked as Garchomp dragged Cufant away from the scared elephants.
Cater was equally as shocked. "Don't tell me, is this..."
Jamil nodded. "Yep, this garden belongs to the Asim family."
"EHHHH!?"
(Y/N) quirked a brow at them. "Why are you still surprised?"
"Still, this private park is huge!" Cater tried to justify.
Malleus glanced around. "This is a very bright and open area for a private garden."
"The garden is close to the Asim mansion, so I often visit this place during my break time." Jamil added.
"Well I could use a break." Cater admitted. "What do you usually do during your breaks?"
"Nothing special...takes little naps under the shade of trees.
"Eh?" Kalim hummed. "Didn't you spend your break time dancing?"
"Wait...how do you know that!?"
"I saw it on the CCTV."
"I thought only the security staff were allowed to watch the surveillance cameras."
"Sometimes I really wanted to play with you during your break time, so I would always come looking for you in the garden, but since it's so big, I asked the security staff for help. They immediately helped me look for you with the surveillance cameras!"
"You shouldn't involve the staff in your private matters!"
"You were dancing with your earphones on. When I saw that, it made me want to dance too, that's why I'd rush to the garden to dance with you!"
"Well that explains why you could easily find me."
Trey rubbed his head. "He couldn't let his guard down even during his break time..."
"They have a great security system." Malleus said, completely missing the point. "I'm impressed."
Cater sweatdropped. "Malleus-kun...you shouldn't feel impressed by this..."
"We used to play in this garden when we were kids!" Kalim insisted. "Looking back, those were the happiest memories ever!"
"Is it?" Jamil asked. "But I don't think so."
"We used to play kick the can until the sun went down, even though you always lost to me!"
"Yeah, I was exhausted by the time I found a can for us to use."
"Or he let him win." Cater whispered before getting elbowed by (Y/N).
"Hush."
Jamil was rubbing his temples by now, and Archeops was fanning him with his wings. "I remember there was one time you released the animals from their cages because you said you wanted to take them for a walk."
"Ah, yes! I remember that! The animals were so excited since they had never gone out before! They're so active!"
"Kalim, even with Jamil, how have you survived this long?" (Y/N) asked genuinely.
Jamil sighed. "You should've seen how hard it was getting them back in the cages..."
"Jamil's...been through a lot..." Cater decided.
Trey smiled nervously. "He might have gotten used to it."
Malleus rubbed his chin. "If the residents fell into panic when the animals went out, that means they didn't have a great security system."
Cater shook his head. "Malleus-kun, you shouldn't feel worried by this."
"But they aren't locked in their cages right now." Grim pointed out.
"After that incident, we decided to forgo the cages." Jamil said.
(Y/N) crossed her arms. "Really, that's how it should have been from the start."
"That's what I said!" Kalim agreed. "I'm so glad they're so happy now!"
Cater looked empathetically at Jamil. "Jamil-kun...you do a great job."
The group then headed towards the house, eventually following a golden road to a palace (it was a palace).
"Here we are!" Kalim said excitedly. "I'm so happy I can bring my friends here! What's wrong, guys? Why are you so quiet?"
As Arcanine, Flygon, and Swampert attempted to pry Garchomp off the gilded and jeweled ornaments, the rest of the group could stare in complete shock.
"So...SO BIG!!!" The boys yelled.
"This is your house!?" Trey nearly screamed.
"It's called the Asim Palace by the residents here." Jamil said.
"Gee, wonder why." (Y/N) snarked.
"This is way too big to be someone's house!" Cater said.
Grim looked ready to faint. "It's a billion times bigger than Ramshackle dorm!"
Malleus was unfazed, of course. "The garden in the middle is surrounded by a symmetrical wall. What a beautiful building."
"It's a white mansion..." Cater mumbled. "I don't even need a sparkly filter to take a photo of this place..."
"We can't even fit the whole place in our phone cameras." Trey noted. "It's too big."
"Kalim's father is in charge of managing the economy and politics of this country." Jamil said. "Some of that is conducted inside the mansion. It's not just a place for living, it's an office of government affairs as well."
"And you're sure they don't count as royalty?" (Y/N) asked as Garchomp was finally pried off the ornaments with the addition of Cufant.
"As the economy has grown, buildings like this have become very popular across the Land of Hot Sands. Still, the central building of Silk City is the Asim mansion. It has a lot of traditional architecture that tells the history of our country, which is why the residents here would prefer a new building with traditional style. Our country is a tourist spot, so we want to keep some historic landscape for the travelers to see."
"It kinda reminds me of the Scarabia Dorm." Grim noticed as (Y/N) blinked.
"Oh yeah, it does."
Jamil nodded. "Yeah, our dorms are built in the traditional style of the nation they represent, hence why our dorm resembles the Asim mansion."
Kalim laughed. "My father actually built a whole new dorm for us in the style of the Land of Hot Sands."
Swampert grunted, likely something about "darn these rich people" as everyone collectively began to get hungry. Kalim led them inside, insisting on a wardrobe change before anything else.
"Come on! I prepared the traditional clothes of our country for you guys!"
"Eh?"
"Yesterday, we were talking about how to give you guys a surprise that will make you remember this trip forever!"
"We had thought about giving you a present...but since it's a rare opportunity, in order to let you guys enjoy the fireworks event even more, we decided to prepare traditional clothes for you." Jamil announced. "We also want you to feel the history of our country too."
"Oh, how kind of you." Malleus said.
"I love it!" Cater cheered. "Thank you, Kalim-kun, Jamil-kun!"
"I really appreciate it, especially since it will be difficult walking around in our uniforms." Trey added.
(Y/N) smiled. "Thanks guys."
Kalim then began pushing Jamil inside. "Jamil, go change into your clothes too! And don't forget to show them the way! I'll wait here with Grim and the Pokémon."
"Make sure he doesn't get himself killed." (Y/N) whispered to Flygon and Swampert as Jamil pulled them inside.
By the time the boys were finished, Kalim had gotten scarves for all the monsters and spoiled Cufant with an additional head garb for her. Grim, Cufant, Archeops, and Garchomp were scarfing sweets when everyone came out.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Trey said, emerging in stylish garb.
"Wow! You look so good!" Kalim said in excitement.
Cater was next, rocking a similar looking outfit to Trey, only with a few more trinkets and going full turban.
"I feel excited just by wearing this! What beautiful clothes! I can't stop myself from taking a selfie!"
Malleus then appeared, dazzling as always. "I never thought I would be wearing the traditional clothes of another country. It's a wonderful experience."
"Our clothes have the same pattern, but different colors." Cater noted. "It expresses our personalities well. I rarely see you in anything other than black. It's a fresh experience."
"Do I look strange?"
"Nope, you look so good! I never thought of this before, but I think you look really good in colorful clothes!"
"Hehe, even if it's an empty compliment, it doesn't feel so bad. Same goes for you, you look good in that outfit. You remind me of bright fireworks. You can become the center of attention."
"Eh? Malleus-kun, how can you say that with a straight face? I feel so embarrassed! But I'm still happy. Ah, Trey-kun, you look good too!"
He laughed. "Thank you."
"I'm glad you like it!" Kalim said.
Jamil then approached. "I haven't worn traditional clothes for a long time. It makes me feel like I have finally come home."
Viper was dressed in clothes that looked fit for a prince, with purples, reds, and golds. The boys were impressed.
"You look better than us, Jamil!" Cater said with a whistle.
Malleus nodded. "I can hardly recognize you, Viper."
""Even your outfit is fancier than ours!" Cater added. "Not bad!"
Acheops landed on Jamil's shoulder, giving his approval, making the boy sigh.
"P-please stop looking at me...just stop! Let's wait for (Y/N)."
"Aw, I wanted to wear the same clothes!" Kalim complained.
"You need to greet important guests after this! You're one of the dorm leaders from Night Raven College, so you'll be wearing your uniform."
"I know, but-,"
"Um, guys?"
The boys all turned and their hearts simultaneously stopped. You see, Jamil had asked his sister to provide the trainer with some traditional garb since it felt right to get another girl's opinion on the matter.
His mistake.