A Champion in a Twisted World

Chapter 1 - While Life was Normal

"Okay, everyone!" You say with a chipper grin as you spin to face the small horde of Pokémon, impatiently waiting for the picnic to begin, "Sandwiches are almost done!"

"Ack- get your heads out of the way you oversized Cyclizars!" Arven grumbles as he shoves Koraidon's and Miraidon's head away from the pile of sandwiches, glaring at the legendary Pokemon.

Carmine chuckles, "Wow. You really didn't lie when you told Kiki and I those two love sandwiches, huh Y/N?"

Kieran grumbles at Carmine using his nickname, standing directly beside you as he helps you place the bread on top of the sandwiches and put the toothpicks in, "Carmine... I asked you to stop calling me that..."

You grin at Kieran, "Well, you don't seem to mind when I call you that, right Kiki?" You tease him playfully, containing your giggle when his face flushes red in embarrassment.

"Don't call me that Y/N..." Kieran mumbles sheepishly, glancing away from you.

You chuckle a bit and nod, "Alright, I won't."

"Are you sure you don't have siblings?" Penny asks, glancing up from her phone as she brushes some of her half red and half blue hair from her face, "Because you're pretty good at pestering people, Y/N..."

You put your hand on your chest in mock hurt, "I'm just play-teasing my friends! You do that too, Penny."

Penny shrugs and looks back at her phone.

"C'mon amiga!" Nemona says, an even bigger grin on her face as she looks over at Penny from her competitive focus on putting sandwiches together, "Help us set up these sandwiches for the picnic!"

Penny grimaces, wrinkling her nose, "Love too, but... no thanks."

You roll your eyes and smile at Nemona, "You shouldn't bother her. Penny's already worked enough bothering to tutor you in math, give her a break."

Nemona playfully rolls her eyes as she impales a sandwich with a toothpick a little harshly, "You're never gonna let my poor math skills go, huh amiga?"

You click your tongue as you nod, "Nope!"

Nemona grins a little more, "Well... I'll just beat you in a battle then!"

You shake your head, "Even now, during sandwich-making, all you think about are battles?"

Nemona nods, and Arven scoffs from where he stands to your other side, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"Less chatting, more cooking," He quips, "Or cook while chatting."

Everyone goes silent for a moment outside of whines from Pokémon and tapping of Penny's phone.

"...hey, Y/N. Thank you for inviting Kiki and I on your little picnic with your friends." Carmine says after a moment, looking at you with a gentle smile.

"No issue!" You say in a chipper tone, "Just happy to see you and Kieran again! It's awesome that you two could come to Paldea on a trip to Pomelo Academy!"

Pomelo Academy, or 'Grapefruit' Academy... the Academy you, Penny, Nemona, and Arven attend. Light orange and dark purple on the also white outfits, and the largest (and only) major Academy in all of Paldea.

This year's Treasure Hunt has recently begun, and this year, several students from Blueberry Academy came to attend, which included Kieran and Carmine! It's awesome seeing your friends from Kitakami here, and you spent your time taking all of them on tours all over the region and even into Area Zero!

It's been... almost five months now since the Pecharunt incident, six since the Terapagos one, eight since the Ogerpon kerfuffle, and a full year since you went down to Area Zero to destroy the waring Time Machine, ripping a hole between the past and future, built by the late Professor Sada and Turo.