They're back outside in the slowly rising temperate, a clue already in their grasp. Kira makes no mention of Remi still holding her hand, or how her face had looked almost foreign [i]-in a good way-[/i] with her smile. Her own lips pulled into an excited grin, though it faded a bit as confusion filled her head. [color=fff79a]"Would Ms. Simone still be on the beach?"[/color] She asks with a furrow of her brows, and that's what starts a miniature search and locate mission. 

By the time they return to the hotel, Kira can feel her stomach rumbling in hunger. They find Ms. Simone sitting beneath a large umbrella with a drink in hand, Kira's eyebrow twitches in irritation. 

[color=a2d39c]"Hello dears! How can I help?"[/color] Her words are slightly muffled by the straw between her lips. Kira exhales in an attempt to catch her breath, before launching into their story. Ending with how they found a part of the clue and that they needed items.

The straw slips from Ms. Simone’s lips. She sits up, giving the girls a long look, as if she’s evaluating something.

[color=a2d39c]“Kahuli Point… there’s a thought.”[/color] Excitement bubbles in Remi’s chest. That reaction… [i]means[/i] something, right? Remi tries to read Ms. Simone. Approval? Surprise? Remi decides to take it as a good sign, whatever it is. [color=a2d39c]“The first couplet references Tapu Koko. Most would think to start at the Ruins of Conflict, where it’s believed to dwell.”[/color]

Remi shakes her head. [color=lightpink]“Wouldn’t make sense. The second line refers to friendship - opposite of conflict. I think the first couplet is only there to reference when we’re supposed to arrive.”[/color] She glances at Kira. [color=lightpink]“I looked it up. The full moon is tomorrow night. We have until then to get to Kahuli Point.”[/color]

Ms. Simone gives them that same measuring look. Then her lips curve into a smile. [color=a2d39c]“I have a good feeling about you two.”[/color] Remi’s chest swells. She tries to keep from smiling. Schooling her face into a serious expression, she nods. With that, Ms. Simone stands and starts getting them their requested supplies: some camping food, oxygen filters, and rope. [color=a2d39c]“Be sure to grab some repels and healing supplies, too. Never know what you could run into in the forest.”[/color]

Once the girls have their supplies packed away, she gives them another nod and smile before sitting back in her chair.

[color=a2d39c]“Best of luck to you two - and work quick.”[/color]

Something feels different between them after finding the clue, like a small wall was cracked open a bit within Remi. Lunch is spent dividing their attention between the map and their food, the air full of amazing aromas. 

[color=fff79a]"If we go up this path we can cut out some time."[/color] She murmurs with a finger trailing along the screen before her, the path is winding and goes up which means they'll need to climb. Once they finish Kira suggests they check everything one last time before setting out, excitement thumping through them. 

The breeze feels light along her skin, Astral perched quietly atop her shoulder. She can see other students ahead of them along the main road, but she doubts they know where to go. Hands reaching up for her hair she ties it easily, jumping on the balls of her feet with a grin. [color=fff79a]"Let's win this."[/color] She states with a grin, hands gripping the straps of her bag. [color=fff79a]"We're already one step ahead, let's win it all."[/color] She adds with a chirp, before spinning to face forward once more. 

Remi only nods, her eyes laser focused on the back of Taran’s head. He’s far ahead of them on the road, that annoying smugness of his in every step. 

She can’t wait to rub their victory in his stupid face.

Remi retreats into herself as they walk, mind working on all the problems that needed solving. Once they made it to Kahuli Point, they’d no doubt have to be on the lookout for some sort of signal - a light, or shadow, or something that they’d only notice on a full moon. The next couplet was about ilima flowers… from what Remi had read there were two main types of ilima, a kind that grew low, and a kind that grew high. They were supposed to be tiny, golden-yellow flowers with paper thin leaves. Would there be some sort of flower patch? A carving? And then what? They follow it to some sort of hiding spot? 

Then there’s the matter of them hiking out into the wilderness, for who knows how many days… she trusts Tack with her life. She knows her little Pikachu can handle just about anything thrown their way, but Trouble is completely new. He has no training, she doesn’t know his style, and Remi wants to prove herself too badly to be willing to take a chance on a complete unknown. 

Time to start training, then.

Trouble floats a little ways ahead of her, his worm-like body rippling through the air. Tack trots below him, ears twitching this way and that.

Without warning, Remi lets out a short, high whistle, and then kicks a stray rock directly at Tack. He flashes to the side, dodging reflexively. Trouble jolts in the air at the sudden commotion, spinning around frantically.

Kira watches the display out of the corner of her eye, hands clasped behind her lower back. Nothing is said for the entire walk up towards the Ruins of Conflict. Astral jumps down once they reach the location, ears swiveling this way and that. 

Without a word she picks up a rock and tosses it towards him, Astral dodges to the right without even looking back. This will be a test now more ways than one, endurance means more than brute strength. With a jerk of her chin she indicates a barely visible path towards the left of the ruins, it goes up at an incline that means they'll be higher up vantage point wise. 

Inhaling slowly she glanced at the others are still walking, before rolling her shoulders and moving towards the path. 

Remi feels irritation prickle at her skin when Kira decides to show off her Eevee’s dodging skills, mirroring what Remi had done minus the whistling. She lets out a short breath and rolls her eyes. [i]Dodging[/i] isn’t the point. She needs to teach Trouble to [i]listen[/i] to her, and respond. Remi’s spent the walk periodically whistling and kicking rocks at Tack’s back. Each time she did it, Trouble seemed more and more interested in the exchange, until finally, when he was looking at her, Remi had whistled, swiped a rock from the ground, and chucked it at him. He’d given a surprised chirp before darting out of the way of the sailing pebble. Remi had grinned triumphantly. And so the walk had passed with remi taking the first steps of training Trouble, Tack observing with interest - he’d always been an ‘only child’ so to speak. He’d never seen Remi train another Pokémon before.

It’s dark by the time they make it to the Ruins of Conflict. Remi’s eyes follow Kira’s to the path. [color=lightpink]“Wait,”[/color] she says softly, to not alert the other students. [color=lightpink]“We’ll need to camp soon, and we don’t know what’s in that forest. Safer to spend the night with the group, get an early start in the morning.”[/color]

She doesn't say anything in response to Remi's words, simply nods once to indicate that she'd heard her. Joining the group is easy enough, setting up camp takes a little more effort. Astral darts away from the flickering shadows casted by a fire someone had started. It's a way that he's always trained, shifting this way and that as if he were dancing. As she finishes with setting the last pole of the tent down, she clicks her tongue twice in quick succession. 

Astral jumps up into the air with a twirl and his tail already up, slapping the rocks she'd thrown at him away. They hadn't always been on the best terms, Queen had been her first Pokémon. They'd been together for so long she sometimes forgets that this Eevee hadn't been hers, her mother had caught it during one of her trips to heal a sick Pokémon. Their foundation was nonexistent and now they had their own way of training, Queen will need to be taught again now that she's evolved. Food begins to fill the air as well as laughter and voices, Kira settles down on the dirt with a soft sigh. 

Tomorrow would be tough she knew, while they figured out part of the riddle it still had so much more to it. They'd just scratched the surface, with a wrinkle of her nose she focused her gaze on the star-filled sky. 

Suddenly there’s a small shock of light, and the sound of electricity cracking through the air. A brown paper bag lands in Kira’s lap. Inside is a hot malasada, crisp and steaming as if it were fresh. Sitting across from her, Remi takes a bite of her own, sugar crystals dusting her face. Tack sniffs at it, and Remi tears off a piece for him, then another for Trouble. The Dreepy snatches it up, zipping through the air with a wad of cooked dough in his mouth, like he doesn’t know where to go with it.

A startled yelp leaves Kira’s lips, body jumping at the sudden weight and heat in her lap. Only to smile when she sees what it is, her stomach rumbling with hunger. [color=fff79a]"Thank you."[/color] She murmurs with a smile aimed in Remi's direction, before opening the bag. Astral chirps and paws at her leg, which has her giving him a piece. Queen joins them moments later, Kira setting her Dive Ball down beside her thigh. 

It’s delicious.

Remi just shrugs a shoulder, eyes following Trouble as he darts around. He seems to finally settle high up in a tree. Remi listens to the sound of leaves rustling and Trouble eating. 

[color=lightpink]“You found the first clue.”[/color]

The rest of the night had been mostly uneventful, they'd settled in a time to depart without anyone seeing them. Which is how Kira finds herself traversing in a pitch-black forest with the stars still bright in the sky. Cries of Pokémon are quiet in the predawn darkness, eerie sometimes when it happens after a few moments of silence. 

She doesn't relax until they're deep into the untamed foliage, steps light even as she picks her path with careful eyes. Astral is perched upright between her shoulders with his front paws on her head. Ears twitching this way and that as he listens, ready to warn the if something is close by. It isn't until sometime later that they pause before a small stream, that something catches Astral's attention.

Before Kira can ask what's happening the small fox is taking off with a sharp cry, tail raised and ears lowered. [color=fff79a]"Astral!"[/color] Kira whisper-shouts, glancing at Remi for a split second before taking off after her partner. It's stupid she knows that but she has to, Astral wouldn't just run off without a reason. What she sees when she bursts through a small clearing as her breath hitching, eyes going wide as Astral approaches a curled up form. Her phone is out in an instant even as she steps forward, which draws the other Pokémon's attention. 

It shows its teeth, its eyes narrowing even as it tries to stand. [color=fff79a]"Astral, go get Remi."[/color] She commands firmly but softly, inching forward with slow steps. When her partner doesn't move she snaps her fingers twice, Astral takes off with a soft cry. The little wolf -[i]A Rockruff[/i]- whines softly, the defensiveness fading just as quickly as it had come. Reading the entry of the Pokémon Kira sits down slowly when she's close enough, crossing her legs and letting her eyes scan the small form. It's been hurt, badly if it can't even get up. 

She's not sure what to do.

Astral doesn’t have far to run before he finds Remi and her team, already following after. They dart through the forest, leaves and twigs brushing at Remi’s skin, before skidding to a stop. Remi’s eyes widen as she takes in the sight of the injured Pokémon, Kira hovering over it.

[color=lightpink]“What happened to it?”[/color] Remi murmurs before she can stop herself. She knows Kira doesn’t have the answer. The sound of the little wolf’s pained whimpering makes Remi’s heart clench.

Then another sound stills her. A branch snaps in the darkness of the forest. A growl rumbles. 

[color=lightpink]“Kira, pick it up,”[/color] Remi whispers, frozen in place. Her gaze is stuck on the dark shadow that spawned the noise. Then two golden eyes with black slits for pupils cut through the darkness. 

With a roar, an enormous cat pounces through the forest, razor claws outstretched and fangs bared. Trouble lets out a terrified yelp.

[color=lightpink]“[i]Tack![/i]”[/color]

Electricity jumps through the air, illuminating the forest like daylight for the briefest of moments. Tack’s thunder wave dances over the cat’s crimson fur, as it lets out a pained growl. The Incineroar falls to the forest floor. It’s muscles spasm as it fights to regain control of itself.

[color=lightpink]“Run!”[/color] 

Barely giving Kira enough time to scoop up the Rockruff, Remi grabs her arm and takes off through the forest. 

The Rockruff yelps as they run, no doubt the jostling making its wounds hurt. Kira can't pause to comfort it as they keep racing through the trees, the distant sound of a roar filling the air spurring them on. She can hear heavy footfalls following and it has her teeth gritting hard, free hand reaching down as if to take out Queen's Dive Ball. 

A sharp cry from Astral has Kira looking over her shoulder, her heart  nearly stops at what meets her gaze. [color=fff79a]"Shit! Remi, get down!"[/color] She shouts seconds before she's diving down to the ground, a stream of searing heat above their heads. Flamethrower. 

[color=fff79a][i]Oh, that's it.[/i][/color] She thinks darkly before rising to her feet, eyes narrowed as she reaches for her belt. [color=fff79a]"I've had it!"[/color] She calls out while tossing the ball in the air, watching as Queen appears with a cry and flash of red. 

The Incineroar doesn't even halt, its arms move close to its body and its chest expands. Then another burst of flame emits from its mouth and aims straight towards them, Kira shifts her stance before raising her free arm. [color=fff79a]"Queen!"[/color] She calls out and the reaction is immediate, Queen straightens with a cry and a burst of water expands outwards to meet the flame. The explosion creates a plume of white mist, making it impossible to see. 

A sharp cry from the Rockruff in her arms has Kira spinning around in a circle, only to sent flying backwards. She hits a tree so much force it knocks the wind from her lungs, another sharp cry has her head snapping up only to see a towering figure heading straight for them. 

Except it never makes it.

A melodic cry fills the air just before a slender figure appears from the mist, golden-red-orange tall swaying in a way she's seen several times these last few weeks. Queen extends her tail outward and it's surrounded by water, slamming hard into the Incineroar with enough force to send it back a few feet. Queen doesn't even let the feline regroup, her head rears back and her water pulse hits home. Another slam of her tail -aqua tail- has the large cat hissing before turning to flee. 

The silence in its wake is deafening