On a hillside near Oni Mountain.
"That is…"
Staring at the towering pillar of purple light rising from the direction of Mossui Town, Lucas muttered quietly.
He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling about the aura of that light.
He glanced at Ogerpon, who was leaning against him with a hint of attachment.
At this moment, Ogerpon seemed to have sensed something as well, lifting its head.
After Ogerpon woke up and had breakfast, Lucas hadn't even said anything before it came to him on its own, expressing its desire to leave together.
This made Lucas seriously suspect that Ogerpon was secretly a foodie—had he won it over with just one breakfast?
After that, everything fell into place naturally.
Lucas took out a Friend Ball suitable for Ogerpon. In front of Luxray, Serperior, Mimikyu, and other Pokémon, he successfully caught it.
Not long after, that purple pillar of light appeared.
Judging by Ogerpon's reaction, Lucas had a guess, but he still asked, "Is this related to the Loyal Three?"
"Boni…"
Ogerpon nodded, then shook its head.
As someone who had experienced the incident firsthand, it knew very well that the so-called Loyal Three—Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti—were merely lackeys of the real mastermind.
The true culprit was a Pokémon called Pecharunt!
Ogerpon picked up a stick and, on a patch of bare earth, used its not-so-clear memory to draw a peach.
Then it pointed to the peach and cried out.
This guy was the real culprit!
Fortunately, with Serperior's help as a translator, Lucas learned more secret information and gasped in shock.
So, behind the Loyal Three, there was still a real mastermind?
Pecharunt, Okidogi, Munkidori, Fezandipiti—this combination…seemed oddly familiar.
Pecharunt?
Compared to the heroic character in the legend, the actions of these four Pokémon in this world were infuriating. (TL: Pecharunt direct translation is Momotaro, and with the Loyal Three are based on Momotaro Tale. )
After thinking for a moment, Lucas asked, "Should we go take a look?"
"Boni oh?"
Ogerpon hesitated. If it approached the town, the villagers would probably drive it away again.
"Serpe."
Serperior snorted and used its vine to hold Ogerpon's little hand.
Let's see who dares to do that!
Luxray also stepped forward, always protective of its teammates.
Since Ogerpon was now one of their own, it wouldn't allow anyone to bully it.
Mimikyu even considered using its true form to make the residents of Mossui Town faint.
Ogerpon was deeply moved. At that moment, Lucas's hand gently rested on its head.
"Don't worry, with us here, they won't dare do anything out of line."
Feeling the warm palm on its head, Ogerpon broke into a happy smile and nodded energetically.
"Boni!"
…
In Mossui Town.
The once peaceful rural town was now in chaos. Strange, bizarrely moving people wandered the streets.
If they encountered anyone behaving differently—or trying to escape in a panic—they would swarm the person, grab them, and feed them a sticky purple rice cake that looked suspiciously poisonous.
Not long after swallowing the rice cake, the panicked person would immediately calm down. Their eyes would turn purple like the others', and they'd start muttering, "Gibai gibai," dancing awkwardly and patrolling the town.
Meanwhile, the town's only remaining safe place—the Community Center—was hosting a heated confrontation.
"It's because you took the masks that our great and the Loyal Three have gone mad! Return them at once!"
The mayor angrily accused Perrin, who was holding three masks.
Perrin sneered.
Her Noctowl and Leafeon were still outside fending off the "zombies," yet now they were turning on her?
Her Growlithe stood in front of her, growling at the mayor, but it was useless.
All the townsfolk who survived the recent chaos were now blaming Perrin, the outsider.
"I've said it before! Letting outsiders run wild in Kitakami is a disaster!"
"If we just return the masks to the Loyal Three, they'll understand us and go back to the shrine for worship!"
"We could even use the revived Loyal Three as a selling point to boost tourism!"
Listening to these money-obsessed people, Perrin was so angry she was speechless.
At the same time, she worried about Mr. Yukito's family, and the two kids, Kieran and Carmine.
She hadn't seen them among the zombie crowd while escaping, but Mr. Yukito still had one of the masks—who knew if they were still safe?
She'd lost her phone while running from the three revived Pokémon, but at least her lifeline—the camera—was still with her.
She could no longer contact anyone else.
Perrin eyed the townsfolk—who seemed more vicious than the zombies outside—retreated a few steps, and pressed herself against the wall for a sense of safety.
She felt especially unlucky tonight.
First, after helping Ogerpon retrieve its mask, she stumbled upon the Loyal Three and a strange, human-controlling peach's resurrection.
Then, that peach somehow used its power to control most of Mossui Town's residents and all the tourists!
These people were like mindless zombies, chanting "Gibai gibai" and dancing disgustingly. Even with her horror movie experience, Perrin thought she'd wandered onto a film set.
On top of that, these aggressive townsfolk!
For a moment, she couldn't help but yell inside:
Once this is over, I'm leaving! Never coming back to this damned Kitakami!
And—
Lucas, where are you!?
…
At the same time, in the woods near Mossui Town's Apple Hill.
Kieran and Carmine, forced into a corner, looked pale; their Pokémon, Dipplin and Poltchageist, were almost out of strength.
Before them, Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti stood together like three brothers under the moon, posing impossibly.
Above the three Pokémon floated an odd Pokémon in a peach-shaped shell—once called the "Rotten-Proof Peach" in Peachy'sshop, now obviously alive.
It was Pecharunt—the master of Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti, and the true culprit behind this "zombie" parade.
As if mocking Kieran and Carmine's helplessness, Pecharunt giggled, echoed by its three lackeys.
"Damn it, what kind of Loyalty are these!?"
Carmine, still unaware of the truth, was furious.
Kieran clenched his shirt, convinced he was right.
Ghosts really were better than the Loyalty!
Behind them, Mr. Yukito and Hideko looked anxious.
On one hand, they didn't want the hard-repaired Teal Mask to fall into the trio's and Pecharunt's hands.
On the other, they didn't want their grandchildren to keep protecting them and risk injury.
But Pecharunt wasn't about to give them time to decide. Eyes filled with greed, it stared at the Teal Mask and spoke up without hesitation.
"Gibai gibai!"
With a cute voice, Pecharunt chose the nastiest method.
It wanted Fezandipiti to release enchanting pheromones and make the four attack each other, so it could effortlessly seize the mask!
Fezandipiti elegantly stepped forward, about to scatter its pheromones.
Okidogi and Munkidori cracked evil smiles, itching to join in.
Maybe in the past, they were forced to work for Pecharunt, but now they enjoyed doing evil.
As for Pecharunt, with its toxic puppet trait, everything in this world was like a puppet to manipulate—whatever it wanted, it must get, by any means!
…
When Lucas rode Spectrier into Mossui Town, avoiding the zombie-like people, he rushed to the inn and witnessed this scene.
His expression immediately hardened.
Just as the stories and Ogerpon said, these three, and the purple peach floating in the sky, were all bad seeds!
Lucas knew well: there was no absolutely good race in this world. Even among Pokémon, there were evil Togepi and evil Malamar.
So he would show no mercy to these guys.
With Luxray and Serperior already sent to find Perrin, Lucas quickly threw several Poké Balls.
Mimikyu, Arcanine, Ursaluna, and Gyarados appeared!
"Arcanine, Mimikyu, protect Mr. Yukito and the others. Gyarados, block their escape from the sky. Ursaluna—"
"Gaae-pong!"
Before Lucas could finish, Ogerpon, seeing the four familiar and hateful figures, leapt off Spectrier's back and landed on Ursaluna's head in fury.
Ursaluna cooperated. After confirming that Arcanine, with Mimikyu, sped to the four's side and erected a "Protect" barrier, it stepped forward, ready to strike!
In an instant, though there was no real moon, as an illusory blood-red moon rose, a terrifying pillar of crimson light blasted toward the Loyal Three!
Unfortunately, Ogerpon's intent was obvious. Under Pecharunt's influence and Munkidori's foresight, the trio and Pecharunt dodged the attack.
Stepping back, the three lackeys bared their teeth at Ursaluna, growling in threat.
How dare it ruin their plans!
Ursaluna was unfazed—just standing there, its enormous size intimidated even Okidogi, the largest of the trio.
Ursaluna, too, disliked these villains.
Especially since, long ago on a full moon night, it had crossed paths with these four.
After all, it usually foraged on full moon or foggy nights.
And on that full moon night, these guys had shamelessly ambushed a man.
Ursaluna decided: as Ogerpon's friend in the forest, today it would help Ogerpon get justice!
Just then, the four Pokémon, led by Pecharunt, noticed the small figure atop Ursaluna's head.
They instinctively took a step back.
Why is this guy here too!?
The Loyal Three and Pecharunt clearly remembered how, ages ago, after they got the masks, Ogerpon in a rage had taken down three and traumatized the last.
That fear was ingrained in their instincts—even after so long, the painful memory remained.
But seeing Ogerpon's face bare, they grew bold.
From their investigations, they knew: without its mask, Ogerpon was powerless.
Now was the best chance for revenge!
Especially Pecharunt—it planned to humiliate Ogerpon, then force it to eat the chained rice cake and become its slave!
Pecharunt generated three chained rice cakes from its peach shell and fed them to the trio, further boosting their power.
The empowered trio grew overconfident, ignoring Ursaluna's threat, and stared greedily at the mask in Mr. Yukito's hands.
Evidently, Pecharunt's toxin had some mind-dulling effect.
Even after being taken down by Ogerpon solo, the toxin made the trio forget that Ogerpon, now with a repaired mask, was nearby.
They only wanted to snatch the mask—nothing else mattered.
Riding past the trio and Pecharunt, Lucas asked the stunned group, "Is anyone hurt or poisoned?"
Mr. Yukito and his wife shook their heads, about to reply, when their usually quiet grandson Kieran spoke up excitedly.
"No problem! Thank you, Mr. Lucas!"
Kieran's eyes sparkled so much his grandparents almost thought he'd been swapped.
He was never this outgoing!
"Thank you, Mr. Lucas!" Carmine echoed.
"That's good."
Lucas smiled, then looked over.
"Please wait a bit; this will be resolved soon."
The four nodded instinctively. Mr. Yukito quickly raised the Teal Mask and said, "The mask is repaired."
He handed it to Lucas.
Lucas glanced at it, concealing his amazement, then tossed it to Ogerpon atop Ursaluna.
With a slight smile, he called out, "Ogerpon, with your partners—do what you want most!"
As if responding to Lucas, Arcanine, Ursaluna, and Gyarados all roared, staring intently at the Loyal Three and Pecharunt.
…