In front of the academy castle.
The group stared at one another.
"The humanities class... Arven? Professor Turo's son!" Nemona spoke first, hitting Arven right where it hurt.
She turned to Penny and Mela. "Oh! You're the one with the fluffy Eevee bag!"
Penny looked embarrassed. "Fluffy... Um, my name's Penny..."
"Nemona exclaimed, "This is the first time we've talked! Huh? You're... Mela! You're back at school!"
"Hmph!"
Mela gave a cold snort.
While Team Star was carrying out Operation Starfall, Nemona had taken over as student council president from Pina and was off adventuring across the Paldea Region.
By the time she returned after defeating Geeta and becoming Champion, everyone at the school, from the director to the teachers, had been replaced. The Team Star members had left too, so she only had a vague impression of them.
Arven scowled, but instead of answering Nemona, he turned to Baimu. "You invited the student council president too?"
Baimu said, "I really didn't—"
"I'm doing Terastallization Training with Baimu," Nemona said as though it were obvious.
Mela stepped forward. "He's going to finish Operation Stardust with us first!"
Arven shook his head. "No, he's coming with me to find the Titan Pokémon! We need those herbs!"
Three people, three different goals.
The trouble was, Penny's and Arven's matters were both too private for everyone to travel together.
Baimu had already made a plan. He stepped between the three of them as they were about to argue and raised a hand.
"Okay, okay! One at a time. Don't rush."
He turned to Penny and Mela first. "Go wait for me at the Segin Squad base. I'll come over once we've dealt with the Titan Pokémon."
Mela glanced at Arven and Nemona. Penny quietly tugged her sleeve, and she huffed. "Fine. You'd better