Iono Would Livestream Even While Under Mind Control (Monthly Votes Appreciated)

After leaving the Oni Mountain hot springs, Mingyou didn't go home with Akari. Instead, he took Carmine to Verdant Town to apologize to Iono.

"I'm the one who invited her here, and she's helping promote Kitakami. She even booked the hot springs for all of us today... So why did you go and pick a fight with her? Couldn't you rein in that temper of yours? And you lost!"

Mingyou had a headache. He hadn't learned the details, but their conversation had told him who had thrown the first punch—and how it had ended.

Two Trainers... one a Gym Leader from Paldea, the other a top student at Blueberry Academy. Instead of settling their differences with a Pokémon battle, they'd started hitting each other. What was this, a return to basics?

Beside him, Carmine, who had lost the fight, touched her hair and gritted her teeth. "She bites way too hard... Otherwise, how could I have lost?"

"..."

Mingyou shook his head and pressed a hand to his forehead. She didn't think she'd done anything wrong at all. Well, there was no helping it...

"Anyway, when we find her, you're going to apologize properly with me. She's not even as tall as your little brother. Just think of her as a kid, all right?"

"Fine, fine..."

Carmine sounded impatient, but she couldn't really argue. After all, she still owed Mingyou thanks for what he'd done for Kieran.

The two reached the square in Verdant Town. Darkness fell early in winter, and the streetlights were already on. A cold wind blew through the square, carrying a hint of silence... and something eerie.

"Huh? Why does it feel like hardly anyone's around?"

Mingyou stopped and scanned the square. Carmine folded an arm across her chest and looked around too. "Weird. It isn't