Steal fruit and you'll be strung up

"Aah!!!"

Carmine's scream rang out, so piercing that it shook leaves loose from the surrounding apple trees.

She wasn't afraid of Bug-type Pokémon, but anyone would probably have reacted that way if a Spinarak had ambushed them and latched onto their face.

She clawed at the Spinarak on her face, stumbling frantically deeper into the Orchard, unable even to hear Kieran shouting behind her.

“Older Sister...”

Kieran was at a loss at this sudden turn of events, and so was everyone else.

Only Selene, holding Rowlet, muttered, "And she's supposed to be a local... Even Lillie wouldn't get this scared."

"Uh..."

Lillie stood to one side in her little sunhat, tilting her head with an awkward look on her face...

Professor Kukui pressed a hand to his forehead and shook his head. Glancing toward the Villa, he said, "We'd better follow her and check. It'll be trouble if she runs into anything dangerous."

"Right!"

Akari nodded lightly and immediately ran after her.

Carmine wasn't very likable and didn't have many friends even at Blueberry Academy, but after everything they'd been through, Akari got along quite well with her.

Besides, Akari was staying at her house, and the siblings' grandparents had taken good care of her. Naturally, she didn't want anything to happen to a friend like Carmine.

Everyone hurried into the Orchard. Carmine's scream had already attracted some Pokémon, and with the fruit theft that had happened a while ago, they all sprang into action...

After running wildly through the Orchard for a while, Carmine finally pulled the Spinarak off her face, only to crash headfirst into an apple tree ahead and land on her backside.

"Ow, ow, ow..."

She rubbed her forehead and slowly stood up. Just as she was about to look around and figure out where she'd