Hi! This story is meant to be something small and relaxing I write. It's meant to be a mostly slice of life high school AU with mystery and romantic elements. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. I have ideas in mind for the first arc, but I may add more to the story depending on what my viewership would like. Thank you, and enjoy.

The baseball field was a sacred place to the baseball team. Today's practice was set aside to care for the field. The captain turned to watch her team, pulling out her megaphone when she saw Paul's sloppy performance.

"Hey!" she barked. "Get the molasses out your butt! Hurry up! That paint needs to go all around the diamond!" When Paul glared back at her, Mallow only shook her head before throwing her hands out. "I said to get to it!"

He considered ignoring his instructions, but recalled how she batted. Squaring his shoulders, he pushed the paint dispenser with more vigor. He tried to keep the lines straight. She'd make him remove and then reapply if they were crooked.

In the outfield, Ash and Ritchie snickered.

"Shaymin's fields, even Paul won't argue with Mallow!" Ash noted with glee.

"She's certain as sweet as honey with a bee's sting," Ritchie quietly added.

"I'm gonna snitch that you're not working if you don't hurry up."

Ritchie and Ash both jumped, looking behind them to see Lana pushing the fertilizer cart.

"Oh, it's just you," Ash said with a sigh of relief.

Ritchie stuck out his tongue. "Yeah, and I'll tell her it was you who put hot sauce in her lemonade last week!"

Mad that she'd been cornered, Lana huffed. "Whatever. Seriously, you're holding me up, though! You've both got mowers, but you're so slow!"

"They're push mowers!" Ash insisted. "How are we supposed to cut the grass fast with these?"

"Not my problem!" Lana yelled.

As Ash was about to tell Lana what was her problem, Ritchie elbowed his chest. "Hey, look! The prefects are headed this way."

The prefects, of course, were a part of the student council. Expected to help maintain order by patrolling the halls before school and after school during clubs, they were generally considered model students. Two of the most impressive prefects were headed to the baseball field now. They were Gary Oak and the first year student Dawn.

"I guess they're coming to give us some really important information," Lana supposed, "like how the budget's been cut off for baseball this year. Maybe we won't even get new shoes."

"If we don't get new shoes, we're gonna bust our asses!" Ash lamented.

"She's messing with you!" Ritchie shouted. "Ugh, jeez, can't you two be serious for once!"

Grinning, Ash and Lana both shook their heads. The trio headed over to where the rest of the team was meeting up with the prefects. As they joined the team, Barry spoke up.

"I ought to fine you! Because you took so long, I had to stand in the hot sun!"

"Shut up, Barry," Paul snapped.

"Yes, Paul," Barry cooed, standing right by his favorite under classman.

Giggling, Dawn began explaining why they were there. "Wow! You guys are working so hard out here! Mallow, the baseball team's looking really impressive."

Mallow bumped a fist. "Yes! We're going to do our absolute best! This year, we're taking home the gold!"

"I sure hope so," Gary responded. "After all, that's why we're here to talk. Key Stone University has approached Sacred Plate Academy with a great offer. Principal Oak says Key Stone wants to become more exclusive, and thus raise the value of a degree from their university. Sacred Plate Academy is trying to become more prestigious as well."

"Eh? What's that got to do with us?" Stephan asked, looking to Mallow.

"I'm glad you asked!" Dawn added. "They've said if we can prove how impressive we are this year, we'll begin to get primary choice and scholarships for attending this school! By having higher grades and a more impressive school overall, we make sure our entire school goes to a good college for cheaper!"

Paul, at once latching onto the promise of cheap, good schooling, stepped forward. "How can we help? You said grades, but that can't be all."

Gary nodded. "Our clubs should also excel. We're going to talk to the other clubs soon, but the drama club has already decided they're going to write an all new screen play for this. The culture club is going to recreate a traditional dance performance for the inspectors when they arrive. You, the baseball team, are our hope for the athletic department. Can we depend on you?"

Mallow grinned madly. "Of course! As captain of the baseball team, I promise you, we'll do our best and make sure we all benefit!"

Shoving a hand into his pocket, Gary grinned. "I knew we could count on you. Alright, we've said what we needed. Sorry for taking up your time. Go on about your day."

"Gary!" Dawn said, trying to catch his attention.

"Hm? Oh, yeah! Right, thanks, Dawn." He turned to the team again. "One last thing… For the culture club… The dance performance requires everyone to dress up and come along as well. Only culture club members will perform, but the rest of the school is expected to show up and enjoy the catering and dancing. Additionally, Principal Samson mentioned that if we could all appear as properly as we could, it'd be good."

Dawn stepped forward, gesturing around. "So, dress nicely, use polite language! Appear as adult as possible! He also said it'd be good if some of us looked as if we were dating steady. Key Stone Academy is a little traditional, and the population's been declining, so a lot of the board there likes the idea of having future breadwinners for families walk through their doors."

"Isn't that old fashioned?" Lana mumbled. "I'm not the type of girl that's interested in being some guy's wife."

"It's just for appearances," Dawn noted. "But… I know the culture club mentioned that two women taking care of each other or two men being lifelong partners was old and acceptable, too! So, no need to worry!"

As if on cue, Barry grabbed Paul and held him close, practically purring. "You hear that?! This is the perfect chance for me and you to go as besties!"

"That's not what she meant!" Paul hissed. "Get off me!"

Ignoring Paul and Barry, Mallow let out a hum. "So, it's basically a party?"

"Yes," Gary agreed.

Mallow grinned. "Perfect! We'll work hard and then we'll play hard!" She raised her sandpaper high into the air. "Alright, team! Let's get this field beautiful! We're going to repaint next week, so make sure everything's nice and clean! If you'll excuse us, Dawn, Gary."

"Of course!" Dawn agreed.

"We'll be on our way." Gary turned back, walking away with Dawn in tow.

Zoey looked over to Dawn as the group walked back to Twinleaf. The gated community was rather exclusive, even for the impressive Sinnoh District of New Ransei. Still, even as she walked around the rich folk's stomping grounds, she couldn't ignore the smug look on her friend's face. "What's with you?"

Leona nodded in agreement. "Yeah. You look positively naughty."

Breaking out of her daydream, Dawn snapped at Leona. "Don't phrase it like that!"

"Don't worry, Dawn, my dear! Leona only means you have a certain moonlit allure when you're happy that makes even the most oblivious among us blush!" Conway interjected. He was, as always, walking with the group that lived in Twinleaf. Somehow or another, early into the school year, the third year had managed to convince Dawn that she'd do good to have him as her tutor. So, he was typically invited back to her house to help her study.

"A certain moonlit allure…?" Dawn asked. She blushed. "Sounds romantic…"

Kenny, Dawn's childhood best friend and neighbor, pushed Conway away. "Hey, don't phrase it like that either, creep."

"It isn't creepy if it's the truth!" Conway insisted.

Barry impatiently yelled. "Ugh, shut up, shut up, shut up! Kenny, why do we walk with these guys every day! I'd rather just head home quick! These girls always want to stop at the store after school… The train is so much faster for getting home!"

"We ride the train in the morning!" Dawn insisted. "It's nice to just walk home in the evening…"

Sucker that he was for the girl, Kenny nodded. "Dawn's right. This is nice, just spending time together."

Rolling her eyes, Zoey couldn't wait until they got to Dawn's house. Conway might join them, but it'd just be her and the blunette after he had to head home for the evening. "You guys are a bunch of idiots…"

Ash let out a frustrated groan as he tried to do his homework. "Ugh… Gary, what was the capital of the Kanto region?"

"Trick question. The economic capital of Kanto was Vermillion City! That's why the businesses are all situated on Vermillion Avenue in our district."

"Oh! Makes sense," Ash supposed. "… Hey, Gary, you think we would have grown up in Kanto if the interregional war had gone differently?"

Gary snorted. "Yeah, and we would have been trainers, too!"

"You think so?!"

His cockiness seemed to drop off. "… I dunno. Maybe? Grandpa said it was getting harder and harder to find the pokemon to give to trainers. Pokemon weren't really laying eggs anymore. Wild pokemon were harder to find."

Ash looked at his paper. "… Mr. Surge says all the Pokemon disappeared at once. When the ultimate weapon was fired, they just… Vanished."

"That weapon took out all of Kalos and most of Johto, Kanto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh," Gary noted.

"We're lucky this little island between Ransei and Alola was spared," Ash supposed.

"… Yeah. That's why it's so important that we all get really smart and grow up good and have our own families!" he said enthusiastically. "Speaking of growing up smart, I still can't believe the good university wants to partner up with our academy…"

"It makes sense, doesn't it?" Ash said. "Most of the people going there are the children of former big trainers or are really rich?"

"Yeah. If anyone can do what they're hoping the brightest minds and the purest spirits can, it's us…"

There was a brief pause.

"I wish pokemon were around. I'd want a Charizard," Ash said. "Your grandpa showed me some pictures of one. They looked cool."

"Really? I think I'd want a Blastoise."

"Gary, you only want a blastoise to beat me!"

The other boy snickered. "Tell you what! Do good in your studies and we can bring the pokemon back! Then, we can really raise them and you can watch me beat you."

Ash huffed. "We'll see about that."