Only the feeling of the driver's hand patting Liam awake made him realize that he had fallen asleep on the way to school. Liam was surprised; but jetlag seemed to have outweighed nervousness and left him dozing like a well-fed Snorlax. Somehow, that made Liam feel more confident. He shook himself slightly, wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, and thanked the driver. Gripping his small canvas bag, Liam stepped out of the passengers side door and took his first look at his new school in a new country.

Everspring International Pokemon Academy seemed to be in an older part of its namesake city, surrounded by gray, almost brutalist apartment blocks. The main gate to the school was topped with its name in red and black lettering, with a small shack for the school guard at one side. A shaggy Mightyena on a chain lounged in the shade cast by the guard shack, Beyond the gate, Liam could see clusters of students talking excitedly in the school courtyard. Some were very young, perhaps only five or six, while others looked older than he was. Each of them had at least one Pokeball, either attached to their belt or dangling from their backpack.

In the five seconds since he had arrived, none of the talking students had noticed the very self-conscious new kid in the black sweatshirt, and he was fine with that. To be unnoticed wasn't quite to belong, but it was preferable to being noticed and awkwardly acknowledged. Liam knew that international schools were usually small enough for everyone to have a place; he just needed the time to watch and find it for himself. So Liam stepped through the gate as confidently as possible, feeling the Pokeballs on his belt for comfort.

"Hey!"

Liam jumped slightly. He had barely made it a foot through the school gate before a thin boy with white hair and bright blue eyes had spotted him and started walking towards him.

"Uh, hey," said Liam. His pretense of confidence was shaken, but he had avoided falling to pieces.

"You are Liam, right?" asked the boy. Liam noticed an accent he couldn't place, but decided not to comment on it. You weren't supposed to notice things like that in an international school.

"Uh, yeah," said Liam.

"Good. I'm Vasilio."

Liam smiled in relief.

"Yeah, my parents told me you'd be looking for me," said Liam, sheepishly. Vasilio winked back at him.

"You're in my year, right? Ninth grade?"

"Yeah," said Liam.

"Sweet," said Vasilio, "We need more guys. We've been two-to-one for the girls as long as I've been here."

Liam smiled at the ratio, but quickly checked himself.

"How long is that?" Liam asked..

"Since kindergarten. My family moved here from Fiore when I was three. I can't really remember living anywhere other than Nanzo. You just came from Johto, right?"

"Yeah," said Liam, "We moved here from Olivine City a few days ago. I can't really remember Unova, even though it's supposed to be my home country."

Liam made scare quotes around the last two words.

"I get that feeling," said Vasilio, "and so will everyone here. We are all just as confused as your average global wanderer."

"Some of us more than others," said a voice from over Liam's shoulder. He turned to see a girl of about his own age, but much shorter, with shoulder-length black hair and a strange arch to her eyebrows. Liam did his best not to notice just how pretty she was. He wanted to start any new friendships in Everspring with minimal drooling.

"Mori," said Vasilio, rolling his eyes, "I think it's customary to introduce yourself before butting into conversations."

The girl flicked Vasilio and fixed her dark eyes on Liam. He hoped he wouldn't start sweating.

"Hello, tall new boy from Johto," she said playfully, "I'm edgy adopted girl from Hoenn. Welcome to the loony bin."

"This is Liam," said Vasilio, "His parents are friends with mine. Liam, this is Mori. She's in our grade too."

'So, Johto?" said Mori, eagerly, "Ever been to Ecruteak?"

"Yeah," said Liam, still unsure what to make of Mori and not wanting to let her glances pull on his heartstrings after only a few minutes' acquaintance, "Olivine's about as close as you can get. I sometimes went up there on weekends to watch gym battles."

Liam must have said something right, because Mori raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"I'm a Morty fangirl," she said confidentially, but without really lowering her voice. "I love ghost Pokemon."

Liam noticed that she was wearing a purple Gengar backpack with three Pokeballs hanging from the side. Her backpack was the only thing she wore that wasn't black, from her choker to the laces on her shoes.

"So I see."

At that moment, the school bell rang across the yard.

"First class?" asked Liam, trying not to sound too apprehensive.

"Not today," said Vasilio, starting across the school yard towards the main building, "It's the first day of the new semester, so there's an all-school assembly."

"Ah," said Liam. Vasilio correctly interpreted the sound.

"There is a chance you might get introduced," said Vasilio, "but you won't be the only new student."

"International schools should have revolving doors," said Liam, smirking.

"He gets it," said Mori dryly, sliding black headphones over her ears as they walked into the school together.