The next day marked the first day of school for Rei. She remembered school being part of her former life, and she knew that she would probably need certain things - a lunch, something to write with, the usual things that came to mind when she thought of school. She wrapped a lunch in a scarf and decided that was enough for the first day.

Getting up early, she stretched, walked downstairs, and found the place abandoned.

Shoot, she thought to herself. I must be late. And so, she left the house and ran for school. Being late was the last thing she wanted.

"What' got your fur in a kerfuffle?" Kecleon called as she flashed past.

"School!" Rei called back, before setting off at an even faster pace than before.

She slowed down as the gates came into view. She saw Audino standing at the gates, holding a wooden stick. She loped over in a half-run.

"Am I late?" Rei asked hurriedly.

"Not at all, dear," Audino said in surprise. "You're the first one here."

"Wait, what?" Rei looked up at the sky, where the sun rode high. "But it's already nine!"

Audino looked briefly confused, then decided to dismiss it. "There's still a huge gap of time between now and when we begin to expect Pokémon," Audino explained. "When the sun is about there-ish." She pointed to a place about a ruler's length away from where the sun was.

"So school doesn't start until ten?" Rei asked, and Audino nodded, though she wasn't certain.

"You can stay here until school starts," Audino suggested.

"I guess that's my best option," Rei admitted, and she walked through the gates into a small paddock, where she experimented with tackle attacks on some convenient trees.

About thirty minutes later, Rei heard the trickling of voices begin to flow from the gate, and she stopped hitting the tree (by now, she was hitting it with a varied version of Extremespeed, and it was looking near collapsing). Stretching, she sensed a presence behind her and turned around.

She was faced with someone who really looked quite lovely. Her eyes were a deep, calm hazel, and they were almost completely covered by a blue cap-like thing which ran from her head to just below her eyes. She looked like she was wearing a white gown that was a bit too big, and it all came together to make a rather pretty Ralts.

"Uh, Hello," She said shyly. "Who are you?"

"My name is Rei," Rei replied sweetly. "I presume you're Ralts?"

"Yes," Ralts admitteed, surprised. "Someone told you about me?"

"Riolu," Rei confirmed. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you. I'll be going to this school for a while, so if I'm not mistaken, we may be seeing more of each other."

Ralts accepted this. "What were you doing? I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"Practicing." Rei demonstrated by crunching up, then leaping forward and hitting the tree hard enough that an Eevee-sized crater was left behind.

"...Whoops," Rei said sheepishly. Ralts looked a bit shocked, then thoughtful.

"Hold on," Ralts requested. "I'll be back." She skittered off as fast as she could, and Rei considered for a moment.

Well, I'm not from Hoenn, so it's not my business knowing, Rei thought. But I swore Ralts had green caps. And most of them have red eyes or black, not hazel. She shook the thought from her mind. Not like it matters to me. I shouldn't discriminate.

Ralts came back over, huffing. "Phew. I'll be showing you around today, I got Audino's permission," She explained. Rei smiled at her, stretched, and walked off to wait for Riolu and Zaps to arrive.

As she waited, a few familiar faces went past, including Joltik and Helioptile, Noibat and Buneary. A purple-and-tan Pokémon with a long tail came by, swinging from the trees with his extra limb, and she waved at him as he went past. She looked back and saw a pair of Pokémon headed for the gates.

The first Pokémon appeared to be a Sneasel. Sharp white claws were a stark difference to night-black fur, and a red feather shot up out of his head. He chatted to a smaller Pokémon which seemed to be a Murkrow. The Murkrow was a black-feathered Pokémon with a glistening beak and sharp eyes that danced with mischief. She glided alongside him, using dark energies which Rei could barely identify to shape the wind as she wished.

From a glance, it was obvious these two wanted to look threatening; Rei knew she had seen Murkrow and Sneasel before, but they were never this menacing. Then again, it might have been her size speaking, so she shook it off.

"Oh?" the Sneasel said confidently, with a slight sharpness in his voice. "Who might this pretty lady be?"

"My name is Rei," Rei said simply, not bothering to go any further. She already didn't like his attitude; his tone of voice was enough to tell he wasn't here to compliment her.

"Rei, eh?" the Murkrow commented. She flew around Rei calmly, trying to push some of the dark energy towards her. Rei put up a very gentle, near-invisible protect shield to get rid of the bother. The Murkrow's eyes narrowed, and she said nothing more.

"I presume you are Sneasel and Murkrow?" Rei asked, after the two made it clear they would not budge.

Sneasel seemed surprised. "How did you know?"

"Well," Rei said airily, "I have a way with these things." Plus, they were mostly named after their species name. It was kind of sad, actually.

"No matter," Murkrow said, flitting down to the ground next to Sneasel. "are you a new student?"

"Yes."

"Oh? Where do you live?" Sneasel asked, as he tried to act 'cool'. He was obviously trying to impress her, and it wasn't working in the slightest.

Rei snorted. "You're both idiots if you think I'm just going to answer that without knowing who you are." They seemed to shrink under the harsh language, but it would take more than that to deter them.

The argument went back and forth for an age, until finally, Rei found a way out.

"Heyyy!" Zaps called, running a breakneck speed.

"Rei!" Riolu called, going equally as fast with less effort but nonetheless breathing heavy.

"Hello, you two!" Rei called back, glad that she had a chance to escape. "Why didn't you tell me school wasn't starting for a long time? I got up early!"

"We wondered!" Riolu said grouchily, slowing down and breathing hard. "We spent the morning looking for you."

"Correction," Sneasel pitched in. "You spent the morning making mischief." Riolu looked honestly offended, but Rei caught a glint in his eye that told her that Sneasel was downright lying.

"Come now," Sneasel beckoned. "Don't waste your time on these jokers. We'll show you around."

"I already have someone to show me around, but thanks," Rei said politely, pattering over to stand next to Riolu.

""Really? Those losers?" Murkrow commented, acting as if Riolu and Zaps weren't even there. "I don't care what they've made you think, but honestly. These troublemakers?"

Rei had had enough. She let energy build up inside her. One more insult and-

"Please. He's ugly," Sneasel scoffed. "Let me show you around. He'll just embarrass a lovely visage such as yours."

Rei snapped.

Her eyes began to glow red, obverse to moments ago when her eyes were the picture of calm.

"Uh, Rei?" Riolu said, touching her shoulder delicately. "It's okay if you want to go with them..." He stopped, partially because heat began to rise, and he couldn't bear to touch her fur anymore. He lost his words.

"I think I've had enough of you two," Rei said, her voice almost mechanical. "I don't take kindly to those who insult my friends."

Sneasel looked concerned, then shrugged.

"Fijne, be that way," he grumbled, "but when people treat you like a loser-GURK!"

He lost his breath as Rei flashed forward with a corona of fire enveloping her. A few seconds later, he fell to his knees, unable to stand, and Rei sat down again.

"Ignore them," Rei insisted to her friends. "They're idiots, that's what." She took to her seat not far away in a clearing set with tables and a chalkboard, and after a moment of staring dubiously, Riolu and Zaps followed suit. Sneasel was left to lie in the field, looking worse than he had in a while.

0~***~0

"Alrighty," Stoutland commented after a few moments, checking his papers were right. "Good morning, everyone!"

"Good Morning!" Chorused the class, though Rei decided not to join in save a gentle 'hello'.

"Today, we have a new student joining us," He continued, "Who you may have met already! She was rescued from the Deep Woods a few days ago by Miltank and Tauros. I hope that you will grow to be friends." He motioned for her to come forward, and there was the chatter of voices as she took stance next to the long-furred Pokémon and shortly introduced herself.

"Hello," she said simply. "as he said, I'm Rei. I hope we can be friends." Zaps grinned at her, and she smiled back. "I may not be very revealing about myself, but I don't mean anything by it, so don't take offense if I deem a question too revealing." There was a short silence, followed by general agreement that this was okay. Rei inwardly breathed relief.

Phew. At least I don't have to explain being human to a bunch of kids.

"Rei, you can take the seat next to Murkrow, over there," Stoutland said, pointing to the back-row seat. Rei cantered over and sat down next to Murkrow - but, more importantly, next to Ralts, who was on her other side.

"Thank Cresselia you were put next to me," Ralts whispered after Stoutland began going on about some storybook. "I thought I'd spend my entire life next to those buffoons." She shook her head. "You know, they try to hit on me, and there's nothing I can do because my only attack is Psychic-type. They won't listen to a word I say."

Rei shot her a grin. "I doubt they'll be ignoring you while I'm around."

0~***~0

Rei began her recess talking to Ralts about different attacks a Ralts could learn, and had begun teaching her a basic Quick Attack, when Sneasel made his second approach.

"Hello, Ralts," he said with a sickly pleasantness that stung to hear. "May I have today's recess with you?"

"No," Ralts said, though her voice wavered. "Rei is teaching me how to defend myself."

"Why, I'm here to protect you!" Sneasel exclaimed in mock horror.

"You needn't worry," Murkrow added from her perch in a nearby tree.

"You... You stop bullying her into it!" Riolu said, running over, though his voice shook. "She doesn't want to, and that's that!" Rei noticed that Ralts seemed to look at Riolu different, and quickly came to a conclusion.

Sneasel snorted. "Aren't you the bully here?" Riolu looked seriously taken aback, but he stood his ground.

"This is getting ridiculous," Rei said, shaking her head. "Why all the elementary school tactics?"

Everyone stared at her at once.

She sighed and continued. "You're all idiots. Riolu, just use Aura Sphere or something. Sneasel should learn that if you try and manipulate people, they'll bite you back." Sneasel regained his confidence.

"Riolu doesn't know Aura Sphere," He proclaimed. "If fact, he can't fight at all." Riolu's eyes glowed, as he considered using what Rei had taught him.

"Go ahead, Riolu," Rei continued. "I'll take the blame if anything happens. This guys deserves to take a punch to the face. Your honours." Riolu made up his mind and flashed forward, releasing a force palm into Sneasel. Sneasel promptly fell over. Ralts looked somewhere between surprised and overjoyed.

Rei felt a wind approach their back, and she put up a Counter which launched Murkrow back into the tree she flew down from.

"Told you," Rei smirked. "Nobody messes with us." Just then, Sneasel and Murkrow recovered, and they closed in.

"Us. Against you. Now." Sneasel seethed. Rei gave him a curt nod, and Ralts ran for cover. Riolu took a fighting stance. Murkrow and Sneasel came to stand at the other side.

"HALT!"

Stoutland dashed in, fur flying behind him, and Rei saw the other three loosen. She retained her fighting stance, and was able to counter a Scary Face aimed at her.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Stoutland roared.

"Sneasel was being mean, sir," Ralts butted in. "to me. And Rei and Riolu decided to protect me."

"You four shouldn't be getting into fights in the first place!" Stoutland admonished, and Sneasel, Murkrow and Riolu visibly flinched. Rei seemed uninterested, but paid rapt attention nonetheless.

"Rei, from what Tauros and Miltank told me, I figured you'd be a good egg." He grumbled. "Don't make me change my mind."

Rei stared at him, slight winds picking up around her.

Stoutland, to everyone's surprise, took a step back.

"What?" He said, after a moment. He shook himself. "Young lady, I expect more of a reaction than that. You should feel bad about what might have happened." Rei took pleasure in the fact that she could manage a Whirlwind attack.

"Indeed," Rei commented. "though I already knew that it would be safe, it would be silly to assume it would be alright to just engage in a battle in the middle of a schoolyard. I apologize." Stoutland stopped.

"I accept your apology," He said slowly, after a few seconds. "But I would like to borrow you for a moment. And nobody better be starting fights while I'm talking to Rei!" He growled, making everyone recoil.

0~***~0

"Here we are," Stoutland announced, after giving the clearing a good glare. He walked with purpose to the other edge of the field.

"Now," he announced. "Come at me."

"Say what?" Rei asked, taken aback.

"I know that no child would just challenge Sneasel and Murkrow like that," Stoutland continued.

"They challenged us," Rei countered. "But very well." She crunched herself, then flew forward in an Extremespeed, faking out to the right the moment before she hit. Stoutland jumped, and as he did, launched himself onto a one-way trip into Rei's attack.

Stoutland fell over, coughed, then held up a paw in defeat. Rei grinned, glad her prediction had been correct.

"Sir?"

Stoutland coughed and got up. "Now I see," He sighed. "Do you mind being demonstrative battler for today? You just need to help some of our troubled students learn new moves, and how to battle." Rei nodded.

"Good. And keep this between you and me," Stoutland admitted, "But I'm aware Zaps, Ralts and Riolu get bullied. But, as a teacher, I'm not allowed to lay a paw on any student, even if they are bullies, so I can't hammer it into their heads that they can't do things like that. I hope your performance today in Battle Ed will make them believe you're a force to be reckoned with, because then you can help me protect those poor kids."

"I understand," Rei smiled. "Don't worry; I'm sure I can prove my worth. What I used on you is a token of what my full potential is."