AN: And I'm back, after finally tracking down my notes and deciding where I'm going from here ^.^
Sorry I didn't get back to this sooner; I lost my muse. But I missed this story so much, I finally decided to hell with it, I'll just write it and coax the muse back in the process!
As before, I still don't own Pokemon.
Special thanks to Ramaxy18-chan, for following, favoriting, and kicking my rear in gear with a review! Thanks a bunch!
oO000Oo
Last time…
Nodding, Jack took the PokeBall out and offered it to the beautifly, who tapped its head against the front. After a moment, in which the Ball wobbled in Jack's hand, the center button glowed, and the beautifly settled into its new home.
And now…
The library was easily Jack's favorite place in the school so far; the ceiling was high, and the shelves were so close together that the students could barely fit in between. He was completely sure he would be able to find a way to train his new companion.
The door shut quietly behind them, causing a woman behind the desk to look up. "Can I help you?" she asked briskly.
Jack glanced at Adrian. "Just looking up training techniques."
"Getting a head start on the year, I see." She gave them an approving look, then pointed. "Right over there, it's labeled. Can't check anything out until Monday, though, I'm afraid."
Adrian flashed a smile. "That's fine." He swept away, leaving Jack to run and catch up.
Adrian's smile dropped away as they stepped out of sight, his brows drawing in as he perused the titles. Cute Battlers: Training for the Little Cup, Fire Starter: Training Fire Types, Webs to Wings, Inside the Arena, Bringing Theory to the Battle Field, and so many more. Jack inhaled slowly; just knowing he wouldn't have to ask Lisa to slip him another book every few weeks…
Jack started at the hand that came down on his shoulder; Adrian gave him a curious look, like he had done something weird, and started dropping books in his arms to cart to a desk. Not very many; they couldn't take them out yet, so they needed to remember a few key points.
"Should have brought a notebook," Jack murmured, flicking through a book about bug types. Adrian hummed in agreement.
After twenty minutes of skimming, Jack pushed back, glowering at the pages. He snapped the book shut and opened another. When that one proved just as helpful, he growled.
Adrian looked up from where he was carefully reading through yet another chapter of the same training book he was reading half an hour ago. He snickered at the pile of books. "If you're going to be this impatient with everything you research, you'll fail the research papers," he pointed out.
Jack poked From Caterpie to Butterfree: Becoming a Bugcatcher. "Tons of tips on luring bug Pokemon to catch, raising them through their evolutions, but nothing about catching and training fully evolved bugs. And this bugcatcher clearly never owned a beautifly, because there's nothing in here about them, even tame ones."
"Maybe you should slow down and actually read it," Adrian hinted dryly.
Jack opened his mouth; he didn't have time to slow down, everyone would be looking for the slightest transgression, and Liam would take that straight to his father, who wouldn't tolerate anything that might possibly reflect badly on him. Someone from such a prestigious house should already know how to handle this, why didn't he see that?
Then Jack closed his mouth and stood. Of course Adrian wouldn't see it; he wouldn't be going home to a list of every slight, real or perceived, that deserved a beating.
For a while, he had felt so comfortable it was like Adrian already knew and accepted it, accepted him. Foolish. Adrian would find out how pathetic he was and leave.
Jack walked away silently, leaving a slightly bewildered Adrian behind with a pile of books.
oO000Oo
Jack was curled on his side, on his bed, Lyssa laid out on her stomach next to his head. She licked his ear and nuzzled him, whining. He absently scratched behind her ear.
"What am I going to do, Lyssa?" he whispered. "I have a beautifly that's liable to attack random pets, and I have no idea what I'm going to name it, let alone how I'll train it!" Lyssa kissed his cheek. He sighed and hugged her.
There was a soft knock on the door. Jack stood, a little unsteady, and crossed the room to open it, wiping at his eyes. He opened it just enough to see who was outside.
"Adrian!" He hastily opened the door. He hesitated. "I-I'm sorry for walking out like that—"
Adrian shook his head. "It's alright." He smiled softly—more real than those bright, winning grins he had had earlier, Jack realized. "I know how serious this is, better than most," he continued, "because I've seen freshly-caught Pokémon attack pets like that. It should be me apologizing." He sobered. "Look, let's go find Rowen."
Jack bit his lip. "Do you really think he can help me train Beautifly?"
Adrian nodded sharply. "He has a bit more field experience than the average student," he explained.
"Is there anywhere I can get it checked over? I forgot once we got to the library," Jack admitted sheepishly. He waited, breath held, for a comment, any comment—
"Damn, so did I!" Adrian exclaimed, eyes widening. His brows drew together. "I know we have a Joy who looks after us, but I don't think she'll be here until tomorrow; I haven't seen her, and the infirmary's still closed." He brightened. "But I bet Johnston would be able to check her over!"
"Wouldn't we get in trouble, though? For being in the forest?" He cringed at the thought that he might already be getting a letter home.
Adrian waved a hand absently. "We can tell him it found us on the grounds, it'll be fine. Come on! We're burning daylight here, and it's almost dinnertime."
Jack nodded and they made for the stairs.
oO000Oo
Adrian knocked on a door in what the map labeled as the office area. "Professor Johnston?" he called cheerfully. Jack felt a slight pang that the false over exuberance was back, but then squashed it harshly; it wasn't like he had the right to judge, considering how "normal" he was.
The door opened, revealing the scowling face of their biology professor. "What do you want?"
Adrian looked at Jack. Squaring his shoulders, Jack stepped forward and held out Beautifly's PokéBall. Ignoring the slight shake in his hand, Johnston snatched it up. "What's this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I-I, um—that beautifly—"
Johnston's jaw dropped. "You caught it?"
"Well, it kind of—more or less—I mean—"
"Spit it out, boy," Johnston snapped.
Jack cringed, half expecting a blow to the side of his head; it was the response he almost always got from Richards. He swallowed.
"It kind of—wanted to, I guess." He fought to keep from fidgeting.
"What were you doing, running around grounds with an empty PokéBall?" their teacher asked suspiciously.
"I grabbed the wrong one," Jack confessed. "I thought it was Lyssa's. Can you—can you just check it over? The infirmary's not open…" He trailed off.
Johnston huffed. "Sure, come in." He retreated, leaving the door open.
Inside, the teacher freed the beautifly, who fluttered for a moment before landing on Jack's head. It preened, looking smug from its perch.
Johnston reached out a hand, palm up. "Well, come down, then. Let me look at you," he said softly. It gave him an appraising look, looking down at its new partner. At Jack's nod, it fluttered down and landed on the professor's palm.
A careful check revealed no injuries. Johnston stroked its wings, pointing to a red spot near the edge. "See how big this spot is?" Both boys nodded. "That means you have a healthy male on your hands. A female's would be smaller." He gently launched the butterfly into the air, where it—he—hovered. "You'll have to let him wander outside to eat, until you get him switched to Pokémon food. You can get it in the dining hall, until you know how to make your own."
"Thank you," Jack said quietly.
"Certainly, certainly," Johnston replied absently, peering at the clock. "Now shoo, it's almost dinnertime!"
Outside, Adrian stretched. "He's right, though, it is almost five. Let's get to the dining hall, meet Rowen a little early."
Jack nodded hesitantly, still wondering why Rowen's name was so familiar, but brushing it aside, hoping he could help him train Spear.
Jack smiled. Yeah, Spear fit his new friend just fine.
