Pokemon X: A Ultimate Maid's Journey

by Lolitafreak88

An aspiring trainer with a complex about himself. A young maid who's done terrible things in the name of selfless devotion. Mysterious tampering has united them in the world of Kalos and as a splendid Pokemon journey unfolds, the road becomes steep. Unveiled secrets, evil plots by a red-streaked group, sightings of lost souls, league battles, and a quest to end the killing game.

2. Strand of Hope

Pokemon X: A Ultimate Maid's Journey

By Snoopy Hoshi

Chapter 1: Strand of Hope

Retracing their steps back to Route 2, also known as the Avance Trail, Kirumi and Tim saw Shauna and Calem had waited patiently for them after all. Shauna looked as though she was jumping with excitement once she saw them while Calem retained his usual calm disposition.

"Oh hi Tojo-san! Come learn how to catch Pokemon with me! Calem's mom and dad are amazing trainers! So is Tim's mom back in her day. That's why they know so much about catching Pokemon and battling." Shauna giggled.

"Mom and dad may be good, but that has nothing to do with me." Calem pointed out. Contrary to his intellectual demeanor, he was still humble in regards to what they had to learn and know about Pokemon.

"Are you sure you don't need things like a bait or a net to capture the Pokemon? Provided I don't know how aggressive or docile they are but traditionally if one was to capture a creature they'd use specified tools and practices like hunter tribes." Kirumi asked Shauna carefully as she noticed she hardly had anything that seemed useful for this endeavor on hand.

"Ah, sometimes Pokemon will willingly go along if you show them kindness. Other times you have to sap their strength with a battle," Tim answered. "I prefer going the first route."

"Exactly Tim! So I'm going to find a cutie and see if I can appeal to it with kindness." Shauna agreed readily and wandered around the thick grass, looking for a Pokemon. Kirumi watched with only mild skepticism as she usually would have to play along with some of her master's out-of-the-box ideas in the past like this. Sure enough she made an encounter with a Pokemon that seemed to have leapt out of the grass out of thin air. To Kirumi it looked like a rabbit with a somewhat Saturday morning cartoon air about it but to the others, it was a wild Bunnelby.

"Aren't you the sweetest little thing? I bet you could hop up to my mailbox and bring mail to me. Would you like to join my team?" Shauna crouched down and petted the Bunnelby behind the ears, delighting the Digging Pokemon.

"Mmm." Kirumi muttered fondly to herself. She thought it was a very affectionate and sweet demonstration. She imagined the Ultimate Entomologist was very much the same way with his insects (Albeit maybe too fond of letting them run amok from what she heard had happened at the Insect Meet and Greet) and strengthened her belief in this idea.

"Now see, when the Pokemon is either at low health, stunned with a status ailment like paralysis or sleep, or in a state where it has no will to oppose you, that is when you bring out a Poke Ball. There are many variations of this device, most of them providing unique benefits or having improved catching rates. This is the most common and inexpensive one though also the least effective." Calem pulled out the Capsule-device from before and showed it to Kirumi.

"Hmm, so one might say this is how those who invented this activity make a living. By creating and selling useful items in order to progress as a Pokemon Trainer. How far back does Pokemon Training go exactly that these devices had to be made?" Kirumi questioned as she felt as though there was a great deal of depth to something as simple-looking as this to be found. Shauna gave a wry smile as she looked over to Tim, not sure how to answer this question herself.

"Longer than we've been alive, that much is certain," Tim merely responded, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"Many legends predate humans harnessing the power of Pokemon the same way we do now without the use of such devices. Poke Balls have existed for a few decades though as regions became more advanced and the true field of study and interest in Pokemon flourished." Calem added on with detail.

Kirumi frowned slightly, wondering if she was being too single-minded with her questions when she noticed that she made Tim and Shauna look momentarily at a loss for words. Surely if she was interested in this topic herself, she could devote time to doing her own research. It'd be foolish as an Ultimate Maid to question those around her incessantly to find more information. Especially since this wasn't a murder investigation but rather something as simple as looking into a hobby and how it came to be.

"I see… Sorry for interrupting your demonstration with a needless question. I know I can do my own insight later." Kirumi apologized.

"Ah, don't worry Kirumi. Everyone's got these questions when they start out," Tim reassured. "We'll be patient with ya every step of the way." Kirumi gave a relieved smile at his words.

"You betcha!" Shauna added with a nod though noticed Bunnelby was getting a bit impatient.

"On that note. Time to catch the Pokemon." Calem said as he grabbed onto the Poke Ball with a single hand and looked ready to hurl it with the eternal motion of a baseball pitcher. Swiftly tossing the Poke Ball at Bunnelby, it made contact with the Pokemons' head and soon captured it within the space of the Poke Ball with a mesmerizing red light. Shauna caught the Poke Ball in turn and examined it carefully as it seemed to wobble with a pronounced sound.

"Is the wobbling a sign of the Pokemon struggling to break free of the Poke Ball?" Kirumi wondered.

"Yeah. The magic number is usually three to four wobbles at which point if the Poke Ball stops moving and makes a sparkly effect and positive-sounding noise, that confirms the Pokemon has been caught." Calem replied.

"And sometimes, they only shake once, which means it's a critical capture!" Tim added.

"Easy to understand and reassuring. That is a good note to write down." Kirumi nodded in a satisfied manner. Sure enough, the Poke Ball demonstrated exactly what Calem had described, cinching the capture with a jovial sound and effect. Shauna grinned.

"Wow! It never ceases to amaze me how the Poke Ball just captures any size Pokemon inside of it!" Shauna beamed as she walked over and handed the Poke Ball to Calem.

"Naturally, since we're all in this together. It's only right that I share Poke Balls with all of you." Calem offered as he handed out five Poke Balls apiece to Tim, Kirumi, and Shauna.

"There's some other advanced stuff to figure out, but...well, you're a smart cookie Kirumi, you'll figure it out in no time." Tim certainly looked eager to get this adventure underway, even if the whole circumstances surrounding the trio's newest friend were...troubling to say the least. He didn't let it deter him in the slightest. In fact, it motivated him to push himself further into becoming the strong and accomplished Trainer he had longed to be.

"Provided I am able to get a hang of the ropes of the Pokemon battles and find Pokemon that appear to hold powerful potential to help me, then surely this is a feasible task. I'm looking forward to seeing all the various species." Kirumi chuckled. She couldn't help but find a sort of cheerful excitement filling her heart at this prospect. She never saw herself being the type of person to personally keep pets but in these circumstances she could certainly use some friends. Especially powerful friends that'd help her to right her wrongs and stop evil in its tracks.

"Now then, I'll continue forward. You should spend some time seeing if any of the Pokemon around this area will suit your needs." Calem said gently as he walked through the grass towards what appeared to be a small forest entrance.

"Take good care Calem!" Kirumi urged as she wasn't sure what to make of a forest like that. Shauna and Tim also waved goodbye to him but based on their expressions, they knew Calem would be fine.

Kirumi found herself deciding to take a chance and idly wandered around the grass. She felt only slightly silly as these days most children would often play sports, hang out with friends, or indulge in at-home activities. Something like wandering around grass and meadows was somewhat an old-fashioned activity of an idyllic time and seeing as Pokemon Trainers appeared to start out rather young and she was a teenager, this was all sorts of out of place for the Ultimate Maid. I can only hope I'm performing this responsibility properly, she thought. As she carried about her casual stride, a Pokemon suddenly leapt out in front of her. It looked like a raccoon with a brown and off-white pattern about it, and expressive brown eyes. A Zigzagoon. Kirumi flinched and instinctively called out her own Pokemon.

"F-Froakie! I choose you!" She bellowed and Froakie emerged with a focused resolve. They would fling out a stream of Bubbles that pelted Zigzagoon as it tried to go in for a Tackle. It made contact with Froakie but another Bubble would send Zigzagoon quickly on the ropes. Kirumi had allowed for Froakie to take initiative on this one, knowing that it probably sensed exactly why she had needed it to be out right now and she was grateful that he didn't disappoint.

"Now, I'll have you join my side!" Kirumi made her intentions known and thrust her Poke Ball at the Zigzagoon, hitting them and capturing them swiftly after it wobbled enough times.

"Yeah, just like that!" Tim cheered at Kirumi's first catch.

"Thank you Tim." Kirumi blushed, feeling strange about receiving praise in this manner. Kirumi checked her Pokedex to see if it had updated with the acquisition of this new Pokemon. 'Tiny Racoon Pokemon. It walks in zigzag fashion. It's good at finding items in the grass and even in the ground.

"So it's a sort of scout in that sense. Surely finding items would be handy to have to sustain ourselves in the journey." Kirumi pointed out.

"Zigzagoon is pretty popular among trainers for its Pickup ability," Tim mentioned. "I've heard stories of trainers finding high value items in the Hoenn region because of Zigzagoons."

"*Giggles* Maybe I should bring it home with me to use in other responsibilities if it is gifted in that regard." Kirumi had a small mental image of the Zigzagoon finding lost items like keys and jewelry in difficult areas for her masters, which crossed her mind. It made her feel at ease.

"Yeah, there was one guy in Hoenn who caught like five Zigzagoon all with Pickup, and then ran around the place picking up high value items," Tim chuckled back before his expression dropped. "And then tried selling it off for a fortune to other people. Which is like, y'know, whatever."

"I suppose if one was really concerned about money then they could go about it that way. Provided they would need to have a proper permit to sell such things in the first place." Kirumi put a finger to her mouth as she did an overview of that idea.

"Yeah...being a trainer alone doesn't really pay all the bills and stuff, but I should be fine financially," The young man mentioned.

Kirumi didn't really want to think about financial concerns right now since that was the least of her worries. Homeless, jobless, and wanted were bad traits to have in any practical scenario after all. So she tried to alleviate Tim's worries to do the same for her own worries.

"I should be able to help us make do with as little as possible as I've learned many house care and cooking methods that can be done for various budgets. As long as we have these Pokemon Centers to stay at for free as you've mentioned and groceries, we should be able to get by without any difficulty." Kirumi said. Shauna, who had been watching them chat silently all this time was dazzled once more by Kirumi's knowledge.

"That's really useful! I'm not sure how I'm going to get by on my own but I did save a lot of money for this journey and I know Tim's got enough to do too. With you on hand, we'll all be A-ok!" Shauna nodded cheerfully.

"Mhm! If we play it smart, money won't be a concern for us." The young man nodded with confidence. Tim was inwardly beginning to wonder if there wasn't anything Kirumi could do. She must've had a lot of free-time in order to commit to learning and mastering all these different techniques and responsibilities.

With the chat resolved, Kirumi decided to catch one more Pokemon as she felt having a trio was a traditionally useful asset in any situation. Each one could balance out the other and often in the Trials, she considered the main trio of useful mystery-solvers to have been Kaito, Shuichi, and begrudgingly Kokichi. She would find her third party member in Fletchling, a cute bird Pokemon similar to a robin. 'Tiny Robin Pokemon. These friendly Pokémon send signals to one another with beautiful chirps and tail-feather movements."

"Tim how are you doing on your end of recruitment?" Kirumi asked as she put the newly caught Fletchling's Poke Ball in with the other two Pokemon.

"I haven't really found anything that's got my attention," Tim confided. "I wanna make a balanced team that's got strength in all areas, so that when we're battling together, we'll be well-rounded to handle anything thrown our way." Kirumi looked at Tim with pleasant surprise. He had thought very much the same way she had.

"Yes. Raw power, deft speed, or spotless defense are effective but they aren't versatile enough in a long-term battle. That is why for example in war, countries make certain to have efficient enough forces for air, sea, and land battles. I'm aiming for a team very much like yours too Tim." Kirumi gave him a small applause.

"Guess we're kindred spirits in that sense, huh?" The young man mused. Maybe Kirumi was a prodigy at Pokemon battling, and he wasn't aware of it until now. She certainly had the right ideas when it came to team building, and he respected that.

After a quick stop at the Pokemon Center at Aquacorde Town and some battles on Kirumi's end to train her newly caught Pokemon to match Froakie's level, she decided it was time to head on into the mysterious forest. Shauna and Calem had already gone on ahead and she did want to stay close. But before she could do so, she was suddenly approached rather aggressively by a Youngster.

"...?" Kirumi could only offer a blank stare as the young male straightened his cap and looked at her expectantly.

"When two Trainers' eyes meet, a Pokemon battle must begin!" Declared Youngster Austin vigorously.

"Oh yeah...forgot to warn you about that," Tim mentioned, having cleared his throat. "I don't know whose idea it was to make that a rule, but if two trainers lock eyes, it's a challenge to battle or something."

Kirumi now looked dubiously between Tim and Austin as though the very idea seemed ludicrous or envisioned by a club in elementary school.

"Is this formally sanctioned by the Pokemon League?" She asked.

"Last I checked, they haven't said anything about it not being sanctioned, so…" The young man trailed off.

"Well then, I suppose I'll accept your request then. Prepare for battle." Kirumi assumed an assertive stance and sent out her Froakie to make battle with Austin's own Zigzaggoon.

The battle wasn't particularly trying or difficult. Froakie simply used impressive speed and hops to outmaneuver Zigzagoon and blast them with Bubbles until the Pokemon was downed. After the fight was over, Kirumi accepted Austin's payment of Poke.

"You should've told me that you were THAT strong!" Austin exclaimed.

"Well in fairness, it could come down to beginner's luck." Kirumi huffed, still a bit confounded by the whole situation. After dusting off her skirt and leaving Austin be, she looked ahead at the somewhat foreboding-looking woods. Tim sensed Kirumi was bothered by the idea of going into the forest.

"Hey, I know it's scary Kirumi, but we can get through it together," He encouraged. "With your Pokemon, you'll be able to get through no problem."

"... Nowadays it'd be unwise to go into a dark forest unless you were a ranger, camping out there, or with a significant number of people coming with you. Yet I can feel the conviction in your words that perhaps the woods in this world are not nearly as frightening as they may be in mine. I'll follow your lead." Kirumi nodded, impressed by Tim's encouragement.

As they went into the Santalune Forest, they saw that Shauna had been waiting at what appeared to be a large centerpiece tree with a sign in front of it. The forest looked a lot brighter than it appeared to be from outside. Natural sunlight flowed all around the woods and there were clear paths as opposed to difficult terrain to overcome like a traditional forest. Kirumi couldn't help but feel as though this was all rather fantastical considering she hadn't particularly been to a forest even as… even as… Kirumi frowned. She perhaps didn't really remember much if anything involving going to the woods as she thought.

"Shauna, hey!" Tim waved. "Sorry to keep you waiting - some kid wanted to battle Kirumi," The young man told her.

"Well I'm glad she's getting into the swing of things! I just thought it'd be wonderful to walk together. I feel like something exciting will happen if I stay by you!" Shauna said chipper. Kirumi gave a small smile. Between a Class Trial and nearly being executed I feel I've had more than enough excitement for one day, she thought.

"I'll heal your Pokemon whenever you want me to!" The Kalos girl continued.

"This will be a rather idyllic stroll won't it?" Kirumi thought aloud as she looked around the paths to see if there was anything of interest. As she did so, Tim picked up a Potion off the ground.

"Yeah, it'll be all good," Tim smiled. "Once we get through here you'll probably be thinking 'Hey, this wasn't so bad.'"

"Mmhmm. I imagine Gonta probably has gone to many forests such as this in his pursuit of entomology. I could only wonder what he'd be able to teach us if he were here." Kirumi couldn't help but be reminded of her gentlemanly classmate as she looked about.

"Is Gonta a friend of yours?" Tim asked.

"Yes. The Ultimate Entomologist. Figuratively he'd probably enjoy a lot of aspects about this world and be more able to become a Pokemon Trainer than I would with his empathy towards creatures." Kirumi put herself down slightly as she found a Potion of her own soon enough. She knew that it was important to not close off her friends by withholding information about those she knew towards those in this world though there was obviously one name she couldn't really imagine sharing at the moment.

"So entomology is like… Bug-Type Pokemon?" Shauna asked, suggesting she wasn't that familiar with the term.

"Yes it is." Kirumi responded gently.

"Cool! So it's a specialized field of study like a Professor!" Shauna said cheerfully.

"Professor… do you know who the Professor is in Kalos?" Kirumi asked as Shauna made the title sound very specific.

"Yeah! Professor Sycamore's the professor in Kalos, and his lab is in Lumiose City! It's the biggest city in Kalos!" Shauna answered.

Kirumi looked a bit in awe at the idea of seeing such a big city on their journey. Though there was also the fact of the matter Professor Sycamore hadn't shown up yet to properly start off their journey. At least from how it appeared to her, Calem had been given the essential items and Pokemon from someone of higher authority who had to have been that Professor. If Sycamore hadn't been here in person, then perhaps it meant he was a very busy man. Or that Lumiose City was quite far from where they were.

"Well it'd be very helpful to meet him and thank him for allowing me to accept this request of being a Pokemon Trainer." Kirumi said politely.

As they continued on ahead into the woods, they saw Calem had been around waiting for them. He would then go on to say,

"Santalune Forest, eh? Might be a good place to test my skills." Calem proceeded forward after saying so.

"Oh! Hang on a second Tim! Kirumi!" Shauna suddenly dived into the grass as though she was a dog and seemed to find something with happy glee.

"Look what I found, guys! I'll give it to whoever wants it most! I love puzzles, so I watch everything more closely than you think!" Shauna handed over what looked to be a spray bottle of a yellowy substance.

"Paralyze… Heal? Is this supposed to remedy sore muscles and stiffness?" Kirumi asked. What kind of individual leaves medicine lying on the ground? Kirumi thought. That's highly suspicious and untrustworthy to use such products.

"It's one of the items that cures status ailments on Pokemon. Paralysis is a thing that happens to Pokemon if they touch certain Electric-types with Static, get hit with stuff like Thunder Wave...but yeah, pretty much," Tim explained.

"Status Ailments are sicknesses in this case, yes?" Kirumi asked, tilting her head as though wanting to be sure she was getting it.

"Mhm. You've got Antidotes for Poison, Awakenings for sleeping, Burn Heals for...do I even need to say it? And Ice Heals for Freeze," The young man followed up.

"Can a spray actually unfreeze someone entirely frozen? Usually that is a strenuous process to unfreeze a person… let alone a creature. There's also significant risks to your life if you are frozen since it slows your heart rate significantly." Kirumi took this very seriously. Shauna had to give an awkward gulp. Something as simple as this that was kind of an accepted mainstay of a Pokemon journey was being scrutinized as though it was… illogical. Which maybe it was and was a factor in why Shauna didn't think too hard about that sort of thing.

"Oh trust me, I'm aware of that." Tim rolled his eyes, being the son of a former doctor. "Pokemon are just built wayyyyyyyyy different from you and I. That's what I always ran with."

"I understand then." Kirumi agreed with Tim's tone of mutual acceptance.

"That's what makes them kind of scary… but also really cool!" Shauna gave her two cents on the conversation. Kirumi was sincerely hoping that the status ailments weren't contagious to the trainers but that could wait. She felt Shauna did deserve some thanks.

"Thank you for your gift Shauna. I think it's only right for Tim to have it since he is more medically inclined than I am. It'll be a great asset to have your puzzle prowess on our side." The Ultimate Maid curtsied politely. Shauna looked a bit flustered but simply did a 'go on' hand gesture in response.

As they continued into Santalune Forest, they would encounter more trainers and Pokemon of which both Trainers partook in the battles to strengthen their Pokemon. Kirumi noticed that these Trainers were younger than she was, about middle-school age or elementary-school and it made her ponder if their parents had approved of their decision to go out on their own. The joy they had even after losing was something that made Kirumi realize how fun Pokemon Battles really were. It was a growing opportunity and the same as someone having and taking good care of a new pet. Kirumi had taken care of pets before and yet it never occurred to her to get a pet of her own. Simply because as the Ultimate Maid and Prime Minister of Japan, it didn't seem like she could offer any time to the deed of pet care. It wasn't a pleasant realization for her lack of freetime but she was ok with the fact she was doing something dutiful and important with her time. Well, aside from her actions in the Killing Game which were surely not what she'd ever do normally. Tim and Shauna noticed Kirumi was awfully quiet throughout the whole walk through Santalune Forest with the same thinking gaze she had back in Aquacorde.

"Think Tojo-san's got something bothering her about her situation?" Tim whispered to Shauna.

"Well I've seen Calem give that look before myself. I think it's less about the whole Killing Game thing and more about normal things? Like 'do I look good in this outfit?' 'Will I find the Pokemon I'm after?' 'What will today bring?'" Shauna theorized.

"Maybe...maybe she's having difficulty adjusting?" Tim wondered. After looking at Kirumi from how she was managing currently, he could only imagine the sheer horror she went through, and how she was now getting re-adjusted to society as a whole, let alone one that was vastly different from her own. While he had been going about the woods at a leisurely pace and not finding anything particularly noteworthy for himself, he had looked out for Kirumi as she reacted to everything. He was glad she had had positive reactions more than negative ones and he related with her incredulousness in certain scenarios. It just made them feel all the more together.

"So you've arrived. Looks like it's not just you that has a lot of potential Tim. Kirumi and Shauna both have a lot of potential." Calem said at the end of the Santalune Forest path once they reached him.

"Did you have any doubts?" Kirumi, with a rare sense of jest, asked as she put a finger to her chin coyly.

"I sure didn't!" Tim smiled.

"We're all here! Let's go to Santalune City!" Shauna raised her arms up in excitement.

Once outside of the forest, they found themselves in a small Route. Route 3. There was a hill on the side of the Route and a sight of a fairly pretty city in the distance. Kirumi noted it looked rather homely and inviting.

"What are you all going to do now?" Shauna asked.

"Well, my plan is to hit up the first gym of the Kalos League in Santalune City," Tim answered. "Amelia and I can take on the Bug-type gym no problem."

"I'm hopeful that Fletchling will serve the same position as Amelia will for you." Kirumi nodded in agreement.

"Flying-type Pokemon are strong against bugs, so it should be a cinch!" The young man smiled.

"Be sure to keep an eye out as we continue our journey for different Pokemon in different areas. The diversity of them will mean you can discover at least enough Pokemon for a full team that catch your eye and fulfill your battling needs." Calem pointed out.

"You know what you want when you gaze upon them for that brief moment. Much like how I can gauge a person's potential for greatness in my line of work. That should be enough for me to get by." Kirumi agreed.

"On that note, I wrote some 'Adventure Rules' for all of us to keep in mind as we go on our journey. 10 tips that'll be advantageous and should be known." Calem said as he handed out his friends sheets of paper with writing on them. Kirumi saw that the rules were pretty straightforward and that they'd give her a model on which to figure out objectives or strategies to employ in Pokemon Training.

"Oh that's great, Calem! Thanks! I'm going to spend some time getting to know my Li'l Fennekin! See you two later!" Shauna bid her farewells and she and Calem took off. Kirumi and Tim waved goodbye to them and soon found themselves alone on Route 3.

"So, what do you think? Shall we press on to Santalune City?" Tim asked.

"Are you sufficiently prepared Tim?" Kirumi asked with a serious glance. She wanted to be sure they were using their time effectively.

"Oh, I feel fine," Tim responded. "Why, do you think I'm slacking already?"

"On the contrary. I believe your mother requested me to aid you so that you wouldn't find yourself slacking." Kirumi chuckled slightly once he could tell Tim was comfortable with his choice.

"Ah… just like mom. Well I appreciate that! We're helping each other in that sense," The young lad had a smile at this.

"Then let's make haste!" Kirumi and Tim ran side by side through the path, battling the few Trainers waiting on the outskirts of the City.

After passing by some old-fashioned fencing with a medieval flair, they would see Santalune City's beauty in person. Gaslight lamp posts with elegant curves and a heart-shape. Quaint looking buildings with pink floral wreaths hung up in a vaguely Christmas-like vibe. A Pokemon Center. Benches for bystanders to sit and rest, placed strategically by pink blossoming bushes. A gorgeous stone fountain in the shape of a flower with a vaguely rose-themed Pokemon statues with water elegantly from two roses serving as its hands. A series of cafes, a library-looking building, and one building with a dramatic headlining Pokeball symbol sign attached to it and Pokeball pedestals next to it. The sign said it was 'a traditional city' and it brought an atmosphere of gorgeousness and gentle romanticism. It all felt very European as well to Kirumi and it was a design style she was quite fond of.

"It looks so beautiful…" Kirumi stated with eyes in wonder.

"Yeah, Santalune City is a pretty rad place," Tim chuckled. "It's a real big step-up from my humble home."

"What is it most known for other than it's traditionalism?" Kirumi asked.

"Well, based on the city's own description of itself, it's where many beginning trainers get together and start their journey together," The young lad informed. "It helps that the Trainer School is here as well."

"Trainer School?" Kirumi asked in surprise. So it did mean this world had a formal education system… but for Trainers. Interesting to say the least for the Ultimate Maid.

"Yeah, exactly what it says on the box. Is that weird?" Tim tilted his head to the side. "Don't they have formal education for you guys as well?"

"Well seeing as I was from a high school myself, yes. Milky Way High School. All of my classmates were from other High Schools as well and were under the impression that we would be attending class together until the Killing Game happened." Kirumi explained.

Yet when she said it aloud, it felt very unnatural. The class hadn't talked like they were going to be students together and rather than being excited at the setting of the school, they were disoriented. Furthermore, they soon found out they were confined at the so-called Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles to play the Killing Game. How had they all been summoned there at once? And what for exactly other than the Killing Game? Naturally they all had to be brought to that School somehow and unless it was to hide them all during the so-called Ultimate Hunt then… Kirumi shook her head. It wasn't particularly important rationalizing a howdunnit when there were much more serious factors to think about. She awaited Tim's response carefully.

"I see...so whoever was hosting the Killing Game was a different part of the academy the Ultimates went to, or it was a different group altogether." Tim responded, thinking it over. "That makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Yeah… I hadn't really thought about that prospect myself. I've never fully understood the endgame of the mastermind or whoever put us through that but the reason for all of us being there in the first place does allude me now that you've said it. It'd only make sense it'd be someone who knew all of our high schools and got insight into our private lives and homes to kidnap us." Kirumi held her arm out calmly.

"Professional and a sicko...whoever has your friends captive knows what they're doing," Tim responded after a throat clear. "No sense in trying to figure out what kind of motives they'd have other than for their own sick kicks."

Kirumi nodded. Though she inwardly regretted that she hadn't tried bringing this line of reasoning up with her friends. Granted her classmates used her as a client most of the time due to her own desires to serve them and she hadn't built up enough connections to actually influence decisions the way Kaede or Kokichi or Kaito did. For better or for worse she had been very passive outside of situations that demanded her attention. If she were to have thrown this idea out, there would've been a chance she'd have been shut down. Looking for something to distract her from her thoughts, Kirumi and Tim would soon find a building with a sign of a T-shirt outside it.

"Is that meant to be a boutique? Odd to not feature any mannequins or product showcases outside of the store for advertising and drawing customers in." Kirumi frowned slightly. If it weren't for that sign, she wouldn't have guessed what kind of facility it was. Not to mention that although it was pretty on the outside, it said nothing about the kind of apparel or quality of clothes it might carry.

"Yeah, that's a boutique!" Tim answered, his usual demeanor back. "Though you are right, I think we should go see what's up with that."

Kirumi would notice that Tim's voice had changed when he spoke so excitedly like Shauna did compared to what she heard when they were theorizing the high school connection of the Killing Game and he sounded much more intense. It was odd that this had not been the first time she'd seen this from Tim and she decided she'd have to add this detail to her private mental notes on serving Tim. Once they entered the boutique, she would see that the gold-decor, full-length mirror, head mannequins of a variety of diverse headwear and accessories, glass cases with other hats, and changing room booth did support it. It smelled clean and fresh inside and it was perfectly air-conditioned. There was definitely a sense of style demonstrated by the selection inside and it made Kirumi feel inclined to relent on the idea of suggesting changes. Kirumi was already finding herself looking at the offerings, trying to decide if there would be something she could see herself wearing. Tim was quick to pick up on this, to which he gently and non-verbally suggested that she go nuts with the experimentation.

"Tim it would be hard to make any of these hats work with my current outfit. Some of them seem much too casual. I do think some of these hair buttons look rather charming though and I could pin them to my headband. This in particular is quite nice…" Kirumi picked up a gray button with a diamond pattern.

"Wear whatever works for you, Tojo-san. That button should do just fine," He mused.

Kirumi, on that note, tried it on and looked at the mirror to see her reflection with the accessory on her headband. She was hopeful it was small enough to add some interesting flourish and freshen up her look from time to time and it fortunately appeared to serve its purpose. She turned to Tim to see his reaction and see if they were on the same page.

"You wear that well." He said with a smile."

" Thank you. I am wondering if I could acquire another outfit during this journey though. I'll naturally get this outfit dirty from sweat and travel. It'd be quite cumbersome to be stuck on one look for the whole way without washing it and having a spare would make that an easy fix." Kirumi said.

"Sure you can. There's more boutiques around Kalos with plenty of variety as we go along," Tim informed. "The next one I think…" He'd check his map. "Cyllage City. Quite a ways away before then." He skipped over Lumiose intentionally since he was well aware of the snooty clientele from things he heard through the grapevine. Kirumi seemed disappointed.

"I see… I'll have to take extra careful measures not to ruin this one then." She spoke stiffly.

"Why? Is it dry clean only?'' Tim innocently asked. Kirumi now looked a little embarrassed. Truthfully most of the outfits she had to wash and keep tidy for her classmates were… delicate to say the least. So many fine details and clean fabrics or distinct attributes that needed careful cleaning. Kaito's coat, Kokichi's bizarrely macabre suit, Korekiyo's jacket, Gonta's suit, Himiko's hat, Angie's raincoat or the times she'd get art materials on her clothes, and Miu's… strange choices. For obvious reasons, K1-B0 was the easiest to work around since he didn't wear any as the Ultimate Robot. Her own outfit though was certainly one of the ones she had to commit carefully to cleaning properly lest she ruined them. Especially now that there was no closet full of spares that she had back in her dorm.

"Yes…" She hesitatingly admitted.

"Ah...well, if there's anything that requires getting dirty, I can handle it until we can get you extra clothes," Tim offered.

"Thank you." Kirumi spoke. Despite saying the hats wouldn't fit her outfit, she found herself examining the hats in close inspection anyway. She found they were all rather pleasantly well-made and were made of clearly durable yet functionable and wearable fabrics. The styles would certainly cater to all sorts of clientele. It reminded her of one of her fellow Ultimates.

"Planning out any future wardrobe decisions?" Kirumi's tour guide would ask.

"Naturally, seeing as I will have to. ...You know one of my friends was the Ultimate Cosplayer. She was never particularly... focused but she was the most fashion-conscious of all of us. I wonder what she'd think of the fashion sense of Kalos... because this boutique reflects a clear respect for materials, styles, and tailoring." Kirumi found herself sharing this Ultimate and their traits with Tim.

"Huh...think she'd design stuff for the boutiques?" He asked.

"Well from what I gathered from her, she'd likely not sell out as a designer. She was more about the full-fledged essence of cosplaying herself rather than the clothes and makeup used to do the cosplay. Although I could certainly see her making a living if she was to harness her abilities with fabrics and designs to something more lucrative." Kirumi explained.

"Ah, so it's more of a passion thing. Got it." Tim nodded in understanding.

"*Giggles* She gets a special kind of Pox skin condition she entitled 'Cospox' if she's caught wearing somebody else's clothing that isn't based on a fictional character's. Which in a way is a testament to her passion if even her physiology functions differently to anything not cosplaying. … Although I did find it unusual that she didn't let me know of this when it came to specific instructions at the time I asked for them. I found out about it through others discussing it amongst the group." Kirumi admitted after paying for her Grey Button accessory.

Tim blinked in confusion at the mention of Cospox. "...Uhhhhhh…" He trailed off, trying to process the new thing he was told about. "I don't think that's a real medical condition."

"Would you believe that it actually is? Granted only one of the other Ultimates actually saw it in person but I had no reason to doubt they were lying about it. Apparently the Ultimate Cosplayer had gotten a most disorienting shade of pink on her skin." Kirumi's expression suggested that she perfectly understood it was hard to believe for Tim.

"Uh...sure, let's go with that." Truthfully, medical workers are always learning, but even this was hard to believe for him. Kirumi mercifully decided to give his head a break and change the subject.

"Are you going to purchase anything from this boutique, Tim?"

"Not much of a hat person, so not really. Maybe a button for my bag would be nice," The young lad answered.

"Do you want me to select one for you that would suit you?" Kirumi's tone made it seem like she expected Timothy to have her pick one out for him rather than let him decide.

"Sure! Go right ahead." He eagerly nodded, wondering what kind of button she'd pick out for him.

Kirumi carefully looked over the buttons that were in play. She thought Tim had an air of mystery about him but was ultimately a confident, energetic young man. A color like that leaned towards blues or purples. Possibly something neon if he so desired. The colors of the buttons were more on the muted end of things but there was a button that fit the theme. A sort of whimsical purple and brighter purple combo with the same pattern as her own. She picked it out for him and held it out so he could get a good look at it.

"Ooooh...yeah, that'll work just fine for me." The young lad certainly liked the choice as he went to pin it on his bag. Kirumi clasped her hands in relief and smiled at him.

"A visually appealing look you have now Tim." Kirumi said.

"Mhm! Mmm...let's check into the Pokemon Center real quick. Get some stuff together before we even think about going to the gym," Tim decided. Kirumi nodded in agreement.

As they healed their Pokemon and ate a light lunch from things in the vending machines inside, the two of them sat side by side. Kirumi had Froakie sitting on her lap and she was petting him gently. She thought it seemed a bit careless to leave her Pokemon in their Pokeballs for too long so she elected to give them some time out to breathe and interact with her and the world. Tim meanwhile, had Ameila sitting on his shoulder, thinking about what he should have on his team for the road ahead. Amelia's final form was a relatively balanced mon, so he could go either way for what he can get for his second team member.

"Have you attended to all your matters Tim?" Kirumi asked after cleaning up their universal utensils and disposing of the garbage.

"Yeah, Amelia and I should be ready to go." The young man was quite bold for going into the gym with only his Flying-type partner, but considering it was a Bug-type gym they'd be going against, his confidence was placed in a good position.

"Very well. My Pokemon all seem eager to go at it as well. I just hope that the Gym doesn't demand of us more than simply Pokemon Battling." Kirumi thought aloud as she considered that lately most normal-sounding locations often had a sinister edge to them in the Killing Game. When they headed towards the gym, they'd see a young lady in roller skates standing in front of the gym. Kirumi stopped in place and put her hands in front of her as she cleared her throat in a subtle attempt to get the roller skater to move. The roller skater seemed to take it as an invitation to skate around them in a dizzying manner.

"Um...can we help you?" Tim didn't seem too comfortable with the idea of roller skating, but decided to humor it for the time being.

"Hey, strangers! Isn't cruising around town on your Roller Skates the best thing ever?" The female roller skater gushed. Kirumi was not amused.

"I sincerely hope you are joking." A flat reply made Tim realize that Kirumi probably didn't appreciate obstructions to her main requests.

"... Wait. Do you mean to tell me that you don't even own a pair of Roller Skates?!" The skater's jaw dropped.

"Well I know how to use 'em, I just don't have a pair on me," The young man confided earnestly.

"My occupation rarely demands the need for them and even in my pastime I never was interested in roller skating." Kirumi clarified with a little more patience.

"Then how about this: if you beat me in a Pokemon battle, I'll give you a pair that you can give to a friend or sell online or whatever! I've got a spare and it'd be nice to give them to someone who'd be interested!" The Skater gave a hopeful thumbs up to them.

"Think we should do it real quick? Some fast experience before taking on the gym," Tim suggested.

Kirumi bit her lip. She'd honestly prefer telling this girl to seek her offer elsewhere and not bother them when they were trying to collect Gym Badges. Then again that wasn't exactly the maidly thing to do and Tim's rationale was sound. So with a slightly strained voice Kirumi agreed,

"Of course Tim. It'd be an adequate warm-up."

"Awesome! I can never say no to a contest, not me! Whether it's Pokemon Battles or roller-skating, Speed is important!" The Skater Rinka sent out a Zigzagoon to make battle with.

"Alright. Let me show you what I can do." Tim, deciding to take one for the two of them, sent out Amelia to do battle with Rinka's Pokemon. Kirumi observed his tactics closely to see how she could learn from him and what he himself was displaying as a Pokemon Trainer. Tim would be utilizing Gust to keep Zigzagoon off balance before following up with Tackle, showing he had a grasp of comboing moves together.

"W-wow! That was amazing! You might even be stronger than a Gym Leader!" Rinka exclaimed once it was clear her Zigzagoon was unable to battle.

"Nicely done Tim." Kirumi offered a small, polite applause and a smile. Her Froakie gave a frank nod of respect.

"Thanks! Amelia and I have been working hard to chain attacks together like that!" Tim smiled, sharing a high-five, or high wing in this case, with his Pidgey. "All it takes is knowing your moves and a little creativity."

"You betcha! All right! Here you go: one spiffy pair of Roller Skates, just as I promised!" Rinka pulled out and handed to Tim a pair of red, freshly polished roller skates. Kirumi looked at them and imagined that some of her classmates would certainly have appreciated the thoughtful gift. Unfortunately she knew it would be impractical to carry it with them if they were to try to save their classmates at the Ultimate Academy and it would be too much of a trek to go back to Tim's house so they'd simply have to give it away quickly or find a place to store it.

"Thank you Rinka." Kirumi offered a small bow of appreciation for the generosity.

"I could teach you how to get zooming but since you both insisted, I'll just let you know there's a lot of roller skate enthusiasts in Kalos. Including a hot spot at the Lost Hotel. If you ever give them to someone, be sure to let them know about that place if they want a real hands-on demonstration of roller skating." Rinka gave them some advice as she looked ready to leave.

"Huh...guess we'll pass by there on our travels," Tim mused. "Either way...it's time for the main event, Kirumi."

"Good luck you two." Rinka said her goodbyes and went skating away. Kirumi thought the sentiment from a basic stranger was rather sweet. It reminded her of the cordial company she had missed while she had been imprisoned at the Killing Game. Not to say her classmates were unappreciative or unfriendly, it's just there lacked a sense of fulfillment in the grim circumstances for her that she always had under a master's contract.

"... Yes. The Gym Leader. Speaking of Gym Leaders, are they allowed to hold other occupations or do they earn their wages by working as part of the Pokemon League?" Kirumi asked as she took a note of the sign at the Gym. "The camerawoman who never lets a single smile escape her focus."

"I'm going to let that explanation answer that one for you," Tim responded in a matter of fact way. Kirumi looked over to the side in an aloof but flustered way at her question being answered so matter of factly. Froakie chuckled at the exchange. Once she regained her composure and put the Roller Skates away in the Bag, they both looked at one another and nodded. Then they confidently strode into the Gym.

The Gym itself appeared to be a modestly-sized room, the size of a gallery exhibit and it wasn't the only thing reminiscent of a gallery. There was a vaguely moth and butterfly-like pattern of what was presumably a Pokemon on the floor, a concentrated lighting from the ceiling that focused on the center of the room, several photographs of wildlife and Pokemon displayed on the wall in full and magnified frames, two much larger screens of the same design hanging like drapery on the back wall, and two pillars with a vaguely lightning-bolt shaped Pokeball design on it. A plump but friendly looking middle-aged man stood by two small monoliths with faint scripture on it as though someone carved into it. Though the thing that stood out to Kirumi the most, and in a somewhat troubling way was in the middle of the room was a blatant hole. Not a circular one but rather an octagonal and narrow one. A thin silver pole like a firefighters seemed to lead a safe descent down into what Kirumi realized must've been the true area of the Gym. While she had paused in slight shock at the scene, Tim freely vocalized his thoughts.

"Pretty sweet, huh? I think I'll go first!" He exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. "Shouldn't be too bad."

"What's the hustle, little Crustles? Welcome to the Santalune City Gym! Two challengers at once is a bit uncommon, but you all strive for future Championship title alike! It'll be your first times, huh?" The assistant, in a professional but friendly manner, addressed them.

"Yeah, it'll be my first gym battle for sure," Tim answered.

"I'm unsure of what to expect but I'm ready for anything." Kirumi's voice had a faux confidence to it. Her eyes swiftly looked between the assistant and the pole. She wanted to imagine this was not some cruel coincidence that the Gym Leader Viola happened to want the individuals challenging her to feel as though they were climbing for dear life. Or that this wasn't a manifestation of the worst moment in Kirumi's life in a different form. She gripped her gloved hands tightly as the assistant continued, not knowing that Kirumi's mood had changed.

"Glad to see you are thrilled and pumped for you two. Having Pokemon at your side means you really can do anything! And really, they're going to be the ones doing all the battling so as long as you put your trust in them you got no worries! Am I right or am I right? Right?" Tim gave an amused shrug in response while Kirumi nodded with a forced smile.

"Jump on that pole there, you'll be on your way to where the Gym Leader's a-waitin' for you! Whoops! But before you two go, I'm supposed to tell you something!"

"What would that be?" Kirumi asked.

"Everybody in this Pokemon Gym uses Bug-type Pokemon. Got it? Good luck to you two!" The assistant gestured for them to enjoy themselves and do their best. With a nod, Tim would hop towards the silver pole excitedly but then noticed that Kirumi's heels clanging on the floor and making a sound seemed unusually slow. When he turned around just before sliding down, he noticed Kirumi gulping to herself, looking pale and rather uncertain as she still held her hands tightly. Her Froakie looked a bit confused at his trainer's sudden uncertainty and fear clearly written in her body language. Kirumi had finally stopped in front of the pole with Tim already down in the gym's main room, and still seemed pained by the sight.

"Um...Kirumi? What's wrong?" He asked with concern in his voice.

Kirumi frowned deeper when she realized Tim had noticed her lack of stoicism and hope. Kirumi felt deep down inside she was being silly. Cowardly. Foolish to be scared of something like this when the circumstances were totally different. She was going down, not up after all. Yet… the vaguely forestry and insect-like themes of the room, the light from above that reminded her all too well of her painful fate, and that she would have to grip something of the same shape had her hands feeling numb once more. I know I'm more capable of separating what could have been from reality, Kirumi scolded herself. Regardless, Tim's question forced Kirumi's hand at giving him an answer.

"There's... something about this that feels... unsettlingly familiar to... what Monokuma had me go through…" Kirumi made her answer as intentionally vague as possible for necessary reasons.

"I see...that's all I needed to hear." Timothy said gently. He had a soft smile and took her hand. The Killing Game clearly had shaken up Kirumi in some way beyond the stakes and the situation if she was reacting this badly to something seemingly mundane like sliding down a pole. He'd attempt to help her the best he could. "If it helps, I'll go through the gym here with you."

"... Y-yes... I would appreciate that…" Kirumi nervously stated as her Froakie hopped onto her shoulder, ready to take the plunge with them. Kirumi rested a hand on the pole and to her horror she saw the bloodied, shredded body parts again. She broke out into a cold sweat but compared to when she saw this hallucinatory image from that morning, she didn't dare risk the temptation of screaming in fright. She shook her head fiercely and was relieved to see the image go away though her hands still felt as though they clearly remembered the pain they had gone through. She put her other hand onto the pole and got into the position to slide down.

"Are you ready Tim?"

"Ready for you!" Tim called up. With that, Kirumi slid down. However… what she soon realized in a ghastly fashion was the Gym's layout. A GIANT SPIDER WEB. She promptly let go of the pole in shock and landed in a rough tumble onto the threaded and unsafe-looking path on her back, bouncing up into the air once as her Froakie found itself falling off her shoulder and similarly was within the whims of gravity as it bounced up alongside her. Tim sensed there was something up and quickly got into action when it was clear Kirumi was caught off-guard. He caught her as she landed and helped her to her feet while also giving Froakie room to land on his bag without being too winded up. Kirumi barely regarded that what he did for her and put a hand to her forehead in shock.

"Kirumi, is...is the gym making you uncomfortable?" He asked.

Memories of a grim descent, of only being able to pick herself up with her hands, upper body strength, and legs... feelings of knowing she was doomed to fail had flooded her mind. Kirumi knew she had landed in a literal web. A Thread of Agony. A... hell. Her very execution was within the same veins of a caught insect futilely and desperately trying to flee the spider's web and she had seen a web herself before fully committing herself to the arduous climb. Was this a sign she was still caught for her crimes and bound to be punished? That this world was no more forgiving than the Killing Game? It all made Kirumi feel extremely helpless and in that moment, she felt like running away again but as opposed to a mighty defiance as she had once demonstrated, she simply wanted comfort that she had been without for so long.

"Uuuuhhhhh… wahhhahhhhh… ahh.. Wahhhhh…!" Kirumi's tears came quickly and her soft sobbing quickly increased in volume as she ended up rushing to and hugging Tim desparetly as if begging him to save her. She had fully convinced herself nothing had changed.

All Tim could do here was try to keep Kirumi calm. Something told him that this was a thing that she had dealt with in the past. "Easy…" He held a comforting hand on her shoulder. "That mean bear isn't going to hurt you here." A throat clear. "Not if I have anything to say about it." Amelia herself gave a short but firm chirp to second her trainer's opinion. In spite of the fact the other trainers stationed a wooden planks at the Gym were staring at them, he felt no shame in attending to Kirumi's aid and wouldn't let them make light of her feelings. Kirumi's Froakie also joined in by hugging his Trainer's leg. Much like most individuals suffering a complete breakdown and sobbing fest, Kirumi's words took time to come and were stuck in an ebb and flow as she tried to get them out through her tears.

"T-this... nnnnghh... was my last moments... I-I recalled... I was in a spider's web... climbing to w-what... unnnnnn I thought was freedom... and.. I fell... there was no way out... i-in the first placeeeeee... wahhhhhhhhghhhhhh…" Kirumi felt herself gently pulled away from the hug by Tim who had put his hands on her shoulder and was staring into her eyes to give her the reminder of where she was now that she desperately needed. While he did this though, what he could make out from what was being said gave him cause for concern...but chose not to vocalize it. He didn't want to press the issue towards someone who was clearly not in the right mindset to be talking about something like that.

"I-I was going to c-crash… onto the ground… unhhunnn…! Aa-a-and yet-"

"You wound up here in Kalos." Tim finished her sentence for her as Kirumi wiped her tears messily with her sleeve in a very human display. With this, he was able to start piecing together things that were happening before he met Kirumi, but all the details weren't too clear to him right away. He cleared his throat sharply. "So...Monokuma was torturing you with some spider-like thing and...yeah…"

"...I-if only I could e-erase it from my mind... *Sniff*" Kirumi whimpered but was cooling down.

"The only thing we really can do is move forward, Tojo-san…" Tim rubbed her back. "And the way to move forward is to beat this gym together."

"..."

Kirumi knew she was making a scene and ultimately... what had happened had somehow been averted. She was alive now. While seeing a spider web like this was now permanently associated with risk of dying, she couldn't just give up on what was clearly a chance to save her friends. Tim was right that she had to do this in order to move on. To maybe someday realize and associate spiderwebs back to being something to clean up rather than a foreboding omen of death. She looked down at her Froakie who gave her a reassuring smile. The Pokemon's mere presence looking up to her was the finishing touch to her regaining her composure. Straightening her composure and letting Tim let go of her, she assumed her normal poised demeanor but this time looked a lot more alert and determined. Not as passive as she had been previously, she was ready to battle.

"You back with us, Tojo-san?" He checked.

"... Yes. The sooner we abandon and finish this Gym the better but I know Viola isn't associated with Monokuma. Everyone who was in the Killing Game was accounted for and addressed. And she doesn't know what sort of experiences I've undergone. While cobwebs might now be a sore subject for me as the Ultimate Maid... I'm going to not let Monokuma win. I will live." Kirumi fully reminded herself and Tim of her new status and her new objective.

"We're not gonna let Monokuma win. Alright?" Tim emphasized very much that it was a partnership. And then he would say something that would stick with Kirumi.

"No matter what happens, I'm gonna stick by your side through this."

Kirumi was pleased to hear this. She was not alone. Loneliness was what resulted in her methods and mistakes in the Killing Game. What ultimately led Kaede to think only she was able to try to find and defeat the Mastermind. Both of them hadn't had the integral ties and open mind to believe in the others until the very end and were driven to follow the cruelest methods by the one who put them in the terrible ordeals in the first place. With Tim she could recover and redeem herself. Or at least it was her best chance.

"... Yes. I've been requested to do the very same for you and I will triumph over Viola to claim my first Gym Badge!" Kirumi pointed towards what she believed was where the Gym Leader was stationed as she spoke gallantly.

"Then let's get you that gym badge!" He did a fist pump in anticipation.

It was at this moment Kirumi was finally able to take a gander at her surroundings. Beyond the giant spider web serving as their bridges to navigate around, there was a surprising amount of hanging greenery in large sizes as though they were the insects on the floor of a jungle. Large wooden platforms of a vaguely tribal design were what hoisted the Trainers up and there were wet dew drops scattered along the webs and a large darkness of mystery that didn't indicate where the Gym's end was. It was very fantastical and it once more made Kirumi feel as though Gonta would've absolutely loved this adventurous area. It was also an impressive feat in architectural design… minus the potential safety hazards.

"I never imagined seeing something like this in person… granted I never imagined seeing something like Monokuma so this Gym looks mundane in comparison. I think it is very special and encouraging compared to him." Kirumi vocalized her thoughts.

"Yeah. Every gym from what I know is custom made to the type it's fashioned after," Tim explained. "Though that doesn't really address any safety concerns I've heard about in the Unova region...specifically Mistralton."

"Ah, so you read my mind. What safety concerns?" Kirumi asked as she realized Tim was on the same wavelength as to her thoughts on the Gym's potential flaws.

"Well. The Mistralton City gym is a Flying-type gym in the Unova region. I'd ask if you could make of that what you will, but I heard it got revamped from cannons to being a flat out wind tunnel," The young man explained.

"... Cannons." Kirumi repeated the word with a furrowed brow and closed eyes. Firing people out of cannons was a concept that should only be put into practice by circuses or those who were fully aware of the danger of cannons.

"Yeah...I was just as surprised as you," Tim responded. "Thankfully mom is more than content with Kalos for us."

"You mean in terms of not having cannons or having safer gyms?" Kirumi found a way to incorporate some humor into the situation.

Tim could only chuckle at this. "Safer gyms, obviously. It'd be weird as heck if a doctor didn't want that."

"Yes. Now. We'll have to defeat all the trainers and then find our path to Viola." Kirumi said as she monitored the layout of the room. It was a spider web that had a set design to it so figuring out the paths mentally and with careful analysis was easy enough for Kirumi. They would steadily make strides through the Gym, battling the Trainers and earning experience that strengthened their Pokemon and helped them level up. Ultimately they arrived at Viola's pedestal.

"That determined expression... That glint in your eye that says you're up to the challenge... it's fantastic! Just fantastic! It seems that for a maid you have a real passion for life itself! Although I did hear you crying, I'm sure you are a Trainer that can overcome your nerves!" The bright wide-eyed photographer framed Kirumi with her hands as she studied the Ultimate Maid. Viola was a woman with sandy blonde hair, dark green eyes, slightly pale skin tone, and was shorter than average with a professional camera hanging from a strap around her neck. She had a white tank-top, bulky pants in a demure green hue with two big pockets on each leg and a matching wristband, a white cloth belt, and chunky brown boots with the same green laces. Her short haircut seemed to frame her face in a groovy style and her sharp eyebrows matched the intense focus she must've had as a photographer. Kirumi could sense behind her cheery demeanor was someone who earned her position.

"That's right, Viola. Sorry about that, she's just uh...a bit of an arachnophobe." Tim said idly while nervously scratching the back of his head. At mention of that, Kirumi wondered if she should approach Gonta about the topic if she was to meet him again on better circumstances. Putting that matter aside, she addressed Viola.

"Yes. In fact I would go as far as to declare that the main reason I can overcome my nerves is that I have Tim alongside me. Tim is someone very special to me and I'm serving his request to become a Trainer worthy of challenging Kalos's Pokemon League. So if you are my first gym leader... I will not hesitate to battle you." Kirumi's words reflected newfound clarity and bravery.

"Tojo-san is ready for you and so am I! We're starting our adventure here and now!" Tim confidently raised his arms in eagerness.

"Fantastic! Whether it's the tears of frustration that follow a loss or fears coming back to bite you or the blossoming of joy that comes with victory... They're both great subjects for my camera and the essence of a Pokemon journey!" Viola grinned.

"I know quite a bit about photography. It's a profession that many masters would like Maids to do for them. If you ever need someone to help you to develop the film, I am more than sufficient enough to fulfill that duty." Kirumi offered sweetly. It was a duty she had done on occasion for her masters families and gatherings and also something she was perfectly willing to do during Kaede's case had the Monokubs not taken it upon themselves to do the duty.

"Fantastic! That'll be just fantastic! I appreciate someone who is always helpful and selfless to others to bring the smiles I so love to capture onto their faces. Still, I wonder if you'll be determined enough to win this battle! Now come at me! My lens is always focused on victory- I won't let anything ruin this shot!" Viola held her camera up and gave a thumbs up to Kirumi to let her know she was ready. Tim took a seat on the side, eager to see how Kirumi would apply everything she had learned thus far through his and his friend's guidance. Plus it'd be helpful to see how Viola fought for his own battle. Kirumi stood attentively as she drew a Pokeball before suddenly taking a breath and then honing her stance into something reminiscent of a martial artist.

"And I won't let anything get in my way again. My goals and selfless devotion is set!" Kirumi bellowed. Viola snapped a picture of this impressive fortitude and both Trainers summoned their first Pokemon.

Kirumi saw that Viola's first Pokemon was a Surskit, a blue water spider-looking Pokemon that looked rather cute as it seemed to move to and fro along the ground. Kirumi summoned her Fletchling, knowing that the Tiny Robin Pokemon would have they type advantage here. Regardless of this discrepancy though, if Kirumi got cocky with this fact then Viola's experience could surely turn the tables on her. By default, the Ultimate Maid never allowed herself to develop overt arrogance in her skills. Even during the disastrous Class Trial she felt she maintained an easy level of confidence without getting too cocky in trying to lead the class astray, which while it didn't help, did delay the discovery of her suspicion for a good length of time. As opposed to a fight for survival this will be a fight for triumph, Kirumi reminded herself. I shan't falter but I also shan't panic! Viola made the first move.

"Surskit, use Bubble attack!" Surskit would send the same watery orbs as Froakie did which Kirumi had analyzed enough to determine their speed and average trajectory.

"Fletchling! Avoid the hurdles and retaliate with Peck!" Kirumi's response had her Fletchling gracefully swerving out of the bubbles path and heading towards Surskit. Surskit was quick as it turned out though and moved out of the way before attempting a Quick Attack, flying forth at Fletchling and managing to hit the Normal/Flying-Type. However, Fletchling took this opportunity to Peck at Surskit as the Pond Skater Pokemon was in recoil. It hit and left Surskit badly hurt and already on its last legs.

"I see I see… you definitely took to these battles faster for a rookie. Impeccable!" Viola seemed much more impressed by Kirumi's Pokemon than worried for her own prospects. A rather optimistic outlook that Kirumi would find respect for.

"Try a combo attack of Bubble and Quick Attack!" Viola's next order piqued Kirumi's interest. Surskit would form a Bubble and surround itself with it before charging at Fletchling. Kirumi believed it was likely some kind of temporary barrier that would absorb the impact of an attack before Fletchling's own Peck would go through. Kirumi wasn't going to let Viola's tactic succeed so easily so she instead improvised.

"Fletchling take your time and pop the Bubble!" Fletchling nodded at Kirumi's command and when Surskit grew dramatically near, it did a front flip and popped the Bubble with its beak just as Surskit was pressing onward under it. Surskit was startled and skidded to a halt but by then it was too late. Fletchling as soon as it landed flew forth and Pecked Surskit one last time and knocked out the Pond Skater Pokemon. Viola tipped her hand and her head in respect and seemed at ease with this.

"Skillful effort Surskit. Take your rest." Viola then returned her Bug/Water Pokemon to its ball before addressing Kirumi, "Your words were definitely not just for sure. It's awesome to know new Trainers like yourself are on the path of Champions."

"I'm happy to meet your appraisal." Kirumi politely responded.

"I still got one more Pokemon to test your perspective. Vivillon I choose you!" Viola's second and seemingly last Pokemon was summoned to the field. It was a beautiful butterfly-like Pokemon with a colorful and vivid pink pattern on it's wings and an almost dreamy air about it.

"What an exquisite appearance…" Kirumi said in awe.

"Vivillon's are an incredible species. Many of them have a wide variety of wing patterns based on their environment, place in the world, and even time of evolution! So many people collect them with gusto and I certainly love taking pictures of them. I've been building a whole collection of shots from the many kinds that there are and I'm still finding more!" Viola gushed.

"Wow! That's really impressive. Hopefully we can see more special Pokemon on our journey." Tim thought aloud. Having had Amelia all his life, he felt like he had only scratched the surface of what kind of Pokemon were out there and what could have a place on his team. A Pokemon of such a distinct variety and beauty could reflect that there would be very powerful Pokemon or ones with badass characteristics to fulfill his heart's desire.

"That is an admirable effort and I truly will keep an eye out for any unique Vivillon myself. However, it is also my opponent is it not?" Kirumi gave a composed smile.

"You're right so don't underestimate it! Vivillon, Infestation!" Vivillon sent an unusual looking projectile that seemed like a cluster of fireflies or gnats towards Fletchling.

"Push through Fletchling and go for a decisive strike"! Kirumi pointed at the Scale Pokemon and Fletchling followed.

Despite getting hit and seemingly pestered by the continuous Infestation, Fletchling's drive was rewarded and it landed a super-effective Peck on Vivillon. Vivillon wailed in pain but wasn't willing to go down that easy. It tackled Fletchling, sending the Tiny Robin Pokemon rolling along the ground in pain from the impact. It was now looking a bit worse for wear from enduring two hard-fought battles. Still, it knew of Kirumi's own emotions from earlier and didn't want to let the Ultimate Maid down. This was a victory soon to be cinched as long as it fought for Kirumi's sake. Fletchling got back up and sprinted once more towards Vivillon, pushing through the continuous pain. Vivillon attempted to blow back Fletchling by flapping it's large wings and producing a significant stream of wind but Fletchling was undeterred. With all the devotion it could muster to it's trainer, it thrust itself forward on wings of glory and Pecked Vivillon down again, knocking out the Pokemon. Viola gave a shocked expression at the limits pushed by Fletchling. Tim applauded the result of the battle gracefully. He knew Kirumi had it in her to win and through her training, she had produced her own results doing something new for the first time like this.

"Excellent job Tojo-san." He said. Kirumi was initially surprised at this result. It was over so dramatically and yet it ended with her coming out on top. She hadn't even needed to use Zigzagoon or Froakie. Fletchling, who was barely standing but looking very proud of himself, had truly been her champion. Someone she could rely on for something as crucial as this. It gave a deep sense of accomplishment that she had missed during the Killing Game. This was not just another routine task she had completed, it was something she had done for herself.

"Vanquished. I'm no longer trapped in the spider's web." She freed herself from the trauma of her Execution at last. Returning Fletchling to their ball, she stepped towards Viola, who had returned Vivillon to its ball as well. Viola beamed at her and put her hands on her hips before speaking,

"You and your Pokemon have shown me a whole new depth of field! Fantastic! Just fantastic! It's great to see you overcome your fears in my lens! I simply must reward you for that incredible moment you helped me capture. I present to you the Bug Badge." Viola then pulled out a small accessory from an official case in her pocket. It was designed like a simplified version of an Egyptian Scarab pendant with a woodsy brown color and two green gem-stone emblems on it meant to represent its markings no doubt. It was quite beautiful and Kirumi wondered if perhaps she could give it to Gonta as a gift after this was all done, knowing he might find better use out of it than herself.

"Awesome! One down, seven to go!" Tim patted Kirumi on the shoulder as she admired her earned Badge. Kirumi would turn to him and smile gently. He was truly a good friend to be so supportive of her in spite of her episode. It felt proper to thank him for that and this kindness. So she opened up more about the one who this Gym most fondly reminded her of, the one thing that she felt would help never worry about webs again.

"... One of my friends was the Ultimate Entomologist. I suppose had I thought of him prior to coming here I wouldn't have become so emotionally vulnerable... he had a wonderful gentlemanly demeanor and fondness for his talent and the wildlife. That is how I must think of insects now... I do not need to think back to the web as a symbol of despair but a symbol of Gonta's hope." Kirumi shared.

"Focus on hope, Tojo-san. It'll make the miles shorter." Tim gave her some sage advice. Indeed she had heard the phrase 'time flies when you are having fun' and in a way that would be what'd best help her right now. As they talked and Viola put away her case of Bug Badges, she worked on healing up her Pokemon and checked in with Tim.

"So you Tim, are you ready for your turn under my lens?" Viola asked.

"Let's do this thing, Viola!" Tim let Amelia fly out of her ball, ready to do battle.

"I am certain you will perform splendidly, Timothy." Kirumi, quickly adapting to being the new witness this time, took her seat on the side and looked excited to see Tim's Gym Battle.

He only had one Pokemon, so Tim had to exercise caution against Viola. Against her Surskit, Tim encouraged Amelia to stay airborne against this foe, using Gust to push back against any Bubble attacks and Quick Attack uses. It wouldn't take much to defeat her Surskit.

Vivillon on the other hand was a completely different beast, what with Infestation kicking in. Despite not being very effective, it was a bit of a distraction for the Flying-type in keeping up with her strategy. However, when Vivillon went to use Tackle, Tim got an idea.

"Amelia! Use Quick Attack!" Tim shouted. His gambit was simple - the force from Tackle and Quick Attack colliding should, in theory, be enough to knock the bugs off of his Pidgey to get rid of the damage over time. Sure enough, the impact made a small shockwave that was enough to disperse the swarm that was on Amelia and also do decent damage to both Pokemon from their respective attacks. Both Kirumi and Viola were astounded by this ingenuity.

"Clever, clever! Vivillon Harden!" Viola ordered. Vivillon bolstered its defenses to make it harder for Amelia to get the edge damage-wise. Despite the buff maneuver, Kirumi had full faith Amelia's power would be enough to cinch victory and the defenses were not yet high enough to nullify Amelia's damage.

"Give yourself a boost with Gust, and finish with Quick Attack!" Tim exclaimed. Using Gust to give herself a tailwind, Amelia would crash into Vivillon with a Quick Attack, being just enough to win the battle for the young Vaniville Town resident. Viola bowed respectfully to Tim.

"I gotta say you live up to your DeBouff legacy. My sister covered your mother in a story before and she's an amazing woman. You have just as much of a spark in you as Kirumi does as a Trainer and that really gets me inspired!" Viola remarked.

"Heck yeah I do!" Tim beamed. "Amelia, that was awesome!" His Pidgey went back over to her trainer's shoulder, proudly perching herself and satisfied with a job well done. Kirumi walked over to Timothy and did her own bow of respect.

"Truly a masterful performance Tim and Amelia. Your potential is already yielding great results." She spoke more formally than naturally but Tim could sense she did mean it that she was impressed by the battle.

"Hey thanks. We're both yielding great results so far, Tojo-san," Tim mused. "If we keep this up, our shot into the Kalos League is as good as guaranteed."

Once Viola handed the Bug Badge to Kirumi, there was nothing left to do in Santalune City Gym. Viola waved them goodbye as both Kirumi and Timothy made their leave.

"Before we make our formal departure I heard there was a Trainer's School in this City. Is it worth investigating?" Kirumi and Tim were just passing the doorway when something caught Kirumi's attention from the corner of her eye. A small but unique shape of somebody who was over in the Gym still leaning in the frame of the doorway. Staring at her with the uncharacteristic sweat of someone who was possibly anxious or… scared. Looking no worse for wear from when Kirumi last… interacted…

"...?" Kirumi stopped in place and turned to get a better look at what suddenly had her feeling a bit disturbed and shaken up. That cat-ear hat with a blue tennis racket design… the blue and black jumpsuit… the black jacket and the handcuffed ankle… Kirumi had mused that she freed herself from the fear of her Execution. But here and now, what she saw reminded her there was something she could never free herself from. The short young man with the cropped red hair, big black eyes with no visible pupils, black shoes with red soles, and the pronounced leg muscles of someone from his field known as Ryoma Hoshi. The Ultimate Tennis Pro. Her victim. Kirumi knew instinctively this had to be some sort of vision but what wracked her brain was why now? Much to her great inward relief, before she could start panicking again, Timothy stepped in between her and Ryoma's utterly terrifying gaze.

"Kirumi? Did you not hear me? What are you looking at?" He asked. He naturally assumed Kirumi had maybe thought of something she had forgotten to say to Viola or was reflecting on the Gym's appearance one last time. Not that she was potentially hallucinating the appearance of someone she had slain in a fit of desperation and determination. Kirumi put a hand to her forehead and shook her head. A common procedure to refocus if she was tired or distracted.

"I apologize... it might be the post Gym Battle fatigue. And in truth it has been a long day... maybe we should rest first actually. Although loitering in the city probably isn't allowed…" Kirumi was perfectly aware she didn't give a straight answer but she was hoping Tim would be ok with that. With a quick glance over to where she had seen him, she was relieved to see that Ryoma was no longer there. Yet it didn't bring her any closure on the emotional heartache and turmoil that image represented to her. She was feeling genuinely exhausted, even more so from that sight. So she felt the best course of action was to get some rest and think about it more tomorrow. Still she knew it was Tim's choice on what to do next and so she awaited his response.

"Hey, you don't need to apologize for anything. A Pokemon journey can be exhausting. It happens to even the best of us. We can stay at the Pokemon Center since they provide free lodging." To Kirumi's benefit, Tim didn't seem to fully grasp what it was she was hallucinating about, and it'd probably be best to leave that aside for the time being. Who knows what his opinion of her would be if that were to get out now? For now, he was more concerned about her well-being in the moment.

"Thank you." Kirumi gave a tiny, relieved smile. She knew that one day there'd naturally come a time she needed to confess to her sins (Not that she was confident that Kalos had a proper church for that sort of thing) but at least it wasn't today.

As they continued on outside of the Gym, it was indeed nighttime and Santalune City looked even more enchanting now than it did in the day. The lamposts's warm benevolence and the overarching moonlit glow made it seem very tranquil. Kirumi recalled how desolate her nights had been in the Killing Game. Whereas she had not been as scared as her classmates were about the prospect of going about at night, she knew that some of her classmates could not shake the unease of the moon's presence in that empty school. Only inside their dorms could they possibly feel safe at night as it was a natural fact murders were easier to execute in the cover of night. That was no longer applicable here and Kirumi welcomed it. Once inside the Pokemon Center, Kirumi asked the Nurses (Apparently all named Joy once Tim explained it to her) for a designated sleeping area and also paid for necessary equipment to prepare a fitting dinner and also the sleeping arrangements for her and Tim. They gladly provided her with such and going into a guest quarters inside the Pokemon Center, they found a lot of cots as well as a bathroom, kitchen, closet, dining room and small entertainment area. There were a few other trainers present and using the facility so Kirumi naturally felt comfortable immediately.

"What would you like me to prepare for dinner, Tim?" She asked him cordially.

"Ah, I'm not too much of a picky eater," The young man told her. "Surprise me!"

Kirumi seemed a little reticent at that. She had rarely ever been allowed to cook a meal of her own choosing under a master's contract In the very rare spare time she had to actually cook for herself, she'd only make something that would help her keep up her superlative work ethic… or work on the nefarious recipes that gave her the most trouble. Still, she wasn't entirely helpless to Tim's carefree order. She nodded and said,

"Understood." Ultimately she settled for some empanadas with creamy chicken and a few spices consisting of ones that she recognized and one that apparently had been completely new to this world as she didn't recognize the name. The taste of it though seemed a perfect compliment to the chicken and other spices and so she used it. A side salad of greens with a fresh dressing and a simple but efficient milk tea with whipped art for added flair were prepared as well. She presented the dish to Tim hoping to meet his standards. Much to no one's surprise, it definitely met his standards of being good food.

"Man, you gotta teach mom some of your recipes sometime Tojo-san! I'd bet she'd love to see what you do in the kitchen." He chimed in gleefully.

"If she would be so welcoming to the idea then certainly." Kirumi smiled. One of the greatest pleasures that did come from her work as a maid was the delight one had when they tasted her food and enjoyed it. She'd always treasure this feeling no matter how much she'd change.

As things wound down for the night with the meals finished and utensils put in the sink, her and Tim brushed their teeth and flossed before kicking off their shoes and relaxing. Kirumi made the cots easily and as comfortably as she could and even tried to tuck Tim in much to his embarrassment once he laid down on his cot.

"I don't remember the last time mom did this for me…" He chuckled at this situation he was in.

"M-my apologies Tim. I simply wanted to do that out of generosity. I should've asked first." Kirumi had a small blush on her face as she realized she had unintentionally proven all the 'mom' comments made about her right for a moment.

"Nah nah, it's all good. Something to remember not to do in the future though," He responded, playing it off as not a big deal. It really wasn't a big deal to him, as he could tell his traveling companion was someone who had a big heart. Kirumi looked relieved as Tim pulled up his covers and Nurse Joy's voice on the intercom played.

"Lights will be going off shortly everyone. If you still intend to stay up, please be sure to use one of the nightlights provided by your bedside for lighting as to not wake up the others and use headphones for any devices. Hope you enjoy your stay at the Santalune Pokemon Center! Pleasant dreams!"

"... *Chuckles* A much warmer voice than Monokuma's goodnights that's for sure." She commented to Tim as she climbed into her own cot.

"Night…" Tim would drift off to sleep himself, musing over the good times they've had so far, and the good times they'd continue to have as the journey continues.

Once the lights went down, Kirumi looked up at the ceiling, thinking more on what had truly been a whirlwind day. It had started for her all the way back in the morning when Himiko's magic show was set to happen and now it ended with her here in a Pokemon Center, sleeping peacefully in someplace she had never heard of before. It also harkened her back to that very previous night where her actions had been rouge-like, cunning, and ruthless. Where she had plotted someone's murder and executed it quickly and yet... carelessly. Should she have removed the glove? Should she have tried to further condemn Maki for her alibi regardless of Kaito? Should she have more carefully taken care of her ropeway to keep it from falling apart in the pool?

"... No." She whispered to herself. She had done something wrong in the first place. She had disregarded Kaede's last wish and the painful irony was that she was being rewarded for it. If anything, Ryoma's bizarre presence (Kirumi sincerely hoped that it wasn't a vengeful ghost like in a horror movie) served as a reminder of her condemnation. She was doomed to hell for all eternity under the moralities she had broken. Or was it really all that simple?

Turning over to look at the dozing Tim, it occurred to her that she and her new friend were in the same place Kaito and Shuichi were. She remembered that Kaito proudly claimed Shuichi as his sidekick after the first Class Trial and that he was his biggest cheerleader at the moment. She had regarded the whole situation as rather sweet and it made her proud to see Shuichi stepping up to the plate and using his talent with confidence that she knew he had within him. For unmasking her crimes she had hated them in the courtroom and yet even Shuichi urged her to run for freedom... and perhaps it was the Ultimate Detective that she should pay homage to. He had grown... no... was growing at this very moment while she had been stuck at that Motive Video. At being the Prime Minister and the Ultimate Maid who was convicted and nearly executed. Tim was her Kaito though, helping her to better herself and become better than that merciless killer she proved herself to be.

Through Tim, she was carrying on her wish of Selfless Devotion in a different light by atoning for her selfishness. The selfishness that had shown up at the worst possible time and nearly killed people who had accepted and welcomed her graciously and wanted to survive just as much she had. That was what she should be doing and she was intent on sticking through with it. And with that, the Ultimate Maid fell asleep, no shadow of the Killing Game looming over her as it had before.

To Be Continued…

Author's Note Flash: Before the chapter ends, I wanna say that this early stretch of the adventure I was not expecting to be so easy with a Pidgey of all things. I just went ahead and used the standard encounter on Route 2 you get in X and Y for Tim's starter and she had put in a lot of work as the story progressed. Next time he'll get another member, but I won't say what it is until then. That's all from me, back to the guy who is writing this thing primarily.

Author's Note Lolitafreak88: So sorry for the wait again! Procrastination is one of my worst traits! Luckily I think the next chapter will be out much sooner than this one took so stay tuned! Viola is a really cute and exemplary first Gym Leader imo and certainly one of Kalos best. She's spunky, has nice interactions in the game and story, and while an easy fight is still cool. Eye-catching gym as well. Never realized how much trauma fuel her Gym would be for Kirumi though, ouch. Kirumi is definitely reminded of her actions constantly and I really wanted to capture just how hard it must be on someone who narrowly escaped a cruel and brutal death by Execution mentally. Not to mention the remorse and guilt that comes with taking someone's life and not feeling worthy of good things happening to you. Also, Ryoma's presence in Kalos has an in-universe explanation so don't fret about that. Expect more streamlined but developed Pokemon X true content in the next chapter since this chapter is a bit more V3 heavy than the other ones. Hope you are enjoying following along on this amazing tale!