"Have I mentioned recently how much I hate boys?" said Mori as Liam sat down on the beanbag next to her.
"Is that why you're sitting with us instead of Dustin?" asked Vasilio teasingly.
Mori rolled her eyes.
"He's not here," sad Mori. "And you have no idea how much convincing it took to get my dad to let me come. Anyways, I've got a pretty good idea of why Liam is here, and it proves what I said."
"Maybe I'm here to watch I Am Munchlax," suggested Liam.
Mori gave a dismissive sniff. Liam was a little offended—he really did like I Am Munchlax, and he was looking forward to seeing how their weeks of practice turned out.
"Wait, so if Dustin isn't here, and you're not performing, why are you here?" asked Liam.
Mori shrugged.
"Better than being at home."
Liam wasn't so sure. He had only visited the international youth group once before, and it had only confirmed his impression that being with this many students in this small of a space wasn't something that appealed to him. It met in a medium-sized apartment with most of its walls and furniture stripped out, apart from a small kitchenette. There were the expected worn-out sofas and squashy bean bags, of course, and a pool table that was so crooked that it could hardly allow for a fair game. Liam scanned the room for familiar faces, and found more than a few. Most of the raucous freshman class—Chelsea included—were piled onto a single, sagging sofa, with Robert holding court at the center of the group. Taylor and Arthur were tuning their guitars near the pool table.
"This was a bad idea," Liam muttered to his Sneasel, who was perched on his right shoulder.
Sneasel growled in agreement.
Liam was surprised how quickly he warmed to the talent show once it actually got started. The acts varied widely in content and quality, but each one either offered some new, unexpected insight about one of his schoolmates or confirmed something he had long suspected. Orchid, for instance, simply walked up onto the elevated alcove the youth group used as a stage, placed her painting of Liam's Houndoom on an easel, and sat back down, ignoring the applause and cheering that her (in Liam's opinion, exceptional) piece received from the audience. As usual, her pride in her own work kept her from appreciating the approval of the unwashed masses. I Am Munchlax, after taking almost ten minutes to set up, performed only one song—"Flavor of the Weak"—but the students (and the judges) loved it. Mori alone seemed unimpressed.
"Really?" she said to Vasilio after he finished putting away his electric bass.
"It was Taylor's idea," said Vasilio sheepishly.
"Taylor's an idiot," said Mori, crossing her arms sullenly.
Dance seemed to be the most common talent on display. A trio of 8th grade girls from Ferrum gave a performance Liam thought was impressive, but a little raunchy for a school talent show. Chelsea and Marsha's routine, by contrast, was more amusing than sexy. They danced to a Ferrumian pop song, with Marsha following the actual routine while Chelsea reinterpreted it as ballet. Both girls clearly found dancing in front of so many people deeply embarrassing, and their performance was repeatedly interrupted by them breaking into fits of giggles, but the act was a hit with the crowd. It wasn't quite what Liam had expected, but Chelsea's alternately graceful and clumsy movements still left him entranced.
"Chez is a good dancer," observed Liam as the two girls took their embarrassed bows and almost ran off off-stage.
"You gonna leave now?" said Mori. "Since you've finished ogling the nosy freshman?"
Liam frowned at Mori. He almost felt like staying just to prove her wrong.
"What are you so peeved about, anyways?" he asked.
Mori sniffed.
"Everyone is being stupid," she said evasively.
"Well... sorry for whatever stupid thing I did," said Liam. "If that helps."
Mori shook her head.
"You are being stupid about the nosy redhead, but it's not you. It's not even just Vasilio and his stupid song."
"It wasn't my idea," said Vasilio.
"Well, you still went along with it," said Mori sharply. "And you and your girlfriend seemed like you were pretty into it. Anyways, I know what you think."
She stuck her tongue at Vasilio. Above her shoulder, Mori's Misdreavus did the same.
"I really am sorry," said Vasilio, lowering his voice in earnest. "It was mean. I should've tried to talk him out of it."
Mori flushed. She clearly hadn't expected conciliation from Vasilio.
"Whatever," said Mori carefully avoiding Vasilio's gaze. "I already know what you really think."
Missy stuck her tongue out at Vasilio again, earning a swat from Mori.
"We were already rude," she scolded. "We're doing the silent treatment now, you idiot."
Liam and Vasilio did their best to conceal their smiles.
Several students incorporated Pokemon into their acts. Liz and her Heracross demonstrated an impressive juggling routine that ultimately won them third place. John Kim and his Whimisicott took first place with a contemporary dance set to a Coldplay song that bored Liam, but earned rapturous applause and even a few tears from his fellow freshmen. Although Stephanie didn't place, her almost zen-like demonstration of herbal medicine on her Lucario was a highlight of the evening. Even on stage, Liam observed, Stephanie's bedside manner was impeccable.
I Am Munchlax ultimately took second place, which seemed to please everyone other than Mori.
"Man, it's a good thing we got something out of this," said Arthur wearily. "I gave up a lot of studying to—."
"You mean you gave up a lot of Halo," interrupted Liz. "Come on, Arthur, you're never gonna convince us you're a good student when we know you're not."
"Guys, come on, I can show you my class schedule. I'm really taking a lot of APs."
"In my brother's defense, he is taking a lot of hard classes," said Sylvia. "However... Yeah, he does spend most of his time playing video games."
"I need new friends," said Arthur. "You guys wanna go blow our prize on shaokao?"
"See, there's the Arthur we know and love," said Liz, kissing him on the cheek.
"So, what did you think, bro?" said Chelsea as she took the seat next to Liam at one of the low, rickety tabes outside the shaokao place.
"Very entertaining," said Liam. "And I didn't know you did ballet."
"Six years," said Chelsea proudly. "But my old teacher moved back to Kalos, so our dance class broke up."
"Who else was in it?" asked Liam, offering a chunk of well-seasoned meat to his Houndoom, which devoured it eagerly.
"Mostly people you don't know," said Chelsea. "Claire was—she's not very flexible, though. She always had a hard time. Oh, and Mori was part of the class for a little while. She quit after a few months, though. I think she got a private teacher after that."
"Really?" said Liam. "Chez, how is it that you know everybody's secrets? I had no idea Mori did ballet."
Chelsea took a huge bite of meat and shrugged.
"Just nosy, I guess," she said.
Liam looked at Vasilio, who was sitting opposite him at the square table.
"Did you know Mori did ballet?"
"Yeah," said Vasilio. "Mori's parents make her do a lot of stuff. They're very… demanding."
"I feel so bad for that girl," chimed in Rebecca. "She's under so much pressure to be perfect."
Liam took a bite of his grilled leeks. He knew Mori wouldn't think much of the sympathy of someone like Rebecca, and he privately agreed.
"She can manage," said Vasilio. "Anyways, I think she likes ballet and piano and all that other stuff because it gets her out of the house—away from her parents."
"Yeah, that sounds like Mori," said Liam. deciding to change the subject before Rebecca had another chance to pity their friend. "Okay, so I can't be the only one who thinks Orchid or Stephanie should have placed instead of John Kim, right?"
Chelsea frowned.
"Did you not like his dance?" she asked. "He's so good! He's been dancing his whole life, and his Whimsicott—."
"It was boring," said Liam flatly. "I'd rather see a Heracross juggle than watch someone dance to a sappy Coldplay song any day."
Vasilio kicked Liam under the table, presumably to indicate that dragging Chelsea's Winter Ball date through the mud wasn't the wisest thing to do.
"Well, bro, maybe you should come up with something better next year," said Chelsea. "Then you won't have to complain."
"Rambling about the Spring and Autumn Period isn't a talent, unfortunately," said Vasilio with a smirk.
Chelsea snorted, while Liam felt his face going red.
"I have… other talents," said Liam sullenly.
"Drooling over girls also doesn't count," said Rebecca.
"You sound like Mori," said Liam, feeling a little peeved at Vasilio for the picture of his personal life that his friend had fed to Rebecca.
"Oh, I don't know," said Chelsea with a mischievous grin. "Maybe Liam has absolutely perfect taste in girls. That could be a talent."
Vasilio and Rebecca both chortled, but Liam took it as a challenge.
"Cass McCloud was the most perfect girl in Everspring International Pokemon Academy," he said. "So, yes Chez, my taste is perfect."
"Oh my gosh, he does still miss her," said Rebecca with a squeal. "That's so adorable."
Chelsea seemed a little embarrassed that Liam had run with her joke, but she quickly recovered.
"Okay, bro," she said, adopting the same teasing tone. "If Cass was the most perfect girl last year, who's the most perfect girl now?"
This felt like a trick. It was almost like she was daring him to say "you," and that made Liam feel like it was the wrong answer.
"If I tell you now, I won't have anything left for the talent show next year," said Liam, flicking Chelsea on the shoulder.
She seemed to like the answer.
"Wait, there's school tomorrow, right?" said Arthur abruptly.
There was a collective groan. It was nearly 10:45, and Everspring City was growing dark and quiet. The flickering streetlight above them cast a warm, yellow-orange light on the sidewalk where the shaokao guy and his Magmar were still roasting new skewers of meat and vegetables. Were this a Friday, as they all seemed to have convinced themselves it was, the night would have been just beginning. But there were assignments to turn in and quizzes to take, and Liam suddenly felt very, very tired.
"I'm gonna walk Rebecca home," said Vasilio. "See ya."
"Make sure she actually makes it," said Liam, flicking him on the shoulder.
Liam began collecting his Pokemon. Espeon was snoozing with its head in Chelsea's lap, while Houndoom was curled up under the table gnawing on gristle. Murkrow was whirling overhead, chasing passing swarms of Zubat.
"Get down here," said Liam, recalling it to its Pokeball. "Stop terrorizing the wildlife."
Chelsea gave a loud yawn.
"I don't think I can make it," she said. "Me and Espie will sleep here."
"Espeon is coming home with me," said Liam. "And your house is like five minutes away. You can make it."
He offered her his hand and lifted her to her feet.
"Fine," she groaned. "But walk me home at least, bro. Gotta take care of the freshmen, right? Professor Werner would be mad if I fell asleep in a ditch or something."
"Or in the fountain?"
Liam wondered immediately if he should have kept his mouth shut. Neither of them had mentioned the weird sleepwalking episode since that night.
"Yeah," said Chelsea. "Sleeping outside sucks."
"Has it happened again?" asked Liam as they set out back in the direction of New Court.
"Once or twice," said Chelsea.
They walked for a while in silence.
"There was something else," said Chelsea quietly. "I found this in my locker at the end of the day."
She handed Liam a small, folded paper. He knew instantly what it was.
RASMUS ACTED ON HIS OWN. I FOUND OUT TOO LATE. SORRY.
"Well, that explains some of it," said Liam. "Although it leaves us with just as much a mystery as before."
"Well, we know it can't be Claire," said Chelsea. "If she was there with him, she would have known ahead of time."
"How did you know she was there?" said Liam.
Chelsea glanced down at the last Pokeball on his belt.
"That's her Bisharp, right?"
"Yeah," said Liam. "She left it behind."
Chelsea brooded for a moment.
"That's not… like her. It must have happened by accident."
Liam coughed uncomfortably.
"You know about Anastasia, right?"
"Yeah," said Chelsea. "But didn't she do that to… prove something? And you told me she ran away when she saw her at the Orphanage, right?"
Liam didn't recall telling Chelsea about what happened that night, but he decided not to bring it up.
"I wouldn't put anything past her, to be honest," said Liam. "I'm pretty sure she came to Hempshear just so she and Rasmus could break into the Tubon Plateau. Everything is some kind of game to her."
Chelsea shook her head.
"She's just afraid, bro."
"Not to be rude, but you haven't talked to her all that recently," said Liam impatiently. "Anyways, if you knew all the stuff she did to Mori, you would—."
KZZZT.
There was a blinding flash accompanied by loud, high-pitched buzzing. Liam was sent sprawling to the ground, his hands and feet numb and tingling. Sneasel, who had been perched on his shoulder, went tumbling onto the pavement. Chelsea was thrown in the opposite direction. Just a few meters away, Liam heard the clop of roofs and the tramp of booted feet. As he tried to crawl to his feet, Chelsea gave a sudden cry. She was being jerked to her feet by someone—pulled out of Liam's reach by a blonde girl in a white and gold uniform.
Liam didn't have to guess who it was.