Ello, everyone! Welcome to our first official chapter with the rest of the cast! I'm super excited to introduce them, and I hope that you end up loving (or loving to hate!) everyone like I do! Not much to say, so on to review replies! If you're new to my stories, I respond to reviews up top here before each chapter begins. Skip to below the thin line for the true beginning of the chapter!

tobi-is-an-artist-too: Arsene does have a pretty cool name. A bunch of people have really cool names (that make my SpellCheck cry.) And Ems takes great care of herself, I don't know what you're talking about! Also, Rain is not dumb. He's just very sleepy.

Crimson Spider Lily: Hey! Rare Crim review! I'm honored! haha What are you talking about? My protagonists always and only live very fully, very happy, very long lives, yep! Totally safe. Totally. Thank you for sending Artimisia! She makes me laugh every time I read her form.

Insomniac98338: You know, I didn't quite realize that the partners are basically their own characters too until I started writing intros. So that's been a very fun challenge! haha I did really like Lissa, but Kona just fit my needs super well. (And gave me another male!) Thanks for submitting him!

CandiedStars: I'm glad that you really like Ems! I'm always nervous over whether or not people will like the protagonist! Thank you so much for sending in Wisteria! She is lovely and I adore her.

LillyShepard: Wisteria does have a super distinctive name. There are a lot of names in this fic that are totally new to me, so it's a lot of fun being introduced to them. Thank you for sending in Lucille! She is absolutely wonderful!

Ems fiddled with her nametag for a second more before heading off in the direction that bright yellow arrows told her the auditorium was in. Even if she still had a little time to explore, it made sense to still go in that direction. What if she went the other way and lost track of time? Or got lost somehow? She couldn't just show up late! That would mess everything up, knock her off balance during the one day that she really needed to be on her game. These first impressions would be absolutely critical if she wanted this new school life to be as smooth and as stress-free as possible.

Oh, please let them go well. Please.

Almost as soon as she thought that, Ems frowned. All right, that was more than enough begging and pleading. That would do nothing but subconsciously convince her that she was going to fail. Mimikyu leaned his head her side. Ems looked down at him, and after a moment, nodded.

"You're right. I've prepared for this."

She just needed to focus on her external surroundings as opposed to her inner thoughts. That would help. And maybe eat a second granola bar to help clear her head. She munched quiet happily on it as she walked down the wood paneled hall. Like the entrance, everything was impeccably designed and decorated, something that made the complete lack of a welcoming committee only more glaring. She really hoped that this wasn't a sign of things to come.

There were wooden doors every so often. A quick glance inside revealed standard classrooms that could have been found in any high school. There was the latest technology of course, and each room had large windows to let in plenty of natural light. Okay, so maybe you wouldn't see these classrooms in any high school. But certainly in any school that had some access to money. Nothing special or earth shattering really, which honestly did disappoint her a little. She had been hoping for some kind of futuristic device or prototype that she could play with. Regardless, the classrooms were all empty, so Ems quickly moved on. There was no reason to dawdle in order to explore the intricacies of desk layout.

She turned a corner and immediately stopped. In front of her was a metal door, which honestly would have been enough to catch her attention after all of the wood. It was plain and discrete. It was just a boring, grey door that you could find anywhere.

That was slightly ajar with its handle dangling by a single screw.

Well then.

That was certainly unexpected.

Ems narrowed her eyes and stalked to the door, grabbing it just above the handle and yanking it open. It only took her eyes a moment to settle on the two figures inside.

"I'm fairly certain that you're not supposed to be in here."

One of the figures, a tall, lanky teen, looked at Ems over his shoulder with a shrug. "What? The door wasn't locked," he said before turning his attention to something that was apparently absolutely fascinating on the ceiling. The second figure, which Ems now recognized to be a Zoroark wearing a red scarf around his neck, snickered in a disturbingly human-like way.

Zoroark

The Illusion Fox Pokémon

Bonds between these Pokémon are very strong. It protects the safety of its pack by tricking its opponents. Each has the ability to fool a large group of people simultaneously. Stories say that those who tried to catch Zoroark were trapped in illusions that made them wander around in the woods.

"No, I imagine that it wouldn't be after you tore apart the handle."

"Exactly. So, therefore, we both agree that it wasn't locked when I came in. Therefore, I am exactly where I'm supposed to be."

Ems didn't need to see his face to know that he was grinning; his tone of voice made that plenty clear. She crossed her arms, jostling Mimikyu in the process. He poked his head out further to see what was going on, saw the Zoroark, and immediately disappeared back into the bag with a small sound that would have been called a squeak if it had come out of any other Pokémon.

She knew that there would be a Zoroark in her class – and, consequently, had a decent idea of who exactly the self-important clown that she was talking to was – but she had hoped that Mimikyu would find some measure of courage. Yes, the grey, foxlike Pokémon was intimidating, especially with the red rimming it's eyes and mouth and making its claws look like they had recently been dipped in blood, but its powers were in illusions and make believe. Nothing that could actually harm you. Mimikyu was the one who cursed people with a painful death if they saw under its disguise. Besides, Zoroark had a very large, very fluffy mane that Ems still wanted to pet, despite the situation.

Ems turned her attention back to the teen, who had actually looked away from the ceiling when he heard Mimikyu. She supposed that he was handsome in the conventional way that models and actors generally were with pale skin and silver hair that was cut short and then spiked with some kind of product. His golden eyes held a spark that could be interpreted both as amusement and challenging, like he was daring you to say something and then would laugh in your face once you did. Like you had failed some kind of test, some kind of expectation.

Annoying. It really wasn't polite to laugh at people like that.

At least he was well dressed, with a black button-down shirt paired with a dark red blazer and white pants. His loose tie was the same color as his jacket and had three, gold crowns running the length of it. Thin, black gloves covered his hands and an expensive, silver watch sat on his left wrist. Ems did wish that his dark brown combat boots were black, though. She personally hated mixing brown and black. And he wasn't wearing his nametag, although it did seem to be pinned to Zoroark's scarf.

The teen's grin softened, becoming more crooked. "But where are my manners? Zoroark and I didn't mean to scare your little friend there. Or make such a beautiful girl frown. A pretty face like that deserves only smiles, don't you think?"

Oh.

Oh no.

She was going to have to deal with that? On the very first person that she met here? She had been wrong before. She was not prepared for this. Not at all. It was incredibly tempting to just turn around and walk right out the door. She could report this rule-breaking behavior to someone and just go about her day, meeting people who weren't… that.

But first impressions were critically important.

"I see," Ems said as flatly as she could. The other teen's expression didn't move an inch. "Why are you in here anyway? It's just," she finally looked around properly and only grew more annoyed, "some sort of janitorial closet."

"Ah, but then why lock it?" he asked.

"Because we, students, have no business being in here and the chemicals and cleaners most likely pose a health and safety risk if left out in the open."

He golf clapped, which felt exactly as mocking as it sounded. "An excellent deduction. You're obviously one of those fair maiden scholars."

"I'm sorry, but was that supposed to be a compliment?"

"… Yes? Was it not to your liking? I'd be more than willing to try another. As many as I have to in order for you to grace me with your smile." Zoroark snickered again, shoving his trainer on the shoulder. "Hey! Come on, that one was pretty good." The Pokémon shook his head. "Traitor." Zoroark shoved him again. He almost looked like he was pouting.

"Look, there is nothing here, so neither of us have any reason to be here anymore," Ems said, taking a half-step back so that she could angle her body to the door. Hopefully, he would get the hint that she was oh so subtly trying to drop.

He held up a gloved finger. "Not exactly. While it was an excellent deduction, it wasn't quite right." He spun around on the heel of one foot in a move that was probably meant to be flashy and cool… but was admittedly very graceful. "Turn those pretty, pink eyes skyward."

Ems rolled those "pretty, pink eyes" but did what she was told. On the ceiling was a small, black security camera. It was incredibly unobtrusive without even so much as a red light to catch your attention. She would have never noticed it on her own if it hadn't been pointed out to her. "I'm sorry, but I'm not having an epiphany here."

He turned back to look at her. "There's a camera in every room. Every hallway. Haven't checked the bathrooms yet, but I'd bet you a shiny, gold coin that there's one in there too."

"I highly doubt that they have cameras in the bathroom."

"Hey, they might!"

Right.

"Hope's Peak is a very prestigious school with many famous students. Of course they would have an extensive security system."

"So extensive that they even put a camera in some random janitor's closet?"

"Well, obviously they had a reason to considering that you literally broke in within the first hour of arriving."

"I'll have you know that I've been here for three hours already. Not just one," he said, fighting and then failing to contain a laugh. Zoroark held up his three claws in confirmation, shoulder shaking with silent laughter as well. Mimikyu squirmed around in the bag, but still refused to poke his head out. Ems sighed heavily as she readjusted it so that a buckle wouldn't be digging into her hip.

"Is there a particular reason why you got here before dawn?"

"Maybe. Aw, don't give me that face, Ems. What kind of man would I be if I gave away all of the mystery right off the bat?"

"I'm just saying that three hours is very excess…" As she trailed off, the other teen tapped his chest with a quick wink. She looked down at the large, bold letters of her nametag. "Fine. Will you at least tell me your name?"

"You don't want me to keep it a secret for a bit longer?" he asked. Ems just looked at him. "Okay, okay." He bowed to her, tipping an imaginary top hat in a very elaborate manner. "Arsene Robin, gentleman thief extraordinaire and the Ultimate Dark Type Trainer."

Arsene Robin

Ultimate Dark Type Trainer

Well, Ems' guess was right. When she first come across Arsene's name in her research, she had been certain that it was some kind of mistake. Hope's Peak wouldn't really invite an internationally wanted criminal to attend classes. That would just be ridiculous. Insane. A major risk to everyone involved, including Arsene.

It was not some kind of mistake.

"You're speechless. Don't tell me you're a fan," Arsene teased. Zoroark snorted in disbelief.

"I'm not," Ems said. Zoroark grinned at his trainer, showing off sharp teeth. Of course, Mimikyu had chosen that exact moment to try to be brave and peek out of the bag. Ems had a feeling that he wouldn't be doing that again.

"No?"

"No, I'm just wondering how stupid you must be to actually show up."

Arsene put his hand over his heart. "You wound me, fair maiden! Oh right, sorry. You don't like that. You wound me, fair princess! Why do you think Zoroark and me showed up so early?"

Okay, fine, that made some sense then. He wasn't completely reckless, which was actually somewhat comforting. She could deal with someone as long as they adhered to some kind of logic, and that seemed to be the case here.

"Well, since you're still here, I assume that you'll be staying long-term?" she asked. Almost as soon as she spoke, she regretted it.

"Why? Would you miss me if I left?" Arsene crooned, rocking forward on the balls of his feet.

"No."

"That was a disturbingly quick response," he said. "But yes, I think so. Until I get bored or the police burst in through the window during lunch and I have to make another daring escape."

If only they could be so lucky.

"Right," Ems said as she clapped her hands together once. "Well, I am actually going to not break the rules and go to the auditorium like we're supposed to."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure to break into lots of rooms before then."

Ems left without dignifying that with a response. It would not be worth the headache. Out of all the Dark Type trainers, Hope's Peak really thought that he was the best? Him? That boy was going to be so much trouble. She already felt bad for the people in charge. They were definitely going to have their hands full.

Served them right for inviting such an obvious agent of chaos into their midst. They should have known better.

"He's gone now. You can stop hiding," she told Mimikyu. He slowly peeked his head out, visibly relaxing when Zoroark wasn't in sight. She shook her head, brow pinching together. "You will need to be braver than that. You're going to be seeing a lot of him and you can't hide the whole time."

Mimikyu whined, shrinking back a little when Ems glanced in his direction. Her expression softened and she lifted her left arm up so that it was pressed against her side and parallel to the ground. Mimikyu immediately perked up and nestled himself in the crook of her arm. Soft, cool tendrils wrapped around Ems' forearm as Mimikyu got fully settled and balanced. Ems patted his head.

"Just don't hide from anyone else. I need you to be with me for this."

They were partners. That was the whole reason why she was even selected as the Ultimate Ghost Type Trainer. She wasn't going to be much good if half her partnership just disappeared on her when she needed him the most. She thought that Mimikyu knew this. She had hoped that he did.

Ems continued down the hallway, passing a few more classrooms, before coming to a crossroads. It had halls and rooms pointing in the cardinal directions with the center being a small, circular atrium with announcement boards on the walls and a pretty skylight. Ems had come from the south hallway. To her right was a set of closed, double doors underneath a golden plague that read "Library." To her left and directly in front of her were hallways that looked very similar to the one she had just walked down, although there was a temporary sign that said that the auditorium was to the left. On the ceiling of the atrium was a small, black camera.

The natural light coming in actually made this a very nice spot. If Hope's Peak set up some plush chairs and tables along the wall, it would be great for studying or otherwise relaxing. But maybe that's what the library was for. She still had some time before everything was supposed to start. It would be nice to see what exactly she would be working with for the foreseeable future. She turned right, slipping through the doors and letting them close behind her again.

The library did not disappoint.

In front of her laid perfect rows of shelves, stretching back a lot further than she was expecting. An empty librarian's desk was pushed up against the side, along with a small computer station that was better suited for checking where a specific book was than fooling around on random websites. Two sets of stairs led up to a second floor. Ems took a moment to enjoy the silence of the room before going upstairs. There was a smaller selection of shelves here, mostly devoted to fiction. Most of the second floor was a designated study area with a variety of different types of chairs and tables to best suit a student's needs. Ems wasn't quite sure who would find an overstuffed beanbag chair conducive to studying but apparently someone did. There were also two, long tables with multiple computers on them that looked far more powerful than the one downstairs.

There was also a girl, one hand braced against the back of a chair and another on a mouse as she stared at something intently on the screen. She was thin and wiry and stood just under 5'5", an inch taller than Ems. She was very pale despite the overall ruddy complexion with dark circles under intense and focused blue eyes. Her stringy, blonde hair was pulled into a very messy bun, as if it was too much effort to even run a brush through it.

Honestly, Ems was very surprised that the girl didn't put more effort into her physical appearance considering the state of her clothing. Her Aether Foundation employee uniform and lab coat were absolutely pristine. There wasn't a single smudge or stain, which was incredibly impressive considering everything was bright white. Ems knew how difficult that was. The girl was obviously very good friends with her dry cleaners. She had her nametag pinned directly over her heart.

Mimikyu jumped out of Ems' arms as she cleared her throat. "Hello."

"Oh!" The girl startled, blinking rapidly at Ems. "Hi. I-I didn't expect anyone else to come up here."

"We were told that we could explore," Ems said with a small shrug.

"Yes. Yes, I know. I heard the door open a few times, but it seemed like everyone just poked their head in for a quick peek. I didn't…" She looked down, shifting her weight between her feet and fixed the chair so that it was pressed flush against the computer desk. "Perhaps I should introduce myself. My name is Aimee Spree. Um, I'm the Ultimate Poison Type Trainer."

Aimee Spree

Ultimate Poison Type Trainer

Yes, introductions with someone who wasn't an immediate pain in her ass. Ems knew what to do with that. This was what she had initially expected. Suddenly, it felt like there was solid ground beneath her feet. She stepped forward and extended her hand.

"Ems Travalen, Ultimate Ghost Type Trainer. This is Mimikyu." Mimikyu hopped, waving his tail stick in greeting, even if he did stick fairly close to Ems' legs. Aimee nodded once in Mimikyu's direction as she shook Ems' hand. It was surprisingly calloused.

"Travalen? Any relation to Morgana and Donathan Travalen?"

God damn it.

"My parents."

Aimee's eyes didn't light up. That would be the wrong way to describe them. It was more like all of her energy and attention had been previously directed inward, and now was focused solely on Ems, like she could strip her down to atoms and particles if she just stared at her for long enough. It was incredibly uncomfortable. Arsene's laughter and mockery would almost be preferable.

… Not his flirting though.

"That's incredible. I've been following their work regarding genetics for years now. Their experiments on modifying Toxicroak's venom were extraordinary. I can't even begin to tell you the impact that it had on my own work. If we can find a way to consistently reduce the lethality in humans while not affecting how any of Toxicroak's normal prey reacts," she shook her head, a small smile flashing across her face, "the implications would be staggering. It must be so rewarding to work on such a project, especially with your parents. Hopefully the two of us will be able to collaborate while we're here. I'm sure with our combined expertise we could make a massive breakthrough."

Ems slowly straightened her posture. "That's not really my area."

Aimee's face flushed pink. "I see. I apologize for getting ahead of myself. If you give me the names of your papers or studies, I'd be more than willing to read them and catch up." She gestured to the computer in front of her before leaning over slightly to type in a few things. "It seems like the school has access to practically all the scientific databases and journals, so I'm sure I'll be able to find it. What's the area of study?"

"Like I said, that's not really my area. I'm an Ace Trainer," Ems said and internally cringed as Aimee was silent for a very long time. The other girl couldn't even look up from the computer. She was really nailing these social interactions today. All she needed to do next was open a door right into someone's face and break their nose, or at the very least give them an unsightly bruise. "Um, I assume that you work for the Aether Foundation?"

"Y-yes, I do. I'm a biochemist with a specialty in toxicology."

"That must be why you're the Ultimate Poison Type Trainer then."

"Yes."

"Very nice."

"Thank you."

"Of course."

Absolute silence. Just as Ems was about to make her excuses to leave, Mimikyu suddenly perked up and ran further into the room, ducking between two shelves. She took a half step forward as if to follow him (and maybe escape even though she would have to come back this way anyways if she ever wanted to go back downstairs) when Aimee decided to try this train wreck of a conversation again.

"So, you use Ghost types in your battles," she stated.

"I actually only use Mimikyu. I've never needed anyone else to conquer a gym," Ems said.

Aimee raised her eyebrows. "So you have a perfect win record? That is impressive."

"Well, I never said – "

There was a very loud crash. One of the shelves wobbled precariously but ultimately stayed upright. Ems sighed. It was always something, wasn't it? She went to investigate the noise, fully expecting to find Mimikyu buried under a small mountain of books. Aimee followed close behind, muttering something disparaging that Ems couldn't quite make out and frankly didn't really care to. The last thing that she needed was to listen to someone insult her when they thought she couldn't hear them.

They did ultimately find Mimikyu peeking out from behind a pile of fallen books near the back of the room, but he was not the only one there. Ems had forgotten that she hadn't met Aimee's partner yet. A few feet away from Mimikyu was a light blue, spiked dome. The dome was broken up into twelve sections, each with two yellow claws at the bottom. At the top of the dome was a ring of yellow spikes that surrounded a dark pink, circular marking. An orange tracking tag hung from the top of one of the sections. There was a large, black "23" printed on it. A faint, purple shimmer surrounded the dome as it hunkered down and trembled slightly.

"Mimikyu, come back. Leave the Toxapex alone."

Toxapex

The Brutal Star Pokémon

To attack, this Pokémon sends toxic spikes flying at its enemies. Those affected by Toxapex poison will suffer intense pain for three days. Post-recovery, there will still be some aftereffects. To survive in the cold waters of Galar, it forms a dome with its twelve legs so that the flow of the tides doesn't affect it.

Mimikyu wasted no time jumping back into Ems' arms. He still had his head tilted curiously as he stared at the other Pokémon, but at least he wasn't a few seconds away from getting a toxic spike thrown in his face. While she assumed that Hope's Peak had their own version of a Pokémon Center, that would still be a very painful and drawn out recovery. She could still remember the wheezing whine that one of her parents' coworkers made when he accidentally pricked himself. He didn't come back to the lab after that and Ems stayed home with a babysitter far more frequently.

Aimee carefully stepped around them. "It's okay, 23," she said softly. At the sound of her voice, the purple shimmer faded away and two of the Toxapex's legs lifted into the air to reveal a small, purple body suspended in midair. He narrowed his yellow eyes at Mimikyu. "He's not quite used to interacting with other Pokémon. Our lab tends to be very isolated," Aimee said.

"I'll be sure to keep our distance then," Ems said in what was meant to be a joke, even if her tone didn't get as light as she had hoped. The other girl nodded after a short pause.

"Yes. That's, that's probably for the best."

Okay, her joke definitely did not land then. It would be too awkward to try and explain it away. Instead, Ems simply smiled and nodded before making her retreat. She felt Aimee's eyes on her back the entire way to the stairs and tried her best not to walk any quicker in response. Mimikyu, on the other hand, reached up so that he could look over Ems' shoulder and watch the other pair. She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes and shook her head. It was technically better than hiding in her bag, so she couldn't complain too much. He did do what she asked.

Ems left the library and ran immediately into another group. It was comprised of one guy and two girls, both of whom Ems immediately recognized. A Sylveon and Runerigus rounded out the group; the third Pokémon was nowhere to be found but that was perfectly fine. Ems had no real desire to see her. The group seemed to be debating over where to go next, but any conversation stopped once they realized that someone new had joined them.

One of the girls broke out into a massive smile once she recognized her. "Ems!" She rushed forward and pulled her into a tight hug before pulling back to kiss the air beside both her cheeks. Ems laughed, returning the greeting.

"Hello, Wisteria. It's good to see you again."

Wisteria Luxovius

Ultimate Fairy Type Trainer

Wisteria looked exactly like someone might expect from a Fairy Type trainer. She was about 5'10," with long, lean legs and a graceful frame. She had a cream colored complexion with a faint blush gracing her cheeks and button nose. Her eyes were silver and framed with long, dark lashes that Ems could never achieve without far too much mascara. Her hair was a light blue that faded to a lilac ombre about three quarters of the way down. It was tied with white ribbons into twin pigtails that fell to her hips.

Her outfit was equally pastel and fashionable. Wisteria wore a white, off the shoulder top that was tucked into light pink, high-waisted shorts. Her socks went above the knee and were light blue. Her shoes were a darker blue and a chunky sneaker meant for both fashion and practicality. A ribbon the same color as her shorts was tied around her neck. There was light pink nail polish on her fingers that somehow always remained unchipped. Like Ems, she had also brought along a satchel today, although it was light purple instead of black. Her nametag was pinned to the strap of the satchel.

Ems looked down as she felt a pair of ribbon-like feelers wrap around her wrist. "And hello to you too, Hyacinth." The Sylveon chirped in greeting before being distracted by a very excited Mimikyu. The white and pink, fluffy Pokémon matched her trainer's color scheme very well. She even had a matching bow tied around her neck and one ear, and a little purple pouch around its waist.

Sylveon

The Intertwining Pokémon

Sylveon wraps its ribbon-like feelers around its Trainer's arm because this allows it to read its beloved Trainer's feelings. When it sights its prey, it swirls its ribbons, sending a soothing aura to calm fights, and pounces. Once a fight breaks out, however, it will unflinchingly charge at dragon Pokémon several times larger than itself.

"I thought that I saw your name when I signed in! Oh, I'm so glad that you're here," Wisteria said.

"Who else would it be?" Ems asked with a quick smile. Wisteria giggled. "Honestly, I'm a little surprised to see you. I haven't heard from you in ages. It was like you disappeared after – "

"Yes, I know," she interrupted smoothly. "I probably could have handled it better." Well, it would have been hard to handle it worse, but Ems was kind enough not to point that out. At least, not in front of their current company. Their current, very tall company. Everyone towered over Ems by at least six inches, which was equal parts disconcerting and bothersome. She really did need to learn how to walk properly in heels.

The guy coughed pointedly and the other girl suppressed an amused smile as Wisteria's face flushed. "Oh, where are my manners?" she asked. "Do you all know each other already?" He looked at Wisteria as if she was being purposefully slow, but the other girl inclined her head.

"Emmaline."

"Tatsuo."

Tatsuo Imaoka

Ultimate Dragon Type Trainer

"I don't see any of your Pokémon around," Ems said with the politeness you save for your drunk aunt when she corners you at a family party with a conversation that is equal parts rant and political conspiracy theory.

"I didn't feel like dragging Scylla around," she said, touching her Salamence tooth necklace.

"Lucky us."

"Aren't you?"

If Wisteria was feminine and floral, then Tatsuo was the opposite. She wore a blue kimono that extended down to just above her feet. On the jacket were various Dragon Type Pokémon traced in red. Ems recognized almost all of them as being on Tatsuo's team. Under the jacket, she wore a simple black shirt and black pants. Her red boots went up to her knees and had dark laces.

While Wisteria and Tatsuo were both the same height and the same build, Tatsuo was lean and muscular. She had something of a baby face, but her amber eyes were sharp. Intense. Enjoying some kind of private joke that was being made at someone's expense. Her dark teal hair was cut into a neat pixie cut. Her nametag was nowhere to be seen; Ems was not surprised in the slightest. She wouldn't be surprised if she skipped signing in all together.

"I didn't realize that you two knew each other," Wisteria said.

"Only in a professional context."

"Hm. You're a trainer too then," the guy said.

"Sure, if that's what you call me kicking your ass," Tatsuo butted in with a lazy grin. Any interested that he had evaporated immediately. He looked away, instead watching Hyacinth and Mimikyu chase each other around the atrium.

Ems rolled her eyes. "Don't exaggerate. It never ends well."

"I'm not because I don't need to. Unlike some people here, my success doesn't come from luck."

Wisteria smoothed out a nonexistent wrinkle on her shirt as Ems fought the urge to roll her eyes again. "Maybe your streak just hasn't snapped yet," she said, shifting slightly closer to the Fairy Trainer. Tatsuo's grin sharpened as she pulled a Pokéball out of her kimono jacket's pocket.

"Let's find a gym then! I've been itching for a rematch anyways."

"You already know that the gym is locked away on the second floor," the still unintroduced guy said without looking away from the Pokémon.

"Spoilsport."

Ems turned to ask him how he knew this, but came face to face with a single, glowing purple eye. The Runerigus hovered inches away from her, staring into her soul. He was a collection of irregularly shaped, white clay slabs that had been polished until they shone under the lights. Shadowy black tendrils held each slab together. A stylized serpent with too many sharp teeth was carved onto the slab. When all the pieces were held together, they created a coherent picture. Five black fingers extended from the fragments of clay that acted as arms.

Runerigus

The Grudge Pokémon

A powerful curse was woven into an ancient painting of a terrible beast. After absorbing the spirit of a Yamask, the painting came alive. Never touch its body, or you'll be shown horrific images of the creature that was carved into the stone.

"Enough. Don't crowd her."

The Runerigus hummed in acknowledgment before floating back over to his trainer. He still stared at Ems the entire time, however. She stared back. It was probably foolish, but it felt like looking away would be conceding defeat somehow.

"Don't worry," Wisteria told her. "He did that to me and Hyacinth too. It just means that he thinks you're interesting!" She shot a warning look to Tatsuo before she could say anything. Tatsuo held her hands up in surrender.

"You said that the gym is locked?" Ems asked, trying to get the conversation back to pertinent topics.

"The entire second floor is gated at the bottom of the stairs. For someone who told us to explore, they aren't giving us much freedom," he said, turning his eyes back to her.

Now that Ems took a moment to fully look at him, his behavior no longer surprised her. He gave off the same aura that she saw from the more frustrating members of the Elite Four, like a newly tenured professor at the school that was too prestigious for its own good. He had straight, red hair that was tied up in an elegant ponytail that went several inches past his shoulder. Honey gold eyes looked out from behind black, thick-rimmed glasses.

As to be expected, he was dressed rather formally. He worse an icy blue turtleneck with a black cardigan over it. On the side pocket was a white rune stone pin in the shape of the red carving on Runerigus. His nametag was pinned directly above it. He also had dark grey boots and…

Wait, really?

Ems blinked. He was wearing dark blue cargo pants. With a formal turtleneck and cardigan.

…He was suddenly far less intimidating.

Well, that certainly made this conversation easier. It was always nice to find a flaw in someone who presented themselves as untouchable. It let you drag them down to a more realistic level where they truly belonged: with everyone else they tried their hardest to dismiss.

"Yeah, Acorn was not happy about that," Tatsuo said. "Though the rant was fairly impressive."

"If you consider that a rant, then you really haven't seen many," he told her, crossing his arms. "And how many times will I need to remind you before you actually refer to me by the name I want?"

"It'll be awhile. Probably never, considering how kind and considerate she is," Ems told him, ignoring Tatsuo's mock pout. Wisteria tried to look disapproving but failed as Acorn actually graced Ems with a smile.

"I take it you'd prefer Ems then," he said.

"Yes. Ems Travalen, Ultimate Ghost Type Trainer."

"Acorn Lavoisier, the youngest of the Lavoisier family and the Ultimate Ground Type Trainer. But please, refer to me by my last name, I insist." He glanced at Tatsuo. "My parents have horrible taste in names for their children."

Acorn Lavoisier

Ultimate Ground Type Trainer

She was not going to argue with him on that point. Families that wealthy and well know never had great taste in names. It was karma, the universe trying to balance out the good fortune that they received for being born in that particular family. Or, that's what Ems would believe if she put much stock in superstitions like that. It was far more likely that the parents were simply full of themselves and out of touch with no one around willing to tell them that their ideas were stupid.

But that was a thought for another time.

"Have you been here long, Ems?" Wisteria asked, touching her elbow to get her attention. Runerigus hummed again and floated over to where the other two Pokémon were flopped on the ground, apparently finally tired out from their playing.

She shook her head. "I haven't made it past this point. I met two of our classmates though. They were, interesting, I guess."

"High praise," Tatsuo said dryly as Wisteria hid a laugh behind her hand. She knew the look on Ems face all too well. Actually though, she might genuinely like Aimee if they sat down and had a proper conversation. It seemed unlikely due to who Aimee was as a person, but you never knew. Wisteria tended to surprise her when it came to things like that. She insisted on talking to her after all.

"You've had better luck than me then," Lavoisier said. "These two are the only ones worth mentioning."

Was Ems included in that? She couldn't tell, but she felt like maybe she should feel a little insulted regardless.

"What about Artimisia?" Wisteria asked. "She was very friendly."

He let out a rather undignified snort. "The child pretending to be a gym leader? Please be serious."

"I don't know. I appreciated her commitment to the aesthetic," Tatsuo said.

"As if that means something."

"Obviously not, considering your pants," Ems muttered under her breath. Wisteria subtly elbowed her in the side. "Ow!"

"Besides, when we left she was trying to pick an electronic lock with a bobby pin. I think that should be enough to end any debate on the matter."

"What was using an electronic lock?" Ems asked, brow pinching together. That seemed to be very intense for a school like this. After all, the maintenance closet only had the traditional tumbler lock. But there were cameras everywhere…

"Our Ultimate Labs!" Wisteria said. "They need some kind of pass or fob to unlock."

"They were down thataway," Tatsuo said, pointing with her thumb to the north hallway, the one that the sign did not direct them towards. "Three of them, including yours truly."

"I assume that, what was her name, Artimisia, had another one?"

"Yep!" Wisteria said with a nod. "Dragon, Normal, and Steel. Plus a door that lead to the dorms."

"Which were also barricaded," Lavoisier said with a sour frown. "I was hoping that we could at least see where we would be living."

"Want to see if you need to ship in minibar full of sparkling water and fancy fruit teas?" Tatsuo asked.

"Yes, and my curtains made of spun gold."

"Oh my, how fancy!"

"It is weird that we are so restricted," Wisteria said, fidgeting with one of the ribbons in her hair. "I wasn't expecting it."

"I've been very underwhelmed too," Ems said, looking briefly at one of the cameras watching them. "No staff, messes in the entrance hall, multiple barricades… I expected a lot better."

"I'm sure that they're trying their best," Wisteria said.

Tatsuo laughed. "If this is their best, then they're really not worth all the hype. But then again, I guess no one really lives up to it for long."

"Except you, of course," Ems said.

"There you go, Emmaline! I knew there was a brain in there somewhere!"

"I'll be sure to ask them once this orientation officially starts," Lavoisier said. "Unless there's an extremely valid reason, it wouldn't be unreasonable for me to pull my admission. This is supposed to be the finest institution with the finest students."

"I probably shouldn't mention the fact that we have an internationally wanted criminal then," Ems said. Both Tatsuo and Wisteria immediately perked up. Lavoisier simply sighed like she had proven his exact point. "Arsene Robin is the Dark Type Trainer. He's what you'd expect."

"And you said the people here were boring disappointments!" Tatsuo told Lavoisier, clapping a hand on his shoulder and shaking it. He immediately shoved her hand off. "This is much more exciting!"

"Was he nice?" Wisteria asked, more quiet and subdued than the other girl but still clearly excited.

"He flirted with me. Incessantly."

"So you two got along great then," she said.

"Absolutely."

"I think I want to meet this master thief. He's down this way, right Emmaline?"

She left in the correct direction before any of them could say a single word and honestly? Ems was more than okay with that. It was like a coil of wire looped through her spine had finally been cut, releasing the tension. That girl was going to make this whole thing very difficult. Why couldn't Ems meet people who were going to make her life easier, like Wisteria? If everyone acted like her, there would be no concerns.

"Are you going to go with her?" Wisteria asked.

"Of course not," Lavoisier said with a small huff. He looked at Ems. "Please tell me that the library is at least somewhat competent."

"It's the one thing that I've been happy with so far."

"Good. Come along, my dear Runerigus."

He probably didn't need a warning about Aimee, right? Maybe he would actually like her awkward intellectualness, assuming they could actually get a halfway decent conversation going. That may be a very large assumption, but it wasn't completely impossible. Wisteria waved as he and his Pokémon disappeared into the next room. Realizing that everyone else had disappeared, the girls' Pokémon joined them as well, although Mimikyu still stuck close to Hyacinth's side.

"So where are you going to venture off to?" Wisteria asked, smiling down at Hyacinth when she wrapped her feelers around her forearm, snaking under her sleeves.

"I don't know. Probably towards the auditorium."

She offered her free arm. "Shall we then?"

Ems smiled and linked arms with her. "We shall."

And our first set of intros are done! I hope that you enjoyed meeting everyone and that I did them justice. Of course, if any OC creators have issues with how I've presented your character, please send me a message so that I can improve in the future. I'm still getting everyone's voices settled in my head. But let me know what you think, and I will see you soon!

Also! Last minute addition because I forgot to say this when I first posted the chapter! There is a discord server! It's a place where you guys can talk and share art and theories and get sneak peeks and updates from yours truly! (As well as for my other stories!) PM me for the link!

Until next time!