Ash and Nemona coincidently had the same home room and they sat next to each other.

Jacq, their homeroom teacher sighed. "A-alright… Glad you two were able to make it here after all! Anyways, since this is the first day of school, we were just getting to know each other. And you two are left to tell us your goals as a trainer. Ash, why don't you start!"

"Oh… Okay." Ash stood up as Jacq gestured. "W-well… I've had a string of losing Pokemon Leagues and so I came here to see if changing things up a bit and learning a different way will help me in my quest in being a Pokemon Master."

"A Pokemon Master? Is that where you conquer all leagues throughout all regions?" Jacq questioned.

Ash shook his head with a serious look. "Being the strongest trainer… only is part of my goal."

Nemona starred at Ash with an ecstatic look.

"I see! Well, I do hope your experience at Ava Academy helps you on your quest." Jacq turned to the class. "Does anyone have any questions for Ash?"

A girl raised his hand. "Does a Pokemon Master include catching all pokemon and completing the pokedex?"

Ash gave an uncomfortable look. "Well, I never really tried to go after all the pokemon I come across, so I guess not."

"I'd say…" A familiar feminine voice commented.

Ash turned to the voice and saw another familiar face. "Misty?! What are you doing here?!"

Misty crossed her arms with a smirk. "If you were capable on getting to class on time, you would've known. Besides, we are supposed to be asking you questions. Pay attention, Ash!"

Everyone giggled as Ash glared at her with an annoyed look.

"Y-yes… Let's not get sidetracked. Does anyone else have a question for Ash?"

Another hand went into the air. "Do you remember me, Ash?"

Ash looked at the girl and gaped. "Serena?! You're here too?" Last time he saw Serena, she went home and was going to figure out what she wanted to do to go father in Showcases. Palermo gave her an offer to help her, but she said she wanted to find her own path. Serena didn't leave Ash without a kiss on the cheek, which wasn't the first for Ash. What was a first for Ash was thinking of another girl while it happened and thinking of her long blue hair and blue eyes made him blush and heart race. "W-what's going on?"

Serena heavily blushed and nodded. "He did this time… And is he blushing? He likes me now?! Ash…" she thought to herself.

Jacq gave out an awkward look and cleared his throat. "Anyone got a question pertaining to his goal?"

An elderly man raised his hand. "Do you have specific guidelines to know that you achieved being a Pokemon Master?"

Ash scratched the back of his head with an unsure look, not really given it enough thought. "Well, mainly it's just going out and understanding pokemon the best I can…"

Alight, I think that's enough. You may sit down, Ash." Jacq then faced Nemona. "Last but least…"

Nemona shot up with a confident look with her fist up. "My goals this year? I'm going to battle! And get a worthy rival no matter what it takes!"

Misty and Serena started to wonder if Nemona was Ash's long-lost sister.

"I… see. Good luck with that, Nemona… Any questions?" Jacq asked.

After class, Nemona ran up to Ash. "Hey Ash! Wait up!"

Ash turned to Nemona. "What is it, Nemona?"

"Well, you said being the strongest is only part of your goal, right?"

"Yeah, but…"

"That means you're going to take the League Challenge here, right?"

Ash gave a surprised look. "There's a League Challenge?"

"Yeah! And well… things in Paldea are a bit different than other regions. We have more than one champion ranked trainer here. Though, it's challenging to get into it."

Ash looked away with an unsure look.

"However…" Nemona pointed to herself with a smirk. "I AM in the champion rank! So, I can help you with that part of your goal!"

Ash looked at her with a surprised look. "Wow, you're really that strong?"

Nemona nodded. "Who knows. You could easily breeze through it without my help! You did take down the Orange League Drake and won the Battle Frontier!"

Ash gave a thoughtful look. "That is true… Those where big challenges that I did overcame, yet I still struggle even winning a League…" he thought to himself.

"Your help will be unnecessary! Right, Ash?"

Nemona looked at her with a surprised look. "Oh! Misty! You're that girl that teased Ash!" She then crossed her arms. "Why are you here answering for him?"

Ash gave Misty an annoyed look. "Yeah! I can answer for myself!"

Misty glared at him with an annoyed look.

Serena then came up and hugged Ash while heavily blushing. "I too think your capable of taking down the Paldea League without any help, Ash…"

Misty gasped and harshly glared at Serena. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

Serena looked at Misty with a confused look. "Me and Ash are close friends. I can give my friend a hug, right?"

"W-well… I'll have you know, me and Ash are the closer than friends…" Misty then looked away with a blush on her face as she looked to Ash. "N-not lovers!" Then she glared at Serena again. "But still way closer than you and Ash will ever be!"

Serena stared at her with an unconvinced look. "Oh really…?"

"Yes, really!"

Serena and Misty glared at Ash for him to tell them whose right.

Ash gave a nervous look. "Uhh…"

"Who cares who Ash likes more…" Nemona stated.

"Y-yeah. It's not important, as I value both the same friendship wise…"

Serena frowned. "Does that mean he likes Misty too?" she wondered.

"If you want to hug your friend, just hug him!" Nemona push Misty to Ash, which the force caused them all to fall to the ground. "Oh! Are you all okay? I'm so sorry!" She helped them all up. Then the minute bell rung.

Ash looked at the map of the school on his rotomdex. "Oh no! My class is on the other side of this giant school!"

Nemona gasped. "You better hurry! I don't have a good excuse for you this time!"

"Right! See you, everyone!" Ash then ran off as fast as he could. Going as fast as he was, he didn't anticipate anyone coming out from another hallway and slammed right into a female and knocked down her and a man behind her. "Owww!"

The woman who was with him gasped, then glared at Ash. "Ash! Would you watch where you're going?!"

Ash groaned as he rubbed his back and looked at the two. Then he gasped. "May? Drew? You're here too?!"

May helped Drew up and went to help Ash. "Yeah… Me and Drew haven't gotten a cup in all these years. So we came here to see if this school could help."

"I see…" Ash felt a bit of relief that he wasn't the only one struggling with his goal. Then he remembered something. "Oh right! I need to get to the other side of the school! Talk to you both later!" He then rushed off again.

"Ash! Be ca…" May tried to warn.

Ash slammed into Mrs. Tyme who came out to tell kids to get to class. Then scolded him for running in the halls.

May and Drew sighed, as they went to class before they get scolded.

Dawn sighed, relieved to get a break from classes with lunch period. Nothing was too hard, being the first day of school, but it was really boring. It was also an annoying, as all her classes she had with this one creepy guy that still has a crush on her, named Conway. Last class was really annoying, as shared a class with him and an old friend, Kenny. Dawn thought it'd be nice to have someone have her back with Conway being creepy around her, but Kenny took it out of hand and started a fight with him. It was a pathetic fight, though. None of them really hit each other even though they were trying to. Even still, they got lunch detention for fighting, so at least she's free from Conway for now. She went to get her lunch, which a guy with long blond hair and blue eyes was giving out food.

"Hey, you're that girl that hangs out with Nemona a lot, right?" the man asked.

"Yeah! Is she a friend of yours?" Dawn asked.

"Oh no. I just know of her, her being student council president and being champion ranked and all…"

"I see…"

"However, I do have… a favor to ask."

"A favor?" Dawn wondered if he'd want her to ask if Nemona would go out with him. A lot of guys already asked her to do that, after all. "Maybe you should ask her?"

"I don't want her help! She has her own tasks and would have no interest in helping me!"

"Oh… Okay. What do you need help with?" Dawn asked. "Guess he doesn't have interest in her after all," Dawn thought.

"Well… I have this dream, of being the best sandwich maker!" He then pulled out some book. "… Here, are these magical herbs, called Herba Mystica! They are herbs that give healing and strengthening abilities!"

"Wow! That's amazing!"

The guy gave a serious look. "However, it is said they are guarded by a giant, powerful pokemon and… it's highly recommended to battle with at least one other person."

Dawn frowned. "I see. But…"

"I'd make sure you and your pokemon get a sandwich from these herbs for your help! I make sure to make my food good for the skin, nails, hair, and fur. Maybe the Herba Mystica would help with that as well…"

Dawn looked at the guy's hair, and sure enough it looked very nice. It was full and the light reflected nicely off it. She'd like her hair to look better. Plus, having your pokemon look beautiful is a part of the judging process of Contests. So, this could be something that could help further her career as well. Dawn smiled. "Sure! I'll be glad to help!"

The man smiled. "Thanks. Name's Arven by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Arven. I'm Dawn!"

"Nice to meet you to Dawn." Then Arven remembered something. "Oh… And you came in riding in a big purple pokemon with what looked like wheels on it?"

Dawn thought a bit. "Miraidon? Is it your pokemon?" She tried to catch it when she was told that pokemon need to be in pokeballs while in class but found out that pokeballs don't work on it. So, Nemona sent it to her dorm for now.

Arven gave an annoyed look. "No. It's my dad's. And he wants to talk to you about it." He then looked away with a frustrated look. "He never wants to talk to me…" he muttered.

Dawn gave a concerned look.

"Anyways, here's his number…" He got a small piece of paper and written a number to reach his dad. "Call him if ya want. If you're lucky and he's not busy, he'll answer."

Dawn looked at the paper with a confused look. "Okay…" She then took the paper.

"And if you pull out your rotomdex, I'll send you the location of the Herba Mystica for you."

"Alright." Dawn pulled out her rotomdex and Arven transferred the information to it.

"Thanks again."

"It's not a problem. I'll see you later."

"Alright. See ya."

Dawn went to look for Ash, as she was excited to see him and wanted to talk to him. It would be nice to work with Ash to get the Herba Mystica, after all. But he was nowhere to be found.