As they left Los Platos, Ashley heard a strange sound and they followed it to see two female Ralts, fighting each other with sticks, after talking to them, Ashley discovered that despite being female, both want to evolve into Gallade, and while they are put out that they can't, they do want to pretend to. They were also curious as to why Ashley was in a school uniform, and were surprised to find out she was a student. Ashley and Chloe were surprised to find out that they were all alone due to their love of Gallade, and brought them with them.
They then followed the path to Mesagoza, defeating Carlota the Student, and Youngster Luka, as they approached Mesagoza, where Ashley had to beat Nemona.
Her first Pokémon was Quaxly against Sprigatito. Quaxly used Wok up, while Sprigatito used Leafage, after a second Leafagethen knocked it out as Nemona sent out Pawmi.
"Battling you is a blast! Better pull out my Ace in the hole!" Nemona said bringing out an orb that began glowing before she threw it in the air over Pawmi, who was surrounded by Crystal's that then shattered revealing Pawmi looked like it was made of crystal with a crystal lightbulb above its head. "Terastallizing is always a solid strategy! It gives moves of the same tera type a boost! Use Thundershock!"
Pawmi then sent out a thundershock more powerful then it normally can. Luckily Sprigatito was faster, and dodged before getting it with Leafage, it then used another Thundershock, before losing to another Leafage, as the Crystal appearance disappeared.
"Amazing!" Nemona cheered. "Look at you, taking on a Terastallized opponent and winning, no problem! Come to think of it, you can't Terastallize your pokemon yet, huh? Don't worry I'll get you taken care of! That was a fun battle. Here have some revives."
"What is Terastallizing?" Chloe asked.
"It's what Pawmi did," Nemona explained, "It's a useful mechanic of Paldea battles. I'll explain more later. Now, Mesagoza's waiting just past this gate! At last, the city where our school is! There's a ton of hills and stairs and stuff in the city, so I'm gonna take a quick breather and then catch up with you soon! You better go ahead. Don't want to be late."
"Right!" Chloe said, grabbing Ashley and running, not wanting to be late to school.
As they ran up the steps they saw a girl with an Eevee backpackmbeing accosted by two people, and Ashley wasn't happy when they got close enough to hear that they were Team Star Grunts.
"Don't you get it?! If you join Team Star, you can shine as bright as anybody!" Grunt A said, as the girl didn't say anything.
"Seriously, what's with you? Don't you wanna burn bright with awesome friends like us?" Grunt B said.
"Not really," she said.
"Look-we've got a quota we're supposed to fill for new members, so just sign up already!" Grunt A said.
"Um… I'd rather not…" she said as Chloe and Ashley got between them.
"Huh? You want in on this too?" Grunt B said. "And you even dressed your Zorua in a school outfit. Still, if you're here to sign up, we'll get to you next! We've nearly got this one in the bag! We're Team Star kid. We burn so bright, it hurts to look at us! But you knew that, right?"
Ashley just growled angry at another Team to talk. While Chloe scowled.
"Never heard of you before," she said.
"Ugh, another ignorant little nobody…" Grunt A said, throwing a tantrum. "Here I'm finally part of Team Star, and still I get no respect? I gotta work my way up the ranks..."
"I don't need to know you to know you are no good." Chloe retorted.
"Hey-we can't just let something like this slide! The honor of our team's on the line, so we've got no real choice but to battle, yeah?" Grunt B said.
"That's true!" Grunt A said, "you keep watch on that little four-year over there! I'll make sure this fresh-faced nobody ends up seeing stars! "
She then sent out a Shroodle who was luckily a lot weaker than Ashley and was defeated with a single Dark Pulse.
"How come I'M the one seeing stars?!" Grunt A asked. "Urk, why's a nobody like you so good at battling, anyway? That's just not right..."
"No way, she beat you?!" Grunt B said in shock. "Does that mean I gotta battle this kid now since I'm higher up Team Star's ranks?!"
"Pero bueno!" Nemona said catching up. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"Ugh!" Grunt A said, "It's that student council dweeb! She's gonna report us if we don't book it…"
"I can't believe you, Chloe! Ashley!" she complained to their shock before she continued. "You don't have to go find randos to battle! You'll have all the battles you'll ever need… with me!"
"That's really not what happened…" Chloe said as she and Ashley sweat dropped at Nemona's battle obsession which even Ashley as Ash would find excessive."
"Wait-THEY picked a fight with YOU? Wow, I read that way wrong! Sorry!" Nemona said before taking a closer look at the grunts. "I get it now. You two have got Team Star written all over you for sure! I bet you were trying to pressure people into signing up again, weren't you?"
"Ah, hi. We weren't… not doing that," Grunt B said.
"Well, that explains it," Nemon said. "As head of the student council, stopping this type of nonsense would normally be MY job...But this is also the perfect chance for you to try my amazing and ultra-rare gift to you and Ashley! Though since she is battling I'll hold onto my gift for her till after the battle."
Nemona then gave Chloe a Tera Orb. "With this Tera Orb, you can Terastallize your Pokémon during battle! I wonder what type Ashley will be. Normally you've gotta take special classes to be able to bet one of these Tera Orbs, but I put in a good word for you two! Now time to give it a whirl! You'll learn to use it faster in battle then if I just explain it to you!"
"Wait what?" Grunt B said. "You want this kid to practice whaling on us with her Tera Pokemon, is that it?"
"Got a problem? You wanna battle me instead?" Nemona asked.
"Hnnng…" he grunted. "Never mind! I'll take my chances with the new kid!"
"Then take your places, and… battle!" Nemona said as Ashley smirked at getting to try out terastallizing herself.
While the grunt sent out a Yungoos while Chloe Terastallized, Ashley, looking like she was made of Crystal with a giant heart on top of her head.
"Awesome!" she cheered. "Ashley's Tera type is fairy."
"Unfortunately she doesn't know any fairy type moves, so dark pulse!" Chloe said, causing Ashley to smirk as she released the attack and knocked out Yungoos who was barely stronger then Shroodle.
"Nice, Chloe!" Nemona cheered, "you pulled off Terastallizing no problem! Moves of your Pokémon's tera Type will hit even harder when it's Terastallized, y'know! Sometimes you'll find a Pokémon like Ashley whose Tera Type is totally different from its usual type. That difference can open up your strategic options! Gotta charge up your Tera Orb at a Pokemon Center after evry use by healing up your team, though."
"W-well… I'll be on my merry way, then, yeah? Hasta la vistaaarrr! " Grunt B said running away.
"Me, too! Hasta la vistar!" Grunt A said running away as well.
"So yeah-Team Star is basically a group of students that like to kick up trouble," Nemona said, "they hardly ever show up to class, and when they get together in groups, they're a real headache. Even the teachers don't know what to do with 'em, from what I hear..."
"Um… 'scuse me!" the girl they helped said. "I… uh… I just… well, thanks."
"…You… are… wel… come…" Ashley said, to the girl's shock.
"You can talk."
"Yeah she can," Chloe said, petting her. "I'm Chloe in the Outdoor Survival and Contest tracks. This is Ashley. She is both my pokemon and a student as well. She is in the STEM and Contest tracks."
"STEM track." The girl said.
"She used to use illusions to look human, and talk," Chloe sighed. "She recently received an injury that damaged the organ that creates illusions, and she can no longer use them. While she is learning to talk without the illusions, she joined the STEM track to research a way to heal the organ, and restore her abilities."
"Oh…" the girl said looking at Ashley with a strange look, they couldn't place, not pity, but something else, like she had an idea, but wanted to test it first.
"I'm so sorry," Nemona said with pity. "That must be so difficult."
"…It… is… fine…" Ashley said.
"…I need to go!" the girl said heading up the stairs. "…See you around."
"Nice Eevee bag!" Nemona said, looking at her. "Anyway, here is Ashley's Tera Orb. And it seems like the trouble's died down, so we'd better book it up to school! Get ready to climb the worst staircase in the world!"
With that they headed up to the school itself for their first day.