What awaits Sango within the brig of Team Rocket's ship? Will she be able to secure her freedom somehow? Remember to review!

As for the Best Girl nominations, still going strong. Anyone else left to add, I wonder?

Currently Nominated: Sango, Cynthia, Elaina, Kate, Dakota, Ayame, Marion

Aakareo Kokokuhikari: If you think it is Ryoko, then yes.

Just a Bad Writer for Fun: Nah, it's more like I didn't have a way to properly explain. But yes, actually, Sango encountering Ryoko for the first time (from Ryoko's perspective) in the brig of a Team Rocket freighter was something that I had planned since long before I wrote Ryoko into the story. This scene was on the books from the start, it's integral to the conclusion of the arc.

TREBOR.E: Well, that's fair, it's difficult to know when she's going to show up.

JoshGamerV: Yup.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 179

Sango stared in shock at the young girl in front of her. It was… Ryoko? What was that time traveler doing here?

"Ryoko?" Sango gasped. "Why… what are you doing here? How…?"

Ryoko's eyes widened slightly and she tilted her head to the side quizzically, staring at Sango with a hint of confusion.

"Ah, have we met before?" Ryoko asked, bowing her head in greeting. "Forgive me, for I do not recognize you. Perhaps the last time you met me was sometime later from now."

"What, are you kidding? Of course we've met!" Sango said, confused at why Ryoko didn't recognize her. "You called out to me before, about a month ago…"

Sango's voice trailed off as her eyes widened, memories of her past conversations with Ryoko slowly coming back into focus.

"Do you remember? We met on that boat, and-"

Sango shut her mouth.

"You don't know who I am yet, do you?" Sango asked.

"No, I do not," Ryoko said, smiling apologetically. "But I am quite looking forward to it. I do so love making new friends."

She bowed again.

"As I said, it is a pleasure to meet you, miss…"

"Sango," Sango said, holding out her hand. "Sango Akana. And you know, when you said we met on a boat, I didn't really expect it to be the brig…"

"My, quite fascinating, is it not?" Ryoko nodded, her eyes shining with excitement. "I was brought here suddenly not long ago, and then those boys in black found me on the deck and took me here! Quite a delight I must say. It is only my second time on a boat, but I do so find it a pleasure. It is already much more enjoyable than my last trip, I must say."

"Wow, that's hard to believe," Sango said dryly. "You need to work on your sarcasm."

"Oh, no, not at all," Ryoko giggled, bringing her hand up to her cheek and smiling. "So long as we do not hit any icebergs this time, I think we are in for quite a lovely cruise."

"Hah!" Sango barked out a laugh. "What, were you on the Titanic or something?"

"…" Ryoko continued to smile, neither affirming nor denying anything. Sango felt a chill run down her spine.

"…Wait…"

"At any rate, it shall be some time before we make land," Ryoko said, pulling out her pocket watch from under her shirt, the gold chain shimmering in the low light. "How should we go about passing the time?"

"Uh, excuse me, Ryoko, this might go without saying, but… I mean, since we're locked here and all, don't you think it would be real easy for us to get out if you just called your friend Celebi to come and, you know…"

Sango shrugged her shoulders. Ryoko's eyes widened.

"So you do know of her, then," Ryoko smiled.

Sango nodded.

"Oh my, no, I could never do such a thing," Ryoko said, shaking her head. "You see, my dear friend is quite fickle. I do not have much of any control over when my time is up, or when it is I am going to. So I am afraid that I cannot simply invite you to join me, not unless my partner wishes it. But do not worry! She would never allow a thing to happen to me. So should the need arise…"

Ryoko giggled.

"I am not able to be captured so easily."

Sango frowned. It made sense that a girl who could slip through time would have no issue with being held in the brig, then. Of course, that meant that Sango was being left out to dry instead. Ryoko would just warp herself somewhen else, and be on her merry way…

"Oh, Sango, I almost forgot," Ryoko said, capturing Sango's attention once more. "If you would be so kind, I would refrain you from speaking on the topic of my partner and her abilities any further."

"Uh, yeah, sure, I guess, why?" Sango asked, confused.

"Well you see, we are not alone here, and the less of my secrets that leak out, the better."

"What, but Team Rocket isn't-"

"No, no, she is over there," Ryoko said, pointing behind her, to a girl sitting in the corner. Sango's eyes widened in shock. The girl had been so quiet, Sango hadn't even noticed she was sitting there. But now the she saw her, it was impossible to ignore her any longer.

The girl reminded Sango a lot of her upperclasswoman Sylvia, even though Sango didn't know the girl very well, and also a tiny bit of Olivia. It was mainly her appearance. She wore a pretty, frilled black dress with white lace, similar in design to the gothic Lolita outfits that Sylvia was always wearing. But while Syvia's wardrobe was often cut to show off her body, this girl's dress had a high collar and a long skirt, resembling the dress of a princess. It was a different style of garb, to say the least. When matched with her looks, it made the girl's appearance all the more striking. She had pale skin that stood out against the darkness, and blonde hair that reached down to her shoulders, straight but voluminous. At the tips, her hair seemed to curve out from around her, giving it a more stylized look than would be expected on such a stoic girl. And stoic was the word to describe her. Her face was an impassive mask, and she stared into the distance with her slate-grey eyes, not looking at Ryoko or Sango. Not looking at anything, really. If Sango couldn't see her bodice-bound chest heaving with each breath she took, she might think that the girl was a very elegantly designed doll instead of a real, human girl.

"Um, excuse me," Sango said, walking up to the girl and greeting her. Upon closer inspection, Sango could see that the girl was not as flawless as she had first appeared. Her clothes were a little musty, and her lovely face bore hints of fatigue and malnourishment that had not been apparent at a distance. How long had she been in this cage? She was also much younger than Sango had first thought. Rather than a stylish adult like Olivia, this girl looked to be about Sango's age, which was surprising considering the composure she displayed in these circumstances.

Or maybe it was just resignation?

Either way, the girl did not bare Sango the slightest glance. If she had heard her, then she didn't show it.

"Indeed, that young lady is quite unique," Ryoko chimed in, surprising Sango. "She has made no response to my words. She has not even spared me a passing glance. It seems that she is truly in a world of her own."

Odd… Sango thought, staring at the young girl. Maybe she…

"Maybe she's deaf," Sango said, stepping into the girl's line of sight. She didn't seem to notice. Sango raised her hands, and began talking to her in sign language. As a pokemon ranger, it was something that was taught, since it was a universal language that was useful for communicating in the wild, when circumstances were such that verbal communication was tricky, such as trying to not draw the attention of feral pokemon.

The girl did not respond to the signing, either. So either she wasn't deaf, or she was, but she was making a point to ignore the two of them regardless.

Sango frowned. Ryoko might have been content to let this girl sit here in silence, but Sango certainly wasn't. For all she knew, this girl was going through some serious mental trauma, and that's why she wasn't responding. She looked dead to the world. She needed to make sure the girl was okay. Sango knelt down so she was at eye level with the girl, looking into her dull grey eyes. She reached out and placed a comforting arm on the girl's shoulder to draw her attention, if she could.

And it certainly worked.

The girl's eyes widened and her face twisted out of its empty expression, into a sharp look of displeasure.

"Do not touch me, do NOT touch me!" The girl shouted, panic in her voice. She slapped Sango's hand away.

"Oh, no, I'm so sorry!" Sango gasped, feeling like a monster. The look of panic in the girl's eyes… what had she gone through.

"Do not touch me, don't like being touched…" the girl muttered numbly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Sango instinctively reached out to the girl again, but drew her hand back before she made the same mistake twice. "Just… I'm sorry."

"Yes," the girl murmured.

"Are you okay?" Sango asked. The girl looked at her in confusion. Now that they were talking, it seemed like she wasn't as detached as she had seemed. She wasn't answering Sango's question, but at least she was looking at her this time. But there was still something… off about her.

"Okay, let's try something else. My name is Sango. I'm a Probationary Pokemon Ranger."

The girl also did not respond to this, much to Sango's irritation.

"This is the point where you're supposed to tell me your name," Sango said.

Still no response. Now Sango was getting annoyed.

"What's your name?" Sango asked, a little more directly this time.

"Guinevere," the girl replied automatically.

"Okay, Guinevere, um… how are you feeling right now?"

"I don't understand."

"…What don't you understand?" Sango asked, confused. Guinevere paused for a moment, staring at Sango without even blinking before finally responding.

"Can you please explain what you're asking?" Guinevere asked.

"Does… is there anywhere that hurts?" Sango asked. Guinevere blinked.

"No," Guinevere replied.

"…Are you hungry?"

"I am." A nod this time, that was progress.

"Is there anything I can do for you? Anything… I don't know…" Sango sighed. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now. "Can I ask you something weird?"

"Did I do something wrong? Is there something you need from me?" The girl asked. Her voice seemed almost panicked.

"No, no, it's just… Guinevere, can you tell me why you weren't saying anything until now?"

Guinevere tilted her head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"Ryoko was talking to you before, and so was I. But you were completely quiet. So I was wondering if there was some reason you weren't saying anything."

Guinevere blinked.

"I did not know if you were talking to me," she replied.

"…Who else would we be talking to if not you?" Sango asked.

"I didn't know. That's why I didn't say anything back."

That was odd alright. The next thing Sango had to talk with the girl about was something that she didn't want to bring up. Why she had reacted the way she had when Sango had touched her before. It looked like a sign of trauma… Sango didn't want to bring something like that to the surface if she didn't have to, but… but she was concerned for the girl. She didn't know what Team Rocket was planning to do with her… but whatever it was, Sango couldn't imagine it would be good. Guinevere was gorgeous, after all. Like a doll. She had to…

Wait… even if I wanted to help her… there's nothing I can do anyway. I'm powerless. I can't even help myself… Sango remembered. Tears fell from her eyes. Guinevere watched Sango cry, but didn't have a word of comfort to say to her, staring on quietly. Ryoko, thankfully, was a little more compassionate.

"What is wrong, Sango? Are you okay?" Ryoko asked.

"I have heard that people cry when they are injured," Guinevere contributed. "It is likely that she is crying because she has an injury somewhere."

"No, just… it's nothing like that," Sango said, shaking her head. "It's nothing, really."

"It is not nothing," Ryoko denied, kneeling down beside her and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "If we are to share time here, then please confide your worries as you wish."

Sango glanced up at Ryoko, noting the girl's comforting smile.

"Your secrets will not be the first I have had to keep."

"It's been… a really rough time…" Sango murmured, wiping her eyes. "I came here... because Team Rocket stole a young girl's precious family Wooloos. I wasn't able to stop them… so I thought at least… that I could come and rescue the Wooloos, somehow… but instead, I ended up here, in this cell. With Silver taken away… I might not ever see him again, all because I messed up… and then there's Guinevere, and I don't know what's going to happen to her, either… I want to save her, but… I know it won't matter. I'm too useless to do anything, I can't say a single thing to comfort her."

Ryoko nodded.

"This is our first meeting, Sango, but I can see already that you are a kind and caring person. Do not burden yourself so much, dear girl. I am certain that Guinevere appreciates the sympathy you feel for her, is that not so, Guinevere?"

Ryoko looked at Guinevere, nodding to the girl to say something comforting.

Guinevere blinked.

"I don't understand," Guinevere said.

Ryoko frowned.

"I am asking you if you are grateful to Sango for wanting to take you from this place, even though she has no ability to do so."

"Oh. I see." Guinevere nodded. "Not really. I don't feel any gratitude towards her one way or the other."

Well, of course she wouldn't. Such wellwishes were meaningless if they weren't backed by actual results. Sango understood that, Guinevere was perfectly right to disparage her for being the failure that she was…

"I am not familiar with the customs of this era, Guinevere," Ryoko said, giving the girl a smile laced with menace that seemed to go unnoticed. "But in these sorts of circumstances it is important to thank someone for their empathy, I do believe."

Guinevere said nothing, but pushed a smile onto her face. It was empty and hollow.

"I don't understand," she said, still smiling.

"…Why are you smiling?" Ryoko asked.

"If someone is smiling then it is important to smile back to them," Guinevere replied. "Even if you do not know why they are smiling in the first place. It is a useful tool to help interact with other people."

Ryoko's eye twitched.

"Do you not feel grateful that Sango is worried for your safety?" Ryoko tried again.

"Is that something to feel grateful about?" Guinevere asked.

"Ryoko, it's fine," Sango interrupted her. "Of course she wouldn't feel gratitude to someone as helpless as me… I can't do anything to get us out of here, after all…"

Ryoko sighed. "Sango, this is something you should at least be able to get slightly angry at."

"No, it's not, honestly," Sango said. "It's my fault, anyway…"

"Excuse me."

Ryoko and Sango turned to Guinevere.

"Could you explain that more clearly?"

"Uh… what?" Sango asked, confused.

Guinevere turned to Ryoko

"You told her 'this is something you should at least be able to get slightly angry at'. Can you explain that to me? I don't understand. What is it that she has to get angry at? I am curious."

"I was saying that the idea of concern for others is a decent thing as a person," Ryoko replied. "If that concern is so coldly spurned, then Sango has the right to be angry at you for it."

"Angry at me for what?"

"For not being grateful for her feelings of concern for your wellbeing."

Guinevere looked at her and said nothing, her face showing more confusion.

"I don't understand. What do you mean when you say 'for not being grateful for her feelings of concern for your wellbeing'?"

Ryoko's eye twitched again. She calmed herself. She had met a good many people in her journeys, and there was no need to waste energy getting angry on behalf of Sango. She could lend Sango comfort, but did not want to force the girl into confrontations that she would otherwise not get into.

"I meant to say that she had the right to get angry at you for not being grateful to her for her feelings of concern for your wellbeing," Ryoko said, deliberate in her choice of words so that there could be no misunderstanding.

"Ah. I see." Guinevere fell silent, thinking on this for a moment.

"So it is my fault that she is crying?" Guinevere asked.

"No, it isn't," Sango said, shaking her head. "Thank you, Ryoko, but it's fine. It's my fault, after all."

Ryoko disagreed, but decided not to say anymore. There did not seem to be any point.

"I don't understand," Guinevere said once more. "She said that it was my fault, and now you are saying otherwise. Is it something I have done? I don't understand the thoughts of others very well. If I have done something to hurt you, then I will not know unless you tell me."

"It's fine, honestly," Sango said, wiping her face. "You don't need to worry about it."

"I wasn't."

"Right."

Ryoko backed off, since it looked like Sango was doing a little better now. Unfortunately, her powers were limited. She could not help Sango or this girl Guinevere to escape, and Celebi would not allow the others to travel in time. She checked her watch again. It would not be long before Celebi would take her through time again. She only had a precious few days left. In front of her were two girls, prisoners on this ship far more than she could ever be. She could not lend them a hand… but at least she could do her part to take care of them in the time she had, could she not?

"Sango, Guinevere, it is getting late," Ryoko declared, clapping her hands together. "Are the two of you feeling tired?"

Sango yawned. She felt like death. She was bleary and exhausted, and help certainly wasn't coming for them anytime soon, now that her tracking beacon had been crushed. Maybe they'd never find her. She was so worn down… what was Silver doing? Was he safe? Was he shoved in some cage, somewhere? The more she thought about him, the more she started to worry. And the more she worried, the more she wanted to cry. This day… from the moment she had woken up, it had been the worst.

"Exhausted…" Sango nodded. Unfortunately, no bed had been provided any of them. Just musty old cots. She curled up in one, trying to fall asleep as best she could. Hopefully... hopefully things would be better in the morning. Hopefully she wouldn't feel as useless as she did now. It was not a restful sleep that awaited her tonight, of that she was certaini.

Guinevere did not move in the slightest. Ryoko had not actually seen her sleep in one at all, since she had been in the brig. She slept in a seated position, just as she was now. Ryoko turned to look at Guinevere, opening her mouth to speak to her once more.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

It seemed Ryoko would have to be more direct this time.

"Do you want to sleep?" Even if she did not, Ryoko figured that Guinevere would not do anything that would interfere with her or Sango's rest.

Guinevere nodded her head. That was good enough, Ryoko figured. Time for the three of them to turn in, then. She walked over to one of the other cots and nestled her head down into it, checking her watch one last time, letting the ticking soothe her to sleep. She would have to make the most of what time she had left here.

So, what awaits the three girls when dawn arises? Will they find some way to escape? Or will a rescue come for them? We'll have to find out!