Author's Note: Hello everyone!

This will be a shorter chapter and I do apologize for that. Hopefully it is entertaining nonetheless, I think it will be!

Enjoy!

Juliana entered the lighthouse just as cautiously as she did the first time she was brought here. She looked around at the now cleaned up space, staring at a ray of light shining in through the window. Arven walked in quickly behind her. After setting his backpack down, he took a seat at the dining table. When she looked at him, she saw he was staring at her intently. He made it very obvious that he wanted her to sit down too.

Feeling nervous, she set her own backpack down under the table and took a seat in the chair facing him. There was silence, except for the subtle hum of the air conditioning. The monitors and machines in the background now sat quietly, gathering dust from discontinued use. A stark reminder to the absence of the one who used them.

Arven finally spoke, "Juliana… do you remember what I told you the other day? About Director Clavell letting me know I'm on track to graduate?"

Juliana nodded, "Yes."

Arven met her gaze with a saddened expression, "Well, I… once I graduate, you know I won't be at school with you anymore, right?"

Juliana opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out when she realized that he was right. He wouldn't be at school with her anymore once he graduated. A part of that made her sad, but she knew that he would still be around. With that in mind, she responded, "Well, that's okay. We'll still be together."

She saw a glimmer of optimism sparkle in his blue eyes, "You…." He chuckled, "Yeah, that is true. I guess I'm just worried, I don't know…"

"About what?" Juliana asked.

"About my future...really." Arven shrugged, "I don't know, it's just… it's hard for me to explain."

Juliana smiled softly, "I understand, this must be a lot for you to take in. But you worked really hard for it! I'm so proud of you Arvie." She felt her face blush at that last sentence.

Arven bashfully smiled back, "Ah well… it's… sorry…"

She hopped to her feet and took Arven by the arm, signaling to him that she wanted him to stand. When he did, she put her arms around him firmly. She didn't see the big grin form on his face, but she felt his arms around her, embracing her tightly.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, "To tell you the truth, I was scared you'd want to end our relationship once I graduated."

"What? Why would you think that?" Juliana inquired.

Arven sheepishly explained, "Well, of course once I graduate, I won't be at school anymore. Plus, you were talking about how much you wanted to travel beyond Paldea. When you travel, you usually meet new people. I uh… guess I'm afraid you would…. You know, meet somebody who has a lot more to offer than me…"

"Arven, don't be ridiculous!" Juliana declared forcefully. She paused upon realizing her tone was a lot harsher than she had intended. Adapting a softer voice she continued, "Don't say that, Arven. I… I wish you could see inside my mind. You wouldn't be saying those things if you did."

Arven looked at her with a puzzled expression, "What's in your mind?"

Becoming embarrassed, she admitted, "How crazy I am about you." Her heart was pounding, "I think if you really thought about it. You would see you do have things to offer, things that are a lot more valuable than just the surface. We talked about this before, remember?"

Arven stared at her with a wondrous expression, before chuckling, "Heh… I'm sorry for worrying so much Juliana."

He took a deep breath, "Well, what I know for sure is… that I have a heart that's not so heavy anymore. And a mind that is now at peace."

Juliana smiled without a word. Arven smiled back at her, taking her in his arms again and stroking her hair. She rested her head onto him, listening to his heart beating.

Without warning, the computer monitors flickered behind them, catching Juliana's attention. She gasped lightly.

"What's wrong?" Arven asked, turning around. That's when the monitors flickered again.

"What the heck?!" He exclaimed.

The pair watched the screens flare rapidly for several more seconds before they dimmed down. Becoming just as silent as they were before.

"What was that?" Juliana wondered.

Arven hesitated before responding, "I don't know."

They both stared quietly before Arven shrugged it off, "Eh, it's probably just a glitch. You know how computers are… Nothing to worry about."

Juliana agreed, at the same time. She had a feeling they were being watched, and she wasn't sure why.

Professor Raifort stood in front of the gas stove in her small apartment, stirring beans in a pot as it was slowly heating up. Her mind was on repeat of the events that took place the previous week, yet she felt no disdain at the outcome. Rather, she saw this as an opportunity to get her thoughts back on track. A refresher course, one would say.

She turned her head away from the stove and walked slowly toward the window. Standing in front of it, she pulled the curtains apart to gaze outside. Her apartment was located in the upper west area of the Mesagoza, directly above a post office, right next to the tunnel that led to the Pokémon League entrance. She looked below at all the people walking, going about their days as normal. Eventually her eyes focused on a group of students.

She smirked for a moment, before thinking of a certain student that made her face fade into a scowl.

By all accounts, Juliana is the definition of the teenage dream. She's beautiful, accomplished, and the center of the social scene. She has amazing friends, a boyfriend, and a team of strong Pokémon. Most looking at her would agree that she lives quite the charmed life.

Raifort inhaled deeply, held it for a few seconds, before exhaling sharply. It was the life she dreamed of, the life she craved so badly during her youth but could never accomplish it no matter how hard she tried. It was like trying to hold onto a fistful of sand. No matter how tightly she gripped, it would slip through between her fingers.

Despite her teenage years being well behind her at the age of 35, she could remember certain aspects of it vividly. Not in a fond way either. She was that shy, awkward kid that always ate alone at lunch. The one who seemed to disappear in the hallways, never acknowledged by anyone. Just another face in the crowd. Despite this, she studied hard and received excellent grades. She was respectful to teachers and always got her schoolwork done. When it came to education, she had a lot of potential.

However, that wasn't enough for her.

Her social confidence was low, and her insecurities were high. She had fantasies of being popular and liked, fantasies that are still present in her mind to this day. She recalled being that teenager gazing at the popular girls whilst green with envy. Those rare times she would attempt to make small talk with one of those girls, her efforts were always subtly rejected, rebuffed, or quickly forgotten. This only deepened her obsession to be noticed.

Raifort recalled the day she was reading a book and came across an old photograph depicting the three legendary birds from the Kanto region. It was that photo that sparked an interest in the past, which overtime, steadily grew into her signature passion for ancient history. This is what got her through her school days, and it was what inspired her to become a history teacher. Not only would she get paid to talk about something she intensely adored, but she would also receive the admiration and respect she craved.

And for a while, it worked. When she landed her dream career as a history teacher, it was like dark clouds had parted to reveal the sunlight. There was a rainbow at the end of a vicious storm. A light at the end of the tunnel. She had gotten everything she had ever dreamed about…

Or did she?

Of course she did. Her students adored her, her fellow teachers held her in high regard, everyone was kind and friendly. It was like a whole new world, people not only knew she existed, but would go out of their way to chat with her. She would even be invited by those fellow teachers to social outings, something that never happened to her as a teen. It was all she wanted.

But she wanted more.

Professor Sada. A name that gradually began to ruffle her feathers. That name would be mentioned more and more as the years went by. She couldn't go anywhere without hearing about Professor Sada somehow, somewhere. And for good reason, the woman was astoundingly gifted. She had a level of intelligence that would put even the sharpest of scholars to shame. Like Raifort, Sada also had a deep fascination with past history, and its Pokémon. Eventually, Sada became a well-known name all throughout Paldea. She had become a celebrity.

Raifort gazed upon the first news report featuring Sada in a quiet rage. Why is the world so against her? She couldn't understand! Raifort saw herself to be just like Sada. She was obsessed with past, she made good grades, and put her best foot forward with that passion. Yet, what were the outcomes? Professor Sada became a regionally famous household name whom everyone spoke so highly of, and some aspiring to be like her. All Raifort got was a humble teaching job. Sure, people were seeing her now, but those people were just her coworkers and students. In a way, it was just like being back in school. To the outside world, she was just another face in the crowd.

The day she got offered a teaching job at Naranja Academy, she was filled to the brim with excitement. The academy was the oldest school in Paldea and located in the largest city in the region. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. She knew being a teacher here was a coveted position, many will apply, but only a select few will be chosen. The fact that they were the ones reaching out to her, she remembers it was the most thrilling day of her life.

Walking through the halls of the academy for the first time, Raifort once again felt the familiar anticipation of achieving what makes her tick. Meeting the other teachers was a breeze, they were kind and friendly like her old coworkers from her last job. Knowing that they were just as new to the school as she was made her feel more at ease. Even the headmaster of the school was new to the position, and he was the man of impeccable manners. Raifort blended right into her new environment.

After some time had passed, word among the halls was that a new kid had enrolled in the academy. A young girl named Juliana, who had just moved to the Paldea region. Before she knew it, the whole school had begun talking about her. Simply because she had shown up with the student council president and was rumored to have great potential to be a great rival to her. Raifort paid this no mind, kids love to gossip. It was merely a fleeting brush of fame simply because she was a pretty, new girl who walked in with Nemona. Soon, that excitement will wear off and Juliana will become just another face in the crowd.

But that didn't happen.

As time went on, the student's interest in Juliana did not fade as she expected. As a matter of fact, it had intensified. Juliana was conquering gym after gym, winning battle after battle, there were even rumors going around that she was tackling the problem with Team Star. As she continued to see Juliana in her classes, Raifort was an expert of presenting herself as just a somewhat eccentric history teacher. Nobody knew the storm brewing within her. Juliana was becoming a symbol of everything she wanted to be, but could never.

It was nothing like anyone had ever seen. It was only Juliana's first year, and yet she had done so many wonderful things. The day that Clavell announced in front of everyone that Juliana had become a champion in her first year, her smile and casual applause did well to hide the vicious envy tearing apart her insides. Hearing the praise from the other teachers and students only fed the flames of spite that she felt toward the girl.

Then there's that boy…

Arven, the son of Professor Sada.

She remembers him cheering loudly for her, his voice dominated all the others. It caused brief laughter among the other students. She remembered seeing Juliana turning red and bashfully waving at him in response. It was obvious that the two had become quite close.

It made her sick…

Raifort furiously jerked her curtains shut and whirled around, she walked into her living area. She managed to calm herself by trying to think of some ideas.

"Let's see…" She muttered, "My first plan was almost a success. I almost had those ruin Pokémon in the palm of my hand. All I had to do was tame them and present them to the world. I would've become famous! I could've seen my headlines, 'History Teacher tames dangerous ruin Pokémon!' But… it got ruined at the last second… all of my hard work. Poof! Gone, just like that."

After venting to herself, she sighed and managed a small grin, "But, no worries… I'll think of another way."

Her eyes went to a small photo of Professor Sada she kept on the wall, attached to a corkboard. Without taking her eyes off the photo, she reached to open a small drawer she had within reach and took out a dart. Stretching her arm back, she took aim, and aggressively threw the dart at the photo. The dart stuck on the forehead of the photo. Raifort gave herself a small fist pump.

"I'll be more famous than you Sada, just you wait." She whispered fiercely.

Atop the small drawer, was a newspaper from many years ago. One that she had unearthed from storage days ago. Sada's eyes went to a certain article she remembered catching her attention all those years ago. After blowing the dust off, she read it again for the first time in years.

There was a somewhat blurry photograph of a strange red Pokémon. The Pokémon resembled a Cyclizar. But it was much larger and more ferocious looking. The article stated that the Pokémon was only seen once by a handful of eyewitnesses, before it disappeared and was never seen again. Nobody ever figured out what this strange Pokémon was. Raifort looked at the photo more closely, and saw something that piqued her interest.

In the background, stood the lighthouse. It was known that Professor Sada would be seen there sometimes, likely engaging in work. The gears began to turn in Raifort's brain, a grin grew on her face once more.

"What are you hiding, Sada?" She teasingly muttered. Her eyes scanned the small, printed words of the article, and rested on two words.

Area Zero.

Before Raifort could proceed with her thinking, her nose caught a whiff of something burning. She dropped the newspaper and rushed into the kitchen to see her beans were searing in the pot. She hurriedly turned off the stove and stirred the beans.

"They're a bit burnt." She shook her head, "Eh, no matter."

She drifted back into her mind, "Area Zero…"

Author's Note: Sooooo... lol

Hopefully I did a good job in presenting the reason for Raifort's villany, while humanizing her at the same time.

See you next time!