Dream SequeNce #0O4

Moxy opened her eyes to a popcorn-textured ceiling. The clear sunrise spilled its warm rays through the bleak windows around her.

She sat up from the small bed. Twelve identical beds to hers lined the edges of the drab, large room. About four were occupied with small, blanket-covered humps.

Reaching under her pillow, she pulled out a small, brown book, the cover sharp on its edges.

Ugh, why does mommy have me keep a diary?

Moxy flipped it open to the first page. The date on the header read August the twentieth. She unclipped the mechanical pencil attached to the diary, and after she tapped its end under her chin a few times, she began to write.

My name is Moxy Pennington. Mommy says I'm nine years old, but I'm actually nine and a quarter. Yesterday, she gave me this diary and told me to write what I'm thinking about every day. I think mommy is being weird. Anyways, today is supposed to be a special day. Mommy says we are going to a place called a school. She said it's like the studying we do at home, but more serious and with other kids. It's a little scary, but exciting, too. I-

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a grumble from the bed closest to her.

"Can you please stop whispering to yourself?" an older boy complained under the sheets.

"Sorry..." Moxy whispered.

I just want a pokemon, she closed the diary and slipped it back under her pillow. To have another friend besides her mother was her only wish. Being as quiet as possible, she slid out of the covers of her bed. Moxy tip-toed across the room in her dark blue onesie before reaching an old wooden door. Opening it carefully, she slipped through.

The temperature dropped when she entered the gloomy hallway, and the only sounds made were the thumps of her feet against the marble floor. Light shone through a doorway on the left side of the corridor, and she peered around the side to see the eerily, quiet lobby of the Rustboro Orphanage. Moxy just continued past it.

At the end of the hallway, she found another door. Unfortunately, the knob of the door was lined with the top of her hair, so she had to raise her arm to open it. She flicked a switch inside, and a hum of electricity followed the dismal, yellow lightbulb that lit up the bathroom.

With a groan, Moxy pulled a stool towards the front of the crack-infested sink and stood in front of the bleary mirror before her. Taking a red toothbrush into her tiny hands, she presented a toothy smile to her red-headed, freckled reflection and began to brush.

After she was done, Moxy went back to the sleeping quarters and quietly got dressed in the usual blouse and skirt outfit all the other kids in the orphanage wore. When she entered the lobby, there was a clock hanging on its left wall, its short-hand pointing to seven. She spotted her backpack among a pile of them in the corner, and after a bit of rummaging, she pulled out a book, the title reading NORMAL-TYPES ACADEMICALLY. Moxy flipped it to a random page, where she saw an artistically drawn picture of a blue, bipedal pokemon.

Munchlax, the Big Eater pokemon. Class A. Her eyes scanned the tiny sentences before drawing her finger on a line near the bottom of the page. Taking one along means you must accommodate their insatiable hunger as you train them. They take long naps, which makes training times longer. Evolves into Snorlax.

Moxy scratched her head. I don't think mommy would like me having a Munchlax. Imagine all the money she would have to spend on food!

She turned to another page. This time, she saw a picture of a fox-like pokemon with a bushy tail.

Eevee, the Evolution pokemon. Class D, she read, this time with interest. Originating from Kanto, they have been sighted in frequency around Kalos' Route 10. Other places include Unova, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, but they are rare in the aforementioned areas. They require the same amount of feedings as a human, and training regimens should never exceed 26 hours a week. Their power levels are average within their classification. Eevee's are common as starters due to their medium to fast growth speed and their unique ability to evolve based on the environment they habitat. One exception is when Eevee evolves into Sylveon, which is not a factor of the immediate environment but rather being exposed to innate Fairy-Aura, as well as befriending their trainer. This phenomenon is true when Eevee evolves into Umbreon and Espeon but is dependent on the position of the moon.

Moxy noticed the small picture of a Sylveon among the group of Eeveelutions at the top of the page. So cute! I would absolutely adore having one as my partner!

She wandered over to the spiral staircase to sit down as she continued to riffle through the book, reading about the different species of normal-type pokemon, their skillsets and power levels, habitats, and the specifics of taking care of them.

A sound of a door opening upstairs broke Moxy from her reading spell. Moxy checked the clock again, and this time its shorthand pointed to eight.

Time flies, Moxy thought as footsteps drew nearer to the top of the staircase.

There she was. Mommy. Dressed in a black gown with white spots like she cut a piece out of the starry night sky just to wear it. Her charcoal slip-ons were silent as she descended the stairs with grace. She was lithe on every part of her body except for her waist, thighs, and chest, and a black sun hat rested on her long, black hair that fell behind her like a cloak. Her eyes were narrow but gentle, her nose sharp but pretty, and her lips wrinkled but deviously curvaceous. Moxy always thought she was a secret agent for the League, but mommy would always deny it.

"Oh, there you are. My little, spectacular star," the woman said in her angelic voice. When she reached the last step where Moxy was, she pulled off one of the white gloves she wore, revealing the rough hand underneath. She rubbed Moxy's chin for a second before massaging her hand through Moxy's hair.

"Good morning, mommy." Moxy greeted, looking up at her.

However, the woman frowned, the opposite of what Moxy wanted.

"What did I tell you about calling me that?"

"I-I'm sorry, Ms. Pennington." Moxy corrected herself, hiding her hands behind her back.

It was true, no matter how Moxy felt about the matter. Ms. Pennington wasn't her real mother. She was the headmistress of the orphanage in Rustboro. Regardless, Moxy still loved her with all her heart.

"Oh, don't get all sad on me now. Come now, before my sister wakes and gets all miffed." Ms. Pennington giggled at the end of her sentence. Moxy's face grimaced upon thinking about the crude, fat lady sleeping upstairs like a dragon in its lair.

"You're all packed, my precious?" Ms. Pennington asked.

"Yeah, I just have to put this away." Moxy wiggled the book in her hands and ran for her bag beside the door. Moxy saw Ms. Pennington twirl a lone strand of gray hair on the side of her head. Moxy stuffed the book on normal-types in her bag before hoisting it around her shoulders.

The moment Ms. Pennington opened the large door to the outside, a gust of fresh air kissed Moxy's cheeks. Both she and Moxy stepped out of the orphanage and Ms. Pennington locked the door behind her.

The two walked the sunny streets of southern Rustboro, passing a couple of people and pokemon on the way. Moxy laughed when she saw two, angry Pidove's fighting for a piece of bread.

"Moxy," Ms. Pennington interrupted her laughter. "A lady doesn't scoff at two pokemon fighting over food. What if that were you?"

Moxy bit her lip back. "I'm sorry, mom- uh, Ms. Pennington."

Ms. Pennington placed one of her gloved hands on Moxy's shoulder and rubbed it. "We all get carried away sometimes. It's best not to dwell on it and simply move on. Come now."

Moxy smiled and leaned in closer to the headmistress as they continued down the street. Soon, the buildings around her began to grow taller as they made their way north. And up ahead, she saw it.

RUSTBORO ACADEMY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION was engraved directly above the door of the cathedral-like school. At the entrance, Ms. Pennington stopped.

"Is everything okay?" Moxy asked, looking up into Ms. Pennington's gray eyes in wonder.

"Yes, everything's just right. Moxy, do you truly understand? The gravity of what's about to happen?"

Moxy tilted her head. "You said we're going to a school. I don't understand why we have to, though. I like learning with you at home."

Ms. Pennington's lips parted into a white smile. "My little star. You will learn so much more here than with me. Do you remember that test you took a month ago?"

"You mean that really easy one about pokemon battling? You taught me all of that."

Ms. Pennington brushed Moxy's hair over her ears. "That test was called the Pseudo Trainer's License Exam. You passed with a very high score, and the principal of this establishment wants to meet with you today."

"Do I still get to play with you if I go to school?" Moxy asked. Ms. Pennington chuckled, a light-hearted one, as she led Moxy up the stairs into the school.

The interior was grand. The sandstone walls reached higher than Moxy had ever seen walls reach, and her eyes reflected against the shiny copper floor. They had entered a T-intersection, and Moxy heard footsteps approaching from the right hallway.

"Ah, Dahlia! So glad you could make it here," an older man greeted.

"Principal Mason, a pleasure." Ms. Pennington extended her right arm as she shook Mason's hand. "I was surprised to get the call."

Moxy looked up at the man, though not too far up as he was much shorter than Ms. Pennington. He wore an open suit, the black-tie shadowing against the pure-white button-down underneath. His graying hair was neatly combed, and his face shared the similarities of a Dedenne, which Moxy found amusing.

"Well, I like to keep an eye on students who exceed expectations." Principal Mason looked directly at Moxy, his rotund cheeks lifting upwards with his cheery smile.

"What do we say, Moxy?" Ms. Pennington asked out of nowhere.

"Oh. T-Thank you, M-Mr. Mason, sir." Moxy looked down in embarrassment.

"Aw, such a modest young girl. I'll show the two of you around." the principal gestured to them as he marched down the middle hallway in his squeaky black shoes. Ms. Pennington gently pushed Moxy to follow Mason.

"This establishment has been around since the early 1900s when it was just a rusty old schoolhouse. When Rusthill, now Rustboro, was industrialized, this academy was one of the few to be upgraded first. That's when my grandfather took charge of the establishment. He was a professor out of Unova, and..."

Moxy zoned out Principal Mason's ramblings as she followed aimlessly behind him. She was more interested in the walls of the school rather than who built them. They passed open classroom doors, and Moxy saw rows of children sitting on desks in front of well-dressed grown-ups. The students were stoic and quiet as they listened to the teacher. They looked so...

Boring, Moxy sighed. At least Ms. Pennington made learning interesting by applying it practically.

"Ah, and here's one of our most exemplary students now," Principal Mason interrupted Moxy's thoughts. They had reached a classroom with the title ADVANCED COMBAT EDUCATION. Walking towards the classroom from the other side of the hall was a girl Moxy's age. Her straight hair was a vibrant green, and she looked at Principal Mason with uninterested, narrow gray eyes. However, one of her thin eyebrows arched upon noticing Moxy.

"Janice," Principal Mason greeted. "This is the Pennington family. Young Moxy here is soon to be your fellow classmate."

"Hi." Janice rested her right hand on her hip.

"Hi," Moxy said back. Janice was scanning her up and down in silence.

"Um-"

"I like your hair."

Moxy was taken aback by the comment, and she was quick to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Right, well, back to class now, Ms. Greaves," Principal Mason coughed. Janice swung her hair to her side before entering the classroom.

"She's a sweet girl, isn't she?" Ms. Pennington whispered. "I know that family name from somewhere..."

"The Greaves are an affluent family. Her father is the head scientist at the Devon Corporation, and her mother is apparently Unovan royalty, or so I've heard," Principal Mason explained. "I have high hopes for her, just as I do for Moxy."

That girl is a princess or something? Moxy tilted her head.

The principal showed them further around the school. Moxy was introduced to the large courtyard, the cafeteria, and the faculty offices. The last place she was shown, however, was the gym. And it wasn't an average gymnasium either.

It was a League-authorized gym.

The air turned cold upon entering the stadium-like arena. The ceiling was high and open, and Moxy could see Wingull's soaring about. On the long sides of the rectangular stadium were spectator stands, and deep down in the pit was the battleground. It was littered with sand and rocks, and that was when she heard a loud crash in the arena. Something was going on in there.

"Torchic is unable to battle. Roxanne is the winner!" a loudspeaker announced. Moxy took a few quick steps towards the arena to see a blue, rigid-looking pokemon with a red, triangular nose standing above the Torchic in mention. A Nosepass, as Moxy remembered reading about.

"Torchic!" a teenage boy's hoarse voice called out as he ran towards his fire-type sprawled on the ground. He was dressed in a striped trainer's outfit, and he couldn't have been more than eighteen years old, which was the minimum age required to challenge a gym.

"Is she okay?" a girl's voice followed right after. A swathe of light from a pokeball engulfed the Nosepass, and Moxy saw a teenage girl wearing a black blouse and red leggings run towards the Torchic. Her brown hair was tied into pigtails with a red ribbon, and her pretty face was full of fear.

Moxy was starstruck. That was Roxanne, the rock-type gym leader. Ms. Pennington explained that after she was done with school, she might want to challenge the Pokemon League Circuit. And Roxanne, who was relatively new as a gym leader, would be her first obstacle.

"By Arceus, Is that Roxanne?! She's much too young to be a gym leader!" Ms. Pennington exclaimed, a hand behind her mouth.

"For good reason. She's the top trainer here at school. And my daughter. Roxanne!" Principal Mason called out after his explanation.

Roxanne was startled to hear her name. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small, pink spray bottle. She handed it to the boy, bowed anxiously, and clambered up the staircase to her father.

"Arceus," she whispered upon reaching him. She crossed her arms as she looked over at the boy and his Torchic, "Nosepass might have hit her a little too hard."

Moxy watched as a team of four doctors hurried into the arena. They traveled down the stairs towards the Torchic, holding a gurney between them. They lifted the pokemon onto it gently before bringing the injured pokemon upstairs, and Moxy gawked at them as they passed by her.

"Obviously, we couldn't have a gym without a facility to heal injured pokemon. The doctors in our school are top-notch. Trust me," Principal Mason told Ms. Pennington, his hands clutching the lapels of his suit jacket.

"I hope so," Ms. Pennington said as she watched the doctors disappear through the exit. Moxy grabbed one of Ms. Pennington's fingers to try and rid the worried look on her mother's face.

"I haven't introduced you both. Roxanne, this is Dahlia Pennington, the headmistress of the orphanage here in Rustboro. And the young girl next to her is Moxy Pennington, one of the orphans."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dahlia. My name is Roxanne Mason." Roxanne bowed in greeting. Moxy raised one of her eyebrows at her.

She's so... shy, Moxy couldn't help thinking. Ms. Pennington used to tell her that the Gym Leaders she would face were among some of the greatest trainers in the region. Looking at her in the flesh, Roxanne didn't exactly exude any of that greatness her mother talked about.

"Moxy here will be joining the Advanced Combat Education class soon."

Roxanne widened her eyes. "The Ace Trainer class?! At her age?! But, that's an advanced course in pokemon training. She would only be joining if..."

Principal Mason nodded in response to her reaction. "Yes, she passed the Pseudo Trainers License Exam with a score of ninety-one! Isn't that just marvelous?"

Moxy hid the blush growing on her face. Everyone was complimenting her. Was she too modest in thinking it wasn't such a big deal? After all, the test wasn't that hard for her.

"When will she be attending the class, Dahlia?" Roxanne asked suddenly. "I'm the assistant teacher of the class, and I'd love to get a chance to help her learn."

"Hopefully as soon as possible." Ms. Pennington smiled, squeezing Moxy's hand.

"Well, I'll let you get back to your gym duties now. I'll see you after school hours." Principal Mason looked at Roxanne.

"Of course, father." Roxanne bowed again before hurrying back down to the arena.

Mason took Ms. Pennington and Moxy to the medical wing of the school, where Moxy saw the doctors healing the injured Torchic. Afterward, Ms. Pennington had to go inside the principal's office with Mason to talk about finances for Moxy's tuition. Moxy didn't understand much of it, but Ms. Pennington gave her a reassuring nod. That affirmation was all Moxy needed to know that things were going to be fine as she sat down outside the office, her legs swinging back and forth in anticipation for Ms. Pennington to return.

The sun soared high in the afternoon sky as Moxy and Ms. Pennington left the Training Academy.

"So, did you like the school?" Ms. Pennington asked gingerly, kneeling to Moxy's level.

Moxy gave her a smile and a nod.

"Good girl." Ms. Pennington rubbed the back of Moxy's head. "You'll be attending this school starting next week. You'll rise early in the morning, at six o'clock. You'll brush your teeth, have some breakfast, and either Nicole or I will walk you here. Do you understand, my precious?"

"Does that mean you won't be teaching me anymore?" Moxy asked, a hint of a whine in her voice.

"It won't be as frequent as before, I'm afraid."

"I...I'm a little scared, mommy," Moxy couldn't help the tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"Oh, don't cry, baby." Ms. Pennington embraced Moxy into a hug. "Going to school on your own is going to be scary, I know. But don't forget that it was you who passed that test. I didn't take it for you, I simply pushed you to learn, my dear. You have an opportunity to do great things in this life. So don't let a little fear push you back."

Ms. Pennington took off one of her gloves and wiped the tears in Moxy's eyes.

"Never forget. I'm here for you, Moxy. No matter what."

The classroom door loomed in front of Moxy. It wasn't that big, yet it was big enough to scare her. Around her, other students, big and small, traversed the school hallway. Moxy hands tightened around the straps of her backpack. She took a deep breath.

She pushed the door open to find an almost empty classroom. There were about twenty desks lined into rows of five, but only one of those desks was occupied.

Moxy noticed the familiar girl from yesterday, Janice, sitting in the second row near the middle of the classroom. Janice watched Moxy with gray eyes, and there was this amused look on her face.

"Hey, new girl," Janice called out, startling Moxy.

"M-me?" Moxy pointed to herself, and Janice hid her crooked chuckle behind her mouth.

"Yeah you, silly. I saved you a spot." Janice patted the seat in front of her. Hesitantly, Moxy shuffled over to the seat and noticed the large, mahogany desk at the front of the classroom was empty.

"Where's the teacher?" Moxy raised an eyebrow, not taking her seat yet.

"Don't you have a timepiece or something? Me and you are super early. There's supposed to be like six other students here." Janice rested her arms against her yellow and red outfit.

"Oh…" Moxy murmured, still staring at Janice.

"You like it?" Janice showed off her outfit a little better. Moxy was silent, but Janice could see the interest in her eyes.

"My parents got it for me. It's a trainer outfit. Made from the finest Flaffy wool."

"Woah… I-Is it expensive?" Moxy continued to stare at it as she sat down. Janice stayed silent and sized Moxy up and down again.

"Hey," she whispered. "Wanna see something cool?"

Moxy nodded.

Janice reached into her back pocket, pulling a small, shiny object into view.

"Is that a pokeball?!" Moxy was amazed.

"Watch this." Janice pressed the button on the middle, causing a flash of light to erupt in her hand. When it cleared, a small, purple feline pokemon was seated on Janice's desk.

"Wow…" Moxy was starstruck by the Purrloin. The Purrloin meowed a greeting, and she began to purr when Janice rubbed her head.

"She's so cute, right?" Janice whispered, a pile of glee in her gray eyes before they lit with a bright idea. "You want to pet her?"

"Y-yeah!" Moxy said, maybe a little too loudly, and she reached her hand out. However, Moxy whipped her arm back when Purrloin hissed.

"Sorry!" Janice blurted out, wrapping her arms around Purrloin's shoulders. "She's still a little shy with others."

Janice gave Purrloin another rub on the head before she clicked her pokeball again. A red slight swallowed Purrloin back into the ball before Janice put it away.

"How old are you, Janice?" Moxy asked, looking around the classroom anxiously. Janice raised her pretty eyebrows before smirking.

"I'm nine. Yeah, I know I'm not supposed to have a pokemon until I'm twelve. But isn't it fun to break some rules sometimes?"

"What? N-no!" Moxy widened her eyes. "You could get in big trouble if the teacher, or anyone, catches you with a pokemon! You don't have a permit yet!"

Janice yawned. "Well, my parents technically assigned Purrloin as my bodyguard, and she's a Class D pokemon. It's not like she's a Hydreigon or something."

"W-what's a H-Hydreigon?" Moxy stammered. The name scared her, and she was caught by surprise when Janice pulled her face right up to Moxy's.

"Ohh… they are these scary big dragons that fly through the cloudy skies of Unova in the dead of night," Janice whispered eerily. "Their three heads scan the forest in search of prey, until…"

"WAH!" Janice raised her arms, her eyes wild, and Moxy eeped before hiding her face. "They swoop down and chomp your head off!"

"GAHAHAHA!" Moxy peeked out from her fingers to see Janice snorting in laughter.

"That's not funny!" Moxy steamed.

Janice wiped a tear from her eyes and sat back in her chair. "C'mon Moxy. You gotta learn to be a little loose around people. I was just playing with you."

"Urf…" Moxy scratched her head. If that was playing around, she didn't want to know what Janice did when she was serious.

Just then, the classroom door opened. Two students walked in. Moxy was surprised to see the first one much older than her. About fifteen or sixteen, if she had to guess.

However, the other person walking in caught Moxy's attention. The boy was wearing a white button-down and black school pants held by black suspenders. His caramel hair was slicked back, and his blue eyes were nothing short of calm.

"Charles!" Janice waved her hand in the boy's direction.

"Hey J-" Charles' tongue was caught in his throat when those eyes, now the antithesis of calm, fell on Moxy. She lowered her brows in confusion as Charles continued to stare at her.

"Hey, watch where you're walking!" Charles was broken from his stupor when he walked right into the first boy.

"Apologies," Charles whispered in his northern accent before making a beeline to his desk, which was on Janice's immediate right.

Janice cleared her throat. "Moxy, this is Charles. Charles, this is Moxy."

"Hi!" Moxy greeted.

"Uh…h..hi," Charles seemed to be dazed about something. Moxy's cheerfulness dialed quickly into awkwardness.

"Snap out of it!" Janice punched Charles in the shoulder. "What, did a Yanma blow your eardrums out?"

"Oh. S-sorry, Janice." Charles coddled his arm. "It is nice to meet you, um, Moxy. That's a cool name, by the way…"

Moxy blushed. "Oh, thanks. No one's ever said that about my um… name before."

"Me and Charles go way back," Janice started. "Our fathers journeyed together in Unova."

"Woah. You're both Unovan? That's so cool…" Moxy said. Charles' face turned as red as her nose during a freezing winter.

"Wait. Is Hoenn the only region you've ever seen? Did your parents grow up here?" Charles fired off questions like it was an interrogation.

"Oh… yes. And no." Moxy answered, hesitant on answering. "I… don't have parents."

"What?!" Janice sat up from her seat in surprise. "Well, who was that woman who came here with you last time then?"

"She's the headmistress of the orphanage." Moxy began tapping her fingers together. She wondered if being an orphan made Janice think of her any different.

Her answer came when Janice said, "Damn. That has to suck."

Charles went wide-eyed upon hearing Janice.

"O-Oh, it really isn't too bad," Moxy murmured, tapping her fingers together. "Ms. Pennington has been the kindest person to me. She's… pretty much my mom."

"But not really." Janice tilted her head as a person would for a homeless Growlithe.

A pang of overwhelming guilt filled Moxy. She didn't know whether Janice was right or not. Moxy had wished to see her parents from the moment she learned what wishing was. She wanted to know who they were and what they liked. Did they ever journey to a cool place like Unova?

Unfortunately, the only thing her parents were doing now was making her look like a fool in front of her classmates.

"Hey, if you ever need anything, don't be afraid to ask us," Charles assured her suddenly.

"R-really?"

"Yeah, for real," Janice followed up, her gaze shifting between Charles and Moxy. "I mean, it must have taken a lot of effort to get into this class. I guess that makes you alright, parents or no parents."

The two were smiling at Moxy now.

"You're both really nice. T-thank you." Moxy hid her hands under her desk.

Not too long later, about five other people entered the classroom.

"It's Roxanne!" Moxy whispered in amazement. Roxanne was wearing her usual outfit, and she seated herself on a lone chair at the back corner of the room.

"Eh, once you're settled, you'll get used to that sight," Janice deadpanned, sliding into her seat.

The last person to enter was a tall man with graying hair. His brown eyes were heavy under his fedora, and his business coat was just the right fit for his square body. He set his briefcase on the desk before pulling out a few papers from it.

"Alright class," he started when everyone got settled. His loud but droning voice was quick to displease Moxy's ears. "We have a new student today, Moxy Pennington. I speak for everyone when I say welcome to the class. If anyone around her could get her up to speed on the current assignment, that would be great."

Moxy pulled out a notebook and pencil from her backpack.

"M-Moxy," Charles' whispered. She turned to see a big binder being offered to her. There were paragraphs of neat handwriting on the page it was turned to, as well as a chart on the different pokemon types.

Thank you, Moxy mouthed out to Charles. His cheeks turned red, and he shot her a toothy grin.

"Today we're learning about Dragon-types." The professor said, taking off his fedora. "Can anyone give me an example of a dragon-type?"

Everyone in the class raised a hand except for Moxy. Instead of choosing any of the eager hands in class, the professor's eyes turned on her.

"What about you, Pennington? Can you name a Dragon-type for me?"

Moxy's hairs stuck out when she felt nine pairs of eyes gazing at her from around the room.

"Ummm…uh… H-Hydreigon?" Moxy stammered out. Moxy caught a little chuckle from behind her, where Janice was sitting.

"Very good." The professor smiled. His voice turned from boring to oddly invested. "I can tell you're very, very smart."

Something in Moxy's line of sight twitched like static from a television. As flattering as the compliment was, the professor's voice seemed to make Moxy's heart race. Like a Buneary being chased by a Houndoom.

"Now that you've given me an example of a Dragon-type, could you, perhaps, give me an example of a Ghost-type?"

The professor's eyes were still trained on Moxy, and the pressure compelled her to answer him again.

"Um… aren't we learning about D-Dragon-types today?"

The professor rested his hands behind his back and began pacing in front of the chalkboard. "Change of subject. How about an example of a pokemon that can learn the move Nightmare? You're a smart one. Can you tell me?" It almost sounded like he was toying with Moxy now, the way he lassoed her into his questions.

This feels… oddly familiar, Moxy groaned before racking her mind for the answer. She could still feel the presence of a thousand eyes on her.

"Maybe… oh! Gengar?"

"Mmm…" the professor squinted his eyes and shook his head. "Not quite."

Moxy raised an eyebrow. But Gengar-

"Try again." The professor interrupted her thoughts.

Moxy shrank into her seat, not sure what the professor was getting at. "H-Hypno?"

A disgusted expression erupted on his face. "Ugh. No."

"What! Fine, what about… Darkrai?!" Moxy had given him an incredulous look.

"Darkrai?" the professor raised an eyebrow. "What do you know of Darkrai?"

"That mythological pokemon that doesn't exist? You know, the thing parents scare children with? 'If you don't do your homework, Darkrai's gonna get you in your sleep!'" she imitated, remembering what Dahlia used to tell her to keep her behaved.

A chuckle rose from the professor. Moxy found it strange that he was so loud, but she quickly realized it wasn't him; everything around her had gone silent.

Moxy turned around to see if Janice and Charles had been listening to this ludicrosity, but they were nowhere to be found. Only she and the professor were in the classroom now.

"The only Lord of Nightmares here is me."

Suddenly, the windows shattered into a million pieces as a gust of wind rushed in. Papers and shards of glass were tossed around in a vortex, and when Moxy tried to get up, an invisible force kept her body pinned to the chair. The clear morning descended into a stormy night in an instant, and the light bulbs above her flickered on and off.

"Surprised?" the chilling voice rippled all around Moxy like a shockwave. Her world was spinning like she had a bad case of vertigo when the professor's eyes shifted from brown to bright red.

Moxy pressed a finger against her temple. "Not really. Figured you'd show up soon enough."

"Truly? How amusing. You miss me already." The voice said. As much as Moxy tried to stay resilient, the cold and darkness festered her brain with sickening anxiety.

"What do you want?" Moxy whispered, bracing her arms around her shoulders in an attempt to ward off the cold.

"What, can't I check on my champion every now and then? How's life back from death?" the voice cackled, this time with a low-pitched ferocity.

"None of your damn business."

"Look at you. Dreaming about your so-called friends. Pathetic, human weakness. To love those who are undeserving of it. One of them betrayed you, and the other doesn't even like you."

"Shut up," Moxy whispered.

"Is that how you humans treat the ones who save them? So full of arrogance, and… moxie. Hah!"

"Fuck. You." Moxy cursed. "You killed me!"

The professor raced towards her in the blink of an eye.

"GACK!" Moxy gasped when a boney hand grasped her throat. The professor's head was a skull now, and it stared straight at her with large rubies for eyes. Moxy saw her reflection within them, and she would have retched if she wasn't suffocating. Her face was hideous. Her eyes were pitch-black, her hair tweeds of gray, and the skin around the bottom half of her face was torn away, revealing her bloody jawbone underneath.

"Need I remind you why?" it asked wearily. There was so much unwarranted disappointment in its hellish voice.

"Maybe… we could… chat about this… in real-life… instead of during these… horrible nightmares," Moxy struggled out as tears clogged her vision.

"It would be my pleasure." The hand released Moxy's throat, and she began coughing."As soon as you do what you agreed to."

"I already… told you," Moxy wheezed, coddling her throat. "I need to get prepared. Wandering through a desert isn't… easy."

The voice growled for a few seconds before dying into a sigh. "How unfortunate."

Moxy sat there for a second, her mind wrapped with confusion. "I still don't even know how or why you were trapped. Who even did it to you? What… what are you?"

The professor stood there. Its head twitched now and then, and Moxy's spine shuddered when a bizarre smile plastered its skeletal face.

"He sits alone. In his iron throne," its jaw moved up and down as he sang, but it was more like a chant than a song. "The darkness prances around his pile of stones. An eye of evil, he made himself so. A cloak of sable, behind him it tows."

"King Caltis Grieviron, his name written in the dune." The horrible voice rang through Moxy's head."Beware his subjects, as they weep forever under the moon… geheheHAHAHA!"

Moxy only had more questions now, but the professor disappeared like ashes in the wind before she could ask them. Her vision continued to swirl until everything turned black.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes. The small room was dark and quiet.

"Wha…" Moxy trailed off, observing her surroundings. She found Sylveon sleeping calmly in the corner, and snores emanated above her in the top bunk where Zee slept.

I can't. I can't. I can't! Moxy repeated to herself as tears rolled down her cheeks.

It was all too much. Every night was torture. If this kept going, she feared one of these nights would be her last. Her soul would be stolen away. She couldn't leave Sylveon. She couldn't leave Charles.

Why me… Moxy curled up in her bed and sobbed quietly to herself.

She didn't sleep the rest of that night.

Reviews:

-RuGuard: The journey begins indeed. I think it's safe to say there will be lots of surprising twists like that in this fic. Thanks for reading!