Outsiders (ZnT/Pokémon Reverse Summon)
Season 2, Episode 2, Chapter 3

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Princess Henrietta de Tristain stared out the window of her horse-drawn carriage as she rode towards the Tristain Academy of Magic. Her face was stern and tight, her hands tightly gripping the doorframe with enough force to turn her knuckles white. Rather than watch the clouds, wildlife, or scenery roll by, as she normally would on most trips outside of Tristainia, Henrietta kept her eyes firmly on the horizon for the academy itself. The sooner she saw its walls and towers, the sooner she would allow herself to finally relax. As much as she could, in any case. Given the gravity of the situation, she doubted she'd be able to relax much at all.

Before receiving the dreadful news the day prior, Henrietta had been right in the midst of finalizing her departure to Germania. For the past several months, she and her advisors had been negotiating an alliance with their northern neighbor, the Empire of Germania. With Albion and the ruling royal Tudor family, their biggest allies, set to lose their country's civil war to the so-called republican theocratic movement Reconquista, Tristain would be in tremendous danger. They didn't have the population nor economy to defend themselves, and since Reconquista had continent-wide ambitions it made them a prime target. Once Reconquista won the war, they would invade Tristain whenever they got the chance. That was why Tristain turned to Germania. The Empire had the largest army in the continent, which would be more than enough to protect them. All it took was simply a marriage between herself and Germania's Emperor, Kaiser Albrecht the Third. Tristain wanted Germania's army to defend it from outside threats, Germania wanted its royal family tied to the Founder's bloodline to give them more legitimacy in the eyes of the other Brimiric Kingdoms. Despite having never met the man before in her life, and Albrecht being much older than her, Henrietta was set to marry him in less than two months to solidify their alliance. She didn't like it, being handed over as though she was a commodity rather than an actual person, and she'd call it off if she could get away with it. But Tristain's needs came before her own, so she powered through it. Normally such an important, complex, and politically drawn-out endeavor would've been handled by her mother and father. Unfortunately, with her father having suddenly passed away a year prior and her mother subsequently consumed by grief ever since, unable to handle the responsibilities and stress of ruling, it fell onto Henrietta's shoulders herself to handle such matters.

The past few months had been the most stressful in her entire life, as she was thrown from merely organizing simple balls and dances, all in the name of being Tristain's adoring and loved Princess, to handling complex treaties, negotiations between competing noble families, expansive military, agricultural, and economic concerns, and much, much more. Henrietta would be lying to say she was in any way prepared for such an important responsibility, governing an entire kingdom. Perhaps her father intended to ease her into it over time, but that was no longer an option.

Many times she felt overwhelmed, especially since the various nobles she'd forced to deal with had invariably been entirely self-centered or even dismissive of her. Henrietta's notions of how the nobility conducted themselves had been thoroughly dashed and stomped on over the past year. As much as she didn't like admitting it, Henrietta had found that the vast majority of Tristain's noble families cared far more about their own house's fortunes and prospects than the status of their fellow commoner citizens, whom they were supposed to care for. While most of them certainly cared for Tristain itself, aside from an unshakable feeling that Tristain had been infiltrated by those from Reconquista who wished it harm, they frequently equated the strength and prosperity of their kingdom with themselves and themselves alone, with the vast majority of their population, the commoners, barely given an afterthought at best.

Many times Henrietta had attempted to speak on their behalf. She was going to be queen one day, and she wanted to the Queen of Tristain, not just the Queen of Tristain's Nobles. But, every time she attempted to raise commoner concerns, such as reduced taxes, increased wages, or even access to education normally excluded to just the nobility, she was dismissed entirely. Especially if her suggestions even had the slightest inkling of threatening their hold on power. That was where Henrietta learned another truth. Everyone, even her biggest allies the Vallières, felt that she was far too young and naïve to be Queen, and many of them made that abundantly clear during their interactions. Never outright, as most of them were far too polite to say such things to her face. Something that Henrietta would've actually preferred rather than putting on a façade. But it was through their interactions that she was able to gleam the truth. How they'd dismiss her thoughts on the basis of her not having enough experience to really understand what she was talking about, or merely humoring her before moving in a completely different direction. At the least the Vallières attempted to explain why some of her ideas weren't feasible, giving valuable advise that Henrietta took to heart.

No, Henrietta had learned quite quickly that being a sovereign ruler was much more than what she had been led to believe in her youthful fantasies. It wasn't glamorous, it was hard, grueling work that seemed to suck the very soul out of her body. She should have been grieving for her dead father, with her mother taking on the responsibilities that belonged to her as Queen. But, unfortunately, that was no longer an option for her.

That was when she received the letter from the academy, telling her of Louise's disappearance. Henrietta had dropped everything immediately and ordered her men to take her to the academy so that she could personally deal with the crisis unfolding while a missive was sent to Germania to explain her absence. Germania wouldn't be happy about it, but as far as Henrietta was concerned this took priority. Not only was Louise the youngest daughter of the Vallière family, her biggest allies, Louise was her best friend. They had been so since they were children, with Louise her playmate for many years. Louise was practically the sister that Henrietta never had, and she would do anything to help her. So, to find out that her dear friend had disappeared after a summoning gone wrong, it demanded nothing less than her complete attention.

"Princess," a voice next to her spoke up, cutting into Henrietta's thoughts. Startled, she jumped slightly in her seat before turning to face the only other occupant in the carriage, her personal bodyguard.

Giving a soft pout, Henrietta complained, "Agnès, don't do that. You scared me."

Agnès de Milan, a tall, fair-skinned and short-haired blonde woman with vibrant green eyes a few years older than herself, stared at Henrietta flatly for a moment before letting out a small smirk. She then replied, "Of course, Princess. It wasn't my intention to startle you."

"I should certainly hope not," Henrietta grumbled, then composed herself with a deep breath. Looking back at Agnès, Henrietta then asked, "What is it?"

"I just wanted to inform you that we'll be arriving at the academy shortly," Agnès revealed, perking Henrietta up tremendously.

"Splendid!" Henrietta explained, a wide smile on her face. "Hopefully the Academy will have some news for us regarding Louise's disappearance. Maybe even a plan on how to get her back."

"Indeed," Agnès replied with a small frown. "Princess, while I share your hopes I must advise you, however, to keep your expectations in check. It has only been a three days since Louise de la Vallière's disappearance. That's not a lot of time to find anything useful."

Henrietta's smile fell into a frown, then she sighed and hung her head before admitting, "I know, Agnès. It's just…"

She released another sigh, then felt Agnès' hand on her shoulder. Agnès then said, "It's okay. I understand completely."

Henrietta looked at Agnès, then nodded. Far more than just her chief bodyguard for the past several years, Agnès had proven to be both a close friend and even advisor to Henrietta. One that she could turn to whenever she needed an honest, unfiltered opinion. Something that Agnès was in no shortage of. She had made it clear several times during their private conversations that not only did Agnès share Henrietta's opinion on the selfishness of the noble class, but even had harsher opinions on them. It was through Agnès that Henrietta was truly exposed to the needs of her people, and if there was anyone Henrietta could confide in and trust at all times, it was her.

Leaning back into her couch, Henrietta let out another sigh then asked, "Agnès, what do you think is waiting for us at the Academy?"

"Truth be told, I don't know," Agnès admitted. "It could be, as you hoped, that they managed to quickly find something and have already formulated a plan. It's also just as likely that they haven't found anything useful. We won't know for certain until we get there."

Groaning, Henrietta complained, "That's the worst part: the uncertainty. It feels like it's gnawing away at my heart, and no matter what I try it just won't go away."

Agnès nodded sympathetically, then advised, "All that feeling is telling you is that you don't have enough information to make a proper decision. The only way you're going to get rid of it is by learning more. Both with whatever fate has befallen your friend, as well as anything else you may encounter as Queen. Your job isn't to ignore it, Princess, it's to acknowledge that uncertainty's presence and react accordingly."

Henrietta looked at Agnès and pondered over her words of wisdom. After a moment, she smiled faintly and nodded before saying, "Thank you, Agnès. I'll keep that in mind. Still can't help but worry, though."

"I'd be surprised if you weren't," Agnès said with a quick nod. Henrietta back, then went returned to staring out the window.

Much to her relief, she saw the academy's grand walls and tall towers coming up in the distance. Knowing that they were almost to their destination, Henrietta forced herself to remain as calm and collected as possible. It would help little for her to barge out of the carriage like a hapless schoolgirl, demanding answers right off the cuff. She had to be composed and focused, regal in all ways possible.

That being said, as they drew closer, she couldn't help but note, "Hey, shouldn't there be people waiting for us? Members of the faculty and the Vallières, at least?"

Agnès, looking out her own window, replied through a frown, "Yes, there should be."

"Then where are they?" Henrietta asked, a sinking feeling coming up from her gut.

True to her word, there was no one waiting at the front gates for them. They were open, but without any people standing by. No guards, no teachers, nothing. For a moment, Henrietta was worried that something horrible had happened to the academy since she got the letter, and Agnès even pulled out her pistol while thinking the same thought. Yet, there was no obvious sign that the academy had come under attack, as their walls were unblemished and undamaged. The open gates weren't forced open, either, clearly telling them that they were open for the Princess' procession.

Then, as they passed through the gates, Henrietta gawked as she beheld the state of the academy within the walls itself.

"What did they do to the grass?" Henrietta asked, her eyes wide as she looked into the nearest courtyard.

Normally, the grass of the various courtyards making up the academy were neatly trimmed in a flat, uniform pattern, carefully pulled of weeds that created a picturesque landscape. The same could not be said for what it looked like right now, as massive, curved lines crisscrossed through the courtyards. It looked more like the work of a child squiggling on a piece of paper. Some looked vaguely like shapes, with one in particular a large circle with a smaller circle in the center and a thick line cutting through it. Others even vaguely looked like faces of animals she had never seen before. Most, however, looked like nothing. Several landscapers were standing still and staring at the destructive work, utterly despondent and devoid of emotion. Something told Henrietta that they weren't responsible for this, and couldn't help but feel bad for them.

Once the carriage stopped, she and Agnès were able to get a closer look. Aside from the ruined landscaping, they saw other signs that something chaotic had blown through. Massive, multicolored paintings and splotches had covered entire sections of the bare walls. Large pools of water flooded entire areas, with some students utterly drenched and trying desperately to use their magic to dry themselves off. Others appeared half frozen, with visible frost accumulating on their hair. It was a worrisome scene, but strangely none of the students actually appeared hurt.

Then someone noticed their arrival, a young girl with short, raven black hair wearing a maid's uniform. The commoner girl quickly rushed over, brushing off the dirt and dust on her dress before stopping in front of the carriage. She was trying her best to put a smile on her face, but it was clear that it was strained.

"Hello, Princess! We welcome you to the Tristain Academy of Magic! My name is Siesta, and I was asked to welcome you when you arrived," the girl called out as Henrietta slowly climbed out of the carriage after Agnès. "Apologies for…well, all of this. It's been a busy morning."

"…I can see," Henrietta slowly replied, looking around at everything while trying to understand what was going on. She couldn't help but notice that the ground beneath her feet seemed uneven, and as she glanced down she found that indeed part of the ground itself was raised and cracked.

Shaking herself back into focus, Henrietta then asked, "What happened here? Where are the teachers? Where are the Vallières? Why is the courtyard such a mess? Why are there paintings on the walls?"

Siesta sheepishly laughed while rubbing the back of her head, then admitted, "Well, you see, it's a funny story, actually—"

"Do either of us look like we're laughing?" Agnès forcibly cut in, prompting Siesta to clam up and gulp.

"Right," Siesta replied, gulping ahead. Taking a deep breath, she then answered, "To answer your questions—"

"GET IT!" someone yelled from behind them, cutting Siesta off.

Agnès immediately put herself in front of Henrietta as a large group of people, both commoners and mages, chasing after a small, red contraption with a face on its front and a green aura encasing its body. A tall rod rose from the top of its head, and a pair of wheels were on its sides. On its back was a large box, and to Henrietta's surprise the thing was laughing manically. As it moved, grass clippings were being ejected behind it in its wake, carving a path through the grass.

"NO, NOT THE FLOWERBEDS!" another shouted as the thing veered towards it. At the last second, it turned away, avoiding the flowers and shooting off deeper into the grass. Rather than feel relieved at this, the pursuers lamented even more and picked up the pace.

"I GOT IT! EARTH WALL!" a student shouted a spell cast. A large wall of earth rose up from the ground, completely cutting off the strange contraption. It stopped in its tracks, then more walls were formed around it to completely cut it off.

"YES! TRY GETTING OUT OF THAT!" the student yelled while pumping his fist. "THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR HUMILIATING GUICHE THE-!"

A moment later, the magically formed walls were shattered from several interior impacts. The walls crumbled away into loose collections of dirt to reveal the creature inside. Yet it wasn't the same that had been previously trapped. Instead it was a small, bipedal creature with grey skin and three brown ridges on top of its head. Its arms were tight with muscles, ending with human-like fists that were clenched and partly smoking. The creature, which Henrietta had never seen before, was smiling as it looked at its pursuers, who were stopped in their tracks entirely.

"…aw, man," the apparently named Guiche moaned as he hung his body forward.

"…Where did the-?" Henrietta prepared to ask, not quite sure where the first creature went, then the second's body began to glow and shift. When it subsided, what remained as a small, pink cat with a long, slender tail that floated in midair, regarding everyone with a happy expression on its face. No words left Henrietta's hanging mouth as she tried to comprehend what was going on, an expression copied by Agnès. Siesta, strangely enough, seemed resigned and let out a sigh.

'That was fun!' a feminine voice suddenly called out, her voice echoing from within Henrietta's mind and making her and Agnès jump in surprise. Realizing that it came from the floating cat, they could only watch as she lifted her short, stubby hands. Thick globs of mud were formed out of nothing, then with a joyous tone in her voice the cat proclaimed, 'My turn! Mud Shot!'

The various students and members of the academy staff let out short screams as the mud was hurled into their bodies, covering all of them. Several tried diving for cover to the ground, but it was no use. Before long, every single person expect for Henrietta, Agnès, and Siesta was covered head to toe in a thick layer of mud. None of them appeared hurt, but several wails and screams of anger were coming out.

"FOUNDER, DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO WASH THIS OFF?!" a girl shouted, and for a moment the cat seemed to ponder her words.

Then it smiled and snapped its finger before saying, 'Yeah, you're right. I'll help!'

"NO, NO WAIT!" the students protested, futilely waving their arms in front of them as the cat transformed yet again.

This time the cat had turned into a large, blue tortoise standing on two legs with canons sticking out of its brown shell above the shoulders. It aimed those cannons at the students, and a moment later twin streams of water shot out, consuming the mud covered students. It last for only a few moments, and while a few were knocked to their feet, the mud was thoroughly washed off. A moment later, the turtle glowed as the creature transformed into yet another creature entirely. It was another tortoise, only this one was small, red and block in color, and stood on all four legs. Steam was ejected out of open ports on its shell, which seemed to house what appeared to be magma. The red tortoise took a deep breath, then fired a concentrated orb of fire into the sky. For whatever reason, the pleasant sun suddenly turned harsh, and the heat increased tremendously. It didn't take long for the drenched students to dry out, but now they were sweating profusely including Henrietta, Agnès, and Siesta.

Satisfied at its work, the tortoise transformed once again into the floating pink cat, and she proclaimed, 'There, all cleaned up!'

She looked around and adopted an almost bored expression on her fact. Only then did the cat notice Henrietta, and her eyes locked onto Henrietta's immediately. Before the princess even had time to react, the floating cat teleported right into her face. The cat's intense, inquisitive dark-blue eyes stared into Henrietta's, and while Agnès moved to react by trying to stab the cat with her sword, the blade broke harmlessly against her skin.

Without even acknowledging Agnès' attempt on her life, the creature continued to stare at Henrietta, almost as though she was studying her. Henrietta didn't say a word, equally frightened and intrigued. After a moment, the cat smiled, then said, 'Hi. I'm Mew. What's your name?'

Henrietta didn't say anything at first, only glancing at Siesta and Agnès who was staring at the remains of her sword incredulously. Given how that sword was specifically enchanted by a square-class earth mage to be virtually unbreakable, she had a right to be confused. Looking back at the so-called Mew, Henrietta nervously gulped then said, "I'm Princess Henrietta de Tristain."

Mew gasped in audible wonder, then replied, 'A princess?! Wow…'

Mew trailed off and began to aimlessly spin vertically in the air, her eyes never leaving Henrietta. Then, as she completed her spin, she said, 'You seem stressed. We should play later. Bye.'

With that, Mew teleported away, leaving everyone by themselves. Sweltering under the intense sunlight, Henrietta and Agnès stared at each other. Then they slowly turned to face Siesta, who had her eyes closed and was taking a deep breath.

"…As you can see, Princess," Siesta began, "that creature was Mew. She is responsible for the current state of the academy as apparently she has decided to make it her playground since this morning."

The two women stared at the maid incredulously, and while Henrietta didn't understand anything about what was going on, she could already feel a migraine forming. Looking at Agnès, it appeared that one had already formed for her.


Leaving the chaos of the academy courtyards behind them, Princess Henrietta and Agnès were escorted by Siesta to Headmaster Osmond's office. Once they got inside the building, they quickly found that Mew hadn't left it untouched. Walls were covered from top to bottom in haphazard paintings, entire rooms filled with water that was just barely being kept from flooding out by both students and servants bracing the leaking doors closed. When they passed by the cafeteria, they saw that an elaborate feast had been prepared, only for merely scraps and bare bones left as it had already been eaten. Most strikingly, not a single teacher or faculty member was seen, nor were the Vallières.

"What happened here?" Princess Henrietta asked as they walked down the hall, they passed by a blue-haired student trying to rouse her red-haired classmate. The poor girl was completely paralyzed, the front of her body covered in a watery gleam that reminded Henrietta of saliva. For a brief moment, Henrietta locked eyes with the bluenette, who stared at her blankly before going back to trying to help her friend.

"Did…Mew do all of this?" Agnès asked, her hand hovering over her pistol as she stood protectively in front of Henrietta.

"Yes, she did," Siesta admitted, trying to sound as cheerful and helpful as possible but letting the stress of the situation leak through her voice. It was clear to the Princess that the commoner maid didn't quite know what was going on, yet at the same time Henrietta got the distinct sense that she knew more than she was letting on. Agnès got the feeling, too, and frowned while staring at the back of the girl's head.

"Clarify," Agnès ordered, and Siesta nodded while continuing to walk.

"Of course," Siesta replied. "It started this morning when people all across the academy, from teachers and students all the way to us servants, started noticing that things were misplaced or missing. Spare wands, books, spyglasses, maps, mirrors, dishes and silverware. Mostly trinkets and odds and ends, nothing truly valuable so we didn't really pay much attention."

"I get the distinct feeling that Mew was the one who took them," Henrietta plainly stated, idly looking at the room which had its contents flipped. What should've been on the floor was now placed on the ceiling, and vice versa.

"We believe so, your Highness. Especially after Mew revealed herself by," Siesta paused to chuckle slightly, covering her mouth with her hand, then continued, "challenging Lord Gramont to a duel."

"Lord Gramont? As in Guiche de Gramont, the youngest son of General Gramont?" Henrietta asked, and when Siesta nodded affirmatively she muttered, "I didn't know the General had a son enrolled here. Wait, was he the one who tried trapping Mew earlier behind those earth walls?"

Siesta nodded again, but before Henrietta had a chance to continue Agnès cut in as she attempted to get the conversation back on track.

"A duel?" Agnès pointedly asked, raising an eyebrow, and Siesta nodded.

"She called it a battle once it was done," Siesta clarified, "and it is really an over-exaggeration either way. All Mew did was turn into an Alolan Dugtrio and mock Lord Gramont's habit of flipping his hair, and when he tried to scare her off she just kept dodging while continuing to mock him with more hair flips. It was quite humorous, actually."

Siesta chuckled a bit more, and even Henrietta couldn't help but let a smile come up. From the sound of the maid's description, the 'battle' between this Guiche and Mew did sound funny. Then the rest of Siesta's statement registered in Henrietta's mind, and her attention focused entirely on her.

"Wait, an Alolan Dugtrio?" Henrietta asked, shooting her head back slightly. "What in the Founder's name is an Alolan Dugtrio?"

Siesta flinched and momentarily paused before recollecting herself. Chuckling nervously while rubbing the back of her head, she tried to ignore the pointed stares she was getting as she answered, "Ah, yes. Well, an Alolan Dugtrio is a Dugtrio from the Alola Region, where it grows steel fibers as hair."

"…What is a Dugtrio? What is the Alola Region?" Henrietta asked, her eyes widening while Agnès furrowed her brow as she glared into the back of Siesta's head.

"More importantly," Agnès growled suspiciously, "how do you know what they are?"

Siesta stopped in her tracks, prompting Henrietta and Agnès to stop as well. The maid took another deep breath, then turned around and looked at the Princess of Tristain. She then answered, "To answer your questions, Princess, a Dugtrio is a Pokémon. As for how I know…my great-grandfather told me."


Earlier That Day

As the courtyard descended into chaos, Siesta couldn't help but stare blankly at the spot that Mew previously floated. The same spot where she had initially been those moles. It took her more than a few moments to recognize what she had been seeing at first, entirely focused on the good-natured humiliation that Guiche was getting, but now that she did Siesta was ashamed she hadn't recognized them earlier. Her great-grandfather, may his soul rest in peace, would be ashamed.

That creature wasn't just calling itself Mew. It was Mew. A mythical creature that Siesta's great-grandfather had told stories about to his family. Stories that Siesta had grown up on in her small village of Tarbes. Up until now, she had only heard stories about Mew and other such fantastic creatures her great-grandfather called Pokémon, and she had never seen one in person. She never doubted they existed, as her grandparents had grown up with the Pokémon that Siesta's great-grandfather had brought with him when he arrived at Tarbes, and even her parents knew them for a time before the last of the six he brought with him finally passed away. All of Tarbes knew what they were and venerated them, with Siesta no exception. But to see one in the flesh was much different than just hearing stories.

She had to verify, though, and so she used the chaos to slip away unnoticed. Running as fast as she could in a way that wouldn't draw attention to herself, Siesta rushed to the commoner quarters. Fishing through her own personal chest, Siesta found a thick book bound in thick, red leather. Stamped into the center of the cover was a ball with a small circle in the center and a diving line through the middle. The top half raised slightly, while the bottom was imprinted deeper in the material.

This book was special to Siesta, as it was a personal copy of her great-grandfather's work. Every member of her family had one, as dictated in her ancestor's will. He had called it a Pokédex, and while before she simply liked to look through it in passing during late nights to pass the time, now she was a woman on a mission. Unlatching the seal, Siesta carefully opened the book and began combing through the pages with her fingers.

"Rattata, no. Sandshrew, no. Clefairy, no, Ninetails, no," Siesta muttered to herself as she looked through each page to find what she was searching for. Each page had an expertly drawn and colored picture of a different species of Pokémon, along with a detailed description of the species itself. Name, typing, biology, general temperament, and more. All of which carefully copied directly from her great-father's original copy, which was stored in her family's home. Finally, as she turned to page fifty-one of the nearly nine-hundred page volume, she saw the creature she was looking for.

"Yes!" Siesta said under her breath, then began to read aloud. "'Dugtrio, the Mole Pokémon. Instead of being three separate creatures, each head of a Dugtrio is simply one part of a single body that they share. They can tunnel under the earth at a rate of sixty miles per hour to a depth of sixty miles, creating powerful earthquakes as they go. Dugtrio from the Alolan Region have adapted to their iron-rich environment to grow thin yet heavy strands of steel. These 'steel-hairs' are used as sensors to detect vibrations through the earth, which they use to both traverse underground and find nutrients.'"

Comparing the drawn image on the left side of the page to what Guiche had dueled against, Siesta found that they were a complete match. Her breath hitched, and she held the book tightly. Siesta's mind was racing, struggling to comprehend the proof in her hands. For a moment, she wondered what to do, and the temptation to simply shove the book back into the chest and never bring it out again crossed her mind. It was a strong temptation, one she almost went for. Maids like her did best to stay out of the nobility's eye, and bringing up this information would be the exact opposite of that. There was no telling what might happen to her if this information were to come out.

Yet, after some thought, she shook her head and closed the chest without putting her copy of the Pokédex inside. Siesta didn't know what was going on, but it was clear that the Headmaster needed to know what Mew was. She didn't think Mew intended for any harm, as her great-grandfather had proclaimed within the book itself that Mew was practically the eternal kitten and as such was far more concerned with having fun over actually hurting anything. The fissure she created at the very end told everyone very clearly that if Mew wanted to hurt anyone, she was more than capable of doing so. Yet all she did was flip her hair at Guiche like he did to so many girls.

Her mind made up, Siesta closed the thick book and carried it under her arm. Hastily leaving the commoner quarters, Siesta saw several gardeners chasing after Mew, who had now turned into a Rotom. She wasn't able to recognize the machine that the Rotom was possessing, only that it was cutting through the grass as it moved.

'Don't worry, I'll mow the grass for you guys!' Mew's voice echoed through her and everyone's heads.

"NO!" the landscapers screamed as they gave chase, a few more holding their hair up as Mew proceeded to completely destroy the carefully laid work they had already done.

Siesta winced and offered them looks of sympathy, then made her way inside the academy. Walking as fast as she could through the curious students and teachers, each trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on outside, she left the crowd behind. Heading straight towards the headmaster's office, she couldn't help but notice a stern-faced rosette woman stomping towards the door. Beside her was a blond man with a thick beard and monocle, and they didn't look quite pleased at all.

"What is going on?" the woman calmly said, yet she might as well have been shouting with how everyone in the room, excluding whom Siesta assumed was her husband, flinched and turned towards her.

"Oh, Duchess Vallière," a teacher said, regaining her composure. "To be honest, we're not quite sure. I think someone's familiar is loose and making a commotion outside."

"Several familiars, I think, although I don't recognize any of them," another teacher added.

Siesta wanted to correct them, and even started taking out her Pokédex to help explain, but before she got the chance the Vallières pushed through the crowd to head outside. Clearly they wanted to see for themselves what was going on, and when Siesta tried to talk to others the commoner maid was completely ignored. Sighing to herself, Siesta went back towards finding the headmaster.

Briskly walking through the hallways, Siesta wondered where she recognized the name Vallière from. After a moment, her eyes widened in recognition. Louise de la Vallière was the name of the second-year student who had disappeared following her familiar summoning, and those must've been her parents. The entire academy had been put on lock down after that as the teachers searched everywhere for her, but to their dismay they couldn't find any trace. No one knew what had happened to Louise. Rumors were abound. Some were saying that she had accidentally blown herself up, just as all of her other spells infamously ended. Others said that she just ran away, unable to handle the humiliation of not being a true noble. Given how seriously the academy was treating this event, Siesta had the feeling it was far more complicated than what the rumors were suggesting. To what extent, she didn't know.

While Siesta never personally interacted with Louise all that much, she couldn't help but feel saddened over the situation. Lady Louise was quite well known among the rest of the commoner staff of treating them with at least a modicum of respect. Mostly simple thanks for their services rendered and not asking too much of them. There was still that customary sense of noble superiority that all students and most teachers at the academy shared, but at the very least she acknowledged them. Siesta couldn't imagine what had happened, nor what would be running through her and her family's heads. Hopefully, they would be able to get her back soon enough, then they could put all of this behind them.

It was then that Siesta heard some commotion coming from up ahead. Her curiosity beckoning her, Siesta carefully made her way towards the source of the sound and saw that it was coming from inside the cafeteria. In anticipation of Princess Henrietta's imminent arrival, the academy had been preparing an elaborate feast. Succulent meats, expertly crafted cakes and pastries, fruits and more had been prepared all morning. The servants were especially excited, as such feasts always made too much for the nobles to eat all of it, so they would be able to get the scraps. Yet, when Siesta peaked through the entryway of the cafeteria, what she saw made her gasp.

"Oh my goodness," Siesta muttered as she watched a small, green, bear-like creature walking on the table, devouring everything already laid out. It took Siesta a moment to recognize the creature as Mew turned into a Munchlax, and with wide eyes she remembered how her great-grandfather described Munchlaxes as eating their entire body weight in food each and every day. Given how they weighed well over two-hundred pounds, it was clear that the food already laid out wouldn't be enough.

Try as they might, the Munchlax ate every scrap of food in the entire cafeteria, chasing down the cooks and servants who attempted to carry some of them away. Absolutely nothing was left, and the servants were left despondently holding empty plates while staring emptily at the Pokémon. The Munchlax' body then glowed as the Pokémon transformed back into Mew, who was licking her paws clean of any residue.

'Hmm, that was filling!' Mew compliment, then began wagging her paw back and forth. 'But over-spiced. Made my tongue burn.'

"Are…are you saying my food tasted bad? And yet you ate it all anyway?!" Chef Marteau, a big, burly man with hairy arms and a bushy brown beard, incredulously asked, and Mew happily nodded.

'Yes!' Mew confirmed with a smile on her face. 'Try using less next time!'

"…GAGH!" Marteau screamed as he tried to lunge for Mew, who simply raised herself higher into the air and making the middle-aged man crash to the ground, causing the empty plates nearby to shake off the tables and fall on top of him.

As Marteau struggled to pick himself up, Mew chuckled while holding her paws to her snout. Despite the situation, Siesta couldn't help but find it adorable, especially as Mew started chasing after its tail while in mid-air. It was then that Mew noticed Siesta's presence, and her eyes locked onto the maid's. Siesta flinched under the attention, but didn't falter as Mew suddenly teleported in front of her.

'Hi, I'm Mew. What's your name?' Mew excitedly introduced herself. Siesta was taken aback for a moment at the sudden intrusion, but collected herself quickly.

"He…hello, Mew," Siesta replied. "I'm Siesta."

'Hi, Siesta!' Mew beamed, bobbing up and down in mid air while continuing to stare at Mew. Behind her, Siesta noticed at the other chefs were yelling at her to run, that Mew was dangerous, but Siesta couldn't. While nervous, Siesta knew she wasn't in any actual danger.

Then Mew's gaze shifted to the Pokédex in Siesta's hand, and her eyes widened in recognition at the symbol on its face. Looking back up at Siesta with a surprised expression on her face, Mew asked, 'Do…do you know what I am?'

Siesta was silent at first, then she gulped and nodded. Mew audibly gasped and flew back, fluttering her paws excitedly as she exclaimed, 'Oh, oh! This is exciting! I didn't think anywhere here knew what a Pokémon was, but you do!'

As Mew started to happily squeal, Marteau and the other chefs looked at Siesta in confusion. Marteau then asked, "Siesta, what is she talking about?"

"I—" Siesta prepared to answer, only for Mew to gasp loudly.

'OOH, I have an idea!' Mew proclaimed, holding up a paw. 'Let's play 'Who's That Pokémon?' I'll turn into a different Pokémon, and you say what I am!'

"Wha-?" Siesta started to ask, unfamiliar with the game being described, then Mew transformed once again. When the light subsided, Mew had now turned into a small, bipedal cat with brown feet that connected to cream-colored fur, a long tail that ended with a brown curl, and a golden coin on its forehead. Six whiskers came out of the sides and top of its head, and it was staring up at her expectantly with a smile on its face.

"Um…" Siesta muttered, looking at the creature in confusion. She knew it was a Pokémon, but the situation suddenly thrust upon her had thrown her for a loop. When the cat's face began to fall, Siesta began to pick out parts of the body that she recognized, then her eyes widened in recognition.

"Oh, that's a…a Meowth!" Siesta declared, and Mew happily clapped her paws together.

She transformed again, then time turning into a small purple rabbit with a horn on its head. Once again, it took Siesta a moment to jog her memory, but this time she got it much quicker as she said, "Male Nidoran!"

As the other servants watched incredulously, Mew and Siesta continued to play their game. The Mythical Pokémon would transform into a variety of different species, most of which Siesta was able to recognize after just a few moments or a quick search through her Pokédex. Any that she didn't, such as the boxy-yet-angular Porygon, Mew promptly gave the name of before moving onto the next. Mew had transformed into a Butterfree, a Pidgeot, Buneary, Noibat, and more. Halfway through she had vaguely noticed that others had started crowding around her, but Siesta was so caught up in the moment that she hardly noticed it.

Finally, Mew transformed into one final creature. It was a small, yellow, mouse-like creature with red circles on its cheeks. Its long, pointed ears ended with black tips, and two brown stripes were on the back. The tail was vaguely shaped like a lightning bolt, and it looked up at her with a tilt of its head.

"Pika-pika!" the mouse Pokémon called out, and the entire room descended into high-pitched squeals at the adorable creature.

"Ah, a Pikachu! Oh, that was always my favorite!" Siesta exclaimed, barely holding in squeals of her own. The Pikachu nodded fervently, then transformed back into Mew and floated up into the air.

'That was fun, but I think the scary lady wants to talk to you,' Mew said, pointing her paw behind Siesta.

"Wait, what?" Siesta asked, reality crashing back into her. Turning around, Siesta saw the stern face of Duchess Vallière staring down into her, not an ounce of amusement in her whatsoever. Siesta couldn't help but whimper slightly, and her legs began to shake. Especially when she noticed all the other students and faculty members staring at her and Mew.

'Bye!' Mew said before teleporting away to somewhere else in the academy. With Mew completely gone, everyone's attention was focused entirely on her, yet the others so much as not even existed as their presence was entirely drowned out by Duchess Vallière's.

Without saying a word, Duchess Vallière glanced down at the open Pokédex in Siesta's hands. She held out her palm, and Siesta immediately handed the thick book over.

"It's…a copy of my great-grandfather's work," Siesta explained as Duchess Vallière began to silently read through it. "He called it a Pokédex. I was on my way to show it to the headmaster when I got…distracted."

Duchess Vallière didn't say anything at first, continuing to skim through the book. When she finished, the closed it with an audible thud, then made Siesta instinctually flinch. At first, the entire cafeteria was silent, then Duchess Vallière all-too-calmly asked, "What is your name?"

"My…my name?" Siesta asked in confusion. When the Duchess nodded, Siesta quickly nodded back then answered, "My name is Siesta, Duchess Vallière. Just a simple maid at the academy, that's all."

"Yet you just so happen to know exactly what this Mew and the creatures it's turning into are," Duchess Vallière sternly replied. Siesta flinched, then after a moment she nodded.

"Yes, I do," Siesta confirmed. "They're…called Pokémon. My great-grandfather was a Pokémon Breeder before he moved to Tristain, and we grew up with stories about them back in Tarbes."

Duchess Vallière hummed slightly as she regarded Siesta with an inquisitive eye. The moment seemed to stretch on to eternity, and Siesta didn't know what the noblewoman would do. Then, much to her surprise, Karin said, "I take it this is an item of personal property?"

Her eyes widening slightly, Siesta stammered for a moment before recovering and said, "Yes. The original is back in Tarbes. Every member of my family gets one when they come of age."

"Then I will return this to you when we are no longer in need of it," Karin declared, then turned around. Before she walked away, she ordered, "Come with me. It is clear that we need your knowledge of these…Pokémon."

With that, Karin began to walk away. Siesta remained still at first, then realized what was being asked of her. Picking up the front of her skirt, Siesta hurried after the noblewoman, trying her best to ignore all the stares sent her way.


"These are expertly drawn," Henrietta noted as she read through the expansive Pokédex inside Headmaster Osmond's office. Agnès was right beside her, carefully reading through Mew's personal entry.

"'Mew, the New Species Pokémon,'" Agnès read aloud. "'So rare and powerful to be considered a Mythical Pokémon, Mew is believed to be the ancestor from which all species of Pokémon are descended. With its highly adaptable body and psychic powers, it is capable of transforming into any Pokémon, using any move and technique a Pokémon can learn. Mew is also capable of turning invisible at will, so no one can see it unless Mew wants to be seen. Accordingly to legend, Mew only shows itself to those pure of heart.'"

"I don't know how much of that is true, your Highness," Siesta admitted while carefully pouring the Princess and Agnès cups of tea, making sure not to spill a single ounce while occasionally sending a nervous look at the two women in the room with her, "but I think its clear that Mew is exceptionally powerful."

"Evidence of that is all over the academy," Agnès dryly replied as she fully stood up. Shaking her head as she looked out the window, Agnès then asked, "Is it dangerous?"

"No, at least I don't think so," Siesta answered. "Mew is certainly chaotic, but I think she just wants to have fun."

"Has it hurt anyone?"

"She hasn't, no," Siesta confirmed. "She has 'battled' with a few people, but only after they attack her first with a spell. Even then, she's clearly treating it as a game more than anything, and if someone actually does get hurt Mew feels bad and heals them."

"It can heal the sick and wounded?" Henrietta incredulously asked, and Siesta nodded.

"As though they were never injured in the first place," Siesta answered, an awestruck look on her face.

While Henrietta only really had second-hand exposure to this Mew, outside of a quick introductory meeting, it was hard not to understand why Siesta was reacting that way. Everything that this Mew seemed capable of doing put their greatest magics to shame. Transformation, teleportation, telepathy. That wasn't even including the use of moves, as Siesta's Pokédex described, that completely exceeded square-class magic in strength, precision, and applicability. From the look on Agnès' face, the bodyguard wasn't quite certain what to make of this Mew, and neither did Henrietta. Didn't stop her from thinking it was all so fascinating.

Agnès then broke the silence and asked, "Is Mew responsible for Louise de la Vallière's disappearance?"

It was a question that made Henrietta flinch. While Agnès was the one to say it, the question had been on the Princess' mind. To her relief, however, Siesta shook her head.

"No, I don't think so," she answered. "Duke and Duchess Vallière had that same question and set off to find and confront Mew about it. She told them no after making them play a game of hide-and-seek across the academy."

"That must've been…an experience," Agnès couldn't help but note, and Siesta nodded.

"Speaking of the Vallières," Henrietta began, "where are they and the rest of the teachers."

"Mew put them to sleep with a song," Siesta answered plainly, leading to a heavy pause.

"…I'm sorry, it did what?"


"It went that way!" a guard yelled as the group of mages chased after the giggling Mew. Containment spells were being thrown at it, but Mew effortlessly dodged them.

'You'll never catch me!' Mew cheered as she turned down a corridor. She then teleported to another section of the castle, being sure to leave behind a clue so that they would find where she went. Hide and seek was boring if no one ever found you.

At the moment, Mew was currently floating above the stash of various items she had collected from across the academy, haphazardly piled up with no regard to organization. She made sure none of the items were broken, and she intended to put them back before she had to return home, but that didn't mean she couldn't play with them for a little bit in the meantime.

Looking at herself in a handheld mirror for a moments while spinning in midair, Mew put it aside before deciding it was time to leave the safe spot. Choosing a random location in the academy, Mew teleported in with a faint pop. She found herself in a girl's room, a collection of stuffed animals lined up on the wall. On a dresser was a warm souffle, sending a pleasant aroma throughout the room, while the girl herself was busy looking at herself in a vanity mirror.

"Grr, not another one," the girl with long brown hair, Katie if Mew remembered correctly, complained as she poked at a small pimple on her forehead. Frowning, she pulled out her wand and cast a quick spell. Liquid pooled around the blemish, then it went away as though it was never there. Smiling at her application of magic, the girl adjusted her hair for a moment before getting back up.

"Alright, now I look perfect!" Katie declared. Pocketing her wand, she then smiled and nodded to herself as she turned around. "Now to give Sir Guiche that souffle I told—"

Katie stopped as she noticed that the souffle was now half-eaten. Her face fell, and she rushed over to inspect it more closely.

"What happened? I just finished it!" Katie asked, holding the side of her head. She quickly noticed the trail of crumbs that led off the shelf, and the first-year student narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Following the trail, she found that it ended at the foot of her stuffed animal collection, which made her raise an eyebrow.

"Why would it…?" Katie muttered to herself as she looked over her stuff animals, a collection of bears, dogs, cats, rabbits, and more. Scrunching up her face, she tried to understand how the trail ended up here. Staring into the face of one of her stuff rabbit plushies in particular, she seemed to have a silent interrogation of it before finally noticing that a window was open.

"Ugh, of course! Something must've flown in and eaten it! Founder, I'm so stupid!" Katie complained as she stomped over and slammed it shut. Groaning to herself, she muttered, "Gagh, now what am I going to do? I was going to impress Sir Guiche with a souffle but now I have nothing!"

'You could always make another one. It was really good, I'm sure he'll like it,' Mew helpfully offered, but Katie shook the suggestion off.

"The first one took me all day. I don't have time for—" Katie stopped as the source of the comments finally registered. Shakily, she turned towards the stuff animals, where she saw that the brown rabbit she had stared into earlier was now blinking and turning its head towards her.

'…Sorry for eating your souffle,' Mew apologized as she transformed from a Buneary back into her actual form. 'It smelled really good. Couldn't help it.'

"…Thank you," Katie replied, too nervous to do anything. The Pokémon and mage stared at each other for a few awkward moments, neither one moving an inch. With a cough, Mew then teleported away, and only then did Katie let out a scream.

Shaking her head of the awkward encounter, Mew turned herself invisible as she floated around the academy, watching as the people she was playing with continued trying to find her. In particular, Mew focused on the pink-haired lady and her blond husband. They appeared to be exceptionally strong, and Mew couldn't help but feel giddy at having them play with her. Floating around some more, she also noticed a pair of students who were making their way towards the safe zone. Recognizing them as the pair who had taken it upon themselves to find the items Mew had borrowed, she quickly teleported over and started hanging over them.

"I'm telling you, Tabitha. It has to be this way," the red-haired girl, Kirche, insisted.

"We've already searched this tower," Tabitha dry replied, neither of them noticing Mew hanging over them. "Again, we should be letting the teachers handle this."

"They're too busy trying to find Mew," Kirche pointed out with a shrug of her shoulders. "Besides, in a way we're helping them. If we find where Mew is hiding our stuff, we can let the teachers know and they can set a trap."

"…Mew can teleport."

"Yeah, but still. Besides, we're already this far and I'm not letting this floating cat beat me."

Tabitha silently rolled her eyes but stayed with her friend regardless. Mew, meanwhile, struggled to hold in her laughter, already thinking of ways to mess with them. She considered reaching into their minds, but decided that was rude and chose not to do it. Instead, she continued listening in, floating right behind both girls as they entered the dark, cramped hallway with cobwebs hanging on the ceiling. Mew couldn't help but notice that Tabitha's grip on her staff tightened as they walked through the creepy area, and an idea began to form in Mew's head.

"This place is kinda spooky. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this place was haunted," Kirche pointed out with a smile on her face, glancing over at Tabitha. "Actually, if I recall correctly you had us turn back right before we came through here last time."

Tabitha said nothing, instead picking up her pace. To the Germanian girl, that might as well have been a confession, and she smiled widely before speeding up as well. It was confirmation to Mew as well, and quickly forming a plan she transformed herself in to a floating ball of gas with a face on it. As a Gastly, she floated behind both girls, sending out small signals to rattle loose objects in the halls. With each object moved or knocked off its pedestal, both girls flinched, especially Tabitha. Yet they continued onward, and Mew's smile grew even wider.

She then decided to bring it up a notch and she breathed onto the back of their necks. Both girls stopped in their tracks, their hairs beginning to stand up before they sharply turned around, their wands at the ready.

"What was that?" Kirche asked, and Tabitha shook her head.

Continuing with her prank, Mew lowered her voice as much as possible and said, 'Leave…this…place…'

Tabitha and Kirche whipped around again, trying to find the source of the echoing voice. Kirche then called out, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Deciding to answer her call, Mew floating out of a wall in front of them, careful to keep herself shrouded in shadow. Both girls' eyes widened as they stepped back, especially Tabitha, only for Mew to reappear and float through the walls right behind them. Repeating this action again and again, Mew kept her attention focused on the stoic Tabitha, who was losing her composure faster than Kirche. In fact, Kirche seemed to be understanding more of what was going on with each passing moment, and eventually she let out a groan.

"Oh, for Founder's sake," she said while rubbing her forehead. "Tabitha it's just Mew messing with us. There's no ghosts."

That was when Mew appeared right in front of Kirche and Tabitha, yelling into their face while making her gassy body as big and wild as possible. Kirche was startled and took a few steps back in fright, but quickly regained her composure and let out a confident smirk while raising her wand.

"Aha! I knew it!" Kirche declared. "I don't know what…that thing is, but I know you're Mew! If you're here, that means we're getting close to where you're hiding our stuff! Isn't that right, Tabitha?"

No response came, surprising Kirche. Turning to her side, she noticed that Tabitha wasn't there, and so she started turning around to try and find her. It didn't take long before she noticed a blue-haired girl poking the top of her staff through a cracked-open doorway, the rest of her using the thick, heavy door as a shield.

"…Tabitha, are you serious right now?" Kirche asked incredulously. Tabitha didn't say a word, causing Kirche to let out a groan and pinch the bridge of her nose before she turned around to face Mew.

"Okay, this is apparently happening. Anyway," Kirche said then confidently raised her wand back at Mew, "give us back our stuff, thief, or I, Kirche the Ardent, shall put you down where you sta-!"

Kirche was cut off as Mew suddenly licked her with a massive tongue that came out of nowhere. Stunned into silence, Kirche couldn't only stand there in shock while Mew smiled at her. Bubbling up from inside, Kirche felt a sense of anger and embarrassment rise, and with a snarl she prepared to cast a fireball. But, when she tried, she felt her muscles suddenly freeze and spasm, and she fell over stiff as a rock onto the ground.

"Kirche!" Tabitha rushed over to help her paralyzed classmate while Mew transformed back into her normal form.

'Oh, she's paralyzed,' Mew noted. When Tabitha shot a horrified look at Mew, one that was echoed with Kirche's eyes shooting towards her, Mew quickly shook her paws and clarified, 'Don't worry, she'll be fine. It'll wear off soon.'

The Mythical Pokémon and teenagers stared at each other. Then, as Tabitha prepared to cast a spell, Mew suddenly said, 'Okay, bye!' and teleported away.

Leaving the two teenagers behind, Mew suddenly found herself in a classroom. A handful of students were inside, working on a few individual projects that were suddenly ignored as everyone simply stared at Mew. She stared right back at them, then smiled and waved. After a few moments of tense silence, the students slowly waved back, their eyes never leaving her.

Deciding to hang around for a bit, Mew's attention was drawn to the teacher's desk where she began playing with the stuff on it. None of the students so much as moved from their spots, too nervous and uncertain of what to do. Some, however, did send their familiars out to grab the teachers, and it didn't take long for the doors to the classroom to be thrown open as several dozen mages and guards spilled into the room.

'Yay, you found me!' Mew cheered, not even caring that so many people were pointing their weapons and wands at her. With a smile still on her face, Mew then looked right at the Vallières, whose faces were warped with absolute rage.

'Hello!' Mew said, as she slowly spun around, tightly gripping her tail. Duchess Vallière, far from amused, growled and pointed her sword wand right at Mew's face, who continued to not care.

"I know you can understand me, creature, so I'm only going to say this once," Duchess Vallière declared, then lowered her voice to barely above a whisper. She might as well have been yelling with how silent the room otherwise was. "Where. Is. My. Daughter?"

'No idea!' Mew happily answered as she spun around, playing with her tail. Not satisfied with that answer, Duke Vallière attempted to trap her in a column of earth, but Mew effortlessly teleported away to safety.

'Ooh, you're strong! I can tell. Wanna battle?' Mew eagerly asked from right beside Duke Vallière. Surprised, he backed away and cast another spell, forming a large boulder that shot through the air then shattered harmlessly against Mew's body to no effect. The only response he got was simply an inquisitive tilt of Mew's head. While the less experienced mages nervously took a step back, Karin de la Vallière growled and prepared to cast a spell of her own, only for a nearly exhausted Professor Colbert to step in front of them.

Catching everyone's attention, he let out an involuntary yawn then said, "Cre…Mew, please. We're trying to find Louise, and we don't know where she is. If there's anything you know about what happened to her, please just…just tell us."

Mew stared at them for a few moments, her face falling as her body relaxed. Looking at everyone's angry faces, she saw the worry and concern behind each of them. It didn't take long for her to realize that it all centered around the missing student. Mew sadly frowned, and she didn't know much, she didn't see the harm in telling them what she did.

'I don't know where she is,' Mew confirmed in an uncharacteristically serious tone, 'nor did I do anything to her. All I know is that she's fine.'

From the looks on their faces, it didn't look like everyone believed her. Louise's parents continued to look wrathful, ready to spring their most powerful spells on her at a moment's notice. Colbert, at the very least, seemed to believe her, and a relieved smile briefly broke out across his face. Then he released a yawn, and Mew shot her head back.

'Are you tired?' Mew asked curiously. Colbert tried to wave her off, but he yawned again. Realizing that he must not have had any sleep for days, Mew frowned sadly before scrunching up her face as determination set in.

'You need sleep. Sleep is good. Sleep is healthy,' she childishly insisted, then transformed into a Jigglypuff. She then said, 'I'll help!'

"What do you mean 'help?'" someone asked, then Mew opened her mouth and began to sing a soothing lullaby. Everyone in the room stared incredulously at the Mythical Pokémon, then their eyes began to drop. One by one, they all collapsed into a deep slumber, snoring softly as sleep overtook them.

'There we go, all better now!' Mew said, transforming back into her normal self. Slapping her paws together, she looked down at the pile of bodies sleeping on the ground, and hummed to herself. Realizing that she couldn't just leave the people on the ground, she nodded to herself then picked groups of them up telekinetically. She teleported away into an empty bedroom, then piled as many of them onto the beds as possible.

'I don't understand why only one human sleeps on these beds,' Mew noted. 'They can easily hold five.'

Satisfied with her work, Mew teleported away to repeat the process. She briefly considered using the opportunity to draw on their faces, but decided that was mean. The walls were fair game, though, and once all the teachers were placed onto beds she transformed into a Smeargle and started painting on all the walls.

[~][~]

Hello, everyone! Here's the latest chapter of Outsiders! Special thanks to Darwin Candidate and Yuri Vampire for their help in bringing this chapter to life. They've been a lot of help and I wouldn't be able to do this without them.

As you all expected, we got a lot more Mew shenanigans this chapter. Let me tell you, those were a blast to write, and I hope you all get as much of a kick out of them as we did. She's just the perfect blend of childlike playfulness and trollish behavior that it's just adorable. Not everyone else feels that way, obviously, but Mew just wants to have fun. At the same time, we do see that there's a gentle soul under there, one that likes to help but wants to have as much fun as possible.

Let us know what you all think, and I hope you enjoy! Also, if anyone has a TV Tropes page any assistance you can share in updating it would be greatly appreciated.