In which the actual plot begins.

Juliana did not expect to get called to the director's office in her first week of school.

"Am I expelled?" she asked nervously, forgetting a proper greeting as usual.

"No," Clavell promised, "you're here because a friend of mine wanted to speak with you." When Juliana looked around, he shook his head. "She isn't here in the room with us. She contacted me over the phone to set up a time to meet you on...I believe they call it Zoom?"

He seemed to be much better at actually working technology than recalling what it was called, and it wasn't long before Juliana found herself staring up at a tall, muscular, beautiful woman in a lab coat.

Why can't I look like that? Juliana thought. I want to look like that.

"Juliana," said Clavell, calling her back to attention, "this is Professor Sada."

"Juliana Fernandez," Sada said with a brief, stiff nod in Clavell's direction. "I wanted to speak to you about a Pokémon known as Koraidon. I sent it from my lab to meet with a young man named Arven. Imagine my shock when I checked security footage and found it with you."

"Arven gave it to me," Juliana protested. "I have its ball right here -"

"Keep it," said the professor. "I am no longer in a position where I can care for it. I assume you will be going on the Treasure Hunt?" Juliana nodded. "Then you may use it to travel. It is related to Cyclizar, after all."

Juliana, who hadn't really seen a Cyclizar before, only nodded again. "Are you sure you don't want me to give it back to Arven, Professor?"

"He clearly doesn't want it." She was so blunt about it, Koraidon couldn't have been a present for him. Something was up here. Unfortunately, Juliana was prevented from continuing down that train of thought when Sada spoke again. "Take Koraidon. Care for it. Look after it in my place. And with your help, perhaps it will return to its full strength."

"So...do you want me to call you when it gets better, or...?"

"I was going to make a similar suggestion," the professor said. "I will be keeping tabs on your progress with Koraidon, and we will discuss things as they happen." She pressed a button, and her phone number flashed across the screen. Rotom quickly saved it. "Until then."

And she signed off. She didn't even ask about her son's health.

"Mom of the Year," Juliana muttered sarcastically.

Clavell, on the other hand, stared at the blank screen. "Sada," he said sadly, "you didn't..."

The days passed quickly, and it wasn't long until the day the students were looking forward to most finally came.

Monday morning, Juliana was sleeping. Rotom had been given instructions to wake her only an hour before Clavell announced the independent study program.

She hadn't given those instructions to Nemona.

Juliana was shaken awake by something moving on her bed. Thinking it was one of her Pokémon, she opened one eye, only to scream and fall off the bed when she saw Nemona, already fully dressed.

"Wakey wakey," Nemona taunted, ignoring Juliana attempting to adjust her pajamas before her underwear could be exposed. "The Treasure Hunt starts in three hours! Florian's waiting outside."

"Why are you here?" Juliana complained.

"Because we agreed that you would probably get lost on the way to the schoolyard again."

Juliana groaned. Yes, she was notorious for getting lost, but she was starting to learn which landmarks to turn at and which direction to turn. "Where's Florian?"

"Worried you weren't decent and sent me in alone." She shrugged it off. "He's waiting with Lloyd outside the room. Get decent and come on out!"

"But it's three whole hours away!"

"We can battle to pass the time!" Nemona called as she left, and then the door clicked closed.

Juliana huffed in irritation but got dressed anyway and met her friends in the hall.

Clavell's arrival disrupted the battle, which Juliana was fine with since Nemona was winning anyway. He stood in front of the students, the other teachers slowly arriving themselves, and silenced the students by spreading his arms out. "Welcome, students of Naranja Academy, to this year's independent study project! The theme this year is, as usual, Treasure Hunt."

"Not necessarily searching for buried treasure," Florian whispered, "but it's an option."

Clavell didn't hear him, obviously. "We will continue to have classes on weekends. I can't believe this is necessary to say, but please show up to class. All of you."

Nemona glared at Arven. Arven didn't even look in her direction.

"Now, as important as schoolwork is, we agree that it is more important for people, especially children, to follow their dreams. Come to class and keep us updated, but have fun. Learn as you want to learn. And find your treasure."

The student body applauded, and Clavell stepped down from his podium. "What treasure did you find last year, Nemona?" Juliana asked as they headed to the front of the school, and Nemona laughed.

"My Champion title," she answered immediately, putting the Gym locations in her friend's phone. "That's why I want you to go for it, too."

"Is it a good treasure?"

Nemona stopped to think. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "I like it, but...well, at least you know I can hold back. What are you doing this year, Florian?"

"He's coming with me," Arven's voice announced, and he rushed up to join them. "We decided that Vasquez here is going to clear his name from last year and become the test subject for the world's most epic sandwiches."

"We decided?" Florian repeated. "You mean you decided!"

There was a light from Juliana's bag, and out popped Koraidon, who sat down and looked at Arven expectantly. Arven groaned.

"Did you seriously come out of your ball just because I said 'sandwiches?' What is wrong with you?"

"He likes sandwiches," Juliana protested, and Arven stared at her as if she'd sprouted a third nostril.

"He? You checked?"

"I assumed," Juliana admitted. She patted the dragon's head. "He doesn't seem to mind."

"That makes more sense," said Nemona, grinning and reaching to pat Koraidon herself. He sniffed her hand, then, smelling no hidden sandwiches, allowed it. "I don't know how you can 'check' with lizard Pokémon, I just use Rotom to scan."

Arven stared for a bit more, then shrugged it off. "Well, Franklin? Ready to face those Titan Pokémon?"

At least he'd gotten the last name right. "I'll let you hunt them down first," Florian decided, as if it mattered. "Call me with their location and I'll show up. Right now I want to catch more Pokémon of my own."

"I'm heading off to my mom's," Juliana offered. "Getting some sandwich ingredients and stuff. Want to come? I'll let you ride my dinosaur."

Florian's eyes lit up. "That," he said, "is the coolest sentence I've ever heard."

"Figured." She grinned, then turned to Koraidon. "Ready to go? I think my mom will show me how she made that magic sandwich."

Koraidon chirped, let the two students on his back, and took off back to Cabo Poco.

Florian decided to train, while Juliana dedicated herself to catching Pokémon. She captured a Fidough, a Pawmi, and an Igglybuff, sending them to Mr. Jacq but keeping the Azurill.

Sofia was on the phone with her current client when they arrived. The small wooden chair was plain and unpainted, and Sofia was very clearly irritated.

"I know it's for your daughter, but did she really request..." she shuddered. "Googly eyes and flowers?" There was a pause. "Why don't I paint the flowers and your daughter can glue on the googly eyes herself? ... I'm not saying you should leave her alone with it..."

Juliana waved her hand in front of her mother's face and wrote something on scrap paper. Sofia read it, then pointed to the kitchen.

"What was that?" Florian asked, quietly so he wouldn't disturb the artist at work.

"My mom makes over broken furniture for part of her job," Juliana explained as she opened cupboards and packed the picnic bag with sandwich supplies. "Sometimes her clients give her full creative control, and sometimes..." she shrugged and tilted her head toward her mother, who was now discussing the pros and cons of trusting a six-year-old with glue.

"Ok," said Florian, "so you asked if you could take this stuff, right?"

Juliana froze. "Actually," she admitted, "I asked her where she put the newest dose of my meds."

"You're on meds?" He blinked in surprise. "That explains a lot."

"I know, right?" She grabbed the pill bottle and opened it with a bit of difficulty. "They don't work miracles, but they help."

"I didn't ask." He shook his head as he caught the name. "Focusyn. Everything makes sense now."

"What, are your parents pharmacists?"

"No, they're a lawyer and a store owner. They just watch the news. Every so often someone gets high on the stuff and in trouble with the law."

"So you know why I can't give you any." She laughed, and Sofia ended the call to properly greet her daughter and guest.

TEAMS

Juliana: Webby (Quaxly, female) Lechonk (male) Hoppip (male) Tarountula (male) Fletchling (female) Azurill (female)

Juliana's reserves: Fidough (female) Pawmi (male) Igglybuff (female)

Florian: Lloyd (Sprigatito, male) Ralts (female)