Twin Colors

by tremor3258

Generally getting cheat memories is supposed to be a *bonus*. OCs, Paldea, post-game.

21. Night out

Twin Colors

By tremor3258

Chapter 21

Night out

---

The flight over Mesagoza was quiet by necessity. Only a true Psychic could carry on a conversation over the noise of a Squawkabilly flock. Rose looked down at the buildings briefly, the city going about its business. She needed a break from translating the Academy's reimbursement forms Clavell had sent to Kantonian in her head

One old spirit and a Tera Orb was eating away at who knows how many of the thousands, no, hundreds of thousands of people down there, Rose mused, Dragons giving a mission or not, what we did the last few days was important.

Rose agreed with the consensus this was no powerful living ghost Pokemon, but a spirit. It could still be a powerful Pokemon at a difference, the but the fragment around the Tera crystal had no self-preservation. Perhaps it was a nascent Spiritomb, but from the stories Rose remembered, stopping that was for the best.

Her part hadn't been large, and without the curse weighing down on her, she felt little shame with how she helped. She'd never claimed to be a heroine to just jump in. Alamy had stepped up like a veteran. She glanced around the small Taxi cabin.

Zania was waving her hands back and forth to a beat. Her ear plugs were wireless and playing music. Sensible upgrade for living in the city, in Rose's opinion, as long as you had easy access to recharge them.

Poppy, from the way her eyes were moving back and forth, was reading some site or her email. She and Alamy were on the other side. Trigo, on Zania's far side, Rose could get a glimpse at his screen. It looked like a town official information site. Rose didn't know Paldea well enough to identify from the buildings. She bent down back to work.

Mesagoza East took only a few more minutes in the approach pattern. The landing station at the Pokemon Center was busy of course. Rose could see flickers of light as they landed. The various battle courts near the center were active. She wondered briefly what Kieran and his friends were up to.

She was happy not to be stuck in Clavell's office again, and the endless draining waiting. Her partners had given a lot in both fights, and she had plenty of errands to do for them. She was worn enough all these trainers around didn't excite her. If the vision she and Alamy had shared, courtesy of Poppy's Bronzy was accurate, her sister had it even worse and was already asleep.

That thought brought Rose up short. She hadn't thought to warn Mei until this moment that the spirit had left traces. She didn't need to listen to extra insight to know why. Anything with the ghost seemed to lead Mei back to chiding them for risking themselves in a necessary fight.

Rose found she was pawing at her chest where her necklace should be. She didn't believe Mei would remember her promise to stop hounding them. Yesterday she had brought up Rose's partial possession after a ghost had dominated Aliquis, and today she had been vicious to Alamy.

Rose comforted herself that Clavell and Miriam knew about the spirit. Mei had been the first to fight back. Rose could never fault her sister's bravery. Even if it was for praise, she did the right thing quickly. The teachers had made mistakes, but Miriam had apologized, and Rose felt she really wanted to help students. Mei would be fine.

And Mei away meant she wasn't trying to drive Rose's new friend away. Rose hadn't realized how much Mei thought Rose was 'hers'. It was childish, but Rose had mixed feelings on that. Chunks of Mei now were an eighteen year old puppet of a genocidal regime. Mei acting under her age was a relief in some ways.

But only a few. If Mei got angry at everything, Rose couldn't have the discussion on Alamy her friend deserved until Mei got her bonds with her teams and her greater self under control.

Rose smiled unconsciously as they landed. A vacation from the Academy and Mei would be pleasant for a bit.

---

"I can't get used to that," Trigo said once they were far enough from the taxi to converse without ear plugs. Trigo was weaving them through the courts around the Center to one of the side-streets. Since they were stuck in uniforms per policy and it was the first day of class, the study Pokemon were out for the walk.

"Geeta has some really nice headphones she uses, if ear plugs bother you," Poppy offered.

The three Fuecoco looked at each other, and, while they had been grunting to each other, looked down and went softer. Ivy was still in 'new toy' mode with Trailblaze, jumping back and forth over them. Bandwidth gave them all some distance, standing on the other side of Alamy from the pack of Fire Croc Pokemon.

"I mind the Squawkabilly a little for the noise, but you guys were fine," Trigo assured the three Fire Crocs, then thought a moment.

"You want to work on harmonies later? I bet a Fuecoco trio would be a good Hunt treasure," he offered. Poppy clapped excitedly as Zania thought about it.

"The ear plugs are annoying, but what I can't get used to is the unlimited Taxi access," Trigo explained, "You would rack up thousands in fares each month flying across Mesagoza normally. My family uses a Cyclizar or walks most places."

"We never used them much in Galar," Rose said, "But cities tend to be tall there and get in the way of cross-town flights, so it isn't much of a time savings over an express bus line."

"Kalos has so many wild mountain ranges, flight is not available as a public service. Galar has its low mountain passes that we do not," Alamy said.

"Oh, too many Pokemon wanting to challenge the fliers?" Zania guessed. Alamy nodded.

"Experienced trainers can clear the territory safely. Most fliers would have to stick above routes. At that point, take a Gogoat. Much cheaper and almost as fast," Alamy said.

"We have those here, but mainly to pull wagons. Most people rent or own Cyclizar. A lot never go into their Poke balls, as much as they love sunning themselves," Zania said.

She pointed to two snoozing with handlebars and saddles on their back near one of the medium-grade courts. A Buziel was fighting a Nymble there. Rose did a double take, she had seen the Nymble's owner ready to fight over a sausage packet her first day at Naranja.

"I should pick up my own Cyclizar," Trigo reflected, "I won't be at school forever for free flight, and it should be easier to start bonding with one when I'm not working. We have those rental coupons to get some off-road riding practice too. I've used my mom's or my brother's a few times in town."

"They may be dragons, but they're easy to capture, Hassel says," Poppy said, "They're dawdling normal types, too, so they get along with people."

"Docile?" Zania guessed after a moment. Poppy shrugged.

"That's a better word. They're fast. Grandpa Hassel raises a few for battles, but most like running so much they can stay healthy playing in traffic," Poppy added.

"How do you catch a Pokemon like that?" Rose asked, "If they don't need the battle challenge to stay healthy?"

"Human rears are almost as good as the sun to them, and they still benefit from a trainer," Zania said.

Rose looked at Zania closely, but she didn't seem to be joking. She looked over at Ivy, who paused in his stalking to shake his head. There hadn't been Cyclizar in the creche at Naranja.

"Oh, and Geeta got that Ride Pokemon thing through," Poppy added.

"I remember that now," Zania said, "I hadn't thought about it because I couldn't travel when it passed."

"Like a regional rental?" Alamy asked. Zania shook her head and pulled her phone out to a web page.

"If a Pokemon is intended primarily for transportation and not bonded as part of a battle team, it can exceed the League carry limit of six for active teams," Zania recited.

"How do you enforce that? Once you have a bond, it is not hard to bring one up for full power," Alamy asked. Zania shrugged.

"Something different with the Poke ball so it's primarily in a stable. Or something like that? It was a few months ago when it passed and I was buried in the application tests," Zania reflected.

The group reached the street crossing, Ivy finally coming to rest near Rose.

"I thought he would be teleporting across the street and back while we waited for the signal," Trigo said.

Ivy narrowed his eyes at Trigo, and Rose said hastily, "Trailblaze isn't a teleport. I'm not giving the trick away for him, though." Rose got her hands out as Ivy puffed up to stand in her arms. The little Sprigatito firmly nodded, then popped away in another shower of grass blades to end up behind Trigo.

"Sneaky kitty," Poppy commented.

"Just don't actually trip anyone," Rose called.

"Resistor does know the trick, if it came to that, and she likes to tease," Alamy pointed out. Bandwidth scoffed.

"If I could give it to you, I would. The next move taught will be yours, TM or not," Alamy promised. Bandwidth hesitated, then nodded.

"Buying a TM?" Zania asked.

"Gifted one from one of the victims of that Misdreavus, we are meeting tomorrow," Alamy said, tactfully brushing over Stephan's part in spreading around more rumors about the spirit.

"My estimates on budget is that I should save now so when I am ready for more partners, we can expand," Alamy said, "So very few move tutorings of any kind yet." Zania nodded..

Ivy padded back into view as the traffic stopped and the signal changed. Once the road was clear he popped across with Trailblaze and meowed for them to hurry up saucily. The group set across, and Ivy made of show of curling up waiting for them.

"Glad he can't learn Fake Out like most cats," Rose muttered, "If he's this bad with an ambush move, he would be trying to startle everyone all the time."

"I guess the new move has him feeling better since his friend evolved to Meowscarada with Kieran already," Poppy recalled. Rose nodded.

"You have that strong battler bond. Can't you just stop him?" Trigo said. Bandwidth quacked nervously and Ivy hissed. The three Fuecoco started to chuckle, but that distracted them into another round of harmonizing.

"Was just a question," Trigo said defensively over the grunts of the Fuecoco.

"They never have to do it," Poppy explained, "It's not a leash. They trust us enough to move real close in battle so we can dump the most power to them."

"He would resent it even if he did," Rose said, "Ivy is real stubborn about looking strong. He keeps hiding any bumps from me." Ivy scoffed and led the way towards the cross-street.

"Sorry, Ivy, we're taking this alley," Trigo said. Ivy turned around and blinked, then Trailblazed onto a recycle bin just in the alley, meowing for them to catch up. Shaking their heads, they did so.

"Boy I wouldn't want that 'I meant to do that' attitude as part of my head," Zania said.

"Ivy's great! He shows off a bit," Rose said, and nodded to Ivy who purred. She stepped lightly, but covered a few meters, landing silently. She bowed to Poppy and Alamy's applause. "So do I, sometimes," she finished.

"Can we work on that tomorrow?" Alamy asked with interest. Rose nodded.

"You really are used to putting up with people," Zania said without rancor, "I mean, I get you have a different viewpoint on your Pokemon, but you just take so many hits quietly." Rose winced and made a grab for her missing necklace again. Zania wasn't right on Ivy, but she wasn't wrong on Rose, per se.

"Hey!" Trigo said, "We're here to relax. We've had plenty happen the last couple days without adding stress to each other."

"Sorry," Zania said, "I just hate to see someone do it to themselves." She nodded stiffly.

Poppy raised her hand and Trigo pointed at her. "Distraction!" she announced, "Where are we?" A bit of sky was visible overhead, but they were closed in by walls and back doors to buildings in a maze of alleyways. Rose was confident in her recall she could retrace her steps out of here, but she had no faith in being able to point at a map and say where here was.

Bandwidth was sticking close, per usual, with Ivy sniffing everything up ahead. Fuey and Fue-cutie had their mouths open, tasting the air, but Tren confidently whistled along behind Trigo, trusting his trainer's sense of direction.

Rose could hear a few scavenger Pokemon working through cans nearby, but they were staying out of sight. She was from a large city, and when Trigo hurried them across one of the crosspaths, she borrowed a bit from Ivy to look off into the distance and wasn't surprised by what she saw on one of the paths Trigo tried to shunt them past. Trigo was trying to give his home its best look, but poverty and homelessness took people despite the best of intentions, especially in large cities.

"Right, you aren't from here," Trigo said, "We're walking along the block to avoid traffic. It's always safe this time of day. We'll get out, cross over, cut across another one then up the sidewalk and there's a great place for your necklace, Rose."

"This is near your apartment?" Rose asked for confirmation.

"And near where my dad works. My mom and older brother work in Mezagoza Center, but both my parents grew up here. You'll probably get a chance to meet the brats," Trigo said, then quickly corrected himself, "My younger brother and sister." Poppy giggled.

"What partners do the rest of your family have?" Alimy asked.

"My older brother has a Lechonk; Dad has an Oinkologne that are both of our Lechonk's mother, and a Numel he uses with work. Mom has a Spoink and a Smoliv," Trigo said.

"The Spoink the father?" Rose asked. Trigo nodded.

"None of my family are battlers," Trigo apologized.

"Why would that matter?. I hope we can meet them," Alamy said politely.

"Is my hat okay?" Poppy asked anxiously.

"Oh, I'm sorry Trigo. I haven't touched myself up since the fight. I'm going to give a bad impression," Rose realized. Alamy pulled a compact out and grimaced.

"And that is in this light," she remarked.

Trigo halted, bringing the group to a stop behind him. "You two were under a death curse from fighting an evil spirit that was draining people all the way into the city," he said, slowly as if to small children. Alamy and Rose nodded. He whirled and pointed at Poppy, who yelped.

"You broke the evil spirit that was draining people all the way into the city," he said. Bewildered, Poppy nodded.

"I think you all get excused for looking slightly ruffled!" Trigo said, wide-eyed.

"I don't want to embarrass you," Rose said softly, taken aback.

Poppy hopped briefly and said, "I feel better than I have all day." She tugged on her bonnet.

"I suppose I was too angry at myself to try and look pretty. I still feel ashamed how I was acting after, I am a mess," Alamy said, still checking the mirror, "Maybe if I brush it out and reclip it will not seem so frazzled."

Rose felt the top of her head. "I haven't thought about that. Are my barrettes all in?"

"I suppose somewhat askew, but we can fix that," Alamy said.

"Is this a battler thing too?" Trigo asked.

"Fashion?" Poppy asked, "I don't think so."

"I do not want to embarrass you as a guest," Alamy said, "We have had time to clean up. I am sorry."

"Keep moving forward," Rose said, "And nothing wrong with looking together."

"Fashion is one of the ways girls are told to cope, Trigo," Zania said, and twirled in demonstration.

"I don't especially like what the industry does, but if I want to work with colors, it's one of the best places for it. I know what it does, and I'm good at dissecting meaning, but I'm not immune to it," Zania said.

"No wonder the female champions are all expert multi-taskers. I get stressed, I can go work with puzzles and throw on some jeans. There's better light up ahead, so you can get all set before we get to errands," Trigo said

"Geeta always says it's important to look composed. People who look up to you won't worry about your strength," Poppy said.

---

Zania's help let the battlers get themselves straightened out quickly, and Trigo waved to gather after they crossed the last street into the final set of alleys.

A Grimer waved at them from behind a restaurant and Trigo waved back.

"She's always there for day-olds on Monday," Trigo said as an aside.

"I figured we could do the dry goods shopping for the next couple weeks after I show Rose Villa's. And I am temporarily comfortably well off, so I'm buying dinner," Trigo said and held up a hand.

"No protests!" he said sharply, "Clavell thought my contribution was the same as getting hospitalized or getting the KO, so it's my choice if I want to use it on people who did more!"

"That's not all of it, though," Rose noted. Ivy gave a purring laugh.

"You know, we need to get you to agree to some kind of spoiler policy," Trigo mused, "Okay, sure. My dad waiting on me as a valued customer, even if it's just from wating the cook line, is a great stress relief." Trigo chuckled. The ten made it on the streets, and Rose was pleased they didn't have to push into a mass of people.

Aloud, she said, "It feels good to be off-campus, and the streets aren't as busy as I saw this weekend." Or as noisy, more importantly. There was less motor traffic and more Ride Pokemon; mostly Cyclizar but Rose's grass attunement helped her pick a couple Skiddo hauling a small wagon near the end of the block. A few Tauros rose up through the sea of dragons.

"Come here in about three hours," Trigo predicted, "This neighborhood a lot of people work elsewhere, so it'll be after the offices close, and the factories' shifts change when things get busy. And most people are on summer routine and starting work late. You want to dodge the afternoon heat."

Rose looked to the north but couldn't see the Great Crater over the buildings. "Oh, I guess all those breezes Naranja gets don't make it down through the building," Rose realized.

"I thought something felt off," Alamy murmured. Bandwidth flapped but didn't get off the ground, quacking sadly.

"It's the walls," Zania said, "Mesagoza literally has millions of people. It's too dense to risk collateral damage from wild Pokemon out of the river, so they kept the old walls instead of a few modern security checkpoints."

"The walls are pre-League? Mei is going to want to spend a few weekends walking them," Rose predicted.

"They've been rebuilt a few times; Paldea has an earthquake every half-century or so," Trigo said, "But I think they were originally Imperial." Alamy held up her hand to stop the group at that.

"A city before electricity and modern farming could not be this size to require the same defenses for eight hundred years," Alamy protested, "Lumiose's original walls were within the radius of the current inner plazas, and those were before the Cycle scythed Kalos."

"The Empire was a bunch of jerks," Trigo said bluntly, "They gave the region its name, but they only controlled about a third of it and acted like they had the rest. They fought with everyone all the time from the way school covered it."

"Ugliest example of battle trainers. Just constantly fighting, and jumping from one fight to the next," Zania added.

"Is that why you were wondering with my hat?" Poppy asked, hurt. Zania nodded but didn't meet her gaze.

"Building walls bigger than Hammerlocke just to look big," Rose said, trying to process that. The sheer expense to maintain before partners were common had to have been mind-boggling.

The three Fuecoco owned by the Paldean trainers nodded in unison with them. "The Empire were jerks," Poppy said, "And they spent all the money they took trying to get more money from the Great Crater."

"And now Mesagoza is a center of learning and growth, known through the continent. The transition to the Academy being the town centerpoint must have some epic historical dramas," Alamy said.

"Not really, actually," Zania mused, "A lot of records were lost since the Cycle hit in the middle of the transition. A lot of stories skip a generation and go to the grandson mourning lost glory or the like."

Trigo urged, "Raifort can probably tell you more. We should get moving before it gets busy."

"I hope she's under a death curse they can break," Poppy said, "That whole thing was just stupid." Everyone nodded at that.

Trigo pointed ahead and clarified, "Up ahead is Villa's place. He actually is a bit like Raifort, likes to go collect jewels all over. But not evil."

The store in question had a sign flipped in the door saying it was open, but didn't have much street presence outside a sign saying 'Villa's Jewelry' over the storefront, without even an awning. A few necklaces, rings, and analog watches in the window. There was a sign in the corner of the door asking for no Pokemon inside, so they recalled as they went in.

A bell rang somewhere in the back as they went in. As their eyes adjusted from the street, the lighting was varied. Most of the cases used indirect lighting to highlight their displays. The walls had art, mainly indistinct impressionist pieces to give a calming feeling. There were a few large vases inset into the walls that Rose felt Mei could identify.

No one was manning the counters when they went in, though after a second, a Pokemon's head popped up. Her eyes gleamed against the cases, reflecting sparkling gems and metals, and her fanged mouth opened in a threatening grin.

"Hey Sparkles," Trigo said in greetings. The Sableye waved a clawed hand in greeting. She hopped up on the counter with a small bowl of small dirty looking white crystals and popped one in her mouth like a peanut.

"That had better be quartz I hear you eating in front of customers!" came a mock-threatening voice. An older man with gray hair wearing an apron and a loupe came through a door Rose hadn't spotted. When it was closed, it was nearly seamless with the walls.

"Trigo! The prodigy returns! The uniform does you wonders!" the man said with a booming laugh.

"Hey there Villa. Villa, these are Rose, Poppy, Zania, and Alamy. They're in my class and Rose needed some help with a repair, so I thought of you," Trigo listed off, with people waving as they were identified.

"As if the orange didn't give it away. Quite the collection of fashionable beauties at the Academy," Villa flattered. Poppy blushed and looked away.

"See?" Zania said under her breath to Trigo, who coughed to cover it.

"Since you're all at the fancy Pokemon school, I'm sure you know Sableye. I want to make sure you know Sparkles is well trained. Don't worry about leaving something here. Sparkles knows what she's supposed to eat. Plenty of flawed or clouded small jewels there's no better use for," Villa explained.

"I've never seen a Sableye up close off TV," Alamy said, stepping closer, "Reflection Cave is usually avoided by trainers."

"Oh, there's some digging away in most of Paldea's caves. This region is studded with small veins," Villa said, "She has a great nose for gems. Wherever it is she keeps her nose!" Villa laughed uproariously again as Sparkles looked at the ceiling, clearly praying for patience.

"Have you been together a long time?" Poppy asked.

"A few decades now. She's great for watching the store. Crime's up everywhere, but it's hard to keep anything you snatch away from a Sableye," Villa explained. Sparkles held her claws up, letting them get coated in shadowy dark energy.

Villa continued, "So I'm sure you're not here just to see an old man. One of your classmates had a request, Trigo?" Rose stepped forward and held out her necklace, keeping the explanation short to "a Pokemon got at it". Villa looked at her hands as she held it over but didn't say anything.

"Not a bad base set of metals, that must have been some heat to deform it," Villa said, voice turning serious as he appraised it. He held it low and Sparkles sniffed at the wire curiously. He glanced again at Rose's hands.

"I was lucky to be wearing it over my blouse," Rose said.

"I don't think I'll have to recast it. The wire is pliable with some heat. Do you have the original design? There are a few variations on the symbol, and I don't want to use the wrong one," Villa said.

"It's the simplified Trio pattern without the smallest circles," Rose said, bringing it up on her phone.

"Those would be a pain to do in metal at this size. It's easier in art," Villa said, and named a figure.

"Give me a half-hour or so and I think I can get this fixed," he finished.

"Thank you," Rose said with real relief at avoiding a night in the nurse's office.

"Thanks Villa," Trigo added.

"Oh, no worries. Do your other shopping and come back. We can catch up a bit after. I'm sure school's been dull for the start, and Mondays are slow," Villa said.

"Not by my standards," Zania muttered. Villa stared momentarily then grinned.

"Now I definitely have to hear," he boomed, and waved, "Let me work for a bit. We can settle up after." The group waved and left the shop. Sparkles and Villa waved back as the door closed.

---

"Four down, with the signs out – Milen's dry goods. There are a couple good stands for fresh stuff but for bulk foods Milen's the best. Friend of my family owns it," Trigo said. Several people waved at Trigo as they saw him on the streets, and he greeted them back by name. Rose vaguely felt like an intruder.

They recalled their Pokemon as they went in, but Zania stopped before she went in, looking at one of the prices on the window.

"That must be missing a zero for the cashews," Zania said.

"I doubt it. Things like nuts they stock whatever is cheapest this week. Last week was peanuts," Trigo said. As they entered, a Mareep on the counter baa'd at them. Next a girl was working the register as her presumed partner kept an eye on the clientele. It was busy but not overcrowded. Everyone grabbed baskets.

Poppy went to the bulk candy like a Magneton reeling in a hex nut. Rose started at the rice herself, so she had no room to judge. It wasn't pristine but she had eaten far worse grade until the last year in Galar.

"Hey Rama," Trigo said as he started looking through the cans. The clerk waved without looking in response and the Mareep baa'd in answer again. There were several customers in line at the moment.

Alamy was looking through the bulk goods as well, though grabbing the cornmeal first. "Not to call your cooking knowledge as a stereotype, but what do you think of the rice?" Alamy asked.

"I was worried about representing myself," Rose said and Alamy tittered, "I've seen better polishings, but it seems fine. The brown rice too. If you're cooking in the wild, I would grab the white even if it's less nutritious; brown rice takes a long time to cook," Rose said.

"Battling did work up an appetite Saturday. Is it worse for battlers? Do I need to stock more?" Alamy asked.

"I never battled before I got the question," Rose said, "We may be putting in more effort relatively, especially with training while travelling."

"I wish I was so certain of myself," Alamy said, impressed again.

It wasn't all my certainty, Rose almost said, lulled by the mundane surroundings, before she caught herself. Still, the Rose last week was ready to accept, wasn't she?

"I've said before it's something I felt obligated. Mom made sure to warn me about the consequences, but whatever luck twisted my DNA, I needed to do something with it," Rose said, "Since I could talk before partnering it was easy."

"I wish I had my head on straight earlier," Alamy said, "But I am glad Resistor waited to offer. I fear I would have said no and be missing this."

Rose glanced over where Zania was looking at some cans and Trigo was checking cereals. "Do you think it's them not being battlers, that they're so bothered that we fell under the curse for a few hours?"

"There are a lot of things that felt more concerning before I was sharing my heart," Alamy murmured back, "I did a podcast on the Gyms in Kalos once, wondering why they were so separated an authority. I think I need to do a correction to my conclusions."

"Feeling better on finding out where you stand now?" Rose asked, a trifle worried.

"It's nice to have her. She runs along my nerves, of course. Sitting still used to be easier," Alamy said, scooping some flour into a bag as she spoke, "But with my partners, I suppose I feel distilled? So many of the worries I had felt silly, and I wonder on the other hand I did not organize my schedule around training."

"You mind if I get to the cornmeal?" Rose asked. The two switched positions.

"Intellectually, I understand we have faced a great trial and are allowed to be shaken. But, also, we overcame it. The things I cannot fight are far more stressful," Alamy said, "I appreciate they are being accommodating. They were getting to know me and I changed."

"Their hearts are in the right place, even if they keep going on about it," Rose said. She shrugged.

"Exactly," Alamy said, "I do not mind it passing. The old Alamy spent so much energy worrying about others thoughts instead of her partners'. But she was brave enough for Resistor, and I can honor that."

"I like both. She never got much help, it was clear, and she still was fighting," Rose encouraged.

"Is this one better?" Alamy asked, suddenly hesitant.

"Selfishly, I get a sparring partner who can keep up. But you've obviously been happier while we've been under mental attack." Alamy let out a breath Rose didn't' realize she was holding.

"You couldn't be you without her," Rose said, and paused briefly in realization. She hurriedly finished as a cover, "Who knows where we'll end up?"

Should I keep worrying if something's me as younger or the Ranger? Ivy and Azucena changed me too. I still don't want to end up completely alone…

"Do bulk spices store okay in electronic storage or do they need containers?" Alamy asked, stirring Rose from her self-reflection as she changed subjects. Alamy giggled at Rose's startled expression.

"Kalos cooking does involve more than just butter. Thankfully," she defended her home region.

"I would worry about them drifting out of the physical pouch space and mixing while selecting, but I've never tried without a container. Storage doesn't seem to affect them, but that's as far as I can tell. I don't tend to season heavily. And a lot of Kanto desserts are from Kalos. Mom loves crepes," Rose said.

"They take a lot of fillings!" Alamy said, "Actually, do they have apple pie filling here?"

"Okay, you can change that about yourself," Rose said, making a face, "Too sweet." The two laughed.

Rose looked around the store to try and spot it anyway. "The space we passed is too small for much physical storage in the back. Electronic must be fine for spices," Rose determined.

"A shame Trigo's friend is busy, or we could ask," Alamy said, glancing towards the register, then cocking her head.

"Is Zania trying to sneak up on us?" Alamy asked quietly.

"Something looks to be bothering her," Rose answered in the same tone.

"Um, are you two busy?" Zania asked, having tried to quietly approach the two of them. She was nowhere near the teachers at stealth.

"Just considering the pepper. I do not like too spicy but many soup recipes do call for it," Alamy assured her.

"Can you two check something? I don't want to ask Trigo," Zania asked, gesturing them to follow.

"Some foreign brand?" Rose asked, not following.

"I don't want to embarrass him," Zania said, taking them into canned goods. Alamy grabbed some cans of apple pie filling in passing and stared at Rose, daring her to comment. Rose grabbed a can of chili peppers in retaliation.

"What are you two giggling at?" Zania asked, but kept walking. "Are these okay?" she asked, gesturing at some canned shellfish.

"I have not heard of the company, if there is some scandal," Alamy said. It was a Paldean brand.

"The dents," Zania said, clearly surprised she was having to explain something so obvious, "Should these even be on sale?"

"It's no sharp edges and just a few bumps," Rose said, picking one up to examine it. After looking at it a little more, she added a few to her basket. It looked lean enough.

"Really?" Zania asked, surprised.

"Did one of your fathers get food poisoning on a canned good?" Alamy asked.

"I never saw it, but they're really careful about damaged cans," Zania said, "I'm not sure I've had canned meat. What's it like?"

"Usually very salty, since they aren't very good cuts," Rose said, "If you're off route for a while, if you can' find one you like it's probably beans for protein. Fruits or Berries can last a while, but meat tends to spoil fast, unless your backpack has refrigeration, and that costs power."

The Ranger had a couple food poisoning incidents. The worst, ironically, was in Herathome rather than some hasty preparation off-route. Given Rose and Mei's birth date was later, that place was probably out of business already.

"How much solar are you planning to carry?" Alamy asked, interested. Zania took out her phone to make notes.

"Two four-cells and a one-cell I can stick on top of my pack while I'm hiking. That's enough for my phone to drink up a charge or top off the pack on the move if it's not too cloudy," Rose said

"I have a six-cell and a two-cell for emergencies. My plan was either my tablet or my laptop away from a friendly outlet," Alamy said

"If the weather's consistently bad in north Paldea, I may need to carry more for an electric heater. I do have an insulated bag and the Pokemon can stay in their balls if the tent runs out of space," Rose said, looking over the meat still she paused. "Does Paldea not have herbivorous Pokemon food?" she asked. There was prepped Pokemon food for carnivorous varieties on the shelf right next to the tins for humans. She pulled one off to double-check.

"Oh, those are over by the canned veggies," Zania answered, "It's how I usually see it."

"Huh, usually I see human and Pokemon formulations grouped together in Galar," Rose said, "Azucena can't have much meat." She put the can back on the shelf. Processed Pokemon food was well balanced for a lot of species and usually considered delicious, but it was expensive. Rose was planning to take the time to keep cooking.

"Wait, your Petilil has a mouth?" Zania asked.

"It's beneath the collar. It's lower on the stalk than where it is on a human. She gets most nutrition from photosynthesis, but she does enjoy eating. Regular meals are one of her favorite benefits of being a partner," Rose said.

"You guys having trouble finding anything?" Trigo popped his head around the aisle.

"I still have some things to pick out," Rose answered, "What did you want for the cooking lesson, Zania?"

Zania blinked and shook herself. "Right," she said, "Let's take care of that." Zania left without waiting for them to head to one of the other aisles.

Trigo raised an eyebrow at the other two girls.

"I don't think Zania ever has had to wait for a sale," Rose said.

"Ah, culture shock," Trigo said in understanding.

---

A lull in the customer rush had Rama calling their father from the back to take the register for a few minutes. The Mareep stayed watchfully on the counter, or possibly asleep with her eyes open. The group gathered over as Trigo waved them together to introduce her.

"Got you working now, huh?" Trigo started as preamble.

"My own fault, grabbed a Pokemon finally, and not off to fancy school like you," Rama said, but with a fond grin at the Mareep, "Over with childhood and into the workforce."

"You going to try and take over the store eventually?" Trigo asked.

"That was the plan, but you know, I finally realized how many years of clerking that would be. I changed plans last month while you were busy racing through those exams. I'm apprenticing at the phone company during the day now. This is working for board in the evening, so mom and dad don't have to hire anybody yet. And we pass the savings on to you, the customer, especially with prices going up," Rama said.

"Did you pick a Mareep for work?" Alamy asked. Rama looked Alamy up and down and was silent for a moment.

"Who is the Pika-gal, Trigo?" Rama asked.

"Sorry, this is Alamy, Rose is the flower child next to her, Poppy has the bonnet, and Zania's the one who looks like a magazine cover," Trigo explained. Poppy and Zania looked flattered, while Alamy and Rose shrugged.

"My family lives in this building, it's apartments above the third floor, I've known Rama for forever," Trigo explained.

"Trigo's always been the bright one, but everyone was still pleasantly surprised he got the scholarship. It's been years since someone in the neighborhood got to Naranja," Rama said, proud by proxy.

"But to answer the partner question, I thought Mareep were cute. Static is good for protection in a pinch. She even helped me get interested in the phone company when I was deciding. She was jamming our wi-fi until I realized she needed a shearing, and I was going crazy reading up on frequencies," Rama explained.

Rose looked at the little Wool Pokemon more closely. "We don't have Mareep in Galar. Endless flocks of Wooloo, like non-electric versions, but they can pick up some electric attacks too," she commented.

Rama nodded, "Man, you have all kinds of people in Galar, don't you?"

Rose was pleased not to be doubted to be Galarian thanks to her accent. "My family was from Sinnoh originally, but most of my life has been in Hammerlocke," she said.

"You're not from here either, right?" Rama asked Alamy bluntly.

"I am from Lumiose in Kalos," Alamy explained.

"The legendary city of lights. All that fancy style and food, I'm not sure we have the right stuff for that here," Rama admitted.

"My father and mother worked their way up, so we tend to eat simply ourselves. None of us have much stomach for butter," Alamy said. Rose looked queasy.

"Watch out for the street food here, then. It's not butter, but a lot of olive oil," Rama warned. Alamy nodded.

"Delicious olive oil," Trigo insisted, "Those skewers are downright addictive." Trigo pointed at Rose. "Her sister has already fallen," he added with a mock evil laugh.

"Okay I think you have to come to this cooking lesson so you can learn what vitamins are without your parents cooking," Zania said.

"That's Mesagoza if I ever heard it," Rama commented. Zania bowed.

"Poppy too! Also do you have any more bags of the large-breed Pokemon food?" Poppy piped up. She had a cart with four fifteen-kilogram bags already, split between two kinds.

"That's enough to keep a Bellibolt going for a month. What are they handing out at Naranja these days?" Rama asked.

"Fuey doesn't need this yet. This is for my older friends. Do you have steel-type supplements here too? I should get a couple smaller bags for Fuey, I saw you had study partner specific," Poppy said. Rose shook her head briefly. She would have sworn she heard the sound of a cash register coming from Rama.

"Let me see what we have in the back," Rama said hurriedly, and loped off, nearly jogging.

"Can you get those you have in your backpack?" Rose asked.

"Tinkie helps shove 'em in," Poppy said.

---

Rama's father got the rest checked out as Poppy, Tinkie, Trigo, and Rama were loading Poppy up with everything they had for large breeds in the back. The group broke up to do a few side errands. Rose had spotted a travel store a few doors down and quickly found a hip belt with decent online reviews to fix the shoulder straps digging in on her main pack.

The store was bigger than Rose had thought it would be, big enough it had some of the travel-associated TMs. Zania and Trigo seemed well-nested in Mesagoza, and she had gotten the assumption Paldeans weren't much for travel. She had to watch that. Her first few days hadn't been the best introduction to the region.

She also splurged to grab another memory card with the reward money. She may be doing a lot of photos during the Treasure Hunt without the chance to store them elsewhere.

She went back to in front of Milen's. Trigo and Poppy weren't out yet, so she kept Ivy amused by reflecting the late day sun off her phone case for him to chase. The sidewalks still weren't busy compared to the first day. This was a much more pleasant Mesagoza than Rose had encountered on that first strenuous walk to the Academy.

Zania and Alamy walked back together alongside their partners, both looking pleased. "There was an electronics store down that way," Zania said, "I wanted a new scale anyway, but from what you said I needed one that took solar batteries."

"They had some study manuals for training electric Pokemon on wiring repair," Alamy said, "Since being able to take commissions will help."

"I know the forcing growth trick for gardens, but seeing what professionals recommend is a good idea," Rose said. Learning it specifically for who she was instead of the Ranger wouldn't hurt either.

"I hadn't thought about looking for how professional gourmet hunters find mushrooms, but that would help Fi-cutie. Fue-cutie's nose isn't bad either," Zania said.

"Most pig Pokemon have a good sense of smell. Trigo's father might have some tips as a cook," Alamy said.

"As many of his family have the pigs, and they're pretty easy to find, I thought everyone might have them here," Zania admitted, "My bad." There was a large assortment of Pokemon, though more often unevolved or smaller species. Several examples of a bird Pokemon Rose didn't recognize were perched on shoulders, for instance. They were quite colorful with their yellow fluff, though.

Every rule has an exception, and a Dundunsparce slithered behind a worker with a city patch on his shoulder on the opposite side of the street. Even with the low pedestrian traffic, people were forced to the sides. The long Land Snake Pokemon and the drill on his tail were being given a respectful berth.

The girls were silent as they watched it slither by on the other side of the street. "Don't see those every day," Zania commented after the two passed.

"They are still normal type? Even with the drill?" Rose asked.

"I suppose the wings stopped them from aligning to ground? Or since the drill is part of their body, that qualified as normal-style enhancement," Alamy theorized.

"Wow, that's a lot of Dunsparce," Trigo said, as he and Poppy came out of the store. He watched as it slithered around a bend. "I always figured Xerneas must have a soft spot for them to still be around," he commented. Their Fuecoco were back out again.

Zania frowned. Rose wasn't going to let the conversation be dragged into a religious debate. "Did you find everything okay, Poppy?" she asked quickly.

"If Milen had customer loyalty cards, Poppy would be a gold-star member," Trigo quipped.

"Everything they had for sixty-kilo and up! They didn't have many pills though," Poppy said.

"Nutrition supplements for steel-types?" Zania asked, distracted away from Trigo. Poppy nodded.

"It's a rough word," Poppy lamented. She nodded subtly at Rose.

"You can just spread iron bits, but they don't taste as good," Poppy said, "And the Center said they're so tough they need the chr- shiny stuff too. I usually have to order that special."

"Your Pokemon are so developed they need extra chromium in their diet?" Zania asked, impressed.

"Yeah. Tinkie doesn't eat as much of it, but she's gotten really picky for hammer repairs," Poppy lamented, "How does steel get stained, anyway?"

"It's a bit complicated," Zania said, "Are you taking chemistry?"

"Not yet," Poppy said, "I wanted to take metalworking so I'm in the basic art class with Gra-Professor Hassel."

"Oh, that's another fire plus metal besides cooking," Zania said, "Good idea." Fuey danced excitedly as Poppy looked smug.

"I'm going to be the best steel master Paldea has ever seen!" Poppy said, "Just not yet."

"You're going to be betterthan the best steel master Paldea has ever had," Rose encouraged.

"Who was that?" Poppy said.

"You," Rose said, "You're trying to get better, right?" Poppy nodded, slightly confused.

"You already are the best in history, so you've just got yourself to beat," Trigo said. Tren grunted in amusement.

"Ohhh," Poppy realized, "She's a tough opponent though." Poppy grinned.

"I get having a rival, but if there's anyone whose face I want to laugh in, it's my old self," Zania said cheerily. Fue-cutie did a fist pump in admiration of his trainer.

"You have no idea," Rose said absently, and reached for her necklace, frowning again at grabbing air.

Poppy caught the motion. "We should go see if he's done. Picking out all this food got me hungry."

"Go-for-broke is good about giving team portions for a surcharge. There isn't space in the restaurant to let most out, but there's a city park close by. It even has an old battle court, so it's safe to feed even Pokemon like Grimer," Trigo said.

---

"Thank you so much," Rose said, bowing deep at the waist, with her necklace intact and back in her hand.

"People don't usually say that after they get the bill," Villa said cheerfully. He gave a wink, and Rose had to wonder if he was getting the wrong idea with Trigo bringing her. Rose was still getting a feel for local prices, but this didn't feel expensive. Admittedly in this case, ultimately, the Academy would be paying for it as 'destruction due to safety negligence', if she remembered the legalese in the documents Clavell had forwarded.

"I'm in too good a mood to worry about cost. You can buy peace of mind, no matter how the saying goes," Rose insisted as she put the chain back around her neck.

"It's not just spiritual, isn't it? You're using it as a focus to keep centered in all the currents, right?" Villa asked, "My cousin used a charm bracelet she kept adding on to."

Rose stopped with her hands still on the chain and looked up, surprised. Sparkles sniggered at her reaction.

"Her eyes weren't your color, but hers lit up and down like yours do in spite of the light around," Villa explained.

Rose glanced at her friends and Poppy, who shrugged, and Rose looked back and put her hands to her side to smooth her uniform's shorts. "I hope she knew what was coming if she was training with sensitivity," Rose said.

"She had the health packets, of course, but she was one of Paldea's determined ones. She was going early for a trainer life. Cycle, someone experiencing the surge after bonding blind would be overwhelmed. Can you imagine?" Villa said and chuckled.

Alamy knew her friend's lack of a poker face and stepped forward to draw attention. "What was her fate?" she asked.

"What, Ximena? Oh, she's fine, but isn't professionally training anymore. She made six badges in only five years, but the strain of making ends meet got to be too much stress. She found most of her partners other battlers and runs a stationary shop in Levinicia. Turns out that intuition is good for helping pick out good gifts," Villa said. Sparkles cackled in delight until her waving arms knocked her snack bowl off the counter. Poppy bent down to help her gather.

"You used past tense for Ximena, that's not fair to frighten a customer," Trigo accused, "She's just started too."

Villa's face cleared of merriment. "How long have you been doing this?" he asked seriously.

Rose held up five fingers. The jeweler winced. "I'm sorry. That first year is rough, isn't it? I wasn't trying to scare you," he said, "Ximena thought it was a benefit, outside crowds, and how often do battlers mingle with the mob?"

"Days, not months," Rose said quietly, "I had thought it was part of my affinity, that I was good at listening." She gestured to the flower clips in her hair.

"You didn't know? What hellhole region did you claw your way out of?" Villa asked fiercely in surprise.

"Galar?" Rose said, taking a step back.

"I thought they were better at checking that sort of thing. The new champion came from there, you know," Villa said.

"Nemona too," Alamy offered loyally.

"She's an heiress to the phone company here. That battle maniac is Paldean no matter where she was born," Villa said definitively.

"Her parents are my mom's bosses? That explains a few things," Trigo muttered.

"A lot of people are very critical of Nemona," Zania said carefully.

"She's never blitzed her way through this neighborhood, so everything I hear is heresy. Ximena told me about battling lifestyle. Repeated battling is a quirk, but if she didn't ask, they'd pull her license. Most battlers don't get a thrill out of full-power repeats, I understand," Villa said.

Sparring with Alamy was a different feel than the dance, and they were doing the former enough they hadn't done a full match with one another. Rose suspected from how detailed Nemona was, every battle she took in so much, it wasn't the same battle to her.

"I figured the rest is just pulling back down into the bucket after all she's done," Villa continued, "I got some real griping about luck when Sparkles partnered up, even though Sableye tend to pop out if you go to the mines." Sparkles looked up and gave a fanged smile, before going back to gathering her snacks.

"That's a very considered view," Zania said, "A lot of people just seem to have a bad impression."

"There are more bad losers than trainers care to admit," Rose said.

"And the Paldean League is terrible at self-promotion. Outside Geeta, how many of their Elites can you name without going to look it up?" Villa said.

"Two," Trigo said after a second's thought, not looking at Poppy and smiling.

"Ooh, I can name all four evaluators!" Poppy boasted without looking up. Sparkles looked at her, ran her claws together for a brief shriek like metal, and sniggered. Rose fought down a giggle, though she could hear Zania not being so successful.

"You're Naranja students, you're supposed to be exceptional," Villa said, defending his hyperbole. Trigo sighed.

"Hey kid, you got past the worst part and made it, on scholarship even. We're all proud of you," Villa said.

"No pressure or anything," Trigo said drily.

"We can always fail out and have to explain to our parents," Zania stopped and glanced at Poppy and amended, "our guardians the money we wasted," Zania said.

"Nervous on history?" Rose asked. Zania nodded empathetically.

"From how you described Raifort? Absolutely," Zania said and shuddered.

"Purple hair and glasses? She's still alive?" Villa asked in surprise.

Poppy finished dropping the last quartz in and added, "You forgot she's a meanie!"

"Okay, yeah, that's her. There aren't many people in the rock business in Paldea. Everyone learns about each other. She made a big stir a couple years ago showing up out of nowhere trying to find some weird crystal Imperial relics. Threw some money around and there were some sudden artifact sales around that time," Villa said, "Then she vanished completely. I figured she had annoyed the wrong people."

"I suspect protective custody, then," Alamy said.

"What relics?" Rose asked. Especially if they were 'crystal' after this weekend, it could be important.

"Some old swords that were made of glass and crystal. Raifort passed around images, but I've never seen them. She was sure the last emperor had made them, and they were still around," Villa said, "She never said why she was interested, but I doubt it was the joy of discovery. No one ever had heard of them before."

"Wouldn't a glass sword break if you swung it?" Poppy asked.

"Obsessed with some legend that may only be in her head," Zania summarized, "That even if it was real they probably got smashed in the Cycle or run over by a Donphan since."

"No one minds if I read ahead a bit when we go eat?" Trigo quipped.

"It's probably someone else," Villa admitted, "She was much more interested in artifacts than their history. Why would they teach?"

"Maybe it's some family of historians?" Trigo speculated.

"With no creativity in names?" Zania countered. Trigo shrugged.

"It could be a last name, some regions use them for most people," Trigo said.

"Geeta wouldn't let a criminal run free if she knew about it," Poppy said definitively, "And Geeta really knows the school!"

"Yeah, it's probably just she's got an attitude, and at least it is only one class," Trigo said, "Let's go eat."

"Yeah, I want to get some leche frita started, especially if history is going to be a mess," Zania said.

"Fried milk?" Rose repeated, not sure she heard.

"It's really more of a pudding," Zania assured her.

"You all should probably get going instead of listening to this old fossil talk. Trigo, I'm sure you'll do fine. And flower girl?" Villa said and paused.

"Yes?" Rose asked, startled.

"Ximena said it was never a perfect answer. And if your opponent knows you have it, there are ways of manipulating it. If you want to make it in the world's most important profession, remember the trainer has to make the final call," Villa warned. Rose nodded.

"Same as if you had pushy partners," Rose said, and held up the necklace, "This will help. Thank you again."

"Have a good school year, all of you!" Villa called.

---

They stopped briefly outside to call out their study Pokemon for the walk over.

"I am definitely a convert to Paldea's walking partner tradition," Rose noted, petting Ivy. She held her necklace in her other hand, glad it was back.

"I know it started as a safety measure, but it's nice to spent extra time without people getting nervous you have a Pokemon ready," Trigo agreed.

"And you can do a lot more passive training with a partner out and about instead of everyone resting in the Poke balls!" Rose enthused. Alamy and Poppy nodded in agreement.

Trigo cocked his head, but Zania patted him on the shoulder. "That's a battle lost before it's begun, Trigo," Zania advised. He chuckled.

"Okay, restaurant's other side of the street and a couple blocks down. We still have a few hours before they get busy, but Dad agreed to hold a table," Trigo said. The group started walking.

"How does the Pokemon portion work?" Alamy asked.

"I've only ordered delivery in Paldea," Rose added.

"It's not much per entrée as a surcharge, though you can add more. Appetizers, desserts, and drinks are full price. It's not like it gets plated," Trigo said. Tren whistled inquisitively.

"What, the plating?" Trigo asked. His Fuecoco nodded. "Dad said studies showed Pokemon cared about taste, bulk, and then aesthetics for food," Trigo explained.

"I'm going to need to feed mine extra still," Poppy predicted. Trigo nodded and pointed down the street.

"That's the park I was talking about with all the trees. It's mainly built on grass, so it cools off fast with the shade. In summer, people often eat there instead of inside with the heat in the kitchens," Trigo explained.

"Keeping that grass growing must be a chore. It gets dry here usually in summer, doesn't it?" Rose asked.

"There are sprinklers. The rivers near the city stay high thanks to the Great Crater, so we have water even in the long summer," Trigo said.

"The good news is it doesn't get cold here. The growing season is long in this part of Paldea, about ten months. There's still a chance for some of the prices to come down if the Tera Dens calm down," Zania said.

"I hope they figure out the root cause as quickly as they can," Alamy said.

---

Go-for-broke looked like the location she had seen in Artazon. It was a bit far from their house, so they hadn't ordered from there. Trigo was recognized at the host stand and after some small talk about how classes were going (just starting) they were taken immediately to a table. Fuey had to be reminded again that the partners would eat after before Poppy could get him into his Poke ball, but the nostrils on a Fuecoco's snout really caught the aromas wafting out of the kitchen.

Trigo went around taking chairs out for everyone. "This is my treat," he said again as he was working around, "It may be a passing thing in the long run, but this is a big deal to me right now. I'm not letting you pay."

"Poppy did a lot, sure, but-" Rose started, and Trigo held a hand up.

"Not even that now. You made it mad enough to curse you with its dying breath, or something, so you were doing something right. Look at what that driver said it did! Also, you really want to spiral into indulging in self-pity after what it did to you?" Trigo countered.

"Spiral 'into'?" Alamy noted, but didn't press the point as she sat down.

"There's a chance it thought I was Mei. She and Victor knocked Aliquis free," Rose pointed out, not willing to leave the point alone, though she sat on the table.

"Would a ghost really care you look the same?" Zania asked.

"I could have Bronzy check what shape Mei's mind is, if you wanted. You two don't seem that alike," Poppy offered.

Rose didn't giggle, she burst out laughing at the thought of Mei, right now, letting a psychic or psychic Pokemon scan her memories. It took a while to stop, for some reason it seemed incredibly funny.

"Sorry Poppy", she managed to say at last, wiping tears away, "But I just can't imagine Mei sitting quietly and letting someone judge if she's sane. You're right though, we're not that alike, no matter our faces."

"Oh, Bronzy's good with curses, not minds," Poppy assured her.

"It did help us find the curse to find it. I do not know what a mental probe feels like to compare, thankfully," Alamy said.

"Most psychic Pokemon are better at sensing emotions or forcing mental states like sleep," Rose recalled, "Full memories are hard, especially with the species gap."

"Like that Hatterene Ortega dropped down to show off Friday. I remember those stories in school about how aggressively sensitive they were and how the slightest negative motion could set them off. Though I guess another bit of keeping us in town if we're not going to the Academy?" Trigo asked.

Rose shook her head frantically. "We got a lecture like that in Galar and everyone wants to hit the Circuit running. You see a Hatterene coming at you without a trainer, you run," she said earnestly, "They can rip apart tree trunks with their mental powers and they're good enough at illusions when fully evolved they're aligned to fairy and psychic."

"If a fully evolved anything comes at any of you for a while yet, probably time to run," Poppy advised.

"It's part of activating the bond, I remember, we can tell a challenge from actual aggression?" Zania asked.

"Spooky human partner powers!" Poppy agreed cheerfully.

"That's why psychics and ghost-masters get the most obvious benefits to themselves when they align, right? We all have a touch of empathy?" Zania continued.

"That is the theory I was taught," Alamy said, "Even introverted, private humans are more casually social than Pokemon. Pokemon only go gregarious outside family groups with trainers."

"Is that why psychics don't dominate? We have enough of our own to count as resistance?" Trigo asked.

"And probably why sometimes dark is still called the 'evil' type," Rose said, "There would be an instinctive aversion for most people. I know I'm not psychic. Wild Pokemon need to vocalize for me to translate."

"Fighting and dark can look close," Poppy said, "Maybe Nemona naturally has a dark inclination, and she's pushed it to fighting, why people think mean things."

"You have that thing with ice, right, Rose?" Zania asked.

"Water types might be a bit more cautious now, or ground. They haven't ever treated me badly. Flying or bug might go for me but they're opportunistic. Most things behave normally, except ice," Rose said.

"I'm sorry. Did you need more water?" a passing waiter asked. Rose looked at her glass. She had barely touched it and shook her head. Zania giggled.

"Congratulations, Trigo, that you got into Naranja. We're all over the moon for you," the waiter added. Trigo nodded. The waiter moved on with the pitcher.

"Affinity usually is a preference versus an aversion. A hungry Shiftry would make a try for me if it thought it could," Rose continued, "But I don't look at Tren or Fuey or Fue-cutie and think they would make a good partner. No offense."

"Yeah, Fuey's been harder to keep enthusiastic," Poppy confessed, "But I'll get it!"

"You did seem more comfortable when you had Basti switched in," Alamy said. Poppy sighed.

"Basti is such a sweetie. She really enjoyed getting tutored too, thank you," Poppy said politely, "But I need to be able to do with Fuey the basic stuff. He'd probably lose to any of you right now."

"That's flattering," Trigo said, "What tutoring did you get in, anyway? You said battle tactics class didn't get far before the ghost appeared, and Rose and Alamy are Croc-less."

"Oh, Alamy and Rose taught Basti Trailblaze. They got the mesh yesterday," Poppy said.

"Matrix. We would have offered any of your partners that could," Rose said hastily, "But it is too expensive compared to a TM."

Trigo's head hit the table. "Of course you did," he muttered.

"I would not recommend how we learned it, or we believe led to us learning it" Alamy said, "For your safety. We put our whole souls into our partners, our lives on the line."

"I would love to recapture the focus," Rose said dreamily, "But I may never be able to so strongly on my own." Alamy paused and smiled.

"Not the nearly dying part, of course. I can skip that ," Rose said, shaking herself free from her reminisce.

"I thought we had mentioned," Alamy apologized, "It is more of a… piece of trivia than a useful ability to tutor it."

"It's not an exceptional move. Trailblaze is stronger than Ivy's Leafage, but not by much. There are stronger moves without weaknesses that most partners can learn. The Seed Bomb Kieran showed Friday for instance is much more efficient at turning power to strength, and almost as many can learn it," Rose said.

"Ivy is having fun popping around though," Poppy said. Rose smirked.

"I had just figured he had picked up a new attack after everything in the last few days," Trigo said.

"I'm really pleased with his progress. Ivy is getting some new attacks coming in, but we both need more practice," Rose said.

"I like these guys a lot and I want them to be cool, but then I start worrying about homework again," Trigo said, and pulled his balls off his belt. "Sorry guys, when things are saner, we'll be able to do more."

"We were lucky to meet senior trainers," Alamy said, nodding to Poppy, "Every suggestion has been gold."

"Hear, hear," Zania said, raising a glass, "And also stopping maybe hundreds from being hurt." Poppy blushed.

"Oh, Trigo, is that your study Pokemon?" the same waiter from earlier called out and approached, seeing the balls.

Trigo frowned and explained, "On the left, and the Lechonk, Coche, I had before."

"Two Pokemon already!" the waiter cooed and looked around the table. "Quite the collection of friends, too," he added. Rose shifted in her chair and saw Alamy frowning as well. There wasn't anything in what he said, but something was oily.

"They're really nice," Trigo said, "I'm happy I've run into them. Couple are battlers too, on that side of the industry."

"Rushing ahead? I guess it makes sense at that fancy Academy. Lot of ambition lately," the waiter said, and lowered his voice, "But a bunch of people being greedy too. You know the front desk position opened during the lunch rush? Piva's been making a lot of noise about it, even though some people have been waiting patiently. You hear me?" The waiter said, staring a bit too hard.

Rose opened herself up to check the waiter, and after a moment, decided to be rude and actively probe his channeling. This weekend had been too dangerous to not be careful. She got a feeling of sparks amid clashing metal, and the three battlers looked at each other and smiled tightly. They'd stumbled on top of each other, with the waiter barely there in comparison.

"Uh, I think so," Trigo said, "Could we get some empanadas?" The waiter nodded and left.

"Do we need Bronzy again? He was acting weird," Poppy asked once he went into the back. Poppy was patting her belt over her Poke balls, checking their readiness.

"I'm not here much, but I'm not sure I've ever done more than say hello to him," Trigo mused, "You said it Poppy, that was weird."

"When was the last time you saw him?" Rose asked, and doing her own mental polling of her partners for their states, hands on their Poke balls. They were all worn down by the day, and the smells they were picking up through her had them hungry. The echo back and forth had Rose's stomach starting to growl. She'd rather not fight in this state, even if she had a power advantage.

"A month ago. I picked up some dishwashing sometimes, and I've walked Dad over, but I haven't been inside for a while. With food prices going up, I didn't want to add to his stress. The scholarship covers a lot," Trigo said.

"I guess a quiet word," Alamy suggested. She was tapping her fingers against her balls. "Sometimes it is best to avoid a scandal in these situations, especially in a crowded location. Best take it outside first," she added. Go-for-broke had less than half the tables populated with people, but there were a lot of those tables crowding the floor.

"He's no battler, but I don't want to get Trigo's dad in trouble. There's a lot of furniture in here," Poppy said dolefully.

"It could just be that this position opened, and Trigo's stock is riding high and he's a lot more visible now as the hometown hero. We're closing out tourist season so there's a lot of jobs that are shuffling," Zania said.

"The other three of you just leapt to figuring violence, didn't you?" Trigo asked with a laugh. The three battlers looked down. "I get it, though. Weird stuff all over," he continued, "Though I think hometown hero is putting a lot on me."

"Everyone's rooting for you. I think it's sweet," Zania said.

"Trigo, the exemplar returns!" came a loud voice from the kitchen. The man who came out did look like Trigo, though with amber eyes and much taller. A Numel with a warming tray strapped to its back padded alongside.

"No wine for this table, they may be growing up, but not that fast," Trigo's father joked.

"I see where you get it," Zania commented to Trigo.

"Mom hoped my generation would get an off switch, even though she's worse," Trigo informed her cheerfully.

Fortunately for Rose's ears, his father modulated his voice down as he approached the table. "These are the classmates you mentioned? One of my prep chefs said it felt like an overgrown power transformer out here for a second," he asked. The three battlers winced.

"Some of them," Trigo said, "This is-"

"No, let me guess from the descriptions," his father interrupted, "Zania is obviously the fashionable one. Then we have Mei with the flower bits, Victor I thought was blonder from what you said, and the short one is Kieran?"

"No, these are the quieter Galarian and Kalosian," Trigo corrected with a laugh.

Before anyone else could say anything, he gave a booming chuckle. "Couldn't resist. Hello, Rose, Alamy, and Poppy – my name is Lat. Thank you for saving my son," he said the last part dead-seriously.

"Other friends did more with their friends," Poppy muttered, turning pink again.

Rose spread her hands out and shrugged. "I tried to do what I could," she said quietly. Lat said nothing in reply but looked back and forth. It took a moment for Rose to realize what he was staring at.

Alamy, also realizing, placed her hands in full view. "Your son's bravery should not be discounted, in helping the helpless," she said.

"I'm proud of him for that, credit his mother though. She spent a lot more time raising him than I could," Lat said. Trigo looked over in surprise. "It's easy in the city to think how battles don't have consequences outside some money changing hands," he acknowledged.

"What about trainers trying to force a relationship?" Rose blurted out in surprise.

"Not many battlers linger here," Lat said, "Most people in this neighborhood get Pokemon as work pets. They aren't trying to be uppity and demand some Pokemon follow them to get ahead. And people are usually polite here." The last he said glancing at the waiter, who quickly looked away at realizing he had one of superior's attention and went to fetch a water decanter.

"He was trying to butter me up, and I don't mean suggesting the prawns," Trigo said.

"Yeah, he's a great waiter, always has been. These last couple weeks he's really been trying for that concierge position. I'm not sure why, the tips at lunch aren't as good, and he's never had any interest before," Lat said.

"So not just this weekend?" Alamy interrupted. Lat shook his head. Everyone relaxed, even Zania and Trigo, Rose had to note.

"That Pokemon breakaway this weekend got to you," Lat observed, "Glad the Gauntlet's coming back, it helps get those sorts of students sorted before it gets too bad. I'll let you finish ordering, but it's good to meet you." His Numel baa'd agreement, and after giving Trigo an affectionate prolonged nuzzle, followed Lat back to the kitchen.

Trigo rubbed his arm below the sleeve where the Numel had rubbed him. "I keep telling him he's too hot for that to be comfortable," Trigo said.

"That isn't nice to Aliquis, thinking he's uppity or had a bond break," Poppy said, crossing her arms. Trigo shook his head.

"That's how the first mailing phrased it, I guess. I told him there was more going on and he insisted I was just making a big deal of the details on my first Pokemon adventure," Trigo said.

"Clavell went out of his way to clear Aliquis this morning, even if he didn't list him by name. I'm surprised they haven't fixed that," Rose said. Trigo shrugged.

"I haven't seen the announcement email, but my parents didn't rush and call me, so they played it down, I'm sure," Zania said.

"Shouldn't be so easy-going on a bond breaking. It means someone was mean," Poppy stated, "And with the Hunt starting, there'll be a couple more. And the end of the Hunt. Some teams don't do as well as they want and blame each other."

"What did he mean by the Gauntlet?" Alamy asked, "Is it some kind of tournament?" She had her phone out to check.

"Hasn't been around the last decade," Trigo said, "My dad joked about it. With Clavell the city seems to be liking the Academy more and they're bringing it back. A bunch of cityfolk would challenge students in the first few weeks to make sure they were strong enough and had some extra cash."

"That sounds nice," Alamy said, "Why did it stop?"

"The last administration really made a mess of things. Bullying and cliques and worse. The city and the Academy weren't talking to each other by the time the League stepped in," Trigo reported.

"There were a whole lot of problems festering," Zania remembered.

"Are they doing it tonight?" Rose asked, "Because everyone's tired and hungry. I don't want to give a bad impression on what we can do. We'll be sloppy."

"First, it's not that well organized. Second, most people in Paldea are polite enough when someone says no to accept it. Third, I'm sure your opponents wouldn't notice if you thought you were sloppy," Trigo listed off.

"The phone network wasn't so developed a decade ago. Maybe they'll post on Trainers Eye so you can come back some other night. For now, think on dinner," Zania urged. She rubbed her stomach and grimaced. The day was catching up with everyone, apparently

"What is good here?" Alamy asked, after obligingly opening her menu.

"You can't go wrong with paella in Paldea," Trigo rhymed badly. Zania winced.

"Oh, I remember that commercial," Poppy said excitedly.

"Please don't start," Zania begged, throwing up her hands, "It sticks in your head for a week."

"Okay, I can see from your faces you're not sure it's a good idea to ask, so I'm telling you anyway," Trigo started, "A few years ago some media students at Naranja got hired on the cheap for a Go-for-broke ad campaign, just as something light to show some Mesagoza spirit when finals came around. Like a once and done type ad, right?" The two girls nodded to show understanding.

"They used some Jigglypuff and managed to come up with an incredibly catchy song. It ended up being re-recorded with the city orchestra and they reshot it was a budget. They still usually play part of the original in ads around the solstice," Trigo finished.

"I bet those students were snapped up by some agency afterward," Alamy said, "Their big break!"

"Yeah, I wonder what happened," Poppy said, "There were interviews and stuff."

"Probably snapped up by some PR company in Kalos," Zania said cynically.

"That wouldn't be bad," Poppy noted, "They could keep working together and Kalos is nice, too, and it's close enough to come visit."

"Huh," Zania reflected.

Alamy made a note on her phone. "That sounds like it would be fun to follow-up on," she said as explanation.

"Just spare yourself the song if you can," Zania said, and her lips moved silently, and she then groaned aloud, caught in it. "Poppy, I know you said Bronzy wasn't very good with memories but could you have it try to pull them out anyway?" she asked, then looked at Poppy, who was wagging her fingers to a beat, "Never mind. The curse got her."

---

Mei's dreams were complicated, fighting a tyrannical robot dragon beside her sister. At least the anger wasn't there. She could talk and not get irritated with Rose right away, or bother Rose by blurting out something. Rose had to back away from her strength, and that was kind of nice too.

Her eyes flew open, thanks to a knocking on her door. She rolled over in bed, looking at the drool spot she'd left sleeping face-down in distaste. Pome was asleep at the foot of the bed while Terpsi caught the lingering afternoon sun. She was awake, and nodded readiness.

Mei rose and stretched. Usually, she took forever to get moving, but her body felt light. The malice really had been a weight on campus. She yawned, but the worst of the exhaustion was gone. "Get dinner and an early night, I think, after this," Mei said to Terpsi, "Tomorrow's looking better for homework."

She padded over to the door and paused. There was a flare out there, and she motioned Terpsi in closer before she opened the door.

She opened the door and blinked at the light in the hall. Mela was indeed standing there, next to Professor Jacq. Mela looked upset.

"You might have a problem," Mela began. A spiky black ball leaned in from the side, head popping open to reveal razor sharp fangs and another head inside. Mei shrieked loud enough Terpsi charged forward, only to come up short as the armor clanged shut and banged its head against the floor, making Terpsi jump backwards.

Mei held her chest as she got her breathing under control from the surprise. She recognized her now. It was a Farigiraf, not common. And a potent psychic Pokemon.

"Jacq, keep that thing under control or this hallway is filling with Arcanine," Mela threatened.

"It's not like she can stand up!" Jacq protested. Mela held her hand up and mimed a mouth shutting. Jacq backed up slightly and Mela grimaced.

"You might have a problem," Mela began again, "Miriam reported Rose and Alamy had a psychic attack in the aftermath this afternoon, trying to change their personalities. Clavell said it was convincing them they were cowardly bullies. I haven't met Alamy, but anyone metal enough to send a Pichu against a Titan Pokemon must have been under some really damn big whammy."

"Language," Jacq said automatically. Mela mimed shutting up again with her hand.

"Poppy did something to help seal it so they could break free. They were fine right afterwards, but Clavell wanted to check those who were involved this afternoon. We're starting with the major players. Saguaro's at Victor and Dendra's at Nemona."

"Penny Terastalized against it too," Mei interrupted.

"You met Penny?" Mela said, intrigued, "I figured you hadn't. She can be slow to warm up. Salvatore is checking her out."

"We'll be doing a psychic scan for any signs of modification," Jacq said. Mela slapped her hand against her forehead in dismay at Mei's indrawn breath.

Terpsi squeaked in horror and stepped forward. "You're going to rummage in my head," Mei said slowly. Maybe she was in a nightmare. She stuck her head out to confirm Jacq's partner was there. She was, though the Long Neck Pokemon was forced to bend almost horizontal in the hall.

"We're looking for aftereffects of a spiritual attack, and any distinct memories originating from an external source," Jacq said. Mei stared for a few seconds, but it appeared Jacq really thought that made it better.

"You're going to look through my memories?" Mei said, flaring and on guard. She pulled her phone out and started dialing.

"What are you doing?" Jacq asked, curious.

"Calling my mother to get on record and then the Mesagozan police before you commit psychic assault," Mei said. Fairgiraf's second head snapped shut again in dismay.

"We haven't done anything yet!" Jacq said in dismay. Mela put her fingers in her mouth and made a noise halfway to a shriek, cutting both them off. Mei had Hannah's mother half-dialed.

"This sort of overbearing 'help' is why I needed tutoring in biology," Mela said, "Look, deep breaths, Mei. Mainly for your sake instead of his, you're barely staying upright. What he was supposed to phrase it, was that his partner is going to look for energy traces that don't match your mind's. Jacq is not a trainer psychic so the two of them shouldn't probe into the memory level, but by highlighting them, you should fight them yourself."

Mela held a quick ball up and dropped it. A tall red and gold bipedal Pokemon, armored on its torso and arms, bowed and assumed a ready stance.

"Armarouge is here to keep him honest and as a second witness. Clavell was worried this would get worse over time, but you're fully entitled to have this take place at the hospital in the city with legal representatino," Mela said.

"Didn't I say that?" Jacq asked, genuinely confused. Mela made the frustrated cut-off shriek again, and Armarouge shook his head.

"Armarouge is almost all telekinesis, or I would offer to do this. He can at least keep Farigiraf honest, and is noble enough I trust him," Mela admitted.

"What's not noble?" Jacq asked.

"Your Pokemon is literally two-faced!" Mela yelled. Farigiraf slammed her armor head back open to look as hurt as she could, bent over as she was. The normal/psychic spent a moment staring intently at her trainer.

"Okay, let's start over," Jacq said hastily. Someone is getting advice, Mei thought internally, and the realization someone was having to be fed lines by their partner cooled the fires as she started giggling. Terpsi by her feet snickered.

"From the beginning?" Mela said, studying her nails. Mei could feel the potential heat surrounding her, ready to be lit.

"The health professor reported two students were affected by a post-mortem psychic effect from the spiritual entity attacking the campus earlier today," Jacq said stiffly, "It was importing false memories with incorrect emotions to affect their personality in an apparent revenge. They were able to disrupt the mental infection and recall the source, but required outside assistance to fully excise it. It was amplifying what they considered negative aspects of their personalities. Have you been especially self-critical?" Jacq and his Farigiraf peered at Mei but she stood her ground.

"I've mainly been sleeping," Mei said bluntly. What had the Kalosian led Rose into now? Or was this just karma coming home to roost for being stupid yesterday? It was nice of Rose to be so angry on my behalf that was what the spirit targeted, Mei thought.

"Well, I got visions of trophies and championships. Rose and Alamy got that Rose was a ball of anger and the other was a pathetic friendless shell," Mei said, "But then I didn't get knocked out yesterday either. Did anyone check Salvatore first? He's the other person who was unconscious by the Misdreavus."

"Clavell himself did, as well as Dendra. Both were clean, which doesn't support your hypothesis, but well thought. Clavell is also checking the students who were in detention as he's an uninvolved party to that incident," Jacq said.

"We would be so lucky if they were cursed," Mei muttered. Her phone suddenly rang, and she answered on seeing who it was.

"Have they dragged you into this idiocy?" Victor asked once she had answered. He was speaking loudly and there was some odd sort of feedback in the background. Mei spun the phone to show Jacq and Mela. "I see they got there too," he continued, question answered, "I wanted to check they really were checking other people before I thought about consenting."

"Are you going to accept? Also, what's wrong with your phone? Are you in the industrial labs?" Mei asked, spinning the phone back around. The view on the phone shifted in response, revealing Victor's Nacli on the floor vibrating intensely.

"Apparently Nacli sound a bit like a jackhammer when they growl," Victor said.

"Brave little guy," Mei said. Not her style, but she was impressed by how well the little mushroom rock had bonded with his trainer, despite his trainer's efforts.

"Yeah, I trust him to keep an eye on this, he knows what that ghost feels," Victor said. There was a whole host of League regulations and civic laws they were asking to bypass. Mei had read enough on the bad old days to know psychic tampering didn't usually stick – look how even Rose had, reportedly, thrown it off today – without a lot of repeated uses.

"Did he sniff anything around you earlier? That Nacli has a good track record against this thing," Mei said.

"He's exhausted after today. Confronting Raifort took what he had left. Even after a nap he fell asleep during dinner. Saguaro knocking on the door is what got him up, but asking him to battle sync would be cruel," Victor reported.

"Brave little guy," Mei repeated.

"I guess I have to keep him," Victor said, but he was smiling.

"You have your record on? I'm putting mine on. You two are doing this on camera," Mei declared. Mela gave a thumbs up and her Armarouge nodded. Jacq shrugged.

"Again, we are looking for mental intrusion, not attempting it," Jacq lectured.

"You're going to have to go get Miriam up here to explain how the former avoids doing the latter," Mei said. Terpsi growled again in support.

"A fascinating question in psychic energy and the formation of memory. A not entirely understood process, but the transition from short-term to long-term can be seen without the actual events. We'll combine this with a general scan for a malignant energy signature Miriam passed on," Jacq said, and started to gain steam. Mela's Armarouge's shoulder armor shifted down to around his hands, and the temperature started to spike.

Pome leaned against Mei, rubbing his eyes, having just woken up. He whistled a question and Terpsi squeaked at him angrily for several seconds before Pome walked forward and joined her in growling. Jacq's Farigiraf stared at him again for several seconds, and Jacq's increasingly arcane description trailed off.

"Remember this question for class, then," he said lamely.

"The leader of Schedar Squad isn't quite on Jacq's level, but I'm still pretty sure an Armor Cannon will do enough she'll have to stop her scan if we pick anything bad up," Mela promised, "And you don't even have to worry about burned paint. I know how to fix that fast!" From the sudden awkward look on her Armarouge's face, Mei didn't have to speculate very far for why Mela had that skill.

"I don't think I have any personality problems," Mei decided.

"Any more than usual, you mean," Victor quipped. Mei only sighed in response. He was right.

"You'll get this licked. Just need to keep making sure the trainer is on top and not your talents," Mela stated.

"If I think I feel someone else remembering for me, Terpsi and Pome will bite your ankles, and you'll have to deal with a lawyer. I'm only doing this for the school to make sure everyone is safe," Mei said stiffly.

"You know what a probe feels li-" Victor started to ask, and then he shook his head rapidly before looking at her strangely. "No, never mind. You said think." Mei grinned, and was internally pleased at her quick wording on that.

She doubted she had the Knight's mental defenses – those had come from years of manipulation and were a practiced skill. She hoped she wouldn't be too fierce and suspicious. Mei took a deep breath and nodded. The Farigiraf turned and stared into her eyes. The Long Neck Pokemon's eyes started to glow a dark pink and Mei could feel the Pokemon's presence around her. Her vision started to mist like they had during the Tera Crystal being consumed.

Trying to scoot this along, Mei concentrated on how she remembered the crystals sickly colors. She could feel the Farigiraf skittering over her mind, but it was pressing around her, gradually encompassing it. Once her whole head felt 'covered', the Farigiraf's eyes widened in shock. The mist cleared from Mei's eyes. The Farigiraf rapidly closed her eyes and armor head, before dropping her head to the floor. It almost looked like bowing, but after a moment the Farigiraf started to shake her head back and forth.

"Looks like there wasn't anything!" Jacq said cheerfully.

"It does take a strong investigator to confirm a negative," Victor quipped. Mela snorted.

"Uh huh, how empty was your head?" Mei shot back.

"Spic and span clean!" Saguaro said cheerfully, "Hatterene's been a bit out of sorts until that last gasp of crystal was dealt with, so she knows quite well what to look for."

"I wouldn't go that far on his mind being clean. And aren't you here for my sake, Mela?" Mei asked Mela.

"Even if it's an easy joke, it was funny," Mela defended herself, "I guess we're done here then? I'm sure you've got better things to do with your time. Like anything else."

"Like you should get some sleep. You look terrible," Victor said, "I hate verbal sparring with unarmed combatants."

"Uh huh, go feed your rock," Mei advised. She nodded and closed the connection as Victor waved cheekily.

"I should cook. Is Rose in the infirmary or next door?" Mei asked.

"She went into town to handle errands," Mela answered.

"Great guardians of Sinnoh's lifeblood, grant my sister additional sense," Mei said, then sighed, "I can imagine if she was here Jacq would be poking her with something, and she needed to get her necklace fixed."

Jacq notably ignored the gibe in Mei's comment. "Your sister was an undocumented sensitive," Jacq said, "I thought the chapel had provided other seals."

"It's her touchstone. It helps her stress instead of drifting off, as long as I can remember," Mei said, "She's worn the metal in a few places to where it feels different than mine."

"Interesting," Jacq said, and Mei and Mela watched as he took a note.

"It's just an item she uses for a tic. I've seen people chew styluses too," Mei said, "It's not a grass thing." Mela nodded agreement. Jacq made a note on that one too. Maybe if Champion didn't work out, Mei could get hired as a teacher here in Paldea, the application process was clearly not strenuous.

"I suppose we're done here for now," Jacq said.

"Good, let's get you out of here," Mela said, before looking at Mei, "I could feel you riding that last flare a bit. Before you get some sleep, try and remember that feeling. If you can build on it, it's a great foundation," she consoled. Mei nodded.

Jacq turned to leave as Mela and Armarouge fell in to walk him to the elevator. As Jacq walked past the frame, his Fairgiraf's head snapped open again. Her inner head looked around quickly to check if no one was watching, then looked at Mei, and winked. Mei leaned against the doorframe in shock as the Fairgiraf nodded at the human and two partners in turn, before following her trainer.

Well, apparently the dragons left traces, Mei thought numbly. Mei couldn't see another conclusion, especially if the Farigiraf really had bowed. The psychic Pokemon had seen the extra memories given from the dragons who oversaw Space and Time, and decided to keep it to herself. Mei hoped that was a vote of confidence.

She hoped it was some leftover energy and would keep fading. That had been closer than she thought. At least she didn't have some evil spell on her.

I wonder how Rose ended up with it. Did it cross over from the Kalosian? She is an easy target. Rose really needs to start listening to my advice, Mei thought.

Still in the door frame but not really watching, she didn't pay attention as Mela firmly ushered Jacq into the elevator. His Farigiraf tapped him on the shoulder and Jacq finally remembered to recall her. As the elevator doors closed, Terpsi dashed out down the hall and kicked them. She came back looking very smug.

Mela and Armarouge followed, slower but with a smirk of their own. "Yikes that guy. Penny says he's decent at running the Pokedex and not a bad trainer, but he is not getting on my list of favorite teachers. I'm glad neither of us slapped him," she said.

Mei shook herself from her thoughts. "That was an ugly way to phrase that curse check," Mei said. Mela made calming motions with her hands, making her Armarouge chuckle.

"The ghost isn't back?" asked a girl from down the hall. Mei hadn't gotten many names. Most of her interactions had been apology pastries.

"No, it's still gone. There were a few tricks left, and the teachers are making sure they're all spent, but it looks like it's all done," Mela assured her. The young lady nodded and went back to her room.

"Chapel is going to be doing a brisk business in wards," Mela said. She groaned and leaned against the wall. "I am not cut out to be the establishment," she said through gritted teeth, "But I would hate to see someone worse do it."

"My sister hasn't texted me for whatever they found," Mei said, checking her messages.

"Why would she?" Mela said bluntly, "All you've been doing is giving her slag about the ghost attack you already knew about." Terpsi burbled agreement with Mela.

"Traitor," Mei said, but her face fell. Mela and Terpsi were right. If Rose brought it up, she'd probably give flack rather than support.

"From the sounds of it, they were forcing their way through it, but Poppy's Bronzong helped burn through it faster," Mela said, voice softening a little, "And you're doing a little better here about the going hot."

"It's not going to last, I'm still tired," Mei predicted, "It might be a cold dinner at this point."

"You and I need to sit down and do some serious meditation practice, even if I have to drag you to a STC to get a time chunk long enough," Mela said, her tone brooking no argument.

"Thursday would be a good day, but Geeta has something to show no hard feelings," Mei said, but started getting excited, "And since it's going to be digging an ancient battle court out, I'll puppet however she wants."

"Thursday wouldn't work for me," Mela noted, "But keep your Friday night open. I'm staying a bit closer to campus this weekend after everything. If you like how it goes, maybe come out to the STC and meet the boys and girls?"

"As long as this doesn't involve some fragrance line marketing scheme," Mei said. Mela chuckled. Terpsi hmphed, she was fragrance line enough.

"Go and take a load off. Anything else comes to bother tonight, we'll fry 'em up for you," Mela promised. Armarouge locked his armor over his hands again and nodded fiercely.

"Thank you," Mei said genuinely, "And for coming with Jacq. I don't know what I would have done from how he described it."

"He would be sorry after and make it up to you," Mela predicted, "You may not have noticed, but the Academy tends to attract characters." Mei laughed and started to head to her room.

"Even Jacq and Raifort are a lot better than the ones when I started," Mela said after a moment, sounding sad, and small for the bold fire trainer. Mei stopped and turned around. "Some of the old ones? They'd run roughshod over you and would never be sorry."

"What happened to them?" Mei asked.

"Once it got too much for the city to ignore? Geeta," Mela said simply. Mei swallowed and waved again. Mela nodded and headed towards her room. Mei stood there for a moment. What got Geeta's notice either came under control or got removed.

"We've got to keep getting stronger," Mei informed Terpsi, who nodded. The trainer sighed, then went to her room to prep dinner. This had been a long day.

---

The sky was a beautiful tableau of crimson and yellows as the sun began to set when they finally made it back from the city. Even when feeding their partners next to a battle court, they hadn't been challenged. They did have an intimidating arsenal of Pokemon with Poppy along, but for all the talk on the Gauntlet, it was a bit disappointing.

The greengrocer had been quick, the prices were high enough even Zania shopped conservatively. Rose was able to buy enough, but it was going to be the same thing for a few meals. Rose hoped the League would get a convoy system going for whatever was going on. Something migratory or some geological shift increasing the energy? Rose's mysterious stalker hadn't given clear enough information.

Her role as a trainer was to get stronger, in any case. Paldea didn't deserve to starve, whatever customs she disagreed with. She was too weak and too unskilled to contribute much. Her partners deserved to be able to do more.

There was only so fast they could get stronger. Even Ivy couldn't hide how tired he was anymore after dinner. Partners were far more than weapons, whatever it looked like in action movies. Living with them was the other part of the trainer definition.

So, they didn't rush back to Naranja. It was an hour and half after dinner with supplies for desserts, the best (cheap) tea blends Rose could find, and all their other groceries. Once out above the city again, the majesty of the sunset caught them when they left the Taxi and were far enough to hear themselves think.

Which meant they were easy targets for Clavell to spot as they lingered by the Taxi stand.

"Inspiring view, isn't it?" Clavell said, cutting through the silence. A tight white-hot presence spiked Rose's nevers from behind. The hairs on Rose's neck stood up as she jumped away while Ivy puffed into grass shoots, operating on near-instinct. Sparks filled the place where she had been. Resistor had begun charging up before realizing he was someone she shouldn't attack. There was some awkward shuffling as Rose climbed to her feet, Resistor rubbing her head apologetically.

A placid Oranguru rested on his hindquarters next to Clavell. Both looked perfectly composed, despite Poppy's Tinkie having covered three-quarters of the distance to them before realizing who it was. Fuey gave a low whistle; Poppy's ace had gone right out of her ball with murder in her eyes. Stiffly, the Tinkaton put her hammer behind her back and waved awkwardly.

"I see your nerves are a bit raw from today," Clavell observed. His Oranguru waved his fan, and Ivy floated into view from behind the Sage Pokemon in a psychic embrace. When he realized everyone saw him, he started running in the air as if to find purchase to escape. Rose stepped forward and held out her arms, Ivy being gently deposited in them. Once free, he started meowing piteously as he got petted.

"I believe he is yours, Miss Rose. Excellent aim. The elbow on an Oranguru is a weak spot thanks to their use of a fan to direct their powers. Given the short time window, very well-reasoned," Clavell said.

Rose bowed down in acknowledgment and noticed small burn marks in the grass. The pattern was erratic, but how they fanned out Rose suspected Resistor. Especially as the burns stopped in an arc three meters from Clavell. Rose stood up and glanced at Poppy, who looked frustrated. Now wasn't the time to ask if Tinkie had halted, or been forced to stop.

Raw nerves, that was deliberate, Rose thought. There had been a challenge there, and they had been utterly defeated.

Zania and Trigo's alternate Pokemon of her Fidough and his Lechonk looked at each other and sighed. They had simply tensed with their trainers before realizing who had spoken.

Rose clenched her fists and swallowed before speaking. "So was your attack, sir. When the teachers reveal their presence, they aren't actively channeling as well," she said, and braced herself. Clavell had jumped them, and she had just called it out.

Clavell and his Oranguru looked at each other, before Clavell turning back, his eyes tight. I saved Mom the trouble, I'm expelled. Poppy and Alamy deserve better though, Rose thought. Her academic career had been eventful but brief.

Clavell bobbed his head and held his palm to his stomach, making a small bow. "An accurate retort. You all reacted correctly," he stated. The last of the presence cooled away around them.

"I do, however, come to discuss your behavior," Clavell said, "I know the Taxis are overbooked today as a service, but leaving before reporting a psychic attack is ill-thought behavior. You left yourself at risk, and potentially the student body. We had only Miriam's Hypno's psychic impression to go on, rather than the source or original responder, for scanning the students present this afternoon."

Alamy glanced at Rose and took a small breath and moistened her lips before speaking. Her voice didn't quaver as she spoke. "How much do you need us to give up for this school?"

"I couldn't face another hour outside your office," Rose admitted quietly. Ivy hissed and Resistor hopped to Alamy's arms at an unspoken signal before, clambering to her shoulder to crouch there, ready to jump.

"I wanted to at least get them dinner," Trigo said nervously, "And Zania has stuff to do dessert."

"The teachers didn't spot it at all," Poppy said, still looking frustrated. Clavell winced.

"Did anyone else have it?" Zania asked anxiously, "These were the only ones acting strange." Clavell shook his head.

"Whether from the last moments in poor luck, or deliberate design, only Alamy and Rose appeared to be exposed to the final attack. But I do wish you had considered your responsibility to the student body," Clavell said.

"What more can we do?" Rose burst out, "We've been twice fighting something it took Elites to stop, because it was the right thing to do. The teachers didn't save us, our friends did! We are far, far, out of our weight class, and then get told we didn't do enough?" The last word echoed in the courtyard, and Rose, still angry, eyes blazing, grabbed Alamy's arm up so Clavell could see the damage on both young trainers.

"I see if we volunteer, we are then obligated," Alamy said darkly. Rose could feel her arm trembling in her hand.

"I was just trying to be friendly," Trigo said humbly.

"And thank you very much!" Rose said quickly and loudly.

Zania looked back and forth, and muttered, "Oh, I see."

Clavell hesitated before speaking. "You two have been resilient in the face of crises," he said, "I can see your frustration." Alamy made a quiet disbelieving noise in her throat. "I can," Clavell repeated. Even for a trainer, that was good hearing.

"Your judgement is being called into question, but for good reason. Miss Poppy is talented, but psychic is not her specialty. What if it was lingering or festering in your souls for later? You ran an unnecessary risk. The curse was trying to convince both of you that you had no control. What if it had won in a crowded restaurant?" Clavell said in clipped tones. Rose and Alamy sagged at that.

Rose released Alamy to hod Ivy close, feeling her necklace press into her. Resistor slumped on Alamy's shoulder as she sat down, hugging her knees. Poppy's stance switched to pondering, and Tinkie went to lean on her hammer.

"I spoke with Miriam and I assure my intention is not to put obstacles in your path, though that has happened today through extraordinary circumstances. I prefer still to double-check given the scope of the danger this weekend, though I trust Miriam's judgement. You two are young and full of bravado, containment isn't an easy thing for battlers to learn," Clavell said.

Rose and Alamy were still silent in shame, but Trigo worked through it quickly. "They're not in trouble?" he checked.

"Nothing permanent, though I won't apologize for my demonstration that perhaps they have farther on the road to travel that dismissing the faculty's judgement out of hand," Clavell said and gave a bow again. Poppy held up her hands briefly as she thought, fingers moving.

"Is that a draw?' she asked. Clavell laughed. Ivy perked up noticeably and held his head up in Rose's arms.

"I suppose we can call it such. I would like to check for external influences, with your permission. We can arrange any number of additional witnesses," Clavell said.

Alamy looked at Rose and held a hand out. Rose took it, so Alamy could rise without upsetting Resistor from her perch, as Ivy balanced on one hand. "Rose and I were forced into our minds, tutored moves, and were cursed. We were out of the apparent radius of the effect but now return and Rose is sensitive," Alamy listed, stepping slightly in front of Rose.

"Yes, we do not need a precise read," Clavell said drily, "The description from the chapel and Netty's report did indicate the external force seeking Rose, that appears to be at bay. I believe we can distinguish that from the malice, as well as the influence you two have had on each other. We seek only other disturbances"

"Thank you," Rose said quietly. Alamy nodded, but didn't look away from Clavell.

"I'll watch with Bronzy?" Poppy offered, "It can at least tell." Rose and Alamy affirmed yes.

Rose thought briefly if her other memories were a problem, but decided it should be fine. One of the greatest Pokemon in the world had placed them, and they were a whole lifetime, nothing small.

Bronzy was called out, though Tinkie hung around outside her Poke ball, giving a distrustful look to the Oranguru. He ignored her and walked in his hunch to the girls. He held his fan across his body and swirled it around his head several times.

Rose stared straight ahead and tried not to think combative thoughts. The edges of her vision tinged a hot pink briefly from the glow of psychic activity. Rose could feel power swirling around her, Alamy, and their partners. Clavell was apparently trying to eliminate their Trailblaze teaching experiences as an impact on each other.

The power moved in briefly, and for a split second, it made contact with Rose herself. She drew her breath in sharply. Even with that white-hot presence, it was a shadow of what Clavell was capable of. What was flowing was a small trickle of what he was capable of. Rose had vastly underestimated him.

"So that is the future," Alamy mused quietly. Rose nodded and the Oranguru smiled. The feeling of power relaxed, the color leaving Rose's vision. The Oranguru leaned back to sit and placidly waved himself with his fan.

"Fascinating. Rose, have you had cause to visit Alfornada? There's a faint echo of a powerful spiritual contact. Oranguru's connection resonated with it briefly in your aura. I ask of interest, it shows no malice," Clavell said.

"My mother is only battle-synched with a Tauros and a Roserade right now," Rose answered while shaking her head.

"Maybe a psychic grass Pokemon tried to reach Rose this weekend," Zania theorized.

"Not many are known in this region, though no one is foolish enough to say every species is identified," Clavell said, "It was for sating my curiosity. You also have been around several potent psychics in the battles earlier."

Rose nodded, and Ivy turned to bat her necklace for her, looking up. Rose had come clean on the memories to both her partners, and he knew they had dodged a bullet.

"My apologies for having added to your burdens," Clavell said, "I will not detain you further this weekend, besides saying that the world is not always kind in what it asks of us. This is a lesson I prefer you would not have to learn already."

The group bowed to Clavell and he stood aside as they made for the elevators, Poppy calling back her steel types. It wasn't until they were in the library Poppy spoke.

"He caught us enough to slow us down," Poppy said, still frustrated. Fuey grimaced and made a few two-handed motions like swinging a hammer.

"He's stronger than you?" Trigo asked, impressed.

"We're pretty close, I'm probably a little ahead, but he guess my moves perfectly," Poppy said glumly, "He completely read me and Tinkie's reaction."

"For all three of us," Alamy said, "At the same time."

"I know he's seen Poppy fight, but he's only met us once. And I'm sure there's footage from Sunday, we hardly took part in the fight, time-wise," Rose said.

"Still enough that he completely predicted our moves," Alamy said, her voice quavering.

"That's frightening," Zania said.

"No, that's fascinating," Alamy corrected. Zania rolled her eyes.

"You three really pop back quickly," she said, shaking her head, "But it's the decisions rather than the events that get to you, isn't it?" Rose shrugged, it made sense but that was a blanket statement. Poppy had less trouble.

"It's our part of the team!" Poppy said cheerfully, "And it's the thing you can change most in a match."

"Okay, let's get some more relaxing in before you three abandon civilization entirely," Zania directed, "Or at least before someone else shows up with a weird obsession with surprising people from behind." The last sentence was delivered with some venom as she picked up and hugged Fi-cutie and started walking. The others fell in.

"Dendra said it was about non-violently establishing the teachers' skills," Alamy recalled.

"But they're doing it all the time. All the time!" Zania said, repeating herself, "No one's that forgetful. Don't matches linger before you want another?"

"Mei and Victor told me they after a full match they didn't expect to see the point of a rematch for at least a week. You know how they go at it," Trigo said.

"Wait, that long?" Zania asked, turning around but still watching. She hefted her Fidough up so he could watch for traffic over her shoulder.

"A week or two sounds about right. Galar doesn't usually do Circuit rematches faster, and those have big stakes," Rose said. Zania shifted her free hand back and forth at the two of them.

"You can fight again, but matches are for fun, so why would you?" Poppy said, "It's eating the same flavor candy again and again." Fuey stuck his tongue out at the thought.

"Sparring is different, very little energy channeled," Alamy said, "It is practice, not battle." Resistor chittered agreement.

"You're just completely rewired, aren't you?" Trigo asked.

"I would not put it quite like that," Alamy said tautly, "Resistor gives me a different perspective." Resistor buzzed happily. "Though I suppose channeling my way back to consciousness accelerated it," Alamy mused. Trigo winced.

"But no exception on that one week equation?" Zania persisted. Poppy hummed and thought.

"Bonds and channeling change and grow. You don't stay the same person, and it isn't the same challenge, and it refreshes. It's how my mother explained it," Rose said, "Though there are people like Nemona."

"Poetic," Trigo said.

"I think it came from my grandfather," Rose said.

"If you switched your team enough, you could rematch," Poppy suggested, "Since the active bonds change the shape of your channeling. You would need a lot of friends."

"But the teachers aren't Nemona, they're old enough to be philosophical on their battle lust," Zania said, still working on the problem, "So why 'match' us so much?" The battlers looked at each other and shrugged.

"Add it to the list," Trigo said wearily.

---

"And so, voila, Rice pudding! The other pot we'll fry up tomorrow, just keep an eye on it and stir every now and then. That'll be leche frita," Zania said triumphantly as she dished out the first round of the cooking lesson. Her mood had improved when she started measuring ingredients immensely.

The group was in Zania and Alamy's unit, hanging in the kitchen area. The active partners had claimed the couch. Watching stuff be stirred to a boil was tedious enough for non-humans without a language lesson they didn't care about.

"I think we lost Poppy," Rose said, standing over the sink. While clean-up was starting, the Elite Four trainer had been put on drying duty. The steel trainer had paused with a glazed expression.

"So many words," Poppy managed to squeak out. Alamy and Rose, in between Zanias instructions, had been pointed to everything they could think of to name in their respective mother tongues. Trigo had turned on a nature documentary on some lake in northern Paldea when they ran out of kitchen utensils.

Zania finished spooning out portions and then felt Poppy's forehead for a moment. "She'll be fine," she declared. She did take the pan and towel out of Poppy's unresisting hands to finish drying.

"You can start eating, Poppy," Zania offered. Poppy shook herself and walked over to the bowls, still a little glazed.

"I think you made too much," Trigo observed. The pot was still three-quarters full.

"That's part of the the floor's bribe. It's how I got the kitchen on day one," Zania said.

"Will the leche frita be the rest?" Alamy asked.

"No, I also used money," Zania said, "No one asked for much when I said who I as treating. I wanted to give some compensation, a lot of people don't have more than the room's microwaves." The others stared. "Trigo said it first – Clavell thought my work deserved equal pay, and I disagree," Zania continued. She put the pan down and picked up a tray in a dramatic swirl.

"Rose, Alamy, you can finish the last washing?" Zania asked. The two nodded. "Then I'll get this distributed," she said, hefting up the pot with some hot pads, "Everyone gets a mug. Be back soon. Trigo, get Paldea's Rising Stars queued."

"You all are really nice," Poppy said, fully revived by the smell of pudding. She grabbed a bowl, then thought a moment and pulled a tray from a set to get Tinkie and Fuey's bowls. The Tinkaton just fit under the weight limit, though she was sulking still over her moves being read.

"We did very little in comparison," Alamy noted quietly. Rose nodded.

"I have to come up with something nice for her," Rose said. She passed a tray to Alamy after draining the sink. Looking at the bowls, after a moment's thought, she dumped half her bowls' contents into Trigo's. Dinner had been rich enough, and her partners had been photosynthesizing.

"We cannot offer her a proper match, and she does not need what trainer gear we can afford. Neither of us knows fire types to help her there," Alamy listed. She looked at what Rose was doing, and, after a quick guilty look towards the couch where her partners were obscured from view, followed suit in cutting down dessert for all three.

"You're loading me up," Trigo said, as he came in and noticed the disparity.

"Don't want to overfeed," Rose said, "Especially sweets."

"What else were you talking about?" Trigo asked.

"Trying to help Poppy. She did far more than us to help, though I do not know what we can offer," Alamy fretted.

"Poppy, is there anything Rose and Alamy can do for you?" Trigo called loudly as he looked at the two of them.

"What?" he asked as the two looked aghast, "You were just going to fret a bit then have one of us ask anyway."

"Probably through Teff," Rose acknowledged.

"Oh, hmm, you teaching Basti was nice," Poppy said, "Can you look over my homework? Spelling isn't always good for me."

"That's not a bad idea – you're not native speakers, your grammar's probably better," Trigo observed. The three walked out and the partners started paying close attention, most hopping to the back of the couch at the promise of dessert.

"I could do that for you Poppy. Ivy, Azucena, get down. You're not eating on someone else's furniture," Rose directed, "No one will take your spot." With a last look at the documentary, Ivy hopped down from the back as Azucena went for the shorter jump to waddle around.

Alamy's two were more mannered and had cleared the furniture immediately. Bandwidth nudged the bowl a few times with his foot suspiciously before sitting down to eat. Resistor was on all fours going at it. "I could help with that, but I do not think that would be payment. It would help my own review of my work," Alamy said.

Trigo set the bowls quite a bit further away from the couch. Apparently, Lechonk weren't graceful eaters. He grabbed the remote and fumbled the menus a bit before finding an archived episode.

"I bet Dendra's will be the worst day one," Trigo predicted, "Since your class got interrupted."

"I had not checked yet, but the tactics language may be esoteric," Alamy said.

Rose tapped her phone. "Looks like less than a page of questions, not sure how long that will take to answer," she reported.

"Nothing of Tyme's appeared to be word problems yet," Alamy said. Poppy sighed in relief.

"Those are coming. She had that trick question in her lecture," Trigo predicted.

"But it's math! I was promised numbers!" Poppy protested.

"This about Tyme?" Zania said, coming back. From the heft, she still had leftovers in the pot, "Well, I guess you can take the gym leader out of the gym, but they still need to give trials. Let me get mine and me fed. Which episode did you pick?"

"Uh, just has a season and episode number. These are usually on against The Secrets of Deep Blue, so I don't know what I picked. That's one of those espionage thriller type action shows, small band doing good, not sure who to trust? Main character has had a Palafin the last few seasons, he's a great actor. The human's okay," Trigo explained.

"After seeing how proper battle trainers move up close yesterday, I'm not sure I can watch wirework anymore," Zania complained. Trigo shrugged complacently.

Rose sat on the arm of the couch after her Pokemon finished devouring their share. Her Pokemon followed and hopped on the cushion to stare at her imploringly. Rose looked at her spoon, and then decisively took a bit. "You'll get sick if you overeat," she told them. They kept focused on her anyway.

"I got the same amount you two did," Rose said, showing them the bowl, "And I don't have chlorophyll."

"You're such a taskmaster," Trigo teased.

"He says, as he gets up to get more as his Lechonk looks on with pleading eyes," Alamy narrated as Trigo did exactly that for Coche.

"There's an upside to not being in serious training," Trigo countered, coming back with refilled bowls. His two partners attacked them with a gusto he nearly matched, hindered only by having to use a spoon.

Bandwidth looked over with some longing, and Alamy held up her hand. "Have to stay in training. You will be getting that new TM ordered, or move tutoring tomorrow from Stephan, like I promised," she bargained. Bandwidth nodded and sat back down. Resistor rolled her eyes and pointed at her teammate.

"Why are you so testy?" Zania asked, "I get along great with Fuey and I'm not much of a trainer. Alamy's zapping her way up." The Quaxly stared insistently at his empty bowl.

"My old plan was not as much time for training," Alamy admitted, "But plans can change, and I hope to keep my weekends dedicated to it."

"We're going east of Los Platos again this weekend," Rose volunteered, "Assuming nothing else bizarre happens."

"Our track record is not good," Trigo admitted, "But it's a good idea. The fields and Pokemon Centers near Mesagoza swarm with trainers the first couple weeks in the fall term."

"Ugh, my weekends I'll be on call," Poppy predicted with a groan.

"I had not thought of that," Alamy said, "It will be good to get some distance."

"But you would be with someone," Trigo said.

"Wild Pokemon approach trainers alone for matches much more than groups. They'll just be in phone contact," Zania informed him wisely.

"Did you know that before you went with Rose and Poppy Saturday?" Trigo asked.

"We should be starting the show," Zania said instead, reaching for the remote. Trigo handed it to Coche instead. The little Lechonk happily oinked with the remote in his mouth, and took off, pursued by Fi-cutie as Zania chased Trigo in mock anger.

"Lucky. I'll be training at the Pokemon League. Geeta hopes a couple older students will show up with the term on," Poppy lamented further, "But they hardly ever do." Fuey perked up at the idea of a battle, but Tinkie just shook her head at him. The League was out of his range for now.

"I'm sure Nemona will give you a nice battle," Rose counselled. Poppy gasped.

"I completely forgot with everything to ask her!" Poppy said, getting her phone out and tapping, though there was no immediate reply text.

Zania returned, holding the remote by a corner with two fingers, and walked into the kitchen to get a paper towel. Fi-cutie was by her side, triumphant. Coche and Trigo followed behind a bit downcast. Tren walked over and patted his disconsolate teammate.

"Your floor is easier about noise than mine is," Rose told Alamy, recalling the reaction the ghost trainer had had when she walked by.

"It's not until nine or so our floor warden gets strict. Some people were firing foam darts at each other yesterday," Zania said after emerging with the cleansed remote.

"Maybe we should have made a break for the stairs," Trigo said as he sat back down. He was smiling though, and patted his lap to have his two partners hop up. They jumped up and he gave out an oof and rubbed his stomach.

"Or not run on a full stomach like that," Trigo groaned. His two partners looked at him in alarm and he waved a hand. "Give me a minute," he directed.

Zania popped back into the kitchen and emerged with a glass of water he took gratefully before she sat down herself. "Prepare to be delighted!" she proclaimed as she pressed the play button.

---

Rose was sure after about ten minutes that Zania had oversold it, or something in her was broken for not finding it amusing.

The Skwovet acrobatics squad, getting in little formations, had been impressive to watch their coordination. They had been trained for the camera, keeping cute expressions facing towards it and their movements together were smooth. It was a real testament to the two trainers' work and how well they worked together.

That had apparently been the opening act, and after the Skwovet tumbled together in a Poke ball shape, the set had been cleared to hide several Iapapa berries as a scavenger hunt for a Slowpoke and a Numel.

Rose dug her nails into her tights, forcing herself to concentrate on the show. Trigo and Zania were laughing, so it had to be her not seeing something critical as the two partners slowly tipped over boxes (empty) at the shouted encouragement of their trainers.

Neither species' nostrils were a joke, and the two partners had reacted to the sour smell when they left their balls. Then they went deliberately to other boxes. Why were they both playing it out in a competition? Maybe it was battler reflexes, but she could see them sneaking glances at the correct boxes, as well as their trainers. Was there some kind of signal?

No wonder she hadn't been able to keep friends. There was something wrong with her sense of humor. This felt like a joke against her and trainers, to guide them so badly.

Azucena chittered for her to relax as she was getting close to drawing blood. She put her hands to use petting her partners but had to look away from the screen for a moment. Zania and Trigo had done all this for her and her friends. Respect required she show proper appreciation, and she was botching it. She kept a smile on her face, but she knew how bad she was at faking, and the corners of her mouth were starting to hurt.

The other battlers were fine, of course. Alamy had leaned back with Resistor on her lap and Bandwidth on the floor to watch. Poppy's deployed partners had made some noise, so she had Zania pause the show so she could run the nature documentary the gathered Pokemon had been watching on her phone for them, and now the two were on the floor, Tinkie kicking her feet in the air while lying down as the phone floated before them.

She glanced over at Poppy who was kicking her feet against her chair, watching the show. Poppy wasn't as mature as Rose. That was a statement of fact, but the steel trainer was paying attention just fine. She was smiling along with the program, kicking her legs happily. She didn't have any problem finding fun. She… was watching her phone. Huh. Rose realized Poppy's line of sight was towards the floor.

Poppy sensed Rose's eyes on her and subtly shook her head with a pleading gesture, then thinned her lips as if to draw them closer together. Rose nodded subtly and Poppy's expression changed briefly to relief before going back to watching the nature show and smiling again.

"Which do you think will win?" Rose tried brightly, directing her question to her partners. She was still on the arm of the couch with her teammates hogging the cushion, with Alamy and Resistor taking the other cushion.

She glanced over and saw Alamy was leaning back with an expression of interest, her lips parted, but her eyes were slightly unfocused. Resistor saw Rose's look and held a paw up to her lips. Her cheek pouches were crackling. She's doing channeling training! Rose realized.

What do you two think? Rose sent to her partners. Ivy meowed noncommittedly. He was bored and he could look bored while training with the best of them. Azucena was watching her trainer watch the TV more than the program, and chittered as such. Also: more pudding please. Rose glanced at her other friends, who were still laughing at the program.

Well, I haven't gotten the training I thought done this afternoon, Rose justified to herself. Her other friends were risking being found out, so she decided to go for it. She would probably look more interested meditating. Rose stood off the arm and motioned for her partners to make some space. "Too close to call still?" Rose asked, trying to feign interest.

She leaned back into the cushions to make herself harder to see and put a hand on both her partners. The team connected through each other, she told them, We can do a little bond timing training. Ivy gave a purring chuckle he turned lamely into a cough, and Azucena sighed. She couldn't go deep without closing her eyes, but she could at least bounce some energy around.

Poppy giggled, spotting what was going on, then coughing as it drew attention. "I think the Numel!" she said, after hastily looking at whatever was on screen. Fuey looked over and nodded, impressed with his trainer's loyalty to the type. Tinkie just giggled, but she wasn't bothering to watch the main TV.

"The Slowpoke usually gets it in this kind of challenge," Zania said, "Once they finally get it in their heads where the berries are, they can pick them up fast." Rose suspected the partially psychic Pokemon were getting cues from the show staff.

Indeed, the Slowpoke spent a few more minutes hemming and hawing. Ivy meowed a warning as the Slowpoke's head snapped onto a direction, and Rose started paying attention. The Pokemon trundled to the closest box with an Iapapa berry, and tipped it over right as the show went to sponsors. Rose lightly tapped Alamy's hand. She flinched slightly as she left her trance, but nodded thanks.

"Told you," Zania said smugly.

"Let's see how it does in the Canyon," Trigo shot back.

"Canyon?" Alamy and Rose asked.

"It's this rotating padded cylinder, each Pokemon does it separately, and the fastest who gets through all the obstacles wins," Zania described.

"What sort of obstacles? Whoever wins a battle first? That would mean some different tactics than a court," Alamy said.

"Sneaky speedy or heavy hitty? Setup would be risky," Poppy said.

"Down, girls," Zania said laughing, "No, it rotates and parts of the floor rise and fall, and there are usually a few warp tiles. Nearly impossible to get through without being sent back at least once. The trainer calls suggestions from the end down to their Pokemon."

"I see why we would be disqualified as battlers from the show," Rose said. Trigo nodded.

"That would be an interesting challenge for intelligence-themed Contests, to show off your partner's skills," Alamy mused.

"Isn't the judging so precise on those? One misstep gets points knocked off? This is for fun. But yeah, now the Berry Hunt is going to get good. Watch, watch," Zania insisted.

---

The rest of the show went about the same. Rose felt a little guilty about tuning out to get work done, but her friends either were doing the same or didn't notice. She did pay attention a few times, and saw a Slowpoke tumbling around like it was in a washing machine, so she didn't feel very guilty.

As the credits rolled, Alamy stirred after a small static application from Resistor. "That was interesting! We should do a movie next time!" she said hastily.

"Yes! A movie!" Poppy added, "I mean, it'll be longer, and we can talk about it more!"

"Oh, have you seen Fire Punches of Blood?" Trigo asked, "If not, we should watch it."

"Do you have any taste?" Zania asked. Trigo laughed.

"We can think about it over the next few days, maybe find a better time," Alamy suggested.

That got general agreement. Rose stood and bowed.

"I really needed this," she said earnestly, and kept her face pointing to the ground when the thought The dinner part over this joke against training ran through her head despite her best efforts. When she thought she had her face back under control, she stood back up and beamed.

"This was very relaxing," Alamy added.

"It was our pleasure," Zania said, after Trigo and Zania exchanged a look.

"Do you need help cleaning up?" Poppy asked. The two shook their heads.

Rose recalled Ivy and scooped up Azucena. "I should get these two ready for bed, and check the homework."

"You'll look at mine tomorrow?" Poppy reminded her. Rose nodded.

"I will be ready at five to gather Hoppip," Alamy promised.

"Hopefully the Director can at least fix that soon," Rose said, "We don't get that many."

---

There was a general rush of air as Pokemon were recalled until under the school's walking limits. Poppy and Rose went to the elevator as Alamy waved, as she headed to her room.

"They were extremely polite about being bored," Trigo said quietly after the elevator had dinged and Alamy's door had closed. Enough experiences with battlers' hearing had him being more careful.

"There was something bothering them about the program on top of that. It didn't grab them, but there was something else. Not enough violence for them?" Zania theorized.

"Fire Punches of Blood won't have that problem," Trigo assured her.

"No," Zania said flatly.

"They didn't go looking for matches at the park and they could have. They aren't at a deficit," Trigo said, "If they wouldn't want to die of embarrassment, we could ask them."

"Probably too high a risk," Zania judged, as she finished gathering bowls to go wash.

"I'll send Miriam an email. She's been at this long enough she can fake being human," Trigo said.

"Outside the popping out like she was in tall grass, sure," Zania agreed.

Zania sighed as Fuey hissed at her. "He's right, that's not being fair to them," she said, "They're not all 'got to train, be the very best' like what you hear about. I mean, Alamy's priorities got shifted, but all three of them are trying to be gregarious and social. Mei's being way too critical of her sister, but even she's helpful, and she's stuffed full of pride. Not what I was expecting. It's clear with them it is their teams first before anyone human. Fue-cutie, you're great, but I couldn't live like that."

Trigo intermeshed his fingers together, "It helps getting a day with Alamy. She was quiet and wanting to understand better and be braver. She got her Pikachu in her head and she's much more confrontational about it. Their type pays a big price so we can be protected. It's another sign of the world's blessing that they don't see it how it is."

---

As the elevator doors dinged, Poppy and Rose sighed and turned to each other.

"Was I okay today?" they both asked. After a moment's confusion, Rose gestured to Poppy.

"I didn't seem too little or a baby? I don't meet many people my age until now. Was I annoying? They didn't say much to me. Do you think I'm a baby?" Poppy said. Fuey whistled his support.

"No," Rose said, "I think they're in awe of you. As they should be. I'm in awe. You are exactly what people think I should be able to do with my talents already."

"Oh, but I have so much to figure out," Poppy said. The doors dinged; Rose was down a floor, and Poppy motioned for Rose to head out and followed to continue the conversation.

"I didn't come on too strong? Or was it not strong enough and I was too quiet? Am I creepy? That show was so hard to watch," Rose said quietly.

"It really was. Listen to your friends! The Berry! Was! Right! There! They were telling you!" Poppy said, smacking her palm with a fist for emphasis. "Then they sent them into those warp tiles deliberately! That was mean. I don't think you're mean. I don't think you're creepy either. You had to wait."

"You mean for her?" Rose said, gesturing to Azucena, who flexed obligingly.

"Yeah. You should have had it years ago. That would be so lonely! Everything would have been so much worse without them," Poppy said, starting to tear up from sympathy, and running her hands over her Poke balls nervously.

"I hadn't thought about that," Rose said, "I just felt I was supposed to do well once I got them and was waiting."

"You have it so much in you, the hole must have been big," Poppy said earnestly.

"Thank you for the encouragement," Rose said, bowing.

"Sure!" Poppy looked around and whispered, "Do you need a walk to your room?" Rose looked down the hall, then shook her head.

"I don't see Mei anywhere and I can move pretty quietly," Rose promised. Poppy nodded seriously.

"You can be a great trainer if you keep trying! You've been really kind to Poppy so far, to have her in all these things. I'll see you in biology tomorrow!" Poppy promised. Rose nodded and bowed again. Poppy clumsily mimicked it and then jumped to slap the down button. Rose waited for the elevator to come back, and after waving to Poppy, moved down the hall.

It wasn't the woods. They weren't even on grass, so Rose couldn't pull most of her tricks. She could wrap her energy up and watch her footsteps, and carrying Azucena cut down the noise as well. She made it to her room, and quietly worked the door until she was inside with it locked and leaned against it. Ivy popped right out of his Poke ball and looked up.

"We made it back here! I wasn't sure!" Rose said, but in a loud whisper. The walls were thin, and if Rose didn't want to go to Clavell's office, she couldn't stand another round with her sister either. She glanced at her phone and shook her head. Clavell said it was handled. Mei had promised to not keep harping on Rose's actions against the ghost, but she hadn't planned to reveal Rose's sensitivity in public either.

"First things first, is you guys, of course. We'll get you scrubbed up; I'll have a little time to work on homework, then bed," Rose proposed, still speaking quietly. The two nodded, and Azucena cheeped a question.

"Tomorrow is Jacq, Mriam, and then Raifort, for classes. That's right," Rose answered, "Just have to keep our heads down in two of those." Rose paused and considered.

"Okay, scrub you up, homework, skim the first part of the history book, then bed," Rose said, "We have a lot to do tomorrow, but we'll just keep getting stronger, okay?" Her two little partners nodded and headed for the bathroom.

Rose followed. One day of classes down. The to-do list seemed to get longer, but she had classmates who didn't seem scared of her and were even friends, and two beloved partners. That was a lot more than she had a week ago. Keep it quiet and keep getting tuition, and hopefully that promised Sun Stone for Azucena.

She had to keep working. There were so many things that would try to tear some or all of them away. Forget the dragons tampering, or whatever oddities were haunting Paldea. She would keep working so she could hold onto hers.

---

I've mentioned before as a piece of world building but the Pokemon world is relatively underpopulated with humanity due to the smaller amount of resources giving a smaller carrying capacity. (It would be much smaller without Pokemon assistance. The invention of the Poke ball caused a population explosion).

You know, I hadn't realized quite how big Arcanine was before looking at Mela's post-game team to see if there were any weight limit problems on the floors. Armarouge has to do less ducking.

For a region where trainers' eyes meeting isn't a challenge, it's been happening around the twins a lot.

Lot of stuff still coming out of the whole ghost problem, even if Rose tries to backburner it this chapter.

Trigo is not starring in a harem comedy, but I think his neighborhood thinks he is.

Rose may be more stressed out than she thought with that laughter burst.

Fire Punches of Blood is part of a whole themed series of course (Punchy Punches of Blood is usually used as a mock sequel in the franchise). It's more of a 'shooter' type action film with clever Pokemon action than pure martial arts, which are also popular.

I was hoping to get this done quickly since I had portions done from the original previous chapter, annnd it ballooned to over 22k words. Some of it was getting more the other ninety-plus percent of the population lives. Though I apologize that it, and the next chapter took so long to come together.