~~Hello, readers, I hope you've enjoyed the story so far.
I do not own My Hero Academia.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~
~Morning~
Sioku, Flareon, and Ariel woke up to the sunlight shining brightly through the window.
"Good morning, Ariel," greeted Sioku.
"Good morning, Sioku, how did you sleep?" Ariel replied.
"I slept much better after the movie," Sioku answered with a smile.
"That's good," said Ariel happily.
Flareon stretched, then shook her head.
Sioku couldn't help but laugh as she ruffled Flareon's fur.
"Good morning, Flareon," she greeted while giving the fox Pokémon a hug.
Flareon wagged her tail gently in return.
A brief period of silence passed by.
Sioku and Ariel heard quiet voices outside the bedroom.
"Bella and Lynn are awake," Sioku pointed out.
"They're probably waiting for us," Ariel replied.
Ariel climbed out of bed, then returned Turtwig to its Pokéball.
Flareon hopped off the couch, then shook off.
She happily ran toward the door.
"Hold on, Flareon," said Ariel as she hurried to the door.
Flareon stared up at Ariel while wagging her tail wildly.
"My Flareon gets excited very easily," said Sioku.
"Your Pokémon reminds me of my mom's Arkanine," Ariel replied.
Sioku rose from the couch, then followed Ariel and Flareon out of the room.
They met Bella and Lynn in the hall.
"Good morning, you two," greeted Ariel.
"Hi, Sissy," replied Bella.
Good morning," Sioku added.
"Hi, Sioku," responded Lynn.
"Would you guys like to have breakfast?" asked Ariel.
"Yes," answered Lynn and Bella in unison.
"I need to take Flareon out first," Sioku added.
"Okay, Sioku, I hope you and Flareon enjoy your walk. Come to the dining room when you return," responded Ariel.
Sioku grabbed Flareon's fur collar and quickly led her out the back door.
Once outside, Sioku released her hold on Flareon.
She and Flareon leisurely walked a few laps around the back yard.
After much walking, Sioku decided to go back inside.
She happily raced Flareon to the back door.
Flareon's tail swayed in the breeze as she took off after Sioku.
Sioku and Flareon slowed down as they approached the porch.
Flareon impatiently wagged her tail against the wall, making Sioku laugh.
"Come on, Flareon," said Sioku as she opened the door.
Flareon immediately ran in and headed for the dining room.
Sioku stepped inside, then closed the door behind her.
She quickly followed Flareon in the dining room.
Ariel, Bella, and Lynn were seated at a wooden table.
Bella and Lynn giggled as they watched short videos on a tablet.
"Hi, Sioku, did you and Flareon enjoy your walk?" Ariel greeted.
Sioku situated herself at the table before answering, "Yes, we just walked a few laps around the yard."
Flareon crawled under Sioku's chair, then laid down.
A glass plate of hot food, a glass of juice, a few napkins, and silverware had been set neatly on the table at her spot.
Before their conversation could continue, Sioku's phone started to ring in her bag.
"Please excuse me," said Sioku as she retrieved her phone.
"Of course," replied Ariel.
She put a hand up to politely silence the younger girls.
Bella lowered the volume of her tablet.
Sioku answered Kara's call, then held the phone up to her ear.
"Hello, Mother, how are you today?" she greeted cheerfully.
"Hi, Sioku, my Pokémon and I are doing just fine. How are you and Lynn?" Kara replied.
"Lynn and I doing good. We're having breakfast right now," Sioku answered.
"That's good, I would like you and Lynn to come home after you're finished. I have something to discuss with you, Sioku," said Kara.
"Okay, Mother, Lynn and I will be there shortly. I'll talk to you soon," replied Sioku before she ended the call.
Sioku put her phone away, then looked at the other girls.
"Lynn, mom just called me. She said that you and I have to go home as soon as breakfast is over," Sioku informed.
"Okay," replied Lynn.
"Is everything okay at your house?" asked Ariel.
"Yes, Mom and her Pokémon are doing just fine. She just wants to have an important discussion with me," answered Sioku.
"Oh, I'm glad to hear that everything is still all right over there. Bella and I had a great time hanging out with you and Lynn," said Ariel cheerfully.
"Lynn and I had fun as well," replied Sioku.
Sioku listened to Bella and Lynn's cheerful conversation as she ate her breakfast.
After breakfast, Sioku rose from her seat.
Flareon crawled out from under the chair, then shook off.
Ariel affectionately petted Flareon behind her ears.
Sioku carefully carried her empty dishes into the kitchen before placing them in the sink.
She then retrieved her bag from the living room.
"It's time to go, Lynn," she said.
"I'm coming, Sioku," Lynn replied.
Lynn gave Bella a hug and said, "Bye, I'll hang out with you later."
Bella returned the embrace and replied, "Bye, Lynn, I had fun playing with you."
Lynn hugged Ariel and said, "Thank you for letting me come over."
"You're very welcome," replied Ariel as she returned the hug.
Sioku walked around Flareon, then embraced her best friend.
"My sister and I had a lot of fun hanging out with you and Bella. Hopefully we'll see you two again soon," she said.
"I look forward to our next visit," replied Ariel as she returned the hug.
Sioku then hugged Bella and said, "Good bye, Bella, please behave and follow the rules. Lynn and I will see you later."
"Bye, Sio," Bella replied.
Sioku grabbed Flareon's fur collar, then led her younger sister out the door.
Sioku opened the front door, allowing Lynn and Flareon to enter first.
They traveled a short distance to their home.
The girls met their mother in the dining room.
"Good morning, girls," Kara greeted.
"Same to you, Mother," replied Sioku.
"Hi, Mama," added Lynn.
Kara looked at her youngest daughter and said, "Lynn, I need to have a private talk with your sister. Please go upstairs for a few minutes."
"Okay, Mama," Lynn replied.
Kara's Jolteon followed the little girl upstairs and into her bedroom.
Lynn gently closed her bedroom door behind them.
Back downstairs, Kara picked up her coffee cup before making her way into the living room.
She set her cup down on the coffee table, then situated herself on the couch.
The foxhound, Trooper, followed Sioku and Flareon into the living room while wagging his tail.
Sioku sat on the opposite couch, facing her mother.
Trooper hopped onto the couch next to Sioku.
Flareon laid on the floor by Sioku's feet.
The sights and sounds of a medical drama playing on Tv suddenly startled the girl, causing her to shiver.
Sioku put on a brave smile to hide her growing anxiety.
She imagined herself and Flareon playing as a distraction from her fears.
Kara paused the Tv, then looked at her daughter.
"Good morning, Sioku, did you and Lynn have fun at Ariel's house?" she greeted.
"Yes, Mother, we had a great time. Unfortunately, Lynn and Bella got into a fight. Ariel helped the girls make up though," Sioku explained.
"That's good," Kara added.
A brief period of silence passed by.
"Sioku, I understand that you are on your Pokémon journey right now. However, you still need to continue going to school. I have already enrolled you into an academy called UA High. Julie will meet you there sometime after the train drops you off at the station," Kara explained.
The air around Sioku and Kara suddenly grew thick as fog.
Hearing the sound of that academic assistant's name immediately caused her content smile to be replaced by a frown of disappointment.
She tensed up as Julie's low voice echoed in her mind as a flashback.
~Flashback to Sioku's Fifth Grade Graduation~
"I hope that whenever you hear that silly Veggietales music, you think about how badly you hurt your teacher and me," said Julie harshly.
~End Flashback~
"What's the matter, Sioku?" asked Kara as she stared at her daughter.
Sioku quickly brushed her fears of punishment aside.
"Mother, do I seriously have to stay with Mis Julie? She is not friendly or helpful to me at all. The only thing she does is bully or wrongly punish me whenever I try to be myself. She has been torturing me since kindergarten. Mis Julie is the reason why I can't make any friends at school," answered Sioku Boldly.
Kara's calm demeanor instantly changed into one of frustration and anger.
"That is enough, Sioku! Quit talking negative about Julie!" she interrupted sternly.
Sioku pretended like the woman's yelling didn't faze her and maintained her boldness.
"No, Mother, Mis Julie has always been a negative person. Do you not remember what she did to me before my fifth grade graduation ceremony? She's the reason why I can't watch VeggieTales anymore," she argued.
Tears lined the corners of Sioku's eyes as she remembered the traumatizing incident.
The heat of sadness rose in her cheeks.
"Sioku Marie, that incident is in the past now. You need to let it go and move on," Kara said sharply.
"It's not easy to heal an embarrassing mental scar," replied Sioku quietly.
"I don't want to hear another word out of you," Kara demanded.
Sioku turned her head away in annoyance.
Without a word, Sioku rose from her seat.
She signaled for Flareon to follow her.
Flareon followed Sioku into the bathroom.
Sioku brushed her teeth at the sink, then fixed her hair in front of the mirror.
Afterward, she quickly led Flareon up the stairs.
Back in her bedroom, Sioku quickly transferred all of her important belongings into a backpack before slipping the straps over her shoulders.
She then rushed back down the stairs with Flareon running beside her.
"Sioku, I recommend bringing your Pokémon to school with you. They should always travel by your side," said Kara.
"Of course, Mother," replied Sioku as she retrieved her three Pokéballs from the coffee table.
"I'm going up to my room. Have a good first day of school," said Kara.
"I'll try," Sioku mumbled.
Kara breathed a sigh of irritation in response to Sioku's disappointment before she quickly ascended the staircase.
Umbreon bolted up the stairs, then followed Kara into her bedroom.
Trooper watched Kara intently as she walked back up the staircase.
The woman then disappeared into her bedroom.
Sioku grabbed a Tv remote off the coffee table and switched the channel to Boomerang.
A feeling of elation washed over her as she red the screen.
Animaniacs was about to come on.
That cartoon always cheered Sioku up whenever she was bullied at school.
The Warners' zany behavior made her laugh.
Their voices also made her feel very hyper at times.
She sang along to the opening song.
After the episode, Sioku gave Trooper a hug.
"I'll see you later, Trooper," she said.
The dog shook off in response.
Sioku then grabbed her jacket from the closet before walking out the door with Flareon.
A train pulled up at the end of the platform at Twinleaf Station.
Sioku giggled as she heard Trooper barking at it from inside the house.
She and Flareon stepped on as soon as the doors opened.
People were talking and laughing out loud.
The constant noise didn't bother her at all.
Sometimes, she would laugh at some of the jokes that people told to their friends.
Ariel merrily jumped up from her seat and hollered, "Over here, Sioku!"
Sioku's eyes widened as she recognized the female voice.
"Ariel's here," she thought.
She joyfully rushed over, then plopped down on the seat beside her.
Flareon laid on the floor in front of Sioku.
Ariel had on a different outfit that consisted of pink, flat shoes, a long, purple dress, and a thin, pink cover.
"How did the conversation with your mom go, Sioku?" asked Ariel.
"Okay… I guess," answered Sioku sadly.
"You seem to be down about something. Are you okay, Sioku?" Ariel continued.
"I'll explain that shortly," Sioku answered with a dismissive look.
A brief period of silence passed by as Sioku petted Flareon's head gently.
Flareon let out a relaxed sigh in her sleep.
"I'm so glad that you and I are going to the same school, Ariel," she said.
Ariel threw her arms around her friend and replied joyfully, "Me too, Sioku, I'm really excited to go on this new adventure with you."
Sioku stared out the window with a blank expression on her face.
She then turned to her best friend with a disappointed look and said, "Ariel, I have bad news to tell you. My mom told me that Mis Julie will be meeting me at the new school. Mom got very upset with me when I expressed my feelings about her."
"That doesn't sound good," Ariel replied sympathetically.
Sioku temporarily brushed her worries aside and decided to change the subject.
"Ariel, what course are you taking at school?" she asked curiously.
"I'm in the hero course with Mr. Aizawa," Ariel answered.
Sioku looked down at her feet in disappointment and continued, "You're so lucky, Ariel. I'm in the support course with Recovery Girl."
Feeling a bit concerned for her best friend, Ariel raised an eyebrow at that.
"Sioku, why are you taking medical classes?" she asked.
Sioku's heart began to race with anticipation.
"I want to heal people at hospitals in the future without being scared," she answered with a discouraged look.
Ariel gave Sioku a cheerful smile and commented, "Applying for medical classes was a smart move considering you have cell activation. This is the perfect opportunity for you to conquer your fears. Your quirk will be very useful both at school and other places."
Sioku relaxed at her friend's words of encouragement and said, "Thanks, Ariel, I really needed that. I just hope I won't be too busy to spend time with you."
"Don't worry, Sioku, we'll be able to see each other during breaks," Ariel replied.
Sioku nodded her head in agreement.
They spent the remainder of their train ride watching funny videos.
A half hour later, the train pulled up to the platform at a station near UA High.
Flareon slowly rose to her feet and yawned loudly.
Sioku laughed out loud in response.
"Your Flareon is adorable, Sioku," Ariel commented.
Sioku admired the golden letters painted on a sign.
"That sign looks really pretty," she thought with a smile.
"We're here, Sioku!" Ariel cheered with glee.
"I know, I'm very excited," Sioku replied.
They sat quietly until everybody else had stepped off.
As soon as the isle had cleared out, Sioku and Ariel exited the empty train with Flareon trotting between them.
They carefully walked through the large crowds of people.
Ariel happily led Sioku and Flareon to a secluded picnic area behind the school building.
There were many trees and flowers planted in the surrounding area.
Flareon's tail swayed gently in the breeze as she explored the picnic spot.
Sioku looked around in awe as they relaxed.
"This place is very pretty. You found the perfect spot, Ariel," she said.
Ariel smiled at Sioku and responded, "I totally agree with you. Flareon already loves this place."
Suddenly, the girls heard quiet footsteps coming toward them.
"Good morning, ladies," a soft male voice greeted.
Sioku shared a confused look with Ariel before she waved.
"Hello, who are you?" she responded.
They looked up and noticed a green haired boy standing in front of them.
He wore red shoes, dark green dress pants, a white dress shirt, a light grey suit, and a red necktie.
"My name is Izuku Midoriya," he answered politely.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Izuku. I'm Sioku, and this is my best friend Ariel," said Sioku while pointing at her.
"Good morning, Izuku," Ariel added.
Izuku smiled at the girls and replied graciously, "It's nice to meet both of you as well."
A brief period of silence passed between them.
Flareon's ears perked up in response to the new voice.
She approached Izuku curiously, then sniffed him.
Izuku gasped in awe as he looked down at Flareon.
"Wo… I've never seen a creature like that before. It looks beautiful," he said cheerfully.
"She's my Pokémon, and her name is Flareon. My mom gave Flareon to me several years ago after she raised and evolved her from an Eevee. Flareon is my emotional support Pokémon. She's been by my side since I first started going to school," Sioku explained.
"What is a Pokémon?" Izuku inquired.
"Pokémon are magical creatures that possess their own special powers. Most Pokémon can evolve into bigger versions of themselves. Some people keep Pokémon as pets while others train them to compete in battles and contests. A trainer can only carry up to six Pokémon on their journey at a time. I currently have four Pokémon with me," Sioku informed.
"I have a few Pokémon of my own," Ariel chimed in.
"Wow, girls, that is very interesting. Sioku, why do you need a creature for emotional support?" Izuku continued.
"I have a mental disability called autism. My attention span is short, and I can't sit still for long periods of time. I learn slower than an average person as well. Also, I am hyper and sometimes clumsy. Stressful situations will either cause me to shut down or have a panic attack. I've had both minor and major panic attacks," Sioku explained.
"That sounds intense," Izuku responded with a worried expression.
"Please don't be sad, Izuku, I'm not alone. Ariel has been there for me through everything. I'm proud to call this wonderful girl my best friend," Sioku Sioku said with a chipper expression.
Ariel smiled at Sioku in response to her complement.
Flareon wagged her tail wildly as she stared up at Izuku.
"My Pokémon really likes you, Izuku," Sioku pointed out.
"I can tell," Izuku replied with a grin.
Flareon stood up on her hind legs, then rested her front paws on Izuku's shoulders.
Izuku affectionately petted Flareon behind her ears.
Sioku's face flushed as she stared at Flareon in dismay.
"Flareon! Off," ordered Sioku sternly.
Flareon immediately lowered herself to the ground.
"What's the matter, Sioku?" asked Izuku.
"Flareon isn't supposed to do that right now. My mom and I have been training Flareon to be a service Pokémon. She knows how to behave in public places," Sioku explained.
"That's understandable," Izuku responded.
Ariel looked at Izuku and said, "My quirk is K9 transformation. What is yours?"
Izuku blushed as he started to tremble.
"Um… I'm not allowed to tell anybody what it is," he answered shyly.
"My quirk is cell activation," Sioku added.
Ariel giggled at the sight of his red face.
"Oh my gosh, this kid is so cute!" she exclaimed cheerfully.
Izuku's eyes grew wide as he paused in shock.
Sioku chuckled while staring at her best friend.
"It looks like somebody's in love," she teased.
Ariel playfully slapped Sioku's shoulder and replied, "Don't start, Sioku, it's not like that."
"Don't deny it, Ariel," added Sioku before laughing.
Ariel just blushed in response.
Izuku couldn't help but giggle at the scene in front of him.
He sat on the bench beside Sioku and asked, "Would you girls like to be my friends?"
"Of course, Izuku," they answered in unison.
"Awesome!" he shouted joyfully.
Their conversation was soon interrupted by a bell ringing over the loud speaker.
After standing up, Sioku, Ariel, and Izuku followed a large crowd of other students inside the school building.
Flareon happily trotted between Sioku and Ariel.
The three students examined a bulletin board which was displayed on the wall.
Ariel threw her arms around Izuku and hollered with excitement, "You and I have the same home room!"
The boy yelped nervously as she hugged him tighter.
He didn't expect a big hug from someone right away.
"Be careful with him, Love Bird! You just met the poor kid," said Sioku while gently ruffling Izuku's hair.
"Don't call me that," replied Ariel in annoyance.
Sioku just shook her head at that.
"Your friend sure has a lot of spirit," Izuku said shyly.
"She sure does," Sioku replied with a smile.
Sioku searched for her teacher's name on the bulletin board.
"Oh… what a shame, I don't have a class with either of you," she said sadly.
Ariel chuckled at her friend's bummed expression before replying, "Oh… don't worry, Sioku, we'll meet somewhere during passing period."
Before their conversation could continue, Sioku and Ariel spotted a middle-aged woman with wavy, black hair walking toward them.
Sioku's mood instantly changed from happy to irritated as a frown replaced her bright smile.
Flareon stood in front of Sioku in a protective manner.
Ariel gave Sioku a sympathetic look.
"Is something wrong, Sioku?" asked Izuku.
"Yes, Mis Julie just showed up. She is my unfriendly academic assistant," Sioku answered quietly.
"What makes that lady so unfriendly?" Izuku inquired.
"Ariel and I will explain that later," Sioku whispered.
"It's a long story," Ariel chimed in.
Julie stopped a few steps in front of Sioku wearing a stern expression.
An ominous aura radiated off of the black haired woman.
Her outfit consisted of black tennis shoes, white ancle socks, black yoga pants, a grey, long-sleeved T-shirt, and a fluffy, grey sweater.
A pink, leather purse hung from her left shoulder.
She carried a blue, plastic water jug in her right hand.
"Let's go, Sioku," Julie demanded harshly.
"Yes, Mis Julie," responded Sioku shyly.
Ariel gave Julie a dirty look before turning away from her.
"Wow, Julie can't say hi to Sioku? That's rude," she thought.
Sioku reluctantly stepped away from her friends and stood next to Julie.
"We're not going to waste any time on our way to your first class. Do you understand me, Sioku?" said Julie sternly.
"Yes, ma'am," answered Sioku quietly.
The hairs on Flareon's back stood straight up as she glared at Julie.
"Sioku Marie, I don't appreciate your Flareon looking at me like that. Control your Pokémon's behavior before it gets out of hand," ordered Julie coldly.
Sioku glared daggers at her academic assistant.
"It's not my fault that Flareon doesn't like you, Mis Julie. I can't control her feelings," she responded bitterly.
"Sioku! Turn your attitude around or else there will be major consequences. I am not kidding," Julie threatened.
Sioku nodded, then turned away from Julie.
"I understand what Sioku is talking about now," whispered Izuku to Ariel.
"Julie always has a bad attitude toward everybody except her daughter," Ariel whispered back.
Julie heard Sioku's friends' whispers and glared at them.
"Izuku and I will see you later, Sioku," said Ariel.
"Bye for now," Sioku replied.
Sioku smiled and waved at her friends before walking off.
Julie began to lead Sioku and Flareon away.
Sioku rebelliously stopped and turned around when a blond haired boy with exploding palms barreled toward Izuku.
He wore black, knee high combat boots, baggy pants, a belt, and a white collared button up shirt.
"You shouldn't be here, Deku!" he yelled furiously at the nervous green haired boy.
Sioku's ears immediately perked up at the sound of the blond boy's loud voice.
"Sioku Marie, what do you think you're doing?" Julie growled.
The petite girl Ignored Julie and remained still.
"Let's go, Sioku," Julie ordered.
Sioku shook her head at Julie before shifting her attention back to the blond haired boy.
Julie stood behind Sioku with an irritated glare.
Izuku didn't say a single word.
He stood beside Ariel while shivering in fear.
Ariel quickly turned around and threw the blond haired boy a piercing glare.
"This explosive boy is bad news," she whispered to Izuku.
Ariel didn't even notice Sioku who had been standing behind them while observing their situation.
"UA High is not the best place for a quirkless weakling like you to be at!" the other boy screamed in Izuku's face.
Izuku jumped in fear of the blond boy's rage as he slowly stepped closer.
"Hey there, Kacchan," he said nervously.
Ariel jumped in front of Izuku in order to shield him from the violent explosions.
"Stop right there, Explosion Boy! I won't let you hurt my new friend!" she hollered protectively.
"Stay out of this," the blond boy snapped back.
Ariel didn't seem intimidated at all.
She then turned to Izuku with a worried expression and asked, "Wait, you know him?"
"Yes… Kacchan was my childhood friend," Izuku answered sadly.
"He's no friend I'd want to have," Ariel remarked with a glare toward Kacchan.
Izuku just stared off into space.
Sioku smiled spellbound at the blond haired boy while inconspicuously watching the scene unfold in front of her.
"I will not tell you again, Sioku. This is your last warning," said Julie sternly.
Sioku glared at Julie while gripping Flareon's fur collar tightly.
"So you guys are rivals then," said Ariel playfully.
"I guess so," Izuku replied in confusion.
The blond haired boy forcefully dragged Izuku toward him by his shoulders.
"What are you doing here, Deku? How did you get in?" he barked.
From a distance, Sioku blushed as she continued to focus on him.
"I can't tell you, Cacchan," Izuku answered anxiously.
"Whatever, Deku! I won't let you get ahead of me! Nerd!" he yelled furiously.
Izuku lowered his head and sighed.
Kacchan's booming voice ignited a spark of love in Sioku's heart that she would never forget.
Kacchan shoved Izuku out of his way before running off.
Sioku's smile faded as the blond haired boy disappeared from her sight.
She immediately pulled Flareon down one of the hallways in order to keep Ariel from noticing her.
Julie furiously bolted after Sioku and Flareon.
"Wow… that was rough," said Ariel.
"I'm used to it," replied Izuku with a sigh.
Ariel and Izuku walked down a hallway toward class 1A.
There was almost nothing but complete silence in the hallway.
Sioku stood beside the door to Recovery Girl's office.