We step into the Nimbasa Gym through the back entrance.

The space inside is what you'd expect, a mix between a backstage area and some livable quarters. Spare outfits hang on racks, ready for Elesa's next performance, while various pieces of equipment are scattered about, clearly meant to maintain the technical side of her shows. The atmosphere is charged with that blend of glamour and practicality that fits her pretty well.

"So... Aren't you going to say anything?" Elesa sings, as energetic as ever. "I do want to know how your little date went."

I glance around, still unsure why I'm here in the first place. "Eh, it wasn't too bad. But I'm a bit more into older women."

She disappears into a smaller room, rummaging through what looks like a storage closet. "Oh? Weren't you the little shit making fun of my age not too long ago?"

I smirk. "Maybe. But I might be willing to give you a chance. I can tell you're really putting in the effort. Or do you just bring every guy here?"

Elesa returns, holding a large, crystal-like box. She cradles it with surprising care, despite her teasing tone. "You better pay attention, kid. This is as close as you're ever going to be to getting in my pants."

She leads me into what must be her private room here at the gym. The space is smaller than I expected for someone like her—modest, really. It's not like her personality can fit in here, but it really looks like she barely even tried to decorate. It's just a basic, simple room where to rest and unwind.

Sitting on the small bed, she places the box on the tea table in front of her and motions for me to come closer.

I sit down, sinking into the plush carpet. "So… I don't think we're both going to fit on that bed, but I'm willing to get creative with the arrangement."

"Agh, shut up," she groans, though the flush on her face betrays her embarrassment. She presses a button on the side of the box's base, and it lights up, revealing something nestled inside.

Through the now-transparent glass, I see the shape of something shiny and golden. A Pokémon egg.

"This," she begins, her smugness returning as she leans back on the bed, "is something I've been prepping for myself. But I'm thinking about letting you have it."

I raise an eyebrow. "And why would you do that?"

"Because I want you to owe me." Her eyes are sharp now. "I don't know what Hilda sees in you, but you've got something. You've got potential, and after what happened today, I wouldn't mind a piece of that. Let's call it an investment."

"Well." I grin. "You're not the only one that wants a piece of that."

She props herself up on her elbows, her eyes narrowing a bit. "Listen, you can bark all you want, but if you really want to make an impact, you'll need more than just flashy talk. Presentation is only half the battle."

My gaze drops to the incubator. The egg inside practically glows, and I realize I've never seen anything quite like it. "You're not even going to tell me what it is?"

"Nope." Her voice is sweet, like a small kiss. "I can't stand people who get picky about their partners. You either want it or you don't, Starboy." She gives me a playful wink.

I hate how damn cute she is.

"Well?" Elesa taps her fingers impatiently. "I'm not into guys who can't hold their own in a battle, y'know?"

"Alright, fine!" I raise my hands. "You drag me into your room and send me off with a baby, huh?"

She chuckles softly, leaning in to whisper. "I'll tell you what. If you manage to earn yourself a few badges, maybe I'll give you a chance to return the favor."

After a long walk, I finally reach my room, the giant, shiny, golden egg in hand. All I want is sleep. I open the door and—

"Yo'."

Riva is hanging out on my there, looking bored. "Took you long enough. Thought you'd be back in ten minutes, like you were sneaking behind the school for a quickie or something. That old hag must've really done a number on you, huh?"

Then, her eyes set on the box, and she gives me a surprised look.

"Did you really think we were just going away to fuck in some dark alley?" I take a deep breath and place the incubator down before turning on the light. "What do you think?"

"With Elesa? You never know, I've heard she—Holy shit, is that an egg?! She paid you with an egg?! What did you do to her?!"

At this point I can tell she's messing with me.

"Keep it up and I'll let everyone know how much you like sneaking into my room."

She shrugs, hopping off the bed to poke the incubator. "Everyone already knows we disappeared together, and the girls here are brutal. You might as well tell them the egg is mine. They'd believe it."

She keeps talking, but her attention is clearly no longer on me. "So… What is it? It looks like it's about to hatch… and… really expensive… Why do you get a golden egg?! I was there too!"

"Didn't you win a tournament or something?"

"Exactly! People should give me—"

Her rant is interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

Riva gives me a sidelong look, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Nah, you're definitely a manwhore."

Then, a familiar voice from the other side. "Zeke? It's me, Hilda. I just wanted to check on you. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," I sigh, watching Riva's pout deepen. "Come in."

The door swings open, and Hilda steps in, relief washing over her face. "Oh, it's just you two... When I heard you and Elesa hadn't come back yet, I started to—well..."

"Well?" I turn slowly towards her, curious.

She avoids my gaze. "People... say things sometimes, about her and younger guys. N-Not that I believe it! Just—Hey, is that an egg? Damn, that looks cool. I wish someone would give me an egg."

"Aren't you… a champion? Can't you… just… get your own?"

"Nah," she waves it off. "I'm into this little thing called having fun. Eggs are for people that aren't happy with how many battles they win. If I need one, I can always ask Cheren."

Under different circumstances, having two pretty attractive girls in my room—one about ten years older than the other—might've sounded like something straight out of a wild erotic fantasy. But right now, I'm more worried about one of these greedy bitches trying to steal my egg.

"Alright," I groan. "Anyone who's not planning on sleeping with me tonight, get out."

Riva glances up at Hilda, completely unfazed. "Do I have to leave?"

Hilda just shrugs, already heading for the door. "By the time I was your age, I was traveling across regions. I'm not your mom. Just remember how playing with a partner works and use protection."

The girl gives me a long, cold look, her eyes scanning me from head to toe. "Nah… Sorry, it's just not fun if she's going to just… let it happen like that." She heads for the door too but pauses halfway out. "Oh, and… did you find anything else in that machine? Heard those mystery bags are real, just really hard to get."

"Not really," I lie, already done with this conversation. "Wasn't like I got to pick my prize."

She hums to herself, hanging there for a beat longer. "Maybe I'll just tell people I had fun with you… just to mess with my brother a little."

And with that, she finally steps out, closing the door behind her.

I let out a breath, the tension leaving my shoulders. Reaching into my inventory, I pull out the small mystery bag I definitely hadn't forgotten about.

"Alright, let's see what you've got for me…"

The bag is heavier than it looks, solid too. I carefully open it, peeking inside.

An egg.

Another egg.

"Well… fuck me."

The next morning, I wake up earlier than usual.

The thin fog in Nimbasa clings to the ground, remnants of the cool night that have risen from the waters, still lingering under the weak light of dawn. As I step outside, the chill bites at my skin, a feeling I don't dislike. I wander the garden, aimless but thoughtful, thinking about what I truly want in this world, this second life I've been given. Maybe I should think before I act for once, considering I've already died once.

It's strange how real reincarnation is, and how surreal it feels. For all I know, any of the people around me could be the same—an old soul housed in a new body.

I'm lost in these thoughts for a while before I notice her.

Sera sits on the same bench as yesterday, her posture still, almost like a painting in the mist, isolated from the world.

Quietly, I approach and sit beside her.

This time, there's no need for words. At least not from me. She doesn't acknowledge me, but it doesn't feel like she's angry. It's more as if she's simply basking in the peace of the moment. My presence might be a mild irritation at first, but soon enough, I fade into the background, just another object in the stillness she's enjoying.

Under normal circumstances, I might have waited for a better moment. But maybe that moment doesn't exist, and honestly, there's something about her that keeps pulling me in. That presence she has—flickering, like a flame. It's both unsettling and captivating.

Maybe she's like me? She does look like the kind of girl who reads auras and tells you you're a piece of shit if you were born under the wrong magical sign…

Suddenly, she turns toward me, her voice soft. "Can you hear that?"

"That?" I repeat, caught off guard.

She shakes her head slightly, a touch of disappointment in her eyes. "Sometimes, when I sit alone like this… the wind starts to sound like whispers."

"Whispers, huh…" I murmur, not sure of what to say. Then, after a moment, I ask, "Why do you sit alone?"

"Huh?"

"Well… your Pokémon seems to care about you a lot. Isn't it weird, then? To carry friends with you, but still choose to sit by yourself?"

Sera pulls out a Poké Ball, turning it over in her hands. "Lillia… she's not my Pokémon."

"Yeah, I've heard," I say, leaning back, trying to relax. "So, what is it then? Are you planning to travel the world, hoping that somehow your father's still alive, waiting for you?"

"No." She shakes her head, her voice quieter now. "My father is gone, truly gone. I know that much. I only wish to understand how… and why."

"Do you know in which region he… passed away?"

"Miss Hilda promised she'd tell me when our time here is done. For now, I don't know much more than you." She takes a deep breath, her gaze drifting far away. "Will you laugh at me?"

"Laugh?"

"I know better than anyone that the strength I have… it's not really mine, It's borrowed. Maybe you're right. Maybe I should just stay here and let the world pass by, live quietly in this city. But still… I want to believe that even someone like me has the right to dream."

I sigh, leaning forward. "Having a dream is easy. I'd love to tell you that's enough. But in the real world, you still need the strength to make that dream a reality."

She smiles, giving a small laugh. "Then tell me, then. How does it feel to not even be able to beat me?"

I shrug. "Life gets a lot easier when you don't have a dream to chase. When you stop trying, you can just… walk around, at your own pace."

Sera turns to me, a contemplative look on her doll-like face. "You're a very miserable person, huh."

I can only laugh. "Next time, I'll be an orphan with an impossible dream. That sure does sound better."

The girl pushes herself up with a huff. "Next time, I'll show you who's weak!"

"Bitch, I don't have any Pokémon. Get yourself a real rival."

You've gained 1 Skill Point.

After midday, we gather for our first official class, led by Cheren himself. The most surprising thing, though, is the number of chairs. The desks are huge—each one apparently meant for four students to sit together, even though there aren't nearly enough of us to fill them all.

"Come in," the teacher says, watching as we hover awkwardly at the doorway, unsure of what to expect. "Feel free to arrange yourselves however you like. Also, I must encourage you to bring out any Pokémon whose presence might benefit you during the lesson."

As we start moving, picking seats and settling in, Luna's hand shoots up first. "Teacher, teacher! Won't it be too distracting with so many Pokémon out? I mean, not mine, of course! But I can't imagine everyone else's are as well-behaved."

Yeah, fuck that girl.

Cheren pauses, considering her words. "That's a fair point, but we can't use Poké Balls as an excuse to avoid teaching our Pokémon how to behave in everyday environments. You can't just hide them away from the reality of life until it's time for battle. It'll be better for all of us if we start cultivating good habits right now."

That's all the invitation anyone needs. Poké Balls are thrown, and in no time, the classroom feels more like a chaotic petting zoo. Among the flurry of activity, I can't resist placing the incubator on my desk—just enough to draw attention to it. I expect curious glances, but what I don't expect is Burnice storming over, looking particularly sour, her Pokémon marching beside her.

"Where did you go?" she demands.

I blink, taken aback. "What?"

"I spent two hours baking a cake so you could apologize properly, and then you just run off into the night with another girl?!"

"Pig-nite!" her Pokémon chimes in, as if backing her up.

Before I can even begin to make sense of this, Sera, who is sitting right behind us, leans forward shily. "She's been saying… you're cheating on me."

"He is!" Burnice throws her arms up, exasperated. "I swear, no one here listens to me!"

Luckily for me, that's the first thing she says that seems to be true—no one else in the class seems remotely surprised by her outburst, which makes me thing this probably happens a little too often.

The teacher soon moves the class along, demanding our attention.

When Burnice tries to keep her tirade going, Cheren sighs and sends out his Haxorus. Without a word, the massive Pokémon grabs her and drags her out of the room, her protests echoing down the hall. "I swear! It's all Riva's fault, that whore! Look at her, she's laughing!"

With that, the morning settles into a more peaceful rhythm, the lessons focused on basic concepts—common Pokémon of Unova, their interactions with the environment, and which species can be safely captured without disrupting the ecosystem. It feels like a biology class, sprinkled with hints of practical advice for battle. It's informative, even if not particularly exciting. Although the fact that this is so new to me really does help keep my attention.

As the hours pass and the end of the day nears, I can't shake a question lingering at the back of my mind. "What exactly did you tell Burnice?"

Riva, stretching away the hours of sitting, glances at me with a lazy smirk. "Huh? So now anytime she loses it, it's my fault? That's some discrimination, y'know?" She tries to keep a straight face, but it only lasts a few seconds before she breaks into laughter. "Alright, alright! She saw me coming out of your room. What was I supposed to do? That girl's got a few screws loose, so I just told her I was getting mine tightened."

I groan, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "You're really not making my life any easier."

Riva winks, sticking out her tongue. "Wasn't trying to."

Before I can respond, a hand suddenly grips my arm firmly. "Mind if we step out?"

I glance over, and there's Roan, her brother, looking like he's ready to drag me out of the room if I say no. His eyes are heavy with frustration. Riva watches the exchange, eyes wide, and can't help but smile with excitement.

Slightly confused, I follow Roan out, deciding to save my questions for later.

He walks ahead, shoulders tense, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his jaw clenched tight. It's not until we step out of the classroom and into the hallway that he lets out a short laugh. "C'mon, man. Let's take a walk, maybe hear me out a bit, will ya? I can tell you've had it rough 'round here." He nods toward the dining hall, a grin on his lips.

I forgot to add something last chapter. All images and references for the characters are posted in Questionable Questing, since it is the only page that allows me to just share them.