Twin Colors

by tremor3258

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

20. Side-effects

Twin Colors

By tremor3258

Chapter 20

Side-effects

---

Alamy and Rose sat side by side in the hallway outside Director Clavell's office, waiting for him to finish up his delayed previous meeting. It was over ten minutes past when they were supposed to start. Resistor and Ivy were sniffing the door frame curiously, mainly out of boredom. The soundproofing was good enough that they couldn't hear anything inside. Rose had suggested some awareness training to do something while they waited

"There's too many scent tracks for Resistor to distinguish, since she doesn't know the staff well," Alamy reported. Both their eyes were closed.

"There is a lot of equipment in there, enough Resistor can pick up the magnetic fields. Her cheek pouches are so much more developed now! She couldn't register things smaller than lighting bolts before," Alamy added cheerfully. Then Rose could hear a deep sigh and guess her thoughts had gone to Bandwidth and soured again.

She wasn't sure she could help, as she was better at hurting. She could still recall her current mantra and pushed through to try. "You two have such a close relationship," Rose said quickly, "Ivy still spends a lot of time putting up a brave front. I have to dig out his problems from him if I want to fix them. What can you get from the room?"

"These chairs are not helping me concentrate," Alamy said. Rose nodded at that reflexively, even if they couldn't see each other. These chairs in the hall were either intentionally uncomfortable or were failing industrial arts projects.

"Is it flickering in there? The sense I get is a flicker. I start to get close enough to make something out and it shuts off. Am I tired? Or just incompetent" Alamy asked. Resistor put an ear against the door then sighed, before she started to pace in front of the door. Ivy hopped up to Rose's lap to nap.

She continued, "I don't think we're failing. I think something is covering, or we're clumsy enough compared to them they're drawing away. Maybe it's a learning experience, to tighten up our own channeling?"

"I'm going to miss this when you evolve and don't fit, Ivy," Rose added, starting to stroke his fur. Ivy dug his claws in to enjoy it while he could. Or when they wise up and take you away, she thought, trying not to send it. Ivy did pop his head up at her, curious.

"We really are not much compared to them," Alamy said glumly. Those glorious few seconds of clarity yesterday had set a high bar compared to their own weakness.

"Could it be an argument?" Alamy asked hesitantly, "Their emotional control is slipping, like you said happened with Victor, and they're gathering up when they feel us in close?"

"At least it is showing what I need to practice. It's strong, but I can't get numbers. And it could be anyone from Nemona down to my mother," Rose said trying to be light. Her voice was taunt with frustration and she had a vague urge to kick something. She was still mad at herself for what the crystal had shown about her and couldn't relax.

"You were right this is much harder without using your eyes," Alamy said, "Can you battle like this?" There was a tapping on the chair, and Rose could feel Alamy's own tension at this range. They were tossing life savers at each other to try and buoy the mood, distracting. Something was going on, but Rose had sudden awareness she was impolite not answering and forgot it.

"It's one of those 'yes, but you shouldn't' answers. We can't sort of diffuse out like this to keep track and empower our partners. Maybe if you were holding back. Kieran or Nemona might know. Nemona is really astute at this kind of sensing," Rose said, contradicting herself almost immediately.

"I wish I had gotten her 'lure' than the one I got. She just was trying to be convinced people were accepting battles, not how much they can't get a Pokemon bred for good nature to open up to them," Alamy complained.

Rose opened her eyes. "If you can still trust me, we can talk about it. Look at what I wanted," Rose said, self-loathing. Mei had helped her to her better nature in the fight, but she was still feeling it.

"Yes, Resistor, feel free to tap the outlet," Alamy said before opening her eyes. Resistor's ears shot straight up, and she cheerfully walked under the chairs the two were sitting on to pull current. Ivy heard the popping noises and jumped off intrigued.

"I did not want her to feel she had to prop me up emotionally. She had put up with plenty," Alamy said, "I do want to try to talk still. It's important." She swallowed and tapped the chair arm for a moment, rubbing her head with her other hand.

"You were angry on someone's behalf at least," Alamy said, trying again, "I am so needy inside, apparently, that a Quaxly being taciturn just shows I am a gaping void." She pulled up Bandwidth's Poke ball to look at it and sighed.

Rose made a grab for her necklace, grimaced, and touched Alamy's shoulder carefully. "It doesn't always work out, after the first impression," she said, "Though I've tried and can't think what his problem is. He's fine battling, like he's not doing it just because he absolutely must. I would almost think he had been abused but the other creche Pokemon aren't like it."

Alamy made a frustrated hiss through her teeth. "The other part, I don't think that's right, and what's correct, about you. I wish I could help more. I've always had my sister, even if it's a problem right now. She's there for me if it's bad. You're much better with people and stable than I would be alone."

"A lot of acting lessons help with playing normal," Alamy said. She put the Poke ball back on her belt and patted Rose's hand on her shoulder. "Everything feels so dire now that I saw it in myself. I enjoy your company. And the others are fun to be with, and I'm so happy to have Resistor like this. It is an oasis compared to the desert in Lumoise. How am I so bad to just obsess over a partner wanting his privacy? That more is all I keep needing."

"People can't be in here," Rose said, tapping her chest over heart with her free hand, "Not like they are." There was a sudden pop and Ivy raced out from under the chair to jump up in Rose's lap and hiss. His fur was all raised up.

"Got too close to the current huh, huh?" Rose asked. Ivy straightened up and looked meaningfully at Rose's purse, so she got her brush out to get to work. Resistor crawled out shamefacedly, not looking at Ivy.

"If you are not full, you can keep charging. I appreciate you wanting to share a snack, but you should know Ivy doesn't have your metabolism," Alamy said. With another apologetic glance, Resistor climbed back under the chair.

"So many famous trainers are loners, or at least no public relationships. How does Salvatore do it if his spouse does not share the same interest? Training takes so much time," Alamy wondered aloud.

"I wasn't in position to check yesterday. She may just not be as advanced," Rose said. Like yourself, see if you ever reach the teachers' level where you can do something other than bully something dark inside her said. She shook her head. It was pounding again, and she rubbed her temples.

"I'm not a good person for relationship advice," Rose said, "I've not kept many, and my mom isn't a good example. Shared interests are important, from what I've seen on successful people. And that we have more than a month of classes maybe even I have a shot," she spoke louder as he kept brushing. Ivy's purrs were starting to echo in the hall.

Romance hadn't really been something Rose had considered. Friends had nearly been impossible to hold onto. Someone to spend her life with felt like something from a fever dream. Azucena's ball rattled on her belt. Rose had someone for her whole life, thank you very much.

The Ranger hadn't given it time either, from what scraps she had of her feelings. If there was some rush of emotion, a burst of love, it hadn't survived the dragons' edits that let Rose keep her personality and even some sanity. The Ranger hadn't seemed to contact people, except some old family friends, before falling into her half-siblings' orbit.

Rose hadn't seen as many romance movies as Alamy had. Maybe she had the wrong expectations. She grasped at her chest and missed, muttering. She really had to get that necklace fixed tonight. There was something going on. She blinked and lost it again, frowning.

Alamy tapped the chair arm harder and rubbed her own head. "Shared interests – I hope you will talk over the summer, keep something. I did not have many people to meet in tutoring. I do not want to lose contact, for whatever I deserve it," Alamy said. Her parents were not going to approve of the tactics she and Resistor were going with. She knew she was going to need support.

Rose looked at Alamy in alarm then winced. "I still have email, even if I've banished back to Galar," Rose assured, "I have a few people that we send notes to each other sometimes."

"You did not hurt any of the slime. They are unjust at the start, to choose such a rotten method," Alamy said fiercely, "I pray it is gone. It is not gone. I am double thinking myself," Alamy said, then said more calmly, "You are not rotten yourself." Her free hand went to her belt and Rose could hear the rattle.

"You said something in there, didn't you?" Rose asked. Alamy bit her lip and shook her head. Both winced again.

"I was tempted to lose control again, even after how close we came yesterday," Rose grimaced. She was changing the subject from something, but her worries kept overwhelming it, she couldn't keep it in her thoughts. Ivy hissed a little, and Rose relaxed how fast she was brushing.

"Your life was a quiet one trying to survive," Alamy said. Rose wasn't quite sure if Alamy was talking to her.

She shook her head and finished, "That is not an option now." She paused and giggled nervously then grimaced.

"This headache will not shake. I am also worried if we were being controlled last night, in retrospect. I am glad it is gone, and we were able to help, but I find myself doubting all my motives," Alamy said.

"Even as weak as we are, remaining noncombatant would be a worse thing to be. Mei's having problems with it, and she's trying to be the one with a good reputation," Rose said wryly.

"Perhaps one cannot be properly trained for this," Alamy reflected. Resistor popped her head out at that, cheeks sparking and fat with a charge.

"Not with you silly," Alamy assured her, "Just all the tumult of the first week. Running through my head, thoughts are dark. Perhaps I am in a bad mood. This cannot be normal. Gyms would be unsustainable if everyone was always so keyed up."

"That spirit or whatever isn't helping my own thoughts there," Rose said, and rubbed her temples again, "But I really want you to be careful with me, it felt like it was me wanting to lash out. I'm sure that came from somewhere." Ivy puffed his tail out at that and growled in the direction of the courtyard.

Alamy shoved Rose playfully and laughed. "You are taking too poor a view of yourself. Even Dendra wanted to lash out at them," Alamy said, "And they are the only ones who did."

"I don't want to give you bad advice," Rose said.

"Nothing compared to what I am giving myself. But we both chose to make those attacks," Alamy said quietly, "And we are still here." Rose thought for a moment and smiled at that, then winced.

"Headache?" Alamy asked, "I keep having one too." Her eyes unfocused briefly and she winced again. "I am not sure why," she said, strained. Rose nodded then winced again, her temples ringing. Ivy and Resistor looked at each other in worry.

"Something inside us. Maybe I'm dehydrated," Rose said, "Or just stress from the match. I've been hard on myself afterwards, aren't I?" She pulled a water bottle out of her pack.

"Strongly so," Alamy said, then blinked and shrugged. "How else could one improve?" Alamy asked. After another moment's thought, she grabbed one too, her teeth gritted.

"Fair. Maybe Clavell will have some advice there, should we try to probe again after I finish this? There's something I can't hold onto," Rose said.

"It keeps slipping away right now. But this is a fascinating side benefit. Even if it not useful directly in battle, it is pretty," Alamy said.

---

Mei was almost in her room when a voice cut across her nerves. "Hey, loud one!" Mela called at a high enough volume to be hypocritical, in Mei's mind. A Torkoal shuffled along beside her.

"What?" she asked wearily. The tension draining after the courtyard fight had finished off the entirety of Mei and her team's reserves. She didn't even have one deployed, making them walk would be cruel.

"Relax, nothing bad, but I think we can wait on this conversation," Mela said, after she was close enough to examine Mei and her stance. Mei nodded and stumbled closer to her door.

"What the hell were you doing on day one, though?" Mela called after, bringing Mei to a stop.

"Teach' used our class as bait," Mei said. Polysyllabic words were a lot of work.

"They stuck you back in it?" Mela asked appalled, "They sent an email out a few minutes ago that there was some lingering spirit on the court. Or something, I'm not a ghost-slinger." Mei nodded wearily.

"Thanks then," Mela said, suddenly soft, like a switch got flipped. "I nearly threw a whole canvas away because fixing the shading suddenly seemed like too much work. I was three seconds from lighting it on fire."

"You swing fast' than me," Mei said blearily.

"Damn right," Mela said proudly, then coughed, "I know it has its disadvantages – I want to hear later but send me an email when you're up, okay? I promised your sister we'd talk." Mei nodded and opened her door. Her bed beckoned.

Mela snapped her fingers, and shouted after, "Think what it feels like now when you're too tired to be angry! When the fire is banked as low as possible! It'll be good to know later!" Mei nodded, not quite comprehending, but she stored it for later and closed the door behind her. She barely got her shoes off on the way before falling face-first into bed above the covers.

---

"Oh, it's getting brighter in there," Alamy noted. It was coming up on half an hour of waiting. Ivy and Resistor were bored of what limited training they could do, with most of what they could do with concentration didn't help their energy. They'd spent some time switching laps to compare grooming techniques. They were too tired for big bursts of energy after the battle earlier, but they were slowly stalking each other across the chairs.

There had been a text from their friends on the group chat to fill in on top of what Poppy had sent; an all-school bulletin had gone out to explain the spiritual attack. Rose hoped between them and Victor, they had covered everything. Her head hurt and she kept vaguely feeling like she forgot something. It wasn't a common feeling for her and she didn't like it now.

A couple minutes had been spent revising their plans for the night for the third time today. Mesagoza stayed open late thanks to the afternoon heat fortunately.

While their partners were playing tag, the two had gone back to meditation again. It gave them something to do instead of just be irritated at themselves, for what little good it did. The school was its usual jumbled mass of trainers and energies. Clavell's office was stubbornly hidden. And Alamy hadn't had time to read on suppression techniques to where she could begin practicing.

But Alamy was right, the sensations were getting brighter. The shielding was starting to give, though Rose couldn't make out much on the trainers inside yet. It did give them a chance to make sure they were ready to go into the office and call their partners to back to seem attentive.

Ivy meowed some commentary, happy to be moving shortly. "He says you need to work on your scratching technique by the way, you're too delicate," Rose commented, giggling. Ivy purred, amused.

"His fur is much tougher than Resistor's. I would add, she is quite thankful for the high-impact massage you gave with those blunt objects you call fingers," Alamy retorted, smiling.

"She did seem to like it. Pikachu have a reputation for making their displeasure known as much as being adorable," Rose said. Resistor, relaxing limply on Alamy's lap, rolled over enough to look hurt at Rose.

"In the wild, Pichu and Pikachu usually have one shot to escape," Alamy admonished, "It is just instincts. Also, you are adorable," Alamy said. Resistor buzzed happily and rolled back over.

"Poor thing," Alamy murmured, rubbing the discolored parts of Resistor's fur. "If I had been better at connecting, maybe we would have been fast enough."

"It was my plan," Rose said, "I wasn't caught up in hurting back, then maybe we could have done a more clever combination," she trailed off speculatively. The two frowned at each other.

"That isn't… correct is it?" Rose asked tentatively.

"I feel it now, but at the time," Alamy said. Their two partners were looking at them with alarm when the energy behind the door flared. They turned and hissed, startling their trainers from their conversation.

Rose inhaled sharply at the release. "That's Miriam and some others. They'll have visible battle auras," she said, then paused. They had been saying something else.

Alamy started off slow, as if confused, but sped as she talked, distracted from some worry, "I thought that was always something a trainer was using a second Pokemon for the effect." Her lips moved briefly, and she winced.

"It's not actually useful, you're just bleeding off energy, but it is a bit of an advanced meditation maneuver we can start in on," Rose said, and rubbed her temples.

"Maneuver," Alamy said, "There is something we are remembering wrong."

"Write down anything, they're coming out in a second," Rose predicted dreamily, then shook her head. The mental wind cut off again and the pain came back. Alamy was reaching for her phone before a sudden rumbling from the doors stopped her. She started to curse and then tensed; the train of thought escaping her.

Even with soundproofing, they could feel the shaking through the floor. The seats were starting to rattle when the doors were swung open by Professor Tyme.

Her furious expression paused at seeing two students waiting in the halls, and she visibly worked to achieve a pleasant demeanor. Alamy waved, and Rose followed a second later. Tyme's expression went back to anger like an avalanche falling as she saw their discolored hands.

"This isn't over!" Miriam's voice came out of the office, before she also paused in the doorway. Her face wasn't capable of as fierce an expression as the math teacher, but it promised syringes in the dark.

Miriam blinked once, then asked in a pleasant tone, "I'm sorry, that went late, have you been waiting long?" Her expression reset far faster to her default cheeriness than Tyme had managed.

"About half an hour," Alamy estimated. Resistor wagged her tail like a clock pendulum. Alamy tapped the arm of her chair then glanced at her hand and stuck it behind her back. Rose tried to reach for her necklace, failing again.

"Director Clavell, you kept your guests waiting," Tyme said, tone making Rose reflexively think she should be cleaning her room. Tyme started to walk down the hall, the first step setting a series of vibrations that nearly knocked Resistor off Alamy's lap. Tyme smiled awkwardly, there was a brief sensation of rocks grinding to a halt, and her next steps were normal, the channeling washing away from her.

"Have to watch that, the Pokemon don't know to stop just because you've left a room without telling them," Miriam commented, watching Tyme go. She turned to the girls, pleasant face back on.

"Incidentally," she said brightly, "As what happened an hour ago today is arguably not a ghost Pokemon but some sort of spirit; that means those damage liability waivers against Pokemon demonstrations you signed don't apply in this case."

"That's enough, Miriam," Clavell's voice came from the depths of his office. He sounded firm but a bit exasperated. Miriam glanced behind herself and sighed before turning back around.

"Are you two okay?" Miriam asked gently.

The two shook their heads but before they could open their mouths, Miriam responded. "I see," she said grimly.

Ivy growled. "She's trying to help," Rose said. Can't hold it. There's something. The partners can't spot it right or articulate it either. If either of us could get a moment's peace maybe we could, she thought but the chain of thought snapped, and she shook her head.

Alamy pulled her hands out and clutched Resistor's fur hard enough she sparked a little, making Alamy jump. "That isn't it," she started then her expression clouded. "I am functional, socially speaking? There is a space at the Academy for emotional black holes."

"I wish I could just deny that part of myself," Rose said. Ivy batted at her nose. "Well I mean not the part that goes with battles, but I don't think I like what I want to do after. But that was-"

"No one has any reason to fault your control, Rose," Miriam interrupted, "If that was really you, you would have attacked them the moment they were helpless."

"What did Jacq say?" Rose asked, distracted.

"We were kept busy afterward," Alamy said.

"Dendra sent her report from the nurse's office, one reason we went long in there," Miriam said, then sighed.

"We were going over some items for today and then suddenly it was all too much to care about. We never even got an alarm raised before it was over," Miriam apologized.

Rose rubbed her temples. "I feel like I could vibrate through this chair," Rose said, "But it was something your resistances weaken against overtime. Nemona got some of it. It was something with Terastalization, either helping or hurting. I bet if it had possessed a Dynamax band I would be locked up, all those years breathing Galar Particles."

"That does seem likely," Miriam said absently. The two girls noted internally she hadn't agreed, and Ivy gave a questioning meow. Miriam raised an eyebrow.

"Are we to go in?" Rose misinterpreted.

Miriam looked behind her, then nodded and turned back. "Another couple minutes. There are some files and printouts with private personal information," Miriam said.

Miriam eyed Rose petting the withered spots in Ivy's pelt, and then shook her gaze away. "You were being jumpy about being touched earlier, are you still having trouble? You said it was new," Miriam asked.

Another stressor, Rose noted, I really hate lying to her. And I hate… something else. What did Miriam say?

"It comes and goes," Rose said, "Mostly when I'm not expecting it." That was honest, but Rose felt guilty for putting the blame on linking to Ivy either. It was barely plausible. Miriam's expression seemed to indicate she wasn't convinced either.

"Another symptom of this spirit," Alamy suggested, and tensed.

"We're worried. It looks like you were facing a strong aversion to tactile contact," Miriam said. Alamy blew out air exasperatedly, and Resistor squeaked at her. Miriam raised an eyebrow, but Alamy shook her head, slightly dazed.

"It isn't something I really knew about me before," Rose said, and made a clutch for her necklace, "Or that I was this vicious either. I'm not liking a lot there." What there is of me at this point, Rose thought despairingly, but thought back fiercely at it, You know the Ranger didn't have classmates. It's different, it has to be. What am I forgetting?

"It's putting you off too, you're surprised" Miriam said hastily, "Just this seems something… deeper. If you need to talk."

A coin dropped for Rose where her home room teacher was trying to lead. "Miriam, I was threatened, but seven years ago and that man has vanished. I'm ninety percent certain he passed away," Rose said slowly. Ivy rubbed his head on her arm, and she absent-mindedly scratched it. Ivy liked all victories.

"There are other things, Rose, than actually striking that can leave wounds," Miriam said wearily. The Ranger had heard that tone before, and Rose's heart went out to her teacher. Miriam had seen too much in the nurse's office.

"I know," Rose said firmly, "It's not my pain that's causing it." Alamy looked at Rose with concern and touched her hand softly. Rose gripped it after a minute tremor. Resistor reached over and patted as well in a show of support. Rose's heart lifted at her friends, and she could almost feel she had it.

"But we need to talk on the anger," Rose began. Alamy actively gripped Rose's hand and started to nod.

"Some sort of malice has been influencing everyone," Miriam waved it off, "It's nothing to hold against you." Rose could feel what she was talking about slip away, and her tongue felt like lead and her head in a vise.

Miriam stared for several long heartbeats but was apparently satisfied when nothing more. "There is one other thing with your family I wanted to discuss, Rose. Normally I'd ask to do it in private but it also concerns-" Ivy and Resistor hissed, interrupting Miriam.

"Stop," Rose said firmly.

"Do not," Alamy pled.

"I just cannot have that fight with my sister right now, it will do more harm than good," Rose said.

Alamy rubbed the sides of her heads. "Do not pin me as the cause of the friction, please," she pleaded, "If it's because I'm a lonely trainer, that is more acceptable."

Miriam said apologetically, "I didn't think about it that way."

She looked back and forth. "But the two of you clearly did," she said. The two stared back.

"Of course you did," Miriam answered herself.

"Earlier and with our friends. While they'll have me. My sister's emotions are out of balance, and I've been angry on family issues. I don't think my sister and I can have a rational conversation right now on her issues," Rose admitted.

"Your issues is your private training?" Miriam asked. Rose nodded. Ivy huffed, still more optimistic than his trainer about his progress.

"It could be a genuine mistake," Miriam said.

"That isn't the important part right now," Rose said, "Though I hope it is just that. Mei needs help to get through this. Alamy deserves that fight, but I can't do both fights at the same time, and Mei will wreck herself like this."

"And we were in danger yesterday," Alamy acknowledged, "She has a legitimate complaint. Though she should not tie everything to it. She said she will stop." Resistor buzzed irritably.

"It's working for her," Rose said darkly.

"I wish I could say you could come back later," Miriam said sympathetically, "But this is affecting a lot of people, and Clavell needs your insight. You should be able to go have fun with your friends after the first day."

"We know," Alamy said, "Play the heroine. Rose is being overly critical of herself, so I need to give my weight."

"I am?" Rose asked dubiously, then blinked. "Lost it. But I can't let Alamy go in right now alone either or be alone." Alamy nodded, then shook her head.

"I will try to talk to her about everything again. She needs a better approach than linking you to her anger. Mela is going to help as well," Miriam said.

"Our transition was rough the first day, and the stress hasn't gotten much better," Rose said, "Will more partners really fix this for her, long term?"

"It's the most likely, comprehensive fix," Miriam said, "Though she isn't ready for three. Kieran sent that she's having some bond difficulties how she's channeling that may exacerbate it."

"Of course!" Rose burst out loudly enough that Ivy yowled at her as her lap shifted. "Everything wrong keeps coming back to how we were taught to bond," she finished bitterly. Alamy tightened her grip and Ivy Trailblazed briefly to bop Rose on the nose.

"I know, I know, keep moving, don't fall in, something's behind me" Rose muttered.

"If we can manage that, it is a victory," Alamy said softly, "I cannot focus."

"I'm sorry," Rose said, "More positive is good." Alamy nodded.

"Did something else happen?" Miriam broke in.

"No," the two said, shaking their heads. Resistor buzzed, looking at them. Ivy growled.

"I know, human emotions are just overly messy for you. Anger at losing is good, some other anger is bad. I'm not helping," Rose apologized.

I know there's something we're missing but I just can't focus on it. Sorry guys, Rose sent along the team link. They both sent support, but everything sounded too much like 'her' to find a target. It felt like a warm bath after this day.

"Classes are not looking relaxing either. I am displeased with our history teacher," Alamy said vaguely, "I am hoping we can finish this to go spend some time running errands shopping." Rose nodded.

"Raifort is my next stop," Miriam said angrily, "You shouldn't have had to deal with that. This isn't a tournament, or a gym match you need to stand on your own. I'm proud you're both in my class. Though it's clear I need to train more."

"An admirable impulse to a problem," came a voice from within the office, "You can let them in Miriam."

"If you need to talk about anything, I'll always try to listen," Miriam said, "Goes for all of you." Miriam stepped out of the doorway.

"Thank you," the two said as they recalled their partners and headed into the office.

"If she had right now," Alamy said, then shook her head.

"She's not asking the right questions," Rose murmured. Miriam waved as she headed down the corridor. Rose took one last look and closed the door behind her.

---

The office was much bigger than Rose expected. Only a third of it was even an office, done up in tasteful old woods, leather, and carpet. Most of it appeared to be a biochemistry lab, with workstations, Poke ball enclosures, and microscopes. Despite the number of stations, Clavell was alone, sitting behind a desk in the 'office' portion.

"Pull up some chairs," he directed, gesturing to the ones at the wall. That put a hitch in Rose's step. They looked like the uncomfortable chairs in the hall. The chairs by the workstations looked much plushier, but she supposed the carpet caused problems with their wheels.

"Is this a genetics lab?" Rose asked, "It looks like where my mother works."

"One of the inducements for me taking on this role was to have a private laboratory, though there often isn't enough time in the day. I admit it is perhaps a bit large, but it's conveniently located within the school to be an office and has historical significance. The first Tera breakthroughs were done here," Clavell explained.

Rose and Alamy grabbed chairs. Hidden from Clavell's view, Alamy pointed along the line of chairs and then the carpet. Rose nodded slightly. The office exuded old elegance, but the chairs had been hastily shoved against the wall and weren't aligned. There were indentations in the carpet where at least one had been knocked over.

Setting the chairs before the desk, Clavell's accessories such as a small set of books and plants had been set back in place hastily; there were gaps in the very light layer of dust where they had been. If the lighting hadn't been so strong, it wouldn't have been obvious.

Neither girl said anything as they sat down, but Rose was tense and made another grab for her necklace. Clavell was smiling faintly and perfectly controlled, but there was a bad vibe in the room. They had walked in after an argument, and everyone was politely ignoring it. Alamy shifted slightly on her chair and tapped her fingernails lightly on the arm.

"I apologize first for that meeting running long. Reaction to developments took priority," Clavell said.

Álamy tapped the arm faster before she spoke, "Did Raifort set our class up to be attacked?" Clavell's eyes were drawn to the movement briefly and they tightened at the ghost-inflicted color before he spoke.

"She did see the class schedule as an opportunity and recommended your venue transfer," Clavell said, and held up a hand as both girls began to protest.

"She had detected a faint concentration of negative aura remaining over campus. Some sort of remnants of a malice spirit, a crude unformed and large-sclaed version of what sometimes animates into a Banette. Several Tera shards had been retrieved. A few had lingering traces that required purification, but the aura obviously was over campus. Nothing appeared to reach the level of sentience, let alone sapience. Ryme, as the Ghost Master of Paldea, is coming for a consultation. Raifort and Jacq were standing by with their instruments. I approved the change, as a 'last sweep' to remove the lingering traces. No one anticipated what happened," Clavell said.

"Did you feel the effects here at all when it activated? Dendra and the others were planted in the ground like weeds," Rose asked. Clavell frowned at that and nodded.

"It was pulling on a large area then. Our thoughts were so confused that our partners were left dithering," Alamy said, "Locals were affected differently, short-circuited. We were… tempted. More successfully than I like." She was doing a steady rhythm on the chair.

Clavell had a small smile but coughed and cleared his throat. "Forgive me, you two are obviously under a great deal of stress. Speaking in aligned metaphors is a common reaction for those aligning to an element. I should not be amused."

"Were we? I thought there was something else," Rose asked, thinking back, then reaching to clutch her necklace futilely again.

"I meant nothing critical by it," Clavell added hastily. Rose shook her head, her eyes briefly glowing.

"Gardening. Gardening," Rose said, "I'm skipping past something I saw. I should be hearing it. Not for me, for everything else. Stupid, brutal Rose, too much going on." She rubbed her temples and leaned forward. Alamy rubbed her back.

"This is something else," Alamy said, "The pain looks different."

"Head's pounding. Too much today," Rose said, "And then the extra anger got blown in right after. Seed sounds almost right. What did we see that was a seed?"

"We gave Basti Trailblaze together?" Alamy prompted.

"I'm glad Poppy isn't mad how much it cost. That was fun to do. Trailblaze, she was jumping around. She went grazing, then she went grazing later," Rose muttered. Her eyes widened and she sat back up and snapped her fingers.

"Clover!" she exclaimed. Rose and Alamy both winced at the noise, Clavell blinked. Rose leaned forward again, clutching her head. Alamy leaned back and put the back of her hand to her forehead.

"Too loud, sorry," Rose said.

"We are dehydrated, or something draining, something black in the way," Alamy said frustrated.

"What about clover?" Clavell asked.

Alamy was shaken from her thought. "After we gave Poppy's Bastiodon, Basti, Trailblaze, the move manifest was causing clover to sprout," she said.

"You two trained a move?" Clavell said, interested.

"I'm sorry, not right now," Rose muttered, "Can't lose this. I can hold this at least, if I can keep focus. The rest is eating away. There was grass or weeds sprouting in the pit, just a little. Basti noticed since she was hungry. I saw that with the damaged court outside the Academy. Grass energy promoted plant growth."

"Poppy had to dig that crystal nearly out of the bedrock, but the good courts set their lines deep," Alamy said, "And Poppy thought too much essence burned off." Her face was pale.

"We probably helped cultivate the thing back to life right during class," Rose concluded, still rubbing her temples. Alamy groaned.

"Weak and lonely and stupid," Alamy verbally flagellated herself. Rose muttered something similar under her breath at herself.

"You had no way of knowing anything was still centered there, as we did not tell you," Clavell said sharply, "Given it was having a continuous effect on the Academy, you may have forced it to show itself instead of continuing to recover, by disrupting its energies. Raifort's own investigation may have awakened it instead."

That helped the pressure ease a little, letting Rose look up.

"Is it possible to drop her course, Director?" Rose asked, "She apparently wanted to see if she could Dynamax her Gengar by having him eat the thing." Alamy nodded, fingers tapping again.

"Raifort, despite her personality, is a fantastic educator," Clavell said candidly, "I recommend history during her tenure. She serves as a dowsing rod for certain behaviors in the student body, highlighting the negative sides of risk. Unfortunately, she enjoys the stagecraft of it. She will be reprimanded for such hasty actions of course."

Rose looked down frustrated. Of course she was going to have to take the course. And Mei was going to be even angrier when she had to. Paldea critiquing someone for a fast decision was just blackly funny to Rose at this point.

"She and that posse of bullies can all get their hands slapped at the same time then," Alamy said bitterly, rubbing her temples again.

"Metaphorically, I hope you mean," Clavell lightly rebuked.

Rose clutched for her necklace, but then turned the motion into holding the hand up to signal. "Dozens were injured when it affected Misdreavus," Rose said firmly, then gasped and held the hand to her temple.

Alamy looked at her worried and tapped faster. "This whole plan seems in poor taste," she got out.

Clavell looked at Alamy's arm tapping on the chair and raised an eyebrow.

"It is this or biting my nails," Alamy said defiantly, "I must do something." She shifted in her seat. "These chairs are not helping," she complained. Rose nodded. As expensive as they looked, the cushioning was terrible. Her headache was just getting worse. She drank water just know, hadn't she?

"There are certain details with Raifort's employment I cannot publicly discuss. But she has agreed to limitations on certain activities as potential penalties. These will be enacted," Clavell said in clipped tones, clearly considering the issue closed.

"But her other role is successful – no one trying to cheat ahead in power will go around seeking to feed formerly possessed objects to their Pokemon," Clavell said triumphantly. The girls didn't look impressed, and Alamy kept tapping her chair arm.

"Has someone tried that?" Alamy asked after several seconds.

"Many seek a shortcut for strength," Clavell explained, briefly looking his age.

"She does enjoy her bad reputation, however, which was one of the objects of the previous discussion," Clavell said candidly, "As Miriam and Tyme informed me at length. While she was perhaps acidic in her tone, Miriam is correct that the two of you are entitled to damage compensation. As she, again, discussed at some length. I will say I did ask the board to release funds to those who assisted in the previous incident as from a high-level commission. This does include you two. This was agreed to, and I expect no issue extending it to this afternoon's activity."

"Some hero," Rose and Alamy said together. Their Poke balls rattled briefly.

"I understand you may be feeling some self-recrimination, but you should look at yourselves in a better light. Your actions were of the highest standards of Pokemon trainers. Given your recent entry to the profession, it is even more commendable," Clavell said.

Clavell reached for his computer and tapped a few buttons. The girls' phones beeped, receiving the sent email.

"Please inform Miriam that I have informed you of both. At your next home room, if sooner is not possible. I encourage sooner," Clavell urged. Despite the small joke, the two stayed grimacing, their dark mood not dissipating. Calvell spread his hands to encourage comment.

"That will be helpful," Alamy said at last, "My uniform from that day shows resistance to cleaning. It seems to have ground in."

"The soil is so clay here. If the terrain could add a different elemental energy, every grass move would dig a Mud Slap out," Rose said, rubbing her head.

"Yours too?" Alamy said. Rose distracted by the interest stopped rubbing her head.

"I said that, didn't I?" Alamy said, "With… the uniform." She frowned, there had been something else.

"The darkness more or less burned into the fabric," Rose said. Alamy mouthed burned. Clavell winced, not wanting to hear of young students in his care in peril.

"There have been research studies in the past on doubling elemental attributes in a move matrix, but Flying Press appears to be a one-off still, linked to Hawlcuha's innate nature," Clavell lectured as a distraction. The two girls looked up and winced.

"Resistor is thankful not everything includes mud flung at her," Alamy said, then bit her lip. "Do you have any special familiarity with Quaxly, regarding research? He is… shirking somehow."

"Unusual," Clavell allowed, "I have trained several study Pokemon to keep familiarity since taking this position. I bow to Professor Salvatore's expertise in communication, barring a medical basis. You were all examined yesterday, so that seems unlikely." Alamy nodded.

"It happened before that too," Alamy said hollowly. Rose tried to smile at her but winced. Clavell looked at the two of them with some worry.

"You may want to hold off training the rest of the day. You appear to have overextended yourselves," Clavell said, "I'm afraid I have no tips on Quaxly immediately, but I would like to hear your descriptions of the incidents today and yesterday. I also can schedule time later if you have any private issues."

The two girls worked together to give a recap of events, though quickly fell to arguments by the time they reached their intervention.

"You weren't sitting around begging for battle. You and I both knew keeping Salvatore was better than a few meager Thunder Shocks. Now of course you had me seeking attention by staying instead of trying to leave," Alamy said.

"We were completely hidden, if you wanted attention, you would be standing still in the trainer box like Mei or Victor, instead of me just looking where to jump in," Rose argued.

"That isn't what," Alamy shook her head, frustrated. "Maybe we should move on, Clavell looks unhappy." The two looked over, though Clavell had done the best to school his face to geniality.

"Perhaps more simply what you saw than felt," Clavell said, "I do not want to keep you." The two did their best to cover yesterday more drily, though keeping an eye on each other.

Talking about it again wasn't helping Rose's headache, and it didn't seem Alamy's was better. How Rose hadn't just started hitting things yesterday, no matter what Alamy said, didn't make any sense. The pain level was enough, Rose felt irritated with everything.

"It sounds like from Salvatore's description that all three of your minds shaped a similar experience after you were blacked out. It may be an interesting data point. I commend you again for your initiative and ability to react," Clavell said.

"I am sorry what I did after," Rose said again. Alamy nodded.

"Your entire networked souls were under a massive elemental imbalance and a life energy drain," Clavell said sharply, "Your reacting beyond conscious control was understandable. That move matrix you developed in your combined sacrifice must have been fascinating to push you to your limits," Clavell mused, "A shame to not see it."

"We can teach it to a Pokemon if you want later," Alamy offered. Despite Rose's headache, she smiled again. That was tricky but fun. Clavell stood up in his surprise and leaned forward.

"It's repeatable?" He sat back down and resumed his dignified posture almost as quickly.

"Excuse my enthusiasm. Such moments of great stress are oft beyond reproduction. If you could do so to Professors Jacq or Dendra, or myself, or even better all three, I would appreciate it," he said.

"We were able to teach Poppy's Bastiodon, but it required a substantial outlay," Alamy said. Clavell made another note, stylus working quickly in excitement.

"We may be able to fund that, a consideration for later," Clavell said.

"Before we get to the ghost today, can we talk about what happened to my sister at lunch?" Rose asked cautiously, "We haven't, and you didn't begin with it, and from Dendra's reaction at class, I can imagine Tyme and Miriam did." I may be a thug at the core, but I owe Mei to try and fix all these things, Rose thought.

"You are not incorrect. There were other incidents to consider all over the academy grounds. Possibly incidents in the city we don't know are related," Clavell said. Rose whistled, then winced at Alamy's glare from the noise.

"Sorry," Rose said. Alamy nodded hastily.

"If you have the energy to, you should be happy to," Alamy said, then shook her head.

"It feels like it is getting farther," Rose said distantly. Alamy nodded, under great strain, before they were distracted by Clavell again.

"The scope of the incident may have been assisted by the large number of students watching some of our best battlers in a match. Or alternatively, the smaller scope yesterday was due to maintaining the strength of Aliquis's partner. Or today was some last vengeful gasp as it was dissipating. The effects today were far easier to shrug off than those experienced by Aliquis and his team," Clavell said.

"Not for those bullying my sister," Rose said sharply.

"No, though spiritual incidents are often hard to double-blind test relative effect. My apologies," Clavell said, "These are all theories offered by reputable sources." That he didn't name it made Rose suspect Raifort.

Clavell sighed and adjusted his glasses again. He really was in no position to complain about nervous tics, in Rose's opinion. Aloud, he said, "Your sister and Mister Victor appear to have been decided as a target who didn't understand the severity of such things for battle trainers. There were external influences in play, but I treat bullying very seriously. There judgement and choice were extraordinarily poor, but the emotional resonances of this are not what you think. The incident requires them to be mitigated from serious punishment."

Clavell held out a hand to forestall the girls' outbursts, "Paldea, historically, does not have common cases of challenge lock as other regions. I understand most foreign trainers 'lock in' as they prepare for a match out of their natural competitiveness, but I have only experienced it five times. Intellectually, I understand your anger, but two trainers matching eyes and going to a match is not the commonplace event on the street it is in Hammerlocke or Lumiose. Statistics are rising with your generation, but the average Paldean still finds the need to battle uncanny and unusual."

Alamy and Rose looked like they had bit a lemon. "I can see from your expressions you have other things in Paldea you find uncanny. This is another thing Miriam and Tyme discussed. Nemona's reputation being inexplicably negative is something we are looking into," Clavell assured, "For what happened at lunch, they did not understand the severity of what they chose to do under malicious influences. Raifort is, however, educating them."

Rose rubbed her arms, and Alamy started rubbing her calves, both shivering slightly. The room felt inexplicably five degrees colder on that last sentence.

"The group is also removed from sharing your battle tactics class. Two were enrolled in the same home economics course, and one in a health course Kieran is taking. All three are dropped and will need to rearrange their schedules. Victor and Mei will receive independent written apologies from the perpetrators," Clavell said, "Professor Tyme insisted."

"While the financial losses incurred could be argued as taking place under impaired judgement, your friends will retain their winnings. Tyme is also arranging counselling sessions with the students prior to a follow-up assessment next week. More punishment may be arranged at her discretion," Clavell said.

"An hour detention is insufficient as a deterrent," Alamy said.

"The guillotine is perhaps a bit much," Clavell said. Alamy's Poke balls rattled as she fumed, and Rose's arm snapped with trainer speed to grab her arm as she started to rise. After a few deep breaths, Alamy shot Rose a look of thanks and sat down. A thought tugged at Rose, but Clavell spoke.

"An ill-timed joke," Clavell apologized, "Raifort is authorized to assign follow-up detention periods, with either herself, Tyme, or Dendra as considered most beneficial. She is taking this hour to show the Indigo League's public health films on challenge lock. The 'meme' black and white ones."

"The ones with the seizures?" the two girls asked together. Clavell nodded.

Rose's headache got matched by nausea. She had seen some of those clips. "That may make them regret it,' Rose said. Why the future legendary Professor Oak had volunteered to spend twenty-four hours in a match lock was beyond her, but it was certainly educational viewing.

Alamy looked green herself, but the spirit of inquiry moved her, "You said films as plural. I thought all complete copies of the second part had been destroyed. Only clips remain."

"As did I. Raifort assures it is genuine," Clavell replied.

"Is Part II the one with the kidney models to talk about adrenaline?" Rose asked warily. Alamy just looked greener. Rose put her head between her knees and took deep breaths. She shouldn't have asked. Someone had put it up as a prank at trainers' school two years ago as a prank, and her near-perfect recall still had it in full.

"A masterpiece in misapplied effort of education, those films," Clavell acknowledged, "Would you two like some water? It may help your heads." The two nodded, not wanting to open their mouths. Clavell reached under his desk and produced some chilled mineral waters and walked around the desk to hand them over.

The two gulped gratefully, the bile settling. "Mei had to see those clips too," Rose said, "She may consider justice served." She wiped her mouth and shuddered.

"Your first class tomorrow is at ten, I believe. Biology? A faculty member will inform Mei before it takes place," Clavell said.

"If Raifort has to watch them as well, then she at least receives some punishment," Alamy considered. Clavell frowned.

"Then do you mind if we move on to today's spiritual encounter?" Clavell asked, apparently not eager to discuss faculty discipline, "I have been keeping you later than I intended, and I apologize."

The two girls gave their best summary of what they had seen, including again the details in the pit Rose had spotted, as Clavell took notes.

"Even if inefficient, fascinating the matrix discovered is reproduceable," Clavell said halfway through. Rose got the feeling he was restraining from putting both girls into an MRI.

"It cost a small fortune in grass essence," Alamy warned, "Maybe if we were better…" she trailed off and winced.

"Yes, that is a pity. I'm sure Jacq will want to let a computer remodel it later, though," Clavell tore himself away, "Do you recall if the initial mental attack was before or after the Copperajah unearthed it?"

The three continued through the rest of it, and Clavell rubbed his eyes by the end. "Some sort of gathered malice is my hope," Clavell said, "An unlikely chain of events bringing it to a trainer and the Academy."

Rose swallowed. How delicate was the path of decisions that had led Mei and her to be in the courtyard yesterday? How much was influenced by the injected memories? Why hadn't the dragons picked someone better than her? There was a whole region of options.

"You look pale," Clavell said concerned, "Do you need more water, Rose?" Rose thought for a moment and then nodded. Gulping the mineral water (she noted the brand name, it was quite good) Rose reflected after a moment's calm the dragons were not omniscient. They wouldn't have needed the help that got the Ranger her 'reward' then. She could cling onto that. Battlers lived adventurous lives, or sought it out for their own reasons. Here I am, spoiling for fights…

"But really, so much in life can be said to be a lucky series of coincidences. Our friends and partners are often met through the chance of circumstance. The universe is vast and full of mysteries," Clavell reflected.

"I am sorry we could not be more helpful, but what can you expect?" Alamy said.

Clavell stirred himself, "Oh, the two of you have provided a wealth of information. And your help during the incidents as well. Next will be the work of a team of specialists, and to backtrace Aliquis's trail. Perhaps he or his partner found some sealed spirit? That is a tedious but necessary investigation beyond their testimony. Pokemon often overlook things or details humans consider vital."

"How are they doing?" Rose asked.

"The terrible hunger seems to have left. Aliquis is starting to regain his strength, and his friends have been visiting him," Clavell said, "I expect he will be able to resume classes after a few more days of observation. I am sorry the ghost will have to return to its habitat, they've become quite close."

"As terrible as it would be to lose a partner," Alamy said. Rose felt an impulse and squeezed her hand.

"Yes?" Clavell asked.

"It is for the best," Alamy said definitively. She paused, confused, and drummed faster.

"Ah, that's right, you two didn't see them reunite afterwards. It was quite emotional," Clavell explained, "Unfortunately, there are species in Area Zero who do not grasp the dynamics of humans and Pokemon, despite their great power."

"Is it just that they're isolated they don't trust people? They're not used to humans?" Rose said, "Or don't like crowds?" Rose got that, for sure.

"For a variety of reasons too long to get into," Clavell summarized and Rose knew there was a 'classified' stamped somewhere in there, "We believe that they were transplanted from elsewhere in the world. Even revived fossil Pokemon have an innate understanding of partnering these lack." He shrugged.

"That sounds more like a bad horror film than research," Alamy said.

"That's against common sense," Rose protested, "Even if they don't like someone specifically, there's a human for every Pokemon and Pokemon for every human."

"Hence the decision to maintain them in isolation until we find the place they belong. Did you have anything else you wish to discuss?" Clavell asked.

Just push us out of here and forget us. There should be something better to do with your time than look after… something going wrong with… Rose thought.

"Yes," Rose hissed, drawing it out, then shook her head. Alamy snapped her fingers at about the same time. Lost it again. There was something else though. She squeezed Alamy again, this was easier to keep on, something related to her and her friend, could pretend it was an illusion she cared about something.

It felt fragile like a bubble, but she managed to hold it. "Can the Academy do anything to help the Hoppip? The poor things are getting stuck on the top floors of the building every morning," Rose said, "I can get a few, but we'll be off campus in a few weeks."

"Oh, I remember something there," Clavell said, turning to his computer and paging through.

"In my predecessor's notes, the Poke ball conversation piece's construction had been noted to affect the building's air currents. Wind deflectors are included in the plan to make up for the effect on migratory Pokemon. Are some still getting stuck?" he asked.

"Dozens before sunrise," Alamy said, making a face. Clavell paled.

"That would be a failure on our architecture and physics departments then," Clavell mused, "I will add that as a follow-up. I have seen the occasional remnant, but did not realize the scale; I like most faculty live off campus and am not here that early."

"I think the fliers take them away to eat elsewhere," Rose said, and made a face. "I know we like to ignore the needs of the natural order," she said, "But humans shouldn't make it easier."

"Agreed," Clavell said, and took a few more notes. "Is there anything else?" The two looked at each other then turned back to shake their heads, frustrated.

It wouldn't help. Just paper over everything, push it off to next week. It's clear they don't care about you, you sadist, Rose thought to herself grimly. And her head was still pounding.

"Then I have a question," Clavell said, and leaned forward.

"How are you two feeling?" he asked gently, but his eyes were back down on the paper again. Rose felt it sliding away, leaving…

"Short-circuited," Alamy said immediately, "Everything is catching up with me."

"Tired and tangled up inside," Rose muttered. The two sighed together. The long talk hadn't helped their headaches, it felt worse, if anything.

"Try and relax tonight," Clavell urged, "You have had some hectic days."

Clavell stood up, and the two took their cue to leave, standing and bowing. Clavell sat back down as they left the office.

Clavell glanced at the TV screen and thought of lost friends. "They get better every year, Sada. I wish you'd trusted enough in the present to see it," he commented, and raised a bottle of mineral water in toast.

"But it's clear we need to get those two into counseling," he finished aloud.

---

"None of this feels enough," Rose said when the door was closed. She rubbed her head again. There was something happening if she could just think clearly through this headache. She called Azucena out, who looked up in worry, but shook her head. There wasn't something the Pokemon could distinguish. Alamy looked, bit her lip, then called out Resistor again.

"We have been bought off as well," Alamy said, looking at her phone. "Does that buy friends?" she asks, looking at the total. Resistor dashed up to her shoulder just so she could mime being shocked.

"Maybe," Rose said, "But you have friends. Did I hurt you?" Rose asked, anxious.

"No, it's…" Alamy trailed off and got her head, "I can't hold it."

"Hold what?" Rose asked. Alamy shook her head, and Rose went back to checking the sum. Resistor and Azucena looked at each other and shrugged.

"That from the commissions will cover a lot of living expenses, if my mother decides she can't," Rose said. Rose reached down and held out a hand. Azucena slapped her palm and then did her tiny flex maneuver with her 'apron'.

"I would love to buy a couple TMs," Alamy said, "Not just as bribes!" she added hastily and unconvincingly. "But what we went through this Saturday this will be useful for maintaining a heavy pace once we are on the Hunt."

"You're being too hard on yourself," Rose said, and rubbed her head.

"It is like a ringing, is it not?" Alamy said, "I cannot focus past it, but not like I can bond well otherwise."

"You just did a friendship evolution," Rose said, frustrated. Resistor buzzed in agreement. Alamy looked at her Pikachu like she saw her for the first time, and then rubbed her temples again. Resistor squeaked in worry

Alamy was lonely most of her life, not like people knowing to stay clear of Rose. She was good conversation and while she was hard on herself for – Rose grabbed her temple. She was hard on herself but she understood Rose, and fun to spar with before and after she broke through. She'd find someone better than Rose soon, Rose was sure. Who would stick around with her? It was selfish to keep her.

"You are correct, but," Alamy grimaced, "I feel like a fraud. I would never devalue Resistor normally." She looked at the door and frowned, then shook her head. "Rose, it keeps slipping and my head is." Alamy stopped and Rose grabbed her hand as she nearly stepped back into the wall, throwing her head back. Resistor jumped down and buzzed in alarm.

"We should go see everyone," Rose said, "And get in the air. This isn't the place for it." Rose said it with certainty; there had been a little earlier, but she wasn't getting a whisper of wind or insight in here now. Recalling the grass in the pit had even been a struggle.

Alamy nodded tentatively, "You are not trying to get rid of me?" she asked in a small voice.

"As long as you can risk being near me," Rose said, and held out a hand. "I will try not to hurt you," she promised.

Alamy looked at her strangely then shook her head. "You are right, not here," she said, and took Rose's hand. The two partners fell in behind as they headed out to the main lawn.

---

Trigo and Zania were waiting in front of the school near one of the flower beds when Alamy and Rose made it outside. Trigo was beaming, while Zania was watching the late afternoon sky. Azucena and Resistor were following behind still. The two Fuecocos were sitting on the ledge of the flowers, harmonizing.

"Are you two okay? Can we help?" Zania asked as soon as they were close enough not to shout. Both shook their heads.

"Headaches. Did the League call Poppy?" Alamy asked. Zania pointed up. The two shielded their eyes and looked up to see a large, craggy shape gliding between thermals.

"She had to get away from people for a bit to think," Zania explained.

"I don't blame her," Rose said.

Trigo's smile faded as he looked at the two of them. "Let's head to the benches. Are you sure you two want to go into town tonight?" he asked.

"We already made you wait," Alamy said miserably.

"Clavell made us wait," Trigo corrected, then gestured insistently. The group reluctantly followed to the bench.

"Our Taxi was scheduled soon. You guys can go ahead," Rose offered, rubbing her brow. Azucena hopped up to feel her forehead and shook her own head. No fever.

Zania pulled her phone out dramatically and pushed a button. "There, cancelled pending reschedule. They're all running behind today anyway," she said.

"Why do that for us?" the two battlers said in harmony, looking at each other in surprise, then winced again.

"Why are you worried?" Rose asked in wonder and gritted her teeth. There was something.

"Me?" Alamy said, "You provide a lot more value to a classmate's relationship than I do."

Zania and Trigo looked worried. "What did Clavell do to you in there? You aren't acting like you," Trigo asked.

"No, it was earlier," Rose said automatically.

"What was earlier?" Trigo prompted.

"What 'what was earlier'?" Alamy asked.

"You were saying something happened earlier. Did Mei do something after class? Is there anything we can do?" Zania asked.

"No, it was not with Mei. For once," Alamy added, then shook her head, "She is right to drive me away. Lonely grasping child, that is what I saw this afternoon"

"She's not! You're not!" Zania said, "Did the teachers do something?"

"Do what thing?" Alamy asked and rubbed her head again.

"Whatever time you guys need," Trigo said anxiously, "Though I think I have some pain relievers if you can have more. Is someone badmouthing you? You helped save people. Again! Poppy was telling us how great you both did."

Zania grabbed both their hands. "Look, whatever you guys want to do is fine, if you don't want to go into town." The two winced, but Zania held on apologetically. The two Fuecoco stopped and waddled over in concern.

"Why?" Rose said in self-pity.

"I am happy you two think so, but if we were trying to help, we would have done something earlier today instead of waiting," Alamy said, then paused, and gasped in pain.

Rose turned to look at her. "But we talked about that," she said slowly. She could barely hear herself think over her temples, but this… was too big a discontinuity to get washed away in the pain. She centered instead on the pressure of Zania's hand.

"We did," Alamy said thickly, "But I am certain we…" Alamy started to trail off and Zania shook their arms.

"No, stay on it, something's happening," Zania ordered, "Certain on what?"

"We did not, and I was just looking for glory, an excuse for Resistor to pity on me," Alamy corrected herself, still sounding like her mouth was full of cotton. Resistor buzzed angrily at Alamy.

"I know that is not what happened, but it did," Alamy said clearly, then yelped, closing her eyes. "I am sorry, it hurts, it hurts," she repeated. Resistor hopped on her head, squeaking in alarm.

Zania rubbed Alamy's back, though keeping an eye on if her Pikachu built a charge. "We're here. What can we do?"

"Alamy is right, there is something wrong. We hated that all we were strong enough for was just to watch Salvatore, until we saw something we could do. But I also know I was just looking for when I could… hurt something the most. That isn't," Rose gasped, "No, something's here." Her eyes teared up.

Trigo had his phone out. "I'm calling Poppy down. She really did just want to keep moving or she would be here to talk to. She likes both of you too," Trigo encouraged.

The two nodded, though not able to respond through what felt like how migraines were described. The open eyes helped somehow. She wasn't being pushed aside, and it helped to hold onto it. This didn't feel like the Ranger's memories, that whole host of experience slightly muddled. There was a certainty to these falsehoods, that it was her.

Poppy landed on her Corviknight in a brush of cooling wind in the still afternoon air. The two leaned into it.

"I'm here to go from the start this time!" Poppy proclaimed and looked at the two for a second before making a decision. "Okay, I'm getting out Bronzy," she said, returning the big bird for a big bell.

Alamy gripped onto Rose's shoulder and struggled to stand up. Resistor yelped and struggled for balance on her head. "The wind, cleared a little," she said through gritted teeth, "Something in my head, wants me down."

"Extra in there," Rose managed to get out

"You just talked about yesterday in a way you weren't with Mei earlier," Trigo said anxiously, "How long has it felt wrong? What can we do?"

"After class. Just, knew I was just a bully looking for ways to lash out," Rose said, reaching to go for her temples.

"Take your time," Zania urged. Rose nodded and stilled her hand, going to put it on her chest again.

"Miss my necklace," she said.

"We will definitely get it fixed," Trigo promised, "I know a guy who works wonders." Rose smiled around hesitantly, then inhaled.

"Something's blocking," Alamy said, "At the end, my thoughts slide away from it. I can almost remember it is there."

"Bronzy isn't great at telepathy," Poppy began.

"That's fine! I don't want someone else in my memories," Rose said hastily.

Poppy looked reproachful at the very idea. "No, I meant Bronzy is good at curses and stopping stuff. It used to hang out in a temple a long time ago. Also telling the weather. And ramming stuff, of course," she explained.

"Give me a moment to," Alamy started then paused, "Were we leaving to town already?" She shook her head, "I cannot hold onto it."

"Hold onto what?" Rose asked then grimaced, saying quickly, "Yes, but hurry. I can't focus."

"You two are doing great," Zania consoled. On what basis Zania was making that determination, Rose had no idea, but she shook her head. It was trying to distract her again. Something was in her.

"It wants to drag me down," Rose said aloud, realizing, then reached out to grab Bronzy's arm. The big Bronze Bell Pokemon was cooler to the touch than Rose had expected.

"Disreputable, dishonorable," Alamy said, "Make me nothing but my failings." She gritted her teeth and reached out.

"Bronzy, help them fight!" Poppy directed. The Bronzong glowed purple for a moment.

---

Rose's vision went blank for a moment. When it resolved, she was standing in a room, the walls were all lit and glowing, with rails running as reinforcements over the tiles. It was easily over forty meters across. A standard-sized gray battle court was built inside the room, with the Poke ball logo decorating its center in white and green.

Rose looked around and saw Bronzong was still holding onto her hand, though the bell's face was screwed up tight in effort. A translucent Alamy was holding the other hand. Little bolts of lighting were running off Alamy and Rose looked down; flowers bloomed at her feet, as petals flapped and drifted down around her. She put a hand to her head, but there was no pain, her headache was gone for the first time since tactics.

The battle court faded to near invisibilty, the image apparently following her thread of thought to the wrecked courtyard earlier. In fact, right in the battle earlier. The strange, contaminated crystal spun overhead, slowing to a stop. But instead of falling as it had in reality, there was a flash of black light. Suddenly the three were floating in a dark space, unlit except for faint energy falling off the three of them. Alamy was still translucent, and she turned and waved timidly at Rose. She waved back, not sure what else she should do.

After a moment, a small pool of white light formed below them. In it, overlapping in space, were Rose and Alamy. The floor beneath them was metal, without color. Dead, Rose realized, and shivered.

"We were each alone the first time, weren't we?" Rose realized aloud, voice echoing.

"I can hear you," Alamy said, "Was anyone else here?" The second question was directed at Bronzy, who shrugged with a metallic creak.

Outside the lit circle that Rose and Alamy's shades were simultaneously in, a sick-feeling black and purple light started to light up in the floor. Rose had seen the same tint in the Tera crystal, and poor Aliquis's bonds with his Misdreavus. The light poled on the floor, but started to climb in an arc away from the normal light, not touching the girls standing there.

The sick light started to form into strange sigils Rose couldn't recognize. They twisted and blurred in her vision, and she leaned forward to study them, Bronzy tugged her arm back. She realized the trap and drew back as Bronzy's eyes glowed. A translucent shell surrounded them, the sigils blurring to undistinguishable evil light.

The light continued to rise and turn, forming a globe perhaps twenty meters across surrounding them and the specters of themselves below. What light the dark light provided showed more dark and dead metal.

"Where am I?" came a twinned echo from the phantoms below them.

In response, the purple bled off the walls, the two recoiling and shielding their eyes. Better protected, the current Rose and Alamy were able to watch the light spin together, into some sort of metallic monster. Strange electronic screens made up its three heads. Its wings were skeletal, and after it started moving Rose could see its smaller heads were disconnected, trailing along by magnetism or some other inner power.

"A Hydreigon puppet?" Alamy asked aloud, identifying it. That clicked the identification into place. It was like an artistic abstract rendering in metal of the infamously brutal dragon/dark Pokemon.

The fake Pokemon roared, though the sound was cut down by Bronzy's barrier. "Thank you," Rose murmured, and Bronzy rocked slightly in a nod.

All three of its mouths reached towards the twinned specters of the girls on the ground, but stopped, recoiling.

"Did they do something? Or we do something?" Alamy asked. Obligingly, Bronzy floated lower. The dead metal at the other Rose and Alamy's feet was showing life, rusting away and fresh loam appearing around their shoes instead.

"You gave your all against the final fate, and so I hate/fear/envy/kill kill kill you," the strange dragon said, speaking from all three heads, its unison briefly breaking before it repeated the last word in unison three times, louder and louder. The Alamy/Rose on the floor covered her ears and backed away but looked behind them and stopped before leaving the area of light.

"You are not the hero I seek to break! Why do you challenge me so to help best me twice over? Who are you to fight? So that the end-dreams may be fulfilled, I end myself cursing you! Die in madness and eternal regret! Bathe in all the sins of ruin until your souls are crushed in destruction!" the strange mechanical Hydreigon said – in a Solaceon accent of Kantonian that could have come from Uncle Oliver to Rose's ears. Rose drew back in surprise and the motion of Alamy doing the same caught her eye.

"That wasn't Paldean, that was how they speak at home," Rose said. Alamy nodded.

Below, all three mouths opened, the red-black of a Dark Pulse building in all three. Alamy and Rose, stuck alone in whatever hell this was, took a defiant step forward. In Bronzy's bubble, both raised their free fists involuntarily.

A spectral image of their four Pokemon appeared in front of them, the two partners of each overlapping on top of each other. Steams of grass and energy lashed out to deflect. The Dark Pulse was broken up, but not countered. It splashed around the two below. Even in the light where it hit, inert dead metal was left at the impact. Where it hit the humans, they glowed like the sigils on the walls had.

There was a snapping sound, and they were back in the pit again in the afternoon light. Around them, everyone was frozen in the position of the crystal's defeat. They started moving as the crystal in the air, now inert and transparent, fell from the air. Those around began to move as 'Rajah once again reared back to smash it, as Dendra called out to stop.

With a flash of light, the image broke away, and they were back in the strange battle room. Rose looked at herself winced. Small patches of the mind-hurting sigils were on her skin, glowing visible through her clothes. She looked over and Alamy was in the same state.

Bronzy gave a great clang of determination and the barrier around them dropped. Bronzy rocked back and forth in a nod and small half-spheres covered the sigils. After a moment, the half-spheres revealed they were bubbles, lifting away the sigils from the two of them.

The last left and Rose shivered, suddenly realizing she had been very, very foolish to herself in the last few hours. What had driven her to say the things she had? It was as insane as… what Alamy had been saying. How had they missed each other trying to reach out? The two looked at each other, and over at the floating sigils in determination.

Bronzy gritted its teeth, and then dropped its grip on the girls' arms. It slammed its hands together with a great tolling noise, and the bubbles smashed into each other. The strange light shifted and pooled for a moment, before becoming a smaller version of the strange mechanical Pokemon parody. It roared, malice pooling on the ground from its lips. Bronzy sagged, tired for the moment.

"I see. This is why battlers end up so hyper-fixated. Everything indeed must be solved with a Pokemon battle," Alamy said drily.

Lightning crackled and vines grew from the floor, leaving Resistor, Ivy, and Azucena there. Bandwidth appeared in a smaller bolt of lightning a second later, slightly faded. He shrugged defensively as the two looked at him, and then the other ones, fully solid.

Two small jets of flame impacted it from the side. The girls turned to see two ghostly Fuecoco standing determined behind them, with faint images of Trigo and Zania behind them.

"But we're not alone, at least," Rose said. The wall grew bright behind them and the robot monster flinched, covering its center eyes with its jaw- mouths, though the light didn't hurt Rose's eyes at all.

"You thought you could leave us alone to spiral into nothing. Whatever you put in my head, there are those who care for us. And this is our heads and our stage, so we can apply set dressing," Alamy said. She concentrated then snapped her fingers. A green sparkling stone and a rainbow orb appeared in her hand, seemingly resolving from the light streaming behind them. Resistor leapt up to snatch the mental Thunder Stone as Bandwidth munched on the orb thoughtfully. The two glowed, replaced by images of them at their greatest prime, a Raichu and a Quaquaval.

Resistor punched the air excitedly, lightning spilling out of it, as Bandwidth bobbed on his toes.

Rose followed Alamy's lead concentrating. Ivy reared to his hind legs and grew bipedal, vines floating around him as he evolved rapidly. A glowing Sun Stone settled on Azucena, turning the little determined Petilil into a mature Liligant. The two bowed to their trainer, Azucena flexing excitedly now that she really had the leaves for it.

Poppy's image appeared, barely hazy. "Big meany ghost! Still trying to hurt people," Poppy chided. She was surrounded by hammers, bolts, and frying pans, oddly. Bronzy tilted back forward, restored.

"Kill you! Break you! Drive you to ruin!" the dragon roared, speaking from all three heads. It was a faint voice compared to even the reduced voice of before.

The wind swirled behind Rose and her eyes gleamed. "All of us? We weren't intending to disperse you, until you hurt innocents. So we did what trainers are here to do for others," Rose said, "And even without morality or righteousness, a great challenge is what all battlers desire to overcome, and so they have come."

"Pokemon trainers are those who live by and with and among Pokemon," Alamy quoted simply, "It is my fondest desire. Whatever malice you derived from it will not survive here."

The wall behind them gleamed brighter. A number of indistinct silhouettes poured out of it, with more Pokemon.

"Enemies, enemies, enemies!" the dragon chanted. Its fins began to glow as it gathered power.

Flowers bloomed and petals flung; water and lightning surged forward, propelling Pokemon. Fire burned and iron held. The Hydreigon parody's heads were knocked back, dark flame flying from its mouths, but guttering out in less than a meter. The attacks were joined by others, and others still.

Rose could feel a hand on her arm. "Rose, I should have known it was too easy," Mei said. A Tsareena skipped into Rose's view and jumped into a flying kick as another fire ball joined the streams. Rose found the light around her dwindling, a shady bower of branches with small blue flames hanging like fruit growing around them. Rose patted Mei's hand in thanks, but she took a step away. The pink and light of the petals and flowers revived around her.

"This is such a weird dream," Mei continued, "But if I'm asleep I can say thank you without having to compare us." Mei giggled, "Probably won't remember anyway. What did I eat to dream up a mecha-dragon?"

The dragon roared and writhed, black-purple flames fitfully rising around it as it strived to recover. As it opened its mouths to retaliate, bolts of vivid, lively purple poison struck squarely into all three, causing the monster to wretch and gag instead.

Miriam walked up silently to stand near Bronzy between the two girls. Rose wasn't surprised she snuck in. Ninjas, every single teacher. "Poppy said you were in trouble," Miriam apologized, "I'm embarrassed by my students again. You deserved to have me notice you reaching out." Unlike other figments, there was no environmental effects or haze. It was simply and clearly Miriam. Her Toxapex on the other hand, wavered into view and waved coyly before vanishing.

Another barrage went out from them and all those around them, knocking the strange dragon to the ground. Its central head lifted, but the light surrounding it was gone. The other heads lay inert on the ground.

"Enemies, enemies! Feeble enemies, I hate! Who are you to fight me? This is not your story," the dragon protested, voice growing weaker until it became inaudible. The attacks stopped as the fake Hydreigon's body began to turn to shadow, but in the light being thrown in the room, shadows could not last, and it quickly dissolved to nothingness.

"Yay!" Poppy cheered, "Let's go eat?" she suggested before vanishing. The other silhouettes and Pokemon vanished, Mei waving regretfully again before she did. Miriam gave another sad nod, leaving the girls, Bronzy, and their partners. After a moment, with an audible pop, their partners' elder forms dissipated, leaving them in their real-world forms.

The partners leapt on and into the girls, reaching out for hugs even as they passed into them. "Thank you," Rose murmured. They were always with her.

"Well done, both of my friends," Alamy said cheerfully, but her face fell as she looked around, "There is no door," she reported tersely.

Rose spun around herself, and experimentally pinched herself. No result besides a bit of soreness. Bronzy smacked its forehead with one arm, leaving a ringing sound echoing in the space, then raised both its arms. A door appeared in a shower of sparkles. After a moment, an exit sign appeared above it in a smaller bunch of sparkles.

"I understand, you didn't want it to escape," Rose said. Bronzy shook back and forth and pointed at the court, formed a circle with its arms, then threw them wide like an explosion.

"Oh, I guess even here you cannot simply run from a trainer battle," Alamy remarked. Bronzy pointed at Alamy and bobbed up and down excitedly. Rose giggled, and the two pushed the door open.

---

Rose's eyes flew open, and she could feel again Bronzy's cold arm in her palm. Her friends were looking at her in concern. Miriam had joined them, her Hypno and Toxapex out. The psychic Pokemon had a hand resting on Bronzong's 'shoulder'. Ivy and Azucena were attentively in her lap, but they were breathing hard and Rose could see sweat. Rose risked moving her head and smiled. The pain was gone, though her body felt sluggish compared to her mental one, and tired.

Then the shame hit. Then she covered her face with her arm. "Did I really say all that?" she asked, "Just begging over and over again for someone to see how terrible I was? It kept getting worse and I couldn't stop."

"If we are on the school security tapes, I implore them to be destroyed," Alamy said, face bright red. Resistor and Bandwidth were on her lap, Alamy automatically scratching Resistor's head as she smoothly ran a hand over Bandwidth's coif. The Quaxly looked a bit grumpy, wings folded, but it was nonetheless on her lap. The two were panting as well.

"We're sworn to secrecy," Trigo said. "Though I guess we're temporarily wealthy, so I could resort to blackmailing you a bit." Zania lightly cuffed him on the head.

"He can't turn it off, I've decided," Zania said, then looked at them worried, "Are you both okay? That took a while."

"Bronzy was with you the whole time and is getting a treat, but that was like ten minutes," Poppy said. At 'treat', the Bronzong withdrew its hands from the girls, turned around, and held out its arms expectantly. A few seconds later, Bronzy was crunching some hard fruit candies in its 'teeth'.

"It felt shorter," Alamy said.

"I wouldn't say over a minute, even with the flashback. Thank you all, though," Rose said.

Miriam's eyes were filled with tears as she came forward with a stethoscope. "I'm so sorry. You were trying to reach out for help, weren't you? Then I just talked all over you because I was more concerned with how I did then how I was doing. I didn't help again!" she said.

She kept muttering apologies as she applied the stethoscope. Rose and Alamy were duly silent, as she finished, and then pulled out a skin thermometer.

"No sign of the reaction from yesterday, at least," Miriam said, "You're fine as far as these instruments can tell. How do you feel?" She paused and waited for them to collect their thoughts.

"Like an idiot," Rose muttered. She could feel even her ears were hot.

"I am the mopey supporting character in a bad period drama," Alamy declared, and buried her face in her hand, blushing again.

"Don't think so badly of yourself. I think you could be the mopey heroine in a bad period drama," Trigo offered. Alamy made a dismissive huffing noise, halfway to a giggle.

"Supporting characters… Were the people who went to the nurse's office all clear?" Rose asked.

"Elevated metabolisms again, with mild fevers. Barnaby is thinking of opening a food stand outside the nurse's office. I didn't get the appetite this time, it wasn't as strong where we were. We could feel something in Clavell's office, but… it wasn't worth investigating, we all could feel," Miriam said.

"We called Miriam when those purple things started to glow through your clothes, but they were gone by the time she got here, though she snuck up on us again," Zania added. Miriam stuck her tongue out briefly.

Rose and Alamy looked over themselves, but nothing was present.

"What was that?" Trigo asked.

"Splash damage from the spirit?" Alamy theorized. The two went over the vision from the pit they had.

"Bronzy's examination of the memory was each of you had an individual experience," Miriam mused.

"We could tell something was wrong, before, but it kept being snatched away," Alamy said.

"It took everyone helping to be able to focus on it. And Poppy's help to face it," Rose said, "Thank you again."

Bronzy waved dismissively. Poppy translated, "Bronzy thinks you would have beaten it given long enough on your own. He's seen a lot stronger death curses. Wait. When was this?" Bronzy's jaws clicked shut and he started looking up at the sky as Poppy crossed her arms, mildly irritated.

"You two are pretty upbeat considering," Trigo noted. Rose shrugged and Alamy bobbed her head.

"It turned into a battle at the end," Rose said, as if that explained everything.

"We put it in its place," Alamy said.

"Battlers bounce back fast from battle stress. Bronzy picked the right format," Miriam translated for the pet owners. Trigo and Zania looked slightly dubious.

"Everyone's help made fighting it easier, too," Alamy added, and then looked down, "I could feel the Academy supporting us. I apologize, I have been unkind to Paldea." Rose looked away as well.

"Oh, I'm mad about how trainer school went now with just pushing it off," Zania assured, "The whole you're stuck if you don't go to the Academy thing can get stuffed. I get why you two find it offensive."

"You four are part of what of the strongest classes the Academy has ever had," Miriam said, "And you're young. Emotionally, it's hard to understand some people need more time to find themselves."

"Still, against a… force that claimed to bring ruin, strangers came to our aid," Alamy said. She looked affectionately at her partners, "And so did you two of course."

"You two were the first there after our own partners, thank you," Rose said to Zania and Trigo. The two looked at each other confused. Rose rubbed her partners' bellies in thanks.

"We wanted to help, sure, but I didn't do anything," Zania said. Trigo shrugged.

"You and your partners were there. Poppy and Miriam came to help," Alamy began but stopped. Miriam had shifted back from Trigo and Zania's line of vision and held a finger to her lips, as her Hypno did as well.

"The images of so many people came to help us," Alamy said after a moment, curious, and stopped. Miriam nodded slightly.

"Bronzy asked me for help with the battle," Poppy said, having missed the byplay.

"I'm glad we could do something, or you thought we could do something. I can't imagine what that thing could do to the city. I could feel it pull at me earlier," Trigo said and shuddered.

"I was in class and Vine was waving a hand in front of my face when I just stopped, but it didn't matter," Zania said.

"This thing wants to play with heads," Rose said, "After everyone took it on, it started ranting about trying to break someone down."

"What exactly?" Miriam asked, bringing her phone out, "Maybe some ancient container ritual got unearthed. With the Cycle and the water-table changing, Paldea is covered in ruins." Rose and Alamy tried to describe the sigils, and the mecha-Hydreigon, but got interrupted when they mentioned how they started the fight.

"Evolving up your Pokemon right at the big battle?" Zania asked and started whistling a theme song.

The two girls blushed. "I hadn't been thinking of Poke Cure Stone Rush, and now I always will when I think of this," Rose asserted. Alamy buried her face in her hands again.

"Oh, I saw that season! It's good it was animated. That would have taken a lot of Eevee to do all the evolution scenes," Poppy mused.

Trigo turned a chuckle into a cough after he got the reference, attracting the girls' attention. "What are you talking about? I don't watch Poke Cure," he asserted, blush tinging his cheeks.

Even Poppy looked at him dubiously. "I should see about getting another Taxi scheduled, they're running slow for some reason," he claimed, turning away.

"You two do still want to go?" Zania checked.

"Shopping sounds very relaxing right now," Alamy noted.

"It would be nice to make forward motion on my to-do list, especially something mundane," Rose said.

"Can they?" Poppy asked more practically.

Rose looked stricken. "Please don't make me spend another night in the nurse's office. I have some seals, but I know I need to get this necklace fixed," she begged. Alamy shifted slightly towards Rose, making Resistor jump down. The Pikachu spread her arms protectively in front of the bench.

Miriam held her hands up placatingly. "I don't see you needing to go to the nurse again. Your vitals are fine." She frowned.

"Clavell may want to talk to you. The Hydreigon knock-off never said it was just targeting you two," Miriam said. The two girls and their partners looked downcast, and Poppy covered her mouth in shock that she may have stuck her friends on campus.

Miriam twirled some hair in a loop around her finger as she thought. "But really, what good would it be for you to repeat it again to Clavell? I've got it all down here. He can't have you in his office if you're in the city," Miriam said, holding her phone up. "I haven't sent the report yet, either," she said, and winked. The girls' eyes shone with gratitude, including Poppy's.

"We've been happy to use you and then brush off when you try to reach out, or deal with more risk than I wish you had to," Miriam said, "You've earned some time to do what you want to do, even if it isn't best for the Academy."

"Taxis are all backed up, it may be thirty minutes," Trigo warned. Miriam and the girls' faces fell. A brief delay for a reprieve was one thing. Waiting so long to report something that had called out it was spewing death curses was being their own flavor of malicious.

Zania's face set in determination. "Get your things together," she directed, and marched over towards the Taxi stand at the edge of campus. Not quite comprehending but curious, everyone did.

Rose and Alamy hadn't had much chance to spread their things out before going into their mental battle. Rose stood and gestured to Miriam subtly. Miriam stopped and spoke with Poppy, who went to Trigo to ask about where they were going for dinner. Miriam shifted closer, fiddling with her stethoscope. She glanced at the question on Alamy and Rose's face.

"If we went into too much on why they didn't know they were there, it would be because they aren't as closely bonded. You're trying to do the right thing and not pressure your classmates and friends to follow. They don't have the awareness of bonds we do," Miriam said.

"Oh," Rose said simply.

"That is still sad, though," Alamy stated.

"Yes, but they're free of getting pressured like Mei or Victor, or any of us could be. And they don't spend a moment evaluating if everyone they meet would be a good match," Miriam said.

Alamy opened her mouth then closed it. "I was right to worry before I was asked. My perspective is alien now," she reflected.

"That trade-off just doesn't seem worth it, does it?" Rose mused. Alamy nodded.

"Just because a viewpoint is different doesn't mean it's wrong, especially with handling partners," Miriam said.

"Thank you for helping me there," Rose said, and looked over at Trigo. "He'd be good at this," she said reluctantly.

"Oh, I think anyone in the class has the right basis to be a good battler," Miriam said, "But he hasn't picked it."

Rose nodded, and bowed to Miriam, who nodded back. Rose and Alamy walked over to Trigo.

"What were you checking?" Trigo asked, astute.

"Partner bonds," Alamy said tactfully.

"If that mental… I'm going to call it a battle cost anything," Rose said.

"Your buddies will be okay?" Trigo asked.

"They're tired, but happy, and should recover with some rest," Rose said, which was understating it a little. They could move fine, but when she reached to channel, it felt like trying with any strength would pull something. She had hit her limit.

Trigo nodded and said, "I think it's best to get your necklace started first, then worry about food and groceries. I've got a friend who runs a dry goods store. Lots of stuff that can work for camping, and they're cheap."

"Compared to yesterday, I'm not hungry at all," Rose said. Trigo nodded.

"I will want a greengrocer or a supermarket for the week, still," Alamy said. Trigo held his hand up in an okay gesture.

Zania jogged back over from the stand. "We have one in ninety seconds, come on," she said. The group hastily shifted packs onto shoulders. Miriam walked alongside.

"I think I need to check what you did," Miriam said to Zania.

"Clavell thinks me standing by quivering was worth a big reward, so I might as well use it to help the real heroes. I just bought the next Taxi that would arrive off the people waiting," Zania said, and shrugged. Miriam giggled.

"We didn't do that much," Rose protested as they went over, "Not compared to Poppy."

"I'll say I'm doing it for Poppy if it makes you feel better then," Zania replied, "That guy on the left was the one who bit."

"I'll take some extra time for that much, no problem," said a male student standing up when he saw them arrive, "I can get some homework done, and they always draw out those wait times in big delays to look good."

Despite his words, ninety seconds went by without seeing a Taxi separating from the swarm over Mesagoza. Now that Rose thought about it, the Taxi swarm over the city seemed thinner than the weekend.

Poppy and Miriam sensed it first, turning around. A Taxi came over the school from the direction of the Great Crater, landing in the usual raucous disagreement of Squawkabilly. The boy went over and talked to the driver briefly, who nodded.

"As long as you just need to go in Mesagoza, it's no issue for my routes," the driver called out. Pleased, the group headed over to load up, recalling Pokemon. Zania tapped her phone and the student whose slot she bought had his phone float up. Looking at it, he gave a big thumbs up before sitting down by the stand.

"I didn't expect you to come from that direction," Zania noted to the driver as she helped Poppy in.

"Oh, they're pulling us in from all over for the evening rush. Something weird happened to some Taxi drivers in town today, like zoning out midflight. A couple were taking off or landing and gave their passengers some hefty bumps. And a couple buildings," the driver said with a chuckle.

On seeing their disturbed faces, he hastily added, "Oh, everyone was fine, and so are the buildings, just a bit startled. Highway hypnosis can happen even up in the sky, but the Taxi's insurance makes them ground the pilots to make sure they're all right, just to check if it was some prankster with a ghost or psychic type. My usual route is Levincia."

"Were these drivers near the school?" Alamy asked, already dreading the answer. The driver shrugged.

"Probably, the school's close to a lot of the city's big landmarks, and there's always a few pranksters," the driver said conversationally, "What did you geniuses here get up to?"

"Geology gone badly," Trigo quipped, but his face was pale.

"Go," Miriam said after a moment, "I'll let Clavell know it spread that far. This isn't yours to fix."

"See, heroes," Zania said softly. Poppy, Alamy, and Rose shifted uncomfortably, but still put their ear plugs in without making a move to leave the Taxi.

"Big day, huh?" the driver asked, then looked at the sun to gauge the time as he set his goggles and headphones back in place. "Well, you can have a big night, too!" he said cheerfully.

The Squawkabilly voiced their displeasure at the temerity of their trainer to tell them to move but took off smoothly. They were noisy, but well-trained. Miriam and her Hypno waved as the Taxi took off.

She and her Hypno looked at each other and sighed once the Taxi was just a dot in the distance.

"We've had to ask so much of them already, and they're so new to this. I worry about the rest of the term. I hope we teach them right," she said. Hypno nodded agreement.

---

This chapter I had a sea change on what I wanted to do near the end, getting some extra after effects of the match. The second half of the original became the basis for the next chapter, though also expanded. Did help in getting editing done faster on this one (my process is I write a chapter ahead, then go and edit and reread the last chapter to finalize it before posting to keep better continuity).

Poppy's Bronzong did take them to a mental recreation of the Paldean League's Evaluation Room, on the basis of it was the best fighting ground it knew. Turning it into a battle also put it on Rose and Alamy's 'home turf' in Bronzy's mind.

Iron Jugulis got picked as it serves as something of a 'counterpart' in the Paradox hierarchy to Flutter Mane, when deciding what shape to get it. Not in role so much as the same strength and the fourth in the Paradox list for its version. If Flutter Mane seemed to be a mutated Misdreavus, then this is a Hydreigon copy sitting firmly in the Uncanny Valley.

Zania dumped a good chunk of the commission to the student, she doesn't need the money and wants to make a gesture.

There may be more concerns about it later, but as opposed to having to wander free, having a battle flips it as decisive as a switch in Rose and Alamy's heads. Having that Pokemon perspective to do ever more matches.

Poke Cure Stone Rush is a few years old at this point, but was popular. Still can find new figures! Eevee always sell.