Episode 19: World of Love

“Aww c’mon, it’ll be fun, I promise!” Pola moaned.

“No,” Shannon said sternly.

“Aww come ooooooonn,”

“No.”

“Come ooooooooonnn?”

“No.”

Eeeehhhh?”

“No.”

“I thought Kayla was a killjoy with that whole panicking act, but you’re tellin’ me you’re worse? Uurgh,” Pola groaned into the air. “Is there nothing I can do to make you come to the prom?”
“No matter how many times you beg and cry, it’ll always be a no, I’m not interested,” he stated. The duo were eating breakfast together. Pola had a soup filled with berries, while Shannon, a pile of fruits. He absentmindedly chomped on an apple while Pola gave him a miserable glare, pretending he couldn’t feel her presence.

“Fine. Hmpf, if we’re gonna have to play dirty, then I guess we’re gonna have to quit your training,” she pouted.

“You’re not serious,” he groaned.

“Ya uh. No love, no Visionary mag,” she turned away.

He stared at her with half-lidded annoyance. “This is just petty.”

“If there’s nothin’ in it for me, then I’ve got no reason to put effort into it,” she replied.

“I… urf, are we really going to talk about this now?” he sighed.

“Talk about what?”

“This whole… liking me… thing,” he said, swaying his head with his thoughts.

“Is there something weird about it?” she went half-lidded.

“I’m… not… interested. In following a relationship right now. That’s not what I came here to do… and like,” he tried to explain.

“Aww, you’re sweating it too much. Y’know I’m an independent girl. Low maintenance, high fun factor,” she bragged, curling to show herself off. “So you’ve got a quest for vengeance, why’s it kill ya to get a girlfriend at the same time?”

Shannon sighed and turned away. “What kind of teacher dates her student?”

“Whoa whoa, it’s not that kinda kink. We’re teammates, not teacher student,” she snickered.

“You’re younger than me.”

“And plenty of legal experience,” she smirked.

“You’re making this so dang weird,” he glared at her. “I’m sorry Pola, but I mean it. I’m not here to make relationships, friends, or anything else. If the magic was something I could physically take, I’d just grab it and be out of here. You’re better off considering me not part of your life.”

“Sorry. If I quit on every edgy dude who said that kinda stuff, I would not be popular,” she bragged with a giggle. “The difference between one-nighters and you is that you’re a good guy. You’ve got the voice, the looks, the—”

“Okay stop, don’t- just, stop,” he thrust his paws at her. “I mean it, Pola. I want to learn Visionary Magic, and then go kill that Ditto. Nothing else. If you’re serious about no longer helping me, then I’m out of here. I don’t want to waste time with silly prom dates or whatever this flaunty garbage is.”

“Flaunty garb- yikes, am I coming on that strong?” she flinched.

He paused. “How old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

“That’s not legal—” he had to slap his paws over his mouth. “Now it’s definitely a no.”

“So it wasn’t before?”

“That’s not what I—”

“Shh, I’m just yankin’ yer tail,” she giggled. “And technically, you’re wrong. Isnomian law grants us Extraordinary Pokémon our own freedom of laws and rules, as long as we’re in this particular region.”

“Don’t tell me the age of consent is lower here?” his face fell into his hands.

“Don’t underestimate me, Shannon,” Pola sounded serious all of a sudden, making him look up at her. “Ya don’t think I’d go about this stuff without knowing my full rights, do you?”

“I have no way of knowing. I’m not from here,” he shook his head.

“We’re allowed to get naughty. Third base is the limit,” she had that lusty smirk again, to which he grumbled. “What, ya weren’t thinking I’m that easy to score, were ya?”

“You’re so unbelievable,” he palmed his face. “Regardless, my decision stays the same. I’m not here for any of this. If you and Team Daybreak refuse to help me unless I reciprocate your romance, then our training ends here.”

Pola leaned her head in her paws over the table to stare at him. He stared back, but was unable to look her in the eyes. His cheeks twitched with agitated static, while his own eyes were devoid of anything. He didn’t appear as angry as he sounded, but at the same time, nowhere near as determined as he stated. Pola was particularly drawn to the bright orange glint that shone above his pupils, and concentrated there. He wasn’t blank. He was something else.

“I’m going to break you open. If it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to break open the real Shannon Snowjerry,” she announced.

“Huh?”

“Never mind. It’s just… even if it’s just prom? You won’t dance with me? One night for a whole regime?” she shut her eyes in annoyance.

“Are you even listening to me? No means no Pola,” Shannon raised his voice.

“Alright, fine. I get it,” she turned away and sighed. At last, she dug her spoon into her soup and heaped it with berries, then stuffed her face. It was still hot, so she wound up huffing and fanning her mouth. “Fuck…”

“You okay?” he asked with a furrowed brow.

“My only date for the yearly prom just dumped me, so I’m doing just sunny over here,” she growled and flipped him off.

He sighed and shook his head. “C’mon, don’t be like that. You can ask literally anyone else.”

“Yeah, ‘cos I get feelings for every guy I meet,” she grumbled. “Fine, since we’ve got time now, I guess we will focus on the Visionary Magic. You free after this?”

“Kayla and Kari are doing their dance practice, so yes, I believe I have some time,” he replied slowly.

“Good,” she said calmly. She poured the rest of the soup down her gullet, having to fan her mouth again. “Ha… ha, h-hurry up and eat. We’re takin’ a bath together.”

He was about to scream profanity, but some force stopped him. Instead, his silent, disgruntled stare conveyed all he wanted to say.

“Don’t gimme that look. You know how this Visionary stuff gets,” she got up, waving at him. He watched her wander out of the now busy cafeteria, then stuffed his cheeks with a few fruits to follow.

She led him past the dorms as if to go to the nursery, but rather than following through or heading upstairs, she headed for the stairs opposite, which led down. The urban walls of the academy were quickly replaced by natural caverns and an eerie quiet, lit dimly by a few wall candles. Shannon slowed as he recognised the candles as Litwick, but Pola kept going without slowing.

“Should we be here?” he asked as he caught up.

“Huh? Oh right, I never showed you guys the academy lower floors, did I?” she realised. She tucked her paws behind her head and whipped her weave out of her face. “Don’t worry about those guys. They won’t attack unless you attack, and they don’t drain life force or anything.”

“You say that, but… they’re staring,” Shannon prodded his paws together. The Litwick seemed to grasp his nervousness and made chilly giggles.

“What, you scared of ghosts or something?” she teased.

“Come off it. Not even close,” he rolled his eyes.

After a few more minutes, the stairs finally ended. He wasn’t looking forward to having to climb back up them, but even more so, was worried about the way ahead. This was an actual cavern, the kind one would expect to see in a mystery dungeon. Mist obscured the distant walls, while large puddles spread across the floor of the catacombs. Natural pillars stretched further up than he could see, while more wall candles made eerie, purple glows in the distance. Worse still, he could make out the echoes of feral cries amongst the leaking droplets, telling of foes he couldn’t see.

“It’s a dungeon…” he mumbled.

“All kindsa stories and rumours are about here. Even the teachers and staff stay away from this place,” Pola informed.

“What? Why would they build the academy on top of something so dangerous?” he leaned away.

“RSE’s been here for way longer than the current teachers. You’d have to ask the old founders,” Pola pointed out. “The truth is, it ain’t a mystery dungeon. I think it’s some sorta mystical road or somethin’.”

“Mystical road?” he cocked his head.

“The most believable rumours are that Pokémon who used to be Visionaries had some kinda accident here. They cursed the cave when the academy was built on top of it, so now it’s haunted by ghosts who trouble anyone who dares come down here to disturb them,” Pola explained. “The thing is, when I came down here, I was guided.”

Shannon slowed down to examine his surroundings again. If the rumour was true, they most certainly weren’t getting haunted right now. If anything, the ferals were avoiding them.

“So follow me, or you’ll get lost in the fog,” Pola stopped to hold out her paw.

He glanced at it, then her, and sighed. “Really? I said no, Pola.”

“No? But this is- wait, ya don’t think this is some petty trick to romance ya, do you?” she slumped. He folded his paws. “I’m being serious, Shannon. If this were a trick, would I really lead you to a place this damp and shitty?”

“… Point taken. But you did say something about a bath,” he replied, accepting her paw. She pulled him close to ensure they walked side by side, and then concentrated ahead.

“It’ll make sense when we get there. For now, Visionary stuff. The less I hafta explain, the better the outcome,” she stated. “Until then… I can’t lie, like… you really haven’t taken a bath since you came to Isnomia?”

“… Not one,” he answered slowly. “I don’t smell bad, do I?”

“That’s what I’m not getting! Is this some kinda trick question and you like, have a shower or something? Using Life Dew on yourself to wash dirt or something?” she questioned.

“We’re similar species. Don’t you take dust baths too?” he turned away to hide a slight blush.

Pola practically yelped. “No wonder ya can’t do any electric moves very well. You’re probably bogged down in a shit ton of mud and stuff. We’re cheek pouch, silly! We gotta stay squeaky clean, it’s good for the ol’ electro sacs.”

“Is there actual science behind this, or is this just an urban versus feral deal?” he challenged. “I’ve been washing myself this way since forever. My Mother and Father were just fine. Me being inept at electric moves is a me thing. Well… the way I was born and stuff.”

“What’s our saying? Don’t knock it ‘till you try it?” she nudged him, to which he rolled his eyes. “Hey no I’m serious, I’m about to open a whole new world to ya. That dress- er, cloth of yours is gonna look extra pink and clean, too.”

“As long as I don’t smell, what’s really the problem?” he groaned. “Actually never mind, don’t answer that. Just… where are you leading me? We’ve been walking every which way for a while now.”

“Oh, right. I’ve been through here so much it’s sorta routine for me,” she snickered.

She still didn’t answer, much to his annoyance. The most he could tell was that they were weaving in and out of miniature caves and between the rock pillars he saw earlier. He could barely recognise them deep in the mist like this, which was more like a fog that obscured everything. The droplets were gone besides the light splish and splash of their steps, while the feral cries that echoed were now muffled as if they weren’t in the same room. The best lighting was tiny blue sparkles in the atmosphere which he couldn’t seem to touch. It was getting hot though, enough to wipe his forehead of sweat.

The candles and the heat. That was the ticket. Pola was slowing down every so often, and each time she did, they changed direction to walk between two pillars that had candles, ignoring the pillars that didn’t. As they progressed, the area seemed to get hotter and mistier, all until Pola stopped dead in her tracks. The fog had grown so thick that she was faded in his view, even though they were still holding hands.

“Err, somethin’s not right. It’s meant to be foggy yeah, but not this foggy,” she warned.

“Can’t find where you’re going?” he asked.

“No, no… I’m fine for now, but…” she began to mumble. “Then again, I ain’t been here for quite a while. Probably remembering stuff weirdly. Or it’s reacting to you! The cave could be reacting to you, Shannon.”

“Reacting to me?” he cocked his head.

“Don’t let go of my hand!” she squeaked and gripped him harder.

“Sorry. Do you mean this cave is some kind of burial ground for Visionaries? Are we being guided by spirits right now?”

“Yeah, something like that. That’s how it felt when I first came here,” she replied. She wound up yanking him as he didn’t realise she’d started walking again. They turned a couple more corners before they found the answer to her lack of certainty.

“What is that thing?” Shannon gasped and shifted back.

“Don’t let go!” she shouted, gripping him again.

The fog was now so thick that Pola was a silhouette despite them being beside each other. That would not mask the strange creature floating before them, which had wrapped itself in a cloak of fog as if the air were a piece of clothing. The fog was still, naturally floating around the room except for where this creature was, where it swirled around like a condensed hurricane. It was a very effective camouflage, save for the creature’s five eyes – one red, two yellow below, and then two more red eyes far lower, which swayed side to side. Every single one of these eyes gleamed through the fog. If the creature had a body, Shannon couldn’t make it out.

“How about this thing? Was this here when you first came here?” he asked, lowering his tone.

“Why are you here?” a gritty hiss echoed through the air. “You shouldn’t be here. Leave immediately!”

“That about sums it up,” Pola copied Shannon’s intense tone. “I’m gonna let go of ya and cast a move. You’ve gotta protect me while I cast, okay?”

“And how do I do that? I don’t know any attack moves,” he warned as she proceeded her plan anyway.

“You’re a man trying to get stronger. Figure something out!” she ordered.

“Leave. Now!” the creature hissed again, to which Shannon tensed up.

First thing’s first. I won’t have to protect anyone from anything if it can’t even attack! Shannon told himself. He slapped his cheeks to make electricity crackle between his face and paws, and then thrust those paws to send of rings of electricity at the fog monster. There was a grunt and a growl as static sizzled across the creature, making it jittery on the spot. His Thunder Wave successfully paralysed it.

That didn’t seem to stop it, however. It was slowed, but still able to float higher and charge an attack of its own. Several blue spheres of energy formed in front of it, each crackling with bright light from their cores. Shannon’s eyes widened and he darted off without thinking. The orbs shot toward where he just was, making him gasp.

“Hey, your target is me!” he cried, raising a gleaming paw. The energy orbs instantly curled through the air, diverting from their original target of Pola and straight towards Shannon, like flies drawn to a light. He had seconds to grit his fangs and brace before they hit. Not one hit directly, but their blasts were intense. His breath was stolen as he choked on pain. He lost feeling in his sides, ears, tail and more, all to a searing feeling unlike anything he had ever felt. He was getting knocked around by the blasts too, and before he knew it, his sight and hearing were faded.

Somehow, he was still awake and on all fours, able to hear nothing but his shuddering breaths. One attack… one attack can’t be all it takes. All I had to do was protect someone. If I can’t even do that, how can I protect myself?

Rage was building. Rage that must have made open wounds flare up, because his body hurt even worse as he forced himself to stand. He got up despite, slumped and focused on his enemy with all his might. I can’t be this pathetic. Focus, Shannon, focus!

He growled in effort as he cupped his paws together, and the liquid of Life Dew appeared between them. That bubble burst and surrounded him in warmth that lifted the pain, allowing him to stand up properly. The monster’s aim was definitely on him now and not Pola, whom he could see as her own incantation made her glow in the fog.

“We’ll try it like this! Hidden Power Fire!” Pola announced, releasing her own round of energy orbs. Hers tracked the fog monster all the same, only they were red, and exploded into blasts of smoke like real fireballs.

“Ow! Owowowowow hey!” a familiar, gritty voice cried as the monster was smacked to the floor. Shannon kept his cheeks sparkling as he dared to run closer. When the smoke cleared, he was stood over Azelf, who was cringing on the floor.

“Ms Azelf? What the heck are you doin’ here?” Pola gasped. “Wait a minute, the fog’s gone!”

“That’s my line!” Azelf cried, shivering on all fours. “Don’t you know how to let up, either? That hurt!”

“I – h-hang on a sec, you attacked us first. What the heck was all that? The foggy shit, and telling us to leave all cryptic?” Pola argued.

“Er, dare I ask?” Shannon asked, still intense.

“Oh, r-right. Uh, you can calm down. This guy’s a vice teacher or somethin’ like that,” Pola stated.

“You actually remembered,” Azelf sat back cutely and smiled. “This spot has mysterious power, but strange forces keep intruders out. Me and my sisters find ourselves drawn here from time to time.”

“Where you turn into monsters and attack students?” Shannon went half-lidded.

“Perhaps that was one of the forces. The mist here is Visionary Magic conjured by fallen Visionaries,” Azelf explained. Shannon flinched. “I must’ve appeared like some kind of fog monster, because that’s what I saw, too. I wouldn’t have attacked if I saw you were students.”

“So this place is haunted,” Shannon commented.

“Yes. A haunted ground that tests those who wander it. Me and my sisters are thinking of ways to help those spirits move on, but perhaps they’re not meant to,” Azelf continued. “That’s what I’m getting, anyway. After all, those that make it here always learn something about themselves.”

“Shh!” Pola hushed him. Shannon gave her a look, while Azelf became intrigued.

“Your teammate… Shannon, right? So you’re a Visionary, too?” Azelf asked. Shannon glared at her, which seemed to make her cock an interested smirk. “I see what’s going on here. Alright, I’ll leave you be.”

“Seriously?” Shannon sighed. “Is everyone weird about Visionary stuff?”

“He doesn’t know?” Azelf asked.

“He doesn’t know. Even though I’ve told him already,” Pola shrugged.

“Well, good luck. But don’t stay here too long. We should really seal up the stairs to stop Pokémon from wandering down here,” Azelf began to mutter as she got up to fly away.

Shannon watched her in both concern and confusion until she was a blur in the mist. “Seriously? Aren’t we like—”

“Look alive, buddy! We’re here, finally,” Pola gave him a smack on the back. “Actually, last thing. I saw you do somethin’ similar when we went to the crystal den last time. What’s that weird thing you’re doing that’s making attacks turn on you like that? You’re the last Pokémon I picture having some sorta psychic power.”

“Oh that’s, uh, Follow Me. I like, make my body into a beacon to make things aim at me,” he turned away.

“Whoa, seriously? And you just took a legendary Pokémon’s move like it was…” she trailed off, eyes widened. He didn’t answer her. “Seriously, are you okay? That shit must’ve hurt like hell!”

“Focus, Pola. It doesn’t sound like Azelf is why you came down here,” he folded his paws.

“Hmm… well alright, smarty pants,” she calmed down a bit. “But I uh… Look, I really need you to follow me on this one. Like, REALLY really.”

“Hmm? What is it?” he asked.

She didn’t answer yet again, instead stepping closer to where Azelf just was. Now that the place wasn’t caked in fog, the landmark was as clear as a misty cave would allow. It was a hot spring, surrounded on all sides by tall pillars with candles on their sides. These candles let out a pink mist rather than a blue flame, yet they lit the air magically in a way Shannon could only feel was dreamy. The ceiling wasn’t dark like the rest of the cave, it was dreamlike, with pink clouds and white stars twinkling in the distance. Meanwhile the water looked pleasantly steamy, but deeper than he imagined a natural hot spring would be. It was still as humid, though.

Perhaps it’s some kind of magic hot spring. if I go in here, will I have a revelation? He guessed, inspecting the water’s edge. Maybe that’s what she’s getting at. If this is the same as the crystal den, then no one’s allowed to tell me anything. I have to experience it for myself, and get a revelation the way only I can.

“Well, get in. You don’t even have to take off the cloth,” Pola bowed to invite him in. He spared her a glance, and then dared to test the water.

The hot water made him flinch, but he got used to it. He steadily slipped more of himself in as his body adjusted to the heat, which quickly caused him to sweat. His footing was shorter than he anticipated however, and he wound up falling right in, coughing as he panicked to keep his head above the water.

“Wow, you really haven’t had a bath before, huh?” Pola giggled at his miserable look.

“It’s really deep! Is a bath meant to be this deep?” he cried. Pola snickered at that, and then took a step back. “Wa-wait, don’t!”

“Too late! Geronimo!” she cheered, throwing herself in beside him.

“Argh!” he cringed as water splashed all over his face. She popped up beside him in a giggling fit. “Pola, seriously?”

“It’s just a little water, no need to be a sissy about it!” she laughed. “And would you look at that? Give yourself a scrub and watch all that muck come right off!”

He growled until he realised what she meant. He really was dirtier than he let on, surrounded by murky clouds. “There’s… is all that really from me?” he dared to test it, scratching at his side. Surely enough, more dirt came off him, and he blushed.

“Trust me, this is practical. All that water in your system makes electric moves a cinch,” Pola bragged, reaching to help him from behind. The moment she touched him he flinched, going even redder.

“I-I’m fine. I don’t need your help,” he stammered. She gave him a half-lidded grin. “Is it really alright to wash in a hot spring? Don’t some of the dorms have washrooms?”

Pola sighed. “They do. Doesn’t yours? I hope you’ll use it from now on. But I guess you just wanna move on to the next part, don’t you?”

“Please don’t make this any weirder than it has to be,” he slowed down. “What do I do?”

Pola looked away for a lengthy moment, and then gradually came closer, looking him in the eyes. He did his best to remain serious, making sure she couldn’t try anything cheeky, but she stopped right in front of him. “Okay. Relax.”

“Relax?” he replied boredly.

“It’s a hot spring. Seriously, just relax a bit,” she said, floating over to his side. She hung her arms on the side of the spring to chill, so after a moment, he joined her in leaning back.

Even if this didn’t make sense to him, he would be lying to himself if he said it wasn’t nice. The water almost felt like it was healing him, both his damage from the recent battle, but also his overall stiffness from everything going on. The water melted him down to his bones, like a warm, magical embrace. Coupled with the steam and the dream-like sky casted by the candles, it was difficult to be angry.

“Close your eyes,” Pola whispered, doing just that.

It was a good idea. He could sleep here if he was inclined. He was truly warm and relaxed, as if he was being cuddled by Genius. She may have been small for a Pawmot, but her hugs were to die for.

Genius. Shannon kept his eyes shut, but the image of her was clear in his mind. She would have loved this sort of thing. Was she looking for him? She had probably forgotten him, having lost contact for so long. Not that that mattered. He was making progress on his mission at long last, and if fortune favoured him, Team Daybreak might actually help him.

…

Shannon’s eyes shot open at that thought, and his heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, he was somewhere else completely. A familiar area, but slightly different. He was still up to his neck in water, but this was more like the clear, magical liquid of Life Dew. It reflected the cloudless, twilit sky perfectly, making it look as though there wasn’t water at all. Nothing was here but a lone island nearby, barely visible as a silhouette. Shannon swam over to check it out.

Once he touched it, the island lit up as if his body were glowing. A single tree sat here… a tree just like home. Unremarkable, like many of the trees in any old forest. But the hollow inside of it was just like the ones him and his family used to dig in their own forest. Looking around it, he started to spot little mounds of dirt with a single leaf sticking out of them. Also a sign of his family’s territory; half-buried leaves marked where nuts or berries were stored.

“Ack—” he choked and reached for his neck all of sudden. His chest was burning and tightening, for some reason. He tried to gasp for air, but bubbles came out of his mouth instead. “Wh-what? C-c-can’t… breathe!”

Extreme panic took over as he fell on all fours. Bubbles from his mouth? Right, he wasn’t here. He was in the hot spring. If this subconscious was his revelation, then he was drowning out there. With all the strength he could muster, he dashed back into the water and dove in, hoping things were the same as last time.

…

They were the same as last time, only he was still in peril. His eyes opened wide and he gurgled. Something was holding him beneath the surface of the hot spring, some kind of yellow figure. He had no air or energy, and strained with all his might to keep his mouth shut to fight this, but couldn’t. He gasped, and his chest flared with immense pain as water forced its way in.

At this point, everything faded. His muscles, his mind, every part of his conscious shifted everything it had into getting him out of the water. He couldn’t even see or hear. He welled up his electricity and seemingly exploded, resulting in a violent scream and heavy splash of water. Whatever was holding him down had let up, allowing him to rocket to the surface.

Shannon literally threw up a gush of water the moment he touched that rocky floor. It was sickening, but also oh-so relieving. Parts of his conscious returned one by one, revealing to him what had really just happened. He couldn’t stop coughing, and his chest and muscles still ached worse than ever. As his sight and hearing returned, he caught sight of a surprised Pola beside him, and that’s when it clicked. That yellow form holding him down.

You vile, immature bitch!

Seeing red was an understatement. He tackled Pola to the ground, winding her. Before she could get a chance to do anything, his paws clenched her neck, and he was putting all his strength into pinning her down. “Try to drown me? Did you seriously think you could?”

The Plusle choked so hard she couldn’t even cough, and helplessly flailed her arms up at him. Those flails and chokes turned into nasty snorts and stiff strains that made it look like she might break apart, and soon, her arms and legs went limp, while her eyes struggled to open. The moment he locked eyes with her, his conscious came back. She was a moment away from death.

Shannon gasped, and then threw himself off her. She took to coughing and gasping as badly as he did when he came out of the water, if not worse. Watching her now, she was shockingly vulnerable, nothing like he ever imagined she could be. Lifeless, immobile, desperately gasping for her strength to come back. His eyes twitched until she seemed to regain consciousness, where she stared up at him, still weak as a baby.

He couldn’t bear to look at her like this. Nor could he stand to face what was coming next. He had almost murdered her. The way she was now, he still could. The fact that that very thought crossed his mind agonized him enough to grunt and curse under his breath. He took off, not looking back once. If she called out to him, he didn’t hear it.

The most Pola could do was try to sit up and stick out a paw, but even that strained her enough to hiss. She quickly gave up and lay back, staring at the pink mist above. “Damn it… I really fucked it up this time, huh?”

…

The rest of the week would carry on in routine for Team Daybreak. Kayla would get to breakfast later and later as her training with Moby grew more intense, while Kari skipped from Pokémon to Pokémon, getting help on her etiquette. Dancing with Kayla seemed to teach her less and less about dancing and more about how goofy Kayla was. Shannon seemed too out of mind to properly work on talking smart, while Pola only got sterner with her eating and dressing habits. Pola and Shannon avoided each other after their event. Neither of the cheek pouches spoke of their falling out, while Kari seemed to change, becoming quieter and more stressed as if tensions hanging over the four were raising. Yet, none of the team settled to speak a word to one another.

Then came the evening of the prom…

…

The scenery blurred into lines, yet Kayla had full focus on where she was going at her speed. She sprinted and didn’t so much as puff or pant. Head leaned forward, arms hung loosely behind her, one ear rolled up and ready to punch at a moment’s notice. The shrill screech of a whistle cut into her focus, and she skidded to a very sudden stop, pulling a large wake of soil and grass with her.

“Kayla Brunswick?” Moby began, staring intently at her PET. Kayla glared up at her with an expectant frown. “Well now… you have a time. Fifty-nine seconds, three-three.”

“Talk about cutting it close. Just under a minute feels too slow,” Kayla huffed and kicked the floor.

“You’re outta your mind. There’s basically nothing more I can teach you,” the Audino praised. “You just sprinted around the whole academy in under a minute, and look at yourself. You ain’t broken a sweat, have you?”

Kayla didn’t answer.

“How many Pokémon can realistically do the same, huh? How many Buneary, especially? You’ve achieved an incredible feat, be proud,” Moby put her hands to her hips. “The Buneary part’s most important here. You’ve got small feet, not long legs or power wings or anything like that.”

Kayla sighed and smiled at her at last. “I guess it’s a great first step.”

“I have nothing else to teach you about move theory. Keep applying what you know into practice, keep training, and you’ll only get faster and more efficient. Experiment with different moves too, and you’ll surpass so many Pokémon in battle that you wouldn’t believe it,” Moby continued.

“Moby… thank you so much. Seriously. Don’t you want to keep doing this? These daily sessions, I mean. They’ve been fun,” Kayla smiled.

“It would just be sparring… I mean I don’t mind, but,” she cocked her head and played with her hands. “You’ve grown exceptionally fast in a week. You’ll stagnate if you just stick with me. If you want to keep growing as fast, fight lots of different Pokémon.”

“Why not both?” Kayla grinned eagerly.

“… Y’know what, you’re right! Maybe I should go on a journey,” Moby clenched her fists. “If I battle lots of Pokémon I’ve never fought before, perhaps I can rekindle my fighting spirit after all.”

Kayla deflated a bit. “I didn’t even know you’d lost that. Am I that weak?”

“N-no, not at all! Fine though, I get it. Perhaps we should have an all-out battle soon. I think I’ll decide whether to journey or not based on that,” Moby smiled. “For now, what’s your plans? It’s dark enough for prom, I think.”

“That’s tonight. I don’t have any plans, and the rest of the team’s gonna be busy,” Kayla turned back to the academy.

Right on cue, a series of screeches went off in the distance, followed by a few pops and crackles. Kayla flinched at first, but calmed upon spotting fireworks fill the dark but clear, starry sky. She stood back to observe for a little while, warmed by the variety of colours they chose to use. Small crackly ones, large gold dusty ones, and even one that didn’t pop at all, which drew a red trail of sparkles as it flew amongst the others.

“They know how to put on a show. I’ve seen this a few times, yet it never gets old,” Moby remarked.

“Different to what I’m used to, too. The sky here is so clear I can actually see the fireworks,” Kayla added. “Guess I’ll treat myself tonight. Cheeky cheat day and go chill in the dorm or something. Yeah that sounds good, sour cream dogs on the mind right now.”

“Sour cream dogs? Wait, aren’t those—”

“Plant-based, obviously. The girls’ll have a go at me for the price, but it’s worth it!” Kayla snickered.

“… Y’know what, a treat meal sounds good. Don’t worry about the price, I’ll treat you. We’ll call it our own little graduation prize,” Moby grinned, half-lidded.

“You’re gonna regret that,” Kayla said cheerfully, and took off.

Inside the academy, the atmosphere was even grander than the fireworks let on. Evenings were usually chill and relaxed with the way Pokémon filed in for late meals or their last round of reports, finished lectures and all else. This time it was with the addition of warm lighting in the halls, pleasant chatter, and a sophisticated dress code.

Kayla slowed to wait rather than fight to get to where she wanted to be. Every Pokémon was dolled up in their own special way, wearing suits, ties, bows, dresses, hairbands, and all else their species could allow. Fur had been dolled up into styles fitting of their dress, while the materials worn were nothing short on their price tag. While faces were friendly and chatter had a pleasant vibe, she felt a slight pressure to not so much as bump into anyone, lest she spoil their perfect appearance with a dirt mark or something. She felt like a ruffian in comparison, a little sweaty from training and lacking having a wash this morning.

“You okay? Need a heave-ho?” Moby asked, lifting Kayla up to her head anyway. “Cafeteria’s this way during prom. The main one gets turned into part of the hall.”

“R-right,” Kayla muttered. She couldn’t take her eyes off all these Pokémon. It looked like the entire academy was attending this fancy dance. “Uh… this is a little unlike me, but mind if I check it out? Just to see the hall floor or something…”

“You nosy? Fine, sure. I’ll meet you at the cafeteria,” Moby put her back down. “It’s near the outside hall, where all the pickup deliveries happen. You know where that is by now, right?”

“Yeah… no sweat,” Kayla trailed off. Moby waved and skipped off, leaving her alone with these dolled-up crowds.

The more she stared, the more her heart picked up. She swallowed loudly and then dared to join them, though she took advantage to slip in and out of crowds of friends and mates. The cafeteria hall had been completely transformed, even more than when she had that welcoming party. There were temporary stairs that led to a glass balcony running along the upper walls of place, where stage lights had been hung. Floor lights also added to the warm lighting, which caused a disco ball in the centre of the ceiling to shimmer every now and then. The counters where food was normally cooked and served had been folded away into a stage, where a small orchestra of even more fancily dressed Pokémon were setting up. A few were already playing soothing tones.

It’s incredible, Kayla whispered in disbelief as she hopped up the stairs. A few Pokémon were already here, mostly taking it easy or waiting for someone. Some even had wineglasses in hand, and leaned on the handrail to leisurely enjoy the festivities. Kayla shuddered a little as she scanned the dance floor, her heart now thumping in her chest. The dancing hadn’t started yet, but the prom was definitely underway. Even though the music was calm, couples had taken to the floor, while others chilled in their own corners. Some even went with their teams, and it was even obvious who was there just to sneak in the fancy food. No one seemed to care.

Wait a minute… c’mon Kari, where are you? Kayla huffed as she scanned the hall once again, and the balcony this time just to make sure. The Furret and her happy peach berry dress were nowhere to be found. Until she spotted a familiar masked Raboot entering the dance floor, happy as ever. Paris wore a masquerade mask as if to keep with his usual theme, but it was clear it was him. And in his paw, he guided a Sylveon, a Sylveon in an angelic white dress of her own.

Kayla’s heart stopped for a moment. What she just saw replayed in her mind before she shook her head and blinked several times, as if to wake herself up from a dream she wasn’t having. What she was seeing hadn’t changed. Paris and his team were all here, each member with their own dates, but no Kari.

It can’t be… that lying snake! She hissed as she took off. Her suddenness made her bump into a Typhlosion, a Hisuian kind who wore a feather hat. He didn’t seem to take notice thankfully, busy talking to his Lucario partner who wore a Murkrow hat.

Everything seemed to speed up now, and all her careful care was gone. It didn’t even feel like a minute had passed before she was booting open the dorm door, panting. Pola was the only one there, and flinched upon Kayla’s entry.

“Yeesh, don’t scare me like- yo, you look like you saw some shit. You okay?” Pola slid off her bed.

Kayla caught her breath before she came in and scanned the room. “Where the heck is Kari? Has she been in here?”

“Last I saw her, she was gonna go meet Paris. Why, somethin’ come up?” Pola cocked her head.

I’m too late… Kayla looked away. “You didn’t see them or anything? Or what was she like?”

“She was fine, as excited as you expected her to be. Way shyer and jittery than ever, but she’ll be fine. She’s got this, if you’re worried,” Pola winked at her. Kayla’s heart sunk. “Aww, you’re worried about her, aren’t ya?”

“… Paris is with another girl,” she muttered.

“Huh?”

“Paris. Is with. Another girl,” she stated aloud this time.

“You serious? Like, full on date? You sure this ain’t some misunderstanding?” Pola leaned forward in concern.

“I couldn’t even see her at the hall. And you know she’d stick out with her fit,” Kayla sighed.

“… Fucking slimeball. I should’ve known it was too good to be true. But after everything we did,” Pola palmed her face. “For fuck’s sake, first Shannon, now Paris? Can something go right this week?”

It took a moment for what she just said to click. “Wait yeah, what’re you doing back here? Weren’t you going with Shannon?”

“Ahah… heh… uh, yeah,” Pola started tugging at her weave. “Long story. Don’t ask Shannon about it, either. I-it’s nothin’ for you to worry about.”

Kayla sighed and twisted back and forth. “I will talk to you about this.”

“Piss off. I don’t need your pity,” she grumbled.

“It’s not pity. Look just- you’re the last Pokémon I expect to be moping around here on a night like this. After the way you hyped it up, prom night is the last place you’re meant to be sad.”

Pola turned away, but she didn’t reply.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, alright?” Kayla sighed again, and bolted off.

A little thought into it, and Kayla knew where the Furret was likely to be. To her, this situation didn’t require much thought. Or rather, for what she needed to do, it was better that she didn’t think about it. First things first: a stop upstairs.

C’mon c’mon, please be in, Kayla’s angst snuck up on her as she kicked the door to knock. She noticed her slightly panicked breaths and froze, forcing herself to take a deep breath in, and then a slow exhale. So much for not thinking about it. Get it together, Muffin. You’re better than this.

She calmed down so well that the sound of a latch being undone made her jump. Mrs. Corrin peeked out before opening the door wide. “Oh my, what a surprise, huh? Hello Kayla!”

Kayla spoke quickly. “Corrin, thank goodness. Is Grey here? You girls still have that dress, don’t you?”

“Come in, come in. Of course we do,” the Leavanny ushered her in politely.

“Well well. Congrats, Kayla. You just won me a beefy gamble,” Grey snickered, putting out a cigarette.

“Sorry, no time. It’s an emergency,” Kayla warned.

“I understand. I almost thought I’d lost. Prom’s already started and all,” Grey replied as she shuffled between coatracks. “Over here you shrivelled old bug! Help me out already.”

“I knew betting on this was a bad idea. Now I’m never gonna hear the end of it, huh?” Corrin rolled her eyes as she went over to help. The duo disappeared behind their materials and racks, but she could hear their muffled voices bantering with each other.

“You see, I knew you’d be back,” Grey stated as she finally wheeled the rack with her dress on it. “I’m guessing someone saw what I saw in you at the last minute? You really are a pretty woman, you know.”

“… Something like that,” Kayla turned away. “It’s more like, I owe someone something. No… I ought to do something for someone. Ugh, that still sounds—”

“You don’t have to justify yourself to enjoy something, especially if it ain’t hurting anyone,” Grey stated, silencing her. Her and Corrin helped Kayla to put it on, making sure it was tight enough that she wouldn’t need to adjust it later. “Whatever your reason, you’re going to prom in the dress I made for you. In the most self-centred way, I’m happy. So do as you will.”

“Grey…” Kayla mouthed.

“That’s all there is to it. Now hurry up and go before my smoke gets on it,” Grey brushed her off to return to her seat. Kayla blinked in disbelief, prompting Corrin to tap her.

“Go on, what’re you waiting for, huh? Go get ‘em, little hero!” the Leavanny pumped her hands.

Kayla smiled briefly, but she still couldn’t believe it. “Th-thanks.”

The duo waved at her, so she took a couple nervous steps back before turning to leave. They still didn’t say anything, much to her surprise.

Now for the big one. Back downstairs and continuing past the dorms towards Ashe’s nursery. Here was dim and dark, but the door to the nursery hall was open slightly, with small light coming from within. Kayla slowed as she neared, and took a deep breath. She didn’t need to psyche herself up for this, yet she couldn’t help it. She could fight wanted terrorists, or throw herself into mystery dungeons with all manner of demons and tales of death without a second of worry, and survive while gloating about how cool she was. This should be child’s play by comparison.

No… this and that requires a different kind of strength.

The moment she stepped in, a conversation stopped. There was no one in the room besides Ashe and Kari, whom was in her Pecha dress as expected. Kari was slumped by Ashe, but perked upon noticing Kayla come in. Kayla locked eyes with the Furret, and instantly knew what to do. All that angst her chest was conjuring vanished.

“Kayla…” Kari muttered. The Buneary smiled wide but didn’t move, so she glanced at Ashe for help, who simply nodded in response. “Wh-what you doing here?”

“That’s my line. But you don’t have to answer,” Kayla said calmly.

“I- we, I’m here because—”

“Shh. You don’t have to say anything,” She giggled and skipped over, stopping as if to present her paw to Kari. “C’mon, the night’s still young.”

“But…” Kari mouthed. She turned away, but Ashe was in her sight. The Jigglypuff let her go and nodded again. Turning back to Kayla, she opened her mouth to speak, but the words didn’t seem to come.

“Hee hee, still nervous? After all that practice?” Kayla teased. She edged a little closer, but Kari still didn’t take it.

“Go on. I think Kayla wants to go with you,” Ashe finally gave her a little shove.

“B-but… but we… you said you really didn’t wanna go, and you don’t have a date, and I… Paris is…” Kari squeaked, going bright red. “A-and we-we’re both girls!”

“Kari,” Kayla said in an eager tone, and the Furret clammed up. “C’mon, let’s just have a good time!”

“I think it’s a wonderful idea. Like I was saying, some Pokémon just go with their friends and teams. You have a wonderful time, okay?” Ashe gave her the softest pat on the side.

“If that’s really okay… b-but without Paris… and he’s there, and we’re terrible dancers, and—”

Kayla unrolled her ear so that it covered Kari’s mouth. “And that’s why we practiced.”

“But we—”

“Shh. Let’s. Just. Have a good time,” Kayla had a half-lidded smirk this time. With a gulp, Kari finally accepted Kayla’s paw. “That’s more like it. Now see if you can keep up with me!”

“Keep up with uwaa!”

Kayla put her new training into practice right away. All she needed to know was her partner’s grip on her was good and strong, and she sprinted off with Quick Attack. Amazingly, Kari only stumbled once and squeaked in surprise, and then she was allowing herself to be pulled along, one paw keeping a hold of Kayla’s while the other held her dress. The hallways still had a fair share of Pokémon lingering about, but most of them saw the couple coming and moved to the walls to let them speed past.

Just like that, they were skidding to a stop in middle of the prom hall. Warm lighting surrounded by heartwarming vibes made up this world. There were obviously other Pokémon around to give those vibes, but Kayla couldn’t see them. It was just her, Kari, and the music. She found herself giggling and swaying. Her thoughts weren’t going anywhere, but they weren’t coherent either.

“Kayla,” Kari whined quietly again. With both paws gripped this time, Kayla twirled with all her might, twirling the Furret off the ground before leaning back to bring her in close. Their eyes met and noses touched, making the Furret breathe in sharply.

But Kayla wasn’t deterred at all. The only thing she could think of was how funny and adorable Kari was right now, staring back with those glistening, adoring eyes of hers. This was the closest she’d been to Kari for fun reasons, and she didn’t hate it one bit. It was only a brief touch of their faces, and yet, contrary to the Furret’s usual roughhousing speed, she felt soft, pampered, careful and lustrous like herself. They could nuzzle and it’d probably feel good, but Kari probably wasn’t ready for that affection right this minute. Somehow, Kayla had managed to one-up Kari in this whole brevity ordeal, even though her mind told her she should hate it. If anything, it was the opposite. She wanted to go further. If her hands could ever work, now was the best time.

“You’re not gonna let me get the better of you, are you?” Kayla said quietly, half-lidded. Kari gulped and couldn’t stop blushing, but she obliged, posing with her to start their routine, just as they had practiced. “You’re so quiet.”

“I’m worried,” Kari replied as they began to one-two step side to side.

“About what?”

“You know what!” she gasped.

“I dunno about you,” Kayla went quiet, and shut her eyes. “I’m in my own little world. One I could only dream of.”

“One you can only dream of…” Kari muttered.

“I don’t get to control worlds like these. So when one makes me this happy, I’m sure as hell gonna take advantage of it,” she slowly opened her eyes again.

There was a really long pause, and Kari even let go of Kayla’s paws. It didn’t worry her at all, the Buneary continued to twirl around her, dancing in her own little freestyle. It ended with her tripping up and falling into Kari’s paws again. In Kari’s case, it was instinct that caught her safely.

“… I’m still not used to wearing a dress,” Kayla giggled, looking up at her upside-down. “Funny too, I could’ve sworn Grey said they made it short enough that I wouldn’t trip.”

At long last, Kari cracked a snicker, but held it in with puffed cheeks. “You and me both, huh?”

Holding one paw, she pulled Kayla to her feet and twirled her around, then leaned her back, leaning over her so they were face to face. “And you’re a really weird Buneary, too!”

“I feel like I’ve heard that one before,” Kayla went half-lidded again.

“It’s ‘cos you’re not dancing like a Buneary,” Kari giggled, pulling her back up.

“Boing, boing?” Kayla cocked her head.

“Stop, that’s just cringe!” she laughed.

“You’re the one who said it!” Kayla spun on her own this time. Kari stopped her quickly.

“’Cos it is weird!” she laughed even harder. She let go again, only to clutch her stomach as she couldn’t stop herself. “It is weird. This whole thing’s weird! What am I even doin’, huh?”

“I dunno, you tell me!” Kayla gasped in surprise. Kari was laughing so much she doubled over. “You okay?”

Her answer was a surprise attack. Kari’s tail somehow got underneath her, making Kayla squeak as she was flicked up high. Still laughing, Kari spun to her feet and then caught Kayla on her back. “Okay as can be! I’m better than okay!”

“A-ah… o-okay, there’s the Kari I know,” Kayla shuddered, wary of falling off. Kari had her paws wrapped around her back however, keeping her safe.

“Outdo me on the dance floor? You? When I’ve been practicing so hard?” Kari gave her an eager, half-lidded grin.

“Ho? So you accept the challenge?” Kayla went back to her own sly grin.

“You are so on!” Kari cheered, she tossed Kayla up again, sprinted in a circle, then locked paws with her, both of them with a competitive look. “Let’s get crazy!”