Episode 4: Hidden Messages

“A party? J-just for me?” Kayla gasped. “Do you do this for every new student?”

“Every one we can! What’s a better way to make a new friend and get welcomed?” Kari said as she tugged Kayla over. “You can’t name one!”

“Th-this just seems a bit excessive, it’s only me,” Kayla snickered. Her eyes went straight to the food, spotting all kinds of party dishes spread across the now central table. It wasn’t the sweets she was drawn to; it was the plates of carrots, veggies and berries she recognised. They had everything, even Jaboca and Rawst berries, of which there didn’t seem to be many. The fact that they had those berries at all instantly made this party a win. “I guess if I can help myself…”

“And what do we have here, hmm?” a familiar, gruff voice made her freeze. Heavy steps were approaching from behind, so she slowly spun around, and there he was.

“Headmaster Gema! You’re just in time!” Kari cheered.

“H-Headmaster!” Mesprit and Azelf gasped.

“Gema,” Uxie said quietly but happily.

That’s really him, Kayla whispered in her mind as she stood straight and proper.

The Tyranitar had an entirely different appeal to what he had over hologram. That large glass eye was real and hard to take her eyes off of. His arms appeared to be larger than average, mostly because of his bulging muscle mass – not that Tyranitar wasn’t already a sturdy looking Pokémon. Gema was able to tuck his arms behind his back, which let his equally bulky build stick out. He was just… muscley. The green hide of a Tyranitar seemed to be extra hard or swollen or something. There were dark holes beside the blue section of his front, and within those dark holes were dim red markings, almost like eyes.

The thing that caught her most off-guard however: Headmaster Gema was huge. A Tyranitar was naturally far bigger than Buneary; Kayla knew that, and yet seeing it in person paralysed her. He was friendly over the hologram, so why was he so intimidating here? He didn’t even look like he could threaten anyone right now, and yet something about this giant presence that towered over every Pokémon in the room put pressure on her. A pressure that silenced her, that made her avoid acting up out of respect. Simply being in his presence felt like she was being crushed by some invisible energy. She could almost cry.

“Ah, Miss Noel and young Master Brunswick! I overheard a few rambles about the Twinight Woods calming down, but to think that you would take advantage and make it here already. You shouldn’t have!” The Tyranitar bowed to them. “Well now. With the ability to withstand such a dangerous scenario, do you even need the teachings of this academy?”

“O-oh, uh-I-we—” Kayla shifted back.

“Wahahahaha! I jest, my dear students. I am impressed, truly, beyond impressed!” Gema stood tall and gestured to ruffle Kayla’s head, but he didn’t touch her. “Whatever transpired, I will make a point to have you promise me you will not act reckless too often. It would not do to have students getting themselves hurt for measly returns.”

“It was fine headmaster; she was with me the whole time. I took good care of her!” Kari bounced up to his head cheerfully.

The one who got me into this mess, got confused in battle and fainted? Sure, I’ll let you have it, Kayla rolled her eyes.

“Oh Kari, of course you were the first to greet our newest. And to have you all jump straight into the welcoming ceremony… at the rate you all cover my roles, I may be able to retire early,” Gema replied, laughing to himself again.

He seems earnest enough, so why do I feel so…? Kayla hung her head.

“We live in a world separate from the world normal Pokémon want us to live. Our own worlds, where each of us have specific needs that both hinder us from their normal tasks, yet excel in ways one cannot imagine. For Pokémon who live in those worlds but aspire to champion the normal world and make fulfilment out of their lives… that is RSE Academy, where all kinds of Pokémon, regardless of gender, species, or powers, can train to achieve their dreams with flying colours,” Gema spoke, and raised a fist high. He smiled warmly at Kayla, who managed to smile back. “Every single day, you Pokémon make me proud that we put together this establishment, and that it can continue to grow to this day, acting as a beacon of hope for the many Pokémon born just like us. Young Master Kayla Brunswick! It is truly an honour to have you amongst our ranks.”

“Thank you…” she whispered. He has a heck of a way with words.

“Do you pledge to do your utmost to challenge the world every day, with a smile and the greatest of your abilities?” Gema asked.

“Yeah,” she nodded.

“And do you pledge to keep order within the adaptive society that is life at RSE Academy?” Gema continued.

Kayla gulped this time. “Yeah.”

“And do you pledge to treat all with respect, regardless of origins, abilities, or species?” Gema said this the loudest.

“I do that anyway,” Kayla grinned. The was a pause, so she stood straight and proper. “I mean- yeah!”

“Then I hereby declare you officially a student of RSE Academy. May you find your path in life and prosper with true greatness the world has ever seen,” Gema announced. He raised his head high as he inhaled, and then blew softly as if he were blowing a dandelion to release a Dragon Pulse attack. The energy came out of his mouth as blue dust surrounded by swirling embers. Kayla was surprised, but the attack fizzled into glitter by the time it reached her. It felt a little tingly as it made her body shimmer for a moment. “It is late now, and everyone here must be hungry.”

“Oh you have no idea!” she groaned hoarsely.

“Kayla, please!” Mum hissed. “At least wait until the procedures are over.”

“Fancy smancy proceedings can wait! My stomach’s gonna eat itself if I don’t put food in it!” she cried and stomped.

“Honestly, I taught you better than this. Why are you behaving like this now?” Mum palmed her face.

“Heh, then I will take you through the proper procedures tomorrow. For tonight, food is on the house. Kari, I trust you will take care of Kayla since you know one another already? I’ll have a member of staff collect you once everything is ready for your stay,” Gema instructed with a happy nod. “And worry not, Miss Noel! In this school and under these conditions, we don’t penalize for unreasonable things like having table manners or bowing to royalty. Besides, who wants that at a party?”

“You’ve got that right!” Mesprit cheered. “Go ahead everyone, we can’t party on an empty stomach. dig in!”

Somehow the pressure from Gema’s presence had vanished, likely because Kayla wasn’t the first to dive for the food. The hall instantly broke into positive cheer and excited chatter. A quick glance left and right spotted teams bumping glasses of drink or firing attacks in celebration, so she nodded to herself and got right to it the way only Kayla could. She hopped directly onto the table itself and then stomped the corner of a plate of sliced carrots, flinging them high into the air. There were gasps behind her, but she didn’t pay it any mind and caught all of them in her mouth perfectly.

“Oooh, you’re one of those, huh?” Kari gave her a half-lidded grin.

“Hmmbl?” Kayla replied. Her cheeks were triple their normal size. She didn’t care how she appeared, having a mouth full of carrot was the world’s biggest relief right now. Those Jaboca berries were next. None of the bitter food would survive with Kayla around.

“A head start won’t save you from my wrath!” Kari cheered, stuffing her face with a plate of Oran berries. Now her cheeks were triple size, but that didn’t stop her from reaching for a plate of fries to stuff those in, too. Somehow the Furret was managing it all, chewing and consuming like a machine.

“You’d win an eating contest, you’re the bigger, evolved Pokémon!” Kayla cried. Even so, she hopped across the table and flipped up another plate, catching everything in her mouth once again.

“This isn’t really happening,” Mum palmed her face as she slithered away.

“Let the girl have some fun. A little food indulgence never hurt anybody,” Azelf commented.

“A ‘little’ indulgence?” the Hatterene slumped. “Look at them, they’re acting like—”

“Children?” Uxie smiled, even though she wasn’t looking at Hatterene.

“Tsk- she’s seventeen! She shouldn’t be— Ugh, forget it. I need to talk to you anyway, Headmaster Gema,” Mum waved it off.

“Oh? My ears are open,” he grinned. She remained slumped as she pointed toward the exit. “… I see. Very well then. If you’ll excuse me, vice teachers.”

“Don’t miss out on all the fun. I’m not saving you any mud mustard!” Azelf teased.

“Remind me why you like that stuff again? Only Pokémon who eat rocks are meant to like it,” Mesprit spat.

“Don’t knock it ‘till you try it,” Azelf replied smugly.

Beaurette directed Gema back through the academy halls all the way until they were outside again. You couldn’t hear a thing out here besides a bit of heavy wind, nor see the lights of the party. Even so, Beaurette made sure the main gate was shut before saying anything.

“I’m having second thoughts about this,” she began, looking at the floor.

“What transpired today is part of our agreement. We just happened to have gotten started earlier than usual thanks to Kayla’s own eagerness,” Gema replied. He wandered further out into the field, and she nervously followed. “Do not forget what all this is for. I need you to be as committed to this as the rest of the staff.”

“There were developments during our journey here. Kayla is a smarter girl than I ever anticipated. She’s not the one we’re looking for,” Beaurette became desperate.

“Regardless, she is a student here, and we will raise her into someone who will help to change this world. Just like all the other Pokémon here, she will be an important part of RSE and Isnomia’s future,” Gema explained, turning to face her. “Even if you change your mind now, we have a legal contract. We’ve been through this.”

“I’m telling you; things aren’t going to go the way you think they will. We’re wrong about this whole thing,” Beaurette’s desperation grew.

“Why are you so antagonistic about this?” Gema replied, turning his back again. He looked out over the horizon where the Twinight Woods were. Beaurette hesitantly joined him with a weak sigh. “Once you leave this region, the cruel world of Isnomia awaits. You and I are some of the luckiest Pokémon in existence in that we were able to survive. Every other extraordinary Pokémon either dies or makes their way here.”

Beaurette pondered her words carefully, but nothing came. Nothing besides a miserable frown and the curling of her nails.

“We’re going to change the whole world. We’re going to build the Isnomia of our dreams. You, me, the vice teachers… a world where Pokémon of all kinds, even those whose powers stop them from being Pokémon, can have fulfilling futures,” Gema preached. He slowly turned to Beaurette. “I know you love your daughter dearly, but you have to trust us that we will not let anything happen to her.”

“I think you know exactly what I’m talking about, but you’re refusing to cooperate even though it’s just us two. The world you want to make and the way you’re going about it… Pokémon are going to get hurt. The gods blessed me with a loving daughter even though I can’t have eggs of my own. I don’t want my only daughter getting hurt thanks to your deranged ideologies,” Beaurette thrust a claw at his chest, and this time, she made sure she prodded him hard enough that he stepped back. “The kind of thing you want to do – Pokémon are not gods. You’re not a god and you never will be. You can’t change this world, Gema!”

“You have seen the kind of power I am capable of!” Gema snapped. The pupil in his left eye began to glow red, paralysing her to the spot. “You are allowing fear of the unknown to control you. Pokémon may not be gods, but our beliefs, our willpower, our expanse of knowledge, our imagination is endless. Through that alone, we can get pretty close to the powers of gods, perhaps even greater… even if the entire world turned on me, I would embrace it for my goal. I will change this world’s unjust ways and create a future for extraordinary Pokémon.”

“And what will you do? Wipe out everyone who stands in your way? Even if they’re other extraordinary Pokémon?” she challenged him this time. It must have worked as there was a pause, followed by Gema’s eye dimming back to normal.

“Why… why do you oppose me out of this fear? Don’t you believe that the world can be changed?” he eventually replied, laying a hand on his chest. “It starts with us, the team at RSE.”

Beaurette sighed. “The only way a fool like you would ever change their mind is if something happens. You’ll drag every last one of those Pokémon into hell and still come out promising them something you can’t do.”

“You don’t want to help us anymore?” Gema asked.

“I’m going to watch you the way only a psychic Pokémon can. I don’t care if your powers reach the level of a god or not,” Beaurette announced. She gave him the sharpest of glares, enough to cut a diamond clean in two. “If something happens to Kayla because of you, not even Arceus will be able to save you from what I’ll do to you.”

Gema didn’t change stance, but she knew she’d gotten through to him. That was just Hatterene things, the ability to threaten even a dark type Pokémon and know you’d won. With her warning embedded in him, she began to make her way back towards the Twinight Woods.

“You’re leaving? Without even saying goodbye to Kayla?” he asked. She stopped, but she still didn’t turn around.

“It’s like they said. Once we got here, Kayla became your responsibility,” she huffed quietly.

…

“Fwaaa, we get proper beds!” Kayla cheered as she threw herself back on a feathery mattress.

“Of course you do. What were you expecting?” replied a red-furred Audino. Only the tips of the fur on her head and ears were red, while her overall coat was scruffier than usual Audino. “RSE has money, so beds are the bare minimum for an unranked group.”

“The minimum? We can get better?” Kayla instantly sat up.

“… Did Gema not explain anything to you? He’s usually so excited to ramble on about stuff… whatever. It’s late, so I’ll explain it later,” Audino sighed as she adjusted her glasses. “For now, just uh, don’t dawdle and get some sleep alright? You’ll want definitely want to be up tomorrow. A-at a reasonable time, I mean. And Kari?”

There was quiet until both Kayla and Audino looked to the bed opposite. Kari had eaten so much she was no longer noodle-shaped. There was a light burp and a groan as a response, to which Kayla giggled while Audino shook her head.

“Never mind. Just don’t be late for morning briefing tomorrow. It’s about an hour after sunrise, got it?” Audino informed.

“I’ve got it, Miss…?” Kayla replied.

“Miss… oh, right. Don’t call me Miss, just call me Moby. I-I’m a student teacher here. So we could end up doing similar classes, or I could teach you… depends where you end up. I-I’ll see you tomorrow either way,” the red Audino waved and left. The door slid shut, and soon, quiet fell. Quiet besides Kari’s mumblings.

“You okay there?” Kayla teased, half-lidded.

“I think my tummy wants to tell me off for mixing milk and juice…” Kari groaned.

“Yeah… you’re not supposed to do that,” Kayla giggled. She’d overeaten too, but in her case it was just a visibly full belly rather than turning into a Furret-coloured Snorlax. She rolled on her side to scan the room properly, spotting a lock on the door, a huge cupboard along one wall, and another sliding door opposite. The window was opposite the exit, a huge window that could slide shut and had its own curtain.

This room was as cosy as her own bedroom. Spacious, a large mat in the centre, and a gold wood theme across the beds and walls. It was lit by an orb that hung from the ceiling, while a familiar small pinboard sat on the wall beside the exit. It was a smaller version of the pseudo wooden pinboard she found back in Repose Town.

“Oh wow, does this room have power?” Kayla muttered as she got up to confirm. A tap with her ear put the board in her control; it was indeed an electronic board. This one seemed to be an academy app that controlled things like the lights and locks in the room, while having its own message bulletin board. “What’s this about water?”

“It’s our water bill and status. Yeah, try not to muck about with the washroom,” Kari replied. Suddenly she sounded as chirpy as ever.

“Water bill- wait, that’s a restroom? We get our own restrooms?” Kayla’s eyes widened. Kari cocked her head cutely. “I just wasn’t expecting something so fancy. There’s loads of Pokémon here, how can they provide so much for everyone?”

“Washrooms are fancy? That’s a funny one I haven’t heard before,” Kari stifled a giggle with her paw.

“Eheh, well, sorta, I guess…” Kayla mumbled.

“It’s because everyone pays for their stuff. Tonight was free ‘cos it was a party, but normally you have to pay for your food at the cafeteria, or learn how to cook or hunt or whatever it is you gotta do. That’s why I ate so much too, gotta get it good while you can!”

Kayla wandered over to check out the washroom. “Wish I’d hidden some berries in my fluff now.”

“You can do that? Don’t they go bad?” Kari got excited.

“I guess? Not really? If I get dirty or I leave ‘em there for too long. But my stomach’s kinda strong, so I’ve never gotten sick from eating leftover berries,” Kayla replied idly. The washroom had everything she’d need and then some, even a bathtub and a shower system. She would be able to use it, even with her conditions. “And everyone has rooms this useful?”

“They’re not all this big. I guess they pair roommates up based on their species or extraordinary needs,” Kari popped up beside her, making her flinch. “Speaking of, what’s with the way you ate? You put your mouth to the plate like a quadruped Pokémon; it was really funny!”

Kayla took in a breath and faced the floor. It’s pretty set in stone we’re roommates. Now’s a time better than any.

“Yeah… about that… I haven’t told you my extraordinary power because I dunno what it is yet,” Kayla began. Kari went quiet. “All I know is I can’t really use my paws. Arms, too.”

“Your… arms? They don’t work?” Kari asked. She was prodding her paws together now.

“It’s weird to explain. It’s not that they don’t work, it’s like… I can’t feel them? Me trying to do stuff with my paws takes so much work that I don’t bother. They’re there and I can move them, but I can barely feel them. I’m so slow and imprecise with my paws that I might as well not have them,” Kayla explained. She lifted a paw to emphasize her point to herself. She could barely close her fist. “The doctors said I have the ability Klutz, but Mum found out it’s more than that. I’ve been bruised, cut, had my arm bleeding before and never noticed because I don’t feel anything there.”

Kari was dumbfounded. She slowly walked over while uttering and gawking, and hovered a paw over Kayla’s. The Buneary smiled and nodded, letting Kari take a paw into both of hers. There was clearly an effort to be delicate and play around with it, but Kayla didn’t react at all.

“You really can’t feel this? Anything at all? What if I squeeze you super hard?” she did just that, yet Kayla didn’t react.

“If you’re squeezing me, then yep, I got nothing,” Kayla said.

Kari gasped and backed away. “I… I’m so sorry, I…”

“Sorry? What for?” Kayla giggled.

“I sorta just… I never noticed or thought about it. I-I made a joke and laughed and didn’t really help you out with stuff,” Kari started playing with her fur.

“You’re fine, it’s cool, right? I can use this bathroom just fine, and there’s always facilities for Pokémon without arms. Especially here,” Kayla smiled. “Just keep helping me out for the first few days, okay?”

“Of course! You don’t have to ask me!” Kari chirped up again. “If we’re gonna be roommates, then we’re gonna be the best of friends! We’ve just gotta!”

“I’m counting on you,” Kayla agreed with a nod. “Soo… you gonna tell me your extraordinary power now, too?”

“Urk! I-er, eheh, ehee hee… er—”

“C’mon, I told you mine. That was the agreement, right?” Kayla threw herself back into bed. Kari was still flustered, but this time her face was turning red.

“P-promise not to get all weirded out?” she requested.

“I’m a Buneary. I’ve had no shortage of weird comments I wish I’d never heard,” Kayla went half-lidded.

“That doesn’t help!”

“I’m not gonna freak out. I promise,” she calmed down.

Kari was still apprehensive. There was all manner of nervous gestures now. She couldn’t even look at Kayla properly, and then started squirming and groaning while rubbing her belly. “U-urk. Urp, be right back!”

“Kari?” Kayla sat up, but she was already gone, darted into the bathroom. O-oh. There’s that milk and juice, I guess. Yuck.

She lay back and rolled her ears down so that she couldn’t hear. A good thing about Buneary ears and their rolled muffin shape was how fluffy they were. It was like having a pair of earmuffs you could put on and take off all the time. Not only were they warm, but they actually worked in dulling out noise. Like this, she could lay back and let the quiet warmth of the room lull her to sleep. The last question weighing on her mind was the fact that she was in a bunk bed.

There was another roommate for her to meet, but they weren’t here right now. So far she’d met interesting and cool Pokémon who she knew she’d get along with. Kari hadn’t said anything, so this third roommate must have been special.

Kayla grinned as her imagination pulled her to sleep. It could be any Pokémon. Even a legendary was in the realm of possibility. They could have any manner of cool or special powers too, or just an awesome way of doing stuff like herself. Even though Kari refused to reveal her extraordinary power, she knew that that power had something to do with size. That giant Furret that protected her from Orbeetle’s Psybeam was not a figment of her imagination. And in a way, the fact that Kari was able to eat as much as she did probably helped to give it away. Maybe she really was a Snorlax in the body of a Furret, or she was literally always hungry, or perhaps her body was some sort of rubber inflatable… nah, she rode on Kari’s back. That last one couldn’t be true – Kari’s fluffy fur was real.

“Who’s there?” a familiar voice cried out.

Kayla gasped and got up. The bedroom was as dark as night. Moonlight shone through the window in a single, perfectly square shaped ray.

“Help me!” the voice called out, clear as day. This was even though Kayla still had her ears rolled up. She flew out of bed and over to the window.

“What the?” she whispered. Outside wasn’t the fields of the academy grounds. It was a storming ocean of cataclysmic waves, one of which crashed against the window with so much force the entire room quaked. Kayla squeaked and flew back, but somehow, the window held. Her breath became frantic as she braced for the worst, though nothing happened. The room was withstanding those mighty waves from outside somehow.

“You can’t do it the way you are now, but you have to hurry. I don’t have much time,” the voice cried.

“Wait a minute, what’s going on? Kari, can you—” Kayla said, glancing around the bedroom. Kari wasn’t there. “Jirachi, is that you?”

“Wow, you remembered my name,” Jirachi replied. Their voice echoed through the room as if they were speaking through the ceiling. “Hurry. You must find me. You can’t do it from where you are now, but you must. Use your powers and find me!”

“What do you mean? I dunno my powers. What’s even going on? How do I find you?” Kayla asked, glancing around.

She snapped back to the window when the sound of cracks and creaks started. Her eyes widened as pinhole leaks came through. She gasped and barely had a second to brace as the entire wall broke away and the water rushed in, flooding the room in a flash. Kayla was punched by a forceful chill so hard she crashed against the back wall and choked. That hit alone felt like it shattered several bones, all the while water forced its way into her lungs. Her mouth and chest felt like they burst into flames, and all she could do was gurgle a helpless scream.