“”YYYYYYYEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!””

                                  “”BBBOOOOOOOOOOO!!””

          

As Jennifer had expected this; that the crowd would end up divided between those that thought the scoring was fair, and those that Aria had been cheated.

I’d understand why they’d be upset more, if Aria scored badly. But this scoring?! This is an amazing score! Jennifer questioned the audience’s anger this time around.

        

“Hmm as expected.” May mumbled off to the side of her.

“As expected?!” Jennifer exclaimed in shock at her friend’s response. “How was that expected?”

“It had to do with the fact that, while she did a fantastic routine, her execution of it was a little sloppy, plus the fact that she didn’t do a full routine in the show, played a huge factor in those last couple points she could have gotten.”

“A full routine?”

May nodded at Jennifer’s question.

“Yeah, I think this is a six move max routine set contest.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It means, that they are competing for the best routine in show, rather than doing their routines all at the same time, and trying to impress the judges while all competing at the same time: the move set limits, also determine how many moves you are allowed to do in a single set routine.” May explained.

“So the max moves is six here?”

“Six today,” May add. “I’ve been to one where they did as many as ten, but usually it’s about six or eight.”

“Ten moves?! The Pokémon must be exhausted by the end of that!”

May chuckled at Jennifer’s assumption.

“Sometimes, but that is if they go for the full ten moves at those contest. And usually ten move routine contests, are usually held for newcomers and first timers. They’re not usually done on a professional stage.”

“Ohhh… I see.” Jennifer said ponderously. “Is that because they’re mostly judging the newbies on techniques and style, rather than the amount of moves?”

May nodded again.

“That’s right, they also usually allow a two move minimum and a ten move maximum.” She then smiled up at her friend after explaining this. “This is why actual competitions have a four move set limit.”

“Wow! So they go as low as four?”

“No. In ribbon contests, you must have a routine of four; no more, no less.”

“Geez!” Jennifer groused as she heard this. “This is getting complicated!”

        

May chuckled at her friend’s bewilderment.

“It’s not that bad.” May assured Jennifer. “I have a book at home I can lend you that teaches you all you need to know about contests: it even has some tips on what moves judges generally like to see, and which pair well with each other.”

Jennifer smiled at her friend in thanks.

“I would appreciate that.” She told May. “It will allow me brush up on things for the next time we go, maybe I won’t pester you with questions so much then.”

May chuckled.

“I don’t mind answering your question. I’m just glad you’re enjoying yourself and that you seem to like this.”

“Like it! I love it!” Jennifer exclaimed before looking down at her Pokémon. “Right Ralts?”

“Ralts alts!” She said in agreement.

Jennifer smiled back over at May.

“See?! We’re thrilled to be here!”

“Ralts!”

      

This got May laughing at her friend’s enthusiasm.

“Alright you two,” May said to them before standing up. “Let’s go grab some snacks.” She told them.

“Snacks? But what about the next routine?” Jennifer inquired.

May then pointed back down at the stage, where attendants and Pokémon personnel were milling about cleaning up the gunk and poison on the arena floor.

“They usually take breaks between routines, which allows the audience to calm down between each round, before every new contestant.” May explained, before adding with a shrug. “And besides, we’re not going to be missing much on this next one.” She told Jennifer before standing up.

“Huh? Why not?” Jennifer asked in confusion as stood up to follow her friend.

                

“I—… I hate to sound like the judgmental expert, that I am… but I can tell by looking at the trainer and her Mudkip, that they won’t do well.”

“Is there something wrong with the Mudkip that you could see?”

May shook her head.

“Not necessarily, it’s not the Mudkip I’m really questioning; it was the trainer I was doubting.”

“How come?” Jennifer asked.

May looked at Jennifer with a side-eyed glance before looked forward again.

“It probably wasn’t obvious to you, but let’s see what you remember: where was Mudkip when they were announced at the beginning?” May asked her in question.

“Where?…” Jennifer then thought back, about where Mudkip was at. “He was in Tiffy’s arms, right?”

May nodded.

“You got it in one,” May congratulated her friend on answering correctly. “Now, why was that the wrong thing to do?”

“Wrong thing to do? Why would that be the wrong thing to do?” Jennifer questioned.

“Ralts!”

“”Hmm?”” The two trainers looked down towards the tiny Pokémon who spoke up.

“Ralts alts Ralts Ralts alts alts.”

May looked at Jennifer in question, who had wide eyes.

“I’m guessing she said something profound.” May stated.

Jennifer nodded.

“I’ll say,” She looked back up at May. “Is it because she was holding the Mudkip at all, and that didn’t allow people to judge or see the Mudkip on full display.” Jennifer translated.

“Ding ding ding!” May made the sound of a bell going off for the correct answer. “You also got it in one! Good job Ralts!” May praised the Pokémon, as she reached down and petted Ralts’s head.

“Ralts~” Ralts cooed in embarrassment at the praise.

                

As Jennifer watched her friend pet her Pokémon, she thought about what May had said and suggested.

“So does that mean that? Tiffy is an amateur or something?”

May nodded her head before answering.

“Yeah, something like that; or that she was nervous, and was using her Pokémon as a shield of sorts: either way, the judges would look at that harshly.”

Jennifer winced at what her friend said.

“So that is why you said we weren’t going to miss much on this next match.” Jennifer pointed out. “Because she is new?”

“Yeah,” May confirmed as she turned to start walking again. “So I thought we would use this opportunity to go get some snacks.” She told Jennifer. “Plus,” She pointed towards the many different screens which lined the halls of the auditorium. “if we don’t make it back in time to watch the next set, we have the screens to watch what’s happening.”

Jennifer nodded at what May suggested.

“Fair enough.”

         

They went then went and picked up popcorn and some drinks, before heading back to their seats.

“See, we haven’t even missed the announcer give her introductions yet—“

       

“#NOW! LET ME WELCOME OUR NEXT CONTESTANT OUT ONTO THE STAGE FLOOR! IT’S TIFFY MEADOWS, AND HER ADORABLE MUDKIP!#”

        

“””YYYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!”””

       

Jennifer looked dubiously at her friend.

“Spoke a little too soon there, huh?”

“……Shut up……” May mumbled. “Come on! Let’s hurry back to our seats!” May said as she then started running back to the arena.

“H-Huh?! Wait! May!” Jennifer called after her friend, while rushing after her departing figure, all while trying to balance holding, a drink, her popcorn, and Pokémon.

               

They had just made it inside the main auditorium, when Tiffy’s routine started.

Jennifer watched as the trainer directed her Pokémon with verbal commands.

        

“Okay Mudkip, use Dig!” Shouted Tiffy.

“Mudkip!”

And at his trainers command, the water Pokémon dug into the ground, and popped out of another hole from farther away from the trainer.

“Alright! Use Water Gun Mudkip!”

“Kip! Mud! Mudkip!”

It then shot a stream of water from it’s mouth, into the hole that he just made, which created a giant spout of water to come flowing out of the ground near his trainer.

“Alright! Now! Use Surf buddy!”

“Mud! Kip!”

The Pokémon immediately dove back into the hole he made, and before the spout of water dissipated, a small blue Pokémon came rushing through the  other side of the hole, right up the stream of water.

      

“Mudkip!” It cheered as it popped out from atop the stream.

“Awesome! Now use your Waterfall!”

“MUD!~ KIIIPPP!~”

        

The Mudkip then shot out a huge amount of water, which it then rode down back towards the falling water spout.

         

*SPLASH*

       

The Mudkip’s rushing water fall and the spout collided and formed a huge splash, that hit the sides of the arena’s walls.

                 

The Mudkip was sent flying and summersaulting across the air, right before landing in his trainer’s arms.

The young woman held up her hand, holding a pose with her first two fingers tuck out in a V-shape.

“TA~DA!~” She cheered.

             

“”WOOOOOOHHOOOOO!””

          

“”YYYEEEEEAAAAHHHHH!!””          “AMAZING JOB TIFFY!”

      

“GREAT GOING MUDKIP!”

                        ““WE LOVE YOU, MUDKIP!””

                  

            

Jennifer noted that, while the young girl’s performance was terrific. It didn’t have that lasting impression that the other two trainers gave during their performance.

It was just………

“Lacking…” Jennifer sighed out loud.

May nodded beside her.

“Glad you can see that,” May commented in praise. “While she did really well, it was nothing spectacular. It was very average for this level of competition, and that will be reflect—“

        

*BEEP*

        *BEEP*

                   *BEEP*

             

“#TWENTY-FOUR POINTS!#” Julia Hale announced.

“—In her final score.” May finished voicing her opinions.

           

“”YYYYYEEEEAAAAAHHHH!!””       “”WWWOOOOHOOO!!””

       “”GO TIFFY!””

         “GREAT JOB, MUDKIP!”

                  

The clapping and applause was very much, more sedated than the previous two competitors.

Jennifer knew, even without reading the girl’s mind. Tiffy was very disappointed: while she waved and smiled as best as she could towards the audience and the crowds in the stands. Jennifer could feel the disappointment radiating off of her.

“GOOD JOB TIFFY! YOU WIN NEXT TIME!” Jennifer shouted to the trainer in consolation. ≈I liked your performance!≈ She sent down into the girl’s mind.

“RALTS ALTS!” Ralts cheered along with her trainer, to encourage the Mudkip.

        

After smiling through her tears and giving a genuine happy wave and a bow of her head. Tiffy Meadows left the arena floor and walked back to the contestant’s area.

          

“#ALLLLLL-RIGHTY PEOPLE! WE ARE HEADING ONTO OUR LAST CONTESTANT OF THE DAY! PLEASE TAKE THIS TIME TO USE FACILITIES AND GRAB ANY LAST MINUTE AMENITIES YOU MIGHT NEED! WHILE WE TAKE OUR TIME, GETTING THE AREAN BACK UP TO USEABLE CONDITIONS! BECAUSE UP NEXT, WILL BE THE REAL SHOWSTOPPER FOR THE DAY FOLKS!#”

The announcer, Julia Hale proclaimed to the audience in attendance.

         

May bounced in her seat, as she turned to look at Jennifer and Ralts.

“So?!” May asked excitedly. “What do you two think about Pokémon contests so far?! Has it captivated the two of you?! Are you interested yet?!” She looked at them with wide excited eyes.

Ralts and Jennifer turned to look at one another, to gage the other reaction to May’s question.

The both shared a smile and a nod with one another.

“I love it! I really do May.” Jennifer told her friend. “It’s been incredible to watch. To see all the trainers work with their Pokémon; to see them do things that aren’t inherently harmful or destructive. It’s just!… *SIGH* …This is what I think Pokémon and trainers should be, you know?” Jennifer tried hard explaining it to May, but just wasn’t sure of the words to use.

May nodded her head.

“Yeah, I understand completely: that’s how I felt, when I realized that I wanted to do Pokémon competitions, instead of battling in Pokémon leagues.” She looked at her friend with a sly smile. “So? I’ll ask again. Has this enticed you to try it?”

       

Jennifer expression turned neutral, before she looked away, back down towards the arena floor.

“Truthfully?… I don’t know… I’m still really confused about everything May. A couple months ago, I would have swore to you, that I would never, ever be caught capturing a Pokémon or become a Pokémon trainer.” Jennifer looked down and smiled at her Pokémon, before stroking her hair. “And if I’m more honest about things, I had always wanted to be a scientist on human biology…… but now?… I still feel the want to explore that; that drive to understand about humans is still there……… but also? I have this want and need, to do something else: I want to go out into the world and explore it; I want to travel together with Ralts, and not decide on my future just yet… and that scares me May… it scares me, because I always knew what I wanted before… and now, I don’t know what I want.” Jennifer explained in a melancholy tone.

May gave her friend a sad smile, before reaching over and laying a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry Jen,” May apologized. “I didn’t mean to make thing harder on you.” She told her.

Jennifer looked at her friend with a bright smile.

“That’s the thing May,” Jennifer began. “You haven’t. If anything, you’ve put it into perspective, that I don’t have to decided on what I want to do, right away. That I still have time to explore my options:” Jennifer’s smiled widened while looking at her best friend. “And I think, I might want to explore being a trainer with Ralts for the time being, rather than studying for a future career, that I’m not really sure about anymore.”

“Oh Jen!~” May sobbed as her friend poured out what was on her mind.

Jennifer shrugged dismissively.

“Oh don’t “Jen,” me!” Jennifer groused. “I’m just saying, that I just became a trainer, and I just got my first Pokémon. So I would hate to start going to school and be distracted, while I thought about other things, like what Ralts and I could be doing.” She shrugged again. “It just makes sense. I’ll probably goto class next week, and resign from professor Cole’s class. He’ll probably be surprised and disappointed, since I haven’t even attended a single one of his classes last semeste when I was supposed to. But I think he might understand, once I explain things.”

“Are you really giving up on that then?” May questioned Jennifer’s decision.

“I’m not sure. But I do know, that I’m not ready to make that kind of set decision yet. I think I still have some exploring I need to do.” Jennifer affirmed.

           

May smiled happily at her friend, before giving her a pat on her back.

“Well! I support you! In anything you do, especially if it’s Pokémon contests, …or even if it’s those weird human classes…” May added at the end.

“Thanks May, that means a—…… What do you mean weird human classes?!” Jennifer asked her friend in outrage at the perceived insult.

“SHH! I think it’s starting!” May said in a hushed tone.

“Don’t you try blowing this off!” Jennifer told May in an equally hushed tone of voice.

      

“#LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!#” Julia Hale shouted out a greeting, drawing the gathered audience’s attention.

“#I GIVE TO YOU, OUR FINAL ACT OF THE SHOW! KEIGO AND ONIX!#”

                                     

“WOOHOO!”

          “GO KEIGO!”

“DO IT ONIX!”

           

Jennifer felt a wave of second hand embarrassment at the pitiful claps and welcomes, that Keigo was receive.

“That is so sad…” Jennifer demurred quietly.

“Hmm? What is?” May questioned.

“Don’t you feel bad for that guy and his Onix? They are barely getting any sort of recognition out there.” Jennifer said with a slump in her chair. “I’d want to die…”

May chuckled at what her friend was saying.

“Yeah,” May said in agreement. “Contests can be pretty scary and fierce; more so than actual battling, I find.”

Jennifer raised an eyebrow May’s words.

“How’s that?”

May shrugged.

“Just think of it: in a battle, no one cares who you are, not really anyways. They’re just there to see a good fight; but here? All eyes are on you, with a select group of judges who critique your every move. Along with an audience, who may or may not, even give you a single fuck! If they don’t like the Pokémon you brought to the competition.”

May turned and smiled at a surprised face Jennifer sitting next to her.

“That’s also why I find contest more amazing,” May explained to her friend. “It can be really harsh, especially if there is a local favorite or a crowd favorite. It sometimes feels like it’s always an uphill battle against impressing, not only the judges, but the audience as well.”

May then pointed towards the arena.

“Now you’re about to see why, I told you Keigo is the one to beat.”

Jennifer turned back, to watch as Keigo started their routine.

         

           

Keigo, without turning, patted his Onix on his side.

“You ready partner?” He asked him.

“OOOORRRRRUUUU.” Onix groaned his readiness.

Keigo nodded his head solemnly.

“Then let’s do this.” Keigo told him.

               

Keigo then threw out his hand and issued an order.

“Go Onix! Rock Throw!”

“Ooorrrr.”

The very large Onix, then dug into the ground with its tail, revealing three large boulders.

Onix then tossed these boulders into the air.

        

““OOOOOOOUUUUUHHHH!”” Oohed and awed at what the Onix had accomplished.

      

Keigo smirked.

“Don’t get to impressed yet.” He then stretched out his hand again, befoee issuing another commanded. “Onix! Use Dig!”

“OOORRRUUU!”

The large Onix, then dug itself very quickly into the ground, until it was completely submerged.

“I-Impressive!”

       “H-How did he disappear that quickly?!”

“Amazing!”

          

Keigo smiled at the easily amused crowd.

“I told you, don’t get to impressed just yet.”

He then pointed up, towards the boulders, that had begun to fall back down.

It was only then, that people realized that there was legitimate danger heading towards Keigo.

        

“K-KYAAA! He’ll be crushed!”

“SOMEONE SAVE HIM!”

             

          

“ONIX! ROCK SMASH!” Keigo instructed.

         

Then a rumbling could be felt and heard through out the arena. Right before Onix reappeared.

        

“OOOOOORRRRRRUUUUUU!”

      

Like a cannonball, shooting from a cannon. Onix revealed himself, by launching straight out of the hole he had dug into, right before soaring into the air.

              

“O-OH MY ARCEUS! IS THAT ONIX?!—“

           “IT’S FLYING!”

          

Onix then flipped over end, bringing his tail down and smashing through one boulder.

“OOOOORRRRROOOOO!”

Then another.

“OOORRRUUU!”

And then finally the last. All before he even started falling back downwards, towards the arena floor.

“Onix!,” Keigo called out. “Body Slam!”

“OOORRRUUUU!”

               

Onix groaned aloud, as he spread out as much of his body as he could while he fell back down towards the arena.

        

          

*KA-BOOM*

        

            

The whole auditorium shook with the impact of Onix’s descent. Dust, dirt and rocks were kicked up by Onix’s crash landing.

     

“KYAA! THE BUILDING IS GOING TO COLLAPSE!”

“T-TAKE COVER!”

     

Everyone in the audience was panicking and shouting. They were all confused by what was happening.

Keigo knew exactly what to do next.

“NOW! SANDSTORM!” He shouted.

“OOOORRRRUU!” Onix grunted in answer, before spinning in place.

He drew all the sand and dirt he had kicked up with his Bodyslam, as he spun in a tight circle. This created a buffeting twister of swirling sand, which took up almost all of the arena.

               

“KYAAA! I CAN’T SEE!”

“WHAT’S HAPPENING?!

      

The audience was whipped into even more of a frenzy, at the loss of their vision on the contestant.

      

“Now Onix! Use Rollout!

“OOOOOOOORRRRROOOOOOOOO!”

          

Onix then curled up into a tight ball, right before he started rolling the opposite way the storm was twisting.

Then, not long after, the storm had ceased, with a giant rolling Rock Serpent Pokémon, rushing around the outside edge of the arena floor, with a trail of dust in his wake.

Onix then sped off, towards his trainer at the center of the ring. He then uncurled at the last possible second, so that his body ended up behind his trainer. While also presenting himself at full mast.

       

“OOOORRRRRUUUU!”

Keigo lifted his fist up into the air, the same time that Onix came to a stop and roared.

               

        

“““”Y—YYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!””””

          

The crowd went wild for the Onix’s display.

The cheered and hollered at the top of their lungs.

“””WE LOVE YOU KEIGO!”””

         “””ONIX!!! YOU ROCK!!!”””

        “”WAY TO GO!!!””

           

        

“#ALL—RIGHTY FOLKS! LET’S HEAR IT FOR KEIGO AND ONIX ONE LAST TIME!#”

      

“”””YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!“”””

          

“#NOW! LET’S GO TO OUR JUDGES AND SEE KEIGO AND ONIX’S SCORES!#”

              

The judges who were sitting behind their panel, were conversing with one another, before they gave their scores.

They then sat back upright in their seats, and started pressing their buttons.

       

*BEEP*

        

“#WE HAVE A NINE!#”

           

*BEEP*

             

“#ANOTHER NINE!#”

             

*BEEP*

              

          

*“”GASP””*

                         

             

“#AND THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS! A TEN!#” Julia Hale announced.

Then Julia Hale spun around on her heels, and pointed over with her free hand to point towards the winner.

        

“#AND THE WINNER OF THIS ALL AROUND POKÉMON ROUTINE CONTEST IS: KEIGO! AND HIS AMAZING ONIX!#”

          

Keigo lifted his fist into the air again, as a sign of victory.

       

“OOOOOORRRRRRROOOOOO!” The Onix cheered.

        

“””KEIGO!!”””

        

“””KEIGO!!”””

        

“””KEIGO!!”””

          

The crowd chanted Keigo’s name as he was declared the winner.

        

Jennifer sat there stunned, not believing what she had seen, or what she was seeing.

“Wow! I just!— How?” She looked towards May. “How did he win? One minute everyone couldn’t care less about, the next! They’re cheering their heads off!”

May chuckled at Jennifer shock.

“It’s because of his Onix.”

“The Onix himself?”

May nodded.

“That’s right,” She pointed towards the Pokémon in question. “See how well polished and taken care of he is? See how his stones just have a glimmer and sheen to them, even after doing their routine? That shows the judges, just how carefully and well Keigo takes care of his Pokémon.” May explained to Jennifer before looking back at her.

“And did you notice how minimal his words and instructions were to Onix? But how Onix knew exactly what to do for their routine? That showed the judges, just how much they practiced; everything they did was accurate and precise.” May told her. “There was not a misstep out of place, or a move used unnecessarily: he also used the maximum number of moves possible, which really help and boosted his final score. The only thing that hurt his final score, is the repeat move.”

“The repeat move? He didn’t use any move twice.” Jennifer pointed out.

May nodded.

“You’re right, he, didn’t.” May told Jennifer. “But Tiffy did.”

“Tiffy?!” Jennifer exclaimed in surprise. “What does she have to do with this?!”

“Mudkip used Dig,” May told her. “Which hurt Keigo’s routine, because it was a previously used move the judges had just witnessed: that is a factor that could end up ruining your chances, especially if the person ahead of you goes first, and you both have similar routines.”

Jennifer’s eyes were wide as she processed what May was saying.

“Jeez! That is so!… harsh!” She ended up saying.

May nodded in agreement.

“It might seem so,” May stated. “But it also is something, to deter people from doing copycat performances.”

“Aahhh…. I see… then I suppose the best thing to do, is have a back up plan, in-case someone goes before you and upstages what you’re going to do, with the same moves you planned on using.” Jennifer concluded.

May nodded in agreement once again.

“That is the smart and sensible thing to do, and is a very practical mindset. But that is not always what you are able to do, especially if you’ve already practiced with your Pokémon for hours on a specific routine, and have already planned to do something.” May looked at her friend in the eyes. “Not everyone is able to communicate with Pokémon like you; some of us have to take a long time to understand our Pokémon and get to know them or their limitations. On top of that: if that happened to a brand new person entering a contest for the first time, it might make them so nervous, that they flounder their performance, before they even begin.”

                

Jennifer looked back down at the contestants, who were waving up at the audience members.

“Damn…… Pokémon contests are no joke…” Jennifer murmured in awe.

Jennifer looked down at Ralts, who was sitting in her lap, staring at the contestants and their Pokémon in awe.

I wonder? Could we even do something like that? Would we even be good enough?… I… I just became a trainer… could I really do something as amazing as those people?

               

                            

————————————————

            

                 

It was about an hour later, and May, Jennifer and Ralts had made it back to Jennifer’s home, after stopping for dinner.

          

“Thanks for driving us home May,” Jennifer told her as she got out of the car.

May smiled at Jennifer.

“Honestly? It was my pleasure Jen, I had a lot of fun today. If anything, I should be thanking you.”

Jennifer laughed.

“Thanking me?! Hahaha! What for?” She questioned May.

May smiled softly at her surrogate little sister.

“Because, I’m so happy I could share with you, something I truly love, and that you enjoyed it as well, little sis.” may reminded her while using her childhood adjective.

Jennifer inhaled sharply at what May said, as it made her eyes sting with unshed tears.

“No May!” Jennifer contradicted. “It was my pleasure! Thank you so much Big-Sis-M, for loving me and caring about me enough, to share this with me:” Jennifer put her hands over her heart. “Truly, this has been a life changing experience for me… thank you May… I couldn’t ask for a better big sister. I love you May.”

May smiled goofily at her Jennifer’s mushiness.

“Aaawwweee! Jen! I love you too!”

May reached over, and Jennifer noticing what she was doing, did the same, as they came together in a sisterly embrace.

“Thanks for always being there for me May. *SNIFF*”

       

May smiled into Jennifer’s shoulder.

“And thank you: for always putting up with me.” May told her in return.

Jennifer laughed and pulled away.

“See you soon then?”

May nodded.

“Yeah, see ya later!”

         

Jennifer watched as her friend sped away in her motorized three wheeled car.  And thought of all the fun they got to have today.

“This was a good day, huh Ralts?” Jennifer asked her Pokémon partner.

Ralts nodded her head, from her position on Jennifer’s shoulder.

“Ralts alts.” She said in agreement.

            

Jennifer smiled at her Pokémon.

“Come on, let’s get inside. I wanted to talk with you about what you thought of the Pokémon contest.”

≈And maybe if it’s something we want to do.≈ Jennifer added in thought.

      

“Of course! It was amazing! I was so excited to see what those Pokémon would do next with their powers and moves! It was spectacular mistress! I was most impressed by what that Onix did and—“

       

They didn’t even get into the house, before Ralts ran on a tangent of what she thought about what they did and saw today.

                

                         

———-TWO WEEKS LATER-———

            

            

Jennifer shouted back into the house.

“I’m off!” She told her dad and Charmeleon, along with the rest of the household.

“Bye Jen!” Her dad called out to her. “Have fun at school!”

“Char Char!”

“Umbre On!”

          

Jennifer then got on her bike, and headed out, towards the university.

      

≈You okay in there Ralts?≈ Jennifer asked her Pokémon. ≈I hate to put you inside that thing, but…”

Jennifer could feel the mental head shake from Ralts.

<It’s fine mistress. It is not as uncomfortable as you might think or fear.> Ralts assured her. <I would not like to be in her for hours or days, but as long as we can communicate like this, I am completely satisfied mistress.>

Jennifer smiled at as she peddled towards town.

She was glad to hear and know that Ralts was okay. She hated that she couldn’t have Ralts out during class, but she also knew that she wasn’t going to be staying her much longer.

We already decided. We’re going to take up May’s offer and travel with her to do competitions; to help us get stronger.

So today, would be her first and last day in class.

Professor Cole is probably going to be really disappointed. But I doubt I’ll be the first to drop out of his class.

I just… I just have to many things I want to try and do now: I’m not going to commit to this line of education, if I’m not sure about it anymore.

         

So Jennifer sped them to their destination, towards the university.

             

          

As Jennifer arrived, she noticed she was one of the first people there.

Damn! I knew human biology research was unpopular now-a-days, but this is a ghost town!

She looked into the room, and only about an eighth of the seats were taken up.

Not even that much! It’s more like a tenth!

       

So she moved towards the seats near the front.

Even professor Cole isn’t here yet. And here I thought I was going to be late.

          

But it’s still fifteen minutes before class, maybe everyone isn’t done trickling in yet?  Jennifer wondered.

          

But, at three minutes before class started, not a single student showed up, besides the ones already here.

        

Damn… makes me feel bad about dropping the class… not enough to not drop it. But just a tad guilty.

          

“Okay people! Get out your books today, we’re going to do a brief overview of everything we’ve gone through up until now.” Professor Cole said from his stand at the front of class.

      

There was a collective groan of despair that came from the other students.

“Don’t blame me, blame the new kid.” Cole announced.

Hey! Don’t single me out like that!  Jennifer thought in protest.

         

“And besides, a lot of you have been falling behind, so it will be good for some of you to be reminded of what we’ve already covered. Maybe it will even help jog your memories on what topic we are currently discussing: especially—“

     

*KA-CHAK*

            

“Ah! Mister Kane… how nice of you to join us today… your late…” Professor Cole said in a bored tone.

“Hahaha! Sorry teach! I was out to late last night, pretty busy with my other research.” A young boy with blond hair told professor Cole.

               

“……Just take your seat Kane……”

       

Then Jennifer felt a presence next to her.

“Umm… not to like, make you move or nothin’ but umm… this is the seat I usually sit in.” The tardy student said next to Jennifer.

“Oh!” Jennifer quickly put her book back into her bag. “Sorry, I didn’t—“

             

“……………………………..”

                       

Jennifer shook where she halfway stood.

         

                   

Greenish-hazel eyes that she knew from a memory, stared smiling down at Jennifer’s sky blue ones.

        

“No! You don’t need to leave or get up, I’m just saying, this is my usual haunt.” He told Jennifer. He then smirked at her before adding. “Actually, if you want. You can have that seat, and I can take the one next to you, this way we can get to know each other.” He suggested before holding out his hand.

“The name is Damien: Damien Kane, nice to meet—“

                 

*SLAP*

          

Jennifer slapped his outstretched hand, and ran away from the classroom, as fast as her leg could carry her.

          

      

A pair of sinister eyes trailed after the departing figure of the young Barakat’s hasty retreat.