Chapter Text
“Muncha! Munch, muncha!” a squeaky cry filled a young girl’s room, startling the room’s occupant out of her concentration as she turned to look over her shoulder.
“Eh? What is it, Skwovie? Is everything okay?” the young girl asked, the letter in front of her on her desk forgotten.
“Munch!” a gray squirrel Pokémon chittered in reply, scurrying around the girl’s bedroom before diving into a pile of pillows and plush Pokémon near the back left of the room, burrowing himself between one resembling a Croagunk and another that looked like a Skwovet, just like him.
“You wanna play hide and seek?” the girl asked. “I dunno if I have time, buddy… I’m heading to school soon!”
“Muncha?” the Skwovet squeaked, peeking his head out from between the stuffed Pokémon.
“Yeah, I know it’s a little weird. First we moved to a brand new place, and now I’m gonna be gone for the academy, and won’t be around. But don’t worry, Mom will keep you company!”
“Munch…”
Warm sunlight filled her still mostly-empty new room, its natural wood floor partially covered by a Zebstrika-patterned black and white rug, and its pale yellow walls filled with a couple recently-installed shelves which she had filled with some of her things, like her books, a Hoppip planter, and her signed music albums. Her walls were also decorated with a map of the Paldea region and some pictures and posters, including ones of the artists Roxie and Piers. Her sporadically-played Nintendo Switch sat on a shelf near her TV on the back of the room, and next to that sat her white wardrobe decorated with some Pokémon stickers featuring an Applin, Drifloon and Hattena. Her desk beneath her window was found on the right side of her room near the foot of her bed, while the far side of her room consisted of her plushie pile and a half-wall and lip that overlooked the house’s entrance hall. A staircase heading downstairs was near the edge of the room for whenever she needed to come and go.
“Now then…” the girl muttered, turning back to her desk. “What was I doing again…? Oh yeah, reading my letter!” she said, looking down.
“Miss Juliana,” the letter started.
“Paldea is a sprawling region bursting with lush nature and magnificent landscapes. It is also, of course, home to the mysterious creatures known to us as Pokémon. They reside here in great numbers, in fact. Pokémon can be found loving all over: in the seas, in the skies—even in our cities and towns. We humans coexist with Pokémon, as we both help one another to live and thrive.
Uva Academy is here to help you learn even more about these precious partners. Within our halls, people from all regions gather to study together. And as Pokémon Trainers, they have their Pokémon do battle, growing alongside them while our robust curriculum of coursework helps our students draw forth their fullest potential. It is within these halls that you will find your friends, your Pokémon, and your true self. We, the faculty and staff at Uva Academy, can’t wait to welcome you with open arms.
Director Clavell
Head of Uva Academy”
“This Director guy sounds nice!” Juliana spoke to herself. “And this Uva Academy place sounds really cool too! It’s supposed to be one of the oldest and best in the world! I heard people can even take their Pokémon to class! This is gonna be really exciting!” she squealed, grabbing the ‘Adventure Guide’ provided by the academy and scanning the ‘Uniform Requirements’ page before further stepping away from her desk and walking up to her mirror in the corner.
“Let’s see if we’re ready…” she murmured, her auburn eyes scanning herself.
“Uniform: check!” she said, looking down at her clothing. She wore a short-sleeved grey polo shirt with a white collar and a purplish-blue tie. It had a large breast pocket on her left side and Uva Academy’s silver emblem resembling a bunch of grapes on her left sleeve. She also wore bulky shorts the same color of her tie with two large pockets on each leg and yellow strings drooping down from the center.
“Shoes: check!” On her feet she wore a pair of surprisingly comfy brown loafers with black soles. She also wore a pair of black socks that went up to her mid-calf with a yellow stripe near their tops.
“Backpack: check!” she said next, turning slightly so she could peer at the brown backpack on her back. It was adorned with a lot of pockets and silver gear loops on each side. That seemed useful!
“And finally, my hat: …not check!” she hummed, looking around her room for a few long moments before spotting it hanging on top of one of her bedposts. She swiped it up quickly and bounded back over to the mirror.
“There we go!” she smiled, admiring the white wide-brimmed hat atop her head. It sat on her brunette hair, half of which was parted slightly to her left side and the other half was tied into a long braid sitting on her right shoulder, complete with a Poké Ball hair clip attached near the braid’s bottom.
“I think I’m all set!” she grinned. “I think today’s gonna be a great day!”
“Muncha!” Skwovie squealed from his hidey-hole.
“Thanks, buddy! The question is now…” Juliana said, walking over to her bed and plopping down onto her back with a grimace. “...Should’ve taken off the backpack. Too late now.”
Skwovie chittered in what sounded like a giggle.
“As I was saying, the question is– what to do now? Mom said someone from Uva Academy would be coming over before I could head to school…”
The doorbell rang at that very moment.
“Speak of Giratina and they shall appear…” she muttered. “…Well, not really, that’d be pretty scary—but the person’s here!”
Awkwardly lifting herself off the bed and running over to the stairs, Juliana raised her voice.
“Hey, Mom, I’ve got the door!”
“Okay, okay!” a warm voice called back. “Just go slow down the stairs!”
“I’ll be fine!” Juliana shouted, going down two steps at a time, nearly knocking over one of her mother's plants as she rounded the landing. She quickly reached the bottom of the steps, reaching out for the door before promptly face-planting, having caught her foot on the bottom step.
“Oof,” she mumbled before scrambling back up with an embarrassed grin. She was fine!
Actually grabbing the door handle this time, she swung the door open to be met with the sight of a sophisticated–looking older man wearing a soft smile carrying a white bag in their front garden. He had neatly-parted white hair framing both sides of his face, a goatee, and silver round glasses. He wore a purple blazer with white lapels and a silver cravat over a black shirt as well as white dress pants and dress shoes. Attached to his blazer were five Premier Poké Balls, three on his left side and two on his right, which made the look strangely asymmetrical.
Before she could question the oddity, the man spoke up.
“Oh, hello there, young lady. You wouldn’t happen to be Miss Juliana, would you?”
“Yup, that’s me!” Juliana said.
“Very good… but I must ask, would you happen to be alright?”
Juliana tilted her head. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Pardon me, I had thought I heard you take a tumble a moment ago, but it must’ve just been my mind playing tricks on me. Ohoho…” he chuckled.
“Yeah, I’m all good, no need to worry!” Juliana said, rubbing the back of her neck. “But um…who are you, sir? You’re from the academy, right?”
“Ah, it seems I’ve forgotten to introduce myself, my apologies,” the man said. “You are indeed correct. I am the director of Uva Academy. You may call me Mr. Clavell.”
“Oh, you’re the person who wrote me that letter! It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Clavell!” Juliana said.
“All the pleasure is mine, young lady,” Clavell smiled. “But I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here, yes?”
Juliana nodded. “I was just about to ask that! Is it that you wanted to meet me in person before I started school or something?”
Clavell shook his head. “Not quite. Although there is something I have with me that requires me to meet you in person, that must wait for a moment. For now, would you mind if I stepped inside?”
“Sure,” Juliana said as she stepped aside. “Make yourself at home!”
With a nod, Clavell entered the house. Juliana chuckled as she saw Skwovie who peered down from atop the stairs scurry away upon seeing the director. He was always quite skittish, her mom always chalked that up to his Timid nature.
Stepping inside fully, Clavell looked around briefly before turning to face Juliana’s mother, who had approached the doorway.
Juliana clearly inherited her auburn eyes and brown hair from the woman, who had her own hair parted to frame her face and a wide ponytail in the back. She wore a blue jacket and white undershirt underneath a yellow apron styled with a Poké Ball inside a cooking ladle, tan pants, and black sneakers, which she was currently tapping to the ground.
“You are Director Clavell, correct?” the woman asked, her tone stern. “I am Juliana’s mother, you may call me Nicole. The academy contacted me to let you know you would be coming. You’re here to deliver Juliana’s academy paperwork, yes?”
“Indeed, I have come to deliver Miss Juliana’s enrollment documents. On behalf of the academy, I must apologize for the lateness of their arrival, Mrs. Nicole,” Clavell said, handing over the white bag.
“It’s Ms. Nicole, actually. And I will admit it is slightly concerning that it took until the very day my daughter will be attending your academy to receive these,” Nicole frowned while rifling through the papers. “I presume that this won’t lead to any issues later down the line, will it?” she asked, a slight edge to her voice.
“Goodness no,” Clavell said. “Under ordinary circumstances, turning in documents at this stage could lead to complications. However, for two reasons, we are willing to make an exception in this particular case.”
“First, due to…prolonged faculty and administrative issues, the academy has recently undertaken extensive staff restructuring. This year is even my first as director of the academy, you see. But rest assured, our instructors that still remain and our newly appointed teachers are of the highest quality. I am certain that there shall be no re-emergence of these issues, so there is no cause for concern,” Clavell explained.
“However, these changes have delayed many behind-the-scenes workings of the academy, including the delivery of enrollment documents. For this reason, we are forgoing standard procedures regarding them. I have taken it upon myself to deliver them personally to ensure everything proceeds as it should. I am responsible for the entire academy—including any failures on its part, after all. This is my second-to-last stop for the day.”
Nicole nodded, her sharp look slightly subdued. “I see, thank you for letting me know. But you said there were two reasons this isn’t an issue. What is the second?”
Clavell smiled. “Ohoho…oh yes. Let us keep this between us, but I must admit after seeing Miss Juliana’s academic record, I was certain she was the perfect fit for Uva Academy. She is quite the bright young lady,” Clavell said, and Juliana fought to hide a blush.
“Because of this, I would be willing to take extra steps to ensure her enrollment went smoothly, even if it may take additional effort. I wouldn’t want another school to poach talent like hers, after all. I am aware it may have been easier to enroll her at Blueberry Academy, for instance, given your prior residence. I happen to be an old friend of that academy’s director, and I’m certain she would’ve received a valuable education there—but I am quite glad she has chosen us instead.”
“I think she’s quite happy with her choice as well,” Nicole said, and Juliana nodded rather enthusiastically.
“And I appreciate your forthcomingness,” Juliana’s mother continued. “I will go over these documents now. If you’d like, I can even offer you a cup of tea while I do, Director Clavell. You are our visitor, after all.”
“Ah, there’s no need to trouble yourself…I unfortunately must be going momentarily. Unless you believe you have any questions regarding the paperwork?”
“I don’t believe there’ll be a problem, I took a quick look at them, though I’ll be sure to contact you if a question arises.” Juliana’s mother said. “And that is too bad about the cuppa, but I wouldn’t want to keep you if you must be going…”
“Yes, my apologies. Perhaps another time. But before I depart, there is one last thing…” Clavell said, turning to Juliana. “I do have something for you, Miss Juliana. A most important thing. But your living room is hardly the place for it. I see you have your full uniform, I presume you are ready to depart as well?”
“Yes sir!” Juliana nodded. “I’m all ready to head off to the academy!”
“Very good. In that case, would you care to follow me outside?”
“Alright!” Juliana said, following the man outside.
“What could he possibly—” Nicole murmured before her eyes widened. “Ah.”
“Do you know what this is, Mom?” Juliana asked.
“I believe I do. But let’s wait and see, shall we?”
Taking several steps out in front of the house, they found themselves in their house’s front garden once more. The sight of a cloudless sunny blue sky met the group, with the wide, sparkling ocean visible over the horizon. Groups of Fletching, Wingull, and even a few green parrot Pokémon Juliana didn’t recognize flew in the distance, chirping and swirling through the air. Little had been done with the garden they stood in yet, but there were many empty garden beds Juliana’s mother said she’d soon use to plant many Berries, vegetables and flowers.
Clavell, who stood several steps ahead of mother and daughter turned back to face the two.
“Right then,” he said, pulling out three Poké Balls from a pocket in his blazer and tossing them in the air in front of him at once. “Time to come out of your Poké Balls, dear Pokémon.”
“Whoa…” Juliana gasped as a green cat, a red lizard, and a blue duck Pokémon emerged from their Poké Balls. She’d never seen these ones before!
“Who are these little cuties?” she asked.
“We provide each student entering the academy a Pokémon of their own,” Clavell explained. “I’ll ask you to choose which among these three you’d like to have as your partner.”
“Wait…” Juliana said. “You mean like a Starter Pokémon?”
“Indeed,” Clavell smiled. “On the left, there is Sprigatito, the Grass Cat Pokémon.”
The small green cat in question let out a mew.
“In the middle is Fuecoco, the Fire Croc Pokémon.”
Upon being named, the red lizard let out a croak.
“And on your right is Quaxly, the Duckling Pokémon.”
Taking his cue, the white duck swished his hair rather dramatically.
“They’re all very good company,” Clavell continued. “Why, they usually refuse to leave my side.”
Contrary to his words, the Sprigatito bounded forward to sniff at Juliana’s hand, looking up at her with wide eyes. The Quaxly slowly followed, giving her a cursory gaze. Only the Fuecoco remained, seemingly content where he was.
Juliana squealed internally as she scratched behind the green kitten’s ear. She was so cute! Same with the little duck and the lizard!
“What’s this?” Clavell asked. “Hmm. So it turns out they’re more interested in you, Miss Juliana, than familiar old me. Only little Fuecoco chose to stay, how curious.”
“But wait…” Juliana whispered, her smile falling slightly. “I need to choose one of them…to be one of mine? Permanently?”
“That is correct. The academy most certainly will not be taking them back, if that was the concern! One of these Pokémon is yours to keep for as long as you’d like,” Clavell nodded.
“...That wasn’t what I was worried about.” Juliana said.
“Ah, perhaps it is the difficulty of the decision. As I said, all are wonderful options. However, I’m certain you’ll come to a satisfactory decision,” Clavell said. “In fact, I’ll give you some time to make your choice. I must be off to my next home visit, you see. I’ll be at the house just down the road.” Clavell turned to face a large house in the distance, and Juliana followed his gaze.
“Feel free to keep them all for a little while. Walk with them down below, and gain an understanding of their personalities and qualities you may admire in a partner. Take your time with your decision, then come find me when your mind is made up.”
“Okay, Mr. Clavell,” Juliana nodded slowly. “Thank you.”
“Of course. Now if you’ll excuse me. Until we next meet,” Clavell smiled softly before turning to face Nicole. “And it was lovely to meet you as well Ms. Nicole. Perhaps I’ll take you up on your kind offer for tea another day.”
“That sounds wonderful. Good day, Director,” she said with a small grin of her own. Giving a nod in return, Clavell then turned to head down the road.
“Hm…” Juliana said to herself, a complicated look on her face as she watched the director leave. Some dots connected in her head, so she turned to her mother.
“Did you know about this?” Juliana asked, gesturing to the Pokémon.
“I did,” her mother said. “Although I wasn’t expecting it to happen just now. I thought they’d give you one a few days into the semester.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? This is like—a super big thing!” she exclaimed. “I don’t think I’m ready. This still doesn’t feel right…”
“I didn’t tell you because I know you're ready,” her mother spoke. “You’ve been thinking about this for a long time. You’ve had very strong opinions on being a Trainer for years. But you’ve grown enough, you’ve matured enough, that I believe you’re ready to face this. You have a strong head on your shoulders. You’ll do things right.”
“...But what if they don’t like me? What if I’m not good enough for them, if I don’t treat them right?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Juliana,” her mother chided. “That would never happen. You are responsible, you’re empathetic and kind. I could never imagine you treating your Pokémon partners poorly. Or any partner, for that matter. You’re good, Juliana. The Pokémon you choose will see that.”
“...I still don’t know…” Juliana murmured.
“I want you to remember,” her mother started. “The bond between a Trainer and their Starter is special. Pokémon are smart, they know they’re your first. It takes an incredible amount of trust to willingly join and cooperate with a new Trainer, someone with no experience. But we see in almost all cases the bonds built between Trainers and their Starters are unbreakable. This is because learning and training with a new partner—with a new friend—makes us all better people. And with the lessons learned with them, Trainers are better for all their future Pokémon.”
“It happened to me,” she explained. “I once was far from the Trainer I am now. I was once a young, naive girl who thought nothing beyond being the best and beating the champion when wanting to become a Trainer. But that day when I went to see the professor with my sister, boasting on and on about how I’d be the one to beat Mustard…things changed. Professor Magnolia didn’t have any ‘special’ Pokémon on her; or so she said. For me, all she had was a little Skwovet. But the moment we met each other’s eyes…I suspected there was something extraordinary there. And there was, I would come to learn.”
“And Juliana,” she said, her tone serious. “You’ll learn the same lesson. You’ll certainly make mistakes, we all do. But I’ll say it again. You’re good. You’ll be good to and for your Pokémon, I know you will. You just need to believe in yourself.”
“...Alright,” Juliana said.” I…I got this! I’m ready!”
“Yes you are, sweetie,” her mom grinned. “Now, you need to decide who will be joining you on your journey.”
“Right!” Juliana said, fully facing the Pokémon once again. They were all so cute, the sweet little Sprigatito sitting there watching her with those wide purple eyes, the silly Quaxly using his flippers to play with his hair, the tubby little Fuecoco tapping his tiny feet in the back—how could her heart choose just one!?
“I dunno Mom…” Juliana said, her hesitation now coming from a different place. “They’re just all so…adorable!”
“I agree,” her mom giggled. “Well, you have to meet Director Clavell down the road. You heard what he said. Why not take this opportunity to walk about with the little ones and get to know them? I think when the time comes, just like for me, you’ll know which is the right choice.”
“That’s a great idea!” Juliana exclaimed, turning away to face the Pokémon once more. “Wanna walk with me to meet with Mr. Clavell?” she asked, receiving a curt meow, quack, and particularly enthusiastic croak in return, presumably in acceptance.
Juliana grinned, her excitement growing. “Then let’s get going!”
“Hold your Horsea, Julie,” Her mother cut in. “Don’t rush off just yet. I know you’re eager, but won’t you wish your mother goodbye?”
Juliana turned back sheepishly. “Right! Sorry, Mom! I love you!” She said, giving her mother a hug.
“I love you too, my little Applin,” her mother said, returning the hug, before looking her in the eyes. “First, you’ll be staying in the school dorms, so I want you to promise you’ll eat proper meals. Don’t just pack up on sweets, even if I know you want to,” she said.
“Okay, okay, I promise,” Juliana fake-groaned.
“Good,” her mother grinned, holding out a wrapped sandwich. “To get you started, I even packed you lunch for your first day.”
“Yes! Thanks, Mom!” Juliana exclaimed, taking the sandwich. “You’re the best!”
“I know, I know,” her mother teased. “I trust you have enough money to buy food for the rest of your semester too, but don’t hesitate to come back home whenever you’d like. I certainly wouldn’t mind the visit. And you will be calling me often, won’t you? I want to hear all about the academy and any new friends you make. And please let me know if any trouble arises.”
“Yes, Mom,” Juliana nodded, jumping on the balls of her feet. “Is there anything else?”
“Hmm, I believe you might want these, should your new partner get hurt in battle,” her mother said, pulling a handful of Potions from her pocket.
“Okay!” Juliana said, pocketing them without hesitation. “But why did you have those on you? Do you just normally carry those around?”
“You never know when you’ll need a Potion,” her mother winked. “But I know you’re so eager to get going, so off you pop! Take care, and have a wonderful trip.” Her mother smiled.
“Yes, alright! Thank you!” Juliana grinned back. “Oh, and say goodbye to Skwovie for me! And your other Pokémon too! Say bye to Belle, and Scourge…”
“Yes, yes, I will,” Juliana’s mother cut in once more, looking over the girl's shoulder. “But it seems you have a runaway on your hands.”
“Eh?” Juliana asked, whipping around. Behind her, the Sprigatito still sat, looking slightly bored but perking up as the girl focused on her. Quaxly too hadn’t moved much, still playing with his hair. And Fuecoco—was waddling away down the road at a surprisingly fast pace.
“Wah! Little Fuecoco! Stop!” Juliana called out, but the lizard waddled on, making no indication he heard her.
“We gotta go catch him!” she announced, to the remaining Pokémon, who looked up at her in confusion.
“Spurr?” The Sprigatito chirped.
Stepping past them, she turned and directed them towards herself.
“C’mon, let’s go! Don’t just stand there!”
Being called a second time, the Sprigatito nodded before bounding forward, a passionate look in its eyes. The Quaxly too was not far behind.
Preparing to run after the fleeing croc, Juliana turned back to her mother one last time, who was watching the scene in amusement.
“Bye again, Mom! Wish me luck!”
“Of course,” she smiled. “Best of luck with choosing your Starter and everything beyond. And don’t get into too much trouble. Now go!”
“Yes!” Juliana shouted, as she took off, the grass kitten and water duckling on her heels. “Now get back here little Fuecoco!” she called down the road.
This would be the start of her amazing adventure!
The start of Juliana’s adventure wasn’t going…quite as expected.
She thought she’d just quickly catch the Fuecoco, then have a calm walk to meet with Mr. Clavell while she got to know the little Pokémon.
And she was getting to know the Pokémon all right…just not how she planned.
At the moment, she found herself carrying a squirming Fuecoco in one arm and a wiggling Quaxly in the other, and neither were exactly light. And the Sprigatito on her shoulder occasionally bapping them both with her paw wasn't helping the situation!
The whole thing started with her race with the others to catch up to the Fire Croc. She underestimated his speed, he somehow had waddled all the way down the stone path to a sign reading the village’s name ‘Cabo Poco’ before she could catch up. When she did finally reach him, he didn’t want to stop regardless of what she tried. That was until she offered to carry him the rest of the way to meet Mr. Clavell, which was when he finally calmed down enough for her to get him under control.
At that point, Quaxly decided it’d be a fantastic idea to go for a swim, which wouldn’t be all that big of an issue if not for the fact that the ocean sat a cliff-jump away nearly thirty feet below. After some significant effort, she managed to wrangle him from off the fence overlooking the ledge with her remaining arm before he could decide to take a dive into the water below.
But apparently feeling left out from not being carried, the Sprigatito took the opportunity to jump on her shoulder, which again hadn't been an issue until she started hitting the other two with her paw. It clearly wasn’t serious, the croc and duckling even seemed used to it, the Quaxly even swinging back when he could. But their play-fighting didn’t make things any easier!
Juliana did meet a couple of people on her way to the big house Clavell told her to meet him at. The first was a kind lady who introduced her to the community, and the second was an enthusiastic man who simply introduced himself as “Tech,” which was an odd nickname. He was surrounded by half a dozen Rotom of all different forms, and talked her ear off about ‘The wonders of science.’
She wasn’t quite sure where the two lived though, she didn’t see any other houses in the area. They must’ve been beyond the path stretching off the main road.
After meeting them, she continued her journey down the road. She was almost to the large house and was lugging the Pokémon with her for the final steps of the short trip.
“We’re almost to Mr. Clavell, little guys,” she huffed.
“Craaw!” The Fuecoco croaked.
“…But man, you’re heavy. What have you been eating?” She continued, to which the Quaxly gave an affronted look while the Sprigatito let out a little snicker.
Finally reaching the stairs leading up to the admittedly quite fancy house’s gate, Juliana slowly ascended them. Upon reaching the top, she stepped through the gate, carrying the Pokémon inside as she gazed around.
Calling the house before her “big” now seemed to be an understatement, a mansion felt far more appropriate. It was huge, and the tall white walls and giant windows looked pretty elegant. And around her was a beautiful garden that she was quite certain her mother would kill for having herself. It too was quite large.
Too busy admiring the property around her, Juliana was wholly unprepared for the Pokémon in her arms to simultaneously decide it was time to stop being carried as they jumped from her arms at once. As the Fuecoco rushed forward and the Quaxly to the left, the sudden loss of weight caused her to come tumbling forward, crashing to the ground for the second time today.
“Oof,” she hissed, staring at the ground with a grimace for a moment before moving to pick herself up.
“Need a hand there, stranger?” A new voice called out, and Juliana paused.
Looking up, her pain was forgotten as she was met with the sight of another, taller girl in the Uva Academy uniform that she guessed was a year or so older than herself. The girl’s black hair was tied into a ponytail and sported a few bangs dyed green in the front, and her eyes were a striking amber. Her freckled face sported a bright smile, and the girl seemed to be offering her left arm to help her off the ground.
She was also really pretty!
“Um…you okay there?” the girl asked.
Realizing she had just been staring, Juliana quickly rushed out a response.
“Uh, yep, I’m alright!” she said, accepting the hand and lifting herself off the ground. “Thank you!”
“No problem—say, are you these three’s Trainer?” The girl asked, motioning to the three Pokémon around them. “They certainly seem like an excitable bunch!”
Excitable they were indeed. It seemed the Quaxly had run into a nearby fountain splashing water everywhere as he wet his feathers. The Sprigatito (who seemed to be just fine after Juliana’s tumble) stood nearby and hissed as some of the water landed on her, but the duckling continued to splash about. At the same time, Fuecoco had run slightly further into the property and was rummaging through the garden. It almost seemed like he was looking for something as he kept swiveling his head in all directions, and he was tossing dirt, flowers, and berries aside in his scramble.
“Ah, I’m sorry they’re being so messy!” Juliana apologized. “They’ve been misbehaving, I’ll try to stop them! But no, they aren’t mine, Mr. Clavell just had me walk down the street from my house with them while I tried to choose one.”.
“The Pokémon are fine, let them have their fun!” The girl laughed. “But it’s too bad these aren’t yours. I was gonna ask if I could battle one—or all of ‘em!” the girl announced with a bright grin and fiery gaze as she held out a Poké Ball.
The way she said it felt oddly intimidating.
“Yeah…” Juliana chuckled nervously, taking a step back. “It’s too bad…”
“Wait!” The girl cut in. “You said you walked here from your house up the street! You must be that new kid that moved up in the road! I’ve been dying to find out more about you!”
“Uh, yep, that’s me!” Juliana said. “I’m Juliana! It’s nice to meet you!”
“Well, buenas, Juliana!” The girl grinned brightly. “I’m Nemona! Whaddya say, new neighbor? Wanna be friends?”
The girl, Nemona, certainly seemed passionate and maybe a little intimidating, but she seemed to be nice as well. Sure, she came off a little strong, but she seemed like she’d be a fun friend!
“...Sure!” Juliana smiled, trying to match the other girl’s brightness.
“Love that enthusiasm! We’re gonna get along just fine!” Nemona beamed. “Let’s see…in case you were wondering, this here’s my house!” she said, gesturing to the mansion behind her. “Normally I live in the Uva Academy dorms, but home is here. And oh!” She exclaimed, regaining that fiery gaze from before.
“I absolutely love Pokémon battling! Even if those three aren’t yours, are you training any Pokémon of your own? If so, we should battle right now—you and me!”
“Sorry, but no…” Juliana explained. “Mr. Clavell’s actually having me choose one of these as my Starter Pokémon, so we can’t battle yet…”
“Not yet…does that mean you’d be down to battle later?” Nemona asked with a wide grin.
“Sure…?” Juliana responded.
“Woohoo!” Nemona pumped her fist. “I’m so excited, I haven’t had a good battle in a while!” She paused, putting a hand on her chin. “Hmm, and didn’t you say it was Mr. Clavell who was giving you one of those as your Starter?” she asked, pointing at the Pokémon (who still happened to be causing a ruckus).
“That must mean you’re also a new transfer to Uva Academy!” Nemona continued, not waiting for a response.
She turned back to Juliana, looking down at her. “And oh, there’s your Uva uniform too, of course! I dunno how I missed that!”
“I guess we’ll be neighbors and classmates then!” Juliana hummed..
“Couldn’t have said it better myself! And that means we’ll be able to battle whenever we want!” Nemona beamed.
“Uh…sure!”
“Now, what is this about battling?” A new voice chimed in from behind.
“Oh, hello Director Clavell!” Nemona said, turning to face the director who was walking away from the house towards the pair, a happy-looking Fuecoco trailing behind him. “I was just talking to Juliana here about the super fun battles we’re gonna have!”
“I see,” the elderly director said, turning to Juliana. “I must say I wasn’t expecting to see you here quite so soon. I trust the trip here with the Pokémon was not too troublesome?” He paused, gazing at the soaked and dirt-covered garden as the Quaxly and Sprigatito wandered up next to Fuecoco, who had stopped in front of him.
“...It appears they’ve caused a bit of a commotion. I apologize, Miss Nemona, they are usually better behaved…”
“Don’t sweat it!” Nemona smiled. “It seemed they were being a bit of a handful for Juliana too, but they’re just little Pokémon, it’s what they do! I’ve seen much worse.”
“I understand, but I must apologize nonetheless. The same goes for you Miss Juliana, I only offered to have you walk them here because I was under the impression that they wouldn’t be too bothersome.”
“It’s fine, like Nemona said!” Juliana responded. “It just gave me a better chance to get to know them all!”
“That is fortunate, at the very least,” Clavell nodded. “In that case, have you decided which of these Pokémon will be your first partner?”
“Um…” Juliana hesitated. She hadn’t really put much thought into choosing one after being caught up with their antics then meeting her cute new neighbor. And she still wasn’t the most comfortable with choosing one in the first place.
The three Pokémon had gathered in a line before her, and she first looked all the way to the right at the Fire Croc Pokémon, Fuecoco.
Well, he was super adorable, that was for sure! His tubby little belly and lovely little croak and that awkward little waddle he had were the cutest…but beyond that, she didn’t feel too much of a connection with him like her mother described. The entire time she had been with him, he seemed to be trying to run away or look for something. Even now, he was looking over his right shoulder at the director…and then it hit her.
Mr. Clavell said before that the Pokémon rarely left his side. And as soon as he left that first time, that’s when Fuecoco started acting off. After that, he was just trying to run to Nemona’s house, then was probably looking for the director there. He probably missed Mr. Clavell, and seeing how content he seemed now with him, she decided to move on.
In the middle of the line stood Quaxly, who was now smoothing out his now-wet feathers after his bath in the fountain. He too was super cute and had a big personality to back it up. He seemed like a go-getter from what she saw of him, he knew what he wanted and went for it (even if one of those things happened to be a thirty-foot dive in the ocean earlier, which he clearly wasn’t supposed to do!) But similar to Fuecoco, Juliana never really felt a true spark of a connection with him.
Finally, all the way to the left sat the Sprigatito. She kept up the trend of being a cutie-pie for sure, that was abundantly clear (her little toe beans were especially adorable!) She wasn’t a perfect little angel…but she was somewhat behaved. At least compared to the others, that is.
But something seemed to stand out to her about the grass kitten. Her spirit. She saw a glimpse of…something she couldn’t quite describe as she called her to join them in chasing down the rogue Fuecoco. Some type of determination. And she wanted to see it again.
And looking into the kitten’s deep purple eyes which started intently back, it was clearly still there. A drive, a passion. And it was amazing!
This was the type of connection her mom had felt, wasn’t it?
“...I choose you, Sprigatito!” Juliana finally announced, and the grass cat in question stood up quickly. “...If you’d like to join me,” she quickly added.
“Spurrr!” she cried, jumping back up onto the girl’s shoulder and erasing any doubts.
As the two locked eyes once more, as she looked into the cat’s wide magenta gaze, she knew made the right choice.
“Sprigatito seems to have taken quite a liking to you, Miss Juliana,” Clavell smiled. “Please be sure to raise her with love and care. And of course, be sure to keep her tucked away safely in her Poké Ball when needed,” he said, handing Juliana a Poké Ball, which she happily accepted.
“Juliana…” Nemona said afterward, and Juliana turned to face her. “I can’t believe you actually chose Sprigatito…”
“Um…why?” Juliana asked. “Did you want to train her…?”
Nemona put her hands together as she grinned. “Nope! I was gonna say she was the perfect choice for you! You two make such a good combo!” she beamed. “…But that’s not a bad idea, actually! Can I choose one of these Pokémon too, Director Clavell?” She asked, turning to face the man.
Clavell furrowed his brows. “Oh but…did you not receive a Pokémon when you entered the academy, Miss Nemona?”
“Not…officially?” Nemona chuckled. “The old Director Harrington was too busy to give Starters out so I never got one. But Mr. Jacq saw that a bunch of us kids didn’t have any Pokémon when we reached secondary education when we were supposed to. Apparently, he gets a bunch of donations from Trainers who can’t care for Pokémon Eggs they find though, and he raises them himself! But he figured it’d be a great opportunity to both give the Pokémon good homes and for us to get our own Starters if he gave them to us…so that’s how I got my Starter here!” She explained, holding out a Poké Ball proudly.
“But the transfer wasn’t on the record or anything, so I technically didn’t receive one from the academy itself.”
“I see…” Clavell frowned. “I was not aware of this. It is yet another transgression to add to the list of the issues that accumulated under Uva’s previous administration…” he sighed. “I offer my deepest apologies. Know that I am doing everything in my power to right wrongs like these with my new position as Uva Academy’s director. I shall be more than happy to allow you to choose a Pokémon from among these two. But I must admit, I am also curious…do you not have a fully trained team of Pokémon already?”
It was Nemona’s turn to sigh. “No, not anymore, unfortunately,” she said, her expression downcast for the first time. “Other than my Starter, all my Pokémon were borrowed from my family—my Mother, Father, and my older sister. I did raise and train their Pokémon…but in the end, they all were still theirs. I actually came back home today ‘cause I was giving them back. I’m gonna miss them…but it’s not all bad!” she perked up.
“Like, I’ve still got my trusty Starter of course!” she said, holding up the same Poké Ball from before. “And also, Mother’s Pawmo lent me one of her Eggs, so I think I’m gonna train up another Pawmi! It hasn’t hatched quite yet though, so now I think I want to raise a new Pokémon alongside Juliana while she raises her own partner!”
Clavell nodded. “Very well. I already gave my permission, so feel free to choose from Quaxly or Fuecoco if you wish to raise a Pokémon on equal footing with Miss Juliana.”
“Awesome! Thanks, Director!” Nemona grinned widely, turning towards the Pokémon. The Quaxly didn’t seem to be paying much attention, but the Fuecoco clearly seemed a bit nervous as he huddled back toward Clavell.
“Umm…” Juliana spoke up. “So who are you going to choose?”
“Hm…” Nemona hummed, still facing the Pokémon. “Say, little guys? Which one of you wants to join my team? We’ll fight so many battles together!” she offered enthusiastically, although the Quaxly didn’t seem terribly interested, and now the Fuecoco looked even more distressed.
“C’mon!” she continued. “It’ll be a ton of fun! Think about it, it’ll be your time to shine! We’ll face the strongest trainers in the region, and you’ll get to show off your strongest moves to them all!”
At this, the Fuecoco trembled. But to his left, the Quaxly’s eyes lit up. Waddling forward, he looked up at Nemona.
“Pomp!” He cried.
“You, little duckling, made the right choice!” Nemona beamed. “Welcome to the team!”
“Pommpp!” the Quaxly cheered, giving a little dance.
“You’re a funny little dude,” Nemona laughed. “I think I’ll call you Tango!” she said, to which the Quaxly, now named Tango, cried in agreement.
“Say, Juliana, what are you gonna call your Sprigatito?” Nemona asked suddenly, turning to the shorter girl.
“…I hadn’t thought about it,” Juliana admitted, and turned to face the Sprigatito. “Do you have any ideas?”
The Sprigatito blinked. “…Spurrr?”
“…Right,” Juliana said, and Nemona chuckled.
Before she could consider a name further, a soft gust of wind blew through the garden picking up a couple of the flowers discarded in Fuecoco’s rummaging. As they flew through the air, one flower floated down and landed on the Sprigatito’s nose, which the kitten went cross-eyed to look down at.
The sight caused Nemona and now even Clavell to giggle further, but it gave Juliana an idea.
“Hey…why didn’t I call you Lily?” she asked the kitten, who perked up at the idea.
“Spurrr!” the kitten cried in agreement, shaking off the flower in the process.
“What a great name, it totally fits!” Nemona smiled. “But now that’s all settled, and you’ve gotten your first Pokémon…we HAVE to battle!” she announced, regaining that burning passion in her tone.
“I’ll be waiting for you down at the beach behind my house!” She continued, not giving time for a response. “Come join me when you’re ready! Now, let’s go, Tango!”
At that, she took off, running away presumably to the beach, Tango quickly waddling behind.
“Wah…” Juliana mumbled. “That was…fast.”
“As you may have noticed, Miss Nemona is a tad overly fond of Pokémon battling,” Clavell chuckled, walking up to the girl, Fuecoco at his side. “But I do hope you’ll join her for a battle. It will give you an opportunity to get to know her and your new partner even better.”
“Right!” Juliana nodded. “Plus, I did promise her a battle later, even if I wasn’t expecting it to be this soon. But it still does sound fun!”
She turned to face Lily, who still stood on her shoulder.
“You up for a battle, Lily? We only will if you wanna.”
“Spurr!” the kitten cried.
“Great!” Juliana grinned. “Then let’s do this! To the beach we go!”