A Very Twisted Journey

~ Surprises, Surprises ~

"How in the-"

"Heh, heh, heh! The look on your faces makes it look like you've been slashed by a water balloon!" Grim laughed.

"How in Arceus's name are you back here, you pyro-brain!?" Persian growled.

"Ha! As if I wouldn't sneak back onto campus as soon as that darn collar was off and everyone's guard was down. None of you have any idea of what I'm capable of! So that's that!"

"Pika! Pika, Pikachu! Pi, Pika!" (You got a lot of nerve coming back after that stunt shorty!)

"Who are you calling shorty Pipsqueak!? You're no bigger than me! Anyway, I'm not giving up on going here just because I got booted 'one time. And if you, for a second, think I will...think again!"

Lia shouted, "Lucario!"

In an instant, he appeared behind Grim, "Gah! Just how many more of these weird creatures do you have?!"

Pikachu sweat-dropped. "Pika, Pi." (You're one to talk,)

"Plenty, Lucario. Go get Madame Eva or Mr. Crowley and-"

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't go snitching on me!" Grim urged, "Aren't you wondering why I came all this way back?! It wouldn't kill you to let me explain, right? Right!?"

Lia and Pikachu sighed while Persian and Lucario rolled their eyes.

"Alright, why do you want to come to this school so bad that you'd break in, twice?" she asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I was born for this stuff! I'm a natural with spells, a magical prodigy who's got the makings to be the greatest mage in the history of the world! I've been waiting forever for the black carriage to come and get me. . .. and yet." Grim began to cry.

Lia frowned at him, "You were never accepted. You were underestimated and looked down on just because of how you are."

Grim toughened up and wiped his tears away. "That dark mirror just doesn't know real talent when it sees it. So, that's why I took the initiative to come here myself and show them what I'm made of! You, humans, don't get the mistake you're making. Refusing to let me in would be a total loss to this world!"

'He's almost like that kid that challenged Leon. So, determined and yearning.' Lia couldn't help but laugh a bit and smile at him.

"Gah! Hey, could you scoot over?! It's dripping over here!" Grim yelped when water fell on his head again.

"That's because the roof's filled with leaks and holes. Some of my friends are currently trying to fix it." Lia tells him as another drop of water falls on him. 'Darn it, I hope Gardevoir and Gengar are okay out there.'

"Eek! I can't get water on me! These flaming' ears are my trademark you know. I can't get them doused out!"

"Pika?" (They're that important?)

"Of course, they are! They're all I have that makes me 'me!"

Lia crouched down and placed a towel on his head. "Can't have that can we?" she smiled as she dried him off.

Grim stared at her with wide eyes, 'She's being nice and helping me?'

"No one wants to lose what's important to them. That's why you'd want to take care of it and keep it close. I can understand that." Lia drifted off as she held her mother's bracelet sadly. Grim figured it'd be best to change the subject.

"Um, can't you use magic to fix the roof yourself? Oh wait, you can't can you?"

"Nope, as the Dark Mirror said, I can't since it's sealed away. Honestly, I didn't even know I had magic, to begin with." Lia shrugged.