Desolate [Pokémon Arven x Protagonist]

Academy Preparations

The stairway was exhausting, it took at least two whole minutes to reach the top. I supposed I had to get used to them eventually, but I felt they were unnecessarily extravagant for the sole purpose of destroying my calves. Nemona jokingly laughed at me as I bent over at my waist to catch my breath. Although Paldea was riddled with hills and hiking paths of every elevation, I was never able to get out much to enjoy them. Even after my parents died, I found it terrifying being outside alone. Alone with my own thoughts. The voices haunted me, constantly reminding me of my guilt over what I had done, but now I had Koraidon and I'd soon have another member to my Pokémon battling team.

Inside, the school had an enormous lobby with gigantic, welcoming arches with the academy crest showcased proudly at the top. Directly past the entrance was a receptionist, two staff members helping out the new students with maps and pamphlets. I could see behind them a tall room with a library of files and books, a steady ladder resting along the side of the wooden frame. That was probably where all the student files and information were. To either side were another two equally fancy—but not as long—flights of stairs that led to a mezzanine that looked over at us.

I took out my new student ID so Nemona and I could figure out which room was my dorm. The elevator was at the top of the lobby stairs and took us directly to any floor in the building, even the rooftop. Nemona told me that the school had its own personal Pokémon battlefield up there only for the students. When I got my first few Pokémon, I wanted to try it out. The dorms were on the third floor, above the majority of the classrooms and below the staff offices and the director's office. The rooms were separated into long hallways by the number. Nemona showed me the way and taught me how to remember the turns to get there. Inside, my dorm was unexpectedly spacious. It had a soft orange theme like the rest of the school, an orange bed, orange curtains. It wasn't my favorite aesthetic, but the room looked very expensive with a full kitchen, bathroom, and study in the corner by the bed. There was a laptop on the desk, as well.

I sat on the neatly folded bed and looked around. Nemona jumped into the sheets beside me. "Wha'd'ya think?" She asked me.

I truly was in awe at how nice the dorms were. I was expecting a lot less, especially compared to the universities I had seen online or the cramped, sad half-a-bedroom quarters I heard about. "It's so much better than what I could ever dream of!"

"I'm glad!" Nemona put on a rare face of sincere seriousness. "A lot better than back home, huh?" She said quietly.

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I clenched my fists, hearing the voices again. I took a deep breath. "Yeah. It's a whole lot better." I smiled sheepishly at her. There was a polite knock at the door.

"That must be him!" Nemona launched herself up from the bed, nearly knocking me over from the rebound. She already had the door open by the time I steadied myself.

"Nemona, I don't remember your dorm being on this side of the floor," Director Clavell said quite confusedly.

Nemona giggled. "I'm just here for my neighbor, Lugosi. I wanted to see what starter she picked out."

"Impeccable timing, then. I'm here for that exact reason." He reached into his pouch and took out three identical Pokéballs and tossed them on the wooden floor where three different Pokémon of all different typings jumped out. One was a fire-type fuecoco which looked a lot like a plump berry to me, waddling around awkwardly and tasting anything it thought looked appetizing. Another was a water-type quaxly that was an obvious water bird. Compared to the fuecoco, it was very graceful in its movements and was trying to get its companion to drop whatever it was holding in its mouth. The final Pokémon was a grass-type sprigatito who was a pretty generic feline, watching the other two while licking its paws. I knew a little about the starters' final forms. The three were performing Pokémon: fuecoco as a singer, quaxly as a dancer, and sprigatito as a magician. "Take your time to decide," Director Clavell told me. "Whoever you choose will be loyal to you for the rest of your journey here."