Stranger Than You

Chapter 5

Lance looked at the school building as he walked up with Lilac.

"Hey, is fighting allowed in the school," he asked.

She laughed slightly and looked away, showing him a bruise on her arm that was normally pressed against her side. "If none of the teachers are watching."

"That's a shame. That means that when the teachers are watching, the other kids won't be safe from me."

She lowered her arm and chuckled again.

"Anyways, how does school work normally?"

"There's seats and desks, to start. Each desk has two chairs. You can sit next to me since I'm alone. No one wants to sit next to the 'Amazing Plum'," Lilac responded.  "Anyways, Ms. Meowstic teaches us stuff until lunch, and then we go home!" she said. She sounded like she liked the concept of school, and would enjoy it if not for the Spearow, Pikachu, and Deino.

"Well, they say at least one good thing about you. You are amazing," Lance smiled.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed with blue. "Thanks," she said softly, the beginning of a smile growing on her face.

Lance smiled back. "Happy to help."

Lilac pushed the school doors open, immediately greeted by a chorus of jeers and laughter.

"The Fantastic Fuchsian is back!"

"Yeah! She was probably crying all night!"

"Hey look, it's another freak!"

"Now now, where is all this really getting you? You do realize you just called her fantastic, right," Lance asked.

"Yeah, fantastically freaky!" the Deino laughed.

"Oh wow, nice comeback, bro."

"Same to you!" the Spearow shouted.

"Hmm," Lance asked, looking around, before looking at the Spearow. "Who was talking just there?"

He rolled his eyes. "Deaf idiot-" he was blasted back by a Confusion.

Lilac was fuming, glaring at the Spearow.

Lance put his hand in front of Lilac. :I've got this. It takes time, but they won't know what hit them,: he reassured her.

:I'm not letting them insult you like that!:

"Aw, is the purple one protecting her friend?" the Pikachu taunted.

:Insulting? This doesn't even scratch what I've dealt with.: "Are you protecting yours? You seemed not to care when that Spearow was launched. Maybe you don't have any friends," Lance smirked.

"He can get Lilac in trouble when he wakes up," he responded nonchalantly.

"So you don't have any friends. From what my dad taught me, silence means you agree."

"But I wasn't silent," he retorted. Just then, Ms. Meowstic left her office.

"What happened here?!" she cried out.

"Lilac attacked him for no reason!" the Pikachu cried out. The Deino nodded.

"Lilac..." Ms. Meowstic said, disappointed.

'Yes, Ms. Meowstic..." Lilac murmured and walked towards the desk in the far back left corner. She wanted to deny it, but the Spearow hadn't even been insulting her.

"I wouldn't call it no reason," Lance added.

"Hmm?" Ms. Meowstic turned to Lance. "What do you mean?"

"They instigated it. All we did was walk in, and they started flinging insults at us."

"Is this true?" she asked the Pikachu, who quickly shook his head.

"No, ma'am. He's lying!"

"I am more inclined to trust this Pokemon than you. You remember, I've caught you teasing Lilac before," the Meowstic said with a warning tone.

Lance hid a smirk. :Gotcha.:

"However, I'll let you off for now."

"Aw, come on! Even Lilac?! Look at that!" the Pikachu pointed at the Spearow who was groaning.

"Well..." the teacher sighed. "Lilac will have to sit away for now, because she did hurt someone..." Ms. Meowstic said reluctantly.

The Deino smirked as well.

"Then...may I sit with her," Lance asked. "She's the only one I really know here, and I don't want me or her to sit alone."

The Meowstic nodded slowly. "Yes, since you are a new student."

"Good, keep the freaks together..." the Deino growled inaudibly.

"Yeah, and you can keep the jerks up front. So that they won't be able to get away with their shenanigans," Lance retorted

The Deino glared. "Nice comeback," he jeered.

Lance grinned and approached the Deino, whispering something into his ear.

The Deino gagged and backed away, fuming,

"All three sets," Lance added, giving a snap and a wink to the Deino as he walked away.

The Pokemon growled and walked to his desk.

Lilac was sitting despondently at the desk in the back, appearing not to have heard what happened.

Lance laughed as he sat next to Lilac. "Oh man, his reaction was priceless," he whispered.

She looked up at him, confused as to why he was sitting next to her and what the reaction was, not having heard.

Lance smiled at her. "Hey, aren't you happy your friend is sitting next to you?"

"Y-Yeah, but how did you get permission to sit with me?"

"I just asked. I got new student privilege."

"Nice," Lilac said with a fake smile. Before Lance could respond, she turned to the back wall and inhaled.

"In my head, lost in the dark of night,
Comes a dazzling gleam of light.
Close my eyes, to hide my despair,
Yet the shadows are always there...

Lost in a world
But I call it my own
Inside, I feel safe,
But I'm always-"

The purple Kirlia's voice cracked and she sighed, not saying anything.

Lance was floored, his jaw dropping, and his cheeks tinting pink. "Whoa...that was amazing," he whispered.

She sighed once more and covered her face.

"Don't be shy, that was really good!"

"No it wasn't... I shouldn't have sung anything..."

"Don't say that...that was really amazing! You're way better then me..."

"Definitely not," she replied.

"...I'll prove you wrong later."

"Definitely won't."

Lance rolled his eyes. "Don't make me do it."

"It won't really matter... I can't stop my voice from cracking right there."

"You'll get it eventually. My voice cracks too. Now pick yourself up before I have to," he said, grinning coyly.

She remained sitting still, facing away from Lance and the class.

Lance snaked his hand past her shoulder and poked her cheek. "Boop."