I had a dream last night that someone commented "You need to be stopped" like they were distressed by my posts lol Weeeelll anyway guys I like Final Fantasy, yall want me to write about that? :p Might delete this post later since it's not a fic/imagine set

Saying something along the lines of "If they can cook, it's an instant offer of marriage for me" and Arven whipping his head around- Cut to montage of aggressively making sandwiches and I mean like throwing ingredients and slamming them together, whooshing you away while you're like "no wait I didn't-" and then going through the chaos of the outfit fitting and cake choosing (it's just bread. It's just bread loafs.) while he's got his little table of sandwich ingredients that he's literally 'cooking' at Well anyway it all abruptly stops when there's a huge stack of sandwiches on a table covered in white cloth for the guests and Arven is standing in a suit fixing his tie and nervously gathering himself, he's just put in the last sandwich pick- This all happens in the span of a few seconds

olive ring

olive slice wedding ring

the diamond is a cherry tomato or something...

Koraidon and Miraidon are the groomsmen and also simultaneously the guests

Mabostiff is the little ring bringer but the other two are just drooling at the sight of them because they're made of food

cue mauling by impossible timeline lizard bikes and that's how the scene ends

A/N: Asks in Inbox! Answerin' in this post :^)

(I know it's just paragraphs of me talkin, feel free to skim!)

Hello there everyone! I've been gettin' asks in my inbox about my future plans, so I figured I'd answer everything in one post: Am I doing a part 2 of the Fallen Reader at Blueberry Academy fic? Well, I'm thinking yes, but before I jump the gun on things I can't have too many projects at a time

(I might fold. But I wouldn't be opposed, in fact I was thinking about giving up on the Kieran Fic in favor of something I was resonating with more, maybe that faller AU. If not I might just restart the fic when I'm in a better place, given how bad my living situation is currently.)

I've got a lot of stuff going on at home right now, and it's been a disaster, so I've been quiet for the past few days. I'm planning on being active again soon, I just have to get through a rough week. Thank you for being patient with me!

As for my uploadin' schedule, I don't want to feel pressured to get 'hearts' or community engagement, and I hate to admit it, but sometimes I do. I really want to write things that are actually worth blowin' a few minutes on, things that aren't just written in two hours to keep my blog rollin' with content. I really like writing imagines and things! I just realize that I'm not happy with my poor writing. I'm going to be back in my dorm soon, so there's at least that. Once I have access to the library I'm hoping to be reading quite a lot. Can't write well if you don't consume a lot of decent writing. I love reading so that isn't a problem, I just fear for the workload (my university is EVIL haha they're really tough on us but I go to a 'good' school so the bar is set pretty high... whoops.)

Alright! I've got to get back to it, I'm not even really allowed (?) to be online right now (rough situation as I said) so before I have -someone- extremely cross with me I've got to wrap this up. Hope you guys are havin a wonderful day! As always, my inbox is open!

Kieran, handing you a Dipplin as he pushes his mask back down on his face: "H-h-here!!" You as you look down at your half eaten candy apple: 'Ah, uh, apple with a worm in it? Does he expect me to eat this? But I already have one?' Everyone staring, mouth agape: :OOOOO Carmine, sputtering out chunks of apple that go flying onto the pavement and then choking because Kieran just made the equivalent of a marriage proposal in front of their entire town: :OOOOOO You again: "Uh, let me finish... this one first..." *Holding up the half eaten apple by the stick* Kieran, face hidden under the mask:

Arven, mid mochi-mochi dance as he stalks toward you, eyes glowing and glazed over... he doesn't stop, getting up so close that it's almost uncomfortable:

"M-moch-li-little bud..."

"-m... mo...I..."

"..." He then leans in close, his breath hot and sickly sweet.

"M-mo-ch..." "M..M...ine..."

If you're still taking requests, could I ask for some general HCs for Kieran and maybe Drayton that take place at bb academy? If not feel free to ignore this :)

A/N: Hey! Yeah of course! I'm struggling to write the Kieran fic because I think I'm way in over my head (I'm freezin' up lol the pressure to figure it out is getting to me) so I guess I can take a break and write some headcanons instead!

I'll write for 'em both, but it's post-DLC, I hope you don't mind! Potential spoilers ahead!

These ones are a little silly in retrospect! I did em fast too, so I hope they're not too bad :p

Kieran's secretly your top fan. Not that you notice because there's no way he'd let you catch him, but he's literally dropped what he was doing to run to the entrance of the academy because your name was announced over the intercom. If you're having a match he'll actually full speed sprint to through the school just to be there, but any time you look over he instinctively hides, flush with embarrassment. You don't come and visit him in his dorm room often since you're on such different schedules, but he's had to flip over his pinboard and hide his piles of notes because they're all about you and trying to understand your strategies and, well, other things... His sister won't stop bugging him about it 'bein' weird', but she knows he's flat obsessed with trying to figure you out! The league club has a social media that posts all of your recent matches, and he's had to beg Carmine to show him how to use the phone app because he's new to having a smart phone and Arceus does he have to watch every single one. He didn't even want a phone until now, but he can't believe he's been missing out all this time. No wonder everyone has one of these things! She was reluctant, but it's Kiki after all... It should be fine, right? Well... that was before all the pinboards and sticky note nonsense that looks straight out of a detective movie or something. He's the type to not like posts because he's scared of what you might think, but accidentally hit the heart button on a match from like a month ago. He definitely drops his phone on his face and panics, trying to undo it as fast as he can. Little does he realize that it's actually Lacey who's in charge of the social media account and not you, and also that she can see who's the most active on the page.

She thinks it's cute, and since she loves cute things, she's letting it be for now. She's always giggling and hiding her smile when he pops into the clubroom to check and see if you're there. Most of the time though he ends up running off before he can say hi because he doesn't want to talk to Drayton.

Since he's gotten the phone he hasn't stopped checking it and he smiles like an idiot any time he thinks he's alone. (News flash, he's really bad at hiding what he's doing. Like he could be in the middle of the cafeteria where everyone sees him watching your battles back to back like they're a tv series.) The only reason nobody really thinks much of it is because you're practically a celebrity and not even just in the Academy but, like, big time. And Kieran is probably one of the only people to not know because he's been so chronically offline. You act so low-key, talking to someone like him like he's just, just another person that it's shocking news to find out that the whole world has probably heard your name by now! As in, his (best?) friend!! (Friend??) It gets kind of annoying now how people follow you around asking to take photos with you like you're some kind of, of tourist attraction and not a person! But there's only one thing that's worse, and it's-

"Hey bud, ready to battle?" Drayton! Kieran's... Kieran's... worst nightmare!! Drayton's gotten really buddy-buddy with you over the time that Kieran and Carmine were on break, and he's not happy about it. Unfortunately for him, Drayton's all too aware of Kieran's contempt and loves to push his buttons. As if calling him "Ex-Champ" all the time wasn't enough, you've been helping him with his homework and sparring together every day! What he wouldn't do for you to spend that much time with him...

And it grinds his gears how often Drayton nudges you or ruffles your hair like you're some sort of pet, though you never see the way their pupils shrink at the sight of each other. Kieran here, hiding behind whatever he can to stay out of sight and Drayton who knows that he's there and makes direct eye contact with him. It's infuriating the way his smile quirks just a little when he catches Kieran spying.

As if he's saying look all you want, look at what you can't have.

And Kieran takes that as a challenge.

Absolutely no-one: (20 yr old) Kieran in this one scene I have vaguely planned out:

Gamefreak may give some odd haircuts but I can do w o r s e

Not me in my art phase after the Drayton in a snowsuit arc earlier haha lol

No actually though how do you write (I'll get back to it tomorrow if I can but it's so... hard. aaaaaa)

Alright, I'm a little nervous to share this, but...

EDIT: I've removed the link for now, I'd like to get a little further along before introducing you guys since I've scrapped so much and every time I think I have a solid angle on what I want to do I either don't like how it comes out or feel I can do better haha For those who want to spoil themselves on the fic I'm writing for Kieran, Drayton, and possibly *cough* Arven, I've got a little, uh, google doc... ehe

It's a restart, I actually had a decent chunk of a fic that I scrapped because I didn't like the plot. That means that there's not much there (and everything in there may be subject to change) But if you want to 'beta read' as they say, then go ahead and get in there :p

I may delete this post later... something about this scares me for some reason lol

Dw I'm just uncultivated when it comes to fandom lol but I loved the lore!! Sinnoh and Unova's stories are so interesting... And you're right to write about Legends Arceus it's a fun (harsh) setting for an adventure. >:-)

He's freaking doing the heart thing with his hands!!! :OOOOOO Your art is so cute I'm freaking in love ;;;;o;;;;;;;; I don't usually share my own art/draw to post (I will when I'm a little better at art maybe) but since you drew amazingly for me twice I got to imagining a dripped out Drayton in a snowsuit as a thank you LOL I really like the black design you did and how puffy and comfortable he looked, you know how the games usually have a black and white version of the same thing? Have Drayton (white snowsuit) haha! Imagine there was a fourth secret DLC and he's wearing both outfits in the snow at some point (Field Trip to Sinnoh? Learning about Hisui in class since BB Academy usually focuses on battle studies and wants to branch out academically?) Man he's just so happy to be out in the snow with you hehe

And then at the end he gives you both Snowsuits for your player character to wearrrr aaaaaaaa

Hello, thank you for writing the last fic. I'm not familiar with "AUs" and what a faller is (<- rare fic reader), but I enjoyed reading it anyway hehe, it's cute. :-) As a thanks, I doodled something somewhat based on the fic, nothing too fancy though. Well, have a good one!

Ohmygosh that's adorable, I hope you don't mind me posting it for everyone ;;;;;o;;;;; (If you do let me know and I'll unpost this!) I'm willing to write you something new! To be honest I didn't even really like how that one came out! I've been in a bit of a rut but with the thought of Drayton in a cute little snow outfit I could probably come up with something great! I'll keep it accessible for those who don't know a lot of the Poke-lore too I'm sorry that I didn't account for that ;;; Also, not sure if you know what AU stands for but it's basically just 'Alternate Universe', or rather (in my writing) an excuse to go off script LMAO Thank you so much your art is beautiful I can't believe you just whipped something up like that I think it's really really good and super cute and wow just perfect I don't know how to properly compliment you but you're obviously really good at what you do :O It's a little early to be saying this with how bad I'm struggling but based on some of the polls I did earlier in the month Kieran and Drayton seem to be popular so I was actually thinking about having them both be 'love interests' in the long fic I'm writing! :D

I don't want to tag fanart or anything because you didn't technically give me permission to share this and I'm sorry about that but let me know if you want it taken down I'll 100% respect your wishes but just. man you have my admiration <3<3<3

I never completed the ace tournament so I can't do the epilogue yet, but I'm lookin forward to more Kieran content! Still working on that long Kieran fic, anyone potentially interested in reading snippets/acting as beta readers? Might want some feedback since I'm not used to writing such long pieces :p

Small spoilers below the cut here:

I did get the dialogue with Amarys today where you can choose to tell her you first met Kieran by 'partnering up' and she sits there like dahell boih

Sorry Amarys man he's my scrongler

Hello! I just read your Drayton fics and they're soooo good I can't wait to read more stuff from you!

I left this ask mainly to compliment your work, but I may as well request if it's okay... Hm, what about a sort of cultural exchange between reader and Drayton huh? Reader transferred from X region (whichever you want, I personally like Sinnoh because snow and lore lol) to Unova and is new in school. Reader is good in battles and is here to get even better, has a good rank at the BB league. Drayton is curious and sees an apportunity to know more about them. Reader doesn't know that much about the Unovan mainland, maybe it can make for some good conversation, huh. What d'you think? (But if you're not feeling inspired please ignore the request lol np thank you for the good work <3)

Hello hello! I've been trying not to leave Author's Notes lately so as not to be annoying but thank you so much!! ;;;0;;; I'm supposed to be working on a 20K+ fanfiction centred around Kieran but tbh I'm kind of struggling on it (I've been struggling on everything recently, but that's neither here nor there) I know I've put out some not so great stuff as well, but hopefully we can wade through the rough patches together :^)

I went a little off script as per usual since I had an idea, I hope that's not too disappointing :'P It might actually be kinda bad I dunno :/ Well, anyway,

Imagine this: You're disoriented, but you remember your last ditch attempt to trek through an especially nasty blizzard. The winds had all but sapped the last of your strength, and last you remember was desperately fighting against a tumultuous sea of rapid falling clumps of snow. And as you're coming to, your eyes crack open to the glaring white of the outside from somewhere within a dark place. The world is frozen over, but the snow is serene, still, and untouched. You're in an alcove that's just by chance been spared from the onslaught of the flash storm, and there's evidence that someone's recently been judging by the knapsack and the, by the looks of it, aluminum safety blanket that's been carefully tucked onto you.

There's only one problem with that assessment. The people of Hisui do not have access to this type of thermal survival blanket. So unless one had by odd chance been leftover as spacetime debris chucked out from one of the rare phenomena aptly known as a Space-Time Rift, this blanket should not be here. Or, conversely, you're not where you're supposed to be. That is certainly evidenced by the white stone ruins perched atop a tall mountain that you see in the distance. The Snowpoint Ruins. The temple built to encase the Legendary Titan's sealing chambers. Your time in there permissed by the locals had probably amounted to somewhere near months studying the glyphs. The innermost parts of that temple fell frozen in time for likely millennia, and it noticeably felt not dissimilar to the unnatural gravity exposed you'd been exposed to in Distortions. Thick and heavy, inconsistent. Time and space remained still, and yet something outside of both seemed to shift and warp around you. In your first approach of the temple, of the Sinnoh that you once knew, you had only made it to the front gate of that once megalythic, then crumbling ruin. Though you felt drawn to it desipite a sinking sense of something being amiss, your trance had been broken. "Only the chosen may enter the Snowpoint Temple. I'm sorry, but you will have to leave." How ironic, you supposed. Of all the people to deny. But that was then, and this is now.

It's odd to think of the far distant future as 'back then'. And here you were, some ways off from where you'd started from. You hadn't made it that far, but somehow it seemed further than you could have gotten on foot in that horrible weather. Cool air still blowing through the entrance of your small refuge, you have a clear view of that mountain some ways away. There's another issue at hand. There's a lot more pinetrees blocking your direct line of sight than there should be, and the building seems to be cut off from the top. It's too small... it's... missing pieces. You can tell that, even from this far away. The deja-vu hits you in nauseating waves, and you have to bite back the acid that rises in your chest. You feel around for your Pokeballs, only to find them noticeably absent from your waist. In fact, your holster is missing altogether. You have no time to figure out what came with you on your person, as the rustling of the tin foil set over you in your shifting prompts a face to stick into the entrance of the alcove. "Arch-a..?" What. What in the world is that Pokemon. "Chalu-Chalu?" You tear off the foil and take a defensive stance. "Ch-che??" It seems to freeze up in confusion, and juts its neck back. It's, squeaking. The high pitched squeals sound aren't even close to matching the face of this thing..? You hold your defensive stance, though fighting this thing off is probably going to be impossible without a partner Pokemon to match its strength. "Archalu..!" It squeaks, an almost metallic, static-y noise distorting the sound. You don't move, but this thing has you cornered if it really wanted to attack. For its size and unfriendly face, it seems to be surprisingly docile. You hope that isn't a facade.

And just as your assessing your potential tactical options, an additional unexpected factor joins the fray. "Huh? What's wrong bud?" The voice you hear... has an accent. You don't know what that accent is, though. "Oh!" It's coming closer, and you're backing up. This is the most defenseless you've been since waking up in Hisui with little of your memory intact. There's a person there, in an all black snowsuit and chromatic goggles. You've not seen clothes like this in so long that your heart-rate spikes in anxiety. You shuffle backward, pressing into the rocky wall as far as you can. "Morning." Peaking his head through underneath the gargantuan beast you'd just been standing off against, he takes a moment to look you over. "You're not still disappointed about being turned away, right?-" The person, the, young, strange, male? Is making some sort of face at you, but you can't see his eyes. "Hey, c'mon, for real-- you okay?" H... huh? He comes a little closer, stepping into the little 'den' you've found yourself in. "Man, not again..." He sighs, his white, hair, thing, drooping with the rest of him. He really... emotes.

"You're not punkin' me or somethin', are you? S'not funny..." He mumbles under his breath, plopping unceremoniously down next to you. "Well, huh, I knew this might happen. You did warn me after all." He shrugs his shoulders, tilting his head back. "Well, I don't really get how this works, so what am I supposed to do?" He motions to knock shoulders with you, but he stops just short of you. "But I guess I feel a little special knowin' you trust the Drayster the most, hehe." He shyly rubs the back of his head. "Guess we'll be waiting this one out, yeah?" What in the world is he talking about? Is this guy delusional or something..?

"W-What..?" You croak, your voice sounding wrong. He reaches up, sliding his goggles down his face. "Somethin' about this place..." Whatever he mumbles, you don't fully catch. "Well, I want to tell you, but it should only be for a little bit anyway." He's not making any sense. "Maaan~ I'm exhausted-" He wasn't paying attention, but when he catches you looking at him, he flushes and averts his eyes. "What...?" He huffs, voice soft, there's something to it. "You're lookin' at me all funny..." "Archal-" Ah! Right!- That thing?! "Lu-ludon!" "D-Drayton-" The name stumbles from your lips but you're too anxious to realize what you're saying. "What is that thing?!?!" He blinks, making eye contact with Archaludon. "Oh? You mean my budster over there?" He scratches his cheek. "He's our friend Archaludon, my ace."

Ace... 'My ace'... That's right, there's trainers in the future. Pokemon are... friendly. That means this guy next to you is a 'trainer', sort of like you. "And... who are you...?" You ask, trying to understand the situation a little better. "Huh? So you don't remember me?" He seems shocked by this, for some reason. "Well, heh." He gets a mischievous look to him that you just know intuitively means trouble. "I'm your partner, hehe." And then your brain suddenly flooded with information. You are a Pokemon Trainer, and a traveller. You have a condition known as CPTSD.

"Oh! See, I recognize that look!" He giggles, slinging an arm around you. "You dragged me aallllll the way out here, that means you trust me~" He's mushing up on you, and your growing headache isn't the result of your condition. But somewhere in the recesses of your fragmented memories, you remember passing something to someone next to you. You're back inside the Snowpoint Temple, where you're supposed to be. You must've spaced out.

"Are you alright?" A young man asks. His voice sounds far away. You don't say anything. You can't see his face. But you remember his snow white hair, and slitted yellow eyes.

... "You loooove me-" "Can it, idiot."

What ifs? Running Away, PT.1

Well, it's definitely not panic-inducing when Parent-Teacher Conferences roll around and you're there to represent yourself when Drayton's grandfather shows up. Drayden. Drayton's grandfather, one of the only people on this planet who knows who you are and what you've done.

And your hopes of him not recognizing you are dashed when you lock eyes, and he freezes up. "G-gramps?" You're just as frozen, because he knows. Drayton, your friend is stepping forward, hand raised, trying to figure out why you're so terrified of his grandfather. You expect him to give chase after you as you turn and book it, but Drayden's put a shaky hand over Drayton's chest just as he steps toward you.

. You're packing your things, shock suffocating as you knock things over, leaving your dorm room a mess. Sorry Geeta, sorry Nemona. Sorry Arven... Sorry Penny.... Sorry, Drayton, Sorry everyone. They're racing through your head. You've done this before, and now you have to do it again.

Small problem with my poll:

TLDR: Made a poll asking who I should write a 20K+ fic about. Results are undecided. They're tied! Kieran and Drayton have been tied on and off this entire time! So here's the question: Should I just make the fic about both of them? Both love interests? Also no, I would not be writing about young Kieran, this would probably have to be an AU :p Ah, also, happy New Years Eve/New Years Day! For the irony of it, I'll give you this little yes or no poll to decide:

Screenshot of the latest numbers:

I DID IT AGAIN. AAAAAAARH!!!

Posted on the wrong blog. Here you go, fml. Well then, if you haven't already, go vote on my poll! It might influence what I write next!

Kieran Snippet (12.30.2023)

Pulling a chunk of obsidian flake from his satchel, he looked about for a good rock. Nothing too sharp, nor heavy, something sturdy enough to fleck the edges of his blade in the making.

Following the riverbed, he opted to remain alongside the pebbles so to keep his boots clean.

Conifer trees reached heights way above the brook he trailed, encroaching on the corners, greedy for space. Sharp needles poked out as teeth trying to snare his sleeves for refusing to walk in the shallows where crayfish and dewbugs skittered.

It was unusual, seeing these creatures.

There were no Pokemon here.

Much like you, they seemed missing from the surrounding wilds that eerily stayed quiet and chilling, unlike the forests he'd once snuck off to when he was a boy. He thought he was alone then. Now he hears the starving silence.

Now he knows what alone really is.

He knows what he did. You were friends. You were the only person in the world who would willingly throw themself directly into the portal bent on consuming him for his hubris, after he spent years clawing his way into Paldea's center like a monster that belonged in that hell crater. You took his place, and then you left him behind. All he wanted was a means to one up you, that whole time.

You wanted for nothing. The world willingly offered it up to you as he withered, always neglected. Always empty. He grew up, he grew old. It passed him by agonizingly slow. His hair unkempt and wild, he'd slice off with his new knife. Having been stuck in that lab for so long, he'd lost track of time and forgotten about the hair that almost dragged along the scattered documents strewn across the floor. Researcher, he'd studied at various universities for years. Anything for a scrap of knowledge. It was all just a ruse. His yellow slits for eyes should have blown his cover. Hands littered with white scars. He got them before he came here, long before, but he'd earned more after tearing through the fabric of reality with a broken machine to travel here. Now they were fresh, now they were aggravated. These hands have grasped and pulled at things they never should have ripped out of your hold. How they have betrayed you. The other world. It beckoned to him like his own once called to you. He didn't know. How could he? You never told him. You never acted like anything had been amiss. You were just so happy to be alive that he couldn't see what was wrong. What was different about you. Why everything insidious felt pulled to you like a magnet. Why he felt pulled to you with such fervor. Two sides of the same coin. Heads and tails. If this harsh world could birth something as pure as you, then surely even his gentle upbringing could spawn something as vile as him.

How something in him snapped at how you weren't satisfied, though you won against him in every category. Looking down at his reflection in the water, up at the colorless sky, he doesn't recognize the scruffy mass of hair that stares back at him. He feels around in his satchel for what little he has left. You never belonged here. Something beyond you both must've realized that too. But you didn't belong with him, either. Even if he somehow finds you, if he's even on the right continent, in the right place, in the right point of time, there's a chance neither of you can both return home.

Because logically, he knows. That two sides of the same coin can never face each other.

I want to write a long, maybe 20K+ x Reader Fic and I need to know who you guys might want to see that for. I'd be looking to have a decent chunk of it done in one week, though I'm not the best writer and don't have beta readers :p Also also, again I'm a little uncomfy with writing for Kieran now that I've received word he's like confirmed 14 ish but if the plot is something to do with him being in his 20's way after the main events of Scarlet and Violet then I don't mind as much, it's still a little odd but I could 100% come up with an interesting story I'll leave the poll active for a week but might choose a little before it ends if the results are clear :^) My main focus is on plot and I'll be trying not to write anything super boring so there's probably going to be something lore-y involved. Picked a couple of possible main focus characters just off the top of my head :p

How about some head cannons for blue berry academy students befriending a new student reader who turns out to be a faller? The reader is from our world and does have at least some memory loss.

And so I might have turned it into a fic and not a list of HCs... lemme know if you want me to rewrite it lol -- it was getting kinda long so this might just be a part one of two if people actually like it. If not I'll just move onto other things :p

With the multi-billion dollar project underway to extend Blueberry Academy's underwater campus, there's been an influx of new students lining up to attend the recently founded institution!

As for you who may or may not have crash-landed in Unova not long ago -you with no credentials- there's no way you could have applied to join the wave of incoming students... had it not been for a string of improbable events that tied you up in some top secret plot.

An unpredicted meteor ripped through the planet's atmosphere in the late hours of night. A burst of unusual green-blue energy had not only been visible to the naked eye, but it set off all the satellite radars in the region. And what stumbled out of the impact zone was the most unlikely part of the story.

... Where... were you? Did you... fall asleep again? Opening your eyes, the cold midnight wilderness flashed alight with an eerie aurora floating close to the ground. The dust was settling, but instead of dispersing into the dirt, it'd been floating up back toward the clear starflecked sky. The surrounding field stood littered with broken shards of... something. They'd been decaying into twinkling flakes light enough to float off the ground — and being that it was pitch black, the only light you had to see was quickly dispersing from the stripped soil and clumps of torn up grass. Once they'd burnt the last of their light, it had left you nothing but one last gentle light source. Registering the mysterious shimmering crystal not far from your face, you sat up, with no proper sense of how you'd got there or what it had been doing on top of you. You must've walked for miles with it in your arms before passing out from exhaustion.

...

You're really asleep again. You tried to cry out, open your eyes. Nothing happened. You tried to feel your fingertips, your breath in and out of your nose. Where is your body? Nothing... happened. The shell forming around you kept out the melded together white silhouettes, but it also kept you in. But a woman burst through the doors, and you couldn't make out here face as she yelled at them to stop. No, all you could make out was the familiar pattern of her earrings. "Can't you see that you can't drill through this?!" She pushed them out of the way, standing between you and their stainless steel tools. "You'll do nothing but hurt the both of them!"

. There's some illegible message displayed on the device you hold in your hands. You look down at it, not remembering what you were doing before.

You can't make out any of the details anymore, but you're unable to look away as you hear the sound effect from pressing the A-button. The symbols warp into familiar letters. You suddenly feel a slightly overshadowing presence behind you. At last, comprehensible text materializes.

"And so you have returned with some pretense of self awareness. Not as you were before, however."

You press the A-button again. "More a shell of what you once were... Something I lament to say likely cannot be reversed." A-button. "Nay, you are not the you that I once knew." You... press it again. "..." It does not speak, so you press it again.

And again.

"I am at a loss as to whether I should mourn a past that has faded into obscurity or feel at peace knowing that you are as ever-changing as the world you left in my charge." You press the button one more time, but the voice seems to hesitate for a moment, thinking of what next to say.

". . . "

"Regardless, I have been awaiting your return for a very long time."

.

.

.

Better to get up and put on your tacky school uniform now than fall back asleep and wait to be dragged out from your boring old dorm room by the scruff.

Being taken as a test subject in the most remote middle-of-the-ocean facility felt more like being held prisoner than enrolling in school. Your homeroom teacher, Ms. Briar, had served as a reminder that the muddy flashes of memories you had of being encased in a living crystal were, in fact, real. She seems to know a lot about the creature you woke up holding, but next to nothing about you. While still mildly annoyed by her poking and prodding, you've warily come to accept that her endless curiosity is not out of cruelty. She is... respectful toward you. Not of your boundaries, but she's fascinated with you in a mild manner that does not immediately endanger your safety. Speaking of, as you sat down and slung your bag over the desk chair, Terapagos came tumbling out, clinking clumsily against the floor. "Aaa-" It cried, stuck on its back. Or, well, not it. He. You quickly scooped him up and set him back on his legs. He's looking up at you, nudging your shoe with his head. His unusually large eyes sparkle as he stares with unmatched innocence, waiting for you to bend over and pick him up. Which you do, knowing the pink haired girl that sits a few rows behind you is vibrating in her seat. "Cute... so cute..." She's mumbling under her breath. Ever since you 'enrolled' she'd done nothing but stare at your companion, which he seemed to find uncomfortable if the pulling at your shoelace wasn't enough to convey that fact. "Alright, little guy, alright. I'm on it." You huff, gently plucking him off the ground with two hands. He cries out in joy and she suddenly clutches her heart, falling backward out of her seat.

...

Nobody here talks to you. Not because they haven't tried, but because every attempt has been met with you either pretending you hadn't heard them or getting up and walking out the classroom. All Briar had to do was take the attendance. They couldn't necessarily threaten you into forced bonding with others. No, your real confinement was having to go into the terrarium and complete menial tasks for the equivalent of money just so you could buy food and school supplies. You didn't even want to be here, you just didn't have anywhere better to go. Apparently they just wanted to protect you for the time being, but there's no way in hell you'd believe that's why they sent you into glorified solitary confinement in the middle of the ocean. Everyone else had permission to come and go whensoever they pleased.

No, your only equals here were your few Pokemon friends. The researchers might've claimed to be keeping your friends in the terrarium for the sake of their health and the preservation of the outside world it mimicked, but you'd never believe in their so called pure intentions. No, this was a pretty little garden for outsiders looking in, and a cage too small for ornate living decorations like you.

Terapagos had been your only one constant since day one, and he was wary of most other people. You trusted his judgement the most. Most other people. The lunch ladies were apparently the saints of the Pokemon world. The food staff are genuinely kind, and Terapagos is a fiend for all types of Pokemon confections you're quickly learning. They've told you that most Pokemon have a taste preference, but not your special little pal, though the poor thing had such a tiny stomach that does not match his monstrous appetite at all.

There's one other person Terapagos had once been intent on pestering in at the cafeteria, but was quickly distracted by another helping of berries and whipped cream.

Compliments to the hardworking Alcremie in the kitchen, they were the only ones who could truly keep his menace at bay... You were endlessly thankful for the distraction, anyway. You wouldn't have known what to do if he'd marched right on up to the four of them chatting amongst themselves over lunch. Red haired dude. Pink haired girl. Scary four eyes. Annoying dragon jerk. Everyone knew who they were. Those were the most problematic trainers in all the Academy.