Chapter Text
Juliana huffed a large breath as she lowered her end of the couch onto the floor, leaning over it as she wiped her brow of the sweat that had built up. She tucked her hair behind her ear and took in a deep breath as she stood straight, looking out to the now fully furnished living room of her home. It had been roughly a month since she and her mum moved into Cabo Paco in the Paldea region, but they had finally managed to get everything they brought over from the Galar region into their new home after some shipping delays. It felt very cozy and reminded her of her childhood home back in her home region.
“Phew! Finally done. I thought we’d never get the house fully furnished,” her mum said, stretching her back as she observed the now complete living room, the evening light beaming through the windows as the house was now what the older woman had envisioned to the proper home of a Paldean family. “Now this… this feels like home, doesn’t it dear?”
“Yeah, mum, it’s uh… quite something,” Juliana tried to say with enthusiasm, not understanding why her mother was so into home-décor. She observed the home and took in everything. The colorful yet eye-pleasing kitchen, the muted yet lively living room, and even the foyer had some charm to them, having brick patterns around the doorframe and the beige wall making the small amounts of color pop out. Her artistic brain really enjoys observing how the colors mesh with each other. “Makes me sad we couldn’t get everything in until today. Can’t remember everything now before I head to the Academy tomorrow.”
“Oh, don’t remind me. It’s too soon, I reckon,” her mum replied, wrapping an arm around the 14-year-old’s shoulders, and gently squeezing her. Juliana slightly flinched, not expecting the contact, but was quick to return the affection. “I can’t believe my baby girl is about to start her own journey in becoming a woman. Almost brings a tear to my eyes.”
“Muuuum!” Juliana whined, trying to escape the hug now to get away from the sentimental mood her mother was in. Her mother laughed at her daughter’s display, allowing the younger girl some distance as Juliana giggled a bit herself. After a moment, she let out a sigh as her expression turned a bit disheartened, deep in thought. “… Do you think this one will be better than the last school?”
Her mother looked at her daughter with a saddened look, kneeling and placing a hand on her shoulder gently. “Sweetie, I made sure that this school wouldn’t be a hostile place for you to learn and grow. They have a program here to make sure you don’t fall behind the others. This was the best option we had. And if it isn’t good enough, just give me a ring, alright?”
Juliana looked up at her mother and offered a strained smile. She knew how much effort and money her mother had put into making sure Juliana grew up in a healthy environment that wouldn’t hold her back due to her differences; she’s had to transfer schools 4 times due to the teachers not being accommodating for her and actively holding her back for not being on the same level as her fellow students. She didn’t want this one to be any worse than the previous schools, especially since it cost them so much to move regions to attend Uva Academy. She didn’t want to make things harder for her mother, so she just kept smiling weakly and uttered an empty promise. “Okay, mum. I will.”
“Good,” her mother said, relief in her voice as she pulled her daughter into a tight hug. “I know things have been tough for you, and I’m sorry I couldn’t do better. But I have a good feeling about this school. Your life is on an upward swing now, Julie.”
Juliana didn’t reply with words, only making a noise of acknowledgment as she returned the hug. She didn’t exactly believe things would get better, not having much hope that the school would be different, but she wanted to stay positive. She needed to give the school a shot. She wasn’t sure if she could handle moving to another school.
The pair were brought out of their emotional moment by the sound of something falling in the kitchen. Juliana and her mom looked towards the room, seeing their pet Skwovet on the counter, trying to grab a bite of the sausage and mash waiting on the counter for them to eat. It looked at the two with wide eyes, one of its paws reaching out towards their dinner as it was caught with its hand in the dough.
“Skwovet, no! Off the counter, you little scoundrel!” Juliana’s mother scolded, quickly making her way to the kitchen as the little Pokémon was quick to jump off the counter and escape her mother’s wrath. “How many bloody times do I need to tell you not to climb onto the counters!”
Juliana merely giggled at the cheeky rodent’s antics, walking to the kitchen, and grabbing a plate for herself. The pleasant aroma of the sausage reached her nostrils and she let out a satisfied hum, her stomach growling with hunger for the delish meal she was about to have. “Oye mum, Imma eat up in my room, alright?”
“Of course, dear. Just make sure to bring your plate down when you’re done,” her mom replied, holding up Skwovet by the scruff of its neck as it tried to flail out of her grasp. “I’m going to teach this little man his manners since he’s forgotten them during the move.”
“Alright, good luck!” Juliana called as she took her plate and utensils up the stairs to her room, walked over to her desk, and placed her plate down. Moving her books out of the way, she sat down at the desk, pulled out her Rotom Phone, and opened the Uva Academy introductory video to watch it over one last time before her first day tomorrow. She had watched it numerous times since landing in the Paldea region, wanting to know what to expect when she started her first day that school year.
The emblem of the school appears on the screen as the video begins to play, Juliana digging into her sausage and mash by scooping up some potatoes and chomping down on the creamy food. The video showed the impressive building that was the school as the speaker in the video began to introduce the school. “Uva Academy. Leading the way to the future- while valuing our individuality.” The screen showed numerous buildings in the school with students doing their tasks in class while teachers helped around the room.
The screen then cut to a field, showing people mingling with Pokémon as well as some battling it as it transitions to the back of one of the students, pulling their arm back as they held a Poké Ball tightly in their hand. “It’s time for you, too… to dive into the world of Pokémon!” The girl then threw the Poké Ball into the air, the sun gleaming into the camera as the screen faded to white.
As Juliana took a massive bite out of her chopped sausage, the screen showed the director of the academy’s office, with the elderly man sitting at a desk, writing on some paper as his short grey hair draped over his face, contrasting his dark purple suit nicely. “Director Clavell; Head of the Academy,” some text said as it faded onto the screen before the video transitioned to a map of the Paldea region, the voice of Director Clavell beginning to speak.
“Paldea is a sprawling region bursting with lush nature and magnificent landscapes.” He says as the video cuts to a shot of a Poké Ball held within his palm. “It is also, of course, the home to the magnificent creatures known as Pokémon. They reside here in great numbers, in fact,” he tossed the ball into the air, releasing a small orange rodent from the device. The small creature let out a gentle “Pawmi,” allowing Juliana to identify what Pokémon it was before it turned and leaped onto the director’s shoulder. The older man smiled gently at the Pokémon before putting his hands behind his back and looking at the camera.
The screen cut to a slideshow of photos showing off various locations and rooms around the building as Clavell continued to speak. “Pokémon can be found living 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.”
The screen cut to a battle that was about to take place between a blond boy with a Muk and a tall, dark-skinned girl with dark hair and green bangs using what Juliana assumed to be a Paldean Tauros. The two trainers let out orders as the two Pokémon lunged at each other, freezing right before they made contact as Director Clavell kept speaking. “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.”
The video cut to the aftermath of the video, with the girl having won the battle and giving the boy an encouraging thumbs up, but the boy seemed dejected, rubbing the back of his head. Juliana found this to be very unsportsmanlike, not seeing why the boy was upset despite the other girl encouraging him despite the defeat.
The screen cut to a shot of the front of the school with four teachers and Clavell standing at the front door, having a Mismagius, a Rockruff, a Pikachu, a Magnemite, and a Hatterene off to the sides. “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.” As he said this, students ran on screen towards the teachers, the crowd beginning to chat as the video faded to black, ending the video.
Juliana turned off her phone and finished her supper, devouring her sausage and mash as she thought about the video. The showcase of the school sounded promising. The Director seemed nice enough, and the students in the video seemed to be enjoying their time at the Academy except for that one sore loser. And the promise of the staff welcoming everyone and anyone with open arms gave her hope despite her earlier sour mood. She just needed to think positively about this. This was a chance to start over; she was in a new region with new Pokémon and people who didn’t know her from childhood. She can make herself be whoever she wants to be, and start her journey to discovering who she truly is deep down.
A slight smile graced her lips as she nudged her plate aside, reaching for a book. Its pages unveiled the enigma of Terastallization—a phenomenon exclusive to the Paldea region that intrigued her, igniting a thirst for knowledge. Perhaps the school would delve into its secrets. For now, she immersed herself, ensuring its freshness in her mind for tomorrow—a significant day with the promise of encountering all sorts of Pokémon, learning new things about the world around her, and discovering any mysteries the region held. As night settled, Juliana basked in an uncommon optimism. Tomorrow loomed as a life-altering juncture, a belief she embraced. Change was on the horizon, and she embraced it eagerly, secure in the hopeful feeling that her world was about to change forever.
The sun began to peak over the horizon over the region as the morning of a new day came to Paldea. Some people were already about, going to jobs, getting home from work, or just doing their daily routine. It seemed like today would be just like any other. But there was one thing off about it, and it originates from the Great Crater.
The Pokémon, mechanical and technological, flew through the orange and blue clouds that shrouded the depths of the crater as fast as it could, piercing through the fog to reach the skies of the greater region. It stared into the orange sky, seeing the rest of the Paldea region once more for the first time in years, but sluggishly blinked, feeling its power beginning to wane. It didn’t have much time until it was forced to initiate a reboot of its systems, and it needed to get somewhere safe for it to properly secure its wellbeing.
The Pokémon stared down at the region, making out the many landmarks that the region houses, observing where safety was. However, it could not identify it some high in the skies, everything blurring together within its mechanical gaze. The jets on its legs began to wane, forcing the creature to change its altitude and begin to glide down towards the earth. It dove towards the grassy plains at high speed, slamming through the leaves of trees before hovering over a herd of prehistoric Pokémon, black fur and stone-like horns adorning their head as it soared through the crisp clean air, the sight of it frightening the herd and making the charge faster. Deciding there was no safety within this section of the region, it took off higher and blazed through the air.
The Pokemon soared through the air, passing by one of the many towns at such speed that it made the windmill it flew up spin faster, the commotion of its flight frightening and catching the attention of many who were awake at this hour. It changed course and flew over a small pond in a hotter section of the region, spooking a flock of pink avian creatures into flight, which the Pokémon was quick to join before continuing its search as the lights in its technological eyes began to grow dim. It was running out of time.
It changed course again, flying around one of the towers that pierced the clouds and flew towards the city where the building resides. In its haste to find a safe place to reboot, one of its wings clipped the side of the building it flew around, making some debris fall as it soared over the city, its speed making things fall over and hats fly into the air due to the wind its flight kicked up.
As the Pokémon reached the edge of the city, its eyes landed on the spot it was looking for, the observatory lighthouse. As it began to make its course to the lighthouse, the power in its eyes began to go out completely, the reboot process beginning to take hold over its body. It fought to steer itself to the lighthouse, but in its struggle, it veered off course and past the building, turning into a nosedive to the wave as it lost all power, crashing into the Paldean oceans.
Juliana woke with a snort, shooting up in her seat and looking around her room in a panic as the chirping of birds filled her ears. “Huh? Wha...?” She said, her speech slightly slurred as she observed her room, illuminated by the morning sun peeking through her window, the curtains flapping gently due to the slight breeze leaking through. She looked down at her desk, trying to understand why she woke up at her desk instead of in her bed. Peering down at his desk, she saw her book was still open, with a wet spot in the middle of the page from her drool. “AH! No no no no no no!”
Panicking, she grabbed the rim of her shirt and gently patted at the wet spot, trying to remove the wet patch on the page, dampening the page and recovering most of the text, some of it being slightly smudged from the dampness of her drool. She groaned in frustration, mad at herself for ruining the book even slightly as she rubbed her tired eyes to rid herself of her sleepiness. Yawning gently, she grabbed her phone and turned on it, seeing what the time was.
8:03.AM
“8. AM?! Bloody hell!” Juliana exclaimed, quickly getting out of her seat, and rushing over to her closet, swinging open the birch doors and grabbing her new uniform from within. She was quick to get change, not wanting to waste any more time than she had already by waking up late for her first day. She moved over to the standing mirror by her bed, using it to help her do up her hair in the way she found most comfortable. After the hasty change of appearance, she took a moment and observed herself in the mirror, mostly to make sure she looked passable.
Her brown eyes looked over her Uva Academy uniform which consisted of a white polo shirt with the school’s emblem on the left sleeve, a deep purple tie, purple shorts (with functional pockets, a marvel for women’s clothing), black knee-high socks with a yellow band, and brown shoes. Next, she looked upon her dark brown hair, which was done up in a side braid on the right side of her head, her fringe poking out the bottom of her hat and covering the left side of her forehead. She was slightly grateful that the bucket hat, which was black and white and hung from her bedpost, would cover up her Miltank lick. Her light-colored skin gleamed in the morning sunlight, and the colors of the uniform complimented her complexion nicely. She hummed with satisfaction of her appearance, finding herself to be indeed passable.
Once she found herself to be acceptable, she made her way down the stairs, making sure to grab her dishes from last night so that they may be washed. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Skwovet greeted her as it ran off into the living room, letting out a loud “Muncha!” as it made its retreat. Juliana huffed with fondness as she made her way through the living room, the rodent trying to climb up her leg.
“Skwovet, come on, mate,” Juliana scolded teasingly, gently shaking her leg, and making Skwovet plop onto the ground like a beanie bag. The young teen giggled as she made her way to the kitchen, placing her plate and fork on the counter next to the sink, where her mother was doing the dishes from last night. “Mornin’, mum,”
“Good morning, Juliana!” her mother greeted as she grabbed the plate from the counter. Juliana had moved over to the stove, grabbing a frying pan from the cupboard and the salt and pepper shakers. “Good to see you’re finally up. I was starting to think I’d need to go up them and smack you with a pillow,” her mother teased, putting the dishes into the hot soapy water.
“We both know that wouldn’t have ended well,” Juliana shot back lightly, grabbing the eggs from the fridge, and turning on the stove, waiting for the frying pan to heat up as she put a light layer of olive oil into the pan.
“Yes, well, you’re quite right, I suppose,” her mum laughed, washing the dishes as she continued to speak. “It’s good to see you’re in your uniform so early. I’m so excited for you to experience the wonders of Uva Academy!”
“It’s the first day of school, mum. I gotta be ready to head out soon,” Juliana replied, hovering her hand over the pan before cracking her eggs into the pan, the pan sizzling from the cool protein landing on the oil. The young teen was quick to add the pepper and salt as her mom responded to Juliana’s statement.
“Well, you might wanna cool your engines before you go racing out the door, especially without breakfast,” her mother chided lightly as she put the cleaned dishes into the draining board. “The school contacted me and said that you’re supposed to wait here a little bit longer. Their words, not mine!”
“Huh?” Juliana asked, looking towards her mom as she grabbed a plate and two slices of bread, placing them next to the stove as her eggs cooked. “Why?”
“Apparently there’s something very important for your first day that hasn’t arrived,” her mother stated in a simple tone, drying her hands off with a towel. Before Juliana could inquire what that could mean, the doorbell rang, catching both of their attention. “Oh! Maybe that’s the very thing we’re waiting for! Juliana, get the door, would you?”
“Alright, mum!” Juliana said, wiping her hands on another dish towel as she skipped over to the door. “Pour me a cuppa joe! And watch over me eggs!”
“Yes, dear!” Her mother called as Juliana made it to the front door, opening it to see who was on the other side.
The person that greeted her was an older man, his skin grey with age and his hair pure white. His hair was short, having two tufts of it hanging around the edges of his face on either side, as well as having a finely trimmed goatee adorning his chin. He wore round-framed white glasses, a purple blazer with white accents, the pockets had Premier Balls hanging from them, a black dress shirt underneath the blazer, white pants, and shoes. He stood tall with unshaken confidence as he stood at the door, a stony expression on him that came off as warm to the younger girl.
“Do forgive the intrusion,” the man spoke, making Juliana recognize immediately who was in front of her; Uva Academy Director Clavell. His voice was just as soft-spoken and warm as in the video but still had the air of a man who had to run a massive academy such as Uva. “You are Miss Juliana Gedal, yes?”
“Yep, that’s me!” I exclaimed cheerily, holding my hand out for him to shake. The man took it, his grip firm but in a gentle way. “What brings you here, Director Clavell?”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Gedal,” Clavell replied before giving a gentle bow. “On behalf of Uva Academy, I must apologize for the late arrival of your enrollment documents. And please, do call me Mr. Clavell. Director is too much of a mouthful for casual use for one of my students.”
“The director?!” Juliana’s mother called from the kitchen. She came over to the front door in a hurry, carrying a mug that was steaming. “And you came in person to help my daughter on her first day? By the way, sweetie, here’s your cuppa joe.”
Juliana took the mug from her mother as the older woman reached the front door, the young teen moving back to allow Clavell to enter the home. “With extra milk and sugar?” she asked as she took a sip from her mug.
“Three scoops of sugar exactly,” her mother replied, kissing Juliana on the cheek as Juliana hummed from the beverage.
Clavell observed the scene for a moment with a gleam of amusement in his eyes before he addressed the question asked to him. “Well, I am responsible for the entire academy- including any failures on its part… So here at last are the enrollment documents that should have already been delivered to you.” He stated, entering the home, and holding out a white gift bag towards her mother.
Juliana’s mother took the bag and looked inside, her eyes wide from shock at the kindness Clavell displayed. “Goodness, you really needn’t have… Well, since you’ve come all this way, can I at least offer you a cup of tea for your troubles?”
Clavell seemed taken aback by the off, although his eyes only widened from shock as he turned a bit demure. “Ah, no need to trouble yourself…”
“Nonsense! It’s the least I could do for you for delivering the documents in person!” her mother insisted as she turned to Juliana. “Juliana, I have a thing or two to discuss with the director here. Why don’t you take your breakfast up to your room and you can finish getting ready for school? You’ll need your bag- and your hat as well!”
“Alright mum,” Juliana replied, heading back to the kitchen, grabbing her egg sandwich from the counter, placing the frying pan on a cold burner, and heading towards the stairs as her mother led Clavell to towards the kitchen.
“Now, Mr. Clavell, you simply must join me for a cuppa. This way…”
“Well, how could I refuse such a kind offer?” Clavell mused, a faint chuckle leaving his lips before Juliana passed them both and up the stairs.
Placing the plate on her desk, she began to devour her egg sandwich as fast as possible while also taking care to not choke on her food. Egg sandwiches were a favorite of hers, always a joy to have. It was why she had one every morning besides it being a consistent thing she’s had for years now alongside a cup of coffee to kick-start her day.
After a few minutes, she was done with her meal and was ready to put on her hat and grab her bag. Rising from her seat, she walked over to her bed, bending down and grabbing the brown backpack that came with her school uniform, the sack having the Uva Academy emblem on the front pocket and a small tag on the right side. Juliana threw the backpack straps over her shoulder after putting some of her books into the bag, making sure the straps were secure upon her shoulders before she placed her hat atop her head. Turning to the mirror, she did one last check-up on her outfit, doing a little twirl and flashing a happy smile to herself in the mirror. She was ready.
She began to walk towards the stairs, descending them and about to call her mother when she began to pick up the conversation her mother was having with Director Clavell.
“-that the last few schools have been rather cruel to Juliana due to her unique needs, purposely holding her back despite saying they’d help her. The other students would bully her to no end to the point she hardly smiled when she came home. I… I need to make sure things won’t turn out the same this time. It can’t.” Her mother's voice, strained yet firm, resonated as she shared her concerns. Unseen by them, Juliana stood on the last step of the stairs and hid behind the wall, absorbing their exchange from a vantage point beyond their view.
Clavell's words took a deliberate, measured pace as he responded, mindful of his phrasing. “Ms. Gedal, I can assure you that Uva Academy is committed to fostering an inclusive atmosphere. Since assuming the role of acting director, I've dedicated myself to nurturing an environment where everyone is embraced, regardless of their individual experiences or needs. While not all students might vocalize their challenges, it's undeniable that many high-achieving individuals here have found acceptance despite any needs they may require. Our staff strives for equality among all students, with an emphasis on avoiding any purposeful disruptions. If any form of differentiation has occurred due to your daughter’s circumstances, you have my word that I will see to it that that is stomped out and that she feels safe within the school’s walls.”
Juliana heard her mother sniffle slightly before she began to speak again. “Oh, thank you, Mr. Clavell. You are a true blessing. However, I’ll leave proper thanks until later in the year. I do not want to get my hopes up so soon if you excuse my hesitance.”
“Not at all, Ms. Gedal. I can understand your wariness,” Clavell reassured his tone understanding Juliana’s mother’s reluctance.
Juliana had heard enough at this point, taking in a deep, shaky breath as she tried to bring a smile that didn’t look forced onto her face, grabbing the straps of her bag and walking into the living room. Her mum turned to look at Juliana and a soft smile formed on her face, hiding the tissue she had been using to wipe away her tears so that Juliana didn’t notice.
“Oh, just look at you! All ready for your big first day!” Her mother exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement as she rose from one of the couches. Clavell rose from his seat as well, taking a sip of his cuppa.
“Yes, the uniform of our storied academy suits you quite well indeed,” Clavell commented, making Juliana blush from the compliment. After a moment, a look of shock formed on his face, much to the confusion of the Gedal family. “Oh, gracious. How very careless of me. I had entirely forgotten that I have something else for you, Miss Juliana. A most important thing.” He looked around the living room for a moment, shaking his head gently before continuing. “But your living room is hardly the place for it. Would you care to follow me outside?”
“Uh, sure!” Juliana exclaimed, her voice a strained cheerfulness that thankfully neither adult noticed. Clavell nodded and headed to the front door. The two women followed behind the man; Juliana was unsure of what else he wanted to give her.
“I wonder what this important thing might be…” her mother said to herself, her voice sounding like she had an inkling as to what the surprise could be. Juliana turned back to look at her mum, but the woman wasn’t looking at her, not allowing Juliana to get a hint of what it could be.
As Juliana made it out to the front garden, she could the light breeze against her skin, the winds blowing north-east as the sun steadily rose high into the sky. Mr. Clavell has made it to the front bottom step of the pathway before turning back towards them, his still slightly stone and hard to read for the young teen. Juliana moved to the top step of the staircase of her yard as Clavell pulled out three regular Poké Balls from his pocket, expertly holding them with a single hand.
“Alright then, dear Pokémon. Time to come out of your Poké Balls.” He commanded in a gentle tone as he tossed the Poke Balls into the air, all three opening with a brilliant flash of cyan as three Pokémon stood before the Gedal family suddenly. Juliana’s eyes widen and sparkle with excitement, sitting on her knees and staring at the Pokémon in awe, squealing to herself.
“Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod, is what I think is happening happening?” the young teen asked, looking up at Clavell with wonder and a hint of pleading. Was she getting her own Pokémon? She had been dreaming of this moment her entire life, always seeing other classmates having their own Pokémon that were brought for recess. It was mostly Yampers, Snoms, and Morpekos, the usual easy-to-handle Pokémon Youngsters were given before they were allowed to journey the region and enter the Gym Challenge.
Clavell merely smiled and gave a small nod. “We provide our student entering the academy a Pokémon of their own. I’ll ask you to choose which among these three you’d like to have as your partner.” He nodded to the first Pokémon in the line-up on the left. “First, Sprigatito, the Grass Cat Pokémon.”
Sprigatito was a quadrupedal feline Pokémon covered in pale green fur. It had green ears with pale green insides, a tuft of fur on the front of its chest, and a green marking around its pink eyes and nose that resembled leaves. Lifting one of its small paws to lick the back of it, Juliana could see it had pink paw pads underneath despite having no visible toes. It looked up at her and let out a gentle “Sprrr,” allowing the teen to see it had two pointed teeth in its upper jaw before staring up at her with wide, shining eyes as it swayed its fluffy tail behind its body.
Clavell then nodded his head towards the Pokémon in the middle of the line-up. “Next, Fuecoco, the Fire Croc Pokémon.” Fuecoco was a bipedal reptilian Pokémon with a mostly red body and a white stomach and face. It had two yellow tufts of hurt on its head, which glowed with fiery energy. Fuecoco had black eyes and triangular nostrils, and its mouth had three teeth, with one in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw. It had stubby arms and large feet with two black toes on each foot. Fuecoco had yellow square scales on its stomach, back, tail, and the soles of its feet. It looked up at her with curiosity, tilting its head to the side as it let out a raspy “Craaaw?”
“And finally, Quaxly, the Duckling Pokémon,” Clavell stated as he nodded to the Pokémon on the right end of the line-up. Quaxly was a white avian Pokémon. It had a yellow beak and blue eyes. It had teal webbed feet and a large teal coif-like crest that covered its head, with a feathery tuft in the front and a white curvy line shaped like a wave. It shook its head slightly and flicked the tuft of hair on the coif upwards as it closed its eyes, making a pompous “Pomp!” cry in her direction.
“Oh my god, they’re so adorable!” Juliana cooed happily, her hands tapping against her knees happily as she wore the biggest smile on her face, her heart pounding against her chest from sheer joy.
Clavell hummed in amusement at the girl’s pure excitement, continuing his speech. “They’re all very good company. Why, they usually refuse to even leave my side,” he stated. Once he finished, however, the three Pokémon all approached her; first Fuecoco, then Sprigatito, and then Quaxly. They all stared up at her expectingly, standing mere inches away from her, much to the surprise of her mother and Mr. Clavell. “What’s this? Hmm. So, it turns out they’re more interested in you, Miss Juliana than familiar old me.”
Sprigatito was the first to make contact with her skin, the Grass Cat rubbing against her knee as it purred gently. Juliana cooed and scratched behind its ear, the Pokémon’s purrs only growing louder. Juliana made a mental note of how its cool fur felt like a plant while also feeling fuzzy, peaking her curious mind. Fuecoco moved to her next, leaping into her lap and staring up at her. She flinched back at the sudden motion, noting how much warmer the Fire Croc was compared to Sprigatito, although she supposed she should’ve expected that. She rubbed her hand down its back, feeling the warm scales against her skin, the reptilian Pokémon chirping from the soothing contact. Finally, Quaxly moved to her side, a wing on its hip as it looked up at her. Julianaa wasn’t sure what spot on the Pokemon would allow her to pet it, so she opted for rubbing the coif on its head. She cringed on the inside slightly as her hand made contact with it, her palm getting slick with dampness from the plump coif.
Her mother watched from behind, a hand on her chest with pride as she cooed at her daughter. Clavell just watched for a moment, his face stony before he checked his pocket watch, his eyes going wide. “Ah. I do wish I could stay and see which one you’ll choose, but I must be off to my next house visit…” Clavell looked over his shoulder, with Juliana’s eyes following. At the end of the street was the largest house within Cabo Poco; that is to say it was more of a manor than your regular home. The roof had clean white stony walls with a blue tiled roof and a large windowpane above the front door. The home was surrounded by a marble wall, with the front gate being open. It was a stark contrast to her own home, which had orange-beige walls and a multi-colored roof. “I’ll be at the house just down the street. Take your time with your decision, then come find me once your mind is made up.”
“O-Of course, Mr. Clavell,” Juliana replied quickly, her hands still occupied with petting the three Pokémon surrounding her as they refused to allow her to stay up.
Clavell hummed and nodded. “Very good. Now if you’ll excuse me. Until next we meet,” he said, giving a slight bow before turning away and making his way to the house down the way, with Juliana’s mother waving off the Director as he made his way down the road.
Her mother walked up beside the kneeling teen after a bit, observing the Pokémon that now sat and surrounded Juliana with a fond look in her eyes. “What a mannerly fellow that director of yours is! These three are all lovely- but you need to choose just one, right? Not an easy task!”
“No, it isn’t. They’re all so cuuuuuute~!” Juliana whined, scratching underneath Sprigatito’s chin, the feline wrapping its paws around her arm so that she couldn’t pull her hand away as it purred loudly. Quaxly merely huffed at her as Fuecoco stared up at her with its head tilted to the side, the croc’s mouth hanging open.
Her mother hummed softly as she tapped her finger against her chin, her eyes going wide as she came up with an idea. “I know! Why not take this opportunity to walk about with these little ones and get to know them? I’m sure they have lots to teach you!” she suggested, excitement in her voice as she explained her plan to the younger Gedal.
Juliana smiles at the suggestion, nodding slowly. “That sounds like a great idea, mum. Once… these cheeky scamps allow me to stand again, heh,” she added, finding it hard to stand back up with them all on top of her. Her mother laughed at the display, finding it remarkably cute.
“Well, try not to be long. You wouldn’t want to miss out on your first day. It’s a long walk to Mesagoza. Remember to check the map app to keep yourself from getting lost,” her mother reminded as she led down next to Juliana and kissed her on the cheek. She stood up and began to retreat to the house, waving her off. “Now off you go. Have fun! And make sure to call me three times a week! Don’t want you forgetting your dear ol’ mum!”
“I won’t! I love you!” Juliana cried out, waving back to her mother as she entered the home, leaving the young teen with the three Pokémon who were trying to climb all over her. “Okay, mates let’s head to the house down the way. Mr. Clavell is waiting for us.”
The three Pokemon cried out before they moved away from her and turned towards the path, allowing Juliana to finally stand up once more. Dusting off her knees and making sure her backpack was secure on her back, she stepped down the stairs and down the path, making the trek towards the large house that stuck out like a sore thumb within the tamer-looking homes of Cabo Poco.
The walk to the home was a bit of a walk, with Fuecoco and Quaxly often making detours into the gardens of homes along the way or patches of grass, observing everything around them. Juliana was quick to call them back to her, not wanting to disturb her neighbors. Sprigatito stuck close at her side, occasionally looking up at her with its curious feline eyes. She greeted some of her neighbors on the way, a wide smile on her face to every person she passed. Smiling made people have a good impression of you.
The walk took about 3 minutes before Juliana and the three Pokemon made it to the front gates of the house, Juliana slowing to a stop as she took in the large building. She had walked by the place a couple of times while on the way to the shop with her mum, only able to get quick glances. Being up close was a totally different feeling. The front yard was massive, being split down the middle to make a path to the front door, having many kinds of flowers and trees. A foundation sat on the left side close to the gate, depicting a Dratini spitting water into the air and into the water. The home itself was made of smooth white marble with bricks used as outlines from the front and sides. The roof was covered in tiles of different shades of blue, and a chimney on the left side with smoke floating into the air. The door was painted red and had a pane-glass painting surrounding it, and a balcony above it with tons of pink flowers wrapped around the railing, nearly blocking out the glass door from view. It was a very posh home, but it looked nice.
Juliana looked around the yard, hoping to see the Director outside, but it would seem he was still having a chat with the family inside. She shrugged and smiled as she turned back to the Pokémon. “Sorry, guys. Guess we gotta wait for Clav... guys?” she asked once she realized that the Pokémon were not behind her. Her heart pounded against her chest as she began to panic. “Guys?!” She shouted, turning back around the yard before eyes widened in shock. “Gah! No! What are you three doing?! Stop!!!”
To her horror, the three had decided to do as they pleased in the yard. Quaxly sat in the pond, splashing its coif with the water with a satisfied smirk on its face and getting it all over the pathway. Sprigatito stood within one of the gardens, sniffing and rubbing up against the pants, meowing loudly as the pedals flew around its small body. Fuecoco was the closest to the home, having found an orange on the ground. It moved to pick it up when a flower pedal landed on its nose, making it sneeze out the fire and burning the orange to a crisp.
To add more on top of that, Mr. Clavell and a girl came outside to see what the commotion was about, the girl moving towards Fuecoco and patting the Fire Croc on the head. Fuecoco bounced about and grabbed the burnt orange as the girl turned to look at Juliana, a soft but cocky smile on the girl’s face. She appeared to be a young girl with a moderately tall stature, having dark skin with several freckles above her nose, orange eyes, and black hair done up in a ponytail, having a green steak in the three tufts of hair that hung above her forehead. She wore the Uva Academy school uniform alongside the addition of black leggings, a pair of red/white sneakers, and a black/red wrist glove.
Julianna stared in wonder at the girl as she spoke in a cheery, curious tone. “Are you these three’s trainer?” She walked down the steps towards Juliana, the teen being quick to meet her halfway as Clavell walked behind the home’s resident, hands behind his back. The other two Pokémon decided to converge with the group as well, leaving the foundation and garden in favor of meeting back up with Clavell.
“Not quite. Miss Gedal has yet to make her choice, you see,” Clavell explained as the girl placed a hand on her hip. The three Pokémon moved to sit in front of Juliana as Clavell continued to speak. “I do wonder which of these she will pick as her first Pokémon…” As he finished, Fuecoco made it back to the line-up and tried to munch down on the fruit it found, only to be met with a mighty crunch, throwing the fruit away as it wiggled its stubby arms around. Quaxly shook its head at the croc as Sprigatito groomed itself, ignoring the other two.
The actions of the three caused the humans to giggle and laugh at their antics, with Juliana and Clavell covering her mouth with their hands and the other girl openly laughing. The girl collected herself and placed a hand on her chest to catch her breath, giving an energetic wave. “Buenas! We haven’t met, have we?”
“No, I don’t believe we have,” Juliana replied, giving a shake of her head as Clavell pushed his glasses up, collecting himself.
“I must say, I wasn’t expecting to you here quite so soon. Usually, it takes half an hour for one to pick their first Pokémon,” Clavell admitted, rubbing his goatee in thought.
A flash of confusion washed over the girl opposite Juliana’s face, staring for a moment as if a realization was coming to her. “Hang on, Director… is this who I think it is?” the girl asked, turning to Clavell to confirm her suspicions. Juliana’s skin paled a bit, gripping the straps of her bag slightly.
“Yes, this is our academy’s newest student, Juliana Gedal. She will be attending as of today,” Clavell confirmed with a nod, a look of recognition on the girl’s face as she turned back to Juliana.
“So, you’re the kid who moved in up the road! I’ve been dying to find out more about you! Getting ready for the new semester kind of made it slip my mind, though…” she said, rubbing the back of her head slightly before moving close and holding out her hand. “I’m Nemona! Normally I’m living in the student dorms, but home is here. Whaddya say, new neighbor- wanna be friends?”
Juliana looked at the hand in front of her for a moment, unsure what to do. She looked up to Clavell, hoping for a way out, but he only gave a slight nod of encouragement, which calmed her nerves the slightest bit. Taking a deep breath, Juliana grabbed Nemona’s hand and shook it, finding the other girl’s grip to be strong as she gave Nemona a friendly smile. “Uh, sure!”
Nemona gave a wide smile and pumped her fist into the air. “Love that enthusiasm! We’re gonna get along just fine!”
Juliana had moved back a bit due to Nemona’s fast movement, not expecting it to occur. Clavell just huffed a chuckle as he spoke up. “Miss Nemona is president of our student council and a Champion-ranked trainer in her own right.” Juliana raised an eyebrow at the director in confusion. Champion-rank trainers? As in there were multiple champions in Paldea? That was… a bit hard to wrap her head around. And her neighbor, Nemona, was one?
Nemona clapped her hands together and her eyes shined with enthusiasm as she spoke with zest. “I absolutely love Pokémon battling! In fact, we should battle right now- you and me!” She took a step forward with her declaration, a wide toothy smile on her face.
“E-Eh?!” Juliana stuttered out, blinking rapidly at the eagerness Nemona displayed. She hadn’t even selected her first Pokémon yet!
“Easy, now- you two will be in the same class, so you’ll have plenty of time to battle later!” Clavell stated with an amused huff. “And get to know one another better, of course.”
Nemona gasped happily, raising a hand to her mouth. “We’re going to be neighbors AND classmates?” she then pumped her fist into the air, a wide grin on her face. “Nice! We’ll be able to battle all we want!”
Clavell sighed and shook his head disappointedly as Juliana nervously chuckled. “Uh, can’t wait to get to know you better too, Nemona. Heh.”
“On that note, Miss Gedal…” the director began, bringing the teens’ attention back to him. “Have you decided which of these Pokémon you would like to be your first partner?” The three Pokémon in between the group all cried out, with Sprigatito licking its paw, Quaxly dusting off its body, and Fuecoco chirping out happily.
Juliana stared down at the three Pokémon in front of her, tapping a finger against her chin as she mulled over which of the three would be best for her to pick. She was quick to disqualify Quaxly as a potential partner. Its attitude seemed a bit posh and hard to control, something Juliana didn’t want to deal with as a first Pokémon. It had a sense of an ego to it. Fuecoco was next on her list. While it seemed friendly and receptive to others around it, the Fire Croc came off a bit oblivious. It wasn’t aware of its surroundings a lot and was easily distracted by things in the area surrounding the Fire-type. Plus, she couldn’t pet it all the much, as the reptilian’s body heat seemed to rise on its own due to its typing. That only left Sprigatito. The feline had been very kind to the teen since it was released from its Poké Ball, staying close to her on the walk over to Nemona’s house, not causing that much of a disturbance to the garden, and allowing her to pet it freely. It seemed calm, collected, and reliable. But what if it wasn’t the right fit for her, or more accurately, she wasn’t the right fit for it? What if she couldn’t train it properly? Was she even good enough to be a Pokémon Trainer? Could she take care of it reliably? Why if she messes up? Did she deserve to be at Uva Academy? What if they were right and she was nothing more than-
“Miss Gedal?”
Juliana blinked softly and turned to Mr. Clavell, a raised eyebrow on his face whilst Nemona stared in confusion. Juliana rubbed the back of her neck softly, a nervous giggle leaving her lips. “S-Sorry, got lost in my thoughts for a moment,” she apologizes, taking a breath to collect herself. “I chose Sprigatito.”
The Grass Cat looked up at her, tilting its head to the side. “Sprrr? Spurrrrr!” It purred as it ran up to her and rubbed its body against her ankles, causing the teen to giggle at its antics. Sprigatito pawed at Juliana’s calf, staring up at her expectingly which confused her at her. She crouched down and tilted her head, but the feline was quick to climb up onto her arm, purring as it climbed up to her shoulder. Juliana’s eyes went wide in realization, slowing standing back up as Sprigatito stood upon her arm, leaning in, and licking her forehead softly. Juliana's giggles grew, and she playfully bumped her head against her chosen Pokémon's own, a firm conviction settling within her that she had indeed made the right choice for her starter Pokémon.
“Ah, an excellent choice, Miss Gedal. Sprigatito seems to have taken quite a liking to you as well,” Mr. Clavell said, giving an approving nod to the teen as he walked over to the girl and pulled out a Poké Ball from his pocket. “This is your first Pokémon, yes? Please raise it with love and care. And of course, be sure to keep it tucked safely inside a Poké Ball.”
“Ah right. Thank you,” Juliana exclaimed as she retrieved Sprigatito’s ball from Mr. Clavell and pressed the button on the front of the device, returning Spigatito with a beam of cyan light. With her Pokémon safely in the ball, she opened one of the pockets on her shirt and placed the device inside.
“Juliana…” Nemona said in a slow tone, grabbing the girl’s attention. “I can’t believe you actually chose Sprigatito…” she continued, the way the older girl was speaking making Juliana’s heart drop as fear began to overtake her thoughts. Had she done something wrong in choosing Sprigatito? Was Sprigatito not a good choice as a starter Pokemon? Did Nemona want to pick Sprigatito instead? Had she just made Nemona hate her by making this choice? Had she screwed up again- “I mean, like, way to make the perfect choice for you! You two make such a good combo!”
“H-Huh?!” Juliana cried out, blinking at Nemona as the older teen had a bright, encouraging smile on her face, hands held together in front of her. Juliana slowly rubbed the back of her neck and giggled nervously. “T-Thanks. It just felt right.”
Nemona gave Juliana a thumbs-up before she turned towards Clavell. “Can I choose one of those Pokémon too, Director Clavell?”
Clavell looked at Nemona in confusion, adjusting his glasses. “Oh, but… did you not receive a Pokémon when you entered the academy, Miss Doros?”
Nemona stiffed slightly for a moment before shaking her head, something Juliana seemed to notice despite being confused over it. “Not back then, no! I had other Pokémon I was focused on raising at the time. But now I want to raise a new Pokémon alongside Juliana while she raises her own new partner!”
Clavell hummed softly as he put his hand to his chin, thinking about the request for a moment. “Indeed, a rather splendid idea. If you wish to raise one of these Pokemon on equal footing as Miss Gedal here, I shall be more than happy to allow it.”
“Yesss!” Nemona uttered, pumping her fist into the air before crouching down to Quaxly. “Since Juliana chose Sprigatito, I’ll go for this little one! Nice to meet you, Quaxly! Welcome to the team.” She exclaimed, putting her hand out to the avian Pokémon.
Quaxly looked at it for a moment before touching it with its wing, chirping up at her. “Pump-pomp!”
Nemona nodded and stood up, dusting off her tights before turning back to Juliana with a smirk. “All right, then! Now that we’ve chosen our Pokemon, we HAVE to battle!”
Juliana blinked softly at the request, taking a moment to fully register it before nodding, smiling softly. “Okay. Sounds fun!”
“Great! I’ll be waiting for you down at the beach,” Nemona stated before running down the path, waving back at Juliana. “Come join me when you’re ready!” Juliana watched with curiosity as Nemona ran down the path as Quaxly quickly followed behind, disappearing down the hill that she assumed led to a beach behind the house.
Clavell hummed slightly as he turned to Juliana, chuckling softly to himself. “As you may have noticed, Miss Doros is a tad overly fond of Pokémon battles. But I do hope you’ll join her for a battle. It will help you get to know your own Pokémon as well. I’ll be down in a few moments; I just need to make sure Fuecoco here doesn’t wander off.”
"Oh, okay!" Juliana's response was buoyant, her steps springing with anticipation as she waved and followed the path Nemona had trodden toward the beach. An airy sense of hope unfurled within her chest, a sensation that had been absent for far too long. A smile etched itself onto her cheeks, and optimistic thoughts danced through her mind like a joyful frenzy. As she stood on the verge of her first ever Pokémon battle, Juliana found herself embracing a newfound belief—one that hadn’t fully solidified since her arrival in Paldea—that her journey to the new region, her new home, was proving to be genuinely promising.
Journal Entry
Name: Juliana Gedal
Gym Badges Collected: 0
Titan Badges Collected: 0
Star Badges Collected: 0
Paldea Pokédex: 0
Recipes Collected: 0
Location: Cabo Poco
Date: September 8th, 2022, 8:26.AM