Chapter Text
You’ve made it to the principal’s door, with Binka beside you. Your arm reaches for the doorknob, but once you latch onto it, you freeze in place. Why? Why now? Are you afraid? What are you afraid of, exactly?
…
Are you afraid of getting in trouble for barging in?
…
Perhaps the fallout with your mentor is finally taking its toll?
…
Maybe you’re afraid you won’t be able to stop what’s happening?
…
Or maybe—
⎡ “IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT! ”⎦
—you’re afraid that you’ll make things worse.
…
It’s so cold.
…
Binka tugs at one of your legs, begging you to open the door. It seems like the “conversation” you had with Gavin and Born gave her the general gist of what’s happening, and she wants to be let in now.
…
Even if you made things worse… Would you be able to forgive yourself if you let things end this way?
⎡“I’M SICK OF WATCHING FROM THE FUCKING SIDELINES WHILE EVERYONE I CARE ABOUT IS RIPPED AWAY FROM MY FUCKING LIFE!!!”⎦
…
Would you have forgiven yourself if you didn’t charge towards that Flygon and Vibrava?
…
Hard to answer, huh? If you knew the outcome, it would be a lot easier, wouldn’t it? But you don’t, so you’ll never know… if you could’ve saved them in the first place.
…
One thing’s for certain. If you don’t intervene…
…
Grace will be gone. And she’s not coming back.
…
You snap out of your daze due to the banging sounds the Tinkatuff is making against the door, desperate to be let in.
???: “Who’s making all that NOISE!? Stop it, or you’ll get detention! ”
…
If you can’t push forward on your own, at least do it for Binka. That’s more than enough reason, right?
You find the strength to open the door, despite how cold everything feels. Even the metal doorknob feels like touching a glacier, but you ignore the unpleasant sensation anyway, and walk through the door.
???: “You! What are you doing here? Leave now or you’ll get detention! ”
Detention is the least of your worries at this point.
Principal: “Idéa? This is a very serious matter; so, I’ll need you to excuse yourself.”
Idea: “No.”
???: “Excuse me? ”
Idea: “It’s important. Please.”
The principal looks into your lifeless eyes, searching for any hint of contradiction in your expression. Fortunately for you, he’s able to tell how dead serious you are about speaking up.
Principal: “Hmm… Very well. Speak.”
Idea: “Grace is innocent. Gavin gave her the Pokémon—”
???: “Gavin is a fine student! How dare you slander his name?”
Idea: “...”
Grace: (“...Idéa?”)
Idea: “I’ll prove she didn’t steal a thing.”
Principal: “...”
Grace: (“...Are you okay?”)
Principal: “Interesting. Okay Idéa, the ball is in your court, then. You have until Monday to defend her case.”
Grace: (“...You don’t seem like yourself.”)
Principal: “In the meantime, Grace will be suspended, but not expelled. Should you fail, I will have no choice but to let the authorities handle this. Dismissed.”
Idea: “...”
Principal: “...I can tell you have something else on your mind.”
Idea: “...”
???: “Did you not hear the headmaster? You’re dismissed, so leave now or you’ll get detention—”
Principal: “With all due respect, Professor Mortis, please let her speak.”
Mortis: “...”
Idea: “What does it mean to be suspended? ”
Principal: “...”
Idea: “...”
Principal: “It means the person will be unable to attend regular classes and activities , and will be supervised in a separate dorm for the duration of the suspension.”
Idea: “...”
Principal: “...If that is all, you are free to leave.”
Idea: “...”
Principal: “...”
Idea: “One more request—”
Mortis: “You have wasted enough of the headmaster’s time—”
He stops mid-sentence after he catches a glare from the principal.
Principal: “...What is it, Idéa?”
Idea: “Please let her attend the play tonight.”
Principal: “...”
Idea: “My friends were really looking forward to watching it with her. Please.”
Principal: “...”
Idea: “...”
Principal: “...I’m sorry, I cannot grant your request.”
Idea: “...”
Principal: “I hope you can understand. I’m already breaking a lot of rules by delaying her expulsion.”
Idea: “...”
Principal: “...”
Idea: “Thank you—”
Before you can finish, you finally collapse onto the floor out of sheer stress and exhaustion. It seems like your body has finally caught up with your mind and forced you to take a long rest.
Grace: “I-Idéa—”
Officer 1: “She collapsed; take her to the Poké Center!”
Officer 2: “On it!”
As one of the officers carry your unconscious body on their back, the Tinkatuff gives a quick hug to Grace’s leg before she starts running after you; Binka gives a wave and a thumbs up to Grace, almost as if she were saying “we got this” to her. As soon as the door slams shut, Grace can’t hold back her tears anymore, and starts crying uncontrollably.
Grace: “I-I’m so s-sorry… I-I’m so s-sorry… I-If o-only I… if I-I was…”
The officer can’t help but feel bad for the girl she just detained, even though she had a stolen Pokémon in her possession.
Grace: “I-If I w-was more c-confident… I-If I s-spoke up f-for myself, i-instead of b-being afraid… N-none of t-this would have h-happened…”
The officer tries her best to comfort her, but her attempts fall on deaf ears.
Grace: “I w-wish I was stronger…! ”