Chapter Text
Officer: “Grace?”
Grace: “Y-yes, Officer Steele?”
Officer: “Please, just call me Ms. Steele.”
Grace: “S-sorry, Ms. Steele…”
Ms. Steele: “It’s alright, Grace; I can tell you’re just being you.”
Grace: “T-thank you, miss…”
Ms. Steele: “Anyway, I just got a call from the headmaster— err, your principal, and I have some good news to report.”
I nod quietly, curious about the news Ms. Steele wishes to report. I don’t want to get my hopes up, but—
Ms. Steele: “You are officially unsuspended—”
Grace: “R-really?! I-I mean, t-thank you very much!”
I bow towards the officer in gratitude, more than I can ever express with words alone. It’s not like I’m very good with words anyway…
Ms. Steele: “No need to thank me, really! Admittingly, I didn’t do very much…”
Grace: “No-no-no, you h-helped me a lot! T-thank you for listening to me talk for the past few days, I r-really appreciate it!”
Ms. Steele: “Well, it’s the least I could do, seeing as I got you into this mess to begin with…”
Grace: “No-no-no, don’t b-blame yourself for that; you were just doing your job! I s-should be apologizing for t-taking up so much of your time…”
Ms. Steele: “It’s no trouble at all, really. I quite enjoyed our time together, however brief it may be.”
Grace: “I a-also enjoyed our time together…”
My words trail off as I struggle to find the right words for this moment. After a few seconds of silence, however, I was able to come up with a few words I felt would express my gratitude.
Grace: “T-thank you for being with me, Officer Steele!”
I bow after saying those words, if only to make my gratitude even more obvious.
Ms. Steele: “Grace, you really don’t have to— Ah, nevermind—thank you for your kind words, Grace.”
She bows to me as she says this, even though I really don’t deserve her kindness. Despite thinking this, I find myself beaming with a smile on my face.
Ms. Steele: “Before I let you go, I just wanted to apologize for accusing you of stealing, even if the evidence pointed towards you at the time.”
She bows again, but this time, she does not break away from her position.
Ms. Steele: “I see now that you are the furthest thing from a thief.”
Grace: “No-no-no, it’s alright, officer! I… didn’t really make a good… case for myself…”
Before I start moping around, however, Ms. Steele puts a hand on my shoulder.
Ms. Steele: “It’s quite alright, Grace. Just be more confident in yourself next time, okay? Especially when you know you’re innocent.”
Grace: “Y-yes, Ms. Steele! Thank you!”
Ms. Steele: “Good. Now, let’s get you out of this dorm.”
I breathe a sigh of relief as I take my first steps outside the spare dorm room. Well, perhaps I am exaggerating a bit, since I wasn’t stuck inside the room 24/7. However, I did spend the past few days inside the room crying, keeping up with homework, and playing with my Pokémon. Thanks to Officer— I mean, Ms. Steele, I had someone to talk to about… the whole situation.
…I still don’t know how to feel about it all, even though I am no longer suspended. It only feels like yesterday when I thought my entire world came crashing down, never to be repaired again. For a while, I thought I would never get to see them again…
Grace: “Come on out, Gracie!”
I send out Gracidea, a Pikachu who has a fondness for battles, food, and training. Or, in her words, a ‘fucking monster’ and ‘absurdly strong’. I never really understood why she swears so much, but I’ve grown used to it by now. If anything, it shows how sincere she is when talking, and that is something I appreciate. Especially after what happened…
…
I wish I was stronger.
Grace: “Hey, Gracie! I have good news for you!”
If only I was less of a pushover—
Grace: “I’m unsuspended now! Which means…”
—I could have defended myself.
Grace: “We can go visit Idéa now!”
I wouldn’t have caused so much trouble.
Grace: “Well, first, I have to go downstairs—”
…I wouldn’t have hurt Idéa so much.
Grace: “—to get my PokéGear from the principal’s office, haha…”
…I need to apologize to her.
Principal: “That’s odd…”
I watch Principal Yamamoto go through several drawers before getting up from his desk and searching elsewhere. I can tell how concerned he is about losing my PokéGear, despite the principal’s steadfast appearance. In fact, he’s looking for it in every area he can think of—statues, potted plants, bookshelves, tables, even under the rug, which definitely took me by surprise.
Yamamoto: “I’m sorry, Grace… I seem to have misplaced it somewhere. I was certain I left your device on my desk, but I admit, my memory isn’t as good as it used to be…”
Grace: “N-no, it’s okay, Principal Yamamoto! I… I’m s-sorry for causing so much trouble…”
Yamamoto: “Grace, you have nothing to apologize for. In fact, I should be the one apologizing.”
Grace: “W-wait, you didn’t—”
Yamamoto: “I still take full responsibility for what has transpired. I was aware that he took his demotion back to S-rank rather seriously, but to think it may have led to the current chain of events…”
Principal Yamamoto looks away from me, and stares off into the distance.
Yamamoto: “I regret not taking action sooner. And to that end, I am sorry about the predicament you find yourself in.”
Grace: “...”
Yamamoto: “We will find you a suitable mentor as soon as possible— Actually, there is a more pressing matter I should discuss with you first.”
I can tell that Principal Yamamoto is starting to feel a bit uncomfortable with what he wishes to discuss with me. Maybe I did something wrong…?
Yamamoto: “Grace… Do you wish to leave this academy?”
Oh… I was expecting some sort of punishment, but this… I didn’t expect something like this.
Yamamoto: “I would love for you to stay, but considering recent events… I wouldn’t fault you for wanting to leave. If that is the case, I will do everything in my power—whether it be to leave or to transfer to another school—as smoothly as possible.”
Grace: “I…”
I decided to think carefully about what to say next. Thankfully, Principal Yamamoto has been very accommodating so far, and he gives me all the time I need.
Grace: “I… I would be l-lying if that thought didn’t cross my mind, Principal Yamamoto…”
Yamamoto: “...”
Grace: “Gavin…”
I pause for a little bit after saying his name. Even now, I still have mixed opinions about my ex-mentor.
Grace: “He… r-ruined this place for me… Even now, I’m not sure how to feel about him…”
Principal Yamamoto nods to me, almost as if to validate my feelings on the matter.
Grace: “In many ways, he was very… n-not nice. Even c-cruel, sometimes…”
Yamamoto: “...”
Grace: “But in a way… I felt like I knew he was h-hurting, even if he never made that clear.”
Yamamoto: “...”
Grace: “Maybe… Maybe, if I was a better m-mentee… If I was a stronger mentee…”
Yamamoto: “...”
Grace: “He wouldn’t have resorted to such e-extreme methods, just to p-push me to be better.”
Yamamoto: “...”
Grace: “He was… When I beat a f-friend of mine in a Pokémon battle, he…”
Yamamoto: “...”
Grace: “I-I think that was the happiest I’ve seen him be. I’m s-sure if I kept doing what I did, things would’ve been… d-different.”
Yamamoto: “...”
Grace: “...But in the end, he h-hurt me. He p-pressured me to give up Binka, and a-abandoned me when I needed him the most.”
Yamamoto: “...”
Grace: “...P-part of me feels like it’s my fault, for being so weak—”
Yamamoto: “Grace, that’s enough. You are not at fault for your previous mentor’s actions, no matter his intentions—”
Before Principal Yamamoto could finish reassuring me, Ms. Steele barges into the room unannounced, startling me quite a bit.
Ms. Steele: “Mr. Yamamoto, we have an emergency!”
Principal Yamamoto immediately stands up, getting ready to take action at a moment’s notice.
Yamamoto: “What’s the situation?”
Ms. Steele: “One of our students is in critical condition! I don’t know the full details, but she’s currently suffering from hypothermia and needs medical attention, fast!”
Yamamoto: “Where is the student, officer?”
Ms. Steele: “She should be making her way to the lobby, sir!”
Yamamoto: “Tell the Pokémon Center to prepare a room as soon as possible!”
Ms. Steele: “On it, sir!”
With a PokéGear in hand, Ms. Steele exits the principal’s room without a second to spare.
Yamamoto: “I apologize for the interruption, Grace, but I must get going—”
Grace: “I-If it’s okay, I would like to come along!”
I can’t stay weak forever.
Grace: “I would like to help this student, if possible!”
Yamamoto: “Very well. Follow me, Grace.”
Me and Principal Yamamoto make our way to the Classroom Tower Lobby, which is just left of the principal's office. Gracidea runs ahead of us with blistering speeds and somehow pushes the door open, eager to help out as much as we do. However, before we exit the waiting room—
Grace: “Gracie!?”
—Gracidea makes a very heartbreaking cry.
…
I start to pick up the pace.
…
There’s no way, right?
…
I push open the door with all my might, forgetting that Principal Yamamoto is right behind me.
…
A sudden fear pops into my mind. One I would rather not entertain.
…
It can’t be Idéa, right?
…
Surely, Gracie tripped on something while going super fast, right?
…
I’m scared.
…
I can see Gracidea next to a familiar-looking girl—
Grace: “I-Idéa!!!”
I try to reach out, but a voice filled with anger, desperation, and pain—
Born: “STAY AWAY!!!”
—stops me in my tracks.