Chapter Text
The heaviness of sleep greeted her like a blanket, crushing in its entirety. She felt weightless, her mattress unusually light against her back. Not that she was complaining.
Welcome… to the world of pokemon.
Yuuki doesn’t know why there’s an overdramatic voice echoing right next to her ears when she is trying to sleep in her very comfortable bed. Whatever, ignore it and it’ll probably go away.
She tossed a little, her mattress unusually hard against her side. Oh, thanks Cryptic-Voice-In-Her-Head, she’s not going back to sleep tonight. Huffing, she slowly opened her eyes.
Oh, this is not her bed.
Yuuki’s eyes shot open, taking in nothing but pitch black darkness. Her breath stuttered to a halt as she froze. Okay. Did she get kidnapped? Surely not, that’s silly. What’s sillier is that she didn’t instantly realize she’s not in her bed, because she’s upright, and leaning against a solid wall. Her bed is obviously horizontal, duh. She gains a sudden appreciation for her lack of claustrophobia.
She was jolted in her not-panicked thoughts when she heard a voice from the outside. Yuuki didn’t dare to even breathe as she carefully listened.
“Uggh, this lid weighs a ton!” A panicked voice from the outside. Her maybe kidnapper? Her maybe savior? Whatever the case, if they’re opening… whatever she’s in, then she should get ready to run the moment she has the chance. She carefully shuffles herself into a straighter position, body tensed.
“Dangit… fine! Take this, you stupid box!” She flinched as the lid went flying away with a flash of bright blue. Yuuki squeaked and jumped to get away from her wooden prison as she saw flames catch to the edges, charring what it touched into a charcoal black. A yelp sounded next to her feet, what must’ve been something rat-sized skittering away from her.
Yuuki quickly turned her panicked gaze to the pyromaniac, only to see nothing... nothing, until a voice cried out by her feet.
“What?! Why are you awake already?!”
Oh, that’s a talking, standing, grey cat with a coin on its head, whose ears are on fire. Sure, this might as well be happening to her! It’d be nice if she could go back into the coffin(?), actually, then she wouldn’t have to face whatever this is. As soon as she came to be aware of how she’s gaping like a fish, Yuuki tried to snap herself out of it. As distracted as she was, she only caught the tail end of the cat’s sentence.
“...gimme your uniform, and be quick about it!”
Oh, absolutely not, she is not running around naked in a strange, demonic place with floating coffins. No. Not her idea of a fun weekend.
“Cause if you don’t, you're going to regret it!” Fire spit and spurred out of their ears more, causing Yuuki to jump to the side with a yelp.
“Haha, uh,” Exit door seen. Repeat, exit door seen. She fumbled and started dashing out in what she hoped to be a graceful and quick manner, running down through hallway after hallway. She heard a “HEY!” and paws slapping the floor behind her.
Don’t look back, she thinks to herself as she throws a hallway door open and runs into a random room, hoping vainly for a hiding spot and that she didn’t just put herself into a dead end.
A flash of blue behind her made her jump, looking to the doorway with wide eyes.
“Foolish human! Did you think you could slip away from the great Grim?!” Yes, yes she did, you dang grey rat. “Now, unless you wanna get burned to a crisp, take off that—”
Her wide eyes got wider as a whip snaked around the cat’s stomach. “Ow!”
“Ah, I’ve found you at last. I trust you’re one of this year’s new students? You sure were eager to leave the gate, hm? If you must bring such a poorly behaved pokemon to a school like this, the least you could do is leave it inside of its pokeball indoors.”
Nice, she caught maybe a third of that. No, she caught none of it, too busy gawking at his outfit. Is this some type of cosplayer’s convention? He looks very cool, mind you, but it adds another mystery to add to the puzzle that has become today. She’s already dealing with the talking cat, floating coffins and lights, and y’know, waking up somewhere not her bed.
“As if I’d ever have a trainer! Let me go!” Cried the stupid rat. No, don’t let him go, that thing just chased her and threatened her, thanks.
“...Weird how this one can talk though.” He mused. THAT’S WHAT SHE’S BEEN SAYING! What about everything else, huh?! Are we going to question the talking cat but not the floating lights besides your head, sir?!
As the cat was about to talk again, probably to demand to be put down or something of the sort, the weirdo masked man grabbed him by the scruff and covered his mouth. The cat let out a muffled yelp. Thanks? Maybe? This probably should be a good thing, but she’s lost and tired and confused and wants her bed, yes?
“Of all the students I’ve dealt with, you're the first who was bold enough to open their own gate and slip out of it.” Sir. Sir, that was a coffin. Yuuki opened her mouth to defend herself, state, no, that cat blasted the lid away, but the man was already rambling on.
“Does the very idea of patience elude you?” Again, she tried to squeak out a reply, but onwards he went barreling:
“No matter, the orientation’s already begun. Let’s return to the gate chamber.” Okay, sure, don’t let her talk. ‘kay.
She started following him, and cleared her throat. Wait, why is she following him? Where are they going? Maybe she should’ve listened instead of panicking, because now she’s following a strange man in a strange place going god knows where.
“...Uhm…” She squeaked out. The cat sent her a glare (fuck you too), but the man didn’t even falter in his steps. “Excuse me…?” She said meekly. (It’s a fine volume, thanks. Maybe everybody else is just too loud.)
He turned his glaze to her. “Did you say something?” Okay, there, she has his attention.
Where does she even start. “...Where are we?” A frown crosses his face.
“Oh? How odd. Do you not remember?”
No. She’d absolutely remember if she signed up for the world’s weirdest summer camp. Her expression must’ve conveyed this enough without words, as he continues without her prompting.
“Well, this is Night Raven College.” what. “It’s an academy for students that specializes in everything pokemon related.” what. “One of the most prestigious academies of its kind.” Her steps fumbled as she tripped over her own feet. Wait, wait, go back.
“And I am Dire Crowley, the headmaster.” GO BACK.
“...what?” She settles on, probably a little too vague to get anything of value.
“I’m concerned that you don’t remember any of this,” he remarks, proving her earlier thought right. A college? Pokemon? She did not sign up for a college, and she thinks, and she especially did not sign up for a college that kidnaps her and where everything floats for some reason. She gets a feeling in her gut that something is very, very wrong. She pinches herself and feels pain, but surely this isn’t real, right?
“Only those with a special connection to pokemon are selected, a process made possible thanks to the school’s psychic types, and they’re summoned to the campus through the gates.” Sir, sir, those are still coffins. Stop making it sound pretty.
“A black carriage bearing one such gate should’ve come to meet you.” He looks at her expectantly. Oh, shoot, it’s her turn to contribute to the conversation.
“...” Yuuki crossed her arms around herself. “...No. I don’t remember anything like that…” Under his glowing yellow eyes (are those eyes? Surely not), her voice weakened mid sentence until it trailed off into nothingness.
“...How odd,” and that marked the end of the conversation. As much as she wanted to ask questions, she couldn’t quite get her throat to cooperate with her, so she settled for trailing behind him, questions bouncing around in her head.
…
The follower that she is, she went along with the strange man wearing a bird mask because… well, running won’t get her anywhere, right? He doesn’t seem bad-intended, and he did ‘save’ her from the flaming cat. Said cat gave her a stink eye when she glanced at him, and she was quick to turn her head away.
As they opened the big imposing doors and finally stepped into their destination, Yuuki was a little scared that when she stepped inside that she’d be greeted with more things that’d make her question her sanity.
Which was a valid concern, it seems, because haha that’s a dinosaur. Sure, sure, after being kidnapped to maybe a magical academy, the next thing that makes sense is a 7 foot tall green dinosaur with axes on its face! And everybody else is just behaving like this is a normal appearance. She wants to wake up so badly.
As it stands, Yuuki settles for shuffling behind Crowley. She’d feel embarrassed for hiding behind a complete stranger under normal circumstances.
That bird has three heads. That bug is 3 feet in size. WHY IS THERE ANOTHER DINOSAUR?
“I’ve gone mental. I’ve gone positively insane,” Yuuki mumbles under her breath. She figures that the weird cat must’ve heard her with the odd look he shoots her way. Whoops.
Oh, weird guy is talking again. Yuuki tries to turn her focus back to the conversation at hand. There’s more people now. Students, maybe? They look too young to be staff, but she could be wrong. There’s somebody with hair so red it has to have been dyed, and next to them stands… some type of green alien lady with a red heart painted on their cheek. Sure.
“...Only one who has yet to be assigned a dorm.” She blinks, finally paying attention to his words. Oh, Harry Potter style? “Head over to Lucario. He’s the blue dog-like pokemon up on the platform. I’ll watch your meowth.” Said ‘meowth’ crossed his arms with a grumble.
Yuuki made her way to the… Lucario? Whatever, she made her way to the furry with shaky legs, feeling everybody’s eyes pierce through her skin. Her hands balled up into fists as she tried to keep her breathing normal. Weird that she even still has the energy to be socially conscious.
The Lucario looked at her with a blank expression, when she heard a voice.
“State your name.”
She took a step back, and quickly looked over at the nearest student to see if they heard that too. Their expression was plain, almost bored. So, no? She didn’t even see its mouth move, is it talking telepathically?
Whatever, just go along with it. “Yuuki. Yuuki Kingsley.”
She saw its expression get a little more focused, looking at her chest.
“Yuuki,” Sounded its calm, emotionless voice once more, “The nature of your Aura is…” Its eyes widened the slightest bit, before sounding:
“...Unclear to me.”
Silence. A few murmurs of conversation had broken out earlier, but it was like they were never there with the blue dog’s words.
Oh, so you could hear it speak too. She thought. Good to know, huh?
“What did you just say?”
“I sense no aura at all from this one.” No magical girl powers for her? “Soundless.” Ouch. “Colorless.” Ow. “Shapeless.” Dang. “Completely empty.” Call her an NPC while you're at it, please. “Therefore, no dorm would be appropriate.”
Nice! This occasion should call for her to be reunited with her one true love: her bed.
“How odd…” Crowley turned his eyes onto her, which isn’t something she appreciated. Actually, if everybody could stop looking at her, she would cry from pure relief. She might already be crying, even! Oh, no, that's just stress. Well, she refuses to cry in front of hundreds of strangers, so there. Go away, emotions.
“I wonder how our psychics scouted somebody without an Aura to even examine?” He mused. “Perhaps a mistake… no, they’re much too well-trained for that.”
Suddenly, the… ‘Meowth’, as they called it, kicked the glove hand on his mouth away.
“Me! Let ME have this student’s seat! Unlike that human, I have an Aura! So let me be a student here!” What even is an Aura? Before she could get carried away thinking about that train of thought, fire started spilling from the cat’s ears and mouth, causing Crowley to drop the cat with a yelp. Yuuki was fast to backpedal away from the growing flames.
“Everybody get down!” Said the redhead from earlier. The green alien lady by his side squared up, eyeing him as if waiting for something.
“Help! Help, I’m on fire!” Says a red eyed boy. Jeez, they must love their contacts and hair dye here, huh? Or maybe rainbow hair is just normal. Oh right, he’s still on fire.
“Uh—” Stop, drop, and roll, dude! Yuuki doesn’t think running around is a good way to put out a fire, but what does she know? Nothing, apparently, because dinosaurs are normal now. You think she can get her hands on her own dinosaur? Maybe not, because she apparently doesn’t have an ‘aura’.
Back to the problem at hand…
That’s a lot of fire, she thinks a little hysterically. It didn’t quite spread over the entire room, but a nice amount of flooring and coffins were probably ruined. The little punk seemed to be running out of steam already.
“Off with his head!” A beam burst forth from the alien’s head, and suddenly, a red and black collar snapped close around the cat’s neck. What’s that supposed to do?
“The Queen of Heart’s Rule 23: ‘One must never bring a cat pokemon to a formal affair.’ Your very presence here is a violation of order. You will vacate these premises immediately.”
“Wha—What type of stupid rule is that?! Don’t you try to collar me, I’ll burn it right off—Huh?!” The fire around his ears, while it didn’t completely go out, seemed to… lessen, somewhat.
“Until that collar is removed, you won’t be using any moves. You're nothing but a cute little pet now.” He seemed awful proud of himself when the green lady next to him did all of the work, Yuuki notes. The alien reached forward and grabbed the meowth by the collar, dangling him in the air with an emotionless expression. Yuuki shivered. Creepy.
He had a condescending smile on, looking down at the grey rat. Yeah, that’s right, Yuuki hasn’t forgiven that cat for chasing her around earlier! It was hard enough being Isekai’d, she didn’t need his added stress then or now.
“What?! I ain’t nobody’s pet!”
“Oh, you’ve nothing to worry about there. As if I’d ever add a pokemon like you to my team.”
“Yuuki!” She flinched, locking eyes with Birdmaskface. Oh joy, what now? “Was I not clear that you are expected to take responsibility for your pokemon?”
Yuuki stared at him. What. What. That furball was actively attacking her earlier! And does it look like they get along?! Clearly her silence was not the right answer, as she attracted Redhead’s attention now too.
“This is your pokemon?” He sent that harsh expression her way, and she felt something inside of her wither up and die. Let her go dig a hole and hide a thousand years. She quickly, and furiously, shook her head side to side.
“...No, uh, it… isn’t.” She mumbled. His glare only sharpened.
“Speak louder! Nobody can hear you mumbling.” Said Redhead. Asshole. Stupid. Idiot. Dummy. She’s having the worst day of her life, give her a break. Because she doesn’t want the Alien Lady sent on her ass, she instead sounds a soft “Sorry…”
“Ah… is that the case?” Said the Headmaster. “Then, take him away. How very kind I am, letting this meowth go scot free!”
“No—!” The meowth yelled out, and suddenly both he and Alien Lady were gone. Her eyes widened. Teleportation? Can Yuuki learn to teleport?
“...Well, that was quite unexpected. I now declare that orientation has concluded. Housewardens, please escort your students back to the dorms.”
She stood there awkwardly as everybody else streamed out of the room. At least now they can’t look at her anymore. Crowley headed her way, probably to tell her what to do. Or tell her how to go back home, as she is completely certain that her being here is a mistake.
“Well, I suppose I should get the paperwork together for you to join one of the seven dorms.” No, no, send her home, damnit. She opens her mouth, and tries to speak up before he can barrel on.
“I’d, uh, like to go home. Please.”
He paused. “What?”
“Uhm.” Yuuki swallowed, gathering her words. “I think this is a mistake. I didn’t agree to coming here—I need to go back home.” She paused. “Please.” Please please please please ship her home, birdmaskman. Let this be the weirdest dream she’s ever had.
“...Very well.” He sighs. “If our psychics picked you out, it must’ve been for a reason, but if you're unwilling, there’s nothing we can do.” Suddenly, a sharp bark sounded, causing Yuuki to recoil and cover her ears. The lucario from earlier was walking over, its posture tall and regal.
“Don’t bother, Headmaster Crowley.” It still felt so odd to hear him talk. His mouth clearly didn’t move, yet she heard it crystal clear. It’s similar to when you have headphones on, and the noise sounds like it’s surrounding you.
“I don’t think she’s from around here.” Its eyes laid on her, and she felt oddly… exposed. What did he see exactly, when he looked at the student's Auras? Not that she has one, supposedly, but what if they saw something else? What if they know she called them a furry?
Lucario, if you hear my thoughts, I am so sorry. You’re cool, I swear. Please send me home.
If Lucario heard her pleas, it didn’t show on their face. Birdmaskman frowned. “Well, that’s not unusual. Students come to NRC from regions all over the world. Wait—She?!”
What. She stared at the Headmaster. She is not that masculine. Her hair’s a little shaggy as she didn’t exactly get the chance to brush it, and she’s a little tall for a girl at 5’6, but it is not enough to say she looks anywhere near a boy.
“...Headmaster Crowley, let’s stay on task.” Lucario began, “How many people from this world can you name that don’t have auras?”
That grabbed the Headmaster’s attention. “...You’re not saying…?”
Lucario looked the Headmaster in the eyes. “I don’t think it was one of the psychics that brought her here.”
“You… uh…” She cursed her nervousness mentally as both pairs of eyes landed on her. “You can send me home, right…?”
She has a mom. And a dad. She can’t stay in this weird magical school forever, right? She thinks about her mom and dad returning to an empty home, her heart plummeting. And what about her two rabbits, Kippy and Cinnamon? Mary, her sweet old neighbour, will probably feed them for Yuuki until she gets back, but those are her two babies. The idea of never seeing them again—
Okay, stop doom spiraling. This is fine! Fine. They’ll be able to send her back. Lucario and Crowley look at each other. Lucario has a complicated expression, and Crowley’s is oddly blank.
“What region do you originate from?”
“Uhm… Texas.” At his blank look, she went on, “Dallas, Texas? The—The United States?” Surely, wherever they’re from would’ve heard of the United States, right? Maybe it’s called something different here?
Lucario let out a long, suffering sigh as Crowley said, “Let’s go see the library.”