From Trainer to Beast Tamer Pokémon Trainer! Reader x Twisted Wonderland

Chapter 51: Blackout

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Chapter 51: Questions for the Future

After bullying Jack into agreeing to the night shifts, the Heartslabyul duo were the first to volunteer for a shift. Currently, they and the Ramshackle duo were all camped out in (Y/N), along with Luxray, Absol, Crobat, Roserade, Swampert, and the babies, who were gleefully running around.
"Huh, now I get why Kingscholar likes to nap against you, Luxray." Ace joked as he settled against her, Shinx in his lap, and petting Absol's head.
Deuce laid out some teacups, a teapot, and the electrics into the circle. "I have some herbal teas here to keep us awake. The ghost camera and our phone recorders are ready, too!"
"Show yourself, Mickey!" He and Grim shouted together.
"Guys, let's tone it down!" (Y/N) insisted as Jangmo-o scuttled into her lap in shock.
"Serious." Ace agreed. "Mickey's appeared like, what, five or six times since (Y/N) started living here? Yelling isn't gonna make him appear!"
(Y/N) nodded. "True, but I feel like he's been appearing more often lately."
Grim crossed his arms, trying to think. "You said you talked to him after the cultural festival, and after we get back from the Isle of Woe, right?"
"Sounds about right. He also saw Roserade and Swampert too."
"So he visits about once or twice a month, huh." Deuce marked out on a calendar as Ace leaned over to grab his bag, causing Shinx to jump off his lap.
"He's not in any rush, so let's give it some time. We need to review and answer all these workbooks to help us with finals first."
"You mean, you need me to explain several formulas and keynotes for the tenth time." (Y/N) joked.
"Yes, and you love us anyways." The ginger sassed back as the book crashed to the floor with an intimidating thud.
"What's with the mountain of books?" Grim asked as Deuce scooped up Applin, who was curiously nipping a particular history book almost as tall as he was.
"We told Dorm Leader Rosehearts that we'll be hosting a study group here so we could get permission to stay. So, he, uh..."
"He was like, 'A smart decision. Take these with you. I will grade them for you after your little party.'." Ace imitated before smirking at Ramshackle residents. "We have enough for you two here, too!"
"UGH!" Grim whined. "I don't wanna! Quick, Shinx! Eat it!"
(Y/N) flicked his ear. "You already tried that with Houndoom. I'm not letting you try again."
"Besides it's off with your head if you don't." Deuce warned as the cat flopped down.
"I'm not in Heartslabyul!"
"Aw, don't be shy!" Ace teased. "These three over here are for Jack, Epel, and Ortho."
Grim whined at the sight. "Eek... There's no gettin' outta this..."
"The finals before summer decides whether we repeat a grade or not." Deuce explained, looking rather concerned. "Better start studying up if you don't wanna get held back."
"New grade, huh?" (Y/N) repeated. "Really hope we don't end up in separate classes."
Grim suddenly went stiff, a fearful expression crossing his face. "If... If Yuu goes back before the new term, then...Will I be allowed to stay in school by myself?"
The trio of humans looked at each other and even the Pokémon looked concerned. That hadn't even considered that part. Grim was only allowed to attend Night Raven College because of (Y/N) and he was pretty much on probation after attacking her. If she left, would Crowley still let him stay?
"I'd like to believe that the Headmaster wouldn't be so heartless to let you go." Deuce tried to comfort the cat, clearly not believing what he was saying.
Ace jumped in. "You should be fine! But, that guy doesn't really inspire confidence..."
Grim's eyes began to water. "Plus, if (Y/N) and the others leave, then I'm gonna be all alone in Ramshackle Dorm."
For a moment, (Y/N) felt like the biggest jerk in the world. In all of this, she hadn't considered that leaving also meant leaving Grim alone. She had been so focused on getting back to her home that she had neglected to take Grim's feelings into consideration. Was it morally right for her to up and abandon him? He was part of their family now, like all the other Pokémon. Maybe he could come back with her to her world? Would that be any better? She'd basically be asking him to give up his dreams to become a great wizard and start new in a completely alien world. Swampert leaned his head against her side, sensing her conflict. Deuce, (Y/N), and Grim all frowned sadly, but Ace seemed to rally.
"What's with all the long faces, guys?"
Deuce hugged Applin close. "I really hope that (Y/N) and the Pokémon can go back home as soon as possible. I really do, but if they do, then we won't... We won't be able to hang out or study together like this anymore..."
(Y/N) glanced away. Not just Grim, she'd be leaving behind her friends that she had made her, people who she had grown to care for so much, and who had bonded with her Pokémon. Could she really say goodbye to them when the time came.
Ace rolled his eyes. "Hey, don't start sulking on me now, (Y/N). We still don't know if Mickey is our winning bet yet."
Deuce blinked before smiling "... True. Sorry."
"Right? All right, enough with the sobfest! Y'know, Grim moving up a year sounds sus regardless of whether (Y/N)'s here or not. Get those hands moving if you're finished sulking."
Grim immediately perked back up with indignation. "What wazzat!? Just you watch! The Great Grim will finish this all in 30 minutes!"
About an hour and a half later, everyone was pretty much ready to crash, Grim especially as he decided to curl up into Luxray's mane.
"Maaannn~~...... My eyes are already spinning."
Ace rolled his eyes. "You've only done three pages, dude. What happened to all that gusto?"
"I've done five pages!" Deuce said proudly before looking at the clock. "But it's almost midnight."
"Mirror's still the same." Ace noted before shrugging. "Welp, I didn't expect we'd get it in one go anyway.
Deuce nodded as he grabbed his phone and pulled up the blankets. "I'll send Ortho an update and then get ready for bed.
"Same."
(Y/N) tossed them more pillows as she curled up against Swampert's stomach. "Night, guys."
"Night, (Y/N)!"
For a time, (Y/N) listened to her partner's heartbeat as the minutes ticked on. In truth, she couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she thought of the eventuality of leaving, of saying goodbye. This wouldn't be like the goodbyes she was used to, parting ways with companions and teachers, calling them whenever she wanted to or even planning trips to visit them. This could be a true goodbye. She had never experienced something like that. When she was certain everyone was snoring away, she sat up, pondering what she should do. Not long after, Absol raised his head from Luxray's back.
"Can't sleep either boy?"
Just then, green lights flickered into the room like fireflies. (Y/N) pursed her lips, standing up silently to not wake up anyone, especially the baby pile.
"I know these lights."
Walking towards the window, she saw a familiar silhouette at the gate of the dorm. Smiling, she walked out of the room, Absol at her heels. As she exited the door, a chill hit her. Stunned for a moment, she walked out, feeling something cold and wet hit her.
"Is it snowing? It's spring!"
Malleus, who had been lost in thought, perked up at the sound of her voice. "Hm? Is that you, Child of Man?"
She smiled at him as Absol walked up to him for pets. "Evening, Tsunotaru. I'm surprised you're out in the snow like this?"
"Snow?" Malleus repeated as he was scratching the Pokémon's neck. "Ah, I didn't notice. This would surely kill the plants in your garden. It's a bad habit of mine. Lilia once scolded me for encasing the castle in ice when I was younger."
"I'm sorry, you did what?"
"I was just learning to stand on my feet back then. Really, I threw a tantrum over something so trivial. Grandmother was supposed to join me for dinner when she had to attend to some urgent business. I could not control my temper for some reason. The tables, chairs, and even the waitstaff were all frozen before I knew it. No one in the castle dared to approach me. Seeing them flee from fright irked me even further... The castle was entombed in ice moments after. Lilia was actively serving then, and was called over to the castle. He slipped past me and freed the retainers first. He ordered them to fetch as many bowls and syrup as they could. Lilia crushed the frozen ice, placed them in cups and bowls, and poured syrup all over them. He shared them with all the castle servants. It must have been quite an ordeal for the retainers, being forced to eat icy treats in an ice-cold castle."
Both chuckled at the image in their heads.
"Yeah, I imagine everyone got brain freezes that day."
Malleus's smiled slowly faded, patting Absol's head. "I took one look at the people enjoying a cold feast around the table, and I felt insanely jealous. By then, I've calmed down and started feeling guilty. I had given in to my temper to do unspeakable things. I thought Lilia would give me the lecture of my life. He can be quite frightening when he's mad, mind you. Not quite easy to imagine now, is it?"
"Back home, there's a Pokémon that looks like one of those store mascots and they've been known to literally crush the lives out of people. I've learned to not trust the cute ones."
Malleus let out a laugh at the seriousness in her tone as smiled back, not joking at all.
"Lilia saw me observing from afar, so he swung his lithic down. He freed me from the ice that was surrounding me! And then he heaped all that crushed ice into one bowl and doused it in syrup. He took my trembling hands and sat me down before saying, 'It's good, so have some.' It was a bit anticlimactic after all I'd done. It was tasteless ice covered in syrup, and yet I usually dine alone or with Grandmother, so being surrounded by so many was quite a welcome change. My anger subsided as I enjoyed dining with everyone in the castle. The castle was soon freed from its icy cage. Lilia then turned to me as soon as I calmed down. 'You hold tremendous power. You mustn't use them in vain. Take a good look at everyone you could've lost had you not suppressed yourself.'."
Malleus was once again lost in thought, and the familiarity of it all struck the Pokémon trainer. The person before for a second was no longer her Malleus, but herself, or a version herself that had long since passed.
"Do you feel...lonely?"
He blinked at her in shock, as if he hadn't considered it. "Lonely? Me? I wonder... I've gotten so used to being by myself. I was alone even as I hatched from an egg. Still, Lilia has been by my side since I was born." He then murmured to himself. "...This may be the last time I'll get to hear his lectures."
"Believe me when I say, I know the feeling." (Y/N) assured. "Having a mother like mine didn't exactly afford me many friends. Actually, before Swampert and I met, I didn't have anyone. When I met him, it all changed. I had someone with me, a partner to watch my back through thick and thin. Having a friend like that...it's not a stretch to say he saved me."
"Your world sounds wonderful, Child of Man." Malleus said, looking down at Absol. "Being able to interact with such amazing creatures and form these deep bonds of friendship."
"I think there are those bonds out there for everyone, including you. Sometimes, it just takes a little intervention to get it started."
Malleus turned away, his cheek slightly red, being more prominent against his pale skin. "Perhaps I've already found it."
"Anyways, did you just say you hatched from an egg?"
He chuckled. "Why does that surprise you? Do your companions not also hatch from eggs?"
"Yeah, but they're Pokemon! You might not be human, but you're humanoid! It's hard to imagine a humanoid baby breaking through a shell like that!"
"Oh, I was in draconic form when I hatched."
"Wait, you have had a dragon form this whole time and you didn't tell me!?"
He smirked. "Well, I have to keep some surprises."
"Well, now you have to show me."
"Hmm, I think not."
"Come on! I have dragons, I can take it!"
Malleus was on the verge of breaking down in laughter. "I'm far too large in that form for this place."
"Well, now I just want to see it more."
The two began laughing as Malleus stared at the girl fondly. Besides Lilia, had there ever been a person who had laughed with him like this? Truly, he didn't know.
He cleared his throat. "I have spoken too much. Please pay it no mind. It's rare to see you out this late, too. You look like you have something to say as well. Come, tell me."
(Y/N) then remembered what Ortho had told her. "Oh right! Well, to tell you the truth, I think we may have found a way to get me and my Pokémon back home, and I need to ask for your help."
Malleus's expression immediately darkened.
"Back to your world......?" (Y/N) went on to explain her meetings with Mickey, and the possible link through the mirror. "The mirror in your room is connected to another world? Hm, that certainly seems possible. I see. So you will have to leave this place, too. Really, why must everything be so transient?"
"To be honest, I feel so sad that I have to leave all my friends here behind, but at the same time, I miss Steven, Grandpa Stone, and all my friends back home."
"Sad, I see." The fae repeated. "If–If there was only a way to live without having to lose family, friends, all of it, would you wish for it?"
She gave him a look. "Of course I would, but that's just not the world either of us live in."
"Then, why must he..." Malleus bit his tongue, stopping the thought. "No, never mind. Please give me some time to think. I cannot come up with a good solution just yet. Ah, it is getting late. You should head back and rest."
Absol gave the fae a concerned nudge as he seemed to rush the goodbye. (Y/N) looked equally concerned as she sensed something dark in her friend.
"Malleus, is something wrong? We're friends, you can tell me anything if you need to."
"...good night, (Y/N), Absol."
She sighed. "Good night, Tsunotaru."
As he left, (Y/N) saw he was muttering angrily under his breath, and did not shock her when she heard the dripping of the ink.