Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Stories

Darkness and Dragons Ch. 2

Rayna really couldn't stop staring at the pristine waves within the Coastal Biome. It was amazing to think that they were artificial, especially given the abundance of water types. Finally, her scenic walk came to an end, for she'd come upon the outdoor classroom. A disappointed sigh left her. She'd much rather explore the Terarium further.

A familiar pink-haired girl had just arrived as well, giving a friendly wave to the new student. “Hi, Rayna! Glad to see you made it to class. Please tell me Drayton did a good job showing you around.” Her smile faded and she gave an almost doubtful look.

“He did,” Rayna answered with a nod. “He explained everything, showed me my room, and pointed me here to my first class.”

Lacey exhaled with great relief. “Perfect. I was afraid he'd shirk his responsibilities…again. It's hard to entrust anything super important to him because of his laziness.” She suddenly smiled and pressed her palms together, swaying them happily from side to side. “He must have his eye on you to put so much effort into getting you accustomed here! I'm so teasing him about this later!”

Rayna averted her gaze, reminded once more of Drayton's proposed date. Did he truly find her cute like he'd said? Or was it her battle style that interested him? Or maybe he even heard who her dad was and thought it a good idea to rub elbows with someone of importance. Whatever the reason, it didn't stop the poor girl from getting flustered.

“Just…don't be too mean to him. Please. He truly gave me a great tour.”

Lacey giggled. “Oh, don't you worry. I'll be sure to thank him for doing proper work for once. Gotta reward that good behavior. Anyway, class is about to start. Best to pay attention.”

The rather tiny outdoor classroom had little seating, so Rayna and Lacey took to standing just outside to avoid being squished between classmates. There weren't nearly as many students present as Rayna would've thought, not compared to the large classes back at Uva.

“Alola, everybody!” the teacher greeted. “I'm sure you're all enjoying the tropical clime we've recreated here at the Coastal Biome. But remember - it's really for the many pokemon you'll find living here, adapted for such weather. One species has even grown exceptionally larger than it might in other regions, thanks to all the light it's exposed to here! That's right, certain species of pokemon can have completely different appearances depending on the region! We call this variation a regional form. And that brings us to today's task. I'd like each of you to catch one of these pokemon - specifically, an Alolan Form pokemon. When you've got one, come and report to me. Now, get catching!”

Several students jumped out of their seats and darted off to complete the assignment, meanwhile, Rayna gave Lacey a surprised look. “Wait… That's it? Our lesson is to catch a specific pokemon?”

Lacey nodded. “Many of our classes here at Blueberry Academy are practical ones like this. Guess it's quite a bit different from Uva.” She gave a reassuring smile. “Don’t fret, and don't overthink it! You'll do just fine, I'm sure! So off you go!”

A bit unsure, Rayna turned and walked away, leaving the outdoor classroom behind. Not that it was a challenge, but battling and catching a wild pokemon just for a single class seemed like a bit of a waste of time to her. She'd rather just snap a picture with her phone and be done with it.

“I guess maybe I can try,” she mumbled to herself, crossing the bridge heading north. “There are some cool Alolan pokemon out here.”

With the warm sunlight on her skin and the salty breeze blowing through her hair, she felt a little more motivated. Closing her eyes, she walked slowly to better enjoy the feeling and the peaceful sounds of the waves. It almost made her want to go for a swim, or even just lay out on the sand and nap.