Colours That You're Not Meant to Notice [Pokemon]

[2]

It had been four months of school and frequent training with Florian. Kieran was the perceptive type, so he quickly learned what certain expressions and gestures meant from Florian.

Apparently, an announcement of great importance was set to go off by the school's main entrance. Kieran and Florian walked side by side outside. As soon as they did, the screens usually used for showing class schedules and lunch announcements sprung to life.

"Alright, Velly, I've got to go announce the independent study... no, you hang up! No, you- oh, he hung up." The school's director was on the screen on his phone and facing away from the camera. He glanced to it for a moment, then shoved his phone into his pocket, "Hello, students of Blueberry Academy! Ahem... I am here to announce a new chapter of your respective school careers! Independent study!"

The director, Director Cyrano, took a moment of pause, then cleared his throat once more, "A-Anyway, the independent study will entail leaving the school to find your footing. Find what about the world you find most interesting. What you may do for a living. What your career could be... and, with the co-operation of the master's league of pokémon battling in Unova, we have gotten you all the great opportunity of the chance of attaining a professional ranking in the league. Okay, goodbye, defer any questions you have to a teacher or someone else other than me."

As quickly as the broadcast had started, it ended. Kieran looked over to Florian, excitedly about to say something, but he was already furiously scribing something upon his notebook page. Florian had received his very own notebooks to communicate with after the teachers realized he couldn't speak.

Kieran still wasn't aware as to the cause of Florian's silence, but he didn't want to risk losing his friend from a possible faux-pas. Florian showed off the sheet. "We should start challenging gyms!"

"Where should we start?" Kieran asked, unsure. There was a gym in Aspertia City and a gym in Striaton City, each on the opposite side of Unova, both with marine subway stations connecting to each side, allowing for them to get there from the school either way.

The only issue was that once they were there, they'd have a long, long way to traverse to make it to the other side. Florian seemed to have it all figured out. He showed a makeshift map of southern Unova and pointed to some cities in order. "Er... could you repeat that? I didn't catch it," Kieran requested, watching carefully.

First, Florian pointed to Aspertia City. A normal type gym. Then, he pointed to Virbank City. A gym that Kieran didn't remember the type for. Then Castelia City, which was a massive city with a bug type gym. Finally, he pointed to Striaton City, a small city with a combination restaurant and gym. It used to have three gym leaders, but now it was just a fire type gym, the other two leaders now focusing on the restaurant.

"Oh, and after that, we go to Nimbasa city?" Kieran asked. Florian nodded. The two already knew they had their work cut out for them. They had one of the toughest gym circuits in the world in Unova, having ten gyms, rather than the average of eight to nine.

It was a somewhat recent development, but the gym circuit being made harder only made it so the future champions were more skilled trainers. Being a champion was the second greatest honour a competitive trainer could hope for. The only thing greater was being chosen by a legendary pokémon to be their trainer. The number of times in recent history that such a thing has happened could be counted on one hand.

Florian then wrote a question, "Do you want to use my phone to call your parents before we leave?" He knew Kieran didn't have a phone yet, as would be obvious for anyone who would befriend him and then ask for his number. "I still only have an x-transceiver, sorry," would be his answer.

Honestly, Kieran didn't really want to talk to his parents. It's not like they were mean or angry or hurtful. It's just that they wouldn't notice if Kieran went missing. They also probably wouldn't appreciate the idea of independent study in this way. "I don't think that's a good idea. Are you calling your dad?"