Lovers in Soul (F Trainer X M Lucario)

Chapter 1

Alice looked down at her shoes for the umpteenth time, fidgeting compulsively with her hazel locks. She heard the whispers of her soon-to-be classmates. "Is she cute? I hope we finally get a cutie in this class." "I'm glad there's another girl here. It'll help balance out the class." "At least she's not one of those filthy pokemon."

Alice closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and stepped into the classroom. The professor guided her towards the chalkboard, where her name was written. "H-hello, everyone!" Alice stuttered. "I'm Alice Ayanami. It's a pleasure to m-meet you all."

A hush fell upon the classroom. "She's a real beau-," a boy began whispering, cut off by a glare from the class representative. The rep walked up towards Alice, extending her hand. "Hi! I'm Julia, the class rep. I'm glad to have you in our class." Alice took Julia's hand, shaking it. The handshake was warm and welcoming, and it put Alice a bit more at ease. "Thank you. I'm looking forward to studying with you all," Alice said.

There was only one seat left in the room. It was located in the back corner, next to a large window. Alice sat down, smiling at her neighbor, a shiny Lucario. The pokemon stared back at her disconcertingly. Alice felt a shudder run down her spine and quickly looked away.

The class was, most aptly put, boring. The professor gave a dull lecture on the history of the Hoenn region and the pokemon that inhabited it. Alice sank lower into her seat, trying to ignore the whispers and glances all around her. She braced herself for the tidal wave of attention she would get once class ended.

Alice's prediction came true. The class, breaking for lunch, flocked to Alice's desk. Alice was flooded with invitations from her classmates. "Why don't we meet for karaoke after school?" one girl asked. "Let's hang out at my place later!" offered another. Alice smiled, handing out one polite denial after another.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the classroom. The crowd around Alice's desk parted to make way for a painfully beautiful girl. The girl walked forward, smiling, and raising a hand in greeting. "Hi! I'm Veronica Pendleton. I just wanted to welcome you to our class! I really love your hair!" "Wow, Veronica's so nice," someone murmured. Veronica smirked, placing a hand on Alice's desk and leaning next to her ear.

"Listen up, you fat b*tch. You need to back off my territory," Veronica whispered. "I've worked for half the year to become the most popular girl in school, and you're not ruining that. Watch your back."

Alice frowned, feeling a sinking feeling. It was her first day and the most popular girl already hated her. All she could do was sit, stunned. Watch your back? Was Veronica really threatening her?

Veronica's dark expression quickly changed into a kind smile as she walked away from Alice's desk. The crowd dissipated, students returning to their desks or gravitating towards their friends. Alice sat alone, picking at her lunch. Veronica was probably bluffing, but Alice just couldn't be sure. She sighed. It wasn't like Veronica could do anything too bad.

The rest of the day passed by in a flash. The bell rang, signaling students to leave. As Alice left the classroom, she spotted Veronica talking to two burly boys in the hall. What could she be up to?

As Alice walked out of the school, she spotted the two boys flanking her. She tried walking faster, but the boys matched her pace. Alice shook her head and continued walking. The boys followed her until they reached a relatively secluded area. Then the group stopped.

Alice turned around, irritated. "What do you want?" she snapped. One boy sneered, palming a fist aggressively. "Well," he said, "as you should know, Veronica hasn't taken so kindly to you coming to school here. She's sent us to deal with you."

Alice slowly backed away. She didn't know Veronica's threat was serious! "Listen," Alice said, her voice wavering slightly. "You don't have to do this." The other boy laughed scornfully. "Oh, we certainly do."

Suddenly, a blur slammed into the boy on Alice's left. He crumpled to the pavement, screaming. Alice blinked, shocked. As the boy fell, she saw who her savior was - the shiny Lucario! The other boy backed away, stumbling onto his rear. "Y-you're a monster," he yelled. The two boys scrambled to their feet, fleeing for their lives.

Alice smiled, smoothing out her skirt. "Thanks for saving me back there," she said. The Lucario said nothing, staring at her. "Could I get your name?" Alice asked. "I-I'm Luke. Luke D-Donatello."