Lapras Valley University (Semester 2) Starts! LSUs are welcomed!

[The_Missing_Link]

Andy - Kuro - Battling
--------------------
After listening to Lucy ramble about how excited she was to be the battling camp coordinator, everyone had to listen to the dean talk about some school rivalry. To Andy, it sounded like a load of BS. After all these years, there should be no reason for one degree to hate another. Sure, there are some trainers out there who don't truly care for their Pokemon but Andy liked to think she wasn't one of them. If her Pokemon didn't want to battle or even be a part of her team, she couldn't force them to stay. It would just be wrong.

Right after the speeches ended (which made Andy thank the gods), everyone was allowed to have lunch. Naomi wandered off so Andy was left to have lunch with her Pokemon. While she normally didn't allow them to have human food, she relented at lunch since it was a special day. She felt rather embarrassed to eat with only her Pokemon but after seeing some loser being put under house arrest after arguing with the breeding coordinator about how he was some gang thug and that battlers sucked for some reason, she felt somewhat better about herself and cheered up.

The rest of the day went uneventfully. Since the battlers and breeders were paired together due to the breeder coordinator's incompetence, they both had to do the obstacle course and observation of the forest. The obstacle course was pretty fun but the observation thing was a load of crap. Andy wondered why they had to stare at trees and "connect" with the forest. Luckily, it was only an hour and right afterwards, she could eat dinner alone and relax.

Three and half hours later, Andy left the dorm to go to the breeding campsite. In that whole time, she managed to miss Namie come in, unpack, and leave but she supposed that she would eventually meet her roommate. Andy sighed and used a flashlight to look at her orientation paper while Isis gleefully revolved around her as she moved. Apparently, freshman had to take part in a courage test and go to the Forest Guardian Shrine to retrieve a Mew plushie before bringing it back to the breeding site.

"Sounds like a bloody initiation test to me," Andy muttered to herself. "And I suppose they're going to frighten us while we try to do this task. Pathetic."

And to make matters worse, they had to do it in pairs, opposite sex preferred.

"Where the hell am I going to find a guy to do this with me?" she asked Isis. "And a cute guy at it?"

The Froslass just shrugged and continued her revolutions around Andy. The girl just shook her head in disbelief and continued on to the campsite. There was already a fire going with a few people milling around and the camp coordinators and the student council making sure people paired up before they went into the forest. Andy went to sit on a log and hoped a guy would come up to her. At times like this, she hated not being able to engage people first.
-----------------------
OOC: Tag to any guy

I think I might convert to first person after this. I write like crap in the third person

[Dark-San]

Chapter 5: The escape

“Alan, Alan? Time to wake up!”

“Awe… but mom I don’t want to wake up now…”

I stood in front of Alan and frown. This sleepyhead is not waking up at all. I took a look at his Magneton that had also too drifted into sleep along with its owner.

“Go Denise, give him a little jolt.”

With no warning at all, the female Pikachu zapped Alan and Alan was greeted with a surprise. In shock, he fell off his chair, tumbling onto the floor.

“Eh, what happened?”

Still drooling, he stood up and started to turn his head around until he noticed me.

“Eh Hiroshi, I thought you are under house arrest back at the dorm. Why are you even here now?”

“Well the student council is a bunch of fools. They think by escorting me back to the dorm and having two persons guarding it, they can isolate me from the rest. Too bad, I broke one of the toilet windows and fled out of the dorm without them noticing.”

I smiled proudly while Alan on the other hand, spoke back.

“You mean our dorm room’s toilet window?”

Possessing a pair of shifty eyes, he stared at me while I start to perspire.

“Hah, forget about it. The student council will replace them anyway if we reported it as a wear and tear. Lets get on with another subject, where are the rest of the cohort?”

“Well I’m not very sure. When I came here, you are the only lying on the canteen table, sleeping like a dead log together with your Magneton. Let’s head back to the Battler’s forest shall we?”

Without much to say, we left the canteen at Block C and made our way to the Battler’s Forest.

------------- Act 9: The events starts now-------------

“Damn why is it that our campsite is further than the rest of the degrees?”

“Well, you have to take into account that in fact our campsites are located for a different purpose.”

Alan pulled out the pamphlet which was given out at the beginning of the orientation camp begin to educate me.

“Contest Campsite is located nearer the Obstacles courses and Rock Climbing facilities. The main point is to encourage the trainers to engage in some co-ordination activities during the free intervals. Battling degree on the other hand is located to the Official battlefield used during the Elite Four tournaments. The reason I won’t say much since it is pretty obvious. Breeding, eh well. We are located right in the heart of the forest and close by the lake. The whole main point was to get us closer to mother nature and observe pokemons and how they interact in the wild.

So, here you are the reasons.”

I was utmost impressed with Alan. This guy is nothing sort of a genius, he had the brain and the looks but he probably lacks that courage to chat with the ladies.

“So here we are breeding campsite.”

As we saw some of the members getting ready to unpack their stuffs into the tent from where we are standing from.

------------- Act 10: New friends-------------

“ Here Alan, here!”

An excited me spotted an empty spot just nice for us to prepare to spread out and fix up the tent.

However it did not help that my excitement by then had gotten the attention of most of the freshmen from the breeding degree.

“Hey, isn’t that the guy who causes the big hoot-ha? I thought he was under house arrest, why was he here? Where’s Lucy? Someone need to get her and report him back to the student council president.”

Why are they that suspicious of me? It is not like I am going to eat them alive.

I swiftly turn my head and bumped onto another degree mate by accident.

“Oops, I’m sorry!”

In an instant, I bowed down my head and apologies without knowing I had bumped into.

“Hah, you are that shy guy which causes the drama earlier in the canteen.”

That voice seems familiar where have I heard it from?

I shifted up my head and notice it was that same lady, I met back at Kuro Dorm.
“Hey you should remember me, I’m Namie Lloyd.”

“Hiroshi, Hiroshi Nagasaki. That’s my name.”

“Cool, you are pitching your tent here? Well, mine is over there.”

She pointed at a distance at least twenty meters or so away from our spot.

“I’m staying up with a couple of my friends. Hah, there they are.”

A guy and another lady emerged from inside the tent and waved together at both Alan and me. And out of courtesy, I too waved back enthusiastically.

“They are a bunch of friendly people eh?”

“Well, they certainly are. Hey I need go now, we probably have another ton of things to pack out and get ready. See you later for the next activity.”

With that, she skipped off to meet up with her buddies.

“Nice group of people eh, Alan?”

“Well they certainly are. And why are you looking so shunted? We need pack up fast now and without a moment to lose.”

------------- Act 11: Forest Observation-------------

The bug pokemons creaks, the leaves rustle and the whole forest seems to be livening by the sounds of Mother Nature.

I had just spoken to Lucy Oarwell earlier and seems like she is one good lady. She did not report about me breaching one of the student council president's instructions by escape from the house arrest. Instead, she had earlier advise me on keeping a low profile for now since the student council president is not your everyday person that I can messed around with.

”Well you are lucky that she didn’t report you or you will be back at the dorm, counting sheep.”

“I was indeed. But then Alan, I just realized that there is at least one good person in the entire student council crap club.”

Alan laughed and continued to poke fun of me.

“That’s not funny, Alan.”

Butterfrees were fluttering from flowers to flowers collecting pollen while the Pidgeys were flew in flocks back to the nestling grounds after our observation group had interrupted their feeding.

“They are just so many pokemons around. This was totally different from the route we had taken to arrive here.”

“Of course!”

A lady cut my conversation with Alan short probably similar to my age.

“You have to know that we are located further away from the route and is quite near to the cave. A few hours later, there would be a flock making out of Zubats and Golbats zooming out of the cave. The Pidgeys probably flew off earlier as so not to get in confusion with the night travelers.”

The learnt lady turns her head at me and glared before proceeding off to join off with the cohort as they moved further into the forest.

“Who was that lady earlier, she sounded creepy! And does seems like a proud lady from her tone.”

“Well she’s Lyzolda. Believe it or not but she has the same surname as our dorm.”

With that joke, we giggled hard and was unfortunately caught by Lyzolda red-handed.

“What are you guys giggling for? Making fun of me? You guys better follow us; the stand in coordinator had wanted me to inform you that if you are still not following the group and choose to stand here, you will be left out.”

With that she turned off and head away from us for the second time.

“If she did hear our joke, I will eat spaghetti through my nostrils.”

I mentioned to Alan without thinking twice.

“Oh and your joke, I heard it. It’s not funny at all.”

Lyzolda turned her head and spoke out.

Alan’s face beamed with laughter and starts tugging me.

“You better start practicing now, mister.”

“Goodness am I in for some trouble!”

Immediately, I regret saying that phrase for that moment. Looks like I have some tough practice involving spaghetti ahead.

------------- Act 12: Courage Test-------------

Some few hours after the dinner as the sun sets, signaling the end of the day. It is time for the freshmen from all the degrees to gather up together for the group event of the courage test.

“Awe… I feel full. Burps…”

What we had for dinner? Spaghetti! I had to try sucking it the strands up my nose but I got nose block from all that tomato sauce instead. After messing around it, I looked like a fool but all due to me opening up my mouth without thinking.

As the freshmen gathered to look around for partners, I figured out I should probably looked for mine too.

“See you later, Alan. You better not back out on this test.”

Teasing him, we parted to look for our respective female partners.

“Where am I supposed to find mine?”

I search high and low and it does seem like everyone had gotten his or her partner.

“It looks I’m all alone now.”

I sat on the log; hopefully I can catch my eyes on any ladies around.

“Ah-choo…”

A voice sneezes from beside me.

“Wait a minute… its night and it better not be some haunting beings.”

I silently prayed as I turned my head and came face to face with a lady who had been sitting by my side along, without me noticing at all.

Hey, it’s my chance after all.

I turned my attention from the crowd onto the lady sitting on the log and smiled at her.

“Hey, are you looking for a partner?”

Things to note:

1) Tags Yi wen, Kalah and Engi – Time for you dudes to make your appearance.
2) Tags Faiz – Don’t sleep too much. People are going to leave you alone.
3) Tags Rebecca – I’m available too and thought I might tag you for the courage test. However do note that my character has this hate against battlers. So I thought you would not want to reveal your degree to him.
4) Tags Crazy Elf Boy – During the forest observation, my character made some contact, you probably should take note of this.
5) Next Chapter: Courage Test? A hoax or the truth?

[Shadow Djinn]

*kind of wonders what happened to Dru's post...*

Cosmo Cariso - Midori - Battling

-

The events that passed while daylight was strong left Cosmo on the brink of falling asleep, bored to death by the constant speeches. With the Battling majorers gathered in a single area, his eyes surveyed each figure with slight disinterest. All the while his hands twiddled with the pokeball at his neck, sighing from time to time as dull monologues ate away at the daylight.

Then there was dinner.

He walked cheerily into the dining hall, grateful for the reprieve, eyeing the variety of foods on the shelves. Selecting his own choices, he sat at a bench on his lonesome, scarfing down his meal earnestly.

Then he remembered the courage test as he trooped out of the cafeteria.

Dammit...I hate partners...

He watched as other pairs were quickly made, scowling in slight annoyance. Eventually his hands idly fell to Sneasel's pokeball, and suddenly the Dark pokemon was beside him, uttering his name cheerily.

"Time to meet some of these weirdos, eh?" Cosmo sighed, patting the pokemon's head.

-

Tag to a female? >_>

[Blademaster]

Vince

The rest of the day passed pretty uneventfully for Vince - after the Orientation had ended, he'd spent much of lunch, dinner, and his free time in the Battler's Forest, toughening up his team and himself some more.

"One, two! One, two! One, two!" Vince said, his tone and his marching in place making him sound like a drill sargeant. "Come on, Genbu, pick up the pace! Hustle, hustle!"

At seven feet in height, ten feet in length, and weighing in at a good 750 pounds, Genbu was easily the most massive member of Vince's team - a titanic turtle with legs like tree trunks, a pair of ivory horns, and a beak resembling black steel. The massive monster's shell was green with a white bridge, and small appendages resembling a tree on its left side and mountains on its right.

Unfortunately, all these impressive defenses made it somewhat hard for the colossal creature to move quickly.

"Torterra..." Genbu grumbled as he began to pound his huge feet against the dirt floor of the forest more quickly, causing audible tremors.

"That's the way you do it!" Vince said, turning his attention to two of his other Pokemon. "Byakko, Suzaku, how's the battle progressing?"

About 20 feet away, Byakko was facing Vince's starter in a controlled battle simulation; as sturdy and powerful as Byakko was, he was having trouble against Vince's starter.

Byakko's opponent was a slim, humanoid creature with red-and-orange feathers covering much of his skin; his arms were thin and scaly with claws that resembled a bird's talons, while his legs were as thick and powerful as Genbu's but longer and with sharper talons hidden beneath them. The creatures head was avian, with a fanged beak and yellow eyes half-hidden by thin red horns. Wrapping his neck, head, and shoulders was a mane of cream-colored feathers that spread out behind his back like wings.

"Vire... Vire..." Byakko panted, clearly tiring from his battle.

"Blaz... ziken..." Suzaku replied, fatigue evident on his face as well.

Vince glanced at his Poketch.

9:14pm.

"Hmmm..." he mused, glancing up at the dull blue of the dusky sky. "It is getting pretty late... You guys did go over those anti-type-advantage moves, right?

Both Pokemon nodded.

"OK, then..." Vince said, nodding. "You three take a break. I've gotta check on the girls."

With that, he recalled his three Pokemon and turned away, when a rustling behind him caught his attention. He turned and saw a familiar face walk through the underbrush...

"Alan?" Vince said, squinting in the dim light.

The raggedy figure stopped.

"Oh, um... hey, Vince." he said meekly.

"Alan, what are you doing out here?"

"I'm not sure... I heard there was some kind of contest in the forest tonight, but you need a partner to sign up, so I came looking for someone."

Vince's eyes lit up.

"A contest?" he said, smiling widely. "Sounds good to me - just let me go get my other Pokemon and I'll tag along with you."

Alan scratched the back of his neck.

"Um..." he said nervously. "Well..."

Vince frowned.

"What, what is it?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. "You don't wanna be partners with a midget, is that it?!"

Alan's eyes flew open.

"Nonononono!" he stammered, waving his hands in a panic. "It's not that! It's just that the partners are supposed to be a boy and girl, is what I heard!"

Vince's dark expression instantly vanished.

"Oh... um... well... I... ...Really?"

Alan nodded, visibly nervous from Vince's outburst.

"Oh..... Shit, this is awkward..." Vince mumbled. "Damn, I'm sorry, Alan - I didn't... I just kinda hear that sorta thing a lot, is all... You know, what with you..."

He raised his hand, palm down, as high as he could reach.

"...And with me..."

He lowered his palm to about (his) waist-level.

"...You know how it is, right?" Vince said, sweating a bit.

Alan slowly nodded.

"Yeah... Yeah, I get it..." he said a bit shakily. "Um... don't worry about it... I should keep looking for a partner, then... See ya later!"

With that, Alan turned back and walked (very quickly) back the way he'd come.

Vince slapped himself on the forehead.

'Well done, idiot.' he thought, gritting his teeth. 'And you wonder why you can never keep any friends for more than a day.'

Vince lowered his hand and sighed.

'...Forget it.' he thought. 'I have to try and find a partner for this contest thing...'

He looked at his Poketch again.

9:18pm.

'...And fast.'

--------------------------------------------------------------

Tag anyone who wants to pair up with Vince.

Yes, ANYONE. LVU has 11 guys and 9 girls - two guys are gonna have to either pair up or sit the Test out. And Vince doesn't mind who his partner is... The little dude needs some friends, people! ;_;

EDIT: Sorry, Faiz, I didn't see your post until after I posted mine... You want I should edit out the part where Alan and Vince meet up?

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

*puts cheesegrater away* I shall make all the references to drills that I bloody well want.. :p

Namie Lloyd
Stepping Out

The following reproduction of a conversation between Miss Namie Lloyd and Miss Kuriko Shiamari (with third-party additions) took place shortly before they were hauled off in opposite directions to participate in the Courage Test by their respective partners.

Miss Namie Lloyd was wearing an airy linen sundress that was singularly unsuited for exploration of haunted forests and/or shrines but was nonetheless exquisite in cut and fabric and definitively a perennial establishment in the annals of fashionistas everywhere. Miss Kuriko Shiamari had on the uniform popularized in Pokemon Centers worldwide by the army of Nurse Joys manning the counters in said centers: a pink confection of a dress, with matching white apron and cap; she had however managed to get out of twisting her hair into twin loops.

"...told you he was stupid."

"Ah yes, but how was I to know that dear cousin Ichi had actually achieved that particular degree of positively, insufferably, regal oikness?"

"How you can say that and smile at the same time is something I must eventually perform research on should the opportunity arise."

"Oh I am very sure his heart is in the right place. Even if his brain isn't. There now, Kuriko-chan, you spoke properly for a whole sentence! Remember to do the same to your partner for the courage test later!"

"Not going."

"Isn't it compulsory?"

"Night shift at Pokemon Center."

"I seem to recall hearing something about you not being required to turn up for work because the influx of freshmen that you were supposed to help handle are, in fact, going to be taking part in this courage test that is compulsory."

"...Don't have a partner."

"Have you considered dear cousin Ichi?"

"You're supposed to take care of him. You be his partner."

"But I promised Aubrey over the phone. Please, just for me?"

"...No."

"Hmmm. I see dear cousin Ichi approaching. ETA: about ten seconds."

"...!!!"

"Five seconds, now. There you are, Aubrey, love!"

"Dahling! When they said we had to have someone of the opposite sex as our partner for this test the first one I thought of was you! We shall do this together the only way - elegantly. Hop on Briar, dahling, he'll get us there quick enough."

"Kuriko-chaa~an, watch dear cousin Ichi for me, thank you in advance~"

"..........................."

"KURIKO-SAN!"

With the departure of Miss Namie Lloyd, the record ends here.

SORRY WURZ D: my brain died at the last minute..

[EngiMatikul]

Catching up, so when I do the Courage Test post it will look stupidly and embarassingly short. And because no one did the lunch scene and combine it.

Kuriko
=====
Kuriko stared down at the sandwich Rywen had given her. She was unsure of what to do... to trust... this stupid guy to potentially poison her with whatever he made? She continued to stare at the sandwich while the others happily ate the little snacks without without much concern at all. Suddenly, something completely unexpected happened: Nitres got off her shoulder and took the entire sandwich into her mouth.
"Ni...tres?" Kuriko looked on with some astonishment. Nitres almost never acts upon anything, even when she gives him his meal. Consequently, the only conclusion she could think up was...
"Ah, did your little bird take your sandwich?" Rywen smiled amiably while handing Kuriko another sandwich. The Natu was now on the ground, flicking the sandwich around attempting to eat up everything he could out of the sandwich he stole from his trainer. Kuriko looked down on her new sandwich. She was left with no choice...
It's good, was the first surprising thought that came to her mind. She never had anything like it before, it was amazing. It was now that she noticed that everyone that had come in contact with the sandwich enjoyed it immensely. Rywen glanced at her, and Kuriko quickly hid her face and finished off her sandwich. Rywen just smiled.
"Don't get full yet, once we get back to the dorms I must delight Ichigo-kun with the exquisite pleasures of the BBQ!! Of course, you and your friend must come as well."
=====
<here we insert everything PJBW says in his BBQ post>
=====
A short while after the BBQ, Kuriko quickly dressed up and arrived at the pokemon center. She remembered that the first time she began working the nurse in charge didn't approve of how she treated customers, so she learned, naturally, to become a better medical assistant by altering her personality. For reasons her pokemon, including Nitres, do not understand, Kuriko can somehow turn from the softspoken loner to the amiable caretaker in a matter of seconds.

"Hiiii there! Welcome to the Pokemon Center! Awww, is that your Whismur? It seems to have a slight cold, I'll get it treated right away! Stay put now! ~<3"

...It's truly a mystery.
====
Apparently by the time she was finished and had her first break, dinner was already over at the Anka dorms. Admittedly, she was slightly disappointed, but Rywen, upon seeing her arrival graciously gave her a few more leftover sandwiches from lunchtime. Kuriko took them, reluctantly, though in all honesty she was incredibly thankful for the delightful morsels. After she took them and made sure no one was in sight, she quickly ran off without going back to her room and out, headed towards the pokemon center.

...Or at least, that's what she thought.

"Kuriko-chan!!! Kawaii desu ne,* that outfit!! Going to get the guys to go after you in the Courage test?"

"...the what?"
=====
<insert Chiko Sai, then PJBW's post, connection in timeline finished>

*How Cute

[Weasel Overlord]

Aubrey Loosestrife
butterfly
*

There really was only one way to complete this blasé test of courage and that was astride a magnificent Arcanine, gliding through the woods in complete and unutterable style as only Aubrey could manage with such little effort.

The wind blew their hair back and branches tangled at their faces, but for once Aubrey didn’t care. As always, the simple act of riding on Briar’s broad back elated him to such a degree that everything else around him paled in comparison. The Arcanine’s gait was long and nary a stride was out of place; so much so that riding him felt like you were flying across the land. But then, that was the famed agility and speed of the great dog Pokémon.

Even though they had all been warned of the dangers of wild Pokémon wandering the forests, there didn’t seem to be many around at all. Maybe they were all asleep or something.

Aubrey leant back to call over the noise of the wind.

“No Pokémon around dahling! I think that those older students were just trying to worry us a bit. I’m glad, really. I’d hate to have to make Briar fight for us, and I’m not sure whether Celandine would be able to manage it either. He’s a bit of a-” Aubrey was cut off by a branch smacking him in the face with a loud twang that sounded somewhat like a snigger.

He snapped his head back forward again, slowing Briar down with a hand tightening on his mane. Leaping off gracefully, he glared around at the trees, eyes narrowed.

“Okay, who branched me? Trees just don’t snigger dahlings, you should have been more careful!” Namie jumped down to stand at his side, looking slightly worried as Celandine hovered to her left.

A pair of tall, well, things materialised from between the trees. One of them was clad in what appeared to be a long white sheet, with a pair of holes cut in for eyes, and the other was wearing a set of fake fingers, each one tipped with a viciously curved, garishly red fingernail-claw type thing, a pair of striped tights, pointed shoes and a long, straggly wig through which a pimply face was only just visible.

Namie sighed as the white-clad one waved its arms around in a vaguely menacing way.

“Woo.” It said. Namie shook her head in resignation.

“Woo? Is that all you could come up with? You are the most pathetic excuse for a ghost I have ever seen. Ever. They don’t actually say ‘woo’ you know. Nor are they often seen waving their arms around in a way that is certainly not threatening, whilst clad in what is obviously a cast-off sheet with eye holes cut in. And as for your despicable branching of my dear friend Aubrey, well! It’s just not very nice. Next time, you should come up with a more subtle way of scaring people, if you’re going to even bother. And next time, do not branch the poor firsties in the face, possibly ruining an otherwise perfect complexion!”

Aubrey looked aghast as he felt his face with a careful hand. Shaking a little, he drew slightly-damp fingers to his eyes to examine them.

“Blood!” He said. Though his hands shook slightly, his voice was the epitome of calm. “You made my face bloody.” He glared at the second one, who seemed to be going for some sort of witch effect. “You made my face bloody. What happens if it scars? Oh lord...” He broke off with a wince before clenching his fist.

Striding the few steps between the pairs, Aubrey pulled back his hand and gave witchy a resounding slap around the face. Turning on his heels, Aubrey stalked back over to Briar with a grin at Namie.

“I don’t think it’ll scar Aubrey love.” She said.

“You don’t think so? Oh dahling, I just couldn’t bear it if my face was scarred.” He turned to glare at the subdued duo, one hand on his hip as he gesticulated. “And you two, your fashion sense, really! You,” He pointed at witchy. “Need better hair. That wig is frankly dire dahling! How do you expect to scare anyone with such second-rate paraphernalia? Your nails need a good manicuring, if you file them well enough, you could achieve a nice point which would be much more threatening than those ugly things you’re sporting now. And just don’t get me started on your face, dahling! A good cream should sort out those warts, I’d say, and please, dahling, just change those tights. If you must have tights, at least go for a more tasteful fifty denier. Sheer, I’d say, with your complexion, and I think a fleshy colour would suit the most, how about you, Namie dahling?”

“Well love, I’d start with ghosty here, and suggest that if you want to instil any kind of terror, you simply have to get yourself some chains. Maybe even a ball attached too, for proper clanking, you know. Maybe add a bit of blood around the neck and the eyes, and please, work on that wail! Ghosts simply do not say woo, love. You want to go for a more bloodcurdling scream, I’d say, perhaps with a bit of chain rattling and ending with a lovely dismembered sigh. Now that would be scary. Then you’d really be cooking with charcoal.”

“Wonderful advice, Namie dahling! Simply splendid! I couldn’t have put it better myself, in fact!” Aubrey smiled. “And now. Ghosty and witchy, dahlings, get out of our way so that we can finish our trial.” He gestured haughtily as the pair scrambled away. “Imagine the cheek of it! Branching me in the face! Me!”

“Oh, I know love.” Namie exclaimed as she climbed back onto Briar to her place behind Aubrey.

“Onwards, Briar dahling! We have a shrine to conquer! But Mie dahling, do you really think that it won’t scar?” Aubrey looked anxious as Briar sprang into his graceful lope.

Namie patted him on the shoulder comfortingly. “No love, I really don’t think it’ll scar. There’s hardly any blood, after all.”

Aubrey smiled. “You’re right dahling. But hey, don’t you think it’s strange that we haven’t come across anyone yet? I mean, everyone’s doing this trial of courage, but we’ve not seen anyone else in this forest at all. It must be huge!”

“I heard that it was a massive place. The shrine’s apparently not far out after the forest though, so we’re doing alright, I reckon. Considering how fast Briar runs, we should be there in no time, love.”

“Briar does run especially fast, even for an Arcanine, I’ve always thought. But hey, what’s that?” Aubrey pointed through the underbrush at a flash of red and black. Slowing Briar, he turned to Namie.

“Maybe that’s one of the other pairs. Celandine? Would you go have a look for us, dahling?” Celandine cheeped in affirmation and glided off through the trees as Aubrey and Namie dismounted from Briar once more.

Another cheep and a trill told Aubrey that the coast was clear, and he pushed his way through the trees to find a rather short girl dressed in red and black stripes, and a boy who looked the same age, carrying a Pidgey on his shoulder.

The girl smiled at Aubrey, raising her hand in greeting.

“Hey! Are you on the Courage Test too? I guess you are, that’s a kinda obvious question, eh? My name’s Kristy Mizushima, who are you two?”

“Why, I am Aubrey Loosestrife, dahling, contest coordinator extraordinaire, and this is my esteemed observationist, Namie Lloyd. Standing behind us is the wonderful Briar, and cheeping around my head is the gloriously golden Celandine, contest champions both. And we were only just saying how odd it was that we hadn’t come across anyone else in this vast forest, and then here you are! What coincidence dahling!”

[Emotional Faun Chiko-sai]

Horrendously, achingly short, I know... but at least it's something?

Namie Lloyd
tell me something that I've never been told...

Getting out of the forest had been most bothersome. Nishikaze had not helped with the sudden swarm of ghosts at all, stating that none of these ghosts were any of his friends and relations, his friends and relations were much more civilized, thank you very much; and had indeed hidden behind Namie's head when they were confronted by a coven of rogue Gastly with a strange gleam in their eyes. Briar, Aubrey's magnificent Arcanine, had instead obliged by giving an immense roar, scaring some of the ghosts away, and singed the ones that did not flee with a searing blast of flame, just to get his point across.

The short, attractive Kristy Mizushima and her Pidgey-toting companion, whose name Namie could not quite catch as it had been said in an unintelligible mumble, had held their own most capably, and after exchanging phone numbers had parted ways amiably at the entrance to the forest. Nishikaze was unrepentantly gloomy over his inability to liaise with his non-friends and relations, hovering over his owner's head as if attempting to possess her and feast upon her soul.

Aubrey removed a stray leaf from his hair with a delicate flick of his wrist. "Well! What was that all about, dahling? Almost at the shrine, and they decide to cancel the test!"

Namie tugged on one of Nishikaze's disembodied hands and began to stroke the sour-mouthed ghost absently, inasmuch as a being composed of gas and vapour can be stroked. "Can't imagine, love. What about all those ghosts attacking that weren't Nishi's friends and relations, then?"

"Silly seniors, I can see that they are definitely most disorganized, with absolutely no sense of proper style, at all. Now, if I had been the one doing it, there would have been hordes of blooming Roselia attacking, instead - aromatherapy, elegance and beauty, all bundled in."

"Oh, Aubrey love, tomorrow we're apparently scheduled for a tour of the Whirl Islands. We'd need to take some measures after that harrowing experience in the forest; mud pack, cucumbers, perhaps?"

"Naturally, dahling. Let us retire to my dorm, and we shall beautify ourselves accordingly. Harsh sun tomorrow, and all that!"

"Do you have a strawberry mask, love? I have a clay exfoliating one with essence of mulberry-"

About two extremely girly and satisfying hours later Namie emerged from Midori Dorm smelling faintly of strawberries. Despite the lateness of the hour, there were nonetheless two familiar, dishevelled-looking figures heading in the opposite direction towards Anka Dorm, followed by two or three shapes recognizable as Pokemon.

Namie grinned, the expression on her face not unlike that of the Cheshire Cat.

She caught up to them and clapped each of them on the back.

"Why, Kuriko! There you are! And my dear cousin Ichi! How lovely to see you both not dead and in apparent working order!"