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The next day Tristen would wake up, graced by the sound of the many bird Pokemon around the outside of the academy singing their morning songs. It was a new day and the first day of class for him since he has returned, no doubt would it be an interesting day. If he happened to look outside his window, focusing on the window ledge on the other side, he would see the same blue powder, a fresh layer now covering the spot he wiped up with his finger. Also there were more flowers bits, that is fresh ones, the flower parts looking like they were dissembled not long ago. Something had visited his ledge again, was routinely doing so, that was clear. But what was it? Had to be something they could fly, what with being this high up, right?

Whether or not he gave that anymore of his attention Tristen would be forced to focus on the upcoming school day, the first bell scheduled to ring in less than two hours. He would have a lot of questions thrown at him, and likely a lot of people with different opinions of him. Today was no doubt the one day he dreaded most since he first stepped foot in the academy. There was no avoiding it, it was time to rip this bandaid off.

Tristen’s SNAG would finally go off and the Manetric hybrid would wince hard; once again having to get used to waking up on an alarm as opposed to on his own speed. Tristen sat up, seeing Sprigatito at the end of his bed was still remaining cozy. He’d pull open the blinds slightly, wincing a bit from the morning light coming its way through the window, a sight that he once again started to get used to. It was admittedly better than waking up in the dark in the headquarters. He looked about to the scenery from above; catching notice to the walking around of passing students and faculty, trying to get ready for the day ahead. This was it, Tristen thought. Moment of truth. Then something caught Tristen’s attention. Once again, he’d fully pull apart the curtains, followed by unlocking and pushing up the window. More of that blue powder, and the flower bits. Something did make a note to be here…Tristen started to wonder what it was at this point. At this point, Tristen was half-tempted to stay up later to see if he couldn’t catch what was doing that. It was apparently coming around at in the evening, but he doesn’t recall anything that would show up in the middle of the night. Thoughts for later…for now, breakfast.

Bringing back down his window and re-locking it, followed by closing up the blinds, Tristen moved his way out of bed and started to walk about the dorm room. First off was breakfast for Sprigatito, a meal he wasn’t…too thrilled to get. It wasn’t those sandwiches from Every Wich Way from last night. It would eat…albeit reluctantly. Tristen would hope that this wasn’t going to be constant with this Sprigatito. Soon after, Tristen would start trying to get straightened up, followed off by breakfast courtesy of what he stocked up before his parents left the day before. Toast, eggs, bacon. Once again, the breakfast of champions. Once again, still need to figure out how to better cook bacon. At least it was still edible.

Tristen would start studying his SNAG a little bit on the things going on in Paldea currently as he had at it with his breakfast. Once he was done, Tristen put down his SNAG, closed his eyes, and sighed out. Tristen had to just to get over it at this point. There was no changing it. Come what may, as Freth said. “Well, Sprigatito, this is it.” He’d tell the grass cat. The Sprigatito, who had just got done with breakfast himself, looked over towards Tristen and gave a meow, a bit confused as to what the worry was about. If only he knew. “You done?” The cat would nod, then started to walk around the counter, looking to get closer to Tristen. Sprigatito looked up towards the counters edge from down below then tried to jump up on it, only for the cat to come up pretty short. “Hey, hang on…” Tristen moved his plate aside then reached down to pick the Sprigatito off the ground, placing him on the counter in front of him, then proceeded to stroke the cat around his head and then down the cats back; a purr coming from the cat. “Alright, I need to finish up…” Tristen then took out the Pokeball. “Go into your ball now; I’ll talk to you later, okay?” Without too much of a complaint, the Sprigatito would be recalled into the ball.

Tristen would clean up around the counter, then went and finished up, tucking in his shirt, putting on his tie, then his academy Uva uniform jacket. He once again assessed the school supplies, the Pokémon he had on hand, even the Tera Orb – a gift from Nemona post the tournament. He’d don his pack, taking a run to the rest room once more to make sure he was good as good as can be. “Here goes something…” Tristen said to himself. He would then make his way through the threshold of his dorm room, locking the door behind him, then made his way off for Mr. Hassel’s art class.

Eri turned her attention to Reno as he approached and questioned her about the whole Dark One thing, the young girl frowning in response. "I...don't know..." She responded, her tone indicating that wasn't true, but rather she didn't want to recall those memories. With a sigh she would answer truthfully. "No temple, that I can remember. It's mostly like I said, fear and excitement...except..." She said, staring at the ground in silence for awhile. "...I wanted power, craved power...for the Dark One. Like the Starmobile, and the weird machines that appeared on them one day. This insatiable thirst for power, for the Dark One. I don't know why or to what end. It was scary, like I would do anything to obtain power, even hurt other people, Pokemon or myself. It was terrifying to know I was ready to burn everything down if I had to, ready to sacrifice myself for...him."

Aile looked around in the room, noting how clean it was. And empty. It still had the standard dorm accoutrements, but nothing personal was around. Barbara was bailing. "Son of a!... " She opened the closet to see the page, cursing profusely in her native tongue. She took the page off, trying to be as gentle as she could despite her frustration. "Dammit, dammit, dammit!..." She broke out into a full sprint, not caring anymore if anyone saw her.

Arriving back at the nurse's office again, she held up the paper for everyone to see before handing it over to Raifort. "Eye of Asado! Where in the nine Hells is it, and how fast can someone get me to it?"

Monique, who was still in the room in the tail end of convalescing, sighed as Aile ran into the room and requested transportation. "If I can get my Pokémon all healed... I have a Honchkrow, trusty steed, if someone can transport me with it. Noio got me out of The Under once," she nervously chuckled, thinking back to when she debuted as Missy Queen Boo on Orre's colosseum circuit.

The thought of a roast made her think of one of the traditions Mama Kehla told her about when she was little. Apparently they used to roast Lechonk at festivals in Alola. Of course, that was before her time—or maybe, now, her time—when Lechonk were not confined to a little menagerie somewhere in Flower City. "A roast? ...Tapu, I'm hungry," she said. Most certainly on the exhausted side, but that sometimes happened when you were with Snagem, and she'd been gradually feeling physically better since Indi's vape realigned her brain.

Tristen made his way through the halls, and much to his dismay, he could overhear everything. Every utterance as he walked by about is Tristen this, was he that, could he maybe, and so on. It was already bad enough getting the attention post the tournament after giving Nemona the battle she craved for some time, but this really tipped the scales of what kind of attention he got. This was exactly what he had tried to avoid those weeks ago, but now everything was well out into the open. It did leave him to wonder how Indi missed out on this level of clammer and gossip, but who really knows at this point anymore. Just what was in that vape? In any case, like wasn’t going to be ‘normal’ for him in any capacity. It left him kind of resenting Freth, since she was the biggest influence of getting him back in here. It was easy for her to say, Tristen thought, she didn’t end up with this kind of reputation, she didn’t have to take the brunt of it all. Mr. Hassell’s classroom couldn’t be found soon enough…

Tristen would then perk up for a second, staring back in confusion when he got called. He looked back for a second, seeing someone approach him. Tristen at first wondered if it was some sort of admirer or fan, like how he ended up picked up those right after the tournament. He would soon realize…it was actually worse. The Rotom camera whizzed by him, trying to get a good shot of the Manetric hybrid, which made the boy jump a little, being caught off guard. Tristen tried not to show it, but having what was effectively the news for the academy was further souring his mood about this whole endeavor. Granted, she was just trying to do what she was hired on with the school newspaper staff to do, but honestly, this was perhaps the last thing he needed, especially now of all times. “Um…actually…I kinda really need to get to Mr. Hassell’s class. Bell should be ringing in the next couple of minutes and I don’t want to be late on my first day back.” Tristen said.

Tristen managed to weave through the students, leaving Charlie in the proverbial dust, now having to deal with the bustle of the hallways. That was another reason why an interview didn’t need to happen. Those halls are absolute chaos on a normal day, as far as what he learned. Tristen couldn’t help but to sigh a bit; already this day was off to a roaring start. Once finally in Mr. Hassell’s class, Tristen would take notice immediately to Penny, but then the class in general, trying to be nice and gave the occasional wave to those that were nice at first as he walked on by. He finally sat down, nearby Penny at least. A bastion of sanity in this building of chaos, it felt like to the Manetric hybrid.

Tristen had to resist grimacing over Nemona’s way of breaking the ice, more so when Penny had to reign her in as she did. Though, frankly, he pretty much expected that himself. “Um…I’m fine…sort of.” Tristen glanced towards the threshold of the classroom, still noting the craziness out in the hall way from where he sat. “It’s…been already a crazy morning. Had some Charlie girl from the school newspaper wanting to stop me to ask questions…which…well, I didn’t know this school had a newspaper for starters.” Tristen said to them. “Either way, I suppose everything is out in the open now. Like I said before, I didn’t want this. What about with you all? Did you all make it through the last couple of weeks okay?”

Tristen couldn't help but to look down towards the table for a second. Even they imagined that Tristen wouldn't have came back and wouldn't have blamed him for it either. At least Penny wouldn't, anyways. "As far as I can figure, it was going to be weird no matter where I went to for school, short of just going back to being home schooled at the headquarters, that is. Like here, try as I could have, things probably would have eventually went off the rails because of what Pokemon I have or how strong I am compared to everyone else. I tried to stall it as much as I could before all of that happen; kept myself covered up, tried to use some of my newer Pokemon that I needed to train anyways, even told you all the truth for the most part, so much as to not really show what I was apart of. But then...well, you all saw it - the rumor out of nowhere which got Matteo upset, putting me where I was a bit pressured to go into that tournament, and I have too much respect for my Pokemon to throw them under the bus. The moment where it looked like I was probably the only one that had a chance against Nemona in a Pokemon battle, everyone lost their minds. Then all of this happens, where I end up having to save B and E, fight Team Star two days in a row, leading everyone to find out that I am with...well...you know. I'm just...going to have to deal with it, I guess. Though, I'm not really getting too much of a choice in the matter anyways. My parents are the ones that were trying to get to see it through...well, mostly Freth, anyways."