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"Can't say any of us have been fond of it either, let alone Blizzard. Probably rivals his... reception about Terastallization, that topic finally caught up with me," Sol replied, recalling Blizz still being less than thrilled about the discovery. "Still, we'll be glad for any updates on your end too, even if it's just to recount how things are going here. Snagem or not, we're still people as anyone else at the end of the day. It's good to have times that aren't all business or fighting for a cause or making rent, when things aren't urgent enough to demand otherwise."

In truth, by the time the two adult Snagems finally left, that wave of fatigue hit him once again. He’s been trying oh so hard throughout the day to keep himself preoccupied all the while keeping his temper in check due to being on such short sleep. It was a bit astounding to him just how busy today was for him and it didn’t look to be any better tomorrow at this rate. He would trudge back to his desk and took a look at the clock on his SNAG, seeing that he technically didn’t have to be in bed for roughly another hour or so. But at this point? Forget it. He’s checking out. Tristen would get situated for bed then finally just succumb to the bedsheets. The poor Manetric teen didn’t take long to pass out.

While the following morning harkened yet another beautiful day and the birds chirping outside his window only cemented it, it was not exactly enough to get Tristen out of bed. Even the alarm that Tristen had set on his SNAG almost met its match to Tristen’s slumber. He would sit back up, wincing hard, taking note of his Pokémon about the room who were still asleep. Sprigatito and Litten apparently had at one point cozied up at the foot of Tristen’s bed. Mienshao and Espeon were curled up nearby the kitchen counter. Rookidee was perched on the chair. But no sign of Wimpod, oddly. He pulled out of the sheets and started to look around the dorm, staring in confusion, only to find him behind the kitchen counter, by himself, asleep himself still. Well, that was roll call for them. Now to get ready for the day…

Tristen had to admit compared to yesterday, he was feeling better for the most part. Though he had to admit that he barely remembers what he worked on as far as homework last night. It all blended together with one thing after the next, from Reno and Sol showing up to GRAY’s request. As Tristen tried to get breakfast started, at the same time he went on and took assessment of what he was and wasn’t going to need for the day. It was back to the first set of classes again. Mr. Hassell’s class first, then Mr. Sanguaro’s, Mr. Jacq’s, then finally Ms. Dendra’s. He started to go through his things, trying to remember what all he needed. First off, the homework for Mr. Hassel’s class, first and foremost. He couldn’t give a disapproving sigh at his work on it, still not too thrilled about how he drew his three still lifes. He was his own worst critic, though, as he compared himself to what he seen others do. Penny especially. Speaking of his other classmates, as he continued through his things, he also quickly remembered Nemona was supposed to be in class as well. He’d have to admit to her that he might have accidentally messed up the Tera Orb she given to him. He once again thought back to when that could have been and the only possible thing he could think of was as a result of his fight with Atticus. He shook his head, stashing the ball to show to her and hopefully ask for advice as to how to get it taken care of.

As he continued, he started to remember he needed to check up with Fela. Namely for the sake of Vivillion. Tristen tried to assure her yesterday that everything would be fine, but part of him doubted that it was going to be that simple. The earliest he was going to be able to see her today was at lunch. He’d ask then. Speaking of Vivillion, he was left to wonder if they were going to be able to turn the bug Pokémon in today or if they would have to wait until Friday. Considering that Fela wasn’t in the best of states yesterday, he wondered if it was better to turn in sooner than later. He really didn’t want Fela to do anything rash and he wanted to trust her not to do so, but the more that he thought about it, the more that was up in the air. Barring all of that, there was also Mr. Salvatore’s make up work that he needed to take care of as well, which that was going to be a long work in progress. He did tell Mr. Salvatore that he may end up coming back today to get another run-through course to the Kalosian Language. Though he might try to sneak trying to do some of the assignments through the day, maybe during lunch perhaps.

With his school supplies at the ready, he would get right to breakfast, trying to get it fixed up for himself and his Pokémon. Another serving of eggs, toast, and a-little-too-crispy bacon for himself, the various forms of PokeChow for his Pokémon, save for Meinshao, who wanted a few eggs himself. While they all were eating, Tristen started to look up current events around Paldea on his SNAG, trying to see if there was anything out of the ordinary, and barring that just look up various things about Paldea as a whole, like the region’s Pokémon or the landmarks he might be tempted to go to over a weekend for one reason or another. He then remembered one final thing he needed to take care of – finding a discontinued Rotomphone for GRAY. He was left to wonder if he would be allowed to get it, or if he would end up having to explain why he wants one discontinued as opposed to a brand new one, or for that matter, why he even needs one to begin with? He has his SNAG, after all. To explain that a Pokémon is looking for a body to have is going to be and grasping at straws at maybe looking at a similar set up to what Rotom tries to do will be…weird to say the least. For that matter, who would Tristen even need to go to just to find one? He was probably going to have to ask questions later.

Right after breakfast, he went on to get cleaned up and ready to go. Shower, brush teeth, then dressed in the academy uniform. He’d then recall his Pokémon back to their respective Pokeballs and then started to make his way off for the first class of the day.

“Hey, you all.” Tristen said taking a seat nearby. “You guys got the homework Mr. Hassell done? I am really not happy with what I did with mine. I never really learned how to draw good.” Tristen said to the lot of them, starting to take out his materials and his homework assignment. As he was pulling his stuff out, he saw the Tera Orb, something he deliberately placed so he could ask Nemona first thing. “Uh, Nemona, I…gotta question to ask.” He said. Does he outright say he broke it? Did he even break it? Maybe try to word it another way. He really didn’t know, after all. He pulled out the Tera Orb, putting it out on the table. “I tried using it yesterday. It was the first time I tried using it since I got back into the region, and the only other time that I did was against Atticus when Team Star started that massive fight a couple of weeks ago.” He explained to her. “But when I tried to use it yesterday, it didn’t wanna work.”

Tristen couldn’t help but to sweatdrop at Nemona’s cackling at Tristen’s expense; his eyes shifting towards Florian and Penny, they too a bit astounded by how Nemona was reacting at the expert trainer. And that was the ones that he actually caught sight of. He didn’t think just what kind of attention she was garnering in the classroom altogether. When she finally calmed down to answer the question, Tristen looked on as she tried to explain how the Tera Orbs worked. It wasn’t as if she had a instruction manual for it. “Spent?” Tristen asked. This thing needed a recharge? That’s it? Tristen couldn’t help but to give a sigh of relief. So that was all it was. “I…honestly didn’t know that. I got worried that it might have somehow got messed up in the fight with Atticus. A…lot happened that afternoon…” he said, picking up his Tera Orb and stashing his Tera Orb once again. “Thinking about it, I probably wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to recharge it back at home anyways…we don’t have the Terastal phenomenon over there. I’ll try to stop by a Pokémon Center then after school to recharge it then. I got a couple of errands to run after school anyways, so I’ll make it a stop along the way.” He said. “Thanks though.” Hopefully GRAY overheard that to relay at some point to Sub back at the headquarters, he thought. A weight clearly off his mind now, all the same.

Tristen perked up as Mr. Hassell made his way into the classroom. Once again, he took a quick assessment of his materials plus his homework assignment and got ready for the day. He was already ready for Mr. Hassell’s request, though as he glanced at it, he still wasn’t too thrilled of his art work in spite of the time he put into it. He watched Mr. Hassel then make his way around, student by student, looking on their works and giving his proverbial two cents to the each of them. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too hard with him like Penny at one time assured to Tristen at one time.

Once the teacher found his way to Tristen, he would hand over the three pictures. Mr. Hassell would see that each of the pictures were all different in a matter of speaking. The teacher would see that Tristen nearly rubbed holes into each of the pictures from his eraser in frantic attempts to correct himself every time he didn’t really agree with and even with all the corrections, it was after all coming from someone that didn’t really spend any time drawing in life to begin with. In fact, the past couple of days was the most he ever done as long as he’s been with Snagem. The first picture was a picture of his school supplies. His backpack that was open, a couple of his text books, some papers, a couple of pens, and a couple of his Pokeballs and Tera Orb, all arranged in life. Probably could be discerned as that in paper as well. The second paper, the Pokémon food on Tristen’s kitchenette counter, accompanied by his Pokémon’s dishes and a couple of different Pokeballs, as could be discerned by the patterns he tried to depict on the balls. The final one Mr. Hassel would finally see was the picture when he got back from doing the Tera Raid battles, his picture that he spent a little while at the restaurant. The small basket tray, which had the napkin holder, the ketchup and mustard condiments, the sugar packets for teas and coffees, the salt and pepper shakers, Tristen’s drink close by the arrangement on one side and what seems to be a partially eaten sandwich on the other side of it. Behind it all, the window out of what he could figure out to draw of the buildings outside the restaurant. Perspective was a major issue, for certain, when it came to those windows. Never mind the proportions of each of the objects in each of the pictures for all three of them.

When Mr. Hassell addressed Tristen as soon as he looked at those pictures, Tristen would speak up. “I have to admit that I didn’t have too much to go on. Each of them is…I guess…is about me trying to get started here in Paldea. I don’t have a whole lot here right now for the moment, but I am working on it. The one with the back pack and the one with the Pokémon food is me making do with what I got to work with in the dorm. But for the sake of trying to not just have each picture about what’s in my dorm, the last one is one that I tried making at a restaurant when I went out to eat last night. Despite not having too much right now, I’m making the most of everything I can, trying to get creative with what I got access to.” Tristen said, trying to explain his pictures to the teacher.

In truth, Tristen was absolutely astonished at the teacher’s critique. He didn’t even once think that he would have gotten such glowing praise from the teacher. Though, while justified outside looking in, he questioned just how valid some of Mr. Hassell’s critiques were. He only had so long to do these three pictures in the two evenings he had and both afternoons and evenings he had were jam-packed as is, and in spite of taking all the time he could on the various lines and such in each of his pictures, he didn’t know what else he could do. Tristen had steady hands for fighting and Pokémon battling, not for drawing, and he was effectively getting a crash course in art concepts as soon as he found himself in this academy. He never really learned how to draw; only watched his adoptive father make a picture or two here or there when he had a creative itch and it was just over a month ago where he realized that he wasn’t the greatest either, especially compared to Penny. And to put more emphasis on light and shadows of objects? Oh yea, there was a lot to figure out here in short order, especially if he is needing to start drawing pictures of himself in the near future. If Tristen had little to no confidence in these still lifes, he certainly had less so in trying to draw a picture of himself. Maybe he should try to see Mr. Hassell at some point before his next class with him as a couple of pointers for him to go on. Thoughts for later…

With the teacher finally done with the class, Tristen would once again gather his things stash them back in his pack. At least today started off pretty good. Now it was time for Home Ec with Mr. Sanguaro. Giving a wave off to Florian, Nemona, and Penny, he would part way with them for the time being and start his way off to the class. Matteo seemed like he was holding up fairly well when he passed by him earlier this morning, maybe he still had a pretty okay mood by the time he shows up for Home Ec. Barring what Gloria might dare to do as soon as he made his way into the classroom that is.

Tristen made his way off down the halls and found his way back into Mr. Sanguaro's class for another day of Home Ec. Making his way in, he quickly skimmed the room and took note to Gloria and her Lechonk, though Tristen didn't escape her notice which got a scowl out of her. Tristen only could roll his eyes. Try as she might; she wasn't a threat to him and if she wanted to push her luck, he had no problem of showing how little she was. It wouldn't be the first time he done so at this academy.

As he sat down in his seat, he got at the ready for the day but in the processhe saw Matteo make his way in as well. Tristen looked up seeing Gloria having a similar reception to Matteo showing up, though unlike Tristen, Matteo wasn't going to let it go unanswered. When the Growlithe hybrid sat down and spoke up to Tristen, Tristen promptly answered. "Doing alright. Better than yesterday morning, mostly because I actually got sleep." Tristen said. "Mr. Hassel's class also went better than I imagined too...didn't think anything bad about my pictures I had to draw for homework...even though I did..." Tristen said, the last bit he said under his breath. "But I got my work cut out because we're doing self-portraits next. What about you?" he then asked Matteo.

“I guess at this point the closest person you can say that’s a mom to me is my dad’s fiancé. Her name is Freth. Another Articuno hybrid, but she’s a Galarian version.” He said. Though, he had to withhold at least some of Freth’s history, namely how she too was the icy variant like his adoptive father before Eris went and mucked everything up. He already told some stories about his time as a Snagem himself, and one could only imagine that it couldn’t get much weirder than an interdimensional, gigantic, mountain of muscle that was a Buzzwole. There was honestly still more surreal. “Unlike my dad, she’s a telekinetic instead of having control over ice. She uh…doesn’t get like your mom does. Really? My dad is the one that kinda does that. He’s got…well, heard Freth call it a superhero complex, though it kinda comes from not really any sort of pride or anything, more like a harsh sense of responsibility that he ended up growing up with. Freth is usually the one telling him to calm down on that sometimes. Freth thinks that I ended up with the training that I did and ended up as strong as I am was because of him wanting to make absolutely sure that I can take care of myself and any others with me long enough for him to get there when it was needed.”

He then perked up when Gloria started to cut in, yelling at Matteo to get his attention. He tilted his head to look around Matteo, with a bit of an annoyed look on his face, getting effectively interrupted in their conversation. When she wouldn’t say anything, Tristen couldn’t help but to roll his eyes again from Gloria’s antics. “Anyways, so it-“ Once again he would then get interrupted by Gloria, apparently realizing he wasn’t going to get a word in otherwise. “Matteo just-“ Before he managed to get Matteo’s attention, his temper had broke and he went to confront Gloria. Tristen sighed, slightly facepalming until something he realized. He then quickly looked over, seeing the teacher enter, seeing Matteo caught about to say a few choice words to the antagonistic Lechonk lover.

Once Matteo sat back down, Tristen shook his head. “We’ll talk later…” he silently said, turning to face the teacher.