Fanfiction Goodbye Tomorrow

Hey everyone, Lee here! So, I guess I'm finally doing the thing and posting one of my fics here. This story can be found on FF.Net under the same title with my pen name, Clarified Conundrum. This story is a bit different in that Pokémon aren't really a huge part of the plot. Also, the main characters in this story (other than Ivan) belong to their respective owners on FF.Net. The story is rated PG-13 for small mentions of blood, cursing, and other mature themes. Other than that, please enjoy!
----
Tires screeching. People screaming. Sirens wailing.

Despite all the noise and chaos, it all sounded… quiet. Was this all really happening? It didn’t seem real. But it had to be, right? Nothing made sense. It all happened so quickly. Focus. Just focus, and…

“Kid! Hey, kid! Are you alright?! Kid, wake up!”

All the noises began jumbling up in an incoherent, disorganized mess. There was too much going on. Bright flashes of light. Fuzzy spots of various colors. Blurry faces hovering over his… what was going on? Soon, everything faded to black, just for a few moments. And within those moments, he could hear a monotone beeping. And then, a long beep that almost sounded like screeching.

“We lost him.”

There was nothing but silence.

And the beeping started again.

His eyes fluttered open, a quiet groan escaping his lips. The light dangling above him was just too much to handle right now.

“Doctor!” a woman exclaimed. “H-He’s awake!”

“Wha…?”

“I can’t believe this… it’s as if he’s suffered no injuries at all. Prep for an x-ray! Check for any internal damage!”

“No…”

The blurry splotches slowly came into focus. Several people dressed in white looked over him, their eyes wide in a mixture of shock, horror, and disbelief, the lower half of their faces obscured by a surgical mask.

“I can’t believe this,” one of the men said. “Son, you should’ve died on this table.”

----
Things were normal just a few hours earlier. They were how they should’ve been. Inside a grocery store, a boy sighed quietly, crouched down in front of several shelves filled with all sorts of spices. Keeping a phone up to his ear with one hand, he used the other to carefully shuffle through the bottles, furrowing his brow as he read the label on each.

“I don’t see any,” he said.

“Look carefully, Ivan!” a woman’s voice responded. “It’s not like nutmeg is rare or anything.”

“I know, but… you know, maybe they ran out? Grocery stores do that sometimes…”

The woman scoffed. “Fine. If you really can’t find any, just bring everything else, okay?”

“Mhmm… see you.”

He ended the call and placed the phone back in his pocket. As he stood, he grabbed a basket full of items beside him and walked out of the aisle, looking around for a bit before heading to a cashier. With another small, depressed sigh, Ivan began taking out the item and placing them on the conveyor belt. His eyes shifted to screen in front of him that showed the price of everything after it was all scanned, and he gave the cashier the correct amount of money. After they were all bagged, Ivan bowed his head as a silent thanks and hurried out of the store.

Looking at everyone he passed as he walked down the street, Ivan knew he wasn’t the kind of person who stood out. He stood at an average height of five foot eight, and had an average build as well. He had pale skin and deep blue eyes, and his dark brown hair was messy and somewhat spiky, sporting a quiff. All he wore for his outfit was a blue sweater over a black t-shirt, beige cargo shorts, and black shoes.

“The weather is so nice today,” he muttered, staring contently at the rolling clouds in the sky. “Eterna City has the best weather…”

Eterna City was a quaint, historical town made for people who just wanted to take things slow. There were few skyscrapers, and mostly just buildings that looked like they were straight out of a painting, with dark colored roofs and rather old fashioned architecture. Off in the distance, Mount Coronet loomed over the humble citizens. As he continued walking, the bags of groceries in his hands, Ivan could see a street crossing and released a small sigh of relief.

“Almost home,” he thought. “Hopefully mom won’t be too mad…”

When he reached the end of the block, despite there being a red light, he looked both ways before stepped onto the road. Within that same instance, though, he could hear screaming in the distance, and instinctively stopped and turned his head. It all happened in an instant- a car came speeding towards him, and suddenly, he was on the ground. His stomach area felt warm… sticky. He lifted his hand, and all he could see was red.

“Blood…?” he thought. “But…”

Everything around him was spinning, too quickly for him to process. There was too much noise, too much activity. He felt like he was underwater. Drowning, somehow. Or suffocating. He felt pain, but he also felt fine. It was odd. And Ivan didn’t understand.

----
“Rapid regeneration.”

Ivan sat in the middle of an office next to the woman he called his mother. It was a rather small room, sporting only a few potted plants for decoration. On the walls were several framed doctorate certificates. Sitting in front of him, behind a desk, was a man in a lab coat, his hands folded and his legs crossed. There was an uncomfortable silence which prompted Ivan to shift around in his chair to create some noise.

“E-Excuse me?” his mother asked. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and strands of her brown hair clung to her face. Beside her feet, a small trashcan that was almost filled to the brim with tear soaked tissues.

“Regeneration is the process of restoration and regrowth,” the man explained. “Every species known to man is capable of it. Some, however, are more adept at it. Take Gastrodon for example. Entire limbs can be torn off, and it’ll regrow in a matter of a few hours.”

“Right… but what does that have to do with Ivan?”

“Mrs. Esther- may I call you that?” the doctor began, receiving a nod from Ivan’s mother. “Well, humans are also capable of regeneration. When you get a cut, the wound closes up in less than an hour. Our liver can recover from damage quite well. Naturally, though, our regenerative properties are limited. What makes Ivan so special is that all injuries he’s sustained from that car accident have been completely restored.”

Esther choked up, almost ready to cry again, but waited for the doctor to continue. “Subdural hematoma. Fractured femur. Grade III torn ACL. Multiple rib fractures, and second degree scalp and leg abrasions.”
“I don’t know what any of this means,” Ivan whispered, nearly jumping out of his chair when the doctor’s eyes shifted to him.

“It means, Ivan… that you shouldn’t be sitting in this office right now. If you want me to be frank with you, well… you should be dead.”

A shiver ran up Ivan’s spine, and he felt his blood ran cold. He looked over at his mother, who buried her face into her hands, bursting into a quiet sob again.

“You made her cry again…” he muttered.

“My apologies. But, trust me when I say we’re all overjoyed that you survived. It’s amazing! All your scrapes healed perfectly, your bones are fully intact, your ACL is completely healed. And your hematoma- it’s as if all the blood had already been drained. The only reasonable explanation for this is rapid regeneration, but we’ve never seen this before,” the doctor explained. “Ivan, whatever it is that caused a flawless recovery… well, you can save millions of lives. If you allow us to study your cells, we can figure out the extent of your regeneration and apply it to our current medicine and techniques. You can change the world.”

“That’s… that’s a pretty big deal, huh?” Ivan asked quietly and tightly clutched his arm. “I… I really don’t think I can do something like that. It’ll take decades for you guys to even figure out anything. I don’t know how I did it, either. I-I don’t wanna sell my body to science.”

The doctor looked at him for a few tense moments before sighing. “I understand,” he said. “Within the past decade, there have been reports of people with remarkable, superhuman abilities appearing, abilities that we thought were exclusive to Pokémon. Invisibility, pyrokinesis, teleportation, even the ability to manipulate the weather… we don’t know what’s causing this, or how. Perhaps a genetic mutation? Regardless, it’s baffling… and even a bit terrifying.”

“S-So what, I’m some kind of superhero or something?” Ivan asked.

“Not a superhero. Just a superhuman. We have no idea what the extent of your regeneration is, whether it’s passive or not, or how it’s controlled. Be careful out there. There’s been more crimes happening in Sinnoh, so you never know what may happen.”

“Right…” Ivan said as he stood, pulling on his weeping mother’s hand. “Um, thanks for talking to us. C’mon, mom.”

The two walked out of the office and down the hall. As they passed by the receptionist, Ivan waved goodbye to her, and he and Esther made their way out of the clinic. As soon as they stepped outside, Esther tightly wrapped her arms around Ivan and pulled him in for a tight embrace.

“My baby,” she whispered. “I’m so, so sorry. I could’ve lost you, and I-I’m so sorry.”

“Why’re you apologizing? No, it’s okay- really! You didn’t do anything wrong,” Ivan reassured. “Let’s head home, okay? It’s been a long day.”

Esther sniffed a few times and quickly nodded. She grabbed Ivan’s hand, giving it a small squeeze, and pulled him down the street. As he walked behind her, Ivan looked up at the sky and released an easy breath.

“Five days ago, while coming home from the store, I was run over by a driver who lost control of his car. He eventually crashed into a pole, but he survived. Me, however… I suffered a number of injuries that would have killed me or seriously impaired me. And yet, I was totally healed just a few hours after it happened. I decided not to press charges against the guy. Everyone is telling me how I shouldn’t have survived, and they’re right. What’re the chances… that I’d be the one who’d survive something like that?”

----

Ivan’s eyes fluttered open as everything around him slowly came into focus. He blinked a few times to adjust to the light, and stared flatly at his ceiling before pulling off his blankets and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He yawned loudly and stretched his arms over his head. As he stood up and walked out of his room, he yelped when he felt something push against his lower back. He quickly turned around and relaxed when he saw a rounded, red and blue duck-like Pokémon.

“Porygon2… you scared me,” he said, the normal type giving a small chirp in response. He gently pet its head before walking downstairs. When he reached the bottom step, he saw his mother standing in the living room with the phone to her ear.

“Yes… yes… o-of course! Thank you so much! Yes… okay. I’ll ask him and tell you what he says. Thank you again, Demeas!”

When the call ended, she held the phone in her hand for a few moments before turning around, her eyes watery as if she were going to cry.

“Ivan!” Esther cried out and wrapped her arms around him.

“W-Who was that on the phone?” Ivan asked with a nervous chuckle.

“Do you remember my colleague, Demeas Lagos?” she asked expectantly. “You’ve met him a few times when you were younger, remember?”

“Um...”

“Well, that’s not the point! Recently, Demeas opened up his own school in Jubilife City! He was inspired after hearing all the reports of people born with special abilities, and wanted to create a school where they could use their powers freely! And… he’s invited you to attend!” Esther announced and excitedly clapped her hands.

“J-Jubilife?” Ivan asked. “Isn’t that kinda far? I mean, is it like a boarding school?”

Esther shook her head. “No, no. But my cousin lives there, and she’d be more than happy to let you stay with her!”

“Um… I dunno…”

“Well, think about it this way,” Ivan’s mother began. “When you step outside, people won’t look at you weirdly anymore! It’ll be like a fresh start. And maybe you’ll break out of your shell! Eterna City isn’t a very exciting place… so I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun!”

“But what about dad…?”

“Don’t worry,” Esther smirked proudly. “I’ll take care of him, okay? Plus, you’re seventeen now. You can make your own decisions!”

“This is… a really big deal…” Ivan muttered.

“You’re more than welcome to say no. If you really think you can’t handle the change, then I can’t- I won’t- force you.”

Ivan hesitated heavily at the thought of such a sudden and drastic change. Admittedly, it sounded nice- living in a new place, meeting new people, seeing new things. For a moment, it seemed great. But then he thought about living with an unfamiliar woman and going through unfamiliar experiences. When he looked at Porygon2, though, something clicked in his head, and he looked back at his mother.

“I… I’ll go,” he said.

“You will?! Wonderful!” Esther exclaimed and pulled her son in for another hug. “Oh, Ivan! I’m so proud of you!”

“Thanks…” Ivan quietly responded. “Will I need Pokémon?”

Esther shook her head. “But, still, you should bring one or two. I’m sure they can help you adjust to everything a bit easier. You won’t have to face it alone.”

“Right…”

“I’ll let Demeas know, and he’ll give me more information! I’m sure you’ll do great,” Esther grinned. “And since it’s still August, you still have a bit of time to prepare everything!”

“Um… yeah…”

“Oh, and it’s a uniform school, so I’ll have to get you fitted and buy the appropriate clothes! And I’ll have to fill out the transfer papers… plus, you need a new bag, and books! Oh, hm…”

Ivan watched as his mother kept rambling off, and eventually he just tuned her out and left.

“My life just keeps changing, one thing after the other…” he thought and sighed. “I wonder what I did to deserve this…”

----
Ivan sighed quietly as he sat in the floor in the middle of his room. Three boxes were piled on top of each other near his door, and his room was almost completely empty, save for the furniture. He looked over his shoulder when he heard the door creak open, and saw Porygon2 float inside and settle comfortably in his lap, while his mother poked her head into his room.

“Ready to go?” she asked quietly.

“Oh… yeah,” Ivan said. He stood up and grabbed one of the boxes while Esther grabbed another, and the two tiptoed downstairs.

“Somehow, we were able to hide the fact I’m moving out from dad. I guess it’s because he doesn’t really care anymore,” Ivan thought as he walked outside. In front of his house, a car was parked, the engine running. Esther popped open the trunk and placed one of the boxes inside, with Ivan doing the same, and he hurried back inside. After grabbing the third box, he went back stairs, only to stop in his tracks when he heard a shuffling come from another part of the house. Ivan moved as quietly as he could to the front door, and immediately stopped when he heard his name being called. Slowly and nervously, he turned around and found himself facing a large build, imposing man. His short black hair was showing signs of graying, and his dark brown eyes were sharp and intimidating.

“What’re you doing with that box?” the man asked.

“U-Um… mom wanted me to help… move some supplies to her workplace,” Ivan fibbed.

“So early in the morning?”

Ivan looked outside and gulped. The sun had barely begun to rise- the sky was still a mixture of orange, purple, and yellow. Eterna City was even quieter, with most of its residents still fast asleep.

“W-Well, she wanted to go in early! You know how teachers are,” he said. The man glared at him for a few moments before shrugging.

“Alright,” he responded. “And Ivan. Next time you cross the street, look both ways.”

The tone of his father’s voice, coupled with the smirk on his face, made Ivan sink his head past his shoulders, and he quickly walked outside, practically stuffing the last box in the trunk.

“Are you okay?” Esther asked.

“Yeah… dad saw me, but I managed to make him go away. He just woke up, so he wasn’t really thinking, but I guess even when he’s half asleep he’s still an a… a jerk,” Ivan grumbled as he climbed into the passenger’s seat.

“I’m sorry. I’ll talk to him when I get back, okay? For now, just take it easy. We’ve got a long drive.”

----
Esther gently shook Ivan, who had dozed off during the drive. He awoke with a grunt, and rubbed his eyes before blinking a few times.

“We’re here.”

Ivan opened the car door and stepped out, his eyes widening at the scenery before him. Jubilife was much, much different from Eterna. While his hometown was filled with modest buildings that all looked the same, Jubilife had towering skyscrapers of different designs. Even in the early morning, it was busy. People walked up and down the street, entering and leaving the myriad of stores lining the streets, cars zipping past. It was almost too much to handle.

“W-Whoa…” he breathed out. He heard a set of wind chimes sound, and turned, seeing a woman come out of what appeared to be a cafe. As soon as her eyes landed on Ivan, she gasped sharply and placed her hands on her cheeks.

“No freakin’ way!” she said. “Is that- is that Ivan?!”

Before he even had a chance to respond, Ivan was pulled close to the woman’s chest as she nearly squeezed the air out of him.

“It’s so good to see you!” she said and cupped his cheeks. As Esther exited the car, she looked over his shoulder and grinned widely. “Hey, cousin from another dozen! How’s it going?!”

She zoomed past Ivan and brought Esther in for a hug, picking her up and twirling her around. Ivan’s eye twitched as he looked at this woman. Was she really like this? She spoke a mile a minute, and she was bouncing off the walls. His primary concern, above all else, was whether or not he’d be able to keep up at her. Looking at her though, she really was his mother’s cousin, wasn’t she? She was five foot six, and had a similar build to his mother, slim and slender. Although she had brown eyes unlike Esther’s blue, they had similar facial features, and her dark brown hair had streaks of blue in it, tied into a messy bun.

“Are cousins supposed to look alike?” Ivan thought and quickly shook his head. “Um…”

“Geez!” the woman huffed as she opened the trunk. “Is this all your stuff? I have more things than you, and I live alone! How the hell are you treating this poor kid?!”

“He isn’t very… materialistic,” Esther said. “Ivan, this is Thea, my cousin. She runs a cafe, so I’m sure dinner won’t be a problem!”

“A-And you live here?” Ivan asked.

“Yup! My home is in the heart of the city! Although, it’s not Hearthome,” Thea responded with a wink, while Ivan just stared blankly at her. “Y-You don’t have to look at me like that.”

“Thea, thank you so much for letting him stay with you. Words can’t express how grateful I am,” Esther said.

“No problem, cousin! I’m sure little Ivan and I are gonna get along real well. Right?”

“Um-”

“That’s the spirit!” Thea said. “Now, let’s get your stuff inside!”

She whistled loudly, and just a few moments later, a purple primate Pokémon burst out of the shop, giving Thea a high five with one of its tails.

“Ambipom, will you be so kind as to help out with these boxes?” she asked. Ambipom nodded and went over to the car, lifting two boxes with its tails with ease, and Thea getting the third.

“When you’re done, just come inside, okay?” she said and went back inside the cafe.

“Is she really related to you?” Ivan asked. Esther chuckled and ruffled his hair.

“If you think about it, she’s a bit like me. Just… on a more extreme level.”

“I guess…”

“I know it may all seem overwhelming now, but you’ll get used to it,” Esther said. “I promise. You can’t control what happens to you… but you can control how you respond to it. That’s the important thing.”

“Y-Yeah.”

Esther smiled and pulled two shrunken pokeballs out of her pocket, and placed them in Ivan’s hands.

“Take good care of them,” she said.

“W-What are they?”

“You’ll find out. Don’t worry, okay~? Now, I have to head back before your father blows a fuse. Thea will look after you, and you’ll… you’ll be fine. You’ve always been fine.”

“I’m kind of scared,” Ivan admitted.

“You know what, love? I am too,” Esther sighed. “But it’s okay. Just… be good, don’t get into any trouble, and above all, be safe.”

“I will.”

Ivan’s mother pulled him in for a hug and kissed his forehead. “I love you. Tell Thea I’ll take to her later,” she whispered. As she moved back to the car and opened the front door, she looked at Ivan one more time. “And what’s the most important thing?”

“The farther back in the shelf, the better,” Ivan chuckled.

“‘Atta boy. I’ll be off, then!”

Ivan waved as she drove off, and when she was out of sight, he sighed and headed inside the cafe. Thea’s cafe was decently sized, with a few tables and chairs for people to sit at. Towards the front was a glass displaying showcasing all sorts of foods- muffins, cakes, tarts. There was a counter with a coffee machine, blender, and sink behind the display. One side of the cafe had a door that led to the kitchen, while the door on the other side led to the apartment upstairs.

“It’s about the time people started coming in,” Thea said, looking at a clock hanging on the wall. She hurried to the front of the cafe and flipped over a sign on the door. “You can go upstairs. The apartment isn’t complicated, so you can find your way. I put all your stuff in the room you’ll be staying, okay?”

“O-Okay,” Ivan said. “Um…”

“I work in the mornings, and then I have employees who cover the afternoon and evening. So after eleven, I’m free!” she continued with a smile. “If you need something, though, just ask. Okay?”

“Yeah…”

“Great! So just make yourself at home!”

Ivan nodded and went to the door that led to the apartment. When he pushed it open, he was met with a small hallway, and then the staircase. He walked upstairs, and found himself standing in the middle of a living room with two futons and a coffee table. The living room also contained the kitchen, separated by an island. He only saw one hallway, which he walked past, and peered into the rooms. One of the doors at the end of the hall was left open, which he assumed was his room.

Ivan walked inside and flicked on the light, looking around at the room. Sure enough, the three boxes were stacked next to the bed. There was a window, a desk beside the bed, and a small TV. Noticing the bed was already made, Ivan sat on it and ran his fingers over the soft linen. He sighed and fell back onto the bed, and felt one of his pokeballs wiggle in his pocket. The ball burst open, and Porygon2 appeared, floating happily around the room.

“P-Porygon2?” Ivan asked. “Oh no… w-why’re you here? Dad’s gonna flip out…”

He sighed as he looked at his hand, a melancholic look crossing his features.

“I should’ve died that day…” he thought, thinking back to the horrified expression on the surgeon’s faces. “The fact it was me, and not someone else… no, the fact it was me that has this power… what does that say? And now I’m going to a school that supposedly is filled with people like me. No one’s saying it, but everyone’s thinking it,” he closed his eyes. “I’m a freak.”

 

Yup, commenting here is a-ok! Thanks a lot for the advice, I'll certainly keep it in mind for next time! I already have a couple chapters posted already on FF, but when I post it here, I'll skim through and fix it ^^

 

And here is the second chapter! Small warning for a brief mention of blood and cursing. Please enjoy, and feel free to tell me what you think! Also, I apologize in advance if the formatting is kinda weird. I’m on mobile so it’s gonna look different for me.
—

Spoiler: Chapter 2

For what felt like an eternity, Ivan was surrounded by darkness. He couldn’t see, hear, or even smell or feel anything. It was just pitch darkness, like nothing had ever existed.

Then, a bright flash of light appeared before him, and he could hear the sound of tires squealing against the asphalt. Within a split second, he could see the clear blue sky above him, although it was quickly replaced with the sight of unfamiliar faces. Their mouths were moves and their expressions were distressed, as if they were yelling, but he couldn’t hear them.

In another instant, Ivan found himself in a pure white room. He tried to move, but his arms and ankles were restrained. He grunted as he pulled against the cuffs, and gasped when he suddenly found himself facing a man wearing a surgical mask.

“You should’ve died, kid,” the man’s distant, ghostly voice said. “We’re going to figure out why you didn’t. Just relax, Ivan…”

His name kept being repeated over and over again in his head, each time becoming more distorted. And then everything stopped.

Ivan gasped desperately for air as his eyes shot open and he quickly sat up, putting his hand over his chest to regain his breath. He yelped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and quickly turned, only beginning to relax when he saw Thea sitting on the edge of the bed with a concerned look on her face.

“You okay there, kiddo?” she asked softly. Ivan looked around the darkened room and suddenly remembered everything. He would be living in Jubilife now, with his mother’s cousin, attending a brand new school for people like him.

“You were shouting in your sleep, I thought something happened! You had me worried for a sec!” Thea said.

“S-Sorry. I’m okay,” the teen quietly replied. He looked as Porygon2 floated towards him and settled itself onto his lap. “Um… do you have the time?”

“It’s nearing six thirty,” Thea said. She stood up and moved to the window. She opened the blinds and sighed deeply as she leaned against it, looking out at the early morning sky. Ivan had to admit, from what he could see out the window, Jubilife was beautiful in the morning. Although most of the buildings obscured the full view of the sun, he could still see it peeking from between two skyscrapers.

“Oh!” Thea exclaimed, causing both Ivan and Porygon2 to flinch. “School starts soon, right?”

“O-Oh. Right.”

“Do you want me to iron out your uniform?”

“Oh…” Ivan shook his head. “No, it’s okay.”

Thea smiled. “Well, how about some breakfast? Some eggs and bacon should start you off for the day!”

“No… I’m fine.”

Watching as Ivan threw off the covers and stood up, Thea sighed and went over to him.

“Look,” she began. “I know being away from your family is hard, especially if you’re staying with someone you’ve only known for a day. I’m… not a replacement for your mother. Think of me as your cool big sis, alright? It’s okay to ask for things.”

“S-Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way,” Ivan muttered. “I… I really appreciate you even taking me in. T-Thank you.”

“Nah, don’t mention it! It gets lonely here sometimes, so it’s always great to have company, you know?”

“Right…” Ivan muttered. “I’m-I’m gonna start getting ready now.”

Thea smiled and nodded. “I’ll lay out your uniform on your bed. If you need me, I’ll be downstairs, okay?”

“Yeah… thank you.”
—
Ivan looked at himself in the mirror with a hint of nervousness and reluctance in his eyes. He turned around a few times, and sighed as Porygon2 floated happily above him.

“You don’t think I stand out like this, do you?” he asked. “I know it’s uniform, so everyone else will be wearing the same thing, but…”

The uniform consisted of a navy blue cardigan over a white short sleeved button up, along with a yellow tie, khaki trousers, and brown shows. On the cardigan, outlined in yellow, was the emblem of the school- the silhouette of a bird with its wings raised, connected at the tips above its head, forming a circular shape. Stitched directly beneath it were the words ‘semper pro grediens’. Ivan rolled up the sleeves to his elbows before taking one last glance at himself in the mirror and nodding.

“Good enough, I guess…” he said. He grabbed his bag and headed out of the room, Porygon2 floating over his shoulder. When Ivan reached the kitchen, he saw a plate of food sitting on the island, the steam rising from it indicating it was just made.

“Oh… she really didn’t have to,” Ivan sighed. “But it’d be rude of me to waste it.”

He sat on one of the stools at the island and picked up a fork beside the plate. He barely noticed Thea entering the room, the woman smiling as she watched Ivan eat.

“Oh, good!” she said, her sudden appearance causing the teenager to jump. “Do you like it? Is it good?”

After calming his nerves, Ivan nodded and turned to her. “T-Thank you for making breakfast for me.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that,” Thea said and ruffled his hair. After he finished eating, Ivan placed the plate in the sink and went downstairs, with Thea and Porygon2 right behind him.

“I’m not really good with send offs or stuff like that. So just- have a good first day, okay?” Thea said, placing her hands on her hips. Ivan nodded and gave a short wave before walking out of the cafe, and as soon as he stepped out onto the streets, everything hit him at once. Jubilife City was now fully awake- people were hustling and bustling about, car horns honking at stop lights, airplane engines roaring as they flew above. The sounds almost completely overwhelmed Ivan. He squeezed his eyes shut and began walking down the street, only reaching a few feet when he suddenly bumped into someone.

“Watch it!” a man hissed.

“S-Sorry…” Ivan mumbled as he opened his eyes. With a deep, somewhat depressed sigh, he slowly continued down the street, unaware of the frustrated people behind him as they tried to walk around him. The streets were filthy; black circles dotted the sidewalk, crumbled papers and plastic bags blew in the wind. Even the smell and overall air quality was much, much different from Eterna. Trashcans were overflowed, the sight making Ivan grimace.

“This place is kinda gross…” Ivan muttered, looking at Porygon2, the normal type seemingly unaffected by the scenery around it. He looked ahead and perked up when he saw a group of people around his age, all of them wearing a similar uniform, standing by a pole. Ivan quickened his pace, but still kept his distance, standing a few feet away from the group. He noticed the girls’ uniform was similar to the boys’, with even some of them wearing pants, although most of them wore a skirt. Paired with knee high socks or stockings, at least the uniform was modest. Still, Ivan trembled as he looked at the other students, their large builds, crazy hairstyles and oddly colored hair intimidating him.

“Are the people who go here delinquents?” he asked and gulped nervously. He looked at the opposite end of the street and could see a bus coming down the road, stopping at the block before his.

“The bus is almost here… I’m gonna return you, then. I don’t wanna draw attention,” he said as he held out Porygon2’s Pokéball. It nodded as it returned to the device in a red beam of light and Ivan looked at it for a moment before placing the Pokéball back into his pocket. As the bus came closer to the stop, Ivan turned to the group and almost fainted when one of the girls playfully pushed her friend, causing him to stumble forward, but moved back just as the bus pulled in front of them.

“How about a warning next time, asshole?!” he shouted as he and the others boarded the bus, laughing loudly.

“The people here are crazy… now I really know to keep my distance…” he thought, placing his hand over his chest to calm his breathing. He took a seat near the back, honestly more than terrified of what was to come.
—
When the bus reached a stop, Ivan climbed off and followed the other students down the street, and turned a corner. He noticed several planted trees lining the street, and upon walking a bit further, found himself standing in front of a wide walkway, and looked up, his jaw dropping at the modernized building and the eight stories it boasted. Wide windows lined the entire building, and it arched around in a u-shape. He snapped out of his trance when he noticed other students pass by him, some giving him funny looks, and Ivan lowered his head and continued into the school.

As soon as he entered the doors, Ivan found himself confused by the multitude of corridors and doors. Feeling like his entire world was spinning, he slowly reached into his bag and pulled out a slip of paper, examining it carefully.

“I have to go to the third floor first…” he thought, looking around before walking to the right down the hallway. There were lockers against the walls, with some people standing by them and chatting, not seeming to notice Ivan as he walked by them. He rounded the corner, hoping to find the staircase, but frowned when he was faced with another long corridor, this one having classrooms on either side.

“I’m never finding my way around here…” he groaned in defeat, hanging his head.

“You do know there’s a campus map, right?”

Ivan yelped and jumped back, getting into a defensive position, staring directly at the person in front of him.

“Damn, are you always that jumpy, or are you just weird?” he asked. Ivan sighed quietly and shrugged his shoulders, stealing another glance at the person. They seemed to be about the same age, although this guy was a few inches taller, being five foot eleven. His pale skin and slim build concerned Ivan a bit, causing him to wonder how much time he spent outside. His messy black hair was tied into a ponytail, his bangs clipped back, although a few strands hung around his bright amber eyes. Around his wrist was a golden watch. What stood out the most, though, was the fact he wasn’t wearing a cardigan or blazer, but rather a leather jacket he kept open.

“Um… a-are you allowed to wear that?” Ivan asked.

“Eh. No one said I can’t,” the other responded and held out his hand. “Pass.”

“E-Excuse me?”

The boy rolled his eyes. “Your schedule, dummy.”

“O-Oh! Oh…”

There was a moment of hesitation, but Ivan handed his schedule to this person, and watched as he looked it over. He whistled when he saw Ivan’s classes, a small smirk coming to his face.

“So you’re a senior too, huh?” he asked, Ivan nodding once in response. “And it seems we have the same first period. C’mon, I’ll show you the way.”
Ivan paced behind this new person, more than nervous, and a bit confused at the fact someone approached him first. As they passed by other students, most of the girls almost immediately turned away, pink covering their cheeks.

“I guess he’s the popular type…” Ivan thought. “Um, I’m sorry. I-I don’t think I got your na-”

“It’s Felix,” the boy replied quickly without turning to Ivan. “Felix Stephenson.”

“Oh… I-I’m-”

“Ivan Hale.”

Ivan stopped in his tracks, horrified that a complete stranger knew his name. Felix stopped walking as well and looked over his shoulder, raising a brow at Ivan’s expression.

“What?” he asked. “It was on your schedule.”

Ivan hid his face in his hands and groaned. “I’m an idiot…”

“You know, if you’re gonna keep dickin’ around like this, you’re gonna make us late to class,” Felix said.

“S-Sorry…” Ivan gulped nervously. “I’m sorry.”
—
When Felix and Ivan reached their classroom, about fifteen other students were already there. Judging by the amount of desks and overall size of the room, they both assumed it was a small class to begin with. They went over to a pair of empty desks closer to the back and sat down, with Felix casually leaning back against the chair, quickly shaking his leg.

“Excuse me,” someone said from behind Felix, tapping him. He looked over his shoulder and raised a brow.

“Hm?”

“You’re blocking me,” the girl said. “I can’t see the front.”

“Then how about you don’t sit all the way in the back?” Felix asked. Ivan looked between the two, nervousness quickly building inside of him at the tension. The girl slammed her hands on the desk and stood up, causing the others in the classroom to turn to her. Ivan shrunk in his seat as the girl glared daggers at Felix. She wasn’t really the definition of intimidating; she was only around five foot three and had a petite build. She had lightly tanned skin and her jet black hair fell a bit below her shoulders, and her bangs almost completely obscured the left side of her face, falling over one of her blue eyes. Along with her uniform, she wore a pair of white silk gloves.

“Why is nobody doing anything?! They’re all just sitting there, staring!” Ivan thought. “But then again… so am I…”

Just as the girl was going to say something, a teacher with her arms full of paper and folders walked into the room and the class gave her their undivided attention. Skittering by her feet was a Nidoran, its blue coloration suggestion it was the female species.

“Alright everyone, calm down,” the woman said and placed the items in her arms on the desk. “I know it’s your first day in a new school, and I know you all probably don’t know each other. Still, can you guys wait at least a week before you try to kill each other?”

Some of the students chuckled at her statement, and Ivan breathed a sigh of relief, noticing the tension began to decrease. The woman seemed a bit young to be a teacher, standing around Ivan’s height, sporting a youthful appearance. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail with her bangs framing her face, and her brown eyes were obscured by a pair of large circular glasses. She wore a white button up with a pair of dark blue cropped jeans and black slip ons.

“My name is Emry Mercier, but for the sake of professionalism you’ll call me Ms. Mercier. And yes, I’m single,” she said as she wrote her name on the board with a piece of chalk. She turned back to the class and clasped her hands together. “I figure we should get to know each other, get a little more comfortable in the classroom. So, uh… you, girl in the back. Tell me your name and something about yourself.”

With a quiet sigh, the girl slowly stood and looked Emry straight in the eyes. “My name is Amaya Yokaze, and a fact about me… I’m from Camphrier Town in Kalos?”

Emry smiled and looked around the classroom, pointing to a few other students. They all did the same thing Amaya did, standing up, telling their name, and something random about themselves.

“Well, I guess it’s my turn,” Emry said. “I teach biology, which is what the class is. My trusty partner is my Nidoran. I’m turning thirty two, and I’ve been teaching for… seven years now,” she continued, smirking at the astonished looks on her student’s faces. “I look pretty good for my age, eh?”

“Um… excuse me, Ms. Mercier,” a student said, raising his hand into the air. “Sorry if this is a rude question, but… are you really that old?”

“I like to think I’m at a pretty good age,” Emry said and crossed her arms.

“I bet if she ends up like one of those teachers, all she has to do is say she’s a student,” Felix whispered to Ivan, who blushed at the implication, and Amaya rolling her eyes. A smile crossed Emry’s face that sent a shiver down everyone’s spine. She walked between the desks and stood in front of Felix, placing a hand on her hip.

“What’s your name, kid?” she asked.

“Felix, but don’t ask for my number,” he responded, a small smirk on his face.

“Felix,” Emry repeated. She extended her arm and placed it on Felix’s head, the boy looking at her curiously before he released a small gasp. Everything he had been feeling was suddenly… gone, as if he had never felt an emotion before. The look in his eyes became empty and lifeless, and his body hung limp like he had been drained of all life.

“To answer what all of you are thinking,” Emry said and removed her hand, moving back to the front of the room. “Yes, I’m one of you. Before I tell you anything else, I want you all to answer this: what is biology?”

A student raised her hand in the air, and Emry gestured towards her.

“It’s the study of life, right?” she asked.

“Exactly. Biology is the reason why any organism on this planet ever makes sense. It’s the reason why we know about our Pokémon partners,” she said and looked down at her Nidoran, the poison type giving a tiny squeak. “The reason why we can explain the colors of the leaves changing… and it’s also the reason why we have some insight on how our powers work. My power is called induced ferity, which is just fancy talk for emotion manipulation.”
Ivan listened in awe as Emry continued talking. He looked over at Felix, who was still limped over, his head hanging over his desk.

“That wise guy over there… I basically removed all of his emotions. He’ll be back to normal in a bit, but let that be a warning. I know I’m cool and everything, but I still demand respect. Alright?”
Emry said, her students quickly nodding. A man clearing his throat was suddenly heard over the PA system, followed by what sounded like a few taps on the microphone.

“Good morning, students and staff,” the man said, his voice deep and commanding, yet also gentle. “Welcome to your first day of classes. My name is Demeas Lagos, and I am your principal. We are all very pleased to have you here. This is a school where you can learn to understand your special, superhuman abilities a bit more. Control them and utilize them. We expect hard work and dedication- nothing but the best from you all. With that, I hope you all have a wonderful first day.”

As soon as the announcement ended, Felix yelped and jerked up, causing Ivan to nearly fall out of his chair from surprise.

“I-I’m alive!” he exclaimed. “I’m…”

“Glad you came back to us,” Emry said with a smirk. “Now then, everyone. Shall we get started?”
—
The day went on rather uneventfully, although Ivan was about five minutes late to the rest of the classes since he kept getting lost. Just walking down the halls was nerve wrecking in of itself, especially since the thought that people were staring at him kept appearing in his head. When the bell for the end of the day rang, Ivan heaved a large sigh of relief, and went on to find his way to the entrance so he could finally go home.

After finally finding the entrance, Ivan stepped out and deeply inhaled, closing his eyes for a moment before reopening them. As he walked towards the street, he jumped when he heard someone calling his name, and slowly turned around, gulping nervously when he saw Felix walking towards him.

“Yo,” the taller teen greeted with a two fingered salute. “Heading home?”

“Um… y-yeah,” Ivan answered, freezing when Felix threw his arm around his shoulder.

“Let’s grab a bite to eat! You’re not from around here, right? We can get to know Jubilife together,” he suggested.

“You’re… not from here?” Ivan quietly said, watching as Felix began to walk ahead.

“Nah. I’ve come here a couple times, but I don’t really know it,” he said with a shrug. “What’re you in the mood for? I want something spicy… like curry!”

“Spice… I’m not good with spice,” Ivan muttered and followed after Felix. The two walked down the street in silence, save for the chatter of people passing them and the occasional car honk. As they turned a corner, Felix suddenly stopped walking, with Ivan bumping into him.

“H-Hey, what gives?” he asked.

“It’s the smart ass from earlier,” Felix said loud enough for their classmate, Amaya, to hear. She was standing in front of a bakery’s display window, and upon hearing Felix’s voice, she turned to them and rolled her eyes.

“Oh great. The Sodapop wannabe and the boy wonder,” she hissed.

“It’s nice to see you too!” Felix said as he approached her. He glanced at the display window, noticing the variety of cakes and candies, and quirked a brow. “Chocolate?”

Amaya’s cheeks turned pink and she quickly looked away. “I-It tastes good, okay?”

“Uh-huh. Well, hey, boy wonder and I were gonna grab a bite to eat. Why not tag a long?” Felix asked, Ivan frowning slightly at him.

“Why would I go anywhere with either of you?” Amaya huffed and turned away.

“Aw, don’t be that way. On me?”

“Well, since you’re paying, who am I to say no?” she asked with a smirk and began walking ahead. As the trio continued walking up the street, Ivan kept his distance, still a bit reluctant to even be around them.

“Everyone here is so weird and… mean,” he thought. “Why can’t people just be nice to each other?”

As he passed by an alleyway, he could see something shifting out of the corner of his eye. He turned to the darkened alley, but saw nothing. He gulped nervously and hurried to catch up with Felix and Amaya.

“You know, Ivan, you’re way too on edge,” Felix said. “Seriously. Why don’t you just relax a little?”

“S-Sorry. I’m not used to living in such a large city. I’m from Eterna, so…” Ivan responded.

“Even though Jubilife is a large city, I heard it isn’t as dangerous as people think it is,” Amaya said. She suddenly saw a bright flash of green, and within the blink of an eye, her bag was gone. “Hey!”
Everyone on the street stopped and pointed to a Scyther flying in the air, silently taunting Amaya by waving her bag by its strap. It lowered itself to the ground and handed off her bag to a man standing by the wall of a building, wearing a sweater and jeans, his face obscured by his hood.

“Good job, Scyther!” he said before running off.
“Are you guys just gonna stand there?! That guy just stole my stuff!” Amaya shouted and began running after him.

“Amaya, wait!” Felix shouted and followed her. “Ivan, c’mon!”

“B-But…!” Ivan started, but stopped himself when he saw his two classmates were already a good distance away. “Oh man…”

He took a deep breath and began to chase after them, pushing past bystanders in an attempt to catch up to them. The thief looked over his shoulder and grit his teeth when he saw Amaya wasn’t far behind him. He looked at Scyther, the Pokémon flying high above.

“Scyther!” he shouted. “Vacuum Wave!”

The bug and flying type nodded in understanding and flew to the ground, landing in front of Amaya. She gasped and skidded to a stop, barely having time to react as Scyther rapidly beat its wings, causing a powerful gust of wind. Amaya held her arms in front of her to shield her from the attack, but it proved to be too powerful, and she was blown back past Felix, landing on her side.

“Amaya!” Ivan cried and ran towards her. “Are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah, just- help me get my stuff back!”

The thief smirked proudly and whirled around, scaring away anyone who was watching the scene. He turned back around and narrowed his eyes at Felix, who kept walking towards him and Scyther.

“Get any closer, and my Scyther will rip you to shreds,” the man warned.

“Yeah… good luck with that,” Felix said. He looked at his watch and tapped on it. Scyther lunged forward, and just before one of its claws was going to slice into him, everything stopped. The cars, the people, the noise- the entire world was at a stand still.

“Okay, Felix. Thirty seconds,” he thought as he looked up from his watch and at the man. He took a step back from Scyther and walked over to the man, grabbing Amaya’s bag from his hand and slinging it over his shoulder. He then brought the man’s arms to behind his back, and Felix took off his tie and wrapped it around the thief’s wrists, making a pair of makeshift handcuffs. He knelt down and tied the man’s shoelaces together, and looked back at his watch.

“Just in time,” Felix thought with a satisfied grin. He held his head, feeling an intense throbbing pain, and felt a trickle of blood run down his nose. Just an instant later, as the two hands on his watch ticked away, everything began moving again. The man yelped as he suddenly tripped over himself and fell to the ground, and looked down, seeing his shoelaces tied together.

“I d-did pretty good, huh?” Felix asked in a taunting tone. He heard the screams and gasps of a few civilians, and turned around, widening his eyes in horror.

“W-Wha…?” Ivan asked, his entire body trembling as he looked at the deep gash wound in his stomach.

“Ivan!” Amaya shouted, catching him as he fell to his knees. Felix rushed over to them and knelt beside Ivan, placing a hand on his back.

“We have to stop the bleeding,” he said, trying his best to ignore the agonizing pain in his head. “Apply pressure!”

“N-No, it’s…” Ivan whimpered. He felt a deep pressure in his abdomen, and a harsh burning sensation, like his entire stomach was on fire. He pulled his hand away and almost fainted when he saw his entire palm was covered in blood. He looked up and saw Scyther slash through its trainer’s restrains, his blood still on one of its blades, and the two quickly sped off from the scene.

“Ivan…?” Amaya worriedly asked. The brown haired teen slowly lifted his blood stained shirt, both Amaya and Felix gasping when they saw the gash was gone. The sound of sirens wailing entered their ears, and before long, two police cars and an ambulance had stopped in front of them.

“Where did it- I mean, how did you-” Felix stammered. “Are you okay?!”

“I’m okay…” Ivan said, looking over at the police and EMT officers who had surrounded them. “S-Sorry.”
—
Ivan sat nervously in the lobby of a police station, Felix seated beside him, holding an ice pack to his head. The former tightly gripped his knees, with Felix a bit worried that they’d be torn off. After the incident, they had been taken to the local police station to be interrogated about the thief.

“U-Um…” Ivan began. “Earlier… what did you do? You suddenly had Amaya’s bag, the guy was restrained, I had gotten stabbed by Scyther, and that moment felt like five minutes.”

Felix whistled. “Damn, that’s the most I’ve heard you say at once,” he said, chuckling when Ivan looked at the ground. “I stopped time,” he said all too casually.

“W-What?” Ivan asked and turned back to him. “You what?”

“Chronokinesis,” Felix said, showing Ivan his watch. “The ability to control time. I can stop, slow, and speed up time, but I can’t reverse it.”

“Why not?”

“‘Cause it’s impossible,” Felix explained. “‘Cause time is always moving forward. Reversing time would be like dividing by zero.”

“That’s cool…” Ivan muttered.

“Not really. Messing with time messes with me, which is why I try not to do it too often,” Felix said. “If I stop time, I age the same amount of time I stop it for, but my limit is only thirty seconds right now, so I guess it isn’t that bad. Slowing down and speeding up time makes my cells accelerate a little bit more, so it’s a double edged sword.”

“T-That sounds kinda scary…” Ivan said.

“What’s scary is the fact you survived that whole stabbing thing!” Felix retorted, pointing to Ivan’s blood stained shirt. “I mean- how?!”

“Oh, um… I can heal really fast, or something like that… apparently my cells regenerate at a super fast rate, or whatever…”

Felix sucked his teeth and sat back in the chair. “I was careless,” he said. “I mean, what if you had something else instead? I could’ve killed you, dude! Aren’t you mad at me?”

“Not really,” Ivan admitted with a shrug. “If I died, I would’ve been mad, I think. But I didn’t, so it’s okay…”

“Your logic is all types of screwed up, dude.”

The two turned to the front as Amaya and an officer walked up to them, the former keeping her arms crossed over her chest.

“Thank you kids for your cooperation,” the officer said and looked at Ivan. “And you, kid, you sure you’re okay? You lost a lot of blood… you sure you don’t wanna be taken to the hospital and get tested or something?”

“I-I’m sure! I’m okay, really!”

“If you say so. You three be careful out there, alright?” the officer said. “We’ll look for this criminal and take care of him, so you three just head on home, okay?”

“Thank you,” Amaya said as she, Ivan, and Felix walked out of the station. When they stepped outside, they saw the sun was low in the sky with evening time drawing near. Amaya turned to Ivan, the sudden action and the intensity of her glare making him flinch, and she placed her hands on his shoulders.

“Are you okay?!” she shouted as she roughly shook him. “Seriously, are you okay?! Don’t lie!”

“I-I’m fine! Really, I am!” Ivan said, grabbing her wrists so she could stop shaking him. Her eyes shifted to Felix and she practically sliced him in half with her glare.

“You’re horrible!” she angrily said. “You could’ve killed him!”

“Yeah, we already discussed that. ‘Thanks for saving my stuff’ also would’ve sufficed,” Felix responded.

“I would rather have my stuff stolen than see someone die right in front of me!”

“You seeing someone dying is your primary concern? Not the fact he could’ve died in the first place?”

Amaya clenched her fists. “Don’t you dare try to make me sound like the villain here!”

“Well you might as well be!” Felix shouted. “I’m not the one throwing a bitch fit!”

“G-Guys…” Ivan whimpered, looking anxiously between the two as they continued to exchange words. “Guys, please…”

“I can’t believe I’ve only known you for a day and I hate you this much,” Amaya growled. “Guys like you are the worst, always thinking of how good you look and never thinking about others!”

“And girls like you are too damn stubborn and close minded to see past your own nose!” Felix said.

“Guys, stop it!” Ivan shouted, both Felix and Amaya looking at him. He swallowed dryly and hugged himself, averting their gazes. “P-People are looking… just stop arguing...”

Looking at their surroundings, they noticed several people on the street stopped completely to hear their argument, whispering and muttering under their breath.

“What’re you looking at?!” Felix and Amaya shouted in unison, the spectators quickly scurrying away.

“I have a headache,” Amaya scoffed. “I’m going home. You,” she said, pointing to Felix. “Keep your ugly mug as far away from me as possible, or we’re gonna have a problem,” she hissed and stormed off.

“Right back at ya, babe!” Felix called after her. “Can you believe her? Geez…”

“I-I, um…” Ivan stuttered, his voice wavering. “I don’t like being involved in arguments that aren’t m-mine. I’m… I’m gonna go home…”

“Mm, fair enough,” Felix said, waving as he began to walk off, still holding the ice pack to his forehead. “I’ll see you when I see you.”

“Yeah… see you…”
—
Thea turned to the door as it chimed, a wide smile coming to her face.

“Ivan, welcome ba-!” she began, only to scream when she saw his ripped, pale red shirt, her eyes popping out of her head. “Oh my goodness! What- are you okay?! What happened? Is that blood?!”

“Oh… this…” Ivan said. “Um, just something happened earlier. I’m okay.”

“B-B-But…”

The brown haired teen looked around, noticing the cafe was empty. “No customers?”

“That’s your concern?!” Thea cried. “S-Should I call an ambulance?!”

“Really, Thea, I’m okay!” Ivan said and lifted his shirt. “See? I’m perfectly fine. You don’t have to worry.”

“S-Should I ask how this happened…?” she said, still in shock. Ivan shook his head and moved past her.

“If you don’t mind… could you please wash and sew it up?” he asked, Thea simply nodding, her mouth hanging open. “Thanks.”

Ivan walked upstairs and went to his room, slipping off his cardigan and ruined shirt and changed into a t-shirt. He sat on his bed and took out his Pokéball from out of his pants pocket, opening it to release Porygon2. The man-made Pokémon made several beeping sounds, floating around Ivan happily. He brought it close to him and hugged it, releasing an easy breath.

“I didn’t even ask,” Thea said as she appeared in his doorway. “H-How was school?”

“It was… um… stressful,” Ivan muttered. Thea’s expression softened and she moved over to the bed, taking a seat beside him.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“It’s just full of scary people,” Ivan muttered. “Everyone is just so wild. It’s weird. And they’re really mean to each other, too…”

“Well… did you at least make any friends?” Thea asked and crossed one leg over the other.

“Something like that… they’re both in my biology class, this guy named Felix, and a girl named Amaya. Felix is kinda weird… he’s really, mm… witty, I guess. He always has something to say, and he’s always moving. And Amaya… she kinda scares me. She isn’t afraid of yelling or telling off people. She’s a little rough around the edges.”

“That so?”

“Yeah. We all hung out today, or at least tried to. Amaya and Felix have been having tensions since the moment they met. They started yelling at each other, and it really freaked me out…” Ivan muttered.
“I’m sorry your first day was so stressful, kiddo,”

Thea said. “Hey, listen. I close up in about an hour, so why don’t I make you a nice dinner and we can watch TV or something?”

Ivan nodded, and Thea smiled warmly before standing up and walking out of the room.

“U-Um-” Ivan said, the older woman turning to him. “No employees today…?”

“The one who works in the evening had to call in, and since tonight is pretty quiet, I just decided to take over,” Thea smiled, and quickly waved her hands in front of her. “I-I swear my cafe is popular! Really, it is!”

“I-I never said it wasn’t…” Ivan said.

“Right! Okay!” Thea laughed nervously and left. When he figured she was back downstairs, Ivan took out his phone and pressed a few numbers on the screen before putting it up to his ear.

“Hello? Ivan?” Esther’s voice said over the line.

“Hey mom…”

“Hey! How are you? How was school?”

“It was fine… I talked to Thea about it already. I’m kinda tired, so I’m gonna sleep soon, but I just wanted to call and say hi.”

“You’re so sweet,” Esther said. “How are you adjusting to Jubilife?”

Ivan shrugged his shoulders. “It’s okay, I guess. I’m sure I’ll get used to it soon.”

“Just keep at it, kiddo. Have you seen Demeas yet?” his mother asked.

“Oh, no, not yet,” Ivan quietly sighed. “Maybe soon. Um… by the way, mom. Did you not tell Thea of my… ability?”

“Hm? No, I haven’t. I didn’t want her to be alarmed, you know? If you want to tell her, you can, but lay it on easy, okay?” Esther gasped. “Did something happen?”

“Um…” Ivan bit his lip. “No. I was just wondering. Sorry. That’s all I wanted to know. I’m gonna hang up now, okay?”

“Oh! Right! Well, sleep well, and make sure you call often, okay? I love you!” Esther said.

“Yeah… thanks. Love you too.”

He ended the call and sighed deeply. Porygon2 floated over his shoulder and gently nuzzled his cheek. He held his phone in his lap, staring at the black screen, and placed his hand over his stomach.

“Earlier…” Ivan thought, the events of him getting injured by Scyther, all the blood, and Felix and Amaya’s argument kept flashing in his head. “That moment Scyther got me… I had forgotten what my body could do… and I for sure thought I was dead.”
His lip quivered as he continued to think about the pain and the sensation of being stabbed, and how horrified everyone who saw what happened was.
”Is it really worth me staying here? So much happened in just one day… is it safe for me to be living out here?” he thought and looked at Porygon2. “But mom really wanted me to go here. It would be selfish of me to go against her wishes, right?” he groaned and fell backwards on the bed. “What do I do…?”