Galatea chewed at her pencil eraser and her eyes were glazed over as she blankly stared up at whichever professor was lecturing. Her eyes flitted to the window and she peered to the courtyard of Naranja academy, where dozens of students buzzed about the courts with their Pokémon. The bright sun was a tad too much for her on days like today, but it was still better than being cooped up in some classroom.

"Ms. Galatea, are you with us?" A ruler tapped a couple of times against her desk, and snapped Galatea back to class, where a navy-haired woman with glasses stood over. The woman's western style only added to her sass as she set one hand on her hip and smirked, "Ah perfect timing for eye contact."

Galatea groaned inside, fighting every urge to let it out and just smiled tightly back at the professor.

"Care to answer for the class how long-ago was Heath's expedition into Area Zero?" Ms. Raifort asked.

"No. I would not care to." Galatea grinned up to the teacher.

Ms. Raifort's smile fell, "You could at least try. Even if you don't know the answer, it's always worth it to try and answer and learn from your mistakes."

Galatea rolled her eyes before looking down at her open history book. Serendipitously, she was open to just the right page, and in a flat voice she read out loud, "Approximately 1825 C.E., Heath's expedition first set out for area Zero, however much of his reported findings were later discredited by the academic community, the journey itself proved the possibility for future exploration for many more scientists and researchers to come." Galatea looked back up, "So, uh... Like, 200 years ago."

The teacher stifled a laugh before putting her strict-teacher expression back on, "Luck seems to be on your side today, Ms. Galatea. If you could please see me after class, there are a few things I need to discuss with you."

"OOOooooh!" The other students in the class began to jeer. "Galatea's in TROUBLE!"

Galatea just laughed along with them.

"Quiet down everyone!" Ms. Raifort clapped her hands, "Midterms are in two weeks, so you should focus on your own problems. I saw those last test scores and some of you should definitely be worried. Just a reminder that the school does have free tutoring in the library between five and eight pm every Tuesday and Thursday. I highly recommend you utilize this asset provided to you."

Class rolled on for another thirty minutes before the bell dismissed them. Galatea thought about making a run for it, but knew it would only be putting off the inevitable. She trudged her way to the teacher's podium in front of the class. As Ms. Raifort turned around, Galatea was quick to straighten her back and smile as if she didn't have a clue, "You wanted to see me, Ms. Raifort."

"Yes, Galatea, thank you." She motioned to one of the seats in the front row and after Galatea took a seat, Ms. Raifort took a seat beside her, "I know I'm not your homeroom teacher, but I thought I should talk to you as well. Some of your other teachers and I have been talking—"

Galatea's stomach drops. She already heard this from Mr. Jacq earlier in the week. And Mr. Saguaro the week before. It always starts out the same. Galatea thought.

"You are a very bright student, Galatea, that much is apparent." Ms. Raifort said, "And your test scores prove it, as you are consistently getting 95% to 100% on most of your exams."

Then comes the 'but.'

"But your attendance is really worrying. If you miss too many days, the school will be forced to hold you back a grade following our attendance policies. At the very least, if the pattern continues, you won't be allowed to go out on your independent study next term."

Galatea balled up her fists. She knew that. That's been squawked at her so many times. That's why she hadn't missed a class in the last three weeks. So why was Ms. Raifort talking about it to her now? Hadn't she been doing better?

"And even when you are in class, you aren't present. If you know what I mean." Ms. Raifort continued.

Ugh, Galatea groaned to herself, while keeping a soft smile towards her teacher. Not the being-present conversation.

"You are always looking out the window, or drawing in your notebook. And you haven't turned in your required notes for the last month. I don't think I'm asking a lot. It's only four pages a week. And you should be able to take them all in class." Ms. Raifort said, "And it's the missing notes that are really taking a hit on your overall grade."

Ms. Raifort looked to Galatea for a response.

"Look... I—I'm here, aren't I? And... I'm passing the tests. I—I can't take four pages of notes. It's not that it's hard, like I can't write or anything but..." Galatea looked off and started to just laugh a little before turning back with an apologetic smile as she scratched the back of her head.

"You don't want to?" Ms. Raifort finished.

Galatea wanted to scream.

But her lips stayed tightly shut. Galatea smiled brightly and acquiesced, "Yeah. I don't want to."

It was easier to say. It was easier for others to understand.

Ms. Raifort let out a heavy breath and stood up and tapped Galatea's desk with her palm, "Well you'll need to find the will to want to if you want to move up a grade with your friends."

What friends? Galatea bit her lip. More like friend. Singular.

"And the academy isn't free. Your parents are paying a hefty sum for you to be able to go here." Ms. Raifort finished, "You wouldn't want to disappoint them."

The walk back to her dorm room was a haze for Galatea. She only really realized where she was after turning the key to her door. When she got in, Galatea slammed the door behind her and threw her backpack across the room and into the wall above her bed.

Luckily it only had a couple soft-bound notebooks and one textbook, or else it might've left a mark on the wall.

"Aghh!" Galatea flopped onto her bed and screamed into her pillow before beginning to cackle. Laughter growing larger and larger until it was borderline manic. "Disappoint my parents? Hah! Can't disappoint people I haven't even met!"

Galatea threw her pillow towards the ground before starting to bundle herself in her comforter and lean against the window above her bed. "Plus, I'm here on a scholarship so it's only the League's money I'm wasting and they've got tons of it." She pouted. "And the independent study? The treasure hunt? Who cares! I missed it last year too and it was fine."

After sulking for a minute, she struggled in her comforter to wriggle out her Rotom-Phone. Galatea bit her lip and stuck her tongue against her canine before finally dialing a number. It rung once, twice, three time—Voicemail.

"Oh, uh, hey it's just, uh, Galatea and I was calling because um, well—" Her hedging chorus continued with filler words before she sighed, "Just wanted to call and see how you were doing. Maybe talk for a bit. Uh, I guess I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Someone knocked on the door as Galatea hung up the phone and pushed their head through, "It's Nemona, I'm coming in!" the bright girl slid in, with a green highlight falling between her eyes, "mumbling to yourself like a crazy person, again?"

"...Yep," Galatea said and slumped up against the back wall, still wrapped in her comforter cocoon.

"Got another 'you can do better than this' conversation from a teacher?" Nemona plopped now beside Galatea and patted the lump of blankets.

"Yep."

"Wanna know what would cheer you up?" Nemona grinned. "It's something that always cheers me up."

"Not a pokémon battle." Galatea immediately said before Nemona could barely finish her question.

Nemona pouted, "Aw, you're no fun."

"it's just--- agh!" Galatea's expression crumpled as Ms. Raifort's pitying expression flashed back, "It's not that I don't want to do these things. I wish I could! I wish my brain would let me. But I hold that pencil and stare at a blank page for hours upon hours and every word seems to slide right off my brain. I hate that you have to set aside so many hours a week, Nemona, just to help me study for tests. Time you could be using to battle. I know you love battling and I—I hate that— That I'm such a problem." A tear welled up in her eye.

Nemona was quick on the draw and patted Galatea, and tried to pull her to sit up, "Hey, hey, hey thinking like that is no bueno!" she smiled down, "You're my friend. Of course I would help! And we made a deal. For every hour I tutor you, I get one battle that week. So, I still get to battle. I'm not losing out on anything by helping you, Teetee."

Galatea cracked a small smile, "Thanks, Nemona."

The blanket-wrapped girl pulled herself up and out of her fluffy cocoon. Galatea made her way to a long mirror she had by her bathroom door and started to run her fingers through her white hair, trying to give it some semblance of neatness. She eventually gabbed a red ponytail holder from her kitchenette peninsula and tied a side-ponytail which her curls still struggled to make their way out of.

"I'm ready for that Pokémon battle now, Nemona."