Hi everyone!  SK here.

So last chapter we finally got to meet all the OCs you guys submitted, and plus you got to see a little bit of Her Majesty.  You will see the continuation of their meeting next chapter, but for now... it's school time for Val!

There will be two music tracks in this chapter because of a mood shift.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

!!!WARNINGS: Violence, Abuse

Valerie

I slowly blink open my eyes, stretching out my arms as I wake up.  That was the best sleep I've had in a long time, I think to myself, sitting up.  I wonder why-

Suddenly, I remember why.  

I slept the whole night in a hot guy's bed again!

I groan to myself.  Valerie, you need to stop doing this to yourself, seriously.

Well apparently I can't, Me.  So stop nagging me!  Besides, sleeping with August was very nice-

Wait, August.  Where is he?  

I feel a stab of worry.  If it's really late, August would naturally be awake... which means that I'm late for school!

Letting out a breath, I set my thoughts straight.  No matter what time it happens to be, I really do need to be getting ready for school.  My dress from yesterday is still sitting in my room; it's a bit fancy for just a regular school day, but there's no way in hell that I'm setting foot in my old house again.  I'm also thankful that I was excused from homework this past weekend; my school issues special tablets to all the students and they must complete all schoolwork on that device and that device alone.  Mine had a slight issue with one of the network adaptors which stopped it from connecting to the internet, so I had to leave it with the school for the weekend to have it fixed.  

I guess some good things can come out of this after all.

Still wearing the pyjamas that August made for me out of magic yesterday night, I quietly shuffle out of his room and down the hallway, all the way down to the first floor.  I quickly find my room, enter, and lean against the now-closed door with a sigh.  It is going to be so weird seeing Leaf, Calem, and the others today.  They're going to wonder where I've been and honestly I don't know if I have fake answers prepared yet.  But, based off of the agreement that was made for me, I need to have them.  I guess I'll have to think a little harder.  

I head over to the bathroom, and am thankful to find the standard set of toiletries waiting for me; a brand new toothbrush, tube of toothpaste, hairbrush, cream, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and even a small bottle of mouthwash sits on the clean countertop.  Taking as little time as possible, I take a quick shower, brush my teeth, and comb out my hair.  I then go back into the main part of the room and slip on the dress and my flats.  Almost as if it was cued, when I finish changing there's a quiet knock at my door.  

Feeling a slight bit flustered, I go to open it.  On the other side of the door is a pale-skinned fairy with light green eyes and bleach-blonde hair, which tied into two front braids and left loose in the back.  She wears a midnight-blue layered dress, but when she shift slightly into a different light, I can see the dress explode with ice blue and baby pink, thousands of white speckles lighting up like stars.  She wears a star-shaped necklace to complete her look, which I assume is her fairy Necklace or whatever they're called, and light wings are attached to her back.  They're white, but there are subtle hints of blue tones within them.

"Hello, you must be Valerie, right?" she begins sweetly, sounding a bit soft-spoken.  "My name's Lillie- Her Lightness asked me to escort you to your school today."

"It's nice to meet you," I return politely.  I didn't think I'd be getting an escort, but I guess they're just being secure.  I can't help that.  "I'm almost ready, I was just about to head over to Mallow's for some breakfast before I go."

Lillie clasps her hands together.  "Mind if I come with you?  I haven't had a chance to eat myself yet."

"Not at all!"

I gently shut the door closed behind me as I exit my makeshift room.  If I'm going to be sleeping here for the next couple weeks, I have to at least maintain it.  Lillie waits for me and we both quietly walk over to Mallow's restaurant together.

"What time is it?" I ask her on the way.

She closes her eyes for a second, then replies.  "It's quarter to eight."

That definitely makes sense, because when we approach Mallow's restaurant, the place is virtually empty.  I guess fairies like to sleep in, I think amusedly.  Not that I blame them of course, I'd much rather be sleeping in right now instead of going to school.

As soon as we enter, Lillie lights up when she spots Mallow.  She waves which catches Mallow's attention, and the green-haired fairy smiles.  "Lillie!" she exclaims, almost sounding like an adorable squeal.  Lillie runs up to her and gives Mallow a small peck on her cheek, making both of them blush slightly.  I smile at the exchange.  So cute!

"Did you sleep well, Hun?" Mallow asks Lillie, sounding concerned.

Lillie smiles back.  "Never better."  She looks back at me, and suddenly I feel like I'm a third wheel.  "Valerie, maybe you should get that breakfast of yours."

"I don't mean to intrude," I protest, but come up anyway.

Mallow chuckles.  "This is my restaurant, it's kind of my job to make food.  What would you like this morning?"

I fumble with my fingers; I hate asking for things.  Maybe it's because of my dad, because he always refuses me, but I've never liked asking for favours from others.  It's always left me with a sour feeling in my stomach.  "Um, can I have the pancakes that you made for me yesterday?  Those were really delicious."

The green-haired fairy gives me a hearty smile.  "One order of pancakes, coming right up."  Turning to Lillie, she adds, "I know what you want, Lillie.  My famous breakfast smoothie!"

Lillie appears visibly flustered at this.  "You know me so well, Mallie."

"Naturally.  I wouldn't be doing my job properly if I didn't know my girlfriend's favourite thing to eat- well, drink- for breakfast."

The two share a small laugh together and then Mallow points us to an available table to sit and wait.  It doesn't take long, however, because only after a few minutes pass Mallow brings us my steaming hot meal and Lillie's chilled glass.  I instantly start digging in as Lillie sips at her smoothie, and Mallow retreats back to the kitchen as by now some more fairies have started to arrive.

"This is really good!" I call out to Mallow at an instance when my mouth isn't full.  It's called being respectful, people.  The chef just tosses me a grin and a thumbs-up before she continues with her work.

Lillie and I make some small-talk while we eat, but it doesn't take long for either of us to finish our meals.  Soon after we have our breakfast we leave the eatery, with Lillie giving Mallow a kiss goodbye before she leaves.  We head to the forest where the Light fairy makes a portal for us to go through, the light emitting from it as bright as starlight.  When we exit, I can notably tell that we're in the human world again; for instance, all the trees are the same size, and I can spot various Pokemon running about.

"Let's do something about your height," Lillie says, and after a second I feel a sudden whoosh.  Suddenly, all the trees are a normal height and the now fairy-sized Lillie sits on my shoulder.  It's only been a day and I've already gotten used to being tiny.  Today is going to be so weird, I think, already knowing it to be true.

"Th-Thanks," I mutter to her.  After a small pause, I add, "um, do you know how to get out of this forest?"

I hear Lillie let out a tiny chuckle.  "Yes, I do.  I'll give you directions.  For now, just keep going straight until you spot the giant Sitrus berry tree."

"Okay," I muster, walking through the dense greenery.  There isn't really a clear path here, just lots of trees and bushes that grow overtop of each other.  I try to edge through cleanly, but it's only been a few minutes and my once-combed out hair is already in tangles.

"Sorry," I hear Lillie mutter apologetically.  "It's usually much easier to get through here if you're a fairy."

Somehow this comment makes me smile a bit.  "Yeah, I guess it would," I tell her.  "It's alright though, trust me.  Most of the people at my school ignore the dress code, and do worse stuff.  If my hair's a little scruffy then I'm sure it'll be fine."  Thankfully, I suddenly spot the big berry tree looming in front of us.  "Where do I go now?"

"Just make a left here, and in a few minutes you should be out," Lillie answers.  After a pause, she asks, "What worse stuff?"

I think for a moment, trying to sum it up to her in a way that does not sound concerning.  "Let's just say there's lots of underage drinking, after-school fights, bullying.  That kind of stuff.  No one really attempts to discipline anyone."

"My goodness, that sounds horrible," murmurs the fairy.  "Ash never mentioned any of those things happening when he used to live in Pallet Town."

"Yeah, well times change," I say bluntly.  I instantly wince at myself; perhaps that was a little too blunt.  "I mean, it's not all bad," I try to explain.  "There are still some good people."

Turning my head, I see Lillie smile.  "Of course.  There isn't ever a group of all-bad people, or a group of all-good people.  In every berry tree, you're bound to found some rotten ones, and some delicious ones that you'll want to eat with your Pokemon.  Good on you for seeing the light side of things, Valerie."

There's something insightful about her words that makes me smile on the inside.  "Thanks?" I say, almost in a question-like tone, which causes both of us to laugh.  We carry on having some small-talk for the next couple minutes or so, and soon enough I see a big rolling hill in front of me. 

"This is where I'll have to make my leave unfortunately," Lillie says sadly.  She flies off of my shoulder and hovers in front of my face where I can see her, then points beyond the hill.  "Just go over that, and your town should be on the other side."

"Thank you very much," I tell her earnestly, about to go off before she stops me.

"Just one more thing," she adds, "what time will you be finished your school?"

I think for a moment.  I have a club meeting today, and usually those don't go over-time too much.  I'll have to be extra time-sensitive today.  "I'll be finished around quarter after four.  Where should I meet you?"

"Just come back anywhere in or around the forest, and I'll find you."  There's no mistaking the twinkle in the fairy's eyes as she references her magical abilities.  "Good luck at school today!"

"Thank you," I tell her breathlessly, watching as she flies off back into the forest, her home.  I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as I walk over the giant hills.  A fairy just dropped me off to school... well, sort of.  But I did spend the entirety of yesterday with fairies.  Oh man, how am I supposed to hide this from everyone, especially Calem with those eyes of his I can't lie to?  Okay, I can't really lie to anyone, but I really can't lie to him.  What am I going to do!?

Seriously, someone tell me to stop rambling with myself.  Please.

I try to put all of this out of my mind as I walk up the gently sloped hill, but I can't.  I need to think about this, I think as the sun shines a brilliant ray of light toward my eyes.  I hold my hand up, shielding myself.  Nombles would not like this sun-

I freeze.  Nombles.  I usually bring her to school with me.  With the stress of coming up with a lie to tell my friends and the whole extravaganza that was last night with August, I forgot about her.  I forgot about my own Pokemon.  I let out a huge sigh, hitting myself hard on my forehead.  Stupid!  Oh well, it's only for the day.  She's in her Pokeball, so hopefully she won't be disturbed... oh what am I talking about, she's in the fairy world, she'll be safe there.  Safer than she would be at school anyway.

Running down the other side of the hill, I spot Pallet Town coming up close in front of me.  I wander through the streets, many that I've never walked before, and finally see my school looming in front of me, tall and imposing.  I gulp, then walk to class.

~~~~~~~~~~

I've been pacing outside the club room for the past ten minutes.  I can hear the nine of them in there, discussing amongst themselves where I am.  Well, I'm outside the freaking door.  I couldn't even face them at lunch time because I just really can't lie.

What am I supposed to tell them?  That I found my birth parents yesterday?  That I watched the love of my life dance on stage yesterday?  That I felt so out of place with the fairies yesterday?

Well those are things I'm not supposed to tell them.

"Nothing's going to change," I mutter to myself.  "You can't come up with a lie.  You might as well just go in there and run the meeting as usual."  Thank goodness this school doesn't require teachers to supervise the clubs.  If I spilled that kind of information in front of a teacher, regardless if it was against a fairy-made agreement or not, there would be lots of negative consequences... and not just for me.

Taking a deep breath, I open the door to the not-so-empty classroom.  Instantly, the nine heads in the room whip around toward me.

"Valerie!" Leaf exclaims, making a running start toward me.  She holds me tight in her arms, squeezing me in what she calls a "Best Friend Hug".  "Oh my Arceus you had us so worried."

I know exactly what they're worried about, but I put on a puzzled facade anyway.  "Worried?"

"Your dad last Saturday," Ethan clarifies.  "He basically scared all of us out of the house.  We were so worried that he did something to you, especially when you didn't return any of our texts or calls..."

I couldn't return those because I was with fairies for all of yesterday.

"Yeah, why didn't you return our calls!?" Kris exclaims, crossing her arms.  "You could've saved us all loads of stress."  I internally roll my eyes.  This is what Kris does; she fights emotional topics with hot-headedness. 

Honestly, I don't even know where my phone is- that man probably smashed it to bits.  "I'm sorry, as a punishment he took away my phone," I tell them, trying to sound all innocent, like I wasn't confirming or denying all of our fairy theories yesterday.

"That's unfortunate," Rosa says, sitting on one of the desks.  Hilda sits with her, though in the actual chair.  "He didn't do anything to you though, right?"  Concern laces her tone and I know what she means.  

I'm about to say no, but Nate stops me.  "Come on Valerie, don't lie to us."

That man tried to kill me on Saturday.  "Nothing happened on Saturday, I swear."

I must look shifty or something, because Calem comes up to me and places both of his hands on my shoulders.  He stares at me deep in the eyes and says, "Valerie, you can trust us.  We won't tell a single soul, not even the police if you don't want it."  His hair droops forward the more he leans which now start to cover his face; although his bangs have always been styled to hide part of his face.  I've never questioned it- I've seen weirder stuff.  Maybe he's just self-conscious.  I can't judge him for whatever he could be hiding underneath his hair.

I look away.  I want him out of my life.  "I kinda need him to give me food and shelter and that sorta stuff, so I need him to not get arrested," I try to joke.  When no one laughs- understandably so- I sigh.  "Can we please just start today's meeting?"

"Absolutely," Hilbert says, opening up our club notebook on his tablet.  Oh right, I need to go pick mine up quickly after this club meeting finishes.  I hope I remember.  We all gather around and the student recites the theories we came up with at our last meeting, the one on Friday.  

Only instead of actually listening, I'm just listing them off as correct or incorrect in my head, and surprise surprise a lot of them are wrong.  Of course they are.  When you get a lot of your information from satirical news sources, it's bound to happen- but when there's little to no information on your topic, where are you supposed to turn to?

When Hilbert finishes speaking, I speak up.  Even though I'm the technical leader of this club, the ten of us are basically equals.  We're more than club members, more than a friend group, we're family and family is always equal.  "Thanks for the recap.  Did anything find anything new over the weekend?"  I mean, I did, but could I tell you guys that?  No.

"I might've found something," Leaf says, speaking up.  "Red showed me this article he found yesterday.  He thinks it could be interesting- yes, I know he doesn't find this stuff as interesting as we do, but he tries."  Her eyes twinkle as she talks about her boyfriend, and we all, on cue, roll our eyes fondly at Leaf.  This girl is literally so in-love it's hard to watch sometimes, even though she and Red are probably the cutest couple I've ever seen.  It's always been a bit hard for Leaf, because since Red is the Champion of the Kanto region, he's always busy and doesn't attend school because of his job.  But, that doesn't stop him from making her happy.  As long as he makes my bestie happy, then I'm happy.  The moment he does something wrong... well, it's off with his head.

Leaf begins talking about the article that her boyfriend showed her, but I can't stop thinking about the lie that I'm supposed to keep up.  The fairies never really did tell me what they'd do if I accidentally got information about them out to the public.  Would they execute me?  Maybe execute the people I'd told?  What if everyone ends up knowing?  Would they kill the entire-

"Valerie, you alright?" Calem asks suddenly, causing everyone to shift their attention from Leaf to me.  "You look a little pale."

Oh I'm fine Calem, it's just that I spent the day with fairies yesterday.  I'm living with them now for protection against that man, and in two years time I'm supposed to return because I'm going to be a fairy myself.  Oh, and did I mention I met my birth parents yesterday, who are also fairies?

Nine blank stares meet mine.  "You what?" Calem asks, and I gape at him.  Oh crap, I said that out loud.  CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP-

"Hold the freaking phone," Kris shouts, "YOU SPENT THE DAY WITH FAIRIES YESTERDAY!?  REAL FAIRIES!?"

"HOW!?" Leaf exclaims, joining on the shouting train.  I sigh.  Curse my dumb self for not being able to lie.  Can Heliux and Layra lie?  They both seem like they can.  Maybe their parents couldn't lie?  Or maybe I'm just an idiot because lying can't possibly be genetic, can it?

"Guys, hold on and let Valerie explain," Brendan says calmly, and I want to hug him for being the only calm one here.  "Maybe it's just a weird dream she had.  A drunk-dream- if those exist, because I did not have anything to drink on Saturday so I wouldn't know."

I didn't either, I think but I'm not about to say that out loud because Brendan, bless his heart, just gave me an alibi.  "Yeah, it must've been that.  It seemed so real though."

Unfortunately for me, my friends are all very smart.  Hilda crosses her arms and walks up to me, her large ponytail swaying back and forth behind her as she walks.  "Valerie, you are going to sit your butt down and tell us everything that happened, because this is literally the very thing that we have been working to prove for the last couple years."  A pause.  "Wait, you met your birth parents?"

"I-"

https://youtu.be/g0DbGoAljug

Before I can say anything, the PA system sounds overhead.  "Valerie Skie, please report to the main office.  Valerie Skie, please report to the main office."  The monotone voice then stops and after a beeping noise, the system goes quiet.  Thank Arceus that announcement saved me from my stupid lying abilities... although, why am I being called down to the office?

"Looks like I have to go," I mumble, bursting out of that classroom before my friends bombard me with even more questions.  Well I messed up.  Maybe I even messed up twice because I'm being called down to the office.  At least I know that I am DEFINITELY not telling any of the fairies about this, not even August.

I arrive at the office and quietly open the door to see a lone secretary sitting there filing some papers.  "Hi," I say awkwardly, trying to get her attention.  "I'm Ms. Skie.  You called me?"

She squints up at me.  "Yes, I did.  You appear to have a dentist appointment.  Your father called in and is waiting to pick you up."

Wait, wait what-

"Valerie, are you ready?  You don't want to be late, do you?" 

My heart literally almost stops as I hear that same dreaded voice again.  The voice I didn't want to hear ever again.  I turn ever so slowly around, and I see the same figure standing at that office door, the same figure who tried to hurt and almost kill me.

"Th-There must be a mistake, I don't have a dentist appointment today," I stutter, my nervousness clearly evident in my voice.  I will the secretary to pick up on this but she seems as oblivious as ever.  I know that this man won't try anything in the school, but as soon as he's out of range of sight and sound, he will not hesitate to do something to me.  

I wish he wasn't able to pick me up like this, but because there's nothing on the system that's stopping him, he has free will over me.

"Yes, you do, now stop fussing and let's go," he says, clearly growing impatient.  I gulp.  If there's one thing I learned about this man, it's to never let his patience run out.  I got taught that lesson on Saturday night.  He grips my wrist tightly and coldly, like his hands are a pair of handcuffs I can never escape from.

Turning my clearly fearful- well at least I think it is- gaze to the secretary, I repeat my previous phrase.  "I don't have a dentist appointment today."  I try not to let my voice wobble and stare at her, begging for her to get the message from both my eyes and that man's cold grip on my wrist that I am in danger.

Of course, she is still as oblivious and blind as ever, and she returns my longing gaze with a cold one.  "Young lady, please listen to your father and leave the building.  You are being signed out, and until you're a proper adult your parents make decisions for you.  Leave."

I hang my head in obedience and silently let my father pull me out of the school, and as he does I realize that I am completely defenseless.  Against him, I have no strength, and Nombles isn't even with me.  I gulp, trying to clear my head because my brain definitely needs to be on to deal with this situation, however it doesn't take me long for my thoughts to wander again.  He's carrying a bag on him, I think horrifically.  Oh Arceus, he's going to murder me and use that bag to toss my body in the forest.  Oh my Arceus I'm going to die today.  

I start crying, I can't help it, and start screaming at him to let me go to which he of course refuses.  "I should've done this long ago," he grumbles.  

"Please," I beg him, tugging at my wrist.  "Just tell me how to be better."  I can run a lot faster than he can.  If I can just make it to the forest, I can hide out in there until the fairies come to retrieve me, even if I still have an hour until 4:15 hits.  My heart pounds ridiculously fast- if he doesn't kill me, I'll surely have a heart attack.

He stops walking and, keeping his hand firmly locked onto my wrist, he turns around and gives me a creepy smile.  "Your mother's memory was the only reason I kept you, and even then, she never really loved you.  You know that, don't you?  You're just a waste of space, and, well, I'm doing my job by clearing out trash from this planet.  There is no way that you can be better."

Oh my Arceus it's happening.  "I'm not worthless," I tell him, trying to summon whatever strength that hasn't been consumed by fear.  "I have friends who love me."  And hopefully, a specific fairy who loves me.

"That doesn't make you worth any more," he counters, sliding the humongous bag off of his shoulder.  He fiddles inside it with his remaining hand, and unsurprisingly he pulls out the gun from Saturday night already loaded with ammunition.  I start trembling as he throws me down on the ground, kicking me hard in the stomach with his right foot to pin me down.

"Once you're dead, your body might still be useful for a little while anyway," he says huskily, and I want to throw up at the mere thought of what he is talking about.  I was so dumb.  I never should have asked the fairies to come home.  My fear of change blinded me.  Instead of staying safe with the fairies, now I'm about to die.  Is this karma?

"I'm a kind man," he adds slowly, thrusting his foot harder at me.  I whimper, feeling so pathetic.  I can't do anything.  "Do you have any last words?"

"Go..." the pressure on my stomach makes it hard for me to speak or do anything else for that matter.  I look up at him squarely, and tell him the thing I always wanted to say to him. 

"Go to hell."

The next few moments happen so fast, as if someone had taken a glass of water and spilled it all over this painted scene.

I see a silver star, flying at the speed of light toward me.  A graceful, shining comet that lights up the sky, until it pierces my skin.  I scream as white turns to red, a beautiful crimson flower taking shape on my dress.

Then, the meteor shower begins.  Lots of silver stars, three more to be exact, lodge themselves into different parts of my body.  I scream and cry and silently beg for someone to hear me, for anyone to hear me, but life is cruel.  It hates those who try their hardest because it has so much fun pushing them down.

Everything around me starts to fade to red, then to black as my voice breaks.  All of me is breaking as my life seems to flash before my eyes.  

This is it.

This is the end.

I think about my friends, how they will miss me.  I think about the fairies, how they treated me with such kindness.  Verity and her wittiness.  My supposed parents and their awkward kindness.  August and his...

My eyes widen.

August.

I'll never be able to see him again.

I feel tears again, hot streams full of salt, salt that is supposed to melt away ice but never got to the ice surrounding that man's heart.

Suddenly, I feel something beneath my hand other than the softness of the grass.  In blurry vision I see that man begin to fumble with the bag he brought, but under my hand I see a Pokeball.  Its base is white and its top is blue covered in black netting.  In my last bit of consciousness, my eyes widen.  Nombles?

Silently, and with the last of my strength, I press the button on the device to release the Pokemon.  As a blue light fills the area it catches that man's attention, who promptly brings out the gun to finish the job and put me out of my misery.

Then, almost as sudden as a lightning strike, I see it.  A tiny green Pokemon with blue eyes and fairy wings.  It flies down toward me, in front of me.  I think I recognize it, but I can't at the same time.  The Pokemon engulfs Nombles and I in psychic aura, and before the last silver star makes its mark, I vanish, both physically and spiritually.

My time is up.

My time was up.

I think the words that I never got to tell August, the words that I will never get to tell him.

I love you.

Goodbye.

So the chapter's over.

I did say in the warnings that there would be violence, and just look at the chapter title.

Is Valerie really dead?

Hmm....

I guess you'll have to wait for a later chapter.

Also, my apologies for the delayed update; school was really busy for me but I've finished all of my assignments now.  The next update is going to be scheduled for this upcoming Sunday! :)

Anyway, that's all from me for now.  I hope you enjoyed this chapter (somehow??), and stay tuned for more~!