#Jacq I'm telling your brother

[ask-directorsada-and-friends]

why does my pichu look more like an onyx i think i have the wrong cyclizar

"... JACQ WHAT HAVE I SAID ABOUT GROWING MARIJUANA WHERE STUDENTS CAN FIND IT?!"

[writingrenna]

Jacq x GN!Reader

"Learn to Love (Pt. 3)"

Jacq orders you to stay in Mesagoza to take a break from training for a while after your accident, which you agree to. He keeps an eye on you and Cap during this period, so you decide to take this chance to get to know Jacq personally.

Tone/Ending: Fairly Relaxed, Jacq is an awkward dork, you're a shy dork

Warnings: I am NOT good at Spanish, I'm so sorry

Continuity: Part 3 of this story, and some lore from "May I Have A Word With You?" returns

Word Count: Slightly more than 7,000

_\V/_

"Hello, hello! How're you feeling today?"

He told you to come join him in the biology classroom while you got breakfast. Saguaro was kind enough to carry your tray for you since it seemed like you could barely stand. You had slept for about 16 hours, but you were mentally exhausted. Not to mention, you somehow got more tired sleeping for so long. But still, you respond.

"Eh, feeling...? At least?"

He smiles, eyes closing in contentment, seemingly satisfied with this response. Cap and Mimi had their own tray, which Saguaro put down first. The two jumped off his shoulder, Mimi excited to hand-feed Cap (who surprisingly didn't seem to mind much). He was certainly lively as usual, but it seemed like something was... off. Like he had mellowed out, having a lot on his mind, operating at a slower pace than usual despite his usual personality burning as bright as ever.

As Saguaro got you settled (he couldn't help but arrange everything on the table for you), you sat down, thanking him with a yawn. He left the two of you alone, Jacq signing some stuff you didn't know as you munched on some toast, half-asleep. It was nice, the only sounds being the children doing who-knows-what outside, the occasional trill of joy from Mimi as her brother ate, and Jacq's pen gliding across those papers of his as he went through them.

You sniff, reaching over to drink from your cup of... whatever you got yourself, you assume you poured something you like. You look up at him as you do so. He's occupied of course, but the moment actually gives you enough willpower to sit back and... observe him. He's concentrating so hard, but there's a softness to his features that tells you he's genuinely engrossed in his work and not simply filling out whatever. It might be some data collected from his students or... something? He doesn't talk about his work all too much aside from Pokémon research or occasionally mentioning the terastal phenomenon.

Watching him purse his lips in contemplation, head tilting back a little as he looks out into space gives you a warm feeling in your core, somewhere between your stomach and chest...

You absent-mindedly point to yourself at said area.

"Hey, Jacq?"

He looks over to you, smiling.

"Yeah?"

"...this is the liver, right?"

He cocks an eyebrow before responding.

"Yes, I believe it is."

"Ah, neat, thanks."

You go back to eating your toast, now a bit more lively than before, as you'd gained the strength to sit up. You start looking out the window, but he notably continues to stare at you, eyebrows now furrowed at your strange question. The soft smile from before still remained, however. He just found the whole interaction vaguely peculiar. When he realized that was really it, he simply shrugged and went back to work.

After finishing the toast, you turn to look at your Pokémon. Mimi was feeding Cap a bit of yogurt, which he seemed neutral towards, but Mimi was simply thrilled he was eating at all. Was he... eating it for her sake...? Huh.

Well, back to your own breakfast you guess. You aren't quite sure why you're here, but he's busy at the moment, and you'd feel bad asking him another question. So, you take out your phone in order to doodle a little while eating. Your current home screen was the generic one, as you only had the time to do a full-on drawing for the lock screen (the image of Mimi blepping would not leave your mind until you did), but you saw no reason that shouldn't change. This time, it'll be of Capsakid, because you wanted to. It was about time you did more than doodles and sketches of him.

This little distraction actually occupies your mind quite well, getting really into it by the time you laid his pose out, which was the hard part. Your first idea... didn't really work out, but your new one was a bit more visually interesting anyway. It wasn't perfect, but you got the idea out there, which was far more important for a piece like this where you were simply doodling your Pokémon in its element. You paint in the sky and decide to make that your stopping point, as once you start adding in the details, you can't stop until you're absolutely satisfied (or give up).

Looking up, you saw Jacq was already looking in your direction, although he wasn't turned to you, just glancing. You wondered if you did anything, but the look was thoughtful, as if he were in the process of having a revelation. You look back down, staring at your drawing before mustering up the courage to say something.

"Hey, sir?"

He seemingly snaps out of it, blinking a few times, shaking his head a little before properly responding.

"Yes? How may I... uh... how may I help you?"

You look up at him, a bit nervously.

"I... I'm almost done, if you had any plans for the day."

He blinks.

"Oh. A-actually, I didn't really have any... specific plans..."

"Really?" You ask, tilting your head.

"Yeah! Honestly, I just wanted to keep an eye on you."

You gasp. You can't help it, but you gasp. He timidly smiles, biting his bottom lip just a little before responding.

"Heh, sorry. I was just really worried last night. I was off today anyway, so I thought, 'Why not!'" He shrugs as he says this. "G-guess I should have- asked first, though..."

You weren't really upset at the action, but something about him deciding to watch you made you feel kinda... small? Young? It was hard to put into words, but you really weren't as upset as he seems to think you are. Plus, any excuse to hang out with him wa- well, scratch that. Most any excuse, some would probably be less welcome. But today, you could finally talk to him for normal, non Capsakid-related reasons.

"Hey, whatever you want, we can do it, sound good?"

You open your mouth to respond, but all that comes out is a short: "AHH-H-"

Your hands immediately shoot up and cover your mouth, mortified. Your Pokémon both chirp to each other in surprise, turning to look at you. Jacq himself actually jumps in his seat a little before raising an eyebrow.

"Woah! You okay there?"

You feverishly nod your head.

"Yeah, just-" you put your head down and whimper.

'What. In the FUCK. Was that?'

You feel the gentle pats of a Pawmo on your head, similar to the first day you got her. She chatters questioningly, basically asking if you're alright. You mumble a little before finally looking up... only to see a baggy stripped shirt in front of you.

"Eee-!"

"Oh! Sorry, just making sure you're all right."

You look up beyond the purple shirt- oh my gods, his shirt collar is so stretched out, does anything he's wearing fit? For some reason, the idea that nothing does is... kinda cute? You cry out a little, overwhelmed by your... overwhelming attraction to him. Why does he have to be a genuinely good guy as well? That doesn't really help in ignoring it.

At this point, he's backed up a bit.

"Ah, I really should have talked to you about this idea beforehand."

'Stop overthinking it and respond...' you say to yourself before clearing your throat, looking back down.

"Yeah, that sounds nice, thank you."

He seems relieved all at once.

"Oh, good! I won't do anything like that again, promise!"

You nod, still not looking up at him. This catches his attention. You don't see his face, but his tone is soft.

"Eh, you don't have to say yes, rea-"

"Nono, please, I do wanna... say yes."

Gods, this was a mess. You sit up, swallowing hard, but you still don't meet his eyes.

"I... don't mind you looking out for me. And yeah, it'd be nice, just... hanging out."

He grins.

"Ah, good! Whatever you want, okay?"

_\V/_

You pull down a book. You had decided to take it easy that day, so Jacq had given you access to the little private area of the entrance hall behind the front desk. You're very interested in a book on prehistoric Pokémon. Jacq himself is looking through a book on terastal energy.

"Hey, I have a weird observation, can you confirm or deny it for me?"

"Oh, sure! I'm all ears."

You turn to a specific page, looking at it instead of him.

"I've noticed, that... Grafaiai's 'prevo' Shroodle is kinda like a basal primate, right? Like instead of fully branching off like other primate Pokémon, it keeps hold of its roots."

"Correct."

"And like, Girafarig usually doesn't evolve in other regions because it's too cumbersome, but it still evolves into Farigiraf here."

"Also true."

"So like..."

You hold the book up a little more, as if studying a specific note.

"I've always kinda wondered, is there something about the environment here that makes it like, a safe haven for Pokémon that go extinct elsewhere?"

He thinks for a moment.

"Huh, that's a very interesting observation, actually. I, uh, I believe they may have never died out because they get all their needs met as-is. It IS a bit of a mystery how Shroodle's been able to hang in there for so long, given their place on the evolutionary family tree, but I believe us having plenty of resources and wide-open spaces kept Farigiraf going strong, and I'm glad it did!"

You nod, trying to think of more examples as you flip through the pages.

"I see, hm..."

Jacq seems a bit antsy, but in an excited sorta way.

"Hey, I didn't know you were into this kind of stuff..."

You momentarily look up from staring at a page about Cetoddle.

"Oh, yeah, heh, I am. Paleontology is neat, and it's double neat how this region seems to be, uh, holding onto these prehistoric Pokémon. Makes me wonder what other ones are out there, y'know? How they... adapt to modern times and all that jazz."

He chuckles, thinking your response over as he leans on the table, propping his head up using his arm.

"Ah, so you were always into Pokémon, eh?" His voice is very charmed, finding this side of you endearing.

"Yeah, they're really interesting to learn about. I dunno why I never caught or trained one before now, though."

He smiles a little.

"Well, you don't need to own any Pokémon... but I'm glad you took a chance on Cap and Mimi."

You can't help but uncontrollably smile. Those two really changed your life, eh? You take a moment to enjoy those fuzzy feelings when suddenly, you recall something else you had sat up at night pondering.

"Oh! I just remembered something!"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Do you think you could find any interesting fossils in the crater?"

Silence. You continue, completely focused on wording it right.

"Like, I know there's a chance any surrounding fossils may have been obliterated on impact, but if you went down and dug in any direction, surely you'd find SOMETHING eventually, right?"

Turning to him, he looks slightly pale as he stares at you, frozen in place.

"Oh! D-did I say something wrong-?"

He shakes his head.

"No, I just... sorry, I was..." he clears his throat. "The crater may be a bit unstable, but it's an interesting thought."

You stare at him. This time, it's him avoiding eye contact, eyes darting away with a worried look on his face. You change topics.

"Well, uh, y'know, that's not ALL I'm interested in. I- actually find speculative evolution to be fascinating, too. I'm no biologist, though. Do you ever wonder how Pokémon will look in the future?"

He still isn't looking at you, but his face becomes somber.

"I... don't know... the future is... unpredictable."

Darn. You feel like the second you mentioned fossils, he checked out of the conversation, and you haven't said anything right since...

"Ah, understandable."

You turn away, putting the book back on the shelf. You hear him shuffle in his seat before saying something.

"Mmm, but uh, we do know about someone who helped us in expanding our Pokémon knowledge over in Sinnoh!"

"Oh?" You perk up a little, turning to him.

"Yeah! I-I don't know if you've ever heard of a Professor Laventon?"

You think for a moment.

"Oh! Oh, wait, didn't he document all those evolutions and regional variants that are basically all extinct? Like Ursaluna or Hisuian Goodra?"

"Yes, him! We uh, were lucky enough to have... found- a really well preserved photograph of him. I scanned it for Raifort to use during her classes, but the actual physical photo is still with me..."

He looks away, then back up to you.

"...you wanna..." His hand flies up to rub the back of his head. "...wanna see?"

He looks at you. His eyes were calm, but you could sense a bit of hope behind them. It would be cool seeing a photograph of THE Professor Laventon, taken when the likes of Basculegion existed...

"Sure!" You smile, emitting a little laugh.

He perks up as well.

"Nice, can't wait to show you!"

_\V/_

The two of you split up, you going back to the classroom as he went somewhere else, as he had to retrieve it first. You do as you're told, humming and drumming on the desk a little as you look around the room. Your mind wanders back to your Pokémon, who were in their Pokéballs strapped to your hip.

A part of you wanted to let them out, but he had already been so accommodating in never telling you to recall them while indoors during this whole process. You knew he didn't really mind all too much, but you still wanted to be considerate of his wishes.

You hear him make his way back from down the hall. He's panting, not that hard, but enough to let you know he had sprinted at some point in his journey. How he managed to do so in sandals would forever elude you. He finally rounded the door, excitement evident on his face as he smiled widely.

"Sorry! I- I keep this book back in my dorm! I didn't want to misplace it while at the library, that's why I sent you back here. Hope you don't mind."

You can't help but chuckle.

"Hey, no worries! Keep that thing safe."

He comes over, pulling up a stool. He's so giddy he kind of fumbles around trying to get to the right page, but when he does...

"Hah, here it is!"

He holds the book up to you. It has a picture of Professor Laventon on one page, along with some notes and a pressed flower on the other. A part of you is wondering what kind of significance the flower holds, but another part of you is too busy just staring at the picture of the professor. For some reason, seeing him sparked some questions in you, questions you were unprepared to untangle. It was lightly existential, but it would be kind of nice to just sit there for a while to think and put things into perspective.

"Hm, anything else in this book?"

His eyes light up.

"Oh! Yeah, lots of stuff. Lemme juuust..."

He turns a page, showing off some pictures of what is labeled "Jubilife Village", as well as a few other pictures and sketches of some old style Pokéballs. After showing you the rest of the pictures, diagrams and notes related to Hisui, he turns it back to himself to flip through the pages, face scrunched up in deep concentration before growing slightly more concerned. He then carefully closes the book, a blank look on his face.

"Huh, thought I had more stuff in this book. Guess not."

You tilt your head. The page dedicated to Laventon seemed to only be about an eighth of the ways in, give or take, and the rest that he showed you barely made a dent. But he did say they 'found' it, maybe the rest was work related.

"Hey, it's okay. We should probably take our Pokémon out for some exercise anyway." You say, eagerly grabbing the Pokéballs from off your belt. He watches this action before looking up at you, breaking out into a grin.

"Sounds good! I have to put this book away, but you can head outside ahead of me if you like."

_\V/_

Jacq had finally come outside, where you were waiting with your two Pokémon. You turn when you hear the large doors open, before shyly looking away.

"Hey!"

"Hello, hello! I'm ready now, have anywhere in mind?"

You think about it. You don't want to leave Mesagoza, but you also want his Pokémon to have enough room to stretch their legs. Turning around to try and jog your memory, you remember a place.

"Eh, um... OH! Maybe that empty area over there?" You ask, pointing slightly east.

"Oh, I know where you're talking about, that little hill next to a tree?"

You nod, hands on your hips.

"Yup! That way, all our Pokémon can run around."

You turn back to him, only to notice he seems to be watching something, lips pursed and nodding in approval as his eyes dart from side to side, head moving ever so slightly. Looking down, you see a tiny Capsakid running past you. Raising your arms up, you balk.

"Cap!? What are y-"

He runs by again. You then realize he's running circles around you. You look up at Jacq, one eyebrow raised as if asking 'w h a t'. He's looking at you with an amused expression on his face.

"Ah, don't worry, Pokémon that are waiting for walks tend to do that. They just kinda... get excited like that."

Huh. Feeling excited for your walk. Noted. It's weird, considering he always ran away from you before.

"It's quite cute seeing him with such a pep in his step, eh?"

You keep watching him. He's chirping, running around with his tongue out and a smile on his face. Mimi is watching, too, tracking his movements with a wide, open-mouth smile. You can't help but chortle.

"Yeah, it is pretty cute."

_\V/_

Cap eventually stopped running circles around you, only to yawn and plop down right where he stood. You picked him up and carried him to your destination. The second you placed him on the grass, however, he stood up and started running around.

"Uhp-"

You watch as he runs off to bother Jacq's Mudsdale, who seemed to take extra care not to squash the little guy, backing up and tilting her head to get a better look at him. He jumps up and chirps, which causes her to snort a little and whip her head around before looking at him again, leaning in slightly more this time. This repeats a few times, each time their delivery changing just a tad bit until Mudsdale huffs in defeat. This prompts Cap to chirp and bite onto one of her dreadlocks, with her allowing him to shimmy his way up and stand on her head, crying out in victory.

You and Jacq had been sitting on the ground, watching the entire interaction. You were sitting up, leaning in to keep an eye on Cap, with him leaning back, balancing on the palms of his hands. You want to say something, but you can't find the words. This doesn't stop you from trying, however.

"...huh..."

You turn to Jacq, who then turns to look at you a second or so later. You give him a playful glare.

"Explain that, professor."

He stares at you before actually starting to laugh a bit, thankfully understanding the joke. Turning his torso and leaning in a bit closer to you, he points toward them using his thumb.

"Hahah, y- you know I can't explain THAT! What!?"

You try to keep the same playful expression, but seeing him like this makes you snort, and then break out into laughter as well. The two of you have a laugh over the bizarre scenario as the Pokémon around you get some well-needed outdoor time. Mimi is even invited over to stand on her head with him, and she reluctantly does, most likely to keep Cap safe, as she holds onto him while Mudsdale carefully sits back up.

You feel confident Mudsdale won't do anything to hurt them, but you still stay alert just in case. You were their trainer, after all. Plus, you weren't exactly over almost...

Huh. You almost lost Cap. That's weird.

You don't want to think about it, this is your day to relax your mind. So, you grab Jacq's hand.

"Huh?"

His head whips down to look at your hand in his, before looking up at you.

"Something up?"

You immediately lose steam, whatever spontaneous idea you had... spontaneously fizzling away. Still, you didn't want to seem like you lost your mind (your plan's the only thing lost here), so you keep holding it. He seems unsure about what you're doing, eyes darting away, then back at your hands. The both of you then abruptly turn to Mudsdale when you hear a loud squeal.

It's Mimi, paws on her cheeks as she stares at you two. Her eyes could perfectly reflect the entire galaxy with how excited she is. Even Cap stares wide-eyed before laughing. It's that same darn mischievous laugh of his.

You could be pondering why Mimi reacted like this. You could also be questioning why Cap's now seemingly on the same page of whatever she's reading here.

But man, it just hit you how much you adore that laugh. How long had it been since you last heard it? Maybe it was just so normal to you that at this point, you stopped noticing it. Either way, it brought a warm smile to your face.

"Ah, he laughs like a Scovillain," Jacq idly said, snapping you out of your thoughts. Turning to him with questioning eyes, he turns to you and takes it as a cue to continue.

"It's pretty normal for evolutions to sound like each other, so no worries there."

He pauses.

"It reminds me, though. Have you considered evolving him soon?"

You frown, furrowing your eyebrows and looking up at Cap.

"Hm, I guess I haven't thought about it lately. Why? Should I?"

Jacq turns to him, too.

"Well, at some point, a Pokémon will become too strong to evolve. Their body will start storing too much energy to safely do it, so you should evolve him before he gets to that point. He... he's getting there, Seed Bomb is a pretty advanced move for a Capsakid. Plus, he'd be able to try some pretty neat ones he can only perform as a Scovillain."

"Hm, I see..." you say, looking down as you think. You want him to live life to the fullest, but you weren't sure just yet. Turning to him, you hesitantly ask something.

"Would... it reset our progress?"

He smiles.

"No, don't worry, he can actually evolve whenever he likes. He'd need a fire stone, but he wouldn't gain any experience from it."

Alright, that sounds good. You make a mental note of that. You remembered the method, but you were worried he'd be extra defiant afterwards. Now, how does one find a fire stone...? You'd look it up later.

"Okay, I think I will when we're done with this whole obedience thing. I dunno, I want a little more time, I guess..."

Despite what happened the day before, you want to be totally in-sync with him. You didn't need to battle a lot like the other students, but when in a pinch, you two had to be on the same page. Mostly for his sake though, you didn't really get into trouble like this before you two met.

He flashes you a toothy smile.

"Sounds good!"

You nod, looking at Cap, who is now trying to get Farigiraf to bend down to his level, probably so he can get up even higher. Mudsdale looks unamused, but Mimi looks terrified, furiously shaking her head 'no' at Farigiraf whenever Cap can't see her. Farigiraf herself seems conflicted.

"Ah. Of course," is all you say to this.

Jacq lets out a breathy laugh, rubbing your hand with his thumb a little without thinking about it. Oh, right, you're still holding hands. It feels kinda nice, though, so you don't bring attention to it, simply looking away to hide your bashful expression.

_\V/_

The two of you parted ways after coming inside, as Jacq had some stuff he needed to tend to. Thankfully, Cap came back unscathed, but he was exhausted. Even Mimi was starting to let out tired little warbles, stretching and yawning as you wrapped up outside time. You decide to let him take a little nap, carrying him inside as Mimi took her usual place on your shoulder, determined to stay awake for whatever reason.

Placing him inside a beanie once you got back to your dorm as a joke, you can't help but find it funny just how tiny he really is. He barely even weighs the thing down, and he fits so comfortably in it. You could easily carry him around in it, but you decide to let him rest in your room, putting the hat on your pillow and letting him basically use it as an oversized sleeping bag. Mimi sits on the bed nearby, watching over him so you can go to the school store for a little supply run.

Coming back, you see Mimi has fallen asleep, too, laying on her stomach as if she just passed out and fell forward on the spot. You huff in amusement, rolling your eyes lovingly at her as you shake your head. She tried her absolute best (even though you really didn't need her to do anything at all), and that's all that mattered. You put your newly acquired items away before making your way to your desk to finish off that drawing from earlier.

You get in the zone, adding some little foreground details before you even know it. You take a second to look at it, before deciding to just let it be, making a mental note to look at it again later with fresher eyes.

It's a nice Sunday evening, sure, but you didn't really have any more ideas on how to pass the time, especially considering your mental exhaustion. You still want to feel productive, however, as you sorta... lost a bit of yourself after catching Cap. It's like you've been so consumed in this stuff, you kinda forgot who you were in the process. Weird, as it's only been a few months. The mind can get stuck in the swing of things pretty quickly, you suppose.

You turn to your Pokémon, who are still fast asleep. You then look around your room, looking over all the little things you put up around the place. So much has changed, and quickly at that. You almost want to cry at how different your life is now.

You now have two Pokémon. You left your home to attend an academy specifically because a little green pepper kept messing with you. You don't know anyone, and you only really talk to your teacher because Capsakid makes it easy. And now... of course you become infatuated with the only person you consistently interact with outside of class. He's cute and he doesn't judge you. That's all it really takes for you sometimes...

Blech. Stuck in your own head again. You need a distraction, and FAST. But you don't want to leave your Pokémon here alone, so you resign yourself to scrolling endlessly through your phone, at least for a little while.

_\V/_

Clubs...?

You honestly, legitimately forgot there were clubs. You were here to do one thing, so any deviation wasn't considered when enrolling. You (usually) preferred alone time anyway, but checking it out didn't seem too bad. You see one that was "come as you please" by default, as in, no members, just getting together as a group if you want to do... whatever. You decide to go to that one, loosely grabbing the beanie's brim and holding Mimi in the crook of your arm where she curls up, unconsciously getting ready for the ride.

When you get there, there's a group of people of different ages around the room. Some were in front of the TV on the opposite side of room, speculating amongst themselves about the show that was on. Some others were drawing and writing together at a high table next to the door, seemingly working on a project despite how dark it was. You couldn't tell what else was going on before the group leader approached you. Speaking in a hushed tone, they warmly greet you.

"Ah, welcome! First time around these parts?"

You nod somewhat shyly, looking down and to the side after your eyes dart away from theirs. They nod back.

"Ah, I see. Well, make yourself comfortable. You came in on a great day, tonight's theme is "Chill Hangout at Home." So uh, pretend you're at a friend's house!"

You nod, although you're not sure what would be appropriate. Looking around, you see more people. Some were playing boardgames. Some were sitting around a small play tent as their friend told stories inside, holding a flashlight and laughing maniacally. Some were seemingly sharing music with each other... it looks like everyone's grouped-up. Man, it's already sorta awkward-

"'Scuse me, comin' through!"

You jump, moving to the side as a kid riding a Skiddo comes in, holding a bag of some sort.

"We got more snacks!"

The group leader beams at them.

"Geráneo, Glade, welcome back! Let's go see your haul!"

The three of them make their way further into the classroom, leaving you alone with just yourself and your Pokémon. Looking down, you notice Mimi is starting to wake up. Conscious, but not making a move yet. Cap is still snoozing soundly, however. You walk towards the TV, only to spot an empty pet bed in front of the couch. You decide to set them both down in it, but you're unsure if that means you should sit with the anime kids or not. It makes sense, sticking next to your Pokémon, but you're not sure what it is they're watching. They seem to be talking about the very specific arc currently going on as well, which means you might make a fool of yourself commenting on anything and being wrong.

You sigh. Only one of them is physically on the couch. The rest were sitting around it, so you carefully make your way over to sit down, awkwardly shuffling between some of them to get there.

"Eh, sorry... just gonna... sit. Apologies..."

You do as you said you would. The guy on the couch glances at you before going back to watching the show, but otherwise, nothing embarrassing happened. You put Cap in the bed before looking down at Mimi, who simply stretches in your arms. Smiling, you stroke her back before looking up to try and figure out at least the loose plot of the show.

_\V/_

...you... have never been so confused. You can't help but whisper under your breath when you struggle to remember a character that was mentioned.

"...Melanie...?"

The guy leans in.

"Maroon hair, bob haircut, owns a female Hippopotas and a Pawniard."

He then casually sits back up. He didn't even take his eyes off the screen while he told you, and you can't help but smile a little at that. Maroon-haired Melanie, got it. The show seemed interesting so far, you think you last saw Melanie in a dark, grungy city making a deal with someone, but you weren't sure what the context was. Her Hippopotas didn't seem to trust the guy, seemingly ready to fight, but Melanie herself looked confident. Both her and the guy did, actually, as if this were just a regular occurrence for them.

Were you... actually kinda into the show already? You didn't remember the exact name, something about order? And you don't even really know who the main character is, but you'd like to pick the show up sometime. It's got you hooked! You can't help but wonder, though. Would Jacq know what this show is...?

You lift up your phone, opening the camera, waiting for the right moment. The scene is on three members of the main group (according to the intro, you think) in a sunny field, obviously far away from the deal makers. The shot settles on one of the group members. It's of them holding a finger up as they say something with a stern yet reassuring tone, occasionally wagging said finger. The tiny Ekans draped over their shoulders is looking somewhat sad as it listens to them. Perfect.

After snapping the picture, you shoot him a text.

[Hey, can I ask you something?]>

You look back up. It seems like this character is trying to keep the boys calm as the deal is going down, but the two are kind of losing it. You still can't tell what the context is (who is Warden? You have a feeling that answer would require a MASSIVE rewind.) It didn't really matter, though. You were here to pass the time and maybe find some stuff to do outside of class.

Your phone vibrates. That was faster than you expected, but you're grateful nonetheless.

<[Sure thing! Ask away.]

You attach the image and start typing.

[Watching this show in a club, the last episode was halfway through when I got here. You know what it's called?]>

He reads it right away before starting to reply just as quickly.

<[Oh, yeah, that's "Ode to Order"! It's, well, complicated. But it's pretty fun!]

Vague description, but helpful answer.

[Thanks! I might actually watch it in my freetime, seems cool]>

For some reason, the fact that he responds again catches you off-guard.

<[I recommend it! Fun fact, I have the entire series on VHS, it came as a box set 📼]

Hm. He uses emojis? That tickles you for some reason. You respond with one yourself to mirror his tone.

[Oh really? Interesting, you do seem like the VHS type... 🤔]>

Fuck, was that too much?? Apparently, it wasn't to him.

<[Hah! Yeah, I used to collect them all the time. My most recent addition was sometime last month, actually!]

Your stomach does a flip in your... stomach... cavity? Wherever it is, you felt all those Vivillon flapping their wings, getting some exercise. He's actually so cool?? Why didn't you talk to him like this before? Now you feel like "panicked trainer" you missed out...

[That's neat! Collectors and the like have always fascinated me, how many do you have?]>

He responds again.

<[Oh boy, that sure is hard to gauge. Come back to me in like, a month for an accurate answer 😅/j]

Oh! Tone tags, too? You feel like you're starting to really know him, which is a thought you immediately brush off because he is your TEACHER-

[Understandable 😂]>

You get an idea. Feeling bold, you shoot him a double text.

[Oh! Weird question, got any drawing ideas for me?]>

It takes him a moment, but he replies.

<[Like for you to draw?]

[Yup!]>

<[Oh!]

You assume he sent that last text to let you know he wasn't ignoring you, because he didn't respond right away. He did after a brief pause in responses, however.

<[Not sure, maybe an Arcanine? Low on ideas at the moment, sorry.]

Oof, you feel worse than you probably should...

[No, don't apologize! Arcanine definitely works!]>

You see he starts to respond, but then he stops typing and doesn't continue for whatever reason. You decide to let the conversation end, but not before reassuring him one last time.

[I'll probably do that next, so get ready 😈]>

He seems confused by your response, as he replies with:

<[Is that a bad thing?]

Hah.

[Oh, no worries, just hyping it up]>

<[I see. Well, then! Looking forward to it? 😯]

You laugh to yourself at his bewilderment, before sending a simple "good". This honestly felt like you were being shown his intricacies up-close. It was nice, like seeing him in more detail.

Oh Gods, don't say it like that, brain...

Looking back up at the show, the trio in the field are all yelling at some people who are also featured in the intro, who you assume are some more antagonists other than Warden. You use this absolute lack of context as your chance to take a restroom break, leaving Mimi and Cap in the pet bed after telling her you'd be right back.

It wasn't long, but it wasn't super quick either due to how far away it is. When you get back, the group leader was at the door.

"Oh, hello there! Um, your Pokémon, I think they went looking for you!"

What?

"Why?"

"Your Capsakid woke up and started crying, I guess he thought you left them. I tried to comfort him, but after I thought they calmed down, I got a bit too occupied with something. I didn't notice they left until they were already gone, I'm sorry!"

...crying...?

Your heart dropped at this, but outwardly, you simply nod.

"No, I'm sorry. I, uh, might've forgotten to tell her where I... actually went... she must've gotten up to help him try to find me. Sometimes she leads him to me when he's up to something."

The kid from earlier approaches. Geráneo- you believe?

"No worries, I can help you look, Glade is GREAT at finding grass types."

You nod before turning around.

"Okay, thank you! They probably went back to my dorm, but I don't think they know this area of the school very well."

Geráneo nods before mounting the Skiddo.

"¡Arre, chico! Find that pepper!"

The Skiddo happily levades, bleating before taking off with Geráneo in tow. The group leader calls out to them.

"Don't go nuts, ya hear me!?"

You're very much caught off-guard, but you go with it.

"Wha- wait!"

You follow the best you can as Skiddo gallops and jumps around, seemingly following Cap's path. His movements are coordinated, yet jerky, as if Cap was wildly running throughout the school. Sounds about right.

At one point, he goes down a random hallway for a few feet before turning and running back out to the main hallway. He then bleats and hops up before booking it down the main hallway for a bit. You follow, bewildered, before the goat skids to an abrupt stop, almost drifting like a motorbike.

"Woooah, hey, careful there! You can't ride Skiddo indoors!"

Jacq?

Geráneo seemingly ignores this in favor of completing the task. Hopping off, he bows.

"I believe you'll find your buddies in there."

Geráneo holds an arm out to the side toward the biology room, where you didn't even realize you ended up. Skiddo proudly sits next to him with his head held high. You thank the two, bowing in return as they walked right back from where you came from towards their club. You then poke your head in, only to see Cap standing on Jacq's desk, obviously distraught over something when he spots you.

He chirps loudly, hopping down and running to you, immediately rubbing his head on your leg before looking up, crying out. You're honestly stunned, unsure of what to do other than pick the little guy up. Jacq walks over towards the two of you, smiling wide.

"I'm so glad you found them, your Pokémon came running in here like they were lost!"

You nod, staring at the little pepper, who just seemed relieved to be seeing you again. Pawmo had since come over, tenderly hugging your leg. She knew you were ok, but it was probably stressful for her, too.

"Wha- what happened, guy?" you ask the kid as he stares into your eyes. He quietly chatters before falling silent again. His eyes seem... soft, almost. Isn't this how a Pokémon looks at an owner they...?

"...I don't know what I'm doing," you abruptly say, holding Cap close to your heart.

Jacq raises an eyebrow, confused.

"In what regard?"

You shrug, chuckling just a little.

"I dunno... I don't even know what I don't know, honestly..."

You had finally realized why this journey was so frustrating. It wasn't Cap (a revelation that relieved you), it was not knowing what obstacles would be in your way before you got to them. You had to basically jump into every situation blind. You certainly had a lot more progress since joining the academy, however.

You sigh. Then you lower Cap a little bit, getting another look at him. He looked so sweet, so innocent, so full of joy. You then looked a bit further down at Mimi, who responded by chirping at you. You bend down, careful not to drop Cap as you lift Mimi up to hold them both. Your babies. Your pride and joys.

"...I'll do the best I can, for the two of you. Well, for us, really."

The two of them chirp in unison, Cap letting out some quick little chatters as Mimi warbles out a happy little squeak. Basking in the glow of the moment, you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. However, the moment ends when you suddenly remember Jacq was there. Looking up, he appeared to be looking through some papers in his hands, expression somewhat thoughtful. He glances at you before sitting straight up and smiling. It seemed like he was giving you your space.

How sweet...

"Thank you, Jacq. Really. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you!"

His smile turns wobbly, face turning a shade of pink as his eyes dart away from you. His hand shoots up to rub the back of his neck as he folds his other arm behind his back, still holding the papers.

"Hehe, don't worry! I'm more than happy to h-help!"

He had to force the last word out, you saw him physically hesitate and jerk a bit to finish as if the word got caught in his throat. Interesting. You pretend you didn't notice, instead walking a little closer, avoiding eye contact as well.

"I, uh, think I'm gonna... um... I- I had a point, I swear-"

He chuckles a little.

"Oh yeah, happens to the best of us. Don't sweat it!"

You smile. Things being so different could offer a newer, better normal for you. You can tell just being with these three that you were happier than you'd ever been before.

_\V/_

A/N

I already warned you, but I think I need to apologize for if the Spanish Geráneo spoke was bad... in my Kofu fanfic, I used Portuguese for that expy, and since my best friend is Portuguese, I was able to ask him to translate for me. But since Geráneo is Spanish, I wanted to translate it myself since I know that despite their similarities, about 10% of their language is different, so I specifically translated the words "giddy up" and "boy". I uh... don't know if the sentence structure was correct, so PLEASE let me know if I was wrong!! I promise I'll learn more and find someone to translate in the future!

This is probably the chapter that was the least planned ahead, but that's because I massively changed one particular scene. The one where you find Cap after he runs off to be comforted by Jacq after his nightmare was supposed to have you think "if you can't even come to me when you have a nightmare, then why are you even my Pokémon?" or something like that. It made sense to me. You're still shaken up about the whole ordeal (which I tackle in the next part), and one scary moment won't radically change your dynamic like that. I wanted to add more turmoil, and him STILL not looking up to you would trigger something in you, even if you later admit it was the exact wrong way to think about it. He went through something traumatic, you can't control what he needs to cope, and you can't force him to come to you! But like... I couldn't do it, at least not like that. I changed it at the very last second to be you realizing he really wants you around instead of taking it as him prefering Jacq (he was always going to be relieved you came back, it was him seemingly turning to someone else first that made you upset. The scene was going to be longer as a result). Now you have a calm moment of reflection with them for really the first time in the story. You're more aware of what's bothering you inside, and you're able to articulate it in a way that kickstarts the final stretch of you gaining Cap's respect on the battlefield

Also, that club scene is connected to my Clavell fanfic. Baby Wrangler Expy, Geráneo, and Skiddo return! Hooray! Those scenes actually came out better than I thought because I like the vibes going on, lmao. It isn't perfect, but the "awkward vibes where you slowly grow used to it and also Geráneo is shown to be improving/enjoying life with Skiddo" vibes are N O I C E. Would I rewrite it if given a chance? Yes, but mostly because I didn't really plan the meat of the club scene before jumping in. But all the story beats are OK other than maybe the group leader not handling Cap and Mimi leaving in the best way, lmao. I imagine Mimi acting like the big sister she is, but still. The scene played out SO DIFFERENTLY when it was you almost giving up on him that a chill "they left to go find you" is really all I could think of when improvising

Also, YES, this takes place long enough down the timeline that Geráneo is a student, so uhhh... 4 years after the events of the game? Which I imagine takes place in mid-late 2022? Since the Clavell fic is 3 years post-game. So this story takes place in like summer/autumn of 2026. Keep that year in mind 😉

The cutest part/finale for this story coming next, gamers. Then I can finally start a SEQUEL, BAY-BEEEE, YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS OVER, BUT IT AIN'T

That's why I'm opening requests, lmao. I can write my weird grand narrative with lore and Jacq fluff/angst and you get the content you want in-between chapters