Draco's Journey

It was the middle of the evening, the students of Azure academy had just returned from a long expedition hours earlier. The hallways were pitched in darkness and the students and faculty who were exhausted from the trip back should be dead asleep at this point, except for one. In the main hallway Draco was kneeling down outside the door to Beauchamp’s office trying to pick the lock. Several minutes had passed with Draco silently cursing at his unsuccessful attempts at unlocking the door.

He had enough of this school; the pointless classes, the idiot merry trainers getting in his way, the crazy bitch who attacked him, and the asshole of a teacher who confiscated his Pokémon. The latter of which was the final straw for Draco. He refused to remain helpless like he was back then.

After waking up from the hospital and hearing from Beauchamp that she took his Pokémon as punishment, Draco had decided to leave this academy. But, before he could leave he needed to get his Pokémon back. He would have broken into Beauchamp’s office and gotten his Pokémon back then and there, however that’s when the stupid mandatory expedition started and Draco was forced to go and endure an almost never-ending nightmare trapped with his fellow annoying students, and was nearly stuck without any weapons to defend himself. Finally, back from the expedition he waited until the other students were asleep, then made his way to Beauchamp office.

After a long struggle with the lockpicking Draco heard a click sound as the door unlocked. He opened the door and entered Beauchamp’s office, pulling out a flashlight and beginning to search for his poke balls that contained his Deino, Charmander, and his newly captured Pineco. If it were just Charmander he wouldn’t have bothered, but Deino was by far his strongest Pokémon, it was the only Pokémon that he could actually rely on as it won him many battles in the past and had been with him since his sister Lucille gave it to him as his first Pokémon on his 11th birthday.

Draco continued to search everywhere in the office for his Pokémon, trying to be as quiet as possible. Finally, he found the three Pokéballs containing his Pokémon in a cabinet. Draco took the balls and placed them in his pocket. ”Now time to get out of here,” Draco thought to himself.

Just then the lights of the office flashed on and Draco immediately turned around expecting to see Beauchamp, but instead of seeing the Vice Principal what stood at the door was the headmistress of the academy and champion of Sinnoh, Cynthia.

”What the hell is she doing here,” Draco thought as they both stared at each other silently.

Cynthia, wearing a serious expression on her face, broke the silence. “What do you think your doing? Breaking into the Vice Principal’s office after school hours is a serious offense.”

Draco then walked up to Cynthia. “So, what are you going to do? Give me detention? Suspend me? I no longer care. I’m leaving this school, I was just here to take back my property before I go.”


Draco stood face to face to the Principal who was standing in front of the door, blocking his way out. “Now please move so I can get out of here.”

Cynthia, still standing in his way, replied. “Don’t think I haven’t heard about that incident with your Charmander and Ms. Berlitz, nor that I wasn’t aware of all the complaints your fellow students issued against you.“

Draco was starting to get annoyed. “Let me out then and you won’t have to hear another complaint about me again.”

Cynthia simply replied “No. You’re free to leave, but your Pokémon will stay here for now.”

“I am LEAVING this school and I am taking MY Pokémon with me. You have no right to confiscate my belongings.”

Cynthia then began to show a slight grin. “Would you want the police to know the kind of training methods your Pokémon are being forced to endure?”

Draco was taken aback at the sudden statement, but replied. “Pokémon get injured all the time, especially the weak ones who continue to fail again and again.”

“They wouldn’t fail you if you took the time to understand, love and encourage them. That is what makes both a trainer and a Pokémon stronger.” Punishing and physically assaulting them isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

Draco was getting more agitated by Cynthia’s criticism. “How I train is none of your business. Just let me out of here. I’ve had enough of this joke of a school, teachers ordering me around, and these annoying classmates.”

Cynthia sighed. “Still trying to isolate yourself. I had hoped that you would start to lose that attitude when I assigned you that path with your fellow classmates, however, its clear you didn’t learn a thing.”

Draco was shocked by that statement. He suspected Cynthia knew about his Pokémon being confiscated when she assigned him to go through the red path with a few other students. However, Draco wasn’t certain that she would fully intend for him to go through that dangerous path without any Pokémon. The though that Beauchamp may have not told her about the incident or the possibility that she did hear about it, but the fact that she had to oversee all the other students, the teachers, the academy, and this trip could have made her forget that he didn’t have a single Pokémon on him when she assigned him in the red path group.

However, her statement just now confirmed his suspicions. She intended for him to be completely unarmed and utterly defenseless. Just like the day where he lost everything. Draco’s blood began to boil with rage. “If you knew about my Pokémon being confiscated then why would you make me go through that challenge a few days ago without any way to defend myself?

“Well you didn’t go in there defenseless. I know you broke Beauchamp’s orders when you captured that Rowlet you brought into the path with you. Though, I do admit I was not aware of this fact at the time I assigned you to go through that challenge."

Draco was a little shocked that Cynthia knew about him capturing that Rowlet when he wasn’t allowed a single ball on him thanks to Naomi. Regaining his composure, Draco replied. “But you did intend for me to go in there without one damn Pokémon. Why?”

“That challenge was supposed to encourage you to rely on others for a change, rather than just yourself.”

“Why does that matter? How is that supposed to make me stronger? Relying on others who are weaker than me like that pathetic girl with the Vuplix you paired me with. Or relying on the strongest person you know and watching them fall in front of you with no way to help them.”

Draco mind flashed back to that day where Lucille fought to protect Draco, she was a great trainer, but she was no match for that monster of a Ninetails who easily defeated her. And Draco just stood there watching it all, clutching his Deino in his arms as it all happened. Unable to help, or even run away. He was absolutely powerless back then.

“Ever since you arrived at my school you have done nothing but shun others and focus on training alone. Just like with your Pokémon you have to work together to become stronger. I wouldn’t have become champion if not for my Pokémon, or the people who supported me. What you’re doing, isolating yourself, punishing your Pokémon for your own faults, is an excuse from someone not worthy to be a trainer.”

“Not worthy to be a TRAINER?!”. Draco yelled back. Out of all the things she said, this one angered Draco the most. He had been training since that day to kill that Ninetails, won many battles and tournaments in Orre, just to be called weak by the Sinnoh League Champion.

“Then let’s battle right now.” Draco said, pulling out his Deino’s poke ball. When Draco first came to the academy he wasn’t sure how strong the Headmistress was, or if the stories about her strength were true. But after witnessing her battle in that expedition match on his first day. all doubt was vanished, he knew she was powerful. Back then Draco had doubts that he could win a fight against her. Right now, he still wasn’t sure that he would win, but he couldn’t let her just say all that time and effort he put into getting stronger was for nothing.

Cynthia stared at Draco for a moment and replied. “I decline. I don’t accept challenges from false trainers like you.”

His anger intensifying, Draco yelled, “TAKE THAT BACK!”

Cynthia replied, “You want me to take that back? Then don’t run away like a coward. Stay here and prove me wrong.”

“How can I prove you wrong without my Pokémon?!” Draco yelled back.

“I’m lifting the suspension off your Pokémon. You are free to take them outside of this office, regardless of if you continue your education here, or if you decide to run off, learning nothing of true strength. But let me be clear, if I see or hear any other problem regarding you mistreating your Pokémon on school grounds again I will be forced to take drastic action.”

They both stood there staring at each other without a word. After a few moments of silence Draco replied, “Fine, I’ll stay.”

Cynthia, still with a serious expression on her face, replied, “Good.” She then moved to the side of the doorway. “Now return to your dorm. It is already well passed school hours.”

Without a word Draco passed Cynthia and walked out of the office, heading back to his dorm room. After getting a few corridors away from Beauchamp’s office Draco muttered to himself. “I’ll stay, but I’m doing this my way.”