Grim gulps and feels doubt if Cystal's plan might work or not. "Crystal... is this plan of yours really gonna work? I'm sca— I mean, I'm a little... uh, hungry."

"There's nothing wrong with admitting the truth, Grim." She patted his head. "Then let's brace for the worse and I have plan B in my mind."

"Heh heh. That's certainly not gonna help!" Ace pats Crystal's shoulder. "Keep it loose and keep it lively. Let's do this!"

"Luxray, you ready?" The gleam eyes Pokemon nodded his head and was ready to face it.

———————————————————

"H-hey, monster! I'm uh... I-I'm over here!" Grim called the ink monster out.

The ink monster finally showed up out of the mine. "Grrrraaaawwrrr! BEGOOOONE!"

Grim squeaks in shock. "He's comin' our way! Crystal!"

The black-haired girl nodded her head. "I know. Over here! We're here!"

"Grrugh? Thieeef thiiis waaaay toooo... neeeevvva giiive stoooones! Neeevvaaa!" The ink monster roared and tried to punch them.

Crystal immediately grabs Grim and dodges it. "Eep! If it lands one of those punches, we're toast."

"We need to lure him as far from the cave as we can." Crystal informed him.

"Begooone! BEGOOONE!" The ink monster roared.

"Fly faster, Crystal!" Grim urged the black-haired girl to fly.

"I am—" She dodges the attack and flies fast.

"We got him a good distance away from the mine!" Grim sees the exit.

"Now's our chance!" Crystal yelled.

"You bet. I got this!" Ace showed up. "One extra-large gust of wind, comin' up!" He casts a spell to attack the ink monster.

"With a side of Grim's blazin' -hot fire! Myaah!" Grim joins in to summon his blue flames.

"Grrraaahhh!?" The ink monster groaned in pain at three powerful attacks.

"How's that taste!? With my winds fanning them, even Grim's feeble flames can become an inferno!" Ace exclaimed happily.

Grim gets insulted by his remarks. "Whaddaya mean feeble!? Ya really don't know how to shut yer mouth, do ya?" He asked angrily.

Yuu joins in and notices the ink monster is scared of the flames. "Look! The monster's afraid of our flaming tornado!" He pointed out.

———————————————————

Deuce exhales and tries to focus his magic. "Just stay calm, aim carefully... and pull out the biggest, heaviest thing I can think of..." He muttered while Aileen and Ophelia stared at him. "Get 'em, cauldron!" He summons his cauldron.

It slams the ink monster hard. Grim cheered happily. "Nailed it! The plan's workin'! Look, Crystal! That monster got smashed flat by a falling cauldron, just like Ace did!"

"Eh? Ace got slammed by the cauldron?" Crystal asked with a surprised look on her face then nodded. "It's karma for him."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Ace stared at the black-haired girl with a disbelief look before he shook his head. "Coulda done without the reminder, thanks! This has been one drag after another."

"Quick! While it's distracted, we need to get that magestone!" Deuce informed them.

"Luxray thundershock!" Crystal commands while attacking the ink monster. "Aileen, Ace, Deuce, Grim and Ophelia go now! While we're distracting the monster!"

"Let's go!" Aileen grabs her hands as they go back inside the mine.

The monster notices they're going to get the stone and it angers it more. "Waaait! Noooo!"

"Not on my watch!" Crystal jumps high and raises her right leg up. "Axel kick!" She slammed the ink monster hard.

———————————————————

Ophelia gasps to see the beautiful rainbow magestone in front of them. "That's the magestone that Crowley describes it for us."

"Doooooon't tooooooouch thaaaaaat!" The ink monster roared and Aileen immediately used her power to push back the monster away from them.

"We need to get it fast before it could catch us first." The blue-haired girl warned the blonde girl.

"Hey, Deuce! You gotta add more weight!" Grim asked while helping Luxray to attack it.

"Y-you mean something heavier?" Deuce stuttered nervously. "Uh... I summon thee, cauldron!" Crystal dodges the cauldron before it can land on her. "And also, uh... um... another cauldron! And a cauldron on top of that! All the cauldron!" He summons a few cauldrons to land a hit on the ink monster.

"Nnngaaaah!" The ink monster roared in pain.

"Is that the only thing you know how to summon!?" Ace couldn't help but ask the dark navy blue-haired boy.

"Pipe down already! I'm worked up enough as it is!" Deuce retorted back.

"Greninja, use water shuriken!" Aileen summons her ninja Pokemon.

"Ninja!" Greninja summons water shuriken to attack the ink monster.

Ophelia uses her psychic and manages to get the stone. "I got it! We need to leave now!"

"Let's go!" Ace yelled as all of them were running.

"MYYY STOOONEEE!" It roared.

Ophelia: Who's that Pokemon?

———————————————————

"Use leafage, Sprigatito!" The grass cat Pokemon gathers his moves before attacking the ink monster. "You guys got it!" Yuu was relieved they managed to find the magestone while he, Crystal and the Pokemon were trying to distract the ink monster.

"Are you kiddin' me!? It's still coming! It pushed off all that weight and it's still fighting!" Ace exclaimed.

"Ooooogh! Giiive it baaaack...!" The ink monster yelled.

"We need to leave now! Boys ride on Luxray's back quick!" Crystal ordered them and they immediately rode on Luxray's back. "Let's go!"

"What about Aileen?" Deuce asked worriedly.

"I got her." She lifts Aileen while flying.

The ink monster couldn't stop chasing them until it got the magestone back. Deuce looks back to see it runs faster.

"It's too fast! It's about to catch us!" The dark navy blue-haired.

"Apart from that— it's getting weaker." Ophelia pointed out its move is getting a bit weaker.

"Aw, fine! Let's just smash the thing. Try not to wet yourself, Deucey!" Ace warned Deuce.

"Same to you Ace!" Deuce retorted back.

"I'm gonna show ya why they call me Grim the Great!" Grim exclaimed.

Yuu noticed the crack is getting big. "I know! Grim, on my signal use your flames and Ophelia use your psychic powers to combine with his flames!"

"Got it!" Ophelia nodded her head and waited for Grim's flames.

"Now! Straight on, Grim!" He yelled at the grey cat.

"Myah!" Grim blows his strongest flames.

Ophelia's eyes glowed as it shot psychic powers combining Grim's flame. They combine together and hit the ink monster's head.

"Nooo!" Crying out its last words before it is destroyed.

Luxray stops running and Crystal lowers Aileen down. All of them watched where the ink monster got destroyed. Ophelia heard the last words coming from her head saying thank you which made the blonde girl smile sadly.

"You're now in peace, whoever you are." Ophelia whispered under her breath. She finally understands where the negative emotions came from. It came from the dwarf and became the ink monster. It was driven by its negative feelings and caused it to transform. The blonde girl knew the only way to save it was to destroy it so it would be at peace.

"Is it... over?" Ace asked and got off Luxray's back. He didn't expect Ophelia can shoot lasers with her psychic powers through the eyes.

"I think... we won? I think we did it!" Grim cheered happily as they defeated the ink monster.

"Greninja (Look at them.)" Greninja smirked in amusement behind his pink tongue around its neck. He and the other Pokemon heard everything and it amazed him they were working together as a team.

"All right!"

"Woohoo!"

Ace and Deuce are cheering happily while Yuu shakes his head in amusement. "They used to be each other's throat and now look at them." The black-haired boy commented.

"They bond so well in a short amount of time." Crystal pointed and chuckled in amusement.

"Gimme a victory high-five!" Grim raises his paw.

"Yay!" The boys except Yuu are high-fiving each other.

"Aww... that was a really beautiful sight to see~" Ophelia cooed and Aileen snickered behind her hand.

Crystal shook her head. "We're all really good friends." She smiles softly at them.

"Uh!" Deuce flinched in shock. "I don't think that had anything to do with it!" He protests the idea of being friends with Ace.

"Yeah! Spare us the cliches, Crystal!" Ace exclaimed giving Crystal a pointed look.

"Might as well we pretend we didn't see you guys are high-fiving." Yuu commented with a smirk while crossing his arms.

"There's no together here! We won 'cause of me!" Grim protests and huffs. "This is all from me bein' a magical genius."

"Greninja nin nin (Tone down that ego of yours, will you?)" Greninja shook his head.

"Luxray lux lu (I highly doubt it will happen.)" Luxray pointed out and the ninja Pokemon nodded his head.

"I HEARD THAT YOU TWO!" Grim glares at them both in annoyance for ganging him up.

"Y'know... I hate to admit it, but..." Ace scratches his head. "We mostly won because of your plan."

Deuce nodded his head. "Yeah... if you hadn't managed to keep your cool and tell us all what to do, we would never have got this magestone. Now I won't get expelled. And wow, is THAT a relief!" Sighing in relief.

Crystal shook her head. "We won because we all worked together. Without you guys, I could've used to plan B."

"What plan B are you going to use, Crystal?" Yuu asked the black-haired girl while hugging Sprigatito.

"I can ask Lucario and Aegislash to stay put with Ace, Deuce and Grim." Crystal answered. "While the four of us are going to retrieve the magestone or keep the monster. But I'm glad our first plan ended well."

Deuce blinks his eyes and realizes something. "Ophelia, weren't you in pain a few hours ago when we bumped that thing?"

"I was." Ophelia nodded her head. "I felt strong negative emotions from the monster and I tried to block it. Luckily we managed to defeat it." She leaves the part of saving its life.

"You're not having headaches anymore?" He asked worriedly.

"Nope~ I'm good!" She gives him a thumbs up.

"Can't we just go home already? I'm wiped." Ace whined and using a lot of magic drained him.

Grim groaned while his stomach grumbled. "Usin' all that magic made me hungry!" He sniffs and smells something. "Huh? What's this?"

They see the black stone in front of them. "Is that a part of the monster we just beat?" Deuce asked curiously. "It looks like... a magestone? But it's black as coal! I've never seen one like that before." He examined it closely.

The grey cat sniffs more. "What IS this? It smells amazing!" He stares at the black stone.

"Are you insane?" Ace stares at Grim with a disbelief look.

"Maybe be some kinda fancy monster candy that it was hidin' from us! If this tastes half as good as it smells..." Grim grinned widely. "Thanks for the food!" He chomps the black stone and they all yell in shock.

"GRIM!" Yuu kneels down and slaps his back hard. "Bad Meowth! Spit it out!" He didn't expect Grim would eat the black stone.

"Myaah!" He's choking and Yuu pats his back hard to spit the object out.

"Are you okay!?" Deuce asked worriedly.

"That's what you get for eating trash!" Ace commented and sighed heavily.

"That's a bit dangerous to eat an unknown object." Crystal pointed out and looked worried. "Not even our Pokemon would be able to eat it."

"Oooogh..." Yuu stops slapping his back hard. "Urrggh.." Grim's shaking before smiling widely. "That... was AMAZING!" His eyes twinkle in amazement.

"WHAT!?" Ace and Deuce asked in sync.

"Rich in flavor and full-bodied... like sweet, fragrant flowers burstin' into bloom on my tongue." Grim explained the stone he ate. "A whole field of 'em! Right in my mouth!"

"His vocabulary changes when it comes to food." Yuu commented with a surprised look on his face.

"I guess his strong point is to criticize the food after tasting it." Ophelia commented while laughing in amusement.

"Gross!" Ace fake gagged. "Monsters must have real weird taste." Greninja and Luxray are offended as they glare at the orange-haired boy. "I mean— some monsters!" It makes them glare more. "I'm sorry!" He cried and hid behind Crystal's back.

"They're called Pokemon, remember that." Crystal corrected him.

"You might be onto something there..." Deuce nodded his head at Ace's words. "Most humans don't take random stuff they find on the ground and just pop it into their mouths."

Yuu is staring at Grim worriedly. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"Myah hahaha! Man, that was great!" Grim cheered happily. "Don't worry about me. I don't get a weak stomach like you humans do." He assured them.

"Hmph." Ace scoffs. "We'll see if you're so smug when you're sick later tonight."

"Maa, maa~!" Ophelia waves it off. "If he does, we have our own personal Doctor here!" She points at Aileen happily. "Aileen is officially licensed Pokemon Doctor back in our world and I'm sure she would take care of Grim."

"You do know that Grim isn't a Pokemon, Ophie." Aileen commented bluntly before looking at Grim. "Even though he's different species I can at least help him."

"Who knew? You're a doctor at a very young age, Aileen?" Deuce couldn't help but be amazed at Aileen's achievements. "We need to get this magestone to the headmage!"

Ophelia: It's Greninja!

Greninja: Greninja!

———————————————————

"Pardon!? You're telling me you actually went to the Dwarfs' Mine in search of a magestone?" Crowley looks at them with a surprised look.

They handed over the magestone to the headmage but he looked surprised to see them having it.

"Uh...? Yes?" Ace, Deuce and Grim answered.

"I didn't expect that you'd seriously do it." He already signed the paperwork for their expulsion and assumed they would never retrieve the magestone. "And never in my wildest imaginings did I think you would actually return with a magestone." It's a miracle they're working together knowing his students would prefer to do it individually. "And here I spent all evening preparing your expulsions documents."

"He really has a lack of faith." Yuu commented and stared at him with a deadpan look.

Grim hissed in anger. "Are you serious!? While we were fightin' some crazy monster for you, you were expelling us!?" He complained.

"Monster?" He blinks his eyes.

"Yeah." Ace nodded his head. "Yeah. There was a monster, all right. A big, nasty one. It nearly killed us!"

"Would you kindly relate this story in full?" Crowley asked with his rare serious look. He didn't expect a monster exist in Dwarfs' Mine.

"Sure." Crystal nodded her head. "It was all begun when we..." She's narrating their events.

———————————————————

"Hmm." Crowley hums in deep thought after Crystal explains and leaves the part of their Pokemon involvement and Ophelia's headaches. "So a mysterious monster was living in the mines. And the seven of you worked together to destroy it, and then brought its magestone back to me?" Crowley asked in a calm voice.

Ace gulps nervously. "I don't know that I'd call it working together." He muttered under his breath.

"It was more like we just happened to share the same goal at the same time..." Deuce pointed out while the girls and Yuu simply sighed.

"They really hate to admit their real feelings, are they?" Crystal muttered under her breath while they nodded their head.

"Oh, gracious... ohh... ohhhhhhhhhhh!" Crowley suddenly cried out of the blue and everyone was shocked to see his meltdown.

"What is this guy's deal!? Burstin' into tears in public? At his age!?" Grim exclaimed in shock.

"In all the decades I've worked at this school..." The headmage continues to cry due to them working together for the first time. "The day has finally come when the students of Night Raven College have joined hands together to defeat a common foe!" He whimpered and Yuu hesitantly handed him a handkerchief.

"Please stop crying, sir." The black-haired boy awkwardly comforted him.

"Whoa! No! No way would I join hands with that guy!" Deuce protests the idea of holding Ace's hand. He blushed at the idea of him holding Ophelia's hand.

"Okay, one, there was no joining of hands. Gross." Ace cringed. "And two, exactly HOW old are you, headmage?" It's his first time to witness Crowley seeing him in tears. 

"At this moment, I am moved beyond words." Crowley exclaimed happily before blowing his nose using Yuu's handkerchief. "This incident has proven my hopes were justified. Enma-san, my doubts are allayed! For you... you possess the talents of a beastmaster!"

"A... beastmaster?" Yuu blinks his eyes. He's a Pokemon Trainer like the girls but hearing the new term makes him nervous. "I don't think it's appropriate for me." He didn't tame Grim more like a bond and respect.

"My students have all been selected by the Dark Mirror for their exceptional talent and potential." Crowley ignored his words. "But great talent begets great pride and big egos. Most are so self-reliant and self-centered that they never even consider cooperating with others."

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing." Grim commented bluntly.

"It's true." Crystal spoke up. "You and Yuu didn't attend like us but we could see some have bad reputations. Believe me, when I say this, some have a lack of manners." She wouldn't forget the way they were staring at them. The black-haired girl is grateful for not having Lucario with her or he'll throw fit and scare them off.

"But you, Enma-san, possess no magic." Crowley stares at the black-haired boy. "Yet in spite of that— or perhaps because of it— you and the girls were able to convince those who CAN use magic to work together for a common goal. The everyday, humdrum mundanity you possess may be exactly what Night Raven College needs!"

"But... none of those words are good things?" Ace is offended but at the same time, he's right about them.

"Yuu and girls..." He called them. "I am convinced that people like you are necessary for the future of this school. My educator's intuition tells me so."

"More like he wants us to do his dirty work." Ophelia commented through Aileen and Crystal's minds as they nodded their head.

"Trappola-san, Spade-san— I hereby revoke your pending expulsions!" Crowley tears his paperwork into small pieces as he cancels their expulsion. "Furthermore, Enma-san. I am granting you the qualifications necessary to attend school at Night Raven College!"

"WHAT?" Ace, Deuce and Grim asked in shock whereas the girls looked happy.

"As an actual student?" Yuu couldn't help but ask.

"Of course. This is extraordinary kind of me." Crowley said happily while none of them believed him. "However, there is one condition. Your inability to use magic is, for a mage, unacceptable. You would not be able to adequately pursue the school's curriculum! As for you, Grim... your actions today have made it clear that you possess sufficient talent to become a mage. In light of the total sum of your respective circumstances, you and Enma-san will share a single enrollment at Night Raven College."

"Myah!?" Grim gasps in shock to hear the news of him becoming a student. "I... I'll get to go to this school...? As an actual student? Not a janitor!?" He asked excitedly.

"Correct." Crowley nodded his head. "However! There must be no further incidents like the one that occurred today. Are we clear?"

Grim whimpered. "Myah... myah... Yuu, girls... I... I finally..."

"We're happy for you, Grim." Yuu patted his head. "You finally have your wish to become a student." He smiles softly.

"MYAAAH! I FINALLY DID IT!" Grim cheered happily.

"Accordingly, I will now present to Grim the magestone that is issued to every student here." Crowley casts a spell to summon a magestone around Grim's neck.

"Heh! A magestone, eh!?" Grim gapes in shock to see it.

"It is typically attached to the magic pen that each student uses." He explained. "But I suspect your paws cannot handle implements. Therefore, I have a custom solution for you. Is it possible that I am, in fact, too kind?" He smiles happily.

"Ah, sweet!" Grim couldn't stop looking at his magestone. "I look awesome! A magestone collar, to be worn only by the legendary archmage, Grim!"

Crowley noticed Grim stopped listening to his ramblings. "You're not listening to anything I say, are you?" He asked bluntly. "Enma-san. As you can plainly see, Grim remains oblivious to the customs of human society. You are to keep a tight rein on Grim, and ensure there are no further incidents!" The headmage gives them a look.

Ace laughs heartedly. "Wow, that's quite the promotion. From janitor to student to prefect, all in the span of a day." It makes sense for Yuu to become a prefect.

"Oh, I see." Deuce nodded his head. "So if your dorm is just you five... and the headmage is putting you in charge of Grim, that makes you... the dorm prefect." The dark navy blue-haired boy commented.

"Well, that's gotta be a Night Raven first! A magic-less prefect? But sure, why not? Whatever works!"

"I'm not sure I'm cut out for this..." Yuu spoke up nervously. He has someone in his mind to have that suitable role. "In fact, I think Crystal would be better to become a prefect than me."

"Me?" Crystal asked and blinked her eyes.

"Yeah! You're the one who made the plan in the first place and ensured that we're all working together." Yuu explained. "I'm sure you have lots of experience throughout your life and I'm still learning."

Crystal hums before nodding her head. "Okay. I'll accept the role and try my best to be a good role model for you guys." She smiles.

"That leaves the Vice Housewarden is Aileen!" Ophelia voted out Aileen's name. "I'm not cut out to be that role and Aileen has a lot of patience and is straightforward!"

Aileen rolls her eyes. "You just wanted to run away from that role before someone could mention your name." She commented bluntly.

"Hehe~" She sticks out her tongue.

"Good luck to you, Prefect Crystal." Deuce wished the black-haired girl luck. "Let's see that same spirit you showed us in the Dwarfs' Mine!" It makes sense why Yuu passes the role to Crystal because she's more capable of doing the job properly.

"Ah. yes. I suppose that does make LaRusso-san a prefect." Crowley nodded his head and understood Yuu's rejection of being the Housewarden of their group. "I just so happen to have a job for you and that little will make it all the easier to foist...er, I mean congratulations!" He smiles nervously and ignores Crystal's look. "Now, I have something for you. This is called a ghost camera." Handed her the old brown vintage Polaroid camera.

"Eh? Ghost?" She accepts it and examines the camera closely.

"Ooh, my grandma's told me about those. Those are, like, super old magic items, right?" Ace asked Crowley curiously.

"I would hardly consider them super old..." Crowley is insulted by Ace's words before clearing his throat. "But it may indeed have been invented when your great or great-great-grandmother was a child. It's a camera enchanted with a special kind of magic. It enables the user to photograph not just the subject's physical form, but parts of their soul itself."

"Wait, that sounds... sketchy." Deuce commented while looking a bit skeptical of the camera.

"They're called Memories." He explained to them. "Here's the thing: when the soulbond between photographer and subject deepens... the Memories captured in this magic camera's photos come jumping out!"

"Soulbond?" Ophelia asked curiously.

"When the photographer and subject grow closer, their photographs grow animated like videos... and sometimes the photographs take on corporeal form and slip out. Is that not what you youths would call wicked keen?" Crowley asked excitedly.

"That almost sounds like ghost photography!" Deuce exclaimed.

"Very astute. Hence the name ghost camera." He pointed out bluntly. "I understand it was developed as a more vivid way to capture moments in time, in an age before video. As Spade-san observed, in days of yore, when people saw Memories jumping out of photos, they would get spooked and yell, ghost!" Crowley explained and they understand why some people get frightened by it. "I've heard many a tale of people who were deathly scared of being photographed by such cameras."

"This tech sounds like way more trouble than it's worth." Ace commented while he shook his head.

"LaRusso-san." Crowley called the black-haired girl. "I would like you to photograph Grim and the other students with this camera and make a record of your campus life."

"Myah ha haaa!" Grim cheered happily. "Sounds like the perfect way to immortalize all my finest moments!"

"Ahem!" The headmage clears his throat. "Make especially certain to capture the mischief caused by certain students who struggle with impulse control. Keeping a photographic journal sounds far less tedious than writing lengthy reports, wouldn't you agree? As a prefect, consider it your duty to maintain a sharp eye on your surroundings and record them. Note how generous I'm being in providing a rare magical item that even someone like yourself can use. Is my kindness not beyond all reckoning?"

"Thank you, sir." Crystal thanked Crowley for giving her the ghost camera.

Crowley noticed the clock as it was already late at night. "The hour has grown late, so further details shall have to wait till the morrow. You are all dismissed. Return to your dorms."

"Good night, sir!" Deuce says farewell to Crowley and all of them leave his office.

———————————————————

Deuce sighs in relief that the meeting is finally over. "Phew... we managed to avoid expulsion. That was a close one!" He whispered.

"Yeah, no kidding!" Ace completely agreed with him.

"La la la la!" Grim sings happily as he finally becomes a student like them. "I'm a student at Night Raven College! La la la! I'm gonna be the top mage on campus in no time. Enjoy eating my dust, boys!" He teased Ace and Deuce.

"Big words for a sentient pile of lint who's literally only half a student." Ace teased the grey cat. "Still... good for you."

"I guess we're schoolmates now. Grim, Yuu— welcome to Night Raven." Deuce greeted Grim and Yuu with a warm welcome.

"Yeah." Yuu nodded his head before sighing. "I hope this all goes well." He's nervous to begin his study here rather than at his original school.

"Have confidence in yourself, Yuu." Crystal comforted him.

"Crystal is right." Deuce nodded his head. "The way you squared off against that monster even when you didn't have a bit of magic showed a whole lot of guts." He assured the black-haired boy. "With steel nerves like that, you'll be fine. Even in this school."

"Say, what's the deal with you sometimes talking like a punk, anyway?" Ace asked the dark navy blue-haired boy curiously.

"Huh?!" He flinched in surprise at the sudden question. "D-do I? I think I talk pretty normal." Deuce answered nervously.

"Whatever." He waves it off. "Let's just get back to the dorm. After nearly getting expelled, the last thing we need is a curfew violation." 

"We're from Heartslabyul House, by the way. What dorm are you guys in?" Deuce asked curiously and noticed the girls were wearing a female version of their uniform but the color of their neckties is grey and white stripes.

"The dorm we're in has been abandoned for years..." Grim answered. "We've taken to callin' it Ramshackle House."

"Erin-san the housekeeper of our dorm managed to fix the building and with the help of our Pokemon... our place is livelier than before." Crystal commented.

"I've heard that name before!" Ace exclaimed in shock. "My brother used to attend here and apparently Erin the Witch is an android lady!" 

"She has a companion blue creature and the three ghosts who lived with us." She explained and smiled slightly. "Erin-san is a lovely woman and grateful for letting us stay."

"Count your blessings." He sighs heavily and they're lucky not to have Deuce. "I'd rather deal with your companions than have to see this guy's smug, self-important scowl every day."

"Better than your lazy, dopey grin." Deuce retorted back.

"Keep bawling, crybaby." He smirked at the dark navy blue-haired boy. "I haven't forgotten how you almost wept when he said you were expelled. Catch ya later, Yuu—"

"Guys, wait." Crystal stops them before they go. "Can you keep our Pokemon a secret? Crowley doesn't want anyone to find out about them."

"Don't worry your secrets are safe." Ace assured them.

"Yeah." Deuce nodded his head. "We would like to know them some other time."

"Of course~!" Ophelia agreed wholeheartedly. "You have our words for that."

Ace and Deuce leave them alone. Grim smirked in amusement. "Man, those two are made for each other. Maybe they're the type who bond through squabbling?" He asked them curiously.

"Who knows?" Crystal shrugged her shoulders and looked at the others. "Shall we? Erin-san and the others are waiting for us."

"Yeah. Let's go back." Yuu spoke as the five of them headed back to their dorm.