//------------------------------//
// The Tutor Program 
// Story: My Little Pokémon: Grander World 
// by Amarvax 
//------------------------------//

Kalos. Lownew Town. Nightfall.

It was almost here. The tryouts for the Coordinator Tutoring was just one day away, only needing the night to pass for a new day to come.

Over at the Kalos Region, a certain someone had caught a glimpse of them and had her eyes light up with curiosity. She had been living her life normally after being rescued, and her life had been good. But she couldn't stop thinking about coordinating and wanted to return to it.

And what better way to return than applying to be a tutor? The moment she saw a flyer, she grabbed it, reading it thoroughly. She had to go through and see what the requirements were. She had her heart set on becoming a tutor and was going to do whatever it takes to reach that goal.

"A chance to return to coordinating, huh...?" said the girl, her voice a bit raspy and ominous. In her room, the lights were all off. The only light source was the Moon coming through the window.  Her room and the atmosphere around it felt rather eerie, like something was lurking nearby. "I wonder if I can do that."

She gripped onto the flyer before looking through the window, her messy hair covering her eyes. Her mouth twitched a little, but the smile was clear, a grin on her face.

"Well...I can give it a shot."





Equestria. The Crystal Empire. Day.

Today was the day. All of the applicants that have sent in their applications were all gathered here for the audition. As Fantina expected, there was a great turnout. Many came by, some even travelling far and wide, to have a chance at getting the tutoring job.

Inside the main hall was the audition stage. The audition was basically a mini-contest, one that was held indoors. A majority of the applicants had to take part in an actual battle.

The judges were Ms Harshwhinny and Fantina who would decide who would be qualified to tutor the young coordinators of this generation. Many were lined up, here to speak about what they could offer and what sets them apart.

"Welcome! Welcome!" cheered Fantina. "It is a pleasure to have all of you here."

"Indeed, it is. And, you're all here for a reason. Since Equestria is still new to Pokemon Contests, the new generation of Coordinators need guidance from those who have experience. It is a good thing all of you are willing to fill that role," said Ms Harshwhinny. "But if you aren't eligible, you'll be out of here. I promise. So, if any of you aren't ready, don't waste our time."

"Now, now. That's a bit harsh." Fantina leaned over while laughing a bit.

"There's no need for me to sugarcoat it. They should know the truth." Ms Harshwhinny's stern gaze didn't let up. "So, get to it. The auditions will start soon."

"Yes, of course." Fantina cleared her throat. "Now then. Those who wish to be tutors, please come up to the stage one by one. Show us your best and try to impress us with your coordinating abilities."

"Remember, we're looking for a good example. Show us what you got," said Ms Harshwhinny. The crowd started whispering amongst each other. Many were wondering how to approach the stage. How should they present themselves? Others were nervous, their legs shaking a bit. They couldn't help it since they were nervous.

"Let's have you all get ready. We'll give you some time to prepare and when we call you up, it's your turn." Fantina pointed a finger. "So, wait until we're ready. We will have someone inform you."





Of course, showing up here was Dawn. Currently, she was running over to the completed building, wearing her snow clothes due to the Crystal Empire being around a rather cold part of Equestria. She was panting a bit, holding the flyer close to her.

"Oh man...I hope I'm not late..." Dawn looked at her Rotomphone to check the time. She was glad that the auditions were still going and had made it on time. Of course, she wasn't here to audition, but to simply see the audition itself. She wanted to see what it was like and get an idea.

Dawn entered the building, the doors opening. Upon stepping inside, the cool temperature of the building caused her to shiver.

"W-wow! It's freezing in here!" Dawn quickly ran into the building, closing the door behind her.

"I-It's a lot warmer in here." The cold air had gotten to her nose and cheeks, causing her cheeks and nose to redden. Her face had turned pink. "Ugh. Maybe I should've worn another coat..."

"Hello~"

Dawn yelped and jumped up a bit. The voice startled her and had caught her off guard. She looked to see who the owner was. It was none other than May. A face she hasn't seen in a long time.

"M-May!" exclaimed Dawn.

"Heh, hey Dawn. It's been a while," grinned May.

"Oh wow! It really has!" The two of them would connect hands, high-fiving.

"You're here for the auditions too, huh?"

"No way. I'm just here to see the auditions. It's a good thing I'm still on time. But what are you doing here? Are you auditioning too?"

"Well, I could...but I'm only here to watch it just like you. I don't wanna be a tutor or anything. Just wanted to see the audition and how it works," said May. "It's great to see you after all these years. We should talk more and catch up. It's been a while since I've seen you. How have things been going?"

"Oh, you wouldn't believe the stuff I've been through." May nudged Dawn with her elbow. "Equestria's a strange place, I tell ya."

"Hehe!" Dawn returned the favour, nudging May was well with a proud grin. "You wouldn't believe what I've also been through. The stuff I've seen here is something else. It's been great and crazy at the same time. You'll have to hear about it someday."

The two would keep nudging each other repeatedly, keeping their experiences to themselves for the time being. This was a great way for them to reunite. The one thing they both equally love to a high level. Pokemon Contests.





Outside the building and gradually approaching it was none other than Queen Novo who had put on her disguise once more, leaving Mount Aris to show up at the audition. She had put on her human form and the outfit that matched the ones that humans in Equestria wore.

Her disguised name was "Seaglow," an alias she had recently come up with, sticking with it from this point on. Novo had arrived at the Crystal Empire, standing before the large building that has recently been built. Everyone else has already entered, showing up on time for this opening day, and yet, Novo was getting cold feet.

The look on her face said it all. Her body was shaking, her eyes were twitching and her wings were curled up. She was terrified. Her heart was pounding.

"C-can I do this?" Novo asked herself. She was having doubts and was nervous. "What if...what if someone recognizes me? Or maybe I don't make it past the audition? Or maybe someone knows I've been leaving Mount Aris more often. What if they notice and see right through my disguise? This is a terrible idea! I shouldn't have done this...!"

"Oh...I was worried this would happen." Watching from a distance while also wearing a disguise was Skystar. She had put on a different outfit, a hat and had her hair tied up. It wasn't the greatest disguise, but she tried. Skystar tried thinking of a way to help her mother out in this instance. Usually, it's the parent always helping the child during hard times, but now, it was the other way around.

Before she could come up with something, there was one more individual who was approaching the building and was a bit late. Novo had been staring at the floor and was about to go back to the Seaquestrian waters, but then, she heard footsteps approaching her.

The footsteps belonged to someone who had a Glameow next to her. Another Coordinator straight from the Sinnoh Region. None other than Zoey. 



"Are you alright there?" Zoey said to Novo, seeing her jittering. "Cold feet?"

"Uh...umm..." Novo was nervous. Her brain couldn't think of a lie at the moment, feeling stunned.

"Ah, so that's it." Zoey saw right through her. She could tell by looking at her body language instantly, putting on a smile. "That checks out. You're definitely nervous."

"N-Not at all! I'm fine!" said Novo before clearing her throat. "Ahem. I'm just gathering myself, that's all. I need to be more than ready to be tutored."

"Shouldn't that be the other way around?" Zoey leaned in. "Now that I'm looking at you...You're a Hippogriff, right? That means you're new to Pokemon Contests."

"Yes..." Novo sighed. "I'm the only Hippogriff right now taking part in Pokemon Contests. I'm here to see if there's someone who will tutor me."

"...Aren't you a little too old for tutoring?" Instantly, Zoey figured out that Novo was way older than anyone other coordinator that was up for tutoring. For a new coordinator, she was rather old, but for an experienced one, they were way younger.

"Excuse you!" Novo bellowed at Zoey, her eyes glaring and her head appearing way larger than normal. "I'll have you know I'm still rather young in my own right! I have ways to go!"

"Right, right." Zoey chuckled, holding her arms up. "But hey, that's great if you wanna learn. Even though you look so nervous right now."

"I'm not nervous. I'm perfectly fine. I'll be alright," said Novo, her voice shaky. "Are you here to be a tutor?"

"Me? A tutor? Nah, nah. I'm only here to see the auditions and check this place out. But now that I'm looking at you, you could totally use some tutoring. You're gonna need some help," Zoey winked. "And we can start by heading inside together."

"Hmmm..." Novo thought about it. She was still having doubts, but perhaps there was some truth in her words. Maybe she could benefit from being a part of this program.

"Hey, the worst that can happen is you don't get the best tutor. You'll never know if you don't try." Zoey walked forward, gesturing Novo to follow her.

"Hah...Getting encouraged by someone younger than me." Nova lowered her head, following Zoey. "Alright, then. Let's go." With that, Novo followed her, heading into the building. The two were just in time as the auditions were getting ready to resume.





The auditions were going on, with Ms Harshwhinny and Fantina watching from the judging booth. There was a battle arena on the stage where a few coordinators were currently battling. Some were doing great while others were doing terribly, which was to be expected.

Some of the applicants were nervous, while others were confident and calm. One of those people was May. She was sitting in the audience, watching the whole thing. She watched as the first coordinator who wished to be a Tutor stood before Fantina and Ms Harshwhinny, explaining what they can offer and such.

And already, the duality of both judges was showing. Ms Harshwhinny was not amused with the applicant and didn't seem interested at all. While Fantina was the complete opposite, her eyes sparkling.

"What can do you do?" Harshwhiny questioned.

"O-Oh! Yes, of course!" The applicant cleared his throat, holding his notebook close to him. "Well, I have a few moves I've come up with. They're a bit rough and I'm still trying to make some adjustments, but-"

"Ah. We're looking for tutors, not someone in need of tutoring," said Ms Harshwhinny, blunt and to the point. "You are aware that we have a building filled with a bunch of coordinators in training, yes? This is for those who wish to tutor new coordinators."

"Terribly sorry!" Fantina felt the same but had a kinder approach to it. "But you can always find a tutor of yourself here if you're struggling. That way you can still be here."

The coordinator frowned. His head lowered as he made his way out of the room, making a loud sigh. But he wouldn't be the only one who would be met with Harshwhinny's direct words.

Another applicant was on the stage, presenting her moves.

"I'm great with combinations! I'm really great with combining moves and I'm sure my students will learn a lot!" said the applicant. "They'll learn the basics and more. I'll be able to teach them well!"

"And...what are you good at?" Ms Harshwhinny wasn't convinced. "Your combination skills. How many ribbons do you have?"

"Oh! Uhhh..." The coordinator was silent.

"If you have enough ribbons, you would've been chosen by now. We're looking for good examples," said Ms Harshwhinny.

"Well...I only ever got two ribbons so far. It's been at least 3 years since my last one. I haven't won another ribbon just yet. But I have been training hard those past 3 years, I swear! I'll show you how well I've been doing."

"Hmm...Show us." Harhswhinny wanted an example, but that wasn't enough for her. She was waiting for something more.

The coordinator nodded. She took out a Pokeball, sending out her Ledian. "Ledian, use Silver Wind!" The crowd watched the coordinator's Ledian use Silver Wind. But the attack was weak and had little effort. "Then, use Bug Buzz!"

Ledian unleashing a buzzing energy but it was a very faint noise. The Bug Buzz merged with the Silver Wind to create a vortex-like move that sent out glitters of silver and green lights, matching that of fireworks, confetti or anything that drops flakes. Ms Harshwhinny could tell she was holding back. But Fantina saw something in this.

"Ah, wonderful!" Fantina clapped. "You can control the volume. You did a splendid job. I like your control over the volume. That's quite the skill you have there."

"Really?!" The coordinator was ecstatic.

"You have been training for 3 years..." Harshwhinny thought for a moment. "Well, you do have a decent amount of skill. I'll give you that. We'll call you after all of this this is over. If you're lucky, we'll choose you. But no promises."

"O-Okay! I'll wait!" The coordinator bowed, returning her Ledian and making her way backstage. More would come and each of them would have their own responses and outcomes. Some were successful, while others were not. One coordinator tried doing a rather bombastic and stylish trick with her Maractus, but ended up getting hurt instead with all those spikes flying around.

Another coordinator was doing great until her Mime Jr's balloon popped, causing the Pokemon to cry and storm off. Some coordinators had no experience or were just there to make a name for themselves. The rest were actually quite decent, but some didn't make the cut.

However, there was one coordinator that caught everyone's attention. When it was her turn, the coordinator came on the stage with a Glameow. Dawn, who was eating some popcorn, paused for a moment.

"Mmmmrgh! Zoey?!" exclaimed Dawn, recognizing her, almost choking on her popcorn until Piplup passed her some water. 

"Huh?!" May gasped once she recognized her as well. The two were stunned to see a familiar face here, even more so than when they met each other. "It is Zoey!"

"Ah, I remember you!" Fantina stood up, actually recognizing Zoey. "Zoey! You're the one who won the Grand Festival back at Sinno! How wonderful to see you here!"

"Hm...? What?!" Harshwhinny shouted as she was in actual disbelief. The other coordinators bellowed as well, recognizing Zoey's name and her accomplishments. It took a while for them to realize it was her until Fantina shouted her name.

"Ah geez..." Zoey laughed a bit, feeling a bit embarassed. "You remember me, huh?"

"But of course!" Fantina giggled. "I can never forget the coordinator who won a Grand Festival! It's a pleasure to see you again! I didn't think you'd audition for this!"

"Neither did I? A Grand Festival Winner is auditioning? Is that even allowed?" Harshwhiny searched for a rulebook somewhere, but soon remembered that this new program didn't have a rulebook yet.

"Well, I'm not looking to be a full-on tutor. Just someone who does it here and there. I can't give them all of my time," said Zoey.

"That's perfectly fine, Zoey. The tutors can choose to be here whenever they can, and you're no exception," said Fantina.

"Hmm...Based on this revelation, you already qualify, don't you?" Ms Harshwhinny questioned Zoey. "I'll admit. I'm rather tempted to just immediately accept you."

"Well, she already has my vote." Fantina gave a thumbs-up.

"Hmm..." Zoey thought about it. "Sure, but...I was actually here to help someone. This person is a bit nervous and needs a bit of support. She's also new to Pokemon Contests. So I want to make sure she gets through this. And besides, I'm not looking for a job right now."

"Well, I don't need to think that much about what to do with you." Harshwinny shrugged. "I suppose you can apply. You're already at that excellent level that we need for a tutor. You can go and we'll be seeing you again without a doubt."

"That's cool with me." Zoey nodded before walking off. Zoey left the biggest impression without even saying all that much. The other coordinators were amazed at how easily she was accepted. They were a bit jealous and couldn't help but feel bitter about it. Zoey showed them all up in an instant.

Now that Zoey was gone, the next person could approach. And this next person had a rather eerie aura around her, especially the way she approached the stage. It was rather mysterious and the atmosphere had gotten heavy. The next coordinator was here, her head lowered, her hair covering her face.

"Hello..." Her raspy voice came out, speaking to Ms Harshwhinny and Fantina. Her eyes were masked by her dark purple hair as only her mouth was visible. "Is it my turn...?"

"Ah, yes. It is your turn. Don't let the previous person discourage you from auditioning. Go ahead and give us your best."

"Oh. Thank you..." Her voice was low and mysterious, almost sounding ominous. With a smile on her face, something would suddenly glow from her chest. Fantina noticed this thanks to her newly inherited Lich Magic. The glow was a familiar purple, shining beautifully as it would expand and surround her body.

"Wh-What?!" Fantina stood up. She could tell what this was and didn't like it. That's when it was clicked. It was a Desire. Another one had appeared as a bright purple light would flow out, enveloping the entire area in a matter of seconds.

Everyone was caught of guard as the building was soon covered in this light. This was an unexpected Desire since it appeared right on the spot and from someone who had yet to unleash it until now. The Desires were most definitely evolving, to the point where they could be activated differently now.

The effect of this Desire was yet to be seen, but for it appear here meant that it had something to do with Pokemon Contests. No one but the mystery girl had a clue as to what this could be. Especially not Queen Novo who was currently looking in the mirror to prepare herself before soon seeing the light come her way as the journey continues.


Chapter 499 End.