It was a pleasant Thursday evening in Aeterna, the capital of Arcadius. Many pokemon could still be seen roaming through the streets, minding their own business. Most of them were busy gathering fire woods as winter was coming. Even though the last leaf had not fallen, the temperature was already very cold for most pokemon. However, cold weather was not a problem for pokemon who resisted ice type like Alicia, a Braixen. Sitting in the comfort of his bedroom, Alicia was doing what she loved most, writing. She usually wrote novels but now she was writing her diary.
It was a boring day as usual. Nothing interesting happened. It was a same old daily routine of going to the university, doing some errands, and studying at the library. For some reasons I cannot continue my novel due to writer's block. I cannot think of any ideas beside romantic ones! Screw this! I don't want to write romantic novels because romance is highly overrated, but I cannot deny that I am completely distracted by loneliness. Oh, why am I so weak? Why can't I resist my feelings for that handsome....
Suddenly, her boisterous younger brother entered her bedroom, startling Alicia, who was struggling with her feelings.
"Hi Alicia! Mom said that dinner is ready! The whole family is waiting for you in the dining room! Oh by the way, what are you writing? Must be about boys am I right?! I know it is hard for girls at your age to not have a boyfriend yet and..."
"Kyle! How many times do I have to tell you to knock the door first before entering my room?! And one more thing: my diary is none of your concern! I don't care about boys! Teenage love is for weak people who can not overcome their own desire!" said the Braixen angrily to the Fennekin.
"Whatever big sis, haha!" said the Fennekin. He knew that the Braixen was lying.
Alicia exited her room in a bad mood, thanks to her annoying little brother. As she went down the stairs, she could already smell the food which was prepared by her mother. It was magikarp fillet. Alicia then proceeded to enter the dining room and sit at the dining table beside his little brother.
"So, Alicia dear, how was school today?" asked her mother
"It was fine mom. Today I learned about the anatomy of grass type Pokemon. It was not that hard," said Alicia
"Of course it is not hard for you. Superior intellect is in your blood, no, it is in our blood. After all, you are the granddaughter of professor Magnus. I expect nothing less of you" said Alicia's father.
"Anatomy of grass type Pokemon? Must be fun! I can't wait to be old enough to study at the university of Aeterna!" said Kyle.
"Patience my boy. I am sure that you will be as smart as your sister when you grow up. Then, when you finally graduate, you will bring honour to the family by becoming a brilliant doctor and scholar." Said Alicia's father.
"Dad, are you forcing Kyle to become a scholar just like you force me to become one?" asked Alicia.
"Why not? Intellect has been the pride of our family for generations." Replied Alicia's father.
"That is the problem dad, you are so drunk with pride that you don't allow your children to pursue their own passion!" Said Alicia.
"Listen Alicia... It is always better to follow your reason instead of your passion. That is our family's principle. If you become a writer instead of a scholar, your astronomical intellect will become wasted because you are not using your intelligence to its full potential." Said Alicia's father.
Even though Alicia disagreed, her father's argument was pretty solid and logical, she could not counter it.
"Do not worry dad, Alicia is just upset because she spends so much time studying that she does not have enough time for relationship. Isn't that right Alicia?....." said Kyle. He was too smart for his age.
"Sh-Shut up!" said Alicia.
"You can't hide it big sis! It is all written in your diary!" said the naughty little Fennekin.
"You read my diary?! THAT IS PRIVATE!" screamed the Braixen.
"I couldn't help it big sis, you left your door unlocked yesterday so I was able to enter your room and read your not-so-secret diary! Hahaha!" said the Fennekin.
"WHY YOU LITTLE..."
"Enough!" yelled the father. Alicia and Kyle immediately quieted down after they heard their father switching into a serious tone.
"Now, now Alicia. We already talked about relationship. I know that as a teenager, you are really craving for a relationship. However, I won't allow it. Having a boyfriend will distract you from studying properly. As your father, I will really be ashamed if you fail your studies. I really want to see you become a prominent scholar like your grandfather. Not many pokemon are as smart as you, Alicia. You should be grateful of your intelligence and use it to the fullest." Scolded the father.
At this point Alicia was unsure whether her high intelligence was a gift or a curse. Knowing that Alicia was a prodigy, her pushy parents forced her to study excessively since she was just a small fennekin. Alicia had mastered many subjects like grammar, logic, and rhetoric when she was just six years old, arithmetic and geometry when she was seven years old, and now, at the age of fourteen, their parents forced her to study both medicine and alchemy at the university of Aeterna under the tutelage of Professor Magnus, a famous polymath which was none other than her own grandfather. Her high intelligence earned her a lot of praise and recognition, but her loneliness made her unhappy and nobody understood her, at least for now.
"But dad, isn't it natural to fall in love as a teenager?! Why are you forbidding something that is natural?" argued Alicia.
"Just because something is natural doesn't mean it is good. There are a lot of other examples of bad but natural things such as lust for power, greed, and so on." Said the Alicia's father.
"Why do you have to be so cold and overly strict dad?!" asked Alicia angrily.
"I'm not cold. I'm just being logical, and I'm doing this for your own good, Alicia." Said the father.
"Remember Alicia, a philosopher once said that love is a serious mental disease. This couldn't be any truer. When you are in love, you are unable to think clearly and rationally, and that condition is the same as having a mental illness. As a psychic type, your mind is your greatest asset. If you lose it, you lose everything. Do you understand Alicia?" asked the father.
"Sigh... yes dad." Said Alicia submissively. She knew that she would not stand a chance in a debate against her own father, who was an accomplished philosopher and mathematician. She then continued eating without uttering a single word.
"The food was delicious! Thanks mom!" said Kyle.
"You're welcome sweetie," said the mother.
"Now that I have finished the meal, may I return to my room?" asked Alicia.
"Yes, you may. Study well and get enough sleep." Said Alicia's father.
" Of course, father." Said Alicia. The two then returned to their own rooms.
In her room, Alicia returned to her desk and continued to write her diary. Writing had become the only way to ease her pain.
Many psychic type pokemon envy my intellect. If only they knew how much I suffer because of it.
The Braixen wrote. She then looked to the left. A thick book titled "General Alchemy" was sitting on the desk, waiting to be read. At first, she did not care, but then she realized that she had no choice but to study hard. Alicia was scared of her father. Like all psychic type pokemon, he was able to read minds, so Alicia could not lie to her father. Her father would not hesitate to use his mind-reading ability on her own daughter to make sure that Alicia really obeyed him when he ordered her to study. Alicia closed the diary, and began studying until midnight, like she always did, before finally going to bed.
On the next day, Alicia woke to the same tedium. She almost always woke up in a melancholic mood and the rain made her mood worse. She looked at the clock and it was around 7 o'clock. School started at 8 o'clock and the university was located not far from Alicia's house, so she had plenty of time. She put on her red hooded cloak and left her home. As usual, Alicia passed through the market place to purchase some food for lunch as she went to the university. Her parents gave her 3 gold coins and 5 silver coins daily, which were more than enough. A piece of bread, an apple, and 3 sitrus berries costed only around 3 silver coins. These were all she needed to keep her belly full throughout the day.
As she arrived at the marketplace, the rain subsided. There were not many pokemon in the marketplace yet due to the rain. Suddenly, from afar, she could see a Lucario and a Riolu walking by. Her heart started racing and she started to blush. It was him, the Lucario whom she had a crush on.
"Akira, are we going to have another sparring sessions again at the knight's guild today?" asked the Riolu.
"From what I've heard from guild master Caesar, yes Ryo." Said the Lucario.
"Aww man, I don't like sparring sessions..." said the Riolu.
"Ryo, you can complain, but we can't go against the guild master's decision" said the Lucario.
"I know big brother, I know...Anyway, when will today's sparring session start?" asked the Riolu.
"Around twelve o'clock, at midday." Answered the Lucario.
Oh Arceus, it is him with his little brother and he is getting closer...Come on Alicia, don't just stand there. Greet him! Just say something....
Alicia froze as the Lucario was walking towards her. She was too nervous to say anything. She tried to say a word or two, but her throat felt too heavy.
"Please excuse me..." said the Lucario as he passed by the poor Braixen.
Alicia you idiot! You just waste a perfect opportunity to approach him! Oh, never mind... You are just too scared! Once a scaredy cat, always a scaredy cat! Wait, you're a fox not a cat. Oh well screw this.
After that encounter, Alicia became unfocused. She could not stop thinking about Akira the Lucario. She could not get rid of the mental image of that handsome Lucario as she walked to the university. At the university, she avoided any psychic type pokemon because it was too embarrassing if her mind was read. When she finally arrived at class, she sat at the back to minimize contact with professor Magnus. Today's lesson was about introduction to Pathology. As expected, Alicia did not pay much attention as she was unable to get her mind off the Lucario. Nevertheless, due to her being quiet all the time, the Professor thought that she was listening and paying attention. After 2 hours of lecture, the Braixen quickly went to the cafeteria to eat. It did not take long until she finished her meal. When nobody was looking, she pulled out her diary and start writing to clear her mind. She did not realize that one of her friends, Michelle the Meowscarada, who happened to be Professor Magnus' assistant, approached her while she was writing her diary.
"Yo, Alicia. How's it going? Writing your diary in the middle of the cafeteria I see. What is the matter? Is something troubling you that you are desperate to let out your feelings?" asked the Meowscarada.
"Oh, hi Michelle. I didn't see you there. No, not at all. I- I'm perfectly fine..." lied the Braxen
"Oh but there is... I know there is...I noticed that your mind seemed to be elsewhere during the lecture and it was very unusual for you to sit at the back..." said the Meowscarada.
"Like I said before Michelle, I'm fine...." Said the Braixen.
"And you know what? Professor Magnus read your mind and he told me everything...." Said the cunning Meowscarada.
"HE DID?! Oh no... Damn it!" Alicia reacted with a blush.
"I lied. So, you really are hiding something Alicia...Tell me Alicia... Is it about your crush? " asked the Meowscarada.
"You can't hide it, Alicia. I can see it from your blush" said the Meowscarada.
"Okay, okay, I'll be honest this time. Yes, it is about my crush. I met him at the market place this morning" said the Braixen.
"Let me guess... Is it Akira?" aksed the Meowscarada.
"How do you know?" asked the Braixen.
"Oh come on, who doesn't have a crush on Akira? He is too perfect. He is famous, handsome, humble, kind, extremely polite, and also highly intelligent. Not to mention that he is the son of the legendary dragon slayer Daisuke Yamazaki and also currently the best fighter in the knight's guild." Said Michelle.
"Do you have a crush on him too?" asked Alicia.
"Yeah, I used to have a crush on him, but not anymore..." said Michelle.
"Why...?" Asked Alicia.
"Because even though he seems kind and humble, he is actually heartless...." Said Michelle.
"Really? How do you come up with that conclusion?" asked Alicia.
"There are like a dozen of girls proposing to be his girlfriend and he rejected them. All of them, with a cold heart. Either his standards are too high or he is incapable of love or worse: rumours are spreading that Akira is actually gay." Said Michelle.
"Where do you get that kind of information?" asked Alicia.
"Well, I gossip regularly. You should learn to gossip too Alicia. For your own good..." said Michelle.
"No thanks, I dislike gossiping," said Alicia.
"Ah, typical Psychic type pokemon. Always trying to be morally superior. Well, see you around Alicia." Said Michelle.
Forget it, Alicia. You have zero chance of winning Akira's heart. There are too many competitors already and his high standards will probably cause you to become rejected as well. If you keep thinking about Akira, you are just torturing yourself. Listen to your father Alicia. Love is indeed pointless....
Lunch break was over and it was the time to return to class. Alicia attended the afternoon class in a sad mood, knowing that she and Akira would never be together...