Savoir-Vivre : To Know and To Live

An LLS Production

Prologue : Raison d'être

They are the curses against Kalos's invaders, and the healers of the land. They live according to their own rules... Do not strike a Combee hive if you cannot handle the Vespiquen within.

– Marguerite Linden du Bois, Ph. D., on Fairy Tale Girls and Hex Maniacs

In the Kalos region, two female-dominated Trainer classes seem to exist side-by-side in the same region. The mysterious, dark Hex Maniacs; they stand opposite the beautiful, ethereal Fairy Tale Girls...

"Rejected."

I stopped spacing out when she said that word. "Erm... Professor?"

The mysterious, beautiful, accomplished and intelligent scourge of international academia, Professor Marguerite Linden du Bois, Ph. D., stabbed a finger at the laptop screen. "Why is it that, every time I make you write the lecture notes, you always overload it with adjectives? Are you a writer for soap operas? Vous êtes fou?"

It was a month and a half since the Île-de-l'arc Conference, and I had placed a respectable fourth position in the showing. Now, though the legal requirement of doing a research internship with the Sycamore Laboratory was fulfilled, I was doing more school-work to become a teaching assistant to Dr du Bois, now a full-fledged professor of anthro-Pokémon sociology since the publication of her article, The Beginning Trainer. She was now teaching a module on gender in the world of Pokémon Training, and I had the job as her secondary teaching assistant since a new trimester was opening. Of course, it beat the one who was her primary assistant...

"I got eight badges," I sniffed. "I survived the Conference. I even beat Altair! Yet... why did I suddenly decide to take so much more schoolwork?"

"You decided yourself to take some time off training to study," she pointed out, ever the wise one. "Well, you could wing it like everyone else. I'm pretty sure you could find a job with ACE."

"This is important too," I answered. "I... I really wanted a chance to think. And this... I know this is a big thing for you, to hire me."

"Don't be an idiot," she dismissed, crossing her legs. "People call me a baby-faced demon, I need someone to be the good cop. You're still the secondary assistant."

"Yeah..."

The bell of La Première Université d'Illumis tolled, and I took my cue to pack up and follow Professor du Bois towards the lecture hall. Several students were already amassed, staring uneasily at the primary teaching assistant. He floated up from the audio-visual console to greet us.

Bonjour, Darkrai signalled. Ça va bien, Marguerite?

"My day is already looking up," Professor du Bois chuckled darkly. It was similar to the one the Rector heard when the choice to employ a legendary Pokémon came up.

She went to look over her slides, the students filing in to take their seats. Darkrai hovered to grab one, his pencil and paper at ready to take notes.

"Welcome to Sociology 205: Gender in Pokémon Training," Professor du Bois started. "This module will cover the basics of the sociology behind gender in the Pokémon League, touching on most spheres of the Pokémon Training world. We will cover the reasons behind why the Kalos League is the only female-dominated League amongst the organised regions, the reason why League stipulations necessitate a minimum of three female Gym Leaders, and the gender organisations between officially sanctioned Trainer classes, and their relevance to the greater society of Pokémon Training at large. Before we cover the syllabus, allow me to introduce the staff. My name is Marguerite Linden du Bois, your main lecturer. Assisting me will be my primary and secondary teaching assistants."

"Um, hakase," and I winced as a guy raised his hand at the break. Definitely Sinnoan. "There's a Darkrai in the lecture theatre."

"I am aware, monsieur," Professor du Bois acerbically replied, in a manner that spoke of you really wanna continue with this, bub? I'd been watching too many Unovan movies. "He is my primary teaching assistant, as I was about to say."

"But... isn't he a danger to sleeping students?" he answered weakly.

"Are you intending to sleep in class, monsieur? I didn't think that you found my lecture that boring," was the flippant reply. "My secondary assistant, Donar Oak. Donar, stand up."

I stood. No matter what she claimed, no matter how she acted, I saw still the lonely Daisy Linden at the top, the fallen Serene Highness, Champion of Kalos, that no one had looked at, much less saved.

It was raining in the Lavarre Nature Trail, the local Murkrow had given us a wide berth though their caws rang, and I was running for my life. The hem of my dress caught on my legs, but I ignored it to skid and call back to Blair: "Blair! Shadow Ball!"

My Gourgeist unleashed crimson flames upon the advancing Azumarill, making the Aqua Rabbit Pokémon rear back as I conjured flames to burn it. Water-type or not, only the Fire-type were immune to Will-O-Wisp, and my Sableye heritage made sure that I could cast at least that move.

"Return, Lapin," the cackling pink-dressed Lolita with blonde ringlets and a truly ugly bow on top of that mount of curls commanded. She held up her Luxury Ball as she summoned it back. "Go, Trousseau."

The jingling of keys gave me slight pause, and I beckoned Blair to follow me, as we ran for our lives towards the gates of Lumiose City. The Light Screen that enveloped us was not entirely unexpected, as I reached for my own Pokéball.

"Go, Durand!" I commanded, unleashing my Golurk. "Brick Break!"

Durand charged one glowing fist through the psychic barrier, shattering it like so much glass as I called to him and leapt for the gates-

"Phantom Force!"

The keys swiped, drawing a thin trail of blood as I skidded through the dimensions and came out with Durand and Blair, rolling onto a Lumiose street and panting as I came to a stop on my back.

I, Léa Morelle, have lived for nearly a year since the Île-de-l'arc Conference. In that time, I had grown out my hair, changed my clothes, and was given an evolved Pokémon. In accordance with the cursed blood in my veins, I had chosen to become a Hex Maniac, which had been a relatively carefree choice since then. Now, though...

Now, I had to find Marguerite Linden du Bois.

Note: The French educational system actually mandates an intership around 14 years old. Yeah, I just found out.

To readers of Voir Dire: I decided to revise the thing and rewrite it. Sorry for all the trouble!

Critiquez, s'il vous plaît!