Title:
Author: Chou Nuriko/ChibiSecchan
Rating: PG-13 to be safe
Category: General? And AU.
Pairing: I think this is the first GracefulShippy fic in the history of Pokemon Fandom...
Warnings/Kinks: AU, i.e. Alternate Universe! Also there will be deaths involved in the later chapters.

As Okashira is having fun in the main story, I'm gonna torture ((cough)), I mean, write about Mikuri and Nagi-chan in the side story. After all, it was me who come up with the whole Pokemon-turned familiar idea. This fic is also a testing ground for my attempt of using the writing style in the Onegai Teacher novel "Mizuho and Kei's Milky Diary"...Well, I am taking a writing class this semester...

Disclaimer: If I owned the Pokemon Specials, Wallace would never become the Champion so his true aim of being a Gym Leader can be fulfilled without meddling! ((Shakes fist at Steven))

Note: This chapter takes place right after the office scene in chapter 6 of Gradual Changes.

>> Prologue <<

A couple hours had already passed since the two teachers started to tend to the temperamental familiars. Thankfully, noted Wallace, the hottest period of the day, which he spent in a secluded pond with the familiars of the water element, is about to pass. Fire and natural heat are never good mix, especially if the Ponyta in question burns everything that goes near her.

Suddenly, the azure-haired professor felt a mental tug in his mind. Out of instinct, he looked at the stream that he was walking along and his own familiar, Milotic, popped his head out of the water surface. "[Are you sure it's safe to leave the birds to Winona alone?]" The elemental spirit asked his Bond through telepathy. "[I thought there's one Taillow that's particularly easily agitated?]"

Without a word, Wallace sent a mental urge to Milotic, secretly telling the water dragon to look over at the bridge. At the rail, Winona was sitting on it with quite a large flock of birds around her. Some are on the rail beside her, a few are flying over her head. To Milotic's surprise, the Taillow in question was sitting on her shoulder contently, only squawking once in a while as if it's talking her. However, it seems like the Taillow is doing all the "talking", as he didn't see the flyer moving her lips.