Room 104

Ah, there we go! Finally found it! Blaire stared triumphantly at the door in front of her, Room 104 brandished on a nameplate across it. Shoving her hand in her right pocket, she pulled out her keycard and swiped it across the card reader, being rewarded with a tinny 'click' and the flash of a green light. Smiling, she grabbed the handle and threw the door open, staring in awe at the sight her eyes beheld. The place was gorgeous! Opulence might've been the best term to describe the room she had walked into as she took in the furniture and other addendums within the room. She had stepped into what appeared to be the living room, two couches laying against opposite walls while a ceiling fan hung still above her. There was also a kitchen she saw as she took a few more steps in, finding three doors that led to the actual dorm rooms for the students. Everything she saw had gilded accentuations. Man, that guy has a gold fetish or something. Barking happily at her heels, Shiloh followed her as she dragged her bags over to the window and opened the blinds. What she saw outside the window made her instantly freeze up.

Water. As if the school hadn't finished torturing her by being built on an island, they had built a god damn aquarium within the dorm building, various water Pokémon swimming about within. Her whole body shook violently as she took in the terrifying image just outside her window. By the very fact that the window hadn't shattered and drowned her in Death's cold, soaking embrace, the rational part of her brain tried to soothe her by explaining that the place was obviously safe and that the water pressure wouldn't break through any windows, but there was no rationalizing away her petrifying fear. This can't be happening. This can't be happening. Backing slowly away from the window, she got a confused and worried look from Shiloh as she ended up backing straight into the door, where she slid down it onto the ground, staring wide-eyed at her shaking hands. Visions swam up of cold water, her frame swimming through the ocean, a creature coming straight for her from the depths of Hell... "No!" She gasped loudly, jerking her head up to realize she had voiced that aloud. Shiloh had moved to sit in front of her, concern in his eyes. Slowly placing a hand over her heart, she shook her head and stood back up on her feet. "Hey, why don't we take the room on the right?" she asked, pointing over in that cardinal direction. Her forced enthusiasm didn't satiate her Pokémon's worry, but she started moving forward regardless, grabbing her bags and rolling them into the rightmost room, the door ajar as she pushed it open and rested her bags on the side of the bed. Once inside, she made sure to let Shiloh in before closing the door after him.

Shiloh followed after his trainer, his tail drooping low as he gazed up at Blaire. The Growlithe had known for awhile now that something about water bothered her, but he honestly didn't know the exact specifics, and she never mentioned it to him. Well, why would she? He was a Pokémon after all. All he could do was watch as Blaire hopped up upon the bed and sprawled out, looking up at the ceiling before she closed her eyes and sighed quietly. This was just not her day, huh? No matter how tight she shut her eyes, the specter of Death's aquarium shined brightly in her mind, rousing feelings of fear that she had never wanted to experience again.

"One-o-Four, One-o-Four... Ah, Here we are!" Lev said, pulling out the key card and unlocking the door.  The first sight she saw was the half-covered window that a Feebas seemed to be going by.  "What the..." she said, closing the door behind her, before the reason hit her, "Oh! It's an aquarium! That's amazing. I wonder how big it is! How many-" "Swell!" Low cut her off sharply, adding a little peck to the head, trying to trim her trainer's enthusiasm. "Okay, okay, right. I'll take a look after I settle in" Seeing no evidence of anyone there, Lev stepped over to the nearest room, opening it without a knock, only to find it occupied. "Oh! I'm sorry!" she said, seeing another girl lying on the bed. She backed out of the room, "I guess you wanted this closed?"

"Huh?" Blaire glanced up in surprise to find someone standing in her doorframe. Slowly sitting up and rubbing her eyes, she figured she must've fallen asleep unintentionally. How long was I out? "Oh, sorry, yeah. I guess I forgot to lock the door." Hopping onto her feet, she crossed the room and offered her hand to the new girl in greeting. "I'm Blaire, by the way. Blaire Adenhart. I guess you figured out this is my room, huh?" She laughed softly, using this opportunity of meeting a new friend to push aside her previous fearful feelings.

Shiloh looked up in surprise, his fur bristling before he realized that this person didn't seem to pose any immediate threat. Letting his fur lie flat, the Growlithe sat by his trainer's legs and looked up at the newcomer, still trying to ascertain whether or not he needed to intervene. Blaire didn't seem unhappy anymore though... maybe this new female wasn't a bad person.

"I'm Lev. Lev Wingard. Nice to meet you," Lev said, smiling as the other girl laughed. She shook the girl's hand before crouching down as she spotted the Growlithe. "Wow! A growlithe! I've never seen one up close, does he like to be petted?" the girl said. She got very excited over pokemon, especially ones she'd never been very close to before. The swellow perched on her head rolled her eyes as her trainer acted so strangely around a little fire dog thing.

Shiloh stepped back in surprise, a little hesitant in allowing this foreign hand to be placed upon his fur. Blaire laughed softly at his hesitation and bent down to his level, gently stroking his fur. "It's okay, Shiloh. This is Lev, our new roommate... You're my new roommate, right?" Assumptions weren't good, or at least that's what her mother once told her. Still, it seemed pretty obvious. How else would she have entered the room?

Reluctantly nodding, Shiloh acquiesced and stepped forward, giving himself up to the whims of the girl's petting desires. "Oh, yes, of course. He loves being petted," Blaire answered, giving her Growlithe a big grin. He actually was not very excited of the prospect of being petted by someone who wasn't Blaire, but it didn't seem too bad, and Blaire wasn't worried, so he shouldn't be either.

Lev held her hand out for the Growlithe to sniff before scratching him on the head. "Yes, I'm your roommate...Shiloh's a good name for him," she said, giving the pokemon and Blaire both a big smile. When she finally got tired of petting him, Lev stood back up. "So, if you don't mind my asking, where're you from?"

"I'm from Cinnabar Island. Well, I was born there. My family moved to Fuchsia City when I was young, and I've lived there ever since." Blaire smiled and gave her Growlithe a happy nod, glad to see he was making friends with her new roommate. "How about you, Lev? Where are you from?"

Shiloh tentatively sniffed the new girl's hand, still finding nothing particularly dangerous about her. When she went to pet him this time, he made no moves to evade her, letting her hand run across his back. He barked happily, his tail wagging back and forth. Obviously he approved of this new female. When she was finished, he looked up and listened to whatever the two trainers were talking about.

Ace quietly walked down the halls, counting the numbers near doors. Oh, there it is. She pulled out a card, slipping it into the door before walking in. She heard talking and the bark of a pokémon as she walked on through the house.  Her own pokémon growled quietly, moving closer to the small girl. Ace looked towards the door, seeing two other girls happily talking. Is that...a Growlithe? She walked a bit closer, slipping in and standing next to the door. She calmly sat down, pulling her Umbreon onto her lap and petting it. "Uh....hey guys." She lifted up a pale hand to wave at them, smiling softly. "Uh, I'm Ace...your new roommate." Dear Arceus, she sounded so awkward right now. Her Umbreon cautiously watched the other pokémon, fur ruffled. She bit her lip, brushing hair out her eyes. "What's your names?" Her voice was cracking a bit, like always when she met new people. So much for looking cool and awesome to everyone.

"So Kanto then? That explains the growlithe. I'm from Sandgem town, originally, but I've traveled all over." Lev said. Hearing a door open and a pokemon growl, she turned, seeing a new girl with an Umbreon. The swellow on her head that everyone seemed to forget cawed out a little greeting. "Nice to meet you, Ace. I'm Lev," the girl said, sticking out a hand for her to shake.

"Oh, that's cool." Blaire looked up at the Swellow perched on top of Lev's head and made a motion to pet it, but then a noise sounded from outside her door. Looking past Lev, she noticed a new girl sitting there awkwardly, an Umbreon perched on her lap. Moving over so that she could be closer, she bent down and offered up her own hand, trying to position it so that it could be across from the opposite arm that Lev was offering to shake. "Hey Ace! I'm Blaire. Blaire Adenhart. I guess you'll just have to use both hands, huh?" She laughed, her Growlithe padding over to give a bark of greeting to the Umbreon.