Early he rises. With bruised ribs, a mild concussion, and a mushroom attached to his head. The mushroom being a major part of the early rising part.

  With a tug of the vines attached to the sides of his head, Lucas' brain wobbled back into consciousness. He rolled over in his bed, hoping the nagging would stop. But, the tugging remained absolute. Shroomish had seen the light begin to flourish into the room, and suddenly became adamant upon soaking up all the rays of the early rise sun.

  "Five mor-" Lucas rolled over again, only to roll onto the bruised side of his ribs. Eyes widening, he shot up, nearly flinging Torchic off the bed with how quickly he jumped up. The chick wobbled from his shoulder, claws digging in, murmuring at its trainer. Lucas winced, careful not to touch his side again. Rather, he gently lifted his pajama shirt, glancing at the injury underneath. Still the same. Still an ugly, visible bruise.

  Keeping to Ellie's word, the group had all went for check ups at the Pokemon Centre. But, it seemed that Lucas had come out the worst of all. Seijo, mild scratches and a mild injury to the head (thankfully, nothing to do with his back). Ellie, with the scratches to her back being quickly patched up and dealt with. Lucas' injuries came up a little worse though. Bruised ribs that would take a week or so worth of rest to recover from, and would be a pain in his side for longer.

  The headache that broke through his head every time he woke up didn't help Lucas in the slightest, either. Even if it did eventually pass, the moments it was there were enough to make him want to coil up in agony. But, just as quickly, it would fade, leaving him unsure of whether the suffering was normal, and with a still pained expression on his face, evident to all with eyes.

  Torchic chippered, pecking against his cheek, its own way of checking up on him, while Shroomish hopped off its perch to gaze over Lucas for any injuries. And Zorua...well it was still sleeping, but Lucas had faith it would've checked on him if it was awake. Not that he needed the sympathy.

  "It's ok..." he spoke, voice groggy both from the early morning blues, and the strain those bruised ribs placed on his body as a whole. Torchic seemed unconvinced. But, ultimately, Lucas didn't give it much time to dwell on his injury. Rather, Lucas shuffled out of bed, climbing to his feet and gently stretching his body. Limbering up his arms and legs, even when the pain still persisted deep in his ribs.

  Torchic took to following its trainers example, bouncing around on the bed, limbering its limbs. Zorua huffed, feeling the duvet shift underneath both itself and its plush brother, awakening it from its slumber. The fox sighed, ears flickering as it stretched its limbs and jumped up to four paws. Shroomish looked between the two, unsure of what to do. So, it waited until Lucas stopped his stretching, before mounting his head once more.

  Stopping in his tracks, Lucas' hand brushed against the mushroom's head. "Ready to go?" he asked, Shroomish replying with a small tug of the vines. Torchic took its own leap onto Lucas' shoulder, whereas Zorua sleepily trodded to the edge of the bed, flopping off and onto the floor. Luckily, without injury, landing on all fours and trodding to Lucas' side.

  A knock came at the door, Lucas' head craning towards the sound. "Lucas? Is everything okay?" Ellie's voice called out from the other side.

  "Yup!" Lucas winced, his own shout somehow setting off both the flaming pain in his side and the headache in his head all at once. But, he ignored it, checking his phone for the first time this morning. About thirty minutes late to meeting up with the others. Uncharacteristically late. No wonder Shroomish wanted him to wake him up. "Just slept in!"

  "Alright, just making sure! Meet us in the lobby when you're dressed!"

  Right. Dressed. Still in his pajamas. Lucas giggled. His head really wasn't screwed on right today, was it? Shooing his Pokemon away and hurrying his clothes off and on, Lucas didn't even bother to check himself in the mirror. Just grabbed his backpack, laced up his trainers, gathered his 'mons, and hurried down the hall. Not quite running, but speedily walking, until he finally reached the stairwell down into the lobby.

  There, upon a set of stools, sat three people. Ellie, a comfy distance from the other two, stroking Mudkip in her lap, with Ralts close by her side, following her example. Then, Seijo and Harry, chatting. About what, Lucas couldn't tell at a distance. But, he couldn't wait to get involved, hurrying down the stairs right into the midst of the conversation.

  "Harry! Great to see you!" Lucas opened his arms for a hug, a gesture Harry accepted in an instant. Treecko wobbled slightly from the sudden gesture, but, locking eyes with Torchic, chose to act like it hadn't nearly fallen. Torchic chuckled, and Treecko shot the Fire type a glare. It only made the act funnier in Torchic's eyes.

  "Great to see you too." Harry smiled. "Seijo and Ellie have been catching me up on what's been happening."

  "Oh yeah, about how we helped take down a few Team Storm members?"

  "The kidnapping. That...seemed the more prevailing conversation topic."

  Ah. Right. Yeah, Lucas hadn't had the misfortune of that part of the story, and immediately felt a little guilt for not mentioning it. "Right, yeah, that too. But, all's well that ends well! We're safe, those grunts won't be bothering Petalburg Woods any longer, and I've got a mushroom hat!"

  "I've noticed, cute little guy." Harry brushed his hand against the mushroom's head. The Grass type shivered under his touch, and Harry quickly backed off, not commenting any more on it. His eyes settled back onto Lucas' expression, clicking his tongue. "So, you doing okay too?"

  "Hm? Oh, yeah, fine."

  "You sure?" Ellie spoke, letting Mudkip onto the ground, standing up from the stool. "Not like you to wake up so late."

  "Yeah, just slept in, Shroomish had to tug me awake, didn't you?" Lucas' hand brushed over the mushroom's head, Shroomish giving a small tilt of the head. "Everyone else holding up ok, too?"

  "It stings. But, I'll be okay," Ellie commented, Ralts nodding in agreement.

  "You've seen me look worse." Seijo climbed to his feet, stretching his arms and looking at the three kids. "Harry said he wanted to get all signed up for the gym. I assume you're all the same?"

  "Sounds fine to me. I can catch you up on my point of view as we walk." Lucas nudged Harry, as they began strolling from the centre, through the streets of Rustboro. Streets that had passed in a blur the previous night, fatigue and untreated injury bleeding into their energy banks, finally shone bright in the light of day.

  More rustic than the other cities, the intense amount of rock and stone used in the city's architecture gave it an entirely different look to the towns and cities prior. Stone brick structures lay in abundance, rows of houses lined up side by side. Then, in the midst of all the housing, giant buildings towered over the four. One that appeared to be like a school, with a large battlefield out the back, filled with students battling against one another.

  Another direction sat the largest building Lucas had seen in recent memory. A skyscraper, towering over the rest of the city, built of the same solid stone. But, from a glimpse inside, it seemed to be more of an office type building. The bones of a large, ancient flying dinosaur stood in front of the entrance, alongside a sign displaying 'Devon Corporation.'

  Ellie snapped her fingers, recalling the name as the publisher of a few of the textbooks she had studied. But, when she turned to tell Lucas, she found him in the middle of explaining all that had happened to Harry. Harry's face looked somewhere in the middle of excited, and mortified with everything that had went on. Shifting expression with every recount of the battles with the grunts, intentionally avoiding eye contact when Lucas talked about the hits him and his Pokemon had taken.

  "You know, you could've called me if you needed some help," Harry commented, after the recount of the Bullet Punch that had struck his side.

  Lucas giggled at the thought. Ellie could see Harry had meant it in earnest, but gave a light chuckle when he saw Lucas laugh. "I'm not dragging you into our mess, Harry. I'm glad you were safe."

  "Apparently you're fine dragging me into your mess, though." Ellie's eyes squinted at Lucas, a look of guilt taking over Lucas' expression.

  "Well, you were already kidnapped so..." Lucas sighed. "Sorry about that."

  "Lucas, I'm joking." Ellie chuckled. "I'd rather you go in with me than alone."

  "Just would've been nice to be kept in the loop." Harry threw his hands behind his head. "The reel sending's been sparse. I've missed it."

  "Wait, you've missed my reels?"

  "Well, I've missed you sending them. I'd still never watch them." Harry smugly smiled.

  Lucas pouted. "Glad to see you're still the same as always."

  Harry shrugged, eyes moving from Lucas to the path forward, where they stumbled upon the gym they had searched for. This time, with a more crude theme to it's exterior, with large rocks hung over the ceiling and outer walls, with stone bricks forming the foundations. Truthfully, it did look just like a bunch of rocks had been slapped onto the outside of what would otherwise be a typical, just larger, building in Rustboro. And, of course, it had the badge, bright and bold on the outside, sculpted stone shining in the sun's rays.

  "I'm surprised you haven't already signed up for a gym battle, given you've been here for a few days," Seijo said, looking back at Harry.

  The boy shrugged. "Wanted to book it so we'd all be in at roughly similar times. Just, didn't know when you guys would reach Rustboro." His eyes drifted lazily over to Ellie and Lucas. "Good thing I didn't. My booking date would've been way wrong."

  "Not our fault we took forever," Ellie responded, face turning slightly sour.

  "Never blamed you." Harry took slight amusement in watching her face turn, already prepping the next retort to get under her skin. But, before he could form any solid thought, they stumbled through the automatic doors, and into the Rustboro Gym.

  Unlike the relatively standard, plain lobby of the Petalburg Gym, Rustboro's lobby seemed more of a museum exhibit than just a lobby. A multitude of shiny rocks stood at either side of the room, displayed in clean, immaculately kept glass cases. A collection of every elemental stone, a few ancient shards of meteorite from Sootopolis, and even a Mega Stone said to be wielded by the gym leader for special battles.

  "Woah, check out these fossils!" Lucas chippered, finger pointing at the glassy exterior, to the swirly or misshapen fossils inside. Accompanying them all were little blurbs and images, giving information about many a fossil. A little one called a Kabuto caught Lucas' eye, although Harry seemed more interested in the picture of it's evolved form, with slashing scythes for hands.

  "You guys can have a peruse at the fossils later." Seijo redirected course before Ellie too could become distracted, already spotting her eyes beginning to settle on some ancient fossils from Galar. But, she blinked, and suddenly joined Seijo, with Harry and Lucas trailing behind.

  The receptionist glanced up from her PC, noticeably newer than the ones utilised at Petalburg. She smiled, looking at Seijo with wide eyes. "Oh, hello, Seijo! Are you here for a meeting with Roxanne?"

  "Oh, no, not today." Seijo stepped aside, the three kids taking his place. "I'd like to get these three booked in for a gym battle!"

  "Oh, sounds good!" the receptionist seemed off guard to see the gym leader travelling with a group of unassuming looking children, but didn't think too much of it. "I'll just have to take your names, and your League ID numbers."

  The kids gave their names, and their League ID numbers. But, it seemed the woman didn't have quite the enthusiasm she once had, as she looked through their history.

  "Ellie and Lucas, you have one badge each, correct?" Both nodded. "Harry, still with zero?"

  "I would have one, if it weren't for unfortunate circumstances. But, yes." Harry confirmed, looking to the others, who each nodded.

  "Alright, well, the unfortunate thing is that I will not be able to book you in for a gym battle just yet."

  "Huh? Why not?" Lucas looked to Seijo, panic lit up in his expression. "Did something happen to the gym?"

  "Oh, the gym is fine, don't worry about that." the receptionist cringed slightly, but shook her head and returned to her usual pleasant tone. "It is just League mandate that trainers who have below two badges attend the Pokemon Trainer School here, before challenging the gym."

  The room was silent for a moment. Harry was the first to break it. "School? We have to attend school to challenge the gym?"

  "That is correct."

  ...

  Harry turned on his heel. "Well, I'm off to Lavaridge, catch you a-"

  "Nope, you're not getting away that easy!" Lucas grabbed Harry's jacket, yanking him back. The receptionist chuckled.

  "You would not believe the amount of times I get that exact reaction. But, I'm afraid I can't do anything about it."

  "Can't you do anything about it, Seijo?" Harry asked. Seijo chuckled.

  "I respect your effort, but nepotism won't help you avoid school."

  "Damn it."

  "Hey, it won't be that bad!" Lucas chirped.

  "You don't even like school either! You should be on my side."

  "I know, but this is a Pokemon Trainer School! There'll be other trainers just like us to battle against and talk with."

  "That is the general thought," the receptionist explained, "The Pokemon Trainer School will strengthen your fundamentals as trainers, so you can use what you know to greater effect when the battles get tougher."

  Harry tsked, still not liking the idea, but conceding it might be helpful considering his relative inexperience with battling other trainers. His eyes turned towards Ellie, finding her deep in concentration. "Your thoughts, Ellie?"

  "Hm?" Ellie's eyes drifted back into focus, looking around. "Oh, yeah, I think it'd be okay. I haven't attended a social school in a while, but I'm sure it'll be fine as a break from everything."

  "Seems I'm outnumbered, and without options." Harry stretched again. "Sign us up."

  "Excellent, you'll start tomorrow! I'll let the school know you're coming. And, if you'd like, you can get fitted for some uniform now too."

  Harry attempted another heel turn. Lucas stopped him again.

  "This uniform sucks."

  Harry stomped along, his usual red backpack now an uncharacteristically bright splash of colour against the mound of blacks and whites he had been forced to wear. Black trousers, white polo shirt, black blazer embroidered with the crest of the school.

  "At least we don't have to wear a tie?" Lucas attempted to be cheery. But, truth be told, he was just as disappointed at being told he had to wear uniform. At least he went for something slightly different from his usual uniform back home, a black cardigan wrapped snugly around his frame. But, he couldn't help but miss his jacket and more comfortable clothing.

  "Well, it's not entirely different from what I usually wear." Ellie glanced down at her outfit. Jumper, white buttoned up shirt beneath, skirt and leggings. Nothing much that was different. But, it seemed she was in the minority.

  "I think you both look really good!" Lucas shot a thumbs up, Torchic cooing in agreement. Ellie gave a sheepish smile and a small murmur of thanks, and Harry rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to make a snappy retort, but ultimately winding up with no good material. So, he swiftly shifted topics, asking.

  "What's Seijo doing with his time?"

  "Seijo's making some calls to try and get the Rangers to help at Petalburg Woods, so he'll be kept occupied with that," Ellie explained.

  "Not like he'd have much to do at school anyways," added Lucas, as the three approached the doors of the Pokemon Trainer School. A large tower stood above the entrance, a Chimecho inside being fed for the morning. And, with a few of its favourite berries, it squealed and rang out the bell for morning classes.

  "Are we...late?" Ellie asked, staring at the Chimecho swinging happily from side to side, until someone eventually told it to settle down, much to the small chimes' plight.

  "If we are, I'm sure they'll excuse us, being our first day." Harry shrugged as nonchalant as possible, pushing the doors open and arriving in some kind of lobby area. Not as grand or luxurious as the gym, rather basic with only a receptionist desk and a couple doors to either side.

  Lucas strolled up to the desk. "Hiya! I believe we're meant to be registered here, as gym trainers."

  The receptionist swiftly moved through the process, logging League IDs, handing each a lanyard, and giving a set of directions for their classroom. Ellie took the responsibility of remembering all those directions, leading them all through the relatively empty corridors, past a multitude of different classrooms. Some looked into biology, detailed diagrams of how particular Pokemon's bodies functioned, presumably for a classroom of aspiring vets.

  Others seemed focused on the numbers behind Pokemon, statistical analysis and data correlating between different Pokemon's strengths, all trying to gather a basis for which stats suited Pokemon the best. Lots of stuff that Lucas took in, then forgot as soon as his eyes danced away from the blackboard.

  "I believe this is it?" Ellie's eyes tracked the plaque next to the door. Sure enough, just as the receptionist described. And, squinting through the windowed door, she found a recognisable face staring back at them. Pink tights, grey skirt, two pigtails tied with a similarly pink bow. Former top student, current gym leader, Roxanne, who turned to the door and waved at them.

  "Unless she's waving at someone else, I doubt it," Harry snarked, clicking the door handle and pushing it open.

  "And, these are some new students who'll be joining us as part of their gym challenge!" Roxanne introduced them as they entered, before taking a step from the front of the classroom and clearing the stage. "Introduce yourselves."

  "Sup, I'm Harry," his Treecko coiled around his arm, standing tall in front of the class, while Poochyena kept close to his leg, growling at the other children. Harry's eyes then shuffled over to meet Lucas, who faced the classroom with a beaming expression.

  "My name's Lucas! This is my Shroomish!" Lucas pointed to the mushroom atop his head. "This is my Zorua." Lucas bent down to ruffle the top of Zorua's fur. "And, finally, this is my beautiful Torchic." the chick let out a happy trill, as Lucas extended his arm out, letting all the others take in the sights of Lucas' majestic chicken. "Hope we can all get along!"

  Ellie faced the class, hands clasped together in front of her. "Ellie," she introduced herself rather plainly, Mudkip giving her a little kick for more. Ellie looked down, face slightly flush with embarrassment. "Oh, and this is Mudkip, and this..." Ellie gently pushed Ralts from behind her, the Pokemon shying away with the advent of so many emotions filling the room. "This is my Ralts."

  A small silence filled the room. Half enamoured with Pokemon they hadn't seen before, half just waiting for normal class to resume. And, once the introductions were deemed finished, Roxanne stepped back up. "Thank you very much, you may sit down now."

  Ellie quickly moved from the front, face becoming flusher the more eyes she noticed laid upon her. She took a random seat in the middle, of which Lucas and Harry found a couple chairs close enough to still talk, while not quite being adjacent.

  "Ok class, it's the start of a brand new week. So, that means a new set of rental Pokemon to choose from!" Roxanne turned her attention more towards the new trainers. "If you already have a Pokemon to use, you may choose to opt out of this part. However, if you want a trial with a brand new species that you may not have known, or considered, now is the perfect opportunity!"

  Roxanne began to arrange a number of Pokeballs all across the front desk, each labelled with a particular species. Then, once all the Pokeballs had been settle down, Roxanne turned. "All those without Pokemon, please step up first."

  A number of children stood up from their desks, organising a small line from which they could be chosen to select a Pokemon. Each seemed to comb through the selection for a particular Pokemon. The first picked a blue canine with a black mask, instantly zooming out of its Pokeball as soon as it's trainer clicked the button, before doubling around and jumping straight into its new trainer. The child couldn't help but laugh, even as his glasses went flying off his face, canine eagerly licking his cheek.

  "Seems a lot of work," Harry commented, leaning back in his seat, but still scanning the small pup regardless. Then, with a nod, he put the dex, watching as the next boy came up, selecting a small blue dragon with black tufts of hair. Next, a small Pichu, recognisable by almost all, was chosen. Finally, a prissy green cat strutted along the desk, it's hoodie-wearing trainer attempting to get it to obey orders. But, the cat followed it's own wishes, strolling away and back onto the boy's desk, setting itself down over his work.

  "Alright, I believe that is all for the trainers without Pokemon." Roxanne rearranged the Pokeballs neatly on the table, noting a good number still left over. "Now, all the trainers who have Pokemon but wish to borrow another, please stand up and come to the front of the classroom."

  Harry swiftly leapt from his seat, instructing Poochyena to wait by his desk, while Treecko clung to its trainer's shoulder. A good number of the classroom stood up too, with only a few remaining sat down. One boy with a Machop, already preparing paper balls to throw at the other kids from behind, as well as all the trainers with their Pokemon already selected. And, Lucas.

  "I'm content with my guys!" Lucas chirped to no one other than Ellie, who seemed to be halfway between getting up or sitting down. Lucas' eyes tilted her direction. "You gonna try and grab one?"

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  "I'm not sure. What if I get attached to one of the rental Pokemon, then have to say goodbye at the end of the week?"

  Lucas stopped, unable to quite find a response in quick time. The thought of goodbye unsettled his stomach just as much as Ellie's, and he wasn't even aiming to get a rental Pokemon. Still, it seemed like an opportunity wasted, if not taken. "There'll be plenty of Pokemon out there just like the ones here, right? So, maybe that attachment'll just make you wanna get another one even more? Like, Taillow! You could try out a Taillow!"

  "Or Swablu..." Ellie debated the thought, before ultimately standing up, and walking to the front of the class to join Harry.

  "Didn't think you'd grab one," Harry hummed.

  "I'd just like to try out using a Taillow. Or Swablu. If they have either."

  "I'm looking for anything cool. Preferably something that can beat Lucas in a fight though," Harry added. Ellie rolled her eyes.

  "Ok, class, it looks like we have a surplus of students, and not as many Pokemon." Roxanne tsked, tapping the capsules open on the Pokeballs. A dozen or so Pokemon spilled out, Ellie spotting both a Taillow and Swablu in the crowd. Her heart fluttered a little. Roxanne finished flipping the last Pokeball open, then returned to behind the desk, announcing. "So, first to grab one gets to keep it. Go."

  A clatter of children soon burst forward in front of them. Teenagers clambering over each other in a stampede, aiming for their desired Pokemon. Ellie froze, shock holding her in paralysis. Then, by the time she recovered, she already saw the two Flying types in the loving arms of another teen.

  "SLOWPOKE!" another teen called out, much to Ellie's ire. But, when she turned to confront whoever insulted her (confront meaning to give them a cold stare then walk away), she found them cuddling a Slowpoke. The species just allowed itself to be embraced, devoid of much thought, but still happily cooing under the teen's touch. Ellie sighed, looking back at the crowd, watching Swablu and Taillow wander away from her.

  "Sorry dear, I shouldn't have sprung that upon you." Roxanne strolled behind Ellie, watching all the Pokemon coo happily at being selected, while a few without new Pokemon walked away with sour expressions on their faces. "At least you're taking it better than some of the others."

  "Yeah, a couple are in a right strop." Ellie held back a chuckle, but still couldn't help but feel a little downtrodden herself. "I just wanted to try out two Pokemon. But, I'll stick with the ones I've got."

  "Speak for yourself! I've got-WO-" Harry's hands slipped, dropping a seemingly heavy Pokemon straight back onto the ground. A yellow quadrupedal camel with a green hump, accented by green spots running around the exterior of it's hump. The Pokemon gave off heat just from close proximity, Harry trying again to lift it, but failing once again. "Arceus, you're heavy."

  The Pokemon didn't take it as an insult. Rather, it just smiled, and trodded closer to Harry's feet. Then, when Harry began walking, it strutted along too, falling perfectly in step. One step then stop, two steps then stop, the camel followed his movements perfectly. Harry chuckled. Stuck with another Pokemon too oblivious for its own good.

  Poochyena barked at the new Pokemon as it walked to the table, defending its trainer from the new threat. But once more, the camel took no offence. Not even the slightest hint of malice it found in Poochyena's cries, nor did it find a solemn apology in the canine's eyes when Harry told it to settle down. An enigma of indifference that Ellie remembered faintly, but scanned with her Pokedex for a reminder.

  Numel, the Numb Pokemon.

  Numel is extremely dull witted — it doesn't notice being hit. However, it can't stand hunger for even a second. This Pokémon's body is a seething cauldron of boiling magma.

  "Harsh..." Ellie muttered, reading over the Pokedex entries and finding staggering numbers associated with the Pokemon's heat. But, from where she was sat, it seemed the heat of a radiator. Although, judging from the sweat beginning to trickle down Harry's head, he might have something different to say.

  "Well, Numel, nice to meet you!" Harry rubbed his head on the Pokemon's head, only to immediately rescind his hand once the heat began to settle onto his skin. Lucas laughed as Harry waved his hand, attempting to get rid of the heat. But, soon enough, his attention returned to the front of the classroom, where Roxanne continued with her announcements.

  "So, now that you have all selected your Pokemon, what better way to learn about your Pokemon than with some battles?"

  A chorus of cheers erupted around them, already excitedly muttering amongst themselves. But, a beckoning for silence brought the volume down again, although the whispering never quite subsided. "I'll be overseeing a couple of the battles, but my assistants will be taking over most of the organising.

  "So, be on your best behaviour, get your game faces on, and learn lots about your Pokemon!"

  "Ember!"

  "Bulldoze!"

  "Water Pulse!"

  And, with that, the first round of battles concluded. Numel prevailed with its own bullish style of battling, tackling and bulldozing its way through the competition. Although, Harry had to admit, not seeing his Pokemon flinch once when it took a hit was a sudden change from the usual cries and grunts that his other Pokemon gave. He'd have to watch Numel more closely for injuries that the Pokémon itself hadn't noticed.

  Mudkip passed with flying colours, sniping down the competition, while Torchic ran circles around the poor Marill it had faced off against. Which, left them 1-0, and set to face off against the other trainers who had, too, won their first battle.

  "And...Harry versus...Lucas!"

  And, there went the win streak, for at least one of them. While Ellie went off to try and find the person she was meant to fight against, Harry and Lucas turned to face each other.

  "Well, there's some good news and some bad news," Harry sighed. "Good news is we don't have to organise a match ourselves. That's us without a hassle." His smirk grew wider. "Bad news is you're not keeping your winning streak."

  "Fighting words!" Lucas clenched his fists with a giant grin, Torchic puffing up its chest. "Then, let's not waste any more time, and put that theory to the test!"

  Finding a small battlefield on the edge of the battlefield, each took their position. Lucas' hand extended into the air, Torchic balanced precariously on top. Then, he slowly lowered his hand, before flickering his arm upwards, Torchic moving in an arc until it landed onto the battlefield floor.

  "Torchic, I choose you!"

  Then, from Harry's side, on trodded Numel. Not with any triumphant flair, or really any command that it was meant to be there at all. It just stood on its own side like it belonged there, much to Lucas' disappointment.

  "Come on, you're not gonna fight me with Treecko?" Lucas asked, as Harry tapped his finger against his arm, shrugging.

  "Well, Numel does have the type advantage against Torchic." Harry considered the thought.

  "Booooooooo! Scaredy-Skitty!" Lucas jested, sticking out his tongue, antagonising Harry. But, his rival wouldn't budge, rolling his eyes. But, Lucas could spot a small twitch of annoyance on Treecko's face. "Are you scared Treecko's not up to it, hm?"

  Harry's eyes widened, looking at Lucas. That's uncharacteristic of him to say, why would he...

  One look at the Grass starter perched atop his shoulder told him everything that he needed to know. The Grass type huffed, folding its arms, glaring daggers at its trainer. Harry chuckled, explaining. "He's just trying to get under your skin, I know you'd win if you fought-"

  "So let 'em fight!" Lucas earned a death glare from Harry, to which he responded with another raspberry. Even worse, Treecko seemed more riled up, taking Lucas' side more than its own trainer's. Numel looked back, tilting its head, awaiting the command to start. But, it never came, as Harry sighed.

  "Numel!" Harry called out its name, then signed for Numel to fall back. The Pokemon did so dutifully, awaiting further commands. But, a hand to its head pushed the Pokemon down onto its belly, where it remained, absently gazing at the battlefield. Then, without a Pokemon to oppose it, Treecko leapt onto the battlefield, facing Torchic with a mean glare. Harry sighed. "Alright, let's do this, Treecko."

  "Perfect! No pesky type advantages getting in our way of a fair and honest fight!" Lucas teased. Harry responded without truly responding.

  "Treecko, Leafage!"

  Sharpened leaves burst from behind Treecko, swiftly moving across the battlefield.

  "Dodge 'em!" Lucas cried out, Torchic doing just that and swiftly ducking out of the way of the oncoming leaves. "Ember!" he countered, Torchic taking no time at all to ready a counterattack. But, similarly to Treecko's own attack, the Grass type stood ready.

  "Dodge!" Harry cried, as Treecko leapt out of the way of the flaming cinders, letting them fall down onto the battlefield floor. Harry glanced over to Torchic, where it readied another Ember. "Quick Attack, let's go!"

  Just as Torchic released another Ember, Treecko's body glowed with white energy. It seemingly blipped out of existence, only to reappear a moment later, safely out of the Ember's striking range. It hovered slightly in the air, but when it touched the ground, the gecko disappeared once more. A trail of energy passing through the centre of the battlefield indicated the attack still coming forth, however, at a rapid rate.

  "Dodge!" Lucas attempted to call out. But, before Torchic could slip out of the way, Treecko reached its adversary, slamming Torchic in the chest with a hard hook. Torchic wept as it found itself flattened against the floor, looking up at Treecko, the gecko still finding its balance after the Quick Attack.

  Seeing an opportunity, Lucas cried out, "Scratch!"

  Torchic quickly bounced to its feet and leapt into the air with one smooth movement, talons aimed straight for Treecko's chest, looking to return the favour.

  "Duck under it!" called Harry, Treecko's head swinging down. But, Torchic's talons didn't quite aim for the head, its legs coming overhead and dropping Treecko down to the ground, talons digging into its skin. Torchic huffed, moving for another swing, but Treecko slipped away before another Scratch could find its mark. "Pound!" another command came out, wanting to keep up the pressure.

  "Counter with Flame Charge!" Lucas cried, his Torchic bursting into flames as Treecko rushed forwards. Torchic moved to meet the Grass starter, attack angled straight forward. But, Treecko remained cunning, as did Harry.

  "Slide out the way!" Harry cried, as Treecko stopped its momentum, turning a forward dash into a slide on the ground, jerking its direction away from the oncoming Flame Charge. Then, with a great swing, Treecko wound its tail forward.

  "Barge the side!" Lucas cried, Torchic shifting with its feet and pressing against Treecko's Pound. The two attacks collided, initially with no victor. But, soon, the attacks would both leave their mark, sending the two assailants tumbling backwards.

  "Ember!" Lucas cried out, even as Torchic tumbled backwards. The chick found steady footing quickly, slamming its talons into the earth. Fire brewing inside its mouth erupted outwards, bursting forwards straight towards Treecko. The gecko found solid ground eventually, but took a knee to get it. Harry's eyes jumped from place to place, panicked.

  "Leafage!" he called out. Treecko's palms struck the earth, a few stray leaves forming a protective barrier. But, the fire blew through nature's splendour, striking the Grass starter down. Smoke bloomed from the source of their collision, and Lucas pumped his fist with a grin. "Treecko?" Harry called out, waiting for the smoke to clear to assess its injuries. Treecko emerged, arms charred, and surrounded by ashes of fallen leaves. But, without a green aura to accompany it. Good, its not make or break yet.

  "Nice work, Torchic!" Lucas cheered for his partner, the duo's fiercely fiery moves drawing some eyes from those who had already concluded their battles, or even some still presently battling. Lucas' eyes drifted lazily through the crowd, looking for Ellie's eyes staring back. But, when his eyes did lock onto her, he found Ellie fiercely locked onto her own battle, Ralts fighting against Taillow. The other kid looked so frustrated fighting against Ellie. Lucas couldn't help but feel sorry for them, he knew the feeling all too well.

  "Quick Attack!"

  Lucas turned quickly, finding Treecko speeding across the battlefield, tail batting through the air and striking Torchic's head. Lucas winced, watching Torchic slide against the earth, letting out a sad chirp. Harry snickered, taunting. "Eyes off her! She'll still be there when we're done fighting!"

  "Arceus forbid I check on a friend's battle." Lucas quickly defended his distraction, even with the guilt that came with seeing his Torchic get so carelessly hurt. Still, the Fire type climbed back to its feet, a pep in its step. "Now, Flame Charge!"

  The fiery comet burst forth, speeding across the battlefield, only getting faster with every step that Torchic took.

  "Leafage!" Harry shouted. A few stray leaves shot across the battlefield in clumps of five each time. And, each time, although Torchic gave a little stutter, the leaves were burned down to ashes. Until, eventually, it burst into striking range. Torchic sped forward, but Harry wouldn't let himself be caught off guard so easily. "Use Quick Attack to dodge!"

  Treecko blipped away, covering a short distance in a small amount of time, just managing to escape Torchic's flames. "Turn!" Lucas cried, hoping they'd have some leverage from which to quickly rebound. But, the ground would do just fine, as talons scratches against the earth, digging to repel against Torchic's own momentum.

  "There!" Harry snapped his fingers, as Treecko moved for the next part of its Quick Attack. As Torchic's momentum came to a halt, the gecko rushed in for its chance to strike, whacking Torchic with another solid hook to the head. Minor burn damage aside, Treecko's punch landed solidly, striking Torchic straight to the ground.

  "Ember!" Lucas responded, eager to catch Harry off guard.

  He smirked. "Nice try." Treecko's feet dug in, not quite balanced from the large swing. But, balanced enough to make a quick leap into the air, watching Torchic's cinders blow through empty air, beginning to twirl as it floated to the ground. Harry expected a small break for both to gather their breaths. But, on second thought, this was Lucas he was fighting. Of course not.

  "Now, don't let Treecko land! Flame Charge!" Lucas belted out, Torchic huffing as it lay against the earth. But, the spark of life burning in its heart burst into flame, finding solid footing and dashing forward. Treecko's eyes widened, Torchic hot on its tail with trails of fire scorching the earth, and the gecko still stuck in the air. Harry waited a moment, hoping to feint panic on his face. Then, just when the attack seemed a sure fire hit...

  "Swing overhead, and use Pound!" Harry cried, Treecko using the momentum of its random twirling and spinning to swing down its tail right onto Torchic's head. The two attacks collided, smoke plumes erupting. But, from the smoke, two bodies flew backwards, falling to either trainer's side. Treecko fell to the earth, char marks coating its tail and fists, heavily breathing. Smoke left Torchic's beak, coughing up the remainder of an Ember.

  Each glowed. Green on one side, red on the other. The next hit would likely decide the entire thing. Especially with the Pokemon as breathless as they were. Lucas chuckled, feeling a similar burning in his own lungs. But, there had to be some energy left, he could feel it.

  "Run and gun!" Harry called out, Treecko leaping into action, tail swinging against the floor. And, with every swing, a new row of leaves picked up, shooting at Torchic quicker than before.

  "Ember!" Lucas responded, Torchic quickly burning the leaves to cinders with its powered up Ember. But, even when every Ember worked as expected, Treecko would never feel any of the damage, already moving onto the next spot, readying another set of leaves to throw at Lucas. The same song and dance repeated for some time, Lucas attempting to track Treecko's movements. Then, he snapped his fingers.

  "Aim your Ember to the right!"

  Torchic did exactly as it was told, aiming its Ember at nothing for a moment. But, soon enough, Treecko would begin moving into that line of sight. Harry's body froze, but his brain didn't.

  "Quick Attack!"

  With a jolt of normal energy, Treecko suddenly burst forward, jerking out of the way of oncoming Ember. Lucas tsked, clenching his fist, knowing he was so close. Then, his hands tensed tighter, when the Leafage he had neglected to put out dug into Torchic's side. The chick howled, but didn't go down, a fiery aura bursting from its body, burning away all the prickly sides of the leaves cutting into its coat of down.

  "Keep going!" Harry pressed on, continuing his strategy of wilting down Torchic's health, without the threat of a sudden attack. Lucas, without another option in mind, decided they wouldn't be sitting still for much longer.

  "Alright, Flame Charge!" Lucas shouted. Torchic's flames burst forth, talons scraping against the earth. The first round of Leafages were easily avoided, its increased speed lending well to dodging. But, still, without an easy change in direction, Lucas had to be accurate with where he aimed. "Cut off Treecko!" he cried, as Torchic ran straight into Treecko's running trajectory.

  "Quick Attack, change momentum!" Treecko wasted no time making good on that pact, skirting out of the way of Torchic's path. The jerk in momentum took some time to get used to. But, not any longer than it would need for Torchic to change it's momentum. In fact, Treecko recovered quicker, while Torchic's talons scraped against the earth, grinding to a stop. Harry saw his opening.

  "Finish this! Quick Attack!"

  "Jump into the air!"

  Treecko swung for a haymaker with its tail, only for Torchic's legs to leave the ground before the attack could land. Treecko swung at nothing and tumbled out of balance, watching Torchic soar into the air.

  "Don't let it get away! Pound!" Harry cried out.

  "Finish this! Scratch!" Lucas pumped his fist into the air. Treecko's legs stood strong against the earth, pushing off of the ground and into the air, fist reeling back. Torchic huffed, dropping down towards the earth. Each seemed on a direct collision course with each other, white energy glowing from their limbs.

  But, just as they seemed ready to collide, Torchic's talons turned a murkier colour. Silver aura dragged over its feet, as the chick did a sudden forward roll in the air. The silver tipped talons ripped through Treecko, stopping the Grass type dead in its wake. It fell to the earth, and landed with an empty thud, swirls overcoming its eyes as soon as it dropped.

  Torchic huffed, and Lucas's eyes glimmered. An amazingly elegant movement, one he would've described as too elegant to be a simple Scratch. Well, if Torchic hadn't stumbled as it landed, ultimately falling flat onto its face. But, when it leapt to its feet again, it remained conscious, compared to Harry's Pokemon, laying defeated on the battlefield.

  "Treecko is unable to battle! Torchic is the winner!" one of the assistants called from the sidelines, pointing towards Lucas.

  "Alright!" Lucas leapt into the air, bounding onto the battlefield to catch his Torchic before it fell to the ground. The chick coughed a couple splutters of coal upwards, slightly staining Lucas' cardigan. But, with the black colour, it was hard to notice anyways. And, how could he be anything but elated with how that battle went? "You did such a great job!"

  Torchic cooed softly under its trainers touch, before spluttering up another couple of coals. Lucas tapped his chick on the head with its Pokeball, muttering wishes for a good rest. Then, his eyes settled upon Harry, too returning his Treecko back to its Pokeball. The boy clicked the tongue against the top of his mouth, before letting his back hit against the battlefield floor, stretching his limbs. "Damn it." was all he muttered.

  "It was an amazing battle though!" Lucas chirped with a smile.

  Harry tilted his head from side to side. "Would've been better if I'd won." Harry sat up slightly, eyes turned to meet Lucas'. "But, like you say, fair and square with noooooo type disadvantages!"

  "Exactly, glad we're on the same page!"

  Harry groaned, muttering something like 'screw you' under his breath, before lying flat on the battlefield again. Lucas chuckled, eyes glancing around to see if any battles remained. But, it seemed that only one was still playing out. That poor girl with the Taillow fighting against Ralts. Seems the notes that Ellie took for Seijo's Taillow continued to ring true for any kind of Taillow, as the bird struggled to mount anything close to an offence.

  "How are you so good?" the girl whined, as Taillow pressed for another Quick Attack, only for Ralts to teleport out the way. Then, with the momentum from the Quick Attack, Ralts used its Confusion to send the Taillow hurdling into the ground, finishing the battle without so much as a scratch on Ralts. Although, the Psychic type did look well tuckered out.

  Both girls shook hands, and quickly exited the battlefield. Ellie ran to Lucas and Harry, asking how the battle went. Lucas answered more enthusiastically, even if both denoted it as 'good'. Instantly, she knew who had won. But, she still asked for all the further details, as they sat at the side for a rest, before the third and final battle...

  The third battle came as one with many regrets. At least, for Lucas.

  Turns out, using an already exhausted Torchic perhaps wasn't the best idea for a third round, especially after it had already sat through two battles without break. Even worse idea against a Water type.

  Slowpoke...

  Every moment of the battle made Lucas so desperately wish that he had used Zorua instead. Finding out Slowpoke was in fact a Water type made the choice of Torchic sting, but finding out it was also part Psychic stung even more. Even if the thought of waking Zorua from its comfy sleep, as it dreamed by the side of the battlefield, did upset Lucas a little, it upset him more to see Torchic thrown around like a ragdoll!

  But, with no way back, he was forced to fight an uphill battle against a Slowpoke that seemed the very opposite of Treecko in every way.

  "Water Gun!"

  "Dodge it!"

  Torchic ducked out the way, lungs hacking as it continued to run away from the quick rushing stream of water. The Slowpoke, thus far, hadn't moved an inch from where it had started. Hadn't rolled to dodge, hadn't bounced forward for any other attacks. Just sat there, firing Water Guns, and Confusions. Reminded Lucas of all the worst parts of fighting Ellie.

  "Flame Charge!" Lucas beckoned, Torchic huffing as it burnt more of its precious reserves on yet another Flame Charge, rushing straight towards Slowpoke. Narrowly avoiding the last of the stream of water, Torchic jumped into the air, a flaming comet diving onto Slowpoke's back. It'd been about their fourth direct hit, surely this time it'd be the one to land the KO.

  "Confusion!"

  Slowpoke's tail swished until it came to a stop, pointing at Torchic. A Psychic aura enveloped both its tail, and Torchic, the Fire type struggling to escape. Its tail jerked suddenly, and Torchic flew across the battlefield, crashing against the ground with a thud. And, soon, with swirls in its eyes.

  "Torchic is unable to battle! Slowpoke is the winner!"

  "Dangit..." Lucas groaned, walking onto the battlefield. Slowpoke's trainer let out a 'yippee' in victory, attempting to lift Slowpoke into her arms. But, unfortunately, she soon toppled and face planted against the floor. Suddenly, Lucas had deliberations about who had truly won the fight, especially as she silently sobbed, climbing to her knees. The assistant soon came in to comfort her though, and Lucas, feeling awkward about shaking hands now, quickly left to find his friends' battles.

  "Dodge!" a familiar voice called out from a battlefield just a small distance away. There, Harry faced off against a Riolu, locked in a fierce battle of blows. Judging from the marks of injury on each side, it was a close fight too. Cuts on Poochyena's side, metallic dust lining the wounds, clear signs of a Metal Claw. Meanwhile, a couple red teeth marks, soon to blossom into bruises, shone even beneath Riolu's coat of fur.

  The assistant seemed almost seconds away from stopping the match, feeling the injuries a little too severe, and battle drawn on for long enough. But, there'd be no need soon, as Poochyena dodged out the way of a hook, soon to respond with its own attack.

  "Bite Riolu's leg and slam it!" Harry commanded, as Poochyena's teeth clenched tight around Riolu's leg, locking the Fighting type in place. Then, with all the strength it could muster, it swung overhead. Riolu attempted to break free, but its struggles proved fruitless, slamming against the battlefield with a thud, before ultimately collapsing.

  "Riolu is unable to battle! Poochyena is the winner!"

  "That's it right there!" Harry beamed, laughing as he walked onto the battlefield, ducking down and lifting Poochyena up like a champion. The dog's face turned from cold to overwhelmingly affectionate in a second, tongue lapping Harry's cheek, before it was let back down onto the ground. Riolu soon came to its senses, whimpering, but its trainer took no qualms with how it had battled, giving the canine a ruffle atop its head then returning it to its Pokeball.

  Once hands had been shook and good games had been said, Harry turned away from the battlefield, immediately walking to Lucas without even a hint of hesitation in order to actually find him. "How'd your battle go?"

  "Kinda freaky you found me so quickly." Lucas didn't say, rather responding with a sigh and an explanation. "Fought against a Slowpoke with a tired Torchic. Didn't go well."

  "Water type versus Fire type? Sounds like a fair and square match, according to your accounts." Harry grinned, beginning to walk to the conclusion of Ellie's battle. "Especially when I've just fought a fair and square match of my own, and prevailed."

  "Screw you."

  "No thanks."

  Ellie's battle seemed to be going more smoothly than either of theirs so far. She had the misfortune of being matched up against Swablu, another reminder of the Pokemon she'd failed to claim earlier in the day. But, she didn't let it show in her battle, using Mudkip to seemingly great effect, given the few scratches lining the Water type's skin.

  "Water Gun!"

  "Peck!"

  Swablu attempted to dodge around the oncoming stream. But, what may've been easily done at the beginning of the battle seemed impossible now, given the weight of its injuries, and the exhaustion in its wings. Fluttering around, the Water Gun soon caught up with Swablu before it could make any ground on striking Mudkip, ultimately being blasted away, and falling to the ground with a thud.

  "Swablu is unable to battle! Mudkip is the winner!"

  Ellie placed an unsteady hand to her chest, her breathing returning back to normalcy, a subdued smile on her face. Mudkip turned, fin swishing from side to side, mouth widening in delight as Ellie brushed her hand against its head.

  "3 for 3, eh?" Harry hummed, shrugging. "At least one of us came out with a clean sheet."

  "Great work, Ellie!" Lucas cheered from the sidelines, Ellie turning with a slightly flush expression at Lucas' embarrassingly optimistic cheers. She quickly shook her opponent's hand, then swiftly jogged to the group. "Nice winning streak, good job!"

  "Yeah, I'm really happy with how we battled!" she reached down to drag Mudkip up into her arms, Ralts teleporting to her side. But, before she could ask any more questions about how things went for either of them, Roxanne reappeared from atop a Pokemon suspiciously similar to the one outside of the skyscraper they'd seen earlier.

  "Alright, class, I believe that about concludes our battles for the day. Congratulations to those of you who managed to win all three of your battles!" a few eyes settled onto Ellie, the one with a Machop giving her a dirty look before turning back to Roxanne. None of them made her cheeks any less flush, though. "And, for those who are disappointed in your performance, just take it as a learning experience. That's what this school is all about, experience and learning!"

  Roxanne clasped her hands together. "Well, I believe that is all we will be doing for today! You may return home, check out our facilities, the choice is yours! Class dismissed!"

  And with that, the groups began to dissipate in droves, heading one place or another.

  "Well, that was a great first day of school!" Lucas looked to the others for opinions.

  "For school, yeah, pretty great." Harry responded, not enjoying the condescending sounding tips he received after his loss to Lucas (even if there were a couple great points in there), but otherwise enjoying the day. "Still wanna get away as quickly as possible."

  "I guess I'll come back later to check out the facilities, then, if you two want to leave," Ellie hummed, as Harry already began strolling towards the exit, making his position on the situation abundantly clear. Lucas hurried to follow, while Ellie stayed at the back, listening to the two chatter about their respective battles. Until, finally, they reached the exit.

  "Ah, to be free of the shackles of school!" Harry sighed, stretching his limbs.

  "Still not a fan?" a familiar gym leader's voice echoed, scaring Ellie with his sudden appearance. "Sorry." Seijo apologised to Ellie.

  "Well, it could've been better. Could've beaten Lucas in our battle."

  "Still salty about that? Seriously?" Lucas smirked. Harry tilted his head from side to side, saying without a word 'so-so'.

  "What about you two?" Seijo's eyes moved between Lucas and Ellie.

  "Great! Did lose a battle against a Slowpoke, but its just a learning experience!" Lucas chirped, Harry nearly groaning at the last sentence, finding the effects of the system already seeping into Lucas' vocabulary.

  "Yeah, I won all three of my battles. Although, I didn't get to try out any of the Pokemon that I wanted to." Ellie seemed sour about winning three battles, Harry making a face at the saddened speech. "Swablu and Taillow got taken before I could pick either."

  "You settled on having either of them on your team?" Seijo thought. "I've had both, and they are pretty good choices."

  "I mean, if some other Pokemon show up that I like, I'll take that! But, for now, yeah, it'd be great to try either of them out."

  Seijo thought, then flipped a Pokeball from his backpack. "How about you take Taillow for a spin then? Little guy's probably eager for battling anyways, and its not like I'm gonna be able to do much of that trying to negotiate with the League."

  "Would that be okay?" Ellie asked.

  Harry snarked. "No, obviously he's offering it to you for no reason."

  Seijo bit back a laugh, as Ellie shot a death glare at Harry, then snatched the Pokeball from Seijo's hands. She clicked the button on the front of the capsule, watching the light slowly spill out until it formed a very small bird in front of her. Taillow looked around, confused to see Ellie holding what it recognised to be its own Pokeball. "Hi, Taillow! Looks like we're gonna be partners for a little bit."

  Ellie crouched further down to the ground, attempting a smile. But, it was hard to smile when the person she was looking at seemed so sour. Taillow's face scrunched up, turning to Seijo and glaring at him. Seijo shrugged. "Yeah, you'll be working together while she's in school, just as a test run, so be good for her, m'kay?"

  ...

  Taillow turned to Ellie, the girl holding out a hand, hoping Taillow would at least give her a wing.

  It spat in her face.