I was sitting in the academic fields, a grassy one to be more precise, while the gentle breeze licked my face. I inhaled deeply, allowing the fresh, invigorating air to fill my lungs.

I held my breath for a moment.

“Fuuuh…” I exhaled and repeated.

This breathing exercise was designed to calm your mind when you faced danger and your heart was pounding like crazy.

That’s what the teacher claimed, at least.

Today was Wednesday. The second-year students had warned us that it was the worst day of the week as we walked into the first class today—I wondered why

A training course.

That’s what I had expected.

What I didn’t expect was that I would have to sprint through an obstacle course, dodging bolts of electric energy that crackled towards me, while constantly hearing the curses and shit from a woman.

“Fuck,” I cursed.

The simulated Thundershocks surged with an artificial fury, testing my reflexes as I jumped out of the way.

This was a fake Thundershock, but it would still hurt like hell if it managed to hit me.

The metallic hum of robotic Pokémon echoed in the air as their Thundershocks aimed for my vulnerable spots.

Yes, robotic Pokémon. Robots designed just like certain Pokémon.

Bzzzzt—!

A Thundershock zoomed towards me, and I leaped out of the way. I could barely catch my breath before another attack came my way. This one managed to land a hit.

“Sssss!”

It hurt.

It fucking hurt!

“Come on! Is that all you have?!”

A woman that seemed to be in her thirties yelled at me from the distance.

She was our teacher for this class.

Her name was Cassia if I remembered correctly.

Bzzzt—!

A Thundershock rippled out of the Robot and zoomed toward me. I growled and jumped as another one came my way. Fuck. It’s too hard. Other students got a bit of breathing time, why was I not getting some?

Each dodge and sidestep pushed my accuracy to the limit.

Sweat dripped down my forehead, but fear fueled my every move—fear of not getting hit.

When it came to an end, Cassia came in, her brows furrowed.

“This world is dangerous, kid.”

The Pokémon posed a dangerous threat, and everyone required ways to defend themselves. If provoked, Pokémon themselves could become exceedingly dangerous. If encountered in a bad mood, they would unleash their frustrations. Whispers of numerous cases involving deaths caused by Pokémon circulated regularly, and I had already heard them in my brief time in this world. I realized the danger of Pokémon as a species, not to mention the rampant criminal syndicates like Team Rocket running around.

“So, is this how you would defend yourself?!”

Cassia growled.

No one snickered.

They were aware that her words held the truth.

I had to give it to her, though she treated me unfairly quite a bit, given that she didn’t give me a breather at all and let the Thundershocks come my way, she was more or less the same with everyone.

Whether from a clan—I still had to find more about the clans—or not, she was strict with everyone; I just happened to be the special one receiving the most attention.

"You alright, dude?" Reto scuttled up to me. "Did you hit on her or something? She's being quite strict with you," he said, giving me a glance.

I glared at her. It was Gary’s turn. The poor guy, too, was not getting any breather.

"She just enjoys abusing," I said. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. It would be way more humiliating than enduring what little I had to suffer. It was, in the end, for my own good.

"Well, I certainly seem to have picked up a thing or two from her training session," Reto mused, smiling. "She's nice."

"You're just a masochist," I deadpanned.

Reto's face darkened.

Needless to say, from this day onwards, Wednesday had to be the worst day of the week now, even worse than fucking Monday.

***

“The academy will provide you with an entry-level Defense Art; as for those who already possess one, you may practice that one.” Cassia lectured.

“This will help you in a life-and-death situation with wild Pokémon or any criminal syndicate. Of course, all this is just precautionary measures since you can’t really do a thing to the likes of Pokémon or, well, criminals.” She was not nice and did not provide any flowery words.

It was her job not to.

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Well, at least she’s not a senseless bitch like I had imagined her to be so far. Maybe she was a bit nice after all.

“The Defense Art is focused on agility, reflexes, and strategic positioning to protect against attacks. It emphasizes quick thinking, nimble movements, and evasion techniques to evade or minimize incoming strikes. You will master footwork, blocking, and parrying, and outright ways to escape in a situation.

“That should be the first thing in your mind, there is no place for heroics, no place for pride, if you find yourself alone with a wild Pokémon or worse yet a criminal, run.”

Her gaze felt heavy when she said that, and I wondered if something had happened to her in the past.

“Now, moving on, I will be sparring with each and every one of you. I need to assess you, I will personally give pointers as well as teach you. Remember, the first priority is always survival. But offense shouldn’t be overlooked either.”

Fuck.

***

By the end of her ‘class’, I was sure she hated my guts.

I could only sigh and hug Cyndaquil before going to the next class. Why was I even doing all this…

My attention was focused on Frayne as he paced the classroom, his gaze sweeping across the room. "These stones," he said, pointing at the screen behind him where ten distinct stones were present, "possess a mysterious power, a force that can alter the very fabric of a Pokémon's being. "

He paused, allowing the words to sink in, before continuing. "Throughout history, these remarkable artifacts have shaped the course of countless battles, expeditions, and adventures. They hold the key to unlocking the hidden potential within Pokémon."

The students leaned forward, hanging on Frayne’s every word.

"Each stone possesses unique qualities, representing different elements and energies. Essentially, Evolution Stones are crystals with the power of a certain element that can instantly evolve certain Pokémon they are used on. There are currently ten known types of these stones: Water Stone, Thunder Stone, Fire Stone, Leaf Stone, Moon Stone, Sun Stone, Dawn Stone, Dusk Stone, Shiny Stone, and Ice Stone.”

“They are radioactive, but humans are not affected. There are…”

Frayne continued while my attention was swept away from all this. I knew about Evolution Stones, so this was all but boring to me.

The class came to an end, and as we got ready to move out, Frayne’s voice filled the room once again.

"One thing, actually. I must remind you of an important announcement. Joining clubs is now mandatory."

The room fell silent.

Clubs? There were clubs? And they were fucking mandatory?

I was confused.

"Participating in clubs will provide you with valuable experiences and opportunities to strengthen your skills, as well as doing other… stuff of your preference.”

A murmur of curiosity rippled through the students.

"Wait, did he just say joining clubs is mandatory? I thought we had a choice in extracurricular activities." A student sitting just ahead of me whispered to the student on his side.

"I know, right? I mean, I'm already juggling so many things. How am I supposed to find time for a club too?"

"Well, maybe it won't be so bad. It could be an opportunity to try something new and meet different people."

"I hope they have a mandatory 'Napping Club.' I could really use some quality nap time as an extracurricular activity."

I ignored them and focused on Frayne instead.

"For those of you who haven't joined any clubs yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. It's an excellent chance to expand your horizons and form bonds with fellow trainers. Take advantage of this opportunity."

After class, I scuttled to the first bench I saw and opened up the school’s website on my watch. It was tiny, but the hologram feature turned out to be a lot more useful than I had initially thought.

As I browsed through the school's website on my watch, I discovered a list of available clubs. There were numerous options, ranging from sports clubs to academic societies and hobby groups. Some caught my interest, while others seemed rather mundane.

One club that stood out to me was the Pokémon Battle Tactics Club. The description mentioned that it focused on strategizing and analyzing different battle techniques used by trainers. I needed to improve my tactics and strategy, given my battle with Green, so this club seemed like a perfect fit for me. It would provide an opportunity to further develop my skills and learn from experienced trainers.

Why mention experienced trainers?

It was because trainers from the second and third years were also present in each Club.

Suddenly, a voice sounded.

"What are you looking at?"

I looked up. It was Reto. I smiled slightly

"I'm checking out the available clubs," I replied, pointing at the holographic display. "We have to join one now, you know."

“Well, what do we have here?” he asked, his eyes narrowing as he leaned in closer, his finger hovering over the holographic interface. "Pokémon Battle Tactics Club, huh? That sounds right up your alley, Mr. Competitive. I can totally see you strategizing your way to victory."

I shrugged, a faint smile forming on my lips. "Yeah, it does seem interesting. I want to improve my battling skills and learn from experienced trainers. Plus, it'll be a good opportunity to meet other trainers, especially second and third years."

Reto nodded, his gaze shifting to the other options. "And what about Pokémon Esoterics? That's a fancy name. What's that all about?"

“Hmm?”

I raised an eyebrow and looked below at the club he mentioned.

Something caught my attention.

Pokémon Esoterics.

More specifically, I was focused on the club mentor.

Castor.

This guy, I had tried to contact him. But his secretary told me off, saying that he was busy. I wondered where he was busy. But maybe… if I join this club, I’d finally be able to talk to him.

“Hey, Reto,” I called out to him.

“Hmm?”

“Let’s join this club. The both of us. And that Pokémon Battle Tactics Club as well.”

I made my decision. I would join both the Pokémon Battle Tactics Club and the Pokémon Esoterics. This way, I could balance my desire for strategic battles with my thirst for knowledge about myself.

With my club choices in mind, I prepared to sign up for them on the website.

Yup, I could fill out the form online. That was good.

“Okay, lemme fill the form as well,” Reto spoke up.

“By the way, you don’t have to; you can join any you want. I’m just suggesting.”

“Eh, don’t worry. I’m not that interested in clubs. So, why not join with you?” Reto grinned, his lips stretching apart, splitting his face in two.

I shrugged and filled out the form before submitting it. Then, I looked through the forum of the Club. Strangely enough, there were a lot of girls here.

‘Hmm.’

Anywho, time passed since my submission and soon enough, I received an email inviting me to an interview. From what I gathered, Castor interviewed each student personally, for whatever reason.

Why would he interview in the first place?

“Anyways, let’s go, Cyndaquil,” I murmured, petting my Pokémon that was nested on top of my shoulder.

Therefore, I set foot on the ground and moved toward my destination: The Pokémon Esoterics Club's main office. I hoped to arrive early so I could talk to Castor.

He had been too busy to talk to anyone, and I couldn’t get a hand on him despite all my attempts.

Sighing, I entered the main office of the Pokémon Esoterics Club, a cozy space adorned with vibrant world maps, posters of famous landmarks, Pokémon pictures, and travel-themed decorations. The club had organized the room well, with brochures and pamphlets piled on the desk, travel guides and memorabilia displayed on a shelf, and a comfortable seating area with plush armchairs. The room was filled with warm sunlight streaming through a large window, casting a welcoming glow. Colorful photographs and notes on a corkboard showcased memorable moments from past discoveries, most likely. I assumed the door behind the desk led to a smaller room, where club members actively prepared for upcoming stuff. A friendly club representative greeted me, eager to assist with the process and answer any questions.

“Welcome. I assume you are here for the interview for Pokémon Esoterics Club membership?"

She seemed to be from a higher year, as she was old but not overly.

I nodded.

"Very well, if you would follow me,” she smiled professionally.