The professor explained about the test.
It was very simple.
I looked at the information available to me on the watch’s screen.
[10 KM Race]
: To pass the test, you need to be one of the first people to reach the finish line, which is 10 kilometers away from the starting point. You can use one Pokémon provided by the Academy and you're allowed to attack other participants and have Pokémon battles as well. There is a Student Safety Team on standby, so if anything were to happen, they’ll be there to help if needed.
: If you want to quit during the test, just say it verbally — as someone from the Academy is always on the lookout for you, hidden, of course, as well as cameras, we’ll find out — and you'll be expelled. If there's a severe injury to you and/or your Pokémon, you will be dismissed and fail the test. At the end of the test, rankings will be determined from 1st to 8th place, and only those who rank within those positions can attend the Academy. Others will have to leave, unfortunately.
—
I looked at it for a bit. To say it was surprising would be an understatement. This was more than a bit strange. A race? Really? Why, though?
A trainer is supposed to train a Pokémon, battle other trainers, and a bit more. It's as simple as that.
Where did a race come from? For the trainer no less?
It seemed out of place for an entrance test to a Pokémon academy.
That was what should be on everyone’s mind.
And that's exactly why applicants began talking to each other.
"Are they serious?" someone muttered incredulously.
"I thought this was supposed to be a battle test," another one grumbled.
"Yeah, what's the point of a race?" a third chimed in.
"Oh, this will be a piece of cake," a cocky voice exclaimed.
‘Hm?’
I was curious, who could it be?
I turned and looked to my side.
It was a girl. I wasn’t familiar with her, but she did somewhat remind me of someone.
She had slightly messy dark brown hair that went down to her lower back.
"I mean, seriously, a race? How hard could it be? I'll leave everyone in the dust," she declared with a smug grin.
"Think you're so special, huh?" a boy scoffed. "Let's see if you can outrun me and my Pokémon."
Her eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Oh, I can't wait to see you eat my dust, sweetie."
Before the boy could respond, something happened.
Ghzzzzzzzzzzht—!
My watch buzzed. It was the same for everyone else.
I looked at it and frowned.
[Attention, prospective trainers! Kindly move to the forest’s entrance, and ready yourselves, as you will be given a randomly selected Pokémon shortly after.
Your challenge shall be to emerge victorious by utilizing the Pokémon we provide.
As for those who possess their own Pokémon already, you are kindly requested to hand them over for the test’s time period.
They would be returned to you after you are done here, fail or pass.
Remember, you are solely permitted to use the Pokémon entrusted to you by us—you have nothing to worry about! These Pokémon have specifically been trained for this. They would listen to you, you just need to familiarize yourself a bit.]
The applicants were a bit bewildered at first, and so was I.
Then, slowly we all made our way to the forest. It took a while, but eventually, we were there.
Two staff members were present there.
One began handing out one Pokéball to each applicant, and another staff member began taking all the other Pokéball from them.
When it was my turn, I gladly picked the ball.
“Thank you.”
I thanked the elderly man.
Yes, this staff member was an elderly man, though not too old.
He smiled at me before moving on.
“Would you kindly hand over your Pokémon please?”
The other one came and asked politely.
Though, I knew better; he wasn’t asking.
“I do not have any.”
I said simply, prompting him to raise an eyebrow and give me a one-over.
A flash of understanding passed his face when he looked at my appearance.
I was confused, but not for too long.
As he moved on and I looked at myself, I realized my clothes weren’t really that good.
One could say that they were quite dirty even.
‘Fuck…’
I had forgotten about all this in panic and the suddenness of my situation back in my room…
‘Shit.’
I cursed under my breath.
I heard a snicker from the side and glanced.
I didn’t catch on who it was, only the hair of them. Slightly messy dark brown hair.
That girl again?
I shrugged and focused on my Pokéball.
It was spherical; the top of the ball was red, while the bottom was white. A black horizontal band circled the ball while a white button was in the center of the front.
Yep, that’s a Pokéball alright.
[The race will begin shortly. Prepare yourself, as well as your Pokémon. Take them out and familiarize yourself with them.]
Professor Oak said, appearing atop my watch.
This hologram was certainly fascinating. But I had no time to focus on it, for now, I would see later what this is.
Taking out Pokémon from the Pokéball in front of all the applicants was quite stupid, to be honest…
I wondered why the professor was making us all do it.
After all, this removed the element of surprise.
If the students were observant enough, they would know what Pokémon others have.
I sighed, there was no choice.
I wished to get something great, though I doubted, given my luck.
And then, just like the others, I tightly gripped the spherical device known as a Pokéball, anticipation filled the air.
With a flick of my wrist, I released the Pokéball into the vast expanse before me.
A burst of vibrant light erupted from the Pokéball, painting the surroundings with a kaleidoscope of colors.
Within, the shape of a Pokémon materialized.
It was fascinating to look at, given how real this world looked.
However…
‘Please be something good…’
Instead of being fascinated, I was hoping for it to be a good Pokémon.
Slowly, the radiant glow dissipated before my eyes, revealing a yellow insect cocoon-like Pokémon.
‘Kakuna?’
Kakuna [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1119637615436648528/1119638675714740224/2Q.png]
I wondered, recognizing it instantly.
"What's that? A Kakuna?" a voice called out from beside me.
I turned to see him. It was one of the applicants.
"Looks like our friend here got a Kakuna," someone remarked, chuckling. "Talk about bad luck!"
Laughter erupted among the group.
I looked at what Pokémon they got, and sure enough, they were better than my Kakuna, technically.
"You know, they say a Kakuna's battle strategy is to bore its opponents to death.”
“Man, did they mistake this for a Bug Catcher's exam? Why a Kakuna? It’s useless; what will he do? Use harden?” someone else said.
But I had already stopped paying attention to them.
Why?
Because I was having a hard time biting back the smirk that was about to split my face.
Kakuna might not be perfect or as “good” as they’d like, but it was the perfect Pokémon for this scenario.
I sneaked a glance at others, especially one particular person.
I needed to find out what Pokémon he had.
‘A Doduo?’
Yep, a Doduo. Gary had a Doduo.
It was a two-headed avian Pokémon that featured long sharp beaks, beady black eyes, and bristly brown feathers covering its body and heads, with black flexible necks.
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1119637615436648528/1119638957173510224/084.png]
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
‘Interesting. Well, even though Doduo is fast, It lacks in the versatility department. Then again, it’s Gary so you never know. ’
Why?
Well, despite his arrogance and egotistical nature, Gary was a good trainer—he bested Ash many times in the anime, always being one step ahead.
Although Ash won in the end, it would be fair to say Gary would have emerged victorious if there was ever to be a rematch.
During the remaining time, every one of us tried to get familiar with our Pokémon. I, too, tried my best to befriend my Kakuna. Just as the Professor said, Kakuna—as well as other Pokémon, were open to their temporary trainers. I was happy that I didn't have to worry about getting along with Kakuna.
[Dear applicants, the time is upon us.
In mere three minutes, the race will begin.
So, would you kindly make sure that you are standing behind the starting line?]
Professor Oak’s voice rang out from the watch and it buzzed.
I looked down at it, and then at the ground. Yep, I was right behind the line alright.
Just like me, all the other applicants looked at the ground to confirm whether they were standing behind the line or not.
And then…
We waited.
For a whole three minutes.
As the timer neared zero, I bent over and picked up Kakuna.
While standing back up, I glanced to my side to see who else was there. For now, Gary was the only canon character. I had suspicions about the girl, but I couldn’t be sure yet.
I wanted to see what Pokémon she had. Given she was a canon character, she might pose a threat as well.
‘A Voltorb.’
The spherical Pokémon had a striking resemblance to a Pokéball, lacking only the button.
Its upper half was a vibrant red, while the lower half remained pristine white.
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1119637615436648528/1119639246429487104/ISVAf4fQwCGrlZ6y0AAAAASUVORK5CYII.png]
Ghzzzzzzzzzzht—!
Before I could observe much, though, the piercing sound of an alarm filled the air, signaling the imminent race.
[Attention, applicants, make sure you are ready. The race is about to commence.]
Inhaling deeply, I steadied myself, finding a moment of calm amidst all this.
And then, the race began with a resounding command from Professor Oak.
[Start!]
In an instant, the applicants surged forward, their anticipation turning into action.
It was clear that physical prowess held the key in this race.
Unsurprisingly, the bulkier and stronger swiftly emerged as frontrunners, seizing the lead without hesitation.
Those with Pokémon that they could use to run faster, used them.
Including Gary.
He smirked and swaggered near his Doduo. With a smug grin, he leaped onto Doduo's back.
Doduo's powerful legs propelled them forward, the wind whipping around them and then they ran.
So did the girl on her Voltorb. She began riding it. I wondered how she balanced herself on it… it was a big ball, but a ball nonetheless.
Anywho, while everyone ran, I didn’t.
I got a lot of shoulder glances, including the girl and Gary. Reto, too, gave me a glance. But he didn’t stop, we were strangers after all.
It was confusing to everyone that I was standing still and not moving from my spot.
I was simply patting my Kakuna.
“What is he doing?"
One of the applicants voiced as he ran ahead.
“Meh, maybe he just gave up given his useless Pokémon.”
“Yeah, probably.”
“Let’s go.”
“Yep.”
Everyone ran, and I was left alone.
I had a plan.
But it wouldn’t work if others knew what I was doing.
They’d bar my way if they knew, and I wouldn’t be able to do anything then.
I needed to be sneaky.
So, I just waited for everyone to vanish into the forest.
----------------------------------------
[General POV]
‘He was weird, that boy. Why did he not start?’
The girl who had Voltorb wondered.
“Meh~”
She didn’t care, she was merely curious.
‘Just a peasant, probably never had a proper education,’ she smiled, her mischievous eyes gleaming with amusement. ‘But hey, that just means one less opponent for me.’ her smile stretched into a smirk, her thoughts tinged with a playful arrogance.
However, a slight worry flickered across her face.
‘I'm more concerned about that spoiled brat, Gary,’ she mused, annoyed.
She was known for her cunning and tricks, always finding a way to outsmart others.
So, she needed to devise a plan to trick him somehow. She needed to win.
The race was in full swing right about now.
She balanced on her Voltorb's round surface as it rolled swiftly through the landscape.
Voltorb whirred with electric energy, zipping past—and zigzagging through—trees and rocks, its speed exhilarating.
"Hang on tight, Volty!”
She giggled when she saw the expressions on the applicants she passed by.
“Faster!”
Voltorb emitted a series of cheerful sounds, as if acknowledging the challenge, and accelerated even more.
Its red and white body blurred against the backdrop of the scenery.
Trainers from all over the region had gathered to showcase their skills and compete for a spot in the academy.
And although a race was undoubtedly weird, no one questioned it and just ran with everything they had
They obviously were shocked when a ‘crazy’ girl zipped past them while giggling.
"Whoa, She's really leaving us in the dust…"
"What a show-off! Thinks she's better than the rest of us just because she's got a fast Pokémon." someone growled.
"I wish I had a Pokémon as strong and fast as Voltorb in this situation... Maybe then I'd have a chance," one applicant muttered wistfully, her voice tinged with jealousy.
Meanwhile, the Voltorb girl who was focused on the race, caught glimpses of the reactions around her which prompted her eyes to crinkle.
Especially when she saw that Gary was just ahead.
She felt her stomach churning.
'Not again…' she whined internally.
An uncomfortable feeling settled inside her.
She needed to play with him.
It was like this for.
She didn’t know if it was some kind of mental disorder or not, and she didn’t care either, but she just wanted to ‘play’ with others sometimes.
And add chaos to her life.
But this was a race. One that mattered to her a lot. She shouldn’t risk it…
The uncomfortable feeling intensified and she groaned.
‘Ugh, fuck it.’
She pouted a bit before focusing on Gary.
He was being followed by others. They couldn’t get ahead no matter what. Doduo was too fast.
"Hey there, cutie!"
She yelled, a grin splitting when Gary and the others looked back.
And then…
“Volty! Use Thundershock!”
Her voice rang out.
Crackle, crackle—!
Voltorb sprang into action.
Bzzzzzzzzt—!
With a flash of electricity, Voltorb unleashed a powerful Thundershock that crackled through the air.
She was already on the ground behind Voltorb by then, so as to not get hit.
The electrifying attack struck the ground near Gary and the other racers.
Sparks flew and caused a momentary disruption.
“W-what?”
Gary's eyes widened in surprise as he quickly reacted, pulling on Doduo’s neck.
"Doduo!"
Doduo jumped, dodging the attack. But as they were caught off guard, Gary's grip loosened and he hit the ground while Doduo moved away.
Meanwhile, the others struggled to regain their footing and avoid the electrified aftermath.
One of the applicants, a young trainer named Amy, stumbled and cried out, "My Pokémon! No, Ekans!"
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1119637615436648528/1119639679608819782/023.png]
Ekans, who had been slithering on the ground alongside Amy, was caught in the unexpected surge of electricity.
It was low level, it seemed.
The Thundershock left it momentarily disoriented, its tail twitching with residual electricity.
Amy hurriedly recalled her Pokémon to its Pokéball, hoping to nurse it back to health.
And just like that, she was disqualified.
Another applicant, a boy with sharp features who had been latching onto his Mankey as it had lunged from tree to tree—albeit slow because of his weight—took advantage of the chaos to gain an edge.
His Mankey, a round-body fighting-type Pokémon, leaped over the electrified ground, growling in anger.
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1119637615436648528/1119640162549379072/2056-Shiny-Mankey.png]
Its pig-like snout scrunched as it leaped at her Voltorb.
The applicant didn’t even need to give it an order.
It was simply angry.
Mankey shot forward, narrowly dodging the residual sparks and surging toward her.
Her eyes widened as she noticed Mankey closing in on her.
But she was quick to react; she gritted her teeth and spurred Volty into action.
"Volty, Spark!" she shouted, brows furrowed.
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzt—!
With a surge of electrical energy, Voltorb charged at Mankey.
Sparks surrounded its ball-like body. The air crackled as it slammed into Mankey.
Mankey's body jolted, paralyzed by the electrifying impact.
“No!”
The sharp-featured boy cursed as after Spark, Voltborb slammed into Mankey, causing it to be injured as it couldn’t protect itself.
To make it worse, electricity was discharged into Mankey.
“Mankey, come back!”
He called it back in the Pokéball, and just like that he was also disqualified because his Pokémon was too injured.
Gary's mind raced as he watched the battle unfold before him.
He glanced at his Pokémon.
Doduo had managed to evade the Thundershock attack earlier, but the chaos caused by the electrified aftermath had thrown them off balance.
Gary clenched his fists, determination shining in his eyes.
He wouldn’t let Professor Oak, his grandfather, be disappointed in him.
"Doduo, we can't let this opportunity slip away!" he shouted. "We need to show them what we're made of!"
Doduo chirped in response, its two heads nodding in agreement.
With a burst, the dual-headed Pokémon charged forward, its powerful legs propelling it towards its target.
Gary quickly assessed the situation and made a split-second decision.
He knew he had to strike fast and catch her off guard.
Doduo's speed and agility were the greatest assets, and he had to make use of them.
But…
‘This isn’t a battle test.’
This was a race.
And the one coming in the first weight would win.
"Doduo, Move! Now!!"
He intended to be the first.
But first, he needed to make sure that she wouldn't be in his path easily.
Doduo's feathers ruffled as it moved with blinding speed.
It zigzagged through the lingering sparks and swiftly closed the distance between itself and her Pokémon, Voltorb.
Gary knew that if Doduo could land a well-timed attack, it would give them the upper hand in this race.
So, hell-bent on winning, he shouted his next command.
"Doduo, Peck!"
Doduo's beaks aimed straight at Voltorb, ready to strike.
The dual-headed Pokémon descended upon its target, its sharp beaks aimed for a critical hit.
However, she was not one to be caught off guard easily.
She had shown her skills throughout the race, and she was prepared for such a maneuver.
With a quick response, she called out her command.
"Volty, Protect!"
Voltorb's eyes glowed briefly as a translucent spherical barrier formed around it, just in time to shield it from Doduo's Peck attack.
The dual-headed Pokémon's beaks collided with the protective shield, causing a small crackling sound.
Gary's eyes widened in surprise.
“Heh.” she gave him a smug look.
Gary’s eye twitched, but he didn't let it deter him. He knew he had to adapt quickly.
Doduo recoiled from the failed Peck attack.
“Doduo, Quick Attack!”
Doduo immediately launched itself at Voltorb once again. This time, it aimed to deliver a powerful Quick Attack, utilizing the strength of both its heads.
Doduo's feathers fluttered as it neared Voltorb, its sharp claws making the ground tear open in its wake.
Quick Attack struck Voltorb head-on. Voltorb shuddered under the intense assault but managed to survive
Gary didn’t linger any longer. He was not here for battle.
So, he quickly ran up to Doduo and hopped on top of it, “Go! Doduo!”
Doduo chirped and then ran past Voltorb which was coming back to its bearing.
As Gary whipped past her, she glanced back at him, her eyes crinkling with amusement.
Gary's expression hardened as he clenched his fists.
'I won't let you get away that easily… but not today.’ he thought in his mind.
The trees whizzed by in a blur, their leaves rustling in the wind.
‘I’ll win no matter what.’
He thought, gritting his teeth.
Behind him, she quickly regained her composure, a determined glint in her eyes.
She wasted no time, leaping onto Voltorb's spherical body, and rolling along the forest floor in hot pursuit.
Gary did not take it easy, and neither did he let Doduo take it easy.
Doduo's powerful legs propelled them forward with incredible speed, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.
He would win, yes.
Just a bit more!
Behind him, she cursed, thinking that it would have been better if she simply ran instead of stopping there to mess things up for others.
Meanwhile, Doduo ran with all it had, and soon enough, it was on the end.
Just as it was about to cross, however.
Gary’s eyes twitched wide.
“Wh-what—”
“Oh, welcome, someone’s finally here.”
The dirty peasant boy, Ian Wright if he recalled correctly, was standing there at the end, smiling.
“H-how…”
Gary muttered in confusion as Doduo crossed the finish line.
How was this possible?