Chapter Text
Sleep came fast for young Olivier that night, exhausted after his day running around Artazon and the wilds that surrounded it. When he woke up in his dorm the next morning, it almost didn’t seem real – giant Klawfs, magic herbs, a man leaping from the top of a goddamn windmill – but the pictures in his phone proved otherwise. He rubbed his eyes, not yet ready to crawl out of bed, and grabbed his phone from his side table, scrolling through to see if he had any messages.
There were two texts: the first was from Nemona, sent at 6 in the morning. Of course she’d be up that early. It was wishing him a good day, and hoping they’d see each other in classes today. The second was from his mother, saying good morning and reminding him to eat something. He smiled, before finally managing to drag himself out of bed, changing into his uniform and trying to remember what class he had first.
His phone buzzed, as if on cue, to tell him he had Biology with Mr. Jacq soon, which made him move just a touch faster. Had to be speedy if he was going to be a good son and follow his mother’s orders to eat something that morning. He finished tying his tie before munching down on a pain au chocolat from the Patisserie Soapberry and chugging some coffee, scolding himself for not getting up earlier so he could take his time with his breakfast.
There was no time to waste now, however. He shouldered his bag, grabbing the lanyard that held his dorm key, before heading out the door and towards the front desk to find out where his first class was being held. After the lady there pointed him in the right direction, he was off, sliding into his seat fairly early in the large, open lab of a classroom. Soon after him, he noticed Nemona taking a seat right in the front, the polar opposite of him. He had taken a spot all the way in the back, not wanting to be the first one a teacher could potentially lay eyes on.
She eventually noticed him, turning in her seat to look around, and practically jumped up, moving towards the back to chat with him for a bit. As the two chattered about Oli’s progress in the Gym Challenge, Oli asking her quietly if Mr. Hassel was really as scary as he perceived ( he was not, according to Nemona ), their classmates started to file in, one by one. But still no Mr. Jacq. Even after the classroom filled and they were all sitting there, waiting for him, he still did not appear.
Nemona just waved a hand, talking to Oli, “Don’t worry. Mr. Jacq is always late. He’ll show up any second now!”
While Oli was having a hard time believing her, he didn’t really have many other options at the moment, so he continued to wait, Nemona eventually returning to her seat. He had to wonder, since he was doing his first and second classes back to back, if Jacq would leave in the middle, just so he could be late again.
He shook his head.
That was mean.
Thankfully, he didn’t have much more time to ponder his Biology professor’s tendency towards lateness, given the man himself stumbled into the room five minutes past when they were supposed to start, “--Hi everyone!” He greeted them, slightly out of breath, “Appreciate you waiting for me – got all wrapped up in research and lost track of time!”
There were a few giggles from around the room as Jacq set down his things and straightened his lab coat, before he officially began the class, “Alright. Hello, hello!” Jacq waved to his students, grinning brightly, “I’m Jacq, and I’ll be your Biology professor for this term. In my class, we’ll learn about the various quirks of our beloved Pokémon together! By the end of the term, I hope you all come to love Pokémon even more, thanks to the things you learn here.”
With his opening speech out of the way, the class truly began, Jacq starting their time together with a short lecture on how to be safe when out and about with Pokémon. No purposefully agitating wild ones, of course ( though some students seemed to roll their eyes, much to Olivier’s horror ), no straying far from paths without a solid plan to get back, and no taking on anything more than ten levels above your strongest Pokémon. Basic stuff, Olivier had thought.
Jacq strayed from his lecture’s path more than once, telling off color stories about his own ventures in field research, most of which involved counts of assault by many wild Pokémon. Bad luck, he joked, along with his ‘bad vibes’, he’d been told. A few groans emerged from around the classroom, including from Oli’s corner. Of course he couldn’t escape horrible jokes, even here. They seemed to follow him no matter where he went.
Eventually, they came around to the topic of walking with Pokémon, and getting to learn about them that way. As if Oli hadn’t been doing that with his Fuecoco the entire time he’d been on his journey. Had others not been doing that? Weird.
“If you’d like to become better friends with your Pokémon... you can let them come out of their Poké Ball and walk along with you! Sounds great, huh?” Jacq explained, to nods from around the classroom, “Just by throwing out your Poké Ball, you can let out the Pokémon inside, and they can follow you around! Nothing cuter than watching your Pokémon run around underfoot, if you ask me.”
He looked around the room, noticing some of his students fidgeting with their bags, quickly adding on, “Well, hang on now-! Letting your Pokémon out of its ball isn’t such a great idea in some locations. Can anyone tell me where it is that you shouldn’t have your Pokémon walk along with you?”
A few people raised their hands, Oli among them, though he wasn’t expecting to be the one called on. He just didn’t want to be called out for being the one with his hand down. That didn’t seem to be working out for him, though.
“Oli!”
Fuck.
He deflated a bit, before answering, “Inside buildings-?”
“That’s right! Great job, Oli. I see you did your homework.” Jacq grinned, giving him a thumbs up at his correct answer, “The correct answer is that we should not walk with our Pokémon indoors. How about that!” He looked around the room as he got a chorus of disappointed noises from his students, adjusting his glasses on his nose, “Hey, now, don’t be like that! Some Pokémon might damage walls, desks, and other things walking around inside buildings, so it’s not allowed regardless of the species. We wanna keep everything in here nice and neat, right?”
After a few nods, and a few more ‘Yes, Mr. Jacq’s, he continued, “Right. Therefore, please only let your Pokémon out of their Poké Balls while outdoors. OK, everyone?” He peered around the room, “I think I see them out and about in classrooms from time to time, but still…”
Oli did have to wonder how strict of a rule this was, given that he’d seen many students walking around with smaller Pokémon, and facing no consequences. Or at least, if they had faced consequences, he didn’t know about them. He’d have to ask Nemona once class was over.
He zoned out for the rest of class, still unable to shake his tiredness, before the bell rang, snapping him back to reality. It seemed Jacq hadn’t said much else of importance, but that was to be expected, in his head. It was only the first class, after all. Halfway to getting up before realizing he was sticking around for one of the sessions of Biology Two, he plopped back down, slumping forward in his seat as Nemona approached him, beaming as per usual.
“Your first class, done and dusted!” She proclaimed, “How do you feel?”
“Tired.” Oli replied bluntly, “I’m staying for the second one and I’m… not excited.”
Nemona leaned on the desk, eyes sparkling, “Ooh, back to back classes. Just plunging into the deep end, huh? Geez, even I won’t do that.”
“Good for you.” Oli blew a raspberry, before asking, “So… do people actually get in trouble for having their Pokémon out?”
His friend snorted, before laughing to herself, “No, not really. We’re supposed to, but nah. It’s only if you’ve got really big or dangerous Pokémon inside that you’ll get in trouble. For example – I don’t think you’d be allowed to just have… what’re they called again? The purple Pokémon from the beach.”
“Miraidon?”
“Miraidon!” Nemona clicked her fingers, “I don’t think you’d be able to have them just running around the school tagging along behind you.” She perked up, before looking at her phone, “Shoot – Gotta run! Home Ec’s calling my name! See you later, Oli!”
And with that, she was gone, running out towards the next thing.
Once Nemona was gone, Oli looked around to see he wasn’t alone in sticking around, him and his back to back classmates soon joined by people filing in from other classes. Among them, he noticed, was Penny – the girl with the Eevee backpack! He waved to her, trying to get her to notice him for a solid five seconds. She glanced over, before blinking and raising an eyebrow, eventually deciding to sit next to him.
“Hi? You’re… Olivier, right?” She greeted, hanging her backpack off the back of her chair, Oli nodding to confirm she had the right person, “...Any reason you wanted me here?”
Oli drummed his fingers on the table, “I don’t know anyone else in here.” He nervously laughed, “Nemona just left so… when I saw you come in I was kind of relieved. At least I kind of know you.” He looked over at her, “Also, wanted to ask – where’d you get that bag?”
“O-Oh.” Penny pointed to her Eevee backpack, “This one?”
“I mean, unless you’ve got some other bag I don’t know about…”
“It’s online. I… I can send you a link, if you want.”
Oli nodded eagerly, and she silently pulled out her phone ( which was in an Eevee styled case, funnily enough ) and typed away, and in short order, Oli’s phone buzzed with an incoming notification.
“I don’t think I ever gave you my phone number–?” He raised an eyebrow.
Penny shrugged, “School email. Everyone has one. Sent the link to that. Not many people here have the name Olivier. ”
“Oh. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
They were silent for a moment as the class finally filled, before Oli asked, “Do you… want my phone number?”
“Not particularly.”
“...Alright then.” Oli puffed his cheeks as he let out a breath, pulling out his phone to see that Penny had, in fact, sent him an email containing the link. Not that he thought it was anything else. He saved the backpack to his wishlist in the online shopping app it was on, before tucking his phone away once more as class began.
Though, there was one more thing he had to say.
“Just call me Oli, please.”
“Oli?”
“Yeah. Nemona gave me the nickname and I kinda like it, honestly.”
“...Ok. Sure.”
Feeling like Penny really didn’t want to be talking to him anymore, Oli finally decided to shut his trap, which was convenient, given class started not long after.
“Hello, hello. I hope everyone’s ready to learn some new things today!” Jacq began, thankfully not late again due to the back to back classes, “Did you all try walking around with your Pokémon like we talked about last class?” He looked around the classroom, seeing some eager nods, before also seeing some of the same students from Biology 1, “I know I see some of you from the last class – I want you all to try it out once this class is over! No sitting through more of my lectures!”
The statement earned some laughs from his students, including Oli, as Jacq continued, “Walking along with your Pokémon lets you see how unique and cute they all are – way better than staring at me and listening to me ramble.” He snickered, before adding on, “I’d also highly recommend picnics for when you want to spend some quality time together with the Pokémon in your party.”
He went on about picnics for a bit – stating that the best way to learn how to make the best sandwiches at said picnics was to join Mr. Saguaro’s Home Ec class. The one Nemona had gone to, no doubt. It was a thankfully short detour, before he moved on to the true subject of the class: reproduction. He glanced around the classroom of teenage students, asking with a raised eyebrow, “Just making sure: we can all be mature about this, right?”
A few snorts, a couple of quiet snickers, before the inevitable “Yes, Mr. Jacq.”
“I’m trusting you guys.” Jacq teased, before starting his lecture, “Now, sometimes, while you’re enjoying a picnic with your Pokémon, you may find something very, VERY important in the basket next to your table! This very important something is what Pokémon are born from.” He gestured to the class, “Let’s all say it together!”
Alongside his classmates, Oli responded “Eggs!”, though next to him, Penny was silent as a statue. He even thought, for a moment, that he saw an earbud in her ear, connected to her phone propped up on the desk. It was playing some kind of anime – he wasn’t sure which one. Was never really his style of entertainment.
Jacq seemed relieved that they’d all responded with the same answer, though, letting out a sigh of relief, “Phew! You all got it right!” He gestured to his presentation, “The very important something I’m talking about is a Pokémon Egg!” He went on to explain the ins and outs of how Pokémon Eggs came about – and how some Pokémon could even give live birth, under the right conditions. It was a refreshing change from the ‘we just don’t know what these eggs are!’ lessons of Oli’s past. Though, he supposed it was a bit more appropriate when he was younger.
“Walking around with an Egg will help warm it, which allows it to hatch.” Jacq carried on, “Eggs won’t warm up by sitting in Boxes, though. You need to have them in your party!”
Obviously. Oli thought, already figuring that this test would be a breeze if this was the kind of stuff that was going to be on it.
“And here’s one more super important thing I’d like you to remember about Eggs.” His teacher interrupted his ( perhaps ) over confident musing, “Pokémon entrust us with their Eggs because they believe in us! So, I sure would be happy to see you all being responsible parents for your little Pokémon Eggs!”
Ding, dong.
There was the bell. Jacq shook his head, “Whoops. My most important point came right as the bell rang. Well, see you all next time, I guess!” He waved to his departing students, “That means all of you! I don’t wanna see anyone doing three classes in a row!”
He got some laughs from those that were left, Oli included. The teen stretched as he stood up, feeling just a touch stiff from sitting for so long. As he looked down to get his bag, he noticed Penny hadn’t moved yet, and he nudged her, “Hey. Class is over.”
She blinked, looking up at him owlishly from underneath her round glasses, before turning off her show and putting her earbuds ( so he was right! ) away in their case, “...Th-Thanks.” She slung her Eevee backpack onto her shoulders after putting her things safely away within, “I… I guess I’ll see you later.”
With that, she quickly moved to leave, Oli not even able to get in a goodbye before she slipped out of the classroom amongst the remaining wave of their classmates.
He blinked, before letting out a breath and shouldering his own bag, looking down at his phone to see what class he had to go to next.
Math.
He groaned, rubbing his eyes. Great.
“What’s wrong, Oli?” Jacq had noticed his despair from where he was packing up, “Something happen?”
“No, I just have Math next. Always been bad at it.” Olivier admitted, “Kind of dreading it.”
His homeroom teacher seemed optimistic, though, “Oh, you’ll have Tyme, then. You’ll do great in her class.”
“Are you just saying that?”
“What?” Jacq grinned, shaking his head, “Of course not. Tyme’s a great teacher, and you seem like you at least wanna try, right?” A nod from Oli, “Well, then-! You’ll do great. That’s all she wants, I promise.”
Oli thought for a moment, still unsure, but willing to take Jacq’s word for it, “...Alright.” He nodded, “Thanks, professor.”
“No problem!” The Biology teacher nodded, still beaming, before turning his young student towards the door, “Now go kill it, ya little ragamuffin.” Oli laughed, before heading towards the door, hearing Jacq call after him, “And keep working on your Pokédex-!”
Heading down to the front desk, he was put into the next two sessions of Math, and was put off to the races. Up to the classroom he went, creeping in and noticing that he wasn’t the first one to arrive. Taking a seat near the middle of the room, he started to scroll through his phone, wondering what class was after this, and hoping it was at least marginally more interesting than Math.
After this, it was History, then Languages, then Battle Studies, Art, and finally, Home Ec.
History didn’t seem bad – he was good at History. At least, he had been back in Kalos. Maybe it was morbid, but living through one of the region’s biggest ( thankfully averted ) catastrophes had almost certainly sparked his curiosity in his homeland’s history, and it was all down rabbit holes from there. Art would be interesting as well, he presumed – Hassel taught that one. He’d wanted him to come so bad? Well, there he would be.
His teacher was early this time, perfectly prepared and ready for class. The polar opposite to Jacq, that was for sure. She held herself high, with a rock solid presence at the front of the classroom. She set her things on her desk as the last few stragglers took their seats, and, with another ring of the bell, class began.
“Hello, everyone. Nice to meet you. My name's Tyme, and I will be your math teacher.”
And he was already bored.
“Sorry to put you all on the spot at the start of class, but let me ask you a quick question—Do you enjoy numbers, arithmetic, and the like?” Tyme asked the class, to a variety of answers, Oli supplying his own in the form of a disinterested shake of his head.
Their teacher gave a polite chuckle, nodding, “Oh, my. Thank you for your honest responses. Some of you may like numbers, and some may not. I think that makes a wonderful mix. But no matter your opinion on math, I hope you find yourselves enjoying our lessons together! I'll do my best to find a good way to match up your interests with all types of math lessons!”
Oli blinked. That was different. A good number of his math teachers in the past had simply gone through curriculum, and if he’d gotten left behind or become disinterested? Too bad. Catch up. If Tyme was going to try and match his interests to the lessons… interesting. He raised an eyebrow, tuning in.
“Speaking of which, are you all caught up on your studies of Pokémon type matchups? For example, Grass is strong against Water, and Water is strong against Fire, correct?” She continued, to mostly nods from her students, before turning to him, “Olivier, you seem to be good with Pokémon, so let me ask you this... Bearing in mind that Water is strong against Fire... If the move Water Gun hits a Fire-type Pokémon, what becomes of the move's damage?”
Oh! He knew this!
“It would be doubled–” He answered confidently, “Because of the type advantage.”
“That's right! I knew I could count on you for this question, Olivier.” Tyme smiled, praising him for the correct answer.
It was small, perhaps silly, and only one question out of the whole course, but… he sat up a bit straighter. Tried to pay attention a bit more.
Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.
The rest of the class went without a hitch, Tyme explaining the math behind Pokémon advantages, and how that knowledge effectively in battle. It felt like no time at all before the bell rang, and his teacher even seemed surprised, “Oh, my. Is that the bell? I suppose that's all for now. What a shame... I'm looking forward to seeing you all in the next class. I hope you're looking forward to it, too!”
Much like the last class, a good portion of the students filed out, while others stayed, having the same plan as Oli to stick out both classes. Oli took advantage of the small break in between the class change to check his phone, seeing two texts from Nemona – one saying she was heading into Math soon and the other that they should meet up for lunch.
He snorted, before texting back a simple About that.
She walked into the room not long after, looking mildly confused, before spotting him and beaming, taking her seat, “Oli! Same class again, huh?”
“Mhm.” He hummed, “I can’t escape you.”
“Geez. Dramatic?”
“I don’t think so.” Oli just grinned at his rival, who just rolled her eyes.
“Whatever.” She snickered, “Did you get my other text?”
“About lunch-? Yeah. I’m cool with that.” A growl from his stomach, “... Very cool with that.”
Ding dong.
Just as the bell rang, Nemona swung around in her seat to face the front, shooting her friend a thumbs up as Tyme returned to the front of the class.
“Hello, everyone. Let's have a fun class today.” She greeted, before starting her lecture with a question, just as she had last time, “Tell me, do you all enjoy shopping? Buying tasty bread or choosing new clothes—even just window shopping is so much fun!”
Tasty bread.
Oli really didn’t need to be thinking about food right now. He let out a breath, trying to push that one point of her lecture out of his mind. It was almost lunchtime, anyway.
“In today's class, I'd like to use shopping—one of my own favorite hobbies, mind you—to teach you all about math!” Tyme continued on, “I'm sure everyone here has visited a Poké Mart at least once. They sell all sorts of Pokémon items! Poké Balls are one of the many useful items you can find there. They cost 200 dollars each. Now then, I'd like you all to do some thinking with me here! One Poké Ball is 200. If you had 2,000 and bought as many Poké Balls as you could afford, how many would you receive?”
Oli wanted to raise his hand. He really did.
But there was the nagging feeling that his calculation was wrong. 2,000 divided by 200 was ten, right?
Well. Better wrong here, right?
Against his nerves screaming at him not to be wrong, he raised his hand, Tyme called on him, and he gave his answer, “...Ten?”
“Oh dear. I'm sorry, Olivier. I suppose this was a bit of a trick question.”
Oh.
“With 2,000 dollars, you can afford to purchase a maximum of 10 Poké Balls... However! If you purchase 10 or more of any one type of Poké Ball... You will also receive one Premier Ball—a special white ball—as a bonus!”
Premier Balls.
He bit his lip, swearing he could feel his blood pressure rising. How could he have forgotten?
“So the correct answer is, in fact, eleven! It sure is nice to get a little bonus like that on a shopping trip, isn't it?” Tyme concluded to the sound of the bell, “I suppose that's all for now. What a shame... I'm looking forward to seeing you all in the next class. I hope you're looking forward to it, too!”
As the class started to pack up, Oli retrieved his bag from the back of his chair, still seething over the trick question as Nemona approached, “Aw, c’mon, Oli! Happens to all of us – you’ll get the next one, I promise!”
Oli rolled his eyes as far back as he could, “Sure.”
“You seemed like you were having fun before that, c’mon!”
“I was! Her class is fun!” Oli huffed, “I just… don’t like being wrong in front of people. Feels bad, you know?”
“Yeah, I get that.” Nemona nodded, “It can feel like all eyes are on you messing up. But hey, you learned something from it, didn’t you?”
Oli fidgeted with his hands, “Yeah?”
“And that’s what counts! C’mon,” She grabbed his hand, “Let’s go get lunch.”
He had no time to argue with her ( not that he was going to ) before she practically dragged him down the hall towards the cafeteria, and eventually, after a whirlwind of events, found himself sitting with her eating paella.
“So, who do you have next?” She asked after swallowing a forkful, “I can give you tips on how to pass their classes–”
“I think I have Raifort in a bit. For History.” Oli showed his friend his phone, and she nodded.
“Yeah, yeah. She’s a bit weird. Don’t worry about it. She just really likes History and talking about it. The more you can get her to talk about events as far back as possible, the better. She doesn’t really like contemporary history, but Clavell makes her teach it because… it’s kind of important.”
“...Good to know?” Oli watched as Nemona scrolled through his schedule, waiting to see what tidbit she’d give him next.
“Oh my god you have Languages with Salvatore – you’re gonna love him!” Nemona beamed, “He’s the best – as long as you participate and talk in his class, you’re set. His tests are super easy, too.”
Actually good to know. Tests were far from his strong suit, so if there was at least one he could put less brain power into, it was a win for him.
“Ooh, and Dendra for Battle Studies. She’s really high energy, just so you know. Lots of yelling. Not like, at you, or because she’s mad. She’s just really excited all the time.”
“Like you?”
Nemona paused, looking at her friend, who quickly began to laugh, managing to choke out, “Is she your favorite?”
“Yes, but that’s not the point-!”
“It totally is!” Oli cackled, before finally recovering a minute later and peering over at his phone, “So what else-?”
Nemona hummed, “Oh! Hassel! Yay, you’re gonna take his Art Class!”
“He scared me, I’m not gonna lie.” Oli admitted, “He came and saw me in Artazon and scared me out of my skin.”
“He does that to everyone the first time you see him – don’t worry about it. He’s a big softie. He might seem really scary because of the whole Elite Four thing, but he’s actually the total opposite. Just do your work and he’ll be the best.”
Oli didn’t quite believe her, but he figured it was best to form his own judgement once it came Art class time.
“And ending off with Saguaro for Home Ec. You’ll be totally fine if you just pay attention. Not bad, Oli!” Nemona ate the last of her lunch, passing back her friend’s phone, “You’re pretty much set – your first term is gonna be amazing, I promise.”
Olivier stuck his phone in his bag, quickly moving to devour the rest of his meal, before wiping his face with a napkin and nodding, “If you say so.”
“I know so!” Nemona declared, taking both of their dishes back up to the counter so the staff could clean them, before returning to the table and shouldering her bag, “C’mon! Let’s get you to History!”
“Don’t I have to register at the desk-?”
“I’ll take care of it!”
Oli blinked, but decided against arguing with the President of the Student Council, following her to the History classroom, where she waved him goodbye and ran off. As he entered, he noted the people that had arrived before him, before taking his seat in the middle of the room. In the front was the already prepared Raifort, waiting for the rest of the class to arrive, occasionally casting a glance towards those already seated.
Once the bell rang again, she adjusted her glasses, before humming, “Oho... I see we have some new students here with us today. My name is Raifort. I will be the one to impart knowledge of the past to your little minds.”
So… you teach History. Yay. Oli snarked in his head, with hardly the guts to say such a thing out loud.
“History is a wonderful thing. Truly splendid. The lives of our ancestors throughout history forged the path to the present in which we live!” Oli was afraid the class was going to turn philosophical for a brief moment, before Raifort actually got to the point, “Today, you shall learn about the most mysterious location in all of Paldea—the Great Crater.”
“As you are all aware, a massive crater known as the Great Crater of Paldea exists in the heart of our region.” She began to explain, Oli swearing he could hear someone in the back go no way. As if Clavell hadn’t mentioned it being forbidden about five hundred times.
And also the fact that it was fucking massive. And right behind the school.
Probably a Unovan. He assumed.
“The area inside this crater is called Area Zero, and research of its geological strata and material composition has shown that the crater is in fact over one million years old. It was long believed that a certain something rested at the bottom of this mysterious crater.” She gazed around the classroom, Oli not even noticing due to trying to figure out what her hair clip was, before hearing his name, “Aha. Perfect timing to make eye contact, young Olivier.”
Oh come on.
“Answer me this. What exactly was believed to rest in the depths of the Great Crater—inside Area Zero?”
Oh, he knew that. At least, he thought he did. The two hour flight had been pretty boring, to say the least, so he’d decided to indulge his curiosity and try and dig into Paldea’s history before they’d gotten there. He buffered for a moment, before giving his answer, feeling Raifort’s gaze still on him, “Treasure-?”
She raised her eyebrows, before giving a small chuckle, “That is correct! You are a surprisingly clever one, aren’t you? I see you did your homework prior to coming to my class.”
A turn to the class, and she continued on, regaling them with the tale that, indeed, treasure was rumored to lie at the bottom of the Crater, only to give them the disappointing truth – there was nothing down there but a research lab.
Along with another reminder that the crater was banned, of course. And that if it was permitted for anyone to go down there besides scientists, she would be the first to go. Great.
Ding dong.
“Oho, is that the time already? I must’ve gotten swept up in filling your minds with knowledge.” She hummed, before giving a wave, “This ends today’s lesson. We will unravel more of history’s enigmas together next time.”
As students both remained where they were and packed up to leave, Olivier was in the camp of staying behind, checking his phone briefly before noticing Raifort giving him a glance. He didn’t think much of it, honestly, soon distracted by more people filing into the classroom. There was nobody he recognized, so Oli simply kept his head down until the bell rang. Time for another History class.
Raifort got up from where she’d been seated at her desk, striding back up to the front of the room before addressing them all, “Greetings, my little students. Whatever you did before you arrived, it is now a part of history. Today, we will continue to unravel the marvels that history has presented to us.”
Oli listened intently, happy that at least Raifort seemed passionate about her work. Nemona had been right about that, at the very least.
Her lecture continued, “About two thousand years ago, this region came under the rule of the Paldean Empire. Historical accounts describe the Paldean emperor as being quite the dictator. This emperor also zealously believed the legend of the treasure that rests deep within Area Zero.” Raifort cleared her throat, “I must mention that the civilizations of our ancestors were not as developed as ours is today. People back then were far more likely to believe in mysterious legends, magic, and beings beyond human comprehension. In an attempt to gain the power to stand against Paldea’s neighboring countries, the emperor sent people in droves to join the hunt for the fabled treasure of Area Zero.”
A glance around the room. Question time. Oli was expecting it this time, though he didn’t expect her to pick him again. “Aha. Perfect timing to make eye contact, young Olivier. Answer me this – Approximately how many years ago was it that the Paldean Empire began to rule this region?”
She’d just mentioned that. “Two thousand.” He answered plainly, only taking a quick glance at the notes he’d been taking.
“That is correct! You are a surprisingly clever one, aren’t you? I see you’re listening intently to my lecture.”
Why did she keep mentioning how clever he supposedly was? Was it really that remarkable that he’d been listening?
“The answer is about two thousand years ago. That is when the Great Era of Exploration began. However, it is said that not a single adventurer sent out by the emperor ever reached the depths of Area Zero.”
Oli hummed as he took his notes – not one? Well, he supposed, they didn’t have the technology, or battling prowess that people possessed today. Just reading about Hisui and their abject fear of Pokémon until the girl from the sky had come along was enough to prove that. And that was only two hundred some years ago. He could only imagine what it was like even further back in time.
“Was it the punishing journey itself that barred their way? Or perhaps some unknown creature? The resounding failure of this “Great” Era of Exploration almost certainly heightened the air of mystery surrounding the crater. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to explore Area Zero in its untouched state at that time! I suppose I can only hope for the swift invention of a time machine.”
Ding dong.
“Oho, is that the time already? I must’ve gotten swept up in filling your minds with knowledge.” She smiled, “This ends today’s lesson. We will unravel more of history’s enigmas together next time.”
Oli packed up his things and retrieved his bag, before leaving for his next class – Languages. Going down to the front desk, he quickly signed up for the next two Languages classes, before running off once more. Taking his seat in the brightly lit room, he looked around at the various posters around the room, showing off the beautiful landscapes of other regions. He even spotted one of Kalos, showing Shalour City and the Tower of Mastery.
It was only a moment later that the teacher himself walked into the room, Olivier first noticing the lapel on his suit jacket – shaped like the tail of a Raichu. Salvatore also had a pair of sunglasses hooked from the jacket pocket, which he removed and put on his desk with the rest of his things as the bell rang.
He was beaming almost the entire time, turning to the class to begin his lecture, “My dear students! How ARE you all today? Feeling good, I hope?” His voice was a bit loud, projected throughout the entire room, “Je m'appelle Salvatore. My name is Salvatore! Merci beaucoup! That is, thank you very much for your attention here in my class!”
Oli perked up at the Kalosian in the first minute of class, unable to keep himself from smiling right back at his teacher as he continued on.
“I'm so heureux—or happy—for this chance to re-experience my younger days with you all! Do you know what "Salvatore" means?” When he got a few students shaking their heads, he chuckled, “It means "savior"! So just imagine I'm here to SAVE you from spooooky new languages. Haha! Funny, no?”
A few groans, a few rolls of eyes, meanwhile Oli was legitimately trying not to laugh. What was happening to his sense of humor?
“That's right!” Salvatore carried on through the vaguely amused groanings of his students, “My classes will teach you about various languages from different regions. You may say "Good morning!" or "Hello!" as a greeting, but people from elsewhere may say "Bonjour!" or "Salut!" I've heard there's even a popular streamer out there who smashes several languages together and says "'Ello, 'ello, hola! Ciao and bonjour!"”
“There are so many regions out there in the world, and each can have their own unique languages! Gracias, merci, xièxie, arigato, danke—these all have the same meaning! Can you guess what it is?”
Oli’s hand immediately shot up, his brain barely having time to process, before Salvatore called on him, and he responded, “Thank you.”
“Waouh! Oliver, was it? Bravo! That's correct!” He was positive at this point Salvatore’s smile could not get any wider, “Thank you for answering my question! Speaking up is important in language learning, too!” The professor spread his arms wide, addressing the entire class, “Gracias, merci, xièxie—these words all mean "thank you." I guess some of you probably knew at least one of those! Despite meaning the same thing, their lengths and sounds are all different! Isn't that interesting?”
The class was buzzing at this point, before Salvatore managed to settle them all down, coming around in front of the table at the front of the class and sitting down on top of it, “And now, apropos of nothing, let me give you all one of my wise words of advice! When you travel abroad, you should try to speak the local language as much as you can—even if you can't speak it very well! I'm sure your willingness to try will make the people you meet très heureux—very happy!” He hummed, “Honestly, from my experience, just being able to say "hello," "delicious," and "thank you" in the local language will get you pretty far. For everything else, just pretend you're Mr. Mime and gesture away!”
Ding dong.
“Oh! There's that pesky bell. I guess that's all the time we have for today!” Salvatore quickly got up from his makeshift seat, waving to his departing students, “Well, adios! Mata ne! À la prochaine! See you later, everyone!”
Olivier was not one of them, per the protocol for today, and he stayed right where he was, before noticing Salvatore had resumed his seat on the table, now with a clearer view of him thanks to the person sitting in front of him having departed. “Olivier– I don’t think I’ve seen you before!” He spoke casually to his student, “Did you start recently?”
“Mhm.” Oli nodded, “Transferred from Kalos just before the year started.”
“Kalos! Waouh!” Salvatore grinned, “D’où es-tu à Kalos? J'y suis allé plusieurs fois.”
Oli beamed at the opportunity to talk about his home region, “Illumis. J'y ai vécu toute ma vie avant de déménager ici. Mais je n’ai jamais participé au Gym Challenge.”
“Mais c'est peut-être pour le mieux?” Salvatore questioned, leaning forward, “Je ne pense pas qu'ils permettent aux gens d'être champions dans deux régions, après tout!” He laughed.
“Nemona t'a dit que j'essayais d'être un champion?”
“Bien sûr qu’elle l’a fait ! Elle l'a dit à quiconque veut bien l'écouter, j'ai entendu.”
Ding dong.
They’d been so wrapped up in their conversation that both of them had hardly noticed the filling room, and Salvatore immediately gathered himself together at the sound, “Good talking to you, mon ami.” He got down from his makeshift seat, and began to address the whole class, “My dear friends! How ARE you all today? Feeling absolutely fantastic, I hope? It's time for Salvatore's Language Lesson! Êtes-vous prêts—are you ready, everyone? You can answer with "Yes" or "Oui"!”
There was a mix of replies, Oli choosing the latter, before Salvatore continued, “C'est super! In our last class, I believe I taught you all how to say "thank you" in other languages, right? In le cours d'aujourd'hui—today's class—we will learn about a certain word sure to make people happy when you use it in your travels abroad! What word, you ask? Well, you'll have to guess! Délicieux! Hǎochī! Buono! Can anyone tell me what these words mean?”
Again, Oli’s hand shot up amongst a small crowd of his peers, Salvatore picking him out once more, “Delicious.”
“Waouh! Correct! C'est super! I knew I could count on you, Olivier!” Salvatore praised, elaborating, “Délicieux! Hǎochī! Buono! All of these words mean "delicious"! Using the local word for "delicious" at markets or restaurants is sure to get a big sourire—a smile, that is—from whoever you're talking to! It'll make communication go more smoothly—I guarantee it! People love it when someone says the cuisine of their homeland is delicious! Who wouldn't be heureux—happy—to receive such a compliment?”
He smiled, “I know the students in our Transferred Students Association would be très heureux – very happy, that is – to receive a compliment on the lovely snacks they bring to our club! I’d encourage you all to come to at least one meeting – especially if you’re new to our wonderful school this year!” He cast a small glance to Oli, who smiled a bit, before taking his seat, ready for his words of advice.
“And now, apropos of nothing, let me give you all one of my wise words of advice! The first step to smooth communication is to compliment the person you're talking to! After all, it's not very likely that a compliment would put someone in a bad mood! This doesn't only apply to people in other regions, either! It's the same for all of you, too! You can put this tip to use with your classmates!” Salvatore looked around the room, gesturing to all his little students, “How about you all try complimenting each other after class? I bet it will make for an ambiance plus sympathique—a more friendly atmosphere!”
Ding dong.
A little hop to his feet, and Salvatore adjusted his suit jacket, “That's all for today! See you all au prochain cours—next lesson, that is! Adios! Mata ne!”
As Olivier packed up his things, he debated what Salvatore said – there was a Transferred Students Association? With students just like him? He heard footsteps coming up to him, and he looked up from his bag, broken from his thoughts - it was Salvatore, presenting him with a flyer. “Here, my friend – have a look! If you’re intéressé, let me know next time you’re in class, and I’ll get you signed up.” He beamed, giving Oli a pat on the shoulder, before moving to speak to some of the other students.
The boy glanced down at it – a colorful flyer detailing all the fun things they did in the club. Lots of cultural events, fun meetings involving games and snacks… It was very appealing. He nodded, before putting it in his bag, waving to the Languages Teacher and making his way downstairs again to register for Battle Studies.
It wasn’t in a room, this class – it was on the very top floor of the Academy, in the Courtyard where the opening ceremony had taken place. He could already see some of his classmates gathered, their Pokémon at their sides. He guessed this wasn’t technically inside, after all…
Out came Heliodoro, stretching his little legs and looking around at his bright surroundings. He let out a little craw and looked up at Oli, who crouched down to give him a pat or two, “Battle Studies – I’m actually allowed to have you out up here.”
The fresh air was good for both of them, he figured – especially after sitting in classrooms all day. He checked his phone briefly as the bell rang – two more sets of classes after this: Art and Home Ec.
He could do it.
“Osu!”
He startled as he heard a loud voice from the front of the crowd of students to see who he could pretty soundly assume was their teacher – Ms. Dendra.
“Say hello to your battle instructor—The one! The only! The hot-blooded Dendra! "Osu" is a karate thing, by the way. Look it up!” She excitedly continued, beaming wide, “My age? 25! My hobby? Working out! My...type?! Well…” A gesture to the Medicham at her side, “Strong and muscular Fighting types, of course!”
“That's all for my introduction! As for my class, this is where you all get to learn the nitty-gritty of Pokémon battling!” Gloved hands went to her hips as she encouraged her young students, “We'll start with the basics so that no Trainer gets left in the dust! Even if you're new to this stuff, have no fear! Leave it to me and my muscles, and you'll be pros in no time. Let's set our fighting spirits ablaze—together!”
It was a bit over enthusiastic, but nothing Oli hadn’t seen from Nemona. It kept him awake and forced him to pay attention, at the very least.
“Pokémon have all kinds of attack moves at their disposal, and each move has certain qualities that you'll want to remember! I'm talking about the power, type, and category of these moves!” Dendra lectured, “Higher power means more damage—especially if your opponent is weak to that move's type!” She scanned the crowd before spotting him, and he blinked as she pointed at him, “You! You’re the new kid, right?”
Oli nodded.
“Alright! Heads up, new kid! Question coming your way! There are two categories that attack moves can fall under. Know what they are?”
Oh. Easy. “Physical and Special?”
“Awesome! You're just as sharp as I expected, new kid! Looks like you have a handle on the basics!” She grinned, giving a clap, before elaborating, “Anyway, attack moves are split into two categories—physical and special! Physical moves do more damage the higher the Pokémon's Attack stat is! And special moves do more damage the higher the Pokémon's Special Atk stat is!”
She continued on, explaining how different types of defense worked against different types of moves, and how to effectively raise stats in order to use your Pokémon’s moves to their greatest potential, all of which Oli wrote down – his team deserved him to be knowledgeable about how to help them be their strongest selves, after all.
Ding dong.
“Aw, man! I was just about to suggest we do some hands-on practice to really drive the point home, but I guess we're out of time…” Dendra sighed.
Seriously? Oli thought, You tell me the plan was for us to battle after the bell rings? Lame.
Maybe Nemona was rubbing off on him too much.
“We'll generally meet for my class here in the schoolyard—even for book learning! Nothing like a little fresh air to make studying more fun, am I right?” She gave a two finger salute to her students, shiny golden gloves glinting in the sunlight, “But class is over for now! Take care, you little rascals!”
Oli was crouched down with Heliodoro after he finished with his notes, not even noticing Dendra coming his way.
“Osu, new kid!” She greeted him directly, before putting up her hands when she realized she’d startled him, “Whoops – sorry! Didn’t mean to scare ya.” She crouched down with him, “Who’s your friend?”
“Heliodoro.” Olivier replied, a smile growing on his face at the question, “I got him as my starter from Director Clavell.”
Dendra delegated to take a seat on the turf on the Courtyard, “Aw man! Clavell – what a great guy, yeah? That’s super cool, new kid!” She thought for a second, before asking, “What kinda moves does he have? Is he a physical or special attacker?”
“Special.” Oli nodded, “His special attack is def higher, so I’ve been trying to work with that. It’s a work in progress, but… we’re getting there!”
“Hey, and that’s what counts!” Dendra beamed, “He’s not even fully evolved yet, so who knows what new possibilities you’ll get once he is!” She pumped a fist in the air, “Seems like you two are a solid team, though!” She then got up smoothly, dusting herself off, “You stickin’ around for the next class?” A nod from her student, and Dendra gave him a thumbs up, “Right on, new kid! Hang tight – we’ll start soon!”
True to her word, the next class started once everyone had filtered in, heralded by the ringing of the bell. It started similarly to the first, but Dendra began by hyping them up about their Treasure Hunt. Oli was following along until she mentioned Tera Crystals. He’d seen the large clusters of crystals dotting the land as he’d traveled along, but… was that what they were?
“These crystals are actually collections of Terastal energy that's seeped up out of the ground! You can check out these crystals to battle Tera Pokémon with your friends or other Trainers in a group of four. We call those battles...Tera Raid Battles!”
Neat?
“The Tera Pokémon you'll face off against in Tera Raid Battles are crazy tough! They sometimes act differently than regular Pokémon, so you'll need to be on your guard!” Dendra continued, “Luckily, Trainers can also use a special action in Tera Raid Battles. It's called cheering! And there are three different cheers you can use! The first cheer is "Go all out!" It boosts the Attack and Special Atk of all ally Pokémon. The second is "Hang tough!" This one boosts the Defense and Special Def of all ally Pokémon. And the third— Well, let's see if you can guess! This cheer restores HP for all ally Pokémon. What do you think it is?”
Go all out, hang tough…
Oli had no clue. He hadn’t participated in Tera Raids just yet, more focused on Gyms and Titans than anything else. But she wanted them to guess, right? Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad.
He raised his hand, earning Dendra’s attention, and he answered, “I guess it’d be something like… heal up?”
“Hey, nice one, new kid! That's right! Maybe I should make YOU the battle teacher, huh?!” She cheered him on, causing him to beam, before she explained, “The third and final cheer is "Heal up!" It's a real powerhouse, with the ability to both restore HP and cure status conditions! You can cheer up to three times during a single Tera Raid Battle. Also, cheering uses up a turn in battle, so you won't be able to have your Pokémon use any of their moves when you cheer!”
Made sense. Like using a status move – you’d be getting a change out of it, but you wouldn’t be able to attack.
“In conclusion!” Dendra quickly tried to wrap up before the bell, casting a quick glance to the clock above the Courtyard entryway, “Try everything at your disposal! If nothing seems to be working, try cheering on your allies! Providing support for your team can sometimes open up a new realm of possibilities!”
Ding dong.
“Aw, man! I was just about to suggest we do some hands-on practice to really drive the point home, but I guess we're out of time... Class is over for now! Take care, you little rascals!”
Always out of time, really. Her and Jacq seemed to have the same issue. Oli gathered up his things, giving a wave to Dendra as he returned Heliodoro to his ball, and started out towards the elevator. To the front desk to register for Art, now.
Once he was there and registered, he made his way up to the large open Art room. Glancing around, he noticed the forest-green walls were practically covered in artwork, from small kids crafts to elaborate paintings from the older students. A large Staraptor statue was situated in a small space of floor, large and majestic, Oli moving around it to get to his seat at one of the large tables.
He spotted Nemona on the other side of the room from him, and she gave him an eager wave as the door opened and shut one last time, right as the bell rang. It was Hassel, and he was hard to miss, given he towered over everyone currently seated. He strode to the middle of the room, giving a warm glance to all of his students, before clearing his throat and beginning.
“Greetings, I am Hassel. I will be teaching this art class. It is a pleasure to meet you all!” He got some replies in return, greeting him back, which made him smile as he carried on, “Now, I know we have just begun, but let me be candid for one moment. I imagine that many of you will forget all that you learned in this class once you graduate!”
Oli blinked in surprise, startling a bit in his seat. Optimistic start, really.
“After all, you don’t need even a basic understanding of artwork, much less a refined appreciation of beauty, for most exams or jobs. So, is my class a waste of time for you, then? I think not! At least, I certainly hope it isn’t!” He gestured wide to the entire class, “Think for a moment, all of you. What is beauty, anyway? What makes something beautiful?” Oli’s hand crept up into the air, and Hassel pointed him out, “Yes, young Olivier?”
“That’s… subjective, isn’t it? Everyone’s going to have a different perception of beauty, so it’d really be up to them to decide. Eye of beholder kind of thing.”
Hassel thought for a moment, before nodding, “Interesting… thank you, Olivier.” He turned to the rest of the class, starting to walk around, “Oh, I don’t mean to suggest there’s a correct answer to my query. The important thing is that you all take time to think about it. Think about why we might find beauty in a flower blooming on the side of the road, for example.”
Because of the struggle to get there, Oli thought, Growing in conditions you’re not supposed to be able to.
He shook his head at himself. God, he was getting soppy already.
“Question why the sky is a different shade of blue than the ocean or why the leaves change color. Ponder the windmills of Artazon and how they move. Contemplate the chilling bite of the waters of Cascarrafa. I’m sure you will find that every little detail of your lives will seem more vivid, more impactful, if you just take a moment to stop and think.” Hassel continued, “And I am certain that if you stop and truly appreciate the little beauties of this world... it will help pull you through the days where your studies have you exhausted or when work has dampened your spirits.”
Oli listened intently, almost not believing that this was the same man that had scared him shitless in Artazon. Not but a day ago, he’d fixed him with the most intimidating golden stare, and now here he was, waxing philosophical about the beauties of nature and life.
“To put it simply, it is true that one doesn’t need art to survive... But it certainly makes surviving much more enjoyable!” Hassel concluded, “It is my hope that this class will add even a little bit of color to your lives.” As if perfectly timed, he finished his lecture right as the bell sounded, nodding to himself, “That’s all for today—next time, we’ll try a more hands-on approach to appreciating beauty!”
As students filtered out, including Nemona ( who gave him one last wave before running out to the next thing ), Hassel approached Oli, his gaze seeming far less threatening now, “Young Olivier. I am pleased to see you took my words to heart and came to my class. It was no lie when I said I’d be thrilled to have you here.”
Oli nodded, “Yeah. Seems fun, I guess.” He smiled at his teacher, who was grinning right back at him.
“Wonderful!” Hassel then asked, “Have you progressed further in your Gym Challenge, out of curiosity? Last I saw you, of course, you were in Artazon and had beaten the Gym.”
“No, not yet. Figured I’d come and take some classes before continuing. Stop putting it off, I guess.” Oli gave a chuckle, “Since you mentioned it, and all.”
“Of course, of course.” The Art teacher waved a hand, “Don’t take this as me rushing you – excited as I may be for a new challenger at the Elite Four. Take all the time you must.”
Ding dong.
Time for class to start again. Hassel turned from Oli, straightening his olive-green coat, greeting all of his students, “Hello, class! It is I, Hassel, yet again. In our previous class, we discussed what beauty is...which might have been a little boring for you. So this time, I thought I would mix things up a little to pique your interest in art.” He pulled a Poké Ball from his coat pocket, holding it up so the class could see it, “Allow me to introduce our special guest!”
Popping it open, Hassel let free a small Gible, earning a chorus of ‘ooh’s and ‘aww’s from his students, all leaning forward to get a better look at the baby Dragon Type. It was the same Gible from the opening ceremony, Olivier figured. The one Heliodoro had been so interested in.
“This is Professor Gible, the assistant lecturer for today.”
Professor Gible. Oli bit his lip. God, that was so cute. How was this Dragon Type Elite Four who was also his art teacher such a dork?
“Now then, Professor Gible. If you would be so kind as to Terastallize for us…” Hassel gently tossed out his Tera Orb, a controlled growth of crystals enveloping his Pokémon before cracking and breaking, revealing a crystal on top of the little professor’s head, Hassel then continuing, “As some of you may already know, a Pokémon can Terastallize if you use a Tera Orb. Normally, Professor Gible would be of the Dragon type… But by Terastallizing, it’s succeeded in changing its type!”
He gestured to all of them, awaiting an answer, “So, class...what type do these lovely, glistening flowers above Professor Gible’s head represent?”
Oli raised his hand, earning a point from Hassel, and he answered, “Grass Ty-”
Pop!
Craw!
Heliodoro had escaped!
Waddling over to Professor Gible, the Crocalor didn’t mean any harm – he was simply curious. Professor Gible eyed up the intruder warily, before giving a cry of his own, some students laughing as Oli tried to bury his head in shame.
“Ah, yes! Excellent, Olivier! Full marks for you!” Hassel continued on with Oli’s half of a correct answer, before turning his eyes back to the situation at hand, “These beautiful flowers blooming above Professor Gible’s head show that he has now become a Grass type, and would be weak to young Olivier’s friend here, who is a Fire Type!” He snickered, “Though, it does seem Professor Gible has forgotten his weakness entirely, given how well they seem to be getting along, hm?”
A few more laughs, and Oli slowly started to relax, realizing that Hassel didn’t really care in the slightest, as long as the two were getting along. And getting along they were – Professor Gible and Heliodoro simply trying to figure out who this weird new Pokémon was in front of them.
“Ah, Professor, we must continue on with our lesson, though, don’t you agree?” Hassel prodded, the Gible almost seeming to respond, and Oli taking the cue to return Helio to his Poké Ball. The teacher cleared his throat, back on track, before continuing, “The shape of the Tera Jewel above a Pokémon’s head depends on the Pokémon’s Tera Type. To summarize! If an opponent’s Pokémon Terastallizes during battle… observe a Pokémon’s Tera Jewel closely to see which type it has become and choose effective moves accordingly!”
He smiled warmly at the class, “It is my sincere hope that today’s lecture will help you all achieve beautiful victories. The Terastal phenomenon is indeed a fascinating and deep subject to discuss.”
Ding dong.
“That is it for today, class! Thank you, Professor Gible, for your help.”
The class all seemed to move at once to leave, Olivier moving against them as he approached Hassel’s desk, where he’d gone to have a seat in between classes, “I’m so sorry about what happened–”
“Sorry? Why should you be?” Hassel glanced up at him, seeming both perplexed and amused, “Your Pokémon meant no harm, surely, and I was able to make a point, even. You have nothing to be sorry for. It happens.” He smiled, “Just… do take care that it doesn’t happen every time I bring out Professor Gible. He is quite the fixture in the class, and a disruption every time simply wouldn’t do.”
Oli nodded, “I… I understand.”
“Good, good. If you’d like to come sometime once you’re finished with your classes, however, I would not complain about my assistant getting some playtime.” He reached down to give the little monster some scratches, “Isn’t that right?”
The assistant professor growled a bit contentedly, to which Hassel looked back up at Oli, “That would be a yes. Please stop by anytime you wish. As long as there isn’t a class happening.”
“Thank you, professor.” Oli smiled, giving a nod, before running off, ready to be done with his classes for the day.
Last set – Home Economics.
Easy.
After he registered and headed up to class, he slid into his seat, drumming his fingers while he waited for class to start. He looked around, noticing hotplates and dishware around the room, excited at the prospect of getting to actually cook in this class.
As the class filled and the professor walked in, the bell ringing as class was supposed to begin.
“I see we have some energetic young ones in our class this time around–” Saguaro began, surveying the room, before being interrupted by the door opening and closing again.
“--Oops. Sorry I’m late.”
It was Arven!
“Sorry– Sorry–” He adjusted his pack on his back, before quickly rushing to the first empty seat he saw, right in front of Oli.
He reached forward, tapping his friend on the shoulder, “Wow. Late? I can’t believe you.”
“Geez-” Arven jumped, turning to see who it was, “Oli– Seriously? I lost track of time. Tell me you’ve never been late in your life.”
“Nope. Never.”
All he got was an eye roll in return, before they both looked up at the sound of Saguaro’s voice, “Boys. If you could, please continue this–” he waved a hand, “After class.”
“Sorry.” They both replied, before Arven turned around to face front and Oli let out a tiny sigh.
“Now then.” Their professor hummed, finally ready to begin class without any distraction, “You may call me Mr. Saguaro. Your time here with me will be spent obtaining knowledge and skills indispensable for daily life. Many of you have left the care of your parents to live here on your own in the academy dormitory. I pray that the knowledge I impart to you will improve the quality of your lives and the necessities thereof—food, clothing, and shelter.”
He then began to lecture properly, assuming ( correctly ) that they’d be interested in food first, and introducing Oli to something that he hadn’t heard of before – Meal Powers. Meal Powers, he explained, were benefits received after eating sandwiches that had such effects as making it easier to catch certain Pokémon, or increase the experience earned from a battle. He mentioned that they were enhanced by creating sandwiches of “superb flavor”, so Oli was at least somewhat prepared when he asked, “Master Olivier! Tell me—what must you keep in mind to receive even more helpful Meal Powers?”
“Your fillings and condiments?” He replied, hoping he’d picked up what Saguaro was putting down.
“Perfectly correct, Master Olivier! Perhaps you were already aware of this fact from having helped your family with cooking at home?”
Oli just nodded, fairly certain that, no matter how good his parents’ cooking had always been, it’d never given him any sort of magic powers when it came to Pokémon. Well. Except for that one time when he’d found a whole weird dragon motorbike on a beach and just befriended it instantly with a sandwich from home.
No, he still wasn’t over that.
The lecture continued fairly unceremoniously, Saguaro explaining how different types of ingredients gave one different Meal Powers, before the bell signaled the end of Oli’s first Home Economics class.
“I must say that I would feel the utmost joy if you all learned much here in my class and came to better understand home economics. Our time together has come to an end for today. I bid you all farewell.” Saguaro concluded, watching as a wave of students stayed, leaving a few behind, including Arven and Oli.
Oli leaned forward to speak with his friend, “So, why were you late?” He asked, trying not to have a shit-eating grin on his face.
“I was just busy, oh my god.” Arven paused in his scrolling on his phone, “First time we’ve been in a class together and you’re already on my case.” He snickered, before asking his friend a question in return, leaning in conspiratorially, “You’re still down to hunt the other Titans with me, right?”
“Yeah, of course I am.” Oli rolled his eyes, “I was gonna go try and find the Open Sky one tomorrow, now that I’m caught up on classes.”
“Cool, cool.” Arven nodded, “I’ll be there, and I’m gonna help you out more, I promi-”
Ding dong.
“I promise. Alright?”
“I’ll hold you to it.”
“Jerk.” Arven grinned, before turning to face front again, the two of them preparing for Saguaro’s next lecture.
“Put away your phones. It is time to begin class.” Their teacher began, looking around to make sure all their phones were well and truly away before continuing, “In our last class, I believe we talked about the effects you can get from food on your picnics. You can receive Meal Powers and even restore HP for all the Pokémon in your party. It is a truly convenient means of healing your Pokémon. Unfortunately, as I'm sure you are aware, it is not suited for use in battles—when you cannot make food—or when you wish to restore HP quickly. In times such as those, you should make use of healing items—such as Potions, which you can purchase from Poké Marts or the school store.”
There was a school store? How’d he not known about that?
“Healing items are immediately effective and can be used anytime that you can open your Bag. They are, however, consumed after one use.”
Yeah, yeah. Oli slumped forward, already knowing about the denominations of Potions and how they worked. Yes, he knew – he needed more money for more powerful Potions. He got it.
“However, unforeseen happenings are an inextricable part of traveling from place to place. Imagine, if you will, the following scenario: you find yourself with injured Pokémon, but you have no Potions, you are out of sandwich ingredients, and there are no Pokémon Centers nearby.” Olivier could hardly believe the situation Saguaro brought up, given they all had phones and access to the Flying Taxi, but he’d play along.
Not that he’d have a choice, given the teacher called on him not a moment later, “Tell me, Master Olivier, what should you search for when in a perilous situation with no way to heal your Pokémon?”
Oli couldn’t help but buffer for a second, taken off guard and never having had to survive on his own out in the wilderness before, but he noticed Arven had his notebook open with a few words scribbled just big enough for him to see out of his peripheral vision–
“Items on the ground?”
Saguaro nodded, pleased with the young student’s answer, “Perfectly correct, Master Olivier! I see you are well-learned in survival techniques.”
Ah yes. The pinnacle of survival, Oli thought, A scrawny kid from Lumiose.
The lecture continued onwards, their teacher educating them about how to spot items people had dropped in the past, and giving their Pokémon Berries to be used during battles. He was even about to continue on to explain other methods of healing, before…
Ding dong.
“Ah, but I see the bell demands that topic wait. Our time together has come to an end for today. I bid you all farewell.”
It was over. It was finally over. His first day of classes was finished.
Oli quickly clambered out of his chair, him and Arven leaving the room together. His friend looked down at him, “You look dead, dude.”
“I did two of each class today.” Oli looked back up at Arven, “It was… not as bad as I expected. But still bad.”
“Yikes. At least you probably won’t have to do it again.”
“Let’s hope not.”
The older boy nudged him, “Hey, c’mon. You and me – let’s go grab some dinner. It’ll make you feel better if you have food in your stomach. And I can give you my expert opinion on what’s good around here – see what Nemona’s been teaching you that’s wrong.”
Oli just rolled his eyes, laughing as he followed his friend down to the dining hall, ready to call it a day after a warm meal with his friend. As they walked, while Arven was talking, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket – their online learning management app had some notifications for him.
Seven perfectly lined up “Your Teacher would like to meet with you!” s.
And one from the Director himself.
Great.