After Pokémon Care class, I spent the rest of the day talking to my egg.

  I told Totodile about my hopes, my plans to become the best trainer in the academy. About how his father—Igor—was my dad’s partner, one of the strongest Pokémon I’ve ever seen. I told him about Teddy, and about our little village. I even told him how much I missed my family.

  He didn’t say much, obviously. But every time I spoke, I swore I felt him shift—just a little. Like he was listening.

  Eventually, I fell asleep with the egg in my arms.

  *

  The next day was… punishment. That’s the only way to describe it.

  Instructor Savannah had apparently decided we hadn’t suffered enough during Tuesday’s Physical Conditioning. So she hit us with custom workouts for each student. Tailored torture.

  By the end, I couldn’t tell if I was walking back to my dorm or being carried by ghosts. Either way, I passed out the second my face hit the pillow.

  *

  Friday morning. Woke up aching in places I didn’t even know I had muscles.

  Still, I forced myself out of bed, shoveled breakfast into my mouth like a man possessed, and dragged my limbs to the Battle Simulation building.

  It was different from the battle center we used on Monday. Sleeker. Colder. Rows of clean white terminals under cool lighting. It felt more like a science lab than a training ground.

  And then I saw it—a massive 3D hologram hovering in the center of the entrance hall: Gengar vs. Nidorino.

  They looked like life-sized figurines at first, but then they began to move—simplified animations, taking turns like a turn-based game. I recognized the scene from the old League promo reels. It wasn’t just a battle. It was a simulation.

  Jerry stood nearby, surrounded by a few graduate assistants. When he spotted me, he waved me over.

  “Room eleven,” he said. “Teacher Jordan’s waiting.”

  “Thanks,” I replied, and headed down the hallway. Each door was labeled in glowing digital numbers—Room 6, 7, 8… and finally, 11.

  Inside, I found a familiar sight—Instructor Jordan seated at a large console with a dozen monitors, casually sipping tea like he hadn’t just changed the course of our education with this setup. The rest of the room was filled with a hundred student workstations, each with a screen, keyboard, and an arm-mounted Pokédex scanner.

  “Morning, Gabe,” he said without looking up. “Pick a terminal. We start in ten.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  I scanned the room. Irene was already seated near the front, tapping rapidly at her keyboard. She didn’t even glance my way.

  Melody was a few rows back. I made my way over and claimed the seat beside her.

  “You look half-alive,” she said, eyeing my slouched posture.

  “That’s generous.”

  “No Flavio?”

  “Probably arguing with his reflection in the mirror.”

  A few more students trickled in. Then a few more. And then, right before the clock hit zero—Flavio stormed in, hair wild, shirt slightly misbuttoned, and still managing to wink at the girl at the door before collapsing into the chair beside me.

  Once the last student arrived, Instructor Jordan stood up and clapped his hands.

  “Good morning, class. Welcome to your first session in the Simulation Stage. Unlike Monday’s hands-on battling class, this is your thinking ground. A place to train your strategy, analysis, and knowledge.”

  He gestured to the pink, round Pokémon floating beside him.

  “This is Sys—my partner. A Porygon2, and one of the most advanced support Pokémon on the continent. She manages the entire simulation system in this building.”

  Sys emitted a cheerful “Pi-bwoop!” and flickered between monitors like a glitchy projection.

  Jordan continued, “In front of you is your terminal. Please connect your Pokédex.”

  Everyone did so. My screen lit up with a welcome screen and several menu options.

  “Now, let me explain what you’re looking at.”

  *

  “Option one: Journey Mode.”

  “The most popular. This is a 2D simulation where you take your starter Pokémon and journey across your home region. Think of it like a training RPG. You’ll encounter wild Pokémon, battle gym leaders, and build your own simulated team.”

  I clicked on it instinctively—locked.

  “Patience,” Jordan said, smirking. “I’m not done.”

  *

  “Option two: Challenge Mode.”

  “Using the Pokémon you’ve caught and trained in Journey Mode, you’ll be able to battle your classmates. You can even bet academy points on the outcome. High risk, high reward.”

  Flavio perked up immediately.

  *

  “Option three: Practice Mode.”

  “In this, you can select any Pokémon available in the system and simulate battles against any other. Think of it as a sandbox. Want to test how a Bulbasaur would fare against a Pidgey ten levels higher? Now’s your chance.”

  Sys beeped and zoomed across our screens, demonstrating a rapid-fire mock battle between the two.

  *

  “Option four: Study Mode.”

  “You’ll find League-recorded battles, species behavior logs, type synergy breakdowns, habitat data—everything the League allows us to store is in there. No excuses for ignorance anymore.”

  *

  “Option five: Evaluation Mode.”

  Jordan’s tone shifted slightly.

  “This mode will assess your current skills as a trainer. You’ll be tested on tactics, typing, and battle sense. The results will shape your suggested study path—and your semester grade.”

  My screen flickered to highlight that last mode.

  Evaluation Mode [Recommended]

  Jordan walked down the aisle, arms behind his back.

  “This system is one of the most valuable tools in this academy. But it’s just a tool. How far you go? That’s on you.”

  His gaze passed over Irene, then lingered briefly on me.

  “Today, all terminals are set to Grade-0. Limited information, limited Pokémon. As you progress through the system—especially Journey and Evaluation Modes—your access will expand. Consider this your training arc.”

  He turned back toward the front. “You may begin. Sys will assist.”

  *

  My screen blinked.

  Select Mode:

  ? Journey

  ? Challenge (Locked)

  ? Practice

  ? Study

  ? Evaluation

  I glanced to my side. Melody was already deep in Study Mode, flipping through a detailed log of Fire-type starter growth patterns. Flavio… was designing his Journey avatar and trying to decide on his hair color.

  I hesitated.

  I didn’t feel ready. But maybe I never would.

  And if I was going to raise Totodile right—if I was going to build a name worth the legacy I’d inherited—then waiting wasn’t an option.

  I clicked Evaluation Mode.

  Initializing Trainer Profile…

  Loading assessment…

  Let’s find out where I stand.