If you were to ask a student what goes by the fastest, they would undoubtedly answer: vacation time.
Owen felt this deeply. In the blink of an eye, September 1st arrived—the first day of the new semester at Fairview High School.
The time since returning from Metropolis felt like a blur. Between rushing to finish his mountain of summer homework and basic training, it felt like he hadn't had a moment to breathe.
On this morning, Owen organized his books and stationery, pulled on his school uniform, pocketed Eevee's Poké Ball, and headed for the campus. He made his way to High School Grade 3, Class 12.
He wasn't early, and by the time he arrived, half the class was already there. Since the teacher hadn't arrived yet, the room was a chaotic buzz of energy.
Students were huddled in small groups, clutching their Poké Balls with radiant, excited expressions.
If the school didn't strictly forbid releasing Pokémon indoors, the room would have already been a zoo of starters being shown off.
"Morning, everyone," Owen said, clearing his throat at the doorway.
Instantly, the entire class's gaze snapped toward him.
Shua!
Every student scrambled back to their seats, sitting as stiff and obedient as dolls.
Eh? Owen blinked. Weren't you guys dying to see me? Now that I'm actually here, why are you acting like you've seen a ghost?
Realization dawned on him. Owen slowly turned around, a sheepish smile plastered on his face.
Standing behind him was a middle-aged woman with a stern, rectangular face and thick, black-rimmed glasses.
"Morning, Ms. Hailey..." Owen muttered, scratching his head.
Ms. Hailey still walked as silently as a shadow. Being a teacher is a waste of her talent; she should have been an assassin.
"Good morning. Get to your seat," Ms. Hailey nodded.
Hailey Zhang, the head teacher of Class 12, was known for her fierce and chilling methods, but her dedication and sense of responsibility earned her the genuine respect of the students.
Owen sat down and let out a quiet yawn. He wasn't used to this vibe anymore; he much preferred the adrenaline of the battle arena.
Ten minutes later, once everyone had arrived, Ms. Hailey called for silence.
"A new semester has begun."
"From today on, you are seniors. I suggest you throw away the relaxed mindset you had in your first two years. This year will be harder and more exhausting than you can imagine! If you don't adjust your attitude now, you're only hurting yourselves."
"You've completed the theoretical curriculum over the last two years. This year, academic subjects will focus on review and filling in the gaps. I hope you cherish this final opportunity."
"Physical Education and Training Class will become your core curriculum. Do not think they are easier than academic work. Every year, students go home crying from the strain. Your job is to toughen up. Do you understand?!"
"Understood!" the class roared in unison.
Owen had checked the new schedule. Compared to indoor lectures, outdoor activity time had skyrocketed. Morning runs and afternoon exercises totaled 50 minutes, plus a daily physical education block lasting an hour.
But it was necessary. If you wanted to make a living as a trainer, physical fitness was non-negotiable.
Then, there were the Training Classes. These focused on the Pokémon themselves, utilizing school-provided environments and equipment to build basic stats and occasionally engage in simulated battles. It was a 50/50 split between theory and practice.
Ms. Hailey wasn't finished. After pouring out a bucket of "chicken soup for the soul" motivational talk, she added, "I'll stop there for now. I've been through this before; I'm saying this for your own good. Suffer now, and your university years will be easy. You'll thank yourselves later."
"In a moment, I will introduce a new teacher. She will be primarily responsible for your outdoor classes this year."
The students began to whisper. Outdoor classes usually meant the old PE teacher, but "Training Class" was a different beast. To teach that, the person had to be a...
A Senior Trainer, Owen thought.
In the hierarchy of Rookie, Amateur, Elite, Senior, and Professional, he bet this new teacher would be a Senior. While perhaps not as strong as Ethan or Officer Loren, their teaching ability should be on par with Master Sam.
He found himself looking forward to it.
The Lone Commander
Once morning self-study ended, the subject representatives began collecting summer homework. Owen pulled out his workbooks with a sigh of relief. These few booklets had murdered countless brain cells; he was glad to say goodbye.
Owen wasn't a subject representative. However, he was a class officer.
He hadn't wanted to be one, fearing the hassle, but Ms.Hailey had been firm. For almost two years, Owen had served as the class Psychological Counselor, which had granted him entry into the school's small Psychology Club.
The club system at Fairview High had started three years ago as a "vanity project" for a provincial inspection.
After the inspection ended, most clubs withered away. The Psychology Club was currently on the verge of extinction. With the upperclassmen graduated, Owen was officially a "one-man army"—the last remaining member.
No, I need to find Mr. Lee during the break and talk about recruitment, Owen thought, tapping the desk. Having an active club was a great excuse to skip certain unimportant classes. The club had to stay alive.
Just then, Ms. Hailey returned from the office. She tapped the blackboard, silencing the room.
"Let me introduce you. This is Ms. Nina."
A young, beautiful woman walked in. With her wine-red short hair and a warm, approachable smile, she looked like she had only been teaching for a few years.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Nina. Since I'm a new face, I'll give you a proper introduction," she said.
"I'm actually an alumna of Fairview High. After the college entrance exams, I went to the Provincial Normal University and eventually returned here to teach.
Shortly after starting, I went to Europe with a school research group for an exchange program. I've just returned, so you are the second batch of students I've taught. I look forward to working with you this year."
Ms. Nina scanned the room, her eyes finally settling on Lynnea and Owen.
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