Under the guidance of the bespectacled senior, Owen registered his personal information and signed a visitor agreement.
Immediately afterward, he released Eevee.
"Vee?"
Eevee stood on the ground, looking around curiously...
It was much, much larger than Fairview No. 1, and the scenery was quite nice, but Eevee was a harsh critic.
"Vee." She shook her head. This wasn't nearly as spectacular as the magical or high-fantasy campuses she saw in her dramas.
Eevee expressed that she was not particularly impressed.
"I told you not to look for reality in a virtual world!!" Owen grumbled, scooping Eevee up and plopping her onto his shoulder.
Their interaction left the senior stunned for a moment. Are rookie trainers and their Pokémon these days... all this eccentric?
"Your starter is an Eevee, huh..." Realizing he couldn't fit into their "vibe," the senior quickly changed the subject. "What are your plans for evolution?"
"Hmm..." Owen glanced at the Eevee on his shoulder. How should he put it?
Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand, so I'd better stay quiet.
"I haven't decided yet. Do you have any suggestions, Senior?"
The top students at Renmin University were either academic elites who got in through standard high school scores or, more commonly, trainers. Owen saw the Pokéballs on the senior's belt, confirming he was the latter.
"Haha! Speaking of Eevee evolutions, I highly recommend Jolteon. One of the regulars on our Renmin University varsity team has a Jolteon with the Volt Absorb ability.
With that, they've been the core of our team's 'Thunder Tactics.' In two words: absolute dominance! By the way, have you ever watched our varsity team's matches?"
"I have, I have," Owen said quickly.
As they walked, the senior kept trying to sell Owen on the merits of Jolteon. Say what you will, he was still a student at a prestigious university; while he seemed a bit casual, his grasp of battle theory was remarkably deep.
As they reached a lakeside, the senior pointed ahead. "The most important thing is that Electric-type training resources are easy to get at university.
Renmin University has a specialized Charging Room. It can adjust current and voltage according to different Pokémon species. Many trainers with Electric-types love using it for special training; the results are significant!"
"Take a newly evolved Pikachu, for example. If you use the Charging Room correctly, learning a move like Thunderbolt is a piece of cake."
Owen was surprised. Wasn't this exactly the kind of training facility he was looking for?
In the anime, when Ash challenged the Pewter Gym, he used a waterwheel generator by the river to "overcharge" Pikachu and upgrade Thundershock into Thunderbolt. Owen had always wanted to emulate that for Magnemite.
Unfortunately, even the charging facilities at his father's power plant didn't meet the power standards for high-intensity training. That plant was designed for maintaining Pokémon, not for breakthrough training.
"So, do you feel an urge to apply for Renmin University yet?" the senior joked.
"Yeah..." Owen nodded.
At that moment, Eevee picked up on the distraction in Owen's tone. After a bit of thought, she offered a silent prayer for Magnemite's future.
"Um, Senior, is there a similar charging room outside the campus? The nearest one?" Owen asked, his mind already racing.
He definitely couldn't use the university's facility as an outsider, but if there was a commercial one, there was a way!
"There are many... the famous training gyms in the Imperial Capital all have similar facilities. However, using them is quite expensive."
"Of course, while professional gyms are pricey, the safety of the Pokémon is guaranteed, and there are professionals to guide the process. The electricity isn't expensive; most people are paying for peace of mind."
"For instance, there's one nearby..."
High school training equipment was mostly for basic physical conditioning—similar to the treadmills at the Starry Battle Club. But the facilities at a university were dazzling. They were specialized for attributes, for specific moves, for real-combat simulations...
Splash!! Splash!!
Walking through the Renmin University campus, they passed another artificial lake where several Magikarp leaped out, sending sprays of water everywhere.
Owen looked closely; Marill, Poliwag, Lotad, and Wooper were all frolicking nearby. Compared to the water scenery at Suzhou No. 1, Renmin University's lake was much grander, with a dense "natural" atmosphere. As for the goldfish pond at Fairview No. 1... Owen didn't want to talk about it.
Meanwhile, seeing the Magikarp made Eevee's teeth ache. She remembered the "horror" of being dominated by Splash.
After publishing the paper on the Anticipation ability, Owen had begun preparing a paper on the Rattled ability. Magikarp's Rattled ability manifests as an increase in speed when hit by Dark, Ghost, or Bug-type moves.
To find wild Magikarp with the Rattled ability, Owen had made Eevee chase them around using "Bite" to collect data. Eevee had to control her strength and simultaneously prevent the Magikarp from retaliating with Splash. It was exhausting.
Luckily, those Magikarp were all "salted fish"—none of them evolved into Gyarados out of rage, or Eevee definitely would have gone on strike.
After a while, Owen asked: "Senior, are all these facilities used via Credits?"
"Yes," the senior replied. "For regular students, that's the case. But if you can make it onto the Renmin University varsity team, it's a different story. All basic facilities become free to use."
"Let me think... have you visited Imperial Capital University yet?"
"Not yet..."
The senior smiled. "If I recall correctly, the wealthy Imperial Capital University sometimes opens its facilities to visiting rookie trainers for trial runs. If you want to experience it, you might want to try your luck there."
Owen froze. He actually hadn't known about that!
Being led around Renmin University was okay, but since he couldn't enter the actual training halls, just looking at the exteriors wasn't very satisfying. Hearing that Imperial Capital University allowed trials for visitors piqued his interest.
He had a letter of recommendation from the Fairview Trainer Association; surely he'd have a chance to try it out?
Though it certainly wouldn't be today.
After finishing the tour of Renmin University, Owen and little Eevee rubbed their stomachs and began wandering the nearby streets in search of gourmet food. It was a rare trip to the Capital; they planned to buy as many local specialties as possible.
Following the recommendations on a food app, Owen took Eevee to several spots, buying up the "Thirteen Wonders of the Imperial Capital"—Rolling Donkeys, Rice cake, Sweet Fried Flour Cakes, Pea Flour Cake, and more.
"Here."
Owen picked up a snow-white RIce Cake and held it to Eevee's mouth. Eevee sniffed it first—a faint scent of steamed flour—then took a bite.
It was white as frost, delicate and chewy in texture, with a loose, sweet, and fragrant filling...
As Eevee swallowed, the fragrance of the filling exploded in her mouth, making her nod in satisfaction.
"Haha..." Owen looked at the "white mustache" of Cake around Eevee's mouth and immediately pulled out his phone to snap a picture.
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