c23: Elite Trainer
The Other Side
An elderly man, appearing around sixty, arrived at Chen Xiaoxiao's home. Chen Xiaoxiao's grandmother, a kind-eyed woman with a sharp intuition forged by decades as a Breeder, welcomed him warmly. The two greeted each other with a familiarity that hinted at years of shared history.
After a brief chat about old times, the "old classmate" cleared his throat and asked casually, "By the way, I haven't seen your granddaughter around."
"Oh, Xiaoxiao? That child just turned sixteen today," Grandma replied with a chuckle. "She was so excited to officially register for her full trainer license that she ran off early this morning. You know how passionate kids get when they finally reach that milestone."
The man sighed softly. "Ah, today's youth they're so impatient. But speaking of your granddaughter… I heard she's done remarkably well in theory. She could have easily qualified for the standard entrance exam at Huaqing Academy, but we're offering her a rare opportunity. Special enrollment offers top-tier training, early access to regional facilities, and exclusive mentorship. As a Huaqing alumna yourself, you understand the level of excellence we uphold—especially under Dean Chu's leadership."
The old man had expected to meet Chen Xiaoxiao in person and felt slightly slighted by her absence. As a representative of Huaxia's premier trainer academy, he wasn't used to being treated so lightly. Still, he was a seasoned veteran of the league administration an old hand in the world of recruitment and he didn't let his disappointment show.
His real goal today was to personally invite Chen Xiaoxiao to join Huaqing's elite track. That was what mattered.
After all, the Chen family had been famed for their lineage of Psychic-type prodigies since the era when Sabrina was still a Gym Leader in Kanto. Several of Chen Xiaoxiao's ancestors had reached Elite Four ranks in the Huaxia region, and at least two had once stood among the ranks of the National League's Elite Council.
Their legacy was undeniable. In every generation, universities like Tianxia Tech and Celestial Academy had tried to recruit the Chens but none had succeeded. Not a single Chen had chosen the academic route. The family preferred to train their scions within secret dojos and traditional methods, often surpassing formal graduates in strength and battle acumen.
But this generation was different.
Chen Xiaoxiao had lost her parents in a League-related incident when she was very young. With no Elite elder to guide her, she had been raised solely by her grandmother a Breeder with no formal battle credentials. This shift had triggered a wave of renewed interest from the academies.
Now, institutions saw opportunity in what once seemed unreachable.
While others still hesitated, Huaqing University made the first move, relying on the personal connection between the grandmother and the old classmate. It was time to persuade.
"Of course, I know the prestige of Huaqing," Grandma said gently. "But you also know that when our kids turn sixteen, most of them hit the road. That tradition runs deep in our bloodline. None of them have been interested in conventional schooling."
The old man nodded. "Yes, but this child has no mentor. She's relying on her instincts and textbooks there's only so far she can go alone. If she enters through special enrollment, we'll give her access to elite-tier simulations, one-on-one dueling clinics, and Pokémon bonding modules. We've also learned she doesn't currently have a full team. That puts her at a disadvantage compared to other elite-track applicants. Her theory scores are exceptional, but her battle performance hasn't stood out in interschool matches."
He paused meaningfully, then added, "We're making a rare exception to admit her. I hope you'll see this as the gesture of goodwill it is, old friend."
Grandma hesitated, visibly moved, but firm. "I appreciate the honor Huaqing is showing my Xiaoxiao. But that child she has a stubborn streak. Always has. She won't let me or anyone steer her path unless she chooses it herself."
The old classmate tried another angle. "You know how rare and difficult it is to form a specialized Psychic team without support. Most students rely on the academy to help catch and train suitable partners. If your granddaughter were willing to study under our guidance, Huaqing would assist her in forming a cohesive team, possibly starting with species like Ralts, Espurr, or even Solosis."
Grandma smiled politely, but inwardly she chuckled with pride. "That won't be necessary. Our Xiaoxiao has already begun forming her own Psychic team. She caught every one of them herself."
"Oh?" the man raised an eyebrow.
That complicated things. If Chen Xiaoxiao had already bonded with a near-complete team of Psychic Pokémon, it suggested she was progressing much faster than expected. According to reports, she'd only used a lone Kirlia and a Natu during the recent interschool meetups. If there were others she hadn't revealed, it meant she had matured tactically intentionally withholding her team's strength.
The old man understood the implications.
At Huaqing, assembling a solid Psychic team wasn't easy. They could provide access to Pokémon like Slowpoke, Starmie, or Exeggcute reliable but relatively common. But if Chen Xiaoxiao had already caught rarer or high-potential Psychic-types, it explained her grandmother's composure.
No wonder she wasn't swayed.
After a moment of reflection, the man played his trump card.
"One more thing our dean of the Psychic Department personally reviewed your granddaughter's file. He's one of Huaxia's top-tier Elite trainers and placed in the top eight of the last two Elite Trials. He's never taken an apprentice before, but he expressed interest in evaluating Chen Xiaoxiao in person. If she impresses him, he may offer mentorship. That kind of guidance... it's the kind of legacy opportunity that could bring her to the very top."
Grandma looked up, eyes suddenly sharp. "The dean of the Psychic Department? The one who was once considered for the National Champion League?"
He nodded.
"I won't promise anything," Grandma said quietly. "But... I'll tell her."
The old classmate decided to up the ante, fully aware that dangling a true benefit might finally sway the discussion.
Strictly speaking, he shouldn't have said what came next after all, the dean had only agreed to "monitor her development" over a period of time. He had never directly expressed any intention of accepting an apprentice.
But recruitment in the League was war. Sometimes, you had to throw out the Poké Puffs and see if the Pokémon bit. Whether she could actually eat the cake or not wasn't the point the point was showing her the cake.
"Pfft!"
Grandma Chen Xiaoxiao finally couldn't suppress a laugh. Observation? Performance review? Consideration? Please.
Heh.
The old classmate misunderstood completely. He thought her laugh meant she was touched. His face paled nervous now that he might actually be close to succeeding.
Chen Xiaoxiao's own opinions? He didn't give them a second thought. In his mind, if the guardian was convinced, the kid would follow. Just like most sixteen-year-olds. Right?
But Grandma waved her hand dismissively, her tone suddenly clipped.
"Alright, alright, old classmate. I appreciate you dropping by to catch up. It's good to see an old face. But as for my Xiaoxiao, let's leave it there, shall we? Honestly, it's lucky she wasn't here to hear all this she would've stormed out."
She couldn't hold her composure anymore. This wasn't a matter of manners or persuasion it was beginning to insult the girl's autonomy.
The old classmate furrowed his brow. He misread her again. So she's worried that Xiaoxiao might feel insulted by the dean's "evaluation period"? That she might not feel seen?
He opened his mouth to try again but just then, Grandma Chen's Pokédex buzzed with the familiar Piplup message notification, a ringtone her granddaughter had custom-set for her.
She tapped it open.
A few seconds later, a knowing smile slowly curled onto her face.
"Still hiding her cards, that one," she murmured warmly. "Just like her father used to do."
The old classmate leaned forward. He couldn't see the screen, but it was obvious who had sent the message. He pounced at the chance.
"Is that your granddaughter? If she's not home yet, maybe I can speak with her directly. It's not too late to reconsider. An offer like this an apprenticeship under Huaxia's most powerful Psychic-type expert it only comes once. If she takes it seriously, she could be on track to become one of the next generation's Elite Four!"
Grandma Chen turned to him with a cold glint in her eyes. Her smile didn't fade, but it changed.
"There's nothing to reconsider. That man might have clout in the League, but in my honest opinion he's not qualified to be Xiaoxiao's mentor."
The room fell quiet. The old classmate blinked, stunned, just as she handed him the Pokédex without another word.
He took it, confused.
And then he read.
A live screenshot. The background unmistakably that of Mount Qingluan's Psychic convergence zone. Chen Xiaoxiao stood in front of a subdued Gothorita, while a Metang, Ralts, and an unusually radiant Elgyem hovered at her side. All of them battle-ready. Behind her, a Reuniclus floated protectively one of the rarest Psychic-types in Huaxia, known for its immense battle IQ and difficulty to tame.
Above the image:
"Grandma, got the fifth one. You were right about following the northern magnetic pull. Reuniclus is a lot more playful than I expected. He even blocked Gothorita's Hypnosis for me!"
The old classmate's mouth fell open. His voice cracked as he gasped:
"Elite-level… trainer?!"
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