The buzz in the air was electric.
Even before sunrise, the academy's central training grounds were alive with the excited chatter of students. For weeks, they'd studied theory, bonding, responsibility, and aptitude. They had attended tactical workshops and practiced controlled drills.
But today was different.
Today marked the start of Combat Class.
"Everyone's got one registered partner," Instructor Fennel had said earlier that week. "You've had time to train. Time to observe. Now it's time to act. Combat teaches more than victory—it shows you how much you don't know."
Ray stood beside Kira near the edge of the field, Pidgey perched proudly on his shoulder. The little bird had grown noticeably stronger—faster, sharper in the eyes. Statsight read:
Pidgey – Aptitude: Deep Green | Combat Level: 19Condition: Energized. Motivated.
Ray glanced sideways at Kira and her Machop. The young fighter cracked its knuckles and bounced lightly on its feet, eyes burning with anticipation.
Machop – Aptitude: Blue | Combat Level: 22
It wasn't a mistake. Ray had checked multiple times since the official registration.
Kira's Machop had reached Blue Aptitude. Not Light. Not Core. Just Blue—which already placed it above most combat Pokémon in the academy.
They were ready.
Instructor Fennel's voice echoed across the grounds.
"Form groups of four. One-on-one combat. Rotation. Controlled conditions. No open attacks on trainers. This isn't the wild—this is discipline."
Ray, Kira, Cael (the quiet, calculating boy with the Houndour), and a red-haired girl named Lysa—who trained a confident-looking Eevee—formed one of the advanced brackets.
Their arena was a flat dirt circle marked by white chalk lines. Academy staff stood around the perimeter with notepads and first aid kits.
The first round was drawn randomly.
Match 1: Ray vs. Lysa
The crowd quieted as the two stepped into the ring.
"Ready?" Fennel called.
Ray nodded, and Lysa grinned confidently. "Try to keep up, boy."
"Begin!"
Lysa moved first.
"Eevee, Quick Attack!"
The normal-type blurred forward with surprising speed, kicking up dust in its wake.
"Pidgey, Gust!"
The little bird launched into the air and flapped its wings sharply, conjuring a controlled burst of wind. The attack struck Eevee mid-charge, knocking it back just outside the circle.
Lysa blinked.
Ray gave a small, polite smile. "I've got decent reflexes."
She growled and readjusted.
They traded moves—Eevee's Tackle and Sand Attack clashing against Pidgey's Quick Attack and Gust. The match lasted nearly three minutes before Instructor Fennel raised a hand.
"Match: Ray. Clean control. Tactical use of spacing."
Ray nodded respectfully to Lysa, who accepted defeat with a reluctant shrug.
Next up: Kira vs. Cael.
Machop cracked his knuckles.
Houndour stepped forward, tail flicking in perfect stillness.
"Let's go, Machop!" Kira yelled. "Low Kick!"
Machop rushed forward with a burst of power, sweeping low.
Cael didn't move.
"Houndour. Counter with Ember. Keep your distance."
A small stream of fire forced Machop to skid back. The fire-type wasn't strong enough to fully burn, but it disrupted momentum.
Ray watched intently, reading both Pokémon.
Houndour – Aptitude: Core Green | Combat Level: 20Machop – Aptitude: Blue | Combat Level: 22Machop has the clear upper hand.
Cael was smart. He wasn't trying to win with power. He was testing reaction time, spacing, and cooldown.
The match ended in a draw after six minutes—neither Pokémon able to force the other out or down before the timer.
Fennel nodded. "Even match. Kira: more power. Cael: greater restraint."
Kira crossed her arms. "Fine, but next time I'll break through."
Cael didn't reply, but his eyes lingered on her just long enough to acknowledge the challenge.
By the end of the session, three names stood out.
Ray – for creative aerial movement and adaptive commands.Kira – for overwhelming offense and elite potential.Cael – for calm, surgical execution.
Whispers had already begun among the students.
"Those three… they're ahead of the curve."
"Did you see that Machop?"
"Ray's Pidgey is too smart—it dodged everything."
"Cael's Houndour was scary calm…"
Even among children, rivalries had begun to bloom.
As the sun dipped behind the academy spires, Ray stood with Kira under the shade of a tree, their Pokémon resting nearby.
"That was fun," she said between gulps of water. "Harder than I thought, but fun."
"You were great," Ray said. "I think Cael was holding back."
"Pfft. Let him. Next time, I'll break his 'restraint' with a real punch."
Ray chuckled, but his mind wandered.
He looked toward Cael, who sat alone on the opposite end of the field, Houndour curled at his side. His eyes weren't on the other students. They were on Ray.
The kind of look that didn't come from jealousy.
It came from calculation.
He's watching me now, Ray thought.
Good.