After the brothers had taken a bath, the family gathered around the table for a hearty dinner, everyone animatedly sharing the highlights of their day.
The aroma of Janice's famous Combee-honey glazed vegetables filled the room, blending with the warm notes of roasted fillets and steamed rice. Laughter echoed off the walls as Michael re-enacted his Bagon's clumsy flight attempts while Asher rolled his eyes with the exaggerated patience of an older brother.
Once the plates were cleared, Janice slipped into the kitchen to tidy up, humming a cheerful tune as she sorted Oran Berry peels into the compost. Meanwhile, the remaining three—Victor, Asher, and Michael—lounged on the couch, basking in the comfort of post-dinner calm.
"Dad, you finished your expedition in that A-Rank dungeon, right? When are you finally going to spill the details?" Michael asked, practically bouncing in place. His eyes gleamed like a lit-up PokéNav screen.
Victor, who had just returned from the very same A-Rank dungeon where Michael's Duraludon egg had been obtained, leaned back with a weary sigh. The journey had been grueling—crumbling metallic spires, Scizor swarms, even a brief skirmish with a territorial Volcarona pack—but he hadn't yet spoken a word about it, too busy managing the fallout from the breeding dungeon incident.
Victor chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest. "Later, kiddo. It's already past bedtime. You should hit the hay. That brain of yours needs rest if you want to keep up with your Bagon."
Michael pouted like a disappointed Snivy but nodded. "Alright, Dad," he muttered, dragging his feet toward the stairs.
As he flopped onto his bed, he gazed at the Mega Salamence poster looming above his headboard. The Dragon-type's wings were spread wide, its jaw open mid-Dragon Rush, the glow of its Mega Evolution stones caught in mid-burst. Michael whispered with quiet resolve: "One day, my Salamence will soar like you. I promise."
The next morning, golden rays trickled into the bedroom, gently warming the Pikachu-print bedsheets. But it wasn't the sun that yanked Michael from sleep.
"Caw-kaaaaw!"
A cacophony of local Spearow and a particularly loud Pidgeotto perched on the roof shattered the silence like a Hyper Voice.
Michael groaned, tossing his bedsheet aside like it had betrayed him. "Ugh… those birds are worse than an Overheat to the face…"
Dragging his feet downstairs, he spotted Asher lacing up his boots by the door.
"Bye, Asher," Michael mumbled groggily.
Asher didn't even glance back. "You better get dressed fast. Dad's taking you to school today. And don't forget your class materials—Lucian hates late students."
Janice stepped out of the kitchen, expertly balancing a plate in each hand—one with a hearty sandwich stacked with fruit slices, and the other a colorful salad of diced Sitrus and Tamato berries.
"Michael! Did you brush your teeth yet? If not, hop to it. Your father and I have a meeting at the League branch later."
"Yes, Mom!" Michael yelped and dashed to the bathroom.
After a quick clean-up and demolishing his breakfast like a hungry Munchlax, Michael hopped onto the back of Victor's Salamence. The massive dragon gave a low growl of acknowledgement as Victor climbed up front.
"You missed class yesterday because of the hatching, huh?" Victor said as they ascended.
Michael gripped the saddle tightly as Salamence banked left through the clouds. "Yeah, but no biggie. We're still in the first week, so we're mostly doing intros and reviews."
They arrived at school, the yard bustling with activity. Kids dismounted from Skarmory, Altaria, and even one flashy Corviknight taxi. The League's growing integration into daily life was apparent everywhere.
Victor ruffled Michael's hair before nudging Salamence into takeoff. "Stay safe, champ. And remember—don't challenge a teacher unless you're ready to lose with grace."
Michael grinned. "Only way to learn is to lose a little. Bye, Dad!"
He jogged into his classroom and instantly froze.
Rodnick was staring at him like a Luxray sizing up prey.
"Uh… dude, I'm straight," Michael said with mock alarm, covering himself like a startled Sableye. "Why the death glare?"
Rodnick rolled his eyes. "Relax. I'm just gearing up. Today's the rematch, and this time, your Bagon's going down harder than a Pidgey in a Thunderstorm."
"We'll see about that," Michael said, lips twitching into a cocky smirk.
At that moment, Lucian entered the room. The Elite Trainer was dressed sharply as always, a long coat lined with League insignia flaring behind him. A sleek Houndoom padded silently at his heel, eyes gleaming like twin Ember sparks.
"Morning, class," Lucian said, voice smooth and firm. "Today, we're observing a battle simulation—a Trainer versus a wild Pokémon. Take notes. This is the kind of encounter that separates a competent Trainer from a headline in the next PokéNews casualty report."
"Yes, sir!" the students chimed, falling quiet.
The lights dimmed. A projector flickered on.
A dense, sun-dappled forest filled the screen. The air in the classroom grew still.
"Observe Rhydon's stance," Lucian began. "See the weight on the hind legs, the horn's rotational prep. Classic signs of a trained defender."
The camera panned to Rhydon—a mountain of armor and muscle. Its horn rotated with slow menace. It was calm. Too calm.
Then came the other.
Lickilicky.
This wasn't the jolly balloon-like Pokémon featured in PokéKids books. It was coated in grime. Its tongue writhed like a serpent. And its eyes… too wide, too sentient.
"This one's cornered. Likely starving. Possibly from a broken spawn chain. Wild Pokémon in this state are lethal."
"Drill Run!" the Trainer shouted.
Rhydon roared and lunged. Its spiraling horn carved a trench in the earth.
Lickilicky didn't dodge.
It charged. Their bodies collided with a thunderous boom.
The ground cracked. The camera shook.
Then—SNAP!
The tongue lashed out, coiling around Rhydon's throat like a constrictor.
A gasp.
"Look closely," Lucian said. "It's not grappling. It's crushing. That tongue's aiming for the windpipe. This isn't a scuffle. It's an execution."
"Hammer Arm! Break the grip!" the Trainer shouted.
WHAM!
Rhydon slammed its arm down. The blow flung Lickilicky back into the underbrush. Dust flew. Branches cracked.
But it stood again. Screaming. Unnatural.
Belly Drum.
It slammed its chest and belly until it bled. Power surged.
Lucian's voice dropped. "This is desperation. It's throwing every last bit of stamina into raw strength."
Chaos followed.
Power Whip. Wrap. Muddy Water. It was a blur of Type-disregarding brutality.
Rhydon staggered. Its hide was torn. Blood and mud mingled.
Then the shift.
Lickilicky turned—not to Rhydon—but to the Trainer, now down, pokéball out of reach.
It charged.
The classroom froze.
But Rhydon moved.
No command. No hesitation.
It threw itself between them.
The impact reverberated. But it didn't fall.
It struck back.
Megahorn.
Its spiraling horn ignited with green light and vengeance. It gored forward, lifting Lickilicky and slamming it into a tree with bone-snapping force.
Silence.
Lucian paused the footage.
"Wild Pokémon fight to survive," he said quietly. "They don't care for rules. Or movesets. But Rhydon? He wasn't acting on orders. He acted on instinct—on bond. That's the trust you aim for. Not just obedience. Loyalty."
He let that hang for a moment.
Then he continued.
"Your assignment is to rewatch this video. Write an analysis—what would you do differently? What strategies could reduce harm? What role does terrain play? Include alternate move sets. I want creativity and caution in equal measure."
He raised a finger. "This will be your only S-Class encounter study until the end of this semester. The rest will be standard advanced and mid-tier simulations."
Murmurs of awe spread through the class.
Lucian clapped once. "Now—to the arena! Ten matches at a time. Pick your opponents. Show me what you've learned."
The room erupted into motion.
Hearts pounding. Minds racing. Pokéballs clicking.
And a fire of determination sparking in every young Trainer's eyes.
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Hey everyone! Sorry for the irregularity in my upload schedule—real life hit me with a few work tasks lately. It's been a bit chaotic on my end, and that's been cutting into writing time. But don't worry! I'm still fully committed to the story and will try to write moar whenever I get a chance to breathe. Thanks for sticking with me and being awesome!
Stay tuned, Trainers!
Also, a huge thanks to everyone who's been following, reviewing, and commenting. Your support seriously fuels this story. But we still need more reviews! Your feedback means a lot—criticism, praise, suggestions—I read it all and use it to make the story even better.
Please post more reviews, guys. We need reviews.
Now, real talk :
What's your favorite Pokémon?
More importantly… should Micheal catch it? (≧∇≦)ﾉ
Got a cool idea? Toss in your fav Pokémon with a backstory, quirks, weird habits—heck, even give it a dramatic slow-mo entrance if you're feeling spicy. If it fits the vibe, I'll totally try to weave it into the story!
Enjoying the ride?
Hit that Add to Library button so you don't miss the next chapter!
Got theories, feedback, or just wanna geek out about Dragon-types and dratini eggs? Drop a comment—I read 'em all.
And lastly...
POWERSTONES.💎💎💎
Feed 'em to this story like they're Rare Candies and help it mega evolve!
( •̀ ω •́ )✧