"Let's do this!"
Auron and Jace faced off in one of the Pokémon Battle Center's arenas. Between them stood the referee, holding a pair of bright red flags. As soon as the flags fell, the battle would begin.
"Both sides, release your Pokémon!"
In perfect sync, the boys tossed their Pokéballs. Jace's starter, Growlithe, appeared in a burst of red light, baring its fangs and growling fiercely. Auron released his own starter—Zubat, who fluttered excitedly in the air, then fixed his gaze on his opponent.
"Zubat, it's your first real battle. Give it your all!"
Zubat flapped twice in acknowledgment, hovering with focus while Growlithe snapped its jaws in challenge. The referee raised and dropped the flag.
"Battle, begin!"
"Growlithe, charge—Bite!" Jace called out at once.
"Zubat—Supersonic!" Auron responded, voice steady.
Growlithe lunged forward, but before he could close the distance, Zubat unleashed an invisible pulse of sound. The effect was immediate—Growlithe stumbled, veering wildly and crashing into the arena walls, unable to control his movements.
"Seriously? Supersonic right off the bat? That's just dirty!" Jace complained, watching in frustration as his Pokémon staggered back and forth.
Thankfully, the arena floor was padded for safety; if this had been a different venue, Growlithe might've gotten seriously hurt in his confusion.
"Zubat, get close and use Absorb!"
A confident grin spread across Auron's face. Zubat darted in, fangs glowing, and gently nipped at Growlithe's side. Wisps of green energy flowed from Growlithe to Zubat, who perked up, energized.
"Man, this feels almost too easy…" Auron muttered, just loud enough for Jace to hear.
"Growlithe, snap out of it!" Jace shouted, almost pleading.
Whether it was Jace's voice or the drain from Absorb, Growlithe finally shook his head and regained focus, the confusion clearing from his eyes.
"That's it, Growlithe! Use Bite—go for Zubat!"
"Zubat, get some altitude!" Auron ordered quickly.
Zubat soared up, just out of reach. Growlithe, unable to attack from range, could only leap and bark in frustration, his jaws snapping at empty air.
"Auron, you're such a coward!" Jace yelled, though there was more amusement than anger in his voice.
"It's called strategy, genius!" Auron shot back, grinning as Zubat hovered easily overhead. "Zubat, use Absorb again!"
Zubat dipped down just enough to drain a little more energy from Growlithe, always keeping a careful distance.
Growlithe, growing frustrated by his inability to reach his opponent, suddenly began to glow with a faint red aura—little embers flickered around his body.
"Wait, is that—Flame Charge?" Auron murmured, realizing what was happening.
Jace looked equally confused, but then his eyes widened in recognition. "Growlithe, you can do it! Power up and hit him!"
"Zubat, finish it—Air Slash!"
Zubat's wings shone white as he whipped up a blade of compressed air, sending it hurtling down at Growlithe. The attack hit cleanly, knocking Growlithe onto his side in a daze.
"Growlithe is unable to battle! Zubat wins!" the referee announced, raising his flag toward Auron.
Zubat fluttered back, landing on Auron's shoulder and breathing heavily. It was clear he'd used up a lot of energy—Air Slash was a hereditary move, built into his very DNA, but actually performing it was exhausting for a newborn Pokémon.
"Let's go get Growlithe checked out, just in case," Auron said, approaching Jace, who was kneeling by his partner and murmuring encouragement.
"Yeah, good idea. Come on, buddy," Jace said softly, lifting Growlithe into his arms.
By the time they reached the nurse's station, Growlithe had mostly recovered, and after a quick treat—a homemade energy cube—was already wagging his tail again.
"Nurse Joy, could you take a look at Growlithe? Just want to make sure there's nothing serious."
The nurse smiled and examined both Pokémon with practiced care. "Both are healthy, but remember: newborn Pokémon shouldn't battle too intensely right away. Pushing them too hard can cause hidden injuries that might haunt them later."
"Sorry, we got a little carried away," the boys admitted in unison.
She just laughed. "It happens every year. Trainers get excited and rush into battles as soon as their Pokémon hatch. Just keep it moderate and they'll be fine."
As they left the nurse's station, Jace turned to Auron and complained, "Seriously, you're too sneaky. Starting with Supersonic and just flying out of range the whole time—no wonder I couldn't hit you!"
Auron just grinned. "Hey, you're the one who didn't give your Growlithe any ranged moves. It'd be dumb not to use my advantage."
"Whatever. You're just lucky, that's all," Jace huffed, but there was no real anger in his tone.
Auron snickered. "You even noticed Growlithe surrounded by those little embers? That's a sign he was ready to use Flame Charge! And Zubat's Air Slash? That's a hereditary move—Pokémon can be born knowing moves they couldn't normally learn at that stage. You really need to brush up on your theory, 'top student.'"
Jace looked sheepish. "I…totally blanked. First battle jitters, I guess."
"Right, blame the nerves. I'll teach you some real strategy tomorrow."
"Ugh, I can't believe you. You're as stubborn as a Psyduck!" Jace grumbled.
Auron burst out laughing, "And your comebacks are as soft as a Slowpoke's tail!"
Both boys laughed as they handed their Pokémon over for registration.
Trainer Registration
Registering a new Pokémon required student ID or national ID; once completed, the information would be uploaded to the national database, officially recording each Pokémon's owner. This policy had dramatically reduced cases of abandoned Pokémon—once registered, it was nearly impossible to pass them off or sell them illegally.
Of course, some wealthy families still found loopholes, identifying all their eggs and only keeping the best ones. (The cost of identifying a Pokémon's potential was so high that most people simply couldn't afford it.) But recently, stricter rules had been put in place: you couldn't assess a Pokémon's potential unless it was registered in your name.
For high school seniors like Auron and Jace, the process was even stricter. Registration required proof that the Pokémon had hatched less than five days ago. This kept things fair for university entrance exams—after all, it wouldn't be right to pit someone's lifelong partner against a Pokémon trained for only a few months.
It also explained why, right after the simulation test ended, so many students had rushed to buy Pokémon eggs.
The line at the registration office was enormous—by the time Auron and Jace reached the front, it was nearly 2 PM.
When their turn came, Jace released both Growlithe and Torkoal; Auron released Zubat and Munchlax. The clerk was quick and efficient, confirming their information and scanning the new Pokémon into the database.
Jace's eyes widened when he saw Munchlax. "No way—you managed to get a Munchlax, too?"
"Yep! It's what I was telling you about earlier. My dad took me to the Love Pokémon Store and helped me pick out my second Pokémon."
Munchlax immediately waddled over and hugged Auron's leg, nuzzling him for attention.
"Alright, alright, here you go." Auron laughed, pulling a container of energy cubes from his bag and offering one to Munchlax, who accepted it happily. He gave another to Zubat, who accepted it more delicately.
Jace, inspired, offered cubes to both Growlithe and Torkoal. "Almost forgot! Here, you guys go."
A clerk called out, "Next, please!"
Auron nudged Jace forward, and he went into the registration booth. A few minutes later, both boys had their new Pokémon officially registered to their Trainer IDs. Now, their names and faces were connected forever to their Pokémon, visible on the official app.
By the time they left the center, the afternoon sun was already dipping. Both were exhausted and more than a little hungry, so they grabbed lunch at a nearby noodle shop and talked about their plans for the rest of the week.
"My last practice test is almost done. If I finish today, my written exam prep should be solid. How's your studying going?" Auron asked.
"Are you kidding? I'm the top student—you think I'm worried?" Jace said with exaggerated confidence.
Auron smirked. "Sure, sure. Tomorrow, let's meet at the Battle Center again. I'll book a training room. I'll coach you, since your command could use a little work."
"Hey! It was just my first battle, alright?" Jace protested.
Auron just laughed, "You talk tough, but your skills don't match your mouth!"
Jace rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue. "We'll see about that tomorrow!"
"Alright, tomorrow it is. I'll show you how it's done."
The two friends parted ways, each secretly more excited for the future than they let on.
(End of Chapter)
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