"Zoey!"
Before Julian or Candice could even process the red-haired girl's outburst, the senior instructor herself had reached out. With the practiced precision of a mentor who had dealt with this specific brand of stubbornness before, Candice grabbed Zoey by the ear, tugging her back a step.
"How many times do I have to say it? Stop trying to force your own perspective on everyone else!" Candice scolded, her voice sharp but possessing a sisterly weight. "Everyone has their own rhythm, Zoey. Everyone has their own finish line. What you just said was way out of line."
"But, Senior..." Zoey winced, clutching at her ear, her face flushing even redder than her hair.
"No 'buts.' People have different dreams, and that's what makes the world interesting," Candice continued, her gaze firm. "Besides, didn't you actually watch those battles? Julian used methods he learned from his work as a Coordinator to handle situations that would've stumped a traditional battler. He turned a Rock Throw into a fortress and a Sharpen into a trap. If anything, he's proof that you can excel in both. Now, apologize to Teacher Julian. Right now."
Zoey looked at the ground, her eyes welling up with frustrated tears. It was the first time she'd seen her idol, the woman she wanted to emulate, look at her with such disappointment. "I... I'm sorry, Teacher Julian," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I shouldn't have been so judgmental."
Julian sighed, waving a hand dismissively as he offered a gentle smile. "Don't sweat it, Zoey. Having that kind of tunnel-vision focus on your goals is actually a great trait for a trainer. It means you won't get distracted easily. Just remember that the path you're on isn't the only one in the forest, alright?"
He knew Zoey's type well—she was a purist, a girl who believed that passion required total sacrifice. She wouldn't truly change her mind until she met someone on her own journey who showed her the beauty of the crossover, but he wasn't going to hold a grudge against a kid for being passionate.
Though, honestly, when she pouts like that, her cheeks puff out like a pair of Fresh Cream Puffs, Julian thought. It's almost a crime not to document this.
Before Zoey could recover her dignity, Julian reached into his backpack and whipped out his camera. Click!
"Hey! No photos! Taking pictures of a crying girl is forbidden!" Zoey yelled, her tears instantly replaced by indignance as she flailed her arms to block the lens.
"Too late! You look way too much like a sulking Buneary right now; I need this for the archives," Julian laughed, holding the camera high above his head while Zoey jumped in vain to grab it. "Consider it a souvenir of the day you learned that 'rocks' can be tricky."
"Ahem!" Candice coughed loudly, bringing the chaotic scene back to some semblance of order. "If we're done with the photography session, do the rest of you have any actual questions? Otherwise, we're wrapping this up."
One of the students in the back raised his hand. "I have one! In that last round, why did the Sharpen move look so... different? In the second round, Carbink just got a bit shinier, but against Wen Tai, he grew actual spikes. How do you change the physical shape of a move like that?"
"That's a great question," Julian said, his tone shifting back to the instructional mode. "It's about coordination training. When I first started working with Carbink, I realized his move pool was pretty limited. He doesn't have a lot of flashy options. So, we spent months practicing move manipulation."
He looked at the crowd, explaining the logic he'd developed in his own training sessions. "Sharpen is about hardening the body's edges. We just took it a step further. We practiced focusing that 'hardening' energy into specific points rather than the whole body. By changing where the energy concentrates, we can make the edges thicker, longer, or even shaped like hooks. It's about flexibility. But..."
Julian's expression turned stern. "Don't go trying this on your own the moment you get a Pokémon. This kind of move-molding requires a deep bond and a lot of safety precautions. If you mess up the energy flow, you could seriously hurt your partner—or yourself. Think of today as an 'eye-opener,' not an instruction manual."
"Exactly," Candice added, backing him up. "Every trainer has their own 'secret sauce.' Don't assume that just because Julian can make a rock grow spikes, you can do it with the first Geodude you find. You have to earn that kind of control."
"Yes, ma'am!" the students replied, their excitement now tempered with a healthy dose of caution.
"Alright then," Candice said, checking the time. "That's a wrap for today's practical training. You've seen a lot, now it's time to process it."
"Wait, one more thing!" Julian called out as Candice started to lead the way out. He held up his camera again. "Who wants to be in a commemorative photo? It's not every day I get to teach at an Academy this prestigious."
The mood instantly lightened. Wen Tai gave a stiff but appreciative nod, Johanna cheered, and even Zoey—after a bit of convincing and being dragged by her arm by Johanna—joined the group.
Julian set the timer, propped the camera on a training block, and sprinted into the frame just as the shutter clicked.
Click!
A short while later, at the ornate school gates, the cool Snowpoint air felt refreshing against Julian's skin. The sun was beginning to dip, casting long, golden shadows over the snow.
"Well, I guess this is it," Julian said, waving to the cluster of students who had followed him to the exit. "Try not to give Candice too much trouble tomorrow."
"Teacher Julian!" Candice stepped forward, her eyes bright with a competitive fire. "Next time we meet, I won't be watching from the sidelines. I'll be across the field from you. You better have those 'Coordinator tricks' ready, because my Froslass won't be as easy to pin down as a Buizel."
"I'm counting on it," Julian smiled. "I'll see you in the Gym circuit in a few years. Don't make it too easy for me."
"I won't!" Wen Tai chimed in. "Next time, I'll have a strategy that accounts for 'Beyblading' rocks!"
"And me!" Zoey shouted, her spirit fully recovered as she shook a fist at him. "The next time we see each other, it'll be on a Contest Stage. And I'm going to show you exactly what a 'Specialist' can do! Prepare to lose your Ribbons!"
"I'll be waiting for all of you," Julian promised, a warmth spreading through him that had nothing to do with the weather. "The road of a trainer is long, but it's a small world. We'll cross paths again."
He turned away, whistling a low tune as he and Gowlithe began the trek back toward the Pokémon Center. But as they rounded the corner, a collective groan echoed from the school grounds, so loud it actually made the snow fall from a nearby pine branch.
"HUHHH?!!!!"
Julian stopped, blinking in confusion. "What was that? Did a Mamoswine just stub its toe?"
"Ahem! Attention students!" The voice of Mr. En Shi, the theory teacher who had been silent most of the day, drifted over the wall. "Now that our guest has departed, please return to your desks. Since Candice and Julian covered so much material, your homework tonight is a five-page analytical report on the tactical applications of move-molding and type-neutralization seen in today's three matches."
"NOOOOOO!"
Julian winced, a look of genuine pity crossing his face. "Oof. Five pages? That's rough. I almost feel bad for them."
"Woof-woof! (Don't lie, you think it's hilarious,)" Gowlithe barked, giving Julian a side-eye that was far too perceptive for a Growlithe.
"Okay, maybe a little," Julian admitted, grinning as he adjusted his bag. "But hey, it was a long day. I'm starving, you're starving, and I still haven't found a single fluffy Pokémon to pet since that Glameow left. My hands are practically twitching."
He looked down at Gowlithe orange fur, his fingers dancing.
"Woof! (Don't even think about it. I'm a warrior, not a stress ball. Let's just get to the hotel before you start trying to pet a wild Swinub.)"
"You're no fun," Julian sighed, though his smile stayed bright. "But you're right. Home, James. Or... home, Leander. Let's go."