“I can’t believe you didn’t know,” Flavio said, his voice low but still stunned.

  Melody just stared, wide-eyed. I felt like some exhibit they’d discovered behind a velvet rope.

  How was I supposed to react to this? Learning that my mom—the woman who packed my lunch, who never let me ride with Dad on Corviknight flights because it was “too dangerous”—was apparently a world-famous trainer?

  “My parents didn’t exactly talk about the past,” I said quietly, though even I wasn’t convinced by the excuse.

  “They were incredible,” Melody said, practically glowing. Her voice took on the tone of someone talking about a celebrity crush. “They faced each other in the finals of tournaments all over the world. Everyone thought they were rivals for life—and then boom. They got married. It shocked everyone.” She paused for effect. “They even made a movie about their story.”

  I blinked. “A movie?”

  “And a cartoon series!” she added, practically bouncing in her seat. “I used to watch it every Saturday morning. They fought crime, battled villains, saved the world… they were icons!”

  A chill crept up my spine. I looked down at my tray, suddenly not hungry anymore.

  Flavio leaned in, voice quieter now. “That’s not all. They helped take down some major criminal organizations—Team Galactic, Plasma… even remnants of Rocket.”

  I shook my head, trying to process it. That was my mom? The woman who made the best stews, who hemmed my school uniforms by hand?

  “She always talked about Dad’s travels,” I murmured. “Said he was out on expeditions, helping people… being a hero. But she never said anything about her own past.”

  “She probably didn’t want to,” Flavio said. “They both disappeared from the public eye around the same time. Ten, maybe twelve years ago?”

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  I did the math. “When I was born…”

  “Exactly,” Flavio said, nodding. “Your mom quit the spotlight. But your dad kept traveling. Just… not publicly.”

  That lined up. I remembered the goodbyes at the front porch, his silhouette flying off on Corviknight’s back. He’d always promised to bring me souvenirs, and he did—scarves from Kalos, Poké Dolls from Sinnoh, once even a carved wooden Poké Ball from some jungle region I can’t pronounce.

  “Maybe you should talk to Professor Jordan,” Flavio added, leaning even closer. “Didn’t he say he was a family friend?”

  “Yeah,” I muttered, my mind spinning. “He did.”

  “I’m just saying,” Flavio continued, “there might be a reason your mom never told you. But someone out there knows the full story.”

  Melody nodded. “You deserve answers, Gabe.”

  Before I could reply, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye.

  The little redhead—Irene Redstone—was slipping out of the cafeteria. Around us, students were gathering their things and heading toward the exits.

  I looked down at my tray. I’d barely touched my food.

  “Damn it. We’re gonna be late!”

  I stuffed a piece of bread in my mouth, grabbed my bag, and jumped up. Flavio and Melody followed suit, abandoning their trays. For a brief moment, I hesitated—wasting food felt wrong—but I swallowed the last bite and ran after them.

  *

  The training hall was huge—semicircular, high-ceilinged, built to hold a hundred students and their Pokémon. The floors gleamed, and the air buzzed faintly with the scent of polished metal and ozone, like a battlefield just before lightning struck.

  We were the last to arrive.

  At the center of the room stood a woman with sharp purple hair, arms crossed, gaze already locked on us. Her eyes were piercing, cold, and calm.

  She didn’t raise her voice.

  “Seats. Now.”

  We obeyed without hesitation, climbing the steps to find three empty seats near the top row. The moment we sat, the room went silent.

  She scanned the room slowly, like a predator sizing up its prey.

  “I believe that’s all one hundred of you,” she said. “Let’s begin.”

  Her voice was clear, commanding, and devoid of any warmth. She walked back to the center of the room, heels clicking on the hard floor.

  “My name is Helena Knight,” she said. “You will refer to me as Instructor Knight. I am your lead instructor for Pokémon Training 101.”

  She paused, letting the silence settle.

  “I expect excellence. I do not tolerate laziness. And if you’re here to coast on your family name—leave now. You’ll find the real world less forgiving than this classroom.”

  My shoulders tensed. That last statement was told while she looked at me.

  I felt both Flavio and Melody glance at me from either side.

  But I didn’t look back.