“That’s it for today,” Instructor Knight said, her tone just as sharp as it had been at the start.

  To be honest, her class had been overwhelming. Most of us came here thinking about tournaments, gym badges, the thrill of battle—the sport of it all. But today wasn’t about sport. It was about purpose.

  And for me, her words stuck harder than I expected.

  When I think about my dad—gone for five years now—I always wonder: what could be so important that he hasn’t come home? Some people whisper that he’s dead. But not Mom. She’s never said it out loud, but I know—she believes he’s out there. And somewhere deep down… I do too.

  Instructor Knight turned back to the class, holding her Pokédex in one hand.

  “Before I dismiss you, one final announcement.”

  She tapped her screen a few times. Somewhere across the network, something clicked into place.

  “There. You should’ve just received a message. Congratulations—you’re now eligible to choose your starter Pokémon.”

  For a moment, the room went still. Like the world had frozen mid-breath.

  Then someone gasped. Dozens of Pokédex screens lit up at once. Excited murmurs spread like wildfire. Chairs creaked, fingers tapped, eyes widened.

  Starter Pokémon.

  This was it.

  Instructor Knight clapped her hands, loud enough to snap us back to attention.

  “No need to rush. I know many of you already have a Pokémon of your own—gifts from your families when you turned ten, as is tradition.”

  I felt my chest tighten. Teddy.

  I hadn’t thought about him much since arriving, and now that I had, it hurt. I missed the little guy. His energy. His enthusiasm. The way he used to sneak snacks from my backpack. It felt wrong not having him with me.

  “You might be wondering why we don’t allow you to use your current partners during your first semester,” Knight continued. “It’s simple: fairness. Some of you were trained by professional battlers. Some of you received rare Pokémon as gifts. That creates a skewed playing field.”

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  She paused, letting her gaze sweep the room.

  “Here at the Academy, we evaluate you—not the Pokémon your parents gave you. That’s why everyone will start with a League-issued Pokémon, and that’s why your personal partners are off-limits during class until next semester.”

  I nodded to myself. It made sense, even if it stung a little.

  Teddy and I never trained seriously. We just played with other kids in the village. He’s never even been in a real battle. If he went up against a professionally trained Pokémon, it wouldn’t be fair. For either of us.

  “But don’t worry,” Knight added. “Starting next semester, your partners will be allowed in most courses. And on weekends, you’ll have supervised access to them—something Professor Jordan will explain further during Battling 101.”

  My heart leapt.

  Teddy. I’ll see him again soon.

  “For now,” she said, “open the list. The choices are standard regional starters, provided by the Pokémon League.”

  I scrolled through the screen:

  Bulbasaur. Charmander. Squirtle.

  Chikorita. Cyndaquil. Totodile.

  And so on.

  I didn’t need to scroll past Johto’s.

  Totodile.

  There was never going to be another choice.

  My father’s Feraligatr was a legend back in our town. Seeing it tower beside him when I was a kid—it made me fall in love with the idea of being a trainer. I tapped Totodile’s icon and confirmed my choice.

  Knight continued.

  “Some of you may have already been assigned a starter—offspring from your family’s Pokémon. Yes, it gives a small advantage, but nothing that will matter in the long run.”

  I glanced at Flavio and Melody. They weren’t scrolling.

  Of course. They already knew what they were getting. Legacy perks.

  I guess my mother forgot to set something up. Or maybe… maybe she didn’t forget at all.

  She has her Meganium. But she knows me. She knew I’d pick Totodile.

  And my father… he’s not here.

  I understood.

  “You have until midnight to finalize your selection,” Knight said. “On Wednesday, during Pokémon Care class, you’ll receive the egg of your chosen partner.”

  Excited chatter returned as students made their selections and showed each other their picks. I sat quietly, hand still resting on my Pokédex screen.

  This was real now.

  A new partner. A new path.

  Instructor Knight glanced at the clock, then back at the class.

  “Before I forget—one more thing.”

  Her eyes landed on me. I sat up a little straighter.

  “Mr. Santos,” she said, smiling ever so slightly. “You’ve earned an extra point for your insightful answer earlier.”

  I blinked. “Uh… thank you?”

  She turned to the rest of the class. “Everyone, join me in congratulating Mr. Santos—he’s currently ranked number one.”

  She began to clap. Slowly. Deliberately.

  Some students joined in. Most didn’t. A few looked downright offended. One, in particular—a redheaded girl—locked eyes with me from across the room. Her stare was ice-cold and burning all at once.

  Irene.

  If looks could kill, I’d be buried six feet under.