"Anni!"
I don't know why.
Annihilape now felt especially powerful—a fierce aura radiating from it, paired with a cold determination that cared nothing for life or death.
"Come in."
Gary returned Annihilape to its Poké Ball.
"System, exchange the Ice-type skill of Snowscape," he said decisively. Gary selected Snow Warning to replace one of the Ice-type skills.
The Snowscape move was chosen primarily to accommodate Glaseado Mountain's snowy conditions—after all, climate-based moves were notoriously tricky to master. Gary, however, already had plenty of offensive options. He murmured, "Now we have to adjust for weather, terrain, and ability synergy."
Ding!
[Skill exchange successful.]
After completing the exchange, Gary stepped outside the Pokémon Center and released Cetoddle.
"Cuu?"
The little Cetoddle looked around curiously at the unfamiliar surroundings. Everything felt strange and new, yet with Gary by its side, it showed no fear—only cheerful curiosity.
Gary reached into his space backpack and withdrew a radiant Ice Stone.
"Here, Cetoddle," he said softly, holding out the crystal. "Take this. You can evolve into Cetitan—just like your mother."
Gary, the seasoned Pokémon Breeder, always advised early evolution if the Pokémon could handle it. "If you can evolve sooner, it'll help your body adapt faster," he said encouragingly.
The size difference between Cetitan and Cetoddle was immense, yet early evolution strengthened one's adaptation and resilience.
"Ceeetoddle!" the small whale Pokémon chirped, seemingly agreeing. Its eyes gleamed with determination.
Without hesitation, Cetoddle touched the Ice Stone.
A brilliant white light engulfed its body. Frost and energy swirled around it as it grew rapidly in size and power. Within heartbeats, the glowing form expanded until a mighty white whale-like figure took shape—still smaller than a full-grown one, but unmistakably a newly evolved Cetitan.
"Ceee–titaaan!" came the booming cry, filled with pride and vitality.
Gary grinned. "Excellent! You've done it."
Cetitan's body was substantial, yet Gary knew it was still quite young—its muscles not yet as developed as its mother's. With a year or so of nurturing, it would reach the full standard size of its species.
When the light faded, Cetitan snorted happily, producing clouds of frost from its nostrils.
Satisfied, he recalled Cetitan and went off to prepare a meal for all his Pokémon.
The next morning, Gary flew on Articuno's back to Mesagoza City, preparing to return to the Sinnoh region.
Unfortunately, there was only one outbound flight every three days, so he had to stay an extra day. With no other pressing tasks, Gary decided to explore Mesagoza City.
Naturally, one destination stood out—Naranja Academy, the world-renowned Pokémon school.
Since he was already nearby, Gary wouldn't waste the chance to visit.
Naranja Academy wasn't just a prestigious institution—it was also open to visitors during certain hours, though outsiders could not disturb classes in session.
The Academy held the highest status in the Paldea Region. Even Pokémon's in the hands of the Principal Clavell have reached the Elite level..
Many Gym Leaders and powerful independent trainers throughout Paldea had graduated from Naranja Academy. The infamous Team Star, too, was a student-formed organization within the school.
The current leader of Team Star was a girl named Penny. Her parentage wasn't ordinary—her father was Peony, the former Champion of the Galar Region and predecessor to Leon. Peony had retired voluntarily after his brother Rose became President of Macro Cosmos.
With such an impressive legacy, it was clear that students of Naranja Academy came from extraordinary backgrounds. Even the teachers held remarkable achievements in their respective fields; each was a master trainer, strong enough to inspire awe in their pupils.
Gary strolled across the lush campus grounds, eventually arriving at an open battle court where several students were engaged in lively Pokémon battles.
"So low," Gary muttered, noting the low levels of their Pokémon. These must be first-year students.
On the field, a student commanded a Sprigatito.
[Lv. 10 Sprigatito / Gym]
"Sprigatito, use Leafage!"
"Sprigatito!" cried the Sprigatito as leaves shot like emerald arrows.
Gary paused mid-step, admiring both the attack and the Pokémon's grace. "Sprigatito… now that's a beautiful starter," he murmured.
Of the three Generation IX starters—Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly—only Sprigatito's final evolution, Meowscarada, combined elegance and cunning so perfectly. Its mix of Grass and Dark types gave it both striking beauty and battlefield versatility.
He smiled with genuine excitement. "If I had to choose a Paldean partner, it'd definitely be Sprigatito."
Then, with a chuckle, "Heh. Now I kinda want to catch one myself."
But he knew resources were limited—he already had dozens of Pokémon needing care and training. "Still," he mused, "it's cute enough to tempt anyone."
Gary sat down on a bench near the fence, sipping coffee from the campus café as he watched the matches. The café's business thrived, though the prices were steep. It didn't bother him much, he heard rumors that student discounts inside the academy's stores were far more generous than prices for visitors. Outsiders often found the prices a bit of a rip-off.
He planned to stay until lunch, maybe have a meal at the academy restaurant. But before he could enjoy his break, a group of ten young women with long hair walked toward the battlefield.
"Huh?" he murmured.
Gary glanced up. A stern-looking woman in a professional outfit strode in front of the group, her expression sharp as ice. Gary recognized her immediately—it was Ms. Dendra, the instructor in charge of battle training at Naranja Academy.
Gary blinked, puzzled. Why's she glaring at me?
Before he could ask, Ms. Dendra barked, "You there! Which class are you from? Why are you slacking off here instead of joining the group training?"
Gary froze, hands half-raised. "Wait—no, I think you've got the wrong—"
But Ms. Dendra wasn't listening.
"Come with me!" she snapped.
And before Gary could explain, he was practically dragged toward the central training grounds.
He sighed as he walked. Great. Mistaken for a student again. Story of my life.
The main battle arena was abuzz with energy. Students had just wrapped up an exercise when Ms. Dendra arrived with her "new student."
"Alright!" she commanded. "One more battle before lunch. Penny, step up—you'll face the newcomer in a one-on-one duel!"
"Yes, Teacher!" answered a confident young woman.
Gary turned as Penny approached. Her name triggered a sense of déjà vu—this Penny was clearly the daughter of Peony and, as Gary gathered from whispers, the founder of Team Star.
Gary thought that curious, since Team Star hadn't appeared yet in the anime continuity. So is this the game timeline or the show? he wondered. "Worlds really do blend in strange ways."
"Who is he? I haven't seen him before… and he's kind of handsome" Penny looked at Gary and immediately found that Gary was a little handsome. Logically speaking, the girls in each class had collected intelligence on the handsome guys.
Gary pretended not to notice, adjusting his sleeve cuffs.
Naranja Academy accepted students of nearly all ages—some as young as six, others returning for postgraduate research—but in the anime's version, the enrollment age only spanned six to eighteen. Gary realized, with some amusement, that he apparently fit neatly into either bracket in this world.
"Well," he said, scratching his neck, "may as well turn this misunderstanding into a friendly match. No harm done."
Ms. Dendra folded her arms and gave a crisp nod. "Both of you, prepare your Poké Balls!"