David looked at the Crobat hovering in front of Teacher Dominic. Despite the way it nuzzled affectionately against its Trainer, David could still feel the imposing Aura rolling off it. He couldn't help but nod slowly, a look of understanding crossing his face.
He had long suspected that Teacher Dominic was no ordinary man. An average Professional-level Trainer would never be qualified to serve as a battle instructor at No. 1 High School, and he certainly wouldn't have been personally invited by the principal himself. At the very least, Teacher Dominic had to be a Professional Tier 1 in strength — though David suspected he was likely far beyond even that, perhaps a Gym Leader at his peak, or even a Elite.
David had once guessed that if Teacher Dominic wasn't from some secret military unit, then he had to belong to a special agency within the Pokémon Alliance. He hadn't forgotten that cold, murderous Aura he'd sensed from the man before. Now, seeing this Crobat appear, that suspicion was all but confirmed.
Zubat were not especially rare Pokémon, but they were certainly not part of any ordinary Trainer's usual lineup, and most Pokémon Egg shops didn't even carry them. These Pokémon had a darker nature. They were creatures of the night, and they fed by drinking blood. In some fantasy stories, they might even be mistaken for vampires.
An ordinary Trainer would find it nearly impossible to truly tame one, let alone raise it all the way to a Gym-level Crobat. That was precisely why they were so rarely seen. Those who did use such Pokémon as their main fighters tended to be either Poison-type families with rare bloodlines, secret government agencies, or criminal organizations.
Just moments ago, David realized that if he hadn't had his Aura sense, or his perception far beyond that of an ordinary person, he wouldn't have even heard the Crobat approaching, even at close range. Small for a flying mount, and able to move through the night without a sound, a Crobat like this would make an excellent partner for covert missions — or for assassinations.
It might be an unfair assumption, but the moment Teacher Dominic released this Crobat, it only confirmed what David had already suspected. A man teaching battle classes at No. 1 High School could hardly be part of a criminal syndicate, and there was no Poison-type Trainer family named Bai in all of Cloudspire. That left only one real possibility.
"Alright, alright, it's my fault," Teacher Dominic said, patting the Crobat gently. "I'll let you out to stretch your wings more often. But right now, we have important work to do!"
After calming his Pokémon, Teacher Dominic swung himself up onto Crobat's back. The Pokémon was larger than the 1.8 meters listed in the Pokédex from David's past life — more than large enough to carry a grown man through the air with ease.
"Everyone, release your flying Pokémon!" Teacher Dominic called down. "It's time to head to the training grounds. Follow me, and don't fall behind!"
As Crobat lifted off the ground, David and the others snapped out of their thoughts and quickly released their own Pokémon. The school's two dozen Pidgeot rose without issue, and both Braviary and Metagross drew a fair share of attention. But when David's Salamence burst into the sky, every eye turned toward it.
"Roooaaar!!!"
The dragon's cry shook the air the instant it appeared. Salamence circled overhead, its massive crimson wings sending gusts rippling outward with every beat. The wind meant nothing to Salamence itself, but the nearby Pidgeot scattered in alarm, crying out and pulling away as fast as they could.
Salamence didn't seem bothered in the least — if anything, it looked pleased, letting out another joyful roar as it soared freely through the open sky. It was a strange sight: two dozen Superior-level Pidgeot, cowed by a single Salamence of supposedly equal strength.
Even Teacher Dominic, who already knew how frightening his student's Salamence could be, couldn't keep a flicker of surprise off his usually calm face. Even the Crobat beneath him turned its head, casting a curious glance toward the dragon. As a flying Pokémon itself, it could clearly sense the two overwhelming Auras radiating from Salamence.
"Alright, that's enough. I called you out to help, not to cause a scene," David said, climbing onto Salamence's back. With a boost from Kirlia's Helping Hand, he used Teleport to appear directly on the dragon's shoulders. He gave Salamence's head an affectionate pat, and the dragon only responded with a wide, goofy grin. David couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed — had Salamence always been this silly?
The other students, most of whom had no flying mounts of their own, watched with obvious envy as David and his Salamence made their entrance. Still, they knew that even if they managed to train a flying partner one day, none would look quite as magnificent as this one.
"Alright, let's move out!" Teacher Dominic called, and the group rose into the sky together, riding their Flying-type partners across the horizon. Below them, the land stretched out in strange and wondrous shapes, and the students marveled at the sights nature had carved into the world.
Ordinarily, no one would dare fly so casually through open wilderness, but this was their own secret realm, and with a Gym Leader-level Crobat leading the way, no wild Pokémon dared to bother them. Every advanced secret realm was massive — even the smallest one could rival the size of a major city. They flew on for nearly half an hour before finally reaching their destination.
"Alright, we're here. Come meet a few of your seniors," Teacher Dominic said, calling Crobat back into its Poké Ball as he turned to address the group behind him. "Remember your manners."
As everyone looked around at the surrounding wilderness, wondering just who these "seniors" might be, powerful Auras began to rise from several directions at once.