Chapter 27: Bad at Naming

  The atmosphere in the classroom remained heavy even after Professor Blaine left. While most students scattered to tend to their own matters, three figures—Vera, Kara, and I—remained near the back row, speaking in hushed voices.

  Just minutes ago, Vera had made a firm declaration:

  —We’re researching Shellder on our expedition to the Seafoam Islands.

  I blinked at her in curiosity. In my mind, Shellder wasn’t exactly a rare Pokémon, but Vera’s determination suggested she had a clear goal. She noticed my unspoken question and confirmed:

  —I have a Slowpoke. His name is Duke. I caught him for one purpose—to fuse him with a Shellder and evolve him into a Slowbro. And I’m not wasting time with long explanations.

  At the mention of Slowpoke, my eyes lit up. I had always found those dreamy-eyed, dopey-looking Pokémon adorable. Without thinking, I asked excitedly:

  —Please, let me see your Slowpoke for a moment. I love Slowpoke…

  Vera rolled her eyes but, after an exasperated sigh, gave in. With a flick of her wrist, she released her Poké Ball, and in a bright flash, a sturdy, pink Slowpoke materialized, his dopey expression unchanged, his tail resting on the ground.

  —Wow…! —I breathed in fascination, stepping closer.

  I could feel the creature’s slow, steady breaths. Lowering my head to examine him more closely, I found him mirroring my action at the same sluggish pace. Our eyes met.

  A heavy silence filled the space, stretching longer than necessary.

  I felt his slow, hypnotic energy washing over me… and I let myself be drawn in, staring deeply into his eyes.

  Forgetting Vera and Kara were behind me.

  Minutes passed.

  Then, an impatient voice snapped me out of it.

  —Aspen, stop standing there like an idiot! —Vera growled, clicking her tongue— We don’t have all day to watch you and Duke blink at each other.

  Before I could react, the Slowpoke was swallowed by a scarlet beam, returning to his Poké Ball. I barely had time to register what was happening before I felt a sudden force lift me by my shirt.

  Vera’s psychic energy hoisted me a foot off the ground.

  —Hey, let me go! —I yelped, heart pounding.

  —You had the exact same dumb face as that Slowpoke, —she muttered in irritation— Are you sure you’re not a Slowpoke that turned into a human?

  —I’m not a Slowpoke…! —I tried to protest, but my voice cut off under the weight of her psychic pressure.

  That’s when Kara burst out laughing, loud and sarcastic:

  —Did you not see yourself? Five minutes staring at him. Are you sure you weren’t a Slowpoke in a past life? —She covered her mouth, grinning— What a pair of sloths!

  My cheeks burned in indignation.

  —Shut up, Kara…

  —Relax, —Vera huffed, dropping me unceremoniously.

  —Bfff… —I scowled as I awkwardly scrambled to my feet. Kara extended a hand with a confident grin, helping me up.

  Then, Kara’s expression turned more serious, as if remembering an important detail from earlier.

  —Vera, are you sure you’ll be able to catch a Shellder? You’re at your limit of three Pokémon… and you don’t want trouble with the League, right?

  Vera folded her arms.

  —You already know that when Slowpoke evolves into Slowbro, Shellder becomes part of Duke’s body. It will count as a single Pokémon, so my team will remain at three.

  Feeling a bit lost, I raised a hand hesitantly.

  —Why is it so important to stick to three Pokémon? We’re in Class B, right? We’re allowed three… or something like that, but… I’m not sure.

  Kara scoffed, making a face like “This guy knows nothing,” before rolling her shoulders as if preparing to train, bored by the explanation.

  Vera rolled her eyes.

  —Have you really not learned the Pokémon League’s rules? They promoted you to Class B, yet you don’t even know the basics…

  —Uh… I was promoted suddenly. No one explained anything to me, —I half-heartedly defended myself.

  —Then listen, and don’t interrupt, —Vera growled— The League divides trainers into ranks that determine how many Pokémon they can carry and their ‘Star Rating.’

  —‘Star Rating’? What does that mean?

  —It’s the official way to measure a Pokémon’s threat level. A 1-star Pokémon is relatively common and not very strong. A 2-star Pokémon is more powerful or has unique characteristics, like many Poison-types. A 3-star Pokémon is high-risk, and 4-star Pokémon are already classified as extremely dangerous and powerful—semi-legendary in some cases. 5-star Pokémon are so rare that the League requires special permits. And 6-star… well, those are just rumors. People say they’re legendary or mythical Pokémon.

  Kara shrugged, confirming Vera’s explanation while casually stretching her neck.

  —In Class B, we’re considered ‘Trainers,’ meaning we can have up to three Pokémon, but they must be 2-star or lower. The next rank, ‘Guardian,’ allows four Pokémon. ‘Ranger’ allows five Pokémon of up to 3-star level. ‘Leader’ permits six, ‘Elite’ allows eight at 4-star, and ‘Champion’ can carry ten Pokémon of up to 5-star level. But you don’t reach those ranks without intense exams and battles.

  I blinked, processing all of this.

  Vera, growing impatient, muttered:

  —So now you understand why I don’t want the hassle of having a fourth Pokémon. When Duke and Shellder evolve into a single Slowbro, my count remains at three.

  —Got it, —I nodded.

  But my irritation over them calling me slowpoke-like still lingered.

  Then, an idea popped into my head—one that would definitely annoy Vera.

  I didn’t stop to think before blurting out:

  —Wow, you named him ‘Duke’? That’s funny…

  Vera’s eye twitched, a vein pulsing in her temple.

  —Are you making fun of me again?!

  —N-no, it’s just… your Abra is named ‘Sage,’ and your Mime Jr. is ‘Butler.’ That sounds so… I don’t know… I prefer simpler names.

  Vera’s frown deepened. Her long crimson hair seemed to lift slightly as if an invisible wind had stirred it. I felt tingles run down my body—a sign that her psychic energy was flaring up.

  I braced myself for another forced levitation.

  —Your names are the ridiculous ones. ‘Dozy’ the Grimer, ‘Noizy’ the Zubat, —she narrowed her eyes— More idiotic than ‘Duke.’

  —Hey, leave my Pokémon out of this. It’s just personal preference, —I snapped, my cheeks flushing.

  Kara interrupted with a raspy laugh:

  —Ha! If we’re talking names, mine are the best: ‘Karate’ the Machop and ‘Box’ the Mankey.

  Vera and I simultaneously turned to stare at her.

  —Yours are even worse! —we shouted in unison.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Kara scowled, her almond-shaped eyes glinting with fiery intensity.

  —Oh yeah? You dare insult my ‘combat styles’?! Say that to my face in a battle, cowards…!

  Vera clenched her fists.

  Meanwhile, I felt a subtle pulse of poison coating my nails, preparing to defend myself.

  The tension was ridiculous—we were seconds away from breaking into a full-on fight over Pokémon names.

  That’s when laughter echoed from behind us.

  We turned to see a tall, slender young man with silver-gray hair approaching with a confident air.

  Two companions flanked him: one, a lanky boy with lime-green hair, and the other, a girl with long, sky-blue locks.

  They all carried themselves like they belonged to the elite of the class.

  Vera and Kara visibly tensed.

  —What do you want, Ethan? —Kara asked with a scowl.

  Ethan smirked, tilting his head slightly.

  —Ah, it’s nice to see you two remember me. I always seem to run into you when you’re about to break someone’s bones.

  I swallowed hard.

  I had a bad feeling about this.

  Ethan’s smirk didn’t waver as he took a step closer, his sharp silver-gray eyes scanning me with interest.

  —And who do we have here? —he mused— You must be Aspen Meloc.

  A shiver ran down my spine.

  I nodded slowly, unsure how to react.

  Ethan studied me for a moment, then chuckled, his voice laced with amusement:

  —I’ve heard some stories about you. Quite the bold move, “stealing” a Pokémon from the heir of the Poison Clan. I also heard you were attacked, yet somehow, you ended up keeping the Zubat. Ah, Niko… what a reckless decision you made.

  My stomach twisted into knots.

  —N-no… —I stammered, struggling to find the right words— It was a misunderstanding…

  Before I could finish, Ethan suddenly draped an arm over my shoulders, his movement so quick and casual that I barely had time to react.

  —I admire that kind of nerve, —he whispered, his tone almost too charming— Wouldn’t you like to join me in taking down Niko and sneaking your way into Class A? I could help you achieve that.

  My breath caught in my throat.

  Panic shot through me like a bolt of lightning.

  I tried to step back, my hands moving instinctively.

  One of my poison-laced nails accidentally scraped the skin on his wrist.

  I felt a chill of horror as Ethan’s expression briefly faltered—his skin paling for just a second as he tensed.

  —Oh no— —I gasped— I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to…!

  Frantically, I fumbled in my pockets for an antidote berry, my hands shaking as I offered it to him.

  —Please… don’t…

  Ethan’s two companions reacted instantly.

  The lime-haired boy clenched his fist, preparing to strike, while the girl with sky-blue hair raised her hand, energy gathering in her palm.

  Kara moved just as fast—she intercepted the girl’s arm mid-air, twisting it into a firm grip.

  Vera, on the other hand, released a psychic pulse that locked the green-haired boy in place before he could move.

  All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

  —STOP! I don’t want fights in the classroom! —I shouted, my voice cracking slightly as I teetered on the edge of hysteria.

  Ethan, however, simply raised his hand.

  His followers froze in place, obeying his silent command.

  He took the berry from my trembling hand, popped it into his mouth, and chewed slowly.

  After a few moments, he exhaled, his posture relaxing.

  —No harm done, —he said smoothly— It was an accident. Your defenses are… quite intense.

  Vera and Kara remained on high alert, watching him closely.

  When Ethan finally seemed to feel the antidote taking effect, he straightened up, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve.

  Then, with a lazy smirk, he tilted his head.

  —Well, I’ll let it slide for now. Despite everything, I think I like you, kid.

  He turned to his companions.

  —Let’s go.

  As they moved to leave, Ethan suddenly glanced back at me over his shoulder, his silver eyes gleaming with amusement.

  —Ah, one more thing, Aspen.

  A sinking feeling settled in my gut.

  —I heard your Grimer is from Alola. But… it’s “shiny,” isn’t it? Purple with a yellow stripe around its mouth?

  My breath hitched.

  Ethan smiled knowingly.

  —To an untrained eye, it might just look like an ordinary Kanto Grimer… but it’s not, is it? That makes it… unofficial.

  He let those words hang in the air before adding, almost playfully:

  —You didn’t acquire it through… improper means, did you?

  My blood ran cold.

  Dozy was a Grimer from Alola.

  A shiny Grimer from Alola.

  Because of his coloring, most people mistook him for a normal Kanto Grimer… but the small problem was that I had no paperwork proving his origin.

  Ethan’s smirk widened as he continued:

  —It would be such a shame if the ‘Dark Clan’ caught wind of this. After all, those green Alolan Grimer are supposedly under strict regulations…

  I covered my mouth with my hand.

  The Dark Clan.

  A group notorious for their control over Alolan Pokémon in certain regions.

  And I… had no legal proof that Dozy belonged to me.

  Satisfied with my reaction, Ethan turned to leave.

  —I’ll see you all in the cafeteria tomorrow. There are some matters I’d like to discuss with this little group. —His gaze flickered back to me— That includes you, Aspen. So don’t be late.

  With that, he strode off.

  His two bodyguards threw me warning glances before following him.

  Silence settled over the room.

  I felt my legs turn to jelly, barely holding me up.

  Vera and Kara were watching me with complicated expressions.

  I let out a shaky breath, running a hand down my face.

  —Another problem… —I muttered.

  Kara scratched her chin thoughtfully.

  —So it’s true. Your Grimer isn’t just an Alolan Grimer—he’s a shiny Alolan Grimer. And not a Kanto Grimer.

  I nodded stiffly, swallowing hard.

  —Yeah… I got him as an egg. I don’t know the full story, but I don’t have any official papers. He’s definitely from Alola, but his color confuses everyone.

  Kara wrinkled her nose.

  —Damn. I didn’t even realize he was shiny. That makes him even rarer and… more problematic.

  Vera clicked her tongue.

  —I suspected as much. A Kanto Grimer wouldn’t have resisted my psychic attacks so easily. My instincts told me he was Alolan. And since he’s shiny, his usual green hue changes to purple—hence the confusion.

  I lowered my gaze, feeling a prickling heat rise to my face.

  Just thinking about the trouble this could cause sent chills down my spine.

  —Do you think this will cause more issues with the clans? —I asked uneasily.

  Vera’s lips pressed into a thin line.

  —Your Pokémon… all of them have great potential. But yes, they will attract trouble. The Dark Clan is extremely territorial about their exclusivity over Alolan variants. And some clans don’t like outsiders having Pokémon they consider “theirs.” Ever heard rumors about what happens when someone outside the Poison Clan gets a Crobat?

  Kara let out a low whistle.

  —They say those Crobats just… disappear. Or end up “accidentally” dead. Tsk.

  A shudder ran down my spine.

  —So what do I do?

  Kara shrugged.

  —Train harder. Keep quiet. And don’t give anyone a reason to come after you.

  I averted my gaze, still unsettled.

  —And Ethan…? He seems dangerous.

  Vera clenched her jaw.

  —Ethan isn’t evil, exactly. He’s arrogant. A flirt. Thinks the world revolves around him. I hate him because every time he sees me, he tries to hit on me with that smug grin of his.

  Kara nodded, rolling her eyes.

  —Yeah, he makes comments like that to me too when we spar. Loves to show off. But at least he’s not a psycho like Niko or the Class A freaks. Those guys are monsters.

  —So…? —I hesitated, unsure if I should feel relieved.

  —Relax, Aspen, —Vera said, arching an eyebrow— He’s not a demon. But be careful—he’s not as simple as he seems. If he’s interested in you, it’s either because of your issues with the Poison Clan… or because of your shiny Grimer.

  —Exactly. At least he won’t kill you, —Kara added with a shrug— But he might rope you into a deal that’s not in your best interest.

  I nodded in silence, feeling only slightly more at ease.

  Though, deep down, I still wasn’t convinced.

  I glanced between my two teammates and forced a small smile.

  —Thanks… for calming me down.

  They both turned at the same time, as if they weren’t interested in having a sentimental moment.

  Still, it was enough to slow my pounding heartbeat.

  —See you tomorrow. Get ready, —Vera said curtly, giving a brief nod before walking off.

  Kara gave me a playful pat on the back.

  —Later, Aspen.

  They left, talking quietly among themselves.

  I remained standing in the now mostly empty classroom, watching their silhouettes disappear through the doorway.

  Taking a deep breath, I exhaled heavily.

  “At least I didn’t end up in a life-or-death battle today,” I thought dryly.

  For now, that was good enough.