Chapter 33: Upset


    I slowly opened my eyes, and the first thing I noticed was the gentle bubbling of the aquarium.


    I never would’ve imagined that one day, I’d have a saltwater tank in my room—much less with a Shellder floating inside.


    I never thought I’d be able to save enough money for something like this after spending everything on Pokémon food and the necessary supplies for the expedition.


    However, the report we had to submit after the trip—which was supposedly done by the three of us (Vera, Kara, and me)—earned us an unexpected monetary reward.


    I won’t deny it—most, if not all, of the credit went to Vera.


    I’m sure she wrote almost everything.


    Kara… well, Kara barely wrote anything except a few paragraphs about fighting styles.


    And I didn’t bother working with them after what happened…


    Even though they tried to contact me.


    I suppose the important thing was that they put my name on the report despite me not contributing anything, and the professor must’ve assumed I participated.


    I wasn’t complaining—with my share, I was able to afford this aquarium and some high-quality food.


    Now, Shellder floated inside, opening and closing its shell, while a mechanical filter kept the water circulating.


    I stretched my arms, trying to shake off the morning sluggishness.


    I glanced around, taking in the messy state of my dorm room at the Kanto Academy.


    It was a disaster—notebooks, small bottles of chemicals from Chemistry class, tools for crafting objects, and a couple of empty Poké Balls scattered across the table.


    To the side, Dozy—my shiny Alolan Grimer—was napping on his new plush mat, while Noizy (my Zubat) was hanging upside-down in a bird stand.


    Meanwhile, Creepy, my Gastly—who had become my third team member—floated near his fake tombstone, letting out soft ghostly snores:


    “Ghuu… ghuu…”


    I was still impressed by the fact that he could snore despite not having a solid body.


    In the aquarium, Shellder seemed to be watching me (or at least, that’s what I thought).


    That mollusk still didn’t have a name.


    I hadn’t found one that convinced me, or maybe I just wasn’t ready to give it one.


    There were too many things on my mind…


    I tried not to think about Vera and Kara, but it was impossible.


    I felt angry just remembering them.


    I had been avoiding them for days, not saying a single word.


    The way they toyed with me like a puppet and then punished me by nearly drowning me, subjecting me to controlled psychic and physical attacks (I didn’t even know what exactly they did because I passed out)—it was something I still felt like a betrayal.


    It was so disturbing that it felt almost like torture.


    And as soon as we got back to the Academy, I decided to ignore them, no matter what they said.


    Of course, I still had to share classes with them, but I would sit in a corner and pretend they didn’t exist.


    I had learned how to be invisible back in elementary school—back when I didn’t want to attract problems or questions.


    I was good at blending into the background.


    As I stretched, I tried to focus on something more productive—my new classes in Chemistry and Artifacts.


    At first, I thought they’d be boring subjects, filled with formulas and useless crafts, but they actually turned out to be surprisingly interesting.


    Professor Procto, the Chemistry teacher, explained that elemental energy found in berries, minerals, and other components could be enhanced and transformed into powerful remedies or healing gases through the right processes.


    He taught us formulas for restorative potions and stronger antidotes.


    He explained multiple methods for dissolving berries or extracting active compounds from leaves.


    “You must understand the power of nature and use it responsibly!” he would emphasize passionately, while shaking a flask filled with vibrant green liquid.


    I was fascinated watching him work.


    Then came Artifacts class with Professor Gordon—which expanded my perspective even more.


    I learned that it was possible to infuse certain energies—Rock, Fighting, Normal, Poison, etc.—into talismans, weapons, or tools to create amazing effects.


    The catch?


    You needed a natural affinity for a specific type to channel its energy.


    For example:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">  Normal-type students could craft “secure contracts”, objects that sealed agreements.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">  Fighting-type students could forge bracelets that boosted physical attacks.</li>


    </ul>


    I wondered if I truly had the Poison affinity my grandmother talked about.


    She always claimed I had the ability to manifest poison into objects—but I felt nothing.


    No tingling, no strange sensation.


    Nothing.


    The only thing I knew was that, somehow, I could live alongside Poison-type Pokémon without getting sick.


    But…


    Was that really enough to claim I was part of the Poison Clan or something?


    I still found it hard to believe.


    I sighed, remembering my grandmother’s warnings.


    She had repeatedly warned me about my heritage, the “Five Poisonous Organs” technique, and the dangers it carried.


    But after what happened with Vera, I felt reluctant to explore that path.


    I was afraid I’d end up experiencing something even worse.


    —Maybe I should sign up for an “Energy Control” class… —I muttered to myself.


    Dozy slithered closer, leaving behind a trail of oily residue on the floor.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    —“Grrr-merr…” —he grumbled, sounding curious, as if asking, “What are you talking about?”


    Noizy, still hanging upside down, let out a soft screech:


    —“Zuuu-baaa…”—a yawning echo.


    Meanwhile, Creepy drifted slowly away from his fake tombstone.


    —“Ghhh-ooooh…” —he exhaled, almost a chilling whisper.


    I stared at the three of them, noticing they had closed their eyes and were moving around me in a semicircle.


    At first, I didn’t understand.


    But then—


    I felt it.


    Invisible threads.


    Connecting my body to theirs.


    It was subtle, like a mix of air currents and static electricity.


    The thickest thread connected to Dozy.


    A medium-sized thread linked to Noizy.


    And a thin thread connected to Creepy.


    But when I looked at Shellder…


    There was nothing.


    No thread.


    No connection.


    I didn’t know if I should feel relieved or worried.


    Was it because my Poison affinity was harmful to a Water-type Pokémon?


    Or did Shellder simply not recognize me as its trainer yet?


    I had too many questions.


    For a moment, I considered asking Vera.


    She had almost perfect control over Psychic energy and had even demonstrated the ability to manipulate gravity with her Abra.


    But the moment the thought crossed my mind—


    I shut it down immediately.


    I wasn’t going to talk to her after what she did to me.


    If I needed answers, I’d find them elsewhere.


    I sighed and forced myself to focus on something more urgent—my upcoming Guardian rank test.


    Even I didn’t fully understand how I had advanced so quickly.


    Normally, Guardians were adults responsible for overseeing wild areas—forests, coasts, deserts—but at the Academy, this rank was simply another step up in the hierarchy.


    It didn’t make you a teacher or anything—just meant you were qualified to handle Pokémon of greater danger levels.


    And in my case, the reason I was taking this test so soon was because of Creepy.


    A Gastly was classified as a three-star risk Pokémon.


    According to the Academy’s rules, if a student captured a Pokémon of that level, they had to prove their competence in training and controlling it.


    That meant passing both a written exam and an official battle.


    I never thought I’d end up catching a Ghost/Poison-type Pokémon of this level.


    Yet here I was—Creepy floating next to me.


    I pulled on my hooded sweatshirt, checked that my Pokédex was fully charged, and skimmed through my Pokémon’s move lists one last time.


    Ever since I discovered that the Pokédex recorded learned attacks, I’d become obsessed with planning strategies.


    For a moment, I felt guilty remembering that our first lessons had explained all of this, but I had been too distracted with everything that happened in the library to pay attention.


    Then, a new wave of anger hit me as I thought about Vera—how she had completely ruined my peace.


    But I forced myself not to explode.


    My test was today, and I needed to keep a clear head.


    —“Alright, guys, time to go.”


    Dozy let out a lazy grumble, Grrr-merr, dragging himself toward me, his gelatinous body rippling.


    Noizy chirped excitedly, fluttering in circles, as if saying, “Let’s train a bit more!”


    Creepy gave a low growl, Ghhuuuu, reluctant to return to his Poké Ball but understanding it was necessary.


    I made an exception for Shellder—I left him in the aquarium.


    I didn’t plan to use him in the test.


    Besides, I still wasn’t fully connected to him, so I didn’t want to force anything.


    I dropped a few small pieces of marine food into the tank, hoping that would keep him entertained.


    I locked my door and made my way to the classroom where the written test would take place.


    As I walked through the hallways, I noticed there were fewer people than usual.


    Maybe everyone was in their own classes or exams elsewhere.


    But I felt a strange sensation—like someone dangerous was nearby.


    After everything with Niko, I had learned to stay on guard.


    Luckily, I didn’t see him anywhere.


    I arrived at a door with a large sign that read:


    “GUARDIAN RANK EXAM”


    I stepped inside, feeling a mix of nerves and anticipation—and was surprised to find the room nearly empty.


    Only a handful of students were scattered throughout the space.


    The atmosphere felt tense, as if each of them had an intimidating aura.


    I felt small.


    One of the examiners, a man with glasses, motioned for me to find an open seat.


    I looked around, trying to choose carefully.


    At the front row, I noticed a tall guy with an almost unnatural presence.


    His hair was an eye-catching sea-green color, and his jade-colored eyes gave off a peculiar energy.


    No one sat near him.


    People avoided him.


    For a second, I considered sitting in front of him, but for some reason, my body instinctively moved in another direction—and I ended up sitting directly behind him.


    I had no idea why I did that.


    It was like something inside me shifted without me realizing.


    The examiner began distributing the test papers.


    —“These are personalized exams,” —he announced in a clear voice.


    “If you have a three-star Pokémon, you’ll find specific questions about training responsibilities and risk management. Take your time and answer honestly. You have thirty minutes.”


    I took my paper and started reading.


    Sure enough, many of the questions were about Ghost Pokémon behavior, their intangibility risks, and how to handle possession-related incidents.


    There were also sections on Poison-type Pokémon management—probably because of my reputation as someone with “Poison affinity” (which, in my opinion, was completely undeserved).


    Some of the questions included:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">  “What would you do if your Haunter harassed civilians in an area with poor ventilation?”</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">  “How would you handle a Gastly escaping and causing nightmares in the dormitory?”</li>


    </ul>


    Each question had multiple-choice answers and space for written explanations.


    I glanced to the front and caught a side view of the sea-green-haired guy.


    He wore a metal pendant around his neck—one I didn’t recognize.


    His aura felt strange.


    Not exactly hostile, but… dense.


    Like the time I was near Niko, but different.


    Something else.


    I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on the exam.


    It was harder than I expected.


    There were questions about emergency protocols, how to calm down aggressive Ghost Pokémon without using brute force, and how to detect poisonous gases.


    Thanks to Chemistry class, I had some knowledge to work with, so I tried to write confidently.


    I struggled with each question, but at least I had a basic understanding.


    Time flew by, and I started to panic as I saw others finishing their exams faster.


    I still had several open-ended questions, so I rushed to answer, hoping my recent studies and experience would help me make decent choices.


    Finally, I marked the last answer, double-checked my work, and felt a massive wave of relief.


    The examiner collected our papers and told us to wait in our seats.


    Our grades would be announced shortly.


    I felt my heartbeat accelerate—had I made a stupid mistake?


    Silence settled over the room.


    I sat still, shoulders tense.


    Dozy, Noizy, and Creepy were in their Poké Balls, so I couldn’t distract myself with them.


    The sea-green-haired guy was still there, completely motionless.


    Then—


    He turned around.


    His jade-green eyes locked onto mine—piercing, intense.


    A chill ran down my spine.


    I swallowed hard, unsure of how to react.


    I froze, like a Caterpie cornered by a hungry Fearow.


    Then, he spoke.


    —“You’re Aspen Meloc… aren’t you?”


    His voice was calm, yet firm.


    I felt my mind go completely blank—unable to process what was happening.