Tommy watched on as Max began gasping for breath. He had put up a good fight against Melanie for their first few exchanges but had now been struggling futilely against her for the last few minutes. After she was struck once by the tachi, Melanie stopped playing around and got serious and it quickly became clear that Max was outmatched. She danced around his blade effortlessly and Tommy lost count of the number of times that Max was struck with the flats of Melanie’s daggers; if it had been a real fight he would have long been dead.

Max collapsed to his knees, sweat pouring off of his body as he relinquished the grip on his sword, allowing it to clatter to the floor beside him. Melanie’s chest slightly heaved in and out and she wiped at the sheen of sweat that had formed on her forehead.

“Dammit…” Max gnashed his teeth in frustration. “I lost.”

“That was a great bout! I can’t believe you actually struck me! I can’t remember the last time someone hit me in a fight!” Melanie reached down and offered Max a hand, helping him to his feet. “Let’s fight again!”

“I hate losing…” Max mumbled, looking down at the floor.

“It will make you stronger,” Melanie laughed. “Does your blade have a name?”

“Weeping Crescent,” Max told his instructor. “It’s been handed down in my family for as long as anyone can clearly remember.”

“It must be incredibly old then since it’s named,” Melanie said, clearly taken aback. Tommy could see the greedy glint in her eye as she eyed the weapon. “I’m jealous.”

Max grunted in response and Melanie clapped him jovially on the back. “Thank you for indulging me, it was a great fight. You show a lot of potential”

Max sheathed his weapon and bowed deeply in return. “I have much to learn from you. Thank you for your lesson today.”

He returned to the rest of the students and Melanie looked around at everyone else. No one looked anxious to step forward after they witnessed her fighting prowess. “Ashley? You said you were familiar with a weapon? You didn’t bring one.”

“I don’t have one of my own,” Ashley meekly offered. “But I have practiced with a short sword before.”

“Let’s see it then,” Melanie said. Tommy’s classmate looked around the room and, upon spotting a blade on the wall, walked over and grabbed it. Melanie watched as Ashley spun it around a few times, thrusting, stabbing, and slashing. Tommy thought it looked cool but Melanie shook her head after a minute.

“I was expecting more,” Melanie said. “I can tell that you’ve handled it before but you’re clearly out of practice. When was the last time you handled the sword or trained with it?”

“Not since I received training from…” She trailed off and her eyes widened as she looked around at her classmates.

“Training from…?” Melanie broached. Ashley shook her head, clamming up tight and refused to speak further.

“Fine,” Melanie sighed. She walked over to the wall and picked up a sword that looked nearly identical to the one Ashley had grabbed. Ashley took a wary step backward and Melanie grinned predatorily. “Relax will you, I'm not trying to fight. This one is a few centimeters shorter. It will handle better. ”

Ashley exchanged swords with her instructor and then quickly hustled back to the safety of the group. Melanie turned her attention to Tommy. “Well that leaves us with you. I believe you were the last to step forward, were you not? You have a weapon?”

Tommy nodded and produced his collapsible staff, extending it to its full length and then presenting it to Melanie. She took it from him and examined it, twirling it effortlessly in her hands much to his annoyance. Apparently she really could use any weapon.

“This is nice,” Melanie nodded curtly and returned the staff to him. “Titanium right? Durable stuff.”

Tommy nodded back and then started running through the few moves he knew once Melanie stepped back and offered him the room to do so. He felt extremely uncomfortable as he felt the eyes of all of his friends on his back. Melanie eventually halted him after a few minutes and nodded approvingly.

“Good enough,” She smiled. “The basics are all there. For now, I’m pleased with what you’ve just shown.”

Melanie then turned her attention to the remaining three students and helped them select appropriate weapons to use. She outfitted Nessa with a rapier, saying the girl’s slim frame was a perfect fit for the sword. Jon was given a saber to wield, and lastly Krista was given a dagger. The short girl was scared to fight but Melanie promised to train her up well and help her get stronger.

“Well,” Melanie said. “A great first day! Return your weapons to the walls unless you have your own. Tomorrow we’ll start training, with wooden sparring weapons to begin with of course! Go eat now before your class this afternoon with Professor Larkspur.”

Even though they had just eaten, Tommy realized he was hungry again. He and a few others headed over to the cafeteria and got in one more meal then headed over to the stadium. It was weird being the only students going into the building when it had been packed with over 300 students at one point earlier in the year. There were signs directing all of them out onto the pitch so they made their way there and saw what looked like a giant obstacle course arrayed on the turf. Professor Larkspur was waiting for them with his arms crossed and customary scowl upon his face.

“Our early training will consist of strengthening your Pokémon,” Professor Larkspur told the class seriously. “We will not begin battle training for a while, for now we will focus on strength and agility training. Call out your Pokémon so I can assess them.”

Everyone did as they were told and Professor Larkspur told each student where to go. Tommy was first directed over to a machine that hurled balls of various speeds at his Pokémon and Professor Larkspur instructed him to have his Pokémon dodge all of the projectiles. After training with his father’s Scizor for the last month it was laughably easy, Tommy’s Pokémon not getting hit once even when the projectiles were hurled at max speed. Once thirty minutes had passed everyone rotated to the next station, Tommy ended up at a target range. Houndour practiced her Ember move, the projectiles still spraying haphazardly, while Solosis used Confusion and Psybeam. Professor Larkspur checked in with him and the other various students throughout the afternoon offering pointers and encouragement to each of them and their Pokémon.

In what felt like no time at all the day was coming to an end. Tommy was wrapping up at a station where his Pokémon were supposed to work on their defense, absorbing hits from a machine at varying levels of power.

Professor Larkspur dismissed them, reminding everyone to stay on campus and to return to the dorm by their curfew at 10. Tommy didn’t think that would be a problem, especially not in these beginning weeks. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to return to the dorm and sleep all evening.

Zach and Melanie welcomed everyone back to the dorm with a giant dinner. The table was already set and was overflowing with an array of chicken, beef, and pork chops. There were too many side dishes to count and Tommy helped himself to everything he could get his hands on.

“Professor Larkspur has given permission for your Pokémon to be out in the dormitory if you want,” Zach smiled as everyone finally slowed down after thirty minutes of eating. “Just be sure to not cause any issues. I don’t foresee any problems though since there are so few of us.”

Tommy hadn’t really had the chance to see the Pokémon of Harper or Krista back in the stadium since he had been busy looking after his own Pokémon. He watched excitedly as the two girls called out their Pokémon, each of them having only one. Harper had a Machop, the short muscular Pokémon looking like a miniature version of its trainer, and Krista called forth an Oddish. Tommy chose not to call his own Pokémon out, he didn’t know how overwhelming the environment would be or how everyone’s different Pokémon would react with one another.

“Hot tub?” Spencer addressed the table. He was slouched down in his chair and rubbing his full belly which was protruding out a bit. “Good for the muscles.”

Max excused himself and returned to his room and Krista said she was going to the library to read, but everyone else agreed after Spencer refused to take no for an answer from anyone else. Tommy headed up to his room to change quickly and then went out into the backyard of the dormitory.

The backyard was beautiful and sprawling. There was a garden and orchard that he was dying to explore but he was too tired to do so at the moment; he would save it for another day.

Spencer was already outside in his swim trunks fiddling with the controls of the hot tub. Tommy shook his head at the rippling muscles of his shirtless friend. He was no slouch himself, but Spencer was a beast. He got into the water, the temperature perfect and Spencer got in too after finally figuring out how to turn the jets on.

“Good idea Spence,” Tommy closed his eyes and sat with a jet pressing into his back. He felt as if he could fall asleep if he was left to himself for even just a single minute.

“Today was exhausting,” Spencer sighed contentedly as he settled himself in the steaming water. “Five days a week is going to be brutal. You don’t think they’ll make us train on Saturday and Sunday do you?”

“By the Mother, I hope not,” Ashley grumbled. Tommy opened his eyes as she and Nessa got into the hot tub clutching their Pokémon eggs, Nessa had brought Tommy’s from his room as well.

They sat on either side of him and Nessa passed him his egg, “Your dad said to bring them everywhere we go Tommy. Don’t you want it to hatch? The steam will be good for it anyway.”

“You all have an egg?” Spencer asked incredulously. “How the hell did that happen? I want one too.”

“Yeah tell us,” Jon said as he and Harper walked outside and over to the hot tub. “Can I see the egg?”

Tommy passed it over to his friend who grinned excitedly and held it out so he could examine every inch of it. Everyone listened intently as Tommy, Nessa, and Ashley took turns talking about their first expedition, culminating with the story about rescuing the sailors in the storm and finding the Pokémon eggs.

“Sounds like you guys are heroes then,” Spencer said admirably. “You saved the lives of five people.”

“Yeah that was an incredible story,” Jon agreed. He was still clutching onto Tommy’s egg greedily but Tommy didn’t mind. “Do you guys know what is going to hatch from them?”

Nessa shook her head. “No, but now that I think about it I wonder if someone in the school knows? Maybe the principal or Professor Larkspur?”

“Krista might know,” Harper spoke softly. “She’s read hundreds of books. That’s all she does in her free time, I think she wants to become a Professor.”

“It’s worth a shot,” Tommy nodded. “Maybe we can talk to her later tonight when we get out. Hopefully she can tell us what they’ll hatch into.”

“Well, we’re going to know at least one of them,” Ashley smiled, holding out her red and blue speckled egg. Cracks had begun to form along the top of it and everyone crowded around jostling and bumping one another trying to see what was about to come out. The seconds ticked by and more and more cracks appeared, not just along the top but now on the bottom as well.

“How much longer do you think?” Jon impatiently asked but at that moment two stubby white legs popped out from holes in the bottom of the egg. The top also shattered immediately after and a spiny white head popped out of the eggshell. Ashley had the biggest grin Tommy had ever seen on her face and the little creature chirped and squeaked happily up at her, waving its short little arms that had followed the head from the shell. The lower half of its body remained inside though, it didn’t break away for whatever reason.

“It’s cute!” Spencer laughed, “I’ve never seen that Pokémon before, does anyone know what it is?”

“A Togepi!” A voice said from behind all of them, causing everyone to startle. Tommy turned to see Krista in her swimsuit, holding a book to her chest and staring bashfully around at the group. “It’s incredibly rare. Congratulations!”

“Have you seen one before?” Ashley smiled down at her new companion who was still squeaking happily. Everyone relaxed back into the water, Krista joined them, and moved over beside Ashley so she could get a better look at the new Pokémon.

“I’ve never seen one, no,” Krista said, removing her round glasses that had started to fog up from the steam. “But I’ve read about a few instances throughout history where people have had one as a Pokémon companion. “Like I said, they're extremely rare; one of the most uncommon Pokémon that anyone has ever seen.”

“Can you tell me anything about her?” Ashley asked excitedly, looking over at Krista. “Anything you’ve read about?”

“Not much, other than it's a Fairy type,” Krista admitted. “The only other thing I’ve read about is that it’s supposed to be a sign of incredible luck. I’d love it if you kept a journal, or if you let me study her.”

“I’ll think about it,” was all Ashley said. She turned her smile to Tommy who was still seated next to her. “Thank you for the egg. I can’t believe how lucky I am, you could have kept all three of them for yourself.”

“Like I said, we’re friends,” Tommy grinned back. “Congratulations on getting your egg to hatch, hopefully Nessa’s and mine will follow soon!”

Everyone spent the rest of the time in the hot tub watching Togepi trill happily in Ashley’s clutches; she refused to let go of her new Pokémon for even a moment. Zach and Melanie each came out and offered their congratulations to her, but Max was nowhere to be found. The sun set after an hour in the hot tub and one by one people left to get ready to sleep. Tommy showered and climbed into bed, it was barely nine but he was struggling to keep his eyes open at this point, especially since he was going to be up early again tomorrow. He tossed and turned for only a moment before nodding off for the night.

As the week progressed, each day was worse than the last. Every muscle in Tommy’s body screamed in pain when he exercised in the mornings, and his mind was so foggy and exhausted he was having a hard time staying awake throughout the day. In the afternoon it was next to impossible to focus and give orders to his Pokémon when he was supposed to be training them. The only solace that he had was that everyone else was just as tired as he was; even Harper and Spencer who were in incredible shape were suffering under Zach’s daunting exercise menu.

Weapons training was without a doubt the worst class of all though. Melanie was merciless, taking turns sparring with everyone multiple times a day and the spars that Tommy fought against her were miserable experiences. She repeatedly struck him over and over with her wooden daggers or whatever weapon she decided to use for the day, Tommy never managing to score even a single hit against her. The most embarrassing part of it was he knew that he wasn’t forcing her to try at all. He would be surprised to hear that she was using even a tenth of her skill against him.

The first weekend rolled around and to the students’ immense relief they were not required to do anything. Tommy slept for a while but as usual was still the first to get up. After rolling out of bed he headed downstairs, Houndour trailing behind him. It was nice being able to have his Pokémon out of their Pokéballs around the dorm, though many of his classmates kept theirs inside their Pokéballs still. He had gotten used to having them around him all of the time when he was at the ranch before school had started back up again though, and he was glad he could continue that now.

Since no one else was up yet and he had been cooking for everyone all week, he ate some cereal and then went outside into the backyard. He wanted to walk around the garden and the orchard since he had been too busy and tired to do so during the week. Solosis was still soundly sleeping in the usual spot on his shoulder, but Yanma buzzed excitedly, flying off into the trees to explore on his own. Tommy smiled, recalling Solosis to his ball to sleep more and then rubbed Houndour’s head as she loped along silently beside him.

It was a brisk winter morning, cold for Goldenrod, although certainly not as cold as it had been in snowy Mahogany Town. He zipped the zipper up on his jacket as he began his trek towards the orchard, trying to ward off the chill that brought with it those unpleasant memories from last year. The silence all around him reminded him of his shortcomings, it reminded him of unblinking eyes and crimson red snow. The events of that trip went through his head for what felt like the thousandth time, and he sighed in defeat at his own helplessness.

Houndour bumped into his leg and he smiled down at her. “You’re right, I shouldn’t mope. We can only move forward now.”

She barked excitedly and wiggled her rump in the air, darting away from his fingers as he tried to reach down to pat her head.

“Oh, you want to play, huh?” Tommy asked. Before he could take a step after her though, she had already darted off into the trees. Tommy whopped excitedly as he ran after her. The wind rustled the leaves as he raced after Houndour and trees passed by in a blur. He drew big lungfuls of cool air in, enjoying the morning that he had to himself. After a minute, Houndour was nowhere to be seen so he slowed down to a walk. The tree he stopped next to had a few plump oranges hanging from its low reaching boughs so he plucked one and began to peel the skin, mouth watering in anticipation at the smell of the fruit.

He spun around slowly, looking for Houndour as he took a bite of the orange’s flesh. She had run off somewhere and he idly wondered where she could have gotten to as he chewed. “Houndour! Where did you-?”

He wheezed, dropping his fruit to the dirt as Houndour headbutted his stomach and knocked him to the ground. She licked his hands and fingers as he tried to shield himself unsuccessfully from her big pink tongue. He laughed and the two of them wrestled in the dirt, Houndour so strong she could easily keep him pinned down, though she wasn’t even half as big as he was.

“Alright, alright!” Tommy chuckled. He was gasping for breath by the time Houndour was finished with him. He rubbed her head as she settled in next to him, curling into his side. “I’m just no match for you.”

“Turns out I’m not a match for anyone…” He closed his eyes trying to will away the guilt that was welling up again. All of those kids died and I wasn’t able to do anything to stop it from happening. Houndour lifted her head and licked him on the cheek. He smiled and rubbed her belly, enjoying the warmth she was giving off.

And then that warmth turned into an inferno, a raging tempest that incinerated his doubts and self pity. A column of searing flame erupted in front of him but he wasn’t afraid. He yearned to reach forward and touch it, the flames would wash everything away and he would be cleansed. He was overcome by the warmth, the burning love and acceptance of his first true friend.

The firestorm called out to him as he stood before it. He knew instinctively what he needed to do. He walked forward, reaching the edge of the inferno and placed a hand to the flames. They were welcoming. He pushed his hand forward into the flames, grinning because he wasn’t getting burned. His instincts were right he knew. This was Houndour and he would be joined with her.

His hand was inside of the tempest when he started to feel it, pinpricks of pain from the searing heat. He gritted his teeth and pushed his forearm inside, up to his elbow. The pain multiplied tenfold and it felt like the skin was being flayed from his arm. He wouldn’t give up though, his friend was beckoning him forward; he could feel her even through the pain. By the time he got to his shoulder he could no longer bear the pain or think straight. He dropped to his knees and opened his eyes finding himself panting on the ground, Houndour breathing deeply next to him.

“Were you successful then?” A deep voice rumbled from beside him.

Tommy startled and looked around, spying Professor Larkspur leaning casually up against a tree. He had an orange in his own hand and was slicing small chunks of it away with his pocket knife. He raised an eyebrow in Tommy’s direction and repeated his question when no answer was forthcoming. “Well? Were you able to do it?”

“You know…?” Tommy trailed off, staring flabbergasted as Professor Larkspur nodded his head up and down. “Are you able to do it too then?”

“Yes,” Professor Larkspur said. “My Steelix and I are one. He and I have been partners for longer than I can remember. But I ask again, were you successful? I must say I am surprised though. I would have thought that you and Solosis…”

“I wasn’t successful, no,” Tommy told his teacher. Houndour was stirring next to him and he rubbed her belly. “The pain was too much to bear, I don’t think I’m strong enough. But wait, can I not bond with both Houndour and Solosis?”

Professor Larkspur just shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve only met a handful of people who are soul-bonded and all of them with only a single Pokémon. If anyone knows how to bond with more than one, I don’t know who they are.”

“Why do more people not know about this?” Tommy asked. “Would it not be possible to teach people how to do it?”

“It is not possible, as far as I know. It is something that one must discover on their own,” Professor Larkspur told him. “I have attempted to study the phenomenon for years, but the few people who I know are not very forthcoming with information. Once you are successful you will understand; it is intimate, and it feels wrong to share. Was your father the one to tell you of this relationship?”

Tommy nodded, not surprised in the least that Professor Larkspur knew his father. “Yes, he told me of it when he was training me with his Scizor.”

“A truly frightening beast,” Professor Larkspur smiled with a faraway look. “I lost many battles to the pair of them. Did he tell you about what would happen once you are successful?”

“No,” Tommy said. “He didn’t tell me anything, he wanted me to discover everything for myself. Does something happen?”

Professor Larkspur smiled as Tommy and Houndour looked up at him expectantly. “You will be partners for life, it is an indescribable feeling, a pure love greater than any you will know.”

“It sounds amazing,” Tommy smiled down at Houndour who barked happily.

“It is,” Professor Larkspur said. “You will know for yourself once you succeed. I will give you one word of caution though since you have not succeeded yet. Your father should have told you of this, but maybe he was worried it would scare you off. I don’t believe it will though, not after watching you this year.”

“What do you mean?” Tommy frowned. “Does something bad happen too?”

Professor Larkspur shrugged, finished his orange and tossed the rinds over his shoulder. He pocketed his knife and walked over to Tommy, offering a hand and helping his student to his feet.

“It depends on what you define as ‘bad’,” Professor Larkspur said seriously. “Once you are bonded it is permanent. It can never be undone, and you are linked with your partner forever.”

“And that’s bad because…?” Tommy trailed off.

“If one of you dies, then so does the other.” Professor Larkspur squeezed Tommy’s shoulder and headed back towards the dormitory.