As it turns out, I didn't have any time for the library yet. Apparently, the orientation for freshmen like me was going to take place soon.
Like, now, soon.
A slight bit of panicking later, I asked a few other students for directions. After directing me to a bulletin board inside the main school building, I saw my name listed for a provisional class.
It was sort of odd I didn't have a last name in this world while a few other students did, but I brushed it off.
Since I wasn't used to the academy's twists and turns yet, it took a while to find the lecture hall.
It reminded me of university back on Earth. There were only about sixty seats in the room, with most of them being filled in already. Considering the bulletin board had four other provisional classes attending, it was safe to say this grade had at least three-hundred students.
Looking around, I didn't recognize anyone from the Pokémon franchise. Though I reckoned that was because all the students looked about the same with these uniforms on.
After another quick glance around the room, I pushed my way through the crowd and took a seat near the back.
As if on cue, a sharp feminine voice interrupted the constant murmuring.
"Good afternoon, aspiring Trainers."
A teacher had entered the room, arriving at the podium with a calm and focused expression.
The moment she spoke, a wave of pressure washed over us—heavy and suffocating, like the air itself had thickened. Conversations died mid-sentence. Chairs stopped creaking. In an instant, the room fell silent.
Unlike the rest of us in modest uniforms, her outfit was anything but subtle: a long red overcoat, a fitted black undershirt, and sleek black boots.
She was the complete opposite of me. Blonde, blue eyes, pale skin… red lipstick.
I could already see half the guys—and more than a few girls—damn near drooling the second she walked in.
"I am Professor Diane. I'll be in charge of your provisional class." She stated, almost boredly. "Orientation will last for this week only. Once your class placement is finalized and you've gotten used to how things work around here, your actual lessons will begin."
She paused for a moment, letting that sink in, then continued with the same laid-back tone.
That said, I'm not here to give some inspirational speech. I want to get this over with—and I'm sure most of you feel the same. So, let's not waste time." Her gaze swept slowly across the room, weighing each of us. "The only thing on today's agenda is the Aura Evaluation."
"Aura Evaluation?" I muttered, frowning.
'Wait. My profile said something about an Aura Rank. Maybe that's what this is about?'
As if reading my mind, Professor Diane moved on without missing a beat.
She snapped her fingers, and a Gardevoir appeared in a shimmer of light. With a graceful motion, it placed a glass globe on the lectern—something like a flower suspended in its center.
The Gardevoir gave a short bow, then vanished as suddenly as it had arrived.
Despite already knowing I was in the Pokémon world, that single moment hit me with a wave of excitement I couldn't put into words. The casual display of not only a real Pokémon, but its powers was just…
The smile on my face probably looked manic with how wide it was.
"This," Professor Diane gestured to the globe. "Is an Aura Flower."
She placed her hand on the globe, and the flower bloomed with a bright light emanating from it. It changed its color rapidly. First it was gray, but it slowly became a deeper and deeper blue until it settled on a rich cobalt color.
"As you can see, it changes color when exposed to Aura. The color is an indicator for how much Aura you have within you, which is a major factor when deciding which class you'll be put into. The more Aura, the more the academy will be willing to invest in you."
That was… blunt.
Like, I kinda knew there would be some sort of way to give special treatment to those with natural talent, but I didn't think they'd be so blatant with it.
"Try not to be discouraged," she continued, tone still flat. "Aura quantity is just one of several metrics we consider when evaluating your potential."
Not that anyone besides me seemed to be paying attention.
Half the students looked like they were about to be sick. The other half? They were staring at the flower like it was their last hope.
Last hope for what, though?
"The evaluation will now begin. When I call your name, come to the front and place your hand on the globe."
With a flick of her wrist, a holographic list appeared in midair. I had no idea where it came from, but no one else seemed surprised. Just another day in the ridiculously advanced world of Pokémon, I guess.
Names were being called, one by one, as students approached the podium to be evaluated. Some seemed nervous, others confident.
That was, until a very familiar name was called.
"Gary Oak!"
At the sound of his name, a boy near the front of the lecture hall stood up. He had sharp, confident eyes, auburn hair spiked slightly upward, and an air of casual arrogance that made it clear he was used to being the best in the room.
I didn't need to play the newer games to know exactly who that was. The grandson of Professor Oak, the first rival of Ash Ketchum, and aspiring Pokémon researcher who would one day inherit Oak's legacy.
Or, he would be that person, but I doubt any of that happened in this timeline. He wouldn't be in school if that was the case.
Still, it was one thing to know that important characters might be here. It was another to actually see them in the flesh.
I had some serious competition if both him and his rival were around.
Gary made his way up to the podium, moving with an easy confidence. He barely even glanced at Professor Diane before placing his hand on the glass globe. The moment he did, the Aura Flower inside flared to life.
The color shifted rapidly—gray, white, sky blue—before surging into the same cobalt blue as Professor Diane's reading. Only his had wisps of a darker color floating in its luminescence.
Professor Diane raised a brow, but didn't seem that surprised. "A strong reading for your age. At least a high B-Rank on the cusp of A-Rank."
Gary smirked, pulling his hand back. "Well, duh. It'd be weird if I was at the same level as these amateurs."
Instead of outright challenging his arrogance, the only thing I heard from the other students were scoffs.
'Hm. So is this an alternate version of the anime?' I theorized. 'Or maybe it's a weird blend of all the various series…?'
The professor simply jotted something down before moving on. "Next, Zinnia Draconid."
I was about to go back to zoning out until my name popped up, when a girl with short black hair and red eyes stepped up. Her expression was completely blank, but that name matched a face I definitely knew.
"The fuck?" I unconsciously muttered.
It wasn't just some random girl—it was undoubtedly the Lorekeeper of the Draconic tribe.
I didn't actually know how old that girl was, but to think she was the same age as someone like Gary? That didn't seem right.
I narrowed my eyes, before shaking my head. 'I think I ought to give up on placing a timeline or whatever. This world's history is clearly unlike anything I've seen in the games.'
Zinnia stepped forward confidently. Her red eyes remained dull as if she was completely unconcerned about the evaluation.
Without hesitation, she placed her hand on the glass globe.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, a faint light flickered from the Aura Flower, shifting sluggishly between gray and white. It barely reached a calm azure blue before settling back into a pale sky blue.
A heavy silence filled the room.
Even Professor Diane looked slightly taken aback, her sharp eyes narrowing at the flower as if it had malfunctioned.
Whispers spread through the crowd of students like a wildfire.
"Wait, is that it?"
"I thought she'd be at least C-Rank…"
"Man, even my reading was better than that."
Gary, who had been leaning back in his chair casually, actually spoke up. "Tch. All that buildup and she's just a dud?"
I narrowed my eyes. 'Alright, am I missing something here? Why is this surprising? Like twelve other people got the same reading.'
"High D-Rank," Professor Diane exhaled through her nose and tapped her pen against the podium. "That's… hm."
Zinnia, meanwhile, didn't react at all. She simply pulled her hand away from the globe and returned to her seat, her expression as blank as ever.
No frustration. No embarrassment. No hint that she cared at all.
And yet, everyone else seemed to care.
I shifted in my seat. 'I know who she is, but why is she important to everyone else? Unless the people of this world know about the Draconid tribe...'
I glanced at the other students, all of whom still looked either confused or disappointed. It was like they expected a firework display and got a burnt-out match instead.
I needed more information before I made any wrong conclusions.
Before I could get too deep in my thoughts, another name was called.
"Jasiir!"
My own.