Not long after, once almost everyone had arrived, a senior student wearing glasses led Eichi and the others up the mountain from Silver Town. It wasn't far, only about one kilometer. A paved road led from Silver Town to the main gate of the Silver Academy, a gate wide enough for two cars to pass side by side.
Two massive stone pillars flanked the enormous metal gate. The one on the left had "Silver" carved on it, and the one on the right had "Academy." Together, they formed the name Silver Academy.
Two Pokémon statues guarded the gate, their expressions fierce and intimidating.
The two statues were of Tyranitar and Ursaring, both Pokémon of immense strength.
Stepping inside the academy, one could immediately feel a scholarly atmosphere. Everywhere one looked, there were students wearing the same uniform.
The boys' uniforms were silver, with short-sleeved shirts, jackets, and slim trousers.
The girls' uniforms were also silver, but their skirts reached just below the knee.
The senior led the large group through the campus. The buildings were a mix of Eastern and Western styles, giving the whole place a refined, majestic look.
After turning here and there for about seven or eight minutes, they arrived at the dormitory area.
From the gate, one could see several four-story buildings painted in different colors.
The senior turned and said, "Our academy has four major dormitory zones. The one we're in now is the East Zone."
"These buildings are for this year's new students. You can now go find your own dorms."
"Look at your room key card. Each one has a Pokémon on it, and there's a matching Pokémon statue on the first floor of every building. Find the building that matches your card."
"Ah, I almost forgot. Inside your dorms, you'll find three sets of uniforms and a copy of the academy's rules and regulations. Be sure to read them carefully."
"Alright, go ahead."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone scattered, pulling out their key cards and searching for the dorms marked with their Pokémon.
Eichi did the same. His key card had a Heracross on it. Every card featured a Pokémon from the Johto region.
Looks like I have a bit of a connection with Heracross.
His room number was 205. Once he found it, he held the card to the sensor on the door. With a beep, the door opened.
Inside, the space was quite large. There was a bedroom, a bathroom, a living room, a kitchen, and a balcony, altogether about 100 square meters.
And it was for one person only. Silver Academy really is wealthy.
The living room had a sofa and a television, and near the entrance was a full map of the academy.
On the coffee table lay three neatly folded uniforms. Eichi tried one on, and it fit perfectly. He had grown a little taller in the past two months, so they must have tailored the uniforms using the measurements from the physical exam during the entrance assessment.
Beside the uniforms was a book titled Silver Academy Rules and Regulations.
The entire room was spotless, clearly cleaned before his arrival.
In the bedroom, everything was ready: bedsheets, blankets, pillows; nothing was missing.
He sat down and nodded in satisfaction.
Then, taking out his communicator, he entered his father's number and called.
"Beep... beep..."
Click.
His father's voice came through. "Eichi, have you arrived at school?"
Eichi: "Yeah, I'm here."
Father: "Take good care of yourself, alright?"
Eichi: "Got it."
That was their whole conversation, simple and short, ending within a minute.
After hanging up, Eichi noticed it was already noon. It was time for lunch.
He studied the map by the door, memorized the key locations, and headed out.
Since this was his first time in the Johto region, he wanted to try some local food.
After walking around for a bit, he spotted a bustling restaurant and went inside.
It was quite crowded. After waiting a while in line, it was finally his turn. He ordered a set meal, carried the tray to an empty table, and began eating.
The food was good. As he ate, a cheerful voice spoke beside him. "Hey there, can I sit here?"
Eichi looked up. It was a boy with golden-blond hair and a bright smile.
"Sure, go ahead," Eichi replied.
"Thanks!" The boy sat down across from him and started eating, exclaiming between bites, "This is delicious!"
After a few more mouthfuls, he turned to Eichi. "Hey, are you a new student too?"
Eichi nodded.
The boy's smile widened. "Me too! My name's Tetsu. I'm from Goldenrod City. What about you?"
"Eichi, from Viridian Town in the Kanto region."
Tetsu's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward. "Wow, you're from Kanto? Then why did you apply to Silver Academy instead of Indigo Academy?"
Eichi: "…"
Seeing that Eichi didn't answer, Tetsu went on enthusiastically, "Eichi, I feel like we're going to be great friends. I love making friends! I live in Heracross Building, Room 204. If you ever get bored, come hang out with me!"
He thumped his chest proudly, looking full of energy.
When Eichi heard the room number, he looked up suddenly. "Wait, which building did you say you're in?"
"Heracross Building, Room 204. Why?"
Seeing Eichi's puzzled look, Tetsu's eyes widened. "Don't tell me, you're in the same building?"
"I'm in 205," Eichi replied.
Tetsu gasped. "You live next door to me! Haha, no wonder I felt we had a connection! It must be fate! Let's look out for each other from now on!"
He stretched out his hand. Eichi looked at him, then reached out and shook it.
After finishing lunch, Eichi still had things to do, so he said goodbye to Tetsu. Before leaving, he asked the staff to pack two portions of food to take back for Beedrill and Scyther.
They can't eat Pokémon food every day. A taste of human food now and then should be fine.
That afternoon, Eichi stayed in his dorm studying. Tetsu came by halfway through to chat and share some insider information about Silver Academy.
On September 9, a few senior students led those in the Heracross Building on a campus tour, helping them get familiar with the academy so they wouldn't get lost later.
Time passed quietly until September 10, the first day of school.
Every room had a built-in broadcast system used for important announcements.
Just now, a message came through: the opening ceremony would be held at 8 a.m. at the athletic field. Attendance was mandatory.
Everyone gathered at the field. Usually, the ceremony was held in the auditorium, but since this year's enrollment had expanded, the auditorium couldn't hold everyone.
Now, standing in neat rows under the teachers' supervision, the sight of over a thousand students was truly impressive. In past years, there had been only around six hundred. No one knew why they had accepted so many this year.
On the stage, the seats were still empty.