Chapter 7: A Hidden Ability! Solar Power Charmander!
The bus came to a stop, and the doors hissed open. One by one, the students filed out into the clearing. Kenji and Leo, being in the back row, were the last to disembark.
"Alright everyone, before we get started, I need to remind you all: do not, under any circumstances, wander off from your groups. Safety is our top priority," Lyle announced, shouldering his backpack.
Aside from Kenji, nearly everyone else was carrying a pack of their own.
"Okay, you're free to explore for now, but don't go too far. We'll meet back here in two hours. And make sure your phones are on and have reception!"
Lyle finished his instructions, then a mysterious smile crossed his face as he pulled out a handful of folded red paper strips.
"And now, let's form our teams! There are twenty of us, so that's four teams of five. Sound good?"
Lyle drew a slip for himself first, unfolded it, and held it up. "I'm in Team One."
The other students came forward and took a slip of paper from his hand.
"Kenji, what number did you get?" Leo asked, nudging his friend.
Kenji didn't say anything, simply handing over his red slip.
Leo took it, and his eyes went wide. "Hahaha! See? This is why we're best friends! I got number four, too!" he boomed.
His loud voice naturally drew the attention of the others.
From a short distance away, Chase scoffed. "I can't believe he's so happy about being on the same team as a loser with a Weedle."
He then sidled up to Melody, his voice dripping with sycophantic charm. "Melody, what number did you get?"
Melody shot him a cool, distant glance. "Four," she said with a hint of impatience, before turning and walking straight toward Kenji and Leo.
Chase was left standing there, speechless.
"Hey, boss, I got number four, too—" one of Chase's followers started to say, but Chase snatched the paper slip from his hand before he could finish. Seeing the number '4' written on it, Chase pocketed it with a satisfied smirk and tossed his own slip back to his subordinate.
"Melody, what a coincidence! I'm in Team Four, too!"
Once the teams were sorted, the groups began to form. Team Four consisted of Kenji, Leo, Melody, Chase, and a quiet, unassuming girl named Clara.
"Since we're a team now, there will be no infighting. Got it?" Melody stated, her sharp gaze flicking between Leo and Chase, though her warning was clearly aimed more at the latter.
Chase just gave an awkward laugh, all of his earlier arrogance gone. "Of course not! I'm a total team player."
Leo just rolled his eyes, feeling sickened by Chase's fake persona.
Kenji, however, had no intention of starting anything just yet.
The other three teams had already set off in different directions. With north, south, and west taken, Team Four naturally began their trek eastward into the woods.
It wasn't long before they ran into a small pack of Rattata that scurried out from behind a tree.
"Go, Geodude!"
"I choose you, Charmander!"
"Come on out, Pidove!"
"Let's go, Bellsprout!"
Four of the five trainers tossed their Poké Balls. A series of clicks and flashes of red light followed as the Pokémon materialized on the forest floor.
Kenji hung back, observing the Pokémon and their stats. The one that caught his eye immediately was Melody's Charmander.
Charmander
Level: 6
Ability: Solar Power (In sunny weather, Special Attack is boosted at the cost of some HP.)
Potential: B+
Melody's Charmander had an incredibly rare Hidden Ability.
Unlike in the games, where Solar Power only activated under the move Sunny Day, in this world, a Pokémon could choose to activate the ability at will. Of course, the intensity of the natural sunlight still influenced the degree of the power boost. But regardless, a controllable Solar Power was infinitely more valuable than the standard Blaze ability, which only activated when a Pokémon was already injured. Not to mention, Blaze only boosted Fire-type moves, while Solar Power boosted a Pokémon's entire Special Attack stat.
"Charmander, use Ember!" Melody commanded.
"Char!~"
The small lizard Pokémon let out a cry, opened its mouth, and shot a small ball of fire at the nearest Rattata.
Not to be outdone, Chase swept his arm forward. "Geodude, use Tackle!"
While most students used the Pokémon provided by the school, they were also allowed to use their own, provided they were certified by the Board of Education as being no more than a week old. Both Melody's Charmander and Chase's Geodude had been provided by their families.
After all, wealth was a form of strength. Being a Pokémon Trainer was, at its core, a profession for those with money.
There were, however, strict rules for the exam. Pokémon that didn't evolve were forbidden, and using an evolution stone on a Pokémon during the exam period was grounds for immediate disqualification.
Compared to Melody's Charmander, Chase's Geodude was far less impressive. It was only level 4, with an E-Rank potential. Still, it was a significant step up from the standard-issue Pokémon.
"Pidove, use Peck!"
"Bellsprout, Tackle!"
Under the combined assault of four Pokémon, the small group of Rattata stood no chance and quickly scattered.
The team continued deeper into the forest.
In terms of performance, Melody's Charmander was the clear MVP. As expected of a Pokémon with B+ potential, its battle instincts were sharp. Paired with Melody's skilled commands, it had no trouble taking on opponents of a higher level. Chase's Geodude also did well, as its Rock/Ground typing gave it a huge advantage against the common Normal, Flying, and Bug-types in the forest.
As they walked, a sudden realization dawned on them. There were five people in their group, so why were there only four Pokémon out?
"Kenji, why haven't you sent out your Pokémon?" Melody asked, turning to him with a curious expression.
Hearing her question, Kenji put on a sad, bitter smile and held up his hands. "Sorry, guys. My Pokémon is… having some issues right now. I don't think it's in any condition to battle. Looks like I'll just be holding you all back today."
Seeing his sincere expression, Melody didn't press the issue, though a hint of suspicion remained in her eyes.
Chase, on the other hand, was laughing internally. He was sure Kenji was just too embarrassed to show off his worthless Weedle. He paid Kenji no further mind, instead using the opportunity to try and impress Melody with his own skills.