Time flashed by in an instant.
It had been a week since little Eevee was born, and it was finally time for Owen and his group to depart for Shanghai.
Early that morning, after freshening up, Owen woke Eevee and prepared to head out. Shanghai wasn't too far from Fairview, which was one of the reasons the Psychology Club had chosen it as their destination.
Eevee was aware of today's itinerary. Hearing Owen's call, she blinked her eyes and groggily stood up.
Instinctively, she tried to roll up her Silk Scarf to drape it over herself; however, even after a week, putting on the scarf properly was no easy feat for her.
"Give the scarf to me, I'll keep it safe for you," Owen said, reaching out.
The Silk Scarf was arguably the second most irreplaceable thing in Eevee's life, right after Owen himself.
It was the first gift from Owen and his parents, and it had been her constant companion for the past week, providing warmth and comfort. The little one cherished it deeply.
Once the scarf was removed, Eevee felt a bit "naked" and uncomfortable, jumping onto Owen's shoulder with a look of pure grievance.
"Haha, let's go. We're off!"
The Psychology Club
There were five members in the Fairview High Psychology Club.
Besides Owen and Tiffany, there were three others: President Luke, Vice-President Mason, and a member named Justin.
Owen arrived a bit late, finding the other four already gathered. Seeing him, they immediately joked, "Look, the newly appointed President is here!"
"I'm here, I'm here," Owen laughed, scratching his head.
"Alright, let's head out. Let's aim to reach our destination before noon," Luke announced.
The West Coast Resort is one of Shanghai's most famous tourist spots. The sunshine, air, beaches, and seawater there are all top-tier. Its name comes from history, though the exact details are hard to verify; what is known is that the area originally started as a Secret Realm.
However, it was a relatively small one. Combined with the fact that it had merged with Earth long ago, almost no traces of its Secret Realm origins remained.
"Eevee, I'll need you to go into your Poké Ball for a bit, but I'll call you back out very soon," Owen explained.
Pokémon aren't allowed to roam free on the trains, so Owen had to explain the situation to a reluctant Eevee.
Furthermore, passing through security required Pokémon to be inside their balls. These were the rules, and Owen had no choice but to follow them.
"Vee..." Eevee looked even more miserable.
"Newborn Pokémon are at their cutest. You'd better cherish this time," Mason said. "My Geodude was so well-behaved at first... but since it evolved, its temper has been awful. Just thinking about it gives me a headache."
"That's just because you can't carry it anymore after it evolved. Of course it's angry! You're lucky it doesn't use a 'small fist' to punch your lights out," Justin teased.
Amidst the banter, the five finally boarded the maglev train. The service on board was impeccable.
"Welcome, passengers. We are 28 minutes from departure. During the wait, we will be serving drinks. A special reminder: our 'Magikarp Soda' is very famous. One sip will let you experience the thrill of a Splash! Don't miss out!"
"I'll have one," Tiffany said. "+1," "+1," "+1," "+1," the four boys echoed.
Is the essence of humanity just being a repeater? Owen wondered.
The journey was long, and with only their phones for company, the group eventually went quiet. Each person immersed themselves in their digital world.
Owen had planned to watch a movie, but without Eevee by his side, watching alone felt hollow. Instead, he started scrolling through his social media feed.
Leo:"Public service announcement: Do NOT throw your Poké Balls as they do in the videos. It's a lie; you can't hit anything accurately."
Class Teacher:"Please do not waste Poké Balls. I repeat, do not waste Poké Balls. We will have a formal lesson on throwing techniques once school starts."
"Heh, too young..." Owen thought calmly.
He had the foresight to practice his throwing motion hundreds of times with a weighted toy Poké Ball long before he even got the egg.
Owen continued scrolling, but soon grew bored. He began searching for information on Dojos.
Shanghai was home to several famous Dojos, and Owen was curious. If he had the chance, he wanted to visit one.
The History of Dojos
Training Dojos reportedly rose to prominence during the "Monster War" era. In the anime, they have clear parallels.
Before the Pokémon League was formed, the earliest Trainers established private organizations to protect towns from wild Pokémon and pass down their experiences.
After the League was formed, national Trainer Associations were established, and most private organizations were integrated.
However, because the Association was understaffed in its early days, these organizations persisted.
After the war, a group in Japan combined the then-emerging art of Karate with the Training of Fighting-type Pokémon, achieving incredible results. Seeking fame and fortune, they established Dojos to teach their secrets, gaining a massive following.
Since then, the Dojo model has been widely imitated. Survivalists from the war founded various "Schools" based on their preferred types.
For example, India's Yoga Meditation led to the first generation of Psychics. In China, certain philosophies were adapted into Training and combat techniques, such as "Using softness to overcome strength."
Over time, due to the high fees charged by these Dojos, many "shady" establishments appeared until the Trainer Association began cracking down.
Today, with the spread of basic education and technology, smaller Dojos have vanished. The ones that remain have either merged with the Association or transitioned into elite training centers.
Shanghai still holds several Dojos that have survived to this day. It's rumored that some still house actual Psychics, and their leaders hold high-ranking, prestigious positions within the local Trainer Association.
Wealthy families often pay exorbitant sums to send their children to these Dojos as apprentices to learn combat and breeding techniques.
"A Dojo... like Kiyo's Fighting Dojo in Saffron City?" Owen's mind raced.
Owen knew very little about these specific "Schools," as they were only briefly mentioned in Pokémon lore—things like the "Inner/Outer Grass Star Style" or "Water Waterfall Style." He didn't know how effective they were in reality.
But if a Dojo could survive this long, it had to have something unique. The founders of these schools, despite their varying levels of strength, were granted a very prestigious title in their time:
Pokémon Master (or Pokémon Palm-bearer).
Owen whispered the name to himself. It sounded quite cool. Maybe I'll get one of those titles for myself one day.
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