The next day, Bai Feng and Dongyu went to School together. On the way, Bai Feng saw a Caterpie wriggling in the Grass. He took a Fruit from his backpack, handed it over, and said:
"Caterpie, here's a Fruit for you. How about you transfer some Energy into this Instrument for me?"
"Lee~"
Caterpie squinted its eyes and nodded happily.
As Caterpie's Energy entered the Instrument, its Energy Rating appeared.
Caterpie
Energy Storage: F-
Energy Quality: F
Weak, too weak!
Indeed, Bai Feng still felt that his Golden Finger played a significant role in helping Pokémon improve their Energy Quality. Otherwise, if ordinary Pokémon relied on their own efforts, their Energy Quality would likely be worrying!
Seeing Bai Feng holding a strange Instrument and gesturing towards the Caterpie, Dongyu asked doubtfully, "Bai Feng, what are you doing?"
Bai Feng stood up and explained, "A friend's company produced an Instrument. He gave me one, and I'm testing its performance!"
"Oh," Dongyu nodded and didn't ask further. He wasn't in the Pokémon Department and didn't pay much attention to these things. He just urged, "We should hurry, or we'll be late."
So the two brothers started running quickly towards the School. Fortunately, it wasn't too late, and Bai Feng wasn't even the last one to arrive in the Classroom.
Today was Bai Feng and his Classmates' first day of formal Curriculum, so the Teacher arrived particularly early.
"Hello everyone, I am your Teacher for Pokémon Fundamentals. You can call me Teacher Nando. From now on, I will be leading you in learning this Course."
Pokémon Fundamentals was a compulsory and the most important subject for all students in the Pokémon Department. The Teacher who taught Bai Feng and the others this subject was a small old man with white hair.
Although the Teacher looked old, he seemed full of spirit and spoke with great vigor.
"Most students in the Breeding Major will pursue careers in Pokémon service industries, such as Pokémon Breeders and Pokémon Doctors, so recognizing Pokémon and understanding Pokémon is especially important to us."
After a self-introduction, Teacher Nando officially began the class.
"Since we're talking about recognizing Pokémon, our first lesson today will start with recognizing our own Pokémon!
I'm sure everyone has brought their Pokémon, right? Now please release them."
"Teacher, right here in the Classroom?" a Classmate raised their hand and asked.
"Of course, is there a problem?" The Teacher nodded.
"No... no problem." The Classmate hesitated for a moment and sat back down.
"Alright, everyone, please begin."
So the Classmates released their Pokémon one after another. There were the standard starter Pokémon Chespin and Fennekin, as well as relatively common ones like Spritzee and Swirlix...
Bai Feng released his Helioptile. Not far from him, Dafu and Walen also released their Furfrou and Pichu respectively.
Just then, the Classroom floor suddenly shook. A Snorlax suddenly appeared in the Classroom, taking up a large amount of space.
Crucially, this Snorlax was sleeping. When it was released, it probably felt a bit uncomfortable, so it rolled over, knocking over several desks and chairs in the Classroom.
"Hahaha..." The Snorlax's Trainer awkwardly scratched the back of his head. It was the same Classmate who had just asked the Teacher a question. "Accident, accident!"
*Clap clap clap~*
Teacher Nando clapped the desk loudly and said, "Don't look at other people's Pokémon, look at your own. Starting now, pick up your pens and write an Observation Journal for your own Pokémon. You are required to clearly write down their Type, Ability, which Moves they know, if they have any Hobbies, what kind of Food Flavor they like, etc. Write whatever you can, and hand it in when you're done!"
Hearing this, the Classmates immediately wailed.
"Ah~ Why do we have to write this stuff!"
The little old man pounded the desk irritably and said, "I told you to write, so write! If you can't even figure out the Pokémon you spend time with day and night, how do you expect to recognize other Pokémon? All of you, write! If you don't write well, don't blame me for not giving you credits for this Course."
Upon hearing this, the Classmates immediately dared not utter another word of complaint.
Heaven and Earth are great, but credits are the greatest!
So the Classroom quickly fell silent, with only the sound of pens scratching.
The Classmates' Pokémon were all well-behaved and none were being mischievous at this time. Of course, you had to ignore the Snorlax's "not-so-loud" snores.
Just as the Classmates were racking their brains writing their Observation Journals, there was a sudden knock on the Classroom door. Many Classmates who were concentrating on their work were startled by the sudden sound.
Everyone looked up towards the door and saw a very tall young man standing there. He had a backpack slung loosely over his shoulder and was looking around the Classroom with an impatient expression.
"What are you doing?" Teacher Nando glared unhappily at the person who had interrupted the students' writing.
"Teacher, New Student reporting!" the young man said with a strong voice.
"New Student reporting? Yesterday was the New Student reporting time, why are you only coming today?"
Hearing this, the young man just lowered his head and said nothing.
"Alright, come in!" After more than ten seconds, Teacher Nando finally frowned and let the young man enter the Classroom, and told him the task for this lesson.
"Hey, Bai Feng, is that the one who didn't come yesterday?" Dafu leaned over to Bai Feng and whispered, "He looks older than you. Could he be a Repeat Year student?"
Can you even talk properly?! All you talk about is being old, did being old eat your rice?! Bai Feng really wanted to smash Dafu's dog head.
"Maybe he just looks tall, his actual age might be the same as yours."
"No way, I look..."
Dafu wanted to keep talking nonsense, but the Teacher had already noticed him.
"Focus on your writing, no whispering!" Although Teacher Nando didn't call out names, he glared fiercely at Dafu, making Dafu shrink his head back in fright.
Soon it was time for class to end. The Teacher collected the journals readily and left, and everyone immediately became lively.
Only the tall young man sat there silently in a daze, not interacting with anyone.
The tall young man's Pokémon was a Dewott, which is rarely seen in the Kalos Region. As soon as class ended, it silently stood beside the young man's desk, like a samurai guarding his lord.
With such a cool-looking Pokémon standing guard nearby, it was awkward for everyone to approach the tall young man and talk to him, so the young man was left alone.
Just then, Walen's Pichu jumped onto Bai Feng's desk and greeted Bai Feng's Helioptile. The two Electric-Type Pokémon soon began communicating affectionately with electricity.
Bai Feng held the Energy Detection Instrument and approached Pichu, saying with a smile, "Pichu, could you please transfer a little Energy into this Instrument?" His attitude and expression were just like the wolf disguised as Grandma trying to trick Little Red Riding Hood.
Now, whenever Bai Feng saw someone's Pokémon, he wanted to use the Detection Instrument to test it. Only by testing many could Bai Feng figure out what level his own Pokémon's Energy was currently at.
"Pi~"
Pichu was a helpful good baby. It readily patted its chest and then transferred a trace of current into the Energy Detection Instrument.
Pichu
Energy Storage: C-
Energy Quality: D++
Seeing Pichu's Detection Result, Bai Feng nodded in satisfaction: Hmm~ Not bad, much stronger than Wild Pokémon.
Just then, Dafu leaned over and asked curiously, "Bai Feng, what is this? I've never seen it before."
Bai Feng explained, "My friend gave it to me. He said it can measure a Pokémon's Energy Level."
Dafu's eyes widened in surprise and he said, "There's such a good thing? How come I've never heard of it?"
Lysandre had not yet publicly announced the existence of this Instrument, so Bai Feng didn't want to attract too much attention. He made an excuse and said:
"It's still under development. This is just a test."
Dafu nodded understandingly, "Oh, I see."
In fact, many people wanted to develop an Instrument with similar functions, but besides Lysandre, no one else had succeeded yet, which is why Dafu wasn't surprised by this.
"Okay, then test my Furfrou too!" Dafu felt that even if the measurement wasn't accurate, testing wouldn't hurt, and it could be considered supporting a Classmate's friend's project.
Saying that, Dafu shouted at the Furfrou who was resting with its eyes closed nearby, "Furfrou, come here!"
Furfrou came, but secretly glared fiercely at its Trainer: Don't just boss me around for no reason!
It was fortunate that Dafu wasn't a Battle Trainer, otherwise, in a Battlefield situation like this with Furfrou, he would have been defeated long ago.
*Woo~~~ Woo~* Dafu felt like he had been electrocuted by Furfrou's sexy gaze, and his face suddenly turned red.
Bai Feng didn't see Furfrou glaring at Dafu. Seeing Dafu's face turn red, he asked doubtfully, "What's wrong? Are you sick?"
Dafu gritted his teeth and shook his head, afraid that he would cry out if he opened his mouth.
"Pervert!"
Just then, Walen appeared beside Bai Feng without him noticing, looking at Dafu with a look of disdain.
Bai Feng suddenly understood something. He looked at Dafu, then at Furfrou, and couldn't help but step back.
Furfrou
Energy Storage: C+
Energy Quality: D-
Seeing Furfrou's Detection Result, Bai Feng shook his head and said to Dafu, "Classmate Dafu, are you really determined to become a Pokémon Breeder? Your Furfrou isn't even as well-bred as Classmate Walen's Pichu!"
The Energy Storage is a bit higher, but Energy Storage is much easier to improve than Energy Quality, isn't it?
Hearing Bai Feng's praise, the Pichu playing with Helioptile on the desk immediately puffed out its chest proudly.
I'm that amazing!
Dafu wasn't happy when he heard this. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Your Instrument isn't accurate!"
Bai Feng spread his hands and said, "If you say it's not accurate, then it's not accurate!"
Putting aside the Instrument's Detection Result, look at your Bond with Furfrou, and then look at Walen's Bond with Pichu. The result is clear at a glance, isn't it?
When Bai Feng said this, Dafu actually lost his temper. He was listless the entire morning, as if he had suffered a huge blow.
Indeed, being told you're not as good as your rival is a very discouraging thing.
At noon, Teacher Hanada specifically came to the Classroom to introduce the New Student to everyone and instructed everyone to get along well with him.
It was only because of the homeroom Teacher's introduction that everyone knew the New Student's name was Shen Mu.
The reason Shen Mu was late to report was that he had a conflict with his family.
According to Shen Mu's own plan, he didn't want to attend Intermediate School. He felt that he was old enough to travel, so he wanted to be an Adventure Trainer.
However, his family disagreed. His family felt that he should attend Intermediate School step by step, graduate with excellent grades, then pass the exam to enter Advanced School, and eventually become a Pokémon Scholar.
The arm couldn't twist the thigh. After a difficult resistance, Shen Mu was ultimately sent to School. He didn't even manage to enter the Battle Major and was instead arranged into the Breeding Major by his family.
At noon, Bai Feng didn't go to the School Canteen again and instead planned to go home for lunch.
Since Dongyu had something to do, he wasn't going back for lunch, so Bai Feng went home by himself. On the way, he encountered several Wild Pokémon again, and he lured them with Berries to perform Energy detection.
After Bai Feng successfully sent away another Diglett, he suddenly saw a butt wiggling in the Grass not far away.
Hmm? A butt? Why is there a wiggling butt in the Grass?
The next second, as a scream rang out, Bai Feng finally saw the owner of the butt. Who else could it be but Classmate Shen Mu, their new Classmate?
Classmate Shen Mu had a green Spinarak perched on his head, and the Spinarak was hitting his head hard with its claws, looking very angry.
Who knows what outrageous thing Classmate Shen Mu did to it.
"Ow ow ow... It hurts hurts hurts... Ow ow ow... It hurts hurts hurts..."
Classmate Shen Mu's comical appearance was completely different from the aloofness he showed in the Classroom.
At this moment, four Ariados suddenly appeared in the Tree Canopy above Shen Mu's head. They looked like they were Spinarak's elders.
*Pfft~*
The Ariados, who had approached Classmate Shen Mu without anyone noticing, simultaneously used String Shot. In the blink of an eye, they hung him up on the Tree, and the Spinarak on his head also fell to the ground with a *splat*.
One of the Ariados immediately turned red-eyed and lunged towards Classmate Shen Mu.
The moment Classmate Shen Mu was tied up by the Ariados, Bai Feng knew something was wrong. He quickly released Popplio, and the moment the Ariados attacked Classmate Shen Mu, he shouted:
"Popplio, Water Gun!"
*Bang!*
Popplio's Water Gun was very powerful, instantly knocking the attacking Ariados away. But it also caused Bai Feng and Popplio to attract the attention of the Ariados.
(｀⌒メ) All the Ariados simultaneously turned their gaze towards Bai Feng and Popplio.
"Popplio, bring Classmate Shen Mu down!" Bai Feng continued to instruct.
*Pfft~*
Another Water Gun shot out, accurately hitting the Spider Silk that was holding Classmate Shen Mu, rescuing Classmate Shen Mu from the Tree.
(End of this chapter)