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Part 1
As soon as I stepped out of the gate, the wind blowing past me gently swayed the colorful
flowers. The fresh scent of dry earth and plants mixes with the wind that hit my cheeks.
Through a gap in the knee-high grass, I could see a pink, rounded creature moving around. It's
Hoppip, my Pokemon. Nearby was the figure of Mareep. Pieces of grass are entangled in its
fluffy fur.
Pocket Monsters, or Pokémon for short. These mysterious creatures have lived in this land for a
long time, just like humans.
As I watched the wild Pokémon relaxing, I felt my heart pounding.
My heart is excited at the prospect of adventure. I'm sure that my fellow Pokemon's eyes will be
shining inside the Pokéball.
After retying my black hair into a ponytail, I take a memorable step.
The weather is clear. The blue sky, perfect for setting off on a journey, is spread out above our
heads.
The Paldea region where I live is a wonderful place full of nature. And in the center is Mesagoza,
the largest city in the Paldea region. It is a gorgeous town characterized by colorful tile
decorations.
Mesagoza is home to one of the world's most historic schools. Its name is Naranja Academy. I
also attend this school, and usually live in the dormitory and takes classes with many other
students. Biology, mathematics, battle studies, history, home economics, linguistics, art...the
teachers in all subjects are fascinating and I learn a lot from them.
At Naranja Academy, a certain big event is held regularly. The main event for the students is the
extracurricular "treasure hunt."
Although it is called a treasure hunt, it does not mean that there is actually hidden treasure.
Challenge the gym, catch lots of Pokemon, and help people in need. Explore the Paldea region
freely and find your own treasures through these experiences! ...That was the purpose of this
extracurricular class.
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I tightened my uniform tie and headed down the gravel road. If you go through the gate on the
west side of Mesagoza and follow the road, you will find Cortondo ahead. Olives, which are
cultivated to take advantage of the dry land, are a specialty there.
In the last extracurricular class, I won the Pokémon League and was certified as ‘Champion
Rank.’ I became the youngest champion in the Paldea region. During that time, I traveled
throughout the region, so I have been to every town. But even so, traveling is fun. Even if you
have visited a place many times, you discover something new every time you visit.
“Oh, it's the student council president!”
“Please compete with me!”
“You're cunning. Fight me too.”
As I was walking on the road to Cortondo, I was immediately approached by five Pokemon
trainers. Since they wear the same uniform, you can tell at a glance that they are students
attending Naranja Academy. The students who went on a treasure hunt did what they wanted for
their extracurricular class. Of course, you are free to play Pokemon battles as part of the treasure
hunt.
“Of course! Come on, let’s fight quickly! Who should I fight first?”
“Yes, yes! Please battle me first.”
“Okay, nice to meet you!”
I smiled and looked directly at my opponent. The first trainer was a blond-haired boy. It seemed
like he still wasn’t used to Pokemon battles, and he wasn’t very good at selecting which
Pokemon balls he wanted to use.
“It's a serious competition,'' he said, but the difference in ability was clear. I compared the Poke
Balls he has.
If I’m dealing with beginners, I don’t want to choose Pokemon that are too strong. This is
because even if you bring out a strong Pokemon and win based on the level difference, it doesn't
feel like a fun battle. The best move, the best strategy– I believe that exploring this is the real
thrill of Pokemon competitions.
"I'll leave you in charge, Pawmi!"
When I threw the Pokéball, Pawmi, the mouse Pokémon, appeared. He was just caught near Los
Platos about a month ago. Pawmi was rubbing the electric bags on his yellow cheeks with his
paws. Apparently he's full of motivation.
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The opponent's trainer brought out the Olive Pokémon, Minive. Pawmi immediately used ‘Quick
Attack’ on Minive, whose mouth was trembling.
One win, two wins, three wins, four wins, and five wins!
By the time I had defeated all the trainers who challenged me, the sun was beginning to set.
When I'm playing Pokemon, I tend to forget the passage of time. Wiping the sweat from my
forehead with the back of my hand, I readied my Poke Balls.
“Okay, who’s next?”
“I can't battle anymore. All my Pokemon are exhausted.”
“Whoa, the student council president is overpowered.”
Seeing the students slumped over from exhaustion, I put my hand on my waist.
“Too bad, it’s over already!”
Even after the battle, Pawmi is in good spirits. I offered him a sandwich to comfort him, and he
took a big bite.
As I watched Pawmi mumbling happily and chewing, I heard a voice calling out to me–
“President.”' The blonde boy who fought in the first match was walking towards me.
“Actually, I want to become as strong as the president! Is it okay to compete in Pokemon games
even if you haven't trained since you were little?”
“Of course! I only started having Pokemon battles two years ago.”
“Becoming a champion in such a short period of time? Oh, so you're a genius after all...”
“It's not like that! I’m not a genius or anything . . . I was just getting into it because it was fun."
“Normally you can’t become a champion just like that!”
The boy passionately argued against my words. I opened my mouth to argue further, but in the
end, no sound came out. I had always known that it was difficult to make others understand me.
I’d never considered myself to be a genius. I’m not a perfect person, and I’m just trying hard to
do things in my own way.
Despite this fact, sometimes people easily dismiss me by saying, “Student council presidents are
different from us.'' Although I know that people don’t mean any harm by it, I still can’t help
feeling lonely and frustrated every time it happens.
I was now used to acting like I didn't care.
“Umm, does the student council president have someone you can give your all to?”
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The person who asked me this was a female student who battled me in the fifth match. My eyes
widen at the unexpected question.
She looked straight into my eyes, still clutching the hem of her own uniform. If I wasn't
mistaken, her gaze seemed to be tinged with feelings of admiration..
“Because, you went out of your way for us just now, right? If you sent out Pokemon like the ones
you used on us just now against the Top Champion, Geeta, you wouldn't stand a chance.”
“True,” the students looked at each other and nodded. The female student tilts her head as if
thinking.
“The five of us are friends and we always fight each other with all our might, so we're rivals, but
I wonder if the student council president has someone like that too.”
“You don’t, do you? The student council president is just too strong.”
“I've never seen the student council president fight seriously.”
“Hmm, a rival, huh?”
I crossed my arms and thought. During the last ‘treasure hunt,’ I fought against Geeta, the Top
Champion of the Pokémon League.
The Pokémon League in the Paldea region has a relatively short history compared to leagues in
other regions, and to use the words of adults, it is a “budding league.” Geeta was both the Top
Champion and the League Chairwoman.
By the way, a Champion of the Paldea region refers to a trainer who has reached the Champion
rank. These are professional-level Pokémon trainers who train Pokémon and fascinate people
with their skills.
To reach this rank, you must first beat the eight Pokemon gyms and collect gym badges. Once
you have collected all the badges, you will be able to take a special test - the Champion Test -
and if you pass it, you will be able to claim the Champion rank. I was the youngest person to
pass this champion test.
That Pokemon battle with Geeta was thrilling and extremely fun. For me, Geeta is my dream
trainer. However, when I think about whether we’re rivals, something seems wrong with the
label.
<Rotrotrotrotroto...>
While I was lost in thought, a ringtone suddenly rang out. “Wow!” the students around me
reacted. The source of the sound was the Rotom smartphone that I had in her pocket.
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“I'm sorry,” I said to the students, then connected the call.
<Hello, Nemona?>
“Anna!”
I couldn't help but smile at the voice that came through the phone.
“What’s up?”
“I thought I'd call you because I'll be in town soon! You recommended it to me, so I went out
through the west gate. There are olive groves all around...”
“So, it's Cortondo! That's where I'm heading right now too.”
<Is that so? That means we might meet up later!>
“Yeah! There's a bug-type gym in Cortondo, so you can challenge the gym leader.”
<A bug-type gym... I need to think of a proper strategy.>
Hearing her serious voice, the image of Anna naturally came to my mind. She must be thinking
about which Pokemon to challenge the gym with.
“It's your first time trying out the gym. I'm sure you’ll do just fine. Good luck!”
<Thanks. I'll call you again soon!>
“I’ll stay in touch too!”
I stared at my Rotom Smartphone after I finished the call. Maybe it was because of the
conversation I just had with Anna, but I started to feel uneasy. The female student asked,
“Was that a friend of yours?”
I cheerfully replied,
“Yes.” I checked the map app on my Rotom smartphone and then looked around at the faces of
the students around me.
“Come to think of it, I'm sorry that I couldn't answer your question earlier! I don't really know
much about my rivals yet, but there are people who could become that kind of person to me!
That's why I'm looking forward to the day I have one.”
The students looked at each other excitedly, perhaps because my answer was unexpected.
“Eh, who could she be thinking of?”
“Maybe it was the person from earlier on the phone...?”
“Ahaha, it’s still a secret!”
I smiled and waved my hands towards the students as I answered,
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“Well then, I'm going to go soon. The Pokemon battles were so much fun! Everyone, please be
careful on your journey.”
“This was fun.”
“Please be safe, student council president.”
“I hope we battle again sometime!”
Leaving the students to set off on my own, Pawmi and I started walking down the road leading
to town. The trip would be quicker if I took a Flying Taxi, but since it was the day I set off on my
journey, I wanted to walk on my own and enjoy the scenery of Paldea.
“I wonder if Anna also competes with the trainers she meets along the way, like those kids do.”
While I talked to Pawmo while walking, Pawmo seemed to be in a good mood and let out a short
chirp. Looking at Pawmi's swaying Naranja ears, I remembered the day I met Anna. She was a
so-called “neighbor” who had moved in right next to my house in Capo Poco. . .
“By the way, I visited your house earlier.”
One month ago, I was told this by Clavell, the principal of Naranja Academy, at the entrance of
my home.
Slinging my bag cross-body, I checked to see if I had forgotten anything. The housekeepers who
always did the housework bowed and said, “Welcome.”
That day was the first day of school for a neighbor who had just moved in, so Clavell came to
Capo Poco. That's why he came to my house in the morning.
Clavell has a friendly personality, and many students admire him. Of course, I do as well. After
the last treasure hunt ended, I became the youngest Champion, was elected Student Council
President, and was flooded with interview requests, making my life quite busy. During such
times, Clavell, as principal, helped me in many ways.
“As I mentioned before, there is a transfer student here...I would like to ask you to guide her to
school today. Is that convenient for you?”
“Please leave it to me! I wonder what kind of girl she is, I hope we can get along well.”
I opened the front door during our pleasant conversation. The sunlight that came through the gap
was so bright that I instinctively shielded my eyes. Meanwhile, Clavell was already walking
ahead to the front garden of the mansion.
“Oh, you arrived quite early.”
