"Looks like ma'am forgot about us again," I stated, surveying the conspicuous space at the front of the classroom that was lacking a teacher.

"It's not the first time," Travis, sitting behind me, noted.

I swivelled around in my chair to face him and Chad. "So what're you guys doing?"

Chad looked at me, headphone in his one ear, cellphone in his hands, and replied, "Watching anime."

I only had to glance at Travis to see what he was doing – namely, filling his English book with sketches. Business as usual, then.

I was very happy, for it was the day – the one day a year when those people who were that way inclined obtained the privilege of bringing three Pokémon to school. You used to be able to take the full team of six, but after the school library was destroyed… well, you get the idea.

"So did you guys bring Pokémon to school today?"

They both nodded. 'So?" I asked, "What've you guys got?"

Chad reached into his pocket and drew out three Pokéballs.

Travis did likewise.

"Uh, guys," I said, a nasty suspicion creeping into my head, "you did follow the rules, right?"

They both looked at me blankly, until Travis asked, "There are rules?"

I put in my head in my hands and muttered, "Arceus help me."

"Yes," I said to answer his question, rummaging in my bag to find the appropriate document, "there are rules."

I had soon located it, and passed it on to Travis and Chad. As they read it, I went over to Michael and Deonaé, hoping to find someone slightly more aware of regulations.

"You brought Pokémon, I presume?" I asked as I sat down.

They both nodded.

"So, what've you got?"

Deonaé was the first to answer, "Charmander, Staraptor and Wobbuffet."

I had to bite my tongue – I didn't want to insult her, but in my opinion, that was quite possibly the single most awful Pokéteam imaginable.

Even though, I had to admit one thing – at least all her Pokés were within the regulations.

"And you, Michael?"

He smiled, "Check for yourself."

I took out my Pokédex (most of my friends have expensive, imported Pokédexes, whereas I have the ordinary red Kanto model, albeit with a Bulbasaur decal) and scanned for nearby ETC's. (For the few of you poor, unprivileged people out there who do not own a Pokédex, it is simply a function that looks for any Electronic Trainer Cards nearby. These will then give you the basic information of a trainer – their name (or the name they input; some people use a pseudonym) and the Pokémon they are carrying at that point in time. The actual ETC itself is unremarkable – it looks just like an ordinary piece of cardboard, even though it is really an invaluable piece of equipment.)

"Um... there's no 'Michael' here." I said somewhat uncertainly.

He leaned over my shoulder to look at the list of names that had appeared. "That one," he said, pointing to one.

I sniggered. "The Ninja? Really, Michael?"

"Look at my team. Then you'll get it."

I scanned over his team – and almost choked.

"This – this – team…"

"Pretty cool, right?"

I closed my eyes and tried to stop my eyebrows before they started twitching furiously. "Yeah, I guess. But…" I glared at him. "Not one of them fits inside the regulations!"

He nodded. "I know. But since when does a ninja follow the rules?"

I banged my head on the desk with a loud thud. Just as I was about to berate him on his utter stupidity (I mean, really – a Scyther, Aggron and Sneasel – that was downright dangerous) when I heard the synchronised opening of two Pokéballs from behind me.

I turned to see where the noise had come from, and saw two Eevees frolicking on Chad and Travis's desks. The one that belonged to Travis was a well-groomed, healthy specimen, but it was Chad's one that drew my attention and caused me to move myself across the classroom in order to get a better look at it.

"Wow," I breathed, looking at it in awe.

"Where did you possibly," I asked, reaching a hand out to stroke the glossy coat, "find a shiny Eevee?"

The pure white Eevee swished its fluffy tail and scampered off across the desk to join Travis's one.

Chad grinned. "I didn't."

"You didn't what?"

"I didn't find a shiny Eevee."

"Did you buy it, then?"

He shook his head.

"Then what…" My brain was whirring, trying desperately to find an answer. I reached out to stroke it again and on a whim, quickly hit a pressure point between the second and third vertebrae of the spine. As I had suspected, the outlines of the Eevee melted away to reveal a perfectly blue Ditto.

"How did you do that?" Travis asked.

I raised one fist in the air in triumph. "Pokémon Biology rules!"

"But now I'm more curious than ever," I said, turning to Chad, "However did you manage to get your hands on a shiny Ditto?"

"He was a present from nature," Chad explained. "He clung to my backpack while I was walking and he didn't want to let go. Because I have a blue backpack and it's the same colour as he is, you see. And then we became best friends."

"Anyway, what else have you guys got?"

"Absol and Charizard." Chad replied.

I simply shook my head silently. He really hadn't paid any attention to the rules.

"Charizard? You've fully evolved your starter?"

"Of course. Haven't you?"

I shook my head, "Wouldn't want to." A thought occurred to me, "How much time did you spend training?"

"A lot."

"And you?" I asked, turning to Travis.

"Only one of my other two fits within the rules,' Travis explained, as he threw a Pokéball into the air.

As it hit the desk, it opened to reveal – a Cyndaquil.

"Oh, right. I forgot," I said as Cyndaquil started play-wrestling with Eevee, "you're from Johto. You stay in hostel here, right?"

He nodded, "Kanto's far cooler than Johto."

I glanced down at the wrestling pair on his desk, "They're both so darn cute!" Then I smiled, remembering whom I had brought, "But I know a Pokémon that's even cuter!"

Bulbasaur shook himself as I released him and jumped into my arms, happily yelling "Bulbasaur!"

"Hey Jade," I heard Travis say, and I looked up to be greeted by a wide grin.

"No."

"No what?"

"No, I will not have a Pokémon battle with you. Not here, anyway."

"How –"

"How did I know? Easy – you've got a Cyndaquil, which is Fire-type. I have Bulbster here – who is Grass. Purely thinking about types, you assumed you would win in an impromptu match. Am I right?"

"You're so right it's scary." Travis commented, "But, what did you mean, 'not here'?"

"Not indoors. Bulbasaur'll wreck the place."

"He can't be that strong –"

"He knows Solar Beam. Besides, have you heard of my unique move Razor Whip?"

"Razor what?"

"Razor Whip. Combination of Razor Leaf and Vine Whip in one attack. Really powerful. Ask Amy." In order to get some backup, I called to Amy, who was sitting on the other side of the classroom, with a Bellossom dancing on her desk.

"Hey Amy! Tell Travis that Razor Whip is a really strong move!"

"It is!" she yelled back, "My Leafeon was lacerated!"

"Well, if I could use my third Pokémon, I'm sure I could beat you."

"Really? Pray tell, what is this mystical, all-powerful third Pokémon that doesn't fit within the rules?"

He didn't answer in words – instead his pencil flew gracefully over the paper, forming a sketch of the Pokémon in question. I couldn't help but smile – this answer was so very Travis.

I leaned over, trying to determine what it was before he was finished. The only thing that I managed to see before he moved his body to shield it from my prying eyes was a very serpentine-looking body.

Of course, my brain went and immediately listed all the serpentine-looking Pokémon that I could. Serperior? Yeah, but it evolves from Snivy – a starter Pokémon, so it couldn't be that, as Travis already had a Cyndaquil, and one is only entitled to one starter Pokémon in one's life.

Ekans or Arbok? Unlikely – Ekans fit within the rules, and Travis didn't seem to be the kind of guy to own a Poison-type, venom-spitting Arbok.

Seviper? Maybe, but they were very rare in Johto (or Kanto, for that matter – the one that I fought the other day with Bulbasaur was a fluke).

And then, of course, there was – but he couldn't have – could he?

I shook my head as my well of inspiration ran dry. Luckily for me, however, Travis had just finished his sketch, so any further speculation was unnecessary.

And it turns out that my final guess was right.

"What – how – wait – WHAT!?"

I closed my eyes and breathe, trying to get my thoughts in order.

"How did you manage to obtain a –" I glanced around to make sure no-one was watching and leaned in closer, my voice dropping to a whisper, "Where did you get a Dragonair!?"

"I got it as a Dratini, actually. It took an awful lot of grinding until it evolved."

"Ok, fine. Where did you manage to get a Dratini?!"

"That's classified."

I shook my head and decided to drop the subject, although I could hardly believe it. A Dragonair, of all things! An ultra-rare Dragon-type!

"Anyways, aren't you guys curious to find out what other Pokés I have?"

Neither of them replied. It was a rhetorical question anyway, so I delved into my pockets and reached for my other two Pokéballs.

"Behold! Darkfyre," my Houndoom growled at them before I returned him to his Pokéball (there were some superstitious people in my class, and I didn't want them to freak out – even though they'd freak out a lot more if they caught sight of Chad's Absol), "and Sandslash!"

I never even got to release her (yes, I have a female Sandslash) from her Pokéball, as the door burst open and I heard the mechanical click of a gun being readied.