"Hey, Meg." Dick said , joining her at a cooking station just big enough for two. "How'd it go?"
The whole class was listening. The teacher decided to listen as well. According to the report she'd just received it had gone rather well and Meg showed promise as a trainer though she lacked confidence. Also Taz, the Strategy Teacher was nursing a headache because Meg had started crying out of happiness when she'd actually caught the Nidoran.
"Hoppy and I did it!" Meg cheered and hugged Dick again. Dick went stiff and didn't respond to the hug. She finally let go and showed Dick the Pokeball that now held a female Nidoran. "It was a really close fight but we won and now Nidoran is our friend! Thanks for helping me out. "
"No problem." Dick shrugged, blushing a bit. He didn't help because he wanted praise he did it because he liked helping. "Lets get to work so we can feed your new friend."
With that the teacher called order and had them write down notes. She then set them to work on a basic type of Pokefood using a recipe they were to copy off the board. She made sure they copied it right and walked around to check their work. Dick and Meg seemed to focus solely on the task at hand neither talking much as they worked. Others weren't acting the same and she made note of who was doing what in the student files on the tablet she carried she also gave out detentions and advice. She pointed out how some people were doing things or how the food look at what stage. She noted that she embarrassed Dick both times she said something about how his food was doing.
"Congratulations. " She said at the end of class. "Some of you have cooked enough Basic Pokefood to last two weeks." Dick, Meg and those who the teacher, Cookie; yes that was her real name, deemed acceptable were putting the food they'd made in jars to be carried in their bags. "The rest of you made biohazards. Jar up your food and give it to your pokemon as snacks. Class dismissed. "
"Wow, I can't believe we actually made good food." Meg said, as they made their way toward gym. "Nurse Joy fed Nidoran and Hoppy after the battle so I guess they'll want a snack after gym. "
"I hate to see what we have for gym today. " Dick moaned, "I'm nerd and I'll admit it but I guess being a Ranger means keeping in shape. "
Meg gave a groan when they got class. The Teacher was grinning for some reason none of them seemed to think that that boded well for them.
"Today, we'll be doing dodging." The man boomed. "You and your Pokemon will stand in the middle of these machines and they will fire tennis balls at you. You will dodge don't worry the balls have chips in them that will slow them down before they hit you so that they only bruise. Eventually, you will learn to dodge to avoid the pain. "
There were enough of these traps for all of them they were soon dodging or at least trying.
It was free time but no one had moved except for Zion who'd had to because it was his turn to go get a Pokemon. Dick moved finally. He sat up and sprayed Potion on his pokemon to heal their wounds and gave them some Pokefood before falling down again. Meg did the same then one by one the others did the same. Kiddy was bawling for her mommy. Several older students came running toward them.
"First dodging session?" One of the students in their last year laughed It was Taylor, lifting Kiddy into her arms and rubbing her back. Kiddy kept crying. "I know it's tough it's gets easier after awhile." she sighed as the girl kept bawling. " Or you could tap out and go home."
"I want my mommy!"
"You have to say it." Taylor said , "If you say it we get you on the next boat going out and call your parents to pick you up. "
"Tap out!" Kiddy cried, "Tap out!"
Taylor nodded and looked around at everyone else. Everyone was looking wary.
"Anyone else?" she asked, No one answered. "Very well. " she looked at another girl in her year. "Get them up and moving they've got class soon and where's Zion?"
"Catching a Pokemon." Dick said as Smith pulled him to his feet and told him to stretch out before his muscles locked up on him. He did the same for Meg. "Toru is next. "
"Alright." She nodded , "The rest of you do what you're told."
Taz cocked an eyebrow as his first years came over if he thought Zion was bad it was nothing compared to some of them. He quickly noted that they were short one of the girls. Zion quickly took notice as well.
"Where's Kiddy?" he asked Dick. " Did she go see the Campus Doctor?"
"She tapped out." Dick explained, plopping down on the grass outside of the Ice Field. " She couldn't take it."
"It's only the second day." Zion said plopping down next to him. Toru was on his other side while Meg was on Dick's other side and leaning against him. "I caught a Pidgey. "
"That's original." Toru tried to sound sarcastic but was too tired.
"I was trying for Hawlucha." Zion mumbled. "I came across Pidgey first."
"Okay, class, " Taz called, " I know you all just came from Gym but we've got work to do. In this class I will teach you how to form Strategy in every kind of situation. As Rangers you need to learn to think on your feet. Now our first lesson is going to be walking on Ice with out skates just your boots. Your Pokemon must do the same. ..."
"That's not fair!" A girl cried, "With Kiddy gone Dick's the only one with Ice Pokemon."
Taz laughed.
"On the ice ."
Moans met his words. Sure enough he soon had kids slipping and sliding every which why and falling down repeatedly.
"Okay, why are we doing this?" Taz called sitting on a large ice boulder on one side of the field. "Anyone?"
"It's in case we have to go to an Ice area to help." Dick called, " and we're learning about battling with and against Ice Pokemon."
"Correct." Taz made a note in Dick's file. The boy seemed smart but obviously wasn't one for staying in shape. He was thin sure but it was almost sickly so. He made a note that he wanted the boy to see the Academy doctor. He noted Jax, the Gym teacher, had made the same suggestion. He went back to watching and calling out helpful tips. "Does anyone want to wager a guess why we are so hard on you right from the start?"
"You want to sort out those who can't take it." Dick replied falling over yet again. He winced his but was going to be sore tonight. " You want to weed out those who have the drive and those who have what it takes."
"Correct again."
Cursing met his word but no one said the words that he was looking for. Taz kept taking notes on each of them he already had the next three that were going to tap out already picked out. He was going to take one of them to get their pokemon after Lunch he would bet anything she didn't catch anything. Toru was going after this class if he didn't Tap out.
