A Quilava roamed around a small hallway on his two legs. The inside of the school had hard white bricks for walls and dirty carpets on the floors in the classroom. The hallways had white checkered floors and lockers on all sides.
The Quilava turned and slowly opened the door into a full room.
"You're late." a Staravia up front squawked.
The Quilava looked up and behind himself at a clock.
"There's still a minute until class starts." the Quilava said.
"Class is a priority. You should be early!" the Staravia countered.
"I'm already doing what the school says I should." the Quilava rolled his eyes, "Regardless of what you want me to do."
"Go the principle's office."
The Quilava nodded, turned around, and casually walked back out of the room.
The Quilava arrived home quietly. The door's resounding click behind him was intensely audible as both of his parents, a Charmeleon mom and Typhlosion dad, stared him down. The Quilava stared back unwilling to be the first to speak.
"Gawain," the Typhlosion said, "What is your problem? You're going to be a senior in high school next year, and you're doing poorly in summer school. You're too old for this."
"I already told you what I wanted." Gawain said.
"Being a Nightlight is hard." the Typhlosion said, "You're not cut out for it."
"And how would you know that?" Gawain asked.
"You're my son!" the Typphosion raised his voice, "Of course I would know."
"You don't have an actual answer..." Gawain argued.
"We know all about how shiny the tower appears on the outside and what's on the inside." the Charmeleon said, "We just want to look out for you, dear."
"I still want to do it." Gawain said determined.
"You can't be an effective Nightlight with how your grades are." the Typhlosion said, "Not making up tests. Acing the only one you decide to show up for. If you showed any willingness at all to apply yourself, I'd pack your bags for you."
"Let me do a tryout." Gawain said, "And I'll show you."
"You could show me by just taking five minutes to do your homework... I'll take you tomorrow." the Typhlosion agreed.
"Then I'll pass tomorrow." Gawain nodded.
Gawain was used to living in a rougher neighborhood. There were clear definitions of what strength was, and what traits that defined talent were listed and stereotyped heavily.
Gawain had all of these traits. He was more introverted, expressed his emotions mostly only in private, and had a natural tact for fighting. He would constantly have fights picked with him when he was younger from jealous kids. Although slow, he was eventually alienated from his classmates completely. Strength and kindness being together in a pokemon seemed impossible to his classmates, and they always misinterpreted his actions.
He grew to admire the Nightlights community as he watched them in action. Although they all gave off the vibe of normal pokemon, they all had an underlying intensity, something he felt inside himself waiting to be unleashed.
The Quilava fell asleep with a flaming heart.
The Quilava and the Typhlosion set out early in the morning. They lived a decent ways away from the inner city, and left early to make it to the Nightlight Association in time. The large building growing closer only increased his excitement continuously until he nearly burst near the door.
"Stick close, I'll sign you up." the Typhlosion said.
Gawain agreed while taking in the sights. Pokemon all around him were busy and there was chatting all over. He felt comfortable attracting little attention. He hardly paid attention while the Typhlosion signed him up at a registry table.
"There happens to be one in just fifteen or so minutes." the Typhlosion says, "Are you ready?"
"Yeah." Gawain said, "Been ready."
"I hope this experience is a wake-up call..." the Typhlosion muttered.
"Same here." the Quilava frowned.
Gawain and his father didn't exchange words as they waited in the lobby. Gawain was pointed out his group by his father and went to it. The pokemon were in a small semi-circle on the side of the lobby.
Gawain approached quietly and waited as a few of them had conversation. They all seemed much more casual about the ordeal. Most of them looked older than Gawain.
"Confidence, maybe? Hard to tell. Plenty of pokemon take the tryouts without expecting to pass, though."
Gawain waited alongside the other applicants on the edge of the semi-circle.
"I wonder if all the walls here are pitch black. I hear they vary besides the lobby."
"Helloooo." a high-pitched Gabite greeted suddenly, "I'll be your guys' examiner today. My name is Jessie. We'll be going up the elevator to a training room for basic physical evaluation. Is everyone alright with that?"
The groups slowly gave a resounding yes, and the Gabite had them follow her into a huge elevator. Although the group stuck together, there were points over the two minutes that Gawain found himself packed in tightly. Pokemon kept getting in the elevator going down, meaning it slowly got more and more cramped until they arrived on the bare empty training floor.
A few different groups went out of the elevator, but Gawain made sure to keep track of the Gabite and stayed with is group as they continued.
"Alright, so we'll be taking turns today. We're going to be testing strength and speed with basic exercises." the Gabite addressed, " Is everyone alright with this?"
"Still treating us like civilians at this point. I wonder how many stages there are to it."
"Alright. I'm going to have you guys make a line." the Gabite said, "We'r'e going to work down the line, and I will be doing one at a time."
The semi-circle they had made again straightened out. Gawain was closer to the center of the line. He peered out to his left and right really quickly and estimated there were about ten or so pokemon in his group.
"Alright, we'll be starting from this side." the Gabite pointed to Gawain's right, "Are you ready down there?"
"Yeh." a Machop said. He walked forward cracking his knuckles taking a deep breath.
"What we're doing today is just a bit of a show and tell. Any skills you have, knowledge, strengths... Like a pageant. Do you guys understand?" the Gabite said, "Here, let me demonstrate."
The Gabite stood in front of the group and did a few simple fighting motions. The Gabite also puffed out a small dragonbreath at the end of it.
"Like that, okay?" she said, "Alright."
"Show and tell makes sense as a start, but it's tamer than I was expecting so far."
The Machop used moves and show flexibility and strength. Gawain liked the performance, but the Machop was panting horribly after.
"Make sure to push yourselves, but not too hard. We want the most accurate readings of how you would perform in real situations."
The line continued next with a Cutiefly that used ranged attacks. Gawain glanced to the side to see the other members not giving much of a reaction.
"Being pretty serious at this stage. I wonder what they're thinking about..."
The line kept moving swiftly with the pokemon tiring out at close to the same pace. A Servine to Gawain's right looked excitable and eager, bouncing lightly on his feet.
Eventually, it was the Servine's turn. Gawain smiled to himself as he watched the Servine showcase impressing moves. The Servine started with a tornado of leaves, then continued to use moves as it kept up the tornado of leaves as a defensive barrier. The line was forced to move back at the winds being hurled by the leaves.
After a long while the tornado of leaves disappeared, and the Servine took a short bow.
"Very impressive endurance, good sir!" the Gabite complimented, "A great example."
Gawain was prompted by the Gabite to step forward.
"Ah, feels a little weird." Gawain said, "I don't really practice alone."
"If you don't show anything, I can't pass you." the Gabite snapped, "There's no such thing as a shy and effective Nightlight agent."
The gray and white Flareon woke and looked around himself awkwardly.
"Hm? Eu? Mmm..."
The gray and white Flareon set its head back down.
"Alright, alright." Gawain conceded.
"Ugh, and pokemon wonder why I don't like them..."
Gawain went to the same distance the other members were at and decided to face them during his.
"Just enough to move forward... Let's see, seems likes a gold rank. Using lava plume for a bit should do it."
Gawain did a few simple movements and did them slowly. Using lava plume, he shot fire from his hands and feet as he did basic moves that chained into each other.
"Feel like I'm dancing. Guess I can relate it to that."
Gawain finished by showing flexibility with a jumping ax kick the brought a small torrent of flames up off the ground and back down to disappear on the steel floor. Gawain took a deep breath and went back into line in a laid back manner.
The rest of the pokemon went and did similarly basic maneuvers. Gawain was pleased that he seemed to satisfy the standard.
"Okay guys, does anyone have anything else they'd like to demonstrate?" the Gabite asked, "Otherwise, only that Servine there is passing."
"Aaaaaaaalrighty then."
"What!?" the group questioned outraged.
"I've seen agents with less strength than what I've shown!" the Machop argued.
"True." the Gabite nodded, "And I'd kick them all out if it were up to me. You're close, so you might want to push yourself and see if you can make it. As for the rest of you, nothing much to say."
"Could we have a short battle?"
Everyone turned to Gawain as he raised his right arm politely.
"Oh, I'm not warmed up for today." Jessie sighed, "You'll have to simply try to perform, again."
"I could help warm you up for today. As a matter of fact, I'll set you on fire." Gawain hissed.
"Well then, be my guest." the Gabite snapped.
The Gabite walked back a decent distance while Gawain stalked forward. He took deep breaths, stirring enlarging flames to grow from his fur on his head. The ground he walked on started to glow a faint red. The Gabite tensed up once she turned around at the intensity of the heat that started to make the air look wavy.
"Don't need anything overkill, but I am not losing."
"Alright, you first." the Gabite offered.
Gawain took a deep breath and exhaled using the move heat wave. The Gabite reacted by holding it's arms over its face, but the move reddened the floor and immediately burned the Gabite's abdomen. She gave a short holler at the attack before removing her arms from her face once it ended.
"Good thing I made it shorter than usual."
"Enough!" the Gabite called, "You did not need to battle me in order to show off a move like that!"
The Gabite approached with an angry stomp holding its abdomen with one arm.
"It's simple, so it's hard to show the power for it." Gawain explained, "I'm not flashy."
"Ehhhh, nah. We can feel it."
Gawain turned behind him to see the Machop sweating heavily. The Servine was fanning himself with his tail rapidly while an Oshawott was using hydrop pump on the ground around them sending up considerable steam.
"Dang it, forgot about behind me..." Gawain winced.
"Ugh, you barely even known your own strength." the Gabite huffed, "You'll need a coach before you ever set foot in this building again. Controlling your strength in different ways makes a Nightlight agent, not steamrolling any building or civilian in the way."
"Gawain!"
The line broke as an enraged Typhlosion barreled through. He walked up face-to-face with the Quilava as he was stuck glued to the ground. The fire from his fur went out cold.
"I can't believe you." the Typhlosion said.
"Hey, I-"
"Nope nope nope!" the Typhlosion hushed, "You've been lying to everyone this whole time!"
Gawain questioned what the Typhlosion meant as he paused.
"Gawain," he sighed, "You've been purposefully under-performing in front of me. Why? That move just now was some of the strongest fire attacks I've ever seen."
"And what if I did show you everything?" Gawain yelled, "Everyone would just know, and that sucks. I'm already a huge freak at school. Why do you have to keep pushing this whole standing out crap?"
"This is more important than what a few delinquents think, Gawain! Having weird abilities hasn't changed who someone is. Letting yourself get thrown around like a rag doll for it has." the Typhlosion said, "Stand up for yourself."
"I just did!" Gawain yelled.
"Oi, you two!"
The Typhlosion and Quilava quieted at the Gabite's voice. The Servine smiled as his tail stopped glowing, and the Gabite's burn looked significantly better. The Gabite approached the pair sharply.
"I'm willin to let this guy in," the Gabite gestured to Gawain, "But these folk have some more tests ahead of them. Sign yourself up with a coach and take this conversation to private."
"Of course." the Typhlosion nodded.
The Typhlosion roughly took the Quilava's arm. Although angered beyond boiling at it, Gawain bit his own tongue.
Gawain was half-dragged to the elevator and out of the building.
"We're going home for now." the Typhlosion told Gawain, "We need to have some discussion."
Gawain just agreed silently. The Typhlosion tone seemed to be on a serious note that sent chills up his spine.
The Typhlosion stopped holding Gawain's arm as they made their way back to their house. It was the same long trek, but felt a lot shorter for some reason. The Quilava didn't give his usual sigh of relief when he went through the small doors to their home.
"Sit down there." the Typhlosion ordered.
Gawain went and sat on their usual couch. The television it was facing was off, and it was the only thing to face other than his father sitting next to him. The Charmeleon walked in from the dining room.
"Honey?" she greeted.
"It's what we thought, Maribelle." the Typhlosion said.
The Charmeleon nodded before returning back down the hallway. The smallness of the house was starting to get to Gawain as he was forced into close quarters for this conversation.
"Gawain, I could've helped you." the Typhlosion said, "I knew there was a possibility you'd have high bio-energy, so I wanted you to be honest with me."
"You'd just treat me like I'm soft, then." Gawain argued.
"I wouldn't, Gawain. Just because high bio-energy causes mood swings and other mentality issues, I would've just shown you how I deal with mine. Having strength is something to be happy about..."
"Of course it is!" Gawain raised his voice, "But I barely even talk to anyone other than you!"
"Which is why I'm about to tell you what's going to happen." the Typhlosion said, "I know someone experienced in the Nightlight Association who can help you so you can have a better life."
"Who on earth understands?" Gawain asked, "Barely anyone has a ton of bio-energy."
"Correct," the Typhlosion nodded, "Normal coaches won't be as effective. Luckily for you..."
Gawain leaned in unconsciously in paying deep attention.
"I'm a cousin to a certain Dragonite."