On capitalisation, grammar:
No reviews commenting on Pokémon name capitalisation, etc. please. I understand the arguments of both sides, but I have a degree in Publishing and I'm an experienced enough writer to follow my grammatical style and any reviews relating to such will automatically be ignored.

Hello there! This is a story based upon my Pokémon: Infinite Legacies continuity. It's written as a standalone, but if you enjoy this, I'm sure you'll enjoy reading Infinite Legacies too!

POKÉMON: INFINITE LEGACIES SPECIAL #1
THE CHAMPION'S SHADOW
THE CIPRYS REGION
CHAPTER 1
TOP OF THE CLASS: THE BATTLE OF CLASS 3K!

They were down to their last Pokémon . . .

Facing each other on a state-of-the-art indoor battlefield were two students of similar ages: a boy with short platinum-white hair and a girl with long brown hair pulled into a braided ponytail. Both were in gym uniform: trainers, black shorts, and white short-sleeved jerseys with the logo of their school—the Festivalight Pokémon Academy—over their hearts. Their preferred names, Frost and Kaitlyn, and their designated numbers were on the back. The kids had agreed getting their own personalised jerseys was pretty cool until they'd noticed the Osivin sponsorship splattered across the front. Opinions on how cool they were then differed.

It was the last battle of the day and while their classmates were either agonising over losses or smiling over victories, a respectful silence had descended because every person in attendance was closely watching this battle. Whether it was the 12-year-olds and their teacher in the seating area beside the battlefield; the first- and second-year students who, on the way to their classes, stopped and peered through the glass walls, seeing their futures (until a member of staff told them otherwise); or even the examiners leaning forwards from their vantage point, pens primed over their checkboards but eyes fixed on the battling Pokémon and their trainers.

But academically for the two students involved, who won and who lost mattered little. Both Frost and Kaitlyn knew they were bound to receive enough marks to graduate based on their written exam; as long as they completed their battle in the practical exam, graduating was a formality. Kaitlyn had told everyone except for her best friend Keiki that she wasn't bothered about winning or losing and Frost, as usual, had just snapped at anyone who interrupted his pre-battle practice to ask. But secretly, they knew—everyone knew—this was a battle of personal pride, of proving who was the top student in Class 3K. After three years in the same class, Kaitlyn and Frost had established themselves as the students with the highest potential—and ever since lunchtime when the ties had been announced, their classmates had been calling it, The Battle of Class 3K.

They weren't wrong. A week in advance, every student had been allowed to choose three test Pokémon out of 200. Frost had studied the options and decided upon Magneton, Marbrong, and Lapras, but Frost and Kaitlyn shared an inner competitiveness and were determined to be the best. Marbrong and Magneton had already fainted, along with Kaitlyn's first two Pokémon, and now it was down to her Pyroar and his Lapras.

"Noble Roar!" instructed Kaitlyn. As class representative, she was well-respected and universally popular with teachers and fellow students. She had grown used to public speaking and her voice radiated confidence.

Her opponent, Frost (as he had become known to his peers), preferred his own company and avoided others. He sat alone in class and disappeared by himself at lunchtime, but despite how unsociable and cold he was, his academic prowess and his natural, second-generational skill at battling had ultimately earned him the respect of his peers during their three years together.

Pyroar answered Kaitlyn obediently, raising her slender head. As the Fire- and Normal-type did so, her bright blue eyes caught the overhead lights that illuminated the battlefield, sparkling, and her gold and red mane flowed down the length of her body, shimmering. The leonine Pokémon was a sight to behold. And then her beauty was replaced by ferocity—she opened her mouth and unleashed a powerful roar.

Frost tried not to wince. He raised his hands and shielded his ears as the loud, deep sound tore into his eardrums.

But Lapras lacked his trainer's resolve. Unease assaulted his gentle brown eyes and he shied at the unfamiliar sound, whimpering.

"You don't need to worry, Lapras. Pyroar's only trying to intimidate you because she fears how much stronger you are," Frost said flatly, glaring at Pyroar with icy-blue eyes. "Counter-attack with Water Pulse."

Lapras appeared to have regained his confidence as he slid forwards slightly, a light blue sphere spinning into being in front of his mouth. Then he flicked his head and the sphere raced through the air, bursting into a wave mid-flight.

Pyroar edged back, growling at the water.

Kaitlyn quickly evaluated the situation before saying, "Flamethrower! But only on the section of wave ahead of you!"

Pyroar nodded, looking relieved to have been given instructions. The royal Pokémon leaned back and flattened her body as if about to pounce onto a juicy Bouffalant before swinging forwards and releasing a fiery tornado from her mouth. The Flamethrower spiralled and broke through the water ahead, steam forming where the rival energies had clashed. The remaining water crashed harmlessly to the floor on either side of Pyroar.

"Rain Dance."

"Hyper Beam!" Kaitlyn called as Frost finished his command, wanting to change the course of the battle and put Frost under pressure. He has to be following Rain Dance with a powerful attack, so I have to put him under pressure now.

Dark grey clouds gathered overhead. Rain started to fall as the dark purple energy in front of Pyroar crackled ominously. Tendrils of black energy swirling around its length, the dark purple energy shot forwards, blazing towards Lapras.

Lapras was faced with one of the most powerful attacks in the Pokémon world, but Frost looked unfazed. He transferred his gaze from Kaitlyn to Pyroar. The sight of the Fire-type reminded him of his goal and intensified his desire to win, to prove his superiority. He needed to learn how strong he was and he knew this would be the first test of many before he reached the battle he had been waiting for for years. He pictured that opponent and that battle and hatred seized him. But his expression gave no insight into his inner turmoil, and the dark flash of Hyper Beam was the force that pulled him back into the present.

"Ice Beam. Around Pyroar's feet."

"Shouldn't he be trying to dodge Hyper Beam?!" exclaimed a dark-haired boy who was wearing a colourful headband. His blaze-orange eyes had earned him the name Flame.

"He's smart enough to know what he's doing," pointed out a girl named Lyric who was sat next to him. She usually sounded more cheerful, but her earlier loss was still weighing on her mind.

"True," Flame conceded, feeling guilty but hoping his friend would brighten up soon.

On Lyric's other side was a boy in tracksuit bottoms and unfashionable but comfortable trainers. The brightness of his green eyes, peering out from underneath his unruly strands of black hair, were an enigma amidst his bland, lightly tanned face. The rest of his features were unremarkable; the dark circles under his eyes gave others the impression he was eternally tired and bored. But secretly, despite how lazy his demeanour, he was watching the battle closely. Like everyone, he wanted to see the outcome of Frost's risky strategy.

Behind them, a pale, spindly boy with black hair, short and spiky, shook his head in disapproval of Frost's choice of tactics. Concern flared in his aura-blue eyes as he watched Lapras, tensing in anticipation of the pain that would ripple through and beyond his body.

Class 3K's teacher and Ciprys' resident Pokémon Professor, Julietta Aconite, observed quietly, assessing every instruction her students gave, as she knew the examiners were somewhere overhead. "They will be analysing the nature of your body language, what you say and how you say it, and how you work with your test Pokémon," she had told her students nearly three months ago, when her lessons had started to prepare them solely for the graduation exam. It hadn't been the first time she'd said it; Professor Julietta Aconite had been a teacher at the Pokémon Academy for almost 10 years, but even now, she still got nervous watching her students take their final exam, hoping she had taught them well enough to allow them to graduate and start fulfilling their dreams. Kaitlyn and Frost were two of her brightest students, but even that knowledge did little to alleviate the tension she was feeling.

A man who looked unaccustomed to his grey suit looked down on the battle from above. Memories flashed in his mind. 30-odd years ago, he'd been a student at the Academy. Back then, there had been no Osivin to spend millions on improving the school and creating a state-of-the-art battle facility. The old battlefield and its traditional sand and white lines had suited him just fine, though, and he thought the elaborate design was too much. Still, the battle itself had caught his attention. Smiling slightly, he said, "You can tell he's Solomon's son all right. He's happy to take a Hyper Beam head-on."

A young woman in a glamorous white dress with white hair, green at the tips, leaf-green lipstick, and a natural tan wrote something on her checkboard, then said, "Some would say he's being reckless, Merrick." She was also an ex-student of Festivalight Academy, although she had graduated much more recently when the multi-million upgrades were nearing completion.

Merrick shrugged. He tried to peek at what his fellow examiner had written on her checkboard, but she noticed and shifted her body to keep it concealed. He tutted her. "You just like to argue with me, Alyssa."

Alyssa glared at him, but didn't have time to retort.

"Eyes on the battle, comments on the checkboards please," reminded the other examiner. She was a similar age to Alyssa, but the formality of her appearance and the sternness in her voice made the other examiners instantly do as asked.

"You too," accused Merrick softly before scribbling 'Battles like Solomon' in a box assigned to Frost.

The other examiner heard but ignored him. Her job was to observe the juveniles and report back, so she was watching the battle like a Hawlucha (but without the lucha libre mask and brightly coloured feathers) as a light blue beam shot out of Lapras' mouth.

Everyone had had a different opinion on Frost's strategy, but they all saw the justification as Ice Beam flashed past Hyper Beam and reached Pyroar's position. The gym floor had already been soaked by Lapras' failed Water Pulse and Rain Dance had only widened the pools of water surrounding Pyroar until they had converged. As Ice Beam struck the floor, all that H2O now froze, trapping Pyroar in place. Pyroar struggled and growled, trying to break free, as a chill penetrated her body, her paws trapped by cold, cold ice.

But Kaitlyn's gaze was elsewhere. She knew Hyper Beam was all-important. The attack smashed against Lapras, putting an end to his Ice Beam. The volatile energy crackled and erupted against the graceful Water-type Pokémon, who cried out in pain, smoke oozing outwards. And that's why Hyper Beam is also known as Destruction Beam, thought Kaitlyn. I feel bad for Lapras. Frost's strategy had been ambitious, but Kaitlyn knew he had taken a risk thinking his Lapras could survive and overcome a Hyper Beam. The official course textbook had advised them to avoid Hyper Beam at all costs. All Kaitlyn had to do now was wait patiently for the smoke to clear and the referee to make her victory official.

Hidden in the smoke, Frost allowed himself to wince. Maybe I shouldn't have risked it. But then the image of his father appeared in his mind and emotion overcame his senses. I can't lose here. "Come on, Lapras. Time to show them how strong you are—strike back with Hydro Pump!"

Pain clouded Lapras' face. He had slumped to the ground and his eyes were half-closed. But he sensed the urgency in his trainer's voice. He pulled himself up and produced the water energy from inside himself and from the air and from the surrounding environment before unleashing one last attack.

Stunned expressions burst onto faces around the indoor battlefield—water gushing out of the smoke and surging towards Pyroar.

"No! Pyroar!" Kaitlyn cried, but she knew there was nothing she could do; the attack was coming too fast.

Pyroar was breathing heavily from having used Hyper Beam and her paws were shackled by ice. The royal Pokémon closed her eyes and braced herself as Hydro Pump hit, rushing through her fur. The strength of the attack ripped her paws free of the ice and flung her backwards.

The first- and second-years who had sneaked back from class to watch cheered and clapped Lapras' comeback from behind the glass wall.

Concern blossomed in Kaitlyn's dark brown eyes. Pyroar landed awkwardly, but even so, she tried to get up. Slowly the proud Pokémon regained her footing, her gaze meeting Lapras' now that the smoke had dissipated—until her legs disappeared from under her and she collapsed, eyes closed and breathing heavily. Barely a moment later, Lapras followed. The battle had been close throughout and between their final Pokémon, but Frost had been the one to win and Kaitlyn the one to lose.

"Pyroar is unable to battle!" declared the referee, a young lady in athletic clothing. "The winners are Lapras and Frost!" She had been drafted in from the Festivalight City Gym since Alyssa was one of the examiners.

Applause filled the indoor arena, and eyes marvelled from just beyond before a teacher pretended not to have stopped to watch too and shepherded them away, having realised all his students had vanished. Keiki and some of the others cheered for Kaitlyn, but their class representative looked disappointed. She returned Pyroar to her Ultra Ball.

As she did, her dark brown eyes caught Frost walking past. Unlike in the battle, his icy-blue eyes were not clashing with hers. He held her gaze for a moment and she thought she glimpsed something in his stare: respect. She gave him a nod. After a few seconds, he nodded back.

"Well done, you two! That was such a close battle!" Professor Aconite said warmly as Kaitlyn and Frost rejoined her and the rest of Class 3K. Kaitlyn sat down next to Keiki—Keiki and the other girls offered some consoling words, but Kaitlyn was feeling better already—while Frost sat a few seats away from everyone else.

Although Flame still managed to irritate him, leaning over. With blaze-orange eyes sparkling he said, "Wow! That was an awesome battle, Frost!" but Frost just ignored his insignificant comment. Frost didn't need anyone judging him—telling him how strong he was, especially a loser like Flame who, if he did graduate, would only be scrapping through by a few marks.

"Fantastic! Fantastic work all of you!" Professor Aconite continued. She smiled brightly at her students, her nerves forgotten with the conclusion of the graduation exam. "You've all been outstanding today! You've all worked so hard and put what you have learned over these last three years into practice. And now, well, I really don't want to jinx anything, but I do think based on what I've seen, fingers crossed, I have no concerns; you should all have earned enough marks to pass and graduate with your trainer licenses!"

If anyone hadn't been smiling, they were now. Class 3K congratulated one another and thanked Professor Aconite. Their teacher smiled and thanked them too for being such great students. After all their hard work and the emotions of the final exams, a few people were beginning to realise that their time at the Academy was at an end. While everyone was excited to receive their starter Pokémon and start journeying, a few were having second thoughts and were looking upset.

Professor Aconite noticed and encouraged everyone to look forward to the future. But really, she shared their sadness. She would be given a fresh batch of students in several weeks, and although she was looking forward to new faces with brand-new dreams, she had bonded with Class 3K during their three years together and she would miss seeing their faces in her class. Their first class together flashed in her mind—they had sometimes been a challenge with their competing personalities—but seeing them all now, she knew she had completed her mission as their teacher; she knew her students were on the path towards fulfilling their dreams as Pokémon trainers.

Everyone was celebrating except for Frost. Kaitlyn and Flame looked his way—and even Professor Aconite wandered over to try and convince him—but he would never have joined them. He sat back and stared at their happiness, unable to grasp their logic. They're pathetic, he thought. Arrogant. Thinking graduating's such a big deal. It's only the first step.

His goal had lingered in his mind for years and now it flashed in his mind, closer than ever before. And it was much, much bigger than graduating from some stupid school and their stupid dreams.

Because Frost knew . . .

He was going to beat him.

He was going to beat the Champion of the Ciprys region.

Solomon.

His father.

Author's Notes:
This was unintentional, but I looked back at Chapter 4 after writing most of this chapter and so this chapter pretty much relates to 'Some of their classmates had even whispered that she'd given the Champion's son a run for his money in a battle'. (And so the opening scene compliments the opening scene of Chapter 4 nicely.)

It was nice to feature quite a few characters in this chapter. While this chapter functions as the beginning of the standalone, it's also somewhat a prequel to the main storyline. Alyssa and Merrick got cameos while I was able to give mini introductions to some characters who should be appearing in the main continuity sooner rather than later.

This chapter took on many shapes and forms. I wrote several different openings, but I settled on writing Frost's practical exam for the graduation test. Also meant I got to bring back Kaitlyn and introduce some of the other Class 3K characters, some of whom will be appearing in the main continuity shortly! I've been working on Flame's and Frost's former classmates over the last several months so to finally be able to share some of them is very nice, very nice to introduce Class 3K as this is the first published chapter to do so. Also, there were originally more scenes in this chapter, but I think anything after this while it would have been interesting to read, would have been filler and wouldn't have really developed the story much.

What I like about Frost here is that (at the end of the battle) it looks like he's got an appreciation/respect for Kaitlyn—and overall he looks more 'face'y'—then everyone irritates him for celebrating graduating—partly because I graduate from university recently, and while I was happy to do so, I'm not actually at all bothered about doing the hats-and-gowns ceremony as I think it's a whole lot of pomp and circumstance, etc., but that's just me. I digress—and he calls them 'arrogant' when really the arrogant person is the one saying it. Or is he? It's all in the perspective. :P