The Trainer Program

Miya, surprisingly, slept like a rock that night. No longer nervous the next morning, she rode her bike to school to see if results had been posted yet. They hadn't.

"I can't believe this!" cried Lara dramatically. "I feel like I've been waiting my whole life for that piece of paper!"

"We have," commented one of their classmates, Cade, flatly.

Tanya, a tall girl with a long braid down her back, added, "Well, we all are, like, half an hour early."

A third of the junior class of Tidewater High anxiously socialized in the courtyard in front of the bulletin board where results would be for posted what felt like hours. The school could only allow 50 students into the trainer program. This year, competition was fierce. There were 51 applicants. As usual, most of the aspiring trainers were boys, but Miya was pleasantly surprised by the turnout for girls. Time ticked by slowly as she pretended to listen to Lara gossip with some of her other friends.

At last, the balding principal appeared at the front doors with a handful of papers and a stapler. Everyone froze as he stapled the notices to the board. They stared as they waited. As he retreated to his office, chaos broke out.

Lara tugged Miya onto her feet and pulled her towards the board. Everyone rushed to make sure that they weren't the one person left without a trainer license. Miya and Lara stood on tip toes to try and see the board over the crowd gathered around. "Screw this, I can't see a thing," said Lara to Miya. The crowd eventually thinned and the girls approached the board, hushed, like it was a religious shrine. Miya held her breath and scanned the list for her name.

"YES!" Lara screamed suddenly, grabbing Miya in a huge hug and jumping up and down. "I made it I made it I made it!"

Miya nodded. "Uhhh... yeah that's great, Lara!" She sidestepped out of the hug and scanned the list again. And again.

"Umm... Miya, I don't see your name on here," Lara commented over Miya's shoulder slowly.

Miya staggered back. "I... I guess I didn't make it..."

Lara's mouth dropped open. "What?! That's bullshit! You so made it! Let's go look at the other list for partner assignments." Every trainer on their journey, was assigned a partner student. Together, the two would spend the school year earning gym badges together and ultimately write a term paper at the end of the year on their experiences.

Maybe there was a mistake, maybe. Miya bit her lip as Lara tugged her to the other side of the board. Lara ran her finger along the paper. "Oh... I'm with... ugh," she looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. "I'm with Kokoro. She's nice and all, but..."

"Um, don't worry about it," Miya said distractedly, beginning to walk off.

"Wait! Miya!" Miya whipped around. "You're right here! With... Oh, come on! How?-"

"What? What do you see?"

"You're with..." Lara turned around, fire boiling her aqua eyes. "You're with Jiro!"

"What?" Miya floundered, taken aback. "Let me see that!" She nudged Lara over. Sure enough... her name was there, next to Jiro's.

"But... but? What?" Her eyes darted back to find her name's absence on the approved trainer list. "Relax, Lara, there must be a mistake..."

Lara was fuming. Angry tears filled her eyes. "You didn't even make the trainer list and you get to go with him?! Why didn't I-? I can't believe this! Ughh! Miya, it's not your fault, but just... Just don't talk to me, okay?" Lara stalked off.

Miya's heart and mind raced. She checked the lists again and again. She shook her head. That's it; she'd just have to talk to Principal Kenta. Composing herself and brushing aside her bangs, she walked around the courtyard and knocked on the door to his office. "Come in," he called.

Miya opened the door and stepped inside cautiously. She shut the door behind her quietly and dipped her head to the principal. "What can I do for you, young lady?"

Miya took a deep breath and said it all in one sentence: "Excuse me I'm Miya Cattano and I'm not on the trainer list but the other list says I'm paired up with Jiro Takata but if I'm not even approved for a trainer license then I probably shouldn't be signed up to go with him-"

The principal laughed a deep, guttural laugh. "Whoa, there... Miya, is it? Why don't you sit down?"

Miya took another deep breath and composed herself again. "Sorry. There- there was a typo, right? I am a trainer... right?

The principal leafed through some papers on his desk. "Well, no, you haven't been accepted into the Trainer Program, so I can't give you a trainer license and you can't enter the Pokémon League."

"Ohhhh," Miya breathed, crestfallen. She struggled to hide her disappointment. "Um... so why am I going with Jiro Takata?"

"You should ask Professor Juniper about that!" said the principal jauntily, with special emphasis on the 'Juniper', handing Miya an envelope with her name on it.

"Um... okay..." She took the envelope tentatively. "But… I thought the school only could admit the top 50, so isn't there an odd… number…?"

"Yes, well, the Burke triplets, you know them, I'm sure- inseparable- their parents requested that they be partnered together. Did you know the three of them tied in scores exactly? Fascinating, don't you think? Anyway, it's a rare year; there are 51 of you."

"Oh."

"Between you and me, Miya," he said conspiratorially, "Professor Juniper loves you as an intern, and if the council annoyed her by not letting you go, well… Did you know, if you'd gotten three points higher you might have a trainer license yourself in the midst of all these exceptions?"

But I don't, thought Miya.

"Now never mind that; go outside and enjoy the nice day! Professor Juniper will explain your assignment for the upcoming school year." Miya stood, taking her cue to leave. She dipped her head again. "Uh, thanks a lot," she said, exiting quickly.