Hey guys, guess who's back from the dead. I'm back! Sorry for the later than intended update. I was very sidetracked by Light Novels, game events and well, you know...usual procrastination. :P That and I really need to be more decisive and confident in my writing. I spend to much time think and review my draft :T . This chapter focuses on the LAGS' curriculum and our main cast. Hopefully I didn't leave out anything.

*The spacing seem to be bugging out. It happens randomly whenever I save my drafts so I can't get rid of it completely so don't mind those.

Thanks for the fav/follow if there were any! I don't remember anymore lol... OTL

Edit 1: Corrected a mistake I found. If you didn't notice it, then good for you. If you did, please keep it to yourself for the time being.

Enjoy!

Chapter 2 – Tutoring sessions

From what was told, LAGs' curriculum was faster than those schools Human attend. Because of our circumstances, we have to be readily prepared for any path we would take in the future. Our main modules were selected by the Academy based on our Typings. Certain areas were easier for certain Types. For example, Psychic Types excelled in academics while Fighting, Dragon and Darks Types generally excel in Combat. It's in our Typing's genetics. On top of that, we could take on additional electives of our choice. It was torturous but this was the only way we could survive. Thus with our bleak future as our goal, we grinned and bore with it. As they say, no pain no gain.

That being said, we were strongly encouraged to aid each other if needed. That was why we were gathered in Rufus' room in the Electric Dormitory. His room had the dorm's standard cream walls and basic furnishing. Except, his side of the room was messier with various items scattered about. Jake and I were on his bed while the Pachirisu and Flygon Hybrid were slumped over their homework on the table. Two piles of books and assignments were stacked beside them. One was messily stacked while the other was neater. We had already finished ours half an hour ago so we were relaxing. Jake was flipping through his Geography textbook while I was doing the same with my Chemistry textbook. Taking my brown eyes off the book for a short rest, I looked over to the two at the table. Rufus was staring hard at the assignment with slightly furrowed eyebrows while Kernel on the other hand, was taking his sweet time completing his assignments like usual. Occasionally, he would twirl his pen around his thumb with a casual flick. His bored expression never left his face since the start. Such a sight was nothing new but it nothing to be concern over. He always manages to complete his assignments on time so we never had to bother.

Over by the window, was where my Fletchinder was perched with his black wings tucked in. The gentle outdoor breeze caressed his bright orange and light grey plumage as he basked in the warmth of the sunlight. Like mine, their partner Pokemon were relaxing in the room as well. Every student at the Academy has one Pokemon till graduation. Having too many Pokemon was like biting off more than we could chew since our attention and time would be split between each of them. This practice was implemented to allow us to focus and refine our combat prowess and knowledge to the max. Having multiple Pokemon in battle was an advantage. However, it would cause us to be complacent since we would always have a leeway. Thus, we were being trained to have a solid foundation with one Pokemon to push us further. There would certainly be disadvantages we can't avoid but as long as we surpass them, utilizing any Pokemon for any tactic in the future would be manifold easier. This was the goal for such a limitation. Kernel's Noibat was taking a nap on his shoulder with his wings curled around his neck and the Chinchou and Vaporeon by the base of the bed were Rufus' and Jake's partner respectively. Every student shared at least one Type with his or her partner Pokemon. Thus, it was usual easy to tell who these Pokemon were partners with. A soft thud drew my attention to Rufus. He let out a tired sigh as he collapsed on his assignments.

"It's too hard…" Kernel ruffled Rufus' fluffy, white hair.

"Come on little guy, don't give up. You're almost done." Despite Kernel's encouragement, Rufus stared at his homework in irritation and with a frown. Looking at him, complicated feelings stirred in my heart. Honestly, no one could blame him for acting that way. Our ages weren't that far apart but he's only nine. From what little I could remember from my brief childhood, children his age were usually spending their after school time having fun outside. Not being cooped up with assignments and forced to study topics that were years ahead. …That said, I suppose the norm can't be applied to us anymore. After all, we can't be considered ordinary by any standards. Rufus wasn't a genius. He didn't have the genetics for academics or inclination towards studying. It's a miracle he could cope, albeit barely. I gave a light tug at the edge of his assignment and he shifted aside. Giving it a once over, I nodded internally. The amount of common mistakes he made were lesser than before but he was still careless in certain areas. For the more challenging areas, he'll have to gain some experience with more practice. I explained a few areas that I pointed out before handing it back to him. Looking at the time, a few hours had passed since class ended and it was evening. I sneaked a peek at Rufus. His brows were furrowed as he tried hard to focus on his assignment. I could picture illusionary steam rising from his head. While we couldn't do too much for him in regards to his studies, we tried compromising elsewhere. Rufus didn't know this but between Jake, Kernel and I, we had agreed to spoil him from time to time. Not too much that it would affect his growth but enough for him to enjoy being a child. However minor or fleeting that moment may be, it was the least we could do for him. If we leave soon, it shouldn't be too late to have a small treat before dinner. Well, I suppose now's a good a time as any for a break.

"How about we get some ice cream after you solve this?" Rufus' head shot up. His brown eyes sparkled but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Seeing his expression turn restrained and hesitant, an uncomfortable itch scratched at my heart.

"Are you sure?" I assured him with a smile and nodded.

"We've covered enough for today. What do you guys think?" Jake and Kernel easily agreed to the proposition.

"It's a deal!" Rufus immediately brightened up and tackled with homework with renewed vigor. The perturbing feeling still remained in my heart but I managed to crack a small smile at the sight. Looking over at Jake, he was still absorbed in his textbook. However, he noticed my gaze if his single raised eyebrow indicated anything.

"Are you having any difficulties with any subject?" Like usual, he didn't lift his steely, light grey eyes from his textbook as he replied.

"Linguistics, but we don't have to worry about that for awhile." I nodded in understanding. Linguistics huh… That's true, we don't have any test coming up soon and our homework has been manageable. Still… I tilted my head with a sigh.

"I'm not looking forward to Linguistics class tomorrow." He shot my a dry glance.

"Can a Psychic Type really say that?" I pursed my lips with a huff. Oh come on, Psychic Types aren't all that amazing.

"Our genetics may give me commendable memory retention but it isn't perfect. If it weren't for my genetics, I'd be struggling as well. It's easily to get fatigued on those days." Our Linguistic classes were special. While English is the universal tongue, we learn Pokemon as well. Although I say learn, with all the different cries form every Pokemon, there isn't really a so called 'true' language to learn. According to researches, their language was something imprinted into Pokemon and Hybrids when they were born. Thus, those lessons were geared more to refining our instinctual translator and reading their body language. The success rate and progress varied between individuals but it worked, so all was fine. Other than that, there were foreign tongues and dialects that were optional to pick up. The bed shifted as Kernel plopped down on the other side of Jake and gave us a cheery, toothy grin.

"Hey enough of the depressing topic. Linguistics aside, at least there's Combat class tomorrow." We nodded in unison. Combat class was where everybody vented out. It made our spars harder but we got stronger in return so it works out. Besides, the physical exhaustion is very refreshing after all the mental strain we have to go through. Even for my fellow Psychics. I bent forward to look over at Kernel.

"Are you finally done with your homework?" He gave a carefree laugh.

"Nope!" My eyebrow twitched. This guy... His red eyes darted between the two of us and with a loose grin, he shrugged us off. "Come on, it's called a break. We need it every once in a while so it's fine." A break, right. Sigh... He does this every time. I can't fathom how he could be this relaxed all the time. He clearly knows what's at stake for all of us yet, he's like this. It's not like his academics have any outstanding result to show either. Well whatever, I decided to let it drop. Pondering further was only going to give me a headache so I stared out of the window instead. Jake on the other hand, threw a snappy comment.

"Once in a while? You take too many too often." Kernel threw an exasperated half grin towards Jake.

"Minor details." I paid no further attention to them and allowed my mind to wander to take a short moment of respite. Jake's and Kernel's usual back and forth banter became a comforting background noise as I absentmindedly stared at my Fletchinder's plumage being gently ruffled by the cool outdoor breeze. A wave of tranquility washed over me. I wouldn't have minded taking a short nap if it weren't for Rufus' cheery voice snapping me out of it.

"I did it!" He held out his completed assignment to me with expectant eyes. I resisted the urge to pinch his cheek. He really is too cute. Checking his homework, I nodded. His answers weren't fully detailed and there were some minor errors here and there but they were good enough. Definitely a passing grade at least. I passed it back to him with a smile.

"Well done." His body loosened in relief as he slumped in his chair. I gave his fluffy white hair a brief ruffle and stood up. With a stretch, I turned to my friends with a smile. "Let's get going before it gets too late, shall we?"

By the time we stepped out of the Electric Dorm, it was already late in the evening. Outside the Dorm was a vast, open plain. The plains were located at the center of Kastyr, just a little towards the south where the coast was. It housed the Normal Dorm as well. They were situated closer to the center of Kastyr where the Academy was. By our side were our partner Pokemon. We don't like the idea of keeping our Pokemon cooped up in their Pokeball so we usually have them out and about. Jake's Vaporeon walked beside his Trainer and Kernel's Noibat was flying freely above us. Meanwhile, Rufus' Chinchou was riding on his head and my partner Pokemon was perched on my shoulder. I scratched my partner Pokemon under his chin. He leaned into my touch and purred contently. I've had my partner ever since he was a tiny Fletchling. That was roughly 4 years ago if I'm not mistaken. Time sure flew by. About 10 minutes into our journey, the sudden lack of a set of footsteps quickly caught our attention. Turning around, Kernel had stopped a short distance from us as he looked into the distance to our right. We followed Kernel's line of sight to whatever caught his attention. There in the distance, a translucent lilac box seemed to be erected. This was something we were all too familiar with it. That is a barrier, meaning a duel was being held. Kernel, Jake and I glanced at each other and then to Rufus. Rufus noticed our inquiring gaze and his eyes constantly darted between each of us. He fidgeted on the spot and was clearly reluctant. I placed my hands together in front of me and bent down to match his height.

"Can we take a quick look? Please? I promise it won't take long." Rufus eyes shifted. He pursed his lips but I could clearly see that he was wavering to my coaxing. Sorry Rufus, let us be selfish for a bit. After a short moment of contemplation, his reluctance eventually turned into resignation and his pointy ears drooped. He pouted with his cheeks puffed out.

"..Fine." I let out a giggle and gently pinched his soft cheek as I thanked him. Kernel laughed and threw a teasing grin at the Pachirisu Hybrid.

"You can't ever say no to 'Rena, can you?" Rufus' pout intensified and he turned to the side with a indigent huff. His ears and tail were twitching about as a light blush dusted his cheeks.

"T-That's not true! B-Besides, Jake and you wanted to see it too." Kernel teasing grin grew wider. He wanted to tease him further when Jake stepped in. He walked past and softly patted Rufus' shoulder. A small, almost missable smile adorned his lips.

"That's enough teasing, we should get moving before its over." Without further delay, we sprinted towards the scene. Out of us four Hybrids, I was in the lead closely followed by Rufus and Kernel. Jake was slower than us by quite a lot so he brought up the rear. The three of us paced ourselves to Jake's speed so the distance between us wasn't big. The barrier we saw earlier were boundaries that were created whenever a duel would occur outside of the Academy's battlefields. This was to prevent duelers from accidentally destroying their surroundings and hurting innocent bystanders. Any Psychic Type could set up the barrier if they were strong enough. However, their barriers had to constantly withstand their attacks and be maintained for however long the fight lasted. Thus, it was usually done by a Teacher or an Upperclassmen.

When we drew closer to the crowd, the sounds of clashes grew louder. The crowd stood my a curtain and blocked my vision especially with my shorter height. I inwardly cursed. Damn it, why does everybody have to be so tall. I levitated myself to get a clearer view. Within the lilac barrier, the field was filled with scars. Thin scorch marks scarred the ground along with a few elongated slash marks. The frequent burst of electricity and onslaught of dark attacks showed this duel was most likely between an Electric Type and a Dark Type. However, that was all I could tell. They were moving too fast to follow clearly. Their blurry figures would only be visible for a brief moment when they had to dodge or when their attack connected. It hasn't been long since I entered the Academy so my combat experience was lacking. Thus, my eyes couldn't keep up with the fight.A stray Night Slash crashed against the barrier and the impact sent out a small shockwave. The dissipating negative energy made me uncomfortable and my hair stood up. Even if I couldn't see the battle clearly, I could sense the energy fluctuations and their intensity. My Psychic senses painted me a slightly clearer mental image of the fight but it was still a mess. I've witnessed multiple battles within my cohort but the disparity between what I've seen and the two currently in front of me is an eye opener. It was common sense that the Upperclassmen were way stronger than us but actually witnessing the disparity felt different. Just the thought of being able to pull of a fight of this caliber in the future sent a wave of excitement throughout my body. I hovered a while longer before joining my friends who managed to move themselves in front. I descended with ease and my feet landed softly on the ground. Jake's navy blue hair shifted to the side as he tilted his head and looked towards me from the corner of his eyes.

"Catch anything?"

"Hardly." What we saw were most likely not any different so I shook my head. Glancing around the audience, there were those who had similar looks of confusion written on their faces. They were most likely freshmen like us. However, the eyes of majority of the audience were darting back and forth with an focused expression. Upperclassmen no doubt. It's a pity. However, if we couldn't keep up with the fight, there wasn't any point to sticking around. With a small, internal sigh, I was about to suggest leaving when I was stunned with what I saw. Unlike Jake's and Rufus' who had the same look of loss, Kernel was different. He seemed absorbed into the fight and his red eyes were darting around just like the Upperclassmen. I'm not seeing things, am I?

"You...can follow the fight?" Kernel sent me an amused wink.

"I have to be good at something, right?" That...would certainly make sense considering how his studies fared. Kernel's strong point had always been in Combat with his Dragon Typing helping him. Of course it was nice to know that he excelled somewhere. Still being in the same class, I can't say that I particularly like this vast difference in combat ability. We continued observing what we could from the fight when a small tug on my sleeve caught my attention. Rufus was looking up at me with his brown, round eyes.

"Can we go?" My lips tugged into a small smile. I admit, we were taking a little longer than I had intended. The poor guy must have been bored. Jake was already by Rufus' side so that leaves Kernel. I took one last glance at the high speed fight and then at Kernel. Said person's lip quirked a small smile. His gazed lingered on the fight a brief moment longer before he turned to Rufus with a wide smile.

"Lead the way kiddo."

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Follow, favorite or simply leave a review! ConCrit is greatly appreciated and do feel free to point out any parts that weren't explained clearly. I'm trying to build a slow but solid foundation as a start. I've tried fixing it but I still feel that some sentences didn't flow very fluidly. Oh well...

Also, a quick question, would you prefer if I gave nicknames to their Pokemon? It will be easy to tell what actions were done by who but, there will be a lot of Pokemon between all the key characters I have planned out so it may get messy. I'm not kidding when I say A LOT. Do let me know what you think!

Till next time!