"Celeste!" Ash rushed foward and thre his arms around his friend.
"Ash!" Celeste greeted him, just as excited. Both of them had missed each other a lot and are feeling the absence of Cilan quite hard. "How was your summer in Kalos?"
"I had so much fun!" Ash exclaimed. "Landon evolved into a Gabite! I also caught a Noibat and Goomy! They are named Bruce and Nephertite! Best vacation ever!"
"That's so cool!" Celeste exclaimed, eyes sparkling. Her shy personality has long gone, it tends to happen when you spend so much time with Ash, he simply brings you out from your shell. "Naiad and Hestia evolved into Vaporeon and Flareon back home! My mom also got me another Eevee! His name is Pan and wants to evolve into a Leafeon!"
"It seems that we both had a great time!" Ash threw his head back laughing and groaned when the bell rang. "I still have so much to tell you!"
"You can do that during the break!" Celeste laughed. "We can go to our tree and we will tell each other everything. I kind of want to know how you got a Key Stone!" She raised an eyebrow, pointing at the golden dragon claw necklace he was wearing.
"You know about Key Stones and Mega Stones?!" Ash asked stunned, as the two of them were making their way to their classroom.
"We were taught about it last year in class!" Celeste protested.
"Yes, about Mega Evolution! Not about the stones!" Ash protested with an adorable pout, he did not look like a thirteen years old boy going on fourteen.
"That's what research is there for!" Celeste scolded him gently.
"My bad," Ash shrugged sheepishly. "Not my best moment."
"Clearly!" Celeste huffed in amusement.
They entered the classroom laughing and joking, greeting their classmates, especially Ashley and Laura, who have become close friends with them. They took their seats and paid attention in class, as usual the first day back to school was slow and easy. However, as both Ash and Celeste were excited about sharing their vacation stories, they were quite impatient for the class to end. They practically ran out of class, as soon as the bell rang.
They gathered under their tree, missing the absence of Cilan, but still quite content about being in each other's company. Sharing their tales, as their pokemon did the same. Of course, they made a pitstop to take Drako and Zeus. The two pokemon were quite happy to meet their trainers and pokemon Friends again.
"Wow! You had quite a busy vacation!" Celeste murmured in awe. "And Landon! You evolved to save your friend, such an honourable way to evolve! I am so proud of you!" Landon blushed at the praise, but puffed his chest in pride. "Also, Altaria becomes part fairy when she Mega Evolves?! That's so cool!"
"I know!" Ash agreed. "It took her a while to get used to it, but when she did, she mastered Moonblast in only a couple of weeks!"
"Mega Evolution is just on another level!" Celeste whistled. "You also bought TM's?!"
"Yes, there was a store in Kalos and I have quite a lot saved from helping at the preserve," Ash told her. "I bought Sleep Talk, Substitute, and Protect. They gather all the bases for protection and every pokemon can use them. I bought them reusable, it was a little bit more expensive but worth it. Do you want to share them?"
"Really?!" Celeste exclaimed surprised. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome!" Ash laughed, hugging her back when she threw herself at him. "But it's gonna get rough from no won, we both have a full team or almost a full team, with school and our pokemon… we will be busy."
"You're right, we'll need to learn how to organize ourselves," Celeste agreed thoughtfuly. "Otherwise, we will run ourselves ragged."
"My first objective will be to help Drako evolve into Fraxure!" Ash jumped on his feet, excited and determined. He looked into Drako's eyes, who returned his look of excitement and determination. "I see you've worked hard during our time apart and I can see you are ready to evolve at any moment."
"Then, you should talk with Dean Drayden!" Celeste supported her friend. "He is an expert in the Axew line!"
"I will do that!" Ash exclaimed, rushing away towards the academy's building, being followed by his pokemon.
"That boy will never change," Celeste chuckled, Nyx and Dolos snickered with her, as the resto f her pokemon played around.
Meanwhile, with Ash, he had burst into Dean Drayden's office with a huge smile on his face. "Sensei! I have so much to ask you!"
"I was expecting you," Drayden smiled, as he gestured to the seat in front of his desk with a gentle smile.
Ash's pokemon moved to a corner of the office, where Drayden's ace was laying down. Drako was quite interested on the pokemon, looking at the Haxorous in awe. Haxorus was an imposing and majestic creature, exuding strength and power. His dark, yellow-green covering on his back and front gave him a distinct and formidable appearance.
The vibrant red eyes of Haxorus, complemented by his black pupils, gave him an intense and focused gaze. One that sent shivers down Drako's back when they locked gases. Haxorus eyes were keen and observant, always aware of his surroundings.
Haxorus, despite his intimidating appearance, was friendly and approachable, he is always willing top lay with Drako when the smaller pokemon finds him. It made Drako love him like a big brother and emulate him.
"Really?" Ash sounded surprised, as he took a seat, with Ele standing behind him like always.
"Of course! You got two new pokemon, dragons! I wanted to check how you've been managing," Drayden replied.
"Oh, well, I've been doing well," Ash replied slowly. "Bruce has only recently hatched and Nephertite is still quite young, so there isn't much I can do for them. Mostly light training, bulding up power, speed, and stamina. Then we will proceed with mastering the moves they already know, before passing into learning new moves. However, that will only happen next year."
"On your last year here," Drayden hummed. "That will be hard."
"I know! Which is why I came here to ask you for advice!" Ash replied, beaming. "It will be hard, but this year will be a trial process! Our first goal is to help Drako evolve into a Fraxure!"
"Yes, he does look ready for that," Drayden agreed, looking at the small Axew that was cooing at his starter. "First thing to take into consideration, Fraxures are very violent and territorial. Fights over turf often break out between their species. Drako won't be the same cute pokemon you've been training, you will need to reign him in."
"I know and I am ready," Ash answered seriously, before laughing.
"What's so funny?" Drayden asked curiously.
"I was just thinking how ironic it is that Landon as a Gible gave me more difficulties than Drako as an Axew, but on their second stage evolution things will be the other way around," Ash continued laughing, as Ele giggled behind him- her boys are too amusing at times.
"That is funny," Drayden agreed with a chuckle. "I don't think I've said it before, but congratulations Landon!" He turned to the Gabite who looked up and straightened up under the gaze of the Dragon Master. "You discovered that searching for power is to protect others, not for your own benefit. I knew you would!"
"Ga-gabite!" Landon roared proudly.
"Let's get back to our small lesson," Drayden turned to Ash. "Axew's tusks can regenerate if broken and will regrow if they fall out. This repeated regrowth strengthens and sharpens their tusks. However, as a Fraxure they cannot regrow their tusks, understood?"
"So, if they break… that's it?" Ash asked in shock.
"Yes, which is why Fraxures only use their tusks when needed," Drayden answered. "When they evolve to Haxorus, their tusks will be strong enough to cut through steel, so you won't need to worry then."
"The issue is until then," Ash murmured in worry, making Ele fret behind him- she never learn how to deal when her trainer was not his happy self.
"Which is why you have me here," Drayden reminded him gently. "I will teach you everything I know."
"Please do!" Ash perked up, looking at Drayden with determination.
"Good," the Dean replied and continued his lesson as Ash paid attention and took notes on his Pokedex.
This will only be the first private lesson between Drayden and Ash, lessons that will continue even after Drako's evoltuion and will spread to other dragon species other than the Axew line.
