Chapter 5

As we ascend the staircase, the grandeur of the university building comes into view. The entrance hall welcomes us with an impressive display of knowledge, shelves upon shelves of books encompassing the area. our eyes light up with excitement as we take in the surroundings.

Nemona, our guide through this academic labyrinth, extends a warm welcome. "Here we are, Florian and Juliana! Welcome to Narauva Academy! This here's the entrance hall! You can sign up for all kinds of classes at the desk behind me, and those halls off to the sides lead to all different parts of the school. It's totally big enough to let loose and battle in here, but for some reason, they banned Pokemon battling in the main entrance."

Serena ponders the reasoning behind the prohibition. "Perhaps they're safeguarding the books from any collateral damage," she suggests.

Suddenly, Clavell, the academy's esteemed director, makes his entrance. "Mister Florian, Miss Juliana, Miss Nemona," he addresses us. "How did you find this school commute?"

I reply with enthusiasm, "It has been a thrilling experience. This place is nothing short of astonishing."

Clavell acknowledges our adventure thus far. "I imagine Miss Nemona's high spirits helped with that. She's a true asset to our fine academy."

"Well, I know how to look after my friends! Right, Florian, Juliana? Oh! But speaking of which... we saw some of those Team Star kids in town, Director!" Nemona exclaims, her dedication to our well-being evident in her words.

The director appears taken aback by this revelation. "You did?! Where?" His surprise is evident.

I chime in, providing more details. "It was just down the stairs from the front gates. They were bothering a student who had an Eevee backpack."

The director absorbs this information, concern etched on his face. "That is quite the news. Are they still to be found out there?" he inquires.

Nemona shares the outcome of our encounter with Team Star. "Actually, Florian flexed on 'em and ran 'em off," she says with a hint of pride.

The director nods thoughtfully, his tone conveying both appreciation and caution. "Of course, it's a fine thing to try to help a fellow student, Mister Florian... But you might wish to show a bit of restraint as you find your feet here at our academy."

I acknowledge my mistake, feeling a pang of regret. "I'm sorry... I'll exercise more caution in the future."

Clavell, the wise and responsible director, addresses Nemona with a reminder. "And, Miss Nemona, do remember that the school's staff is here to resolve any such troubles."

Nemona acknowledges this with a slightly flustered response. "Uh... Right! Yes sir, Director!"

Clavell, adjusting his glasses, considers the situation further. "A child with an Eevee backpack, you say... I suppose that might have been Miss Penny. I'm relieved to hear she's come to class, at least. Ah, and Miss Nemona? It you'd be so good, do report to Mr. Jacq about this Team Star business. As your homeroom teacher, he should be kept apprised of all such goings-on."

Nemona readily agrees, saying, "You got it, sir."

Clavell then checks the time and urges us along. "Ah, but look at the time. You two had better hurry along - class will be starting soon."

Serena, curious about our schedule, inquires, "Starting soon? So we still have class this afternoon?"

Nemona confirms, "Yes, we have Pokémon Biology class at 3 pm. That's Professor Jacq's class. We can introduce you to our classmates there."

With excitement and anticipation, Serena and I exchange smiles as we follow Nemona to the classroom. Before we enter, Nemona takes it upon herself to inform Professor Jacq about our arrival, ensuring a smooth transition into our new academic environment.

"Good morning, Mr. Jacq!" I can hear the cheerful greetings of the students in the classroom as they address their teacher.

Jacq, with an enthusiastic tone, responds, "Hello, hello, everyone. We have some exciting news this afternoon. Who wants to hear it?"

Amidst the students' eager responses, Jacq continues, "I suppose I should have told you sooner, but we have two new little friends joining our happy homeroom as of today. All right! You two can come on in!"

With Jacq's invitation, Serena and I make our entrance into the homeroom. The room comes alive with recognition and excited voices as our fellow classmates notice our arrival.

As I scan the classroom and spot familiar faces—my sister Golly, Luke, Drandon, Lucine, David, and Elline—I'm overwhelmed by a mix of surprise and delight. They don't seem to recognize us in our clever disguises, which adds an element of intrigue to the situation.

Jacq takes charge and silences the curious chatter in the classroom. "All right," he begins, "could I trouble you two for a few words introducing yourselves?"

I acknowledge the request with a nod and offer a friendly greeting, "Hello, everyone. My name is Florian, and these are my trusty partners, Pikachu and Zoroark. I'm excited to get to know all of you and engage in some epic Pokémon battles."

Serena, in her role as Juliana, adds with a smile, "And I'm Juliana, and this is my beloved partner, Sylveon. I have a deep passion for Pokémon, and, like Florian, I'm looking forward to making friends and studying together with all of you."

Jacq observes the enthusiastic response from our classmates. "It seems like everyone's eager to get to know the two of you, Florian and Juliana," he remarks. "All right, then. Who wants to be the first to ask our new friends a question?"

A student eagerly raises their hand and directs their question to Serena, asking, "Can I ask Juliana a question? What's your favorite thing about Pokémon?"

Serena responds with a warm smile, "I think all Pokémon are amazing. It's incredibly fun to get to know each one and learn more about their unique qualities."

Next up is Nemona, who wastes no time in asking a pointed question. "You went to all the trouble of enrolling here, so spill, Florian... What do you hope to get out of it? You must have some kind of dream, right?"

I answer confidently, "It's quite simple, really. I've been on a journey for years, and my dream remains unchanged. I want to become the very best like no one ever was."

I can see that Golly twitches a little as she probably recognizes me after I said that. Nemona beams with enthusiasm, showing her support. "You will be! Oh, I just know it! You and me—we're going to get so strong battling together!"

Mr. Jacq, our teacher, takes the opportunity to introduce himself. "Well, thank you for telling us a bit about yourselves, Florian and Juliana. I'm Mr. Jacq. I teach Pokémon Biology here at the academy, and I'm also your homeroom teacher. Juliana, your seat is next to Nemona in the first row, while Florian, you'll be sitting with Golly in the second row."

We follow Mr. Jacq's instructions and take our seats. Golly immediately uses an aura link and asks, "What the hell, brother? You're here as well?"

"Nice to see you again, Golly," I reply back. "Mom's idea to ask Serena and me to use disguises."

Mr. Jacq wraps up the introductions with a jovial reminder, "All right, you ragamuffins. Be kind and welcoming to our new classmates!" With that, our first class at Narauva Academy begins, and I can't help but feel excited about the adventures and learning that await us.

After two hours of engaging Pokémon Biology class, Serena and I find ourselves surrounded by our friendly classmates, eager to learn more about us. They inquire about our origins and even ask if we're familiar with the renowned Ash Ketchum, who is, in fact, me. It's evident that our disguises have worked quite well, granting us the luxury of anonymity.

As we later convene in the cafeteria, Golly expresses her disbelief, saying, "All right, brother. I can't believe you didn't get recognized by anyone else."

This revelation prompts gasps of surprise from Golly, Luke, and Elline. Elline, clearly astonished, exclaims, "Ash and Serena? Seriously?"

Serena, with a warm smile, responds, "It's wonderful to see you all again. It has indeed been a while since our unforgettable journey in Kalos."

Drandon acknowledges our successful disguise, saying, "Wow, under those disguises, you actually fooled everyone. But then again, we understand why you need the disguise."

David, curious about our recent exploits, inquires further, "Yeah, for some reason, you've even become royalty in Galar, or should we say the new king? What's going on then?"

Realizing it's time to share our extraordinary journey, we decide to reveal the truth, and our friends can only gasp in awe as they listen to our remarkable experiences.

Just as we finish explaining, Arven, to our surprise, joins us at the table. "Oh, hey. So we meet again!" he says, adding an unexpected twist to our reunion.

Surprised by Arven's presence and his knowledge of our true identities, I ask, "Arven? What are you doing here?"

He explains, "The whole school seems to be talking about you, the new kids who showed up with the student council president. And as I checked my Rotom Phone, I stumbled upon something interesting. It appears that you are none other than the 8-region-champion Ash Ketchum and the famous idol Serena?"

Serena and I exchange nervous glances, realizing that our cover might be on the verge of exposure. I quickly respond, "Please keep it low-key, Arven. We'd prefer not to have too much of a celebrity life."

"I normally wouldn't even bother showing up for class, but I came all the way to school today just to talk with you—our new celebrity. You've gotta help me out so I can finally make my dream a reality!" Arven implores. "And I promise, I won't spill the beans about your identity to everyone."

Curious about Arven's dream, I inquire, "What's your dream, Arven? Can you tell us more about it?"

He begins to explain, "Well, this might come as a surprise, but the fact is, I'm all about that picnic life: the great outdoors, the perfectly prepared sandwiches, all of it. Not half bad at cooking either, I can tell you. Right now I'm researching new recipes that'll help Pokemon feel better. Real health food, see."

Arven then reveals a book with scarlet and violet covers. "I found this book the other day, and it had a section about these Herba Mystica things..."

"Herba Mystica?" Drandon inquires, intrigued.

Arven enthusiastically explains, "Basically, they're some kind of special herbs that heal up any Pokemon as soon as it eats them! Now, there are a total of five different types of Herba Mystica, based on what I read. Just taking a little lick of them once they've been powdered will get your blood flowing, provide nutrients, and prevent aging - it'll even boost the immune system. These herbs seem like they're the real deal. Only found here in Paldea - and rare to boot!"

"Wow," I respond, genuinely impressed.

Arven continues, "But this book says that they're all guarded by Titan Pokemon, meaning that it's gonna be pretty tough to try to grab even a few sprigs. 'Cause, see, Titans are - Well, I think they're gotta be... things like this!"

"Titan Pokemon again?" I mutter as we have a lot of experience dealing with them.

Monsters of Area Zero

"As we descended further into Area Zero, we began to catch glimpses of mysterious Pokémon—though we wondered if these huge, ferocious beasts were indeed Pokémon at all. One of our team suffered a brutal blow from such a beast and was mortally wounded, forcing us to retreat for a time."

"A member of the survey team captured these photograph by chance. I notice a passing resemblance to the Pokémon known as Donphan, yet differences such as its sheer size and the shape of its back set it apart—as do its great tusks. another yet differences such as its texture and the way it moves suggest it is biologically separate—to say nothing of its treads of iron."

Arven closes the book and says, "I really want to get those herbs for myself, but I'm not very good at Pokemon battles. I also don't have any friends with strong Pokemon to lend me a hand, either...And I'd never hear the end of it if I went crawling to that student council girl..."

"So, you want my help because of my World Monarch status, right? I do have some experience dealing with Totem Pokémon, so I imagine this will be quite an exciting adventure," I respond.

Serena chimes in, sharing the sentiment, "You're absolutely right; it'll be thrilling to see what these Titans are like."

Arven offers his assistance, saying, " I'll just register the places where it seems there might be Titans in your map app for you." After he provides us with the information, we see that there are five Titans, each of a different type: the Stony Cliff Titan (Rock Type), Lurking Steel Titan (Steel Type), Open Sky Titan (Flying Type), Quaking Earth Titan (Ground Type), and False Dragon Titan (Dragon Type). While there are pictures, they appear blurry, leaving us in suspense about their true appearances.

"Let it stew a bit, and we can get more into the details later. And in the meantime...take this. A little gift for listening and all." He gives us 5 bags of stardust, one for each, and he decides to leave after finish eating. "Give the idea some serious thought! Please!"

"Sure." Then we decide to talk about those Titan Pokemon and thinking what they are like.

As dinner concludes, I notice my phone displaying "Anonymous" as the caller, prompting me to answer the call. "Hello? Who is this?" I inquire.

The voice on the other end responds, "This is Ash, correct? And I assume that Serena is also with you?"

We look around and notice everyone, nobody is bothering us so we sigh in relief. "Don't worry, your secret is safe within me."

Surprised and wary, I question, "Wait, who are you, and how did you even obtain my phone number?"

The voice casually replies, "I hacked your smartphone so I could talk to you. Hope you don't mind."

Drandon gasps, expressing his concern, "A hacker? That's quite risky."

Elline shares her skepticism, saying, "Why would a hacker want to contact you? That does sound suspicious." The mysterious caller's intentions raise questions and apprehension among our group.

Luke expresses his suspicions, suggesting, "I bet they're just after your money..."

Lillie, however, maintains her composure and curiosity, asking, "Calm down, guys. So, what do you want from us?"

"My name is Cassiopeia. But never mind that, and if you have friends with you then they better listen to this as well. I hear that you're trainers with serious potential. If that description is accurate, there's something I'd like to ask of you." She acknowledges our potential as trainers and explains, "If that description is accurate, there's something I'd like to ask of you."

Intrigued, I inquire, "What is it?"

Cassiopeia then brings up a familiar name, asking, "Tell me, Florian and Juliana... You're aware of Team Star, correct?"

"We are," I confirm. "Weren't they the individuals causing trouble at the school? We did encounter two of them trying to harass a girl."

"Team Star is a group of troublemakers formed by some academy students a while back... They cause headaches for the school and try to bring other students down to their level. And I refuse to sit idly by and let them get away with it! So I've come up with a plan to bring down Team Star and force them to disband for good."

The unexpected revelation leaves all five of us exclaiming in surprise, "What?"

The mysterious caller continues, "I call it...Operation Starfall! But I'll need allies to carry out this operation...and I'd like you to be one of them."

We exchange glances, and I voice our collective curiosity, "So, what's the plan, then?"

The caller responds, "No need to reply right this second. We can discuss the details some other time. Till then, I'll leave you to it. Bye." With that, the anonymous caller abruptly ends the call, and we suddenly hear another voice in the room. We're taken aback when the director, Clavell, suddenly appears in front of us.

"Ah, Mister Florian," he greets us, causing all of us to flinch.

"D-director?" Drandon stammers, and the rest of us show signs of nervousness.

Clavell kindly advises, "Please do try to keep your voices down when making calls within the school, won't you?"

I respond respectfully, "Of course, sir."

The director continues, "After all, You don't want anyone else overhearing any personal information, after all. Honestly... There are so many things we need to be careful about in this day and age. On you go, then, young man."

We all bow to the director before departing from the dining hall. After we leave, Clavell is left pondering, "Team Star, you say...?"

Outside the dining hall, Golly raises a concern, "Do you think the director overheard everything? I mean, about Team Star?"

Serena speculates, "Perhaps he did... By the way, we should locate Nemona in the staff room so we can receive our dorm keys and room assignments." Our focus shifts to the more immediate task of settling into our new living arrangements at Narauva Academy.

And here is a new chapter, as you can see, Ash and Serena are now getting along with new classmates, and the travel companions have been decided as well. I hope you like this chapter.

Ash and Serena's Pokemon:

Charizard x2, Pikachu x2, Primeape, Lapras, Wooper (Paldean), Girafarig, Dunsparce, Steelix (Crystal), Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Garchomp, Lucario, Krookodile, Zoroark, Bisharp, Greninja, Sylveon, Noivern, Lycanroc (Dusk), Mimikyu (Shiny), Corviknight, Indeedee x2, Kleavor, Sneasler, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, Lechonk x2, Tarountula, Pawmi, Fidough, Shroodle, Wiglett