The moment Ash stepped into the training grounds at Beacon, a quiet murmur spread among the students gathered there. He wasn't sure why everyone seemed so interested, but it became clear when a tall, red-haired girl with a confident stride approached him.

"Hello there," she said warmly, offering a polite smile. "You must be new here. I'm Pyrrha Nikos."

Ash blinked, realizing her name sounded oddly familiar. "Oh, hi! I'm Ash Ketchum, and this is my partner, Pikachu."

"Pika!" Pikachu greeted with a cheerful wave of its paw.

A few students nearby whispered excitedly. "He's talking to Pyrrha…" one muttered. "Does he not know who she is?"

Pyrrha chuckled softly, sensing Ash's confusion. "It's nice to meet you, Ash. And Pikachu too. I couldn't help but notice something about you… Your aura is quite strong."

Ash tilted his head. "Aura? You know about aura?"

Pyrrha raised an amused eyebrow. "Of course. Aura is a fundamental part of what we are as Huntsmen and Huntresses. It's the manifestation of our life force. Surely you know that?"

"Well, I know about aura, but…" Ash scratched the back of his head. "It's not really common where I'm from. People don't talk about it much."

"Fascinating," Pyrrha said, genuinely intrigued. "Your aura feels different—unique, even. It's strong but… untamed. Like it's connected to something much bigger."

Ash blinked, unsure how to respond. "Uh, thanks, I guess?"

Before Pyrrha could elaborate, an unmistakable voice interrupted them.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune Arc jogged over, looking slightly disheveled as usual. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Ash. His eyes narrowed, glancing between Ash, Pikachu, and Pyrrha. "Who's this guy?"

"This is Ash Ketchum," Pyrrha said, unfazed. "He's new here, and we were just having a conversation."

Jaune crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. "Oh, great. Another guy who thinks he's special." He looked down at Pikachu, who was sitting on Ash's shoulder. "And what is that? Some kind of weird mutant rat?"

Pikachu's ears twitched.

Ash frowned. "Hey, don't talk about Pikachu like that. He's not a rat—he's my partner!"

"Pika," Pikachu growled, its red cheeks sparking slightly.

Jaune smirked. "Whatever. It doesn't look so tough to me. Are you sure it's not just some pet? Looks kind of useless."

That was the final straw. Pikachu leaped off Ash's shoulder and landed in front of Jaune, sparks now flying wildly from its cheeks.

"Uh, Jaune…" Pyrrha said, sensing what was about to happen.

Jaune leaned down, waving his hand dismissively at Pikachu. "What's it gonna do? Squeak at me—"

"Pika-CHUUU!" Pikachu unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt, lighting Jaune up like a festival lantern.

The students watching burst into laughter as Jaune stumbled back, his hair standing on end and small wisps of smoke curling from his armor.

"Okay… I take it back," Jaune muttered weakly, falling into a sitting position.

Ash sighed and crouched to pat Pikachu's head. "Come on, Pikachu, let's not fry people unless we have to."

"Pika," Pikachu said smugly, crossing its tiny arms.

Pyrrha covered her mouth, clearly trying not to laugh but failing. "Well, I can't say he didn't deserve it."

Ash stood and looked at Pyrrha, scratching his head. "Does that kind of thing happen a lot around here?"

Pyrrha smiled. "With Jaune? More often than you'd think."

Jaune groaned. "I'm right here, you know."

Ash chuckled nervously while Pikachu hopped back onto his shoulder. "This place is definitely different from anywhere I've been before."

Pyrrha nodded, her smile softening. "I'd love to learn more about where you're from sometime. Your aura, your Pikachu—it's all very intriguing."

Ash smiled back. "Sure! Maybe you can teach me more about aura too."

"Sure." Pyrrha nodded in agreement.

Jaune sat up, still slightly singed, and brushed himself off with an annoyed grunt. His hair was frizzed out in every direction, making him look more like he'd been in a windstorm than a combat school.

"Great," he muttered, shaking his head. "First I get fried by a mutant rat, and now you're offering to train someone else? I thought I was your student, Pyrrha!"

Pyrrha gave him a warm, patient smile, clearly amused by his melodramatic tone. "You are my student, Jaune. But there's no harm in having more than one. Besides…" She glanced at Ash, her smile turning thoughtful. "Ash's aura is unique, and I think training him might help us both understand it better."

Ash blinked. "Wait, you're saying you'd train me too? Like, in combat?"

Pyrrha nodded. "Of course! Your aura is strong, but it's raw. With the right guidance, I think you could learn to channel it in ways that would surprise even you."

Jaune groaned loudly, throwing his hands in the air. "Great. Now I have to share my mentor with some kid who—" He paused, gesturing to Pikachu, who was now perched smugly on Ash's shoulder. "—travels with a walking lightning bolt."

Pikachu narrowed its eyes and let out a warning "Pika…" as tiny sparks crackled around its cheeks.

Jaune quickly backpedaled, holding up his hands. "Okay, okay! I wasn't saying anything bad!"

Pyrrha giggled softly at the exchange, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, Jaune, don't be so dramatic. I think this could be fun. Training two students will just mean twice the opportunities to teach—and to learn. Besides…" She tilted her head at him, her smile growing teasing. "You're not jealous, are you?"

Jaune's cheeks turned red, and he waved his arms defensively. "Jealous? Me? No way! Why would I be jealous of…" He glanced at Ash, then quickly looked away. "…this guy? I'm fine. Totally fine!"

Ash scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Uh… I didn't mean to step on anyone's toes here."

Pyrrha shook her head. "You haven't. Jaune just needs to learn to share, that's all."

Jaune groaned again, slumping forward and mumbling, "This is going to be a disaster…"