Peaceful days, daily classes, returning home — before they knew it, the leaves on the trees had begun to yellow and fall, one by one.
During this period, the exchange student program proceeded as scheduled. The Dragon Nation students had all gathered and boarded their flight to America.
At the same time, the people from America were arriving today as well.
Among the eight students Dragon Nation's Skyspire sent, there was Yuyou and Lingling, who had decided from the start, and also Sui Tingxi.
Sui Tingxi had followed his father's advice and discussed it with Lu Ze's group before finally deciding to go to America along with Yuyou and the others.
Honestly speaking, given Sui Tingxi's strength, he wasn't exactly a shoo-in for the exchange team. After all, his ace Pokémon, the Dratini, hadn't even evolved into Dragonite yet.
There was no helping it — Dragon-type Pokémon had such long evolution cycles, and the Dragon-type pseudo-Legendaries had them even longer.
But Sui Tingxi's father had pulled some serious strings, going out of his way to get his son into the exchange program. He just wanted Sui Tingxi to go and gain some real experience.
Beyond those three, there was also Soren Li, as well as Lan Shikong — a Zorua trainer — and three other people Lu Ze wasn't very familiar with.
All eight of them were fairly capable. While they weren't the absolute strongest, each of them could hold their own independently if needed.
Yuyou, Lingling, and Sui Tingxi were going as exchange students, all following their families' advice.
Aside from Tang Yunqin and Lu Ze, the family members of both Fugui and Sui Yan had also asked whether they wanted to go.
Both Sui Yan and Fugui declined.
Sui Yan's reason was that he was sticking with Lu Ze — wherever Lu Ze went, he went; wherever Lu Ze didn't, he wouldn't either.
But Lu Ze had a PhD. The nation basically wouldn't let him go, least of all to America for a full-year exchange program.
When safety couldn't be guaranteed, Dragon Nation was worried too.
After all, it wasn't like they could wait until something happened to Lu Ze and then issue a condemnation — that would be a terrible deal.
This was a world of Pokémon now. Aside from Dragon Nation, which was relatively stable, every other nation had reports of Pokémon attacking people in the streets.
Moreover, there were reports from America saying that this exchange student program was opened specifically because of Lu Ze.
Their plan was to get him transferred over, then brainwash him, recruit him, tempt him — and if none of that worked, find a way to eliminate him.
That was how the information was framed, but Dragon Nation had no idea what America's true intentions actually were.
But just to be safe, it was best if Lu Ze simply didn't go. Better safe than sorry.
"So, Fugui and I aren't going because of Lu Ze. Then what's your excuse?"
On the way to the teaching building, Sui Yan stroked his chin and asked Tang Yunqin with a mischievous grin.
"None of your business!"
Tang Yunqin naturally knew what he was implying. She glanced at Lu Ze surreptitiously, confirmed he wasn't paying attention to this side, and immediately fired back.
"Oh, come on, tell us."
Sui Yan chuckled. "Look, Sui Yan and I have been together since we were kids, not splitting up is a given, right?"
"Fugui here is Lu Ze's disciple, learning under him — also a given. So, what about you?"
"I — I — I just don't want to go! That's why!"
Can I tell you that I've been chasing Lu Ze for six years? Do you think I'd run off at a time like this?
If I don't try harder, what if someone steals Lu Ze away from me?
"Bei!"
Tang Yunqin was flustered from being unable to come up with an excuse.
The Eevee in her arms also glared at Sui Yan viciously. She hopped out of Tang Yunqin's arms and landed right on Sui Yan's shoulder, delivering a [Sand Attack] kick to him.
"Haha, Eevee, come here, lemme hold you."
Eevee held back — it was less an attack and more playful teasing.
So Sui Yan shamelessly pulled Eevee into a hug.
"Larul!"
(Hmph!)
Watching Sui Yan hold Eevee, the Ralts perched on Sui Yan's shoulder snorted coldly and gave Eevee a dismissive look.
"Larul!"
(Too light. If it were me, little Yan would've been kicked right over.)
With that, Ralts raised her right hand and flexed her arm muscles aggressively at Eevee.
Granted, there wasn't exactly any muscle visible on Ralts's tiny arms — but the fact that she was acting this way, so opposite to how other Ralts were typically shy, made Fugui twitch an eye as he watched.
"Bei!"
After getting rubbed by Sui Yan a couple of times, Eevee was done being held.
She stepped on Sui Yan's arm, pushed off, and pounced back into Tang Yunqin's arms.
"Next time, kick him harder, okay?"
After catching Eevee, Tang Yunqin also grinned mischievously and whispered into Eevee's ear.
"Bei bei~"
Eevee chirped an easy agreement, then glanced at Sui Yan slyly through the gap in Tang Yunqin's arm.
"Lu Ze, what are you thinking about? You haven't said a word."
"Hm? Oh, what? Sorry?"
Hearing Sui Yan call his name, Lu Ze came back to reality from wherever he'd been.
"You were just spacing out — I called you a couple times and you didn't hear."
"Nothing, wasn't thinking about anything. Just zoned out."
Lu Ze pinched the bridge of his nose, saying it with a bit of a headache.
That morning, when he'd left the house, he thought he'd seen a Zorua.
But it looked different from a normal Zorua — its body was white.
If Lu Ze wasn't mistaken, that was a Zorua from the Hisui region.
But it had been just a shadow flashing by, and Lu Ze hadn't had time to check that Pokémon's data. So he couldn't be certain — was it actually a Hisuian Zorua?
If it was, that would be interesting. The Hisui region was supposedly the ancient form of Sinnoh.
So if a Hisuian Zorua really had appeared here, what would the prototype for Hisui's appearance in this world even be?
"By the way, the American exchange students are arriving today. Should be ten from here, ten from Jing University. What do you think — any thoughts?"
Looking at Sui Yan's excited face and Fugui, who had perked up beside him, Lu Ze's expression turned somewhat peculiar.
"What, you thinking of giving them a welcome ambush?"
"Hehehe~"
Sui Yan just smiled, not saying anything.
But judging by his expression, that was exactly what he had in mind.
"I heard that one of the exchange students coming to Skyspire is a Sun team user. Hehe, I wanna test whose Sun team is the real deal."
Lu Ze stretched lazily, setting the Hisuian Zorua thought aside for the moment.
"The authentic one is definitely him, obviously — he's got an all-Fire team, Sun team style, everyone's a menace under sun. But powerful? You'll get there eventually. Right now, though, if you run into him, you might not come out on top."
Sui Yan's Bulbasaur had already evolved into a Venusaur.
But in a Sun team, Venusaur served more as a coverage booster and a pivot — useful against Rain teams and Sand teams alike.
However, against another Sun team, it didn't fare so well.
Type matchups — can't be helped.
Just like how Venusaur was type-advantaged against Rain and Sand team Pokémon, it was the reverse when facing Sun team members.
(Note: first chapter of two, one more coming. Right now I'm in the car going to my in-laws' place, I'll push through as fast as I can. .)
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