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Chapter 26: Welcome Ceremony -1 | Pokémon
🕑 Added 2025-08-03 10:13:46 +0000 UTC“Can I get your number, Zoey?” Orin asked casually, handing her his phone.
Back in college on Earth, it wasn’t unusual to ask a senior for their number—especially on campus. Even the hottest girls rarely refused a fellow student, at least not directly.
Zoey blinked for a moment, then took the phone from his hand. “K. You can contact me if you need help. Although you’ll be assigned mentors for that too,” she said, tapping her number in.
“Mentors?” Orin asked, though inwardly he was just glad she hadn’t refused.
“You’ll learn about it soon,” she replied with a smile. “Though I hope you end up in Valor House,” she added with a playful wink, handing his phone back.
“Do the houses really matter? And how are we even assigned?” he asked, tapping her number to give her a call. “There—now you’ve got mine too.”
“Got it,” she said, ending the call from her smartwatch. “Well, houses don’t change everything, but they do decide your dorm, dorm mates… mentor, I think. And there’s the House Cup and other perks.”
She glanced toward the other students already heading up the path. “Anyway, you’d better hurry or you’ll be late.”
“Cool. See you later, Zoey,” Orin said, giving her a wave.
“K,” she said, giving him a casual two-finger salute.
Smiling, he slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned to face the gates.
Now that he was up close, they looked massive—easily five or six stories tall. Plain black, weathered by time, and definitely ancient. Maybe they hadn’t been maintained well… but even so, they had a quiet majesty.
He still took a picture of them.
Stepping through the gates, Orin felt his heart pounding—he was finally entering Nexus Academy.
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[Orin Murasaki registered Zoey's Number]
[Orin Murasaki Encounter Roll: 47/50]
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He walked along a pristine white stone path, bordered by neatly trimmed grass on either side. Beyond that lay dense greenery, trees swaying gently in the breeze. The wall adjoining the gate seemed to meld into the hillside, as if the Academy itself had grown out of the land.
But after taking a few steps he stopped abruptly.
“Wow…” The sight before him had stolen his breath away.
In the distance stood a grand building—massive, elegant, and awe-inspiring.
“It’s huge,” he muttered, eyes wide.
The structure was castle-like, crowned with a giant Pokéball at its highest spire. Numerous towers rose into the sky, all cast in pure white marble save for the red-and-white sphere at the top. The whole building radiated a sense of ancient majesty.
“The world-famous Nexus Spire…” he whispered, a thrill running down his spine.
The Nexus Gates, the clean white road, and this towering spire—these were the landmarks that filled every promotional video, every brochure and poster for the Academy. And now he was walking right through them.
“Though,” he added with a chuckle, snapping a quick photo, “it does kinda look like the Palace of Agrabah from Aladdin… someone just swapped the golden dome for a giant Pokéball.”
No wonder Zoey had said the building and path was impossible to miss.
Picking up his pace, he hurried to catch up with the group of students ahead. Jessica and Jamie were nowhere in sight—but then he spotted the straw hat.
Yellow.
She was off to the side of the road, crouched by the trees.
With a sigh, Orin veered off the path and approached her—only to realize she was gently feeding a small Caterpie a berry.
She really didn’t seem to have any fear of wild Pokémon.
Orin, on the other hand, was a typical city kid. From TV shows to city announcements, the warning was always the same—never interact with wild Pokémon, especially if you didn’t have one of your own. The “beware of tall grass” trope was drilled into their heads from day one.
But Yellow? She was totally carefree.
Almost by reflex, Orin snapped a quick picture before calling out, “Yellow, we’ll be late. Let’s go—you can feed Caterpie later.”
“Okay! Bye-bye, I’ll find you again soon!” she said sweetly, patting the little Caterpie before getting up.
The bug Pokémon hurriedly disappeared into the bushes, dragging the berry with it.
“There are Pokémon everywhere around here, just like in Viridian!” Yellow said excitedly, her eyes sparkling.
“Yeah…” Orin replied, glancing up at the sky, where a group of Talonflames soared in elegant formation.
He wondered if they were wild or part of some training program—maybe even the Academy’s own.
The two of them picked up the pace, heading towards the enormous castle. Despite how close it had looked earlier, it took quite some time to actually reach it—the long white path stretched far, and the scale of the spire had clearly fooled his sense of distance.
They were soon joined by dozens of others, all looking about the same age. Most were chatting animatedly, and the buzz in the air confirmed what they feared:
The Welcome Ceremony had already started.
Following the stream of students, they ascended a grand staircase and finally reached the castle’s main entrance—massive double doors that towered over them.
“Why is everything around here so huge?” Yellow asked in awe, her gaze drifting across the tall white walls and vaulted ceilings, covered in ornate murals and intricate designs.
“Maybe it’s because of Tall Pokémons,” Orin guessed, glancing ahead at a flickering holographic display showing directions to the auditorium.
“It would be nice if they let Pokémon come inside the building too,” Yellow muttered, smiling to herself.
Orin didn’t answer—he was too focused on guiding her through the growing crowd, weaving their way toward the side entrance.
They entered the auditorium, which was massive with multiple floors, balcony seating, and several floating holographic screens displaying the stage from different angles.
“…If you have any questions or doubts regarding this process, you’re always welcome to visit my office. Just search for the Director of Student Affairs—Lorelei Prima,” came a crisp, no-nonsense female voice that echoed through the hall.
Yellow and Orin quickly found seats, settling just behind the last occupied row. There were still plenty of empty spots.
Looking down at the stage, Orin’s eyes widened.
Standing at the podium was a gorgeous redhead bombshell delivering her speech.
She wore a form-fitting black sleeveless top, a short black pencil skirt, sheer black stockings, and high heels. Her cleavage was impossible to ignore, and her figure was absolutely stunning. She had her red hair tied in a sleek ponytail, and behind stylish glasses, her icy hazel eyes radiated a sharp intelligence—along with a strict and stern vibe.
She was every student’s fantasy of a hot teacher or a sexy librarian come to life.
“Is that… the same Lorelei Prima who emailed me?” Orin muttered under his breath, audibly gulping. His hormone-fueled body reacted fast, especially with her blown-up image displayed across the giant holograms hovering around the auditorium.
Even her poised smile seemed to hide something icy and strict beneath the surface.
He couldn’t help but think—if someone like her could dress that sexy, then not just Unity City but even Nexus Academy had a… liberating dress code. Apparently, even faculty were free to flaunt their looks.
“Do you need some water, Orin?” Yellow asked, noticing the color in his face.
“No, I’m good,” he replied with a wry smile, adjusting his pants discreetly.
“Will you marry me, ma’am?!” someone shouted from the crowd.
Laughter erupted across the auditorium.
Orin chuckled too—he couldn’t blame the guy. Lorelei was easily one of the hottest women he had ever seen.
And beyond her looks… she was a canon character. Maybe she was a mash of Lorelei from the Pokémon games and Prima from the anime?
Did that mean she was part of the Kanto Elite Four too?
Orin made a mental note to dig into that later.
“She’s still quite hot, though,” he muttered under his breath, barely audible.
“She’s quite icy in person,” came a quiet voice from his other side.
Orin blinked and turned. He hadn’t even noticed the girl now sitting beside him—silent, still, like she had always been there.
She had striking purple eyes, and her dark violet hair was tied back in a high ponytail secured with a yellow band. Her entire outfit screamed shinobi: skin-tight black ninja suit, a pink scarf, and a pink belt with a kunai pouch.
For a moment, Orin thought he had been isekai’d into the wrong anime—Wait… this is Pokémon, not Naruto!
“Hello. I’m Orin,” he said, extending a hand awkwardly.
“Janine,” she replied, not taking his hand, eyes still forward. Her voice was quiet, clipped, and completely disinterested.
“I’m Yellow!” chirped Yellow from his other side, offering a smile as bright as a Pikachu’s spark.
Janine glanced at her, blinked once, then turned back to the front without a comment.
“So, you know Lorelei?” Orin tried again, hoping to spark a conversation.
“No. Just met her a few times,” Janine said flatly.
Orin blinked. He was almost sure—no, definitely sure—that she was that Janine, daughter of Poison-master Koga who was also the Gym Leader of Fuchsia City. She looked exactly like her game and anime counterpart.
Note to self: don't offer handshakes to poison users.
Before he could say more, Lorelei’s voice sliced through the low hum of the hall.
Her icy stare seemed to lock onto someone in the crowd, but she let it slide with a flick of her eyes.
“As most of the students have arrived,” she announced, her tone smooth but commanding, “allow me to invite to the stage the Dean of Nexus Academy—Professor Samuel Oak.”
She stepped aside with a graceful turn as polite applause echoed through the hall.
A sprightly old man with a white lab coat and a full head of grey hair strode onto the stage, waving with energy.
“Hello there! Welcome to Nexus Academy!” he said in a booming, cheerful voice. “My name is OAK! People call me the POKÉMON PROF!” he added with a wink and a wide grin.
Orin couldn't help but grin too. Seeing Professor Oak in the flesh—the legendary inventor of the Pokédex—was surreal. And hearing him speak… it was like the Red and Blue game theme music was playing in the background of his mind.
"He’s still just as goofy,” Janine muttered, her arms crossed, a hint of amusement tugging at her lips.
“Yes,” Yellow agreed beside Orin with a giggle.
Orin glanced between the two. Wait... do they both know him personally?
There were murmurs and awed whispers all around as students leaned forward, recognizing the iconic figure.
“I’m also the current Dean of Nexus Academy,” Oak continued, now pacing the stage with practiced ease. “And before all of you begin what I promise will be an extraordinary year, let me tell you a little something about the history of this place.”
The lights dimmed slightly as a grand holographic projection appeared beside him—first showing Unity Isle, then Unity City, and finally, the towering Nexus Spire itself.
“As some of you may already know,” Oak said, folding his hands behind his back, “Unity Isle, Unity City, and Nexus Academy are bound together by history—and by purpose.”
He paused, letting the holograms rotate slowly in midair.
“A long time ago, our world was drenched in chaos—brutal Pokémon wars, region conflicts, endless bloodshed that tore apart both human and Pokémon lives alike.” His tone grew somber, and even Yellow beside Orin fell quiet. “And when the world had nearly exhausted itself… something remarkable happened.”
The projection shifted to show old battlefields blooming into peaceful landscapes.
“Unity Isle was founded—a neutral land where Pokémon from all regions could coexist. Unity City rose as the first metropolis where Pokémon and humans lived together in harmony. And then came Nexus Academy—built to raise generations who would never forget the lessons of that past.”
Professor Oak’s voice grew stronger, filled with conviction.
“To teach our young to not only master Pokémon—but to love, understand, and stand beside them. To see beyond borders and types. To embrace our differences, and cherish our shared journey.”
The holograms now displayed students, trainers, and Pokémon of every kind—smiling, training, battling together as one.
A strong round of applause spread through the auditorium, sincere and stirring.
“And I’m proud to announce,” Professor Oak continued with infectious enthusiasm, “that Nexus Academy has been fulfilling that mission for a millennium! That’s right—this year marks the 1000th Founding Anniversary of our Academy!”
A wave of awe rippled through the auditorium.
Even Yellow, Janine and Orin clapped along, genuinely impressed by the sheer legacy of the place he was now a part of.
“There will be various events and a few... surprising additions to celebrate our Millennia Year, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Oak said with a knowing grin. “You’re all here as students—to grow, to learn, and to become the best versions of yourselves.”
He paused, letting the moment settle.
“Here at Nexus, we believe in unity and camaraderie. But we also believe in healthy competition. Because let’s face it—only by having a rival can you truly push past your limits.”
There was a murmur of agreement from the crowd. Janine too nodded seriously beside Orin.
“Now… all of you took an entrance exam before being accepted. The scores will be mailed to your registered email IDs shortly,” he added, scanning the audience. “But for now, let me introduce the student who scored the highest marks this year…”
