September 1st marked the start of a new academic year for colleges and universities across the country, and the excitement was palpable. Freshmen from all over were making their way to their new campuses, while seniors eagerly waited at train stations, bus terminals, and airports to return.
Julian and Shen had already arrived in the Imperial Capital, but they hadn't seen much of each other in the past few days, each wrapped up in their own business.
The heat of the morning sun bore down as Shen stood at the east gate of Imperial University, the main entrance for students. It was already past nine o'clock, and she had been waiting for Julian, her luggage in hand, looking somewhat impatient.
With each freshman coming in, the most excited were the seniors. Whether they can finally get a girlfriend depends on this wave.
Though Shen wasn't a classic beauty by any means, her tall figure—thanks to years of martial arts training—was striking. At five-foot-nine, she exuded strength, which immediately set her apart from the softer, more delicate girls often associated with the term "freshman."
Already, she had turned down seven well-meaning seniors who had offered to help with her luggage, and her patience was wearing thin.
"Julian, you said eight o'clock!" she muttered to herself, glancing at the time again. "It's past nine already!"
Just as another senior approached her, hoping to lend a hand, Shen's face twisted in annoyance. She cut him off with a sharp, "Roll."
The senior who thought he was quite handsome recoiled, wide-eyed, Afterall freshman were easier to coax in his eyes.
For a moment it was as if he had just seen a roaring Tyranitar bearing down on him.
Shen's fiery demeanor had earned her the nickname "female tyrannosaurus" back at Lake No. 1, and today, that reputation was on full display.
Imperial University, one of the top five universities in the Drakoria region, wasn't known for its grand entrance.
The gate was small, unremarkable even, with peeling white paint that exposed the red bricks beneath. The only eye-catching feature was the three large characters engraved on the wall: "Imperial Capital University."
Those three words alone imbued the gate with a sense of importance and history, making it a popular stop for tourists and students alike.
Finally, Julian arrived, strolling toward Shen without a hint of urgency. Shen was ready to unleash her frustration, but before she could speak, Julian shrugged nonchalantly.
Shen's eye twitched. "You're more than an hour late, and that's all you have to say?"
Julian remained unbothered. "Why are you still standing here? You could've signed up without me. It's so hot."
Shen clenched her fists, glaring at him. In her mind, she imagined taking Julian down with a punch, but she knew better than to try. Even if she wanted to flatten him, she couldn't win in a fight.
The pair walked through the campus, following the signs toward the Trainer Academy's registration area.
Imperial University was massive, with over 30 different colleges covering everything from humanities and economics to languages and mathematics.
Though many students owned Pokémon, only a fraction were professional trainers, and they often pursued other interests such as research or business.
Becoming a professional trainer was a high-risk job and it required a rare combination of talent, perseverance, and resources.
For those lacking in any of these areas, being a regular student or Pokémon researcher was the more practical route.
Trainer Academy, Breeder Academy, Pokémon School of Medicine, Pokémon Research Academy, etc.
Still, the Trainer Academy was the crown jewel of Imperial University, known for its high admission standards and talented students.
By the time they reached the registration area, a line of freshmen had already formed. Ten registration points had been set up, so the line moved quickly.
After waiting for about ten minutes, it was Julian's turn. He handed his admission notice to the bespectacled senior at the desk, who scanned it.
Soon Julian's information appeared on the computer.
"Special class recruit, Julian. Student number: 202201," the senior announced, his eyes widening in surprise. "You're *the* Julian?"
"That's me," Julian replied casually. "Is there a problem?"
The senior shook his head but couldn't stop staring. It was as if he had just met some rare Pokémon.
Shen, had just finished her registration, she was also a special class recruit, which surprised the senior, as he got two special class students in one day.
"Julian, what's your student number?" Shen asked.
"202201," he answered, still puzzled by all the attention.
"As I thought," Shen said with a knowing smirk. "That makes you the representative of this year's freshman class."
"Representative? What are you talking about?" Julian asked, raising an eyebrow.
Shen rolled her eyes. "You didn't bother looking into Imperial University's traditions, did you? The freshman with student number 01 is always considered the representative of their class. It's a pretty big deal."
"Most academies follow this tradition"
"The preceding '2022' is the year, so I won't say much about that."
Julian nodded slowly as if the information was finally sinking in. "Huh. I had no idea."
Shen couldn't help but laugh at his cluelessness. "You're something else, Julian."
"What's your student number?" Julian asked, curious now.
"Mine is 23rd- 202223," Shen replied.
"But after the 01st, the other numbers don't really matter, From 02 to 30 they all just follow alphabetical order except for 01"
There's 30 students in the special class.
"Oh so that's it, you know so much"
It was obviously a compliment, but Julian's tone sounded off, it was too plain, it gave people a sense of sarcasm.
Shen looked at Julian's back, thinking about whether to settle the old debts together, and directly give him a beating. This guy was really annoying.
As they walked toward their dorms, Julian's expression shifted suddenly. His gaze darted around the campus, scanning the area.
"What's wrong?" Shen asked, noticing the sudden tension in his posture.
"I thought... I felt something. Like I was being targeted," Julian muttered. His voice lowered. "It felt like I was being stalked by something... something big."
Shen narrowed her eyes. "Don't joke about that stuff."
Julian shook his head. "It wasn't a joke. For a second, it felt like a Tyranitar had its eyes on me. But... maybe I imagined it."
Julian stopped in his tracks again. "Wait. No. That feeling's back."