"Did you watch the video of that guy getting shocked by his Pikachu?"
"Yeah, it was hilarious."
"Hi! If you don't mind, could you show me that video too?" Orin cut into their conversation.
"Oh—hello, Senior," said the kid in a green shirt, a Caterpie perched on his shoulder. The other, in a purple shirt with a Weedle resting on him, echoed the greeting.
"Hey, no need for that. I'm a fresher just like you both," Orin replied with a wry smile.
"Oh, sorry—I just assumed…" the Caterpie kid said, flustered.
"Whoa, you got a Riolu as your first Pokémon? That's sick. Still, bugs are way better, if you ask me," the Weedle kid added smugly.
"Riii." Riolu seemed to catch the jab, glaring at the Weedle with narrowed eyes.
"So, about that video?" Orin said, steering the conversation back before it turned into a pokémon species war.
The two kids—whom Orin, despite getting to know their names, mentally labeled Bug Catcher 1 and Bug Catcher 2—proved surprisingly helpful. Not only did they show him the clip, they even added him to the Freshers' Group on the PokéNet.
Apparently, students had started arriving at Nexus Academy as early as two weeks ago, and most had already joined this online group.
But the real treat was the video itself. Some poor kid tried picking up a Pikachu barehanded, only to get blasted with a powerful shock.
"So the savior of the Pokémon world himself is in the same year as me," Orin muttered after bidding the bug catchers farewell.
The boy in the video was unmistakably—Ash Ketchum—and what Orin had just witnessed was most probably his very first interaction with Pikachu.
Orin wasn't exactly shocked that Ash was here at Nexus; after all, he had already met Yellow who was also a canon manga character on the bus. Still, the fact that Ash had ended up with Pikachu, out of all possible pokemons he could have gotten, just like in the anime… that was very surprising.
"Is this something like destiny?" Orin murmured to himself.
"Ri-oluu!" A tug at his shirt snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Yeah, you're right. Instead of overthinking difficult questions, I should focus on myself." Orin smiled, ruffling Riolu's head.
The little Pokémon happily snuggled into his hand as they neared the exit of the garden. Orin entered the hall where the Poké Balls had been kept before; outside, a patch of burnt grass still marked the spot of Ash's earlier shocking treatment, though neither he nor Pikachu were anywhere to be seen.
Inside, the hall was now empty. Orin cut through it into the vast auditorium, the giant chandelier once again hiding the Nexus Crystal from view. From there, he stepped out of the main building and toward the Nexus gates.
He wasn't alone—plenty of kids were walking ahead in the same direction. Likely the other passengers from his bus.
Riolu was clearly enjoying itself, darting a few steps ahead before waiting for Orin to catch up, only to dash off again. Before long, they passed through the Nexus gates, took a left, and arrived at a sign that read Nexus Bus Parking Lot.
Inside, rows upon rows of identical buses stretched out, each one a mirror of the vehicle that had brought him here. A small crowd gathered near one bus in particular, parked in Number 22 spot, which made it easy for Orin to spot.
He stood in front of the trunk where his bag had been stored—and blinked in surprise as it opened on its own, ejecting his luggage without him touching a thing.
"Thanks, P-22," Orin said with a smile, patting the bus's sleek exterior.
Glancing around, he saw no sign of Yellow or the Team Rocket duo. With a shrug, he grabbed the handle of his trolley bag. "Oh well. Let's get going to our dorms, Riolu."
Pulling up his Pokédex, Orin located his room address:
L-B1-069 (Lumina House, Courtyard B, Floor 1, Room 69).
"Well, my room number is 69… nice." He smirked, selecting the link under the address. The navigation app blinked to life, plotting the route.
"The dorms are pretty far, on the left side of the Nexus Spire past the gardens we came from," he muttered.
He glanced at Riolu. "It's going to be a long walk. Want to hop back into your Poké Ball?" He held out the small ball.
"Ree-olluu!" Riolu shook its head furiously, darting behind Orin and tugging his shirt away from the ball.
"Alright, alright," Orin chuckled, pocketing it again. "But don't complain when your legs give out."
With that, the two set off together once more.
Riolu practically lit up the moment Orin slipped the Poké Ball back into his pocket, its mischievous streak coming out in full force. It hopped along the side rails, leapt from one trash bin to another, and even balanced on a small lamppost before tumbling down with a cheeky grin.
Orin couldn't help but laugh, pulling out his phone to snap a few pictures. The best shot so far was when Riolu tried to drink from a fountain—only for a Magikarp inside to splash water straight into its face. Instead of sulking, Riolu burst out laughing, shaking the droplets off before striking a "tough Pokémon" pose as if nothing had happened.
"This campus is huge…" Orin muttered after they had been walking for a while. All around them were towering buildings, glowing holographic signs, and wide walking paths lined with greenery and forest patches.
"Zoey wasn't kidding about the bicycles," he added, noticing the cycling road that ran parallel to the main path. At several points, sleek bike stations stood ready with signs explaining the Pokecycle app. All it needed was a deposit of Nexus Coins to start riding. Orin considered it for a moment but decided against rushing into it and kept walking.
It wasn't so bad. The weather was mild, and the campus was dotted with benches, rest areas, gardens, fountains, and vending machines. Honestly, it felt more like a park stroll than a campus hike.
There were shuttle buses too, but Riolu was clearly having too much fun to trade his antics for a seat. So, Orin decided to continue walking.
Along the way, Orin talked—about his life in Saffron City, his home, his friends, about Mimi and Kaddi, about Brina, and even his big sister Sabrina. He wasn't sure how much Riolu truly understood, but the little Pokémon responded with cheerful "Rii!"s and "Riolu!"s, tilting its head or chiming in as if it caught at least parts of what he said. Mischief, though, was always on its mind.
Especially that splash trick. Ever since the Magikarp incident, Riolu had decided fountains were for ambushes. Every time it spotted one, it would call Orin over, pretending to drink—only to try splashing water his way. But Orin was ready. With a little psychic nudge, he would redirect the water right back at Riolu.
The Pokémon would always double over laughing, soaked and happy, before running off again to plot its next little scheme.
As they wandered along, enjoying the sights, the paths grew livelier with older students and their Pokémon.
"Oh wow… there are so many Rowlets," Orin muttered, spotting a cluster perched neatly along the branches of nearby trees.
He stopped to take a few pictures while Riolu darted into the bushes, playfully chasing after a startled Minccino. Just then, the navigation app pinged, letting him know he had arrived at his destination.
Looking up, Orin froze.
"…Oh my god. Wow."
Before him stretched a vast courtyard paved with white tiles lined in golden yellow. Surrounding it rose grand buildings—white and golden yellow walls accented with glass panels that gleamed in the sunlight. And at the heart of it all stood a towering spire: tall pillars, long glass windows glinting like polished crystal, and at its peak, a radiant glass structure that caught and refracted the light, casting a brilliance over the entire courtyard.
It looked regal, timeless—like a piece of history carved into the present.
"This almost feels like being back in Saffron City," Orin murmured, dazzled by the way the sunlight seemed amplified, as if someone had brightened the very day.
"Riooo!" Riolu tried to tilt its head up to see, but quickly shielded its eyes, squinting against the reflective glare.
"So this is Lumina House," Orin said with a small smile, snapping a few more pictures. "Quite the apt name."
The place was buzzing with life—students chatting as they passed, glass doors sliding open to let people in and out, Pokémon padding alongside their trainers. Many carried sleek data pads in hand, holographic signs above guiding the flow of people toward various wings of the building.
Orin headed straight toward the central building, climbing the short flight of stairs to where two Rotom-powered drones hovered in front of the glass doors.
"Welcome to Lumina House," they chimed in unison—one in a crisp female voice, the other in a polite male tone.
The glass doors shimmered with a glowing crest identical to the one he had seen on the door during the House Selection ceremony. Just above it, the words Lumina House hovered in golden-yellow holographics, softly pulsing.
"If you are a new student, please proceed to Lumina Hall to be guided to your dormitories," the female-voiced drone said warmly.
"If you are here on official business, the administration offices are located on the second floor," the male-voiced one added smoothly.
Orin had seen plenty of videos online of Rotoms integrated into advanced machines capable of human speech, so he wasn't shocked by them talking.
"I'm a new student," Orin replied with equal politeness.
"Riolu!" Riolu patted its chest, as though proudly introducing itself in return.
"Then please proceed straight ahead to reach Lumina Hall," the female drone answered. With a faint hum, the glass doors slid open.
"Thank you," Orin said with a small smile as he stepped inside.
The inside was just as bright as the outside, with holographic paintings and murals lighting up the corridor.
Following the signs, Orin exited the first building and stepped into another courtyard, this one surrounded by even taller structures. Dozens of students filled the space—some sitting, some standing in groups, chatting and laughing together.
A quick glance at his Pokédex showed the map had shifted to Lumina House's internal layout. It marked the Lumina Hall the Rotom drone had mentioned, and beyond that, his assigned room on the right wing.
He made his way to the Lumina Hall first, a large chamber filled with signs pointing to the different courtyards. The place buzzed with other freshers like him, and Orin decided not to linger in the crowd. Instead, he followed the signs toward Courtyard B.
The corridors here stretched high overhead, lined with doors, each tagged with glowing digital numbers.
"67, 68… 69. Here it is," Orin said with a smile. As he approached, his Pokédex blinked blue, and the door slid open automatically.
"That's convenient," he muttered, stepping inside with his luggage while Riolu padded in behind him.
The room was about the same size as Orin's bedroom back in Saffron, though far more modern in design. Everything had a minimalist, polished look—light wood furniture, clean lines, and a quiet sense of order.
Modular shelves lined one wall beside a sleek cupboard with a full mirror fixed to its door. A study desk sat neatly in the corner, complete with a simple chair, and across from it stretched what appeared to be a hologram wall waiting to be activated.
To his right, a small door led into what he guessed was his personal bathroom—already more luxurious than what he had expected from a dormitory.
The far side of the room opened to a sliding glass door, sunlight streaming in to brighten the space. Beyond it lay a narrow balcony overlooking a huge garden ahead. A single bed stood tucked against one wall, its crisp sheets making the place feel ready and waiting for its new owner.
"Nice," Orin said with a smile, dropping his backpack and keeping his trolley bag aside. "This is our room now, Riolu."
"Rio!" Riolu chirped, padding forward, its bright eyes darting around as it inspected every corner in wonder.
"Oh? What's this?" Orin said as he walked over to the bed. Resting neatly on the sheets was a backpack with sleek yellow-and-white outlines. "Is this the Starter Bag that Professor Oak mentioned?"
Curious, he unzipped it and began pulling items out. "Wow—six Poké Balls," he muttered, weighing the smooth red and white spheres in his hand before setting them aside. Next came a slim booklet. "A student brochure, huh?" he said, flipping through a few pages.
At the bottom of the bag lay a folded jacket. Orin set his hoodie aside and slipped it on, turning toward the cupboard mirror. "Is this a jacket specifically for Lumina House?" he wondered aloud, adjusting the collar. "It looks pretty cool."
The fabric was smooth and lightweight, mostly yellow with crisp white sleeves. On the left side of the chest was a small circular crest—one Orin had spotted all around the Nexus grounds. The Nexus Academy symbol.
Turning around, his eyes widened. "Whoa… is that the legendary Alolan Pokémon… Solgaleo?" Etched across the back was a roaring Solgaleo rendered in a white silhouette, framed inside a bold yellow circle. Surrounding it was a ring of tiny icons—symbols representing every known Pokémon type.
"So this is the Lumina House emblem I kept seeing," Orin muttered, clearly impressed. He straightened the jacket proudly and glanced at Riolu. "What do you think? Suits me, right?"
"Reeoooo!!" Riolu cried enthusiastically, bouncing up and down on the bed, its small paws sinking into the mattress.
Orin couldn't help but laugh, a wry smile tugging at his lips as he met his own reflection in the mirror. "Guess that's a yes."
***
[Orin Murasaki obtained Starter Bag]
[Orin Murasaki obtained Pokéball x6]
[Orin Murasaki obtained Lumina Jacket]
***
The commissioned pic of Orin wearing the Lumina House Jacket (Front & Back) is available for the members of Pokémon Master Tier!
***
I have entered the Fanfic Contest!
2 stories of mine are submitted...
First is a Magic Fanfic, it's just two chapters, so if you can please check it out!
Hogwarts: Monsters and Magic
Second is DC!
Reborn as Superman
Please support me if you can by adding the books to your library and sending power stones!