Rakesh POV
I was woken up by the sound of my alarm clock ringing beside the bed, its sharp tone cutting cleanly through the quiet stillness of the dormitory room and dragging me out of sleep far more abruptly than I would have preferred.
For a few moments, I remained lying there without moving, staring silently at the ceiling while my mind slowly adjusted itself awake, and as I took in a deep breath, the first thing I noticed was the air itself.
Fresh.
Clean.
Even now, after spending nearly two weeks inside the academy, it still felt strange to wake up without the smell of garbage, smoke, sewage, and overcrowded streets pressing constantly into my senses.
Back home in Dharavi, mornings began long before sunrise properly touched the sky, with voices echoing through narrow alleyways, people already moving between tightly packed homes, distant engines rattling awake, and the stale heaviness of the air settling over everything so completely that after years of living there, you stopped noticing it unless you left.
Here, it was entirely different.
The dormitory windows were slightly open, allowing cool morning air to drift lazily into the room while carrying with it the faint scent of grass, trees, and moisture from the academy grounds outside rather than the suffocating density of the slums.
Sometimes I still found myself pausing just to breathe properly.
Letting out a slow exhale, I finally pushed myself upright and reached over to turn off the alarm before glancing toward the clock again.
Six in the morning.
Early enough that most of the academy was probably still quiet, though over the past two weeks I had already realized that "quiet" inside the Pokémon Academy meant something very different from normal schools, because even before sunrise there were always students somewhere training, battling, studying, or running laps around the grounds alongside their Pokémon.
The dormitories themselves were far better than anything I had imagined when I first received admission into the academy. They were quite spacious.
Actually designed with Pokémon in mind instead of simply modifying existing human spaces afterward.
Each dormitory unit housed four students divided into two bedrooms connected through a shared living area, with ceilings intentionally built high enough that even larger Pokémon could move around comfortably without constantly smashing into walls or furniture.
There were no special single-person dormitories reserved for top-ranking students either, which had surprised many people initially, though after thinking about it properly, the decision made sense. Separating students too heavily based on rankings this early would only create unnecessary divisions and arrogance before anyone had truly proven themselves.
Thankfully, my assigned roommate turned out to be Apoorv.
That alone made life considerably easier.
Living with someone competent was far preferable to dealing with random drama or personality clashes while trying to adapt to academy life at the same time.
Though currently, the room was empty aside from me and the Pokémon.
Apoorv had gone home yesterday evening since today was the weekend, leaving the dormitory unusually quiet compared to normal.
I reached toward my belt and released Meowth and Charmeleon from their Poké Balls, the familiar flashes of light briefly illuminating the dormitory room before both Pokémon appeared beside me.
Meowth immediately gave a long, lazy stretch, arching his back before shaking his head slightly as though he still hadn't fully woken up yet, while Charmeleon looked completely different by comparison, his posture already alert and energized as the flame on his tail flickered brightly with clear anticipation for the day's training.
The difference between the two had only become more obvious after joining the academy.
Charmeleon approached every training session as though it were a battlefield that needed to be conquered immediately, while Meowth preferred conserving energy wherever possible unless something genuinely interested him.
I had asked about this change in previously active Meowth. According to professor Meowth was nearing it's evolution and because it's evolved form Persian was inherently lazy by nature some traits are starting to manifest. there was nothing to worry about
Meowth's gaze shifted instinctively toward Apoorv's side of the room, clearly noticing the unusual silence and absence of their regular training partners.
"Meowth?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
"Apoorv went home yesterday since it's the weekend," I replied while grabbing my academy jacket from nearby. "He'll be back tomorrow because we apparently have a meeting with Aakash in the morning."
At that, Charmeleon turned toward me immediately.
"Charm?" (What's the meeting about?)
"I honestly don't know," I admitted with a slight shrug. "Yesterday one of the professors just informed me that Aakash wants both of us there Sunday morning."
That alone was enough to make both Pokémon focus more seriously.
Inside the academy, Aakash wasn't simply viewed as the headmaster anymore.
To most students, especially after the entrance examination and Earth Liberation incident, he had already become something much larger than that, someone standing at the center of the new era itself.
Which was exactly why suddenly being called for a private meeting felt significant.
Still, thinking endlessly about it now wouldn't change anything.
"Alright," I said after a moment, pushing the thought aside for the time being. "We'll think about that later. Right now let's head to the cafeteria for breakfast first and then go to the training grounds."
Charmeleon nodded immediately while Meowth lazily flicked his tail in agreement before hopping onto my shoulder as we headed out of the dormitory.
The academy pathways were already lively despite the early hour, with students and Pokémon moving through the grounds in small groups while the morning air still carried traces of coolness left behind by the night. Some students were already returning from runs, while others headed toward battle arenas or outdoor fields carrying training equipment and supplies.
Even on weekends, the academy never truly slowed down.
The cafeteria building itself was massive, built to accommodate both students and Pokémon simultaneously, with large open seating sections and reinforced flooring designed specifically for heavier species.
As we entered, the smell of fresh food immediately spread through the air, mixed with the sounds of conversations, Pokémon cries, trays moving, and dozens of overlapping discussions filling the hall with constant life and movement.
The academy provided free meals for both students and their Pokémon, ensuring that no one lacked proper nutrition regardless of background, though the standard meals remained fairly basic. If someone wanted specialized supplements, rare berries, enhanced recovery food, or performance-boosting nutritional plans, they needed to purchase them using Academy Points.
For now, however, no student possessed any points worth mentioning.
The mission hall had not officially opened yet, meaning everyone was still operating entirely on academy-provided support.
Not that anyone was particularly dissatisfied.
Compared to what most of us were used to before entering the academy, even the standard meals here felt luxurious.
Meowth immediately jumped off my shoulder and headed toward the Pokémon food section with practiced confidence while Charmeleon followed close behind, already focused entirely on eating as though training could not properly begin until that issue was resolved first.
I grabbed breakfast for myself before sitting down near one of the windows overlooking the academy grounds outside.
Around me, conversations flowed constantly between students discussing classes, strategies, rumors, and battle results from previous days, while several Pokémon occupied entire tables by themselves, eating together while their trainers talked nearby.
The atmosphere still felt slightly surreal sometimes.
After finishing breakfast quickly, we returned our trays before heading back outside, where the academy grounds had become even more active than before.
"Ready?" I asked.
Charmeleon's tail flame flared slightly brighter immediately.
Meowth stretched once more before giving an amused smirk.
That was answer enough.
And so, just as the morning sunlight fully began spreading across the academy—
We started our daily run.