《- Hey boy, wake up! We have arrived at our destination!

A teenager, awakened from his sweet slumber, rushed out of the bus in which he was. He took the few luggage he had and thanked the driver. He moved to the side of the road near a large gate before sitting down on his suitcase.

The boy, who couldn't have been more than 13, had shoulder-length brown hair that went in two tips: one at the top of the back of his head, and at the base of his neck. Strangely, it wasn't sharp like thorns, the angle was smoother as if it was wavy. His bangs were hiding his teal colored pupils a bit which contrasted a lot with his lightly tanned skin.

The brunet was slowly swinging his legs, waiting for something or rather someone. When suddenly, the gate opened, startling him. A middle-aged woman then passed the gate before stopping at his side. Her long reddish-brown hair was smooth and neatly styled, while she wore an apple green blouse and white skirt that showed off her hazel eyes. She also sported a soft look on her face.

- You must be the new student, right? I'm sorry, did I keep you waiting?

The younger one shook his head, not saying a word.

- Oh? You seem a bit shy...Don't worry, I'm not going to eat you. Your comrades on the other hand...

The teenager suddenly paled and swallowed nervously. His pupils began to stare at the ground as he nervously fiddled with his poor hands. The redhead noticed it very quickly and hastened to add:

- Don't worry about it, little. They are all very nice and friendly, you'll see.

She gave him a smile which the brunet returned shyly.

- Oh! Where are my manners? I am Lisa April. But everyone calls me Miss April. And you?

- <....K-Kellyn...Kellyn G-Gungnir...>

The boy, mute as a grave, used sign language to communicate. Except that his gestures were so subtle that the lady had to lean towards him so that she could understand, but she said nothing about it.

- Kellyn, huh? Ah yes, I remember. You still had to pass the practical exam. Follow me, I'll take you there.

The teenager quickly got on his feet and quickly followed her, dragging his suitcase behind him. He looked around, taking note of the orderly appearance of the schoolyard.

- Tell me, you still haven't received your uniform yet?

- < What uniform...?>

The immediate response from the teal-eyed one made the older woman sigh. Sure enough, instead of wearing the student Ranger's blue, green and yellow uniform, Kellyn was dressed in black leggings as well as a gray payne turtleneck over which he slipped on a long white short-sleeved tee-shirt, which ended it's race at the half of his thighs.

-....I did ask Mr Kaplan if he had sent it to you though.... Oh well. It doesn't matter. You'll have it for tomorrow.

The brunet nodded, somewhat embarrassed, but still remained silent. Miss April then ushered him into some kind of gymnasium where there was a man who looked bored to death. The latter's eyes lit up when he saw her approaching with the young boy.

He then got up from his chair and threw a small green object towards the teenager, which he caught up with some difficulty.

- Here's the Styler you're going to use for the exam. Activate it and engage the Capture mode.

The youngest complied, although a little clumsily before seeing a Pikachu charge at him. His eyes narrowed in concentration as his body automatically went into "fight" mode. He waited a moment studying his target who grew impatient and launched a provocative Thunderbolt.

Suddenly, taking advantage of the creature's moment of recharge, Kellyn sprang into action, performing his loops at a speed that surprised both his monitor and the Pikachu. The capture was made in a flash, no pun intended, and the teenager resumed into a normal posture.

The man then clapped his hands, and launched into a speech punctuated by dramatic gestures.

- Impressive! Well, I now have the honor to announce that you are now part of our secret school's army, hehe!

The brunet took a step back, confused and lost. Had he inadvertently landed in a sect? However, the only woman in the group stepped in, her arms crossed over her chest, a displeased look on her face.

- Mr. Kaplan! Please don't bother my student with your absurd ideas!

The above-named laughed a bit before the redhead added:

- Also, you forgot to send him his uniform! Go search one for tonight! Hurry up!

The man suddenly paled before rushing off, exiting the gymnasium, but remembering to shout to the younger one:

- Good luck with your school year!

Kellyn looked at the exit then at the woman before returning his gaze to the exit. He laughed nervously.

- /Do not make Miss April angry...Duly noted!/

- *sigh* By Arceus, he'll never change....Please forgive him, little one. Mr. Kaplan can be very...Special.

- <...Hmmm...>

The teenager simply nodded, keeping his thoughts to himself, before following the redhead once again, who took him this time to his new classroom. Miss April left him outside while she alerted his new comrades of his arrival, and he leaned against the wall.

Suddenly, he felt nervous. Even more nervous than before the practical exam. He therefore gripped his pendant which he hid under his T-shirt, trying to give himself some courage. He bit his lip and closed his eyes, trying to calm his racing heart.

- /Kellyn, stop freaking out. You're not going to die....I hope./

Several endless minutes passed leaving the brunet in a monstrous state of panic. He couldn't calm down and felt completely overwhelmed.

- /Rahhh...Why did I have to show up in the middle of the year...?/

As he somehow continued to stay under control, the voice of his new teacher startled him.

- You can come in, little one!

The teenager came out of his torpor and grabbed the door knob, still nervous. He clutched his pendant with his free hand, and took a deep breath, before gently opening the door. He passed a quick glance and saw that the students were waiting for him with more or less impatience. He even heard them whispering to each other. He gulped and almost took refuge in a corner, but pulled himself together.

- /Come on Kellyn. You can do it. You don't have a choice anyway./

He took another breath of air again and entered the room.

Immediately, eyes fell on him, making him tremble. But he said nothing about it. He stared at the ground, and hurriedly joined the redhead while clutching his pendant with all his might. He joined her left side, but didn't raise his head, preferring to cling to his T-shirt and remain silent as death.

- Here is our newcomer who will be your classmate from today. Please give him a warm welcome!

The students nodded in unison before the adult resumed.

- Let's let him introduce himself first, shall we?

The teal pupils widened, understanding that he had to deal with teenagers he didn't know at all. And it was scaring him to death.

- /Breathe Kellyn, breathe. It's nothing, just an introduction...Oh sweet merciful Arceus, I'm going to die...!/

He moved his hands, except that no sign was clear enough to read. He tried a second time, but same result. His new comrades stared at him curiously, wondering what the hell was wrong with him.

The brunet felt his heart pound so hard in his chest that he was pretty sure it was going to explode any moment! Tears began to well up, making his cheeks burn with shame.

Upon seeing that her new student was far too uncomfortable, Miss April started to speak before someone interrupted her.

- The name is Keith Dazzle. I am 14 years old and I come from West Almia. Try to get it memorized, new kid!

Kellyn suddenly raised his head looking for the origin of the voice. His gaze met the crimson one of a teenager with scarlet hair who was grinning brightly. The youngest blinked for a few seconds before a female voice rose in turn.

- My name is Rhythmi! Rhythmi Sorano! I am also 14 years old, and I come from Pueltown.

Turning, the brunet saw a girl with platinum-golden hair and deep golden pupils. She too was smiling, but it was reassuring whereas the boy's, Keith, was rather confident and... Understanding?

Then another student started to introduce themselves, then another, and so on until the whole class did. The teenager remained there, silent, feeling like a weight was being lifted from his shoulders. He meditated for a moment before closing his eyes and signing:

- <...Kellyn. K-Kellyn Gungnir....13....F-Fiore....>

And his hands fell again alongside his body, while a solitary tear ran down his cheek. There you go. It was done.

- /....You could have done better....Ah...Kellyn, you're an idiot./

The adult then put her hand on the brunet's shoulder, while giving him a sympathetic look.

-...Alright. I have to go and review the Outdoor Class' schedule. I'll let you get acquainted, alright? Oh, and Rhythmi, can you give our new friend a tour?

- Of course, Miss April!

- Thank you, my dear. Oh, Kellyn, you can sit next to Keith, okay?

The younger nodded, showing that he understood.

On this agreement the redhead left the room leaving the teenager at the mercy of his classmates. The latter quickly surrounded him, asking him various questions.

- How is Fiore?

- Why don't you have your uniform?

- Eh, are you single?

Kellyn stepped back while putting his hands in front of him, trying to protect himself. Fortunately for him, the crimson-eyed one intervened.

- Oï! Leave him alone! He's already overwhelmed!

The students stepped back, pouting, finally allowing the brunet to breathe. Only two of them, Keith and Rhythmi, stayed near him. Maybe they weren't bad after all... When he finally regained his composure, the oldest of the three said:

- By the way, how long did it take you to capture the Pikachu? About an hour?

....Nevermind. One of them was a dumbass. The teenager gave a slight shrug, not really knowing what to say, while the blonde replied, outraged:

- Keith! We don't ask those kinds of questions, for Mew's sake!

The redhead laughed, apologizing with more or less sincerity while the one with golden pupils sighed in exasperation. She then turned toward Kellyn.

- Forget that big bully, and focus on me, okay? I'll show you around!

She then took the teenager by the wrist and led him out of the room, as her friend screamed, offended. The teal-eyed one didn't say anything and decided to listen to his new comrade with interest.

They passed by the library where the brunet met Ponte, the Marshmallow boy and Isaac, the little genius with an IQ and a height (in cm) of 163. Then came the turn of the teachers' room with the principal Lamont, and finally the neighboring class.

- I'm warning you, you risk being assaulted by the unique unbearable smell that is commonly called hair spray.

- /...Okay?/

After the blonde knocked, the two friends entered the room where the rest of the Ranger students were. Immediately the nostrils of the youngest were assailed by a fragrance that could have been pleasant if used in small quantities.

- / U-Ugh! What the...!? Is that what Rhythmi was talking about...?/

- Excuse us for the inconvenience! I'm giving our new classmate a tour!

Even though she was smiling, Kellyn knew it was forced. She didn't really seem to like this teacher...Who, by the way, had a more than questionable sense of fashion.

- This is Mr Kincaid, the teacher of the second class. His favorite saying is "Don't run in the hallways!".

Despite the girl's jovial tone, the boy sensed some frustration in her voice, while the said Kincaid seemed uninterested in the student's words.

- There are two rules you should know: one, never accuse someone without proof. And two: do not run in the hallways! As long as you respect them, everything will be fine. Good, now scram!

He launched his tirade with such weariness that the teenager wondered for 2 seconds if he was okay. However, his thoughts were interrupted by his classmate who dragged him out of the room again.

- I don't like him, personally. Too down to earth, and flashy for me.

- / How can I blame you?/ < Humhum...>

- Anyway, let's forget about it and go see the dorms, okay?

The brunet gave her a small smile as if to reassure her, and again let her guide him into the building. They thus went upstairs where there was an older woman with a maternal gaze. It was Janice, the school keeper or "second mother" as the students put it. Kellyn gave her only a shy smile and a wave, however she didn't get upset and just smiled back, saying:

- Welcome to your new home, my child.

The youngest blinked and couldn't help but give a big, sincere and reassured smile. He was relieved to see that his manners didn't bother the lady.

He heard Rhythmi chuckle softly next to him, making him hide his face with his bangs, clearly embarrassed.

- Oh?~ So this is your real smile? It's so cute!

The brunet felt his cheeks ignite at the remark, and avoided the girl's golden gaze at all costs. The latter, upon seeing that she was making him more uncomfortable than anything else, changed the subject.

- I still haven't shown you the schoolyard, have I? Let's go then!

The one with teal eyes thanked her internally then continued his little visit in her company. After meeting Miss Claire who taught him the basics of Target Clear, without having met Mr. Drama Queen again, who was probably looking for his uniform and his other school stuff, the tour was almost over.

However, once outside again, the two teenagers heard a scream.

- Help! Somebody catch those Bidoofs!

It was the school keeper who was struggling to catch up with a strangely agitated pack of Bidoofs. The brunet didn't hesitate for a second and quickly drew his Styler, already starting to run after a duo of creatures when another voice was heard.

Keith's voice.

- I was wondering what this ruckus was! Hey new kid! I challenge you to capture the most Bidoofs, okay? Ready? Go!

Kellyn casted a confused look at the redhead who was rushing towards the pack, before resuming his mission. A few minutes later all the Bidoofs were appeased, and regrouped around Janice.

- Thank you, my children! You have been remarkable! And as for you, leader of the Bidoofs, I'm sincerely sorry for stepping on your tail. To make up for it, I'm gonna make a better snack, okay?

As the lady and the creatures left, the three teenagers faced each other.

- You know, for a newbie you're doing pretty well! It even looks like you've been doing this all your life!

The brunet was taken aback by the older boy's remark, he had never really noticed it but... It was true that these gestures seemed natural to him. He then fiddled with his pendant as he disconnected from reality, thoughtful.

- /....He's not wrong. It's hard to believe I haven't even had a Styler for even an hour./

While Kellyn was wondering about existential questions, a snap of fingers made him reconnect with the real world.

- Hey! Are you awake?

The interpellated stared at Keith somewhat confused before his face flushed with understanding.

- / Raah! You were daydreaming again you idiot!/

The other two students laughed heartily at the youngest's embarrassment who very clearly wanted to die in a hole.

- Don't worry! It was more adorable than anything!

The blonde had added that, smiling, which did nothing to help the boy's state.

- / Arceus, I haven't even been here for 1 day, that I am already making a fool of myself!/

He interrupted his dark thoughts in order to follow his comrades who were taking him to the Pledge Stone or something like that. Luckily for him, neither of them commented on his behavior.

It was...Nice.

- Here we are! The Pledge Stone! They say that if we take an oath at it's foot, our dreams will come true.

The brunet's gaze fell upon the huge stone building, and he immediately froze. This form seemed...Strangely familiar to him.

- / Have I seen it before...? No, I'm sure there's no such building in Fiore...So where...?/

An image came to him then, or rather a drawing. On it was a statue that looked a lot like the Pledge Stone, except that instead of the symbol of the Rangers was a stone representing two snakes-like creatures. They were "chasing" each other, forming a whirlwind similar to the official symbol which looked more like a simplified version of it than anything else.

While the teal-eyed one struggled to understand the why and how, a soft, distant and unidentifiable voice echoed deep in his head.

- "Arise, O children of my soul! You, who in these troubled times decided to begin the sacred ritual! You who take an oath in the name of your dreams! May the trials of Arceus never shake your will! Believe in your hearts and abilities. Chase your dreams until they come true. Swear your oath in my presence, and go conquer them!"

The youngest was immediately seized with a terrible headache as the image disappeared from his mind. He felt a hand lay firmly against his back, making him focus on reality.

- Hey, you're sure you're okay?

Turning his head, he met Keith's crimson gaze which reflected concern for the brunet. Said brunet who felt his cheeks heat up slightly.

- <...Just...Tired.>

His reply was signed so abstractly that the redhead almost didn't understand it. The latter then gently rubbed the younger's back, hoping to relax him and distract him from the pain.

-....Let's go back to class, ok? You must have pushed yourself too hard today. Can you walk, Kellyn?

A slight nod and a shy smile answered him, but that only half-convinced him. He finally gave in with a sigh, leading the way, followed closely by his friend who began to tease him gently.

- Well Keith! So you knew his name all this time! Aren't you the slick one?~

- W-What...?! Rhythmi!!

It was therefore with the embarrassed complaints of the oldest as well as the laughter of the one with golden eyes that the two walked away, leaving Kellyn alone for a moment. He turned around and stared at the Pledge Stone for a few moments, staring blankly before Keith's voice called out to him.

- Hey! Kellyn! You're coming?

Coming out of his torpor, the brunet quickly joined his comrades but casted a last glance at the statue before following them.

- /....What was I thinking again?/

-----------------------------------------

All the class: *starts giving Kellyn attention*

Kellyn: *silent terrorized kitten scream*

-------------------

Keith: *to Rhythmi* I'm sure this new kid is NOT that impressive-

Kellyn: *enters the class* <...H-Hi....?>

Keith: *lovestruck* Oh Arceus, he's cute.

Rhythmi: (-v-')