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Chapter 8: Your time starts now | Pokémon
🕑 Added 2025-02-12 09:48:43 +0000 UTCWalking through the silent hallway, Orin soon reaches a door labeled ‘Employee Lounge’. He pushes it open and steps inside.
The room is brightly lit, filled with people in lab coats sitting at various tables, engaged in their own tasks.
Some are holding spoons, their brows furrowed in concentration as they attempt to bend them with their minds. A woman scribbling notes in a notepad glances up, notices Orin, and waves. He grins and waves back.
Despite being a rest area, the atmosphere is as quiet as a library. Orin moves silently among the tables, exchanging nods or subtle waves with familiar faces. Eventually, he reaches a group playing a card-guessing game—an exercise he had once done himself to train his psychic abilities.
Watching them for a moment with a wry smile, he then turns and taps the back of a man typing away on a laptop.
The brown-haired man, also in a lab coat and wearing a face mask, looks up with mild annoyance, but his expression shifts when he recognizes Orin. With a silent nod, he closes his laptop, leaving it on the table, and walks out of the room. Orin follows.
They weave through the corridor until the man stops at a water cooler. Turning to face Orin, he crosses his arms.
"Hey, Johan," Orin greets with a grin.
"It's Psychic Johan to you, kid," Johan corrects with a hint of irritation, though he lets it slide. "I thought you would be here an hour ago."
"Got held up," Orin replies. "Anyway, did you get it?"
Johan exhales through his mask, glancing around cautiously before slipping a hand into his coat’s pocket. Slowly, he pulls out a twisted, silver spoon—its surface warped unnaturally, as if melted and reshaped.
"A twisted spoon from a powerful Alakazam," Johan says, holding it up. "Just like you wanted."
"You actually got it," Orin breathes, his grin widening as he eyes the spoon. "Let me see."
Johan hesitates. "You got the money, right?"
"Relax, I have it," Orin assures him, extending his hand.
Johan sighs but hands over the spoon. "Kid, you better appreciate this. It wasn’t easy to get. Even in the underground market, this kind of thing is rare. I had to call in a favor from an old friend in another region just to track one down."
Orin barely listens, too captivated by the twisted spoon in his hands.
"Yeah, yeah, don’t worry," he says, his grin never fading.
Just by holding the twisted silver spoon, Orin feels his Psychic Power stir to life. Closing his eyes, he visualizes his surroundings with ease, sensing every detail as if they were laid bare before him. He can even perceive Johan standing in front of him, his head radiating a dense, foggy purple energy—the unmistakable signature of psionic power.
I don’t have a friend in another region, but this stuff was really hard to find, even through my Team Rocket network…
Orin feels inwardly astonished as he clearly hears Johan's voice in his mind. Johan is a fully certified Psychic, and it should be nearly impossible for any normal psychic to hear his thoughts.
Keeping that aside for now, Orin finally has confirmation of what he had long suspected—Johan is a member of Team Rocket.
In fact, Johan is not the only one. Orin suspects many of the researchers in this Psychic Gym are likely affiliated with the organization, though they spend most of their time on esper research rather than criminal activities. Compared to the more ruthless Rocket operatives, these lab-dwelling psychics are barely a threat to society.
Still, Orin has no intention of reporting them to the police—especially when he strongly suspects that the Gym Leader herself is involved with Team Rocket.
After verifying the authenticity of the twisted spoon, Orin opens his eyes.
Johan instinctively takes a step back, momentarily startled. For a split second, he felt as if Orin were someone else entirely. Those red eyes… they made him feel exposed, inferior.
“You good, man?” Orin asks, looking at Johan with a puzzled expression as he takes off his bag and stows the spoon inside.
Johan exhales sharply before shaking his head. “Kid, do you really need this thing?” His tone is more serious now. Orin looks at him, puzzled.
“Look, I know you might be frustrated with how erratic your psychic powers are, but using external objects isn’t the way,” Johan says, his voice firm.
Orin frowns. “You know my problem, Johan. My psionic powers don’t just fluctuate—they come and go like the tide.” He sighs. “At least with this, I can have some consistency.”
Johan looks unconvinced. “This twisted spoon contains the residual psionic energy of a powerful Alakazam. For a normal esper, sure, it would boost their power and range. But we both know how strong your abilities are when they are at full force. And you want to amplify them even further?”
“I am not trying to boost my strength—I need control,” Orin says, clenching his fists. “I am tired of this out-of-control power of mine.”
“But you should still be careful,” Johan says earnestly. “This twisted spoon will just be a crutch for you, and in the long run, it will harm you—especially if you get dependent on it.”
Orin looks at Johan oddly, especially knowing that he is a team rocket member.
“Honestly, you are the Psychic Master’s brother. If you just give it some time, it will all come naturally to you. In this field of espers, what’s most necessary is talent, and no one in this center can compare to you in that—trust me,” Johan adds, patting his shoulder.
Orin knows exactly what Johan is saying; he has researched it all in detail after all. Although human psychics rarely use Pokémon-held items, so there isn’t much data on how they affect people long-term. But to him, this twisted spoon is more than just a shortcut; it’s a backup plan. If today’s exam doesn’t go well, he figures he can still apply to be an intern at this lab and pass their tests with ease using this item.
Hopefully, it won’t come to that.
“Thanks, Johan. I will be careful,” Orin says with a smile before pulling out a stack of PokéCash from his wallet. “Here, you can count it.”
Johan gives him a knowing smirk. “I trust you, kid.”
That doesn’t stop him from counting the money anyway. Orin rolls his eyes at the blatant contradiction.
“Yep, it’s all here.” Johan pockets the cash, then suddenly glances around nervously. “And remember—don’t tell anyone about this. Especially you-know-who.” His voice drops to a whisper, as if uttering the Gym Leader’s name might summon her.
“Relax, Johan,” Orin says, waving off his concerns. “Now, I have got an exam to attend. See you around.” He slings his bag over his shoulder and turns to leave.
“Hey, kid.” Johan steps closer and lowers his voice. “If you ever need more… uncommon items, you know how to reach me.”
Orin smirks. “Sure Johan, I have your number.” He waves over his shoulder.
Johan sighs. “It’s Psychic Johan, kid.”
---
Just as Orin passes by the Employee Lounge again, the door opens, and the woman who waved at him earlier steps out. She has long brown hair and wears a lab coat like the others.
"Hey, Orin!" she greets him cheerfully.
"Hey, Amanda. Back to work?" he asks with a smile.
"No, I have to supervise the entrance exam for Nexus," she says with a sigh.
"Oh, I was just heading there! I'm taking it too, you know," Orin replies with a grin.
Amanda's mouth hangs half-open in shock. "I totally forgot you are only 15. Of course, you would be eligible to take the admission exam," she mutters.
“Yeah,” Orin replies, resisting the urge to mention that he is technically still 14. He lets it slide, knowing that, due to good genes and years of physical training, he is noticeably taller and more built than most kids his age.
"Anyway, come with me. I will take you to the exam center," Amanda says, suddenly embarrassed, walking ahead quickly.
Shaking his head, Orin follows her outside. Amanda leads him to a building on the opposite side of the Saffron Gym. He notices the crowd in front of the central building has thinned—most of them must have gone inside to watch the match.
The exam center is a much newer structure, with a sleek modern design painted gold to match the city's aesthetic. A large crowd of kids stands outside, chatting nervously. Just by glancing at them, Orin estimates there are at least a thousand applicants.
Still, considering Saffron’s population, this turnout seems low. He can think of a few reasons why—many locals don’t want to leave the region, like Kyle. But the bigger reason? No one from Saffron has passed the Nexus exam in nearly a decade. Given the option to choose their exam location, most candidates probably prefer to take the test in another city.
Amanda guides Orin through the staff entrance, where none of the gathered kids seem to realize that the male walking beside her is also taking the exam. Inside, she leads him down a stairway to the right.
"This is where the exam will be held," she says, gesturing to a large hall with transparent walls.
Inside, rows upon rows of desks and computers fill the massive room. Though this is his first time inside the building, Orin knows it’s exclusively used for exams, so the setup doesn’t surprise him.
"Every desk has a tag," Amanda explains. "You should have received an ID number in your exam confirmation email. Find the tag with your number—that's your seat." She pushes open the door.
"Got it," Orin nods.
"I need to check in with some other supervisors from the academy, so good luck! Not that I think you will need it," she says with a smile, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks, Amanda," Orin replies with a grin. She nods before heading to the front of the room, where two older men in brown coats are deep in discussion.
Orin glances at them briefly but doesn’t recognize either, so he turns his attention to finding his seat. Judging by the numbered tags, his desk should be in the last row. Sure enough, he spots his assigned computer there.
He sets his bag down, takes a seat, and tries turning on the PC, but it remains off—probably set to activate when the exam starts. Taking out his phone, he quickly realizes there is no signal. No Wi-Fi, no reception. They must have placed jammers to prevent any outside communication during the test.
"Guess there is nothing to do but wait," he mutters. He glances at the stationary supplies in his bag—probably useless if the entire exam is on a computer.
With nothing else to do, he folds his arms, closes his eyes, and meditates, mentally preparing himself for the exam. Ten minutes pass, and soon the other examinees start filing in. In just another ten minutes, the test center is already packed and buzzing with noise.
Two kids take seats beside Orin, both looking like typical nerds. He sighs. “There goes my hope of meeting a cute girl,” he mutters under his breath.
A voice cuts through the chatter. “Quiet down, please. The entrance exam for Nexus Academy will start in five minutes. Please settle into your seats,” Amanda announces from an elevated position at the front, speaking into a microphone.
Orin also notices that several more Psychic researchers have entered the room, one positioned at the end of each row.
One of the old men who had been standing beside Amanda steps forward. “The exam will last for thirty minutes. Do not talk, and do not discuss answers while the exam is in progress. Anyone who fails to follow the rules will be disqualified.” His voice is strict, leaving no room for argument.
The noise in the room dies down instantly.
The second old man steps forward and continues in the same firm tone. “The exam questions will be displayed on the computers in front of you. Read each question carefully, take your time, and answer them to the best of your ability. Once the exam is over, you will be required to exit the premises in an orderly fashion. Your results will be sent to your phone in two hours, along with further instructions if necessary. Until then, you are not to leave the premises of Saffron Gym.”
He pauses before adding, “Are there any questions?”
A sea of hands shoots up.
“None? Good.” The old man nods in satisfaction, completely ignoring them.
Orin smiles wryly. Either the old man is messing with everyone, or he seriously can’t see all those hands.
“Your time starts now. Good luck,” Amanda announces.
As soon as she says it, the screen in front of Orin lights up.
Admission Exam
NEXUS ACADEMY
2025
Enter your Name:
Enter your ID:
“Best of luck, Orin Murasaki,” he mutters to himself as he types in his name and ID. Then, gripping the mouse, he clicks the Proceed button.
***
[Collector Trait : Uncommon Item]
[Orin Murasaki obtained a Twisted Spoon]
[Funds remaining: ₽2500]
Comments
Orvious
So the pressure is on.
