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The team battles quickly commenced, with each class facing off against another.
When Class 1 faced Class 2, there was quite a commotion.
Class 1's students engaged in some reckless maneuvers, often acting independently and ignoring commands, which eventually led to their defeat after a prolonged struggle.
The battle between Class 2 and Class 7 lasted the longest and was the most captivating.
Despite being a small-scale battle with 50 people and 50 Pokémon on each side, it lasted over an hour and involved multiple strategies.
Even the Navy and the Revolutionary Army could learn new tactics for Pokémon skills and combinations from it.
A week after the final exams, parents came to pick up their children. They could stay and enjoy the Alliance City or travel to Fish-Man Island or Angel Island using the newly built sea trains and cloud airships.
A week later, the final exam results were released, and the first parent-teacher conference was held.
In a hotel in Alliance City, Newgate stood in front of a mirror, adjusting his outfit.
"Can't believe at 64, I'm going to a parent-teacher conference at school."
"I can't believe it either. I'm over 40 and still attending school."
Thatch was equally exasperated.
"How did you do on your exams? If you didn't do well, I'll send Marco next time. I won't show my face."
Newgate glanced at his son.
The Chansey, evolved from Happiny, approached and handed Newgate his large white cloak.
Initially, Happiny had an Everstone bought at an auction specifically for it by the Whitebeard Pirates.
However, Newgate's worsening condition meant the healing items from the Pokémon Center could only treat his external injuries, not his chronic internal wounds.
One night, Happiny went to the Pokémon Center alone with its training token, asking how to help Newgate.
Dak told her, "Some of the skills you'll learn after evolving can slowly heal Newgate's internal injuries."
So, Happiny decisively removed the Everstone from its neck and found a round stone on someone's bed.
The next day, Newgate saw his small Happiny had become a large Chansey and was stunned for quite a while.
"Not bad."
Thatch scratched his head.
He was good at practical courses, but theoretical classes always made him sleepy, no matter how much the teacher tried.
Perona had talked to him several times, but it hadn't helped.
"Good enough."
Newgate still had no idea what he was in for. "Let's go, Chansey."
"Chansey ~"
Chansey waved its small hand and stood on Newgate's palm.
Yes, that was their travel habit.
Chansey would stand or lie on Newgate's palm like a walnut, enjoying the scenery.
About half an hour later.
Newgate sat in Thatch's seat in the classroom.
Looking at the report card on the desk, Newgate was initially pleased, smiling and nodding.
But the last few subjects like 'Type Matchup Studies,' 'Personality Studies,' 'Ability Studies,' and 'Skill Studies' with scores of 20-30 points were hard to look at.
Each subject had rankings.
For example, in Type Matchup Studies, Thatch scored 27 points, ranking 25th in the class and 197th in the grade.
"Looks like all the parents are here. Hello, I am Perona, the homeroom teacher of Class 2."
Perona floated in, holding her stuffed bear.
Dressed in a black and pink long princess dress with large dark eyes, she was a striking girl, but for some reason, Newgate felt a sense of fear.
He regretted coming.
"Chansey..."
Chansey also showed a bitter expression, feeling like trouble was coming.
"I should have made Marco come."
Newgate was fidgeting, tapping a giant finger on the desk.
"Hello, parent. It seems you're sitting in the wrong spot."
Suddenly, a timid voice came from the side.
Newgate looked over, seeing an unremarkable person, understandably intimidated by his large stature.
But how was he in the wrong spot?
His son's report card was right here.
"Thatch's parent, Thatch's seat is over here."
Perona noticed the situation and floated over, smiling as she pointed to the seat next to the teacher's desk.
"?"
Moments later.
Newgate sat in the seat next to the teacher's desk, looking down at the front of the room, silent and sullen.
Maybe Newgate just didn't like talking.
"Chansey."
Chansey sat in Snorlax's seat with the same posture.
"Some of our students have a severe bias. They're lively in practical classes but fall asleep in theoretical ones. I won't name names, but parents should look at their children's grades and address this issue."
Perona's voice came from nearby.
Newgate didn't dare look at her, clutching Thatch's report card, afraid other parents would see and know she was talking about his son.
After about half an hour of torment, the parent-teacher conference finally ended.
Newgate and Chansey felt relieved.
"Thatch's parent, please come to the office."
"Growl~"
The stuffed bear waved at the giant Newgate.
"."
Newgate's face darkened.
It wasn't over?
Why a private meeting?
Newgate was anxious, wondering what stupid thing Thatch had done.
Anger rising, he resolved to give Thatch a good lesson when they got home.
He spent money on Thatch's education for his dreams, and this is what he got?
...
In the office.
Newgate saw an old acquaintance at a nearby desk.
Navy Chief Tsuru.
Newgate felt a bit better, knowing he wasn't the only one in trouble. He had suspected the little blonde girl he saw a week ago wasn't a good student.
"Thatch's parent, Thatch sleeping in class is a serious problem. Even when sitting next to the teacher, he falls asleep..."
Perona had started her lecture.
But Newgate was more interested in eavesdropping on the nearby conversation.
Nearby.
"Kujaku performs well in school, excelling in all subjects, though her strong personality makes it hard for her to get along with others."
Olvia's gentle voice spoke, clearly approving of Kujaku.
"Hmph."
Tsuru scoffed at the eavesdropping Newgate.
She had noticed Newgate listening in and understood why he was happy to see her earlier.
Unfortunately for him, she had confidence in her granddaughter.
What?!
Newgate felt deflated by Olvia's words.
Listening to Perona's scolding, he felt even worse, though he kept a smile for her.
When Newgate finally left the office, he had lost track of time.
"Like parent, like child."
Tsuru, leaving with him, made a pointed comment before walking away, clearly satisfied.
"..."
Newgate walked back to the hotel with a gloomy face.
Chansey also walked silently, clenching its fists.
That night, strange noises echoed through Alliance City. Perhaps some Pokémon were up to something.
The next day.
A bruised Thatch emerged from his room.
He had felt his father's tough love like never before.
Thanks to the suppressive laws of Pokémon Island, he was lucky to survive the night.
"Snorlax..."
Snorlax followed, also bruised.
He hadn't expected Chansey's slaps to be so powerful, shaking his half-ton body.
"Hey, Snorlax, summer vacation is here! Hahaha!"
Thatch didn't care about the pain. It was nothing compared to what he used to endure.
What made him happy was the start of summer vacation.
Before, he never knew what a vacation was.
But since attending school, he found summer vacation was something to look forward to. It might be less than two months, but it had great value.
"Snor~"
Snorlax happily waved an arm.
"Hey, what are Sabo and Cyndaquil doing this vacation?"
Thinking of vacation, Thatch remembered his roommate and friend, Sabo.
He thought Sabo had sold his family property and was homeless.
"Who came to the parent-teacher conference for Sabo?"
But the reality was different.
Home wasn't just a place but where family was, a place of comfort.
For Sabo, such a place existed.
On the streets of Alliance City.
"Cyndaquil, let's go meet my brothers. You'll love them."
"Quil~"
Sabo held Cyndaquil's left hand and the right hand of an orange-haired woman.
"Sabo, you did well. Keep studying hard next term."
She was Dadan, a benign bandit who made a living hunting, farming, and beating up other bandits.
She was Sabo's mother.
(End of Chapter)