"Paldea Daily News: Typhoon is gradually weakening and is expected to dissipate completely today."
"Chairwoman Geeta, who also serves as the region's Top Champion, delivered an important statement: Typhoon has impacted coastal areas near the Southern Paldean Sea, affecting numerous wild Pokémon. The historic Naranja Academy has temporarily suspended classes, and nearby towns have also suffered damage. The Pokémon League has already dispatched…"
The cracked screen of Kai's phone dimmed as he locked it. Staring out the window at the rain that was finally easing, he muttered, "It's finally over."
When a typhoon passes through, the first to suffer are the wild Pokémon, left with nothing but the sky as their roof and the ground as their bed. Then come the farmlands, the crops, the town buildings—none are spared.
Earlier that morning, Kai had made a trip to Levincia for supplies. The town had taken quite a hit, with buildings showing varying degrees of damage. Compared to that, the little farmhouse left behind by the elderly couple he stayed with had proven to be absurdly sturdy.
The roof tiles remained firmly in place, the outer walls bore only the streaks of rainwater, and the whole structure stood strong—far more resilient than he had ever expected.
Thanks to the combined efforts of his Pokémon, they had managed to protect three small test fields growing tomatoes, strawberries, and cabbages—crops that could yield multiple harvests. With that, they had weathered the worst of the typhoon without too much loss.
By the afternoon, the rain had fully stopped. The storm clouds dispersed, and the long-missed sunlight bathed the Paldean landscape in dazzling light. Kai looked up toward the Southern Paldean Sea and saw a magnificent rainbow stretching across the sky.
Unfortunately, there was no sign of a certain seven-colored bird soaring past and shedding sacred feathers, but still, it was a rare sight. Kai quickly called out to his Pokémon to come enjoy the scenery and, while they were at it, hold a small tea gathering right there on the farm.
Setting up a small table, he carefully took out a chipped but incredibly valuable teapot—purchased for a staggering 150,000 Pokédollars—and brewed a rich, fragrant black tea. He then poured the tea into the cups set before each of his Pokémon.
The air still carried a lingering chill from the storm, making the warmth of the tea all the more comforting.
The moment the tea touched Kai's lips, he could immediately taste its deep, full-bodied richness. A slight bitterness lingered at first, but then came a subtle sweetness, a smooth aftertaste that rounded out the flavor beautifully.
These were just ordinary tea leaves, bought for a few dozen Pokédollars per pound at the Levincia market. When brewed in a regular teapot, the taste had been barely passable.
Yet now, thanks to the chipped teapot, the flavor had transformed entirely. Once again, Kai marveled at the wonders of Pokémon-related artifacts.
Among his Pokémon, reactions to the tea were mixed.
Luxray and a few others thoroughly enjoyed its rich and slightly bitter taste. Meanwhile, Serperior and Dragonite were not as fond of the bitterness—they clearly preferred sweeter flavors.
Poliwhirl, having recently evolved, found itself in Luxray's camp. Holding the cup with its newly grown hands, it sipped at the tea carefully, savoring the experience.
Beside Poliwhirl, along with its three Poliwag companions, sat another Pokémon—one with sparse feathers covering its body, mimicking the tea-drinking process.
Delibird.
Even now, Delibird still felt a faint tingling sensation throughout its body. Food had no taste, and drinking tea was nothing more than an act of imitation.
It had been unconscious ever since the typhoon first formed over the Southern Paldean Sea, only waking up on the second day after the storm made landfall. The sheer force of nature's lightning had nearly taken its life. Had Luxray not found it in time, the odds of survival would have been slim.
Even after Kai's treatment, Delibird was still suffering from severe aftereffects. The most immediate problem was its loss of taste, but the most concerning issue was its inability to fly.
Its feathers hadn't fully regrown yet, but that alone wasn't the problem—its posture while attempting flight was all wrong, its wing movements clumsy and hesitant, as if it had developed a fear of the sky itself.
Originally, Kai had planned to release Delibird back into the wild once it had recovered. But in its current state, there was no way it could survive on its own.
As for its flight issues, they would have to wait until its feathers fully grew back before making a proper assessment.
While enjoying his tea, Kai was idly wondering when Naranja Academy would reopen when his phone—previously left on the table—suddenly lit up and vibrated.
He picked it up and saw a message from Director Clavell.
Unlike previous announcements sent to all staff, this one was addressed to him personally.
"Dear Professor Kai, now that the typhoon has passed, Naranja Academy, located in the heart of Paldea in Mesagoza, has suffered minimal damage. Classes are scheduled to resume tomorrow, with your Battle Studies course set for the afternoon. Below is the list of students who have signed up for your first class:"
"Nemona, Arven, Ortega, Eri, Giacomo,..."
Kai's eyes widened as he stared at the list, a trace of confusion flashing across his face. He rubbed his eyes and checked again—only fifteen students had signed up.
Fifteen.
For an academy with over a thousand students.
Sure, not everyone was interested in Pokémon battles, and not all students aspired to be Trainers, but still. This ratio was beyond ridiculous.
"…Did I come off too harsh during the opening ceremony?" Kai muttered.
He scanned the list again, recognizing a few names. Nemona's presence was no surprise—he had seen her boundless enthusiasm for battles from the very first day.
As for Arven… well, given his circumstances, he was probably just looking for something to keep himself occupied.
Then there were a few future Team Star bosses, plus a handful of names Kai didn't recognize.
And to think, he had spent so much time coming up with different lesson plans, only to end up with fifteen students.
Kai was devastated.
After a moment of sulking, he was snapped out of it by a reassuring lick from his Growlithe. Pulling himself together, he reminded himself that, no matter the number of students, his responsibility remained the same—to guide them properly and help them grow into skilled Pokémon Trainers.
If the class was small, so be it. Once he built a reputation, more students would naturally sign up in the future.
With that, he gathered the empty teacups and softly murmured, "The typhoon's over, the storms have passed… It's time to focus on the farm again."
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