Trainer X not X Hunter

The x Hunter x Exam

Following the Kirikos to Zaban City is easy thanks to Koraidon, who easily keeps up with their flying speed. Thanks to this shortcut, the trip to Zaban City only takes around an hour or so. A part of me is worried how the citizens of this world will react to Pokémon, but I try not to think about it. For me, it's just a natural part of life. 

We land just outside the city, one of the Kiriko guides changing their shape and guiding me into the city while the others hang back.  As I expected, Koraidon gets some glances, and some people are wary.  Luckily it's nothing too severe, but it makes my anxiety spike nonetheless.  As we head for the exam site, the Kiriko guides me through busy streets full of food vendors and shady merchants.  A part of me wonders if anyone else around us is taking the exam.  What's the exam like?  What kind of tests will I have to complete to become a Hunter? 

I fiddle with a pokeball on my belt as we pass a large office building, stopping in front of a little hole-in-the-wall hibachi restaurant.  I raise an eyebrow as the guide leads me inside the restaurant.  Surely such a place was too small for an exam with a large crowd of people.  The guide walks over to the counter and places an order.

"The steak combo, grilled over low flame", the guide orders.

The look on the chef's face changes from one of boredom to one of realization.  His eyes narrow and nods, then tells us to head to the back room.  The guide brings me to the back room, and leaves me there, telling me to wait.  Koraidon and I look at each other and I just shrug.

As I sit down in one of the chairs, the room shakes slightly and it feels as though the whole room is moving. I cautiously sit up and ask out loud, "Is t-this room an elevator?! Man that's a heck of a surprise. Imagine if an actual restaurant guest came back here?"

Koraidon growls as the elevator descends, suddenly on edge. I frown at this, knowing it means trouble is near. I rest one hand on Koraidon's side, another moving to grip a pokeball on my belt.

"What the hell is waiting for us down here?", I wonder out loud.

The elevator gradually comes to a stop, and my grip on the pokeball tightens. I move my other hand from Koraidon's side to grip on of the handlebar-like protrusions on his shoulder. Last thing I need is him to jump on someone with how wound up he is now. The door opens and I cautiously step out, immediately wincing at the intense barrage of flares that greet me. Koraidon's tail lashes, and I whisper to him to calm him down. The people before us are every shape and size imaginable, the only thing uniting them being their numbered badges.

Speaking of, a small, green man with a bean-shaped head walks over and hands me a badge with the number 406 printed on it. He tells me to wear it at all times and not to lose it before walking away with no further explanation. I slowly blink and put the badge on, just trying my best to keep calm and ignore the swarm of angry eyes glaring at me. Koraidon settles after I pet his shoulder for a few seconds.

"What the heck is that thing?!", a voice shouts, and I wince. I sheepishly glance over to see a man wearing a suit and glasses pointing at me, an angry and baffled look on his face. Koraidon snaps his head in the man's direction and snarls, and I quickly step between them.

"Easy bud, easy", I say, soothing the giant lizard by petting his head.

"Leave them alone, Leorio, there's no rules against animals anyways", a teen with blonde hair scolds the man.

"Don't worry, he's not very dangerous", I assure them, noting a boy in green with spiky hair among the group as well, "Uh, I'm Brody, and this is my partner, Koraidon."

Luckily by now most of the glares have gone away, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Talk about a tough crowd", I joke nervously.