[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/201208/f3d9c0d7f6c5adcd1a94796be8df0213.png[/img]

[b]Active Pokemon:[/b] [img]https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/132.png[/img][img]https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/439.png[/img]
[b]Location:[/b] [i]Periwinkle Stadium[/i][/center]

This moment was what Max was waiting for the most. There were numerous Trainers aboard the S.S. Periwinkle with a variety of different Pokemon from different regions. The length of the voyage allowed Max to get to know his cohort mates along with seeing the Pokemon that each of them had. Particularly, Max grew tight with Marquis, who apparently was from Mossdeep City. He learned that Marquis fond of music and dancing, looking forward to the parties that were rumored to be thrown by some of Periwinkle's upperclassmen. Parties were fine and dandy, but Max was itching to know what Pokemon everyone had and how they utilized them in battles.

[color=gold][i]"Ralts was my first Pokemon,"[/i][/color] Marquis had told Max. [color=gold][i]"Then, of course, I caught a Snorunt when my older brothers and I went exploring in Shoal Cave. Low key, we got lost and kinda stumbled upon the Ice Room. You wanna talk about the trouble we got into after the fact? Sheesh... my Pops was hella angry."[/i][/color]

Lost in thought as the students went up one by one for their own personal showcase prior to the House placement, Max felt a [i]familiar[/i] scurrying in his shirt that nearly caused him to jump. Luckily, no one was able to notice as it only appeared that Max had an itch he couldn't scratch on his back. Everyone else so focused on Nyree's showcase, especially Marquis who was looking on enamored with Nyree's performance... or maybe just [i]her[/i]. Moments later, Nyree made her place over to the proud Celebi House section, followed by the roar of the students dressed in green.

[color=CA0F0F][i]"Hm?"[/i][/color] Max mused to Attica when she mentioned her lost PokeNav.

[color=gold][i]"You got it, Attica,"[/i][/color] Marquis replied encouragingly, giving her a thumbs up in the process as the two boys' eyes followed her to the stage. [color=gold][i]"I call dibs on Nyree. You should call dibs on Attica."[/i][/color]

[color=CA0F0F][i]"What?"[/i][/color] Max said, eyes widening slightly. [color=CA0F0F][i]"I didn't... I..."[/i][/color]

Bursting into laughter, Marquis bent at the waist and slapped his hands against his knees. Max's response really did tickle him. [color=gold][i]"I'm kidding, yo. I mean, I'm willing to bet that there are some upper class dudes that will make us completely irrelevant in the eyes of some of these girls. They like older guys anyway, right? More of a reason to prove ourselves while we're here, I guess."[/i][/color]

[color=CA0F0F][i]"Oh... right..."[/i][/color] Max chuckled nervously, his eyes returning to the screen to see where Attica would be placed. A torrent of water rushed over the screen as the Manaphy logo emerged on it just as Professor Hazel announced her placement which prompted a roar from the blue section of the stadium. Eyes venturing over to the section, Max mistakingly locked eyes with a [url=https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/h/s/o/y/j/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.1420x800.1r0bdh.png/1532746094896.jpg]massive guy[/url] who was standing along with the other Manaphy students with his arms folded. The stare didn't appear to be one of ill intent as the guy only looked for a few moments and then gazed elsewhere whenever Attica made her way to the Manaphy section. As more students were called, Max was growing more and more anxious by the moment.

Marquis was eventually called to the stage and by now, Professor Hazel was replaced by Dr. O and suddenly the entire uplifting spirit of the House placement went progressively flat by the Head of Manaphy House's demeanor. Marquis's battle was similar to a boxing match between two fighting Pokemon. It was clear that he preferred to sit back and let his opponent take the lead while he figured out a way to play defense with his Ralts and Snorunt. Once the opportunity presented itself, Marquis instructed his Ralts to use its Psychic powers to use the opponent's Carkol's momentum against it. The same held true for his Snorunt that managed to protect itself from a Sudowoodo's Headbutt and once the Rock-type Pokemon was close enough, Snorunt unleashed a furious Ice Beam attack to come out victorious.

[color=778899][i]"Marquis's defensive techniques are to be lauded and his... [b]jovial[/b] victory dance shortly after winning makes it obvious that he is a person of... [b]high spirits[/b]. He will fit in perfectly with the other students within Jirachi."[/i][/color] Dr. O said, swiping over on her tablet to prepare for the next student as the Jirachi section proceeded to celebrate, followed by their signature sound effect of a Psyduck Caller, quacking sounds filling up the arena as Marquis ran over excitedly to the yellow section.

One-by-one, several other students were called upon until the battlefield was nearly emptied. As Max was standing there, he was beginning to wonder if he would [i]ever[/i] be called upon. Sure enough though, his time had come as he was the only remaining student with all eyes in the stadium wondering where he would be place. Dr. O dryly called him to the stage but that didn't prompt his feet to move. Instead, a slight shock on his right leg caused him to stumble forward, followed immediately by the snickering of students.

[color=CA0F0F][i]"No... you're not supposed to be here..."[/i][/color] Max mumbled, seemingly to himself but his comments were directed to someone... some[i]thing[/i] else. Standing on center stage, Max gazed out to the audience as all eyes glanced at the massive screen behind him. His Academy headshot emerged on the screen along with the vitals of his Pokemon as the process began.

[hr]

The process of getting to this point was difficult for Max. He was waiting weeks upon weeks for the results of his application so when he [i]finally[/i] received that email from Periwinkle, he was slightly confused as to why it was in his email's junk mail folder along with the fact that it had been forwarded. Either way, the acceptance letter had [i]his[/i] name on it along with his personal Trainer ID so it [i]had[/i] to have been for him. Even though he made it to the battle examination in the most unlikeliest of ways, Max was determined to prove himself that he was ready to compete with the best of the best.

His battle exam began with Barry, his Mime Jr. against, of all things, a Lickitung. The proctor commanded the tongue Pokemon to use Slam on Barry, but Max immediately called upon his Mime Jr.'s Barrier to lesson the blow and raise his defense in the process. [color=CA0F0F][i]"How about an Encore performance, hm?"[/i][/color] Ducking out of the way of Lickitung, Barry quickly clapped his hands at Lickitung as the Pokemon continued slamming its tongue in the Mime Jr.'s direction with Barry dodging it repeatedly until the Lickitung was literally [i]tongue tied[/i]. With no where to run or no way to defend itself, Lickitung was left vulnerable as Max called upon Barry's Copycat, the Mime Jr. then slamming its body into Lickitung, knocking it out and coming out on top with the victory.

The final round of the battle exam saw Max's proctor releasing a Shednja. Tossing his own PokeBall forward, Max let out his Ditto, Dizzy, who immediately transformed into a mirror image of the opposition. Max quickly noted the chain around the opposing Shednja's neck along with the claw attached to the necklace. [i]Quick Claw[/i]. Shednja quickly struck forward with an Aerial Ace that should have completely got rid of Dizzy, but instead Dizzy remained unfazed. [i][color=CA0F0F]"With a Ditto, you gotta be ready for literally [b]anything[/b]. And that goes both ways!"[/color][/i] After being attacked, Dizzy had consumed a Focus Sash that kept it alive long enough to respond with an Aerial Ace of its own, knocking the opposition out. Dizzy's body transformed back into his pink blobby state as the two celebrated the victory.

[hr]

The screen shifted to Max's testing scores which were surprisingly lower than the average Periwinkle student. [color=778899][i]"Despite his... [b]terribly[/b] low test scores, Max's preparation in battle accentuates his passion for admission into the academy. Because of this, I would like to welcome our final student, Max Chase, into the Victini House."[/i][/color]

The red section of the stadium roared happily, praising Max for his efforts as he made his way to the Victini section, greeted by other students who were excited to see him placed.

Professor Beauregard returned to stage to make his final comments. [color=salmon][i]"And there you have it students! This year's cohort is destined for greatness in every thing that they do! Upperclassmen, I trust that you will help raise up this new set of Trainers and teach them the ways of not only being an exemplar student within their specific houses, but also a student that will represent Periwinkle as well! Many of you are familiar with Periwinkle alumni across the world, including many of our staff. We take pride in our school and hope that you will as well! Now, with everything being settled, I'm sure you all are excited about this evening's festivities! There will be a celebratory event in the Student Union as well as numerous events taking place in the exterior of the campus. As always, please abide by Periwinkle rules but feel free to socialize with one another, take a tour of the campus, locate your dormitory, and things of that nature. We welcome all of you to another year at Periwinkle. Let's make this year the best one yet! Class dismissed!"[/i][/color]