Amy grinned hugely as she quickstepped through the hallways. She was back! Everyone was back! It was a brand new year for the team, and she could not have been more excited. The first day was always an absolute joy. She'd been at MSPA for three years now—but it felt so much less time!—and she already felt like she was coming home every time she walked into the door to the auditorium. All the people to meet! All the pokemon to see! Sure, their team hadn't been winning recently. But she just knew that this year would be the year! Just a couple more minutes and they could start up again! Go Team Swanna!

Of course, she was discouraged that they'd been losing so hard for so long. It was impossible not to be. But that just made her want to push through even harder! After all, what was the point of winning if it came easy? This year, this year for sure, they would make it all the way! She picked out a pokeball with a green 'R' stenciled carefully on the regulation red-and-white case, tossing it up and down in her hand as she skipped through the hallways, paying a bare minimum of attention to where she was going. "We'll get it this year, Rhubarb! You bet we will!"

It was a good thing that she stopped tossing it up and down just as she reached a T-shaped intersection in the hall. As she darted through it (faster than she probably should have), she found herself face to face with a serious-looking boy and with no way to slow down. Then she found herself face to face with his T-shirt. And then on the ground.

"Oof!"

As she looked up and saw—and heard—who she'd bumped into, her ever-present smile grew even wider. She'd seen this person around just once or twice; must have been a new student or she would've seen him more. She made it a point to know everyone, after all. But there was only one reason someone could be walking this direction, at this time, on this day! It could only mean a new member! Who else would stay this long after school? Sure, he sounded unfriendly, but Amy didn't take that as discouragement. She took it as a challenge!

She popped back up, dusting herself off and releasing her death grip on Rhubarb's ball before slipping it back into the pouch on her belt. "Hey! I've seen you around before, but I don't think we've met!" She gave a little wave. I'm Amelia, but you can call me Amy! You coming to join Team Swanna?" Not pausing to give him any time to respond, she hopped a little in place, excited and still giving that warm smile. "We'll definitely come out on top this year! With you on the team, how could we not?"

She resumed moving towards the auditorium through the mostly-empty hallways, but this time backwards, still hopping up and down in an energetic pseudo-jog as she waited for the boy. "C'mon, slowpoke! We're gonna be late if we don't hurry!"

The final bell of the day rang through the academy's halls. Some students started for home, others stayed behind for clubs. In years prior, Kennedy had belonged to the former group of students. Today, it was the latter.

The first meeting of the Mistralton Swannas, foremost battling team of Mistralton Senior Pokémon Academy, with an impressive win record of zero - and Kennedy planned to attend. Join up, even. He'd gathered his things and left the classroom with the sound of the bell, making a beeline to where he recalled the club directory board hanging in the school. Tracing the short list with his eyes, he found what he was looking for: Team Swanna's meeting place, Room C-103.

He started to make his way there, considering his strategy while he did so. Out of all the students and clubs at the academy, Kennedy thought that the official battle team would be his best bet to get to know his peers. Was it a bit late to start given this was his final year at the school? Yes, but as they say, 'better late than never.' He'd looked up the team's members, and if they were more or less the same as last year then they were all ambitious and outgoing. Hopefully the types that would welcome newcomers. He did have some battling experience, though only against wild Pokémon. But that had to count for something, didn't it? And it wasn't like his joining could make the team even worse. He counted that as a positive.

After some walking and ruminating, he made it to his destination.

"..."

He stood across from the auditorium entrance awkwardly for a little while, watching Team Swanna's members enter one by one with his hands shoved into his pockets. He had probably missed a few of the students, those that hadn't needed to look up where they were going and were already seated inside, but of those that passed him by on their way to the meeting he saw two of the girls on the team, and one guy he didn't recognize. A transfer student, Ken guessed. If he was another new-comer to the team, that would be great. Maybe they could even be friends.

...if I'm joining, I should probably go inside, he thought to himself. He shuffled toward the door and slipped inside, taking a seat toward the back - then reconsidered and moved up a few rows, glancing around at the people already gathered. He noted that the faculty advisor was absent at the moment. Once they appeared he'd formally ask to join and introduce himself.

And so the faculty advisor arrived. He'd been listed alongside the team and meeting place, so Ken knew his name - though he'd hadn't expected such a titan. He was successful in not shrinking into his seat when Mr. Jouvessac approached.

"The, um, latter. Hopefully." He said. He reached out to take the paper handout, standing as he did. "I'm Ken. Kennedy. I've battled with my Pokémon before and..." Oh, crap. He hadn't actually practiced an introduction. He did have enough awareness to know he couldn't exactly say 'bet you're looking for some new blood what with the losing streak' if he wanted to get on the team's good side. Ken stared, silent for a few seconds before he continued. "...well if the team has openings, I'll do my best."

Bit of a lame first impression, but whatever - it was done. He nodded to Mr. Jouvessac and then turned to the other students gathered. Most of them he knew either from sharing a class with them or from hallway gossip about them. Well, knew their names and reputations at least. The whole point of him joining the battle team in the first place was to really get to know them. Clutching the handout tightly in both hands, Kennedy gave the team a slightly awkward bow of his head.

"I look forward to working together... and getting to know each other," he told them.