Morning arrived with Felix already moving about the lab, as usual. Auburn had yet to make an appearance, leaving the lucario to his routine of assisting where needed.

  Their departure was set for the following morning, though Auburn still had a list of preparations to make. Standard supplies were easy enough to find at the local mart, but high-quality camping gear had to be overnighted from Jubelife City. Felix, on the other hand, was more or less ready to leave at a moment’s notice. It was his, unbeknownst to Auburn, his plan and he'd had far more time to prepare.

  Rowan emerged from his office, calling the lucario over. He extended a small shoulder satchel toward him.

  "It’s inside," the professor stated.

  Felix hesitated before nodding, taking the bag and unzipping it just enough to peek inside. A small Poké Ball rested within, navy blue on top, standard white on the bottom. To the untrained eye, it might appear to be a custom design, mimicking his own color motif, but Auburn would recognize it immediately.

  Police Ball.

  Felix zipped the satchel back up and slung it over his shoulder.

  “You know, you’re going to have to tell him eventually,” Rowan chided.

  Felix rolled his eyes, waving a dismissive paw. They’d had this conversation too many times already. The professor’s persistence on the matter had long since transitioned from mildly annoying to downright frustrating.

  "You know better than he does how dangerous it is out there." Rowan gestured toward Felix’s chest. The lucario’s frown deepened as he instinctively covered the rough patch of fur where his spike should be. Rowan merely shrugged at the defensive gesture and glare he received.

  "Trust is a two-way street, you know."

  Auburn burst into the lab by early afternoon, practically vibrating with excitement. After receiving the news yesterday, he had spent half the night ordering supplies online. By the time sleep finally claimed him, he had burned through a third of his savings and had three separate deliveries en route to the lab.

  “You’re late,” Felix remarked dryly as Auburn stepped inside.

  "Where’s the professor?" Auburn asked, brushing past the comment entirely. Felix snorted, gesturing vaguely toward Rowan’s office before wandering off. Without hesitation, the boy hurried down the hall and knocked quickly on the office doors.

  "Professor!" he called out.

  "Yes, Auburn, you may come in."

  Auburn slipped inside, closing the door gently behind him. The excitement on his face was impossible to miss as he approached Rowan’s desk, where the professor sat reading through a file. He knew he was acting like a kid, but come on—this was his starter Pokémon. This moment only happened once.

  "So… did you get it?"

  Rowan sighed, setting the file aside.

  "Really, Auburn, you should have been here sooner. Professor Magnolia wanted to speak with you."

  Auburn blinked. "It’s only, like, one in the afternoon. Can’t we just talk now?"

  Rowan sighed again, this time more exasperated.

  "No, Auburn. Galar is nine hours ahead of us. She’s already gone to bed."

  Auburn winced, shifting awkwardly. "Oh. Right. My bad."

  The professor shook his head.

  "So, the starter, then? You have her? It is a ‘her’ isn’t it?" Auburn prompted, eager to move on.

  Rowan hummed, standing and pulling a minimized Poké Ball from his pocket.

  "Yes, she’s here. And yes, she is female. Is that a problem?"

  Auburn’s head snapped up. "No! Not at all. Just surprised, that’s all."

  Female starters weren’t exactly common. Breeders tended to hold them back, either to increase their own stock or manufacture artificial scarcity. The Pokémon League tried to use its resources to distribute them fairly, but even then, it wasn’t unheard of for breeders to prioritize sending off “undesirable” Pokémon.

  "Professor Magnolia did say she was a bit of an oddball," Rowan mused. "Perhaps her breeders decided she wasn’t matronly enough and shipped her off."

  "That seems a bit extreme."

  "Regardless…" Rowan glanced around his office, lips pressing into a thin line before shaking his head. "Let’s go outside first."

  “By the way,” Auburn asked as they walked, “what level is she? Wait—no! You never tell me these things. What level is Felix?”

  Rowan stopped in his tracks. Auburn’s stomach twisted. He had overstepped, hadn’t he? But then the professor sighed, rubbing his temples.

  "That’s something you should ask Felix, but… you’ll find out eventually, so I may as well tell you. Felix’s estimated combat level is twenty-six."

  Auburn stopped dead. The excitement drained from his face, replaced with sheer disbelief.

  "What?"

  Twenty-six? That wasn’t possible. Riolu were known for slow evolutions, which was why the League rarely assigned them to new trainers. Too often, they reached Final Gambit before evolving—if they evolved at all. If a Riolu went that long without evolving, it was considered a lost cause in battle.

  But Felix… had evolved before that?

  "Who was his trainer?" Auburn demanded.

  Rowan shook his head. "I don’t know, and even if I did, it’s not my place to say. That’s something you need to hear from him." Rowan paused, then gestured at the Poké Ball in his hand. "Wouldn’t you rather focus on your starter?"

  Auburn groaned internally. Of course he wanted to know about his starter, but this—this changed everything. He had assumed Felix was just another Lucario who evolved too late to be useful, but this threw his expectations out the window. If Felix was only twenty-six now, how low had he been when he first evolved? And what kind of trainer had he come from? Why had they separated?

  Rowan saw the storm brewing in Auburn’s expression and placed the Poké Ball firmly in his palm.

  "Focus," he ordered.

  Auburn chuckled nervously. "Right. One thing at a time."

  Swallowing the forming lump in his throat, Auburn pressed the button. In a flash of light, a small, white-and-orange rabbit materialized before him. Bright ruby eyes locked onto his.

  "Chii!"

  Auburn froze.

  Scorbunny.

  Perfect.

  His mind whirred with calculations. He had originally hoped for a Chimchar—the fire and fighting mix would have been ideal—but this might actually be better. Felix wouldn’t be participating in Gym Battles, but apart from the early battle with Roark, his fighting capabilities covered what Auburn needed. A pure Fire-type was an excellent choice.

  Rowan cleared his throat. "Scorbunny, this is the trainer Professor Magnolia told you about. Auburn, this is Scorbunny."

  Auburn snapped back to reality. "Right, sorry! Guess I’m your trainer now. Nice to meet you!" He crouched, offering his hand.

  Scorbunny approached cautiously, sniffing the outstretched palm. Then, in a blur of movement, she slapped his hand and took off across the field.

  Auburn blinked. "Huh?"

  Rowan smirked, gesturing toward the fleeing rabbit. "Go on, then."

  Auburn groaned. "You’re kidding."

  Rowan simply raised an eyebrow.

  "Haven’t I taught you how important first impressions are?"

  Auburn glanced back at the bouncing Scorbunny, who was waving at him to follow. He groaned again.

  "Great."

  The next twenty minutes of Auburn’s afternoon were spent chasing after the little rabbit as she darted and weaved just out of reach, laughing all the while. He had almost caught her at one point, feigning exhaustion and dropping to the ground as bait. She had barely dodged his grab when he lunged, but she was faster than she looked. Now, as he sat in the field catching his breath, Scorbunny ran circles around him, always just far enough away that he had no hope of reaching her.

  What kind of first impression am I even making here? he wondered bitterly. She’s just going to think I’m lazy at this rate.

  He watched as the rabbit bounced happily, flashing him an impish smile. At least she was friendly. Auburn sighed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out her Poké Ball. As soon as Scorbunny caught sight of the device, her ears perked up, and she immediately spun around and dashed off again.

  Auburn groaned. Seriously?

  Unfortunately, this time, she was headed toward the edge of the property. He had little choice but to give chase. A long, artificial river ran along the ranch’s perimeter, feeding into a large, man-made pond. Its placement served a dual purpose—helping regulate water supply and acting as a natural deterrent against unwanted visitors. Anyone trying to sneak onto the property from that direction would have to deal with a small army of territorial Water-types.

  Of course, none of that helped Auburn in his current predicament. There were plenty of spots where a small Pokémon like Scorbunny could cross, and the last thing he wanted was for his new partner to escape into town on his first day.

  Jogging after her, Auburn cursed under his breath. She was already nearing the riverbank. If he lost sight of her now, he’d have an even harder time catching up.

  “Scorbunny! Wait!” he called, panting.

  The Pokémon didn’t so much as glance back.

  Auburn gritted his teeth and scanned the area. Was Felix nearby? He could—

  No. He shut that thought down immediately. If I ask him for help now, I’ll never hear the end of it.

  Pushing forward, he slowed as he noticed Scorbunny hopping in place near the pond’s edge. At first, he thought she was simply waiting for him to catch up so they could continue their little game. But no—her attention wasn’t on him anymore.

  Auburn followed her gaze and spotted two Pokémon lingering at the water’s surface—a staryu and a remoraid, watching her curiously.

  Perfect. If they can keep her distracted, I can—

  His relief was short-lived. Before he could act, Scorbunny suddenly spat a small ember of fire at the water-types, clearly trying to provoke them.

  Auburn’s stomach dropped.

  “Oh, come on—”

  The Staryu responded immediately, firing a sharp jet of water that hit Scorbunny square in the chest, sending her tumbling backward.

  “Shit!” Auburn sprinted to her side.

  She lay on her back, blinking up at him. Then, to his utter disbelief, she let out a shrill laugh and began wiggling excitedly. Before she could bounce off again, Auburn lunged, grabbing her by the scruff.

  “Oh, no you don’t.”

  She kicked wildly in the air, sending droplets of water flying all over him. Grimacing, Auburn pulled her Poké Ball from his pocket and aimed it at her. She tried to kick even harder as the red light engulfed her, pulling her inside.

  “Any complaints?”

  Auburn nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden voice behind him.

  “Don’t do that!” he snapped, whipping around to glare at Professor Rowan.

  The older man smirked. “So?”

  Auburn let out an annoyed huff. “Nothing I can’t handle,” he declared confidently.

  Rowan gave an approving nod. “Good. I’d have to rethink my plans if you started making excuses.”

  Auburn sighed. He’d been around the professor long enough to recognize a rhetorical question when he heard one. Truthfully, he was a little thrown off by how energetic Scorbunny was, but he wasn’t about to admit that. Not when Rowan was trusting him to handle Felix, too.

  “For better or worse,” Auburn muttered under his breath.

  Rowan raised an eyebrow. “What was that?”

  “Nothing.” Auburn quickly changed the subject. “What level is she at? I got caught up with Felix and never got an answer.”

  “She’s around level seven.”

  Auburn nodded. Good. Not a baby, then. Seeing how playful she was, he’d briefly worried she might be fresh out of the egg. Not that he would’ve traded her if she was, but he wouldn’t put it past Rowan to give him a handicap to balance out having Felix with him.

  “Anything I need to know about her diet?” he asked. “I held off on ordering food until I knew what I was dealing with.”

  Rowan thought for a moment. “She’s a little underweight for her age, so I’d recommend high-nutrient feed. And take Felix with you when you go to the Mart—he mentioned needing a few things as well.”

  Auburn groaned. Rowan rolled his eyes.

  “You two are about to start a long journey together. Might as well break the ice now.”

  “Fine. Tell him to get ready.”

  The bell above the Pokémart door jingled as Auburn sauntered inside, Lucario in tow. He grabbed a handbasket without thinking, only to glance sideways when Felix reached for one too. The Pokémon met his stare with an unbothered look.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  “I’m sure Rowan told you I intended to pick up some things.”

  “Whatever it is, I’m not paying for it.” Auburn said flatly.

  Felix let out a sharp, amused exhale. “I don’t need your help.”

  Auburn frowned, but then his eyes landed on the odd shoulder bag Felix was carrying. His stomach dropped. Before he could even ask, Felix slipped a lanyard from the pouch and dangled it in front of him with a smug look.

  “Officially, I’m here on behalf of the lab.”

  Auburn barely held back another groan. Of course. The professor regularly sent Felix out for supplies, and that little piece of plastic meant whatever the Lucario was buying was going straight onto the lab’s tab. And now that he’d made that snide remark any hope of sneaking his own items into the same transaction was certainly gone.

  Felix’s smirk deepened like he could hear every bitter thought. Tail swaying, he strode past Auburn without another word.

  Auburn rolled his eyes and stalked toward the food section, muttering under his breath.

  Shopping was usually mindless, but after having his mood soured by Felix, everything about it irritated him. The brightly colored boxes, the absurd price tags, the way some of the products practically screamed at him.

  Chim-Chow: An EXPLOSIVE burst of nutrients!

  Auburn scoffed, tossing the box back onto the shelf. Sugar and filler. No thanks.

  He skimmed the rest of the options and settled on Fire-Mix. Nothing fancy, but it had real ingredients and didn’t cost a fortune. He threw two boxes into the basket and started to move on—only to hesitate.

  Felix.

  For a split second, he debated skipping it. The smug bastard could buy his own food, right? But some annoying, nagging part of him knew he’d feel bad if he didn’t.

  With an irritated sigh, he grabbed two boxes of standard chow and tossed them in.

  Pokéballs were a quicker stop. Sandgem didn’t stock much, just standard and great balls, and even the latter were considered a luxury for a town this small. Auburn considered them for half a second before grimacing at the price difference.

  Three times the cost for a barely noticeable boost in catch rate? He grabbed five standard ones and moved on.

  Healing items. Grabbed. Human food? He debated, but he’d already ordered supplies with his camping gear. No point in wasting money now.

  Satisfied, Auburn turned toward the checkout—then immediately cursed under his breath when he locked eyes with the cashier.

  “Oh, Auburn, honey!”

  Mrs. Thompson waved him over with a bright smile, her beehive of hair perfectly intact as always.

  Auburn forced a smile and walked to the counter.

  “Hi, Mrs. Thompson.”

  “How have you been?” she asked warmly, scanning his items.

  “I’m good,” Auburn said, already bracing for the next question.

  “And your mother?”

  His grip on the basket tightened. “She’s… fine. Same as usual.”

  Mrs. Thompson hummed, continuing to ring up his things. But then she paused, looking down at the basket. Her smile faded into something softer.

  “This basket,” she murmured. “Very telling.”

  Auburn’s stomach twisted. She knew.

  “Please don’t tell her,” he said quickly, voice lower now. He hated how desperate he sounded, but he needed her to let this slide.

  Mrs. Thompson’s expression turned stern. “You’re going to break your mother’s heart, you know.”

  Auburn exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “That’s exactly the problem! She’s convinced I’m going to turn out like my dad somehow, which is pretty damn hard considering how low of a bar he set.”

  “Auburn,” she chided, “you shouldn’t talk about your father that way.”

  Auburn let out a short, bitter laugh. “Why not? Everything I’ve ever heard about him makes him sound like the world’s worst trainer. Or maybe just the world’s worst person.”

  Mrs. Thompson sighed as she bagged the last of his items. “I never met him, but I don’t believe that. Your mother still talks about him from time to time.”

  “You mean ‘complains.’”

  “Not always,” she admitted. “But I’ve heard plenty of good things about him, too.”

  Auburn snatched the bag from the counter, shaking his head. “Well, that makes one of us.”

  Mrs. Thompson hesitated, then sighed. “Look, I won’t go out of my way to tell her, even though I think I should. But I’m not going to lie for you either.”

  Auburn clapped his hands together in mock prayer and gave a little bow. “Thank you. It’s just for today, I promise.”

  Mrs. Thompson frowned. “You’re going to break her heart,” she repeated.

  “She’ll be fine,” Auburn muttered, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. “I’ll call her as soon as I get to Jubelife.”

  “You better ,” she warned, but there was a hint of warmth in her voice.

  Auburn nodded and bid her farewell, walking out of the store. He was greeted by the sight of Felix leaning against the store's large window, bag in one hand and a half-eaten chocolate bar in the other. Auburn looked at him in shock, a mixture of surprise and disbelief in his eyes.

  “I'm uh… I’m pretty sure those are really bad for you.”

  “Steel type. Poison immunity.” Felix dismissed casually.

  Auburn had to do a double take as the pokemon shoved the rest of the chocolate into his mouth.

  “I… don’t think that's how that works.”

  Felix shrugged and pushed off the side of the store.

  “We done?”

  Auburn glanced down at the grocery bag in Felix’s hand. He gestured at it with a nod.

  “What did you get… other than candy?”

  Felix hid the bag behind him.

  “Food.” he stated somewhat defensively.

  Auburn just nodded, not really expecting an honest reply.

  “Yeah, I guess we’re done. Unless Rowan needs anything else, I'm gonna go back home.”

  Felix shrugged again and started off towards the lab. Auburn stood there for a moment, waiting to see if the pokemon had any closing remarks, then began walking the other way towards his home.

  When Auburn trudged into the house, he made a quick detour to the kitchen, grabbing a garbage bag before heading straight to his room. His mother’s Vulpix yipped at him from her spot on the couch, but he ignored her. The little ice-type had been pampered her entire life, a prized pet his mother had spent a fortune on. Auburn always thought it was a shame to keep such an interesting Pokémon cooped up indoors, but the Vulpix didn’t seem to mind. She had probably come from a breeder who raised them for house life rather than battle.

  Once inside his room, Auburn shut the door behind him and wedged his desk chair under the handle. His mother had a habit of barging in unannounced, and he couldn’t risk that tonight. Not while he was packing.

  He yanked open his dresser and started stuffing clothes into the garbage bag. He had already organized everything the night before, too restless to sleep, so all that was left now was shoving it in and making sure it fit.

  Halfway through, he moved to his desk and grabbed the rest of his essentials. Wallet, toiletries, lens wipes, comb—all in. The supplies he’d just bought? Definitely. He wasn’t about to risk the ice-type vulpix getting into his fire-type food.

  By the time he finished, the bag was stuffed to bursting. He probably would look like a homeless man lugging it around. He even considered finding a stick to tie it to, just to complete the look, but decided against it. The whole point was to not draw attention.

  He shoved the bag into his closet and pulled the chair away from the door. His room was a mess, and for a second, he hesitated.

  I should probably clean up…

  But then he shook his head. No, that would be suspicious. His mom knew him too well—if she saw him willingly cleaning, she’d definitely know something was up.

  Auburn sighed and flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. His thoughts swirled—leaving home, training, dealing with Felix, proving himself to Rowan. It was overwhelming, but staying trapped under his mother’s constant watch wasn’t an option.

  He reached into his pocket, fingers brushing against the Pokéball that held his new partner. He turned it over in his palm, hesitating for a moment before pressing the button.

  With a flash of red light, the Scorbunny appeared at the foot of his bed. She blinked up at him, ears twitching, before immediately launching into action—bouncing off the bed, onto his desk, scattering pens and papers everywhere.

  “Hey—Poppy—wait—!” Auburn sat up quickly, but she was already leaping onto his dresser, then the bookshelf, before kicking off the wall and landing back on his bed in a flurry of movement.

  He groaned, rubbing his temples. “Okay, yeah, I definitely need to work on discipline with you.”

  The little rabbit stopped at the sound of his voice, then tilted her head at him. Auburn sighed, reaching out to ruffle the fur between her ears. It was warm—almost hot, like a little living ember.

  “…Poppy,” he murmured, testing the name.

  She perked up, eyes shining with curiosity.

  Auburn shrugged. “You remind me of a little flame, always bouncing around… and you certainly act like you’re ‘on something.’” He added with a chuckle.

  Poppy let out an excited chirp and immediately tackled him, nuzzling under his chin. Auburn chuckled, feeling a small warmth spread in his chest.

  And then, the door swung open.

  “Auburn, I—”

  His mother’s voice cut off. Auburn’s stomach dropped. He’d forgotten he unblocked the door.

  She stood in the doorway, eyes wide, taking in the very obvious Pokémon sprawled across his bed. For a moment, everything was silent.

  “…What,” she said slowly, her voice dangerously even, “is that ?”

  Auburn swallowed hard. Poppy, either oblivious or completely unbothered, blinked up at his mother before letting out a cheerful “Chi!”

  His mother’s eye twitched.

  “It’s—uh—she’s mine,” Auburn admitted, sitting up quickly. “Professor Rowan gave her to me.”

  His mother’s expression darkened. “He gave you a Pokémon?”

  Auburn braced himself. “Yeah. Because I’m leaving tomorrow.”

  There it was. No more sneaking around it.

  His mother’s jaw tightened. “So that’s what all this is about.” Her gaze flicked around his room, taking in the signs—the mess, the unsubtle signs of packing. “You were planning to just leave without telling me?”

  Auburn exhaled sharply. “Mom, come on. We both knew this was going to happen eventually.”

  “No,” she said firmly. “We didn’t. You decided this was happening. You didn’t ask. You didn’t talk to me. You just—” She gestured wildly at Poppy, who was now tilting her head, watching the argument like it was a game. “You just went and did this.”

  Auburn clenched his fists. “Because if I had asked, you would’ve said no.”

  “Of course I would’ve said no!” she snapped. “You’re sixteen! You are not ready for this!”

  Auburn shot to his feet. “I’m more ready than you think! I’m already older than most new trainers! Just because he —” He stopped himself, jaw locking.

  His mother’s face hardened. “Say it.”

  Auburn grit his teeth. “Just because Dad screwed up doesn’t mean I will.”

  Silence.

  His mother’s hands curled into fists at her sides. “You think that’s what this is about?”

  “I know that’s what this is about,” Auburn shot back. “You’ve spent my whole life making sure I don’t end up like him, right? Keeping me stuck in this town, treating me like I can’t handle myself—like I’m not capable of making my own choices.” He gestured at Poppy. “Well, I am capable. And I did make a choice. I’m going.”

  His mother stared at him, lips pressed into a thin line. Then, she exhaled slowly and shook her head.

  “I can’t stop you, can I?”

  Auburn hesitated. “…No.”

  Her shoulders slumped slightly. She looked at Poppy again, who was still watching with innocent curiosity, ears twitching.

  “…You named her already.”

  It wasn’t a question. Auburn nodded anyway. “Yeah. Poppy.”

  His mother sighed. For a second, she looked like she might say something else—might try one more time to stop him. But then she just turned away.

  “Dinner will be ready in an hour,” she muttered before shutting the door behind her.

  Auburn let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

  Poppy chirped and hopped onto his lap, looking up at him expectantly.

  “…That could’ve gone worse,” he muttered, rubbing a hand down his face.

  Poppy snuggled against him. Auburn glanced down at her and sighed.

  “Well,” he murmured, “at least you’re on my side.”

  Leaving the house in the morning was a bittersweet affair. He looked forward to his upcoming journey, for sure, but this was the only home he’d ever known. He’d felt compelled to take pictures of everything in the house before he left. He expected that, if he ever returned, it would be unrecognizable.

  Auburn and his mother didn’t speak for the rest of the night. They barely even saw each other. The tension at dinner was suffocating and neither party was willing to break the silence. He was worried about how to smooth things over in the morning but, by the time he’d gotten up the next morning, she was already gone, left for work two hours early.

  Auburn lingered in the doorway for a moment, the silence of the empty house pressing in on him. He had expected something —a note, maybe, or at least a reminder about eating properly—but there was nothing. Just an unspoken farewell.

  With a sigh, he stepped outside, shutting the door behind him.

  The road to the lab was quiet.

  Dawn’s crisp air nipped at Auburn’s skin, and morning dew clung to the grass along the roadside. Sandgem was still asleep, the town stirring only in hints—faint kitchen lights, the distant rumble of an early-rising farmer’s truck. Bigger than Twinleaf, sure, but still a small town. Businesses wouldn’t open for hours.

  Auburn’s grip tightened on the garbage bag full of supplies, its weight dragging against his side. His mind buzzed with anticipation and unease. Everything was in place. As long as Felix didn’t cause any unexpected problems, today would mark the beginning of his new life.

  He reached the lab’s automatic doors and paused, inhaling deeply. This is it. His heart pounded, excitement and nerves tingling in his chest. No turning back now.

  The doors parted with a soft woosh.

  “Congratulations!”

  A chorus of voices rang out.

  Auburn flinched, startled.

  Inside, the entire lab staff was gathered, clapping and cheering. At the front stood Professor Rowan, smiling warmly as he joined in with a few claps of his own. Overhead, a Congratulations banner drooped slightly, the faded ink and jagged edges betraying its rush-job origins.

  “This is…” Auburn muttered, stunned.

  Rowan stepped forward, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

  “Surprised?” The professor chuckled. “It was a bit last minute, so the decorations aren’t much, but when I told everyone you were leaving today, they insisted on putting something together.”

  Auburn swallowed hard, his chest tightening. “This… this is too much.”

  “Nonsense! You’ve been here four years. Don’t sell yourself short.”

  Auburn exhaled sharply, willing the lump in his throat to settle. He had always assumed most of the staff saw him as just another intern, a background presence. Yet, here they were, showing up for him. It was overwhelming.

  And for the first time in a long while… he felt like he mattered.

  The applause died down, replaced by the hum of the lab’s equipment and the occasional murmur from the gathered researchers. Auburn shifted on his feet, still not sure how to respond.

  Felix, standing against a wall in the back, crossed his arms. You’re going to stand there gaping all day?

  Auburn shot him a glare, but before he could say anything, Rowan gave his shoulder a light squeeze and gestured toward the back of the lab.

  “Come on,” the professor said, his voice quieter now. “There’s still a few things we need to go over before you head out.”

  Auburn nodded, swallowing the last of his nerves. Right. This was really happening.

  Auburn thanked everyone, shook a few hands, and quickly retreated to Professor Rowan’s office. The professor dismissed the group with a few final words of gratitude before following behind, Felix trailing alongside him.

  Inside, Auburn was surprised to see a large camping backpack already sitting atop the desk. Frowning, he stepped forward and unzipped it, rummaging through the contents. Just as he suspected—everything he’d ordered from Jubilife was neatly packed inside.

  His eyes flicked toward Felix, then to Rowan, who had shut the door behind them.

  “Felix took it upon himself to get things ready,” the professor explained simply.

  Auburn blinked at the Lucario, who stood stiffly by the door with his usual unreadable expression. His stomach twisted. On one hand, that was a complete invasion of privacy. On the other, it was... surprisingly considerate. At the very least, it saved him time.

  Felix held his gaze for a second before looking away, brushing past him to stand in the corner of the room, as usual. Auburn wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed or grateful.

  Rowan took a seat at his desk, folding his hands. “Now, before you head off, there are a few things we need to go over.”

  He reached into a drawer and pulled out a sleek red-and-black device, setting it on the desk in front of Auburn.

  “I had meant to give you this yesterday, but you left before I had the chance.”

  Auburn picked it up gingerly, turning it over in his hands. The Pokédex was simple, not much bigger than a phone. To be honest, he always thought these things had been rendered mostly obsolete by smartphones, but... something about holding one made things feel more official.

  “Apart from providing data on Pokémon you encounter, the Pokédex records battle statistics and lets you monitor your team’s performance,” Rowan continued. “Additionally, this is what links your Poké Balls to your trainer ID.” He paused. “Do you need me to explain how to use it?”

  Auburn shook his head. He could figure it out.

  “Good. Keep track of it. While it’s not impossible to get by without one, you open yourself up to a lot more risks.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Rowan nodded. “Now, about Felix…” He gestured toward the lucario. “Most of the necessary arrangements have already been made. His Pokéball is on his person should you need it, and it has been linked to your trainer ID in a guardianship capacity. However, for any official League registration, Felix will be flagged as ineligible for battle.”

  Auburn’s brow furrowed. “What about the team limit? Trainers can only have six Pokémon at a time—how does that work?”

  Rowan sighed. “The six-Pokémon rule isn’t just for competition. It’s also a safety measure to prevent trainers from taking on more than they can handle.” He hesitated slightly. “Unfortunately, because you are considered Felix’s temporary guardian—”

  A derisive snort cut him off.

  Rowan ignored it. “—Felix will count as part of your team.”

  Auburn’s shoulders dropped. “So I only get five slots?”

  “For the time being, yes.”

  A frustrated sigh escaped Auburn before he could stop it. Taking Felix with him was starting to feel more like a demerit again. With Poppy already on his team, that meant he could only catch four more Pokémon before he had to start worrying about team composition.

  “Great. I love it,” he muttered flatly.

  “Good!” Rowan said brightly, choosing to ignore the sarcasm. “Felix has already packed his other belongings in your bag.”

  Auburn gave the backpack a second look. Now that he thought about it, it did seem fuller than it should be. His gaze flicked to the garbage bag still in his hand, stuffed with his own supplies.

  He had a sneaking suspicion his bag was going to be used mostly for candy.

  “Are these bags climate-controlled?” Auburn asked, shooting a pointed look at Felix. “I don’t want melted chocolate getting everywhere. Or bugs.”

  Felix raised the back of his hand in a mock flipping-the-bird gesture.

  Rowan barely held back a sigh. “It should be fine,” he said, though his eyes flicked toward Felix with mild suspicion.

  Auburn exhaled sharply. “Great. Anything else?”

  Rowan’s smile didn’t falter, but there was a pause—just long enough for Auburn to notice.

  “Just a bit of advice,” the professor said, his voice even. “Stick to marked paths, don’t go looking for trouble. And if you come across anything that seems out of place , contact me immediately.”

  Auburn frowned. “What counts as ‘out of place’?”

  Rowan exhaled through his nose, leaning back slightly. “Unusual wild Pokémon behavior. Strange terrain shifts. Anything that doesn’t match what you’d expect.” He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “Just… trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, assume that it is .”

  Auburn narrowed his eyes. That was a deliberately vague answer.

  “Okay, but—”

  “You’ll know it when you see it.” Rowan’s tone was final. He shifted in his seat and glanced toward the door, as if to silently indicate their conversation was over.

  Auburn studied him for a moment longer. The professor wasn’t just giving general safety tips—he knew something. But whatever it was, he wasn’t going to say.

  Felix must have picked up on it, too, because Auburn caught the lucario shooting a quick glance at the professor. His ears flicked, but he said nothing.

  Auburn exhaled through his nose. Fine. He wouldn’t push it— for now .

  “…Alright,” he muttered. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Rowan’s expression softened just a bit. “Good.”

  A beat of silence followed. Auburn looked down at the Pokédex in his hands, the smooth surface cool against his fingers. The weight of it—the reality of it—was starting to settle in. This was it. The last thing tying him to his old life had just been handed to him.

  No more preparations. No more waiting.

  Felix shifted in the corner, his stance unreadable, but Auburn swore he could sense something expectant in the lucario’s posture.

  “…Guess that’s everything, then,” Auburn said, slinging his pack over his shoulder. The finality of those words sat heavy in his chest.

  Rowan gave a small nod, his expression unreadable once more. “Yes. That’s everything. Good luck, my boy.”

  Auburn turned toward the door, pausing only for a second before stepping through. Felix followed without a word.