Lucian woke to the sound of music.
It wasn’t particularly good music.
Someone was attempting to play a cheerful melody with several instruments at the same time, but the musicians didn’t seem to have agreed on the rhythm.
A trumpet rushed ahead, the drums struggled to catch up, and a flute produced notes that didn’t belong to either version.
Growlithe raised his head from the rug.
Beldum floated toward the window.
Lucian pushed the blankets aside and walked over to discover the source of the noise.
Several people were setting up stalls along Pallet Town’s main road.
They had hung garlands between the trees, arranged tables near the square, and decorated several houses with flowers and colorful ribbons.
A group of Machop helped transport boxes.
Two Mr.
Mime created transparent barriers to support a welcome arch.
Near the laboratory, three assistants attempted to hang a banner while a Pidgeotto pulled one of the ropes from the air.
Daisy appeared beneath the window.
“Lucian!”
He opened it.
“You don’t have to shout.”
“I didn’t know if you were awake.”
“Everyone in Pallet Town is awake now.”
One of the musicians produced a particularly unfortunate note.
Daisy grimaced.
“They’re still practicing.”
“I hope so.”
“Come downstairs. We have a lot to do.”
“What’s happening?”
Daisy looked at him as though the answer should have been obvious.
“It’s the Spring Festival.”
Lucian searched his memories.
The event had never appeared in the anime or games, but that didn’t mean it didn’t exist.
He had learned long ago that his previous knowledge represented only a limited version of this world.
“Oak didn’t mention it.”
“Because he knew you would try to include it in your schedule.”
“I need to know my responsibilities.”
“Your responsibility today is to have fun.”
Lucian remained silent.
Daisy pointed toward the room.
“You have ten minutes.”
“Fifteen.”
“Ten.”
“I need to feed Growlithe and examine Beldum’s magnetic field.”
“I already prepared their breakfast. You can examine Beldum afterward.”
Lucian looked at his partner.
Beldum released a calm vibration.
“It seems fine.”
“Of course it’s fine. It slept for eight hours last night.”
“Beldum doesn’t sleep the same way we do.”
“Nine minutes,” Daisy announced.
“You said ten.”
“You wasted one arguing.”
She walked away before Lucian could answer.
Growlithe jumped to his feet and ran toward the door.
“Don’t get excited. We haven’t agreed yet.”
Growlithe barked.
Beldum moved toward the wardrobe where Lucian kept his clothes.
Lucian observed them.
“You’re both on her side.”
Growlithe barked again.
It wasn’t the first time Lucian had found himself outnumbered since arriving in Pallet Town.
The kitchen was crowded when Lucian went downstairs.
Professor Oak reviewed a list while drinking coffee.
Gary was kneeling on a chair, attempting to fasten a small red cape around his Blastoise figure.
Daisy prepared a basket containing Berries, water bottles, and several accessories for Swablu.
Bread, fruit, and eggs covered the center of the table.
Lucian took the available seat.
“What does the festival celebrate?”
Oak didn’t look up from his list.
“The beginning of the planting season and the return of several migratory Pokémon. Originally, it was a small gathering between farmers. Over time, it became a celebration for the entire town.”
Gary raised his figure.
“Blastoise will participate in the parade.”
Daisy looked at the toy.
“There isn’t a section for plastic figures.”
“There will be when I’m the best Trainer.”
“How would that help?”
“People will do what I say.”
Oak lowered the list.
“We’ll have to discuss your expectations about becoming a Trainer.”
Gary placed Blastoise beside his plate.
“There will be battles too.”
“Exhibitions,” his grandfather corrected.
“No unsupervised battles will be permitted.”
Lucian picked up a slice of bread.
“Who will participate?”
“Local Trainers, some of the laboratory assistants, and several children with their Pokémon partners. They aren’t official competitions.”
Daisy closed the basket with more force than necessary.
Lucian observed her.
“You’re going to participate.”
“Maybe.”
“You prepared accessories for Swablu.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
Swablu was perched on top of the refrigerator with a blue ribbon around her neck.
“You also practiced Fairy Wind yesterday afternoon,” Lucian continued.
Daisy crossed her arms.
“I wasn’t sure it was ready.”
“The move?”
“Our routine.”
“What routine?”
She looked away.
“A performance with music.”
Lucian waited.
Daisy didn’t continue.
Her expression was different from the one she wore during training.
She was excited, but also uncertain.
“Why don’t you want to participate?”
“I never said I didn’t want to.”
“Then why haven’t you registered?”
“Because… it might be too soon.”
Gary put down his spoon.
“You’re scared.”
“I’m not scared.”
“Then do it.”
Daisy looked at her brother.
“It isn’t that simple.”
“Yes, it is. You walk over there and say you want to participate.”
“Thank you for the explanation.”
Oak folded the list.
“Registration closes at noon. You don’t have to decide now.”
Daisy nodded.
Lucian finished eating without insisting.
He understood better than she thought.
Training in private was different from displaying the result in front of a group of strangers.
During a battle, Daisy could focus on protecting Swablu or overcoming an opponent.
During a performance, everyone’s eyes would be on them.
They couldn’t hide behind necessity.
They would have to step onto the stage because they wanted to be there.
The Spring Festival completely transformed Pallet Town.
Its usual tranquility was replaced by roads crowded with people and Pokémon.
Families had arrived from nearby farms, along with visitors from Viridian City.
The stalls sold food, Berry products, toys, Trainer accessories, and Pokémon-inspired crafts.
An elderly man offered small wooden carvings.
Gary remained in front of the stall for so long that Oak eventually had to carry him away.
“I want the Nidoking.”
“You already have a Blastoise.”
“Blastoise needs a rival.”
“Your room needs space.”
Lucian walked beside Daisy.
Growlithe moved between them, stopping every few steps to investigate new scents.
Beldum floated above their heads, attracting attention because of its unusual coloration.
Several people recognized Professor Oak and approached to greet him.
Some of them also knew Daisy.
Lucian received curious looks, but no one asked uncomfortable questions.
Oak simply introduced him as a student who would be staying at the laboratory for a month.
The Starfall family had once been influential, but their name meant little to most younger people in Kanto.
Lucian preferred it that way for now.
A powerful smell caused Growlithe to change direction.
The Pokémon gently tugged on Lucian’s trouser leg and guided him toward a stall where meat and vegetables were being grilled.
“You just had breakfast.”
Growlithe pointed at the food with his snout.
“It doesn’t matter how long you stare at it.”
The man running the stall laughed.
“He looks hungry.”
“He always looks hungry when there’s meat nearby.”
The man took a small unseasoned piece and offered it to him.
Growlithe looked at Lucian.
“You can eat it.”
The Pokémon accepted the food and wagged his tail.
Daisy smiled.
“He was polite.”
“He knows he isn’t allowed to accept food without permission.”
“Gary needs that training.”
The boy was several stalls behind them, trying to persuade Oak to buy him a bag of Poké Ball-shaped candy.
Lucian nodded.
“It might work.”
“Don’t tell Grandpa that.”
Near the square, they found an area prepared for small Pokémon.
There were low obstacles, tunnels, platforms, and wooden targets.
Several children helped their partners complete the course.
A young Bulbasaur used its vines to jump over a barrier.
A Sandshrew rolled through a tunnel and crashed into a basket.
A Pichu tried to reach a platform but ended up clinging to the edge until its Trainer lifted it.
There were no important prizes.
Everyone received a ribbon upon finishing.
“Growlithe could complete the course,” Daisy said.
“It’s too easy.”
The Fire-type stopped.
He looked at the obstacles.
Then he looked at Lucian.
“You don’t need to prove anything.”
Growlithe pointed one paw toward a table filled with Pokémon biscuits.
The ribbon wasn’t his objective.
Daisy began laughing.
“At least he’s honest.”
Lucian examined the course.
It didn’t require powerful moves or represent intense training.
Oak had lifted the restriction after Growlithe and Beldum rested the previous day.
“All right. You can participate.”
Growlithe ran toward the line.
“We still need to register.”
The Pokémon returned, carefully caught Lucian’s sleeve between his teeth, and began pulling.
“I can walk on my own.”
Daisy followed them, amused.
Five Pokémon were ahead of Growlithe.
When it was his turn, a woman accompanied by a Bellsprout explained the rules.
“He must overcome every obstacle and strike the three targets. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. The idea is for both of you to have fun.”
“Understood.”
Growlithe moved to the starting line.
His attention remained fixed on the biscuit table.
“Don’t run too quickly,” Lucian warned.
“Observe before moving.”
The woman raised a flag.
“Begin!”
Growlithe shot forward.
He completely ignored the first instruction.
He leaped over two barriers at once, raced through the tunnel without slowing down, and nearly crashed into a platform.
Lucian narrowed his eyes.
“I told you to observe.”
Growlithe pretended not to hear him.
The first target emerged on the left.
“Ember. Minimum power.”
Small flames struck the center.
Growlithe continued forward.
He used his front paws to climb a ramp before leaping toward a series of platforms.
One shifted beneath his weight.
The Pokémon lost his balance.
“Don’t jump. Lower your body.”
Growlithe spread his paws apart and lowered his center of gravity.
The platform stabilized.
He proceeded more carefully.
The second target appeared behind a wall.
“Use your sense of smell.”
Growlithe closed his eyes for a moment.
Then he turned toward the correct opening and struck the target with a charge.
The final section contained several posts arranged in a zigzag.
This time, he didn’t run.
He changed direction between them and waited until he located the third target.
“Ember.”
The attack landed.
Growlithe crossed the finish line and received a biscuit.
Then another.
The attendant tried to give him a third, but Lucian raised one hand.
“Two are enough.”
Growlithe whined.
“You just ate meat.”
The Pokémon looked at Daisy.
“Don’t involve me,” she said.
“Lucian is your Trainer.”
The Steel-type turned its body away.
“Betrayal from both sides,” Daisy murmured.
The attendant placed a green ribbon around Growlithe’s neck.
The Pokémon forgot about the third biscuit and ran toward Lucian.
“You started too quickly,” the boy said while adjusting the ribbon.
“But you corrected your movements.”
Growlithe placed his front paws against him.
“You did well.”
The Pokémon licked his cheek.
Daisy applauded.
“Now it’s Beldum’s turn.”
Lucian looked at the course.
“It can’t fit through the tunnels.”
“It can complete an aerial version.”
The attendant overheard them.
“We have floating targets for Flying-type Pokémon.”
Beldum immediately moved forward.
“It appears to have decided to participate,” Daisy remarked.
Lucian sighed.
“Only one round.”
The aerial course consisted of moving through suspended rings, avoiding soft balls fired by mechanisms, and touching four targets.
Beldum passed through the first rings with ease.
The problem appeared when the first ball was launched.
Instead of dodging it, Beldum struck it head-on.
The ball flew across the area and landed inside a nearby stall.
Beldum vibrated with satisfaction.
“You were supposed to dodge it,” Lucian said.
Another ball launched from the right.
“Don’t hit it.”
Beldum moved aside.
The ball passed beside it.
The Pokémon followed it with its eye, disappointed.
Daisy covered her mouth.
“Don’t laugh.”
“I’m not laughing.”
“I can hear you.”
Beldum continued through the course.
It touched the targets with the top of its head, flew through the final rings, and stopped above the finish line.
It received a blue ribbon.
The attendant also tried to give it a biscuit before remembering it probably couldn’t eat one.
Beldum looked at the prize.
Then it looked at Growlithe.
The Fire-type covered his two biscuits with his paws.
“I’ll give you a mineral supplement when we return,” Lucian promised.
Beldum accepted that solution.
The exhibitions began near noon.
A circular stage had been constructed in the square.
It wasn’t as elaborate as the stages used for official Contests, but it provided enough space for Pokémon to use their moves.
The first performance was presented by a woman and her Butterfree.
They combined Confusion with Stun Spore to create shining figures in the air.
A Trainer with two Exeggcute appeared next.
They used Psychic-type moves to spin several Berries without dropping them.
Gary watched from the front row.
Oak held the back of his shirt whenever he tried to move too close to the stage.
Daisy remained beside Lucian, but she wasn’t watching the performances.
She was watching the registration table.
“You still have time,” he said.
“I know.”
Swablu rested in her arms.
“Do you want to participate?”
The Pokémon raised her head and sang softly.
Daisy stroked her feathers.
“What if something goes wrong?”
“Then you’ll correct the mistake.”
“You say that because you don’t care when everyone looks at you.”
Lucian thought about it.
“I do care.”
Daisy looked at him.
“It never seems like it.”
“When everyone looks at me, it’s usually because of Beldum, my powers, or my family. I learned to ignore it.”
“That isn’t the same.”
“No. You want them to look.”
Daisy lowered her gaze.
That was what frightened her.
She didn’t want to hide her dream of becoming a Coordinator.
She wanted to step onto a stage, display her bond with Swablu, and be recognized for it.
If she failed, she wouldn’t be able to pretend it didn’t matter.
Lucian held out his hand.
“Give me your ribbon.”
“Which one?”
“The one you’re going to use for the performance.”
Daisy opened the basket and removed a light-blue ribbon.
She had tried tying it around Swablu’s neck, but it was too long and came loose during her turns.
Lucian examined the fabric.
“We need to secure it better.”
“I didn’t bring anything else.”
Lucian removed the small clasp that held his notebook’s cover closed.
It was silver and shaped like a star.
Daisy recognized it.
“That belongs to your favorite notebook.”
“I can get another one.”
“But you like it.”
Lucian threaded the ribbon through the clasp and adjusted its length.
Then he carefully placed it on Swablu.
The silver star rested at the center, surrounded by the white feathers on her chest.
“Now it won’t fall.”
Swablu spread her wings.
The ribbon remained in place.
Daisy touched the small star.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“What if we lose it?”
“Then you’ll have to win enough performances to buy me another one.”
Daisy smiled.
“Deal.”
She took a breath, lifted Swablu, and walked toward the registration table.
Lucian watched her go.
Growlithe sat beside him.
Beldum floated above his shoulder.
Oak appeared next to him.
“Good decision.”
“I only fixed the ribbon.”
“Of course.”
Lucian looked at the professor.
Oak was smiling beneath his mustache.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You’ll understand when you’re older.”
“People say that when they don’t want to explain something.”
“Sometimes we also say it because it’s entertaining to watch you try to discover it on your own.”
Daisy returned.
Her face was slightly pale.
“We’re next after a Bellsprout.”
“You can withdraw if you change your mind,” Lucian said.
She frowned.
“I’m not withdrawing.”
“Then you don’t have a problem.”
“You aren’t as helpful as you think.”
“It worked.”
Daisy took a deep breath and looked at Swablu.
“We’ll do it just like we practiced.”
The Pokémon sang.
When their names were announced, both moved to the center of the stage.
Several people applauded when they recognized Professor Oak’s granddaughter.
Daisy tensed.
So did Swablu.
Lucian raised one hand from the audience.
Daisy saw the gesture.
Then she looked at the silver star on her partner’s chest.
Her expression relaxed.
The music began.
“Swablu, Sing.”
The Pokémon raised her head and produced a soft melody.
She didn’t use the move at full strength.
The objective wasn’t to put the audience to sleep, but to control her voice and maintain the rhythm.
The conversations around the stage ceased.
“Now, Mist.”
A white cloud spread across the floor.
Swablu climbed into it until her body disappeared.
The melody continued from within.
Daisy raised one hand.
“Fairy Wind!”
The mist rose in a spiral.
Pink and blue lights appeared inside the current.
Swablu emerged from the center, spinning with her wings spread.
The blue ribbon followed her movement.
The star reflected the sunlight.
The audience applauded.
Swablu was startled by the noise and lost some of her stability.
One wing lowered.
Daisy noticed.
“Don’t look at the audience! Look at me!”
Swablu found her eyes.
“One more turn. Just like in the garden.”
The Pokémon corrected her posture.
She circled Daisy and released another Fairy Wind.
This time, the shining particles formed a ring around them.
The music ended.
Swablu descended into Daisy’s arms.
For one second, there was silence.
Then the entire square erupted in applause.
Gary jumped in his seat.
“She won! Daisy won!”
“It isn’t a competition,” Oak reminded him.
“Then they should make it one.”
Daisy hugged Swablu.
She hadn’t won an official Ribbon or demonstrated extraordinary strength.
But she had completed her first performance in front of an audience.
When she stepped off the stage, she ran toward Lucian.
“We nearly lost control during the second turn.”
“But you recovered.”
“The mist dispersed too soon.”
“No one noticed.”
“You did.”
“Because I know the routine.”
Daisy looked at him.
“You can say you liked it.”
Lucian observed Swablu.
The Pokémon was still breathing quickly, but she held her wings proudly.
“It was beautiful.”
Daisy smiled.
Before Lucian could react, she hugged him.
Swablu was trapped between them and protested with a chirp.
Daisy quickly moved away.
“Sorry.”
The Pokémon shook her feathers.
Lucian adjusted the ribbon to make sure the clasp was still there.
“You didn’t lose it.”
“I told you I wouldn’t.”
“You asked what would happen if you lost it.”
“That was before.”
Growlithe barked.
Beldum vibrated.
“They want to congratulate you too,” Lucian said.
Daisy crouched and hugged Growlithe.
She then tried to do the same with Beldum, although its body shape made the gesture fairly awkward.
“Thank you.”
Oak approached with Gary sitting on his shoulders.
“You were excellent.”
Daisy turned toward her grandfather.
“We made some mistakes.”
“Of course. It was your first performance.”
“We could have done better.”
“And you will next time.”
Daisy looked at Swablu.
The Pokémon sang.
“Next time,” she repeated.
The following hour passed without incident.
Lucian believed the rest of the festival would remain peaceful.
He was wrong.
The accident began with a balloon.
A vendor had brought several inflatable figures shaped like Pokémon.
One resembled a Charizard and was almost as large as a small house.
The wind became stronger during the afternoon.
One of the ropes came loose.
The inflatable Charizard rose above the square and descended behind a temporary enclosure where several Tauros belonging to local farmers were resting.
The Pokémon saw an enormous orange creature falling from the sky.
They panicked.
The first Tauros struck the fence.
The wood broke.
Six Tauros charged toward the main road.
People began to scream.
The noise frightened the Pokémon even more.
Fear.
Confusion.
An urgent need to escape.
They weren’t attacking deliberately.
They were running because they believed something was chasing them.
“Everyone, get off the road!” Oak shouted.
The Trainers began moving people aside.
The group of Tauros was heading toward the square.
Gary stood near one of the stalls.
Oak ran toward him, but a fallen table blocked his path.
Daisy reacted first.
“Swablu, go to Gary!”
The Pokémon flew.
Gary stared at the Tauros, too surprised to move.
Swablu struck his head with her wings.
“Hey!”
The Pokémon pulled his hair in the opposite direction.
Gary finally understood and began running.
Oak reached the boy and lifted him.
“Daisy, take him behind the stage.”
Lucian observed the Tauros’ path.
If they continued straight ahead, they would reach the square.
There were too many people and too little space for them to change direction safely.
A wider road on the right led toward the fields.
They had to redirect the herd.
“Growlithe, run along their left side. Don’t attack them.”
The Pokémon shot forward.
“Beldum, with me.”
Lucian moved toward the edge of the road.
Daisy grabbed his sleeve.
“What are you going to do?”
“Guide them toward the fields.”
“There are six Tauros.”
“That’s why I need space.”
“You aren’t going alone.”
Daisy looked at Swablu, who was returning after helping Gary.
“Fly up and stay above us.”
Oak left Gary with one of the assistants.
“Lucian, don’t stand in front of them!”
“I won’t.”
The Tauros were getting closer.
Growlithe ran parallel to the group and began barking from their left side.
He didn’t approach too closely.
His presence forced the Tauros to move several feet away from him.
But it wasn’t enough.
The leader continued heading toward the square.
“Beldum, use Confusion on that cart. Just push it.”
The Pokémon’s eye glowed.
The empty cart slowly rolled across part of the main road.
Beldum still couldn’t lift heavy objects, but it only needed to make the cart move.
The lead Tauros saw the obstacle.
It turned slightly to the right.
The other five followed.
“Swablu, Fairy Wind behind them!” Daisy ordered.
A shining current struck the ground behind the herd.
It wasn’t strong enough to injure them, but the sound and movement urged them forward.
The path toward the fields was open.
Lucian extended his powers.
He didn’t try to control the Tauros’ minds.
He possessed neither the strength nor the experience to do so.
Instead, he concentrated on projecting a single sensation.
Calm.
Open space.
A way out.
The effort caused pain to form behind his eyes.
The lead Tauros raised its head.
For an instant, Lucian felt its mind brush against his own.
He saw disordered images.
The false Charizard falling.
People screaming.
A broken fence.
The herd’s fear.
Lucian took a step toward the entrance to the fields.
“That way.”
Tauros didn’t understand the words, but it sensed the intention.
It changed direction.
The other five followed.
The group left the main road and entered the meadow.
Growlithe continued running beside them until they were far from the square.
Two local farmers arrived from the fields on Rapidash and positioned themselves around the herd to slow them down.
The danger had passed.
Lucian stopped using his powers.
The world tilted.
Daisy caught him before he fell.
“You overdid it.”
“I’m fine.”
“You always say that.”
Beldum positioned itself beside him.
The Pokémon released a worried vibration.
“It was only an emotional projection.”
“On six frightened Tauros.”
“I didn’t try to control their movements.”
“You’re still pale.”
Growlithe returned and pressed his body against Lucian’s legs.
Lucian placed one hand on his head.
“You did well.”
The Pokémon was breathing quickly, but he wasn’t injured.
Oak reached them.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes,” Lucian replied.
“He nearly fell,” Daisy reported.
Lucian looked at her.
“That wasn’t necessary.”
“Of course it was.”
Oak examined his eyes.
“Headache?”
“Mild.”
“Blurred vision?”
“No.”
“Dizziness?”
Lucian took too long to answer.
Oak frowned.
“You will sit down and drink water. Now.”
“The Tauros…”
“The farmers will handle them. You’ve done enough.”
Lucian didn’t argue.
That worried Daisy more than anything else.
She helped him sit behind one of the stalls.
Swablu landed on his shoulder, and Growlithe lay in front of him.
Beldum remained beside him.
Gary appeared holding an assistant’s hand.
“Lucian!”
The boy ran toward him.
“Did you stop all the Tauros?”
“I didn’t stop them. We showed them a different path.”
“It looked like you were controlling them.”
“I can’t control six Tauros.”
“When I become a Trainer, I’ll be able to stop twenty.”
Daisy crossed her arms.
“Ten minutes ago, you couldn’t even get off the road.”
Gary’s face turned red.
“I was waiting for the right moment.”
“Swablu had to pull your hair.”
The boy touched his head.
“That hurt.”
Swablu sang without showing any remorse.
Oak gave Lucian a bottle of water.
“Drink.”
Lucian obeyed.
The festival was beginning to calm down.
Several people repaired the damaged stalls while Trainers checked that no one had been injured.
Fortunately, the Tauros hadn’t struck anyone.
The inflatable Charizard remained trapped between two trees.
Growlithe stared at it suspiciously.
“It isn’t real,” Lucian explained.
The Pokémon didn’t look away.
“I don’t like it either,” Daisy admitted.
Oak sat in front of Lucian.
“Your decision was correct, but you took too much of the risk upon yourself.”
“I didn’t stand in front of them.”
“You used your abilities until you became dizzy.”
“They needed to calm down.”
“And it worked because Beldum, Growlithe, Swablu, and Daisy helped you.”
Lucian nodded.
Oak seemed to be waiting for something more.
“I couldn’t have done it alone,” he added.
Daisy smiled faintly.
So did the professor.
“You learn quickly.”
“I always do.”
“And you recover your arrogance even faster.”
The festival continued after the incident.
The musicians began playing again, although they hadn’t improved much.
The stalls reopened, and the organizers gave free food to those who helped repair the damage.
Daisy received a small commemorative ribbon for her performance.
Growlithe managed to obtain a third biscuit while Lucian was distracted.
Beldum received several new flowers to replace those it had lost.
When the sun began to set, small lights illuminated the plaza.
Lucian and Daisy sat on a hill overlooking the town.
Gary slept on a blanket a short distance away, hugging his Blastoise figure.
Oak was speaking with several residents.
Swablu rested between Daisy and Lucian.
Growlithe had placed his head on the boy’s legs.
Beldum floated nearby, illuminated by the festival lights.
Daisy turned the commemorative ribbon between her fingers.
“I want to participate in a real Contest.”
Lucian looked at her.
“I thought you still weren’t certain.”
“I am now.”
“You’ll need to train more moves, study the rules, and learn how the performances are evaluated.”
Daisy glanced at him.
“You could simply say you support me.”
Lucian remained silent for several seconds.
“I’ll support you.”
“Even if you have to travel far to watch me?”
“Yes.”
“Even if you’re researching something important?”
“Yes.”
“Even if Elena wants you to do something else?”
Lucian looked at her.
Daisy kept her gaze fixed on the square.
“What does Elena have to do with this?”
“Nothing. It was a question.”
“A very specific question.”
“Then forget it.”
Lucian recognized the retreat.
He didn’t insist.
“When you participate in your first official Contest, I’ll be there.”
Daisy finally looked at him.
“Do you promise?”
Lucian extended his little finger.
She smiled and hooked hers around it.
“Now it’s a serious promise,” he said.
“You’re learning.”
Swablu raised her head and sang softly.
Daisy touched the silver star on her ribbon.
“I’ll also return the clasp after I win.”
“You can keep it.”
“But it belongs to your notebook.”
“It matches Swablu better now.”
Daisy fell silent.
Her cheeks became slightly pink beneath the festival lights.
“Thank you.”
Lucian nodded.
Small glowing balloons began rising from the square, secured by strings to prevent another accident.
Their lights covered the sky like colorful stars.
Beldum ascended to observe them more closely.
Growlithe raised his head.
Lucian watched the scene.
For nearly his entire new life, he had thought about preparing.
Training.
Studying.
Strengthening his Pokémon.
Understanding the system.
Restoring his family’s legacy.
There were so many goals that he sometimes forgot that not every experience needed to help him achieve one of them.
Some experiences could exist simply because they mattered to the people he cared about.
Daisy rested her head on his shoulder.
Lucian tensed for a moment.
Then he relaxed.
They didn’t need to speak.
Below them, Pallet Town celebrated the arrival of spring.
Above them, the lights continued to rise.
And for the first time since arriving at the laboratory, Lucian allowed a day to end without thinking about what he needed to do the next morning.
End of Chapter 19