The following weeks passed far too quickly.
Lucian didn’t notice at first.
His days in Pallet Town settled into a routine that soon began to feel natural.
He woke before sunrise, checked Beldum and Growlithe’s condition, and then ate breakfast with the Oak family.
Gary usually appeared while still wearing his pajamas, dragging some Pokémon figure behind him and asking questions that changed subjects before anyone could finish answering.
Daisy tried to stop Lucian from reading during breakfast.
She almost never succeeded.
Afterward, they headed to the laboratory.
Some mornings, Lucian helped care for recovering Pokémon.
On others, he accompanied Professor Oak during his observations or worked with the assistants to organize records of the wild populations living nearby.
The new Fearow population was slowly adapting to the western cliffs.
The two injured Pokémon had begun to recover.
The one with the damaged wing still couldn’t fly for long, but it could now perform short glides.
The Fearow that had protected its companions remained nearby and was gradually allowing the assistants to approach without trying to attack them.
Lucian never fed it directly again.
Food was placed at different locations to force the Pokémon to search for it, and the portions were reduced every few days.
They didn’t want to replace its ability to hunt.
They wanted to restore it.
The Mount Moon fragment remained inside a protected room.
Lucian read the documents sent by his grandfather, but Professor Oak limited each session to one hour.
The notes described ancient sanctuaries, fragments that had fallen from the sky, and places where Psychic-type Pokémon sensed unusual currents of energy.
They offered no clear answers.
For the first time, Lucian accepted leaving a mystery unresolved.
At least for now.
Most afternoons were dedicated to training.
Growlithe improved his control over Flame Wheel and learned to distribute the fire more evenly around his body.
Beldum practiced precision and strengthened Confusion until it could lift several small objects at the same time.
Swablu developed greater stability during her turns.
Daisy changed as well.
After the festival, she stopped hiding her desire to become a Coordinator.
She prepared new routines, studied recordings of Contests, and began combining Swablu’s moves with music.
Lucian helped her.
Although she claimed his explanations were too technical.
“You can’t tell me that the turn needs to begin at a thirty-seven-degree angle,” she complained one afternoon.
“It’s the most stable angle.”
“Swablu can’t measure degrees while flying.”
“You can give her the command at the correct moment.”
“And how am I supposed to measure it?”
“Using the sun’s position and the shadow.”
Daisy stared at him for several seconds.
“Sometimes I forget that you don’t know how to explain things normally.”
“My explanation is precise.”
Swablu descended and landed on top of Daisy’s head.
“She didn’t understand you either.”
The Pokémon chirped.
Lucian observed the position of her wings.
“Try beginning the turn when you reach the height of the lowest branch.”
Swablu took off again.
When she reached the branch, she tilted one wing and performed the movement.
The turn was stable.
Daisy crossed her arms.
“You could have said that from the beginning.”
“It was less precise.”
“But it worked.”
Lucian had to admit that she was right.
Elena called from the island almost every night.
Her punishment had been reduced, although she still couldn’t leave the grounds near the mansion without supervision.
She used that time to learn about nutrition, first aid, and coat care.
Absol fully recovered from her injury.
The Pokémon rarely appeared directly in front of the camera, but she always remained near Elena.
Sometimes only a white tail could be seen behind the chair or a pair of red eyes watching from the background.
During one of the calls, Growlithe tried barking at her through the screen.
Absol responded by baring her teeth.
From that moment onward, they appeared to develop a rivalry despite never meeting in person.
The month that had seemed long at first began to run out.
Three days remained before Lucian’s return to the island when Professor Oak announced that he would conduct a final evaluation.
He made the announcement during breakfast.
“I want to see how much you’ve learned.”
Lucian looked up from his notes.
“A written or practical evaluation?”
“Practical.”
Daisy put down her cup.
“Me too?”
“You’ve trained beside Lucian for almost the entire month. Of course you’ll participate.”
Gary raised his hand.
“I trained too.”
Oak looked at him.
“You taught your Blastoise figure to jump from a chair.”
“It didn’t fall.”
“Because it landed on a cushion.”
“That was part of the training.”
Daisy ruffled her brother’s hair.
“You can watch.”
Gary moved her hand away.
“I’ll be the judge.”
“Grandpa will be the judge.”
“Then I’ll be the second judge.”
Lucian closed his notebook.
“What will the evaluation involve?”
Oak smiled.
“You’ll find out this afternoon.”
Daisy looked at Lucian.
“I don’t like that smile.”
“Neither do I.”
“It looks like the one your grandfather makes before giving you more work.”
“No. My grandfather smiles less.”
Oak picked up his coffee.
“Report to the main field at three. You can use the rest of the morning however you want.”
Lucian stood.
“We’ll train.”
“No,” Daisy said.
He looked at her.
“We need to prepare.”
“If we train until the evaluation, our Pokémon will be tired.”
Oak nodded.
“Good answer.”
Daisy smiled proudly.
Lucian sat down again.
“We can review strategies.”
“After we finish breakfast,” she said.
“I can eat and review them at the same time.”
Daisy took his notebook and placed it at the opposite end of the table.
“Afterward.”
Lucian stared at the notebook.
Then he looked at Daisy.
Oak concealed a smile behind his cup.
At three in the afternoon, the laboratory’s main field was ready.
Several barriers marked the edges of a rectangular battlefield.
Artificial rocks, logs, and two small pools had been placed throughout the area to create uneven terrain.
Gary sat beside Professor Oak.
He carried an empty notebook and held his pencil upside down.
“What are you writing?” Daisy asked.
“The scores.”
“The notebook is blank.”
“You haven’t started yet.”
Daisy decided not to continue.
Lucian entered the field with Growlithe and Beldum.
Daisy walked beside him with Swablu perched on her shoulder.
Assistants Evans and Marie waited on the opposite side.
Evans was accompanied by a Pidgeotto.
Marie had a strong Nidorino beside her, with several small scars around its legs.
Lucian analyzed their opponents.
Pidgeotto had the aerial advantage and was more experienced than Swablu.
Nidorino possessed physical strength, endurance, and poisonous attacks.
Growlithe could surpass it in speed, but taking a direct hit would be dangerous.
Beldum floated forward.
Oak raised one hand.
“Beldum will not participate in this evaluation.”
The Pokémon stopped.
Lucian frowned.
“Why?”
“Because I want to evaluate your ability to work with another Trainer, not your coordination with the two Pokémon you’ve known for years.”
Beldum slowly descended.
“It can observe beside me.”
The Pokémon released a protesting vibration.
Gary tapped the chair next to him.
“You can sit here.”
Beldum looked at the boy.
Then it looked at Lucian.
“It’s all right,” he said.
“Go with Oak.”
Beldum floated out of the field and positioned itself beside the professor.
Growlithe watched it leave.
His posture changed.
Lucian recognized the reaction.
Without Beldum, Growlithe felt that he had to prove he could handle the battle for both of them.
“You don’t need to compensate for its absence,” Lucian told him.
“Daisy and Swablu are with us.”
Growlithe looked at Swablu.
The small bird sang and spread her wings.
The Fire-type nodded.
Oak positioned himself between the two teams.
“This will be a Double Battle. It will end when both Pokémon on one team are unable to continue, leave the battlefield, or their Trainers surrender.”
Daisy raised her hand.
“Are move combinations allowed?”
“As long as they don’t endanger the Pokémon or the audience.”
“What are we supposed to demonstrate?”
“That depends on you.”
Lucian recognized the answer.
Oak didn’t want to reveal what he was evaluating because they would adapt every decision to satisfy a checklist.
“Evans and Marie will not use moves beyond the established safety level,” the professor continued.
“However, they will not hold back strategically.”
Nidorino scraped the ground with one foot.
Pidgeotto spread its wings.
“Trainers, take your positions.”
Lucian turned to Daisy.
“Pidgeotto will be the main problem. It can maintain its distance and attack from different angles.”
“Swablu can face it in the air.”
“Not for long. Pidgeotto is faster.”
Daisy frowned.
“Swablu is more agile while turning.”
“But she has no experience enduring direct attacks.”
“Then we’ll keep it from hitting her.”
Lucian wanted to continue explaining, but Oak raised the flag.
“Begin!”
Pidgeotto moved first.
“Quick Attack against Swablu!” Evans ordered.
The Pokémon became a blur.
“Climb!” Daisy shouted.
Swablu flapped her wings and gained altitude.
Pidgeotto changed direction, continued rising, and struck her from the side.
Swablu was thrown through the air.
“Stabilize yourself!”
The Pokémon extended her wings and regained her balance before falling.
On the ground, Nidorino charged toward Growlithe.
“Dodge left,” Lucian ordered.
“Then use Ember.”
Growlithe jumped.
The flames struck Nidorino’s side, but the Pokémon continued forward.
“Double Kick!” Marie ordered.
Nidorino turned with unexpected speed.
The first kick missed.
The second struck Growlithe’s shoulder.
The Fire-type rolled across the ground.
“Growlithe!”
He stood before Lucian could finish calling his name.
Nidorino was already charging again.
“Don’t trade blows. Run around the rocks.”
Growlithe changed direction and used the obstacles to disrupt his opponent’s path.
Lucian looked up.
Pidgeotto was pursuing Swablu.
“Daisy, lead it toward the right side. Growlithe can attack when it descends.”
“Swablu, descend toward the rocks.”
The Pokémon obeyed.
Pidgeotto followed.
“Growlithe, get ready.”
Nidorino appeared in front of him and blocked his path.
“Peck!” Evans ordered.
Pidgeotto folded its wings.
Lucian calculated the distance.
“Growlithe, ignore Nidorino and use Ember upward.”
Daisy turned toward him.
“Swablu is still there!”
“The attack won’t hit her if she maintains her trajectory.”
Swablu descended rapidly.
Growlithe’s flames rose.
Pidgeotto saw the attack and changed direction. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Swablu also tried to move away, but she lost her stability when she felt the heat near her wings.
Her body collided with an artificial rock.
“Swablu!”
Daisy ran to the edge of the field.
The Pokémon rose with difficulty.
She wasn’t seriously injured, but several feathers had been singed.
Daisy looked at Lucian.
“Don’t do that again!”
“I knew the flames wouldn’t hit her.”
“You frightened her!”
“We needed to force Pidgeotto away.”
“You could have warned me.”
“There wasn’t time.”
Pidgeotto regained altitude.
Nidorino caught up with Growlithe and struck him with a charge.
The situation was getting worse.
Oak watched in silence.
Gary tried to write something down, but he held the pencil so tightly that the tip broke.
Daisy turned her attention back to Swablu.
“Can you continue?”
The Pokémon spread her wings.
One of them trembled.
Even so, she sang with determination.
“You don’t have to.”
Swablu took flight again.
Daisy took a deep breath.
Lucian observed them.
His strategy had been correct in theory.
The flames hadn’t touched Swablu and had forced Pidgeotto to interrupt its attack.
But he had used Daisy’s Pokémon as though she were another piece he could move around.
He hadn’t considered her fear.
Nor had he trusted Daisy to find her own solution.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
She didn’t answer.
Nidorino emerged from behind a rock.
“Poison Sting!” Marie ordered.
Nidorino’s horn became covered in purple energy.
“Growlithe, jump onto the log.”
The Pokémon ran toward a fallen obstacle and leaped.
Nidorino struck the wood.
Its horn became stuck for a moment.
“Flame Wheel.”
Fire surrounded Growlithe.
He descended on Nidorino and struck it in the side.
The Poison-type was thrown against the ground.
It didn’t stay there for long.
It rose with trembling legs.
“Swablu, Fairy Wind against Pidgeotto,” Daisy ordered.
Swablu released a shining current.
Pidgeotto flew through it using Quick Attack.
“Change direction,” Lucian said.
Daisy ignored him.
“Mist.”
Swablu created a cloud around herself.
Pidgeotto entered it.
Evans frowned.
“Exit from above.”
The Pokémon began climbing.
“Now, Sing!” Daisy ordered.
Swablu’s voice echoed inside the mist.
Pidgeotto emerged from the top, but its flight became unstable.
It hadn’t absorbed enough of the move’s energy to fall asleep, although its movements became slower.
Daisy had found a way to reduce its speed advantage.
Without Lucian’s help.
“Good strategy,” he said.
Daisy glanced at him.
“Focus on Growlithe.”
Lucian accepted the reproach.
Nidorino freed its horn and charged.
Growlithe was tired.
Flame Wheel consumed a considerable amount of energy, and the earlier strike had injured his shoulder.
He couldn’t face it directly.
“Move toward the pool.”
Growlithe ran.
Nidorino pursued him.
“Don’t let him escape!” Marie ordered.
Lucian waited until both were near the water.
“Ember against the surface.”
Growlithe released the flames.
The water didn’t begin to boil, but a cloud of steam rose as it absorbed the heat.
Nidorino lost sight of his opponent.
“Stop,” Marie ordered.
The Pokémon tried to slow down.
Growlithe emerged from the steam.
“Bite its front leg. Don’t maintain pressure.”
His fangs closed around one of Nidorino’s legs.
The Pokémon lost its balance.
Growlithe released it before causing a serious injury.
Nidorino fell into the water.
The impact created a wave.
Some of the water struck Growlithe and extinguished his flames.
Nidorino attempted to stand, but the slippery surface and its exhaustion prevented it.
Oak raised a flag.
“Nidorino is unable to continue. The first point goes to Lucian and Daisy.”
Marie approached her partner.
“You did well.”
Nidorino allowed her to help it out of the pool.
Lucian looked toward the sky.
Pidgeotto was still struggling against the partial sleep caused by Sing.
However, Swablu was also tired.
Daisy kept her fists clenched.
“We can bring it down by using a current from both sides,” Lucian said.
“You will not launch fire near Swablu again.”
“I won’t.”
“Then what do you propose?”
Lucian studied the field.
Nidorino had thrown water into the air when it fell.
Part of the terrain was wet, and steam still drifted over the pool.
“Swablu can use the mist and steam to hide.”
“She already did that.”
“This time, Growlithe won’t attack Pidgeotto. He’ll attack the ground.”
Daisy waited.
Lucian didn’t issue a command.
“It’s your decision,” he added.
She studied Pidgeotto’s position.
Evans’s Pokémon was flying in circles above the left side of the field, refusing to descend.
“Explain it.”
“Growlithe will create more steam. Swablu can move inside it without Pidgeotto seeing her direction. You’ll choose when and how to attack.”
Daisy looked at Swablu.
The Pokémon answered with a chirp.
“Let’s do it.”
Lucian crouched beside Growlithe for several seconds.
“You don’t need to use much power. Only create heat near the water.”
Growlithe nodded.
“Pidgeotto, Air Cutter!” Evans ordered.
The Pokémon flapped its wings.
Several blades of air descended.
“Swablu, behind the rocks!” Daisy shouted.
Swablu took cover.
“Growlithe, Ember on the pool.”
The flames struck the water.
A new cloud of steam covered the center of the field.
“Clear the area with Whirlwind!” Evans ordered.
Pidgeotto began to spin.
A downward current caught the steam and mist.
“Not yet,” Daisy said.
Lucian remained silent.
The Whirlwind grew stronger.
The cloud began to disappear.
Pidgeotto focused all of its attention on dispersing it.
Daisy smiled.
“Swablu, come out from below and use Fairy Wind!”
The blue Pokémon hadn’t been inside the cloud.
She had flown close to the ground and hidden behind the log while everyone watched the steam.
Swablu appeared directly beneath Pidgeotto.
Fairy Wind struck its open wings.
Pidgeotto lost control of Whirlwind.
The current exploded outward and launched it higher.
“Growlithe, jump from the rock!” Lucian ordered.
The Fire-type climbed one of the obstacles and leaped.
He couldn’t reach Pidgeotto with his fangs.
He didn’t need to.
“Leer!”
Growlithe released an intimidating glare at close range.
Pidgeotto flinched and lost a second trying to move away.
“Swablu, Peck!”
Swablu climbed.
Her beak struck Pidgeotto’s chest.
The Pokémon was thrown beyond the battlefield’s aerial boundary and landed on an outside platform.
It attempted to return, but Evans raised one hand.
“That’s enough.”
Oak lifted the flag.
“Pidgeotto has left the field. Victory goes to Lucian, Daisy, Growlithe, and Swablu.”
Gary jumped from his chair.
“They won!”
Beldum vibrated loudly.
Growlithe landed awkwardly and rolled across the ground.
He quickly stood and tried to pretend it had been intentional.
Swablu descended toward Daisy.
She caught her in her arms.
“You did it!”
The Pokémon sang, exhausted but happy.
Lucian approached.
“You both did well.”
Daisy looked at him.
She was still upset.
“Swablu needs her wing examined.”
“I know.”
Lucian crouched beside the Pokémon.
Several feathers were damaged, but the heat hadn’t reached her skin.
The collision with the rock had caused minor swelling.
“It doesn’t appear serious.”
Daisy didn’t answer.
Oak approached.
“Take her to the infirmary. Growlithe and Nidorino need examinations as well.”
Marie was already helping Nidorino walk.
Evans called Pidgeotto, which descended onto his arm.
Gary raised his notebook.
“I give you ninety points.”
Daisy looked at him.
“Out of how many?”
“One hundred.”
“Why did we lose ten?”
“You argued too much.”
Oak took the notebook.
There were no numbers written inside.
Only several disorderly lines and a drawing that might have represented a Blastoise.
“A surprisingly accurate observation,” he admitted.
Swablu had no serious injuries.
The laboratory doctor applied cream to the swollen area and recommended that she avoid training for two days.
The singed feathers would fall out and be replaced naturally.
Growlithe had a bruise on his shoulder but could walk without difficulty.
After the examinations, Daisy carried Swablu into the garden.
Lucian found her sitting beneath the tree where they practiced their routines.
Swablu slept on her lap.
Lucian stopped several steps away.
“Can I sit down?”
Daisy didn’t look at him.
“You can do whatever you want.”
That wasn’t a positive answer.
Lucian sat anyway, leaving some space between them.
For a minute, neither spoke.
Growlithe rested beside him.
Beldum remained behind them but decided not to move too close.
“My command was a mistake,” Lucian said.
“You said you knew the flames wouldn’t hit her.”
“They didn’t.”
Daisy looked at him furiously.
Lucian continued before she could interrupt.
“But that doesn’t mean the command was correct. I didn’t consider how Swablu would react or explain what I was planning to you.”
“You treated her as though she were your Pokémon too.”
“Yes.”
“Swablu trusts me.”
“I know.”
“Then you need to trust that I can direct her.”
Lucian looked at the sleeping Pokémon. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
“I’m accustomed to Beldum and Growlithe understanding my decisions before I finish explaining them. We train together every day.”
“Swablu and I train too.”
“But not with me.”
Daisy stroked her partner’s blue feathers.
“I don’t want you to think I’m useless in battle just because I want to become a Coordinator.”
“I’ve never thought that.”
“You tried to give every command.”
“Because I believed it would be more efficient.”
Daisy frowned.
“That doesn’t make the explanation better.”
“I know.”
Lucian took a breath.
Apologizing wasn’t impossible for him.
Recognizing a mistake was necessary to correct it.
The difficult part was doing so after worrying someone he cared about.
“I’m sorry, Daisy. I won’t use Swablu in a strategy again without explaining it to you. I also won’t try to decide for both of you.”
Daisy studied him.
“Do you promise?”
Lucian extended his little finger.
“I promise.”
She examined his hand for several seconds before hooking her finger around his.
“A serious promise.”
“Yes.”
Daisy didn’t immediately release his hand.
“Your second strategy was good.”
“It was our strategy.”
“My part was better.”
“Your deception with the log was effective.”
“Only effective?”
Lucian recognized what she wanted to hear.
“It was excellent.”
Daisy smiled.
“That’s better.”
Swablu opened one eye.
Upon seeing that they were no longer arguing, she closed it again.
Growlithe slowly approached and sniffed one of her wings.
The Pokémon didn’t move away.
Beldum floated above them.
It hadn’t been able to participate in the battle.
However, it wasn’t frustrated.
It was proud.
“Oak was right,” Lucian said.
Daisy raised an eyebrow.
“About what?”
“He wanted to evaluate whether I could work with another Trainer.”
“And did you pass?”
“We won.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
Lucian thought about the first half of the battle.
“Barely.”
Daisy began laughing.
Oak called them to his office before dinner.
Evans and Marie were already there.
Four reports rested on the desk.
“First, the obvious result,” the professor began.
“You won the battle.”
Gary raised his hand from a chair.
“I gave them ninety points.”
“You were supposed to be with your babysitter.”
“I escaped.”
Oak closed his eyes.
Marie attempted to hide a smile.
One of the assistants led Gary out of the office while he protested that a judge couldn’t be expelled.
Oak waited until the door closed.
“As I was saying, you won. But victory wasn’t the main objective.”
Lucian nodded.
“You wanted to evaluate our coordination.”
“Among other things. Lucian, your analysis was quick, and you used the terrain well. Growlithe trusts your commands even when he doesn’t understand the entire plan.”
Lucian waited for the next part.
“However, you tried to control the entire battle. You treated Daisy as an extension of your strategy rather than another Trainer.”
“We’ve already discussed that.”
Oak looked at Daisy.
She nodded.
“He apologized.”
“Good. It will become a recurring problem if you don’t correct it. A leader isn’t the person who makes every decision. A leader is someone who allows others to make good decisions without depending on him.”
Lucian held on to those words.
Someday, he wanted to build an organization of his own.
He couldn’t lead researchers, breeders, and guardians as if they were Pokémon waiting for instructions.
“I’ll remember.”
Oak turned to Daisy.
“You remained calm when Swablu received the first hit and found a way to reduce Pidgeotto’s speed. You also defended your decisions.”
Daisy smiled.
“But you allowed your anger to interfere with communication for several minutes.”
Her smile disappeared.
“I was upset.”
“With good reason. Even so, you must communicate during a battle. You could have rejected the strategy without refusing to share information.”
Daisy looked at Lucian.
“I’ll remember.”
Oak reviewed the final report.
“Growlithe needs to improve his endurance and reduce the time it takes him to recover his balance after jumping.”
The Fire-type lowered his ears.
“Swablu must strengthen her wings and gradually grow accustomed to heat, noise, and other conditions she may encounter on real stages.”
Swablu touched the silver star on her ribbon with her beak.
“Pidgeotto and Nidorino also received useful observations,” Evans added.
“They weren’t merely practice opponents.”
Marie stroked Nidorino’s head.
“He wants a rematch when Growlithe is older.”
Nidorino snorted.
Growlithe straightened his body.
“They’ll have one,” Lucian said.
Oak put the reports away.
“Overall, you both passed.”
Daisy raised one hand.
“What was the maximum score?”
“There were no scores.”
“Then how do we know who achieved the better result?”
“It wasn’t a competition between you.”
Daisy and Lucian looked at each other.
Oak sighed.
“You both passed at the same level.”
“Acceptable,” Lucian said.
“For now,” Daisy added.
The professor stood and walked toward the window.
The training field was beginning to darken beneath the evening sky.
“Tomorrow will be your final full day together.”
The atmosphere in the office changed.
Daisy didn’t respond.
Lucian knew the date.
He had checked the calendar every morning, although he had stopped mentioning it after the first week.
The ship would depart in two days.
“I thought there were still three days left,” Daisy said.
“The third is the day of departure,” Oak explained.
“Tomorrow, we’ll finish the remaining projects. Afterward, you’ll have the rest of the day free.”
Daisy looked at Lucian.
“You could stay another week.”
“My grandfather is waiting for me.”
“He can wait.”
“I also need to continue training on the island.”
“You can train here.”
Lucian remained silent.
Daisy lowered her gaze.
“I know. It was only an idea.”
Oak turned away from the window.
“Lucian will return to Pallet Town. And you’ll be able to visit the island.”
“It isn’t the same,” she murmured.
“No,” the professor admitted.
“But no farewell is permanent if both people wish to meet again.”
Lucian observed Daisy.
During that month, they had conducted research, argued, trained, and shared moments that didn’t fit into any of his plans.
Pallet Town was no longer only Professor Oak’s home.
It had also become a place he wanted to return to.
“I’ll come back,” he said.
Daisy raised her head.
“When?”
Lucian couldn’t offer an exact date.
“Before I begin my journey.”
“That could take years.”
“You can come to Celestia too.”
“I will.”
“Then we’ll meet before that.”
Daisy extended her little finger.
Lucian hooked his around it.
They didn’t need to explain what it meant.
Oak smiled.
“There will be no research, training, or evaluations after noon tomorrow.”
Lucian looked at him.
“I still need to finish the report on the Fearow.”
“You’ll finish it in the morning.”
“There are also documents from the Starfall archives.”
“They can wait.”
“The Mount Moon sample…”
“It will still be in its chamber when you return.”
Daisy moved beside Lucian.
“You heard Grandpa.”
“You’re both abusing your authority.”
“And it works,” Oak replied.
That night, Lucian didn’t open any of his notebooks.
He prepared Growlithe’s portions, checked Beldum’s magnetic field, and organized part of his luggage.
He didn’t pack all his clothes.
One day still remained.
Daisy appeared in the doorway.
She carried two cups of hot chocolate, just as she had on the first night.
“Can I come in?”
“Yes.”
She placed one cup on the desk.
Then she looked at the suitcases.
“You already started packing.”
“I’m only organizing.”
“That’s still packing.”
Lucian closed one of the suitcases.
Daisy sat beside the window.
Swablu flew over to Beldum and once again used it as a branch.
This time, the Steel-type didn’t protest.
Growlithe slept on the rug with his green festival ribbon resting beside his paws.
“What do you want to do tomorrow?” Lucian asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Oak said we would have the afternoon free.”
“I know.”
“We can go to the river.”
“We’ve already been there.”
“To the Butterfree clearing.”
“Not all the trees have bloomed yet.”
“We can visit the town.”
Daisy shook her head.
“I don’t want to go anywhere special.”
Lucian waited.
She held the cup between her hands.
“I want to spend the day here.”
“At the laboratory?”
“At home. We can stay with the Pokémon, prepare food, and do something normal.”
Lucian understood.
She didn’t want to turn the entire final day into a farewell from the moment it began.
“All right.”
“I also want another battle someday.”
“When Swablu recovers.”
“Not tomorrow. The next time we see each other.”
“Growlithe will be stronger.”
“Swablu will be too.”
“Then it will be interesting.”
Daisy smiled.
“And I’ll win.”
“That hasn’t happened yet.”
“We won today because of my final strategy.”
“Growlithe created the steam and distracted Pidgeotto.”
“Swablu landed the final blow.”
“After Growlithe used Leer.”
“My part was better.”
Lucian picked up his hot chocolate.
“We can argue about it during our next battle.”
“Deal.”
They remained beside the window as the laboratory’s lights went out one by one.
The month was coming to an end.
However, neither of them mentioned the departure again.
They still had one day left.
And for that night, it was enough.
End of Chapter 20