Maya Chen’s Furret was bigger up close.
Ethan had seen it dozens of times during team practice, but standing across from it on an actual battle field was different.
Long body, thick coat, relaxed posture.
Furret wasn’t even looking particularly interested in Houndour.
Ethan found that insulting.
Beside him, Houndour growled.
“Hound.”
“Yeah.”
Ethan smiled.
Apparently Houndour agreed.
Instructor Reyes stood outside the boundary.
Machoke waited beside her.
The Advanced-grade Pokémon would serve as referee, just as it did during school-sanctioned battles.
Several Junior Team members had gathered along the edge of the field.
Lucas, Chloe, Noah, Oliver, Hannah, a few others.
Ethan hadn’t expected an audience.
He looked at Maya.
“You invited them?”
“No.”
“Then why is everyone watching?”
Maya shrugged.
“Watching rookies get beaten is educational.”
Ethan stared.
Chloe laughed from the sideline.
“She’s growing on me.”
“Nobody asked you.”
Reyes raised her hand.
“Enough.”
Everyone quieted.
“This is an evaluation battle.
Not a tournament match.”
She looked at Ethan.
“Crowe.”
“Yes, Coach.”
Then Maya.
“Chen.”
“Coach.”
“Normal Junior rules.
Battle continues until I call it.
Machoke intervenes if necessary.”
Both nodded.
Ethan looked at Houndour.
Beginner Grade, Yellow Potential, Flash Fire, Ember, Leer, Howl, Smog, Bite.
Nothing had changed there.
At least nothing Appraisal could tell him.
Across the field stood a Normal-grade Furret with actual interschool experience.
Ethan knew who should win.
That wasn’t the point.
He wanted to know how much difference there really was.
Reyes lowered her hand.
“Begin!”
“Houndour, Ember!”
Fire crossed the field.
“Move.”
Maya barely raised her voice.
Furret stepped sideways.
The Ember missed.
Ethan frowned.
Not fast.
Not dramatic.
Furret had simply moved before the attack reached it.
“Houndour, again!”
Another Ember.
Furret moved.
Miss.
“Again!”
“Hound!”
A third Ember.
This time Maya didn’t command anything.
Furret moved anyway.
Miss.
Ethan stared.
Maya smiled.
“You done?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“Smog!”
Dark smoke poured across the field.
That changed things.
Furret disappeared.
Ethan immediately pointed.
“Houndour, circle left!”
Houndour ran.
Maya remained still.
Ethan watched the smoke.
Nothing.
“Houndour, listen!”
Houndour slowed.
A sound.
Leaves?
No.
Footsteps.
“Right!”
Houndour turned.
Furret exploded from the Smog.
“Now!”
Furret’s body slammed into Houndour.
“Hound!”
He rolled.
Ethan’s stomach tightened.
“Up!”
Houndour scrambled upright.
Furret was already retreating.
“Ember!”
Fire followed.
Furret twisted.
The attack grazed its coat.
Ethan smiled.
“Got you.”
Maya looked at Furret.
Then Ethan.
“Technically.”
“Still counts.”
“Sure.”
That smile bothered him.
“Furret, forward.”
This time Maya attacked.
Furret accelerated.
Fast, much faster than before.
“Houndour, left!”
Houndour moved.
Furret changed direction.
“Again!”
Houndour turned.
Furret followed.
Ethan frowned.
It wasn’t attacking.
It was chasing.
No—
Not chasing.
Driving.
“Houndour, stop!
Bite!”
Houndour spun.
Furret was already there.
The two collided.
Houndour snapped.
Missed.
Furret struck him and immediately moved away.
“Ember!”
Miss.
“Follow!”
Houndour chased.
Maya said nothing.
That was wrong.
Ethan realized it too late.
“Houndour, stop!”
Furret suddenly reversed.
Houndour couldn’t.
Furret slipped past him.
Another hit.
Houndour tumbled.
“Break away!”
He rolled back to his feet.
Furret didn’t pursue.
Maya smiled.
Ethan glared.
“You knew I’d chase.”
“Yes.”
“You’ve been watching me.”
“We’re on the same team.”
“That’s creepy.”
“That’s scouting.”
Lucas laughed.
Ethan ignored him.
Houndour shook himself.
Still ready.
Good.
Ethan took a second.
Maya wanted him attacking.
That was what she had taught him during objective drills.
She liked making people commit.
Then punishing them.
Fine.
He wouldn’t.
“Houndour, wait.”
Houndour glanced back.
“Wait.”
Furret stood across from them.
Maya raised an eyebrow.
“Learning?”
“Maybe.”
“Furret.”
Furret moved.
Ethan waited.
Closer.
Closer.
“Smog!”
Smoke erupted directly between them.
Furret disappeared.
“Houndour, back!”
Houndour retreated instead of entering.
Good.
Furret emerged from the smoke.
“Ember!”
This time the range was short.
Fire struck Furret’s side.
Direct hit.
Maya’s smile disappeared.
“Again!”
Houndour fired.
“Move!”
Furret escaped the second Ember.
But Ethan had finally made Maya react.
His grin returned.
“Come on!”
Houndour barked.
“Hound!”
Maya looked at Furret.
Then Ethan.
“Better.”
The battle continued.
And Ethan began noticing something.
Houndour was losing.
Obviously.
Furret hit harder, moved more efficiently, wasted less energy.
Maya rarely needed to repeat herself.
Sometimes she barely seemed to command at all.
Five years from now, Ethan decided, he wanted that.
But Houndour—
Houndour kept going.
Furret struck him again.
Houndour slid through the dirt.
“Up!”
He stood.
Ember.
Miss.
Move.
Bite.
Break.
Smog.
Circle.
Furret attacked.
Houndour dodged.
Not completely.
But enough.
Ethan heard someone along the sideline say: “He’s still going?”
He didn’t know who.
Didn’t care.
“Houndour, left!”
Houndour moved.
Fast.
Furret pursued.
“Turn!”
Houndour turned sharply.
Ethan blinked.
That had been quick.
Faster than—
Furret attacked.
“Down!”
Houndour dropped.
Furret passed over him.
“Bite!”
Houndour caught Furret’s hind leg.
“Fur!”
Maya’s expression changed.
“Shake him!”
Furret twisted violently.
Houndour held.
“Hold!”
Furret rolled.
Houndour finally lost his grip.
Both Pokémon separated.
Houndour was breathing heavily now.
So was Furret.
Not nearly as heavily.
But still.
Ethan smiled.
Maya looked at Houndour differently.
So did Reyes.
“Howl!”
Houndour raised his head.
“HOOOOOUND!”
His voice carried across the training grounds.
Maya didn’t wait.
“Furret, go.”
Furret charged.
Ethan had expected that.
“Smog!”
Smoke.
“Through it.”
Furret entered.
Ethan’s eyes widened.
Maya hadn’t done that before.
“Houndour, move!”
Too late.
Furret burst through the smoke.
Houndour barely avoided the first hit.
Furret turned.
Houndour turned with it.
They ran.
Ethan watched.
Furret was faster.
But not by as much as he’d expected.
Houndour reached the edge of the field.
“Turn!”
He did.
Furret followed.
“Houndour, Ember behind you!”
Houndour twisted while running.
Fire.
Furret jumped aside.
That bought Houndour space.
“Again!”
Another Ember.
Furret dodged.
Houndour kept moving.
Ethan suddenly remembered something.
Their first weeks together.
Houndour getting tired after repeated Ember practice.
Panting after short training sessions.
His legs slowing.
Arthur telling Ethan Pokémon weren’t machines.
Now—
How long had they been fighting?
Ethan glanced toward the clock.
Almost nine minutes.
Houndour was exhausted.
But he was still running.
Still attacking.
Still listening.
When had that happened?
“Furret!”
Ethan snapped back.
Maya had seen him look away.
Furret attacked.
“Houndour, dodge!”
Too late.
The impact lifted Houndour off the ground.
He landed hard.
Rolled once.
Twice.
Stopped.
Ethan stepped forward.
“Houndour!”
Houndour tried to stand.
One leg shook.
He pushed himself up anyway.
Machoke moved.
Reyes raised her hand.
“Stop!”
Everything ended.
Furret immediately backed away.
Houndour remained standing.
Barely.
Ethan knew the result before Reyes said it.
“Chen wins.”
Maya exhaled.
“Good.”
Furret returned to her.
Ethan crouched beside Houndour.
“You okay?”
“Hound.”
“You sure?”
“Hound.”
Machoke approached.
Houndour stiffened.
“It’s okay.”
Machoke examined him while Reyes came closer.
Nothing serious.
Bruising.
Exhaustion.
A few minor scrapes.
Exactly what a supervised training battle was supposed to produce instead of serious injury.
Ethan rubbed Houndour’s neck.
“You did good.”
Houndour leaned into him.
Then immediately sat down.
Ethan laughed.
“Yeah.
Sit.”
“That was longer than I expected.”
Ethan looked up.
Maya stood nearby with Furret.
“How much longer?”
She thought.
“Couple minutes.”
“That’s it?”
Maya laughed.
“What do you want me to say?”
“Like ten.”
“No.”
“Five?”
“No.”
“You’re terrible at compliments.”
“You lost.”
“I know.”
Maya crouched beside Furret and checked the spot where Houndour’s Bite had landed.
“That was good.”
Ethan smiled.
“The Bite?”
“The setup.”
Better.
“You stopped chasing.”
“Mostly.”
“Mostly.”
Maya stood.
“You’re still easy to bait.”
“Thanks.”
“You still commit too hard.”
“Thanks.”
“And you look at the obvious threat instead of asking what I’m trying to make you do.”
“Anything else?”
“Lots.”
Ethan stared.
Maya smiled.
“But you’re better.”
That one he accepted.
“Thanks.”
She walked away with Furret.
Ethan looked toward Reyes.
She hadn’t moved.
She was staring at Houndour.
Not Ethan.
Houndour.
“What?”
Reyes walked closer.
“How old is he?”
Ethan frowned.
“You have his registration.”
“I know.”
“Then why ask?”
“Crowe.”
“Sorry.”
He gave her the information.
Reyes crouched.
Houndour looked at her.
She put one hand near his shoulder.
Then his chest.
Houndour allowed it.
Reyes ran her hand along his foreleg.
Then stood.
“When did you change his diet?”
Ethan froze.
“We didn’t.”
Reyes looked at him.
“Supplements?”
“No.”
“Professional conditioning program?”
“No.”
“Private coach?”
Ethan almost laughed.
“Grandpa would die before paying for that.”
Arthur probably would.
Reyes looked back at Houndour.
“Interesting.”
That was not a word Ethan wanted an instructor using around his secret.
“What?”
“He’s grown.”
Ethan looked at Houndour.
“Yeah.”
“No.”
Reyes pointed.
“Look at him.”
Ethan did.
Black coat.
Orange muzzle.
White bands around his ankles.
Bone-like ridges beginning to stand out more clearly.
His chest—
Ethan frowned.
Houndour did look broader.
Not huge.
Nothing ridiculous.
But—
He tried remembering the day Houndour had first appeared from his Poké Ball at Bennett Orchards.
Smaller.
Definitely.
“Pokémon grow.”
“Of course they do.”
Reyes looked toward her tablet.
“But his physical development is ahead of what I expected.”
Ethan said nothing.
She opened a file.
His file.
Of course she had records.
“Your first Foundations assessment.”
She scrolled.
“Tryouts.”
Another.
“Team baseline.”
Another.
“Today.”
Ethan’s stomach felt strange.
Reyes wasn’t smiling.
She wasn’t suspicious either.
She looked interested.
Professional interest.
That might be worse.
“His speed is up.”
Ethan waited.
“Endurance is considerably better.”
She scrolled.
“Recovery between drills has improved.”
Another page.
“And he’s put on healthy size without getting heavy.”
Ethan looked at Houndour again.
He saw him every morning, every afternoon, every night.
Changes happened slowly when you watched something every day.
Like watching orchard trees grow.
Then one day Grandpa showed you an old photograph and the tree looked half the size.
“Is that bad?”
“No.”
Reyes looked at him like the question was ridiculous.
“It’s excellent.”
Ethan relaxed slightly.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“There isn’t one.”
“Okay.”
“I’m asking what you’re doing.”
There was the problem.
Ethan shrugged.
“Training.”
“What kind?”
“Running.
Moves.
Battles sometimes.”
“Where?”
Ethan’s brain stopped.
One second.
Two.
“Bennett Orchards.”
True.
Mostly.
Reyes nodded.
“Terrain?”
“Fields.
Woods.”
Also true.
“What does he do for endurance?”
“Runs.”
“How often?”
“Most days.”
“Rest?”
“Grandpa makes me.”
Reyes smiled slightly.
“Good man.”
Ethan didn’t respond.
She looked at Houndour again.
“Whatever you’re doing agrees with him.”
Then she walked away.
That was it.
No interrogation.
No accusation.
No:
I KNOW ABOUT YOUR ILLEGAL SECRET REALM.
Nothing.
Ethan stayed crouched.
Houndour looked at him.
“Hound?”
Ethan stared.
Faster.
More endurance.
Better recovery.
Bigger.
He’d known all of those things separately.
He just hadn’t put them together.
Lucas found him ten minutes later.
“Good battle.”
Ethan was sitting on the bleachers.
Houndour had been recalled to rest.
“I lost.”
“You lasted longer than Noah did against Oliver.”
“How long?”
“Four minutes.”
Ethan smiled.
“Really?”
Lucas immediately regretted telling him.
“Don’t get excited.”
“Too late.”
“Maya was evaluating you.”
“So?”
“She could have finished faster.”
Ethan’s smile weakened.
Lucas sat down.
“But Houndour looked good.”
There it was again.
Ethan glanced over.
“Better than tryouts?”
“Obviously.”
“How much?”
Lucas frowned.
“What?”
“How much better?”
“I don’t know.”
“Guess.”
Lucas thought about it.
“His movement’s better.”
“What else?”
“Stamina.”
“What else?”
Lucas looked annoyed now.
“Why are you interviewing me?”
“Reyes said he’s developing fast.”
Lucas shrugged.
“So?”
Ethan stared.
“So nothing.”
To Lucas, it wasn’t important.
Maybe Ethan had improved his training.
Maybe Houndour was going through a growth spurt.
Maybe Ethan had changed his food.
There were a hundred explanations.
Lucas stood.
“My evaluation’s next.”
“Who?”
“Hannah.”
“Flaaffy?”
“Yeah.”
Ethan smiled.
“Good luck.”
Lucas looked suspicious.
“You mean that?”
“No.”
“Thought so.”
He left.
Ethan sat alone.
Thinking.
Arthur picked him up after training.
“How bad?”
Ethan climbed into the truck.
“Houndour lost.”
“Expected.”
“Nine minutes.”
Arthur looked over.
“Against the Grade Eight?”
“Maya.”
“Normal-grade Furret?”
“Yeah.”
Arthur nodded.
“Good.”
Ethan closed the door.
“Reyes noticed.”
Arthur’s hand stopped before turning the key.
“Noticed what?”
“Houndour.”
Arthur waited.
“She says he’s developing too fast.”
Arthur’s expression changed.
Not panic.
Attention.
“Exact words.”
Ethan repeated the conversation.
Speed.
Endurance.
Recovery.
Healthy growth.
Slightly larger than expected.
Whatever you’re doing agrees with him.
Arthur remained silent.
Then started the truck.
They drove.
Ethan waited almost thirty seconds.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“You know.”
“I know many things.”
“Grandpa.”
Arthur looked at the road.
“How long since we found the Realm?”
Ethan thought.
“Five weeks?”
“About that.”
Five weeks.
Ethan remembered the first time Houndour entered.
The way he’d sniffed the air.
Then later expeditions.
The farther they traveled—
the better Houndour seemed to feel.
More energetic.
More comfortable.
More alive.
They’d already tested performance and recovery enough to conclude the Realm’s environment benefited him.
But they’d thought about it in terms of individual training sessions.
Houndour runs better today.
Houndour recovers better today.
They hadn’t asked what five weeks of that did.
Ethan sat straighter.
“Grandpa.”
“I know.”
“No, listen.”
“I’m listening.”
“Houndour trains better there.”
“Yes.”
“And recovers better.”
“Yes.”
“So he can train more.”
Arthur glanced at him.
“And if he’s doing that over and over—”
“His development compounds.”
Ethan stopped.
That was the word.
Compounds.
A slightly better session didn’t matter much.
One faster recovery didn’t matter much.
One longer run didn’t matter much.
But every week?
For months?
Years?
Ethan looked toward Houndour’s Poké Ball.
“That’s why.”
Arthur didn’t answer immediately.
“We don’t know that.”
Ethan groaned.
“Grandpa.”
“We suspect it.”
“Reyes literally noticed.”
“She noticed Houndour developing quickly.”
“Because of the Realm.”
“Probably.”
“Definitely.”
Arthur sighed.
“One Pokémon.”
Ethan frowned.
“What?”
“We have one Pokémon benefiting from one environment.
That’s not enough to know exactly what’s happening.”
Ethan understood.
Unfortunately.
Then he remembered something.
There was another Poké Ball at home.
Blue Potential.
Beginner Grade.
Dark type.
Poochyena.
Ethan slowly smiled.
Arthur noticed.
“No.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You made the face.”
“What face?”
“The face that costs me money.”
Ethan laughed.
“We have another Dark Pokémon.”
Arthur sighed.
“Ethan.”
“Just saying.”
Arthur continued driving.
Ethan looked outside.
Bennett Orchards appeared in the distance.
The Realm was beneath it.
Five weeks ago, Ethan had thought the greatest thing inside was rare Pokémon.
Then berries.
Then the Blue Caterpie had sold for forty-two thousand dollars.
Then they’d found Nightbloom.
Each discovery made the Realm seem more valuable.
But now—
Ethan looked at Houndour’s Poké Ball.
What if they’d been looking at the wrong thing?
Maybe the greatest treasure wasn’t something they could carry out.
Maybe it was the Realm itself.
The air.
The land.
The environment.
A place where Houndour could train harder, recover better, and grow faster than he should.
Ethan smiled.
For the first time since discovering the portal, he wasn’t thinking about what else they might find inside.
He was thinking about what the Realm could turn Houndour into.