"That's right, Director." A note of concern crept into Clavell's voice. "The truth is, the battling studies program has cycled through quite a few teachers over the years, and student feedback has been... underwhelming, to say the least."
"I see." Geeta's brow tightened for just a moment before smoothing over. "As it happens, Tulip recently recommended a trainer named Dendra to me. I think I'll invite her to join the faculty as a battling studies teacher."
The mention of a recommendation from Tulip brought a glimmer to Clavell's eyes behind his wire-frame glasses. Anyone Tulip was willing to personally recommend to the Director was bound to be formidable. "That's brilliant, Director. One problem solved the moment you walk in."
Geeta gave a small smile. "If there's nothing else, Director Clavell, you can get back to it."
"Garrr! (The chef's getting better and better!)" Charizard sat in the grass rubbing his very full belly, and the equally food-absorbed Corviknight beside him gave a vigorous nod of agreement without even looking up from his plate.
Serperior, also finished eating, held a wet cloth in her vines and dabbed at her mouth. "Goka. (Hmm. Improvement.)"
"Oowoo! (Wait until I get the kitchen sorted this afternoon. I'll make you a proper spread tonight!)" Urshifu said, clearing away dishes without taking his eyes off the task.
Carl, thoroughly stuffed, had melted into the grass like a Ditto left in the sun, sprawled out and soaking in the rare warmth of early spring. Flutter Mane had taken one look at him and done the same, lying flat at his side like a pancake.
After mentally sketching out the afternoon, Carl said out loud: "By the way, I'm heading into town later to pick up some supplies, and I want to ask the Professor to send Dragonair and the others over. Who wants to come?"
Carl didn't just have six Pokémon. Long before he'd ever set out on his journey, he'd already had four: Kubfu, Rookidee, Flutter Mane, and a Charmander.
Urshifu and Corviknight's origins went without saying. Flutter Mane was a different story -- one day after Carl had fully recovered his past-life memories, she simply crawled out of his shadow and refused to leave. And Charmander had been specially traded to Carl by Professor Rowan, who'd reached out to his junior colleague Professor Oak after learning Carl had always liked the species.
As for Serperior and Gholdengo -- Serperior was a Pokémon Carl had rescued from a poacher. Gholdengo was one he'd stumbled across during an outdoor training session, and had beaten the old-fashioned way in a proper battle. Both were earned through the most authentic methods the Pokémon world had to offer.
Beyond those six, Carl had also picked up Beartic, Eevee, and a handful of others during his travels through Hoenn and Kanto -- all through one coincidence or another. Worth noting was that Carl had never gone out of his way to catch a particular Pokémon. He went by instinct and timing. If the moment was right, it happened.
In his view, there was an undeniable gap in natural talent between Pokémon -- take Ash's Infernape, whose unique Blaze ability was genuine proof of something special. But Carl believed that gap rarely decided who won a battle. As the saying went: there are no bad Pokémon, only bad trainers.
Though Jigglypuff might be the exception. Evolve it into Wigglytuff or Mega Audino first, then come back.
Back to the point. After Carl put out the invitation, the responses varied. Corviknight immediately volunteered to be the ride. Flutter Mane signed up instantly. That was it for volunteers.
Charizard's reasoning was that even in town, a Pokémon of his size would end up spending most of the trip inside his ball, which wasn't worth it. Gholdengo said he wanted to do another thorough survey of the farm and draft a proper development plan. Urshifu planned to use the time for his daily training, but still handed Carl a shopping list -- mostly cooking ingredients and spices. The sheer length of it made clear that dinner tonight was going to be something special.
And Serperior? She wanted to come. She just couldn't bring herself to say it. Instead she kept her vine wrapped quietly around Carl's wrist.
"Serperior, I've got a lot to carry back. I could really use the help. Would you come with me?" Carl looked at her with those earnest eyes of his -- the same ones that could make even a Snubbull feel moved.
Serperior turned her head away, affecting indifference, though she'd already sidled over next to him. "Goka~ (Hmph. If you insist, I suppose I could be convinced.)"
She had, of course, already been quietly sunbathing beside him without anyone needing to say another word. For Grass-type Pokémon, soaking up sunlight was one of life's simpler pleasures -- it restored energy through photosynthesis while gradually building up reserves in a way that felt almost meditative.
At some point, all six Pokémon had found their own way to settle near Carl, each of them resting in the rare quiet of the first day at their new home.
An hour later, Carl climbed onto Corviknight's back with Flutter Mane and Serperior, and the three of them lifted off while the others watched from the ground, heading in the direction of Cabo Poco.
At the same time, inside the lighthouse research lab on Poco Path, a large dog-like Pokémon covered in dark brown fur stood beside a boy with sandy brown hair. The boy was Arven, one of the main characters of Scarlet and Violet.
He was staring into an empty refrigerator with a distant expression. "When did I last leave the house?"
"Sorry, Mabosstiff." Arven crouched down and stroked the Pokémon who was always by his side, voice gentle. "Let's go into town and get some lunch. We can pick up groceries on the way back."
"Woof! (It's fine. Let's go!)" Mabosstiff wagged his tail and followed Arven out the door.
"Okay, let me see -- sugar, black pepper, butter..." Carl held up Urshifu's handwritten list. "There's a market somewhere in Cabo Poco, right?"
"Fu~ (I have no idea~)" Flutter Mane shook her head, delicately licking a small vanilla ice cream cone. Serperior, beside her, spared Carl a single glance before returning to her matcha cone, held aloft in her vines.
"Alright, I'll just ask someone." Carl tucked the list away and scanned the street. His eyes landed on a convenient-looking target carrying a grocery bag.
"Hey, excuse me, could you wait a second?" Carl walked up quickly and put a hand on the person's shoulder.
The person flinched like they'd been startled. The Mabosstiff at their feet turned and gave Carl a wary look.
"Sorry about that. Today's my first day in Cabo Poco, and I was hoping you could point me to -- wait, Arven?"
Carl had started the sentence with an apology, but when the face turned toward him, he stopped cold. Of all the people he could have grabbed at random, this was Arven. His cousin, genetically speaking.
"Do I know you?" Arven's expression was guarded, watching the stranger carefully.
A few people nearby had started to take notice, given that Arven clearly didn't look older than a teenager.
"My name's Carl," Carl said, keeping his voice steady while very aware of the eyes on them. "I know this is going to sound strange, but technically -- going by blood -- you and I are cousins."
"...What?" Arven's face shifted into the kind of look that said very clearly he was questioning whether Carl was in his right mind. No one in his family had ever mentioned a cousin.
"It's a long story. How about we find somewhere to sit down? You can pick the place."