The next days were a slow return to normalcy. Since sleeping for more than 6 hours was hard because of the nightmares, he started jogging around the community with Elizabeth. His ‘secret Pokemon’ were already public knowledge for anyone curious thanks to his involvement in the battle, so he didn’t think much of it.

  From time to time, he would make small talk with his neighbors, all of whom worked in Pokemon centers in the region. This gave him the chance to give away the gift baskets he made. Most were confused and overwhelmed by the quality of the textiles, but the reception was good.

  Intense physical training was off the table for the foreseeable future, since his team was involved in so many fights consecutively. So, he was stuck with energy and aura training for the time being, meditating 30 minutes at a time with each of his team members. Even Kyurem joined after the third invitation to the sessions. Their aura was vast and cold like the Arctic, limitless and full of draconic majesty.

  Daniel’s main worry remained the overall competitive level of his Pokemon since there were no opponents or facilities like he had in the future. His team did their best to assuage his fears. Times were not as dangerous as they would be after all. There was no existential threat every other month, only every year.

  With a sigh, he stood up from his table. He briefly glanced over his notes about possible training exercises and the fights he saw from the candidates on the Battlenet. He mostly agreed with Donald and R2's assessment of the boys and girls. The younger ones did a remarkable job, even if they didn't get far. What stopped them from fully going through the circuit seemed to be a mix of monetary issues and being too young for certain places or simply starting late in Thomas' case.

  Nate was another story. He had exceptional reflexes, and innovative problem-solving abilities, and could easily adapt. He could even see some traces of aura from the way he carried himself.

  "If nothing happens, they should be ready to compete in the world tournament. Which…would snuff Gloria's achievements…"

  Chairman Rose's 'evil plot' was so flimsy that Daniel's mere presence could have already derailed it, preventing Eternatus from being summoned. That would leave the world tournament as Gloria's only other achievement. Giving Nate enough training to stand toe to toe with future trainers would snuff that out as well.

  "Everything is so…complicated."

  With a groan, he sat back down to pour over his notes one last time. The boys were coming, after all.

  ***

  Nate didn't know what to expect. League officials suddenly contacted him for a 'special training camp' in Lacunosa town by a 'mysterious expert.' They even had him sign a confidentiality agreement about the whole thing. Hugh not being invited surprised him a little, since he considered themselves on par with each other. At least his friend was not heartbroken because of it, instead putting all his energy into finding his sister's Purrloin.

  Getting closer to the address he was given, he noticed the walled-off community. The Audino motifs, the occasional pink, the guards watching like Watchogs… All pointed at it being the famous 'Joy compound.'

  A small group of people stood waiting outside the gates. Three of them had pink hair, while the others had more varied hair colors. All of them, much like himself, wore thick clothes to fight the cold.

  "Hi! You all came to the training camp?" Nate asked, a friendly smile spreading across his face as he made his way over.

  "Yes!" A brown-haired girl shouted back, her voice full of energy. Her tanned skin, dotted with freckles, practically glowed in the sunlight, and despite the weather, a straw hat sat perched atop her head. "I’m Amelie! Nice to meet you!" She waved enthusiastically, her excitement radiating off her in waves, while one of the pink-haired boys behind her let out an exaggerated sigh.

  "Nice to meet you, I'm Nate!" He tried to match her enthusiasm, but his attempt felt a little flat in comparison. "I’m also excited for some training!"

  The same boy groaned under his breath, muttering something about ‘another one,’ clearly unimpressed. Amelie shot him a bright smile and gave him a big thumbs up, completely unbothered by his grumbling.

  "I'm Kiran," he said next. He flicked his unruly pink hair aside, revealing sharp eyes that gave him the air of someone who didn’t care much for the crowd around him. His posture, hands shoved deep in his pockets, reminded Nate a lot of Hugh: brooding and almost detached, like he was ready to challenge anyone who stepped in his way. But while Hugh leaned toward reds and blacks, Kiran’s clothing palette was much softer, full of pinks and pastels that made him seem a little more approachable, if only slightly. Nate couldn’t help but smile. They’d probably get along… Or be rivals, most likely.

  "I-I'm Thomas..." A soft voice came from the back of the group. Nate turned to see the smallest of the pink-haired boys, his face mostly hidden behind a pastel blue scarf that covered his nose and mouth. Long, wavy hair covered the rest, save from his pink eyes. When their eyes met, Thomas shrunk a little behind the scarf. Nate gave him a friendly nod, but Thomas only lowered his gaze, clearly uncomfortable with the attention.

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  "Reece." The tallest of the group spoke next, his voice deep and steady, carrying a quiet strength. He was built like a rock: thick and strong muscles but not overly defined like an athlete. His pale skin stood in stark contrast to his chocolate-brown hair, with a few blond streaks here and there. With a small bow of his head, Reece crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and seemed content to wait on the sidelines.

  "Linda!" The next to introduce herself chirped, her voice full of bubbly energy, though not quite as loud as Amelie’s. Her wild red hair bounced with each step, and her bright, infectious smile didn’t seem to leave her face for a second. She gave Nate a quick, playful wink and a wave, her enthusiasm practically bouncing off her.

  "Valerie." The last girl spoke quietly, but there was a cool confidence in her voice that made Nate’s attention snap to her. She had curly, light brown hair that framed her face and brown eyes that seemed to see right through him. It wasn’t harsh, though, more like she was quietly observing, sizing things up in her own, careful way.

  "She's strong."

  His blood boiled just imagining fighting with an opponent like her. His hand itched as it got closer and closer to his Pokeballs. Valerie noticed, reaching for her own Pokeballs. Sparks flew as they stared at each other. "As the saying goes…When two trainers' eyes meet…"

  Clap!

  A sudden clap dissipated the atmosphere.

  "Now is not the time for that, boys and girls."

  A sudden feeling of wrongness assaulted him. His legs and lips trembled as a man walked towards them. For a moment, he couldn't see his face, just the vastness of the cosmos unfolding in front of him. The cold and unfeeling darkness of space stared at his very soul. His hand gripped Lucario's Pokeball in a dead grip, fighting to get it out of his belt.

  Just as he was about to break under pressure, it suddenly vanished. He blinked in surprise as he took a deep breath. Looking around, everyone was perfectly fine and watching him with weird expressions. Except for her forehead being drenched in sweat, Valerie looked the same as before. Her pupils were just a small spot inside her eyes and her hands gripped one of her Ultraballs with the same strength as he did his.

  "Let's go, we’ll start our first lesson soon. We’ll start with a small exam and see where we’re at.”

  The man spoke again, taking the lead towards the compound.

  "We were never told about an exam," Kiran said in a surprised and defensive tone.

  "I just want to see what you all are capable of, don't worry." The man said with a smile and began walking away. "Now, let's go!"

  Nobody moved at first, stunned by the strange man. The surrounding guards didn't seem to react to him. Some even looked away. Valerie took the lead, walking with confidence. Slowly, the rest of them began following him.

  ‘I want to fight him.’ Nate thought to himself with a smile, following the group beside Valerie. Both looked at each other and saw the glint in each other's eyes. ‘She seems eager too.’

  ***

  Daniel had to negotiate with Rose for a private training area, as he needed somewhere to get started. After a bit of back-and-forth, the matriarch agreed to lend him one of the larger spaces, extending him a bit of ‘goodwill.’ However, there was a catch: starting with his next teaching cycle, he’d need to pay rent for the space or accept more Joy youngsters for some ‘discounts.’

  The league had also pitched in to provide living arrangements for the youngsters who didn’t live nearby, which was a huge relief for Daniel. He wasn’t exactly eager to house so many teenagers in his cramped little home. This way, the kids wouldn’t have to rent hotels or stay at the Pokémon Center, which was a bonus. Still, he knew he’d eventually need a proper building for that as well.

  After checking in, they made their way into the private training area. The kids were immediately struck by the sheer size and scope of the place. It was divided into four distinct ‘biomes’: a lush grassland, a rocky terrain, a tundra, and a large pool with high waves. Each zone stretched about 30 meters in length, all properly illuminated to bring each environment to life. Linda and Amelie were practically bouncing with excitement, their eyes wide with wonder as they fought the urge to run from one zone to the next.

  Daniel chuckled, seeing their reaction. Something like this would be cutting edge in the present, but it didn’t come close to what was available in the future: vast rooms, each with its climate, gravity controls, automata for sparring, VR headsets for reflexes and move training… It made him feel a bit nostalgic.

  "Let's start with a brief introduction. My name is Daniel Joy, I am 40 years old and have 12 years of competitive experience, 5 years as an ace trainer, and 8 as part of the veterans. I'm a specialist focused on singles and doubles, but I can do triples without issue. My achievements will remain secret for security reasons, but the champion endorses this venture, so you don't have to worry about my qualifications. Any questions before we start?"

  "Yes!" Amelie answered energetically, waving her arm. "Are we going to fight you?"

  "Not yet." Daniel smiled at the enthusiastic girl. "You are all very far away from having an actual fight with me, but we'll spar a few times. Any other questions?"

  "Am I going to have enough time to complete the circuit?" Nate asked curiously. "I want to participate in the conference."

  "Yes." Daniel nodded. "There’s going to be an intensive one-month training course for you before the conference starts. That should leave about 3 days of rest before you would need to step on the ring. If transportation is an issue, I can take you there.”

  "Wonderful." He nodded with a smile.

  "Anything else?" He looked around, but nobody else said anything. "Great, let's start with some interviews."

  With a flick of his hands and a burst of aura, Rodan's Pokeball shot upwards before releasing the Braviary behind him. The kids stared in awe as he landed gracefully behind Daniel, its massive wings fluttering and crest roaring with purple fire. Rodan preened, basking in their attention and ruffling his feathers as the kids circled him, muttering expressions of surprise and admiration.

  [NO DATA FOUND. POSSIBLE VARIANT OF BRAVIARY.]

  A Pokedex on Reece's hand intoned when he tried to scan Rodan, which produced a new round of surprises.

  "This is Rodan. He'll be my partner for this exercise." The kids nodded at his explanation. "He's an alternative evolution for Braviaries. We'll talk more in-depth about that particular concept at another time."

  With a flex of Psychic energy, Rodan effortlessly lifted the children off the ground, arranging them into two groups of three: Reece, Thomas, and Amelie were placed together in one group, while Linda, Kiran, and Valerie formed the other. Nate, however, remained standing beside Daniel, a confused expression on his face as he glanced around. Daniel looked at him with a small, knowing smile and gently shook his head, as if to say, ‘not quite yet.’

  "For now, my dear students,” Daniel said with an almost predatory grin towards the groups. “Release your Pokemon.”