Agatha's entire demeanor changed in an instant.
Her shoulders relaxed, and her eyes softened, transforming her into an old woman who baked cookies and yelled at kids for tracking mud inside.
"How's my little ghost flake!" she exclaimed, dropping her cane as she caught Daisy in a tight hug.
I stood there, brain stalled.
What the fuck...
They hugged like nothing else existed. Daisy laughed, carefree and without any of the snobbiness I'd come to associate with her, wrapping her arms around the Elite Four member as if she hadn't tried to crush my hand ten minutes ago. They babbled back and forth about travel delays and school, completely ignoring the multiple researchers and one very confused lab trainer standing right there.
Mid-conversation, Daisy glanced over her shoulder at me and shot me a dirty look, flipping her hair as she did. Oak noticed it too.
Agatha followed Daisy's gaze and turned her sharp, gimlet eyes on me. This time, she didn't posture; she just looked at me with renewed interest.
Oak sighed quietly beside me.
A moment later, Agatha straightened. "Come on, dear. Let's talk inside."
She didn't wait for an answer as Daisy quickly looped her arm through her grandmother's like a kid half her age, shooting me one last look as they walked back toward the building.
Agatha paused at the door and glanced back at Oak. Nothing was said, but something passed between them, a shared understanding without the need to speak. Oak nodded at her.
Then they were gone, and the door slid shut behind them. An awkward silence settled over us as I shifted my weight.
I cleared my throat. "Uh... I didn't know you were married."
Oak barked out a laugh, genuine and loud. "Married? Oh, heavens no."
I blinked. "Oh. I... sorry. I don't think anyone knows anything about that..."
He waved a hand dismissively, still smiling. "Agatha and I were... young, once. A long time ago." His eyes flicked toward the building. "That's all there is to it."
I chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck.
Then he tilted his head, his expression turning mischievous. "So, do you want to see the Larvitar now, or are you tired? We can continue this tomorrow."
I stared at him in slight annoyance. He knew exactly what he was doing.
There was absolutely no way I was waiting until tomorrow to meet a pseudo-legendary.
"I'm fine," I said immediately. "We can go now."
He smirked. "I thought you'd say that."
We walked a short distance across the pasture, angling toward a fenced-off section near the side of the lab. As we got closer, I started hearing noises, angry wailings that echoed like a mix of grinding rocks and frustrated cries. It sounded raw and almost pained.
Oak took the lead, approaching a caged enclosure with thick metallic walls that looked like they could withstand a powerful attack by an enraged Pokémon. These high-security pens are reserved for Pokémon that are too wild or in need of special care, like freshly caught wild ones or those recovering from injuries. He went through some security protocols: first, a retina scanner that beeped affirmatively after scanning his eye, then a handprint reader that hummed as it verified his identity. A heavy door slid open with a hydraulic hiss, revealing a dimly lit interior that smelled faintly of earth and metal.
Inside, two people were waiting. One was a researcher in a white lab coat, clipboard in hand, jotting down notes furiously. The other was a fellow lab trainer, around 20 years old, named Elias. Elias had been employed here at the Oak Lab for a few years, focusing more on training baby Pokémon than on any of the full-grown beasts that me or the others dealt with.
He's had that laid-back vibe, with messy brown hair and a perpetual five-o'clock shadow, always wearing cargo pants. I'd been introduced to him previously when I was working on training some of the lab's younger mons; he's the go-to guy for advice on baby mons. Elias nodded at me with a friendly wave. "Hey, Arata. How have you been?"
"I'm good," I replied, nodding at him.
They then spoke with the professor about the situation. "The Larvitar's been restless and violent all day," the researcher said, adjusting his glasses. "She's snapped at anyone who gets too close and threw a tantrum earlier that nearly buried the feeding trough."
Elias chimed in, "Yeah, Prof. We've tried everything: toys, music, even some calming treats. But it's like it's got a chip on its shoulder, literally."
The enclosure itself was a sturdy setup: a bunker. Thick metallic walls reinforced with stone and layered barriers humming softly with contained energy kept the Pokémon contained. Through the viewing window, I could make out the Larvitar. It was small for its species, about knee-high, with its rock-like plates chipped in places from what looked like self-inflicted scuffles or rough handling in the wild. Its skin was a rugged mix of green and gray, and it paced back and forth with a very angry, temperamental glare in its red eyes.
We approached closer to the enclosure.
Oak folded his arms. "I'll be clear. If this doesn't work, the League will intervene. Arata will now try to calm and train this Pokémon."
He looked at me sharply. "You know what this means, right? Even if you succeed... pseudo-legendaries aren't approved for ownership without League oversight. Most trainers don't get clearance until five badges minimum."
"I know," I said.
Oak nodded. "You're getting leeway because you're one of my lab-affiliated trainers. But she IS your responsibility."
I breathed out slowly. "I understand."
It was on me now. I nodded, thinking for a bit as the researcher led me to the door on the other side of the enclosure. My mind raced: How was I going to do this? This was the first time I'd actively try to form a bond with a Pokémon using my power.
This time was different from my current Pokémon. Those bonds just kinda happened naturally. I felt a spark, and they just happened.
This time, I was choosing to do it deliberately, against a very dangerous Pokémon.
I unclipped Orin's Poké Ball. I would need his help.
"Come on out, buddy."
Light flashed, and Orin materialized, shaking himself before taking in the space. His ears pricked instantly toward the enclosure door. He heard it too.
I knelt and met his eyes. "We might be getting another team member. You'll need to protect me while I try to calm her down."
He huffed once and nodded.
The researcher handed me a strip of Tauros jerky. "Try this. She hasn't eaten much. Good luck," and then opened the door.
Orin and I stepped inside, the door sealing behind us with a click. The enclosure was spacious with artificial rocky terrain, including boulders for climbing, a small pond for water, and scattered patches of soil that Larvitar could munch on. The air was cool and earthy, with overhead lights mimicking natural sunlight.
The moment we stepped inside, the Larvitar spun toward us, baring her teeth. A low growl tore from her throat. It tried to back away, pressing against the far wall, its eyes locking with Orin's in a standoff. I smiled without showing teeth she would see bared teeth as a threat and spoke in a small but confident voice.
"Hi there. I'm Arata, and this is Orin. We wanted to make sure you're okay. Maybe some food?" I pointed to the jerky, holding it out gently.
I noticed the other three watching through the viewing window, but I ignored them, focusing inward.
Slowly, I channeled my aura, pushing out feelings of friendship, calm, and friendliness like a gentle wave. It's hard to describe like projecting emotions through an invisible thread. The Larvitar paused, its growling softening as it eyed me curiously. It calmed a little, its tense posture relaxing. I inched closer, maintaining the aura flow, and tossed a piece of jerky toward it. She looked at it suspiciously, but the sound of it hitting the floor seemed to snap her out of her wariness. For a moment, I thought we'd made a breakthrough, but
Then, without warning, she screeched, a horrible, ear-piercing wail that echoed off the walls like nails on a chalkboard. I clapped my hands over my ears, wincing as the sound drilled into my skull. Orin reacted instantly, firing a Dark Pulse at the ground right in front of her, a swirling orb of shadowy energy that exploded harmlessly but forcefully enough to startle her into silence. The attack hit the dirt with a thud, kicking up dust. "Let's get out," I muttered to Orin, and we backed toward the door, the researcher letting us through quickly.
Outside, Professor Oak stood with his arms crossed, a mysterious smile playing on his lips like he knew something I didn't.
Elias and the researcher were astonished, their mouths agape. "She didn't attack you immediately," Elias said, shaking his head. "That's progress! She went after us the second we stepped in last time." The researcher nodded. "Yeah, usually it's instant aggression. You actually got her to look at the food."
I nodded, wiping sweat from my brow. "This is going to take some time," I said to the professor. He nodded, as if he wasn't expecting anything else. "Keep at it, Arata. Persistence is key with these types." He turned to the researcher. "Add Arata's biometrics to the system, give him full access to the enclosure." Then, with a final encouraging pat on my shoulder, he left, saying, "Keep me appraised on the progress."
I lingered for a moment, glancing back through the window. The Larvitar had approached the jerky, sniffing it before gobbling it down hungrily. She curled up in a corner, her angry demeanor softening into exhaustion as she drifted off to sleep. It was a small win, but it felt good. That was it for today. I was drained from the aura use. I made my way home, the evening sun dipping low over Pallet Town, my mind already buzzing with plans for tomorrow. Bonding with a Larvitar wouldn't be easy, but if I could pull it off, our team would be unstoppable.