"It's actually a Happiny!" Yuto exclaimed, his initial casual greeting shifting to surprise and fascination as he spotted the small pink Pokémon clinging to Xiu's leg. "Wow, those are super rare! I've never seen one up close before!" He hurried over, curiosity overcoming his earlier playful demeanor.
His sudden approach, however, startled his Growlithe. Seeing its master's attention shift, the canine Pokémon bounded forward eagerly, perhaps wanting to investigate the new creature as well. Before Happiny could even react, Growlithe's large, inquisitive head was right in front of it. Overwhelmed by the sudden proximity of the much larger Pokémon, Happiny let out a frightened wail and stumbled backwards, landing softly on the grass, tears instantly welling up.
Happiny's cry, in turn, startled the Growlithe. It yelped, scrambling backwards as if it had been attacked, tucking its tail between its legs and quickly retreating behind Yuto's legs, peeking out guiltily. It looked exactly like a mischievous child caught red-handed.
The sudden commotion put Scyther instantly on alert, its scythes rising defensively as it tracked the Growlithe's panicked retreat. Abra, meanwhile, simply opened one eye briefly, assessed the situation calmly, and closed it again, apparently deeming it unworthy of intervention.
"Hey, hey, it's okay~ it's okay~" Xiu quickly knelt down, scooping up the crying Happiny, murmuring soothing words. "Don't be afraid, I'm here, shh, shh, be good~"
Seeing the situation devolve, Yuto hurried over, looking genuinely apologetic. "Oh man, I'm so sorry!" He said, reaching down to grab his Growlithe firmly by the scruff of its neck. "He's just overly playful, didn't mean to scare your Happiny." He dragged the Growlithe out from behind his legs, holding it firmly despite its attempts to squirm away. "Apologize!" He commanded sternly.
"Arooo~" Growlithe let out a low, mournful whine, lowering its head, its ears drooping, putting on a remarkably convincing display of pitiful remorse.
Xiu looked from Yuto's earnest apology to the dejected-looking Growlithe and couldn't help but smile slightly. "It's alright," He reassured Yuto. "Happiny is still very young, easily startled by new faces, especially bigger ones. She'll get used to him."
Taking the opportunity, Xiu formally introduced his Pokémon to Yuto and his Growlithe – Scyther (who offered a curt, wary nod), Abra (who remained impassive), and the now slightly calmer Happiny in his arms.
"Bah! Bah!" As soon as Xiu relaxed his grip slightly, Happiny immediately clung tightly to his arm again, clearly still seeking security.
"She's adorable, though!" Yuto grinned, his earlier apology seemingly forgotten in his fascination with Happiny. He looked down at his own Growlithe, still looking slightly guilty, and playfully ruffled its mane. "See? Why can't you be that cute?"
Growlithe just whimpered again, casting a longing glance at Happiny. Xiu chuckled.
"Don't worry, Happiny's quite the handful herself," Xiu admitted. "Always getting into trouble." He demonstrated by pulling out one of Happiny's favorite berry-flavored snacks.
The effect was instantaneous. Happiny, who had been sniffling moments before, immediately stopped crying. Its large eyes fixated on the snack, and it began eagerly trying to climb up Xiu's arm to reach it, all previous fear forgotten.
Yuto laughed watching the display. Growlithe, seeing the snack, edged forward hopefully, but hesitated, clearly remembering its earlier transgression and glancing back at Yuto as if seeking permission.
"Go on," Yuto relented with a helpless smile. "But be gentle this time. Don't scare her again."
Growlithe's tail immediately started thumping against the ground, excitement replacing its earlier remorse. It approached cautiously this time, carefully nudging its nose towards Happiny, who was now fully engrossed in munching on the snack Xiu held out. While Happiny was distracted, Growlithe took the opportunity to give the small pink Pokémon a thorough sniffing, gathering its scent.
Feeling bold, Xiu gently placed Happiny onto Growlithe's broad, fluffy back. "See?" He murmured softly to Happiny. "He won't hurt you. It's okay." He kept his hands hovering nearby, ready to intervene.
This time, Happiny, preoccupied with its snack, barely seemed to notice its perch. Growlithe, however, froze completely, going rigid, clearly terrified of accidentally dislodging its tiny passenger.
"Uh, Xiu, maybe that's not such a good idea…" Yuto said nervously, watching the tense tableau.
"It's fine," Xiu reassured him with a smile. "Happiny's actually quite curious, despite being timid. Once she gets used to something, she's fine." As if to prove his point, Happiny, having finished the snack, started playfully tugging at the thick fur on Growlithe's back. Growlithe winced, looking utterly miserable but too scared to move.
"Ah~ Okay, okay, maybe not," Xiu chuckled helplessly, carefully lifting Happiny off Growlithe's back. "Alright, you two, go play nicely."
As soon as Happiny was back on the ground, Growlithe scrambled away, putting some distance between them, looking relieved but also slightly fearful. Its retreat, however, seemed to pique Happiny's interest. The small pink Pokémon started toddling determinedly after the fleeing Growlithe.
Growlithe panicked and ran again, but couldn't resist glancing back curiously. Soon, the two young Pokémon were engaged in a clumsy game of chase around the backyard, their initial fear replaced by playful energy.
Xiu watched them for a moment, then turned his attention back to preparing Scyther's specialized post-training meal, chatting easily with Yuto as he worked.
Through their conversation, Xiu learned more about Yuto and Shirley's background. Both attended prestigious private schools. In this world, formal education apparently began around age six or seven. The first three years focused on foundational literacy, mathematics, and basic world knowledge – standard curriculum.
The real divergence happened around age ten. Students then moved into specialized secondary schools. Some followed academic or vocational paths unrelated to Pokémon. Others, like Yuto and Shirley, entered 'Pokémon Track' schools, focusing on careers as Trainers, Breeders, Researchers, etc.
These specialized schools, however, carried significantly higher tuition fees and often had competitive entrance requirements, making them inaccessible to most ordinary families. Students' paths were often dictated less by personal interest and more by economic circumstance. Yuto and Shirley, benefiting from their grandfather's wealth and influence, naturally followed the more prestigious Pokémon Trainer route.
Xiu asked about their curriculum. Yuto explained the first couple of years involved intensive theory – biology, literature, basic strategy, history – supplemented by controlled battle simulations. By the final year (around age sixteen, leading up to the 'unified exam'), the focus shifted almost entirely to practical battle training, advanced strategy, and specialized topics, often taught through guest lectures by prominent figures – Gym Leaders, Researchers, even League officials.
Crucially, Yuto confirmed something Xiu had suspected: League regulations strictly prohibited children under ten from officially owning or carrying Pokémon unsupervised. The official 'journey' began at ten, which was also the age when eligible individuals could receive their first officially sanctioned Pokémon – often one of the regional 'starter' Pokémon, the so-called 'Three Royal Families' as some nicknamed them (referring to Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle).
"Eligible individuals?" Xiu picked up on the phrasing. "What are the conditions for receiving an official starter Pokémon?"
Yuto's expression turned slightly complicated. "Ah, that," He said, "it's… specific." He didn't seem keen on keeping secrets, though.
He explained there were two main pathways. "First, if your parent or legal guardian has served the Pokémon League directly – as a Ranger, an official researcher, Center staff, things like that – for twenty consecutive years, then their child is automatically eligible to receive a starter Pokémon free of charge on their tenth birthday."
He held up a second finger. "The other way is through academic merit. Excel in the early Pokémon school tracks, demonstrate exceptional potential, and sign a binding agreement committing to future service within the League after completing advanced training – university, Ranger academy, whatever. Those candidates might receive a starter as part of their scholarship package, usually around age thirteen or fourteen, coinciding with acceptance into a League-affiliated university program."
Xiu absorbed the information. 'So, access to the iconic starter Pokémon wasn't a universal right-of-passage as depicted in some media.' It was a privilege, tied either to long-term familial service to the League or exceptional talent indentured to future service.
Another layer of the system, reinforcing the established order.