"Okay then, but you'll stay here for a few days under my observation. We need to at least stabilize Abra's condition somewhat, monitor the effects of the medication I'll prepare, before I can let you wander off again. I have a responsibility here too, you know."
"Understood," Xiu nodded in agreement. It was a reasonable request, and frankly, having access to Bao Ba's expertise and resources for even a few days felt like a necessary step. He paused, then asked, a thread of lingering confusion in his voice, "Director… I didn't expect you to be so connected. To Professor Oak, I mean."
Bao Ba chuckled softly. "Professor Oak's main laboratory isn't that far from Viridian City," He replied evasively. "And in this region, anyone involved in serious Pokémon research or breeding at a high level inevitably crosses paths with his work and influence. Let's just say… we have mutual professional respect."
Though Bao Ba didn't elaborate, Xiu understood the implication. The Director's connections clearly ran deep, likely far deeper than just managing a regional park. His casual mention of Oak suggested a level of familiarity most could only dream of.
"Right then," Bao Ba said, standing up. "That's settled for now. I'll have Yuto prepare the guest room for you."
"No need, Director, really," Xiu protested quickly. "I can just camp in the backyard again. Wouldn't want to impose or potentially… disturb anyone." He was still worried about Abra's passive psychic leakage affecting Yuto or Shirley, despite Bao Ba's earlier reassurances about Pokémon resilience.
Bao Ba waved off his concern. "Nonsense. Short-term contact won't be an issue, especially since Abra spends most of its time shielded in that custom Poké Ball now. Besides," He added with a wry smile, "believe me, Yuto, even Shirley… their baseline physical and mental fortitude is considerably higher than yours, Xiu. They'll be fine."
Xiu felt a familiar flush of embarrassment, instinctively touching his own thin arm. Bao Ba wasn't wrong. Yuto and Shirley had likely grown up with access to optimal nutrition, healthcare, perhaps even subtle enhancements common among the privileged in this world.
His own body, still recovering from years of malnutrition and neglect in the orphanage, followed by the harsh conditions of his park job… the contrast was stark. 'My foundation is weak.' It was another disadvantage he needed to overcome.
Seeing no further objections from Xiu, Bao Ba nodded. "Good. It's settled." He left the study, presumably to instruct Yuto.
Xiu sighed, accepting the arrangement. As he stepped out of the study himself, he nearly collided with Yuto, who was heading towards the room, likely summoned by his grandfather.
"Oh! Xiu!" Yuto grinned. "Grandpa just told me you're staying for a few days! Awesome!" He seemed genuinely pleased. "What happened back there in the study? Looked pretty serious."
"It was nothing," Xiu deflected smoothly. "Just… discussing some complex issues regarding one of my Pokémon's health. Made a bit of a scene, unfortunately."
"Ah, okay," Yuto accepted the vague explanation easily. "Well, don't worry about it! Happens to everyone." His easygoing nature was refreshing, if slightly naive. Seeing Yuto's genuine friendliness, Xiu felt another pang of guilt about the manipulative 'training scenario' he'd suggested to Bao Ba earlier.
'No, He quickly corrected the thought, it's necessary for his growth.' He subtly hardened his resolve, scrutinizing Yuto's open expression, then gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod to himself.
"What?" Yuto asked, noticing the look. "Something on my face?"
"No," Xiu replied calmly. "Just thinking… you have a lot of potential. Room for improvement."
"Huh?" Yuto blinked, completely baffled by the strange, out-of-context remark.
Before he could ask for clarification, Bao Ba reappeared briefly in the hallway. "Yuto, show Xiu to the guest room, get it aired out. He'll be staying with us."
"Right away, Grandpa!" Yuto snapped to attention, then turned back to Xiu, his enthusiasm returning. "Come on! Let me show you the room!"
— — —
Early the next morning, Xiu found himself seated at the large dining table with Bao Ba, Yuto, and Shirley. Bao Ba was giving out instructions for the day.
"...and after breakfast, I have meetings at the League offices downtown. Yuto, remember to escort Shirley to her school entrance before heading to your own training session…" He listed several other tasks and reminders, finally turning to Xiu.
"As for you, Xiu, just make yourself at home for now. Rest, study, or whatever. I'll bring back the first batch of medicine for you and your Pokémon this evening."
"Yes, Director," Xiu nodded silently, offering no further comment.
Soon, the others departed, leaving Xiu alone in the quiet, spacious house. After quickly cleaning up the breakfast dishes, he found himself wandering into the large living room, feeling slightly adrift in the unfamiliar, luxurious environment.
He replayed the events of the previous night, Bao Ba's diagnosis, the proposed methods. Abra's uncontrolled psychic leakage… a walking source of potentially harmful radiation. The custom Poké Ball offered containment. The specialized medicine might bolster resistance. The intensive mental training, guided by Alakazam's insights, aimed to build conscious control. And the ultimate goal: seeking Professor Oak's expertise. A clear path, but fraught with uncertainty.
He took out the custom charcoal-grey Poké Ball containing Abra. He needed to understand the parameters, the limits of Abra's anomaly, so he headed back out to the secluded backyard.
After releasing all three Pokémon, Xiu took a moment, using Abra's telepathy, to clearly explain the situation again – Abra's unique condition, the potential danger it posed, Bao Ba's proposed plan, the need for specialized training.
Scyther listened intently, its earlier agitation replaced by a focused seriousness. Happiny seemed confused but trusting. Abra itself remained calm, accepting the diagnosis and the plan without resistance.
"Alright," Xiu addressed Abra, "Director Bao Ba's training suggestions are valuable, but before we start those specific exercises, I need to establish a standard for comparison and test your current control limits."
He picked a single leaf from a nearby bush. "Okay, Abra. Simple task first. Use your Telekinesis to make this leaf float, right here."
Abra complied easily, the leaf lifting from Xiu's palm, hovering steadily in mid-air.
"Good." Xiu took out a long measuring ruler he'd salvaged from the factory. He held it vertically beside the floating leaf. "Now, keeping it perfectly steady, raise the leaf exactly to this mark." He indicated a specific point on the ruler.
Abra focused. The leaf rose smoothly, stopping near the indicated mark. But Xiu, watching closely, noticed a slight waver, a tiny overshoot before it settled. He noted the reading. "Again. Back down to the starting point, then up to the mark."
They repeated the exercise numerous times. Xiu meticulously recorded the results, observing the slight variations. 'An error margin of one to two centimeters,' he calculated. Consistent, but definitely demonstrating what Bao Ba meant by 'lack of fine control'.
Next, he found a fist-sized stone on the ground. "Okay, Abra. Same exercise, but with this stone. Lift it."
Understanding the instruction easily, Abra focused its psychic power, lifting the heavier object off the ground. They repeated the precise positioning exercise. Interestingly, the error margin remained roughly the same – one to two centimeters – despite the significantly greater mass of the stone.
Then, Xiu tested range. "Keep the leaf hovering," He instructed. "Now, move it away from you, slowly. Maintain control for as long as possible."
Abra pushed the leaf outwards. It remained stable up to about ten meters, then the control started to waver, the leaf trembling, drifting slightly off course. He repeated the test with the stone. The effective range was shorter, only about seven meters before control became unreliable.
'Heavier objects require more focused energy, reducing effective range. Makes sense.'
Armed with this baseline standard – maximum effective range for different masses, margin of error for precise positioning – Xiu felt ready to implement a tailored training plan, building upon Alakazam's provided exercises but adapting them to Abra's specific current capabilities.
"Alright, Abra," He said, retrieving an empty glass bottle and a small bag of uncooked rice from his backpack – items he'd prepared last night after formulating this plan. He placed the open bottle on the ground about five meters away, then poured the rice into a small pile nearby.
"New exercise," He explained. "Pick up one grain of rice at a time using Telekinesis. Move it over here, and drop it inside the bottle. Without touching the sides of the opening."
Abra focused. A single grain of rice lifted from the pile, floated smoothly over to the bottle, and dropped neatly inside. 'Easy enough.'
Xiu nodded, picking up the bottle cap. He screwed it back onto the bottle, revealing only the very small pouring hole in the center, barely larger than a single grain of rice.
"Continue," He instructed calmly.
Abra lifted another grain, moved it towards the bottle— but now, the task was infinitely harder. The grain trembled just above the tiny opening, Abra struggling to maintain the precise control needed to guide it through without touching the edges. Back and forth it wavered, unable to quite make the entry.
"Good," Xiu nodded again, satisfied. He'd calculated the distance and the opening size based on Abra's measured error margin. This exercise forced it to push the absolute limits of its fine control. "That's your training for today. Six hours of focus and precision."
Abra didn't respond, its entire mental focus now dedicated to the frustratingly difficult task of getting a single grain of rice through a tiny hole using only the power of its mind.