Two weeks later, on June 24th, summer vacation officially began.
For Valen, it was the day he'd been waiting for. In a few hours, he would finally set foot in the state-run Anima Nursery to choose his first partner.
In the Valorian Empire, the path to becoming a Summoner was clearly defined by four conditions: be at least sixteen years of age, pass a mandatory physical examination, commit to annual tax payments, and possess a registered Anima.
Valen had the age, and he'd passed the school-organized physical. Once he had an Anima egg, its certificate of ownership from the Nursery was his ticket to register at an Anima Center. After paying his dues, all that remained was for the egg to hatch and for him to activate his official Summoner ID.
It was a path with two tiers. The benefits for an ordinary Summoner were solid, but the true prize was becoming a Professional. They passed through the gauntlet of the Summoner's Guild exams to earn a license that granted them elite status and perks, like complimentary access to 95% of all public facilities.
But even the basic Summoner license was a vital passport in the modern world. It was the only way a private citizen could legally own an Anima or a Nexus Orb. More importantly, it granted access to the Anima Centers and their network of Friendly Shops. Without that ID, a sick or injured Anima had no hope, as the Guild held an absolute monopoly on Anima healthcare.
Over the past fifteen days, Valen had spent every spare moment absorbing this new reality and meticulously refining the Nurturing plan for a Grass-type Anima he'd conceived. Yet, outwardly, he was unchanged. Not even his parents suspected that the son they knew now carried the weight of two lifetimes in his mind.
"Valen, kiddo! You ready? We can't be late for the appointment," his father called from the living room.
"One minute!" Valen called back. He stood before his bedroom mirror, adjusting his collar, trying to compose the wild excitement he felt into an expression of casual anticipation. "Okay, coming!"
In the living room, his parents exchanged a knowing smile. They could hear the thrill in his voice, clear as a bell. Both had taken a rare day off from their jobs to be here for this moment. A guardian's presence—and their wallet—was required for a minor to purchase an egg. Valen's entire life savings, scraped together from years of holiday gifts, amounted to a paltry six thousand credits. Enough for a common housepet, perhaps, but not even a down payment on an Anima.
Once he emerged, they set off at once.
Stonehaven Academy was the city's sole institution certified by both the Summoner's Guild and the Ministry of Education to train future Summoners. All four hundred students in Valen's year would be making this same pilgrimage over the next few days. The street leading to the Nursery was bustling with families, some heading in with anxious excitement, others heading out, their children cradling precious egg-carriers.
It was inevitable they'd run into someone they knew. Sure enough, Valen spotted a familiar face. "Mr. Lin! Linus!" he called out with a grin.
A man in casual clothes turned, a girl with a striking, handsome face and a sharp, confident aura at his side.
"Valen! Hello to you all," Mr. Lin replied, his smile warm.
Valen's parents recognized him from school conferences, and the adults fell into easy, polite conversation. Valen wanted desperately to speak with Mr. Lin—the man was a living legend in Stonehaven, Captain of the criminal police, a decorated Professional Summoner who had solved dozens of cases involving Anima. It was the first time Valen had ever met one in person. But with the parents occupied, he turned to his classmate.
"So, Valen," Linus began, a smug look on her face. "Care to guess which Anima I chose?"
"Growlithe," Valen said flatly.
Linus's face fell. "You are absolutely no fun."
"Didn't need to guess," Valen said with a shrug. "The whole class knows you've been training to join the force since you were a kid. Besides, Growlithe and its evolution, Arcanine, are standard issue for every police officer in the Empire."
He wasn't wrong. The Anima's bravery, loyalty, and preternatural sense of smell made it the perfect partner for law enforcement. A Growlithe egg was rare and expensive, but for the family of a Police Captain, acquiring and raising one was no obstacle.
The two families walked together for a while longer before the path diverged. Near the Nursery's entrance, they split up to find their respective guides.
As the Lins walked away, Valen's father nudged him. "So, son. Any plans to start dating after graduation?"
"It's a waste of time," Valen said, his tone deadpan.
"I think that Linus girl is a great catch," his father said seriously.
"I think she's out of his league," his mother countered with a laugh.
Valen stared up at the sky, sighing. He loved his parents, but sometimes their attempts at matchmaking were exhausting.
"Appointment number 51, the Faelan family?"
"That's us," Valen's father answered his phone. A moment later, a young man in glasses emerged from the Nursery, a welcoming smile on his face.
Valen's heart leaped. It's finally starting.
"Welcome, thank you for your patience. Please, follow me. My name is Baishi, by the way," the guide said. "I assume you've reviewed the list of available Anima on our website. Do you have a particular type in mind?"
"We'll leave that to the boy," Valen's mother said. "His school has taught him plenty, but he insisted on seeing them for himself before making a choice."
"An excellent decision," Baishi said, leading them into the sprawling, plaza-like complex. "A bond with an Anima is a personal one. It's best the child decides."