Everyone in the room stopped to watch. Even Paul and Damian seemed marginally interested in the hatching process.
The shell split along its central crack with a soft sound. Pieces fell away, and a small white form emerged, blinking in the laboratory lights.
"Togi!" The newly hatched Togepi looked up at Cheryl's face—the first thing it saw—and its expression became one of pure joy. "Togi togi!"
Imprinting. The most fundamental bond in Pokémon biology. Togepi had chosen Cheryl as its parent, its protector, its entire world.
Cheryl was openly crying now, holding the baby Pokémon close to her chest. "Hello, little one. I'll take care of you. I promise."
"Togi!" Togepi nuzzled against her, already completely trusting.
Oak handed her the Pokéball with a soft smile. "Togepi typically don't enter their balls until they're older and more confident. You may want to carry it with you instead."
"I will. Thank you, Professor Oak. Thank you so much." Cheryl returned to her seat with Togepi cradled in her arms, and Lyra immediately leaned over to coo at the baby Pokémon.
'That's what this should be about,' I thought, watching the perfect partnership unfold.
"Lyra," Oak called.
The girl with the massive gear bag stood and approached the habitats, visibly excited. But unlike Damian's loud showboating, her enthusiasm felt genuine and infectious.
She stopped in front of the Chikorita habitat, and the Grass-type immediately moved to the glass. They'd been watching each other since the ceremony began, and now they stood separated by only a thin barrier.
"Hi there," Lyra said warmly. "Want to go on an adventure? See new places, meet new Pokémon, maybe help some people along the way?"
"Chika!" The response was enthusiastic, l
Her leaf sways rapidly.
"I've been studying Grass-type care for months," Lyra continued, pulling out a well-worn notebook. "Optimal sunlight exposure, nutritional requirements, common health issues. I even packed a special fertilizer mix in my bag in case we travel through areas with poor soil quality."
"Chika chika!" Chikorita was practically vibrating with excitement now.
Lyra accepted the Pokéball from me and completed the registration. The moment Chikorita materialized outside its habitat, it immediately nuzzled against Lyra's leg, and the girl laughed with pure delight.
"We're going to be great partners," Lyra said confidently. "I just know it."
She returned to her seat with Chikorita walking beside her, and they immediately began what looked like a planning session.
Lyra pulled out maps and guidebooks while Chikorita examined them with clear interest.
'Five good partnerships so far,' I tallied mentally. 'Janine and Skorupi, Samurai and Nincada, Cheryl and Togepi, Lyra and Chikorita, possibly Silver and Murkrow. That's better than I expected given the villains in this group.'
Which left only one trainer.
Only one Pokémon.
Oak's expression became gentle as he looked toward him. "Ash Ketchum. The final selection is yours."
Ash stood slowly, and I saw him glance at the empty habitats, at the single reinforced cage still covered in the corner. His face showed his determination.
'He's used to getting the leftovers,' I realized. 'Used to being last, to receiving whatever nobody else wanted. But he's going to make the best of it anyway because that's who he is.'
Ash approached the covered cage, and Oak moved to stand beside him.
"Before I reveal your partner, Ash, I need to explain something." Oak's voice was serious now, capturing everyone's attention.
"This Pokémon was rescued from a Team Rocket facility three weeks ago. It endured significant trauma during its captivity. Physical abuse, punishment-based conditioning, isolation. We've been rehabilitating it, but progress has been slow."
He pulled the cover away from the cage.
Riolu sat in the back corner, bandages wrapped around its torso and legs, eyes downcast. The Fighting-type didn't approach the bars or show interest in the human standing outside its prison.
Several trainers muttered immediately.
"That's the damaged one," Damian said loudly. "Looks like the reject got the reject. Perfect match."
Paul's expression showed contempt. "Pathetic. A starter Pokémon should be combat-ready, not broken."
Even Lawrence made a note in his tablet. "Specimen appears compromised. Market value: Negligible."
But Ash ignored all of them. His attention was fixed entirely on Riolu, and I saw something shift in his expression.
He sat down cross-legged on the floor in front of the cage, making himself small and non-threatening. Several trainers laughed at the display, but Ash didn't seem to hear them.
"Hey there, Riolu," he said softly.
"Rio..." The response was barely audible, defensive.
"Professor Oak told me what happened to you. Team Rocket had you. They hurt you. Trained you wrong. Made you think humans were all like them."
Riolu's ears flattened against its head, and the Pokémon pressed further into the corner.
Ash's voice dropped lower, became more personal. "I know what it's like. Yesterday, Team Rocket grabbed me, too. Two of them. Put a black bag over my head. I couldn't see anything, couldn't fight back. They dragged me away from town, and I thought I was going to die."
The Pokémon's ears lifted slightly, attention focusing on the human's words.
"But someone saved me." Ash gestured toward me without looking away from Riolu. "Samael. He fought them even though he knew he couldn't win. His Gible got hurt really bad, almost died, but he tried anyway because leaving me there wasn't an option for him."
'That human understands pain,' Riolu thought, and I heard it clearly even though no one else could. 'He was prey, like me. But he survived. He's still here.'
"I'm not asking you to trust me right away," Ash continued, extending his hand slowly through the cage bars. His palm was open, empty, offering nothing but patience. "I know trust takes time. I know people have hurt you and broken promises and made you afraid of everything."
His hand stopped halfway into the cage.
"But maybe we can help each other? Get stronger together? Learn to not be afraid anymore?" Ash's voice cracked slightly. "Because I'm scared too. This whole journey terrifies me. But I think... I think if we're together, maybe we can both be brave."
Long silence filled the laboratory.
Riolu stared at the offered hand with those intelligent dark eyes, clearly weighing the risk against the possibility of connection.