"So that's the long and short of it, Professor. I'm looking at the data, I'm looking at my partner, and the math just isn't mathing. Do you have any idea why she's... stuck?"
Julian stood in the cramped, brightly lit video-phone booth of the Snowpoint Pokémon Center, his voice echoing slightly against the glass. On the monitor, Professor Rowan's formidable face was illuminated by the blue light of a dozen scrolling data streams. The old man didn't look angry—which was a relief—but he did look deeply intrigued, which was sohow more terrifying.
"I see. It's a fascinating predicant, Julian," Rowan said, his voice gravelly and steady. "I've gone over the diagnostic files you pushed through. Physically speaking? There isn't a single red flag. In fact, if I didn't know she was still a Floette, I'd say these were the vitals of a remarkably healthy, high-tier Florges. You've done an exceptional job with their conditioning. Both of them are in peak form."
Julian leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the booth, a long, shaky breath escaping his lips. "The reports say they're fine, the Joy here says they're fine... but she didn't change, Professor. The stone hit, the energy peaked, and then it just... stayed inside. It's like she swallowed the evolution instead of becoming it."
Rowan adjusted his spectacles, his eyes narrowing as he re-read a line of code. "Evolution is rarely a simple 'A plus B' equation, Julian. Even for soone like you, who practically wrote the modern handbook on Fairy-types, there are variables we haven't accounted for. Floette is a species native to Kalos; their biology is tied to the geographical energy of that region. It's possible that the atmospheric pressure of a Sinnoh blizzard, combined with your own unique Aura resonance, created a localized bottleneck."
He paused, tapping his pen against the desk. "I'll do as you requested. I'll pull the archival data from the Kalos Research Institute and run a side-by-side comparison. As for your Growlithe, don't lose sleep over him. He's reached the Elite Class through pure, unadulterated grit. There's nothing 'wrong' with a Pokémon being too tough for its own good."
"But—" Julian started, his voice cracking.
Rowan held up a hand, cutting him off. "I can hear the gears grinding in your head from all the way in Sandgem Town. You're spiraling, Julian. You're a researcher, but right now, you're acting like a worried parent. If you're truly this concerned that you've triggered a dormant mutation or an energy blockage, there's only one logical step."
He leaned closer to the cara. "Send them to . My lab has the high-frequency scanners and the containnt fields necessary to check their internal energy flow. We'll give them a full-spectrum workup. What do you say?"
Julian looked down at the two Poké Balls sitting on the console. His heart felt like lead. He'd never been away from them for more than a few hours since his journey started. But the thought of Floette carrying a 'glitched' evolution inside her was a nightmare he couldn't ignore.
"...Yeah. You're right. I'll send them over. Please... just make sure they're okay."
"Rest assured, they're in good hands," Rowan said, his expression softening just a fraction. "And frankly, I'm quite keen to see a Floette that can output Gym Leader-level wattage without even changing her shoes. It's a scientific marvel. Your Growlithe's tactical growth is equally impressive—you've certainly kept life interesting for , Julian."
Julian knelt down, releasing Growlithe one last ti before the transfer. The fire-dog materialized, looking up at Julian with wide, amber eyes. He nudged Julian's hand, sensing the heavy cloud of guilt hanging over his trainer.
"Woof woof! (Hey, stop that. You're making that face again. We're going to the big house to see the grumpy old man, right? We'll be back before you even finish burning the dinner!)"
Growlithe stood up on his hind legs, paws resting on Julian's shoulders, and gave his cheek a giant, slobbering lick.
"I know, I know," Julian whispered, burying his face in the dog's thick, warm neck fur. "Just... behave for the Professor. And look out for Floette, okay? Explain to her that this is just a pit stop."
"Woof! (I got it! We'll be back tomorrow with a clean bill of health!)"
Julian stood up, his jaw set. "Alright, Professor. Transferring now."
He placed the balls into the machine. A hum of electricity filled the booth, followed by two bright flashes of white light. The capsules vanished. On the screen, Rowan turned away to retrieve two identical balls from his own receiver.
"They've arrived. I'll start the baseline scans imdiately. Go get so sleep, Julian. That's an order."
"I will. Just... Growlithe likes his kibble with a bit of spicy Tamato seasoning, and Floette needs her flower misted with spring water every few hours, and also—"
"Julian," Rowan interrupted, his hand moving toward the 'End Call' button. "I've raised more Pokémon than you've had hot als. I think I can handle a Growlithe and a flower. Go. Eat. Sleep. Goodbye."
The screen went black.
Julian stood in the silence of the booth for a long ti, his hands feeling strangely light. He stepped out into the lobby, the cold air hitting his damp shirt, making him shiver.
"Okay. Deep breaths," he told himself, slapping his cheeks with both hands. "Rowan is the best in the business. The reports were clean. I'm just being paranoid. I need to get back to the hotel, dry off, and make a massive al for the others. Floette and Growlithe are going to be so jealous when they hear about the celebration they missed."
He forced a smile, his internal 'survival mode' kicking back in. He'd buy the premium Moomoo Cheese. He'd slow-roast the Berries. By the ti they got back tomorrow, he'd have enough food prepped to feed a Snorlax.
The hotel room was quiet—too quiet—when Julian pushed the door open. He was carrying two heavy bags of groceries, his damp t-shirt now clinging to his chest like a second skin. As soon as he set the bags down, he released the rest of his team.
"Sylveon! Togetic! Carbink! Dinner's on the way!"
Sylveon was the first to materialize, her ribbons imdiately sensing the strange, hollow energy in the room. "Sly-veon? (Wait, is the war over? Did we win the shiny rock?)'
Togetic fluttered out next, his eyes widening as he looked at Julian. "Jia-gei! (Julian! You're soaked! And why are you still in that thin shirt? You're going to turn into an ice cube!)"
Carbink hovered out last, blinking its gem-like eyes as it surveyed the room. "Mishi? (Where are the others? Did Growlithe find a steak house without us?)"
Julian sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands as he explained the day's chaotic finale. "We won. Sixth badge is in the bag. Growlithe hit the Elite tier and Floette... well, she's a powerhouse now. But I sent them both to Professor Rowan's lab for a safety check. They'll be back tomorrow."
He stood up, his voice taking on a forced, overly cheerful tone. "So, it's just us tonight! A rare night off for the two big eaters, which ans more leftovers for you guys! And I forgot my coat at the gym, so I had to make a quick run for supplies in my 'sumr gear' here. My mory is shot, haha!"
Sylveon's ribbons twitched. She knew Julian's "happy voice" when it was faked. "Sly? (You forgot your coat? The expensive one with the internal heating? Julian, that's not 'bad mory,' that's a total ntal breakdown.)"
"Jia-gei? (Are you sure you're okay? You look like you're about to vibrate out of your skin.)" Togetic asked, floating close to Julian's face.
"I'm fine! I'm great!" Julian shouted, the volu of his voice making Carbink jump a foot in the air and dive behind Sylveon's ribbons.
"Mishi! (Scary! Julian is scary!)"
Julian froze. He saw the genuine shock on his partners' faces and imdiately felt the guilt triple. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't an to yell. I'm just... I'm a little tired. And cold. Mostly cold. I forgot the jacket at the gym because I was so focused on getting Floette to the hospital. It's just a piece of clothing, right? We can get another one."
Sylveon walked over, wrapping a ribbon gently around Julian's wrist. "Sly... (It's okay. We know you're worried. You're always worried when you can't see the numbers on the screen.)"
"I just keep thinking about that stone," Julian whispered, finally sagging back onto the bed. "It's the only way they evolve. If it didn't work... what did I do wrong? I'm the Fairy expert. I'm the one who's supposed to have the answers, but today I was just a guy throwing rocks in a blizzard."
"Jia-gei! (You didn't just throw a rock! You gave her the chance she asked for!)" Togetic chirped firmly.
"I know... I know." Julian stood up, rubbing his face. "Enough moping. I promised you guys a feast, and I'm going to deliver. Those two food-bandits are going to be miserable when they see the photos of what we're eating tonight."
He started walking toward the small kitchenette in the suite, but Carbink suddenly darted in front of him, glowing with a soft, persistent light.
"Mishi-mishi! (Julian! Your shirt!)"
"What? Oh, right. I'm still covered in Snowpoint's finest slush." Julian looked down, finally noticing the shivering fit he was suppressing. "My brain really did just check out today, didn't it? Thanks, Carbink. I'll change into sothing dry before I start the stove."
He grabbed a spare hoodie from his bag, the soft fabric feeling like a luxury. As he pulled it on, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror—hatless, ssy-haired, and looking completely exhausted.
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