Nate woke up in a daze. He sat up, blinking against the morning light, and took in the room. The rustic familiarity of Aspertia was gone, replaced by the sterile beige walls and cheap furniture of university housing. The dorm wasn't bad, but it had a distinct, mass-produced hollowness to it. On the dresser, the alarm clock glowed 7:42 a.m. in aggressive, bright-red numbers.

  A sharp bang from the common room startled Nate out of his drowsiness. He quickly shoved his feet into a pair of slippers to avoid the shock of the cold floors and shuffled out to investigate.

  In the kitchen, Hugh stood over a small coffee pot resting on the floor, fully dressed for the day.

  “Sorry,” Hugh said, clutching a bag of coffee grounds. “I thought I'd make us some coffee before we head out. Bianca said to meet at the cafeteria by eight-thirty.”

  Nate chuckled, walking over to pick up the plastic pot filled with dark sludge. “You don't even drink coffee.”

  “Yeah, well, I thought I'd try it out. Since we're on our own for once, maybe it's time to try different things.”

  “Maybe. How do you like the room so far?”

  “It's… manageable,” Hugh said, his eyes scanning the dimly lit space. “There's nothing wrong with it.”

  “Just a little… dull?”

  “Yeah. Dull. Nothing like Aspertia, that's for sure.”

  I'm sure he's missing Tammy.

  Nate watched Hugh trace a finger along the counter. It was small, the laminate chipped at the edges. “I guess this is just our lives now, isn't it?”

  “We'll make do with what we got. Besides, we're here for the Pokémon, not living in luxury,” Nate said, forcing a cheerful note into his voice.

  Hugh offered a strained smile. “You're right. We've got so much ahead of us.” He checked his watch and shot a glare at Nate. “And speaking of which, you have got to get ready. We should leave soon.”

  “Right! I'll be quick. Don't leave without me!” Nate declared, backpedaling into his room.

  “You got five minutes and I'm walking out that door!” Hugh shouted after him.

  The morning air outside was crisp as the boys made their way across campus. Nate barely recognized the grounds. The University during the day was a different beast than the shadowy maze he’d arrived in last night. A few summer school students were already bustling about, books clutched to their chests.

  Hugh pulled out his phone to navigate. “It's the large, dome-shaped building with a glass ceiling,” he read Bianca’s text aloud. “We're all sitting together.”

  “Great, so everybody's already there?” Nate asked, buttoning his jacket.

  “It appears so.” Hugh slid his phone into his pocket, his expression turning thoughtful. “What do you think about the rest of the team?”

  Nate thought back to the chaos of the previous night. He remembered Cheren’s professionalism, Hilbert's energy, Hilda's sharp sarcasm, and Rosa's…

  “I think they're cool,” Nate stammered. He quickly brushed the lingering image of Rosa aside.

  “They're cool?” Hugh raised an eyebrow. “Sure, I guess.”

  “I mean, we didn't get a chance to get to know them. Last night was kind of hectic.”

  “I suppose. You really made a good impression on them, though,” Hugh replied, linking his hands behind his head as they walked. “Especially since you one-upped Rosa.”

  Nate's heart jumped. “I-I didn't try to! I just wanted to help. I wasn't trying to be better or anything.”

  “But from her perspective, some random guy comes along and proves to her friends he can do things better than she can. If I were her, I'd feel pretty terrible.”

  Nate slowed his pace. Was he really acting like a show-off on the first day? He hadn’t considered the complexity of the situation. Only the distress of Elekid.

  “I didn't mean to,” Nate said quietly.

  “Hey, I'm not saying you did anything wrong. You just have to make sure you work with your teammates. We want them to like us after all,” Hugh said with a smirk.

  “Well, that's not going to be so easy for you, then!” Nate shoved Hugh's shoulder.

  Hugh shoved back instantly. “Watch it.”

  They reached the cafeteria, pushing through the double doors. The building was massive, flooded with natural light from the geodesic glass ceiling. In the center were the dining tables, while the perimeter was lined with various food stations. It was relatively quiet, occupied only by early risers and staff.

  At a central table, a girl in a green beret waved enthusiastically.

  “There,” Nate nodded.

  The boys made their way over. The entire team was present, creating a lively pocket of noise in the quiet hall.

  “Morning!” Bianca declared in her usual bubbly voice.

  “Morning,” Hugh replied.

  “There are trays over by the service station,” Bianca said, pointing. “Just go around and grab whatever you want.”

  After a short trip around the stations, piling their plates with mounds of scrambled eggs, glistening bacon, and bowls of fresh fruit, they returned to the team.

  “C'mere guys! This seat is for you,” Hilbert said, scooting practically into Hilda’s lap to make room.

  “Hey! Bert!” She shoved him off with her elbow.

  They took their seats next to Hilbert. Across from Nate sat Bianca, then Cheren, and finally Rosa on the end. She was silently picking at her yogurt parfait, her spoon scraping the glass, eyes downcast.

  “We were taking bets whether you guys slept in or got lost,” Hilbert said, forking a sausage link into his mouth. “I bet lost.”

  Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

  “A little bit of both,” Hugh admitted. He swung his bag underneath the table and placed a large, dented thermos on the surface with a heavy clunk.

  “Rough night, I take it?” Cheren asked.

  “A little,” Nate said. In truth, he barely remembered hitting the pillow. His brain had simply shut down.

  “That’s alright. I’m glad you got some sleep.”

  “How are the boys’ dorms?” Bianca chimed in. “The girls’ wing is actually pretty nice. I’m in a single while Hilda and Rosa are roommates.”

  “It’s… beige,” Nate replied, grabbing a piece of toast from the center basket. “But it’s not bad.”

  Hilbert laughed through a mouthful of biscuit. “It’s terrible! It’s old and worn out.” Cheren silently nodded in agreement. “Don’t be afraid to say what you really think.”

  “It’s not ideal, but we’ll make it work,” Hugh said. He unscrewed his thermos and took a sip of the brew he’d concocted in the room. His face remained neutral for a second, followed immediately by a hard swallow and pursed lips.

  “Oh wow,” he wheezed, setting the mug down a little too quickly. “That is… strong.”

  Hilda laughed. “You burnt the grounds, didn’t you?”

  “No, it’s just… a dark roast.”

  “Smells like burnt rubber, dude,” Hilbert patted Hugh on the back with a grin. “I wouldn’t trust the brewers in the rooms. The coffee here is pretty good if you want a redo.”

  “I think I’m okay. I guess I really am not a coffee person.”

  The table chuckled, and a sense of levity settled over the group. Nate’s eyes drifted to the end of the table. Rosa was still quietly eating, completely disengaged from the banter.

  Maybe Hugh was right…

  “So, Hugh,” Hilda began, finishing her glass of orange juice. “We’ve already seen Nate’s Riolu. What kind of Pokémon do you have?” Her tone shifted, becoming more trainer-focused.

  “I have a Tepig I raised from an egg. And my most recent addition is a Psyduck.”

  “Have you gotten the chance to battle with them?” Cheren asked.

  Hugh glanced over to Nate. Nate knew exactly where Hugh’s mind went.

  “Yeah, just once. It was… intense.”

  “Just once?”

  “Against Team Plasma,” Nate interrupted.

  The clatter of silverware stopped. A sudden silence fell over the group. All eyes focused on Nate, even Rosa’s head snapped up.

  “Team Plasma? You mean the criminal gang that steals Pokémon?” Hilda asked, her voice dropping an octave.

  “Yeah, that's the one,” Hugh replied shortly, his jaw tightening.

  “W-we battled them for a stolen Ampharos. That was back when we were shearing the Mareep for the wool,” Nate explained, trying to diffuse the sudden tension radiating off Hugh.

  “What were they doing stealing an Ampharos?” Rosa asked aloud. The rest of the team looked at her, as if they had forgotten she was there. Her voice was small, and she seemed startled that she had spoken at all.

  “We don't know,” Nate treaded carefully.

  “But we saved Ampharos,” Hugh added firmly. “That's what matters.”

  “I thought Team Plasma was just a local gang of thieves. I didn't know they also were in Aspertia,” Hilbert replied, his usual sarcasm evaporating.

  “There have been more reports of Pokémon thefts all over Unova,” Bianca stated, leaning in. “Though not all of them are linked to Team Plasma, it's likely the group is expanding.”

  “Well, I hope we never have to deal with them,” Hilda said, crossing her arms. “We've got enough on our plates with all the Electric Pokémon.”

  Cheren shuffled in his seat. “Speaking of which, we've all got to meet with Professor Juniper to discuss the next steps for treating them. Also, we will be getting our first task as a team, though likely we'll have to split up the duties.”

  “Great! Then I call staying with the electric burritos!” Hilda exclaimed, puffing out her chest. “I can't wait to cuddle Emolga again!”

  “Actually, Hilda, I was thinking you, Hilbert, Nate, and Hugh would be going out on mission. Rosa, Bianca, and I should stay to care for the electric Pokémon. Rosa's expertise would certainly be better utilized with the sick patients.”

  “Thanks, Cheren,” Rosa managed, with a weak smile.

  “Fine, I suppose,” Hilda sighed, defeated.

  As breakfast wrapped up, the group began shuffling their trays. Nate grabbed his, following Bianca’s directions to the drop-off, but glanced back. Rosa was the last to move, her movements slow and heavy.

  I should try talking with her.

  He ran through the options. A direct apology seemed too confrontational, and a casual ‘how are you’ felt like he was dodging the issue. He left the table with his head spinning. Talking to her was going to be harder than battling Team Plasma.

  Later, the team gathered on the U-shaped plush couch in the laboratory lobby, listening to Professor Juniper and Ms. Gabby.

  “We've been tracking vitals throughout the night,” Ms. Gabby explained, tapping a stylus against her tablet. “It appears the wool has stabilized their conditions. Right now, we need to focus on getting them back to full strength. That means feeding, temperature checks, and monitoring their voltage regulation.”

  “We'll also need to change out the old wool from yesterday to ensure they are getting proper insulation,” Juniper added.

  “How is Elekid doing?” Cheren asked.

  “Much better,” Juniper beamed. “It has certainly calmed down overnight. Mr. Orens said he was even able to feed Elekid some breakfast without any incident.”

  “Do you have any update on what caused the anomaly at Chargestone Cave?” Hugh asked bluntly.

  “We're still in the process of figuring that out,” Ms. Gabby replied, her eyes darting sharply toward him. “We're analyzing the data sent from the rangers and examining the symptoms.”

  “Could any of those lead to it being man-made?” Hugh shot back.

  The room stiffened. A few members looked back at Hugh

  “There is a possibility… yes…” Ms. Gabby's tone grew irritated. “But we certainly cannot jump to conclusions without ruling out other possibilities.”

  Hugh clamped his mouth shut, but his dissatisfaction was palpable.

  “And what about our first mission, Professor?” Cheren interjected smoothly, changing the subject.

  “Ah, yes. I recently got a message from the Season Research Lab,” Juniper said, flipping through her notes. “Their facility is ready for operations. They are requesting several Deerling for observation. Our goal is to study how their environment affects their physiology.”

  “And that's where we need a team to go out and catch them,” Ms. Gabby stated. “Cheren, have you decided on the roster?”

  “I have. Hilda, Hilbert, Nate, and Hugh will catch the Deerling. Bianca, Rosa, and myself will remain here with the sick Pokémon.”

  “Perfect!” Juniper exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “The Deerling team will head to the mountains on the outskirts of the city. Once captured, we will transfer them via the PC storage system.”

  “Professor, exactly how are we going to find these Deerling?” Hilda asked, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees.

  “Great question, Hilda.” The professor reached into her lab coat and pulled out a velvet pouch. She unraveled it to reveal four glass vials, each filled with a different viscous liquid: pink, green, orange, and brown.

  “Deerling give off a certain scent depending on the season.” She selected the vial with the green liquid. “This perfume contains Summer Form Deerling extract. I'm sure if you give this to Hugh's Tepig, it will be able to track down Deerling of the same scent.”

  “Tepig does have a pretty strong nose,” Hugh remarked. Nate nodded, remembering how the fire-pig had sniffed out the Plasma grunts back at the ranch.

  “Exactly. I'll leave these with you, Hugh.” Juniper handed him the pouch. “And lastly, before we depart, I'd like to do a little assessment.” She paused with a mischievous smile.

  “An assessment? Like a test?” Hilbert groaned, slumping back against the couch.

  “Kind of,” Juniper said. “I'd like to assess your ability to work as a team. And the best way we can do this is a Pokémon battle.”

  “A Pokémon battle? I'm game!” Hugh sat up straight, energy returning to his voice.

  “I think Nate and Hugh versus Hilbert and Hilda,” Juniper decided. “That way we can see how each pair works together before the mission.”

  Nate adjusted himself in his seat. A Pokémon battle sounded perfect. It was something he actually understood. And with Hugh as his partner, he felt he could beat anyone.

  However, Hilda and Hilbert are practically stuck at the hip. They might be tougher together than we think.

  “We can start making our way outside to the training fields,” Juniper directed.

  Hugh nudged Nate’s arm as they rose. “Looks like our chance to prove to them we belong on the team.”

  “We've got this,” Nate replied, though his eyes drifted once more to Rosa, who was watching them with an unreadable expression. “We're a tough team to beat.”