In the midst of the breakfast made of eggs, bacon, and rice (well, Anthony had known that the Kanto region was based in Japan, so such an arrangement was not something too shocking for him), Hana and Ben looked at their son and into each other's eyes. This is the first time their son has admitted that he has a problem. Most of the time, due to his being more mature than the average 7-year-old, he won't be fussing about an issue and will ask them directly for a solution instead, as if he were just confirming a solution he had in mind.
Most of them are wrong due to his age, but still, a creative mind is a mature mind as they say, thus they were quite shocked and joyful that their son had directly said that he doesn't have a solution to a problem.
Hana replied.
"What is it?"
Hearing that his parents are willing to listen, Anthony continued.
"Since the Day Care has been preparing for its start of operation, and Zubat wasn't able to train our fundamentals, since it's the off-season, Pokemon training gyms are packed with official trainers, and the lab at the bridge to Lavender is unusable unless you're licensed Associate Field Researchers. So, I want to ask you two if you know anyone you know who can give me a place to continue training."
One of the reasons why does the training field was dismantled is not only because it needs to be a habitat for the Pokemons that would lay eggs, its because 100 or so meters is just barely good enough for more than 5 Pokemon types to exist, as of now, the only types available in the Day Care before opening are Fire types (Led by Charizard, but Charizard's eggs themselves can't be sold) with some Arcanine and Houndoom that laid some eggs already.
There are also Grass Types, Vileplume, Breloom, Vectribells, with some eggs already, while they coexist with Bug types, which is the type with the highest amount of eggs and lowest price. As a result, even though the trained Bug types of his mom and dad have a lot of egg moves to let their children inherit. There are also Magikarp eggs as water types stored in the pond, offspring of Gyarados, so surely, they would be strong, so the price is higher.
Lastly, premium Ground types from Unova like Krookodile and Hippowdon. This made it so that the 100 meters is too cramped for any more facilities. Hana and Ben wanted to negotiate and buy some other patch of forest outside of their house, but that would need enough reputation on the side of the Day Care and couldn't be raw dogged by their individual fame.
There's what you call public profit, after all, so the government won't just give land to famous people because they might squander it.
That's why Anthony can't train.
Hearing the problem of their son, Hana and Ben squinted their eyes, as if puzzled. Soon, however, Ben's eyes widened, and he chuckled a little; this chuckle turned into a little laugh while Hana was also smirking. This made Anthony and Zubat, that's perched on the head of its trainer, confused.
"Oh no, I'm sorry, but I just remembered my former self when I asked this question to Professor Oak while I was studying for my Breeders exam."
Hana, looking at her husband, then interjected.
"You know, you can just go and become an intern in the Lab of Prof. Oak. This way, you can get your certificate of internship and complete one of the requirements to become an associate field researcher."
Anthony was further confused; however, his eyes suddenly widened.
"You can take the internship before passing the breeder's exam? Wouldn't that be against the scaffolding method?"
Anthony can't believe it, after all, in his previous life, an internship comes after you can amalgamate all of your knowledge in your first 3 years. How can it be that the supposed final stage of a training can be done before even the appropriate knowledge is acquired? This question is what is anticipated by Hana, thus she answered.
"You know, when you take the breeder's exam, there's a segment where you have to do an application of all that you have learned in your breeder exams review. This part is hailed as the hardest part of the breeder exam, where more than 40% of exam takers slashed out by it yearly."
"That's why the Associate Field Researcher program made it so that the students can take the internship before or after the breeder's exam. After all, for those who are already veteran trainers that can acquire apt breeder knowledge while they're in their journey will take it after the breeder's exam while people who wanted to be associate field researchers at their early age and wanted to do good in the breeder exam for a safe appointment often takes the internship first, depending on who choose which order, the scaffolding method is never violated."
Anthony is speechless, churning his brain for any knowledge on this piece of information, then he remembered that the original Anthony didn't want to become an associate field researcher originally, and given his attitude of reading only things that interest him, the original Anthony obviously didn't read all the things about an associate field researcher and the process of being one.
_Ans since I was just being introduced to the profession at that time, I wasn't given a more detailed explanation about the profession... why am I transferred in a lazy kid's body..._
Anthony felt stupid, especially now that he's an adult in a kid's body with pride of knowing something specific about his dream job; however, he sighed and said.
"I see... so that's how it works, huh..."
Hana and Ben nodded before the latter replied.
"So, what do you think? Do you want to take the one-year internship?"
Anthony frowned at this question, for indeed, being an intern means being privy to all the facilities of the lab, and Anthony personally saw the training portion of the lab of Prof. Oak and reckoned how it would be beneficial for Zubat.
However, here lies a problem: Anthony is still learning strategies from his dad, as the battle training of Zubat has been turned against Ben's Spearow. If he leaves the house for a year, his strategy training would then be hampered unless someone of the same caliber as his dad is to give him training.
Just as when Anthony thought of such, his eyes suddenly brightened.
_Wait a minute... Isn't Prof. Oak a rival of the Elite 4 Agatha? Can I perhaps use my lineage for him to give me advice? Maybe even battle with me? Like my dad, once a weekend is enough..._
_Furthermore, the application opportunities for my breeder knowledge will be more over there, and since the lab is meant to be used for internship and not business, I won't make them lose money, unlike the daycare where experienced breeders are needed..._
Slowly, the crease in Anthony's glabella eased, and soon, he answered.
"...But, I want to be with you two..."
This is an act as the couple's child, which made Ben, who is nearer form Anthony's location, pat his head.
"Don't worry about us, we have 3 Pokemons that can fly us to Pallet Town regularly, plus, your breeder studies will be finished here."
Obviously, Ben and Hana wanted to foster more independence for Anthony; for that, Anthony was thankful. However, to act more appropriately as a child, he made several excuses to 'reject' the offer of an early internship. In the end, he 'reluctantly' agreed and even said 'I will miss you' to his mom and dad. Zubat was also sad at this; however, Hana unexpectedly made a very nostalgic quote for Anthony.
"Don't worry about us. All boys leave home someday."
Apparently, it was a mantra for all parents in the Pokémon world; it was something that his parents' parents said to them, too. Anthony once again nodded and moved on to the more important specifics for fear of not being able to know other things.
"How do I register?"
Hana picked up the sausage left on her plate and replied.
"Birth Certificate, Letter of consent from parents, medical certificate, and the registration form, actually, the registration period starts from November to December and ends in January first week, the internship period is from 2nd week of January until the Second week of December, so even before the period ends, the lab already accepts new applications."
Ben then spoke.
"You don't have to worry about your chances of being able to get a slot for the internship, just fill in the requirements."
Hana nodded at this moment, too.
_It's rare for Mom to agree on something that gives me a shortcut._
Anthony nodded slowly while he continued eating while thanking himself for being a Nepo Baby.
For the next week, Anthony went to the hospital, get to have his Statistician's birth certificate, and filled out the form before putting it in a courier to be sent to the admission office of Prof. Oak's lab. While he did so, he browsed the internet for anecdotal experiences of both passed and failed interns.
Anthony would surely not let himself look like a child in front of his parents... in inappropriate settings, of course.
Soon, in December, Anthony saw an email on his Gmail account that he had been accepted for the internship, and he was to prepare all his necessary clothes for the year-long internship. The lab will provide the scientific materials as well as the lab gown and etc.
Anthony had wanted to try wearing one for a long time already, so he was quite excited.
_Though I'm just 7 years old, so I might look like I'm cosplaying as a scientist..._
Anthony was excited about what the future holds._
___________
One of the things Anthony never realized in the Pokémon world, and didn't bother to browse the memory of the original Anthony, is about the weather during the winter season. That's why, when December and January came and there were 3 orders from the Pokemon League government headquarters of the Indigo League to use a 'Hyper Beam Cannon', a meteorological device to control weather, if they would be detrimental to humans, which caused the snow in all of Indigo regions to be just appropriate and not burying, he was shocked.
One reason is maybe the fact that he have never seen such a device in all of his journey as a Pokemon gamer, thus he questioned how would Hoenn, a place with lots of rains per year uses this device, his parents reiterated that Hoenn's rains are very important to them in terms of their Pokemons and their culture in general, so they will only use such device when a lot of places is in the verge of being flooded, something that didn't happen for half a century already.
_Hm, this is just a fine amount of snow, this way I won't be shattering the pop-culture of white Christmas in my mind..._
Anthony nodded while hauling a luggage and a backpack on a giant saddle atop the head of Gyarados. The month is currently January, and Anthony, as expected of his parents... of his abilities, I mean, was accepted for the internship, like always, Zubat is on his head, silently looking at the luggage that's already in the saddle atop the neck of Gyarados.
"Zuu..."
The Pokémon looked at its trainer and then pointed at the house repeatedly using its wing, making Anthony sigh.
"Zubat, one day, we will not be able to go back to this house for a long time. You have to get used to it."
Anthony said while patting the Pokémon's head; however, even though all the things he needed, his wallet with the intern's ID given to him by Associate Field Researcher Melissa Edison as proof of his slot, like Zubat, he seemed to have just planted himself to the ground, unmoving.
Even though Anthony is already an adult, he still felt quite attached to his parents, specially Hana who was able to give him lessons without being hands-on, he looked back at the two at his back, Hana and Ben and once again ran, tucking his trench coat using his hands as he once again jumped for the hug of his parents who looked at him surprised.
"I will get back stronger."
Such is what all Anthony can say, after all, he was technically not their son already. This gesture made Hana and Ben laugh.
"I'm sure you will."
After the pleasantries that were supposed to have already ended, Anthony went and rode the big saddle of Gyarados, the Pokémon then rose into the sky and bowed to its trainer as well as its companions that were looking from the artificial biomes of the Day Care of its trainer and her husband before blasting off again, its destination is the Lab of Prof. Oak.
__________
The Husband and Wife looked silently yet longingly at their son, obviously proud and worried at the same time, for his first journey without them.
"I wonder if he would be okay..."
"I'm sure he will."
Hana and Ben didn't move for a long while as they became melancholic about their own journey in raising their child; however, this warm feeling suddenly vanished when someone raised his hand in front of them.
"He... hello, I wish to buy a Shroomish."
The boy was wearing gloves, a thick jacket, and cotton pants while holding out 2 one thousand poke dollar bills. The husband and wife were speechless at this, though, soon, they sighed. Hana went and opened the door while putting the Open part of the signage, while Ben said.
"Good morning, small person, come inside."
It seems like the life of the Husband and Wife will continue without their child, temporarily, that is.