The month of relentless study passed in what felt like the blink of an eye. Soon, the looming date of Albert's elementary exams for researcher, breeder, and doctor stood only days away.
The library that had become his sanctuary was now quieter than ever, its shelves familiar to him in a way few places had ever been.
Albert had exhausted most of the texts on Pokémon ecology, medicinal theory, and breeding practices, and what little remained was either redundant or outdated, or the countless research remaining in the database. Now, he shifted his focus to reviewing his own notes, refining his thoughts into something sharp and presentable.
Each morning, Albert meditated before sunrise, allowing his psychic power to pulse quietly through his mind and body.
His flawless memory replayed entire books word for word, but meditation gave him something more: clarity and control. It sharpened the difference between simply knowing and understanding.
In the afternoons, he spent his hours in Devon's laboratories, shadowing researchers as they performed their work.
He asked questions sparingly, only when necessary, but his observations were relentless. Even the senior staff sometimes stumbled under his quiet, probing gaze. And when they spoke among themselves, Albert's name surfaced again and again, whispered as though describing a force they did not yet know how to define.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
At the Stone household, the evenings were calmer, but no less meaningful.
Dinner was always the same—Joseph at the head of the table, Steven to one side, Albert on the other.
Joseph asked about Albert's progress with a businesslike tone, but beneath the surface was unmistakable pride. Albert answered evenly, detailing his studies without embellishment.
Steven, however, asked different questions. "If you pass all three exams, what will you do first? Research fossils with me? Or Pokémon medicine? Or breeding experiments?"
Albert hesitated before answering. "All of them. But not all at once. I want to establish a foundation in research first. Without understanding the patterns, the experiments will fail. Without understanding Pokémon health, the breeding will falter. It must all connect."
Steven smiled, almost to himself. "That sounds so like you."
Later at night, when Albert retreated to his room, Steven sometimes slipped in with a fossil or stone sample in hand. He would sit cross-legged on the floor, pointing out ridges and textures, speaking with quiet excitement about how each fragment hinted at stories thousands of years old.
Albert listened more than he spoke, but the warmth in his eyes betrayed his interest. Slowly, those late-night talks became a ritual.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Two nights before the exams, Joseph stopped Albert at the doorway of the study.
"Are you ready?" Joseph asked, his deep voice calm but edged with expectation.
Albert met his gaze without hesitation. "Yes. I've prepared everything I can. The rest is just the exam itself."
Joseph studied him for a long moment, then nodded once. "Good. Remember this, Albert: Devon's sponsorship is not a shield. It is a stage. You will be judged not by my name, but by what you can prove on your own. Make me proud."
Albert smiled softly, touched, and simply said, "I will."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
That night, Albert sat on his bed with his legs folded, eyes closed, his psychic aura faintly shimmering around him.
He did not sleep in the conventional sense; meditation had long since replaced that need. Instead, his mind replayed every lesson, every formula, every observation he had absorbed in the past month. He could feel the exams drawing near, but there was no fear—only focus.
When dawn finally broke, Albert opened his eyes, the glow of amethyst shining faintly in the dim light.
Soon, the exams will begin.
And he was ready to ace it all.