The evening after the last exam, the entire city of Ironforge waited. Every household, every training hall, every association office buzzed with the same anticipation.
Results would be posted online by midnight, the lists revealing the top ten scorers in each profession before the formal awarding ceremony the following day.
At the Stone household, Steven sat hunched over his tablet, refreshing the page every other minute. Albert, cross-legged on the floor, meditated calmly, the faint shimmer of psychic energy around him a stark contrast to Steven's jittering hands. Joseph watched the clock in silence, polished pocket watch gleaming in the lamplight.
Steven fidgeted with the tablet, failing to mask his nervous energy. "You're too calm," he muttered. "The results are being announced tonight, Alfred. Don't you feel… anything?"
Alfred glanced at him, expression unreadable. "Feeling won't change the outcome." He patted Steven on the shoulder, letting him calm down. "Besides, the exams were simple. The real test was how the examiners reacted to me — not whether I passed."
Joseph nodded, "He's right. At this point, it is no longer about your performance. It is about perception. Tonight, Ironforge City will learn your name. Be ready for that weight."
Alfred inclined his head. "I am."
Steven, less convinced, folded his arms. "Well, I'm nervous enough for both of us."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
At the stroke of midnight, Steven gasped. "It's up!" He scrolled down furiously, his eyes widening. "Albert—! Look!"
He spun the screen toward him, breathless.
There it was:
Breeders Association – Top 10
Rank 1: Deford, A.H. (Age 5) – Score: 100%
Doctors Association – Top 10
Rank 1: Deford, A.H. (Age 5) – Score: 100%
Researchers Association – Top 10
Rank 1: Deford, A.H. (Age 5) – Score: 100%
Beneath those lines sprawled the names of candidates twice or thrice his age, most scoring between the high 70s and low 90s, many barely finishing within the allotted three hours. Albert's name sat above them all—not only first place, but with a flawless record as well.
Steven's jaw dropped. "You didn't just pass. You got a perfect score in all three, as a five-year-old! No one's ever done this!"
Albert opened his eyes slowly, amethyst irises catching the dim light. His voice was calm, measured. "It was within expectation."
Joseph leaned back in his chair, lips curving faintly, though his gaze was sharp. "Within expectation, perhaps, but still unprecedented. Tonight, Ironforge knows your name. Tomorrow, the world will hear it."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
By mid-morning, the plaza outside the Ironforge City Hall was brimming with people. Apprentices and their families crowded together, waiting for the ceremony.
The next morning, the plaza outside Ironforge City Hall overflowed. Apprentices and families gathered in anticipation, whispering in disbelief.
Many had already seen the rankings online, the words etched into their minds: Five years old. Three exams. Three perfect scores.
On the stage, banners bearing the insignias of the Breeders Association, Doctors Association, and Researchers Association hung above the steps, fluttering in the breeze.
Alfred walked between Joseph and Steven, his small frame drawing more than a few curious looks. Whispers rippled across the crowd—many recognized the platinum-haired child who had left each exam room hours before anyone else.
"They say he's only five…"
"…Finished in less than an hour!"
"Is that Devon's boy? The Stones are backing him?"
Steven's jaw tightened at the stares, but Alfred ignored them, his gaze fixed on the stage ahead where the examiners stood ready with scrolls in hand.
Officials read out the names, and candidates stepped forward to accept their licenses. Cheers rose with each announcement, but the crowd's energy built toward a single name.
At last, the herald's voice rang across the plaza:
"Deford!"
The plaza hushed, then erupted in murmurs as Albert walked calmly up the steps. His platinum hair gleamed in the sunlight, his amethyst eyes steady, his small frame impossibly composed.
The examiner's voice carried across the square, words ringing with formality:
"By decision of the Ironforge City Breeders Association, Deford has passed the Elementary Breeder examination with a score of 100%, the fastest test taker by 52 minutes."
The plaza gasped.
"By decision of the Ironforge City Doctors Association, Deford has passed the Elementary Doctor examination with a score of 100%, similarly, the fastest completion ever recorded by 58 minutes."
The applause swelled louder.
"And by decision of the Ironforge City Researchers Association, Deford has passed the Elementary Researcher examination with a score of 100%, also completed in record time by 48 minutes."
The crowd roared, but the examiner raised his voice further, delivering the final blow:
"As confirmed by the International Pokémon Alliance, Deford is hereby recognized as the youngest certified Elementary Breeder, Elementary Doctor, and Elementary Researcher in the world."
For a heartbeat, silence fell—then the plaza erupted, applause and astonishment shaking the air.
Newspapers would call it a miracle. Historians would call it a turning point. But for Ironforge, it was simply unforgettable.
Albert bowed slightly as he received the three certificates, his composure unshaken. He turned, descending the steps without haste, the crowd parting around him in stunned silence before the noise swelled again like a wave.
Steven rushed to his side, face alight. "The youngest in the world, Albert! Do you know what this means?"
Albert's lips curved faintly. "It means the world is already watching."
Joseph placed a steady hand on Alfred's shoulder as the crowd's cheers thundered, his tone weighty. "And you will give them reason never to look away. From this day on, Alfred, you are no longer merely a prodigy. You are a professional, one that the entire world is watching."
The boy's amethyst eyes glinted in the sunlight as he clutched the three certificates close.
For Ironforge City, it was a day they would never forget. But for him, it was only the first step.