The next day dawned bright and clear, and the air in Lab 2 felt both alive and farewell. One by one, the little Pichu jumped into their pet carriers. Each paused at the entrance and turned to wave goodbye with soft, trembling paws. Ethan and James stood nearby, joined by several other employees who had grown attached to the Pokémon. A chorus of soft squeaks filled the hallway.
"Pichu-pichu!"
"Pii-yaa!"
In their own way, they understood that they were about to leave for new homes. Some Pichu lay quietly in their carriers, their eyes misty with sadness, while others sniffled as if on the verge of tears.
James dabbed at his cheeks, surreptitiously wiping away tears with the back of his hand. Standing next to him, Ethan felt his own throat tighten. He had rarely been so open with his emotions, but today it was hard to hide.
"You'll be fine," he whispered under his breath. "Your new owners will take good care of you."
Suddenly, a small, high-pitched voice caught his attention:
"Pika! Pika!"
Timmy, one of the earlier Pokemon who had bonded with Ethan, was clinging to his pants leg, tugging insistently as if begging him not to let the others go.
Ethan bent down and scooped Timmy into his arms. He gently stroked the tuft of fur on her forehead.
"I wish they could stay," he murmured, "but they can't stay here forever. Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing bad happens to them."
Timmy sulked and turned his face away. Ethan smiled wryly, taking no offense; the bond between these Pichu was as strong as the one between them and the lab staff. Across the room, Colt stood transfixed as he watched each Pichu leave. As the last carrier was lifted into the shipping van, tears glistened in Colt's eyes.
And then there was James, his eyes brimming with emotion. As soon as the last carrier door clicked shut, he broke down and buried his face in Ethan's shoulder, sobbing softly.
"You'll be happy," Ethan said, placing a comforting hand on James' back. "We've already checked out all the buyers. Trust me."
The entire team stood in silence as the vehicles pulled away, carrying the Pichu to every corner of the country - and a few beyond its borders.
---
Inside a Gated Mansion
Some distance away, a young woman named Zhou Ke rushed to pull on her shoes. The phone call she'd just received sent a chill through her entire body.
"Mom, I'm going to pick up my Pichu!" she shouted, practically jumping down the front steps.
Behind her, an elegant lady, Zhou Ke's mother, yelled from the living room, slippers in hand:
"You spendthrift! I said no pets in this house. If you dare bring that mouse home, I'll throw it out tomorrow!"
Her scolding voice echoed through the foyer, but Zhou Ke had already stormed out, her voice trailing behind her:
"If you do that, I'll run away!"
The mother slapped her slippers on the marble floor in frustration. "That girl," she muttered. "Three hundred thousand yuan for a tiny yellow ball of fur! Might as well have been highway robbery."
She shook her head, imagining all the potential trouble if a Pichu accidentally zapped her, left droppings, or chewed up furniture. The thought made her nervous. I'll find a way to get the money back, she decided, tossing the slippers aside.
---
Within ten minutes, Zhou Ke returned, carrying a small pet carrier as if it were made of gold. She tiptoed through the door, wary of a second lecture from her mother.
"It's okay," she whispered to the carrier. "Mom can't hurt you now."
She set him gently down on the carpet, opened the small door, and lay flat on her stomach, smiling:
"Hello! I'm Zhou Ke. Would you like to come out?"
A tiny yellow head popped out, big dark eyes blinking curiously. It sniffed at Zhou Ke's hand and, deciding that she was safe, rubbed its cheek against her palm.
"Pichu?" the creature squeaked.
Zhou Ke let out a delighted sigh. "Oh, your name is Keke, too? That's fate!"
She scooped up the Pichu in a joyful hug and rolled across the floor in glee. Meanwhile, her mother appeared from the hallway, glaring. She'd come prepared to scold, but paused at the sight of her daughter's unbridled happiness. Slowly, her anger subsided.
"You look... kind of cute," she murmured, lowering the slipper in her hand. "Good. We'll give it a try. But if it chews the curtains or shocks the neighbors, I'll return it!"
Zhou Ke was so caught up in Pichu's antics that she hardly noticed her mother leaving. Keke, however, spotted the older woman and raised a small paw to point at her:
"Pichu... Pichu?"
Zhou Ke sat up just in time to see her mother disappear around the corner. A broad grin spread across her face.
"See, Keke? Mom's not that bad. Everyone online says that parents make a fuss at first, but once they see how cute you are, they come around."
She remembered a small booklet tucked inside the carrier. When she opened it, she saw the Pokémon Biotechnology Company logo on the cover, red on top, white on the bottom, with a circular dot in the middle. Only Ethan knew its deeper origin, tied to a classic Poké Ball design. Flipping through the pages, she found:
"Basic Habits," "Feeding Preferences," "Safety Precautions..."
The last section mentioned the company's official website, where an electronic Pokédex offered more detailed training instructions. Excited, she grabbed her phone and began reading.
---
Back at the Pokémon Company
Far away, Ethan sat in his office, his laptop open to the Pokémon Monitor. Dozens of small red dots represented the recently departed Pichu. Hovering over each dot brought up a real-time view from that Pokémon's perspective - a first-person feed from the beloved creatures he had raised.
"So this is Zhou Ke's place," he murmured, clicking on one of the feeds. The screen showed a plush pink rug spread across a spacious living room. Zhou Ke was murmuring to Pichu, offering him a snack. The scene felt warm and real, drawing a smile from Ethan.
He toggled between various signals, glimpsing Pichu in transit in crates, peering through air vents in busy airport terminals. Others had arrived at new homes with multiple pets - dogs, cats, even parrots. Ethan observed each situation carefully, confirming that Nan Feng Shipping was indeed providing "VIP treatment.
"They're doing better than I expected," he remarked. "All the Pichu I've seen so far look calm and well cared for."
A quick tap opened another feed: a busy city street. A Pichu had just been handed to a tall, athletic man standing by a sign advertising training services. He patted its head gently and smiled broadly.
"A trainer, huh?" Ethan mused aloud. "Let's hope he teaches for good and not just to show off."
He finished his quick review, then sat back and let out a sigh of relief. Almost all of the Pichu had been welcomed with open arms. Those who had seemed apprehensive at first had settled into safe, loving environments. Slowly but surely, they would adapt to their new lives.
"Nothing to worry about," Ethan said quietly, turning off the monitor.
Still, the emotional weight of the goodbyes lingered in his mind - he could almost see the Pichu's tiny paws clinging to their carriers, refusing to let go. But knowing that they were settling in so well helped ease the pain. Soon these bright little companions would carve out a place for themselves in the world, spreading wonder wherever they went.
Ethan allowed himself to feel that warmth for a moment, then turned to the next task on his ever-growing list. The lab was, after all, a place of constant innovation. And if farewells like this were inevitable, perhaps they could also be hopeful stepping stones to new beginnings.
...
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