It was a normal afternoon, like any other. Kukui was in his lab, recording notes on Rotom's adaptation to the inside of a specially made Pokédex. Ash, Pikachu, and Rotom were in the living room, watching television. Due to Ash's persistence, they ended up watching an Ancient Alien marathon.

"Wow," Ash cooed while taking a long slurp of his orange soda. "So it was the Aliens who colonized our planet? I knew it! I totally knew it!"

Rotom cringed slightly as the narrator of the show continued to blabber on about theories that ranged from semi-plausible to completely unfounded. "Geezzzzzzz Pikachu," Rotom muttered. "Iszzz it me or iszzzz this show liquifying our brainzz?"

"Pika..." Pikachu solemnly agreed.

Interrupting the three and their indulgence of a documentary series, the doorbell sounded and echoed throughout the house. Usually, the professor was the one to answer the door, but he was too engrossed on his work. "Ash," he called out from the laboratory. "Could you get the door for me please?"

"Right away!" Ash answered, popping up from his seat and making his way to the house's entrance. Opening the door, he was greeted by a girl not much older than him. She was pretty, wearing a frilly dress with a lab coat thrown over it. She had long hair, tied back with a ribbon, and her eyes had a unique glassy shine.

"Kukui!" She declared. "I am here for one reason, and one reason only! I'm here to become your official assistant!"

She pointed her finger forward, directed to Ash's chest. The boy was silent, taken aback by the sudden declaration. In that wordless moment, the girl lowered her hand and had a realization. "You look really different in real life, Kukui Sir."

"Um. That's because of Photoshop," Ash lied.

"Really?" The girl tilted her head. "Those editors really went to town, then. If it's okay for me to ask, are the abs real Kukui Sir?"

Even the extremely gullible Ash was utterly shocked that this girl was actually buying the idea that he was a professor. Tapping into his more mischievous side, he decided to continue the rouse. If not only for a short while.

"Oh yeah! I have some killer abs!" Ash bragged placing his hands on his stomach. "As a matter of fact, those abs landed me on Time Magazine's official list of hottest professors! I was number one on that list, in fact."

"That's a thing?" The girl asked.

"Totally!" Ash claimed. "Now I could go on and on about my amazing accomplishments as a professor, but you're not here to listen to that! Tell me, why do you want to be my assistant?"

Before the girl could answer for herself, the previously eavesdropping Rotom floated to Ash's side. "Excusezzz me miss, but you're not actually believing Ash here are youzzz?"

The girl put a finger to her chin as she thought. "Not believing... Ash? Oh! Is that Kukui's first name? Mister Ash Kukui?"

Rotom and Ash exchanged glances, a mixture of disbelief and even amusement written on their faces. Their reactions flew over the girl's head, as she continued to stand in the doorway patiently waiting for an answer.

"Wowzzz. Uh. No," Rotom corrected. "This is Ashzz Ketchum from Kanto. Not the Professor."

The color in the girl's face flushed, a blank expression coming across her face. "You mean?... Oh gosh! I'm such a dummy!" She turned away from the two, placing both her palms on her cheeks. She swayed side to side as she continued to speak. "I'm such a dummy! How could I fall for that! Such a dummy! Such a dummy! Such a dummy!"

An emoji popped up on Rotom's screen, particularly one smiling with a sweatdrop, displaying its awkward feeling. Ash nodded to Rotom in understanding, before placing a hand on the flustered girl's back. She turned her head, looking back at him with a pair of wide eyes.

"Don't be hard on yourself. Why don't you tell us your name, and we'll get the actual professor for you," Ash offered.

The girl took a moment to digest those words, and the extension Ash has made. Slowly turning to face both the boy and the dex once again, the color returned to her face. Her cheeks were noticeably bright and rosey.

"My name is Rose," the girl said. "I'm inspiring to become a Pokémon Professor one day! And what would be a better first step than to become a Professor's assistant?"

Rose, previously unsettled, pumped a fist into the air with gleeful determination. There was also confidence in her stature, making her demeanor unrecognizable from just moments before. Ash, all about this attitude, signaled for her to follow his lead. Both he and Rotom brought Rose into the laboratory, the girl captivated by her environment.

Notes were scattered all across the floor, their formation almost appearing to be a planned out, organized pattern. Diagrams of Pokémon anatomy were plastered on the wall with a combination of push-pins and tape. In the center of the room, there was a fish tank, appearing as it were ripped right out of an aquariums wall. A pair Luvdiscs, a Pokémon Rose couldn't help but find adorable, swam together side by side. Not yet noticing the entrance of the group, Kukui continued his work at his desk. Several objects, like Z-Crystals and Z-rings, were scattered across its surface.

"Kukui!" Ash called out, running forward with Rotom trailing not far behind. "We've got company!"

Kukui finally turned his head, his eyes a bit droopy. He stretched out his arms with a long exhale, straightening himself out after being crouched over his desk for so long. "Company," he repeated. "Ah yes, company. As I was expecting-... wait. No no, she's coming tomorrow... what company?"

The slightly disoriented man rubbed his eyes, his energy zapped after an all-nighter. Ash and Rotom exchanged a worried glance, but there was a task at hand.

"Well-"

Ash attempted to begin to explain the situation, but when he turned his head back, he saw that Rose had her face pressed against the glass of the fish tank, watching the Luvdiscs swim by. The sweet in appearance Pokémon enticed her, making her wish to observe them as closely as she could. "Wow," she beamed. "These are some really cute Magikarps!"

"Ummmmzz. I hatezz to inform you thizzz but... thoze aren't Magikarp," Rotom corrected.

Rose looked to the Rotomdex, and then back to the two fish. Once again, the color drained from her face, becoming a pasty white. She placed her hands on her cheeks, and began to rub them rapidly. "Ah! How could I be such a dummy! Such a dummy! Such a dummy! How could I call a Finneon a Magikarp? Gah! Such a dummy mistake."

Kukui gawked at the girl, wondering if she was attempting to make a joke of sorts. He lifted his head to glance at Ash, who eyebrows slanted upwards in unsureness. Neither of them said a word, yet Rotom felt obligated to showcase its vast knowledge.

"Thozzze are not Finneon, either! They're Luvdisczzzz!" Rotom exclaimed, flailing its metallic arms.

Rose froze. That was before wrapping her arms around herself, and twisting her body forward and back, forward and back. Her face was still pale. "Gosh! Luvdisc! Luvdisc! I should've known something so simple, silly silly me! Luvdisc!" She eventually stopped her quirky movements, as the color returned to her face. "So cute, those Luvdiscs."

Kukui scratched his unkempt goatee as his patience dwindled due to sleep deprivation. "So, is there something this girl needs? What's going on here?"

"I'll tell you what's going on!" Rose once again shifted gears, as her hands tensed into fists and her back straightened. "I wanna be your assistant, Professor Kukui! Sir!"

Kukui store at the girl, an unreadable blank expression. Rose did not back down, maintaining her position. The man leaned forward, as if he was studying the girl. Eventually, as the seconds continued to pass, the quietness began to unnerve her.

"Uh... might I say. You look exactly like you do in the photos. No wonder you've made it onto Time Magazine's official list of hottest professors, sir," Rose stated.

"...That's a thing?" Kukui asked.

Ash began to glance away, twiddling his thumbs while sweat built up on his forehead. Rotom gave him a knowing, judging side glance.

"I... thought so," Rose stammered. "See... uh...anyway... could I be your assistant? Pretty please? With a big, juicy cherry on top?"

"Well, see, it's not so simple. If you were to be my assistant, you would have to possess a good amount of knowledge about Pokémon." The tone of Kukui's voice, beside sounding drained, lacked the ring of confidence. "So I hope you know your basics, Miss...?"

"It's Rose!" She informed him. She began to speak quickly, as if unleashing a bundle of plentiful energy that was previously built up inside. Kukui, whose head was currently dulled by fatigue, struggled to keep up with the spewing of words. "I'm Rose! It's Rose, aspiring professor! And I know tons about Pokémon! Moves and typing and all of that! I've been studying really hard! Really, really hard! Like, super hard!"

"Oh, you're knowledgeable about Pokémon, you say?" Kukui asked, raising his head lightly in partial curiousness and partial suspicion. "Forgive me but I'll have to test that for myself."

"Ask me anything!" Rose dared. "Ask me anything and everything, sir!"

"Okay," Kukui said. "Let's start with something simple. Could you tell me what the fire type is weak to?"

"Fire typing? Weakness? Let's see, let's see, let's see." The girl began to scratch her head, closing her eyes to avoid the looks of the others. After a short time, her eyes popped open as she snapped her fingers. "Ah! Easy! The fire type is weak against... the grass type!"

The laboratory fell silent. Ash's eyes shifted to Rotom, who's screen once again displayed an emoji smiling with a sweatdrop. The boy then looked to the man, who slowly processed the girl's answer. "Let's try something else," Kukui continued. "What would you say the physic type is resistant against? While you're at it, could you give me an example of a Psychic type."

"The Psychic type? Okay, okay, okay." Rose once again closed her eyes, tapping her foot as she digged through her memory. Another pause passed, as her eyes popped open once again with a snap of her fingers. "The Psychic types are resistant to dark types, yes? Yes! And Popplio is a famous example of a Psychic type!"

She placed her hands on her hips, a light of pride reflecting from her. As she beamed, Ash placed his hand to his forehead, embarrassed for the girl's inaccuracies. Rotom, who was previously holding its breath trying to keep itself from interrupting Kukui's little test, reached a limit. The information and corrections it carried exploded out from its body.

"No! No no no! Rozzze, you're incredibly incorrect. The fire type izzz resistant to the grass type! The Physic type izzzz weak to the dark type! And Popplio izzz a pure water type!" Rotom spewed out facts as if it were a complete machine, zooming across the air back and forth. As the truth smacked Rose across the face, the color once again vanished from her complexion.

"Not again! I'm making so many mistakes today! Like an idiot! Like an idiot! Like an idiot! Like an idiot!" Rose rambled as she began to pace in a small circle, her hands once again laid on her cheeks. Ash's stomach began to flutter with butterflies, growing discomfortable watching the girl's stride of frustration. He looked to Rotom and Kukui, who both had an equally concerned appearance. They, however, seemed far too caught up in a form of bewilderment to take an immediate action or offer assistance of some sort.

"Rose! Rose! Calm down please," Ash begged, taking matters into his own hands. He stepped in front of her, and gripped her two arms to make certain to bring her pacing to a halt. The girl made a short gasp, before she was ripped out of ramblings and placed back into reality, where Ash stood before her. "You got the answer wrong. That's okay," he assured. "Maybe it's just your nerves getting the best of you. Try again. What type is the fire type weak against?"

Rose took a deep gulp of air, recollecting herself as she has done multiple times previously. Ash released her arms and took a step back, giving the girl her space as she began going through her considerations on the question.

Curling one hand into a fist, and slamming it down into the palm of the other, the girl regained a bit of self assurance. "I've got it," she stated solidly. "It must be the steel type fire types are weak against."

"No Roze, no!" Rotom butted in, its informational personality taking over it's senseibility. "The fire type izzz alzo resistant to the steel type, just like the grass type!"

At that moment, Rose melted. Her face became completely red, like a freshly plucked tomato, as she fell atop her knees. She placed her hands on her cheeks, which felt heated to the touch. "Oh, I'm so hopeless," she muttered.

Ash's eyebrows lowered, as he turned his head to Rotom. His annoyance was clear. "Super smooth, Rotom."

Rotom let out a nervous laugh, twirling its body around in the air for reasons similar to why one would pace. "Heh heh, a Pokédex can't help itself!"

While the boy and his dex shared what was not a pleasant exchange, Kukui suppressed his exhaustion caused impatience and approached Rose. Sympathising, he bent down on one knee to lower himself to the kneeling girl's level. He made direct eye contact.

"I really admire your courage today," Kukui kindly spoke. "And I really appreciate your eagerness to work for me. But-"

In an anxious anticipation, Rose Felt herself begin to tear up. She felt as if she knew what was coming, as if the worst possible outcome was becoming her truth. Her eyes widened and became large, continuing to look straight at Kukui's face. Her expression was one difficult to overpower, one difficult to say no to.

"But I think..." Kukui paused. "That... you... could use some extra help with your knowledge on Pokémon. Why don't you stop at the Pokémon school tomorrow morning? You could be an honorary student in my class for a couple of days. Whaddya say?"

"..." Rose wiped away her building tears. "You mean it?"

Kukui nodded.

"...Really? I get to be taught by Professor Kukui himself? In his class? I'll be there! Super early too, you'll be so shocked on how early I'll be! I'll be the perfect student," Rose declared. She hopped up back onto her feet, perking up as quickly as she collapsed. "Thank you, Professor Kukui sir!"

"No problem." Kukui waved off Rose's display of gratitude, trying to play it off as no big deal in the least. Despite this attitude he displayed towards the matter, he was quite unsure if allowing in a temporary student was even permitted. Of course, being as drowsy as he was, that thought did not yet cross him by. Not until Ash, Rotom, and himself waved goodbye to the girl, did he realize just how thoughtless his action was.

The next morning, the eight students were already present in the classroom. Waiting for Kukui to arrive and officially start the class, a few of the students began to participate in chit chat. Ash kept staring at the door, a behavior that struck Sophocles as peculiar.

"What's going on Ash?" Sophocles asked. "You keep looking to the door, are you expecting something?... Don't tell me your waiting for aliens to break into the classroom."

"Wouldn't surprise me if he did say that," Saki remarked with her head turned away.

"Let's... not get him started." Kiawe warned.

"No, that's not it," Ash corrected. "See-"

Before he could continue his explanation, the door creaked open, as an unfamiliar face to most of the students stepped inside. The girl's body language at first made her seem reserved or shy, as if she were trying to look as tiny as she could. Yet, when she looked out to the classroom, her body sprung up as she made her observations.

"Wow," Rose beamed. "This is so cool! This classroom is so spacious! And fancy too! And look at that, Kukui has his name written on the board! That makes this place feel so important! The classroom used by the professor himself! And wow, you! You're so blue! And cute!"

Rose walked up to Lana's seat, placing a hand on the desk's surface and smiling down at the petite girl. She continued with her compliments. "I love your shirt! And those designs on the bottom of your pants... such a cute touch! And you!"

Rose approached Lillie, who's heart immediately began to rush due to the unanticipated interaction with a new person. "Your braids! They're just so adorable," Rose continued, not noticing the anxious shaking of the person she was trying to flatter. "You've got to teach me how to braid! I keep trying to learn, but man, I always mess up somehow. Oh goodness, and you!"

Rose twisted around to face Mallow. She lightly touched the girl's green pigtails with her fingertips. "Your hair color just stands out! It's quite amazing. Oh... and those overalls! So adorable! You've got to tell me where you've got them!"

Suddenly, the girls rosy cheeks became a tad bit brighter, as she caught herself and took a step back. "Sorry," Rose apologized, scratching her cheek. "I get a little excited sometimes and get carried away. And I'm also a bit of a girly girl... heh heh. I know a cute sense of style when I see it... and you three girls are just adorable! I... hope that doesn't sound weird."

Lana shook her head with a smile."No, not weird. Just gay."

"Lana!" Mallow exclaimed in disapproval.

"She's teasing you," Kiawe calmly explains, before showing Rose a reassuring smile.

"She's just doing what she does best, being Lana. And well, our Lana is something special..." Bob quietly added.

Lana giggles and shrugs. "Sorry about that, how rude of me. I just couldn't help but to play with you a little. Consider it my way of saying 'nice to meet you.'"

"Uh... yeah. Thanks," Rose stated. "I guess this is where I say it's... nice to meet you too."

Lana continued to lightly laugh, as Mallow turned her head away from the conversation. She noticed Saki, who was looking straight at Rose. A touch of somberness was mixed in her brown eyes as she studied the new girl, which made Mallow feel as if a sudden weight made her heart drop.

"You know," Mallow interjected, observably unnerved. "There's a fourth cute girl you missed."

Mallow gestured towards Saki, who immediately narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth, showcasing a sharp look aimed directly towards Rose. Gripping the edges of her lab coat tightly, Rose became uneasy, pressing her gripping fists into her chest.

"Oh no! I totally overlooked you... how horrid of me! How horrid! How horrid! How horrid! How completely disrespectful and mean!" Rose began to ramble, her forehead heating up due to her boiling frustration. Mallow bit onto her thumb, an unsure feeling of guilt overwhelming her as she saw the girl crumble. Ash reached over and patted the green girl's back, knowing Rose's habit and Mallow's blamelessness.

Rose placed a hand to her throat, and cleared it, signifying her recollection. She looked directly back at Saki, and tried to appear cheerful and welcoming, but the glare she received in return made it grow into a difficult task. "Ex...ex...ex...excuse me," Rose stuttered. "I didn't mean to be rude. You have quite a nice style..."

Saki face began to scrunch up to resemble distaste, giving Rose the impression that she has made a verbal mistake. Trying to correct what she perceived as a misstep, Rose continued to eject makeshift flattering remarks. "You hair has a nice unkemptness to it. And... and also... and also I like your rain boots. Even though they look a little worn... and it's not even a rainy day. No, No wait! Hold... hold on, forget I said that!"

The struggling Rose attempted to backpedal with pitiful success, pulling the edges of her lap coat as her head filled with a painicked dismay. Saki's tolerance was dwindling fast, her self-control beginning to take a leisurely stroll out the window. This had to be some sort of insult, right? She picked up her hand from her lap and balled it into a fist. "I may not be a beauty queen," she snapped. "But I could sure as hell kick your butt in a fight."

Rose stopped in her tracks, her body freezing up and a tingle being sent up her spine. "You're... not being serious are you? You wouldn't really just go up and fight someone? You wouldn't-"

"Listen," Saki interrupted. "You don't wanna test me. You don't think I'll fight you? I was arrested several times for fighting."

The cold delivery of that fact could stab through stone, as the entire room fell silent. The stillness was broken by Bob, who was in the middle of taking a sip of soda when he began to choke and cough. "Ho-hold up! Like I'm honestly not surprised here, but man, did you just say that in front of everyone?"

Saki's fatigued yet threatening sharp eyes directed themselves toward the boy, making his mouth shut close in a quick jolt.

"So," Lana began with mild curiosity. "Does that make you a delinquent? Oh, and is the food in jail as bad as they say?"

Sophocles pulled Lana back by tugging her arm. "Heh heh, maybe too nonchalant of a reaction there," he whispered to her.

Rose, far less used to dealing with a rougher personality, hopped behind Kiawe's back. She, at first glance, thought Kiawe was the safest bet to hid behind. He was the most well built of the eight, showcasing his physique with his lack of a shirt. With a straight face, he shook his head at the girl cowering behind him.

"Don't let her get to you," Kiawe explained, trying to put her mind at ease. "She's not as scary once you get to know her."

"Speak for yourself..." Sophocles muttered.

Rose remained behind the boy's back, beginning to shake her own head. "Sorry but I'm... not so sure. Please forgive me as I stay here..."

The girl continued to cower, as Kiawe exhaled a loud sigh. Lillie uncomfortably shifted her body, before turning to Mallow. Lillie's unsettled eyes looked at Mallow with expectation, as if it were certain she would know what to do. And with a tad of fortune residing in the situation, Mallow actually did have an idea on what to do.

"You should apologize, Saki," Mallow suggested with a mixture of softness and sternness. "You scared the poor girl. And you don't want her to be scared of you, do you? She only tried to compliment you."

There was another pause in the room, an uncomfortable stillness. Rose remained behind Kiawe's back, Saki remained within her tough act. The seven other children waited for another word to be said, many expecting something argumentative. Despite their predictions, the silence was broken by an abnormal word of belonging to Saki. "Sorry."

Bob, who was once again innocently taking a sip of soda, began to choke and cough. "Did she just say-?"

"Welp!" Ash interjected, cutting the question short. "I think it's all about time I introduce you all to Rose, a new friend of mine! And I'm sure you're also curious to know why she's here."

After introducing the students to Rose, and Rose to the students, a brief explanation of the girl's presence and her overall goals was provided. Not long after, Kukui walked into to the room with a mug filled with coffee, way more energized than he was the previous day. He greeted the children, giving a special welcoming to Rose. He then informed the group of the beginning of their unit on Pokémon typing, and the fact that there would be a quiz at the end of the week. Though the majority of the students groaned in unhappiness, but to Rose, this was an opportunity. It was an opportunity to prove herself to the professor, it was an opportunity to reach and grasp a dream.

Days passed on. The time spent at the Pokémon school was educational, as ideal. There were demonstrations, notes, and enticing facts all surrounding the subject of Pokémon typing! Several of the children were extremely studious, including Rose. Every night, she would reread her long page of notes and stare at the information inside of her textbooks. Every morning, after a bit of small talk with her peers, she would dedicate all her focus to the material being taught. It took a short time for everyone to know that Rose had an unwavering commitment to her goals.

And soon enough, the day came. Specifically, that day. The anticipated day of the quiz. That morning the nine sat at their individual desks, armed with nothing but a number two pencil and their noggins. Kukui passed out the papers, revealing that the quiz was rather short, only five questions long. Rose felt confident in her chances of passing, as she begun to go through each other the questions.

Question One: What type would receive super effective damage from an Ice Beam?

Rose tapped her nose with her pencil, forcing herself to take a slow pace and to reread the question several times. After she felt content with the amount of thought she has given, she wrote her answer:

The fire type.

Continuing forward, Rose's hand tensed when she read the second problem.

Question Two: What is an example of a Dragon Type Pokémon?

The dragon type always seemed elusive to Rose, a hard type to pinpoint. Pokémon that looked like they should be dragon types, for one reason or another, weren't dragon types. Despite the challenge of the question, she remained cool headed as she wrote down:

Gyarados.

A light and pleasant feeling began to reside in her chest. She felt she was making good time.

Question Three: What is the typing of the attack named False Swipe?

Rose couldn't stop herself from beginning to pick up her speed, feeling blissful in her self perceived accuracy. Self-assured, she wrote:

It is a Fairy type move.

The girl almost felt like beginning to whistle, her confident feeling yet to fade.

Question Four: What type would be super effective when used against a Rowlet?

And then that confidence sunk like a rock. A rock tied to an anchor. She wrote:

What the fudge is a Rowlet?

Her stomach turned to its side, beginning to ache. How could she not know something like this? Whatever it was! Her nerves became even more vigorous as she read the last question.

Question Five: What is an example of a Psychic Type Pokémon?

The memory of her previous answer being 'Popplio' lingered in her mind, as well as the feeling of embarrassment she suffered through right in front of the person she was trying to impress. In a way, Professor Kukui was an ideal to her. He was who she wanted to grow up to be like, to the point where he was like a role model. She loved Pokémon, just like he did, and she wanted to study them like he did. She tried her best. Yet she struggled, and struggled, and reading that last question, she was reminded of that. She felt doubt trickling throughout her body. Stopping for a moment, allowing the aching feeling to pass, she did not loosen the grip she had on her pencil. Eventually, she wrote:

Umbreon.

Hours later, the school bell rang, giving all students permission to exit. The eight children of Kukui's class left rather quickly, leaving behind their teacher and Rose. Kukui, with his trusty red pen, corrected the completed quizzes he has collected. Rose waited patiently, sitting at one of the desks, praying softly for correct answers. She kept telling herself that she studied hard enough, that she had nothing to worry about. However, her attitude flip-flopped around and refused to stay consistently upbeat. Not to mention, her anticipation for the results of her efforts did not assist her optimism.

Finally making his last mark with the red pen, Kukui's face appeared long. With a downtrodden appearance, he lifted his head slightly to face the still seated Rose. She didn't notice his gaze right away, as she was far too concerned with twiddling her thumbs atop the desk top surface. Not allowing himself any preparation, he called out to her. "Rose."

Her head jolted up to meet his eyes, an eager yet concerned emotion written across her face. "Yes, Professor Kukui sir?"

The man groaned under his breath, not looking forward to what he had to do. "I just finished grading your quiz. You... got every question wrong."

Rose's cheeks grew bright, her entire face beginning to burn red in color. She placed her hands on her temples, feeling sweat begin to accumulate on her skin. She was speechless, her mind was blank. She just felt sick.

"I'm sorry to say this. I really am," Kukui continued with a shake of his head. "But... you just aren't ready to be a Professor's assistant."

His words were like a kick to the stomach, knocking the wind right out of her. From those shining eyes, Rose's tears began to fall. All the confidence she showcased before, it has leaked from her just like the salty water. Left in its place was dismay.

Watching the inner collapse take place, Kukui's stomach dropped. Within his head, he struggled to come up with an immediate way to respond. Though, he wouldn't just let a child cry while he crushed their dreams. Now, that he would never forgive himself for.

Kukui stood up, slight hesitancy in his steps. He advanced towards Rose, who looked up at him with her tears continuing to spill. He bent his legs, trying to get on the girl's level, initiating a feeling of deja vu. "It's alright-"

"No it's not!" Rose exclaimed. "Everyone is always like, "Don't be stupid, Rose! You could never be a professor! You're too dumb for it!' And their right, Kukui! I'm an idiot! I can never get anything right! I... I could never be a professor! No matter how hard I try... no matter what I do! My... my dream! I could never achieve it... I'm going to be a failure my whole life! What am I supposed to do... what can I do?! I... I... I!"

Rose began to stutter, her voice losing the power behind it. Kukui waited for her to begin to calm down, let her vent out her frustrations first and release the most vicious tears. Eventually, when the room became silent, the man began to speak.

"Sweetheart, just because you struggle doesn't make you an idiot. And just because you have a bump in the road to your goal, doesn't make you a failure. Besides, you're young. You have time to learn. Besides, goodness knows how many times a child's dreams and desires could change. You may find another passion in life." Kukui's voice was smooth and comforting, encouraging Rose's stress to de-escalate. She blinked, looking at his soft face, wondering if she should voice her rebuttal.

"But," she began. "I... I really, really love Pokémon. And I've admired Pokémon Professors. I... I never saw myself being anything else. Since I was little, that's what I wanted to see. But it feels like... I could never be one."

"You never know, Rose. Life's a crazy thing," Kukui said. "And people always change. No matter what happens, you'll be able to find your way. When I was a kid, I never thought I'd be a Pokémon professor."

"... You didn't?" Rose questioned.

"Oh heavens no," Kukui laughed. "I wanted to be a quarterback. But five minutes on the field proved that wasn't going to happen. I was devastated at first but you know, I'm happy with where I ended up. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Rose began to wipe away her tears, though the somber feeling she carried has not vanished. "So you're saying... I'll find something else to do and like... even though I won't become a professor."

"You're half right," Kukui corrected. "I didn't say to give up hope on your aspirations. You may very well become a professor, you may not."

"Then... what are you trying to say?" Rose asked in her confusion.

"I'm saying to relax," Kukui explained. The man placed his hand on the top of her head, and rustled up her hair with a playful smile. "Don't stress, Rose. The future will be whatever it may be. No need to grow gray hairs worrying about it. Especially as a kid."

That word, relax. To just relax. It was a foreign idea to Rose, as she spent a good amount of time stressing due to her dedication. Maybe it was doing more harm than good? Something about it being the man she admired so much telling her this, it allowed the idea to break through her stubbornness. His smile, sunny and lively, brought her relief. She couldn't help but to return the smile.

Acting on an impulse, she jumped forward and pulled Kukui into a hug, expressing her gratitude. "Thank you."

Kukui patted her back, feeling a relief of his own. "No problem."