The lab was unusually quiet that night.
Machines hummed, monitors glowed with streams of data, but the boy who usually filled the space with muttered calculations and sharp commands to his Pokémon partners sat still, his eyes focused on nothing in particular.
Albert leaned back in his chair, staring at the faint reflection of himself in the glass panel of a dormant incubator.
Torchic was asleep in his nest beside the workbench, and Eevee curled against his side, the two young Pokémon breathing in gentle unison.
But Albert's mind was far from peace.
The decision weighed heavily on him. Accepting Indigo University's offer had been more than a matter of opportunity—it was a necessity.
His path stretched far beyond Evergreen Island, far beyond the comfort of Joseph's watchful presence or Steven's stubborn loyalty.
If he wanted to rise, if he wanted to sharpen his psychic gifts, research, and his trainer journey, Indigo was the only option.
Still, he had known this conversation would come.
The door creaked open.
Steven entered without knocking, a rare breach of his usual politeness. His hair was slightly mussed, his face drawn tight with something between frustration and desperation.
"Albert," he said, voice almost breaking into a demand, "I need to know."
Albert didn't move. He only shifted his gaze from the incubator to his…friend. "You've already decided on Lilycove University, haven't you?"
Steven blinked, his confidence faltering. "…You knew?"
Albert gave the faintest shrug. "It wasn't hard to guess. Stone, Devon, Evergreen, your father's expectations—it all points in one direction. You were never going to leave."
Steven took a step forward, jaw clenched. "And you? Which one did you choose?"
Albert hesitated for a moment, then exhaled. "…Indigo."
The word hung in the room like a sharp blade.
Steven froze. His eyes widened as if the syllables themselves had cut him. "Indigo? Albert—you can't be serious."
"I am."
"Why?" Steven's voice cracked, the restrained edge giving way to raw emotion. "Why would you choose them? You've built everything here. You have Dad, you have me—Lilycove has everything you need! With Devon's backing, you'd never lack resources, never lack support. Why throw that away?"
Albert's tone was steady, almost cold in contrast to Steven's rising voice. "Because resources aren't enough. Devon's tools are for Devon's goals. Indigo offers me freedom—freedom to shape my own path, to test my limits, to push beyond what this island allows."
Steven's hands tightened into fists. "And what about me?!"
Albert's gaze finally sharpened, his psychic aura flickering faintly in the corners of the room, speaking volumes of his current emotional upheaval. "Steven…"
"No, answer me!" Steven's voice rose, echoing in the lab. "Since we were children, we've trained together, studied together—you've always been there. And now, when the choice comes, you leave? You're just going to walk away and expect me to smile from afar?"
Albert's eyes softened for a moment, but his words were merciless. "Steven… this isn't about you."
Steven flinched as though struck.
Albert pressed on, his voice quieter but firm. "You're tied here, Steven. To Devon. To your father. To Evergreen Island. That's your burden, not mine. I won't chain my future here; the entire world should be my stage."
Silence. The only sound was the soft whir of machines.
"How can you be so self-centered?" Steven demanded, angry, hurt.
Albert's amethyst eyes glowed faintly in the night. "If choosing to love myself and my future is considered self-centered, then…so be it."
Steven's chest heaved as he struggled for words. Finally, he spat, "You're selfish."
Albert didn't deny it. "…Perhaps."
Steven's breathing slowed, but the fire in his eyes only deepened. "Then don't expect me to forgive you for this."
Albert met his gaze, unwavering. "I haven't done anything wrong. I don't ask for forgiveness."
For a long moment, the two stared at each other—years of friendship, rivalry, and unspoken understanding burning between them.
"Have you…ever included us—me, in your plans for your future?" Steven asked softly, as if afraid to know the answer.
Albert stayed silent, unmoving, but the intense glow in his eyes said otherwise.
Hearing his silence, the Devon heir inhaled a sharp breath of air, closing his eyes faintly.
Then Steven turned sharply, his footsteps loud against the lab's floor.
He didn't look back, not once.
The door slammed shut.
The lab fell silent again, save for the faint humming of the machines and the soft breaths of Torchic and Eevee in their sleep.
Albert sat unmoving in his chair, the echo of Steven's retreat lingering in the air like a wound left open.