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7 years later

It has been seven years since that horrid day for Claude and his son. Seven years of raising Stolas with a smile during the day and mourning at night when his son wasn't awake to see him cry. Seven years of living in Lavoma City in a rundown apartment and away from the old home he had built for the life he was supposed to be living with his family; now left behind as a distant memory and reminder of the disaster that occurred. Seven years of bringing in more money in order to raise his son as he had gotten himself a job at a local restaurant in the city as a chef, cooking bland food for critical customers while still trying to maintain his job as a forest ranger. Not to mention, seven years of the police searching for an answer for why his family was attacked and wife was killed and who was responsible for such a heinous murder, but their investigations yielded nothing but blasphemous conjectures and dead-end theories even to this day.

All those years of depression and heartache and shattered dreams surely would have made any man crack, but Claude was only able to push through because of his son's miracle survival that night. Every birthday for little Stolas was an unfortunate reminder about how the celebration of his birth was also the same date as his mother's death and that made Claude conflicted with celebrating on such a day. Yet he did not wish to upset his son, so he kept his personal feelings inside like he always had.

Claude put on a smile as he knocked on the door to his son's room, wearing a maroon zip-up jacket and some moss green sweatpants, before peeking inside.

"Stolas," he called in as he entered upon hearing a small snoring coo come from Stolas, indicating he was still asleep. He inches closer and places a hand on the shiny Rowlet before gently rocking him. "Stolas, son, it's time to wake up. I got your birthday cake ready~"

The little snot bubble in his nostril popped and his eyes shot open. "It is?!" Stolas shouted, now fully awake as he sat up and showed he had grown much taller from his one-foot size as an egg and hatchling to a full three and a half feet tall kid as he kicked his feet on his longer legs to get the bedsheets off his body and clapped his feathered hands together in eagerness.

Claude couldn't help but laugh at his son's sudden enthusiasm as he patted his head. "I promised to give you the best birthday this year and what does Da always say?"

"Da never goes back on his word!" Stolas recited with a giddiness of major enthusiasm.

"That's my son! Now hurry up and get dressed. We don't have much time to celebrate before your first day at public school," Claude reminded Stolas. Yet the small Grass Quill Pokémon seemed to lose his upbeat energy upon hearing those words as he slowly got up and began throwing on the clothes his dad got for him to wear today.

After a few minutes, Stolas came out and his father looked at his son with a beaming smile. "Oh son! You look very handsome in that outfit!"

Normally Stolas would smile at his father's praise but knowing why he was wearing it wasn't enough for Stolas to even feign a grin back to him. The black tux-designed shirt hugged his thin body and was modified to remove the upper portion to replace the painted-on necktie on the shirt to show off the leaf bow tie that was already on Stolas with a light brown jacket unzipped over the shirt. He also wore blue denim jeans, and a white leather backpack strapped around his shoulders.

"Thank you, Da," Stolas said to Claude but Claude could easily see the worry on his face as he approached the table before fluttering up to his seat with the homemade birthday cake sitting in front of the young Rowlet.

Claude lightly began to pet his son's head as he looked down at him with concern. "What's wrong, Stolas? I thought you would be happy."

"I am, Da," Stolas replied.

"Then why are you not smiling?"

"D-Do I have to go to school? Can't I just come and help you at your job, Da? I think I'd be more helpful to you if I just go with you instead."

"Stolas, we already discussed this. You're too young to work that kind of labor. Besides, you need to get an education so you can find out what you want to do when you grow up."

"Then why can't you just keep homeschooling me? You're the best teacher ever!"

"I appreciate that, but you need a proper education that I cannot provide for you. Teaching you things you'd learn about Kindergarten is easy enough, but I cannot teach you all the skills and lessons you can only learn in school in the years after Kindergarten."

"But I want to stay with you, Da."

Claude sighed as he picked up his son and hugged him close. "I know son, and I'd love nothing more than to stay with you always as well. But we both know if I am going to ensure you get to grow up big and strong like me that I need to work and I was able to get by when sneaking you into the restaurant when you were younger because you were a baby. But now you're old enough to attend school and that excuse isn't going to fly by with my boss. Besides you need friends your age to spend time with instead of your lame Da all the time."

"Y-You're not lame, Da!"

"And I appreciate you saying that. But I need your cooperation with this to make things easier for me. Do you understand?"

Stolas was quiet for a second as he got lost in his thoughts before he gave a slight nod to his father, making Claude smile big at him. Stolas loved seeing his dad smile like that.

"Thank you, son. Now blow out your birthday candles and make your birthday wish!"

He placed Stolas back down in his seat as the Rowlet closed his eyes as his wish came to mind. But instead of wishing for the same thing every year he was able to conceive a wish, he expanded upon it today as he breathed in and began furiously flapping his wings as all five of his candles were all blown out.

"Nice Gust, son!" Claude applauded as he picked up Stolas again but began to spin him around, making Stolas laugh and giggle joyfully as they shared this beautiful family moment together.

The alarm on his phone began to blare as he looked over and sighed. "Time to get going."

Stolas lost his smile a bit but nodded as they cut a piece of cake for Stolas to eat at lunch before they left the apartment. The two got on the elevator down from the fifth floor to the ground floor and began walking down the street with Stolas holding his father's hand. They made a quick stop by the McDondozo's since they didn't have time to eat a proper breakfast at home. They ate their food and finished their fast-food breakfast as they walked up to the school gates.

Verimount Elementary School felt as if it towered over Stolas as he stared at the one-story School building. As kids of many ages were seen filing inside, Stolas couldn't stop himself from hugging his father's leg. Claude petted his head and kept walking together as they both entered the school together.

The school hallways were bustling and crowded a lot like the city streets but to Stolas, it was more condensed than the streets were as his grip tightened as they managed to sneak past all the children of different ages, heights, and species as they suddenly came to a stop.

Stolas opened his eyes to see they were standing outside a classroom filled with other kids his age and as they stood together, many kids took notice of him and began to stare which made Stolas hide his face in his father's leg.

"Easy, son," whispered Claude, trying to soothe his nerves.

"Hello there! You must be Stolas!" A radiant voice spoke up as a Florges woman wearing a dress of white satin with frilly lacing and multicolored flower patterns on it floated over to the two before touching down and leaning down towards him. Her orange-colored flowers growing on her head wafted with a soothing smell. "My name is Miss Willis! I'll be your first-grade teacher! How are you?"

Stolas blinked at her as the sight of her made Stolas relax a bit out of his dad's leg. "I-I'm fine. Th-Thank you."

Miss Willis smiled at him as she peeked over at the cubbies in the back. "We have a special place to store your school supplies in the lockers in the back of the room. Would you like to see?"

"Can Da come with me?" Stolas asked.

"I'm sorry, Stolas but I have to get to work now. You just go ahead, and I'll be here for you when school is over for the day, Claude told him.

"Promise?"

"Always."

Claude kneeled down and embraced his son who hugged back tightly as Claude glanced up at the teacher before he whispered to her, "Thank you for pulling the strings and helping me get Stolas enrolled, Rebecca. I'm barely making the money for rent and everything and I needed to ensure he got enrolled this year."

"It was my pleasure, Claude. I know everything has been difficult for you and as an old friend of Serena's, I just had to help," She whispered back as he nodded slowly, his eyes becoming distant at the mention of her name.

The father and son separated as Claude reached into his pocket and pulled out a few dollar bills before tucking it into Stolas' pocket. As this happened a Tyrogue kid wearing a black shirt and red shorts light jabbed the side of a Croagunk who wore a dark blue t-shirt and green shorts to get his attention as he chatted with a Scraggy that wore a red shirt and the pants he was born with. The Tyrogue pointed out the Rowlet as they all saw his father tuck the money into his pocket and the Croagunk smirked at this.

"That is your lunch money for this week. Since you're eating in the cafeteria with the bigger kids, you'll give two dollars to the lunch ladies every day to pay for whatever you grab for lunch this week, understand?" asked Claude.

Stolas nodded and answered, "Yes, Da."

"That's my special boy," Claude whispered as he kissed his son's head before he stood up and stepped out into the hallway before walking away.

"Come, Stolas," Miss Willis gently placed her hand on Stolas to guide him in as he tried to keep his eyes on his father for as long as possible until Miss Willis closed the classroom door.

She then nudged him to the front of the classroom. "Alright class! Take your seats and listen up!" She cheerfully called out as they quickly trickled into their seats and gave her their attention.

"Everyone, I know we're about a month into the school year, but I'd like to introduce a new student who will be joining our class. This is Stolas Valentine who was homeschooled for his first year but will now be attending public school for the first time! And it is his birthday today as well! I believe there's a few more students who also have their birthdays today. Shall we all sing the happy birthday song?"

"Sure," the Croagunk boy spoke up as he eyed Stolas with everyone's attention now on the Croagunk, "Let's make the new kid even more the center of attention today by singing a birthday song to him. What's next? Playing 20 Questions to get to know him better?"

The class began to laugh and giggle at this as Miss Willis looked at the Croagunk with disappointment. "That's enough class. Marcus, there's no need for such hostility. Besides as I said, we have multiple birthdays today, so it was not just about Stolas."

Stolas looked up at Miss Willis and said, "Thank you for the offer, Miss Willis, but I don't really want to have the birthday song sung for me."

Miss Willis frowned when she looked down at Stolas, "Don't feel like you're obligated just because of what Marcus said."

"I-It's not that! I... I just don't want to take up any unnecessary time and prolong our learning," Stolas explained.

Miss Willis' eyes showed doubt in his words, but she smiled regardless. "Alright then. Go ahead and sit at the desk behind Ezra." She instructed as she pointed to the empty desk behind the Scraggy.

As Miss Willis straightened up and turned to the whiteboard behind her while Stolas began to walk down the aisle of desks, Marcus was seen giving a nod to Ezra who nodded back. Just as Stolas passed Ezra's desk, the Scraggy shot his foot out and snagged Stolas' foot, causing him to gasp out before he fell forward with a thud to the ground as the class erupted in laughter.

Miss Willis turned around at the commotion and gasped upon seeing Stolas. "Children! Cease your laughing at once!" They did as commanded as she immediately floated over to Stolas and knelt down to help him up. "Are you okay, Stolas? What happened?"

"I..." Stolas felt his eyes land on Ezra for a split second but remembered his father's words about not causing any problems for him. "I just tripped. I-I'm sorry for causing a scene."

Miss Willis once again doubted the sincerity of his words, but she did not pressure anything as she stood up. "If you're sure there's nothing else to say about it. Take your seat, dear."

Stolas nodded as he slid into his desk and took his backpack off before holding it to his chest. Miss Willis began her math lesson for the day as the class gave her their full attention, but Stolas had a difficult time giving his attention when he felt like all eyes were still trained on him.

After a few hours of math and language arts, the bell rang. Miss Willis announced it was lunchtime and the first recess for the day. All the kids laughed as they ran for the door to go to the cafeteria as Miss Willis smiled as they all left but her eye caught one student who hadn't moved.

"Stolas? Why are you still sitting down? It's time to go eat lunch," She called over to him as he remained unmoving.

"C-Can I just stay and eat lunch here with you?"

"Oh Stolas. I'm afraid only the kindergarteners are allowed to eat in class. All first graders and up are required to eat in the cafeteria. I'm sorry. Besides, this is a great opportunity to make friends! A sweet boy like yourself deserves to have friends."

Stolas sighed as he got out of his desk and placed his backpack into the locker with his name on it but not before he pulled the tupperware holding his piece of cake out of it. He closed the locker door and began to walk out of the classroom with a worried expression on Miss Willis as he left.

Luckily enough noise was coming from the nearby cafeteria so Stolas was able to make his way inside without an issue. The chatter that echoed through the acoustic room made Stolas very uncomfortable as he made his way over to the lunch line. A Purugly lunch lady was serving the food onto trays as she looked over at Stolas and a smile seemed to appear on her otherwise sour face.

"Well, hello there sweetheart. I trust you having a good first day at school today?"

Stolas felt like he was shrinking as she spoke to him which she took notice of. She just smiled at him before quickly placing a tray with a serving of broccoli, a plastic bottle of 2% milk, and a paper plate with the biggest slice of pizza Stolas had ever seen.

Stolas quickly reached into his pocket and fished out his lunch money before he quietly counted two bills before he pulled out the money and held it out for the lady to take. But she suddenly shook her head and pushed his hand away.

"You keep your money today, sonny. This meal is on me," told the Purugly.

Stolas blinked in confusion. "But Da said to give you two dollars. I don't want Da to be mad at me for not paying."

Stolas tries to hold the money back out to her but she once again pushes the money and his hand back towards him. "You won't be in trouble. I'll cover your expenses on behalf of your dad. Go ahead and enjoy your lunch."

Stolas hesitated but nodded as he tucked the money back into his pocket before he placed his cake alongside the rest of his food before picking up the tray and walking away.

As the Purugly watched the kid walk away, another lunch lady peeked her head out from the kitchen and called out to her. "Hey, Doris! Is that the kid you told me about? The kid of that hot Decidueye you had a crush on back in high school?" The Medicham asked.

Doris let out a sigh. "Yep. That was definitely Stolas. Also everyone had a crush on Claude back in high school. Who wouldn't fall for a cool and strong man like him? I bet you anything that Rebecca pines for him just as much as we did back in the day. But we all know what happened to him when he lost Serena and we just want to make his life for him and his kid easier."

The Medicham smiled at the sentiment before going back to work in the kitchen as Doris began serving more students. However her act of charity did not go by unnoticed as Marcus and his two buddies sat at their table and saw everything. Marcus glared as Stolas walked through the crowded tables, unaware he was being watched, as he soon spotted an isolated, empty table and quickly sat down before he began eating the broccoli with the fork he was provided with.

Marcus stood up as did the two sitting with him as the three began walking over towards Stolas, passing by a table on one side full of students wearing sports jerseys as they chanted at one to chug down the tenth glass of chocolate milk he was on while on the other side was a group of students passing notes and discussing things as they did so. One pair of eyes from each of the groups that the three had passed followed where they were going as the three boys stopped next to Stolas, making the Rowlet look up at them.

"Hey buddy! Can we sit with you?" Marcus asked.

Stolas gulped to swallow the food in his mouth but also the nervousness he felt as they stared at him expectantly. Stolas could only answer with a slight nod as he heeded the advice to try and make friends he had gotten all day. The three smiled and laughed as the Tyrogue and Ezra sat on opposite sides of Stolas, making him feel cramped with little space as Marcus sat across from him.

"So, this is your first day of real school huh?" Marcus asked, his head resting on his hands over the table.

Stolas nodded as he managed to squeak out a reply. "Y-Yeah."

"You kinda quiet, you know that?" Marcus pointed out.

The Tyrogue spoke up next as he said, "Yeah but he is a bird Pokémon that probably eats mice which is why they say you are what you eat!"

He and Ezra began to laugh as they high-fived over Stolas' head, making the Rowlet duck down to avoid their arms clamping against his head. Their laughter was abruptly cut off by Marcus glaring at them.

"Wade, Ezra, let's not get off on the wrong foot with our new friend," he spoke sternly to them.

"N-New friend?" Stolas asked, surprised.

Marcus smiled at him again. "Of course! And as friends you should know that friends share things with each other. Like their lunches for example."

Ezra suddenly reached over and grabbed a handful of broccoli and bit into multiple pieces as Wade took his milk and began to drink it down.

Stolas looked hurt as his lunch was being eaten in front of him before Ezra suddenly spat out the food in his mouth back onto the tray, covering the pizza slice in chewed-up bits of broccoli. "Yuck! You don't want to eat gross shit like this. Now something like this is good for you." Ezra said as he picked up the pizza slice and brushed the broccoli bits off before he began eating it.

Wade stopped drinking the milk as he smirked. "But milk is great for your bones and everything! I live for this drink!" He then continued to drink it down.

Stolas looked away in sadness as his food was being devoured. Marcus frowned at him. "Are you not happy to share your lunch with your new friends?"

"I-It's just that... I... didn't eat much before you guys started eating. All I have left is my birthday cake to eat today now," Stolas confessed.

"Oh, but you were going to let me have that, weren't you?"

Stolas blinked at him. "W-What? But Da made this cake for my birthday today."

"But today is my birthday too."

"I-It is?"

"Miss Willis did say there were multiple birthdays in class, right? I was one of those students she was referring to. Besides, you have a whole cake at home you can have for yourself. Why don't you let me have that piece since I'm not gonna have a cake for my birthday today. Also I'm a bit short on lunch money, can I have the money you have?"

"But this is supposed to be my lunch money for the week."

"But you didn't pay for it today so you have extra money now. Don't worry, I can pay you back when I get more from my dad."

Marcus held out his hand and began waiting for Stolas to finish the deed. Stolas was conflicted on going through with it since he was still hungry and didn't get to eat much food yet or give his money away like this. But he didn't want to disappoint his father by not making any friends and he did have the rest of the cake he could eat at home. Stolas sighed as he slowly lifted a hand above the table to grab the cake but just as he lifted the tupperware off the tray, another Pokémon suddenly hopped in the seat next to Marcus and bumped him over, making the young Croagunk catch himself on the table.

"Hey guys! What's going on over here?" The newcomer asked as Marcus readjusted himself and glared. Stolas blinked as he took in the white and red Litten boy sitting in front of him wearing a black sports jacket with a red sports logo embroidered on the back, with tan khaki shorts, and a yellow visor cap on his head.

"Why don't you mind your own business, Shadow!" Wade sneered at him. "Can't you see we're making friends with the new kid?"

"Yeah, he was about to give Marcus his cake for his birthday," added Ezra.

Shadow tapped his chin thoughtfully. "That's odd. I could have sworn Marcus' birthday was in January which is four months from now."

Stolas blinked at this news. "W-Wait what?"

Marcus huffed as he looked at Shadow. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"But I remember celebrating it last year in kindergarten with you and the class last January. So then your birthday isn't for another four months. That means Stolas doesn't need to give you his cake," Shadow darted his eyes to look at Stolas before he winked at the Rowlet.

"You're just making stuff up. You can't prove today isn't my birthday with nothing but your words!" Marcus argued back.

"But you have no way to prove today is your birthday either besides the words you're using, am I not correct?" A new voice called over as a light blue Froakie walked up with a book open and in front of his face but was seen wearing a white button-up dress shirt and black tie tucked into his gray dress pants before he lowered the open book from his face to reveal his horizontal line pupils behind a pair of reading glasses.

"Sasuke," Marcus seemed to spit the name from his mouth. "Come to talk big talk with that dictionary in your hands to try and make yourself seem smart again?"

"I think our report cards show the exact difference in our respective IQs considering your father had to see Miss Willis after school for a parent-teacher conference with how bad your grades have been only a month into the year. As for your birthday, all we need to do is go back to class and look at the calendar Miss Willis rearranges for the month of the year we are in and how she writes the names of all the students who have birthdays in the month on the day of their birthday. Then we can show Stolas how your birthday is not today."

Marcus froze up at this as Shadow beamed at this as Stolas saw Marcus look at him with wide eyes before he quickly pulled the cake back to his chest and gripped the tupperware tightly in his wings. "Y-You were lying to me? Friends aren't supposed to lie. No one is."

"That's because he took advantage of you," Sasuke told Stolas. "He isn't your friend."

Marcus then glared as he suddenly leaped over the table and tackled Stolas out of his seat and onto the ground, making him yelp in fear as the Toxic Mouth Pokémon straddled him. "Give me the cake and your money! Now!"

"No!" Stolas cried out as he shook in terror but heard a grunt and the weight over him went away as Shadow was seen tackling Marcus off of him. Stolas sat up, shook to his core, as Shadow and Marcus began wrestling against each other. Both grunted as Shadow held down Marcus who was trying to free himself.

Ezra and Wade both jumped out of their seats to help Marcus but both were blindsided by a figure so fast Stolas couldn't see it as the two were thrown aside and Sasuke was now seen standing in their place. He removed his reading glasses and placed them and his book on the table as his line pupils became rounded and his lax look became intense and mad.

"I don't like to get involved in pointless fights but I will not sit by and let you bully an innocent student," Sasuke spoke lowly as he took up a defensive stance.

Wade growled before yelling out as he went to punch Sasuke but he was blocked and countered with rapid jabs at his shoulders and knees as Wade was now seen struggling to stay standing and keep his arms up before Sasuke smirked and leaped up before pouncing down on him. Ezra pulled up on his pants before he rushed over and looped his arms underneath Shadow's armpits, trying to pry him off Marcus.

Stolas had enough as he began to run as the rest of the cafeteria began rushing over to gather around the commotion and began chanting, "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

Stolas was nearing the other side of the cafeteria but heard Shadow grunting as blows were heard from over the crowded kids. Instantly Stolas felt his conscience nagging at him for running and leaving the Pokémon that helped him see the truth as they were outnumbered two to three. After another second of debating with himself on what to do, another punch was heard making Stolas look back and see through the crowd as Shadow took a hit to the face. His mind went blank as the tupperware fell from his hands and crashed against the ground as he ran back.

Shadow's torso was lifted off the ground by Marcus as Ezra punched him in the cheek.

Marcus then whispered, "You think you're tough but you're easy to overpower when you're alone."

Marcus then leaned his head back and breathed in as his poison sacs on his cheeks inflated and Shadow knew he was going to use a Pokémon attack on him as he braced for the impact. But a scream of "No!" rang out as Stolas flew over the crowded students and landed on Marcus' back as the Croagunk began to stumble around, yelling at Stolas to get off while Shadow used the opening to pull Ezra off him and shove him away into the nearby table, causing a tray of food to fall down and onto his head as the kids laughed at him.

Stolas kept yanking on Marcus to pull him away from Shadow but was elbowed in the gut, causing the Rowlet to collapse to the ground. He clutched his stomach in pain before looking up to see Marcus once again inflating his poison sacs with an intake of air before spitting out poison needles at Stolas who was sent flying back and screaming as the kids watching parted like the Red Sea as Stolas was launched past them and slid across the cafeteria floor coming to a stop right at the feet of an adult who glared menacingly at this.

All the gathered children gasped in horror now realizing that their vice principal, a Houndoom man wearing a red and black suit, was standing right there with his arms crossed as he saw the guilty faces of The five children standing in the middle of the circle of students and the one laying at his feet, clutching his sides as his face grew purple before he looked back up.

"All of you who were standing there better get back to either eating your food or playing out at recess now or you will all get detention! You two will take this one to the nurse's office to help cure his poisoning before reporting to the principal," he instructed Shadow and Sasuke before looking at the other three. "You three will go to the principal's office immediately!"

All the bystanders dispersed as Marcus, Ezra, and Wade began walking as the vice principal followed behind the three. Sasuke grabbed his glasses and book and tucked them into his pocket and under his arm respectively as he got next to Stolas with Shadow hopping on the other side as they each helped Stolas up with a wing over each of their shoulders as they carried the whimpering Rowlet out. But not before Shadow stopped their progress and scooped up the tupperware off the ground before carrying it in his free hand as they walked down the hallway to get to the nurse.

"Don't worry, Stolas. We got you," Shadow whispered gently to him. Stolas felt a rubbing on his back from Sasuke's hand as both kids gave him their comforting words and gestures to the suffering Rowlet who felt immense agony with each step they took. Stolas felt his consciousness fading, his eyelids weighing heavily as he eventually fainted in their arms.