Here he was again, back at the Track Fair. But this time, Henry knew exactly where to go.

Well, not exactly. He knew to look for a teal table, but such info wasn’t really helpful in a mélange stew.

He bumped a hundred elbows before he finally found his prize.

A table cloaked beneath a teal cloth, covered by a spread of rocks and gemstones. Sitting behind it, a man with finely trimmed facial hair, and a short-cut sporting streaks of gray along both sides. He looked like a marbled-stone himself.

Henry approached, anxiety festering with his every step. The professor smiled at him when he noticed his encroach.

Henry clutched his sweat-soaked Track Slip. “Umm, good morning, Sir. My name is Henry Galileo. Professor Sequoia sent me.”

The professor raised an eyebrow. If the gray of his hair wasn’t telling of his age, the Murkrow’s feet wrinkling the corners of his eyes gave it all away. “Well, she did, did she? Lookin’ to join the Teal Track?”

Henry scanned the table. “Umm, well, what—exactly is the Teal Track?”

The professor stared Henry down. His heart roared in his ears.

“Well, isn’t it obvious~?”

“H-huh?”

The professor broke in a fit of gut-busting laughter. “Oh man! Relax, son–just relax! Bahahaha! Ah, you’re so tense you could crush coal to diamonds!” The professor wiped a falling tear. “Well, you tell me: what is it you think we get up to over here at Teal?”

Henry scanned the rocks again. He pulled his own stone from his coat. “Stuff like this?”

“Woah, lemme see that!”The professor nearly knocked all his gems to the ground reaching out for the stone. Henry passed it to him, praying the man didn’t feel him dripping with sweat. “Wowie-wow-wow-woah. Good find here, son! She’s beautiful. I’d slap that on the end of a wedding band and propose! Got anyone you’re interested in?!”

“I, uh—”

“Bahaha! I’m just yanking ya–ahahahooo! But, really, nice find! I’d say you’re a natural! Hand me your Slip–come on now!”

Henry hesitated. Everything was happening so fast. He wasn’t even sure if this was what he wanted to do; who he wanted to be; the destiny he wanted to chase; the star he wanted to aim for; the star that was hi–

The professor snatched the Slip from Henry’s buttery fingers. He scribbled in every line with a pen–capped with a Nosepass for a head. “There, there, and there! You and I are in business! All’s I gotta do is give her the old stamp of approval!”

The professor punched a stamp down into teal-colored ink and pressed it firm against the bottom of Henry’s slip, letting it rest there for a while. When he removed it, Henry’s future was official.

“Welcome to Teal, Henry Galileo! Glad to have ya!”

Henry read the information etched onto the form. 

TRACK–Teal; Mineralogy

PROF–Prof. Peter Sequoia

PRIMARIES–Mineralogy Studies, Earth Science, Chemistry

“Wait…” Henry focussed on one line in particular. “You wouldn’t happen to be related to Professor Sequoia, would you?”

This new “Professor Sequoia” offered Henry a ringed finger as his answer. “Guess that Delcatty’s out of the bag there, huh?! I’m her husband! And, much like yourself, this is gonna be my first year here!”

The professor rose from his chair; he was a giant, standing at a good 190 centimeters. He extended his ringed hand for Henry to shake; his flesh was sandpaper. “Let’s both do our best, Henry Galileo. Let’s bring the joy of rocks to this stuffy Institution!”