Toby entered room 02. It had a completely different feel to the other two rooms - it looked childish, with a sky wallpaper in comic print, some toys, and something that looked like a large playpen.

“Soooo~" Toby was approached by…. An anthropomorphic fox.
They had grey fur and a long, rainbow mane, and wore a shirt from the Morpho Defenders’ gym uniform as well. “Last one of this round, eh?” They looked up, and upon seeing Toby before them, their mouth was agape. “Oh… my gosh!!” The fox jumped in front of him. “You’re Toby, right?! Toby Williams!!”

Toby was visibly confused. “Uhm--?” He tilted his head. “Do you know me?”

“Yes, of course I do! I was your babysitter a long time ago! I’m Foxor! I was your father's Morpho Partner!!”

“...” Suddenly, a memory Toby had thought he’d forgotten, from a long, long time ago, popped up. “I remember something…” He peered Foxor in the eyes. “There was a plushie… with grey fur and rainbow hair… That was you?”

“Well- I wasn’t a plushie! Though I remember you pulling on my tail like I was one…”

“Oh- I’m sorry-”

“It’s fine~" Foxor smiled. “You were a toddler, I knew you didn’t understand.”

“...” Toby blinked. “So… you knew my father?”

“Yes, I did.” Foxor glanced downwards. “I’m so sorry for what happened…”

“Ahm- it’s fine- really… I’m sure it wasn’t your fault.” Toby smiled weakly. “Besides… I barely remember anything that happened, after all, I was only three years old.”

“Okay…” Foxor pulled up a clipboard. “Well- you’re here for the challenge, right?”

“Yes! That’s correct.”

“Well~" Foxor wrote something on their clipboard. “I’m happy I can be the final challenge for you! It’s a simple task~ You see the little door over there? When it opens, a lot of tiny Morpho Mons will come out of it and your job is to fetch them and put them in their playpen!”

“Oh… Sounds easy enough.”

“Don’t be fooled, some of them are very fast~ You know, not all Morpho Mons that come out of the portals are big and evil. A lot of them are small and scared, and we have to help them as well.” Foxor went to the wall and hovered their hand over the button. “Are you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be!”

“Then your time starts now!” Foxor pushed the button and a small door opened, just a second later about 20 little, colorful Morpho Mons rushed into the room.

“Pikyu Pikyu!” “Catch me, catch mee~" “You’re so slow!!”

“Oh my gosh… They’re adorable!” Toby looked at the little creatures swarming around.

“You have 15 minutes to catch them all! Good luck!”

“Okay!!” Toby quickly got to work, running after the little monsters, catching one after another and placing them in their playpen. It did turn out to be a little more difficult than expected, because a lot of the little Morpho Mons were VERY fast, and a few of them actually managed to escape from the playpen.

It didn’t make any sense to put them back before everyone else was captured, because they would escape again, Toby thought.

Ten minutes passed as Toby dropped the last cheeky little monster in the playpen. “Phew…” He wiped his forehead. “Done…”

“Wonderful~" Foxor noted something on their clipboard. “I love how you began to strategize~ Excellent work.”

“So… I passed?”

“I’d say so! Very well done Toby.” Foxor smiled. “I’m sure your father would be proud to know you’re following in his footsteps.”

“... Foxor- I have a question.” Toby met Foxor’s eyes again. “The CEO… he’s my uncle, right?”

“Yes.” Foxor nodded. “Frederic Williams, your father's brother. I’m his assistant.”

“You are? So uhm…-” Toby folded his hands. “Is it possible that I… can meet him? I mean – he’s my uncle… Yet I don’t even know him. And he probably knew my father better than anyone else…”

“Hmmh… He’s currently in England for a meeting with the CEO of the London Morpho Defenders. But - he will definitely be back for the welcoming ceremony of the new apprentices. Which means… if you pass - which I’m sure you did - you will see him there.”

“I see… Thanks Foxor.”

„FINAL CHALLENGE: PASSED. NOW CALCULATING RESULTS...“

Toby looked up to the voice. “... How do I know if I passed?”

Foxor placed a finger on their mouth, suggesting a “keep listening”.

“TOBY WILLIAMS: YOU HAVE PASSED THE EXAM”

“Ohh… OHH!!” Toby got a big smile on his face. “I MADE IT!”

“I knew you would do it!” Foxor grabbed Tobys hands and gave them a light squeeze. “You’re a true Williams after all!!”

Toby looked at them with a slightly surprised expression. “I- I am… Yes! Yes I am!”

“Now go~ There’s a shower in the sideroom of the changing rooms, and towels too, if you need it.” Foxor let go of Toby. “Head to the classroom down the hallway on the right. You can’t miss it. Someone will pick you up in half an hour.” They smiled. “I’m glad to have you around~"

“Thank you… Hope I see you again soon!” Toby waved them good-bye and left the room.

Outside, Toby saw Charlotte had already led the 3 next participants to the challenge rooms. He didn’t want to be in the way, so he quickly made his way back into the changing rooms and - bumped into someone there. “Ouchie--”

“Gee, you’re such a nuisance.” Randall turned around.

“Oh, it’s you.” Toby cleared his throat. “So- did you pass?”

“...” Randall nodded.

“For real?!” Toby got really excited. “That’s amazing!!! I knew you could do it!!”

“... It was to be expected.” Randall gave Toby the once-over. “You too?”

“Yes!” Toby smiled proudly. “We’re going to be colleagues!!”

“Mmmh.” Randall nodded again, turned around and headed to his cabin.

“... Hm, Okay." Toby shrugged and also went to his cabin.

~~~~

Toby showered and changed back into his casual clothes. He went to the other classroom as Foxor advised him before.

It was empty, except for Randall, who arrived a little earlier. He was looking at his phone again, similarly to how he’d done before. Sadly it seemed Yunan, the third student, hadn’t passed.

Toby sat down at a table two seats away from Randall. For a short amount of time, they were both silent.

“So-” Toby broke the silence again. “Why did you want to join the Morpho Defenders so badly?”

“...” Randall looked up from his phone.

“I mean- don’t get me wrong- but if I saw you on the streets I wouldn’t think you’d be interested in this kind of stuff.”

“... Are you trying to insult me?”

“No! No, I’m not-” Toby raised his hands defensively. “I actually think you look more like a rockstar than a person that’d want to fight monsters.”

“... Hm.” Randall looked at his phone again. “It’s a personal matter.”

“Mhh. It’s okay if you don’t wanna talk about it.” Toby rested his hands on the desk. “So, what do you think happens next?”

“We’ll probably get our uniform and our Morpho partner.”

“Partner? I already have one! His name is Memis, and he’s a good dog!”

“Hmh. I figure you’re a great match.”

“Yes we are! I hope you get a great match as well!”

“Mh.”

A short while later the door was opened again, and a woman in a purple Morpho Defenders uniform entered the room, collecting the boys and bringing them to the daycare that Charlotte mentioned earlier.

It had a similar feel to the room of Toby’s last challenge, looking equally playful and colorful. In a big area, surrounded by a plastic fence, were a lot of little Morpho Mons playing with each other.

“Please take your time,” the woman said. “Your partner will stay with you for the rest of your working time.”

“I already picked mine! He should be somewhere around here!” Toby placed his hands on the fence. “Memiiiis! I passed!”

“Wraff?!” The dogs ears perked up.” Tobyyyy!” He ran to him and jumped up on the fence. “I knew you could do it!!”

Toby picked Memis up. “Now we can stay together!”

“Okay, we will register him as your partner now, alright?”, the woman asked.

“Yes! Absolutely.” Toby smiled, then he looked at Randall, who leaned against the fence where all the little Morpho Mons excitedly jumped around.

“Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!” “Noooo pick me!!” “Pkyuh pkyuh!”

The woman now opened the gate. “If you want to, you can have a closer look~"

Randall nodded and went inside, where he was quickly surrounded by a bunch of jumping little Monsters.

“And you~" The woman handed Toby a tablet. “Please fill this out for your uniform requirements. Then you can head back to the reception, they will give you the papers of how to care for your partner, and how and when the apprenticeship will start.”

“Okay-” Toby took the tablet. The document had his name on it, as well as Memis’ name. He had a few things to fill in considering his uniform.

Height: 5’8”, Size: Small, pants [x] skirt [ ], no additional comments. “Done.” He returned the tablet.

“Thank you! Again, congrats on passing. We will see you then~"

“Okay~” Toby waved. “See you~ And-” He looked at Randall, who now was covered in a bunch of Morpho Mons that climbed up on him. “See you too, Randall!”

Randall looked at him and nodded.

~~~~

“This is so exciting!!” Memis jumped up and down next to Toby as they walked down the hallway. “I am going to be so cool by your side! I will transform! I will be BIIIIIG!”

“Hm? Oh, I’m sure of that.” Toby smiled. “I can’t wait to work with you either… As well as with my new colleagues.”

“Am I gonna work with them tooooo? And with other Marpho Marwns?”

Toby chuckled. “Why do you pronounce it like that?”

“That’s what the lady told me!”

They returned to the reception.

“Hello!” Toby spoke to the woman at the reception. “I need the material for the start of the apprenticeship~"

“Sure!” The woman typed something out on her computer. “Can I get your name again?”

“Toby Williams!”

“Okay, just a sec please…” A printer rattled, she reached under her desk and took out three papers. “This is all you need now!” She handed him the papers. “You will receive your full contract, as well as some additional info via mail. Congrats on passing, we will see you soon!”

“Thank you!! Yes, see you soon!”

Toby went outside, quickly scanning the papers for important information. “Looks like we’ll start in two weeks, just like regular school would. We work five days a week, and have classes on three of those days.”

“Ohhh, sounds like a lot!”

“Hm, considering school before, it’s definitely more, but that’s okay! I’m sure it will be cool.” He stuffed the papers in his backpack and placed his skateboard on the ground. “Wanna go to WcRonalds on our back home?”

“Wraff! Yes!!” Memis barked.

“Okay!” Toby got Memis’ leash from his backpack and put it back on him. “Go as fast as you can!”

“Wraff!!” Without hesitation, Memis ran, pulling Toby behind him.

Soon, a lot would change in his life, now that he was officially a Morpho Defender.