We were all sluggish the next morning as we plodded along towards Pallet town as it grew closer and closer aside from ponyta who was his happy young self and slyveon who kept tagging him as he ran past. We had stayed up late talking about Slyveon and her evolution and they had all asked me about her and how it triggered. I was honest with tham and told them all what I knew about her and her new abilities, which actually turned out to be not a lot once I started trying to explain. I knew how to evolve her which I said I’ve promised to tell someone else first, which they complained about good naturedly, but any of Slyveons abilities or moves I had no idea. I never really read the pokedex entries in the games and hadn’t seen any of the show in years. So I was going to be learning what she could do at the same time.
As we started to walk past houses near the road plenty of people going about their day waved at us happily while barely looking at Slyveon. This made me slightly curious considering how much of a reaction Quinn, Sam and Danny had made last night, and I mention this to them.
It was Sam how had the best answer and we talked about it on our way to the pokemon centre. “Well isn’t Professor Oaks ranch nearby? I bet he has all sorts of rare and amazing pokemon there, he is The pokemon professor and a former Champion at that. I bet trainers from all over come to visit him with their pokemon.”
None of us could argue with that. We continued to banter and though we could all tell our time travelling together was coming to and end. They new I was heading further south to catch the ferry while they had to return back to Terracotta town. They gave me their address in Terracotta town and told me to drop in if I made it there, or if not their family could probably update me where they are, and I gave them Anna’s address as she would probably know where my most up to date location was. When we got there well all sat down for a late breakfast before we gave each other a big hug and I thanked them again for saving us from the team rockets grunts in the forest. With a final wave the three of them turned around and started back the way we came towards Terracotta while I headed into the pokemon centre. Walking up to the lady behind the counter, I had learnt my lesson in that every nurse here was not Nurse Joy despite the pink hair, I asked for a bunk for the night and her name. I got a hell of a surprise when she said her name actually was Nurse Joy before asking if I had any injured pokemon. After hesitating for a moment I replied with a no before just asking for a checkup, especially for ponyta and slyveon, explaining that one was very young and the other had just evolved.
“My that’s an unsual pokemon to see, even in this area” Nurse Joy said with a slight tilt of her head before collecting all my pokemon in a tray.
“You are familiar with Slyveons?” I asked in surprise.
“Well not familiar, more I have read a couple of articles on them. Part of my posting here I have to try stay up to date with as much new research as I can because of Professor Oak. So many different pokemon in a small area.” She said with a smile before she ambled off into the back of the clinic.
Huh, so people do know about Slyveon. Might not be as newer information as we had hoped. I should tell Anna. Walking over to the phone at the corner of the lounge I decided to call her while my pokemon where getting looked over. Dialling in the number for Anna’s clinic I waited as the phone rang.
“Hello Viridian City East Pokemon Center, Sarah speaking” a female voice answered.
“Yes hi I’m trying to get hold of Anna if she is free?”
“She is can I ask who this is?”
“Tell her its Josh”
“OOooooooo is this her new boyfriend Josh? ANNNNA its your boytoy!”
Even holding the phone away from my heard I could hear a indignant scream before two voices started fighting over the phone. Eventually Anna must have won as her voice came over the phone.
“Josh! Ignore Sarah she is just stirring trouble as we havn’t had anyone in so far. Where are you? I thought you would call a couple days ago!” Anna said puffing slightly.
“I’m in Pallet town. Just arrived, I met up with some people on the way here and had a bit of a run in with some twats in the forest.”
“What do you mean run in with some twats?”
“Yeah what do you mean?” Sarahs voiced yelled from somewhere distant.
Hpmh, wack. “Ow Anna you didn’t need to throw that!”
“Ignore her. What happened?”
“Not long after I meet up with this other group some guys tried to rob us.”
“WHAT?!”
“What did he say?!”
“Someone tried to rob them!”
“OMG really?! What happened?”
I retold the story to them that I told the police but left out the part where I thought they were targeting me. No need to worry her.
“That’s crazy Josh. And you fought one of them yourself?!”
“Your man’s pretty tough Anna”.
Whack whack whack. The sound of a wad of paper smacking someone came through the phone followed by laughter.
“I have some better news if you’re not busy beating up someone yourself?”
“I’m here! What news?”
“Gin evolved into a Slyveon”.
“WHAAAAAAAAT?! NOOOOOOOOOOOO.” Huh thought she would be happy for me.
“Why do you sound upset?” I asked Anna.
“I wanted to be there! How can I do research if I’m not there!” she wailed.
“Anna what’s a Slyveon? Anna? Anna!”
I started laughing as the sound of Anna and Sarah fighting/trying to explain when a voice spoke up from behind me.
“Excuse me did you say that you had a recently evolved Slyveon?”
Turning in surprise I saw a middle aged man in a white scientists coat standing behind me as if he had been waiting for the phone.
“Ahh yes I do. Sorry I’m actually on the phone. Can you wait a moment?”
“Ahh yes sorry to interrupt” he blurted out, seemingly embarrassed for interrupting my phone call. “I just over heard you and wanted to invite you over to the Ranch. The Professor is always on the lookout for rare pokemon.” He kept on babbling on as I stared at him with the phone still to my ear.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“NOOOOO DON’T GO!” Anna’s voiced yelled through the phone.
Jerking the phone away from my head for a moment I placed it back against my ear before talking.
“Jesus Anna you’ll damage my hearing at this rate.”
“Who’s Jesus? Doesn’t matter. Don’t go there! If you go I loose my chance to study your Slyveon as Professor Oak will do it!” She was almost wheeping on the other end of the phone.
“But the information will be priceless for the pokedex! He will make it worth your while!” the Aides voice chirped over my shoulder.
I paused. I do need money and did she say Professor Oak?. “Well Ill meet with them at the very least. But don’t worry Anna!” I said quickly cutting off her fresh wail. “I’ll stick to my word. You still get first go at looking at Slyveon.”
“Thank you Josh! Thank you thank you thank you! Ill make it up to you!”
“Buy me a beer and we will be about even.”
“Ill buy you a whole box!”
I could hear the aide getting fidgety behind me so I decided to wrap up my conversation.
“Tell you what, one beer and you wear a tight black dress when you give it to me. Deal?”
Anna made a strange hiccup gulping and Sarah burst out in loud laughter as I hung up the phone.
“I’ll just collect my pokemon and then we can go. All good?”
20 minutes later the Aide and I were walking towards a large building with a windmill behind it on the edge of town. We had made polite chit chat on the way there introducing ourselves to each other and Junior Research Assistant Tony was practically bouncing with every step. He had kept up a nervous prattle the whole way there which seemed to be based on his excitement that he had found a recently evolved rare pokemon which Professor Oak was always on the lookout for as he was currently researching how certain pokemon evolve and had a list of pokemon that he was looking for as the information he had on them was limited. Slyveon ticked both boxes and had turned up in his own back yard. I got the impression that the excitement that Tony was feeling was from some kind of bonus he would get from finding Slyveon rather than scientific side as he kept going on about how hard it was to find pokemon like her and how happy Oak will be rather than any actual questions about her. Slyveon and ponyta kept pace alongside us with slyveon giving Tony confused looks and every now and then reaching forward with her ribbons to tap on of his shoulders making him turn and look the opposite direction. She seemed to be developing a sense of humour or perhaps a joy of pranking people, I wasn’t sure which yet. As we got closer to the building Tony’s babbling got faster and faster.
“Ok Josh, it was Josh wasn’t it? Josh when we go in, well I’ll go in first, but you follow me I mean, then Ill set up a meeting with professor Oak, and we all will go and meet. Him. I hope. Arceus I hope so, he is amazing. But what he will want to do I bet is make a time to study Slyveon properly so don’t expect it straight away! I think. This is it! My chance……” Tony trailed off as we walked up to the big door at the entrance.
His chance? Does he actually work here? Iwas starting to get a tad concerned. Turning to recall ponyta before we entered inside the building I noticed that both ponyta and Slyveon had paused and were staring at something off to the side. I turned to look at what they were looking at as saw a gigantic Charizard sunning itself near the side of the building. I paused as well. The Charizard must have been at least 2 metres long but it was hard to tell with its neck and tail curled up around it, its signature tale flame burning bright easily a foot high from its tail. I knew that charizards were not dragons technically but it sure as hell felt like I was standing in front of one, and the jolt of animal fear that shot down my back had me ready to run for my life. Judging by the way ponyta was trembling I’m guessing his prey instinct was telling him to run for his life as well. Oddly Slyveon’s hackles kept rising and going down like she wasn’t sure if she should be aggressive or not, but I slowly reached down to put a hand on her back as I did not want her annoying that thing.
“What are you doing?” Tony called out from the door before turning to look were we all were staring.
“O don’t mind Charizard, she is harmless. Well not harmless as she was on Oaks Champion team and in the war before that I believe but she doesn’t fight much these days.”
I saw the charizards eyebrow twitch. She had been paying us attention too the whole time. I’m guessing she doesn’t fight much because she is the top dog here and doesn’t need too. No way I’d fight that thing. Maybe a rocket launcher perhaps. Now that I knew she was looking I could see her large reptilian eye narrowed and flicking between the 3 of us beneath a half lidded eyelid before letting out a large snort, and a small jet of flame, before tucking her head under her wing and going back to her sun bathing.
With a small nudge and a quiet neigh ponyta got my attention and I knew exactly what he was asking. Pokeball please, get me away from that giant thing that wants to eat me!
With a shaking hand I recalled him and Slyveon for peace of mind and slowly walked towards Tony and the door without taking my eyes off of the Charizard. Once the door closed behind me I let out a sigh of relief.
“I told you she was harmless, I don’t see why you so afraid.” Tony sounded amused.
“First time seeing a dragon like that up close” I said shortly, a small shake in my voice. Probably my heart beating so fast.
“Technically she is not a dragon despite her appearance. The Charizard species is a dual fire/flying type capable of taking on dragons however! They are actually known for it as they like to seek strong opponents to test their strength” Tony said in a lecturing tone with one finger raised.
Glad someone is enjoying themselves. I thought shooting him a glare at his happy demeanour. I guess he got the message and lowered his finger with a gulp before heading over to another person, a lady this time, wearing a scientist coat. The two off them started talking quietly though I could see the other scientist get a look of surprise on his face before a look of doubt before Tony started waving his arms frantically and pointing at me before jogging over and dragging me back with him.
“See Josh tell her!” He said triumphantly.
“…. Ahh tell her what?” I asked confused.
The female scientist let out a faint snort before offering her hand. “Hello I’m Emily, one of Professor Oaks head assistants. Tony was just saying you have a pokemon for us to study?” she asked in a polite but slightly annoyed tone.
“Well Tony here saw one of my team and asked me to come with him. Said Professor Oak might pay me to have a look at her?” I turned my statement into question because as soon as I mentioned the word pay Emily shot a murderous look at Tony who practically wilted next to me.
“Tony what did I say after last time?! No promising trainers rewards if they bring you rare pokemon! Last time it was just a pidgy dipped in paint!”
“He told me it was a shiny rare variant” Tony mumbled. “But! I’ve seen this one myself! Josh show her. Please.”
I was starting to get embarrassed by watching Tony get verbally torn a new one by his boss that I did as he begged and released Slyveon to try and make it stop.
“Slyveon?”
“Don’t worry girl the Charizard is gone.” I started before the gasp from Emily made me look up at her.
“It really is a slyveon” she murmured, a look of intrigue on her face. “It is recently evolved too?”
“Yeah only yesterday.”
“Professor Oak will definitely want to meet you two! You’re off the hook this time Tony but if you do this one more time Ill have you teaching at the primary school for the rest of your placement!”
The look of horror on Tony’s face made me wonder if that was a metaphor for something. “No, not the children! Not again, I beg you!” Maybe not a metaphor.
“Ill take Josh to met professor Oak, I’m sure your expected back in your department after delivering those books to Nurse Joy.”
Tony’s faced twitched. Emiliy’s eyebrow twitched. “You did deliver them didn’t you?”
Tony started backing away before breaking out into a sprint as Emily started chasing him with her clipboard raised above her head, only stopping as he managed to escape out the door. Adjusting her jacket Emily walked back over to me acting as if nothing had happened. “Please follow me, Ill go see if the Professor has a moment.” Recalling slyveon I followed Emily down a white corridor with many doors on it though I was unable to see what was inside any of them and most of them were unlabelled. Eventually Emily stopped in front of one before gesturing for me to stay before entering and closing the door behind her. I was only waiting for a minute before the door reopened and she invited me in. As I entered I had a brief look around the room in front of me. The room was surprisingly large with multiple windows on the far side looking out over the grassland and gardens outside where I could see a variety of different pokemon moving about. Along the other walls was a series of large computers, screens and other scientist looking machinery that I couldn’t identify with a set of stairs leading to a balcony with a large wooden door at the endo fit. In the middle of the room was a circular piece of machinery with a middle aged man, I’d guess to be around his 40-50’s as his hair was just starting to turn grey, working on it. At our approach he stood up from what he was doing and brushed his hands off against his coat.
“Hello young man and welcome to Pallet town. I’m Professor Oak.”