“Hey nice to meet you, I’m Josh” I replied reaching out for a handshake.
Professor Oak had a look I couldn’t decipher flit across his face before reaching out to shake my hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Josh. Emily mentioned that you had a recently evolved pokemon for me to look at?”
“Well not quite” I replied. “Earlier I was talking to a friend at the centre when one of your aides overheard how I had a recently evolved slyveon and introduced himself and mentioned that you would pay to have a look at her”. I was going to try get something out of this situation, surely he could afford it and I had promised Anna first study rights at slyveon.
A look of surprise appeared on his face before he turned to look at Emily who let out a loud sigh. “It was Tony sir.”
Professor Oak let out a similar sigh. “For such a highly recommended scientist he seems cause endless amounts of trouble. Young man, Josh was it?. Josh I don’t actually pay people to study their pokemon, and I apologise if Tony led you here under false pretences. That said I would enjoy the opportunity to look at your slyveon. In my travels I have only come across a couple and never recently evolved ones. I’d welcome you to stay here at my ranch while we did a couple of basic tests and any information you could tell us about its evolution would be most welcome. You see, I’m building a database of knowledge that I wish to share with the whole world one day, my lifes’ work if you will.” I could hear the passion in his voice as he started to talk about the database he was building. Was he talking about the pokedex?
“I’d like to help you I really would. What you are talking about sounds like a great thing, but I promised not to speak about what I knew about slyveon right now.”
Emily inhaled sharply, seemingly surprised I would tell Professor Oak no. Professor Oak merely seemed resigned.
“Let me guess, the Eevee Breeders Association has you locked up in one of their contracts? The way they sign up every new eevee trainer to hoard their knowledge has resulted in eevee and some of their evolutions being terribly undocumented. And it is holding my research back”. The tone of annoyance in his voice made me think that this may have not been the first time he had been told no about eeveelutions.
“No no it’s not those guys. I told them I wasn’t interested.”
“Really?” Professor Oak asked surprised. “Not very many starter trainers turn down their offers. What made you?”
“I had a look into their contract and rule book and didn’t like the way it seemed to imply they would have control over what I did with my team in the long run. How did you know I was a starting trainer?” I asked. I wasn’t that young compared to most.
“You have the look” he replied distracted. “You said they would have control over your team? You have more than one eevee?”
Man he doesn’t miss much. “I actually have 5. Well 4 now and slyveon.”
“Remarkable! How did you manage to capture 5 eevees? And did you know how to evolve one into slyveon or did it happen on accident? Please come and sit. Emily could you ask Delia to bring us some refreshments please? Come sit sit” he gestured to a nearby table as Emily left the room quickly.
“As I said before I can’t give too much information away.”
“Why ever not? You said you turned down the blasted EBA and their contract!”
“Well I actually promised a friend of mine, who is studying at one of the Veridian Pokemon centres she would get first chance to study my slyveon. I think she is hoping to use it to get promoted or complete her studies, or something along those lines. Either way I owe her” I told him with a shrug.
Professor Oak was quiet for a moment. “If I was to include this young friend of yours, or even give her a recommendation would you be willing to stay and share what you know about your pokemon?”
That would probably help Anna actually. Working with or having a recommendation from him would surely help. “Aaaaa yeah actually, I’d be open to that. But you would have to talk to her first I suppose.”
“Which Viridian centre did you say she was at? And what was her name?”
“The smaller one on the east side of the city and Anna. Why’s that?”
“Alakazam are you free for a moment?”
Suddenly there was a large pointy yellow face with a glorious moustache standing right next to me and I let out a curse in surprise and banged my knees against the bottom of the table as I tried to leap up. There had been no sound or anything, one moment nothing the next alakazam.
“Alakazam” it crooned in a low tone tilting its head at me in curiosity before turning to face Professor Oak. “Kazam?”
“Viridian City East Pokemon Centre” Professor Oak told alakazam and as soon as he placed his hand on alakazam’s shoulder they both disappeared.
“Wait what just happened?”
Anna was standing behind the counter waiting for something, anything to happen. On this side of the city very few trainers ever came in as this was not the main centre for the city, It was a small clinic based in the suburbs to tend to the locals that lived here. That meant Anna and her colleagues generally tended to small local pokemon such as pidgy’s, rattata’s, meowth’s and the worst of the worse, bug pokemon. Anna was a professional so she never let on how much bug pokemon grossed her out. That was why she had chosen a pidgy to capture years ago, as their main source of food was bug pokemon and surely that would make them stay away from her. With a sigh she turned to go and make another coffee. She didn’t even call out for Chansey or Sarah as most locals would still be at work so they were not likely to see anyone for hours yet, so she got a surprise when she heard the door opening. Turning around she saw an older gentleman wearing a white coat enter the room. Why does he look familiar? He must live nearby but I can’t seem to recall who She thought to herself while her mouth went into autopilot. “Good morning Sir, can I be of assistance?”
“Good morning young lady and yes you can. I’m looking for someone named Anna, would you be her by any chance?”
“I am” Anna replied slowly. Who is he and why does he look so familiar?! Its going to be so embarrassing if I can’t remember who he is! “How can I help this morning?”
“I was just talking to a young friend of yours, Josh, and he has the most intriguing pokemon that I would love to look at, but he won’t let me unless you are involved. So I have come to see if I may borrow you for a few days to join me at my ranch?”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Wait what? Josh? And does he mean Josh’s slyveon? But Josh is in Pallet town. Arceus is this Professor Oak?!
Anna froze. Professor Oak, the greatest pokemon researcher in all of Kanto. The former Champion and founding member of the Pokemon League. Here. In the Clinic in front of her. Wait no surely not. I’m over reacting, its probably just one of his assistants. Taking a deep breath she centred herself. “I’m sorry sir I didn’t get your name?”
“My apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. I forget that the next generation doesn’t always recognise me anymore. I’m Professor Oak.”
Anna pressed the emergency button underneath the desk. Later she wondered why she did that but at the time it seemed like the right thing to do. With a crash the door behind the counter slammed open and Sarah and a chansey came hurtling out.
“Chansey?!”
“Anna what is the emergency?”
“Its its its its”
“My apologies it may help if I introduce myself again. My name is Professor Oak and I’m here to borrow your colleague Anna if that is alright?”
Sarah made a high pitched eep before standing next to Anna in shock. Chansey looked at her two nurses in concern before waddling up to them and with a small bounce up quickly slapped them both on the face.
“Chansey! What was that for?!
“Oww Chansey!”
“It seems that your chansey has been trained in what to do in mild cases of shock” Professor Oak said with a hint of humour.
Both Anna and Sarah blushed in embarrassment, which did a good job in hiding chanseys paw print on both of their cheeks.
“I’m sorry Professor Oak!” Sarah bowed rapidly. “How can we help?”
With a quick sigh Professor Oak started again. “I’m here to recruit Anna for several days to assist in some research if that is permissible?”
“Of course! Take her for as long as you need! I will let management know!” Sarah responded with a salute and a straight posture. What am I doing?! Aghhhhhhhhhhhhh! She screamed internally.
“Perfect! Well young lady seems that you are free to go if you agree?”
“I, yes of course! May I get a change of clothes at my home?” Anna asked him timidly.
20 minutes later found Anna standing in outside her house with a bag while she stood still in shock at what was happening. Professor Oaks alakazam had teleported them straight to her house once she gave him her address and the pair of them had waited outside while she sprinted around her house throwing clothing into her old journey bag. Before she knew it she was outside with the door locked and with a nod to show she was ready the three of them disappeared.
Josh was sitting at the table he had been left at staring at his empty cup of tea. Not long after Professor Oak had vanished a middle aged lady named Delia had entered with Emily and offered him a drink while they waited for the Professor to return. Emily had hung around for 5 minutes making polite small talk before getting a message on her pokegear and excused herself saying she was needed elsewhere. Not long after Delia had followed suit saying she had to check up on her son and his friend leaving Josh alone in the room. Times like this I miss being able to play on my phone he mused. The battery had died days ago and he didn’t have a cable capable of recharging it, not that he had tried hard to look for one as he figured it would be much use here other than photos due to its parent company not existing. So I just sat there waiting figuring he won’t be long if he had just told me to wait. I had just started debating trying to sleep against the table when Professor Oak, alakazam and Anna, who was carrying a large bag, appeared in the middle of the room making me leap up again. Something about people just appearing with no sound or movement was seriously spooking me. Professor Oak thanked alakazam who nodded and disappeared again.
“Anna? What are you doing here?”
“Josh! What do you mean what am I doing here! You sent Professor Oak to get me. The Professor Oak” the last part she hissed at me walking over and jabbing me in the shoulder. “You could have warned me!”
“I didn’t send him to do anything! Professor did you kidnap her?” I asked backing away from Anna and her jabbing finger.
“No he didn’t kidnap me! Don’t say things like that! He asked if I could come to his ranch for a couple of days.”
“And your boss just let you leave? Right then and there?” I asked surprised.
Professor Oak looked a bit embarrassed with a hint of smug. “Well fame does have its uses sometimes” he laughed rubbing the back of his head. “Now that we are all together shall we discuss your slyveon? I would greatly like to examine it and gather some information about it that has been extremely hard to gather due to the EBA. Josh, you mentioned that you would not allow it unless Anna here was included?”
I looked at Anna while she seemed to be almost staring into the air or anywhere but at Professor Oak. What is up with her? She seems rattled I thought to myself. Well if she wasn;t going to stand up for herself I’d try too.
“Yes if you would like to look at slyveon Anna here has to be included and her name on all of the research as well.”
That snapped Anna out of her funk. “Josh don’t tell Professor Oak what to do!” She hissed looking mortified.
“A moment please” I said to Professor Oak before spinning Anna around. “Anna look you said you wanted to study Slyveon right? I promised that you could. If he doesn’t agree I can always leave and we can do this somewhere else.”
I thought this would reassure Anna but instead she looked like I had offered to kick pidgeotto. “You can’t say no to Professor Oak! It’s Professor Oak!” She almost looked she was going to be ill.
“Sure I can, watch me.” Turning back around I looked at back at Professor Oak how had a bemused look on his face. “Ok we have discussed it and we have 2 conditions. Anna is included and gets her name on the research and that reference you mentioned earlier” I heard Anna inhale sharply from beside me at that, “and I want something as well.”
Professor Oak rubbed his chin. “Well I have no issues with including Anna as long as she follows me and my assistants instructions, though I didn’t have much planned in terms of writing a paper about your slyveon. However as I mentioned earlier we do not pay trainers for researching their pokemon and I’m afraid I will not sponsor you for you travels for this opportunity.”
Dang there goes the easy money.
“I would like your help in getting an evolution stone to evolve one of my other eevees then.” I crossed my fingers behind my back hoping he wouldn’t say no instantly.
“Yes I can do that” Professor Oak agreed instantly.
That caught me by surprise. “Really?”
“Yes as long as you are not wanting a particular evolution stone. I happen to have one here at the ranch I had been planning to offer to a pair of pokemon living here on the ranch but they both turned the opportunity down to my surprise. So I have it in a chamber to slow down its degradation but it will not last forever. So it is not the most powerful stone but should be sufficient to trigger an evolution. However I will not allow you to use it if you pokemon do not wish to evolve” he finished giving me a stern look.
“Fine with me! Can I ask what type of stone?”
“It is a thunder stone. Would you like to see it?” he asked gesturing towards one of the machines in the room.
“Yeah, yes please.” My curiosity piqued. I hadn’t seen a stone here as when I had looked in shops they were just photos and generally you had to pay a deposit to order one in. A large deposit. I had been actually asking if he could help me find one but I won’t say no to one being given to me. I wasn’t sure what he meant by the stone degrading, the games you just bought a stone and used it no issues. I put it on the list of things I needed to ask Anna. Professor Oak walked over to a tall metal cylinder and opened a metal door on the front to reveal a glass panel into the machine, and within I could see bright flashes of electricity arcing into a small stone. Squinting at it, I thought it looked more like a light yellow shard of glass rather than a stone. Seeing us all squinting at it Professor Oak closed the metal door.
“Apologies on the brightness, I should have offered you both goggles. I have the power still running through it to prevent its degradation” he explained as Anna and I stood there blinking rapidly. “Well shall I show you two to some rooms where you can leave you belongings and then we can begin!” the enthusiasm clear in his voice.
Following him up the walkway into the large door, which I was Oak I realised as we got closer, Professor Oak opened it which revealed two young boys running down the carpeted hallway.
“Grandpa grandpa come play with us!” The first young boy yelled as he barrelled into Professor Oaks legs. Dark hair and probably no more than 5 or 6 I would have guessed. Wait grandpa?
“In a moment Gary, I just have to show our two visitors to their rooms and then we can play” he said with a large smile as he lifted Gary up into his arms. “Anna, Josh this is my grandson Gary and his friend Ash. Say hi you two.”
O holy shit.