"How long did it take to become the best trainer in history?"

The question had been almost sudden, coming from the young Sam's mouth as he contemplated the moonlit sky above Pallet Town. His grandfather, a quite well-built brown-haired man with a rugged beard, just chuckled out with his Charizard at his question, before he ruffled his grandson's hair playfully.

"You're letting that chitchat get to you again? They call me the greatest Pokémon Master to have ever lived and other stuff like that, but it's nothing but hyperbole. I merely did what was expected of me." He underscored his words with another laugh, his Charizard nodding along.

"But the town is named after you! And you raised so many Pokémon! And defeat everyone you fight! And-"

The youth continued to list all of the old man's many proud achievements, gesturing wildly and praising him to high heaven on the way. The old man allowed him to continue talking until he stopped, wheezing and panting but still so very excited. Pallet just shrugged, eyes back on the houses at the foot of the tall hill, pride in his eyes.

"I sure didn't ask them to do that. I was partial to Blank Town, myself." His expression turned more serious as he faced his grandson again. "I only wanted to be strong enough to protect others. I didn't set off to be the best or anything like that. All the adventure and fun on the way was a nice little bonus, but my main drive was always to help others. The smiles on everyone's face are the only reward I need."

The boy's eyes lit up, fists pumped as he continued to stare at his grandfather. He asked him many questions throughout the years, from tales of his adventures to his thoughts on everything, but hearing him talk of what brought him to be as great as he was always filled him with pride and admiration.

Pallet Oak had gone from being a no-name poor boy from a backwater town to one of the finest Champions the world had ever seen, no matter what he said. And for the young Sammy, that made him the most awesome person he had ever seen.

"You're amazing, grandpa!" He said with a toothy grin, punching the starry sky with enthusiasm. "I hope to be just like you in the future!"

"And you will, for sure! You're an Oak after all, and we always win when we put our minds on it." His grandfather grinned, standing up proudly and pointing to the heavens himself.

"Carve your path towards the future, and make sure it's a good one!"

His own Charizard underscored his words with a powerful roar and a bright Flamethrower, all while Oak smiled at the stars above. Once he grew up, he would become the greatest trainer of all time, even stronger than his grandfather, growing strong exactly like he did, and no one would be able to defeat him or his team.

And one day, everyone would know of Sammy Oak's exploits.

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"Samuel? You still with us?"

Sam's eyes snapped open, his vision flaring up for a second before the vastness of the ocean filled it, no noise around him but the boat cutting through the waves and a few Wingull flying overhead. The young adult rubbed the tiredness off his eyes as he stood back up and stretched his limbs. He turned towards his side, finding the familiar mustachioed and black-haired visage of one of his oldest friends, staring at him in concern.

Sam nodded, letting out a lighthearted chuckle. "Sorry, Adalbert. I guess I just dozed off here."

Adalbert Hastings glared his way, to which Sam could just give him a sheepish grin. It was no time to rest up like that, but after several hours of cruising he couldn't help but feel tired. It was at times like these that he wished to have even half of his friend's energy.

"Please tell me you aren't getting a sunstroke. You're one of our last hopes here, Sammy."

The familiar mocking tone and the light cackle was enough to make Sam roll his eyes and groan, and then it was his turn to shoot an annoyed glance at the blonde woman on the deck, all while the Gengar at her side giggled at their expense.

Sam folded his arms, unamused. "My skin's pretty tough, Agatha. You know that very well."

Agatha let out a mirthless laugh and gave him an unimpressed glance, but Sam could tell it was all an act. He had known Agatha Grimm for more than a decade, and there was a mutual respect between them they both appreciated by now. With all they went through, there was no reason they wouldn't.

"That's good to know." Adalbert walked closer, arms folded and facing the horizon, and the small patch of land that was starting to be visible there. "Faraway Island has been largely unexplored due to the strong Pokémon roaming around the place, and we can't afford to hesitate or make any mistakes."

Sam, Agatha and her Gengar did the same just observing the island ahead, their ultimate destination. They all held solemn gazes, considering Adalbert's words and what laid ahead.

Samuel sighed, head shaking. "I'm aware, Adalbert. But it's also where we'll find the last ingredient we need for our formula. At worst, we'll be in for an impromptu test run of Project Coexistence."

Under normal circumstances, Adalbert would've probably chided him as a joke and Agatha would've snarked about the project's name some more, but they all remained silent and contemplative instead, with Adalbert only affording a nervous chuckle.

It was then that the man at the helm, looking remarkably like a more casually dressed and slightly older Adalbert, turned to look at them with a concerned scowl.

"Y'all are madmen, ya know." His gaze shifted to Faraway Island ahead. "Bargin' into that territory is somethin' no Ranger or Trainer with their heads screwed tight would do."

"We're scientists, brother. We take actions people deem 'insane' for a living." Adalbert pulled off a smile at that.

The scientist and his sibling locked gazes for just a bit, enough for the ship captain to shake his head and roll his eyes. "Stuff like this is why I prefer hangin' in little old Oblivia, ya know."

"Don't worry, Booker, you can stay behind. You were the only one I could trust with this secret that knew how to man a ship."

Booker nodded, going back to the controls without a word. Sam wasn't sure what the exact relationship with the Hastings brothers was right now, but at the very least, Booker seemed willing to help them out, and he would always be grateful to him for that.

"Ship guy's right to an extent, though. This is pretty out there, even for people like us." Agatha stepped in, frowning at the two scientists.

Samuel just stared through her in response. "You and your brother know full well how this is needed, Agatha."

He didn't mean anything bad by that, but it still led to Agatha and her Gengar to grow quiet and turn away. Samuel sighed, his eyes also going back to the sea. Even more than ten years later, the experience in the Drowning Woods was hard to forget about, how her brother Tony ended up a victim of the resident Ghost-types and turned into one of them. He had become a pretty strong Gengar by now and was still more than a bit friendly, but that didn't mean his loss of humanity was simply brushed over and forgotten about.

If there was some silver lining to those events, it was that it allowed Sam and Agatha to move past their petty rivalry and turn into closer friends, ones that weren't afraid to joke and put down the other but were always there to help each other, which was why Agatha had so readily accepted to help them in their expedition, even with the world in the middle of a war and her own commitments as the Viridian Gym Leader. They would need to fight on the way to their goal, and she was the best trainer he could trust.

Sure, he was no slouch either, but he had pretty much turned his back on training as his main priority, and as a Ranger Nation denizen Hastings had no Pokémon with him. Science were their main pursuit, and it had been Oak's main thrust to make the world better ever since that fateful time in the Drowning Woods, when he saw first-hand the dangers Pokémon could pose.

It was odd to realize how much his life had deviated from how what his goal used to be, so many years later. It was easy to say it was all thanks to that horrible experience he had with Agatha, but he probably really started to change his mindset when he first met Adalbert in Alola, almost a lifetime ago...

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Samuel was taking some tentative steps forward behind the other boy, one resembling a tanner and blonder version of him, leading him further inside the thick and shadowy forest. Beyond their steps, his companion's excited giggles and the occasional Pokémon cry in the distance, everything around them was almost uncomfortably silent.

"Are you sure about this, Samson?" he asked, gaze shifting left and right as they walked further in.

Samson turned back to him with a bright and comforting smile. "Don't be scared, Samuel! I know Melemele like the back of my hand, after all. Don't you want to see Tapu Koko's secret training spot?"

"Well, sure-"

"Then let's go! It's gonna be In-Cradily-ble!"

Samuel tried not to cringe as Samson followed the atrocious pun with a Cradily imitation. Luckily for him, it didn't take long for his exuberant Alolan cousin to lead him on a large, far more well-lit clearning, the sun shining high above them. Samson seemed even giddier than usual as he ran to the center and looked around, all while Samuel kept an inquisitive eye for his surroundings.

"So... Tapu Koko comes here to train, you say?" Samuel asked.

"Yes! I saw it, and it's so cool!" Samson jumped on his feet, wildly gesticulating and punching the air to underscore his words. "It was all swoosh! And punch! And boom! And then he Leaf-eon Pokémon standing!"

Ignoring the latest pun and imitation, Samuel's gaze turned to the surrounding grass and trees, only now noticing the several gashes and scorching marks littering them, like a miniature thunderstorm had unleashed its wrath on the clearing. By what he knew of Alola's traditions and tales, that definitely sounded like something Tapu Koko could cause.

A little grin formed on Samuel's face. The Alolan guardian deities were among the strongest Pokémon known to man, and Tapu Koko in particular was always eager to pick fights with worthy opponents. He couldn't help but fantasize on facing the legendary with his starter Pokémon once he came of age, doing his all to defeat the Pokémon in a glorious duel just like his grandfather would have done.

Right then, however, a sound of snapped twigs grabbed the Oak's cousins attention, freezing both in place. The sounds didn't stop, growing closer and louder by the second.

"What's that?" Samuel stepped back, gulping.

Samson, instead, just pumped his fists and beamed. "It must be Tapu Koko! This is our Chansey to meet it!"

"That doesn't sound like-"

"Hello, Tapu Koko! Don't be Shaymin! We're just here to see how cool you are!" Samson yelled, hands cupped around his mouth. Samuel's eye twitched just a bit at that.

And then the origin of the sound came closer, and closer, until it smashed a tree clean on the ground. And then, a rather large pink and black bear Pokémon became visible, the species' usual neutral stare replaced by an angry one towards those who stepped in its territory. That was enough for both Oaks' faces to lose all color, slowly stepping back as the Bewear approached.

"That doesn't look like Tapu Koko to me..." Samuel gulped again.

Samson kept up a sheepish grin, sweat dropping from his face. "W-well, then, there's only one thing to do now."

The cousins turned and nodded at once. And then, they both turned around and rushed back the way they came.

"Let's run!" they yelled together.

The boys rushed through the forest path, with the Bewear in hot pursuit and destroying any tree on its path. Samuel didn't think of how stupid they had been to come there without telling anyone or how Samson really believed Tapu Koko would've just appeared there without prompting, eyes on the blurring scenery around him, heart thumping against his ribcage as his legs ran faster than ever, the way out looking closer and closer-

And then Samson's foot hit a rock, and Samuel's cousin tripped on the dirt.

"Oof!" he winced in pain, holding his leg.

"Samson!"

Samuel stopped and turned back to Samson, seeing the bruise on his knee and his cousin's pained expression. He tried to help him stand, only for him to realize the Bewear was catching up, mere feet away from them, too quick to run away from it or help Samson out.

The Kantonian boy grimaced, but then his gaze steeled, staring down the incoming Pokémon. Pallet Oak would've never backed down even in the face of danger, and he couldn't be any less than him.

And thus, he stretched his arms to the side and continued to glare at Bewear. "Come on, here! I'm gonna take you down myself!"

The Bewear didn't seem scared; if anything, it seemed angrier than before, making a beeline for Samuel. The boy tried to pull a brave face, but his attempts cracked more and more as the angry Bewear came closer, preparing a swing, until the boy could only close and divert his eyes before the inevitable, fear overtaking him.

But the blow never came.

"Stop!"

The new voice made Samuel open his eyes cautiously, enough to see the Bewear stuck in place, and what looked like a spinning top swirling all around it. The Pokémon stared at it for all of three seconds before he stepped over it; however, he then immediately winced, as if a sudden migraine had hit it. The Pokémon groaned and left the way it came, seemingly abandoning all ill intention. All the while, Samuel and the rising Samson blinked in confusion.

And then, the voice came up again.

"Hm, the Capture Loopy-Looper still needs a lot of work, it seems..."

Both Oaks turned to the side, seeing another boy making his way hastily through the trees to gather the shards of the spinning top. He looked roughly their age, with uncombed black hair and a frown on his face. His clothes resembled the style of Alola's typical wear, yet were unlike any Samuel had seen in its vacation there. Samuel tilted his head in curiosity.

"Are you two alright?" The boy turned to them, lingering a bit more on Samson and his injuries.

As he finally stood, Samson touched his knee and nodded. "Uhm, yes, thanks."

"Who are you?" Samuel asked, as the boy placed the remains of the top in a little bag.

The boy turned to them, just as inquisitive. "Adalbert Hastings. And you are...?"

"I'm Samuel Oak, this guy here is my cousin Samson."

Adalbert smiled at the two. "Nice to meet you. I apologize for barging in, but it sure seemed like you could've used some help."

"What was that? Are you an inventor or something?" Samuel asked, eyes shifting to the bag.

Adalbert clutched it tightly in response. "Something like that. It's a bit of a school project."

"I don't think I ever saw you around here." Samson rubbed his chin in thought, squinting at the black-haired boy.

"I'm not from Alola, my family's here on vacation right now and I came along with them." Adalbert gave a quick look at the sun ahead, and then to the way back. "Speaking of, I should get back to them. Make sure to not enrage any other Bewear, alright?"

Adalbert didn't even wait to dash away, as fast as he came, leaving Samuel and Samson alone and confused about what had just happened. After a while, the two decided to finally go back to their families, receiving a good scolding for going to such a dangerous place without telling anyone and being told to never do that again unless they had a Pokémon with them or something.

But even after the fact, Samuel couldn't stop thinking about that Hastings kid. He chickened out right when he needed to be brave, but that kid acted at the right time, saving him and his cousin with whatever that spinning top did to the Bewear. There were so many questions he got from that short meeting, ones he really wanted answered.

And thus, Samuel resolved to try to meet that boy again.

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After what he and Samson pulled by sneaking away, Samuel's parents made sure that he couldn't move freely for the following days, ensuring he spent all his time either at their Hau'oli home or in their field of vision. As a result, the little Samuel ended up bored to no end between playing tabletop games with his parents or Samson and hearing endless discussions from television and other adults about tensions with the Ranger nations rising, war brewing with them and other boring stuff. The young boy didn't care that much to hear about those every day, but if war could put a stop to that talk, then they should've just gone with it already and stop making everything into 'Ranger this, ranger that'.

With not much time to play, Samuel continued to think about that Adalbert guy he met. He really wanted to at the very least thank him, and maybe talk with him, after their brief meeting, a desire that only increased with all the boredom he had to withstand.

And thus, while his parents were resting up, Samuel decided to sneak out of their house and back where he met Adalbert, hoping to find him again.

As he stepped on the dirt path, taking care not to go out of line or making too much noise in case the Bewear was still around, Samuel tried to keep an ear out for any strange sounds, eyes shifting left and right.

And then, he finally caught a whirling sound, soft but continuous, with a quiet thump at the end. Samuel tiptoed that way, taking care to remain hidden between some bushes and small trees, and he finally saw him: Adalbert, frowning and staring at his little spinning top after pressing a button over it, taking a few steps away from the object as it started spinning, fists clenched.

"Come on, come on..." the black-haired boy muttered, grimacing.

The top spun some more, over and over... and then it suddenly halted, rolling to a stop on the ground. Adalbert shook his head with a frown, and then went to pick his device back up.

"Not good, the Capture Loopy-Looper will never work like this. What am I doing wrong?" he muttered to himself, staring at it.

Samuel continued to observe him, trying to understand what the boy was doing. In his eagerness he moved some tree branches a bit harshly, and they snapped right after. Samuel froze, and Adalbert stood to attention, quickly hiding the device on his side.

"Who's there?" Adalbert asked, a frown on his face.

Samuel gulped, and then took a deep breath. He stepped out of the bush and came in full view, rubbing his neck with unease as he did so.

The other boy squinted his eyes in a quizzical look. "Oh, you're... Samuel, right?"

"Yeah." Samuel rubbed his neck, his feet shifting on the sand and his eyes turning away from Adalbert. "Sorry to startle you, I... just wanted to meet you again, is all, and thank you for the other day."

The other kid shrugged. "Well, you're welcome."

Silence fell between the two, and Adalbert continued to stare at Samuel with a skeptical look, keeping to himself. Samuel gave an uneasy grin, not liking the awkwardness in the slightest.

He gulped, and his gaze fell on the patched up device in Adalbert's hands. "So... you're still working on your top?"

"It's not a 'top', it's the Capture Loopy-Looper." Adalbert's scowl fiercened, hiding the device behind his back. He turned back to it, opening it and tinkering with its components. "It's still in its early stages, but if this works well, it will be able to help people pacify wild Pokémon easily."

"Wouldn't a Poké Ball pretty much do the same job?"

Adalbert made a face for all of a second, and then shook his head. "It might appear similar, but it would work differently. It'd focus more on sharing one's feelings with wild Pokémon, ensuring they'd not be aggressive. It'd help make the world less dangerous, pretty much."

Samuel paused, eyes back on Adalbert's creation, the boy's declaration playing over his brain. Throughout his young life, he got to hear and see for himself how dangerous Pokémon could be: even something as small as a Rattata, or as cuddly as that Bewear, could and would attack any trespassing human if they didn't know what they were doing. Nobody could afford to take things easy with the world as it was now. He always saw Pokémon as creatures to respect and to an extent fear if you couldn't tame or capture them, but pacifying them... was it even possible?

"You can really do that?" he asked, taking a step forward.

Adalbert sighed, glaring at the spinning top. "Well, I would, if this thing worked... I can't get it to stay in movement for too long."

Samuel remained thoughtful, looking at that item. He squinted, and then crossed his arms.

"Uhm... can I see it?"

Adalbert stared at Sam again, still clutching at his creation. After a while, however, he sighed and handed it over, allowing Sam to truly analyze it.

It was certainly worn-out, repaired as best as it could be after being smashed over and over, cracks and patched up pieces on every side of it. It really seemed like a project the boy was putting all of his passion on, a dream he wanted to see real one day. It was almost like clutching at his desires, in a sense, and Samuel could feel Adalbert's drive poured on every piece of the Capture Loopy-Looper.

"Hmm..." Samuel continued to turn around the top, opening and closing it. And then he beamed, tapping at the iron tip on its underside. "Oh, now I get it. This part is too long and worn out, it can't sustain the weight appropriately."

"Seriously?" The boy grabbed the Capture Loopy-Looper back, observing it again, in particular the slightly inched out and tarnished iron piece on the bottom. He then stroked his chin, deep in thought. "Well, it could be a few millimeters shorter. Let's try..."

Grabbing a little tool box, Adalbert quickly removed the faulty piece and replaced it with a slightly shorter one, then placed it on the ground and activated it once more, taking his distance as it started to rotate. The two boys' eyes remained glued to the device as it spun, fast, faster, and then slower. And then it stood, perfectly upright, and still spinning like it should have.

"It works! Yes!" Adalbert beamed, throwing both fists to the sky. Samuel just smiled, observing Adalbert's device with some pride of his own. Adalbert then turned back to him, his expression softer.

"Thanks for the help. I was sure it was a problem of the inner workings and didn't check the base. Are you an inventor too?"

Sam gave him a sheepish grin. "Not really, my dad's just a mechanic and I picked up a few things from him."

"Well, you helped me solve a big problem here. I appreciate it."

Sam smiled back, his eyes going back to the still spinning device. "So, does this little thing really pacify Pokémon like you said?"

"In theory, it will. At least for a part of them." Adalbert went to grab the top, stopping its movement and holding it up with a prideful grin. "The Capture Loopy-Looper releases calming waves that can transfer the feelings of the user to the Pokémon, inducing them to be more docile and cooperative. So far all I've got is giving Pokémon migraines, but it's a start."

"That's cool! Though, why are you doing something like this? I mean, you seem pretty young."

"As I said, it's a bit of a project I'm doing for the school I study at, nothing big for now but it could lead to good things in the future. A guy named Gordor is lending me a hand, but I'm the one doing the bulk of the work."

The Kantonian kid remained silent as Adalbert continued to talk, observing and tinkering with the spinning top some more. He didn't know anything about him yet, but he could very much tell how dedicated he was to that little project, working on it and trying to make it better. He could relate to such a passion, for as different as it was from his own.

"This all sounds so interesting," Samuel said, his grin widening some more.

Adalbert crooked an eyebrow at that. "Really? My family usually ignores me when I talk of it. They aren't really scientific people."

"Well, wanting to find a way to make Pokémon less hostile is a fine dream." Samuel's gaze went back to the device, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "I'd love to know more."

The other kid blinked at that, his forlorn expression lighting up just a bit with a small grin.

"That's good to know." The young scientist put the Capture Loopy-Looper aside, then turned back to Samuel with a confident gaze. "Say, you seem good at spotting things. If you really are interested in knowing more, what about helping me completing this?"

The young Oak widened his eyes. "Can I?"

"Absolutely! I could use an assistant. I tend to rush through things a bit too often at times." Adalbert gave a nervous chuckle at that, and then offered Samuel a hand. "So, what do you say, interested?"

Samuel's smile lit up his face once more, and it didn't take long for him to shake Adalbert's hand vigorously. "For sure!"

Both boys grinned at once, and with that, a friendship was born.

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Samuel and Adalbert spent the rest of the afternoon and the early night working on the Capture Loopy-Looper, with the Kantonian boy suggesting several improvements the young scientist didn't ever think about which he gladly incorporated, fine-tuning the components as much as possible. It was hard work, with a lot of improvements that eventually had to be scrapped moments later, but both kids were having the time of their lives discussing and improving the little spinning top together, which only made them put even more effort into it.

And so, with the moon shining brightly overhead, Adalbert finally held the completed Capture Loopy-Looper high, a face-splitting grin on his face.

"And, done! The Capture Loopy-Looper Version One point Five is finished!" he said, pumping his free fist.

"Great! Now, all we need is to test it!" Samuel grinned as well, until he started to glance around. "Though, we'll have to find a good Pokémon for that..."

"No need to worry for that." Adalbert let out an amused chuckle as he went to grab a bag under a tree, taking out several Oran and Sitrus Berries and holding them in his hand. Then, he squeezed them flat, letting the juices drip over his hands. He then cupped the top-holding hand around his mouth, and yelled at full strength. "Heeeey, wild Pokémon! Come here, we're waiting for you!"

Samuel froze at that. "Wait, what are you-"

"We don't have time to wait for a Pokémon to arrive, so we'll have to call them to us! Come here, everyone!"

Samuel wanted to try and dissuade him from his plan, but the boy continued to shake his juice-drenched hand in the air, and quickly enough every bush ahead of the boys started to shake, with several Alolan Rattata and even a Raticate popping their heads up and sniffing the air, until they finally aimed for Adalbert with fangs glistening and a wicked, hungry grin on their faces. The young inventor gave an audacious grin, all while Samuel's face lost all color.

"Look out!" the Kantonian kid yelled, fear rooting him in place as the pack of wild Pokémon lunged towards Hastings.

"Let's begin the experiment!" Adalbert extended his baton, and then activated his device. "Capture Loopy-Looper, go!"

The little top spun faster than ever towards the speeding Pokémon, the scientist kid tracing the path quickly and firmly as the Capture Loopy-Looper encircled the Pokémon one by one, tracing several loops before moving forward to the next one. A smell of burnt machinery filled the air as the device spun faster and faster, but the top never stopped in spite of it, with Adalbert never slowing down his precise and clinical motions. Slowly, each Pokémon slowed to a halt, their hungry lunging reduced to a crawl and then finally to just a few steps, until all the fearsome and dangerous rodent Pokémon simply stood ahead of Adalbert, confusion drawn on their faces, all under Sam's impressed gaze.

The Kantonian boy gulped, waiting for the Normal/Dark-types to start an attack they never began. "Did... did it work?"

"Only one way to find out." Adalbert smirked, holding his berry-coated hand close to the rodents' faces. The several Pokémon all stared at it, hunger returning on their faces, and then they all went at it; Sam would've rushed to the rescue, if he didn't notice what was actually going on. All the Rattata and the Raticate simply lapped over the juice out of Adalbert's hands, with the boy still smiling as he rubbed the top of their heads in amusement, the rodents beaming back at him.

Samuel had truly no words, the scene just feeling so surreal. Even with a Poké Ball, most trainers would usually need some time to earn a Pokémon's trust, and yet Adalbert managed to calm down hungry wild Pokémon and become their friend in just a few seconds. It was a strange, yet comforting sight, one that proved how the world could indeed become better with Adalbert's little device.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

However, the Kantonian boy still shook his head and frowned at his friend. "You shouldn't be so careless, Adalbert. You could've been hurt, or worse."

"But it worked, didn't it?" His hand now juice-free, Adalbert waved the Pokémon goodbye as they scampered back. He then faced Samuel again, never losing his confident grin as he raised a finger. "Progress stops for no one, and there's no way I'm gonna slow down in my work!"

Sam would've reprimanded him further, but he found it hard to do, especially with Adalbert's grin plastered over his face. He just couldn't blame him when he was so excited for his dreams, and thus simply gave him a look of reprimand and hoped that would be enough. The boy just shrugged at that, as he went to pick back up the slightly fuming and blackened Capture Loopy-Looper.

"Looks like the Capture Loopy-Looper still needs some work to not overheat, but this is a definite start." He turned back to Samuel, coming close to put a hand over his shoulder. "Many thanks for your help, Samuel. You've been a great assistant."

At that, the concern melted away from Sam's face, instead grinning back at his new friend. "You're welcome, it was fun to work on that. Though, maybe try to think of a different name for it, 'Capture Loopy-Looper' is quite the mouthful."

"You think? I wanted something short and descriptive, straight to the point, pretty much."

"I mean, you use that baton piece to control it. Why not something like 'Capture Styler'?"

"Hmmm, I'll think about it." The boy stared at the Capture Loopy-Looper for a little while, and then faced the Kantonian kid once more. "Though, do you think you'll manage to come here tomorrow? I'd love to work again with you."

Samuel gave a sheepish grin, rubbing his neck. "Not sure, my parents will likely be angry at me for sneaking away and ground me again, and we're gonna leave Melemele soon."

Adalbert frowned just a bit at that, before he sighed and shook his head. He faced his friend again, his expression still forlorn.

"What a shame." Adalbert managed to pull off a grin again, eyes meeting his new friend's. "Well, if I happen to be in Alola at any time in the future, you can always be sure to find me here. Whenever you happen to be in the area, feel free to drop by. What do you say?"

"Sounds great." Samuel grinned back. "I look forward to our next meeting."

"So do I!"

And with that, both boys waved each other away, going back to their respective homes for the night.

That day was just the beginning of a long and fun series of collaborations: whenever either boy happened to be in Alola, they both made sure to take at least one trip to their little slice of Melemele Island, hoping to find the other there. After a while, both Samuel and Adalbert figured out how to make their schedules coincide, and through it all they managed to spend more and more time together as the years passed. They were still fleeting, brief hours where they spent more time working on Adalbert's latest invention than talking of each other, where they came from, and what were they doing now beyond minor things, but that didn't put any damper on their friendship: on the contrary, Samuel loved to share Adalbert's dream and help him make it reality, maybe even more than fighting.

And with that, the years passed, and Samuel and Adalbert's friendship blossomed more and more in a trusted partnership.

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As Samuel Oak walked the familiar and well-traveled road, he couldn't stop grinning and looking at his Poké Ball, his trusty starter Charmander resting inside. Taking that trip to Alola right after his Pokémon journey began was more than a bit taxing for his wallet, but he really wanted to share such an important moment in his life with one of his biggest friends as soon as he could. Fortunately, after five or so years of knowing each other, he had a good enough idea that Adalbert would be there, and at worst he could've caught some Alolan Pokémon on the way to make up for the trip.

Fortunately, such an emergency plan ended up being unnecessary as he reached a familiar clearing in the forest, where his friend was testing out the Capture Styler on his lonesome, just like every other time.

Samuel grinned and clutched his Poké Ball tightly, then placed it back in his bag and rushed in the clearing while waving ahead.

"Adalbert!" he yelled. His friend was quick to stop the device and turn around, grinning and raising a hand at him.

"Oh, Samuel! Took you long enough!" Adalbert's grinned wide, eyes shifting back to the Styler. "I thought you wouldn't come anymore. I was just about to pack and leave."

Samuel shook his head, arms folded and

tsking at the boy. "Patience is never your strong suit, as usual. How's the current version of the Capture Styler going?"

"Very well, it can now capture several Pokémon in a row and mantain the transfer of feelings for a longer time, all without overheating. It still breaks a bit too easily, but that's a minor problem right now." Adalbert grabbed the device, holding it up as he checked it closely. "The Union has expressed interest in mass producing it and giving me a job as a technician for my efforts, so things are going quite smoothly."

Samuel smiled at that, letting his friend continue to check his device in silence. It wasn't the first time he mentioned 'the Union' or 'the school' in vague terms, and while he never prodded him to know what they did exactly, he understood the context enough to realize it was a big deal for him. Even if he didn't understand fully, he was glad to hear Adalbert was closer to his own dreams, one way or another.

Adalbert, for his part, gave Samuel a genuine smile. "I wouldn't have made it without you. Thanks."

"Most of the ideas are yours. I just helped out." Samuel shrugged.

"Don't undersell yourself." The other boy grinned, folding his arms. "Though, how about your own things? Did you do anything interesting on your end?"

It was Sam's turn to grin now. "Yeah, there's something."

Quickly, Samuel opened his bag again and produced his newly-minted Poké Ball, holding it skyward with an even bigger smile.

"Ta-dah! Here is it, my partner Pokémon!"

He turned back to Adalbert, his eyes wide and pointed on Samuel's device.

"What?" he asked, mouth agape.

Samuel opened the Ball, holding the device high. "Charmander, come out!"

The sphere opened up, and his little Charmander materialized in mid-air, leaping right into Samuel's arms. The young trainer hugged his Pokémon tightly, then swiftly turned back to Adalbert, the Fire-type waving at Sam's friend.

"He's a feisty little one, but I really wanted you to see him." Sam rubbed his Pokémon's head, eyes still on his friend. "I'm gonna become a Trainer as great as my grandfather, and... I'd really like if we could travel together, if you wanted."

For his part, Adalbert continued to stare at Sam, his Charmander and especially the Poké Ball, a very odd scowl drawn on his face. One rather difficult to chalk up to surprise or jealousy.

"So, you're from a Trainer Nation," the young Hastings muttered, almost harshly.

"Yeah, it's just my cousin's family that lives here in Alola." Samuel rubbed his neck, unease crawling down his spine. "Speaking of, I don't think I ever asked you where you come from. Is it Hoenn? Or maybe Unova?"

At that, Adalbert's gaze sharpened. "I come from Cocona Village, in Oblivia. And I don't think we can really travel together."

The boy's answer left Samuel puzzled, trying to figure out where a region called Oblivia was. And then he froze, remembering: alongside Fiore and Almia, that was one of the 'Ranger Nations' that dominated the news every year, every day. The regions filled with people that menaced their very way of living, that wanted all of them dead, and with whom even becoming friends was pretty much forbidden.

And the same friend he had known for years was one of them.

Samuel and Adalbert could only stare at each other, electricity between them, the Trainer clutching his Charmander and the Ranger holding his Styler. No one dared to say anything, both gazes locked into attempts at understanding, with neither of the boys taking action.

And then, they both started to giggle at the same time, a giggle that quickly turned into chuckles and then a booming laugh shared between them.

Samuel wiped tears off his eyes, under Charmander's confused glance. "I can't believe it. We've known each other for years, and I always assumed you were a Trainer, too!"

"And I thought you were just an Alolan from another island that didn't spend much time outdoors!" Adalbert said, holding his chest as he kept laughing.

The two boys continued to laugh at that crazy situation until the laughter and fun slowly subsided, with the calm returning and the awkwardness coming back to the fore. Both Sam and Adalbert averted their eyes, gulping almost in sync, and a heavy silence fell around them.

Samuel was the first to talk, shaking his head. "So... I guess our friendship's over now."

"Why would it have to be?" Adalbert crooked an eyebrow.

Sam sighed with a heavy frown. "Well, we're on opposite sides, right?"

"We're also kids, and uninvolved in any war effort." Adalbert's frown and uncertainty gave way to one of his trademark grins. "I probably can't set foot in a Trainer Nation, but that's never been a problem here in Alola."

Samuel let that sink in, and a brief smile of his own lit up his face. It didn't completely remove all the tension around them, but it was still good to know that his friend wasn't hating him on sight. The young scientist's grin widened, walking closer to the Kantonian kid.

"That, and I always had questions to ask a Trainer if I ever saw one." Adalbert's grin turned just a bit more serious, his gaze fixed on Sam's Poké Ball. "Like, why do you keep Pokémon in Poké Balls? Like, isn't befriending enough? Why do you need to keep them shackled to you?"

Samuel held his Charmander tight once more, smiling at his Fire-type. "We grow and learn from each other, simple as that. Most trainers bond with their Pokémon either before or after capture, and if they don't things usually end badly for them. The Poké Ball is... a promise, you could say, to stick around together. How can you Rangers just befriend Pokémon? What if you lose them among wild ones, or get separated with no way of ever meeting them again?"

"Parting and meeting new people is just a fact of life, and that goes for Pokémon too." Adalbert gave a shrug. "If one truly loves Pokémon, they should treat them as equals, something a Poké Ball doesn't imply."

"The Poké Balls can also be easily destroyed from the outside and have a release function. If we really didn't care how Pokémon felt, we would keep them in cages or shackled as a norm, something I'm sure happens in the Ranger Nations too."

"It's a good point, but I still feel the Poké Ball implies a subordination, like the friendship isn't pure. It subjugates a Pokémon to the Trainer's whims, and if the Trainer isn't a good person, then the Pokémon is at risk."

"I don't question that, but that's just a result of human nature, not really a fault of the Poké Ball itself."

That was just the beginning of a quite lenghty discussion, covering every single angle the two boys could think about of the Trainer-Ranger divide. In spite of that, though, the questions and debate continued to stay calm, a silent agreement forming between the two: Samuel and Adalbert truly wanted to understand the other side, not hating it, and thus they continued to discuss, both holding their convictions firm as they gave their arguments and counterarguments.

The boys continued, learning and understanding, until the discussion finally started to go back in circles, both boys having exhausted their arguments.

"Well, it looks like we'll never agree here," Adalbert eventually said, sighing and raising both arms with a happy smirk.

Samuel agreed, letting Charmander down and allowing him to play some before he faced his friend again. "I can see your points, but I really feel it's more human nature that's at fault, over the Poké Ball."

"And I see yours, but I feel without the Poké Ball, there would be one less temptation people could abuse, and I'm not gonna change my mind."

"Neither will I. My Charmander's staying in his Ball."

Adalbert's smirk widened, eyes falling back to Charmander running left and right. "You're a good guy, I can trust he'll be fine."

Both boys allowed themselves to chuckle together, all the worry and tension gone as they faced each other.

Then, Adalbert's eyes went to the sky. "I liked this, though. Hearing different perspectives can truly widen your horizons."

"Same. I thought Rangers were just the boring people in the news constantly trying to plot bad things." Samuel rubbed his neck.

"They say similar things about Trainers in the Ranger Union, too. I even sorta believed them."

Silence fell again between the two, faint traces of the previous worry still lingering above them. And then, Adalbert sighed and shook his head. "If you don't want to help me anymore with the Capture Styler, I'll understand."

"Not at all, I love working together with you." Samuel grinned back at him.

Adalbert stared at him, a frown on his face. "I'm quite sure helping to create stuff for Ranger usage is some sort of treason."

"I'm not doing that. I'm just lending a hand to a good friend."

The young Hastings couldn't help but laugh again at that. "You're something else, Samuel."

"I'm sure you would do the same for me," the young Oak said.

Adalbert nodded. "I always will."

And with that, Adalbert glanced back to the Capture Styler in his hand, placing it on the ground and giving Sam a knowing glance. "Let's get to work, then."

"Gladly!" Samuel pulled off a mock military salute, and then joined his friend in their newest experiment.

And with that, both boys went back to work, their friendship only strengthened by their divide.

----------------------------------------

"Hey, Samuel! Didn't expect to see you here. On vacation already from your journey?" Adalbert asked, waving at his friend as he joined him in the clearing, the Capture Styler spinning just as usual.

The young Oak sighed, averting his gaze from his friend even as he raised a hand back at him. His mind was still crowded with thoughts about what happened one week earlier, and even if he wanted to meet his friend again it was hard for him to focus.

"You could say so," Sam said as he sat under a tree.

Adalbert frowned, recovering his spinning top and pacing forward to the Kantonian kid. "You don't seem to be doing well. Something happened?"

Samuel's gaze turned back to Adalbert, only for him to shift away right after. He instinctively clenched his fists, trying to find a way to unravel his thoughts, a heavy frown on his face.

"It's complicated. Me and my rival Agatha ended up in a place called the Drowning Woods, and..." Sam paused, rubbing his forehead as he leaned over the tree's trunk more. He grimaced and shook his head. "Sorry."

"Hey, take it easy." His Oblivian friend kneeled at his height, "What was it? Some wild Pokémon attacked you or something?"

Samuel gave a curt nod. "Ghost-types. They got her brother. He's fine, but... different."

He turned away from his friend, going from the grass to the trees to the sky above, memories of that night flashing by in quick succession. Adalbert, for his part, lowered his head wordlessly.

"I'm sorry to hear this," Adalbert said.

Sam acknowledged that with a nod; he couldn't know what actually happened, but the Kantonian boy still appreciated his concern. Samuel's gaze went back to his left hand, clenching and unclenching it rhythmically as he contemplated it.

"I never felt so powerless." He balled his hands in a fist, fingers digging into his palms. "I still want to become strong, but doing just that seems... pointless now."

He unclenched his fist, trying to not drown in the sea of thoughts, his mind filled with concepts but hollow of resolve. He adjusted his seat, and then he saw Adalbert sitting by his side, arms folded.

"What do you feel you should do, then?" The other kid asked.

Even in his confusion, Samuel's gaze steeled. His mind was drowning in thoughts and guilt filled his form, but even then, his newfound purpose was clear.

"I want to make sure no one ends up like Agatha's brother did. No one should suffer a terrible fate just for the whims of a Pokémon." Sam's gaze was firm and narrowed as he placed a hand over his chest. "I want... no, I need to change the world, make Pokémon more peaceful."

The Oblivian's gaze sharpened at that. "Do you think you can do it?"

Another pause, and Oak turned away. His hands went to his forehead, massaging it as he exhaled, trying and failing to think of the answer. "I have no idea. I know some stuff, I'm decent at mechanics, but trying to change the world sounds too big for me. But I promised, so...

"I don't know."

Sam hung his head down, eyes closed. He didn't know what to say or think anymore, the weight of his future plans heavier than it had ever been.

Adalbert didn't waste time to smile at him again. "You have talent, Samuel. If you really want to change the world, all you need to do is try. That's what I did."

"You're a genius. I'm only good at drawing Pokémon and tinkering with some machines on the side."

"And if you weren't good with machines, I would still have been here scratching my head on why the Capture Loopy-Looper didn't work as intended." Adalbert shook his head, gaze going skyward. "I know how you're feeling, 'changing the world' is one big proclamation and one you may very well fail at. I've been there, too."

Sam crooked an eyebrow in response. "Seriously?"

"What, do you think I'm confident all the time? I try to, but I get doubts too." Adalbert chuckled out. "If it weren't for you all those years ago, I may have given up on the Capture Styler."

The boy from Pallet Town fell silent once again, staring at his friend. His Oblivian pal held the Capture Styler between them, the result of years of hard work in full display for both.

"And look at me now: the Union has just started making use of Capture Stylers, and thanks to that all the Ranger Nations are starting to become less dangerous. This would've never happened without you helping me first."

Samuel observed the spinning top, until his cheeks flushed red in embarassment, and then he rubbed his neck sheepishly. "You still put more work on the project than I did."

"And you still put some work in it. That's a start, and shows you have talent. You know how the Capture Styler works, I'm sure you can create something as good as it. Perhaps even better."

The Kantonian narrowed his eyes on him. "Now you're just exaggerating."

"You got to be ambitious to succeed." Adalbert held a fist ahead of him. "And be ready to ask a hand when needed, to. You can always count on me here."

"Thanks." Samuel smiled at his friend, the feeling of heaviness lessening just a bit.

"You're welcome." Adalbert's trademark grin returned again. "Let's see what a Trainer can do better than a Ranger, now."

Samuel gained a grin of his own. "Are you offering to assist me, or be my rival?"

"Why not both? A good competition can only help."

Samuel chuckled out at that. All his worries were still there, but Adalbert sure knew how to make things better. He was glad he could count on a friend like him, Ranger or not.

"Very well then." Samuel pumped his fists, his stare determined. "Let's both do our best."

His Ranger friend nodded with a grin of his own, and then he and the young Oak began to work together again, ready to support each other more than ever.

----------------------------------------

As the years passed, Samuel Oak did all he could to truly understand Pokémon and find a way to make the world more peaceful, by any means necessary.

And thus, he continued on his path as a trainer, fighting and winning as much as he could, trying to understand other Pokémon along the way, and sometimes drawing them for the same reason. He came to be known as one of the 'Legendary Trainers' among the public for his skills and League victories, a title he appreciated but never felt he earned: he would never be the second coming of Pallet Oak, and that was fine. His goal might've been similar, but his path was different.

And that was why, eventually, he retired from active battling and went into research, slowly making a name for himself in the scientific community as an expert on human and Pokémon interactions. It was a hard road to travel, but one he gladly undertook alongside his Pokémon and his friends, especially with Adalbert's insight into the Ranger nations' way of life and into the relationships formed therein. He was for the most part happy with his choices, helping out with several relocation efforts and releasing important research papers, even more so as he found love with one of his assistants and became the father of a healthy little boy.

And thus, in the span of eight years, a lot of things changed for Samuel, and the world changed alongside him. Unfortunately, not for the better.

"The latest Ranger attack ontop of Mt. Moon claimed the lives of hundreds of people-"

"The Trainer-led assault of the Ranger stronghold in Vientown has been a success-"

"Casualties are high, women and children-"

"The Gym Leader of Viridian City lost her life in the battle of Viridian Forest, her understudy Agatha Grimm is expected to succeed her-"

"Several Ranger ships were sunken in the Cianwood City siege-"

Samuel turned the television off, the void black screen a welcome sight after all the atrocities he had zapped through. It was hard to believe they were in the middle of an all-out war after mere months of hostilities, yet not so surprising. The animosity between Trainers and Rangers would've exploded again eventually, but he didn't expect things to escalate so quickly.

It all started from an isolated accident: a group of Gyarados attacked several coastal cities, in both Trainer and Ranger nations, spurring both sides to take action until they finally cornered the group of Pokémon at the same time in neutral waters. With no higher jurisdiction to call to, both sides tried to deal with the problem the way they knew best: the Trainers wanting to catch the Pokémon and keeping them stored forever, while the Rangers wanted to lead the Pokémon somewhere safe where they wouldn't have harmed others. Both sides believed their methods were inherently superior, denouncing the opposing group's methods as brutal or ineffective. That simple incident became an outlet for decades of hatred and tensions, and at some point, shots were fired and hostilities began.

It was hard to pinpoint who exactly started and who was more to blame, but the result of the events was clear: both Trainer and Ranger nations put the blame squarely on the other side, and before anyone realized it, the last great Trainer-Ranger War began in earnest.

Samuel had always been a peaceful person, and thankfully enough his status as a researcher exempted him from joining the war effort. As much as it pained him to leave his home and friends, he wisely decided to move to Alola until the hostilities would cease with his wife and kid. Samson was more than happy to give them a place to stay: Alola, having declared itself neutral from hostilities, had become a refuge for citizens of both sides, with the local Kahunas making sure that hostility didn't come up between refugees. Fortunately, the majority didn't want to cause any trouble, and the uneasy coexistence continued unperturbed, everyone only wanting the war to be over.

With not much to do beyond continuing his research and following the escalating war, Samuel thought. For as much as Trainers and Rangers were both to blame for the state of things, the apple of discord still turned out to be hostile Pokémon. The ones he had sworn to pacify.

He couldn't blame himself for the ongoing war, but he still felt responsible for what happened. He wished he could do something to stop it, but what? It wasn't like he could drop in the middle of a battlefield and stop the fight with a few words. Even with years of research, he didn't find such an easy way to solve conflicts.

The man sighed, rubbing his forehead as he stared at the shut television, no solution coming to mind. And then, a series of loud beeps caught his attention.

He put a hand in his pocket, quickly taking out a blue-colored pager: a gift from an old friend, to make sure they could contact and prepare for their meetings better. A message popped up on the display: "Can you come to the usual place?"

The researcher frowned, quickly typing a "Yes" and putting the pager aside. He then made his way out of his house with a quick farewell, then went through the familiar forest and back in their clearing. And just as he expected, a black-haired man around his age with a distinguished top hat was waiting him there, someone he knew well.

"Thanks for coming, Samuel," Adalbert said, more solemn than he remembered him. They hadn't seen each other for the last few months, but it was easy to understand his demeanor.

"It's been a while, Adalbert." Samuel walked closer to his friend, his expression still serious. "Why did you need me?"

It took a few seconds for the Oblivian researcher to talk, hands in his labcoat and gaze distant. "I guess I need to talk with someone. You saw it, right?"

"The way our compatriots are slaughtering each other? Yes, I did."

Another pause, tension rising between the two. And then, Hastings took a deep breath, staring right at his friend.

"They're using the Capture Styler."

Oak froze, the weight of that sentence crushing him.

"Wait, you mean-"

Adalbert's stare turned fierce, almost disgusted as he kicked the ground. "They can take control of the local wild Pokémon populace and sic them on the opponents. Why do you think Rangers tend to attack Trainers in places teeming with wild Pokémon?"

Oak thought about his friends' words. While there was always the occasional incursion towards cities and towns of strategic interest, most of the Ranger forces tended to attack in locales like forests, mountains, and often the sea, always with some Pokémon turning the tide when weaponry didn't prove to be enough. The logic was sound and it all added up, which was probably why he never wanted to make that connection.

He faced his friend again, an angry glare trained on him. "So you-"

"No! Who do you take me for? I'm the Chief of Technology of the Ranger Union, but this decision was one I couldn't oppose in any way!" Hastings snapped, angrier than he had ever been.

Both researchers paused, their gazes turning astray once more. Hastings shook his head, massaging his forehead in thought. "I created the Capture Styler to promote peace, not for this..."

Oak didn't know what to say, already regretting his aborted insinuation. He might not have created what ended up being a weapon, but he could very much understand the guilt his friend was feeling.

"I can try to leave the Ranger Union, but even if I don't support the war, the Ranger nations as a whole need my help. And if I were to leave, someone more willing to wage war could supply the Rangers with proper weaponry in addition to the Stylers, and I can't allow that." Adalbert faced his friend again, his usual energy completely gone. "I have no idea what to do now."

Faced with the same question he had about himself, Oak frowned and contemplated the grass. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place, and there was no way for them to stop the war on their own terms; they were professors, not miracle workers. They couldn't change human nature in a heartbeat like that.

And then, something in his mind clicked, and an idea finally formed.

Sure, the main blame of the war was still on the prejudice and ideological divide between Trainers and Ranger, but the origin was still the hostility of Pokémon. And if all it took to spark a war to start was a hyper-aggressive Pokémon, that was something where they could act.

Maybe it wouldn't help, maybe it would somehow make things worse, but they couldn't sit around and do nothing as their brothers and sisters killed each other senselessly.

"The solution is one." Samuel stared back at his friend with renewed conviction. "We need a way to pacify all Pokémon."

Adalbert looked back in disbelief, shaking his head. "We've been working on that for years, Samuel."

"But never together, really putting half and half of the work." Samuel managed to grin at the future prospects. "Modesty aside, we're among the most suited minds for the job. You created a device that can calm Pokémon down, and I'm an expert of Pokémon and human interactions. If someone can make it, it's us."

The Kantonian researcher extended his hand to his colleague, more confident than ever. "Do you want to accomplish the impossible with me?"

Hastings considered his hand for a bit longer than necessary, his expression shifting from worry to the same hopeful and determined grin his friend shared.

"Gladly," he said, shaking Oak's hand.

And with that, their most important research began.

----------------------------------------

Samuel and Adalbert had everything going against them as they started their project: they were alone, had no budget to speak of, and had to make sure no one caught on about their meetings and their little plan. It was particularly hard for Hastings, as he constantly needed to excuse frequent trips to Alola and to make sure his bodyguards didn't catch on to his real interests, but even Samuel needed to keep up appearences in front of his scientific peers, and had his family to think about. As a result they only had brief, fleeting moments where they could actually work together, making an already complex effort even more difficult.

But they were both smart, used to work in secret, and stubborn and crafty as they could be. And for Oak's part, his cousin Samson was more than happy to look after his son whenever he needed some time, to the point he started claiming he'd like to open up a school in the future.

And so, even with all those obstacles, the research they codenamed 'Project Coexistence' truly began.

"The key of this is your Capture Styler," Samuel said; he and Adalbert were sitting on the table of his work shack in the middle of the forest, away from any prying eyes, with the Kantonian researcher tapping on Hastings' spinning top.

Adalbert played with his mustache, looking at his device. "You mean the transfer of feelings to pacify Pokémon? It's a good idea, but my device was made to only affect a few Pokémon at a time, on the spot."

"We need something that does the opposite. It must affect several Pokémon at once, on a wide area."

"To do that, we risk to sacrifice effectiveness for area covered, however."

"That's okay, the important part is that it works. We can change the world slowly, so long as it has tangible results."

Adalbert nodded, his eyes back on his creation as he tapped a finger on the table in thought. "The problem is still how to make the transfer of feelings work."

Both researchers fell silent, going through several possibilities as they stared at the top. It was their first step to pass, and by far the most important.

Oak narrowed his eyes, stroking his chin. "Does the transfer have to be immediate? Can't it absorb the feelings of nearby trainers and Pokémon, and pass them on? Maybe even use it as an energy source?"

"Hm..." Adalbert continued to observe the top. And then, an approving grin made its way on his face.

And with that silent cue, the two scientists took their first step in making the world a better place. It took them several months to reach a working prototype, with several mistakes, dead ends, and need to restart from scratch, all while around them the Trainer-Ranger war only grew uglier. They both tried their best to advocate for peace between Trainers and Rangers, without good results on either side.

But that didn't deter the two scientists, if anything it only made them even more determined. And it was through that determination that Samuel and Adalbert finally managed to create a working version if their project, powerful enough to pacify some of the local Pokémon in small numbers. It was nothing a normal Styler couldn't do and far from permanent, but at the very least it was one step made.

And with that, the two were ready to move on to the second step.

"It needs something more to it." Adalbert continued to observe the current core of their device, similar to the one that powered the Rangers' technology. "The Capture Styler works by implementing the rotation as a way to concentrate the effect, but that alone won't work like this. However, requiring constant rotation around the Pokémon would miss the point of this being an easily replicable method."

Samuel scratched his head, taking another garner of the core. Even if derived partially from the Capture Styler, it wasn't meant to work exactly like one. Maybe the best course of action was to avoid emulating the way it worked wholesale, and instead try something different.

"Maybe the feelings transfer can work in tandem with anything else?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"I feel if we can strengthen the effect, we would avoid the problem we're facing right now."

Adalbert's glare turned serious at that. "That risks being too powerful. We might skirt the line into full blown mind control here."

Samuel sighed. Ever since the Capture Styler became known by Trainers, more than one person started to liken the practice to brainwashing Pokémon into doing one's bidding, and while he knew it wasn't the case, he could see where the accusation could come from, and how they risked exactly that.

He vigorously shook his head. "We can't reach that level. Wild Pokémon are still intelligent creatures for the most part, we just want them more peaceful, not controlled or losing their fighting instinct completely. Not to mention, this idea must not be weaponized."

"Agreed. But this causes the risk for our project to not work as well as it could." Adalbert crossed his arms, forlorn.

Oak scratched his head, eyes back on their prototype as he went through their plans again. "The idea is that, by lowering aggressivity levels, the Pokémon would pass on positive behavior to the younger generations. There's the possibility that a strong willed or just stubborn Pokémon might resist the effects, but for the most part that would be the exception we can afford if it works for everyone else.

"We also need to ensure that the device is small, incospicuous, and most of all resilient," Adalbert said.

"Especially the last part." Samuel glanced at the pile of broken Capture Stylers all ammassed on the ground, a result of their experiments. "Going by the Capture Styler, a first generation affected Pokémon would pretty much return to its previous level of aggressivity once the device stopped working."

"Noted. So, back on the previous topic, what kind of thing can work in tandem with the feelings?"

That question promoted more silence. It needed to be something that wouldn't go against the feelings, but rather complement them. Beyond more feelings, not many other possibilities came to mind in that regard.

And then, Samuel snapped his fingers. "Soil."

"What?" Adalbert faced him with a quizzical glance.

"It's something I realized while studying Pokémon: a lot of them end up having some form of familiar connection to the soil they grew up with, having a calming effect. It's used in particular by Pokémon Breeders as a way to deal with difficult Pokémon, and it's something we can employ here," Samuel said. His tone was tentative, but hopeful; when dealing with such unknown variables, every road felt like a jump in the dark.

"So, a form of harmless radiation based on the soil, to strengthen the effect of the feelings?" Adalbert pondered briefly his friend's suggestion. And then, he gave a nod. "It sounds unwieldly, but it's worth a try."

That was enough for Samuel to grin again. "Let's attempt it, then."

It took even more months of experimenting and fine tuning to make sure the radiation and feelings worked together in the correct ways. It was extremely tricky to make two completely different energy sources work together, one somewhat abstract and one very much concrete, but after several attempts the two scientists managed to find a way to emit a harmless form of radiation from the soils that could be spread on the same wavelength as the feelings transfer they were basing their idea on. They worked tirelessly to ensure that humans weren't affected, and to reach the right amount of radiation to not cause adverse effects, but they eventually made it.

That only left the second part of that particular step: finding the best soil or combination of soils to reach their desires result. Unfortunately, that was when Project Coexistence hit yet another brick wall.

Adalbert scratched his head, a deep frown on his face. "No, no, it will never work like this."

Samuel observed the half-completed prototype ahead of them, several samples of different soils gathered ahead of them, some compressed together and other alone. He tapped his chin in thought, scrutinizing their discoveries so far.

"One kind of soil emits radiation tailored just for some specific groups of Pokémon. It's unable to keep track of migration patterns, invasive species, or trained Pokémon from foreign regions. Having each device tailored for only a select few would make the costs of production too expensive, and trying to mix up the soils would only have conflicting effects that would just defeat the point. Therefore, we need some sort of universal soil."

"Does such a thing even exist?" Adalbert's look was skeptical, and for good reason: with the huge variety of Pokémon that lived in their world, it was virtually impossible to find a way to pacify all of them at once.

Samuel continued to think, going through the fruit of all his work. There had to be an answer to their inquiries, no matter how farfetched or difficult to achieve it would be. Now wasn't the time to be picky about their research and how to achieve it. Anything would work.

The Kantonian researcher squinted his eyes. "Maybe... just maybe..."

"What is it?" Adalbert crooked an eyebrow, curious.

Oak crossed his arms, still replaying all the necessary information in his head. "Have you ever heard of Mew?"

"The supposed ancestor of all Pokémon?"

"Indeed. You see, according to studies, while Mew as a species has been spotted pretty much everywhere at some point, from forests to the undersides of trucks, most experts agree that its birthplace must've been somewhere in the southern hemisphere, in the thick of the jungles of Guyana... or, alternatively, a very remote isle known as Faraway Island."

Adalbert nodded along, his gaze more serious. "So, your point is..."

"If it's Mew's birthplace, then that island is in some way every Pokémon's birthplace." Samuel took a deep breath, pondering about how to word his next statement. And then, he stared back at Adalbert again. "The soil of Faraway Island could be able to calm down not just Mew, but every single Pokémon species at the same time."

Silence fell between the two scientists, as Adalbert let Samuel's theory sink in. Samuel gulped, realizing the implications of what he just claimed.

"That's quite a longshot to make, and not particularly logical of you," was Adalbert harsh's reply.

"Pokémon defy what we assume to be logic pretty much every day. It's why they're such fascinating creatures." Samuel attempted to smile, only to quickly sigh and for him to stare at the prototype again. "But still, I acknowledge it's mostly theory, but we don't really have much of another option. We need a solution as quickly as possible, and this is our best chance."

He expected Adalbert to have a retort to make, to point out how flawed and contrived his train of thought had been. He probably underestimated his friend's drive and hasty nature, as his friend quickly grinned back at him, staring at a world map attached to the house's walls.

"So, we're going on a trip to Faraway Island? By what I've heard, that place is not particularly welcoming. We need to be prepared," Adalbert said.

Samuel was just a bit surprised, but he quickly mustered the strength to smile back at his friend, filled with confidence. "I know a friend who'd definitely be onboard to help and would keep our trip and project a secret. She's one of the finest trainers I know."

"And my older brother Booker is a carpenter, with some expertise in manning a ship. He can probably help us out by giving us a ride there."

The main issues tackled, both researchers locked gazes once more, smiles gone and replaced by serious frowns. There was a lot at stake, for both themselves and the world at large, and they couldn't afford to mess that up in any way.

"We're going to do this, then. We'll go to Faraway Island, and obtain a sample of its soil," Samuel said. It still sounded like an unreal plan, but stating their intention made it seem just a bit more possible.

"That's a plan." Hastings agreed with a nod. "Let's do it."

And with that, both men moved on to prepare for the forthcoming expedition, more determined than ever to bring their greatest research to its completion.

----------------------------------------

"Hey, Samuel, you here? We're about to arrive."

A gentle shake was enough to bring Samuel out of his reminescence and back in the presence, snapping to attention and nodding istinctively to Adalbert.

"Yes, sorry, I was just lost in thought," he said. His attention quickly shifted ahead, where the outline of a rather large, lush and green island was starting to become visible in the distance. With the current speed Booker was travelling at, they would probably take a few minutes at worst to reach it.

Samuel frowned, turning back to Agatha, Tony and then Adalbert. They all stood on the ready, mentally preparing themselves for what was to come shortly.

"At the cost of being repetitive, we need to be careful now." Adalbert put a large backpack on his shoulders, furrowing his brow towards the island. "The last step of our research awaits us there."

Now focused, Oak nodded and grabbed a backpack of his own, while Agatha prepared her own Poké Balls. None of them said a further word, for none was needed at that point.

The group remained silent until Booker finally led the ship on the island's shore, anchoring it in place and letting his brother, the trainers and the Gengar hop off on the sand. The older Hastings left the helm and turned to the quartet.

"I'll be waitin' for ya. Be careful 'round here," he said, arms folded.

Adalbert hesitated just a bit before nodding. "We will. Be prepared to depart at any time, Booker."

Booker nodded, going back to make the necessary preparations for a quick departure. And with that, Samuel and his entourage took their first steps into the unknown.