Previously, we've followed the exploits of Carly Shay and Samantha Puckett as they formed a bond that might just last forever. But they're not the only ones that are headed for the adventure of a lifetime. Our story now takes us to the research facility of none other than the esteemed Professor Oak, in a room rarely seen by the outside world...
On a battle court in the basement of Oak's lab, A Tauros and a Magnemite stare each other down. Their trainers are the Professor himself on one end and Fredward Benson, one of his assistants.
The latter orders his Magnemite to use Thunder Wave, paralyzing its opponent.
The Professor commended him. "Well done, my boy! You understood that Magnemite wouldn't be able to take Tauros on in a straight fight, so you elected to paralyze it instead."
The black haired boy allowed himself a smirk, which didn't go unnoticed.
"Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves..." Oak chided, before ordering his Pokémon to use one move in particular.
"Flamethrower."
The Wild Bull Pokémon sat there, waiting until the moment its condition abated for the moment, coinciding with the moment that the Magnet Pokémon tired of its Tackling attempts, and then...
Magnemite was out cold in a blaze of glory.
Fredward, or as many closer to him would call him, Freddie, was more confused than anything as he cradled the sentient magnet in his arms.
"Um... Thanks for the lesson, Professor, but why the obvious mismatch?"
Recalling his Pokémon, Oak went over and put a hand on Freddie's shoulder. "Because, my boy, there's a time where you have to know when to fold."
The boy raised an eyebrow. "How, exactly, does that help?"
"It helps to know that there's a time and place for everything, whether to act or not to act..."
Oak's diatribe was cut short by his watch beeping. "Right, it's time for us to get going. We've got another show to stream. Rotom should be off snacking again. Pick it up, will you?"
The boy nodded. "I'll go drop Magnemite off first."
"In 5... 4... 3... 2..."
"Welcome to the world of Pokémon!"
Freddie couldn't help but smile as he heard those words, as the elderly man spoke with all the gusto of someone a third of his age. He manned the camera more as a technicality than anything since the drone possessed by the electrical wisp of protoplasm known as Rotom had long supplanted any need for a digital camera.
He didn't really expect what Oak did next, though.
"Of course, this time, I'm not alone." Oak beckoned for Freddie to come here. "There's someone else I'd like you to meet, and he'll give you a small glimpse of how wide our world really is..."
The boy did as instructed, though he mumbled an "oh, boy" as he did so.
Oak didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes said, "Just play along..."
So he did. "Um... Hello, I'm Freddie, one of the professor's aides, and he's right. There are almost 900 confirmed species of Pokémon that roam every part of the world."
Oak picked it up from there, producing and throwing a Ball from his pocket. It was a Meowth this time. "Whether they're as common as this Meowth here, or as rare as the revered Ho-oh and Lugia."
Oak pet the feline before recalling it. He had Freddie pick it up from here.
"Y-yeah, well many people choose to live alongside their Pokémon, competing with them in Pokémon battles. These people are called Pokémon Trainers..."
Oak took it from there.
"...and others who seek to team up with these wonderful creatures to shock and
amaze a crowd of people in a multitude of ways in events called Pokémon Contests. The Trainers here are designated as Contest Coordinators."
...and so it went. Soon enough, the stream was done, and Oak was congratulating his progeny on a job well done.
"You did well, considering how I sprung this whole thing on you."
"Thanks, I guess."
The smile soon faded, to be replaced by a certain look. Something far more serious than usual.
"Brace yourself, Freddie. There's something I need to talk to you about."
The boy had an idea where this was going. "If this is another talk about becoming a trainer, then the answer has to be no."
"Just hear me out. I wouldn't be sending you out on a journey, technically... More like something akin to fieldwork. I would have you 'working' under Rowan in Sinnoh. I'm not as young as I used to be, you know, and i need someone out there that can be my eyes and ears..."
The boy crossed his arms. "What about Red?"
"He's in Alola with Blue."
The boy threw his hands up. "Literally anyone else?"
A shake of the head was his answer.
"Well..."
The professor made his point clearer. "Look. You're a growing boy in the prime of his life. Someone like you shouldn't be cooped up in a lab all the time."
Freddie knew where this was going. "She would still-"
"Relax. I will deal with Marissa. I'll just have you 'play along' like you did today."
Now cautiously optimistic, he asked, "What did you have in mind?"
Oak raised a finger into the air. "I'll relay to you the story...once I think of it."
Freddie's palm couldn't connect with his face fast enough.
"I'm doomed..."
Soon enough, Freddie would find himself on a plane to Hearthome Airport, giving the professor's story to a certain someone while waiting for takeoff...
An older woman who bore a striking resemblance to the boy himself, his own mother, was reading him the riot act. It was all he could do to keep up a poker face.
"A research trip?"
"Yup. I'm going to be meeting up with Professor Rowan to help him do some research on Pokémon evolution."
"I don't know, Freddie. This is awfully sudden..."
"Professor Oak said that it was really important and that he thought it was better if I get some experience in another region."
Freddie had to force an appearance of composure. Insanely overprotective as his mother was, it did bother him to lie to her, especially when he didn't know what to exactly tell her, as someone didn't give him anything to go on.
"Hmm..." The boy held his breath without realizing it. Would she suspect something? "As long as you're not going to be journeying or anything like that..."
He breathed a sigh of relief that turned into one of exasperation when he heard the inevitable.
"Okay, then. You didn't forget your Joltik Lotion, right?"
"Yes, Mom."
"Your bug-type Spray?"
"Yes."
"Your..."
The doting continued for the next five minutes, which seemed like forever to Freddie. He considered it to be a mercy that the flight attendant came by to force his mom to end the call.
A touch of unease (or was it guilt?) pricked him as he ended the call and the plane took off. He knew that in her own obsessive, warped way, she really did love him...
Sighing, he fiddled with his Rotom Phone, putting it in its airplane mode. Maybe she would one day understand that he just wasn't going to be around forever and that she needed to be able to live without him... Maybe she'd even find a hobby of her own...
He shook his head, smiling at the thought.
Er, uh... Family matters aside, it looks like Freddie is on the road to Sinnoh to meet with Professor Rowan in the Sinnoh Region for reasons even he's not clear on......but what's this?
A commotion stirred Freddie awake from a dreamless sleep. People were saying something about looking out the window. He glanced only to be pricked wide awake by a heart-sinking sight. A massive airship with a big, fat "R" plastered on the side.
...stay tuned.
TO BE CONTINUED...