Chapter 2: A Research Fellowship
It was morning in Vermilion City. Everyone was up and ready for the new day. In Cerise Laboratory, Daniel was still fast asleep in his bed within the room he shared with Jake Kidoya, his new "student"—he consider him more of a friend than a student—and Umbreon nudged him with her nose, but Daniel turned away from her, which prompted her to let out a sigh and use her Buzzy Buzz "wake up call".
Daniel screamed loudly when he was electrified by Umbreon.
Jake awoke abruptly by the scream. "Wha…what's going on?!" he asked worriedly and looked up from his lower side of the two-part bed. He noticed Daniel paralyzed, with Umbreon looking at her Trainer. "Oh," was all he added after seeing what was going on.
Daniel shook his head and angrily stared at a giggling Umbreon. "Please do not do that again, sis."
"What? It's so funny to see your reaction when I use my attack on you," Umbreon replied innocently.
Daniel shook his head in disagreement. He heard the door open in a haste and Cerise came in.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Umbreon woke me up with her attack," was all Daniel answered with.
"I see," said Cerise. "Well, good morning, you three. How about coming with me for some breakfast before we talk about today's activity, with you being my research fellows?"
Daniel blinked in realization. He had agreed with Jake that they would assist Professor Cerise in gathering data on all kinds of Pokémon from every region, and that was Ash and Goh's job as well. "Right," he nodded. "Come along, Jake."
"I'm not to be babysitted," Jake reminded. "I can take care of myself."
"Fine, do what you want," Daniel rolled his eyes. "I am going with the Professor to meet with the others."
And he followed Cerise down the hall, Umbreon trailing behind them. Once they were in the lobby, Daniel was greeted with Ren, an assistant of Cerise. Chrysa was also present and warmly greeted the Champion.
"So, what should we do, Professor?" Daniel asked.
"Well, first, I'd like for you two to have this," Cerise started to say to Ash and Goh. "These are smartphones," he explained and handed the phones to the boys, who gratefully took them.
"Thank you, Professor," Ash thanked him.
"Yes, it's really nice," Goh added. "But what are we supposed to do with this?"
Daniel smiled. "Well, this." He showed them his own phone, and he revealed a Rotom in the device to them.
"So there is a Rotom which can install itself in the smartphone?" Goh asked.
"Precisely," Professor Cerise nodded. "This is why I gave you two the smartphones right now. And now, let me just do this." He turned to his two Poké Balls and opened the devices.
Two Rotom came out from the Poké Balls and flew around in the building before Ash and Goh raised their smartphones, as per Cerise's instruction, and the Rotom began flying into the phones.
"Whoa…" Ash breathed. "This is so cool, isn't it, Pikachu?"
"Pika," Pikachu nodded.
"Well, Daniel has been having his Rotom Phone since his father gave him one," Umbreon explained, with Daniel telling them of her thoughts.
"It's just amazing that you can understand a Pokémon and talk with them, Champion Daniel," said Ren, impressed. "Wish I could do that."
"Well…it's an ability I had for quite a while now," Daniel answered, rubbing his neck with a hand.
"So, where should we begin our first assignment?" Jake asked, changing the subject. "I'm ready to catch some Pokémon in Kanto."
"So am I!" Goh added.
"Okay, but first," Cerise started to say. "Goh needs his first Pokémon. Here, Goh. These are the ones you can choose from for your debut as a Pokémon Trainer." He let out a Bulbasaur, Charmander and a Squirtle, who all let out their respective cries.
Goh looked at them all with a smile…before it disappeared from his face. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not interested in any of these."
"Huh?" Daniel blinked. "Why do you reject them, Goh? Aren't they good enough for you?"
"Not in the slightest," Goh said. "I want my first Pokémon to be Mew."
Silence came from the Champion, before Daniel let out a shocked cry. "What?! Mew?!"
"Yes," Goh nodded. "Ever since I first saw Mew at summer camp with Professor Oak, I've always desired Mew as my first Pokémon. So even though these three are good Pokémon, Professor Cerise, I've decided not to pick any."
The three Kanto starters looked at him with sad eyes.
"It's all right, Goh," said Cerise. "I'll just see if any other new Trainer would choose them, then. And," he added to Jake, "as for your first assignment, Jake. I want you and Daniel to check out something for me in the forest near Vermilion City. I have a suspect that something is within that forest. Ren, would you care to explain?"
"Of course, Professor," Ren nodded. "There have been sightings of a new Pokémon near Vermilion City. If you two could catch it for us, we'd appreciate it."
"Sure," Jake said immediately. "I'm always up for a rare Pokémon."
"Me too," Daniel added. "We're ready for our first task as research assistants!"
"You got that right, brother!" Umbreon nodded. "See you later, Pikachu. I hope you enjoy some time with them."
"Pika!" Pikachu gave her a smile.
"We're off, then!" Jake declared as he ran for the door. "Race ya, Daniel!"
"Hey, no fair!" Daniel called out and ran to the opened door when Jake was already out.
~~...~~
Within the forest near Vermilion City, Daniel, Umbreon and Jake were searching for the Pokémon that Ren talked about. Daniel looked up, right and left while Jake was looking in every direction.
"Where could it be?" Jake wondered. "I would really want to catch it before you do, teacher."
"I already said I'm not your teacher," Daniel groaned.
"Well, I already decided to do it anyway," Jake responded. "Anyway, we should split up. We can cover much more ground that way when searching for the Pokémon."
"Good idea," Daniel nodded. "Me and Umbreon will be looking over there." He pointed in the left direction.
"Gotcha," Jake smiled. "I'll be over here." He pointed in the right direction.
"See you later, when I find the Pokémon," Daniel challenged.
"I am always up for a good chase," was Jake's reply. He ran to the right and away from sight.
"Come, brother," said Umbreon calmly. "I know a good way to get that Pokémon out of hiding."
"You do, sis?"
"Absolutely."
Daniel smiled, pleased to hear it. "Then, let's go!" He ran to the left, with Umbreon trailing behind him as they ran.
With Jake
Jake looked around in every direction as he tried to find the rare, hidden Pokémon in the forest out of its hiding. He sighed and an idea came to him. "I know. Riolu, help me out!"
"Lu!" said Riolu when he came out from his Poké Ball.
They began to search further in the forest. "I know it's around here somewhere," Jake mumbled to himself as he looked through a bush and only found a Caterpie. "Ugh," he groaned. He turned away from the Caterpie and looked up to the tree branches.
"Lu! Lu!" Riolu called out to him.
"What is it, Riolu?" Jake asked and moved over to his partner. He moved some of the leaves away in the bush and he noticed something green before it jumped out of hiding. Jake yelped in surprise. "What is that?" he wondered and took his Rotom Phone out.
"No data."
"No data?" Jake questioned. "Then this is the rare Pokémon! Riolu, prepare yourself!"
"Rio!" Riolu nodded.
The wild Pokémon looked at them in challenge. Then it began to run towards Riolu with its paws raised and claws extended.
"It's Scratch. Dodge it, Riolu!" Jake ordered.
Riolu jumped away in time before the attack from the wild Pokémon could hit him. Then he noticed it was growling in anger.
"It's angry," Jake noted. "Don't be afraid, Riolu. Use Force Palm!"
Riolu nodded. He ran up to the wild Pokémon and put its palm on its chest, confusing it before it widened its eyes in shock as a huge light blue blast came from Riolu's paw and sent it flying across the ground.
The Pokémon struggled to stand, being paralyzed.
"All right! Poké Ball, go!" Jake called out as he threw the red and white device at the wild Pokémon, hitting its head before sucking it inside. The Poké Ball landed on the ground, shaking a few times before a ding sound came, signaling its capture.
Riolu came up to the Poké Ball and returned to his Trainer, handing him the Poké Ball containing the newly caught Pokémon.
"All right!" Jake smiled.
"Sprigatito has been registered to your Pokédex."
"Sprigatito?" wondered Jake. "That's a new name. Which region does it come from?"
"The Paldea region."
Jake took that as a good sign.
With Daniel
Daniel was looking around with Umbreon for the Pokémon, unaware of what occurred with Jake at the moment. "Are you certain this is the way, sis?" he asked her for the tenth time. "I'm not sure this is the right direction."
"Trust me. I know where to go," she replied. "If you would stop asking me for the hundredth time about the direction, I could concentrate more on knowing the Pokémon's location."
"But what if Jake has already caught it?"
"That's not happening."
Daniel frowned. He always thought of Jake as someone who would be one step ahead of him, just like he was when Daniel journeyed across Kanto as a debut Trainer.
"You have a call from Jake." It came from his Rotom Phone, which repeated until Daniel took and answered the number.
"Jake?"
"Daniel, you would not believe what I have caught just now!"
"What did you get?"
Umbreon looked at him in curiosity.
"I caught a Sprigatito! It's from the Paldea region! I can't believe my luck!" The tone in his voice was extremely happy.
"A Spriga…tito?" Daniel repeated slowly.
"I'll show you instead at the lab. Let's meet up there." And then Jake hung up.
Daniel blinked. He sighed in defeat.
"What is it, bro?" Umbreon asked.
"Jake has already caught the rare Pokémon," Daniel answered.
"What?!" Umbreon's shocked look was expected. "How could he be so fast?"
"I have no clue, either," Daniel admitted. "Let's go back to the lab."
Umbreon sighed, feeling a slight jealousness inside her, which was visible for Daniel to notice. He smiled and petted her on her head gently.
~~...~~
"Look here, Professor!" Jake exclaimed happily as he showed his Pokémon to Professor Cerise. "A Pokémon from the Paldea region. Isn't it cool?"
"It certainly is, and rather cute," Cerise replied as he looked down at Sprigatito with a smile on his face. "But how did it get here in the Kanto region?"
"No idea," Jake admitted. "But now that I have a new Pokémon, I'm one step ahead of you, Daniel."
Daniel internally thought he was getting better for not saying "teacher" to him again.
"It is rather cute," Ash noted when he lowered himself to Sprigatito's height. "Hi there, Sprigatito. I'm Ash Ketchum. Nice to meet you!" He smiled friendly.
Sprigatito gave a smile in return.
"So, how did your assignment go?" Daniel asked his friends.
"It went well," Goh answered. "We were investigating a horde of Ivysaur and Bulbasaur. It turned out that they were making their way to a tower where they could more easily absorb sunlight and evolve, if they chose to do so."
"Except that Team Rocket tried to intervene," Ash added. "But we fought them off before they could capture any of the Pokémon."
"They just never quit, do they?" Daniel sweat dropped.
"Nope!" Ash laughed.
Umbreon looked at Pikachu. "They tried to take you as well, right, Pikachu?"
"Pika…" Pikachu nodded.
"Those goons. I'd fight them until the very last Team Rocket member is standing before me. I would even be able to stop the organization myself, if I wish," Umbreon said.
Daniel shook his head to her. "Sorry, Umbreon. But that won't be happening."
"I know. It was just a thought."
Daniel shrugged.
"So, what should we do now?" Ash asked.
"Well, we investigated the reason for why Bulbasaur and Ivysaur caused traffic to stop," Goh replied. "So I guess we could take the rest of the day off and relax."
"I'd say that's an excellent idea, Goh," Jake agreed. "I'm beat after searching all over the forest, even though it was Riolu who did all the work in helping me catch Sprigatito."
Sprigatito looked at him in wonder.
Daniel looked at them. "So, what are we waiting for? An invitation for relaxation? Let's get going, guys!"
"You said it!" Ash nodded in agreement to him.
And then they began to go out to the streets of Vermilion City and head down for a café or restaurant to have their relaxation from more work.
Author's Note: Which Pokémon do you guys think Daniel Platinum should catch in the coming chapters of Volume 1 of the story? There are multiple choices, but only the fittest will be chosen for him.