2 - Interesting Encounters

Xander POV

It's been about four months since Oak hired Daniel and I. At first, he was a bit skeptical, but the moment we said something about Celebi, all his doubts vanished and he immediately hired us. Daniel was given a majority of fieldwork research, going out and capturing Pokemon throughout Kanto for the Professor to study, then sending them back to their original habitat. He was only ever around for a couple of days a week.

Though somehow, he managed to get along with Ash and Gary quite well within the first week, though he constantly makes sure to put the latter's ego in check whenever it begins to rear its ugly head. Ash, on the other hand, had taken to occasionally working with Daniel to go out and capture Pokemon. Perhaps he'll be a bit more intelligent this time with Daniel helping?

As for me, I help with the Professor and programming the Pokedex, gathering data on the Pokemon Daniel captured, or doing his paperwork when he has to go to a conference with his fellow professors. That last one is a real pain… though it has gotten me officially verified as a Pokemon Professor by the other Professors, under the name Professor Hawthorn. Daniel's work has gotten him to Assistant level, though I believe that's because he does more grunt work. I have to deal with the nitty gritty and painful details.

I… guess I befriended Ash and Gary. Not really sure about the latter. Ash is on friendly terms with me, and I occasionally teach him about Kanto Pokemon when I have some free time and he asks me about them. He also helps the Pokemon calm down when Oak and I are doing physical examinations. He has my thanks for that Squirtle Incident, I was almost utterly drenched. Gary, on the other hand, has a sort of on-off friendship with me. Some days he helps out around the lab, other days I have to knock him down multiple pegs when he brags about already being the best.

"Hey, Xander!"

I stop typing my brief documentation on the Programming Pokemon and to the raven haired nine year old. "Ash, while I'm working I'm Professor Hawthorn, remember?"

"Oh, sorry Professor Hawthorn…" Ash apologizes. "But, can you tell me about any Legendary Pokemon?" Ash asked eagerly. "Gary says he knows everything about them, but I don't believe him! Since you're the smartest one here, a-aside from Professor Oak of course, I thought you might know a thing or two about some!"

I sigh. "Well, first off, Legendary Pokemon are exceedingly rare, hypothetically there is only one of each in this world… though there is speculation about them having the ability to make copies of themselves… but if that's true, nobody, save a few lucky people, have ever seen one."

"Wait, they can copy themselves!?"

I motion my hands in a 'calm down' gesture. "Maybe, we don't know for sure. It's just a guess or possibility that we've taken into account. I, admittedly, have caught a glimpse of a Legendary, same with Daniel and Professor Oak."

"WOAH!" Ash exclaimed in awe. "Really!? Which one!?"

"Daniel and I saw Mew," I inform the child, "but for the Pokemon's privacy, I will not say where we saw Mew."

Ash frowned sadly. "Aww… I'd like to see him… but I guess it would be kinda rude…" He instantly perked right back up and got a little closer to me. "Well, if I can't see him, can you at least tell me everything you know?"

"Well, I believe Mew is a Psychic type, as it was floating around when we saw it," I tell him. I try to keep my tone speculative and use words that a nine year old can understand… let me tell you: not easy. "I couldn't get a picture of it, but Daniel and I managed a rough drawing on how Mew looked."

I turn back to my computer and bring up the electronic drawing we did. I moved my chair a little so the small kid could see the picture. "It's not exactly what it looked like, but it's the best Daniel and I could do."

"Wow…" Ash breathed in awe. "You said Professor Oak saw one too, right? What did he see?!"

I smirk in amusement. "I'm afraid you'll have to ask the good professor on that one. That's not my story to tell."

"Aw…" Ash whined. "Wait, do you know anything about any other Legendaries? Surely someone as smart as you knows a few things about them, right?" I sigh at his pleading. As cold hearted as I was, I was never one to deny somebody knowledge I could freely give. The mind is a powerful tool, after all.

But the heart is stronger.

I wince internally as Mew's words floated through my head. I turn my attention back to Ash. "Well, I guess I could tell you a few things I know about them. Though keep in mind, not all of what I know is completely proven, since Legendaries are so rare, it's hard to learn much about the save for the rare glance."

"I understand!" Ash nodded confidently. Yeah… he doesn't understand. He's a nine year old, after all.

"Alright… let's see where I should start…"

Daniel POV

I walk back into the Professor Oak's lab, tired as all get out from having to catch several Abra. Sure, they might not be able to attack, but dear Arceus does their teleporting get annoying! I open the door to the main lab without my usual fanfare, too tired to even slam it open. Of course, this lets me see a most unusual (even though it's often) sight.

The life hating Xander was casually talking with the young Ash Ketchum without any form of hostility. I couldn't help but smile at the sight. This was the Xander I knew and befriended, a kind and gentle soul who enjoyed teaching others. I couldn't help but frown as I absently wondered what caused his drastic change for the worse. I shake the dark thoughts away and regard the relationship between the hyperactive and naive pre-trainer and the cold and calculating Professor.

Despite Xander's denials that Ash was merely a talking partner and occasional brain dump for his thoughts, I could see that my old friend really saw Ash as a younger brother, whether he realized it or not. This made me glad for three reasons. One, my friend actually opened up (even if it wasn't by much) to somebody. Two, Ash would have several modicums of intelligence more in his journey now with Xander teaching him. And lastly, Xander would protect Ash.

Why is that so major to me? Well, in school Xander was often seen as some harmless awkward nerd, and was often left alone, much to his pleasure. However… when something Xander cares about is threatened… well the culprit usually has a very bad time. Honestly, I wouldn't wish Xander's wrath on my worst enemy.

"What Pokemon you teaching Ash about now Professor?" I ask my friend.

"Hey Daniel!" Ash greets enthusiastically, "Xa- I mean, Professor Hawthorn was just teaching me about Ho-Oh! He says Ho-Oh has feathers of every color! Isn't that awesome!"

"That is pretty cool!" I reply. "Though I bet old Hawthorn here likes black, eh?"

"I do like black coffee now, yes," my friend replies with a wry smirk. "And don't be jealous because I look way better in black than you do."

"Meh," I shrug with indifference. "Well, I'm gonna take a nap. Catching those Abra's were a pain in the-"

"Daniel."

I turn sheepish at my near slip of the tongue. "Er… sorry. I'll just… go." With a confused Ash looking at Xander, and Professor Hawthorn glaring at me, I went to my room in the Lab. It was kinda ironic really, Xander swore more than me anyways… then again, he is more professional and formal when he's working as Professor Hawthorn.

I collapse on my bed and instantly fall asleep.

Xander POV

As Daniel leaves I turn back to my computer and nearly swear myself at the time. "Sorry Ash, I should get back to work. I have a document regarding a Pokemon I have to submit before the end of the day, and I'm sadly a bit behind due to Professor Oak needing a bug fixed with the Pokedex."

Ash's face fell, but he left. I may not like people, but I can't find it in me to be cold to him like I am to everyone else. Either way, I don't like disappointing people, but I need to finish this report. I am admittedly less than ten minutes away from completing it, but as a Professor, I need to show more maturity and instead of rushed work and lazy revision, I need to take things seriously, and that includes doing my best work all the time.

Before I turn back to my computer, I briefly feel the slip of paper in my pocket. For something that depresses me, it is probably one of the few things that calm me down, the last reminder of… I shake my head and turn back to my computer, instantly clicking back into my report and instantly began typing. This is no time to get hung up on the past.

Eight minutes later, I'm checking over my work, making sure there are no grammar or spelling mistakes. I'm the youngest Professor in several decades, and I am not going to prove Rowan right that a teenager can become a Professor by submitting poor work. He assigned this particular Pokemon as a challenge, and I'll be darned if I don't blow his socks off with the quality of my work!

Wait.

I pause and scroll a little to something that caught my eye. It was this random sentence that I know was not there before. Frowning, I move my mouse to delete this random thing.

Then it moved.

"What in the-" I mutter in surprise under my breath. I am the son of a senior software programmer, and even she never saw this kind of thing happen before! I scroll throughout my document, trying to catch whatever this thing is.

Three minutes later, I nearly facepalm at my stupidity. I should have been searching the code, not the application! Mentally degrading myself for such mistakes, I open the code for my documenting app, only to be suddenly blinded as my screen went a brilliant white.

Confused and startled, I fell out of my chair and knock several things off the shelf by my side, the clunking and bonking noises foretelling a boring cleanup. Suddenly, my psychic abilities picked up another presence suddenly appearing in the room. Panicked, I grab the nearest thing on the ground, some sort of ball, and throw it at the presence.

It was then that I heard the vacuum sound of a Pokemon getting sucked into a Pokeball.

Classic accidental capture…

When the bright light faded away, and I blinked the infinite spots out of my eyes, I slowly get to my feet and grab the Pokeball with a suddenly familiar presence inside of it. Perhaps that feeling is how trainers identify the Pokemon within their Pokeballs? I pocket the Pokeball for later and clean up the numerous objects that fell to the floor, namely Pokeballs and folders (which were a pain to put back together), before turning back to my computer. Nothing looked wrong…

Just to be safe, I minimized the code for the document app and turn to said app. A thorough check assured me nothing was wrong. I look over it once more just to be cautious, then print several copies out. As the papers were printing, I take the Pokeball out and lightly let out the Pokemon.

As I partially suspected to immense irony, a polyhedral blue and red Pokemon levitated in front of me, briefly looking around before turning to me. "Initiating Greeting: Hello." The voice was electronic and monotone, but it wasn't the voice I was concerned about.

I blink. "Did… did you just speak my language?"

"Processing Query…" the Porygon spun the blue triangular prisms at its sides… as it spoke. "Initiating Response: No." Before I could reply, the Porygon suddenly spun the prisms at its side again. "Initiating Query: Are. You. Psychic?"

"U-Uh… yeah?"

"Processing Response…" insert prism spinning here. "Initiating Response: Psychics. Can. Understand. Pokemon. Due. To. Telepathy. Links … It. Is. The. First. Skill. All. Psychics. Learn."

"Ah… that makes sense… I've never really tried to talk to a Pokemon before… so I guess I never bothered to form a telepathic link…"

"Processing Response…" Spinning prisms again. "Initiating Response: Correct. … Telepathy. Is. All. About. Concentration."

"Umm… is it alright if I nickname you?" I ask.

"Processing Query…" And… there are the spinning prisms. "Initiating Response: Yes."

"Then, I'm calling you Java from now on."

"Processing…" Spinning Prisms… "Updating System…" more spinning Prisms. "Update Complete: Identification changed from 'Porygon' to 'Java'."

"Will you have to do the whole processing thing in battle too?" I inquire, a bit worried.

"Processing Query…" Spin- (Oh forget it, I'm done writing that over and over again.) "Initiating Response: No. … I. Can. Process. Attacks. Three. Hundred. Fifty. Five. Percent. Faster. Than. Abnormal. Processes."

"Ah… that's good to know…" I sigh with relief. I blink as I realized I didn't introduce myself. "Oh, I'm Professor Xander Hawthorn, by the way. Call me Xander for short.

"Processing Response… Initiating Response: Greetings. Xander."

"Greetings to you too, Java," I return. "Are you alright with staying in your Pokeball?"

I sigh as my new Pokemon takes ten seconds just to say 'Yes'.

Daniel POV

"Abra!"

I groan as I wake up, the dreaded mocking call of the teleporting menace ringing in my ears. The moment I open my eyes I see an Abra right in front of me. This, surprisingly, was a common occurrence. Many Pokemon had come out of the Lab balls before and sat on my chest as I slept. Same thing happened to Xander whenever he fell asleep on the job. He was getting better at it, but he still had a strange love for sleeping only during the day.

"Abra, abra!"

"What…?" I groan.

The Abra then points at an empty Pokeball on my bed stand. I keep a normal one (the Lab balls are 'neutral', meaning the Pokemon captured doesn't become instantly domesticated) in case the Pokemon I'm sent out to capture happens to catch my interest. So far, nothing has come up… though I was tempted to bring it with me for the Abra… but I was worried I'd lose it. Sure, I could buy another one, but I really don't want to have to walk all the way to Viridian City and back just for a few Pokeballs. Also, my paycheck isn't the greatest. Only $200 a week.

Xander gets somewhere around $750 as a Professor. But his paycheck is lower since he only just started out. Technically is job title is 'Apprentice Professor'. Oak, I believe, gets over $10000… he has been doing his job for several decades though.

I'm brought out of my thoughts when the Abra suddenly pressed the Pokeball button and got sucked in. The ball didn't even shake before it clicked with success. Well then… guess that happened. Heh… I caught a Pokemon before Xander! Hah!

"You good Daniel?" Xander asked as he walked into my room. "I heard groaning."

"An Abra decided to wake me up and catch itself," I shrug with a smirk.

"Why are you smirking?" he asked, confused.

"I, a mere assistant, caught a Pokemon for myself before one of the Professors I work for!" I stated triumphantly. To my own confusion, Xander smirks and pulled out a…

A Pokeball.

A small burst of light occured, as Xander let out his Pokemon. Which, not to my surprise, was a Porygon. Xander was fanatic about Porygon, especially Porygon-Z. And from the amount of times he has wiped my team with one… his appreciation is well founded.

"Pory-gon?" it's voice was electronic… and very slow. Those three syllables took a good ten seconds to say.

"Java, this Daniel, Daniel this is Java," Xander politely introduced.

I cock an eyebrow. "Java? Really?" I snort in amusement.

"Pory… gon gon pory?"

"You're named after a coding language, that's why he's laughing."

Java's feet (?) spun for a moment before he spoke again. "Gon."

"Did you have to do all that just to say, 'oh'?" Xander groaned.

Wait… is Xander…

"Pory… gon."

Xander sighed. "Great, I've only had you in my party for half an hour and you've already picked up on my sarcasm."

"Can… you understand him?" I ask tentatively.

He nods. "Yeah. I have to concentrate on him though. For now, at least, I hope. If I concentrate on other Pokemon, I should be able to understand them."

"Unfair…" I groan as Xander returns Java.

"Not really," he sighed. "About 90% of everything Java says are commands on what he is doing. And he can only say one word at a time. It gets a bit annoying, very fast."

"Did I hear a Porygon?" Oak's voice carried through the Lab. Seems like he came back from whatever errand he had to do. A few moments later, the grandfatherly professor appeared in the doorway of my room.

"Hey, Oak," Xander greeted politely (apparently Professors didn't need to use the title with one another when in person). "And yes, you did hear a Porygon. I had an… interesting experience with my computer when it suddenly came out of it. I was a bit startled and knocked over a few things, and panickedly threw something. That 'something' turned out to be a Pokeball. The rest is pretty much history."

Professor Oak smiled. "That is quite an interesting experience indeed, Professor Hawthorn! Though, speaking of computers, have you finished that report on the very Pokemon you caught?"

"Now that is not a coincidence," I state. "I know Xander well enough to know coincidences don't really happen around him."

Xander shrugged. "Perhaps Java was intrigued by the countless uses of its name?" He suggested lightly. "If someone was constantly using my name I'd be interested in what's going on."

"Perhaps…" Oak commented thoughtfully. "Though, again, the report, Hawthorn? I'm sure neither of us want to make Rowan too smug so early in tomorrow's conference."

Xander smirked. "Eight copies already printed out and two extras just in case."

Professor Oak chuckled. "Prepared, a good trait for a Professor! If this pleases enough of the board, you may just get a raise." He suddenly snapped his fingers. "That reminds me! Speaking of raises, you're getting one, Daniel. We'll discuss more about it after Hawthorn and I get back from the conference.

"I'm just gonna change my name to Hawthorn," Xander sighed. "Bowman is ironic of me anyways, I can't shoot a bow to save my life."

"Wait… really?" I blink in surprise. I didn't know that!

"I can't use any ranged thing really," Xander shrugged. "I'm cross eye dominant. I'm always off."

"Huh…" I mutter. "Well… I shouldn't keep you both here, I'll get cleaned up. I worked up a sweat trying to catch those Abra."

"Abra are indeed a very tricky Pokemon to capture…" Professor Oak nodded. "But I was confident you could do it, and I am glad to see my confidence was well placed." I could feel myself blushing at the compliment. Professor Oak checks his watch, and his eyebrows raised rapidly. "Dear me! Is that the time? Hawthorn, get in the car, we have a flight to catch!"

With that Oak and Xander practically bolted out of the lab.

Pwsh.

"Abra?"

"If you're saying they're strange… then you'd be right…" I comment, not even needing to look at Abra to know it was confused. What I also didn't look at was that Abra let itself out of its Pokeball…