Chapter 3 – Reward

Pokémon Tech, Year 9

Professor Oak's lecture was not as enlightening as I'd hoped for, and I was not the only one who thought so. The main difference is that I understood what he was trying to convey whereas his speech probably went over the head of most of my schoolmates. The Professor explained the importance of the relationship between people and Pokémon and how as trainers, it was our responsibility to prove to everyone else that the bond we share is more than just a way of life, it was essential for the future of both species.

It was something I already knew from seeing all the extraordinary feats of Ash's Pokémon. I've seen them getting back up from attacks that should have knock them out. I've watched them learning attacks or evolving right amidst a battle, moments before certain defeat. It was clear, at least in this world, that opening your heart, and laying down your soul with Pokémon could accomplish miracles. This is literally the power of love and friendship made tangible. A common example is the move Return, which becomes stronger the closer the trainer and the Pokémon are.

Unfortunately, Professor Oak's message did not inspire many. Most were thinking there was probably a hidden meaning in his lecture, that it was not possible for the Samuel Oak to say something so infantile without having meant something more profound. Not even Tim thought about it seriously. After all, he was surrounded with people who did not believe in such things, whether at school or at home. The professor was probably hoping that among the crowd of aspiring students, there will be some who would understand him. I hoped he wasn't too disappointed.

After his lecture, he announced he was organising an essay competition, open to all students, regardless of age or grades. The theme was simple; 'What are Pokémon to you?'

It was a one-page essay that the professor himself will read. He was also offering a reward to the paper he liked the most. When asked about said reward, he simply said it was a surprise, and for each of us to do our best.

Almost everyone was excited, and was eager to show their intellect. My classmates were not so enthused. They felt they had little chance to win since the upperclassmen were also participating. There were hundreds of students in our school, so despite being the top class in our year, they were competing against students with more knowledge and experience than them.

The school system was divided into eight years, each year comparing a travelling trainer with the corresponding number of badges. These years were further divided into four classes; the Beginner Class for one and two badges, the Intermediate Class for three and four, the Advanced Class for five and six, and the Graduate Class for seven and eight. Upon graduating, you were allowed to participate to the Indigo Plateau Conference. Seeing the yearly percentage of dropouts, around half of the graduate class get to participate, even less manage to reach the final rounds. Since our school's foundation, only a few of our graduates have managed to win the competition, and only one so far have reached the level of the elites. I'm talking about the foremost authority on ghost type Pokémon; Agatha of the Elite Four. There was a big portrait of her in the headmaster's office, and the staff liked to brag about how she graduated from our school, even though that was over fifty years ago.

"Kenta" my teacher called for me as I was leaving the hall.

"Yes sir?"

"Come with me" he simply said as he walked towards the stage.

Up there, I saw a few other teachers and seven other students, the top pupils of each year. Professor Oak was conversing with one as we headed towards them.

"Professor Oak, this is Kenta. He is the top student of the first years, as well as the highest scorer in the entrance exam" my teacher interrupted him as he introduced me to the researcher. I bowed politely.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Professor Oak."

"The pleasure is all mine, Kenta" he replied good-naturedly.

"These are our best students, I'm certain they will impress you with their academic prowess" another teacher said confidently.

"I'm sure they will" the professor's smile looked deceptively fake. I did not think he wanted to talk to any of us anymore. He could see through our teachers' attempts to earn his favour for the school by showing their students off.

"In a few years, we would be more than happy to welcome your grandson to our institute" a female teacher offered, trying to get his attention.

"Oh, you've heard of my grandson?" Professor Oak said, still smiling.

"Of course, my sister teaches in Pallet town. She kept talking about her favourite student, grandson of the Professor Oak, and what a remarkable child he is. He is only five years old, correct?"

"Indeed. He only recently started school, so I'm surprised he has already become someone's favourite"

I rolled my eyes, could these professional educators not take a hint? The professor had already caught on their attempts to suck him up, and that female teacher had just told him she and her family were almost stalking his grandchild.

He noticed my eye roll, and smiled at me. I think he was saying he was use to this and could handle himself. Given his reputation, that was probably the truth.

I decided to tune all of them out and think of what I just learned. Gary started school recently, which would make him around five years old, and since he and Ash were the same age, it means the plot will start in about five years. That reminded me: how long was it since Arceus visited me? Wasn't it five years ago? Did he meet me the year Ash was born? All of this meant that I will have to change my plans accordingly.

"Kenta, you coming?" a student, the second year I think, called to me as the whole group was walking towards the exit.

"Where are we going?" I asked her.

"I see you weren't listening. The professor has agreed to take a look at our Pokémon" she said, mildly irritated.

Oh.

Pallet Town, Professor Oak's laboratory, 9 p.m.

Professor Oak's POV

'The late evenings in Pallet Town are always wonderfully peaceful' I thought, looking at my garden through the window of my study. I could see several nocturnal Pokémon coming out for their daily (nightly?) activities.

I was in the middle of reading those essays from those Pokémon Tech students. It's been two days since my visit, and I could only hope that my words would provide the wisdom these young people needed to succeed. The teachers were, frankly, disappointing. In my opinion, they were more suited to teach subjects such as mathematics, languages, and science. Their knowledge of Pokémon was limited to books and research papers, which, considering my profession, I found ironic. I might have contributed to the mindset those educators were embracing.

After reading the essays of their students, I was convinced that they needed to look deeper into what Pokémon were. Most were clever attempts to earn my approval, as I found that many have quoted me in their texts, or used my papers as references. I was saddened to see that they only believed in the bonds between people and Pokémon on paper, as I could distinctly perceive their minds in their writings. As I finished reading most of the dissertations, I could only conclude that no one truly deserved to win my contest, and I started thinking on how I was going to inform the institute of this.

Until I reached his paper; Kenta of Viridian City.

I remembered that boy. Average height, black hair, serious eyes. Even more memorable was his shiny Eevee. He remembered examining that Pokémon. Fascinating colour aside, the fur was soft with vibrant colours, signs of good care. Its eyes held confidence and power, signs of consistent training. That Pokémon was excellently raised. I could feel the time and effort Kenta put into his Eevee. But what I would never forget was the banter between the two; Eevee looked annoyed at his trainer, it turned its head away, all the while pouting, when Kenta addressed it. The boy only signed and told Eevee he was not going to change his mind no matter how childish it acted. When I enquired, Kenta told me of Eevee's fondness for cheese and how it recently took far more than its daily intake allowed, so he cut it off from that particular food for a week. I saw from the corner of my eye the disapproving looks of the teachers and his fellow top students; to them it was probably a sign of lack of discipline. I, for one, knew what this was; friendship. The kind that I always wanted people and Pokémon to form. I could not help but smile at the memory of this boy and his Pokémon as I started with his essay.

"What?" I exclaimed aloud as I read the first line; Pokémon are Tools, he wrote.

I did not expect that with how strong the relationship the boy had with his Eevee. As I read further, I could not help chuckling at what he wrote. I could tell he meant every word. When I finished, I let out a breath I did not realise I was holding.

'Interesting' I thought. The writing itself was blunt but sincere. The boy's thoughts and feelings towards Pokémon was provocative, but I could not deny it made a lot of sense. It also told me the kind of person Kenta was, and was aspiring to be. I asked myself if I wanted to see how far he would go as he was growing up, and decided that; yes. I wanted to see what kind of trainer he was going to become.

Pokémon Tech, Year 9

Normal POV

It was surprising yet comforting how peaceful my life was at the moment. It's been a week since Professor Oak's visit. I know since Eevee loudly demanded his cheese first thing this morning. My time has quickly settled into a routine; wake up, eat, learn, train, sleep, that's it. Every week I'd call my father and grandparents just to talk. It was strange how easily I adapted to this world and got use to everything around me; freaking Pokémon, and sci-fi level tech (I mean c'mon; PokéBalls, subspace bags, Pokémon centers). When did I start seeing those things as mundane?

I was currently napping with Eevee under a tree while Tim was reading a book. We were in the middle of free period, the weather was comfortably cool, perfect for sleeping, especially after weeks of intensive training. Suddenly the school's PA system announced "Attention please, Kenta of class 1-A, please head to the headmaster's office immediately. I repeat: Kenta of class 1-A, please head to the headmaster's office immediately."

I groaned, silently cursing that my resting time had been interrupted. I got up and Eevee, who was lying on my stomach, jumped to the ground.

"Return for now, Eevee" I told my partner as I used his PokéBall which fired its red light. Pokémon were allowed to roam free in most part of the campus. There were a few exceptions; such as the library, and the staff's offices.

"I'll see you later, Tim" I told my human friend, the latter did not even look up from his book.

"Okay, see you" he said simply.

A few people looked my way but no one asked me why I was summoned.

When I entered the office, the headmaster and my homeroom teacher were present as well as…

"Hello Professor Oak, it is nice to see you again" I said as I bowed towards the man.

"Hello again, Kenta" he said kindly.

"Have a seat, Kenta" the headmaster said pointing to the chair in front of the professor.

"Now Kenta, do you know why you are here?" my teacher asked.

"I believe it has to do with the essay contest" I replied confidently.

"Indeed. You are quite perceptive, my boy. Among all the papers submitted, I liked yours the most. However, before we proceed, I have a few questions I'd like to ask" Professor Oak said.

"Ask away, professor"

"What are your plans for the near future?"

I pondered on this question as I thought on how to word my answer. I wanted to tell it to him clearly, while making sure to not reveal my foreknowledge.

"I intend to graduate as soon as possible, while focusing on my Pokémon. I want to acquire as much knowledge as I can before competing in the Indigo League" I explained briefly, hoping the other two adults would not raise a fuss. I glanced at them, then return my gaze to the professor.

I could not reveal my exact plans. I did intend to graduate quickly, but I had no intention to enter the Indigo League that way. I was planning to go on a journey, because that was where the greatest experiences could be found. The principle of the video games and anime was the journey. However, the headmaster and teacher would definitely disapprove, as they saw that kind of thing to be inferior compared to their academic-centered methods. They would annoyingly try to discourage my plans, so it was better for them to think I was entering the League immediately after graduation. Once I graduate, they would not be able to dictate my actions, or inflict any restrictions on me. I could only hope the professor would understand the hidden words in my explanation.

"I see. What Pokémon do you intend to use then?" the man asked.

"The Pokémon that are mine. Present and future. The ones I've raised and trained personally."

"Will you train these Pokémon at school?"

"Yes, the school has many facilities for the development of Pokémon"

"And if you win the competition, what next?"

"I suppose I'll challenge the Elite Four. But I didn't exactly plan that far ahead."

"Are you interested in visiting other regions?"

I stopped to think about this one. I definitely wanted to visit the other regions of the anime; it'd be stupid not to. I also wanted to catch Pokémon exclusive to those regions. I also had an inkling that was what Arceus wanted from me from the beginning.

"Oh yes!" I replied cheerfully, half-faking it. "I would love to travel and see the sights in other regions."

I carefully did not mention how I thought the other regions had more opportunities. As much as I loved Kanto (it is my home, and my first game was Pokémon Blue, so nostalgic!), I found other regions to be more interesting. I was careful not to mention that to the other people in the room, and I acted like I just wanted to go to these places as a tourist.

Professor Oak gave me a big genuine smile. I was starting to dread he could read my mind.

"I understand. Well, I am satisfied with your skills, intellect, and drive. You more than deserve this" he said as he opened the small briefcase he had put on the side.

Inside was a single PokéBall on top of a file.

"A short while ago, this Pokémon was given to a beginner trainer, just starting her journey. However, she did not last very long. She lost most of her battles, and failed to acquire her first badge. She realised that she had little talent in Pokémon battles, and decided to abandon the path of the Pokémon trainer. She returned this Pokémon and asked me to find a better trainer that could bring out its true potential. I am convinced you have the qualities needed to do so" he explained.

I looked at him, then at the PokéBall. Without further ado, I took it.

"The file underneath is my own analysis of that Pokémon. It has a mild distrust towards young humans. I believe due to its experience; it thinks that all children are like its former trainer. It will be your role to change its mind" he added.

"I understand" I said as I took the file as well. "I will show it what I'm made of."

The professor laughed at my statement, "I'm looking forward to your progress, Kenta. You and your Pokémon." He paused.

"Go and acquaint yourself with your new friend, Kenta. I still have a few things I would like to discuss with your headmaster" he finished politely.

I quickly stood up, bowed to all three adults, and promptly left.

I headed straight to my room. Unlike most rooms, mine was single and ensuite. A privilege for the top students of each year, and a motivation for others to dethrone us.

"Eevee, come out" I said a I held his PokéBall.

When Eevee appeared, I explained to him the circumstances which lead to us acquiring our new friend, as well as the latter's history. I asked my partner to make it feel welcome, and to show it the ropes on how we work.

Eevee happily agreed.

With the PokéBall in hand, I summoned my new Pokémon "show yourself"

In a white light, it appeared in all its blue-green splendour. According to Professor Oak's file, it was male.

"Tell me," I addressed him, looking straight into his red eyes, "do you wish for strength and power?"

"Bulba?" he replied confusedly, with a tilted head.