Rory and Aoki entered the lab, their eyes immediately finding Mew resting on the recovery table. The small mythical Pokémon looked more relaxed than the last time they saw it, its bright eyes full of life as it floated gently above its cushions, its tail swaying lazily in the air. Next to Mew, a giant collection of pens floated in the air, gently juggling themselves in a telekinetic dance.

Mew giggled as it made the pens dance in the air, a blue pen was running away from the pink pen, a yellow, peach and orange pen seemed to be in an air race, the black, red, green and a gold pen seemed to be fighting one another, a purple pen was doing acrobatics, and a silver and light blue seemed to be dancing with one another.

Professor Cedar smiled at them as they entered. "Ah, Rory, Aoki! You're just in time. It seems Mew has made some new friends with my pen collection," he said, watching the pens twirl and spin gracefully in midair. As Professor Oak tried to scribble something down with a pencil.

Aoki giggled. "Mew looks like it's having fun."

Aqua, standing near Mew, nodded. "It's amazing to see Mew so playful, but I've been studying its injuries closely... something's been bothering me."

Rory frowned, curious. "What do you mean?"

Aqua turned serious, glancing at Mew with concern. "When I was checking over Mew's injuries, I noticed some unusual wounds. These didn't seem to be from the Nidoqueen you guys fought. I'm 100% sure of it. Only one of the injuries Mew got seemed to have come from it and it's wound that would be negligible, It is impossible for a Nidoqueen to do the rest of injuries that we can see and detect. The marks were different, almost like... they were caused by something more precise, something unnatural."

Aoki's expression shifted, her brows furrowing. "Unnatural? You mean like... from people?"

Aqua nodded grimly. "It's possible. The cuts and burns I saw weren't the kind you get from battling wild Pokémon. They looked like they could've been caused by experiments—controlled damage, almost."

The thought sent a shiver down Rory's spine. "That would explain why Mew was so desperate to get away. Someone must have captured it before we found it. But who on earth would do such a thing to Mew?"

"I can think of a couple of mad people" Professor Cedar said grimly "There was a woman who was so obsessed with the Lucario's aura abilities she sabotaged a teleporter so that she would transform into her own Lucario when she teleported with him. They are now more animal than human in mind now. Then there was that group team Pla…whatever in Unova, I had to protect Keldeo and a Victni from them. Then there was that crazy witch so in love with her Gallade that she…" Professor Cedar shuddered as if trying to complete that sentence made him violently ill.

"Point is." Professor Oak said as he grabbed on of the pens floating over Mew as Mew looked on mildly annoyed "Legendary or mythical or even regular pokemon, you can guarantee that there will be a nutjob over them."

Professor Cedar sighed; his face clouded with concern. "It wouldn't be the first time certain groups have tried to exploit a Pokémon as powerful as Mew. The so called 'first' Pokémon that Arceus himself made. I can think of a few people who would cut off their right arm if it meant having to look at it. But, for now, Mew is safe here. We'll focus on its recovery, and once it's strong enough, it can make its own choice about what it wants to do next."

Rory glanced at Mew, watching as the mythical Pokémon giggled silently to itself, spinning a pen that it grabbed back from an annoyed Professor Oak in the air while a few others gently hovered around it. Despite its immense power, Mew looked so innocent, so carefree it was hard to imagine something so terrible happening to it.

"At least Mew seems to be doing better now," Rory said, his voice softening. "I guess your pens are a hit, Professor Cedar."

Cedar chuckled. "Mew's taken a real liking to showing off its telekinesis."

Aoki smiled warmly, watching Mew's little performance as it made the ink come out of the pens, made all of the ink do a little dance in the air as the light simmered though it making a tiny light show, then sent the ink back to the correct pen as if it had never left. "It's kind of sweet. You've really made it feel at home here, Professor."

Aqua, shifting his gaze from Mew, turned to Rory and Aoki with an impressed look. "By the way, I can see that you guys got your first Gym Badge?" He said pointing to their badge on their shirt "That's incredible. I heard that the Pewter City Gym isn't easy."

Aoki blushed slightly, flattered by the praise. "Thanks, Aqua. It was a tough battle, but we pulled through together. Blaze and Silver worked hard."

Rory grinned, nudging Aoki playfully. "Yeah, we make a pretty good team. We couldn't have done it without each other."

"We are strong partners…But not like that. We are more like Brother and Sister." Aoki said nervously as she looked on at the mildly puzzled Aqua.

Aqua nodded, admiration clear in his eyes. "Well, it's obvious you two make a great team. I can't wait to see how you handle Cerulean City next."

"Speaking of which," Aoki said, excitement building in her voice, "we're actually heading there next. We're taking the cable car up Mt. Moon to get there. We just popped in to see how Mew is doing."

"That sounds like a nice adventure," Aqua replied. "The view from the cable car is amazing. You'll love it."

Professor Cedar glanced at Mew, who was still juggling the pens telekinetically, occasionally letting one fall before catching it mid-air again. "Mew will be in good hands while you're gone. We'll continue monitoring its recovery here."

Rory gave Mew one last look before turning to Aoki. "Ready for our next stop?"

Aoki nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! Cerulean City, here we come."

Before they left, Aoki approached Mew, giving it a soft smile. "Take care, little one. We'll be back soon."

Mew chirped happily in response, twirling one of the pens in the air as if to show off its improving strength.

With one last wave to Professor Cedar and Aqua, Rory and Aoki headed out of the lab, ready for the next step in their adventure.

The cable car loomed ahead, ready to take them up the mountain and into the unknown. Rory and Aoki exchanged eager glances as they prepared for whatever lay ahead.

The attendant at the cable car looked as if she needed to get into bed or had just got out of it. "Have a nice day." She groaned as she gestured to get in the cable car, which looked as if it was just about to leave.

Rory and Aoki practically ran to the cable car and jumped on just as the doors closed behind them. "Phew." Aoki said as the cable car shot out of the station and up Mt. Moon.

Rory and Aoki stood next to each other in the cable car, marveling at the sweeping views of Mt. Moon as it slowly ascended. The vast forest stretched out below, and the mountain's rocky peaks loomed above, giving a breathtaking view of Kanto's natural beauty.

"Wow," Aoki said, her nose pressed to the glass as she tried to take in everything at once. "I didn't think it would be this high up. It's like we're flying."

"Yeah," Rory replied, his eyes scanning the landscape. "It feels like we're on top of the world."

"Ahem" A voice rang out behind them.

The two then looked down to see a girl who looked to be a few years older than them looking puzzled at them. She had long, chestnut-brown hair tied back in a ponytail, and wore a simple, but stylish outfit—jeans, a sleeveless top, and a light jacket. A small badge on her jacket read "Poppy" in playful, flowery letters, and she had an easygoing smile that seemed to brighten the entire car.

"Hi there!" she said cheerfully, immediately breaking the silence. "It's nice for you to join me, these cable car rides are way more fun with company." She said as she gestured at the empty seats.

Aoki beamed back at her awkwardly. "Uh hi. I'm Aoki, and this is Rory."

Rory, caught a little off guard, managed a shy smile. "H-hi. I'm Rory," he stammered, feeling an unexpected flutter in his chest as Poppy's eyes met his.

"Nice to meet you both! My name is Delia, but everyone calls me Poppy," she said, giving a friendly wave as she sat down across from them. "I'm a Pokémon breeder—I just love being around all sorts of Pokémon."

"Wow, that's so cool!" Aoki said, genuinely impressed. "What's it like being a breeder? I've heard it's a lot of hard work."

Poppy nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, it is, but it's totally worth it. I get to help Pokémon grow and become their best selves. There's nothing like seeing a Pokémon you've cared for find its true potential." She reached into her bag, pulling out a small Pokéball that she cradled affectionately. "This here is my Bulbasaur, Buddy. I've raised him since he was just a little seedling. I also have a nice Mime Jr. but he is at my place."

The Pokéball wobbled, and from it emerged a cheerful Bulbasaur, who nuzzled against Poppy affectionately. "Bulba!" it cried happily, making Rory and Aoki smile.

"Hey there, Buddy," Aoki said, offering her hand to the Bulbasaur, who sniffed it before giving a friendly lick. "He's adorable."

Poppy grinned proudly. "Yeah, he's a sweetheart. Loves to make new friends. He was rejected by a trainer hatching a lot of eggs, he had a ditto that was bit weird but I can't let a good egg go to waste, so here we are."

Rory watched the interaction in awe, feeling a little tongue-tied. He was trying to find the right words to say but found himself more focused on how Poppy's smile seemed to light up the little cable car, or how her voice was soft but filled with excitement and passion for Pokémon. He admired her instantly. Her heart, her love for what she did, and her confidence.

"Do you... travel a lot for your breeding?" Rory finally managed to ask, trying to sound casual.

Poppy turned to him, her eyes brightening. "I do! I go all around Kanto, learning about different Pokémon and finding the best places to raise them. Right now, I'm heading up to Cerulean City. There's a breeder's meeting there today, and I hear there are some new techniques for helping Grass-types grow stronger. Next week it would be dark types, the week after that it would be fairy and so on."

"That sounds amazing," Rory said, his voice softer now as he found himself hanging on every word she spoke. "I... bet you've seen a lot of places."

"Yeah, it's an adventure every day!" Poppy said with a smile, not noticing Rory's bashfulness. "What about you two? I can see that you are on a journey to collect Gym Badges am I right?"

"Yeah, we're on our way to Cerulean City to take on the Ice-type Gym," Aoki replied. "We just got our first badge from the Pewter City Gym. It was a tough fight, but we pulled through."

Poppy's eyes widened with admiration. "Wow! That's really impressive! I hear that the Pewter City Gym is no joke, even to those who are beginner. You guys must be really strong trainers."

Rory felt a rush of pride, his face warming at the compliment. "Thanks, Poppy. It... it wasn't easy, but we worked hard."

Poppy's approving smile made his heart race a little faster, and he found himself unable to keep from smiling back at her. "You know, I have a feeling you two are going to be great trainers. And who knows? Maybe our paths will cross again at some point on your journey. If you ever need help raising your Pokémon, I'd be happy to lend a hand."

Aoki nudged Rory playfully, noticing how he was starting to stumble over his words. "We'd love that, Poppy," Aoki said with a knowing grin. "And hey, maybe we'll get to see you in action as a breeder."

"Oh, definitely!" Poppy said with a wink. "I'm always around somewhere in Kanto, so I'm sure we'll run into each other again. Until then, I wish you luck with your journey. And don't forget to take care of your Pokémon, too. They're your best partners, after all."

The cable car continued its slow ascent up Mt. Moon, and the three shared stories and laughs, talking about their experiences and their dreams for the future. As the conversation flowed easily between Poppy and Aoki, Rory couldn't help but watch Poppy with admiration, finding himself drawn in by her warmth and passion for Pokémon.

Eventually, the cable car reached its end, coming to a gentle stop as Cerulean City is seen in the distance. Poppy returned Buddy to his Pokéball, ready to disembark.

"It was great meeting you two," she said as the doors opened. "Let's make sure to meet again soon, okay?"

"Yeah, definitely!" Aoki replied, and Rory nodded, trying not to sound too eager. "It was really nice meeting you, Poppy."

With a final wave, Poppy stepped out of the cable car, heading down the path toward Cerulean City. As Rory and Aoki followed, Rory couldn't help but glance back at Poppy's retreating figure, feeling that familiar flutter of excitement in his chest.

"Well well well. Looks like someone's got a little crush," Aoki teased in a low voice as they continued walking.

"Wha—no, I mean..." Rory stammered, his face turning bright red. "She's just... really nice."

"Mm-hmm," Aoki hummed knowingly, a playful grin on her face. "Come on, let's go. Cerulean City's waiting for us."

And with that, the two continued their journey, with Rory still feeling the lingering warmth of the encounter, wondering if, and when, they would see Poppy again.