Monday, November 12.
The sun beamed brightly, a rare instance of excellent weather.
The snow-white Sylveon lay on the bed, bathed in sunlight, lazily yawning.
"vui~~"
The winter sun's warmth was rather comforting.
Gengar sprawled on the balcony, soaking up the sun, with Togepi perched on his head.
"jie jie~~" Gengar playfully blew on a tea cup, exhibiting an odd combination of playfulness and age.
Though the desire to sleep in lingered, Growlithe bounded from the living room to the bedroom.
Luke stretched out his hand, affectionately rubbing the dog's head, then got up to freshen up.
"ao wu (O_o)??"
There was still some time before work.
With a limited number of classes and the flexibility to manage free time, Luke had various options for how to spend it. Apart from engaging in conversations and live games, taking his Pokémon companions on a journey seemed like a promising choice.
"Good morning."
Luke grabbed a cup of coffee and joined Gengar on the balcony to soak in the sunshine.
"jie jie~~~('▽`〃)"
While sipping his coffee, Luke accessed the Heaven Realm group chat.
"Can I visit Professor Oak today? @Crystal."
Being an assistant to Professor Oak, Crystal also managed his schedule to some extent.
"No problem, you can come over @Teacher Luke in the afternoon." Crystal replied.
Yellow from Viridian Forest was curious, "What's the specific matter? Can Senior Blue reveal it?"
Blue, crossing his arms, pondered for a moment.
For the special edition Pokédex, only he and his grandfather were aware of it. Given his grandfather's character, it was highly likely that he would once again personally test Teacher Luke.
Blue decided to wait until Luke received the Pokédex before sharing it with the group.
"No," Blue declined.
This air of secrecy piqued the group's curiosity. Even Teacher Luke felt a slight unease.
There was a foreboding that something might go awry.
Could it be... giving me three initial starters?
With a bit of nervousness, Luke took the train, transferred to a bus, and headed to Pallet Town.
...
Kanto, Pallet Town.
A tranquil and serene town nestled amid lush landscapes.
The gentle breeze wafted across the lake, creating sparkling ripples.
Breathing in the town's air, Luke had a vague sense of its significance.
Crystal, wearing a hat and working meticulously, greeted him.
"Teacher Luke, welcome to Pallet Town!" Crystal greeted with a slight smile.
"Long time no see."
Luke exchanged pleasantries, "Are there any others from the group?"
As the boss of Pallet Town, it occasionally spawned unique characters like 'Ash.' It also hosted formidable bosses like 'Red' and 'Blue.'
In the event of an encounter with Red, Teacher Luke would still feel a pang of anxiety.
"Senior Red is training in Mt. Silver, and Senior Blue is with him."
Crystal shared, "And elder sister Yellow, the three of them are training together."
Luke paused for a moment, silently gazing at the sky.
How come it's hard to tell who the third wheel is for a moment?
"The red building ahead is Professor Oak's laboratory."
Crystal led the way, pointing towards the sprawling plains and hills behind.
"That one over there is Professor Oak's backyard."
Teacher Luke: ???
Why are you so concerned about this so-called backyard?
Even though he was prepared, seeing it in person was still a bit shocking.
Crystal smiled faintly.
"After all, there are thousands of Pokémon in the storage... There are over 30 breeders in the laboratory alone."
Luke nodded, now understanding why Blue, Professor Oak's grandson, became 'The Breeder.'
Helping his grandfather manage the backyard since childhood must have instilled him with a wealth of breeding knowledge!
Opening the laboratory door, researchers were busy at their desks.
An energetically old man, his hair now grey-white, stood up with a warm smile.
"It's the Trainer from Orient... Been looking forward to this!"
As Professor Oak spoke, the researchers diverted their attention.
Is this handsome Trainer worth Professor Oak's personal welcome?
Luke shook hands and expressed his gratitude respectfully:
"Thank you for your support in the Pokémon Trading Card... it has significantly boosted our sales."
Professor Oak, who had inadvertently become a spokesperson, had indeed contributed to the soaring popularity of Pokémon Trading Cards. Luke took this opportunity to convey his gratitude in person.
"Haha, that's a trivial matter..."
Professor Oak scratched his head, then suddenly seemed to have an epiphany.
Pokémon Trading Card?
Wasn't it the Orient game company that contacted him?
What did this have to do with the Trainer recommended by Blue...
"Hold on."
Professor Oak hesitated, asking, "What's your name? Your Trainer name?"
"Professor Oak, this is Teacher Luke, the one I mentioned to you."
Crystal clarified, "He's the one who designed the cards for the game created by Teacher Luke."
Professor Oak looked perplexed.
Blue had only mentioned a Trainer from Orient last night without divulging the name. On the other hand, Luke from the Pokémon Company had made a lasting impression on Professor Oak.
So, in the end, was the person Blue recommended someone he already knew?
"It's just a minor thing."
Professor Oak scratched his head, smiling:
"I called Luke over this time for something more important!"
You just forgot!
Luke coughed slightly, understandingly.
As a research leader, Professor Oak had countless matters to attend to, so it was understandable that he might not recall details clearly.
And Professor Oak's words triggered another sense of unease in Luke.
Carefully, he inquired, "What is this more important matter you mentioned?"
Professor Oak, in his white lab coat, cleared his throat and made a fist.
"It's like this... I've developed a new special Pokédex, and I want to entrust it to a reliable Trainer."
"Blue recommended you to me, so..."
Professor Oak turned around, picked up a red Pokédex from the workbench, and fixed his gaze on Luke.
"Luke, are you interested in becoming a new Pokédex holder?"
For 0.5 seconds, Luke's brain froze.
Staring at the Pokémon Pokédex in Professor Oak's hands, he was taken aback.
Pokédex holder?
While there was one in the group, in the special worldview, this was the treatment reserved for protagonists!
Crystal, though a bit surprised, quickly caught on and smiled.
Given Teacher Luke's strength, he was indeed on par with Kanto's three seniors.
It seemed that Teacher Luke was chosen by Professor Oak to be the Pokédex holder for the Orient Region.
Luke found it perplexing.
The so-called protagonist treatment involves facing burning, petrification, freezing, and being chased by Legendaries...
Even in an era of peace, this status felt like it might bring trouble!
"Think it over carefully; there's no rush." Professor Oak said with a slight smile.
The special Pokédex boasted functions not available in regular Pokédexes, such as interrupting evolution and communication transmission. Most importantly, it could identify the moves of one's own Pokémon.
For any Trainer, this was a rare and valuable item.
Luke's thoughtful expression pleased Professor Oak; his performance was far better than that of a reckless youngster ready to jump into a fight!
Luke rubbed his chin.
Despite the system's slight embarrassment, the Pokédex function was superior. After all, the system's Pokédex could reveal the moves of the opponent's Pokémon—a function considered quite powerful.
However, accepting the special Pokédex meant shouldering a greater responsibility.
Luke couldn't help feeling that this went beyond his initial intentions as a Teacher.
"Professor Oak, I..."
"jie jie~!"
Gengar extended its paw, grinning, and took the Pokédex from Professor Oak.
Teacher Luke: ???
Professor Oak: ???
"jie jie~!"
Gengar's eyes gleamed with unwavering determination.
Having witnessed the World Champion use a similar Pokédex in a battle video, Gengar felt a surge of excitement. Now, with the same Pokédex in front of its master, Gengar was convinced—wasn't the master's goal to become a World Champion?
While others hesitated, became anxious, and worried about gains and losses, Gengar, as long as it accompanied its owner, saw no problems in these challenges.
Gengar took the Pokédex, poked Luke in the waist, and handed it to him with a proud smile.
Luke laughed helplessly, "You take it."
"jie jie~?"
"Put it in your fourth-dimensional stomach for now."
Luke took a deep breath, making a firm decision.
Even though the Pokédex had minimal impact on Luke, he would entrust it to Gengar!
Even for his own Pokémon, he should put in more effort!
"Professor Oak."
Luke looked at Professor Oak with a determined gaze, bowing:
"Please entrust the Pokédex to me. I'm ready!"
Professor Oak was slightly taken aback.
For a moment, he saw shades of many people—Red atop Mt. Silver, and the boy from Pallet Town.
"What a resolute look."
Professor Oak shook his head, smiling emotionally:
"But before you receive the Pokémon Pokédex, there's a favor I'd like you to do."
"A favor?"
"It's a small assessment."
Professor Oak smiled slightly, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"And it also... tests your abilities."
Crystal thought for a moment and added:
"The test Professor Oak gave me back then involved taking care of dozens of Pokémon in a garden..."
"At that time, I managed to handle all those dozens of Pokémon."
Professor Oak chuckled, "This is also why I named her 'The Capturer.'"
"Test my abilities?"
I don't even know what title I have...
The Chef? Who's going to eat?
Luke cleared his throat, "So, what's the content of my assessment?"
"Same as Gold."
Professor Oak retrieved a Poké Ball from the metal slot behind him, looking at Luke with a serious gaze.
"Let's have a battle."
....
"In the indiscriminate battle mode, both sides can only deploy two Pokémon each."
Crystal nervously surveyed the two individuals and explained, "The rules are as follows... is that okay?"
"No problem!" Professor Oak, clad in a black vest, flexed his muscles, grinning as he said heartily, "It's been a while since I broke a sweat. Let's make the most of today's activities!"
Luke felt a bit conflicted.
Professor Oak was also a seasoned Champion player! Could he really compete against him without holding back?
"These are my two Pokémon!" Professor Oak, with his hair now grey-white, tossed two Poké Balls.
In a burst of white light, a lively Stantler faced Luke with a squint, while a vibrantly fluttering Ledyba hovered in midair.
Professor Oak opted not to use Kangaskhan and Dragonite... which eased Luke's tension. Assessing the situation, Luke realized that the Ledyba, yet to evolve, might not pose a significant threat. The Stantler, however, demanded more attention.
From another perspective, considering it was an indiscriminate battle, Trainer became the primary target. The moment the Poké Ball was thrown, Luke commanded, "Sylveon, use Yawn!"
In a shimmer of white light, the graceful Sylveon gracefully touched down.
"Is this a strategic move? Interesting," Professor Oak remarked with his arms crossed. "Stantler, Me First!"
Me First allowed the user to mimic the move used by the opponent but, to Stantler's surprise, there was no one in front of him when he yawned. Sylveon sidestepped, and Yawn was aimed at Professor Oak!
As the drowsiness set in, Professor Oak calmly said, "Ledyba, use Supersonic!"
Supersonic, affecting all around, not only induced confusion but also had a more pronounced effect on Trainer. Ledyba headed towards Luke, and just as it flapped its wings, a dark ghostly figure appeared behind Luke.
"Gengar!" Luke commanded, "Shadow Ball!"
"jie jie~! (ૢ˃ꌂ˂⁎)"
Gengar was quick, and the dark Shadow Ball abruptly knocked Ledyba out. Yet, during this brief moment, Stantler's Hypnosis had already hit Sylveon, causing it to slump to the ground.
"Nimble and decisive—that's quality!" Luke mused quietly. "Gengar, Substitute!"
Gengar split into two, revealing its teeth with a strange laugh of jié jié.
Despite having little energy left, Ledyba shook its fingers once 'Encore' hit, limiting Gengar to only 'Substitute' for the remainder of the duel.
"Gengar, Taunt!" Luke commanded loudly.
Under the effects of Taunt, all status-changing moves could not be performed.
Professor Oak looked at Luke in surprise. This level of adaptability... no, he was anticipating my commands!
This Trainer battle showcased the charm of Pokémon battles!
Luke observed Professor Oak, who seemed lively and animated despite being affected by Yawn. Drops of sweat formed on Luke's forehead.
Nearly half a minute had passed, and Stantler should be asleep by now. Was this really the physique level of a Rookie?
In a one-on-two situation, Gengar could only fly toward Professor Oak first, its eyes radiating a mischievous blue light.
"Hypnosis!"
"Don't even think about it," Professor Oak murmured. "Stantler, Imprison!"
In an instant, Stantler's antlers glowed blue, and a purple light pattern locked Gengar in place. Hypnosis failed, the Substitute was also broken.
Professor Oak was slightly startled. However, Gengar's form flew to Sylveon's side, and its mouth opened as if to devour its dreams.
"For Sylveon, did you use Dream Eater?" Professor Oak realized something was amiss.
"Sylveon, Quick Attack, take it down!" Luke commanded.
Sylveon shook its body, snarling, and shot towards Ledyba like an arrow.
"Stantler!" Professor Oak gestured, "Use Take Down with moderation!"
But Stantler charged towards Luke, and the antlers emitted the light of 'Take Down.'
Gengar tried to stop Stantler, but it passed through its body.
"jie jie~!" Gengar looked back at Luke, seemingly shocked.
Sylveon, which restricts Professor Oak with ribbons, couldn't be recalled in time.
"vui~!"
"Go!" Professor Oak's eyes were glazed over.
"Gengar." Luke took a deep breath, "Ally Switch!"
Although this move was a bit underhanded, Luke had Gengar learn it early on. Only when dealing with similarly sneaky moves could you fight fire with fire!
In an instant, Gengar's form changed.
Luke relaxed as he watched Gengar's 'Hypnosis' hit at close range.
dong!
Stantler snored and lay down on the ground.
The outcome was decided.
The drowsiness began to take hold.
Professor Oak sleepily waved his hand, yawning.
Crystal, on the side, quickly handed over the sleep-relieving 'Chesto Berry.'
"Um... impressive performance," Professor Oak chuckled. "You can take on past Champions; you're quite skilled!"
Luke, panting and wiping sweat from his forehead, thought, If only this wasn't the physique of Rookies...
Crystal, who had observed the entire match, gazed at Luke with increasing admiration. Whether in on-site command or reaction time, Teacher Luke ranked among the peak-level Pokédex holders.
Regarding Pokémon breeding...
In just half a year, reaching this level was a feat only accomplished by Blue senior!
"Your assessment has passed," Professor Oak slightly smiled, taking out the Pokédex from the pocket of his white coat and handing it to Luke.
At this point, Professor Oak's expression turned a bit serious.
"One last question, Luke."
"What does Pokémon mean to you?"
Speaking almost to himself, as if reminiscing.
Professor Oak mused, "Every Pokédex holder is a genius in various fields..."
"For them, Pokémon is either a friend, a partner, or a comrade-in-arms..."
"So, for you."
Professor Oak fixed Luke with a deep gaze:
"What does Pokémon mean to you?"
Luke was slightly taken aback.
To be honest, he had pondered this question before.
However, it wasn't until the memories accumulated over the past six months began to shine brightly that the answer to this question gradually became clear.
"In my eyes..."
Luke lowered his head, Gengar with a cheeky grin, and Sylveon with a proud expression.
The three Poké Balls attached to his belt vibrated faintly, as if awaiting Luke's response.
"Pokémon, to me, is family," Luke said with a gentle smile.
"Family..."
Professor Oak nodded slowly, a smile on his face:
"Congratulations, Luke. This is your Pokédex!"
As the setting sun dipped below the horizon, the plain took on a golden hue in the evening.
Luke handed the special Pokédex to Gengar, smiling slightly.
"jie jie~!" Gengar gave a thumbs up.
Don't worry, I'll take good care of it!
After going over various details, Luke bid farewell to Professor Oak.
Crystal stood in the twilight and asked with curiosity:
"Professor Oak, what is Teacher Luke's ability?"
As Luke walked away, Professor Oak's eyes held depth.
"Regardless of the situation, he maintains absolute calm."
"To face different opponents, he prepares different strategies for defeating them."
"Exceptional adaptability, a level that even Champions might envy..."
"And most importantly, he possesses a heart as pure as gold."
Professor Oak smiled slightly.
"This might be... the Tactician!"