Pallet Town
Professor Oak's Lab
Dressed as a rookie Trainer, Luo Yuan waited in Professor Oak's lab, watching quietly as the professor finished reading the letter.
Honestly, Luo Yuan was having mixed feelings about this.
Giovanni's plan to infiltrate the League was one thing, but insisting he "start fresh as a rookie Trainer to gain trust" was another level. This whole setup was way too much. He was pretty sure Truebird had put this idea into Giovanni's head on purpose.
Five full minutes later, Professor Oak folded the letter and looked up. "So, you're Luo Yuan. Professor Birch already mentioned you'd be arriving."
"But I'm curious. Hoenn's environment is just as suited for a Trainer as Kanto's. Why not start your journey there instead?"
It's called Giovanni's orders, Luo Yuan thought, though he kept that to himself.
Smiling, he recited the story he'd prepared: "Professor, I'm originally from Kanto. We moved to Hoenn a while ago, but I always wanted to return here to start my journey."
Hometown loyalty.
Professor Oak nodded in understanding. Even though the League had been around for nearly a century, regional pride still ran deep. Choosing to return to one's roots for a first journey wasn't unheard of.
"I see." Oak tucked the letter away. "I've prepared your starter Pokémon. You're a day early, but there's no need to keep you waiting."
He pressed a button nearby.
Click.
A glass case lowered, and Professor Oak brought out three Poké Balls, smiling. "Here in Kanto, we have three starters: Charmander, a Fire-type; Squirtle, a Water-type; and Bulbasaur, a Grass-type. Choose one as your first partner."
The Poké Balls opened, releasing each Pokémon.
Charmander gazed up at Luo Yuan with big, curious eyes.
Squirtle stood with its arms crossed, looking cool.
Bulbasaur looked around curiously, as if fascinated by everything.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly..." Luo Yuan muttered, though his gaze lingered on the three Pokémon.
In truth, he'd already made up his mind. Bulbasaur, despite its cuteness, was a no-go since he wasn't a fan of its final evolution, Venusaur.
As for the other two... Blastoise was good, but the clear choice was Charmander. Its final evolution, Charizard, had dominated popularity polls for years, with dual Mega Evolutions and a loyal fanbase—truly the golden child of Game Freak.
"Charmander, I choose you," Luo Yuan said, sweeping up the little lizard and patting its head.
The moment he spoke, a familiar voice echoed in his mind—a voice he hadn't heard in ages.
[Ding! Milestone 'First Encounter with the Starters' unlocked. You have gained one lottery draw.]
"Are you sure you don't want to think it over?"
Professor Oak raised an eyebrow in surprise. Most rookie Trainers agonized over which starter to pick. Luo Yuan's decisiveness was rare.
"No need, Professor. I'm set on Charmander."
Momentarily setting aside the sudden appearance of his long-quiet system, Luo Yuan rubbed Charmander's head. It felt nice and smooth.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a Pokéblock and handing it to Charmander.
Charmander took a tentative lick, then its face lit up with delight at the taste.
"This is…" Professor Oak looked intrigued.
"A Pokéblock—something from Hoenn. I made this batch specifically for Charmander to help bring out its potential."
With Rocket's massive Pokémon research archives at his disposal, Luo Yuan had crafted a wide variety of specialized Pokéblocks. During his time in Hoenn, aside from completing missions, he'd spent a lot of his time on Pokémon training and care.
"Impressive. With someone like you caring for Charmander, I feel reassured." Professor Oak's face softened with relief.
Lately, Oak had worried about the high abandonment rate among new Trainers, who saw their starters as too weak. He'd even campaigned to encourage Trainers to treat their Pokémon with respect.
It was comforting to see someone like Luo Yuan taking such good care of Charmander.
If he knew I was a Rocket executive, he'd probably throw me out on the spot, Luo Yuan mused.
Not that Oak was wrong. Despite his affiliations, Luo Yuan was probably more devoted to his Pokémon than most licensed Trainers.
"Here, take this." Professor Oak handed him a Pokédex. "This is the latest model, with data on most of Kanto's native species. It should be a helpful tool."
Just then—
Crash!
The lab doors swung open.
A spiky-haired boy in a black turtleneck came charging in.
"Gramps!" the boy yelled as he entered.
Then he noticed Luo Yuan.
"And you are…?"
Professor Oak introduced him. "This is Luo Yuan. He'll be starting his journey alongside you this year." He turned to Luo Yuan. "And this is my grandson, Gary Oak."
Professor Oak's voice carried a trace of exasperation as he introduced Gary, clearly exasperated by his grandson's impetuous energy.
"Hi, I'm Gary Oak, but you can call me Gary."
"Luo Yuan," he replied.
After their brief greeting, Gary's attention shifted to the Pokémon.
"Did you already pick a starter?"
"Yes," Professor Oak explained, "I let Luo Yuan have an early pick since he came all the way from Hoenn."
"Aww, I wanted Charmander!" Gary muttered, scratching his head as he looked hopefully at his grandfather.
Professor Oak sighed, looking resigned. "Alright, alright. You can choose your starter."
"Yes!" Gary cheered, momentarily ignoring Charmander as his eyes darted between Bulbasaur and Squirtle.
He glanced again at Luo Yuan's Charmander, then finally reached for Squirtle's Poké Ball.
"I'll go with Squirtle!"
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T/N: YUESATA I LOVE CHARMANDERRR my fav pokemon is charizard then pikachu :3