After chatting with Professor Rowan for a while, Steven prepared a big meal before leaving. He couldn't let them buy groceries for nothing, after all.
Then, he took the train from Sandgem Town to the nearest city, where he boarded a plane directly to Viridian City in the Kanto Region. From there, he rode on Metagross to Pallet Town.
With all this traveling, it took Steven an entire day to reach Pallet Town.
Pallet Town—symbolizing a pure white beginning—was originally named Masara Town[T/N: Masara means Pure White in Japanese]. Professor Oak's laboratory was the largest building in the small town, so Steven could spot it at a glance.
Ding-dong—
Steven pressed the doorbell and waited quietly at the entrance.
A moment later, the large door in front of him opened, revealing an amiable elderly man in a white lab coat.
This was none other than Professor Oak.
"Steven, correct?" Professor Oak asked softly, a welcoming smile on his face.
"Yes. I apologize for the disturbance, Professor Oak," Steven said, bowing slightly in greeting.
"No worries at all. I'm quite interested in your idea," Professor Oak said warmly.
He led Steven into the laboratory and invited him to sit down in a comfortable chair.
"Could we start by discussing what inspired you to come up with such an idea?" Professor Oak was the first to ask.
Steven smiled and began to explain his thoughts carefully.
"I've been wondering—with the current system, isn't it difficult for those who love Pokémon to have to wait until they're sixteen years old to officially own one?"
"They yearn to journey alongside their Pokémon, to witness the vastness of the world together," Steven continued. "And this desire is usually strongest between the ages of ten and fourteen."
"However, there's a high probability of encountering danger during travel, and young Trainers need to be familiar with how to handle such dangerous situations properly."
"That's why the League set the official Trainer age at sixteen—so that aspiring Trainers can own their Pokémon and qualify for travel when their minds are mature enough and they can take care of themselves."
"I've been thinking about what children love most between the ages of ten and fourteen, or even before they turn ten," Steven said thoughtfully.
"My answer is: games."
"Whether it's video games or games among friends, they are all fundamentally the same thing—games that capture their imagination."
"So, what if we made 'traveling' into a game? Could it help children understand Pokémon better and gradually comprehend the potential dangers of real-world travel?"
"But the most important point is this—for this type of game, my vision isn't just a simple adventure-and-battle type of game."
"I want to incorporate features such as Pokémon training, interacting with Pokémon, bonding with them, and so on."
"The goal is to make more people fall in love with Pokémon—to see them as friends, partners, and family, rather than just tools for battle or adventure."
"And also, to allow those who are afraid of Pokémon to experience communication with them through the game, so they no longer fear these creatures."
Steven's heartfelt explanation made Professor Oak nod repeatedly in approval.
"Your idea is very good. I thought you were simply trying to profit from this type of game," Professor Oak said with a light chuckle.
Steven's eyes were sincere as he spoke, and Professor Oak could clearly see that.
Wanting to profit wasn't wrong, of course. Steven wanted to create his own value within Devon Corporation and prove himself.
But beyond the premise of profitability, what Steven had articulated was the true meaning and purpose behind why he wanted to develop this "Pokémon" game.
"My initial idea was exactly like that," Steven answered very frankly, not hiding the truth.
This honesty surprised Professor Oak somewhat. The young man was being completely straightforward!
"But gradually, I discovered that the meaning of 'Pokémon' shouldn't be limited to just that—it holds an even greater significance," Steven continued.
"It shouldn't just be a simple game for entertainment, but rather an educational tool—an enlightenment for children about creatures like Pokémon and how to interact with them properly."
"Wonderful!"
The smile on Professor Oak's face did not diminish but rather grew wider, and he looked at Steven with genuine admiration.
"I am willing to assist with your game—no, with the development of 'Pokémon,'" Professor Oak said seriously. "However, I will only be able to provide information and my personal views on Pokémon."
"I hope you understand that I still have my own research to conduct," he added gravely. "Regarding Pokémon, there are still many things we don't fully understand, and my primary duty is to that research."
Steven nodded gently. "I understand completely. Professor Oak agreeing to help is already the best outcome I could have hoped for."
"Compared to that, I'm more curious about something else," Professor Oak said, leaning forward with interest.
"Please, ask away."
"You mentioned earlier that you wanted to combine the Pokédex with the PokéNav... What exactly did you mean by that?"
Steven understood the question and explained clearly:
"The PokéNav's functions can record Pokémon information and include most of the features of a mobile phone—communication, maps, and so on."
"However, it cannot quickly search for detailed Pokémon information like the Pokédex you developed, Professor Oak. I think if we could combine these technologies and mass-produce them to some extent, it would be a tremendous help for future rookie Trainers."
Professor Oak said thoughtfully, "But I cannot leave the laboratory for extended periods. The Pokémon here still need my care and attention."
"That's fine. I'll have researchers from Devon Corporation come here to work with you," Steven explained with a reassuring smile. "You would only need to take time occasionally to guide them, Professor. It won't excessively occupy your research time."
Professor Oak, standing before him, was truly a titan in the academic world of Pokémon research.
To receive his approval and authorization would mean that "Pokémon" would certainly establish a strong and credible reputation from the start.
"I'll give you my contact number later. Just reach out to me when you're ready to proceed," Professor Oak said with a nod.
He greatly admired young people with such well-thought-out ideas and genuine passion.
Subsequently, Steven explained the detailed content and mechanics of "Pokémon" to Professor Oak, asking him to offer valuable suggestions and feedback.
Their conversation proceeded very smoothly and productively.
"Grandpa Oak! Has Steven arrived yet?!"
A cheerful shout suddenly rang out from outside the laboratory door.
Professor Oak gave Steven a somewhat helpless smile, then got up to open the door.
A black-haired boy wearing a red jacket, blue jeans, and a red cap worn backward stood in the doorway, practically vibrating with energy.
"Red, Steven is inside right now. Are you here to—"
"I want to challenge Steven to a battle!"
Steven, who had been sitting comfortably on the sofa and was about to take a sip of tea, nearly choked upon hearing Red's enthusiastic declaration.
Red wanted to challenge him to a battle? But surely he wasn't asking for a no-holds-barred, anything-goes kind of fight, was he?
With Red's physical prowess and his well-known street fighting skills, how was Steven supposed to compete in that kind of match?
"Red, it's been a while," Steven said, standing up to greet the energetic boy properly.
Red was still the vibrant, battle-hungry young Trainer he remembered. He wasn't yet the legendary Champion who would become known for his silent demeanor and mysterious aura.
"Red, Steven is here to discuss serious matters with me. You'll be bothering him if you interrupt like this," Professor Oak said, wagging a finger at Red in mild reproach.
"It's fine, Professor Oak," Steven interjected.
Steven was actually curious to test Red's current strength as a Trainer. If it was just a regular Pokémon battle, that would be perfectly acceptable.
If it was a no-holds-barred battle with fists involved... well, Steven could only barely hold his own in that scenario!
"It really has been a long time, Red," Steven said with a light chuckle.
"Yeah! And I still haven't properly thanked you for your help last time," Red said enthusiastically.
"So, let's have a battle!"
Steven's mouth twitched slightly at the declaration.
Is this really your way of thanking me?
Just as expected of you, Red!
A true man of battle!