"Th-This Pokemon is...?!" Professor Oak nearly jumped out of his skin. "Wh-Where's Raikou?!"
At the mention of Raikou's name, Entei's stern gaze immediately turned toward the human.
"Raikou had things to take care of and went out. This is Entei, the father who raised me." Fuyuki explained with a smile, then glanced at his panel. Another hundred Shock Points, right on cue.
That alone showed just how shocked Professor Oak was right now.
Also... his father?
The shock on Professor Oak's face only deepened.
In that moment, he suddenly recalled what Fuyuki had said at the summer camp three years ago, introducing Raikou as his "second father." Now the meaning of those words finally clicked.
So he really did have more than one father!
This Pokemon... could this be the legendary Volcano Pokemon, Entei?!
Another rare Legendary Pokemon!
Professor Oak's heart began pounding with excitement.
No Pokemon researcher could stay calm in the presence of a rare Legendary like Entei. Some Trainers could travel their entire lives without seeing one even once.
But business first. Business first.
Professor Oak reined in his excitement and turned his attention to Fuyuki at Entei's side.
Three years had passed since they last met. Fuyuki had grown, and it was clear that life in the wild with Entei and Raikou had treated him well. He looked as sturdy as a young bull.
He was taller now, but his features hadn't changed much, so Professor Oak recognized him at a glance.
"Come in, come in!" Professor Oak stepped aside to welcome them. "I was starting to think you weren't coming today!"
Fuyuki and Entei walked inside as he explained, "We live pretty far from Pallet Town."
In truth, they hadn't stopped along the way at all. The moment they left Mount Tensei, they headed straight here.
"Ash and Gary have already picked up their starter Pokemon and set off on their journeys," Professor Oak said with a smile, though his eyes kept drifting toward Entei. "You're the last one to come to my lab."
A sinking feeling hit Fuyuki.
He remembered that by the time Ash arrived, the Kanto League's standard starter trio had already been claimed. That was why Ash ended up with a Pikachu.
So now...
"Professor Oak, are all the starter Pokemon already taken?" Fuyuki asked nervously.
"Not exactly," Professor Oak said. "I still have one left that the other kids passed over. It's just... possibly due to some kind of developmental issue, this one is a bit on the small and frail side, and its control over energy isn't very refined."
That was precisely why no one had chosen it. Most aspiring Trainers wanted to become great, and when it came to their first partner, nearly everyone wanted the strongest, rarest Pokemon they could get.
"What Pokemon is it?" Fuyuki asked, a little surprised.
Professor Oak stepped aside.
Behind him stood a small Pokemon shaped like a little turtle, with a pale blue body, large reddish-purple eyes, and a wavy little tail. It was staring at Fuyuki with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
That was... a Squirtle?
"This is the one," Professor Oak said, scratching his head sheepishly. "Its name is Squirtle. It's a Water-type Pokemon. If you're willing to choose it, I'll leave it in your care. Of course, if you'd rather not, that's perfectly fine too."
His eyes couldn't help drifting once again to the mysterious Entei at Fuyuki's side.
Since Entei treated Fuyuki as its own child, just like Raikou did, surely it would be willing to step in and help him catch a Pokemon as a partner instead.
Fuyuki looked at the Squirtle. At first glance, it didn't seem too different from a normal one, but on closer inspection, it was noticeably smaller in both height and build.
Squirtle seemed to be watching him too. Its little hands were clenched tight with nerves, eyes flickering between hope and anxiety.
Fuyuki could tell that if he refused, the light in Squirtle's eyes would go out in an instant.
"Professor Oak," he asked, "what happens to a Pokemon that doesn't get chosen by a Trainer?"
"They stay here and live at the lab," Professor Oak said.
"I see..." Fuyuki nodded thoughtfully.
Squirtle had heard the question too. The light in its eyes dimmed at once, and it lowered its head in defeat.
"Squir..."
The sound carried no real meaning. Just the soft murmur of disappointment and sadness.
Fuyuki couldn't stand seeing a Pokemon look like that.
Fine. He had his cheat ability, and he had the Sacred Ash from Ho-Oh. So what if it was underdeveloped? Worst case, he'd feed this Squirtle Sacred Ash with every meal, three times a day.
He refused to believe he couldn't get it up to strength!
"I'll take it!" Fuyuki made his decision on the spot.
Squirtle's eyes, which had just gone dim, flickered with a tentative spark. It jerked its head up and stared at him in disbelief.
"Squir... Squirtle...?"
"Of course I mean it!"
Squirtle suddenly wanted to cry so badly. Was it really going to have a Trainer of its own, just like all the other Pokemon?
No, it couldn't cry. In Squirtle's mind, only weak Pokemon cried.
If the Trainer thought it was weak and decided he didn't want it after all, that would be the end of everything.
Squirtle quickly held back its tears and crept toward the boy, one careful step at a time.
Fuyuki crouched down and patted its head. "Hey there, Squirtle. I'm Fuyuki. Looking forward to being partners!"
"Squirtle!" it answered with a sniffle.
Professor Oak watched the scene with a warm smile, then handed Fuyuki Squirtle's Poke Ball and a Pokedex.
"Here you go, Fuyuki! This one is Squirtle's Poke Ball. These other five are empty. If you come across a Pokemon you like during your travels, you can use these to catch them!"
"And this is the Pokedex. It contains information on most known Pokemon. If you run into one you don't recognize, just scan it and the Pokedex will display its data automatically."
"On top of that, the Pokedex also serves as your Trainer ID. It has all sorts of uses. You'll figure them out as you go!"
So this would be his identification in the human world? Fuyuki reached out and took it.
"Thank you so much, Professor Oak!"
With the important matters settled, Professor Oak's eyes couldn't help wandering back to Entei.
He said with an eager grin, "So, uh, Fuyuki?"
"Hm?"
"Would you mind letting me study Entei for a bit?" Professor Oak rubbed his hands together, face alight with anticipation.
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You can read up to chapter 107 on patreon.com/NiaXD.