The next morning, Silas set out for Professor Oak's lab early.
The air in Pallet Town still carried that familiar softness — ocean breeze, the scent of grass, distant Pidgey cries. For a moment, he almost felt like the last few months had been a dream.
Elekid walked beside him, quieter than usual. Froakie was perched on his shoulder, frubbles thin and unstable, its small body tense.
Silas finally arrived at the Oaks property. Walking through the property, he felt a rush of several emotions. Luckily the auditorium area wasn't near the actual lab.
Professor Oak greeted them as soon as they got inside. "Welcome back Silas, I hear you have a pokemon that you want me to take a look at."
"Yes, its one of the Kalos starters." Silas pointed to his shoulder.
Oak's eyes moved immediately to Froakie.
"Ah, this is a shiny Froakie but it looks quite sickly."
Silas didn't waste time. He explained everything — omitting everything about the auction and his system. He made sure to mention the revival herb, the improvement, the stagnation, and the flare-up after the Venomoth's pressure.
Oak listened without interruption. When Silas finished, Oak adjusted his glasses and approached slowly.
"May I?" Silas nodded. Oak gently placed his palm near Froakie's chest, not touching — just feeling.
After a few seconds, Oak exhaled. "This isn't simple malnutrition."
Silas' jaw tightened.
"The foundation of its energy channels is fractured," Oak continued calmly. "Likely due to improper incubation or stress during embryonic formation."
Silas' system had called it "Damaged Foundation."
Oak was saying the same thing — without a system. That unsettled Silas.
"Can it be fixed?"
Oak didn't answer immediately.
"Fixed? No." Silas' expression hardened at those words.
"But reinforced? Possibly." Now he had his attention.
Oak walked back to his desk and pulled up a projection of Mount Silver.
The mountain appeared immense even in holographic form — snow-capped peaks, violent energy fluctuations mapped in faint gold lines.
"There are rare environmental phenomena near Mount Silver's upper regions," Oak said. "Areas where energy density is unusually high. Certain berries and plants grown there absorb those properties."
Silas remained silent.
Oak continued.
"One such berry has been theorized to stabilize damaged growth channels. It does not increase potential directly. It restores what was improperly formed."
Silas understood immediately.
"Where exactly?"
Oak studied him carefully before answering. "You've heard of Mount Silver before."
Silas thought of Percy's Gliscor.
"Yes."
Oak folded his hands. "The League restricts access beyond certain elevations. It's considered unstable territory. Wild Pokémon there are different than normal wild pokemon."
"How are they different?"
Oak's gaze sharpened. "They are simply stronger and much smarter. For instance, wild pokemon there are known to collaborate to eliminate humans."
That line sat heavy in the air.
Froakie shifted slightly on Silas' shoulder. Elekid stepped forward, sparks faintly crackling as if to say he'd protect Silas.
Oak continued.
"There are also recent reports of unusually high energy concentrations. Some believe a Legendary has nested there but there have been no sightings."
"Is the League investigating?"
Oak hesitated for the first time. "Yes but don't pry." Oak's demeanor shifted and for a moment his eyes showed hostility.
Oak met his eyes. Silas did not react outwardly but he caught the brief slip.
"If you intend to go, understand this: Mount Silver is not a training ground for ambition. It is a crucible."
Silas absorbed that quietly. "Professor… if Froakie remains like this?"
Oak didn't soften the truth. "It will plateau early. Likely before level 30."
That was unacceptable. Silas nodded once. "I see."
Oak's voice grew quieter. "Silas. Some paths to power require patience. Some require restraint."
"And some require risk," Silas replied evenly. Oak didn't argue. Instead, he opened a drawer and retrieved a pink and blue pokeball.
"Take this Heal Ball. Change Froakies ball to this one. It won't improve its condition but he won't get any worse either."
Silas accepted it. He was grateful to professor Oak for invaluable information and the heal ball.
As he turned to leave, Oak spoke again. "Mount Silver is not simply dangerous because of wild Pokémon."
Silas paused.
Oak continued "There are people who prefer their discoveries to remain unseen."
That was the closest Oak would come to warning him about the League's darker practices.
Silas understood. "I'll be careful."
Oak smiled warmly. "I doubt that but how about a battle before you leave? No wager this time."
Silas now had a good impression on Oak from his goodwill today so he felt obliging was no issue. "Sure, let's do it."
"Good it will be a double battle and you will be battling one of my aids."
Silas was visibly disappointed. He had heard of Oak's past accomplishments and knew he could learn a lot battling a former champion.
Professor Oak could tell exactly what Silas was thinking. "You aren't ready for a battle with me yet. If you can bring your pokemon to the advanced level, we can have a friendly match."
Silas understood that anything below that would be too boring for a trainer at Oak's level so he simply nodded in agreement.
Professor Oak sent a message and shortly after, a plain looking young man with spiky black hair and glasses in a lab coat came into the room.
"Professor, you called for me?" Miguel looked at Professor Oak in confusion.
"Miguel, I want you to battle this young man here." As soon as he heard the word battle, Miguel got excited and his whole demeanor changed.
Miguel looked at Monferno and Elekid besides Silas and grinned as widely as possible.
"Lets do it! I have a great spot outside." Oak and Silas followed Miguel out of the lab. They walked for several minutes until they reached an open area with no obstacles.
"We can use this space for the battle." Miguel didn't wait for a response and called out his pokemon.
"Eevee and Pidgeotto, you're up."
Both pokemon looked well taken care of and strong. Silas scanned them both.
Eevee — Level 22
Ability: Adaptability
Potential: C+
Moves: C Rank Helping Hand, Rank C Heal Bell, C rank Quick Attack, C Rank Tail Whip, C Rank Bite, D Rank Dig, D Rank Shadow Ball
Pidgeotto — Level 23
Ability: Keen Eyes
Potential: C+
Moves: C Rank Wing Attack, B rank Sand Attack, C rank Gust, C rank Air Cutter, C rank Quick Attack, C rank Heat Wave, D rank Steel Wing
Both these pokemon are well trained and clearly their move pools have been invested in heavily.
Monferno and Elekid naturally stepped forward to battle. Silas scanned his own pokemon.
Monferno — Level 22
Ability: Flame Aura
Potential: B+
Moves: Rank C Scratch, Rank C Aura Sphere, Rank C Flame Wheel, Rank C Taunt, Rank C Shadow Claw, Rank C Vacuum Wave, Rank D Mach Punch
Elekid — Level 21
Ability: Static
Potential: B
Moves: Rank C Brick Break, Rank C Thunder Shock, Rank C Light Screen, Rank C Cross Chop, Rank C Thunder Wave
Professor Oak served as the official judge.
"Battle begin!"
As soon as the match started, Monferno used its Mach Punch before either trainer could issue a command.
Pidgeotto reacted in time using Quick Attack to intercept.
"Eevee–Shadow Ball" "Elekid–Thunder Shock"
Both attacks exploded when they met in the air. Silas was surprised by the outcome of the first exchange, There was a stalemate.
"Eevee, use Helping Hand and Pidgeotto, use Air Cutter."
Eevee jumped up and glowed white then Pidgeotto glowed white too. It swung its wings rapidly, shooting out large blades of flying type energy.
Elekid smartly jumped in front to bear the brunt of the attack. Being an electric type, flying type attacks did ½ damage.
Pidgeotto kept unleashing its attack but Elekid held on.
"Flame Wheel and Brick Break combination."
Monferno covered itself in flames and began roll. Elekid then struck Monferno sending him flying towards Pidgeotto at high speed.
It was a direct hit.
"Monferno, now use Mach Punch."
It used Pidgeotto as a springboard and lunged towards Eevee with its glowing flist and punched Eevee downwards. .
Eevee went crashing into the ground. This entire sequence was only several seconds.
Pidgeotto was burned by the Flame Wheel and tried to out the fire. The more it tried, the more enraged it got.
Pidgeotto was so mad that it gathered as much flying type power as possible then dived at Monferno.
It looked like it was coated in raging blue flames but it was flying type energy. This was the move Brave Bird. Pidgeotto's rage had triggered an awakening of sort allowing it to directly comprehend a move under pressure.
"Monferno charge up an Aura Sphere."
Monferno understood his trainer's thought process. He dodged the Brave Bird at the last second but didn't release the attack, he just kept building power.
Pidgeotto missed one more time then regrouped before launching itself into another fierce Brave Bird.
"Eevee,assist with Helping Hand."
Pidgeottos glowing flying energy grew even stronger as it charged towards Monferno.
At the last possible second, Monferno fired the Aura Sphere at close range. There was a massive explosion and both pokemon were engulfed.
When the smoke cleared, Pidgeotto laid knocked out in front of Monferno.
After this, Monferno and Elekid teamed up to make quick work of Eevee as it was mainly a support type pokemon.
"Both of Miguel's pokemon are unable to battle, Silas is the victor."
Miguel consoled his pokemon then returned them to their pokeballs. He walked over to Silas and actually thanked him for the battle.
" Pidgeotto had been struggling to learn Brave Bird for the past few weeks but the pressure you gave us allowed him to grow."
"Yeah it was a good battle, if it had better control over Brave Bird we might have lost at the end."
Silas and Miguel developed a mutual respect. He found out that Miguel is an aspiring pokemon trainer but also a junior researcher. They exchanged information before Silas walked out of the lab.
"Good luck with everything." Professor Oak said with a warm smile.
Silas genuinely smiled back. "Thank you for all the help today, I really appreciate it."
Silas walked out of professor Oak's lab to return home. Unbeknownst to him, the second he turned his back to Oak, the warm smile vanished, replaced with a serious face. Only Oak knew what he was thinking.