Pokemon: Gym Leader

Dylan looked at his adorable partners, Pikachu and Eevee, with a warm smile on his face.

Both Pikachu and Eevee curiously touched their new hats, fascinated by them.

"Yes, Pokémon have always been humanity's best partners."

However, Professor Oak clearly misunderstood Dylan's meaning. He was deeply moved and emotionally remarked, "They truly are the best partner Pokémon."

Professor Oak, a leading authority in Pokémon research, primarily studies the relationship between humans and Pokémon. It's no exaggeration to say that Oak has made tremendous contributions to understanding the bond between humans and Pokémon.

It was Professor Oak who classified Pokémon types and created the Pokédex, giving the public a deeper understanding of these creatures.

One could say that Professor Oak's contributions to the coexistence of Pokémon and humans are monumental, solidifying his legacy in history.

"Dylan."

"What's up, Professor?"

Dylan looked curiously at Professor Oak, who seemed a bit hesitant.

"Ahem~ I heard from President Goodshow that you captured an Articuno?"

Professor Oak's eyes gleamed with excitement. After all, Articuno is a legendary Pokémon.

"Yes, would you like to take a closer look at it, Professor Oak?"

Dylan instantly understood Oak's interest and asked with a smile.

"Absolutely! I've always wanted to study an Articuno up close."

"If it's you, Professor, that's not a problem," Dylan replied without hesitation. After all, it was merely allowing Oak to observe the data of his Articuno.

Besides, Professor Oak had just entrusted him with two Pokémon, so this small request was hardly a big deal.

"Oh~ Thank you so much, Dylan!" Oak was elated, his passion for learning about Pokémon always burning bright.

"Legendary Pokémon are so rare and mysterious. I've always wanted to study them but never had the opportunity," Oak lamented. Even during his adventurous youth, he rarely encountered legendary Pokémon.

"Shall we head to the backyard, Professor Oak?"

Dylan playfully teased his cute partner, Pikachu, before smiling at Oak.

The group headed to the backyard, though Leah didn't follow as she still had a lingering fear of bird Pokémon. She stayed behind to sip tea.

"Let's go!" Oak eagerly agreed.

Once in the backyard, Dylan released Articuno.

"Yiao~"

The legendary bird appeared, and immediately…

Articuno looked at the older man circling it, bewildered.

"Oh wow~ That sheen! That posture! Those feathers! My goodness, it's stunning! Dylan, can I check whether this Articuno is male or female? Huh? Why does it feel colder all of a sudden?"

"Is this because of Articuno? They say it can cool the air with a flap of its wings. How fascinating!" Oak marveled, now armed with a ruler and magnifying glass, excited beyond measure.

A visible tic mark appeared on Articuno's forehead, clearly signaling a chill in the air.

"Professor, perhaps you should take it easy," Dylan cautiously suggested.

"Right, I suppose Articuno wouldn't be too happy about this," Oak mused.

"My Articuno is actually a bit larger and more developed than most," Dylan added with a smile, "so don't take its measurements as the standard for all Articuno."

"Of course. I can see that. Still, it's a valuable comparison," Oak replied, excitedly measuring Articuno's various attributes.

The current Pokédex data for Articuno wasn't entirely accurate. The data is constantly updated in real-time.

Based on previous footage, Articuno was estimated to be about 1.7 meters tall. However, Dylan's Articuno was clearly over 2 meters tall, with a wingspan likely stretching 4-5 meters.

Its size was quite different, but that's not unusual as individual Pokémon can vary. Oak understood this well.

"Alright, my little cuties, I'll be your Trainer from now on. Please take care of me."

As Professor Oak became completely absorbed in Articuno's beauty, Dylan squatted down and spoke gently to Pikachu and Eevee.

"Eevee~!"

"Pikachu!"

Clearly, both were happy to accept Dylan as their Trainer.

"I'll take good care of you and help you grow stronger," Dylan said, his smile growing.

'Beep~ Pikachu, Electric type, Mouse Pokémon

Ability: Static

Moves: Quick Attack, Feint, Electro Ball, Double Team, Thunder Wave, Nuzzle, Thunderbolt, Volt Tackle (inherited)…

Description: It has small electric sacs on its cheeks. When threatened, it discharges electricity.'

'Beep~ Eevee, Normal type, Evolution Pokémon

Ability: Adaptability

Moves: Swift, Baby-Doll Eyes, Quick Attack, Covet, Helping Hand, Wish, Detect (inherited)…

Description: Due to its unstable genes, Eevee has multiple evolution possibilities. However, its population is quite small.'

Dylan glanced at their Pokédex entries and nodded in satisfaction. Of course, the Pokédex could only identify known information.

Dylan knew that he would slowly unlock their full potential, including their partner moves, but that would take time.

"Who would have thought I'd end up with a Pikachu after all," he mused while feeding his partner Pikachu some delicious biscuits.

Although he had a special fondness for the little electric mouse—given Pikachu's importance in the Pokémon anime—it wasn't originally part of his plan to catch one. But now that Pikachu was his partner, he was fully committed to nurturing it.

After spending about half a day at Professor Oak's lab, Dylan, Oak, and their group bid farewell. They needed to head to Saffron City, so they couldn't linger.

"I never expected Professor Oak to be such a kind senior," Dylan remarked as they left.

On the car, Lillie was holding her adorable partner, Eevee, blinking her bright big eyes. After spending half a day together, she had a very good impression of the world-renowned Professor Oak. He was kind and humorous, making him easy to get along with.

"Right? That's just how Professor Oak is. Almost no one who has met him dislikes him. In fact, in the industry, you hardly hear anyone speak ill of Professor Oak."

If anyone did, it would only be that old lady.

Dylan, who was driving the car, laughed as he replied. Oak was kind to others and had a great sense of humor. Who would want to slander such a senior? After all, Oak didn't seek fame or profit, nor did he interfere with others' interests. He usually stayed secluded in Pallet Town, focused on his research.

But there was indeed an old lady who would gossip about Oak. It was more because she was dissatisfied with the choices Oak made back then.

"After all, it's Professor Oak. Speaking of which, Dylan, why did you put hats on Pikachu and Eevee?"

Leah had been staring at her partner Pikachu for a while, and couldn't help but cuddle with it. She curiously asked Dylan.

"Because they look really cute with hats," Dylan replied with a smile.

"They are super cute!" Lillie agreed wholeheartedly. Her Eevee was now napping on her lap, its fluffy tail swaying, looking absolutely adorable.

"We should arrive in Saffron City before six o'clock, though we haven't received any updates yet," Dylan said, checking the time. It was now 1 p.m.

According to the intelligence Leah had gathered earlier, N was expected to fly to Saffron City from Unova today, but the exact flight time was still unknown.

However, Dylan had already sent people to stake out at the airport, having informed them of N's general appearance. As soon as N appeared at the airport, they would notify him immediately.

N had a strikingly handsome appearance, coupled with his long green hair, making him easy to recognize.

Saffron City, with its towering buildings, was the leading city in the Kanto region. The headquarters of one of the world's top corporations, Silph Co., was also located in Saffron City.

The name "Saffron" refers to the dazzling golden color. Saffron City is not only the central business hub of the Kanto region but also boasts the largest infrastructure in the area.

One could say that Saffron City is the economic center of the Kanto region. The Saffron Gym is also one of the official gyms in Kanto. The current Gym Leader, Sabrina, is not only a powerful Psychic-type expert but also a psychic herself! Unlike those third-rate psychics who can't even control chopsticks with their powers, Sabrina is extraordinarily strong!

In the Kanto region, Sabrina is an idol and the aspiration of all psychics. There's even a fan club dedicated to her.

Unfortunately, Sabrina has never acknowledged her fans.

Today, however, Saffron City welcomed two very special visitors—special in every sense of the word.

Outside Saffron City Airport.

"It's quite a lively scene, wouldn't you agree, N?"

A tall, scholarly-looking young man, draped in a white coat resembling a researcher's outfit and wearing glasses, spoke to the young man who was slowly approaching from behind.

The young man had an exceptionally handsome face, wore a black cap, and had long green hair tied back, falling down his back. He was slender.

This was N! The king of Team Plasma!

N walked silently to the side of the blond young man, staring at Saffron City before him. His eyes were special—there was a certain dullness, a grayness in them, devoid of any light.

"You're really indifferent to this city, aren't you, N? This is your first time in another region, isn't it?" The meticulous blond man pushed his glasses up, watching N with amusement.

"Colress, Father sent us to Kanto, not for sightseeing," N said calmly.

"That's true, but our partner here is Team Rocket. Rumor has it that Team Rocket is an evil organization. What do you think about that, N? No problems?"

Colress hadn't given up. A slight smirk played on his lips as he asked N again.

N frowned slightly, but his expression quickly returned to calm.

"Does the 'Dark Scientist' Colress care about such things?"

"Don't misunderstand, Lord N. I certainly don't care, but isn't your ideal to create a world where your 'friends' are free and happy? Collaborating with an evil organization that steals others' Pokémon—is that fine with you?"

Colress's tone was mocking, as if N's title of "King" didn't faze him at all.

N was born special, with the innate ability to hear the voices and emotions of Pokémon. People considered him a monster, until Ghetsis took him in.

To N, Pokémon were his friends. But Team Rocket, on the other hand, was an organization that stole others' Pokémon. Colress found it amusing that N would agree to cooperate with them.

Hearing Colress's words, N fell silent once again. His already dim eyes seemed to darken even further, something Colress noticed with keen interest, and his smile grew.

"Father said this is a necessary step toward realizing my ideals. Ideals... are not so easily achieved," N said softly.

"I see," Colress responded, feigning understanding.

"Let's go, Colress," N said, his tone flat, as he slowly walked forward.

A shadow passed over N, as a cloud drifted by overhead. A large, dragon-like silhouette appeared faintly in the sky.

"Tsk~ What a pitiful man," Colress muttered, watching N's retreating back. He adjusted his glasses again, the glare from the lenses obscuring his eyes.

"Ghetsis... truly a sinful man~" Colress mocked, though he harbored no strong feelings about it. After all, he was now part of Team Plasma.

Hehe~ Chosen by the Dragon of Ideals. This proves that his conviction and belief in his ideals are absolutely pure.

But were those ideals truly born after he saw the world for what it is?

(End of Chapter)