(Third Person POV)
"Can you be more specific? I don't quite follow." Oak.
Kaori just took a bite of his sandwich and smiled.
"It's hard to put it into words, it's more like a feeling. I've been so grateful of being able to live in a place like this, study Pokemon the way we do and even got the chance to raise my own Partner, I can't ask for more." Kaori looked at the sky.
"In the past, living like this was something I'd never expect to experience, to live like this has already become my ultimate gift." Kaori looked back at Oak with a wide smile.
Oak takes a moment to let the words sink in as he looked at Kaori in mild awe and respect.
'This kid…he's always been mature in many aspects, whether it is about responsibility or modesty he never falters and despite his thirst for discoveries and knowledge, he's never once tried to do something that would endanger the Pokemon here. Kind, friendly and wise…I can't wait to see how he grows.' Oak smiled as he takes a sip of his tea before reaching for another sandwich.
Until he noticed that all of them were already gone, eaten by Kaori.
'And also has a great appetite this kid…' Oak snickers before resuming the conversation.
"Still, I can't help but to feel curious, I just wish Gary could be as honest as you are." Oak comments.
"I don't recall Gary lying." Kaori.
"Not to others, to himself. Being surrounded by the idea of becoming a trainer is greatly engraved within him, not that he's bad or anything, but I've always felt that his true passion lies elsewhere." Oak confesses.
'Hm…considering he does become a researcher in the future, you're not far off.' Kaori thought.
"We're still kids, give him time to experience the world however he likes first and then he can decide later." Kaori recommended.
Oak nodded as he took a sip of his tea.
"Speaking of adventures, how was yours Prof? Different times, harsher world, I want the story." Kaori.
Oak let out a dry laugh before reminiscing. "Those were some good times. There were several bad times as well on a weekly basis, but I wouldn't dare to forget any of them." Oak looked happy.
"I read that Elite Four Member Agatha and Mahogany Town's Gym Leader Pryce your traveling companions." Kaori.
"Indeed, they were, although you forgot to mention my friend Kurt." Oak.
"Kurt as well? The great Pokeball inventor? I thought those were rumors." Kaori lied.
"Yes, years ago the four of us explored all over Kanto, making friends, catching Pokémon we all were unstoppable. Wild Pokémon, trainers, Gym Leaders, heck even the Elite Four were nothing to us...…" Oak then drifted off, remembering a sad event.
"Something bad happened?" Kaori rhetorically asked.
Oak just sighed. "Every adventure has its challenges…what happened back then was something no one expected. Pryce lost two friends that day…needless to say it affected him a lot." Oak.
'But was your help enough for Pryce to heal?' Kaori thought.
"Is he okay these days?" Kaori.
Oak's face grimaced. "He got back to his feet and even made it far into the Johto League, until he was accidentally burned from a Magmar alongside his Piloswine. We took him home for him to heal and left him with Piloswine while we looked for burn medicine, only to come back to find that Piloswine had abandoned him. Pryce gave up on being a trainer but needing the income he reluctantly became a Gym Leader." Oak.
There was a small pause, the deep sadness behind Oak's words were palpable, Kaori knew these stories and the feelings they carried, but even now it pains him to imagine such scene.
"I'm sorry it wasn't the happy ending story you expected." Oak let out a dry laugh.
"No, it's fine, thank you for sharing it with me." Kaori replied.
"The reason why I told you this is because I want you to learn this lesson: Sometimes things will go from bad to worse, never let those experience change you." Oak finished talking as he got up and started leaving.
Kaori only muttered some words before Oak could leave.
"All humans should live in accordance with the star under which they were born; some are born under stars of good luck... and others under stars of bad luck. The only thing I can say is that I will always give my very best, whatever my star may be." Kaori says mostly to himself.
Oak went to deep thought before entering the lab, leaving Kaori alone with the now nightly sky. Oak went towards his room and entered it, the walls covered with several notes about his research, rare Pokémon sightings, and notes about other Region's Pokémon.
A single wall was refrained from all that research, why? Because it is decorated with several pictures of his past, including a picture of his friends celebrating Oak's victory as Kanto's Champion.
Right beside the one of his friends is the burnt picture of him and a trainer, only that the trainer's appearance was burnt beyond recognition leaving only half of his Infernape to be seen clearly.
Oak sighs before picking up the desk phone and dialed a number.
*RING...….RING...RING....RING*
*CACHING*
"Hello, long time hasn't it?....Listen, I met someone today that you have to meet...not for now, he'll go to you for your badge someday...all I'm saying is…don't give up your job till you meet him...…thank you, yes, this is my last favor to you...…let's talk more tomorrow, Pryce." Oak hung up and then sat on his bed before sighing.
'I'll entrust him to you, Kaori. I know if anyone can cheer him up, is you.' Oak smiled before preparing himself to bed.
(Back with Kaori.)
Kaori took a big breath as he processed what he had heard, he knows what's gonna happen, or at least knows versions of it. But since this world is no longer fictional, he wonders, what and how much exactly can he change.
'Pryce became the Masked Man in order to capture Celebi and travel back in time to save his Lapras, I know that much, however, in the end result of things he will lose almost everything even though he managed to reunite with them for a brief moment…there's also the question of Green and Silver, and with Silver comes the debate of Giovanni…so much to do.' Kaori.
Truth to be told, there's a lot of things Kaori could do but none of them assures him that they will be for the better, for example: Changing Giovanni's outcome like letting him get away and eventually reunite with Silver in order for him to have his redemption arc, but there were other changes like the deaths of other characters---People, he'd like to change.
'No need to think much about it, I'll do what I can, that's enough.' Kaori let out a sigh before breathing in the nightly wind.
'What a beautiful world.' Kaori.
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(Terminus Cave, Kalos Region.)
A hulking giant Pokémon meditates in the deepest chamber of the cave, his green aura gently overflowing out of it as its eyes remain closed.
Suddenly, a signal is received by it from far away, several malicious energy signals are all around the world, some preparing, while others are ready to enact their wrongful actions.
'The balance of the world is shifting...this might be the most chaotic era in recent years, but no matter what I, Zygarde, make this oath that I'll defend This world's ecosystem no matter what.' Zygarde.
Zygarde started to glow as his hulking giant body started to disperse into several small worm-like creatures that started leaving the cave.
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The next day arrived and it was a little bit of the same, Kaori was helping Prof Oak with a delivery with Chimchar in Viridian City.
The quartet of protagonists were a tad envious of not being able to accompany Kaori, and by the quartet I just mean Ash and Red.
"No fair! Why can't we go with Kaori?" Ash.
"You heard gramps, it was important." Blue.
"It was just a package delivery, can't imagine what's so valuable about it." Gary.
"Not just that, these past few weeks Kaori hasn't battled any of us!" Ash complained.
"Hey yeah, what gives?" Red.
"He told me he's teaching Chimchar a new move." Blue.
"A new move?" Gary.
"One that would be Super-Effective against any type except those immune to." Blue.
"Oh man, that sounds amazing!" Red.
"Yeah...what was Super-Effective again?" Ash.
"Just forget about it, you wouldn't understand anyway." Gary.
"What was that?!" Ash got taunted.
"If you really wanted to go out, just get a Pokemon from gramps and problem solved." Blue sarcastically remarked.
"Oh! Good idea Blue!" Ash immediately went to the lab.
The rest of them just looked amongst themselves before Gary looked at his brother.
"You do understand that he doesn't get sarcasm don't you?" Gary.
"I forgot." Blue admitted as he massaged his temples in exasperation.
"So...…should we…?" Red.
"Let's go." Blue and Gary left as Red trailed behind.
Back in the lab.
Ash rushed through the place and eventually arrived at the storage room.
"Alright, simple mission look around, find someone strong to battle Kaori and then bring it back." Ash told himself as he saw the Pokeballs laying in the table.
It had the three starters as well as some other Pokemon: A Spearow, Pidgey, Kakuna, Metapod, Rattata, Spearow, Poliwag, Tentacool, Weedle, Meowth.
"Cool…" Ash was about to grab one when…
"Stop it!" Gary yelled.
Ash yelped as he looked back and saw his friends.
"You scared me! What's the matter with you?!" Ash complained.
"Are you really trying to take a Pokemon from our grandpa without his permission?" Gary.
"Hey, it was just for a moment." Ash defended himself.
"Ash, I'm all for an adventure and all that but, taking Prof's mons without asking permission seems a bit…bad." Red.
While they were all focused on Ash, a small pink ball rolls inside the room.
"Yeah…I know…is just, I can't wait anymore to start our adventure!" Ash.
"We know and trust me you're not the only one however, if you do stuff like this there's a chance that gramps will get all uppity and won't let you become a trainer." Blue commented.
The realization struck Ash like a punch to the gut.
"You didn't realized that did you?" Gary.
"No I did not." Ash admitted as he looked down in sadness.
"Ok, no harm no foul, I always told gramps that he needed a better security system, I mean, he doesn't even lock the doors." Blue.
"I know, it's like he's confident that no one would even attempt to steal his research." Gary.
The pink ball sneakily made its way to the table of Pokeballs.
"Yeah, let's relax a little bit and enjoy this afternoon playing by the pond. Relaxing sounds, the breeze, maybe even have a rock skip competition." Red suggested.
"Huh…that does sound like a nice idea." Ash considered.
"You totally stole that from Kaori." Gary.
"No doubt." Blue.
"Shut up! I can be wise when I want to." Red blushed embarrassed, they were right about that.
"Alright, let's leave and enjoy this relaxing uneventful day…" Blue started saying when...…
*POP*
Something fell behind them.
The group looked back and saw a Jigglypuff standing on the table holding Squirtle's Pokeball.
.
.
.
.
"Jiggly~♥" Jigglypuff let out a cutesy pose.
"GET IT!" Red yelled as he lunged at Jigglypuff.
*CRASH*
Red crashed against the table as Jigglypuff avoided him and hovered in the air with his ballon-like body. He also knocked down the other balls around, making them pop open and release the mons.
Last night Oak performed some medical tests to them and let them rest today inside the comfort of their balls, which is why they may be a little bit jumpy.
Chaos erupted inside the storage as the startled Pokemon started running around or rolling around in Kakuna and Metapod's case. The intensity was such that our protagonists were pushed around before the entire group was defeated, Jigglypuff took Squirtle's Pokeball and left.
"What just happened...?" Gary asked in daze.
"I'd like to blame that pink furball, and I will, but Red knocked up all the Pokeballs and startled the mons, who then rolled us over." Blue.
"Sorry…" Red.
"Ugh...…" Ash.
Before they could recollect themselves, someone arrived.
"WHAT HAPPENED HERE??!!!" Prof Oak screamed in confusion of seeing the kids in the ground and his storage made a mess.