Chapter 260: Involvement
Since Daisy and Gary's arrival, Professor Oak's routine had shifted. He was no longer a constant presence in the laboratory, instead frequently taking Gary on outings – to where, Xiu neither knew nor particularly cared.
This change, however, did alter the atmosphere at the institute. While their relationship hadn't become strained, a subtle restraint had crept into Xiu's interactions with the Professor, at least when the grandchildren were present. No more cussing, crass words and overly cynical remarks, I suppose.
So, when Xiu alongside Abra appeared in Oak's private study that evening, the Professor looked up from his work, surprise in his eyes. "Xiu? Is something wrong? You rarely bring Abra up here unless it's important."
"Professor," Xiu began, his voice grave, "there are some… developments… I believe you need to be aware of." He pulled up a chair, sitting directly opposite Oak.
"Oh?" Oak leaned back, his curiosity piqued. "I must admit, I'm curious towards what's been troubling you. You haven't been quite yourself." He knew Xiu wasn't one to be easily rattled. For something to disturb him like this, it had to be significant.
"I discovered something, Professor," Xiu said, then proceeded to recount, in concise, unembellished detail, the memories he had extracted from the injured Fearow – the psychic attack, the glimpse of Team Rocket, and the terrifying, armored Pokémon.
Professor Oak, who had initially been listening with a somewhat detached, academic interest, grew increasingly somber as Xiu spoke. The casual air vanished, replaced by a focused, almost grim intensity.
When Xiu finished, heavy silence filled the room. Oak was the first to break it, voice tight. "And then? What else did you see?"
"Words won't do it justice, Professor," Xiu replied. "It's best if you see for yourself." He nodded to Abra. There was no point in trying to convince Oak with secondhand accounts. The truth, in this case, was best experienced directly, however unsettling.
Abra's eyes glowed. Oak, familiar with the process, closed his own, allowing the psychic Pokémon to project the Fearow's memories directly into his mind.
A long, tense silence ensued. Finally, Oak slowly opened his eyes, his brow furrowed in a deep, troubled frown. "That creature," he murmured, his voice hoarse, "I've never seen anything like it. What manner of Pokémon is that?"
"I don't know for certain, Professor," Xiu replied, deliberately evasive. "But its power… you saw it. And those uniforms… I presume you recognize them." He steered the conversation towards the more immediate, verifiable threat.
Oak nodded slowly. "Team Rocket. Unmistakable." He paused, his mind clearly racing. "The psychic abilities displayed by that armored Pokémon… it's unprecedented."
"Beyond what ordinary Pokémon or even most legendaries, are capable of," Xiu offered, testing the waters. "Even a Trainer of your caliber, Professor… could you contend with such a creature?"
"I am now a scholar, Xiu, a researcher. My past is behind me," Oak retorted, a hint of his old irascibility returning. "My work is now with understanding Pokémon, not engaging them in combat. But your assessment is correct." He leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "Tell me, what do you think?"
"Team Rocket is far from defeated," Xiu stated bluntly. "Their retreat from Viridian City was tactical, not a rout. It seems they didn't commit their full strength. In fact," he continued, his voice hardening, "I suspect they used the conflict to their advantage.
Lured Nurse Joy and the League into confronting the very factions that had facilitated Team Rocket's rise in Viridian. A way to eliminate inconvenient allies, sever troublesome ties, and consolidate their own power." He paused, letting the implications sink in.
"And now, this mass capture of wild Pokémon… it's clearly an effort to rebuild, to re-arm, and to prepare for another, far more decisive, offensive."
He looked directly at Oak, waiting for his reaction. But the Professor remained silent, his expression thoughtful, distant.
"Professor?" Xiu prompted gently.
"Ah, yes. Go on," Oak said, snapping back to attention, though his gaze remained troubled.
"If Team Rocket does indeed possess this… weapon," Xiu continued, choosing his words carefully, "and if the League is unaware of its existence to begin with… what happens when they clash again?" He left the unspoken consequences hanging in the air.
"You underestimate the Pokémon League, Xiu," Oak said, shaking his head, though his tone lacked its usual conviction. "It cannot be overthrown by one or two powerful Pokémon, however formidable."
"With all due respect, Professor," Xiu countered, "I'm not suggesting that Team Rocket would overthrow the League. I'm suggesting that a disaster would certainly follow if Team Rocket were to push through with their plans.
The most urgent priority now is to alert the League, to warn them about this Pokémon, about its destructive potential." The fact that the protagonists in those old stories always managed to make it out alive either implies that Mewtwo, for all its power, wasn't an insurmountable threat to the world order[1] or it was just plot armor.
Otherwise, Giovanni wouldn't have remained so… localized in Kanto.
"A simple warning, Professor. Share this information with Nurse Joy or your contacts within the League. It could give them the time they need to counter this threat and to develop a strategy."
"It's not that simple, Xiu," Oak sighed, waving a dismissive hand with weary frustration.
Xiu frowned. "Is there… something else at play, Professor? Something happening within the League itself?"
Oak hesitated, then seemed to come to a decision. "Let me put it this way, Xiu. Normally, even during holidays, my son would be reluctant to send Gary and Daisy here for an extended stay so early in the season.
But this year… they arrived almost the moment their school term ended." He leaned back, his fingers drumming on the armrests of his chair. "The Pokémon League is preparing for a… transition of leadership.
The highest echelons are preoccupied, maneuvering, and politicking. Few have the time, or the inclination, to focus on a regional threat like Team Rocket. In fact," Oak added, his voice dropping to a cynical whisper, "some factions might even welcome a bit of chaos, a setback for their rivals, if it strengthens their own position."
Xiu absorbed this, a new layer of complexity settling over the already grim picture. Internal politics. Power struggles. While the wolves are at the door. So, Giovanni timed this perfectly. No wonder things have felt so... unstable recently. Relying on the League, or even Professor Oak's influence, to counter this threat directly was clearly unrealistic.
After a long silence, Oak opened his eyes, a wry, tired smile on his face. "You certainly know how to bring trouble to an old man's doorstep, don't you, Xiu?"
"Have you thought of a solution, Professor?" Xiu asked, a flicker of hope in his voice.
"This is not a problem I can solve alone, Xiu," Oak admitted. "But I will do what I can and see that it reaches the appropriate channels." He then fixed Xiu with a stern gaze.
"But you, Xiu, are to do nothing further. Say nothing of this to anyone. Especially not to Gary or Daisy. Understand?" Oak replied, "Leave it to me."
Xiu then changed tack. "One final question, Professor, if I may."
"What is it?" Oak asked, a hint of weariness in his voice.
"Viridian Forest," Xiu said, his gaze intense, trying to read the Professor. "What secrets does it truly hold?"
Oak met his gaze, his expression unreadable. After a long moment, he said, "I don't know, Xiu."
Xiu held his gaze for another second, then nodded slowly. He stood and left the study without another word.
Stepping out into the cool night air of the institute grounds, Xiu took several deep breaths, trying to calm the turmoil in his mind. He looked up at the star-dusted sky. "Well," he muttered to himself, his voice a low whisper, "I've done what I can. If disaster strikes now… it won't be on my conscience."
Abra, hovering silently beside him, opened its eyes, looked at him, then closed them again, as if the weighty matters of human folly were of no concern to its mind.
"Come on, Abra," Xiu sighed. "Let's go check on Scizor. See if it's managed to master his own footwork." Professor Oak… for all his wisdom, he seemed unusually… apprehensive… when I mentioned Viridian Forest.
Why?
[1] With a Mild Nature, perfect IVs, and optimized EVs, a Level 100 Mega Mewtwo Y's stats sum to 2038, the highest sum of any Pokémon.