As soon as Hora pushed open the glass doors of the Oak Research Lab, he saw Gary leaning against the reception desk, twirling a pen in his hand. Gary merely tilted his chin and gave a polite, perfunctory nod. That "I was here first" arrogant attitude was exactly the same as usual.
But a second later, when Red's figure appeared in the doorway, Gary's eyes instantly lit up. His casual posture vanished, and he stepped forward with obvious surprise. "Big brother Red! What are you doing here? Did you come specifically to see me?"
Red's gaze swept over the three Pokémon Eggs in the lab as he smiled. "Morning, Gary. I'm actually here to collect my own starter partner. It just so happened to coincide with your day, so I tagged along."
"Collect a starter?" Gary froze, his pen stopping mid-twirl. "But weren't you supposed to set out last year? Why are you just getting one now?"
Hora also looked toward Red, the confusion in his mind finally finding a direction. He suddenly remembered hearing rumors in town last year. A batch of Starter Pokémon being transported to Pallet Town had met with an accident; apparently, the escorting trainer was attacked, and one of the Pokémon was injured and sent back to the breeding center for treatment. This caused one of the new trainers to miss their scheduled departure.
He hadn't expected that person to be Red.
"I was supposed to get one last year, but there was a little accident," Red said casually, as if talking about someone else. "The League said they'd re-allocate one, but since I already had my partner Eevee, I wasn't in a hurry. I spent some time getting familiar with wilderness survival and training with Eevee. That's why I delayed until now."
Hearing the word "Eevee," Hora's heart stirred again. He recalled a scene from three years ago. Back when he had just accepted the System task to fish for the Golden Magikarp, he went to the forest river every day. Once, he saw Red crouching under a tree with an Eevee, patiently teaching it how to use Quick Attack.
Even three years ago, that Eevee showed focus far beyond the Pokémon of other trainers. Now that so much time had passed, what form had it evolved into? Was it a highly adaptable Leafeon, or perhaps a Speed-specialist Jolteon?
"I see," Gary said, his familiar proud smile returning. "When we meet on the battlefield later, I won't lose to you, Red!"
"I'll be waiting for that day," Red replied, not backing down. A flash of excitement for battle crossed his eyes as he turned to Hora. "What about you, Hora? We didn't finish talking outside. Are you sure about Bulbasaur?"
Just as Hora was about to nod, footsteps echoed from deep within the lab, accompanied by a hearty laugh. "Haha! It looks like all the little ones are gathered here today!"
Everyone turned to see Professor Oak, dressed in his white lab coat and holding a tablet, walking out of the laboratory. His eyes behind his glasses were full of smiles.
"Gramps, that's not quite right," Gary said, crossing his arms. "Not everyone is here. That guy Ash is probably still in bed oversleeping!" His tone was full of "disdain" for his old rival, but a familiar competitive spark was hidden in his eyes.
Professor Oak's gaze swept over the three faces before he slapped his forehead in realization. "Oh, it's Red! Your outfit is so similar to Ash's usual style, I almost misidentified you." He waved his hand dismissively and then added with a bit of hesitation: "But since you're here, it's perfect. Including yours, there are exactly four Pokémon available to collect. Come, follow me."
Professor Oak led them into the inner part of the lab and stopped before a transparent glass instrument containing three neatly placed Poké Balls.
Gary leaned in and frowned. "Gramps, didn't you say there were four? Why are there only three balls here?"
"Ahem, well, the fourth one..." Professor Oak scratched the back of his head, his white hair swaying. "It's not one of the standard Starters provided by the League. It has a very stubborn temper and hates being in a Poké Ball. I was afraid it would cause a scene, so I put it in the ecological room in the back for now."
Hora looked toward the room marked "Ecological Observation Zone" and immediately had his answer. That ill-tempered Pokémon that hated Poké Balls was almost certainly Ash's future partner—the "unfathomable" Pikachu!
Hora had no intention of "stealing" Pikachu. In his memory, the bond between Ash and Pikachu was unique. Besides, he already had his Grade A+ Kakuna. However, he was still curious: as a Pikachu that could travel through every region and even hold its own against Legendaries, what was its potential grade? Was it an SS-grade near the Pseudo-Legendary level, or something even rarer?
Gary clearly had no interest in a "non-starter" Pokémon. He turned to Red. "Big brother Red, Hora has already locked in Bulbasaur, and I'm not going to fight him for a Grass-type. Between the remaining Charmander and Squirtle, which do you want?"
Red looked at the three labeled Poké Balls, then at Professor Oak. Seeing the Professor nod with a smile, he spoke decisively: "If possible, I'd like to choose Charmander."
He paused and added, "I already have a Jolteon. Electric combined with Fire makes for great damage output and coverage."
"Jolteon?" Gary raised an eyebrow, a flash of surprise crossing his face before his usual pride returned. "I see you haven't been idle this past year! But even with a Jolteon and a Charmander, I still won't lose!"
Hora nodded to himself. As he suspected, the Eevee from three years ago had evolved into Jolteon. With high speed and explosive fire power, Red's starting lineup was incredibly aggressive from the get-go.
"Good! Since Red picked Charmander, I'm taking Squirtle!" Gary decided immediately, his tone intentionally competitive. "Water beats Fire. If we meet, I'll see if my Squirtle is stronger than your Charmander!"
Professor Oak laughed at the sight of the three spirited young men. "Good, good! It's great to have drive! But don't be in such a hurry to compete. I'll release your chosen Pokémon now so you can get acquainted."
With that, Professor Oak pressed a button. Three Poké Balls popped open with a flash of white light. Amidst crisp cries, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle appeared.
At that exact moment, from the ecological room, a faint "Pika-pika!" sounded, as if something inside was curious about the commotion outside.