Chapter 27
Mike woke up especially early the next morning.
He brought breakfast to the Pokémon Center to check on Glameow, but she was still asleep, so he handed the food to Chansey, who was still on duty.
After leaving the Pokémon Center, Mike hurried to Professor Rowan’s laboratory.
"Good morning, Professor."
Mike greeted Professor Rowan, who was already working.
"Good morning, Mike."
Professor Rowan looked up and returned the greeting.
"You’re here already? It’s only a little after six."
He checked the time in surprise.
It was only 6:05 a.m.
"I thought it would be better to come early. Maybe there’s something I can help you with."
Professor Rowan laughed, then took out a white laboratory coat and handed it to him.
"This is one of mine. Try it on. It should fit."
Most people who worked in laboratories wore white coats.
That included not only ordinary researchers, but many professors as well, such as Professor Oak and Professor Birch.
Professor Rowan was an exception.
"Okay."
Mike accepted the coat, walked to a corner, and put it on before returning.
Professor Rowan looked at him and nodded in satisfaction.
"You look like a real Pokémon researcher."
Mike was over six feet tall, so the coat did not look oversized on him.
It fit surprisingly well.
His naturally gentle air also suited the white coat, making him look even more like a researcher.
"You’re flattering me. What should I do next?"
Mike smiled and asked Professor Rowan.
"Relax. It’s quite simple. Just stay beside me. If I need you to do something, I’ll tell you."
"Okay."
For the next while, Mike stayed close to Professor Rowan and carefully watched him work.
Professor Rowan first placed all the Poké Balls containing the first-partner Pokémon into three different large boxes.
Then a table was placed in the middle of the laboratory, with the boxes behind it.
After that, they checked the registration list again to make sure the number of Pokémon matched the number of new Trainers expected to arrive.
The preparations were actually quite simple.
At six thirty, the first Trainer came running into the laboratory.
"Professor, can I choose my first Pokémon now?"
The boy wore a baseball cap and looked eagerly at Professor Rowan.
Professor Rowan nodded kindly.
"You arrived very early. It isn’t even the scheduled time yet."
"I couldn’t sleep, so I got up early. I can’t wait to leave on a journey with a Pokémon!"
The boy clenched his fists excitedly.
Then he looked at Professor Rowan and asked, "Does that mean I can’t choose one until the scheduled time?"
Professor Rowan shook his head.
"Of course not. Since you’re already here, you may choose your first-partner Pokémon. Did you bring your postcard?"
"Of course. I even slept while holding it last night!"
The boy took the postcard from his pocket and handed it over.
Professor Rowan checked it.
"So your name is Masato. Very well. Have you decided which Pokémon you want as your first partner?"
"Hmm... not yet. Could you introduce them to me, Professor?"
"Of course. That’s part of my job."
Professor Rowan walked to the table, where one of the assistants had already released the three Sinnoh first-partner Pokémon.
They were sitting on the table and eating the Pokémon food in front of them.
Professor Rowan brought Masato over and began the introduction.
"This is Chimchar, a Fire-type Pokémon with a strong fighting spirit. This is Piplup, a Water-type Pokémon skilled at controlling water. And this is Turtwig, a Grass-type Pokémon that excels at using plants in battle."
Professor Rowan looked at him.
"Masato, please choose one of these three Sinnoh Pokémon as your first partner."
Masato looked at the three Pokémon staring back at him and blinked.
Then he walked decisively toward Chimchar and pointed at it.
"I’ve decided. I choose Chimchar!"
Professor Rowan nodded.
"Very well. From today onward, Chimchar will officially become your partner on your journey."
An assistant brought over a metal tray containing a blue-purple device and six Poké Balls.
"Since you’re about to begin your journey, there are two things I must give you."
Professor Rowan pointed to the blue-purple device.
"This is a Pokédex. It will provide information about the Pokémon you meet along the way."
Then he picked up a Poké Ball.
"And this is a Poké Ball. It allows you to carry Pokémon with you conveniently."
"Thank you, Professor Rowan."
Masato happily accepted the Pokédex and Poké Balls, then walked over to Chimchar and held out a Poké Ball.
"Chimchar, let’s travel together!"
Chimchar stared at Masato, and the flame on its tail burned even brighter.
"Chim!"
[Let’s go!]
Chimchar placed its hand on the Poké Ball, turned into red light, and entered it.
Masato held the Poké Ball in both hands and shouted happily, "Chimchar, let’s go!"
Then he ran out of the laboratory and headed off into the distance.
He was so excited about receiving his first Pokémon that he even forgot to say goodbye.
Mike stood nearby and watched the whole process.
Looking at Masato’s retreating figure, he couldn’t help smiling.
He probably had the same expression when Gengar first became his partner.
Excitement, disbelief, happiness...
And there was also the first time he caught Weedle through battle.
’Pokémon are really adorable...’
In his previous life, many people constantly complained about the Pokémon anime and games.
But if they were truly given the chance to catch Pokémon themselves, who wouldn’t want to catch a whole bunch of them?
Thinking about that, Mike looked toward Gengar and noticed that he seemed to be chewing something.
"What are you eating?"
Hearing Mike’s question, Gengar curled his tongue and stuck it out.
Half of a dark purple orb rested on it.
"That’s... the Toxic Orb?"
Mike was startled.
"You’re eating it? That thing is poisonous! You actually dared to put it in your mouth?"
He was about to tell Gengar to spit it out when Gengar looked at him in confusion.
’Poison? Me?’
Mike finally remembered.
"Oh, right. You can’t be poisoned... But can that thing really be eaten?"
Gengar nodded.
"Gar..."
[It’s cool, tingly, and very chewy. It’s pretty good...]
"Then I guess it’s fine. But why do you only have half? Where’s the other half?"
Gengar looked toward Weedle.
Mike followed his gaze and saw that Weedle’s cheeks were puffed out, with a round shape bulging from one side.
"Wee?"
[Do you want some too?]
Weedle looked curiously at Mike.
Mike fell silent.
Then he shook his head and became confused.
"How did you two split it in half?"
Gengar picked up Weedle, pointed at the horn on his head, then moved him back and forth through the air like a saw.
Mike stared at them.
"So... you used Weedle’s horn to cut it in half?"
Gengar and Weedle nodded.
"No wonder I heard squeaking noises in the middle of the night. I thought the room was haunted..."
Mike looked at the two Pokémon chewing the Toxic Orb as if it were bubble gum, both wearing satisfied expressions.
He let out his first sigh of the day.
"You two really are made for each other—the perfect disaster duo."
After saying that, Mike walked over to Professor Rowan and asked whether he could take pictures during the rest of the morning.
"Of course," Professor Rowan replied. "Receiving a first-partner Pokémon is a very meaningful event. Afterward, choose a few of the best pictures and print them for me. I can display them in the laboratory."
Mike nodded.
"Don’t worry, Professor. I’m pretty good at photography."
Professor Rowan nodded, then asked, "Did something happen with Gengar and Weedle just now? You didn’t look very happy."
Mike shook his head and sighed again.
"They’re chewing the Toxic Orb I gave them like candy."
"A Toxic Orb?"
Professor Rowan was surprised.
"That.... isn’t something an ordinary Pokémon can eat."
He looked toward Gengar and Weedle.
"However, since they are both Poison-type Pokémon, they can absorb the toxins inside the Toxic Orb to strengthen their own poison and increase the power of their Poison-type moves."
"Digesting it directly through the stomach may even make the process faster."
"Very few Pokémon choose to do that, though. The toxins inside a Toxic Orb are extremely strong."
Professor Rowan watched them for a moment.
"But judging by Gengar and Weedle’s condition, it doesn’t seem to be affecting them, so there’s no need to worry."
"Huh? They can do that?"
Mike looked surprised.
"They can absorb the toxins inside and make themselves stronger?"
"Of course."
Professor Rowan continued, "Many items contain large amounts of energy. A Miracle Seed, for example, contains a great deal of Grass-type energy."
"Grass-type Pokémon can absorb that energy to improve their potential, although very few Pokémon choose to absorb all the power inside such an item."
"Why?"
"First, these items are expensive. Ordinary Trainers usually can’t afford them."
"Second, the immediate improvement from absorbing the energy is generally smaller than the effect gained from carrying the item."
Professor Rowan thought for a moment before giving an example.
"Imagine a Pokémon’s body as a reservoir with a fixed capacity."
"Absorbing the energy from an item slowly expands the reservoir, but that is an extremely long process."
"Carrying the item, on the other hand, temporarily gives the reservoir extra capacity."
"The first option is better in the long term, but as you can imagine, it takes a long time."
Professor Rowan paused.
"And very few Trainers can afford to be so... extravagant."
"I see..."
Mike felt that he had learned something new.
He had assumed that these items worked exactly like they did in the games and could only be carried.
He hadn’t expected them to also improve a Pokémon’s natural potential.
In that case, there was no problem.
If Gengar and Weedle wanted to eat it, they could eat it.
"You don’t seem upset," Professor Rowan said. "As far as I know, Toxic Orbs aren’t cheap."
"What’s the point of being upset?"
Mike looked toward his Pokémon.
"I gave it to them, so it belongs to them. They can do whatever they want with it."
"As long as they’re happy, that’s enough."
Professor Rowan smiled.
"Perhaps that’s why they like you so much."
...
On the other side of the room, Weedle held half of the Toxic Orb in his mouth and looked curiously at Gengar.
"Wee?"
[Boss, what are they talking about?]
Gengar glanced toward Mike and Professor Rowan.
"Gar."
[No idea. They’re probably praising us.]
"Wee!"
[Awesome!]