Chapter 70: Meaning Of Life

"Hello there.", the Kabuto said, greeting us in spoken tongue. This only caused more confusion to Serena and Lillie.

"The Pokemon talked?", Serena asked in confusion.

"Haha, I'm no Pokemon. Could one of you three please come up and press this button over here?", the Kabuto replied back with a chuckle.

"What button?", Serena asked. She then walked up the steps, and stood right in front of the Kabuto. She looked around a bit on its frontside, and eventually found a small button on the left. "Is it this one?", Serena asked.

"Yes. Please press it.", the Kabuto confirmed her. Serena acknowledged the Kabuto and pressed the button. A loud 'Pssh', sound struck our ears, only to reveal a blinding light.

All of a sudden, we could see again, only to see the Kabuto split apart at the top. Inside, two hands popped out and in the next moment we saw a figure. Thankfully this time, this figure appeared human like us three. Seeing this person come out of the Kabuto, a light bulb lit up in Lillie's head.

"So this was a Pokemon costume after all. Is it a mechanical one?", Lillie asked.

"Indeed it is. Thank you, you don't know how many hours I have been stuck in that thing.", the figure said, who appeared to be a green haired man dressed in a maroon tuxedo..

"The name's Bill. Like the Little Professor here, I too am a Pokemon Researcher. However, I am staying as a researcher, and did not promote myself to a Professor.", Bill said, introducing himself to us as he got out of the costume.

"A Pokemon Researcher huh? Nice to meet you, Bill. I'm a Trainer, Serena!", Serena introduced herself.

"Likewise, I am also a Trainer. I'm Lillie.", Lillie also introduced herself.

"Since you know me, I am indeed the Little Professor, but I am also a Trainer. I'm currently travelling with these two around Kanto.", I also introduced myself to Bill, who seemed to know who I was already.

"So you're a Trainer too. Well, I welcome you three to my lighthouse.", Bill responded with a light bow.

"That's what had me curious. Why is a researcher like yourself in a lighthouse? I do see equipment around that's seen in labs, but...", Lillie asked with interest.

"Haha, there is a clear reason for that. I chose spot for a reason. This lighthouse was already built by the time I found it, so I purchased it and turned it into what you see now.", Bill explained.

"Wow, so this lighthouse is all yours then,", Serena said.

"That's right. To start with, the reason why I was in that costume. Kabuto are said to be extinct Pokemon. Long ago, they became fossils like other Pokemon. These fossils retain their DNA, allowing one to be resurrected. But even so, extinct Pokemon should have had a heart, no?", Bill began to say.

"A heart?", Serena asked.

I only smiled seeing Bill start to explain his situation. Bill then looked to one if the murals carved toward the top of the right wall, which depicted an Omanyte, an Omastar, an Aerodactyl, a Kabuto, and a Kabutops. The known fossil Pokemon of Kanto.

"I wanted to know just what extinct Pokemon were feeling when they lived on our planet all those years ago.", Bill said

"This led to the idea of me building such a costume and putting it on.", Bill continued to say.

"Do you have the capability to understand a Pokemon's feelings by putting on such a costume then?", Lillie asked.

"I do. At least, I think I can, anyways."

"What's with that half-assed reply?", Serena retorted with a giggle.

This earned another laugh from Bill. He then walked down the steps, continuing to speak. As he did, he sat down on one of the steps.

"Our planet formed millions of years ago. Surely all sorts of beings were born since then, living on our planet with all sorts of their own thoughts. Since several years back, the number of Pokemon being discovered has grown exponentially. In the beginning, it was just a mere one hundred and fifty. Then the progenitor of Pokemon, Mew, was discovered and that only led to further discoveries. To this date, almost nine hundred Pokemon currently exist.", Bill explained.

"Is there really almost nine hundred Pokemon?", Serena exclaimed in surprise. Lillie was also surprised by this fact.

"You three are Pokemon Trainers, right?", Bill suddenly asked, which earned a nod from us three.

"You can see it as a goal to catch all of these Pokemon, do you not?"

"I am not sure if we will go that far, but catching Pokemon and training them is one reason why Trainers exist.", Lillie explained.

After Bill asked that while Lillie explained, we actually saw the lighthouse start to dim. From the ceiling, we saw blue panels appear, one by one. If one counted closely, there were eight hundred ninety eight of these panels. One by one, some panels began to light up. Seeing the Pokemon light up, the three of us became surprised. Even I did. Nineteen panels lit up, which signaled the number of Pokemon we've caught thus far, which included the latest catch, Serena's Abra.

"Surprised?", Bill asked with a smile.

"Bill how did you...", I began to answer. "Wait, is this a live feed from Professor Oak's lab?"

"Not only that, but from the lab these two also received their Pokedex. I knew you three were coming as guests, so I received permission to give you guys this display. It's quite marvelous, isn't it?"

I would also like to point out that it did not highlight Mew's panel, as I've kept Mew's data on a hidden secured server within the Pokedex. Unless I specifically give permission to reveal Mew's data, no one will know about it. Besides Serena, Lillie and Cynthia of course. They know about Mew since Summer Camp. As I thought that, Serena nodded.

"It is. I know we've been quite selective in what we've caught so far, but seeing it lay out in such a giant spread like this, it really is a drop in the ocean...", Serena said, marveling at the nineteen lit up panels spread among the eight hundred ninety eight panels.

"This is all just the Pokemon we've come to discover to this day. I know there are plenty of unknown Pokemon still in lands we haven't explored, living out their lives the way they want to.", Bill explained. This drew our attention once more.

"Are you saying there are still Pokemon out there we haven't found yet?", Lillie asked with interest.

"Most definitely. Regardless of them being discovered or not, they still breath the air we do, being alive. This is the main point that I've been researching. Let me ask you three. Why are we, "Human"? Our Planet was formed so long ago, yet why do we exist on it? Why do Pokemon exist here with us?", Bill said, beginning to explain his research points to us.

"That...", Serena tried to ask, only to get interrupted by Bill once more.

"Oh, I am not expecting you three to know the answer to this. In fact most of us do not know. It's one of life's greatest mysteries after all, haha!", Bill replied with a laugh, still sitting on the step he was on.

"That is true. We are alive and living life how we want to, but we don't know why that came into existence.", I replied back. 'Well, I am a reincarnator, but that still doesn't answer why we exist. If gods exist, where did they come from then? That was always an interesting question to ponder.', I spoke inwardly to myself.

"Yeah. I've been going around to several regions to see how Pokemon live, but right now I am in this lighthouse, for a very specific reason.", Bill answered, standing back up. He then marveled the panels along with us, walking down further, and stretched out his hands.

He then turned around to look back at us, only for Lillie to ask the next question.

"What is it that you are looking for here?", Lillie asked.

"One Pokemon. One that may be one of its kind.", Bill replied.

"Really? Just one Pokemon is why you are here?", Serena asked doubtfully.

"Yes. A giant Pokemon to be exact. I saw it arrive here by sea not too long ago. It always arrived through the fog, so it only shows a silhouette most of the time, but if I could match it against one of these panels, I'd say this giant Pokemon may very well be one of Kanto's most powerful Pokemon, a Dragonite.", Bill said, revealing his finding to us.

"A Dragonite!?", Serene exclaimed in shock. "Isn't that the same Pokemon our current Kanto Champion, Lance, uses? And you are saying its a giant?"

"The very same.", Bill answered. "Come. It is almost time.", Bill said, urging us to follow him.

He led us up the spiral staircase, which led us directly to the top of the lighthouse. Once we arrived, we saw it was a lot darker now, and the fog was dense. We also saw the lighthouse's light continuously spin. Next, we saw Bill take out what appeared to be a remote control with a couple of buttons on it.

"This Pokemon would always make a soothing cry whenever it announces its appearance, and I managed to take a recording to it. I've been to get into contact with this Dragonite. From what I found it has no family. The Dragonite always comes to shore here alone."

"Alone...That's pretty sad, isn't it?", Serena replied.

"Are you wanting to join this Dragonite's family, Bill?", Lillie asked.

"To be honest, I am not sure. At first, I became infatuated in just trying to make contact with it. But now, this Dragonite does seem very lonely. I am not sure if it is responding to my calls, but there must be a reason for it to come all this way, and more than once."

"Just like how there is a reason for us to live. You are trying to find the reason why this Dragonite keeps coming back here.", I answered.

"Exactly. As to whether one can form a bond with this Dragonite, it remains to be seen.", Bill concluded. He then pressed the button on his switch, only to let out a soothing cry of a Pokemon. This sound echoed through the sea around us.

At first, we received no response back. But once the Pokemon's cry finished, a couple moments passed in silence. Afterward, we slowly started to hear the ocean waves quake, and burst forth, climbing up the cliffside. In the next moment, we saw, within the foggy sea, a silhouette appear. The closer it got, the larger it became. Once it arrived in front of us, it let out the same cry Bill's device let out a couple moments ago.

Sure enough, this giant silhouette was massive, far spanning that of the height of the lighthouse, and the cliff itself. Not only that, I can confirm this silhouette definitely belonged to that of a Dragonite. Except this Dragonite was massive!

Just seeing this massive Dragonite made me excited. Reaching my hand inside my waist, I grabbed onto one of my Pokeballs, waiting.

*

A giant Dragonite appears!

Will a battle ensue?

Power stones please? Let's try to reach that 500 this week!