Chapter no.8 Talks with Oak

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As I flipped through the pages of The Physics of Pokémon: Understanding Their Moves by Professor Magnolia, I came across an interesting section about the different types of Pokémon moves.

"Instinctive Moves — These are moves that a Pokémon instinctively knows but requires the catalyst of a battle to, in layman's terms, 'unlock'. It's like they have these moves lying dormant until the heat of battle triggers them."

I nodded to myself, thinking of Spearow's recent battle where it seemed to suddenly know Fury Attack.

"Egg Moves — These moves awaken in Pokémon due to interspecies breeding. They are passed down from parents to offspring, sometimes resulting in moves that a Pokémon wouldn't normally learn."

That one was a bit tricky to wrap my head around, but it was incredible to think about the genetic memories being passed down like that.

"Tutor Moves — A phenomenon, known as 'Pokémon Mimetics,' shows that Pokémon can teach some of their moves to other species. This can be replicated by professional move tutors, who help Pokémon learn moves outside their natural set."

"Pokémon Mimetics," I murmured, trying to wrap my head around the concept.

"TM Moves — TM, or Technical Machine, moves were created by Orrean scientist Konrad Zuse. He discovered that many Pokémon have vestigial organs that allow them to learn moves that their species naturally can't. The first successful TM was created in 1941 when an Eevee was taught the move 'Stored Power' using a combination of psychic type Pokémon and engineering."

I blinked, the term "Orrean" catching my attention.

'Orre? Isn't that the Pokémon region where Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness took place?' I thought to myself, my excitement bubbling.

That was one of my favorite games.

A wave of nostalgia hit me, but it also sparked a flicker of worry—could Team Cipher become a problem for me in the future?

"Pika." Pikachu's gentle pat on my leg snapped me back to the present moment. He pointed at the clock with his tiny paw, reminding me of our current task.

"Okay, let's see if the snacks are done." I put the book down and turned to the kitchen, feeling the trio's excited eyes on me as I pulled out a plate of freshly made snacks.

I picked one up and took a bite, the rich, smooth chocolate melting immediately on my tongue. Beneath that, the cold, creamy yogurt offered a refreshing contrast, followed by the burst of sweet, tangy berries that filled my senses with a delightful flavor explosion.

Handing a snack to each of my Pokémon, I watched them eat, their enjoyment evident in their eager munching. For a moment, I allowed myself to just enjoy this simple pleasure with them.

A proverb floated through my mind: Cross the bridge when you come to it.

'Focus on what's directly in front of you,' I reminded myself. 'Talk to Professor Oak and Delia, sort out your budget, devise a training plan, and get through those books. Michael and Wes can handle Team Cipher if that ever becomes an issue. Right now, you have your own path to tread.'

———

I settled into the communication room, surrounded by vintage 90s computers that hummed softly with age. Each bulky, beige monitor was housed within small partitioned walls, offering a semblance of privacy in this quaint setup. Nervously, I muttered to myself, "Okay, you got this," as I powered on the computer and dialed the number.

After a few rings, a familiar voice answered, "Hello, this is the Ketchum residence." The video feed remained off initially.

"Hello, Mom?" I ventured, feeling a pang of guilt for the pretense.

A cry of joy burst through the speakers, making me wince before Delia's face appeared on the screen. "Hi honey, is everything okay?" she asked, her image finally coming into view. I was taken aback as I saw her casually curling 50-pound dumbbells, her arms toned and her expression focused. I never expected Delia Ketchum, the gentle and caring mother from the show, to be so... athletic.

"Where are you, Ash?" she asked.

"The Pokémon Center in Viridian City," I replied, still trying to reconcile this new image of her.

"You're already in Viridian City?" Delia sounded impressed and pleased. "It took your father four days to get there when he started Pokémon training. Oh, he'll be so proud. You're the apple of his eye."

Father? I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure. "I-Is there a way for me to talk to him?" The question slipped out, driven by a lifetime of curiosity about who Ash's dad was.

"Sorry, honey, you know how busy he is," Delia responded, her tone slightly forced, hinting at more beneath the surface, but I didn't press further.

"Well, next time you talk to dad, tell him that I am doing alright," I managed to say, looking down to hide the swirl of emotions. It felt so surreal calling someone else 'mom' and 'dad.'

"Ash, I am proud of you, and I want you to know that your father is also proud of you," Delia said, her smile broad and genuine.

"Hmm," was all I could muster in response.

"I have to call Professor Oak. I shouldn't keep him waiting," I added quickly, feeling the need to wrap up the conversation.

"I love you," Delia said warmly.

The words hit me harder than expected, creating a lump in my throat. "Me too," I replied softly, before hanging up. As I disconnected, I sat back, the weight of the conversation settling around me.

This world, these connections—they were becoming more real with each passing moment, and I was right in the middle of it all, struggling to navigate through my own unexpected journey.

...

~Ring Ring Ring~

"Hello there, Professor."

"Ah! Ash, my boy. How is your journey going?"

"Who is this?"

"Don't you recognize me?"

"I would if I wasn't looking at the back of your head," I quipped, watching as Professor Oak fumbled with the camera, his back still facing me. His sudden scramble to adjust the setup had me stifling a chuckle until he finally turned around, looking a bit sheepish.

"Looks like you made it to Viridian City," he noted, trying to regain his composure.

"Yeah, I was curious why you called the Pokémon Center?" I asked, leaning closer to the screen, genuinely intrigued.

"I was checking to see your progress since I am your sponsor," Professor Oak explained, his tone serious now. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Sponsor? That was a new bit of information.

"And I had my doubts that you would be able to handle your Pikachu, but when my grandson said that you wouldn't have a new Pokémon by the time you get to Viridian City, I bet him 1,000 Pokédollars that he'd be wrong."

"You won that bet," I said with a slight smile, feeling a bit of pride as I added, "I caught 2 Pokémon— Rattata and Spearow."

Professor Oak's laughter filled the room, his face lighting up. "Well done—A Spearow?" His expression shifted to concern. "That Pokémon is hard for new trainers to handle."

"We'll see," I responded, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

"Confidence, that's good to see."

"Professor, I had a few questions on my mind. Do you mind if you could answer them?"

"Ask away."

"Can Pokémon use more than four moves?"

"Of course, why do you ask?" Professor Oak tilted his head, his expression curious.

"Well, I saw this Pokémon match, and they only used four moves," I replied, leaning back slightly and fabricating a little to steer the conversation.

"That's because the Pokémon League rules limit the Pokémon to four moves so that battles are more strategic," Professor Oak explained, and I nodded, absorbing this new piece of information.

"Any other questions?"

"Ah, yes, when you say you are my sponsor, what does that mean exactly?" I inquired, genuinely puzzled by the term.

"You weren't paying attention when I was giving the lecture, right?" Professor Oak chuckled, and I could only offer a nervous laugh in response.

"Okay, so being a sponsored trainer is pretty straightforward. I give you access to the Oak Lab's ranch, and the League fronts you a monthly stipend of 10,000 Pokédollars to use as you see fit," he detailed.

My jaw dropped, literally.

"But what's the catch?"

"The catch is that you're considered an active trainer who operates on my behalf and represents me in official tournaments while you conduct your own adventures. Essentially, you get paid to battle and bring prestige to the lab, and the better you perform, the better grants I receive from the League and the bigger your stipend becomes," he continued.

"But what if someone doesn't want to battle?" I asked, curious about the flexibility of this arrangement.

"You of all people don't want to battle?" Professor Oak raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.

"No, no, no," I quickly clarified, realizing how it sounded. "I just recently found out how expensive it is to be a trainer, plus I plan to catch a lot of Pokémon, so a big stipend would be really helpful," I explained, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.

"Wow, I didn't expect you to start changing in just a day. The Ash of yesterday wouldn't have even bothered with this stuff," he remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"The League's stipend can primarily be increased through your contributions to lab research or through gaining prestige in battles. However, that's not something you need to concern yourself with immediately. Managing six Pokémon with the 10K Pokédollars monthly stipend should be quite feasible. If you find yourself catching more Pokémon than you can comfortably manage, you can always send the extras to the ranch," Oak said.

I nodded, processing everything. But a question nagged at me. "Wouldn't sending my extra Pokémon to the ranch affect your finances?"

Oak paused, looking momentarily taken aback.

"Oh, you don't know."

"Know what?"

"The ranch generates revenue by selling by-products from Pokémon. For example, Pikachu's electricity, we store in batteries; Tauros's fur can be harvested and sold; Miltank provides Moomoo Milk, and so forth," he explained, and suddenly, it all clicked for me.

"Professor Oak, I've read that many people need a second job alongside being a low-level trainer. Why don't more people get into this ranch business?"

"That's because trainers aren't exactly paid in cash; the ranch simply takes care of your Pokémon in exchange for the ownership of these by-products," he clarified.

"Okay, last question. You mentioned a 10k stipend."

"Yes."

"So, where's my money?"

"In your bank account."