Chapter 5

A World Beyond New Bark

The front garden was immaculate rows of herbs bordered by a neat stone path leading to a cozy wooden cottage. A vegetable patch occupied one side of the yard, while bird feeders hung from nearby trees, attracting a constant stream of Pidgey and Hoothoot.

Ravina paused before the front door. "...Ready?"

Cinder looked up at her and confidently chirped.

She smiled. "Good answer."

Three firm knocks echoed through the cottage and almost immediately, footsteps approached and the door swung open.

A cheerful, silver-haired gentleman greeted them with a welcoming smile. "You must be Elm's courier!"

"I am."

He laughed warmly. "And punctual, too! I was beginning to wonder whether the roads had distracted you."

Ravina couldn't help smiling. "They nearly did. I've met some very interesting people."

"Johto has already begun treating you properly." He chuckled as he stepped aside. "Please, come in."

 

The cottage's interior was unlike anything Ravina had expected, Bookshelves covered almost every wall. Glass display cabinets housed fossils, old Poké Balls, carved stone tablets and curious artifacts from every region imaginable, one cabinet held nothing but unusually shaped feathers and another displayed antique Poké Ball mechanisms.

Another voice drifted in from the adjoining study. "Oh? Do you have another guest?." An older man stepped into the room, adjusting his glasses. his expression was calm and kindly, but there was an unmistakable energy about him.

He looked first at Cinder then at Ravina and his eyebrows rose. "...Well, You must be Elm's newest assistant."

Ravina blinked, recognizing the older gentleman from tv and magazines. "...Professor Oak?"

"The one and only." He smiled, extending a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

 

Over tea, the conversation flowed surprisingly naturally.  Ravina expected the older professor to immediately begin lecturing, but Professor Oak didn't speak down to Ravina. He was more interested in asking her questions about Cinder 

"How was Cyndaquil settling in?"

"Very well so far, it's been a little over a day so far.” Ravina replied after a sip of tea. 

"Has he shown any unusual habits?"

Ravina looked down. "He likes checking that I'm still following him?"

Oak chuckled. "Excellent, That usually means he's accepted you as part of his social group."

Cinder looked enormously pleased with himself as the center of attention.

 

Eventually Ravina remembered why she'd come. "Oh!" She started as she reached into her satchel. "Professor Elm asked me to deliver this."

Mr. Pokémon accepted the parcel with obvious excitement. "Wonderful!, I've been waiting for these reference documents."

He carefully opened the package before disappearing into another room. After some rattling and rustling, he returned a few moments carrying something much smaller.

Resting gently between both hands, he held an egg. Cream-colored and decorated with bright red and blue triangular markings.

Ravina stared. "...It's beautiful."

Mr. Pokémon nodded. "I've spent months studying it, Nobody knows what species it belongs to. It hasn't hatched, it hasn't shown any signs of deterioration. And yet…” He smiled. "...it's unquestionably alive."

He carefully offered it to Ravina. "I'd like Professor Elm to continue the research. He has the facilities to get to the bottom of this.”

Ravina accepted the egg with both hands. It felt warm, almost comforting to the touch.

"I'll make sure it reaches him safely."

 

Professor Oak watched quietly throughout the exchange. Then he reached into his briefcase.

"I wonder..." He pondered as he produced a compact red electronic device.

It was like a slim flip phone, turned off as it’s screen remained blank.

Ravina looked curiously at it. "...What's that?"

"A Pokédex."

She had heard the word before, Professor Elm had mentioned Oak's lifelong research.

"This one hasn't been assigned yet." Oak held it thoughtfully.

"Since you are helping with Elms errands while you're in Johto, then perhaps..." He offered the device. "...you'd consider helping me as well."

Ravina accepted it almost automatically. "I don't understand."

Oak smiled. "The Pokédex doesn't simply identify Pokémon, It records their behavior, habitats, growth, distribution." 

"Since every trainer sees something different. Then the more observations we gather, the better we understand the world we share with Pokémon."

He looked directly at Ravina. "I'm not asking you to complete it, I'm asking you to contribute. Record the Pokémon you encounter, observe them, learn from them, every entry helps."

Ravina looked down at the blank screen, then at Cinder and then back to Oak. "...I'd like that."

Oak nodded approvingly. "Excellent, then consider yourself my newest field assistant." 

Ravina laughed softly. "I've only been Professor Elm's assistant for two days, and already I've got another job."

Oak smiled. "The best researchers are usually very busy."

 

The conversation drifted naturally toward stories of travel. Professor Oak recounted amusing tales from Kanto. Mr. Pokémon shared odd discoveries he'd made over the years.

And Ravina listened with growing fascination, while refraining from telling of her own misadventures from abroad. The world suddenly seemed much larger with these stories.

Professor Elm's laboratory wasn't an isolated little building in New Bark. It was part of an enormous network of researchers, collectors and trainers all sharing discoveries with one another. She hadn't realized she'd just become part of it.

 

Eventually Oak checked his watch. "...Oh dear, I've been enjoying myself far too much."

Mr. Pokémon laughed. "You've somewhere to be?"

"I do." Oak sighed dramatically. "My producer already thinks I talk too much. If I'm late again, he'll threaten to replace me with recorded episodes."

Ravina tilted her head. "...Producer?"

Professor Oak smiled. "I host a weekly radio program from Goldenrod. Professor Oak's Pokémon Talk. We discuss recent discoveries, answer questions from trainers and occasionally settle particularly spirited arguments."

Mr. Pokémon grinned. "You mean you spend an hour telling everyone why you're right."

Oak chuckled. "Sometimes." He gathered his briefcase and continued. "It was lovely meeting you, Ravina. I hope we'll cross paths again, be sure to document many pokemon~"

"I'll be sure to sir!” Ravina replied with a grin.

 

Together they stepped outside. Oak's driver waited beside a comfortable League vehicle parked beneath the trees. Before climbing in, the Professor looked back once more.

"You've made an excellent choice."

Ravina blinked. "My choice?"

He nodded toward Cinder. "No, Cyndaquil made an excellent choice." He smiled knowingly. "Don't disappoint him."

 

The car rolled slowly down the woodland road toward Goldenrod and silence settled over the cottage once more.

Mr. Pokémon waved from his doorway.

"Safe travels. I'll let Professor Elm know the Egg is on its way."

"I'll be there before sunset."

"I've no doubt." he called as he made his way back into his house.

Ravina and Cinder had barely reached the end of the garden path when her Pokégear suddenly vibrated. The cheerful electronic chime echoed through the quiet forest.

She smiled. "Probably Mum checking whether I've eaten." commented before she answered. "Hello?"

Professor Elm's voice exploded through the speaker. "Ravina!?"

She stopped walking. "Professor?"

"Where are you!?"

"...I just left Mr. Pokémon's house."

A long breath of relief came from the other end. Then fear. Genuine fear.

"Listen to me carefully, Come back immediately."

Ravina's smile vanished.

"What happened?"

There was a pause on the line, then. "...Someone broke into the laboratory."

The forest suddenly felt much quieter as Ravina instinctively pulled the Mystery Egg a little closer. Cinder's ears snapped upright, his relaxed posture disappeared instantly.

Professor Elm spoke again, his voice shaking. "Please, Hurry."

Then the call ended.

For several seconds, neither trainer nor Pokémon moved. Then Ravina looked down at Cinder. "...We're going home." 

Without another word, the two of them broke into a run, the peaceful journey north forgotten as the quiet roads of Johto suddenly carried a sense of urgency they hadn't known before.