Chapter Text
“Ah, Gary. There you are.” Professor Oak swiveled in his old and worn-down chair. The old thing squeaked under his weight, but the constant hum of fans subdued it. Not that it helped Gary much. He was far too used to the fans and was beginning to ignore it, even if he would rather listen to it over whatever was happening in the pasture.
Nevertheless, he had answered his grandfather's call. “What's up, Gramps?” The young man sauntered through the main room of the admittedly small lab. “This ain't a social call, is it? ‘Cause that excavation site was really nice. Found a good piece of amber while I was there.”
“Itching for another Aerodactyl?” The old man grinned as he took in his grandson. Nearing eighteen, the brunet sported his usual black jacket and a pair of tan cargo pants. On the right side of his belt were six pokéballs, each at the ready.
“Well, fossil pokémon's breeding habits could need a few more articles,” quipped the younger researcher as he propped a hand on his hip. “Not really looking to care for a baby right now though.”
“Busy?” The professor threw out as a guess.
Gary nodded. “Rowan’s been good to me, but I’ve been bouncing between sites too much recently to add a beginner to the team. Especially not a baby.” That was about what Samuel expected. The few times Gary had exchanged his team out over the past year, he had mostly been using his veteran battlers. “But that's not why you called me here. So, what's going on? Ashy meet another Legendary?”
“Not since Kalos.” Professor Oak shook his head while smiling fondly. “At least, I hope not. You never know with that one.” Chuckling, he reached into the pocket of his lab coat and pulled out an envelope. It was plain save for the postcard sticking out of it, smushed inside next to a bundle of letters. “I know it's not your usual job, but I need someone to deliver this to Ash.”
Taking the envelope, Gary spotted a long-necked Exeggcutor on the postcard. “Alola? What's Ashy-boy got to do with Alola?”
The older Oak winced at the nickname, but Gary was too busy inspecting the bright postcard to notice. “Well.” Samuel cleared his throat. “Professor Kukui—you know him, right? He's the one with that study on Swift's homing technique.”
“And he proposed that Swift could have other type variants, like the pledge moves,” Gary added without missing a beat. When his grandfather looked momentarily surprised, Gary grinned mischievously. “What? I had to inherit something from you.”
The professor recovered quickly and shot back, “And it certainly isn't my humility.”
“Says The Pokémon Professor.” The two barked out a laugh, each wearing wide smiles. It'd been much too long since they've talked like this. Both missed it, but they were busy individuals.
Between Samuel's responsibilities as a regional professor, caring for the many in the ranch, and his research, the old man barely had any time to just chat like this. Business calls were easy, they fit well into his usual schedule. Banter like this was relaxing and few individuals could fire back at him without backtracking in order to respect his position. Or some other nonsense like that.
His grandson was in the perfect position there. Unconditional love and support went both ways for the two, only helped by their common interests. It was a shame that Gary worked in Sinnoh most of the time, but at least it wasn't that far. He could've worked in Paldea and never been available from across the globe.
Still, as much fun as this was, it wasn't a social visit. Gary waved the envelope up and asked, “So, what's Professor Abs want with Ash?”
“He's looking to found a league actually. The first new one in two decades.” Since the Orange Islands was established, though most didn't treat the islands as anything more than a vacation spot.
Gary stared befuddled at the letters. “Sorry, what does Ashy have to do with making a League? He's a good battler, don't get me wrong. But making a new League? Yeah no. Ashy wouldn't know where to start if he was given a manual.”
That, Professor Oak couldn't really refute. Ash never had the mind for politics, and really, that's what Kukui should be looking for. However, Kukui and the Island Kahunas—whoever those were—had it handled. “Actually, Ash is being offered a teaching position.”
“You're kidding.” The two stared at each other. Samuel kept his best poker face, trained over years of dealing with new trainers. Gary tried to find any hint that this was a joke. “Please tell me you're kidding.”
“Ash is being offered a teaching position,” he repeated with a straight face.
“Okay, you have to be kidding.” Gary looked around the lab and grabbed a pokéball off his belt. “Any second now a Zorua is going to pop out and end this prank. Any second now. C'mon.”
Professor Oak burst into another round of laughter. “Oh, that's good.” He wiped a tear from his eye. “Ash was right, that would be hilarious.”
Gary blinked. He took out the postcard and flipped it over. The handwriting was nothing like his grandfather or Ash's. It could be real. Whoever signed it did so as a Samson Oak and Gary vaguely remembered having a relative by that name.
Still, it was entirely possible that a lab assistant wrote it. Maybe even Delia if Ash had been good lately. “Okay, so is this a prank?” he asked tentatively.
“No, no. Far from it actually.” Samuel shook his head. “Ash and I were looking for something new. The goal was something far from Kalos, but I tried to look for a new experience. Paldea and Galar were options, but Ash wouldn't be able to take part in the league proper without me pulling a few strings. I haven’t spoken much with the regional professors over there, so it was a no-go. Then we discussed just adventuring through a region, but Ash and wandering have never been a good combination.”
Yeah, that was usually how up-and-coming professors found their latest article. Gary would know. Ash was a great source of information when it came to encountering rare species and getting caught up in whatever they do for a habitat. Sending the determined trainer out in the world without a proper destination would probably end up with a new one-of-a-kind pokémon being uncovered.
Not that it was a bad thing. It just so happened that Ash kept getting between maniacs and rare species to protect the latter.
But if the alternative was held in a tiny envelope… well, Gary wasn’t sure it was the right choice. “So teaching? You think Ashy-boy’s got what it takes?”
Professor Oak sighed. “We’ve talked it over. As much as Ash leaves much to be desired when it comes to traditional learning, I can’t deny that she has a way with pokémon. For a trainer school, she’s probably the best person anyone could ask for.”
“Can’t argue with that.” Gary grabbed Aerodactyl’s pokéball off his belt and tossed it in the air. “Alright. Where’s Ash heading?”
“Cerulean last I heard.” Samuel’s shoulders tensed as he waited with bated breath.
“Visiting Misty then.” The brunet spun on his heel and shoved the envelope inside an inner pocket of his jacket. “Take care, Gramps!”
A piercing cry followed and large, strong wing flaps echoed outside the lab. On the back of a prehistoric pokémon, Gary was long gone in the blink of an eye.
And Professor Oak could finally relax. “Can't wait to hear how he reacts.” He smiled at the inside joke. Well, inside to his grandson. Either way, his reaction would be priceless. That boy had missed way too much these last few years.