"Eh!?"
Robert was momentarily confused as he felt something rubbing against his cheek. Looking down, he saw Pichu nestled on his shoulder, nuzzling against him affectionately.
It took him only a second to realize what was happening. A thought flashed through his mind as he gently lifted Pichu off his shoulder, holding the tiny Electric-type Pokémon in front of him.
"Do you want to be my partner?" Robert asked with a warm smile.
"Pichu~"
Pichu hesitated for a moment, eyes flickering toward Robert's backpack. It sniffed the air and recalled the delicious premium milk and the energy cubes that Charmeleon and the other Pokémon had eaten earlier. Although it had no idea what those food items were, they had smelled irresistible.
The thought of having access to such delicious food every day made Pichu's hesitation disappear. It quickly nodded its tiny head, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Robert caught the glance Pichu gave toward the food box and chuckled to himself. So that's it, huh? You were won over by food.
Not that it mattered—this was still a win for him. Pichu was a rare find and an incredibly powerful Pokémon if trained properly. Capturing it without even needing to battle was an unexpected bonus.
"In that case, Pichu, let's make it official. I'll be counting on you," Robert said with a grin.
"Pichu~"
Robert took a Luxury Ball from his belt and gently tapped it against Pichu's head. With a small flash of light, the Pokémon disappeared into the ball.
Ding!
The capture was successful.
Without wasting any time, Robert immediately released Pichu from its Poké Ball. He had always admired the bond between Ash and Pikachu in the original timeline. Now, he had a chance to experience that bond himself.
He looked down at the small, yellow Pokémon and smiled. "Alright, Pichu. Let's introduce you to the team."
Robert walked back toward his other Pokémon—Charmeleon, Pidgeot, and Beedrill, who had just finished their meal.
"Everyone, meet our new companion, Pichu. Let's all get along and take care of each other!" Robert announced.
"Char!"
"Bi~"
"Hiss~"
Charmeleon, Pidgeot, and Beedrill all greeted Pichu in their own way. Charmeleon extended a claw, Pidgeot spread its wings slightly, and Beedrill lowered its drill as a friendly gesture.
Although they were surprised at first, they knew Robert wouldn't capture a weak Pokémon without a reason. After all, they had seen him pass up dozens of wild Pokémon before. If he had chosen Pichu, there must be something special about it.
"Pichu~"
Pichu stretched out its tiny hands and waved excitedly. Just a little while ago, it had been terrified of Charmeleon, but now, knowing they were on the same team, all fear vanished.
Seeing his Pokémon getting along so well, Robert smiled in satisfaction. He then placed Pichu gently on the ground and let them interact freely, deciding to take a short rest before continuing their journey.
---
On the Road Again
A few hours later, Robert stood on a hillside, overlooking the vast landscape of Evergreen Forest. He pulled up the system map to check his current location.
"Hmm… If I'm right, we should be near Mt. Moon. Once we cross this mountain, we'll reach Cerulean City."
"Pichu~"
Pichu, still sitting on Robert's shoulder, let out a small yawn.
Robert chuckled. "What's wrong? Tired already?"
Pichu shook its head vigorously. In truth, it hadn't done much walking—it had spent the entire time resting on Robert's shoulder or head. How could it be tired?
"In that case, let's keep moving," Robert said, rolling up the map and setting off again.
As they walked, he recalled details about Mt. Moon from the original storyline.
According to legend, a meteorite had once crashed into this mountain. That meteorite was known as the Moon Stone, and the Clefairy that lived here worshiped it.
"If I remember correctly, Ash and his group already passed through here, meaning most of the Moon Stones were probably taken by Team Rocket or researchers…" Robert muttered to himself.
While the idea of finding a Moon Stone was tempting, he knew he could always buy one later in the Elf Mall.
Shrugging, he continued walking toward the entrance of Mt. Moon Tunnel, which connected the mountain to Cerulean City.
---
An Unexpected Encounter
As Robert approached the dark cave entrance, he reached into his backpack to grab a flashlight.
But just as he was about to step inside—
"Ah-ha! I found another example of human-Pokémon friendship!"
Out of nowhere, a man in a white lab coat jumped out of the bushes.
Before Robert could react, the man grabbed his hands, shaking them vigorously with tears streaming down his face.
"This is wonderful! I can feel the strong bond between you and your Pokémon! It's truly beautiful! I'm so touched! Ah, the harmony between humans and Pokémon—it moves me to my very soul!"
The stranger looked like he was about to embrace Robert in an emotional hug.
Robert, thoroughly creeped out, yanked his hands away and took a few steps back.
"…Who the hell are you?"
The man straightened his glasses and grinned.
"My apologies for the sudden entrance! My name is Professor Sebastian. I am a Pokémon researcher, dedicated to studying the bonds between Pokémon and their trainers!"
Robert blinked.
"…Right. And what exactly do you want from me?"
Sebastian's eyes lit up.
"I happened to be observing from a distance and saw how well you interacted with your Pokémon! That level of trust and friendship is exactly what I've been researching! Would you be willing to answer a few questions? For science, of course!"
Robert hesitated. On one hand, this guy was clearly a Pokémon fanatic. On the other, refusing might take longer than just answering his questions.
With a sigh, he said, "Alright, fine. But make it quick. I have a mountain to cross."
Sebastian beamed. "Excellent! This won't take long!"
---
Meanwhile, in the Shadows…
As Robert spoke with Sebastian, a pair of shadowy figures observed them from behind a cluster of rocks.
"Heh, looks like we found another good target," one of them whispered.
"Yeah… That Charmeleon of his looks strong. If we steal his Pokémon, we'll be rich!" the other snickered.
The two figures—both wearing black uniforms with a red "R" on their chests—exchanged devious grins.
Team Rocket had arrived.
---
To Be Continued…
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