Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice

"Wow, amazing! It was healed in an instant!"

Before Serena could respond, a boy's exclamation suddenly rang in her ears.

Turning her head, Serena saw a boy about her age, around six years old, wearing a vest and holding a bug-catching net—just like the typical bug-catching kids you'd see on the roadside. Somehow, he had already dashed over to the Sylveon in front of her.

"Big brother, what kind of Pokémon is this?"

The bug-catching boy leaned in close to the Sylveon, yelling excitedly.

Sylveon stepped back two paces in disdain. She seemed to sense that if this kid touched her, his ridiculous energy might somehow infect her.

"This situation..."

Looking at the boy who seemed straight out of a bug-catching scene and then glancing at the girl who had fallen under the shade of a tree, Stephen began to put the pieces together.

"Her name is Sylveon. But hey, kid, shouldn't you be more concerned about the girl over there than the Pokémon?"

Stephen pointed toward Serena, who was under the tree.

"Huh? Didn't your Pokémon already heal her? She's fine now~"

The boy didn't even spare Serena a glance. Instead, he bounced around excitedly like a monkey, saying:

"I just spotted a Poliwag earlier! I was chasing it to catch it, but darn it, where did it go..."

The overly energetic Ash didn't pay any attention to the girl his age, who, despite her young age, already showed the makings of a beauty.

Stephen slapped his forehead and muttered under his breath, "Don't blame me later for not giving you a chance..."

Meanwhile, Karen cast a disdainful look, one that seemed reserved for completely oblivious men, before reaching out and helping Serena to her feet.

"Th-thank you, big sister..."

The shy Serena murmured.

"It's nothing."

Karen's expression remained cold as usual. Around anyone other than Stephen, she tended to exude an aura of aloofness and distance.

"Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself!"

Ash, at this age, was the complete opposite of Serena in personality. After wiping his nose, he introduced himself energetically:

"I'm Ash from Pallet Town! My goal is to become a Pokémon Master! I just saw a Poliwag and chased it all the way here. Have you guys seen it?"

Poliwag?

Serena thought to herself with a hint of annoyance. That Poliwag was exactly what had startled her and caused her to fall earlier. Pressing her lips together, she softly said, in a voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz:

"I... My name is Serena... I came from the Kalos region to join Professor Oak's summer camp..."

"I'm Stephen, and this is my companion, Karen. Coincidentally, we're also heading to Pallet Town."

Stephen smiled as he observed the boy and girl in front of him.

The reason he wanted to visit Pallet Town wasn't just because it was the dream starting point for every Pokémon fan. There was also another big reason:

This kid, who had gone 20 years without a championship.

In the final arc of Pokémon Journeys, Ash pushes himself to the limit, finally defeating Steven, Cynthia, and Leon to become the world champion.

And then in the next series... poof! He was retired.

"Mr. Stephen, I've never seen this Sylveon before! When I watch Professor Oak's lectures, I remember Eevee only having three evolutions. I think they were... uh, um..."

Ash's eyes sparkled with curiosity at first but then grew increasingly unsure. He scratched his head, stuck on the names.

It couldn't be helped. Up until his Indigo League challenge, Ash hadn't even memorized the type of matchups properly.

"Water, Fire, Electric," Serena softly interjected. "But they later discovered two new evolutions: one for the Sun and one for the Moon."

"Oh! Right, right!"

Ash slapped his forehead and tried to cover his embarrassment:

"Hehe~ I've been so busy lately I haven't had time to watch the lectures. Sorry about that~"

Serena discreetly rolled her eyes.

That announcement was made two years ago during one of Professor Oak's programs.

"Serena, you're supposed to meet up with Professor Oak, right? Since we're also heading to Pallet Town, how about we go together?"

Stephen smiled and extended an invitation to Serena.

"This... Th-thank you..."

At this age, Serena wasn't used to interacting with strangers. However, after what had just happened, she mustered her courage and agreed, not wanting to face another scary situation alone.

"Let's head to Pallet Town quickly," Stephen said, waving to Ash. "Could I trouble you to lead the way, future Pokémon Master?"

Hearing Stephen's title for him, Ash's eyes sparkled with excitement. "No problem!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. Then, as he had suddenly been injected with adrenaline, he dashed forward. "Everyone, follow me!"

"Don't rush. We still need to meet up with another companion," Stephen reminded him.

"Do you think he'll get us lost…?" Serena quietly muttered, watching Ash bounce around like a hyperactive monkey.

"As a friend, someone like Ash is the ideal template," Stephen commented objectively.

Although Ash seemed to forget all about his previously captured Pokémon and travel companions whenever he entered a new region, and his occasional cluelessness could easily frustrate anyone, as a companion, he was unbeatable. He was pure-hearted, spoke his mind, and had no hidden agendas.

"If I had Ash's personality," Stephen thought, "Ho-Oh might not have left the other day. That shiny Fearow would probably adore a trainer as innocent and straightforward as him."

...

In a suburban area not far from Pallet Town, Stephen and the group finally met with Professor Oak.

Upon seeing Serena among the group, accompanied by several elementary school students, Professor Oak clutched his chest in shock. "You scared me! When I did roll call earlier, I found someone missing. I was just about to send out Dragonite to look for them, but it turns out you brought them back, Dr. Stephen."

During the free activity time, Professor Oak had been doing a headcount, only to discover a child missing. It had frightened him half to death.

"It was just a coincidence that we met on the way here. But it seems there was an unexpected bonus," Stephen replied, pointing toward Ash, who was cheerfully greeting the other kids from the summer camp. "We also ran into him on Route 1."

"Ash! Didn't I tell you not to leave the town without your own Pokémon?!" Before Professor Oak could respond, a young woman, appearing to be in her mid-20s and exuding a warm, motherly milf presence, suddenly rushed over. She grabbed Ash by the ear and scolded him.

"Ouch! Ow, ow, ow! Mom, I won't do it again! Mercy, please!" Ash cried, his face contorted in pain as his mother pulled his ear. The other kids standing with Serena couldn't help but laugh at his misfortune.

Stephen observed Ash's young mother with interest. Although her appearances in the series were rare, Delia Ketchum was a character full of quirks and charm.

"Oh my, our future Pokémon Master went out to catch Pokémon again? Tell us, did you catch anything this time?" A boy with spiky brown hair approached, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Gary! You jerk!" Ash gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Still as lucky as ever, huh?" Gary smirked. "It's amazing you didn't get yourself killed by an Arbok or a Beedrill."

He continued mockingly, "Every trainer knows the basic rule: never leave town without your own Pokémon. Even a rookie understands that. Honestly, as your rival, I'm embarrassed for you."

Already irritated after failing to catch a Rattata, Ash's temper flared. Gary's taunting was the final straw. He exploded like a powder keg. "What did you just say?!"

Ash lunged at Gary with the same ferocity he had used earlier on the poor Rattata. The two boys tumbled to the ground, wrestling and rolling around in the middle of the street.

"Ash, stop it!" Delia yelled.

"Knock it off, Gary!" Professor Oak scolded.

These two had been at each other's throats since they learned how to talk. Both Professor Oak and Delia were used to their endless bickering. But in front of so many people, couldn't they at least behave?

Just then, two other boys ran over and managed to pull Ash and Gary apart. Interestingly, Ash and Gary seemed to respect these two more than their mom and grandpa.

Ash: "Uh... Brother Red."

 Gary: "Brother Blue, i-it was that idiot Ash who started it first."

The silent and mute-attribute Red remained speechless, only shaking his head to signal Ash to stop.

Blue, on the other hand, knocked Gary on the forehead, giving his annoying little brother a flick, "Don't embarrass yourself here!"

The stark contrast in their attitudes perfectly showcased the differences in personality between the two elder brothers.

Good grief, are they the four brothers of Pallet Town?

"Dr. Stephen, why didn't you tell this old man when you came to Pallet Town? Is there something important?"

Professor Oak shifted his attention back to Stephen.

"It's nothing too special. I just saw the news again about rookie trainers getting into accidents in the wild. I figured it would be best to get the Pokédex done as soon as possible, so I came over."

Stephen had already prepared a reasonable excuse.

Mainly, he suddenly remembered that Viridian City and Pallet Town were connected by Route 1. Plus, he had previously made a promise to Ho-Oh to help humans and Pokémon coexist in harmony.

So he simply decided to drop by and work with Professor Oak to get the Pokédex ready ahead of schedule.

"Oh! Dr. Stephen, you are thoughtful."

Professor Oak excitedly shook Stephen's hand. "Thank you, thank you! This will bring a revolution to the League—no, to the entire Pokémon continent!"

"Professor Oak, you flatter me. I'm just proposing an idea; the follow-up work still depends on you."

Stephen smiled.

After all, the Pokédex was originally Professor Oak's invention.

If it weren't for his promise to Ho-Oh, and the fact that he needed Oak's help for something soon, Stephen wouldn't have bothered to take credit for the professor's patent.

"Haha, being too humble isn't always good. A young man should have some confidence," Professor Oak chuckled.

"Who is this guy? Grandpa is sucking up to him?"

Seeing his most admired grandfather looking so appreciative—even slightly flattering—Gary was a little displeased.

"He invented the TM."

Red, who rarely spoke, actually said something.

Unlike his little brother, who couldn't even memorize type matchups, Red, though he hadn't received his first Pokémon yet, had been eagerly studying battle strategies from a young age.

Gary's expression changed instantly.

TMs—any aspiring Pokémon Trainer would be familiar with them.

Those were legendary devices that could instantly teach a Pokémon powerful moves!

"So what? Grandpa is way greater."

Gary stubbornly refused to admit defeat.

Stephen didn't mind Gary's words at all.

Having been a Pokémon fan in his past life, he knew Gary's personality very well—constantly boasting about himself as a arrogant young master.

Before suffering a crushing defeat in the Indigo League, getting schooled by some unknown NPC, and even getting eliminated earlier than Ash, Gary's personality was indeed quite annoying.

"Gary, you must show respect to Dr. Stephen!"

However, the usually kind and gentle Professor Oak suddenly showed a very serious expression. There was even a hint of anger in his eyes, which startled Blue, Gary, and even Ash and Red.

Professor Oak solemnly declared:

"The Pokédex that Dr. Stephen is developing will play a crucial role in your journeys and adventures—it's something that might even save your lives! How can you speak to him like that!?"

This time, Professor Oak was truly angry.

As the original inventor of the Pokédex in his timeline, he understood better than anyone just how important it was—it could genuinely save lives.

Once this invention was completed, countless rookie trainers' lives could be saved.

In Professor Oak's eyes, the significance of the Pokédex was even greater than that of TMs.

Because this was a truly great invention that could rescue trainers from peril.

And yet, Gary had spoken rudely to the brilliant scientist who created such a revolutionary device.

If it weren't for the fact that his son and daughter-in-law had passed away early, leaving his grandsons lacking love since childhood, Professor Oak might have already taken off his belt to teach them a lesson.

"Gr-Grandpa, I..."

Gary was also startled. "W-What? Is it that serious? I was just casually joking around, wasn't I?"

Blue was also a bit confused, wondering if his grandfather was overreacting.

"Forget it, Professor Oak. Let's talk about the main topic first."

Stephen didn't care much and said casually.

"Even if you don't mind, Dr. Stephen, I still need to properly discipline this kid."

Although Stephen was almost of his grandson's generation, his contributions to Pokémon and the people of this world far surpassed his own, making him worthy of such respect.

"You're not allowed to eat today. Your punishment is to stand outside the door all night."

After reprimanding Gary, Professor Oak made a "please" gesture towards Stephen.

"Come, Dr. Stephen, let's go to the research lab and talk in detail. Oh, right, Delia, please take care of these children attending the summer camp."

Under Professor Oak's guidance, Stephen headed toward the Oak Research Lab, located at the foot of the back mountain of Pallet Town.

"Brother Blue, isn't Grandpa being too harsh?"

Gary complained to his elder brother. Usually, when he teased Ash harshly, Grandpa never said much.

Blue stroked his chin. "It just shows how much Grandpa values him. After all, just the existence of TMs alone has benefited countless trainers."

As someone who would later be called a trainer breeder by Professor Oak, Blue understood Stephen's significance better than his younger brother.

...

Later in the evening, Professor Oak personally hosted Stephen and his companions for dinner at his home.

As they entered the house, a young girl, about the same age as Stephen, with an elegant demeanor, warmly greeted them:

"You must be Dr. Stephen, Miss Morgan, and Mr. Will, right? Welcome, dinner is ready."

Daisy Oak.

The eldest daughter of the Oak family, the elder sister of both Blue and Gary.

Many Pokémon fans might not even know about her.

Compared to her two younger brothers, her presence was indeed much lower.

However, while she didn't have Blue's overwhelming talent, she was still a formidable Pokémon trainer.

In the original series, she even won the Pokémon Contest Grand Festival championship.

"Thank you."

Stephen nodded in acknowledgment.

The Oak family had good genes, and Daisy was a natural beauty.

"Hurry and eat. Blue, Gary, don't forget to wash your hands."

Daisy gently reminded them while calling her two younger brothers.

"Gary won't be eating tonight. He'll be standing outside."

Professor Oak hadn't forgotten Gary's punishment.

Daisy instinctively wanted to plead for her younger brother, but seeing the rare stern expression on her grandfather's face, she figured Gary must have made a serious mistake. So, she refrained from speaking further.

Gary stood outside the window, looking pitiful.

Karen went to the kitchen to help Daisy serve the dishes.

Will and Blue turned on the television.

Meanwhile, Professor Oak and Stephen sat across from each other at the dining table.

"To be honest, Dr. Stephen," Professor Oak said, "when I was young, I suffered due to a lack of information. Back when I was traveling in the Johto region, I encountered a Sneasel—its pre-evolution form, to be precise. At the time, I thought it looked like a small cat, not very big, and probably quite gentle. So, I reached out to pet it, and it immediately used 'Slash' on me. It tore my clothes apart."

"From that moment on, I started recording details about the Pokémon I encountered—their appearance, habits, and signature moves. I wanted to compile these observations into a book so that curious rookie trainers wouldn't make the same mistakes I did. I never expected a genius like you to appear and solve a problem that had troubled me for years."

Hearing this, Stephen suddenly recalled something.

In the movie Pokémon: Celebi – Voice of the Forest, young Professor Oak was indeed seen sketching Pokémon.

So, he had already conceived the idea of developing a Pokédex back then.

"You truly are incredible, Professor."

Stephen sincerely expressed his admiration.

In his previous life, he chose to become a scientist because he realized he had no talent for martial arts.

But he also wanted to hold Boa Hancock in his left arm, Shirahoshi in his right, and have Yamato kneeling before him—he wanted to be at the top of the world.

So, Stephen took an unconventional path, becoming a disciple of Dr. Vegapunk and embarking on the road of science.

At the end of the day, everything Stephen did was for his own personal desires.

He didn't see anything wrong with that.

But that didn't stop him from admiring Professor Oak's selflessness.

While other trainers focused on making their Pokémon stronger and winning championships, Professor Oak was already thinking about how to pave the way for future trainers.

"You're giving me too much credit," Professor Oak chuckled. "I merely had the idea, but you're the one who brought it to life."

"Tomorrow, I'll take you to my research lab. I have decades' worth of research on the Pokémon ecology of both the Kanto and Johto regions stored there. Once you've completed the Pokédex, you'll be able to integrate all this data right away."

At that moment, the news anchor on the television reported:

["Three days ago, a major disaster occurred in Viridian City. Based on testimony from Viridian Gym Leader Mr. Giovanni and numerous citizens, it has been confirmed that the incident was caused by a battle between four legendary Pokémon and a mysterious criminal known as 'Masked Man.' The League has classified the Masked Man as an SSS-level criminal.]

["According to Pokémon researcher Professor Elm from the Johto region, three of these legendary Pokémon are the 'Three Legendary Beasts'—Suicune, Raikou, and Entei. The remaining large bird Pokémon, seemingly referred to as 'Ho-Oh' by the Masked Man, appears to have a superior-subordinate relationship with the Three Beasts. This legendary Pokémon, 'Ho-Oh,' returned to Viridian City after the battle and helped heal hundreds of civilians affected by the conflict, confirming that it is a benevolent legendary Pokémon.]

["In other news, the notorious Team Rocket executive known as Joker, along with his two subordinates—Mask Girl and Psychic Fatty—have reportedly been sighted in the Kanto region. Authorities are still investigating the details. Citizens of Kanto and Johto, please remain vigilant. If you have any information, please contact Officer Jenny immediately…"]