Chapter 4: A Man (Boy) On A Mission
"Ralts." She denied, crossing her arms with a barely perceivable pout. I was incredibly confused by this turn of events. "What-.... What do you mean no?!" I yelled in indignation.
"Ra Ralts. Ralts Ra Raaa."
"This… that explains nothing! How does wanting to apprentice under Mr.Oak be 'Off-Limits'?!" I was so god damn confused.
This argument started this morning after Rem noticed the resolve rolling off of my slowly wakening form. She asked about it, and being me, the guy with a loyal companion, spilled my ambition of becoming a combo Pokemon Researcher/Champion.
She didn't take very well to that.
"Ralts!"
"But!-Ho-How is that 'Cheating' on you?! What am I even cheating you of!?" The confusion began to build rapidly.
"You know what? How about, I just take you with me. Simple, no?" I reasoned. That caught her in a slump. She crossed her arms, her face stuck in a confused pout. She stared right back for just a smidge longer until she finally gave up.
"Ralts." She huffed lamely. She held out her arms, signifying her want to be held. "Yeah yeah, you picky girl. Onto Oak's Lab!" I tightened my grip on her small body, one hand pointing towards the sky in a comical fashion.
Yeah, I'm not afraid to admit I was a bit of a chuuni. The whole reincarnation thing just jumpstarted it once again, alright!
With Rem now safely holding onto my head, I walked to the door, ready to meet the man.
Only to spot a hedge of raven-black hair and pale lavender eyes staring back at me.
"Hey Alex!" She chirped happily, a smile that was just a smidge too wide to be considered natural resting on her face. "Where are ya' going?"
"To Mr.Oaks' place! I wanna become the best Pokemon Researcher ever!" I announced to Hex. I found it quite a bit easier to slip into a childish mindset than the last two days prior to now. It seems that my mind has become even closer to that of a child.
At the very least it doesn't affect my thought process, just what enthralls me instead.
So as an Adult, Quantum Physics was my guilty pleasure, now as a de-aged reincarnated scientist, I'm surrounded by a plethora of interesting and new things!
…God the more I talk the more I sound like some ignorant child.
"Can I come with you?!" Hex shouted in excitement. I guess Hex is still a child at the end of the day, even she tries to act mature-
"...No one will steal away my best friend…" she muttered to herself quietly. Probably unaware that I caught her mutterings because of my new heightened senses.
…Guess there was a motive… who knew?
.
.
.
"What's this about, Alex?" Oak questioned from over his shoulder, currently disassembling an ancient-looking device. It was eerily similar to the Pokeball's of today, just with minor differences.
This was Professor Oak or Uncle Oak, but I'll never call him that.
Past-Alex met him when he was five, through Anne -Never going to give her the satisfaction of calling her Aunt Anne-, who was acting as a liaison for some big shot in Kalos. As this takes place in the games, the timeline is a little… skewed.
Several people who would've become champions aren't, hell, they're the same age as me! Sabrina, the Psychic Gym leader is Hex's neighbor! She stops by with Hex every now and again.
And-...Wait I'm getting sidetracked.
*Ahem*
The device Oak is working on is spherical, with the same color scheme as a normal Pokeball, except the bottom half is made from polished wood, and the top looks to have a small hole crafted from steel.
There is a large lock look-a-like on the front replacing the standard button… Strange.
(Mind you, this man never had the time to catch up on news from Nintendo. He didn't even know about the Pokemon Arceus announcement.)
"What I'm here for?" I parroted back. I tried to give him the best childish smile I could, "I want to be a Pokemon Researcher!" I shouted in excitement. That seemed to catch him in an awkward slump
"...eh?" He muttered, "N-Not a Pokemon Trainer? You'd choose that instead?" He asked in suspended disbelief. I gave him a nod.
*Sniffle*
Huh?!
He's Crying!?
"Oh- I'm so proud of you!" He announced, scooping me up in his arms, his stubble rubbing against my forehead. "I bet you'll be a great researcher!" He yelled in excitement, his arms under my shoulders.
…he was holding me like a cat.
I-... I can make this work. I could probably just drop an excuse about 'Wanting to get some experience in the field' and travel… Yeah, that'll work!
Rem and Hex were snickering in the corner.
…Well, at least they aren't hostile to each other now.
…I still don't know how they came to an agreement though.
Oak put me back down. He snapped his fingers like he had a eureka moment. He turned back to me, looking incredibly excited.
"Oh! Maybe my little assistant can help me with this little contraption my colleague Connor sent me a few days ago… Maybe you could spot something I missed?" He asked, a curious sparkle in his eye.
'Hey, Miia?'
[Oh, this? This'll be easy~] Miia boasted.
The sounds of pages turning began to echo through the back of my skull, along with Miia's nonchalant humming.
[Ah! Found it. It says here that this pretty little thing was one of several ancient designs for modern-day Pokeballs, native to ancient Sinnoh. Close to around 2,000 years via carbon-dating.]
'Huh, thanks Miia! But, I'm also curious about this little etch on the front… Do you know what this is?'
The Etching is rather strange… Two rectangular bars both Black and Grey respectively, surrounding a green circle, with what is probably supposed to symbolize… veins? Blood? Roads?
I'm not quite sure what they're supposed to be, but they are also green.
[Huh? What etchin-... Give me a second.] She said, the flipping of pages becoming slightly more frantic and panicked.
The page-turning stopped abruptly, along with a tired sigh.
[*Sigh* …alright Alex, this-... This isn't looking very good.] She whispered grimly.
'What's wrong?'
[That is the symbol of CTHTHRIS, The Subject. What's sitting right there is probably the Pokeball of a Cultist that served under him.]
Now THAT left me dumbfounded, and incredibly worried. 'I'm sorry, 'The Subject'? Are we dealing with some kind of Eldritch God?!'
She was silent for a moment, before muttering in frustration. [...Unfortunately.]
Damn!
"Mr.Oak, I've seen that symbol before…" I muttered. Oak looked back at me, his head tilted, "well, what is it?" He asked.
"I read it in a book once, it was something that strange man you were with brought… Love-Lovecra-craft…" I'm having a hard time pronouncing it. Curse you child body! "Lovecraftian Mythos I think was its name…"
Oak seemed to freeze up, turning to the Cultist's Pokeball. "...I need to call Connor." He muttered, "Alright Alex, thanks for the help! You should come back tomorrow afternoon, we're going to fee the Magikarps at the river near Route 21!"
He waved me off, as the three of us left through the front door.
Hex and Rem were humming happily, glued to both my arms. I just chalked this up as something kids do, as I was too busy talking to Miia.
'But are you sure nothing's going to happen?'
She hesitated for a moment, [At this point, I'm not really sure what to tell you Alex… I mean, with SCP-5708, you could just pop in somewhere else and avoid everything! I don't want you in danger!]
I sighed.
'Miia, I'm going to stay. My life before this was Work, Work, Work with no breaks! And If I have to stop some kind of Eldritch god then god damnit I'm going to slay some eldritch ass!'
'I've done it once, I can do it again…'
She gave me the mental equivalent of a shaky sigh, [....Fine. But you better not get yourself killed! I won't talk to you for a week!]
I mentally deadpanned.
'Miia, you wouldn't last three days.'
[Hmph!] She pouted adorably.
…adorably? Weird.
______________________________________
Hey guys, Dumby here.
The plot thickens! Beware the tentacled menace!
OoooOOOooOoOooOoOoh SpooOOOoOoOOoOooky-!
Dumby, Out.
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