Meeting Blaine
Professor Oak greeted his old friend, Professor Blaine, at the Cinnabar resort port. It had been a while since he had seen him. They were old friends and rivals, although after becoming full time researchers, their rivalry had died down as they focused on their respective research fields and work. Blaine was very curious when he got the call from his long time friend and rival. He had not said much on the phone and figured it was a very personal and sensitive subject. He had come to receive him at the port, as a result and he was known for barely leaving his gym or the lab unless it was an important meeting or tournaments. He looked over at the two children with the Professor with curiosity.
Professor Oak grinned, "My old friend, it has been a while."
Blaine rolled his eyes at his antics, "We just talked last month, you fool, during the researchers annual meet."
Professor Oak laughed, "Like I said, too long since I have bothered you ~"
The Professor looked over at Ash and Gary who had agreed to come with him to visit Blaine at the volcanic resort. As he had suspected they were busy playing with the Pokemon that belonged to the trainers that were travelling there for the lava badge. The trainers looked pretty flustered and taken aback at how their Pokemon did not seem to want to let go of the two young boys. Luke, Axel and Lisa, were the names of the three young trainers, that they had met when they boarded the ship. They were currently trying to get their Pokemon to behave and let go so they could get off the ship. The three of them had been excited at first when they met the Professor Oak. But the excitement soon turned to astonishment, then embarrassment when their Pokemon started to hog the Professor's grandson and his best friend to themselves, first out of curiosity then excitement. Their five Pokemon in particular were hell bent on sticking like glue to the two kids.
Luke was exasperated, "Golduck, Graveler. Come on guys! Let's go."
Axel tried to pull his Pokemon off Gary, "Scyther! We need to go find Gym leader Blaine. I get you made a new friend but we got to go."
Lisa was pulling on hers, "Raichu, Wartotle! Let the kids go already. Come on girls. They aren't yours, you know."
Luke turned to the two kids, "Sorry about our Pokemon."
Ash, "It's okay."
Gary, "I think, they are just happy."
Samuel sweat dropped, 'Yeah, right.'
Pokemon pov:
Golduck, -But I want to know more about him.-
Scyther, -Just a few more minutes.-
Raichu, -You know little Pikachu, your trainer is very interesting. I wish I had met him first.-
Pikachu gave a smug look, -Thank you!-
Eevee grumped, -Shouldn't you be going with your trainers instead of hogging ours?-
Wartotle smirked, -We may not meet for a long time so.... No.-
Graveller mused, -I do have to wonder where he got his powers from.-
Pikachu scratched his cheek, -We're not sure, we thought at first it was a Legendary who blessed him first, but we were wrong.-
Scyther, -Interesting. The elder is coming with another elder.-
Golduck grumbled, -Guess we're going to have to leave now.-
Pokemon pov end!
Ash just smiled as he pet the Pokemon around him. Gary shrugged and pet the Wartotle that was near him. They would not be moving from under the Pokemon pile anytime soon and he could always ask Ash what the Pokemon were talking about later. He smiled remembering how a bunch of Gyarados had followed them half way in the beginning. It had terrified most of the passengers but they had taken a detour after Ash had, in Gary's humble opinion, bribed them with his Pokemon cookies.
Flashback:
A lady screamed,"Great Mew! A Gyarados!"
Another man shouted, "Quick get away from the edge!"
A teen was screaming, "What are those kids doing?"
Professor Oak,"Gary, Ash, come over here. Come on!"
Gary, "We are fine grandpa."
Ash, "They were just curious."
Pikachu, -I can shock them anyway.-
Eevee, -And I will help you with it. No problem.-
Professor Oak turned to the crowd, "Everyone stay back. The Gyarados don't look like they want to attack us. So let's keep it that way. Alright?"
After getting nods from everyone, Professor Oak had approached his two trouble making charges and stood beside them. The Gyarados were indeed not interested in anyone else and seemed to be chatting with the Pokemon while observing the two kids. The two were feeding the wild short tempered Pokemon with Pokemon approved cookies that the water Pokemon seemed to enjoy. The good old Professor took out a pen and paper and started to jot down what he was seeing.
Professor Oak, "Fascinating. fascinating."
Gary, "You want to fee them too gramps?"
Professor Oak, "Oh ~ Don't mind me. Just a curious old man satisfying his curiosity."
Flashback end!
The Captain had watched their interactions with the infamous Gyarados with trepidation while the rest watched with fear and respect. It had been pretty funny, how people thought his Grandpa was the one to solve the problem. When said Grandpa was actually busy taking notes on their behavior. He had not done anything at all and as no one attacked the wild Pokemon they were safe. The Gyarados had left after verifying the two were not a danger to them and that yes they could use aura. Ash thought they were misunderstood and actually really very sweet.
Gary mused ignoring the trainer's attempts, 'I'm so getting my own Squirtle and Magikarp. They are powerful once they evolve and are trained.'
Professor Oak walked over to the kids followed by a very curious Blaine who was watching them intently, "Alright kids! Tell the Pokemon to return to their trainers now. We need to go."
Ash smiled grabbing Pikachu, "Ah ok Professor ~"
Ash turned to the Pokemon who were not pouting, not at all, "We can talk to you, our new friends later ok? Sorry guys, we really have to go now. I don't think the Captain would be happy with the delay. Not after what happened yesterday. It was nice meeting you all."
Gary giggled as the Pokemon pouted at them, "Don't worry, we will be here for a week. You can visit us at the Cinnabar Flame Hotel. It's where we are staying."
The Pokemon lit up making the trainers groan in return. Pikachu and Eevee grumbled under their breaths. They were allowed to get jealous okay? Their trainer's attention were being hogged by Pokemon that were not even in their team for crying out loud.
Luke, "Kid! They are gonna visit you the entire time we are here."
Axel remembering how Scyther would get, "Yeah man! I never knew my Scyther would be so parental, I guess is the word, till we met you."
Lisa huffed and muttered, "Tell me about it. Maybe I should look for a mate for my girl."
Ash and Gary giggled, waving goodbye to the Pokemon and their new friends and walking with the Professor and his friend to the hotel. They looked at the older man with curious eyes but did not comment. They figured they would be introduced to each other soon. They reached the hotel and sent the luggage to their rooms before the Professor called the kids to him.
Professor Oak, "Blaine, I want you to meet my grandson Gary and his friend Ash Ketchum. Boys, this is an old friend of mine. His name is Blaine and he is the Gym leader and researcher of Cinnabar island."
Gary looked at the man, "Cool! Nice to meet you Blaine."
Ash's eyes twinkled, "Yeah ~ Nice to meet you Mister Blaine."
Blaine smirked, "Nice to meet you kids too. Also just call me Blaine, none of that Mister stuff, got it. Now I'm guessing there was a reason you wanted us to meet Samuel."
Professor Samuel Oak laughed looking around, "Yes, there is but not here. Let's go somewhere private first."
Blaine observed his friend closely, there was something he was hiding, something big, "We can go to my lab. It is away from the crowd and none of my assistants or scientist bothers me unless it's very important."
Professor Oak agreed and the four of them went to the lab. On the way Ash and Gary marveled at the busy bustling port around them. Cinnabar Island had become a famous tourist hotspot three years ago and it was growing. Pikachu was settled on his head taking in the sights and sounds while Eevee walked next to Gary. The adults talked about their research and how far it was progressing and what drawbacks they were facing.
Professor Oak looked at his friend amused, "You are still making trainers run around with riddles, I see."
Blaine grinned, "I do need a little entertainment my friend. I no longer go around like I used to and it can get a little tedious around here with nothing but research."
Professor Oak, "I am more surprised you did not let your granddaughter join you."
Blaine, "She will when she is ready. If she is not ready then she is not."
Gary was meanwhile pointing at a building, "Hey Ash let's check that store out later."
Ash, "Sure, it looks interesting."
Ash looked at the other stores Gary pointed at and agreed to visit them as well. They walked out of the city to an empty road that led to the base of the volcano. They saw the lab was actually built around the volcano. Ash and Gary marveled at it's large size and the many different areas they could see dedicated to research. Blaine took out a key card and showed it to the security who nodded and the four of them went inside.
Blaine, "I will get you all your own passes, then you will be able to enter and leave the living areas easily."
Professor Oak, "I appreciate it."
Blaine then eyed the children, "Of course the more dangerous areas like the active research areas are off limits for your safety."
Ash nodded, "I get it."
Gary pouted but agreed, "Okay, we won't go there."