"Hello, Professor Oak!"

  When August arrived at Professor Oak's b, he was met with a scene of chaos.

  "You must be August. Lance told me yesterday that you'd be coming, but I'm afraid I can't entertain you right now." Professor Oak looked rather frazzled.

  "What happened? Maybe I can help."

  August had always been the helpful type.

  "Oh, right, you're with the International Police!" Professor Oak recalled what Lance had mentioned about August's identity. "Help me look around—one of the Squirtles I prepared for new trainers has gone missing!"

  Hearing this, August instantly thought of the girl who had brushed past him earlier.

  Blue. In the original storyline, she was the one who stole the Squirtle from Professor Oak, ter naming it 'Turt.'

  With that in mind, August scanned the b and pointed toward a security camera in the corner. "Why not check the surveilnce footage?"

  Professor Oak sighed. "The system was tampered with."

  As he spoke, he pulled up the monitor feed, revealing only static.

  August wasn't surprised.

  Destroying the cameras before committing a crime—basic common sense.

  "Were there any other witnesses?"

  As he asked, August gnced around the b, his eyes nding on two Poké Balls resting on a machine.

  Pokémon inside their Poké Balls could still observe the outside world.

  Professor Oak followed August's gaze and hesitated. "You're not thinking of questioning them, are you…?"

  To him, the idea seemed… well, far-fetched.

  Even if the two Pokémon had seen the suspect, deciphering their simple nguage to extract an accurate description was nearly impossible.

  "Don't worry, leave it to me!" August gave him a reassuring look.

  Under Professor Oak's watchful gaze, August released the Bulbasaur and Charmander from their Poké Balls.

  The moment they emerged, the two Pokémon instinctively huddled close to August, drawn to his [Viridian Power].

  Gently stroking them, August said, "I need your help!"

  Then, he released Gardevoir and nodded toward her. "I'm counting on you, Gardevoir. Use telepathy to communicate with them and sketch out the suspect's appearance!"

  Understanding his request, Gardevoir used Psychic to float over a pen and paper, her eyes glowing blue as she established a mental link with Bulbasaur and Charmander.

  Swish, swish, swish.

  With a few quick strokes, a familiar figure appeared on the notepad—the girl August had encountered earlier.

  However, in the sketch, Blue was wearing a mask that concealed her face.

  And August recognized that mask all too well—it bore the insignia of the Masked Man's organization.

  August: "...."

  He wasn't sure whether this was good news or bad news.

  The bad news was that Pryce, the Gym Leader of Mahogany Town in Johto, was also a vilin. As the leader of the Masked Man's faction, he wasn't someone to be taken lightly.

  The good news? August was still in Kanto, and with Giovanni, the current leader of Team Rocket, still in power, the Masked Man's influence hadn't reached this region yet.

  For the first time ever, I actually feel grateful for Giovanni's presence…

  He signaled for Gardevoir to hand the sketch to Professor Oak.

  After examining it, Professor Oak smmed his hand on the table. "So it was a thief!"

  "People these days…." He grumbled for a while before sighing and sinking into his chair. "Looks like I'll have to call the League and request another starter Pokémon."

  Given his position, obtaining another Kanto starter from the League wasn't difficult.

  What infuriated him was that someone had the audacity to steal a Pokémon from his b.

  "I just hope Squirtle is okay…"

  The thought of a Pokémon meant for a new trainer falling into the wrong hands left Professor Oak deeply concerned.

  "Don't worry…" August reassured him.

  If it was Blue, she was probably far more reliable than some of the increasingly irresponsible rookie trainers these days.

  "Either way, I really appreciate your help!"

  Professor Oak sincerely thanked August.

  ...

  With the Squirtle incident settled, Professor Oak brewed a pot of tea and invited August to sit and chat.

  He was curious about how August had so easily gained the trust of Bulbasaur and Charmander.

  While starter Pokémon were specifically bred to be friendly toward humans, most trainers still needed time to form a good retionship with them.

  "It's nothing, just psychic powers."

  Seeing no reason to hide it, August expined the effects of his Viridian Aura.

  "I never imagined such an ability existed!"

  Professor Oak found himself relieved about his decision from the previous day.

  To be honest, when Lance first called and asked him to help cover for an International Police officer, Professor Oak's initial reaction had been to refuse.

  He was well aware of the International Police.

  With his connections in the League, he had naturally heard about the recent major incident where the entire Kanto division of the International Police had gone missing—allegedly due to Team Rocket.

  Professor Oak wasn't afraid of Team Rocket, but as a dedicated researcher, he had no interest in getting involved in such matters.

  The only reason he had changed his mind was after learning that August had spent a significant amount of time working as a Pokémon Ranger.

  "Lance told me you were a Ranger?" Professor Oak asked.

  Among all League-affiliated jobs, being a Ranger was one of the toughest—low pay, high risk, and often working in harsh environments. It was practically a profession fueled by pure passion.

  Every trainer who became a Ranger did so out of a deep love for Pokémon.

  That was the reason Professor Oak had decided to reconsider.

  "That's right. Two and a half years—it was a memorable time."

  Of course, it was only memorable. No way was he going back.

  Seeing the nostalgia in August's expression, Professor Oak was reminded of his own younger days—back when he and Agatha…

  Ahem.

  Shaking those thoughts away, he pulled out a recommendation letter and pced it in front of August. "Originally, I pnned to recommend you to Cedon University as a visiting researcher and temporary lecturer. That way, Team Rocket wouldn't suspect your identity."

  "But now, I have another idea!"

  "How would you feel about becoming my assistant researcher?" Professor Oak extended an invitation.

  This idea had come to him on a whim after learning about August's abilities.

  Understanding Pokémon's thoughts wasn't easy—it often required years of bonding and experience.

  Even with all his years of research, Professor Oak still struggled to fully grasp what Pokémon wanted to communicate. His frequent misinterpretations had caused plenty of trouble over the years.

  But August's ability could change that, greatly accelerating Pokémon research.

  Professor Oak looked at him with anticipation.

  Unfortunately, he was bound to be disappointed…

  "Sorry…" August shook his head. "As a member of the International Police, I have my duties."

  Sure, Professor Oak was a leading authority in Pokémon research, and many people would jump at the chance to be his assistant.

  But why would August give up his comfortable position as the sole member of the International Police division here? No more scking off, no more cushy benefits?

  No, thank you.

  Hearing August's refusal, Professor Oak sighed with regret. But it was only a casual offer, after all.

  After thinking for a moment, he decided to help August in another way.

  "Alright, then…"