Pokemon: The Scientist’s Rebirth

Ethan sat cross-legged on the small cot in his room, the dim glow of a bedside lamp illuminating his makeshift workspace. Spread out before him were the gifts he had received at the surprise birthday party earlier this evening.

His fingers played absently with the glimmering stone Ash had given him, a small orange marble streaked with red. When he first received it, he had dismissed it as a pretty trinket—something Ash had stumbled across by chance. But as he examined it now, its significance became clear.

"A Mega Stone," Ethan whispered to himself, his voice tinged with astonishment. "This… this is definitely a Pidgeotite or something similar."

He rolled the stone between his fingers, marveling at the smooth texture and the faint warmth it radiated. Mega Evolution, a concept so groundbreaking it could change the very fabric of this world, was yet to be discovered. The mere idea that this random rock, plucked out of the Route 1 forest by Ash, that too on his first outing, could be the precursor to such monumental change was staggering.

"What kind of luck is this?" Ethan muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Protagonist luck, that's what." He chuckled dryly. If there was any doubt that Ash was the main character of this world, this clinched it.

His fingers turned the stone over as he made a mental note to keep it safe. He would have to track down more of these stones before the world grasped their true potential. The monetary value alone could be astronomical, but Ethan's mind buzzed with the scientific implications.

Still, he sighed. "Without a Keystone and Professor Sycamore's research, it's just a fancy rock for now," he thought, storing the Mega Stone carefully into a small compartment in his desk. He would revisit this when the time was right.

Satisfied, he turned his attention to the other gifts. The Poké Ball, gleaming red and white, caught his eye next. It was a technological marvel, far more complex than the games or anime of his world had ever hinted at. He traced the seam where the ball split open, musing on what he'd learned so far.

"So, Poké Balls aren't perpetual machines," Ethan muttered, leaning back in thought. "They're powered by PokéCrystals… finite energy sources that need regular replacement. And these crystals are mined from strategic locations. No wonder Pokémon training is so expensive here."

Each Poké Ball contained a specially processed crystal capable of converting a Pokémon's physical form into a stable energy state for storage. These crystals, known as PokéCrystals, were not only rare but also consumed energy over time. When the crystal's energy was depleted, the Pokémon stored inside would automatically be released.

Trainers could return depleted crystals for a 10% discount on replacements, as these spent crystals could eventually recharge if stored back in the mines where they were originally harvested from. Evenstill the cost of maintaining Pokeballs was quite high. A low-grade Poke Crystal cost 100 Pokécoins and it can only provide the energy required for the functioning of a pokeball for around one month. Larger or more powerful Pokémon consumed energy faster, making their upkeep even more costly. This is just the cost of storing them, in addition there is their cost of food, medical supplies, and the other expenses like on their training.

"It's a far cry from the free-for-all dream of a ten-year-old with unlimited Poké Balls shown in the anime." Ethan said with a wry chuckle. "Makes you wonder how many trainers quit when reality hits them in the wallet."

The thought lingered for a moment before he shifted his focus to the TM he'd received. The sleek, silvery disk gleamed faintly under the lamplight, and he held it up for closer inspection.

"A Technical Machine," Ethan murmured. "Another miracle of energy storage and transfer. But like the Poké Ball, it's not infinite."

It was an ingenious device that allowed a Pokémon to learn a specific move encoded within it. To use it, a trainer simply needs to place the Pokémon's Poké Ball into the disk's central slot. The TM then transferred its stored energy into the Poké Ball, imprinting the move into the Pokémon's memory. However, once the energy within the TM was depleted, the disk became useless unless recycled.

Like Poké Crystals, depleted TMs could be returned for a discount on future purchases, hinting at a possible method of recharging or repurposing the materials. The exact science behind TMs remained a mystery to Ethan, as access to such information required a much higher clearance level that his just Level 1 clearance.

"Whatever the process is," Ethan mused, "it's still light-years ahead of anything I've seen before. Makes you wonder what else this world is hiding."

Satisfied with his analysis for now, yet frustrated by his limited access to information about these intriguing devices like pokeballs and TMs, Ethan carefully arranged the items on the table. Slipping under the covers, he leaned back against his pillow, his mind racing with ideas.

Each of the gifts he had received offered a glimpse into the untapped potential of this world. Yet they also highlighted how far he still had to go. Clearance levels, limited resources, and the ever-present danger of his secret being discovered all loomed large.

"One step at a time," he whispered, letting his eyes close. "Tomorrow's a new day."

As the moonlight bathed the room in silver, Ethan drifted off to sleep.

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The next morning, Ethan woke before dawn, his mind already alight with plans. After a quick breakfast, he made his way to Oak Coral. The early hour meant fewer people around, making it easier for him to navigate the facility unnoticed. Following the security check, he headed straight for the PokéRanch.

As he approached Bulbs' favorite spot beneath a sprawling oak tree, he spotted the Bulbasaur curled up and snoring softly. Her green hide shimmered faintly with morning dew, and Ethan couldn't help but smile. He crouched down beside her, reaching out to gently pat her head.

"Hey, sleepyhead," he said softly. "Time to wake up."

Bulbs stirred, blinking up at him with groggy eyes. Her expression quickly shifted to one of mild annoyance, as if to say, What are you doing here so early?

Ethan chuckled. "Sorry, but your time of lazing around is officially over."

Bulbs groaned in protest, burrowing deeper into the grass as if defying the very idea of effort. Ethan shook his head at her antics, a fond smile tugging at his lips. She had grown noticeably lazier of late, idling away her time while he worked tirelessly to organize the logistics of her new poison diet and researched the details needed to design an effective training regimen to bolster her strength.

"Come on, Bulbs," he coaxed. "What happened to your motivation to be the strongest Venusaur out there? Or have you decided you're fine being lazy and letting your siblings keep looking down on you?"

At the mention of her siblings, Bulbs' eyes snapped open, a flicker of determination burning within them. She pushed herself upright, shaking off the remnants of sleep.

"That's more like it," Ethan said, pleased. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Poké Ball he'd brought.

"You know what this is, right?" he asked, holding the ball up.

Bulbs nodded eagerly; her gaze fixed on the device.

"Here's the deal," Ethan began. "You're not officially my Pokémon yet—not until I pass the ICAT and get my trainer license. I can't do that until I turn 18. But we can start training now, unofficially. If you agree, I'll make sure you get a head start on becoming one of the strongest Pokemon this world has ever seen. What do you say?"

Bulbs let out an enthusiastic "Bulba!" and butted her head against the Poké Ball's button. The ball split open, and a beam of red light enveloped her. Ethan watched in fascination as the light coalesced and then faded, leaving the Poké Ball still in his hand. After a few moments, the ball's red light blinked off, signaling a successful capture.

Ethan stared at the ball for a moment, marveling at its working, but his admiration quickly gave way to frustration as he remembered that his limited clearance level left him clueless about its exact workings.

His mood shifted, however, as he grasped the significance of his first Pokémon capture, a wave of satisfaction washing over him. "Welcome to the team, Bulbs," he said softly.

Clipping the ball to his belt, Ethan turned and made his way back. "Let's get to work," he muttered, a grin spreading across his face.

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Make sure to check out the Author's Thoughts section! I often share a lot of my reflections and behind-the-scenes insights there.