Morning – Pallet Town
The small town was exactly how Skylar remembered it from childhood dreams and old Pokémon League broadcasts.
Humble houses.
Wind-blown fields.
The scent of fresh-cut grass and ripe berries.
It wasn't a place where legends should be born.
And yet—
It was here that champions had risen.
Skylar and Giselle walked slowly up the gravel path toward a large oak tree that shaded the oldest building in town:
Professor Oak's Laboratory.
The heart of Pokémon research in Kanto.
The cradle of more than one journey destined to change the world.
The door swung open before they could knock.
"Skylar! Giselle! Welcome, welcome!"Professor Oak beamed, his white lab coat flapping in the breeze.
Skylar smiled broadly.
"Good to see you, Professor."
Giselle nodded politely, a bit starstruck — this was the Professor Oak.
Oak ushered them inside.
Warm smells of coffee and paper filled the air.
He poured them each a cup and ushered them to a cluttered sitting area.
Skylar wasted no time.
"Where's Gary?" he asked.
Professor Oak chuckled, shaking his head.
"He left two days ago. Went to look for Ash."
Skylar blinked.
"Wait, he knows where Ash is?"
Oak shrugged. "He claims he has a lead. Didn't tell me the details — said it was safer that way."
Skylar's stomach twisted slightly with worry, but he trusted Gary.
If anyone could find Ash... it was him.
Skylar leaned forward again.
"And Misty?"
The smile faded slightly from Professor Oak's face.
He exhaled heavily.
"She's fine. At least, as far as we know."
Skylar's heart clenched.
"But her father—" Oak continued, "—has kept her isolated. No communications allowed. No outside visitors."
Skylar's fists tightened unconsciously.
Not knowing hurt worse than anything.
Across the room, Giselle watched him carefully.
She had heard the name Misty before — daughter of the Cerulean City Gym Leader — but she had no idea what connection she had to Skylar.
Something deep, it seemed.
Something that left a visible wound on him even now.
Before Giselle could ask, a new presence entered the lab.
The air shifted — subtle, powerful.
They turned—
And saw a woman with flowing lavender hair and sharp violet eyes step into the room.
Elegant.
Cool.
Intense.
Sabrina.
The legendary psychic gym leader of Saffron City.
Professor Oak's eyes widened.
"Sabrina? What's wrong?"
The psychic woman walked briskly across the room, her voice calm but urgent.
"We have a problem."
She glanced at Skylar—
And paused.
A small smirk tugged at the edge of her lips.
"Well, well," she said.
"Skylar. So you're the disciple of my boyfriend."
Skylar froze.
"…Excuse me?!"
Giselle nearly choked on her coffee.
Professor Oak threw back his head and laughed heartily.
"Oh-ho! I guess Gary never told you, huh?"
Skylar stared at him like he had grown another head.
"Gary?!"
Sabrina folded her arms smugly.
"Yes. Gary Oak. My partner."
Skylar opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
No words came out.
Professor Oak wiped a tear from his eye.
"He's been dating Sabrina for a while now. Thought it might 'complicate the dynamic' to mention it to you."
Skylar groaned, covering his face.
"Of course he did."
Giselle leaned over and whispered mock-seriously, "You might want to start writing all your friends' secret relationships down."
Skylar muttered, "At this point, I need a whole chart."
Despite the chaos, the tension that had been gripping him all morning loosened a little.
He wasn't alone here.
Not anymore.
But the laughter faded quickly when Sabrina turned serious again.
She folded her arms, her eyes darkening.
"Still… jokes aside, we have real problems coming."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"And they involve Shadow."