Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom

But Professor Oak was different. From the moment Mismagius appeared, being an expert in Pokémon, he immediately took out a magnifying glass and slowly approached.

A smile appeared on his face, one he believed to be very friendly.

He perceived in Mismagius an inner purity similar to that of a child.

Just like the starter Pokémon he gives out—although each has its own personality—you can always see that crystalline purity in their eyes, like a gem that cannot be hidden or imitated.

Only newborns possess that gaze. So, from the moment Cain released Mismagius, Professor Oak confirmed what he was saying.

"Mismagius, eh? Truly rare. The development of this Mismagius is quite good, and both its level and quality are excellent. Clearly, the Dusk Stone used for its evolution was also of high quality," Professor Oak said as he approached Mismagius with his magnifying glass, smiling.

However, Mismagius seemed a bit afraid of him, hiding behind Cain to avoid the professor.

This led to a scene where Mismagius and Professor Oak circled around each other.

"Gruu~~!"

Dragonite, observing from the side, showed a resigned expression and let out a growl directed at Professor Oak.

His trainer's behavior left him somewhat bewildered.

"I must have been an unfortunate Dragon in my past life to end up with a trainer like this in this one," thought Dragonite.

Hearing Dragonite's growl, Professor Oak snapped out of it, realizing that Mismagius was looking at him with an expression of distrust, as if he were a villain. Professor Oak smiled awkwardly.

"Ahem... hahaha, well, it's just a professional habit... I couldn't resist," he said, scratching his head.

Cain patted Mismagius's head, calming her a bit, and then shook his head to indicate there was no problem.

"What do you think, Cain? Would you be interested in leaving Mismagius with me for a while? The next time you see her, she's sure to have improved," Professor Oak suggested.

Upon hearing Oak's words, the strongest reaction came from Mismagius, who let out a loud cry before immediately hiding in Cain's shadow, refusing to come out again.

"Uh... Professor Oak, it seems Mismagius doesn't like that idea very much," Cain said awkwardly.

"Ahem, well, not much I can do about it, hahaha." In truth, Professor Oak had no real intention of keeping Mismagius; he was simply intrigued by her origin.

However, seeing the situation, it was clear that Mismagius truly behaved like a small child, trusting only Cain. Given that, there was no issue with her staying by his side.

Professor Oak was only concerned about the possibility of a powerful Pokémon causing problems.

After all, Ghost-type Pokémon have strange abilities, and it wasn't the first time Professor Oak had encountered a Ghost-type Pokémon that absorbed human life energy.

With Professor Oak's approving look, old Matsuda finally relaxed completely.

Now Cain was not only his disciple but also the treasure of the entire Breeders Guild. Any problem arising out of nowhere would be a major setback.

"Tell me how you found this Mismagius," said old Matsuda.

"Master, as you know, last time on the S.S. Anne, when I tried to distract the members of Team Aqua, I jumped into the sea. Upon returning, the ship had already disappeared, so I found a small island to stay on..."

Cain recounted seven parts truth and three parts fiction about how he discovered Mismagius. He even hinted at some things he couldn't guess himself, hoping the two could contribute their expertise.

"So, you found Mismagius in an underground cave filled with Ghost-type energy? And Mismagius was simply benefiting from that place, not creating it," old Matsuda said with a serious expression.

He had never heard of such a place.

Professor Oak shared his surprise, though his expression was calmer. "The world is vast, and the areas discovered by the League may only be a fraction of it. There are special places we don't know about."

"Perhaps it's a hotspot of Ghost energy or some place left by a Legendary Pokémon. Either way, you tried to return and couldn't find it. There's no need to search for it again."

Cain nodded.

In the short term, he couldn't return to the Trial Island, so he would wait until he had enough power to face any unknown situation before going back.

"And also, don't let others know about Mismagius's existence. We're not interested, but you must remember that not everyone in this world belongs to the League."

"If someone knew you owned an elite-level Pokémon like this, it could bring you great trouble. Not all League trainers are trustworthy. So, as before, keep Mismagius well-hidden."

"Fortunately, not everyone can sense Mismagius's presence like Dragonite can. At least I can't," old Matsuda warned, while also trying to reassure Cain.

At least those who could detect Mismagius's presence would have to be stronger than old Matsuda, and in that case, Cain would have no way to resist. He would simply have to hand her over obediently.

"Well, we've strayed a bit from the topic; let's get back to the main point," old Matsuda said, not wanting to discuss Mismagius further. He knew that Cain, despite his youth, was very sensible about such matters.

This disciple of his, though young, was exceptionally skilled at handling situations, so much so that even old Matsuda, with all his experience, was often impressed.

"Right, back to the main topic. Takashi's been saying for a while now that he needs my help with something. We've been together for quite some time, but I've rarely seen you ask me for a favor. It seems this time it has something to do with young Cain," Professor Oak said with a smile.

Hearing this, old Matsuda also smiled and said, "Yes, I've taken on a fine disciple, and as his master, naturally, I want to help him."

Professor Oak nodded. Having someone to inherit his knowledge was the best he could hope for. Though he wasn't sure when someone would inherit his own legacy.

But the young man they were talking about seemed promising. Though somewhat carefree, his love for Pokémon reminded Professor Oak of his younger self.

"Here's the thing: though my disciple has exceptional talent as a breeder, he's not weak as a trainer either. In fact, he prefers being a trainer."

"Recently, during his travels through the Hoenn region, he passed through a small, impoverished town and suddenly asked me if he could open a gym there," old Matsuda explained.

(End of Chapter)