A Brief Discussion on the Research Institute

"Tell me, is it really a good idea for us to leave in such a hurry?"

In the forest path leading from Celadon City to Fuchsia City, White held the Chimchar in her arms, a large backpack slung over her shoulders carrying an incubator.

Looking at Chen Ou’s back, she asked with a trace of puzzlement.

"Why not? We already said goodbye to Erika, didn't we? The lecture is over, the guests have all gone home, and everyone knows you're my student now. You've got your Pokémon egg, too. What else is there for us to stay and do?"

Chen Ou asked without looking back.

"I just... feel like it’s not very polite to leave without saying goodbye to the others."

White stammered slightly.

Chen Ou came to a sudden halt. White, caught off guard, crashed straight into his back, squeezing the Chimchar in her arms until it let out a muffled whimper of "Wuwuwu!"

"Why did you suddenly slam on the brakes?!"

White rubbed her head. Knowing that Chen Ou was also wearing a bulky backpack, bumping into it abruptly still hurt quite a bit.

Chen Ou turned around with a puzzled expression. "Do you feel like you've already become close friends with Eri and Yuzuki?"

"Uh, isn't that so?" White asked back, somewhat bewildered by Chen Ou's question.

"Emm, that's not quite what I mean."

Chen Ou pondered for a moment, then looked down at White and said, "What do you think if I recruited those two into my research institute?"

White: ???

"What research institute do you even have?"

White found this utterly bizarre. She had been with Chen Ou for quite a while now. While the guy didn't seem short on money, she had never actually seen him do any serious research. Even that new paper he presented during the public lecture had its draft put together by Rotom and filled out by Daisy.

He rarely did any hands-on work himself, looking nothing like a newly minted professor. And now Chen Ou was telling her he had a research institute? Wasn't this a joke?

Chen Ou looked at her quite strangely. "As a professor, is it strange for me to have a research institute?"

White fell silent for a moment. Come to think of it, no, it wasn't strange at all. Professors usually had their own institutes, and most researchers could even establish one by the time they reached the senior researcher stage.

The only differences were the institute's grounds, the number of research staff, and so on. Besides, if you were genuinely wealthy, there was nothing stopping you from building yourself a massive research institute.

"Although I haven't built it yet, we'll have one eventually~"

Chen Ou waved a hand and flashed a brilliant smile.

White: ...

"If you don't have one, what are you even talking about!"

White let out a fierce roar, just as a Pokémon with purple fur, a pair of big red eyes, and two long antennae suddenly burst out from the nearby bushes.

*Venonat? (Who's calling me?)*

The Venonat tilted its head and let out a curious cry.

"Hahahahaha!"

Chen Ou was laughing so hard he almost rolled on the ground. But as he laughed, a spark of fire accidentally burst from his mouth... scaring the Venonat so badly that it zipped right back into the bushes and vanished without a trace.

The Chimchar beside them burst into giggles, mimicking the laughter, even though it had no clue what Chen Ou was laughing about.

White grabbed the Chimchar by the scuff of its neck, hauled it right up to her face, and demanded fiercely, "What are you laughing at?!"

Chimchar: (▽＼)

Helpless, White placed it back in her arms and fiercely ruffled its head.

Then she delivered a solid kick to Chen Ou's shin and sighed helplessly, "Can you grow up already, Professor Chen Ou!"

Chen Ou stood up, shrugged, and said, "I've been more than mature enough these past two days; let me take a break."

White rolled her eyes at him and let it drop. Changing the subject, she asked, "Are you planning to trick Eri and Yuzuki into joining that phantom research institute of yours right off the bat? Unlikely. After all, both of their family backgrounds and abilities are far from weak. There's no reason for them to pin their hopes on an institute you haven't even started yet."

Chen Ou tapped her head. "My institute doesn't necessarily need those two. The only reason they might join is because they're your friends, alright?"

Hearing this, White rolled her eyes again. "Let's leave Eri aside for a moment, but Yuzuki is President Domino's granddaughter. What makes you think she'd hang herself on the crooked tree of your research institute?"

"Because my institute will be the only place where one can have daily contact with Legendary Pokémon."

Chen Ou took another step forward, saying offhandedly.

"As if... What did you say???"

Startled, White quickly hurried to catch up, grabbing Chen Ou's sleeve and asking, "Daily contact with Legendary Pokémon... Are you planning to keep Entei at the institute all the time?"

Chen Ou curled his lip. "Do you think Entei is the only Legendary Pokémon I can find? There will be plenty of mythical Pokémon in the future. To say nothing of distant ones, there's still the Super-Ancient Pokémon Hoopa over in Pewter City. Although its power hasn't been pacified and reclaimed yet, that's only a matter of time. And then there's Mewtwo, whom we just saw. That guy will be back sooner or later, and who knows, it might even bring me some surprises."

At this, Chen Ou thought of the theatrical film he had seen in the past. Although quite some time had passed, his memory of the movie featuring Mewtwo and Genesect was surprisingly vivid. After all, Mewtwo in that movie was indeed voiced by a woman—calling it super cute was no exaggeration.

Even though the plot logic really didn't stand up to scrutiny... honestly, how many Pokémon movies actually stood up to scrutiny? People didn't go to watch the plot; they went to see the mythical Pokémon.

And the Mewtwo in this world was equally adorable, which was why urging White to go on a journey and seek out Genesect in the Unova region was an important motivation for him.

Though, considering Team Plasma had already been thoroughly dealt with, would Genesect ever be revived and modified?

If not modified, that was fine too; Chen Ou wasn't particularly obsessed with this sole Bug-type deity.

If it happened, great; if not, no regrets.

"Besides, once I truly begin to fulfill the duties Arceus spoke of, there should be even more mythical Pokémon around me. Saying that this field of study is difficult to research was only relative to people outside my institute."

Chen Ou shrugged and said so.

For a moment, White didn't know what to say. She just felt that while Chen Ou's words were quite punchable, they were undeniably rather cool.

"Then—am I the research assistant?!"

White asked with a trace of eagerness, as if a sudden thought had struck her.

"No, you're not."

"I knew it had to be me... Wait, what did you say???"

White was utterly baffled. If it's not me, why did you talk to me about all of that?

"I plan to have Daisy be my assistant. As for you, you'll mostly be out traveling either on your own or with me, making connections and exploring ruins."

Chen Ou said calmly.

"Ah, how boring... Why do I still have to tag along with you!"

Amidst their chatter, the two had gradually stepped deep into the forest. Their voices drifted further and further away.

And thus, the initial personnel concept for the future world-renowned 'Casual Research Institute' was completed amidst such jocular banter.