Chapter Three: The Eve of the Pokémon Research Summit—A Glimpse of Daily Life

"Hey! Chen Ou! You bastard, hurry up and give me back Alakazam's Poké Ball!" Green glared fiercely at Chen Ou, shouting angrily across the laboratory table.

Chen Ou grinned mischievously, "Heh~ What’s wrong, are you so furious your whole body is trembling? Breaking out in cold sweat in the middle of a hot day, just wanting to sigh: 'When will your great Green finally stand up again!'"

A throbbing vein appeared on Green's forehead as he grabbed a stack of documents and hurled them straight at Chen Ou.

Seeing this, Chen Ou panicked and quickly transformed his right arm into flames. His right hand shot out, darting and weaving like a butterfly among flowers, snatching all the scattered papers as they flew through the air.

Those were the notes for his speech at the Pokémon Research Summit tomorrow. With a sweep of his left hand over his forehead, as if wiping away imaginary sweat, Chen Ou laughed, "Phew, that was close, Green. If these papers got ruined... I’d just have to print them out again~"

The cheeky tone of his last words could drive anyone mad.

Suddenly, Chen Ou felt a sharp pain at his nose, his eyes stinging as tears welled up uncontrollably.

"Ouch, that hurts!" He crouched down, whining in pain.

Green walked over, picked up Charizard’s Poké Ball he’d thrown earlier, then pried Alakazam’s Poké Ball out of Chen Ou’s hand, shooting a fierce glare at him as he clutched his nose on the floor. Green returned to his seat to continue working on his breeding plan.

Professor Oak, watching his grandson and Chen Ou’s “friendly interaction,” smiled kindly and with satisfaction.

The lab door slid open. Nanami entered, carrying a tea tray. Seeing Chen Ou rubbing his nose and Green sulking at his desk, she couldn’t help but smile.

"Alright, enough. Come have some snacks. Especially you, Green—don’t just throw yourself into your breeding plans as soon as you get home. Red’s still sleeping in, you know."

Nanami set the tray on the table, placed cups, a teapot, and a plate of Poffins, then put the tray aside and called the others over.

Professor Oak put down his documents and walked over, smiling. Chen Ou, still massaging his nose, joined them at the table. Green scratched his head—he really had no way of refusing his sister. He set aside his work, muttering under his breath, "If Red keeps lazing around, I can overtake him," "Is being a Trainer really that busy?" and other such cryptic complaints. The air at the table was soon filled with cheerful energy.

As Chen Ou took in this warm scene, a sense of unreality washed over him. Unknowingly, he had been in this world for five years. From initial confusion and caution, to now being at ease among these friends, he had experienced and grown so much.

Once a lost child in a foreign world, he was now a research associate of some repute. Both he and Professor Oak had paid a great price. Now, he was more family than a mere test subject.

He had witnessed Green’s championship and his subsequent dethronement by Red within hours. He’d been there for the birth of the Pokédex, and received his own Pokédex. With Nanami, he’d attended the Grand Festival, watching her accept the champion’s badge from Mr. Adam of Sootopolis Gym.

Most notably, he still had not captured a single Pokémon.

Deep inside, a voice always told him that he needed to go home; if he became too attached to this world...

He would never be able to return.

"Chen Ou? Chen Ou?"

Nanami’s voice at his ear snapped him out of his reverie. He quickly replied, "I’m here, I’m here."

Nanami smiled gently and asked, "Are you ready for your speech tomorrow?"

Chen Ou took a sip of his tea, popped a Poffin into his mouth, and gave her an "OK" gesture.

Of course he was ready. After attending the summit in Jubilife City in Sinnoh tomorrow, he would begin his own journey in the Sinnoh region. There, he might find Dialga and Palkia—two Pokémon who possibly had the power to send him home. Unfortunately, his memory of Sinnoh’s storylines was vague; he’d forgotten how to summon the two dragons, so could only start from scratch, seeking out ruins and conducting research. He’d chosen this time because his study of Celebi had reached a bottleneck. He’d never seen the real Pokémon; everything was mere hypothesis, based on scraps of information.

Yet Celebi was as elusive as a phantom. After searching in vain, he had no choice but to shift his focus. Compared to the ever-wandering Celebi, Dialga and Palkia, slumbering in fixed locations, were slightly easier to find—though more dangerous. But he had no other choice.

Nanami nodded at his gesture and smiled, "I’m much more at ease with you than with Green. You’re far more reliable."

Green immediately protested, pointing at Chen Ou, who was stuffing another Poffin into his mouth. "He’s more reliable than me? Sis, I’m the Champion!"

"The first Champion I’ve ever seen who didn’t even hold the title for a day. No—wait, not even an hour~"

Chen Ou retorted mercilessly.

Unable to stand it, Green grabbed Chen Ou by the neck. If anyone else mentioned it, he could ignore it, but when Chen Ou brought it up, he always lost his temper.

"Ugh, help, Professor, Nanami, help!" Chen Ou gasped.

Nanami and Professor Oak both pressed their hands to their foreheads. These two really couldn’t behave for a moment.

And so, another lively day passed just like that.

That night, Chen Ou sat alone on the research lab’s rooftop, sipping berry juice, his mind awash with thoughts.

Footsteps sounded behind him. Green’s voice drifted over.

"What are you doing?"

Chen Ou raised his bottle. "What do you think?"

Green shook his head, stepped forward, and sat beside Chen Ou. Chen Ou handed him an unopened bottle of berry juice. Green took it, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. This juice was brewed by Shuckle; delicious, but with a hint of intoxication.

Moonlight blanketed Professor Oak’s backyard. The verdant grass was covered by a silvery quilt, and the wind sent ripples through it, as if moonbeams were stirring waves on a lake. From the distant forest came the calls of nocturnal Pokémon, bringing life to the quiet night.

"Are you really going to travel in Sinnoh?" Green asked, gazing at the lawn.

Chen Ou took a swig. "Yeah, studying the twin dragons of time and space is my greatest wish. After all, it concerns how I came here—and how I might return. Nowhere is more suitable than Sinnoh, the land of creation myths."

Chen Ou had never truly lied to Professor Oak and his family, though he’d never told the whole truth either. He’d said he’d crossed time and space by some strange accident, and that the fruit granting him his fiery power had appeared in his hand by pure chance. No problem, just not the full story.

Green swirled his bottle, silent for a while, then said, "I might have found a lead on Celebi. You could wait a while longer."

Chen Ou smiled, clapped Green on the shoulder, and said, "It’s alright. Keep an eye out for me. If you find a clue, message me—I'll rush back right away." As he spoke, he traced an arc in the air, indicating how quickly he’d fly back.

Green took another sip, then, after a long pause, said, "I’ll lend you Charizard. Traveling isn’t as safe as hanging out in the backyard."

Chen Ou couldn’t help but twitch his lips, thinking to himself that the backyard wasn’t exactly safe either.

"No worries! You know what I can do. Even if I can’t win, no one can stop me from running away." Chen Ou waved his hand, as if to say he had nothing to fear.

Green drank in silence.

After a while, Green asked, "Do you really think you’ll find a way home?"

Chen Ou’s hand paused mid-swing. After a moment, he replied, "I don’t know."

His journey across worlds felt like some cruel joke.

Five years had passed, and he still...

Knew nothing...

Green took another drink, then stood up. "Red and I will keep searching for clues about Celebi for you. Be careful in Sinnoh, and don’t act recklessly." With that, Green turned and left.

Chen Ou raised his bottle and called out, "Thanks!"

Green didn’t reply, just went downstairs.

Chen Ou looked up at the moon and smiled bitterly.

"Mom, Dad... It seems your son really can’t go home anymore."

A crescent moon hung askew in the night sky, like a gentle, reassuring smile.