"Gary, listen carefully," Ash said firmly, lowering his voice. "I just used my Aura to sense something. There are living traces of ancient Pokémon here—and even some of the fossils still carry faint signs of life!"
"What?!" Gary's eyes widened, his voice filled with excitement. "Are you serious? Actual living ancient Pokémon?"
As a member of the Oak family, he knew exactly what that meant—fame, prestige, honor, and unimaginable rewards. There were no known living ancient Pokémon in the world today. The appearance of that super-ancient Dragonite had been shocking, but since Dragonite still existed in modern times, people hadn't been as stunned. But this… this was different.
"Yes," Ash replied calmly.
"And you understand the significance of this. I've already decided—after the Indigo Plateau Conference, I'm going to open my own gym. With this discovery, I'll also be able to establish my own small force. Of course, it won't be under the Oak or Draconis families. There's too much gossip tied to both."
Gary's excitement only grew, while Ash shook his head slightly. Gary was still too young—he couldn't yet control his emotions in the face of such a revelation.
"You know, you're not wrong," Gary admitted with a grin.
"There's been a lot of talk about you lately. You're practically famous now. Grandpa sending out your Eevee caused a huge stir across the region. At this rate, I might as well start calling you Dr. Ash."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "I'm famous? What happened?" He honestly had no idea how much his reputation had grown.
Gary chuckled. "What, Grandpa didn't tell you? You're already a household name."
Ash waved it off.
"Forget it. Either way, this plays into my plans. But listen carefully—don't tell anyone else about what I sensed. The existence of living ancient Pokémon must remain secret. I've already used a Full Restore Capsule to have Grandpa Oak and Grandpa Samuel negotiate for an island. Now, I want Grampa Canyon added to that. If we don't secure it, the League will eventually step in, and neither of our families will get anything."
He glanced at the crowds of people digging away at fossils nearby and smirked. Keep digging… in the end, the real prize will belong to me.
Because of their close bond, Gary understood immediately. He also knew all about the Full Restore Capsule deal. Ash had even given him a Rare Candy before, telling him to keep it safe.
"Gary," Ash said seriously, "call your grandfather later. Tell him you want to claim Grampa Canyon and that we've already agreed on this. Add it to the terms of the Full Restore Capsule arrangement."
"I'm planning to open a gym, but once I reveal living ancient Pokémon, the League will definitely try to obstruct me—whether with the gym or with control of Grampa Canyon. I won't be able to secure both. That's why I need you. Use your status as an Oak to take formal control of the canyon. Then, let both the Oak and Draconis families participate in sharing the benefits."
"My only condition is this: all of the research data must come to me. Your grandfather won't mind—he's more interested in the actual studies, while I'm not. And we'll bring in Sabrina's father to help. That way, other factions won't start prying. Honestly, the research here is too big for just the two of us to manage anyway."
Ash laid everything out plainly. With Gary, there was no need to play games.
Gary grinned. "No problem. Looks like I'm riding your coattails this time, Ash. Maybe Dad won't dock my allowance for once." He laughed, then pulled out his phone to call Professor Oak.
"I understand," Professor Oak said gravely after hearing Gary's report.
"You and Ash stay there. Don't leave the canyon under any circumstances. I'll immediately contact the other families."
Even he couldn't hide his shock. The existence of living ancient Pokémon was monumental. Deep down, Professor Oak even felt as if Ash had become his family's lucky star.
Following Ash's instructions, Professor Oak included Grampa Canyon within the negotiations tied to the Full Restore Capsule. Soon, the eight great families gave their replies—but in an unexpected twist, this time Agatha gained an opportunity.
It turned out that Grampa Canyon fell within the Blackstone family's sphere of influence. Because of that, Agatha was able to claim the Full Restore Capsule.
She still needed to locate the island Ash had requested, but the canyon itself was now settled. Though she found it strange that such a location had suddenly gained importance, internal family disputes left her with little time to question it.
Ash's fortune couldn't have been better. Grampa Canyon now belonged to Gary, and the next step was to put their plan into motion. Both the Mugino family and the Draconis family were equally thrilled when they received Professor Oak's call.
The Mugino family benefited because of Sabrina's connection, while the Draconis family simply wanted to strengthen their relationship with Ash. And beyond the politics, all three families knew this discovery would skyrocket their prestige. Naturally, they were delighted.
As for the Yoto family, there was little that could be done. Their influence lay in Sinnoh, far from Kanto. Even if Ash wanted Cynthia's father to have a share, there was no realistic way for the Yoto family to benefit.
Once ownership of Grampa Canyon was secured, Ash and Gary stayed put, waiting for Professor Oak and the others to arrive.
Ash also informed Cynthia, Sabrina, and Suzie of the situation. He trusted them completely and saw no need to keep secrets—though the revelation left them bubbling with excitement, they instinctively avoided speaking about it around strangers.
When Ash mentioned that Sabrina's father would be involved in the research, Sabrina's eyes softened, gazing at Ash with rare warmth. On the other side, Gary gave Ash a secret thumbs-up, making Ash smile bitterly at his friend's antics.
...
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