Professor Oak's expression lit up with anticipation upon hearing Nozomi's words.
Since Nozomi's departure, he had rarely sent any Pokémon back to be kept at the lab. Yet despite that, his reputation had grown immensely in the outside world. Naturally, Professor Oak's curiosity about what kind of Pokémon Nozomi possessed had only deepened.
"So, which Pokémon are you planning to leave here?" Professor Oak asked.
Nozomi reached into his pocket and drew out a handful of Poké Balls.
The League's regulation that a Trainer may carry no more than six Pokémon at once was a sound one. While some might not understand the restriction, this number was the result of extensive scientific research—it represented the most efficient balance for both Trainer and Pokémon.
What did "efficient" mean? It meant that six Pokémon was the ideal number for a Trainer to care for and train properly while maintaining a healthy, balanced state of body and mind.
Once that number was exceeded, Trainers often found themselves overburdened—either unable to give proper attention to each partner or exhausting themselves to the point of diminishing returns.
Nozomi was starting to feel that strain himself.
Of course, due to the stamina boost he'd once earned through a lucky draw, he could physically handle more—but there was no need to push it. Rather than wasting time and energy just feeding too many Pokémon, it was better to focus entirely on training a smaller, stronger team.
This time, aside from Mewtwo, Nozomi planned to keep only six Pokémon on hand.
"Metagross, Steelix, and Dragonite are definitely staying—they're my main forces for the upcoming battle," Nozomi thought. "Among the others, Haunter, Misdreavus, and Dusknoir can be left here at Professor Oak's lab. Ivysaur too—it's ready for some rest. Larvitar seems close to evolving, so I'll bring it along. Leafeon hasn't much room for progress right now, so it can stay. Snorlax… well, I'd better take it with me—otherwise, it'll eat Professor Oak out of house and home. As for Gyarados…"
After considering carefully, Nozomi decided to keep Metagross, Steelix, Dragonite, Larvitar, Gyarados, and Snorlax with him.
The rest were entrusted to Professor Oak.
"Professor Oak, I'll be leaving them in your care."
He released the Pokémon, addressing them warmly. "While I'm away, you must listen to Professor Oak, all right?"
"Haun-haun~!"
Haunter nodded first, its grin mischievous as ever.
The others followed suit, nodding obediently.
Professor Oak watched Nozomi's disciplined Pokémon and couldn't help but marvel. No wonder the boy was so strong—everything about him made sense now.
Just compare him with Ash, for example. The Pokémon Ash sent back were always troublemakers—his Kingler that couldn't stop clamping things, or his overly affectionate Muk that smothered people with hugs… Not one of them was easy to handle.
Nozomi bowed slightly. "Please take good care of them, Professor Oak."
"Don't worry," Oak replied with a smile.
Nozomi nodded. If there was one person he could trust, it was Professor Oak.
Together, the two led the fostered Pokémon to the research lab's back garden.
"Oh, right—Nozomi," Professor Oak suddenly asked, "have you seen Gary recently? That boy's been acting mysterious lately. He hasn't called me in days, and he won't pick up when I try to reach him."
"Huh?" Nozomi blinked. "I saw Gary not long ago at the Fuchsia Gym. He looked energetic—don't tell me he's sulking after losing to Koga too many times?"
The last time he'd seen Gary, the guy had been full of life. Could he really have been crushed by repeated defeats at Koga's hands?
"Not Fuchsia Gym," Oak corrected him. "The last time he contacted me, he was at Grampa Canyon. He'd dug up a fossil and asked me to identify it—but it turned out to be fossilized dung. After that, I haven't heard from him."
Oak frowned. "I hope nothing's happened to him."
At first, he hadn't been worried. After all, while Gary's strength wasn't quite at Nozomi's monstrous level, he was still among the most outstanding young Trainers in Kanto. Nothing should have gone wrong.
But now that he'd talked it through with Nozomi, doubt began to creep in.
"Maybe ask Ash?" Nozomi suggested. "They're progressing at about the same pace—he might know something."
Oak shook his head. "Ash didn't bring a phone."
"…"
The silence was awkward.
"I'll ask one of the Pokémon Inspectors I know at Grampa Canyon to help search for him," Nozomi offered. He recalled meeting one during his time there.
For them, looking into Gary's whereabouts should be a simple matter.
"Thank you, Nozomi," Oak said sincerely.
"No problem—just a small favor."
Nozomi didn't think anything serious had happened. Most likely Gary's communicator was broken, or maybe he'd just been busy. As a Trainer already performing at an above-average level, Gary shouldn't be getting into real danger that easily.
Still, without realizing it, Nozomi's reassurances felt almost like tempting fate.
After wrapping things up, Nozomi didn't linger at the lab. His next destination was the Indigo Plateau, where he planned to meet Lorelei. Though he'd already given her Articuno, he doubted she could have fully bonded with it in just a week.
He wanted to help her with the training—better to prepare in advance than risk trouble later.
Indigo Plateau Training Grounds
Lorelei stood at the edge of the training field, watching as Articuno glided lazily through the air, wings shimmering with frost. The Legendary Bird seemed utterly carefree.
Unfortunately, Lorelei wasn't nearly as relaxed. She rubbed her temple, staring up at her aloof Pokémon with growing frustration.
It had been nearly a week since Nozomi had gifted her the Articuno, and a full day since she'd begun trying to train it.
Yet perhaps because Articuno wasn't a Pokémon she had personally caught, it refused to obey her commands, ignoring every instruction as though she weren't even there.
If she weren't one of the Elite Four, Lorelei might have already ordered her team to gang up and teach the bird some discipline.
But as a representative of the Kanto League, she had an image to maintain—using brute force to subdue a Legendary Pokémon would send the wrong message. And besides, this Articuno was Nozomi's gift to her. Even though he'd said she could handle it however she wished, she couldn't bring herself to mistreat the first Pokémon he'd ever given her.
So, for the past two days, she'd been trying gentle persuasion—soft words, patience, empathy.
It wasn't working.
Articuno paid her no mind at all, responding to her kindness with indifference, the very picture of a creature that thought, "I'm majestic, and you can't do anything about it."