Professor Birch

"Thanks, Pidgeot."

Pidgeot landed on the outskirts of Rustboro City, and Roy jumped down from its back.

"Pidgeot!"

After saying goodbye to Pidgeot, it still had to return to Lilycove City.

Roy looked at the headline of the Lilycove City Daily in his hand: "Brave Ghost-type Trainer Assists Officer Jenny in Arresting Heinous Poacher."

There was also a photo of Roy and his two Pokémon.

"It doesn't feel like it captured how handsome I am. What's going on?"

Roy stared at the newspaper that had just been published that morning, clearly dissatisfied.

But the Popularity Points in the system had actually risen to 450. Just 50 more and he could unlock the system shop. It seemed this trick really worked.

There was still plenty of time before he had to report to Rustboro Academy, so Roy planned to take a stroll around Rustboro City first. It was one of Hoenn's renowned major cities, after all, and the Devon Corporation stood here.

Before Roy could even head toward downtown Rustboro City, a burst of barking and a human cry for help reached his ears.

Following the sound of the barking, Roy found a man in a white lab coat and army-green shorts, with a thick beard on his face, being chased by a grayish-black Poochyena.

Wasn't that Professor Birch?

What a familiar plot.

"Kid! Save me!"

The moment Professor Birch saw Roy, he immediately called out to him.

The Poochyena behind him maintained a posture as though it was about to bite Professor Birch,

but whenever it was about to catch him, it would slow down and bark twice, making Professor Birch in front run even faster.

Pulling and tugging, Miracle Walker.

That borderline push-and-pull left Roy dumbfounded. It seemed the Poochyena only knew to keep its distance. If it really bit Professor Birch, it would be in for it.

Just like dogs in rural villages from his previous life.

So, had he triggered some hidden plot?

Right! Where was Professor Birch's briefcase?

Roy hurriedly looked around for the briefcase, but after searching for ages, he found no trace of it.

"Kid! Kid!"

Meanwhile, Professor Birch kept calling for Roy's help.

Could the plot have changed?

As if he hadn't heard Professor Birch's plea, Roy pondered which Starter Pokémon he should choose.

After thinking it over, Roy decided that only children made choices. He wanted them all!

At last, Professor Birch stopped from exhaustion and sprawled on the ground, panting heavily, no longer caring whether the Poochyena would bite him.

Seeing Professor Birch frightened into such a state, the Poochyena happily leaped into the grass and left.

As if the chase had only been meant to scare Professor Birch.

The exhausted Professor Birch was just about to condemn the young people of today's Pokémon League for having no sympathy and not even knowing to lend him a hand.

Then he saw Roy walk toward him and extend a hand.

At least he's human. He knows to help me up.

Professor Birch was about to grab Roy's hand and rise, but Roy's next words changed his mind.

"Professor, I've decided. I want to receive all three Starter Pokémon."

Professor Birch: !!????

Did he have no shame left?

Seeing that Professor Birch didn't respond, Roy wondered if he really was being too greedy.

Roy settled for less and said:

"If that's not possible, then a Mudkip will do."

Professor Birch: Mudkip? You look like a Mudkip to me!

In the end, Professor Birch got up by himself, brushed the dust off his backside, and looked at Roy speechlessly.

Who gave away Starter Pokémon just because someone saved them? If that were the case, he would get chased by Poochyena every day and have to hand out a Starter Pokémon every day?

What a joke. Not even an idiot would do that.

If he had Pokémon on him, he would have chased that Poochyena away himself long ago.

Besides, distributing Starter Pokémon to direct-line Pokémon League trainers was the Pokémon League's job. It had nothing to do with him. He was only responsible for Pokémon research.

Seeing that the other man truly had no Starter Pokémon on him, Roy sighed regretfully. His Starter Pokémon had just flown away, never to return.

His expression was as though he had lost a hundred million.

It left Professor Birch beside him utterly baffled.

He was Hoenn's professor! A regional professor!

Why did Roy look at him as though he were just someone who handed out supplies?

Before the professor could start cursing a blue streak.

Litwick poked its head out from Roy's shoulder, making Professor Birch, who had been about to speak, freeze.

"This is!?"

Professor Birch's gaze was instantly drawn to the little Litwick perched on Roy's shoulder.

"Th-this... is this your Pokémon?"

"His name is Litwick, a Ghost-type Pokémon."

As a Pokémon professor, he naturally knew Litwick, but this was the first time he had ever seen one in person.

After learning that Roy was a Ghost-type Pokémon trainer, Professor Birch seemed to have discovered a treasure.

He was completely unafraid of Roy's Pokémon. Despite being a regional-level Pokémon professor, his research on Ghost-type Pokémon was practically blank,

Ghost-type Pokémon were already uncommon in everyday life, and they were often accompanied by urban legends. For his own safety, the Pokémon League also forbade him from studying Ghost-type Pokémon alone, which had been driving him mad.

He was only missing the Ghost-type category before he could complete his research report.

Now that he had encountered one, he naturally had to study it properly.

"Hehehe, little darling, hurry and let me study you!"

"Ahem, Professor, please mind your words and conduct."

"Right, right, ahem."

Professor Birch immediately straightened his posture, as though the person who had just let out that "hehehe" laugh wasn't him.

Freely observing someone else's Pokémon was also impolite, and Professor Birch quickly realized that.

"Allow me to formally introduce myself. I'm Professor Birch of Hoenn. My main research concerns Pokémon habitats, distributions, and the correlation between the two..."

Professor Birch rambled on again like he was chanting scripture, and Roy nearly fell asleep. If he had been giving out Starter Pokémon, Roy might have gone along with the whole plot.

But if he wasn't giving out Pokémon, what was there to talk about?

"Young man, I can see you have extraordinary potential. How about becoming my assistant?"

"Assistant? You just want to study Litwick, don't you?"

Roy knew that, but he didn't mind Professor Birch observing it. After all, the man had already provided him with 1 Popularity Point.

"Do you have any other Ghost-type Pokémon, young man?"

Roy pointed behind Professor Birch.

Behind me?

Professor Birch turned around, only to find a skull mask right in front of him.

Hehehe x2

"This is Duskull!"

He took out a magnifying glass and began examining Duskull. The bewildered Duskull also pressed its eye to the magnifying glass.

Compared to Duskull's cooperation, Litwick bluntly rejected the scruffy Professor Birch for being too ugly.

Just as he was figuring out how to observe Litwick, the wristband on his arm gave a scheduled reminder.

Professor Birch slapped his forehead, only then remembering that he had arranged a time with the Safari Zone's warden to study the Pokémon in the park today.

His destination this time was the Safari Zone, which was in the exact opposite direction from Rustboro City, where Roy was heading. He felt regretful inside. It had been hard enough to find a Ghost-type Pokémon trainer, and the crucial thing was that the other party was even willing to let his Pokémon cooperate.

After learning that Roy was a student at Rustboro Academy, Professor Birch said he would visit Roy at the academy later and hoped Roy could help him complete his research report.

Roy agreed. Mainly because the other party could produce a report related to Ghost-type Pokémon, while he could gain Popularity Points. No matter how he looked at it, he wasn't losing out.