After leaving the Pokémon Center, Xia You went straight to Cerise Laboratory in Vermilion City rather than making the longer trip to Pallet Town to find Professor Oak.
Cerise Laboratory stood on the outskirts of Vermilion City and occupied a sizable plot of land. Beyond the front gate lay a large courtyard, and the main building was an imposing three-story structure with an attic. It was said to have once been a nobleman's estate, until Professor Cerise bought it for a hefty sum six months ago and converted it into a laboratory.
Xia You passed through the gate, followed the path, and climbed the steps to the laboratory. Just as he was about to ring the doorbell, he suddenly heard light footsteps behind him.
He turned to see a teenage girl standing a short distance behind him, watching him curiously. She wore a white dress that resembled a school uniform.
The girl had delicate, pretty features and long burgundy hair tied loosely into a ponytail at the back of her head. Her large, clear eyes gave her a fresh, sweet appearance.
Xia You recognized her at first glance.
She was Chloe Cerise, Professor Cerise's daughter and the childhood friend of Goh, the other male lead in Pokémon Journeys, the seventh Pokémon anime series!
Seeing Xia You standing outside the laboratory, Chloe Cerise tilted her head.
After looking him over, she asked softly, "Excuse me, can I help you?"
"Hello." Xia You gave her a friendly smile and explained why he had come. "There's something I'd like Professor Cerise's help with. Is he in the laboratory right now?"
"You're looking for my dad?" Chloe Cerise hesitated, then nodded. "He's inside. Come with me."
Chloe Cerise opened the laboratory door, and Xia You followed her through the entrance hall into what looked like a sitting room.
He looked around, only now realizing just how astonishingly large the house was. It was like a small castle, and judging by the layout, decor, and furniture, it was even styled like an English manor!
He had to admit that Professor Cerise had excellent taste.
Pointing to the sofa in the sitting room, Chloe Cerise said, "Wait here for a moment. My dad is still working, so I'll go let him know you're here."
"Sorry for the trouble."
Xia You nodded. Once Chloe Cerise left, however, he did not sit on the sofa, but slowly walked over to the window.
Through the glass, he could see a lush forest brimming with the vitality of spring. Farther in the distance lay the bustling city of Vermilion, and when he quieted his mind and listened closely, he could faintly hear the waves.
This really is a lovely setting!
Even after coming here and standing in this very spot, Xia You still found it all a little unreal.
He stood lost in thought. Before long, Chloe Cerise returned, followed by a middle-aged man with the same hair color as hers.
The man looked about thirty-seven or thirty-eight. He wore thick-framed glasses, a white lab coat, and a kindly smile. His appearance alone marked him as a scholarly researcher.
As Xia You remembered, Professor Cerise was not only Professor Oak's junior, but also one of the Pokémon Professors of the Kanto Region. He had been hailed as a genius from a young age, with a bright future ahead of him.
Though he was still relatively young, the Pokémon League had also authorized him to provide new Trainers with starter Pokémon and Pokédexes. He was one of the few recognized authorities in all of Kanto!
Professor Cerise was about to greet Xia You when the Ralts at his feet caught his eye.
"A Ralts?! Now that's a rare sight!"
Just as he finished speaking, a short Pokémon ran in through the doorway. Upon spotting Chloe, it hurried to her feet and affectionately rubbed against her trouser leg.
Xia You looked down. The Pokémon resembled a little dog with a short, compact body. It was mostly tan, with a thick ruff of soft yellow fur around its neck. Its bright, wide eyes and little lightning-shaped tail made it look full of energy.
So it's a Yamper...
At that moment, Yamper noticed Ralts as well.
Its large eyes filled with curiosity, and it tried to approach. But when Ralts's hands suddenly began to glow, it hurriedly backed away to Professor Cerise's side in fright.
Professor Cerise crouched down and stroked its forehead. Only after calming it did he look up at Xia You.
"This is our family's Pokémon. It's always been a little too lively. Did it give you two a fright just now?"
"It's all right." Xia You shook his head gently. "I remember reading that Yamper are very energetic Pokémon. It really is hard to get them to settle down."
"Oh?" Professor Cerise paused and adjusted his glasses. "You know about it?"
"I am a Pokémon Trainer, after all, so I know a little about all sorts of Pokémon," Xia You said with a smile. "Still, although I know its name, I don't actually know that much about it. Only that it's an Electric-type Pokémon from the Galar Region. If I remember correctly, that tuft of fur around its neck is where it stores electricity, right?"
How is that not knowing much?! He clearly knows quite a lot!
"You're well-informed, and there's something rather distinctive about the way you carry yourself. It seems you're no ordinary Trainer." Surprised by Xia You's knowledge, Professor Cerise dispensed with further pleasantries and got straight to the point. "Chloe said there was something you wanted my help with?"
"Sorry to interrupt your work, Professor." Xia You took out his Pokédex. "My name is Xia You. I'm from the Kalos Region, and I've only just arrived in Kanto. I came today to ask if you could upgrade this Pokédex's data so I can use it in every region around the world!"
Professor Cerise took the Pokédex, opened it, and had a look.
"Hmm, its design is certainly a little different from the Pokédexes in Kanto, but that's no problem. It's a simple enough task. Come inside with me."
Xia You had not expected things to go so smoothly, but this alone showed him how easygoing Professor Cerise really was.
Following Professor Cerise out of the sitting room, Xia You entered the laboratory's work area. Besides the professor, a male and a female assistant were working there.
The female assistant was Chrysa, a pretty woman with long, dark blue curls. The male assistant was Ren, who wore glasses and had tousled hair. Though he looked unremarkable, he was highly talented.
Chrysa and Ren were both easy to get along with. When Professor Cerise introduced them, they greeted Xia You warmly.
"Hello! I'm Professor Cerise's assistant, Ren!"
"Hello, I'm Chrysa!"
Xia You shook hands with both of them and introduced himself.
"Hello, I'm Xia You, a Pokémon Trainer. I'm sorry for troubling you with this."
Chrysa waved it off with a warm smile. "It's fine. The laboratory hasn't officially opened yet, so we don't have much work. Things are still pretty quiet."
"That's right." Ren nodded in agreement. "There are only a few of us here right now, so it gets rather lonely. Having you visit today has brought a little life to the laboratory!"
As they chatted, Professor Cerise placed the Pokédex on a machine and operated the controls. A few minutes later, he handed it back to Xia You.
"There, the data upgrade is complete. Will you be taking on the Indigo League next, then?"
"That's right." Xia You nodded. "But right now, I only have this Ralts. Before I challenge any Gyms, I'll need to catch a few more Pokémon to round out my team."
At the mention of Pokémon, Ren immediately perked up and asked eagerly, "There are plenty of Pokémon in Kanto. So, have you decided which ones you want to catch?"
"I have a few in mind." With nothing to hide, Xia You told them, "I'll definitely be catching the three starter Pokémon-Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. As for the others, I'll just have to see what comes my way."
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