Chapter Seventeen: You Must Admit This Mistake—Because I Said So.

"May I ask who you are?"
The elderly man, dressed as a butler, peered through the ornate gates at the travel-worn young man standing before him, puzzlement in his eyes as he inquired about the visitor's identity.

"Good day, sir. My name is Chen Ou, a Pokémon Professor. I recently encountered some difficulties and have come at the request of Professor Oak from Pallet Town to call upon Mr. Bell," Chen Ou replied, standing politely outside the manor's gates and bowing with due respect.

The butler's demeanor shifted at once to one of greater deference upon hearing that the visitor was a Pokémon Professor—one sent by the renowned Professor Oak himself.

"Welcome, Professor Chen Ou. Allow me to inform the Mayor of your arrival. Would you kindly wait here for a moment?"

"Of course. Thank you for your trouble," Chen Ou replied.

Watching the butler’s retreating figure through the iron gates, Chen Ou narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.

His purpose in coming here was to resolve the inner turmoil of his Charmander. The little Pokémon’s troubles were simple: it needed to prove it could defeat Xiao Chen’s Pokémon, to show it did not need to be abandoned by Bailey to ensure its own safety. Secondly, it wanted Bailey, the one who had forsaken it, to apologize.

Chen Ou had not expected this matter to involve the Mayor of Viridian City, nor had he imagined that, if he hadn’t arrived in time, Xiao Chen would have perished. Naughty children often make one want to give them a good thrashing, but death is far from a deserved consequence. When a child earns the title of "problem child," ninety percent of the blame lies with the parents.

From the perspective of innate goodness, it is overindulgence; from the view of inherent vice, it is a lack of guidance.

Bell’s hiring of a hitman boiled down to two reasons.

First, to vent his frustration. Harming his child equated to slapping him in the face.

Second, a Pokémon that abandoned its trainer and fled for its own life without the slightest resistance would see Bailey’s future as a trainer utterly destroyed. Among the community of trainers—who represent humanity’s spirit of exploration and determination—there is little room for cowards.

If Xiao Chen disappeared and Charmander was retrieved, the incident would remain forever hidden.

One could not decide whether to call it "a parent's boundless love" or simply a failure to educate one’s child.

In any case, Chen Ou had realized last night that this business would not end peacefully. He could have leveraged the influence of Professor Oak, Red, and Green in Viridian City and even throughout Kanto to force an apology.

But that was not the kind of apology Chen Ou sought.

If words could persuade the other party to apologize, that would be ideal. If not… then overwhelming them by force was far less satisfying than defeating them outright. Sometimes, the best way to vent one’s anger is with one’s fists.

He had come to seek justice for Charmander.

Suddenly, he felt grateful for his growing strength. It seemed he should heed Professor Oak’s earlier advice and capture a few more Pokémon to broaden his sample pool.

But the thought also gave him a headache. With his discerning nature, how could he ever bring himself to capture a random assortment of Pokémon? His greatest fear was that, by the time he reached the Indigo League, he would not even have a team of six.

He had no time to dwell on it, as the butler soon returned with a beaming smile. Approaching the gate, he opened it with a flourish, bowed, and said, "Professor Chen Ou, Mayor Bell awaits you in the drawing room. We are honored by your presence."

Chen Ou returned his politeness with a smile. "It was presumptuous of me to visit without prior notice. Please forgive the intrusion."

The butler smiled, gestured for him to follow, and led the way. Chen Ou sensed the Poké Ball at his waist, where Charmander rested, tremble slightly. He patted it gently, signaling the little Pokémon to be patient. With head held high and purposeful stride, he entered the manor as though he had weighty matters to discuss.

—

Chen Ou and Bell sat across from one another. A complete tea set was laid out on the table between them. Bell, with a gentle smile, brewed the tea with practiced hands. Unlike the tea ceremonies popular in Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, or Hoenn, his manner resembled the foreign tea traditions of Unova or Kalos.

"May I ask what brings Professor Chen Ou to see me today?" Bell’s smile was mild and serene. He had already investigated this "Professor Chen Ou" before the meeting and knew he had only recently earned his title, and was on friendly terms with both Professor Oak and the celebrated champions Red and Green. It was clear that this was not a man he could afford to offend.

As for the purpose of Chen Ou’s visit, Bell thought he had guessed it. A newly minted professor, well-acquainted with Viridian Gym’s leader Green, most likely came to establish a research institute in Viridian City. Seeking his support would be a simple matter.

Easy enough to handle, and perhaps even a relationship worth cultivating. After all, Viridian City lacked a leading figure in scientific research. Such a partnership would fill that gap and be a win-win. He had always supported such endeavors.

Sipping his tea, Chen Ou smiled and said, "Let me tell you a story."

Bell was momentarily bewildered, but quickly regained his composure and replied with a smile, "I’m all ears."

"There was once a young boy who received a highly talented starter Pokémon with his father’s help. However, this Pokémon drew the envy of his rival. When the boy set off on his first journey alone, his rival ambushed him, threatening him before he could even release his Pokémon, demanding that he set his Pokémon free so the rival could capture it himself. Afraid of being hurt, the boy released the Pokémon and smashed its Poké Ball, making it, by the letter of the law, wild and free to be caught.

But the Pokémon, yearning to rescue its abandoned trainer from his rival, was met with rejection by the boy.

‘You can’t do it! Just let yourself be caught, please! I don’t want to get hurt!’ the boy pleaded. Yet, the proud Pokémon would not obey. With one disappointed glance, it turned and left, ignoring both the rival’s challenge and the attacks being readied by another Pokémon.

The rival, in a fit of rage, beat up the boy and then left. The boy ran home and told his father everything. Realizing that this could be a turning point in his child’s life, the father, while protecting his son, released a different version of the story. In this tale, the boy was not so weak—not beyond forgiveness, anyway.

But the father knew there were two others with knowledge of the truth: the rival and the escaped Pokémon.

Thus, his subsequent actions were all too predictable. After all, just last night a certain Hunter Ray was arrested."

Chen Ou took another sip of tea, watching Bell’s face grow dark as water. He smiled and said, "Mr. Mayor, you know this story, don’t you?"

"What are you trying to say?" Bell’s tone remained calm.

"I caught that Charmander. So I’m here to ask young Bailey to apologize to my Charmander," Chen Ou replied, putting special emphasis on the words "my Charmander."

Bell was silent for a moment, then once more lifted the teapot to refill Chen Ou’s cup. "Professor Chen Ou, surely everything can be discussed. An apology would hurt the child’s pride. How about this: as his father, I’ll apologize on Bailey’s behalf?"

Chen Ou, however, stopped him from pouring more tea.

"Mr. Mayor, one must own up to one’s mistakes—age is no excuse. Besides… using a disguised Polteageist as a teapot isn’t exactly the way to treat a guest, is it?"

"This mistake was your son’s. He must answer for it—my word is final."