Chapter 87: Bai Ci's Choice (Part One)

Inside the Oak Research Laboratory

Nanami poured cups of green tea for Dr. Juniper and Shiragiku. In truth, it was Chen Ou who had instilled this habit of drinking green tea. Dr. Juniper smiled and nodded at Nanami, while Shiragiku softly thanked her. Nanami returned their gestures with a smile before pouring a cup for her own grandfather.

Dr. Oak looked across at Juniper and Shiragiku. “That’s the situation as it stands. If Shiragiku wishes to study in the field of research, she can work with Nanami or myself. If it’s travel she’s after, Green can accompany her. However, Green has his own matters to attend to, so he won’t always be available. As for Red… Something rather daunting is occurring on his end, so I wouldn’t recommend seeking him out.”

Dr. Oak’s tone betrayed his own frustration; truth be told, none of his people seemed to have much time to spare for Shiragiku. Yet, having given his word, Dr. Oak would not go back on his promise.

If nothing else, he could always have Green put his current tasks aside for the time being—after all, Green was known to avoid his own gym, leaving it under the care of his Alakazam while he idled about.

“Um, Dr. Oak, what about Dr. Chen Ou? I recall he’s also traveling at the moment, isn’t he?” Juniper inquired, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

Shiragiku, too, glanced curiously at the two elders before her.

Dr. Oak and Nanami exchanged a look, both showing a touch of helplessness in their eyes. After organizing her thoughts, Nanami spoke, “Chen Ou would be a good choice. He should currently be in Lavender Town or Goldenrod City, so he isn’t hard to find, and the journey isn’t far. If Shiragiku travels with him, she’ll learn a great deal. However…”

Nanami cast a complicated glance at Shiragiku. “Grandfather and I didn’t mention Chen Ou because… his journey doesn’t seem suitable for rookie trainers.”

Dr. Juniper and Dr. Oak shared a knowing look; Dr. Oak merely nodded in silent agreement. Indeed, Chen Ou’s journeys weren’t for the faint of heart—he had a knack for stumbling upon Legendary Pokémon, and few could keep up with such chaos.

“Could you elaborate? In Unova, we know Dr. Chen Ou has accomplished much, but there seem to be no specific reports; people speak of him only in vague terms,” Juniper pressed, her curiosity piqued.

Chen Ou’s legend was already circulating among the higher ranks, but it was as though no one could quite convey the extent of his prowess. She had asked Caitlin, the Ghost-type Elite Four member from Unova, who claimed not to know the details either—only that the Champions from Kalos and Sinnoh spoke highly of him. When the topic arose in their group discussion, Lance had jumped in, exclaiming that Chen Ou was exceptionally strong, and that any of them could test their mettle in Kanto, where Chen Ou was capable of defeating any Elite Four member with ease.

Such bravado! It was almost as if Lance was egging everyone on. Drake from Hoenn, Sidney, and Unova’s Marshal and Caitlin all seemed tempted to go to Kanto and challenge this new trainer. But in the end, nothing came of it—Cynthia and Diantha both vouched for Chen Ou’s strength, and the matter was quietly dropped.

Lance’s provocations were clear to everyone—he wanted to set up Chen Ou, but no one wanted the embarrassment of losing. Yet, when Cynthia and Diantha, especially Cynthia, spoke up, everyone fell silent. If Cynthia claimed Chen Ou was strong, then he truly was formidable—she was not one to exaggerate, and Diantha’s testimony only reinforced it. Who would underestimate a Champion, even if she had grown a bit lax lately?

Though many wondered why Cynthia and Diantha never spoke plainly of Chen Ou’s achievements, their very silence inspired caution. Incidentally, Diantha had even mischievously revealed Chen Ou’s rumored relationship with Cynthia. While nothing official had been announced, Cynthia hadn’t denied it in the group, sending the chat into a frenzy.

In a sense, this only elevated Chen Ou’s reputation—someone incapable would never have caught Cynthia’s eye. Of course, Caitlin never did learn the specifics of Chen Ou’s feats, piecing together a rough picture from scattered comments. As Juniper wasn’t close to Diantha, Cynthia, or the others, she had no further avenues for inquiry.

Now that Dr. Oak had brought up the subject, Juniper decided to hear the story from him directly.

Thus, both Juniper and the equally curious Shiragiku gazed expectantly at Dr. Oak, eyes sparkling with a mix of academic curiosity and a hint of gossip. Dr. Oak could only tug at the corner of his mouth helplessly, clear his throat, and begin recounting Chen Ou’s story in detail.

Though he sounded a touch reluctant, pride was unmistakable in Dr. Oak’s tone. At heart, Dr. Oak had no complaints about the commotion Chen Ou had stirred—on the contrary, he took pride in his protégé’s accomplishments. The greater the deeds, the greater the progress; as long as one survived their own turbulence, their future was limitless. After all, Red, Green, Lance, and even Cynthia had each caused their share of chaos in their youth.

Cynthia, upon her debut, was a prodigy who swept through the Sinnoh League, crushing the entire Lily of the Valley Conference and the Elite Four, much like Red. Garchomp in those days was a force of destruction—none could stand in their path. Red may have suffered under Lance and Lorelei, but Cynthia simply bulldozed through all opposition.

Yet, Juniper and Shiragiku failed to catch the pride in Dr. Oak’s voice, for they were utterly stunned by Chen Ou’s exploits.

When they learned that Chen Ou had orchestrated the major incident himself, Juniper was truly taken aback. That event had revealed the might of Legendary Pokémon to the League, prompting the creation of an entire department dedicated to handling such affairs. Though that department remained largely unused, its very existence marked a major shift in league policy.

And to think, it was Chen Ou who had both planned and executed this monumental event…