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It was still dark when Austin padded quietly across the floor, careful not to wake anyone else. The early morning chill clung to the air, but he didn't mind—he was used to waking up before sunrise. His routine had become second nature by now. He made sure all his Pokémon were fed and hydrated, checked on their health, brushed Eevee's fur (Vee was surprisingly picky about his appearance), cleaned out their bedding areas, and even spent a few minutes examining their Poké Balls to make sure the internal mechanisms were working smoothly. Responsible pet owners—or trainers, in this case—had a lot to do, and Austin wasn't about to slack off when his team was relying on him.
As he finished setting down Pikachu's breakfast, his Pokédex beeped, reminding him to check his emails. He blinked, yawning, and navigated to his inbox. There it was—an email from Professor Oak, asking for a call. Apparently, the professor had something important to discuss. Austin figured it had to do with the Dragon Rage Magikarp experiment, and his stomach did a little flip of excitement. He grabbed the phone off the counter and dialed.
The screen lit up, and Professor Oak's face appeared. He looked… exhausted. Dark circles clung under his eyes, and his hair was messier than usual, as if he'd been running his hands through it all night. Austin bit his lip to keep from chuckling.
The wall phone was a strange fusion of old and new—a retro '90s-style handset mounted on the wall, but fully integrated with a sleek computer system that displayed video calls on a built-in monitor. The mix of outdated design and cutting-edge tech was something Austin knew he'd never get used to in this world.
"Ah, my boy," Oak greeted, sounding surprisingly chipper for someone who hadn't seen sleep in what looked like days. "You woke up early."
"Yeah," Austin said. "There's always a lot to do in the mornings. But if you love something, you've got to put in the effort, right?"
"It's good to hear you talk like this," Oak replied. "Honestly, the way you've grown… it's remarkable. You've changed so much that sometimes, I hardly recognize the boy I first met."
Austin smiled faintly, glancing down for a moment. "I guess my Pokémon have done more than just travel with me. They've challenged me, humbled me, and somehow, they've made me a better man."
"That's what true partners do," Oak said warmly. "They shape us into the people we're meant to be."
"Well, enough about me," Austin said, shifting the focus. "You don't exactly look like you've been getting much rest. Everything okay on your end?"
Oak chuckled, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Oh, I'm fine. Just overwhelmed with all the work you've given me. You've been keeping me busy, young man."
"Me? What did I do?"
"Well," Oak said, "your video of the Dragon Rage Magikarp set off a chain reaction. I've been going through research papers all night, contacting esteemed colleagues, and reviewing past studies on vestigial organs in pre-evolution Pokémon. Let me tell you, it's been exhilarating—but exhausting."
Austin laughed, holding back the urge to brag. If only the professor knew the insane stuff I'd already been through in this world… "Sorry about that."
"Nothing to be sorry for, my boy," Oak said. "If anything, I should be thanking you. I haven't been this excited about research in years. If I were ten years younger, I'd be diving headfirst into this, dedicating every waking hour to uncovering the full implications of your discovery."
"Wow, is it really that big of a deal?"
"Of course it is," Oak replied, his eyes gleaming despite the sleep deprivation. "I won't bore you with the details just yet, but trust me—you should be proud of what you've done here. This experiment has opened doors we didn't even know existed."
"Thanks, Professor. So, what's next? Are we writing a research paper or something?"
"Well," Oak said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "that depends. Has the Magikarp evolved yet?"
"Not yet," Austin admitted, "but I'm planning to evolve it by the end of this week. We've been training pretty hard."
"Excellent. In that case, I'm coming to your location tomorrow," Oak said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Wait—why do you need to come here?"
Oak smiled knowingly. "My team and I are going to observe the Magikarp firsthand. We'll take detailed notes and measurements before, during, and after its evolution. We'll compare this Dragon Rage-capable Magikarp to a control Magikarp without the TM influence to identify any differences in muscle growth, neurological activity, and organ development. We need as much data as possible before we can even think about writing the paper."
Austin nodded, trying to take it all in. "So, you're basically running a full-on scientific investigation?"
"Precisely," Oak said. "Based on our findings, we'll write a research paper that will be peer-reviewed and, hopefully, published in The International Journal of Pokémon Evolution and Genetics."
"That sounds… intense," Austin admitted. "And long."
"Scientific research is long, my boy," Professor Oak said. "Normally, something like this could take years to fully understand. But you've already done the hard part by proving it's possible. We'll conduct follow-up studies and gather enough evidence to solidify our claims. I expect it will take a few months."
"I guess it'll be nice to have my name in the contribution section of a major research paper."
"What are you talking about, boy? The research paper will be credited to you. Yes, my team and I will be listed, but this is your discovery. It would be wrong not to give you the accolades you deserve."
Austin felt his breath hitch. He hadn't expected that. He thought Oak and his team would take the lead while he'd just be mentioned as a small footnote for sparking the idea. He hadn't even considered that he would be listed as the primary contributor to something this big. His palms started to sweat as the weight of what Oak was offering hit him.
"Wow… that's more than I ever expected."
"You've earned it. This discovery could change how we understand Pokémon biology, TMs, and evolution on a fundamental level. You've done something very special here."
"How much of an impact could this paper actually make?"
"Well, my boy, if I had to guess, your name will become widely known throughout the world. Trainers, researchers, and breeders alike will be talking about this for years. That's how much of an impact this paper could have."
Austin froze. Widely known. Throughout the world. The excitement he'd felt earlier quickly shifted into panic. His heart thumped hard against his chest, and he could feel the blood rushing to his ears. If my name goes on this paper as Ash Ketchum, the world will know I'm responsible. Reporters. Trainers. Competitors.
"Can I… use an alias instead?"
Oak raised a curious eyebrow. "An alias? Are you worried this fame will affect your journey as a trainer?"
Austin nodded quickly, relieved that Oak wasn't pushing back or asking too many questions. "Exactly. I just don't want all the attention to interfere with the progress I'm making. It's hard enough balancing everything as it is."
Oak tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I understand. I'll respect your wishes. Now, what alias would you like to use?"
Austin's throat went dry as he considered his next words. He knew he couldn't use Ash Ketchum. Not for this. Ash didn't deserve the credit—Austin did. He was the one who ran the experiments, formed the hypothesis, and made the connections. Ash was the mask the world saw, but this discovery was his.
"Austin Ashton Kevin," he said finally, the words leaving his mouth before he could second-guess them.
Oak nodded, not suspecting anything. "Austin Ashton Kevin… Well, that's quite a name, but I suppose no one will be linking Ash Ketchum to that alias."
Austin managed a small laugh too, though his hands were still trembling. "Thanks, Professor. I appreciate it."
"Well, then," Oak said, glancing at something off-screen. "I have another call coming through, so I'll let you go. But I'll be at your location tomorrow, and I'm bringing Daisy with me." He smirked playfully, clearly teasing.
Austin's face heated up instantly. "See you tomorrow, Professor," he said quickly before ending the call.
As soon as the screen went dark, Austin slumped into the chair and let out the deepest breath he'd taken in a long time. His heart was pounding, his throat dry, and his head spinning. I can't believe that worked, he whispered to himself, wiping the sweat from his palms. He felt like he'd just pulled off the heist of the century without getting caught.
He stood up and walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water, hoping it would help calm his nerves. As the water from the tap filled the glass, he heard a quiet sound behind him. He turned his head and saw Misty sitting at the kitchen table, staring down at a piece of toast she hadn't touched.
"Hey, Misty," Austin said, trying to sound casual. "I didn't know you woke up this early."
She didn't respond. She just sat there, the silence stretching between them, broken only by the sound of running water.
Austin turned off the tap and took a sip from his glass. "Misty?"
She lifted her head, her eyes locking onto his. His stomach dropped the moment he saw her expression. Her gaze was hard—not angry exactly, but intense—like she was analyzing him, fitting puzzle pieces together in her mind.
"Austin," she said slowly. "If I can even call you that."
Austin froze, the glass of water halfway to his lips. His brain scrambled, trying to make sense of what she was saying. How did she know—
"All the telephones in the house are connected to one line," Misty said, her voice steady but heavy with meaning.
He could feel the blood draining from his face as he slowly set the glass down on the counter. "Misty…"
"When I woke up," she continued, "I came to the kitchen to get something to eat. I heard a call on the phone and thought maybe it was important, so I listened for a second to see who it was." She stood up now, her eyes never leaving his. "Imagine my surprise when I realized I wasn't just hearing any call—I was hearing the call between you and Professor Oak."
Austin swallowed hard, his throat tightening.
"Austin," she said again, her tone sharper this time. "Or should I say… Ash Ketchum?"