Pokemon: The Scientist’s Rebirth

Ethan finished his breakfast with a small smile, watching Ash frantically scramble to stuff his school supplies into his bag.

"You know, if you'd prepared last night like I told you, you wouldn't be running around like a headless Torchic," Ethan teased, leaning back in his chair.

Ash scowled, his cheeks puffed out in frustration. "I did prepare! I just forgot where I put my notebooks!"

Delia sighed, exasperation clear in her tone. "Boys, stop bickering and get moving, or you'll both be late."

"Come on, slowpoke," Ethan said as he stood, slinging his bag over one shoulder. Bulbs, his loyal Bulbasaur, hopped onto his back with practiced ease, her weight a familiar comfort.

As they walked, Ethan and Ash exchanged lighthearted banter, their playful jabs adding a lively rhythm to the morning. Bulbs occasionally nudged Ethan's ear with her vines, drawing his attention to interesting plants or landmarks along the way.

When they arrived at the classroom, their peers were already assembling. As usual, Bulbs' presence drew glances, but the initial envy and protests from classmates had died down, Oak Coral's firm endorsement of Ethan's research had silenced most complaints, given the benefits he brought to the institution. Still, whispers lingered in the background, but Ethan ignored them.

The classroom buzzed with excitement. Apparently today was the day the students would venture into a real forest to test what they have been learning like gathering food, identifying safe camping spots, and navigate the forest. About twenty students, led by two instructors—Mrs. Sera, a Tier E rookie trainer, and Mr. Jasper, a Tier D intermediate trainer—were set to explore the Route 1 Forest.

Ethan stayed vigilant as they entered the forest. Bulbs clung close, a comforting presence. This forest held bitter memories for Ethan—it was the place where he'd been injured when he first arrived in this world. Meanwhile, Ash's energy was boundless, his excitement bubbling over as he bounced along the way.

The excursion began without a hitch. The students diligently practiced identifying edible plants, pitching tents, and navigating using natural landmarks. However, it wasn't long before Ash's boundless enthusiasm turned into trouble.

Spotting a Weedle crawling across the ground, Ash's eyes lit up with excitement. Before anyone could react, he darted after it, vanishing into the dense thicket.

"Wait! Don't run away!" Ash's voice trailed off, leaving the group in stunned silence.

Ethan sighed heavily, already predicting trouble. His gaze shifted to Jasper, their instructor, who stood a few steps away. Jasper didn't speak but caught Ethan's eye, tilting his head toward the thicket with a raised eyebrow. The unspoken message was clear: Go after him.

Just as Ethan prepared to follow, a sharp scream pierced the air, freezing everyone in place.

"ASH!" a student exclaimed.

Before anyone could react, the sound of thrashing leaves grew louder. Moments later, Ash burst from the underbrush, panic etched on his face. Behind him came the unmistakable sound of furious buzzing.

The group collectively gasped as a swarm of Beedrill erupted into the clearing, their stingers gleaming menacingly in the sunlight.

Jasper turned to Mrs. Sera, nodding once. Both instructors immediately released their Pokémon, sending six from Jasper and four from Sera to intercept the swarm.

Ethan didn't wait for further instruction. "Everyone, move to the stream, now!" he barked, taking charge. The students scattered, heading for the shallow stream nearby, their training kicking in as they moved with surprising speed and precision.

Ash, however, was paralyzed with panic. He veered off course, tripping over a root and crashing to the ground.

Ethan groaned inwardly but rushed to him, hauling Ash to his feet. "Get up! Move, now!" he snapped, leaving no room for argument.

Together, they sprinted toward the stream, putting a safe distance between themselves and the chaotic battle. It quickly became apparent that the swarm wasn't a typical patrol of three or four Beedrill. It was an entire hive. The teachers' Pokémon were being overwhelmed.

"How did you manage to piss off an entire hive in such a short time?" Ethan demanded.

"I didn't do anything!" Ash protested weakly, clearly shaken.

Ethan surveyed the battle. The Beedrill swarm outnumbered the teachers' Pokémon, and their attacks were relentless. The instructors were doing their best to hold the line, but their were loosing ground.

Noticing something peculiar, Ethan turned to the group. "Stay here," he instructed.

"Where are you going? The teachers told us to stay put!" Gary called out.

"This is the perfect chance to test something I've been working on," Ethan replied confidently.

"But it's dangerous!" another girl countered.

"No, it's not dangerous. In fact, it's perfectly safe. With Professor Oak's grandson here, there's a good chance a powerful Pokémon is keeping a watchful eye on him—and by extension, on all of us. Think about it: do the teachers look panicked, even though they seem to be struggling? No, right? That's because help is probably already here, just staying out of sight. They're likely giving us the chance to witness what a real high-stakes Pokémon battle looks like, not the safe, controlled ones you see in matches. So stay calm, stay put, and don't do anything reckless."

With that, Ethan slipped away, circling around to flank the swarm. Once in position behind the Beedrill, he gave his command. "Bulbs, PowderMix!"

Bulbs, ready and eager for action, launched a swirling cloud from her bulb. It was a chaotic mixture of vibrant green, pale yellow, and sickly purple.

The multicolored powder shot toward the swarm of Beedrill, who were fully preoccupied with the teachers' Pokémon. They had no time to react as the move engulfed them, spreading chaos through their ranks. This was PowderMix—a technique Ethan and Bulbs had painstakingly developed over months of meticulous training. It combined three classic powder-based moves—Poison Powder, Sleep Powder, and Stun Spore—into one attack.

While Bulbs already knew Poison Powder and Sleep Powder, her ability to use Stun Spore was developed after consuming a significant amount of Stunbloom flowers from Xanadu Nursery. These plants, renowned for their potent Stun Spore, enhanced Bulbs' ability to generate the powder naturally. With Ethan's guidance, Bulbs honed her control and precision, learning to synthesize and release all three powders simultaneously. After months of rigorous practice and experimentation, the duo developed PowderMix, the move that was being field tested for the first time today.

PowderMix worked in a precise sequence. When released, the Stun Spore took effect first, paralyzing the target and rendering them immobile. Before the affected pokemon could muster the energy to resist the stun effect, the Sleep Powder followed, dulling their senses and deepening their vulnerability. The final, most dangerous element was Bulbs' highly potent Poison Powder. Unlike the standard version, Bulbs' Poison Powder was far more concentrated, due to her special diet. Once poisoned it drained the target's energy and health, rendering them incapable of resisting the effects of paralysis and sleep.

The synergy of the powders creates a cascading effect, making the move significantly more powerful than using the individual powders in succession. In many cases, the potent poisoning can cause the affected Pokémon to succumb to a potentially fatal sleep if no antidote or timely intervention is provided.

The same happened with the Beedrill swarm, already occupied by the ongoing fight with the teachers' Pokémon, they were unable to defend against the move's rapid effects. Beedrill after Beedrill fell from the sky, paralyzed and drained of energy, until the entire swarm lay incapacitated. In mere moments, the once-menacing swarm fell from the sky defeated.

The teachers were momentarily taken aback by the sudden turnaround, casting a pointed look at Ethan and his Bulbasaur. However, before any words could be exchanged, Oak Coral's emergency response team arrived, operating with practiced efficiency. They swiftly secured the area, ensuring there were no lingering threats, and escorted the shaken students back to the classroom. The incapacitated Beedrill were carefully collected and treated to neutralize the effects of the Poison Powder, ensuring their recovery and preventing any fatalities.

Back at the classroom, the instructors dismissed the students for the day—except for Ash and Ethan. Delia Ketchum was contacted, and it wasn't long before Professor Oak himself arrived, his calm demeanor contrasting with Delia's worried expression.

The room fell silent as Oak listened to detailed accounts from the teachers. Ash received a mild reprimand for his impulsiveness, though it was clear Oak tempered his words, knowing Ash had learned his lesson in a very tangible way. Then Oak turned his attention to Ethan.

"You acted recklessly," Oak began, his tone measured, "leaving the group and engaging the Beedrill on your own could have put everyone in greater danger. What if the situation hadn't gone as you expected?"

Ethan explained that the teachers' calm demeanor during the chaos made him realize the situation wasn't as dangerous as it appeared. Suspecting it was a controlled lesson, he decided to test something he had been working on in a real scenario.

"Besides," Ethan added with a knowing smirk, "with Gary in the group, there's no way we were in any real danger. Don't all kids from powerful backgrounds have guardian Pokémon?"

"Gary doesn't have one yet," Oak replied evenly.

"Yet?" Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is that because Alakazam can track him here in Pallet Town? Will he be assigned one only when goes on his training journey outside of Alakazam's range?"

Oak's stern expression softened into an amused chuckle. "You're quite perceptive, Ethan." He didn't answer directly, but the truth was evident.

"Well," Oak continued, his tone firm but not unkind, "I can't fault your reasoning. Still, next time, consult someone before taking such a risk." He gave Ethan a pointed look before adding, "That said, your move performed remarkably well. When you have time, send me a report on it."

"Of course, Professor," Ethan replied respectfully.

With that, the debriefing concluded, and the meeting was adjourned. As the group began to disperse, Oak turned to Ethan again.

"Ethan," he said, "are you heading back to the lab? I'm on my way there and can teleport you if you'd like."

Ethan hesitated, his gaze shifting to Delia, who stood nearby with a worried expression, her eyes on Ash, who was staring at the ground in silence.

"Actually, Professor," Ethan replied with a small smile, "I think I'll head back to the Ketchum residence for now. I'll come by the lab later."

Delia's shoulders visibly relaxed, her tense expression softening a little.

"Very well," Oak said with a nod, disappearing in a shimmer of psychic energy.

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Sorry for the delay in chapters- please read the authors thought