The Next Morning
The sun had barely risen over Pallet Town when Akg arrived at Professor Oak's laboratory once again. Today was not for a casual tour—but serious learning. He intended to spend the coming years building both knowledge and reputation, step by step.
As he stepped inside the lab, Rena trailing behind invisibly via Teleport, Professor Oak welcomed him warmly.
"Ah, Akg! Punctual as always."
Daisy, already organizing some data stacks, gave him a polite nod.
"Morning, Akg."
What started as a quiet lesson quickly turned into a deep conversation about Pokémon behavior, type interaction anomalies, evolutionary deviations, and even obscure regional biology data. Akg, drawing on knowledge from his past life (where he'd watched and read countless Pokémon materials), explained theories that not even Professor Oak had fully explored.
"Wait, how did you know about the alternate mega evolution trigger observed in Hoenn's wild Garchomp population?" Daisy blinked in astonishment.
Akg smiled calmly. "I read some notes from a regional report. It stuck with me."
Oak chuckled with admiration. "Heh, you might be young, but you've got a sharp head on your shoulders. If you keep this up, you might outpace some senior researchers I know."
Even Daisy—who normally kept a calm and analytical demeanor—looked at Akg with a mix of surprise and curiosity. The more she talked with him, the more intrigued she became.
He's not just smart—he's... different. Like he sees things from another world.
After hours of theory, data logging, and lab routines, Akg thanked the Oaks and left the lab.
Knowing he had some free time, Akg made his way to Ash Ketchum's house, where Delia Ketchum, Ash's mother, was preparing for the town's upcoming Flower Show Festival.
Delia stood in her garden, organizing decorations and flower pots while humming softly to herself. When Akg arrived, she turned with a warm smile.
"Oh, Akg! Here to see Ash?"
"Actually," he said politely, "I came to offer you a hand with the festival setup. I heard you're managing the flower arrangements."
Delia blinked in pleasant surprise. "Oh my! That's so thoughtful of you. Thank you, dear."
Akg rolled up his sleeves and got to work—moving pots, lifting crates of decorations, arranging flower beds by color and species (which he identified with ease, thanks to his Pokémon botany knowledge). Rena stayed hidden nearby, helping discreetly with Psychic where needed.
Delia found herself enjoying Akg's company more and more as the day went on. He was polite, attentive, and mature beyond his years—nothing like the usual hyper kids Ash hung out with.
"You really know your way around flowers," she said, handing him a drink. "You're like a little gentleman."
Akg smiled, sipping calmly. "I just enjoy learning and helping good people, Miss Delia."
Delia chuckled softly and shook her head. "You're such a sweet boy. Ash could learn a few things from you."
As the sun began to set, Delia looked over her now perfectly arranged garden with satisfaction.
"Thank you again, Akg. I truly mean it."
He bowed politely. "Anytime, Miss Delia. Please let me know if you need help again."
As Akg walked away from the Ketchum residence with Rena by his side, he felt good—not just because he was progressing with his goals, but because he was doing so in a way that earned the trust and affection of those around him.
Reaching home finishing dinner and feeding Rena, who now happily roamed around the house, Akg finally had a quiet moment to himself. The house was calm, the stars were shining outside the window, and Rena was sitting on his bed, gently kicking her legs as she played with a Poké Plush.
Akg smiled and said, "Hey Rena, want to call the girls?"
Her eyes lit up instantly. "Ralts!!" she chirped, nodding eagerly. She had missed her friends too.
Akg set up his computer terminal and logged into the video call app. Within a few seconds, three familiar faces popped up on the screen — Serena, Chloe, and Korrina — each in their own rooms.
"Akg!" all three said at once, happy and surprised to see him.
Akg smiled, relaxed in his chair. "Hey, I told you I'd call."
Rena hopped onto the table beside him and waved happily. "Raaalts~!"
"Rena!!" Serena beamed. "You're out!"
"She's adorable as always," Chloe said with a soft smile.
Korrina grinned. "Still can't believe she was hiding in your Pokéball the whole time. Sneaky!"
Akg chuckled. "She's officially my partner now. Dr. Oak's fine with it."
The call soon turned into laughter and chatter as they all shared stories about their return trips, what they were doing now, and how much they missed each other. Serena talked about practicing her performances, Chloe shared about a new book she was reading on Pokémon habitats, and Korrina… well, she challenged Akg to a rematch once they were old enough to battle officially.
"We'll all meet again, right?" Serena asked after a pause, her expression a bit tender.
Akg nodded seriously. "I promised, remember? One day, we'll travel together. Explore the world. Just like we dreamed during camp."
Chloe leaned on her desk, smiling warmly. "I'll hold you to that."
Korrina crossed her arms with a smirk. "You better be strong enough to keep up when that day comes, Akg."
Rena, sitting proudly in Akg's lap now, gave a confident nod in support of her Trainer.
The call went on for a while longer — full of laughter, teasing, and some quiet, sincere moments. When it was finally time to say goodnight, the girls each waved, a little reluctant.
"Goodnight, Akg."
"Goodnight, girls," he said softly. "Talk again soon."
The screen dimmed as the call ended. Akg leaned back, feeling a mix of warmth and determination in his chest.
Rena climbed up to sit on his shoulder, nuzzling him gently.
"We'll see them again," Akg whispered. "And next time… we'll be even stronger."
Rena nodded silently, the bond between them growing ever deeper.