After leaving the Pokémon Center, Ethan didn't go the longer route to Pallet Town to find Professor Oak. Instead, he headed directly to the Sakuragi Institute in Vermilion City.
The Sakuragi Institute was located in the suburbs of Vermilion City, occupying a considerable area. Behind its main gate was a large courtyard, and the main building was an impressive three-story structure with an attic. It was said that this was originally a nobleman's estate until Professor Sakuragi purchased it at a high price and converted it into a research institute six months ago.
Passing through the gate, walking along the path, and finally ascending the institute's steps, Ethan was about to ring the doorbell when he suddenly heard light footsteps behind him.
He turned around to see a young girl in a white dress, resembling a school uniform, standing not far behind him, observing him curiously. The girl had a delicate and beautiful face, with long, wine-red hair tied into a casual ponytail at the back of her head. Her large, clear eyes made her appear clean and charming.
Ethan recognized her identity at a glance.
It was Koharu Sakuragi, the childhood friend of Go, the other male protagonist in the seventh Pokémon Journeys anime, and also Professor Sakuragi's daughter!
Seeing Ethan standing in front of a research institute, Koharu tilted her head. After appraising Ethan, she softly asked, "Excuse me, can I help you?"
"Hello." Ethan offered a friendly smile and explained his purpose, "I have something I'd like to ask Professor Sakuragi for help with. Is he currently at the institute?"
"Looking for my dad?" Koharu hesitated, then nodded. "He's inside. Come in with me."
Opening the door to the Sakuragi Institute, Ethan followed Koharu through the entryway into a room that resembled a reception area. He looked around, only then realizing how astonishingly large the house was, like a small castle. And judging by the layout, decorative style, and furniture, it was even in an English manor style!
Professor Sakuragi certainly had good taste, Ethan thought.
Pointing to the sofa in the reception room, Koharu said, "Please wait here for a moment. My dad is still working. I'll go tell him you're here."
"Thank you."
Ethan nodded. When Koharu left, he didn't sit on the sofa but instead walked slowly to the window. Through the glass, he could see a dense forest outside, vibrant with spring life. Looking a little farther, he could glimpse the bustling Vermilion City, and by listening carefully, he could faintly hear the sound of the ocean waves.
The environment was indeed very elegant!
Even having arrived and standing there in person, Ethan still felt a sense of unreality.
He was lost in thought, but it wasn't long before Koharu returned, accompanied by a middle-aged man with the same hair color as her.
This man was around thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old, wore thick-rimmed glasses, had a kind smile on his face, and was dressed in a white lab coat. Just from his attire, it was clear he was a scholarly researcher.
In Ethan's memory, Professor Sakuragi was not only Professor Oak's junior but also one of the Pokémon Professors in the Kanto region. He had been called a genius in his youth and had a promising future. Furthermore, despite his relatively young age, he was entrusted by the Pokémon League with the authority to provide starter Pokémon and Pokédexes to new Trainers. He was, in essence, one of the few authoritative figures in the entire Kanto region!
Upon seeing Ethan, Professor Sakuragi was about to speak but was distracted by the Ralts at Ethan's feet.
"Is that a Ralts?! How rare to see one!"
No sooner had he spoken than a small Pokémon scurried in from outside. Seeing Koharu, it ran to her feet and affectionately rubbed against her pant leg. Ethan looked down to see that the Pokémon resembled a short, stout dog. It was mostly tan, with a large mass of fluffy yellow fur around its neck. Its shiny large eyes and lightning-bolt-shaped tail made it look full of energy.
It was a Yamper…
At this moment, Yamper also noticed Ralts. Its large eyes were full of curiosity, and it wanted to approach, but then saw Ralts's hand suddenly glow, which startled it into retreating quickly to Professor Sakuragi's side.
Professor Sakuragi knelt down, stroked its forehead, and calmed it before looking up at Ethan. "This is my Pokémon. It's always been a bit too lively. Did it scare you just now?"
"Not at all." Ethan gently shook his head. "I remember reading that Yamper are known for their high energy; it's quite difficult to keep them still."
"Oh?" Professor Sakuragi paused, pushing up his glasses. "You know about it?"
"I am a Pokémon Trainer, after all, so I have some knowledge of various Pokémon," Ethan smiled. "However, while I know the name, I don't know much beyond that. I only know it's an Electric-type Pokémon from the Galar region. If I'm not mistaken, the fur around its neck is where it stores electricity, right?"
"This isn't 'not knowing much'! This is quite knowledgeable!" Professor Sakuragi was surprised by Ethan's insight. Without further pleasantries, he went straight to the point, "Koharu mentioned you need my help with something?"
"Excuse me, Professor, for disturbing your work." Ethan took out his Pokédex. "My name is Ethan, and I'm from the Kalos region. I've just arrived in Kanto, and I've come today to ask for your help in upgrading my Pokédex data so it becomes a universal Pokédex for all regions of the world!"
Taking the Pokédex, Professor Sakuragi opened it and examined it.
"Hmm, it certainly has a different style from Kanto's Pokédex. But no problem, this is a minor task. Please, come with me inside."
Ethan hadn't expected things to go so smoothly, but it also showed that Professor Sakuragi was a very amiable person.
Following Professor Sakuragi, Ethan left the reception room and entered the institute's work area. Besides Professor Sakuragi, there were also two assistants, a man and a woman, helping him with his work. The female assistant was Kikuna, with a pleasant face and long, dark blue curly hair, while the male assistant was Renji, who wore glasses and had messy hair, appearing unassuming but highly capable.
Kikuna and Renji were both very easy to get along with. After Professor Sakuragi introduced them, both were very friendly.
"Hello, I'm Professor Sakuragi's assistant. My name is Renji!"
"Hello, I'm Kikuna!"
Ethan shook hands with both of them and greeted them. "Hello to both of you. I'm Ethan, a Pokémon Trainer. I apologize for the trouble I'm causing."
Kikuna waved her hand, smiling amiably, "No worries at all. The institute hasn't officially opened yet, so we're not too busy. We have plenty of free time."
"That's right," Renji agreed, nodding. "It's quite lonely with just a few of us here at the institute. Your visit today adds a bit of life to the place!"
As they chatted, Professor Sakuragi, on the side, placed the Pokédex on a machine and operated it for a few minutes before returning it to Ethan.
"All right, the data upgrade is complete. So, are you going to start challenging the Indigo League now?"
"That's right." Ethan nodded. "However, I currently only have this Ralts. If I want to challenge the Gyms, I'll need to catch a few more Pokémon to expand my team."
Hearing about Pokémon, Renji immediately brightened up. He excitedly asked, "The Kanto region has a lot of Pokémon! So, do you have any targets you want to catch already?"
"I have a few targets," Ethan replied, not holding anything back. "I'll definitely be catching the three Kanto starter Pokémon: Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. As for other Pokémon, I'll just have to see what fate brings."