Chapter 108: C108 - Kyurem encounter and the Aether Foundation
"I can sense your panic, child," a voice boomed in Pete's head.
If it was a different circumstance, Pete could have appreciated the melodic, pleasant tinge of the voice. Alas, he was panicking since it belonged to a 700+ BST pokemon in the same category as Arceus despite being a little weaker still.
"But there is no need. My awakening was a little early but foretold nonetheless. I had no idea it would come at the hand of a curious boy with his Metagross, though," the legendary pokemon added, and the voice slowly stopped drowning out the other thoughts in Pete's mind.
'Kyurem? Is there something you need of me?' Pete cautiously thought to reach out to the legendary dragon/ice pokemon.
"The time is not yet ripe. I will need to expend some energy to contain my form... you seem to know about my circumstances?"
Pete had cold sweat running down his back, which was completely unpleasant in this weather with the frozen time to boot.
'Your link to Zekrom and Reshiram? I have some inkling...'
"And you know of the fate of this... region. Curious. Since you seem to know so much, answer me this: I had always thought that it would be my doing when these wormholes opened in the future when the original guardians told me of the fate of this region before my slumber. Do you agree?"
'You are the boundary pokemon... so it is likely?'
"Your apprehension is amusing but unnecessary, child. I, along with the other three Kyurem, split my form together with the help of our creator for a reason. The wormholes must be part of Arceus' plans and calculations."
Pete widened his eyes. There were four Kyurem in this world, and the black and white forms of it together with the 'base' form were a result of Arceus splitting these Kyurem into three legendary pokemon? On a whim? As part of some plan?
"Your help is yet unneeded. If it comes to it, I may find your mind again to ask. Your presence in Alola is not necessary either for that to work. For now, I must gather my strength," Kyurem almost whispered into his mind as opposed to the loud noise it created at the start of their conversation and time became unfrozen again.
Pete quickly continued packing everything away and called for his pokemon that were still roaming outside for battle. Ignoring their indignation, he balled most of them except for Metagross and Espeon. He asked them to teleport them to Route 15, where Pete quickly ditched his winter clothes and jumped into the cool water to calm down.
"Shit," Pete mumbled with a distraught expression. "I thought I just needed to live and enjoy a normal life... why am I involved with a pokemon as powerful as Kyurem? That's so much worse than meeting Ho-oh, Articuno and two Heatran..."
His Mega Milotic swam up next to him after she noticed that Pete had arrived at the beach. Noticing his distress, the water/fairy mega pokemon calmed down her trainer through the use of fairy typing energy. When he was finally calmed down enough, his pokemon asked for an explanation, and Pete gave it.
Milotic was amused by Pete's distress after learning the full story but still calmed him down some more. With the help of a freshly released Arcanine and Pete's Espeon, Milotic began catching some of the non-pokemon fish to cook them for their trainer as he slowly stopped freaking out.
"Who knew the ultra beast wormholes in Alola would be opened by a Kyurem hidden in Mount Lanakila on Ula'ula Island in this world... I certainly didn't..." Pete muttered and looked at his pokemon who were grilling fish on a stick for him and the other pokemon.
Then, he started shivering once more. The waters on Route 15 were way too cold to just laze around in. He really wanted to get back to Professor Kukui and relax at the beach near the professor's home...
Having sufficiently calmed down eventually after their meal, Pete called Jasmine, though he didn't tell her about Kyurem. That would wait until he was home again.
Instead, they talked for a few hours as Pete discussed her recent training plan with the gym trainer. Jasmine's Donphan and Excadrill managed to combine a couple of moves to give their attacks what Pete called duo-typing and increased the power value / PV of their moves for the Move Power Leaderboard Rankings Pete had established considerably during this time.
Yet, the highest increase in power was Jasmine's Camerupt who managed to increase a STAB fire move from 361 to 467PV during the weeks since the inception of this training and measuring, which came pretty close to Pete's Serperior who still held the record for highest STAB move recorded by a non-mega pokemon at 503 with Energy Ball, despite the pokemon being a mixed attacker in the games who shouldn't have such a high special attack stat - unless Pete's Serperior was a genius, of course.
"*In any case, Professor Elm called me earlier to scold you. He said you should relax more and not work so much even during your vacation,*" Jasmine told Pete with a sigh.
"Vacation? This is a work trip," Pete quipped back as he leaned back into a tree with his two new Alolan Vulpix nestling against him on his shoulders.
"*You're at a beach front, lying in the shadow of a tree, eating grilled fish, and you have two new cute pokemon to keep you company. How sure are you that this isn't vacation?*" Jasmine asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, you're not at my side - so I'm not relaxing for the sake of relaxation?"
"*... good argument,*" Jasmine giggled. "*And it's not like you need to go so far away for a vacation. You created a paradise here in the meadow. You'd just need to not work for a week and have the perfect vacation.*"
"Probably. I belong to you for a week when I get back. You can order me to do anything," Pete conceded with a small shake of his head.
"*Three weeks!*"
"Two weeks, and I'll throw in a bag of Soft Sand for your pokemon," Pete countered.
"*You found Soft Sand in Alola? That's quite lucky...*"
"Nidoking did it. The bag weighs around 3kg after I left Nidoking his share. He initially wanted to leave it all with your pokemon, but his ground typing energy is far behind his poison typing. He agreed that he needed the ground typing training to catch up."
"*That sounds very reasonable,*" Jasmine agreed with a smile. "*But are you sure you're not messing with me? I'd get that bag regardless because I'm your lovable wife, no?*"
"I got a Ground Gem, too, by the way. I'll bury it near the Berry Orchard where my Torterra and your Mega Torterra sleep, so tell your pokemon to find a comfortable sleeping spot close to it," Pete boasted with a big grin as he ignored Jasmine's jab at his logic.
"*How is that possible? Are you sure?*" Jasmine quickly asked in astonishment, ignoring that her husband ignored her just then.
True 'Ground Gems' were the essence of the land. They boosted the quality of ground type enery in its immediate surroundings and were incredible treasures to help pokemon learn ground type energy and perfect its usage.
"Samson Oak traded it with me after I answered him a riddle. He said he found it washed up on a beach one day... but I'm guessing it was acquired through somewhat more perilious circumstances. In any case, Samson told me I had 'fate' with the gem and should take it from his aging hands since none of his family members were ground type trainers."
"*Wow, that's super generous. There's only four known Ground Gems in the world...*" Jasmine said, looking impressed.
"Did you just look that up?" Pete asked with a laugh.
"*Hey! As if you knew before you looked it up!*"
"I didn't look it up here in Alola," Pete smugly countered before his smile turned wry. "I looked it up after I researched Giovanni. He owns two of those four known Ground Gems... that the public knows of anyway..."
"*Ugh, of course he does...*"
The two finished their talk when it was time for dinner. Pete caught all his pokemon except for Mega Reuniclus and him teleport to Tapu Village in the south of Ula'ula island, south of Mount Lanakila, and west of route 15.
On one end of the small town was a store called Thrifty Megamart that Pete remembered existed as a really large poke shop as well as an abandoned ruin in the games. Thankfully, the megamart appeared before him as a thriving shop as opposed to a ruin, so Pete began to buy all kinds of things.
He found a ridiculous looking Alolan Exeggutor ballpoint pen he would gift his father-in-law, for example, as well as flower nectars of different colors and flavors.
"Hmm, these are used to change Oricorio's form, right? They taste delicious as is... I don't need to catch the four-form flying pokemon with different typings to excuse me getting the seeds for these flowers," Pete mumbled as he taste-tested the nectar with Alolan specialty fried bread called Small Malasada. "And this bread... there's still Big Malasada, and that is the equivalent of a full heal in the game, right? Reminds me of donuts just a touch less sweet?"
Done with his purchases, Pete found a small inn so he could take a shower and not sleep in the wilderness for a night. The old innkeeper gladly offered Pete a room with a large porch that allowed his bigger pokemon to sleep outside instead of in their pokeballs.
The next morning, Pete got ready to go to the west of the village. He had a meeting to get to at the Aether House.
The white, futuristic-looking house was one of many facilities run by the Aether Foundation and this house in particular was both an orphanage and a day-care center for the employees in one - as well as a research facility for Porygons and computing.
Pete had agreed to meet up with Lusamine, the president of the Aether Foundation, on this day to discuss something that, according to Lusamine, would change Pete's life forever.
"Welcome, professor," Gladion greeted Pete at the door. The young son of the Aether Foundation president Lusamine and recent gym bagde winner on Akala Island wore a white suit that he looked pretty uncomfortable in instead of his usual edgy black and red outfit.
"I'm not a professor," Pete countered with a wide smile and shook the boy's hand. "Are you here to bring me to your mother?"
"Indeed. Mom will meet you inside before we move to Aether Paradise," Gladion confirmed and Pete had to lift an eyebrow. He hadn't known that he would move to the floating island headquarters of the foundation.
The two did some smalltalk as they walked through the stylish facility where Pete even saw Acerola, future ghost training elite four of the Alolan region and Akala badge owner, play with Lillie, Gladion's younger sister and youngest offspring of Lusamine.
When they reached an office on the highest floor that had a glass floor from where you could see almost the whole facility, the president of the Aether Foundation came into Pete's view.
Gorgeous blonde hair cascading all the way to her knees, a slim figure that most models would drool over and piercing green eyes greeted Pete as the woman looked ponderously toward the ocean in the west.
"Pete Lang, we meet at last," the blonde woman began and turned to him with a sweet smile. "That will be all, my dear."
Gladion complied, eager to get out of the clothes his mother made him wear, and the two were now alone in the opulent office.
"The Aether Foundation lacks nothing. We have more money than we could ever spend. Our goals are met at a satisfying rate. Our influence on Alola is only trumped by the guardians, though they are very much alligned with our goals and the kahuna will never go against us," Lusamine narrated as her eyes never left Pete's face.
"Now, I only have two personal goals left in life apart from seeing my children grow up to be healthy and happy. Kukui is the professor of the Alolan Region, and I don't have enough influence over the League to add another recognised professor to a region. But!"
Pete's hair stood up as the intensity in Lusamine's grin increased a lot.
"I can create the position of a global professor linked to my Foundation! Something unprecedented and solely possible through my influence and your genius!"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Nuclide
Nuclide https://www.buymeacoffee.com/nuclide
Chapter 109: C109 - The professor's grand meeting
"What do you say? Impressive, right?" Lusamine asked as they stood at the highest point of the floating, man-made island of Aether Paradise, the Alolan headquarters of the Aether Foundation.
"Yeah, you really created a miracle with this place," Pete easily admitted with an impressed smile.
He had just been given a big tour of the place when the two had finished getting to know one another back on Ula'ula Island and teleported over with the help of a Clefable of all pokemon. It had been Lusamine's ace since she was a small girl, she explained.
"Well, we plan to recreate it!" Lusamine excitedly revealed and brought Pete back inside where the plans for an island were shown on a large screen. "You'll need an office if you want to be a respectable pokemon professor! And a lab for research! And, maybe, space to teach students! Space to raise pokemon! You'll have it all on this new masterpiece of the Aether Foundation: the Aether Institute of Higher Learning!"
"Oh... wow, are you sure that's necessary? The name's a little... grand."
"I'm sure! We can change the name before we finish the construction - but you can't just be based out of Johto or the league will not recognise your deserved place among the professors even if the other professors do. But if it's a ship like the Aether Foundation, you're based in inter-regional waters - even if you're usually docking close to your lovely home," Lusamine explained with a wide, almost unhinged grin.
She felt very strongly about this opportunity to have a pokemon professor affiliated with her foundation.
"Uh, sure. I could see myself working from such an island. Actually, I already had the idea of an artificial island called the Brain Island..."
As Pete and Lusamine started exchanging the most ludicrous of ideas that soldom resulted in something that Assistant Branch Chief Wicke - who more or less worked as Lusamine's personal assistant - was able to write down as she was taking minutes for this meeting.
The brunette with an even more outrageous haircut than Lusamine because of its sheer volume, at least in Pete's humble opinion, managed to crystallize some proposed changes out of the ramblings of the two 'geniuses' that included several different habitats for different kinds of pokemon that the Aether Foundation hadn't considered yet.
When they finally didn't find any more outlandish ideas, Wicke dragged the two towards the food court of Aether Paradise. There, Pete began to mingle with some of the employees and learned that Wicke was loved by absolutely everyone.
The branch chief patiently listened to everybody and took care of tens of concerns and requests by the time they finished eating alone. Pete was very impressed by her work ethic, social skills, and just plain likability.
If he was to run a giant floating research institute and school, Pete needed someone of her caliber to run things so he wouldn't have to.
After their dinner, the bubbly woman who wore a constant sweet smile was completely floored when she heard Pete's question to Lusamine as they were walking back toward's Lusamine's mansion on the far side of the floating headquarters.
"Do you think you could spare Wicke from this place? I'd like her to run the day to day of my institute, including becoming the eventual headmistress of the school on my island if enough people ask for it?"
Wicke's eyes immediately started watering at being considered for such a position, and she squirmed under the scrutinizing gaze of Lusamine, who looked her up and down.
"If that is her wish, I'll grant you yours. But you better treat her well, I'm quite fond of her," Lusamine eventually agreed and continued walking forward.
Pete stood still for a moment until he walked over to Wicke with a bright smile, and he held out his hand while asking, "I hope it wasn't too abrupt? Please consider working with me! You'd be amazing for the job I have in mind."
With a 'kyaaa', Wicke threw herself in Pete's arms and started crying tears of joy.
Eventually, Pete couldn't take it anymore and asked, "Uh, is that a yes?"
"Of course!" Wicke excitedly agreed and ran away to tell her friends here at Aether Paradise.
Now left alone, Pete looked around and wondered where he should go...
The next morning, Pete was brought to a spacious meeting room at the Aether Paradise after breakfast. And he was surprised to see a few old friends waiting for him there.
"Professor Oak! Professor Elm! Kukui!" Pete greeted warmly. The three turned around to see who it was and revealed two more people with them that Pete hadn't yet noticed as he entered the room.
With an excited smile, the old lady next to Oak stepped forward and shook Pete's hand, "Hey there, young genius. We finally meet!"
"Professor Magnolia! It's a pleasure to finally get to talk to you in person," Pete returned just as excited.
"Don't hog him all to your own," a smooth voice suddenly interrupted as an arm slung over Pete's shoulder. "Hiya, Petey. I brought some cider for you to try and judge!
"Augustine - you made it all the way to Alola?"
Professor Augustine Sycamore - one of the professors he called most often because of his specialization in Mega Evolutions - was from Kalos. One of the regions furthest from Alola, though technically just as far as Galar where Professor Magnolia was from, Galar had a coast that allowed immediate sea travel toward Alola. Kalos, on the other hand, needed you to leave the region via land as you cross Unova on the way, or you needed to get through Galar first.
In any case, out of all the professors present, Sycamore had the longest travel time for sure.
Before the Kalosian professor could answer, five faces appeared on the screens in the room and revealed even more pokemon professors.
Professor Rowan from Sinnoh, an old man wearing a three piece suit who specialized in evolution and form changes.
Professor Birch from Hoenn, a casually dressed middle-aged man who looked like he was tuning in from inside a tent - which was probably the case, as he specialized in habitat research and rarely stayed home.
Professor Juniper from Unova, a woman with light brown hair whom Elm told him used to be a model. This was his first time seeing her, but Pete could see how that was possible as the professor specializing in unearthing the mystery of pokemon origins leisurely fixed her hair - not realizing she was already broadcasting her image to the group.
Professor Willow, who at first came as a surprise to Pete, specialized in habitats like Birch, though he added a twist by documenting large scale migrations, and he has three very capable assistants with whom he researches breeding, evolutions, and training methods. The grey-haired man turned out to be the current professor of Paldea, the region of the Scarlet and Violet pokemon games. In the games, there existed Professor Sada and Professor Turo, who both did not exist in this world as of yet according to Pete's research into the matter. Sadly, his MC, when he wrote the novel in his last life, never reached Paldea, so he couldn't be sure.
Willow, on the other hand, was famous in Pete's last life for being the professor of the Pokemon Go game - so to Pete's knowledge, the professor technically shouldn't have been of this world. Pete hadn't yet had the chance to talk to the man sporting hiking gear in his video feed with a Pikachu sleeping on his shoulders.
And lastly, Professor Bellis from the Pasio region, which in itself was an artificial island, was next on the fifth screen. Like Pete and Professor Willow, she had a broad research portfolio. The pretty woman with two-toned black and white hair was formost known to most for her creation of egg incubators that Pete almost excessively helped gather data for in his time in this world. When she wasn't dabbling in pokemon breeding like Professor Elm, she researched what she called 'sync stones', a newly discovered mineral that strengthened the bond and affinity of a pokemon-trainer pair and granted them unique overpower moves.
Pete had regular contact with the Pasionan professor to discuss her original research direction: Affinities and bonds - without the sync stones put into the equation.
When even Professor Juniper realised that she was seen and heard, all the professors started jovially exchanging greetings, reminding their peers to answer a mail, discussing recent finds, and most left Pete standing there in awe.
Only the old Professor Magnolia didn't leave his side as even Sycamore went to the screen with Professor Bellis' face in it and started flirting the woman.
"Wondering why it takes so many of us to make a decision?" Magnolia whispered conspiratorially.
"Just overwhelmed that you all took so much time getting here and being available," Pete responded with a slightly forced smile.
"Heh, only Elm and little August are here for you. The rest just didn't want to miss out," the old professor admitted with a grin.
"Aww, you didn't come to see me? I thought I was your favorite for 'discovering' the fairy typing and bringing fresh air into the research community," Pete quipped in a low voice with a fake saddened expression. "You said so in that one inverview..."
"Heh, I came here mostly to see Burneys little bundle of sunshine. Did you know I was the one to finally beat some sense into that brat Kukui to make up his mind and marry Burnet?"
"Oh? He needed help with that decision? He looked to be head over heels for her whenever I saw the two together."
"You got that right. But he's a bit of a blockhead. Glad I don't have to do the same with you," Magnolia gloatingly responded.
"Did I hear you cursing me just now?" Kukui asked as he appeared next to the two.
Magnolia only scoffed, so Pete got the chance to ask, "How's little Lei?"
"My son's as strong as a Machamp and as loud as a wailing Exploud. Just as cute as a Torchic, too," Kukui jovially revealed with pride. "And thanks again for all those berries, Pete. Burney's already fit as a Taurus. She actually started deep cleaning the house when Lei wouldn't go to sleep and kept us up at night. Apparently, that's his trigger, though. Napped right through the entire thing."
"Huh, I should move my old bones to dust off some shelves too when I get home..." Magnolia mumbled to herself as Pete injected with a small smile, "Get some Cinccino to live with you. Never saw a speck of dust yet on my farm. You carry in some dirt from the fields, and they are hot on your heels, cleaning it up before you can turn around to see it."
"Oh? And the kitchen?"
"You're asking the wrong person there. One of my Miltank no longer really allows me to in there. Not without her supervision and a wet towel in hoof to clean up after me so her space is spotless," Pete described with a fond smile.
Before the two professors could ask more about his home dynamics, Lusamine entered the room as she sashayed to the front and got everybody's attention.
"Thank you. everyone, for coming and for tuning in. You already know why we're here, so I won't take up too much of your time. Professor Elm of Johto has formally filed for his own assistant to be recognized as a formal professor of the Pokemon League and Professors Bellis and Sycamore signed off, which means Pete Lang already has enough votes to be recognized as a professor, a peer among you. But Elm's goal - and my own - was to make Pete a true peer among you. A Pokemon Professor. But with no region lacking a professor running point, we want to do what Professor Rowan did for Professor Bellis when he made his assistant the professor of the artificial islands of Pasio," Lusamine explained and looked toward Elm.
"Thank you, President Lusamine. It is as she says. You all have read his works, I'm sure, but few of you are aware just how many little tidbits of wisdom are lost when you don't regularly talk to Pete. I encourage every one of you to reach out to him and discuss your specialization if you still feel it is too early to grant this opportunity to my genius. You'll be better for it, I assure you," Elm added with a warm smile toward Pete, and he saw both Oak and Kukui in the room give sagely nods.
Both of them felt like they talked to someone who had lived half a lifetime researching pokemon, not someone who appeared out of nowhere less than a thousand days ago.
Yes, most of them were aware of his 'dubious' identity, but none cared. The advancements he brought to humanity's understanding of pokemon were too much already. And people living outside league affilitied cities weren't all too rare either. There were plenty of old settlements with no contact to the outside world on the main continent of this planet.
"*Has the boy decided on a research direction yet?*" Professor Rowan asked from his screen as he brushed his beard with a sly smirk. "*I invite him to take over my field to allow me to retire from work in the near future. My two brilliant new assistants need someone smart to converse with once I'm gone. He's found plenty of hidden evolution requirements already, no?*"
"Heh, you're but a babe and think of retirement already?" Professor Magnolia mocked.
"*Maggy, you're two days older than me! AND you're pushing for your lovely granddaughter Sonia to take over your lab but haven't had any success... I won't hear this from you,*" Rowan shot back with an exasperated sigh.
"If anyone's retiring here, it's me! I'm four weeks older than the both of you," Oak chimed in and pretended to have a sore back with a laugh.
"Alright, then I guess we won't need to build a floating island for Pete, he can just take Kanto over," Elm decided with a serious expression - an expression he couldn't hold for long as he started to giggle.
Soon, the other professors joined in.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Nuclide
Nuclide
Did a little world building in the hopes it makes for a fun chapter. I failed... but I wrote it so here it is.
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/nuclide
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