"Fly-ah~!" Sylveon landed gracefully, her ribbons unfurling like silk banners. "Flo-ette~" Floette hovered gently, her blue flower parasol catching the dappled sunlight.
"Whoa! That's amazing!" Ash's eyes practically turned into stars. Without a second of hesitation or a shred of fear, the boy lunged forward and pulled both of them into a massive hug. "I've never seen Pokémon like these before! You guys are so cool and soft!"
I braced myself, waiting for Sylveon to use her ribbons to shove him away or for Floette to retreat behind my head. They were usually quite shy around strangers—on the cruise ship, they'd treated anyone who tried to pet them like they were infected with the plague. But to my absolute shock, they didn't move. Sylveon actually leaned into Ash's chest, her feelers wrapping loosely around his arm, while Floette giggled and patted his messy hair.
This kid... I thought, watching the scene. His Pokémon Affinity stat must be broken. He's like a living, breathing Max Revive.
Professor Oak stepped closer, his spectacles reflecting the afternoon sun. "Is this the Floette from the Kalos region? And the newly discovered eighth Eevee evolution? Simply marvelous! Seeing them in a research paper is one thing, but in the flesh... the way those feelers move is fascinating!"
He pulled out a small notepad and started scribbling furiously. I couldn't help it; I pulled out my own camera and snapped a photo of Ash grinning ear-to-ear with the two Fairy-types. It was a "Super True Newbie" in his natural habitat.
The other children, seeing that the "scary" new Pokémon were actually friendly, began to swarm around us. I realized this was the perfect teaching moment.
"Alright, everyone, listen up!" I called out, gesturing to my partners. "The one with the flower is Floette. She's a pure Fairy-type from the Kalos region. And this pink-and-white beauty is Sylveon. She's the newest member of the Eevee family!"
"How does Eevee become that?" a young boy asked, poking at one of Sylveon's ribbons.
"It's all about the bond," I explained, kneeling down. "When an Eevee learns a Fairy-type move and develops a deep enough intimacy with its Trainer, it evolves. Those ribbons? They aren't just for show. They're feelers that can sense your heart rate, your temperature, and even your emotions. If Sylveon wraps her ribbons around your arm while you walk, it means she trusts you with her whole heart."
"That is so cool!" Ash shouted, squeezing Sylveon again. "Eevee is like a superhero! It can turn into anything!"
Professor Oak clapped his hands together, his voice booming over the chatter. "Alright, children! It's getting late. The sun is dipping, and the camp stoves are waiting. Let's head back to the tents for dinner!"
"Yes, Professor!" the kids chorused, and we began the trek back down the mountain.
After dinner, the campsite settled into a peaceful hum. The smell of woodsmoke and beef stew hung in the air. I decided to take a quiet stroll near the edge of the forest to clear my head, but I hadn't gone fifty yards before I noticed a rustling in the bushes behind me.
"You've been trailing me since we finished the dishes, little tail," I said, stopping and looking back. "What's up? Did I drop something?"
The bushes parted, and Serena stepped out, her pink dress a bit dusty from the day's adventures. She was fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, her eyes darting everywhere except toward my face.
"Oh, it's you, Serena. Is everything okay? Are you lost?"
"I... um..." She trailed off, her face turning a deep shade of crimson. She stood there for a good thirty seconds, her mouth opening and closing like a Magikarp. Finally, she squeezed her eyes shut and spoke in a tiny, rapid-fire voice. "Brother Julian! Could I... could I please have a copy of that photo you took today? The one in the woods?"
I blinked, then a slow, knowing smirk spread across my face. Ah, I see.
"The photo from earlier? With you and Ash?" I teased, my eyes sparkling. "You said you wanted a Summer Camp souvenir, right?"
"Y-yes! Exactly! A souvenir!" she squeaked, her blush intensifying.
Suuuure, I thought. A 'souvenir' of the boy who just bandaged your leg and held your hand. You're not fooling the Fairy Doctor, kid.
"No problem at all, Serena," I said warmly. "Once the camp is over and we're back at the lab, I'll print out a high-quality copy just for you. It'll be a great memory of your first meeting."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" She bowed so low her straw hat nearly fell off, then turned and scurried back toward the girls' tents.
I watched her go, chuckling. "Kids these days. So much drama."
The next morning, the "peace" of the camp was shattered. I was helping Oak organize the morning lecture on Berries when the Professor did a head count and his face went pale.
"Oh, dear. Not again," Oak groaned, rubbing his temples. "Ash is gone."
"Gone? Like, 'went to the bathroom' gone, or 'chased a Butterfly into the deep woods' gone?" I asked.
"Knowing that boy? Definitely the latter," Oak sighed. "There aren't many dangerous Pokémon in this specific sector, but the terrain is tricky. I can't leave the other children alone to go look for him. Julian, would you mind...?"
"On it, Professor. I'll track him down."
I started at the edge of the camp, looking for footprints. Nothing. I checked the nearby stream. Nothing. It was like the kid had simply evaporated into the forest canopy.
"This is weird. Ash usually leaves a trail of broken branches and chaos," I muttered. Then, I tapped my chin. "Wait! Floette, come on out!"
Floette appeared, blinking in the morning light.
"Listen, partner. You were hugging Ash yesterday. You've got a great nose for scents—can you find that 'Super True Newbie' energy? He shouldn't be far."
Floette closed her eyes, her tiny nose twitching. She hovered in silence for a moment, then her eyes snapped open. "Flo-ette!" She chirped and zipped off toward a dense cluster of bushes to the north.
"Lead the way!"
I crashed through the brush, following the blue flower until the forest opened up into a hidden, sun-drenched meadow filled with wildflowers. In the center of the field, Ash was laughing and rolling around in the grass, playing a game of tag with a wild Butterfree.
I let out a long sigh of relief, though I made sure to look stern as I walked over.
"Ash! Do you have any idea how worried everyone is? You can't just wander off without telling anyone!"
Ash sat up, scratching the back of his head with a goofy, sheepish grin. "Sorry, Brother Julian! I met a new friend and he wanted to play! Look!" He pointed to the Butterfree, which was hovering nearby.
"I get it, you love Pokémon," I said, softening my tone. "But even if you meet a new friend, you have to tell us first. We thought you'd been kidnapped by a Fearow or something."
"He's not a Butterfree, though," Ash said suddenly, his voice dropping to a whisper.
I paused. "What do you mean? It's got wings, it's blue... looks like a Butterfree to me."
As the words left my mouth, the Pokémon in front of us tilted its head and gave me a mischievous, almost human-like wink. A sudden, brilliant white light erupted from its body. Its shape twisted and warped, its wings shrinking and its body elongating. Within seconds, the Butterfree was gone. In its place stood a Spearow, which let out a sharp cry and dove at my head.
"Whoa!" I ducked, rolling across the grass. Floette immediately flew in front of me, her blue flower glowing. "Flo! (Stay back!)" She whipped up a Fairy Wind, but the Spearow simply spiraled upward, dodging the attack with impossible grace.
It landed on a low branch and looked down at me, its beak curling into a smirk.
"Transform?" I whispered, my heart beginning to race. "That wasn't an illusion... it was a complete cellular change."
My mind raced through the possibilities. Ditto was the obvious choice, but a Ditto couldn't fly with that much power or change shapes that fluidly mid-air. There was only one Pokémon in the world known for its playful, transformative nature and its tendency to follow "chosen" trainers around.
"No way," I breathed, looking at Ash, then back at the 'Spearow.' "Mew?"
The Spearow froze. It looked at me with its red eyes, which slowly softened into a deep, sparkling azure. A shimmering, silvery-white light enveloped the bird.
When the light faded, the Spearow was gone. Floating in the air was a small, bipedal creature, entirely pink and incredibly soft-looking. It had a long, thin tail that ended in a rounded tip and large, innocent blue eyes that seemed to hold all the secrets of the universe. It gave a little "Mew!" and did a playful flip in the air, landing right in front of my face.
I sat there, paralyzed. I had come to Kanto to see a Professor, but I was currently staring at the ancestor of all Pokémon.
"Mew... (Found you!)" the pink Pokémon chirped, reaching out a tiny paw to poke my nose.