[ POV Change ]

Change.

Why do some want to change?

Why do others dislike change?

Change of time is inevitable.

Change of weather is inevitable.

But a change in a person is a choice for the better or the worse.

The answer is that change is at the very heart of being human. It is inherent to strive for progress, to seek out new experiences and opportunities, and to grow and evolve. Without change, we would become stagnant, stuck in the same patterns and routines. We would lose our sense of curiosity and adventure, our ability to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world.

Change can be difficult and scary, but it is also necessary for us to reach our full potential and live the most fulfilling lives possible not all change is for the better.

Life can change one into someone bitter, someone cynical, or even someone who thinks that if they change then people will accept them but is change always for the best.

.......

[ Celadon City - Pokemon Center ]

The Pokemon Center of Celadon City was a bustling hub of activity. Located in the center of the city, it was a large, two-story building with a sleek, modern design. The exterior was predominantly white, with large windows that allowed natural light to flood the interior. The roof was sloped and covered in solar panels, giving the center a futuristic look.

Inside, the main lobby was spacious and open, with high ceilings and a polished marble floor. There were several areas for trainers to rest and recharge, including comfortable couches and chairs, a cafe serving hot drinks and snacks, and a large television playing the latest Pokemon news.

The pokemon center was equipped with state-of-the-art medical machines and potions, and the nurses were highly trained and compassionate.

There were also several smaller rooms for trainers to use for private battles, as well as a shop selling a variety of Pokemon-related items, such as potions, Poke Balls, and special items that could only be found at the center.

The communication room was a bustling hub of activity, filled with the hum of computers and the flickering glow of screens. Located deep within the heart of the Pokemon Center.

The room was spacious, with high ceilings and a sleek, modern design. The walls were lined with screens and monitors, displaying a constant stream of news and messages from across the region of Kanto.

The communication room was lined with rooms where trainers could call anyone without anyone disturbing them.

Brock sat in his usual outfit of a red vest over a white shirt, paired with blue jeans and black sneakers. He looked around the room, taking in the quiet room that was unlike anything he had seen throughout his journey

It was a simple, unassuming room, with white walls, a plain carpet, and a single window that looked out onto a small courtyard.

In the center of the room stood a single computer, its screen glowing softly in the dim light.

" Busy day, Brock." The voice of Professor Oak echoed throughout the room with Brock nodding along.

" That's how life has always been," Brock answered back causing Professor Oak to chuckle.

" It's always a surprise to see such words from someone as young as you, how is misty?." Professor Oak exclaimed with Brock chuckling.

" Well, I had to mature quickly and as for misty, she has changed but professor, may I ask why did you call me ?"

" Well, Brock I have heard that you want to be a breeder and I have a pokemon egg with me. I have heard quite the praise on your skills and I believe that taking care of a pokemon egg will be a great experience for you." Professor Oak cheerfully exclaimed as Brock asked.

" Who praised my skills ?"

Professor Oak suddenly stopped as he tried to think of an answer but Brock saw through Oak and exclaimed.

" It was Ash, wasn't it ?"

Sweat dripped down Professor Oak's face at Brock's words.

" How is he ?"

" He .... wait, what ?!" Professor Oak exclaimed as Brock repeated his question.

" How is Ash doing? Is yellow with him ?"

Professor Oak was left speechless by Brock's words as Austin had told him that they went their separate ways Oak figured that they must have a falling out or something for them to suddenly go their separate ways but Brock's concern was something Oak didn't expect.

" Ash, from the talks I have had with him, seems to be doing alright and yes, yellow is with him."

Brock's shoulders visibly relaxed as if the burden he was carrying loosened.

" That's good to hear," Brock whispered to himself with a smile.

" Brock, can I ask why you and Ash separated ?" Professor Oak curiously asked.

" Well, Ash thought that we were holding him back and he left."

" Your tone tells me that you don't believe that."

" Well, yes; I have known Ash for quite a while and he isn't the type of person to delve too much into his defeats rather he uses his defeat to better himself. I think Ash left because of something else that happened on the SS.Anne."

Professors Oak pursed his lips and asked," Do you have any idea what could have happened?"

" I have one idea and professor, can you help me with it ?"

" Of course, I would be happy to help; my boy."

" I believe that Ash lost a pokemon on the SS.Anne."

" .... " Professor Oak's eyes widened as he didn't expect something like that.

" W, Why do you believe that to be the case ?"

Brock took a deep breath before answering," Professor Oak, a few years prior my mother had died in an attack from the helix cult. Well, my father blamed himself for not being able to save my mother and in his drunken stupors I would sometimes hear, how he wanted to hunt down the helix cultists, and then one day he just left. Maybe it was for our protection but I believe my father tried to hunt down the helix cult when he left us. I never once blamed my father for walking out on us, even though we needed him; he was angry at himself, and in his anger, he was blind to see that we needed him. Even though I don't have the best relationship with my father, I could never bring myself to hate a man who felt wronged by the world."

" And you think Ash is the same."

" Yes."

" So, how am I supposed to help ?"

" Can you check the pokemon registry ?"

" You want me to check if one of ash's Pokemon died."

" Yes."

" Brock, you do know that the pokemon registry only tells if a pokemon is captured or released."

" Then can you check if Ash released a pokemon around the time of the SS. Anne incident?"

" Let me check."

" ..... "

" ..... "

Brock frowned as he saw Professor Oak's eyes widen as he checked his computer.

" So."

" On September 11, right about 9 pm Ash's Pokemon Raticate was released."

" T, That's the ..."

Professor Oak finished Brock's words with a grim look on his face.

" That's the exact time and date of the SS. Anne incident."

..............

[ POV Change ]

Three years ago, Saffron city was associated with a different name, a different gym, and a different gym leader. For decades, the Fighting-type gym, first created by gym leader Marcus around a hundred years ago, tested the mettle of conference aspirants who were on their way to challenge the Indigo League Conference. Back in those days, the Saffron city gym stood at number 2, second only to the infamous Cinnabar gym under the mysterious and elusive Fire-master Blaine—in terms of difficulty level for an average aspirant. There was a reason after all, why most people tended to avoid the Saffron gym—choosing to try their luck with the alternative options instead.

Then, roughly sixteen years ago, Alfred Marvil, a renowned psychic and a resident of Saffron city, had a daughter—Sabrina, a young girl who from her infantile period, demonstrated a high proclivity towards psychic abilities. Over time, her skills encompassed apportation, claircognizance, telepathy, telekinesis, psychometry, and levitation. When she turned nine, Sabrina demonPokemonstrated abilities enough to equal a newly-evolved Kadabra, and had begun to demonstrate affinities towards the powers that the Abra line was famous for. At the age of twelve, she was already classified as one of, if not the most powerful human psychic in the world.

That was when things became much more interesting.

Sometime before her thirteenth birthday, Sabrina registered herself as an aspirant for the Ever-Grande Conference of Hoenn, creating another world record by acquiring the necessary eight badges within a time frame of exactly twenty-one days—just in time to submit her name for the conference held that very year. She then went on to defeat each and every single opponent in the conference, using the same six psychic pokémon under her command—and eventually became the Ever-Grande League winner.

Then, she returned to Kanto, and using her status as an Elite trainer, challenged the Kanto Elite Four- a family that back then, comprised of the Ice-Master Lorelei, the Ghost-Master Agatha, the Fighting-Master Bruno, and the Fire-Master Blaine. In a series of quick and decisive battles, Sabrina defeated Blaine, Lorelei, and Bruno, exactly in that order, before meeting her match in Agatha, to which she succumbed and for the first time in her life, tasted defeat.

That was how Sabrina ended up winning the position of the Second Elite Four, causing Blaine—the then fourth Elite Four to lose his position as Bruno and Lorelei were demoted down from their second and third positions to third and fourth respectively.

A month later, Sabrina Marvil walked up to the infamous Fighting-type gym, then run by gym leader Anthony—a descendent of Marcus, challenging him to a battle with the future of the gym at stake. Should Anthony be able to defeat her, she would give up her position as Elite Four. Conversely, should she win, then Anthony would have to shut down his gym for good.

Three minutes.

Three minutes was all that took to completely humiliate the Fighting-type gym leader, as Sabrina walked out, with the position of the new Saffron city gym leader—another notch on her belt. The once powerful fighting-type gym was now reduced to a mere dojo, as Sabrina Marvil settled herself as the new psychic-type gym leader of Saffron city.

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Inside the Saffron City gym, Sabrina suddenly opened her eyes as she whispered to herself in utter apathy.

" Why is the chosen one here ?"

Of course, the boy—Ash Ketchum, though someone a little younger than her, had been… interesting, but not that interesting. Of course, she understood the significance of attaining the interest of pseudo-legendaries and legendaries alike, but unlike Agatha—Sabrina thought with a scowl—she had better things to do than to place her faith on something as woolly as that. Most people would say that with the amount of psychic potential Sabrina wielded, she would be the Altar of clairvoyance, believing in the existence of grand prophecies and totems and omens and all of that stuff.

Most people, Sabrina thought, were absolute idiots.

Yes, she had immense psychic potential, but like pokémon, her potential had its affinities and limitations. Sabrina had always been somewhat of a manipulator of force, as far as psychic energy was considered, rather than exploring its more… esoteric abilities. Of course, that was not to say that she hadn't cultivated that side of her powers, but they were simply tools at best. That was why she preferred having Alakazam and Bronzong around, and not flocks of Xatu.

Of course, being able to simply see through the sequence and formation of events, use her mental faculties to calculate permutations and combinations, and select the most… probable path that events were likely to shape into… could also be termed Clairvoyance, by layman. However, that hardly meant that she could see through the lines of Time and Fate and locate confluences in quantum time locks of the Multiverse. Why Lance couldn't see things her way, was beyond her.

Sabrina looked up at the ceiling light as she closed her eyes.

What actions should she take when the chosen one was near her?

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[ Saffron City - Silph Cooperation ]

Austin walked along the busy streets of Saffron City

' It's almost like a miniature New York,' Austin hummed as he peered up at the tall buildings of Saffron. 'Second largest city in Kanto, yet only five-hundred thousand people live here. I wonder if the census counts pokemon? Hard to say… Idly, Austin wondered what his big brother would think of Earth's population of eight billion when the entire pokemon world doesn't even boast an eighth of that number. 'Then again, pokemon outnumber humans so that figure might be a bit skewed… and Earth's population probably isn't that high anymore…'

A nip on his ear from Pikachu pulled him away from such morbid thoughts as they stop at a crosswalk with a red light.

" Ready to visit the biggest cooperation in Kanto," Austin asked causing Pikachu to rub the back of his head nervously.

" Come on, buddy, weren't you going to assure me to not be nervous ?"

" Pika."

"Great input," Austin said causing Pikachu to turn his head to the side.

" You know imagine they have a test site or some indoor range with a pokemon that can make force fields on hand. Bill said that he warned them that these moves are no joke."

" Pika ?"

Seeing the confused look on Pikachu's face, Austin frowned.

" Buddy, do you know why we are here ?"

" Pi, Pi, Pi." Pikachu nervously laughed as he patted Austin's cheek.

" Remember TMs."

" Pika."

" We are going to Silph Co. to make some TMs."

Austin's words caused Pikachu to do his signature surprise face.

Another thirty minutes of walking led them to a fifty-story building in its small corporate park near the outer eastern part of the city. The grass was cut short, the shrubs are all trimmed square, and the windows of the building are all sparkly and clean. At the top of the building is a large sign spelling out "Silph Co" in stylized letters.

Austin double-checked his Pokedex one final time before nodding. "This is the place. Let's go."

Stepping inside, the human and pokemon pushed past the revolving door and take in the lavish lobby of the Silph Co building. Austin in particular looked down at himself afterward, now very conscious of the wear on his clothes and the dirt on his boots in the face of the immaculate room.

"Do you feel a little underdressed too?" Austin said causing Pikachu to pat his body as if he was saying that he didn't wear clothes.

The duo made their way to the reception desk in the middle of the lobby.

As they approached, the smartly-dressed woman manning the reception desk look up from her computer screen with a smile. That smile shrank when the first thing she saw was Pikachu causing Pikachu's ears to drop. "I'm sorry, but Silph Corporation has a no-loose pokemon policy on the premises. I'll have to ask you to..!"

The Secretary's words cut off as she saw a black badge pinned to Austin's jacket.

" I, I am sorry Mr. Executive. I will immediately call the president right away."

The Secretary said as she quickly picked up the phone beside her meanwhile Austin and Pikachu looked at each other in confusion.

What had just happened?