Pokemon: The Scientist’s Rebirth

Ethan strolled across the familiar paths of Pallet PokeRanch, his mind abuzz with plans for the upcoming experiment. The evening sun bathed the landscape in hues of gold and crimson, casting a serene glow that contrasted with the restless thoughts swirling in his mind. His destination was clear: the Bulbasaur enclosure, a section he had grown particularly fond of over the past two weeks.

The area was filled with playful Bulbasaurs, each one unique in its own way, but Ethan's eyes were drawn to one in particular—the Bulbasaur with the Thick Fat ability, whom he had affectionately nicknamed Bulbs. Bulbs, with her round, slightly chubby frame, lay under the shade of a large tree. Upon noticing Ethan, she perked up, her vibrant green vines swaying gently in greeting.

"Well, hello there, Bulbs," Ethan greeted warmly, sitting down beside her on the soft grass. "Enjoying the sunset?"

Bulbs made a soft, contented sound, her bulb gently bobbing in rhythm.

Ethan settled into the grass beside her, letting out a sigh as the golden rays of the sunset warmed his skin. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The serenity of the moment was interrupted only by the distant calls of wild Pokémon. Finally, Ethan turned to the cheerful Bulbasaur lounging beside him.

"You know, Bulbs," he began, his voice thoughtful, "when I first got here, I honestly thought I'd just stick around Oak Coral. I mean, this is one of the best research facilities on the planet, right? I figured I could just focus on studying Pokémon, unraveling the mysteries of this world from behind a desk, maybe dabble in a few experiments, and that would be enough." He let out a small laugh, shaking his head at himself. "I didn't think I'd find myself out here, talking to you, feeling like there's so much more to explore."

Bulbs tilted her head at him, her large eyes watching him closely. Ethan met her gaze, his expression shifting to something more serious.

"But now I'm starting to think maybe I was wrong. I shouldn't confine myself to just research. Sure, research into the mysteries of this world is still my primary goal, but I've come to realize that I need to experience it firsthand, not just from a lab. I need to get out there, travel, train, and learn what the world has to offer—and I want to do that while still pursuing my research."

Bulbs blinked at him, processing his words, clearly intrigued. Ethan continued, his monologue picking up speed.

"If I just stay in this lab forever, doing nothing but research, I think all the aspiring transmigrators who didn't get to visit this world would curse me to oblivion for not exploring it. They'd say I wasted an opportunity. And I can't let that happen. Besides, research needs field observation. I can't truly understand Pokémon, their habitats, and the way they interact with the world unless I see it all firsthand."

He paused, letting the weight of his decision sink in. Then, he turned fully to Bulbs, his eyes intense and full of determination.

"That's why I'm planning to build a team of Pokémon. A team that will help me through this journey—one that can assist in both research and exploration. And I'd like you to be the first member of that team, Bulbs. When I turn 18, I want you to be my starter Pokémon, my partner on this adventure. What do you say?"

Bulbs stared at him for a moment, her eyes wide and unblinking. The wind picked up, rustling the leaves around them as the last rays of the setting sun bathed them in a warm glow. Ethan held his breath, unsure of what her response would be.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Bulbs slowly nodded, her bulb glowing faintly in the dimming light.

"Bulba...bulb!" she chirped, her voice full of enthusiasm and confidence.

Ethan grinned. "That's what I wanted to hear. But fair warning, you'll have to deal with my experiments," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I'll be honest—they might not always be fun. But I promise, they'll make you stronger. What doesn't kill you makes you tougher, right?"

At this, Bulbs gave him a suspicious look, her vines crossing in mock indignation.

"Hey, I'm kidding! Mostly," Ethan added, chuckling. "So, what do you say? Ready to start becoming the strongest?"

"Bulba-bulb!" Bulbs exclaimed, bouncing on her stubby legs with enthusiasm.

"All right, then," Ethan said, pulling out his datapad. "First things first. Let's see what moves you know. Go ahead—show me what you've got."

Bulbs wasted no time, cycling through her repertoire of moves with practiced ease. She began with Tackle, charging a short distance before coming to a halt. Next came Growl, her small body trying to emit a rough sound. Following that, she demonstrated Vine Whip, her vines snapping sharply through the air, and Razor Leaf, a flurry of sharp leaves spinning toward a target tree.

Ethan watched closely, making notes as she continued. Bulbs then performed her powder-based moves, releasing soft clouds of Sleep Powder and Poison Powder into the air. Fortunately, Ethan was upwind, sparing him from an embarrassing situation of being poisoned or knocked to sleep.

Afterward, she launched a compact sphere from her bulb toward a nearby rock. It seemed like a Seed Bomb, and finally, she finished with Synthesis, her body glowing faintly as she absorbed energy from the fading sunlight.

"That's quite the arsenal you've got there, Bulbs," Ethan said, tapping his fingers on the datapad. "Let's try to break it down and see where we can improve."

"Tackle is a good move," he mused. "Though it's weak, it can be used as a base to learn Take Down. And a Take Down from a half-ton Venusaur will be enough to end most Pokémon." Ethan analyzed. "So, we can work on improving that."

"Next is Growl. Honestly, this one's not worth our time. A Venusaurs Growl might intimidate much weaker Pokémon, but coming from a cute and chubby Bulbasaur like you? It's just funny. It also doesn't have much potential, so let's forget about it."

Bulbs let out a mock growl in indignation, making Ethan laugh.

"Exactly my point," he said. "Now, Vine Whip and Razor Leaf—those have potential. They're staples for your species, but with some tweaks, I think we can make them even more effective. We'll need to study how your body generates and controls these moves before I can prepare a training regimen to make these moves more powerful."

Ethan's gaze grew thoughtful as he next considered her powder-based moves. "Your powder attacks are decent. I have a feeling your new diet will unlock their full potential. Imagine Poison Powder becoming twice as potent—maybe even gaining additional effects."

Bulbs looked intrigued but also slightly skeptical.

"Yes, I mean it," Ethan assured her. "And that brings me to your diet. Soon, all your meals will come from me. No more standard PokéBlocks. We'll tailor your food to maximize your poison reserves."

Bulbs nodded in understanding, hoping that Ethan at least make her new food tastier.

He then continued analyzing the rest of her moves. "Seed Bomb is a bit situational—great for single targets, but not versatile enough. Still, it might serve as a foundation for more exotic moves down the line."

Finally, he brought up Synthesis. "This one is a game-changer. I did not expect you to know this move. Probably the result of a champion-level mother." Ethan sighed. "It pays to inherit talents from your parents, doesn't it?"

Bulbs just grinned in response.

"If we can figure out a way to make Synthesis into a passive move, you'd be nearly invincible. Imagine regenerating during a battle without needing to actively use the move or stay still." Ethan analyzed.

Bulbs beamed at the praise, her vines quivering with excitement.

"But," Ethan added, his tone serious, "we've got a problem. Right now, Poison Powder is your only Poison-type move. It won't be enough to reliably measure the improvement in your poison-based attacks based on any changes made to your diet."

"Yes, this is the new research we're going to undertake," Ethan continued. "I'll be feeding you poisonous plants to improve your poison moves."

Bulbasaur looked affronted and stared at Ethan in horror.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ethan chuckled. "I'm at least 70% confident that you'll emerge much stronger from this."

Bulbasaur's eyes narrowed skeptically seemingly asking about the remaining 30%..

"Let's not get into the semantics," Ethan deflected. "Anyway, you need to learn a more directly offensive Poison move—like Toxic or Venoshock, if we are to properly conduct our research. I'll have to figure out how to tech you something like that."

I wonder if there is TMs in this world. Even if there is, a Toxic TM probably costs thousands of PokéCoins and will be way over my limited budget".

He sighed, tapping his feet on the ground. "There's so much to figure out. Training, diet, TMs… It's going to be a lot of work."

Bulbs let out a cheerful cry, snapping Ethan out of his thoughts.

"Right, no point overthinking it," Ethan said, smiling. "Enjoy the last few moments of your peaceful life, Bulbs. Once I figure out your training and diet regimen, it's going to be relentless."

Bulbs puffed up her chest, clearly ready for the challenge.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Ethan stood, brushing off his pants. "I'll see you tomorrow, partner. Get a good night's rest—you'll need it."

With one last pat on Bulbs' bulb, Ethan turned and began his walk back to Delia's home. The air was cool, and the sky was painted with stars, but his mind was already racing with plans for the days ahead. This was just the beginning, and he was determined to unlock every ounce of potential in Bulbs. Together, they would become unstoppable.

This sudden thought gave Ethan pause, prompting him to wonder why he had become so fixated on being the strongest. He had never been a seeker of power—his true passion had always been the pursuit of knowledge. Perhaps it's because, in this world, knowledge is intrinsically tied to power levels, he reasoned. With that thought lingering, he continued walking.