Viridian City had no shortage of small cafes once the morning crowd began filling the streets. Most of them were narrow places wedged between older storefronts, their windows open to let the smell of coffee and toasted bread drift onto the sidewalks. Looker chose one a short distance from the League office, a place that looked busy enough to be reliable but quiet enough to hold a conversation.
By the time they stepped inside, most of the early seats had already been taken.
A waitress guided them toward a table near the window. The wooden surface carried the faint marks of years of cups and plates placed in the same spots, though it had been wiped clean recently enough that the grain still shone.
Ludwig slid into the chair facing the street while the others settled around him. It had been a while since he sat on this side of a table. Not just in a restaurant as a while, but on the receiving end of service. The difference was small in theory. But in practice, it changed the way he noticed things.
The cafe smelled of butter and brewed coffee. Somewhere behind the counter a pan touched the heat. The sound followed almost immediately by the soft crack of eggs against the edge of a bowl. Plates moved across a wooden pass beside the kitchen window while the waitress carried cups from table to table with practiced hands that rarely hesitated.
Ludwig watched it for a moment before the menu was placed in front of him.
Simple breakfast offerings filled the page. Eggs, toast, small sandwiches, and coffee which was strong enough to keep people on their feet through the day.
Claire glanced over the menu quickly before setting it down. "Coffee and whatever you recommend for breakfast."
Rimuru leaned back in his chair while reading the list with far more enthusiasm than the situation probably required. "I'll take the omelet. Also toast and coffee."
In the meantime, Ludwig ordered a cup of coffee and settled for a simple toast while Looker ordered something similar without much thought. Oak took a little longer, though Ludwig suspected the delay came more from curiosity than indecision.
By the time the waitress left the table, the conversation returned to the reason they had come here in the first place.
Oak watched them for a moment before reaching into the satchel resting beside his chair.
"I thought this would be easier to discuss if you could see the possibilities yourselves."
Instead of one device, he placed three on the table.
Each Pokedex carried the same sturdy casing Ludwig had seen back in Oak's lab, though the one in front of them looked more compact. Oak pushed them across the table one by one before his hands rested on the table again.
"I limit the index to species native to Kanto and Johto," Oak said. "That way you are only looking at Pokemon you realistically have a chance of encountering nearby."
Rimuru immediately pulled the device closer and tapped the screen.
"Oh, nice."
Claire lifted hers a little more carefully before activating it. Ludwig simply pressed the side of his and watched the display flicker to life. Rows of entries appeared across the screen.
Pidgey, Nidoran, Oddish. Poliwag.
Across the table Rimuru's finger moved quickly down the display while Claire's gaze lingered longer on each entry. Ludwig scrolled more slowly, letting himself read the descriptions before moving on.
To be honest, Ludwig never bothered to read the description of a Pokemon in the Pokedex when he's playing the game. But after reading what's really written about them, he thought that the description should be different.
After all, in the Pokedex he had in his hand right now, the description was meticulous. From the habitat, their way of life, their preferred food, and many more.
Take the explanation about Nidoran for example.
Nidoran (♂)
Poison-type Pokémon commonly found in grasslands and open fields throughout Kanto and Johto. Nidoran rely heavily on their large ears to detect approaching threats. Even slight disturbances in tall grass can alert them long before danger becomes visible.
The horn on a Nidoran's forehead contains a mild venom used primarily for defense. When threatened, it will lower its head and attempt to jab an opponent. While the toxin is rarely lethal, untreated stings can cause numbness or dizziness.
Wild Nidoran tend to live in small groups and defend feeding territories aggressively against intruders. Their diet consists mainly of roots, berries, and hardy field plants.
When raised by a trainer, Nidoran are known for their persistence in battle and strong loyalty once trust has been established.
It reinforced his belief once again. He should never took whatever he knew about a world at face value. They would had different mechanics, that's for sure. But there's also another reason.
His presence.
No matter how hard he tried to keep things running like the Canon, his presence would naturally altered it. Just looked at Rimuru for example. Tempest, which should be the hub of Japanese culture in Cental World, had their progress shift to other branc while that front slowing down just because of the presence if his restaurant.
Ludwig shook his head to focus on the matter in hand.
Oak didn't gave them this Pokedex so he could compared what he remembered to what was written here. It was a device to helped them so they could understand the creatures they might encounter.
Across the table, Rimuru was already several entries ahead.
"This thing has a lot more detail than I expected." The slime muttered while scrolling. "Look at this one."
He tilted the device slightly so Claire could see his screen.
"Poliwag." Rimuru read. "Apparently it can breathe through its skin when it's young."
Claire leaned a little closer, her eyes moving across the text for a moment before she straightened again.
Oak nodded faintly.
"Most Poliwag spend their early life near rivers and ponds. Their bodies are still developing during that stage."
Rimuru hummed before scrolling again.
Meanwhile Ludwig continued moving through the entries at a slower pace. Oddish followed Nidoran on the list. Then Bellsprout and many mote.
But then, he heard Rimuru's voice echoing.
"You found something?" He asked, leaning slightly over the table as he tried to see what Claire was looking at.
Claire did not answer immediately. Her eyes moved across the lines of text once more before she finally looked up from the screen.
"Possibly."
Oak's attention shifted toward her device as well. The professor didn't lean forward to read it himself—he already knew what was written there—but he seemed interested in the direction her thoughts were going.
"Abra?" He asked.
Claire nodded once.
"The entry says they teleport instinctively when threatened."
"That is correct." Oak replied. "Abra possess unusually strong psychic sensitivity even at a young age. Their defensive reflex activates before most predators can even reach them."
Rimuru said with knowing tone in his voice. "So… basically it runs away before you can catch it?"
Oak chuckled softly at that summary. "That is one way to describe it."
Claire didn't seem discouraged by the description. If anything, the difficulty appeared to make the idea more appealing to her.
"That's fine." She said simply.
Rimuru stared at her for a moment.
"You're saying that like you've already decided."
Claire's eyes returned to the Pokedex screen again. "I haven't."
"But you want it."
"I said it's possible."
Rimuru snorted quietly before returning to his own device. "Good luck with that."
Meanwhile Ludwig continued scrolling through the entries at his usual pace. Several more familiar names passed across the screen before his movement slowed again.
Gastly.
The image that appeared on the display showed a sphere of purple mist with a pair of glowing eyes and a wide grin floating within it. He tapped the entry once as a slight grin appeared on his face.
Then, the description expanded.
Gastly
A ghost and poison-type Pokémon commonly found in dark environments such as abandoned structures, caves, and dense forests. Gastly bodies consist largely of gaseous matter, allowing them to drift silently through the air and slip through narrow openings.
They are most active at night and are known for their mischievous nature. Gastly often observe humans or other Pokémon from a distance before interacting with them.
The toxic gas surrounding their bodies can weaken opponents if inhaled for extended periods.
Ludwig read the entry once before clicking on the entry after that. Haunter and Gengar,
However, even after reading about their description, he still didn't get the answer of his previous question. The way the evolved.
Thinking he had all the justification to not make the question suspicious, he opened his mouth.
"Professor Oak. I noticed there's no description about how to evolve the Pokemon on their entry. Can you elaborate on that?"
Oak looked up from his coffee when Ludwig spoke. The older man did not answer immediately. Instead, he rested the cup back on its saucer before glancing at the Pokedex screens spread across the table, as if confirming what Ludwig had noticed.
"That omission is intentional." He said after a moment.
Rimuru stopped scrolling long enough to look up. "Intentional?"
Oak nodded. "The Pokedex was originally designed as a field research tool, not a trainer's handbook. Its purpose is to document behavior, habitat, and biology. Evolution falls into a slightly different category."
Ludwig rested his forearm against the table while listening. The explanation made sense from a researcher's perspective. A scientist would naturally focus on observation rather than instructions.
Claire tilted her head slightly. "So you know how they evolve, but you don't write it down?"
"In many cases we don't know the exact conditions," Oak replied calmly. "Evolution is still one of the least understood phenomena in Pokemon biology. We know the general progression of many species, but the precise triggers are often inconsistent."
Rimuru raised an eyebrow. "Inconsistent?"
Oak folded his hands together. "Different environments, emotional states, and training conditions can all influence it. Some Pokemon evolve through gradual growth, others respond to certain stones, and some seem to require specific environmental stimuli. Even when we observe a pattern, it doesn't always repeat perfectly."
Ludwig glanced down at the Pokedex again. The entries for Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar remained open on the screen, the three figures floating one after another like stages of the same creature at different points in its life.
"But, can you tell me how this particular Pokemon evolves?"
Ludwig turned the pokedex in his hand and showed the screen to Oak. Everyone on the table naturally focused on him.
But, only Rimuru looked like he finally caught on what he's trying to ask.
"An interesting choice." Oak smiled. "If you are a new trainer, I will discourage you from getting a ghost pokemon as your first. But well, you guys are you. So, Gastly line. They are an interesting case. Most observations suggest that the first transition—from Gastly to Haunter—occurs naturally as the Pokemon accumulates enough energy."
"Energy?" Ludwig asked.
Oak nodded. "Ghost Pokemon do not develop in exactly the same way as most physical species. Gastly's body is largely gaseous and sustained by spiritual energy. When that energy grows dense enough, the form stabilizes and Haunter emerges."
Rimuru chimed. "So it matures."
"In simple terms, yes."
Ludwig's gaze returned briefly to the image of Haunter on the screen before shifting further down the entry.
"And Gengar?"
Oak gave a small smile.
"That stage is less predictable."
Rimuru raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"
"Haunter are independent creatures," Oak said. "They tend to evolve after forming a particularly strong bond with a trainer or partner Pokemon. In many recorded cases, the evolution occurs shortly after a period of intense training or cooperation."
Claire considered that explanation quietly.
"So the trigger is emotional rather than environmental."
"Partially," Oak replied. "Strong emotional bonds appear to stabilize their form. When that happens, the Pokemon condenses further and becomes Gengar."
Rimuru leaned back in his chair. But from his face Ludwig recognized it instantly. The guy was about to say something out of this world.
"So like… it wouldn't evolve by getting it traded with another trainer, right?"
Oak looked at Rimuru before cocking his head to the side. "What are you talking about? That's not how evolution works. Pokemon and their trainer bonds are everything. How can a Pokemon evolve by getting traded?"
Rimuru looked at Oak as he tried to shoved his laughter back down.
"Right? That's just nonsense, right?"
Rather than focusing on Rimuru's antics that was sending a verbal jab towards whoever behind the trade mechanics evolution, Ludwig looked at the Gastly again.
No trade. Just bonds were needed. Now, he had his choice already.
Across the table, Rimuru eventually noticed Ludwig had stopped scrolling again.
"You're still looking at that one, huh?"
Ludwig nodded slightly. "I think It fits me."
Rimuru chuckled. "Yeah… that definitely looks like something you'd pick."
Oak finally jumped into their conversation. "If I may ask, why do you think Gastly is a great fit for you?"
Ludwig rested the Pokédex on the table beside his coffee before answering. "First of all, it's the typing."
"Ghost and Poison?" Oak answered.
"In most fights I rely on positioning and misdirection." Ludwig continued. "My abilities allow me to control distance and movement, but what I lack is something that can weaken the opponent while I'm setting things up."
Claire immediately understood where he was going with that.
"Status pressure."
"Exactly."
Ludwig looked at Oak again after nodding at Claire.
"A poison type naturally applies pressure without constant attention. If the opponent ignores it, they weaken over time. If they focus on it, they expose themselves."
Oak's expression shifted subtly, the faint look of interest from earlier becoming something closer to approval.
"And the ghost typing?" the professor asked.
"From my interpretation, Ghost should be something that can went through the wall and any obstacles without any difficulty. Am I right?"
Oak nodded again.
"Then, they will be harder to pin down."
Rimuru chuckled softly.
"In other words, it helps you cheat better."
Ludwig ignored the comment, though the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Claire leaned back in her chair, her Pokedex still displaying the Abra entry.
"It would also divide an opponent's attention." She said calmly. "A poison threat from one direction while you manipulate the battlefield from another."
"That's the idea."
Oak seemed satisfied with the explanation. The professor folded his hands loosely on the table while glancing once more at the image of Gastly on Ludwig's device.
"Gastly are clever Pokemon." He said. "Mischievous, but clever. They tend to observe a trainer before deciding whether they are worth interacting with."
Rimuru smirked.
"Sounds like it'll fit right in at the restaurant."
Ludwig leaned back slightly in his chair while watching the morning traffic outside the café window for a moment. Trainers were beginning to move through the streets now, some heading toward the outskirts of the city where the road to Viridian Forest began.
"Ghost types prefer darker environments," Oak continued. "So, you are unlikely to find one wandering through open fields during the day."
Rimuru glanced toward Ludwig again.
"So I guess, we are going ghost hunting tonight, eh?"
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