Professor Oak was a happy old man. Truly, he was. He had lived a rich, fulfilling life—one defined by discovery, purpose, and, most importantly, family.
His granddaughter, Daisy, was nothing short of brilliant. Sharp-witted and fiercely ambitious, she had already carved out her legacy with the new Pallet Town Gym-slash-breeding center—a project so efficient and innovative that even Oak occasionally found himself taking notes from her.
And his grandson… ah, Blue. That boy had managed to do what most people only dreamed of. He'd discovered a new Pokémon type—something not even Oak himself, with decades of field research and academic acclaim, had accomplished. Then, as if that weren't enough, he'd gone on to become Champion of the Indigo League. Just like Oak had in his own youth, though Blue was undeniably flashier about it.
Yes, life was good.
If only his son had lived to see it all.
The only minor complaint Oak might've voiced—if prodded, perhaps with a cup of strong coffee and a gentle guilt trip—was how rarely he saw Blue these days. Daisy was still around, always stopping by to check on the lab or to restock Poké Balls with the kind of judgmental side-eye only an older sister could weaponize. But Blue? He was a comet: brilliant, blazing, and entirely too quick to vanish again.
But today?
Today was a gift.
For the first time in what felt like years, the three of them sat down together at the old oak dining table—no pun intended—sharing a warm meal, hearty laughter, and stories that got increasingly exaggerated with every retelling. Oak couldn't stop smiling. It was the kind of evening he wished he could bottle and preserve like one of his rare Bug-type specimens.
And the surprises weren't over.
Blue—his pride, his chaos incarnate of a grandson—had arrived not just with himself, but with four women. Four. Each more radiant, confident, and stylish than the last. One wore a leather flight jacket like she'd just parked a Skarmory outside. Another had a beauty queen's poise and eyes that sparkled with mischief. The third looked like she could arm-wrestle a Machamp and win. And the fourth? Mysterious, elegant, and probably able to kill a man with nothing but a Poké Puff.
Oak's heart swelled.
Could it be? Was this it? Was the Oak family… growing?
"Blue, my boy," Oak said, voice thick with emotion. "I'm so proud of you. So proud of this family. And while I'll admit I'm a little surprised you brought four women at once, well—who am I to judge? Your grandfather had a wild phase too, you know."
He turned to the women and offered them a warm, grandfatherly smile.
"Truly, I'm honored. Welcome to the Oak family."
"Thank you, Grandpa," all four women said in perfect, eerie unison.
Blue choked on his drink.
"WHAT?!" he spluttered, spraying lemonade across the table. "Wait—what just happened?!"
Daisy's eyes narrowed like a Luxray locking onto prey. Her fork hovered mid-air, trembling slightly. "Four, Blue?" she said in a tone that suggested she was mentally reviewing local alimony laws. "I knew you were a flirt, but this is a whole new level of stupid. And you brought them home?"
Blue looked around frantically, his gaze bouncing between his smirking grandfather and four perfectly composed women who clearly knew exactly what they were doing.
"I feel like this situation's been...wildly misinterpreted," he muttered, tugging at his collar.
Professor Oak simply chuckled, entirely unbothered. Whatever chaos was unfolding, the house was full again—and that was all he needed.
Besides, he'd seen weirder things in his day. Like that time someone tried to marry a Gardevoir and insisted on a full wedding registry at the Celadon Department Store.
"I see that each of you has a Pokémon," Oak said, redirecting the conversation with his usual professorial flair. "Would you mind sharing what partners you've brought with you?"
"I specialize in Flying-types," said Skylar, the one in the flight jacket. With a dramatic flick of her wrist, she summoned a gleaming Swanna in a swirl of feathers and light.
"Oh—a Swanna!" Oak leaned forward, delighted. "A rare sight in Kanto! They're native to Unova, yes?"
"That's right," Skylar replied proudly. "Same as us."
"So you're all from Unova?" Oak's eyes twinkled. "Fascinating! I've always wanted to learn more about Unovan Pokémon ecology—especially the migratory patterns of Braviary during seasonal shifts—"
Skylar's smile wavered. "Well… you could learn about it, but honestly, I doubt you'd believe the stories we have from back home."
"So," Oak said cheerfully, undeterred, "what brings you all to our humble Pallet Town?"
All four women turned in perfect synchronization and pointed at Blue.
"Blue!" Daisy groaned, slamming her hands on the table. "Oh Arceus—it's the same thing that happened with Red's mom!"
"Red's mom?" echoed everyone at the table, including Professor Oak and all four women.
"What?" Blue blinked, horrified. "There was nothing going on with Red's mom! We were just—neighbors!"
"Liar!" Daisy huffed, jabbing a finger at him. "She gave you a sweater for your birthday! You don't just give sweaters to neighbors, Blue!"
"I was cold!!" Blue shouted back, voice cracking in indignation.
Skylar leaned over to the others and whispered, "Does this happen often?"
Daisy didn't miss a beat. "Only when Blue thinks with his Poké Balls instead of his brain."
Professor Oak beamed, leaning back in his chair as the noise swirled around him. The house was chaotic, loud, and possibly involved an interregional romantic scandal—but it was alive.
Yes, life was very good.
Even if someone was definitely going to need relationship counseling by the end of the week.
———
"Alright," Blue sighed, glaring at the four girls now sprawled across his childhood bed like it was a five-star hotel suite. This… was not how he'd pictured his day going. At all.
"Skyla," he began, already bracing for impact.
"Yes?" she chirped, propping her chin on her hands, looking unnervingly chipper.
"You're a Flying-type specialist, right?"
"Of course," she nodded, the pride practically glowing off her. "Well… I was. All my birds… they died. Except Swanna. And she—" Her voice cracked suddenly, the bravado shattering. "She wasn't even my starter. I had to replace her…"
And just like that, Skyla descended into a teary mess, complete with hiccups, sniffles, and the kind of full-body sobbing Blue usually only associated with broken Legendary-catching attempts.
"I'm… sorry to hear that," Blue muttered awkwardly, shifting on his feet. Okay. Definitely not the best topic to bring up. Good job, genius.
Trying to redirect before things spiraled further, he cleared his throat. "Anyway. I've got a job for you—how'd you feel about becoming my Flying-type Gym Leader?"
Skyla blinked, tears still clinging to her lashes. "Okay?"
"Wait, your Gym Leader?" Rosa cut in, raising an eyebrow so sharply it could've sliced through a Poké Ball.
"Well, I am the Champion of Kanto," Blue said, shrugging with just the right amount of smugness to remind them all who was wearing the crown.
Certainly! Here's a refined version with a bit more polish and flow:
"I'd say you're too young for that," Caitlin said dryly, her usual regal disdain slipping through. "But then again, we did just watch you singlehandedly obliterate an army of enhanced, virus-infested, apocalyptic Pokémon. So… fair enough."
"That we did," the girls echoed, perfectly synchronized and faintly ominous.
"Alright. Any of you have other type specializations?"
"Psychic," Caitlin announced, tilting her chin skyward like she was descending from a throne. "And I will reluctantly accept your Psychic Gym. But only because I dislike owing people favors."
Blue blinked. There it was. The full princess package. He was pretty sure she had her own theme music at this point.
"Yeah, about that… the Psychic Gym's already taken. Sorry."
"WHAT?!" Caitlin shot up, practically levitating off the bed with sheer rage. "I am a psychic! Who could possibly be better than me?"
Blue considered lying. Instead, he sipped his water.
Elesa spoke next, cool as ice and sharp as lightning. "Electric," she said, and it wasn't even a declaration—it was a fact, like gravity.
Of course it was. Some things never changed. Not across dimensions, timelines, or shattered regions. People remained themselves, even when the world crumbled beneath their feet. Elesa still crackled with charisma and energy, a storm in heels.
But that did leave Blue with a small issue. The Electric Gym was still technically Surge's, and Surge… well, Surge was needed somewhere with fewer spectators and more dynamite.
Elesa? She belonged on magazine covers and tourism billboards. She could turn Celadon into a runway and the League into a brand.
"You'll take the Electric Gym," Blue said, already imagining her promotional campaign. "You're going to make Celadon shine."
A scoff cut through the room.
"Why does she get a Gym, and I get nothing?" Caitlin snapped, arms folded like a queen mid-coup.
Before Blue could respond, Rosa chimed in, practically bouncing. "And me? What about me? I'm not a type specialist, but I'm definitely the strongest trainer in our group!"
Blue opened his mouth, then closed it again. To be honest, he hadn't really figured out where to put her yet. What he needed wasn't just Gym Leaders—he needed a functioning system. And for that, he needed someone with energy, multitasking skills, and enough raw enthusiasm to keep a Rapidash stabled.
"You, uh… want to be my secretary?" he asked, half-winced.
Rosa's eyes lit up. "YES! I accept!"
That was fast.
Elesa snapped her head around. "Why does she get to be your secretary?"
Skyla sat upright. "Wait, secretary? I want that job! I didn't know that was an option!"
Blue blinked. "Wait, what? Why would any of you want to be a secretary?"
The three of them turned, eyes gleaming with the terrifying unity of synchronized fanservice.
"Because your secretary is always by your side!"
Silence.
Rosa smirked and slid an inch closer to Blue, arms crossed, posture victorious. Her smugness had smugness.
Blue groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, that's it."
He dropped a towering stack of books on the table with a thud that echoed like judgment. The girls jumped.
"I don't know how much you actually learned about Kanto before your world went to hell," he said sharply. "But this isn't your home. Not yet. And most of you now hold leadership roles. That means one thing: you have to learn."
He jabbed a finger at the books. "Kanto's geography. Gym structure. Intercity logistics. Crisis response protocol. Read them. Then we talk."
He turned to Elesa. "You're getting Celadon. Biggest population. Routes 8, 16, and 17 fall under your jurisdiction. I picked you because I need the city to shine again—fashion, tourism, commerce. You're the brand. But there's backlash coming. The Electric Gym's been in Vermilion since forever. You'll need to prove yourself."
Elesa smiled, electric and assured. "Don't worry. I always make it work."
Blue nodded and turned to Rosa. "The Indigo Plateau is… probably a bureaucratic nightmare right now. I need someone to keep the lights on while I'm out dealing with crises. Until further notice, you're my secretary and second-in-command."
Rosa saluted. "Yes, sir."
Caitlin crossed her arms tighter. "And what about me? Am I just a glorified intern?"
Blue gave her a look. "Your powers are impressive. But unstable. I'm assigning you to Sabrina."
Caitlin blinked. "You're… serious?"
Blue turned to Caitlin, his expression all business. "Sabrina has reached a level of psychic control you haven't—yet. Train under her. Learn restraint. Show me you can control your powers instead of letting them control you. Then we'll talk promotion."
Caitlin let out a sharp breath through her nose, arms folding tighter across her chest. "So I'm being babysat."
"You're being mentored," Blue corrected, deadpan. "By someone who could probably bend reality into a pretzel if she got bored enough. If you're lucky, she'll only haunt your dreams once or twice."
Her eyes narrowed, but after a beat of stubborn silence, she muttered, "...Fine. But I'm not meditating in any weird incense fog dens."
Blue gave her a flat look. "That's between you and Sabrina. May Arceus have mercy."
He turned to Skyla next. "You're getting Vermilion City."
Skyla blinked. "Vermilion? Isn't that Surge's base?"
"Was. He's being reassigned to a high-risk field op. I need someone who can take the spotlight—and keep the public inspired. That's you."
Skyla's grin was immediate, bright as a Wingull mid-dive. But it faltered just as quickly.
"You'll be sharing the city," Blue continued, "with Erika."
Skyla blinked again, slower this time. "Wait. Erika? Miss Lavender-Infused Tea and Whispered Poetry Erika?"
"The very one."
Skyla frowned. "Sharing a Gym?"
"Not exactly," Blue said. "You'll both have your own facilities. Separate buildings. Separate League affiliations. The only thing you'll be sharing is the city. It's unusual, but not without precedent. Saffron runs a similar setup."
Skyla tilted her head. "And I'm guessing she's not going to send me a fruit basket."
"She'll be furious," Blue said bluntly. "But once she realizes the eastern forests around Vermilion are a paradise for her Oddish and Bellsprout—and that the air isn't heavy with Celadon smog—she'll come around."
Skyla crossed her arms, thoughtful. "Well, at least her entire team's weak to Flying-types. Should help Swanna work through some issues."
Blue arched an eyebrow.
She gave him a sunny, slightly wicked smile. "It'll be therapeutic."
"Good to know," he said dryly. "Route 5 will also fall under your jurisdiction. You'll handle air patrols, emergency response, port oversight. It's one of our major transit hubs, so I need someone with speed, vision, and altitude advantage."
Skyla's eyes lit up again, excitement rekindled. "Now that sounds like my kind of mission."
Then came the smirk—confident, just this side of dangerous. "Don't worry. I'll keep Erika's flower beds nice and trimmed."
Blue gave her a look halfway between warning and weary amusement. "Please don't start a horticultural turf war."
Skyla winked. "No promises."
Blue allowed himself the tiniest smile. "Good. You've all got your assignments. Let's get to work."
The girls straightened.
"Yes!" they shouted in unison.
And for a fleeting moment, Blue felt something almost like hope.
Until he realized they were all still on his bed.
"Seriously. Get off my bed."