Chapter 52 - Back To Pallet Town

Julian had arrived near a cliff, his footsteps taking him to the very edge. From this vantage point, he gazed upon a picturesque scene below—a quaint, small town nestled amidst rolling grasslands and fertile fields for growing crops. His eyes were drawn to a distant hilltop, crowned by a colossal windmill that towered over a nearby building.

A wistful smile crossed his face as he took in the familiar sight. "It's been a long time since I left Pallet Town, and now I'm back," he mused, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "It looks like nothing has changed."

Julian returned to his bike and began riding along the familiar road that led to Pallet Town. After some time, he arrived in the tranquil town, its charm unchanged over the years. The fields surrounding the town were alive with activity, and the hardworking residents tended to their crops with smiles on their faces. In a place where everyone knew one another, outsiders like Julian always drew curious glances.

As he entered the town, Julian noticed a few people working in the fields who looked up in curiosity. Pallet Town didn't see many newcomers, and its tight-knit community was unaccustomed to unfamiliar faces. Some of them recognized Julian from his visits to Professor Oak's lab, offering friendly waves and nods of acknowledgment. However, most had no clue who he was.

Julian returned their smiles with warmth and continued on his way, making his path toward Professor Oak's lab, eager to reunite with the esteemed professor and embark on his next adventure.

As Julian made his way toward Professor Oak's lab, a familiar figure caught his eye. A woman was standing by the roadside, waving her hand in a friendly gesture, signaling for him to stop. It took a moment for recognition to dawn upon him. It was Ash's mother, Delia Ketchum. Though they had met once before during his visits to the lab, their interactions had been limited, as Julian had often been engrossed in his research and studies, while Delia would come to visit Professor Oak along with her son, Ash.

Julian approached Delia with a warm smile, a sense of nostalgia washing over him. "Mrs. Ketchum, it's a pleasure to see you again," he greeted her, his voice filled with genuine warmth. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Delia returned his smile, her eyes reflecting fond memories of their past encounters. "Oh, it certainly has," she replied, her tone friendly and welcoming. "So, you are back in town. How have you been?"

Julian briefly shared some updates about his journey and his Pokémon. Their conversation flowed naturally, like old friends catching up. It was a pleasant surprise to reconnect with someone from his past.

Delia asked with a friendly smile, "Are you heading to Professor Oak's lab?"

Julian nodded, returning her smile. "Yes, I just got back, and that's where I'm headed."

Delia's eyes lit up with delight. "Great! I was actually planning to go there too. When I saw you heading in that direction, I thought I'd be lucky if you could give me a lift."

Julian grinned, gesturing towards his bike. "No problem at all, hop on."

He started the bike and patiently waited as Delia walked toward him and took a seat behind him. She held on, her hands naturally resting on his stomach, which she couldn't help but touch subconsciously. Julian felt the contact but didn't say anything, understanding her concern as someone who was sitting on a bike for the first time. With Delia safely on board, he smoothly revved the engine and rode off towards Professor Oak's lab.

Delia slowly regained her consciousness, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment over her earlier actions. She couldn't help but feel a little flustered. What was I doing? He's so much younger than me. I shouldn't be acting this way, she scolded herself. But it has been a long time since I felt that kind of attraction.

Lost in her thoughts, Delia didn't notice that they had already arrived at the lab. It was Julian who broke the silence, gently informing her, "Miss Delia, we've reached the lab."

Startled back to reality, Delia realized she was still tightly gripping Julian's waist. Blushing furiously, she quickly released her hold and hastily made her way inside the lab, her heart racing with mixed emotions.

Julian couldn't help but sigh as he observed Delia's embarrassed reaction. He understood that his presence had stirred up emotions she hadn't felt since the day Ash was born, a day clouded by her husband's departure. Julian felt a sense of empathy, recognizing that she had been through a lot.

As he watched Delia enter the lab, Julian contemplated how he might be of assistance to her. Despite finding her still beautiful, he quickly quashed any inappropriate thoughts. He had been on dates with married women before, but those situations had arisen when they had initiated contact. In Delia's case, he didn't know how she felt about her husband or her current situation.

Julian decided it was best to investigate further and learn more about Delia's circumstances before making any assumptions or taking any action. He had always been respectful of boundaries and wanted to ensure he handled the situation with care.

Julian entered Professor Oak's lab, where he found Delia engaged in a conversation with the professor.

"Thank you, Professor, for fixing this," Delia said with gratitude.

Professor Oak chuckled warmly. "Haha, no problem at all, Delia. You know you can always come to me whenever you have any issues with your home appliances."

"Thank you, Professor. I'll keep that in mind," Delia replied before turning to leave.

As she spun around, Delia caught sight of Julian entering the lab. She felt a momentary pang of embarrassment, but quickly composed herself.

"Julian, thank you for the ride. I'll be on my way now," she said, her tone polite and slightly formal.

Julian offered a kind smile and a nod. "It's no trouble at all, Miss Delia. I enjoyed your company."

With a quickened pace, Delia made her exit, feeling too self-conscious to linger any longer. Julian watched her go, waving farewell with a warm gesture.

Professor Oak greeted Julian with surprise, "Oh, Julian, you're back so soon! I thought it would take at least another week."

Julian nodded with a smile, "I managed to collect eight badges already, so I decided to return. Plus, I wanted to deliver those evolution stones to you."

The professor chuckled, rubbing his chin, "Ah, yes, the evolution stones. I got so caught up in my research, I almost forgot about them! It's all thanks to you, you know. That Mega stone you showed me piqued my interest. By the way, do you have it with you now?"

Julian reassured him, "Don't worry, Professor Oak. I have everything you need. But before we get into that, I think I'll freshen up a bit."

Professor Oak laughed warmly, "Oh, how thoughtless of me. I got carried away with excitement. Please, Julian, make yourself at home. Your room is still here."

Julian nodded, appreciating the professor's understanding. "Thank you, Professor. I'll head to my room to freshen up."

Julian returned to his previous room, finding it almost unchanged from when he had last been there. Everything was in its place, just as he had left it when he embarked on his journey. He wasted no time and quickly undressed, refreshing himself with a quick shower. Afterward, he dressed in comfortable attire, opting for a loose shirt and a pair of half pants.

Once he was dressed, Julian made his way out of his room and into the main part of the lab. There, he found Professor Oak, meticulously noting down information about the various Pokémon in the lab's backyard. Taking a moment to collect himself, Julian inhaled deeply and then walked over to join the professor.

Julian couldn't help but reflect on the passage of time. "It's been quite a while since I've been here," he remarked.

Professor Oak nodded in agreement. "Indeed, it's been seven months since you left," he replied.

Julian smiled and called out to his Pokémon, "Come out, everyone!"

One by one, Julian released his Pokémon from their Poké Balls, with the exception of Gyarados, as there was no water nearby. He planned to take Gyarados to the nearby water source later.

Professor Oak couldn't hide his admiration as he observed Julian's well-groomed Pokémon. "They all look so healthy and well-cared for. But then again, I wouldn't expect anything less from you," he said with a chuckle.

Julian modestly responded, "You flatter me, Professor."

As Professor Oak's eyes scanned Julian's Pokémon, he suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, is that the Heatran you captured? I can hardly believe I'm seeing one right now!"

Professor Oak's fascination with Heatran prompted him to rush toward the powerful Pokémon, eager to examine it more closely.

Julian urgently cautioned, "Professor, don't touch Heatran. Its skin is extremely ho-"

But his words fell on deaf ears, as Professor Oak had already reached out and touched Heatran with his bare hands.

Professor Oak let out a loud exclamation of pain, "AAAARRRRRGGG!"

Julian shook his head, saying, "I told you not to."

Amidst the professor's grimace, a hearty laughter emerged. "Hahahaha, please don't mind me," Professor Oak chuckled. "I was just so overwhelmed with excitement at the prospect of meeting a legendary Pokémon from ancient times."

Julian reassured Heatran, saying, "Heatran, it's okay. Professor Oak won't harm you."

Heatran, understanding the situation, nodded and lowered its skin temperature, making it safe for Professor Oak to examine closely. Without wasting any time, the professor began his examination of the awe-inspiring Heatran.

Professor Oak examined Heatran closely, taking in the fascinating details. "His skin is actually made of steel, and those holes in his body radiate an immense amount of heat," he observed.

Julian nodded in agreement. "Indeed, Professor. Those holes in his body are a result of the intense heat he generates. I believe they form when Heatran is inside its egg and hasn't yet learned to control its body temperature properly."

Professor Oak was quick to respond, his excitement evident. "That's a remarkable insight. I should make a note of that right away."

After thoroughly examining Heatran, Professor Oak's attention shifted to Kabutops, the prehistoric Pokémon.

"Is this the one that emerged from the fossil you showed me?" he asked, clearly intrigued.

Julian confirmed, "Yes, that's Kabutops. He evolved from Kabuto, and I found the fossil at Seafoam Island."

Professor Oak was thoroughly engrossed in his examination of the Pokémon, scribbling notes furiously as he studied each one. He occasionally posed questions to Julian to gather more information.

"Infernape and Electabuzz have such vibrant and shiny fur," Professor Oak remarked, "and Venusaur's flower is stunning, with such bright colors. Pidgeot's wings look incredibly sturdy and strong. And Gengar seems much larger than the last time I saw him on the monitor, with a noticeably different color."

Julian offered an explanation, "Yes, Gengar is actually a shiny Pokémon."

Professor Oak nodded, understanding the change in Gengar's appearance. "Ah, that would explain the darker color. By the way, where's your Gyarados?"

Julian replied, "Gyarados is nearby. We can head to the lake, and I'll release him there."

Julian and Professor Oak, accompanied by all of Julian's Pokémon, walked for a few minutes until they reached the lake. There, they found Snorlax, peacefully asleep beneath a tree.

Professor Oak marveled at the sight. "Your Snorlax is truly formidable. When it first arrived here, it scared off a horde of Tauros with a single punch to the ground. Just look at the crater it left behind," he pointed.

Julian glanced at the impressive indentation and chuckled somewhat awkwardly. "Yeah, I got really lucky catching him without much resistance."

Professor Oak offered a reassuring perspective. "There's nothing wrong with that, Julian. Luck is also a factor in a trainer's strength."

Julian nodded in agreement. "I guess you're right."

Snorlax slowly opened his eyes and found Julian standing nearby.

Julian grinned at his colossal Pokémon. "How are you, buddy? Are you done with your nap?"

In response, Snorlax beamed and pulled Julian into a massive bear hug. Julian winced slightly from the intense pressure but soon felt some relief as it seemed to work out a few kinks in his back.

Julian chuckled and patted Snorlax affectionately. "It looks like you're hungry, my friend. No worries; I'll whip up a special meal just for you."

Snorlax seemed delighted by the prospect and promptly returned to his peaceful slumber.

Julian called out, "Gyarados, it's your turn!"

Julian's Gyarados emerged from his Poké Ball and landed gracefully on the water's surface, creating a spectacular splash. The majestic Pokémon stood an imposing 9.5 meters tall, its crimson scales glistening brilliantly under the warm sun.

Professor Oak marveled at the colossal size of Gyarados. "Oh my goodness, just look at his size. I still remember when he was just a golden Magikarp. He's grown so incredibly big."

Gyarados turned his attention to Professor Oak, recognizing him from their past interactions. Oak had taken care of Magikarp at times, which had led to a bond between them. Gyarados offered a respectful nod and a friendly greeting before starting to explore his new surroundings. The expansive lake provided ample space for him to roam freely.

Julian watched Gyarados with a fond smile before he and Professor Oak returned to the lab, leaving their Pokémon to enjoy the surroundings.

Inside the lab, Professor Oak turned the conversation toward the matter at hand. "Now that everything is settled, let's discuss the Mega Stone."

Julian nodded in agreement. "Yes, let's do that."