Adamo Amet
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Chapter no.54 Mother and Son part 1
🕑 Added 2025-02-22 18:51:20 +0000 UTCThe next day, the Cerulean Gym was bustling with activity.
A large white research truck pulled up to the front of the gym, its tires rolling smoothly over the pavement before coming to a steady stop. The vehicle was imposing, larger than a standard transport truck, with the Kanto Research Institute’s emblem painted on the sides—a stylized Poké Ball encircled by an atom-like design.
The truck’s rear doors swung open, and out came a team of lab-coated researchers, unloading crates of equipment, scanning devices, and storage units. Some carried heavy-duty coolers—probably filled with specimens or scientific instruments—while others adjusted the wheeled carts filled with data tablets and computers.
Austin and the Cerulean sisters stood outside, watching the organized chaos unfold.
“Well, well, well! What do we have here?”
A familiar, cocky voice rang out from the back of the truck, and before anyone could react, a figure leapt down from the vehicle.
Gary Oak.
Dressed in his signature purple long-sleeved shirt and dark jeans, his spiky brown hair catching the sunlight, Gary landed smoothly before straightening with a smug grin.
“So I hear from the old man that you discovered something big.” His grin widened. “Just so you know, I’m gonna make an even bigger discovery. Mark my words.”
Austin smirked, a chuckle slipping past his lips.
“Hey, I’m serious!”
Austin shook his head, still smiling. “No, I believe you.” He offered his hand. “Good to see you, man. Hope you’ve been doing alright since everything that happened on Mt. Moon.”
Gary paused briefly, glancing at Austin’s outstretched hand before smirking again. He shook it, his grip firm.
“You think something as small as that is gonna stop The Great Gary Oak?”
Austin chuckled. Yeah, that sounded like Gary.
“I’m glad Gary is still his confident self.”
A warm, familiar female voice rang out, turning everyone’s attention toward the truck’s main side door, which had just opened.
Austin already knew who it was before she even stepped out.
Delia Ketchum.
She emerged from the vehicle with the same gentle elegance she always carried, dressed in a peach-colored blouse and white capris. Her auburn hair was neatly tied back, and her eyes were bright with warmth.
Gary barely had time to react before his grandfather stepped down right behind her, letting out an exasperated sigh.
“Maybe he needs a little less confidence.”
Gary rolled his eyes. “Pfft. Says the guy who spent all morning geeking out over some research notes.”
Austin didn’t pay much attention to their usual banter, his focus locked on Delia.
His mother’s eyes found him immediately, her lips curving into a soft smile.
Without hesitation, she held out her arms.
Austin didn’t even think.
He stepped forward and hugged her.
It was… grounding. The scent of freshly baked pastries and fabric softener, the familiar warmth of her embrace—it was something comforting in a way he hadn’t realized he needed.
Delia leaned back slightly, studying him with a sharp motherly gaze.
“Have you been wearing clean underwear?”
Austin groaned as the Cerulean sisters burst into laughter.
“Ohhh, can’t the genius prodigy keep his underwear clean? Huh, Austin?”
Austin’s face burned. “Oh, shut up.”
Delia blinked, turning to Professor Oak. “Austin?”
The professor chuckled. “That’s the name our young Ash here is using for his research paper—keeps the reporters and sponsors from bothering his Pokémon journey.”
Delia’s expression cleared in understanding. “Oh! Well, that makes sense.”
Gary, however, snorted. “I think it’s lame.”
Austin’s eye twitched.
Gary grinned. “Seriously, couldn’t come up with something cooler? Austin? What, were ‘Ace’ and ‘Blaze’ already taken?”
Before Austin could respond, a bright, crackling spark suddenly ignited beside him.
Gary barely had time to jump back as a yellow blur leapt forward.
“PIKACHU‼”
A bolt of electricity shot from Pikachu’s cheeks, narrowly missing Gary’s foot as the rival trainer yelped, stumbling backward.
“HEY!” Gary snapped. “Keep your rat in check, Ashy-boy! Or should I say Austin?”
Austin smirked as Pikachu landed back on his shoulder, tail flicking smugly. “Maybe you should keep your mouth in check, Gar-Bear.”
The two boys locked eyes, a familiar crackling tension forming between them—one that didn’t need words to be understood.
Lightning clashed between their gazes.
“Well, I’m not surprised.”
Delia’s voice cut through the standoff.
“Not surprised about what?”
“Your father had a habit of using a nickname instead of his actual name.”
Silence.
Austin’s entire body froze.
Misty blinked. “Wait… what was it?”
“His nickname was Red Ketchum.”
Austin kept his expression neutral.
I figured as much. Blue is Gary’s father. Red is Ash’s father. But then… why is Green my age?
His head hurt but he shook off the thought for now.
“Well,” he said, forcing himself to focus, “why don’t we go inside before we start unpacking everything?”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
And just like that, the chaos was only beginning.
An hour later Professor Oak’s team worked efficiently, unloading advanced monitoring equipment and setting up analysis stations around the battle arena. The hum of machinery, the clatter of metal cases being unlatched, and the soft murmur of scientists discussing data points filled the air.
Daisy, Violet, and Lily—though usually not ones for hard labor—had rolled up their sleeves and were actively helping the researchers.
“Careful with that one,” Daisy warned, watching as a scientist positioned a large bio-sensor array near the battlefield. “If it falls, it’s so not coming outta our budget.”
“Ugh, this is so much work,” Violet groaned, but she continued carrying a bundle of cables to one of the monitors.
“Hey, think of it this way,” Lily chimed in. “We can totally say we helped with a scientific breakthrough. How many performers get to do that?”
Daisy smirked. “Yeah, plus, it makes the Gym look super professional.”
Meanwhile, Professor Oak was hunched over a clipboard, scribbling notes and calculations as he observed Magikarp resting in a large, transparent observation tank.
The tank was equipped with multiple electrodes that monitored the Pokémon’s aura output, muscle contractions, and metabolic activity. A bioscanner hummed softly, displaying fluctuating readings on a holographic screen nearby.
Professor Oak adjusted his glasses. “Fascinating… its aura signature is far weaker than that of a naturally occurring Dragon-type user, yet it’s still able to manifest Dragon Rage.”
Misty stood beside him, arms crossed, watching intently. “How are you planning to monitor Magikarp during the tournament? Will it interfere with the battles?”
Oak glanced at her with a reassuring smile. “Not at all. The sensors we’re using are non-invasive. We’ll be tracking changes in its body temperature, heart rate, and energy output in real-time—all without affecting its movement.” He tapped on his tablet. “My goal is to observe how Magikarp’s biological functions change before and after battle.”
“So, you’re looking for what exactly?”
“The metabolic cost of Dragon Rage,” Oak explained. “In theory, using a move like that should be impossibly draining for a Pokémon like Magikarp. But the fact that it can use it at all suggests something unusual in its aura distribution.”
“Aura Distribution?”
Oak nodded. “Every Pokémon has a natural aura, though for most species, it’s passive rather than active. Dragon-types, for instance, have innate reservoirs of draconic energy that fuel their Dragon-type attacks.” He gestured toward Magikarp. “But this Magikarp? It shouldn’t have enough aura density to sustain Dragon Rage, and yet… here we are. So how many times can it use Dragon Rage before it tires out?”
“From what I’ve seen?” Misty thought for a moment. “Five times. After that, it’s completely drained.”
Professor Oak tapped his chin. “Interesting. That’s half the normal limit for a trained Dragon-type.”
“Wait, really? Dragon Rage is usually used ten times?”
Oak nodded. “A healthy Gyarados or Charizard can use it ten times before hitting their natural energy threshold. If Magikarp’s limit is five, it suggests that its aura pool is significantly smaller. The question is—“
Oak’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.
“—is that limit due to Magikarp’s natural biology, or is it because its body isn’t designed to handle Dragon energy?”
Misty’s eyes widened slightly. “Wait… are you saying Magikarp might be damaging itself every time it uses Dragon Rage?”
Oak tapped a few notes on his clipboard. “We won’t know until we compare its pre-battle and post-battle metabolic readings. That’s why today’s tournament is so important.”
Misty swallowed. She had never thought about it like that. Was Magikarp hurting itself just to use that attack?
Her grip on her arms tightened. “Then I’ll make sure it doesn’t overdo it today.”
Oak smiled approvingly. “That’s exactly the kind of awareness a good trainer needs.”
Meanwhile, on the other side of the gym, Austin was standing next to his makeshift merchandise booth, watching as his mother examined one of the T-shirts on display.
Delia hummed, running her fingers over the fabric. “These designs are adorable.” She paused, eyes landing on one shirt in particular—a muscular Pikachu flexing like a bodybuilder. She raised an eyebrow, amused. “And this?”
Austin groaned internally, already feeling the heat creep up his face. He pointed at Pikachu, who was perched smugly on the table.
“…His idea.”
Pikachu puffed out his chest, striking the exact pose as the buff Pikachu on the shirt. “Pika!”
Delia laughed. “Oh, no need to be embarrassed! I love it.” She grinned at her son. “How about I buy one?”
“You can just have one.”
“What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t support my son’s business?”
“You should’ve told me this sooner. You could’ve been my first customer.”
Delia beamed. “Well, since I wasn’t, how about you make me a custom one? Something only I can wear.”
Austin chuckled. “Alright, sure. What kind of design do you want?”
Delia tilted her head playfully. “Hmm… I don’t know. Surprise me.”
Austin sighed. He already knew this conversation was going nowhere. Delia was the type of mom who would love anything just because her son made it. No, if he was doing this, he was going to make something good.
“Alright,” Austin said. “What’s your favorite Pokémon?”
Pikachu immediately tapped his chest, grinning. “Pika!”
Austin pinched his partner’s cheek. “Not you.”
Delia laughed, then paused for a moment before saying, “Riolu.”
Austin froze.
“…Wait, what?”
Delia smiled at his stunned expression. “Oh, you don’t know? Riolu is this—“
Austin kind of blanked out as she started explaining. He already knew what a Riolu was. That wasn’t what shocked him. What shocked him was that Delia’s favorite Pokémon was Riolu.
In everything he had ever seen about her, Delia Ketchum was just… Ash’s mom. A woman who cooked, cleaned, and waved happily as her son ran off on his adventure. Nothing deeper than that.
But now?
Now he had questions.
“That’s… an interesting choice,” Austin said slowly. “Why is Riolu your favorite?”
Delia smiled fondly. “Because it was the folklore hero Pokémon of the town I grew up in.”
Austin’s stomach dropped.
“…What town was that?”
“Rota.”
Austin stiffened.
His mind raced. Rota? As in, the Rota from the Lucario movie? The one with Sir Aaron’s Lucario? That means— Wait… could I actually free him? Lucario reacted to Ash’s aura in the movie. But my soul isn’t Ash’s… would it react to me?
“Sweetheart?” Delia’s voice pulled him from his spiraling thoughts. “You got really serious just now. Is something wrong?”
Austin blinked, quickly composing himself.
“Oh… no. I was just thinking of a Riolu design for you, Mom.”
Delia’s face lit up. “Oh, baby, you don’t have to think so much! I’ll just take this Pikachu shirt!”
Pikachu cheered as Delia scratched behind his ears.
Austin, however, was already lost in thought.
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[ Author Note: Do you guys want Austin to go to Rota and free Sir Aaron’s Lucario? ]
Comments
SupremeRuler17
Yep, for all the reasons he just said.
Aiden Steinman
I think Austin freeing Sir Arron’s lucario is a great idea. Especially because without plot armor he’s gonna need a safety net to protect him from major threats. Fighting people like executive Arianna is one thing but Austin would have no chance surviving against people like Giovanni and the Masked Man without a safety net. Also Lucario can help Austin train with aura and like In your previous fanfic he can help train the pokemon in agile and strong style moves like legends arceus.
