Edmund knew right away that he made things awkward.
The guy just stared at him like he was an idiot.
Edmund didn't fault him; it really did sound ridiculous even as he just blurted it out. Some kid, not having even started his Journey yet, asked some Researcher or whatever who had been under Professor Oak if he wanted to make some money.
At best, it sounded like a scam.
Instead, he wondered if he should have done things differently.
Should he have just let Gastly come out to meet Professor Oak? Maybe things would have been different, probably not though.
No, he knew it wouldn't have changed things, which is why he didn't ask Gastly to come out.
At the end, it was clear that Professor Oak wasn't going to greenlight a sponsorship with his name on it if Edmund couldn't even convincingly interact with the Pokémon on his ranch that seemed inordinately friendly.
So, at that point, why even let Gastly come out? Why let someone who doesn't need to know that he's friendly with a ghost know when it seems like everyone else treats them as taboo?
Maybe he was just being cynical.
"Kid." Julian breathed out. "I don't need some get-rich-quick scheme. I'm not that desperate."
"It's not." Edmund responded. "It's a partnership. I need something from you. You clearly need some funding, right?"
Julian sighed. "Look, I get it. You're in a shit spot because you lost the chance at a sponsorship –"
"Rare Pokémon." Edmund interrupted him. "I know where some are. Some that will make a lot of money."
The Researcher paused. He raised an eyebrow, evaluating Edmund for several moments. "You're like….what, sixteen, not even started your Journey. Do you seriously expect me to believe this crap?"
"Do you have anything to lose just from hearing me out?" Edmund replied. "Wild, not owned by someone else," he made sure to add. "Not illegal."
"Jeez…" He scratched his head with another sigh. "Did you get the interview with the old man from connections or merit?"
"Is there a difference?"
"Yeah, if you got it because someone recommended you that the old man trusts or if the old man himself saw something in you, then that's one thing. But if it was through connections, then your parents are probably loaded and spent a fortune to buy your spot."
Edmund clenched his jaw. "How much does a spot cost?"
Julian blinked. "I don't remember the exact amount, maybe like three years of a median salary in the region for a family?"
Edmund didn't react, doing his best to keep his emotions in check on the surface. But it just tore a new pit out in his stomach knowing that he blew the chance when it cost his parents such an exorbitant amount.
His family was well-off.
His family wasn't filthy rich.
Edmund forced those thoughts down. "Yeah, my parents paid for my spot."
He understood what Julian was asking now.
One side was filled with wide-eyed kids who probably come from regular backgrounds and lucked into a spot. While from Edmund's end, it's the wealthy side, and thus, Julian would be more open to listening if Edmund came from a rich background.
Edmund didn't clarify, only stating the facts.
"Fine, fine." Julian waved his hand. "Come back to my place; it's just up the road. We can talk in private."
Edmund nodded silently, following behind Julian.
Just as he said, his house was literally a five-minute walk away from Professor Oak's place. A small two-bedroom house, about the norm in this town.
He unceremoniously threw the door open, walking inside with Edmund behind him.
It was…not dissimilar to the inside of Oak's place. Messier, though, cluttered, not dirty, but clearly someone who works here daily.
Julian threw himself onto a seat, gesturing to another one for me while he leaned back and stared at the ceiling like someone who had his future hopes crushed.
Edmund could pick it out because he was feeling similar.
"I want a sponsorship like what I'd get from Professor Oak. Pretend to be working for him and fill in the blanks for my parents." Edmund decided to cut right to the chase. "I don't want them to know anything went wrong."
Julian let out a laugh. "Do you also want me to shit gold for you?"
Edmund frowned but kept going. "Can you get your hands on a Pokedex? You're a researcher like Professor Oak, right?"
Julian adjusted himself in his seat. "You really have no idea what my status is, do you?"
"I'm taking several shots in the dark." Edmund admitted. If he was wrong, then whatever, he wasted a few minutes.
Julian rubbed his temples. "Right, not surprising. Most people don't really know how Researchers works."
"Is there a difference between you and Oak?"
"Is there a difference? Is there a difference?" He shook his head. "Is there a difference between a random League finalist and the Champion?"
Edmund frowned. "Explain it clearly then."
"Right, there are basically two…job titles for my profession, kid. You got your Junior Researchers, the new wide-eyed brats who get into things. Then you got the seasoned professionals like me; we're just Researchers. Each region has one, maybe two, professors."
"Is it possible or not?"
Julian grunted. "Impatient little shit, aren't you? We haven't even made a deal yet about your "rare Pokémon worth a lot of money." He said a bit mockingly. "I got a couple of Pokedexes from the last generation somewhere; does that make you feel better?"
It would do, Edmund nodded.
"I want full support, everything I would get from Professor Oak being my sponsor."
"You're actually serious." He adjusted himself again. "Kid, if I had the kind of money to do something like that, do you think I would have sold my research to the highest bidder?"
"What's the problem exactly?"
"What's the problem? Do you have any idea how much it costs to house Pokémon? Just food costs alone!"
"That won't be much of an issue, if at all, until later." Edmund already realized he wasn't going to be a normal trainer. He glanced down at his shadow and made a few guesses.
Julian laughed self-deprecatingly. "Right, of course it won't be; you seem to have everything figured out. Alrighty then, stabling won't be an issue in Wonderland. What else do you need, kiddo?"
"Everything else."
Truthfully, Edmund didn't really know much of what the sponsorship actually entailed.
"Let's put that on hold for now." Julian's look already said he didn't believe Edmund. Like he was mentally kicking himself for letting things get this far. "And about these magical rare Pokémon. Where and what?"
"I'm not telling you where."
"...righty then, this has been a big waste of time. Next time if you want to scam someone, maybe do it to someone who actually has money." He offered some sarcastic advice.
"Hypothetically speaking, how much would an Onix made of crystal be worth?" Edmund asked.
Julian stopped mid-spiel and jerked his head back to Edmund, silently considering what he said. ".....hypothetically speaking, that sounds like a 'Shiny,' as most Trainers call them. Might be worth a pretty penny, but a far cry from some huge fortune."
"What if it had a different typing?"
Now, that got Julian's expression to change. "...what typing?"
"Probably a water type. It enjoys going for swims." Edmund recalled what he remembered from his memories.
"Kid." Julian leaned forward. "Are you claiming you discovered a variant of Onix? One that has a Water typing?"
"Maybe, maybe not." Edmund crossed his arms.
Julian tapped his finger on his chair, staring off into the distance as if evaluating the information he had been given. "...I can't believe I'm even considering this. This sounds so fucking scammy that I know I'd get laughed at if I told anyone else."
"Like you said, what's the point in scamming a broke person?"
"Harsh…but true." Julian sighed. "How do you know about it?"
"Not telling."
"Where is it located?"
"Secret."
"...what can you tell me about it otherwise?"
"That's all you're getting."
"You're being uncooperative."
"I'm being practical. Who knows what you might do if you know where to find it?" Edmund pointed out.
"Untrustworthy little shit you are." He muttered under his breath. "You said 'rare Pokémon,' as in plural, before. What else have you got?"
"That's all you're getting for now. If things work out, we can extend our partnership." Edmund was still unmoving.
Julian shook his head in disbelief.
"Tell me about what happened with Professor Oak." Edmund spoke up again.
"Seriously?" He looked up.
"If we're going to be partners, I want to know who I'm partnering with." Edmund said.
It was something he learned before, a long time ago. If he worked with someone doing…unsavory things, he wanted to know more about them to know what he was getting into. You can tell a lot about a person based on small things.
"There's not much to tell, kid. The old man took me in because I had a fondness for Pokémon and wanted to be a researcher when I was a brat. Not that I was special or anything; he has a couple dozen Researchers on payroll at nearly any given time."
"Why'd you have an argument? Was it really a falling out?"
Julian grunted in annoyance. "As great as the old man is, he's old and stubborn, set in his ways. He climbed to his position with hard work, you know. Walked both ways uphill in snow and storm while being attacked by wild Pokémon every day. Expects everyone else to have the same 'principles.' Doesn't understand that the world is different from when he had to make his way. He hates 'sellouts,' you know. He thinks all research should go to helping Pokémon and people alike. Not be used by corporations to turn a profit. It's why he charges so much for brats like you to interview with him to maybe get a sponsorship. Spoiler, it's rare for someone who bought their way into his office to get one."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Edmund frowned.
"It means if you paid to be there, he's going to be harsher on you. He doesn't like it when people treat the whole thing like a business meeting. He wants wide-eyed kids gushing over every Pokémon, shouting about how they're going to be the next Champion or what have you."
Edmund felt his hands clench. "So it was bullshit from the start?"
Julian snorted. "Don't start crying on me; it was legit. The Old Man isn't heartless; he wasn't just milking money from rich folks. He just has a type he prefers, and most rich kids don't fall under it."
"And how'd you get out of his 'good graces'?"
"It's nothing special. I needed money a few times; my research showed promise, and I sold the results to a few corporations. The Old Man hates that the most; he did it a few more times, and it finally blew up. He doesn't seem to understand that you can't fund your research by just writing up research papers and releasing them publicly anymore. That the League isn't chomping at the bit to hire on random researcher #15737 because he figured out that Snorlax likes to eat a certain type of berries."
"Do you hate him?" Edmund asked.
"Fuck no, kid. You have to understand, I'm pissed. I'd be happy to punch him in his hypocritical mouth if he were 20 years younger, but the old man is someone we all respect in our community. Shit, he's the whole reason I found my love for what I do. If I ever hear someone say bad shit about the old man, I'd be getting in a fight."
It said a lot about Professor Oak that even someone falling out with him had that kind of thing to say.
"He's like the grandfather to all of us." Julian spoke again, his tone going softer. "I'll never forget everything he did for us. He's my hero. But, also, fuck him."
Edmund's lips twitched slightly, finding it funny.
"Seriously, you should see his actual grandson. Biggest little shit I've ever seen in my life. Arrogant and spoiled rotten, by guess who. Yet gives shit to everyone else about 'money not being everything.'" Julian rolled his eyes. 'If, and I mean if, I agree to this bullshit, one of my conditions is that you beat the crap out of his grandson in a fight. He's also turning Trainer age next week and getting started on his Journey."
Edmund recalled Gary Oak from the media in his past life. He truly was an arrogant asshole when he first appeared.
"So, that's where I'm at, kid. Broke because my research wasn't actually worth that much, and now I don't even have the old man's name to take shade under anymore." Julian ran a hand through his hair, sitting back. "Any other embarrassments about my life you want to know?"
"How much do you actually have?" Edmund asked, wanting to know what their timetable would be like.
"Now this sounds like a proper scam." He snorted. "Maybe a few months to cover the bills."
"Three months, give me three months." Edmund held up his fingers.
Julian pursed his lips, looking thoughtful. "What reassurances are you giving me, kid? Some magical rare Pokémon that may or may not exist isn't exactly the safest wager I'd ever made in my life."
"Considering I want you to play nice with my family and make them think I didn't fuck up the interview, you can just take me down with you if I don't deliver. Might not seem as bad as your situation, but it'd fuck me over just as well." Edmund was blunt in his admittance.
"Well, how wholesome. I guess I won't be living in a cardboard box alone then. If you fuck things up, then we can be roommates." He said dryly. "Is this really what you want, kid?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know, rare Pokémon catchers aren't exactly the most illustrious sort. If you go around catching rare Pokémon, people will notice, and you'll make a certain name for yourself in the wrong ways."
"Cover for me."
"What?"
"Be my intermediary. You handle everything, you find buyers, and you face any customers; I'll supply the rare Pokémon. I'll keep my identity completely secret."
"So, you want me to take all the heat." He deadpanned.
"30%," Edmund offered.
"50%"
"30%." Edmund countered with a dry look.
Julian raised an eyebrow. "You may be doing the potential legwork, but it would be my connections, brat. I know people; my name is something that can reassure people. I worked for Oak for years; that opens a lot of doors. Likewise, Oak isn't going to broadcast that we…went our separate ways."
"40%," Edmund offered, holding his hand out.
Julian stared at it for a long moment. "I really can't believe I'm buying into this shit, but fuck it." He took Edmund's hand, shaking it. "I'll give you three months to show me what you've got, kid."
"You won't regret it." Edmund stated.
Julian got up, stretching his arms. "So we have to deal with the details. You need a Pokedex to get this ruse going. You're lucky I had a few; I wasn't lying about that. But…they're not exactly working right. The Old Man doesn't like even the old ones getting out of his sight, but since they were 'broken,' he didn't really care. I'll fix one up; it should be good by tomorrow."
Edmund nodded.
A Pokedex wasn't just a piece of equipment; it was a certain status symbol that opened doors that would normally be closed.
"There's an issue, though." Edmund finally said, glancing down at his shadow. He took a deep breath. Truthfully, he was much more trusting in an equal financial relationship than in most other situations. "I…need you to help me trick my parents about what Pokémon I have."
Julian paused, shifting through some drawers. "What, is your family some kind of breeders? I hear they get pissed if their kids go for types other than the ones they breed."
"...no."
"Hypothetically speaking—"
"Kid, just spit it out. We're already skirting the line of a bunch of legalities, and we're probably going to be hopping over that line based on the type of business we're getting into."
"Come on out, buddy," Edmund whispered.
Julian turned around, hearing his words, and saw the Gastly slowly float out of his shadow.
Julian went stiff, eyeing the Pokémon steadily. "That's a Gastly."
"Gastly." The Pokémon responded playfully.
"Are you scared?" Edmund asked.
"I'm a Researcher, kid. I've been around Ghosts before. I'm not scared; I'm cautious." He pointed out. "Right, I understand why you need me to lie to your parents. Can't imagine they'd be okay with you having a Ghost as your starter. People who do have Ghosts usually wait until they get a bunch of badges before trying. Which is still a very small portion, mind you."
Edmund reached up and rubbed Gastly, much to the Pokémon's happiness. "He's been following me around for a while and saved me once too. Don't know why, but I get along with him well."
Julian still stared at Gastly, as if watching to make sure it didn't do anything. "You're seriously wanting to play on hard mode, aren't you?" He shook his head. "Do you need me to tell you how Ghost types are perceived?"
"I'm aware." He drawled back.
"You're going to be a pariah, especially because it's your starter. Most folks think that your starter says a lot about a person. They're going to look at that and avoid you, you know."
"Don't have much of a choice; other Pokémon seem to avoid me. Even Professor Oak didn't really want me touching them, which seemed to be the reason he rejected me."
Julian scratched his head, relaxing slightly. "Makes sense. The Old Man always went on about how Pokémon knew people better than other people did. But that's some sure weird shit. Did you tell him? That's the kind of thing he'd be interested in."
"I told him." Edmund nodded. "Sorta, told him that no other Pokémon seemed to like me, didn't mention Ghosts, was kind of afraid too, and at that point the sponsorship was out the door already. He did offer to check me out in, like, seven months."
Julian grunted. "Well, if you're interested, go check with him in seven months; it's a genuine offer. He doesn't bullshit with things like that."
"Really?" Edmund raised an eyebrow. "Sounded like something he said just to get me to leave."
Julian shook his head. "You have no idea how busy the old man usually is. Do you think you're even the only kid coming for an 'interview' just today? If he said seven months, that's probably accurate to when he'd have time to sit down and help you figure things out."
Edmund considered it and would see what's happening seven months from now. In hindsight, it made sense. It's not like Professor Oak could just drop everything he was doing to investigate Edmund's weirdness.
"You worked under Professor Oak."
"Yeah…there's a question in there?"
"How much…interaction did you have with other Regions? Hypothetically, could you reach out using your connections to maybe get some stuff sent over?"
Julian raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think we were getting into the illegal stuff so quickly." He let out a sigh. "Ask me this question after three months; maybe I'll have an answer you like."
Edmund nodded.
"So what's the plan now?" He asked.
"You're asking me, isn't this your rodeo, kid?"
To be honest, Edmund didn't really plan this far ahead. He saw an opportunity and tried to grab it with both hands in desperation.
Though he certainly felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. There was still the pit in his stomach about his parents. They treated him well, and…he didn't want to disappoint them.
It was better for them to think he was doing good.
Julian ran a hand through his hair again, grabbing a floating folder of documents out of the air as Gastly began to play around, floating things up randomly. "I'll give your parents a call, alright? I put on my best makeup and everything to tell them that their special little boy passed with flying colors. I'll even feed them some crap that you need to come on the day you start your Journey to pick up your starter because it's tradition. Should give you the breathing room you needed."
Gastly nodded solemnly, though the mood was ruined because Gastly licked him across the cheek.
Though, there was still one issue.
He hadn't asked Gastly yet if he wanted to join him.
However, seeing Gastly laugh as Edmund grabbed him didn't make him particularly worried about that.
@***@
A/N
Edmund making plans on how to go forward, making his own way. Hopefully, this cleared up some misunderstandings or questions people had last chapter. Edmund's decision to not reveal Gastly basically was 'No point now' and simply didn't want to advertise it. He's the type to keep things close to his chest. Wanted to elaborate on Oak too, he wasn't being dismissive or uncaring, he's just super overworked and busy with a sort of old and stubborn mindset, but still the lovable old grandpa figure.