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Sato wasn't thick-skinned enough to outright ask Professor Oak for methods to raise a Dratini.
Of course, that would be the stupidest way to go about it. Instead, Sato decided to go with a more subtle, behind-the-scenes approach to get what he wanted.
Leaving Pokémon in Professor Oak's care was undoubtedly the most discreet and efficient method. Oak was widely regarded as a master of Pokémon training, and that reputation wasn't just hot air—it was backed by substance.
Just look at how well Ash's Pokémon turned out under his care. For example, his Kingler and Snorlax—both had been left at Oak's lab since capture.
Yet those two Pokémon delivered outstanding performances during the Indigo League and Johto League respectively.
Kingler in particular was astonishing. In its very first battle under Ash, not only did it evolve into a Kingler, but it also managed a three-sweep performance.
Even more unbelievable was how it used Hyper Beam right after evolving. There's no way that happened without Professor Oak giving it some extra, behind-the-scenes attention.
Compared to Kingler and Snorlax, Dratini was undeniably more valuable, with even greater research potential—especially since this was a Dratini Pokémon egg. That only made it more of a gold mine.
Knowing Professor Oak's obsession with research, Sato was sure the professor would be very interested in caring for an un-hatched Dratini egg.
Even if Oak declined, Sato still had three trump cards up his sleeve to ensure cooperation.
Yes, his trump cards were: a shiny Pelipper, a shiny Beautifly, and a shiny Gyarados.
Shiny Pokémon were unimaginably rare in the world of Pokémon—possibly even rarer than pseudo-legendary Dragon-types. Their research value far surpassed that of ordinary Pokémon.
Sato could guarantee it: the moment Oak laid eyes on the shiny Pelipper, shiny Beautifly, and especially the shiny Gyarados, he'd get stars in his eyes and instantly switch into research-maniac mode.
At that point, Sato wouldn't even need to ask. Oak would be begging him to let him study the shinies. And in return, leaving the Dratini egg in Oak's care would be easy as pie.
Once Professor Oak agreed to look after the egg, given how high-maintenance pseudo-legendary Dragon-types were, he'd naturally pour lots of effort into it.
And over time, emotional attachment would follow. It was only human.
With Oak investing so much effort into raising the Dratini, there's no way he'd be okay with it ending up weak or poorly trained. He'd probably even give it some personal coaching.
After all, Prof. Oak had a Level 96 Dragonite. Having that Dragonite mentor the Dratini would be a breeze—just one word from him. Under a champion-tier Dragonite's guidance, the Dratini would practically have to grow stronger.
Obviously, even someone as experienced as Professor Oak still viewed pseudo-legendary Dragon-types as extremely valuable research subjects. He instantly recognized the egg in Sato's hands as a Dratini egg.
"This is a Dratini egg, isn't it? Sato, my boy, you really are something else—managing to find such a rare Pokémon. No problem at all! I've got time, I'll be happy to look after it for you. That is, if you don't mind me doing a bit of research while I'm at it, heh heh heh~"
In a flash, Professor Oak's eyes lit up like a starving man spotting a gourmet feast. He rubbed his hands together excitedly and looked at Sato with a… disturbingly eager expression.
Maybe it was just his imagination, but suddenly Sato found this highly respected elder to look a little… creepy.
"Then I'll leave it to you. As you know, with how things are for me right now, it's hard to spare the energy to care for it properly. You've raised a Dragonite yourself, so you're definitely an expert in raising Dratini. I feel totally at ease leaving it with you."
"Oh, and I have a few more Pokémon I'd like to entrust to you. But it's a bit cramped in here—shall we head out to the backyard?"
Sato's scalp tingled a bit under Oak's ravenous gaze, but since he'd gotten the green light, he decided to strike while the iron was hot and leave the shiny Gyarados and the others in Oak's care too.
In Sato's mind, Professor Oak's lab was hands down the most ideal place to store Pokémon. He had zero concerns about their safety or well-being—Oak would definitely look after them with great care.
Besides, the Pokémon stored here were mostly from Pallet Town trainers, and most were quite strong.
So Sato didn't need to worry about his Pokémon getting rusty or weak from staying there. In fact, they might even reap some unexpected benefits.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go, let's go—off to the backyard!"
Professor Oak's grin grew even wider at Sato's words. He grabbed Sato's arm and practically dragged him toward the back garden. His steps were light and quick—he looked nothing like a man in his sixties.
Truth be told, Professor Oak had been drooling over Sato's Pokémon ever since a month ago. He'd wanted to keep Sato around just so he could study those remarkably gifted Pokémon more closely. Now that Sato was offering, Oak couldn't be happier.
As for Sato's little scheme? Oak didn't care in the slightest. His lab had hundreds—maybe even over a thousand—Pokémon in storage. Adding a few more to the list wouldn't hurt a bit.
A few minutes later, in the backyard, Oak finally laid eyes on Sato's shiny Beautifly and shiny Gyarados—this time, unmasked and in their full glory. Especially the shiny Gyarados—it left Oak completely dumbfounded.
"T-This…. These are shiny Pokémon! Sato, my boy, you really are a lucky trainer. Shiny Pokémon are rare beyond belief, and you actually caught two of them? Good heavens—a shiny Gyarados at that! I've never seen one in real life before!"
"Sato, you can't say no this time. You absolutely must let me keep them here. I'll take excellent care of them—and do a bit of research too. I've got a feeling I'm on the verge of a major breakthrough!"
Looking at the shiny Beautifly and shiny Gyarados in front of him, Professor Oak's face turned bright red with excitement—far more thrilled than when he saw the Dratini egg. His eyes once again lit up with that research-fueled hunger as he spoke to Sato.
Without waiting for a reply, he rushed over to the Pokémon, completely unafraid of getting attacked. He pulled a pen and notebook out of his pocket and immediately started jotting down detailed observations.
"As long as you're happy, Professor."
Sato responded with a beaming smile.
"Oh right—there are still a few more Pokémon I'd like to ask you to look after. Would you mind if I…"