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After Liam's comforting words and promises, Delia finally stopped being angry and no longer insisted on defeating him. Her sunny smile returned—Delia had always been a considerate person, and now that she had Liam's word, she wouldn't press further. She just needed to keep trusting him.
Time passed quickly, and as evening approached, it was time to head back.
Liam didn't recall Arbok and the others into their PokeBalls, instead leaving them at Professor Oak's lab to rest for a few days and recover from the exhaustion of their long journey.
Garchomp, however, didn't stay behind. It followed Liam and Delia, walking proudly while ignoring the Pikachu and Eevee who were playfully jumping around on its back.
When Liam and Delia arrived at Professor Oak's lab, they found the door still tightly shut, with only the electronic lock on the wall glowing faintly.
As a member of the research team, Liam naturally had access. He stepped forward, tapped the electronic lock lightly, and the heavy lab door slowly slid open.
Inside, the room was dimly lit, with no overhead lights—just a few bright desk lamps illuminating the central research table.
Professor Oak was there, deep in his work. The ancient Pokémon were still in deep slumber, seemingly undisturbed by anything, their peaceful rest almost enviable to anyone who suffered from insomnia.
It was clear that Professor Oak was in the final stages of organizing his research. The table was covered in scattered notes filled with data and parameters, which he was now carefully compiling, his face brimming with excitement.
"Professor, it's getting late. We should head back. You can continue tomorrow—if we're too late, Aunt Fumikoi will be upset," Liam said from the doorway with a smile.
Only then did Professor Oak notice Liam and Delia. He quickly responded, finishing his organization before picking up the nearby PokeBalls and recalling the still-sleeping ancient Pokémon.
"Hah… I've gathered most of the essential data. It's incredible—even after tens of thousands of years, these creatures seem completely unchanged. They're truly priceless."
Reluctantly setting the PokeBalls down, Professor Oak walked over with his compiled notes, his voice tinged with awe.
Liam chuckled. "They've been in hibernation all this time, completely isolated from the outside world. To them, we might as well still be in the ancient era. It's no surprise they haven't changed."
Then, remembering something, he added, "Oh, Professor… I didn't just capture Omanyte and the others. I also caught a pretty aggressive Aerodactyl. But it's not very obedient yet, so I didn't bring it out for research."
"WHAT?! An Aerodactyl?! Liam, you have a live Aerodactyl?! I've only ever seen a few fragmented fossils! You have to show me—no excuses!"
The moment Professor Oak heard about the Aerodactyl, his eyes widened in shock. He had spoken to Liam over the phone before and knew he had captured some ancient Pokémon, but he hadn't known the specifics.
Now that he learned Liam had a living Aerodactyl, he nearly dropped his carefully organized notes in excitement, rushing over with an eager expression.
"Uh… Like I said, I haven't fully tamed it yet. If I let it out now, it could be dangerous. I don't want it going berserk and wrecking the entire lab. Don't worry, Professor—once I've properly trained it, I'll leave it with you for research."
Liam shook his head firmly, rejecting the request.
Professor Oak's face fell, disappointment clear as he reluctantly nodded. He repeatedly made Liam promise to bring the Aerodactyl later, to the point where Liam finally sighed and joked, "Professor, if you keep pushing, I might just never bring it here at all."
That finally got the professor to back off, though not without a sulky expression.
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Professor Oak drove Liam and Delia back home—Garchomp had already been returned to its PokeBall. When they arrived at Delia's house, Liam got out to visit his future in-laws.
Delia clung to his arm, her face flushed red like a ripe apple, too embarrassed to knock on her own door.
Liam was nervous too. Even though it wasn't his first time meeting the Ketchums, he couldn't shake the tension. Feeling Delia's unease through her grip only made it worse, but he refused to show it—he couldn't back down in front of her.
"Ding-dong..."
"Coming, coming! Delia, is that you? How many times have I told you to take your key when you—WHOA! Liam?! Liam, you're back?! Honey! Get out here! Look who's—I mean, look, it's Liam! He's back with Delia!"
Mr. Ketchum opened the door, his initial scolding turning into sheer excitement the moment he saw Liam. He grabbed Liam's arm as if afraid he'd vanish again, shouting into the house.
"What?! Liam's back?! Oh my—Liam! You're finally home! Do you know how much weight Delia lost while you were gone?!"
Mrs. Ketchum's voice rang out from inside, followed by rapid footsteps as she rushed to the door and, just like her husband, seized Liam in a death grip.
Liam: "Ugh… He… Hello, Mr. Ketchum. Hello, Mrs. Ketchum. Hehe..."
Staring at the two hands clutching his clothes, Liam could only laugh awkwardly, unsure what else to say.
"DAD! MOM! What are you doing?! This is so embarrassing! Ugh! I'm ignoring you!"
Delia, already red-faced, was now mortified by her parents' behavior. She shoved them away in frustration and bolted upstairs to her room, her three little Pokémon scrambling after her.
"SLAM!"
The sound of a door shutting echoed from the second floor, leaving Liam standing awkwardly with the Ketchums in the entranceway, the atmosphere thick with silence.