Hora patted Ash on the shoulder and pointed toward the adjacent vacant video phone. "Give me a spot; I need to call Professor Oak to report my progress."
Hearing "Professor Oak," Ash immediately stood up to clear a path and even reached out to hit the power button for Hora. He had always held the authority on Pokémon research in high regard, and he was naturally curious about Hora's call to the Professor.
Hora sat before the screen and expertly dialed the private number for the Oak Research Lab. While waiting for the connection, a few short Pokémon educational clips played on the screen until a familiar "click" sounded. Professor Oak's face appeared—he was holding a cup of steaming instant noodles, with a bit of soup still clinging to the corner of his mouth. He had clearly just finished some research and hadn't had time for a proper meal.
"Oh! It's Hora!" Professor Oak set down his noodles and scanned the background of the screen, instantly recognizing the insignia of the Pokémon Center. "Looking at the environment, you've already reached the Viridian City Pokémon Center, haven't you?"
"Yes, Professor, I arrived just a short while ago," Hora nodded with a smile, then leaned sideways to pull Ash into the frame. "It's not just me; Ash is here too, right beside me."
Ash leaned into the screen and waved, his tone a bit sheepish. "Hello, Professor Oak!"
"Oh? Ash is there too!" Oak raised an eyebrow, his tone turning teasing. "Your mother, Delia, just called me. She told me all about how you and Pikachu were ambushed by a flock of Spearow and how Pikachu got hurt. To be honest, I'm not surprised at all that this happened as soon as you started—given your reckless nature, it would be strange if you didn't get into trouble."
"Er... Professor," Ash turned beet-red, scratching the back of his head and laughing awkwardly, unable to find a word of rebuttal.
Oak didn't tease him for long, his tone becoming more serious. "But don't worry, Pikachu's injuries aren't severe; it will recover after a few days of rest. Speaking of Pokémon—that empty Poké Ball you took when you left, have you used it yet? How many have you caught?"
At this, Ash's head dropped even lower, his voice barely a whisper. "No... not yet. I haven't found the right one, or the ones I did find, I couldn't catch..."
"Sigh—" Professor Oak let out a heavy breath, propping his forehead with his hand, wearing an 'as expected' expression. "I actually held out a bit of hope for you since you're a trainer from my Pallet Town... but from this perspective, I'm truly an idiot!"
The merciless吐槽 made Ash's face turn even redder, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into. Hora, watching from the side, struggled to stifle a laugh. Only Professor Oak could be this blunt with Ash; anyone else would have been met with Ash's typical "hot-blooded" defense.
After finishing with Ash, Oak's gaze returned to Hora, and his tone softened considerably. "And you, Hora? Given how meticulous you are, you must have caught something by now?"
Hora rubbed his nose, smiling a bit awkwardly as well. "Professor, I haven't caught a single one either..."
His heart hammered, fearing that Oak would roast him the same way he did Ash. To his surprise, Oak didn't look disappointed; instead, he nodded with approval. "Oh? That's nothing to worry about. With your strength and standards, the Normal, Bug, and Flying types on Route 1 and in Viridian Forest simply aren't suitable for you. The most important thing for a Trainer isn't how many Pokémon they catch, but finding a partner who is compatible and shares a bond with you. Take your time, don't rush. Good things come to those who wait."
The same result—"didn't catch a Pokémon"—yet one was called an "idiot" while the other was told "good things come to those who wait."
Ash, standing nearby, stared with wide eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but all he could manage was: "...Professor, the difference in treatment here is a bit too obvious!"
"Haha, well, that's because you and Hora are different!" Oak laughed heartily, then gave a final instruction. "Alright, I have research to attend to. Stay safe in Viridian City. Especially you, Ash—don't let Pikachu get hurt again! If anything else happens, your mother is going to come complaining to me!"
After the call ended, Ash was still staring at the black screen with a sense of "resentment." "We both didn't catch anything, so why is the Professor so gentle with Hora and so fierce with me..."
Hora patted his shoulder, offering a smiling consolation. "Because the Professor knows that if he doesn't push you, you'll just stay reckless. He's吐槽ing you because he cares about you."
Ash blinked, then scratched his head and laughed. "I guess that makes sense! Once Pikachu is better, I'm definitely going to catch a Pokémon that'll make the Professor see me in a new light!"
Seeing Ash's fighting spirit reignited, Hora felt a sense of relief. Only a passionate Ash could grow through constant setbacks into the "Pokémon Master" he was destined to be.
"Oh, right!" Ash suddenly slapped his forehead as if remembering something important. He pointed toward a stone relief hanging on the wall of the lounge area, his eyes sparkling. "On my way to Viridian, I saw a Pokémon that looked just like the one carved on that tablet! It was entirely golden, trailing a long red tail, flying toward the sun. It was incredibly beautiful!"
Hora followed the direction of Ash's finger. It was a polished, blue-grey stone tablet divided into four sections by bas-relief, each depicting a different Pokémon.
He scanned the patterns: the first was a bird with wings like fire and long tail feathers, possessing a sharp beak and a majestic gaze; the second was also a bird, surrounded by lightning patterns with wings spread like a sudden thunderstorm; the third was a four-legged beast with a flaming mane and sharp claws, seemingly surrounded by flowing lava; the fourth... Hora's gaze paused. It was a bird with a golden crest and tail feathers as radiant as a rainbow, soaring elegantly through the clouds.
"Ho-Oh, Moltres, Zapdos, Entei..." Hora murmured instinctively.
The carvings on the tablet represented several legendary Guardian deities of the Kanto and Johto regions. Ho-Oh symbolized rebirth and hope, Moltres controlled fire, Zapdos ruled lightning, and Entei was the incarnation of volcanoes. Each was a being existing only in myth, and very few people ever claimed to have truly seen them.
"Huh? What are you saying?" Ash hadn't heard Hora's whisper clearly and leaned in curiously. "Do these Pokémon have names?"
Hora shook his head and pulled his gaze away. "Nothing. I just saw similar records in a book before. These are likely legendary Pokémon, said to possess power far exceeding normal Pokémon. But there has never been solid evidence to prove they really exist, let alone that anyone has actually seen them."