How To Love: In Steps - Pokemon Fanfic [ON HOLD - Currently Being Revised]

Prologue

"Kalos is finally safe from the devious Team Flare, thanks to help from two brave young boys," the reporter announces.

"These Trainers went straight from the Lumiose Conference to defending Kalos against the nefarious Lysandre Labs owner, managing to get the upperhand with the help of other skilled trainers."

A picture is pulled up of the two boys and their Pokémon.

Kukui's eyes widen and he almost chokes on the warm drink.

It was the finalists. Ash and Alain. Some other children were with them.

The boys are in a side hug, with Ash grinning from ear to ear. His partner Pikachu waved and smiled from his shoulder.

They were... children...! Children helping grown adults - police - trained to handle situations like that.

(He conveniently ignored that nobody was trained to handle a situation like Kalos. It was the first time someone like that ever happened. But that still was no reason for children to be assisting the police in attacking the criminals.)

"Ash Ketchum..." he mumbles under his breath.

Arceus, where did he hear that name?

He grabs his labcoat, pulling it on and heading down to his lab.

Kukui sits down, typing in the name of the boy in the photo.

"Ketchum with a 't,'" he mumbles to himself.

He scrolls through, humming in surprise.

The kid had been in two...

Five...

Six Pokémon Leagues.

The Indigo League, Silver League, Ever Grande, Lily of the Valley, and Vertress Conferences, plus Kalos' Lumiose Conference.

That was practically every region outside of Alola.

And he thought his one League participation was something to brag about.

Ash had been involved in temporarily taking down several illegal operations. From bringing Team Rocket down in Kanto to the Team Flare Crisis in Kalos earlier today.

"Where was the police during this?" he asks himself as he scans through the articles.

No child (even if he was considered a legal adult in Kanto) should have to go through what he's gone through.

Hell, imagine what it must take to constantly have to deal with issues Officer Jenny and the International Police should be working on, and keep smiling like in that picture.

Because, trust him, that smile lit up the entire living room.

Kukui sighs softly, shaking his head and turning off the computer.

If only he could do something about it.

》》》》》》

Kukui types at his laptop rapidly. He was finishing up some paperwork that's he'd been leaving off for far too long.

"Rrrruff...!" he hears.

He sits up, looking around. Was there a Pokémon inside the house?

He's about to stand up when a small Pokémon wanders in through the little Pokémon door.

A Rockruff.

It looks up, meeting his eyes.

Kukui fully expects it to attack.