Nowhere to Hide

2: City of Smog and Sweets

I laughed, "I guess it takes an amateur to enter the Pokemon World Tournament."

"Oh." she mumbled, as her confident exterior shriveled, "well, the Cerise Professors are here from Vermilion, but I don't suppose you need a starter pokemon-"

"Alright, see you!" I interrupted, walking towards the door. I could feel the nurse's eyes on the back of my head.

"you didn't ask for directions," she murmured, causing my walking to come to a halt. Seeing this, Pikachu burst out in laughter.

"I thought you were on my side"

"Take two lefts, you can't miss it!"

"Thanks!" I called out, turning in the other direction.

Five Minutes Later

I approached the suburban-style building. It stuck out against its dull surroundings, not like a sore thumb, but...

An unsore thumb? 

I dunno, the point is, it looked like it was straight out of Vermilion back in Kanto, which I respected very much.

I ascended the steps and was about to ring the doorbell, but something inside was alerted to my presence first. A dog-like pokemon started loudly barking.

"Someone at the door, Yamper?" a sweet but timid, feminine voice asked. 

I decided to ring the doorbell. The door opened and the figurine of a teenage girl appeared. She had braided hair the colour of mahogany, and her eyes glistened an emerald green. She looked around my age, and though she was a step higher than me, I still was significantly taller. I still wasn't used to this.

"Hello... are you Professor Cerise?" I asked, causing Pikachu to roll his eyes.

The girl flustered to respond. "Y-yes.. but not the Cerise you're looking for".

"Someone at the door, Chloe?" a booming voice called out.

"Yeah. He's looking for you, Dad" she responded.

"Oh- I'm coming!"

I made eye contact with the middle-aged man. He had the same mahogany hair as his daughter, while his eyes seemed a calmer, more viridian jade.

" 'afternoon, sir, I'm about to ask a strange question. I came to ask... what exactly has happened in the world in the past three years?"

The man professor stayed silent I noticed the girl professor tried a fake laugh, probably thinking I was making some unfunny joke.

The man looked dumbfounded. "What do you mean what has happened in the world? Who exactly are you? A time traveler?"

I paused. "Yes technically... multiple times actually... but that's not the point. My name is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. Former Alola League Champion."

His mouth hung open as he gave me a weak handshake. 

"you're the boy who disappeared for three years."

"Guilty as charged."

He substituted his shocked slant with one of seamless, sincere strength.

"Join us for lunch, will you?"

"The pleasure is mine."

The girl's face seemed to light up when I accepted. I stepped inside as the two went ahead.

The dad spoke first. "I'll put on the tea-"

"I got it!" The girl beamed. The dad seemed to chuckle at her enthusiasm. He seemed to whisper something into her ear, causing her to turn as red as a tomato berry.