Some Things Just Can't Be Understood

"What am I, fried duck's feet?" Maple asked. "...I would certainly hope not. That sounds disgusting even for me."

Pheobie smiled at him. "You're different." She stated simply.

"Is that good or bad?" asked Maple lazily.

Pheobie caught his hand and twined their fingers together. "Definitely good" She grinned

"Alright, just thought I would check," replied Maple as they walked along. Groovy looked back and found the hand-holding weird. "Different is such a vague word. So is interesting."

"It leaves room for improvement" Pheobie giggled. "And room for the mind to imagine"

"Or room for a veiled insult," Maple added.

Just then Ka teleported in front of them, startling Maple. He stumbled and fell backward, in inadvertently pulling Pheobie down with him. The Pichu, surprised out of its nap, ended up shocking both of them. Groovy scuttled over to check on them.

"...Please don't do that, Ka," Maple grumbled.

"...Ow" Pheobie mumbled from on top of Maple. She had landed in a somewhat compromising position.

(If oak were to find them now >:D)

"You okay?" asked Maple, still somewhat dazed.

"Alakazam!" Ka boomed.

"What?" asked Maple irritably, before noticing some rustling behind him. Maple looked up to see Professor Oak. "Oh hello Professor Oak!" A pause. "And this is not what it may look like."

"No. I hit my head on your chin" Pheobie pouted as she first sat up, then moved off of him. She picked Pichu up from where he landed. "Are you okay baby?"

"Chu..." It grumbled.

Maple got up and dusted himself off before turning to Professor Oak. He noticed the other's disapproving look.

"Uh...it really wasn't-"

"I know," Professor Oak replied, but he still looked cross. Maple wasn't sure if this was the best time to ask for a Pokedex.

"Vyle!" greeted Groovy. Professor Oak gave the plant reptile a pet on the head.

Pheobie looked up at Oak. "Hi, I'm Pheobie" she smiled

Oak turned to Pheobie and smiled, nodding to her. "Nice to meet you."

"We're here to pick up a Pokedex from you," Maple explained. "She's a new Trainer. Has her first Pokemon and everything."

"Chu!" Pichu greeted from Pheobie's hair.

"I'm learning~" Pheobie chirped.

"The extra Pokedexes are back at my lab," said Professor Oak, turning and walking in the other direction. "We'll have to go back to get one."

"I figured as much," said Professor Maple, following. "We were just enjoying the stroll. And training her Pichu up a bit."

"Is she a new assistant of yours?" asked Professor Oak.

Maple paused. Did she count as an assistant? He hadn't really given her much training as far as anomalies were concerned. The idea of her on the front lines with him scared him.

"Sorta" Pheobie answered for him. "Mostly I help with stuff around the ship and cooking." She smiled "I'm good at that kind of stuff. But he's been teaching me other stuff"

"Yeah, more of that kind of assistant," Maple answered, hoping that didn't come out sounding wrong.

Professor Oak just nodded, seeming more at ease but still oddly solemn. "I've heard you've been traveling for awhile. Where have you been?"

Pheobie stood up and dusted herself off.

"Oh here, there, everywhere," Maple answered casually enough. "Beaches and towns and forests and things. Dealing with anomalies. Glitches. That kind of thing."

Oak did not seem impressed by his answer but questioned him no further.

"We went to a zoo" Pheobie added with a smile.

"Ah yes, that too," Maple said. "So what have you been up to?"

"Research," Professor Oak replied. "On both the natural and the unnatural."

"Like ghosts?" Pheobie asked

Oak looked more grave at the word. "Yes, that is part of it."

"You started researching glitches again?" Maple said with some surprise. He knew Oak used to so extensive research on the anomalies of the Pokemon world, though it was not publicly known, but he had quit when he deemed it too dangerous for him and his family. This was why he and Gary had been fighting: Oak did not want Gary involved in such research.

"Oh. Ghosts are scary" Pheobie stated.

"That they are," Maple said. "Especially in glitch terms. A ghost is someone who's been corrupted beyond saving. Their memories are all scrambled and distorted so their personality becomes twisted. And they go after the people they knew when they were still normal."

"You say it so calmly," remarked Professor Oak.

"Hey, just because I sound calm doesn't mean it scares the crap out of me," Maple retorted.