A/N: Written for the Diversity Writing Challenge, A57 – write a piece of exactly 500 words.

Waiting for Number Three

It was a shame there were only two people working at the lab. He really wanted to explore the mysteries of the world, but it simply wasn't viable. He needed to feed himself and his wife and the small child that had a few years of growing up to do before he could help his old man – or wander off on an entirely different track. And his assistant needed to put food on his own table and a little extra into savings for any potential little ones on the way.

So neither of them could really afford to go travelling to discover the mysteries of the world. They had to leave the travelling to others. And he only wished there was someone who would be willing to go all over Johto and bring the secrets of the world to him. There was so much more than the grassy plain between New Bark Town and Cherrygrove City. There was so much more in the world.

But the town was filled with older people who'd passed the prime of their lives and had come close to the ocean to spend their quiet days. Some came to raise families. Most children were young: two years old, three, four… There were a couple closer to eight, but it was still a few years before they'd be old enough. He waited for people from other towns to come to him, but he wasn't as well known as Professor Oak. They'd pay an arm and a leg for the ticket and go to him instead.

So he waited. He kept an eye on the seven year old. Watched her play with the wild Sentret and the Pokemon he cared for at the lab. Invited her over a little more often than the other children, and taught her a little more. And hoped she'd have a spark for adventure – because she certainly had the helping people one.

Two years went by. The children grew. His assistant was a proud father to a baby boy. And, in the house next door to the lab, a young girl celebrated her tenth birthday.

Ten was a good age to start travelling. And a Pokemon would be a wonderful present, he thought. And she was a wonderful girl. He'd watched her. He'd taught her. He was sure she'd become a wonderful trainer.

And, when Professor Oak met her north of Cherrygrove, he agreed. And Professor Elm couldn't have been prouder when she returned with an egg and a Pokedex. Except when she effectively disbanded Team Rocket. Except when she caught rare and legendary Pokemon for him to meet. Or when she defeated the current Champion of Johto. Or when she defeated even the champion of Kanto, the person who'd been given their starter Pokemon from Professor Oak and who'd been the first to destroy Team Rocket.

It was worth all those years of feeling stagnant for the leaps and bounds his heart and research took after giving Kris her first Pokemon.