Pokémon: Life Finds a Way

The quiet of the evening was broken only by the occasional rustle of papers as Grandpa John sifted through them, his brow furrowed in concentration. The study was his domain—an almost sacred place where business and legacy were managed with the same careful precision he'd used in the past to build the foundation from the ground up. It was a space filled with the weight of decisions, the legacy of the Hammond name, and the scent of old leather-bound books.

Grace, as usual, was bustling about in the background, preparing dinner and humming softly to herself. I loved these moments, when everything seemed grounded in normalcy, even though beneath the surface, I could feel the tension growing. The foundation was in a delicate state, recovering from the crash of its former glory, and Grandpa's plans to hand over control to Joseph Stone and Jacob Silph had been on my mind more than I cared to admit.

Despite their reputations and intelligence, I couldn't shake my hesitation about putting Joseph Stone and Jacob Silph in charge just yet. The removal of the Hammond family legacy, along with their monstrous growth in the original Pokemon series, made me uncomfortable. I wasn't ready to trust these two men with the reins, especially after everything that had happened with my parents.

Grandpa John was getting older, though. I could see it. The sharpness in his eyes was still there, but his body wasn't as spry as it once had been. I knew he was thinking about getting the research division back on track, working toward our family's dreams once again. He'd been talking more about stepping back, but I didn't think now was the right time to hand over full control to Joseph and Jacob. Not with everything still so uncertain.

And then, there was my own recovery. I wasn't ready for the outside world to know that the heir to the Hammond family was back—not when I still felt uneasy about the executives' intentions. The last thing I needed was for something to happen to my family again, especially if it involved the threat of my position. The executives might see my return as an obstacle, and I wasn't about to give them any reason to act out of self-interest or try to undermine my family.

I'd been thinking about it all day—how to approach Grandpa without making it seem like I was questioning his decisions. After a while, I decided it was time to bring it up. Subtly.

I walked into the study, where John was hunched over a set of papers, his glasses perched at the tip of his nose. Grace entered soon after, carrying a tray of freshly made tea, setting it on the table between us with a warm smile.

"Here you go," she said, her eyes flicking between us. "I thought you two could use a little break from all this planning."

John gave her a quick, thankful look before turning back to me. "What's on your mind, Owen? You look like you've got something brewing behind those eyes."

I hesitated for just a moment before taking a seat. "I've been thinking about the research division, Grandpa. About Joseph and Jacob."

John raised an eyebrow. "What about them?"

I leaned back in my chair and let the words come out slowly, carefully. "I know you're ready to step back, but… I don't know if giving them full control right now is the best move. The research division is still recovering after my parents death, and we don't know everything about how things might shake out. Wouldn't it be better to take a little more time? Make sure everything's steady before handing over the reins?"

John sighed, rubbing his temples, but there was no irritation in his gesture—just weariness. "I've been thinking the same thing, Owen," he said slowly. "I've spent my entire life focused on business, but with the loss of your parents, I've realized that family is what matters most. I want to retire and spend more time with our family. But the business side of things... it's not slowing down. There are deadlines, expectations to meet, and I can't keep pushing myself like I used to. Time's running out, and I don't know how much longer I can keep up."

Grace, who had been quietly listening, set down her teacup with a soft clink and stepped forward. "Master John, you don't have to do everything at once. Maybe there's a way to keep things running smoothly without having to jump right back into the thick of it."

I took the opportunity to continue. "What if… what if you oversaw things remotely for now? You could keep an eye on everything without having to physically be there.."

John didn't immediately respond. Instead, he took a long sip of his tea and set the cup down, staring at it for a moment as if pondering the idea. "You know, that's not the worst suggestion I've heard," he said slowly. "I could still keep my finger on the pulse without being on the front lines all the time. But that means I'll need to stay involved in some way."

"Exactly," I said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "And if you're going to be overseeing things from a distance, maybe it wouldn't hurt to have some extra protection. I know it's not something you want to think about, but the world's a lot different now. Having a Pokémon bodyguard could give you peace of mind, especially when dealing with sensitive matters."

John raised an eyebrow at that, his expression unreadable. "A Pokémon bodyguard? That's a first. But you make a fair point."

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I mean, we've seen what some of these Pokémon are capable of. And it's not just about protecting you—it's about ensuring the foundation stays safe, too. A little backup never hurt."

Grace looked over at me, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Well, that sounds like a rather interesting idea. A bodyguard Pokémon, huh?"

I nodded. "Just a thought."

John was quiet for a moment, and then he chuckled. "Well, maybe I'll look into it. Can't hurt to have a little extra muscle around, especially with all the new developments happening."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. John wasn't fully sold yet, but I'd planted the seed. He was open to it.

"And," I added quickly, trying to steer the conversation in a more subtle direction, "there's one more thing. I'd really appreciate it if we kept my recovery within the family for now. I know it's not exactly a secret, but I'd rather not have the whole world know just yet. I still have a lot of work ahead of me, and I'm not ready for any added pressure."

Grace's eyes softened, and she gave me a reassuring smile. "Of course, Owen. We'll keep things quiet, just like we've been doing."

John nodded in agreement, his expression thoughtful. "No one outside of the family needs to know, Owen. We'll handle things on our terms. You take all the time you need to get back to full strength."

I smiled, feeling lighter now. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

We sat there for a few more moments in comfortable silence, sipping our tea, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I was glad to have had this conversation. It wasn't a complete resolution, but I had done what I could. I'd subtly steered Grandpa John in the right direction, at least for now. 

As I stood to leave, I turned back to them. "Thanks for listening. I'll keep working on the research side of things, and I'm sure we'll figure it all out together."

Grandpa John smiled and gave me a small nod. "You're a wise one, Owen. Just like your father."

I smiled faintly, trying not to let the weight of those words settle too heavily on my shoulders. I wasn't my father. But maybe—just maybe—I could find my own way.

And for now, that was enough.