The gym was empty by the time Ralph had organised his Pokémon and worked out just where Mauville was. Hoenn seemed so much more difficult to navigate than his native Kanto, and he wondered whether making the move from the beautiful Lavender Town was the right decision.
Marowak certainly didn't think so. He'd refused to leave the house that morning and had managed to evade his Pokéball numerous times, before Ralph asked Machoke to hold the ground-type in place. Ralph believed in letting his Pokémon out of their balls when they were at home, thinking it would make them more agreeable to return when he was heading out. Normally this was the case; but since they'd come to Hoenn, Marowak had been anything but co-operative. He'd never left Kanto – then again, nor had Ralph.
"He left about half an hour ago," grunted a blue-haired trainer as he sparred with his Raichu. "He sometimes goes to the Day Care to the west. Could try there."
"Thanks, will do." Ralph couldn't help but notice everyone was using electric-type Pokémon here. Why did every gym do that? Didn't it just make it easy to prepare for? He'd never understand Gym Leaders and their insistence on having a glaring weakness in their team.
So Ralph set off. He would normally use Tauros to get around quicker, but he wanted to see more of Hoenn – something rather difficult when his bull-like friend was in full-flight.
The sun was high in the sky, so Ralph brought Machoke out. The muscle-clad fighter loved a warm day to show off his physique. Ralph couldn't help but notice that the two of them were drawing plenty of attention: Machoke with his immense muscles, and Ralph with his messy tomato-red hair and silver Tai Chi jacket over a black undershirt and black pants. He wore black shoes and kept some large silver goggles propped on his forehead to complete his very Kanto look.
"Still posing, Machoke?" Ralph smiled.
"'Choke, Machoke!"
"Don't forget to look at other Pokémon, buddy. There's more to this world than just you!"
And there was. Ralph pulled out his Pokédex to identify a multitude of new creatures, including a rather fantastic looking blue and yellow Manectric training hard, two inseparable mouse-like creatures – Plusle and Minun – and a Volbeat, who was making the most of the fantastic weather.
Pokémon here are so different, yet so similar… Ralph thought. He couldn't help but remember when he got his first Pokémon, Machop, and the training they did when he was younger. It was over ten years ago since the two of them set off, determined to be the very best and win the Pokémon League.
The early signs had been promising: Machop and Ralph had met a Cubone on their first day as they walked out of Lavender Town. Machop had been fascinated by the bone that the ground-type held and picked up a stick to begin sparring. Despite an impressive showing, Machop lost; but Cubone was so impressed, he followed Ralph and his starter Pokémon, even lending his efforts in sticky spots and helping to keep Machop fit in by duelling, bone on stick.
After playing a crucial role in stopping a rampaging Tauros, which Ralph subsequently caught, Cubone evolved into a Marowak and, so delighted was he with his new form, allowed Ralph to capture him.
So long ago now. If only I'd kept going, who knows… The thought made Ralph smile.
Before Ralph could think more about his past, a hearty laugh caught his attention from inside a quaint cottage surrounded by a delicate white picket fence. Everyone seemed to be in fine spirits – so much so that people were stopping and staring as they walked past.
"Grandpa," Ralph chuckled. "Think we've found him Machoke. You go back in your ball for now."
Machoke returned and Ralph walked over to the door and knocked, noticing the 'Day Care Open' sign hanging from the porch.
"Come in!" A cheery old woman called.
Inside, Ralph was hit by the smell of freshly-baked bread and cookies. The pink wall-paper walls were covered in pictures of two elderly people – neither his grandpa nor his grandma – and Trainers: some with one, some with two, and some even with three Pokémon.
He recognised some of the faces. Ash Ketchum had been through here, as had Gary Oak. A much-younger looking Lance was stood in a picture frame. A girl with ginger hair and a yellow top was holding a Togepi; a boy with a red hairband held a sketchpad of the old couple while his Marill sat on his shoulder.
And then there was a black-and-white photo, nearest the counter, capturing his much-younger grandpa with not-so elderly couple.
"Ralph! Wahahahaha! So good to see you!" Cried his grandpa.
"Hey Grandpa! How are you?"
"Wahaha! Much better for seeing you! How are you finding Hoenn? Meet my dearest friends here, they run this Day Care Centre. Wahahaha!"
Ralph smiled to the elderly couple and accepted their offer of a drink. He really fancied a lemon tea and was pleasantly surprised when his hosts came back with the biggest cookie he had ever seen.
"Thank you so much. You didn't have to do that!"
"Oh, it's an apology. I'm afraid we have to go and tend to the Pokémon so you'll have to excuse our rudeness. I hope that cookie serves well!" The old lady laughed.
"Where's mine? Wahahahah!"
"Oh Wattson, we've known you too long to apologise!"
As the old-timers exited, cooing loudly to the Pokémon they looked after, Ralph turned to his grandpa. He was always surprised how well he looked, considering his venerable age.
"Grandma said you wanted to see me?"
"I wanted to see you an hour ago at the gym. Did you get lost? Wahahaha!"
"Well, kinda, yeah. And Marowak hasn't quite settled to Hoenn yet…"
"Wahahaha!" His grandpa was smiling broadly, laughing to himself as he had done all of Ralph's life.
"So, what did you want?" Ralph prompted.
"Ah yes, look at this. Wahaha!"
Ralph's grandpa pulled a newspaper from across the table and flashed the headline. 'MAUVILLE CITY'S GYM LEADER WATTSON TO RETIRE' was plastered in big letters on the front. A sub-head read 'Who will take over?'
"You're retiring?!" Ralph was shocked. His grandpa had worked most of his life on improving the gym, with its devious electric traps. "Why? And who will take over?"
"I'm old, and your grandma wants me to spend more time with her. Wahahaha!" His laugh was tinged with a hint of sadness, the sort of laugh that meant more than one thing. The gym was his masterpiece, his second home. Could he really let it go?
"As for who will take over, well, I think that's obvious, isn't it? Wahahaha!" A warm grin erupted on Wattson's face.
Ralph knew it. "Me? I don't even have any electric types!"
"So? Wahaha! Change the gym to however you want it. You're the boss! Wahahahaha!"
Ralph was stunned. This sort of thing didn't happen to him. He couldn't accept though, could he?
It was a prestigious position, to be one of the eight Hoenn Gym Leaders, of course it was. But was he ready? He had been a decent trainer in Kanto but long since gave that adventure up, passed those dreams to others.
And he didn't know a thing about Hoenn and the Pokémon that lived in this region. He couldn't hope to run a gym with one element of Pokémon when he didn't even know half of the ones that could be on his team, let alone the ones who could come and challenge him for the Dynamo Badge. And all the new moves and combinations – no, it didn't make sense. He didn't want to let his grandpa down.
"Grandpa, are you sure?"
"Wahahaha! Of course! I'll even help you change your gym to suit whatever you choose. I'm sure I could make some devilish fire traps, or help you trim a hedge maze!"
Ralph asked for a minute alone outside to think it through. He released Machoke and Marowak, as well as Tauros, and spoke to them. Marowak did not look best-pleased at the prospect of extending his stay, but enjoyed the thought that he could take on worthy opponents. The idea seemed to appeal to Machoke as well, who loved testing himself in battle almost as much as he loved looking in the mirror.
They can't both represent Mauville. Machoke is a fighting-type and Marowak is a ground-type… Ralph thought. And what would I do with Tauros? He can't just wait around doing nothing all day, it's not fair. And then there's piecing together a whole new team, with Pokémon from this region that I will need to train. It just won't work. Unless…
Ralph returned to the front room of the Day Care, his full complement of Pokémon behind him.
"Don't let Doris see – she'll go mad if they damage anything! Wahahaha!" Laughed Wattson. "Have you made a decision?"
"I'll do it. I'll run Mauville City Gym."
"You will? Wahahahaha! That's excellent news! Excellent! Wahahaha!"
"On one condition: My gym will not have an element. It will be the first ever regional gym - I will only use Pokémon from Kanto!" Ralph declared.
Wattson took a second to think, rising to his feet and pacing back and forth.
"It's just not traditional…" He muttered, trailing off.
More pacing, more muttering and Ralph's joy at his revolutionary new idea seemed to evaporate. Why wasn't his grandpa happy? This was going to be a sure-fire success, the first thought in a new philosophy of how to be a Gym Leader.
"It stops people coming well-prepared, takes away any overall weakness at the gym. It's a great idea; a blueprint for the future!" Ralph exclaimed.
"Yes but it's not normal. Hmmm." Ralph couldn't help but notice the trademark laugh had gone.
Yet more pacing. Machoke left the room, as did Tauros, whilst Marowak went through some Kendo-like positions, practising as Wattson continued to ponder every angle of his grandson's proposal.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Wattson looked back to Ralph. "Yes, let's do it. But I have a condition of my own."
Ralph was so excited: he was going to be a Gym Leader! He'd accept almost any proposal right now.
"I will continue to run Mauville Gym for the next few months. In that time, you must visit the other Hoenn Gym Leaders, all of them, and train. Train with your Pokémon and learn from the other leaders. Learn their reasons for having the team that they do, see the power of this region's Pokémon.
If, at the end of your training, you can return here and tell me that you still believe your Kanto Pokémon Gym is going to be the best challenge for Trainers and the best use of your ability as a trainer, then Mauville City Gym will have a new leader. If not, then we will look into other options. Does that sound fair?" Wattson offered his hand.
Ralph hugged him – you're never too old to hug your grandpa.
"Deal." He smiled.
"Then you best set off before I tell your grandma – she will not be happy that I've got a little while longer at the gym! Wahahaha! Get going!"