Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, otherwise the anime would be a lot different.
"We can give you a little over a year," the League official explained, casting Misty a pitying look. "After that, you have to prove yourself competent as a trainer worthy of holding the Cerulean Gym Leader position.
"A year!?" Misty exclaimed in shock. The orange haired girl focused on her breathing in an effort to control herself. "I am starting my Journey tomorrow, is there any way you can give me a little more time than that?"
"I am sorry Mrs. Waterflower, but the League has already been pulling to many favors to keep the Gym under your family's control as it is," the official explained, tugging on the collar of his dull grey uniform in discomfort. "Your father, Dave Waterflower, was a superb gym leader, one of the best Kanto has ever had. However, since the time of his and your mother's demise, the Cerulean Gym has had a... less than stellar performance record under the leadership of your sisters."
And unfortunately Misty knew what the poor man was trying to explain all to well.
Since the founding of the League when the first Champion had united all of the Kanto Region, the Cerulean Gym had held its position as one of the main gyms and one of the eight obstacles a trainer had to overcome in order to participate in the Indigo League. It took considerable training and prestige to even be considered for a Gym Leader position.
Misty's father had only been the leader of the Cerulean Gym for five years before a freak accident took his life, his wife's and most of his League team and gym Pokemon. An incident no one had dared to speak of within a hundred miles of any Waterflower. The loss of such a promising Gym Leader was a harsh blow for the League, even more so as Dave Waterflower had been a native of Cerulean City, his family roots could be traced back to the founding of the city.
The devastating problem was the League had no suitable replacement for Dave Waterflower, he had been the only master water type specialist of Kanto at the time of his demise. The previous Cerulean Gym Leader was old and his team long past their battling prime. The incident left the Cerulean gym with a handful of Pokemon for League matches and unsuitable for higher tier ones. As such, the Cerulean Gym was often the gym for trainers to receive their first or second badge.
Misty's older sisters had tried to keep the gym afloat and were decent trainers, but their talents lay in their performing and entertainment skills. They were simply not good gym leaders. A fact that had made the general trainer population classify the Cerulean Gym as the weakest of all.
While Gym Leader positions were not hereditary, the Cerulean Gym had a unique situation. The Cerulean City Council and Police Force had agreed that since there was no suitable replacement for Dave Waterflower, they would allow the Cerulean Gym to undergo a training period until one of Dave's daughters was suitable for the position as Gym Leader.
In any other city this would have been unheard of, but Dave Waterflower had been the first Gym Leader of the Cerulean Gym to be a native of the city in over a hundred and fifty years and his family had vast public support. It did not hurt that the Sensational Sisters water performances brought in huge monetary benefits for Cerulean City and her people. Misty herself was seen as a second coming of her father, her natural skill with water Pokemon and her impressive scores in her Gym Leader training earning her great support.
However, Gyms needed competent leaders in order to help protect the city and its surrounding areas. While the Police Department and Pokemon Rangers were more than happy to pick up the slack, the League really could not put off having an official Gym leader anymore.
Misty was chosen as the best suited for the Gym Leader position and had undergone extensive training from League personnel. Even foreign water type Gym Leaders as far as Sinnoh were involved in prepping her for leadership of the Cerulean Gym. At fifteen years of age, she had already surpassed all tests and qualifications to becoming a high ranking League Official. However, Misty faced a very big problem. She did not have the Pokemon to fully qualify for the Gym Leader Position.
She had her own small team of water types, but she had only now reached the age where she could undergo her Journey to fully put her own training to use and mold her Pokemon into true terrors of the water. She only had five water type Pokemon under her possession and needed to capture more for her own personal team and more to train as Gym Pokemon for all the levels of challengers.
When a trainer challenged a gym, the gym leader would use Pokemon based on the number of badges the trainer currently had in their possession. It would not make sense for a rookie trainer to face a gym leaders personal team of powerful Pokemon. Gyms were not just obstacles to the Indigo League for trainers. They tested trainers, pushed them to the boundries of their current limits. A gym could not do that effectively without a large variety of trained Pokemon. Gym Pokemon were given letters based on their degree of strength to determine what level trainers they would face. They were seperated into groups of facing gym leaders with 0 to 1 , 2 to 3, 4 to 5, 6 to 7, and 8 badges.
It all boiled down to the conversation Misty was currently having with the League Official in her dad's old office.
"The Fighting Dojo is taking over the Cerulean Gym's position in the Gym circuit the start of this coming season in two weeks. At the end of the season you will be tested to see if you have the necessary resources and skills to lead the Gym. If you are found suitable, the Cerulean Gym will be reinstated in the circuit the following season," the League official further explained.
Misty resisted the urge to slam her face into the desk, her Wartortle watched her worriedly from his position beside her chair. That damned Fighting Dojo had been itching to worm their way into the main gym circuit since its founding.
"I understand sir, tell the League I will be leaving immediately on my Journey and will be prepared to take the Gym Mantle by next season," Misty replied, portraying confidence that she in no way felt.
As soon as the official left, Misty carried through with her thoughts and slammed her face into the desk. Her Wartortle jumped up onto it and awkwardly patting her head in an attempt to comfort her.
"At least we don't have to worry about my sisters botching anything up at the gym with it being closed," Misty stated, trying to find a positive aspect of her current situation. She rose from her position behind the desk and headed out to grab her gear. Her faithful Wartortle leaped off the desk and followed his trainer to the lockers near the main battle pool.
Misty pulled back her unique orange hair into a messy pony tail, a few strands framing her face, as she walked towards her locker and retrieved the gear she had prepared for her Journey.
"You know what Surge?" Misty addressed her Wartortle. "I'll be damned if I do not try my absolute hardest to become the best Gym leader I can possibly be!"
Surge pumped his arms up in the air in excitement dashing off towards the entry of the back tanks.
Misty paused and gained a contemplative look as she followed. Going through a back door of the locker room for Gym personnel, she came upon the vast area of the gym dedicated to housing the Pokemon who lived there. It was depressingly empty.
There were dozens of large tanks and exhibits, all simulating different varities of aquatic environments to suit the needs of any water types. One large tank had an impressive artificial reef on the bottom. Another was filled with a large variety of aquatic plants reaching up to the water's surface. Two large exihibits were filled with ice floes and large underwater rock structures.
Misty could stare at the beautifully built exhibits all day.
She continued walking down the corridor of the room until she reached a tank filled with a few rocks and some plant life. Surge had already entered it and was saying goodbye to the Gym Pokemon who occupied it.
In total, the Cerulean Gym currently held twelve gym certified Pokemon. Two Goldeen, One Seaking, a Shellder, a Seal, two Seadra, two Staryu, a Starmie, and two Squirtle. Most of them were still young and not properly trained. As the gym was closed for this coming season, all the gym Pokemon owned by the League had been returned.
One of Misty's main goals was to fill the tanks with a variety of water Pokemon she personally trained. The Cerulean Gym should not have to rely on the charity of the League when it came to the Pokemon they used in Gym battles.
Misty grabbed her whistle and brought it to her mouth, summoning her personal Pokemon to her whom were swimming around in the tank.
Her starter, a Starmie, named Helios appeared first. Given to her by her father when she was just six years old, her Starrmie was undeniably her most powerful Pokemon. The Starmie line is what her family is known for using.
Surge the Wartortle appeared next, shooting out a small spurt of water into the air as he appeared. A little goofy, Professor Oak himself had given him to Misty when she received her Gym Leaders liscence two years ago.
Her Lapras Calypso swum towards the platform Misty was standing on, her loving gaze meeting Misty's. Misty was given Lapras by the League when officials had rescued her from poachers. Lapras had dwindled in numbers and were threatened by extinction some years ago, and while they had since recovered they were still rare and heavily protected by League officials. Lapras were never seen being used by trainers for the most part since it was extremely difficult to train them to fight on land aside from their rarity. However, Misty had the home field advantage of having an aquatic field in her gym, giving the perfect environment for Lapras to battle in. Her Lapras was an incredibly loyal and loving Pokemon.
Her Seadra, Rhiona, surfaced from the pool depths soon after. She levitate up out of the water and gazed at Misty with an excited glint in her eyes. The Seadra was incredibly excited to go on Misty's Journey and gain strength.
The last of her team rose out of the water with gracefulness that would make anyone envious. Adonis, her prized and beloved Milotic gazed at Misty with his fierce eyes. Milotic were incredibly rare Pokemon, only a dozen registered trainers in the world owned one. Misty's Milotic was the only son of her father's Milotic Aphrodite. Misty was lucky to have received him, the chances of her finding one or obtaining a Milotic from other sources was basically nonexistent, even with being a prospective Gym Leader. Adonis received much attention from the upper circles of many Leagues and Pokemon enthusiasts as he was the only male Milotic in captivity. Misty had received monetary offers for him that would make billionaires faint, yet she would never give up her Milotic. Once her position as Gym Leader was secure, she did plan on attempting a breeding program with him, though with how notoriously picky Milotic were that would be a huge challenge.
All her Pokemon were certifiable powerhouses, an impressive achievement given Misty's age. Due to her unique position and connections, Misty had been able to teach them a variety of impressive moves through TMs and Tutoring.
"Alright guys," Misty addressed her team. "Today is the day we head out and regain the glory of the Waterflowers! I know I am asking a lot, but I need a hundred percent effort out of all of you guys in order for us to have even a chance of meeting our goals."
Her Pokemon responded in a chorus of calls, all eager to begin their Journey.
The various remaining Gym Pokemon had surface from the pool and were watching Misty curiously. She turned to address them.
"Alright guys, take care of yourselves. The Gym personnel and my sisters will be coming everyday to maintain the gym and care for ya'll. Hopefully, you all will soon be gaining a lot of new friends!"
Saying her goodbyes, Misty returned her team to their Pokeballs and attached them to her belt.
She made a quick stop at the locker room to change out of her gym uniform and into a tank top and jeans before heading to the gym entrance. As she locked the main gym doors behind her, Misty checked her Pokenav to see several messages from other gym leaders and her friends wishing her luck on her Journey. She smiled in response and made a mental note to reply to them later.
This was it, her chance to prove herself a capable water type master.
"Nothing is going to be stopping me from reaching my goals," Misty whispered to herself.
A/N: And that is the prologue. Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment. I decided to start this story primarily due to the fact I will be taking three different writing heavy classes during my upcoming fall semester of college. I need to start getting use to writing a lot of material. So I decided to write my own story of Misty's Journey to become a Water Type Master, since everyone else always does stories of Ash becoming a Pokemon Champion and I have never seen a Misty centered one.