The new trainer's season had finally arrived. After a competitive circuit with some of the strongest trainers the region had to offer, a woman by the name of Kameron took the helm and won the conference. She unfortunately didn't make it past any of the Elite Four, having been thwarted by Lorelei's terror of a Lapras, and ended the previous year with a bang. All that meant for Gary, however, was that his time to shine had finally come.
In one year alone, over three thousand twelve-year-olds applied to become a trainer in the Kanto region. Five hundred entries came from Viridian City, while countless others hail from Cerulean and Vermilion respectively. In the sleepy town of Pallet, however, there were only four. Two of them passed.
Gary Oak already knew he would be one of the few to succeed. Ever since he was a child, he was groomed to become the successor of his family's legacy: a standout trainer, astute researcher, and political leader. Having the most important professor in the entire region didn't hurt either. From the moment he was revealed to the world, the speculation of him being the new prodigy of Kanto was in full effect.
His destiny had been determined before he was even born, and he hated every minute of it.
For the past six months, not counting the years beforehand, Gary studied and learned under his grandfather. He practically had the laboratory memorized at that point, knowing where each poster and award certificate rested on the walls. He also knew where his starter awaited him, which was just behind the ironclad clip situated on the briefcase, which laid on its side by the door.
"Not a minute too soon, I see?" came the professor's familiar voice, stepping out of one of the testing facilities. "Maven will be here soon as well."
Mentally gagging at the thought of his unprescribed 'rival' being in the same room as him, Gary outwardly sneered and shook his head. "Why do you want that failure here? I'm the only important one."
The frown he got in return was expected. Gramps hardly ever gave him the time of day outside of his work, and when he did, it was purely to make sure that he would live up to expectations. The fact that he was expected to be at the lab half an hour early as well only made it that much more obvious.
"He might not be as talented as you," he started cautiously, "but he has a good heart. I am expecting him to do well as a trainer." The professor stroked his chin, returning to the conversation a few seconds later. "Have you thought of which pokemon you will take as your starter? Charmander might not seem like much now, but the publicity that comes with Charizard is nothing to scoff at. I think you would do quite well with it- "
Gary cut him off quickly. "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't need your help to become strong. I can do it on my own, you know." Nothing irked him more than hearing the unwanted recommendations that came from his 'mentor's' mouth. It was like he was already being underestimated.
A strained smile struggled onto the elder Oak's face. It was never a good idea to blatantly disrespect the man, but Gary had enough of the constant pointers. The day he finally got to experience his own freedom was not the time for another lecture, and it appeared that his grandfather knew that as well, clipping his own response.
"If that's what you believe, then I cannot stop you. I just hope you don't regret whatever decision you make. There are some things that I cannot fix, and the starter you choose is one of them."
Gary was ready to make another snide remark, the words practically begging to slip off the tip of his tongue, but was quickly interrupted by the squeaking of an opening door. When he turned to see who it was, Maven was already standing front and center with his head bowed and hands clasped together.
"Of course you have to bow," Gary scoffed. "It's good that you know to show respect where it's due. Maybe you'll get far by being someone's janitor instead of a trainer."
Pleasure filled his veins when he saw Maven physically shudder, eyes glistened over with tears. Good. If he was going to be that pitiful this early, then he had no reason to even start his adventure. He doubted that the feeble boy could even make it to Pewter, let alone Viridian.
"Enough." Professor Oak's voice was rougher this time. He turned to face the shaken boy, sympathy painted over his aged features. "Excuse my grandson. He's been antsy this entire week. I'm sure he will apologize soon, right?"
He shrugged. He didn't feel like there was anything worth apologizing over. If Maven couldn't handle the heat, he'd just have to get over it.
"Anyways, why don't we let you go first then, Maven. I'm sure that will make up for the fact that you've been waiting just as long for this moment."
"Thank you," Maven muttered beneath his breath. Some coloration finally started returning to his face, an arm already swept over his tear-stained eyes. "I already know which one I want, though!"
It was already time to begin the selection process. Gary held his breath in anticipation, although he made sure that it wasn't noticeable as he watched. The gentle click of the latch holding the briefcase shut unlocking made him shudder, amplified only by the exposure of three glistening pokeballs.
Maven was quick to select the one that held Charmander. He exhaled in relief at the sight, thankful that he wouldn't have to deal with his grandfather's harping over not selecting the dumb lizard. That also meant that his preferred starter was still dormant, waiting to be selected.
"I'll go ahead and grab mine then, if you don't mind." He spotted the thin-lipped scowl that covered Maven's face but decided to ignore it for the time being. It was finally time for his moment to shine, and he wasn't going to waste it on some snotty loser.
Squirtle's capsule felt heavy in his hands. The water-type might not have been the most popular of the Kanto's big three, but that was only because of the notoriety fire-types had, acting as some sort of messiah from heaven. Gary had to resist the urge to gag at the thought of Maven running around with a monster like Charizard. The thing should have been banned years ago!
Besides, Blastoise was a beast in itself. The pressurized blasts of water that it could shoot were strong enough to break steel. It was also impossible to miss the impenetrable shell that covered its entire body, making it one of the most satisfyingly dreadful pokemon to fight in extended battles. Even a punch from something like a Hitmonchan would have a rough time getting through its sturdy exoskeleton.
Professor Oak smiled once both boys turned back to face him, pokeballs clutched tightly. "I'd say now is the perfect time to meet your partners. Why don't you both have a battle outside? I'm sure it will be good experience for you both!"
Gary looked Maven up and down. Not only was the boy weak-willed, but he was also the one with the type disadvantage. He smirked, knowing exactly how it would play out. It wouldn't hurt to get his first win this early, either.
"Sure, why not. I'm sure I can teach Maven a thing or two about being a gracious loser."
It was easy to spot the hesitation in Maven's eyes. He watched as the boy stole a glance down to his pokeball, eventually steeling himself over and nodding in his direction.
"You're on."
The corral behind the laboratory was nothing special. Sure, it was large enough to house all the trainers' pokemon that came through the Oak's residency, but that's all it was meant for. Pokemon were generally not allowed to battle unless well within the confines of the territory, which usually meant five or so acres in. However, since the two pokemon that were about to battle were just a couple of months old, the professor had given them the green light to fight just behind the building.
"I expect both of you to try your best," the professor said proudly, sketching a makeshift arena with a stick that had been laying around. "Remember, winning isn't everything! You both have a long road ahead of you."
Gary ignored his grandfather's words and simply walked up to his side of the rectangle. His pokeball had been primed since the moment he got out of the door, ready to release his starter. There was no denying the nerves that fueled the adrenaline rushing through his body. This would be his first official battle- the one that would start his journey as a whole. The elder Oak's words were wrong. Winning would be a monumental feat, while defeat would be the exact opposite.
Maven didn't take long to release his Charmander. The bipedal creature looked around with confusion, eventually finding Gary's menacing gaze. It didn't seem to like that, spitting red embers all over the ground.
Heh. Just as provokable as its trainer. That was something he could take advantage of easily.
He didn't bother to listen to Maven's kind words directed down to his pokemon. He had to release his own, which he did with haste. The red and white capsule opened immediately before him, revealing the short, blue turtle that mimicked its opponent by looking around.
"Look up at me, bud," Gary said as nicely as he could. There was no reason to get on his partner's bad side, plus, they were going to be together for the rest of their lives. If anything, it was smart to get the water-type to respect him this early. It would make things go much easier down the road.
"My name is Gary Oak. I'm your trainer now, which means that we're going to have to work together to take down that dumb fiery miscreant over there. Do you think you can handle it?"
A glint sparkled in Squirtle's eyes, flashing a thumb's up at him shortly after with its stubby hands. He would have to figure out its gender after the match- he didn't want to be disrespectful to them.
Regardless of its gender, it appeared like it was ready to fight. Gary couldn't help but let a smug grin wash over his own face, ready to give Maven the beatdown he deserved. A plan was already beginning to formulate in his mind, one that would easily lead them to victory as long as they could follow through with it.
Taking advantage of Squirtle's defenses would be the most important aspect in the fight. Its underbelly appeared to be softer than normal, which Gary knew had to be from its young age. It would harden more and more as they went, but they didn't have that kind of time to wait. Instead, they would have to play around directing Charmander to his partner's sides and back, where their shell was the most durable.
As far as Charmander went, the only thing Gary had to fear was its claws. He had been around the trio of starter pokemon for long enough to know that the fire on its tail wasn't big enough to sustain any fire-type attacks. The same could be said for Squirtle and its water techniques, but that didn't amount to much when he took into consideration just how vulnerable the Charmander was.
"I want you to keep your distance when Charmander is in front of you. Try to make sure that you protect your belly. If it gets close, use Tackle to knock it back."
A grunt was Gary's response. Perfect. It appeared that Squirtle was competent enough to understand the gist of things as well.
Likewise, it was also safe to assume the same thing for Maven's Charmander, who started running forward as soon as Professor Oak gave the signal to start the battle. Its claws gleamed with white as it charged up its Scratch, eager to land a hit on its first ever opponent.
"Just like I said, Squirtle!" Gary eagerly watched as his partner jumped back from the first swipe of the Charmander's claws, avoiding the hit by the skin of its teeth. There was no relenting though- Charmander was adamant on landing at least one of its attacks on it.
"You're doing great Charmander! Don't stop until you hit it!" Maven's praises grated at Gary's ears, earning a scowl in response. He'd have to shut them up fast.
"Counterattack! Use Tackle, now!"
Squirtle hesitated at first, which resulted in one of Charmander's scratches slicing down the smooth underbelly of its shell. The squeak that came from his starter was chilling, but it wasn't going to go down with just one swipe. Squirtle lowered its head and rammed its thick skull directly into Charmander's overextended side not a second after, pushing it back several feet through the kicked-up dirt.
"That's right! Show them who's boss!" At first glance, Charmander acted as though it wasn't it any pain at all. Gary knew better than that though, having witnessed countless battles throughout his lifetime. For how young both pokemon were, anything counted. Even a shallow hit would add up at this state of the game.
The cycle of dodging and striking continued for at least another five minutes. Gary had to give it to Squirtle though- it was a fighter through and through. Its breathing was getting ragged, but Charmander wasn't faring any better. It was easy to spot the discoloration on the reptile's bright yellow scales.
All it took was another squared-off Tackle from Squirtle for Maven to become nervous. The boy's eyes widened as his starter took the beating and forgot all about their battle, deciding that Charmander's safety was more important than the win.
That wasn't how this was supposed to end.
Frustration welled up inside Gary's gut as his grandfather nodded approvingly in Maven's direction. It made no sense inside the younger Oak's mind. Why would he be getting praised for failure? Wasn't the entire point of the battle to prove that one was better than the other?
"Whatever," he muttered under his breath. There was no point in letting it get to him that much. At the end of the day, he was still the one who came out on top, and it was all because of the little beast in front of him.
He made a mental note to congratulate Squirtle later. If there was one thing he wouldn't do in front of people, it would be to let his guard down.
Instead, he gave the water-type a firm nod of his head and a grin, holding up its pokeball to return it. Once it was recalled and firmly latched to his belt, Gary turned to look at his gramps and Maven smiling at one another, the latter's Charmander scratching the back of its head in what appeared to be embarrassment.
"Is there anything else I need to do here or am I good to go?" he inquired curtly. Seeing Maven click with his own family better than him didn't make Gary want to stay any longer than he had to. Especially when he wanted to hit the road as soon as possible.
The professor looked back to Gary and gave him a look that was difficult to interpret. Nonetheless, the older man sighed and motioned for his grandson to come forward, reaching into one of the many pockets his lab-coat consisted of.
"Now, since you both are my sponsored trainers, you also get the added bonus of helping me acquire knowledge of the pokemon you travel with on the road." A shiny, metallic red device came into view as Professor Oak extended it to him. "Gary already knows what this is, but for you Maven, I'll go over it one more time."
Gary had to bite back a groan. The entire spiel about how it was his Gramp's most esteemed and valuable project to the world was something he was no stranger to. If anything, the only thing he was surprised about was the fact that it took this long to get it. He honestly thought it would have been slipped into his pack the night before.
After taking the pokedex and pocketing it into his jeans, Gary waited as Maven continued to listen with wide eyes to the entire explanation.
By the time it was over, Gary was sure that he had fallen asleep standing up. Sometimes his grandfather just got too into his explanations. Luckily for him though, Maven was quick to return Charmander and leave as soon as it was finished, saying something along the lines of 'having to tell his parents goodbye.'
That left Gary and gramps alone again. He looked at the older man to see if he had to say anything, at least expecting a farewell of some sort.
"Make sure to try your best," the professor finally got out. "I expect great things from you. I'll let you know if there are any tournaments coming up on the route you're taking."
Gary subconsciously gripped his fist into a ball, hiding it in his pocket as he turned. What made him expect anything different? Of course it would be about how he needed to make his family proud.
"Fine. Smell ya later."
Squirtle: The Tiny Turtle Pokemon. It shelters itself in its shell when in danger. Its shell is soft at birth, making it vulnerable to natural predators such as Krabby and Kingler. However, it soon becomes so resilient that even prodding fingers will bounce off of its surface.
This Squirtle is female and has the ability Torrent. This Squirtle knows the following moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, and Withdraw.
Gary whistled at the information displayed on the dull screen of his pokedex. It was rare to end up with a female as his starter. Generally speaking, most of the famous 'starter pokemon' that got handed out were relegated through the Indigo League, making it a three-to-one ratio of getting a male instead. Breeding them in captivity was difficult enough as is and letting prized females go was something uncommon in the inner circle of breeders. The only time it ever really happened was if there was a surplus already or if there was a specific request to have a female by someone who could offer a favor in return for them.
Once he was done looking over the entry on his pokedex, the well-groomed entrance to Route One was already in full view. It would take approximately four days to reach Viridian City from Pallet Town—three if he moved fast enough—and was widely regarded as one of the easier routes that the Kanto region had to offer. A lack of major predators and easy access to food and water meant that many wild pokemon used it as a sanctuary for their young, resulting in smooth travel all around- especially if stuck to the trodden path.
Gary didn't want to wait any longer to release Squirtle. He had been wanting to congratulate her ever since she triumphed over her first true opponent in battle. A wave of red energy blossomed out of the pokeball as it opened, leaving Squirtle on the ground with pride stitched all over her face.
The grin that ended up on his own was purely natural. Squirtle's confidence was definitely a welcomed sign. He didn't know what he would do if he ended up with a pokemon that was anxious or… weak.
"You kicked that Charmander's ass!" Gary cheered, a laugh easily coming from his lungs. "You hit em' so hard that its trainer had to rescue it!"
Squirtle puffed out her chest and banged her tiny fist on the front of her shell, acting as though it was nothing but a day's work.
"I'm proud of you, but this is only the beginning. We're going to have to become much stronger if we want to reach the top. Beating weaklings like Maven won't do anything for our reputation in the future. Right now, we're going to be walking down this path for at least three days, and I want you to try your best to keep up with me. Endurance is important, and I don't want you to end up slacking."
As soon as he got a firm nod in return, Gary turned to look down the mouth of the route. It was time they got going.
Two hours of nonstop walking was a lot more than Gary expected. Not only were his thighs burning from the exercise, but Squirtle was also having issues keeping up with him with her stubby legs. He had to return her after she practically faceplanted after tripping over a stick, taking pity on the immobile water-type for the time being. If she felt anything like he did, it was obvious that she was putting in tons of effort.
Having a twenty-pound backpack strapped to his shoulders didn't make anything better. Gramps only loaned him one of the storage devices for his necessities, meaning that most of his clothes and medical supplies were packed deep into the reinforced fabric that jingled with every step he took. He was unsure if it was an act to make him stronger or just a way to punish him for all the times he snapped back at the older man.
"What a pain," he groaned, kicking one of the many loose rocks back into the foliage. "There isn't even anyone out here to fight!"
Along with having to walk the entire way to Viridian, there was practically nothing to keep him entertained besides talking to Squirtle, which had been cut short due to her exhaustion. Trainers were rare along Route One, mostly due to the fact that the only building worth seeing in Pallet Town was the laboratory. He had seen some older trainers come and go, but he wasn't stupid enough to challenge them. No way was he going to flat out battle anyone with a belt full of pokemon this early.
The longer the day went, the more the sun finally started to set. Squirtle had been released again near the end, although the pace was set much slower because of it. Gary didn't mind though- he needed a breather himself. By the time they reached an adequate place to call camp, he all but slammed his luggage to the ground and let out a sigh of relief.
"I don't know about you, but I think we should call it in for the day," he finally said after another set of deep breaths. "We can train in the morning. I want to work on getting either Bubble or Water Gun going by the time we leave."
Squirtle agreed with a muted chitter, retracting all of her limbs back into her shell. Only her head remained visible, resting on a soft patch of grass right beside where Gary was setting up his tent.
A welcome silence took over the camp as Gary set it up. It didn't last long though once Gary had an epiphany. "Say, would you like a nickname? It's fine if you don't."
The aquatic turtle did her best to shrug. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea, however. All it took was a few examples to be tossed out before one finally stuck. Gary grinned as they came to a unanimous conclusion.
Tempest.
The nickname fit Squirtle perfectly. Not only was Tempest strong, but she was moody to boot. Getting her to wake up in the morning was like trying to herd Tauros through an open gate. After struggling for a good five minutes to get her to come out of her shell, Gary finally coerced her into listening in the form of food.
Breakfast was nothing special. All he had to eat was a multigrain bar (much to his dismay), while Tempest scarfed down a standard can of pokefeed. He was sure that they had enough to last their entire trip to Viridian City, but if they managed to snag a new teammate along the way, he'd have to push for the three-day mark to keep it on the safe side.
He figured that he should also grab some Zinc and Iron tablets once he reached the city. Making sure that Tempest's shell was as hard as could be was important and he wasn't going to neglect that fact in the slightest.
Once they finished eating, Gary stood up and stretched his arms out long and wide, letting out a boisterous yawn that was sure to wake up any surrounding pokemon with him. A smug grin eased its way onto his lips as Tempest did the same, though her arms barely extended more than half a foot. She was still tiny, but it didn't stop her from trying.
"Alright! Let's see what ya got." Gary paced a couple dozen feet from their camp, stopping just in front of a large and weathered tree a bit off the main path. "I already saw Tackle and Tail Whip is self-explanatory, so I want to see just how much knowledge you have on Withdraw's technique."
It turned out that she barely had any. Tempest tried her best to hone the energy required in her tiny shell, but it turned out to be too difficult for her. While he wasn't disappointed per say, Gary would have liked to have at least a semblance of a starting point.
"That's fine, I guess." Tempest frowned at his words. "It's not a bad thing. I should have expected it. Withdraw isn't something you're supposed to pick up right away regardless. We're going to have you train your shell to make it durable enough to use it."
Gary walked around for a bit, eventually bending over to pick up one of the many broken sticks that littered the ground. He then traced a line about five feet in front of the tree they were at, motioning for Tempest to walk forward.
"I want to start with Bubble first. Not only is it easier on your water reserves this early, but it also adds a solid defense if you want to keep opponents at a distance. With your shell still being soft, I think it would be best for us to utilize a defensive approach early."
Tempest agreed by banging a hand against her shell again. Good. She might have been a hell of a pain to wake up in the morning, but at least she didn't shy away from training. She eagerly made her way to the line and took a deep breath, focusing intently on trying to form a bubble.
For a first attempt, it wasn't nearly as bad as Withdraw was. Tempest managed to get a few bubbles out, but they popped relatively premature and directly in her face. Seeing the shock blossom in her eyes shouldn't have been as entertaining as it was to the boy, but it turned out that a little bit of humor went a long way when isolated so far out into the wilderness.
Next thing he knew, Gary was on his butt soaking wet. Tempest fired off an actual Bubble attack that knocked the wind out of him. At the moment, Gary didn't care that much. If getting on Tempest's nerves meant getting her to learn new attacks quicker, then he should have just stuck his tongue out the entire time she was trying to piece together Withdraw.
"I'll let you off easy with that one," he warned the still laughing Tempest, "but just you wait. The road is long still, and you're going to have to walk with me the entire time."
That shut her right up.
"Now, why don't you keep practicing while we walk? Just make sure to aim your attacks away from your face next time."
It turned out that aiming away from one's face indirectly aimed it at others'. A handful of awry pops of Tempest's attack angered at least one nest of Rattata, two Caterpie, and worst of all, a lone female Nidoran who has now been charging after them at full speed for five minutes.
"Use Bubble at the ground and jump!" he finally screamed, exhaustion pulling him out of his adrenaline-induced pace. If running wouldn't work, then it was time to take the fight to its maker.
Gary watched with heightened anticipation as Tempest sprung into the air, barely dodging the venomous horn of their assailant that they now desperately wished they had avoided. He didn't believe in karma, but something told him that the universe was getting back at him for disrupting its quiet and serene peace.
As soon as she landed back on her feet, Tempest unleashed another Bubble at full force. Each pop against Nidoran's body was loud enough to make Gary wince, a dull ring making its presence known in his inner ear. With how painful it was just for him to watch, he knew that Nidoran would be faring much worse. It was a shock that she didn't pay as much focus to it as she did, still charging blindly in her rage.
Her tenacity was something to marvel over. The Poison Sting that landed against Tempest's shell pushed her a good foot back as well, making Gary bite the inner corner of his cheek.
He wanted to catch that little monster.
"Let her get close," he called out while Tempest jumped out of the way of another reckless charge. "As soon as she lowers her horn, move to the right and use Tackle! Make sure to get her off balance."
Tempest's response was just as he expected. She turned to face him for a brief moment, a matching twinkle in her eyes as she flashed a thumbs up. Their brief visual connection was cut short at the battle cry sounding over their section of the forest, prompting her to follow through with the plan.
Just as Gary expected, the Nidoran over-extended by rushing in. Without any Bubble attack to act as a barrier between her and her target, Nidoran kicked it into high gear and leapt directly at Tempest's waiting figure, only to find out that becoming airborne was the last thing that she wanted to do. Tempest slid out of the way at the last minute, only to close the gap between them by using Tackle directly into Nidoran's exposed side.
A cloud of dust lifted into the air as Nidoran skid across the dirt of the route. Tempest's thick skull did more than enough to knock the poison-type out, giving Gary more than enough time to whip out one of his brand new pokeballs and toss it onto the unconscious pokemon.
"Good job once again," he praised as he walked over to where the dormant pokeball laid. "We'll reintroduce ourselves to her tonight. I don't want to have to deal with it right now."
Tempest nodded in agreement as Gary minimized the capsule and placed it on the second magnet on his belt. She was too tired to deal with having to establish dominance this early in the morning.
With another hard day of traveling finally coming to an end, Gary had already set up his tent and got their food prepared. There was hardly any time to relax- with how close they were getting to Viridian, there was no point in slowing down. Tempest fortunately got to relax against his leg as he sat down on the ground, keeping her gaze on the looming forest around them in the process. It was already evident how protective she was, which Gary didn't mind in the slightest.
"When we reach Viridian, we're going to have to find the teleportation district."
He took another bite of his food and scavenged the paper map resting on his legs. "I don't want to go to Pewter yet. We'd push the Gym Leader over easily. What we need right now it a challenge, and I plan on finding us one."
Gary refused to go down the same path as everyone else. Brock had a reputation of being extremely lenient on new trainers, which not only made him one of the most common starting points for the beginning of the season, but also one of the most crowded and convoluted. Even Gramps told him to try and avoid it early on if he wanted to move at a faster pace.
Plus, what was the point in taking it easy? It wasn't like him to avoid a challenge. From what he knew of Tempest and his still dormant Nidoran, they wouldn't either. The only gyms that he really wanted to avoid were Cinnabar, Viridian, and Pewter. The first two simply because there was no regulation for them to hold back against newbies like him (not to mention their renown for being the gates to the Indigo League), while the latter simply because it would be too easy and boring.
A sigh escaped his lips. "We should probably start somewhere around Celadon. You're automatically going to be on the backfoot since Erika is a grass-type specialist, but I'm sure we can circumnavigate it with some practice."
Celadon City was the closest—and cheapest—spot for them to head via teleportation. Vermilion and Cerulean were just out of his budget and he'd have to battle extra trainers just to make sure he could afford what he was really after: TMs.
There was no point in them this early on, to be fair. What Gary was truly preparing for was the future. He already glossed over Nidoran's information and gleaned quite a bit of useful tidbits that he could use later.
Her current move pool wasn't that bad either. Growl, Poison Sting, and Scratch were all useful tools that he could work around. The only thing that worried him was her ability: Rivalry.
Rivalry was unique in the sense that Nidoran's ability to perceive pheromones was heightened to an exponential degree. In turn, her aggression would be bolstered against fellow females, while her disposition toward males would become lax. It was unique among pokemon in the wild purely for the fact that those in possession of it either led their troupes or were complete outcasts. It was normal for those with Rivalry to mellow out once they assumed control, but for those unfortunate enough to deal with an enraged and miffed loner, it could spell a lot of trouble.
Thankfully it wasn't something that was impossible to work around. As long as he integrated her into the team in a smooth and timely fashion, the problems should be rather easy to quell. She appeared to be young, making it the best time to work with her on it regardless.
Gary palmed the second pokeball on his belt. At least half a day passed since he caught Nidoran, leaving her more than enough time to regain her senses. With a glance down to Tempest, he slowly primed the ball and clicked it open, releasing the tiny poison-type onto the ground in front of them.
Nidoran appeared with a confused look on her face. She wasn't exactly conscious when she was captured, so the sudden change in scenery caught her off guard, Gary assumed. That changed when he came into view, and more importantly, Tempest.
Her small horn started to leak with venom as she stared down her counterpart. Each breath she took was loud and clearly filled with her scent-fueled ability. Tempest didn't take to it lightly, standing back up to her full height of barely one and a half feet and staring down her teammate that she defeated earlier.
Normally a trainer was supposed to step in and quell the tension between them. Gary knew better than that. The true test was finally upon them, and there was no way he was going to get in the way of the two vying for dominance.
"Just so you both know; the loser has to do extra sprints at the end of training tomorrow."
Those words didn't mean much to Nidoran, but Tempest was filled with renewed vigor to avoid the consequences. Walking all day was more than enough exercise for her! There was no way she was going to submit to those dreaded sprints!
Nidoran blindly charged forward with her horn lowered, which Tempest narrowly dodged by jumping to the side. A resounding crack echoed through their tiny portion of the forest as Nidoran rammed into one of the trees, but it didn't seem to affect her in the slightest. This was her moment to regain her hurt pride and become the leader of whatever herd she was now a part of.
Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be that easy for the small quadruped. Tempest, filled with pride and ready to exert her dominance in her own right, barreled into Nidoran just like she did in their first interaction. Nidoran caved into the hit, but not before getting off a well-placed Poison Sting directly into Tempest's face.
The fight only lasted a couple more minutes. Nidoran did much better this time around, but Tempest was still too far ahead to be beaten just yet. Her Bubble was advancing at an astronomical rate, and Gary figured that by this time tomorrow, she'd already have Water Gun down as well.
"Now that that's over," he said with a disregarding wave, "why don't we formally get to know each other."
Nidoran's growl was much quieter this time, accepting her defeat and position as last on the totem pole. For how long that would last though, Gary determined to find out while making the rest of their trek to Viridian.
"I'm Gary," he said while pointing to himself. "And that's Tempest. Just so we're clear, I'm going to be the one in charge, okay?"
He made sure to give Tempest a glance when he said that.
Ironically, both seemed to dislike the facts. Tempest knew better than to challenge his authority though, taking into consideration that her pokeball laid nice and shiny on his belt. Gary figured that they would get used to it soon enough, which would hopefully make curbing Nidoran's aggression easier.
"We're starting our quest to get stronger. I know you're not weak, but you aren't using your head yet." Nidoran narrowed her eyes but didn't bother to do anything else but listen. "I can help you control your aggression, and I can also help you become stronger."
It was a miracle that he struck the right chord. It was like night and day seeing the change in emotion that Nidoran had, obviously infatuated with the thought of gaining more strength. Whether or not she would use it to topple the supposed patriarchy she was stuck in remained up in the air, but Gary didn't think of it too much. At least Tempest was still level-headed enough to take his side of the field.
"Now that you're part of the team, would you like to have a nickname? Tempest has one obviously, but if you'd like, I can also give you a few options to try out."
Nidoran's best effort to nod made Gary crack a grin. Her ears were definitely larger than the rest of her body, making it difficult for her to move her head.
"What do you think of Thaliah?"
A limited shake of her head horizontally signaled a no.
"How about Raina?"
Another no.
Gary paused and thought a little bit harder. Although the names he listed were generic and automatically related to queens in one way or another, he was sure that Nidoran would want to be more unique than that. She would want to start her own reign, and by doing so, make it so that her title would stand for who she was. It sounded cliché, but that was the point with nicknames.
At least he wasn't going to name her Jenna.
"What do you think about Genesis?" he asked after a pregnant pause. "We'll just build the legacy with it. You'll be the progenitor."
That earned him a fierce nod of approval. Perfect.
"Great!" Gary snuck a quick peek to his pokedex, finally spotting the time with its digital numbers. "Okay girls, it's time for us to sleep. Tomorrow we're going to try and haul the rest of our way to Viridian."
The excitement that came with battle was something Gary knew he would never get sick of. Route One passed tremendously fast, the only stops taken being either for lunch or fighting the stray trainer who offered to fight. He knew that he was getting closer to Viridian City with how many other new trainers were filling the paths. Only those who wanted more practice before heading away from home would choose to go down the route he was on.
Gary didn't mind it in the slightest. Every battle ended with a victory in his name, building up not only his reputation, but his bank account as well. Money was something he never wanted to be short on- even though it was inevitable once he teleported all the way to Celadon.
"Maybe you should try actually training," he scoffed as he fingered through the bills his opponent awkwardly handed him. "Your Pidgey couldn't even touch Genesis, and she isn't even my starter!"
Whoever the girl was didn't say anything and ran back to the city, probably crying at the same time. On the bright side, at least he knew which way to go now.
He knew it was unfair to compare the two of them together. The girl likely came from a standard family in the city, just like a majority of the rest who earned their training licenses. She probably never had the exposure he did, living directly among pokemon like they were his own. As much as he loathed to admit it, Gramps did a good job on acclimating him into the life of being a trainer.
It also didn't help that Genesis went against every biological factor he knew of her species. Female Nidoran were hardly known for aggression—much less violence—and mostly kept to their dormant lives under the protection of their evolutionary stages. Genesis, however, strived to become the matriarch already, fuming and hissing with every landed strike of Poison Sting and Scratch.
She was kind of scary in that regard.
Nonetheless, it didn't change the fact that they were the victors in their fight. His opponent's confidence was high, but his ego was higher. Gary had more than enough faith in his partners to pull through whatever bottom-of-the-barrel pokemon they had to face. Tempest even managed to get the hang of Water Gun the battle prior to this one!
"We're going to start working on Toxic Spikes later on," he told Genesis as they started walking again. Tempest elected to stay in her pokeball after a particularly quick Bellsprout landed a harsh hit with Vine Whip earlier that morning. "Your toxins are the most dangerous tools we have right now. If we can make it get to the point where they're unavoidable, we'd be unstoppable!"
Genesis hissed in agreement, already pleased with the idea. Even in her little body, Gary knew that her spirit to become the best would pull through whatever tribulations they might have in mastering the moves they wanted to accomplish.
It didn't take long to reach the enormous arches that led into Viridian City. Although it was listed as the fourth largest city in Kanto, Gary had a hard time comprehending it fully. Buildings that were more like towers scraped at the clouds, the roads filled with people and pokemon alike as they stepped in.
Gary knew better than to let Genesis into a city with the minimal supervision he would be able to provide. With a soft frown and a shrug, he returned her and promised to take her out with Tempest as soon as he found the local Pokemon Center. He didn't want to risk Rivalry activating on humans.
His name wouldn't be able to get him out of everything. Gramps warned him of it before, and for once, Gary decided to take his word on it. There was no place in letting Genesis put herself in danger when he could make sure that she was safe in her pokeball. Besides, it was just another place on the map. He had been there plenty of times, both for school trips and personal visits with his grandfather.
First thing's first: the Pokemon Center. If he remembered correctly, it was closer to the middle of the city than the perimeter. The only reason it took so long to reach it was due to all of the foot traffic in the way.
The inside was much cooler than he expected. Going half a week without air conditioning made Gary realize just how different life was on the road. Porcelain white floors stretched across the entire building, the walls the same bleak color save for the simple accents of red and the stray potted plant. Most interesting of all (not that there was a lot of interesting things in the first place inside the building) was the woman standing behind the counter, pinkish-red hair pulled back into a bun.
"Welcome to the Pokemon Center!" she said brightly as he walked to the counter, a Chansey at her side waving its greeting. "If you're looking for a checkup, just give me your trainer ID and I'll get you all set up!"
He slid his pokedex across the flat surface with a frown, already despising the recognition spreading across her face.
"Just place your pokeballs in this tray and I'll get them healed right up for you!"
Gary's eyebrows lifted when the woman's voice didn't change. She might have known who he was, but she didn't let it affect how she treated him. It was almost like he was in a daze as he handed over Tempest and Genesis's pokeballs, still mentally surprised.
Nurse Joy arched a brow as she saw him stare at her with shock. "Is this your first time?" Her preppy tone was a bit harsh on the ears, but she still kept the same smile on her face as he tried to hide a grimace. "If you would like, I can help guide you through the process of checking in to make things easier for you in the future."
The look of confusion on her face when Gary actually smirked was enjoyable. This was what he was looking for his entire life. A place where he wasn't just an offshoot of some renowned family name!
"I would like that," he confessed as he allowed his grin to turn into a more genuine smile. "Is there anything else I need to show you? I think it should all be there in my pokedex."
The affirmative nod Gary received in return was a relief. He forgot how scary it could be to do something new for the first time.
"One last thing. Can I also get a key? I'm tired of sleeping on dirt."
Sitting in front of a video phone was not high on Gary's priority list. If he had a choice, he would have much rather take a nap in his assigned room while waiting for his pokemon to get healed. It felt weird not having them on his belt, their presence already being sorely missed. It was no wonder that trainers felt empty without their partners. Gary had hardly known his for more than a handful of days and he was getting soppy about them.
But alas, sitting in his uncomfortable seat waiting for Gramps to answer his call was something he was bound to do.
It rang twice more until the chiming stopped and his grandfather appeared on the screen. Gramps looked the same as he did when he left Pallet, his peppered white hair still haphazardly styled and a wrinkled frown on his lips. Seriously, why did he never smile when they talked?
"So, it appears you made it there in three days," the older Oak confirmed as Gary frowned in return. "And I see you caught a female Nidoran?"
"Yeah, I did," Gary responded, unsure of what exactly he was supposed to say. "Trying to temper her ability has been a pain, but I think we're starting to make progress. She's tolerating Tempest's role as second-in-command for now, but she's not going to accept that without a couple more fights."
Gramps almost cracked a grin. "Rivalry is not something to take lightly. Many trainers before you have found it to be too much for them to handle. If you're serious about keeping your Nidoran with you, I suggest you establish Squirtle's—Tempest's—role in stone. Nothing good will come from an untrained pokemon."
Gary waved the comment off, even though he would make sure to do exactly as the man said. He didn't want Gramps to think that he was going to come to him for advice any time something went wrong. Hell, nothing even went wrong yet!
"I'll be fine. I'm an Oak, remember?" Gary inwardly cringed as he spoke those words, hating that he was trying to appease the man enough to get him off his back. Attempting to prove that he was worthy of the Oak legacy was like drinking Weedle poison. "I'm going to whip both of them into shape."
Silence stretched over the call, looming like an anchored weight on Gary's shoulders. He hated when the quiet stretched on. It was like he was getting chastised for no reason."
"Very well," Professor Oak finally replied. "I'll make sure to check up on it in the future. On a different note, have you decided when you'll leave for Pewter City?"
"I'm not going to Pewter just yet," Gary admitted with a tinge of worry. The two of them had spent a lot of time going over what an optimal route would be for a beginner like him, even though only one of them had agreed to it. "I'm going to the teleporter hub to see if I can get transported to Celadon. I want to challenge Erika first."
He quietly gulped. Gramps was always scary when he did something that went against what he was told to do. The last time he tried going against his wishes, he had been grounded for a week and forbidden to go see the Rhyhorn race he'd saved up for.
All he got instead was a hefty sigh. "I know you're trying to be your own person Gary, but when will you understand that I'm only trying to help you? Erika is a strong Gym Leader, and by no means am I doubting you at all, but I think you're starting to get ahead of yourself. You only have one pokemon with an advantage over grass-types, and even then, it is neutralized due to many of the Kantonian grass-types being secondary poison."
"I know!" was the immediate response. "That's why I'm going to prove that I can do it. Do you really not have any faith in me?"
It turned out that the question held too much weight behind it. Gramps swiveled around his chair and started adjusting some of the papers scattered around his desk, although Gary knew it was a ploy to try and either avoid answering the question or think up an excuse. Gary felt a knot tighten in his chest, his jaw clenching as he grinded his teeth together.
"I'll talk to you later then."
The screen went dark as Gary disconnected the call.
Gary groaned as he threw his pokedex down to the foot of the bed, not in the mood to read Gramps' apology for how the call ended. He stole a quick look to where his teammates were on the floor. Both Tempest and Genesis passed their examinations with flying colors during their checkup, though the nurse did mention that it would be wise to start getting Tempest used to dodging inside her shell more. Taking Vine Whips to the face was not a clever way to work around her inherent weaknesses.
"We'll show him," he vowed as Tempest and Genesis both looked up to him. "One day, we'll come home as conference champions and prove that we're the real deal. Then, we'll leave his ass to dry as we go our own way!"
Two loud cheers came in response, bringing an easy smile to Gary's face for the first time since he had hung up that call.
"I did some searching for you girls while you were getting healed," Gary said, trying to sound as persuasive as he could. "Tempest, you're going to be the one to struggle at the gym, which means we're going to start working on your defenses. Genesis, you're going to be the one to pull most of the weight. I want to work on getting you used to fighting in close quarters."
He felt the desire to win bubble up from deep in his gut. The path he was choosing was by no means easy. If anything, many would call him stupid for going directly to the gym that would challenge his pokemon the most. Gary knew better than to let those thoughts creep in though. It was his journey, and he was going to make sure that people would recognize that it was his skill that got him to the top.
"We're going to find the teleporter hub tomorrow morning. Make sure to get as much sleep as you can: as soon as we get there, it's straight to training."
The Kanto Transportation Service was one of the most highly funded and important companies ever created in the entire region. Ran by the Indigo League itself, it employed the use of all kinds of pokemon to transport and relocate anything you could think of. While most known for their long-distance teleportation services under the guidance of several psychics, there was no lack of any other option. Seafaring was their other main function, utilizing large portions of water-types to effectively trade with other regions.
In the Viridian City subdivision, there were at least fifty members of the Alakazam line waiting in translucent cubicles around the teleportation zone. It was customary to use Abra for local transmission, while Kadabra and Alakazam were more specialized in longer distances. Of course, the price would start to increase with the amount traveled, though the rates were not impossible to deal with. It beat having to walk in most cases.
Thankfully, it didn't appear to be crowded as Gary made his way up to the counter. A man with an abnormally large nose waited for him behind it, adjusting the rimmed glasses that barely fit at the bridge.
"How much is it to get to Celadon City from here?" Gary asked flatly. There was no use in beating around the bush, and a straight up answer was all he wanted. He knew it would be at least half of his current savings, but he started to feel better once he thought of all the money he would rake in as soon as he got to his destination.
He wasn't sure if it was just him or if the man was related to a Slowpoke, but he groaned as the man moved slowly to click some buttons on the computer in front of him.
"Three thousand is what you're looking at," came the flat reply.
The insides of his cheeks started to bleed as he clenched his jaw a bit too tightly, begrudgingly sliding over his pokedex to allow the man to transfer the money over. It physically pained him to watch all of his hard-earned cash vanish from the trainers he beat on the way here. At least he knew he could earn it back.
"Please step over to the first cubicle. Thank you for choosing the Viridian City Transportation Service." He couldn't pocket his pokedex quickly enough, thankful that the painfully boring conversation was finally over.
He never understood how people could be so dull.
The Alakazam that greeted him was slightly taller than he was, his mustache giving away his gender at the same time. Gary gave a curt nod to the psychic-type, thankful that he got assigned to a fully grown member of the line. He didn't necessarily trust a Kadabra to reach Celadon smoothly.
Smart decision.
A half-smile spread on Gary's face as he grabbed onto the spoon extended to him. It felt like nothing as the air cracked around him to fill up the lost space, the world blurring until it made sense once again in a room that looked largely like the one he just left.
"Thank you," he said genuinely to the Alakazam. "You sure you're just a teleporter? I could always use a powerful psychic!"
I am flattered. No.
Alakazam left.
"Well, it was worth a try," he admitted. There was no harm in asking.
With Celadon now fully upon him, Gary quickly made for the exit and was smacked by countless fragrances that filled the air. Despite the city being the largest in Kanto, even beating out Saffron City further east, it didn't feel like it was especially crowded. The roads were full, but they weren't packed to the brim. Buildings had open windows, plants draping from their openings, releasing a constant aroma of flowers and berries. Countless shops had their doors open as well, the cool summer breeze creating a draft that made Gary gasp.
This was totally different compared to Viridian City. Celadon breathed life into its streets. Even the people who were out looked happier- serene, even.
Now he could see why it was such a popular destination.
In the center of it all was the largest building in all of Indigo: The Celadon Department Store. Recent renovations made the building more than ten stories tall, packed with anything and everything a trainer could dream of. The lower floors held day-to-day necessities such as food and clothing, while the upper levels had medicines and vitamins. The very top floor had the most sought-after objects that money could buy- TMs.
Gary had to hold himself back from rushing in and spending all of the money he had left. With his savings shaved over halfway down, there was work to be done before going on a shopping spree. Firstly, he'd have to spend some time training before challenging Erika. She was more lenient than the likes of Sabrina or Giovanni, but she was known for having a dark streak against certain trainers. Something about their auras being tainted, he recalled after looking into her listings online.
He promised himself that he would get the TMs as soon as he got his first badge as a prize for himself and his team. Tempest and Genesis's pokeballs felt warm against his belt, their consciousness a constant presence even during their stasis. He truly was lucky to have found such eager and prideful pokemon.
A quick glance at his pokedex led him to the closest Pokemon Center, which was just a couple of blocks down from the building he was at. He made sure to reach the center as fast as he could to book a room, not wanting to miss out under the circumstances of the city being so large.
Thankfully, the local Nurse Joy had a few rooms left. After he took the key and dropped off his things (except for a very specific item), he made his way to the sectioned off space behind the Pokemon Center to do some training. While he would have preferred to go into the wilderness to work with his team, the time it would take to reach his destination would take up more time than it was worth.
Tempest was released first, her tiny feet hitting the dirt with a subdued thud. She looked up to Gary with confusion at first, then realization, and finally a dangerous grin. She might not have known the area by its place on the map, but she could feel the energy in the air. In her excitement and anticipation, she released a set of bubbles that popped in the air.
Not one to be left behind, Genesis appeared next. The tiny poison-type was even more excited to arrive, always ready to fight. Her claws left indents on the ground as she sniffed the air, making Gary a bit nervous. Hopefully she could reign in her ability until their training started.
"Okay girls, here's the plan." Gary smirked as his two partners stared at him expectantly. "This is going to be our first official gym battle. I'm going to see if we can register early, but I don't plan on us challenging her any sooner than five days from now. We have a lot of work to do if we want to win, and that all rides on if we can work together or not."
Tempest blinked when Gary pointed a finger to her. "You're going to be working on your defenses today, and then we're going to head on to Rapid Spin. If we want to avoid your weakness, then you're going to have to get used to attacking even while hiding in your shell." At her scowl, Gary shook his head. "None of that. I don't want us to make the mistake of going in too headstrong. The last thing we need is for you to get knocked out early."
"As for you," he started while getting Genesis's attention back onto him, "you're going to work on the potency of Poison Sting, which will lead to Toxic Spikes once you've gotten control of it. It's going to be risky, considering that half of the damn native Kantonian grass-types have a secondary poison typing, but I think it's going to pay off if we can narrow down her choices. If we can make a plan revolving around who our opponents will be, then we will be far better off than if we went in totally blind."
Genesis, headstrong as she was, complied by folding her ears back and chuffing. She hated being told what to do, but losing to Tempest was a sore streak that she sought to break. While she hadn't lost any of the trainer battles during the remainder of their journey through Route One, Tempest was always pulling ahead one step of her. It was time she proved that she could beat the water-type and usurp her position by taking the gym down all on her own.
"For training, Genesis is going to fire off Poison Sting rapid-fire at you, Tempest. Your job is to make sure that you harden your shell enough with Withdraw that they bounce off. The one who lasts the longest without giving up doesn't have to do sprints at the end of the night."
Motivation at its finest. They both hated sprints and Gary knew it. A pleasantly evil grin formed on his lips, eager to watch the ensuing fight that was about to occur.
The first thirty minutes passed with a surprising quickness. Genesis started off strong with a constant barrage of Poison Sting, the dull thuds against Tempest's shell a testament to how hard they were being shot. Gary even winced as one or two managed to pierce through his starter's defenses.
Tempest was no slacker though. The sheen that glistened over her shell wasn't the brightest, but it was getting the job done in protecting her from the poisonous attacks a majority of the time. Genesis was a quick learner though, eventually aiming for the openings that her opponent had no control over.
That was what the antidote he brought was for. He only needed to use a little bit at a time since he caught the infliction right away, but he knew in the back of his head that what he was doing was dangerous. Thankfully, Nurse Joy was literally right around the corner and could fix whatever his medicine couldn't.
He could already hear the lecture in his ears if something went wrong.
"Keep going, ladies! Don't be the first one to drop now."
Genesis's rate of fire was finally starting to slow down after a good forty-five minutes of hard work. Having put so much energy into the first few blasts had already taken its toll on her low endurance, forcing her to reach deeper into her reserves to continue the training so that she wouldn't have to do those dreaded sprints. Even with the small amount of time spent training though, Gary could already see the difference in the color of her attacks. They started off as a washed out pink at first, but have now started to deepen into a fuller saturation. By the time their five days were up, Gary believed that it would finally reach the deep purple that was considered the standard.
To his surprise, Tempest was faring better than he thought. She had adapted quickly to Genesis's cunning assault on the openings in her armor, twisting and turning whenever she could to avoid the poisonous darts. It was the exact prerequisite to Rapid Spin that he wanted to see, and the pride that welled up in his chest was nice and warm. Even despite her stubborn attitude, the water-type knew how to put in the effort.
The next fifteen minutes finally determined the winner of their brief exercise. Genesis burned through her energy reserves too quickly, which left her panting with exhaustion and without any poison left to fire through her system. Tempest didn't look good either, to be fair. Her shell had been scratched to oblivion, making Gary note to himself to polish it as soon as their training ended.
"That was a good first round," he said while grinning at the distraught faces of his pokemon. "We're going to do a best of three. Don't lose the next one Genesis, or else you're going to be sore as hell in the morning."
The Celadon City Gym was much bigger in person than it was in pictures. The front of the building was absolutely covered from head to toe in vines and other various foliage, blocking off all the other common traits shared between the Indigo-inspired style that was meant to be a matching set across the two regions it spanned. The only reason Gary knew it was the gym was due to the signs that were posted along the sidewalks to reach it.
The inside was no different from its exterior. The only thing that he could spot was a miniscule clearing that was devoid of any towering plants, save for some grass that looked like it hadn't been trimmed in years. Even the front desk was hard to find, the woman sitting behind it the only indication of it being there.
"Welcome to the Celadon City Gym!" Her voice was light and airy, much like the atmosphere itself. "Are you here to challenge Gym Leader Erika?"
"Yes, I am," Gary replied with confidence. "Just not today, though. I wanted to secure a time in about four days if that's possible."
The secretary tapped away on a screen that was hidden beneath a curtain of ivy, biting her lip in the process. "You're smart for coming in early. The next couple of days are booked!" She looked for another minute before glancing back up at him. "How would noon work?"
"That's fine by me."
"Great! If you wouldn't mind passing me your trainer ID, I'll go ahead and get you all set up!"
A few seconds later and he was registered in the system, scheduled to battle Erika in four days. Gary took a deep breath to still the rapid-fire pace his heart was beating at.
His dreams were finally about to start coming a reality.
"That's it, Tempest! Keep spinning!"
Three more days of training did wonders for his team of two. Tempest had Withdraw down pat and had gotten a grip on Rapid Spin in record time. Combining the two moves was still a work in progress, the focus required to put them together still a bit too much for her to handle, but Gary felt like she was coming into her own with ease. They had also sprinkled in some practice with Bubble and Water Gun, both pleased to see that she hadn't been slacking on that front either.
As for Genesis, her Poison Sting was starting to bite. The coloration darkened just like he predicted, though it wasn't the deep purple he wanted quite yet. Toxic Spikes was still a bit too difficult to conjure up for the small poison-type as of the current moment, the concentration of venom in the hazard lacking, but there was still time to work on it. They had also decided on the second day to add Double Kick to her roster of moves, which had come along much better than their other work in progress.
Tempest, who had been spinning for her life to avoid getting a Poison Sting to the face, charged forward like a battering ram to hit Genesis. Gary smirked with enjoyment as Genesis refused to go down to the improvised tactic that got her captured, cutting off her attack to turn and buck out her two back legs with Double Kick.
A clean kick to the underbelly of Tempest's shell knocked her cleanly back, the wind knocked out of her fortified lungs. For a moment Gary thought that Genesis had finally taken down her ultimate rival but chuckled as soon as he saw the faint gleam of Withdraw fade from his starter's chest.
"Not bad."
Gary turned to face where the unknown voice came from. Standing behind him was a woman a few years older than he, whose eyes were a threatening emerald green and hair that was cut into a severe bob. She was also a few inches taller than him (which was quite shocking, since he considered himself tall for his age), sporting a belt of six pokeballs. They all had a distinctive shell that tinted the standard balls purple, which made his eyebrows raise. Those weren't normal for regular trainers.
"Who are you?" he asked defensively, stepping back to give himself some more space. Tempest and Genesis rushed to his flanks, eyeing down the mysterious woman with what he could only assume to be confusion and, in Genesis's case, anger.
"My name is Emelia," she said with a soft voice. There wasn't much emotion that came off with her words, making it seem like she was disconnected from her surroundings. "I saw you training and wanted to stop by. Are you getting ready for Erika?"
"Of course I am. Are you blind? I'm trying to prepare, here!"
Out of everything they've said so far, that was the statement that managed to get her to show anything other than a deadpan face, the laugh that came out of her narrow features brief.
"Your hostility is misplaced." Emelia adjusted her hair, pushing her extended bangs behind an ear. "I am simply here to offer some advice."
"I don't need any!" Gary's charged response made Genesis step forward and growl, wanting the woman to leave. "I'm going to become strong on my own, not because a girl decided to help me out!"
If his statement hurt Emelia's feelings, she didn't show it. Instead, she smiled with her perfectly white teeth and reached down to one of her pokeballs, narrowing her eyes like she spotted her prey in Gary.
"If you think that, why don't we just have a mock battle? I promise that you'll be sorry for turning down my help after."
Finally, something that made sense about her. Gary hardened his own features over, though he did allow his signature smile to spread over his lips.
"Deal."
Standing on either end of the arena was both individuals, with Gary on the left and Emelia on the right. Gary's pokemon were still out of their pokeballs, and Emelia was holding hers in the base of her left hand, primed and ready.
"Go ahead and fight with both your pokemon at once. I promise that I'll go easy on you if you want."
Gary grit his teeth in response to her ego. He was supposed to be the egocentric one, not her! With a simple nod of his head forward, the two of his pokemon stepped onto the dusty battlefield, ready to defend their trainer's pride with all their might.
"Don't underestimate us that much, Emelia. You might have a full belt, but Tempest and Genesis aren't pushovers!"
She said nothing as her pokeball launched into the air, releasing not only the pokemon that was inside, but a deep, black smog that clouded what it was. The smoke spread over the clearing at a slow rate, making Gary clench his fists. What was this supposed to be?
"Are you trying to play games?" he called out over the smoke. "Why don't you just come out and fight like a real trainer!"
No response, although his partners did start to venture into its depths simply by proximity. Not one to wait any longer, Gary finally called out to his pokemon loudly. "Tempest, use a wide-ranged Bubble to cast the smoke back. Genesis, aim your Poison Sting for the right and make your way over to the left!"
His pokemon grunted in response, preparing the moves deep in the haze that clouded them from Gary's vision. When nothing happened, he started to get frustrated, digging his feet into the dirt with the sole of his shoe.
"Come on! Do it already, girls!"
"Stop screaming." Emelia's voice lost any sense of sympathy, now calloused and cool as steel. "You lost the second your pokemon stepped into the smoke. Here I was, thinking that you'd at least be careful about this. Alma, if you will."
He didn't know what caused it, but a strong draft of wind dragged the smoke off the ground and into the air, revealing both Genesis and Tempest wrapped up from head to toe in a briar of prickly vines. The pokemon that had them wrapped up was vaguely familiar, with Gary finally recognizing it by the red and blue flowers on its hands crossed over one another.
Roserade were by no means common in Kanto. Shiny Stones alone costed a fortune due to their rare nature in the wilderness of the Indigo League. Its stature was still and poised, holding itself like a statue while waiting for its next command.
"Drop them." Emelia's command was short, with the Roserade—Alma—responding without any delay.
Tempest coughed up a storm as she tried to rid the smoke from her lungs, Genesis too fatigued from whatever happened in the shroud of darkness to fight any more. Gary was stunned, fumbling with their pokeballs as they returned into stasis. He needed to get to Nurse Joy.
"They're fine," Emelia called out as she saw Gary's urgency. "Mega Drain just sapped them of their energy. Alma didn't use all of her strength with the attack, so they should be good to go after a rest with Nurse Joy."
"Why?" Gary's voice cracked at his statement, confusion and guilt wrapping around his head much like the fog did the battlefield before. "How many badges do you even have?"
Emelia had the audacity to laugh at his question. "I have none. I am a coordinator."
That made Gary feel even worse, losing to a girl who favored appeal over strength. While coordinators were still a smaller portion of the Kanto trainer population, a quick number of them rose at the end of Hoenn's Grand Festival a couple years back, following the ascension of Wallace as the top coordinator of his respective region. The man was now the Gym Leader at Sootopolis City, making his dual profession that much more impressive.
The two stood awkwardly across from one another for a handful of minutes before Emelia decided to turn around and walk off, only for Gary to haphazardly reach out and grab her arm, hating himself in the process of doing so. He could already hear Gramps' words in the back of his head telling him to become stronger, and he wasn't about to let go of a resource that freely offered themselves to him.
He had to bite the bullet if he wanted to get better. If not for him, then his pokemon who just got obliterated by a single attack.
"I'm going to beat you," he finally got out, the words like venom on the tip of his tongue. "But I'm not able to yet. I… I apologize."
Despite how much he wanted to squirm under the duress of her intense stare, Gary held firm against it. He had to prove that he was able to hold up against the pressure.
"Fine. Meet me on Route Sixteen this evening. Don't be late."