Hi again! This ended up being a longer one...

Poke-ball 11: Befitting

Between the government and Giovanni, Red learned all sorts of interesting things. Yet his latest batch of intelligence didn't come from either high-ranking source. Instead it came from the gossip and whispers among the officers and grunts, who thought their stories went unheard. It paid to be silent sometimes.

Red was going to Sinnoh anyway, for a bureaucratic visit. Being the blessed land of Arceus and the richest source of fossils and elemental stones, all other nations dared not to cross Sinnoh for both religious and economic reasons. Its Champion Cynthia represented that grace and dignity flawlessly, which still being powerful. Even Red respected her, though it took a couple of matches. His Pikachu didn't take the losses so kindly, always growling at Cynthia, which is why it stayed in its ball during these appointments.

But while Red was over there, it was the perfect excuse for dropping by Sunyshore City.

The city by the sea's edge was clean and orderly, perhaps too much so. There was always some noise in the background, whether it be the gently sweeping tides at the beach or the steady hum of electricity in the town. There were see-through bridges and walkways everywhere, which made everything confusing to navigate. Red would have been more annoyed about it if he didn't suspect it was for strategic purposes.

But eventually Red found his way to the Electric-Type Sunyshore Gym. Then he proceeded to get lost inside the Gym itself, as the concoction of gears, switching and turning bridges had him going around in circles. At least his Pikachu was having great fun annihilating the Gym Trainers, though they were tougher than expected. They didn't have raw power, but they fought smart, taking advantage of the Gym itself in their battles.

Finally Red managed to figure out the right path and arrived at the Gym Leader's spot…only, the Gym Leader wasn't there. He was out repairing the lighthouse instead. Apparently the subordinates were having too much fun watching Red go in circles to tell him his efforts were futile. With further irritation Red headed out of the Gym. At the least the way back was much simpler than getting to where the Gym Leader was supposed to be. He noticed how even the youngest Trainers casually yet dutifully watched him leave.

So Red wandered through the city again, and got lost yet again. This time he definitely felt the presence of eyes following him. It was something he wouldn't have noticed before he became Champion and lingered with both government and Team Rocket guards. There were probably hidden cameras and sensors too, as well as hidden Pokemon. He could tell by the way Pikachu fidgeted on his shoulder.

When he finally made it to the lighthouse, Red found his target at the top. He was a thin golden-haired young man covered in grime and oil, and was currently wiping his hands clean with a rag. Despite his dirty workman's outfit, he still radiated a certain charisma befitting of a leader.

"You're a tough guy to find, Volkner," said Red, only half-joking.

"A lot of people tell me that," said Volkner, stuffing the rag into his pocket. "So what brings the Champion of Kanto all the way over here? I'd think you'd be having dinner at the League Castle or something."

"I did that yesterday," Red replied with a shrug. He looked down at the city below. "This place is really something. So you did this all yourself?"

"Of course not," said Volkner, also gazing down at Sunyshore. "I've just done a lot to improve what was already there. And I've had a lot of help from people and Pokemon alike."

"Of course," said Red. "Is it true that this is the only place not attacked by Team Galactic?"

Volkner's face darkened a bit. "Prevention is the best policy for protection."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Red, before smirking. "Son of Surge?"

His cool expression turned ice-cold. "Why are you here, Champion?"

"Just call me Red," the young boy said, still smiling. "It suits me better."

IIIIII

...It ended up so long, in fact, that I've had to split this into two parts. I needed to do more world-building anyway, and this drabble was good for setting that up. And surprise, here's Volkner with ties to Kanto! XD

Actually, the whole Volkner bit coming up was an old story idea that got absorbed into this one. So yay for plot bunnies that combine instead of multiply :P. I've got plenty of those already...