Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, or any other property in this work that I did not make myself.

Pokémon: Sinnoh no Isekai

Chapter Seventy: Taking flight

Dawn and Kenny, after having made sure their respective parties were ready, made their way over to the gym in Violet City. There they would aim to earn their respective first Johto gym badges each. "So what do you think the gym battle will be like?" Kenny asked Dawn as they were on their way over to the gym.

"I believe that the gym battles are held up on a large roof with wide open space," Dawn replied, "So as to better give flying Pokémon an edge."

Kenny gently shook his head. "Wow. The gym leader sounds like a right proper bird brain." Dawn had to suppress a chuckle, actually finding Kenny's pun just now rather amusing. "So you said that you'll take on Falkner first?"

"Yes," Dawn said, "It'll be mostly to give you an idea on what to expect when you have your battle." Within short order, Dawn and Kenny arrived at the Violet City gym. Gesturing to the gym, Dawn said, "Well, let's go in. There's no point in waiting."

Kenny grinned mischievously as he rubbed his hands together. "I hope Falkner's ready, because we're going to be clipping his wings! Hoo haa!" Kenny then rushed in, prompting Dawn to let out a sigh as she gave chase.

...

Inside of the gym's lobby, Dawn and Kenny looked around. "Hello?" Dawn called out, "We're looking for Falkner? I'm here to challenge him to try to earn the badge that's awarded to trainers who challenge and win here!"

There was no response. The reborn trainers looked around, before they turned to look at one another. Kenny looked confused as he shrugged at Dawn. "...Maybe he's taking a du-"

"Pidgeot-ot!"

Dawn and Kenny turned around when they heard a Pidgeot cry out, and soon spotted one through a window that showed the outside. In addition to a Pidgeot, they spotted a blue haired young adult male who Dawn, thanks to her knowledge from her previous life, was able to identify as Falkner, the very man she and Kenny came to the Violet City gym looking for. He was dressed as he was in the Johto anime back in Dawn and Kenny's previous lives.

Within short order, Falkner recalled his Pidgeot, then quickly made his way into the gym's lobby. "Is there anything I can help you with?" Falkner asked, "After all, the two of you are in my gym."

"So you're Falkner," Kenny said, "Yeah, me and my main man here came looking to challenge the gym leader of this gym, and we got it down that you're the guy we're looking for."

Falkner nodded once in the affirmative. "Yes, I'm Falkner, the leader of the Violet City gym." Dawn was picking up vibes that Falkner was being honestly humble and hospitable; he showed no trace of annoyance with Dawn and Kenny entering his gym while he wasn't there. Dawn vaguely recalled from the anime in her previous life that Falkner was a bit self righteous. Did something occur here to change Falkner as a person?

It wouldn't of been the first time that happened in this world since Dawn and Kenny were Isekai'd.

Gesturing to herself, Dawn said, "I understand that only one of us can battle you at a time. Would it be agreeable if I challenged you first?"

Nodding once, Falkner said, "Yes, although there'll be a bit of a lack of an audience."

"Lack of an audience?" Kenny repeated, sounding confused.

Shrugging, Falkner explained, "I usually have some students of mine watch every gym battle I take part in. But they're on holiday right now."

"That's fair," Dawn said, "Just lead the way." Falkner nodded once before gesturing for Dawn and Kenny to follow him to where he held his gym battles. The two reborn trainers went up higher and higher, wondering what the view was going to be like.

Breath taking, to say the least. They've seen similar views when they zoomed around on the backs of their legendary dragon Pokémon, but Dawn and Kenny were still amazed by the view that they were seeing while so far up in the air. "The referee is also on holiday, so we'll have to do this with just us," Falkner explained, "The rules are simple. We each use up to three Pokémon, last one with any Pokémon left still able to fight wins the battle, and I'm not allowed to substitute Pokémon until one of mine goes down."

Dawn nodded in understanding. The three Pokémon each rule, combined with how she saw Falkner with a Pidgeot earlier, told Dawn that Falkner was going to be using his anime party, rather than his initial challenge party from the HGSS games. "Ready when you are," Dawn said simply.

Falkner allowed himself a small smile before tossing up a pokéball. "Hoothoot, I choose you!" Coming out into battle was Falkner's Hoothoot, the first Pokémon that he was using in the battle against Dawn.

Tossing up a pokéball herself, Dawn called out, "Alright, Foamy! Let's get goin'!" Dawn sent out her named Pachirisu as her first Pokémon for the battle against Falkner. Type wise, Dawn was making a smart move, using electric against flying. But Dawn knew better than to push her luck, especially given that she had recently caught Foamy and didn't get the chance to do much training with him. Assuming that Foamy did defeat Hoothoot, Dawn would call him back afterwards and refrain from using him again for the rest of the gym battle if she could help it.

Upon seeing Foamy, however, Falkner looked a little confused. "...That's not a Pokémon I'm familiar with."

"Foamy is a Pachirisu," Dawn explained, "A species of electric type Pokémon native to me and Kenny's home region of Sinnoh."

"You two are from Sinnoh?" Falkner said, "Huh. I recently battled a boy who I thought was from Sinnoh, given he told me that's where he first started his path as a Pokémon trainer. But he then told me he was actually born and raised in Unova."

The boy from Unova who started as a trainer in Sinnoh. He's cropped up again. Dawn wanted to ask some questions about that, but decided to reserve any and all questions she had for later. "I'd like to ask about that trainer, but for now we have a battle to conduct," Dawn replied, "Foamy, use Spark!"

Falkner gestured forward, almost flamboyantly, as he called out, "Hoothoot, use Tackle!"

The two Pokémon rushed at one another, but Foamy who was cloaked in crackling electricity was the faster, slamming hard right into Hoothoot and not only dealing a lot of damage to it but also paralyzing it as well. However Hoothoot was not defeated; it was still hanging in by the skin of its metaphorical teeth. But the paralysis did keep Hoothoot from carrying out its Tackle, allowing the named Pachirisu to avoid taking damage.

From what Dawn saw, one more good solid hit ought to do it. "Foamy, use Spark again!"

"Hoothoot!" Falkner exclaimed, "Try getting out of the way before using Tackle!"

As Hoothoot struggled to force through the paralysis, Foamy cloaked in crackling electricity again ran up and rammed himself right into Hoothoot, dealing another solid hit that sent Hoothoot flying back until it hit the ground of the high up battlefield and skidded for a bit before coming to a stop. When it did, it was clear that Hoothoot was defeated. Understanding that this was to be expected, Falkner recalled his defeated Hoothoot.

"So you are in possession of some experience as a trainer," Falkner said, "I tend to be the first gym leader here in Johto to be challenged by trainers seeking to earn eight Johto gym badges. I can tell when a trainer that I battle is either a greenhorn starting out, usually here in Johto but I have seen greenhorns from foreign regions come start out here in Johto, or an experienced trainer.

"I... suppose that I am in possession of some experience," Dawn replied, meanwhile Foamy was hopping up and down cheering over how he just defeated an opponent.

Falkner smirked a bit in amusement. "Then it's a good thing that I have a party more prepared for experienced trainers on hand. Dodrio, I choose you!"

"Foamy that's enough, fall back!" Dawn said as she recalled her named Pachirisu, "Alright, Shalltear! Let's get goin'!" Taking the place of Foamy was Shalltear, Dawn's named Rhyperior.

Falkner, upon seeing the large and strong rock Pokémon, went wide eyed out of shock. Although it was partly out of worry, it was more out of surprise. "...I would not expect something like that beast out of a young girl like you. Is that another Pokémon from Sinnoh which I'm not familiar with?"

"Shalltear is a Rhyperior," Dawn explained, "An evolution of Rhydon which was discovered in Sinnoh. Although I caught Shalltear as a Rhydon in Kanto and evolved her here in Johto."

The Violet City gym leader narrowed his gaze a bit. "...It did kind of remind me of Rhydon. And you say it's an evolved Rhydon. You really seem to have a knack for making me sweat." Gesturing forward, Falkner ordered, "Dodrio, use Fury Attack!"

"Shalltear, use Thunder Fang!" Dawn called out.

Dodrio ran in, all three of its heads thrusting back and forth quickly to deliver swift strikes, as it rushed Shalltear whose maw was opened wide with teeth cloaked in electricity. When Dodrio got in close enough to strike, it only dealt two swift strikes with Fury Attack before it was grabbed in a bear hug by the named Rhyperior, who then proceeded to bite down hard on the body between the middle and right hand necks of the Dodrio, making all three heads cry out in pain.

After Shalltear let Dodrio go, Falkner called out, "Dodrio, quick! Use Drill Peck!"

"Shalltear, use Rock Tomb!" Dawn ordered.

As Dodrio shook its three heads, trying to shake off how the pain from Thunder Fang has stunned it, Shalltear showed off how her training to learn Rock Tomb played out. Splendidly, apparently, as a lot of summoned boulders fell down onto and around Dodrio, striking it and making all three heads cry out in pain again before Dodrio stumbled around as if dizzy, then collapsed and laid on the ground of the battlefield, clearly out of it.

Falkner looked serious as he recalled his fainted Dodrio. "...It takes a lot of skill and power to not only get me down to my last Pokémon in a three on three, but to do so with no loss to show for the effort as well," Falkner remarked.

Dawn nodded once in acknowledgement. "Thanks. I try."

Holding up the pokéball that held his last Pokémon, Falkner said, "This is where I make my final stand. Pidgeot, I choose you!"

"Shalltear that's enough, fall back!" Dawn said as she swapped her Rhyperior out. Although it wouldn't put her at a type advantage, neither would what Dawn wants to try next put her at a type disadvantage. Tossing up the pokéball that held her third Pokémon for the battle, Dawn said, "Alright, Cyrus! Let's get goin'!" To the surprise of Kenny who was watching and especially Falkner who was battling Dawn, she sent out her Staraptor.

"Oh ho!" Falkner said upon seeing the Sinnoh native flying Pokémon, clearly amazed, "What sort of magnificent Pokémon I'm betting is from the Sinnoh region is this?"

"This is Cyrus, my Staraptor," Dawn explained, "I wanted to see how he fared against other flying Pokémon for a bit." Cyrus then cried out challengingly at Falkner's Pidgeot, who returned Cyrus's challenge with one of its own. Pointing forward, Dawn called out, "Cyrus, use Aerial Ace!"

"Pidgeot, use Quick Attack!" Falkner called out. Pidgeot rushed forward quickly at Cyrus, slamming into him but not doing much damage. In fact, all that Pidgeot really accomplished with hitting its opponent with a close range attack was put itself within easy striking distance for a close range attack from Cyrus, who swiftly struck at Pidgeot, throwing it back with a painful hit although both bird Pokémon remained in the air.

Gesturing forward, Falkner ordered, "Pidgeot, use Wing Attack!"

"Cyrus, use Facade!" Dawn commanded.

Both bird Pokémon flew in at one another, but this time Cyrus hit first, dealing a slamming strike to Pidgeot right before it was able to strike back with its glowing wings. Pidgeot, having taken two considerable hits from Cyrus, ended up landing on the ground of the battlefield where it panted out of exhaustion. Seeing this, Falkner looked concerned. "I can't believe how much I've been pushed into a corner," Falkner said, feeling the next attack or two called in the battle will decide it.

Dawn also felt one or two more attacks will decide the outcome of this battle. Wanting to end things quickly, Dawn gestured forward as she called out, "Cyrus, use Close Combat!"

Cyrus dove down towards Pidgeot, who was too tired to move out of the way. Upon getting in close enough, Cyrus proceeded to unleash a flurry of kicks, pecks, and wing strikes upon Pidgeot, pushing it further and further back. Flying type as it may be, Pidgeot is still part normal type, meaning the fighting type move Close Combat will still have some stinging power against it. Indeed, after Cyrus kicked Pidgeot away, it skidded on the ground until it came to a stop, where everyone clearly saw it that Pidgeot had been knocked out.

Falkner let out a mildly resigned sigh as he recalled his fainted Pidgeot. "Even without the referee here to call it, I know full well that I lost this battle fair and square," Falkner said. He then gave a small smile. "...Congratulations for winning. Stay right there so I can come over and award you the Zephyr Badge." Dawn stayed put, moving only to recall Cyrus, then lowering her arm again before Falkner reached her and handed her the Zephyr Badge.

"I don't suppose that you and your friend here would mind accompanying me to the Pokémon Center, would you?" Falkner asked, "I need to have my Pokémon treated, after all." Dawn, as well as Kenny who came over, nodded in agreement before the two of them followed Falkner off the roof of his gym, out of the gym, and right on over to the local Pokémon Center.

"So what all do you know about that boy?"

Falkner perked up a bit when Dawn asked him that question. "What do you mean?" Falkner asked.

"The one from Unova who decided to start off in Sinnoh," Dawn clarified, "You said you had fought him before. Kenny and I have heard about him a few times, but we don't know much about him, aside from how he picked Piplup as his his first Pokémon, said Piplup is now an Empoleon, and he caught a Magmar that according to Lance is rather disturbing."

Falkner let out a sigh. "...Well I can say that the boy does indeed have that Empoleon thing. He also had some bigger, bulkier looking Magmar that he identified as a Magmortar. But he didn't use either of those two against me when he battled me. I only ever saw him feed those two and something he called an Abomasnow when I wandered over to the Pokémon Center earlier that day."

"He also has an Abomasnow?" Kenny asked.

Falkner nodded in the affirmative. "He used that Abomasnow Pokémon in his challenge to me for the Zephyr Badge. It took out my Hoothoot, Dodrio, and Pidgeot all on its own." Falkner let out a sigh. "I can't believe the entire team of flying Pokémon I used all lost to one lone grass Pokémon."

"Abomasnow is part ice type, so that ought to mitigate the advantage and disadvantage on both sides," Dawn pointed out.

Falkner nodded. "That boy explained as such after I awarded him the Zephyr Badge. He also told me off a bit for the self righteous attitude I showed during our battle, a point that the referee and at least two of my students agreed with since all of them were there watching. In their defense, I've come to see how I was being a bit full of myself."

Dawn was a tiny bit alarmed when Falkner said the boy who defeated him called him out on something. "He wasn't being too harsh, was he?"

"Actually, all he said was that I was being rather self righteous and that I needed to dial it down a notch," Falkner confirmed, "Heck, my gym's referee was a bit firmer than the boy was in calling me out on the attitude I had shown."

"...So he more or less only said that you needed to chill a cycle," Kenny said, drawing a nod out of Falkner in the process. Dawn internally sighed in relief, glad that she wasn't going to have to deal with another pre-redemption arc Paul kind of guy.

Falkner threw his head back a bit, let out a mildly amused sigh. "Hoo boy, it's not very often I lose in an official challenge to my gym where I fail to defeat any of my opponent's Pokémon. The only ones that come to mind for me right now are you, that Unovan boy, and another boy named Ideku."

Hearing Falkner mention Ideku's name like that just now caught the attention of the reborn trainers. "Ideku?" Dawn asked, "As in Ideku Badorigo?"

Falkner looked surprised that Dawn, as well as Kenny if the look on his face were any indication, apparently knew Ideku as well. "...Yes. Some time ago, Ideku and his older brother Katsuku were both rookie trainers just starting out as trainers. I was the first gym leader either of them had ever battled, and as such I used a team set up for rookie trainers challenging me to battle them." Falkner gave a single nod. "Ideku defeated both the Pidgey and Pidgeotto I used with his own Pidgey and a Chikorita. Neither of his Pokémon went down in our battle."

Dawn and Kenny were learning a bit more about the mysterious trainer who grew up in an unloving environment. The reborn trainers then proceeded to explain to Falkner how they had met Ideku the previous night, how he had gotten back to Johto recently, and the condition he was in when they had brought him to their camp to take care of him a bit.

Nodding a few times as he listened to Dawn and Kenny, Falkner said, "Yes. I actually saw Ideku pass through Violet City earlier. He looked a bit starved like what you had mentioned, but he was clearly trying to focus on making sure he ate as well. I guess that he took your advice to also take care of himself to heart after all."

Relived to hear that Ideku was now taking care to take care of himself, Dawn and Kenny sighed in relief. "Good," Dawn said, "After seeing how he was when we met, as well as what we got on him from Professor Elm beforehand, Kenny and I are a bit worried about him. We're glad to hear that he is starting to do better."

"Do you know what direction he went off in?" Kenny asked.

Falkner nodded once in the affirmative. "Yes. He told me when I asked him that he was heading towards Azalea Town. I even saw him head off down Route 32, so I know that he was being honest with me." Arching a wry eyebrow, Falkner said, "Speaking of Azalea Town, if you two are aiming to earn eight Johto gym badges, then Azalea Town ought to be your next destination after you're both done here in Violet City."

Dawn, thanks to her knowledge from her previous life, knew what Falkner was talking about, but had to play dumb because he didn't know that she already know. "Oh really."

"Yes really," Falkner replied, "Another Johto League gym is located there. The gym leader there, Bugsy, uses bug type Pokémon." Giving Dawn a wry look, Falkner added, "That being said, both your Rhyperior and especially that magnificent flying Pokémon you identified as Staraptor would be very wise choices to use against Bugsy."

"Magnificent flying Pokémon?" Kenny repeated.

Shrugging, Falkner defended, "What can I say? Flying Pokémon are truly the most marvelous of Pokémon out there." Dawn and Kenny, not wanting to knock Falkner for his preferences, respected his feelings on the matter, even sharing in a laugh with him as they all relaxed.

Later that afternoon, after Falkner's Pokémon were fully rested at the Pokémon Center, he took the challenge from Kenny. Falkner ended up losing to Kenny as well, with Juan and Shallot taking out Hoothoot and Dodrio respectively. In a shocking turn of events, Kenny sent out Zarbon to square off against Falkner's Pidgeot.

Despite taking a super effective Wing Attack, Zarbon was still able to stay in the battle, and retaliated with a super effective Stone Edge that scored a critical hit and took Pidgeot out in just one hit. Seeing that he had been defeated fair and square by Kenny, Falkner had awarded him the Zephyr Badge that he had rightfully earned.

Before the reborn trainers left Violet City to make their way towards Azalea Town, Dawn took the time to ask Falkner something that she remembered she wanted to ask him. "Do you remember the name of the boy who defeated you with just an Abomasnow? You know, the boy from Unova who decided to start off as a trainer in Sinnoh."

Falkner gently shook his head in the negative. "Sorry, but no. I think I only heard his name once or twice."

"You'd figure that a trainer who defeated you as soundly as he did would have left a strong enough impression so that you wouldn't forget his name," Kenny reasoned.

Shrugging, Falkner said, "In my defense, I was helping with the chaos of setting up a local festival that took place here in Violet City. I had so much on my mind that I forgot the name of the boy who had defeated me."

"I guess it can't be helped," Dawn replied before she and Kenny said their goodbyes to Falkner. With their business in Violet City settled, Dawn and Kenny took off down Route 32.

...

"So we got two boys to keep an eye out for," Kenny said that night after he and Dawn had set up camp on Route 32, "Ideku, and that mysterious Unovan boy who decided to start off as a trainer in our home turf."

Dawn nodded in agreement. "I also want to learn more about that Unovan boy. Just what exactly would compel him to start off in Sinnoh rather than his home region of Unova, even with the fact he apparently wanted a Piplup?"

Kenny gently shook his head. "I have no idea where to even begin to tell you the answer to that, my main man." Opening his badge case to look at his Zephyr Badge, Kenny went on, "Although I can tell you that our gym challenge tour's stint here in the Johto region is off to a fantastic start."

Dawn smiled gently in amusement. "Yes. We got our first Johto gym badges each. And we'll be aiming for badge number two when we get to Azalea Town and each challenge Bugsy." Dawn also remembered that Azalea Town was where Kurt, the man who can make special pokéballs out of those apricorn things, also lived in Azalea Town.

Dawn was figuring that it might be worth her and Kenny's time to check in on Kurt and see if they might be able to snag a few of those special apricorn pokéballs. Dawn also had this sudden strange feeling that there was something else that seeing Kurt might make the effort worth while, but Dawn for the life of her wasn't able to figure it out, much less remember anything from the anime in her previous life that might clue her in on it.

...Oh well. Maybe she'll see something in Azalea Town when she and Kenny gets there that'll spark her memory.

END, CHAPTER SEVENTY

Author's notes;

This chapter sees Dawn and Kenny each earn their first Johto gym badges each, as well as learn a bit more about both Ideku, the trainer with a troubled past through no fault of his own, and that mysterious boy from Unova who decided to start off in Sinnoh. Dawn wants to learn more about the two boys, but will have to put said concerns on hold as she and Kenny will make their way to Azalea Town within short order.

Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Cyrus (male Staraptor), Shalltear (female Rhyperior), Foamy (male Pachirisu), Souji (male Rampardos), Tsukune (Palkia)

Kenny's Pokémon: (on hand) Zarbon (male Machamp), Hoodini (male Hoothoot), Shallot (male Glaceon), Juan (male Pikachu; libre), Kermit (male Politoed), Black (Giratina)