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-seven: Spiritual symbol

The morning following a bunch of rioting bug Pokémon in Ecruteak City being taken down, Dawn and Kenny made their way to the Ecruteak City gym at around eight. Upon arriving, the two of them were greeted by Morty, the Ecruteak City gym leader. He was accompanied by a Mismagius when he greeted the reborn trainers. "Ah, it's you guys," Morty said, "Thanks again for the Dusk Stone, Dawn. Also, thank you and Kenny both for your actions yesterday in helping to quell the rioting bug Pokémon all over Ecruteak City."

Dawn nodded once, her expression neutral. "But Team Scorn still successfully got away with every bell from the Tin Tower."

"I've already called Lance, the Indigo League champion," Morty remarked, "Told him what happened. He said he'll have men work to help track down and recover the stolen bells." Giving Dawn and Kenny a curious look, Morty went on, "Lance also told me that you guys have run into Team Scorn multiple times before. That would explain how you were able to recognize them from the security video feed I showed you."

"Yeah, we've run into them a few times before the incident yesterday," Kenny confirmed.

Shrugging, Morty said, "Well anyway, we ought to get down to business. You both want to challenge me to official gym battles."

Dawn nodded in the affirmative. "Yes. I'll be trying my hand at you first."

"Fair enough," Morty said, "Come with me." Morty then led Dawn and Kenny into the gym's stadium room, which looked more like a martial arts studio. Dawn and Morty both took their places while Kenny got a seat off to the side.

After everyone was ready, Morty explained, "The referee was hurt in yesterday's riot while trying to get away from the bug Pokémon, so we'll have to do this without him. That being said, we're each allowed three Pokémon, last one of us with any Pokémon left able to battle wins, and I can't switch Pokémon out until they go down."

Dawn nodded again, this time in understanding. "That's fair." It was the same rules she's used to from gym leaders, so she's well acquainted with how things run by now.

Tossing up a pokéball, Morty said, "Gastly, I choose you!" Morty's first Pokémon turned out to be his Gastly. Dawn vaguely remembered from the anime in her previous life that Morty's anime team had one each of the members of Gastly's evolutionary line, so seeing Gastly here told Dawn that Morty would be coming at her with his anime team.

Tossing up a pokéball herself, Dawn said, "Alright, Lucy! Let's get goin'!" Dawn's first Pokémon in the battle for the Fog Badge was her named Mismagius.

Seeing this drew a surprised cry of amusement out of Morty. "Oh ho!" Morty said, "This is going to be an interesting battle! Gastly, use Lick!"

"Lucy, use Shadow Ball!" Dawn ordered.

Gastly tried zooming towards Lucy with its tongue sticking out, but the named Mismagius simply conjured and cast a Shadow Ball at Gastly, blasting it and sending it falling down to the floor, where it laid defeated. "Hmm, Mismagius is indeed a strong ghost Pokémon," Morty said, "I can't wait to get started working on mine now that I was able to evolve my Misdreavus." Recalling his fainted Gastly, Morty said, "But that will have to wait until later. For now, we still have a battle going on right now! Haunter, I choose you!"

"Lucy that's enough, fall back!" Dawn said as she swapped her Pokémon around, "Alright, Akiza! Let's get goin'!" This time, Dawn had sent out her named Roserade, piquing Morty's interest.

Pointing right on ahead, Morty said, "Haunter, use Mean Look!"

"Akiza, use Extrasensory!" Dawn called out.

As Haunter made its eyes glow eerily at Akiza, the named Roserade's own eyes glowed with psychic power, which generated the same kind of psychic power to slam down hard onto Haunter's head, making it cry out in pain before it fell to the floor defeated. Morty was a bit surprised, but he kept his cool and recalled his fainted Haunter. "...Not bad," Morty said, "But let's see how you can handle this! Gengar, I choose you!"

Morty's third and final Pokémon was his Gengar, who he used to help subdue the rioting bug Pokémon all over Ecruteak City yesterday. Seeing Gengar, Dawn said, "Akiza that's enough, fall back! Alright, Leni! Let's get goin'!"

Kenny was a bit surprised to see his friend send out her Lucario as her third Pokémon for the battle against Morty. Likewise, Morty was also confused. "...That looks like a fighting type Pokémon."

"Dual fighting steel type," Dawn confirmed.

"...I'd normally say that you're being foolish for sending a fighting type Pokémon out against my ghost Pokémon," Morty began, "But a gut instinct is telling me there's more to your fighting Pokémon here than what meets the eye." Gesturing forward, Morty said, "Gengar, use Shadow Ball!"

"Leni, use Dark Pulse!" Dawn commanded.

Both Pokémon conjured and cast their respective attacks, but Leni's Dark Pulse plowed right on through Gengar's Shadow Ball before going on to strike Gengar itself, blasting it and making it fall over, clearly out of it. Morty was surprised again, slightly more so this time given he just saw his Gengar get knocked out in one hit.

However, Morty wasn't upset over having just lost. Rather, he looked pretty amused as he recalled his fainted Gengar. "...Yeah, what Lance said to me over the phone when I mentioned you is valid. You truly are a strong trainer, Dawn." Doing his duty as a gym leader, Morty went up to Dawn and gave her a Fog Badge, putting Dawn at four Johto gym badges earned. "Hey Kenny," Morty said, "My Pokémon need to be treated at the Pokémon Center before we can battle. Is that okay?"

"It wouldn't be fair or fun if I took you on right now," Kenny replied. Morty appreciated the good sportsmanship that Kenny showed, then after Dawn recalled Leni, everyone left the Ecruteak City gym so that Morty had time to get his Pokémon treated.

Later that evening, Kenny had his battle against Morty and won. Godzilla took Gastly out with a single Crunch, and also defeated Haunter as well. However the bout between Godzilla and Haunter was a close one, given that Godzilla took some hard hits. After he kept Godzilla in after Morty sent out Gengar, Kenny recalled Godzilla before Gengar could do anything to him, then sent Slick out in Godzilla's place, taking out Gengar with a critical Crunch while tanking Gengar's Shadow Ball like the champ that Kenny says he is.

As such, Morty ended up giving Kenny a Fog Badge. After that, Dawn and Kenny took off from the Ecruteak City gym.

...

"So we're heading to Olvine City next?" Kenny asked as he and Dawn made their way through Johto Route 38 after Kenny treated Godzilla and Slick with medicines that he had on hand.

Dawn nodded in confirmation. "Yes. I have it down that the local gym leader in Olivine City, Jasmine, uses steel type Pokémon, so fire, fighting, and ground type Pokémon would be useful there."

"Hey, Godzilla is part ground," Kenny said, "And I bet he can learn Earthquake, so I can have Roshi show him the ropes to learn it."

"Yeah, Pupitar should be able to learn Earthquake," Dawn said, "And your Torterra would also be an invaluable Pokémon for you to use against Jasmine." With a small smile, Dawn added, "My own first Pokémon will also be a boon against Jasmine's gym. Chi-Chi is an Infernape, which is dual fire fighting type."

Kenny smirked in amusement. "We're totally equipped for taking on steel girl. I bet we'll both ace the battle against her no problem." Dawn was reassured by Kenny's words as the two of them continued to make their way along Route 38. At the intersection where Route 38 turns to Route 39, Dawn and Kenny saw it was getting late so they set up camp for the night, letting their Pokémon rest and relax for the night before continuing the next morning.

The following morning, Dawn and Kenny got up, collected all of their stuff and their Pokémon, then made their way down the rest of Route 39 to reach Olivine City. "Ah, there's something heartening about stepping foot into a port town," Kenny said as he inhaled through his nose before exhaling through his mouth.

"Let's do a little bit of sight seeing," Dawn said. Looking around, Dawn spotted and pointed at a lighthouse. "That lighthouse over there looks interesting," Dawn remarked, "Why don't we go see if we can check it out?" Kenny agreed with Dawn and proceeded to follow her over to the lighthouse that she had pointed out, also interested in doing some sight seeing.

Dawn however had an underlying reason for wanting to check out the lighthouse; she could tell full well, even from where she and Kenny were at when she spotted it, that it was the Glitter Lighthouse (Shining Lighthouse in the English dub of the anime back in Dawn and Kenny's previous lives) where Jasmine's pet Ampharos Sparkle (it's nickname in the English version of the anime back in Dawn and Kenny's previous lives) stays, serving as the light source for the lighthouse so that ships can safely sail to Olivine City's port.

Usually, when one first arrives in Olivine City in the games, Jasmine couldn't be challenged due to Sparkle, called Amphy in the games, being sick when the player arrives. Dawn wanted to see if the Ampharos was well or not because that would tell her if she and Kenny would have to go over to Cianwood City first and beat Chuck before coming back to Olivine City to face off against Jasmine, maybe pick some medicine up for Sparkle/Amphy in the process.

...

Upon reaching Glitter Lighthouse, Dawn and Kenny were greeted by a little girl who seemed to be standing guard outside of the lighthouse. "Hello, I'm Janina," the little girl greeted, "How can I help the two of you?"

"We literally just arrived in Olivine City," Dawn explained to Janina as she gestured to herself and Kenny, "And we were hoping to do a bit of sight seeing here before one of us tried challenging the local gym leader to a gym battle."

Right away, Janina looked concerned. "Oh," Janina said in a mildly regretful tone, "Sorry, but neither of you can challenge the Olivine City gym right now. Likewise, if you were hoping to check out the Shining Lighthouse here, I'm afraid that is also out of the question."

"Really?" Kenny asked as he folded his arms over his chest, "How come we can't che-"

"Janina!" a female voice called out, making the reborn trainers and Janina turn to see Jasmine, the Olivine City gym leader, come walking up to the scene. Jasmine was dressed as she was in the HGSS games.

Gesturing to Jasmine, Janina said to Dawn and Kenny, "Jasmine here is the local gym leader here in Olivine City, as well as the person who I'm an apprentice to. Jasmine can better explain why neither of you can either challenge her at her gym or check out the Shining Lighthouse."

Hearing what Janina said, Jasmine turned her attention to Dawn and Kenny. "Ah, gym challengers," Jasmine said as she nodded in understanding, "Yeah, I'm sorry but I can't take on challengers at the moment because I'm needed to help with necessary repairs to the Shining Lighthouse here, which is why it's closed off to tourists."

Dawn nodded in understanding. "That's fair. Apologies for trying to intrude."

"Oh there's no need to apologize," Jasmine assured Dawn and Kenny, "You guys didn't have any idea what was going on beforehand, so you can't be blamed here. However, if you both are still aiming to collect gym badges, why not try your hands at challenging the gym in Cianwood City? You can take a boat there that, if you take the one that leaves in..." Jasmine took a phone out and used it to check the time. "...Exactly an hour from now, you'll reach Cianwood City by early evening tonight."

"You think we have time to get a meal before we get on the ship?" Kenny asked.

"There's a good cafe located literally across the street from the port," Jasmine replied with a small smile, "They serve good food there. You two can get a quick meal, eat, then still get on the boat to Cianwood City with ample time to spare."

"I guess we'll do that," Dawn replied, "Thanks for the tip." With literally nothing else left to do, Dawn and Kenny took off from where they were talking to Jasmine and her apprentice Janina outside of the Shining Lighthouse. After both of the reborn trainers were far enough away, Jasmine turned to her apprentice. The two of them looked at each other in silence for a few tense moments, as if the two of them were having a staring contest.

...Eventually, Jasmine relaxed first, breathing a troubled sigh. "I need to enter the Shining Lighthouse, Janina. Our... special guests... staying inside with Sparkle should be made aware that I'm keeping my word of keeping anyone who shouldn't be in the know about their presence here in Olivine City away from the Shining Lighthouse."

"I can understand why, Jasmine," Janina said, soinding and looking troubled and guilty, "And I can also understand why their presence here keeps you from being able to take challengers at your gym until they leave." Jasmine nodded in agreement and, after Janina stepped to the side, Jasmine proceeded to make her way into the Shining Lighthouse to go check up on Sparkle the Ampharos, as well as the 'special guests' staying at Shining Lighthouse for the time being.

...

Upon reaching the top of Shining Lighthouse, Jasmine knocked on a door. A few moments later, it was opened by a male Team Scorn grunt. "Oh, it's you," the Team Scorn grunt said, "What is it?"

"I just wanted to inform your Admin that I've thus far kept my word on keeping anyone who need not know you guys are here from entering the Shining Lighthouse. As a matter of fact, I've just sent two traveling Pokémon trainers away when they came here, as they had expressed interest in checking out the lighthouse before trying to challenge me at my gym." Jasmine spoke as evenly as possible, but it was clear she was trying to keep it together.

The male Team Scorn grunt shrugged. "Fair enough. I'll let Admin Brother know so th-"

"Can I at least see Sparkle before I go?" Jasmine asked, interrupting the male Team Scorn grunt in the process. Jasmine clearly sounded worried about her named Ampharos. "Just for a couple of moments before I go," Jasmine went on, clearly pleading.

The male Team Scorn grunt scoffed in annoyance. "I'm not really liking your pleading tone there, you overly worr-"

That grunt ended up being cut off when a hand landed on his shoulder from behind. He turned around while opening the door further, revealing the Team Scorn officer from the security footage from Ecruteak City that stole all of the bells from the Tin Tower. "Admin Brother," the male Team Scorn grunt said, "You need not have to deal with this chick, sir. I can very easily send her on her way so we can-"

"It's no problem," the now identified Admin Brother, head of Team Scorn's Katana Sector, replied while speaking in a kind and understanding tone, with his expression matching his tone. Turning to look at Jasmine, Brother maintained his kind expression but it had a bit of firmness seep into it. "I'll permit it, but only for a moment." Admin Brother then gestured for Jasmine to follow him into the room that Team Scorn was occupying.

...

Inside, a number of Team Scorn grunts were sitting around, with the specially dressed female Team Scorn grunt from the same security footage in Ecruteak City as Admin Brother sitting near Sparkle, Jasmine's named Ampharos. Jasmine saw that the specially dressed female Team Scorn grunt was gently petting Sparkle, like a young girl gently petting Pokémon at a petting zoo. Even though the specially dressed female Team Scorn grunt was doing nothing wrong, Jasmine couldn't help it but feel a little tense seeing a member of Team Scorn right there next to Sparkle.

Admin Brother was apparently able to sense Jasmine's worry. Turning to face the Olivine City gym leader, Admin Brother said, "Relax. Akari will not harm your Ampharos. She's just happy to get to see a new friendly Pokémon and wants to pet it." Surprisingly to Jasmine, Admin Brother's tone and expression was like that of a kind, gentle, understanding older brother who was being reassuring of/to/about his younger sister.

"Likewise," Admin Brother went on, "None of us here will do any harm to your Ampharos, so long as you keep your word of telling no one we're here, letting no one find out we're here, and making sure the boat arriving later tonight carrying loads more members of Team Scorn will be able to dock without any bother. Those men are needed for a big plan that Team Scorn has here in Johto." A hint of firm seriousness entered Admin Brother's expression.

"...If..." Admin Brother said in a warning tone, pushing against the hilt guard of his katana with his left thumb in order to pull the katana a bit out of its scabbard, "...You go back on your word on any of what you're being asked of, however..."

"Rest assured that I am a person of my word," Jasmine said somewhat hastily, able to tell that Admin Brother was implying a threat towards Sparkle, "You need not worry about me failing to keep any of those promises!"

Admin Brother, while looking at Jasmine as his expression softened back to normal, raised his thumb to push slash pull down on his katana's hilt guard, pushing it back into its scabbard. "That's great to hear," Admin Brother said, "It'd be terrible if your Ampharos were to meet with an accident. I especially wouldn't like it considering that I have an Ampharos of my own." Admin Brother then gestured for Jasmine to take off, telling her to not come back until later that night at the time that the boat carrying the extra Team Scorn members was expected to show up.

Jasmine understood and took off, thankful that Sparkle was still okay. But as she left the Shining Lighthouse, Jasmine was still worried about her named Ampharos. She could only hope that Admin Brother really was a man of his word and would do no harm to Sparkle, so long as she continued to do as she was asked of by him. She really hated having to bend knee to villainous team members the likes of Team Scorn, but in this case she really didn't really have much of a choice.

Sparkle's safety and well-being was at stake.

Over at the cafe across the street from Olivine City's port, Dawn and Kenny were both getting a good but quick meal before heading to the port to get onto the next boat heading off for Cianwood City. "Mmm, the food here is good," Kenny remarked, "Glad that Jasmine pointed this out to us so we could grab a bite before setting sail for Cianwood City."

Dawn nodded in agreement. "Hopefully the repairs to the Shining Lighthouse will be done by the time that the both of us are done over in Cianwood City." Dawn wasn't as surprised as normal that the badge from Olivine City had to wait until after some business is handled elsewhere, but at least a sick Pokémon isn't involved.

"Anyway Dawn, quick question," Kenny said, "Given that we're going to be giving the gym that's over in Cianwood City the business before we can do likewise to the gym here in Olivine City. Do you have any sort of idea what type of Pokémon are used over in the Cianwood City gym?"

"I have it down that the Cianwood City gym uses fighting type Pokémon," Dawn answered, "So flying, psychic, and fairy type attacks will be the best bet. Pokémon who can use those types of attacks, especially if they are of those types themselves, will be solid choices to use against the Cianwood City gym."

"Ooh, ooh!" Kenny said excitedly, "I can bust out Hisoka against the Cianwood City gym! Given that he's a Mr. Mime which is dual psychic fairy, he'll easily be able to manhandle the fighting types that we'll be seeing!"

Dawn nodded in understanding. "Yes. I can use Nobunaga to similar effect since he's a Togekiss, which is dual fairy flying type." Dawn then had a look of consideration on her face. "...Now that I give the matter some thought, I can also use Pigeon, my Chatot. He should he able to do a solid bit of damage against the Pokémon used by the Cianwood City gym leader."

Kenny nodded in agreement towards his friend. "Yes yes. It's a darn shame that Godzilla is weak to fighting. That'll make using him a risk for me in the Cianwood City gym battle." With a look of consideration on his face, Kenny said, "Maybe I can let Hoodini shine as well. He's a Noctowl which is part flying type, and he knows some flying attacks. He also knows a psychic attack, so he'll be even more of a boon."

"Yes, he'd be a soild choice for you to use in your battle against the Cianwood City gym," Dawn remarked. She was still thinking about her own eventual battle against the Cianwood City gym, and how she'd go about dealing with it. Dawn seriously was considering using Nobunaga and Pigeon, given she's hardly used them, and Dawn's the kind of person who likes to use all of her Pokémon, to give all of them a chance to shine.

The gyms she'd be facing over the course of her and Kenny's gym challenge tour will be the perfect opportunity for that.

...

A short while later, Dawn and Kenny were on board of a passenger boat sailing for Cianwood City. They'd get there roughly at around the time sunset would start, so it'd be too late in the day for either of them to try issuing challenges to the Cianwood City gym. But then again both of them had some party rotating to do, so it was for the best that they wait on challenging the Cianwood City gym until tomorrow.

As she and Kenny were sailing for Cianwood City, Dawn looked out the window while Kenny who sat next to her was fast asleep, snoring away. Dawn looked absent-mindedly out of the window as she thought about how coincidental it was that she and Kenny couldn't challenge the Olivine City gym the moment they had arrived in Olivine City.

However, in the games from their previous lives, as well as in the anime in their previous lives for Ash (it was probably the same for him here in their new lives), the reason was that Jasmine's beloved Ampharos Sparkle was sick and Jasmine couldn't focus on her gym leader duties out of worry for Sparkle. Here, it was because the Shining Lighthouse had necessary repairs that Jasmine had to help with.

Dawn was hoping that, by the time her and Kenny had finished their business in Cianwood City, Jasmine would be free to accept their respective challenges to the Olivine City gym. It would end up as Johto badge number six for both of them after all.

END, CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN

Author's notes;

This chapter sees Dawn and Kenny finish up their time in Ecruteak City (for the time being; they'll be crossing through it soon later), then move straight to Olivine City to see if they can try their hand at Jasmine's gym, only to be sent away with the excuse that Jasmine was occupied with helping with necessary repairs to the Shining Lighthouse, thus sealing off both the gym and the lighthouse from the reborn trainers.

...At least that's what Dawn and Kenny both believe, given they don't know what is REALLY going on although they will eventually find out the truth later on down the line. But until then, they are now on the way to Cianwood City to see Chuck at his gym so they can each try to earn the badge at his gym. Dawn will also try to make an effort to use Pokémon she hasn't made much use of as of late, so expect to see the likes of Pokémon like Togekiss and Chatot flying around at Chuck's gym.

Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Leni (female Lucario), Lucy (female Mismagius), Vegeta (male Aipom), Akiza (female Roserade), Tsukune (Palkia)

Kenny's Pokémon: (on hand) Goofy (male Houndoom), Godzilla (male Pupitar), Shallot (male Glaceon), Roshi (male Torterra), Elay (male Sandslash; shiny), Black (Giratina)