Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, or any other property in this work that I did not make myself.
Pokémon: Sinnoh no Isekai
Chapter Eighty-four: Blackthorn battles, part one
Due to zooming there on the backs of their respective legendary dragon Pokémon, Dawn and Kenny made it to Blackthorn City sometime before eight at night. They immediately went into the local Pokémon Center to have their Pokémon looked at, as well as look into staying the night in the bunk room. While their on hand Pokémon were being looked at, Kenny said, "So what all can we expect the local gym leader here to be using?"
"The gym leader here in Blackthorn City is Clair, who is Lance's cousin," Dawn began to explain, "I think she'll use dragon Pokémon same as Lance. I'm not sure if Lance mentioned it or not, but even if he didn't, it'd be fair to assume Clair also uses dragon Pokémon like Lance."
"She might also have a Gyarados," Kenny pointed out, "Given that Lance despite being a dragon Pokémon user also has a Gyarados. That being said, it may be worth it to pack at least one electric Pokémon, or a Pokémon that knows one good electric type move."
Dawn was considering what Kenny said; she actually had an idea on what Pokémon to use in her challenge to Clair for the Rising Badge, and it can also deal heavy damage to dragon Pokémon as well. "We'll just rest the night here," Dawn said, "Rotate our parties in the morning to best prep us for taking on Clair, then go to the Blackthorn City gym and see one of us issue a challenge to her."
Kenny nodded in agreement, before he let out a sigh. "It'd have been sweet if Godzilla had been fully evolved before I took on Clair, but I don't think he's quite at that point yet."
Arching a wry eyebrow at Kenny, Dawn said, "...Well having a Tyranitar would make taking on most any gym a breeze." Soon enough, Dawn and Kenny's Pokémon were all cleared, and so after getting their Pokémon back, Dawn and Kenny retired to the bunk room for the night, lucky that no-one else was there before them. Soon, sleep claimed both of the reborn trainers, and in the morning they would look into trying to earn their respective final Johto gym badges.
(FLASHBACK, UNKNOWN NUMBER OF YEARS AGO)
Ten-year-old Natsuki, wearing a threadbare baggy hoodie, was able to steal a fair amount of food from a house somewhere while the residents of said house were all out at the time. He also stole some items he thought could be sold for some money at places that would buy them, mostly small jewelry items. He also took what all cash he was able to find, as well as a Teddiursa plushy that he found in one of the bedrooms. After that, Natsuki left the house and went into the biting, snowing Winter outside.
After getting away with his haul, Natsuki snuck his way back into the city, went into a large area hidden in the alleyways of the city. An entire neighborhood of ramshackle huts was built within the alleyways of the city, where those who had no home lived. Natsuki went to one of the huts, a fairly big one by the standards of what all huts were in that Hobo Grotto in the alleyways. It was actually a large metal shed that was set up, so it had a stable door.
Natsuki opened and closed the door behind him, then turned around to see that his little sister Akari was asleep on the one bed in the shed. It was a mattress on a box spring on a bed frame, more than what most of those living in that Hobo Grotto could claim as it was common to have at most just a mattress. It was Natsuki's determination and resourcefulness that led him to getting that full bed set-up for Akari; Natsuki himself had a plush leather recliner that he found.
He was fine with that though; Natsuki wanted Akari to have as much as possible.
Natsuki also saw that his now Flaffy was standing guard, in case anyone tried going in while he was out. Flaffy immediately relaxed upon seeing its trainer return, setting down a large duffle bag before taking off a backpack. "We'll all have something to put into our stomachs tonight," Natsuki said quietly to Flaffy, not wanting to wake Akari up. She was cuddled under the threadbare comforter as her head rested on a stack of three thin pillows; there weren't any proper bed sheets.
Natsuki removed the Teddiursa plushy he stole from the house he ransacked, then gently and carefully lifted up Akari's left arm (she was sleeping on her right) and slid the Teddiursa plusy in before lowering Akari's arm back down. "We'll wait until Akari wakes up before we all eat," Natsuki said to his Flaffy, going over to his armchair. Sitting down, Natsuki leaned over to grab the katana that he took from his family's doomed estate, hidden tucked away in a space between the wall and the chair's right side (if you're sitting in it).
Natsuki pulled his katana out, pulled it part way out of its scabbard. He slid his katana back in before tucking it back away, but not before looking at the blade for a few seconds. Natsuki took up a book he had also stolen from somewhere and began reading it, burning time until Akari woke up and they could all eat.
...
The following morning, Natsuki was out again, having just pawned off what valuables he was able to collect from the house he most recently ransacked. The shop he did business at was a seedy place in a seedy part of town, so it was practically impossible that the law would be able to track things down. Natsuki, with his hood up and a scarf wrapped around his neck and covering the lower half of his face, walked into a convenience store to get morning provisions for himself, all three of his Pokémon, and Akari.
As he was browsing, he overheard two women talking nearby. "I still can't believe what happened to your relatives back in early Autumn, Natsumi," the first woman said to the other.
"It's a tragedy, yes," replied the other woman, her name Natsumi. Natsuki recognized the voice as that of his Aunt Natsumi, his mother's younger sister. He was half tempted to reveal himself to her, but stayed his hand out of worry that the thugs who ransacked the family's main estate would catch word of where he and Akari were and try to finish the job. He also wanted to hear what his aunt had to say on the matter.
"So Natsumi, given how your family works and the fact you are your late mother's only surviving daughter, you're running your family now," the nameless woman went on, "How has it been going for you now that you have the reins?"
To Natsuki's surprise, he heard his Aunt Natsumi scoff. "It turns out that I'm not the only one in one of the side branches of the family unamused with how the leading branch always got to have everything," Natsumi scowled, "Especially since the side branches had to help support and pay tribute to the main branch so they could stay affluent. My late mom insisted on sticking to how the family ran like that, and I have no doubt my older sister would have followed that same path."
"What about your late niece?" the nameless woman asked.
Scoffing bitterly, Natsumi said, "You mean that retard that my sister had?! She would have been nothing more than a puppet to continue the bastard tradition of the main branch lording over all of the side branches! Personally, a part of me is glad that Akari is gone, given that her broken brain would have led her to making life hell for everyone around her."
The nameless woman hummed in agreement before saying, "Yeah, some people simply aren't fit to be involved in public society." The two women shared a laugh before buying what they came to the convenience store to get before leaving. A part of Natsuki, after hearing what his aunt and that nameless woman said, wished that he had his katana on hand so he could express his displeasure with what they were saying, consequences be damned.
But he had to hold himself back, if only for Akari's sake because she still needed him.
...
(FLASHBACK OVER)
Admin Brother was thinking about his past before he and Akari had joined up with Team Scorn. The admin of the Katana Sector was at a secret base that his sector had set up in Blackthorn City, waiting for Quaid's assistant Tawny to get back from using the bathroom. It was Brother and Quaid in the room, with Akari sitting on the sofa nearby. A few moments later, Tawny came into the room, saying loudly in a relieved tone, "Whew! That was a battle in and of itself!"
Brother noticed Akari flinching due to how loud Tawny was being. "...Keep the volume down," Brother scolded Tawny the moment his eyes returned to looking at her. His expression and tone were both firm, but he wasn't angry. Yet.
"Yeah, Tawny," Quaid said, "We're supposed to be quiet because we're going to launch a sneak attack to kick off the mission here in Blackthorn City. It won't be a sneak attack if we're heard before we can kick things off."
Quaid's reason wasn't the one Brother had, but it still technically worked. "...Indeed." After having Tawny close the door, Brother looked to everyone else that was in the room. "Now that all of us are here," Brother said, "We can begin discussing the attack we'll launch late this afternoon at five."
Tawny looked to the clock and saw that it was five AM. "The mission will kick off in twelve hours?" Tawny said, "If we have that much time, then couldn't this have waited until we had gotten some more sleep?"
"Given what all we have to go over," Brother said firmly, "It's best we start now, especially since we'll have to manage how to lead all of the men."
It was seven in the morning when Dawn and Kenny woke up in the bunk room of the Blackthorn City Pokémon Center, freshened up, got dressed, and had a small breakfast after they were both done with rotating their respective parties in preparation to take on Clair. "You're going to lead with your Porygon-Z?" Kenny asked as he and Dawn ate.
"Rapparatta knows Thunderbolt and Ice Beam, which will cover Gyarados and most whatever dragon Pokémon Clair might have," Dawn explained, "Rapparatta also knows Tri Attack which, with the STAB bonus, bonus due to holding a Silk Scarf, and Adaptability bonus, should be able to deal a great deal of damage to other Pokémon Clair might have. Rapparatta also knows Shadow Ball, so there shouldn't be any Pokémon Clair can be expected to use that will resist every move there."
Kenny nodded in approval. "Excellent, excellent. And last I checked, Porygon-Z has an absurd special attack stat, so it'll hit like a nuke."
Dawn was about to speak up, but she was cut off before she could get even one word out when she heard a familiar male voice call out, "Dawn? Kenny? Wow, you guys got to Blackthorn City quick." The two of them turned and saw Ideku come walking up to them.
"Ah, Ideku!" Kenny greeted, "Come, sit with us!"
...
"You own four shiny Pokémon?!" Ideku said in surprise as, when he, Dawn, and Kenny got to talking, Kenny mentioned that he caught a shiny Sneasel and that she is the fourth shiny Pokémon he's caught thus far.
Nodding in the affirmative, Kenny replied, "Oh yeah. I used one of the Love Balls that I got from Kurt over in Azalea Town."
Right away, Ideku's expression dropped a little bit. Kenny didn't notice the change but Dawn did. "Is there something the matter?" Dawn asked.
"...Back when my older brother Katsuku and I were traveling through Johto to earn badges," Ideku began, "We teamed up in Azalea Town to save Kurt who was being harassed by a pair of members of Team Rocket. We were even able to get them arrested. Kurt, out of gratitude, gave each of us one each of the special pokéballs he makes from Apricorns." Gesturing to Kenny, Ideku said, "You saying that you used a Love Ball from Kurt reminded me of that."
Dawn and Kenny both sensed that there was more to this story. Dawn also remembered from what Professor Elm told her and Kenny that Ideku despite being a trainer for a number of years doesn't own very many Pokémon. "...Do you by chance still have any of those Apricorn pokéballs that you got from Kurt?" Dawn asked.
Ideku gently shook his head. "When Katsuku and I told our parents about it over the phone, our mom immediately ordered me to give all of my Apricorn balls to Katsuku, saying that he would be able to use them far better than I ever could. Dad immediately backed mom up on her stance, even though Katsuku himself looked surprised and uncomfortable with what our parents were telling me to do for him."
Both Dawn and Kenny immediately felt even more fury towards the Badorigo parents, although what Ideku said about his brother looking uncomfortable with what happened back then did soften how Dawn felt about the first born brother. "...Your older brother wasn't comfortable?"
"He was sincerely guilty with how our parents forced me to give him my share of the reward," Ideku said, "He claims that it didn't feel right since he only earned his share. He had to take the Apricorn pokéballs from me anyway because our parents would flip if I didn't give them to him regardless." Ideku looked to the reborn trainers. "If there's one good thing about Katsuku, it's how he refuses to take anything he personally feels he didn't earn or doesn't deserve."
The reborn trainers still haven't met the rest of the Badorigo family, but their opinion of Katsuku is now a little better. Dawn remembered what Professor Elm told her, that if the Badorigo parents heard Katsuku failed to earn the Plain and Rising badges on his first tries at them but Ideku got them on his first tries, they would have forced Ideku to give Katsuku those badges. If what Ideku says about Katsuku is true, then not only would Katsuku have refused to take Ideku's Plain and Rising badges, he'd feel insulted.
Dawn expressed all of this to Ideku, who nodded in agreement. "...Yeah, my brother wouldn't have taken badges from me like that," Ideku confirmed, now sounding bitter as he just learned that his parents would have forced him to give up badges he had rightfully earned, "Katsuku was insistent on earning his badges himself. He can be a tad prideful at times."
"But he still took the magic apricorn pokéballs Kurt made you," Kenny said.
"Only because our parents had insisted on slash forced it," Ideku replied, "Beca-" Ideku stopped short when Kenny immediately took his bag off, set it on the table, opened it, and fished out one each of the apricorn pokéballs he got from Kurt. Dawn likewise did the same, taking out one each of the apricorn pokéballs she got from Kurt. The reborn trainers then put the apricorn pokéballs they got out into a pile and pushed said pile towards Ideku.
"Here, take these," Dawn said, Kenny nodded in agreement, "Consider it a gift."
Ideku was taken aback by the gesture from two trainers he had only recently gotten to know, trainers roughly half a decade younger than him. "Are... are you guys sure?" Ideku said, looking like he might tear up.
"Just don't tell your folks about it," Kenny advised, "Because knowing them, they'll force you to give them to your bastard of a brother who while not as much of a bastard as I was originally thinking is probably still something of one nonetheless."
Ideku nodded in agreement and thanks as he recieved the apricorn pokéballs from Dawn and Kenny, a combined two of each variety of apricorn pokéball. "My parents aren't even aware that I'm back in Johto," Ideku said, "And by the time I expect they'll hear that I was back, I'll be out of Johto again."
"You have plans for further adventure?" Kenny asked.
Ideku nodded in confirmation. "I've traveled around Kanto and Sinnoh, earning the badges at the gyms in those regions. I chose those regions first because Kanto is right next to Johto, and Sinnoh culture has a lot of ties to Johto culture." Looking up at the ceiling, Ideku said, "I'm thinking about going to Hoenn next."
"What a coincidence," Dawn said, "Kenny and I were planning to hit up Hoenn when we were done here in Johto."
"Maybe we can go together?" Kenny suggested.
Ideku gently shook his head, although he smiled gently. "I'm more used to being on my own, but I will look forward to it if I'm able to run into you guys again."
Dawn nodded once. "That's fair. Well anyway, Kenny and I ought to look into heading on over to the gym here in Blackthorn City so we can challenge Clair to try to earn Rising Badges from her."
"Last that I heard," Ideku said, "She'll use a Gyarados, a Dragonaire, and a Kingdra. Hopefully that will help you guys." Getting up from the table he sat at with the reborn trainers, Ideku said, "I have some business here in Blackthorn City to attend to before I set my sights on Hoenn. Until we meet again." Ideku then took off, feeling a bit better about things.
Dawn and Kenny likewise felt a bit better. "...At the very least," Kenny said, "His brother isn't a complete asshole. Probably still a partial one, but not a complete one."
"We still ought to look into his family life," Dawn said before she and Kenny got up, collected their stuff, and took off from the Pokémon Center to head on over to the gym. They have a champion's cousin to see about getting badges from her.
Later, Dawn and Kenny walked into the main lobby of the Blackthorn City gym. "Hey Clair!" Kenny called out, "We bring salutations from your cousin with the cape!"
"Said cousin is already here!" the familiar voice of Lance called out, making Dawn and Kenny turn to see Lance walk out into the gym's lobby, followed by his cousin Clair who was dressed as she was in the HGSS games. "I'm glad to see you both had made it to Blackthorn City," Lance said, "And for more than just getting to see you two finish your gym challenge tour business in Johto."
"Yeah, Lance already told me about it," Clair said, "And I saw videos of how you all performed over at Sinnoh's recent Lily of the Valley Conference. Dawn especially since she went on to challenge and defeat both Sinnoh's elite four and the prior Sinnoh champion Cynthia. Although Kenny's victory against that Tobias fellow was also impressive." Clair's gaze narrowed. "...I'll be hard pressed to put you both in your place, considering you each pack a different legendary dragon Pokémon."
"It's not like I plan to whip Tsukune out first thing unless I feel pressed enough to do so," Dawn replied, "I have other Pokémon I want to see get in on the action." Kenny more or less said the same thing that Dawn just said, saying that Black is his nuclear option so he won't send it out first thing.
Lance nodded in approval. "Saving the best for last is a wise strategy. You and Kenny both have a lot that you can teach."
"Which brings us to what we'd like to propose," Clair went on, "Although I will accept challenges from the both of you, our battles won't be held here at the Blackthorn City gym."
Both Dawn and Kenny looked confused by that. "...They won't?" Dawn asked.
"They will instead be held over in the stadium that's part of Blackthorn City Academy," Lance said, "As the teachers want to have a demonstration of a real battle against a gym leader where the challenging trainer aims to earn a gym badge. There will be an audience of students of first year high school age watching." Arching a wry eyebrow, Lance asked, "You guys are okay with this, right?"
Dawn and Kenny both turned to look at each other, stared for a few moments before shrugging, then turned back to look at Lance and Clair. "...I have no problem with it, although I kind of wish I'd have gotten a bit more advance warning about it," Dawn replied.
"I know, sorry about that," Clair said while sounding sincerely apologetic, "But the teachers really want that demonstration for their students to see. They think it'll be an invaluable chance for them to learn about how battling gym leaders can go. I was kind of surprised by it myself."
Dawn nodded in understanding before saying, "I was actually kind of hoping to get to check out Blackthorn City Academy anyway while Kenny and I were here in Blackthorn City," Dawn explained, "There's something I wanna see there."
"Yeah, I wouldn't mind getting to see the place myself," Kenny added.
Lance wore a bit of an amused smile as he closed his eyes and hummed. "Knowing some of the teachers they have over at Blackthorn City Academy, they'll jump at the chance to give you two a tour of the place. Dawn especially, given that she's the champion of a foreign region." With Lance leading the way, the four of them left the Blackthorn City gym to head on over to Blackthorn City Academy, where ultimately Dawn and Kenny will have their challenges to Clair.
As the group made their way to Blackthorn City Academy, Lance said as he put a cell phone away, "I called ahead to let them know we're coming. They were wanting us to let them know when we're coming. I suspect they want to receive us as honored guests."
"So who all can we expect to meet?" Kenny asked, "Aside from the students in the class who will be watching the battles involving Clair."
"The combined forty students who will be watching are divided up into two classes," Lance began to explain, "And each class will be supervised by their respective homeroom teachers. We'll also meet the principal, the lead chairman of the Blackthorn City Academy board, and a Political Science teacher who is a legacy hire."
"A legacy hire?" Dawn questioned.
Clair nodded in confirmation. "A woman named Akeno. Her grandfather was the founder of Blackthorn City Academy, as well as its first and one of its most reputable teachers in the history of the school. The lead chairman we'll be meeting was a personal student of Akeno's grandfather."
"I must warn you," Lance said, "Although she'll try to be a suck up to Dawn given she's the Sinnoh champion, Akeno is actually a fairly unpleasant person personality wise. According to what I heard, Akeno got a student in the homeroom of one of the two homeroom teachers we'll be meeting expelled from Blackthorn City Academy."
"Expelled?" Kenny said, "What for?"
"Akeno, according to what Lance and I heard," Clair began to explain, "Was essentially bullying a special needs girl who's a student in the homeroom class of the other homeroom teacher we'll be meeting. The expelled girl stood up to Akeno on the special needs girl's behalf. Akeno didn't like that apparently, so she had that girl expelled."
Dawn looked incredulous. "And this Akeno lady was able to get away with it?"
"Her grandfather's legacy gives Akeno significant pull," Lance explained, his tone regretful, "Anyway, it's best to not say anything about it while we're at Blackthorn City Academy."
"And wouldn't you know it, we've arrived!" Clair said, getting everyone to turn and see a large academy grounds appearing in the distance a bit, "Look lively everyone, we got elite school kids and staff to dazzle." The academy, even at a distance, screamed splendor to Dawn and Kenny. It was very clearly a school for the cream of the crop. Dawn and Kenny knew that they had to be on their toes while at Blackthorn City Academy.
END, CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR
Author's notes;
I actually wanted to have some battling in this chapter, but that had to all be pushed off until the next chapter at least, given that I needed to set up some more backstory for Admin Brother of Team Scorn's Katana Sector. Backstory that will help explain his reasoning for something he'll do during Team Scorn's mission in Blackthorn City. Anyway, the next chapter will see some touring around Blackthorn City Academy before Dawn and Kenny are taken to the academy's stadium so that one of them can battle Clair in front of an audience. Later.
Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Leni (female Lucario), Argent (male Arcanine; Hisuian; alpha), Rapparatta (Porygon-Z), Cyrus (male Staraptor), Tsukune (Palkia)
Kenny's Pokémon: (on hand) Android 21 (female Sneasel; shiny), Godzilla (male Pupitar), Shallot (male Glaceon), Roshi (male Torterra), Juan (male Pikachu; Libre), Black (Giratina)