Disclaimer: I own nothing of the properties within this story. All rights go to the creators and companies of said properties.
Beta by Slothful, Demonoid, and Old man of the mountain
Chapter 4: Doggo Getto
I stare at the young girl, whose eyes sparkle with hope and excitement. For a moment, I believed I was wrong about what she and Marnie discussed in the woods, but Marnie's flabbergasted expression tells me otherwise. As Gloria continues staring at me, waiting for an answer, I break out into a cold sweat. Not because I want to refuse her request, as I see no reason to refuse as we are likely to follow the same or similar paths, and while I like traveling with my Pokemon, there isn't any replacement for human companionship. The reason for my cold sweats was because Gloria's expectations of me were high.
I'm no Wolfey. I never played super competitive Pokemon before.
Then again, most meta Pokemon aren't available for most trainers here. I doubt I will encounter people who own a Heatran here. And there should be cases of only one Pokemon of that species, such as Orgepon.
However, you probably don't need to be a competitive player to be one of the best in the Pokemon world. A guy almost beat HGSS with a single Sunkern and not being allowed to heal mid-battle. He gave up on the challenge because hail would break his Focus Sash, and Red's Snorlax was too bulky to go down with a single Giga Drain. That isn't me adding Lapas's guaranteed Blizzard in hail, the hail's constant chip damage, how Charizard would destroy Sunkern, or how Venusaur resists Sunkern's attacks. Pokemon is an easy game once you understand its basics. Pokemon is a game that only becomes hard by the player's choice, not by game design.
Then again, I could be wrong. Nobody has beaten Leon and Charizard since he became Champion, even though Stealth Rock would tear through that Pokemon as if made of paper. However, there are possible reasons why none of the Gym Trainers used that strategy. One is because Leon has made a counter-strategy against that move. The other is because of how Galar sees the Gym Challenge. The Champion Cup is probably the Pokemon World's version of the World Soccer Cup. So if someone uses Stealth Rocks, cutting Leon's ace Pokemon's health in half before it has the chance to do anything, then there is no doubt that the audience will boo that person off stage for pulling such a cheap move. It would be like a player faking an injury to get the opposing team's star player off the field. But Gordie has a Stonjourner, which is running Stealth Rock. So, that theory is up in the air.
"I'll have to warn you, I have never taught before." I said. Gloria's eyes widened at my answer.
"Is that a yes?!" Gloria asks, her excitement bleeding from her voice.
I let out a small chuckle at Gloria's enthusiasm. "Yes. I will teach you what I know about Pokemon. We'll have our first lesson after we finish cleaning up."
Gloria audibly cheers while Marnie looks unsure, but since she isn't voicing any objections, I'm assuming she isn't too against Gloria's decision.
Now, what should my first Pokemon lesson be?
{Marnie's P.O.V.}
"Did you forget what I said earlier?!" I harshly whisper to Gloria as we wash dishes. "And even if you're okay with being taught by a man that you know less than a day, why did you have me join in without asking me first?!"
"Even though you're complaining so much about it, you never tried stopping me earlier. We both know Adam's teachings will help us in our Gym Challenge in the long run." Gloria said.
My eye twitches at Gloria's statement, but I can't say she's wrong. Adam is a strong trainer, and I need to be as strong, if not stronger if I want to beat Leon and become Champion.
"I still think you should have asked me before deciding anything." I grumble as I scrub the curry pot.
"I'm sorry about that, okay?" Gloria claps her hands together, giving me a sorry look. "I just thought if I don't ask now, we might not get another chance."
I stare blankly at the girl for a few seconds before sighing in defeat. There's no point in complaining now. I might as well make the most of it. As Gloria said, Adam's knowledge will help me immensely.
And his cooking isn't too bad either.
Speaking of cooking, I should look up those herbs Adam used in the curry. I believe Adam said they're called Herba Mystica. Maybe I should research Paldea tonight while I'm at it.
We finished cleaning the pots, pans, and dishes when Adam returned. He left for a short while to get something while we cleaned. He said it was for something for future lessons.
"Thanks for washing the dishes." Adam said.
"It's no problem. It's the least we can do since you cooked." Gloria said as I nodded in agreement. Even if this whole teacher/student thing turns into a bust, we're at least eating well in the foreseeable future.
"I can still say thanks." Adam smiles. "Here. Catch." Adam tosses something into the air. I catch the two items Adam tossed to me perfectly while Gloria fumbles for a bit before getting a solid grip on her items. I took the time to examine the items Adam had given me.
Both of the items Adam gave me are bracelets, one that's white with an indent meant for something, while the other bracelet is black with a colorful gem embedded in it.
"How pretty!" Gloria comments on the gem of the black bracelet before snapping both on her wrists. She puts the black bracelet on her left wrist and the white one on her right.
"What are these?" I ask, snapping on the black bracelet on my right wrist and placing it next to my Dynamax Band. I did the same with the white bracelet but put it on my left wrist.
"I will tell you what they are at a later point. For now, treat them as symbols of me taking you on as my students." Adam said, causing me to frown. I have never been a big fan of cryptid nonsense. "Wait. Gloria doesn't have a Dynamax Band."
Gloria nervously scratches the back of her head, letting out an embarrassed laugh. The girl has a starter and a Pokedex app but not a Dynamax Band. Dynamax Band and Wishing Stars needed for Dynamax Bands are rare, but they're nowhere near as rare as someone owning a starter Pokemon or a Pokedex app. Seeing Gloria having both of those but not a Dynamax Band is bizarre. But for once, it seems I have something that Gloria doesn't.
"Thankfully, I have a spare Dynamax Band," Adam said, pulling out another and tossing it to Gloria, who caught it with a stunned look on her face. Why am I not surprised that Adam owns two Dynamax Bands?
Gloria quickly snaps out of her stunned state and begins to panic slightly. "A-Adam! I can't take this! Please take it back!" Gloria holds out to return the band Adam just gave her. To think I would see someone refusing a free Dynamax Band. Then again, I would have never expected to see someone give a Dynamax Band away.
Wait. Am I the sane one of this group? Or am I the weird one?
"Nah, Gloria. It's yours. It's better off with someone who uses it than sitting in my bag and collecting dust." Adam said.
Bag? I don't see having a bag. I was about to say something but decided against it. For all I know, it could be some crazy item from Paldea or another Region that allows Adam to carry all his belongings without being visible.
Gloria wants to say something but sighs and clamps the Dynamax Band on her right wrist.
"Okay. For your lesson, we are going to be talking about teams." Adam said, drawing a confused expression from Gloria and me.
"What's wrong with my team?" I ask, my voice coming off a little heated.
"They're unbalanced. You'll have a rough time facing Bea or Opal with their Fighting and Fairy Pokemon." Adam said. I shift my eyes away from Adam's gaze. He does have a point. Croagunk is the only Pokemon I have that can fight Bea without a type disadvantage, and Opal can hit my entire team super effectively, while only my Croagunk can hit her's hard. "So, the main plan is to discuss what type of team you want to use and try making a team of six before we reach Turrfield."
"Wait. There are team types?" Gloria asks.
"Yes. Some people make teams based on weather or the move Trick Room. Marnie could be an example of a Type Trainer at a glance, someone who uses a single Pokemon type." Adam said, causing me to glare at him lightly. Sorry that I thought Croagunk was a Poison/Dark Type and not Poison/Fighting. "But I think the best move for now is to build your team's Grass/Fire/Water triad. Doing that will give your teams a solid foundation, as they can help protect each other from types they're weak to with their typing or through the moves they learn."
I understand what Adam is saying. The more unique types of Pokemon you have, the better and easier it is to respond to whatever your opponent sends out. But there is a critical problem with Adam's idea.
"But Gloria is a beginning trainer. Isn't going from one to six a bit too much?" I point out. "Even me adding three new team members is a bit extreme. Some trainers go without catching a new Pokemon for weeks or even months. Catching a new Pokemon for your team isn't simple. By obtaining a new team member, your food bill goes up. You need to understand the Pokemon's personality and how well they can get along with the other Pokemon in your team. There isn't much distance between us and Terrfield. There is Route Three, we are now, Galar Mine, and Route Four. Expecting us to catch enough Pokemon without catching the same kind of Pokemon, for Gloria and me to have a team of six is asking for too much."
"That's a fair argument. That's why I'm going to offer some of my Pokemon." Adam said. "With the amount of Pokemon I own, breeding sometimes gets out of control, so I have several weaker Pokemon that would be perfect for you to add to your teams."
I'm not sure how to feel about that. My pride as a trainer doesn't want me to take handouts, but I'm betting Adam has several rare and foreign Pokemon. My memory goes back to Adam's Garchomp and Volcarona. If Adam is offering the pre-evolutions of those Pokemon, the offer becomes incredibly tempting.
I let out a sigh. It's a no-brainer to what's the better decision.
"Sure. I will take you up on your offer." I said, swallowing my pride. I'm not trying to become a Champion for my self-satisfaction. I want to become a Champion to help improve the living situation in Spikemuth. If I want to beat the undefeated Champion known as Leon, I need every advantage I can get my hands on.
Adam pulls out his Rotom Phone, probably figuring out what Pokemon he'll give me. Adam spawns three Pokeballs, which appear in his hand before being handed to me.
"How about you, Gloria?" Adam asks the cap-wearing girl.
Gloria has a troubled expression, which I was most likely making myself a moment ago.
"I don't know. I know the Pokemon you would give me will be incredible, but part of being a trainer is catching Pokemon, isn't it? Shouldn't the first Pokemon I get besides my starter be caught by my hands?" Gloria asks.
"And that's perfectly fine. There's something special about catching wild Pokemon and building a bond between you and them." Adam agrees. "How about this? We'll search for your first capture while Marnie gets to know her new team members."
I was initially about to say I'll join them but stopped when I remembered Gloria telling me to give Adam the benefit of the doubt. While Adam is still a stranger in honest terms, I do think I was a little harsh with my initial judgment of him. He accepted Gloria's request, fed us, and gave me Pokemon. I won't say we are friends, but I'm against accepting him as a teacher. Besides, I should also trust Gloria's judgment if we are fellow students.
Plus, it would give me some private time to research Paldea and what these strange bracelets are.
I glanced at Gloria to see if she was okay with the suggestion. The girl in question ponders at the idea for a moment before her lips curl into a smile, nodding in agreement at Adam's idea. I told Gloria and Adam to be careful, though I doubt anything could threaten Adam or his Pokemon, but it's the polite thing to do. I sat at the picnic table we had lunch at, rolling one of the three Pokeballs Adam had given me, expanding it, and releasing the Pokemon.
The Pokemon that was in the Pokeball has a serpentine body. Its body is green, with the Pokemon's mouth, belly, and underside of its white. It also has a yellow collar with yellow eyelids. Its red eyes give me a judging stare as it shakes its tail, wagging the leaf on its tail's end.
I pulled out my Rotom Phone from my pocket and took a picture of my new Pokemon. It's time to research to see what kind of Pokemon you are.
{Adam's P.O.V}
"So, Gloria, is there a particular Pokemon you want to catch?" I ask the girl, though Route Three in Sword and Shield doesn't have a lot of good options. There are only three Fire types and one Grass Type on Route Three.
Gloria sheepishly laughs. "Not really. I don't know what Pokemon live in Route Three. I was hoping for some recommendations." Gloria admits. Well, I did cheap out with that earlier lesson. I might as well make up for that.
"I would recommend Growlithe. It's probably the best Fire Type Pokemon here, as the other two Fire Types you can find here are Vulpix and Sizzlipede. Sadly, the Grass Type Pokemon here is Gossifleur, which isn't that good." I said.
Gloria frowns, showing clear disapproval of what I said. "Any Pokemon could be good if you train it well." Gloria argues. That's right. People here have different ways of thinking when it comes to Pokemon. Several people believe a weak Pokemon can become a powerhouse with enough time, training, and love.
"True. Any Pokemon can become powerful if the trainer raises them properly. But there are Pokemon that can do the role better than others. Let's take Gossifleur, for example. It can only learn Grass and Normal Type attacking moves and one Bug Type attacking move, making it very situational. Its typing of pure Grass also gives it five weaknesses, two of which are common types. It has a good ability in Regenerator, which recovers a third of its health on switch-in, but that's the only thing it has going for Gossifleur." I explained. "In Route Four, there is Budew and Ferroseed, both of which are a better Grass Type than Gossifleur. They both have a better move diversity and typing. Roserade hits harder than Eldegoss, and Ferrothorn can take hits better and deal out punishment."
While Gloria doesn't argue against my statement, her pout tells me how she feels.
I couldn't help but sigh. I understand what I'm saying isn't pleasant to hear, but it's true. GameFreak didn't make all Pokemon equal. And even though I say this, I have played FireRed with Beedrill because I like him. But Gloria asked me to help her and Marnie become better trainers, so I must teach them that some Pokemon are better than others.
"I understand that you don't like what you're hearing, but it's something you must come to terms with. Being a Pokemon Trainer is much like being a recruiter or coach of a sports team. Ideally, anyone has the potential to become a professional player, but realistically, only a few people are talented enough to become a professional. Of course, I can't deny the possibility that there's a Gossifleur that's stronger than a Budew and Ferroseed. Some people are faster and stronger than the average person. Pokemon are the same way. But on average, you're better off with a Budew or Ferroseed over a Gossifleur." I explained. Gloria says nothing as the two of us continue our search for Gloria's first Pokemon.
The atmosphere takes on an awkward silence after that. I should change the subject.
"Hey, Gloria. Where did you get your Sobble?" I ask. Since Hop was with Victor, I doubt she got it from Leon.
"Oh. I got Sobble from Professor Magnolia. She gave me Sobble, the Pokedex app, and my endorsement after I said I wanted to try the Gym Challenge. Though, Professor Magnolia told me she got Sobble from Big Sis Sonia, who got him from Leon." Gloria sheepishly chuckles.
"Big Sis Sonia?" Is Gloria related to Sonia in this world?
"Oh, my parents work for Professor Magnolia—or at least my dad does. My mom stopped working for her after she became pregnant with me. I played with the Pokemon at Professor Magnolia's lab when I was little, and because Sonia is the Professor's granddaughter, she became a big sister figure to me," Gloria explains.
"So that means you lived in Wedgehurst before sending out your journey." I state.
"Born and raised." Gloria confirms, puffing her chest out in pride of her hometown.
We soon hear some rustles coming from the tall grass. Gloria and I quickly dove behind a large rock nearby to hide. It would be problematic if the Pokemon turned its tail and ran if it spotted us. After waiting a few seconds, a small dog Pokemon with tiger fur emerges from the tall grass. I was about to ask Gloria if she wanted to capture the Growlithe or if she wanted to search for another Pokemon, but her sparkling eyes told me my answer.
Gloria dashes out from her cover, surprising the puppy Pokemon, giving Gloria a chance to send out her Sobble. I may as well watch. It's my first time seeing a Pokemon Battle in person since I came.
The wild Growlithe unleashes a threatening bark at Sobble, causing the water lizard to slightly coward. At first, I thought it was Sobble's nature, but I noticed the Pokemon briefly gains a dark red aura around him. If Growlithe has Intimidate for its ability, Sobble's red aura was a visual cue that Growlithe lowered Sobble's physical attack stat.
"Sobble! Use Water Pulse!" Gloria commands. The lizard Pokemon forms a sphere of water in front of his mouth, firing it at the puppy Pokemon. Unfortunately, Growlithe was able to dodge the attack. "Rapid fire Water Gun!" Gloria quickly orders as the small lizard fires multiple water shots. The wild Growlithe tries to counterfire with Ember, but sadly, it wasn't fast enough as it could only counter two of Sobble's five Water Gun attacks, taking two direct hits as the third misses and hits a rock.
Not that it matters much. Those two Water Gun hits hurt the puppy Pokemon as it tries to make itself seem threatening by growling lowly. The Pokemon glances at the nearby tall grass, most likely considering fleeing, but that was a mistake on Growlithe's part. Gloria took advantage of Growlithe's split attention, telling Sobble to launch another Water Pulse, hitting Growlithe. Gloria throws a Pokeball while Growlithe tries to recover from the unexpected attack, hitting the Pokemon on the crown of its head. Growlithe was coated with red energy before the ball absorbed Growlithe inside it. The ball lands on the ground, beginning to shake. After a couple of tense seconds, the ball stops moving, letting out a loud click, telling us that Gloria has successfully captured Growlithe.
"I did it?" Gloria questions herself before her eyes widen. "I DID IT!" Gloria and Sobble cheered, the two running over to claim the Pokeball.
I chuckle and give the two a round of applause. "Nice fighting, you two. Though I think we should return and heal up your new Pokemon." I said. I notice the sky is starting to turn orange, signaling twilight. "It's also become dark. We should get back before night falls."
"Hey, Adam." Gloria speaks up as we begin walking our way back to camp. "What region are you from? You said you're not from Paldea, but you never said where you're from." Gloria said.
I figured either she or Marnie were going to ask me that question. I was hoping it would be much later down the line. However, I did come up with an answer.
"I came from the Orre Region." I lied.
"The Orre Region? I have never heard of it." Gloria admits.
"It's not surprising. Orre isn't a region most people would care to visit since there are no wild Pokemon," I said.
"NONE?!" Gloria yells in shock.
"Yup. There were no wild Pokemon whatsoever when I started my journey. If you want a Pokemon in Orre, you must order one from Johto or Hoenn." I explained. The best part of my lie was that it was true. Orre had no wild Pokemon until XD, and even then, it's only certain spots with specific Pokemon. So it makes sense why People wouldn't know about the region. "When I was old enough to start my journey, I decided to start it in Sinnoh instead. I have been traveling ever since."
"Wow. A region with no wild Pokemon." Gloria mutters. "How about stories from your journey? I want to know what you've seen in other regions!"
I chuckle as I begin weaving tales of when I go to watch Pokemon contests or explore the region's capital cities, such as Lumiose City in Kalos or the islands of Alola. I did use the anime to fill in the gaps to help make my stories more believable.
As we approach the campsite, Marnie seems to notice us as she dashes towards us.
"Adam! What the hell did you give me?!" Marnie yells.
I raise a brow at Marnie's reaction. Does she not like the Pokemon I gave her?
"Marnie! Aren't you overreacting a bit?!" Gloria comments. "No matter what Pokemon he gave you, your reaction is too extreme."
Marnie responded by holding three Pokeballs, releasing them from within, and revealing them as the Pokemon I had given Marnie a couple of hours ago.
"What's the problem?" I ask, confused as to why Marnie is acting as she is. I look down to see the three Pokemon.
A Charcadet, a Froakie, and a Snivy.
"YOU GIVEN ME TWO STARTER POKEMON!" Marnie screams. "WHY DID YOU GIVE STARTER POKEMON?!"
"Because I thought you would like them?" I said confusedly. "Besides, I have dozens of them."
"THERE'S NO WAY YOU HAVE DOZENS OF STARTER POKEMON!" Marnie yells heatly.
Hey! I'm not lying!
Before Marnie could say another word, I summoned all the first-stage starters I have in my [PC], releasing them from their Pokeballs as the tiny Pokemon surrounded the campsite. I know it's immature, but I smirked at Marnie's stunned expression. Gloria copied Marnie's expression as she watched a Piplup play with a Fennekin and Bulbasaur. A Rowlet perches itself on my head, its claws gripping my scalp. A Quaxly lands on my left shoulder while a Treecko climbs onto my right. And those were only a handful of the ones I summoned.
"See? Dozens." I said, smirking at the young, punk girl.
I expected Marnie or Gloria to react, but they were frozen like statues, staring at the starters as they played.
What's up with them?
{Sonia's P.O.V.}
When was the last time I went down Route Three? It must have been when I was still a trainer with Leon before I realized the gap between our talent and skills as Pokemon trainers. Since then, I have been using the Flying Taxi.
But I do find a sense of irony in this. The first time I set foot down Route Three's path was me taking my first step as a Gym Challenger who dreamed of becoming Galar's champion. I'm walking that path again, taking my first step to becoming a Pokemon Professor.
However, I'm still not looking forward to doing field research. I've gotten used to sleeping in a comfy bed and waking up with a hot shower. Memories of when my dinners were spare berries or how I had to bathe in a nearby river, smelling like grass, come to mind.
That's one thing they never tell newbie trainers. They never tell you how rough roughing it can be.
Speaking of Gym Challengers, how is Gloria doing on her journey? I still can't believe that Gloria asked Gra- I mean, Professor Magnolia for an endorsement so she can participate in the Gym Challenge. Her parents and I thought Gloria would ask to become Magnolia's or my assistant when I become a Pokemon Professor, not her becoming a Pokemon trainer. But in hindsight, I did tell Gloria stories about my Gym Challenge and how I was Leon's rival when she was little. So, that might have played some part in Gloria's decision to enter the Gym Challenge.
At least that Sobble Leon has given me is in better hands now. I swear, one minute, Leon was showing off his new team member, and the next, he begged me to take it because he didn't have the time to raise a new team member. Sure, Leon! I will take Sobble! It isn't like I'm busy trying to become a professor!
Thankfully, Gloria is a social girl online, so it would be easy to track her progress.
I pull the Rotom Phone from my pocket and open PTO, or Pokemon Trainer Online, a social media message board where people can chat online. I look at Gloria's recent posts, seeing dozens of photos of Sobble in the timeline.
I felt guilty for handing Sobble off to Professor Magnolia after Leon handed him off to me and after he was not chosen by Hop or Victor. So, seeing Sobble happy with Gloria does ease those feelings of guilt.
I scroll to Gloria's newer postings, seeing Sobble sitting beside a Growlithe. I guess Gloria caught a new team member. And it's a cute one at that. The second post is a Tepig and Piplup playing. Gloria must have found that image online and posted it here. After that is a video, which I push play.
The video shows Gloria, who is facing a tree. I barely hear Gloria say red light due to the poor sound quality. Oh. It's a video of her playing with Pokemon. But wait, if Gloria is playing with her Pokemon, then who is recording her?
The camera pans to the other side of the field, showi-
What the hell am I looking at?
There's Gloria's Sobble and Growlithe, but they weren't the only Pokemon in the frame.
There were starter Pokemon, dozens of them. Their numbers must be close to a hundred. It's a scene that people wouldn't even dream of, and Gloria is playing Red Light Green Light with them.
Of course, the comments about the video were about how it was fake, some of them using less-than-proper language. Some comments theorized that all the starters were Dittos transformed into starter Pokemon. Under normal circumstances, I would agree with them. The idea of someone playing a children's game with roughly a hundred starter Pokemon sounds like something that only happens in a children's book.
Except Gloria was the one playing with them. If it's someone I didn't know, I wouldn't be questioning it as much as I am now. But I know Gloria, and she isn't the type to fake videos for some cheap online fame.
What the hell did you get yourself into, Gloria?
{Irida's P.O.V.}
Where am I? What happened to me?
Calm down, Irida. Father told me you need to be calm in times of distress. First, remember what happened leading up to now.
I left the clan grounds this morning to help with the hunting as a snowstorm was approaching, and then there was that strange, black storm that appeared from nowhere with no signs. I passed out after that, and when I woke up, I found myself here. At first, I thought I was in the Obsidian Fieldlands, but that's impossible. The time needed to get from Alabaster Icelands to Obsidian takes too long. There's also the fact that I encounter Pokemon that we have never seen before.
While we don't research Pokemon like the Galaxy Expedition Team, we know what kind of Pokemon lives in what part of Hisui. The reason I'm seeing Pokemon that the Pearl and Diamond Clans or the Galaxy Team never encountered means only one thing. I somehow find myself in some foreign land.
For every question I find an answer to, another one takes its place.
I look up at the darkening sky and sigh. I don't have the time to ponder my many questions. I need to find shelter before it becomes too dark. Thankfully, I have enough food and water to last a few days. Then again, I need to share my supplies with my Glaceon, so maybe those few days are a day or two at best. I need to find a village or a merchant group before my supplies run out, but I also can't risk trying to escape these foreign woods at night. All that would do is lead to my death. I have to spend a night in these woods, not knowing what bizarre and unknown Pokemon might pop out.
And to make matters worse, it's hot!
"Dear, Lord Sinnoh. Why couldn't you send me somewhere that was at least cool?" I ask, fanning myself in a pathetic attempt to cool down.
Author's Note
I was debating adding Irida to this. Then Pokemon Masters Ex gives her hot pants. You can blame them for this.
I'm also part of the SGO server, so if you want to join and chat, here is a link
/wd3tUYWVCd
I also started my server for anyone who wants to ask me about my fics or to hang out.
/DYqC3uNfbt