Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, or any other property in this work that I did not make myself.
Pokémon: Pokédex no Isekai
Chapter Nine: Golden Champion
The crew of The Big Beauty was having an early morning breakfast out on the extendable battlefield of the flying ship, said field being set up at the moment. Oddly enough, both Dawn and Trip were missing, but nobody seemed too bothered by it. However, right during the middle of breakfast, Mina saw something fly at them from the direction of the towers in Ecruteak City, which is where The Big Beauty was parked at the moment, being parked in an available open field.
Landing on the extendable battlefield of the flying ship was Dawn, riding in on her named Latios Lincoln. As Dawn recalled Lincoln to go and get some coffee from the breakfast food station that was set up, Trip came flying in on his named Dialga Deelia, although Trip hopped off and recalled Deelia first before heading on over to get himself some breakfast as well. The Berlitz siblings acted as casually as they would as if they had just returned from a convenience store.
"I take it that the two of you were successful?" Kenny asked Dawn and Trip.
Nodding once, Dawn said, "I was at least, I caught Alphonse. Professor Oak will be in for quite the surprise when the Master Ball containing Alphonse arrives at his lab in Pallet Town."
"Yeah, I also caught Nemo," Trip said, "Navigating the Whirl Islands was the tricky part."
"Oh yeah, you guys usually nickname your Pokémon," Leona spoke up.
Nodding once in confirmation, Dawn went on, "And given what Pokémon Alphonse is, as well as the Pokémon that Trip named Nemo is, we can't really mention it out loud lest Team Heart catches wind of it and has a fit while trying to claim ownership of them."
After Dawn and Trip got themselves some breakfast, they sat down at the long folding table where Kenny sat with Mina, Leona, and Omiyo. "So what's next on the agenda?" Mina asked.
"We're going to try to meet this Gold person who's the Champion of Johto," Dawn explained.
Nodding once, Leona remarked, "Oh yeah, the Indigo League split and broke apart because Kanto didn't wanna share a League with Johto due to Johto being taken over by Team Heart and made into part of the Team Heart Empire. That led to Kanto and Johto each making their own, separate Pokémon Leagues."
"Umm, how can someone made of gold be Champion?" Omiyo asked, "Wouldn't he be just a solid metal statue in that case?"
"Omiyo, Gold isn't made of actual gold," Trip said, "The word Gold is his name."
"...Oh," Omiyo replied.
"What all do we know about Gold so far again?" Leona asked.
After taking a sip of her coffee (it had hazelnut creamer), Dawn said, "Gold is around the same age as us, and about average in height and weight compared to the average for those among us. He's the youngest child in his family, with a mid-teens older sister named Ayane who is a student over at Blackthorn City Academy."
"Gold and Ayane also have an older brother named Koki, who is twenty years old," Trip said, "Koki is actually biologically the first cousin of Gold and Ayane, but Koki was adopted by his aunt and uncle, the mom and dad of Gold and Ayane, when Koki's birth parents were killed in an accident about one week after Koki turned thirteen."
"Koki helps his aunt and uncle slash adoptive parents with managing their construction business," Dawn said, "A business that essentially has a monopoly in its field here in Johto. It's estimated that Ayane at least will join the family business when she graduates from Blackthorn City Academy, but it's up in the air what Gold will do."
"Does Gold go to school?" Mina asked.
Nodding once, Dawn said, "Actually, yeah. He got a full ride scholarship to Blackthorn City Academy when he defeated former Champion Lance in an official title match and became Champion of the Indigo League, although when the Indigo League broke up into the Kanto and Johto Leagues, Gold's Champion title transferred to the Johto League."
"Gold is a first year student at Blackthorn City Academy," Trip said, "While Ayane and her peers are all fifth years." Trip briefly explained how the year grades at Blackthorn City Academy worked; it reminded Mina of a similar structure for year grades in this one book series about a boy wizard who goes to wizard school. Back in the previous lives of the reborn trainers, Gold would be a fifth grader while Ayane would be a tenth grader.
"Is there anything else about Gold that we ought to keep in mind?" Leona asked.
Nodding a single time again, Dawn said, "Yeah, Gold same as Omiyo is autistic." Omiyo perked up at the mention of how Gold is similar to her. "Yeah, so we ought to show the kind of consideration to Gold that we have for Omiyo," Dawn went on, "We ought to be solid."
"Where is Gold now?" Leona asked, "Do you know?"
"He's at Blackthorn City Academy," Dawn explained, "The current school year for Blackthorn City Academy is in session, and the students live in on campus dorms. Although special considerations are being taken into account for Gold."
"Because he has autism?" Omiyo asked.
"That's actually part of the reason," Dawn began to explain, "The other part is how Gold is the Champion of Johto, so he has to make appearances at certain locations for certain events. Former Champion Lance, who is currently the top Elite Four of Johto, usually escorts Gold."
Scowling, Kenny said, "I bet that Team Heart, given that they rule Johto, can order Gold around to wherever and whatever."
"They can but don't actually abuse said power," Dawn answered, "They usually only have him appear at special events, and he's warned in advance so his school work isn't impacted. The advance warning also helps to keep him from freaking out by preventing sudden changes to his schedule that would have made him freak out."
"I'd freak out too if sudden changes were made to my schedule," Omiyo admitted, "I like being able to know what is going to happen in advance."
Clapping her hands together, Dawn said, "Yes. Anyway, Gold is actually expecting us, so as soon as breakfast is done, we're flying on over to Blackthorn City and visiting Gold at school." In addition to visiting the Champion of Johto, the reborn trainers will also get to catch up with Ideku and his peers, see how all of them are doing.
The reborn trainers were wondering just how much exactly things had changed due to Mina's insistence on using time travel to fix Ideku's childhood as much as possible.
Later, The Big Beauty landed in an open field that was on Blackthorn City Academy grounds before the reborn trainers disembarked to head into the school in order to meet Johto Champion Gold. "Hey quick question," Kenny began, "How will we find this Gold guy? We have no idea what in blazes he looks like."
"We got it he's Ayane's little brother," Dawn said, "Although in this timeline we have no idea if we're familiar with Ayane or Ideku or any of the others."
"If their school had that field trip to Alola while we were there, then maybe," Trip pointed out.
Shrugging, Mina said, "Hopefully that's the case." The reborn trainers then proceeded to make their way into the actual school building, although they were halted by a pair of Team Heart grunts who demanded to know their business. The reborn trainers were lucky and were able to convince the two grunts to let them in, although the grunts insisted on escorting the reborn trainers the whole way.
...
Luckily for the reborn trainers, they were led to an on campus dorm building where Ideku and his classmates in his homeroom class lived while attending Blackthorn City Academy. And yes, Ideku and his peers were all familiar with the reborn trainers due to the Alolan field trip. The reborn trainers were a bit disheartened to hear it from Ideku himself that his greatest League achievement was winning the Johto League Conference against Katsuku over half a decade ago.
But despite how he's nowhere near as accomplished in this timeline, Ideku here still had an overall far happier upbringing due to being removed from a toxic environment when he was younger and placed into a loving one. Ideku sat close to Ayane, showing that regardless of the timeline, the two of them were destined to become a couple. However, it was who was seated with Ideku and Ayane who the reborn trainers were all focused on.
Gold, the Champion of Johto. About as tall as the average among the reborn trainers, Gold was dressed in a manner that looked a lot like the male player character from the gen two Johto games, except his coat was baggier as were his cargo shorts held up with a belt. Gold was missing the hat, his hair was green just like Ayane's, and resting around Gold's neck were a pair of noise canceling headphones. He also seemed nervous to have so much focus on him.
"Gold, little buddy," Ayane said, her tone and expression kind and gentle. Ayane here clearly never suffered any cruelty that seeped out into her personality. The reborn trainers wondered how Ayane avoided trouble here. "It's okay," Ayane went on, "They simply want to say hello to you."
"We also figure that we owe him the courtesy of letting him know we'll be in Johto for a while," Trip said, "He is the Champion of Johto after all."
Gold nodded once in thanks to the reborn trainers. "Thank you for the consideration."
"What are you guys doing here in Johto exactly?" Ideku asked.
"Field research to learn more about as many species of Pokémon as possible," Dawn replied.
"So you're aiming to do field work for Professor Elm," Katsuku remarked. It was still surprising to the reborn trainers to see that Katsuku was alive again; he was killed in the previous timeline.
Nodding once, Dawn said, "Well we have the free time on our hands."
"Hey now, just curious," Mina began, "This is for all of you Blackthorn City Academy students. How is school life in a region ruled by Team Heart?"
"If you play by Team Heart's rules," Justin began, "Then it's hardly any different than school life in any of the free lands, really. The only difference is that you occasionally see people who DON'T play by Team Heart's rules get dragged off by Team Heart, and occasionally in those cases the folks who get dragged off don't return."
"One of the first people we saw get dragged off like that off of campus here was Ms. Akeno," Colleen said, looking worried, "Granted, she had been incredibly mean spirited towards those on the autism spectrum here at Blackthorn City Academy, but it's not worth dragging her off like she's a prisoner sentenced to death, is it?"
The reborn trainers remembered, from the previous timeline, that Akeno had been killed by Admin Brother of Team Heart because she was harshing on people on the spectrum right in front of him. It seemed that, regardless of timeline, Akeno's hatred for autistic persons lands her in deep hot water. "Would you know if Akeno is still alive?" Kenny asked.
"None of us have any clue as last that any of us had heard," Ayane replied, "Ms. Akeno was taken to one of the labor camps here in Johto."
"Labor camps?" Mina repeated in a questioning tone.
Shrugging, a smart and studious looking boy hanging out with Ideku said, "In theory, Ayane can have Gold learn that information. As he's the Champion of Johto, he has certain legal rights, including getting to inquire about specific persons sent to Team Heart-ran labor camps. All that he has to do is ask a high enough ranked member of Team Heart working here in Johto for the information."
Scowling, Justin said, "As un-manly as this may sound, I hope Akeno kicked it. She was nothing but foul, reveling in her position to get away with being a jerk to others. She once very nearly had Ayane expelled from school here, solely because Ayane stood up to her when Akeno was trying to bully my girlfriend Amanda in front of our respective homeroom classes in a shared class. It ended up failing because Ideku here reported it to his foster dad who's the vice principal and got everything sorted."
The reborn trainers nodded in understanding, seeing that the change to the timeline to save Ideku's childhood as much as possible had a positive effect as it led to Ayane being saved from expulsion. "Ooh, that reminds me," Mina began, "Ideku, Katsuku, are either of you aware of how your biological parents are doing?"
Right away, their expressions dropped into unamused frowns. "No, I ain't got no clue," Katsuku replied, both his tone and expression making it clear that he couldn't care less about his biological parents.
"As far as I'm concerned, Kenta is my parent," Ideku said, "The people who brought me into the world did their part. Simple as that." Arching a wry eyebrow, Ideku asked, "Why do you ask?"
Sighing, Dawn said, "We got it that your biological parents got out of prison very shortly after Team Heart took over Johto. Your biological parents got out because their original sentence had ended. But they ended up going back a week later due to violating Team Heart installed laws. As a matter of fact, your biological mom was executed. Your biological father is still alive, though."
Ideku and Katsuku both looked rather surprised, but settled down a bit. "...Fair enough," Ideku said, sounding accepting of the news, "They broke the law badly enough and were punished for it. Can't do anything about that."
Shrugging, Katsuku remarked, "They were both right proper pieces of work. They got what they had coming for biting off more than they could chew."
"Guys, they're your parents," said the short perverted boy with a lispy voice, "The people who brought you into the world! How can you two both be so dismissive of how they were both sentenced by Team Heart laws? Your mom especially as she was executed!"
"Ideku suffered more under his biological parents than you can ever begin to guess or imagine," Ayane snapped at the short lispy pervert, "Don't concern yourself with issues you have no business trying to be a part of."
"Yes, don't be a Mineta, you little turd," Kenny said. The reborn trainers still remember from the previous timeline how the short lispy pervert before them had basically ruined everything and led to Mina suggesting the use of time travel to fix things for Ideku. The short teen's peers didn't have any mercy for him, and neither did the reborn trainers.
Looking back to Gold, Mina said, "You know, I wonder how we were able to arrange to have the meeting with you here in this dorm building."
"Ayane is my big sister," Gold replied, "The staff wanted someone to keep an eye on things, but no teachers were available. They settled on letting Ayane supervise me because she's my older sister, also you guys mentioned wanting to catch up with Ayane and her classmates."
"Yeah, we're surprised you care about us despite only knowing us mostly from when our homeroom class and our rival homeroom class had that field trip to Alola," Justin remarked.
Shrugging, Trip said, "We think that you all are cool dudes, what can we say?"
"So Ayane," Mina began, "How's it feel to be related to the strongest trainer in the Johto region?"
Smiling a bit, Ayane replied, "Oh, Gold has always been an amazing kid. The rest of my family and I had been wanting others to see that, had been wanting them to see that Gold despite having autism can be great. Although it wasn't until after Gold defeated Former Champion Lance in an official title match and took Lance's title that everyone saw that Gold can accomplish some amazing feats."
"I was hoping that by becoming Champion, I can make one of Ayane's teachers at school here stop being mean to Ayane," Gold spoke up.
Nodding once, Ideku said, "Yeah, Gold thought that him becoming Champion would let him make Ms. Akeno stop it with her cruel ways. It worked to an extent as Gold got a scholarship to Blackthorn City Academy due to becoming Champion, and even Ms. Akeno had to drop her foul discriminatory ways towards those on the spectrum around Gold. But she was still cruel to others behind Gold's back."
"It took a multi-region villainous organization taking over and ruling Johto to make Ms. Akeno stop her cruel ways as they took her away one day and she hadn't been heard from since," Colleen said, "If that gives you an idea on the kind of person Ms. Akeno was."
Looking to Gold, Dawn said, "So you became Champion because you wanted to stand up for your older sister who was being bullied by a teacher?"
"That mean teacher was being mean to Ayane simply because Ayane stood up to the mean teacher when said mean teacher was being mean to another student," Gold said, "Ayane stood up for that student because said student, according to Ayane, is like me."
Smirking a bit, Justin said, "Yeah lil' dude, Ayane that day was standing up for my girlfriend Amanda. Amanda, same as you, is on the spectrum."
"One of the members of the crew of The Big Beauty is on the spectrum," Trip said, "The niece of the helmsman slash pilot."
Looking to Gold, Dawn went on, "But you acted because you wanted to stand up for your older sister. That's actually pretty sweet of you."
Looking a bit embarrassed, Gold said, "Well Ayane and mom and dad and Koki have always been nice and caring towards me. It'd be mean if I didn't show back that kind of care."
"Ooh, Ayane's little brother is so sweet he's gonna give me diabetes!" exclaimed a girl in Ayane's class who has pink fluffy hair.
"Just... don't surprise hug Gold," Ayane said, "He's not exactly a fan of others touching him, even more so if it's without warning. You remember how he freaked when Colleen hugged him?"
"I thought that his Tyranitar was gonna kill me for making him freak," Colleen said, looking a little bit nervous as she recalled a not exactly good memory.
Trip arched a wry eyebrow. "So Gold owns a Tyranitar. A quality Pokémon like that would obviously be a big help in Gold defeating Lance and taking his title as Champion."
Ayane nodded once before she pulled up a picture that showed Gold with his Pokémon team he used to defeat Lance and become Champion. In addition to a Tyranitar, Gold also has a Typhlosion, a Quagsire, a Bellossom, an Ampharos, and a Crobat. They had to have both good training and good movesets to have allowed Gold to defeat Lance and become Champion.
"How close was the battle Gold had where he defeated Lance and became Champion?" Kenny asked.
"Not as close as what most may think," Ayane answered, "Three of Gold's Pokémon were still able to continue battling by the time Gold won."
"According to what Ayane's boyfriend Ideku told me," Gold began, "My choice of having Tyranitar use Stealth Rock first thing in the battle against Lance played a big role in why I beat Lance."
Ah, so there was some degree of strategy used. A good number of Lance's Pokémon are flying type, to the point it'd be more accurate to say that Lance is a flying type Pokémon trainer rather than a dragon type Pokémon trainer. Stealth Rock set up against Lance would really curb his ability to fight back. Hell, some games in Dawn's previous life depict Lance as having a Charizard, which has a times four weakness to rock thus takes damage equal to half its max health if its switched out into battle while Stealth Rock is set up against it.
Dawn was about to speak up, but was cut off when James and Meowth came running into the dorm building. "Hey Captain Twerp," James said, "We got some big trouble!"
Arching a wry eyebrow, Dawn asked, "What is it? Did Jessie come here without anyone to hold her back and is trying to bully others into coughing up rare Pokémon?"
"Yes Jessie's here and is trying to do that," Meowth said, "But she didn't come alone. She's having an argument with a Team Heart Captain who looks to be about as old as the Hoenn Contest girl twerp's little brother."
"By 'Hoenn Contest girl', you mean May, right?" Trip asked, drawing an affirmative nod from Meowth, "And the supposed Team Heart Captain is as old as May's brother, right?" Again, Meowth nodded in the affirmative. Turning to the others, Trip said, "We need to go stop Jessie."
"What's a kid the approximate age of Max doing as a Team Heart Captain?" Kenny asked.
Turning to James, Dawn asked, "Where's Jessie and the others now?"
"Outside of where The Big Beauty is parked," Meowth explained, "Jessie tried to demand being let aboard, but the young Team Heart Captain told her off."
Sighing, Dawn said, "Well let's go see what Jessie is up to." Dawn had James and Meowth lead the way, although Ayane asked to come along as well, saying she can bring Gold to help smooth things over. Having two region Champions present might be of great help, so Dawn agreed. Together, the group made its way out to where Jessie was causing trouble.
Outside of where The Big Beauty was parked, Dawn and her group saw Jessie who had Merdez standing behind her arguing with a uniquely dressed Team Heart member who was a boy who looked to be about as tall and as old as Max and Bonnie. He had fair, mildly pale skin, long black hair combed to the side, and he wore a long sleeved black shirt under a pink sleeveless jacket, black pants, black shoes with pink shoelaces, and a black Team Heart 'H' over his left pectoral on the sleeveless jacket.
Standing next to the short Team Heart Captain was a male Team Heart grunt dressed in the standard outfit for Team Heart grunts of his gender. This grunt was actually a shade taller than the average among the reborn trainers. The grunt had fair mildly pale skin and curly combed up black hair. The reborn trainers also noticed that the uniquely dressed Team Heart member had a cast on his left leg; he must be the Team Heart Captain of Johto who's out of commission due to injury.
"How many times must you be told that you can't just force non-members of Team Heart to give you their Pokémon?" the Team Heart Captain kid scowled at Jessie, "Especially as the girl you tried to bully a Pokémon out of isn't even a citizen of Johto! I came here to Blackthorn City Academy to see how my older brother was doing, I have the free time as I'm off due to my injury, and the first thing I hear is a Team Heart Captain is trying to straight up make someone just give them their Pokémon!"
Looking surprised, Ayane said, "That's Yoshimasa's little brother Sebastian, the Team Heart Captain with the cast on his leg. What's he doing here?"
"Yoshimasa?" Kenny repeatedly questioningly.
"He's one of Ayane's classmates in her homeroom class," Gold said, "Yoshimasa is the guy with slicked back black hair and he wears a red choker collar."
The reborn trainers remembered seeing such a guy among Ayane's classmates. But putting that aside, Dawn led her group over to where Jessie was arguing with Sebastian. "Oi Jessie, the hell do you think you're doing?" Dawn said, getting the attention of the Team Heart members, "You ain't trying to bully Omiyo into giving you her shiny Bellibolt again, are you?"
"If by Omiyo you mean the autistic girl who lives on this flying ship here, then yes," said Sebastian, "I'm guessing this is your flying ship, Dawn Berlitz."
Nodding once, Dawn said, "It is, yes."
"Sorry if my substitute here has been causing trouble," Sebastian apologized, "She's filling in for me while I'm off duty due to my injury here. Anyway, in case you didn't know, I'm Sebastian, the actual Fourth Captain of the Johto Sector of Team Heart. The tall fellow with me is my Captain's Assistant, Mike. We came here because I have time off of my duties for obvious reasons, and I figured I could swing in a visit to Blackthorn City Academy to see my older brother Yoshimasa who's a student."
"Yoshimasa is one of my classmates in my homeroom," Ayane said as she held up a hand.
Sebastian turned to look at Ayane. "You're Johto Champion Gold's older sister. I wasn't aware you go to class with my older brother. Also, sorry again that Captain Jessie tried to bully you into giving her a shiny Pokémon that you own."
Gold had an unamused, pouty looking expression on his face. "She tried to steal Pokémon from my older sister. I don't like the girl with long red curved hair."
"Hey!" Jessie snapped at Gold, making him flinch back, "You better watch it with that disrespectful tone and attitude, kid! I'm with Team Hea-"
"Jessie, that's Johto Champion Gold," Sebastian cut in, "Zip it with the snappy attitude at him right now!"
As Jessie backed down, a bit surprised, Dawn arched a wry eyebrow at her. "Are you gonna try to keep harassing me and my crew like this while we're in Johto?"
"Even though other Team Heart Captains as well as the Admin and his Assistant for Johto's native Sector of Team Heart had essentially told you to NOT bother us?" Trip went on.
Sighing, Sebastian said, "You see Jessie, it's stuff like this that makes Admin Coryn believe that you can't be trusted to operate in the field in Team Heart-ruled lands without another Team Heart Officer present to keep an eye on you to make sure you don't get drunk with power. The instant you get out into the field, the actions you take immediately prove Admin Coryn's worries as valid."
Stomping a foot in annoyed frustration, Jessie said, "Well what's the point of getting to rule over everyone else if you aren't able to do to them whatever you want, whenever you want, and however you want and totally get away with it?"
"Even Team Heart knows that there has to be processes to follow for everything," Sebastian pointed out, "The Team Heart Empire could fall apart in on itself if corruption is allowed to fester. That's why we have the processes to follow as well as how we hold ourselves to certain standards." Sebastian then turned to look at Ayane. "You said that you're Yoshimasa's classmate, right? Could you go get him for me? I don't exactly feel comfortable leaving Captain Jessie unsupervised because I feel that the moment that trustworthy eyes are taken off of her, she'll immediately abuse what power she has as a Team Heart Officer."
Nodding once, Ayane replied, "That's fair." Ayane then left to go get her classmate Yoshimasa, leaving with her little brother Gold. This left the reborn trainers plus James and Meowth behind to see it as Sebastian and his Captain's Assistant both give Jessie unamused looks for how she seems to be insisting on getting drunk with the power she has as a Team Heart Officer over the good people living in Johto.
It seemed as if Jessie is allergic to NOT getting drunk on power when and where possible.
The visit to Blackthorn City Academy was... mostly pleasant. Really, the only really foul part was Jessie showing up to try to bully persons not members of Team Heart into giving up what rare Pokémon that they own. Dawn and her crew mates also heard it that Sebastian was also going to be reporting to Coryn about what all Jessie had done while on Blackthorn City Academy grounds, so at least Jessie will be reprimanded.
Granted, Dawn and the reborn trainers weren't exactly sure HOW effective said reprimanding is going to be, but hopefully it'll scold Jessie into behaving herself for at least a little bit.
The reborn trainers were also able to see Johto top Elite Four Lance and his cousin Clair while they were in Blackthorn City. "Personally, I'm not really all that fond of my homeland being ruled by Team Heart," Lance said, a stern look on his face, "But I have to put up with it."
"At least they don't just randomly go up to people and demand that they hand over their Pokémon," Clair remarked, "Well, that one Team Heart Captain girl with the long red curved hair does, but the other Team Heart Officers tell her off whenever she tries to abuse her power as an Officer ranked member of Team Heart."
Nodding once, Dawn said, "Yeah, my crew and I saw Jessie try to do exactly that earlier. My crew mate Omiyo is still upset as Jessie tried to bully her into giving up her shiny Bellibolt."
Scoffing, Clair snarled, "Figures that the few persons in Team Heart who allow themselves to get drunk on power would try to snatch up shiny Pokémon from people who own them. It's part of why Team Heart prefers to get shiny Pokémon from the wild instead of ones already owned by trainers."
The reborn trainers were surprised by that, it reminded them of a similar policy that Team Scorn in the previous timeline had. "So Clair," Dawn began, "As a gym leader living in a region ruled by Team Heart, how are things going for you?"
"Considering how I rank among the other gym leaders in Johto, not too bad," Clair replied, "Lower ranked gym leaders usually have some restrictions levied against them by Team Heart, though. As a matter of fact, Whitney who is the leader of the Goldenrod City gym has the overall most restrictions levied against her, due to how often she previously tended to win against trainers who challenge her gym for the first time."
Again, the reborn trainers hear something in this timeline that was similar to the previous timeline. Only here it's Team Heart who whacked Whitney upside the head with the nerfing stick. "So Team Heart has the authority to regulate the gyms and gym leaders in regions that they rule," Dawn said.
"Yes but they don't act unless they feel that they have good enough reason to do so," Lance replied, "Again, despite basically having absolute power over the lands they rule and the people living in said lands, Team Heart as a whole surprisingly doesn't let themselves get drunk on that power. And you had seen what they do if individual members DO let the power get to their heads."
Arching a wry eyebrow, Clair asked, "What are you and your crew doing in Johto anyway?"
"Field research on various species of Pokémon," Dawn answered, deciding it was best to withhold from most others that she and the reborn trainers were actually trying to complete the Pokédex lest Team Heart catches wind of the goal. Dawn still has no idea what Team Heart would do if they got it that someone is trying to get at least one of every species of Pokémon registered as caught. It's best to keep that on a need to know basis.
After the reborn trainers finished exchanging pleasantries with the dragon taming cousins, they took off from Blackthorn City. There was one location that Dawn and friends wanted to hit up before they tried tackling the rest of the Johto Pokédex, as there's one spot of Johto lore that they're missing.
And they ARE trying to get EVERY species of Johto Pokémon registered as caught.
(Opelucid City, Unova region)
Bianca was in her office at her manor in the wealthy neighborhood of Opelucid City, going over a few forms. Bianca had a bit of an annoyed scowl on her face; yet again, the terrorist group known as Aincrad had gotten away with an attack, this time in Driftveil City in the open air market. The attack took the lives of several rank and file level members of Team Heart, not to mention a few civilians, and a total of twelve Pokémon.
Although a very niche but vocal minority of people in Unova say that Aincrad is fighting to liberate Unova from Team Heart rule, the vast majority of people have come to see those rebel fighters for what they are; terrorists. Bianca was currently going over forms to confirm certain arrangements to hold a memorial service for those killed in the attack. After signing the last form, Bianca set it off to the side as she let out a troubled sigh.
"Are you alright, Lady Bianca?" asked the maid whose outfit was in the Team Heart colors.
"No, I finished signing forms that reminded me about how Aincrad is still at large," Bianca replied, "Their latest attack claimed a total of twenty-seven lives."
The maid nodded in understanding. "Ah yes, that attack. It reminded me of the attack on a Donzish festival in Johto a while ago. My late great-uncle who was Donzish was killed in that attack."
"I believe that Admin Coryn of the Johto Sector had issued a warrant for the arrest of the one leader from that attack who managed to escape custody," Bianca said, "Given what he's responsible for, I hope that said attack leader is caught."
...
(Blackthorn City, Johto)
Eric, who is on the run after escaping Team Heart, was meeting in secret with the only person he has that can be called his friend by any stretch of the word. Said friend is Silver, son of the late Giovanni, Boss of the now long defunct Team Rocket. "I'm sorry, Eric," Silver began, "But you want me to do what now?"
"I need you to challenge Dawn Berlitz to a battle," Eric said, "Preferably while she and her crew are still in Johto."
"It'd be suicide for someone of my level to challenge Dawn Berlitz," Silver remarked grimly, "I'm never able to defeat Champion Gold in any of the occasions I've battled him, and even Gold can't hold a candle to Dawn Berlitz, the Champion of Sinnoh and Monarch of the World Coronation Series. And yet you want me to issue a challenge to Dawn."
"You don't necessarily have to win," Eric said, "Just do well enough to convince her to take her with you out of Johto. I'll be smuggled along among your luggage, I can fit in a trunk."
"You wanna get to Sinnoh," Silver said.
"Any of the free lands will do," Eric said, "I have literally nothing left here in Johto. No money, no records, only death awaits me here. But I need to escape it, I can't die here."
Silver sighed. "...I too have nothing, same as you. But why can't you ask her?"
"I'm wanted for death by Team Heart, remember?" Eric said, "It has to be you! You've gotta do this for me, Silver."
Silver sighed again, but this time in a more resigned manner. "...The things I do for friendship."
END, CHAPTER NINE
Author's notes;
This chapter sees Dawn and Trip get back from some big name captures, although that's quickly put off to the side when the reborn trainers go and visit Gold, the Champion of Johto. They also see Ideku and his friends at Blackthorn City Academy; in this timeline Ideku got to go there, also certain other things didn't end up happening for Ideku.
The reborn trainers also have to deal with Jessie being obnoxious again, but the Team Heart Captain of the Johto Sector she's subbing for is able to make her back off. Bianca over in the Unova region has some grim duties to perform, and Eric who's wanted in Johto plots in secret with Silver who's his friend here, a plot that involves using Dawn to escape Johto.
The next chapter will cover another important capture in Johto, checking in on someone who's living in the past, and covering the meeting of another Team Heart Captain in Johto. Until then, take care.
Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Tsukune (Palkia), Leni (female Lucario), Diablo (Iron Valiant), Argent (male Arcanine; alpha; Hisuian), Fafnir (male Arcanine; Kantonian)
Kenny's Pokémon: (on hand) Black (Giratina), Shallot (male Glaceon), Cell (male Scizor; shiny), Roshi (male Torterra), Zarbon (male Machamp), Kermit (male Politoed)
Trip's Pokémon: (on hand) Deelia (Dialga), Tsunade (female Gastrodon; East Sea), Mr. Popo (male Magmortar), Veda (female Abomasnow), Myde (male Empoleon), Fourze (male Electivire)
Mina's Pokémon: (on hand) Scar (male Eevee; scared over one eye), Gardevoir (male), Lucario (female), Umbreon (male; shiny), Espeon (male; shiny), Jolteon (male; shiny)