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

Pokémon: Pokédex no Isekai

Chapter Twelve: The Heart of Hoenn

After having made their preparations in the Sinnoh region, the crew of The Big Beauty flew over to the Hoenn region. There, Dawn, Kenny, Trip, and Mina (although mainly the first three) will be going about getting every Hoenn Pokémon registered as caught, and thusly complete the Hoenn Pokédex. But the task will have to be handled carefully, for the reborn trainers and the crew of Dawn's flying ship will, for a second time, head into a land part of the Team Heart Empire.

The flying ship landed in Littleroot Town, as the reborn trainers wanted to meet up with Professor Birch, the resident Pokémon Professor of the Hoenn region. "Ah yes, Professor Elm of Johto had sent me word about how you all were coming," Birch said to the reborn trainers, "Sent it via means that Team Heart can't tap."

"Considering that we came flying into Hoenn in The Big Beauty, I'm pretty sure that Team Heart will learn of our arrival within short order," Dawn remarked.

As Birch nodded in agreement, Mina said, "Yo Professor B, we heard something about your son."

"You mean Brendan?" Birch asked, "What, is it how he's dating Norman's daughter May?"

"He's dating May?" Mina replied, looking surprised. The other reborn trainers similarly were not exactly expecting to hear that Brendan and May were actually dating.

Nodding in confirmation, Birch said, "Oh my, yes. I think it's rather sweet, and Brendan and May have proven to be a good couple. Of course, I was surprised that Brendan was willing to give dating May a chance, due to the bad blood that Brendan had been nursing against Norman for at least half of his life so far. Half of Brendan's life, I mean."

Looking curious, Dawn said, "Brendan had taken umbridge with Norman? What for?"

Birch let out a troubled, mildly somber sigh. "Back when Brendan was a little kid, less than half as old as he his right now," Birch began, "He was really close to his older cousin Chad, who is my nephew. Chad was basically a big brother to Brendan, given that Brendan is an only child. When Chad at seventeen decided to challenge the Hoenn region's gyms to try to enter the Hoenn League Conference, Brendan cheered and boasted that Chad wasn't going to lose."

"I see," Dawn remarked, not exactly sure where this was going.

"Pretty much everyone in the extended family was all for Chad's dreams," Birch said, "Aside from Chad's dad Chandler, my brother-in-law. Chandler wanted Chad to follow in his footsteps and come work at the company that Chandler himself worked at. According to Chandler's words on the matter, sons are morally obliged and required to follow in the footsteps of their fathers and continue with maintaining legacies said fathers started."

Kenny gave an unamused scowl. "This Chandler jackass sounds like a right proper piece of work."

"Of course," Birch said, "With Chad wanting to enter the Hoenn League and literally everyone else in the family all for it, Chandler was heavily outvoted. But Chandler isn't one to give up, especially if it involves something he wants, wants to do, or wants to have happen. As such, he forced Chad to accept a deal that he has to earn every one of the eight Hoenn gym badges he needs to qualify for the Hoenn League Conference on the first try per badge. If Chad failed to earn even one badge on his first try for that badge, he has to give up his dreams for the Hoenn League and come work for and with him at his company."

Dawn had a suspicious look on her face. "Let me guess. Chad failed to defeat Norman on his first try at him."

Birch nodded in confirmation. "Due to losing to Norman, Chad as per the deal Chandler forced him to agree to gave up and went to work at the company that Chandler worked at. Seeing his older cousin forced to give up on his dreams made Brendan bitter and resentful towards Norman, who is the gym leader who ended Chad's trek through the Hoenn League. Brendan's hatred and bitterness towards Norman grew the more Chad's liveliness and good cheer was worn down and dulled by the office job he was forced to take by Chandler."

Shrugging, Mina asked, "Why didn't Brendan get mad with his uncle instead? I mean, it's clearly all the fault of that greedy, dream-crushing asshole who thinks sons are nothing more than extensions of their fathers."

"This all happened when Brendan was younger, at a point in his life he couldn't imagine anyone in his family being bad," Birch explained, "Of course, that ended up changing when Brendan got older and began his own journey as a Pokémon trainer."

"What happened?" Dawn asked.

"Well first off, Brendan didn't immediately go about challenging the gyms of Hoenn," Birch began, "He gathered a full team of six Pokémon first, spearheaded by the Torchic I gave him. I also heard that he became friendly with the Devon Corporation, a company that has a business rivalry with the company Chandler worked for. Brendan hated the company Chandler worked for as he also viewed it as responsible for dulling Chad's spirit and liveliness."

Nodding once, Trip said, "Go on."

"Devon Corporation wanted to eliminate competing rival companies so as to maintain a monopoly in the field here in Hoenn," Birch said, "And Brendan, who naturally hates the company Chandler worked for, was the perfect ally for them to help bring down the company Chandler worked for. Devon Corporation even gave Brendan a Bagon and a Beldum, to help fill out Brendan's team at the time which consisted of Combusken, Feebas, a shiny Cacnea, and an Electrike."

"They were planning to strengthen Brendan so as to use him in a bid to bring down a rival company," Dawn remarked. Considering that Bagon and Beldum respectively fully evolve into Salamence and Metagross, the regional pseudo-legends of Hoenn, it was clear that Devon Corporation wanted to pump Brendan's team power up. Combusken, Febass, Cacnea, and Electrike when all fully evolved, combined with a Salamence and a Metagross, would make for a very solid Hoenn Pokémon team.

"After a year of training," Birch said, "With all of his Pokémon fully evolved into Blaziken, Cacturne, Milotic, Manetric, Salamence, and Metagross, Brendan decided that he was ready to challenge the gyms of Hoenn."

"With a party like that, it's clear he wanted to go ballistic on the gyms!" Mina remarked.

Gently shaking his head, Birch replied, "Just one gym, really."

"Norman's gym," Dawn guessed.

Birch nodded in confirmation. "Brendan held Norman responsible for crushing Chad's hopes and dreams for the Hoenn League. He clearly had a chip on his shoulder over it. I was actually there to watch Brendan's gym battle against Norman. Chandler was there too, hearing that I was in town so he decided to come by to try to convince me to have Brendan follow in my footsteps and become a Pokémon Professor, saying it's Brendan's duty as my son to continue my legacy."

Birch gave a bitter scowl as he gently shook his head. "Brendan won against Norman, but after that, like immediately so, we had all learned WHY Chad lost to Norman long ago. Kids, are you aware that Norman has something of a eccentric fan club in Petalburgh City?"

"I have a vague familiarity with that, yes," Dawn replied. She remembered that bit from the Hoenn anime in her previous life; it occurred just before Ash was able to have his proper battle with Norman, if Dawn's memory was correct. "I'm guessing that the fan club that Norman has plays a role in this tale?"

"Indeed they do," Birch said, "You see, before challenging Norman, Chad won his first four Hoenn gym badges no problem. Chandler, alarmed when he heard that Chad was already halfway through getting what all he needed, decided to... set something of a trap. Knowing that Chad was coming to challenge Norman, Chandler spread word to Norman's fan club that a trainer named Chad was on his way to Petalburgh City to challenge Norman."

"Hoo boy, I don't like the sound of where this is going," Kenny said.

Continuing, Birch went on, "When Chad arrived in Petalburgh City, Norman's fan club all came down upon him, forcing him to battle all of them one at a time. Mind you Chad ultimately defeated all of them, but immediately afterwards Chandler came up, collected Chad, and brought him straight to battle Norman at his gym. Chad never had a chance as all of his Pokémon were exhausted due to having to fight Norman's fan club."

"So that's how Chad lost," Dawn remarked, "Wait, how was this all learned?"

"Brendan, after he decimated Norman in their battle," Birch began to explain, "Brought it up, accusing Norman of siccing his fan club on Chad before challenging Chad himself. Norman had no idea of what his fan club, which he himself admits gets out of control sometimes, had done, as Chandler when he brought Chad over never said anything. We eventually got the truth out of Chandler, that he orchestrated the whole event to ensure Chad lost so that he'd have to come work for Chandler over at the company he worked for."

"How did everyone react?" Dawn asked.

"I was unamused but not surprised," Birch said, "I never trusted my brother-in-law. Norman was unamused same as me, saying that Chandler shouldn't have done what he did, also Norman said that if he knew what his fan club had done, he would have permitted Chad sufficient rest time also Norman would have gone to scold his fan club in the meantime." Letting out a resigned sigh, Birch went on, "But Brendan took the revelation the hardest..."

(Flashback)

Brendan, fair skinned without a tan and wearing the outfit his Emerald version self wears, looked mad enough to sic his Salamence which he still had out on his Uncle Chandler. "You did WHAT?!" Brendan exclaimed at his uncle, "You deliberately sabotaged Chad's challenge to the Hoenn League gyms because you felt that Chad was required to be an extension of yourself?!"

Chandler, a fair skinned man with rusty slash brick red hair of scruffy chin length, said with some degree of nervousness, "Umm, well I have a good reas-"

"No you don't!" Brendan yelled, "You have no good reason to forcefully kill Chad's dreams! You only have ego! Your ego is the only reason you have!"

"Brendan has a point, Chandler," Norman scolded, his expression firm and unamused, "What you did not only was wrong, but also technically illegal. The only reason that charges can't be pursued in this case is because it's too old, your actions occurred over half a decade ago."

Getting defensive, Chandler said, "Well how else was I supposed to make Chad follow me?! He's my son, sons have to follow their fathers! Do you know how embarrassing it'd be for me if my son didn't get into the same field of work as me, to continue and uphold all that I've worked for?!"

Gently shaking his head, Norman said, "Sons don't necessarily have to follow in the footsteps of their fathers. Birch who is a Pokémon Professor clearly has no issue at all with Brendan pursuing the Hoenn League. I who is a gym leader would have no issue with it if my own son, Max, didn't want to be a gym leader himself. Our sons are their own people, not extensions of ourselves."

Chandler was about to speak up, but Brendan cut him off. "It's all your fault that Chad's dreams had been crushed and he was turned into a soulless business slave!" Brendan barked at his uncle, "I had held Norman responsible for all of that! A grudge I've borne for over half of my life so far, borne for nothing as it was against the wrong person! The most that Norman can be accused of is being an unknowing pawn in your bastard plan to ruin Chad's life!"

"You bore a grudge against me?" Norman asked, looking mildly surprised.

"...Because I had thought and held you responsible for Chad's dreams being crushed, yes," Brendan said, his hostility relenting a bit, "But given what we've just learned, I know now that you aren't to blame. For what it's worth, I'm sorry I bore a grudge against you for nothing."

Gently shaking his head, Norman said, "It's no trouble at all. We had all been fooled, after all." Things continued with Chandler being chewed out, although one silver lining saw Norman give a Balance Badge to Brendan, along with Norman telling Brendan to continue challenging the Hoenn League not just for Brendan himself, but for the sake of his older cousin as well.

Brendan, although he was still internally conflicted because of what he found out his uncle had done, was able to leave on civil and polite terms at least with Norman.

(Flashback over)

"Brendan went on to defeat the gyms in Fortree City, Mossdeep City, and Sootopolis City," Birch said as he finished the story, "Earning enough badges to enter the Hoenn League Conference. Brendan won, then took his rightfully earned privilege to challenge the Hoenn Elite Four, beat all of them, and then he was able to challenge Champion Steven to a title match and won, taking Steven's place as the Champion of Hoenn."

"What happened after that?" Dawn asked.

"Devon Corporation went to war, in a manner of speaking, against the company Chandler worked for," Birch replied, "With Brendan, the newly minted Champion of Hoenn, as a political ally, also former Champion Steven is the son of Devon Corporation's President so he too helped, Devon Corporation was bringing the pain on the company that Chandler worked for. Chandler's company was actually already failing, it would have gone belly up in two years from that point without any outside interference."

"But Devon Corporation upping the ante with Brendan and Steven as mascots basically sped up the downfall of the company your brother-in-law worked for," Trip said.

Birch nodded in confirmation. "When that happened, Chandler's company which at the time had twenty-four months suddenly dropped to having eighteen months. But then the final nail in the coffin was hammered in. A nail that no-one in the business had seen coming."

Dawn was curious. "What happened?"

"Team Heart invaded and took over Hoenn," Birch replied, "Making Hoenn a territory under the banner of the Team Heart Empire. This happened while Team Heart was on the path of conquest, where they took over various regions and other lands. Of course, Team Heart taking over Hoenn in and of itself was not what spelled total doom for Chandler's company."

"Then what was?" Mina asked.

"Team Heart, after they began making their word law here in Hoenn," Birch began, "Investigated the two warring companies, citing that they wanted to investigate to see if either was guilty of being discriminatory towards employees, as well as during the hiring process and against clients as well." Letting out a breath, Birch said, "Team Heart had found so much evidence confirming the presence of discriminatory practices in Chandler's company, they straight up sentenced top ranking members of the company, including the President, to be executed."

The reborn trainers all had grim and mildly nervous looks on their faces; they knew that Team Heart won't tolerate discrimination, and often go to great lengths to punish it, especially in lands where they rule. They even heard it before that people had been put to death by Team Heart due to having been discriminatory, usually if the form of discrimination in question is fatphobia. It was grim work, and it didn't surprise Dawn at least that Team Heart took the heads of Chandler's company straight to the executioner's block.

"Chandler is about the highest ranking member from his company to survive, he didn't get in enough trouble to make Team Heart feel executing him was warranted," Birch said, "But Chandler lacked the knowledge, experience, and training to run the company. The company ended up being bought out by Devon Corporation, Chandler and his fellows got decent pay offs, and the company ended up being converted into a branch of Devon Corporation. But Chandler and all of the other surviving high ranking members of his company either couldn't or wouldn't get hired to Devon Corporation. Last that I heard, Chandler is a grocery store manager in the poorer neighborhood in Lilicove City."

"What about Chad?" Mina asked.

"He works for Devon Corporation now," Birch said, "In a special position where he's one of the managers for top Pokémon trainers who represent Devon Corporation interests." Birch gave a bit of a wry smile. "In an interesting twist, Chad ended up being assigned as the manager for Brendan."

"Is Chad doing better?" Dawn asked.

Nodding once, Birch said, "Oh yeah, he's gotten back some of his spark for life that working under Chandler had crushed out of him. Brendan's happy about it too, both getting to see his older cousin regularly again AND seeing his older cousin back to at least some of his former self."

At least the story of Brendan had something of a happy ending. Granted, it had a bit of interjection from Team Heart, but they at most only sped up the happening of something inevitable. There's also how Brendan is apparently dating May. The reborn trainers were going to ask about that, they were wanting to know how it happened, especially given that Brendan originally had beef against Norman who is May's dad.

Dawn was about to speak up, but was cut off when a lab assistant working for Birch came running over. "Professor Birch!" the assistant exclaimed, "Team Heart is here! They want to speak with Dawn Berlitz and her crew!"

Shrugging, Kenny said, "Took them long enough to come calling for us. I was wondering when they were gonna find out that we're in Hoenn." Dawn and the other reborn trainers got up and went out to meet with the Team Heart grunts who were waiting outside of Birch's Lab. There were eight total grunts on foot, with half a dozen more on flying Pokémon that were big and strong enough to carry human riders.

"You're being summoned to Lilicove City to speak with Admin Ken," one of the female Team Heart grunts on foot said, "You will be reporting to him your intentions here in the Hoenn region. You will also submit to having your flying ship searched. Both us foot soldiers and the men on the flying Pokémon are here to ensure you comply and follow us."

"If you're as respectful as the Team Heart men in Johto when they searched my ship," Dawn replied, "Then I won't have too much issue."

The female Team Heart grunt offered a bit of an amused smile. "Oh, we of Team Heart are a lot more respectful towards the people in the lands we rule than what those in the free lands may think us to be. In fact, a Captain from the Kanto Sector was temporarily transferred to the Hoenn Sector because she's constantly misbehaving, and Admin Ken is going to sort her out."

"Lemme guess," Mina said with a dry expression, "The lady Captain from the Kanto Sector is fair skinned and has long red curved hair."

Looking surprised, the female Team Heart grunt said, "Umm, how did you-"

"We met her before," Dawn cut in, "We know who she is." Dawn and the other reborn trainers, as they had to comply with Team Heart, wondered if Ken, the Admin in charge of the Hoenn Sector of Team Heart and also he's the Head of State for Hoenn, would be able to make Jessie behave herself. They could only wonder as they allowed Team Heart to take them to Lilicove City.

Later on in Lilicove City, The Big Beauty parked in an open field near a government building, where the reborn trainers were led into by Team Heart. There were a few Team Heart members milling about the place already, with a few standing at guard around the doors leading inside. Team Heart did their search of The Big Beauty and found nothing of note. They were still loads nicer about it than the Kanto regional security men had ever been.

As the reborn trainers were led to some double doors leading into an office presumably, they could hear a mid to late teens male voice shout, "...the hell is wrong with you, Captain Jessie?! Coryn sent me a rather messed up list of your offences while you were working under him in Johto! If you do even one act from that list while you're under my word here in Hoenn, I will make Coryn look like the most lenient person ever by comparison!"

"Admin Ken must be in the middle of reading the riot act to Captain Jessie of the Kanto Sector," said the same female Team Heart grunt from before. That female grunt walked up to the door and gave it a loud enough knock to be heard.

"Who is it?" the shouting male voice called out, barely containing his anger and trying to sound as civil as possible for whoever the guest may be.

"Admin Ken, we've brought Dawn Berlitz and her companions to report to you about their intentions in Hoenn," the female grunt called back.

The male voice, revealed to be that of Admin Ken, said something that couldn't be heard clearly before shouting back, "Let them in now!" The double doors opened, and Dawn and the other reborn trainers were let in. The office that Ken has at the Team Heart government building in Hoenn was about as big as the one Coryn had over at the Team Heart government building over in Johto, there was no doubting that.

But it was decorated differently; Coryn's office looked like an actual office for a high ranking person at a government building, though it lacked windows. Coryn's office also had muted dark green walls, making it feel sort of like a mix of an office for a high ranking person at a government building, a lawyer's office, and a room at a funeral home. Clean and functional, but with all due respect not all that welcoming of an office.

Ken's office, though clean of any clutter, gave off vibes like it was a living room in the home of a white trash trailer park family. Beige walls, the choice of decor Ken apparently sprung for including an electronic singing Magikarp on one of the walls, and the table between the two chairs and sofa in front of Ken's desk was actually a giant wooden spool used for certain kinds of wires. Dawn and Trip, in their previous lives as Don and Piper, had such a giant wooden spool in their home back in their youth.

Jessie and Merdez were seated in the sofa, while seated opposite of them across the spool in the chairs were two uniquely dressed Team Heart members. The one closest to the reborn trainers when they entered was male, probably Admin Ken; he was fair skinned, had chin length scruffy blonde hair, and he wore a black gaiter mask up, covering his neck and everything on his face below his eyes. Grunts in Team Heart were required to keep gaiter masks up, so if struck Dawn as odd that an Admin kept his gaiter mask at all.

Aside from that, the male Team Heart member in the unique outfit also wore a very baggy sleeveless pink hoodie (the hood was worn down), sleeveless because it looked like the sleeves were ripped off, a pair of black fingerless gloves, black pants, black shoes with pink shoelaces, and he had a black Team Heart 'H' on his hoodie over the left pectoral.

Seated in the other chair was a uniquely dressed female member of Team Heart; fair skinned, with long brown hair with streaks of light brown in it, a stylish looking pink t-shirt, a black cuff bangle on her left wrist, black shorts, pink socks, black shoes with pink shoelaces, and a black Team Heart 'H' on the shirt over her left breast. The girl kept a glare on Jessie while the boy stood up to greet Dawn and the other reborn trainers.

"So the word we got is true," the male uniquely dressed Team Heart member said, "Dawn Berlitz has come to Hoenn. I believe I ought to properly introduce myself. I'm Ken, the Admin of the Hoenn Sector of Team Heart and Hoenn's Head of State." The now (properly) identified Ken jerked a thumb at the mystery girl keeping her focus on Jessie. "The girl in the chair next to the one I was in is Tam, my Admin's Assistant and also my girlfriend."

"I think I remember Coryn and Marshall mentioning you guys when we were in Johto," Dawn said.

As Ken nodded in agreement, the doors to the office room burst open, and practically tumbling in came a male uniquely dressed Team Heart member. He was fair skinned, had scruffy blonde hair, wore a pink long sleeved coat with black trim, black pants, black shoes with pink shoelaces, and he had a black Team Heart 'H' on his coat over the left pectoral. Following him was a male Team Heart member dressed in the standard outfit for male Team Heart rank and file; the grunt was fair skinned and had medium long black hair.

"Admin Ken!" the uniquely dressed Team Heart member who came tumbling in cried out, "We got some big trouble! The cart for our special guest fell over about halfway through getting to her!"

"Shit," Ken swore under his breath. Turning to where Tam sat, Ken said, "Tam!" Getting Tam's attention, Ken said, "I need to go smooth things over with our special guest, there's going to be a delay in bringing hospitality to her. You take over laying down the law for me as well as have Dawn Berlitz and her company explain themselves for why they're in Hoenn.

Nodding once, Tam said, "Got it."

Ken then stepped out of the room, leaving everyone else be. After Ken was gone, Tam stood up. "Well now, it looks like I'm running the show," Tam began.

"Umm, should Doval and I excuse ourselves?" asked the male uniquely dressed Team Heart member as he gestured to himself and the Team Heart grunt with him.

"Mmm... no, you ought to stay and see Jessie get chewed out, Luis," Tam replied, "Let what you see serve as a reminder why Officers of Team Heart have to hold themselves to a certain standard."

"So this one is one of the Captains for Hoenn's native Sector of Team Heart, huh?" Kenny asked while jerking a thumb at the now identified Luis.

Tam nodded once in the affirmative. "Yeah, that's First Captain Luis and his Captain's Assistant Doval. Luis has a bit of an issue with being nervous, but at least he knows how to conduct himself as a Captain of Team Heart." Turning a sharp glare to Jessie, Tam said, "Unlike this one here who had tried abusing her powers so often in Johto that is caused Admin Coryn no end of headaches. And to think you were sent to Johto for safety by Admin Hanae."

"Jessie was sent to Johto to get her away from us," Mina said dryly.

"And that's another thing," Tam said to Jessie, "You were told repeatedly, and by a superior officer no less, to not antagonize Dawn Berlitz and her companionship! And yet you not only did so anyway, but did so multiple times!"

"But they have rare Pokémon!" Jessie defended, "Including multiple shiny Pokémon! How I ask you can Team Heart just ignore such a paycheck?!"

Jessie froze when Tam pointed an accusing finger at her. "You're on thin ice, Captain Jessie," Tam said, "Your time here in Hoenn, in addition to keeping you out of the way of harm that would find you otherwise in one of the free lands, will also be something of a boot camp to reeducate you and get you to act as a Captain of Team Heart should!"

As Jessie looked nervous, Dawn said, "At least the higher ups in Team Heart know how to be proper officers."

Turning to look at Dawn and the other reborn trainers, Tam remarked, "Well we DO try to keep up a certain stand-"

Tam was cut off when Ken came back into the room. "Our special guest is very gracious," Ken said, "She's fine with waiting. She also asked if the person who was handling the cart is alright."

Looking curious, Tam asked, "What's the story, Ken?"

"The cart breaking was a complete and total accident," Ken said, "The person handling it had even cut their hand mildly bad during the accident. Our special guest, upon hearing that, asked me to make sure the person handing the cart is alright. She is truly a good person, caring about others over her own enjoyment."

Dawn's eyes narrowed out of suspicion. "Who's the guest?"

"Respectfully, that's none of your business," Ken replied, "Anyway, have you given your reason for being in Hoenn yet to Tam?"

Gently shaking her head, Dawn said, "No, most of Tam's time was taken up scolding Jessie and having that Luis guy watch so he'll keep it in mind to not be a screw up like Jessie."

"Given Jessie's reputation, that doesn't surprise me in the least," Ken sighed. Gently shaking his head, Ken went on, "But that's besides the point. I'm going to need you to give your reason for being here in the Hoenn region."

"My crew and I are doing field research on various species of Pokémon," Dawn said, "We also have friends living here in Hoenn, mainly May and her younger brother Max."

Ken gave a considering look that suggested he was trying to assess something. "...The children of Norman the Petalburgh City gym leader," Ken said, "Am I right?"

Nodding once, Trip said, "We also got it that May is dating Brendan, the Champion of Hoenn. We're interested in meeting him as well."

"We just want to do our field research on the Pokémon of Hoenn and see a few friends," Dawn assured Ken, "If we can be granted that, then we won't ruffle Team Heart's feathers unless Team Heart ruffles our feathers first."

"Yeah, Jessie is here to learn how to NOT do that," Tam spoke up, making Jessie flinch out of nervousness again.

Holding up a hand, Mina said, "Oh, when we talked to Coryn in Johto, he gave Dawn a copy of some book that detailed a bunch of Team Heart laws, with a few specific to Johto. Do you have such a book but for Hoenn?"

Snapping his fingers and then pointing commendingly at Mina, Ken said, "Oh yeah, that reminds me." Ken walked over to a bookshelf, collected a book, and brought it over to hand to Dawn. It was a copy of the Team Heart laws book, same as the one Dawn got in Johto from Coryn. But this was the Hoenn edition of that book; it's cover showed a rather obese young woman shaking hands with a late teens girl whose outfit made it clear she was poor slash lower class.

"Hoenn has a few laws that differ from Johto, but the vast majority of the laws as a whole are still the same," Ken said, "You ought to familiarize yourself with the different laws." Straightening up, Ken asked, "Now then, your business in Hoenn is just field research on Pokémon and visiting friends. Is there anything else?"

Kenny held up a hand, then pointed at the spool. "That's a ballin' coffee table," Kenny said, "Where did you get it?"

"It's a giant wooden spool used for certain kinds of wires," Ken replied, "Most electric plants use them for carrying power lines that get installed on power poles. Why?"

"I wanna get one," Kenny said, "I can already imagine a bunch of the guys in the crew using it as a table to play cards in the cargo bay on board of The Big Beauty."

"Shouldn't you ask Dawn for permission to bring such an item on board?" Trip asked, "I mean, it IS her flying ship, and I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure Dawn wouldn't like it if something was on board of The Big Beauty and she didn't know about it."

...

(Melemele Island, Alola region)

Eric was having lunch with Silver, a casually dressed Faba, and that Minoru boy who works at a shop in Zapapico which was pushed from Paldea to Alola and no I am not making that up. During the lunch, Eric sneezed. "Hey Eric, you okay?" Minoru asked.

"Meh, it's nothing," Eric replied.

Eventually, Dawn and the other reborn trainers were let go. They were about to leave Lilicove City, but were stopped by Ken who said that a family living in the poorer neighborhood in Lilicove City had a spare big wooden spool that was still in very good condition. Knowing that Kenny was set on getting one, Dawn relented and allowed Kenny and Mina to go pick it up.

"It was Kenny's idea," Dawn said dryly to Leona, Omiyo, and Rhyanna as they saw Kenny and Mina bring the big wooden spool aboard The Big Beauty.

Holding up a hand to cut off any arguments, Leona with a similarly dry expression said, "That's all I need to know."

"So are we okay to be in Hoenn?" Rhyanna asked.

Nodding once, Dawn said, "Me, Kenny, Trip, and Mina will be free to do our work and see a few people. We also ought to be free from having to worry about Jessie."

Omiyo shuddered a bit. "She's the mean girl who keeps trying to take Bellibolt form me."

"And the Team Heart higher ups say she's not supposed to do that," Dawn said, "It's why she's been sent here to Hoenn for Admin Ken to sort out."

"Kenny joined Team Heart?!" Omiyo exclaimed.

"No no no, Kenny and Ken are two entirely separate and different people," Dawn said, "Don't worry, Omiyo. Kenny is still a good guy."

"He's also still an idiot," Leona said in a dry tone and with a likewise expression.

Dawn looked over to see Kenny and Mina figure out how to get the big wooden spool into the cargo hold of The Big Beauty. Turning back to look at the girls, Dawn said, "Well many classic heroes had a tendency to be... not super smart at least." Once Kenny and Mina were able to get the spool to the cargo hold of The Big Beauty, the flying ship took off for Littleroot Town again, as that was going to be their starting point to get all Hoenn Pokémon registered as caught.

...

As Dawn's flying ship flew out of Lilicove City, Ken and Tam, assisted by Luis, Doval, Jessie, and Merdez, were tending to the 'special guest', that being Bianca, the Boss's Assistant of Team Heart. Bianca sipped from a cup of tea that Tam poured for her. After savoring the flavor a bit, Bianca sat the cup back down on its little plate before she turned her attention up to look right at where Jessie stood. The look on Bianca's round, plump face made it clear she wasn't entirely happy with Jessie.

"My oh my, Captain Jessie," Bianca began, her tone carrying thinly veiled unamusement, "You have most certainly made quite the name for yourself, what with the trouble you've given to Coryn while you were under his protection over in Johto. I certainly hope that while you're under Ken's protection here in Hoenn, you won't cause similar headaches for him. It certainly won't do for a Captain to be such a headache for the higher ups of Team Heart, wouldn't you agree?"

"Bu-" Jessie began but was immediately cut off.

"Captain Jessie you will agree with Lady Bianca," Ken snarled, his angry tone and glare towards Jessie brokering no quarter.

Nodding once, a clearly frightened and cowed Jessie said, "Yes I do agree."

"Luckily for you, Team Heart has a lot of heart," Bianca replied, "If you had similarly angered the higher ups of that Team Rocket group that you used to belong to, I'm not so sure if they would have been as lenient."

Jessie nodded in agreement; she wasn't sure if she was allowed to speak. "I hope that Admin Ken will find success in shaping you up into a proper Captain to the Team Heart standard," Bianca said, "It'd be a terrible waste otherwise. Oh, before I forget." Looking to Ken, Bianca said, "Admin Ken, did you get the business that Dawn Berlitz and her companionship are here in Hoenn for?"

"They're just doing field research on the Pokémon living in Hoenn," Ken replied, "They also have a few friends living in Hoenn, mainly the children of Petalburgh City gym leader Norman. Dawn and her companions also expressed interest in meeting Hoenn Champion Brendan. That's it. They have no intention of getting upset unless Team Heart starts anything with them."

"Which we won't," Bianca said firmly, "Team Heart can't afford to tussle with Sinnoh right now. Just let them do their field research and see their friends here. If they finish all of that and leave Hoenn peacefully, then that's good enough for me." Clapping her hands together, Bianca said, "Everyone here, aside from Captain Jessie, can each take one of the treats from the selection that had been brought in for me."

Pointing to Merdez, Ken asked, "To be clear, is Captain's Assistant Merdez included among those allowed to take one of the treats?"

"Yes, she can take one," Bianca replied. Jessie could tell that Bianca was excluding her partly as a punishment for getting on Coryn's nerves so much. But the Team Heart Captain knew that she was on thin ice; she wasn't going to dare complain. As such, she kept her mouth shut while everyone else in the room, even Merdez, got to enjoy the treats brought in on the second cart after the first one broke and spilled everything it was carrying.

Jessie had never before until now felt jealous of her Captain's Assistant.

END, CHAPTER TWELVE

Author's notes;

This chapter sees the beginning of the Hoenn arc with Dawn and the other reborn trainers getting the (very) long backstory for Brendan, the male player character from the Hoenn games back in Dawn's previous life. After Birch said that Brendan's the Champion of Hoenn and is also dating May, Team Heart comes and has the reborn trainers come to Lilicove City.

There, the reborn trainers give it to Ken and Tam that they're only in Hoenn to do field research on Pokémon in Hoenn (again, technically correct) and see a few friends. So long as Team Heart does not ruffle their feathers, Dawn and the reborn trainers won't ruffle back. The deal is agreed upon, and the reborn trainers get a copy of the Hoenn edition of the Team Heart law book and a giant wooden spool that Kenny insisted on.

As the reborn trainers take off for Littleroot Town again, Bianca meets with Ken, Tam, Luis, Doval, Jessie, and Merdez. She reiterates that there is to be NO messing with Dawn, also Bianca excludes Jessie from having treats. The next chapter will see Dawn and the others make some catches while meeting back up with May and Max. Until then, take care.

Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Tsukune (Palkia), Leni (female Lucario), Argent (male Arcanine; alpha; Hisuian), Celebi (gender unknown), Ezio (male Eevee; shiny)

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)