The badge case was smaller than I expected.
It looked fancy, with a dark matt colour and silver edging. The front had a clean mirror that showed off the badges inside the dark blue cushioned interior. Instead of the badge cleanly fitting into a mould, I bought the sectioned-off case.
That's probably why Ash battled specific gyms.
There are of course more than eight gyms in a region.
But some are endorsed by the Alliance and some aren't.
For example, family-run gyms.
They have deep ties to the Alliance and get some very deep pockets in payment due to this. While other gyms such as Viridian or Vermillion are league-owned and have their leaders assigned.
So someone like Giovanni can't really choose his successor.
But someone like Misty or Brock could hand the position over, while still retaining a lot of power over them. Which was quite beneficial for them as they could technically just be hands-off and stay rich.
But of course, every family has its pride and with such authority are expectations even if they shouldn't be there in the first place. Backlash for someone else doing all the work is entirely possible and could ruin their reputation.
Which is why Misty was so worried about the league kicking her out of the gym leader position.
They were already the laughingstock of Kanto, why make it worse instead of handing the position over. Are forced out of it due to them not being able to produce the equivalent of an ace trainer with all their resources.
Kanto's gym leaders were about elite four levels besides Erika, Misty and Brock.
Blaine?
Retired elite four members.
Giovanni?
Debatable champion level.
Sabrina is definitely elite four level with Koga being right beside her. Surge is a war veteran so that's debatable but definitely a high-tier battler.
In the future, both Misty and Brock will have mega-evolution.
So it's really just Erika holding Kanto back.
The elite four members of Kanto are mostly built of Champion level trainers besides maybe Bruno. Lance can't become champion due to Lorelie, she can't become champion due to Bruno and he can't become champion due to Agatha.
Agatha is most definitely champion level due to her age, but that also prevents her from wanting the spot.
It's a whole mess.
'Dialga, the deity who rules of time.' I thought to myself looking at my phone screen.
It was the video I made last night for my first ever PokeTube video. Of course, my knowledge is a bit far-fetched for people without a source, but does it really matter? They can doubt my authenticity at times as it could be false.
I don't particularly care.
The video was already uploaded as it explained the basic lore which some people, even professors didn't know.
Such as his typing, abilities, and how he was born.
Plus I teased some information about Arceus, Giritina and Palkia.
Looking at the video title, it had my doodle on a small whiteboard and the background of the desk in the hotel. The video was similar to a popular YouTuber back on earth called DanTDM. He would make such voiceovers while drawing things which was pretty entertaining to me at least.
Adopting his style, it was a bit childish but still easy to follow.
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Sunny Haruto
The God of time, Dialga the Temporal Pokemon
Views: 452
Subscribers: 12
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To be fair it had more views than my first several videos on Earth.
Back there my first video to hit more than two thousand was a Roblox guide to chests in one niche game.
Now walking through the travelators, it didn't take long for me to head to the northern edge of Sunyshore. My newly bought badge case clinked lightly in my backpack, though I'd taken the habit of occasionally pulling it out just to look at the thing.
The glass shimmered under the sunlight as I stood before the path leading out of the city.
"Alright," I whispered to myself, tightening the strap on my bag. "Time to start the real journey."
Route 225 – Midday
The moment I stepped past the checkpoint and onto the gravel trail of Route 225, the whole mood changed. Gone was the buzz of electric rails and light-hearted chatter. Instead, tall jagged cliffs cast long shadows on the trail, and the air smelled faintly of salt and moss.
Route 225, nestled close to the Battle Zone, was often bypassed by casual trainers and that is why I chose it.
Quieter routes meant more wild Pokémon.
More wild Pokémon meant better training. My Ivysaur desperately needs battle experience with trainers who are challenging gyms. So this was a pretty good opportunity to test out his slightly trained moves.
I tightened my shoelaces. My Marshtomp's Poké Ball vibrated lightly at my belt. He could sense it too.
"Come on out, guys," I said as I popped all three Poké Balls.
A flash of red light later, Marshtomp, Mankey, and shiny Ivysaur stood before me.
Marshtomp gave a small cry, flexing its fins and stomping its feet lightly on the earth.
"Same here, buddy," I smiled. "Let's get some training done before Arrowwood."
Ivysaur gave a quieter grunt, eyes sweeping the route ahead while Mankey sniffed the air, clearly itching for a fight.
[A few hours later]
The winding path opened to a sunlit ridge where tall grass swayed beside a small rest bench. I paused to hydrate when a voice called out from a nearby slope.
"Yo! You're a trainer, right?"
A lean girl with fingerless gloves and a scarf tossed her bag to the side. "I'm Harmony. Let's do a one-on-one with Alliance rules."
That caught my attention.
I smirked, unclipping a Poké Ball. "My name is Sunny. Let's do this..."
After heading off the trail, to the side in an open grassy field, it was now time to battle. Two trainers with complete eye contact. Just like in the games.
She threw first. "Go, Furret!"
The long-bodied Pokémon bounced into the clearing with playful energy, tail whipping the air. It looked flexible and very fast.
'Hopefully, this doesn't sound too cringe.' I thought to myself.
"Set your heart ablaze, go, Ivysaur!"
Ivysaur landed gracefully, the sunlight glinting off his teal body. He narrowed his eyes at the opponent.
"Furret, [Quick Attack]!"
A flash of brown darted forward as Ivysaur barely had time to brace. Furret struck, skidding back before darting away.
"[Leech Seed], now!"
Ivysaur fired a small glowing seed it arced beautifully and landed squarely on Furret's back. Green tendrils burst from the seed, latching tight and beginning to pulse with energy. This immediately affected the Pokemon as it groaned in pain.
"Furret are you alright!" She shouts, which gets a swift nod. "Alright then, go in for a [Slam]!"
Not one to wait I command Ivysaur.
Furret zigzagged at high speed before striking again with its full body weight. Unfortunately for her, I wasn't going to be spectating this match.
"Now… [Toxic]!"
A purplish sludge bubbled up at Ivysaur's mouth and shot in a wide spray splattering across Furret's sleek coat. This in turn also got into the poor Pokemon's eyes which stopped the guy right in his tracks.
Harmony flinched. "Dang… alright, Furret [Quick Attack]!"
Furret lets out a cry as it tries to gather normal-type energy, but [Leech Seed] proceeds to drain its energy. Right after the poison also affected it again, making it stumble nearly crying.
'This is pure cruelty... The perfect strategy.' I thought narrowing my eyes. My notepad had to be informed of these results!
"Don't let up!" Harmony shouted. "Furret, use Defense Curl, then Slam again!"
Furret began to glow faintly, body curling as its defence rose.
"Stay where you are, play defence," I command
Another round of poison damage and [Leech Seed] drain occured showing her dwindling time. Furret couldn't hold out for more than a minute. Bit by bit, Furret's stamina slipped.
After a bit more off-defensive [Vine Whip], there wasn't any way Furret would slip through.
It was over.
Harmony returned her Pokemon with a sigh. "That was… well played."
"Thanks," I said, scratching my head. "Do you mind subscribing to my channel?"
I shamelessly ask which she politely agrees to.
People in the Pokemon world were extremely kind.
[A few hours later]
The sun had just begun to dip when I found a good campsite.
I'd spotted a small clearing near a bubbling creek. The nearby slope gave me decent protection from wind, and the creek would serve as water in my bag.
Camping was starting to grow on me as a city boy. Or more accurately, a never go outside of my house boy.
"Let's see…" I pulled out the collapsible burner I'd bought back in Sunyshore and began setting it up. Marshtomp helped by stomping a flat section of the earth for it to stand evenly. Mankey dragged over some dry sticks for the atmosphere. Maybe he thought we were going old-school with a fire.
I laughed and patted his head. "Maybe next time, little guy."
While I got the food going with some adobo. I hooked my Pokemon up with their daily Pokéblocks for their post-training treat.
Now winding down a little, I opened my phone and checked the alliance app.
After registering with my official ID, I can take up multiple different requests for anything. Protect crops, find flowers, guard a building from wild Pokemon and more. Of course with the addition of points, there were incentives.
Registering Pokemon and their specific levels may allow you to take on better missions.
But it depends on your rank.
Beginner, Apprentice, Veteran, Ace, and Master.
Although for my journey it doesn't matter much. Maybe I'll save up for a Larvitar or something... After looking for some mission in the next town I'm visiting, there was one.
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Mission ID: #40412
Location: Arrowwood Town (Route 225 Outskirts)
Request: Contests are disturbing nearby Pokémon.
Looking for trainer patrol to investigate and calm agitated wild Pokémon.
Duration: 2–3 Days
Reward: 5,000 Poké + 3 Alliance Reputation Points
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Not bad.
I tapped [Accept Mission], and the app chirped a confirmation. Now I had a destination and a job lined up.
I looked at my team, who were still eating. Ivysaur delicately plucked a berry slice from the curry while Mankey stuffed an entire block into his mouth.
"We've got work, boys."
Marshtomp raised his fin with a little cheer.
[POV: Somewhere in a villa]
A few regions away, inside a mountain-side villa, a woman sat on a leather chair, sipping Oran-infused tea and scrolling through her laptop. She had been working through her usual reports when a small recommended video appeared on her screen.
It had a thumbnail of a crudely drawn Dialga with a stick clock in the background.
With a raised eyebrow She clicked. "Hmm?"
The voice that greeted her was young, a little awkward but confident enough.
"Dialga. The Temporal Pokémon. God of time, and one of the three guardian deities of Sinnoh!"
The whiteboard-style drawings reminded her of an educational cartoon. But what caught her attention were the details that even professors didn't know that were similar to her findings.
And at the end, a teaser.
"If you enjoyed this, drop a like and comment on what you'd like next. Maybe we will go over the other guardian deities or the original one who created this world."
She smirked, leaning forward and clasping her hands.
"Very interesting, I'll subscribe..."
[Next Morning – Route 225]
I woke feeling amazing. With my premium gear, there wasn't one bit of my body that didn't feel like it was massaged all night. The temperature was just right and it was still comfy.
'Now the issue of leaving this heavenly bed...' I thought contemplating life.
Still, after a bit, I went to wash by the creek and a warm-up stretch. I was good to go.
My team went back to their training on their movesets.
Well besides Mankey.
"key key!" The pig monkey shouts as it chases a wild Bidoof. Looking at this with a twitch of my mouth, we finished up.
As we packed up camp, I noticed something odd, a few trees along the trail were slashed, not by claws but cut cleanly.
I narrowed my eyes. "Is this the territory of some Pokemon?"
More of a reason to move fast.
[Arrival in Arrowwood Town]
Arrowwood wasn't large. A few dozen houses lined the main path, with a central contest hall that gleamed even from a distance. Loud music was already blaring from the venue in some sort of rehearsal?
I flashed my Phone with the details at the guard post and was let in.
An Officer Jenny met me at the outskirts with a nod. "Sunny Haruto?"
"That's me."
"We've been having issues with Loudred, Kricketune, and even a few wild Luxio gatherings during rehearsals and getting aggressive. Probably sound triggers. Think you can help?"
I nodded. "I've got Ivysaur and Marshtomp ready to patrol and subdue gently."
"Good. Battle only if necessary."
As I walked through the town, the Contest Hall's lights twinkled. A few coordinators were practising even now, and Pokémon were dancing full of laughs.
But just outside the glimmering hall, wild Pokémon stirred in frustration. They were watching from the forest with witheld anger.
I held Ivysaur's ball in hand.
'I'm not some hero who wants to help them no matter what.'