The car rolled to a smooth stop, and the doors opened one by one.
Ethan stepped out first. The air felt different here—cooler, sharper. He lifted his head and immediately spotted it.
"Yup," he said, pointing. "There it is."
The Violet City Gym stood tall nearby, all stone and steel, banners fluttering in the breeze like wings ready for takeoff.
Kitsu hopped out right after him, fists clenched with excitement. "Oh, let's go."
She took two steps before Erika grabbed her gently by the collar and yanked her back.
"Kitsu, no," Erika said, calm but firm. "It's a six-on-six gym battle. You have two Pokémon. No one here has a full team yet."
Kitsu froze, then slowly turned her head. "So?"
Ethan sighed. "So you'll get steamrolled."
"That's rude," Kitsu shot back.
"That's honest," he replied.
Whitney leaned against the car, arms crossed, watching the gym with a grin. "She's not wrong though. Falkner's dad isn't going to go easy just because it's your first badge."
Sabrina adjusted her hat, eyes half-lidded as she stared at the building. "Flying-types, terrain advantage, weather control… it's not a beginner-friendly gym."
Erika nodded. "This gym is designed to punish impatience."
Kitsu puffed her cheeks. "Everyone keeps saying that."
"And everyone keeps being right," Bugsy added, wheeling his bike closer. "My dad's gym is rough, but Falkner's father? He treats first badges like entrance exams."
Falkner rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah… Dad believes if you can't adapt, you shouldn't win."
Ethan looked at the gym again, eyes narrowing—not in fear, but focus.
'Storm Silver rules. Radical Red logic.
First gym, my ass.'
"So what's the plan?" Lyra asked, adjusting her bag. "Scout first? Train more?"
Ethan glanced at everyone, then smiled slightly. "We train. One more day. Route training, team building, move practice."
Kitsu crossed her arms. "And then?"
"Then," Ethan said, turning toward the Pokémon Center, "we walk in prepared."
Whitney grinned. "Now that sounds like a challenge."
As they headed deeper into Violet City, the gym loomed behind them—silent, patient, and waiting.
The first badge wasn't going anywhere.
But when they came back for it—
They wouldn't be kids rushing in blind anymore.
Falkner looked at the group and gave a small wave. "I'm heading home now. Bye, guys."
"Later!" Lyra called.
"Don't let your dad murder us," Bugsy added cheerfully.
Falkner sighed. "No promises."
With that, he headed off, leaving the rest of them gathered near the city exit.
Bugsy pulled out his Pokégear and flicked through the map. "Alright, options. Route 31 to the east, Route 32 to the south, and Route 36 to the west."
Whitney leaned over his shoulder. "Route 36 has weird trees, right?"
"Yep," Bugsy said. "And trainers who think Sudowoodo is subtle."
Kitsu stretched her arms. "South sounds good. Bigger route, more fights."
Ethan stayed quiet for a moment, eyes unfocused as he stared at the map.
'I wonder if that trade is in this universe too…'
He looked up, decision made, and started walking.
"I'm going to Route 31."
Erika blinked. "East?"
Sabrina tilted her head. "You sound confident."
Whitney grinned and immediately followed him. "If Ethan's going, I'm going."
Kitsu sighed and hurried after them. "Great, guess that settles it."
Bugsy shrugged, already pedaling his bike. "Route 31 it is."
Lyra smiled softly as she fell in step with the group. "Let's see what we find."
The road east stretched ahead—quiet, green, and full of tall grass.
Whatever Ethan was looking for out there,
Route 31 was about to answer him.
Once they reached Route 31, the group spread out almost instinctively, eyes sharp and Pokéballs ready.
The tall grass rustled everywhere.
"Weedle," Bugsy said cheerfully, pointing. "Oh, Kakuna too."
"And Spinarak," Kitsu added.
A Ledyba fluttered past, followed by a Surskit skimming over a puddle.
Lyra froze, then screamed. "WHY are there so many bugs?!"
Bugsy laughed so hard he nearly fell off his bike. "This is paradise!"
Sabrina, meanwhile, calmly wrapped herself in a thin veil of psychic energy. Not flashy—just enough that nothing crawly could get too close. Her expression said this is fine, but her eyes said absolutely not.
A little distance away, Ethan crouched behind a patch of tall grass with Whitney beside him.
Right in front of them, a Bellsprout swayed gently, vines dangling as it hummed to itself.
Whitney leaned in, whispering, "You sure about the new ball?"
Ethan nodded, eyes locked on the target as he finished winding the Winder Ball. Five clicks. No more. No less.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "Just need to make sure I can hit it."
He shifted his stance, steadying his arm. The Winder Ball hummed faintly in his hand, tension coiled tight inside it.
The Bellsprout tilted its head.
Ethan exhaled.
"Alright… now."
The Winder Ball left Ethan's hand in a clean arc.
It struck the Bellsprout square in the stem.
The Pokémon vanished in a flash of light, pulled inside as the ball snapped shut and hit the ground with a dull thud.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
The ball rattled again, harder this time, the internal mechanism whining softly.
Click—
No.
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
Whitney leaned forward, holding her breath. "Come on…"
The ball gave one last sharp jerk—
Click.
Silence.
For a second, nobody moved.
Then the Winder Ball went still.
Ethan blinked… then let out a slow breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Got it."
Whitney grinned and bumped his shoulder. "Nice throw."
Ethan picked up the ball, feeling the faint warmth inside. He turned it in his hand, studying the metallic casing. "Guess the new models aren't all talk."
From nearby, Lyra's voice echoed again. "BUGSY, GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!"
Bugsy's delighted laugh followed immediately. "But it's friendly!"
Ethan glanced back at the chaos, then down at the Pokéball in his hand. First catch of the journey. Clean. Simple.
Noibat chirped proudly from his shoulder.
Ethan smiled. "Alright," he muttered. "One down."
Erika tilted her head, brown eyes soft as she looked at the Pokéball in Ethan's hand.
"So," she asked calmly, "what will you do with the little one?"
Ethan answered without hesitation.
"Trade it."
Erika froze.
"…What?"
A few minutes later, they were back in Violet City.
The trade machine hummed as light filled the room, the two Poké Balls swapping places in a flash. Bellsprout vanished in a shimmer of green—only for a massive, rocky form to emerge on the other side.
Onix roared, the ground trembling under its weight.
The trader pumped his fist. "Yes! Finally! I wanted a Bellsprout, but no way was I catching one myself."
Ethan nodded, unfazed. "Pleasure doing business."
Erika stared.
She stared at the machine.
She stared at the empty space where Bellsprout used to be.
She stared at the towering Onix now coiled beside Ethan like a smug stone serpent.
Slowly… very slowly… she turned toward him.
Her expression was calm.
Too calm.
"…You traded," she said carefully, "a Grass-type Pokémon."
"Yes."
"For a Rock/Ground-type."
"Yes."
"…In front of me."
Ethan shrugged. "Type coverage."
There was a long, painful silence.
Erika's shoulders slumped. She looked genuinely wounded, like someone had just stepped on a freshly watered flowerbed. "I thought… perhaps you would raise it. Nurture it. Let it bloom."
Ethan glanced at the Onix, then back at her. "It did bloom. Into economic value."
Erika placed a hand over her heart. "This is betrayal."
Whitney, watching from the side, whispered, "Oh no. He broke the sacred Grass Code."
Bugsy nodded solemnly. "You never trade a plant Pokémon in front of a Grass specialist."
Onix rumbled proudly.
Erika crossed her arms, giving Ethan a look that promised consequences—probably involving vines.
"…You owe me a Bulbasaur."
Sabrina adjusted her glasses, eyes briefly glowing as she glanced at the newly traded Onix.
"Strategically," she said flatly, "this was a sound decision."
Everyone paused.
She turned to Ethan. "An Onix before the first Gym gives you an immediate wall. Falkner Father specializes in Flying-types—primarily physical attackers. High Defense, Rock typing, resistance to Normal-type moves." A beat. "And it can evolve again."
Ethan smiled. "See? Someone gets it."
Erika looked between them, visibly conflicted. "I understand the logic," she admitted, "…but the vibes were atrocious."
Whitney snorted. "You traded a plant in front of Erika. That's not strategy—that's emotional damage."
Bugsy raised a finger. "But Sabrina's right. Early-game Onix is busted. Especially if he gets a Metal Coat later."
Sabrina nodded once. "Steelix's resistances would dramatically reduce incoming damage. Psychic probability favors this outcome."
Onix let out a proud rumble, slamming its tail into the ground like punctuation.
Erika sighed, then knelt beside the massive Pokémon, gently placing a hand on one of its stone segments.
"…Very well," she said, resigned. "But if you ever trade a Grass-type again, warn me first."
Ethan gave a mock salute. "Deal."
Onix roared again.
Somewhere deep inside Violet City, a Bellsprout swayed happily in a stranger's garden—completely unaware it had just caused the greatest emotional incident of the Johto League.
Route 32 opened up before them—tall grass swaying, the sound of water nearby, and that distinct Johto feeling of "something important is about to happen."
Almost immediately—
"OHHH—FLUFFY!" Lyra shouted.
A Mareep popped out of the grass, sparks crackling faintly in its wool. Ethan froze, eyes lighting up.
"…Mareep," he said reverently. "Perfect."
A few moments later, both of them had successfully caught one—Ethan's calm and precise, Lyra's involving way more cheering than necessary.
Then—
Whitney went very, very quiet.
Everyone turned.
She was staring at a slightly pink-tinted Mareep like it had personally chosen her.
"…Guys," she whispered. "I think it's broken."
The Mareep bleated softly, its wool shimmering.
Ethan's jaw dropped. "No way."
Bugsy squinted. "That coloration indicates—"
"IT'S SHINY!" Whitney yelled, tackling the Mareep into a hug before it could even think about running.
Lyra stared at her. "I hate you. Respectfully."
Meanwhile, a little farther away—
"Oh! Oh—hi—hello—!" Erika had found another Bellsprout.
Without hesitation, she scooped it up and hugged it like a long-lost child.
The Bellsprout tilted its head, leaves wobbling in confusion, clearly not trained for this level of affection.
"…It's okay," Erika murmured. "You're safe now."
Ethan watched from afar. "…She's healing."
Bugsy, knee-deep near the water, suddenly lit up. "WOOPER!"
The blue Pokémon popped up happily, waving its tiny arms. Bugsy caught it almost instantly, grinning like he'd just won a badge.
Sabrina, meanwhile, stood perfectly still, eyes closed, psychic energy faintly humming around her.
After a moment, she opened her eyes. "Nothing here aligns with my current projections."
She turned and calmly walked back to the path.
Whitney blinked. "So… you're just not catching anything?"
"Correct."
Finally, as the sun dipped slightly lower, Ethan felt something brush past his shoulder.
He turned.
Red eyes. Purple wings.
"…Zubat," he muttered.
The catch was quick—almost routine.
As the ball clicked shut, Ethan looked at the growing group.
Mareep.
Shiny Mareep.
Bellsprout (emotionally adopted).
Wooper.
Zubat.
He exhaled. "Alright. Now this looks like the start of a Johto nightmare."
Whitney beamed, hugging her shiny Mareep again. "Best route ever."
A rustle cut through the tall grass again—low, slow, deliberate.
Kitsu froze.
Yellow eyes slid open from between the leaves.
"…Ekans," she said, grinning.
The snake Pokémon rose up, hood flaring slightly as it hissed. The pressure hit instantly—an almost physical wave that made the nearby grass bend.
Ethan, a few steps away, felt it and glanced over. "…Yeah. That's Intimidate."
Kitsu crossed her arms, satisfied. "Good. Strong Pokémon should announce themselves."
The Ekans lunged.
Kitsu didn't flinch.
She snapped the winderball Ball forward, winding it quickly—five clean twists. The mechanism clicked into readiness.
"Alright," she said calmly. "Let's see if you live up to the attitude."
She threw.
The ball struck Ekans cleanly, light pulling it inside.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
The grass went still.
Click.
Kitsu caught it smoothly out of the air as it popped back open.
"Gotcha," she said, smirking.
The Ekans emerged briefly, coiled at her feet, still glaring—until it looked up at her and stilled.
Ethan walked over, hands in his pockets. "Poison type. Intimidate. Solid pick."
Kitsu looked smug. "See? Strategy."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You threw the ball."
"That's tactical confidence."
Whitney laughed in the background, Lyra was still sulking about the shiny, and Erika was gently talking to her Bellsprout like it understood emotional nuance.
Bugsy looked at Ekans with interest. "You know, it evolves into Arbok. That thing gets mean."
Kitsu nodded, already imagining it. "Good."
The group regrouped on the path, teams slowly taking shape.
Johto was officially done being merciful.
The Pokémon Center was calm in that end-of-day way—soft beeps from the healing machines, Chansey humming, trainers slumped like they'd just survived a small war.
Ethan sat on one of the benches, Pokéballs laid out in a neat line on his palm.
Mudkip.
Noibat.
Sentret.
Rocky the Onix.
Mareep.
He sighed. "I only have five. Gym's six-on-six."
Kitsu, leaning against the counter like she owned the place, lifted a Pokéball between two fingers. The red top gleamed.
"You can borrow Ember."
Ethan slowly turned his head and stared at her.
"…That's cheating," he said flatly. "If I'm caught."
Kitsu rolled her eyes. "Relax. It's not like I'm lending you a Legendary. It's a Flareon."
"That is still a registered Pokémon under your name."
"So?" she shot back. "Gyms don't care where your Pokémon came from, just that you survive."
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is Violet City, not an underground battle ring."
Whitney, polishing her shiny Mareep's ball nearby, chimed in cheerfully. "Technically, Gym rules say 'Pokémon used must be under the challenger's command.' Not ownership."
Bugsy nodded. "Yeah, borrowing happens all the time. Especially in mixed leagues."
Erika looked up from her notebook. "But if the leader scans Trainer ID sync, it will flag."
Sabrina, eyes closed, added calmly, "It will."
Kitsu scowled. "Traitors. All of you."
Ethan exhaled and leaned back. "I appreciate it. Really. But if I win, I want it clean."
He glanced down at Rocky's Pokéball, then Mareep's.
'…Besides,' he muttered, 'if Falkner's dad is running Radical Red logic, a borrowed Flareon just paints a bigger target on my back.'
Kitsu clicked her tongue but didn't argue further. She slipped Ember's ball away. "Fine. Don't come crying when Doduo starts spamming Aerial Ace."
Ethan smirked. "If that happens, Rocky's taking a dive from above."
The team chuckled.
Bugsy looked at his Pokegear. "Gastly come in night rout 31, it's night now, you can catch one".
Ethan looked at him, as he looked at Noibat resting on his head. "What, do you think buddy?".
Noibat lifted his head from Ethan's hair, big ears twitching as if he actually understood the question. He let out a soft, curious "Nii~?" and flapped his wings once, clearly interested.
Bugsy grinned. "That's a yes if I've ever seen one."
Whitney leaned over. "A Ghost-type before the first gym? That's kinda cracked."
Erika adjusted her hat. "Gastly would give you immunity to Normal and Fighting… and resist Bug. Useful against Falkner's Dad support Pokémon."
Sabrina opened one eye. "Also very fragile. You'd need control."
Ethan stood up, rolling his shoulders. "Control I can do."
Kitsu smirked. "Just don't get cursed or licked or whatever creepy thing it does."
Ethan shot her a look. "Coming from the girl who caught an Ekans because it 'looked intimidating'."
"Intimidate is a strategy," she shot back.
Bugsy was already halfway to the door. "Route 31's not far. If we move now, the fog's still light."
Ethan adjusted Noibat on his head. "Alright. Let's go hunting."
Noibat squeaked excitedly, wings fluttering as if hyping himself up.
As they stepped out into Violet City's night air, the lamps flickered on one by one, casting long shadows down the path leading east.
Ethan's thoughts sharpened.
A Gastly… one more slot filled. One step closer to the badge.
Somewhere in the darkness of Route 31, something was already watching.
To be continued
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