"Let's see what random reward items I got this time," Gary muttered with anticipation.
After leaving the Oreburgh Gym—his newly-earned Coal Badge gleaming proudly on his case—Gary immediately opened his system interface to check the rewards stored in his space backpack.
[Superb Ice Stone: Increases potential of Pokémon below Legendary Tier by +1.]
Gary blinked, clearly taken aback. "An Evolution Stone…? Seriously?!"
This was the first time he had received something like this as a reward. Even after all his adventures with the system, not once had it presented him with an Evolution Stone of such high caliber.
He turned the shimmering blue stone in his hand, studying the way its icy core pulsed faintly with cold light. "A Superb Ice Stone… wow, this one's special. If used on the right Pokémon, it can push their potential even beyond their natural limits."
Still, Gary sighed. "Too bad I can't use it right now. There aren't many Ice-type Pokémon in Sinnoh, and the only one I've trained is already fully developed."
He crossed his arms thoughtfully. "Guess I'll save this one for later—maybe when I catch another Ice type in the future."
Then something clicked in his mind. "Hold on… there might just be one Pokémon worth using this on later—Cetitan."
There weren't many Pokémon that evolved via Ice Stone—only six, in fact: Alolan Sandshrew, Alolan Vulpix, Eevee, Galarian Darumaka, Crabrawler, and Cetitan.
Gary quickly analyzed the options. "Let's see… Sandshrew and Crabrawler have pretty low base stats. Not worth the investment. Eevee's Ice evolution—Glaceon—is elegant but not exactly powerhouse material. That leaves Vulpix, Darumaka, and Cetitan."
He tapped his chin in thought. "Darmanitan looks good on paper, but keeping control of it is tough. It's tricky to use effectively. And while Vulpix has potential, Cetitan's got the stats and endurance to back up a snow team properly."
Cetitan stood out most in Gary's mind—a massive, thick-skinned Ice-type Pokémon native to the cold Paldean tundras. "That thing's a tank," Gary mused. "It's got single-type Ice coverage, but its HP and bulk make up for that weakness. With the right ally—maybe an Abomasnow—it can anchor a seriously strong snow-based team."
The only drawback was that Ice-type physical moves lacked real power, with very few exceeding a base power of 100. "The strongest Ice move Cetitan can learn naturally is Ice Spinner, only 80 base power," Gary grumbled. "Still, I can work around that with TMs and training."
He closed his pack decisively. "Alright then—Cetitan it is. When the time comes, that Ice Stone will push it beyond its limit."
With that settled, Gary redirected his attention to something more pressing—his rock-type training strategy.
He selected a skill exchange from the system.
[Exchange Successful: TM76 – Stealth Rock acquired.]
Gary grinned. "Perfect. This will make all the difference in battles."
He taught Stealth Rock to both his Rhyperior and Gabite right away.
"Rock-type moves have such great battlefield utility," he muttered while syncing the TMs. "Stone Edge, Rock Slide, and now Stealth Rock—all staples. Too bad there aren't more practical Rock-type techniques out there."
He understood the tactical value. "If my opponent's Pokémon can't clear the field hazards, they'll pay every time they switch in. That kind of chip damage adds up."
Satisfied with the upgrades, Gary started preparing for his next destination—Floaroma Town.
"Gracidea flowers…" Gary recalled, glancing at his digital map. "They only grow near Floaroma Town. That's where Shaymin comes to transform."
He remembered reading about it from Professor Rowan's notes. Floaroma was built on the same fertile land where Gracidea naturally flourished. Whenever the flowers bloomed, locals came to pick them—but wild Shaymin were drawn by the pollen, sometimes sneaking into town to feed on it. In doing so, they absorbed Gracidea's energy and transformed into their Sky Forme, soaring away into the horizon.
"If I want to find a Shaymin," Gary murmured, smiling slightly, "I'll have to camp out near the flower fields for a few days at least."
Mounting Magnezone, Gary took off toward the northwest. The metallic hum of its engines filled the air, vibrating through the thin clouds as they sped past the Sinnoh landscape.
"At Magnezone's speed... should take about a week," he estimated. "Good thing I trained its energy output."
As the wind whipped against his coat, Gary reached into his pocket and took out a small capsule of Rare Candy. His mind wandered to another, equally important task.
"Let's evolve Gabite."
At the Pokémon Center in Eterna City, Gary rented a private training chamber for evolutionary development. Nurse Joy handed him the access key with her usual smile.
Inside the chamber, Gary released his Gabite.
"Gabite, come out!"
With a flash of red light, the dragon emerged, giving a fierce growl.
"Gaa! Gaa-biiiite!" it cried, flipping its sharp tail fins proudly.
"[Level 39 – Champion]," Gary's scanner confirmed.
"Only one level away from evolving," Gary said, giving Gabite an encouraging grin. "Let's push you over the edge."
He placed his hand gently on Gabite's rough scales—they were hard and warm, vibrating with pent-up energy.
"Hang in there, buddy. This is going to be intense."
Gary opened a capsule of intermediate Rare Candy and sprinkled the crystalline dust along Gabite's dorsal fins. The Pokémon inhaled sharply, its energy core glowing a deep azure blue.
He repeated this process eight more times, watching as Gabite's body began to shimmer.
A surge of raw evolutionary energy rippled across the chamber.
The floor trembled as light engulfed Gabite. "Gaaa—BIIIITE!" it roared, the sound distorted by the glowing aura wrapping around it.
The bright white energy expanded, filling the entire training dome with a blinding radiance that even made Gary squint.
"Here we go…" he whispered, shielding his face.
The light intensified into a swirling vortex, and Gabite's silhouette began to elongate and shift. Its claws grew sharper; its fins extended and curved, resembling scythe-like blades. The twin fins along its back merged into towering, aerodynamic wings.
When the light finally faded, a new creature stood before him—a sleek, radiant dragon, nearly two meters tall, its scales glinting cobalt blue under the fluorescent lights. A yellow, star-shaped mark shimmered on the tip of its nose.
"Kaaapuuh!! Garchooomp!" it bellowed, shaking the ground with its cry.
Gary's heart raced with excitement. "A perfect evolution…"
He stepped closer, examining the Pokémon's new form. The once-sturdy land shark was now streamlined and powerful, built for speed and aerial combat. Its fins were sharper, thicker—cutting through the air with ease as it tested its balance.
"Garchomp!" it called proudly, flexing its arms as tiny sparks of wind spiraled around its body.
Gary smiled. "You really did it. You're amazing."
He checked his Pokédex for updated stats.
Garchomp – Level 48 / Champion Tier.
Ability: Sand Veil.
Speed: Mach 3 (Flight Mode).
"That's incredible… Mach 3," Gary breathed out. "That's faster than most aircraft."
In theory, Garchomp's top flight speed could rival a jet at full thrust. Of course, Gary could never let it reach that in manned flight; the sheer wind pressure alone could knock him unconscious. But for travel speeds, it meant they could cross Sinnoh in hours instead of days.
Gary patted Garchomp's back—it was textured like worn stone and mildly prickly. "I'll definitely need to buy a saddle or some seat padding," he muttered with a chuckle. "Otherwise, riding you's going to be… uncomfortable."
"Garrrr!" Garchomp responded proudly, puffing its chest and wagging its tail fin, clearly pleased with itself.
Gary laughed. "Alright, alright—you're strong, but don't scratch me up before our next battle!"
He made a note to stop by the Oreburgh Poké Mart again. The city specialized in practical Trainer gear—there, he could custom order Flight Protectors, a specialized harness-system designed for Flying-type or Fly-capable Pokémon. With enough adjustments to fit Garchomp's unique frame, it would ensure safe airborne travel.
"It'll take some time to build, but worth it," Gary muttered, already imagining future flights.
He leaned against the gym courtyard railing, thinking about timelines.
According to reports, Ash and his friends were still traveling along Route 205 toward Floaroma Town. They hadn't even cleared their first gym yet. So I've already got my second badge, and Garchomp on my team… yeah, Gary thought with a smirk, the gap's only going to grow.
But at the same time, he knew Ash always had a way of catching up. It wasn't rivalry in bitterness—it was mutual drive.
"Okay," Gary said, standing. "Let's bring you to level 50."
He took out two more Rare Candies and handed them to Garchomp, who swallowed both eagerly. Its aura flared momentarily before settling into a calm pulse of controlled strength.
Gary then brought up the system menu, selecting several new moves for instruction:
[Earthquake learned.]
[Dragon Claw learned.]
[Stone Edge learned.]
taught it several new moves to broaden its battle repertoire.
Once the preparations were complete, Gary took Garchomp outdoors to help it adjust to its new aerial instincts. Mastering flight wasn't just about speed—it was about balance, control, and learning the rhythm of the wind itself.