Ethan sat in front of the Poké Center computer, the soft hum of old hardware filling the room as the screen flickered to life.
Noibat rested on his head like it belonged there. Mudkip sat in his lap, warm and solid, half-asleep.
The computer finally finished loading.
Ethan leaned forward.
---
Name: Franklin Hayato
Gym Leader Status: Active
Badge Tier: 1
Registered Team:
Doduo
Item: None
Moves: Aerial Ace, Roost, Quick Attack, Growl
Farfetch'd
Item: None
Moves: Aerial Ace, Roost, Fury Attack, Poison Jab
Chatot
Item: None
Moves: Uproar, Chatter, Agility, Roost
Swablu
Item: Power Herb
Moves: Aerial Ace, Roost, Mirror Move, Solar Beam
Murkrow
Item: None
Moves: Aerial Ace, Roost, Haze, Faint Attack
Pidgeotto
Item: Oran Berry
Moves: Aerial Ace, Roost, Tackle, Mud-Slap
---
Ethan stopped scrolling.
He didn't need to see the higher-tier teams.
Gym Leaders didn't fight everyone the same way. Their teams shifted depending on how many badges the challenger had. This was the entry test—not a mercy match, but not the full nightmare either.
Still.
He leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly.
"Yeah," he muttered. "That's rough."
Six Flying-types. Almost every one of them had Aerial Ace, which meant evasion tricks wouldn't save him. Roost across the board meant stall. Solar Beam on Swablu with a Power Herb meant a one-turn nuke.
Knowing the team didn't mean winning.
It just meant he knew how he could lose.
Noibat shifted on his head, letting out a quiet chirp.
"I know," Ethan said, scratching under its chin. "You don't like this matchup either."
Mudkip looked up and gave a low croak, unimpressed.
Ethan smiled faintly. "You're actually one of my better answers."
'Electric would help—but Mareep was still green. Onix could wall physical hits, but Grass coverage and special attacks were a problem..'
'Gastly…'
Ethan glanced at the Poké Ball on his belt.
'You're the wildcard,' he thought. 'If you listen.'
The door slid open behind him.
Kitsu walked in, arms crossed, Ember's Poké Ball clipped to her belt. "You're doing that thing again."
Ethan didn't turn. "Thinking?"
"No," she said. "Overthinking."
She leaned over his shoulder and squinted at the screen. "Wow. That's… a lot of birds."
"Welcome to Violet Gym."
Kitsu frowned. "So what's the plan?"
Ethan finally stood, adjusting Noibat as he did. "Status, timing, and switching. I don't outspeed most of them. I don't outmuscle them either."
He looked at her. "I win by not letting them play clean."
Kitsu smirked. "That sounds like cheating."
"That sounds like battling," Ethan replied.
From across the room, Bugsy looked up from his Pokégear. "You're planning around Roost, right?"
Ethan nodded. "And Aerial Ace. Which means no gimmicks."
Sabrina, seated quietly nearby, opened one eye. "Your Gastly will draw attention."
Ethan met her gaze. "That's the point."
Whitney bounced slightly on her heels. "So! Who's leading?"
Ethan thought for a moment.
Then he answered.
"Onix."
Everyone blinked.
Erika tilted her head. "You're starting with your slowest Pokémon?"
Ethan smiled, calm and certain. "Exactly."
He clipped the Poké Ball onto his belt and felt its weight settle.
Tomorrow wasn't about power.
It was about proving he belonged on the field.
And Franklin Hayato was about to find out that knowing the rules didn't mean owning the game.
Ethan opened his Pokédex and scrolled through his team one by one, double-checking everything.
He liked being sure.
[Pokédex Entry Registered
Name: Noibat
Type: Dragon / Flying
Gender: Male
Shiny: ✓
Ability: Frisk
Hidden Ability (Unlocked): Infiltrator
Nature: Timid
Known Moves:
– Absorb
– Supersonic
– Wing Attack
– Dragon Rush
---
Name: Gastly
Type: Ghost / Poison
Gender: Female
Shiny: X
Ability: Levitate
Hidden Ability (Locked): Shadow Tag
Nature: Modest
Known Moves:
– Shadow Ball
– Sludge Bomb
– Night Shade
– Will-O-Wisp
---
Name: Mudkip
Type: Water
Gender: Male
Shiny: X
Ability: Torrent
Hidden Ability (Locked): Damp
Nature: Adamant
Known Moves:
– Bite
– Growl
– Water Gun
– Rock Slide (TM)
---
Name: Onix
Nickname: Rocky
Type: Rock / Ground
Trade Pokémon: ✓
Gender: Male
Shiny: X
Ability: Sturdy
Hidden Ability (Locked): Weak Armor
Nature: Impish
Known Moves:
– Rock Slide
– Dragon Breath
– Dig
– Stealth Rock (TM)
---
Name: Mareep
Type: Electric
Gender: Female
Shiny: X
Ability: Static
Hidden Ability (Locked): Plus
Nature: Modest
Known Moves:
– Thunder Shock
– Thunder Wave
– Power Gem
– Signal Beam
---
Name: Sentret
Type: Normal
Gender: Female
Shiny: X
Ability: Run Away
Hidden Ability (Locked): Frisk
Nature: Jolly
Known Moves:
– Quick Attack
– Foresight
– Baton Pass
– Reversal]
Whitney leaned over his shoulder, squinting at the screen.
"I always wondered," she said. "Why can Pokémon only learn four moves? It feels… weird."
Ethan closed the Pokédex slightly but didn't turn it off. "It's because of their Type Core."
Everyone paused.
"Their what?" Lyra asked.
Ethan shrugged. "That's how Violet explained it. Pokémon don't actually forget moves. Their bodies remember them just fine."
He tapped the side of the Pokédex. "But their Type Core—the part that handles elemental output—can only stabilize four techniques at once. Any more than that, and it becomes unstable."
Whitney blinked. "So when they 'forget' a move—"
"They're just locking it," Ethan finished. "Not deleting it."
Kitsu nodded. "That's why Move Tutors and Move Relearners exist. You're basically telling the Pokémon which four moves to keep active."
She made a switching motion with her hands. "Swap one out, slot another in."
Bugsy whistled. "That actually makes way more sense than Pokémon just… forgetting how to punch."
Erika hugged her Bellsprout's Poké Ball a little tighter. "So it's like choosing which tools to carry."
"Exactly," Ethan said.
Sabrina, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "Your team is… unbalanced."
Ethan smiled faintly. "I know."
She looked at him. "No dedicated wallbreaker. No real speed control outside of paralysis. And only one Pokémon that resists Flying cleanly."
Mareep let out a small "Baa?" at that.
"But," Sabrina continued, red eyes sharp, "you compensate with control. Status. Terrain pressure. And that Gastly."
Her gaze lingered on the Poké Ball at his belt.
Ethan followed it. "Yeah. She's going to be important."
Whitney tilted her head. "You're nervous."
Ethan didn't deny it. "First gym always matters."
Kitsu crossed her arms. "You're still leading with Onix, right?"
"Yeah," Ethan said. "Stealth Rock goes up first. If I don't do that, I lose momentum immediately."
Noibat shifted on his head, wings twitching.
Ethan reached up and scratched under its chin. "Don't worry. You'll get your turn."
Ethan looked at Lyra. "Actually why didn't you know about this"
Lyra was confused. "What?"
Whitney looked at her as she explained. "Type Energy and Type Core are common Knowledge, though to 6 year old"
Erika noded. "My family though me that, when I was 6".
Kitsu looked at Lyra. "Me and Ethan got the lecture from our Big sister Violet".
Lyra looked Away as she spoke. "My, family is not that well of".
Ethan blinked, then softened immediately.
"Oh…," he said, quieter now.
Lyra scratched the back of her head and laughed a little, but it didn't quite land. "Yeah. My family's not exactly the lecture-at-six type."
Whitney frowned. "You mean they never told you?"
Lyra shook her head. "Nope. Mom knows a lot, obviously, but we didn't really talk about theory stuff. Pokémon were more like… companions. Not systems."
Erika's expression gentled. "That's not a bad thing."
Kitsu nodded. "Yeah. Violet's lectures were brutal. Diagrams. Charts. Homework."
Ethan snorted. "She once made us label a dragon-type energy flow chart."
Lyra actually laughed this time. "See? That sounds terrifying."
Whitney leaned closer to Lyra. "You're not behind or anything. Lots of trainers don't learn that stuff until they're older."
Sabrina spoke calmly, as if stating a fact rather than judging. "Formal knowledge is usually passed down through families with League ties or research backgrounds."
She looked at Lyra. "It doesn't determine talent."
Lyra glanced at her, surprised, then smiled faintly. "Thanks."
Ethan crossed his arms. "If it helps, most gym leaders don't care how you learned. They care if you can apply it."
He tilted his head toward the gym. "And you've got good instincts. That counts."
Lyra exhaled, some tension leaving her shoulders. "Guess I'll just learn as we go."
"That's the best way," Bugsy said, grinning. "Trust me. Books don't prepare you for half the nonsense Pokémon pull."
They all chuckled.
Ethan glanced at the gym doors again, then at his team's Poké Balls.
"Alright," he said. "Break's over. Tomorrow we fight."
Noibat let out a soft chirp in agreement.
And for the first time since arriving in Violet City, Lyra didn't feel out of place—just… on a different starting line.
The next morning came fast.
Too fast.
The group stood in front of Violet City Gym as the sun climbed into a clear, open sky. Falkner was already there, leaning against the railing like he owned the place—which, honestly, he kind of did.
Ethan raised a hand. "Hey, Falkner."
Falkner returned it with a casual two-finger salute. "You ready to fight my dad?"
Ethan's grin was sharp. "Oh, I'm ready."
That earned a chuckle as Falkner stepped aside and waved them in.
---
The gym wasn't what most people expected.
No enclosed arena. No artificial lights.
Just a wide, open platform with a full view of the sky above, wind cutting clean through the space. Perches and wooden beams crisscrossed the air, and several Bird Keepers were already training, their Pokémon diving and banking overhead.
And at the far end of the gym—
Franklin Hayato.
The moment the group laid eyes on him, the collective brain shutdown was immediate.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Long black hair tied back, a sword resting across his back like it weighed nothing. His right arm and shoulder were covered in a detailed dragon tattoo that curled down to his chest, half-hidden beneath loose, traditional robes.
Silence.
Then—
Whitney froze. Erika's face went red. Sabrina stiffened for half a second before immediately covering Ethan's eyes with psychic precision.
"No," she said flatly. "You are not allowed to see this."
"Hey—!" Ethan protested, blind.
"I saw nothing!" Erika blurted, absolutely lying.
Whitney squeaked. "Why is he like that?!"
Lyra's brain fully blue-screened. "I—uh—wow."
Bugsy turned away, face red, muttering, "So that's where Falkner gets it…"
Kitsu, meanwhile, crossed her arms and squinted. "Huh. He looks… strong."
Franklin raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"…Kids these days," he said calmly. "Falkner, you didn't warn them?"
Falkner shrugged. "You told me not to."
Franklin stepped forward, the wooden floor creaking faintly under his boots. His gaze settled on Ethan—not judging, not dismissive, just measuring.
"You must be Ethan Harmonia," he said. "The boy who traded a Bellsprout for an Onix before earning his first badge."
Ethan finally got Sabrina to let go of his eyes. "You heard about that already?"
Franklin smirked. "Violet City is small."
He turned slightly, eyes flicking over the group. "I'm Franklin Hayato. Gym Leader of Violet City."
The wind picked up, ruffling his hair and the banners above.
"This gym tests more than strength," he continued. "It tests awareness, timing, and discipline. Flying Pokémon don't forgive mistakes."
His gaze snapped back to Ethan.
"You came here knowing my team," Franklin said. "That doesn't bother me."
Ethan straightened. "Because knowing doesn't mean winning."
That earned him a low chuckle.
"Good answer," Franklin said. "Then step forward, challenger."
The Bird Keepers cleared the field. The sky seemed to widen.
Falkner moved to the sidelines, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
"This is a full battle," Franklin announced. "Six on six. No substitutions mid-match. Victory earns you the Zephyr Badge."
Ethan clenched his fist, heart steady.
"Noibat," he whispered. "Let's fly."
Above them, the wind shifted.
The battle for Ethan's first badge was about to begin.
Franklin flicked his wrist.
The Pokéball snapped open in a flash of white light, and Doduo burst onto the field, landing with a sharp thud. Both heads snapped in opposite directions, eyes alert, legs already tense like coiled springs.
"Doduo," Franklin said calmly. "Begin."
The bird let out a sharp cry, talons scraping against the floor as wind rolled across the arena.
Ethan didn't hesitate.
"Rocky, you're up."
His Pokéball opened, and Onix erupted onto the field in a cascade of stone and dust. The massive serpent slammed down with a deep, echoing crack, its rocky body coiling protectively in front of Ethan.
"ONIX!"
The size difference was immediate—and intentional.
Several Bird Keepers leaned forward. Whitney whispered, "That thing could block the sun."
Franklin's eyes narrowed slightly. Not surprised. Interested.
"A traded Onix for your opener," he said. "Solid choice against Flying."
Ethan exhaled slowly. "Rocky, Stealth Rock."
Onix roared and slammed its tail into the ground. Jagged stones burst upward across the battlefield, floating and locking into place around Franklin's side of the field, sharp edges glinting in the light.
Franklin smiled. "Good. Then let's test your fundamentals."
"Doduo—Quick Attack."
Doduo vanished in a blur, legs pounding as it shot forward at insane speed, zig-zagging between the floating stones. It slammed into Onix's side—
Clang!
The impact echoed, but Rocky barely shifted, stone plates grinding as he held firm.
Ethan's eyes sharpened. "Dig."
Onix slammed downward and vanished beneath the arena floor in a shower of dust.
"Roost," Franklin said immediately.
Doduo leapt back, wings fluttering as it settled low, energy stabilizing its body. The moment its feet touched down—
"Now," Ethan muttered.
The ground exploded.
Onix burst upward beneath Doduo, stone jaws snapping shut as the attack launched the bird skyward. Doduo cried out, tumbling back—and the moment it touched the field again, Stealth Rock tore into it.
Franklin clicked his tongue. "Clean execution."
Doduo struggled, legs shaking, but stayed upright.
"Growl," Franklin ordered.
Both heads cried out, a low, sharp sound that rippled through the air. Onix's muscles tensed as the debuff took hold.
Ethan didn't flinch. "Rock Slide."
Onix reared back and hurled chunks of stone into the air. The rocks crashed down like meteors.
Doduo tried to dodge—
—but its footing slipped.
The stones slammed home.
When the dust cleared, Doduo collapsed, unconscious.
Silence for half a second.
Then Franklin recalled it, the Pokéball flashing red. "Well played."
Falkner let out a low whistle from the sidelines. "First Pokémon down already…"
Whitney pumped a fist. "YES!"
Franklin rolled his shoulder once, eyes locked on Ethan now—not casually anymore.
"Don't get comfortable," he said, pulling out his second Pokéball. "That was the easy one."
The wind picked up again as he threw.
"Farfetch'd—take the field."
To be continued
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