The Z-Crystal was discovered in the Alola region and has always been one of its unique specialties. So far, no one knows how Z-Crystals were originally formed, and they've never been naturally seen in other regions.
Professor Oak suspected that someone from the Alola region may have passed through Hoenn and accidentally dropped one, and Gary just happened to find it.
"I don't know much about this. Grandpa, can you tell me if my other grandfather is also studying Z-Crystals?" Gary asked curiously.
"You want a Z-Ring," Professor Oak said, immediately picking up on Gary's intentions.
"Yeah… Can Grandpa give one to me?" Gary asked with a hopeful expression.
"You should ask your other grandfather directly. I'll give you his phone number—just call him," Professor Oak replied. He gave Gary the number for Samson Oak, then hung up and returned to his research.
Professor Oak wasn't interested in Z-Crystals. Although they could greatly enhance a Pokémon's moves, they had no effect on the Pokémon's internal attributes or biology. His passion was in studying Pokémon themselves, not external items like Z-Crystals.
After receiving Samson Oak's number, Gary immediately placed the call.
The phone rang for over ten seconds before someone finally answered. The screen lit up with the image of a tanned version of Professor Oak, with a head of thick white hair and a laid-back vibe. He was noticeably different from the Professor Oak in Kanto.
"Grandpa! Long time no see," Gary greeted warmly.
Gary had met Samson Oak during his childhood. But when Gary was five years old, Samson had moved to the Alola region to open a Trainer School and hadn't returned to Kanto since.
It had been seven years since they last saw each other.
"Grandpa...? Wait… Gary? Is that you?" Samson Oak squinted through the screen. Though he hadn't seen Gary in years, they did exchange New Year greetings occasionally, and Gary still resembled his childhood self.
"Yep, it's me! I didn't expect you to still recognize me!" Gary chuckled.
"Oh ho! What a pleasant surprise! Gary, what made you suddenly call me?" Samson said cheerfully.
The two weren't particularly close. Their contact was mostly limited to holiday greetings and special occasions.
"It's like this, Grandpa—I found a Firium Z in the Hoenn region. But I don't have a Z-Ring. Can you send me one?" Gary explained as he held up the crimson-colored Firium Z.
"Hmm? You found a Firium Z? You're lucky!" Samson Oak exclaimed. He didn't doubt Gary's story—after all, most Z-Crystals in Alola were found lying around, especially Firium Z. It was entirely possible that one had been lost and wound up in Hoenn.
"Yeah, but without a Z-Ring, this thing's pretty much useless," Gary said.
"A Z-Ring, huh? I can send you one, no problem. But what are you doing in Hoenn anyway?" Samson asked, a bit surprised.
"I'm here to challenge the Ever Grande Conference of the Hoenn League," Gary answered.
"Ah, I see. Then where should I send it? To Professor Oak's lab in Pallet Town?" Samson asked.
"No, just mail it to the Pokémon Center here in Mossdeep City. That's where I'm staying," Gary replied.
Even though the Alola and Hoenn regions were far apart, the express delivery system was reliable and fast. The package could arrive in about two weeks.
"Alright then, I'll ship it out tomorrow," Samson nodded. He knew Gary wouldn't want to delay his training before the conference.
"Thanks a lot, Grandpa!" Gary said gratefully.
"You're welcome! And hey, come visit the Alola region sometime! The Trainer School I run here is full of promising young Trainers. Since you've already become a League Champion, why not come and coach them?" Samson suggested with a proud grin.
Alola was still underdeveloped in terms of Pokémon battling—it didn't even have a formal Pokémon League or Gym system. That's why Samson had dedicated himself to helping it grow.
"Sure! I'll definitely visit when I have the time," Gary replied sincerely.
"Then it's settled. Take care, Gary!"
"Goodbye, Grandpa!"
The call ended.
Later, Gary went to the cafeteria and bumped into Ash and his friends. During their chat, he found out that Ash and the others were leaving Mossdeep City the next day. They had a packed schedule and couldn't afford to stay in one place too long.
Since Gary needed to wait for his Z-Ring delivery, he stayed in Mossdeep to train his Pokémon in the meantime.
Conveniently, Gary had already planned on giving his Pokémon some focused training. His Marshtomp was already at level 33—just three levels away from evolving. Two weeks of intense training would be more than enough.
The next day...
Gary headed out to the outskirts of the city to begin training.
The Pokémon he'd caught in Hoenn had all evolved and grown significantly stronger. Since their power had reached Gym Leader levels, it was no longer suitable to train them in public spaces—they needed more room for battle intensity.
Mornings were dedicated to performance training, while afternoons were for actual combat practice.
At exactly 2 PM, practical training began.
"Today's sparring partner is going to be different," Gary announced.
His Hoenn Pokémon looked puzzled. Their usual opponents during battle practice were Eevee or Rhyperior. Who could it be today?
"Tyranitar, come on out!" Gary said, throwing a Poké Ball.
"Baaaan!"
Tyranitar emerged in a burst of light, roaring with raw power.
"Chee!"
"Chao!"
"Huh?!"
The Hoenn Pokémon Team were visibly startled by Tyranitar's dominating presence and intense gaze.
"This is Tyranitar—your senior. He's even stronger than Eevee. From today onward, he'll be the one training you," Gary declared.
"Roar!"
Tyranitar sized up the Hoenn team. There were seven Pokémon in total. He only gave a nod of acknowledgment to Slaking and Aggron. The rest didn't even earn his attention.
That was just how Pokémon were—they judged power based on presence, experience, and sheer strength.
"Tyranitar's a dual Rock/Dark-type. Let me tell you now—he won't hold back. Your mission for the next two weeks is simple: defeat Tyranitar."
"Let's begin."
Gary stepped aside to watch, arms crossed.
"Baan!"
(Hmph! Let's see what the rookies are made of.)
"Aggron!"
Aggron stepped up first. Among the seven, he had the highest level and the toughest armor. With a growl, he charged at Tyranitar with Heavy Slam, intending to use his massive body weight to gain the upper hand.