Bugsy hopped into the car and buckled in, still half-amazed he wasn't about to start his journey by pedaling uphill.
"So," he said, leaning forward between the seats to look at Ethan, "where to first?"
Ethan answered easily, already settled next to Erika. "Route 29. Good place to warm up."
He glanced toward Bugsy and Lyra. "You two can catch some Pokémon there."
Lyra nodded, already tapping away on her Pokégear. "Sounds perfect."
She paused, then added, "I told Falkner to meet us there."
Bugsy raised an eyebrow. "He's really flying, isn't he?"
Whitney grinned. "Oh, absolutely."
Sabrina adjusted her hat. "Statistically, he'll arrive before us."
Erika tilted her head. "That doesn't seem fair."
Ethan shrugged. "Welcome to Johto."
The car rolled forward, leaving New Bark Town behind as the road opened into greenery. Route 29 stretched ahead—tall grass swaying, wild Pokémon waiting, and the quiet buzz of beginnings in the air.
Bugsy leaned back in his seat and looked around, clearly trying to picture his future team already.
"So," he said, curiosity buzzing in his voice, "what Pokémon can we find on Route 29?"
Kitsu pulled out her Pokégear and scrolled, already in research mode. "In the water, there are Magikarp, Totodile, Shellder, and Chinchou."
Ethan glanced at her, then added, "That's assuming we even have a fishing rod."
Whitney groaned dramatically. "We don't."
Sabrina nodded. "Statistically unlikely."
Erika smiled politely. "So no heroic water captures today."
Bugsy sighed, then perked right back up. "Alright, grass Pokémon it is."
Ethan looked out the window as the trees thickened along the roadside. "Yeah. Standard route stuff. Pidgey, Rattata, Sentret. Good for early training."
Kitsu smiled, gripping her Poké Balls. "Basic doesn't mean useless."
Bugsy grinned, already picturing it. "Hey, every champion starts somewhere."
The car slowed as Route 29 came into view—wide grass fields, a dirt path winding through, and the distant sound of Pokémon cries carried by the breeze.
Ethan opened the door. "Alright. First stop."
He stepped out, Noibat stretching its wings on his shoulder.
"Let's get moving."
Ethan leaned forward and tapped the divider lightly. When the green sign came into view, he spoke up.
"Mr. Bob, can you stop here?"
The car slowed and pulled over near the edge of the road. The moment the doors opened, fresh air rushed in, carrying the smell of grass and earth. One by one, everyone stepped out.
Up ahead, near the path, Falkner was already waiting, hands in his pockets, calm as ever. He glanced over, gave a short wave, and walked toward them.
"Took you long enough," he said, tone relaxed.
Ethan smirked. "You got here first because you flew."
Falkner shrugged. "Perks."
They gathered near the tall grass, the blades swaying gently like they were inviting trouble.
Ethan looked around at the group—Kitsu checking her Poké Balls, Bugsy practically vibrating with excitement, Lyra already scanning the grass, and the girls standing close by.
"Everyone ready?" he asked.
They all nodded.
Without another word, they stepped forward together and jumped into the tall grass.
Few minutes later
Bugsy grinned like he'd just won the lottery, holding the squirming Wurmple up at eye level.
"I found this little guy!"
Ethan popped his head out of the grass a few steps away, a blade stuck in his hair. "Catch it."
Bugsy shot him an are-you-serious look and reached into his backpack. "Yeah, yeah, I know."
Instead of a standard Poké Ball, he pulled out a smooth, hand-crafted Apricorn Ball—the kind that looked simple but carried history in every groove. He rolled it once in his palm, steadying his breath.
[Insert image here]
"Alright, buddy," Bugsy said gently. "No tricks."
He tossed the ball. It tapped Wurmple lightly, opened in a soft flash, and pulled the Pokémon inside. The ball shook once.
Twice.
Then clicked.
Bugsy froze for half a second… then pumped his fist. "Yes!"
Lyra popped out of the grass nearby, eyes sparkling. "You caught it already?"
Bugsy hugged the ball to his chest. "First catch of the journey. That's gotta be lucky."
Kitsu smiled, watching from the edge. "Bug-types really do like you."
Ethan stepped out fully now, Mudkip waddling at his feet and Noibat fluttering down to perch on his shoulder. He glanced at the Apricorn Ball and nodded in approval.
"Clean catch," he said. "Old-school, too."
Bugsy beamed. "Hey, when you love bugs, you respect tradition."
From deeper in the grass, something rustled again.
Lyra stiffened. "Uh… guys?"
Ethan's red eyes narrowed slightly as he felt it—a small pulse, not dragonic, but alive. Curious. Alert.
"Looks like Route 29 isn't done welcoming us yet," he said, one hand already reaching for a Poké Ball.
The tall grass shook once more.
Coming out of the grass was a Hoppip, as the girls will, not including Sabrina who had a mental cute screen, screamed in cuteness
Whitney stepped pulling out a PokeBall, that's looked slick an metallic. "I got this!".
Ethan looked at the Pokéball as he spoke. "Hey, it's one of the new PokeBall, they say will replace the Apricon ones".
Whitney started to wind it. "Yup".
She smiled as spinning the top piece, as it sounded like winder toy.
Erika pulled something from her back. "Winder Ball, the latest PokeBall model, made in 1980, a few years ago basically".
She kept reading. "Users are too be careful, no more then 5 winder are needed, or else they will explode".
Whitney blinked already in the 6th. "wait".
The moment Erika finished that sentence, everything froze.
Whitney stared at the ball in her hands.
The ball stared back.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Whitney slowly turned her head. "Six… is more than five, right?"
Ethan's eyes went wide. "Whitney—"
BANG.
There was a sharp pop and a burst of smoke, more flash than force. The Winder Ball shot straight up, spinning wildly like a drunk top, before clattering harmlessly onto the dirt and rolling to a stop.
Silence.
Smoke drifted.
Hoppip blinked, completely unharmed, floating in place like it had just witnessed a mild inconvenience.
Whitney stood there, face blackened with soot, hair frizzed at the ends. She blinked once.
"…Oops."
Lyra burst out laughing. Kitsu doubled over. Erika covered her mouth, trying very hard—and failing—not to giggle.
Even Bugsy snorted. "You almost turned a Hoppip encounter into a demolition test."
Ethan walked over and gently took the ball out of Whitney's hand. "Okay. New rule. No experimental Poké Balls without supervision."
Whitney pouted, cheeks still smudged. "It said latest model. I thought that meant better."
Erika shook her head. "It means untested."
Sabrina, who had been staring at the Hoppip the whole time with a perfectly calm expression, finally spoke. "It is… statistically adorable."
The Hoppip drifted a little closer, curious now.
Ethan knelt and smiled, holding out a hand. "Easy there. No explosions this time."
Mudkip gave an encouraging chirp. Noibat fluttered its wings softly.
Whitney wiped her face, then straightened, determination returning. "Okay. Regular Poké Ball. No winding. I promise."
She tossed it gently.
The ball tapped Hoppip, opened in a clean flash, and pulled it inside. One shake.
Two.
Click.
Whitney gasped, then cheered, jumping up and hugging Ethan before he could react. "I caught it!"
Ethan laughed, steadying himself. "Congrats. And hey—zero explosions. That's progress."
Hoppip's Poké Ball rested quietly in Whitney's hands now, warm and still.
Bugsy glanced around the grass, eyes sharp again. "Alright. Two catches down."
Kitsu then looked at Erika's book as she continued to read. "After twinning the twinder Ball for 5 times, it's ready to be thrown and caught. To release your caught Poke Ball, it must be wound 4 times, and then the Pokémon will come out".
Kitsu frowned at the page, tapping the diagram with her finger. "So… five winds to catch. Four winds to release. Any more and boom."
She closed the book slowly. "That feels… unnecessarily stressful."
Whitney, still clutching her freshly earned Hoppip, nodded way too fast. "I agree with the book. The book is scary."
Ethan rolled the Apricorn Ball between his fingers, the wooden casing warm from his palm. A faint hiss of steam puffed out from the seam, then faded.
"There's a reason people still use these," he said calmly. "No winding. No counting. No accidental fireworks."
Bugsy leaned closer, curious. "But the catch rate's lower, right?"
"Yeah," Ethan admitted. "You actually have to earn the catch. Tire the Pokémon out, understand it, sync with it." He shrugged. "The ball doesn't do the work for you."
Erika smiled softly at that. "Apricorn Balls respond to intent. That's why Gym Leaders still prefer them."
Whitney looked between the two Poké Balls in her hands—the sleek metal Winder Ball, and the smooth, natural Apricorn one Ethan handed her.
"…One feels like a tool," she said slowly. "The other feels like a handshake."
Sabrina tilted her head. "Emotionally consistent analysis."
Lyra laughed. "Translation: old-school balls have vibes."
Before Ethan could respond, the grass to their left exploded outward.
A blur of brown and cream burst free, skidding across the dirt before spinning around, eyes sharp and ears twitching.
"Sentret," Bugsy muttered, already reaching for a ball.
But the Sentret didn't attack.
It stood up on its tail, scanning them—then its gaze locked onto Ethan.
The air shifted.
Ethan felt it again. That quiet pull. Like something recognizing him.
Mudkip tensed. Turtwig stepped forward protectively.
Ethan raised a hand. "Easy."
The Sentret sniffed the air, then tilted its head, curious rather than hostile.
Whitney whispered, "Why does it look like it's judging us?"
Sabrina's eyes narrowed slightly. "It is deciding."
Ethan exhaled and stepped forward, Apricorn Ball still in hand—but he didn't throw it.
He crouched. "You don't have to."
The Sentret hesitated.
Then, slowly… it stepped closer.
The grass around them went quiet.
Bugsy grinned. "Oh. This is gonna be one of those catches."
Ethan smiled faintly. "Yeah."
Route 29 wasn't just a training ground.
It was testing them.
The rest of Route 29 quickly turned into a very rude awakening for the local trainers.
Bugsy went first—and immediately proved why Bug-types were criminally underestimated.
He opened every match the same way: a flick of his wrist, and Sticky Web spread across the field like a trap waiting to happen. Slower footing, ruined momentum. Then he rotated cleanly between his newly caught Wurmple and Chikorita, testing reactions, baiting bad switches, and stacking chip damage like it was second nature.
One unlucky trainer actually asked, "Why won't you just attack?"
Bugsy smiled sweetly. "Because this is more fun."
Falkner fought like someone who already thought in Gym Leader logic.
He didn't rush. He dismantled.
Sand-Attack. Mud-Slap. Smokescreen. Accuracy plummeted into the ground until opposing Pokémon were swinging at air. Then Totodile came in, tail whipping defenses down before lunging in with brutal, well-timed attacks.
Clean. Efficient. Almost surgical.
Lyra winced watching one Pidgey miss five attacks in a row. "That feels illegal."
"It's legal," Falkner replied calmly. "They just didn't prepare."
Then came Sabrina.
It wasn't even fair.
She released Abra, didn't say a word—and Shadow Ball detonated across the field like a psychic execution order. Every trainer she faced went down in one or two turns, staring in stunned silence as she recalled her Pokémon.
One of them muttered, "Since when can Abra do that?"
Sabrina adjusted her gloves. "Since my family invested wisely."
Erika, on the other hand, chose suffering.
Sleep Powder.
Switch.
Stun Spore.
Switch again.
Trainers groaned as their Pokémon either collapsed mid-battle or stood there twitching uselessly. She didn't rush the wins—she cultivated them.
"It's about patience," Erika said serenely, as another trainer begged the referee for mercy.
Kitsu and Whitney took a more… direct approach.
They hit hard. Overwhelmingly hard.
Whitney's Pokémon tore through teams with raw power and speed, and the moment she pulled off Tailwind into an Aerial Ace, it was basically over. One trainer actually dropped to their knees.
"GG," Whitney said brightly.
Kitsu fought with grit and adaptability, but not every battle went her way. She lost a couple—learned from them, clenched her fists, and jumped straight back in.
Ethan noticed.
He didn't comment. Just nodded approvingly.
And then there was Ethan himself.
He opened with Noibat, the small dragon flitting above the battlefield.
"Supersonic."
Confusion set in instantly.
Then Double Team—illusions layered on illusions. Attacks missed. Panic set in.
When Noibat took a hit, Ethan didn't flinch.
"Absorb."
Health returned. Momentum shifted.
And when things got messy?
"Swap."
Mudkip slammed into the field, tanking hits, countering cleanly, holding the line like a wall that refused to break.
The trainers on Route 29 weren't weak.
They were just… not ready.
By the time the group regrouped near the end of the route, Poké Balls clicking shut and grass settling back into place, there was a shared realization hanging in the air.
This wasn't a group of rookies.
This was a storm, just starting to move.
Ethan stretched his arms behind his head and smiled.
"First day's going pretty well, huh?"
The route didn't answer.
But Johto was definitely paying attention.
The car hummed softly as it rolled down the road toward Violet City, the spires of the city just barely visible in the distance.
Ethan leaned back in his seat, then turned his head toward Kitsu.
"You gotta use strategy," he said casually, like he was commenting on the weather.
Kitsu snapped her head toward him like he'd just insulted her cooking, her honor, and her Pokémon in one sentence.
"No. Tores and Ember are strong enough."
Whitney immediately leaned forward between the seats. "Ooooh, sibling battle. I'm placing bets."
Erika sighed, already opening her book. Sabrina adjusted her gloves and watched silently, clearly enjoying this more than she'd ever admit.
Ethan didn't rise to it. He just listed facts.
"Tores has Tackle, Withdraw—which you never use—Absorb, and Razor Leaf. Ember's got Ember, Growl, Bite, and Tailwind."
Kitsu crossed her arms. "See? Solid moves."
"That's not strategy," Ethan replied. "That's a list."
She squinted at him. "You saying my Pokémon are bad?"
"No," he said immediately. "I'm saying you're not using them properly."
Whitney gasped dramatically. "OH. HE SAID IT."
Kitsu leaned forward. "Tores hits hard. Ember hits harder. Problem solved."
Ethan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Withdraw boosts defense. You're facing Flying-types in Violet City. Falkner's dad is gonna open with speed and air pressure. Tailwind + Withdraw means you don't get shredded in three turns."
Kitsu paused.
Just for half a second.
"…I can still win without that."
"Yeah," Ethan said. "You can. Or you can win cleaner, faster, and without your Pokémon getting wrecked."
Falkner, sitting up front, glanced back with a small smile. "He's not wrong. My dad punishes brute force."
Kitsu looked away, cheeks puffed slightly. "…Tores doesn't like hiding."
Ethan softened. "It's not hiding. It's bracing."
Sabrina spoke up without looking up from her phone. "Strategy isn't weakness. It's efficiency."
Kitsu groaned. "Why is everyone against me?"
Erika finally looked up. "We're not. We just want you to keep your Pokémon healthy."
Whitney grinned. "Also, if you lose, Ethan will never let you live it down."
Ethan smirked. "Correct."
Kitsu shot him a glare… then sighed, rubbing her temples.
"…Fine. I'll try Withdraw. Once."
Ethan smiled. "That's all I'm asking."
Falkner looked at Kitsu. "If you think you don't need to use Withdraw more than once, My Dad has Growl and Ariel Ace on his Dodou, Poison Jab on his Farfetch, Roost and Ariel Ace on his Murkrow, Solar Beam on his Swablu and Ariel Ace on his Pidgeotto, and that's not even the full movset of all of his Pokèmon".
Kitsu froze.
Like—actually froze.
"…He has what?"
Falkner shrugged, way too casual for someone who had just dropped a tactical nuke into the conversation.
"My dad doesn't go easy just because it's a first Gym. He believes if you can't adapt, you shouldn't pass."
Whitney leaned back. "Wow. That's not a Gym, that's a personality test."
Erika slowly closed her book. "…Solar Beam on a Swablu?"
Sabrina look at Falkner. "That implies charge turns, prediction, and punishment for reckless switches."
Kitsu stared straight ahead, gears visibly grinding. "That's… a lot of Flying-types with coverage."
Ethan stayed quiet on the outside.
Inside his head, however—
'The fuck kind of First Gym Leader is this in a mixed world?!
Aerial Ace spam, Growl pressure, Poison Jab for Grass-types, Roost sustain, and a Solar Beam curveball?
Who hurt this man?'
Falkner glanced back at Ethan. "You okay?"
Ethan blinked, instantly neutral again. "Yeah. Just… impressed."
Kitsu slowly uncrossremembered her arms. "…So Withdraw."
Ethan nodded once. "Withdraw. Tailwind. Force mistakes. Don't let him dictate the tempo."
Kitsu exhaled. "…Fine. Strategy."
Whitney grinned. "Character development!"
Erika gave a small approving nod. Sabrina looked mildly pleased, which for her was basically applause.
The car rolled into Violet City, the Gym's silhouette rising above the rooftops like a warning.
Falkner smiled faintly.
"Welcome to Johto. First badge doesn't mean first level."
Ethan watched the Gym doors come into view.
'Yeah, he thought. This world is not playing around.'
To be continued
Hope people like this ch and give me power stones and enjoy