They sat for a while, and Grey chatted with the researchers, answering their questions about Pokémon battles.
"Ku-tsa."
Now stabilized after treatment, Kabutops walked over.
Compared to the earlier slash-first-ask-later attitude, it looked a bit shy now, avoiding everyone's eyes.
Fair—minutes ago it had gone off the rails.
Anyone who'd seen that crazed look would've thought it was hopped up on something.
"Yo, you bounced back quick."
Feeling the faint thud through the floor, Grey looked at the approaching Kabutops and waved. "Feeling better? Don't go berserk again, okay?"
"Ku-tsa…"
Kabutops lowered its head. Its scythe-arms crossed and rubbed together.
"All right, we know it wasn't on purpose. Don't beat yourself up."
Xinde came over and patted Kabutops on the shoulder, his hearty laugh infectious. "Tell you what—since your revival succeeded, Cinnabar Lab's throwing a dinner tonight!"
"Gym Leader Grey—and the young lady next to you—make sure you both come!"
Even if none of the researchers made it, Grey had to—he was the lab's lifesaver. Otherwise, what's the point of a celebration?
Really, the dinner was a way to thank him.
At the very least, while he was on Cinnabar Island, they wanted to play proper hosts.
"Sure. I'll take you up on that."
Grey smiled, then glanced at his phone.
[Old Man Not Bald: I'm about wrapped up. This old man is heading to the old Cinnabar Gym site. You can come now.]
[Grey: Got it.]
With Blaine finished on his end, Grey got ready to head out.
"C'mon, Green. Let's go take a look at the Cinnabar Gym site."
Grey glanced at Green, who was happily snacking. "Save some room unless you want to watch us eat tonight."
"Got it, got it. I'm stopping here."
Interrupted mid-bite, Green chewed a few times and swallowed the fish jerky.
"Mr. Xinde, see you this evening."
"Yep—see you tonight!"
Xinde and the others watched Grey head off.
————
Old Cinnabar Gym site.
"No wonder they call it a 'site'…"
Green's eye twitched. Staring at a shack that looked like a collapsed ruin, she couldn't believe this had been one of the top three Gyms in Kanto.
Timbers had slumped everywhere, dust lay thick, and every beam seemed held together by cobwebs.
It was a wreck.
By comparison, Grey's Fighting dojo looked like a luxury villa.
"I'd braced myself, but… this is a lot."
Grey couldn't bear to look straight at it.
How hard had Blaine been hit by Red to close the Gym like this?
"Young man and woman, a Gym's worth can't be judged by appearances."
A weathered voice came from behind them. Grey turned and saw an elderly man with sandy-brown long hair standing there.
Round sunglasses, twin mustaches drooping under his nose, a turquoise-bead necklace at his throat—he looked like a stage comedian in costume.
"They say that a year ago, Cinnabar's Gym Leader Blaine had an exhilarating battle with a powerful opponent. Afterwards, he chose to close the Gym to further hone himself."
The old man rattled it off in one breath, like a Gatling gun; he didn't even pause:
"The rumor goes that at first he didn't plan to close, and still accepted challengers. But when the Trainers who came were a bit lacking, that's when Mr. Blaine resolved to shut the doors."
"So that's why this whole plot's been left to rot, huh?"
Grey looked over the grounds, feeling it was a waste.
If this were in Saffron City, it'd be a fortune in real estate.
And Cinnabar Island's a tourist hotspot—the land isn't cheap.
Letting it go to seed like this made his palms itch.
"Ahem. The man's getting on in years—no spare energy to fuss over such things."
The old man stroked his mustaches, full of sighs.
"Grandpa, what's your relationship with Blaine? How do you know all this?"
Green asked.
"My identity isn't important. What matters is someone asked me to receive you."
The old man grinned.
"…"
Grey pulled out his phone and dialed.
"I caught a Pokémon—"
"Whether in fire, or in water—"
A ringtone sang from the old man's pocket.
Six eyes locked. The moment went awkward.
"...…"
Grey narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Gym Leader Blaine, anything else you'd like to add?"
"Ahem."
Blaine coughed, stuck up a thumb, and tried to save face. "As expected of a young man who cracked my riddle with ease—seeing through this disguise so fast is no ordinary feat."
"All right, this isn't the place to talk. Follow me."
Blaine's tone shifted. He shot a deep look at the little Riolu on Grey's shoulder, then led the way.
"Before Cinnabar built its hot-spring industry, people here made a living selling Heat Rocks."
On the way to the new Gym, Blaine looked over the increasingly quiet island and grew wistful.
"Online they say I closed the Gym because the challengers were weak—is that what you thought too?"
"Not really."
Grey shook his head and followed Blaine's gaze across the island. "It was for the townsfolk, right?"
"Oh?"
Blaine raised a brow, surprised the boy hit the mark in one line. "Spell it out. I want to hear your take."
"You said it yourself—Cinnabar wasn't known for tourism at first. Before the hot springs, you sold things like Heat Rocks and Charcoal, right?"
Grey exhaled a puff of white in the cold.
"A few years back, Cinnabar went all-in on hot-spring PR and turned the place into a resort. Visitor numbers went up—but I'm guessing challengers coming to you dropped?"
"Exactly. Didn't expect someone your age to see it so clearly."
Blaine nodded hard. "Yeah. Since the shift to tourism, there are more visitors, but most challengers are just here for fun. They lack the 'spark' rookie Trainers used to have."
A wry smile tugged at his mouth. "Sigh. I envy you. Streaming every day, busting Team Rocket—what a life."
"Unlike this old man, scraping by on a League pension in the low hundreds of thousands, fishing at the pier to pass the time."
Grey, Green: "?"
Noticing their deadpan stares—
Blaine pivoted. "Battle me. If you win, I'll tell you a little secret nobody knows. How about it?"
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