At this moment, another old acquaintance was arriving on the Breeding Path.
The spiky-haired boy walked along the path with his Umbreon. He noticed that the road seemed different.
It wasn't this wide or this smooth before.
And both sides certainly weren't lined with freshly sprouted saplings.
Gary, having returned to the Sinnoh region, had come to visit Victor first thing.
He looked at the greatly changed road, a little confused, but sped up when he saw the outline of the house in the distance.
He walked up to the Breeding House entrance, where Lilligant and Roselia were in the process of carrying the sign back inside.
"Lili?" Lilligant saw Gary and his Umbreon, a little puzzled.
Why are you here?
Gary quickly helped them move the sign back, then asked, "I came to interview the owner. Is he here?"
Lilligant smiled and nodded, then signaled for him to come in. After closing the door, she and Roselia led him towards the backyard.
Just as he walked into the kitchen, he saw Victor walk in from the back door.
Seeing Gary, Victor was stunned.
Didn't he go back to Pallet Town? What is he doing at my Breeding House?
"Owner," Gary greeted him politely.
"Eon," Umbreon echoed.
"Gary? I thought you went back to Pallet Town."
Just as Gary was about to answer, he heard another voice from behind Victor.
"Do we have a guest?"
Victor moved aside from the back door, and a beautiful, golden-haired figure appeared in front of Gary.
A familiar face.
Champion Cynthia?!
Gary's pupils contracted.
Why is Champion Cynthia at the Breeding House? Did I come at a bad time? Am I interrupting the owner?
Gary's mind raced.
"This is one of my... uh... students, I guess," Victor said, after thinking for a moment, introducing him to Cynthia.
Hearing Victor call him his student, Gary was deeply moved. He immediately called out to Cynthia:
"Hello, Mentor's Wife!"
Cynthia: ?!
Victor: You big oaf, what are you doing?!
Victor quickly tried to explain.
Gary's face turned red.
Wait—so she's not?!
Victor shook his head.
Cynthia, however, didn't seem to mind.
"Champion Cynthia, hello. I'm Gary Oak, from Pallet Town," Gary said, re-introducing himself.
Cynthia nodded. "Hello."
Then she seemed to remember something.
"Pallet Town? Is there a trainer from Pallet Town named Ash?"
Gary looked up, puzzled. How does Champion Cynthia know my childhood friend, too?
He nodded and asked, "Champion, you know Ash, too?"
Cynthia smiled. "I've heard many people talk about him," she said, glancing at Victor.
Gary immediately understood.
"Big Brother Gary!"
Shana squeezed out from behind Cynthia. Seeing Gary, she called out happily, ran to his side, and took his hand.
"Come see the sandcastle I built today! It's super cool!"
Gary smiled and let Shana pull him away.
Victor and Cynthia exchanged a look, smiled, and followed.
After they had played with Shana for a bit, Shana seemed to realize that Gary had business with Victor and Cynthia, so she obediently took Umbreon and the other Pokémon to play elsewhere.
Gary came back to Victor and Cynthia, hesitated, and then looked at the Champion.
"Champion Cynthia, could I trouble you for a battle?"
Hearing the word "battle," Cynthia snapped the book in her lap shut. A sharp light flashed in her eyes as she looked at Gary.
Victor's student?
"Alright."
Victor, who was listening, chimed in. "A pre-dinner battle? Works for me."
He led them to an open area and took on the role of referee.
Shana and all the other Pokémon gathered around to watch.
"Gary," Cynthia said lightly, "let me see the strength of Victor's student."
Gary's expression turned serious.
Garchomp descended from the sky, its aura terrifying.
Gary flicked his wrist, and his Blastoise appeared.
At Victor's command, the battle began.
"Ice Beam!"
"Dodge it! Dragon Rush!"
"Hydro Pump!"
"Thunder Fang!"
The battle ended with Gary being utterly crushed.
He wasn't sad, though.
The owner was right. My strength is still not enough.
Gary smiled to himself.
You want to become a Pokémon Master, Ash, but I won't be left behind!
Thinking this, he looked up at Cynthia.
"Thank you for the match."
Cynthia gave a small smile and shook her head. "You're very strong, Gary. I can tell you care deeply for your Pokémon."
Victor, watching from the side, also saw the change in Gary and felt gratified.
"Alright, battle's over! Time to eat!" Victor clapped his hands and announced.
The Pokémon all cheered.
...
After dinner, Victor sat at the table, sipped some berry juice, and asked Gary, "Didn't you go back to Pallet Town?"
"I went back, explained the situation to my grandfather, and then I decided to make the Sinnoh region the first stop for my research."
Victor nodded. The Sinnoh region. That works.
Cynthia sat nearby, listening quietly, with Vulpix in her lap.
Professor Oak's grandson? Victor's student? She nodded to herself.
"By the way, Owner, I'm sure Ash will be here soon, too."
So, he's already battled the Ash who conquered the Battle Frontier? Victor thought.
Cynthia, hearing Ash's name, squinted her eyes.
That trainer named Ash is coming to travel in Sinnoh?
She smiled. I look forward to meeting that boy.
"By the way, Gary, have you thought about challenging the Sinnoh League's Gyms?"
Gary paused. "Challenge the Gyms?"
"That's right."
Hearing Victor, Gary thought for a moment. "But I'm not planning to challenge the Sinnoh League Conference."
Victor shook his head. "Challenging Gyms doesn't mean you have to challenge the Conference."
"If you want to be a strong researcher, you still need to battle different trainers. Aren't Gym Leaders the best choice for that?"
"Besides, the badges you win... you can give them to me for safekeeping."
Victor said this without batting an eye. After all, I haven't even seen a real badge yet.
"You mean... just challenge the Gyms?" Gary asked, considering it.
"But if I've already challenged all the Gyms, wouldn't it be a waste not to go to the Conference?"
Victor knew this, of course. But this was the Sinnoh League. Ash would be there, which meant the "Legendary Guy" (Tobias) would be there, too.
Victor shook his head and didn't say any more.
"Or... does the Owner think the trainers at the Sinnoh League Conference aren't strong enough?"
Pfft!
Victor spit out his tea.
He looked at Cynthia, who was smiling gently at him.
"I'm not, I didn't, it wasn't me!" Victor shook his head frantically.
"It's all up to you," Victor said, forcing himself to look calm.
"Just remember, challenging Gyms isn't your main goal. Your main goal is to become an excellent Pokémon Researcher."
Gary nodded, understanding.
Victor suddenly thought... If Gary participated in this League Conference... wouldn't that be interesting?
He suddenly had a mischievous idea.
But, it was all up to Gary's personal choice.
...
Elsewhere, in a certain forest.
Paul threw a Poké Ball, hitting a Starly on the head.
It didn't go in.
"Tch. It's already caught?"
He recalled his Poké Ball, preparing to turn and leave.
"Hey! Have you seen a Pikachu around here?"
A boy with an Aipom ran over and asked him.
Paul turned and looked at the boy.
His "dead fish" eyes narrowed slightly.
...
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