On CGC-morning, Ran gets up with disgustingly mixed feelings. The moment he's been looking forward to for nearly three years soured by the knowledge that he'll be receiving his coveted second license out of Bugsy's hands. He still carries out his morning preparations dutifully, sharing a final breakfast with his father. The moment is heavy and emotional, their impending goodbye stilted by their disagreement over Ran's change in plans.

His father doesn't understand Ran's unwillingness to fight Bugsy for his first badge, arguing that the importance of earning his hometown badge surely outweighs any personal issue Ran might have with the new Gym Leader. But Ran wasn't swayed last night and he won't be swayed now, simply finishing his breakfast and not raising the point again. Their final goodbye is awkward and stilted, though his father's hug is fortunately no weaker for it. Then, he sets out towards the Gym.

Arriving a few minutes before the Gym is due to open, Ran isn't surprised to see Spencer already standing there, the other boy's insecurities leaving him incapable of showing up anywhere any later than fifteen minutes early. Taking a good look at his companion's chosen traveling gear, Ran can't help but be somewhat dismissive of the other boy's attire. Sure, the dark shirt, pants and slightly lighter gray coat go well with his naturally dark gray hair, but it's such a formal and uncomfortable outfit for traveling. Add to that Spencer's not particularly sturdy looking glasses, and Ran can't help but worry for just how intact his slight friend's outfit will be after a few days of journeying.

Ran's own trusty purple jacket with woolen lining, fingerless gloves and sturdy black boots are far more suited for the rigors of the road, in his opinion. Of course they'd discussed clothing as part of their extensive planning in the past, but when Spencer had retorted that Ran kept his hair at an impractical length, he'd let the matter rest before they devolved into an actual argument. There was no accounting for taste, after all.

With everything there was to be said between them already long discussed, Ran and Spencer merely wait patiently for the Gym to open up for a few minutes. Before it can, however, they notice another boy their age running towards them.

The familiar figure of Tommy Park comes to a stop in front of them, panting heavily as the tall blonde catches his breath. Surprised by the unexpected appearance, Ran voices the first thought that comes to his mind, "I heard you'd given up?"

Taking in one more breath before properly standing upright again, Tommy jerkily combs a hand through his short hair, his broad shoulders tensing for a moment at the sight of the other two boys, as his eyes lock angrily with Ran's.

"I didn't give up asshole, I was planning to delay things a bit, if you have to know. But that was before good old Bugsy became Gym Leader! He's changing the gym specialty to Bug types and he's looking for Gym Trainers, so I'm here to apply for a job!" The blonde explains with an enthusiastic, challenging grin, before turning his attention to Spencer, voice slightly friendlier as he continues, "You should consider doing the same thing, Curtis. Assuming there's a Bug type in that second ball of yours, or you're not too attached to it yet."

"No thanks," Spencer scoffs derisively, "Working for the guy that beat me for the sponsorship? As an entry-level Gym Trainer? Unlike you, I have some self-worth."

"Oh yeah?!" Tommy blusters, drawing himself up as his face rapidly goes red, now clearly upset with both Ran and Spencer, "You think I won't beat you into the ground just because Carr beat me three years ago? Ledyba and I have gotten a lot stronger since then! We'll dismantle you and that stupid Pineco of yours like it's nothing! You're just a one-trick pony!"

Before Spencer can retort, Ran speaks up, "Tommy, shut up. First of all, Spencer would wipe the floor with you and second, there's someone coming to open the door."

The first part of his statement doesn't calm Tommy down in the slightest, but the mention of the Gym opening does. Just in time as well, as all three boys turn to face the door mere moments before it opens, all of them coming eye-to-eye with a clearly surprised Bugsy.

"Oh, you're all here already! Hello! I suppose you'll be wanting your CGCs then? Come on in! Mister Phillips decided to leave earlier than expected, so I didn't get everything set up just yet, but I know I put them to the side… somewhere…" Bugsy rambles, as he lets them all into the Gym before wandering off through a door towards one of the employee-only areas.

Ran exchanges an annoyed look with Spencer, each second they spend in the Gym a second more than they want to be spending in Bugsy's vicinity. As they all wait quietly for a few minutes, the silence is broken only occasionally by the distant sounds of Bugsy moving things around and digging around amongst whatever stuff he has laying around. Tommy is clearly itching to continue the earlier confrontation, but Bugsy's distant presence appears to be enough to dissuade him, which Ran can be grateful for at least. Though it wouldn't be hard to humble the other trainer, it's a waste of time and effort he's not interested in at the moment.

Finally, the bustling ends and they can hear his footsteps approach once more. With a smile on his face and three licenses in his hand, Bugsy comes back into the entrance foyer, handing out the licenses as he speaks, "There we are, three licenses. Spencer Curtis, Ran Carr and Tommy Park."

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"Now," Bugsy eagerly wrings his hands together the moment they're free, "Shall I schedule the three of you for first-level gym battles? I don't have time today, unfortunately, but I could fit you in bright and early tomorrow morning!"

Tommy visibly wilts, but is the first to answer Bugsy's enthusiastic proposal, though he does so with shame writ large on his face, "I only have one pokémon and I can't pay the required fee for a challenge besides. I'm actually here to apply for a position as Gym Trainer."

Bugsy seems slightly disappointed at first, before visibly perking up at Tommy's interest in applying for a job, "Oh you are? That's wonderful! You have a Ledyba, if I recall correctly? That's perfect! I'll set you up with a loaner Weedle I caught last night. Familiarize yourself with it and come back this evening for your battle interview! Oh this is perfect, I was worried about finding a good Gym Trainer for the first and second level challengers!"

Whilst Tommy eagerly nods along, nearly glowing with pride ever since the word 'perfect', Bugsy turns back to Ran and Spencer eagerly, "What about you guys? Tomorrow morning? 9 a.m. and 9:10 a.m.? Two-on-two, first badge challenge?"

Ran has to fight the sour sneer that wants to push to the front of his face, but he manages to keep his reply neutral enough, "No thanks, I'll come back to challenge at a higher level later in my journey."

He doesn't even wait for Bugsy's reply, instead turning on his heel and heading right for the door, only distantly aware of Spencer's own refusal of Bugsy's inquiry, before his traveling companion hurriedly strides after him. CGCs in hand, there's nothing keeping them in Azalea Town for now. Not taking on the Gym challenge will necessitate a return, but after a week spent poring over maps and debating heatedly, there's no more time to be wasted.

The original plan, which Ran recalls fondly, called for departing Azalea with a badge under their belt and heading to Goldenrod, crossing to Cianwood, crossing again to Olivine, then Ecruteak, Violet, Blackthorn and finishing with Pryce in Mahogany. But with them needing to come back to Azalea Town, that plan sees them finish in northern Johto with seven badges. By that point they might have sufficiently large flying types, teleporters or the finances to pay for one of those services, but what if none of those solutions are viable and they do end up short on time towards the end of the season?

Ran is ultimately willing to take the risk, knowing that Zubat's later evolutionary stages are strong enough to serve as flying mounts, even if neither one is particularly well known for offering a comfortable flying experience, like the Pidgey line. But Spencer had vetoed keeping to the original plan the moment it became clear that would mean he'd have to fight Whitney for his first badge. The plan had been a hard enough sell when Goldenrod was the second badge on their schedule, but convincing Spencer to meet Whitney without any badges to his name at all had proven impossible. Not that Ran begrudged him, as Spencer's admiration of Whitney was one he'd been well aware of for years at this point.

Of course, not going to Goldenrod means heading to Violet City instead, a destination both young men agreed on easily enough. It's the continuation from that point on that caused a heated, and still ongoing, debate. The 'obvious' route, which would be the most efficient and is thus the one favored by Spencer, sees them brave the Dark Caves between Violet and Blackthorn, then head west through Mahogany and Ecruteak to Olivine. They'd then make the excursion to Cianwood, head to Goldenrod next and finish in Azalea Town for their eight badge challenge. Spencer is enthusiastic about facing Whitney so late in the journey, hoping to have a team capable of genuinely impressing her by then and Ran won't deny that it's tempting to face Bugsy's Gym at the highest tier of challenge it offers.

But the Dark Caves have a six-badge advisory limit for a reason and, although Zubat might be right at home there, Ran is especially hesitant to trust any of either his or Spencer's pokémon against the numerous Rock and Ground types that are omnipresent in such cave systems. Instead, after Violet City, he suggested Ecruteak, then the Olivine-Cianwood-Goldenrod triangle, heading back home for their sixth badge, arranging a small crossing to Cherrygrove or cutting through the wilds properly along the coastline and then cutting up routes 46 and 45 to Blackthorn before once more finishing in Mahogany.

Admittedly, it had a similar problem as sticking to the original plan, just in the opposite direction. But at least it would hardly see them covering the same routes more than once whilst being an objectively easier journey than Spencer's suggested path.

With them both still firmly disagreeing on the matter, they agreed to postpone the decision until they both owned Violet City's Zephyr Badge. As Ran strides out of Bugsy's Gym and into the Town once more, the disagreement is admittedly far from his mind for the moment. Because soon enough, Spencer and he are sharing a final look as they stand on the village outskirts. Ran in particular has visited Route 33 plenty over the past few years, in his job as an apricorn-collector for Kurt.

But there's something special about standing in front of that same Route now, knowing that they won't be turning back to return to Azalea. Instead, finally, they set out, their journey at last begun.