In cities without Gym Leaders, it fell to the Joys to hand out general starters to the crop of new Trainers every year. Cities with Gyms or analogous institutions had their own Starter programs, but it was still common to liaise with Pokemon Centers for logistics.

Once everyone had gathered in the main Gym arena under a suitably dramatic spotlight, Janine let Nurse Joy go first; the Gym's starters were all Poison-types, naturally, and it was best to minimize the time they spent outside with unfamiliar stimuli and the chance of things going wrong. Everyone on hand had Antidotes ready- herself, Sakura, Nurse Joy and the ninja aides supervising unobtrusively from the ceiling and in the shadows.

Nurse Joy performed her duties with practiced ease, calling up Trainers in batches of three and delivering the miniaturized Pokeball to them with a smile, in the manner akin to sharing a business card.

Some Trainers shouted with joy, while others tried to keep their cool, but they all shared the glimmering look of excitement in their eyes.

The Pokemon Center's starter Pokemon were standard League policy: Rattatas, Pidgeys and Caterpies, with 2 Meowths and a Geodude to add some variety.

Of course, the highlight of the first half of the ceremony was when Nurse Joy smirked and threw a Pokeball in the air, from which Ino materialized in a flash of light and already in a cheerleader pose, arms raised and one leg stuck in the air. She twirled a bit before catching sight of Sakura and giving a mock-gasp. Her sister stood, shaking her head and smiling as her longtime partner rushed up to her and began shaking her hand as if this was their first time meeting.

It was a privilege to get Ino a year early; the benefits of early interaction and bonding between Trainer and starter could not be overstated. Their father had offered to give her an additional starter at the time, to represent their side of the family, but Sakura had unsurprisingly refused.

Janine smirked internally. Her sister was sneaky and cunning beyond her years, but she was confident her secret was intact. But all that was for later, in private, and for now Janine had a duty to fulfill.

Where there was overlap between the Fuchsia Gym's remit and the Center's, Janine held precedence. Hopefully the Trainers receiving their Weedles, Nidorans and Zubats appreciated the higher pedigree of their Pokemon compared to their standard or wild counterparts.

Janine also handed out an Oddish and a few Bellsprout, though sadly no Bulbasaur despite her efforts; Celadon took priority on Grass-Type Starters, and it was a friendly ongoing competition between the Gyms on who could hand out Grass/Poison starters. The Cerulean Gym didn't hand out Tentacool to their aspirants like she did, Fuchsia's location close to the sea making aspiring swimmers and marine Trainers more likely to come to her.

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More attention went to the Trainer who received a Qwilfish, along with the few other non-Kanto Pokemon among them; a few Spinarak, 2 Budew, and with more excitement, a single Skorupi and Croagunk.

Only the Fuchsia Gym's directly sponsored trainers, succeeding in the rigorous examination process to handle Poison-types, received the latter two, along with the traditional Fuchsia starters; a Koffing, Ekans and Grimer, and an additional Venonat, descended from her own personal Venomoth. Akiko, the girl she had chosen to be Venonat's partner, replied to her gaze with fierce determination, proving she understood the honor.

And finally, every Trainer had their starter. Janine graciously gave them a few minutes to interact with the new Pokemon companions, the air alight with pleased growls and chirps of Pokemon as excited to begin their journeys as their new human friends. She had been skeptical of the matchmaking algorithms that the League had recently implemented to ensure maximum compatibility between Trainer and starter, but so far it looked to be working.

But now it was time to bring the show to a close.

"Trainers!" Janine announced. The arena didn't become silent, but everyone still paid her attention.

"Today, you embark on a path of pride and wisdom, taking your journey in the wake of all those gone before. Yet there are, in truth, many paths to success, and you will discover for yourselves where your path leads. If you stay true to yourself and your partner, there are no limits to the heights you can achieve."

And then, in a maneuver she had been secretly practicing for the last month, she grabbed and threw six Pokeballs in the air, and her personal team appeared before their audience.

Her diva of a Roserade spun in front of her, red and blue petals showering the air. Janine realized she and Ino must have been practicing together.

To her sides, powerful forms loomed as Nidoqueen and Drapion roared and flexed, their tails thumping the ground and waving behind them.

Arbok coiled around her with her arms still outstretched, as if she was a tree. The serpent controlled his upper body to drape himself across her without exerting his weight, giving her the impression of a large crown with his hood.

In the air above them, Venomoth and Crobat created flashes of violet and gusts of wind with their mock aerial battle, zooming across the crowd before swerving back and hovering over her shoulders.

The Trainers and their starters had different reactions to the display, some stepping back and cowering, others vibrating with excitement and jumping in place. But all their eyes were shining, as they looked at what they could be.

I will ask you once more: are you ready?"

"YES!" came the resounding reply, Trainers lifting their fists, Pokeballs and even Pokemon into the air, while their Pokemon yelled with equal excitement.

"Good," Janine said, a genuine smile breaking through the stern facade she'd adopted, eyes roving around each and every Trainer to convey her will to them. She ended up, as she knew she would, on Sakura

Janine wasn't sure the ceremony would really move her sister, who already had a Pokemon and usually seemed so mature besides. But now, as Sakura smiled and fire burned in her eyes, Janine knew she would do great things.

Janine spoke her closing words, willing them to be true with every fiber of her being.

"I know you'll make us proud."