"What do you want to do young Tet?" asked the Professor, "I still have a slot left to endorse to trainers. You could try the league circuit and take on the Hoenn League."
Like what Ash and his group are doing? Tet mused internally. I don't know. I'm kind of scared, actually. Journeying by myself without a hint of knowledge concerning this world other than the games... I'm too unprepared. I could go with a group, but still... I thought I would be more excited to do this, but is it not the journey itself but being in a world of Pokémon that got me excited? His thoughts were a jumble as he grappled with the weight of the decision before him.
Tet let out a light-hearted chuckle as he jokingly asked, "Is it possible to be a Gym Leader?" A part of him found the idea appealing—the thought of settling down in a particular area, improving himself and his Pokémon through training, and taking on challengers at his own gym. However, he quickly dismissed the notion as unrealistic.
He considered the responsibilities of a Gym Leader. They were not only experienced trainers but also essentially acted as pseudo-rulers of their towns, akin to political leaders within the government. The complexities of such a position, coupled with his lack of experience, made the idea seem far-fetched and impossible. Tet's humor concealed a glimmer of longing, but the practicalities of the situation quashed the fantasy.
"Yes, it's possible," said Oak, shocking Tet from his thoughts.
"W-what? Isn't the role of a Gym Leader very important? is it really okay to just give that to some random kid? I don't even have an ID. I mean, Mew asked you to help me, but.." Tet quickly said, earning himself a chuckle from the professor.
"It's not that deep," Professor Oak said with a chuckle. "You can easily create a gym as long as you have a building and pass the test of the regional League. And as for your identifications, I've already got that covered. From now on, you're from a small secular island," Oak continued as he gave Tet his ID.
Tet's eyes widened in surprise. "T-thanks but, It's that easy?" he asked, his bewilderment evident looking at the ID in his hand.
"Yes, it's that easy. Of course, you'll only be recognized as a low-tier Gym, one of the many—a cannon fodder gym, to be brutally honest about it," Professor Oak said with amusement. "You can only battle trainers with less than 3 badges and can only have 2 Pokémon for battle, though you can have more in your roster. The minimum and maximum amount you can use in a battle is 2."
He continued to explain the conditions. "You must also not lose three times in a row, or lose that amount of times another three times, which is 9 battles in total. They should have just said 9 times, really. If you lose that many times, you risk losing your Gym Leader certificate, meaning the League won't sponsor and recognize you anymore as an official Gym."
Tet nodded as he took in this newfound information. The idea of becoming a Gym Leader, even a low-tier one, was starting to seem like a feasible and exciting possibility.
"How do I improve my Gym ranking?" Tet asked, his excitement growing as the possibility of becoming a Gym Leader seemed more tangible. Mawile, infected with its human's excitement lets out an enthusiastic cheer.
Professor Oak explained, "Survive for one year, meaning not losing three times in a row for a year straight, and you'll be allowed to battle trainers with less than 5 badges. The set amount of Pokémon you must use is raised to 4. Survive for another two years under such conditions, and you'll be promoted to the level of the 8 recognized gyms in Hoenn."
His enthusiasm was palpable as he continued, "The perks are great. You'll receive greater funds and support, and you'll also be allowed to directly challenge the current Champion without going through the Elite 4 and the initial 8 gyms. The conditions of not losing 3 times in a row and the set number of Pokémon used are lifted, and you get to decide. However, your performance will still be checked by the League. Poor performance can result in demotion."
Tet was captivated by the prospect and the path laid out before him. Becoming a Gym Leader, and perhaps even ascending to the level of the recognized gyms, was an enticing goal that had started to take root in his mind.
"Don't get too excited, you two," Professor Oak chimed in, amused by Tet and Mawile's enthusiastic expressions. "You haven't even decided on a location for the gym yet, nor have you passed the exam." His gentle reminder brought both Tet and Mawile back to reality. They both coughed, trying to contain their excitement, but the blush on their cheeks revealed their anticipation for the future.
"So, you've decided to embark on the path of being a gym leader?" asked the Professor.
Tet and Mawile exchanged glances, their decision clear in their eyes. They turned to Professor Oak and spoke in unison, "Yes, we want to open a Gym." "Mawile!~"
"Excellent!" Professor Oak exclaimed with a pleased smile. "Now we just have to decide where. As you know, I'm not from Hoenn, and the places you can choose to put a gym in are limited due to my being limited to help you in this region and other factors. However, I do have a friend who has mentioned to me that she's been wanting a Gym Leader to move to their island. It would give her students the opportunity to regularly witness battles taking place, and also stimulate the economy of the island with ongoing traffic of trainers wanting to challenge the gym," Oak explained, his tone thoughtful and encouraging.
"Then, if you would, Professor, thank you," Tet expressed his gratitude.
Professor Oak grinned and replied, "Get your stuff if you left any; we're going there right away."
Tet nodded, a renewed sense of purpose and excitement filling him as he prepared to embark on this unexpected adventure as a future Gym Leader.
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"We're here," Professor Oak announced.
"Wow," Tet muttered, his amazement evident at how quickly they had arrived thanks to Professor Oak's Alakazam teleporting them. Mawile, too, looked curious, experiencing teleportation for the first time.
Tet noticed Professor Oak walking forward and followed along, his backpack bulging from carrying a portable Incubator containing the Seviper egg he had taken with him.
He had returned to the Pokémon Center before leaving with Oak to retrieve the egg. Now that he had an ID, borrowing items such as the Egg Incubator had become possible, making it feasible for Tet to take the egg with him. Otherwise, it would have been a challenging task.
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"But, where are we, Professor?" Tet asked, Oak never really told him where they were going but he trusted the man enough now to follow him.
"Wait, I never explained it to you, did I? My bad," Professor Oak chuckled and rubbed his head in embarrassment. "Sorry, it turns out I was more excited about this than I thought—about what kind of Gym Leader you would become, especially as someone whom a Legendary Pokémon has its eye on," Oak said, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Tet suddenly felt a chill in his back and sweat a little, smiling weakly, "You're looking a little too highly at me professor."
The Professor just laughed in response, "Anyway, we're currently in Bomba Island. It's a private Island owned by the Pokémon Battle Judge Training Institute, a place of learning for those who wish to become Battle Judges."
Tet nodded along as he listened to Professor Oak's explanation. As he considered the location, a memory surfaced in his mind. I think I know this place, he thought to himself. Wasn't this that island from episode 93 or 92 of Pokémon Advanced? I remember there being a teacher named Serena and some guy named Jimmy.
"There it is, the Institute," Professor Oak announced, pointing ahead. "It's the only building on this island, other than the port."
Tet followed the professor's gaze, his curiosity growing as they approached their destination.
They soon reached the Institute, a three-story building with verandas extending up to the third floor. At the top, the center featured a prominent Pokéball logo. Professor Oak led the way through the front door, and Tet and Mawile followed him inside.
Inside, Professor Oak navigated the building with ease, his familiarity evident. Tet and Mawile followed, and together they climbed to the third floor. Along the way, they passed by students who chatted among themselves. Some were excited as they recognized the professor, their conversations filling the air with a buzz of anticipation.
Professor Oak and the duo paused in front of a luxurious wooden door. The professor noticed Tet's nervousness and reassured him, saying, "We're here. Don't be nervous; I can see you fidgeting with your fingers." He chuckled warmly before knocking on the door, a warm female voice told them to enter and they entered the room.
"Good morning, Serena. Your school is as wonderful as ever; I can feel the students' excitement to learn," Professor Oak greeted, engaging in small talk as he took a seat on a couch in front of Serena.
Serena, a beautiful blue-haired woman, was dressed in a red teacher's uniform with a black skirt. She smiled warmly and replied, "Thank you, Professor. I am very proud of my students. But I'm sure that isn't the reason for your visit. You mentioned in a message that you would be coming here with a Gym Leader candidate."
Tet and Mawile stood nearby, feeling a bit nervous but also curious about the conversation that was about to unfold.
"Yes, this is the one I mentioned," Professor Oak confirmed, gesturing towards Tet and Mawile. "His name is Tet, and that's his partner, Mawile. Come here, Tet, sit. Don't just stand there," he said with a warm smile, motioning for Tet to join him. Tet followed the professor's invitation and took a seat beside him, with Mawile sitting comfortably in his lap.
"Hello, Professor Serena. You can call me Tet and this is Mawile, Nice to meet you," Tet greeted politely. Mawile joined in, offering her own greeting with a raised arm.
"Hello there Tet and Mawile, excuse me for saying this but you aren't a trainer are you?" Serena asked.
Tet widened his eyes, shocked that he was found out which was bound to happen as they really couldn't lie about it but from the get-go? How? Was it something on my face? he thought.
Serena smiled and replied, "I'm teaching battle judges, so we're expected to be very observant, especially when judging fast-paced matches."
"Hahaha, you got it right, Serena. Tet isn't a trainer, but I think he has great potential," Professor Oak chimed in with good humor. "Can you guess how long Mawile and Tet have been together?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A few years?" Serena ventured, her expression reflecting her guess. "You have a really strong bond with your Pokémon, Tet. It shows; I can tell that Mawile adores you, just as much as you adore her," she added with a warm smile.
Professor Oak grinned and held up two fingers, prompting Serena to look a bit confused. She turned to Oak for further clarification, and he chuckled as he explained, "Two days. That's how long they've been together."
"Oh my, that's really rare, I have seen only a few who have become such good friends on the first meet. But, that doesn't really translate to battle preparedness does it?" said Serena, who was impressedly looking at the duo.
Professor Oak began to explain his plan. "No, but as I said before, I really think that Tet and Mawile have the potential to be really great. So I was hoping to have Tet study here for a bit, so he can pass the League test for Gym Leaders, and then I will sponsor the building of the—"
However, Tet interjected, "We can build it ourselves, Professor. You've already given us so much help, and I was also thinking of an outdoor gym where we would battle no matter if it rained or was scorching hot," Tet said. I also want to build it by myself... he thought blushing a bit at his childish interest.
And when the funds start rolling in, I could create a gym with artificial weather conditions, he thought to himself. It would be really bothersome to those without strong bodies like Steel-types or the same type as the current artificial weather. Tet couldn't help but get excited about the possibilities.
"Oh, so you already have a plan, have you decided on what type you would be focused on? Did I forget to mention that Gym Leaders are required to only use one type of Pokemon?" Professor Oak asked, scratching his head.
Deciding to save the Professor some face, Tet directly answered. "Yes, Professor. I plan to be a Steel Stype Gym Leader."
"Steel Type, huh? There's no Steel Type Gym in Hoenn yet, so that's a great choice, especially with Mawile as your starter," Professor Oak remarked, nodding with approval.
"Well, I wish you the best of luck in your plans, Tet. I hope you pass the Gym Leader test soon. We could really use a Gym here," Serena added, offering a warm smile. "The school will provide you with a room until you finish making the gym you're planning on building, but even after you're still free to sleep in the room whenever you want. Same with food, the cafeteria is on the first floor."
"Thank you, Professor Serena," Tet said with a slight bow, and Mawile followed suit.
Serena responded with a warm smile. "Just call me Serena. We'll be working together soon, after all."
"Okay, Serena," Tet replied with a more relaxed smile.
"I guess my part here is done, I wish you luck young Tet in your endeavors, I need to go back to my lab," said Oak. "You know where to call me, if not then just ask your Professor there Serena, I'll be seeing you later!"
And with that Professor Oak straight up vanished.
I'm still not used to this teleportation bullsh*t. Tet thought shaking his head.
"That man, he just goes wherever he pleases then leaves just as fast," said Serena with a smile, shaking her head exasperatedly. "But enough about that, just beside this building is the dorm room for staff and students. The first floor is for students, and the second floor is for staff members. My room is at the top. There are only two rooms there; the other one beside mine is usually reserved for guests, but you can take it. That's all. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask."
"I do have one more question. Where can I start surveying the area for the gym? I want to get a head start," Tet blushed a bit as he said that, his eagerness showing through.
"Anywhere on the island, really. It's a pretty small island, so the students wouldn't have a hard time watching the future matches. That was part of the deal, after all," Serena said with a smile.
"Yes, but I was hoping that the path to my Gym would be challenging, in line with the theme of the gym being the ruggedness of nature. I guess I could create a path from the school to the gym," Tet suggested.
"Yes, that would be much appreciated. I'm glad to see you're already making plans for the gym; it shows that you're taking this seriously. Just be careful not to get too far ahead of yourself, or you might stumble," Serena advised.
"Noted," Tet said with a smile, he thanked the Professor once more then left with Mawile.