The stadium roared with the cheers of an enthusiastic crowd. On one side, Lt. Surge, the formidable Vermilion City Gym Leader, stood confidently with his Raichu landing from a backward flip in a ready position. Across from him, Erika, the serene and composed Gym Leader of Celadon City, stood with her Vileplume, surrounded by a silvery mist that had exploded onto the field only moments ago. The air was thick with anticipation, charged like the sparks crackling from Raichu's cheeks beneath eyes fighting to stay awake.

"And Raichu launches a Thunderbolt!" exclaimed one commentator, his voice echoing throughout the stadium and across the live broadcast. "A classic move from Lt. Surge, but will it be enough?"

On the screen, Vileplume nimbly dodged, countering with a vibrant burst of Petal Dance. "Incredible agility from Erika's Vileplume!" the second commentator added. "It's a battle of speed and power, a true test of strategy and skill!"

The crowd held its breath as Raichu braced against the flurry of petals, its fur bristling with static energy. Lt. Surge shouted a command, and in a flash of light, Raichu unleashed a powerful Thunder, enveloping the field. Vileplume, resilient as ever, withstood the attack, its petals now glowing with a strange light.

"Erika's not backing down," noted the first commentator. "Her Vileplume is readying for Solar Beam. This could be the turning point!"

The stadium lights seemed to dim as Vileplume gathered energy, its petals shining brighter. With a sudden burst, the Solar Beam fired, striking the sluggish Raichu with a direct hit. Raichu wavered, struggling to stay upright by sheer will, but ultimately fell, defeated.

"And it's over!" the second commentator yelled. "Erika and her Vileplume take the victory in this electrifying opening battle of the League season!"

The stadium erupted in cheers and applause as Erika graciously accepted her win, while Lt. Surge recalled Raichu with a nod of respect. The host took the centre stage, his voice booming over the stadium, "And with that incredible battle, the Indigo League season has officially begun! Trainers, prepare for a season of thrilling challenges and epic battles!"

I nearly had to cover my ears from the deafening noise of the kids crowding into the reception lounge, letting out their own war cries. Not all were as enthusiastically involved in the commotion. There were a few wallflowers here and there, too cool or shy to express their excitement at what was likely their first season. Kids are easy to read if you pay attention, even the wallflowers couldn’t hide their emotions as well as they wanted. Hands shaking or squeezing into fists without conscious thought, eyes glued to the match like their own lives had been on the line.

I don’t blame them; I have no expectation of standing on that field. This world has already shown me that people here are just as unforgiving of an 'ex-con' as my old one. Yet, despite that, I could feel Ekans' body tensing with each surprising moment during the spectacle. He was wrapped around me, watching the screen from over my shoulder to see past the crowd. Even as the match ended, offering a glimpse of the pinnacle of potential, he vibrated with excitement. I don’t need that trophy or the praise of the spectators, but that strength to stand on par with a Gym Leader's true team. With that, my team and I could go anywhere without worrying about Team Rocket or the Police. It would be true freedom.

The individuals who captured my interest the most were the few older trainers in the room. There weren't many of them, and only one sported a full set of six Pokéballs on their belt. The rest, much like myself, had only a couple. My assessments were based purely on speculation, but considering Mr. Six-Balls' rather impressive gear and the array of sponsor logos adorning his clothing, it seemed the other older trainers were the determined few. Despite the financial challenges of supporting a full team, they hadn't abandoned their dream of one day standing on the stage we had just seen.

The host's declaration acted like a starting pistol, triggering trainers of all ages to scramble towards the doors. They were eager to seize the moment - some to grab a rival and drag them to the nearby practice fields, others to venture into the forest to capture their next or even their first Pokémon, and many were rushing to the nearest gym to claim their moment of glory. “So much for avoiding the rush to Brock’s gym” I muttered to Ekans.

“It’s not Brocks’s gym anymore, his little brother took over the trainer battles last year when he left.” My head snapped to look at Yasmin so fast you would think the Gym leaders battle was just the opening act and that she was the main event.

“When?” I all but demanded of her. She backed away in mock terror raising her palms in a calming motion.

"Whoa there, what's got your hackles up? Can't be the first time your busted brain misremembered something, right?" she joked, completely unaware of the significance of this revelation. "It happened at the beginning of the last season and caused quite the stir. His brother Forrest stepped in, though, with some oversight from his dad and the league."

So, that chaos magnet isn't lurking behind me, waiting to pounce at any moment. It's not a perfect guarantee he won’t show up, given that the timeline in the shows is virtually non-existent with him not aging a day in decades. But, at the very least, he shouldn't be in Kanto right now, right? Weren't the Orange Islands his next destination after the season? That would hopefully mean he's still there or on his way to Johto. My body visibly relaxed, releasing tension I hadn’t even realized I was holding.

“Sorry, read up on Brock as a gym leader, now I might have to change strategies. Just caught me off guard.” Total bull of course. I probably should have read up on stuff more, then again, I have never liked homework.

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much; gyms go easier on first timers. Even the older ones to some degree.” She reached down and gave Sandslash a scratch behind his head. “It’s us badge-bunglers that get treated like veterans and will need to step up our game.”

“What’s a badge bungler, and since when where rangers competing? Wouldn’t you crush these kids?” I was honestly a little shocked, both that a ranger could compete, and that Yasmin had plans too. I could see she had trained Sandslash into a beast, but she had never mentioned it before. She let out a long sigh before answering me.

“Badge-bunglers is what trainers get called when they keep trying and failing to get all 8 badges of a season.” She looked embarrassed to mention it. “Rangers don’t compete, A lot of experienced trainers just take on the work between seasons. Sandslash and I took a year off and where planning to keep training and come back the following season. Not everyone has the financial backing to go from one season to the next consistently.” She gestured to the trainer with the sponsors when she mentioned that. He was acting all self-important and sucking up the adoration of some kids that where gushing over him. Maybe I should tell him I have no Idea who he is and bring the ego down a bit. Meh, never mind, suppose that would just be mean when he’s not actually done anything to earn it. “However, I just kept finding reasons to push it to the next year, until the last 3 years passed by.”

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“So, do you like have a full team?” If this girl is hiding some kind of flying Pokémon that could have got us out of that forest sooner, I am going to be pissed.

“Ha! I wish. No, just the three now with Heracross joining.” She started to walk towards the door, now that the flood of trainers had passed, and I followed. “This will be our last go at it, if we don’t make it to the tournament, we will go ranger full time.”

"Why are you coming back now, and who's your third Pokémon?" I asked as we said goodbye to the lovely air conditioning and stepped out into the heat.

"I have a Primeape, but she can be a handful, especially with new people." Oh Arceus, please don't do this to me; I want to live a quiet life. "She's actually been getting more aggressive lately. I think she's hitting a plateau in her strength, it’s frustrating her, and I can't seem to push her past it."

I knew it! I swore to myself that Tangrowth would be a one-time thing. At least there are likely some of those walking around in the forests of Johto that people just haven’t discovered yet. But Primeape, that's a whole other story. I’m 90% sure Paldea hasn’t even been discovered by this region, let alone the evolution method of Primeape to Annihilape. Then again, I’m supposedly from Galar, so it’s possible they know about it. While I hadn’t kept up with all the new Pokémon over the years, I did tend to pay attention to changes made to the Gen I Pokémon. Unaware of my internal struggles, Yasmin continued the conversation.

“I decided to come back after fighting Heracross and meeting you. I forgot how much I loved the battle.” No, bad Yasmin, stop talking. “If an amnesiac ex-con can build up the courage to take a shot at the circuit, then what am I waiting for? So what if I only ever managed four badges at most? That’s still impressive with only two Pokémon, right?” she asked, lacking her usual confidence.

"I don’t have any badges, so I’m going to say yes," she laughed, and I saw some of her usual demeanour return. It looked like she was really waiting for that push.

“I’m actually hoping Heracross' look with his hoodie might be an attention grabber. Just enough to let me stand out and nab a sponsor so I can afford to field a whole team this time.” Yeah, because a hoodie-wearing bug is totally going to stand out over a new evolution, right, Cain?

“Hey, do you remember when I said my memory still retains stuff about Pokémon, even though my personal memories are gone?” She seemed a bit surprised by the change in topic but was happy enough to go with it.

"Yeah, I do. Wait, did something come back? We can head back in and call your family," she asked, completely happy for me despite the potential monster that could emerge if I reverted to the old Cain. Shit, are we friends? When did that happen, and how? I forbid it, or I would if I didn’t know it was too late. Okay, think. How can I phrase this so I won't end up being chased around the region by every crazed old guy in a white coat calling himself a Professor, until they exhaust themselves into the grave? And with that, the light bulb strikes again: Annihilape is a ghost-type. Everyone loves a ghost story, right?

“No, nothing like that. Just something you said has been itching at my brain,” I replied. She looked at me with curiosity but didn’t interrupt. “You mentioned your Primeape had plateaued, but I thought there was another evolution?” I got the same look Max had given me when I told his little brother about Tangrowth.

“No, unfortunately, Primeape is a final evolution. Everyone knows that.” Sandslash kicked a rock in disappointment at her words, clearly hoping for a solution to his teammate's problem. Ekans slithered off me and gave Sandslash a comforting pat on the shoulder. Smooth, bud. You’re good at this whole friend-making thing too. Look at us go. My shrink is going to be so proud of our progress. I wonder if she will release us from the mandatory sessions.

"Huh, maybe it’s a Galar thing then, like a regional variant? Forget about it, probably nothing." I let my words trail off. I could see Yasmin thinking it over. It didn’t take her long to take the bait.

“Come on then, might as well tell me. At this point, I would steal an evolution stone for her if that’s what it took.” I think she remembered in that moment that I was a convicted felon. “That’s just a turn of phrase. Stealing is wrong, Cain, understand? I wouldn’t actually do it, and neither should you.” I laughed at her panic and assured her that I would keep my pilfering to a minimum. She was not too pleased with that, but let it slide, assuming I was just poking fun.

“When you mentioned Primeape, a story started bouncing around in my head,” I said, gazing off into the distance as if trying to recall something just at the edge of my memory. I needed to sell this. “I can only remember the story, not where I know it from. It’s rather frustrating.” Suddenly, I had a very attentive audience of three.

“There was this town,” I began, noting Yasmin, Sandslash, and Ekans all tuning in with rapt attention. “It started experiencing some strange happenings. At first, everyone thought a mischievous Haunter was behind it, but then things turned dark, dangerous, and even violent.”

Yasmin’s eyes widened with intrigue. Sandslash shifted uneasily, and Ekans seemed to stiffen.

“The villagers were baffled,” I continued. “They sought advice from an elder, who revealed it wasn’t an ordinary ghost like a Haunter or Gengar. Instead, it was the enraged spirit of a Primeape that had been wronged. This Primeape had been loyal to a trainer who abandoned it for not being strong enough. Betrayed and left alone, it couldn’t find peace, consumed by a sense of injustice and fury.”

Ekans hissed, a sound that seemed to carry a note of understanding. I wasn't surprised he was the first to realize I was bullshitting. He really gets me, you know.

I paused, letting the eerie atmosphere of the story settle. “The elder said the spirit was trapped in a cycle of vengeance. Fuelled by its rage, the Primeape started striking out with its fists at any trainer's pokémon that entered the forest, each blow enhanced by its deep-seated anger. It kept striking, over and over, until something extraordinary happened. The Primeape transformed into a monstrous ghost, a being of immense power, forever changed by its rage and quest for retribution. It now roams the forest, eternally searching for the master who had forsaken it.”

“So, what happened to the town?” Yasmin asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

I shrugged, trying to maintain a nonchalant demeanour. “Not a clue, I told you it’s just a story bouncing around in my head.”

“So what, you think this story holds the key to evolving a Primeape? It wouldn’t be the first time but it’s a stretch…” Hey don’t go weak willed on me now, where was the Yasmin who wanted to plunder evolutions stones.

“Hey, you said you would try anything, anyway it should be easy enough to disprove. So we should check just to be sure.” Looks like I might have to spoon feed this too you.

“How so, oh great oracle of the evolutions?” Girl, if you only knew.

“According to the story, he wrapped his hands in deathly energy. If that’s a ghost-type energy like I’m thinking, we can just get Primeape to try learning to use that energy.” She looked at me sceptically.

“And how would this disprove or prove the theory?” she asked.

“As far as I know, Primeape can’t use any ghost moves, right?” Not strictly true, but true enough for the early games. I’m hoping it’s the case they don’t know that they have a couple. Yasmin started to nod with what I was saying. About time, slowpoke.

“They can’t, or at least they shouldn’t be able to. So if she can, then there must be something to it!” Finally, that was like pulling teeth.

“Yeah, step one: check for ghost-type energy; step two: stick it in a punch full of rage,” A bit on the nose here, but needs must. “Then punch as many Pokémon as we can till something happens, whether that be an evolution or a new move, still worth the effort.”

“Fuck it, why not.” Sandslash and Yasmin gave each other affirmative nods clearly making the decision themselves for poor Primeape. “If there is an evolution you don’t think she’d be evil like the one in the story?” Yasmin asked a bit worried.

“Doubt it as long as you don’t abandon her.” Thank you Venonat for the inspiration for that part of this story.

“I would never.” Yasmin stated with full conviction.

"I guess I should get ready to head into town. I'll need to sleep again soon to reset my body clock," I yawned, still feeling tired despite having slept most of the day. "Also, if anyone asks, could you avoid mentioning who told you the story? I'd rather avoid the attention." I would have said the same to Max, but Zack will likely tell everyone – kids are like that. Maybe I can say that I saw a mural in the Labyrinth.

"Right, you'll be heading out soon. It's going to be boring without your shenanigans, kid," she grinned at me. "And of course, I'll keep it quiet. We don’t even know if it will work yet."

“Kid, again, really?” she just laughed. “You could come with?” I asked surprising myself and Ekans, not that he seemed to mind.

“Honestly, I would love too…” She sighed

“But?”

“But, I only handed in my resignation today. Since I wasn’t planning on leaving for this season, I have to serve out my notice period.”

“How long, I could wait?”

“No, you can’t. It’s two months.” I winced knowing she was right. “I can afford to make that time up with my experience, you can’t.”

“Yeah, I suppose so.” Ekans must have picked up on the mood as he slithered back up onto my shoulder to nuzzle my check. I gave him a scratch under the chin in response.

“Oh don’t be such a baby, your such a Kid.” I gave her an affronted expression and stuck out my tongue, Ekans joining in. “You head out first and I’ll catch up when I can. We can keep up to date with each other over the phone when we have time.”

“Sure, sounds like a plan.” With that settled and an agreement made that I would introduce myself to Primeape before leaving, we headed back inside to go our separate ways. I headed back to the ward after realising I never booked a room and just reclaimed my bed. The Nurse didn’t seem to mind, so I just went with it.

"Best get some training in tomorrow, Ekans," I mused.

"Ekans," he agreed, his tone suggesting readiness.

"Feel like beating up some kids for their pocket money?" I half joked. He just shrugged nonchalantly and settled into the bed. "Yeah, we'll figure it out tomorrow. Night, bud."