The first trainer to earn the new Rota Badge has been announced, and to everyone's surprise, it's Erika, the Gym Leader of Celadon City. Many challengers found this unexpected.
There isn't much reference value here.
Although Cerulean Gym in Kanto is often considered a free win these days, Erika's Celadon Gym has maintained a good reputation.
Except for a few complaints due to her sleepiness causing her to be "unresponsive" to challengers, Erika has always displayed professional ethics and considerable strength.
It's not surprising that Erika earned the Rota Badge, but most challengers understand that trying to emulate Erika's Grass-type strategy at Rota Gym could be a disaster, especially if they face a Poison-type team.
Some even suspect that Erika's victory might be due to some leniency or a "gift" from Leader Dylan, as those who have faced both Rota and Celadon Gyms know that the two differ significantly in difficulty.
Erika, however, pays no mind to the rumors; she's in a great mood.
Yes, she has already decided—when she gets back, she will order a bracelet and use the Rota Badge as a decoration. Perfect!
After some casual chat, Erika, with an open mind, sought advice from Dylan, asking if there were any areas where she could improve.
Hearing this, the other four—Flint, Daisy, and the others—also looked curiously at Dylan.
"Actually, there isn't much wrong with Erika's performance," Dylan began after a moment of thought. "But if I had to give advice, I could offer two suggestions for her team."
Dylan noted that Erika's command skills and battle intuition were impressive.
There wasn't much Dylan could teach her in this regard since everyone has their own style. Although Erika is a talented trainer compared to most, she couldn't be compared to prodigies like Red and Blue.
"Please, Mr. Dylan, guide me," Erika said, her fair face turning serious.
She truly wanted to improve, or she wouldn't have traveled all the way to Rota Street to spar with Dylan.
As a Champion-level trainer, Dylan was naturally qualified to provide guidance.
"Erika, your main Pokémon mostly have the Chlorophyll ability, right?"
"Yes."
Erika was slightly taken aback but then nodded.
That was true. Her core team—consisting of Pokémon like Vileplume, Jumpluff, Bellossom, and Victreebel—all possessed the Chlorophyll ability.
"If that's the case, then Sunny Day is actually the most suitable weather for your team, Erika," Dylan said.
Chlorophyll only activates in Sunny Day, doubling the Pokémon's speed and significantly boosting their combat capabilities.
"But setting up Sunny Day requires the right timing, and the opponent can take advantage to power up or attack," Flint interjected. Trainers know that weather can greatly enhance certain abilities or types, but setting up weather takes time.
For instance, you set up Sunny Day, and the opponent could use the opportunity to perform Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, or even launch a fierce attack.
"But the benefits of Sunny Day to Erika's team are substantial, almost matching every key member," Flint added.
"Exactly. Most of my main Pokémon have learned Sunny Day, but…," Erika nodded. She was aware of this, but using Sunny Day in battle indeed required careful timing.
"Then why not train a Pokémon with a weather-inducing ability?" Dylan suggested with a smile.
"A weather setter?" Erika was intrigued, starting to grasp his meaning.
"Yes, a weather setter like Ninetales with the Drought ability or Torkoal," Dylan continued with a smile. "Trust me, Erika."
Her team's moves, like Solar Beam, would also benefit from Sunny Day, as it would allow the move to be used without charging.
"If you add a weather setter, your team's strength will significantly increase," Dylan explained. Pokémon with abilities like Drought could activate Sunny Day upon entering the battle, without needing to use the move itself.
"Of course, this only applies in official battles since we can't switch Pokémon during Gym matches, but Ninetales can learn Baton Pass."
"So, Erika, do you understand?" Dylan smiled, indicating that Ninetales could pass its status changes to a teammate through the Baton Pass move.
Erika felt enlightened; this was indeed a path she hadn't considered.
"But would Erika's team still be considered a Grass-type team?" Daisy asked, concerned that adding Fire-types might dilute her team's identity.
"Why wouldn't it be?" Dylan chuckled.
"Ninetales is a Fire-type, isn't it?"
Daisy was confused. Wasn't that a problem? Fire counters Grass, after all.
"You can't think of it that way. As long as the Pokémon complements the team, it doesn't change the team's overall type," Dylan replied, shaking his head.
"Think about this: When Lance became the Champion of Kanto, his lineup included Gyarados, Aerodactyl, two Dragonair, and a Dragonite. Yet, he was still known for his Dragon-type expertise."
Daisy: (.)
"And when Agatha became a member of the Elite Four, her team included Gengar, Crobat, Haunter, Arbok, and another Gengar, but she was still recognized as a Ghost-type master."
Flint: (—)
"Former Champion Steven of the Hoenn region reached the top with a team consisting of Skarmory, Lileep, Claydol, Armaldo, Aggron, and Metagross, but he was still a Steel-type expert."
"So adding a Ninetales to Erika's team shouldn't be a problem at all, right?" Dylan spread his hands as if stating the obvious.
"Actually… that does make sense," Lily hesitantly agreed. In common logic, specialization meant uniform type coverage in the team.
"Adding one Ninetales or even two weather setters like Ninetales and Torkoal still makes Erika's team Grass-centric," Dylan asserted confidently.
"If I have a team of mostly Dark-types, even if I add Articuno or Drapion, it would still be considered a Dark-type team!"
The declaration stunned everyone.
Erika's eyes lit up, "I understand now!"
She realized she could add Ninetales to her team while still considering it Grass-centric because most of her Pokémon were still Grass-type. It didn't need to be a pure Grass team.
"Well done!" Dylan nodded approvingly.
"And what's your other suggestion, Mr. Dylan?" Erika asked eagerly. She had already decided to catch a Vulpix with Drought. Dylan had truly enlightened her!
"The second suggestion is simpler: just add some strong reinforcements," Dylan said thoughtfully.
"Do you have any recommendations?" Erika inquired. She was indeed planning to train more key members.
"There are many excellent Grass Pokémon. I noticed you're pretty good with Poison-types, so consider catching a Bulbasaur. Whether it has Overgrow or Chlorophyll, it's a good fit, and Venusaur has high potential," Dylan suggested.
Erika's eyes gleamed; she had already considered training a Venusaur.
"Other recommendations include Serperior with Contrary, Rillaboom with Grassy Surge, and Lurantis. These three are all strong, versatile Grass-types," Dylan added. "Especially Rillaboom; I don't need to explain how beneficial Grassy Terrain is for Grass-types."
"I understand!" Erika carefully memorized the Pokémon Dylan had mentioned, though she couldn't help but wonder what he meant by "serious Grass-type Pokémon." Are there serious and non-serious Pokémon? Is it because of their nature?
After chatting about recent events for a while, time flew by, and a few more challengers arrived in the afternoon.
Erika and the other four didn't leave either, as they had all closed their Gyms for the day, so they weren't in a hurry. Watching Dylan battle the challengers was quite entertaining, especially when they saw the challengers' frustrated expressions; Flint and the others couldn't help but smile.
At dusk, Dylan warmly invited Erika and the others to dinner.
"Come again next time when you have a chance," Dylan said, personally seeing them off at the entrance of Rota Gym.
"Of course, if there's a chance, I'll definitely come to visit again. Thank you for your guidance today, Mr. Dylan," Erika replied with a polite and graceful demeanor. Although she was dressed in modern attire, she still exuded an elegant and composed aura—quite a contrast to how she was in the chat group.
"Well then~ We'll definitely be back. By the way, Gym Leader Dylan, are you really not going to give me a Rota Badge?" Violet teased mischievously. "I could introduce you to my eldest sister and third sister!"
Hearing this, Daisy couldn't help but cover her face with her hand, while Lily blushed and glared at her second sister.
"Why don't you just offer yourself to Gym Leader Dylan?"
"If he's willing, of course I'd be up for it, hehe~" Violet giggled.
"Apologies, Gym Leader Dylan. My sister is acting up again. You're always welcome to visit us in Cerulean City," Daisy said with a laugh, covering Violet's mouth and speaking to Dylan apologetically.
"Don't worry about it. I'll visit when I get the chance," Dylan replied with a chuckle, glancing at Violet, who was still playfully winking at him despite her mouth being covered.
"Haha~ Pewter City is always open to you too, Gym Leader Dylan," Flint said with a hearty laugh.
"I'll be sure to visit when I can," Dylan replied with a nod, watching as the Gym Leaders departed.
After bidding his fellow Gym Leaders farewell, Dylan headed to the backyard and opened two Poké Balls.
Two beams of white light flashed, and two Pokémon appeared in front of him.
To his left was a small, floating creature with a wide, flat head, a slender body, and a light blue color. This was Dreepy, which had been sent over by Chairman Charles Goodshow!
Beep~ Dreepy, a Dragon/Ghost-type Pokémon, the Wistful Pokémon.
Ability: Clear Body
Moves: Bite, Quick Attack, Astonish, Infestation, Sucker Punch (Egg Move)
Description: Once inhabited the ancient sea, and after becoming a Ghost-type Pokémon, it now roams its former home.
Chairman Charles Goodshow sure works fast! Dylan couldn't help but be impressed; Dreepy was a pseudo-legendary Pokémon from the Galar region, and Goodshow had managed to get it for him in just one day.
The Clear Body ability was quite useful too, as it prevented the Pokémon's stats from being lowered by moves like Intimidate.
To his right stood a bipedal, silver-white Pokémon made entirely of aluminum metal, with a clear structure and a monster-like appearance. This was Duraludon! Old Itto's efficiency was impressive too; Dylan had only mentioned it yesterday, and today the rare Pokémon had already arrived.
Beep~ Duraludon, a Steel/Dragon-type Pokémon, the Alloy Pokémon.
Ability: Light Metal
Moves: Wide Guard, Metal Sound, Hone Claws, Metal Claw, Rock Smash, Mirror Coat (Egg Move)
Description: Its body is made of special lightweight metal, allowing it to move nimbly. It dislikes rain and lives in caves.
This combination of Dragon and Steel was truly magnificent! Out of the eighteen types, it's immune to Poison, resistant to ten types, and has a quadruple resistance to Grass-types, with only double weaknesses to Fighting and Ground. The type synergy is just perfect!
And if Duraludon uses the Metal Alloy item, it can evolve into Archaludon, becoming as strong as any pseudo-legendary.
Dylan felt satisfied as he looked at Dreepy and Duraludon. His Dragon-type team was nearly complete.
With four pseudo-legendary dragons and a promising young Dragon-type, he hoped challengers would enjoy facing them!
(End of the chapter)
Time flew by, and half a month had already passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Dylan's Dragon-type team had begun to take shape, and Rota Gym's roulette now boasted a new type—Dragon!
Unsurprisingly, this addition gained significant popularity among challengers.
After all, the Kanto Champion, Lance, is known for his Dragon-type Pokémon, and many people in Kanto hold a special fascination for Dragons.
However, Kanto has very few native Dragon-type Pokémon, making it hard for many trainers to fulfill their desires.
With the new Dragon-type lineup at the Rota Gym, it became quite popular, as many people were eager to experience the power of Dragons firsthand!
But...
Well, the Dragon-type team had only been available for three days, and those lucky enough to face it claimed Dylan's methods were utterly ruthless.
After battling him, they didn't want to engage in Pokémon battles again for a while.
Today was Friday, at Rota Gym.
"In one more week, I'll reach the Necrozma storyline." Dylan sat in the backyard, a smile slowly spreading across his face.
Yes, his simulation in the Alola region was finally advancing to the Necrozma plot.
This also meant he was close to completing Alola's first storyline! He was about to get Necrozma!
"Once I get Necrozma, I'll head to the Unova region."
Dylan's eyes flickered. If N could take Zekrom from Dragonspiral Tower, then I, Dylan, can surely take Reshiram!
Dylan considered himself real enough—who in this world is more real than him?
"If my authenticity can't awaken the White Dragon, then I'll just physically force it to. With Necrozma, I won't need to worry about such things."
Dylan confirmed his plan. No matter what, he would head to Unova for Reshiram. Once he found it, things should go much smoother.
"Brother~"
"What's up, Lillie?"
Dylan looked toward Lillie, who was running toward him in a flowing white dress.
"Someone's here to see you. He said his name is Carsey." Lillie's smile was pure and sweet.
"Carsey?" Dylan raised his brow.
In the guest room...
"Ah~ I've heard so much about the famous Dylan! Now that I've seen you, you're just as impressive as they say—young, heroic, and full of potential!"
The chubby, trendy man with curly hair and sunglasses enthusiastically shook Dylan's hand. Or rather, he was overly enthusiastic, with no sense of personal space.
"You've taken down multiple high-ranking Rocket executives! Now, you're the hottest Gym Leader in Kanto! You've created various tactics and roulette challenges. My admiration for you is like a river, flowing endlessly, or…"
Carsey continued his excessive praise, possibly not even aware of what he was saying anymore.
Behind Dylan, both Ilene and Lillie had peculiar expressions on their faces.
"Stop, stop, any more praise and I'll blush. Carsey, just tell me—what do you need?"
Dylan interrupted with a laugh, gesturing for Carsey to sit down while he asked curiously.
"Hehe~ Dylan, your popularity in Kanto is soaring! Super high!"
Carsey grinned, lowering his sunglasses slightly to give Dylan a thumbs-up.
"I personally admire you a lot—seriously amazing!"
"But have you ever heard of the Battle Frontier?" Carsey asked, changing the subject.
"The Battle Frontier?" Lillie and Selene were both surprised.
"The Battle Frontier, also known as the Battle Zone, is a facility open only to elite trainers. It's similar to Gyms, but much more difficult to challenge," Dylan explained.
"The trainers in charge of these facilities are incredibly strong."
Dylan's explanation was spot-on. The Battle Frontier is indeed harder than regular Gyms.
In particular, the Battle Frontier in Kanto boasts top-tier trainers like Salon Maiden Anabel and Pyramid King Brandon. They are not opponents ordinary trainers can overcome.
Before Caitlin became a Unova Elite Four member, she was also one of the Frontier Brains in the Sinnoh region, though her butler often battled in her place since she couldn't control her psychic powers back then.
"Hehe~ Dylan, you're absolutely right." Carsey's grin widened, his tone full of pride.
"The Battle Frontier is a place for strong trainers, and if you defeat a Frontier Brain, you earn a 'Symbol,' a badge of honor!"
Carsey, who was responsible for recruiting strong trainers to serve as Frontier Brains, had every reason to be proud.
"That sounds impressive," Lillie remarked, clearly intrigued.
"It is. Some of the trainers in the Battle Frontier are extremely powerful," Dylan nodded.
"But I'm curious—why have you come to see me?"
Dylan was puzzled. Carsey, who should be traveling the world recruiting strong trainers for the Battle Frontier, had shown up here.
Could it be that he wanted Dylan to become a Frontier Brain?
"Hehe~ Would you be interested in becoming a Frontier Brain, Dylan?" Carsey rubbed his hands together with a sleazy grin.
Ah, so that's what this was about.
"Carsey, what makes you think I'd give up being a Gym Leader to become a Frontier Brain?" Dylan chuckled. He acknowledged that the Battle Frontier was prestigious, especially with trainers like Anabel and Brandon.
But the Battle Frontier was a privately-run facility, while Gym Leaders were backed by the Pokémon League, a much more secure position.
He'd have to be out of his mind to quit being a Gym Leader to become a Frontier Brain.
"Don't get me wrong, Dylan! That's not what I meant." Carsey quickly shook his head.
"What I'm suggesting is that you continue being a Gym Leader while also taking on a part-time role as a Frontier Brain. What do you think?"
"Oh?"
Dylan raised his brow.
"I can arrange for your Battle Facility to be scheduled later on. Given your strength, you definitely deserve it," Carsey said sincerely.
"You've got more to this plan, don't you?" Dylan glanced at Carsey. This guy didn't seem very serious, and he definitely had some tricks up his sleeve.
"Hehe~ You're sharp, Dylan. Since you know about the Battle Frontier, you probably realize that challengers are handpicked elite trainers—either chosen by me or recommended by the Frontier Brains."
"But we still don't have enough challengers," Carsey admitted, throwing up his hands helplessly. He wanted to maintain the Battle Frontier's high standards, which meant it was only open to top-tier trainers.
However, there weren't many trainers at that level, and it was even harder to find those willing to challenge the Frontier.
"So, you think I could make recommendations?" Dylan asked, raising his brow.
"Exactly! Everyone knows you're strict with challengers, so anyone you recommend would undoubtedly be qualified to challenge the Battle Frontier," Carsey said with a wide grin.
Lillie and Ilene both nodded in agreement. Dylan's standards for handing out badges were notoriously high, so anyone who earned his badge had either tremendous potential or excellent skills.
Carsey really knew how to pick his people.
"If you know me that well, you should also know it's been nearly three months, and I've only issued one new badge so far," Dylan remarked with interest.
"Doesn't this just prove that your standards are high, Gym Leader Dylan? I fully agree with that point, and I'm precisely looking for challengers capable of taking on all the battle facilities."
Carsey grinned mischievously. The Battle Frontier he had founded had yet to see anyone perfectly conquer all the challenges.
There was one trainer, Reggie, who was quite strong. Carsey even believed he could become a Frontier Brain, but in the end, he was defeated by Brandon.
The defeat broke Reggie's spirit, and he nearly abandoned his career as a Pokémon Trainer. When Carsey heard this, he sighed deeply. He had tried to console Reggie, but it didn't help.
However, later on, Reggie reached out to Carsey again, fully recovered, and expressed his intention to challenge the Battle Frontier once more, much to Carsey's surprise.
It was then that Carsey learned from Reggie about Dylan and the Rota Gym, and the rest was history. The Rota Gym had since become the most famous Gym in Kanto, without question.
Well, although not all of that fame was entirely positive.
"I'm not particularly interested in becoming a Frontier Brain," Dylan said, shaking his head.
Indeed, Dylan wasn't all that interested in the Battle Frontier, mainly because the roles of Gym Leader and Frontier Brain were somewhat redundant.
"But I think the role of Frontier Brain suits you, Gym Leader Dylan," Carsey responded, a bit unwilling to give up.
"Gym Leader Dylan, your strength is exceptional. Regular challengers can't provide you with a satisfying battle, but the elite trainers who challenge the Battle Frontier would be much more suitable opponents for you."
"Besides, you've created so many types of new badges, but isn't it a pity that you can't give them out? You could distribute them to the Battle Frontier challengers!"
Carsey tried to persuade him, genuinely believing that Dylan would make an excellent Frontier Brain.
"No, no, Mr. Carsey, if I became a Frontier Brain, the Battle Frontier would become almost impossible to beat."
Dylan chuckled. A Frontier Brain was different from a Gym Leader; Frontier Brains typically used their best teams to face challengers.
Even if they held back, they'd still use at least one or two of their top Pokémon!
"But..."
"However, I will consider your invitation, Mr. Carsey. And I'd be happy to help you find promising challengers. If I come across any outstanding ones, I'll recommend them to you."
Dylan interrupted with a smile.
"Well... alright, thank you very much, Gym Leader Dylan." Carsey sighed in slight frustration, clearly seeing that Dylan had little interest in becoming a Frontier Brain.
This truly disappointed him.
"Also, I'd like to ask a favor of you, Mr. Carsey."
"Please, go ahead, Gym Leader Dylan."
"I am interested in battling strong trainers. Recently, I've put together a pretty solid team, but I haven't found a suitable opponent to test its full strength against."
"Could you help me arrange a battle with Brandon?"
Dylan's eyes gleamed as he smiled at Carsey.
In truth, he had already completed his Dragon-type lineup, and although not all were pseudo-legendary dragons, he had added another powerful Dragon-type Pokémon to round out his team.
"You want to battle Brandon?" Carsey was a bit surprised. Dylan was asking him to set up a battle!
"That's right, I'd like to spar with him and test the strength of my new team."
"That's not impossible, but Gym Leader Dylan, Brandon recently found the legendary Registeel. If you want to battle him, you should be prepared," Carsey cautioned, wiping his nose. Brandon was a Champion-level trainer who had captured two Legendary Pokémon!
Even though Carsey had a rough idea of Dylan's strength, knowing that he had taken down several high-ranking Rocket executives, he still wasn't confident that Dylan would prevail.
"No worries. In fact, that makes it even more interesting. Please help me arrange it," Dylan responded with a deepened smile.
"Since it's your request, Gym Leader Dylan, I won't refuse."
Carsey pretended to be reluctant, but in truth, he was quite pleased. Dylan, who had recently made waves throughout Kanto, was going to use his newly formed team to challenge the Battle Pyramid King, Brandon!
This was great news for the Battle Frontier!
Well, hopefully, Brandon wouldn't go too hard on Dylan like he did with the last challenger, leaving them mentally shattered.
After all, Gym Leader Dylan was still quite young!
(End of chapter)
Note: Check out my new work "Pokemon: My Strange Pokemons".
If you enjoy gym leader fanfiction, I highly recommend it.
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