Pokemon: Cerulean Gym

A/N: When I was writing this chapter I realised that Pokemon World has deep water. We just ignore how many powerful people are there in Pokemon World. They just appear for less than one episode and we forget them and only think of Champions and Gym leaders.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," I said taking Pokeball containing Pidgeot.

"Why was this Pidgeot hurt so bad?" Nurse Joy asked me.

"It tried to test its defence against Aqua Tail of Gyarados." I still can't believe its stupidity, even though I saw it with my own eyes.

"Huh," Nurse Joy muttered in confusion. Then she remembered how Pidgeot had acted after waking up. For a moment, she had mistaken it for an Unfezant.

"Forget it. I don't want to know anymore. I have seen even weirder ones and knowing about them only leads to headache." She threw the Pidgeot in the back of her mind.

"How's the search for a Pokémon Breeder going? Have you found anyone capable yet? If not, I can recommend one for you," she offered.

"Many people have applied for the job but we haven't selected anyone yet. If you have someone in mind, please recommend them. The person you want to recommend must be a good Pokemon Breeder." Many have applied but I wasn't satisfied with them.

I want someone who could grow alongside the gym, but most applicants are average. A popular Pokemon Breeder can earn a lot of money so only the average Pokemon Breeder have applied for the job. If Nurse Joy can recommend someone capable then I would love to have them on the job.

"I am happy that you will finally hire a Pokemon Breeder. The Pokemon of your gym will finally get proper care. Every time the Pokemon of your gym were brought here for treatment I wanted to scold Daisy but I know Pokemon Breeders have been synonymous with bitter memories for her. So, I haven't said anything till now."

"You must have convinced Daisy to hire Pokemon Breeder, right?" She asked.

"No, I wasn't. It -"

"I know it was you. Your older sisters also don't like Pokemon Breeders and don't know their importance. Daisy will never hire one herself. You don't have to lie. Who doesn't know about the talented brother of Cerulean gym leader?" She said with confidence. I didn't know what to say.

"That Pidgeot is yours, right?" she asked.

"I know you're very talented, more than you let on. I've known you since the day you were born. You were always smarter than the other children. Then, you showed a natural gift for battling. People started praising you, but you stayed modest, always avoiding the spotlight. You want to hide your talent for fear of attracting trouble. But that's impossible. You might be able to hide your talent from the average person, but not from skilled trainers. They'll know when they see you, watch your battle."

"You may not realize it, but I can sense the immense potential and power within you. It's like how we can sense the strength of a Pokémon just by looking at it. If I can feel it, others will too. So, there's no need to be modest or hide your talent. Believe me, this world is full of talented people. You've probably heard of my family, right?"

"Many believe that our family prioritizes and only produces Nurse Joy but we are everywhere. We are stronger than most people think. There is more than one champion-level figure in our family." (This one is canon. You know Nurse Joy with Latisa right?)

"Then there's the Jenny family, similar to ours in many ways. And let's not forget the Pokémon Professors, the weakest among them are as strong as Gym Leaders, while the strongest, like Professor Oak, surpass even the Champions. There's also the Pokémon Schools. While there are many, the top schools in each region have some teachers at Gym Leader level, and few even have instructors who are stronger than that."

"Then there are the League Investigators and the best Pokémon Breeders, who also have the strength to back it up. If the Pokemon Breeders can make other's Pokémon stronger, how could their own Pokémon be weak? There are also the Rangers, imagine the strength of someone who works, lives, and sleeps in the wilderness. Then there are numerous families, some hidden, others just reclusive."

"Think about the Blackthorn family, the strongest family in the Indigo Pokemon League. How many Gym Leader-level and stronger figures do you think they have if you count the retired elders? They only train dragons and Champion Lance is from that family. And when it comes to gyms, how many Gym Leader-level trainers do you think are there in a gym?"

"Let's just look at the first gym of the gym circuit. Pewter Gym has two, Flint and his wife Lola. I have heard their son, Brock is also very talented and strong enough to take his father's mantle. If your father and mother were alive then your gym would also have two and possibly your sister Daisy too after all if they were present they would have trained her. Both of these gyms are the weakest and have few or almost no gym trainers. Then there are gyms like Fuchsia Gym which trains ninjas and investigators for the league."

"So, you won't be attracting too much attention. You are scared of Team Rocket right?"

"They are gaining popularity because of the media but to challenge the league they have to grow at this pace for two or three decades. Even then they will only be able to challenge but winning is impossible. Pokemon league is the fruit of the combined effort of many strong trainers and even stronger Pokemon." She must have given me a clue to figure out in the last sentence as she has a mischievous smile.

"Your gym is indeed weak now. But, how much time do you think you will take to become stronger than 50% trainer of the world now that you have Pokemon? For those people in power, you are just another talented kid. So, don't hide your potential because of fear of others. Battle strong trainers and go on adventures."

"As for Team Rocket, the League is investigating them. They're just one of the bigger criminal syndicates out there. There are many others, and there will always be more in the future. As long as human greed exists, these criminal organizations will continue to exist."

"So, don’t waste your talent out of fear of someone who only knows how to hide in the shadows. You have a bright future ahead of you, don’t throw it away." She patted my head gently. "I have other Pokémon to take care of, so I’ll be going now. But remember my words."

After Nurse Joy left, I realized I had been underestimating the Pokémon world. The anime was long, with most characters only appearing for one episode, so it was easy to forget how many powerful individuals existed. Many aspects of the world weren’t properly explained, like the underworld forces and Pokémon hunters. Then there were the huge, influential families like the Nurse Joys, Officer Jennys, the Blackthorn family from the games, and Koga from the anime.

I also recalled that one of the Nurse Joys in Cerulean City is part of the Pokémon Inspection Agency. She seems to have a favourable impression of me, and she must be powerful to hold such a position. So, does every city with an official gym have a Nurse Joy who is an inspector, or could Officer Jenny also serve as gym inspector?

Forget it, since Nurse Joy is powerful and thinks highly of me then I will be safe in Cerulean City. She may even have sent her Pokemon to protect the gym. After all, an attack on the gym is something that can cause panic and the league will try to avoid it. Maybe it is the reason Inspector Nurse Joy is here.

*****

After Nurse Joy met with Amrit,

"Genga-Gengar" A Gengar came out from the shadow of Nurse Joy.

"Has anything significant happened?" She asked.

"Gengar-rr" The Gengar replied.

"Oh, then continue to protect him. He has caught a few rare Pokemon. Team Rocket or others may try to steal it. I must say he is a genius. For so many years no one has thought of using the ability of the Pokemon to catch Pokemon with hidden ability."

"Also, he seems to have an innate ability to know the ability of the Pokemon he has caught and the possible abilities they can have."

"If the future predictions are right then he will be very important to Leauge. So, you have to protect him until he grows." She said to the Gengar. The Gengar gave a salute and disappeared in shadows laughing eerily.

*****

"Come out Pidgeot" I released Pidgeot from the Pokeball.

"Pidge- to, Pid, Pid" As soon as it was released it began to Kaw loudly.

"I know you want to ask how you were caught right? You were K.O.ed by Aqua Tail of Gyarados."

"Pidgeot, pidge"

"No, you didn't defeat him. You only knocked him to the ground. You were evolving, so he didn't attack you immediately." The Pidgeot had a look of horror for a second then immediately raised its head proudly.

"Pidgge, Pidge" It began to make a boxing posture and waved its wings.

"You want a rematch?" I asked. "Ok, I will release him now."

"Ot" It shouted in fright when I said I would release Gyarados. Then why was it asking for a rematch?

"Sigh, I am not in the mood for your shenanigans. We are going home. Lower yourself so that I can sit on you." But, it instead stood straight and had a proud look on his face. It seems to be saying how can I, a Pidgeot, the king of the sky become your mount?

"It seems I have to release the Gyarados," I said touching the Pokeball in my belt. It immediately lowered itself.

"I am going to be your trainer from now on. I may look small but don't underestimate me. I have many Pokemon as strong as Gyarados. So, you have to listen to me from now on." It nodded its head to say it understood. I can only make it obedient this way. It isn't that it is going to harm me or run away but to curb this stupid bird's weird pride.

Once the Pokemon are caught they don't run away unless they have a horrible trainer. In their mind, since the trainer defeated them then he/she has the right to command them and must train them to make them even stronger. So, I wasn't worried that it would run away.

"Ok, let's go that way and fly slower." I pointed towards the direction of the gym.

"Pidgeot" It pushed the ground and soared to the sky with me in the back. I was holding its feathers tightly so that I would not fall.

The sky was red due to the setting Sun. I could see other bird Pokemon in the sky returning to their nest.

"Does your group of Pidgey have another Pidgeot or Pidgeotto?" I asked, recalling the flock of Pidgey that Gyarados had scared off.

"Pidgeot" It shook its head.

"Did you separate from your previous flock recently?" I asked because a group of Pidgey with only one Pidgeotto is rare deep in the forest. Other Pidgey groups or Spearow will push weaker groups to the outskirts of the forest. Due to human encroachment only in the deeper forest, they can gain adequate prey and berries. So, there is a constant fight between these groups.

"Pidgeot" It nodded to tell that was the case.

"Then you can call them and live around our gym. There are a lot of trees here and our gym owns a large plot of land. The sea and forest aren't far from there. You can get prey easily. I will also prepare food for you once the gym grows." I have always wanted to keep a group of bird Pokemon as watchers of the gym. They can alarm us if any unwanted intruders try to enter the gym. With their leader as my Pokemon, it will be easier to control them. Since I don't have water-type flying Pokemon now. They have to do it for now.