Chapter 30 - The Choice and the Rendezvous
The faint, almost imperceptible hum of the climate control within the Trainer's Trove was the only sound Alex was truly aware of. He stood before the reinforced display case, his gaze fixed on the two gleaming Psychic-type Technical Machine discs. TM30: Confusion. TM31: Psybeam. The names, the stats, the prices – 3000₽ versus 5000₽ – replayed in his mind.
10150 PokéDollars left, his internal Budgeting Basics skill helpfully reminded him. Enough for either, but the difference in his remaining buffer was significant.
He replayed the arguments. Abra was undeniably frail. Its Defense stat was abysmal. Would a more powerful move like Psybeam, even if learned, be too taxing for it initially? Confusion, while weaker, felt… safer. A gentler introduction to offensive psychic power. Then again, training speed was a factor. Psybeam's higher power output would, in theory, lead to faster EXP gain. With Magic Guard, Abra wouldn't be worn down by poison or burn damage, a point in Psybeam's favor. And Encore… locking an opponent into a harmless move, then striking? Devastating potential.
But a crucial unknown nagged at him. How exactly did TMs work in this world? Was it an instant download? Could it fail? The games abstracted this, but reality… reality was likely more complex. Starting with a less intense move like Confusion might be a more prudent first step.
He took a slow breath, the scent of canvas and oiled leather filling his lungs. The gambler in him urged Psybeam. But a more cautious voice counseled restraint.
His gaze settled on TM30, Confusion. Safer. More controlled. A better first step.
"I'll take the Confusion TM," Alex said, his voice firm.
Miles, the shopkeeper, nodded. "Solid choice for a young Abra." He retrieved the TM. "That'll be 3000₽."
Alex tapped his Trainer ID, watching his balance decrease to 7150₽. A decent buffer.
As Miles packaged the TM, he paused. "You got a TM Link device, son?"
Alex blinked. "A TM Link device?"
Miles chuckled. "Ah, new trainer, right? Can't just tap these to their heads. You need a TM Link. Small interface, helps the Pokémon's mind safely absorb the move pattern. Prevents data corruption, mental strain." He gestured to a compact device. "Latest model, 'Synapse-Link 3000'. Variable intensity, compatible with most neural patterns. 1500₽."
Alex sighed inwardly. Of course, it's never as simple. Another 1500₽ gone, leaving him with 5650₽. But if it was necessary… "Guess I'll need one of those too, then."
"Wise decision," Miles affirmed.
After paying, Alex carefully stowed the Confusion TM in a padded compartment of his backpack and the TM Link device in a Key Items pouch. "Thanks for everything, Miles."
"Anytime, son. Good luck out there. Viridian Forest ain't what it used to be. And take care of that Abra. Got a feeling that one's special."
With a final nod, Alex pushed open the heavy wooden door, stepping back into the bright Viridian City morning. He needed a quiet spot.
The bustling main streets gave way to quieter, tree-lined avenues. He spotted a small, slightly overgrown parkette nestled between two older buildings – a few weathered benches, a patch of surprisingly green grass, and thankfully, no other people. Perfect.
He settled onto a chipped stone bench, the morning sun filtering through the leaves. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out Abra's Poké Ball and the newly acquired TM Link.
"Alright, Abra," he murmured, releasing the small Psychic-type. It materialized with its usual gentle sway, eyes still closed. "Time for your first new trick."
Alex carefully inserted the TM30 disc into the Link device. A small light glowed green. He gently picked up Abra, whose body tensed but didn't Teleport. Setting the Link's dial to 'Gentle Imprint,' he positioned its padded sensor array against Abra's forehead. "Here goes nothing, buddy." He pressed the activation button.
The device whirred softly, a faint blue light bathing Abra's head. Abra shivered but remained still, eyes squeezed tight. Alex kept up a soothing murmur, "It's okay, just relax."
After a couple of minutes that felt like an eternity, the blue light faded. The TM30 disc inside the Link device made a faint cracking sound; when he ejected it, a thin fracture line was visible. It crumbled into dull, inert shards in his palm. One-time use, then.
A familiar blue shimmer pulsed in Alex's vision.
[System Notification]:
[New Move Learned: Confusion] added to Abra's moveset.
[Move Mastery: Confusion (Beginner: 0/100%)]
Alex gently set Abra down on the grass. "Alright, Abra," he said softly, pointing towards a discarded tin can. "Let's try it out. Focus on that can. Try to… push it with your mind."
Abra remained motionless, then visibly tensed. Its body trembled. A faint shimmer distorted the air around its head. The can didn't budge. Abra let out a soft, frustrated-sounding psychic hum.
"Hey, it's okay," Alex encouraged gently. "First try. Just… feel that new power. Focus it."
Abra tried again. The air shimmered more noticeably, and the can… wobbled. Just a tiny wobble. Abra seemed to sag.
"That's it! You almost got it!" Alex praised. "One more time."
Drawing on some unseen reserve, Abra straightened. Its body vibrated. The shimmering intensified into a faint, pulsating lavender aura. Then, with a soft thwump, the tin can skittered a few inches.
Abra stumbled, its eyes fluttering open for a brief, disoriented second – revealing large, intelligent, anxious brown irises – before snapping shut. It let out a shaky psychic sigh, a wave of mental exhaustion washing over Alex.
But it had worked.
A surge of pride swelled in Alex's chest. "You did it, Abra!" he exclaimed, grinning. "That was Confusion!"
The TM provided the blueprint, he realized, but the Pokémon still had to understand it, connect the neural pathways. It wasn't an instant skill upload; it was the beginning of learning. It was a small step, he thought, but a crucial one. With Confusion, Abra wasn't entirely defenseless anymore. The path to Alakazam was long, but the potential... the potential was enormous.
He carefully recalled the drained Abra. Checking his phone, he saw he still had a bit of time. He pocketed Abra's Poké Ball, a sense of accomplishment warming him despite the dwindling funds. Time to head to the Gym.
The sun climbed higher as Alex made his way towards the Viridian City Gym. As he rounded a corner, the Gym came into view. It wasn't the run-down, abandoned husk he'd half-expected. Instead, it was a solid, almost fortress-like structure of dark grey stone, its architecture severe and functional. The large, double doors were closed, but it didn't look derelict. It looked… dormant. A plaque beside the entrance simply read: "Viridian City Pokémon Gym."
Ash and Misty were already there, Ash enthusiastically waving a brand-new, bright green bug-catching net under Misty's nose. "Look, Misty! Isn't it great?"
Misty, arms crossed, was doing her best to look unimpressed. "Just try not to catch anything that's going to give me hives, Ash." Pikachu, on Ash's shoulder, chirped, its cheeks sparking.
"Hey guys, got everything?" Alex called.
Ash whirled around, beaming. "Alex! Yeah! I got ten Poké Balls, and five Antidotes! Misty made sure I didn't spend it all on this super-cool net!"
Misty rolled her eyes. "He almost bought Pikachu-themed pajamas instead of Potions."
Alex chuckled. "Sounds about right. I got my supplies too," he said, patting his backpack. "And something special for Abra to get it started."
Ash, still buzzing, turned to the Gym doors. "Wow! So this is the Viridian Gym! Can we go in? Who's the Gym Leader?"
Misty sighed. "Slow down, Ash. It's closed. And who the Leader is… that's complicated." She leaned against the cool stone wall. "This Gym has a bit of a dark history. About eighteen, maybe nineteen years ago, it was run by a man named Giovanni. Turns out, he was also the boss of Team Rocket."
Ash gasped. "Team Rocket? The Gym Leader was a bad guy?"
"The worst guy," Misty corrected. "But then, a trainer from Pallet Town – a real prodigy named Red – challenged him. Beat him. Exposed Giovanni to the whole world."
At the mention of "Red from Pallet Town," Ash's head snapped up. "Red?" he murmured, his voice unusually quiet. "My… my dad's name was Red. He was a trainer from Pallet Town too." He looked down. "Mom doesn't talk about him much… just that he went on a journey and… didn't come back."
Alex and Misty exchanged a quick, surprised glance. Alex felt a pang of sympathy. The "Red's Last Transmission" document on Oak's desk flashed in his mind. But according to Masae, Red only disappeared five years ago. So, Ash should have been about the age of 10 when he disappeared. But hearing Ash, it seems as if Red was never there in Ash's life just like in the anime. Hmm.
Misty gently continued, "Well, this Red was… incredibly famous. A Champion. After he exposed Giovanni, Giovanni vanished." She paused. "Team Rocket pretty much went silent for years. It's only in the last two years they've started ramping up again. Rumors of a new leader." Her gaze hardened. "Yesterday was probably just a taste."
"So, the Gym's been empty all this time?" Ash asked.
"Not exactly," Misty said, a curious smile touching her lips. "For a long time, yeah. But a few years back, someone else took it over. Someone just as legendary, in his own way. Blue Oak."
Ash's eyes widened. "Mr. Blue? Gary's dad? He's the Gym Leader here?"
"That's him," Misty confirmed. "Blue was a Champion of Kanto, alright. In fact, he was the Champion right before Red. Red actually beat Blue to claim the title." She shook her head in awe. "Imagine, two trainers from Pallet, battling for the Championship. Anyway, after Red… disappeared himself, Blue eventually took over this Gym. Though, he's almost never actually here. Travels a lot. So, the Gym stays closed mostly."
She pushed herself off the wall. "Gym Leaders, Ash, they're the gatekeepers. They test your skills, your bond with your Pokémon. Each one specializes in a type. Here in Kanto, you've got Brock in Pewter City, he uses Rock-types. Then there's the Cerulean City Gym – that's my family's Gym, specializes in Water-types."
"Whoa, really?" Ash interjected, his eyes wide with admiration. "Your family runs a Gym? That's so cool, Misty!" Pikachu chirped in agreement from his shoulder.
A flicker of pride crossed Misty's face at Ash's genuine enthusiasm, but it was quickly followed by a more complicated expression, a hint of frustration perhaps. "Yeah, well," she continued, "My dad used to run it, a true Water Pokémon Master. Nowadays…" she sighed, a small, almost imperceptible shake of her head, "it's… well, it's mostly run by my sisters – Daisy, Violet, and Lily – while I'm out on my own journey to become a real Water Pokémon Master, someone who can actually uphold the Gym's reputation." She gave a small, almost forced smirk, the unspoken sentiment that her sisters might not be taking it as seriously as she would, hanging in the air. "Then you have Lt. Surge in Vermilion City with Electric-types, Erika in Celadon with Grass, Koga in Fuchsia with Poison, Sabrina in Saffron with Psychic, Blaine on Cinnabar Island with Fire… and then there's Blue, here, with… well, no one's entirely sure what type he specializes in as a Gym Leader. He was known for a balanced team as Champion."
Alex filed away the information. He decided to shift the conversation. "So, Viridian Forest. It sounds rougher than usual. Beedrill swarms, aggressive Pokémon… might be safer if we stick together."
Ash's face lit up. "Yeah! Teamwork! We can catch tons of Pokémon!"
Misty hesitated, glancing from Ash to Alex. "Hmph. I guess it makes sense. Fewer chances for some people to get into trouble." She shot a look at Ash. "And if Team Rocket shows up again, extra hands wouldn't hurt. Especially capable ones."
A new notification pinged in Alex's System interface.
[New Quest]:
Survive Viridian Forest
Objective: Navigate Viridian Forest with your companions and reach Pewter City.
Optional Sub-quest: ???
Reward:
EXP Gained: +300
Item: Choice of one Type-Enhancing Item
Hidden rewards based on completion of the optional sub-quest and overall performance.
Optional Sub-quest: ??? Interesting, Alex thought. A type-enhancing item could be really useful.
"Alright then," Alex said. "When should we head out? First light tomorrow?"
"Sounds good to me!" Ash agreed. Misty nodded.
"Pokémon Center again tonight, then," Alex confirmed. "Best to be well-rested." He paused. "Forest plans made. I'm starving. How about some dinner before we turn in? My treat."
Ash's eyes widened. "Really? Awesome!"
Misty raised an eyebrow. "Your treat, newbie? Don't mind if I do. Let's hope your taste in food is better than Ash's taste in bug-catching nets."
Alex grinned. "Lead the way to somewhere cheap and good."
As the trio turned, ready to find a local eatery, the imposing shadow of the Viridian Gym fell behind them. The path to Pewter City, through the depths of Viridian Forest, was set. And Alex had a feeling the "optional sub-quest" was going to be anything but.
—
Chapter End