Ash looked around Moonwood Town with wide eyes as he walked through the busy streets, his excitement growing with every step.
The town was much larger than he had expected from what he had heard about it, and it was obvious that its importance had increased rapidly after Gym Leader Gladion made it the center of his business empire.
Tall corporate buildings stood throughout the central part of the city, several of them carrying the logos of companies owned by Gladion. There were banks, offices, restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, and even a few enormous entertainment complexes.
The entire place seemed to be thriving, with people from different regions walking through the streets and tourists stopping to take pictures of various buildings as well as going to the beach.
Ash looked at one of the massive buildings with amazement before turning toward Brock. "Wow, Gladion really owns all of this? I thought he was just a Gym Leader!"
Brock nodded while looking around. "Gladion is a little different from most Gym Leaders. He isn't only responsible for running his Gym. He's also a businessman, and apparently a very successful one. A lot of the businesses around here are connected to him. He is the richest person on the continent for a reason."
Ash's eyes immediately lit up. "That's awesome! So he can battle Pokémon and run businesses at the same time?"
Pikachu sat comfortably on Ash's shoulder and looked at the buildings.
"Pika pika pi."
Ash nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly, Pikachu! And he's also supposed to have really strong Pokémon!"
Brock adjusted his backpack while continuing to walk. "Strong is probably an understatement. From what I've read and known, He is supposed to be the strongest trainer in the whole damn Continent."
Ash suddenly stopped walking. Misty almost walked into him.
"Hey, why did you stop?"
Ash turned toward both of them with an enormous grin. "Let's go and challenge Gym Leader Gladion for my second badge straightaway!"
His shout echoed through the street. Several people nearby turned around.
One elderly man stared at Ash. A woman walking with her child looked at him strangely. A teenager whispered something to his friend before they both started laughing.
Ash didn't notice any of them. He was already imagining his legendary battle with Gym Leader Gladion.
Pikachu climbed onto the top of his head and raised one paw. "Pika pika pi!"
Ash laughed. "That's right! We're going to get our second badge!"
Misty rolled her eyes. "You need to rest from your journey first, Ash. We literally just arrived."
Ash looked confused. "But I'm not tired."
Misty stared at him. "You fell asleep with your Pokémon two hours ago."
Ash scratched his head. "That doesn't count."
Brock sighed. "It definitely counts."
Ash continued walking anyway, completely ignoring their objections. "I don't care! I've been waiting for this. Gladion is supposed to be really strong, and I want to battle him. And more importantl, I really want to meet him. I have been his biggest fan!"
Brock shook his head but followed. "You also need to register for the battle first. Gym Leader Gladion is extremely busy during this time of the League season. He probably has many challengers already lined up."
Ash looked disappointed for a moment. "How long will I have to wait?"
"That depends on his schedule."
Ash immediately brightened again. "Then we'll register now!"
Misty scoffed. "I still don't understand what's so special about Gym Leader Gladion and his Gym anyway."
Ash turned toward her. "What do you mean?"
Misty folded her arms. "Everyone keeps talking about him as if he's some incredible Gym Leader. He's a Gym Leader. That's his job."
Ash glanced at her. "Why don't you like Gym Leader Gladion anyway?"
Misty's expression immediately became annoyed. "I never said I didn't like him."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "You've complained about him for most of the morning."
"I have not."
"You said his Gym was overrated."
"That was an observation."
"You said he was too young to have that position."
"That was also an observation."
"You said his Pokémon were overhyped."
Misty crossed her arms even tighter. "That one was definitely an observation."
Brock sighed at the two of them bickering.
Misty then scoffed angrily. "He didn't deserve to become a major Gym Leader."
Brock suddenly remembered something.
"Oh."
Ash looked towards him. "What?"
Brock glanced toward the enormous Gym building visible in the distance.
"When the League system was reorganized, Moonwood Town was promoted to major Gym status."
Misty's face darkened. Brock continued carefully. "That meant another Gym had to lose that position."
Misty didn't say anything. Ash looked at her.
"Which Gym?"
Brock looked at him.
"Cerulean."
Misty immediately looked away.
"Misty's family's Gym." Brock said.
Ash looked back at Misty. "Oh."
Ash suddenly understood why she had been complaining about Gladion. Misty wasn't simply annoyed because she disliked Gladion. Her family's Gym had been replaced.
"It wasn't exactly fair," Misty muttered. "Cerulean had been a recognized Gym for years. Then suddenly Gym Leader Gladion wants his family gym to become a major gym."
Brock nodded. "Gym Leader Gladion did beat that time's Champion Pryce in a battle to get the status of Major gym."
Misty scoffed.
Ash listened quietly. He had never really thought about how Gym came to be. To him, a Gym was a Gym. You entered, battled the Leader, won, and received a badge.
But apparently there was much more politics involved. Still, Ash's attention quickly returned to the Gym itself. "So Gladion's really strong?"
Brock smiled. "Very."
Ash grinned. "Even better."
Misty groaned. "You are going to fight his gym Pokemon not even his real Pokemon. Why are eyou so excited?"
Ash did not reply and continued toward the Pokémon Center enthusiastically.
Once they entered, Brock handled the registration process while Ash immediately rushed toward one of the public terminals to see if he had any messages from his mom or professor Oak.
Ash connected his Pokedex to the Pokémon Net and began searching.
Then he froze as he saw messages from Gary of all people. He had send him pictures.
Gary was standing beside Gladion, grinning from ear to ear with the moon badge.
The next photograph showed Gary's squirtly posing beside Gladion's Hydros.
Another showed Gary standing between Latios and Latias.
Ash's face went blank. Pikachu looked at the screen. "Pika?"
Ash slowly scrolled further. Then he saw the caption.
"FIRST TO MEET GLADION. FIRST TO BEAT GLADION. ASH BOY, TRY TO KEEP UP!"
Ash's eye twitched. "Nooooo!"
Everyone inside the Pokémon Center turned toward him.
Ash grabbed his head. "He was before me!"
Misty walked over. ""What?"
Ash pointed at the screen in horror. "Gary met Gladion before me!"
Brock looked at the photograph. Then he smiled. "Looks like it."
Ash's face became even more devastated.
He stared at Gary's photograph.
Gary was grinning like he had just conquered the world.
Ash's expression slowly changed from shock to determination.
"Pikachu, we're going to beat Gladion. And when we do, I'm going to take an even better picture with Gladion! Actually, I'm going to take a picture with every single one of Gladion's Pokémon and make a bigger impression on him than Gary."
Pikachu raised its paws. "Pika pika!"
-----Author Notes------
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