Canalave City.
Located in the far west of the Sinnoh Region, the harbor city gleamed under soft ocean sunlight. Seagulls wheeled above the waves, and the salty air carried a lively mix of sea spray and chatter from the bustling port markets.
Being a seaport, Canalave had long been a cultural crossroads, filled with influences from distant regions. Centuries ago—back in what scholars called the "Hisui Era," nearly a thousand years past—it even served as a center for physical education and Pokémon training.
Its pride, the historic Canalave Library, still stood proudly by the shore. Though its structure had been renovated many times, its archives remained home to ancient manuscripts and murals depicting Pokémon that once roamed the world millennia ago.
At that very moment, a dark shadow streaked through the clouds overhead—the form of a dragon slicing across the sky at jet‑like speed. It descended gracefully and landed with a thud on the paved dockyard.
"Arrived!" Gary called, swinging down from Garchomp's back.
"Gar‑chaa~mp!" the dragon replied proudly, shaking its wings before folding them neatly.
Gary took a step forward and inhaled deeply. The scent of the ocean mixed with the aroma of steel and ship oil from the nearby shipyards. Canalave was alive and humming with activity.
As he walked through the crowded streets, heads turned. Garchomp's landing from the sky had drawn curious eyes, and passers‑by murmured in awe of the Garchomp Pokémon.
Gary led Garchomp to the Canalave Pokémon Center, greeting Nurse Joy with a familiar smile. He handed over the Poké Ball.
"He's fine—just some wing strain from flying all morning."
Joy nodded kindly. "Understood, I'll take good care of him. Feel free to relax until he's ready."
"Thanks."
Gary left the Center a few minutes later, stepping out into the sea breeze once more. Reaching for another Poké Ball, he smiled. "Alright, Cyclizar, let's roll."
The dragon‑lizard Pokémon materialized beside him, tail coiling into wheel‑like loops. "Cy‑cliii~zaaar!" It gave an eager chirp and lowered its front body for him to climb on.
"Next stop—Canalave Gym," Gary said cheerfully, pulling his goggles into place as they sped through the cobbled streets.
Canalave Gym stood on the city's western edge near the docks, its facade built from gray‑blue stone and iron beams—a nod to Canalave's history as a mining town. Like most structures in the area, its base was reinforced with ore shipments from Oreburgh, giving it a solid, almost industrial look.
Gary glanced up at the heavy door and smirked. "Pretty normal looking for a Steel‑type Gym."
The Gym's Leader was Byron, father of Oreburgh's Roark, both specialists in Steel Pokémon. Byron was not just a battler—he owned several mines on Iron Island, where he studied and excavated ancient Pokémon fossils.
"Let's see if the old miner's home," Gary muttered, hopping off Cyclizar.
Inside, the Gym was strangely quiet. Dust motes floated through shafts of sunlight falling from skylights above.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" Gary called.
No response. The sound of his voice echoed against metal rails and gears.
He frowned. "Weird... the door's open, but no staff?"
An Empty Gym
Gary wandered further inside. "Hello? Is anyone around?"
The emptiness almost felt eerie. Only the faint creak of iron plates breaking the silence.
"Maybe it's the weekend," he thought aloud. "But if the Gym's closed… why leave the door unlocked?"
He recalled hearing rumors that Byron could be a bit eccentric. In fact, according to the anime and Trainer records, Byron's impulsive nature made him well known.
As a younger man, Byron had served as Gym Leader of Oreburgh, but after uncovering abundant fossils on Iron Island, the League invited him to take over management of Canalave City's Gym. He passed Oreburgh on to Roark and moved here alone, following his passion for excavation.
"Must be nice," Gary mused, "handing your entire Gym to your son just to dig fossils all day."
He grinned faintly but soon grew serious. "Still… leaving doors open like this? That's asking for Pokémon hunters to walk right in."
Gary decided to wait. Hours ticked by—until just around noon, the roar of engines came from outside.
Curious, he stepped out as a heavy cargo truck pulled up in front of the Gym. The rear of the truck faced the door, reversing slowly before stopping with a low hiss of air brakes.
The driver's door opened. Out leapt a tall man with a long reddish‑brown beard, covered in specks of dirt and wearing a miner's jacket. Byron, the Gym Leader, looked every bit the rugged excavator. Two assistants climbed out from the passenger side, chatting about fossil loading equipment.
When they spotted Gary, they paused. One asked, "Hey, what are you doing here, kid? Gym's closed today."
Gary smiled politely. "I'm Gary Oak. I came to challenge the Gym, but nobody was here when I arrived, so I waited."
Byron scratched his beard. "Oh, right… it's Saturday. We keep the door open because I haul fossils in from the Iron Island site."
"Fossils?" Gary's eyes lit up.
"Yup." Byron thumped his chest proudly. "Ancient Pokémon remains—Steel and Rock types mostly. Some of 'em are over a thousand years old. You can see a few exhibits inside."
Gary chuckled nervously. "You leave the door open with fossils inside? That's risky—Pokémon hunters would love this place."
Byron's assistants exchanged awkward glances while their boss laughed heartily. "Hah! Let 'em try! They'll have to get through my Steelix first!"
"Steeeeel‑ix!" came a loud, echoing bellow from the truck bed as a massive steel serpent stirred inside.
The ground trembled slightly, and Gary blinked at the sheer size. "...Yeah. That would do it."
"So, Mr. Byron," Gary began, "when can I come back to challenge you for the Gym Badge?"
Byron turned, still smiling. "Do we know each other? You sure you're not one of my workers?"
Gary laughed. "No, but I did my research. I looked up your record before coming—saw your photo in the League register. Figured I'd be meeting the famous miner and Gym Leader of Canalave City."
"Ahh, so you're well‑prepared! I like that." Byron smoothed his beard. "Alright—come back this afternoon around two. I'll have the fossils stored, and we'll battle properly."
"Deal. I'll see you then!"
Byron nodded. "Don't be late, Trainer Oak!"
Gary left the Gym and released Cyclizar again.
Upon seeing the unusual Pokémon, Byron's assistants stopped in their tracks. "What Pokémon is that? It looks like a motorcycle!"
Cyclizar blinked curiously, tail wheels spinning. "Cy‑cli~zaar!"
Byron laughed with genuine interest. "That's Cyclizar—a species native to the Paldea Region, right? Every household there keeps one as transportation, if I recall."
Gary nodded proudly. "Correct. Fast, strong, and loyal. You can ride it like a motorbike."
"Ha! Now that's useful. If I were a few years younger, I'd buy one myself just to look cool cruising the docks."
Everyone laughed, the tension of the earlier misunderstanding forgotten.
Two o'clock came quickly. Gary returned to Canalave Gym on time.
Byron was already waiting in the battle arena, his mining goggles resting atop his head. The massive Steelix slithered behind him, glinting under the ceiling lights.
"Welcome back," Byron said with a grin. "Ready to test your mettle?"
Gary grinned as he stepped into the challenger's area. "You bet."
The Gym assistant raised her flag. "The official Gym Battle between Challenger Gary Oak and Leader Byron of Canalave City will now begin! Each Trainer may use three Pokémon. When all of one side's Pokémon are unable to battle, the match ends. Only the challenger can make substitutions!"