"The Pokemon Conference is a grand competition held in each region, generally once a year, with varying start times in different regions. For example, our Kanto's Quartz Conference will begin in half a year, while Johto's Silver Conference is about to start."
"Participants must register with eight Gym Badges one day before the Pokemon Conference begins to qualify for the competition. You can have more badges, but not fewer. If you only gather them on the day of the competition, unfortunately, you'll have to wait for next year's event, and the badges collected this year will be void, requiring a fresh collection."
Misty explained the related rules of the Pokemon Conference to Ash in detail.
As far as the rules go, the Pokemon Conference is quite strict. Participants need to collect eight Gym Badges within a year, and not all Trainers have a whole year. In fact, most Trainers do not have a year to collect badges.
After all, each Trainer starts their journey at different times. To start traveling just after the Pokemon Conference ends, it requires a lot of coincidences and opportunities.
Take Ash, for example; he has only just set out on his journey, and there's only half a year left before the Quartz Conference starts, meaning Ash must collect eight Gym Badges within half a year, or he will miss out on the Quartz Conference.
"Are Gyms hard to beat?" Ash asked curiously.
"They can be difficult yet easy. The main purpose of Gyms is to serve as training checkpoints and thresholds set by the League for Trainers. They possess skills far beyond that of average Trainers. If they used their full power in battles with challengers, few would pass the Gym trials."
"So generally, Gym Leaders assess a Trainer based on the badges they hold and the time they've spent traveling. The more badges and the longer the travel time, the stronger the Gym Leader's performance."
Gyms are trial checkpoints set up by the League in various regions. If they went all out against every challenger, the trial would lose its meaning, as it wouldn't be considered a trial anymore.
Suppose a novice just leaves Pallet Town with a Newbie Pokemon, perhaps only adding a recently caught Rattata or Pidgey by their doorstep, and faces Pokemon with Professional or even Gym Level strength…
Ignoring the new Trainer's tactics, with such a drastic level difference, not even a Champion could command a victory.
Therefore, generally speaking, Gym Trainers don't use their true strength in battles with challengers. If a challenger manages to bring out and defeat the Gym Trainer's full power, it proves that this challenger has the makings of a Champion!
Don't get it wrong; the Champion referred to here is not the League Champion but the League Conference Champion. Though there's only a two-character difference in their names, the actual meaning expressed is vastly different.
Generally, the Champion of a League Conference is about Professional to Gym Level, with only a few League Champions having Elite Level strength.
"If you encounter an Elite Level Trainer in the competition, just count yourself unlucky. Such level Trainers aren't there for the Conference Champion but for the seat of the Elite Four. The Conference Champion gets one chance to challenge the Elite Four, and defeating them allows you to take their place."
Misty waved her fair fingers, speaking with an air of importance.
Until now, Ash had learned most of the League Conference rules. For a beginner like him, with no Gym Badges yet, the Gym's trials wouldn't be too challenging, putting his mind slightly at ease.
At the Pokemon League's front desk, he took out his Pokedex to successfully register for the League Conference. Miss Joy kindly provided Ash with a map, marked with the cities having Gyms.
Miss Joy suddenly remembered something and smiled at Ash, "Speaking of which, you're the second Trainer from Pallet Town to arrive in Viridian City, and also the second Pokedex owner."
"Second? Who's the first?" Ash was taken aback and promptly asked.
The reason he and Misty reached Viridian City so quickly was partly due to being chased by a Spearow and partly from traveling overnight. Their speed seemed swift enough, even for a latecomer like him; it was unexpected that someone arrived faster.
"The first was a boy named Gary. Apparently, he came in a sports car, and when he arrived at the Pokemon Center, his red sports car caught quite the crowd's attention." Miss Joy tapped her fair chin, recalling her first sight of Gary yesterday.
"A sports car… Gary sure knows how to enjoy himself!" Ash gritted his teeth, saying with a face full of annoyance.
While he traveled the world on foot, Gary took a sports car! The treatments between them were worlds apart.
"The meaning of travel lies in the scenery along the way. Although that boy named Gary is faster, to him, the surrounding scenery is like fleeting clouds, vanishing in an instant. Such travel won't bring him much growth." Misty looked at Ash, speaking with deep meaning.
"Exactly! What's the use of being fast? Gary's experience surely isn't as good as mine. I've already met Ho-oh in my journey's first day… mmm mmm mmm!!" Before Ash could finish speaking, a pair of fair hands tightly covered his mouth.
Misty stood behind Ash, her pretty face apologetically nodding towards Miss Joy. She quickly locked one hand around Ash's neck while continuing to cover his mouth with the other, dragging Ash away from the front desk.
After moving some distance from the desk, Misty released Ash's mouth, allowing him to breathe deeply, with a face full of complaint, "Misty, what's the deal? You trying to kill me?"
With Misty's strength, Ash could easily break free, but he feared that doing so might hurt her. Moreover, he suspected Misty had reasons for her actions, so he didn't struggle fiercely.
But with Misty both covering his mouth and gripping his neck, it felt like an attempt at murder.
Misty rolled her eyes, speaking helplessly: "You have the nerve to talk. You still dare to mention meeting 'that one' on the journey out loud in public? Do you know how many people are coveting that Pokemon? If people hear that you encountered it on your first day of travel, you'd have countless individuals watching you the whole journey. Use your brain, would you?"
Upon hearing that, Ash paused, then sheepishly scratched his head: "Sorry… sorry, I wasn't thoughtful enough. You're indeed more cautious, Misty."