The transition from Viridian Forest to Viridian City was jarring. One moment they were surrounded by ancient trees and wild Pokemon, the next they emerged onto a wide highway that fed directly into urban sprawl. Buildings appeared in clusters that grew progressively denser, roads multiplied into complex networks of overpasses and interchanges, and the quiet forest sounds gave way to the constant hum of a major city.
"That's Viridian City?" Kasumi pressed against the living room window, eyes wide. "It's enormous!"
"Population twenty-five million," Miyuki read from her tablet. "Third largest city in Kanto after Saffron and Celadon. Major commercial hub and gateway between southern and northern Kanto."
Sasuke navigated the Mobile Home through increasingly heavy traffic. The highway had split into multiple lanes, each one packed with vehicles heading into or out of the city. Above the traffic, Flying-type Pokemon served as aerial couriers, Pidgeot and Fearow with packages attached to their bodies, several Dragonite carrying what looked like important documents in waterproof containers.
The city's architecture became visible as they drew closer. Viridian City was built in concentric circles around a central point, each ring representing a different development era, with the oldest structures at the core and progressively modern buildings toward the outer rings. The design created a distinctive layered appearance, like looking at tree rings made of steel and glass.
At the city's heart stood an ancient tower. Even from this distance, it dominated the skyline, easily a hundred stories tall, built from dark stone that had to be thousands of years old. The structure tapered as it rose, narrowing to a point at the top where something metallic caught sunlight and gleamed.
"That's the Tower of Eternity," Kiyomi said, pressing forward to get a better view. "It's older than recorded history. Nobody knows who built it or what it was originally for. Current theories suggest it served as an astronomical observatory or a beacon for Flying-type Pokemon."
"It's beautiful," Miyuki observed. "In a severe, intimidating way."
"Gym Leader Onoki maintains it personally," Kiyomi continued, reading from her tablet. "His gym is actually built into the tower's base. The entire city's defensive systems center on that location, if Viridian City were ever attacked, the Tower of Eternity would serve as the primary stronghold."
"Has the city ever been attacked?" Kasumi asked.
"Not in modern history. But the defensive architecture suggests the original builders expected conflict."
Sasuke followed traffic toward one of the city's main entrance checkpoints. League officials monitored all vehicles entering major cities, standard security protocol to prevent smuggling and track trainer movements. The line moved slowly as each vehicle underwent brief inspection.
When their turn came, a uniformed official approached Sasuke's window. "Purpose of visit to Viridian City?"
"Tourism and training. We're heading to Pewter City for gym challenges but wanted to stop here first."
The official scanned their Trainer Licenses and the Mobile Home's registration. His eyebrows rose slightly. "Four nineteen-year-old trainers traveling together. And you're... Sasuke Uchiha? The Champion's brother?"
"Yes."
"One of the Four Supernovas." The official's demeanor shifted to something more respectful. "Welcome to Viridian City. If you're planning to challenge Gym Leader Onoki, you'll need to register at the gym first. He's not accepting challenges this month due to League business, but you can schedule for next season. Enjoy your stay." He waved them through the checkpoint.
Once inside the city proper, the urban density became overwhelming. Buildings rose on all sides, residential towers, commercial centers, office complexes, shopping districts. Elevated walkways connected structures at various levels, creating a three-dimensional maze of foot traffic. Digital billboards advertised everything from Pokemon supplies to upcoming Contest events to League-sanctioned tournaments.
"Where's the Pokemon Center?" Miyuki asked, consulting her map. "We should check in there first and find parking for the Mobile Home."
"Central District," Kiyomi supplied. "Near the Tower of Eternity. That's the main facility, there are smaller centers in each district, but the central one has the best accommodations."
Navigation proved challenging. Viridian City's circular layout meant roads curved instead of following the grid pattern Sasuke had learned in Blackthorn. Traffic was aggressive, vehicles cutting between lanes, automated systems controlling flow through intersections, pedestrians crossing at designated points with the confident assumption that traffic would stop for them.
It took thirty minutes to reach the Central District Pokemon Center. The facility was massive, a twenty-story building with the distinctive red roof and Pokeball symbol marking it as League territory. A large parking structure adjacent to the center held dozens of Mobile Homes and other trainer vehicles.
Sasuke found a parking spot on the third level and shut off the engine. The sudden silence after hours of driving felt disorienting. His ears rang slightly from road noise and city sounds.
"We made it," Kasumi said, emerging from the living room and stretching. "That was intense. Cities are loud."
"This is mild compared to rush hour," Kiyomi replied. "Viridian City traffic at peak times is legendary for being nightmare-inducing."
They gathered their essential items, Pokeballs, identification, tablets, and small day packs with supplies. Their Pokemon emerged. Victini immediately claimed Sasuke's shoulder, Shaymin floated near Miyuki, Gardevoir appeared beside Kasumi, and Ninetales padded after Kiyomi with icy dignity.
The Pokemon Center's lobby was controlled chaos. Hundreds of trainers filled the space, some waiting for Pokemon treatment, others using the public computers and communication stations, several groups clustered around bulletin boards displaying job postings and tournament announcements. Nurse Joy and her staff of Chansey moved between examination rooms with practiced efficiency, handling the constant flow of patients.
The check-in process took twenty minutes. Sasuke registered their Mobile Home's parking permit, confirmed their Trainer License information, and requested four visitor passes that would grant them access to various city facilities. Nurse Joy, this one appearing to be in her thirties, processed everything with mechanical efficiency while simultaneously directing her staff through a headset.
"You're set for a week," she said, handing over the passes. "If you need to extend, just come back and renew. The city's pretty safe, but watch your belongings in crowded areas. Pickpockets target distracted trainers."
"Noted," Sasuke confirmed.
They found a quiet corner of the lobby to regroup. The energy of the Pokemon Center, and by extension the entire city, felt overwhelming after days of relatively peaceful travel. The forest had been wild but quiet. This was civilization at its densest, and it pressed in from all sides.
"So," Kiyomi said. "What's the plan? We could head straight to Pewter City, or we could stay here a few days and explore."
"Stay," Sasuke decided. "Once we start the gym challenge circuit, it'll be constant travel and preparation. This might be our last chance to just experience a city without pressure."
"I agree," Miyuki said. "And Viridian City has excellent facilities for all our specializations. I'd like to visit the medical district and observe some treatments. Kasumi, there's a Contest Hall here if you want to watch performances or practice."
"Really?" Kasumi's eyes lit up. "I didn't know Viridian had Contest facilities!"
"Not as famous as Cerulean's, but still professional quality," Kiyomi confirmed. "And the city has extensive historical archives in the Tower of Eternity's library. I could spend days there researching."
"Then we split up for the afternoon," Sasuke suggested. "Everyone pursues their interests, we reconvene for dinner, share what we learned. Tomorrow we can explore together or continue individual activities."
They agreed on that plan. The group separated near the Pokemon Center entrance, Miyuki heading toward the medical district with Shaymin, Kasumi toward the Contest Hall with Gardevoir, and Kiyomi toward the Tower of Eternity's library with Ninetales.
Sasuke stood alone with Victini, watching the city flow around him. He'd grown up in Blackthorn City, which was larger than Viridian but felt different, more traditional, more focused on Dragon-type culture. Viridian was cosmopolitan in a way that Blackthorn never tried to be. People from every region mixed together here, and the variety showed in clothing styles, Pokemon species, and overheard conversations in multiple languages.
"What should we do?" he asked Victini.
The Victory Pokemon chirped and pointed toward a street vendor selling food. Apparently Victini had priorities.
Sasuke wandered through the Central District with no particular destination. The area around the Tower of Eternity was the oldest part of the city, and the architecture reflected that, stone buildings with elaborate carvings, narrow streets that predated automotive traffic, and small parks tucked between structures where ancient trees had been preserved during development.
The Tower itself dominated everything. Up close, it was even more impressive than from a distance. The stone was dark gray, almost black, and weathered smooth by millennia of exposure. No mortar held the blocks together, they'd been fitted with such precision that gaps were barely visible. Carvings covered every surface, depicting Pokemon that either no longer existed or had changed so much through evolution that they were unrecognizable.
Sasuke found an entrance at the tower's base, massive wooden doors that stood open, allowing public access to the ground floor. Inside, the space opened into a vast circular chamber with a ceiling that rose at least five stories. Sunlight filtered through windows placed at strategic points, creating patterns of light and shadow on the stone floor.
The chamber served as a combination museum and public gathering space. Display cases held artifacts from Viridian City's history, ancient Pokeballs carved from stone, fragments of pre-modern training equipment, and documents dating back centuries. Information plaques explained the tower's known history and the various theories about its original purpose.
A group of schoolchildren occupied the center of the chamber, their teacher explaining something about the tower's astronomical alignments. Sasuke circled around them, examining displays at his own pace.
One particular artifact caught his attention, a carved stone tablet covered in symbols that looked similar to what he'd seen at the Bug-type shrine in Viridian Forest. The information plaque identified it as a "Communication Stone" used by ancient trainers to record information about Pokemon behavior and battle techniques.
"Fascinating, isn't it?" an elderly voice said beside him.
Sasuke turned to find an old man examining the same display. He had to be at least eighty, with white hair and deep wrinkles, but his eyes held sharp intelligence. A Slowking stood beside him, equally ancient judging by the patterns on its shell.
"Just trying to understand the symbols," Sasuke admitted.
"Pre-modern written language. It evolved into what we now call Old Kantonian, which eventually became modern Kantonian script." The old man smiled. "I'm Professor Sato. I study ancient training methods, how people bonded with Pokemon before modern technology."
"Sasuke Uchiha. I'm just visiting the city."
"Uchiha." Sato's eyes brightened with recognition. "The Champion's brother. And one of the Four Supernovas. Your reputation precedes you, young man."
"I haven't actually done anything reputation-worthy yet," Sasuke said.
"You've assembled a team of powerful Pokemon and trained under Fugaku Uchiha for three years. That's impressive regardless of gym badges." Sato gestured to the tablet. "But you're interested in ancient history. That's unusual for modern trainers."
"My traveling companion is an archaeologist. She's been teaching me about pre-Pokeball civilizations."
"Kiyomi Kurama, I assume? I've read her papers. Brilliant young researcher." Sato pulled out a small card and handed it over. "If you're interested in ancient training methods, visit my research institute. It's in the Academic Quarter, about fifteen minutes from here. I have extensive archives and I'm always happy to discuss history with genuinely curious people."
Sasuke pocketed the card. "Thank you. I might take you up on that."
"Please do. And tell Ms. Kurama that her work on pre-Pokeball bonding methods was excellent. I've cited it in my own research."
They parted ways. Sasuke continued exploring the tower's ground floor, but his mind was already thinking about how excited Kiyomi would be to learn her work was being cited by established researchers.
Victini eventually got bored with the museum displays and insisted they leave. Sasuke obliged, stepping back into the city's afternoon bustle. He wandered without direction, letting the city reveal itself naturally.
He passed through the Shopping District, blocks of stores selling everything imaginable. Pokemon supplies dominated, but human goods were well-represented. Clothing boutiques, bookstores, restaurants serving cuisine from every region, electronics shops with the latest training technology.
A commotion near a Battle Stadium drew his attention. Trainers had gathered around an outdoor arena where an informal tournament was taking place. Sasuke joined the crowd and watched several matches, the battling was decent but not exceptional, enthusiastic amateurs testing themselves against peers.
"You should enter!" someone called to him. "They're accepting challengers all afternoon!"
Sasuke shook his head. "Just observing today."
But his presence had been noticed.
"We'd be honored if you'd participate," the man said. "Even just one match. These trainers would learn a lot from watching you battle."
Sasuke wanted to refuse. He hadn't come here to be a spectacle. But the organizer looked genuinely hopeful, and the gathered trainers were watching with obvious excitement.
"Fine. One match," he agreed finally. "Against whoever's next in the tournament bracket."
The opponent turned out to be a girl around twenty, her team consisting of a Raichu, a Sandslash, and a Nidoking, solid Pokemon, well-trained but not exceptional. Sasuke chose Victini for the battle, knowing his partner would keep things entertaining without overwhelming his opponent completely.
The match lasted about eight minutes. Victini had fun playing with the challenger's Pokemon, dodging attacks with aerial acrobatics, landing precise counter-strikes, and generally demonstrating why Legendary Pokemon were called Legendary. But Sasuke kept the little Pokemon from actually humiliating his opponent, focusing on teaching moments rather than domination.
"Your Sandslash has good defensive instincts," he told the girl after winning. "But you're telegraphing your Earthquake timing. If you delay the command by a half-second and let your Pokemon choose the exact moment, it'll be harder for opponents to predict."
The girl absorbed the advice with wide eyes. "Thank you! That was incredible to watch!"
Sasuke extracted himself from the tournament before anyone could request additional matches. He'd shown enough; staying longer would just turn into an exhibition.
The afternoon passed in exploration. Sasuke found quiet parks where office workers ate lunch surrounded by their Pokemon. He discovered a street market specializing in rare berries, he bought several varieties he thought Kasumi would want for her cultivation experiments. He stumbled upon a bookstore with an extensive section on light novels and spent an hour browsing.
By evening, he was pleasantly tired. The city's energy had been overwhelming initially, but he'd adjusted to it. Viridian City was diverse and vibrant in ways Blackthorn never quite achieved despite its size. People here came from everywhere, brought their cultures and Pokemon and traditions, and somehow it all worked.
He returned to the Pokemon Center as the sun was setting. His companions were already gathering in the lobby, each one carrying bags from their respective adventures.
"How was everyone's afternoon?" he asked.
"Educational," Miyuki replied. "I observed several complex treatments at the central hospital. They have techniques we don't use in Johto."
"The Contest Hall here is amazing. I watched three performances and learned so much about Appeal timing." Kasumi said.
"The Tower library has extensive archives. I found references to several ruins on our route to Pewter City. Oh, and Professor Sato sends his regards, apparently he was asking about me and the librarians mentioned we were in the city." Kiyomi added.
"I met him today," Sasuke confirmed. "He gave me his card. Said your research was excellent."
Kiyomi's typical cool expression cracked into genuine pleasure. "Professor Sato cited my work? He's one of the most respected researchers in ancient training methods!"
"He mentioned that. Seemed eager to discuss your findings."
"I'm visiting his institute tomorrow. Definitely." Kiyomi looked more excited than Sasuke had seen her since they'd started traveling.
They returned to the Mobile Home and prepared dinner together, Sasuke cooking while the others helped with prep work and set the small dining table. The meal was simple comfort food after a long day of exploration. Chicken curry with rice, fresh vegetables from the market, and berry tarts Kasumi had purchased from a specialty bakery.
"This city is intense," Kasumi observed. "I like it, but it's exhausting. So many people and Pokemon and sounds and movement all the time."
"That's city living," Kiyomi replied. "Some people thrive on that energy. Others prefer quieter environments. I find it stimulating in small doses but overwhelming if extended."
"How long are we staying?" Miyuki asked Sasuke.
"Two or three days, I think. Enough to experience the city properly but not so long that we delay reaching Pewter." He'd been thinking about timing. "I want to challenge Gaara before too many other trainers arrive. Early season means less crowded gym schedule."
"Makes sense," Miyuki agreed. "And two days gives me time to visit more medical facilities. I want to observe their emergency response protocols."
"I'll probably spend tomorrow at the Contest Hall," Kasumi said. "They have practice rooms that trainers can rent. I want to work on my Cerulean City routine."
"And I'll be at Professor Sato's institute," Kiyomi confirmed. "This is a rare opportunity to access his private archives."
After dinner, they sat in the Mobile Home's living room with the windows open, letting in the city's evening sounds. Traffic had decreased but not stopped, Viridian City never truly slept. Somewhere nearby, a street musician played traditional Kantonian music on a stringed instrument. Pokemon calls mixed with human voices and vehicle sounds, creating the particular symphony of urban life.
"This is different from the campground," Miyuki observed. "Different from the forest too. Each place has its own character."
"That's what journey is about," Sasuke replied. "Experiencing all the different environments and communities across the regions."
"Our mothers talked about that in their video," Kasumi remembered. "How they learned something different from each place they visited."
"They also said the journey mattered more than the destinations," Kiyomi added. "I'm starting to understand that. Today wasn't about achieving anything specific, just exploring and observing. But it felt valuable anyway."
They talked until late in the evening, sharing detailed accounts of their individual adventures and making plans for tomorrow. Eventually exhaustion caught up with everyone and they retreated to their respective sleeping spaces.
Sasuke lay in his ground floor bed, listening to the city outside. Footsteps on the floor above as his companions moved around. Water running through pipes. The hum of the refrigerator and other appliances. The distant sounds of Viridian City continuing its endless cycle.
Tomorrow they'd explore more, learn more, experience more. Then onward to Pewter City and his first gym challenge.
But tonight, they had shelter and safety and companionship in the middle of a massive city. That was enough.
Somewhere in the urban maze beyond their parking structure, an Aether Foundation facility monitored reports from field agents. Data about the Four Supernovas accumulated in secure servers, movement patterns, team compositions, social connections.
Sasuke Uchiha and his companions had spent the afternoon exploring Viridian City, unaware that their activities were being logged and analyzed. The Foundation's interest in them had evolved from casual observation to active intelligence gathering.
Soon, that interest would become direct action. But not yet. For now, the Aether Foundation was content to watch and wait and plan.