Pokemon: A Gym Leader's Rise(SI)

Gladion stared at his huge bag of evolutionary stones, mentally composing and discarding explanations to his parents.

"Hey Mom, Dad, funny story—I just happened to find several million Pokédollars worth of evolution stones! No, I didn't steal them. They were a gift from a legendary Pokémon whose kid I saved from Team Rocket. What's that? End my journey and ground me until I'm thirty? Haha, just kidding about Team Rocket... and the legendary..."

He groaned, flopping back on his hotel bed. "Yeah, that'll go great."

[Perhaps you could say you discovered them?] Mystique suggested

"Right, because a ten-year-old randomly finding enough evolution stones to stock the biggest Pokemon department store is totally believable." Gladion rolled his eyes. "Dad would cry about his 'baby boy' getting involved in crime, and Mom would give me that look. You know the one."

His Pokémon collectively shuddered. They all knew 'the look.'

[Could claim they're fake?] Guy offered.

"And have Mom test them with her fire-types? No thanks. She'd know they're real instantly. Then we're back to the crying and the look."

Gladion paced the room, running scenarios. "Can't tell them about Team Rocket—Dad would have a heart attack, and Mom would end my journey faster than you can say 'overprotective.' Can't mention Zapdos because that's even worse. 'Oh hey, I just fought an evil organization and made friends with a legendary, no big deal!'"

He mimicked his father's voice: "'My baby faced Team Rocket! And a legendary! He could have been killed! We're moving to Alola where it's safe!'" Then his mother's: "'What were you thinking, young man? That's it, no more gym challenge. You're coming home to train under my supervision until you're forty.'"

His Pokémon snickered at his impressions.

"Oh sure, laugh it up," Gladion muttered. "You're not the ones who'll have to deal with the fallout."

After much deliberation, Gladion decided on a temporary solution. He located the nearest Pokémon Bank branch and rented a high-security vault under his trainer ID.

"Yes, I'd like your most secure vault option," he told the clerk, trying to look as mature as possible while barely seeing over the counter.

The clerk raised an eyebrow. "That's quite expensive for a new trainer..."

Gladion slid across his Milotic breeder certification and business registration. The clerk's eyes widened at the account balance.

"Right this way, Mr. Vortex."

As he stored the stones, Gladion couldn't help but appreciate the irony. "From legendary Pokémon's teething toys to high-security vault. If these stones could talk..."

Meanwhile, in Viridian City, Giovanni sat in his dimly lit office, swirling a glass of wine as Archer delivered his report.

"The recovery team found nothing salvageable, sir. The electrical discharge was beyond anything our instruments predicted. The containment equipment simply wasn't rated for that level of power. All that was left behind was broken and destroyed equipment along with the ashes of our executives and their Pokemon."

Giovanni's Persian purred as he scratched behind its ears. "Show me."

The images were grotesque—charred bodies, melted equipment, and in some places, nothing but ash where people and Pokémon had stood. The temperature of the lightning had been so intense it had vitrified the ground in places.

"Our scientists believe Zapdos was holding back initially," Archer continued. "When the containment field failed, it unleashed its full power. The resulting discharge..."

"We underestimated a legendary. A costly mistake. One we would not make again."

"Sir?"

Giovanni set down his wine glass. "What of our secondary objective?"

Archer smiled thinly. "The data we gathered on Zapdos's power output, while incomplete, will prove invaluable for Project M. Our scientists are particularly interested in the readings just before the equipment failed."

"Good. Then this wasn't a total loss." Giovanni turned to the window, looking out over his city. "Redirect our resources to Seafoam Islands. Let's see if Articuno proves more... cooperative."

"And the cleanup?"

"Standard procedure. Blame it on a power plant malfunction. The police are already writing it off as an industrial accident. " Giovanni's lips curved in a cold smile. "After all, who would believe a legendary Pokémon was involved?"

"The real problem is the league. No doubt they would know what happened. They are not stupid. Reduce our operations near vermillion city. I am pretty sure they would send Surge sniffing around the city to look for culprits. Worse, they send Agatha." Giovanni said as Archer shivered at the thought of the Ghost Mistress.

Back in Vermilion City, Gladion felt a weight lift from his shoulders as he left the bank. Team Rocket believed their mission failed due to equipment malfunction and Zapdos's raw power. No one was looking for a mysterious psychic kid with a Machamp, a Pupitar and a Milotic.

"You know," he told his Pokémon as they walked, "maybe I should feel bad about letting Team Rocket think they just had bad luck. But somehow..." He grinned. "I don't."

'Well, I feel bad for the death of Team Rocket's Pokemon. They did not deserve to die for their trainee's poor life choices but then again no Pokemon would willingly follow orders from Team rocket members. The only reason they would follow such order is because they are wrong in head or they were being forced to follow orders. I did not see any signs of torture so the last thing is out.' Gladion thought

'I would need to remember that not all Pokemon are good and cute. They are dangerous and can be just as evil as humans. You can't even believe a cute looking Pikachu, it might just be a Mimikyu in disguise.' Gladion had a wry smile as he thought about it.

As Gladion headed toward their next destination, Gladion couldn't help but feel proud. He'd saved a legendary Pokémon, foiled Team Rocket, and acquired a fortune in evolution stones—all without anyone knowing he was involved.

"Sometimes," he mused, "the best way to be a hero is to make sure nobody knows you were one."

His Pokémon agreed, though Nyx couldn't resist adding: [But next time use an eevee mask instead of a Pikachu mask did you have to use my jacket sleeve as a mask?]

"Hey, Pikachu disguises are classic," Gladion protested. "Team Rocket might think I'm some mysterious creature like a Mimikyu trying to blend in!"

Nyx tilted her head, confused. [What's a Mimikyu? Is it a weird Pikachu with laundry issues?]

Gladion sighed. "No, it's a Pokémon that disguises itself as Pikachu to get people to like it."

[That's... kind of sad,] Nyx said, her ears drooping slightly. [But also, why would it wantto look like Pikachu? Couldn't it aim higher? Like an eevee.]

Gladion frowned. "Not everyone can pull off looking like an Eevee, Nyx. You've got natural charm. Mimikyu's doing its best, okay?"

[Well, its best better not involve stealing my fur for his disguise,] Nyx huffed. [Because if it does, I'm sending it a strongly worded tail-slap of disapproval.]

-----Author Notes------

Thankyou Chemical for supporting me!

Y'all can read 12 extra chapters on my pat*reon.

https://pat reon.com/mrmime24

[No Space]