Pokemon: Gym Leader

"Ah~ Farewell, Paldea!"

On the plane, Lillie gazed out the window at the shrinking city of Mesagoza, excitement already building for her next visit.

This time, they hadn't had much time to properly explore, but Lillie felt content. She was confident they'd have more opportunities to return in the future.

"I hope Arven brings us some good news soon."

Dylan pondered as he leaned back in his seat. He had tasked Arven with gathering information from Ms. Raifort, the history teacher at Naranja Academy, about the Treasures of Ruin.

Raifort was an expert in historical research. Unlike those obsessed with the present or the future, she had an insatiable curiosity about the legends of the past.

Through her studies, she had gained extensive knowledge about the Treasures of Ruin, ancient Pokémon sealed away in Paldea's history. In the game, she was the one who revealed the location of their shrines to the protagonist.

Dylan believed Arven could manage the task, given that he was already a student at the academy with plenty of free time on his hands.

Rota Street.

By the afternoon, Reshiram descended gracefully in front of Rota Street.

"Ah~ Rota Street, we're back!"

Lillie looked at the familiar scenery with a joyful smile. She felt a deep sense of fulfillment, like she was returning home.

Unknowingly, Rota Street had become a place she considered home, though she reminded herself that she could never forget Alola, her true home.

Although, to be honest, it had been a while since she'd really thought about Alola...

"Let's head back and get some rest. The gym reopens tomorrow," Dylan said, chuckling as he ruffled Lillie's hair before recalling Reshiram.

They had been away for five days, meaning the Rota Gym had been closed for a full week. Dylan sighed inwardly—his freedom as a Gym Leader sometimes felt too flexible.

Officer Jenny had grumbled about this in their group chat multiple times, but with Chairman Charles's approval, there wasn't much she could do about Dylan's laid-back attitude.

"Ugh, nepotism! It's infuriating!"

"Wow! I knew it was you guys!"

A delighted voice called out from behind them.

Dylan turned in surprise to see two familiar young women approaching—Selene and Asha, both members of the Rota Gym.

But they weren't alone. Behind them stood a petite, golden-haired girl with a long ponytail, her expression a mix of nervousness and shyness.

"Selene, Asha, what are you two doing here?"

"We went exploring in Viridian Forest and made a surprising discovery," Asha said with a sweet smile.

"This is our new friend!" she added, gently nudging the golden-haired girl forward.

"Hello, Gym Leader Dylan... I'm Yellow. It's an honor to meet you," the girl said nervously, bowing politely as she introduced herself.

"Hello, I'm Dylan," he replied, raising an eyebrow. So this really is Yellow.

"Selene and Asha didn't cause you any trouble, did they?" Dylan asked, his tone playful.

"No, not at all! Selene and Asha helped me a lot. They even said they could help me find a good job," Yellow replied earnestly, her voice soft and timid.

Dylan turned his amused gaze toward Selene and Asha, who smiled sheepishly. They had clearly tried to coach Yellow before bringing her here, but she was too honest to play along.

"Did you two think my gym was a shelter?" Dylan said, shaking his head in exasperation.

"You want me to take in another child worker?"

Yellow's expression faltered, her face falling into a look of quiet sadness. Her family wasn't well-off, and she had hoped to find work to help ease their burden.

"Hehe~"

But Selene and Asha knew Dylan too well. They could tell from his tone that he wasn't truly angry.

"Gym Leader Dylan, Yellow is really special! She's just like you!" Selene said quickly, trying to convince him.

"Yellow, show Gym Leader Dylan what I mean."

"O-okay..."

Yellow hesitated, then stretched out her hand. A faint green glow flickered to life in her palm.

"Is that... the Viridian Power?"

Both Lillie and Ilene were stunned. As far as they knew, only Dylan and Champion Lance possessed this mysterious gift from Viridian Forest.

And yet, this simple, pure-hearted girl also had it.

"See? She's just like you, Gym Leader Dylan!" Selene exclaimed, slinging her arm around Yellow's shoulders with a cheeky grin.

Dylan had once told them that the Viridian Power was an incredibly rare blessing from nature itself. Anyone chosen by Viridian Forest was bound to be extraordinary.

"Well, this is unexpected," Dylan said, pretending to ponder. He walked over to Yellow, who was standing nervously, and extended his own hand. A faint green glow emanated from his palm.

Yellow's eyes widened in surprise and delight. "You... you have the same power as me!"

"There's no need to be nervous. You're someone blessed by nature too. Can you tell me your full name?" Dylan asked gently, crouching slightly to meet her gaze.

"My name is Yellow de Tokiwa Lily," she replied, her voice soft but sincere.

"Yellow from Viridian Forest, huh? That's a lovely name," Dylan said with a nod.

"Yellow, would you like to join my Rota Gym?"

Yellow looked uncertainly at Selene and Asha, who immediately started nodding furiously, motioning for her to agree.

"Don't mind those two troublemakers," Dylan said with a chuckle, shooting them a glare. They immediately straightened up, trying to look innocent.

"Yellow, even though you're still young, you should learn to make your own decisions and not let others influence you too much," Dylan advised.

Yellow hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, Gym Leader Dylan, I'd like to join the Rota Gym."

"Good. I'll accept you as an employee. But more than that, I'd like you to become my apprentice," Dylan said warmly.

"Eh? Apprentice?"

"Yes. You can think of it as being my student. Selene here is my first apprentice," Dylan explained.

"Selene... you're an apprentice?" Yellow asked in surprise.

"Of course! Don't worry, Yellow. As your senior apprentice, I'll teach you everything!" Selene declared proudly, puffing out her chest.

Dylan couldn't help but laugh. "I'll warn you, though, Selene isn't exactly the best role model."

"I'll train you properly, Yellow. With your potential, you could even surpass Lance someday and become Kanto's Champion!"

Yellow's eyes widened in awe. "Kanto Champion?"

"Yes," Dylan said with a grin, patting her on the shoulder.

"One day, you'll achieve what your senior apprentice wouldn't dare to attempt."

From the sidelines, Selene rolled her eyes playfully. Dylan's really laying it on thick, huh?

Later that evening, Dylan treated everyone to a lavish meal at Rota Street's finest restaurant to celebrate Yellow joining the Rota Gym.

Sipping on a coconut drink, Dylan leaned back with a contented smile.

"Yellow has the same Viridian Power as me. I'm sure her future will be bright," he said to Lillie, who was seated beside him.

"She definitely has the potential to surpass Selene," he added with a chuckle.

Still, as he watched Yellow chatting with Selene and Asha, a faint worry crept into his mind.

Let's hope she doesn't end up as mischievous as Selene. I'll need to keep a close eye on this one.

(End of Chapter)