Chapter no.18 Pokémon League

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Austin stirred from his sleep, the soft sheets of the Pokémon Center's rented room clinging to his body. As his eyes adjusted to the dimming light seeping through the curtains, a craving for caffeine pulsed in his veins.

"I need coffee," he muttered under his breath, glancing out the window to confirm the evening's arrival with its spread of amber and violet streaking the sky.

He swung his legs off the bed, his movements sluggish and his hair tousled from sleep. In the mirror, Austin quickly ran his fingers through his hair, attempting to tame the spiky locks into something presentable. His eyes, still heavy with sleep, scanned his reflection before he nodded slightly, satisfied that he looked decent enough for a public appearance.

Grateful for the familiar layout of Pokémon Centers, Austin's feet carried him almost automatically to the cafeteria.

The scent of disinfectant mingled with faint traces of food guided him through the familiar corridors. Upon entering the cafeteria, he headed straight for the coffee station. He grabbed a plastic cup and filled it with steaming hot water from a large dispenser that gurgled and hissed softly. From his backpack, he retrieved a packet of instant coffee, the type that's more about utility than flavor.

Tearing open the packet, he poured the dark granules into the hot water, watching them swirl and dissolve into a deep, murky brown. Stirring methodically, he allowed himself a small, anticipatory smile.

Austin took his first sip of the black coffee, its bitterness spreading across his palate, invigorating his senses. He relished the warmth that flooded his system, driving the remnants of sleep away. With a contented sigh, he leaned against the counter for a moment, his eyes closing briefly to savor the moment.

Refreshed, Austin carried his coffee to a table near the window, where he could soak in the evening atmosphere.

Austin pulled out Inside Kanto: A Political Analysis from his bag and flipped it open. His eyes scanned the table of contents, his interest piqued by a chapter on the history of the Pokemon League. With a flick of his wrist, he quickly turned to page 30. The bold heading at the top of the page caught his attention: What is the Pokémon League?

The text mentioned the Holy Michina Empire, a term that made Austin pause. Michina... He recognized the name from the Pokémon movie —Arceus and the Jewel of Life.

A small smile crept across his face as he mused, "Looks like the movies might be canon. That means I can meet Arceus on my journey and get some damn answers."

His curiosity renewed, Austin continued to read about the ancient empire, learning that during those times, the practice of slavery was a harsh reality. Slaves had many roles, but most famously, they participated in the Ludi Gladiatori Sinica Monstra, or Gladiatorial Games of Pokémon, which were the precursor to the modern Pokémon League.

Austin paused to take a sip of his coffee. "Wow," he whispered, impressed by the brutal yet fascinating history. The book described how these early battles were not just entertainment but also a system of recruitment for the slaves who excelled as trainers, known as Lanista Monstra or Monster Trainer.

Turning the page, Austin's anticipation deflated slightly; the following pages offered little additional information on the Gladiatorial Games.

"Would it have killed you to include more interesting stuff in your book?"

Nevertheless, he read on.

"In ancient times, the top trainers were recruited into the army and if they were slaves, they were given freedom."

The text explained that similarly, in modern times, Pokémon League champions or those in the top 10 were often recruited into roles like Pokémon Rangers, police officers, or Ace Squad trainers etc.

Austin's gaze shifted across the cafeteria and settled on a colorful poster on the wall, advertising the Indigo League. A jolt of panic shot through him as he realized something crucial—he hadn't registered for Kanto's Pokémon League yet. Without a second thought, he bolted from his seat, the chair clattering behind him, and dashed toward the reception.

When he arrived, panting and with beads of sweat dotting his forehead, he found Nurse Joy meticulously placing Pokéballs on a tray. She looked up at him with concern, her voice tinged with urgency, "Is something wrong?"

Out of breath, Austin managed to gasp, "I want to register for the Indigo League."

The look Nurse Joy gave him that seemed to say—Really, this was what you ran here for?

Austin responded with a sheepish grin, still catching his breath.

"Submit it before 9 o'clock and you'll get your league card," she instructed, sliding the form across the counter toward him.

"What? A league card?"

It wasn't something he recalled from the anime, but then again, much of what he'd experienced lately hadn't been part of the anime either.

"Like your ID with the Indigo League," Nurse Joy explained. "It has your name, birthdate, and a barcode that tracks how many gyms you've participated in."

"Isn't that what the Pokémon badges are for?"

"That used to be a thing," Nurse Joy responded, shaking her head slightly. "But many people began making fake badges or sold their used gym badges on the black market." She sighed at the memory of the scandal.

"Thanks, I'll bring the form back in a few minutes," Austin said, taking the form and turning to leave.

"Take your time," Nurse Joy called after him. "The Indigo League sends back the ID card in about a week."

"A week?" Austin stopped in his tracks, disbelief coloring his voice. "You can't be serious."

"You are free to ask around."

Austin sighed deeply as he walked away, form in hand. Despite his frustration, he tried to find the silver lining.

More time to prepare for Brock, I guess.

Austin's thoughts were momentarily interrupted by a familiar call.

"Pika."

"Vee."

He glanced down, slightly startled, to find his two Pokémon—Pikachu and Eevee—gazing up at him. "Great, you two..." Austin started, his voice trailing off as he noticed their sheepish expressions.

"How did you two get out of your room?"

In response, their ears flopped down even further, a sign of guilt. Before Austin could press them further, another voice cut through the cafeteria, sharp and alarmed.

"Hey, who's Fearow is this?!"

Austin's heart leapt in relief. It wasn't —

"I mean, Spearow," the voice corrected.

"That's my bird," Austin yelled back, already moving towards the commotion.

After a few minutes of apologies and smoothing over ruffled feathers—literally and figuratively—Austin found himself sitting down again, watching as his Pokémon ate.

"You really need to work on your anger issues, Spearow. You can't just attack and steal someone else's food," he scolded gently.

Spearow patted his belly in response, looking unrepentant.

"Okay then, you should have found me."

Spearow simply huffed and turned away, leaving the young boy to call after him in an annoyed tone, "Spearow!"

But the Pokémon only squawked dismissively and turned his back on everyone.

Austin shook his head, resigned.

Spearow's attitude needed serious work. Settling back into his seat, he picked up the pen and continued filling out the form. The Pokedex, open beside him, provided most of Ash's information, but Austin paused when he reached the section for Ash's father's name.

"Alexander Rothsvale."

He blinked, reading the name again. Not the expected 'Red', 'Silver', or even 'Giovanni'. A wave of disappointment washed over him, but he shrugged it off.

Looks like Ash's father isn't someone special.