The Return and The PTLTs Result

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I am extremely sorry for the late chapter. Actually, I was taking a self-declared holiday yesterday after my exams ended. Otherwise, this chapter would have been posted yesterday.

Anyway, from now on, I am expecting to upload a chapter daily.

Now, enjoy the chapter.

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Gary leisurely walked out of the test center with a sunny smile for finally crossing the first hurdle in his pokemon life. The PTLTs where over a million examinees took part had to cross this hurdle in order to become a trainer only the elite of the elite got a Mascot starter of Kanto. For every trainer, the starter pokemon was separately registered in their ID. Therefore owning an official starter, was a status in itself.

The Oak Laboratories prided in their elitist mindset and honesty, so Gary knew that if he failed to get into the top three, even though his grandfather personally might pay for his journey, he would not be included in the official sponsorship list sent to the League, the trainers in which would receive various benefits in the services, which included allowing one to buy TMs as a Novice Trainer, while others would have to be at least become an Intermediate Trainer i.e. get their fourth gym badge to be eligible to buy TMs.

He saw his Grandfather's personal car parked quite a distance from the entrance of the test centre. That means.....

Astonished, he picked up his pace and half walked, half ran to the car to see the Professor standing behind the car away from the road personally present.

"Gramps!!!! What a surprise! Why are you here?"

"Hahaha! I had to collect something personally from Viridian. So, I came here and sent back Jefferson. Anyway, how was the test?"

"Very Good!" And he excitedly went on a rampant narrative of his first pokemon battle victory.

"Really Gary, your luck is simply out of the world. Hmm, but the choices should be mostly of similar category. The combination of Spearow and Golbat is simply out of the question, especially a rare Infiltrator ability holder.....?" The last part, he mumbled to himself.

"Anyway, let's go. Now, its 2:30 pm. So, Ash's practical test should have finished by now. Let's go, they should be waiting for us. Oh, blame my memory, there is a good news for you.."

"What, Gramps?"

"Metang has finally learned Heavy Slam."

"Oh, that's good news!" Gary exclaimed while getting into the car's front seat. Professor Oak got into the driver's seat and drove off to the test center near the Viridian Gym which was around ten minutes from there.

When the car stopped there, Gary got down from the car and looked here and there for the mother-son pair.

In the past years, he had formed a sort of an uncanny relationship with Delia. It started as a friendship between two persons of dissimilar age, but Gary had no qualms in expressing his interest in the mature woman. And Delia being the seductress, would often tease Gary by making ambiguous remarks and sultry gestures to him.

Around ten months ago, once, Gary had been unable to control himself and pushed her directly to wall and kissed her. It had very quickly developed into a heated makeout session between the two with Gary running his hands all over those devilish curves.

But Delia had stopped him before they could go to the next level. As she withdrew her lips, she had brought her lips to his ear and said, "That will be your gift when you will officially become a trainer." and sent a shiver down his spine.

After that, whenever Gary visited the Ketchum Residence to run an errand for his grandfather or for lunch, he would sneak behind the seductress and embrace her and enjoy caressing the gentle yet seductive beauty.

Coming to the present, Gary spotted Ash and his Delia standing beside the gate, waiting for them. Delia had donned on a tight-fitting jeans and a half t-shirt that could not hide the magnificence of her peaks. She was looking absolutely drop - dead gorgeous.

Gary raised his hand to signal her and lo behold his whimsical luck, that moron Ash was the one to spot him.

Ash's performance in the years since his transmigration had deeply disappointed him who was expecting a serious and intelligent Ash like one of those fanfics he had read, after knowing the real dangers of the pokemon world.

That idiot had made no real effort in studying for the Oak sponsorship, but his luck in winging the practice battles in school had astounded him. His ambition was limited to shouting, "I will become the greatest pokemon master!" After the first six months, Gary had given up on drilling sense into that knucklehead and he had witnessed that even Delia had given up on bringing him back on track.

By the time, Gary had been finished his internal rant on that knucklehead with a mental scowl, the Ketchums had already covered the distance to their car.

"Hehe Gary, just you wait and see, I will top the PTLTs this time!" Ash exclaimed out of nowhere.

Currently, Gary's favourite pastime had become riling up Ash a little and then he would go on with the future tales of his world conquering adventure.

"Fine, fine.." Gary dismissed him with a wave of his hand and asked curiously, "So, how was your exam, what pokemon did you use and face?"

"Hmph, I got a Magnemite and my opponent had a beautiful POLIWAG. I sooo wanted the Poliwag. Wish I had got it!"

Gary for the umpteenth sighed at his idiocy. Which person in their right mind would not cherish a type advantage choice, but crave for a type disadvantage pokemon. Lo behold the great Ash Ketchum.

Professor Oak, on hearing Ash, coughed violently. And Delia quietly slapped her forehead, again.

"Anyway, get in the car. Gary took his front seat and the Ketchums sat in the back.

After an hour of listening to Ash's rant on how he would finally be able to go on his dream journey, how he would catch the world's strongest pokemon, how he would win the League in his first try and how he would defeat Lance and his Elite Four in one full sweep to become the Kanto Champion, did they finally reached Pallet Town. Ash and Delia left for the Ketchum Residence on foot and Professor Oak and Gary entered the Oak property.

It was already 4 in the afternoon and the sun was already on the last part of its downward journey.

As Gary turned the door knob to open the main door, he heard the Professor's voice telling him from behind, "After you have freshened up, meet me at the lab, I want to hear a detailed report on your theory test."

"Surrreeee Graaaampssss....."

The echoing voice of Gary was heard as he had already run for the shower. As he entered the room, he cast a fleeting glance at empty couch of Metang, which proved that his partner was still training. He sighed at the stubbornness of his first true friend. He knew that Metang will not give up unless he brings up the mastery to at least Proficient.

After showering and wearing a fresh set of clothes, he did not delay and took Metang's pokeball from the drawer and left for the lab.

On his way, he made a detour to the private training area that his Gramps had alloted him. As he neared the place, he could hear constant thud sounds and light vibrations of the ground due to something heavy hitting something like a rock.

As his field of view cleared up, he saw Metang constantly practicing his moves in turn one paychic type move followed by a heavy slam. This method was devised by Gary himself to give him a chance to recover his steel type energy and to master a move more efficiently.

Finally, the steel type energy coating on Metang's body shone with a resplendent light and Heavy Slam was executed which broke the giant target rock.

Finally, having finished, it floated slowly towards Gary whose presence it had already detected as Gary had made no effort in masking his psychic presence signature.

(I presume Grandfather has already imparted the news of mastering Heavy Slam by me to you, Friend Trainer?)

"Yes, Metang. And I am happy that you are on the way to become an Advanced Rank Pokemon."

As Gary said this, he brought out Metang's status window.

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Name:— Metang (shiny)

Type :— Steel/ Psychic

Rank :— Intermediate (Peak)

Potential :— Deep Platinum

Hidden Ability :— Clear Body, Heavy Metal

Moveset :— Take Down(A), Metal Claw(P), Rock Tomb(P), Confusion(P), Hammer Arm(P), Agility(P), Zen Headbutt(P), Magnet Rise(P), Heavy Slam(P)

Innate Talent :— Psychic(A), Miracle Eye(N)

TM :— Light Screen(P), Ice Punch(P), Brick Break(P)

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When his partner awakened the innate talent of Miracle Eye on evolution, he was really shocked at its inner talent to become a psychic giant. The three TMs were the fruits of his blood and sweat. He had hanged onto his grandfather and nagged him for days and then only he had been able to procure only three moves.

Light Screen was to protect it from fire type attacks, Ice Punch for an elemental punch and brick break as an important fighting type move that could break barriers.

(How was your official test? Anything less than the best would be not living upto our dreams.)

It should be mentioned here that Gary's Metang had in the years, imbibed his dream to be the best.

"It was perfect, you should take some rest, I am recalling you."

(Go on, friend trainer.)

Gary recalled Metang and left for his grandfather's lab where awaited a gruelling session of his Gramps' investigation of his answers.

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(A fortnight later)

It's currently 9:45 am in the clock of Professor Oak's personal lab area. Gary could be seen walking from one end of the lab to the other with his head hanged down as if in deep thought.

The other three occupants of the room, namely the Professor himself, his Alakazam and Metang watched the scene in barely hidden amusement. This was actually Gary's way of keeping his tension in control.

And the reason for all this drama is because today the results of the PTLTs would be declared in the League's official website in this world's version of Internet, Pokenet.

"Mmm, I think Gary you should sit down at a place, otherwise your legs will not be able to take such a heavy toil, you have been going on like that for the past half hour." Professor Oak joked to his grandson.

"Gramps, it is not at all funny!" Gary refuted with a scowl.

As the clock finally chimed ten after fifteen long minutes that seemed like fifteen extra long hours, Professor Oak swiftly opened up the website in his personal PC on his desk and opened the result portal. He quickly entered Gary's registration number and clicked on Submit.

The loading took a fraction of a second and Gary's test report was in full display in front of his eyes.

"Hmm, Gary, you should see the report.", Professor Oak said in an extremely serious voice.

Gary tentatively peeked into the screen and as the contents finally registered into his brain, he jumped up in elation.

"Yes! Yes! I topped the PTLTs." He skidded to Metang and wrapped his arms around its metallic body and said while vigorously shaking, "Can you believe Metang, I really topped the PTLTs!!!"

There it was on the screen displayed in small black letters.

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Name :— Gary Oak

Registration No. :— XXXXXXXXXXXX

Theory :— 115/ 115

Practical (Battle Test) :— 84/ 85

Total :— 199/ 200

Rank :— 1

Congratulations, you have successfully passed the PTLTs, good luck in your future endeavor.

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Gary actually had a perfect score in the theory test, and as for the one mark in the practical battle, it was the unofficial rule that perfect score could only be awarded if the examinee one - shot the opponent's pokemon.

Gary was finally relieved as he saw a small smile of pride on his Gramps' face. He had in the end succeeded in being recognized by his own Grandfather's high standards.

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END