"Dad! Please take me with you. I promise I'll be a good girl," Alvera pleaded with puppy dog eyes as Alex bid his family farewell for his trip to the Galar region.
"No can do, Alvera," Alex replied in a serious tone. "You're under strict orders from the League to remain under house arrest, which means it's over my head as well. You need to pay the price for your actions."
"Can't you just… you know…" she said, waggling her eyebrows. "Ask for a pardon or something?"
"I could," Alex answered, nodding. "But you told me it was worth it, so you must take responsibility for your actions. Just be thankful you got off with a slap on the wrist rather than jail time."
"This feels like jail time though," she whispered, looking down while twiddling her thumbs.
"I know you don't mean that. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind asking Clarissa to imprison you for a few months so you can have a point of reference for the difference."
Alvera gulped and promptly fell silent for the rest of Alex's farewells. She didn't really think she could get out of her punishment, but it never hurt to try. She knew her dad had a soft spot for her, given that she apparently shared his addiction for adrenaline, so it was worth seeing if he would fold to her request.
She even used her signature innocent look, which included widened eyes, raised brows while looking up, pouting lips and slightly puffed cheeks, hands clasped in front of her chest, and her legs turned inward at an angle. It used to deal maximum damage on everyone when she was younger, but now it only worked on her dad, considering she was already as tall as her mothers.
Alex finished his farewell with long hugs for each of his children before teleporting to the police station with Gardevoir. Once he arrived at the Saffron City police station, he made his way to the teleportation room and jumped to Interpol. Instead of heading to the Galar teleportation crystal, however, he went outside into the city of steel, neon lights, robots, and hovercrafts before making his way to a major Champion ranked store to go shopping.
Since he was heading to the Galar region, the only place where Dynamaxing worked, he figured he should buy a Dynamax Band.
Of all the interesting tidbits Alex had learned from his research, the most fascinating was the effect Dynamaxing had on the region.
Galar was similar to Kanto and Johto in that it had a rich history, preserved its culture and traditions, and remained in touch with nature. The majority of the region was steeped in wilderness, with only 10 major cities; the rest were sprawling towns and villages.
The difference, however, was that Galar didn't have tall walls like other regions to defend against wild Pokémon floods.
Three thousand years ago, during an event known as the Darkest Day, Eternatus descended, causing all Pokémon to Dynamax, sowing chaos, death, and destruction. The Legendary Pokémon came together to fight the alien invader and managed to seal it, but they couldn't prevent the region from being irradiated with Dynamax energy.
Since then, humans had learned to harness this energy for their own use, allowing their Pokémon to Dynamax, granting them tremendous strength and size, and enabling them to use powerful moves called Max Moves.
These Max Moves were essentially massive area-of-effect attacks, capable of covering vast stretches of terrain while dealing damage far beyond a Pokémon's natural rank. This made it possible for just a handful of top-ranked trainers to defend entire communities from Pokémon floods, removing the need for defensive walls entirely.
Of course, there were limitations. Dynamaxing could only be performed at power spots where Dynamax energy was concentrated, which meant it was mostly limited to the major cities in the region. As for the towns and villages, they relied on local trainers for protection, while some took advantage of natural geography for defense. A few still had walls, but far fewer than in other regions.
With this massive upgrade, which was easy to use and only available in Galar, anyone with access to it in the region had a huge advantage over everyone else. To even the playing field, Alex decided to get one of his own and pick fights with anyone aiming for the prize on his head.
It certainly wasn't because he was interested in watching giant Pokémon fight, or for the thrill of possibly taking on a weaker one with his bare hands.
Quelling his bubbling excitement, Alex continued shopping and ended up buying only the Dynamax Band. He wasn't interested in the Max Soup, which granted Gigantamax abilities, since it didn't seem particularly useful.
Sure, it would give his Pokémon cool new forms and G-Max Moves, but the advantage was minuscule on a grand scale, something only trainers who took official battles seriously would bother investing in.
Once Alex finished up his shopping, he headed for the teleportation hall and selected Motostoke City, Galar, as the starting point of his adventures. The city's large population made it the ideal place to get a jump start on spreading his infamy.
As the light of teleportation faded, Alex found himself inside a locked teleportation room that required his signature. He signed Galar's information packet as he stepped out, noting the warnings to avoid the southern parts of the region, home to Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
Stepping into the streets, Alex was immediately struck by Motostoke's unique character. The city was a sprawling industrial hub in full bloom, its skyline a mix of old brick smokestacks and modern steel-and-glass buildings. Thick, sooty air hung over parts of the streets, evidence of the heavy industry that still churned away in the city's factories. These industrial areas produced most of Galar's goods, from machinery to tools, and the constant hum of activity gave the city a relentless energy.
Thousands of people thronged the streets, trainers hustling to the market, laborers hauling goods, and Pokémon accompanying their trainers, weaving through the crowd with ease. Despite the haze and the occasional puff of smoke, the city pulsed with life and excitement, a place where industry was the goal.
Dominating the cityscape was the Motostoke Gym and its stadium. Unlike the Gyms in other regions, the stadium was massive, built with reinforced steel and intricate scaffolding that echoed the city's industrial aesthetic. Its circular design allowed crowds of spectators to view battles from every angle, with cameras lining the stadium to capture the most intense moments.
The Gym Leader, Kabu, specialized in Fire type Pokémon, a perfect fit for the city's machinery-laden environment. He also had a notorious reputation for stopping more trainers from progressing than any other, thanks to his strict standards.
Unlike other regions, which often have multiple Gyms in a single major city, Galar limits each city to just one Gym. A single Gym is sufficient for a Gym Leader and their Champion ranked Pokémon to defend the city against a Pokémon flood, making additional Gyms unnecessary. Furthermore, building a Gym requires a power spot capable of supporting Dynamax energy, which is usually limited to only one per city.
Another difference from other regions is how Gym Battles operate in Galar. They are treated as a major industry and spectacle, broadcast throughout the region and streamed online for viewers from other regions. As a result, participation is limited to trainers who receive an invitation, in other words, those with the proper connections.
Limiting challengers in this way keeps the pool manageable and ensures a higher quality of battles for the broadcasts. From a Gym's perspective, it also prevents them from being overwhelmed by countless trainers trying to prove themselves.
From a political perspective, restricting invitations to those with the right connections keeps the Gym circuit under tight control. It concentrates power in the hands of Galar's former nobility, who still consider themselves influential in the region.
To the south of the city lay the entrance to the Wild Area, a vast, open expanse where trainers could encounter Dynamaxed Pokémon where Galar's defensive philosophy became clear. Unlike other regions that built massive walls around their cities to keep wild Pokémon out, Galar focused its efforts on containing the Wild Area instead. The region was saturated with Dynamax energy, and that energy could cause wild Pokémon to grow to enormous sizes and become dangerously aggressive.
Because of this, the real threat in Galar wasn't the usual Pokémon flood that other regions feared. The greater danger came from gigantic Dynamaxed Pokémon rampaging out of the Wild Area. A single one could cause far more destruction than a large group of normal Pokémon.
Thinking about it that way, Alex understood the logic. Fighting off waves of ordinary Pokémon was one thing. Facing a towering monster empowered by Dynamax energy was something else entirely. In comparison, containing the Wild Area made far more sense than surrounding every city with walls.
The Wild Area was Alex's current destination. He wanted to test Dynamaxing for himself and start attracting assassins, bounty hunters, and members of Team Dominion to fight him out in the open.
Out there, away from the cities and their regulations, there would be no rules, no interference, and no shortage of witnesses. If anyone wanted the bounty on his head, the Wild Area would give them the perfect opportunity to try.
Alex smiled as he turned his gaze toward the distant wilderness, excited for the battles to come.
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