Grey's POV
It was 8 in the morning, and I woke up.
Yesterday, it seems I made some starting progress, but I guess I will only see the results in my Pokémon and my health by the weekend.
Cloyster has been working well with Ampharos, but it's mostly been getting hit by the attacks, and its Rapid Spin has gotten slower. However, it's working on gaining its momentum back. This kind of seems like that Grotle situation Ash had, but here Cloyster does have some speed and is working on improving it early.
Axew is getting quite the humble beating from Electabuzz. Yes, it had injured it last time, but the Pokémon seemed to have improved. Sparring with that Electabuzz has been improving Axew's reaction time, and Surge had told me dragons grow more when pushed further towards battles. Axew is close to evolving; maybe by the time I reach Cerulean, it could evolve, so giving it this valuable battle experience is good.
It is also working on that Dragon Pulse, but the attack is looking more like a Dragon Breath than a pulse. It seems Axew struggles with special and long-range attacks. We will continue working on that. While it's not this line's forte, having some long-range coverage might come in handy in the future.
Charmander is getting beaten by Pikachu, it seems, and I can't blame the mon. It's probably its first time in serious battle training. I have been giving it instructions since yesterday, and it has been implementing them to improve. Axew has been a great help in this. Both mons seem to have developed a brother-sister bond, it seems, and Axew is helping Charmander learn close-range fighting.
Honestly, I understand why people go for mono-type teams. The benefit that older Pokémon can train up the newer mons is quite good, but I can see it being replicated to some extent for generalist teams as well, like for these two Pokémon.
Persian was getting traumatized by Raichu. It was Surge's 8th Gym Badge-level Raichu. It seems to have a custom move, Flash Step, that is faster than Quick Attack, and Persian is being beaten black and blue, not even being able to catch the mouse. This seems like some amped-up Jerry beating up Tom, but such difficulty is what's going to push my Pokémon to improve.
I was the one who requested Surge assign an 8th Gym-level mon for Persian. While it's no Cloyster, it has potential, and its line is very versatile, and it is faster. Getting to fight the fastest of Surge's mons would only help it. Also, it has gotten some minimal progress on the move Iron Tail, but it is in that fizzing-out stage that even Ash's Pikachu had in the anime, with the move disappearing after trying it.
Execgutte was hard at work. I kind of respected the dedication the eggs were putting in. To be frank, if I even evolved it now, I know for sure it would learn the move Psychic just after evolving. But the eggs wanted to learn the move on their own without evolving, out of some stubbornness.
Its rival was Shellder, who had a King Gene to boost its powers, but Execgutte was a normal Execgutte. Well, a normal Pokémon with great potential for Psychic- and Grass-type abilities and an incredible work ethic that was matched only by my starter, Axew.
There was progress in its practice, but it was still being hit by the Thunder Shocks from Pichu, so it was a work in progress. However, I could see that Execgutte might be able to learn Psychic by this week.
I myself would take the rest of the week to get adjusted to walking without the crutch. I was able to walk for a few minutes without it yesterday, but it's still a work in progress.
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For today, I would go to the Vermilion City Gym with the help of Bill, as Surge had a trainer battle appointment for the morning. He would help drop me there, and I would train for an hour or a bit more until 11, as the official would come to the Pokémon Center and contact Bill, who would then come to the gym to pick me up again.
Bill would have a different plan in that gap. You see, he had been staying in Vermilion City, at least until I recovered and moved towards Cerulean City. Even though he had a mansion between the two cities, the rich dude was staying in a hotel here, saying that the Pokémon Center felt too simple.
Anyway, I gave the guy my Super Rod, which I had gotten from the Warden way back and had used to catch Shellder. I told him to fish near the shores of Vermilion, close to the Pokémon Center. If he was free, he could add a Water-type Pokémon to his team.
Unlike me, who had some pickiness when it came to adding Pokémon to my team because I wanted Pokémon with the work ethic and attitude of a striver, Bill had no such restrictions. He could very well just catch the first Pokémon that bit his hook. Still, I told him to add any Water-type, preferably a Tentacool or Goldeen, but not a Magikarp to his team, as I didn't think Bill's personality was suited to handling a Gyarados yet.
Bill agreed to that and dropped me off at the gym. The receptionist had already been informed of the arrangement and took me to the rehabilitation area of the gym, where the elder Electabuzz was in the center, helping all the injured Pokémon retrain. He looked at me and nodded. So did I.
I released my Pokémon and told them to continue their training. Just like yesterday, this entire week would be spent on that alone. Electabuzz instructed its juniors, who were currently training on their own, to go to their respective partners and continue as they had yesterday. They nodded and got to work.
I also began my exercises for the day.
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Interlude - Bill
Bill's POV
Grey had told him he had caught Water-type Pokémon easily with this rod and had battled a lot of them before meeting his Shellder, so this rod must be good, right? So why was it that he couldn't catch a single Water-type? Nothing was even taking the bait.
It had already been fifteen minutes.
Both Eevee and Abra were sitting beside him near the shore, ready to fight whatever came out, but absolutely nothing was happening.
Bill sighed.
"No, calm down, Bill. This is exactly the kind of enthusiasm that makes you quit things halfway through. I made a promise to myself that I would start catching and training Pokémon properly. I shouldn't go back on it."
To be fair, researching Pokémon and catching Pokémon were two very different things.
When he researched, the Pokémon didn't actively avoid him.
The rod remained still.
Bill stared at it.
The rod stared back.
This was somehow less productive than waiting for experimental data to process.
Just as he was beginning to question every life decision that had led him to sitting on a dock with a fishing rod, the line suddenly jerked.
The rod bent.
Something had taken the bait.
Bill immediately grabbed it with both hands.
Now what had Grey said?
Right.
Don't pull immediately.
Wait.
Let it commit.
Count to six.
Bill could feel something tugging at the bait.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
He pulled with all his strength.
A splash erupted from the water as a Pokémon was dragged into the air before landing on the dock.
"Tentacool!"
Bill's eyes widened.
A Tentacool.
Thank Arceus it wasn't a Magikarp.
He didn't think he could sit here for another hour.
"Alright, battle time."
Tentacool quickly recovered and glared at him.
"Eevee, use Swift!"
Eevee barked and launched a barrage of glowing stars. The attack struck Tentacool repeatedly and seemed to annoy it more than seriously hurt it.
Tentacool immediately retaliated.
Instead of targeting Eevee, however, it launched a stream of Acid toward Abra.
"Why Abra?" Bill asked.
Abra simply teleported away before the attack could land.
The Psychic-type reappeared right beside Tentacool.
Bill grinned.
The TM he had given Abra was finally paying off.
Abra's fist began glowing as electricity crackled around it.
"Thunder Punch!"
The punch landed cleanly.
Tentacool was launched backward and slammed into the wooden deck with a painful smack.
Before it could recover, Eevee followed up with another Swift.
The poor jellyfish now looked considerably worse for wear.
"Perfect."
Bill immediately threw an Ultra Ball.
The ball opened and absorbed Tentacool in a flash of red light.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Bill leaned forward.
The ball shook one final time.
Then it clicked shut.
Silence.
A second later, Bill shot to his feet.
"YES!"
He had done it.
He had actually caught a Pokémon through his own effort.
No assistants.
No researchers.
No expensive technology.
Just him, a fishing rod, and a surprisingly cooperative Tentacool.
Bill laughed and high-fived Eevee.
Abra looked at him for a moment before deciding this level of excitement was exhausting and promptly went back to sleep.
"Fair enough."
After collecting Tentacool, Bill headed toward the Pokémon Center to get all of his Pokémon healed.
By the time he was done, his phone rang.
It was the government official.
The man informed him that he would be arriving shortly to speak with Grey regarding the SS Anne incident.
Bill checked the time.
Right on schedule.
With that, he left the Pokémon Center and headed back toward Vermilion Gym.
It was time to pick Grey up and bring him over for the meeting.
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Third POV
Grey was brought back to the Pokémon Center by Bill when the official arrived. He had a fruitful training session. While there were no sudden improvements within such a short period of training, it had still been productive.
Bill then led Grey to a room booked by the official at the center so that he could speak with Grey privately and take a statement.
Grey entered the room and saw the official. The man had grey hair, though unlike Grey's, which came naturally from his father's side, this was due to old age. He looked to be in his late fifties and was dressed in a formal suit and blazer.
The official gestured toward the empty chair.
"Please, take a seat."
Grey nodded and sat down across from him.
The official then spoke.
"My name is Liam. I am a government official from the Kanto Government. As Bill might have told you beforehand, I have come to take a statement regarding what you experienced aboard the SS Anne."
Grey nodded.
He then began narrating everything that had happened.
He explained how Exeggcute had suddenly begun speaking through telepathy and warned him to run away. He described rushing into the corridors and witnessing Team Rocket harassing trainers. He talked about using Persian to fight back against the grunts, meeting Red during the chaos, and the two of them working together to move toward the edge of the ship while helping trainers and clearing out Rocket members along the way.
As the story continued, Grey's throat became dry, but he pushed on.
He explained how they had continued fighting, how he encountered two commander-ranked Rockets named Jason and Cobra, and how he had eventually thrown himself in front of a Shadow Ball to save Bill, resulting in his hospitalization.
After Grey finished his lengthy explanation, the official sighed.
"I apologize, young Grey. A trainer your age should never have had to experience something like that. For that, the government is sorry."
Grey remained silent.
"That said," Liam continued, "many of your decisions during the crisis were commendable. You indirectly helped save a large number of trainers, and for that, I thank you."
The official opened a file in front of him.
"I am also recommending a therapy session for you tomorrow through the League. It will be completely free. I have recommended similar sessions to many trainers who were present during the incident. What you witnessed was traumatic, and according to the file in front of me, this was your second encounter with Team Rocket. The first was during the Lavender Town incident."
He looked directly at Grey.
"So I highly recommend attending this session."
Grey nodded. He remembered receiving similar advice after the Lavender Town incident.
The official seemed satisfied with the response.
"Good. I will inform the League, and they will arrange the session for tomorrow. Bill, who has agreed to sponsor you, will act as the liaison for communication."
Liam then flipped through a few more pages.
"By the way, Steven Stone wanted to approach you, or at least send a representative from Devon Corporation to negotiate a sponsorship. However, after speaking with Bill and reviewing the terms he has offered you, I can confidently say they are fair and highly competitive. In fact, they are comparable to what large multinational companies such as Silph or Devon would offer."
The official smiled slightly.
"As such, I will inform Devon Corporation that you are already sponsored so they do not unnecessarily take up your time or disturb your recovery."
Grey nodded before speaking.
"There is actually some information I wanted to give regarding Team Rocket, but it might be better discussed on another occasion."
The official immediately raised a hand.
"You can share any information you believe is important during your therapy session."
Grey blinked.
Liam continued.
"Be assured that any statement you make, as long as it is logical and reasonable, will be taken seriously. You and that Red kid have already had run-ins with Team Rocket twice."
The official rubbed his forehead.
"And don't even get me started on that Ash kid. He seems to encounter Team Rocket on what feels like a daily basis. What kind of foolishness possesses him to keep running into them and still not report half of it to the police is beyond me."
Grey couldn't really argue with that.
"Anyway," Liam continued, "the therapist assigned to you is highly capable. More importantly, she works directly with the League, so any information you provide will be documented and taken seriously."
His expression hardened.
"Team Rocket has officially been designated an S-Rank threat. A detain-or-kill-on-sight order has been issued for confirmed members. The chaos they caused aboard the SS Anne crossed far too many lines. Other regions have also become involved due to the scale of the incident, so the government is doing everything possible to neutralize the organization."
Grey hesitated before asking the question that had been bothering him.
"What exactly happened afterward? How many people survived? What was that Pokémon?"
Liam immediately shook his head.
"Unfortunately, much of that information has been classified by the Champion himself."
He paused.
"I can tell you this much, however. Thanks to the actions of several trainers, including the League's top competitors, various Ace Trainers who accompanied Lance, and the Champions themselves, Team Rocket largely failed in its primary objective."
The official folded his hands.
"Their goal was to capture a significant portion of the trainers' Pokémon aboard the ship. While they did manage to steal some Pokémon, they failed to secure the large-scale haul they were aiming for."
His expression darkened.
"That does not mean the incident was without casualties. Many trainers and Pokémon were injured, including yourself. Three trainers also lost their lives during the attack."
Grey's face paled.
"As for the unknown Pokémon, it does not match any known entry in any Pokédex or regional database currently available. What we do know is that it possessed enough power to hold four Champions at bay simultaneously."
Grey's eyes widened.
"What? Did any of the Champions—"
"No."
The answer came immediately.
"The Champions managed to force the Pokémon to retreat. Once it fled, Team Rocket abandoned the operation and withdrew as well."
Liam shook his head.
"That is all I can tell you. The exact details of how the Champions accomplished that are classified."
Grey internally processed the information.
So the Champions managed to beat Mewtwo.
That either meant Mewtwo was weaker than he remembered—which he doubted—or the Champions had access to something capable of bridging the gap.
Then he remembered.
Diantha had been there.
Mega Evolution.
Maybe that had played a role.
No point dwelling on it.
The official eventually stood up.
"Once again, thank you for your actions aboard the SS Anne. Saving Bill was no small thing. He is considered an invaluable asset to both the League and the region due to his technological contributions."
He picked up his briefcase.
"Any medical expenses incurred during your treatment will be reimbursed to Bill by the League. Additionally, once statements have been collected from the surviving trainers, compensation and rewards will be distributed accordingly."
Grey nodded.
With that, Liam left the Pokémon Center, summoning a Slowbro and using it to teleport away.
After the official departed, Bill looked down at his phone.
"Looks like I just received confirmation. Your therapy session has been scheduled for tomorrow at ten."
Grey nodded.
Looks like tomorrow was going to be another busy day.
Author's Note:I am willing to discuss Bill's team and make a poll for the rest of his pokemon I have one more pokemon in mind for him that being porygon rest is fair game I leave to readers I will float a poll for the same so no need to spam in this chapter , also some of you have guessed Greys next pokemon kudos for that , but dont reveal it this soon I will anyway reveal it in author notes in a couple of chapters once i finish this rehab arc, the next chapter is personally my favourite I have written so hope you enjoy it .