Grey's POV
I was scrolling through the PokéNet when I stumbled across one of the larger tournament forums. Somehow, I ended up going down a rabbit hole reading the reactions to everything that had happened during the S.S. Anne Tournament.
Honestly, I probably shouldn't have.
Still, curiosity won.
PokeNet Thread: [LIVE ARCHIVE] S.S. Anne Invitational Tournament DiscussionTop 128
User: JefeBrown322
Finally! Some decent battles. Hopefully this isn't just a bunch of three-badge trainers getting folded in one hit.
User: FlamingNova8394
Actually, some of these trainers look pretty skilled for their badge count.
User: BlackthornPride
Ryu's in the bracket. Everyone else is fighting for second place.
User: AriaSupporter
ARIA MY QUEEN!
User: Bob
That Red kid seems weirdly confident.
User: CasualTrainer
Confident? Bro hasn't stopped talking since the opening ceremony.
User: DragonMaster77
Let's go Ryu! Show them how Blackthorn trains its Dragon Tamers!
Top 64
User: MatchAnalyst
The quality has increased a lot.
A lot more evolved Pokémon are showing up now.
User: VeteranBreeder
You can tell who prepared and who didn't.
Half the remaining trainers have actual battle plans instead of just screaming attacks.
User: KantoWatcher
I can already see a few trainers here making Indigo Plateau in their first year.
User: RouteTrainer
That Grey kid's pokemon is surprisingly well-trained.
User: BlackthornPride
Still not beating Ryu.
User: RouteTrainer
Didn't say he would.
Just saying the Axew is legit.
Top 32
User: BattleJunkie
Now THIS is where the tournament actually starts.
User: StrategyNerd
The gap between Top 64 and Top 32 is insane.
Every trainer left has at least one genuinely strong Pokémon.
User: AriaSupporter
Aria's Pilloswine is carrying.
User: OakFanboy
Red keeps winning battles somehow.
User: KantoObserver
All of Oak's sponsered Kids seem scary good.
Top 16
User: TournamentEnjoyer
These matches were incredible.
User: BattleAnalyst
A surprising amount of tactical play for rookie trainers.
Lots of switching, positioning, and move combinations.
User: FutureElite
Honestly?
Several of these trainers already battle better than some five-badge trainers I've seen.
User: VermillionLocal
The Top 8 is stacked.
No obvious weak links left.
TOP 8Ryu vs Grey
User: ShockedViewer
Man, who would've thought some kid from Celadon would beat a Blackthorn trainer?
User: DragonTamer101
That "some kid" had an Axew.
Obviously.
User: BattleVeteran
Bro, even if YOU had an Axew, you wouldn't beat a Blackthorn trainer.
In fact, it's worse for a rookie trainer to own a Dragon-type if they lack the temperament or resources to raise one.
User: DragonTamer101
Fair point.
User: BattleVeteran
What impressed me wasn't that Grey had an Axew.
It's that he somehow trained it well enough to compete with someone from Blackthorn.
THAT'S the impressive part.
User: CeladonResident
Guys, I'm from Celadon.
I actually know who this kid is.
His father works construction.
The kid used to do odd jobs around the city for extra money before starting his journey.
He didn't have tutors.
Didn't have some rich sponsor.
Didn't have a famous family.
I remember seeing him borrowing books from Nurse Joy and studying at the Pokémon Center late at night.
Whatever he's showing right now is hard work.
Don't forget he placed Top 4 in the Trainer Exam and earned one of Lance's starter Pokémon.
User: Route22Trainer
Wait.
You're telling me this guy went from doing odd jobs in Celadon to making the Top 4 of the S.S. Anne Tournament?
User: CeladonResident
Yep.
User: Route22Trainer
Okay.
Now I'm rooting for him.
User: ExploudMan
LET'S GO GREY!
SHOW THEM THE POWER OF THE COMMON MAN!
User: ConstructionCrew87
As a fellow construction worker, I'm rooting for the kid now.
User: KantoUnderdog
Grey might actually be the biggest underdog story in the tournament.
Grey's POV
Reading that, I paused.
Who exactly was this old guy on the forum?
Why was he apparently monitoring my entire childhood?
POV end
Ash vs Stefan
User: PidgeotFan
Wow.
That Ash kid actually has skill.
I thought he was the goofiest person left in the tournament.
User: ElectricAce
Same.
Turns out he's legitimately strong.
User: StrategyCorner
His battle style is pure aggression.
Offense stacked on top of more offense.
User: StefanSupporter
Nah.
He got lucky.
If that Pidgeotto hadn't pulled through, Stefan had the match.
User: BattleNerd
Luck is part of Pokémon battles.
Ash still won.
Blue vs Ethan
User: FastForward
Wait.
The match is already over?
User: KantoCitizen
What did you expect?
That's Oak's grandson.
User: FastForward
I expected a battle.
Not an execution.
User: BattleAnalyst
The scary thing is that he isn't even struggling.
Aria vs Red
User: AriaSupporter
MY QUEEN LOST?!
HOW?!
User: HeartbrokenFan
This tournament is rigged.
User: NineTalesEnjoyer
Pretty sure the Ninetales had something to do with it.
User: SuspiciousTrainer
How does someone have a Ninetales this early?
Seems suspicious.
User: OakResearchIntern
Before people start screaming "cheater," maybe remember that Red is sponsored by Professor Oak.
"Think Idiots Think"
Do you really think Oak would sponsor a cheater?
User: SuspiciousTrainer
Fair.
User: BattleAnalyst
Red is the real deal.
User: FutureElite
Honestly?
I'm worried for Grey.
That guy is terrifying.
User: CeladonResident
The other trainers are also really strong.
Let's not act like Red is the only monster left.
User: TournamentWatcher
Top 4 is going to be insane.
At that point, I continued scrolling.
Unfortunately, things are only gonna get crazier from there.
Top 4Ash vs Grey
Light5480:
Man, that was some match. Both sides were good.
Z623:
I take back what I said earlier. This Ash kid is skilled, not just lucky.
DailyBuglePokemon:
THAT PERSIAN IS A MENACE TO SOCIETY!
ElectricAce:
Bro, what did the Persian even do to you?
DailyBuglePokemon:
What did it do? WHAT DID IT DO? It robbed Ash's Pikachu of a fair fight, that's what! Somebody stop that cat before it steals the tournament too!
KantoLaughs:
This guy appears in every tournament thread just to hate on Persian.
DailyBuglePokemon:
And I WILL CONTINUE MY CRUSADE!
Red vs Blue
PalletWatcher:
Man, I was sure Red would win this one. How did Blue come out on top?
OakLabInsider:
Both are ridiculously skilled trainers.
IndigoDreamer:
Seriously, are we sure these four only have three badges? Half the five-badge trainers I've seen would lose to them.
BattleAnalyst:
The scary part is that they're still rookies. Imagine what they'll be like in a year.
Finals – Grey vs Blue
CeladonSupporter:
Man, Grey lost. Dammit, I was rooting for him.
TournamentAnalyst:
If you observed carefully, he was probably the only trainer in the Top 4 without a full team of six.
TrainerReviewer:
Exactly. No sponsor for most of his journey, fewer resources, fewer Pokémon, and several exhausted team members after consecutive tough matches. Sooner or later a skilled opponent was going to exploit that.
IndigoScout:
Still, reaching the finals despite all that is incredible.
CeladonSupporter:
Agreed. The guy exceeded everyone's expectations.
ProfessorWatcher:
Man, I just realized something. Three of the Top 4 are sponsored by Professor Oak.
KantoCitizen:
Now that you mention it, that's actually insane.
ProfessorWatcher:
What kind of criteria is Oak using when handing out starters?
Conspiracy Thread
TruthSeeker777:
(CONSPIRACY)
I'm telling you guys, this is all part of Oak's plan.
TrainerFan99:
Oh no, here we go again.
TruthSeeker777:
The former Champion Oak hasn't disappeared. He's just changed jobs. He's shaping the next generation to eventually take over the League.
Blue was obviously one of his chosen heirs.
Red too.
That Ash kid was probably a bonus pick.
Now all three are tournament monsters.
Wake up, Kanto.
PalletWatcher:
Or maybe Oak is just really good at identifying talent?
TruthSeeker777:
That's exactly what someone working for Oak would say.
KantoLaughs:
Every thread has one of these guys.
CeladonSupporter:
Still, the most impressive thing to me is Grey.
TrainerReviewer:
Same.
CeladonSupporter:
An unknown kid from Celadon with no famous family, no elite background, and no sponsor for most of his journey somehow reached the finals and fought evenly against Oak-sponsored trainers.
That's honestly crazy.
Route6Traveler:
Makes the whole thing feel more inspiring honestly.
The tournament discussion slowly disappeared as newer posts began flooding the forums.
[HOT] S.S. Anne Incident Discussion Thread
ConcernedTrainer:
F in chat, guys.
My condolences to anyone who lost Pokémon or family in the attack.
KantoCitizen:
Wait, what actually happened?
Route11Witness:
The ship got attacked by Team Rocket.
ConcernedTrainer:
WHAT?!
TruthSeeker777:
(CONSPIRACY)
A mysterious Pokémon appeared during the attack and fought multiple Champions.
The League is trying to suppress the information.
TrainerFan99:
Source?
TruthSeeker777:
Trust me, bro.
LeakHunter:
No, he's actually not completely wrong.
Someone uploaded this.
Attached Image
The image was extremely blurry. It showed a vaguely humanoid grey Pokémon emerging from the ocean, but the quality was so terrible that it looked more like a smudge than an actual creature.
KantoLaughs:
This is the worst image I've ever seen.
Did you take this with a potato?
LeakHunter:
The guy who took it was running for his life.
Cut him some slack.
SkepticTrainer:
No way some mystery Pokémon can challenge Champions.
RocketWatcher:
Then why do you think the attack wasn't stopped immediately?
Even the Champions were occupied.
Something happened.
BattleAnalyst:
The scary part is the timing.
The attack happened right after the tournament finals.
Most of the strongest trainers onboard would've already been exhausted from battling all day.
Almost feels planned.
ConcernedTrainer:
I just hope the trainers are okay.
VermillionResident:
I heard that Grey kid from the tournament got injured during the attack.
CeladonSupporter:
Seriously?
VermillionResident:
Yeah. Apparently he ended up in the hospital.
Route6Traveler:
Hope he's alright.
TrainerFan99:
Same. The kid fought hard in the tournament. Would hate for something bad to happen to him.
IndigoDreamer:
Wishing him a speedy recovery.
BattleAnalyst:
Hope all the trainers who were there recover soon.
Grey's POV
Grey stared at the screen for a few moments.
A strange feeling settled in his chest as he read complete strangers wishing him well.
Without really thinking, he typed a quick reply.
"I'm okay."
He hit send.
A second later, his eyes widened.
"...Oh."
He had posted that from his actual Pokenet account.
Before he could even delete the message, notifications began exploding across the screen.
Friend Request Received.
Friend Request Received.
Friend Request Received.
Direct Message Received.
Direct Message Received.
Direct Message Received.
The numbers kept climbing.
Grey immediately deleted the comment.
Unfortunately, that only made things worse.
People had already seen it.
His inbox began flooding even faster.
"Well... that's unfortunate."
With a defeated sigh, Grey closed both the website and his phone.
He would deal with that disaster later. For now, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with social media.
Author's Note : I have included those who did ask incase I have missed I will feature in another reactions chapter .