"Finally, we've arrived at the harbor of Littleroot Town."
Gary stood at the edge of the cruise ship and gazed ahead. The harbor of Littleroot Town was now in view. He was genuinely looking forward to this trip.
"Eevee!"
Eevee jumped onto Gary's shoulder. During their time aboard the cruise ship, Eevee had kept him company and helped pass the time.
Originally, the cruise ship was scheduled to stop at Dewford Town, but at Professor Oak's request, Gary was to meet Professor Birch first—so he came to Littleroot Town instead.
Upon arriving at the harbor, Gary pulled out the latest flip phone and opened the digital map.
Technology had been advancing rapidly. From the old black-and-white phones in the Kanto Region, the devices had now evolved to include color screens and GPS tracking.
As long as the weather wasn't too bad, GPS could determine one's exact location, and there was little chance of getting lost.
After confirming the location of Professor Birch's Laboratory, Gary rode his mountain bike in that direction.
[Lv. 4 Zigzagoon ♂ / Normal]
[Lv. 3 Wurmple ♀ / Bug]
[Lv. 3 Seedot ♂ / Grass]
"It's so nostalgic."
Along the way, Gary saw many Pokémon native to the Hoenn Region, and the sights made him feel sentimental.
Among all the entries in the Pokémon game series, the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald versions (the "Gem" series) stood out as some of the most widely played—though also among the most pirated and frequently modded. Still, they remained a classic in Gary's mind.
Gary missed the Pokémon of the Hoenn Region greatly. Now that he was here, he was determined to obtain and raise the three starter Pokémon.
"I wonder what kind of potential the three starters at Professor Birch's lab have. If I get the chance, I'd love to pick one up," Gary mused. He recalled how, when he first played Pokémon Emerald, his starter was Torchic.
Thinking of Torchic now reignited his desire to capture one again.
The road was smooth, and Gary arrived at Professor Birch's Laboratory before noon.
Professor Birch, known for studying Pokémon habitats and distribution, had deliberately built the lab in a remote area to support his field research.
Gary approached the door and rang the bell.
Ding-ding-ding!
Soon, a man in a lab coat emerged from inside. Spotting Gary at the door, he asked, "Are you here to pick up a starter Pokémon as a new Trainer?"
"No. My name is Gary. Professor Oak sent me to deliver something to Professor Birch," Gary replied.
"Oh, you're from Professor Oak. Please come in."
The man's tone immediately shifted to one of respect, clearly indicating Professor Oak's esteemed reputation in the scientific community.
Gary parked his mountain bike and followed the assistant inside.
"Professor Birch, someone from Professor Oak is here," the man said, leading Gary into a room.
Inside, Professor Birch was speaking with a teenage boy.
The two boys exchanged glances—and Gary was surprised when he recognized the teen standing beside Birch.
"Oh! You're... Gary!!" the boy exclaimed.
"You know him, Brendan?" Professor Birch asked, puzzled.
"Dad, this is Gary—the Champion of this year's Silver Conference and Professor Oak's grandson! You really didn't know?" Brendan asked in disbelief.
"Oh! Professor Oak's grandson!" Professor Birch exclaimed, scratching his head awkwardly. "Sorry, I don't follow the League Conferences very closely."
The boy named Brendan was one of the protagonists of the Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald games. Depending on the player's gender choice, May was either the playable character or Professor Birch's child. In the anime, however, May is canonically Norman's daughter—making Brendan, by default, Professor Birch's son. Though he hasn't appeared much in the anime, his existence in the canon is clear.
"Professor Birch, here are the Pokédexes my grandfather asked me to deliver."
Gary reached into his pocket and pulled out ten brand-new Pokédexes, handing them to Professor Birch.
The regional Pokémon Leagues were working to standardize data across regions by unifying all known Pokémon species into a universal Pokédex. Professor Oak was leading the initiative.
Since Gary was traveling to Hoenn, Professor Oak had entrusted him with the task of delivering these devices.
"Oh! These are the latest models from Professor Oak. They look fantastic."
Professor Birch examined one. Though the design resembled the older Pokédex—roughly the size of a small notebook—it had significantly improved data capacity.
Brendan peered at it from the side, uninterested. Although he was the professor's son, he had little passion for Pokémon research. What he truly wanted was to become a strong Trainer.
He turned to Gary, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Hi, I'm Brendan. I used to live in the Johto Region, and I watched your Silver Conference battle. I really want to battle you someday!"
"Uh...?"
Gary was slightly taken aback.
He was no stranger to spontaneous challenges—but Brendan didn't seem like the hot-headed type. Gary had imagined him to be more reserved. Apparently, he was quite the battle enthusiast.
"Eevee!"
Even Eevee was surprised.
"You're a Rookie Trainer?" Gary asked.
"Yeah! I just became a Trainer today!" Brendan replied confidently.
Gary: (O_O)?
Eevee: (O_o)??
Both were bewildered. These Rookie Trainers were a bold bunch—eager to challenge veterans with no hesitation. Far too brave.
"Brendan, Gary's been a Trainer for years. You're no match for him," Professor Birch cautioned.
Although he didn't keep up with the League tournaments, Professor Birch clearly understood the experience gap. A Rookie simply couldn't stand up to a seasoned Trainer—unless the latter intentionally held back.
"How would I know unless I try?" Brendan insisted. He was determined to battle Gary, no matter the odds.
"Well, it's up to you," Birch said with a shrug. Brendan's mind was made up, so there was no point in trying to stop him. The only question was whether Gary would agree.
Birch assumed Gary would decline—after all, what fun was there in battling a beginner?
"Alright. Let's have a match on the battlefield," Gary said unexpectedly.
His response took Professor Birch by surprise.