Pokemon: A Gym Leader's Rise(SI)

Gladion wasn't technically breaking any rules, but he knew his parents would have a heart attack if they discovered his current location.

Standing on the volcanic slopes of Cinnabar Island, he wiped sweat from his brow and took a moment to catch his breath. Teleporting might be faster than conventional travel, but it was exhausting – especially the way he had to do it.

"Short jumps," he muttered to himself, "are still jumps."

He'd spent the last three days making his way to Cinnabar through a series of teleports, each one draining a little more of his energy.

Unlike fully trained Psychic-type Pokémon who could cross vast distances in a single leap, Gladion's human limitations meant he could only manage about a few kilometers at a time. It was still incredibly useful, but it meant his journey to Cinnabar had been more like a series of exhausting hops than a single smooth jump.

The Cinnabar Gym was currently not inside the volcano. It was a little far away from it. The area was very dangerous since Blaine has not yet taken charge of the Island.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a protein bar – his third of the day. Using psychic powers burned calories and mental energy like nothing else, and he'd learned the hard way to keep his energy up.

As he ate, he reached out with his psychic senses, scanning the area for any dangerous Pokémon. The volcanic terrain of Cinnabar was home to some seriously powerful Fire-types, and while he had Milotic with him for protection who had become significantly stronger, he'd rather avoid unnecessary battles.

Gladion quickly ducked behind a large rock as a fucking Charizard flew overhead, it's body casting shadows across the ground. His heart pounded – charizards were no joke, and he definitely didn't want to tangle with one right at the beginning of his journey.

Once they passed, he allowed himself a small smile as the Charizard passed without noticing him.

And y'all might be wondering why he was taking so much of a risk. Well, It was for a Magby. And that's exactly what he was here for.

In his previous life, Magmortar had been one of his favorite Pokémon designs. The idea of a Fire-type that essentially turned into a walking cannon had always appealed to him.

But here, in this world, Magmortar didn't exist yet – or rather, no one had discovered that Magmar could evolve further. The Magmarizer, the item needed for the evolution, wouldn't be discovered for years.

But Gladion knew better. And he had plans.

Carefully, he made his way along the volcanic slopes, using his psychic abilities to sense for younger, less powerful Fire-type energies. He was looking for something specific: a lone Magby, preferably one without parent Magmar hovering nearby. It was a tall order, given how protective Fire-types tended to be of their young, but Gladion was patient.

Hours passed as he methodically searched the area, avoiding the attention of wild Pokémon. The sun was beginning to set when he finally sensed what he was looking for – a small, isolated Fire-type energy signature, distinctly different from the adult Magmar he'd been avoiding all day.

Carefully approaching the location, he found a small cave entrance. Inside, he could sense a single Magby, its energy signature tinged with... was that loneliness?

"Hello?" he called softly into the cave. "Is anyone home?"

There was a moment of silence, then a small red head poked out of the cave entrance. The Magby looked at him with suspicious eyes, smoke curling from its nostrils.

,[~What do you want, human?~] the Magby asked in Pokéspeech, its voice young but fierce.

Thanks to his psychic abilities, Gladion could understand the question perfectly. "I'm looking for a strong partner," he replied honestly. "Someone who wants to become more powerful than any other Magby."

The Magby's eyes was surprised that the human could understand him but his eyes still narrowed. [~Why me? There are many Magby on this island.~]

Gladion sat down on a nearby rock, making sure to stay at eye level with the young Pokémon. "Because you're alone," he said softly. "And from what I can sense, you're different from the others. You want more than just living on this volcano, don't you?"

The Magby's eyes widened slightly. [~How did you...?~]

"I'm a psychic," Gladion explained. "I can sense things about others. And I sense that you have the potential to become something amazing – something that no one in Kanto has ever seen before."

The Magby fully emerged from the cave now, interest clearly piqued. [~The others call me strange,~] it admitted. [~I don't want to just become a Magmar like everyone else. I want... more.~]

Gladion smiled. This was exactly what he'd hoped to find. "What if I told you that becoming a Magmar isn't the end? What if I told you there's an evolution beyond that – one that would make you unique among all your kind?"

The Magby's flame crown flared with excitement. [~You're not lying. I can tell you believe what you're saying. Tell me more!~]

"First," Gladion said, "tell me about yourself. Why are you alone? Where's your family?"

The Magby's flame dimmed slightly. [~I left them. They didn't understand. All they cared about was being strong enough to protect our territory. But I wanted to explore, to find new ways to use my fire. They said I was wasting time with my 'silly ideas' about different ways to battle.~]

Gladion nodded encouragingly. "What kind of ideas?"

[~Well...~[ the Magby seemed almost embarrassed, [~I've been practicing shooting my flames like a cannon, trying to make them go further and hit harder. The others say that's not how Magby are supposed to fight, but...~]

Gladion could hardly believe his luck. This Magby was already naturally inclined toward its future evolution's fighting style! "What would you say if I told you that's exactly how you're meant to fight? That someday, you could evolve into a Pokémon that's literally built to fight that way?"

The Magby's eyes lit up with an inner fire that had nothing to do with its typing. [~You mean...?~]

"I can help you become stronger than any Magmar on this island," Gladion said. "But more than that, I can help you become something entirely new. Something that will prove all your 'silly ideas' were right all along."

The Magby took a few steps closer, studying Gladion intently. [~You're different from other humans. You understand us. And you're not lying about this evolution thing – I can feel it.~]

"I want to be the best trainer I can be," Gladion said. "That means finding partners who share my drive to explore new possibilities. Partners who aren't afraid to be different."

The Magby was quiet for a long moment, smoke curling thoughtfully from its nostrils. Finally, it spoke: [~If I go with you... you'll help me become strong? Help me prove I was right about the cannon-style fighting?~]

"I promise," Gladion said solemnly. "And I never break my promises to my Pokémon."

[~Then...~] the Magby's flame crown blazed brightly, [~I accept! Make me strong, human! Make me different from all the others!~[

Gladion smiled and pulled out a Pokéball. "My name is Gladion," he said. "And I think I'll call you... Arsenal. Because someday, you're going to have more firepower than anyone expects."

The newly-named Arsenal nodded approvingly at the name. [~Arsenal... I like it! It sounds powerful!~]

"Ready to start our journey together?" Gladion held out the Pokéball.

Arsenal tapped the ball with one small fist, allowing himself to be drawn inside. The ball barely shook before clicking, confirming the capture.

Gladion let out a relieved breath. He'd done it! He'd found exactly the kind of Magby he'd been hoping for – one that would embrace its future evolution with enthusiasm. Now he just had to figure out how to get his hands on a Magmarizer years before they were supposed to be discovered...

But that was a problem for another day. Right now, he needed to focus on getting back to the main island without completely exhausting himself. He released Arsenal from his Pokéball.

"Want to meet the rest of the team before we head back?"

Arsenal nodded eagerly, and Gladion released his other Pokémon. As his team welcomed their new member, Gladion couldn't help but smile. Everything was coming together exactly as he'd hoped.

Now he just had to make it back before anyone realized he'd made an unauthorized trip to Cinnabar Island. He had a feeling that particular adventure might be harder to explain than catching a Magby.

-----Author Notes-------

Y'all can read 12 extra chapters on my pat*reon.

https://pat reon.com/mrmime24

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