Pokemon: A Gym Leader's Rise(SI)

"C'mere ya little sprouts! Ol' Gramps has got a rip-roarin' tale for ya this fine evening!"

Grandpa Maren's gravelly voice carried through the living room where Gladion and Gwenyth were sprawled, drawing messy crayon masterpieces.

The twins perked up at his call, instinctively scrambling over to the wizened old man's rocking chair.

"A new story? Oooh, tell us all about the cool Pokemon you used to battle with back in your glory days!" Gwenyth enthused, vaulting into her Grandpa's lap eagerly.

Gladion settled in next to them, eyes shining with rapt fascination. Though he tried playing it cooler than his excitable sister, he lived for their grandfather's firsthand accounts of Kanto's fabled history.

Maren grunted in amusement, adjusting Gwenyth on his bony knee. At 132 years ancient, he cut an imposing figure despite his frail stature - deeply tanned and chiseled with shadows under his piercing eyes and frown lines etched into his face. A proud battle-scarring that made him seem centuries old.

"Ah, you young'uns always wanna hear 'bout the same mem'ries, don'tcha? Well, this here's one for the history 'vids for sure..."

Grandpa paused for dramatic effect, taking a wheezy inhale from the pipe clenched between his teeth.

"You see, kiddos...there was a time, long before you warm lil' spit-wads were even a twinkle in the cosmos, when the whole damn world nearly tore itself apart over Pokemon. We call it...the Infinite Pokemon Wars."

Gwenyth shivered theatrically, feigning fright and clutching at Maren's worn sweater vest. "Infinite...Wars? That sounds real scary, Grampsy! Like one of those crazy movies with the hyperbeams blowing everything up!"

The living room seemed to darken as Maren's wizened voice launched into his narration. Gladion tucked his knees close, utterly transfixed.

"See, the different regions o' the world - Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh,Unova,Kalos and a few more regions - we all existed in harmony for the longest spell, trainin' our Pokemon and battlin' for fun and sport alike."

"But then...certain regions started gettin' ideas 'bout conquest. Bein' the strongest wasn't enough no more - they wanted complete domination over every other land's Pokemon might! Use Pokemon as unstoppable weapons and the like. So they started....dishing out commands. Attacks that did more'n just knock a Pokemon unconscious for sport."

Gladion felt his breath catch in his chest, mind scrambling to imagine such immense devastation. Gwenyth shuddered again, pigtails swaying.

"You don't mean...they actually ordered lethal force? Like, killing each other's pokemons? That's horrible!"

Grandpa Maren's expression turned as hard and cold as the stones speckling his tanned skin.

"It was worse than that, pipsqueak. Not only Pokemon died but also their trainers. This was the start to a bloodbath that lasted decades. Millions of humans died. Even more Pokemon died. Forests were burned. Mountains were destroyed."

As he spoke those chilling words, his ancient hands unconsciously clenched into gnarled fists. Gladion stared at the old soldiers' mitts in a mix of horror and awe at the implications.

"I'll never forget...the time Hoenn and Sinnoh concentrated their attacks on Kanto's outermost territorial archipelagos. There were people who controlled legendary pokemon Kyogre and Groudon and aimed 'em like artillery shells, maximizin' their firepower for unheard of elemental destruction. They would have wiped the region clean offa the map if Lugia, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres hadn't intervened to deflect the worst of the rampages. Your Gramps had the privilege of fighting against the legendaries and even have the honour to assist the legendary birds."

"Lugia...? And all THREE Legendary Birds?" Gladion interrupted, eyes widening to near comical sizes.

The Legendary Pokemon were truly legendary in this world. They were not like in the games or in the anime where they are spotted easily or could be defeated or captured easily.

Those uber-powerful deities were spoken about in hushed reverence, considered among the most potent forces in the entire Pokemon world. Even in his previous life of game knowledge, little was definitively known about how to encounter or battle them.

To understand their might, let's just assume that one of the three legendary birds can fight at least half a dozen dragonites easily.

Even among the legendaries, there are some stronger than others. Kyogre and Groudon are considered to be far stronger than the three legendary birds of Kanto. And can individually take out a dozen dragonites.

You can imagine how strong legendaries like Dialgia and Palkia could be.

"But we thought those Pokemon were just...myths and legends? You're saying they actually fought alongside each other against those big mean Kyogre and Groudon things?!" Gwenyth whistled lowly through her teeth and shot Gladion a look of disbelief. 

She clearly did not know who Kyogre and Groudon was since little is known to the general public about the legendary Pokemon from other regions.

Their grandfather gave a weary sigh, leaning back in his creaky rocking chair. 

"Sure as the sun itself, you little ankle-snappers. Those gigantic Alpha Species single-handedly turned the tide o' many a horrific battle back in the day. Weather they were fightin' for glory or a higher cosmic purpose, I ain't too sure - folks got real funny ideas about destiny when enough mass destruction an' lives are on the line."

Maren shook his grizzled head, rheumy eyes looking past the twins to some incorporeal battlefield premature ages ago. The living room was dead silent, not even the crackle of flames in the fireplace making a sound.

Gwenyth and Gladion shared another fraught look, an almost psychic twin intuition passing between their wide eyes.

Finally, Grandpa seemed to shake off his mournful reverie. He pulled two worn Pokeball from his tattered cardigan pocket, placing one in Gwenyth's small hands with surprising gentleness and another in Gladion's hands.

"That there's Rhydon and the other one is Venasaur." he said simply. "The only two Pokemon I got left that stuck by me 'til the better end those hellacious Infinite Wars. They were with me through some o' the worst scraps. They are the only ones that survived the war with me."

Gwenyth just stared at the well-worn Pokeball, rendered uncharacteristically mute. Even Gladion found himself at a loss for words. He knew their grandfather had lived through harsh times, but hearing those first-hand accounts of monstrous elemental deities warring with each other put everything into an entirely new, grim perspective.

It was his first time handling a Pokeball with a living Pokemon inside it but instead of feeling happiness, all he was feeling was sorrow. He can't imagine the pain losing almost your entire Pokemon team that had stuck with you for almost your entire life.

Seeming to sense their sobered moods, Maren cracked a wheezing, snaggle-toothed grin. He gently plucked the Pokeball back from Gwenyth, palming the dust-worn sphere with clear reverence.

"Ah, but those dismal days are long behind us now, y'hear? The legendary pokemon of all regions caused vast devastation with their battles. They were enraged with the mindless slaughter. In the end, the regions came to a pact with both the legendary pokemon and each other, the borders were closed."

"No one was allowed to move between regions in the past eight decades. There were exceptions of course but it is very rare for someone to move to a different region these days. The borders are constantly under patrol and strict action is taken against anyone who is found violating the international laws."

"I have heard rumours that there are still organisations out there looking to control legendary pokemon. Remember Gladion and Gwenyth, No matter what happens, never ever mess with a legendary pokemon. They are literal gods of our world. They could erase you and your Pokemon in an instant."

"Legendary Pokemon should not be messing with me Gramps! I am gonna kick their ass." Gwenyth said with a smirk on her face making Maren chuckle.

'So the legendary Pokemon are truly super strong here. Guess there goes my hopes of catching them by defeating them. But I would find another way to get a legendary Pokemon on my team.' Gladion thought with determination in his eyes.

'At least, I would not have to worry much about the evil organisations trying to control or catch these legendary Pokemon. They would be digging their own Pokemon.' Gladion thought to himself.

"Hey, Gramps? You mentioned something about 'after the Wars ended' and Kanto emerging as one of the top regions...does that mean it's not totally safe to leave our borders and travel everywhere? Or battle trainers from faraway places outside the proper sanctioned Leagues?"

Maren arched one bushy eyebrow, appraising Gladion with unreadable eyes that had seen enough conflict to last a hundred lifetimes. Finally, he gave an odd chuckle and rustled the little boy's hair with his gnarled knuckles.

"Heh...you really are one sharp lil' Pinap, ain'tcha kiddo? Don't you fret none about all that - once you and Gwen earn yer starter ,your dear old Gramps'll make sure y'all are plenty educated 'bout the world's...boundaries."

After saying those words, Grandpa Maren leaned back in his creaky rocking chair and closed his eyes, sliding the Pokeballs back into his sweater's breast pocket. Gwenyth had already nodded off to sleep, curled up in his lap.

And just like that, story time was seemingly over just as soon as it had begun. Gladion cast one last glance around the living room's dimly lit ambiance.

Yawning, Gladion nestled down at Maren's feet and let his own eyes flutter shut. Visions of the Legendary Birds and Titans rampaging through his dreamscape as he succumbed to a deep, restful slumber.

Gladion could feel sleep's warm embrace beckoning him as he nestled at Grandpa Maren's feet. But just before he fully drifted off, one last nagging question tugged at his consciousness.

"Gramps...?" he murmured, blinking up at the wizened elder. Maren's eyes remained closed, but the corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly in acknowledgement.

"You mentioned having battled Pokemon like Kyogre and Groudon from Hoenn back during the Wars. And that Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Lugia fought alongside the troops too..." 

Gladion paused, suddenly sheepish despite the dying embers of curiosity burning within.

Maren seemed to sense his grandson's hesitation. He opened one crinkled eye, piercing gaze scrutinizing Gladion.

"Well? Spit it out, short-stuff. We don't got all millennium to dawdle 'round in memories."

Gladion swallowed hard, resting his chin on his knees as Gwenyth continued dozing peacefully on their grandfather's lap.

"It's just...why haven't I ever actually SEEN any of those Pokemon around here? Don't they all still live out there in the big world beyond Kanto?"

Gladion had not seen any Pokemon outside of Kanto and johto region ones in any of the gym battles or on television. He was curious about it.

Maren sat up a little straighter in his rocking chair, the old wood frame creaking like an ancient crypt door. He reached up and scratched at his stubbly jawline, gaze turning inward for a long moment that felt like an eternity to Gladion.

"That's...a mighty sharp eye you got there, kiddo," the former soldier said at last, voice taking on a somber note. "The honest truth is, most folks 'round these parts - even common regional trainers - ain't never actually laid eyes on a non-Indigo region Pokemon before. Not since the Wars ended and all opening travel between lands got strictly forbidden, seal up tighter than a Metapod's cage."

Gladion's brow furrowed slightly. "You mean people from places like Hoenn and Unova can't come visit anymore at all? What about trading or battling with them?"

Maren shook his grizzled head, dislodging a few stray ashes from where they clung to his sweatshirt. 

"Naw, son. Those were among the first big-letter rules the New Regional Alliance stamped into effect - absolutely ZERO cross-travel or trading of Pokemon 'tween regions."

He leaned over and gently pried Gwenyth's arms from around his burly neck, deftly repositioning her in the rocking chair without waking her. Then Maren pushed himself up with a weary grunt, bones popping in protest as he loomed over Gladion with an intensity that made the boy's heart skip a beat.

"This was the only way that the Regions figure to secure and isolates from each other to make sure another all-out Infinite War never erupted again. Pokemons species also decided to stay in their home region because there was also enmity among the Pokemon. That's why you won't see any of the other regions Pokemon aport from Johto's Pokemon here."

Gladion listened with rapt attention, feeling like he was being let in on long-guarded national secrets. Which, from the sound of it, was essentially the truth behind his grandfather's words.

"So...you're saying the reason I've never encountered Pokemon from other regions is because Kanto - along with everywhere else - has completely closed itself off and outlawed practically any foreign species from entering its borders, or vice versa?"

Maren gave a long, weary nod. Then he looked at Gladion "It's enough for today. It's well past your bedtime and your mom would breath fire if she finds out that I let you up this late."