"Eeveee!!" The little fox Pokémon, happily ran into the open arms of her trainer. She had been attended to for the last two hours, receiving a thorough check-up and some much-needed pampering, the same as the Pikachu with which she shared a small, comfortable room with. The electric mouse Pokémon, feeling equally refreshed, jumped agilely towards her trainer's shoulder, settling there with a contented "Pika!"
Horthy and Kate gratefully received their respective Pokémon, both relieved and happy to see them in such good condition after their battle. They received them affectionately, offering gentle pets and words of praise for their patience. Horthy scratched Eevee behind her ears, eliciting a happy purr from the Evolution Pokémon, while Kate adjusted Pikachu so it could see where they were going.
"Goodbye Horthy, it was a fruitful conversation, and remember... You can train in the Pokémon gym whenever you want. I'm sure Eevee would love the experience and be a Jolteon." Kate offered, knowing that, after their conversation, Horthy was always looking for ways to improve his Eevee's skills."
Horthy nodded his head, a small, thoughtful gesture, and then turned to his partner, a genuine smile on his face. It was an honest smile, reflecting the positive experience they´d just had and the interesting proposal Kate had put forward. The whole interaction had left him feeling optimistic.
What was the proposal, exactly? Well, it was a proposition that held considerable promise for the future. Kate suggested that he might have the opportunity to train at Lieutenant Surge's prestigious gym for a while, soaking up valuable experience and learning from one of the best in the field. Furthermore, Kate had offered him to recommend him to The Lieutenant himself if he did indeed go to the gym as a student. The idea was that he could grow and develop under Horthy's guidance after his training stint with Lieutenant Surge.
This is a very common practice in the vast majority of all Pokémon gyms across all regions. Gyms serve a dual purpose: they develop powerful and capable trainers while also generating revenue, contributing to the local economy. Furthermore, they gain significant prestige at the regional level if even one trainer achieves notable success, such as becoming a Pokémon Champion or joining the Elite Four. This prestige is not just for show; it brings tangible benefits.
And more prestige would invariably mean more support from the state or regional government. This increased support often translates to more funding, providing the gym with the opportunity to acquire better facilities, attract more talented trainers, and obtain access to a wider variety of Pokémon, ultimately allowing the gym to become more powerful and influential within the region. In the specific case of the Kanto region's electric-type gymn, led by the formidable Lieutenant Surge, this already holds true. He has achieved considerable fame and success, and is well known, but in the last days making his intentions to retire a significant topic of discussion within the Pokémon League.
Lieutenant Surge is a long-career war veteran, a highly skilled Pokémon trainer, and a Gym Leader whose power and level rival that of an Elite Four member. He also has multiple possible successors vying for his position, indicating the gym's continued importance and potential for future success. This need for a strong succesor is why now more than never, the gym is requiring more rookies to be trained, even if there are already people that might suit the gym leader position.
But just as Lieutenant Surge's gym has many things in its favor, these same aspects also present challenges. It is widely known and frequently criticized that he employs demanding and sometimes cruel training and battle methods, dangerously pushing trainers and their Pokémon beyond their limits. On several occasions, this rigorous training has resulted in injuries that have almost permanently harmed the Pokémon involved. This harsh approach has not only drawn significant criticism from the public and fellow trainers, but has also led to embarrassing penalties imposed by the Pokémon League, which is ashamed to have to apply such measures to one of its most influential and respected figures at the regional level.
This has also pushed Surge to have to find another one for his position... plus his trauma from what happened in the war, he sometimes forgets to distinguish a gym battle, from a life or death battle. But that is something only he knows, and why he thinks he is not suited as gym leader anymore, and that might lead to another story.
---
Hours passed, each feeling longer than the last, and Horthy was finally able to return to his room. This was only after he had diligently helped Joy with several pending tasks for the day, things that couldn't be put off any longer. These tasks included trips to different parts of Vermillion City, constantly getting on and off the truck to load and save supplies for the Center, they are different types of medicine for the sick or injured pokemon, a selection of toys to keep them happy and entertained, and of course, more cleaning supplies to keep everything tidy and sanitary. It was a lot of work, but Horthy was glad that he had the job.
He had also dedicated a good amount of time to playing with Eevee and ended up thoroughly exhausted as a result. While Eevee is still quite small, she has grown a lot recently and is now absolutely full of boundless energy. The intense battle against Pikachu seems to have awakened her fighting spirit, making her even more playful and eager to roughhouse than before, which made for a very tiring but enjoyable play session.
He was finally able to lie down on his bed, the soft mattress a welcome change after his long day. He gently placed Eevee on the floor, watching with a small smile as the Pokémon bounded over to her favorite toy, a miniature Charizard. The little Charizard, once healthy and a cute plaything, was now missing an arm and had several bite marks, a testament to Eevee's playful nature.
He closed his eyes, trying to sink into the comforting silence and let the stress of the day melt away. Just as he started to relax, his backpack, carelessly tossed aside earlier, began to vibrate intensely. The buzzing was persistent and jarring, causing his eye to twitch involuntarily. He groaned inwardly, a wave of annoyance washing over him.
After grumbling loudly about the incessant noise and dragging himself out of bed, he begrudgingly made his way over to his backpack. He had unceremoniously dumped it on the floor as soon as he'd arrived in the room, prioritizing rest over tidiness. As he rummaged through the bag, a sudden realization dawned on Horthy. He paused, his hand frozen mid-reach. There was only one task left to complete, the final piece of the puzzle, and arguably the most critical of them all.
"Oh shit," he muttered under his breath, his eyes widening in alarm. A surge of panic coursed through him as he began to search more desperately for the device causing the commotion. The vibrations continued unabated, adding to his growing anxiety. After two frantic minutes of searching, fueled by rising desperation, he finally located it: the Rocket Dev.
He quickly tried to smooth down his disheveled hair, attempting to regain some semblance of composure. With the Rocket Dev in hand, he hurried back to his bed, carefully positioning the device so that its camera faced upwards, capturing the ceiling instead of the cluttered room. He needed to ensure a clear and professional view, free from any distractions or embarrassing details.
*Click.* Horthy's heart hammered in his chest as he pressed the accept call button. The video feed flickered to life, revealing the imposing figure of the man who had recruited him three months ago. The Admin's face was a mask of barely controlled impatience, radiating an aura of annoyance that made Horthy instinctively straighten his back.
"It's been an hour since you were supposed to submit your weekly report, Horthy," the Admin stated, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "Plus, I've wasted a valuable four minutes of MY TIME calling you, I now have ideas of letting you out of the Team Rocket, so, get to it quickly. Is there some usefulness to be found here? Any progress to report, or am I just wasting my breath?"
Horthy swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. He tried to maintain a semblance of composure, even though he was only on the other side of a screen. It felt as if the Admin's piercing gaze could see through his very soul, dissecting his thoughts.
Horthy cleared his throat, the sound amplified in the sudden silence. He nervously began to explain himself, hoping his voice wouldn't betray his anxiety.
"Y-I... I'm sorry, Boss," Horthy stammered. "I've just finished my assigned tasks at the Center. But, I did make significant progress and collected a lot of information, all interestingly enough happening today.
He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing.
"Today, I had my first Pokémon battle. During this event, I made contact with the trainer, who claimed to be a student of Lieutenant Surge himself. I lost the fight unfortunately, against her Pikachu... She was experienced. She also mentioned that she owns an Electabuzz, a Flaffy, and a Lanturn. She's a redhead, goes by the name Kate. I couldn't really gauge the strength of those last three Pokemon yet, but Pikachu is newly evolved and I scanned it, it isnt rookie-level as Eevee, but -experienced-level, so t the other ones might be -veteran level or just veteran level.
Admin Rocket simply stared intently, his expression unreadable. He said nothing, offering no encouragement or criticism. To Horthy, this silence felt like an order to continue talking, to fill the void with information that might justify his existence.
"That's not all, Admin," Horthy added quickly, seizing the opportunity. "She said that she would recommend me to the Lieutenant Surge and suggested that I could train at the gym as a student. She even implied that if I pass the entrance tests, I could gain access to very good benefits and privileges within the gym."
The admin raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise and intrigue dancing in his eyes. The mention of that particular name had clearly piqued his interest, and suddenly, the subject matter held a weight it hadn't possessed moments before.
"Lieutenant Surge...? But how can we be certain this is true?"
Horthy nodded with renewed confidence, straightening his posture as he spoke, assuring the admin that he was absolutely certain of the information's validity.
"It's true. I took the liberty of verifying the information myself. I checked his social media profiles, and even drove past the Vermillion City Gym earlier this afternoon when I was transporting a shipment of supplies to the Pokecenter. There were several advertisements posted at the entrance, promoting apprenticeship opportunities under the Lieutenant himself and some of his senior students."
He continued, "Apparently, the promotion isn't gaining as much traction as one might expect, largely due to the fear among trainers – a fear that their Pokémon might be subjected to excessively harsh training methods, possibly leading to extreme injuries or exhaustation. Then there's the simple matter of laziness; many trainers are simply unwilling to commit to the rigorous training regimen. I even overheard some conversations suggesting that the coach himself participates in the training exercises, not just the Pokémon. From what I gather, the initial investment to become an apprentice is around 160,000 Pokedollars. This covers not only the teachings and guidance provided but also the training materials, the Pokémon food and supplements necessary for the rigorous training, and, of course, Lieutenant Surge's valuable time."
Faced with such detailed and potentially valuable information, the admin Team Rocket found themself temporarily speechless, frozen in place, lost in contemplation. This was indeed promising intel, far more than they had initially anticipated. The implications were significant, and the potential for exploitation was substantial. This information could be put to very good use, indeed. The gears in the admin's mind began to turn, calculating the possibilities and formulating a plan of action.
The admin whispered something to himself thoughtfully, a murmur too quiet for Horthy to catch, and then a wide, victorious smile spread across his face when he came to a conclusion and made up a plan.
"Well done, Horthy," the admin said, his voice now clear and full of approval. "This information is incredibly useful, far more than I had initially hoped. In fact, I already have a solid plan of action taking shape because of it. You will be well rewarded for your service, of course, and as a testament to your potential... This will be your next mission, a crucial step forward for you."
"You are going to try to pass the tests and become an apprentice," he continued, leaning forward slightly. "We will be sending more rocket rookies, individuals with the potential for greatness, to your location. This will give you opportunities to become even stronger, to refine your skills further. You will all be trained by someone who possesses the strength and experience equivalent to that of an Elite 4 member. Someone who has already attained a high level of competence. So, try to give it your all, push yourselves to the limit, and seize this opportunity."
"As soon as I finish this call," the admin concluded, already reaching for his device, "I will transfer the necessary funds to the official device of the league. Then, through your rocket device, you will receive the contact information for those within our organization who are ready to work with you. Be prepared to connect and coordinate effectively."
Then, as if he didn't appear satisfied with Horthy's detailed report, the administrator's face returned to a completely neutral, almost blank expression. His features settled into a mask devoid of any discernible emotion, giving no hint of his inner thoughts or feelings about what he had just heard. His demeanor shifted noticeably.
"Now I'll hang up the call," he stated, his tone flat and devoid of warmth. "You've already wasted enough of my valuable time with this conversation," he added, implying that the information provided was either insufficient or irrelevant to his priorities which wwouldn´t be true, before cutting the call abruptly.
Then, the admin turned to his lackeys and, in a commanding way, began to give orders and make them work urgently in contacting the youngest and most promising coaches in the organization.
And as soon as the whole office began with this work, he went to his own office, where he sat down contentedly in his large armchair and opened a bottle of the finest wine, and while he poured himself into a glass humming a cheerful melody.
"If we could manage that by some kind of miracle that one of our own could get that position... our reputation would be sky-high, I would receive a salary increase, perhaps a promotion...
... Giovanni would be more than satisfied. And even if we can't put one of our own as a leader, our lackeys will become strong trained by an elite trainer, which is always a win."
Without further ado, the admin rejoiced without really doing much, he just had to listen to Horthy with a report of a couple of minutes, which gave him the pleasure of being able to relax and have a good glass of old wine.
Author: Thanks for reading, just now I realized I didnt exactly write the power levels: Minor Rookie/New born, Weak Rookie, Rookie, A bit Experienced, Experienced, Very Experienced, Minor Veteran, Veteran, Strong Veteran, Minor Elite, Elite, Elite 4 level, Minor Legendary Pokemon, Major Legendary Pokemon.
The power levels of pokemon are in that order, if you guys preffer it to be with simple letters like: A- A or A+ for example, le me know it.
Merry Christmas and Happy new Year if it is that I dont publish a new chapter until then!!