Blue currently had sixteen Gym Leaders.
His first big task was almost complete. Only two more slots to fill—Steel and Dragon.
And weren't those practically the strongest types in the Pokémon universe?
Blue had spent a long time thinking about who to recruit for those last two gyms. Sure, he could train some newbie from scratch, but he didn't have the time—or the patience—for that. No, he needed experienced trainers. People who already knew how to handle those types.
Having someone like Steven Stone lead his Steel Gym would've been perfect. But even with bribes and charm, Blue couldn't fool himself into thinking he could steal a Champion from another region. Steven ruled Hoenn. And Steven liked ruling Hoenn.
That left only two people Blue knew—two who had real experience with those types and, just as importantly, two he liked enough to invite to Kanto.
Sitting next to him were a Caterpie, a Weedle, and a Paras.
"So, what do you guys think? Should I recruit them?"
"Caterpie!"
The four of them were lounging in Viridian Forest, watching the construction of something big—a sleek structure rising in one of the most scenic clearings of the forest. It was peaceful, breezy, and full of the sounds of working machinery and confused contractors.
At the center of it all stood Larry—new Bug-type Gym Leader, new Mayor of Viridian Forest, and unofficial king of Bug-type specialists.
The poor guy looked utterly overworked.
"Larry just wanted to build a simple, grey office building for his gym," Blue said, shaking his head.
"Paras!"
"Right? I told him the ultimate form of an office is a skyscraper! And it fits perfectly here. Instead of building a sprawling village and tearing through the forest, we just go vertical. One huge tower. All the facilities stacked into a single building. We preserve the trees. Build high, not wide, you know?"
"Weedle…"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. A skyscraper doesn't exactly scream Bug-type aesthetics. That's why we came up with something else to make it cool—a forest stadium. Isn't that awesome?"
"Paras!"
"Caterpie!"
"Weedle!"
The "stadium" wasn't even a stadium in the traditional sense. Sure, it had seating—28,000 seats, to be exact—but instead of a flat battlefield, the arena surrounded a preserved chunk of natural forest. Open air, real trees, wild terrain.
Perfect for Bug-types to skitter behind a tree and ambush a Charizard when the Trainer wasn't looking.
And best of all?
It was cheap! Unlike the shiny mega-projects going up all across Kanto, this one didn't cost a fortune. And with everything else he had planned, Blue definitely had to keep an eye on his budget.
"Alright," Blue said, standing up and stretching. "Larry's killing it. Everything's running smoothly here. That means it's time for me to head out and recruit the last two Gym Leaders. And then—finally—we start the next big phase of the Kanto overhaul!"
"Caterpie!" the little bug-type chirped, nodding seriously.
"Take care of Larry for me, you three."
"Caterpie!"
"Paras!"
"Weedle!"
With that, Blue summoned Starmie, gave one last look at the half-built tower in the trees, and teleported out of Viridian Forest.
———
Blue was deep in the mountains between Blackthorn City and the Indigo Plateau. It had taken him hours to find the man, but finally—there he was. In the middle of nowhere.
Blue had been searching for Lance, the recently missing Champion of Johto.
What was the dragon-obsessed Champion doing?
Training, of course. Like a madman. Surrounding him were his Gyarados, Aerodactyl, Charizard, Dragonite... and two more Dragonite.
It was the exact same team Blue had faced before becoming the new Champion of Kanto. What surprised him was that Lance was using the team from HeartGold and SoulSilver. Blue knew this world was based on the games, but as far as he could tell, he was still living in the Red & Blue timeline.
He had originally been on his way to Blackthorn City. Finding Lance out here hadn't been part of the plan—until he caught a rumor that the Champion had holed up somewhere in these mountains. If Blue went through with his plan, he might make Lance an enemy—and turning a neighbor into an enemy was never wise. Even if there probably would never be a deep friendship between him and Lance, the guy was just too competitive. Not to mention that he took Indigo Plateau all for himself—Lance accepted only because it was the only chance for him to remain Champion of Johto. It was Blue's right to take Johto as well if he wanted, after all.
What was important in this conversation was to give Lance the feeling that he still had a chance of beating him in a battle—even if it was a delusion.
"Lance," Blue called out, landing in front of the startled Champion. Lance's Pokémon eyed him warily.
"Blue," Lance greeted, sweat running down his brow. Blue had to respect the man—he didn't just command his Pokémon; he trained beside them.
"Surprising," Blue said with a wry smile. "The guy who scolded me for taking a vacation—now hiding in the mountains and training like a madman."
"Funny, Blue," Lance replied flatly. "I'm here to get stronger. It benefits Johto to have a Champion at his peak. My battle with you taught me a lot. I intend to improve."
Blue nodded. He respected that. He pulled a cold drink from his bag and handed one to Lance. They took a seat on a nearby rock.
"I'm about to do something you probably won't like," Blue admitted. "I've got a plan. I want a Gym Leader for every single type in my region."
Lance laughed. "It's hard enough managing eight Gym Leaders. You want seventeen?"
"Eighteen, actually," Blue said. "Don't ask why—you'll figure it out eventually."
Lance raised an eyebrow but didn't press. He knew better than to ask questions that wouldn't get answered. "So that's why you came to Johto?"
"You catch on fast," Blue sighed. "To be honest, I've already convinced Karen to work with me. Shameless, I know. But there are two others I really want. Karen wasn't under contract with you yet, so I figured that was fair game. The other two, though... you're probably not going to like it."
"You're not the first Champion from another region to try and poach my people," Lance muttered. "It happens all the time. Regions dangle money or promises to steal trainers away. At least you had the decency to come and tell me to my face."
"Maybe. But I doubt you'll feel the same once I tell you one of them is your cousin."
"You want Clair?" Lance chuckled. "Not surprised. Dragon specialists are as rare as dragons themselves. Can't blame you for wanting her."
He stared at Blue for a moment, thoughtful.
"You know what?" Lance said suddenly. "If you can convince her to leave Johto for Kanto, I won't stop you. In fact, I'll support you. It'll be a huge loss, no question. But... Clair and I? We don't exactly get along. She's always lived in my shadow, even though she's probably just as talented as I am. Just be warned—she's as stubborn as any Dragon-type. Good luck with that."
That surprised Blue.
"Well... Clair's only one of the two I'm here for."
"You're greedy, Blue," Lance sighed. "I'm already looking for a new Elite Four, and a few Gym Leader spots are shaky as it is."
"Maybe it's time you reworked the whole structure in Johto—just like I'm doing in Kanto. Otherwise, you'll get left behind. That much I can promise."
Lance chuckled. "I still can't tell if you're bold... or just plain arrogant."
"I came to you in friendship, Lance," Blue said, pulling a Poké Ball from his bag and handing it over. "Even if I am about to steal two of your Gym Leaders."
Lance eyed the Poké Ball with suspicion. "You're giving me a Pokémon?"
"Honestly, I'm still not sure if you're a Dragon-type or a Flying-type specialist," Blue said with a shrug. "I mean—Gyarados, Charizard, Aerodactyl? Looks like Flying to me. But it doesn't matter. You're a Champion. And if there's one thing I know about Champions, it's that they hate losing. That's why I'm giving you a very rare gift."
Lance opened the Poké Ball, and out came a small, fierce-looking dragon.
"Oh wow," Lance murmured. "A Bagon? Where did you find this one, Blue?"
"It's not just a Bagon," Blue said. "It's a female Bagon."
That hit Lance like a thunderbolt. A female Bagon was a hundred times more valuable than a male.
Why?
Breeding.
Different species of Pokémon could breed, but the offspring always took the species of the mother.
By giving Lance a female Dragon-type, Blue was handing the Blackthorn clan the ability to breed a new bloodline of dragons. Until now, that power had been exclusive to the Dragonite line. But with this Bagon? A second legacy could begin.
It was enormous.
Not to mention—Salamence, Bagon's final evolution, was a powerhouse. A Dragon/Flying-type—everything Lance loved in a single Pokémon.
Lance sighed and shook his head. "You're very good, Blue. Alright—two people. No more. If you can convince them to go with you to Kanto, I'll look the other way. But after that, stay out of Johto. Understood?"
"I promise, Lance. I really do. Like I said—I don't want bad blood between neighbors."
"One more thing," Lance added. "I want the right to challenge you to public matches."
Now that was something. Champion vs. Champion matches were rare, mostly due to politics—and because a loss could damage a Champion's reputation. Public matches were broadcast across the regions, after all.
Blue grinned.
Lance wanted a rematch. He wanted redemption.
"I accept," Blue said. "You can challenge me anytime. Just come to the Indigo Plateau, and I'll be ready."
They grinned at each other. The air between them sparked with rivalry, a current of electricity born from mutual respect—and competition.
Suddenly, Lance burst out laughing—loud and unexpected.
"You know you'll never convince Clair to leave with you, right?"
Blue raised an eyebrow. "You think so?"
"Oh, I know so," Lance smirked. "She's the current leader of the Blackthorn clan. And let me tell you—she takes that title very seriously. Leaving her Gym post? Maybe. But abandoning the clan and moving to another region? Not a chance. She's not like me, Blue. You could offer her all the dragons in the world—she wouldn't flinch."
Blue frowned, considering that.
"It's funny, in a way," Lance continued. "Her biggest strength is also her biggest weakness. She's too noble. Too bound by tradition. The girl breathes ancient Blackthorn customs like they're sacred texts."
"A traditionalist," Blue muttered with a groan. "They're the worst. Traditions can be fine—good, even—but not when they stand in the way of progress. Some people would rather live in the past than even glance at the future."
"Exactly," Lance nodded, amused. "You'll see it in the way she battles, too. It's all honor and ceremony—like she's reenacting some legendary duel. But the truth is, sometimes you have to fight dirty. Be sneaky. Unpredictable. She can't do that."
Blue smirked, the gears in his head already turning.
"Well... maybe I can use that against her," Blue said.
Lance narrowed his eyes. "You'd turn her pride into a weapon?"
Blue shrugged. "Pride cuts both ways. If tradition is her anchor, I just have to make her believe she's upholding it by following me."
Lance let out a low whistle. "You're more dangerous than I gave you credit for."
Blue smirked. "That's what makes me a good Champion."