Daisy and Grandpa Oak were lounging on the couch, a bowl of popcorn nestled between them. Grandpa Oak wore a grin so wide it practically reached his ears.
"What's with that face, Grandpa?" Daisy asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Why, it's because of Blue, of course!"
Right on cue, the broadcast flickered to life. There was Blue, seated behind an enormous desk in a sleek navy suit. Behind him loomed the logo of the Kanto Pokémon League, bold and proud. Standing beside him in an elegant white dress was Rosa.
"Hello, Kanto," Blue said with a confident smile, launching into the broadcast. At that moment, it felt like every single person in the region was glued to their screen. "Welcome to the monthly report from your Champion."
"Doesn't he look sharp, my little grandson?" Grandpa Oak beamed, his eyes shimmering with pride.
"Oh no," Daisy groaned, already bracing for impact. "You see that smirk? He's about to unleash chaos. I feel it."
"Don't be so dramatic," Grandpa Oak chuckled, patting her knee. "Blue's a good boy."
Daisy gave her grandfather a look that could shatter glass. Blue Oak was many things—but good boy was not on the list.
"There's a lot of great news today," Blue continued, "starting with the backbone of our region—the Gym Leaders!"
"Huh," Oak leaned forward, curious. "I know he wants you to be one, Daisy, but what else is he cooking up?"
"You have no idea, Grandpa," Daisy muttered. "Not a clue."
Blue's grin widened. "Effective immediately, Kanto will no longer have only eight Gym Leaders. We're expanding to eighteen! That's right—every single Pokémon type will now have its own Gym Leader. A historic first in the Pokémon world!"
"Eighteen Gym Leaders?" Oak blinked. "How exhausting would it be to collect eighteen badges instead of eight?"
"As if he'd leave the League structure untouched," Daisy sighed. "Brace for pandemonium."
"You may be wondering—why eighteen?" Blue leaned into the camera, clearly loving every second. "Most of you have probably heard the news already, but the Oak family discovered the existence of a new type. We call them—Fairy Pokémon. And that special type will from now on be cultivated in Pallet Town, by my very own sister—Daisy Oak!"
Daisy nearly fell off the couch. "BLUE! NO! SHUT UP!"
"Isn't that sweet?" Grandpa Oak chuckled, unfazed. "He's just proud of you."
The broadcast music swelled dramatically— It was completely new to all people in Kanto—but Blue, and many people from Earth, would recognize it immediately.
It was the Pokémon: Indigo League Opening Theme.
The screen cut to an over-the-top profile of Daisy. The backdrop was flashy, stylized—like something out of Persona 5. Daisy struck a dynamic pose next to her Clefable, practically glowing with unintentional coolness.
"OH MY GOD!" Daisy shrieked. "HE USED THAT PICTURE?!"
"And now, your very first new Gym Leader," Blue announced proudly. "Leading the Fairy-type Gym from Pallet Town—Daisy Oak!"
Elsewhere, in a modest restaurant on the outskirts of Viridian City, four unlikely companions sat crowded around a table. Their meal was supposed to be quiet, but nothing involving Whitney ever stayed quiet for long.
The group included Whitney, Larry, Brock, and Giovanni. Yes, Giovanni— the infamous leader of Team Rocket.
"The next Gym Leader, representing Viridian City and the Normal type—Whitney!"
The screen changed to a striking image of Whitney with her arms confidently crossed, flanked by a Miltank that radiated ominous energy. No one could explain why it looked menacing—it just did.
"I LOOK SO COOOOOOL!" Whitney shouted, her mouth still full of food. She did not care.
"North of Viridian, straight from the shadows of Viridian Forest—please welcome our new Bug-type Gym Leader: Larry!"
The screen now showed a man with dead eyes and an expression that screamed "existential dread." Larry stood stiffly beside a Parasect, of all things. And yet, the stylized graphics somehow made him look… cool?
Larry stared at the screen, dumbfounded.
"Maybe," he whispered, eyes still locked on his own image, "maybe I can get a girlfriend…"
His face immediately reverted to its usual vacant expression. "Nah. Who am I kidding."
"Our next Gym Leader needs no introduction. Pewter City's very own Rock-type specialist—Brock!"
The image switched to Brock, who looked like he'd stepped straight out of an action movie. Behind him loomed a ferocious Tyranitar, the League theme music making him seem ten times more intense than usual.
Brock grinned. He almost—almost—opened his eyes.
"And now, moving from Viridian to Cerulean City—Kanto's most mysterious powerhouse! Representing the Ground type: Giovanni!"
Giovanni leaned back in his seat, a pleased smirk playing on his lips. His image on the screen was pristine: a dark, sleek office, a perfectly tailored suit, and a Rhyperior glaring menacingly behind him.
"I like this," Giovanni murmured. "Our Champion has style."
"Right?!" Whitney grinned. "What's not to love about Blue?"
"I gotta admit," Brock added, "he made us look amazing."
"So much budget," Larry muttered. "So much. For what? Could've bought a new printer. No—ten printers. A whole fleet of printers…"
"Our next stop: beautiful Saffron City," Blue announced, his voice brimming with excitement. "Due to its size and influence, this city will now host not one—but two—official Gyms! Let me introduce your first Gym Leader. The Fighting-type returns to Saffron! Say hello to… Bruno!"
In the heart of Saffron, crowds had gathered for a massive public viewing. Cheers erupted as Bruno's stoic face filled the jumbo screen, standing proud beside a hulking Machamp.
"Don't think you can bully us out of this city like you did with the last Fighting Gym," Bruno muttered with a smirk, glancing sideways.
Next to him stood a woman wrapped in an aura of mystery: Sabrina. Her gaze was cold, unreadable. Beside her stood someone who, surprisingly, was on her best behavior—Caitlin.
"Just because you're a washed-up Elite Four member doesn't mean you can compete with us," Sabrina replied coolly, arms crossed.
"And here she is—Saffron's second Gym Leader! Psychic-type prodigy… Sabrina!"
The crowd cheered again as the screen cut to Sabrina's dramatic portrait: draped in deep violet robes, eyes closed in eerie calm, with Alakazam levitating beside her in perfect sync.
"In terms of style," Caitlin said with a serene smile, "we've already won."
"Style?" Bruno scoffed. "We're here to fight, not model."
Their eyes met. Sparks flew—figuratively, and maybe even literally, as their rivalry crackled in the air.
But the tension was shattered in an instant by a sudden uproar from the crowd.
People began screaming. No—chanting.
"ELESA! ELESA! ELESA!"
All heads turned.
She arrived like a storm wrapped in stiletto heels.
Walking through the crowd as if she were the storm, Elesa moved with effortless grace and untouchable cool. She didn't just walk—she owned the street. Fans wept. Cameras flashed. Reality itself bent a little to make way for her entrance.
Even Bruno, unshakable as he was, turned faintly pink. "Who is that… goddess?"
Elesa stopped before the group, fans forming a worshipful semicircle around her. Her gaze drifted lazily over Bruno before settling on Sabrina.
"So," she said, voice smooth as silk, "you're Sabrina. Nice to meet you. I'm Elesa."
Bruno, seizing a moment, flexed with the subtlety of a wrecking ball. "And I'm Bruno!"
Elesa didn't even blink. "Who the hell asked?" she replied, brushing him off like a speck of dust. Her eyes never left Sabrina.
"Celadon City will now host our new Electric-type Gym!" Blue declared. "Taking over from the legendary Lt. Surge—now serving the League directly—is the stunning, electrifying… Elesa!"
The screen cut to Elesa seated on a graffiti-covered rooftop, one leg crossed elegantly over the other, lightning in her eyes and a Pikachu perched on her shoulder like it belonged there. It was pure power. Pure fashion. Pure Elesa.
The crowd in Saffron City screamed like a rock concert had just dropped from the sky.
Elesa didn't even glance at them. She was focused.
"So," she said, her lips curving into a sly smile, "you're the one Blue says is the best. Or close to it."
Sabrina's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what Blue thinks," she said icily. "But if I'm not the best now, I will be."
Elesa smiled. "We'll see."
"Next, we head to Vermilion City!" Blue's voice cut back in. "Just like Saffron, Vermilion will host two Gyms. First up—joining us from Celadon City—the graceful guardian of the Grass-type! Erika will now oversee the vast eastern forests of Vermilion City!"
In the sweltering heat of Vermilion, Erika stood watching the broadcast beside someone she already wanted to strangle.
Her own face appeared on the screen: calm, composed, flawless in a flowing kimono. A towering Venusaur loomed behind her, regal and powerful. The graphic was nothing short of gorgeous.
And yet… Erika was furious.
Why?
One: she despised the grimy, noisy, hot mess that was Vermilion.
Two: standing next to her, smug and practically vibrating with glee, was none other than Skyla.
A Flying-type specialist.
Erika's personal nightmare.
"And now," Blue continued, "meet the second Gym Leader of Vermilion City—the high-flying ace of the skies, the storm-chasing, absolutely airborne Skyla!"
The screen cut to Skyla mid-flight, soaring on the back of a colossal Aerodactyl. Her hair whipped through the clouds. Sunlight haloed her. It was ridiculous. It was perfect.
"What's wrong?" Skyla teased. "Jealous of my breathtaking debut?"
Erika didn't even blink. "Please. Your ugly mug couldn't compete with mine even on your best day."
Skyla gasped dramatically. "I'LL SHOW YOU UGLY, YOU LEAF-LOVING HIPPIE!"
"GOT A PROBLEM WITH TREES, YOU FEATHERBRAINED, GLORIFIED PIGEON?!"
And thus, a beautiful rivalry was born.
"Heading northeast, we turn our focus to the infamous Rock Tunnel!" Blue's voice rang out across the broadcast. "Here, we're not just digging deeper—we're building up. A new settlement. A new Gym. And for the first time in Kanto's history… a Dark-type Gym! At its head: the cunning, the fearless… Karen!"
In the foggy outskirts of Lavender Town, three figures sat on a half-crumbling stone bench—easily the most unlikely trio in all of Kanto.
Agatha. Koga. And Karen.
Karen watched herself on the giant public screen with a smirk, arms folded behind her head. Behind her, Hydreigon loomed—three snarling heads, wings flared in full, terrifying majesty.
"The perfect picture of dangerous beauty," she murmured.
"All I see is danger," Koga muttered, arms crossed. "That three-headed demon shouldn't even exist in Kanto."
"Says the man who built his entire career poisoning people," Agatha snapped without even glancing at him. "Dark-types may be a nuisance, but ghosts are still the true horror. I've earned my haunted reputation."
"Next up—right here in Lavender Town—is our experienced ghost grandma, building a brand-new Ghost Gym in the heart of this haunted town! Former Elite Four member—welcome our respected Agatha!"
"GHOST GRANDMA?!" Agatha shrieked, leaping to her feet. "I'll haunt that smug little brat till the end of time!"
"You think I'll let you?" Karen asked, her tone ice-cold.
Agatha cackled—openly, wildly, terrifyingly. "You think your little nightmares can scare me? I was haunting dreams before your parents knew what a Poké Ball was, girl."
"She's right," Koga nodded solemnly. "And don't forget to fear my poison."
Both women turned to him, unimpressed.
"Who fears poison, you idiot?" they replied in perfect deadpan unison.
Blue's voice cut in again. "And don't forget the shadows of Route 13—where a new village rises from the swamps! Leading this mysterious outpost is our silent assassin: Poison Gym Leader… Koga!"
Even if he'd never admit it aloud, Koga's chest puffed slightly. Onscreen, he emerged from the mist, face masked, Crobat circling above in silence. It was sleek. It was eerie. It was cool.
"I was entrusted to build a whole settlement," Koga declared, proud. "Not shoved into a crypt or a cave like some people."
Karen laughed, shaking her head. "Koga, sweetie, they stuck you in the farthest corner of the map just so you wouldn't poison anyone."
Agatha nodded sagely. "Half the emergency visits to Pokémon Centers are your fault—trainer or Pokémon, doesn't matter. You've got the highest toxic casualty count in the League."
"You're jealous," Koga muttered.
"Next," Blue's voice returned, "we head to the ever-blazing Cinnabar Island—where our iconic Fire-type Gym remains in the hands of the one and only Blaine!"
Across Cinnabar, people scrambled through the volcanic city looking for Blaine—only to find out, once again, he'd vanished deep inside the volcano.
Classic Blaine.
"Fuchsia City will soon shine brighter than ever before," Blue continued. "Why? Because it will now be home to a type never seen in Kanto: Steel. And forging this legacy… is Jasmine!"
Far to the south, Jasmine and Clair sat cross-legged on a flat boulder near the edge of the Safari Zone, staring at a battered TV balanced on an overturned Poké Ball case. Jasmine's image flickered onscreen—poised, composed, a steely Metagross looming behind her like a metal sentinel.
Jasmine blinked. "Where the hell did he even get that picture of me?"
She turned to Clair, baffled. "His annoying sister only recruited me, like, two days ago!"
Clair was too busy laughing into her sleeve. "You look like you're about to offer someone cookies… and then vaporize them."
Jasmine huffed. "Jealous. You're just mad they didn't catch you smiling."
The screen shifted again.
"This next announcement fills me with pride," Blue said, his tone almost reverent. "A true Dragon Master has joined us. Building a powerful Dragon Gym on Route 25… welcome Clair Blackthorn!"
Clair's image flashed onto the screen—arms folded, wind slicing through her hair, Kingdra posed behind her. She looked like she was seconds from declaring war on the world.
Jasmine stared at the screen. Then at the woman beside her.
"…How the hell did you end up in Kanto?"
Clair didn't answer at first.
Then—shockingly—her cheeks turned a deep shade of pink.
"It was like something out of the old stories," she whispered, eyes glowing. "A lone dragon knight. Surrounded. Fearless. Facing my entire family with only power and pride. When the battle ended… he was still standing. My destined one."
Then—Clair Blackthorn, the terror of Johto, squealed.
Jasmine stared at her like she'd grown a second head.
"What the actual hell is happening right now?"
There it was. Clair, the definition of intimidation… giggling like a schoolgirl in a romance novel.
Jasmine narrowed her eyes, horrified.
"And now, we travel to the southern seas," Blue announced. "To the Seafoam Islands! Once thought unreachable, they will now become a cornerstone of Kanto's League. And leading the effort—former Elite Four member and new Ice-type Gym Leader… Lorelei!"
On a sun-drenched beach, Lorelei reclined in a beach chair, cocktail in hand. Beside her, stretched out on a matching lounger, was Misty. Ocean waves rolled in behind them. It was paradise.
"Ahhh," Lorelei sighed. "How convenient that my gym's right next to the Sevii Islands."
"Look!" Misty pointed at the TV, eyes wide.
Lorelei's image had just appeared: standing in a glacier cave, glasses glinting, her Mamoswine casting a monstrous shadow behind her.
"Blue clearly has a knack for marketing," Lorelei admitted. "Even that lifeless guy Larry looked like a superhero."
Misty leaned forward. "You think… you think he saved me for last because I'm the coolest?"
Lorelei gave her a side glance. "Sweetheart, I know you've got a thing for him. But don't. You don't chase Champions. Half the region's already chasing them."
Misty deflated. "But he's the strongest Water specialist ever! Have you seen his team? The way he commands the ocean? He's basically a sea god!"
Lorelei raised a brow. "He did give you the entire Sevii region to rule. That's no small gesture. What's it really like out here, anyway? Tourists only see one or two islands…"
Misty smirked. "Oh, Lorelei. You have no idea."
"And finally," Blue's voice echoed through the region, "our last stop: the mighty Sevii Islands! Surrounded by endless sea, this region will rise into greatness. And at its heart—our Water-type Gym! Led by none other than… Misty!"
The screen flared with light. Misty burst through a towering wave, surfing alongside her Starmie, water gleaming, her smile radiant. It was cinematic perfection.
Misty's eyes sparkled. "So cool."
"Damn," Lorelei muttered. "That surfing shot? One of the best intros I've ever seen."
"Of course he made me look cool," Misty said confidently. "I represent his type. I won't embarrass him."
Lorelei watched her carefully. "Alright. Spill it. What's really going on in Sevii?"
Misty sipped from her drink slowly, her gaze drifting out to sea.
"Oh, Lorelei… all of Blue's secrets? His real plans? They're buried here."
She turned back, eyes gleaming with something unreadable.
"And soon, the whole world's going to know."
Even on the sunny beach, Lorelei felt a chill.