Rosa sighed. As was often the case with trainers who hadn't yet figured out their path, it fell to her to introduce this young man to the new Gym system. Choosing a Gym was one of the most crucial decisions in the future of Kanto. The fewer people changed Gyms on a whim, the easier her bureaucratic workload became. Not that switching Gyms was simple without a compelling reason.
"The Champion spent a long time considering what to do with the Rock-type in particular. It's not exactly a forgiving type, to be honest. Five weaknesses? Fighting, Ground, Water, Grass, and Steel?" Rosa shook her head. "If I had to pick a specialty, Rock would definitely not be my choice."
She glanced at the Articuno standing gracefully beside her. Ice wouldn't be her specialty either, if it came to that. The presence of the legendary bird was a purely symbolic gesture from Blue. As the new President, it was expected she'd have a Kanto Legendary—and Articuno, arguably the most elegant, had been chosen. Rosa had learned that even Elesa had been given a legendary bird—part of Blue's strategy to gradually accustom trainers to facing legendaries in battle. It sounded absurd, which made it a classic Blue move.
He'd even once said he'd find her a legendary more fitting to her "personality and background"—whatever that was supposed to mean.
"Yeah, Rock-types are tough," Todd muttered. "But they do have four attack advantages. That's pretty impressive."
"True," Rosa nodded. "High risk, high reward. Not exactly my preferred approach in battle."
"So what is your style, then?" Todd asked, genuinely curious. After all, it wasn't every day you got to speak with the new President of the Pokémon League—even if Rosa's title was still technically unofficial.
"Overwhelming victory, of course," she said with a smirk, gesturing toward the trio of Poké Balls before her. "Blue put a lot of thought into the starter Pokémon. Eventually, we decided to choose three from a category that Rock-types are particularly known for: fossils."
"Fossils?" Todd blinked. He'd heard the rumors, of course. Ancient Pokémon, extinct for millennia—revived through a long, expensive process. He hadn't expected those rare creatures to be handed out so casually.
"Yes. Three choices," Rosa confirmed. She picked up the first Poké Ball, opened it, and released the Pokémon inside. With a burst of light, an Aerodactyl emerged, its wings flaring wide.
Todd was awestruck. He quickly snapped a picture of the fearsome creature.
"Aerodactyl," Rosa introduced. "This one represents Kanto, and it's the speedster of the Rock-type starter trio. Rock/Flying-type. One of the rare fast Rock-types, with strong physical attack as its secondary strength. You have to understand, the starter Pokémon distributed by the Kanto League are unlike anything you'd encounter in the wild."
"How so?" Todd asked.
"Well, they're generally stronger," Rosa explained. "Sometimes in ways that surprise people. They may have stat spreads that defy expectations, or learn moves outside their usual typing. The most elite ones even come with abilities never seen before in that species. Every starter we give out is competitively viable at the highest level—if trained properly. Even a Farfetch'd."
To Todd, the idea seemed absurd. Aerodactyl had been extinct for thousands of years—how could anyone know what it was really like back then?
"Now, the second starter Pokémon," Rosa continued, releasing the next from its Poké Ball.
Out emerged a strange, plant-like creature—its body resembling an ancient crinoid fossil. Eight dark-tipped, pink tentacle-like petals unfurled from a pitch-black opening at the top of its head, where two glowing yellow eyes stared out from the shadows within.
Todd instinctively raised his camera and snapped a picture. He'd never seen anything like it.
"This is Lileep," Rosa explained. "Originally from Hoenn, though even there, they're extremely rare. It's a Rock/Grass-type Pokémon. And to be honest with you, compared to the other two starters, it's significantly weaker in head-to-head matchups."
"It is?" Todd asked, genuinely surprised. "Then why include it as a choice?"
"In terms of raw stats, yes, it's weaker," Rosa admitted. "But what sets Lileep apart is its battle style. It's a support Pokémon. It excels in sustaining the field—healing, disrupting, setting up. The Lileep we breed here in Kanto are known for their exceptionally broad movepools and, occasionally, a unique ability."
Todd nodded thoughtfully. He was beginning to see the bigger picture. The League wasn't just handing out Pokémon—they were offering a spectrum of battle philosophies. Each starter represented a different strategic mindset, letting a trainer choose based on how they fought, not just what they liked.
"Last one," Rosa said with a smirk. "This one's likely to be the most sought-after—because of its secondary typing."
Todd didn't even need to see it to know why.
A small, dinosaur-like Pokémon appeared, roaring playfully. Its rocky brown scales covered a compact, muscular frame. It had a wide, curved back, a slate-gray underbelly and jaw, and a head far too large for its body—its mouth filled with sharp, prominent fangs. Tiny claws twitched at the end of stunted arms.
Tyrunt.
"Rock/Dragon-type," Rosa introduced. "This one's a brute. Slower than Aerodactyl, but packs a much bigger punch. Strong physical defense, devastating attacks. And, well... it's a Dragon. That says enough."
Todd gazed at the trio before him—Aerodactyl, Lileep, and Tyrunt—and couldn't help but chuckle.
"Figures Champion Blue would pick these three as Rock-type starters. None of them look like typical Rock-types. Two little dinos and a... prehistoric flower?"
Rosa smiled knowingly. "Exactly as expected."
Todd's grin faded into a thoughtful frown. "It's interesting. I grew up in Pewter, so I know what Rock-types usually stand for. Tough. Enduring. Defensive. But these choices… two of them are aggressive. Your vision of a Rock-type trainer is different."
"It is," Rosa replied with a calm nod.
"Have you made your decision?" she asked.
"Oh, I have," Todd said, smiling confidently. "It was a simple one. I'm a photographer. I want to travel all across Kanto, capturing its beauty. And Aerodactyl—thanks to its wings—gives me a whole new angle to work from. The sky."
"So be it," Rosa said, handing him a sleek document. "By accepting this starter, you officially become a registered trainer of the Kanto Pokémon League, under Rock Gym Leader Brock in Pewter City. Read the contract carefully. If you agree, Aerodactyl is yours."
"So… it's really that easy?" Todd asked, still trying to process it.
"The starter Pokémon is a right granted to every new Kanto trainer under Champion Blue's reforms," Rosa explained. "Everything else? That has to be earned."
It was a staggering idea. For so long, the hardest part of becoming a trainer had been simply getting a start. Not everyone had the luck to be sponsored by Professor Oak. Starting with a Rattata out in the wild was more than just risky—it was reckless.
But now? Every aspiring trainer had a real shot.
Todd flipped through the contract. It was detailed—full of clauses he barely understood—but compared to agreements from other regions, it wasn't unfair. Just... different.
In the end, he signed.
And just like that, he received his very first Pokémon.
Todd Snap officially joined the Pewter City Rock Gym with his ace partner—Aerodactyl!
———
Rosa had to admit it—her boss was a bastard. The problem was, he was a brilliant bastard.
Everyone told him it was idiotic to shut down the Gym Circuit. Practically suicidal, politically speaking. It turned him into a villain overnight for most trainers. Sure, he wanted to rebuild the system from the ground up—fast—but taking on the entire trainer community? That was a dangerous gamble.
Then he dropped the bombshell.
Every single trainer in Kanto now had the right to challenge him for the title of Champion.
That one sentence flipped the atmosphere like a coin. Hatred morphed into ambition. Suddenly, people weren't cursing his name—they were gunning for his throne. They didn't see Blue as a tyrant anymore. They saw him as a target.
Of course, their chances of actually beating Blue were laughably slim. But logic was never humanity's strongest trait. Hope? Now that was a drug.
And it worked.
With that one move, Blue turned the chaotic swarm of aimless, frustrated trainers—usually scattered across every hill and Poké Mart in Kanto—into a single, trackable procession. All of them would need to pass through Viridian City if they wanted to reach Victory Road.
Which was exactly where Rosa was stationed.
It was brilliant. Diabolical, even. Every rebel trainer, every critic, every disillusioned kid who hated the new system—one by one, they came through her gates. And before they even realized what was happening, they were being guided into the new structure. Subtly. Systematically. All thanks to one irresistible bait: a League-issued starter Pokémon, just for being a citizen of Kanto.
And not a single starter was a throwaway. They were all powerful, competitive, and tailored for long-term growth. In a way, it really was a golden age to be a Kanto native.
The last applicant had just signed under the Rock Gym—Todd Snap. Sympathetic guy. Kind eyes. A bit awkward, but endearing. Rosa had liked him immediately.
She couldn't say the same for the trio that now stood in front of her.
A man with bright blue hair and a rose tucked behind one ear. A woman with a towering wave of red hair and a smirk that could curdle milk. And between them… a Meowth. A talking Meowth.
Rosa blinked.
Blue had warned her about them. He told her, if she ever saw this trio, she should pay close attention. She remembered him mumbling something weird—something about how they were part of "Yellow Edition"? A game, apparently. Rosa had no idea what he meant. Were they developers? Testers? Cosplayers? Blue made less sense than usual when talking about them.
But one thing was clear: they were not your average trainers.
"I'm Jessie!" the woman declared, striking a dramatic pose.
"I'm James!" the man followed, sweeping his cape flamboyantly.
"I'm Meowth!" the cat chimed in, arms wide, grin sharp.
Rosa stared for a beat.
Then she sighed.
Of course.
"Alright," Rosa said, folding her arms with practiced patience. "So, I'm guessing the three of you want to just stroll up to Indigo Plateau and kick Blue's ass?"
"THAT'S RIGHT!" the trio shouted in perfect unison, striking their classic, over-the-top poses.
"Okay then," Rosa said, her smile sharpening into something that belonged on a brochure. "The Kanto League will help you."
Jessie, James, and Meowth all blinked. Slowly. Repeatedly.
"THEY WILL?!" they chorused, this time with less confidence and more disbelief.
It did sound ridiculous.
"Of course," Rosa replied, flashing the polished smile of someone who had closed far too many shady deals with far too much ease. She slid three thick packets across the counter. "These are your contracts. Read them carefully. Once signed, you'll be granted a starter Pokémon from the Gym of your choice—each one specializes in a specific type. But remember: every Gym only offers three species aligned with its type. So choose wisely."
The trio stared at the contracts like they were written in Unown script.
"Shouldn't we obviously join the boss's Gym in Cerulean City?" James asked, scratching his head.
"Wouldn't that be stupid?" Jessie shot back. "Isn't that like... taking his Pokémon? You heard the lady—those are his starters!"
"She's got a point!" Meowth nodded sagely. "Ain't it better if we snag Pokémon from the other Gyms? That way, we're weakening the competition while—"
"—spyin' on 'em!" Jessie finished.
"—sabotagin' their strategies!" James added.
"—and lookin' fabulous doin' it!" Meowth beamed.
All three nodded smugly to each other, like they had just concocted the most brilliant heist in League history.
Rosa simply stared at them, expression unreadable. Then, slowly, she reached into a drawer and pulled out three pens.
"Fantastic. Sign here, here... and here," she said dryly.
In her mind, she was already preparing three special files. Blue wanted eyes on them, and now he'd have them—on official League paperwork, no less.
Rosa knew all about Team Rocket. And she knew her boss would deal with them—one way or another. The only question was how.
"Isn't it kinda stupid, though?" Meowth asked, eyeing Rosa suspiciously. "Your boss—Champion Blue—just givin' out rare Pokémon like candy?!"
Rosa smirked. "You're forgetting who my boss is. He's Blue Oak. And let's be honest—when hasn't it been an Oak handing out starters in Kanto?"