Chapter 4: Chapter 3 "New Bark Town"
I'm ten years old now. Trainer school actually wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Of course, before ten years old I'm not allowed to participate in the battle classes. But for the starter classes, it wasn't too hard I don't think. Mostly making sure my reading and math levels are at the required level. As well as some other courses, like how to make pokemon food, and even a survival course.
But that isn't the important part for me today. I did it. I not only made top three in all of Johto, I took first place in the New Trainer Scholarship Program. For Johto at least. Which has some additional meanings as well. I knew that the top three got to choose from the Royal pokemon of that region. But I didn't realize that those same top 3 get invitations to Professor Oak's Summer Camp, along with various groups contacting my parents about possible sponsorships of whatever I want to do.
That actually really surprised me, though I guess I shouldn't have been. Everyone knows that different companies want to sponsor trainers. I mean, Red and Blue were the last trainers to make Champion status without being sponsored by one company or another. All of the others get sponsored by someone. For example, Kyo the Fisher.
Kyo was an ordinary guy who lived in one of the smaller towns near Vermillion City. However, he managed to get third place in the NTSP. As soon as he started battling gyms, he was sponsored by Silph Co. Got all of the latest gear and a very nice stipend as well. However, he got his name from having a team of pokemon that are almost exclusively water types, and still placing quite highly in the Indigo League.
His story is one of those that a thrown around about how anyone can make it. So like I said, shouldn't have been that surprising. However, my parents turned all of them down saying that once I was fifteen they could approach me after I started my journey.
I fully support that of course. The Alliance hasn't made it illegal to enter a contract before 15, so companies can legally get kids that are ten into contracts. But, most acknowledge that 15 is a more acceptable age and will try to keep companies from doing things like that. Still happens, but self regulation is all that is available right now.
But I'm rather excited to get an opportunity to go to Oaks Summer Camp. I don't exactly have a lot of friends, which is concerning for my parents. Especially since trainers are supposed to travel in at least groups of three. But the Summer Camp will be a good opportunity for me to make some friends, especially as I'm not planning on doing the Johto region first anyway.
And today is the day my mom is taking me to New Bark City. Specifically, Professor Elm's Lab. Anyone who gets a Royal as a starter has to get it from the regional professor. I'm quite eager, as this is also the first time I'll be traveling by Teleport.
While teleport is useful for regional travel, it isn't practical for interregion travel. At least in most cases. Kanto, Johto, Rota, and Almia are a bit different in that regard, as geographically, the regions are close. But, as I've never been outside of Goldenrod City, this is new for me.
We already arrived at the Travel Hub. Appropriate name, as tickets for all forms of travel can be purchased here. It's also connected to the train station, and the Goldenrod City Port. But it's primary purpose is as a location for Teleports to focus on to arrive or leave the city safely.
My mom is standing next to me as we wait in line. With multiple pokemon rotating the teleports, it seems like a complicated system, but with obvious benefits. For one, no one else is teleporting with us. After a couple of minutes, with the line moving fairly steadily, we are finally asked to step forward and show our tickets.
The guy who scans our tickets doesn't even react to seeing that we are going to New Bark City. Just politely asks us to step forward, and a moment later an Alakazam teleports us to New Bark. Then another guy asks us to please step forward, and if we are feeling sick, to please use the restroom that is provided off to one side.
Stepping out of the New Bark Transport Hub, it's obvious that though New Bark isn't as big as Goldenrod, it has still earned a name for itself as the "Bridge" City between Kanto and Johto. The buildings look like a strange mash up of Johto traditional, with shingled slanted roofs and the Kanto economical building style. Looking around, I spot a guy that is holding a sign saying NTSP awardees. He's got a white lab coat on, and with the kind of crazy mess of brown hair and bottle cap glasses, I know he's got to be one of Professor Elm's lab assistants.
"Hello, " he says, as we walk up to him, " My name is Lewis, and I'm here to direct you to the bus that will take you to the actual lab. It's a ways out there, so we have the bis available."
"Thank you," I say, "My name is Arthur Goldenrod."
"I had assumed. We all know how the gym leaders look. And while your mom isn't a Johto Gym leader anymore, word is getting around that she is looking to step up her game all the same. Same thing for Lance. Though it's kind of obvious he's trying to become the Champion of both Johto and Kanto."
While we started talking, another person in a white lab coat showed up, and the one we were talking to looks to him and says, "Hey there Mike. Would you mind taking over for a minute? I'll walk them to the bus or point the way for them, but I need to take a break anyway."
"Yeah, sure Lew. Take your time, HR apparently updated the inteneraries for everyone. Apparently Olivine City is under a thunderstorm right now. Gym Leader Coro is still finding out if it's normal or brought on by someone. But all arrivals from Olivine City might be late."
"Thanks. Hopefully it isn't Lugia, as that would be a real disaster." Lewis says, before motioning to us. "Come on, the bus is this way."
We continue chatting for a little bit, my mom giving me amused looks. My one guilty vice in the two years since I started school is that I am constantly watching the Trainer Battle Channel. Also known as just the Battle Channel, it shows all of the approved footage from trainer battles around the world. Granted, they have various shows that split things up rather neatly. For example, there is only one show that shows anything Alolan, and it's normally on after my bedtime. But they have a harder time out there, cause they only just got some of the Battle Clubs to build Club Centers on the biggest island.
When we got to the bus, there was already four people there. I know none of them were the other top three placers, which isn't that surprising. From what I understand, Ethan Gold lives in New Bark City. And Lyra Crystal lives in Cherrygrove City. Cherrygrove isn't as big as New Bark, and is basically the half way point between New Bark and Violet City. So it's entirely possible that Lyra is already being driven to the lab.
On the other side of that equation of course, is the understanding that the Gold and Crystal families are not just families, but essentially clans. There are quite a few families that are related to the main Gold family, likewise for the Crystals. Of course, those side families typically take names like Goldbrew or Crystalsmith, to keep people aware that while they are part of the family, they aren't part of the main family. A lot of the older families do things like this, including my own. Yeah, we're an offshoot of the Gold family actually, though my parents refuse to actually associate with them.
Back on topic, none of the four strike me as being anything too crazy either. Three girls and one guy, and I already know one of the girls is a Jenny. The Joy and Jenny clans are probably one of the first families to actually become a clan, and they have good reason as well. With the Joy Clan being medically focused, and the Jenny clan being focused on Law Enforcement, they both have their benefits. But it's also true that almost without exception, the women in both clans look scarily similar to each other.
The other three I might be able to take guesses at, but I'd probably be wrong. And as none of them seem to want to approach me with my mom sitting next to me, I'll just have to wait.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Smileykiller2797
Smileykiller2797 So, anyone want to guess on what his starter will be? Also, I want to take this chance and let everyone know the rough order that he will be challenging the different regions in.
1st- Hoenn
2nd - Kalos
3rd - Unova
4th - Galar
5th - Sinnoh
6th - Kanto/Johto
7th - World League
I decided on this route, as he wants to go exploring. So leaving Johto and doing the farthest regions from it (at least as far as I can figure out) is what he wants. Hoenn is just a bonus actually, as he'll take on the Hoenn League before going even further. But I'm also firmly set on Kanto and Johto being last. He's already going to know most of the gym leaders for Johto. And think of them as family. Which leads to questions of nepotism and MC wants to avoid that.
Also, I left Alola out as he'll be in Sinnoh, or maybe returning to Kanto/Johto when Ash is taking part in the first league in Alola.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone