You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my Patreon, and I've also activated a (date-to-date) subscription model on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
As soon as they stepped onto the training grounds, the early-rising Pokémon Trainers naturally gravitated toward Cynthia, who was gently rubbing Musharna's round body. Judging by Musharna's dreamy, contented expression, she was clearly enjoying herself.
"Each Pokémon has its own favorite spots to be soothed," Cynthia explained. "Take this for example…"
With a graceful motion, she released her Milotic.
She freed one hand and gently pressed along Milotic's sleek, shimmering back. Milotic responded with a soft, delighted hum.
"This is the area my Milotic enjoys the most. But it's not the same for every Milotic, or any species for that matter. So when you're comforting or bonding with your Pokémon, it's important to get to know their individual preferences."
Luther's Musharna especially enjoyed being rubbed just above her belly. The moment Cynthia's hand touched that spot, Musharna sprawled out with limbs extended and mouth half-open, leaving Luther with the uncanny feeling that she resembled a cat rolling in catnip.
Some of the early Trainers clearly hadn't thought much about their own Pokémon's preferences before. Inspired, they began releasing their partners and gently testing to see where they liked being touched.
Just a few calls from Diantha had passed, and already the nervous glint in Musharna's eyes was gone.
It was no surprise, Cynthia's deep well of experience in both raising and training Pokémon made her truly stand out.
"Musharna, go give her a lick!" Cynthia said with a grin as she saw Diantha approach.
At her command, Musharna rolled upright, floated over to Diantha, and began affectionately licking her face with a soft, damp tongue.
Luther couldn't help but feel Musharna seemed more like Cynthia's Pokémon than his own, she was just too obedient.
Diantha didn't push Musharna away. This moment was important for rebuilding Musharna's comfort around people. Rejecting her now might set her back emotionally.
"Go back to your trainer," Diantha said gently, patting Musharna and gesturing toward Cynthia.
Surprisingly, Musharna hesitated only a moment before turning and floating back toward Cynthia, snuggling into her chest.
Luther raised an eyebrow. 'A little too obedient', he thought. 'You do remember who your actual trainer is, right?'
"What kept you so long on the phone?" Cynthia asked, shielding her face from Musharna's overenthusiastic tongue with one hand.
"Wanna come with me to Kanto?" Diantha asked nonchalantly.
"Changed plans already? Did you inform the Kalos League?"
"I did. Told them I'd be off the grid for a bit."
"Did they approve?"
"Not really, but since when do I need their permission?" Diantha replied with a small shrug.
Cynthia raised an eyebrow and gave Diantha a curious once-over, as if seeing her in a new light. Without looking, she gently nudged Musharna back toward Luther, who caught her with open arms.
"What's going on?" Cynthia asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
She wasn't naive, Diantha's change in attitude had been far too sudden.
Diantha leaned close to Cynthia and whispered in her ear for quite some time. Cynthia's gaze slowly drifted to Luther, who was playfully cuddling Musharna, her expression becoming unreadable.
Luther noticed and tilted his head, puzzled by her look.
"By the way," Diantha suddenly said, shifting the topic, "have you decided on your part-time job yet?"
Nearby, Mai was carefully trimming her Eevee's fur. Despite the autumn season, the heat was still lingering, and Eevee's thick coat was clearly weighing her down.
Without missing a beat, Mai responded to Diantha's question. "I'll be helping out at the Day Care."
As a child, Mai had missed her chance to receive a Pokédex due to illness, so she had spent most of her time at home, surrounded by Pokémon.
Over the years, she'd read extensively from the Pokédex and raised many Pokémon herself. Through trial and error, she'd become quite skilled in their care and feeding.
"Going back to your roots, huh? And what about you, Luther?" Cynthia asked with interest.
"I'll be bullying Rookie Trainers," Luther said with a smirk.
The three women blinked in unison, momentarily stunned.
"What kind of job is that supposed to be?" Diantha asked, turning to Cynthia, one hand to her forehead.
"Is this… some kind of Sinnoh tradition I've never heard of?"
"Gardenia from the Eterna City Gym put out a request online. She's looking for assistant instructors to help teach Rookie Trainers and spar with them during lessons," Luther explained.
"But aren't you technically still a Rookie yourself?" Diantha asked, though she added, "Well… I guess you're way above average."
"Teaching Rookies requires a solid grasp of the fundamentals, you know," Cynthia pointed out.
"Oh come on," Luther said, stretching with a grin. "Now I'm wide awake!"
When it came to actual battles, sure, power differences mattered. But if it was just basic theory and Trainer common sense, Luther wasn't worried in the slightest.
After a wild stretch of fishing in Oreburgh City, Luther had gained a true, visceral understanding of the word "Rookie."
Back then, if someone introduced themselves by saying, "I'm just a beginner," Luther would've instantly assumed they were actually some battle-hardened veteran pretending to be humble.
But out here? There weren't any clever tricks or false modesty. The so-called rookies could be summed up bluntly in two words: totally clueless.
It wasn't just that they lacked experience in battle, their general understanding of the world was in complete disarray. Even with easy access to Pokédex entries and online resources, they still couldn't solve the simplest problems.
It was a common scenario. Most of these kids began their journeys at the age of ten, fired up with dreams of glory, eager to prove themselves, and desperate to break free from their parents' control. To them, becoming a Trainer was the first step to achieving true independence and success.
And yet, ironically, these same kids often looked down on those who entered the Trainer path through formal education, branding them as "too old" and insisting they'd missed their "prime years." In their eyes, any Trainer older than thirteen or fourteen was already past their peak.
To Luther, one of the Pokémon League's greatest oversights was creating such a low-barrier environment for these young Trainers. They handed out licenses and travel funds too easily, giving these kids the illusion that they were ready just because they wanted it badly enough.
And with Pokémon ensuring food and power were always readily available, these kids never had to face the consequences of poor choices. Their recklessness felt justified, even natural.
As a result, Oreburgh City had become a hotspot where Luther repeatedly ran into wave after wave of stubborn, overconfident Trainers.
Take someone like Alon, for example, a kid who actually said he was destined to be "the next Cynthia." The funny part? He wasn't trying to brag. He genuinely believed it.
In hindsight, Gym Leaders might be the only real mentors these kids ever meet.
Not because they could sit them down and teach them deep lessons. No, their real value was in crushing overconfidence. A proper Gym battle, swift, decisive, humbling, was often the only thing that could get through to them. It reminded them that without talent, preparation, and dedication, they had no business calling themselves future Champions.
Cynthia, for one, was probably the first person to truly grasp what Luther was thinking. It showed in the way her expression shifted when he first mentioned wanting to sign up as a teaching assistant, there was something like… amused disbelief in her eyes. Maybe even a bit of dark humor.
"Are you actually serious?" she asked.
"Dead serious," Luther replied. "Someone needs to give them a reality check. Gym Leaders are always swamped. Sure, they can beat the rookies in a battle and offer a few pointers, but that's where it ends. I want to help Gardenia handle the rest."
Diantha almost said something about them being just kids, but then she paused, reconsidered, and realized how contradictory that thought was.
If a Trainer couldn't understand their own limits, if they didn't even grasp their own Pokémon's needs, then maybe they shouldn't be out there on the road.
Youth wasn't a shield. Once you chose the Trainer path, you had to take responsibility, not just for yourself, but for the Pokémon who trusted you.
Trainers had the luxury of talking through losses and moving on. Pokémon didn't. They took the hits, they endured the pain, and they kept going, often without understanding why.
"I have a feeling those rookies won't be getting off easy with you around," Diantha said with a faint smile.
"I'm not a tyrant," Luther protested. "It's not going to be that harsh."
His tone was light, but the intent behind it was firm. He knew what he was doing.
Off to the side, he flexed his fingers slightly. His injured hand had mostly healed, only a faint itch remained where the scab was forming. He resisted the urge to scratch it, reminding himself that if things went well, he'd be back to normal by tomorrow.
(End of Chapter)