Beginning of the new journey!😗
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HOOOONK—!
With a long blast of the ship's horn, a small passenger vessel slowly pulled into the harbour of Cherrygrove City, marking Kai's arrival in Johto.
This was Cherrygrove City a place known for its fragrant flowers.
Despite its coastal location and beautiful scenery, Cherrygrove was a small town with limited economic development. As a result, it only had a modest port, with just a few regular ferry routes coming and going each day.
Thankfully, one of those routes connected directly to the Orange Islands metropolis, allowing Kai to travel here without needing any transfers.
As soon as Kai and Sabrina stepped off the ship onto solid ground, Kai stretched his arms with a groan.
"Aaaahhh! That was over thirty hours of sailing, I'm exhausted!"
Sabrina glanced at him, unimpressed.
"Exhausted? Aside from battling a few trainers on board, weren't you asleep for most of the trip? How are you even tired?"
Kai grinned as he stretched his back, feeling a slight ache.
"That's exactly why I'm tired! Have you ever tried sleeping on a small passenger ship? The constant rocking makes it impossible to rest properly I feel even more tired than before!"
At that moment, Gengar popped out from Kai's shadow, looking around curiously.
It took a deep sniff of the air before tilting its head.
"So, this is Johto? This is my first time here… but honestly, it doesn't feel much different from Kanto!"
Kai chuckled.
"That's because they're both part of the same landmass. The only thing separating them is the Indigo Plateau, which is why Johto and Kanto are so closely connected."
Gengar nodded slowly, then frowned.
"Then why bother calling them separate regions? Why not just merge them into one big league? All these names, Indigo League, Silver League, such a hassle!"
Kai laughed, patting Gengar on the head.
"Come on, they're two distinct regions it's not like they can just combine into one! Besides, if you pay attention, you'll notice some clear differences. Compared to Kanto, Johto's air is more humid, and it has a much stronger rural influence. Plus, Buddhism and Shintoism are more deeply rooted in the culture here."
Gengar gave him a suspicious look.
"How do you know all that…?"
Kai shrugged casually.
"I wasn't just sleeping on the ship. I also read a tourist guide to pass the time. All of this is from the travel booklet!"
In truth, Kai also knew these things for another reason...
When Pokémon Gold and Silver were originally designed, Kanto was based on the real-life Kanto region of Japan, while Johto was inspired by Kansai and parts of Shikoku. The two regions had a shared history, but distinct identities.
Of course, that bit of knowledge was something he couldn't just explain to others.
Even though Sabrina was his partner, and Gengar was his loyal Pokémon, Kai preferred to keep his "past life" a secret.
As they walked into the city, Kai took in his surroundings.
Cherrygrove was a quiet, small town that didn't have a Gym, and its most defining features were the fragrant flowers and ocean breeze.
The streets were lined with flowerbeds, filled with vibrant blossoms in shades of red and pink.
Kai admired them for a moment but quickly realized Something.
"if Erika were here, she'd probably be able to name every single one of these flowers."
As they continued through town, they noticed that the pace of life here was much slower than in Kanto.
Few cars passed by, and the streets were calm and peaceful.
But Kai wasn't here to admire the scenery.
Now that he had arrived in Johto, his priority was to register for the Silver Conference!
Only by officially registering would he be eligible to challenge Gyms and earn the right to compete at the Silver Conference.
Crossing the street, Kai pushed open the doors of the Pokémon Center.
Hearing the sound of the entrance bell, the nurse at the counter, Nurse Joy, looked up and smiled warmly.
"Welcome! How can I assist you?"
Kai had long since stopped questioning how Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny seemed to exist everywhere.
"Hello, Nurse Joy, I'm here to register for the Silver Conference."
With a polite smile, she held out her hand. "Of course! Please hand me your Pokédex."
As Kai handed over his Pokédex, he glanced around the Pokémon Center.
Compared to Kanto's Pokémon Centers, this one was virtually identical in design and function. Even Nurse Joy's outfit was the same.
The only real difference?
Aside from him and Sabrina, only one other trainer was sitting at a nearby dining table, casually eating a meal.
Clearly, this small town wasn't a popular spot for trainers.
As Nurse Joy checked his information, her eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh my—you're the Indigo League Champion! And… you recently won the Winner's Cup in the Orange League too? You earned two major trophies in such an incredibly short time!"
Kai smiled modestly.
"Ah, well, it's really thanks to my Pokémon they did all the work."
Nurse Joy chuckled.
"You're too humble! A Pokémon's growth is always connected to its trainer!"
After finalizing his registration, Nurse Joy handed back his Pokédex along with a new badge case.
"Welcome to the Silver Conference! I'm rooting for you. I hope you become Johto's Champion, too!"
Kai grinned and waved as he exited the Pokémon Center.
With his registration complete, Kai's next task was to contact Looker. Before he left Kanto, Looker had specifically told him to reach out as soon as he arrived in Johto to help take down Team Rocket.
Sitting down at a restaurant, Kai dialled Looker's number as he enjoyed his lunch.
After several rings, Looker finally picked up.
"Ah—Kai! Have you arrived in Johto?"
Kai took a bite of food before answering.
"Yeah, I just got here, so I'm calling right away."
"Perfect timing!" Looker sounded excited. "We just finished cleaning up the last of Team Rocket's operations in Kanto, and we're shifting our focus to Johto. Over the next few days, we'll be moving personnel into position and I was hoping to enlist your help!"
Kai rubbed his forehead, already predicting trouble.
"And what exactly do you need me to do?"
"Simple, we need firepower to take out the heavily guarded Team Rocket bases!" Looker chuckled, then lowered his voice mysteriously.
"Listen, I'm currently in New Bark Town on a special mission. If you have time, come meet me here!"
Kai's eyebrows raised.
"New Bark Town? That's just near Cherrygrove City! What a coincidence."
Looker laughed.
"Convenient, isn't it? So, what do you say?"
Kai sighed but smirked.
"Fine, I'll head over by tonight. See you there."
With that, his Johto adventure had officially begun.
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