Gladion was currently in a 3v3 match gym battle. The challenger was quite a good trainer. He was challenging Gladion for his fourth badge.
Both were down to their last Pokémon—Gladion's random Poliwhirl versus the trainer's Golbat.
Golbat's Wing Attack landed a critical hit, sending Poliwhirl crashing to the ground, fainted.
Gladion walked over as he handed the trainer the Moon Badge, its crescent shape glinting. "Well earned," he said, with a smile.
The trainer beamed, clutching the badge, his with pride and immediaty took it's pick to post on social media.
'Another victim of social media....fufufufu. muh, who cares as long as I am the one benefiting from it?' Gladion evilly laughed in his mind.
Before Gladion could ask for the next challenger, his assistant Kai burst into the arena, as he ran towards Gladion with excitement.
"Boss!" Kai shouted, waving a laptop.
"Professor Oak just dropped huge news—a new Pokémon type!"
Gladion's brow rose, 'So he is finally revealing it huh?'
Kai opened the laptop, pulling up a live news channel.
Professor Oak stood at a podium and was addressing a sea of reporters. "I'd like to tell the entire Pokémon trainer community that we have discovered a new Pokémon type,"
Oak announced. The reporters erupted with shock and questions.
"It's called the Fairy type," Oak revealed, pausing as the uproar grew louder.
"Some Pokémon previously classified as Normal are actually Fairy types: Clefairy line, Jigglypuff line, Togepi line, Snubbull line, Mr. Mime line, Azurill, Ralts line—though Gallade's distinction remains unchanged—and Mawile." Kai's eyes lit up, his aura exploding with excitement. "Whoa! My Gardevoir's a Fairy type? That's so cool!"
A reporter's voice cut through the noise. "How did you confirm the existence of this new type?"
Oak smiled, pulling a Poké Ball from his pocket. "I was given a new Eevee evolution, one never seen before, which made it clear it was a distinct type. It's called Sylveon by the way."
He released the Pokémon, and a Sylveon emerged with its ribbons fluttering.
The reporters went wild, cameras flashing. Gladion's other assistant, Mira, Kai's sister, burst into the gym.
She's so cuteeee and beautiful!" she squealed, her voice so loud Gladion winced, rubbing his ears.
'Mira, volume control, please,' he thought with irritation.
Oak's voice resumed on the screen. "I'd like to credit Gym Leader Gladion and Ben Vortex for helping with this research. I believe Ben Vortex was the first to evolve an Eevee into a Fairy-type Pokémon and discovered this new type. He provided me with this lovely Sylveon."
"What!! Boss, You knew about the new type and did not tell us. That's not fair!" Mira said pouting.
Gladion chose to ignore her. But he could not ignore the next person that rushed to the gym.
Ben ran to Gladion, enveloping him in a bear hug, tears streaming. "My son…" he sobbed, his voice thick.
Ben didn't expect Professor Oak to give him this much credit. Ben had shared his findings with Gladion, who'd passed them to Oak, not expecting such public recognition after Gladion had traded it with Oak for something. But Gladion had mentioned to negotiate better terms and has kept it a surprise for his father.
Ben wiped his eyes, his voice trembling. "I just wish Dad was here to know I made myself a bigshot despite focusing on my path as a Pokémon breeder and researcher." Googlᴇ search 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✶𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲✶𝗻𝗲𝘁
Gladion patted his father's back as he teased "I'm sure Grandpa would be proud of his candy-stealing kid."
Ben chuckled through his tears. A reporter's question pulled their attention back to the screen.
"What are the type advantages and disadvantages of Fairy types?" Oak's expression grew serious.
"Fairy types are weak to Poison and Steel types. They're strong against Fighting, Dark…" He took a deep breath, then dropped the bombshell: "…and Dragon types."
"WHATT!" Kai and Mira shouted simultaneously with shock. The reporters on-screen mirrored their reaction, some with terror.
Ben wiped his tears, his voice low. "So he really revealed it, huh…"
Gladion nodded, "It seems so. This'll spark political tension. The Blackthorn Clan, with all their Dragon-type power and influence, will take a hit to their reputation. Their pride's built on Dragons being untouchable. Fairy types as a counter? That's a slap to their ego."
Ben tensly said, "Their pride won't let them accept being weak to Fairy types. If anyone else had revealed this, they'd have fought it tooth and nail. But Oak's the best researcher in Indigo and still a very strong trainer, the first Champion. They can't muscle him down, so they'll attack his research politically."
He glanced at Gladion, his voice grim. "And since you and I helped Oak, we'll be targets too."
Gladion grinned, "Don't worry, Dad. I made some key political connections a few days ago."
He thought of his deal with Koga and Agatha, who'd agreed to back him in League votes. 'I am pretty sure that they didn't sign up to tangle with the Blackthorn Clan,' he thought, 'Oh well, serves them right for giving me that grim first mission with dead bodies.'
The conference continued, Oak's voice cutting through the uproar. "I'd also like to inform the public that I've sourced the manufacturing and sales of Pokédexes to Vortex Corporation."
The reporters exploded and this time the shock carried through the League's business community.
After being one of the major business leaders in Milotic Prism Scales, evolutionary items, social media, and Steel Coats, Vortex Corp was entering the tech market with their first product being something that every trainer would need in the future, a Pokédex.
And this meant some tough competition and a war with the current two giants in the game, Silph Co. and Devon Corp.
-------Author Notes------
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