The All Mighty Earth - Pokemon SI Chapter 39

Asher's Team:

Lago - Rhydon

Sebastian - Nidoking

Selena - Nidoqueen

Seraph - Clefable

Death - Marowak

Colossus - Steelix

Clamps - Gligar

Ivor - Mamoswine

Jet - Flygon

Garchomp

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Asher leaned back against the boat's safeguard. Despite wearing a thick jacket, he breathing out a puff of mist when he realised how cold it was getting.

That was good, it meant they were probably getting further north. They'd arrive soon.

Sinnoh was north of Kanto, and since airplanes were a massive hassle to set up routes for, they were going by ship to Sinnoh, and they'd arrive in just a day or so.

"How's the boat ride been treating you?" A familiar voice spoke from behind Asher, with the trench-coat wearing man who spoke to him taking a place besides him staring out into the sea.

Asher shrugged. "Fine I guess. Never been a massive fan of the sea, but I can't say I hate it either. What about you, Looker, you excited to head back to your home region."

Looker put his hands in his pockets. "Well, it's not like I hate my home, but it can be a bit tedious to stay in one place for too long. I could never be a Gym Leader in that regard; even if I was skilled enough of a trainer."

Asher raised an eyebrow. "You're a pokemon trainer?"

"Yes. Well, just the one, and Croagunk is more of a partner than my pokemon. It's just easier for him if I have him registered as mine, otherwise it'd be a hassle for him to work as an agent."

Asher nodded, before he caught Looker's choice of words.

"Wait, could he be an agent if he wasn't a person's pokemon?"

Looker caught onto the curiosity in Asher's tone, then clicked his tongue as he muttered. "Of right, laws are different in Indigo than Sinnoh."

Looker coughed before explaining. "Well you see, unlike in Indigo, pokemon in Sinnoh can actually be treated as legal citizens, provided they can pass certain requirements. Learning how to read, write, and how money works is a start. Then there's taxes, laws they need to follow, and getting a job. Most pokemon prefer to stay close to a trainer though, it's simply more practical than having to learn so much about how our world works."

Asher tried not to let his surprise show, but the idea of a pokemon being treated as a citizen was... well not too outlandish honestly. In fact, a lot of pokemon were more human-like than animal, so giving them the option to not be treated as another person's possession was probably the right move. Ethically speaking anyway.

Still though, something bugged him about the idea.

"What about if the pokemon in question was part of a species that couldn't really mesh well with human society? For example, how would you handle it if a Tyranitar or something wanted to become a citizen?" Asher asked, genuinely not sure how such a situation would be handled.

Looker opened his mouth, then closed it. After a moment, he answered honestly. "Well, if the Sinnoh league just denied a pokemon citizenship like that it wouldn't bode well with a lot of activists that's for sure. So, ultimately, the league would probably grant citizenship to such a pokemon if they reached the necessary bars."

"That sounds like a big hole in the system."

"Maybe, but I doubt anything like that'll happen anytime soon. It's a possibility for sure, but most dangerous pokemon lack the intelligence to pass the exams. Plus, it's rare for a pokemon to take them to begin with."

Asher snorted, inwardly picturing how such a scenario could go wrong, but kept to himself.

Looker wasn't too bad of company all things considered. The two of them were put on the same boat since, apparently, he was an agent for the Sinnoh League. 

Asher could have sworn that Looker was a member of the International Police, but maybe they just hadn't been formed yet? So few of the regions were available to them that maybe in a few years time, when more had joined hands, the International Police would be formed.

Asher sighed longingly, already starting to miss the Viridian Gym. He'd gotten so used to battling brats in those rocky battle courts, training in the ranch, and protecting Viridian City's citizens. Home sickness wasn't something he used to feel often, considering he never had much in the way of a home before, but Viridian had become somewhere special to him. It felt weird to be away.

"You know, there was a time when I wanted to become a pokemon trainer." Looker began, almost looking nostalgic. "It's not exactly an uncommon dream, but I wanted to be the Champion. I had my entire team planned out, my parents were really supportive, and I had buckets of energy."

Asher wasn't sure where the conversation was going, since it sounded like whatever Looker was talking about was weirdly personal, but nodded and questioned. "And how did you do?"

"Not good. I didn't even get my fourth Gym badge before calling it quits." Looker's words were dry, and Asher couldn't stop himself from laughing at how bad the agent did. He tried to stop himself, but Looker managed to catch him and huffed with annoyance.

"That's not too bad. Do you even realise how many trainers attempt the Gym challenge every year? Not everyone can get eight badges and win first try."

Hearing that Asher couldn't stop himself and said. "It's really not as difficult as everyone thinks. I just started out with a Rhyhorn and I got first place, if education on pokemon was better then maybe trainers would be."

Looker gave a sardonic smile. "Look. Sinnoh is a lot different from Indigo, the way we do things is a lot different from Indigo. Unlike you warmongers, we haven't been devoting our lives and resources to fighting each other."

Asher frowned. "Just what the hell is that meant to mean?"

"It means that we're more advanced than Indigo, even more so than Hoenn actually. I didn't even know the full extent of how behind you people were, not until I payed you a visit myself."

Asher was about to retort Looker, but stopped himself when he thought about how much sense that made. Indigo was an isolated state for years, with minimal contact regarding the outside world, so it did make sense for them to be technologically lacklustre compared to the rest of the world. Regions who hadn't been at war for years on end.

"Is the difference really that big?" Asher asked, deeply curious about just how different Sinnoh was from Indigo, and all he got in response was a laugh from Looker.

"You'll see soon enough." Looker vaguely stated before walking away, leaving Asher's question in the air.

"Prick." Asher muttered to himself, deciding to pull out a flask he'd been keeping in his coat pocket before taking a sip of it's contents.