Pokemon: I am Gary

"Ah!! I forgot!" As Clefairy disappeared into the depths of the tunnel, Gary suddenly realized he had made a foolish mistake. 

"What's wrong, Gary?" Lorelei asked curiously as she approached. 

"The Moon Stones! I needed Clefairy to lead me to two Moon Stones, and I just let it go! Oh my gosh!" Gary held his forehead, feeling exasperated with himself. 

"I think it might not be so bad. Look!" Lorelei patted Gary on the shoulder and pointed ahead. 

Confused, Gary looked up to see a timid Clefairy standing nearby, with two Clefable behind it. Most importantly, the Clefable were holding two large Moon Stones! 

"Clef~" The Clefable approached Gary, standing on tiptoe as it eagerly offered the Moon Stones to him. 

Gary was so moved that he nearly teared up. "For me?" 

"Fairy~" The Clefable nodded. To thank Gary for saving their child, this was the most precious gift they could offer. 

"Thank you... I really needed this." Gary didn't hesitate; he opened his backpack and stuffed the two premium Moon Stones inside. After thinking for a moment, he took out some homemade Pokémon food and handed two cans to one of the Clefable. 

"Clefa?" The Clefable poked curiously at the can. 

With a smile, Gary opened the can and handed it over. "I'm treating you to a meal." 

Cautiously sniffing it and then taking a bite, both Clefable's eyes lit up as they quickly devoured several more bites. 

"Alright, you two need to be careful from now on. Don't let any bad people capture you again." He patted the heads of Clefairy and the Clefable, then adjusted his backpack. 

"Are you leaving?" Lorelei asked softly. 

"Yes, I need to hurry and take Rhydon to the Pokémon Center. What about you, Miss Lorelei?" Gary turned back to ask. 

"I expect Officer Jenny will arrive shortly. I don't have anything else to do right now; why don't we walk together for a bit?" Lorelei suggested while resting her chin on her hand. 

"That sounds great." Who would refuse an invitation from a stunning woman in a bodycon skirt? 

Thus, with Lorelei accompanying him, Gary smoothly passed through the cave and continued down the mountain path toward Cerulean City. Along the way, they engaged in light conversation. 

What surprised Lorelei was how knowledgeable Gary was; whether it was about Pokémon breeding, battles, or even local customs—he could handle any topic with ease. Their discussion about Ice-type Pokémon particularly captivated Lorelei. 

"Is it true that there are Ice-type Ninetales in the Alola region?" she asked dreamily as they walked along. 

"Absolutely! There are also Ice-type Sandslash. My granduncle, Professor Samson Oak, runs a school in Alola; he told me all about them," Gary confirmed. 

"How exciting! Those Pokémon sound amazing!" Lorelei's eyes sparkled with anticipation. 

"After the Indigo League ends, I might take a trip to Alola. If you're interested, you could join me; it's a great vacation spot," Gary suggested. 

"Really?" Lorelei's eyes lit up as she looked at him eagerly. 

"If you have time..." Gary shrugged casually. 

"Of course! After the Indigo League ends, aside from battling Lance, I have no other plans. A trip sounds great!" Lorelei clapped her hands in excitement like a little girl. 

Listening to her made Gary feel a bit awkward. What did she mean by "aside from battling Lance?" 

Meanwhile, at that moment, Lance, who was currently on an expedition in Johto, suddenly sneezed several times. His nearby Dragonite covered its nose in disgust: "Don't pass your cold onto me!" 

As they continued chatting about Alola's culture while walking down the mountain path, neither felt bored at all. The only regret for Gary was that Lorelei's strong presence kept wild Pokémon from showing themselves within ten miles; he didn't gain any experience points along the way. 

In the glow of the setting sun, they finally arrived at Cerulean City. 

"Well then, let's part ways here." Lorelei shrugged. "If I show up at the Pokémon Center in Cerulean City, it would cause quite a stir." 

"That's true." Gary clicked his tongue; being one of Kanto's Elite Four made her a superstar anywhere. "Let's part here then; if you need anything, feel free to call me." 

"Of course! I'm quite interested in those Ice-type Ninetales, and I haven't seen that Ice-type Eevee you mentioned either. I might need to bother you more in the future," Lorelei winked playfully at him. 

"Of course! You're always welcome to contact me," Gary nodded as they parted ways on the street. 

"That little man from Professor Oak's family... what a shame he's still so young..." Watching Gary's retreating figure, Lorelei blushed slightly and shook her head before turning to leave. 

On his side, Gary arrived at the Pokémon Center and explained the situation to Nurse Joy. Afterward, Rhydon was placed in a special care room while Gary rested in the ward. 

"This child's injuries aren't severe, but the forced evolution has taken a toll on his body. He will need very careful care moving forward," Nurse Joy said, handing Gary a long list of supplements. 

"Okay, I understand." Gary took the list with a nervous expression. 

Protein supplements, calcium tablets, zinc, iron, blood boosters… these would take at least a year for Rhydon to fully recover. 

"Just enjoy it; I still have some money." Gary shook his head helplessly and found a reclining chair in the ward. He wrapped himself in a blanket and closed his eyes to rest. 

As Nurse Joy passed by, she stole a glance at him and smiled appreciatively. 

A dreamless night passed. 

"Roar~" The next morning, Gary was awakened by Rhydon's weak cries. 

"How are you feeling? Is your body better?" He folded the blanket and watched as Rhydon clumsily tried to get up. 

Thud! After two attempts, the big guy fell back onto the bed. Fortunately, the bed in the special care room was sturdy. 

"Don't struggle too much now, big guy." Gary walked over to Rhydon. 

"Roar…" Rhydon eyed Gary warily, its drill slowly spinning on top of its head. 

"Come on now; you'd have trouble taking down even a little Rattata right now." Gary rubbed the top of Rhydon's head affectionately. "You're unfortunate to have been captured by Team Rocket, but you're also lucky because you met me." 

"Roar?" Rhydon tilted its head curiously at Gary. 

"Your body needs a lot of nutritional supplements. Although I don't usually meddle in others' affairs… since I've captured you, guess what? You'll be back to your old self soon enough and become a fierce Rhydon. I promise," Gary declared confidently with his hands on his hips. 

Rhydon lay on the hospital bed and closed its eyes, seemingly accepting its fate. 

"Hey, that's your attitude? Forget it; let's meet your future teammates." Gary took out his Poké Balls and released all of his Pokémon: Eevee, Charmeleon, Scyther, Nidorino, and Nidoran. 

With Rhydon, Gary realized he had assembled a full team. 

"Alright, everyone, say hello to our new teammate!" Gary clapped his hands. 

All of Gary's Pokémon greeted Rhydon warmly. 

Opening its eyes, Rhydon scanned the room before closing them again to continue resting. 

Gary shook his head; it still held a sense of pride. Once Nidorino evolved into Nidoking, it would be good for him to train with her and help refine his temperament. 

Suddenly feeling a chill from behind while kissing Nidoran, Nidorino noticed Gary's playful expression. 

Nidorino: Σ(￣□￣) Oh no! Did I accidentally spill some dog food? Is my master going to make things difficult for me...? 

Eevee jumped onto the hospital bed and lay beside Rhydon, softly calling out. Having also experienced human experimentation, Eevee felt a deep sympathy for Rhydon's plight. 

"Alright everyone, let's take a break until noon training. Since Rhydon will be hospitalized for another two days, we'll need to stay in Cerulean City for a while," Gary informed his Pokémon after thinking it over. 

All of them nodded in understanding.