I decided I'd stay with Reggie for a while. The Sinnoh League doesn't start for another month—no point in running around to get badges just yet. Instead, I'll use this time to train, strategize, and build the ideal team before the journey begins. No need to run around like a headless Torchic.
Wow. Look at me—already slipping into Pokémon world expressions.
Paul wouldn't have done this. He would've hit the road immediately, pushing his Pokémon to their limits through sheer force. But I had something else in mind.
But if there's one thing I need to consider—something Paul never truly acknowledged—it's friendship.
Paul always focused on strength through discipline. To him, friendship was a distraction—an obstacle to making the hard choices necessary to win. Time spent bonding was time taken away from training.
And why would he ever change that mindset? It got him results. He placed well in previous leagues, and every hard-fought battle only reinforced his belief that his approach worked.
But I know something he doesn't.
Friendship isn't just some sentimental feeling good about yourself.
It's a tangible force.
The games prove it—Pokémon can endure hits from moves that would make them faint, recover from status effects on their own, land critical hits more frequently, regularly dodge attacks from opponents, and gain experience faster. Friendship unironically will help make my pokemon grow stronger.
The anime proves it—Ash's Pikachu has taken down Legendaries through sheer determination.
In the battle between Paul and Ash, Paul should have had the advantage. He trained his Pokémon harder, conditioned them more strictly—by all logic, they should've been stronger.
Yet Ash won.
Maybe because it was a kid's show. But maybe, just maybe, because Paul was missing something crucial.
I wasn't going to make the same mistake.
Besides, this is going to be my Pokémon adventure. I actually want to enjoy it—I want to make bonds with my team. Even without the bonuses, I'd still do this.
What's the point of having a Pokémon journey if I'm not going to have fun?
___________
I realized that replays of Ever Grande Conference were still playing.
With nothing better to do, I figured I'd watch a match—my first real battle in this world. And, by sheer coincidence, I tuned in just in time to see Ash lose to Tyson. You know, the guy with the Meowth wearing a hat.
Of course, the battle played out exactly as I remembered from the anime, but watching it here, in the Pokémon world, felt different. The small details stood out—the way the trainers adjusted their strategies in real-time, the subtle movements of their Pokémon, the sheer intensity of a real League battle. It wasn't just a scripted sequence anymore. It was real.
Every League season follows a strict schedule. Trainers have nine months to earn eight Gym Badges. Once that time is up, any unused badges expire, and the League season officially ends.
After that, there's a one-month break for trainers to prepare before the regional Conference begins. Each Conference lasts about two weeks, where competitors battle for the chance to become Champion.
Once a Conference ends, there's another month and a half of downtime before the next season starts.
The winner of a conference gets a shot at the Elite Four—with a full league season to take them on at their own pace. If they win, they get a match against the Champion, scheduled for the day after the conference finals.
This only applies to the "Big 6" though. Kanto's Indigo Plateau Conference, Johto's Silver Conference, Hoenn's Ever Grande Conference, Sinnoh's Lily of the Valley Conference, Unova's Vertress Conference, and Kalos' Lumiose Conference.
Galar and Paldea do their competitions very differently.
Galar doesn't use a Conference system at all. Instead, they hold the Champion Cup, where the winner immediately challenges the Galar Champion. It's more like a huge tournament.
In the Conferences, competitors are gradually reduced through qualifiers—shorter matches where they fight in 1v1s or 2v2s—until only 64 trainers remain. After that, there are two additional rounds of 3v3 battles to narrow the field down to the top 16, when they start fighting in full 6v6 matches.
In contrast, Galar skips all that and has full matches right from the start. The winner of the Champion Cup immediately challenges the Galar Champion. No Elite Four, no extra steps—just a direct path to the final battle.
Paldea takes a different approach entirely. There's no Conference here. Trainers can challenge the Elite Four whenever they're ready. If they pass the Champion Assessment, they earn the title of Champion—no tournament needed. In fact, there are around a dozen Champions in Paldea, but the only one that truly matters is the Top Champion.
And there's also Alola, which is still flying under the radar, as Kukui hasn't yet established the Manalo Conference.
__________
The quarter-finals of the Ever Grande Conference wrapped up, and with nothing else demanding my attention, I decided to test Larvitar's ability.
I found her basking on a sun-warmed rock, looking completely at peace. I knelt beside her, giving her a gentle nudge.
"Hey, Larvitar," I said softly. She blinked up at me, tilting her head curiously. "I just wanted to say... I know you didn't get many chances to battle back in Johto. I'm sorry about that."
She let out a small grunt, but I could tell she was listening.
"That's going to change. I want you to be part of my main team this time. I want to see how strong we can get together."
At that, her eyes lit up. She let out a determined cry, pounding her tiny fists against her chest.
"Heh. I'll take that as a yes."
Before we start I take a moment to explain to her what we're testing for. I explain that Larvitar can have one of two abilities—Guts or Sand Veil.
What I didn't tell her was that if she had Sand Veil, it would mean that she'd likely evolve into a Tyranitar with Unnerve, which wasn't ideal. I was hoping for Guts, which would eventually lead to Sand Stream. I don't want to hurt her feelings if she ended up getting the ability I didn't want. The last thing I wanted was to discard a team member just because she didn't have the ability I was hoping for. I will never be that cruel.
Time to find out.
I smiled, then got down to business. I called over Lairon, who stomped into place, its steel armor gleaming under the sun.
"Lairon, set up a Sandstorm!"
With a deep roar, Lairon kicked up a raging swirl of sand. The wind howled, and grains of sand pelted my skin, even from the distance I'm at. I shielded my eyes, focusing on Larvitar. If she had Sand Veil, she'd become harder to see as her ability activated.
I watched the sandstorm closely.
Nothing changed. Larvitar stood firm, completely visible despite the raging storm. That meant she had Guts.
"Alright!" I grinned. "Looks like we lucked out. You've got Guts, Larvitar!"
She blinked, then frowned slightly, crossing her arms.
"What's wrong?"
She let out a small huff. Oh. She was disappointed she didn't have Sand Veil. I didn't really think about her opinion when I decided to test this out.
I crouched down, patting her head. "Don't worry, this is actually a good thing. If you had Sand Veil, you'd end up with Unnerve as a Tyranitar. It's a pretty good ability for wild Tyranitar, but it won't be practical in actual battles. But now, when you evolve, you'll have Sand Stream, which is way more valuable."
She looked up at me, considering my words, then nodded firmly.
"That's the spirit," I said. "We'll skip working on training Guts, since once you evolve into Pupitar, you'll get Shed Skin instead. Then when you reach your final form, you'll be setting up your own Sandstorms. That when we'll work on making sure your sandstorms will last longer"
She stomped her little foot, clearly satisfied.
__________
Next up was Elekid.
I had plans to help Chimchar develop Iron Fist personally, but I had an idea for Elekid's training. All I'll need is a little help from Reggie.
I found him in the training yard, watching his Staraptor fly around and stretching its wings.
"Hey, Reggie. I got a favor to ask."
He turned, wiping sweat from his forehead. "What's up?"
"I want to train Elekid to awaken his Vital Spirit ability," I explained. "I decided that to do this, Elekid will follow three key principles: Stimulating Environments, Mental Resilience, and Overcoming Sleep Moves. I'll handle the last 2 parts. I'll be training with Chimchar for now since he's new, but once I'm done I'll help Elekid train his mental resilience with meditation. But I was hoping you could handle the first part."
Reggie crossed his arms, thinking it over. "Sounds solid. What exactly do you need me to do?"
"For the first part of his training, I want Elekid to dodge attacks while resisting drowsiness. I'll tell my Alakazam that I want him to help out with training Elekid. Alakazam will use a weakened Hypnosis—just enough to mimic the effects of Yawn instead of putting him to sleep instantly. Meanwhile, you can get some of my other Pokémon and have them attack Elekid at low intensity to keep him on edge."
Reggie nodded. "Basically, you want him to fight off exhaustion while staying alert. Makes sense. And you trust me to make sure your Pokémon don't overdo it?"
"Exactly," I confirmed. "You're the best guy for the job. I know you'll keep things controlled."
He smirked. "Flattery won't get you out of doing some work yourself. But alright, it's not everyday my little brother asks me for help, you must be pretty serious about rethinking things. Just don't slack off on your own training."
I laughed. "Wouldn't dream of it."
__________
I walked onto the training grounds inside the Veilstone Gym, Chimchar perched on my shoulder, eyes darting around at the other trainers and their Pokémon. The place was a dojo as much as a Gym, filled with fighters practicing their strikes, footwork, and endurance drills.
"Alright, Chimchar," I said, lowering him to the ground. "It's time to get to work."
He hopped down, bouncing lightly on his feet, full of energy.
"Chim!" he chirped eagerly.
I crouched to his level. "We're going to focus on Iron Fist for now. Blaze is still out of your reach, so we'll build up your power in a way you can handle."
Chimchar nodded, his little fists clenched.
"First things first—physical conditioning. You need more strength, more endurance. That means obstacle courses, weights, and—" I gestured to the line of punching bags along the wall. "—a lot of time hitting those until your punches actually feel like they have some weight behind them."
He cracked his knuckles. "Chim!"
"Glad you're excited," I smirked. "But this won't be easy. You'll need to hit hard, and I mean consistently. That means discipline, mental focus, and pushing past your limits."
He gave me a determined nod.
I led him to the punching bags first. They were heavy—probably too heavy for Chimchar right now—but that was the point. He needed to build up his strength. I placed a hand on the bag.
"Your goal is simple—punch with everything you've got. Again and again, until I say stop."
Chimchar took a stance, raising his fist.
"Chimchar, hold on."
He paused, looking up at me.
"Don't just punch blindly. You need to focus. Feel the weight of your fist, the movement of your body. Iron Fist isn't just about raw power—it's about knowing how to throw a punch the right way. Think of your whole body working together with your attack."
He nodded, taking a moment to square his stance. Then, with a deep breath—
BAM!
His first punch landed with a soft thud. The bag barely moved, swaying just a little before settling back into place. Chimchar's brows furrowed in frustration.
Chimchar frowned. He pulled back and threw another. BAM. Still weak.
"Don't get frustrated. Keep going," I said firmly.
He grit his teeth and kept punching. Each hit was weak, but he wasn't stopping. His arms would get sore. His body would tire. But that's the point.
After a few minutes, his punches started getting slower.
"Hurts, doesn't it?" I said.
Chimchar huffed but nodded.
"Good. That means you're building up your endurance. Now, keep pushing through."
His next punch hit harder.
I smirked. "That's it. Again."
He punched.
"Again."
Another hit.
"Again!"
With every strike, he got more into the rhythm. More force. More control. He wasn't just swinging wildly anymore—he was actually learning how to punch.
I crossed my arms, watching his progress. "This is just the beginning, Chimchar. If you want to make Iron Fist a real strength, you'll need to keep training like this. Every day."
Chimchar panted, sweat dripping down his fur. Then he grinned and nodded.
"Good." I placed a hand on his head. "Get some water. We're far from done."
Chimchar's fists were starting to shake from exhaustion, but he refused to stop. His determination was admirable, and I could already see improvement. Each punch carried a little more weight, a little more control.
"Alright, Chimchar. One more set, then take a break."
He gritted his teeth and launched another flurry of punches. BAM! BAM! BAM!
I heard approaching footsteps over the sound of Chimchar's punches. Turning, I spotted a familiar figure—Maylene, the Gym Leader of Veilstone, smiling as she walked over.
"You two are working pretty hard," she said with a warm smile. "Veilstone Gym welcomes all trainers who want to improve, but I don't think I've seen you before. Most trainers don't push their Pokémon like this unless they're preparing for a Gym Battle."
"That's correct, this is my first time training here. I'm Paul," I say politely.
I glanced at Chimchar, who was panting but still standing strong. I decided I won't tell her about my plans to train Chimchar to use Iron Fist.
"I'm training Chimchar's to prepare for his future evolutions. Once he becomes a Monferno, I'll teach him thunder punch to deal with his water and future flying weaknesses. For now I want to develop his physical strength and punching power first. We're working on endurance, precision, and control before I help him learn fire punch."
Maylene nodded approvingly. "That's a great approach. Power is important, but true strength comes from control and discipline. You've got a solid plan to cover all your bases, Paul!"
I remembered her from the anime—her character arc where she lost confidence in herself after a losing streak. Her Lucario and Gym trainers lost faith in her, too.
And thinking about it… Paul was the catalyst for that.
He destroyed her in a Gym Battle, then insulted her afterward. "The weakest Gym Leader I've ever faced," he had said.
She had been completely shaken by it.
But that hadn't happened yet. And it won't happen like that when I face her.
"You train a lot yourself, don't you?" I asked, changing the subject.
She gave a sheepish smile. "I do. I think a Fighting type Gym Leader should push themselves just as hard as their pokemon. That's why I spend as much time in training as my Lucario does."
Chimchar, now a little rested, stretched his arms and looked up at Maylene. He grinned and shadowboxed a little, as if showing off his progress.
Maylene chuckled. "He's got a good spirit." She turned to me. "If you ever want some training partners, feel free to ask. The Veilstone Gym trainers would be happy to spar with you and Chimchar."
I nodded. "I'll take you up on that some other time. But for now, we're building his foundation. No point rushing into sparring if his punches are still weak."
She grinned. "Smart way to train. Good luck, Chimchar—keep working hard."
Chimchar clenched his fists and nodded eagerly.
As Maylene walked back toward the main training area, I exhaled.
"Alright, Chimchar. Break's over. Back to work."
And just like that, training resumed.
__________
After finishing Chimchar's training, we headed back home. The sun was starting to set, casting a soft orange glow over Veilstone City. Chimchar sat perched on my shoulder, visibly exhausted but still buzzing with energy. I smiled, at least he wasn't completely drained.
I wanted to check on Elekid, see how his training had been going. I wasn't expecting immediate results—developing a new ability wasn't something that happened overnight—but in time, he'd awaken Vital Spirit.
Inside the training yard, I spotted Reggie overseeing Elekid's exercises. Alakazam was there too, its eyes glowing faintly as it cast a weakened Hypnosis over Elekid. Elekid swayed slightly, looking drowsy but still standing. His arms twitched like he was trying to shake off the feeling.
Reggie stood nearby, arms crossed. "You're back. Chimchar get a good workout?"
"Yeah. He's got a long way to go, but he's making progress." I turned my attention to Elekid. "How's Elekid doing?"
"He's doing well," Reggie said. "Struggles at first, but once he starts moving, he stays awake longer. I had your other pokemon take a break once it got too difficult for Elekid to focus on dodging and staying awake at the same time"
I nodded. That was a good sign.
"Great job today, Elekid, Alakazam," I say. "Alakazam, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a moment alone with Elekid."
Alakazam stopped its Hypnosis, then teleported away. Elekid shook his head violently, sparks crackling from his body as he fully woke up. He looked up at me expectantly.
"Let's try something different."
I sat down on the ground and gestured for Elekid to join me. He hesitated, then sat cross-legged across from me.
"We're going to work on meditation," I said. "It'll help with mental discipline—something you'll need if you want to awaken Vital Spirit."
Elekid tilted his head but didn't object.
I took a slow breath. "Close your eyes, focus on your breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth."
Elekid followed along, his body still crackling faintly with electricity. It was probably hard for an Electric-type to sit still, but he was trying.
As we went through the motions, I decided to tell him why this training mattered.
I exhaled slowly, watching Elekid's sparks flicker in the dimming light. "Elekid… there's a trainer out there I'm afraid of."
I continued, my voice quieter now. "I don't know when we'll face him, but I do know one thing—his Pokémon are dangerous."
Elekid's head tilted slightly, his interest piqued.
"He relies on putting his opponents to sleep. Once they're down, he finishes them before they even have a chance to fight back."
Elekid's fists clenched. He didn't say anything, but I could tell he didn't like the sound of that.
"That's why I want you to learn Vital Spirit—so you can fight back, no matter what. So you'll never be left helpless in battle.
He let out a low growl, electricity crackling more intensely now. I met his gaze, letting the words sink in.
"I don't know when I'll have to face him," I continued. "But I know that when I do, it'll be one of the toughest battles of my life. He'll push us to the edge of our limits and beyond. It won't happen overnight. But if you keep training, if you keep pushing yourself, you'll develop the strength to resist anything—sleep, exhaustion, whatever gets thrown at you."
Then, without warning, he grinned, crossing his arms again in that same confident stance he always had.
"Ele! Elekid!"
I smirked. "That's the spirit."
When the time came to face Tobias and his Darkrai, we wouldn't go down without a fight.