The rush of battle still lingers in my veins as I walk away from Ash, my hands twitching with leftover adrenaline. I ignore it. The match is over. I won. There's nothing left to prove.
I reach for Alakazam's Poké Ball. The battlefield is a waste of time now—I need to move forward.
"Alakazam, teleport us to Sandgem Town."
The moment Alakazam materializes, I barely get the words out before the air distorts around us. In an instant, the scenery shifts. The crisp evening air of Route 202 disappears, replaced by the warm, artificial lighting of the Sandgem Pokémon Center.
I step toward the counter and hand over my Poké Balls. "Inside are my Chimchar, Elekid, and Larvitar. We just had an intense battle, especially Elekid. Please make sure they're fully recovered."
Nurse Joy takes them with a practiced smile. "Of course! I'll have them as good as new in no time."
I nod, stepping away as she disappears into the back.
With Chimchar, Elekid, and Larvitar resting, there's nothing else to do but wait.
No, that's not quite right. There's something else.
I step outside, where the cool evening air settles over the Pokémon Center. A few trainers are scattered around, some chatting, others tending to their teams. I find a quieter spot near the edge of the clearing and pull out two Poké Balls.
In twin flashes of light, Alakazam and Dusclops appear before me.
Dusclops stands perfectly still, its single eye glowing faintly. Alakazam folds his arms, unreadable as ever.
For a moment, I say nothing.
This… feels awkward.
I exhale, crossing my arms. "I wanted to talk."
Alakazam watches me, unreadable. Dusclops… doesn't move.
Of course. They're not like Chimchar, Elekid, or Larvitar. They're older, experienced, and—most importantly—they're used to the old me. The version of Paul that didn't stop for conversations like this.
Do they even expect anything different from me?
The silence lingers longer than I expect. I shift my stance, feeling… out of place.
I should say something.
"…Elekid's got potential, right?"
Alakazam tilts his head slightly. A small, deliberate motion. Without a word, he raises two fingers.
Recognition. Agreement.
I let out a breath. "Yeah. I figured."
I glance at Dusclops—nothing. No reaction. No movement. I half-expected that. Dusclops is especially distant, even among Paul's Pokémon. But Alakazam…
I watch him carefully. His gaze is sharp as ever, dissecting me as much as I am him.
I shift again. "He's strong, but… I handled him wrong."
Alakazam closes his eyes. A moment of stillness. Then, he nods—short, precise.
I scoff lightly. "Not gonna argue with me on that?"
Another nod.
I shake my head, exhaling. He already knew.
He helped Elekid train, helped me refine Vital Spirit. But that training had tunnel vision—it left gaps, and those gaps cost me against Ash.
I narrow my eyes. "If I had him train more than just his ability… you think he would've won?"
Alakazam doesn't answer right away. His gaze flickers downward, thoughtful. He's considering it.
Then, slowly, he shakes his hand.
Not a definite yes.
But not a no, either.
I clench my jaw. So there was a chance.
If I hadn't spent so much time on just Vital Spirit…
Would Elekid have beaten Pikachu?
I feel Dusclops' stare. Even if he hasn't moved, I know he's listening. He always does.
Still, they don't judge me.
Not for the battle. Not for this shift in how I act.
They're just… observing.
I shake my head, exhaling. "I'm not used to this either."
There's movement—subtle.
Alakazam shifts his weight. Dusclops' eye glows, pulsing slightly before settling again.
They heard me.
That's enough for now.
With a quiet breath, I return Alakazam and Dusclops to their Poké Balls.
They listened. That was perfectly fine.
Still, I don't feel any closer to them.
Not like I do with Chimchar, Elekid, or Larvitar.
Not yet.
__________
I exhale, leaning back against the Pokémon Center wall. My mind drifts, replaying the battle against Ash.
Sure, I won.
But that's not what lingers.
I didn't just battle Ash—I saw him in that fight. His drive, his bond with Pikachu, his sheer determination to keep pushing forward no matter how many times I shut him down.
Before the battle, I barely saw him as a real opponent—barely even as a real person. I expected a clean sweep. A simple win.
I was wrong.
Ash wasn't just some character in a story anymore. He was right there in front of me—adapting, thinking, refusing to back down.
And I almost lost to him.
No, not quite. I still had Chimchar and Larvitar in the back. Even if Elekid had fallen earlier, I wouldn't have been out of options.
But I'm still disappointed. Not because of Elekid, but because of my own mistakes.
I exhale sharply. Elekid's loss was my fault.
I could've played that last exchange better.
When Pikachu went in for that second Volt Tackle, I should've called for Protect. Pikachu would've slammed into the barrier, taken recoil, and been left vulnerable. Elekid could've countered—Brick Break, Thunder Punch, anything.
We could've won.
Instead, I hesitated.
I let Elekid take the hit, and it cost us the round.
My jaw clenches slightly. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again.
A chime from the counter pulls me out of my thoughts.
"Your Pokémon are fully healed!" Nurse Joy smiles as she hands over the Poké Balls.
I nod, taking them back. Time to check in with the team.
I step outside, away from the Center's usual crowd, and release Chimchar, Elekid, and Larvitar.
Chimchar stretches, his tail flame burning bright. Larvitar rolls her shoulders, nodding to herself. Elekid… doesn't move.
I scan over them before speaking. "You all did well today."
Chimchar grins. Larvitar nods, satisfied.
Elekid shifts, staring at the ground.
I watch him carefully.
He's the only one who didn't win his battle. And he knows it.
I sigh, then crouch down beside him, lowering myself to his level. Slowly, I reach out and rest a hand on his head, fingers lightly petting the short, plug-like horns. His body tenses for a moment, surprised.
"You fought the toughest opponent," I say, my voice gentle but firm.
Elekid's fists clench at his sides.
"Pikachu was Ash's ace." I state it clearly. "And you pushed it to the limit."
Still, no response.
I give his head a small pat, just once. "You didn't really lose."
Elekid finally looks up, his expression unreadable.
I nod. "Pikachu fainted right after you did."
His arms twitch slightly.
I press on, my tone lighter now. "That means your battle was a tie."
That gets a reaction. His eyes widen just a fraction—just enough.
"Chimchar and Larvitar won their fights cleanly." I glance at the other two, acknowledging them, before focusing back on Elekid. "And you would've won yours if Pikachu took even one more hit."
Elekid is silent.
Then, slowly… his posture shifts. Just a little. His stance straightens, his fists loosen.
He's still not happy. But he's not crushed, either.
Good.
I stand. But I know the real problem.
I didn't train him enough.
I trained him hard, yes—but all of it went into Vital Spirit. That was my focus. My obsession.
Everything else? It lagged behind.
I was hyper focused on Vital Spirit. I was preparing for an opponent I won't encounter for almost an entire year.
I was getting ready for Tobias and Darkrai—while ignoring the rest of the journey that's right in front of me.
That's not happening again.
Gravity training with Dusclops. Strength, endurance, counterplay—Elekid needs all of it.
Not just Elekid.
Everyone will be training with Gravity. I'll have to push them to their limits—help them grow as strong as possible.
I know all three of them have the drive to succeed. To get stronger.
Now it's up to me to help them reach their full potential.
I look at the team. "We're heading to Jubilife City next."
Chimchar perks up. Larvitar crosses his arms, considering it. Elekid simply nods, more focused now.
"We'll stick to the regular path."
At least for now.
I glance toward Route 202 in the distance. I know how routes work. There's the regular path, where trainers travel often—safer, easier to find battles. Then there's the deep wilds—where Pokémon roam freely, stronger, untamed.
One offers steady progress. The other offers true growth.
Eventually, I'll take them off the regular path.
But for now?
I glance at Elekid, who's rolling his shoulders, mind clearly already on his next steps.
We have a lot to catch up on.
__________
I continued north along Route 202, making my way toward Jubilife City. The trainers along the route weren't particularly strong, but they were still useful for getting my team more experience. To make things more difficult, I decided not to heal between battles. I don't expect the trainers on this route to be much of a challenge, so the handicap on my team should even things out a bit more.
Each battle had a 100 Pokédollar ante—not much, but enough to motivate my opponents to take things seriously.
The first trainer I ran into was a younger girl who wasted no time sending out Sentret. The Sentret dashed forward immediately, blurring with Quick Attack as it struck Chimchar first. I barely acknowledged the hit. "Counterattack with Ember while it's right in front of you."
Chimchar fired a burst of flames at close range, forcing Sentret back. As the attack hit, the flames flared up, spreading along Sentret's fur—a burn. That would weaken its attacks and drain its energy. It wouldn't last long now.
"Nail it with a Fire Punch while it's distracted from the burn."
Chimchar lunged, his fist cloaked in fire, and landed a clean strike. Sentret staggered before collapsing. The girl quickly returned it and sent out Bidoof. I swapped Chimchar for Elekid.
"Low Kick."
Elekid dashed in, sweeping Bidoof's legs out from under it, but the attack didn't hit as hard as expected. Bidoof was stockier than most Pokémon its size, and it rolled back to its feet, curling into Defense Curl.
That would only stall the inevitable. "Use Thunder while it's curled up."
Electricity crackled as a bolt of lightning struck down, knocking Bidoof out instantly. The girl sighed but didn't complain. I collected my winnings and moved on.
Further up the route, a Youngster challenged me, leading with Hoothoot. I sent Chimchar back out, but before I could even call an attack, Hoothoot's eyes gleamed. Chimchar stumbled, then slumped forward—fast asleep.
I returned Chimchar immediately. I have an opportunity to test out Elekid's Vital Spirit training in an actual battle.
I sent out Elekid. "Thunder."
Hoothoot swerved left, avoiding the strike. The Youngster smirked. "Hypnosis!"
Hoothoot's eyes pulsed again, waves of drowsy energy washing over the battlefield. Elekid's movements slowed for a fraction of a second—but then he clenched his fists, shaking it off. Good. The training was paying off. But there was no need to drag this battle out.
"Lock on and use Thunder again."
This time, Thunder connected. Sparks erupted as the shockwave sent Hoothoot crashing down.
The Youngster quickly sent out Starly. I swapped to Larvitar.
Starly wasted no time, darting in with Quick Attack, then swooping low to peck at Larvitar's rocky hide. Neither attack did much—it was just chipping away without real damage.
I barely hesitated. "Ground it with Rock Slide!"
Larvitar stomped down hard, shaking the battlefield as a flurry of jagged boulders erupted forward. Starly's wings flared as it tried to swerve away, but it was too late. The stones crashed into it mid-air, sending it spiraling into the dirt.
The Youngster groaned in frustration before paying up and heading off.
The third trainer, another Youngster, caught my attention next. With Chimchar still asleep, I led with Larvitar. He sent out Growlithe.
Growlithe fired off Ember, but the flames barely left a mark. Larvitar's Rock-typing lets her resist Fire type attacks with ease. "Rock Slide."
Growlithe yelped as the rocks crashed down. It stumbled, still standing, before pushing forward with Bite.
"Shut it down—Stomping Tantrum!"
Before Growlithe could sink its teeth in, Larvitar reared up and slammed the ground. The battlefield trembled beneath its feet, sending a powerful shockwave surging through the ground. The force sent Growlithe skidding back with a whimper, its legs giving out beneath it
The Youngster switched to Burmy. "Rock Slide."
Burmy threw up Protect, blocking the first attack. The second the shield flickered out, I called out.
"Now—hit it before it recovers!"
Larvitar whipped her head forward, launching another barrage of stones. This time, there was no barrier to stop it. Burmy vanished beneath the impact, and when the dust cleared, it was out cold.
His final Pokémon was Zigzagoon. I swapped to Elekid.
"Low Kick."
Elekid lunged low, sweeping Zigzagoon's legs out from under it. The striped Pokémon tumbled but quickly scrambled back to its feet. Its eyes flashed. It darted forward, kicking up dust—Sand Attack.
Elekid flinched as grains of sand coated his eyes.
I called for Thunder. Elekid fired—but missed. Zigzagoon didn't hesitate, bolting forward for a full-speed Tackle.
I reacted fast. "React to the sound of Zigzagoon—Low Kick again!"
Even with blurred vision, Elekid listened—body tensed, muscles coiled. The moment Zigzagoon got close, Elekid dropped low and swung his leg out in a precise sweep. Zigzagoon's charge was cut short as it tripped mid-stride, crashing hard into the dirt.
This time, it didn't get back up.
The Youngster sighed, recalling his Pokémon before handing over the prize money.
With that, I had won three straight battles. My team was a little winded, but nothing serious. These trainers weren't bad, just inexperienced. But at the very least, it gave me a solid opportunity to sharpen my commands and let my team adapt in live battles.
__________
As the sun dipped below the horizon, I veered off the main path, leading my team toward a small clearing just far enough from Route 202 to avoid passing trainers, but not so deep that setting up camp would be a hassle. We'll be heading into Bewilder Forest tomorrow for more training—there's no point in wasting time on opponents that can't challenge us.
Once we reached a good spot, I motioned to my Pokémon. "We'll camp here."
Alakazam didn't need instructions. He levitated the compact, lightweight tent from my bag, assembling it with precise, effortless movements. Elekid helped secure the stakes while Larvitar, using her raw strength, pressed them deeper into the ground. Meanwhile, Chimchar dashed off into the underbrush to gather firewood.
By the time the tent was fully set up, Chimchar returned, carrying a bundle of dry branches in his arms. He dropped them near a patch of dirt and flashed a proud grin.
I nodded. "Good. Now light it."
Chimchar wasted no time. With a quick breath, a small Ember flickered to life, igniting the pile. Within moments, a steady fire crackled in the night.
With camp secured, I dug through my bag, pulling out the meal packs I had prepared ahead of time.
I set out bowls for Alakazam, Chimchar, Dusclops, Elekid, and Larvitar. Each portion was measured—not too little, not too much. Just enough to keep them fueled for training without slowing them down.
At first, everyone's food was the same—nutrient-rich, balanced. Some ate more than others. Larvitar dug in without hesitation, Elekid scarfed his down quickly, and Chimchar took fast, eager bites between flicks of his tail. Dusclops ate at a steady pace, while Alakazam maintained a slow, deliberate approach.
But I knew some of them preferred different flavors. I pulled a few small packets from my bag—flavor additives, mild but effective—and poured them into the bowls one by one.
For Larvitar, a bitter edge. She paused mid-bite, gave a small approving grunt, then kept eating, clearly pleased.
For Chimchar, a touch of sweetness. His ears twitched, and his tail flame flickered just a little brighter. He shot me a quick, satisfied glance before continuing.
For Elekid, a spicy kick. As soon as he tasted it, a small spark crackled from his horns, his way of showing approval.
I turned to Alakazam and Dusclops. Neither had ever shown much desire, but I decided to ask anyway.
"Do you want anything?" I held up the remaining flavor packets. "Bitter, sweet, spicy, sour, or dry?"
Alakazam barely reacted, but after a moment of silence, his spoon floated upward and tapped the sweet packet. I mixed it in, and he gave a slow, thoughtful nod before resuming his meal.
Dusclops, on the other hand, did nothing.
I waited. No response.
"…You don't care?"
Dusclops shook his head slowly.
"Not even a little?"
Another shake.
I exhaled slightly through my nose. "Alright, neutral it is."
As we ate, the fire's glow cast long shadows across the clearing. The night air was cool, but the warmth of the flames made the space feel comfortable.
I noticed that Chimchar, Elekid, and Larvitar had shifted closer to me while eating. Not in an obvious way, but subtle, instinctive. Larvitar sat just to my side, munching on her meal in steady bites. Elekid had positioned himself close enough that I could feel the occasional static charge in the air. And Chimchar, tail flicking lazily, was practically leaning into my leg as he finished the last of his food.
The fire crackled softly, its embers glowing against the darkening sky. The night air had a crisp edge to it, but the lingering warmth of the flames kept the clearing comfortable.
I leaned back slightly, arms crossed, and glanced at Chimchar, Elekid, and Larvitar. They sat attentively, waiting.
"Tomorrow, we're heading deeper into Bewilder Forest," I said. "The Pokémon there should be stronger than the trainers we've faced so far."
Chimchar's tail flame flared slightly, flickering with excitement. Elekid's fists tensed, sparks crackling faintly between his horns. Larvitar, ever steady, simply gave a slow, measured nod.
They were eager for the challenge.
I shifted my gaze to Alakazam, who had been quietly observing from his usual spot.
"If we end up in over our heads," I said, smirking slightly, "I'll count on you to bail us out."
Alakazam didn't react at first. Then, with an almost imperceptible motion, his mustache twitched. Amusement? Indifference? Hard to say.
I continued. "Dusclops has gotten Gravity to a usable level. We'll start incorporating that into training."
From across the fire, Dusclops gave a slow, approving nod, his single eye glowing faintly in the dim light. It was progress—small, but important.
The conversation drifted into a comfortable silence.
Tomorrow will be tougher than today.
That was exactly the point.
Without another word, I pulled out their Poké Balls, returning them one by one. The glow of the recalls flickered against the firelight.
I stepped into my tent, zipped it shut, and lay back.
__________
Author's Note: So I had some battles in this chapter as well. These battles aren't as important as the Ash battle so I had them be much shorter. Paul pretty much won with ease, and it's meant to show the difference between Paul and normal trainers.
In the future would you prefer to not have battles similar to the ones in this chapter at all and have them happen in universe but not be explicitly written?
As always, I appreciate any feedback, criticism, corrections, etc!