At first, all I thought was: This guy is a joke.
Walking carefree through the forest, with a goofy smile, not even having the control to put his pokemon in his Poke Balls and even talking and joking with them as if they… friends. Catching a Starly without even fighting it or looking up the moves it knows.
This guy is a fool.
But then I noticed his gun. My hand went instinctively to Torterra's Poke Ball. It was then that I realized that the guy wasn't as carefree as he seems at first sight. His pokemon were constantly looking out for trouble, it didn't matter that their eyes never left the route or their trainer, they were using their noses and ears to search for any enemy close by.
Smart. I thought, grudgingly. There are many techniques and pokemon that can fool the eye.
Not to mention he had a gun on himself… and the way he walked. This guy is trained, he could defend himself without the need of his pokemon. Must be a police officer or Ranger. There is no way he would be showing off his gun if he wasn't allowed to carry one.
Who would have thought today was going to be my lucky day. Here I thought I would only meet with newbie trainers, but here I find not only a veteran but a and officer of the law at that. He must have been in difficult situations against powerful pokemon or fought poachers. Oh, the possibilities. My blood only kept on bumping with the certainty of a good fight.
As I was about to make my presence known, I noticed his Jolteon turn its head back. For a second I thought that there was danger coming from behind me when I realized that it was looking at me. It then chuckled and turn its back to me, totally dismissing me.
Oh, how I hated that creature at that moment. It didn't even tell its master that someone was following him! As… as if I was not considered important or powerful enough to worry its trainer. How dare it!
Just as I was about to send out Torterra and show it not to mess up with me. A girl's scream rang out throughout the forest. I've never seen someone take action so fast in my life. The guy sprang into action, with both pokemon swiftly following him.
A Ranger or Police Officer for sure. I thought, as I rapidly followed him.
"Pikachu Thunder!" He ordered, and almost blinded me with the show of lights his mouse did.
What greeted me once I finally reached the clearing was a sight to behold. A whole cluster of Ariados fainted because of a single Thunder attack from a Pikachu. He truly will be a worthy opponent. I smirked, impatient to finally face him and prove who is better. The conversation that followed bored me.
Can't he stop wasting time?! I thought glaring.
Just as I was getting impatient, I found out an interesting fact, the guy is an Ace Trainer. One from Kanto, no wonder he did not deal with the Ariados yet. He legally can't. I scoffed at the foolish girl. How can she start her journey without even knowing that?
Foolish.
It doesn't matter. I'll get going and wait for them at the Professor's Lab. In the meanwhile, what pokemon should I use against him? Torterra is a given, so is Nidoking. I'll use Weavile and Ninjsak too. Looking at both Pikachu and Jolteon he seems to favor speed, let's see if he can match my pokemon. I'll also use Elekid and Chimchar, I need to measure if they advanced or not. Chimchar especially, having another regional starter was tempting but my gamble with that monkey isn't paying off, no matter what I do.
"Paul, what a surprise." Professor Rowan exclaimed when he noticed me enter the Lab. "What are you doing here?"
"Waiting for Ace Ranger Ash to get here," I replied, secretly enjoying his stunned expression.
"How did you know he was coming?" He asked me seriously, all shock tossed aside. "You shouldn't even know he was coming to Sinnoh."
"I saw him saving a girl from a cluster of Ariados," I replied. "I'm just waiting for them to get here so I can have my fight."
"A cluster of Ariados?!" He exclaimed. "Oh, my Arceus! I shouldn't have sent Dawn out there on her own."
"Yeah, I'll use the Video Phone." I didn't even pay him any more attention. "Can you send me Nidoking, Weavile, and Ninjsak?"
"Hi, little brother," Reggie chuckled. "Nidoking, Weavile, and Ninjsak? Who are you facing?"
"Ash Ketchum," I replied, nonchalantly. Knowing that if I mention he is an Ace Ranger, my brother would go into another one of his lesson rantings.
"Ace Ranger Ash Ketchum? As in the only one who has defeated the Battle Frontier and has helped different Leagues to defeat various criminal organizations, like the Rockets, Aquas, and Magmas?" My brother asked, slowly. "That Ash Ketchum?"
That Ranger is the Battle Frontier Champion? When my own brother had failed?! He has not only faced strong pokemon and poachers as I had envisioned but criminal organizations too?!
"That one." Surprise, surprise, the one who answered wasn't me but the guy we were talking about. I turn around to face Ash Ketchum, behind him were the foolish girl and Professor, and all I could ask is: When did they get here? "May I know why you know that much? The Battle Frontier is on my Trainer's Page, as are my titles. But my Ranger's files should have not been made public for my family's protection."
"I might be a breeder nowadays, but I used to be an Ace Trainer myself. One that worked side by side with Sinnoh's Pokemon League when I wasn't traveling." My brother answered, pride warmed my heart. His usual carefree expression replaced by one of seriousness, this was the pride and joy of our family- the Ace Trainer Reggie Shinji. "I still get Trainers Profiles of interesting or/and important trainers that might be coming or are in Sinnoh. Sometimes to give them my opinion or…"
"To keep out an eye on them," Ketchum finished for Reggie. "What am I wrong?" Now it was Ketchum's carefree expression the one that vanished, being replaced by an amused smirk. But for some reason, I could only think that he was dangerous. My brother himself steeled as if prepared for a fight. But then, as fast as it came it was gone, and the carefree happy trainer was back. "Relax! I am just kidding! I am an Ace Ranger myself; I know the drill. Or did you not think I would be told about the famous Reggie Shinji or the mysterious Tobias?"
"Tobias… that guy just doesn't sit well with me," Reggie murmured.
"Me neither. One who hides so much about themselves… they can't be hiding anything good." Ketchum replied, with my brother nodding his head. As if the tension from before was only a dream. "Hey, this might be personal so you don't have to answer but I am sure Brandon would like to know your answer."
I glared at the Ranger; how dare he mention that man?! The man who ended my brother's Training Career! The only comfort I have is knowing that he was finally defeated and dethroned.
"What is it?" Reggie finally asked.
"Are you happy?" The questions took everyone by surprise. "He was worried when you suddenly dropped out as a trainer and decided to become a breeder. He might not mention it much, but I know he kind of blames himself."
"You kept in contact with the Frontier Brains after winning the challenge?" My brother asked suspiciously.
"Goodness, you are truly as smart as they mentioned!" Ketchum laughed.
"And you have a heart as big as they mentioned," Reggie replied with a smile. "Then, am I right?"
"Not exactly, it's still up in the air," Ketchum answered.
"Can you just answer?" I growled, fed up with their secret conversation.
Ketchum turned his gaze towards me and raised an eyebrow, before facing my brother again: "He has quite the temper, doesn't he?"
"If only you knew," Reggie replied, shaking his head amusedly. "I am. Happy I mean. I might have been a great trainer, but Brandon was right, I only took that path because it was what was expected of me at the time. I did not have the necessary drive, to keep on growing. I was just drifting through my journey and winning medals. Brandon was a wake-up call; he was my first real loss… and you know? I didn't really care. Now that I had found what I truly wanted to do in my life, I am happy."
"Lucky," Ketchum grumbled.
I looked at him closely. Was he going to be another good trainer that turns his back to battling? He's so similar to Reggie that it makes my blood bump up with excitement at the idea of fighting him seriously, because my brother never does, and he'll make as a replacement. But does he want to abandon battling like a pussy… like my brother?
"Second-guessing your career path?" Reggie asked, with sympathy. "Though I did not see it coming if I am being honest. I've seen your videos; you look so alive and happy when you are battling."
"I am… it's just what do I really want to become? Do I want to keep winning medals and championships all my life? Do I want to become a Gym Leader? Do I want to become an Elite Four or Champion? Do I want to have my own Precinct?" Ketchum ranted, before sighing. "Sorry, I am ranting to a stranger about my life. It's just that I finally reached my dream of becoming a Master and that left me both happy but…"
"Disconnect," Reggie finished for him.
"Yeah," Ketchum nodded.
Wait! He is a Master?! An Electric Master? Generalist?
"Why don't you think about your next step, first." Reggie offered. "You're still young and do have a job you enjoy to fall back into, one that gives you more liberty and leeway. For now, just think of finishing the Sinnoh League and maybe getting your Generalist Mastery first."
"You know what, I'll do just that." Ketchum sighed, smiling at my brother before turning to me. "You did want a fight, right?" He asked me. I simply nodded my head, still a bit uncomfortable at how easily my brother and he bonded. "Six-on-six?"
"Of course," I scoffed.
He simply raised another eyebrow at me, making me seethe. Why was treating me like a little kid?! He can't be that much older than me!
"Fine, finish getting all your pokemon. Professor do you have somewhere we can have our fight?" Ketchum asked.
"Yes, behind the Lab I have a small training ground." Professor Rowan answered. "I will referee the match."
"Thank you," Ketchum told him before they all left through the backdoor.
Before they left, I've noticed that the foolish girl had chosen Piplup as her starter.
"Paul," Reggie called me out, I returned my attention to the Video Phone and was surprised to meet my brother's stern gaze. "He is not someone to mess around with," he warned me. "He is not a normal Ace Ranger and facing criminal organizations is not what makes him special. He is the kind of ally the Leagues call out for whenever they need to get involved in Legendary situations." Now my brother had my complete attention. Legendaries?! "He could have already won the Silver Conference and Ever Grande Conference if he had wanted. The Rumor Mill has it that he doesn't care much about it and uses the conferences as his training ground to give more training to his last year's caught pokemon. Even then, he ends up at the Top 8 with them."
"With pokemon, he caught in the last year against veteran trainers?" I asked him, not believing what he was telling me. No one is that good, he couldn't have made them that strong in only a year.
"Some are not even completely evolved," he continued. I could only gape at him in disbelief. "Now you see who you are facing? I shouldn't even be telling you this, but I know you, and I don't want you to make him your enemy… that's one of the worst things you can do. Also, he is more than just power and strength. He is creative and mad, which makes him so dangerous and the perfect secrete ace the Indigo League has against Legendaries, foes you can never overpower, no matter how much you train." He sighed, putting three Poke Balls on the transferring system. "You want to fight him, do it. After the fight, I might even send you his uncensored Trainer's Page if you want. You'll learn a lot from that fight. But do not insult his pokemon, he is very protective of them and will mark you as an undesirable trainer if you do."
"Ok," I answered, still processing everything that I've heard in the last ten minutes.
"One last thing, you'll need much more than power and type advantage to defeat him." My brother advised me, but I did not pay him any attention. Against someone like him I needed type advantage and any advantages I could get my hands on. "Ah," he sighed. "Just… be careful."
I simply nodded my head and left for the Lab's training ground. Ketchum was already at one side, with the Professor at the center to referee and the foolish girl and lad assistants by the wall to observe. I took my place at the other end and immediately released Elekid.
"How long have you had him?" Ketchum immediately asked, giving my electric type and assessing look.
"Four months," I answered curtly.
Ketchum nodded, before looking down at his Jolteon and saying: "Then I'll choose you, Princess. I've had her for around two months now. She is my youngest and last member to join the family." Reggie was not kidding; the guy is a total fool when it comes to his pokemon.
I wanted to scoff, but my brother's warning kept me in check. Let's see how long that pampered princess can keep up with my Elekid. She might be fully evolved but Elekid is from a superior species.
"This will be a six-on-six single pokemon fight, substitution is allowed. Am I understood?" The Professor announced. "Then, let the battle begin!"
"Elekid Thunder!" I ordered, trying to overpower him from the beginning. However, Ketchum only smiled and said nothing as my attack hit his pokemon. "What?!" When the smoke from the attack disappeared, it showed a perfectly fine Jolteon. Did he use Protect? "It doesn't matter," I muttered, before sending my next attack. "Agility chained with Brick Break!"
Elekid moved the fastest I've ever seen it move. But it was no issue for Jolteon to follow, intercepting the Brick Break with Iron Tail and hitting Elekid with a Shadow Ball point-blank. Then using Agility chained with a second Iron Tail to the head. The strength behind the attack sent Elekid crashing against the tree behind me and I knew he was out of commission before Professor Rowan had to announce it.
I glared at the Jolteon, carelessly grooming herself in the middle of the battlefield. It defeated my pokemon with a jokingly ease and doesn't even have a single scratch on its body. All without a single command from its trainer! Has he truly had it for only two months?! I turned around and returned Elekid, while at the same time releasing Chimchar. Let's hope the useless monkey does a better job.
What's worse I had to keep my comments to myself, or my brother would have my head. I care nothing about people not liking me or painting me as their enemy, but Reggie is already getting enough bad rep because of me. This was not only me getting repercussions, but my brother ending up at odds with an Ace Trainer from another region. The last thing I need is to have him getting into international trouble because of me.
"Rapid Ember!" I commanded, having it throw various embers towards Jolteon who gracefully evaded each one. Not that I cared, that was just a distraction. "Now! Dig!"
That got a reaction from Ketchum, he looked almost pleased by me using tactics. Why do I even care about that?! But he still said nothing, and Jolteon stayed still where it was. Suddenly its ears and tail perked, and it jumped high above the sky, with Chimchar closely following it after breaking the ground beneath it.
"Use Flame Wheel!" I ordered, this time it won't be able to use Iron Tail to block my attack.
"Spin and use Swift," Ketchum finally spoke, and Chimchar found itself trapped in a vortex of stars. He burned most of them, but his fire ended before he finished them all, and received attacks from all sides. "Finished it with Shadow Ball," he sent his next order, and I knew Chimchar was done for.
It landed ungracefully on the ground, leaving a crater where the hole of its Dig had been. I glared at the useless monkey and returned it. Another battle did without me being able to lay a hit. Already done with this, I rapidly released Weavile.
"Ice Beam on the floor!" I barked. "Follow it with Icicle Spear!"
Now it won't be able to evade it! I thought, pleased.
But all Ketchum said was: "You know what to do Princess."
With that said, Jolteon jumped in the air, landing with an icicle right under its feet, which is then used to surf on the frozen ground. It was as fast and graceful as if it was running on normal ground. How does it do that?
"Metal Claw!" I commanded as Jolteon rapidly reached Weavile, who rapidly countered with Iron Tail, just like I expected. "Icy Wind!" With a point-blank attack like that, that Jolteon was over!
However, Ketchum simply commanded: "Attract!" Making Weavile fell under its spell. "Now, Double Kick! Send him up into the air and finish it!"
Just like that my third pokemon was done for. Jolteon sent Weavile flying, only to follow it and hit him over and over again with Double Kick, before sending him to the ground fainted.
"Weavile is unable to fight, please send your next pokemon." I heard the Professor say.
I swiftly returned Weavile and sent out Ninjsak. But before I could give out one command, Ketchum spoke. For a second I believed he was finally going to attack first. But he did the last thing I expected him to do.
"Princess, return. Good fight." He smiled at his Jolteon, who trotted back to his side. Ketchum kneeled and patted the head of his pokemon, before standing back up and sending out his next pokemon. "Vibrava, your next!"
So, he was finally getting serious? I wondered.
"Heat Wave max power!" Ketchum took me by surprise and attacked first. The dragon-type sent out a powerful Heat Wave that melted all the ice Weavile had left behind and hit Ninjsak in one try. As Ninjsak fell from the sky I knew it still had a fight left on it, unfortunately so did Ketchum's. "Agility and Steel Wing!" Just like my fourth pokemon was out.
At least, now I was getting serious too. I thought, sending out Nidoking.
"Nidoking Sludge Bomb!" I commanded, but Vibrava easily evaded that attack. Coming straight to attack Nidoking. "Brick Break!" That was close! Vibrava only dodged at the last moment. "Rock Slide! Follow it with Rock Tomb!"
I almost had it! Vibrava was only barely capable of escaping the Rock Tomb, too busy dodging the Rock Slide. I'll do that. Let's overpower this dragon and throw everything we've got at it. Move after move, Vibrava kept dodging, but I knew we were getting closer.
"Ah," Ketchum sighed. "Here I thought you would come out with something interesting like with Chimchar. But it seems that they are the only ones with flexibility." His comment rubbed me off the wrong way. He was only impressed by that useless monkey?! "Vibrava Mud-Slap! Cover their skin and then Supersonic!" Suddenly Nidoking's venomous pores were covered by mud and he was rendered confused. "Now Dragon Breath powered up by Dragon Rush!" They blasted Nidoking away, but Nidoking managed to up… only to be overcome by the dragon's next move: "Outrage!"
I didn't even wait for the Professor to call it, I returned Nidoking and released Torterra- wondering why he was only impressed by Chimchar. That monkey is weak and had no redeeming quality, only dirty tricks to try and get the upper hand.
"Torterra Energy Ball!" I ordered.
However, it was rapidly neutralized by Vibrava's Sandstorm, which wrapped the whole training ground into sand. I could not see anything! Just as I was about to order Torterra to counter it, Vibrava moved in a supersonic speed and delivered a chain attack of Steel Wing-Bug Buzz-Heat Wave. Then finished it off once more with an Outrage.
Just like that, I lost. Having only fought two pokemon and not defeating or landing a single hit.
"Do you realize your mistake in this fight?" He asked me, once I've returned Torterra.
"I need to train harder and get stronger," I gritted through my teeth.
What was he trying to do? Gloat?! I growled in my head, ashamed and angry at my total loss.
"Ah," he sighed; he has been sighing a lot during our fight. He only stopped sighing when I used Chimchar. "How long have you had Nidoking? I believe a long time; he was on another level compared to the rest of your pokemon. So, was Weavile. I also believe Torterra is your starter," he said, I just nodded my head. "I defeated Weavile with Jolteon, who, while she did receive training before coming to my team, I had only had for two months. Does that mean that she is stronger? No, she is not. But we have many tactics and know-how to turn the opponents' moves against them. Or to outsmart them." I thought of how it turned my ice field into its own playground and growled. "Vibrava... he might be a dragon which means he has more raw power, but that doesn't mean he will always win. He needs to have tactics of his own to showcase his strength and protect his weaknesses. How long do you think I've had him?"
"Two years?" I asked, dreading where this was going. "A year maybe."
"Three months," I stood frozen at his answer.
"Did it belong to another trainer before?" I asked, trying to hide my trembling. Because there is no way my prizefighter and starter lost to a three months catch.
"I did trade him, but he was a recent catch even then." His answer, made my blood run cold. "Do you know why he won against experienced fighters? I controlled the whole situation, turned the field into my own playground, molded the terrain to his advantage. Didn't let you or your pokemon breathe. Is he stronger than your Nidoking or Torterra? No way," he laughed. "At least not yet."
"Then, what did I do wrong?" Before I even knew, the question had left my mouth.
"Paul, I can easily see that your train your pokemon to be focused on strength. This is not bad perse, as you've noticed I am more focused on speed myself. But the problem is when it becomes more of an anchor than your fighting style. Your pokemon do not have versatility at all. What will you do when you face an opponent that can't be overpowered? You pokemon that have speed, but only because they are genetically rapid." He started explaining, still not seeing what I did wrong. "However, you won't always have the right pokemon to face your opponent's choices. Not to mention that from what I've seen, you are quite inflexible. You made your choices of pokemon with type and ability advantage, after seeing only two of my pokemon. Type advantage is not everything, if anything most of the time I don't even have it in consideration. In the beginning, it does help to have the type advantage, but what will you do when the opponent knows how to go around that. Like I did during our match, or what most gym leaders will do."
Was this what my brother meant? "One last thing, you'll need much more than power and type advantage to defeat him"
"If my Jolteon, who I had only had for two months, was able to outmaneuver you, gym leaders that are trained and most prepared to face type advantages will defeat you." Ketchum continued. "You want to have them lower their guards and take the other by surprise, be creative! Use a pokemon they'll never see coming against them or use their moves against them and turn the terrain into your playground."
How I am supposed to do that? That will only show I am weak and need tactics to get the upper hand! Like that useless monkey! Then again… I lost to those technics…
"How do you train your pokemon? Do they all go through the same exercises?" I absentmindedly nodded my head at the question. "I thought so... while endurance exercises are similar for most pokemon and are an excellent bonding experience, the rest won't work. You can train two or more pokemon together, but not the same way. Each pokemon not only has a type difference but they are different in their own right. You need to be more flexible and mold your training to suit them. Otherwise, you'll fail as a trainer. The trainer's job is to be able to showcase and bring out the best of your pokemon. If you can't do that, then that's on you. If you are a good trainer, any pokemon can be the best."
Mold myself for them? They are the ones that need to show me they are worth my time? Not the other way around! If they can't keep up it only shows, that they are not good fighters and a waste of space… does that mean I am a bad trainer? No! But then again, he has been able to bring out the best of his pokemon even in disadvantageous situations. Was he right?
"Like my Pidgeot and Swellow, my Pidgeot is all about speed and grace, power. Swellow also favors speed, but unlike Pidgeot who prefers the sky, Swellow can enter a brawl against you on the ground level. My Croconaw is a dancer, would you ever think of using that to your advantage? Or would think of it as useless and as Croconaw being incapable of fighting?" A dancing Croconaw? What was that foolishness?! I thought. "He might not be the fastest, but did you know that Earthquake no longer has any effect on him? He dances it away!" That's stupid… yet brilliant at the same time… I mussed to myself. "It's almost impossible to hit him when he dances away from every attack. Not to mention, very hard to prepare for an attack when your opponent is always dancing, and you don't know when his dancing means he is preparing to strike. If you can't mold yourself or your training for the pokemon that doesn't suit your preference, then you might as well release them or give them to another trainer whose style might suit them. Molding the pokemon never ends right... think away around it or..."
I realized then what he meant: "Release Chimchar," I finished for him.
"Yes. Or release Chimchar," he agreed. "Compared to the other pokemon it's clear, he is not fitting in your training and his fighting style is distinctive from the rest of your pokemon. Which would be great… if you were a flexible trainer. But you are not, and you will only end up breaking him," he threw at me. "I know it might be hard but sometimes it's better than having them suffer." I scoffed at that. Hard? I'll be glad to get rid of that monkey. "My Aipom is a diva, she wants to be a coordinator's pokemon and do shows rather than fight. So here I am looking for the right trainer to trade her with, so she can be happy and reach her true potential. Think about it."
With that said he nodded at me and returned inside, with his Pikachu on his shoulder and followed by his Jolteon, the lab assistants, and that foolish girl.
"Paul… think about Ace Ranger Ketchum's words," Professor Rowan finally spoke. "I believe you won't only grow as a trainer but as a person if you truly understand them."
I stayed there for a while, mulling over his words, only getting inside once he and that foolish girl had finally left. I will never understand, why an Ace Ranger would travel with a newbie coordinator? He is a strange person; he acts like a fool and idiot, but he is strong. Does that mean he is right, and I am wrong?
"It looks like you've lost pretty bad, eh," Reggie commented, as he appeared on the screen.
"Can you send me his uncensored Trainer's Page?" I asked him.
"I will share my screen with you, but I won't send you a copy or access. We can't have it spreading around or falling in the wrong hands. Also, keep the news that he is here to yourself for a while. He came with a special mission and we can't have his objective getting suspicious," he told me, I only nodded.
Reading his Trainer's Page I could not believe my eyes.
Not only did it cite all of his achievements, both as a trainer and ranger, but also his titles. Terrain Master, no wonder my ice field was a game for him. There were clips too. Reggie only showed me his official Battle Frontier matches, the ones including his work as a ranger were confidential and he was already breaking enough rules showing me all of this. It showed how his Charizard, Sceptile, and Pikachu had defeated a Legendary each. It was then that I made my decision.
"Reggie, can you make me a favor?" I asked.
"Of course, little bro," he replied, with a warm encouraging smile.
Maybe things will get better... who knows?