I watched the camp as I sat leaning against a tree. The clearing was filled with Pokemon. Pachirisu, Ambipom, and Buneary were playing in a corner, alongside Staravia and Chimchar. While their trainer was getting some self-defense lessons from Riley and his Lucario. The girl's starter was practicing his Ice Beam under Riley's Empoleon's watch. Buizel was doing some laps in the river, Scizor, Magnezone, Probopass, were under the shade of a big tree in another corner, relaxing with my Drapion, Honchkrow, Gliscor, and Hariyama. The arceusdamn electric princess was next to her father and adopted brother, as they watched Pikachu and my Electabuzz talk. Ash's fighting trio, Hitmontop, Primeape, and Heracross, were training like usual. Torterra was laying down next to me, he was deep in a serious conversation with Ash's Turtwig.
You may be asking how in Arceus's name I ended up traveling, even if it is for just a little bit, with Ash and his gang. Well, when I find an answer I'll tell you.
I bumped into them while I was trying to catch Gliscor, which lead Ash to catch a Gligar of his own and invite me to join them as we were all going to Veilstone City. I don't even know why I ended up accepting, but when I tried to refuse only acceptance came out of my mouth.
This lead me to various adventures, like helping Pokemon in need on the way to my hometown, and giving Ash a hand in capturing a pair of idiotic grunts from Team Rocket that were trying to poach a Hippowdon and a mad scientist. What were their names? Betch? Butch? Cassy? Naba? It's not like it's important to know or I care to remember.
However, what's important to recall, is the advice my brother gave me about how to behave around Ash. Because of course, he would end up doing something completely insane and fight against Legendaries in the time I had not seen him. Who in their right mind does that? I do remember my brother saying that Ash was called in by the Indigo League to deal with Legendary situations, but I did not think he meant it quite literally. I simply thought he meant that he dealt with poachers or criminals trying to steal or hurt Legendaries, not that he fought the Legendaries himself!
No wonder his three months trained Pokemon whipped the floor with mine. He is beyond my level right now. No matter how hard it is for me to admit it, or how much his bleeding heart drives me crazy. Some things cannot be refuted. Like the fact that he beat the Tapus, even with them holding back my Pokemon would have not stood a chance.
"What are you thinking about so seriously?" Talk about Giratina and he'll come. I turned to my right to see the smiling face of The Saint. How does he smile that much? Don't his cheeks hurt? "May I join you?" He asked. I simply nodded my head. "Something wrong?" He asked as he sat next to me.
"I was just thinking," I replied curtly.
Of course, that did not deter him, and he continued to prove with a simple question: "About?"
"About how far my team would go if they fought against your Pikachu," I answered just to shut him.
Of course, that got me incredulous looks from not only Turtwig but my Torterra. My starter clearly remembers his defeat against Vibrava, and does not want to experience a fight against a Pokemon Ash has trained continuously for four years. Luckily, Ash did not laugh at me, but only looked thoughtful by my answer.
"I honestly do not know," Ash replied to my surprise. "If Pikachu was holding back and it was a continuous one-on-one fight against your complete team, it would tire him but I'd think he would still come out as a winner. A six-on-one fight while Pikachu was holding back, that would leave him injured but still as a winner. Unless you decide to implement some creativity, you might end up winning. Your Pokemon are after all well trained."
What was he saying? I asked myself, not believing my ears.
"What if Pikachu was not holding back?" My question made him look at me in disbelief. "What?" I asked him defensively.
"Paul, Pikachu is a Pokemon I only use when it is needed or when facing Elite Four and Champion Level trainers. If Pikachu were not to hold back against Pokemon who are not prepared..." Ash and Turtwig shivered at the thought. "Look, I know that you are strong and the idea of someone holding back against you is insulting, but I would like to see your Pokemon not end up in a coma." My eyes rose in surprise at the comment, which caused Ash to laugh. "Of course they'll end interned in a Pokemon Center Paul! The last time one of my Pokemon around Pikachu's level did not hold back... Charizard ended up destroying the Pokemon. Hunter J's Salamence almost got his wings ripped from his body and from what I've been told he'll never be able to fly again."
My eyes widened at the explanation. I was shocked beyond words. I was aware that Ash was strong, that his Pokemon were strong. He was an Ace Ranger for Arceus's sake! He fought criminal syndicates as a job and dealt with Legendaries. But hearing what his Pokemon are really capable of, was... scary to say the least.
Then again, Ash has to deal with criminals of the worst type, people and Pokemon who would not think twice about killing. Ash being able to fight them and hold back enough not to kill them, was a statement of his strength.
"What about against a Pokemon like Primeape?" I asked, trying not to show how much his answer shook me.
"Primeape is a curious case," He replied.
"What do you mean by that?" I inquired. "Wasn't he one of your first Pokemon to catch?"
"I did catch him during my first journey, but he did not stay with me for a long time." He explained. "The issue with Fighting-type Pokemon, who are not part of a Fighting Specialist team, is that they tend to want to spar against other Fighting-types. They are more physical than most Pokemon and want more than what gym battles can give them. Especially, those that are pure Fighting-types. So, for a while, I left him so he could fulfill his dream and stand on top of the fighting world... or at least, on top of the Fighting-types in the Indigo League. He is the four-time Pokemon Number One Grand Prix Champion. And strictly as a Fighting-type, he is at the level of Elite Four Bruno. However, you add special attacks and the such, that's a whole different story. I am trying to break him out of that bad habit, but a three months boot camp is not enough. On the good side, he's become a great teacher, and anyone on my team that wants to learn fighting moves go to him."
I did hear from my brother that he tends to leave his Pokemon so that they can fulfill their dreams, but to part ways with a Pokemon that's capable of reaching the same level as the strongest Fighting Master in the world, at the time, is foolish. Impressive, but foolish. I would never do that.
Yet, I look at Ambipom, still playing, and recall that she used to be Ash's Pokemon. She seems to be very happy being part of a newbie coordinator's team. Even when she could have been much stronger in Ash's team. I will never understand these Pokemon and their trainers.
We stayed in comfortable silence, as we watched the camp. Now that my conversation was over I could hear my Torterra return to his conversation with Turtwig. I could not stop myself from wondering what were they talking about.
"Turtwig is asking Torterra what it was like to evolve," as if he read my mind, Ash answered my unasked question. "Turtwig seems quite taken with my method of fighting."
"Strike fast and duck," the words left my lips before I could stop them.
Luckily, Ash just chuckled at my words: "Yes, strike fast and duck. But he knows that if he evolves into Torterra it will be impossible for him to continue. He wants to see if the pros surpass the cons. He knows that he has no issue with evolving into Grotle, but he has yet to decide if it's worth taking that last step into Torterra, or if he wants me to get him an Everstone Collar."
"Like Bulbasaur," I thought out loud.
"And like my Squirtle," Ash replied. "That's why he is talking so seriously with your starter."
"I don't think I'll ever understand why you or your Pokemon would not want to reach that last evolution step. It gives you so much more power." I commented. "But I've come to understand that there are cons involved, though for me the pros will always surpass them."
"But it is not you the one that's evolving," Ash's words struck me and left me with a lot to think about. "That's not all you're thinking about, is it?"
How does he do that? I asked myself. Is as if he can read my emotions!
"How did you achieve a secondary mastery before even achieving a Pokemon type mastery?" I asked him the question that has been bothering me since I've met him.
"Do you know how one can achieve a Pokemon mastery?" He questioned me in return.
"One would have to face the strongest master trainer of whatever mastery they are trying to get and have said trainer report the fight to the Pokemon League for approval. You do not need to win but show that you possess a perfect understanding so that you can be given said mastery." I answered. "It is not as easy as it sounds and that's why most Pokemon Masters are Ace Trainers."
"When I faced the Palace Maven Spenser from the Battle Frontier, I was not expecting anything more than to receive a Spirits Symbol. I don't believe that Spencer was expecting to give me anything more than just the symbol either. However, it seems that he saw something in me and decided to send his report to the Pokemon League, who then sent their people to observe the rest of my Battle Frontier Challenge. It seems that whatever they saw, they liked and decided to award me with my Terrain Mastery." My eyebrow rose in stunned disbelief at his explanation. That only happens in movies and T.V shows! "I even received a notification recently that I am actually above Spencer at the moment and anyone that desires the terrain mastery will have to face me. Which is hilarious, as I adopted that style of fighting after my battle against Spenser. He was the one who taught me the importance of overwhelming the opponent with special attacks and using the weather conditions and landscapes to my advantage."
"By 'recently', you mean after your fight against the Tapus was aired?" I inquired.
"Yes," he answered, blushing in embarrassment.
Something I did not understand either. He is a top-grade Pokemon Master and he is still bashful! I believe he is the youngest Top Master in the history of the Pokemon League. Surpassing Aaron from the Sinnoh Elite Four!
Then again, I've already given up trying to understand him. Let's just hope that no more craziness occurs and once I reach my hometown I can bid them all goodbye. I'll never travel with them again. It will drive me crazy otherwise!