Pokémon: Gacha Master of Destiny

Several days passed after Elliot's victory at the Stadium, and his journey had only just begun. He found himself in the Pokémon Center's marketplace, scanning the various stalls. After his earlier success, he'd been selling various items—most notably a backpack full of Pidgey feathers, which, while not worth much individually, added up over time. The feathers were only worth about 20 Pokedollars each, but after a solid haul, he managed to make 1,500 Pokedollars.

After combining his earnings with his winnings from the recent Stadium battles, he had a healthy 2,700 Pokedollars to his name. But Elliot wasn't about to sit on it.

He made his way to the Pokémon Mart and picked up Dragon Pokéblocks for Deino.

The Pokéblock box contained ten Dragon-type Pokéblocks, priced at 1,000 Pokedollars. After buying the box, Elliot opened it and handed Deino a Dragon Pokéblock, watching as Deino happily ate it, a satisfied coo echoing from the little Pokémon. But as Elliot watched his partner, he noticed something—Deino didn't seem to enjoy the Dragon-type Pokéblock as much as he had the Dark-type ones.

As a quick solution, Elliot also bought a 500 Pokedollar Dark-type Pokéblock box. He fed one to Deino, and this time, Deino's eyes lit up with excitement. A small coo of approval followed as Deino devoured the treat, and Elliot couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Looks like you prefer the Dark-type, huh?" Elliot mused, watching as Deino finished the last of the Pokéblock.

With this new information in hand, Elliot now knew what his next move would be. But it came at a cost—he was now down 1,500 Pokedollars, leaving him with just 1,200 Pokedollars.

Elliot didn't mind. After all, it was for Deino's growth. Still, his own stomach growled, reminding him that he was in need of a proper meal too. He walked to a nearby PokéMart restaurant and spent 200 Pokedollars on a hearty meal for himself. After a long stretch of traveling and battling, the meal was a welcomed luxury. He made sure to grab a portion of chicken for Deino, who seemed to enjoy the treat just as much as the Pokéblocks.

Later that evening, Elliot found himself at the Pokémon Center's training grounds. The center was quiet, with only a few trainers scattered about, either nursing their Pokémon or practicing techniques. Elliot wasn't there for the idle chatter. He was here to train—to push Deino further.

He looked at his Pokémon, who was resting for a moment, still full from the chicken.

"Alright, Deino," Elliot said with a firm tone. "Let's see what we can do with that Dark Pulse of yours."

Deino's eyes sharpened, and he crouched slightly, tail twitching in excitement. He seemed to understand the drill.

Elliot pointed to an empty space ahead. "Use Dark Pulse, but try making it smaller and faster this time."

Deino nodded and, with a low growl, summoned the dark energy from within. It quickly condensed into a ball of dark aura before shooting forward. The pulse was faster than before, but it was still larger than what Elliot wanted.

"Not bad," Elliot commented, tapping his chin. "But let's see if you can make it even smaller."

Another pulse of dark energy formed, this time smaller in size. It shot forward with a sharp crack of energy, hitting the target with a pinpoint accuracy.

"Better," Elliot said with a nod, impressed by Deino's progress. "Keep it up. We've still got a long way to go."

As Deino continued practicing, Elliot settled back on a nearby bench. He cracked open a Soda Pop and took a sip, watching his partner's focused efforts.

Elliot knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy. With the Pokémon League waiting in the distance, new challenges on the horizon, and Deino's growth to manage, it was clear there would be tough times ahead. But right now, the sight of Deino working hard, the small creature giving it his all, made everything feel worth it.

"Good job, Deino," Elliot murmured, ruffling the Pokémon's fur as it returned to him for a quick break.

They were a team now—one that would grow stronger together, step by step.

And with that, the chapter closed on another quiet day of training and preparation.