Pokémon: Trainer Paul

Under the clear blue sky, amidst a landscape of verdant greenery, Paul emerged from a secluded mountain cave, accompanied by a group of unique Pokémons.

After briefly orienting himself, Paul spotted a specially constructed pathway where young trainers were riding bicycles toward distant horizons.

"Cycling Road? Where exactly is this located?"

He shook his head. "Never mind. I'll check it out first."

With that thought, Paul retrieved his Pokémon into their Poké Balls to let them rest, then ventured alone onto the Cycling Road.

After some searching, he found a sparse bicycle station along the route. Renting a bike, he set off directly toward Hearthome City.

By evening, after a day of effort, Paul successfully arrived at Hearthome City and checked into the Pokémon Center.

Time passed in a blur, and before he knew it, another day had arrived.

"Nurse Joy, I'm here to pick up my Pokémon."

Paul politely addressed the pink-haired Nurse Joy at the counter.

"Of course, please wait a moment." She replied with a gentle smile, quickly bringing out a tray of Poké Balls.

"Is there any issue with my Electabuzz?" Paul asked, his tone tinged with concern.

After accidentally ingesting a Zap Plate and evolving, his Electabuzz seemed fine on the surface, but Paul worried about potential hidden injuries.

"I performed a thorough examination," Nurse Joy began. "Electabuzz's body is in excellent condition—remarkably healthy even. Its internal energy levels are extraordinarily high."

"There is indeed a rectangular object in its stomach, releasing energy that's continuously strengthening its body. While I can't fathom how it managed to swallow something like that, it doesn't appear to be any immediate danger for now."

After explaining Electabuzz's condition, Nurse Joy gave Paul a serious warning:

"However, I strongly recommend keeping a closer eye on your Pokémon. Just because it was fine this time doesn't mean it'll be safe in the future. This behavior is incredibly risky and could lead to irreversible consequences."

"I understand, thank you." Paul responded earnestly, nodding before turning to leave.

He reflected on the incident. Electabuzz's lack of issues this time was sheer luck. Normally, swallowing a Plate would be catastrophic.

Even with the same Pokémon under identical conditions, success was far from guaranteed.

For now, since Electabuzz seemed unaffected, Paul decided to let the Zap Plate remain. If it caused problems in the future, surgery would be an option. After all, humans could undergo surgery, so a sturdier Pokémon could certainly handle it.

Leaving the Pokémon Center, Paul refrained from heading directly to the Hearthome Gym. Instead, he released Turtwig and Electabuzz, letting them bask in the sun as they accompanied him toward Hearthome's natural park.

Why the park instead of the Gym?

Rumor had it that Gym Leader Fantina was still away and wouldn't return for a few days. Until then, challenges were impossible.

Paul wasn't too concerned. While other hot-headed trainers were busy queuing for Gym battles without using the online reservation system, he knew he'd be among the first to challenge Fantina once she returned.

Hearthome's natural park was divided into several areas: a display section for newly excavated relics, a leisure zone, an entertainment zone, and a battle zone.

Though there were no strict boundaries, frequent visitors knew the general layout.

Paul's target was the battle zone.

While wild Pokémon could sometimes be strong, their battles often lacked strategy, relying on brute force. Fighting them could help test strength and adaptability but wasn't ideal for effective training.

Here, Paul sought battles against other trainers to gain experience.

"Go, Prinplup! You can do it, dodge quickly!"

As soon as Paul entered the battle zone, he heard a familiar voice. Following the sound, he saw a blond-haired boy directing his Prinplup against a timid-looking opponent.

Paul didn't interrupt. Silently, he found a spot nearby and began observing.

Turtwig lay down to soak up the sun, peeking through gaps in the crowd to watch the match.

Electabuzz, however, behaved differently. Having evolved, it no longer acted timidly. With a few casual shoves, it cleared space for Paul to stand comfortably.

"What's your problem? Stop pushing!" One annoyed spectator snapped, only to freeze upon seeing Electabuzz's menacing face and Paul's icy gaze. They quickly smiled and moved aside.

On the battlefield, the blond boy—Barry—was commanding his Prinplup against a trainer from Unova, whose Dewott wielded its scalchops with precision.

Paul's attention shifted to the Dewott and its trainer. Something about their battle felt off.

Dewott brandished its scalchops, water energy radiating from the blades as they glowed with a sharp white light—Razor Shell.

The Unovan trainer shouted, and Dewott charged at Prinplup, slashing with its glowing scalchops.

Prinplup, despite its size, moved with surprising agility under Barry's commands, narrowly dodging the powerful attack.

What followed was a bizarre scene. Dewott pursued relentlessly, while Prinplup focused solely on evasion.

Barry shouted, "Keep dodging!" while the opposing trainer yelled, "Keep attacking!"

Despite Dewott's relentless strikes, Prinplup's mastery of Agility allowed it to evade effortlessly.

Finally, Dewott seemed to snap. Ignoring its trainer's commands, its eyes grew sharp and icy. Water swirled around its body as it accelerated, slamming into Prinplup with Aqua Jet.

The unexpected move caught Prinplup off guard, leaving it injured and forcing it to use Agility to regain the upper hand.

The battle continued until both Pokémon were visibly fatigued.

Barry seized the moment. "Prinplup, finish this with Metal Claw!"

Prinplup's flippers glowed metallic as it lunged at Dewott.

The Unovan trainer shouted, "Dewott, use Razor Shell!"

Dewott hesitated, then locked eyes with Prinplup. As Metal Claw descended, Dewott crossed its scalchops, one glowing with a dark energy—Night Slash.

With a resounding clash, Prinplup's Metal Claw met one scalchop, while the other struck its torso.

Critical hit!

Prinplup collapsed, and unable to continue.

"What?! How is that possible?" Barry stammered, stunned by the outcome.

He quickly recalled Prinplup, comforting it with praise. "You did great. It was just a bad luck."

Barry left the battlefield muttering. "My strategy's fine. I just need to dodge everything next time!"

As he departed, his gaze fell on Paul who watched silently.

The poor blond boy had no idea what awaited him.

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