The Ghost Specialist

“I don’t like Pokémon battles.”

The blunt statement cast the area around the kitchen table into silence.

“I don’t like how they involve Pokémon getting hurt. I don't like that no matter how well trained a Pokémon is, all it takes is one error for a permanent injury. I don't like the level of strategy and counterplay forced upon everyone who wants to compete at a high level. But the biggest thing of all...” Sam's mom sighed. “I just don’t like losing.”

Sam stared blankly at his mother as he sat across from her at the table. She looked more tired than ever. Cyndaquil was on her own stool, a part of this conversation, but Delcatty was sprawled out across the nearby couch, completely asleep. Honestly, the lazy cat deserved its nap.

“But I thought you said you were a five-star trainer?” Sam asked.

“I was. Years ago. It’s just that... I hit a wall when I tried to take on my sixth gym. You have to understand that I grew up under your grandfather, Sam. My dad told me so many stories of him succeeding at such a high level that when I failed to do the same... It hurt.”

She stared forward. Her gaze went briefly unfocused, as if she became lost in memory. It was only an instant, and a second later she shook her head and put her full focus back on telling her story.

“I didn’t talk to him for a few years after that. I vanished from his life. I was too ashamed to look him in the eyes, so I went to make it on my own. I did odd jobs, did bounties, heck, I practically lived in Pokémon Centers. It wasn’t until I met your dad and found out that I was pregnant that I...”

She chuckled, slightly.

“In the end, my dad was just happy I came home.”

Sam fidgeted in his seat. He’d never been told this story by his mother. She always said that she had met his father when traveling, but he hadn’t realized the extent in which she had traveled.

“It’s because of everything I went through that I know just how completely idiotic entering that cave was of you! What possessed you to think you could take that on? Were you just trying to train? Catch a Pokémon? You and Cyndaquil have never been in a proper battle! Entering that place was like you were practically begging for—”

“I want to go on a Pokémon journey.”

Sam’s sudden words surprised both him and his mother.

“I...” He sucked in a breath. “I want to explore the world. See new places. I don’t want to be trapped on this island. And I thought that if I caught a Sableye, I could not only beat Buck, but I could prove to you that I was strong and capable enough to head out on my own.”

His mother went quiet for a long time. Eventually, she sighed.

“Last time you asked...”

“Was a week after Grandpa died, yeah,” Sam mumbled.

His mother rubbed her head. She didn’t meet Sam’s eyes.

“Your father... After he passed, I moved here to Dewford to be closer to your Grandfather and get help raising you. When you neared the age of your journey, it was his idea to give you Cyndaquil. He thought you two would be great partners.

“But then...” his mother sighed again. “He passed too, and that happened right when you were planning to leave. I said no at the time because I thought you weren’t ready. I... I didn’t want to lose you, too.”

“Mom—”

“Samuel, you're a smart boy,” she said. “You're smarter than your father when he was your age, and I’m pretty sure you’d be smarter than your grandfather, too. I know you want to be a Pokémon trainer, but I've never really given you the support you need to do that before now. I thought the battle with Buck would work that out of you, but if you entered Granite Cave, you must really want to leave Dewford, huh?”

Sam bit his lip.

“It’s not just that,” he said. “I found a book.”

“A book?” she repeated.

Slowly, Sam reached down to where his backpack was slumped against his chair, and he took out the New Pokédex. Holding it forward, he passed it to his mom. She carefully took the book and stared at its mostly featureless cover before paging through.

Just like Sam had done, she skipped the foreword to reach the table of contents, and her face flashed with surprise. She flipped back to the start, and confusion settled into her expression as she read the unknown author’s words. She then proceeded to skim through all of the entries—especially the later ones—in an almost identical way Sam had searched through the book only a day before.

Then, she closed it and pushed it back. The silence persisted until she was able to gather the words for a reply.

“And you can confirm all of this?” his mother asked.

“It has information that only the newest copy of the Pokédex has. Not just that, but I posted a new move online. Someone tested it out and it worked. It worked, Mom.”

MatsubaEnju’s two words flashed once more in Sam's mind. It was such a short phrase, but he considered that the turning point in how he saw the book.

“I see,” his mother said. “This certainly explains a lot.”

Sam picked the journal back up. As he did, his mother’s eyes briefly flicked to where Cyndaquil sat.

“So... you're not taking it away?”

His mother blinked.

“Why would I take away such a powerful resource?”

“Because you don’t want me to head out, so it’s not useful for me. And with all of the unknown information in it, you can probably sell it to make back the money I’ll lose against Buck.”

A snort—his mother forced down a laugh. Sam felt his face flush red with embarrassment, but his mother waved her hand as if to try to say she wasn’t laughing at him.

“No, no. Sam, I’m not going to take that book from you.”

“...You aren't?”

“With how determined you are, it’s only a matter of time before you head out on your own. It’s better to encourage that now, while you have the proper support.”

Sam’s face lit up, but his expression immediately dropped when he saw his mother’s stern eyes.

“But don’t get me wrong, It’s still just a book. Sure, the information in it is clearly impossible, but it’s just that. Information. There’s nothing in it that tells you how to battle, how to build a team, or even how to be a proper Pokémon trainer. It’s only a baseline at best. What’s important is to learn how to actually apply what you read and to convert that knowledge into a viable strategy. If you want to succeed, you need more than just a book. Even the smartest of people will fail to become a Pokémon trainer without the right mindset.”

Sam nodded fervently. His mother sighed and continued.

“And, to that point, you’re grounded. What you did was incredibly irresponsible! Entering Granite Cave like that? You put both yourself and Cyndaquil at an extreme risk! You need to think about your choices before you go through with them. I don’t want you going anywhere without my permission until you have a proper understanding of what being a Pokémon trainer entails.”

He continued to nod before pausing, as a few of his mother’s words stood out.

“A... proper understanding?” he asked.

“Of course. Like I said, you’re not going to learn that by reading a book. I’m talking about hands-on training, mister. Preferably by someone who has that experience.”

She was grinning now. His mother was downright smiling. A sudden purr came from the couch, and Sam looked over to Delcatty sitting up, grinning at him as well. Her gaze made it seem like she was looking forward to this.

“You’re going to... help me train?”

“I’m going to make sure you’ll stay safe when you go on your journey,” his mother said. “I’m going to make sure you don’t make such an awful decision again. I have years of experience I can use to help you, and you need practical knowledge—practical knowledge that book doesn’t have. After all, you’ve read it more than me. Is there really anything in it that could help you survive in the wild?”

Sam knew the answer: there was very little. At best, it could tell him what species lived nearby. Yet, this lack of information could be solved through his mother’s support.

She’d beaten Gyms. She’d lived on her own. If Sam was going to head out...

I should have just asked.

He ended up chuckling at his own stupidity. That evolved into laughter, and his mother joined in. He laughed, and laughed, and laughed, and out of sheer relief, he wiped the tears from his eyes.

“Thank you,” he said quietly. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

He and his mother hugged. Cyndaquil hopped on the table and waddled over to join in. Then, a meow, as Delcatty demanded that she take part. Soon enough, everyone was involved.

“So, training,” his mother said, pulling away but leaving her hands on Sam’s shoulders. “You still have to beat Buck in your match soon, right?”

“Right! And I brought up Sableye because its Type—”

“No, Sam,” his mother interrupted. “You don’t need a new Pokémon to defeat him. I’m sure that with you and Cyndaquil, if you’re clever enough, you’ll be able to soundly win the battle on your own. He’s kind of a meathead. You just need a plan.”

And Sam already had a plan, didn’t he? He had a plan before he ever went to Granite Cave, he had just pushed it aside in favor of looking for a guaranteed win.

Nothing in life was ever guaranteed, his mother said. So, over the single day left, they trained.

Cyndaquil practiced following Sam’s orders as he made clicking sounds with his mouth before shifting to using real words.

Delcatty proved to be an incredible sparring partner to help Cyndaquil practice both her Tackle and her Leer.

At dusk, his mother took him to the edge of town to give Sam and Cyndaquil space to see just how large of a Smokescreen she could create.

Then, for Ember, there were hours and hours of practice to see just how accurate she could make the attack.

But, in the end, it was still only one day of training. There wasn’t that much room for improvement. Instead, Sam used this time to figure out the exact limits of Cyndaquil’s current capabilities, and he established his plan would work.

He was confident. He was feeling good. He knew he would be able to defeat Buck.

You know, Mom was right. I don’t need a Sableye. I don’t need a new Pokémon. I’m fine with what I have. I just need to trust Cyndaquil, and we’ll win. Buck won’t even stand a chance.

The morning of, Sam woke up bright and early. The sun shone through the slats of his window above him, and Cyndaquil stirred at his side.

The attic was silent. Outside, there was only the faint noises of early morning chattering. Children were already laughing, and adults were already heading to work.

“Good morning, Cyndaquil,” Sam said.

The little Fire Type poked her head up and smiled at him.

He pushed out of bed, both yawning and stretching, and quickly, Sam threw on his clothes. Climbing downstairs, his mother had already made breakfast. Despite the big day ahead of him, Sam didn’t feel nervous.

He felt relaxed.

Just before noon, he left the bookstore. His mother stayed behind, and in a way, that filled him with confidence. Sure, she could have gone for support, but by staying here, it was her way of saying she trusted him to be on his own and still win.

But Sam wasn’t alone. Cyndaquil was with him. She sat in his hood as the door to the bookstore chimed when he left. Together, the pair of Pokémon and trainer proudly marched the few blocks it would take them to reach the Pokémon Center. There, an empty battlefield awaited them with a small stand containing a handful of people. Sam paid the unexpected crowd no mind and put his full focus on the person already waiting for him.

Buck.

The Gym Trainer was in the middle of stretching, already glistening with sweat. When he saw Sam approach, he stopped. Buck grinned, almost mockingly, and Sam knew now more than ever that there was no way he’d let himself lose this fight.