"I'll fight," I said, louder than necessary. I clenched my fists. I don't know if it was the nerve of breaking into Bill's house, or the way I treated Andrew. Or maybe… it was that last name. Jones.
Jack raised an eyebrow, amused.
"And who are you supposed to be?"
"Maxwell Jones," I firmly said. "From the Pewter City Orphanage. The same one where Jonathan Jones grew up."
His expression changed instantly. A slight twitch in his left eyebrow, a tightening of his jaw. For a second—just a second—I saw real irritation on his face.
"Jones..." I repeated softly. His tone was no longer mocking.
I didn't look away.
The storm had begun to brew.
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"So you're 'Maxwell Jones,' huh?" he snapped sarcastically. "Do you think you're clever, taking my father's last name?"
Andrew raised an eyebrow but didn't intervene yet.
I stared at him silently. Not because I didn't know what to say, but because I was torn between explaining… or simply ignoring him. But something inside me still wanted him to understand.
"It's not what you think," I finally said, keeping my voice as calm as I could. "In the orphanage where I grew up, we all took that last name when we got our licenses. It's a tradition for good luck."
Jack gave a dry, venomous laugh.
"Blah, blah, blah! Enough with the sob stories to win sympathy!" he exclaimed, raising a hand as if shooing away a fly. He took a step forward. "If you really want to prove a point, fight me! Right here, right now! Andrew, judge!"
Andrew crossed his arms in resignation and sighed with a tiredness that seemed common when Jack was around.
"If you're going to fight, let's do it for real. I don't want any tantrums or whining at the end, okay?"
But Jack had already thrown his PokéBall before Andrew finished his sentence.
"Come on, Nidorino! Make this faker respect the name!"
The Pokémon landed with a high-pitched roar, its front paws scrabbing at the ground as it tossed its head like a charging bull. Fury, yes… but without direction.
I sighed. There was no other option.
"Go ahead, Nidorino."
My companion appeared in a perfect leap, his body gleaming in the light. Steady. Powerful. He didn't need to roar to command respect. He looked at the other Nidorino with a mixture of contempt and boredom. And, honestly, I didn't blame him.
Jack smiled that smug grin he knew so well.
"Double Kick, now!"
His Nidorino charged forward, swiftly, hind legs rising in the air to strike. But mine didn't move. It barely turned its head, like someone listening to an irrelevant conversation, and then... bam.
A Horn Attack straight to the stomach. Rough. Unstoppable. The other one flew off like paper and landed on the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
Jack turned red.
"Get up! Poison Sting! Let's go!"
My Nidorino dodged, walking. Walking. As if she were strolling along the road, looking for flowers. Then, with absolute calm, she looked at him one last time, flexed her legs, and delivered a precise, clean, and final Double Kick.
Andrew raised his hand, serious.
«First point for Max.»
Jack gritted his teeth so hard I was surprised I didn't hear a crunch. He withdrew his Nidorino without even looking at it. Almost in disgust.
"Pidgeotto! Fly!"
The Poké Ball opened and the bird shot out, spreading its wings wildly. The wind from its flapping wings hit my face, and its shadow drifted over me like a memory. And then... I froze.
Pidgey.
The little one. The one who had followed me. The one the Ekans swallowed without me being able to do anything.
The scream. The fear. The helplessness.
I felt Growlithe rub against my chest. My body had reacted before my mind. The trembling in my fingers wasn't from the heat.
"Kirlia… I need you," I whispered, almost as a plea.
She appeared in a flash of silver, floating gracefully. Her gaze fell on me, then on Pidgeotto. She nodded gently, as if she already knew everything. As if, somehow, she'd sensed that knot in my stomach.
"Quick Attack, now!" Jack shouted.
Pidgeotto swooped down, wings folded, straight at Kirlia. But she spun around with seemingly choreographed grace, effortlessly dodging the attack. And then, she barely moved her arms.
Confusion.
The air vibrated. The bird shuddered and shot backward like a puppet cut from its strings.
"Don't let them! Wing Attack!" Jack shouted desperately.
Kirlia was already moving. She floated forward, swiftly, and hit him with a Draining Kiss centered on his chest. Energy burst out of Pidgeotto in a pink flash. I knew it was the end before he hit the ground.
Andrew raised his hand again.
"Bout over. Maxwell Jones wins."
Silence.
Not a celebratory one. A dense one. Heavy. As if the air had stopped so as not to cause any more discomfort.
Jack looked down. He looked at the Poké Balls on the ground as if they were trash. He bent down and picked them up with trembling hands.
"Useless..." he muttered. His voice was barely a whisper. "You're useless! You weren't good for anything!"
And then he turned, ran away with all the pent-up rage… and disappeared into the trees. Without looking back.
I didn't stop him. I didn't say anything. I just… stood still.
Andrew took a few steps closer, his hands in his pockets, still wearing a wry half-smile.
"I told you he was insufferable," he commented. "And honestly... I feel like his Pokémon are getting weaker every day."
I let out a slow exhalation. Not one of relief. One of resignation.
"What bothers me most," I said, without looking at him, "is that he blames his Pokémon for what he doesn't do. They just follow him around."
Andrew nodded seriously.
"That's the sad thing. He doesn't need a rival… he needs to grow."
As we walked back to Cerulean City after this hectic day, a doubt lingered in my mind.
"How long do you plan to stay here?" I finally asked, breaking the silence that had settled between us.
He looked up, seeming to ponder the answer.
"Not much," he said calmly. "Just a couple of days, three at most, if that. I want to give Horsea a little more time to strengthen before we move on. There's no point in rushing into the next stage unprepared."
I nodded, understanding perfectly. The road to Vermillion City would be more difficult, and we both knew that every advantage counted.
"So... what will you do in the meantime?" I asked curiously.
"I'll train. I'll go to the gym to practice moves and improve strategies. With all this water, it's perfect for training Horsea. But I also need time to plan the route a bit. There are two ways to get to Vermillion City: one goes through Safron City, and the other goes through the Underground Path."
"And which one do you think is the best?" I asked with interest.
Andrew smiled, a glint of defiance in his eyes.
"I don't know. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Safron takes longer in theory, but it's safer since you can stock up and arrive in Vermillion City more rested. The Underground Path, on the other hand, is dark and dangerous, with many wild Pokémon, but it could be considered the most direct route if you manage to defeat everything that stands in your way."
I watched him closely, and then an idea came to me that I couldn't help but share.
"What do you say we make a bet?"
He looked at me, intrigued.
"A bet?"
I nodded with a smile.
"After I defeat Misty and get the badge, we'll each go our separate ways and compete to see who gets to Vermillion City first."
His smile widened, clearly interested.
"That sounds like a good challenge. But what are your bets?"
I crossed my arms and looked at Andrew seriously.
"The winner will be able to ask the other for a favor. Something they have to do, no matter what."
He laughed, amused and somewhat confident.
"A favor, huh? That makes the bet a lot more interesting."
I extended my hand, and he shook it firmly.
"Then it's agreed."
Andrew stopped and looked at me, serious.
"Why are you proposing this to me?"
I looked into his eyes, determined.
"Because I don't want you to leave without a real challenge. Besides, a race is the perfect way to measure our progress and who's really ready for what's next."
Andrew nodded, accepting the challenge.
"So, while you get ready for Misty, I'll train Horsea so he's ready for anything. And when you're ready, we'll race each other."
The atmosphere between us was filled with excitement and anticipation. It was more than just a challenge; it was a pact, a bond that would unite us for the next few miles of travel.
"But remember," I added with a smile, "don't think I'm going to let you win easily."
"Nor I to you," he replied with equal conviction.
We continued walking, talking about plans and strategies, as the city began to awaken around us. The streets slowly filled with people, and the aroma of freshly baked bread wafted from a nearby bakery.
I knew that after the battle against Misty, the real challenge was just beginning. But for now, the thought of that race and the bet gave us the strength to keep going.
And so, with the sun rising in the sky and doubts giving way to determination, we set off together on the journey back to the Pokemon Center.
We entered thePokemon Centerwithout exchanging many words. After the fight against Jack, the tension had subsided, but the fatigue—physical and emotional—was still present with every step.
Nurse Joy greeted us, noticing the dust on our clothes and the traces of battle on our faces.
"Busy day?" he asked with a professional smile.
Andrew just nodded laconically.
"The usual."
We handed him our Poké Balls, and as Joy scanned them on the tray, Growlithe remained in my arms, somewhat calmer than he had been that morning, but still clinging to me. The warmth of his body was like a lantern in the middle of winter.
Shortly after, Joy gave us back the Poké Balls.
"Everyone is healthy. Good job keeping them stable."
"Thank you," I replied, as Andrew picked up his.
He yawned discreetly.
"I'm going to my room. We start training tomorrow, right?"
"Early," I confirmed.
Andrew started to walk away, giving me one last knowing look.
"Rest. You're going to need it."
"Same to you."
I waited for him to disappear down the hall before approaching the counter again.
"Excuse me," I said to Nurse Joy, "Do you have a TM machine available? I want to teach my Nidorino a new technique."
She nodded politely.
"Sure. Do you have the TM with you or do you want to access our digital catalog?"
"I'll bring it," I said, taking out the disk Bill had given me a few hours ago. Thunderbolt.
Joy took the disk, scanned it, and handed me back a card with a digital key.
"Room 3C. You can use it for half an hour. Place the Poké Ball in the slot and follow the monitor's instructions."
I nodded and headed towards the indicated room, Growlithe still in my arms, half asleep.
Room 3C looked like a compact laboratory: a built-in console, a touchscreen, and a special slot where you placed your Poké Ball. I placed Nidorino's carefully, and the system activated.
"TM: Thunderbolt. Do you wish to teach this technique to Nidorino?"
I pressed "Yes."
A brief sequence of blue lights flashed across the Poké Ball. The process was faster than I expected. In less than two minutes, the system confirmed:
"Nidorino has learned Thunderbolt."
I took the Poké Ball and put it in my belt. For some reason, the fact that he could learn something like that—an electric attack, something no one would expect from him—felt perfect. We were going to surprise Misty.
An hour later, back in my room, I released my team one by one. Kirlia appeared with a faint twinkle in her eyes, Nidorino shook his head with his usual energy, and Growlithe, who had already dozed for a while, sat up yawning, but remained by my side.
We all sat in a circle on the rug. The air smelled of disinfectant and old wood, but there, in that moment, we were a small clan. A family gathered under a roof.
"Listen," I began, "we have two days. Only two. Misty is strong, fast, and smart. But we're going to be more prepared."
Kirlia nodded, crossing her arms. Nidorino let out a snort of excitement. I leaned toward him.
"And you," I said, smiling knowingly, "you already know how to use Thunderbolt now. That's going to make all the difference. But we'll have to train it until you've mastered it completely."
I turned to Growlithe, who was looking at me doubtfully. He was the only one who hadn't undergone any formal training yet.
"You're not obligated to do anything… yet," I said softly. "But soon, if you feel ready, I want you to start too. Not to fight. To grow. To heal."
His ears twitched, and for a second, I thought he might back away. But instead, he looked at Kirlia, then at Nidorino… and finally at me.
He didn't speak—no one there could—but his gesture was clear: he nodded. Not enthusiastically, but with conviction.
"Well," I said, letting out a calm breath, "that's all I needed."
I placed my hand in the center of the circle. Nidorino covered it with his paw. Kirlia, with her gentleness, instantly joined in. And after a brief hesitation… a warm paw landed on top.
We stood there for a few seconds, in silence, with the lights off and only the dim glow of the PokéNav monitor illuminating the room. The world out there could wait.
Tomorrow… the real work began.
Trainer: Maxwell Jones
Hometown: Pewter City
Sponsorship: None
Money: $71,200 Pokedollars
Badges: 1.- Boulder Badge
Expandable Travel Backpack (Deluxe)
1. 3 potions (1 slot)
2. 3 Rage Candy Bars (1 slot)
3. 10 Pokeballs (2 slots)
4. 1 Escape Rope (1 slot)
5. 1 Red handkerchief with 20 orange berries (1 slot)
6. 3 Antidotes (Poison Cure) (1 slot)
7. Badge case (1 slot)
8. PokéNav (1 slot)
9. Travel Cooking Kit (Includes a folding frying pan, small knife, kettle container, and mini lighter, all in a compact case) – 2 slots
10. Pokémon Food Ration (6-day ration bag) (3 slots)
11. Human food ration (canned and freeze-dried food for 6 days) (2 slots)
12. Basic Camping Kit (Includes Compact Tent, Sleeping Bag, and Collapsible Lantern) – 3 Slots
13. Basic Pokemon care kit (1 slot)
14. Moon Stone (1 slot)
15 TM Rock Slide
Occupied slots: 21/30
Pokémon
Nidorino
Gender: Male
Level: 23
Moves: Read, Peck, Focus Energy, Double Kick, Poison Sting, Rage Attack, Horn Attack Helping Hand, Thunderbolt ↑
Kirlia✨
Gender: Female
Level: 20
Moves: Disarming Voice, Teleport, Growl, Double Team, Hypnosis, Draining Kiss, Lucky Chant, Psybeam, Charm
Growlithe
Gender: Male
Level: 24 Moves: Read, Ember, Howl, Bite, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Odor Sleuth, Fire Fang
EXTRA
Pendulum necklace