Andrew nodded, with that sparkle in his eyes that only those who know that this moment was just the beginning have.
I stood up, stretching my legs, and felt a new kind of nervousness mixed with excitement run through me.
"Well, this isn't the end of it," I said. "Whenever you want, we can train together again."
Red approached, extending his hand.
"Deal."
And so, in that moment, we weren't just four Trainers on an ordinary journey. We were partners on a path that could change everything.
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The fight was over. The sweat evaporated on my forehead, cold and strange. It wasn't just the adrenaline. It was something else. That kind of jolt that runs through you when you finally realize that the world is so much bigger than you.
We tied.
Neither victory nor defeat. Just the silence between the echo of the last attacks, between the labored breathing of our Pokémon, and the fixed gaze of two trainers who until a few hours ago were mere legends to me.
Red approached first. His manner was like everything about him: measured, precise, respectful. He extended a hand toward me with that calm gaze that seemed to hide nothing… but also reveal nothing.
"I'll see you another time," he said in a firm but kind voice, almost as if he'd already taken it for granted in his mind. As if fate, or the logic of true trainers, would inevitably bring us together again.
I nodded. I had nothing else to say to him.
Blue crossed his arms. His expression was more reserved, sharper. I looked at him and for a moment I thought he was going to say something cutting, one of those condescending things. But no. What he said was different.
"Next time, the result will be different."
And it didn't sound like a threat. It sounded… like a promise.
I watched them walk away from the gym, the evening light casting their long shadows on the flagstone floor. They walked together but didn't touch. They didn't speak. They didn't need to. They seemed to have been born to this. Or at least, trained for it long before I even thought about being a trainer.
Next to me, Andrew let out a long breath, as if he had just emerged from underwater.
"Those two were pretty good," he said, still panting a little. He ran a hand down his neck and stretched his sore right arm. "That Pikachu was incredibly fast. And the Eevee… damn, that precision."
I watched him silently for a few seconds. He'd fought well. He'd also been up to the task. But I noticed the way his eyes kept searching the air for answers, as if his brain was still trying to unravel the puzzle of the fight.
"I've heard of them before," I murmured, my words gently breaking the tension surrounding us. "They're trainers sponsored by Professor Oak. Blue… is his grandson."
Andrew turned to me with an expression of genuine surprise.
"What? Professor Oak's? That Professor Oak?"
"Yes. Pallet Town. The same."
He was silent for a moment, thinking.
"That explains a lot…" he murmured, more to himself than to me. "Special training. Resources. Rare Pokémon, perhaps. Access to information we… don't have."
"And a pressure we don't have to bear," I thought. But I didn't say it.
"I'll have to take them into account," Andrew concluded, and this time he said it with a different tone. It wasn't spiteful or frustrated. It was... respectful. A worthy rival had appeared on his horizon.
We stood there for a few more minutes, not speaking, just watching the last light of the sun dissolve into the puddles on the ground after the battle.
That night, the Pokémon Center felt almost uncomfortably quiet. Andrew had locked himself in his room with a notebook. And I... I just couldn't sleep.
I stayed in my bed, my body covered by the sheets, but my eyes fixed on the ceiling. Growlithe slept curled up beside me, his snout tucked between his paws. His breathing was slow, but his paws twitched every now and then, as if he were dreaming of running or fighting or… fleeing. I stroked him gently with the backs of my fingers, feeling his warmth. He shifted closer, like a child seeking refuge.
Kirlia sat on the windowsill, legs crossed, enjoying the night breeze. Her silver silhouette was silhouetted against the glass, and for a moment, I thought she was a mirage. She didn't speak. She just watched. The world, the lights, the future.
"Red and Blue were better than I imagined," I murmured, barely moving my lips. "Not just because of their Pokémon. Because of how they think. Because of how they move. There's no hesitation in them. No wasted steps."
Kirlia didn't respond, but turned her head slightly. Maybe she was listening to me. Maybe she had sensed it too. That kind of aura that makes you feel small, not because you're inferior, but because you're standing before something real.
"But we held on," I continued. "You, Nidorino, and I… we made it. We didn't win. But we didn't lose, either. And that's a victory, too."
I ran my fingers over the pendulum hanging around my neck. The surface was cold, almost metallic, but beneath it… lay a latent energy. A reminder that the invisible also counts. That what is unspoken, unseen, unmeasured… can sometimes be stronger than any statistic.
"I don't have a lab. Or a famous last name. Or a direct line to the region's history," I whispered. "But I have something they don't have yet."
I sat up in bed, looked down at my Pokémon, and felt the words take shape.
"A reason."
Growlithe moaned softly in his sleep. As if answering me. I stroked him behind his ear. He was soft, warm. Alive.
"A reason to get up even if it hurts. To keep going even if I lose."
Kirlia floated down from the window and sat next to me. She didn't say anything. She didn't need to.
That night, I finally slept. Deeply. Dreamlessly. Fearlessly.
The next morning, I woke up to the first rays of sunlight filtering through the window. My body still felt heavy from yesterday's fight, but my mind wasn't as cloudy anymore. Red and Blue were gone. Their shadows still lingered in my thoughts, but not with a kind of fear… but with a new, piercing, living motivation.
I took the PokéNav and wrote to Andrew.
Maxwell Jones:
Today I'll be training alone. I want to practice a couple of new moves.
The answer was not long in coming.
Andrew Wataru:
Perfect. I'll take advantage of this opportunity to restock on supplies before heading out. Maybe I'll get lucky and run into Charlotte around here.
I smiled. If anyone could make Charlotte notice him beyond the battle, it was him. I wished him luck with a quick text and headed down to the training grounds behind the Pokémon Center.
The morning air was cool and damp. The grass still held drops of nighttime dew. I walked across the open ground, past training cones and stone platforms used for agility and marksmanship exercises. It was a spacious, well-maintained space. Ideal for what I had in mind.
I threw two Poké Balls into the air, and the white light that erupted from them revealed Nidorino and Kirlia. Both appeared energized, as if they too remembered well what had happened the day before.
"Today we're going to perfect what we've only just begun," I said, more to myself than to them. "Nidorino, I want you to work on Thunderbolt. You're getting close to it, I know you can already feel it. It's a matter of controlling it."
He nodded, kicked the ground with one of his front paws, and positioned himself right in front of the targets parked in the field. I saw him close his eyes. His body vibrated, a powerful discharge from his horn, striking the target in front of him. It wasn't as powerful as he'd hoped, but each attempt was more powerful than the last.
"Remember, it's not just strength. It's direction, intention. Imagine the thunder coming from you, not you summoning it."
Meanwhile, Kirlia was floating lightly a few meters away, watching. I turned to her.
"And you... yesterday you learned Magic Leaf. I want to see how you manifest it, tomorrow we will face Misty and that attack will be key to victory."
She responded with a slight, elegant bow and leaped into the center circle. She closed her eyes, and her body lit up in a faint greenish glow. Then I saw it: the leaves appeared floating in the air around her, sharp, sharp, like living blades. But they didn't shoot out. They stayed orbiting, obedient.
Kirlia waved her hand, and they all launched themselves at the target: a training post with numbered circles. The blades landed with surgical precision. I couldn't help but smile.
"Perfect," I murmured. "Now do it while keeping moving."
She nodded and began to hop lightly across the field, generating the blades as she spun, and firing them off in mid-flight. At first, some of them strayed, but I soon realized she was developing an elegant, almost dance-like control. Each attack was more than offensive: it was an expression.
It was then that I felt the weight on my arms disappear.
I looked down. Growlithe had jumped down on his own and was already running a few meters away, barking excitedly, with an energy I'd never seen before. He stopped, looked at me, and let out a short burst of light, like a signal.
I remained silent for a few seconds, surprised. This was the first time I'd seen him so motivated. He usually spent his time sleeping in my arms. The only time I saw a trace of emotion was yesterday, during the double battle. I was glad Growlithe had witnessed it. Maybe something in that fight motivated him, maybe something had changed.
"Do you want to train too?" I asked, as if expecting a literal answer.
He barked once and swished his tail vigorously. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, almost as if he might back out at any moment, I ran straight toward one of the unoccupied targets in the field. Growlithe, understanding my intention, ran toward me and positioned himself in front of me. I walked a few steps away, keeping an eye on him.
"Good. I want to see what you can do, Growlithe. Flamethrower. Strong."
It gained momentum and opened its snout, unleashing its attack, more powerful than focused. The target nearly melted from the power emanating from Growlithe's flame, the intensity leaving me wide-eyed. I almost forgot that Growlithe was, in theory, the highest-leveled Pokémon on my team. I grew accustomed to seeing it as a helpless puppy, forgetting that it was a Pokémon in its own right.
"One more time. More focused." I said as I tried to quantify in my mind how powerful the fire-type Pokémon was.
This time he snarled before attacking, and his fiery breath was more potent. I could see the flames sparking fiercely from his jaw. He didn't just have power: he had suppressed anger, desire, something deeper driving him.
I watched him do it. Inside, I felt proud. We were taking baby steps, but sooner rather than later, Growlithe would reach the potential he had locked away; he would soon come out of his shell.
"That's it, kid," I whispered, a lump in my throat I wasn't expecting.
We trained like this for almost two hours. Nidorino perfecting his blasts. Kirlia spinning through gusts of leaves. Growlithe hurling fire, each time denser and brighter. The energy floating through the field was contagious. I felt part of something bigger, as if the moment held a different weight than on normal days.
When I finally sat down on the grass, sweating, exhausted, but satisfied, the three of them came to my side. Kirlia stood, elegant as ever, but her rapid breathing showed that she had also pushed herself. Nidorino lay down without ceremony, satisfied. Growlithe crawled under my arm of his own accord, panting, but happy.
I hugged all three of them with my eyes.
"I think we're ready"
Silently, I put Nidorino and Kirlia back into their Poké Balls. I ran my thumb through them before returning them to my belt, like a sort of silent ritual. Growlithe, who still refused to go into his Poké Ball, jumped into my arms. He was calmer now, leaning against my neck, his warm breath giving me a feeling of companionship.
"Let's go, kiddo," I whispered, and he responded with a soft bark that made me smile.
I headed to the gym entrance, this time as a challenger. The gleaming counter was decorated with nautical details: shells, artificial coral, even a lamp shaped like a horse. Behind it, a young woman with pastel blue hair tied back in two pigtails was checking a digital panel. When she saw me, she looked up and smiled kindly.
"Hello! Are you here to schedule an official match against Leader Misty?"
"Yes," I replied without hesitation. "I want to challenge her for the Cascade Medal."
"Perfect. Your name, please?"
"Maxwell Jones," I said, of course. "And I want to sign up two people as guests: Andrew Wataru and Charlotte Leroux."
She typed quickly, concentrating. Soon, a pop-up window flashed across the screen.
"Do you have any previous medals?"
"Yes," I replied, and took my Trainer License out of my backpack. The receptionist scanned it and confirmed my information.
"Perfect!" he said with a little more enthusiasm. "Then we can assign you an official appointment. Let's see..." He checked his screen for a moment. "Misty has a free slot tomorrow at noon. Does that work for you?"
"I'm doing well," I nodded.
"All right," he said as he typed. "You're scheduled for tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. We recommend arriving about 15 minutes early to confirm your presence. The guests are registered, so they'll have no problem getting in."
I was about to thank him when I heard a familiar voice, just to my right.
"So you're my challenger for tomorrow!?"
Misty appeared in her soaked gym uniform, a towel hanging around her neck. There were still drops of water in her hair, and her emerald eyes shone with that strange mix of intensity and mischief. She approached the counter and leaned confidently, completely ignoring personal space.
"I'm glad you finally came around, Max!" she said with a defiant smile. "But I'll warn you: if you lose tomorrow… you'll owe me that meal you denied me the other day."
I remained silent for a few seconds, looking her straight in the eyes. Not out of nervousness, but because I was evaluating her words as if they were a deal.
"Deal," I finally said. "But if I win… you'll just give me your Pokenav number."
Misty blinked, surprised by my response, and then burst into a hearty laugh.
"I like your thinking! See you tomorrow, challenger!"
He walked away with a light step, the towel over his shoulder, leaving behind that smell of chlorine and salt that seemed to be part of his essence.
The receptionist raised her eyebrow at me with an amused smile, but didn't say anything. I just nodded and walked back out of the gym.
I sat under a tree across from the Gym, with Growlithe already asleep on my lap. I took out my PokéNav and typed out two quick messages.
To Andrew Wataru:
I'm fighting Misty tomorrow at noon. Are you coming?
To Charlotte Leroux:
I just scheduled my match against Misty for tomorrow. Are you coming as a guest?
It wasn't long before Andrew responded.
Andrew:
Of course! I wouldn't miss it for anything. Come on, champ.
A minute later Charlotte's reply arrived.
Charlotte:
Tomorrow!? Before me!?
Ugh… well, of course I'm going. But you better win.
I smiled helplessly. I closed the PokéNav and let my head rest against the tree trunk. Growlithe was breathing peacefully, curled up; hopefully, tomorrow would be my last day in this city.
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: 24
Moves: Read, Peck, Focus Energy, Double Kick, Poison Sting, Rage Attack, Horn Attack Helping Hand, Thunderbolt, Toxic Spikes
Kirlia✨
Gender: Female
Level: 22
Moves: Disarming Voice, Teleport, Growl, Double Team, Hypnosis, Draining Kiss, Lucky Chant, Psybeam, Charm, Magical Leaf
Growlithe
Gender: Male
Level: 24 Moves: Read, Ember, Howl, Bite, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Odor Sleuth, Fire Fang
EXTRA
Pendulum necklace