031: Nidoking, Ash's Plan!!
"Wow!!!" Led by Gary, Tieruno and Trevor, who had followed him into the rear field of Professor Oak's Laboratory, suddenly widened their eyes and gasped in unison.
One reason was that the backyard was far larger than they imagined—more like an open reserve than a mere garden and the other, that it teemed with Pokémon species unfamiliar to the Kalos Region.
And…
"They're all native to Kanto Pokémon we don't usually see back in Kalos."
"There's so many," Trevor remarked, astonished. Even Ash, born and raised in Pallet Town, couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at the sight of so many rare Pokémon gathered together. For Tieruno and Trevor, newly arrived from Kalos, the experience was even more surreal.
The backyard transitioned smoothly into open plains and untamed wilderness, a mini-ecosystem on its own.
From where they stood, they could see Oddish, Gloom, and Vileplume basking under the sun. There were groupings of Bellsprout, Weepinbell, and a towering Victreebel near the edge of a small grove. These Grass-types formed a loose cluster, gently swaying as they absorbed sunlight through their leaves.
Further across the plain, herbivores like Tauros, Miltank, and a small herd of Mareep grazed in peace.
However, not all were wild or released Pokémon. Many, like Charizard, Venusaur, Blastoise, Pidgeot, Nidoking, and Nidoqueen, were clearly battle-hardened, their postures steady and exuding power, having evolved to their final forms under skilled Trainers' care.
"Kach…kach…" Trevor, the aspiring photographer, was already running forward, snapping rapid shots with his compact camera as if trying to capture every single Pokémon.
"Ash, what about this one? It looks so cool!" Tieruno, who lacked a camera, stuck close to Ash and Gary, brimming with curiosity.
"That's Nidoking," Ash said, recognizing the imposing figure with purple scales, sturdy limbs, a long tail, and a sharp, spiraled horn. "It's a dual Poison and Ground-type. It starts as Nidoran♂, evolves into Nidorino at level 16, and finally evolves into Nidoking when exposed to a Moon Stone."
He spoke confidently, recalling the Pokédex entries and evolution data. His tone mirrored Professor Oak's own clarity when teaching.
"Whoa! Ash, you really know your stuff." Tieruno stared at him, his impression of Ash shifting dramatically.
Initially, Tieruno had pegged Ash as a bit lazy especially since Ash had arrived late to greet them that morning. But after Ash introduced himself so warmly and now hearing him explain Nidoking's evolution line with such detail, Tieruno realized that Ash was far more knowledgeable than he'd expected.
"You even know its evolution method and level it's impressive." Tieruno was openly admiring now.
Trevor, who had read extensively before their trip, was still surprised. Though he had gone through the Kanto Region Pokédex in preparation for Professor Oak's summer camp, he only remembered Nidoking's name, not its detailed evolution path.
Sure, Ash being a native of Kanto gave him an edge but even so, Trevor admitted silently that if someone asked him to explain a random Kalos Pokémon on the spot, he couldn't match Ash's depth of information.
Even Gary looked over with raised eyebrows.
"Not bad, Ash. When did you learn so much? You never used to explain things like this when we were younger."
"I've always known. You just never asked." Ash gave him a matter-of-fact grin. "My dream's to become the world's strongest Trainer. Of course, I've studied Pokémon seriously."
He folded his arms confidently, then added, "Also, something really strange happened recently when I was in the hospital after nearly drowning. If I told you, you wouldn't believe it."
Gary's curiosity spiked. "What happened?"
Tieruno and Trevor leaned in as well.
"Can't say yet. But once the summer camp starts, you'll all find out." Ash kept his tone playful, hiding the secret.
"You're so secretive!" Gary gave him a mock pout. "Even from your childhood friend?"
Ash chuckled. What he referred to wasn't the truth about his time-traveling or having a system it was the mysterious healing ability he'd discovered, something he called the Power of Pan.
"I'll tell you soon, I promise. Just give me two days."
Ash turned toward Nidoking again. "There's something I want to test right now."
Gary raised an eyebrow. "Test what?"
Ash didn't reply immediately. Instead, he started walking toward Nidoking.
"Wait, Ash!" Gary warned. "Even though Nidoking is trained, it still has a fierce nature. If someone it doesn't know gets too close, it might react aggressively."
"I'll be fine. I trust him," Ash said with confidence, waving off Gary's concern.
He continued walking.
"Grrrhh…" Nidoking let out a low growl as Ash approached. It had been lying in the sun but rose slowly, towering above Ash like a living wall of muscle and power.
Behind him, Gary, Tieruno, and Trevor tensed, a sheen of sweat forming on their foreheads.
Ash didn't flinch. He looked up at Nidoking and smiled.
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