Chapter 10: Poké Battle
In the cave, beside two small bonfires.
Cyrus exclaimed, "Pokémon battle?"
As a trainer, Cyrus would surely agree to such a request. However, when the handsome young man stood up, Cyrus noticed that the surrounding Pokémon all took a step back.
Glancing at his old opponent, Hakase, his expression was peculiar, carrying a mixture of fear, pity, frustration, and a hint of schadenfreude. Cyrus's heart raced. Since when did the famously reckless Hakase have such rich facial expressions? Since when did he, who was usually careless, pay attention to these details?
Something's wrong.
After much deliberation, Cyrus nervously said, "We just got caught in the rain, both me and my Charmander aren't in good shape. How about another day?"
With that, he released his starter Pokémon, Charmander. Seeing its dimly lit tail flame and dejected expression, it was indeed in low spirits and not in good condition.
"That's reasonable," the handsome young man nodded, then paused before saying, "If your Pokémon recover, can we battle immediately?"
"Of course!" Cyrus replied loudly, indicating that he wasn't afraid of failure.
"Very well." The handsome young man suddenly placed his hand on the heads of Cyrus and Charmander. A bright light shimmered, and Cyrus felt his fatigue dissipate, as if he had just set out in the morning.
Charmander puffed out its chest, indicating that it was in top form.
"So, are we ready to battle now?"
"Yes, yes..."
This handsome young man was naturally Aomori. To avoid the storm, he and Absol came to this cave, where he had already trained the Pokémon inside the cave once and encountered Hakase. To complete a task, he fought Hakase three times but only increased the task completion once.
More importantly, Aomori learned a lot of information about this world from Hakase.
Hakase hailed from the legendary Pallet Town and knew Ash and Brock. This place was the Kanto region's Viridian Forest, and the Indigo Conference would be held on the Indigo Plateau in three months.
Knowing that this world lacked Red, unable to witness Red's style, Aomori felt a bit regretful.
Back to the point, the Pokémon cooperatively cleared a space for Aomori and Cyrus to battle.
"Now, let the one-on-one Pokémon battle begin. Both sides, send out your Pokémon." Hakase took on the role of a referee.
"Wait a moment, shouldn't we establish the stakes for this match before officially starting?" Aomori politely raised his hand.
In this world, the Pokémon League encouraged adding stakes to wilderness battles, but both sides must agree. Aomori initially didn't know about this, but Hakase proposed it during their battle and lost two months' worth of living expenses to Aomori.
"Oh, um, I don't have much money," Cyrus stammered.
"No problem, if I win, you just need to let me take a look at your Pokédex," Aomori said kindly.
"Sure thing!" Cyrus agreed readily, thinking that Aomori was indeed a good person, and he had overthought things before.
'Hmm, why didn't Aomori mention what would happen if he lost? Maybe he forgot.' Cyrus's lips twitched, but he decided not to remind him.
During the preparation phase, Aomori sent out Absol, and Cyrus sent out Charmander.
"Absol?" Cyrus curiously pulled out his Pokédex, only to hear "Unknown Pokémon" in response.
Indeed, it was a rare Pokémon. Seeing Absol's cool appearance, Cyrus felt the desire to catch one. 'After winning, I'll ask Aomori where I can catch an Absol. Hehe.'
"The battle begins, challenger Cyrus attacks first."
"Charmander, use Ember," Cyrus issued his habitual command.
"..." Aomori crossed his arms, saying nothing, while Absol dodged on its own, swiftly moving left and right in a serpentine pattern towards Charmander.
As a mature Pokémon, Absol could already fight on its own.
"Huh..." Cyrus had never seen such a battle. Wasn't a normal battle a turn-based exchange of commands? How would he know when it was his turn if Aomori didn't speak?
Confused, Charmander, without receiving its trainer's command, anxiously spun in place, giving Absol the opportunity to strike. It collided with the wall, and when it fell back down, its eyes were spinning.
"Charmander can't battle. The winner is Aomori!" Hakase announced, sighing inwardly. His first battle ended in such confusion. Though he managed to catch up in the following two battles, his commands were still lagging.
"I lost," Cyrus recalled Charmander, sounding somewhat dejected.
"But, Aomori, how did you do it?"
"A Pokémon battle ultimately is a battle between Pokémon. Trainers' commands should only be used when Pokémon are confused. Pokémon should have their own thoughts and not rely solely on their trainers. This is the result of my deliberate training with Absol." Perhaps because he was facing a child, Aomori elaborated a bit more than usual.
"No, that's not right!" Cyrus objected. "Trainers' commands are more important. If Pokémon can fight on their own, what's the point of us trainers?"
In traditional thinking, trainers were the sole focus of Pokémon battles, and people revered trainers rather than individual Pokémon under the trainer's command.
Hakase pondered on the side.
'Just behave as a decoration,' Aomori wasn't interested in arguing and extended his right hand to Cyrus.
"What's this?" Cyrus reflexively stepped back in excitement.
"Pokédex."
"Oh, right." Remembering the stakes they agreed upon, Cyrus quickly took out his Pokédex and handed it to Aomori.
After Aomori learned how to use the Pokédex, he returned it to Cyrus and sat down with Absol in a corner, eagerly starting his research.
Cyrus and Hakase were still immersed in their recent battle, finding their own spots to sit down, losing interest in reminiscing.
The cave grew quiet, with only the whistling wind at the entrance.
After a while, Cyrus grew increasingly restless. He stood up and walked to the cave entrance, gazing at the vast white sky. Raindrops drifting in helped soothe his mood.
"Huh, what's that?"
Cyrus suddenly noticed something resembling a rag in the distance, bobbing up and down in the storm.
"No, it's not a rag."
A rag wouldn't move against the wind.
It was a Pokémon, a Pokémon flying freely in the storm but seemingly unable to control its own movements.
Cyrus's heart clenched, feeling a sense of urgency.
He turned around and ran back to Aomori, saying urgently, "Aomori, there's a Pokémon outside, caught in the storm. Quick, we have to save it!"
Knowing he couldn't rescue the Pokémon in the storm himself, Cyrus could only rely on Aomori's mysterious healing abilities.
Aomori frowned and returned the Pokédex to Cyrus.
Lacking tools, he had only studied the surface of the Pokédex and noted the nearby map of Viridian Forest.
Aomori walked towards the cave entrance, and the Pokémon all moved aside, making way. Cyrus and Hakase quickly followed.
"There!" Cyrus pointed to the sky.
With his extraordinary eyesight due to his unique physique, Aomori saw it clearly.
"It's fine, it's enjoying itself, enjoying the storm."
A Pidgeot?
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