I nodded slowly, crossing my arms as I looked at Nidoran ♂, who remained alert, though no longer as tense, in front of Deino.
"It's a yes, but definitely not today. It's almost nighttime, and my Pokémon need to rest. How about we go in two days? That should be enough time to come up with a plan and get to know our strengths and weaknesses better," I said cautiously.
Andrew smiled and replied with a sparkle in his eyes, "Perfect, we're a team."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------AUTHOR'S NOTES
I'm working on improving my writing for you. I hope you notice the changes I've made. English isn't my first language, so I'd appreciate your feedback. If you like the story so far, please support me with a review!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After my encounter with Andrew, I returned to the orphanage that afternoon. I walked through the streets of Pewter City, quite excited. Not only by the prospect of leveling up my team, but also by the idea of gaining an adventuring partner, even if only temporarily. Not many people have a Dragon-type Pokémon as a companion, and Andrew seemed like a competent Trainer.
When I arrived, Mother Clarisse was in her office, reviewing some paperwork. I approached with firm steps but couldn't help but smile as I greeted her.
"Mother Clarisse, I have something to tell you!" I said cheerfully. Part of the excitement was the idea of a companion, which would reassure Mother Clarisse, as she was the one who always worried about me walking alone facing wild Pokémon.
She looked up, surprised by my energy. She smiled tenderly, knowing how happy I was to share something that truly excited me.
"What's up, Max? What's got you so excited?" she asked in her characteristic soft tone.
I sat down across from her and began telling her about my encounter with Andrew.
"Today I met a guy named Andrew. He asked me to do a raid in Viridian Forest in a couple of days. We'll form a temporary team to explore and level up. He has a Dragon-type Pokémon, so he should be pretty strong."
Mother Clarisse listened attentively, her expression full of interest.
"Wow, Max, I'm glad you made a new friend. That's a big deal on your journey. And what do you think of him?" Mother Clarisse asked, her eyes scrutinizing me.
"He seemed determined, gave me a good feeling, and seems to have a goal. I think we have that in common. Although I still don't know much about him… but I feel like we could make a good team."
She nodded thoughtfully.
"It's good to have people by your side, Max. I feel better knowing you won't be getting into trouble alone. Having someone to back you up can make everything easier. What are your plans for tomorrow? I hope you don't think about going straight into those woods without thinking it through. I know it shouldn't be too dangerous after what happened to you there, but I hope you take things calmly," she said seriously, warning me.
"I'm going to see Andrew again tomorrow. We're going to train together. I need to know how strong his Deino is if we're going to team up," I replied determinedly.
Mother Clarisse smiled softly.
"I'm glad to hear that. Honestly, I'd rather see you around other people than just your Pokémon. I hope you two can make a good team."
I nodded, somewhat uneasy about her comment about Pokémon, but decided not to dwell on it and went to rest, preparing for the next day.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next day, I woke up early, a little nervous but excited. My body was full of energy, and my mind focused on what lay ahead. I knew Andrew would be there at the park, ready to train and continue with the plan we had outlined the day before.
When I arrived, he was already there. Deino was running around him, as if waiting for us to start. Andrew saw me approaching and raised his hand in greeting.
"Ah, Max! Glad you're here. Ready to train?" he asked confidently.
"Sure, I'm ready. Today I want Nidoran ♂ to show you what he can do," I replied with a confident smile. So far, Nidoran ♂ had never let me down in battle.
"Deino isn't an easy opponent, but that makes it fun. How about we start with a fight?" Andrew said expectantly.
"Nidoran ♂, go ahead!" I shouted, throwing the Poké Ball. My Pokémon appeared in front of me, with its fierce gaze, ready to fight.
"Deino, it's your turn," Andrew said calmly, and his Pokémon, Deino, leapt onto the battlefield.
"Use Double Kick, Nidoran ♂!" I shouted quickly, giving the order.
Nidoran ♂ rushed forward, its paws pushing hard on the ground in preparation for its leap. At the same time, Deino lunged with a low, menacing roar, using a Tackle to respond.
Both Pokémon collided forcefully, falling to the ground in a flurry of dust and stones. Nidoran ♂ quickly stood up, but I noticed Deino was standing much firmer, its dark body shining in the sun.
"He seems to have a higher level. Try to dodge!" I shouted to Nidoran ♂, aware that Deino's power could be a problem.
Andrew looked slightly irritated. "Deino, use Bite!"
Deino pounced on Nidoran ♂ with impressive speed, its fangs flashing before it reached my Pokémon.
"Nidoran ♂, jump to dodge!" I shouted, but Deino's bite was quick, and although Nidoran ♂ tried to jump, it didn't make it in time. Deino gave him a good bite, shaking him in her jaws for a few moments before throwing him slightly away from her position.
Nidoran ♂ was shaking from the impact but didn't give in. "Poison Sting!" I ordered confidently.
My partner launched a shower of spikes at Deino, who, despite its size and resistance, couldn't avoid some of the spikes hitting it, causing its eyes to widen in surprise.
"That was a good hit! But it won't be enough to stop Deino," Andrew said calmly.
"Deino, use Dragon Rage!"
Deino opened its mouth, and an intense beam of bright energy shot out, striking Nidoran ♂ full force. The resulting explosion left a cloud of dust and smoke, and when visibility returned, I saw Nidoran ♂ staggering, clearly affected by the attack.
"Nidoran ♂, hold on!" I shouted desperately, but I knew this fight was getting dangerous.
Nidoran ♂ tried to get up but fell to the ground, struggling to stay on its feet. Deino, despite having received some injuries, was still standing, ready for the next attack.
"Nidoran ♂, come back!" I ordered, not wanting to risk my partner any further. I quickly returned him to his Poké Ball, taking a deep breath before looking Andrew in the eyes.
"Good work, Andrew. But it's not going to be that easy," I said, regaining my composure.
Andrew smiled again. "I expected nothing less from you, Max. Your Nidoran ♂ is strong. But now it's your turn to surprise me."
He calmly took out Ralts's Poké Ball. "Let's go, Ralts," I said softly, releasing it onto the battlefield.
Ralts appeared in a bright flash, its crest glowing slightly. Despite being a little nervous, she stood firm in front of Deino, her gaze determined.
Deino watched Ralts, its eyes shining with curiosity. Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. How will it face a stronger Pokémon?"
"Ralts, use Disarming Voice," I quickly ordered.
Ralts raised her head and released a wave of energy in the form of musical notes that resonated through the air, hitting Deino squarely. Despite being a softer attack than Deino was used to, the Fairy-type energy seemed to affect it more than expected.
Deino roared in annoyance, but before it could react, I yelled at Ralts, "Use Teleport!" Ralts reacted immediately and disappeared, later reappearing behind her rival, avoiding a new attack from Bite that almost reached her.
"Disarming Voice again!" I shouted with more confidence, knowing Ralts was taking control.
The melody echoed once more, further weakening Deino. With its stamina at its limit, Deino fell to the ground, completely defeated. The battlefield fell silent, and Ralts quickly approached me, jumping happily.
"You did amazing!" I said, hugging her proudly.
Andrew smiled, clearly impressed by Ralts's skill.
"Good work, Max. You have an interesting team," he said as Deino returned to its Poké Ball.
"Thanks. It was a great fight. Deino has a lot of potential," I replied. "Although we could say that the victory was actually yours," I said, pointing at Ralts, who was lying on her back, exhausted.
"Interesting, I was surprised at how quickly it could use Teleport. Even higher level and stronger Pokémon have a hard time using Teleport so fluidly in battle. But it seems to take too much effort. In longer battles, it's not a viable strategy," Andrew replied with a hand on his chin, analyzing my Pokémon.
"That's right. He has talent, but he still needs training. He hasn't been on my team for long, but I'm sure he'll be a force to be reckoned with in the future," I said as I returned Ralts to her Poké Ball so she could rest more comfortably.
"Still, it's quite surprising. I think you could say we have a similar level of strength. Although my Deino is already level 20, your Pokémon managed to defeat it with pure strategy. Perhaps if things had changed a little, your Nidoran might have been enough to defeat it. I think our raid in Viridian Forest will be a piece of cake," Andrew said with a smile, returning his Deino to a green Poké Ball with red dots and a yellow dot in the center.
"That Poké Ball is quite striking," I said, pointing at it with my chin. "It's not a common one. What kind is it?"
"Friend Ball," he replied matter-of-factly. "They say it makes taming dragons easier."
His tone was practical, as if he didn't want to go into details. For a moment, I thought about asking him more about how he'd gotten it, but there was something in his look that made me stop. It wasn't distrust… rather, he seemed like someone who preferred to leave certain things in the past.
"You said you were from Johto, right?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going without putting pressure on him.
He nodded, not looking directly at me. "Yes. But I came to Kanto because I want to be Champion."
I turned to him, a little surprised by the confidence with which he said it.
"Like all of us who become Trainers," I said with a small laugh, though there was something in my tone that didn't feel like a legitimate ambition. "And why not do it in Johto?"
There was a brief silence. Then Andrew looked up and stared at the orange sky.
"Kanto is where the real battle should have happened."
I looked at him, confused. I was about to ask what he meant, but he continued before I could.
"I've always been drawn to the story of Jonathan Jones. Back in Johto, they talk about him too… as if he were more of a legend than a person. The last true Champion. The only one no one could surpass."
He paused for a moment, his expression hardening.
"Unfortunately, he died before his biggest fight. And the man who took the title, Lance Wataru… well, let's just say he never really had to earn it."
There was venom in his words. Not unbound anger, but pent-up resentment. As if he were talking about something far more personal than he was admitting. I watched him for a moment in silence. The way he said it… that wasn't just admiration for Jonathan Jones. It was resentment toward the man who took his place.
"And that bothers you so much?" I asked, more curious than anything else.
Andrew looked down and silently put the Poké Ball away.
"I don't like it when people live with titles they didn't earn."
There was nothing more to say. It was clear there was something behind that phrase, but I wasn't going to press it further. His tone left no room for inquiry, and although my curiosity was piqued, I knew when to stop.
I sat up and stretched, shaking the tension out of my shoulders.
"So I guess you're looking to prove something bigger than winning medals."
Andrew turned to me, and for a moment, I saw a spark of pain behind his steady gaze.
"I'm not looking to prove it… I need to get over it."
That silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was heavy. Real. I looked at him with different eyes, not fully understanding, but knowing that what he was carrying wasn't motivation. It was a wound.
"Well," I said finally, with a half smile, "in the Greenwood there are no titles, no legends. Only poisonous bugs eager to ruin your day. So you'd better be ready."
Andrew smiled simply.
"I always am."
I laughed for a second before adding in a low tone, "Hey… and by the way," I said, putting a hand on my neck to hide my discomfort at further probing, "why Viridian Forest?"
Andrew turned his head slightly toward me, unsurprised. As if he expected me to ask him that sooner or later.
"It's not exactly where you'd expect to find a Dragon-type Pokémon," he added with a half-smile.
He looked down for a few seconds and remained silent for a moment. I thought he wasn't going to answer. But in the end, he did, though not in the way I expected.
"I have my reasons," he said in a calm but cutting tone.
I let out a dry laugh. "That doesn't say anything."
I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, waiting for him to continue talking. And he did, though without saying much.
"Let's just say I heard from a good source that there's a Pokémon there… one I need for my team. I can't pass up the opportunity."
I frowned. "And what kind of Pokémon is it? Could you at least tell me that much?"
Andrew shook his head, as if he found my question funny, but no less valid.
"It's not that I don't trust you, Max," he said with that smile that never seemed quite like a smile. "I just… I don't like to talk about things until they happen. If I find it, great. If not, it was just a rumor."
I stared at him. There was something about the way he said it that made me uncomfortable and intrigued at the same time. As if every word was measured, as if he never said more than necessary. But at the same time, he wasn't cold. Just… reserved. Like someone who learned not to share too much, not because he didn't want to, but because the world wouldn't let him.
"So you're building a team… not just strong, but thoughtful, right?"
He nodded without looking at me. "I don't want to just be a good Trainer. I want to have the perfect team when the time comes. Every Pokémon has to be there for a reason."
I leaned back on my knees, thoughtful. His words carried a strange weight. In a way, he reminded me of myself. He wasn't someone just looking for medals or fame. There was something more there. A purpose he wasn't telling me about.
"Well," I said with a smile to lighten the mood, "as long as you're not using me as bait to attract a swarm of Beedrill, we're good."
Andrew let out a slight laugh, the first genuine one I'd heard from him since I'd met him.
"Relax. You're not the kind of bait I'd use."
I laughed too. "So who would that guy be?"
He looked at me sideways, with a mocking expression.
"Someone who wouldn't train a Ralts capable of using Teleport so fluidly in the middle of a real fight."
I couldn't help but laugh even louder. Secretly, I liked that Andrew wasn't as closed off as he seemed. Maybe he didn't say much, but what he said was meaningful. And even though he kept secrets, something told me I could trust him… at least for now.
Without having anything else to talk about, the day ended with a visit to the Poké Mart to buy a few antidotes before going to rest for the raid that would take place tomorrow. Viridian Forest was waiting for us.
Trainer License
Trainer : Maxwell Jones
Hometown : Pewter City
Sponsorship : None
Money: $ 54,600 Pokedollars ⬇
Badges : None
Bag
5 potions –
Candy Bar 3 Rage
9 Pokeballs
1 escape rope
1 Red handkerchief ( with 20 orange berries )
3 Poison Heal
-12 Spaces Available -
Pokémon
Nidoran ♂
Gender : Male
Level : 15 ↑ 1
Moves : Lewd Gaze , Peck , Focused Energy , Double Kick , Poison Sting,Fury Attack↑
Ralts ✨
Gender : Female
Level : 9 ↑ 2
Movements : Disarming voice , Teleportation , Snarl , Double Team,Hipnosis ↑
EXTRA
Pendulum necklace