The training grounds behind Professor Oak's lab weren't anything fancy, just a wide dirt field bordered by tall grass, with a wooden fence on one side and a line of sturdy oak trees on the other. It was where generations of Pallet Town kids had brought their starters for their first, shaky attempts at real battles. To Ren, though, the place carried an odd weight. He remembered it from the anime, from games, from old fan-art forums he'd browsed in his previous life.
Now he was here, standing on that soil, about to fight for real.
Ash and Pikachu sat cross-legged on the fence, bouncing with excitement. Pikachu flicked its tail idly, sparking now and then as if amused by the nervous tension in the air. Professor Oak stood at the edge of the field, clipboard in hand, already wearing the focused expression of a referee.
And across from Ren stood Cael Silen.
She had her dark hair tied back in a rough ponytail, her chin tilted up with the kind of stubborn pride only someone born to fight could carry. On her belt, one Poké Ball gleamed, freshly polished.
"You ready, shadow boy?" Cael called, smirking.
Ren adjusted the strap of his satchel, forcing himself to keep his cool. Ghastly hovered beside him, a lazy grin plastered on its gaseous face.
"I'm always ready," Ren replied. His voice came out calmer than he felt. "The question is, are you?"
Cael snorted, plucking her Poké Ball free. "Machop, let's show them how it's done!"
With a sharp flick, she tossed the ball forward. It burst open in a flash of white light, and out landed a small but muscular humanoid Pokémon. Its blue-gray skin gleamed in the sunlight, its eyes sharp and full of fighting spirit. Machop flexed, rolling its shoulders like a miniature wrestler preparing to tear down a giant.
Ash's eyes sparkled. "Whoa! A Machop! That's so cool!"
"Pika!" Pikachu chirped, clapping tiny paws together.
Ren exhaled slowly. "Ghastly."
At his call, the air shimmered beside him, and Ghastly materialized in full, rising above the ground like a shadow given form. Its purple gas swirled lazily, eyes gleaming mischief, tongue lolling with a grotesque grin. It cackled once, just to make its presence known.
Machop flinched but quickly set its jaw.
"Battlefield ready," Oak announced, voice carrying. His eyes darted between Ren and Cael, watching with unusual intensity. "This will be a one-on-one battle: Machop versus Ghastly. Trainers, take your positions. Begin!"
"Machop, go in with Karate Chop!" Cael ordered immediately, her voice sharp as a whipcrack.
Machop burst forward in a blur, fist raised and glowing faintly white with Fighting-type energy. Its speed startled Ren, faster than he'd expected for something so stocky.
"Ghastly, dodge and counter with Night Shade!" Ren barked.
Ghastly hissed with laughter and melted sideways, its gaseous form slipping through the incoming strike. Machop's fist cut through mist, landing only on empty air. In the same instant, Ghastly's eyes flared scarlet. Shadows erupted around Machop, stretching like claws from the ground.
The little fighter froze mid-stride, eyes darting around as phantoms lunged at it from every side.
Ash leaned forward, gripping the fence. "Whoa! It looks like there's a hundred of them!"
"That's the illusion of Night Shade," Oak murmured, scribbling notes. "Not damaging in itself… but disorienting."
"Don't panic, Machop!" Cael shouted. "Push through it! It's just smoke!"
Machop roared defiantly, swinging its fists in wide arcs, smashing through shadow after shadow. The illusions shivered, flickered, then broke apart into dust.
Ren frowned. He'd underestimated Machop's willpower. Stronger than he thought.
"Not bad," he muttered under his breath.
"Now, Low Kick!" Cael barked.
Machop lunged low, sweeping a powerful leg through Ghastly's form. For a heartbeat, Ren thought it would pass through harmlessly. But then Ghastly jolted, hissing, its body destabilizing in a swirl of gas.
Ren's stomach dropped. Right. Physical strikes still hurt if the Pokémon has enough force behind them. Ghost-types weren't untouchable.
Ghastly floated back, wobbling.
Ash shouted from the fence, "Whoa, it actually hit!"
Pikachu nodded, squeaking in agreement.
Ren clenched his fist. This wasn't a game. Cael's Machop was aggressive, relentless, and it wouldn't stop pressing forward. If he let it keep landing blows, Ghastly would fall.
"Don't let up, Machop!" Cael commanded. "Karate Chop, again!"
Machop surged forward, fist raised.
Ren's mind raced. Think. Think. What's the move here? His chess instincts kicked in, searching for a checkmate in the chaos. Machop was stronger. Faster, even. But strength without caution left openings.
And Ren knew how to exploit openings.
"Ghastly," he said calmly, "Hypnosis."
Ghastly's eyes flared with eerie purple light, rings of psychic energy pulsing outward like ripples in dark water.
Machop faltered mid-step, its fist hanging frozen inches from Ghastly's misty form. Its eyes glazed, head tilting as if fighting to stay awake.
Cael's eyes widened. "Machop! Stay with me! Fight it!"
Machop staggered, legs trembling, fists clenching and unclenching. It swayed dangerously, trying to resist the pull.
Ren's voice dropped, soft but commanding. "Sleep."
And Machop's knees buckled. It collapsed forward onto the dirt, breathing heavily, eyes shut tight.
Ash gasped. "He put it to sleep!"
"Pikachu pika!" Pikachu added, pointing dramatically.
Cael cursed under her breath, fists clenched. "No way…"
Ren's lips curved in the faintest smirk. "Now… finish it. Ghastly, Lick."
Ghastly surged forward gleefully, its long, grotesque tongue snapping out like a whip. With a wet slap, it dragged across Machop's shoulder.
Machop shuddered violently, a crackle of ghostly energy rippling through its body. The paralysis set in instantly, freezing its limbs even as it stirred from sleep.
Cael's eyes went wide. "Machop!"
Machop strained, trying to push itself up, but its arms locked stiff, its legs twitching uselessly.
Professor Oak raised his hand. "That's enough. Machop is unable to battle. The victory goes to Ren Silen and Ghastly."
Ash whooped, nearly falling off the fence. "That was awesome! Ren, you were so cool! And Ghastly's tongue was so gross!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, wrinkling its nose.
Ghastly cackled, clearly proud of itself.
Ren let out a long breath, tension bleeding from his shoulders. His hands trembled slightly, he hadn't realized how tightly he'd been gripping his satchel strap. That had been close. Too close. If Machop hadn't fallen asleep, if Cael had pressed just a little faster… Ghastly could've been on the ground right now.
He knelt slightly as Ghastly floated back toward him. "Good work," he murmured softly. Ghastly puffed out its gaseous chest, grinning wide.
Across the field, Cael crouched beside her Machop, gently resting a hand on its shoulder. "You fought well. I pushed too hard. Rest now." She returned it to its ball with a flash of red light, then stood.
Her eyes locked onto Ren's.
"You got me this time," she admitted, voice firm but tinged with frustration. "But don't think it'll happen again. Next battle, we won't fall for your shadow tricks."
Ren tilted his head, smirk tugging at his lips. "Good. It wouldn't be fun otherwise."
For a fleeting moment, Cael froze. Then she turned sharply away, and Ren thought, just for a second, that her ears were red.
Ghastly cackled again, knowingly this time.
Professor Oak approached, clipboard under one arm. His gaze lingered on Ren, thoughtful, almost too sharp.
"Interesting," Oak said at last. "Your battle sense is… unusual. Not like most rookies. Calculating. You anticipated, adapted. Almost as if you've fought dozens of battles before today."
Ren forced a shrug, feigning nonchalance. "Guess it just runs in the family."
Oak's brow furrowed slightly, but he let it drop. For now.
Ash bounded up, grinning wide. "Next time, Ren, you're battling me too! Pikachu and I won't lose!"
Ren exhaled, offering the faintest of smiles. "Looking forward to it."
From the corner of his eye, he saw Cael walking away, glancing back once. Her voice carried over her shoulder, firm but laced with something else.
"Don't get comfortable, shadow boy. I'll beat you, and maybe I'll even drag you into the light while I'm at it."
Ren froze, heart skipping unexpectedly.
Ghastly laughed harder than ever, eyes gleaming.