"Sorry, Ritchie, but it looks like your electricity is far too weak. It doesn't affect my Psyduck at all, does it?"
"My poor Psyduck, even though it's a Water-type Pokémon..."
Yozora teased with a mischievous grin, making Ritchie so frustrated his nose twitched.
Without giving him a chance to breathe, Yozora pressed the attack:
"Psyduck, use Psychic power!"
Psyduck's eyes instantly widened, glowing with a fierce blue light that carried an overwhelming pressure.
Sparky flinched in shock.
The next second, it felt as though an invisible force had taken hold of it—Sparky's body lifted into the air, floating helplessly upward.
Higher and higher.
"Break free, Sparky!" Ritchie shouted, his face twisted with worry.
But no matter how he urged, Sparky couldn't escape the telekinetic grip. No amount of struggling worked.
The difference in their strength was far too great.
"Perfect. Now, throw it away!" Yozora commanded sharply.
Psyduck's eyes gleamed, and another burst of psychic force slammed Sparky, hurling it violently through the air.
"Finish it—use Water Gun!"
At Yozora's order, Psyduck fired a burst of water straight at Sparky, blasting it away again.
The poor Pikachu crashed hard against a tree trunk before collapsing into unconsciousness.
"Sparky!"
Ritchie cried out, rushing over to check on his partner's condition. He glanced up at Yozora and his Charmander, his expression filled with shock.
What incredible strength... that Psyduck had taken Sparky down in just a few moves!
A short while later, Sparky slowly regained consciousness.
"I lost... May I know your name, Psyduck's Trainer?" Ritchie asked sincerely, cradling Sparky in his arms.
Yozora didn't hide it. He told him directly.
"Yozora, you're a really strong Trainer. I lost this time, but next time I won't lose." Ritchie smiled cheerfully.
It was obvious—this guy, just like Ash, was someone who would never admit defeat.
"Alright, then we'll battle again next time."
"Definitely!"
After shaking hands to seal their promise, Ritchie carried Sparky away.
The forest was quiet again, leaving only Yozora, the Pidgeotto, and the flock of Pidgey behind.
Recalling Psyduck, Yozora decided that Charmander would be the one to face Pidgeotto. He looked up at the bird soaring overhead and shouted:
"Come on, Pidgeotto! The troublesome guy is gone. Now no one will interrupt our battle!"
"Pidgeooo!"
With a sharp cry, Pidgeotto spread its wings wide, whipping up a fierce gust as it dove down at Mach 1.5 speed.
"What terrifying speed..."
Pidgeotto hadn't even reached him yet, but the gale it carried was already stinging Yozora's skin. Narrowing his eyes, he tracked the bird's rapidly growing figure in the sky, utterly stunned.
"Charmander, get down!"
Yozora shouted.
At the same time, he leapt backward himself, retreating several meters.
This was a Pokémon battle—he, as the Trainer, had no reason to throw himself in the middle of it.
Instead, he needed to stay outside the fray, carefully observing Pidgeotto's every move to give Charmander the best guidance.
BOOM!!!
Pidgeotto slammed into the ground in a powerful dive, the force of its wings creating a shockwave. Charmander dropped flat, narrowly dodging the strike.
But a thick cloud of dust billowed up, blanketing the entire battlefield.
The dust choked Yozora's vision, forcing him to cover his mouth and nose as he waited.
Yet even in the haze, the sound of blows rang out.
"Sharp Eye... This Pidgeotto's Ability is Keen Eye! It can see through the dust!" Yozora realized, his heart tightening.
When the dust cleared, the scene confirmed his fears—Charmander had its arms raised, shielding its head, unable to counterattack.
Meanwhile, Pidgeotto was practically on top of it, hammering away mercilessly!
That was the importance of vision. Without it, Charmander didn't dare make a move.
But for Pidgeotto? It was like a free feast.
It was a brutal beatdown—Charmander's head was bloodied, its injuries severe.
"Still... is this really okay?"
Watching, Yozora suddenly chuckled, his eyes softening with pity. "Pidgeotto, you've just made a terrible mistake... Angering my Charmander comes with consequences."
The words had barely left his mouth when the blue flame on Charmander's tail flared, tripling in size with a sharp whoosh.
ROOOAR!!!
With a deafening roar, an inferno erupted from Charmander's mouth like a volcanic eruption, engulfing Pidgeotto in a blazing torrent.
When the flames faded, Pidgeotto was charred black, falling to the ground with a thud, unable to battle.
"Poké Ball—go!"
Without hesitation, Yozora threw a Poké Ball. It struck true, and after a quick shake, Pidgeotto was captured successfully.
"Well done, Charmander." He praised his partner warmly, then released Pidgeotto and treated both Pokémon's wounds.
Though they had just been fierce rivals, Charmander and Pidgeotto now stood side by side in peace.
Clearly, they had come to respect one another's strength.
"Pidgeotto, I'll be counting on you from now on."
After tending to its injuries, Yozora gently stroked the feathers atop Pidgeotto's head.
This Pidgeotto carried itself like a leader—none of the cuteness or softness many Pokémon had. Even as Yozora offered kindness, it only gave a curt nod in return.
But Yozora was delighted nonetheless.
Every Pokémon had its own personality—some proud, some cold, some steady, some cheerful. That was something no Trainer could force.
Capturing Pidgeotto and earning its recognition was already more than enough for him.
And in truth, Pidgeotto's serious, dependable nature was something worth trusting.
Pokémon Data
Species: Pidgeotto
Type: Normal / Flying
Ability 1: Keen Eye
Ability 2: Volt Absorb
Level: Senior, beginner tier
Potential: Elite Four-level
Moves: Quick Attack, Hurricane, Wing Attack, Sand Attack, Roost
Notes: A Pidgeotto with tremendous potential. With proper training, it could grow into a true predator of the skies.
Originally, Yozora had hoped it would have Speed Boost as its second Ability, but since it didn't, Volt Absorb would have to do for now.
Even so, its potential remained Elite Four-level. That was a slight pity, but hardly a problem.
Pidgeotto's biggest weakness was Electric-type moves—but now, with that flaw patched over, its overall combat ability would only grow.
And perhaps, in battle, it might even produce unexpected surprises.
As for Charmander, it had once again managed to trigger its Blaze state.
However...
When the Blaze faded, its level was still only Advanced, not yet stepping into the Senior tier.
Yozora wasn't disappointed. It simply meant Charmander hadn't accumulated enough foundation yet.
No matter. Progress would come with time.
After all, it had only been a single week since Yozora began his journey with Charmander...
End of Chapter