Charmander's expression suddenly shifted, catching Ray Chu's attention.
Through the hospital room's window, they watched as Daisuke and his goons cursed bitterly while exiting the Pokémon Center. The rain had stopped sometime earlier, and now the group was hastily retreating from the place of their embarrassment.
"That damned Farfetch'd! I'll make you regret passing up this opportunity! You rejected the chance to become a Champion's Pokémon—now you'll forever stay just a glorified ingredient!"
Daisuke was seething, feeling an icy humiliation. The way everyone at the Center, even his friends, had looked at him had filled him with an unbearable shame, as if countless insects gnawed incessantly at his pride. He couldn't stand it a moment longer.
"And you—this is your fault for being weak! I'll evolve you into Poliwrath with a Water Stone the second we get back!" Daisuke yelled into Poliwhirl's Poké Ball, prompting a feeble croak in response.
Suddenly, Daisuke felt something bump against his leg. Glancing down, he saw an ordinary-looking Pikachu standing in front of him.
"Get lost! I've got no interest in catching you!" Although he occasionally captured common Pokémon, Daisuke was in too foul a mood to bother now.
Ray Chu rolled his eyes. Seriously, this guy didn't recognize him at all.
"Pika!" One paw touched the puddle beneath him, and a crackling burst of electricity surged through the water, electrocuting Daisuke and his followers until they were smoking black and screaming.
"A...a Pikachu attacking humans?! Poliwhirl, teach this rat a lesson!" Daisuke roared furiously, throwing out Poliwhirl again. His panicked cronies quickly released their own Pokémon as well.
"These humans don't care about your feelings at all. They're just using you as tools. Do you really want to defend them?" Ray Chu calmly addressed the Pokémon facing him.
Poliwhirl hesitated briefly but still launched an attack. The other Pokémon exchanged uncertain glances before rushing forward as well.
"I see..."
Ray Chu flickered in place, multiplying instantly into a dozen shadowy copies. The confused Pokémon's attacks landed harmlessly, striking only illusions.
Their movements and attacks were laughably inexperienced. Ray Chu could dodge them with his eyes closed—attacks that couldn't even land posed no threat.
"If that's your choice…then let me free you from your delusions."
[AGILITY]
In an instant, Ray Chu blurred into lightning, darting effortlessly among the group. Daisuke and his cronies felt a sudden chill at their waists; when they glanced down, they discovered their Poké Balls had been destroyed by an invisible force.
"My Poké Balls!"
Pokémon after Pokémon burst free from the broken Poké Balls. They exchanged glances, and without a word, most turned and fled toward the roadside.
They'd been forcefully captured without any genuine bonds. Seeing a chance at freedom, naturally they seized it without hesitation. Only two or three starters lingered behind—ones clearly bound by deeper emotions.
'Consider this a minor lesson,' Ray Chu spoke suddenly, his voice vibrating eerily through the air, startling the group. 'If you don't learn to respect your Pokémon, I'll come for you again.'
"It...it talks!"
"Don't be afraid! It wouldn't dare hurt us!" a blond-haired youth barked bravely but trembled visibly.
Ray Chu's eyes flashed briefly with blue psychic power. The boy flew backward, crashing heavily into a nearby tree and collapsing unconscious.
Incidentally, that guy had no Pokémon standing in front of him.
'The bond between humans and Pokémon is the foundation of this world—it's what gives Trainers meaning. People who casually disrespect that bond don't deserve recognition.' Ray Chu addressed Poliwhirl directly, who stood protectively in front of Daisuke. Poliwhirl's expression shifted subtly before silently walking away.
"Poliwhirl! Don't leave me!" Daisuke fell to his knees, pleading desperately.
But no matter how pitifully he begged, Poliwhirl never looked back.
Having surely taught them a lesson they wouldn't soon forget, Ray Chu's objective was complete. Without further ado, he flickered and disappeared.
When Ray Chu returned to the room, Charmander stood quietly by the window, nodding slightly in acknowledgment. Clearly, it had witnessed the entire scene outside.
Right now, Charmander felt complicated—somehow disappointed, yet strangely relieved.
From the moment it had been abandoned, its hunger for strength had become carved deep into its heart. No longer would it seek strength for someone else; now it would live for itself, becoming the strongest Pokémon it could possibly be.
"Excellent! That's exactly the fighting spirit I was hoping to see!" Ray Chu felt great satisfaction with Charmander's newfound resolve, pleased that he'd specially stepped in to settle things.
...
The next day, news spread quickly through Vermilion City: a talking Pikachu had robbed a group of Trainers. According to the rumors, a Trainer named Daisuke had tearfully reported the incident to Officer Jenny, claiming severe psychological trauma from the attack.
Unfortunately, other than the complainant, there were no witnesses, and Officer Jenny expressed frustration since the suspect was literally one of thousands of Pikachu living in the nearby forests.
Still, rumors noted that Vermilion Gym Leader Lt. Surge's ace was a Raichu, and he was renowned for his expertise in Electric-type Pokémon. Perhaps, if the Pikachu from Daisuke's story truly was so powerful…
Meanwhile, Ray Chu—the perpetrator himself—had already boarded the S.S. Anne.
Incidentally, Ray Chu was back in his human form now, shocking Lala quite a bit when he first transformed. But beauty mattered even to Pokémon, and upon seeing Ray Chu's handsome human appearance, Lala's attachment toward him only grew deeper.
The reason for the change was simple: entering the Pokémon Contest on the S.S. Anne required both a participation fee and the presence of a Trainer accompanying the Pokémon.
"So many people..." Ray Chu stood on the deck of the luxury cruise liner, Lala perched atop his shoulder and Dapple the Farfetch'd calmly standing by his side. Gazing around, he couldn't help but marvel at the sheer talent gathered here—this Contest was truly brimming with hidden powerhouses. Not only were there numerous Shiny Pokémon, but even Pokémon native to Hoenn, like the elegant Gardevoir and the stunning Milotic evolved from Feebas, had appeared.
Although Pokémon Contests evaluated the overall skill and coordination of Pokémon, as the name implied, appearances played a massive role. Judging by the looks alone, the Trainers of Gardevoir and Milotic were strong favorites to claim victory.
In comparison, while Kanto Pokémon typically excelled in raw strength, Hoenn had clearly perfected the art of Contest appeal, being the birthplace of Pokémon Contests. In terms of style and fashion, they easily outclassed the Kanto crowd.
Indeed, for something like a Pokémon Contest, most Kanto Trainers were still amateurs at best.
---
T/N: THE BADGEEEE RAY CHU! OMG I DIDNT SHOW A PIC OF CHARMANDE
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
hehe every 100 followers on either instagram or twitter is a bonus chapter...?
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