"Grotle: The Grove Pokémon. The evolved form of Turtwig. During the day, it leaves the dense forest to allow the trees on its back to bask in the sunlight."
Zoey held up her Pokédex, her eyes widening as she scanned the massive, reinforced turtle standing before them. The transformation was staggering. Following its hard-fought victory over the defiant Buizel, Turtwig had finally tapped into its latent energy—fueled by Ash's high-grade Energy Cubes—and evolved into a Grotle of remarkable proportions.
It was easily half a head taller than a standard Grotle, its shell as thick as castle stone, and the twin bushes on its back had grown into a miniature, budding grove.
"Hey-hey-hey~"
Nearby, the recently captured Buizel was sulking, aggressively gnawing on an Energy Cube. It kept shooting glances at Grotle, still trying to wrap its head around how it had lost. Before the evolution, every single one of its high-speed Swift and Aqua Jet attacks had been predicted and dodged by that "clumsy" turtle. And the moment it got close? It was met with a point-blank "thump-thump-thump" of Bullet Seed right to the face.
"Grass~"
Grotle lumbered over, offering a dozen brown nuts it had grown in the trees on its back. It was an olive branch—an apology for the tactical bruising it had delivered earlier. After all, Grotle was a "money-saving turtle"; upon evolution, it had naturally mastered Synthesis, Leech Seed, and Giga Drain, turning it into a self-sustaining tank.
The Cat-and-Mouse Game
"Pachirisu! Get down from there!" Dawn shouted, her hands on her hips.
The little white squirrel had completely abandoned its Trainer, finding Grotle's back-grove to be the ultimate snack bar. Pachirisu was currently stuffed to the gills, its cheeks puffed out like balloons as it gnawed on one of Grotle's nuts.
"Dawn~!" Pachirisu ignored her, naughtily making a Grimace before diving back into the foliage.
"He's way too gentle now," Dawn sighed, covering her forehead. "He won't even let me catch Pachirisu because he's protecting her!"
"That's just his nature," Ash laughed, watching the giant turtle indulge the squirrel. "He's got the temperament of a peacemaker. But don't let that fool you—in a battle, he's an immovable wall."
The Sixth-Slot Bug
As the group sat down for a lakeside lunch, Zoey began counting the Pokémon gathered around the campfire. Her expression shifted from admiration to confusion.
"Ash, I've seen your Pikachu, Sceptile, Snorlax, Swellow, and now Grotle and Aipom," Zoey noted, her brow furrowing. "That's six. But you just caught Buizel. Why wasn't his Poké Ball automatically teleported back to the lab?"
In the Pokémon world, the League's transport system was absolute. Once a Trainer's belt hit the six-ball limit, any further captures were instantly beamed to their registered Professor.
"Because Buizel is technically 'staying' with me for now," Brock interjected, carrying a pot of stew to the table. He held up an extra Poké Ball. "As a registered Breeder, I have my own slots. Since I only carry Sudowoodo and Croagunk, I'm holding Buizel's ball to assist with its nutritional transition."
Ash nodded, acknowledging the "system bug" they were exploiting. "Six slots are a bit too restrictive for the training regime I have planned. By having Brock hold the ball, we can keep seven active members without the League's teleporter kicking in."
"Is that even allowed?" Dawn asked, surprised.
"It's a gray area," Ash admitted. "As long as I'm only fielding six in an official match, the League doesn't interfere with 'temporary care' arrangements between companions. But long-term, I'll need a more permanent solution from Professor Oak."
For Ash, seven was the magic number. With Pikachu always occupying a spot, he needed at least six others to maintain a rotation that covered all tactical bases. As he watched Buizel finally accept a nut from Grotle, he knew this seventh member was going to be the "wild card" his team needed for the Eterna Gym.