The next morning, after bidding farewell to Kyle who was still clearly fixated on the Shiny Pidgeotto Ash and Misty continued their journey toward the forest exit.
"I didn't expect your Butterfree to be so powerful," Misty remarked, watching the Pokémon flutter gracefully around Ash. Though her tone still carried a hint of her inherent prejudice against Bug types, it was now tempered with a clear sense of recognition. "To think it could evolve twice in such short succession."
"Yeah, it's a hard worker," Ash said with a smile, extending his hand. Butterfree landed gently on his fingertip, its wings shimmering with a faint light as the sun filtered through the canopy. Through his Aura Power, Ash could clearly feel the deep attachment in Butterfree's heart and its burning desire to grow stronger.
As they neared the edge of the forest, the trees began to thin and the light grew brighter. Suddenly, Ash's Aura perceived a sharp, warning presence ahead a piercing energy filled with urgency.
"Be careful, something's happening up ahead," Ash signaled for Misty to stop.
They quietly parted the bushes to reveal a clearing. There, a proud Scyther stood with its blade-like arms raised, facing off against several Golbat. The Scyther was already marked with several wounds, clearly showing it had been through a grueling battle, yet its gaze remained sharp and defiant. It stood in a defensive stance, guarding a pile of berries it had seemingly collected beneath a nearby tree.
"It's a Scyther! It looks like it's protecting its food," Ash whispered. This Scyther felt incredibly sharp and possessed impressive strength.
The Golbat weren't about to give up. Screeching, they launched another assault, Wing Attack and Supersonic waves clashing against the lone warrior.
Scyther remained calm under pressure. Its scythes moved in a blur, creating an impenetrable wall of steel as it used Fury Cutter to parry the incoming attacks. It even found an opening to counterattack; with a swift flash of its blade, one of the Golbat cried out in pain and retreated.
However, the Golbat had the advantage in numbers, and the Supersonic waves were beginning to disrupt Scyther's judgment. Soon, it took another hit, and its movements began to slow.
"It's at a disadvantage, but should we really interfere?" Misty asked. She could tell the Scyther was a very proud creature.
"It's not interfering; it's providing another option," Ash said firmly. "That Scyther is an excellent warrior. It shouldn't fall to a cowardly ambush like this. Pikachu, get ready to battle!"
"Pika!"
Ash took a deep breath and stepped into the clearing. "Scyther, do you need some help?"
Scyther whipped its head around, staring warily at the sudden human intruder and the electric mouse on his shoulder. Its scythes pivoted, ready to strike a new target.
"We mean no harm," Ash projected a wave of friendship and admiration through his Aura. At the same time, he pointed at the Golbat. "We just want to help you drive off these unreasonable harassers. Pikachu, use Thunder Shock on the one to the left! Pidgeotto, use Quick Attack on the right!"
Pikachu's bolt of lightning and Pidgeotto's golden streak of light joined the fray simultaneously! The super-effective Thunder Shock instantly paralyzed one Golbat, sending it crashing down, while Pidgeotto's rapid impact broke the rhythm of another.
Scyther froze for a moment, clearly not expecting a human to assist it. But it reacted quickly, seizing the opportunity to concentrate its strength on the final Golbat. With a resounding thud, its X-Scissor sent the bat flying.
Seeing the tide turn, the remaining Golbat fled into the trees, disgruntled.
Silence returned to the clearing. Scyther turned around, scythes still raised, and scrutinized Ash. It could sense that this human was strong, and so were his Pokémon. More importantly, that strange energy wave from earlier the Aura had felt very special.
Instead of reaching for a Poké Ball, Ash stepped forward and took a high-grade healing potion from his backpack, offering it to the Scyther. "It would be better to treat those wounds."
Scyther looked at the potion, then into Ash's sincere eyes. After a moment's hesitation, it slowly lowered its blades, signaling that Ash could help.
Ash carefully sprayed the medicine on its wounds, while his Aura Power circulated subtly to accelerate the recovery. Scyther narrowed its eyes in comfort.
"You are strong, and you have great dignity," Ash said as he worked. "Have you been training in this forest alone? This place is too small for you. Are you interested in seeing the wider world and battling even stronger opponents? We can grow stronger together as partners."
Scyther remained silent. It looked at Ash, then at the formidable Pikachu, the Shiny Pidgeotto, and the elegant Butterfree. This trainer's team was indeed attractive. The desire to grow strong resonated perfectly with its own.
A moment later, Scyther lifted its head and let out a short cry. It reached out and intentionally tapped the empty Poké Ball on Ash's belt with the side of its blade.
A red light flashed. The capture was a success!
"Awesome! I caught a Scyther!" Ash cheered, holding the ball high. His team had gained another powerful combatant!
[Ding! Host has captured a high-potential Pokémon: Scyther. Reward: 150 Realm Origin points.]
[Current Realm Origin: 1500 points.]
The system notification arrived right on time.
Shortly after, the two finally emerged from Viridian Forest. In the distance, the silhouette of Pewter City was visible.
"We're finally out!" Misty breathed a sigh of relief before looking at Ash. "Next is the Pewter Gym. The Gym Leader there, Brock, is an expert with Rock type Pokémon. Your Pikachu's Thunder Shock won't be very effective, and the Flying types like Butterfree and Pidgeotto are weak against Rock. Only Scyther is decent, but even then, the typing isn't in your favor. What's your plan?"
Ash looked at the city on the horizon, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "I know. That's why, before we challenge the gym, we need a round of targeted special training."
He found a suitable open space near the forest's edge.
"Special training? How?" Misty asked curiously.
"First, we deal with the type disadvantages," Ash said, releasing all his Pokémon. "Pikachu, your Thunder Shock is weak against Rock, but we can't just rely on Electric moves. You need to practice the speed and impact of Quick Attack... and try to concentrate your current into a single point. If you focus it enough, you might be able to penetrate a Rock type's defense!" Ash was thinking of the prototype for a future Volt Tackle; while he couldn't do it yet, it was the right direction.
"Also, you need to learn Iron Tail!" This was Pikachu's signature move in the future, and Ash intended to bring it out early.
"Pika!" Pikachu was brimming with fighting spirit.
"Butterfree, your Flying moves are at a disadvantage, but your Confusion, Sleep Powder, and Stun Spore are the keys! We're going to practice releasing powders accurately while moving at high speeds, using Confusion to disrupt the opponent's movements, and even lifting small stones to attack!" (This was to lay the foundation for learning Psychic later).
"Pidgeotto, you too. Besides Quick Attack and Gust, you need to focus on honing your Steel Wing! It's an essential move for countering Rock types!" The Shiny Pidgeotto already had a broader move pool and had mastered Steel Wing, but it still needed to improve its proficiency.
"Scyther, Fury Cutter and X-Scissor are your main weapons, but they need to be faster and more precise! Try to condense your power into a single point for a one-hit-kill! Also, try to learn Brick Break and Close Combat."
Ash systematically assigned tasks to each Pokémon. Then, he looked toward the jagged boulders nearby.
"Second, we simulate real combat." He walked up to a large rock, condensed his Aura Power into his fist, and shouted as he struck!
Bang! Faint cracks appeared on the surface of the rock.
"See? Even Fighting type moves though that wasn't exactly one are super effective against Rock. This tells us that technique and type-matching are far more important than brute force," Ash said, shaking out his hand. "For the next few days, we'll stay here and conduct training simulations for the gym battle! Misty, let your Pokémon act as sparring partners to put some pressure on them!"
Misty watched Ash as he instantly shifted into "Instructor Mode." A flash of surprise and admiration crossed her eyes. This guy actually looked pretty cool when he was being serious.
"Fine. Since you're paying for room and board, I guess I can help you out!"
And so, on the outskirts of Pewter City, a targeted special training session began in earnest. Pikachu's sparks became more concentrated, Butterfree's control over its powders became masterful, Pidgeotto's Steel Wing shone with a cold light, and Scyther's blades became as fast as lightning.
Ash stood in the center of the field, watching his partners work hard. He was filled with confidence for the upcoming gym battle.
Brock would be joining the team soon; the original trio was about to assemble.
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