Pokemon: I'll Exchange Everything

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It was another bright and sunny morning. Liam woke up early, returned the room key, and enjoyed a hearty breakfast with his Pokémon partners before heading toward his next destination: Vermilion City.

Midway through the journey...

The once-clear sky had unknowingly filled with dark clouds. Standing on the path, Liam glanced up and silently noted that it might rain soon. He quickened his pace, as the map indicated a town not far ahead. 

Liam aimed to find shelter before the storm arrived.

Unfortunately, the heavens had other plans. Before he could take more than a few steps, a torrential downpour began. Fortunately, Liam was prepared. 

Calmly, he took out a large umbrella from his portable space, shielding himself from the relentless rain.

With the rain already falling, Liam no longer hurried. Instead, he strolled leisurely down the path, finding a certain charm in walking through the rain.

As he walked, the silhouette of a town shrouded in the storm appeared in the distance. With his destination in sight, Liam quickened his steps.

"Hmm? Someone's out in this weather? What could be going on? I should check it out."

Liam spotted a figure in a raincoat running down the road. The person stopped by the roadside and seemed to be doing something. Curious, Liam approached.

"You're free to go now! I don't need you anymore!" A grating voice reached Liam's ears just as he got closer, making him frown.

"Growlithe! Growlithe!" An urgent cry followed, unmistakably the call of a Growlithe.

"Stop whining! Do you know how useless you are? I've raised you for so many years, only to find out you need a Fire Stone to evolve! My family isn't that wealthy—how am I supposed to afford something so rare? A Pokémon that can't evolve is worthless! I'm aiming to enter the Indigo League, and with your pathetic strength, you're just holding me back."

The unpleasant voice grated on Liam's nerves even more. He quietly moved closer to see what was happening.

A boy, wrapped tightly in a raincoat, stood before a drenched Growlithe. 

The poor Pokémon, soaked through, looked despondent but still pleaded desperately with the boy, hoping he wouldn't abandon it.

"What use are you? After all my hard work raising you, you couldn't even help me win! You lost at the Pewter Gym! You got crushed at the Cerulean Gym as well! So far, your only contribution is defeating a Butterfree in Viridian City, earning me the Viridian Badge. So what good are you to me if that's all you're capable of? Now just get lost! I never want to see you again!"

The boy turned to leave. The Growlithe scrambled to follow, only for the boy to toss a PokéBall. A flash of white light revealed a Hitmonchan, whose glowing fist struck the ground in front of Growlithe with an Ice Punch. Shards of ice flew as the ground shattered. 

Caught off guard, the Growlithe was flung into the mud. Struggling to rise, its drenched body trembled but could no longer stand. 

It collapsed again, letting out mournful cries.

"See that? Even one punch from Hitmonchan is too much for you. A weak Pokémon like you isn't worthy of a future League Champion! Here's your PokéBall—I don't need it anymore."

The boy flung the PokéBall into the air. Hitmonchan leaped up and shattered it with a Mach Punch, scattering fragments everywhere. 

The largest piece landed in front of Growlithe, whose eyes filled with disbelief and despair.

"Hmph. Let's go, Hitmonchan," the boy said coldly, glaring at Growlithe before turning to leave.

"Hold the fuck up!" Liam could no longer hold back. Stepping out from behind a tree, he approached slowly.

He walked over to the dejected Growlithe, placing his umbrella over it while letting himself get drenched by the rain. Then, he turned to glare at the boy in the raincoat.

"What do you want? Oh, don't tell me... you want to take in this useless Pokémon? Hahaha! That's perfect. I've already abandoned it, and it's injured from battling my Hitmonchan. You're welcome to take it—don't worry, I won't mind," the boy sneered.

Liam's gaze grew colder. Growlithe, hearing the boy's mocking words, became even more heartbroken, whimpering softly as it looked at its shattered PokéBall.

"Blaming your Pokémon for your own failures is pathetic! Your inability to win matches reflects your incompetence and ignorance!"

Though soaked to the skin, Liam's fury burned hotter than the storm around him. This was the first time he had encountered someone abandoning their Pokémon in such a gutting manner, and the boy's attitude only fueled his anger. 

In his eyes, even that fugitive who abandoned Sneasel mid-battle was better than this stuck up asshole. At least, that guy didn't do it to its face in such a callous manner, sparing it the agony it would have felt otherwise.

"Who the hell do you think you are, lecturing me?! Hitmonchan, teach him a lesson!"

"Hitmon!" The Hitmonchan lunged toward Liam.

"Growlithe!" Despite its injuries, the Growlithe staggered to its feet, positioning itself between Liam and the charging Hitmonchan. Its pleading gaze turned to its former trainer, but the boy ignored it.

Hitmonchan's Mach Punch struck Growlithe before it could react, sending the Pokémon flying once more. It tumbled into the mud, battered and bruised.

"Growlithe!" Liam rushed to the injured Pokémon's side. Relieved to find it only fainted, he let out a small sigh.

"Oh, look at that. Found yourself a new owner already, huh? But trash will always be trash. You seem like a Trainer too. Feeling angry? If you're so confident, come challenge me while I'm staying in this town for a few days. Just ask for Jiro—I'm famous around here. I'll gladly put you in your place. But I'd suggest catching some stronger Pokémon first—this one's worthless!" With a final laugh, the boy left with his Hitmonchan.

Liam ignored the taunts. His priority right now was Growlithe's condition. Picking up his umbrella, he shielded the Pokémon from the rain and retrieved a bottle of Moomoo Milk from his system. 

However, Growlithe refused to drink, keeping its mouth firmly shut, its spirit seemingly broken.

"Stubborn, huh? I like that. But I'm not letting you stay like this."

Smiling faintly, Liam admired Growlithe's resilience. Yet its refusal to accept treatment was a problem.

Opening the system, he redeemed a potion designed for injection. Grimacing at the steep price, he muttered, "Fifty? That's ridiculous! Well, whatever, it'll be worth it."

Grabbing the syringe, Liam gently held the Growlithe steady, and then injected it into its butt!