Pokémon: Trainer Paul

The Rain Ends, and the Grass Grows Anew

A rare, heavy rain poured throughout the entire day, finally clearing by noon the next day.

This period of training had significantly benefited Paul's Pokémon. Dewott, with its unparalleled swordsmanship aptitude, had mastered the move Air Slash. Meanwhile, Turtwig successfully learned Magical Leaf.

Vulpix's precision control improved, and its proficiency with Solar Beam and Sunny Day had reached new heights. It wouldn't be long before it fully mastered the former.

Even Ursaring managed to burn itself during the rain, albeit taking more time than expected. However, its proficiency skyrocketed, and by the time the rain stopped, it could burn itself several times faster than under clear skies.

Watching Paul train all day, Lucas, who lacked rain gear, could only stay in the ruins, brainstorming strategies and letting his Pokémon train casually in random spots. It was a frustrating and arduous experience.

As soon as the sky cleared, Lucas packed up and seeing Paul still immersed in training, bid farewell.

"Paul, I'm heading out. Don't forget about the upcoming open tournament!"

"Mmm."

Paul glanced at him briefly, nodded, and released a Rhydon from its Poké Ball, deciding to let it go as it didn't fit his team. His attention quickly returned to his Pokémon.

Time was still on his side, and there was no rush to leave. Training here was just as effective as training elsewhere. Rather than wasting time traveling, he decided to let his Pokémon capitalize on the momentum they had gained from the rain.

"The rain's stopped. Switch up your training goals."

As the rain ceased, Paul instructed his Pokémon to adapt their training.

"Dewott and Turtwig, face each other and train with Air Slash and Magical Leaf. Your goal is to have the moves clash mid-air. No dodging is allowed; focus solely on attacking and blocking. Treat each other as rivals, the strongest opponents and train with anger and intensity."

"Turtwig!"

Upon hearing Paul's instructions, Turtwig's demeanor changed. It glared at Dewott with fiery determination, as if the latter had committed some unforgivable crime. Magical Leaf began forming around it, ready for attack.

This method mirrored the rage training Paul had used under the waterfall with Electabuzz—channeling anger to fuel strength and motivation.

"Chaa?"

Caught off guard by Turtwig's sudden shift in attitude, the usually composed Dewott hesitated briefly. It quickly regained its composure however, and began countering with Air Slash!

Boom! Boom!

The two moves collided mid-air. Although Air Slash had the type advantage, Magical Leaf's homing ability and control gave it the upper hand in these exchanges.

"Ursaring, train here. Your task remains the same: shorten the time needed to burn yourself. To add urgency, Turtwig and Dewott will randomly attack you during their training."

Paul positioned Ursaring at a spot equidistant from the other two Pokémon, forming an isosceles triangle.

After assigning Ursaring's task, Paul led Vulpix to a location further away, forming an equilateral triangle with the other Pokémon, with Ursaring at the center.

"Maintain Sunny Day and Gravity, then practice Solar Beam. Even if it doesn't work at first, use Ursaring as your target. The key is to keep trying—eventually, you'll get it. Also, practice activating your Flash Fire ability more quickly. The faster you can trigger it, the better."

"Vul!"

Vulpix obediently nodded and began its training.

The development of the Flash Fire ability allowed for rapid toggling during fire-type attacks, maximizing output while minimizing energy consumption. Compared to the complexity of Guts, Flash Fire was much easier to refine.

Paul mused that once this technique was demonstrated in battle, it wouldn't take long for other skilled trainers to adopt it for their own Flash Fire Pokémon.

In reality, many things weren't beyond others' capabilities—most simply hadn't thought of them. Once an idea was showcased, it was only a matter of time before others replicated and even surpassed it.

Paul recalled Fantina's Reflective Shield strategy with her Drifblim from the anime. That technique, which combined reduced offensive power with enhanced defense and strategic control, was far superior to a standard Counter Shield.

If Paul wanted to stay ahead, he needed to keep improving.

Thinking of the Reflective Shield, Paul decided to teach Vulpix a custom version in the future, using moves like Will-O-Wisp and Psychic as substitutes to create a unique and effective strategy.

And so, the rigorous training continued. While Dewott, Turtwig, and Vulpix focused on their tasks, they also attacked Ursaring with precision and intent. Paul insisted on genuine effort, demanding attacks that were swift, accurate, and unpredictable.

Despite the added difficulty, Ursaring took it in stride. After all, the training regimen at the daycare was far more intense, with opponents either significantly stronger or far more numerous.

Speaking of which, how was Electabuzz doing on its "vacation"?

Veilstone City – Pokémon Day Care Center

Reggie retrieved a Poké Ball from the teleportation device and addressed the elderly professor on the monitor.

"How's Electabuzz, Professor Rowan? No issues, I hope?"

"Rest assured, everything checks out fine. The plate's power had already diminished significantly before being absorbed, so it hasn't affected Electabuzz negatively."

"Should we remove it?"

"That's up to you. Removing it would be safer, but leaving it inside will continue to enhance Electabuzz's power until the energy is depleted. At that point, the tablet might disintegrate entirely."

Professor Rowan paused, a hint of curiosity crossing his face.

"To be honest, I'm more intrigued by how the crack in the tablet appeared in the first place. Without it, the tablet would have remained intact inside Electabuzz with no effect."

"I'm not sure about that. What if it was affected by the attack of the legendary pokémon Palkia?"

The professor nodded thoughtfully. "That's plausible. As the master of space, Palkia's spatial cuts could theoretically damage anything."

After wrapping up the conversation, the young man released Electabuzz into the courtyard.

"Electabuzz!"

Stretching and yawning, Electabuzz greeted its trainer with a wave. After enduring days of research, it was relieved to be free.

However, if it ever encountered another broken tablet, it vowed to destroy it on sight.

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