Wanderer of the Pokémon World

Chapter 266: The Battle Ended Before It Even Began

The moment Scizor materialized on the battlefield – the flat, grassy expanse outside Rinko's villa – Rinko gasped. She had seen Xiu's Pokémon from a distance, of course, but from up close? Scizor's sheer presence was overwhelming.

Its height, nearly two meters of gleaming black and gold articulated metal, its massive, razor-sharp pincers, the cold, intelligent gleam in its multifaceted eyes… it radiated an aura of controlled, lethal power that was unlike any Pokémon she had ever encountered.

Her Vileplume suddenly looked small and fragile, in comparison. Even if Vileplume jumped, Rinko thought with a sinking feeling, it wouldn't even reach that Scizor's knees.

Xiu, however, seemed unconcerned by Rinko's obvious apprehension. He addressed Scizor directly, his voice calm, authoritative. "Today's opponent is Vileplume, Scizor.

You decide the strategy. I will not issue any commands." He wanted to see how Scizor would perform independently. And frankly, Xiu admitted to himself, this is just overkill.

Vileplume, for all its potential, has no real combat experience— but he needed to gauge Rinko and Vileplume's current abilities before he could offer any meaningful guidance.

Rinko, seeing Xiu adopt the stance of a observer, felt a wave of panic. No commands? He's just going to let that… attack freely? She didn't know what to do, how to even begin.

"Alright, Rinko," Xiu called out, his voice cutting through her rising anxiety. He gestured towards her. "Let's begin with a simple spar and discuss all about it later. No restrictions on moves, no defined arena boundaries. Just… a battle."

He wanted her to feel the pressure and react instinctively, so he could identify her strengths and, more importantly, her weaknesses. As for Scizor's safety… does it even need to be said?

Rinko took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. She nodded, then hesitantly stepped forward with Vileplume.

Once both Pokémon were in position, Xiu stepped back further, assuming the role of a referee. He raised his hand. "Battle, begin!"

An awkward silence descended. Scizor remained motionless, its gaze fixed on Vileplume. Xiu had instructed it to allow Vileplume the first move. Let's see what Rinko does.

However, Vileplume also remained still, looking uncertainly from Scizor to Rinko, awaiting a command.

"The battle has started, Rinko," Xiu prompted gently, noticing her hesitation.

"We… we just fight?" Rinko asked, her voice barely a whisper. "What if… what if someone gets hurt?"

"Don't worry about that," Xiu reassured her. "Think of it like the battles you've seen on television. Command Vileplume to use any move it knows. The objective is to defeat your opponent. Simple."

"I… I see," Rinko stammered. She looked at Vileplume, then at the imposing Scizor. She took another deep breath, then raised her hand, pointing towards Scizor. "Vileplume! Try… try using Energy Ball!"

"Kesha!" Vileplume, responding to its trainer's command, shook off its earlier uncertainty. It focused its intent on Scizor, its petals quivering. It raised its small, leaf-like hands, and a sphere of emerald green energy rapidly condensed between them, growing to the size of a fist. Then, with a sharp cry, it launched the projectile towards Scizor.

Xiu watched, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Fast. The speed with which Vileplume had gathered and launched the Energy Ball was impressive. Less than a second from command to execution.

The Energy Ball whizzed through the air. But Scizor, far from being caught off guard, reacted with contemptuous ease. With a barely perceptible shift of its body, it evaded the attack effortlessly. The green sphere shot past, slamming into the tree behind, exploding with a shower of splintered wood and scattered leaves.

The moment Scizor dodged, Xiu's restriction was lifted. It exploded into motion, a black and gold blur, streaking across the grass towards Vileplume, its movements too fast for Rinko's untrained eye to follow.

The distance between the two Pokémon closed in an instant. Rinko, seeing the metallic blur hurtling towards her Vileplume, froze, her mind blank with panic— unable to issue a command, unable to even think. She could only stare, wide-eyed, as Scizor appeared directly in front of Vileplume.

A single, devastating kick. No fancy maneuvers, no complex techniques. Just raw speed, brutal power.

But then, something strange happened. Vileplume, which should have been sent flying, remained rooted to the spot. Rinko blinked, confused. Scizor held its attack, the tip of its bladed foot hovering less than a finger's breadth from Vileplume's surprised face.

"Alright! Battle over!" Xiu called out quickly, moving forward to assess the situation.

It had been Abra who had intervened at the last possible microsecond, erecting a barrier to absorb the full force of Scizor's kick, protecting Vileplume. Scizor, when given free rein, doesn't hold back, Xiu thought.

There was no point in continuing. The disparity in power, speed, and combat experience was simply too vast. Any further exchange would be a slaughter. He'd already seen what he needed to see. Vileplume had potential, yes— but Rinko has work cut out for her.

He quickly checked Vileplume. No injuries. Good. Abra's shield held.

Rinko hurried over, face pale and hands trembling. "Did… did I do something wrong?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"Yes," Xiu replied, his tone blunt, uncompromising. "You made a critical error." He saw the pain and embarrassment in her eyes, but he didn't soften his assessment. "You failed to command your Pokémon. You froze. In a real battle, that hesitation, that lack of trust in your Pokémon's ability or your own judgment, would have been fatal."

Rinko visibly wilted, her face flushing with shame.

"Since I've agreed to teach you," Xiu continued, his voice still firm, "it's my responsibility to point out such mistakes. I won't coddle you, Rinko. This isn't a game." He saw her flinch, the tears welling in her eyes, but he pressed on.

"Making mistakes is not shameful. Learning is a process of trial and error. I've made more mistakes than I can count. But if you don't understand the consequences of your errors and don't learn from them— then when a real crisis comes, the consequences will be far more severe than a few harsh words from me."

Combat is about victory and defeat, life and death. There are no second chances. If he was lenient now, if he pulled his punches, he would be doing her a disservice. She might pay for her kindness with her Pokémon's life, or even her own, somewhere down the line.

This wasn't a scolding, not really. Just the necessary truth.

Rinko nodded slowly, absorbing his words, her earlier excitement replaced by a sober understanding. "You're right, Xiu," she said quietly. "It was… my fault. I will do better."

Seeing her willingness to accept responsibility, to learn, Xiu's tone softened slightly. "Good." He knew there was no point in dwelling on it further.

"We've wasted enough time on this for now. Let's see to your usual work first. Then, this afternoon, we can delve analyze what happened here in detail." He knew he'd disrupted her routine for this session. It was only fair that he help her make up for lost time.

"And," he added, a faint smile returning to his lips, "perhaps you can answer some of my questions. Now you will be the teacher. We can learn from each other." He then spent the rest of the morning assisting her in the greenhouse, their comfortable dynamic slowly reasserting itself as they discussed the intricacies of plant life.