Pursuing Cynthia

Chapter 4: The Rival, the Reunion, and the Rollout

The mountain path leading out of Mt. Coronet was steep and uneven, but for once, I felt like I had the upper hand. My team was growing stronger, I had a rare Gible on my side, and, most importantly, Cynthia had smiled at me. Twice. That had to mean something.

"Sinnoh Champion, here we come!" I said, practically skipping down the trail.

"Or off the trail," Chatot muttered as I nearly tripped over a loose rock.

"Can't ruin my vibe today, Chatot," I replied, catching my balance. "We're on a roll!"

Bidoof, waddling beside me, took this as its cue and started spinning in place.

"Not what I meant," I said, but I couldn't help but laugh.

We reached a clearing where the mountain gave way to rolling fields. The golden grass swayed in the breeze, and the distant cries of wild Pokémon filled the air. It was peaceful, tranquil, and—

"Well, if it isn't my favorite disaster-in-training."

I froze, recognizing the voice instantly. Turning, I saw Dax leaning against a tree, his signature smirk firmly in place.

"Dax," I said, my smile fading. "What are you doing here?"

"Just enjoying the view," he said, gesturing vaguely. "And maybe waiting for you to catch up. Figured you'd be around eventually, tripping over your own shadow or something."

"I don't trip over my shadow," I said defensively.

"Really? That's the line you're drawing?" Chatot asked from my shoulder.

Dax chuckled and stood up straight. "Anyway, I've been doing some training since our last battle. Ready for round two?"

My first instinct was to say no. My second instinct was also to say no. But then I remembered Cynthia's words about understanding my Pokémon and pushing them to reach their potential. This was a chance to prove I was improving—not just to Dax, but to myself.

"You're on," I said, reaching for my Poké Ball.

Dax grinned. "Don't hold back, now. I want to see what you're really made of."

"Mostly bad decisions," Chatot muttered.

"Quiet," I hissed.

Dax tossed out his first Pokémon, a Luxio that crackled with electricity.

I sent out Gible, who growled eagerly.

"Luxio, use Spark!"

The electric attack shot forward, but Gible dodged with surprising agility.

"Gible, use Dragon Rage!"

The blast of energy slammed into Luxio, knocking it back but not out. Dax's grin widened.

"Not bad," he said. "But let's see how you handle this. Luxio, Bite!"

Luxio lunged forward, sinking its teeth into Gible's side. Gible growled in pain but didn't go down.

"Dragon Rage, again!" I shouted.

Gible unleashed another powerful blast, sending Luxio tumbling. This time, it didn't get back up.

"Luxio is unable to battle!"

I pumped my fist in victory as Dax recalled his Pokémon.

"Not bad," he admitted. "But don't get cocky. Go, Ponyta!"

The fiery horse appeared in a flash of light, its mane blazing brightly.

I hesitated. Gible was strong, but it was already injured from the last attack. I decided to switch.

"Bidoof, you're up!"

Bidoof waddled onto the field, looking as determined as ever.

Dax burst out laughing. "You're sending a Bidoof against my Ponyta? This is going to be fun."

"We'll see about that," I said, though my confidence wavered slightly.

"Ponyta, Flame Charge!"

Ponyta charged forward, engulfed in flames. Bidoof took the hit but somehow stayed standing, its stubby legs planted firmly in the ground.

"Bidoof, Rollout!"

To my surprise, Bidoof tucked itself into a ball and started spinning, gaining momentum before slamming into Ponyta. The impact sent Ponyta skidding back, clearly stunned.

"Keep it up, Bidoof!"

Bidoof continued its assault, each Rollout hitting harder than the last. Dax's confident smirk began to fade as Ponyta struggled to stay on its feet.

Finally, Bidoof landed a critical hit, knocking Ponyta out cold.

"Ponyta is unable to battle!"

I stared in disbelief as Bidoof stood victorious, looking as proud as ever.

"Well, I'll be," Chatot said. "The little guy actually pulled it off."

Dax recalled his Pokémon, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I thought he might admit defeat, but instead, he pulled out his final Poké Ball.

"You've gotten better," he said. "But you're not ready for this. Go, Staravia!"

The bird Pokémon appeared with a loud screech, flapping its wings menacingly.

I sent Gible back into the battle, hoping it had enough energy left for one more fight.

"Staravia, Wing Attack!"

The bird swooped down, striking Gible hard. Gible staggered but didn't fall.

"Dragon Rage!" I shouted.

The blast of energy hit Staravia, but it wasn't enough to take it down.

"Staravia, Quick Attack!"

Staravia darted forward, slamming into Gible before it could react. Gible collapsed, fainted.

"Gible is unable to battle!"

I gritted my teeth and sent out my last Pokémon. "Psyduck, it's all you!"

Psyduck waddled onto the field, looking mildly annoyed as usual.

"Staravia, Aerial Ace!"

The bird swooped in for another attack, but Psyduck managed to dodge at the last second.

"Psyduck, Water Gun!"

The stream of water hit Staravia squarely, knocking it off balance.

"Don't let up!" I shouted. "Use Confusion!"

To my shock, Psyduck obeyed, its eyes glowing blue as it unleashed a psychic wave that sent Staravia crashing to the ground.

"Staravia is unable to battle! The winner is… you!"

I stared at Psyduck in disbelief, then broke into a grin. "We did it!"

Dax recalled his Pokémon, looking genuinely impressed. "Okay, I'll admit it. You've got some skills. But don't think this means I'm backing down. Next time, I'm taking you down for sure."

He walked away, leaving me to bask in the glow of victory.

Chatot landed on my shoulder, looking smug. "Well, congratulations, Champ. You've officially beaten someone who underestimated you. That's progress."

I ignored the sarcasm and knelt down to pat Bidoof and Psyduck on the head. "You guys were amazing. I couldn't have done it without you."

Bidoof burped. Psyduck sighed. Gible growled softly from its Poké Ball.

For the first time, I felt like I was truly growing as a Trainer. The road ahead was still long, but with my team by my side, I knew I could handle whatever challenges came next.

I didn't stop grinning the entire walk after my battle with Dax. Sure, he was probably already plotting his next smug victory speech, but for now, I was riding the high of success. My team had proven themselves, and we had pulled off a solid win—no tomatoes this time, no embarrassing stumbles, just raw (if chaotic) effort.

"I'm telling you, Chatot," I said, gesturing wildly as we approached a nearby stream. "Bidoof was the MVP! Did you see those Rollouts? Absolute carnage."

"I saw a flaming pony almost kick it into orbit," Chatot replied, unimpressed. "But sure, let's call it carnage."

I plopped down near the water, letting my team out of their Poké Balls to rest. Gible waddled up to the stream and took a long drink while Psyduck sat on a rock, looking like it was meditating—or just zoned out. Bidoof, meanwhile, started sniffing around for something to chew.

"You guys earned this break," I said, leaning back against a tree. "We're going to need you at full strength for the next Gym. But don't worry—we've got this. No sweat."

"Don't you think you should actually check what the next Gym specializes in?" Chatot asked, fluttering to a branch above me. "You're going to walk in blind again, aren't you?"

I waved it off. "Nah, I've got a good feeling about this. Besides, we've got Gible now. That's like having a secret weapon!"

Gible turned to look at me, wagging its stubby little tail. It was hard to believe that something so cute could unleash such destructive power, but I wasn't complaining.

Chatot sighed. "Confidence is great and all, but overconfidence? That's how you end up as a cautionary tale."

Before I could reply, Bidoof let out a sharp bark, drawing my attention. It was standing by a bush, its nose twitching furiously.

"What's up, buddy?" I asked, getting to my feet.

Bidoof growled softly, pawing at the ground.

I stepped closer and peeked through the bush, expecting to see a wild Pokémon. Instead, I found… a bag?

"What's this?" I muttered, pulling it out.

The bag was small but sturdy, with a leather strap and a brass buckle. It didn't look like something a wild Pokémon would have left behind.

"You think someone lost it?" I asked aloud.

"Or it's a trap," Chatot said.

Ignoring Chatot's pessimism, I opened the bag and found a strange stone nestled inside. It was smooth and oval-shaped, with a faint, silvery glow.

"Is this… an evolutionary stone?" I asked, holding it up.

"Could be," Chatot said, fluttering down for a closer look. "Hard to tell. But hey, free stuff!"

I slipped the stone into my pocket, making a mental note to find out what it was for later. For now, I had bigger priorities—like figuring out where the next town was.

"All right, team," I said, calling everyone back to their Poké Balls. "Let's move out!"

We hadn't gone far when we heard a familiar voice.

"There you are!"

I turned to see the girl from the Stunky incident running toward me, her Pachirisu perched on her shoulder.

"Oh, hi!" I said, surprised. "Everything okay?"

"Better than okay!" she said, smiling. "I wanted to thank you again for saving me earlier. I don't know what I would've done without you."

"No problem," I said, trying not to sound too smug. "Just doing my part."

"Actually," she continued, "I was wondering… would you mind having a quick battle with me? Pachirisu and I could use the practice."

"Another battle?" Chatot groaned. "Haven't we had enough today?"

But I couldn't say no, not when she was looking at me like I was some kind of hero.

"Sure," I said, stepping into a clearing. "Let's do it."

The girl beamed and took her position on the other side of the field.

"Go, Pachirisu!"

The little electric squirrel hopped down from her shoulder, sparks crackling along its cheeks.

I decided to start strong. "Gible, let's go!"

Gible emerged with a growl, ready for action.

"Pachirisu, Spark!"

Pachirisu darted forward, electricity crackling as it hit Gible head-on. Gible stumbled but shook it off, baring its teeth.

"Gible, Dragon Rage!"

The energy blast sent Pachirisu flying, but it rolled to its feet, looking determined.

"Quick Attack!"

Pachirisu zipped forward, hitting Gible before it could react.

"Hang in there, Gible!" I shouted. "Dragon Rage, one more time!"

The second blast landed squarely, and Pachirisu tumbled back, fainted.

"You did great!" the girl said, recalling her Pokémon. "Thanks for the battle!"

"No problem," I said, recalling Gible.

She handed me a small bundle of berries before waving goodbye and heading off down the path.

As I watched her go, I couldn't help but feel like I was finally starting to get the hang of this Trainer thing.

"Another victory for the hero of Route 207," Chatot said sarcastically.

"Jealous?" I asked, grinning.

"Of what? The part where you barely survived an electric squirrel?"

"Details," I said, brushing it off.

With the sun beginning to set, I decided to make camp for the night. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, I was content to rest. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but wonder what Cynthia would think of my progress so far.

One thing was certain: I wasn't giving up until I proved I was worthy of her attention—and maybe, just maybe, her admiration.

The campfire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows across the trees as I leaned back against a boulder, staring at the sky. The stars were bright tonight, scattered across the heavens like a treasure map leading somewhere extraordinary. For once, things were calm. My team was recovering after the day's battles, and I was finally starting to feel like I was on the right path.

Chatot perched on a branch nearby, preening its feathers. "So, are we just going to gloss over the fact that you picked a fight with an Onix, got lucky against Dax, and now think you're Sinnoh's next big thing?"

"Not glossing," I said, smirking. "I call it momentum. Big difference."

Chatot rolled its eyes. "Momentum. Right. Just remember that momentum doesn't help when you trip on your own shoelaces."

I ignored the comment and turned my attention to my Poké Balls, which I'd lined up neatly next to me. Gible's ball gleamed faintly in the firelight, a reminder of just how far I'd come.

"Hey, Chatot," I said after a moment. "You think Cynthia meant it when she said she'd keep an eye on me?"

Chatot gave me a long, scrutinizing look. "Hard to say. She's either impressed or waiting for you to accidentally set yourself on fire. Could go either way, really."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Anytime."

The conversation lulled after that, and I found myself watching the fire, wondering what the next day would bring.

Morning came far too early.

I woke to the sound of rustling leaves and Bidoof snuffling around the campsite. Gible was still curled up near the firepit, snoring softly, while Psyduck sat on a rock, staring into the distance with its usual vacant expression.

"Rise and shine, everyone," I said, stretching. "We've got a big day ahead."

Chatot flapped down from its perch, yawning loudly. "What's the plan, fearless leader? Another round of wild Pokémon fights? Or are we going to tackle a Gym unprepared again?"

"Neither," I said. "We're heading to the next town. We need supplies, and maybe we'll pick up some tips about the next Gym."

"And by 'tips,' you mean 'someone to bail us out,'" Chatot muttered.

Ignoring it, I packed up camp and set off down the trail. The path twisted through rolling hills and dense patches of trees, the occasional wild Pokémon darting out of sight as we passed.

It wasn't long before we reached a fork in the road. A wooden signpost stood at the junction, its arrows pointing in opposite directions.

"Right goes to Hearthome City," I read aloud. "Left goes to… Eterna Forest."

Chatot let out a low whistle. "Eterna Forest, huh? I've heard stories about that place. Creepy trees, ghost Pokémon, Trainers getting lost for days—it's basically Sinnoh's version of a haunted house."

I glanced at the sign again, debating. Hearthome City was tempting—it was a bustling hub with plenty of resources and probably a few good Trainers to battle—but something about Eterna Forest intrigued me.

"What do you think, team?" I asked.

Bidoof tilted its head. Psyduck scratched its bill. Gible let out a low growl, its tail wagging slightly.

"Eterna Forest it is," I said, grinning.

Chatot sighed. "Of course. Why take the easy road when you can wander into certain doom?"

The forest was exactly as eerie as Chatot had warned. Tall, ancient trees loomed overhead, their branches twisting together to block out most of the sunlight. The air was cool and damp, and every step seemed to echo unnaturally in the quiet.

"Okay, this is a little creepy," I admitted, stepping over a mossy log.

"A little?" Chatot said. "I'm half-expecting a Haunter to pop out and start juggling our Poké Balls."

We hadn't gone far when I heard a faint rustling sound behind me. I froze, my hand instinctively reaching for Gible's ball.

"Did you hear that?" I whispered.

Chatot cocked its head. "Probably just the wind. Or a ghost. Either way, you're doomed."

"Very helpful, thanks."

The rustling grew louder, and I turned just in time to see a flash of movement in the undergrowth. Before I could react, something leapt out onto the path—a wild Murkrow, its dark feathers glinting in the dim light.

"Murkrow, huh?" I said, grinning. "That could be a good addition to the team."

"Or it could peck your eyes out," Chatot said.

Ignoring the warning, I tossed out Psyduck.

"Psyduck, Water Gun!"

Psyduck fired a jet of water at the Murkrow, who dodged effortlessly and retaliated with a Peck. Psyduck stumbled back, rubbing its head.

"Come on, Psyduck! You've got this!"

Psyduck let out an annoyed quack and fired another Water Gun, this time landing a direct hit. The Murkrow squawked in surprise, shaking itself off.

"Now's our chance!" I said, pulling out a Poké Ball.

I threw the ball, and it struck the Murkrow, sucking it inside with a flash of light. The ball wobbled once… twice… three times…

*Click!*

"Yes!" I shouted, pumping my fist. "We caught a Murkrow!"

"Great," Chatot said. "Now you've got two birds that don't respect you."

I ignored the comment and picked up the ball, grinning.

As we continued through the forest, the air seemed to grow heavier. The trees pressed closer together, their gnarled branches casting twisted shadows across the path.

"This place is really starting to give me the creeps," I muttered.

Before Chatot could respond, a familiar voice called out from ahead.

"Well, look who it is."

I looked up to see Dax leaning against a tree, his smirk firmly in place.

"Dax," I said, groaning. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you," he said, shrugging. "Exploring, training, maybe catching a few rare Pokémon. Didn't think I'd run into you, though. What's the matter? Lost already?"

"I'm not lost," I said defensively.

"Sure you're not," he said, pushing off the tree. "How about a battle to see if you're actually improving? Or are you too scared?"

I clenched my fists, determination surging. "You're on."

"Here we go again," Chatot muttered.

I reached for Gible's ball, ready to prove that I wasn't the same Trainer he'd faced before. This time, I was going to win.