Pokemon: My Strange Pokemons

"Eevee, now! Swift!"

Ethan, focused entirely on the battle, was the first to react to the sudden turn of events.

Though he couldn't quite figure out how the tables had turned so quickly in that split second, it didn't stop him from fulfilling his role as a Trainer.

"Eevee!"

Eevee, seemingly snapping out of a daze, quickly gathered energy and prepared to unleash Swift again.

"Axew, get up, quickly!"

It took Kai a moment longer to process what had happened. Axew, having been tripped mid-move, was sprawled out and vulnerable. Without any other options, Kai resorted to giving an encouraging shout.

"Ax... ew..."

Axew, still somewhat conscious, heard its Trainer's call and tried its best to get up. However, its body wouldn't cooperate.

Wobbling unsteadily, Axew struggled but ultimately couldn't respond to the strong bond behind Kai's command.

On the other side of the field, though Eevee was hobbling with its injured leg, Swift was a long-range move that never missed and required minimal aiming. Even lying on its side, Eevee managed to launch the attack successfully.

A faint explosion echoed across the field, and this time, Axew couldn't get up again. It had lost the ability to battle.

"Eevee? (I... I won?)"

Eevee stared blankly at the unconscious Axew, looking utterly incredulous that it had managed to defeat its opponent.

The entire crowd fell silent. No one could quite believe that Eevee had won the battle in such an improbable manner.

"Is this even reasonable?"

"Why wouldn't it be? I've seen crazier battle results. Anything can happen in a Pokémon battle."

"Was it Axew's bad luck, or is Eevee just ridiculously lucky?"

"Some Pokémon battle with skill; others rely on sheer luck."

"Alright, show's over. Let's check out the match over there."

...

The park, a popular battle hub for local residents, always had plenty of action. While this match was both dramatic and entertaining, the crowd eventually dispersed after some brief discussion.

As the battle concluded, Ethan hurried to the field, anxiously picking up his limping Eevee.

"Eevee, is your leg okay?"

"Eevee!"

Shaking its head, Eevee raised its two working legs and pointed proudly at the fallen Axew, its face lighting up with joy.

"Alright, alright, I get it. You won," Ethan said, smiling wryly as he praised Eevee.

Though the victory felt a bit surreal, a win was a win.

Ethan didn't bother with clichéd warnings about not getting cocky or how this win was pure luck. He wasn't a Trainer driven by competition. After all, his goal was just to live a laid-back life as a small-town Gym Leader someday.

Meanwhile, Kai returned Axew to its Pokéball. Watching Ethan and Eevee celebrate their first victory, he pondered briefly before walking over.

"Congrats to you and Eevee. Want to head to the Pokémon Center together to heal them up?"

"Sure, but I need to check on a friend first." Ethan found Kai to be a decent guy and agreed without hesitation.

Carrying Eevee back, Ethan spotted Rosa and her Snivy. From the looks of it, Snivy hadn't lost a single match yet, and the two were about to begin another battle.

Noticing that Ethan's new acquaintance was a guy, Rosa waved off his invitation to join them and turned her attention back to her own battle.

...

The park, renowned as a battle hotspot, featured an onsite Pokémon Center for convenience.

After handing their Pokémon over to Nurse Joy, Ethan and Kai sat in the lounge, chatting—naturally, about the match.

"Your commands and Eevee's performance were remarkable. I learned a lot," Kai sincerely complimented.

"Honestly, luck played a big part," Ethan replied modestly.

He knew full well his and Eevee's current abilities and wasn't about to let a bit of praise inflate his ego.

The red-haired youth chuckled and shook his head. "A loss is a loss—luck has nothing to do with it."

Ethan shrugged and didn't argue. If Kai wanted to use the loss as motivation, that was his choice. Ethan, however, truly believed luck had played a significant role in the victory.

"Oh, right. This is for losing the battle." Kai pulled out a small gem from his pocket and handed it to Ethan.

In wild battles, it was customary for the loser to offer money or items to the winner—a globally accepted rule.

The amount was usually pre-agreed upon or decided by the losing party. Since they hadn't discussed it beforehand, Kai offered this small gem instead.

Ethan accepted it without hesitation but asked, "What's this?"

"It's a Dragon Gem I used for raising Axew. Most of its energy has already been absorbed, so it's not worth much," Kai replied casually.

Ethan: "..."

A Pokémon item worth tens of thousands, and you say it's 'not worth much'?

Is it me, or is there something wrong here?

This must be the legendary Dragon Clan. Some people are just born with privilege.

While marveling at Kai's wealth, Ethan didn't return the gem. After all, it was a fair victory. Returning it might even come across as an insult.

...

Stowing the Dragon Gem, the two continued chatting while waiting for their Pokémon to finish healing.

"Isn't your Dragon Clan based in the Johto and Kanto regions? What brings you here?" Ethan asked curiously.

Kai shrugged. "The main family is in Blackthorn City, Johto, but our clan has spread out over the years. My mother married into this region, so I grew up in Valoria."

"Hey, do you know Lance?" Ethan asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Yeah, technically speaking, he's my nephew?" Kai replied, thinking through their complex family tree.

"But how do you know him? He's a Pokémon G-Man from Kanto."

Ethan froze, only then remembering that Lance hadn't yet become a Champion and wasn't as famous as he would be in the future.

"Haha, I just heard he's really into Flying-type Pokémon, so his name stuck with me."

Kai chuckled. "He is an odd one in our family. But don't underestimate him—he's one of the best of our generation. He has a good shot at winning the next Elite Four tournament."

Ethan had no intention of belittling someone destined for greatness. After a few more jokes, the conversation moved on.

"Numbers 133 and 134, your Pokémon are ready!"

Nurse Joy's cheerful voice interrupted their chat. The two retrieved their Pokémon and prepared to part ways.

"Let's exchange contacts. Maybe we can battle again sometime?"

Before leaving, Kai extended the offer. Having enjoyed their conversation, Ethan saw no reason to refuse and gladly exchanged contact information with this well-connected young man.

With that, they said their goodbyes outside the Pokémon Center.

(End of Chapter)