The first thing Axel did after the meeting was to go to the forest to meet Venusaur's parents. He left Venusaur there, wanting it to have some family time. Axel planned to stay with the Venu family until both of his Pokémon reached pseudo-king rank. After leaving Venusaur, he went to find his three friends.
"Oh, look who we have here? The great Lord Axel Blaze has blessed us with his presence," said A, giving a little bow.
"Oh, come on, guys. I've been very busy with work and training," Axel replied.
He had contacted K but had not reached out to A and B. Being caught up with everything that had been going on, Axel hadn't found the time to contact them. A, B, and K had given him their contact numbers, but Axel was in a hurry the last time they met, so he didn't have a way to reach him.
After a bit of good-natured teasing, all of them forgave Axel and welcomed him with open arms.
"I can't believe the crazies are back. Hurray!" shouted B with happiness, raising his hands in the air. The others joined in the celebration.
"So, how have you guys been? Have you been training?" Axel asked.
"Of course! We can't let K and you beat us to it. We've also caught some Pokémon, and now both B and I have a team of six. My Nidorina and B's Butterfree have even reached elemental rank," A replied, his face beaming with pride.
Having an elemental rank was a significant achievement, although it served as a stepping stone within the Venu family. The Venu family was one of the largest and most influential families in the Kanto region, providing abundant resources, training, and experienced teachers. Thus, achieving an elemental rank was not an impossible dream for A, B, and K, but it was still commendable.
"So, what Pokémon have you caught? Show me all of them," Axel requested.
In a matter of seconds, both A and B threw six Pokéballs each, releasing twelve Pokémon.
A had:
1. Beedrill (Rare)
2. Nidorina (Elemental)
3. Ivysaur (Common)
4. Poliwrath (Uncommon)
5. Muk (Rare)
6. Machamp (Uncommon)
B had:
1. Sandslash (Rare)
2. Butterfree (Elemental)
3. Vileplume (Rare)
4. Alakazam (Uncommon)
5. Ivysaur (Common)
6. Golem (Uncommon)
K also didn't waste any time and released all his Pokémon:
1. Sandslash (Rare)
2. Pidgeot (Rare)
3. Primeape (Uncommon)
4. Golbat (Uncommon)
5. Arcanine (Rare)
6. Ivysaur (Common)
Axel could see that K had already managed to rank up his Arcanine to rare rank.
"So, did you manage to obtain any gym badges?" Axel inquired.
"Yes, I have two of them. I also challenged another gym, but I was defeated," K replied with a somber voice.
"Of course you were. Without an elemental rank Pokémon, it's expected," Axel said, playfully smacking K's head.
"So, Axel, how many Pokémon do you have?" B asked, brimming with anticipation.
"I have twelve of them."
"Twelve? Really?"
"Damn, you're a monster. How do you find the time to train and take care of twelve Pokémon?"
"Divide and conquer, guys. Divide and conquer. A, why don't you and B also challenge gyms like K? You and B haven't ventured out of the family," Axel suggested.
"Unlike you two, we don't have any interest in challenging gyms and becoming champions. We're trying to support the Venu family and become elders in the future."
The group continued to share their stories. When Axel began recounting his tale, gasps and loud exclamations filled the air. Axel had indeed embarked on an extraordinary journey after leaving the Venu family.
He didn't keep any secrets and disclosed everything to them, except for his system. Axel also proudly displayed all of his Pokémon, with Alakazam being the standout—a pseudo-king ranked Pokémon already.
Later, they gathered at a bar, toasting to their triumphs and sorrows. Axel had spent a full day with his "crazy" friends.
"So, Axel, what do you plan to do now? Are you going to challenge the other three gyms?" A asked, taking a puff of his cigarette.
"Yes. First, I need to rank up Beedrill and Nidorino to pseudo-king rank. Then, I plan to challenge all three gyms in order."
"Damn, you already have a pseudo-king ranked Pokémon, and I don't even have an elemental rank Pokémon," K lamented, slamming his hand on the table.
No matter how much he trained his Pokémon, K couldn't catch up to Axel.
"Hey, you've trained a lot. Axel is just a freak of nature," B consoled his brother.
"I'm not a freak of nature," Axel defended himself.
"I wanted to ask, how did both of you get Bulbasaur? Did you fulfill all the requirements?" Axel inquired.
"As a matter of fact, we did. After you and K got a Bulbasaur, we realized how valuable it was to have one. We are the Venu family, and although we focus on versatility, the resources and training opportunities for the Bulbasaur line are unmatched.
But let's not talk about us. Let's talk about you. Are you really going to challenge the Indigo League after just two years of your journey? That's unbelievable, man."
In his slightly intoxicated state, Axel stood up, lifting the liquor counter slightly.
"What are you doing?" K asked.
"I'm lifting the liquor counter up because I'm raising the bar. I'm going to shoot for the moon. I'm going to be a Pokémon master," Axel declared proudly.
He realized he needed to acknowledge his accomplishments. Axel had done everything he could to reach this level, and now he possessed a pseudo-king ranked Pokémon.
"You're shooting for the moon, but you're too busy gazing at the stars. Becoming a Pokémon master is no joke," A said.
[Those last 2 sentences are a part of the song of one of my favorite rapper. Can you guess it?]
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