"It's you!"
When the boy who was defeated by Torchic yesterday appeared in front of him, Aron felt his premonition was right.
Seeing Aron, the boy suddenly grinned and said, "Thanks to you, I've become an official apprentice, and soon, I'll even have Psychic powers!"
Lukas, standing nearby with his arms crossed, interrupted and asked, "Do you two know each other?"
Hearing this, the boy recounted the whole story of what happened the day before.
"So that's how it is..."
After listening, Lukas nodded thoughtfully, with a flash of subtle admiration in his eyes. Smiling, he said, "In that case, let's have a duel."
"Yes, Master!" The boy quickly nodded, then looked up at Aron, his eyes full of fiery determination.
This must be a test from the Gym Leader...
I must win!
Aron also nodded, and they both took positions on opposite sides of the battlefield, staring at each other from afar.
This was Aron's first Pokémon battle, so he resolved to play it safe.
The boy then introduced himself. His name was Joe, a recent graduate of South Riverland City No. 1 Middle School.
"Go, Torchic!"
"Torchic!" chirped the small bird as it stepped forward, eyes sharp and focused.
"Meet my Pokémon, go, Starly!"
With a smirk, Joe threw a Poké Ball.
"Starly!"
With a sharp call, Starly spread its wings, soaring high and hovering above the field, overlooking the Torchic standing on the field.
Starly was a small, gray bird with a light gray belly and a crest of feathers on its head.
[Pokémon: Starly (Normal/Flying)
Ability: Keen Eye
Qualification: Advanced
Level: Lv5 (Rookie level)]
Aron was familiar with Starly, a common bird known for its widespread presence. While ordinary, it held competitive potential if it could evolve into its final form, Staraptor.
Since this was an unofficial match, there were no referees or spectators; only Lukas stood on the sidelines.
Aron watched Starly hovering overhead, considering his strategy for the battle.
Although Torchic had a slight level advantage, Starly's ability to fly gave it the upper hand, neutralizing any level advantage.
Yes, in the real world, the ability to fly is a massive advantage.
Groudon: "???"
The two Pokémon had no type advantage over each other, allowing for a more flexible choice of moves.
Of course, at their current levels, they hadn't learned too many moves...
"The moves Torchic currently knows include Scratch, Growl, Ember, Baton Pass, Agility, Quick Attack, and Flame Charge," Aron thought to himself.
After getting Torchic, Aron noticed an additional "Moves" section on its data panel, where he could view Torchic's current moves.
With a level of only seven, Torchic had a well-rounded move set, offering both melee and ranged attacks, along with some status moves.
Baton Pass and Agility were likely inherited moves.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, the battle was about to begin.
Joe took a deep breath, excitement flashing in his eyes. He shouted, "Starly, use Quick Attack!"
Quick Attack—a classic opening move.
"Starly!"
Following Joe's command, Starly's eyes narrowed, and with a powerful flap of its wings, it rushed at Torchic, a faint white light trailing from its wings.
Quick Attack was a priority move, and with Starly's speed advantage, it seized the initiative.
Suddenly, Starly slammed into Torchic. Torchic wobbled, taking a step back from the impact.
Aron remained calm, knowing Torchic couldn't dodge this attack; he wasn't Ash, and he didn't have the legendary "dodge quickly" technique.
"Ember!"
"Torchic!"
Torchic received the command, glared fiercely at Starly, and opened its beak. Flames surged, and in an instant, it spat out a hot Ember, targeting Starly!
At their close range and low level, dodging was out of the question.
Boom!
The Ember hit Starly squarely, scorching its chest. Starly staggered, almost losing its balance.
Seeing this, Aron realized that Starly had taken significant damage.
Torchic's higher special attack and durability, combined with its slight level advantage, allowed it to inflict greater damage.
"Starly, let's show them what we can do! Use Tackle!"
Joe wasn't discouraged; instead, he shouted with enthusiasm, his arm outstretched like a hot-blooded hero.
It was clear that Tackle and Quick Attack were Starly's primary attacks.
Aron remained composed and responded calmly, "Flame Charge. End it."
Hearing Aron's command, Lukas raised an eyebrow and muttered, "It knows Flame Charge?"
"Torchic!"
Torchic gave a fierce cry, its eyes sharp. Flames burst forth, enveloping its body as the surrounding temperature rose.
Then, Torchic surged forward, fearlessly charging at Starly!
Simultaneously, Starly folded its wings and dove towards Torchic, aiming directly at it.
Boom!
The two Pokémon collided, creating a small explosion as dust and smoke filled the air.
Aron watched the center of the field with calm eyes.
When the dust cleared, Starly lay collapsed on the ground, fainted with swirling eyes.
"Torchic!"
Torchic stood proudly before Starly, breathing heavily, with a bit of disheveled orange feathers from the skirmish.
The battle was over.
[Torchic gained ten experience points]
At that moment, an unfamiliar voice echoed in Aron's mind. His expression froze momentarily before he quickly regained his composure.
Aron walked over to Torchic and gently smiled. "Torchic, you did great."
Joe rushed over, cradling his fainted Starly with a look of embarrassment.
"Not bad, that was a great match."
Lukas approached, clapping his hands and smiling.
"After a battle, the most important thing is to heal your Pokémon."
Minor injuries could be treated with a healing spray, but serious injuries required a trip to the Pokémon Center.
Joe's Starly was unable to battle. After treating it with a healing spray, Joe carried it back to rest.
"How was your first battle?" Lukas asked.
"Not bad," Aron replied with a nod.
"Good." Lukas nodded with a smile and his eyes reflected the black-haired boy who carefully treated the Torchic's injuries.