After making further adjustments and refinements to the next day's training plans for his Pokémon, Ash climbed into bed, crossed his legs, and began his nightly meditation to cultivate his Aura Power.
Once the meditation ended, the heavy drain on his mental energy quickly caught up to him. A wave of drowsiness and fatigue washed over his body. Hugging Pikachu close, Ash burrowed into his blanket and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Rotom quietly switched off the lights and shut down the computer.
Magikarp and Feebas rested peacefully in their water basins.
Frogadier leaned back against the window frame.
Meanwhile, Pidgeotto and Spearow squeezed together on the windowsill, standing shoulder to shoulder.
Spearow had only joined the team two days ago. After getting used to things, it felt that Ash's windowsill wasn't all that different from the cliffside nests and treetops outside Pallet Town.
In the end, it didn't matter where you stayed—
Wherever family was, that was home.
Or perhaps… wherever the heart felt at peace.
Outside the window, the night sky was calm. The moon slipped behind a thin veil of clouds, and darkness enveloped the room. Beyond it, the entire Pallet Town lay silent and still.
The night passed without incident, until the east gradually brightened and the first hints of dawn appeared.
Ash still hadn't shaken off his habit of sleeping in, but when the alarm clock rang at 6:30 a.m., Frogadier, Pidgeotto, and the others came over to wake him. Ash managed to get up immediately.
He dressed, washed up, and headed outside. Pikachu followed Pidgeotto and Spearow into the sky for a quick flight to shake off sleepiness.
Ash and Frogadier each carried a water basin, bringing Magikarp and Feebas along the dirt road outside Pallet Town toward the outskirts.
Autumn had already settled in for quite some time now. The morning air was chilly, and a cold breeze cut through their clothes. A faint mist hovered over the surface of the small river outside Pallet Town.
"Valor, Lumina—you two play in the river for a bit," Ash said as he crouched down and gently poured Feebas into the water.
"I'll go treat the wild Pokémon at Stone Bridge and Dashiwan Valley first. After that, I'll come back and train with you."
"Splash~!"
"Gurgle~!"
Hearing Ash's words, the two Pokémon nodded obediently. Compared to when they had just been sent over by the Tsuchihara Family, the changes they'd undergone under Ash's careful care were nothing short of dramatic.
Putting aside the growth in strength for the moment, both Pokémon had clearly become much more confident and cheerful. Their demeanor and presence had completely transformed, as if reborn.
If they weren't Shiny Pokémon—if they were just ordinary Magikarp and Feebas—sending them back to the Tsuchihara Family now would likely leave the family unable to recognize them as the same two Pokémon they had originally entrusted to Ash.
…
Stone Bridge: 6 Pokémon
Dashiwan Valley: 4 Pokémon
Knowing that Ash usually came during the daytime for treatment, there weren't many wild Pokémon waiting early in the morning. Between the two locations, there were only ten in total.
Most of them lived very far away. By the time they arrived, night had already fallen, so they simply stayed overnight at the clinics.
When Ash reached Dashiwan Valley, the Pokémon still had dew clinging to their bodies. A few huddled behind rocks, sheltering from the wind—some with festering wounds, others with deep gashes still seeping blood.
The sight made Ash's heart ache.
In his previous life, as a hardcore Pokémon fan, Ash had always loved Pokémon as pure, innocent lifeforms. Now that he had crossed into the Pokémon world for real, every encounter with wild Pokémon filled him with an indescribable sense of joy and warmth.
Even if healing Pokémon didn't grant him experience for his Viridian Power, Ash would still gladly do it. Helping out of pure love was happiness in itself.
As he treated the wild Pokémon, Ash noticed that beyond the increase in Viridian Power, his understanding of life itself was deepening.
He wasn't a writer or an artist—he couldn't pour those feelings into words or paint them onto a canvas. But those quiet insights were subtly influencing and changing him all the same.
They made him cherish life even more, and feel a deeper reverence for it.
…
"Alright everyone—time for morning training!" Ash called out after finishing the treatments, arriving at the familiar gravel riverbank where he usually trained his Pokémon.
At his call, Pidgeotto and Spearow descended from the sky with Pikachu, while Magikarp and Feebas quickly swam over from the river.
"Pikachu, you've already raised Iron Tail to Mastered level," Ash said, looking at it seriously.
"Next, I'll help you learn Light Screen and Reflect, two defensive moves."
"Today's morning task is to raise both of those from Novice to Skilled."
"Pika—OK!" Pikachu replied energetically.
With a thought, Ash opened his system inventory, selected the virtual TMs for Light Screen and Reflect, and used them. The familiar notification immediately rang out.
(Ding! TM used successfully. Pikachu learned Light Screen and Reflect!)
…
"Frogadier," Ash continued, turning to it,
"You've already fully mastered Toxic Spikes and Spikes. Next, I'll help you learn the Bug-type move U-turn, and the Ice-type move Haze."
"These two moves don't just expand the potential of your hidden ability Protean—they're also extremely practical in battle. I want you to master them as soon as possible."
"Frogi~!" Frogadier nodded obediently.
"Alright, no more talk then," Ash said decisively.
"I'll teach them to you now. This morning's training goal is to raise both moves from Novice to Skilled."
(Ding! TM used successfully. Greninja learned Haze and U-turn!)
Haze could erase all stat changes on Pokémon within its range. With precise control, it could be used to wipe away an opponent's buffs—or cleanse one's own debuffs.
U-turn—also known as VoltTurn's Bug-type counterpart—had 70 base physical power and allowed the user to switch out immediately after attacking. Used well, it truly deserved to be called a god-tier move.
…
"Pidgeotto," Ash said next,
"Your move set is already close to complete. Air Slash, as a Flying-type special attack, has a base power of 75."
"Razor Wind, a Normal-type multi-target attack, has a base power of 80. Gust Storm works well as a group attack—its damage may feel a bit lacking at this stage, but it's excellent for interrupting opponents and harassment."
"In terms of speed, you've already learned Quick Attack, Agility, and Double Team. From here on, you just need to keep up your speed-focused training."
"You have Roost as a recovery move, and Mirror Move and Whirlwind as utility moves. Overall, there's nothing urgently missing from your kit right now."
"However, your level has already reached LV.36. Normally, a Pidgeotto would be evolving into its final form—Pidgeot—around this time. Your talent is higher, though, so your evolution will likely come a bit later."
Ash looked at the bird Pokémon hovering nearby, his gaze calm yet full of expectation.
The day's training had only just begun.
--------------
T/N:
Access Advance Chapters on my
P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals