"Also, for most non-avian agile Pokémon, their movement is limited to the battlefield. Their evasion space exists only on a single plane. Even if they can use moves like Dig or have strong jumping ability, their range of movement is still inherently limited."
"But look at Flying-type Pokémon. Forward, backward, up, down, left, right—they can dodge in any direction. The space they can maneuver in is enormous. And if your Pokémon lacks ranged attacks and relies purely on physical combat, then there's almost nothing you can do against them."
"In short, aside from having relatively fragile bodies and the major weakness of losing 80% to 90% of their combat power if their wings are injured, Flying-type Pokémon are just as troublesome as Ghost-types and Psychic-types."
"You could even say Flying-types are greatly underestimated."
"Back at the Pokémon Summer Camp, the Pokémon you received was a Flying-type Fletchling. You should understand this better than anyone."
Ash looked at Gary as he spoke.
Gary thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "Yeah… you're right. Flying-types are definitely difficult to deal with. And although a lot of trainers capture Flying-type Pokémon, most of them just treat them as utility Pokémon. Very few train them as main battle forces like you do."
Hearing this, Ash smiled faintly and pressed further. "So, Gary… are you interested in catching a Flying-type Pokémon and training it properly?"
Gary paused, clearly considering it. "Hmm… in Kanto, the two regional bird Pokémon have already been taken by you. If I'm going to catch one, I'd want something different."
"But Butterfree, Beedrill, Zubat, Venomoth… even though they can fly, either they're not fast enough, or their offensive power and potential aren't high enough. None of them really appeal to me."
"However… during the Pokémon Summer Camp, I really liked the Fletchling I received."
"But Kalos is so far away from Kanto. Traveling all that way just to catch one Pokémon feels a bit… impractical."
Gary voiced his concerns honestly.
But upon hearing this, Ash couldn't help but shake his head with a faint chuckle. "Gary… are you serious? We already have friends in Kalos."
"You can just send your Pokémon over there and ask Tierno or Trevor to help you."
Gary froze for a moment, then frowned slightly. "Even if I send my Pokémon over and have them assist in battle and capture…"
"Wouldn't the Fletchling end up recognizing them as its trainer instead of me? That could cause a lot of problems when building trust later."
Ash shook his head again. "Who said they'd be the ones capturing it?"
"What I mean is—you send your Pokémon over, then use a video call. Put it on speaker, and remotely command your Pokémon in battle to capture it yourself."
As Ash explained his idea, Gary didn't immediately dismiss it. Instead, he fell into deep thought, seriously considering the feasibility.
This was something he had learned from Professor Oak—the mindset of a researcher. Unlike trainers, who often emphasized strength and individual performance, researchers needed humility and openness, willing to consider ideas from others.
Although Gary might lag behind Ash in pure battling ability, in the field of Pokémon research, he was exceptionally talented.
After a moment, his eyes lit up. "I think your idea is worth trying."
"If this works… then in the future, we won't need to travel across regions to catch Pokémon. As long as we have contacts in those areas, it would be enough."
"That would change everything."
His tone carried a trace of excitement.
"In that case, you should try it as soon as possible," Ash said with a grin. "If it works, I might ask Shauna or Serena to 'help me' catch a Flabébé."
"Aunt Delia's Flabébé is just too cute. I want one too."
"And I heard Flabébé comes in five colors—red, orange, yellow, white, and blue. I definitely want to get a blue one."
"Alright," Gary nodded decisively. "I'll contact Tierno and Trevor later and ask them to help find a Fletchling near Vaniville Town."
"This afternoon, when I go to Viridian City, I'll send Umbreon over."
"Then we'll test whether I can command it remotely to battle and capture Fletchling—and whether the Pokémon will recognize me as its trainer afterward."
Gary's actions were swift and efficient.
After witnessing Mega Pidgeot's overwhelming power and hearing Ash's enthusiastic persuasion, his interest in Flying-types had clearly been ignited.
And more importantly—
Fletchling held special meaning for him.
In a sense, it had been his first Pokémon.
If he could truly obtain one of his own…
He would be thrilled.
"Then hurry up and contact Tierno and Trevor," Green chimed in excitedly from the side.
As the three of them chatted, Wartortle and Umbreon—who had been knocked out earlier—gradually regained consciousness.
With that, they left the wasteland and returned to the riverside training ground, splitting up to resume their respective training routines.
At present, Ash already had quite a large team. He had no plans to capture new Pokémon for the time being.
After all, his daily schedule was already packed.
Only when his current Pokémon became more independent—and when he had more time and energy—would he consider expanding his team.
He also planned to begin advanced training of his Aura abilities in the near future.
Unless a Pokémon truly impressed him in terms of personality and character…
He wouldn't break his current plan.
"Pikachu, Greninja, Fearow—you three continue with the same training tasks as this morning. No changes."
"As for you, Pidgeot…"
Ash's gaze shifted.
"You've successfully unlocked Mega Evolution."
"But don't let that make you complacent."
"And don't rely on that power too much."
"You may have reached your final evolution, and your strength is already impressive…"
"But your foundation still isn't solid enough."
"You haven't yet reached the standard I expect."
"So from here on…"
"I want you to stay focused, stay humble, and keep training diligently."
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T/N:
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