"Great job."
Johan never held back on praise for Vulpix. Smiling, he scooped it up and popped an energy cube into its mouth.
"Oowu~~ (`)"
Its mouth full, the little creature gave a muffled response.
Whatever else one might say, the teamwork between Johan and Vulpix was significantly stronger than that between Clair and her Dragonair.
Clair recalled Dragonair, frowning as she mulled over the recent match.
In real battles, Pokémon moves weren't just executed like in gas. Not only were there multiple options, but all decisions happened in the blink of an eye, requiring trainers to react and issue commands instantly. Unlike in gas, there was no ti to ponder for even a few seconds.
At that mont, Clair felt that as a trainer, she had been completely outmatched by Johan.
This guy's command skills... they might even be a bit better than her cousin's!
Clair glanced over to Johan, who was playing with Vulpix, both looking as carefree as ever.
Sighing, she realized they'd also lost soundly in terms of rapport with their Pokémon.
"Johan always surprises with new strategies," Lance marveled from the stands.
If Johan's earlier "Substitute Toxic" and "Perish Song" strategies could be studied and copied, this new strategy was purely tailored to his Pokémon's characteristics.
Suddenly, a thought hit Lance. He quickly reached for his shoulder, where his official "Recording Badge" was mounted.
It was off. He sighed in relief.
Thank goodness... This match hadn't been recorded.
Skarmory's "Substitute Toxic" had been okay. Even "Perish Song" was acceptable. But if this "Snowy Hide-and-Seek" tactic hit the internet and caught the attention of that "old lady" at Silver Academy... things wouldn't end well for him.
Lance didn't know, though, that this strategy was just the beginning of Johan's ideas for Vulpix.
Vulpix still had many moves to learn, like Aurora Veil, Blizzard, Freeze-Dry, and Pain Split, which would add even more layers to their strategy.
And if, one day, Vulpix evolved into an Alolan Ninetales and gained the Fairy type, it would beco a true "Dragon Slayer."
And, naturally, a "Flying-type Slayer" too.
"Here, a deal's a deal!" Clair handed over a Dragon Fang to Johan.
The Blackthorn Gym, or rather the entire Dragon Clan of Blackthorn City, had a tradition. Every so often, they held a "Dragon Fang Ceremony" to award dragon trainers.
So while Dragon Fang was a rare treasure for most trainers, it wasn't a huge deal for Clair.
"Well, if you insist..."
Johan smoothly pocketed the Dragon Fang with practiced ease.
Clair pursed her lips. "I'll admit you're an excellent strategist with impressive skills in raising Pokémon, but next ti we battle, I won't be using my second team!"
Johan nodded with a grin. He had no intention of there being a "next ti."
Clair didn't know what he was thinking, but losing twice in a row—to both Lance and Johan—left her in a foul mood.
After a hasty farewell to Johan and Cynthia, Lance quickly followed Clair out.
With Lance, Clair, and their Pokémon gone, the large battle arena was left to Johan, Cynthia, Haunter, and Vulpix.
But for so reason, Johan suddenly felt an odd tension in the air.
Casually glancing at Cynthia, he found her smiling at him with a curious, almost mischievous glint in her eyes, a light blush dusting her cheeks.
Hmm?
Johan blinked.
Following Cynthia's line of sight, he glanced over at Haunter.
Noticing Johan's gaze, Haunter imdiately looked away, whistling innocently.
anwhile, a Poké Ball had appeared in Cynthia's hand, though her expression remained the sa as she slowly walked closer with that gentle smile.
Johan began to sweat.
Instinct told him to run.
Reason told him that there was no escape.
And keeping silent might be his safest bet.
"Did you... see it?"
As she drew closer, her cheeks flushed, Cynthia asked softly.
See it!
The mont Cynthia spoke, Johan knew exactly what she ant. He'd been ratted out by Haunter once again!
As he noticed the Poké Ball in her hand, his rational mind quickly took over.
Feigning innocence, he looked at her blankly. "See what?"
One perk of studying psychology was a relatively strong ntal resilience. Johan held firm, his expression betraying nothing that could give him away.
Cynthia scrutinized him for what felt like a long minute, her cheeks tinged with a warm blush. Eventually, she gave a soft huff, wrinkled her nose, and said, "I'm going to buy ice cream!"
Then she briskly walked out of the battle arena.
Once outside, she imdiately pulled out her phone.
"All those ads with... certain images of —find out which companies are responsible," she ordered.
anwhile, back inside the arena.
With Cynthia gone, Johan's face darkened as he advanced on Haunter.
Haunter froze, swallowed, and exclaid, "Ka-Kah!"
I didn't take your phone!
To demonstrate, Haunter spat out its own phone and swiftly pulled up the very sa "Cynthia swimsuit show" ad, showing it to Johan.
Haunter had tactfully used its own phone to show Cynthia the ad and point out how her likeness was being misused. It hadn't directly implicated Johan in any way!
"There's... tact?" Johan's eye twitched.
Sure enough, his phone remained safely in his pocket.
From Cynthia's reaction, Haunter hadn't fully sold him out—only halfway.
"Ka-kah..." Haunter let out a relieved sigh and mumbled to itself.
It's actually kind of fun to be a sneaky ghost.
Seeing this, Johan's brow shot up.
Forget it—I can't take this anymore!
Rolling up his sleeves, he lunged at Haunter.
"Ka-Kah!!"
Don't co any closer!
Vulpix hurriedly covered its eyes, too scared to watch... though it left a small gap to peek through.
"Oowu..."
So brutal...
Two minutes later...
Johan sat on the ground, his face slightly purple.
With a Sitrus Berry in one hand and a Pecha Berry in the other, he took alternating bites.
Haunter hovered behind him, smiling ingratiatingly as it massaged his shoulders.
"Ka-kah?"
Need another punch? I actually don't mind...
Realizing the absurdity of what he'd just tried to do, Johan shook his head in resignation.
What had he been thinking, charging a ghost Pokémon alone? He almost thought he was a Super Trainer.
"Let's put this incident to rest," Johan finally said, sighing.
"Ka-Kah~~"
"Oowu~~"
Johan let out another sigh.
"I swear... I really did just accidentally click it... You believe , right?"
"Ka-Kah!" (Of course! If I didn't, I'd be a ghost!)
"Oowu~~" (If I didn't, I'd be a fox!)
Johan covered his face.
It seed both of his "little troublemakers" were turning mischievous. Maybe it was ti to train up a third.
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Powerstones?
For 20 advance Chapters: /michaeltranslates
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