Pokémon: Trainer Paul

After ending his call with Reggie, Paul began organizing his journey.

Unlike in the games, the distance between Hearthome City and Eterna City is vast. Fortunately, a bike route nearly connects the two cities, making it possible to cross the distance less than a day with a bicycle.

However, while traveling between the cities is convenient, challenging the Hearthome Gym isn't so simple.

Hearthome Gym's leader, Fantina, is a stylish woman who adores traveling and contests far more than staying in her gym. Many trainers who make their way to Hearthome to challenge her often find the gym empty and are told to return another time.

Paul checked Fantina's schedule online and made a reservation for a battle. According to the site, Fantina wouldn't return to the gym for another two weeks.

Being methodical as always, Paul ensured he had a solid plan before setting off. Unlike some trainers such as Barry, who would rush blindly to Hearthome only to be turned away, Paul wasn't one to waste time.

After finalizing his plan, Paul realized he couldn't leave Eterna immediately. Traveling slowly and unprepared along the bike route would be troublesome, as there were few supply points between the cities. Even Pokémon Centers along the route had fallen into disuse due to the bike route's decline.

Paul decided, "I'll train around Eterna for a few days, then head to Hearthome. Once Fantina returns, I'll challenge her immediately."

Eterna City, a hub connecting the past and future, offered diverse terrains including forests, grasslands, rivers, and mountains. Finding suitable training grounds nearby wouldn't be difficult.

The Next Day – Outside Eterna City.

The scene was beautiful: shimmering waves, a rushing river, and Pokémon darting through the water.

Paul hovered mysteriously in the air, accompanied by a group of Pokémon heading toward an isolated area.

"Keep going, pick up the pace." Paul urged, hands in his pockets, glancing at his Pokémon before fixing his gaze ahead.

"Bzzt~"

"Twiig~"

"Vuul~"

The three Pokémon responded with difficulty.

Turtwig carried Vulpix on its back, while Elekid floated on Vulpix's back, struggling against an unusual force.

Paul led his Pokémon to explore training grounds around Eterna while giving them a "warm-up." Vulpix used Psychic to levitate Paul while emitting Gravity to increase the difficulty.

Elekid relied on Magnet Rise to hover above Vulpix, but the increased gravity made staying afloat challenging. Occasionally, Elekid would crash back onto Vulpix's back.

Meanwhile, Turtwig bore the weight of both Vulpix and the enhanced gravity, trudging forward with a special training harness strapped to its body.

Under Paul's relentless instructions, the three Pokémon trained hard.

Observing—both human and Pokémons—gazed at the peculiar sight, their eyes wide with astonishment.

Some trainers even confronted Paul, accusing him of abusing his Pokémon. Paul either ignored them or dismissed them curtly. Those who insisted on battling him often found themselves defeated, lying on the ground under the sun.

Paul's group eventually reached a large waterfall upstream. The waterfall was massive, over 100 meters wide with water cascading down forcefully. Even a Pokémon as strong as Ursaring would struggle to endure the pressure at its base.

"This'll do. Take five minutes to rest." Paul ordered, surveying the surroundings.

"Vuul~"

At Paul's words, Vulpix immediately released its Gravity and Psychic, collapsing onto Turtwig's back.

"Bzzt~"

Elekid, exhausted from maintaining Magnet Rise, plopped onto the ground, breathing heavily.

"Twiig~"

Turtwig, also drained, ignored Vulpix on its back and began using Ingrain, Synthesis, and Growth simultaneously to recover quickly.

The area offered natural training opportunities with its waterfall, river, cliffs, rocks, and trees. Unfortunately, Paul's current team wasn't yet equipped to utilize the environment to its fullest.

Paul turned his attention to his Pokémon, his gaze lingering on Vulpix.

Vulpix, normally small in size, had grown noticeably larger, surpassing both Turtwig and Elekid. Paul noted its potential for further growth before it reached its final size.

"When it's fully grown—or when its training goals are met—I'll consider evolving it." Paul mused.

Evolution with a Fire Stone allowed for precise timing, as long as the Pokémon was fully matured. Premature evolution could lead to complications, but at the right time, it had no adverse effects.

"Bzzt~"

Elekid glanced at Vulpix, eyes filled with hope.

"Vulpix, do you think you could learn Heal Pulse ?"

Vulpix missed the gentle care of a Blissey, whose soothing Heal Pulse once mended its injuries and restored its energy.

But now…

Vulpix blinked drowsily and shook its head.

Though it had long been exposed to both Gravity and Heal Pulse, mastering the latter remained out of reach.

Using Gravity was like solving a tough problem—it took effort, but it was manageable. Heal Pulse, however, felt like an advanced college-level puzzle for a grade-schooler.

"Bzzt~"

Elekid's enthusiasm faltered for a moment before it obediently trudged to the shallow waters beneath the falls and began practicing its punches. The powerful current made maintaining balance a challenge, adding to the difficulty.

Among Paul's Pokémon, Elekid had always been diligent in learning new moves. During their travels, it tirelessly studied techniques from other Pokémon. It had even mastered Ice Punch, completing its repertoire of "farmer's punches": Thunder Punch, Fire Punch, and Ice Punch.

Thunder Punch was Elekid's core move as an Electric-type, while Ice Punch provided valuable coverage against Ground-types. Practicing Ice Punch in water not only enhanced its control but also helped it refine similar moves like Thunder Punch and Fire Punch.

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