Pokémon: Trainer Paul

Ueno was both lucky and unlucky. Lucky to have encountered fossil Pokémon that many others had only heard about, yet unlucky to have been surrounded and attacked by them. It was clear that without help, he would soon meet a grim fate.

Carrying two bright lights with him, Paul arrived just in time to illuminate the space, reducing the pressure on Ueno and his Pokémon. With the added visibility, the battle against the Kabuto and Omanyte became noticeably easier.

The sudden arrival of Paul drew the attention of many fossil Pokémon, who shifted their focus toward Paul and began charging at him.

"Watch out! These guys aren't easy to handle!" Ueno called out in warning, his voice echoing through the cavern.

Paul remained calm, his expression unfazed by the horde approaching him. He issued simple commands:

"Elekid, use Charge to boost your power."

"Turtwig, grow and launch Razor Leaf."

"Vulpix, use Extrasensory."

Turtwig's body grew rapidly, enhancing its strength. Dozens of sharp leaves shot out and rained down on the charging fossil Pokémon.

Kabuto and Omanyte were powerful, but their combined Rock- and Water-typing made them glaringly weak to Grass-type moves. The Razor Leaves hit their mark, felling the fossil Pokémon in an instant.

The remaining few Pokémon tried to counterattack with moves like Water Gun, but Vulpix deftly blocked every attack with Extrasensory.

As Turtwig freed itself from the skirmish, another volley of Razor Leaf swept through the cavern. Within moments, the fossil Pokémon that had attacked Paul were either unconscious or retreating in fear.

Only a handful of Pokémon still surrounded Ueno, while a few younger ones hid underwater.

"Finish it with Thunder!" Paul commanded.

"Bzzt!"

Elekid, who had been charging power from the back, surged forward and leapt into the air. From its vantage point, it unleashed a blinding bolt of golden lightning, turning the entire cavern into a shimmering electrified landscape.

The devastating attack enveloped the area, sparing only the small zone around Ueno. Fossil Pokémon, whether on land or underwater, were caught in the blast and immediately rendered unconscious.

"Return, Gyarados and Golbat!"

Despite avoiding direct contact with the lightning, the sheer intensity of the attack left Ueno's Pokémon visibly shaken. Hastily, he climbed onto his Onix's head and recalled his Pokémon to their Poké Balls.

When the lightning subsided this group of fossil Pokémon, some crawling and some floating, all lost consciousness.

"Poké Ball, go!"

Paul threw three Poké Balls, effortlessly capturing three unconscious Pokémon.

"Clean up the area and gather the rest." He ordered his team.

Vulpix's eyes glowed as it used Extrasensory to telekinetically lift the Pokémon floating in the water, piling them together. Meanwhile, Turtwig and Elekid carried others over.

One by one, Paul scanned the Pokémon with his Pokédex. Those deemed unworthy of training were released, while the few with potential were captured and sorted.

Ueno, now recovering from the danger, watched in amazement. He had seen trainers select Pokémon based on talent before, but never with such precision and thoroughness.

Paul divided the Pokémon into three categories: those with no training value, newborns with decent potential, and the high-potential Kabuto and Omanyte.

"Out of all these Pokémon, only one is barely worth training." Paul muttered, shaking his head in disappointment.

After finishing his evaluation, he captured the most promising Kabuto and placed it separately. To fill the remaining slots in his team, he casually captured two less remarkable Pokémon before turning his attention back to the pile.

From the most talented Pokémon, Paul selected four pairs—one male and one female of each species—and captured them in new Poké Balls.

As the Poké Balls clicked shut, they emitted a faint spatial distortion. Moments later, the captured Pokémon vanished, reappearing in the Day Care Center in Veilstone City.

"I don't need these anymore." Paul said, releasing the two filler Pokémon back into the wild. He kept only the best Kabuto.

These unrevived fossil Pokémon preserved through time, held great value for Paul's brother, Reggie, a top-tier breeder. The eight sent back were specially chosen for him.

"Thank you so much, Paul! Without your help, I don't think I'd be standing here right now." Ueno said, walking over with gratitude.

"It was nothing. At least, I found one worth training." Paul replied nonchalantly, glancing at the timid fossil Pokémon still hiding in the water.

"Even so, you saved my life. I owe you. Here, take this—it's a rare item I've found during my years of exploration."

Ueno rummaged through his bag and handed Paul a thin golden slab radiating mysterious energy.

Paul's initial refusal was interrupted when he saw the item. It was a Zap Plate, brimming with electrical energy. The moment it appeared, Elekid's attention locked onto it, its entire body drawn to the artifact.

"A Zap Plate? How did you get this?" Paul asked, taking the slab.

"I dug it up while treasure hunting. It's said to boost Electric-type moves, but this one has a crack, so its power isn't as strong as it should be. Even a Magnet outperforms it. Still, it might be useful to your Elekid."

"In that case, I'll take it. Thank you." Paul said, accepting the gift.

"Glad to hear it. I hope it helps you on your journey as a trainer. I'll be heading off now—my adventure is far from over. Until we meet again!"

"Goodbye." Paul replied, watching Ueno and his Onix disappear into the depths of the cave.

Left alone, Paul studied the Zap Plate in his hands, pondering its power.

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