Chapter 5: Chapter 5
Alex had established a routine. He woke up early, opened the window, sat on his bed, and began his daily practice. He sensed that his heart was gradually condensing the green energy into a bead. This bead had the remarkable ability to absorb vast amounts of energy, like a reservoir that accumulated the green energy it absorbed, resembling a treasure chest of untold age. Alex's training session was drawing to a close, but he still wanted to savor the energy flowing through his body. The bellstrout, stood quietly nearby, waiting for its master, accustomed to Alex's behavior.
"Little buddy, you can get up now; it's time for breakfast!" Sam called out. Alex immediately leaped out of bed and responded, "I'm already up; come on in!" As Alex was still in a critical phase of growth, Sam's breakfast spread was sumptuous, with a variety of ingredients brought from the city.
"After breakfast, I'm planning to head to the lightning rod in the forest for an inspection," Sam announced.
"Really?" Alex inquired, though he was well aware of the reason. "Did you build that lightning rod yourself?"
"Of course not; I don't possess that ability yet. I applied for it, and the League sent people to construct this tower specifically for lightning rods. By the way, do you know much about this forest?" Sam explained.
"What's special about this forest?" Alex asked.
"This forest is known as the Forbidden Forest, a gathering place for Grass-type Pokémon. Frequent thunderstorms bring abundant rainfall, which supports the thriving Grass Pokémon population. That's why we were able to request a lightning rod. If a fire were to break out, the damage here would be extensive," Sam elaborated.
"Forbidden Forest, you say?" Alex mused.
"Indeed. Well, I should get going," Sam said as he left with a toolbox on his back.
Alex waved farewell to Sam, then followed Sam's instructions to tidy up the open space and prepare for planting saplings. His physical strength had greatly improved, and tasks like weeding went smoothly. As he cleared the area and tossed weeds aside, he accidentally struck something with a "click." A Poochyena charged over. Alex remained unfazed, brandishing his crescent knife threateningly. The Poochyena, intimidated, lost its spirit and lay on the ground, panting.
"Alright, let's go. We mean no harm, and I hope you won't attack others indiscriminately!" Alex urged. The Poochyena seemed to sense that Alex and Oddish weren't a threat, so it hesitated before eventually getting up and departing.
"Haha, Oddish is amazing!" Alex remarked. Their teamwork was impressive, and Weepinbell appeared jubilant. Perhaps it sensed its trainer's mood or gained experience from battle. As it jumped about, it began emitting a white light. "Haha, it's evolving! It's evolving!" Alex watched the transformation in delight as the light descended, revealing a peculiar-looking Gloom.
"Hello, Gloom!" Alex extended his hand. "Please guide me in the future!" Gloom responded with an outstretched hand. Alex couldn't detect any particularly foul odor at the moment; it only seemed to emanate during battle. Examining the large spots on Gloom's petals, Alex made a decision about its evolution, thinking it resembled a female.
"Gloom, use Dissolving Liquid!" Alex exclaimed. Gloom obediently sprayed the weeds Alex had just pulled out, dissolving them instantly. "Wow, that's amazing! I'll have another powerful move in the future!" Alex celebrated.
Just then, Sam returned. "Oh, it's great that the Oddish has evolved. It seems you've done an excellent job in training," he complimented.
"That's right, my Gloom is quite formidable!" Alex replied.
"Well then, since you have room and board here, you'll need to contribute. What do you think?" Although Sam asked, he spoke as the owner.
"Of course, I'm happy to help protect this forest!" Alex agreed.
"Good, then get ready. We'll plant all these fruits this afternoon," Sam instructed.
"Sure, no problem!" Alex replied.
They planted numerous fruit trees behind the house where Alex had cleared the weeds, eagerly anticipating their growth. Despite the hard work in the afternoon, time flew by, and their efforts would soon be rewarded. Sam was an accomplished cook, and Alex savored the delicious meal.
Alex and Sam lived together in the wooden house. Alex continued his daily training routine, helping Sam patrol the forest during the day, tending to injured Pokémon, inspecting the lightning rods before storms, and helping Pokémon seek shelter during heavy rains. Sam's activities mirrored Alex's every day. They both enjoyed delicious meals together, and half a month passed quickly. Alex had grown a bit taller, and Gloom had become significantly larger and stronger. The fruit trees behind the house had begun to bear fruit, promising rapid growth in such a favorable climate.
Early one morning, Sam returned to the wooden house. It was the day they had agreed upon, and Alex was already prepared, standing outside with Weepinbell. "Excellent, then my Pokémon is the Swampert!" Sam declared, releasing the powerful Swampert.
"Mine is Gloom!" Alex stated.
"Let the battle begin! Swampert, use Water Gun!" Sam commanded.
"Gloom, dodge!" Alex waved his hand. Gloom, being quite nimble, evaded Swampert's Water Gun and slowly advanced toward its opponent. "Now it's our turn, Paralysis Powder!" Yellow pollen shot out rapidly from Gloom's petals towards Swampert.
"Use Sand Attack!" Sam shouted, and Swampert instantly kicked up dust from the ground, creating a thick cloud that obscured the Paralysis Powder.
"Haha, that's quite a move! But what about this? Gloom, release your stench!" Alex extended his arms and shouted loudly.
A strange-colored gas began to emanate from Gloom's petals, wafting toward Swampert. The Swampert appeared uncomfortable, covering its nose. "Haha, how's that?" Alex asked.
The Swampert reluctantly uncovered its nose, muttering, "Well, this... it's indeed..." Sam, too, covered his nose, unable to bear the stench.
"All right, Gloom, use Solar Beam!" Alex increased the attack, and the Swampert, hindered by the stench, was unable to evade quickly. Gloom charged and fired a powerful Solar Beam at Swampert. The Swampert watched helplessly as the beam hit.
"Good, I hit it!" Alex cheered.
However, after the smoke and dust cleared, Swampert merely shook itself off, showing it had sustained minimal damage.
"I knew it!" Alex exclaimed. "Your Pokémon can't be defeated so easily. It seems Swampert's defense is exceptionally high!"
"Indeed," Sam nodded, unresponsive to Alex's comment.
"But the stench remains!" Alex remarked.
"Oh? Don't you find the smell much lighter now?" Sam asked. Judging by Swampert's reaction, Alex knew Sam was right. The combination of Gloom's Solar Beam and Sun Flame had a negligible effect on Swampert, while the stench was considerably milder.
"Then it's our turn. Swampert, use Mud Bomb!" Sam commanded. Swampert ejected large chunks of mud from its mouth, an attack that could potentially cause significant damage and reduce Gloom's accuracy.
"Okay, Gloom, use double team!" Alex ordered.
Weepinbell instantly divided into more than a dozen clones, and the Mud splash missed their mark. "Now it's our turn. Gloom, use Acid!" Alex shouted.
A volley of purple liquid sprayed from Weepinbell toward Swampert, but Swampert's Water Gun turned into high-pressure jets, deflecting the liquid, which then hit Gloom. The mist settled, and Gloom had suffered considerable damage. As the water flowed toward Alex, he rushed to grab Gloom and checked its condition, feeling its pain. "Pokémon battles are a battle of humans and Pokémon, right?" Alex mused, not lifting his gaze.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone