Chapter 24: A Humbling Experience

Gladion paced back and forth in the living room, rehearsing his argument in his head for the hundredth time. His parents, Erza and Ben, watched him with amusement, already guessing what their son was about to propose.

"Mom, Dad," Gladion began, his voice filled with determination, "I think it's time for my Pokémon to start sparring with the gym Pokémon and your own teams."

While their parents have started training them with the gym Pokemon, they were only using Pokemon that they used for 1 gym badge or 2 gym badge challenges.

Erza raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what brought this on?"

Gladion took a deep breath. "We're less than a year away from starting our journey. My team needs real battle experience, not just training exercises. They need to face strong opponents to grow."

Ben nodded thoughtfully. "He has a point, dear. What do you think?"

Erza's lips curled into a small smile. "Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt. But remember, Gladion, our Pokémon are at a much higher level. This won't be easy."

Gladion's eyes shone with excitement. "I know, and that's exactly what we need. Thank you!"

As Gladion rushed off to gather his Pokémon, Gwen poked her head into the room. "What's got him so worked up?"

"Your brother's about to get a taste of real Pokémon battles," Erza explained. "Want to watch?"

Gwen's face lit up with a mischievous grin. "Oh, I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

At the family's private training field behind their house, Gladion stood tall, his Poké Balls at the ready. Across from him, Erza casually tossed a single Poké Ball in her hand.

"Alright, Gladion," Erza called out. "Let's start with a three-on-one match. You can use any three of your Pokémon against my Arcanine. Sound fair?"

Gladion nodded, confidence radiating from him. "Sounds perfect. Let's do this!"

Erza released her Arcanine, the majestic fire-type Pokémon appearing in a flash of light. Its presence alone was intimidating, radiating power and experience.

Gladion gulped but steeled himself. "Alright, Milotic, you're up first!"

The beautiful water-type serpent materialized, coiling gracefully on the field. Milotic had been itching for a real battle, and it showed in her determined expression.

"Milotic, use Hydro Pump!" Gladion commanded.

"Arcanine, dodge and use Extreme Speed," Erza calmly instructed.

Before Milotic could even begin her attack, Arcanine vanished in a blur of motion. The next instant, it reappeared behind Milotic, slamming into her with incredible force. Milotic cried out in surprise and pain, struggling to regain her balance.

"What the-" Gladion gasped. "Milotic, quick, use Aqua Tail!"

But Arcanine was already moving again, effortlessly evading the attack.

"Arcanine, Flare Blitz," Erza said, her voice still calm and controlled.

Arcanine's body erupted in flames as it charged towards Milotic. The impact sent Gladion's Pokémon flying, and when the dust settled, Milotic lay unconscious on the ground.

Gladion stared in disbelief. His Pokémon, taken out in mere seconds. "Milotic, return! Machoke, you're up next!"

Machoke appeared, flexing its muscles confidently. But that confidence quickly faded as it faced the unscathed Arcanine.

"Machoke, use Dynamic Punch!"

"Arcanine, Extreme Speed again."

The result was the same. Before Machoke could even wind up its punch, Arcanine had struck, sending the fighting-type crashing to the ground. Though, this time Machoke managed to put his arms in front of him in a cross guard to reduce the damage.

'It seems while the gravity training is not enough to reach that level of speed, it was still helpful.' Gladion thought, glad that the gravity training was not for nothing.

But before he could order his Machoke anything, Arcanine without any order from Erza, body slammed Machoke instantly knocking it.

From the sidelines, Gwen's laughter rang out. "Oh man, this is better than I imagined! Come on, bro, at least try to hit it once!"

Gladion gritted his teeth, ignoring his sister's taunts. "Eevee, it's all up to you now!"

His loyal Eevee appeared, looking determined despite the odds. Gladion knew he was outmatched, but he wasn't going to give up.

"Eevee, use Quick Attack! Try to match its speed!"

Eevee darted forward, moving faster than it ever had before. For a brief moment, Gladion dared to hope.

"Arcanine, Flame Wheel."

In an instant, Arcanine was engulfed in flames, rolling towards Eevee like a fiery meteor. The collision sent Eevee tumbling across the field, coming to a stop at Gladion's feet, knocked out cold.

Silence fell over the training field. Gladion stood there, stunned, as the reality of what had just happened sank in. His entire team, defeated without landing a single hit.

Erza recalled Arcanine and walked over to her son. "That was a good effort, Gladion. Now you understand the level of an elite trainer's Pokémon. Well, I am better than most elites too so don't be too dejected."

Gladion nodded numbly. "I... I had no idea. The difference is just..."

"Astronomical?" Gwen chimed in, skipping over. "Insurmountable? Hilariously one-sided?"

"Gwen," Erza warned, though there was a hint of amusement in her voice.

Gladion shook his head, trying to process what had happened. "I thought we were getting strong. Milotic's been winning battles at the gym, and Machoke's been training so hard..."

Ben, who had been watching silently, stepped forward. "And they are getting strong, son. But there's a world of difference between a gym trainer's Pokémon and an elite trainer's real Pokemon team. Your mother's Arcanine has been with her for over two decades, facing challenges you can't even imagine yet."

"But don't let this discourage you," Erza added, placing a hand on Gladion's shoulder. "Use it as motivation. Every great trainer starts somewhere, and now you know what you're aiming for."

Gladion nodded, a new fire lighting in his eyes. "You're right. We'll keep training, keep getting stronger. One day, we'll be the ones winning battles like that."

Gwen, seeing her brother's renewed determination, softened her teasing tone. "Hey, if it makes you feel any better, my haunter would have been wiped out just as fast. Probably faster, considering your Milotic's type advantage."

Gladion managed a small smile. "Thanks, Gwen. I think."

As they made their way back to the house, Gwen couldn't resist one last jab. "So, Mr. Pokemon Master, any other brilliant ideas for training? Maybe you'd like to challenge a legendary next? I hear Zapdos is free on Tuesdays."

"Oh, shut up," Gladion grumbled, but there was no real anger in his voice. He knew his sister was just trying to lighten the mood in her own way.

Later that evening, as Gladion tended to his Pokémon's injuries, he reflected on the day's events. The battle had been a harsh wake-up call, but also an invaluable lesson. He now understood the true meaning of an elite trainer, and the level he needed to reach.

Eevee nuzzled against his hand, looking up at him with unwavering trust. Milotic, recovering in a large tank nearby, gave a soft cry of determination. Even Machoke, nursing its bruised pride, flexed its muscles as if to say it was ready for more training.

Gladion smiled at his team. "We've got a long way to go, but we'll get there together. Tomorrow, we start training harder than ever."

As he prepared for bed that night, Gladion heard a knock at his door. It was Gwen, looking uncharacteristically serious.

"Hey," she said softly. "I just wanted to say... I'm proud of you, bro. You took that loss like a champ."

Gladion blinked in surprise. "Thanks, Gwen. That means a lot."

She grinned. "Don't get used to it. Tomorrow, I go back to mercilessly mocking your every failure."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Gladion laughed.

As Gwen left, Gladion felt a renewed sense of purpose. The road to becoming an elite trainer would be long and filled with challenges, but he was ready to face them head-on.

And who knows? Maybe one day, it would be his Machamp effortlessly defeating a young, overconfident trainer's entire team. The thought made him smile as he drifted off to sleep, dreaming of future victories and the journey that lay ahead.

------Author Notes-------

Y'all can read 12 extra chapters on my pat*reon.

https://pat reon.com/mrmime24

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