Willowdale Tournament

Ella pouted, crossing her arms. "But it could be a great way to gain experience! Plus, we might meet some other trainers who could share tips or even challenges."

I sighed, the thought of battling in a tournament tugging at my competitive spirit but I can't let that control me. "Sorry, but I can't. If you want to join, just join on your own, there's no need to drag me there."

Ella's expression fell, and she looked down at her feet. "You don't have to be so harsh about it, Max. I just thought it would be fun to do this together. We could learn a lot."

I felt a pang of guilt at her disappointment. "I didn't mean to sound rude. It's just... I have a goal to focus on, and I can't afford to get distracted."

Ella sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I get that. But even the best trainers have to take breaks and have fun sometimes, right? We can train and still enjoy ourselves."

"Ella. We just started our journey, and you want to take a break?" I asked, looking at her with disbelief.

Ella's frown deepened, and she crossed her arms tighter, clearly frustrated. "It's not about taking a break! It's about having fun while we're on this journey, Max. We're supposed to enjoy this, not treat it like some kind of race."

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "It's not that I don't want to have fun. I just don't want to get distracted from why we started this in the first place. There's so much we don't know, and I need to get stronger fast if I'm going to face the challenges ahead."

Her gaze softened, but she didn't let go of her argument. "And getting stronger is part of the journey, but what's the point if you never stop to enjoy the ride? We could be learning something new at the tournament, making friends, or even figuring out new strategies."

I paused for a moment, considering her words. She had a point, but I wasn't sure if that was enough to convince me. "I get what you're saying, but right now, I don't want to be sidetracked. It's not just about winning battles for me."

Ella's expression turned thoughtful. "Then what is it about? I mean, I know you're serious about this, but why are you pushing so hard?"

Her question caught me off guard, and for a second, I didn't know how to answer. I'd been so focused on moving forward that I hadn't really thought about why I felt this pressure. Maybe it was the need to prove something to myself. Maybe it was because of everything that had happened to me in the past.

"It's just… personal," I finally said, my voice quieter.

Ella looked at me with concern. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I just want you to know that you can share it with me. We're friends, after all."

I appreciated her willingness to listen, but I wasn't ready to delve into my past just yet. "It's complicated... Let's just say I have my reasons for wanting to get stronger."

We stood in silence for a moment, both lost in our thoughts, before Ella broke the quiet. "How about we just check out the tournament?"

"No." I quickly replied.

"Agh, fine! I'll just check it myself, we were supposed to have a separate journey in the first place."

Ella turned on her heel, her frustration palpable as she marched away. I watched her go, a knot of guilt twisting in my stomach. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate her enthusiasm, it was just hard for me to balance my goals with the idea of having fun.

"Right... How can I forget that we have a different goal..." I chuckled to myself before I noticed that Nurse Joy is already beside me with my Pokeballs.

...

It was nighttime when I came back to the forest, this was a good opportunity to train my Houndour without someone bothering me.

The moon hung high in the sky, casting silvery beams through the trees, creating a serene backdrop for my training session. I found a quiet clearing, far enough from the main path, where I could focus without distractions.

"Alright, Houndour," I said, crouching down to meet its gaze. "We've got some work to do. I want to see what you can do with your Fire-type moves. Let's start with Ember!"

Houndour barked eagerly and unleashed a small burst of flame from its mouth. The fire flickered and danced, hitting a nearby tree trunk and leaving a singed mark. I grinned, impressed with its control.

"Nice job! Now, let's see if we can improve that," I encouraged, clapping my hands. "Try using Ember again, but this time, focus on aiming it more precisely. Aim for that rock over there."

I pointed to a nearby rock about ten feet away, and Houndour nodded. It took a deep breath and concentrated, letting out another Ember. This time, the flames shot straight toward the rock, singeing the surface and leaving a small scorch mark.

"Perfect! You're getting the hang of it," I praised. "Now let's try something different. Use Fire Fang on that rock over there."

"Alright, focus on your fangs and let the fire envelop them," I instructed, taking a few steps back to give it some space. "When you're ready, go for it!"

Houndour dashed toward the rock, its body low to the ground. It opened its mouth wide, revealing the flames dancing around its fangs. With a powerful leap, Houndour sank its teeth into the rock, and flames erupted, creating a small explosion that sent bits of debris scattering into the air.

I clapped my hands in awe. "That was incredible! You really nailed that one. We're making great progress tonight!"

The quiet of the night surrounded us, the only sounds being the crackle of embers and Houndour's excited barks. It was moments like these that reminded me of why I had embarked on this journey. Each small victory felt like a step toward my goals, but I also felt a pang of regret thinking about Ella. She was right about one thing, this journey was supposed to be enjoyable.

"Alright, let's keep it going!" I said, shaking off my thoughts. "Let's try to combine what we've learned. I want you to use Ember, but while you're doing that, follow up with Fire Fang!"

Houndour tilted its head, seeming to grasp what I wanted. With a determined bark, it readied itself. I could see the flicker of flames gathering in its mouth as it prepared for the Ember.

"Now!" I shouted, and Houndour unleashed the flames toward a nearby cluster of branches. As the Ember flew, Houndour launched itself forward, fangs igniting in a blaze of fire. It snapped its jaws just as the flames reached the branches, creating a fiery burst that lit up the clearing for a moment.

"Perfect! That was awesome!" I exclaimed, my voice ringing through the night. The confidence in Houndour's stance and the way it looked back at me with pride made my heart swell. "We're really getting somewhere!"

As I praised Houndour, a part of me still felt the weight of my earlier conversation with Ella. I thought about her enthusiasm, how she saw opportunities where I saw distractions. She was right, training could be fun, and there was much to learn even outside the strict confines of battling.

I sighed, glancing at the moonlit sky. "Maybe I should have given the tournament a chance."

I stood there for a moment, letting the idea sink in. Maybe Ella had a point. Training didn't have to mean isolation. It didn't have to be this constant drive forward without any moments to breathe. Maybe checking out the tournament wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. It could be a chance to test Houndour's skills against others, maybe even learn something new.

But still, something held me back. That nagging feeling that I needed to keep pushing, to get stronger as fast as possible. There was no time for distractions. The road ahead was long and filled with obstacles, and I couldn't afford to slow down. I was doing this for a reason, one that I couldn't even bring myself to fully explain to Ella.

Houndour nudged my hand with its nose, pulling me out of my thoughts. Its eyes glinted with determination and a bit of exhaustion, but it was clear it was ready for more. I smiled at its unwavering spirit.

"Alright, Houndour, let's take a little break. You've earned it," I said, sitting down on a nearby log. The forest was quiet except for the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. I stared up at the moon, my mind racing with conflicting thoughts.

As I rested, I couldn't help but replay my conversation with Ella. The disappointment in her eyes when I brushed off her idea of entering the tournament still gnawed at me. It wasn't fair to her. We had set out on this journey together, and while our goals might be different, that didn't mean I had to shut her out completely.

"Hey, do you want to join the tournament?" I glance at my Houndour.

Houndour tilted its head, as if considering my question. It gave a short bark, tail wagging. I chuckled, rubbing its head. "Yeah, I guess you would be up for it, huh?"

I stood up, stretching as I looked out at the trees, the moon casting long shadows across the forest floor. "Alright, how about this? We'll check out the tournament tomorrow. If it looks like a good opportunity to learn something new, we'll join. Sound good?"

Houndour barked eagerly, clearly thrilled by the idea.

"Alright then, it's settled," I said with a small grin. "But for now, let's rest up. We'll need to be at our best if we're going to compete."

As I packed up our small camp and settled down for the night, my thoughts drifted back to Ella. I hoped she wasn't too upset with me. I hadn't meant to be dismissive, and I could only imagine what she thought after storming off earlier. I'll just surprise her and enter the tournament without telling anything to her.

The next morning, I woke up early, the first rays of sunlight filtering through the trees. Houndour stretched beside me, already awake and alert. Today was the day we would check out the tournament. I packed up quickly, eager to get there before Ella so I could surprise her.

After making sure I had everything, I headed back towards the Willowdale town where the tournament was being held. The streets were already buzzing with activity as trainers of all ages prepared their Pokemon, chatting excitedly about the upcoming battles. The excitement in the air was contagious, and despite my initial hesitation, I felt my competitive spirit rising.

I spotted Ella near the registration booth, talking animatedly to another trainer. She hadn't noticed me yet, which was perfect. I walked over to the registration desk, keeping my distance from her line of sight.

"Excuse me," I said to the woman at the desk, "I'd like to enter the tournament."

The woman handed me a form to fill out. As I scribbled down my information, I glanced over at Ella again. Perfect! She was still deep in conversation, completely unaware of what I was up to.

"You're all set! Good luck out there," She said with a smile.

I made my way toward the arena, where trainers were preparing their Pokemon for the upcoming matches.

"Another new trainer, huh? Can't wait to destroy you."

Huh? Who's this guy? He looks funny, but I don't like the tone of his voice.

He's tall guy with spiky hair, wearing a smirk that matched his arrogant tone. He had a Pokeball in his hand, tossing it lightly as if he already knew he'd win.

"Broccoli." I whispered to myself.

The spiky-haired trainer's smirk widened as he caught the Pokeball one last time. "Did you just call me Broccoli?" he sneered, clearly offended. His friends behind him snickered, but his eyes narrowed at me.

"Maybe. Just looked like it suited you."

"You've got some nerve, newbie. I'll show you what happens to people with smart mouths in this tournament."

"I'm not here to make friends with people like you, Broccoli," I replied, raising an eyebrow. "But if you want a match, I'll be more than happy to take you down."

"You think you can take me down? Fine, let's settle this in the arena. I'm gonna crush you."

"We'll see about that."