Chapter 62: You Are Not a Bad Trainer

After thinking for a while, Dylan decided to ask Reggie.

"Mr. Reggie, are you okay?" Dylan asked tentatively.

"Huh? What's wrong with the challenger?"

The receptionist in the audience also noticed the subtle change.

After all, Reggie's current state didn't look right; his head was down, and he seemed completely demoralized.

"Hmmm... he shouldn't be so dejected just because of this slight disadvantage, right?"

Selene tapped her chin with her fingers, tilting her head in confusion.

From the earlier battle between Drapion and this Staraptor, this challenger's strength was definitely quite good; he should at least be an elite trainer.

But getting poisoned twice and confused once shouldn't make him lose his fighting spirit, should it?

On the other side, Paul was tightly pursing his lips, watching Reggie intently, his hands unconsciously clenching tighter.

Brother...

On the field.

"Mr. Reggie?"

"..."

Dylan called out again, and Reggie finally came to his senses and lifted his head.

But it was clear that Reggie's state was very off; his face was extremely pale.

"Sorry, Gym Leader Dylan, I think I..."

Seeing Dylan's concerned expression, Reggie forced an extremely weak smile, his voice very hoarse.

Reggie's voice paused as he looked with a complicated expression at the still-confused Staraptor on the field.

I seem to... no longer be able to battle...

Reggie's heart was very bitter. He had traveled through several regions, challenged all the official gyms, and even earned six badges.

But in the face of Dylan, he felt as weak and powerless as an infant.

Why? Reggie couldn't understand, and he even began to doubt his own abilities.

"I want to forfeit..."

"Mr. Reggie, although I don't know what you've been through, I think you want to get something out of battling me, right?"

Dylan interrupted Reggie, smiling warmly at him.

Reggie was taken aback by this.

"Actually, I can sense that you were probably quite strict with your Pokémon before, or rather, you were very focused on pursuing strength and power, right?"

"...Yes." Reggie was silent for a moment but did not deny it.

There was nothing wrong with admitting it; trainers in this world have different philosophies, but there was no definitive right or wrong.

Being strict and harsh in training Pokémon does not necessarily mean the trainer doesn't love their Pokémon.

Pursuing strength and power isn't wrong either; any trainer with dreams naturally pursues power.

"But your current demeanor tells me that you seem to be giving up."

Reggie wasn't surprised by this; in fact, he didn't have the energy to care about it. He just felt extremely tired right now.

"I'm just a useless failure."

Reggie spoke bitterly. After so many years of effort, this was the result he got.

In the face of Dylan, he was insignificant, and even... in the face of this young gym leader, he was powerless.

"Perhaps... I'm not a qualified trainer," Reggie murmured.

"Whether you're a qualified trainer shouldn't be defined by ourselves," Dylan shook his head and slowly walked onto the field.

This gym battle didn't need to continue; Reggie had no fighting spirit left.

Reggie looked up at Dylan.

"It should be defined by our partners."

"Partners..."

Reggie was stunned.

"Yes, Pokémon are our most important partners. Whether we're qualified or not should be judged by them, right?"

Dylan took out a Full Heal spray and sprayed it on the confused and poisoned Staraptor.

As the Full Heal landed on Staraptor, the bird shook its head rapidly, regaining clarity and health. Staraptor immediately glared sharply at Salazzle.

That despicable, ugly, cunning, disgusting lizard dared to play dirty tricks on me!!!

Salazzle glanced sideways at Staraptor, the corner of its mouth still mocking.

Staraptor noticed this and got even angrier!

But something felt off?

Staraptor quickly realized that the opposing trainer had walked over, and it seemed that this person had used the spray to help it regain clarity?

"Perhaps, Mr. Reggie, you could ask Staraptor if it thinks you're a diligent and excellent trainer."

Dylan smiled, pointing at the confused Staraptor.

Staraptor looked back at Reggie in confusion, not quite understanding the situation. Weren't they in a battle? Why were they suddenly chatting?

"..." Reggie was silent.

He thought about his previous actions. To become stronger, he had ruthlessly trained Staraptor and the others, often leaving them covered in wounds.

Would they really acknowledge a trainer like him?

Reggie bit his lip, feeling ashamed.

"Staraptor, what do you think? Is Mr. Reggie a trainer you like?"

"Staraptor!"

Staraptor responded almost without hesitation, chattering away.

Reggie quickly looked up. Although he couldn't understand what Staraptor was saying, the long years of fighting side by side made him roughly understand its meaning.

But it was precisely because of this that Reggie couldn't believe it.

"It says, although Mr. Reggie can be very strict sometimes, it's actually for their own good. They all want to become stronger and fight for Reggie, so even though training can be exhausting and painful, they can endure it."

"They all like you very much, Mr. Reggie. You're the only trainer they acknowledge."

Dylan smiled as he spoke to Reggie, possessing the power to understand Pokémon.

"...Staraptor..."

Reggie's eyes instantly filled with tears, his tear ducts stinging, as he tightly bit his lip, looking at Staraptor.

Staraptor, perhaps because it was the first time receiving such a gaze from Reggie, seemed a little shy and slowly turned its head.

"A trainer recognized by their Pokémon is a qualified and excellent trainer. Mr. Reggie, you are not weak, and you are not a bad trainer."

Dylan's tone softened.

Though it's undeniable that Reggie was very strict with his Pokémon, just like Paul in the early and mid stages of the original story.

But in reality, their Pokémon never truly hated them, which already proves a point.

Even when Chimchar was abandoned by Paul, it never hated him. At the Lily of the Valley Conference, Infernape defeated Electivire, and Infernape happily fist-bumped Paul, receiving a sincere acknowledgment from him.

Focusing on a Pokémon's strength and power is one approach to being a trainer, and focusing on the bond and friendship with Pokémon is another; they just have different philosophies and priorities.

Of course, this is within reasonable bounds. If the training is excessively cruel, then there's nothing more to say; it's better to disappear.

"I..."

Reggie was stunned upon hearing this.

"I'm not weak, and I'm not a bad trainer..."

This phrase kept echoing in Reggie's mind.

After a long while.

Reggie wiped away the few tears at the corners of his eyes and, with a sunny smile on his otherwise handsome face, bowed deeply to Dylan.

"I understand now. Thank you very much, Gym Leader Dylan."

"Mr. Reggie, there's no need to be so formal. This is too much," Dylan said, helping Reggie up with a helpless smile.

"No, it's very necessary. Gym Leader Dylan, without your words, I don't know what I would have become," Reggie said with a bitter smile as he stood up.

His mindset had nearly completely collapsed before; he even felt that he might never battle again in the future.

After being thoroughly defeated by the Champion and then being treated almost like a training dummy by a gym leader, how could he bear it?

But the words of encouragement from Staraptor and Dylan really brought a ray of warm sunlight to his gloomy heart.

"You're too kind. I was just doing what a gym leader should do," Dylan said with a smile, shaking his head.

Encouraging and guiding challengers is also part of a gym leader's job. Though Dylan initially lacked confidence, it seemed the outcome was quite good.

"But I didn't expect the gym battle to turn out like this."

"Actually, there's no need to continue the battle. I can't defeat you."

Hearing this, Reggie shook his head. After this incident, he seemed to have become much more open.

"I will challenge you again. For now, I want to go back and communicate with my Pokémon. I... have many apologies to make to them."

Reggie bowed apologetically to Dylan, very grateful but also eager to apologize to Drapion and the others for his previous harshness.

"Feel free to come back anytime, Mr. Reggie. You're always welcome to challenge me again," Dylan said with a warm smile.

"Thank you! Paul."

Reggie called out to Paul, who was in the audience. Paul hurriedly ran down to Reggie's side, his eyes fixed on Dylan.

He had witnessed everything from the stands and was very glad that his brother had resolved his inner conflict.

He had been genuinely worried that his brother might be deeply affected and even consider giving up his trainer career.

"Gym Leader Dylan, thank you for helping my brother."

Paul also bowed to Dylan, his tone serious and sincere.

Reggie was taken aback and then smiled wryly.

"There's no need for thanks," Dylan said with a light smile.

"I'm also a trainer. Next time, I'll come to challenge you together with my brother!" Paul said, raising his head with a serious tone.

He seemed very earnest.

"I look forward to that. Or maybe, next time you brothers come, we can have a double battle. Let me see how well you two cooperate," Dylan said with interest, rubbing his chin.

Paul's eyes lit up. A double battle with his brother? That would be great!

"Then once Paul becomes stronger, we will come right away," Reggie said with a smile, seeming to have really moved past his psychological shadow.

"I'll be waiting for you."

Dylan smiled as he bid farewell to the two brothers, watching them leave the gym.

*Clap~ Clap~ Clap~*

Suddenly, applause erupted.

Dylan looked toward the stands, initially thinking it was Selene and the receptionist, but what caught his eye was a red-haired, defiant young man in a cape.

"As expected, my junior~"

The red-haired youth smiled with a high, satisfied arc on his lips as he spoke to Dylan.

It was indeed the right decision to hand over Dratini to someone as capable as this junior, who had received the same gift from the Viridian as himself.

"Champion Lance?"

Dylan looked at the red-haired youth with a surprised expression. 

How did Lance suddenly come here? 

*(End of Chapter)*