Grinding Starts

A week later:

Today marks the beginning of my solo mission. Over the past week, I've been training my Gastly to improve her combat awareness alongside my peak intermediate stage Elekid. As Gastly reaches her peak beginner stage, I've come to appreciate the preciousness of Blue grade Pokémon - their growth speed is nothing short of remarkable. I can't help but think of Golett's growth to an elite Pokémon. I am sure Professor Arden deserves half the credit for Golett's rapid ascent.

Although I had planned to hire a move tutor for Gastly to master a new typing, I've decided to delay it until next month. I want her to become more familiar with her current Black Sludge and Poison typing before moving on. Gastly's ghost typing comes naturally to her, and I'm hoping that the Black Sludge will help her to develop her poison typing skills.

With two months left until the tournament, my priority is to complete as many combat missions as possible. My main objective is to evolve Gastly, and if possible, Elekid too. As I open up the backup to review the mission details once more, I can't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for what's to come.

--------------------

Mission level: D-Grade

Capture the missing Pansages around the daycare area on Route-3. There are three beginner Pansages in total. Each has a tag on their ankles, they would be within a two mile radius of the daycare.

Rewards: 15% off Coupon from daycare and free massage for your Pokémon.

------------------

Money isn't an issue for me, and the rewards for completing the mission are ideal for both of my Pokémon.

"Alright, let's go!" I exclaimed, turning towards Elekid who was busy charging himself up with batteries.

[I can't wait to start pummeling those monkeys,] he exclaimed, rotating his hands and emitting electric sparkles.

"Unfortunately, you won't be able to do that just yet. Your role will be that of a protector for Gastly during this mission. Once Gastly reaches the Intermediate stage, we'll be able to take on more challenging missions that will allow you to improve your combat skills. For now, your main focus will be on honing your Protect and Light Screen abilities. You'll need to learn how to set up the Light Screen more quickly," I explained, watching as Elekid punched the battery in frustration.

"Elekidd, Kidd... Elekid," he grumbled in disappointment.

"I know it's tough, but I'll let you battle any wild Pokémon that we come across. Let Gastly handle the Pansage problem - she needs to grow too," I reassured him, calming him down by rubbing his head.

I could sense that Elekid was becoming restless with all of his stored-up energy.

"I hope we encounter a lot of wild Pokémon,' I thought to myself before returning Elekid to his Pokéball.

------------------

After a two hour trip on a taxi-cart to the Daycare area.

Route-3 (Near Daycare):

I got down the cart close to the Daycare and took some coins out,

"Thanks for the ride Mr.Jamie. I will take care of it from here," i said giving him the payment.

"Pleasure is all mine, Please don't forget to contact me whenever you need to travel out," he said bidding me a goodbye.

"Ok, we are perfectly at the center of the area of search," i said to myself and took out Gastly's PokeBall releasing her out.

[Finally!! I am out!!] said Gastly while checking the surroundings in curiosity. She then turned to me with her tongue out,

[Arthur, why does Elekid get to be out and not me?] she asked squinting her eyes.

"Well, according to Academy rules, only one Pokémon should be out at a time. Since you usually sleep during the daytime, there's no point in releasing you. But don't worry, next week we'll have Golett joining us, and you can play with him at night," I explained, piquing her curiosity.

"Who's Golett?" she asked.

"It's a very strong ghost Pokémon who will also serve as your training guide. You'll see for yourself soon enough. But for now, let's focus on our mission," I replied, attempting to pet her, only to be ignored.

[Okay, sounds good. So, what's my task for today?] she asked, quickly shifting into a cheerful mood as she circled around me.

"Let's take a closer look," I said, opening the map of the area. "We have four options, but the East and West directions do not have many trees."

I studied the map, searching for clues. "Based on what I learned from Professor Thompson, Pokémon like Pansage love tall trees with lots of berries. There are plenty of berry trees in the East and West directions. My plan is to lure them in with their favorite Liechi berries."

"Alright, Gastly. Let's start by exploring the West," I said, pointing in that direction. The trees on the West side were less dense than those on the East side, so we made our way in that direction.

After walking a mile and encountering some weak bug types that Elekid easily defeated, we found a berry tree that was easy to climb. Before climbing, I scattered slices of berries around the area and placed five fresh ones right below the tree.

I asked Elekid to keep watch for any flying types that might try to steal the bait. "All right, we're set. Now we wait," I said, anticipating Gastly's question.

[Why are we waiting instead of searching?] Gastly asked.

"Pansages have excellent hearing, so if we try to search, they'll hear us coming and escape immediately," I explained.

"Besides, the daycare can easily solve this issue but they issue the tasks because of the contract with the academy. This is just a training mission for beginner Pokémon to improve," I explained in detail.

"Well alright, but how long are we waiting here?" she asked again to pass time.

"We'll wait for an hour or two, and then we'll move in another direction. For now, we need to stay absolutely silent and keep a close lookout," I instructed.

I considered asking Gastly to search in her invisible state, but I knew her immaturity and mischievous nature could cause more trouble than help. We'll have to rely on this waiting strategy until she matures.

.

.

.

.

Time dragged on slowly as Gastly grew increasingly restless. Elekid, on the other hand, was thrilled with the sight of two or three Pidoves that flew by every now and then. He happily zapped them with electric shocks.

Despite waiting for another hour, there was no sign or sound of any Pansages. "Alright, let's change our direction," I suggested, frustrating Gastly.

"Are you saying we waited all that time for nothing, only to wait again on the other side?" Gastly complained.

"Gastly, the first thing to learn in the wild is patience," I replied. "The more restless you become, the easier it is for you to become prey. Gengar are considered apex predators in the wild. They're not only fast and powerful, but also patient and skillful. Sometimes they stalk their prey for an entire night before deciding the best time to attack."

I always try to teach her by giving examples of the Gengars she admires. Anything related to Gengar she will listen with at most attention so it was a great way to calm her down.

[Don't worry, sister. Trust in Father. We'll surely find the Pansages. I've done similar missions numerous times. You'll get used to it.] reassured Elekid like a trustworthy Big brother.

After that, Gastly and Elekid bickered back and forth endlessly. Over the past two weeks, I had noticed that Elekid enjoyed playing the role of the big brother, while Gastly preferred a more carefree, less responsible lifestyle. While the team dynamic was working well, I knew I needed someone to apply competitive pressure on Elekid to keep him from getting complacent.

'That's for the future,' I thought to myself.

I also noticed that weaker Pokémon kept their distance from us, possibly due to their fear of Elekid, who was now in the intermediate stage.

"Alright, that's enough, guys. Let's wrap this up and head back home for a good evening snack," I said, bringing them back to reality.

As we made our way through the East side of the forest, I couldn't help but be struck by its beauty. This side of the forest was completely different from the west side. Here, towering trees surrounded us, their leaves casting dappled shadows on the ground. The air was thick with the scent of earth and greenery, and the sound of bugs and chirping filled the air.

But as we ventured deeper, I began to sense a certain foreboding. The trees grew denser, their branches interlocking to create a canopy that blocked out much of the sunlight. Shafts of light broke through the leaves, casting eerie shadows on the ground.

The forest floor was covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves, and the ground was soft underfoot. I could hear the distant sound of a stream, and the occasional rustle of a small Pokémon scurrying through the undergrowth.

I did not want to spend more time in this environment as it seemed very dangerous,

"Ok same plan but this time we only wait an hour. After that I will change the plan a bit," I said making Gastly sigh in relief.

.

.

.

.

.

I set up everything and started waiting. I can't use paralyzing or sleeping powder because these grass Pokémon are very sensitive to them. Otherwise this would be a piece of cake.

After 30 minutes of waiting, I could hear some screeching noises that were rapidly approaching.

Suddenly, Gastly let out a low growl, and I knew that the Pansages took the bait. I drew my sword, ready for battle, as Gastly hovered at my side.

I motioned for Elekid to stay quiet and watch. I did not want his involvement in this battle unless needed. He gave a short nod and looked intently at the approaching shadows.

"Rustle.... Rustle....." "Pan...Pan... PanSageee"

A small, green monkey with a yellowish-khaki chin, arms, and chest appeared before us. It has green legs and a tail, which has a pair of small leaves on its tip. The insides of its ears are light green and it has a tree-like appendage atop its head.

I noticed a small rectangular tag on its feet and it looked around curiously for a good second and then it shouted,

"Sage Pansage"

After that two more appeared behind it with a huge grin, all three were beginner pokemon as I already confirmed it with my ability. They cautiously approached the berries right below us, I then gave a nod to Gastly. We had already made up a plan yesterday and made some mock trials.

The three monkey Pokémon settled in and happily munched on the berries. Gastly sneaked up behind the two on the right, ready to strike with Venoshock, while I positioned myself to jump over the one on the left with my sword.

I checked to make sure the sword was still sheathed, since our mission was to capture the monkeys, not kill them.

The Pokémon had excellent hearing and noticed us right away, causing them to panic. The Pansage I targeted was quick and easily dodged my attack, but the other two weren't as lucky and got hit by Gastly's Venoshock.

I just hoped the Venoshock did some damage and knowingly it did. They quickly shook their heads and got into formation to charge towards us.

"Pan...Sage!"

"Pansagee!!"

"Sage!!"

As the Pansages charged towards us, Gastly sprang into action, unleashing another powerful Venoshock at the two on the left. The electric purple energy hit them head-on, causing them to stumble and lose their footing. Shaking their heads to clear the dizziness, they tried to regain their composure, but it was too late. Gastly was already upon them, using Hypnosis to send one of the Pansages into a deep slumber. But at the time, a swift Vine Whip struck Gastly right in the face.

"Gastly .....Ly" she screched making her eyes big in anger.

I turn my attention to the Pansage on the right, brandishing my sword in a ready position. With lightning-fast speed, the Pansage charges forward and attempts to kick me. I quickly sidestep its attack and swing my sword in a wide arc, but it jumps back and avoids the blade. It jumps again, and I bring my sword down, but it spins away from me, dodging with ease.

I realize that it's not just quick, it's smart. I need to outwit it. I charge at it head-on, feinting with my sword. It jumps, anticipating my swing, but I stop short and bring my sword up for an uppercut. It's caught off guard, and my sword connects, sending it flying back.

But it's not defeated yet. It bounces back up and charges at me again, now with a look of determination in its eyes. I take a deep breath and prepare for the next attack.

Meanwhile, Gastly is still handling the other Pansage. she releases a Confusion Ray, making it confused and disoriented as the pansage moves around aimlessly. she floats around it and releases one more hypnosis, making sure it stays asleep while keeping an eye on the battle between me and the remaining Pansage.

My opponent charged again, and I dodge to the side, rolling away to avoid its attack. I regained my footing and charged towards it, my sword held high. It jumped up, ready to deliver another kick, but I swing my sword in a wide arc, anticipating its movements. My sword connects with its ankle tag, and it falls to the ground, defeated.

I breathed a sigh of relief as this is my first battle after all the sword training I did with Ethan. I also wanted to make sure I defeated this Pansage as it would make me keep my prestige as the leader in this team.

"Great Job, Girl. We successfully captured all three of them," I said with a smile.

[We make a very good team Arthur,] she said excitedly hovering around me grinning with pride. I put back my sword and gather the three Pansages, securing them in pokeballs.

I gave her all the praises I could while pointing out some minor mistakes. 'She seemed unusually happy than normal, I think our first battle together meant a lot to her.' I thought in contemplation.

"Ok, now it's time to go to the Daycare and submit them. You will also have a good massage for all the work," I said giving a happy nod to Elekid who jumped down while giving a high five to Gastly.

[Great!! I have been waiting for this, let's go!] he said while walking further East.

[Elekid! I think we should go the other way] said Gastly pointing the opposite direction.

[Ahem.... I know! I know! Don't you know I am great with directions. Your big brother did these kinds of simple missions numerous times. I am.. I am just going to collect the left over berries back,] he said trying to cover his embarrassment.

I smiled at their banter and got ready to return the Passages.

--------Chapter End----------

Thanks for the patience guys, this was a big chapter and I am happy with how it turned out. I think I am getting the hang of writing again. The updates will be slower depending on how busy I am. If I am free, then two chapters a week for sure.

Edit: Next chapter April 16th ( Sorry for the delay, almost done with the chapter but did not edit it yet.)

Please don't forget to support with power stones.