While Joe was out testing new battle strategies with the young trainers, David had spent the morning at the battlefield taking on challengers. Unlike his intense showdown with Drake from the Orange Archipelago, today's battles were far less demanding. None of the trainers showed the same promise, and David was able to win each match without much difficulty.
His Conkeldurr, Electrode and Swoobat were able to take down several much weaker Pokémon. Only his Skuntank was knocked out, but it was understandable as it fought against two challengers in a row and the second one had a pretty balanced roster behind his belt. And the powerful Jynx the trainer sent against him was quick, strong and very proficient in using Teleport. Therefore, it was able to dodge all the Shadow Balls fired by the tired Skuntank. And when the David's Poison/Dark Pokémon tried to use direct approach and attack with Crunch, Jynx was able to freeze it with Icy Wind and then knock it out with Draining Kiss. Nevertheless, Electrode was able to quickly avenge Skuntank by paralyzing the humanoidish creature with Thunder Wave, followed up with supereffective Iron Head.
David was actually tempted to give this trainer the symbol by choosing some weaker Pokémon instead of Electrode. But his hands were quicker than his brain and the big electric ball creature was out of its Pokéball, before he could change his intentions. But he told the challenger to try it again after the fainted Pokémon are healed.
The real "problem" today was the sheer number of challengers, which kept him tied up in battles one after another. By the time he finished and checked his watch, he realized with a sinking feeling that he was supposed to pick up his son and niece from school.
David rushed to the Pokémon Center, where he ran into Rachel, his sister-in-law, who was busy assisting with some of the injured Pokémon from earlier.
"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, her curious expression quickly turning into a knowing smirk.
"Too many challengers today," David said, his face flushed with embarrassment as he handed several Pokéballs with exhausted Pokémon to her.
"And?" Rachel raised an eyebrow, waiting for more.
"And... I forgot about school. About picking up Jake and Monika," he admitted sheepishly.
Rachel grinned playfully. "And now you want me to heal your Pokémon and fetch our little hobbitses?"
David chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, please, Rachel, I'll owe you one. Big time."
Rachel shook her head with a grin. "You owe me more than one, Lindenberg." Then, with a dramatic wave, she called out her shiny pink Starmie. "To the school, Patrick!"
Starmie
Level: 44
Name: Patrick
Gender: Male
Type: Water / Psychic
Affinity: Water (Full), Psychic (Full)
Moves: Water Gun (43), Quick Attack (31), Rapid Spin (35), Light Screen (32), Teleport (40), Hydro Pump (35), Ice Beam (36), Power Gem (37), Psychic (31), Thunder (30), Rain Dance (41), Psybeam (24), Surf (42), Harden (40), Confuse Ray (32), Scald (25), Dazzling Gleam (21)
Abilities:
Illuminate – By illuminating his surroundings, Starmie raises likelihood to attract wild Pokémon and also prevents its accuracy to be lowered
Natural Cure – Heal all status conditions when Starmie is switched out of battle
Weak to: Bug, Ghost, Grass, Electric, Dark
Immune to: Ground
Resistant to: Fighting, Steel, Fire, Water, Psychic, Ice
The Pokémon started spinning around and then in a flash of brilliant white light, Rachel and her Starmie vanished, leaving David standing there, a mix of gratitude and guilt on his face.
Rachel's playful energy lingered in the air as David thought about how lucky he was to have her and Frank in the family. With a sigh of relief, he leaned against the wall, planning how to make up for his slip-up.
David paced nervously in the Pokémon Center lobby, waiting for Rachel to return with the kids. He glanced at the clock on the wall, tapping his foot impatiently. Just as he was beginning to zone out, two young trainers entered the lobby, looking a bit flustered. They made a beeline for the reception desk and rang the bell.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
But no one came.
David sighed and walked over to them, feeling a twinge of responsibility. "Hey, guys, uh... someone should be back any minute," he said, trying to sound casual. "Maybe I can help you out until she gets here?"
The two trainers exchanged glances, clearly not expecting David to step in. One of them, a girl with short red hair, raised an eyebrow. "You work here?"
"Not exactly," David admitted with a sheepish grin. "But I've been around here often enough. I can probably help you with some easier tasks. What do you need?"
The boy trainer, who looked a little more eager, spoke up. "We just had a friendly battle, and we wanted to heal our Pokémon."
David nodded. "Alright, let's see what we can do." He moved behind the desk, move the mouse and woke up the computer. He hadn't used this particular system in years—not since he started working for the League—and the screen in front of him was... not as familiar as he'd hoped. The program had gone through multiple updates since his last interaction with it.
"Okay, let's see..." David muttered, pulling up the trainer log-in screen. "Just need to... wait, where's the registration tab again?" He clicked through several menus, each one feeling more confusing than the last. His brow furrowed, fingers hesitating over the keyboard.
The girl trainer leaned in, smirking slightly. "You sure you know what you're doing?"
David huffed, trying to keep his composure. "Yeah, yeah, just a little... rusty. They've updated the system a lot since I last used it."
He clicked again. Nothing happened. Then, another click. Still nothing. The cursor refused to cooperate.
"Dude, we can wait for someone else," the other trainer commented with a smirk.
"Let me try one more thing." David frowned and swore something under his breath as the two trainers stifled their giggles.
Just as David was about to give up and call for help, there was a flash of light behind him. Patrick, Rachel's shiny pink Starmie, had teleported in, and beside it stood Rachel, holding hands with both Monika and Jake. The kids were a bit dizzy from the teleportation, blinking rapidly as they adjusted to the sudden shift.
Rachel, arms crossed and a playful grin plastered on her face, sauntered up to the desk. She took one look at David's struggle with the computer and shook her head, smirking. "So not only did I bring our dynamic duo back, but now I have to save your ass one more time, Mr. IT guy?"
David turned, sheepish once again. "Uh... yeah. The system's a bit more complicated than I remembered. And then the program froze."
Rachel snorted a laugh. "Move over, genius." She gently nudged him out of the way and swiftly took over, her fingers gliding over the keyboard with ease.
"Froze, my ass..." she muttered.
Within seconds, she had the trainers' Pokémon logged in, transactions completed, and everything properly entered.
"There you go," she said with a wink, turning to the trainers. "All set. You can leave your Pokémon here and they will be healed in no time."
The two young trainers exchanged grateful looks before giving David and Rachel a quick "thank you" and heading off to adjacent café to wait for their Pokémon.
David scratched the back of his head, feeling both relieved and embarrassed. "Thanks, Rach. Really. I, uh... owe you one. Again."
Rachel turned to David teasing, "So, now that you owe me so much, you should take the half-lings on some adventure."
Jake, already eager, couldn't help but jump in at the mention of an adventure. "Yeah, dad! Can you take us to see some Pokémon battles?"
David grinned, amused by his son's enthusiasm. "Sure, I think we can make that happen."
Monika, however, wasn't as easily convinced. She turned to her mom, her face scrunched in mild frustration. "Mom, I don't want to see some stupid Pokémon battle. Can I just go home?"
Rachel raised an eyebrow and smirked at her daughter. "Well, if you don't want to go with your uncle David, I've got some housework waiting for you at home. You can start with tidying your room, then wash the dishes, and—"
"Alright, alright!" Monika interrupted quickly, rolling her eyes. "I'll go with them."
Rachel chuckled, pleased with how easily Monika had caved. "That's what I thought." She gave David a wink before glancing back at Jake, who was already bouncing with excitement.
David knelt down, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "Your grandpa has some matches lined up for this afternoon. We can go and watch him—should be good, right?"
"Yay!" Jake cheered, eyes wide with excitement. "But first, can we go and fetch Charmander?"
"Okay," David agreed with a nod.
"Uh, Rach... could Patrick..." David turned to his sister-in-law.
"You owe me so much, Lindenberg boy, it's now a lifetime debt," she grinned rolling her eyes.
Then she turned to her Starmie. "Patrick, take them wherever they want to go." Patrick's central jewel gleamed with a bright light as the Pokémon prepared for teleportation.
Jake and Monika quickly grabbed their father/uncle's hands, eyes gleaming with anticipation. Rachel gave a mockingly dramatic wave. "Fly, you fools!" she teased, throwing in another little LOTR reference just as the three of them disappeared in a flash of white light.
Rachel sighed to herself once the light faded, already picturing the chaos the little kids was about to encounter. But, if anything, she knew David could handle it—or at least, she hoped so. On the other hand, she was more than prepared to swoop in and save the day.
After a brief stop at David's home, where they gently woke up Charmander from its nap, Rachel's Starmie teleported them to the large rocky battlefield situated a few hundred meters away from the ranch. As the bright light of teleportation faded, the three of them found themselves surrounded by the buzz of young trainers. Jake's eyes widened at the sight, his excitement palpable.
"Thank you, Patrick. You can return to Rachel," David told Starmie. Its gem started to blick, before the Pokémon teleported away. The trio looked around.
Several young trainers were sitting around the battlefield, their attention fixed on the center. At one end of the field stood Joe Lindenberg, David's father and Jake's grandfather, with his calm, steady presence commanding the area. His arms were crossed, and in front of him stood a massive, imposing creature.
The Pokémon was a hulking beast over 2 meters tall with a white, shaggy fur that covered most of its body, giving it the appearance of being wrapped in a thick coat of frost. Its enormous, crab-like pincers were bright blue, sharp enough to crush through boulders. Its eyes gleamed with a mixture of cold intelligence and raw strength, while its muscular frame bristled with power. The jagged edges of its icy fur glinted under the sun, making it look like a force of nature brought to life.
Crabominable
Level: 101
Name: N/A
Gender: Male
Type: Fighting / Ice
Affinity: Fighting (Full), Ice (Full), Water (Expert)
Moves: Rock Smash (97), Ice Punch (93), Avalanche (83), Bubble Beam (88), Reversal (76), Ice Hammer (84), Iron Defense (94), Dynamic Punch (74), Mud-Slap (71), Chilling Water (74), Crab Hammer (99), Snowscape (66), Thunder Punch (79), Poison Jab (67), Iron Head (57), Focus Blast (83), Wide Guard (91), Bullet Punch (77), Wood Hammer (66), Shadow Punch (55), Sucker Punch (69)
Abilities:
Hyper Cutter – Crabominable's Attack stats cannot be lowered
Iron Fist – Boosts the power of punching moves
Weak to: (Fighting, Flying, Steel,) Fire, Psychic, Fairy
Resistant to: Bug, Ice, Dark
Weakness removed: Fighting, Flying, Steel
At the other end of the battlefield, a young girl stood, recalling her fainted Espeon. Her face was flushed, both from exertion and from the frustration of having lost a Pokémon. Joe gave her a gentle, encouraging smile.
"Do you have more Pokémon?" Joe asked, his voice calm yet resonating across the field.
The girl didn't answer verbally. Instead, she reached for her belt, grabbed another Pokéball, and threw it into the air with determination. In a flash of light, a Passimian appeared, landing with athletic precision on the battlefield. The lemur-like Fighting-type Pokémon clenched its fists, its sharp focus locked onto Crabominable.
The battle was set.
"Passimian, use Close Combat!" the girl shouted, her voice quick and filled with urgency. Passimian dashed forward, its limbs swinging with incredible speed as it unleashed a flurry of rapid, powerful punches and kicks aimed at Crabominable.
But Joe simply stood there, smiling, his arms still crossed. He didn't need to give a single command. Crabominable, towering and calm, took the brunt of the attack, its fur and thick hide absorbing most of the blows without flinching. The crab-like creature barely budged, its body as solid as the mountain behind it.
The girl's eyes widened. "Passimian, try Rock Smash! Go!"
Passimian lunged again, this time its hand glowing with energy as it brought down a powerful strike toward Crabominable's midsection. The move connected, but the effect was minimal. Crabominable, a Pokémon used to much more intense battles, remained unshaken.
"Passimian, keep at it! Use Seed Bomb!"
The girl's commands came quicker now, more frantic. Passimian hurled glowing seeds toward Crabominable, but they exploded harmlessly against the thick layer of fur and muscle. The difference in power was becoming more and more obvious with each passing moment. Joe's Crabominable, on a much higher level, didn't even need to dodge.
Joe's smile grew a little wider. He didn't need to say a word. Crabominable knew exactly what to do.
Passimian tried once more, launching itself into a Double-Edge, its body crackling with energy as it charged headfirst into Crabominable. This time, Crabominable shifted slightly, taking the hit with its muscular arm. The recoil from the attack seemed to do more damage to Passimian than it did to the ice-crab creature.
"Come on, Passimian! Don't give up!" the girl urged, but her voice was starting to shake with desperation.
As Passimian prepared for another round, Joe finally spoke. "Crabominable… Go."
With a quick nod to its trainer, Crabominable's massive claw glowed with a cold, intense energy. It moved with surprising speed for its size, delivering a single, devastating Ice Hammer. The impact was brutal. Passimian was thrown backward across the battlefield, landing hard and fainting on the spot.
The girl's shoulders slumped as she recalled her defeated Pokémon. Joe gave her an understanding look.
"You did quite well," he said, his voice calm but kind. "But battles aren't just about speed or attacking relentlessly. You knew that I wouldn't attack first. Therefore you had time to boost yourself. Even repeatedly. And you didn't do it. Think about it the next time. Or if your Passimian doesn't know any boosting moves, you should teach it some. We have a course here on our Ranch for this."
The girl nodded, though she still looked a little dejected. David, watching from the sidelines with Jake and Monika, couldn't help but admire his father's mastery in both battle and mentorship. Joe had made it look so effortless—without even breaking a sweat.
Jake, meanwhile, was bouncing on his toes, eyes wide with excitement. "Wow, did you see that, dad? Grandpa didn't even need to try!"
David chuckled, ruffling his son's hair. "Yeah, your grandpa's pretty amazing. But you'll be just as good one day, don't worry."
Monika, less impressed by the battle, crossed her arms and muttered, "I still don't see why this is so fun."
David glanced at her, amused by her lack of enthusiasm. "Maybe the next battle will be more interesting, Monika. Or maybe I'll take you somewhere with fewer Pokémon next time."
Monika shrugged but didn't respond, her eyes still fixed on the now-quiet battlefield.
Joe's voice rang out across the battlefield, calm yet encouraging. "If you've got more Fire, Psychic, or Fairy-types, give it another shot."
The young girl, undeterred, nodded and tossed another Pokéball into the air. In a burst of light, a Quilava appeared, landing gracefully on the rocky terrain. Its body was sleek, its fiery neck already flaring with small flames as it sized up Crabominable.
Immediately, Quilava activated Sunny Day. The battlefield was bathed in a bright, intense sunlight as the move took effect, making the air around them shimmer with heat. Jake's shiny Charmander was mesmerized, its tail flame flickering higher. Charmander's eyes glowed with excitement as it tried to mimic Quilava's move, struggling to show off its own fiery prowess.
Monika noticed and leaned towards her cousin. "You better tell Charmander to stop, Jakey. We don't want to interfere with their match."
"What?" Jake asked as he was not paying attention.
Luckily for them, David was watching the situation and he gave Charmander an affectionate pat on the head. "You're great, buddy, but save your Sunny Day for later, okay? We're proud of you, but let Quilava have this one."
Charmander hesitated for a moment, still glowing with enthusiasm, but then reluctantly stopped its attempt and cancelled its move. They could see the excitement in Charmander's eyes, though—the little Pokémon was clearly thrilled to see another Fire-type in action.
Monika leaned toward her cousin and his Pokémon grinning. "Maybe we should cheer for Quilava, huh?"
Charmander gave an eager nod, and the flame on its tail blazed even brighter. Jake and Monika exchanged amused glances, while David smiled, sensing their growing excitement.
On the battlefield, Joe nodded toward the girl. "Alright, let's see what you and Quilava can do."
The girl took a deep breath, clearly nervous but determined. Instead of rushing into a direct attack, she opted for strategy first and did as Joe adviced her earlier.
"Quilava, use Work Up!"
Quilava's flames grew hotter, its body tensing as it boosted its physical and special attack. Its flames roared brighter under the intensified sunlight from Sunny Day.
"Now, Flame Charge!"
Quilava darted forward, flames engulfing its body as it sped up across the battlefield. The move didn't just increase its speed—it also primed it for an even more powerful attack. Quilava hit Crabominable with a crazy force, but the large behemoth didn't even flinch.
The girl wasn't done yet.
"Don't let up! Use Flamethrower! Give it everything you've got!" the girl commanded.
Quilava opened its mouth and unleashed a massive stream of fire. The Flamethrower attack burned intensely, the heat so fierce that the air wavered from the intensity. The entire battlefield was consumed in the blazing inferno, and Jake's Charmander was absolutely captivated. Its tail flame flickered even higher, as if feeding off the energy from the battle. Even Monika's normally cool expression faltered as her eyes widened in awe.
The attack struck Crabominable directly, flames swirling around its shaggy body. But as the fire dissipated, it became clear that the attack had done little more than singe the tips of Crabominable's fur. The massive Ice-type Pokémon stood there, unmoved, its thick hide and sheer power rendering the fiery assault ineffective.
"How… how is that possible?" Jake asked, blinking in confusion.
David crouched down next to his son and Monika, who was also looking at him with disbelief. "Crabominable's just on a whole different level. Sometimes, when a Pokémon gets really strong, even powerful moves like that don't make much of an impact."
On the battlefield, the girl's shoulders slumped in desperation. She was throwing everything she had, but it seemed like nothing was working.
Joe, sensing her frustration, offered her a smile. "You're doing great. Try boosting Quilava's attack even more. You've got the right idea."
The girl, her determination reignited, nodded and called out, "Quilava, use Howl! Boost your attack to the max!"
Quilava howled into the sky, its flames intensifying as it gathered every ounce of strength it had. The Sunny Day continued to blaze above, fueling the Fire-type's power. The girl took a deep breath and clenched her fists. "Alright, Quilava, this is it! Use Overheat! Full power!"
Quilava reared back, its entire body engulfed in a raging inferno. Then, with a fierce cry, it unleashed the attack. The field was utterly scorched by the searing heat as the flames roared to life. The blast was so intense that even Jake and Monika, from their spot on the sidelines, could feel the heat wash over them. Charmander was utterly ecstatic, bouncing on its feet, its eyes wide with excitement at the fiery display.
The flames engulfed Crabominable once more, covering the battlefield in a thick cloud of smoke and ash. As the smoke slowly cleared, the results of the attack were revealed.
Crabominable was still standing.
The massive Pokémon hadn't even budged. Its icy blue pincers glistened in the sunlight, completely unharmed. It looked as though the fiery inferno had been little more than a warm breeze.
Quilava, now breathing heavily from the effort, struggled to stay on its feet. Its flames flickered, dimming after the intense use of energy.
Joe, smiling broadly, began clapping his hands. "Well done! That was one of the strongest Overheat attacks I've seen in a long time."
The girl, though her Pokémon was exhausted, seemed to appreciate the compliment. She glanced at her Quilava with pride, even if they hadn't managed to defeat the powerful Crabominable.
The girl looked down at her Quilava, clearly out of options. She had no other Pokémon to send out, and her Quilava, though strong and determined, had given its all against Joe's unyielding Crabominable.
Joe, like a supportive mentor, walked toward her with a kind smile. "You've done an excellent job today. Your instincts as a trainer are sharp, and you're clearly thoughtful with your strategies. You were smart to set up Sunny Day early and to follow up with moves like Flame Charge and Howl. You've got a strong sense of how to boost your Pokémon's power, and that's something not every trainer does."
He paused, looking down at the exhausted Quilava. "Your Quilava is particularly impressive. It's got real heart and a lot of potential. That Overheat—" he gave a small whistle, "—was one of the strongest I've seen in a while. Keep working on building its stamina, and don't hesitate to teach it more versatile moves. You'll be surprised how much more you can do with it."
The girl beamed with pride at the praise, returning Quilava to its Pokéball with newfound determination. She thanked Joe and took a seat on the sidelines as the next challenger stepped forward.
The new trainer was a boy about twenty, tall and wiry, with sandy blonde hair and a scrappy demeanor. He wore a loose jacket with torn sleeves and confidently tossed a Pokéball in his hand. "Let's see what I can do against that giant crab of yours!"
While David, Jake, and Monika watched the new battle unfold, a voice from behind startled them.
"Hey, David, you got a minute?"
David turned to see Drake, the powerful trainer from the Orange Archipelago who had challenged him for the Battle Symbol just a few days ago. His long coat and easy swagger gave him a commanding presence, but there was an unmistakable friendliness in his eyes.
"Drake!" David greeted him with a smile, though a bit surprised. "What brings you here?"
Drake tilted his head toward the ongoing match. "I've been exploring your ranch, but now all the people are gathered here. Just wondering what's going on."
David gestured toward his father, who was standing calmly at one end of the battlefield, watching his Crabominable continue to battle without breaking a sweat. "My dad wants to take over the frontier business. He's using some of his old Pokémon to test trainers and see how they hold up in battle."
Drake's eyes sparkled with intrigue. "Really? Sounds right up my alley." He crossed his arms and looked toward the battlefield, then back at David. "Think I can give it a shot? I'd love to test my Dragonite against your old man's team."
David quickly shook his head, grinning. "Oh no, no way. If anyone's going to battle your Dragonite, it's me, not my dad."
Drake chuckled, leaning forward. "Come on, David. You had your shot last time. Maybe I can give Joe a real challenge."
David folded his arms, a playful smirk on his face. "I've been itching for a rematch ever since our last battle. You owe me one first."
As the two continued their lighthearted banter, the next trainer's Pokémon on the battlefield was knocked out by Crabominable's powerful Ice Hammer. Joe, once again, calmly gave a brief evaluation, praising the trainer's efforts but pointing out areas for improvement. He complimented the boy's focus on type advantages but suggested working on his speed and evasive moves.
David, seeing that the match had ended, stood up and waved at his father to catch his attention. Joe, noticing his son, gave a nod in acknowledgment before gesturing for the next challenger to come forward.
As Joe noticed David's gesture, he glanced at the young man standing next to his son—Drake, the challenger from the Orange Archipelago. David made a subtle motion, indicating that Drake wanted a turn at the battlefield as well. Joe gave a slight nod in acknowledgment but turned his attention back to the field where another trainer was already stepping up to challenge him.
"Come on, let's go down there, so Drake can be next!" David said, gesturing for the whole group to move closer to the battlefield. Jake, Monika, and Charmander eagerly followed behind, excited to see the action up close.
The current challenger, a nervous-looking young man, released a Wigglytuff onto the field. He hesitated for a moment, then shouted a command. Not even a status move to boost his Pokémon, but straight attack. "Wigglytuff, Dazzling Gleam!"
The attack was bright and flashy, but Crabominable stood firm, barely flinching. The challenger didn't attempt any status moves or strategy, just kept relying on super-effective Fairy-type attacks that did little to phase the icy crab. Joe, as always, said nothing to his Pokémon, letting it handle things on its own. After enduring a few weak hits, Crabominable retaliated with an unexpectedly quick Poison Jab, knocking out Wigglytuff in one powerful strike.
The next Pokémon sent out was a Mr. Mime, who immediately began launching Psybeams at Crabominable. At first, Joe's Crabominable simply stood there, taking the hits without flinching. Mr. Mime, sensing a potential opportunity, became bolder, darting around and shooting its beams with increasing confidence. But just as Mr. Mime prepared to fire off another beam, Crabominable suddenly lunged forward with surprising speed, delivering a Ice Hammer right into Mr. Mime's chest. The Psychic/Fairy-type crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold.
For his third and final attempt, the trainer called out a Rapidash. The fire horse stomped its hooves, igniting flames around its body. It immediately tried to mimic the earlier Quilava's strategy, blasting Crabominable with a fiery Fire Blast followed by Flame Charge. The intense heat from the Fire Blast shook Crabominable slightly, but it quickly recovered. As Rapidash charged forward in a blur of flames, Crabominable responded with a well-timed Mud Slap. The ground-type attack hit Rapidash hard, extinguishing its fiery charge and knocking the Pokémon out of the fight.
The trainer stood there, defeated and a little bewildered as Joe calmly walked toward him, ready to give his usual evaluation.
"You've got potential," Joe began, his tone patient but firm. "But you're relying too much on typing advantage. That's not enough. You need to think beyond just attacking—learn how your Pokémon moves, how it reacts. Using status moves can make all the difference, not just raw power."
The young trainer nodded, still processing the loss. Joe offered a few more words of encouragement before turning back to the field, ready to invite the next challenger. Just as he was about to speak, David stepped forward, interrupting him with a smile.
"Hold on, Dad. I've got someone interesting for you to battle."