[Pichu]
[Types: Electric]
[Ability: Lightning Rod (Hidden Ability)]
[Level: 5]
[Pichu is known for its mischievous nature, often stealing items from unsuspecting people just to get their attention. It usually does this for fun, not malice, and tends to return if it finds the person—or group—interesting enough to stick around.]
[Base stats: -Redacted- (Total: 205)]
[Moves: Tail Whip, Thunder Shock, Charge, Play Nice, -empty-, -empty-, -empty-, empty-, -empty-]
---
[Squirtle]
[Types: Water]
[Ability: Rain Dish (Hidden Ability)]
[Level: 5]
[Squirtle is generally well-behaved, but it carries a subtle rebellious streak beneath its calm exterior. It's open and trusting with only a select few, keeping its thoughts and secrets close. While it prefers the comfort of a close-knit group, it's not opposed to making new friends. Other Pokémon might find it difficult to get along with—but usually only if they've ended up on its bad side.]
[Base stats: -Redacted- (Total: 314)]
[Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Water Gun, -empty-, -empty-, -empty-, -empty-, empty-, -empty-]
---
On the way to the village square, Lena glanced over and asked, "Hey bro, I know I was the one who challenged you to a battle, but are you sure? I remember seeing your Pichu's base stats—they're way lower than my Squirtle's."
She wasn't wrong to be confused. Lena had seen the stats of all the newly-hatched Pokémon. Most of them, including her own, had fairly comparable totals. But Arthur's Pichu? Somehow, it lagged behind by a whole hundred points.
How was that even fair?
Arthur smiled calmly. "That's normal for a lot of Pokémon. I told you about evolution before, didn't I? It's how weaker Pokémon eventually catch up. Though, even after evolving, some will still be weaker than others... but stats aren't everything.
"Besides, Pichu evolves into Pikachu—a Pokémon with the most unpredictable base stats ever. Depending on the situation, it could have as little as 100 total stats, or shoot all the way up to 1,000!"
Lena tilted her head, brows furrowed, as if a cartoonish question mark had just materialized above her. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Arthur only chuckled, shaking his head as he smiled mysteriously.
He offered no explanation, which made Lena narrow her eyes in frustration.
Of course, Arthur didn't actually believe his Pichu could evolve into something as absurd as that Pikachu—Ash's Pikachu. That was just ridiculous.
Especially considering he was the one who had designed the Pokémon of this world.
If he'd hidden something that broken inside Pikachu, he wouldn't still be stuck on the drawing board with Legendary Pokémon—he'd have tossed that problem to the side ages ago.
Speaking of Legendaries… he still had no idea how to create them.
Sure, he could whip up a template—something that looked like a Legendary—but in terms of power? At best, they'd end up a little stronger than a Pseudo-Legendary. Not a true Legendary.
Their appearance might be accurate, but their strength? Highly questionable.
It'd be an insult to the concept of Legendaries to half-ass it like that.
Arthur broke the silence again with a grin. "Joke aside, you don't need to worry. Water-types are weak to Electric-types, so even if my Pichu's stats are lower than your Squirtle's, you shouldn't underestimate it."
"Pi~chu!" The tiny Pokémon sparked with excitement, tiny bolts crackling from its cheeks in agreement.
Lena's grin returned. "Then Squirtle and I won't hold back!"
"Squirtle~!" the little turtle Pokémon gave a confident nod.
After that, they walked together in silence toward the village square.
But Arthur noticed Lena seemed lost in thought. Curious, he asked, "What's on your mind?"
She hesitated a little before replying, "I've been thinking… should I focus on building a Water-type team or go for something more balanced?"
As his sister, she was already familiar with the basics of Arthur's grand plan—to popularize Pokémon and gradually earn them public recognition, until they could eventually become a competitive sport, much like the famous Krosliseum in the capital. He hadn't told her everything yet, like the concepts of Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, or the Champion, but she understood enough. To qualify for this so-called tournament he had in mind, she'd need a full team of six Pokémon.
As for whether Arthur could actually pull it off? She used to think he might be able to—but now, after receiving a royal endorsement from Princess Rosaria herself, her belief had turned into full-blown confidence. Especially after hearing just how much funding the princess had committed to his Pokémon research.
It might take a while before Pokémon became mainstream, but Lena was ready to bet her future on it.
After all, for villagers like them—even with magical talent—a bright future was never guaranteed.
But Pokémon? Its future seemed very bright!
And being Arthur's sister gave her a head start. Her understanding of Pokémon already put her ahead of the curve.
Arthur thought for a moment before answering with a calm, patient tone.
"A single-type team has a strong thematic identity and easier synergy, especially when using weather or terrain effects that boost that type. Water-types, for example, often work well together under rain conditions. But there's a trade-off—shared weaknesses make them vulnerable to common counters, and the limited type coverage can restrict your options on both offense and defense.
"On the other hand, a balanced team gives you more flexibility. You'll have better type coverage, fewer overlapping weaknesses, and more tools to deal with different threats. That said, it also requires more planning and understanding of Pokémon. You'll need to find synergy between different Pokémon with different strengths."
He gave a small shrug. "In the end, it comes down to your personal style—whether you value theme and cohesion or adaptability and strategic variety."
Lena nodded slowly, absorbing every word. Once again, she fell into a thoughtful silence.
Then she asked, "So... what is Water-type strong and weak against?"
Arthur smiled and replied, "Water-types deal extra damage to Fire, Rock, and Ground-types. But they're weak against Electric and Grass moves—they'll take more damage from those. On the other hand, they resist attacks from Fire, Water, Ice, and Steel-types."
"Steel-type?" Lena frowned, her face scrunching in confusion. "Isn't that high-quality iron? Wouldn't Steel-type Pokémon get hunted down for their materials?"
"Uh…" Arthur was momentarily caught off guard before replying, "Steel isn't exactly the same as high-quality iron, and it's not all that valuable compared to other magical ores... Wait, that's not the point! The thing is, there are also Dragon, Ghost, and Fairy-types. If any types were at risk of being hunted, it'd probably be those."
"Ghost? How fascinating…" Lena's eyes lit up, her mind drifting to tales she'd heard about the undead—zombies and wraiths from the Cursed Lands.
"You're afraid of insects and yet you're fine with ghosts?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow.
She pouted. "Insects are way scarier than ghosts!"
As their banter continued, Arthur found himself reconsidering part of his plan. Maybe it's better to keep the existence of Dragon, Ghost, and Fairy-types hidden for now... Oh, and possibly Dark-type as well...
It'd be a bad joke if those typings ended up being more sought after than even Pseudo-Legendaries—just because of how rare or exotic they seemed in this world.
After thinking it over, he decided he'd consult Rosaria later. He was just a village boy, after all—maybe creatures like dragons and fairies weren't as mythical or fairy-tale-like to others as they were to him.
In fact, this could be an opportunity to secure protection from the Dragon and Fairy Races—if Fairy Race even existed. Of course, it would be a huge risk, but it was an opportunity worth considering, especially if those types really needed to be protected from being hunted or worse.
Eventually, they arrived at the village square. The soothing sound of water trickled from the stone fountain at its center. A few villagers lounged nearby, sitting on benches and chatting quietly, enjoying the natural ambiance.
The sun hung low, painting the sky in rich orange hues as it dipped toward the horizon. The moon had already begun its slow rise, faint but visible—soon to become the silent ruler of the night sky, as it always did.
"Oh? Arthur, Lena—what brings you out so late?" asked Aunt May, the kind woman who ran the village bakery. Her eyes drifted to the tiny yellow mouse and the blue turtle in their arms. "Are those your pets?"
"They're our Pokémon!" Lena beamed. "We're planning to have a battle here before heading home for dinner."
"Pokémon?" Aunt May repeated, her brow furrowed in thought. "You mean like Hector and Anna's wasp and butterfly?"
She tilted her head, clearly trying to make the connection—but couldn't. No matter how she looked at the Pokémon in front of her, they were nothing like insects.
Arthur hadn't brought his script, so he nudged Lena.
With a bright smile, Lena launched into an eager explanation of what a Pokémon really was.
Unknowingly, a large crowd of villagers had gathered around to listen to Lena. Most of them were from the hunter families who had ventured into the forest and met Butterfree and Beedrill.
They had long dreamed of having their own Pokémon, but now, seeing how many types there were, their desire had only intensified. Surely, there was a perfect companion among the vast array of Pokémon, one that would meet every ideal they'd ever imagined.
As a result, even though Arthur's parents had already explained that Pokémon eggs weren't available for now, Arthur found himself repeating it once more. Only then did the villagers slowly back off, their shoulders slumped in disappointment. They moved to the edges of the square, clearing a space for the upcoming Pokémon battle.
Their curiosity remained—most of them still wondered what a Pokémon battle actually looked like.
"You kids are so heartless... You didn't even tell your old man and your mom that you wanted to battle?" Hector's voice came from behind them as he zigzagged through the crowd, Anna at his side, with Beedrill and Butterfree following closely behind.
Arthur and Lena both looked guilty, realizing they had completely forgotten to inform them.
"What's going on here?" The voice of the village chief cut through the murmurs as every villager turned to look.
The village chief was an elderly man, his appearance a curious blend of age and vitality. His hair, miraculously still touched with a shade of black amidst the grey, framed a weathered face. He leaned on a cane—a magical one—as the villagers parted to make way for him. His attire was simple and traditional: a comfortable farmer's tunic. But his sharp gaze, full of wisdom, swept over the Pokémon in the square.
Lena once again began to explain what Pokémon were, and the village chief listened intently, his expression shifting to one of intrigued fascination.
"Could you give this old man a Pokémon egg as well?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly soft. "I've longed for a companion in the last years of my life..." His eyes grew misty as he gazed up at the sky, as if yearning for something beyond reach.
The murmurs of the crowd quickly followed.
"The village chief is being shameless again…"
"He should know by now that no one here buys his tears, right?"
"Begging a kid using his age… How did he become our village chief?"
The whispers were relentless. A vein twitched in the chief's forehead, and with a sharp flick of his wrist, he raised his cane, gathering mana at the tip. "Silence! Or I'll blast you all to pieces!"
The villagers merely shrugged, unfazed by his threat. Despite the strong mana that swirled around the tip of his cane, they didn't seem to take his words too seriously.
Arthur, however, paused to think seriously.
If he wanted to turn Rastor Village into a Pokémon haven, the first person he should prioritize was definitely the village chief. In fact, Arthur had already realized that the village chief had been quietly curious about Pokémon ever since Rosaria had camped in his backyard with her Ponyta. The only problem was that the village chief never seemed to find the right moment to approach Arthur about it.
The village chief was an odd character. Sometimes he could be shameless, but other times he was too embarrassed to even knock on a villager's door to ask for help.
"Alright, Chief. I'll prepare an egg for you," Arthur said, ignoring the muttered protests from the other villagers who grumbled about his apparent favoritism.
That said, the egg would still have to wait until the evolution of non-Bug-type Pokémon was confirmed. At best, the village chief might get an egg a day or two before anyone else.
"Oh, that's great! Ahem!" The village chief quickly cleared his throat to mask his excitement. After a moment's thought, he added, "I have one request."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What is it, chief?"
The village chief's face flushed slightly as he leaned in, lowering his voice to a near-whisper. "Do you have a rat Pokémon?"
"Huh?" Arthur blinked, thinking he must have misheard.
The villagers, too, exchanged confused glances. Even though the village chief had tried to lower his voice, it was still loud enough for everyone to hear.
The village chief gritted his teeth and repeated, this time more slowly, "I've seen two insects, a horse, a turtle, and a bipedal mouse… surely, you must have a Pokémon that resembles a rat?"
Now Arthur was sure he hadn't misheard. The village chief wanted a Rattata?
Rather than judging the chief's choice, Arthur simply nodded calmly. "Yes, I'll prepare a rat Pokémon egg for you, chief."
"Ohoho, I look forward to it!" The village chief began stroking his nonexistent beard. Despite his old age, he still hadn't acquired the accessory that supposedly signified wisdom—beard and mustache.
Arthur smiled to himself, muttering quietly, "It'd be funny if the village chief's name is Joey…"
Suddenly, he felt a hand grab his shoulders. He turned and found the village chief's face inches from his, his eyes wide with disbelief. "H-how do you know my name?"
"W-what?" Arthur blinked in confusion.
"Is your name really Joey?" He'd never known that. In fact, no one in Rastor Village knew the village chief's real name. They'd all simply called him "village chief" for as long as anyone could remember.
Arthur stared at the older version of "Youngster Joey" in disbelief. Now that I think about it, he does look like Youngster Joey... What a coincidence.
Realizing his slip-up, the village chief flushed with embarrassment. He quickly turned away, trying to play it cool as he walked a few steps back and stood silently, waiting for the battle to start as if nothing had happened.
Not knowing why the village chief—Joey—had wanted to keep his real name a secret, Arthur chose not to dwell on it. Instead, he turned to Lena, who stood across from him.
"Well, before it gets too late, let's do this!" Arthur grinned as Pichu shook off its boredom and leapt from his shoulder, landing nimbly in front of him with a playful spark.
"I've been waiting for this!" Lena replied eagerly, Squirtle already poised and ready on the village square.
The villagers, having gathered to watch, began murmuring among themselves.
"So, it's like a pet fight? I thought Arthur and Lena would fight alongside their Pokémon, but it looks like they're just giving commands?"
"Isn't this a little cruel?"
"Maybe, but the Pokémon seem eager to fight. Look at Pichu—it's practically buzzing with excitement!"
"I'm betting on the turtle. What can a bipedal mouse do against a turtle—weaponized cuteness?"
"You're forgetting that Anna's Butterfree can use mental magic to confuse monsters. Maybe this yellow mouse has some tricks up its sleeve, too."
As the voices of the villagers faded into the background, Hector stepped forward, raising one hand. Acting as the referee, he shouted the exact words Lena had used before: "This will be a one-on-one battle! The side whose Pokémon faints or is unable to continue will be declared the loser.
"Battle—begin!"
"Pichu! Focus on dodging while charging up with Charge!"
"Squirtle! Dive into the fountain!"
Their commands rang out at the same time. Arthur was counting on Pichu's speed to observe and adapt, while Lena had her Squirtle leap straight into the village fountain with a splash.
Arthur blinked, baffled. "Are you seriously having Squirtle hide in the water?"
"Why not?" Lena shot back, thinking her brother was trying to throw her off. In her mind, there was no better place for a Water-type to fight than in its element.
Realizing that Lena had no idea water—especially water from the village fountain, which could be mixed with who-knows-what—could conduct electricity, Arthur quickly called for a pause in the battle.
"You'd better tell Squirtle to get out," he warned. "Otherwise, Pichu might knock it out in one hit."
Lena frowned, clearly skeptical. But despite her doubt, she decided to trust him. After all, while Arthur had no affinity for water element, his understanding of it far exceeded hers. He'd proven it with the creative technique he'd taught her.
Arthur took a breath, then began explaining. "Pure water doesn't conduct electricity well. So in theory, it's safe. However…" He paused, trying to think of a simple analogy she'd understand.
After a moment, his eyes lit up. "Okay, think of electricity, or lightning, like a bird. Normally, birds don't land on the road—they fly over it. That's pure water. Now imagine you scatter food along the road. Birds will land and follow the trail to eat."
Lena squinted, trying to follow.
"So, mixed water—like the stuff in that fountain—is full of food for the lightning. Metals, minerals, salts… all of that attracts electricity. The lightning isn't aiming for you specifically; it's just following the food trail. And if you're standing in the way…"
He left the rest unsaid.
Lena—and the villagers—stood stunned by Arthur's strange but vivid analogy.
It took her a moment to fully grasp what he was trying to say, but once it clicked, she gave a firm nod.
"Squirtle, out of the fountain."
Squirtle obediently climbed out of the fountain, shaking itself dry, and returned to its position on the square.
She smiled at him, her eyes bright. "Thanks, bro! I think this lesson will really help me in the future—as a Water-type specialist!"
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "So, you've decided to become a Water-type Trainer?"
"Yup!" she nodded firmly, already set on her path.
Then, with renewed energy and competitive spirit, she added, "Sorry for the delay—let's get serious and battle for real now!"
"Bring it on!"
Hector had no choice but to raise his voice once more, repeating the familiar call, "Battle—begin!"
"Pichu! Focus on dodging while charging up with Charge!"
"Squirtle! Stay near the fountain and use Water Gun!"
Squirtle immediately scurried close to the fountain, bracing itself before launching a concentrated small jet of water from its mouth. The stream shot straight toward Pichu, who nimbly darted out of the way with high agility.
Though Pichu's overall stats were lower than Squirtle's, its Speed was not to be underestimated.
Like a stationary cannon, Lena repeatedly commanded Squirtle to fire Water Gun at Pichu. Meanwhile, Pichu nimbly danced around the blasts, its small frame darting through the air with surprising agility as electric energy steadily built up around its tiny body—the sign that Charge was building up its power.
Arthur narrowed his eyes. The longer this dragged out, the worse it was for him. Pichu's stamina wasn't exactly the best, and even a single hit could spell trouble. The moment he saw the electric buildup reach its peak, he called out, "Pichu, close the distance and use Thunder Shock!"
Lena's eyes gleamed with excitement as she saw Pichu closing in. Her voice rang out confidently. "Squirtle! Grit your teeth and counter with Tackle!"
Arthur realized what she was planning—but didn't waver. He let Pichu follow through.
"Pi~chu!" Pichu cried, cheeks crackling with power before unleashing a burst of electricity. A brilliant arc of lightning leapt through the air, striking the charging Squirtle mid-run.
"Squ—!" Squirtle yelped, its body jolting with electricity—but it didn't stop. It clenched its jaw, eyes determined, and kept moving through the shock.
Lena's plan was simple: Charge may have boosted Pichu's Electric-type move, but Squirtle's Special Defense was nearly double Pichu's Special Attack. She gambled that Squirtle could tank the hit long enough to land a close-range blow.
And it worked.
Though Squirtle was scorched and faint electric sparks danced across its body, it managed to push through—and got right up in Pichu's face.
However, before Squirtle could land its Tackle on Pichu, Arthur quickly called out, "Pichu, jump back and use another Thunder Shock!"
Squirtle's Tackle slammed into Pichu, but the impact was lessened as Pichu nimbly leapt backward, minimizing the damage.
"Squirtle! Jump back and use Water Gun with all you've got!" Lena urgently commanded.
Arthur couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in admiration. She really does have the talent to become a skilled Pokémon Trainer.
Pichu's Thunder Shock hit the ground where Squirtle had been just moments before, the powerful electric surge striking nothing but earth. Meanwhile, Squirtle, with its mouth wide open, unleashed a Water Gun with all of its strength. The torrent of water propelled it backward, straight toward the fountain.
Since Pichu was currently airborne and unable to dodge, it took a hit from Water Gun, but the impact was slightly reduced as the lingering Thunder Shock that crackled around its body mitigated the full force of the water.
As Squirtle soared almost directly above the fountain, Lena's voice rang out: "Squirtle! Stop using Water Gun!"
With a swift snap, Squirtle cut off the water jet, its body now devoid of the propulsion.
With no more water to push it backward, Squirtle fell, landing with a splash in the fountain's shallow waters. But the full-force Water Gun had clearly drained it—Squirtle was visibly fatigued.
Despite the fountain's water not being actual rain, Squirtle's Rain Dish Hidden Ability still activated, causing a slight recovery in its stamina. However, the effect was far less potent than if it had been under true rainfall.
Lena knew that the fountain wasn't the ideal spot for Squirtle, especially after Arthur's earlier warning, but she had planned it as a backup in case of injury. With Squirtle now in the water, it at least had a chance to recover, albeit slowly.
Both Pokémon faced off once again, the tension thick in the air as the crowd of villagers buzzed with excitement, fully captivated by the spectacle of their first-ever Pokémon battle. Though both Pokémon showed clear signs of injury and fatigue, Squirtle was visibly in far worse condition than Pichu.
"Pichu! Rush forward and use Thunder Shock!" Arthur commanded.
Lena's heart sank as she watched her exhausted and badly injured Squirtle, realizing too late that she had gravely underestimated the power of Pichu's charged, super-effective Electric-type move against her Water-type partner. Her strategy, built on the idea of endurance, was crumbling before her eyes.
With Squirtle still recovering and unable to avoid Pichu's lightning-speed advance, Lena knew there was no way for her Pokémon to recover in time.
Pouting slightly, she raised her hand, calling out, "I surrender!"