Johto Region, Goldenrod City
Pokémon Center
Caster and Andreas stood at opposite ends of the battle arena, facing each other from a distance. In front of them, Pichu and Poliwhirl were primed for action.
A crowd had gathered around the field, murmuring among themselves.
"Wow, Andreas is actually battling that kid? This should be interesting! Who do you think will win?"
"Tough to say! Andreas is a master fisherman, so he's definitely got some powerful Pokémon. But I heard that kid's connected to Clair, the Blackthorn Gym Leader. He might have some tricks up his sleeve."
"From a type standpoint, Poliwhirl has the advantage; it's a Water-type and Pichu's an Electric-type. But Poliwhirl's already evolved once, so it should be much stronger overall. I'd say Poliwhirl's got the edge."
---
"Poliwhirl, use Mud Shot!"
Since this wasn't an official match, there was no referee. After a quick glance exchanged between them, Andreas struck first, trying to take control and defeat Caster quickly.
"Yoh~"
Poliwhirl pressed its hands together and fired a barrage of mud bullets from its palms, sending them flying toward Pichu.
Mud Shot was a Ground-type move, which was super effective against Electric-types like Pichu.
But Caster wasn't about to let Pichu get hit. "Agility!"
"Pi~"
A flash of white light enveloped Pichu, and it suddenly became lighter and quicker, dodging every incoming mud bullet with ease as it closed the gap between them.
Andreas wasn't worried, though. He actually smiled. "Head-on, use Pound!"
Poliwhirl excelled in close combat, and given its size advantage over Pichu, it was in a perfect position to overpower the small Electric-type.
"Yoh~"
Poliwhirl's big eyes locked onto Pichu, and with a sweeping motion, it slapped down with its white-mittened hand, delivering a strike like a massive fan.
Even from a distance, the whoosh of air was audible, making it clear just how powerful the hit would be.
If it landed, Pichu would likely be sent flying.
Buzz!
But just before the hit could land, Pichu glowed with a brilliant light, forcing everyone to squint.
Poliwhirl, staring directly at Pichu, was momentarily blinded by the flash and instinctively shut its eyes, losing sight of its target.
Whoosh!
Pichu deftly jumped, landing right behind Poliwhirl.
Bzzt!
Seizing the opportunity, Pichu released a quick electric shock, sending jolts through Poliwhirl's back.
"Yoh~"
Poliwhirl cried out in pain, its body crackling with electricity.
"Damn it! Thunder Wave!"
Andreas cursed under his breath. The electric shock had paralyzed Poliwhirl, and the effects were obvious: Poliwhirl was moving slower, and its body was twitching with the aftershocks of the electrical current.
Thunder Wave was a dangerous move; it not only slowed the opponent but also created a risk of move failure due to the disruption caused by the paralysis.
"Pi~"
Rather than follow up with another attack, Pichu flashed an innocent wink, prompting a few of the watching girls to squeal, "How cute!"
But that was just part of the plan. A red heart-shaped kiss hit Poliwhirl square in the face, causing it to start slapping itself in confusion.
Poliwhirl had fallen into a confused state!
"Not bad, not bad. That little combo flows pretty smoothly," Caster muttered to himself, impressed with Pichu's performance.
First, Pichu used Flash to blind Poliwhirl, then Thunder Wave to paralyze it, and finally Sweet Kiss to confuse it. It was a well-rehearsed combo that left the opponent completely vulnerable.
Once it was executed, victory was almost guaranteed.
Of course, from Caster's point of view, the battle was practically won. But from the spectators' angle? They saw it as a brutal, underhanded tactic.
"Three debuffs in a row? That Pichu's ruthless!"
"That's just dirty! How can you play like that?"
"It's way too much! Honestly, Pichu could've finished it off right after paralyzing Poliwhirl, but it didn't. It's just toying with it now!"
---
The crowd's perception of Pichu changed instantly, and their regard for Caster deepened in wariness.
Pichu wasn't a Pokémon that could win on its own; it was simply executing the strategies Caster gave it. The true skill in any Pokémon battle lies in the hands of the trainer.
What kind of person would use such underhanded tactics?
"Pichu, finish it off with Thunder Shock!"
With three debuffs stacked on Poliwhirl, there was no way it could win now.
Two quick Thunder Shocks from Pichu later, and Poliwhirl collapsed to the ground, its body twitching with electrical aftershocks.
"Pichu~"
After the victory, Pichu puffed up its tiny chest, proudly displaying its strength.
Small but deadly, that's me.
"Think you're tough? What's the point of being tough now?"
Andreas's face darkened, but he wasn't about to let it slide. With a cold laugh, he sneered at Caster. "I'm a fisherman, not some Pokémon trainer. What we're doing here isn't a battle, it's a fishing competition."
He pulled out a Poké Ball and recalled Poliwhirl, then turned and walked away, leaving Caster no time to respond.
"Beat you in tomorrow's competition? That sounds doable!" Caster's eyes gleamed with determination.
Andreas may have been a top-tier fisherman, but if Caster could beat him in a fishing contest, the win would be a huge blow to Andreas's pride.
And with Misty's specially made bait in his pocket, Caster felt confident, just a bit of luck, and he could do it.
"Let's go, Pichu! We should rest up today, too!"
Caster waved, and Pichu jumped onto his shoulder, its little diamond-shaped ears swaying as it sat comfortably.
As they walked toward the Pokémon Center, two girls approached, asking if they could pet Pichu. Caster, seeing how cute Pichu was, agreed.
But once they finished petting Pichu and then asked for his contact info, Caster, a true sigma male, turned them down without hesitation.
Women were a distraction, especially when it came to fishing!
Well, except for sugar mommies, of course.
---
The night passed without incident, and the next morning, Caster was up before dawn. He grabbed his fishing gear and headed to the northeastern coast of Goldenrod City, toward the massive bay area.
This was the venue for the Seaking Fishing Tournament.
By the time Caster arrived, the bay was already crowded with hundreds of fishermen, some resting, others chatting, and some busy preparing their tackle.
Caster found a spot to sit on the grass and fed Pichu a few Pokéblocks.
At that moment, a host stepped up to the microphone on stage.
"Welcome, everyone, to this year's Seaking Fishing Tournament. I'll be your host for the day. Now, let me explain the rules and prizes..."