After Torchic finished digesting its meal, we began training again. Torchic was determined to master Quick Attack, while Lotad continued perfecting its Water Gun by the tree near the beach.
"Torc!" Torchic chirped energetically, eyes sharp and focused. Learning a new move wasn't just about strength — it also required rhythm, balance, and sometimes, a spark of understanding that no one could teach.
"Don't rush," I reminded. "Focus on your toes, feel the ground under you—"
A familiar cry interrupted me from above. I looked up to see a flock of Wingulls gliding through the blue sky, circling toward my house.
"Ah, right on time. You guys are never late for a meal," I said with a grin.
"Wing! Wing!" they cried, clearly complaining that lunch wasn't ready yet.
"Okay, okay! Don't yell at your chef! I'm the one feeding you, you know — at least show some gratitude!" I placed a few trays of Pokémon food on the sand, and the Wingulls immediately swooped down, gobbling noisily.
One of them, however, didn't move. It stood a little apart from the rest, watching me silently with calm, intelligent eyes. I recognized it right away — the same Wingull I'd met before, the one that often hovered near my home.
"Hey, long time no see. Still not getting along with your flock?" I asked.
"Wing!" it cried, almost indignant, as if denying my accusation.
"Torc~" Torchic, completely focused on training, ignored everything around it, repeating its dash again and again. The flock finished eating and slowly took off into the sky — all except that same Wingull, who stayed behind, observing us.
"Wing?" It tilted its head toward Torchic, as if asking what was going on.
"Oh, that? Torchic's learning Quick Attack. High-speed moves are vital, especially against fighters like Brawly's Pokémon. Lotad's working on its Water Gun, too."
"Wing… wing!" After a few moments of watching, the Wingull stepped closer, chirped something to Torchic, then demonstrated a smooth, rapid dive toward the ground — a perfect Quick Attack.
"Torc…" Torchic blinked, then tried again, this time pushing off with more control. It used the rebound of its claws against the floor to propel itself forward, landing cleanly.
"Yes! That's it, Torchic!" I cheered, scooping it up and patting its head. "Wingull, thanks for showing the example! You're quite the coach."
The seagull let out a proud cry, flapped its wings, then turned toward Lotad. It flew across from it, hovering just above the water. Lotad looked up curiously.
"Wing!" it called, challenging Lotad with a playful glint.
Lotad immediately responded with a Water Gun. Wingull dodged and fired one back. Streams of water collided mid-air, splashing mist around the field. Both of them held their ground, water pressure pushing equally from both sides.
Finally, Wingull seemed satisfied, gave a short cry, and soared back into the sky without a goodbye.
I knelt beside Lotad, who was panting slightly but glowing with excitement. "Well done, Lotad. That Wingull recognized your effort — it's proof your training's paying off."
"Lot…" it hummed, nodding with pride.
"Alright," I continued, "Water-type moves are strong enough. Let's switch to Grass-type. Use Razor Leaf and Absorb next — Grass attacks work better against Water Pokémon like Wingull."
Lotad immediately adjusted, firing several sharp leaves toward a distant rock, practicing precision and timing.
From the kitchen window, my dad leaned out, watching. "Your Pokémon are looking good," he said with a rare smile.
"Of course! We trust each other — our goal is to reach the top tier of Trainers!" I declared confidently. Torchic and Lotad chirped together, echoing my words.
Dad chuckled softly. "You know, that Wingull's been training a lot since you left. Every day, it practices new moves by the shore. For a wild Pokémon, its progress is remarkable."
I folded my arms, thinking. "Yeah, I've noticed. Its move control is exceptional — not something you see often in the wild. Guess genius Pokémon really do exist… or maybe it's just worked that hard." I paused. "But why tell me this now, Dad?"
He shrugged. "No reason," he said casually, turning away and closing the window behind him.
"Hmph. Mysterious as always," I muttered. "Alright you two, tomorrow's our Gym match — let's make Wingull proud when it watches from above!"
"Torc! Lot!" they cried, full of determination.
The Next Morning
The sunlight peeked through my curtains, but I felt no rush of panic. It wasn't nervousness — it was focus. I ate breakfast calmly, as though it were any other morning.
"I'm done," I said, standing up. "Torchic, Lotad — let's start our morning run!"
"Torc! Lot!" they chimed in unison, perfectly understanding our secret plan — we were pretending to go for exercise, just to avoid Mom's endless cheering before the match.
We took a long, winding route around the coast, keeping away from the busy paths until we finally reached the Dewford Gym.
"Hmm, looks like the girl from yesterday isn't here yet," I said, scanning the area. "Well, no problem. We'll challenge first."
As I approached the entrance, a young woman in sporty attire with long blue hair stepped in front of me.
"Hold on," she said politely. "The Gym Leader's currently in a battle with another trainer. Please wait until the announcement."
"Ah, the other trainer — brown hair, tied in a bun?" I asked quickly. "I know her! She's my friend. Would it be okay if I watched the battle?"
The attendant smiled. "If you're her friend, of course. You can go right in."
"Thanks!" I said, and stepped forward into the Gym, my heart already pounding with excitement.
Tomorrow's challenge had become today's reality — and this was just the beginning of my path in the Hoenn League.