Pop!
With a flash of light, the Poké Ball opened.
"Clefaaairy~!"
A pink, chubby, star-shaped Pokémon materialized on the field—Serena's Clefairy.
Unlike Pikachu, who had universal appeal, Clefairy was a top-tier favorite among girls. In fact, Clefairy plush toys were consistently the best-selling merchandise in most Pokémon stores.
The moment it landed on the ground, Clefairy tilted its head with a curious little blink and began to scan its surroundings in an adorably dazed way.
"Clefaaairy!"
Spotting Serena behind it, Clefairy let out a joyful cry and ran toward her. It threw its pudgy arms around her leg and nuzzled its cheek lovingly against her. It was obvious this Clefairy adored Serena.
"Clefairy, I'm counting on you for the upcoming battle, okay?"
Serena gently lifted her Pokémon into her arms and—without needing a nudge from Ash this time—started talking to it on her own.
Ash's eyes brightened. He could see the growth in her already—and that made him genuinely happy.
"Clefaairy~!"
Clefairy understood her words and nodded enthusiastically, signaling that it was ready to battle.
Seeing its earnest response, Serena's eyes lit up.
"Thank you, Clefairy!" she beamed, hugging it tightly in her arms.
After a few moments of bonding, she suddenly remembered Ash was still standing nearby, watching them. Her face flushed bright red in embarrassment.
"U-um…"
She shrank back slightly, her shy nature resurfacing. Her voice turned soft again as she asked,
"Ash… what should I do next?"
Ash didn't answer immediately. Instead, he whispered in his mind:
System.
A transparent display appeared before his eyes, scanning Clefairy's stats:
[Pokémon: Clefairy]
Level: LV.5
Type: Fairy
Nature: Bold
Ability: Cute Charm
Potential: Green
Moves (Available for Copying):
· Skilled: Pound, Sing (27/500)
· Novice: Copycat, Splash (23/100)
Ash raised an eyebrow slightly at what he saw.
Clefairy's level and potential were about the same as most other campers' Pokémon—nothing special there. But the fact that it already knew four moves? That was notable.
Then again, once he looked closer at the move list, he chuckled.
Among those four moves, Splash—better known by its infamous alternate name, "Magikarp's Hop"—was essentially useless. Whether Clefairy had it or not made no real difference.
Closing the system interface, Ash turned back to Serena and gave her a reassuring nod.
"Serena, let Clefairy show us the moves it knows first. Once I see that, I'll tell you how to approach the battle."
"Okay!" Serena nodded obediently. She looked down at Clefairy in her arms.
"Clefairy, can you show me the moves you know?"
"Clefaairy!"
Clefairy responded with a chirp and jumped down to the ground. Then, it began to perform its moves in sequence:
— Pound!
— Sing!
— Splash!
— Copycat!
While Clefairy demonstrated, Ash stood beside Serena and began to explain things patiently.
At this age, most kids were encountering Pokémon for the first time in a hands-on way. While they were excited and curious, their knowledge of Pokémon abilities, moves, and battle mechanics was still very shallow.
Serena was a prime example of that.
Her mother was a famous Rhyhorn racer, and from a young age, Serena had been expected to follow the same path. Because of that pressure—and her own uncertainty about the future—she hadn't taken the time to learn about Pokémon battles or develop personal interest in other Pokémon-related fields.
In the original timeline, even after receiving her first partner, Serena didn't actively pursue battling.
It wasn't until later—under Shauna's influence—that she entered the world of Pokémon Showcases.
But now, things were different.
Ash had met her early. He knew who she was.
So he'd guide her. Help her find her true passion.
He wanted Serena to have a head start in chasing her dreams.
And if possible, he wanted to help her become one of the summer camp's Outstanding Campers, so she could get her very own starter early.
But before that, he needed to teach her how to battle.
"Serena, Pokémon battles are actually simple," Ash said with a calm, confident tone. "No matter how complicated the match might seem, the goal is always the same:
Defeat your opponent and win."
"But since you haven't studied battle strategies before, let me give you a basic battle mantra. It's something simple you can follow while fighting."
He smiled and raised a finger.
"Here's the rule: When the enemy advances, we retreat. When the enemy halts, we harass. When the enemy tires, we strike. When the enemy retreats, we chase."
Serena listened intently.
Though she was quiet and shy, she had her own strengths—like her focus and dedication.
Maybe she really didn't want to weigh down her friends. Maybe she wanted to protect their points from being sacrificed for her sake.
Whatever it was, Serena absorbed Ash's guidance with remarkable seriousness.
Ash smiled inwardly.
"With that rule in mind," he continued, "we can use Clefairy's moves to create a few simple, effective strategies."
He raised his hand and began outlining them:
"If your opponent launches an aggressive attack, have Clefairy use Splash to dodge."
"Once your opponent's Pokémon is tired, command Clefairy to use Sing to put it to sleep."
"When it's asleep, Clefairy can move in and hit it with Pound for damage."
"But if the enemy is too fast and Clefairy struggles to dodge, then switch tactics—have it use Copycat to counter whatever move the opponent just used."
Ash's tone was patient but authoritative. Though he looked six, his soul carried the wisdom of an experienced Trainer. Teaching someone like Serena wasn't hard for him—it was something he was more than prepared for.
He didn't just talk about strategy—he tailored it to Clefairy's capabilities. He broke everything down clearly and walked her through how her Pokémon should fight.
Serena was a quick learner. She was smart and eager to improve.
And thanks to Ash's clear teaching style, she picked up the ideas faster than anyone expected.
--------------
T/N:
Access Advance Chapters on my
P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals