Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Conquering Helioptile

"What a comfortable feeling!"The moment Renjiro and Shu Wan stepped into Lostlorn Forest, a wave of unprecedented tranquility washed over Renjiro. It felt as though every cell in his body was taking a deep, refreshing breath. His senses became sharp, attuned to the harmony of nature around him — the gentle rustle of leaves, the chirping of distant Pokémon, and the earthy scent of the forest floor.The power of Evergreen — Renjiro's unique gift from nature — thrived in places like this. Here, he felt connected, grounded, and whole.Without hesitation, Renjiro reached for his Poké Balls."Come out, Beedrill! Milotic! Zubat! Houndour!"With a swift flick of his wrist, he released his companions into the open air."Buzz!""Beautiful~""Krrr~""Woof woof!"The forest echoed with the voices of his Pokémon as they materialized, their forms outlined briefly in the red glow of their Poké Balls.Shu Wan's eyes widened with surprise."Wow, Renjiro — I didn't know you had four Pokémon!"Renjiro smiled modestly."Zubat and Houndour aren't exactly mine," he explained. "They entrusted themselves to me so I could help train them."In truth, they were part of his team for now, destined for the future Rocket members he was grooming. But there was no need to get into those details right now.Shu Wan nodded in understanding."I see. That's really kind of you.""Alright then. Pikachu, come out too!" Shu Wan called, releasing her partner from its Poké Ball."Pikapi!"Pikachu leapt out eagerly, landing softly on the forest floor, its bright eyes sparkling with excitement."Pikachu, meet Beedrill, Milotic, Zubat, and Houndour. I hope you'll all get along!"Encouraged by Shu Wan, Pikachu gave a polite bow."Pika Pika!" (Hello!)Houndour and Zubat were especially curious. They hadn't seen a Pikachu before, and both immediately started circling around the little electric mouse, sniffing and chirping excitedly."Pika~ Pika~" (I'm getting dizzy!)Pikachu staggered slightly, overwhelmed by all the attention. Before it could fall over, Houndour gently nudged Pikachu onto his back, and with a playful bark, began trotting through the forest."Pikachu!" Shu Wan laughed, covering her mouth as she watched Pikachu ride Houndour like a tiny knight.Beedrill and Zubat joined in the fun, flitting through the trees in a playful chase."It's been so long since Pikachu had playmates like this," Shu Wan said softly.Renjiro nodded, watching his Pokémon with quiet pride."They deserve this. They're the ones who work the hardest, not me. I just stand on the sidelines and give commands."He knew all too well that his success was built on the effort and loyalty of his Pokémon.After about half an hour of play, Renjiro clapped his hands."Alright, Houndour, time to get serious."Houndour trotted back obediently, Pikachu sliding off his back and returning to Shu Wan's side.Renjiro returned Beedrill, Milotic, and Zubat to their Poké Balls, leaving only Houndour free to scout ahead."Let's head deeper," Renjiro said, motioning for Shu Wan to follow as Houndour bounded into the woods, nose to the ground, searching for Electric-type Pokémon.---As they walked, Renjiro's eyes scanned the forest with practiced ease. He murmured observations to himself, using his Eye of Insight to analyze the wild Pokémon they encountered."Shroomish… would evolve into Breloom, Grass and Fighting-type… not bad, but not my focus.""Comfey… sweet little healer, but I've got that covered with my abilities.""Yanma… fast, but I don't really need more Speed right now.""Heracross… rare, 500 base stats, strong Attack… after Mega Evolution, that Attack hits 185… tempting, but I already have Beedrill.""Plusle and Minun… cute, but limited potential."Each time, he weighed the Pokémon's strengths against his team's needs, passing by with quiet appreciation but no desire to catch.Shu Wan, meanwhile, kept her eyes peeled, hoping to spot the Electric Pokémon she dreamed of.---Suddenly, she tugged at Renjiro's sleeve, eyes alight with excitement."Renjiro, look! Up there!"Renjiro followed her gaze and spotted it — a Helioptile, basking lazily on a sun-drenched branch.Pokémon: HelioptileLevel: 19Type: Electric / NormalAbility: Sand Veil (boosts evasion by 20% in a sandstorm, immune to sandstorm damage)Gender: FemaleMoves: Pound, Tail Whip, Mud-Slap, Quick Attack, ChargeRenjiro's mind worked quickly.Sand Veil — a solid ability for a team with sandstorm tactics, and no harmful side effects like Dry Skin or Solar Power might bring. Good find.Shu Wan turned to him, eager."What do you think? Should I go for it?"Renjiro smiled."Absolutely."---"Pikachu, Thunder Shock!" Shu Wan called without hesitation.Pikachu leapt forward, cheeks sparking as it fired a crackling bolt of electricity.The Helioptile barely had time to react. The Thunder Shock struck true, knocking it from the branch with a startled cry."Now, Quick Attack!"Pikachu darted in a silver blur, slamming Helioptile against a tree before it could recover.Without missing a beat, Shu Wan drew a Poké Ball and hurled it.The ball struck Helioptile, converting it into red light and sucking it inside. It fell to the ground, rocking back and forth as Shu Wan held her breath.Click!The ball snapped shut, the light fading."I did it! I caught Helioptile!" Shu Wan cheered, holding up the Poké Ball triumphantly.Renjiro grinned at her happiness, proud of how decisively she'd acted.But then, the air changed.A gust of wind swept through the forest, stirring up dust and leaves.The wind strengthened, turning into a sandstorm that whipped around them.And through the swirling grit, two figures emerged — a towering Tyranitar and the silhouette of a woman, her long coat billowing behind her, sunglasses glinting in the fading light.Renjiro narrowed his eyes, stepping protectively in front of Shu Wan.Whatever came next, he was ready.---