When Silas heard that familiar name, and saw the young man before him , so eerily similar to the one from his past life - realization struck.
'Reggie… Paul's brother?'
Memories flickered through Silas's mind.
Reggie hailed from the Sinnoh region, but had once traveled widely across Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn - earning remarkable results in League tournaments, Gym challenges, even the Battle Frontier.
All of that, however, had ended after that battle - the so-called Battle of the Age of Gods.
A match that shattered Reggie's spirit, forcing him to give up the path of a competitive Trainer and instead become a Breeder, opening his own ranch.
Now, facing that same cold, sharp-eyed youth before him, Silas's lips curved slightly.
"Silas," he introduced calmly. "Trainer."
Before he could explain about Eevee, Reggie's tone cut in, cool and scolding.
"You're a terrible trainer. You actually let your Eevee wander off alone."
He said it as if to hide the embarrassment of having thrown seven Poké Balls at a clearly owned Pokémon.
Silas blinked, tilting his head slightly. 'Weird… wasn't Reggie supposed to be gentle and refined in the anime?
The person before him looked more like Paul - cold, strict, and arrogant.'
Of course, Silas didn't know: before being humbled by Brandon of the Battle frontier, Reggie's personality had been nearly identical to his younger brother's -if not harsher.
"Useless creature," Reggie muttered under his breath.
That single line made Silas's eyes darken.
For a moment, a flicker of killing intent stirred deep within him- brief but unmistakable.
Ever since his journey began, things had gone smoothly. No one had dared speak to him like that.
Reggie seemed to sense it too. The faint smile on Silas's lips carried an edge that made him instinctively take a half-step back before catching himself. Straightening his back, he forced his chin up in pride.
"I'm Reggie from Veilstone City, Sinnoh Region," he said in a lofty tone. "Currently traveling through Hoenn. I've achieved good results across multiple regions and—"
He trailed on, deliberately name-dropping, even mentioning that the Joy family had invested in his breeding career work.
Silas wasn't listening. The man's smug face was grating, and his pride only made his fists itch.
If it weren't for the Gligar lurking beside him clearly strong and alert ,Silas might've let his temper speak for him.
After all, the forest was empty. No witnesses.
He exhaled slowly.
'Calm down. Not like the old days at sea, he reminded himself. You're not a pirate anymore. Not every insult deserves blood.'
Even so, the air between them crackled with hostility.
Reggie, noticing the pressure, subconsciously shielded himself with one hand. Realizing how foolish he looked, he quickly straightened, blew the silver whistle hanging around his neck and the air above them trembled.
"SKREEEHHH!"
A powerful cry split the sky as a Staraptor swooped down, wings spread wide, wind slicing through the trees.
The majestic bird circled above, feathers glinting in the sunlight.
"Crawdaunt!"
"Grawr!"
Silas's partner tensed immediately, glaring up at the Staraptor with battle readiness. One snap of his claws and the Protect barrier would go up.
Silas chuckled faintly, his gaze narrowing.
That smirk, that arrogance - it reminded him of a wild Pokémon puffing up its feathers before a predator.
After soothing the frightened Eevee in his arms, Silas turned away without another word.
"Let's go, Eevee."
"Hey! What's your problem?" Reggie called out behind him, but Silas ignored him completely, walking off through the forest path, his dark coat brushing against the leaves.
Once Silas was gone, Reggie exhaled deeply without realizing it. His Staraptor and Gligar both looked at him expectantly.
"…Tch." He rubbed his neck awkwardly. "For a second there… he felt like one of those black-market criminals I helped Officer Jenny deal with once."
He shook his head quickly, muttering, "No way. He's younger than me…"
But his voice trailed off, losing confidence as he caught the questioning looks from his Pokémon.
"Let's go. Verdanturf Town's nearby. I heard there's a Battle Club there - perfect for training Gligar."
With renewed bravado, Reggie mounted his Staraptor.
"Staraptor, take off!"
"SKREEEH!"
Wings beat the air as they soared toward the horizon.
.....
Meanwhile, on the ground below.
"You little troublemaker," Silas muttered, lifting Eevee by the scruff of her neck. "You really thought you could sneak off without me noticing?"
"Vee! Vee!"
The little fox pawed at the air, trying to hug him, looking absolutely comically pitiful.
Silas sighed. "You really test my patience sometimes…"
It wasn't cruelty - it was control. He hated when his team disobeyed; it made him feel powerless.
Silas was fully aware of that selfish side of himself: the desire for absolute obedience, to have his Pokémon act as perfect extensions of his will.
And yet he didn't want them hollow, either. He didn't want lifeless machines.
When he glanced at the teary-eyed Eevee, his expression softened.
"Alright, fine," he said finally, pinching her cheek. "But pull that again, and I'll make resin candy out of you."
"Vee~!"
The tiny Pokémon squealed happily, hugging his arm and rubbing her cheek against his.
Silas smirked and placed her on his shoulder.
"Let's go home."
He packed up the tent and made his way back to the Verdanturf Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy waved warmly from the front desk.
...
Over the next half month, Silas's days followed a steady rhythm.
Each morning, he trained with his Pokémon in the outskirts of Verdanturf.
Each evening, he returned to the Pokémon Center, greeted by Nurse Joy's warm smile before resting for the night.
His team's progress was evident.
Eevee had broken through to level 20 and mastered Refresh, a move that could cleanse paralysis, poison, and burns - a strong support technique.
When paired with the Synchronize ability she would gain as an Umbreon, she'd become a reliable defensive pivot in any future team.
Murkrow, meanwhile, had perfected his inherited move Drill Peck.
Weeks of training had sharpened both his speed and control , the countless drill marks on nearby trees were proof of his effort.
His level had risen to 18.
Sharpedo's regimen remained strict: enhancing Protect, improving biting technique, and mastering Speed Boost.
Silas envisioned him as a waterborne predator , an assassin of the seas and his future ocean mount.
Finally, Crawdaunt endured the hardest workload of all - juggling Dragon Dance, Rain Dance, and defensive skills.
Silas smiled faintly.
"Guess you've earned an extra Pokéblock tonight."
With that, he pushed open the Pokémon Center doors and stepped inside, already thinking of tomorrow's training plans.
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(End of chapter)