Gilgamesh spent the next hour meticulously crafting a training regimen, his brow furrowed in concentration. He knew Sabrina's Psychic-types would be a formidable challenge, requiring both raw power and strategic precision.
"Alright, Charizard," Gilgamesh began, addressing his leader with a serious tone. "As team leader, you'll be pushing yourself to your absolute limits. You need to show them why you're in charge, Charizard. Focus on increasing your speed and the raw power of your Fire-type moves. We'll be practicing against Rock-type dummies to simulate defense."
Charizard flared his wings slightly, a silent affirmation of his readiness.
Gilgamesh then looked at the smallest member of his team. "As for me," he declared, "I'm going to personally train with Dreepy. He has the Ghost and Dragon typing that gives him a natural advantage against Psychic-types. We'll focus on honing his speed and developing powerful Dragon-type attacks, as well as refining his elusive maneuvers to avoid Psychic assaults." Dreepy zipped excitedly, clearly eager for the one-on-one attention.
Nidoking, Scyther, and even the newly acquired Rhyhorn listened intently as Gilgamesh laid out their individual training plans. The air crackled with a renewed sense of purpose.
As Gilgamesh's other Pokémon began their rigorous training — Charizard blasting fire at makeshift targets, Nidoking practicing powerful stomps, Scyther darting through the air — Gilgamesh turned his full attention to the tiny Ghost/Dragon-type.
"Alright, Dreepy," Gilgamesh said, crouching down to meet the little Pokémon's gaze. "You're going to start the fight in the gym battle. I want to see what you've got, so I'm going to train you personally."
Dreepy zipped excitedly, its transparent body shimmering with eagerness.
"Let's start with your move set," Gilgamesh continued. "We're going to work on Ice Beam, Fly, Bite, and Astonish."
He pulled out a small, smooth stone. "First, for Ice Beam, focus your energy on this. Imagine a cold, piercing light. Try to freeze it solid!" Dreepy immediately began to glow faintly, a tiny but determined effort already visible. Gilgamesh knew that with dedicated training, this little Pokémon had the potential to become a true powerhouse against Sabrina's Psychic-types.
Dreepy's Intensive Training
The next few hours of their journey to Saffron City became an impromptu training ground for Gilgamesh and Dreepy.
Ice Beam Focus:
Gilgamesh started with Ice Beam. He found a clear patch of ground and placed several small, hollow gourds at varying distances. "Alright, Dreepy," he instructed, "focus your energy, concentrate that icy power, and hit those targets!"
Initially, Dreepy's attempts were erratic. Small, weak bursts of cold mist would waft towards the gourds, barely chilling them. Gilgamesh patiently demonstrated, mimicking the channeling of energy, urging Dreepy to feel the coldness within itself. "Imagine the coldest winter storm, Dreepy! Channel that into a focused beam!"
Slowly, with Gilgamesh's consistent encouragement, Dreepy began to manifest stronger, more coherent streams of icy energy. The mist turned to visible vapor, then to shimmering light, and finally, after numerous attempts, a sharp, thin beam of ice shot out, freezing a gourd solid, cracking it with a satisfying pop. Gilgamesh cheered, and Dreepy zipped around him, a tiny victory dance.
Mastering Fly:
Next was Fly. "This isn't just about getting off the ground, Dreepy," Gilgamesh explained, pointing to a distant, low-hanging branch. "It's about speed, agility, and using the air to your advantage."
He had Dreepy practice quick, evasive maneuvers, darting through gaps in the trees, circling Gilgamesh rapidly, and ascending quickly to avoid imaginary attacks. Dreepy, naturally agile, took to this quickly, its ghostly form becoming a blur as it perfected sudden changes in direction and altitude. Gilgamesh would toss small pebbles, challenging Dreepy to dodge them mid-flight, pushing its reflexes.
Honing Bite:
For Bite, Gilgamesh used sturdy, thick branches found on the roadside. "This move needs power and precision, Dreepy," he instructed, holding up a branch. "You need to latch on and apply pressure."
Dreepy, with its ethereal jaw, would attempt to 'bite' the branch, at first passing through it. Gilgamesh explained the need to solidify its form just enough to exert physical force. He encouraged Dreepy to visualize sinking its fangs into the target. Through repeated attempts, Dreepy's Bites began to leave faint, ethereal indentations, and eventually, the branch would shudder with the impact, demonstrating a growing solidity to its attack.
Perfecting Astonish:
Finally, Astonish. This was about startling and disorienting opponents. Gilgamesh would suddenly appear from behind trees or rocks, challenging Dreepy to react with its most startling cry.
"Surprise them, Dreepy! Make them flinch, make them doubt!" he coached. Dreepy, initially just letting out a quiet wail, began to experiment. It learned to combine a sudden, unexpected appearance with a piercing, ghostly shriek, causing Gilgamesh to visibly jump in mock surprise. The air around Dreepy would ripple with an unsettling energy as it perfected its terrifying, yet strategically valuable, surprise attack.
By the time the day drew to a close and the lights of Saffron City were clearly visible, Dreepy, though small, was buzzing with newfound confidence and a visibly enhanced mastery of its moves. Gilgamesh, though tired, felt a deep sense of satisfaction. His little Ghost/Dragon-type was becoming a force to be reckoned with.