The sun was high over Route 5 as Andrew walked the path toward Vermilion City. Pikachu rode on his shoulder as usual, and the rest of his team rested in their Pokéballs after a morning of training. Two badges down—the Boulder Badge and the Cascade Badge—both gleaming on the inside of his jacket.
He was making good time. The route was peaceful, with trainers scattered here and there practicing with their Pokémon. Andrew was content to just walk and enjoy the journey when he heard a familiar voice call out.
"Well, well! If it isn't Andrew!"
Andrew turned to see a young woman with bright eyes and an energetic smile walking toward him. She had a Squirtle—now noticeably bigger and more confident than when they'd first received their starters—walking beside her.
"Penny?" Andrew said, surprised but pleased. "Hey! It's been a while!"
Penny jogged up to him, her Squirtle keeping pace. "I know, right? Last time we saw each other was at Professor Oak's lab when we picked up our starters. How's your journey going?"
"Pretty good," Andrew said with a smile. "I've got two badges so far—Pewter and Cerulean. How about you? How's the performing circuit treating you?"
Penny's face lit up. "It's amazing! I've competed in three showcases so far. Haven't won yet, but I'm getting better each time. Squirtle and I have been working on this water-and-spin routine that's really coming together."
"That's awesome," Andrew said genuinely. "I'd love to see one of your performances sometime."
"You should!" Penny said enthusiastically. Then she glanced past Andrew and waved. "Oh, hey! Adrian's here too!"
Andrew turned to see another familiar face approaching—Adrian Oak, Professor Gary Oak's son. He walked with the confident stride of someone who'd been winning battles. At his side was an Ivysaur, the evolved form of the Bulbasaur he'd chosen back at the lab.
"Andrew, Penny," Adrian greeted with a nod. His expression was friendly but competitive. "Didn't expect to run into you two out here."
"Adrian!" Penny said cheerfully. "Your Bulbasaur evolved! That's so cool!"
"Yeah, happened a few weeks ago," Adrian said, reaching down to pat Ivysaur's head. The grass-poison type looked strong and well-trained. "We've been putting in the work."
Andrew studied Adrian's Ivysaur, impressed. "Looks like you've been training hard. How many badges do you have?"
"Three," Adrian said simply. "Pewter, Cerulean, and Vermilion. I just finished challenging Lt. Surge yesterday."
Penny whistled. "Three already? You're ahead of both of us!"
"What about you, Andrew?" Adrian asked, his gaze sharp and appraising. "How many badges?"
"Two," Andrew replied. "Pewter and Cerulean. I'm headed to Vermilion next."
Adrian's eyes gleamed with interest. "Two badges, huh? I heard something interesting from my dad. He mentioned you had an intense battle with Misty. Said you used some kind of custom technique?"
Andrew felt Pikachu shift on his shoulder, sensing the competitive energy building. "Yeah. We've been working on developing some original moves."
"Original moves," Adrian repeated, his tone somewhere between impressed and skeptical. "That's ambitious for a new trainer."
There was a pause. The air between them shifted—not hostile, but charged with the unmistakable tension of two trainers sizing each other up.
Penny looked between them and grinned. "Oh boy, I know that look. You two are about to battle, aren't you?"
Adrian smirked. "What do you say, Andrew? We both started our journeys the same day. We both picked our starters from my dad's lab. Seems like a good time to see who's gotten stronger."
Andrew met Adrian's gaze and smiled. The competitive fire in his chest ignited. "You're on. What are the terms?"
"One-on-one," Adrian said immediately. "Our starters. Your Charmeleon against my Ivysaur."
Andrew raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Fire beats grass. That's a pretty big type disadvantage for you."
Adrian's smirk widened. "That's exactly why I want this match. If I can beat you despite the type disadvantage, it proves I'm the better trainer. And if you win, well… you had the advantage, so it's expected."
Andrew couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I respect the confidence. Let's do it."
Penny clapped her hands together. "Yes! Okay, I'll referee! This is going to be good!"
The Battle Setup
They found a cleared area just off the main route—a natural battlefield with packed dirt and a few scattered rocks. Perfect for a one-on-one match.
Andrew and Adrian took positions on opposite sides, about twenty meters apart. Penny stood off to the side with her Squirtle, ready to officiate.
"This will be a one-on-one battle between Andrew and Adrian!" Penny announced, clearly enjoying herself. "The battle ends when one Pokémon is unable to continue! Trainers, send out your Pokémon!"
Andrew unclipped Charmeleon's Pokéball. "Charmeleon, let's show them what we've got!"
The fire-type burst from his ball with a roar, flames dancing on his tail. Charmeleon looked across the field at his opponent with focused intensity.
Adrian threw his Pokéball smoothly. "Ivysaur, time to battle!"
Ivysaur emerged, planting its feet firmly. The bulb on its back was large and vibrant, radiating grass-type energy. The evolved Pokémon looked calm and experienced.
Pikachu hopped off Andrew's shoulder to watch from the sidelines, his ears perked forward with interest.
Penny raised her hand. "Trainers ready?"
Both Andrew and Adrian nodded.
"Then… begin!"
The Battle: Charmeleon vs Ivysaur
"Ivysaur, Razor Leaf!" Adrian commanded immediately.
Ivysaur's bulb glowed, and a barrage of sharp leaves shot toward Charmeleon like throwing knives.
"Charmeleon, dodge with your speed and counter with Ember!" Andrew called.
Charmeleon darted to the side, the leaves slicing through empty air where he'd been standing. He opened his mouth and unleashed a stream of small fireballs.
"Ivysaur, Vine Whip to deflect!"
Two thick vines extended from Ivysaur's bulb, whipping through the air and batting away most of the embers. A few still got through, singing Ivysaur's hide, but the grass-type held firm.
"Not bad," Andrew muttered. Adrian's Ivysaur had clearly been trained well—its reaction time was excellent.
"Ivysaur, Vine Whip again—grab him!"
The vines shot forward, faster this time, attempting to entangle Charmeleon.
"Dragon Claw!" Andrew commanded.
Charmeleon's arms glowed with draconic energy as he slashed forward with two swift strikes, cutting through the vines before they could grab him.
Adrian nodded approvingly. "Nice execution on that Dragon Claw."
"Impressive," Adrian admitted. "But we're not done yet. Ivysaur, Sleep Powder!"
Ivysaur's bulb released a cloud of sparkling blue powder that began to spread across the battlefield.
"Charmeleon, use your flames to burn it away! Flamethrower!"
Charmeleon unleashed a massive stream of fire. The heat ignited the Sleep Powder mid-air, burning it away before it could reach him. The field was momentarily filled with bright sparks as the powder combusted.
"Smart counter," Adrian said, clearly analyzing Andrew's battle style. "But let's see how you handle this. Ivysaur, Leech Seed!"
A seed shot from Ivysaur's bulb, arcing through the air toward Charmeleon.
"Dodge it!" Andrew called.
Charmeleon leaped to the side—but the seed landed near his feet and immediately burst, sending roots that wrapped around his legs.
"Got you," Adrian said. "Leech Seed will drain your Charmeleon's stamina while healing Ivysaur. The longer this battle goes, the worse it gets for you."
Andrew gritted his teeth. Adrian was right—Leech Seed was a problem. He needed to end this quickly.
"Charmeleon, Dragon Claw on the ground! Break those roots!"
Charmeleon slashed downward with glowing claws, cutting through the roots. They regrew almost immediately, but it bought him mobility.
"Now, close the distance! Dragon Rage!"
Charmeleon charged forward, unleashing a blast of dragon-fire energy.
"Ivysaur, counter with Solar Beam—wait, no, we don't have time to charge it. Use Tackle to dodge and close in!"
Ivysaur lunged to the side, narrowly avoiding the Dragon Rage, and charged directly at Charmeleon.
The two Pokémon collided in close combat—Charmeleon's claws against Ivysaur's vines, fire meeting grass, power against power.
"Charmeleon's stronger up close!" Andrew called. "Keep the pressure on! Metal Claw!"
Charmeleon's claw glowed metallic silver—a Steel-type move, super effective against grass. He slashed hard, catching Ivysaur across the side.
Ivysaur cried out, stumbling backward.
"Ivysaur, hang in there!" Adrian shouted. "Vine Whip—grab his arms!"
The vines shot out and wrapped around Charmeleon's forearms, pinning them.
"Now, Take Down!"
Ivysaur charged forward with all its weight, slamming into Charmeleon's chest. The fire-type was thrown backward, crashing into the dirt.
Both Pokémon were breathing hard now. Charmeleon struggled to his feet, flames on his tail burning intensely. Ivysaur stood firm but was clearly hurt from the Metal Claw.
"This is it," Andrew said quietly. "Charmeleon, one more Dragon Claw! Give it everything!"
Charmeleon roared, and the dragon energy around his claws blazed brighter than ever. He charged forward with incredible speed.
"Ivysaur, meet him head-on! Razor Leaf at point-blank range!"
Ivysaur's bulb glowed, preparing to unleash a devastating barrage of leaves at close range—
Charmeleon's Dragon Claw struck first.
The impact sent Ivysaur flying backward. The grass-type hit the ground hard and didn't get back up.
Penny raised her hand. "Ivysaur is unable to battle! Charmeleon wins! The victor is Andrew!"
After the Battle
Adrian recalled Ivysaur, his expression thoughtful rather than disappointed. "Good battle. Your Charmeleon's strong, and you've got solid battle instincts."
Andrew recalled Charmeleon, giving the Pokéball a grateful pat. "Your Ivysaur put up a serious fight. That Leech Seed strategy almost worked."
Adrian walked over, extending his hand. Andrew shook it.
"You've gotten stronger since we started," Adrian said. "But so have I. Next time we battle, I won't lose."
"I'm looking forward to it," Andrew replied with a grin.
Penny jogged over, Squirtle beside her. "That was awesome! You two are both really good!"
"Thanks for refereeing," Andrew said.
"Anytime!" Penny said brightly. Then she looked between them. "So where are you both headed next?"
"Vermilion City," Andrew said. "Going for my third badge."
"I'm headed back to Saffron for a bit," Adrian said. "Need to restock supplies and do some training before I challenge Sabrina."
"And I've got a showcase in Celadon City next week," Penny added. "We should all exchange contact info! That way we can keep in touch and maybe meet up again."
They quickly exchanged Pokédex contact information, and after a few more minutes of conversation, they parted ways—Penny heading west, Adrian heading north, and Andrew continuing south toward Vermilion.
As Andrew walked, Pikachu back on his shoulder, he couldn't help but smile.
"That was a good battle," Andrew said to Pikachu. "Adrian's strong. And Penny's doing her own thing. It's nice to see how everyone's growing."
"Pika," Pikachu agreed, nuzzling against Andrew's cheek.
Andrew looked at the two badges inside his jacket, then toward the horizon where Vermilion City waited.
The journey continued.
Meanwhile - Professor Oak's Lab
Gary Oak sat at his desk, reviewing research data when his video phone chimed. He answered it to see his son's face on the screen.
"Dad," Adrian said. "Just thought I'd check in."
"Adrian!" Gary smiled. "How's the journey going?"
"Good. Three badges now. Just ran into Andrew and Penny on Route 5."
Gary's expression became more interested. "Andrew? How's he doing?"
"Two badges. We had a battle—one-on-one, my Ivysaur against his Charmeleon. I lost."
Gary raised an eyebrow. "You took a type disadvantage battle?"
"I wanted to see how strong he really was," Adrian said. "He's got solid fundamentals and his Charmeleon is well-trained. The type advantage was real, but he also fought smart."
Gary leaned back in his chair, thoughtful. "He's been progressing well from what I've heard."
"He's good," Adrian admitted. "Really good. But I'm not giving up. Next time we battle, I'll be ready for those techniques."
Gary smiled. "That's the spirit. Friendly rivalry makes both trainers stronger."
"Yeah," Adrian said. "Anyway, just wanted to update you. I'll call again soon."
"Stay safe out there, son."
The call ended, and Gary sat in quiet contemplation. Andrew was progressing well—perhaps even faster than anticipated. Custom techniques, strong bonds with his Pokémon, and now earning the respect of other talented trainers.
"James and Jessie's boy," Gary murmured to himself. "Looks like you're making quite the name for yourself, Andrew."
Outside the lab, the sun continued its arc across the sky, and somewhere on the roads of Kanto, three young trainers pursued their dreams—each growing stronger with every step.