Learning new skills as a Pokemon levels up is normal, but according to Ralts, she didn't learn the skills but instead unlocked them upon leveling up, which is quite strange.
"As for beating the Elite Trainer with that strategy... actually, it was Professor Oak who taught me! Although I used to hate studying, I was always interested in battling strategies. One day I saw Professor Oak using this strategy in a battle online and I quietly memorized those Pokemon."
When in doubt, blame Oak, at least don't expose the chat group's secret.
One lie requires countless others to weave, so Ash exaggerated about Professor Oak teaching him, firmly placing the blame on him.
Anyway, Brock and Misty can't verify with Professor Oak now, by the time they reach a place with a phone, they might have already forgotten about it.
Just like that, Ash successfully skirted over the incident, but Misty and Brock silently took note of Ralts' case.
The sudden appearance of a Poke Egg, its glow at birth, growth beyond its species' potential, and a diverse skillset without learning—all this indicates that this Ralts has a rather unusual origin.
Both of them advised Ash not to disclose Ralts' peculiarities to others and to minimize showing off her exaggerated powers exceeding her level.
To this, Ash replied—
"What exaggerated power beyond her level? Oh, you mean Ralts' Machamp-like strength, right? That's because after fusing with my Aura, Ralts gained part of my strength, which is why her power seems so exaggerated. On her own, she's still quite delicate, don't get her wrong," Ash defended, rubbing Ralts' small head on his shoulder.
Upon hearing this, the two's gaze toward Ash turned odd.
Turns out you're the one who shouldn't reveal any special traits about yourself!
...
After the Poke Academy incident, three more days passed, and Ash followed the directions given by a model student to a small town where he resupplied for camping gear, then continued on his journey.
But in less than a day, they found themselves... lost again!
"What kind of place is this? All these trees look the same! We have no idea where we are!" Ash complained, looking at the map with dissatisfaction.
They were surrounded by forest on all sides, circling around for half a day only to return to their starting point. Even with the map, they couldn't figure out where they were.
The roads to Vermilion City are way too confusing! How on earth do others make it to Vermilion City!
"Don't worry, Ash, this forest isn't big. Even if we're lost, it won't take long to find our way out. But first, it's lunchtime, let's cook together!" Brock said as he began taking various cooking tools out of his space backpack.
Brock had always been interested in cooking, and after finding a like-minded partner in Ash, he was even more enthusiastic about making dishes.
Now for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Ash helps out, Misty handles the dining tools and cleanup, and their teamwork is seamless, making their journey quite harmonious.
Ash has made significant improvements compared to over half a month ago. From initially being able to only chop vegetables, he can now make many dishes. Despite some differences in taste compared to Brock's cooking, for a beginner, this progress is indeed remarkable.
For some reason, Ash felt his memory and physical coordination had greatly improved compared to before his travels.
Perhaps it's related to the changes from Aura Power, which represents the Source of Life in the body. The sudden surge in Aura might have significantly enhanced his memory.
Because of this, Ash learns quickly, whether in cooking, Pokemon nurturing and care, or knowledge related to Pokemon, he can even apply what he's learned in one area to others.
According to the evaluation from the group with Breeder Ash, Ash is now considered an Intermediate Breeder.
Apart from Ash's improvement, his Pokemon have also gained substantial progress.
Butterfree and Pidgeotto have both reached the Advanced Level, and both are now at Intermediate Advanced Level.
However, Pidgeotto reached Intermediate Advanced Level faster than Butterfree, as its racial advantage is gradually showcasing itself.
Pikachu is now at the Advanced Peak, almost reaching Elite Level.
In just a month, its progress from Ordinary Advanced Level to Advanced Peak is incredibly fast, not to mention it's just a Pikachu.
Normally, a Pikachu's growth speed shouldn't surpass Butterfree's by much, due to racial limitations. Differences in nurturing methods and battle frequency might have a slight impact.
But it shouldn't be that much faster than Butterfree since both belong to the same trainer.
This can only mean Pikachu is indeed different from a normal Pikachu, and no wonder Team Rocket is so persistent.