Pokemon: Rising From The Dark

In this world, most trainers come from civilian backgrounds. Unlike the anime, where trainers receive highly qualified starter Pokémon from regional professors at the age of ten, only children from families affiliated with the Pokémon League or those who have paid substantial fees can obtain these coveted starters. For most civilians, obtaining a starter like the regional ones is an unattainable dream.

For aspiring trainers without such privileges, capturing and raising a Beedrill becomes a practical and accessible option. Weedle, the precursor to Beedrill, is easy to catch, requiring only caution against its Poison Sting. With its short growth period and minimal resource requirements, Beedrill quickly becomes a reliable battle partner, offering a pathway for trainers to capture other Pokémon and build a diverse team.

Even trainers from established families often start with Beedrill due to its rapid growth, decent combat capabilities, and relatively low investment needs. In contrast, higher-tier trainers may not prioritize Beedrill, focusing instead on training pseudo-legendary Pokémon or investing heavily in rarer species.

Aoki had considered training a Beedrill in his previous life but abandoned the idea due to its limitations. While raising a Beedrill to moderate combat effectiveness is relatively straightforward, pushing its capabilities further requires disproportionate effort and resources. Furthermore, Beedrill's short lifespan poses another challenge, as its strength declines before it can reach its full potential—a luxury only afforded to those like Giovanni of Team Rocket, who can withstand the test of time.

Despite these drawbacks, Beedrill remains a viable transitional Pokémon, particularly with the advent of Mega Evolution, enhancing its combat potential significantly.

For now, Aoki and Murkrow face the immediate challenge of five approaching Beedrill. As the Beedrill drew near, Aoki used his system to scan them, revealing nearly identical stats across all five:

Pokémon: Beedrill (Red)

Gender: Male

Level: 14

Type: Bug, Poison

Ability: Swarm

Held Item: None

Egg Moves: None

Basic Moves: Twinneedle, Fury Attack, Rage

Taught Moves: None

TM Moves: None

With this information, Aoki was relieved to find that the Beedrill, while numerous, were not particularly strong.

"Murkrow, use Astonish!" Aoki commanded, aiming to exploit the Beedrill's potential flinch reaction to gain the upper hand. The sudden, startling noise from Murkrow caused two of the Beedrill to halt in their tracks, trembling in fear. The remaining three, after a brief pause, continued their assault, their stingers glowing as they prepared to use Twinneedle.

"Murkrow, counter with Gust!" Aoki instructed. Murkrow, now proficient with its Flying-type moves, quickly gathered the necessary energy and unleashed a powerful gust that enveloped the three advancing Beedrill. The attack's super-effective damage caused two of them to fall to the ground, defeated, while the third barely managed to stay airborne.

Capitalizing on the advantage, Aoki ordered, "Murkrow, use Peck on the weakened one, then Gust again on the remaining two!" Murkrow swiftly executed the commands, pecking the struggling Beedrill with precision and sending it crashing down. With a quick turnaround, Murkrow then unleashed another Gust on the two recovering Beedrill, knocking them out of the fight.

As Murkrow returned to Aoki's side, victorious, the two took a moment to regroup, knowing that their battle wasn't over. The familiar buzzing of Beedrill wings filled the air again—this time, even more of them were approaching. Recognizing the escalating threat, Aoki made a swift decision.

"Let's retreat for now, Murkrow. We'll come back when we're better prepared," he said, leading the way back through the forest.

As they departed, the Beedrill swarm arrived to find the aftermath of the battle, their fallen comrades scattered across the ground. A larger Beedrill, evidently the leader, issued a commanding buzz, organizing the swarm and directing them deeper into the forest, likely in search of the intruders.

Had Aoki stayed, he would have recognized this Beedrill as a leader, marked by its size and commanding presence—a stark reminder of the challenges that lay ahead. For now, the priority was regrouping and planning the next move.

Returning to the Metapod Pokémon's territory, Aoki fed Murkrow more Pokéblocks to restore its energy, ensuring it was ready for any further encounters. Despite the intense battle, Murkrow was eager to continue, signaling its readiness with a determined caw. With a shared sense of determination, Aoki and Murkrow prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that each battle brought them closer to their goals.