Pokemon: Spiritual Master

"Gym Leader Pryce?"

Johan looked at Pryce, then at the Quagsire that had frozen mid-bite.

So, this Quagsire actually belonged to Pryce?

And Gengar…

Johan had thought it had invited a wild Pokémon over to join their meal, but it turned out to be Pryce's Pokémon instead!

"So, it's you," Pryce said.

He recognized Johan, his sharp gaze sweeping over the Pokémon sitting around the picnic blanket and Johan himself, who was casually eating with them. Pryce's brows furrowed slightly.

"I thought you might have some potential," he said, his tone cold, "but seeing how you interact with your Pokémon…"

He shook his head faintly.

"A Trainer and their Pokémon shouldn't behave like this."

Hearing this, Johan frowned.

As expected…

Pryce's "illness" ran deep.

"Come here!"

"Woopa…"

At Pryce's call, Quagsire obediently set its bowl down and prepared to return to his side.

But the sight made Gengar, Ice Ninetales, and Johan's other Pokémon visibly upset.

Quagsire had been eating so happily just now.

Couldn't Pryce see that?

Wasn't Quagsire his Pokémon?

Why did it feel like he was treating it like a subordinate, not even letting it finish its meal?

Johan, however, slowly relaxed his frown. Placing his bowl down, he rose and gave Pryce a slight bow out of respect for the elder.

Then he asked, "Gym Leader Pryce, in your opinion, how should Trainers and Pokémon interact?"

If Johan had been stronger, he would have punched the old man on the spot—not for himself, but for Pryce's Pokémon.

Unfortunately, Johan was self-aware. He knew the gap between their strengths was vast.

Thus, he chose a "softer" approach.

At the very least, he wanted to understand whether Pryce's transformation had been caused by Piloswine's departure or Lapras's death.

Pryce remained stone-faced as he regarded Johan. After a brief pause, he said flatly:

"A Trainer is a human, and a Pokémon is a Pokémon. Two different creatures should not have too deep a bond."

"But your friends, Professor Oak and Karen of the Elite Four, don't seem to think that way," Johan countered.

"That's why I no longer keep in contact with them," Pryce replied coldly.

Their philosophies differed, so they had gone their separate ways.

Johan nodded but didn't refute Pryce immediately. Instead, he asked, "Pryce, you must have a reason for thinking this way, right? After all, most Trainers have harmonious relationships with their Pokémon."

It occurred to Johan that Paul and Reggie, before being "redeemed," might have shared some of Pryce's views.

Sure, most Trainers and their Pokémon got along well, but there were always those who treated their Pokémon like tools.

Like the Trainer who had abandoned Ash's Charmander, for example.

Pryce narrowed his eyes slightly.

Although he had cut ties with Professor Oak and Karen, they had spoken highly of Johan, so Pryce didn't view him as a stranger.

Plus, Pryce couldn't help but admire Johan's Ice Ninetales.

If not, he wouldn't have let Professor Oak pass along that secret manual to Johan.

After some deliberation, Pryce finally said, "I once had three Pokémon. They were a Piloswine, and two Lapras named 'Laplace' and 'Laplus.'"

Huh?

So he had all three?

As Pryce briefly recounted his story, Johan began to understand.

In his youth, Pryce had been brash, much like Ash. During a reckless battle, he and Piloswine were both severely burned, and his other Pokémon were also gravely injured.

One snowy night, Piloswine left him and never returned.

While searching for Piloswine, Pryce experienced a series of unfortunate events, leading to the deaths of both of his Lapras.

The consecutive losses devastated him. Pryce gave up on forming bonds with Pokémon entirely, choosing instead to maintain strict, emotionless training.

Good grief.

Johan couldn't help but be shocked after hearing the story.

He had thought Pryce's bitterness stemmed either from Piloswine's departure or from the loss of his Lapras.

But this…

It was like combining the hardships of Pryce's animated and manga versions into one person's life!

"That's why, young man, take my advice," Pryce said solemnly. "Don't form deep bonds with your Pokémon. In the end, you're the one who will suffer."

"Ka-kaah!"

"Oowoo!"

Johan's Pokémon all bared their teeth in protest.

Sure, the old man's experiences sounded tragic, but projecting his pain onto others and discouraging them from bonding with their Pokémon? That didn't sit right.

Pryce, however, ignored their reactions, his voice calm as he continued:

"Even without bonds, a Trainer can train their Pokémon to be strong."

Johan didn't deny this point.

However…

"Gym Leader Pryce, have you ever considered this possibility?"

"Hm?"

"What you perceive as a lack of bonds is merely your perspective. It doesn't mean your Pokémon feel the same way."

Johan stepped forward.

"Perhaps, in your Pokémon's eyes, you are the Trainer they trust most. The bond exists, but you've chosen to ignore it."

Otherwise, why would Pryce's Pokémon endure his rigorous training?

Pokémon had feelings, too.

Pryce blinked, momentarily taken aback.

He glanced at the Quagsire by his side.

"Woopa~ (▽.)"

Quagsire scratched its head with a silly grin.

Then Pryce turned to the Jynx behind him, who was pushing his wheelchair.

"Juu-ron~ (｀)"

Johan smiled faintly. "Actually, I know one more thing…"

Before he could finish, Pryce cut him off with a frown.

"Young man, are you trying to teach me how to do things?"

Wait—was that how he interpreted it?

Pryce snorted coldly. "If you think I'm wrong, then battle me. If you win, I'll listen to what you have to say. Otherwise… hmph!"

He had already guessed that Johan had been sent by Professor Oak.

"Can't win."

Johan spread his hands, speaking candidly.

Pryce was decades older, and he was a renowned Trainer whose strength was acknowledged by the Pokémon League. Fighting him would be…

"Don't worry," Pryce said.

"I won't use my main team. Winning like that wouldn't mean much."

In essence, Pryce wanted to show Johan that Trainers didn't need bonds to make their Pokémon strong.

Johan, on the other hand, hoped to change Pryce's perspective—or at least get him to reconsider his beliefs.

This was a clash of ideologies, one that Pokémon battles could directly reflect.

If Pryce won, it would prove his point. If Johan won, it would support his own.

"Ka-kaah!"

Before Johan could reply, Gengar stepped forward, rolling up its nonexistent sleeves.

Let me at him! I'll teach him a lesson!

Johan smiled. "Alright."

He had wanted to punch this old man himself, but since Gengar was so eager, why not give it a shot?

Pryce glanced at Gengar, then at Johan, before finally settling his gaze on Ice Ninetales for a moment.

"Let's make it a standard 3-on-3 rotational battle," Pryce said.

Rotational?

Johan had expected Pryce to suggest a no-holds-barred 3-on-3 battle.

But looking at Pryce's wheelchair… Johan couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

"My first Pokémon will be this one."

As red light flashed, a massive Pokémon with a muscular body covered in brown fur and two curved tusks appeared before them.

"Mamoswine, the Twin Tusk Pokémon. The evolved form of Piloswine, it was once thought to be extinct, Rotom!"

"Ka-kaah!"

You cheat! You said you wouldn't use your strongest, but you brought out this giant!

Johan pulled Gengar back by the head.

"You don't understand," Johan muttered. "The less evolved Pryce's Pokémon are, the scarier they get. If he sent out Swinub, we'd really be doomed."

Mamoswine, huh…

"Kubfu," Johan called.

"Ku!!"

Kubfu leapt forward with a grin, rolling into position before striking a fighting stance. Gripping its headband tightly, it declared itself ready to fight.

Pryce's eyes flicked to Kubfu, his expression unreadable.

"Icicle Spear," he ordered.

"Garrr!!"

Mamoswine roared, shaking its fur. Shards of ice formed and shot toward Kubfu like spears.

Johan's eyes narrowed.

Time to show him.

"Kubfu, break them!"

"Ku~!"

Kubfu's fists glowed with dark red energy as it charged forward, smashing the icicles one by one.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Shards of ice scattered in all directions.

"Not bad," Pryce said, unfazed. "Mamoswine, Icicle Crash!"

A massive icicle materialized above Kubfu, its formation so rapid that even Johan was impressed.

The shards from the broken icicles were being used to condense this new attack.

"Time to sleep, Kubfu," Johan said calmly.

"Ku~~ (-ω-) zzZ"

Kubfu closed its eyes and fell asleep on the spot.

"Counter it!" Johan shouted.

Kubfu's body tensed as dark red energy flared up around it.

BOOM!

The giant icicle crashed down, and though Kubfu winced in its sleep, it stood firm.

"Now, Double Payback!"

"Ku!!"

With a surge of power, Kubfu launched itself like a cannonball, gathering all the energy it had endured into its fist.

Johan's command rang out:

"Kubfu, Dynamic Punch!"

Pryce's brows furrowed. Johan's coordination with Kubfu was sharper than expected.

"Dynamic Punch paired with Counter?" Pryce muttered before gesturing.

"Mamoswine, Protect."

Mamoswine raised a glowing green shield, bracing itself.

But Johan's voice cut through.

"Break it, Kubfu!"

With Johan's Aura flowing into Kubfu's punch, its attack became even more precise, the energy around its fist pulsating like ripples.

With a deafening roar, Kubfu's punch struck Mamoswine's Protect.

CRACK! BOOM!

The shield shattered instantly, and Kubfu's fist slammed into Mamoswine, sending the massive Pokémon flying.

The ground shook as Mamoswine crashed into it.

Pryce's frown deepened.

Though his strategy had been sound and Mamoswine's reactions flawless, the outcome had still caught him off guard.

Is this even reasonable?

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Powerstones?

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