The morning after arriving in Sandgem Town, Ash and the others had already bid farewell to Professor Rowan and reached the forest north of Sandgem Town.
This was a forest of considerable size. Although the roads inside were distinct, making it difficult to get lost, it would take several days to leave the forest and reach the next city if walking. Of course, this would inevitably involve camping outdoors.
...
"Staravia, Quick Attack!"
"Starly!"
In an open space in the forest, Ash was training Staravia and Aipom. The training mode was him commanding Staravia to battle the autonomously fighting Aipom.
The training method was simple, but also effective. After all, Staravia had become accustomed to living in the wild, and relied on its own experience and ideas for most of the battle. Although there were many merits in this, Ash, as a Trainer, still needed to correct the shortcomings.
"Aipom!"
Looking at the Staravia sprinting towards it, Aipom turned its back and began to giggle. Staravia's actions seemed to be within its expectations. With its back facing the diving Staravia, Aipom's figure swayed slightly, and Shadow Ball was used instantly.
Obviously, Aipom was now using the tactics that Ash had commanded it to use in the previous battle. Aipom originally thought it was very smart and could learn and apply what it had learned, but it forgot that its opponent this time was not just Staravia, but Staravia under Ash's command.
"Ascend rapidly!"
Ash didn't care about Shadow Ball. Up to this point, the situation seemed to be the same as when Aipom fought Staravia before, but with the release of Aipom's Swift, Ash's command finally changed.
"Keep using Aerial Ace in this state!"
"Starly!"
This time, Staravia was no longer as stiff as it was the first time. Instead, relying on the flapping of its wings and its proficiency in the Aerial Ace skill, it suddenly turned sharply in mid-air in an almost impossible posture.
Although Swift had a certain function of pursuing opponents, the tracking function of Swift seemed a bit insufficient for a target like Staravia, which completed several changes in direction in a few seconds.
The sharply descending Staravia pulled a silver-white arc of light and crashed straight into Aipom's body, carrying its body several meters away.
"Aipom!"
The Aipom, who had been knocked to the ground, struggled to get up, and the emotions flashing in its eyes didn't seem very convinced. It wanted to continue fighting, but Ash stood up to stop it at this moment.
"That's it for today's training."
"Starly~"
"Aipom..."
Although very reluctant, Aipom still listened to Ash's words. Staravia on the other side was in a good mood now, after all, it had defeated Aipom, who had defeated it before, under Ash's command this time. It, whose personality was already quite strong, was naturally happy.
Looking at the sullen Aipom, Ash didn't comfort it now, but directly pointed out its shortcomings.
"Although Pokémon battles are completed by Trainers and Pokémon together, Pokémon still need to have their own characteristics and ideas on this basis. I know you want to show me what you have learned, but you still have to see the situation clearly and make flexible adjustments before using it."
"Aipom~"
Aipom responded feebly, and it was unknown whether it had heard it or not. Ash just shrugged his shoulders with a smile when he saw this, and turned his attention to Staravia on the other side.
"Staravia's performance was good. Although the time we have been working together is very short, you can complete my commands very well... Your body seems to be much more flexible than ordinary Staravia. You must continue to make good use of your advantages in the future."
"Starly!"
Staravia raised its wings and responded with vigor. Ash looked at the two people with completely different moods at the moment, and didn't say much, so he put them back into their Poké Balls first.
This kind of day-to-day training may be very boring and tedious, but to stand at the top of Pokémon Trainers, this kind of training is indispensable. Only those who can reflect on themselves after each day's training can go all the way to the end, and Ash deeply understands this.
"Is it over already?"
Brock, who was cooking behind him, asked when he saw that Ash had put away Aipom and Staravia.
"Yeah, although it's still a bit worrying, there's still a long time to come, and there's still time to make up for it."
"..."
Brock looked at Ash in silence for a moment.
"What's wrong?" Ash asked strangely.
"No... I just feel that... you are indeed much more mature and stable now than you were in the Hoenn region. It hasn't been long in between, did something happen?"
"Not much." Ash's expression didn't change, but he clenched his fists and said with a firm tone: "I don't want to experience the feeling of failure anymore. The Sinnoh League Competition... I will definitely win the final victory! I will never fall before the final again!"
Brock: "..."
Looking at Ash's determined appearance, Brock was a little emotional for a while.
He had been with Ash since the Kanto region. Although there were times when he left, and he happened to leave when Ash first won, which made him feel a little regretful. Later, in the Johto and Hoenn Leagues, Ash also showed his growth, but when faced with talented players from all over the world, Ash's growth was obviously not enough compared to their strength.
But now, after witnessing Ash's maturity and stability after arriving in the Sinnoh region, Brock had an inexplicable premonition.
He felt that perhaps in this Sinnoh League Competition... Ash could really win.
"Well, I'll wait and see."
Brock patted Ash on the shoulder, and said with a look that seemed to contain a hint of blessing.
"Lunch is almost ready. Since you are free now, go help me call Dawn. She seems to be in the forest on the other side, saying that she saw you training, so she also wanted to train or something... Although she kept saying that there was no problem, I'm still a little worried."
"That's true."
Ash nodded with deep feeling, and then agreed, taking Pikachu and walking in the direction that Brock pointed.
....