----
After finishing his words, Kai didn't wait to see wtwo's reaction he simply turned and walked away.
Hands in his pockets, he left behind nothing but a confident, unbothered silhouette.
From deep within Cerulean Cave, wtwo watched as Kai rode off on Gengar, rising through the upper chambers until his presence finally vanished. Its brow furrowed deeply in confusion.
Was he really just here for a simple sparring match?
wtwo found it hard to believe. Surely, Kai knew Gardevoir stood no chance against it. Why bother fighting at all? And why, despite having stronger Pokémon and even a Master Ball, did he choose not to capture it?
The more it thought about it, the more wtwo fell into contemplation.
'Humans… what complicated creatures.'
---
anwhile, retracing his path, Kai returned to the surface.
Warm sunlight once again bathed his skin, and once he was sure wtwo couldn't overhear them anymore, Gengar finally gave voice to his pent-up curiosity.
"We're just leaving? Just like that?"
He clearly shared wtwo's confusion.
Kai raised an eyebrow. "What, were we supposed to throw everything we had at it?"
"Well… yeah, weren't we?" Gengar scratched his head, still baffled. Even after centuries of existence, understanding human logic wasn't exactly his forte.
"We had a real shot. I an, yeah, wtwo's insanely strong but if you gave the order, we could've overwheld it. And don't forget that Master Ball you have. That would've sealed the deal!"
"You're oversimplifying things," Kai replied patiently. "Sure, I could capture it. But what then? wtwo isn't like the others. It's manmade, thinks like a human, and talks like one. Forcing a 'human' into a Poké Ball without mutual trust? That's a walking ti bomb waiting to go off."
Gengar shrugged. "So what? You pulled it off with the Legendary Birds. Win first, build a bond later."
Kai chuckled and shook his head.
"wtwo's different. So are you, actually. You both speak our language and reason like people. That ans I can't treat you like ordinary Pokémon."
That was exactly why he let Gengar stay by his side freely instead of forcing him into a Poké Ball. Earning his loyalty wasn't about power it was about understanding.
"If I want wtwo to join us soday," Kai added, "it needs to be because it chooses to."
---
Leaving Cerulean Cave behind, Kai made his way to the nearby Pokémon Center in Cerulean City on foot, not bothering to fly with Charizard.
He handed Gardevoir's Poké Ball to Nurse Joy for treatnt, then headed to the Center's cafeteria for a quiet lunch.
The room was nearly empty. Besides him, not a single other Trainer was there.
Kai stared at the empty seat across the table and sighed.
'Sigh… First day without Sabrina. I miss her already.'
They'd been inseparable for so long. Now it felt strange, even lonely, being on his own.
Sure, they'd spoken on the phone and exchanged ssages the night before, but Sabrina wasn't soone who kept her phone close. Replies from her always ca late.
That was just her way calm, detached. Kai never tried to change her.
And since he was the one who encouraged her to take ti apart in the first place, he had to live with the solitude, no matter how much it stung.
She was probably feeling the sa way too.
With a soft sigh, Kai channeled that longing into his appetite and began wolfing down his al.
But just a few bites in his phone rang.
'Maybe it's Sabrina?' He thought, a flicker of hope rising.
He glanced at the caller ID.
Erika.
Erika?
That was unexpected.
They texted occasionally, but she'd never called him directly before.
Worried, he quickly answered.
"Hey, Kai! How's your journey going?" ca Erika's familiar voice from the other end.
Hearing from an old friend brought an unexpected smile to Kai's face. "What do you think? I'm the Indigo League Champion now! Gym battles are practically cake at this point."
Only after saying that did he rember Erika was a Gym Leader herself.
Oops.
Fortunately, Erika just laughed it off, and they exchanged a few light-hearted pleasantries before Kai shifted gears.
"Okay, spill it. You don't usually call out of the blue. Sothing up?"
"Kind of," Erika said with a warm laugh. "Are you still in Johto?"
"I just got back to Kanto yesterday," Kai replied. "But I'll be heading back soon. Why?"
"Well… I was thinking of taking a trip to Johto myself. I want to catch so new Grass-type Pokémon. Since you've already traveled through there for a while, I thought you might have so advice."
"Looking to expand your team?" Kai mused. "I've seen a fair few during my trip. It's a bit much to explain over the phone, though. Tell you what I'm in Cerulean City now. I'll be passing through Celadon later this afternoon. How about we et at your Gym and talk it over?"
"Sounds perfect! See you then."
---
After hanging up, Kai didn't dwell on it. Celadon wasn't far off his route anyway.
Just as he finished his al, Nurse Joy's voice ca over the intercom, calling him to the front desk.
There, he retrieved Gardevoir's Poké Ball and released her.
She looked physically healed. No trace of injury remained, but her eyes were still downcast.
Clearly, she was still shaken by her loss.
Kai gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't let it get to you. wtwo's in a whole different league plenty of Legendary Pokémon wouldn't stand a chance against it. But this journey's far from over. You'll get stronger. And when the ti cos, you'll face it again."
----
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