CHAPTER 5 : Falling into the trap

" no" Alex simply replied. He feels that it is a good chance for him to make his family overcome the angst they felt for his near death encounter and decides to drag things and help them calm down and be happy.

" What do you mean by no?" Gwen asked .

" I meant I have two pseudo king pokemons now but in a few months, pidgeot will also join their rank." Alex explained.

" What three psuedo king? Are the psuedo kings growing on trees? Here I couldn't help anyone of my Pokemon advance forward and you will have three in the near future. " Michael said with self insult and felt incredible about the words of Alex.

" Alex how strong your pokemons are?" His grandpa asked with curiousity dripping his face.

Alex didn't hide his Pokemons strength and narrated," to start from lower to higher levels, larvitar, duskull, misdreavus, and ralts twins are at rookie level and will reach intermediate level when they evolve or train for a few months.

Swablu, Growlithe, Miltank, tentacool, Pikachu, Riolu, Magikarp and Happiny are at intermediate level.

Haunter, Charmeleon, butterfree, pidgeotto, Espeon, Piloswine, nidorino, Onix, poliwhirl,Ivysaur and golbat are at advanced level.

Snorlax, Claydol and shiny pidgeot are elite level.

And finally, Slowking and electabuzz are at pseudo king level. " Alex told his pokemons strength.

" You have two pokemons at pseudo king and three at Elite level. " Michael asked blankly.

" Technically, pidgeot is at peak elite and advance at Pseudo king soon. Meanwhile, claydol and Snorlax are at initial elite level. " Alex clarified their strength and continued," So I have reached the requirements for the master Trainer status."

" Are you going to update your status?" Michael asked excited about that prospect.

He rubbed his chin and went into a thinking pose. He thinks about it and then said,"at least, Not now . I am eleven. I will update my status before the Pokemon league tournament begins. By that time more of my Pokemon would reach elite level and my position as a Master Trainer will be more stable."

" Indeed. It is good. You are still too young and can wait for the promotion. Too much exposure to fame isn't good for your current growth." The older man said after his initial joy calmed down.

" Just how powerful are pseudo king, dad?" Arthur asked the resident veteran trainer more about the power levels of Pokemon.

" I don't know clearly. I can't give you an accurate account but alex could. Tell me Alex what really differentiate Pokemons of elite level and psuedo king level?" Michael passed the question to Alex.

Alex feels the eyes of his parents falling onto him and after taking a deep breathe he started to explain them ," Pokemons at pseudo king level can use the power of element more freely than before.

Let's take an example, Shiny pidgeot can use the wind force at full strength for fifteen minutes before he is completely knocked out and drained.

But electabuzz could do the same with thunder force and fight for about half a day without being knocked out completely.

As for power, let's just say in an average b level Pokemon Tide, the leader of the entire group are Pseudo kings. Their full power strike could destroy everything in their path. As long as thry survive, they can change the course of battle at any moment.

It would take less than two hours for a psuedo king to destroy our town if he or she attacks. And that too if he had encountered advanced level trainer and their pokemons before going to rampage " Alex tried to explain the power gap present between elite and Pseudo king Pokemons.

" They are so strong." Arthur muttered numbly but Gwen focus was on something much more important than pokemons strength.

She softly asked her son," What level of Pokemon Tide did you face, Alex? Swear to me and answer the question truthfully." While looking right into his eyes.

Suddenly Alex feels like a small kid interrogated by his parents when he does something wrong and is about to be punished.

He mumbled softly," B high".

He said so softly that they couldn't hear anything and the only sign that he may have said something was the slight movement of his mouth.

" Louder Alex." His mother said with some heat in her tone.

" It was a high B grade Pokemon Tide." He revealed.

Gwen and Arthur aren't much aware of the words and world of the pokemon trainers so they looked at the only knowledgable person in the house who knew about it other than Alex, and that was Michael.

" What does this mean, Dad?" Arthur asked.

Michael didn't look or listen their questions as his eyes were fixated on Alex.

He asked his grandson another question," How many master trainers did you have in your side of defense, Alex?"

The two parents were confused about what this question mean but they didn't interrupt the knowledgeable man.

Alex didn't answer this question immediately and was thinking about something and then he answered,. " We had three master trainers on our side. One was the town mayor, one captain of town Garrison and another was the gym leader of the Sky town."

Michael just nodded his head and mumbled ,"so you too were involved." Alex just nodded knowing what he meant. He revealed the news about his pokemons strength to divert their attention from the main topic but in the end he fell into the pit himself.

"What does this mean, Dad?" Gwen asked.

He didn't look at her. His eyes were on Alex and had started narrating,. " The Pokemon league had divided the Pokemon Tide into different grades. These are D, C, B, A, S and SS.

These grades are based on the strongest Pokemon leading the tide.

In D grade, an advanced level pokemon would be the leader. Although it is just an advanced level pokemon this level of tide is enough to destroy any village or small town.

The minimum number of Pokemon participating in a pokemon tide is about ten thousand. That is the lowest number.

According to league's definition, if the number of Pokemon attacking a settlement is less than ten thousand then it isn't a tide and you will not receive any help from the higher ups. Although, You could ask from help from the wandering and visiting trainer.

C grade is led by an elite level pokemon meanwhile B grade is led by pseudo king.

In my trainer life, I have participated in dozen of D grade Tide, seven C grade Tide and only one B grade Tide.

And in that one tide, I had encountered more near death scenarios than I did in my entire life. That tide was just a low B grade one. Two levels lower than what Alex has experienced. "

Now it dawned on them why he was so excited earlier. It was a trick that his grandpa used to pull him into a false sense of calmness and then get the information he need from his grandson.

" You tricked me again, grandpa" Alex said laughing but it was without mirth. He fell into the pit and he was currently thinking of something to escape from this trap.

" I am your grandfather, brat. I watched you grow and know you all too well. You always downplay the things you experience so that we won't worry about you.

I know that the experience of the Pokemon tide is harsh and cruel but it is not enough for my grandson to cry like that on his mother's shoulders.

So tell me Alex what is it that really made you fell like that?" Michael said with a no nonsense expression.

Alex trick failed and he fell on his grandpa's trap? How will it go? Stay tuned.

To be Continued...