Chapter 2: First Duel

Section 2: First Duel

I walked out of the lab with the Pokéball in my hand. It was warm, almost alive. A small clicking noise warned me that the moment had come. I could feel the adrenaline starting to make me feel something, a kind of tingling, but it wasn't the loud excitement you'd expect from getting your first Pokémon. No, this feeling was more subtle, calmer, almost... resigned.

I set off on the path of Route 1, the road that connected Pallet Town to Viridian City. A long stretch of dirt, interrupted by small grasses and a few bushes. It was a familiar road. It didn't seem much different from yesterday or from tomorrow. Yet, I knew that what I was about to do would mark a turning point. Maybe not in the expected way, but there was this certainty that everything would begin here, today.

As soon as I arrived on the road, I noticed a movement in the corner of my vision. A familiar silhouette. It was Damian, one of my rivals. He was there, arms crossed, his gaze hard but curious. He watched me, as if he knew exactly what I was about to do, but without saying a word. It was a strange situation, in fact. Like this moment was inevitable.

"You're leaving too?" he said, his voice calm, but his tone betrayed a slight mockery.

I shrugged, avoiding answering immediately. But he insisted, unable to resist breaking the silence.

"You've chosen your Pokémon, I assume. I chose Charmander. It's fast, tough. Don't underestimate a Fire-type." His smile curved, almost a challenge, but it didn't intimidate me. Or at least, I didn't let it show.

I glanced at my Pokéball. Bulbasaur, a Grass-type Pokémon. Not exactly what you would call "fast" or "strong." But it had its own charm. A certain resilience, an endurance that others hadn't yet understood. It had its weaknesses, but its strengths would reveal themselves when the time came.

"You want to train a bit?" Damian suggested. His gaze was becoming sharper, as if the idea of facing me excited him. He was just waiting for one thing: a battle.

I looked him in the eye. There wasn't an obvious challenge, no great arrogance like I was used to seeing from him, but it was enough for me to know what he was expecting. He wanted a fight. A real one. The one that would mark the beginning of our respective journeys.

It was up to me to decide.

I had noticed, of course, that he hadn't taken into account that I might be less prepared than he was. It was like an open door, ready to be pushed. But I knew there was more to this than just a simple fight.

It was obvious that he underestimated me. He thought I'd take him lightly, just like he had probably done with his other rivals.

I smiled inwardly, but nothing appeared on my face. "Alright. A battle, just to see."

He hadn't noticed the nuance in my voice, but I was sure that the outcome of this duel wouldn't be what he thought. Maybe I should have taken it more seriously, but it wasn't the time yet. The real test wasn't here. Not today.

The battle began. He sent out Charmander first, the small Fire-type Pokémon, with its determined look. It wasn't a bad choice. But something told me I wasn't going to be impressed. I had seen many battles, but I wasn't ready to give everything yet.

I threw my Pokéball. "Bulbasaur, let's go."

The Grass-type Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. It shook its head, as if stretching after a long sleep. It didn't seem to care about the huge Charmander in front of it. That kind of confidence couldn't be learned. It was in the nature of the Pokémon.

Damian stepped forward, commanding Charmander to attack with a powerful Flamethrower. The jet of flame shot towards Bulbasaur, but the latter dodged with an agility that even Damian didn't seem to anticipate. Charmander had bet on speed, but Bulbasaur, though slower, knew its environment.

I took a deep breath and ordered it to retreat.

"Recover, Bulbasaur," I murmured, barely audible, while observing the terrain around us.

Charmander launched another Flamethrower attack, but I wasn't in a hurry to react. It would take more than a flame to disturb me.

Bulbasaur, still calm, stood ready. I watched it, analyzing every movement, every gesture. It seemed to know what I wanted before I could even order it. But there was this distance, this slowness. Everything was calculated, albeit at a level that Damian couldn't perceive.

When Charmander launched another attack, I shifted slowly. Bulbasaur, with its roots, used Leech Seed. It wasn't a direct offensive move, but it was enough to weaken Charmander. The little fire Pokémon hadn't expected that. A gentle, yet relentless energy seeped into its body, slowing it down and tiring it little by little.

Damian frowned. He wasn't ready to see this turn of events.

"What are you doing?" he asked, almost to himself. He didn't understand.

I didn't even need to respond. Bulbasaur's gaze said more than a thousand words.

The battle continued, but at some point, I let go. I let Bulbasaur take a few hits, on purpose. It was about understanding what would come next. When the outcome seemed obvious, I ordered Bulbasaur to fall, its body weakening under the blows.

Silence fell. Damian, eyes fixed on his Charmander, didn't immediately understand. There was no triumph in my eyes, only a cold analysis of the situation.

"You won," I said simply.

Damian, still lost in his thoughts, nodded, but he wasn't as confident as he would have liked.

The battle wasn't over. It had never been about that. But he had believed it was a battle of power. I had seen something else.