"Alright. Once I successfully capture Fletchling, I'll help all of you catch the Pokémon you want too," Gary agreed without hesitation.
"Great, then let's begin."
With that, Tierno connected a speaker to the tablet, then tossed out the Poké Ball and released Umbreon.
"Umbreon, we're your trainer Gary's friends. This is a forest outside Vaniville Town in the Kalos region. Gary should've already explained everything when he sent you here."
"For the upcoming capture battle, Gary will be commanding you remotely through the video call. So do your best," Tierno said encouragingly.
"Umbra~" Umbreon emerged from the Poké Ball and, seeing the completely unfamiliar surroundings, showed a brief flicker of unease. But after hearing Tierno's explanation, it quickly calmed down.
Especially when it saw Gary's image on the tablet screen.
With Gary and Umbreon both ready, Tierno carefully carried the tablet forward and stopped beneath a beech tree, where a Fletchling stood at the edge of its nest, preening its feathers.
"Fletchling, battle me. I want to catch you."
Gary's voice rang out through the speaker.
The amplified sound immediately caught Fletchling's attention. In truth, it had already noticed Tierno's group approaching earlier, thanks to its high vantage point. But now that someone was directly challenging it, it could no longer pretend to ignore them.
It turned its head and fixed its gaze on the group.
At first, it thought the challenger was the chubby boy standing in front. But the voice was actually coming from the strange flat object in his hands.
Tilting its head, the little bird stared curiously at the tablet, its bright black eyes full of confusion as it tried to make sense of the image of the brown-haired boy inside.
"Fletchling, my name is Gary. I'm currently in the Kanto region, very far away from Kalos, so I can't be there in person. I can only meet you through this video call."
"But the Pokémon fighting you is mine, and I'll be the one commanding it. The people you see here are my friends. They won't interfere in the battle."
"So, can you accept this kind of battle?"
"And if I defeat and capture you, my friends will send you to me, all the way to Kanto, which is tens of thousands of kilometers away."
"What do you think? Are you willing to accept my challenge? If not, I'll have my friends leave immediately and stop bothering you."
On the screen, Gary spoke with both nervousness and anticipation.
Although Tierno and Trevor had identified three potential Fletchling targets earlier, Gary still hoped to succeed with the first one and avoid unnecessary trouble.
As for whether he could win, he didn't even question it. He had complete confidence in his strength.
"Chirp~"
The sharp-eyed Fletchling thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
To it, remote command or in-person command made no difference. The one giving orders was still the same trainer, and the Pokémon fighting was still his.
As for being sent to a faraway place like Kanto, that didn't matter either. As a wild Pokémon, it had no concept of regions like Kalos or Kanto. Even places just beyond its usual territory felt like an entirely new world.
Whether it stayed nearby or traveled far away, it was all the same.
With that mindset, Fletchling accepted the challenge without hesitation.
Seeing this, everyone—Gary and Green in Kanto, and Tierno, Serena, Shauna, and Trevor in the forest—lit up with excitement.
If this worked, it meant they could use the same method to capture Pokémon from other regions as well.
That possibility alone was enough to make them thrilled.
"Alright then, Fletchling. The battle begins. You go first," Gary said, suppressing his excitement as his expression turned serious.
Giving it his all was the greatest respect he could show to a future partner.
"Chirp~"
Fletchling didn't hold back. As Umbreon stepped forward, it took to the air, keeping a safe distance since it didn't recognize its opponent.
With a flap of its wings, it launched a burst of Ember.
Tierno adjusted the tablet, keeping the camera focused on the battlefield so Gary could clearly observe everything.
"Umbreon, dodge it, then use Taunt!" Gary quickly commanded.
"Umbra~"
Umbreon responded instantly. With a powerful push from its hind legs, it accelerated forward and easily evaded the incoming Ember.
Then it came to a stop, lifted its head, and stared up at Fletchling. With a slight curl of its lips and a provocative gesture, it openly mocked its opponent.
The effect was immediate.
"Chirp!"
Fletchling was instantly enraged.
Instead of keeping its distance and continuing with ranged attacks, it dove straight down, its beak glowing white as it lunged toward Umbreon.
The move it used was Peck.
Watching the reckless charge, a satisfied smile appeared on Gary's face.
"Perfect. Umbreon, use Snarl!"
"Umbra~"
A sinister glint flashed in Umbreon's crimson eyes. Opening its mouth, it unleashed a thick, dark-purple wave of sound, roaring forward like a column of smoke and fire.
Consumed by anger, Fletchling didn't dodge.
It charged straight into the attack, as if convinced its Peck could pierce through anything.
But that confidence came at a cost.
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T/N:
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