Even for the same moves—Aromatherapy and Heal Pulse—when used by a beginner-tier Pokémon versus an Elite Four–level Pokémon, the difference in healing effectiveness was worlds apart.
And the reason was simple: strength.
Power determined everything.
Within the Joy family, however, their talent trees were almost entirely invested in medical support roles—Pokémon doctors, nurses, and healers. When it came to training Pokémon or commanding them in battle, their aptitude tended to be… average at best.
But Ash didn't mind.
For Clarissa Joy, he had no strict expectations in that regard. As long as she teamed up with him in battles and shared in the experience gains to help her Happiny evolve and grow, that was more than enough.
Even if one day she reached Elite-tier levels but could only perform at a high Gym-Class or pseudo-Elite level in actual combat, it wouldn't matter.
After all… she had him.
After changing clothes and stepping outside, Ash was just about to call Gary and Green when he saw the two of them rushing excitedly into the Pokémon Center.
"Gary, Green—how did it go? Did Tierno, Trevor, and Shauna get the Pokémon they wanted?" Ash asked.
"Yep, all caught!" Gary nodded.
"Caterpie and Poliwag were easy enough to find. But Trevor's Sandshrew took a bit more effort," he continued. "Then we remembered that the environment around Mt. Hideaway is perfect for Ground- and Rock-type Pokémon. So we headed there—and sure enough, we quickly found a suitable Sandshrew."
Gary raised three Poké Balls in his hand, now miniaturized.
"Mt. Hideaway, huh…" Ash murmured, realization flashing across his face.
Recently, he'd been so busy juggling countless responsibilities that he had almost forgotten about that place.
Near Pallet Town, aside from the rich resources of Viridian Forest and the coastal waters downstream, Mt. Hideaway was another hidden treasure trove.
Thanks to its unique geological conditions, the mountain was home to unusually massive Onix.
In the original storyline, even Bruno of the Kanto Elite Four had once camped there for months just to capture one of those giant Onix.
"If that Onix caught Bruno's eye, its potential must be incredible… Should I go 'intercept' it?" Ash wondered briefly.
But after a moment's thought, he shook his head.
He simply wasn't fond of overly large, bulky Pokémon. Even something like Charizard or Blastoise was already pushing his comfort zone. As for Onix—especially the oversized one from Mt. Hideaway—it didn't appeal to him at all.
"With my Viridian Blessing's Source Cleansing, Pokémon potential isn't an issue for me anyway. It just takes time."
"And right now, I already have plenty of Pokémon. I'm not planning to catch new ones anytime soon—especially not something like Onix."
"Maybe I'll visit Mt. Hideaway someday… but capturing it? Probably not."
Lost in thought, Ash didn't respond immediately.
"Ash? Ash?" Gary called out, a hint of concern creeping into his voice, thinking Ash might be exhausted from the afternoon's consultations.
"Hm? I'm fine," Ash snapped back. "Just thinking about something."
"Gary, Green—go ahead and send the Pokémon back to Tierno and the others. Then we'll head out for dinner."
"Got it," Gary replied, heading off to find Nurse Joy for the transfer.
During the capture battles, Poliwag, Caterpie, and Sandshrew had all taken some damage. But treating them would be a great opportunity for Tierno and the others to build rapport—so Gary intentionally left that step for them.
After completing the transfer, Gary used the Pokémon Center's public communicator to initiate a video call.
"Tierno, Trevor, Shauna—did you receive the Poké Balls?"
The screen flickered, revealing the faces of Tierno, Trevor, Shauna, and Serena.
"Gary! Yep, we got them," Tierno replied with a grin.
"Good."
"We've already released them, bonded a bit, and handed them over to Nurse Joy for treatment," Tierno added. "And Ash—this is all thanks to your idea. We never would've thought of catching Pokémon like this."
"Gary told us about your plan to patent the method. Don't worry—we'll keep it secret until then."
"Thanks," Ash said with a smile. "Once the patent goes through, if companies start using this method, you'll all get a share of the licensing fees."
"No, no, that's not necessary!" Tierno waved his hands quickly. "You came up with the idea. We're already happy enough just being the first to try it and successfully catch our Pokémon."
"Relax," Ash chuckled. "Didn't you say we're friends? Friends share good fortune. And besides—do I look like I'm short on money?"
The idea of patenting the "remote video battle capture" system wasn't about greed—it was about not letting such a valuable opportunity slip into someone else's hands.
But Tierno and the others weren't outsiders.
They were friends.
Toward strangers, Ash could be pragmatic—even self-serving. But toward his friends, he was generous without hesitation.
"…Alright," Tierno said after a pause. "Let's talk about that later. Focus on the patent first."
"Deal. It's getting late—I'm heading out for dinner," Ash said. "You guys finish up treatment and head home safely."
"And Serena—Daisy Oak's Cleffa should be out of its infant stage in a few days. When that happens, I'll have her send it directly to you."
"It won't pass through me, so you can start bonding with it right away. Don't forget to receive it when the time comes."
With that, the call ended—leaving behind a quiet sense of trust, friendship, and the promise of things yet to come.
--------------
....
PokePals's Note:
From the latest comments, I understand that many readers feel the pacing of this fanfic has been somewhat slow. Thank you all for your patience and support. I'll do my best to begin Ash's journey as soon as possible and pick up the pace moving forward.
In the meantime, feel free to check out my latest Pokémon fanfic release and read it alongside this story!
✦ Pokémon: Endless Genesis of the Chosen One ✦
It's published under my secondary Webnovel account: MPHFics.
Feel free to read both stories in parallel, and I hope you enjoy it.