Not Everyone is a Steal-Type

Chapter 2: A Fire-Type's Ultimate Victory!

(This entire chapter is in Goh's POV)

Days have passed since me and Ash have come back from Johto. Ash not being able to take part in the tournament really hit him hard. I guess him not being to battle is the same as me not being able to catch Pokémon...

Well, at least I've been doing a good job at keeping up with Ash's battle training. I mean, I did ask him to help me. I've come to learn that I do need at least a little battle experience in order to catch Pokémon.

Oh, I'm Goh, by the way. I met Ash a little while back on top of a Lugia. Unlike me, he's been a trainer for a long time. I just started the day I met him, actually.

My partner is Raboot, the fire-type rabbit of the Galar Region. Ever since we met, we've been though a lot of entertaining events (alongside Ash, of course.) You know, sometimes I question what kind of mysteries Ash holds...

Anyway, me and Raboot are about to VS Ash and his Riolu. So far, Raboot hasn't won a battle during our training. This time, we'll win for sure!

"You ready, Goh?" Ash asked me, all fired up.

"I'm ready!" I replied, then looked at Raboot. "You ready?"

"Ra!" Raboot got into its fighting stance.

Ash and I looked at each other as Pikachu walked off to the side, pretending to act as our ref.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted, throwing both it's hands in the air. That was the signal to begin our practice match.

"Riolu, use Vacuum Wave!" Riolu began thrusting it's arms, fighting-type waves began to flow towards the fire-type rabbit.

"Raboot, dodge and use Ember!" I told Raboot, who jumped to the right a few times, grabbed a pebble, and kicked it. The pebble was on fire and was on target to hit Ash's Riolu.

"Double Team!" Riolu began multiplying itself, but not before the stone hit the Emanation Pokémon.

Finally, an early hit! I thought to myself. Raboot has been working on faster kicks and it's finally paying off!

Each copy of Riolu looked fine, excluding the real one, which made targeting the true Pokémon easier.

Seeing this, Raboot decided to move without Goh's command. It jumped high in the air, and as it was at the peak of its jump, stuck it's litle rabbit foot towards Riolu. Falling down fast, it quickly pointed it's other foot at Riolu, landing on it's head. As it landed, it took a small leap off.

Riolu was out cold. Ash and I were speechless.

Pikachu ran up to Riolu and saw it's eyes. "Pika-pi's pika pi pika-chu pi pika!" The eletric mouse pointed towards Goh. "Pikachu Pika!" (I can only assume that meant "Ash's Riolu is unable to battle. Raboot wins!" As it was mimicking how a ref acts. Then again, I don't speak Pokémon.)

Raboot cheered in victory, kicking a flaming pebble into the air. As it did so, it began to glow blue and white, signaling it's evolution. It's floppy ears began to stand up and legs grew twice it's old length. The flaming pebble's fire became more powerful, becoming a perfect circular ball of flames. As it hit the ground, Goh's newly evolved Pokémon's foot stood on top of it, almost as if it was a soccer ball.

"Cinderace!" It smiled.

"Data was added to the Pokedex!" Goh's Rotom Phone spoke. "Cinderace, the Striker Pokémon. Fire-Type. It juggles a pebble with its feet, turning it into a burning soccer ball. Its shots strike opponents hard and leave them scorched."

"You evolved..." I ran up to Cinderace to give it a hug. Somehow, it expected it, putting it's arm out to stop me.

"Cin!" Cinderace crossed it's arms, seeming annoyed.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"I think it wants praise on the new move it learned on it's own before that battle." Ash commented, walking up to me.

"New move...?" I looked at my Rotom Phone for the details. I didn't even realize that move was Bounce! Ember was also replaced with Pyro Ball. "You learned a Flying-type move?"

"Cinder!" It smiled, then hugging me on its own accord. I returned the hug.

"You know," Ash began, "Rab-I mean Cinderace has been practicing every night. It really wanted to surprise you!" My research partner smiled brightly, bringing another warm smile to Cinderace as well.

"Cinderace, your amazing!" We gave each other a high-five after that comment. "We should go show Prof. Cerise that you evolved!"

Both of us on the same page, we bolted to the Prof office, where he's been for the past couple days unbothered.

~.~.~.~

"Prof. Cerise! Raboot evolved into Cinderace!" I spoke, slamming the door open excitedly.

The Prof seemed to be startled by my actions, as he dropped papers that were in his hands. "Goh, I told you to knock before entering!" He seemed a bit annoyed. Almost on edge, if anything.

"Oh, sorry!" I apologized. "Let me hel-"

"I don't need help!" Prof. Cerise responded quickly, rather more in a defensive voice. "I mean, I'll pick it up later. Why not tell me about what happened downstairs?"

The head professor of this research facility walked out of the room and closed the door, directing us both downstairs.

Little did I know that the papers he dropped contained data on a certain human and poison-type dragon.