I am Giovanni

Chapter 38: Change

That day, Katsu also arrived at the training ground, lucky to be alive. He was accompanied by his bruised but still active Machop, and a newly tamed, equally bruised Tyrogue.

Upon seeing Giovanni training a Nidoran, Katsu was pleasantly surprised. "Heh! I knew you'd be fine. Is this your new Pokémon? A Nidoran? It looks pretty tough."

Giovanni turned and smiled at Katsu. "He's alright. Just a bit stubborn."

Fortunately, the Nidoran was engrossed in its training; otherwise, it might have been furious enough to try and jab Giovanni with a Poison Sting.

"Stubborn is fine, as long as it's strong," Katsu chuckled, bringing out his own Tyrogue. "Want to let them spar? My Tyrogue can knock some sense into it."

Giovanni shrugged indifferently. "If it can still fight, then fine."

"No problem," Katsu said, patting his chest. "Don't let its appearance fool you. This one's tough as nails. It took my Machop two full days to finally make it submit."

"No wonder your Machop's face is so swollen," Giovanni said with a wry smile.

Ultimately, the Nidoran fought the Tyrogue. And the Nidoran was defeated, largely because it ignored Giovanni's commands at a critical moment. The victorious Tyrogue puffed out its chest at Machop, as if to say, See? I'm strong too.

The defeated Nidoran, feeling utterly humiliated, immediately retreated into its Poké Ball.

Katsu patted his Tyrogue's head and asked Giovanni, "How's your Kakuna? Is it about to evolve? The end of the month is approaching."

"I don't know when," Giovanni said, shaking his head. "But I hope it's in time."

Katsu pointed to the Machop beside him. "Well, I hope it evolves soon. This guy is eager for a rematch. He's still not convinced after losing to your Weedle."

Machop clenched its fists, its gaze fixed on the Poké Ball containing Kakuna.

"Don't worry," Giovanni replied with a smile. "There will be another chance to fight. We still have plenty of time, don't we?"

Katsu forced a smile. "Yeah." He stretched his shoulders. "We haven't sparred in a few days. Care for a round? Let's see if you've been slacking."

Giovanni clenched his own fists. "My pleasure."

The two boys began to fight. The battle ended with Giovanni's narrow defeat. It had been a good day.

However, as Giovanni watched Katsu's departing back, his eyes were complex. The bruises on his own face were a stark reminder not to grow soft. Similarly, when Katsu turned his back, his own expression wavered, his fists clenched white. Giovanni wasn't the only one who understood the game.

They were allies for now, but they were destined to become enemies.

— — —

That evening, the disheartened Nidoran refused to come out of its Poké Ball, only emerging when it was time for dinner.

This was the perfect opportunity.

To cheer it up, Giovanni pointed to his Kakuna. "Do you know," he said to the Nidoran, "that the Machop that beat your opponent today was once defeated by him?"

The Nidoran's head snapped up, its eyes wide. It knew Kakuna was strong, but it never imagined it had that kind of power— a troubling thought entered its mind. This means... I might never be able to escape this human's grasp. Humans are cunning. I've been tricked!

Giovanni had no idea of the complex thoughts running through its head. He pressed his advantage. "Do you want to become stronger? To defeat the opponent who humiliated you? To surpass the Pokémon you once couldn't resist?"

Hearing this, the Nidoran instinctively recalled its family being driven from their territory by a powerful Ursaring. It nodded vigorously, its eyes burning with a new fire.

"As long as you listen to me," Giovanni said, his voice low and persuasive, "none of this will be a problem. I will help you grow to a level you can't even imagine."

The Nidoran looked expectant, but then it shook its head. It didn't believe him.

Giovanni had anticipated this. "I know you don't believe me," he continued. "So I will prove it to you— but first... do you dare to let me touch you?"

The challenge to its pride worked. The Nidoran nodded. Who's afraid of who? It's not like he can pull any tricks.

Seeing its reaction, Giovanni knew it had fallen for the bait. He raised his hand and gently placed it on a spot on its back without any poisonous barbs. A green light slowly emanated from his palm as he channeled the power of Viridian.

A familiar, comforting energy flowed into the Nidoran's body. It was the scent of the deep forest, of his home. It gave up its resistance and comfortably narrowed its eyes.

Unlike Kakuna, the Nidoran hadn't suffered damage to its potential from a premature hatching. But wild Pokémon, through the simple, brutal act of survival, always squandered some of their innate potential. The longer they lived in the wild, the more was wasted, until they eventually stagnated. Only those with exceptional talent or those who found special treasures could overcome this.

But Giovanni's power could reverse this. It could restore the potential that had been lost.

When a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, Giovanni released his hand. "How is it? I didn't lie, did I?"

The Nidoran comfortably got up from the ground. It felt its body had become significantly stronger. Coupled with the sense of affinity from the power of Viridian, it now believed him. It still loved its freedom, but for now... it would give this human a chance. Once it had used him to get what it wanted, it would escape.

"As long as you listen to me," Giovanni said, standing up, "you'll have food, and you will become stronger."

The Nidoran nodded vigorously.

"Rest up," Giovanni said with a smile. "We'll continue training hard tomorrow."

That night, for the first time, Giovanni did not return the Nidoran to its Poké Ball. He was testing its commitment. He still kept his Kakuna by the door and the dagger under his pillow, but he let the defiant Pokémon believe it was a show of trust.

In the following days, the Nidoran's attitude underwent a dramatic change.

And time passed quickly. The end of the month arrived again. And the rules had, indeed, changed.