In three days, Alex had managed to sell all 5 silver Pokémon for 440,000 TR Points and bought new TMs for his Pokémon. He also had a training session with Maria to prepare for the tournament.

Pokémon: Crobat ​​

LV: 32

Type: Poison / Flying

Abilities: Inner Focus

Gender: Male

Potential: Shallow Gold

Moves: Absorb, Supersonic, Astonish, Bite, Wing Attack, Confuse Ray, Swift, Haze, Leech Life, (Innate Talent) Shadow Ball [E], (Innate Talent) Fly, (Innate Talent) Cross Poison, (TM) Protect, (TM) Toxic, (TM) Sludge Bomb, (TM) Facade, (TM) Taunt

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Pokémon: Scizor

LV: 31

Type: Bug / Steel

Abilities: Technician

Gender: Male

Potential: Shallow Gold

Moves: Leer, Quick Attack, Focus Energy, Double Team, Feint, Fury Cutter, Wing Attack, Agility, Slash, Razor Wind, (Innate Talent) Roost [E], (Innate Talent) Metal Claw, (Innate Talent) Brick Break, (TM) Protect, (TM) Toxic, (TM) Thief, (TM) Facade, (TM) Giga Impact, (TM) U-turn,

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Pokémon: Ralts

LV: 22

Type: Psychic / Fairy

Abilities: Telepathy

Gender: Female

Potential: Deep Silver

Move: Growl, Confusion, Double Team, Teleport, Disarming Voice, Lucky Chant, Magical Leaf, Heal Pulse, (Innate Talent) Disable, (TM) Protect, (TM) Shadow Ball, (TM) Will-O-Wisp, (TM) Thunderbolt, (TM) Thunder Wave, (TM) Helping Hand

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Pokémon: Ditto

LV: 24

Type: Normal

Abilities: Imposter (Hidden Ability)

Gender: Genderless

Potential: Shallow Silver

Move: (Innate Talent) Transform [E]

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Pokémon: Shieldon

LV: 5

Type: Rock / Steel

Abilities: Sturdy

Gender: Male

Potential: Shallow Gold

Move: Protect, Tackle, (Innate Talent) Rock Polish, (Innate Talent) Sleep Talk, (Innate Talent) Flamethrower

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(TM) Toxic, (TM) Thief, (TM) Facade, (TM) Giga Impact, (TM) U-turn, (TM) Protect, (TM) Shadow Ball, (TM) Will-O-Wisp, (TM ) Thunderbolt, (TM) Helping Hand, (TM) Thunder Wave

(Bought for 299,500 TR Points)

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Alex had enough money to buy all the TMs which were not overpriced and still have enough money to buy something else if he is interested in it. (276,800 TR Points, 42,500 Pokédollars left.)

The problem was that Alex noticed how his Pokémon were leveling up much slower than before after reaching LV 30. For example, even after three days of intense training, Crobat was unable to move up even one level.

Another problem was that Ralts could not evolve for whatever reason. Alex knows from the games that Ralts should have evolved at LV 20. But even after reaching level 22, she is still a Ralts and not a Kirlia.

Alex thought that it was because Ralts was still very young and hence cannot evolve yet. Ralts, who was not even a month old, may have to be a bit older before she can evolve. Though Alex is not entirely sure that this is the right reason.

Alex’s training schedule for Ralts was relatively simple. Practice Teleport and Disable. He wanted Ralts to train these two significant moves to an Expert rank before she can start her training for other moves.

In the three days, Shieldon had also gotten mature enough to be trained. Alex had already decided about which move Shieldon will train to Expert rank first, Rock Polish.

Rock Polish, if trained well, can help Shieldon lose his greatest weakness (that he is too slow.)

As soon as Shieldon’s Rock Polish reaches the Expert rank, one can say that Schieldon has no weaknesses except his relatively weak attack power.

Alex has also come up with a training plan for Ditto. Ditto is a Pokémon that is highly underestimated in this world and is not trained correctly.

The best way for Ditto to fight is in group battles where it can make the most out of its talent. Ditto is the perfect helper for group fights if used cleverly.

For example, Ditto can transform itself into Ralts and use the moves of Ralts to heal (Heal Pulse), boost (Helping Hand), or to disturb its opponents (Disable, Will-O-Wisp, etc.)

Or Ditto can transform itself into Scizor, who is already strengthened to the maximum stats with Focus Energy and Agility and suddenly has two monsters on the battlefield. Alex had noticed that as soon as a Ditto got its Transform on the Expert rank, the Transform not only got faster, but it could also copy reinforcements from the Pokémon in which Ditto is transforming.

Alex saw how much better Transform became after it reached the expert rank and got excited about what would change when it reached the Master rank. He thought about the possibility that Ditto, as soon as he reached the Master rank, could also copy the Pokémon’s moves mastery and got excited. If that’s really the case, Ditto is one of the best Pokémon in this world.

The problem was that Alex noticed how Ditto’s Transform took a lot longer than other moves to get to Expert rank. He got to know from Ditto that Ditto had already trained this move for 12 months (without a trainer) and had only now made it reach the Expert rank. That shows how much more difficult it is to bring this move to expert rank than other moves. Even though Ditto has Normal potential, it shouldn’t have taken this long.

As far as Alex knows, there are no known trainers who have managed to bring their Ditto’s Transform to Master Rank. Though indeed, most of them aren’t Elite trainers, and even if they are, they don’t put much effort into Ditto.

But even with this disadvantage, Ditto has so many opportunities to be used effectively that Alex naturally wanted to train him too.

For Crobat, Alex chose the Fly, Cross Poison, and Toxic moves as the moves he should train first for the tournament.

Although there are other moves that Alex wanted to train his Crobat in, like Confuse Ray and Taunt, he cannot let Crobat train in too many moves at once. Three moves are already a bit too much for him because it takes so long to get a move to the Expert rank that it is relatively ineffective.

For Scizor, Alex opted the moves Agility, Metal Claw, and Brick Break. Although he also wanted to train Fury Cutter and Focus Energy, the Innate Talent moves get the priority because you can train them to the Expert rank faster than normal moves.

Of course, Alex not only trained moves but also the physical fitness of his Pokémon.

Especially Crobat, Scizor, and Shieldon are Pokémon who also have to train their bodies a lot in order to become stronger quickly.

Crobat trained his speed and agility in the air.

Scizor trained his strength and close combat skills.

Shieldon was currently only training his endurance. (Alex thought that Shieldon was still a little too young for difficult training)

Ditto and Ralts also trained their bodies, but most of their training time was spent on moves’ mastery than on physical exercises.

Ditto trained his close combat skills when he transforms into a Scizor.

Ralts trained in evading attacks with or without Teleport.

Different Pokémon need different training plans.

But it was not like Alex didn’t do anything. He had learned his lessons. Other than the physical exercises, he also practiced throwing Pokéballs at the different targets. After all, he doesn’t wanna repeat the mistake he almost made in the Victreebel situation.