"It's a shame. You're actually pretty well suited to being a Trainer."
Shiraishi Ritsu froze for a moment at Lt. Surge's words, then couldn't help laughing.
"Gym Leader, please don't flatter me. I can barely keep up with my daily manga pages as it is. Where would I find the time to challenge Gyms?"
"Haha! Who said Trainers have to challenge Gyms?"
Lt. Surge patted him on the shoulder.
"I just think you've got a talent for this, kid. With proper training, you might really make something of yourself."
Shiraishi Ritsu smiled and waved a hand.
"I'll pass. I'm happy being a manga artist."
As he spoke, he tipped his chin toward Smeargle nearby.
"Besides, I've got such an amazing partner. Wouldn't it be a waste of talent to stop drawing manga and go compete for the Pokémon League championship?"
"Smeargle!"
Smeargle immediately puffed out its chest in agreement.
Lt. Surge couldn't help roaring with laughter at the sight of the pair.
"All right! Everyone has their own ambitions. I won't try to talk you into it!"
He loosened his wrists, then turned and walked toward the center of the training field.
"But since you're here today, we can't just sit around chatting."
"Raichu!"
At its Trainer's call, Raichu immediately rose from where it had been resting.
"Come on, Masuda!"
Lt. Surge pointed toward the center of the training field.
"Today, I'll show you how a real Electric-type Pokémon battles!"
Shiraishi Ritsu immediately perked up.
"Sounds great!"
For a manga artist, what better chance to gather reference material was there than watching a Gym Leader train his Pokémon in person?
"Partner, time to get to work!"
"Smeargle!"
Smeargle had long since been itching to start.
It pulled a sketchbook and several brushes from the backpack, deftly set up the drawing board, then moved the chair to the edge of the field.
Lt. Surge couldn't help smiling at the sight.
"Why does your Smeargle get so eager whenever drawing comes up?"
"Can't help it. Occupational hazard."
Shiraishi Ritsu spread his hands.
"If you told it to run ten laps, it definitely wouldn't be this happy."
Smeargle pretended not to hear and bent its head to adjust the paper.
Once the staff finished checking the protective equipment, Lt. Surge finally led Raichu to the center of the training field.
"All right, Raichu, let's warm up first!"
"Raichu!"
Raichu flicked its long tail, spread its legs slightly, and took a ready stance.
"Use Agility!"
At the command, Raichu kicked off the ground and shot forward.
Its figure swept swiftly across the training field, rounded the first training target, then abruptly changed direction just before colliding with the second.
The entire movement was crisp and clean.
Shiraishi Ritsu's eyes lit up as he watched.
"So fast!"
Although he had already put plenty of high-speed battle scenes into his manga, watching a powerful Pokémon move in person still felt somewhat different.
Especially when Raichu changed direction.
It adjusted its center of gravity beforehand, and its tail swung with its movements to help maintain balance.
An ordinary Trainer might not pay much attention to those details.
But to Smeargle, who needed to draw action scenes, they were invaluable reference material.
"Smeargle!"
Smeargle's eyes lit up.
Its tail moved rapidly, sketching several of Raichu's movements on the paper.
Starting, accelerating, turning.
In just over ten seconds, four or five sketches of Raichu in different poses had already appeared in the sketchbook.
Shiraishi Ritsu leaned over for a look.
"Nice work, partner!"
Smeargle bobbed its head smugly, then bent over its drawing again.
Lt. Surge noticed what it was doing too.
"Oh? Already drawing?"
"Pokémon battles are this one's favorite."
Shiraishi Ritsu smiled as he spoke.
"When we're drawing manga, it starts sulking if the background gets even a little complicated. But when it's time for a battle scene, even meals can wait."
"Smeargle!"
Smeargle cried out in protest.
Master!
Don't air my shortcomings in front of other people!
Lt. Surge roared with laughter, then looked back at Raichu.
"If you like it that much, let's give you something even more exciting!"
He raised a hand and pointed at the training target ahead.
"Raichu, get ready to use Iron Tail!"
"Raichu!"
Raichu spun around, a metallic sheen spreading over its long tail.
It didn't attack immediately, instead adjusting its footing and lowering its body first.
The next second, Raichu used the momentum of its forward charge to spin sharply, its tail tracing a fierce arc.
Bang!
Iron Tail struck the training target dead-on.
The heavy target shook violently, its base sliding backward across the ground with a piercing scrape.
Shiraishi Ritsu couldn't help whistling.
"That's some ridiculous power!"
"Haha! You haven't seen anything yet!"
Lt. Surge grinned proudly.
"Raichu, keep attacking!"
"Raichu!"
Raichu quickly repositioned itself and swung its tail again.
Once, twice, three times.
Each attack came from a different angle.
On the third in particular, it first took a quick sidestep to avoid the training target's simulated counterattack, then turned and swung its Iron Tail.
Smeargle watched so intently it almost forgot to blink.
Its brush raced over the paper, completing one action sketch after another.
It even moved to several different angles on its own, specifically to study Raichu's posture as it swung its tail.
Standing beside it, Shiraishi Ritsu gradually noticed a problem.
"Gym Leader, I think I overlooked something when I drew Raichu using Iron Tail before."
"Oh? What?"
"Its center of gravity."
Shiraishi Ritsu pointed at Raichu.
"In the manga, I often have Raichu suddenly turn around and hit its opponent straightaway with Iron Tail. It looks cool, but the actual movement probably requires it to adjust its stance beforehand."
Lt. Surge nodded.
"That's right."
He walked over to the training target and pointed at the marks on the ground.
"Raichu's tail is powerful, but in an actual attack, it still needs to draw strength from its body. If it can't even stand firmly, how can it deliver a powerful Iron Tail?"
"And its opponent won't just stand there waiting to get hit."
As he spoke, Lt. Surge patted the training target.
"Against fast Pokémon, Raichu often needs to force them to move first, then look for an opening to attack."
Shiraishi Ritsu carefully noted it down.
He suddenly felt that today's trip had been more than worthwhile.
These movement details alone were enough to take the battle scenes in the next few installments of his manga up a notch.
"Next comes what Electric-type Pokémon are truly good at."
Lt. Surge signaled to the staff.
Soon, a test target designed specifically to withstand Electric-type moves replaced the target in the center of the training field.
The surrounding protective equipment was activated as well.
"Raichu, Thunderbolt!"
"Rai-chu!"
Dazzling sparks burst from the electric sacs on Raichu's cheeks.
As it leaned slightly forward, a powerful current suddenly shot toward the training target.
Bzzzt!
The electric light instantly lit up the training field.
Shiraishi Ritsu instinctively narrowed his eyes.
Even though he had prepared himself, he still couldn't help feeling awed as he watched a Thunderbolt like that erupt right in front of him.
"Good grief..."
He had seen Thunderbolt's animation countless times while playing games.
But only by standing beside the training field and hearing that dense crackling as the current erupted could he appreciate the power of Electric-type moves.
Smeargle was just as excited by the sight.
It hurriedly picked up its brush, trying to capture the scene from just now.
But partway through drawing, it suddenly stopped.
"Smeargle?"
Smeargle looked down at the paper, seemingly dissatisfied.
Shiraishi Ritsu leaned over for a look.
The lightning in the picture was quite beautiful, surrounded by densely packed speed lines.
But Raichu's body was almost completely hidden by the electric light.
"Hmm..."
Shiraishi Ritsu rubbed his chin.
"I know what the problem is."
Smeargle immediately looked up.
"Smeargle?"
"You drew too much electric light."
Shiraishi Ritsu pointed at the picture.
"Look, Raichu's pose is so cool, but it's all covered by lightning. Readers can't even see how it's performing the move."
Smeargle nodded thoughtfully.
Shiraishi Ritsu picked up a pencil and drew a few simple boxes beside it.
"We can split it into three panels."
"For the first panel, give Raichu's face a close-up, focusing on the electricity gathering on its cheeks."
"For the second, pull back and show its full pose as it unleashes Thunderbolt."
"Then zoom in on the instant the current hits its target for the third!"
Smeargle's eyes grew brighter and brighter as it listened.
It immediately took the draft and reworked the panel layout.
In just a few minutes, a brand-new sequence appeared before Shiraishi Ritsu.
In the first panel, Raichu lowered its head slightly, tiny sparks flickering on both cheeks.
In the second, it abruptly raised its head and leaned forward, a powerful current erupting in front of it.
In the third, dazzling lightning cut across the panel, and the training target shook violently under the impact.
After looking through them, Shiraishi Ritsu couldn't help clapping in approval.
"Brilliant!"
"Keep drawing just like that!"
Lt. Surge came over too.
He had only meant to take a casual look, but once he did, he found it rather hard to look away.
"Wait, how many minutes has it been?"
"Smear!"
Smeargle proudly raised his tail.
Lt. Surge picked up the drawings and examined them closely.
Especially the sketch of Raichu unleashing Thunderbolt.
Everything from the angle of the forward lean to the positions of the tail and limbs closely matched the movement just now.
Even the focused, fighting-spirited expression on Raichu's face had been captured accurately.
"Well, I'll be!"
Lt. Surge couldn't help exclaiming in admiration.
"This Smeargle has an incredible eye!"
He flipped through the sketchbook beside it.
It was already filled with drawings of Raichu in various poses.
A sharp turn during Agility, the instant Iron Tail struck the training target, and the pose while gathering power before unleashing Thunderbolt.
In just half an hour, Smeargle had completed an entire set of exceptionally high-quality action sketches.
The more Lt. Surge looked, the more astonished he became.
"These movements wouldn't be easy to draw even with photos for reference, would they?"
Shiraishi Ritsu nodded with a smile.
"That's why I've always thought this guy deserves the most credit in our studio."
"Smear!"
Hearing the praise, Smeargle immediately perked up.
Lt. Surge put the drawings back on the table and reached out to pat his head.
"What a genius!"
"Smear!"
Smeargle was so happy that his tail waved wildly.
Watching from beside them, Shiraishi Ritsu couldn't help chuckling.
"Please stop praising him, Gym Leader."
"Why?"
"If you keep this up, he'll come asking me for another raise!"
"Hahahaha!"
Lt. Surge burst out laughing.
"You even pay your Pokémon wages?"
"Of course!"
Shiraishi Ritsu answered without a hint of hesitation.
"High-end paints, specialty drawing paper, Berry cookies, and all kinds of art supplies-which of those doesn't cost money?"
"This guy's living expenses are higher than mine now!"
Smeargle pretended not to hear and continued admiring his work.
He certainly didn't think he spent too much.
After all, those art supplies were necessary for work!
By the time training ended, the setting sun had dyed the sky beyond the training ground red.
Lt. Surge recalled Raichu into a Poké Ball, then carefully looked over the action sketches once more.
"Kid Masuda, that was a great chat today!"
"Likewise."
Shiraishi Ritsu smiled and said, "Thanks to you and Raichu, I gathered plenty of great material this time."
"Haha! If you ever want to study Electric-type Pokémon again, you're welcome at the Vermilion Gym anytime!"
Lt. Surge clapped him on the shoulder.
"But remember to contact me in advance next time. I can't promise I'll be free every day!"
"No problem!"
Shiraishi Ritsu readily agreed.
He had originally thought that, since this Gym Leader had come specifically to see him, he would at least say a few words about his Team Rocket identity in the manga.
Yet after spending the day together, what they had discussed most turned out to be Pokémon tactics and manga storyboards.
Even when they parted, Lt. Surge never brought up the complaint again.
Shiraishi Ritsu finally breathed a full sigh of relief.
It seemed he had successfully dealt with the second Gym Leader to come knocking, too.
"Partner, let's go!"
"Smear!"
Carrying an art bag full of sketches on his back, Smeargle eagerly followed.
Shiraishi Ritsu was already looking forward to seeing how readers would react once these new scenes were published.
That evening, in Celadon City.
Shiraishi Ritsu had just returned to the studio when he spotted a familiar figure standing at the entrance.
"Mr. Masuda!"
Kikkawa Maho stood holding a document envelope, smiling and waving to him.
"Miss Maho? What brings you here?"
"There's something I'd like to discuss with you, and I thought I'd deliver a letter while I was here."
Shiraishi Ritsu paused.
"A letter?"
"Yes, it just arrived at the publishing house this afternoon."
Kikkawa Maho took an envelope out of the document envelope.
"The sender specifically requested that it be passed on to Masuda Senbei, the author of Pokémon Adventures."
Shiraishi Ritsu reached out and took it.
There were no particular decorations on the envelope, and the handwriting was neat, with clean, crisp strokes.
He had initially assumed it was an ordinary reader's letter.
But when he saw the sender's address, the smile on his face suddenly froze.
[Kanto region, Fuchsia City.]
"..."
A familiar sense of foreboding suddenly rose in Shiraishi Ritsu's heart.
No way, right?
Surely it couldn't be that much of a coincidence?
He hurriedly turned the envelope over.
There were only two characters in the signature.
Koga.
Shiraishi Ritsu stared at the name and fell silent for a long while.
Beside him, Smeargle curiously leaned his head over.
"Smear?"
Shiraishi Ritsu lowered his head to glance at him and slowly sighed.
"Partner..."
"Smear?"
"Looks like we've got another Gym Leader fan."