Chapter 101: Puppets and Masters
Hearing Professor Oak's pointed question – "Do you truly possess that ability?" – Xiu understood immediately. This 'battle' wasn't primarily about assessing Scyther's capabilities against Forretress.
It was about him. Professor Oak was challenging his entire approach, his reluctance to embrace direct confrontation, his tendency to shield his Pokémon rather than push them through hardship.
Seeing Xiu's internal resistance, Professor Oak pressed further, his tone shifting from challenging to Socratic. "Do you truly understand what combat means to a Pokémon, Xiu?"
"I believe so," Xiu nodded slowly, meeting Oak's gaze. He wasn't entirely ignorant. He'd read the theories, observed the dynamics. "For most Pokémon, fighting isn't just sport. It's survival instinct. Sharpening skills, testing strength, establishing dominance… it's ingrained, part of their nature. A behavior etched into their very being."
"Exactly!" Professor Oak seized on the admission. "A fundamental aspect of their existence! And yet," his voice sharpened again, accusatory, "your current approach seeks to break those instincts! To clip their wings before they've even truly learned to fly!"
"Times change, Professor," Xiu countered respectfully but firmly. "Pokémon partnered with humans, living within human society… they don't need to constantly fight for survival in the same way their wild counterparts do. They have access to resources, shelter, care. There are other paths to growth besides constant battle."
"Of course, you're technically correct," Professor Oak conceded surprisingly, nodding slightly. "A well-cared-for companion Pokémon can live a long, comfortable life without ever engaging in serious combat." He leaned forward again, his gaze piercing, ruthlessly dismantling Xiu's argument. "But," he stressed, "unless you intend to live as an ordinary civilian yourself, completely detached from the world of Trainers, Breeders, and Researchers… unless you intend to abandon your ambitions… your Pokémon will inevitably face conflict. Challenges from rivals, dangers from wild encounters, perhaps even threats from those who would exploit them."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "And if you've deliberately 'broken their wings', suppressed their natural combat instincts through overprotection and avoidance… how will they defend themselves then? How will they defend you? You'll have left them unprepared and vulnerable."
Professor Oak's logic was inescapable. Xiu fell silent, unable to refute the core argument. His own aversion to conflict, born perhaps from his previous life's mundane existence or his recent traumatic experiences, was potentially hindering his Pokémon's development, leaving them ill-equipped for the realities of this often-dangerous world. After a long moment of internal reflection, Xiu gave a slow, reluctant nod of acknowledgement.
Seeing Xiu's concession, Professor Oak didn't press the philosophical point further. The 'battle' between Forretress and Scyther had served its true purpose. It had stopped moments after Oak began speaking, both Pokémon implicitly understanding the fight was secondary to the discussion unfolding between the humans. Oak had achieved his objective: forcing Xiu to confront the limitations of his current approach.
They began walking back towards the Institute building in silence. Noticing Xiu's continued quiet contemplation, Professor Oak shifted the topic, asking casually, "Your commands to Scyther during that brief spar… interesting technique. Where did you learn it?"
"Self-taught, mostly," Xiu replied automatically, then added, "Why? Something wrong with it?" He sensed a subtle critique beneath the casual question.
"Wrong? No, not necessarily," Oak mused. "Just… peculiar. Reminds me of the overly dramatic styles you see in televised League Tournament broadcasts. Very… performative." He chuckled softly. "No wonder your Scyther looked like it was posing half the time instead of fighting naturally. Explains a lot."
Hearing the faint mockery in Oak's tone, Xiu immediately felt defensive. "Is there a problem with my command method, Professor?"
"You learned it from watching TV battles, didn't you?" Oak guessed shrewdly.
"Um… you could say that," Xiu admitted reluctantly. Where else would he have learned? His practical experience was minimal. His understanding of 'how to be a Trainer' was almost entirely shaped by the stylized battles depicted in the anime and games of his past life. Issuing specific commands for specific 'moves' felt… normal. 'Isn't that how it's done?'
"And do you plan on competing in the Alliance Conference? Challenging the Gym Leaders?" Oak asked pointedly.
"No, definitely not," Xiu answered immediately. "That's not my goal. I have no interest in competitive battling, and certainly not the strength or resources to take on the Gym challenge right now."
"Then why," Professor Oak stopped walking abruptly, turning to face Xiu directly, his expression serious again, "are you trying to emulate that specific, highly stylized form of combat?"
"Wait," Xiu frowned, confusion returning. "What do you mean? Isn't that… just how Pokémon battling works?"
"Oh, dear," Professor Oak sighed, looking genuinely concerned now. "You really have learned it all wrong, haven't you?" He shook his head slowly. "If you continue down this path, relying solely on those televised battle conventions… your Pokémon will stagnate. They'll become rigid, predictable… useless in a real confrontation. Just like…" he gestured vaguely towards the backyard paddock, "…just like many of the Pokémon residing back there now. Pokémon surrendered by trainers from town, Pokémon that hit a wall, couldn't progress further under that limited system.
They become incapable of adapting, incapable of independent action. Their owners couldn't bear to release them, I needed research subjects for long-term behavioral studies… so they live out their days here, comfortable, yes, but ultimately… stunted."
Oak's words hit Xiu with the force of another revelation. 'Stunted? The standardized battle system, the commands, the 'moves'… was it all just… artificial? A game, played by rules that didn't apply in 'real' situations?' A sudden, chilling thought occurred to him. Did Director Bao Ba know this? Is that why he never corrected my assumptions, never offered detailed battle advice?
"Professor," Xiu asked urgently, feeling his understanding of this world tilting dangerously again, "can you please explain?"
Professor Oak seemed to understand the depth of Xiu's sudden confusion, the potential shattering of his worldview. "Alright," he said, his tone softening slightly. "Let's go inside. This… requires a longer explanation— a history lesson, perhaps." He turned and continued walking towards the Institute. "Don't worry," he added reassuringly, "the experiment hasn't officially started yet. We have time. Let me tell you about how things used to be, about the battles fought before the modern League system."
Xiu followed obediently, his mind racing. 'Real battles? A different system?' He had no interest in ancient history for its own sake, but understanding the true nature of Pokémon combat? That felt critically important now.
Back in the comfortable living room, Xiu automatically prepared two cups of hot tea while Professor Oak settled onto the sofa. As Xiu handed him a cup, Professor Oak began.
"Ask whatever specific questions you have," Oak invited, gesturing for Xiu to sit. "We have plenty of time."
Xiu didn't hesitate. "Professor," he began immediately, leaning forward intently, "you said the way I was commanding Scyther wasn't 'real' battling, why?"
Professor Oak took a slow sip of tea, his expression turning serious, intense. "Real battles," he stated simply, his voice low but resonant, "are the raw, untamed combat between Pokémon themselves, driven by instinct, experience, and their innate connection to their own power."
"Then the battle just now…" Xiu started, confused.
"That," Professor Oak interrupted with a wry chuckle, "was my controlled demonstration. My way of fighting against your flawed system. What? Did you really think I couldn't have had Forretress win decisively whenever I chose?"
"Well… yes," Xiu admitted honestly. "I assumed you were deliberately lowering the difficulty, testing Scyther, maybe holding back Forretress's stronger moves."
"Holding back, yes," Oak confirmed with a smile. "But not in the way you think. My goal wasn't simply to win or lose. It was to ensure Scyther couldn't win using its current methods, yet wouldn't be so overwhelmingly defeated that it lost all fighting spirit." He leaned back, looking satisfied. "Only through failure, through experiencing the limits of its current approach, can it truly be motivated to grow, to learn a different way."
Xiu processed this, realizing the 'spar' had been even more calculated than he'd thought. 'Even Forretress being seemingly weak and inexperienced… chosen specifically to highlight Scyther's weaknesses without crushing its morale.' He suspected, darkly, that Oak might have even wanted Scyther's scythe to break against Forretress's shell, perhaps as part of his 'experimental' setup. He wisely kept that thought to himself.
"But Professor," Xiu pressed, returning to the core question, "how does that relate to 'real' battles?"
"Ah, yes," Oak nodded. "The crucial distinction. Real combat, the kind you see in the truly wild, or in high-stakes situations beyond the controlled arenas… it happens in an instant. There's no time for carefully worded commands, waiting for the Trainer's instruction.
Pokémon possess reaction speeds, sensory inputs, combat instincts that far surpass human capabilities... and relying on a human to dictate every action in a fast-paced battle? It's like putting heavy chains on a Rapidash. It shackles their potential, slows them down, makes them predictable."
He looked pointedly at Xiu. "A Pokémon trained only to respond to explicit commands, forced into that rigid system for too long… it loses its ability to think independently, to react instinctively, to fight with its own inherent power and intelligence. It becomes," he used the word again, deliberately, "a puppet, merely executing the trainer's will. Take away the trainer, the controller… and the puppet can do nothing."
Xiu listened, stunned, as Oak spoke with a surprising, almost bitter intensity. He seemed genuinely, deeply critical of the modern, command-based battle system. 'Why? Xiu wondered. What happened? What role did Professor Oak himself play in shaping… or perhaps opposing… this system?'