Ch 63 Learning

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Empoleon had the advantage here, he should still win this battle hands down. Empoleon was bot fully evolved and of a typing that none of the attacks Ash's Buizel could use would be effective against.

Going by the statistics this should be an easy win for him. So why? Dawn cringed as Empoleon went down again, "Kenny and Empoleon are really taking a beating out there." The bluenette 14 year old Coordinator commented, hugging Piplup in her lap, "Ash and Buizel don't seem to have even broken a sweat yet."

Brock sighed, cupping his chin in thought, "I was really rooting for Kenny on this one but this result is to be expected I suppose." He stated in lament. Pity, it didn't look good for another man in love out there right now.

Dawn turned her head to him, raising an eyebrow in confusion, "Why?" She questioned. Kenny was a very strong Coordinator, but he was being taken apart with ease out there.

Brock sighed again, "There's a few reasons really, but the two main ones are Ash has been a trainer since he was 10 so he has much more experience than Kenny who started when he turned 14." The Breeder explained, "And he made the mistake of challenging Ash to a normal Pokemon battle instead of a Contest Battle."

"Okay, I'll give you the point on the experience thing but I don't see how Kenny cant just battle like he does in a contest and put up a better fight now." Dawn responded, confusion showing in her sapphire blue eyes.

Brock shook his head in exasperation. Dawn was a Coordinator aswell, but he thought she would have noticed how much more intense Ash's Gym Battles were in comparison with Contest Battles. Best to placate her he supposed and explain it as un-insultingly as he could, "The thing is, Coordinators are always trying to show off the beauty of their Pokemon and their attacks and for that reason Coordinators do not focus as much on speed or power as they do on controlling the power they already have and learning to make their attacks as flashy and good looking as possible." He explained, "Thats why if you remember right Cyinthia Empoleon had a much bigger and powerful version of Hydro Cannon in comparison with Kenny's Empoleon."

Realization shone in her eyes, "Oh!" She said softly, hugging Piplup a bit tighter to her.

Brock nodded, "In comparison with Ash who has much more experience and trains his Pokemon day in day out to maximize their power, speed and durability – Kenny falls woefully short just like any Coordinator who hasn't been at it for years on end would be." He told her, voice serious and lecturing. This was a fact she had to learn and work around if she ever battled normal trainers.

"..But." Dawn began hesitantly, "If it's like that, then why doesn't Ash do the same to me when he train with each other?" She questioned. Dawn honestly hadn't noticed during Ash's Gym Battles, to be perfectly honest she realized she had always been caught up in the fast-paced excitement of Ash's battles which were nothing like the Contests she usually watched or participated in which were full of regal movement and beautiful techniques.

Once again, Brock sighed. He was beginning to wonder how many times in this conversation he would, "Because those are just practice battles, as much as for him as they are for you." He explained once again, "You wouldn't have really gotten much at all out of them if just Ash came at you full throttle and blasted away at your Pokemon with devastating attacks and so fast that he gave you no chance to counter or make moves of your own."

What could she say to that? It made a lot more sense than Dawn realized. She was about to open her mouth to reply when Brock continued, "Why do you think you managed to beat so many Coordinators with much more experience than you?" He asked her.

Her eyes narrowed and she suddenly felt quite angry at the implication. Brock saw as much though and raised his hands in a placating manner, "I don't mean to say it like you're a bad trainer or anything like that, infact you're very good but why do you think you managed to go all the way to the runner up against May?" Brock questioned her again.

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