The Pantheon

Hidden Potential

Ashley leaned against the headboard of her bed, the dim glow of her bedside lamp casting soft shadows across the room. Her notebook lay open on her lap, pages already filled with diagrams, move sets, and strategies, but now she was staring at the latest blank sheet, the pen in her hand tapping lightly against the paper. Vulcan was curled up at the foot of the bed, his fur warm against her toes, while Mars sat perched by the window, his tail flame flickering gently as he stared out into the night. The room was quiet except for the faint sound of their breathing, the occasional rustle as one of them shifted in their sleep.

Sometimes, Ashley still couldn't believe it—six Pokémon. A full team. It hadn't even been two months since she left Pallet Town, yet here she was, sitting in a Pokémon Center, surrounded by Pokémon who were more than just teammates. They were family. Her Pantheon.

She smiled softly, glancing down at her notes and tapping the edge of her pen against the page again. It wasn't just their names—Mars, Vulcan, Neptune, Venus, Proserpina, Apollo—that made them feel like Gods. It was their potential. Every single one of them was capable of becoming something powerful, something awe-inspiring, and Ashley was determined to make sure they did.

Her eyes drifted to Neptune's Poké Ball, sitting on her nightstand. "The God of the Sea," she murmured under her breath, smiling at the thought. Neptune was already strong—his Ice Shard packed a punch, and Body Slam was no joke—but his true power wasn't in brute strength. No, Neptune's strength was in control. If she could train him to master Rain Dance and then add Thunder to his arsenal, he'd be able to create devastating thunderstorms. Pair that with Ice-type moves like Blizzard, and Neptune wouldn't just be a powerhouse—he'd be unstoppable. The idea of her Lapras summoning hailstorms and lightning strikes made her grin.

"Neptune, the stormbringer," she said, testing the title. It fit.

Her pen scratched against the notebook as she jotted down the combination ideas, already planning out training drills for when they had time to get back to work. But Neptune wasn't the only one she had big plans for. Ashley's gaze shifted to Proserpina's Poké Ball, her mind already turning over ideas.

Proserpina, her Gloom, might not be flashy like Neptune, but Ashley could see the potential in her too. She'd already shown she could be resilient, using her status moves to disrupt opponents and keep control of the battlefield. With a little more focus, Proserpina could become the kind of Pokémon that other trainers hated facing—durable, tricky, and impossible to knock out. Moves like Synthesis and Sleep Powder gave her natural recovery options, and Ashley was already considering teaching her Leech Seed once she evolved.

"Definitely the team's tank," Ashley muttered, sketching a quick diagram of Proserpina's possible strategies. "She's the one who keeps everyone else in the fight."

Ashley's pen paused as her eyes landed on Venus's Poké Ball, and she felt her excitement flicker just a little higher. Venus was still young, still small, but Eevee's true strength was in her potential. She could evolve into eight different forms, and each one brought something different to the table.

Ashley chewed on the end of her pen, her mind racing through possibilities. A Vaporeon would give her another Water-type, but that felt redundant with Neptune on the team. Jolteon's speed and Electric moves would be great for coverage, especially against Water-types, but Espeon's Psychic abilities were tempting too. Then there was Flareon—another Fire-type—which she dismissed almost immediately, and Umbreon's defensive capabilities, which could make Venus another tank alongside Proserpina.

"Too many choices," she groaned, flopping back against the pillows and staring at the ceiling. Venus was playful and quick, but she also had that soft, caring side—like when she'd curled up next to Apollo earlier, letting him rest his head on her back. That could lean toward Sylveon, a Fairy-type, which would give her an edge against Dragons, but Ashley wasn't sure yet.