[Vates has heard that excuse before, too. You'll have to forgive him if he's a bit skeptic - in his world, Red is on the run from the entire Pokemon League, and psychic though he may be, reading your mind to check your intentions would take more time than he'd care to risk right now.

Unfortunately for you, stopping to calmly explain would likely have worked out. But reacting with an attack? Nope, that earned you no points. Red squints at your Pokemon...]

... R... Retrahitur... In... Ins... [He doesn't need to finish. Vates already knows - the command means Focus Blast.]