Trying Training

Da used light screen, shielding us from the attack. Dust exploded from the shock wave, blocking our opponents sight. Taking advantage, Honedge struck, getting in close. He slashed at Roselia, cutting it deeply.

'Noooo!' Roserade screamed, 'You'll pay for that!'

Thick vines spawned from the ground, whipping Honedge away. Roselia fired a dark emerald beam from its rose, aimed straight at me. Da threw a fallen log, blocking the attack for me. The log was then launched at Roselia, diverting its attention.

The other Roselia also summoned vines, tangling up Honedge in its thorns. Honedge screeched as light particles seeped from his body.

'Honedge get out. That's leech seed.' I shouted.

He struggled against the vines, unable to move. Grabbing my club, I ran to the Roselia, swiftly bashing it on the head. My leg flared with pain.

The first Roselia saw its comrade fall and Honedge brake free. Shifting its attention, glowing leaves flew towards me. Unable to dodge, the leaves slashed and stabbed my skin like a meat grinder.

The pain was viscous, each strike blaring.

Finally recovering, Honedge threw himself at the offender. With a swipe of his blade, Roselia was down for the count.

'Ahhhhh! My babies. You will pay, you will pay!' Roserade screamed, dodging a flung trunk. Suddenly, her body glowed iridescent, dark green vines shredded the ground, leaves and petals swirled around her like a hurricane.

'We need to leave.' Da shouted.

A blue light shined on me and Honedge. One second we were on the ground, the next we were high up in the treeline, fleeing from the plant storm below. Some time later, we were far enough away from the Roserade.

The sheer rage she emitted was crushing. If we had stayed, there wouldn't have been a body left.

'That was terrifying.' Honedge remarked.

'Yeah.' Da agreed.

We softly touched down and I slumped to the floor. The pain was excruciating.

Da saw me and immediately performed first aid.

At this moment, nothing Da did even fazed me. That was how much pain I was in. Every inche of my body was covered with thin and deep cuts.

'You are extremely lucky that they didn't use a poison attack. These wounds would have been life threatening.' Da informed.

I groaned.

'Will he be alright?' Honedge asked.

'Probably, I can already see his body repairing him. How long till he is back to full health? No idea. The damage is extensive but the important bits are still untouched.' Da just shivered. 'My wife is going to kill me when we get home.'

Honedge could see Da's soul leaving his body.

'Hey don't die on me now!' Honedge exclaimed.

I watched listlessly, the pain having fried my senses.

...............…..

We returned home battered and wounded. Honedge was the best in terms of health. The only thing that really got him was the leech seed. Da had defended against both Roserade and Roselia, his body was cut up and bruised. I was the worst as I took both spark and what I figured to be magical leaf.

I was quietly laying in bed, listening to Da being tortured by his wife. Privately, I bow my head in honor of his sacrifice.

My body was in a constant light screen to shield from infection. I snuggled with my small Ducklett down pillow as I listened to Da's dying cries.

Nincada came and checked in on me. He even stitched together some leaf bandages to help my recovery. Honedge was moping in a corner, brooding like a pubescent teen.

'Honedge, its not your fault. If anything, its me and Da's. Roserade was after us, you were just there for the ride.'

'I know, but you shouldn't have been hurt to begin with. We are Pokemon, we do this kind of thing everyday, you...' He couldn't finish.

'A fleshy weak human?'

He turned away.

'Look, I know I am not the strongest person out there. Never will be.' He looks to say something but I continue, 'But, that's why I try so hard. It's why I hunt. Its to get stronger so you will never have to worry about me.'

'But...'

'No buts. This world is chock full of dangers. The list's so long, its not even funny.' I counter. 'There will come a time where none of you will be there and I will need to be able to defend myself.'

Silence reigned the den.

Turning on my side, I go to sleep.

...............…

It turns out that I needed two weeks to fully recover. I'm no expert, but that was a fast recovery time. Must be apart of my new physiology.

Never let it be said that I wasted that time. No, No, No. I practiced my reception field, expanding and honing it to masterful degree. I was now able to maintain a four by four inch area and get perfect detail. With how slow I have been progressing, its a win in my book.

Honedge worked with his ghost energy, finally gaining the ability to go incorporeal. There were so many uses for that, it wasn't even funny. Though we did find some drawbacks.

To turn incorporeal, ghost type energy has to vibrate at certain energy frequencies. Its incredibly similar to how the Flash runs through matter. Anyway, this energy has a threshold. If it interacts with other energy, the ghost type energy will destabilize, bringing Honedge back to physicality.

Ghost types can build a resistance to this, but like all things, it requires practice. Once its mastered, Honedge will be able to phase through any attack.

Nincada worked on his weaving. The white Meowstic got some leaves in her down time for Nincada to practice with. Pillows, clothes, everything under the sun, Nincada tried to make it.

Of course he came to me when he wasn't sure how to make something.

When I finally did recover, I continued to work on my reception field. I desperately wanted to expand it to a full of radar, but it was ridiculously slow progress.

Another week passed by; I did not want to jump right back into hunting just yet, I wanted to try something with Da and Honedge first.

Heading to the grove, I proposed something to both Pokemon.

'I think we need to fight things out.' I so eloquently said.

'What?!?' they both responded.

'What I mean is, we need to have mock battles. Get experience fighting living, moving opponents. When Roserade ambushed us, we were unprepared and that needs to be fixed immediately.'

They thought about for a minute before seeing the truth in my words.

'How should we go about this?' Da asked.

'I think we need to practice our strong suits. Honedge and I will be fighting each other while you work on psychic and your shields. I think if we can get it to where you can simultaneously use both, you can protect and attack at the same time.'

Da understood.

Grabbing my club, I stand a distance from Honedge.

'When I count to three, attack me.' I told him.

He nodded as best as a sword could.

'1...2…...3!' I charged with my club above my head. Swinging down, Honedge quickly dodged to the right. I try to follow up, but Honedge vanished, and next thing I know, a sharp blade is at my neck.

'What do we do now?' he asked.

'We do it again.' I reply.

Going back to our starting positions, This time, I held the club like a two handed sword. Honedge was many times faster then me. Charging to him recklessly is inviting loss. So I approach it differently. Instead of rushing in, I try to predict where he'll be. At least, that's how characters in books do it.

I shouted start and this time Honedge comes at me. I parry, but the strike reverberated into my arms, forcing me to drop the club. Frustration overtakes me. I was losing so fast, it wasn't even funny. I just want to scream, but I stop. No one ever said this was easy. No one ever said that I will be able to pick things up like those ridiculous Main Characters in books.

Swallowing my anger, I start the bout again.

I lost.

We go again.

I lost.

We go again, we go until the sun was setting. My arms screamed from the burn and my skin dripped sweat like cattle. That day, I swore that I would become so strong, I'll beat Honedge black and blue.

...............…..

Time flies by when one has plans for vengeance. I desperately tried to win against Honedge. Sometimes, I would be as savage as a beast, reckless as a bull, cheap as dung, but he would always recover and overpower me. I asked how Honedge was so strong, but he would always reply that it was just instinct. Stupid sword.

These last three months have been torture to my psyche. Honedge was like an insurmountable mountain, especially once we got training. With each tactic and move I learned, he learned thrice as much. It was depressing. To know that there was nothing I could do about it.

Da also got stronger too. He learned how to maintain all of his shields and psychic at once. When I found out, I slumped. I did move him on to a higher training, however. During the times Honedge and I spar, he would intervene, throwing branches and raising shields. All it did was raise my frustration.

Sighing to my fate, I decide I needed to do something to even the playing field.

So far, I had developed armor from Oddish skin and a few unique bits. On my arms, I have Plusle and Minun vambraces, my left shoulder had Venipede carapace, and some stiff Sentret leather on my torso. It was a Hodge-podge and it was weak. Magical leaf eviscerated it.

Every time I bath in the river, I am reminded of that day with all the scars.

The only thing that did well was the Venipede armor. To make it in this world, I will have to both hone my body and equipment.

'I need better stuff.' I announced one day.

Surprised by my statement, eyebrows rose in confusion.

'My armor is weak, my fan only works so well, and my club is a stick. I need better equipment.' I clarified.

'I think you should worry about practicing and getting stronger first. Its not that I don't agree with you, but where are you planning to get stuff to make your equipment?' Da interjected.

I open my mouth to say something, but it dies in my throat. What could I say? He was right. The only way to get better equipment is to hunt stronger Pokemon, but to do that, I need to be stronger as well.

My shoulders sag in defeat. Strength just always seemed to be out of my reach.

A paw was placed on my shoulder.

'I know how you feel.' The feminine Meowstic started. 'To always worry about being strong enough. The world is a cruel place and there will be times that you won't be strong enough. In the end, all that matters is how you pick yourself back up.'

Her words resonated through my skull. Pain and suffering was the furnace of life. I could let the heat fry me or I could let it temper my resolve.

With that I nod. 'Thank you Mrs. Meowstic.'

She smiles. 'Call me Am.'

...............…..

Seven months passed and I made considerable progress. Honedge now had to work for his victories.

On another note, I could finally perceive a three by three foot area with my reception field. I have it sit around my head like a bubble. Every time Honedge goes for the kill, I saw it coming.

Currently, I am trying to expand it passively, but my mind can't keep up with it. About an hour a day, I meditate, expanding my perception and increasing my minds function. I roughly get about a millimeter or two added each day.

Honedge was much stronger as well. He picked up shadow sneak and shadow claw. He even found another one of his energies. It was light and breezy so we think it was flying type energy. So far, he's trying to coat his blade with it to make him sharper.

Also, Da had made a breakthrough with his powers. Combining light screen and reflect together, they evolved into protect. We all celebrated as protect was an incredible achievement to Pokemon. It could block most attacks so long as it wasn't a legendary tier attack.

That night, I sat Da down and ran some ideas by him on how to efficiently use protect. We did find that he could change the shape minutely, but it took a lot of effort. More things to practice.

Physically speaking, not much has changed. I was still a matchstick and I only grew an inch or two. My hair grew down to my back. I thought about cutting it, but couldn't be bothered. If it ever gets in the way, I'll cut it then.

Honedge, surprisingly took on a more burgundy shade of red. I assume its from steeping himself in my poison sheath. It would be interesting to see how it developed.

Am occasionally joined us for training and when she did, it was torture. If there was a competition on who was scarier between Da and Am, it was Am.

Her move set was vastly different from Da's. Da was defensive, making shields and attacking from a distance. Am was the opposite. She wielded lighting like Zeus, rained down shadow balls like a machine gun, and dished out psyshock like a battering ram.

After training with her, we would return half dead.

After spending almost a year training, I was ready to go out and hunt again. There's equipment to make and Pokemon to slaughter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon in any shape or form.