Chapter 38: Practicing Moves

Arlo stepped into his room, the artificial lights adjusting automatically to his presence. The space was compact but functional, a mix of sleek tech and minimalist design. He pulled out the Luxury Ball, holding it up to his face. 

"Alright, Link. Time to stretch your legs." A flash of red light burst from the ball, materializing into a blur of gray fur and boundless energy. Link hit the floor running, skidding across the polished tiles like a wind-up toy set loose. His claws clicked rhythmically as he circled the room twice before leaping onto the couch, tail thumping against a cushion.

The Link barked happily "Bow! Wow! Bow! Wow!", his tail wagging as he bounded in circles.

Arlo slumped against the door, laughing. "You've got the stamina of a caffeinated Pikachu. How's that even possible after today?"

Arlo muttered. "Let's see if this dinner will calm you down."

The Rockruff barked again, launching into a playful tug-of-war with the couch's throw pillow. Arlo watched, half-amused, half-awed. Link's evolution from a wobbly hatchling to this dynamo of muscle and mischief still felt surreal

Walking over to the kitchen unit, Arlo opened the storage compartment where he'd stashed his supplies. He pulled out a plastic bag containing the Rock-type Pokéblocks, as well as the berries he'd bought earlier—Oran for health, Passho for Water resistance, and Kee to boost physical defense. Adding the protein and carbos supplements, he began assembling Link's meal.

Arlo placed the Pokéblocks carefully into Link's bowl, ensuring the crystalline pieces didn't spill. He sprinkled in the berries, their vibrant colors adding a pop of life to the dish. Finally, he measured out precise portions of the vitamins and mixed them in. 

"Alright, Chef Arlo strikes again," he joked to himself

"Patience, buddy." Arlo set the bowl down, its contents arranged with unnecessary artistry. "Bon appétit."

Link's ears perked up, and he darted toward the bowl, his nose twitching as he sniffed the food. Arlo sat cross-legged on the floor, watching with a mix of amusement and pride as Link began munching enthusiastically.

Link dove in, crunching Pokéblocks with the fervor of a Snorlax at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Arlo slid down the cabinet to sit cross-legged on the floor, his back against cool metal.

"Good, right?" Arlo asked, though he knew he wouldn't get an actual reply.

As he observed Link, Arlo's thoughts began to wander. He remembered the stark loneliness of his previous life an orphan bouncing between foster homes, never really finding a place to belong. Friends had come and gone, but they were just that: friends, not family. Link, though... Link was different. He wasn't just a Pokémon; he was a companion, a partner, someone Arlo could trust completely.

"You're probably the closest thing to family I've ever had," Arlo said softly, leaning back against the wall.

Link paused, a berry half-protruding from his muzzle. His blue eyes locked onto Arlo's, unblinking.

Link looked up mid-bite, tilting his head as if he understood. Don't let it go to your head

Arlo added with a smirk. "You're still the messy roommate around here." After finishing his food, Link sat back on his haunches, licking his chops in satisfaction.

...

Arlo grinned, standing to grab a surprise. Opening the fridge, he pulled out a tub of vanilla ice cream he'd forgotten he had.

"Alright, don't get used to this," Arlo said, scooping a small portion into Link's bowl. "Consider it a reward for surviving today's training."

Arlo placed the bowl of ice cream in front of Link, watching the small Rockruff sniff it curiously. 

"Go on, buddy. It's ice cream trust me, you'll like it," Arlo encouraged, leaning back on the floor with his arms crossed. Link tilted his head, his pink tongue darting out to cautiously taste the creamy dessert.

For a moment, Link froze, as though processing the cold, sweet flavor. His ears perked up, and he barked excitedly, digging into the ice cream with a level of enthusiasm that made Arlo burst out laughing.

"Told you," Arlo said, shaking his head. "Just don't get used to it. This is a special occasion thing, not an everyday treat."

Link continued licking the ice cream, his tail wagging so fast it was a blur. Arlo smiled, feeling a sense of warmth watching his Pokémon enjoy something so simple.

"You're lucky you're cute," Arlo muttered, resting his chin in his palm. "Otherwise, I'd be charging you for all the food you eat."

As Link polished off the last of the ice cream, he sat back, licking his chops and letting out a satisfied "Bow Wow!" Arlo chuckled. "Alright, dessert's done. Now it's time to wind down. No more sugar rush for you."

Arlo picked Link up gently, cradling him in his arms. The Rockruff squirmed slightly but quickly settled, his small body warm and relaxed against Arlo's chest.

"You know," Arlo said softly, carrying him over to his bed, "you did really well today. That training was no joke, and you powered through like a champ."

He set Link down on his small, cushioned bed in the corner of the room, adjusting the blanket over him. Link let out a sleepy yawn, his eyes half-lidded as he looked up at Arlo.

"You earned that ice cream," Arlo said, giving Link's head a gentle pat. "But don't let it go to your head. Tomorrow, we're back to training."

Arlo sat down cross-legged next to Link's bed, resting his elbow on his knee. As Link's breathing slowed, Arlo let his mind wander.

"Man, it's crazy how fast things have changed," he thought. A month ago, he was still trying to navigate the intricacies of the Pioneer program, unsure of his place in this strange, new reality. Now, he had Link—a partner, a friend, maybe even a little family.

His eyes fell on the Luxury Ball sitting on the desk, its polished surface gleaming under the soft light.

"You're more than just a Pokémon," he muttered to himself. "You're a reminder that I can build something here, that I can start fresh."

Link let out a soft snore, his body rising and falling with each breath. Arlo smiled, leaning forward to adjust the blanket again.

"I guess I'm not doing too bad, huh?" he whispered, more to himself than to Link. "One day at a time."

He stood up, stretching his arms above his head and letting out a yawn. The events of the day had left him exhausted, but in a good way.

"Alright, tomorrow's a new grind," he said, walking over to his desk. Sitting down, he began jotting notes on his BrainLink, strategizing Link's training regimen for the upcoming weeks.

He made a mental note to incorporate agility drills with the weighted vest, strength-building exercises with resistance bands, and mock battles to build Link's combat instincts.

"You're going to be unstoppable, buddy," he said quietly, glancing back at the sleeping Rockruff.

After a while, Arlo leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. "This is different," he thought. "Back in my old life, I wouldn't have cared about something like this—planning, nurturing, thinking about someone else's growth. Guess you really can change when you have someone to fight for."

The night wore on, and Arlo finally stood, shutting off the desk light and heading to his own bed. He glanced at Link one last time before pulling the covers over himself.

"Goodnight, Link," he murmured. "We've got a lot to do tomorrow."

As he drifted off to sleep, his mind was filled with images of Link running through battle drills, growing stronger with each passing day. The thought brought a small smile to Arlo's face. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was on the right path not just for himself, but for the bond he was building with his Pokémon.

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[Few Weeks Later]

After a week of rigorous training at the Battle Brawler Club, Arlo saw noticeable changes in Link. His Rockruff was now taller, his muscles more defined, and his stamina remarkably improved. Watching Link maneuver through the obstacle courses with ease while still wearing the weighted vest filled Arlo with a mix of pride and awe.

"Man, Pokémon physiology is something else," Arlo thought, marveling at how quickly Link adapted to the progressive weight increases over the past week.

Every day, Arlo had incrementally increased the weight of the vest. Starting at a modest one kilogram, Link was now comfortably carrying 4.1 kilograms—nearly half his body weight.

Arlo marveled at the speed of Link's progress. 

"Humans would need months or years for gains like this," he thought. "But Pokémon... they're like nature's cheat codes."

Then Arlo and Link continued their training

"Again!" Arlo barked, dodging a spray of sand from Link's practice attack. "Faster! That Krookodile won't wait for you to—"

Thud.

Link faceplanted mid-leap, the vest pinning him like an overturned tortoise. His whine was pure melodrama.

"Oh, quit it." Arlo hauled him up, brushing dirt from his fur. "You carried 4.1 kg yesterday. This is barely—"

Link sneezed sand onto his shoes.

"—progress," Arlo finished flatly. "Real mature."

By week's end, though, Link was a blur—scaling rock walls, weaving through pendulum obstacles, his Sand Attack carving craters in the dirt.

Arlo brought Link to the Pokemon center for a health check. The nurse name is Clara Joy, greeted him with a warm smile and took Link for an examination. After a few minutes, she returned, holding a clipboard with a glowing report.

"Link's in excellent condition," she said. "His muscles have developed wonderfully, and his stamina is outstanding for his age. He's definitely ready for some light battles."

Arlo beamed, patting Link on the head. "You hear that, buddy? All our hard work is paying off!"

Link barked in agreement, wagging his tail with excitement. Arlo felt a sense of pride and relief. The endless hours of guiding Link through courses and making sure his diet was on point had not gone to waste.

Back at their usual training spot, Arlo opened his BrainLink to review Link's status window. The numbers confirmed what Clara had said.

[Link] Rockruff ♂

Leve: 6

Type: Rock

Species: Puppy Pokémon

Nature: Adamant

Potential: Elite

Abilities: Own Tempo

Moves: Play rough (egg move), Tackle, Leer, Sand Attack

"Level 6 already," Arlo muttered, scrolling through the interface. His eyes landed on Link's move set: Tackle, Leer, Sand Attack, and Play Rough.

"Play Rough, huh?" Arlo mused. "That's an egg move. One of your parents must've been Fairy-type." He tapped on the move to pull up more details.

Egg moves, as Arlo understood, were special abilities a Pokémon inherited from their parents. While other moves took time to learn, egg moves came naturally and could be mastered quickly with practice.

Arlo glanced down at Link, who tilted his head curiously.

"Alright, Link," he said with a grin. "Let's see what you've got."

....

Arlo and Link approached one of the sturdy training dummies, the kind designed to withstand strong impacts from beginner-level Pokémon. It was weathered but intact, bearing the scuffs of countless prior attacks. Arlo placed his hands on his hips, giving Link a confident nod.

"Alright, Link. Let's see what this Play Rough move can really do," Arlo said. "You ready?"

Link responded with a determined bark, his eyes locking onto the dummy like it was his mortal enemy. "Bow Woow!"

"Good. Focus your energy," Arlo instructed. "Use Play Rough, go!"

A faint pink aura began to shimmer around Link, glowing brighter with each second. The little Rockruff tensed, his muscles coiling like a spring before he launched himself forward. The dummy didn't stand a chance. Link pounced, biting into the fabric with his sharp teeth, his paws slamming down with surprising force. He scratched and stomped, tearing at the seams with feral intensity. The pink energy around him flickered with every movement, enhancing the chaos.

"Holy Shit... Okay, uh, maybe dial it back a notch!" Arlo shouted, though he made no effort to actually stop Link. Part of him wanted to see just how far the move would go.

When Link finally stepped back, panting lightly, the dummy looked like it had gone through a war zone. One arm hung limply by a thread, stuffing leaked from its torso, and the face had been completely obliterated.

"Uh..." Arlo rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the carnage. "Well, that's definitely effective. Remind me to keep you far away from my furniture."

Link turned to Arlo, his tail wagging excitedly as if asking, Did I do good? His bright blue eyes practically sparkled with pride.

"You did great," Arlo said with a nervous laugh. "But... let's maybe not unleash that kind of destruction in public spaces. Someone's going to have to clean this up."

He looked at the shredded dummy again and silently prayed for the trainers or Pokémon unlucky enough to stand in Link's way.

They moved on to Tackle. Arlo commanded Link to ram another dummy, this one reinforced for sturdier impacts. Link charged forward like a bullet, slamming his shoulder into it with enough force to make the stand wobble.

Arlo nodded in approval. "Good. Clean execution, minimal hesitation. Nice work."

Next was Sand Attack. Arlo found an area where loose dirt had been scattered around for this exact purpose. "Alright, buddy. Sand Attack. Aim high."

Link kicked up a sharp spray of dirt with his hind legs, coating the target dummy's "face." The move was precise and effective, just as it should be.

"Perfect," Arlo said, giving a thumbs-up. "Looks like we've got most of your arsenal figured out. Leer will have to wait for a live opponent, though."

As if on cue, Lance appeared, arms crossed and a smirk on his face. "Not bad, rookie," he said. "Your Rockruff's got some serious potential. How's the training coming along?"

Arlo wiped some dirt off his sleeve. "Pretty good. We're just working on mastering his moves right now."

Lance nodded thoughtfully before tilting his head toward Arlo. "You know, there's only so much you can learn from beating up dummies. How about a real battle? It'll sharpen his instincts and give him a feel for an actual opponent."

Arlo hesitated, glancing down at Link. The Rockruff tilted his head, then barked eagerly, clearly up for the challenge.

"You sure?" Arlo asked him. Link wagged his tail furiously, his expression practically shouting Yes, let's go!

"Alright," Arlo said, turning back to Lance. "We're in."

Lance grinned, pulling a Poké Ball from his belt. "Good. Let's make it interesting, then." He pressed the button, releasing his Pokémon in a flash of red light.

The small, orange lizard that appeared stomped its clawed feet, puffing out its chest proudly. The flame on its tail flared brightly, and it let out a confident growl. "Charmander!!!"

"Meet Charmander," Lance said. "He's been on a winning streak lately, but it's gone to his head. He could use a reality check."

Arlo studied the Charmander, noting its fiery demeanor. "Classic starter," he thought. "Solid stats, great move pool, and strong potential. This isn't going to be easy."

Charmander glanced at Link, his eyes narrowing as he smirked arrogantly. He folded his arms, looking down at the Rockruff as if to say, Is this all you've got?

The display made Link bristle. He growled low, stepping forward with a determined look in his eyes. "Bow! Wow! Wow!"

Arlo knelt beside Link, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Alright, buddy. This is our first real battle. Stay focused, listen to my commands, and don't let that overgrown lizard get under your fur."

Link barked in response, his tail wagging briefly before stilling as he locked eyes with Charmander. The air between the two Pokémon crackled with tension.

Arlo stood, nodding at Lance. "Let's do this."