Starly #2

Rei and Staravia had been training relentlessly. The wild battles helped, but Rei knew it wasn't enough. Staravia was growing stronger at an incredible rate, yet he could sense there was still untapped potential. They needed something more—more than just fighting wild Pokémon, more than just surviving.

One day, as they wandered deep into the forest, they stumbled upon a narrow mountain path lined with jagged rocks. It was a path few dared to travel, but something about it called to them. Staravia, flying above, let out a sharp cry, alerting Rei to something unusual.

Rei looked up, shielding his eyes from the sun. "What is it, Staravia?"

The bird Pokémon circled once before diving down and landing on Rei's shoulder. It chirped, motioning toward a distant cliffside. Rei squinted, noticing a faint shimmer embedded within the rock—a cave entrance.

Curious, they approached.

The entrance was narrow, forcing Rei to squeeze through carefully. Staravia followed closely, its sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit interior. The deeper they went, the more Rei felt an odd presence. A strange energy lingered in the air, different from anything he had felt before. It wasn't like the spiritual energy he had grown accustomed to sensing—it was something heavier, metallic in nature.

As they ventured further inside, Rei's eyes widened. Crystals—pale blue and silver—lined the walls, faintly pulsing with energy. Staravia fluttered forward, its wings vibrating as if reacting to the strange energy in the cave. Rei reached out, placing his hand against one of the crystals. A faint hum resonated through his palm, sending a tingling sensation up his arm.

"This… this is Flying energy," Rei murmured. "But there's something else here."

A second energy mixed with the Flying energy—a heavy, dense attribute that felt like raw iron.

"Steel?" Rei wondered aloud.

Before he could investigate further, a deep rumbling echoed through the cave. Staravia immediately took flight, its sharp eyes darting around. Rei felt the ground tremble beneath him. Slowly, emerging from the depths of the cave, was a massive Onix.

Its serpentine body was composed of large, rough boulders, each one marked with deep cracks that shimmered faintly in the dim light. Its yellow eyes locked onto Rei and Staravia, radiating pure dominance.

Rei instinctively took a step back. He could feel its power.

"This thing…" Rei whispered. "It's just as strong as the Staraptor leader…"

Staravia let out a cautious cry, its wings flaring as it prepared for battle. But Rei shook his head.

"No. We're not ready for this fight," he muttered.

Staravia hesitated, but at Rei's firm gaze, it nodded. They slowly backed away, careful not to make any sudden movements. The Onix simply watched them. It didn't attack, but its presence alone was overwhelming.

Once outside the cave, Rei exhaled in relief. His hands were shaking.

With their close call serving as motivation, Rei and Staravia doubled their efforts. They needed to master their abilities. Rei decided to focus on two moves: Brave Bird and Air Cutter.

Brave Bird was a high-risk, high-reward attack, channeling Flying energy into a devastating charge, but the recoil was brutal. Air Cutter, on the other hand, was a ranged attack that utilized precise control over Flying energy to form razor-sharp winds.

They began training in a clearing near their cave.

"Again, Staravia!" Rei called out.

Staravia soared into the sky, its wings glowing faintly with Flying energy. It tucked in its wings and dove. The energy around its body intensified, forming a blazing aura as it neared the ground. But just before impact, Staravia faltered, the energy dispersing too soon.

A small explosion of dust erupted as Staravia landed roughly, panting heavily.

Rei clenched his fists. "You're close. The energy output is fine, but the control is off. Try again."

Staravia nodded, shaking off its fatigue. This time, it flew higher, gathering more energy before diving once more. The force was greater, the speed sharper—but again, it lost control right before impact.

The recoil sent Staravia tumbling backward.

Rei rushed over, placing a hand on his partner. "Are you okay?"

Staravia let out a weak chirp but nodded.

Rei took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's switch to Air Cutter for now. If Brave Bird is all about overwhelming power, Air Cutter is about precision. You need to learn how to shape your energy, not just unleash it."

Staravia, determined, took to the sky once more. This time, it spread its wings wide, channeling Flying energy into them. Rei watched as the air began to twist around the bird, forming visible ripples. Then, with a single flap—

Whoosh!

A blade of wind shot forward, slicing cleanly through a nearby boulder.

Rei's eyes widened. "That's it! But you need to make it faster. Sharper!"

They continued for hours, refining both techniques. Staravia pushed itself harder than ever, driven by an instinctive hunger for strength.

As the day ended, Staravia collapsed onto the ground, exhausted but satisfied.

Rei smiled, patting its wing. "You're getting stronger. We're getting stronger."

Tomorrow, they would train again.