Chapter 10: Training

  The morning air was still cool, brushing soft and clear across the treetops that lined the upper edges of the crater. A faint breeze carried the smell of dew-damp soil and blooming herbs from the village gardens, the sky overhead a pale, cloudless blue. Auri stood just outside the small house that now belonged to him, a strange thought even now.

  He took a quiet breath. Today was the first day of his formal training, the kind every young Pokemon in Newleaf Village went through appaently. Learning, growing, preparing for the future.

  He adjusted the scarf slightly, then turned at the sound of pawsteps padding up the stone path. Yuki arrived in her usual energetic stride, her feathers catching a soft gleam in the early light. She tilted her head at him with a grin.

  "There you are! I knew you’d be standing out here being all dramatic and silent!"

  "I was literally just thinking."

  "Dramatically thinking!"

  He blinked. "...Not really?"

  Yuki grinned. "If you say so. C’mon, training starts soon! First day as an official trainee, how’s the anxiety level?"

  "Manageable," Auri replied instantly, though he did feel slightly hesitant about it. Not that he'd tell Yuki that.

  "Liar," Yuki said sweetly. "Your left ear is twitching by now I know that's a sign of nervousness or stress. But that’s fine. I’ll be right next to you anyway. Oh! And today’s a fundamentals day,” she added, bouncing slightly. "So lots of group stuff mainly! We’ll do a warm-up, movement drills, then probably some paired exercises. Maybe mock skirmishes if Zekel’s feeling spicy!"

  "... The only battle experiences I had that I can actually remember was fighting for my life in a Dungeon. I’m not sure I know how to 'skirmish' casually, Yuki."

  "You’ll fit right in, trust me!" Yuki grinned. "C’mon, I’ll show you where everyone gathers!"

  She led the way, not far at all. Just around the edge of the garden and down a short incline. From his front door to the gathering point was barely a dozen strides, and already, a few of the others had begun to arrive.

  Lio the Riolu already stood near the edge of the clearing, stretching one arm over the other with practiced focus. He looked over as they approached, giving a curt nod to Yuki… and a longer, unreadable look to Auri.

  Neku the Shinx was sitting in the grass, looking up as they came close. "Morning you two. You’re early as well?"

  "Sure, I just had to drag Auri with me first!" Yuki called back. "Figured if I didn’t, he’d show up ten minutes late and sneak in like a Zubat!"

  "I wouldn’t sneak," Auri murmured.

  "You’d try not to sneak. That doesn't mean you'd be successful," she corrected.

  A white Vulpix arrived a few minutes later, trailing behind Mina, the Rockruff. The Vulpix’s eyes lit up when she saw Auri, her soft, snowy fur fluffing ever so slightly. "Oh! Good morning. You must be the new one from outside the crater right? I'm Tama, nice to meet you."

  "Yes, I'm Auri," he replied. "It's nice to meet you too."

  Mina snorted. "I'm sorry for you that you had to join us. It’s just training! Yuki and you are plenty strong already, just like Ayra and Tama! You don't need extra training! Plus, Karo’s here, so it’ll also be annoying."

  Right on cue, a loud voice piped up from further down the field. "Ayy! If it isn’t the newcomer and the fire chick!" The Skorupi that Auri suspected to be Karo waved dramatically from the top of one of the crates, legs swinging like a king surveying his domain. Next to him a Snubbull crossed her arms, unimpressed but amused.

  "Don’t fall off," Yuki called without missing a beat. "You’ll dent the grass and then I'd have to see your face in two different places."

  "I don’t fall," Karo declared. "I descend with style."

  "Juast like Yuki said, you’re gonna descend with your face if you keep swinging like that," the Snubbull muttered.

  Yuki rolled her eyes and leaned toward Auri. "Those two are Karo and Velia. Do not engage unless you’re emotionally prepared."

  "Noted," he said dryly.

  Then a heavy thud echoed across the field, followed by a familiar rumble of a voice. "LINE UP!"

  Zekel had arrived. The Pangoro stood near the center of the clearing, arms folded, gaze sweeping across the kids like a hawk. His voice wasn’t angry, just… final. And loud. "LET’S SEE IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER WHAT A PROPER STANCE LOOKS LIKE!"

  Yuki sighed. "Here we go."

  They began to line up. Auri found himself somewhere between Yuki and Neku, unsure of exactly what he was supposed to do but watching the others closely. Not much else he could do in this case, really.

  Zekel paced once in front of them. "Today’s simple," he said. "Speed drills. Partner rounds. Then obstacle pass. Nothing fancy. You’re not here to impress. You’re here to train. You mess around, you run laps, is that CLEAR!?"

  He stopped, gaze landing squarely on Karo. "No explosions this time or you will wish you never even came here today, understood?"

  Karo gave a mock salute. "Define explosion first, please!" Zekel didn’t bother to answer.

  The warmup began without fanfare. Basic stretches. Dashes across the field. Controlled sparks, swipes, and flares. Auri followed along, not really challanged at all by the physical activities. Whoever he had been before he lost his memories, he definitely had been in shape.

  Yuki grinned at him in between sprints. "See? Not so bad."

  "Not yet," Auri murmured.

  Around that time, Ayra joined the group as well. Zekel gave her a stern look for being way too late, but didn't acknowledge her tardiness otherwise as she joined them in their excercises.

  After warmups, Zekel clapped his paws once, loud and sharp. "Alright! Pair work! No solo heroes today!"

  Mina groaned. "Does that mean we don’t get to [Tackle] stuff?"

  "You’ll be tackling each other if you don’t focus," Zekel replied flatly, then gestured toward the center of the field, where a rough square of stones had been marked. "This drill is simple. Two pairs at a time. One side defends the target, a simple wooden stump. The other tries to tag it. No moves stronger than a light shove. No sparks, no claws, no fireballs! This is about movement, not damage! Tagging the Pokemon on the offense disqualifies them! GOT IT!?"

  A chorus of murmurs rippled through the group. Mostly affirmatives, though Karo’s was suspiciously delayed.

  "Good! We’ll rotate. Pay attention to your partner! If you mess up, it’s because you didn’t listen! If you succeed, it’s because you listened!"

  Auri stood still, absorbing the setup. Strategy. Movement. This, he could handle.

  Then Zekel continued. "First up: Auri and Lio on offense! Velia and Neku defend!"

  Lio, who’d been quietly stretching at the edge of the group, stiffened. He shot Auri a quick glance, which Auri returned with a nod. Yuki nudged Auri as he stepped forward. "Don’t let Velia cheat! She always cheats!"

  "I’ll keep that in mind," Auri murmured.

  The four Pokemon took their places. Neku crouched near the stump, tail flicking with low sparks of focus. Velia, already smirking, leaned forward in a fake relaxed stance that fooled no one.

  Zekel’s voice rang out. "BEGIN!"

  Auri and Lio split immediately. Without a word, they took different angles, flanking from both sides. Auri wasn’t reckless. He moved with purpose, every step measured, every motion sharp, his instincts once again taking over to guide him. He wasn’t as explosive as Yuki or wild as Mina, but his speed came from control. Precise, fast, and focused.

  He [Feinted] left, pulled back, then darted toward Neku. Velia lunged to intercept, just as Lio slipped behind and nearly tapped the stump.

  Neku whirled, bumped into him, and they both stumbled. Lio caught himself barely but he was out for the roundf. Velia noticed the danger, but spun around to late. Auri used the temporary opening and flicked the stump with his tail, saving himself from closing in on the bundle of limbs that Lio und Neku were.

  "Match!" Zekel called. "Offense wins! Switch!"

  Lio and Auri stepped back out of the ring. Velia looked genuinely miffed, but said nothing. Neku just shrugged, unbothered.

  Yuki beamed as Auri returned. "That was clever! That tail flick thing so you don't have to close in them and risk getting intercepted? I saw that!"

  "It worked," he said simply, glancing at Lio. The Riolu was already heading back toward the group, but he paused just long enough to shoot Auri a quick smile.

  The next matches came and went with varying results. Mina and Karo were next, teamed against Ayra and Tama. Karo immediately charged in without warning, ignoring Mina’s attempts to coordinate, and crashed face-first into Tama’s [Icy Wind].

  "She’s an ice-type mutation!" Mina shouted. "Don’t just run into her ice-type energy you idiot!"

  "How was I supposed to know that?" Karo mumbled from the dirt, shivering from the cold.

  "How about her coloration, her type-energy and the fact that you know her for years already," Mina retorted. before simply leaving the field in surrender.

  Zekel sighed heavily. "Karo, laps."

  "Aw, again?!"

  "You don’t communicate at all, except it's Velia you're partnered with. And your survival instinct equals zero. Your ability to think through your decisions apparently as well. Rules don’t change just because you’re funny."

  Karo dragged himself up dramatically. "Tell my story."

  "No one will," Ayra deadpanned.

  As the drills continued, Auri fell into a rhythm. Between Yuki, Ayra, Tama and him, it was obvious who were the strongest, Mina had been right with that. The strength difference between the four of them and the other five was obvious. That didn't make the lessons worthless to him, however. He knew that, right now, he was mainly guided through battle bis his instincts and some echos of past experiences. Not much of it was councious decisionmaking. So that's what Auri worked on, trying to internalise everything his body already did instinctively.

  The session ran long, and by the end of the first block, some of the kids were already starting to breathe harder. Zekel finally called for a break. "Food. Water. You’ve got ten minutes. Don’t waste them."

  Everyone scattered, toward satchels, water basins, or shady trees.

  Auri exhaled slowly, pulse steady. Yuki nudged his side with a wing. "Hey. That’s the unofficial snack spot. C'mon, before Velia eats all the sweet ones!"

  They made their way over, and Auri was surprised how natural it all looked. Neku was trying to climb a branch without dropping the oran berry in his mouth. Mina was already bragging about how fast she'd been earlier, her tail wagging like she’d just won the tournament. Tama had settled under the tree’s edge with Ayra, the two of them talking softly, Ayra gesturing with sharp but familiar motions while Tama listened, nodding slowly. Lio sat alone for a moment, sipping from a flask of water, his expression unreadable.

  Other than that, the clearing was calm and the overall atmosphere peaceful while the group ate. Of course quiet chatter still drifted under the big tree, but nothing else. At least until Karo’s voice cut through the peace.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  “Careful there, Mina,” he called as the Rockruff’s paws fumbled with a berry. "Wouldn’t want to waste another one!"

  Mina’s paws tightened around the fruit, tail twitching. "I didn’t waste the others, and you know that!" she hissed as answer, otherwise ignoring him.

  Karo smirked and flicked his berry in the air.

  Auri glanced up with a small frown as well, but didn’t say anything. A single comment wasn't worth calling out.

  Unfortunately, it took only a few minutes for Karo to try again. "Nice toss, Neku!" he called out when the Shinx dropped a berry and scrambled to grab it, nearly falling from the tree in the process. "At this rate, you’ll feed the grass instead of yourself! Maybe even with yourself, looking at your balance. Aren't cats supposed to be good climbers?"

  "Focus on yourself Karo and leave me alone. I have no interest in talking to you or even just to listen to your comments," Neku hissed back, electricity sparkling in his fur.

  "Aww, is our little sparky cat unable to take a few comments in stride? Why so defensive all of a sudden? Worried I'm only speaking the truth?" Karo continued with a grin.

  Neku’s fur bristled, his mouth opening for a retort, but Auri was already on his feet.

  "That's decidedly enough," he said. His voice was calm, but clear enough that it cut through the chatter. "At a certain point, it's not some teasing anymore, but straight-up bullying."

  Karo blinked, clearly not expecting pushback. "It was just a joke. Chill out."

  "Once might count as a joke," Auri said evenly. "When you do it every time, to everyone, just to get a reaction out of them, you’re not joking anymore."

  Velia, sprawled on her back nearby, rolled upright with a huff. "Oh, come on. He’s not hurting anyone. Nobody cares!"

  "He’s definitely trying to!” Auri replied sharply. "And do you really think Mina and Neku leave him be because they don't care?"

  Velia tilted her head, something sharper entering her gaze. "Wow. Look at you, a bossy loudmouth all of a sudden."

  Karo snorted, encouraged. "Guess someone thinks he’s in charge now!"

  "Oh, trust me, I wouldn't have this discussion at all if your comments weren't hurting others!"

  Velia’s ears twitched. "You really think anyone's going to care about what you think regarding the situation? You're a stranger to all of us!"

  Auri blinked but didn’t answer directly.

  Velia smirked, sensing an opening. "Maybe that’s why you’re always so silent. You know exactly how little you mean to the others don't you?"

  Karo chuckled under his breath. "Yeah. Bet you’d never last a day without Yuki to do the talking. Because without her, you and your opinion would truly mean nothing around here."

  That finally got Yuki’s attention. Her chewing stopped mid-bite, feathers puffing.

  "Excuse me!?" she said, hopping to her feet. Her wings half-flared as she stalked a step closer. "You want to say that again!?"

  Karo froze, suddenly not so sure of himself. Velia, though, leaned forward with a grin. "What, can’t he defend himself Yuki? Aren't you proving our point right now?"

  Yuki’s eyes narrowed. "He doesn’t need to! And he doesn’t need you pretending you know anything about him, either!"

  Velia’s grin widened. "Oh, I think we’ve hit a nerve. What’s wrong, Yuki? Can’t stand someone pointing out the obvious about your new friend?"

  "I dare you, say that again!" Yuki growled, wings spreading wider, firelight catching along her feathers.

  Karo stood now too, smirk back in place despite the tension. "Sure, why shouldn't we? It's the truth, isn't it? Without you, he’s just a quiet, useless-"

  "Enough of this!" Ayra was on her feet, ears angled back, her stance braced like she might leap between them at any second. "Seriously!? All this over some comments about berries!? Knock it off before someone actually gets hurt!"

  Her tone wasn’t quite commanding, but it carried enough weight that everyone hesitated.

  "Come on," Tama added, stepping in beside her. The Riolu’s gaze swept across both groups, calm but firm. "No one’s proving anything here. Though I completely agree with Auri here. You could dial your comments down a bit."

  Ayra nodded along. "Velia, Karo, look around. Yuki's about ready to actually attack you, and I can guarantee you Auri wouldn't just watch that happen either. Neku, Mina and Lio look about ready to join in as well. Be tahnkful that Tama and I stepped in this time. We won't do so next time."

  Karo’s jaw worked like he wanted to argue, but under Ayra’s steady stare he just flopped back onto the log with a frustrated huff. Velia rolled her eyes but sat down, muttering something under her breath.

  Yuki stayed standing a moment longer, wings still half-flared, before settling back down together with Auri as well.

  “You could’ve said something back,” she muttered, still glaring at Velia and Karo.

  Auri just sighed. "What would be the point? From the moment on where I intervened it became quite clear they wouldn't back down without a fight. And I can take some comments if it means the conflict ends without escalating even further."

  "Still, you can't just let them walk over you!"

  "It wouldn’t have been worth it Yuki," he said, still calm, but his tail flicked once, a sharp punctuation. "The moment I had their ire, I knew they would at the very least leave the others in peace. And you know that I don't need protection. If I thought it necessary, I could have very well defended myself."

  Yuki hesitated, then let out a snort, feathers ruffling. "Nice words from you, but fact is that you didn't. I’m not sitting idly on the sidelines while they talk to you like that."

  Auri didn’t look at her, only gave the smallest shrug. "Is it always like this with the two of them or was I just unlucky?"

  "Not always," Yuki replied. "Karo simply likes to test others. Velia just protects him from the fallout of his actions most of the time."

  "They’re not necessarily bad Pokemon I think," Auri said after a moment. "They're just… playing these games without really thinking about it, I guess. Or the consequences they can have for others."

  Yuki was quiet for a second. Then she reached into the basket, picked out a dark purple berry, and tossed it to him. "Catch! Payment for emotional labor."

  He caught it, surprised. "What even is this?"

  "No idea!" she grinned. "Might be spicy, might make your tongue go numb, who knows? It's a mystery snack!"

  He raised an eyebrow. "Comforting."

  They sat there for a while, the hum of the others around them fading into the background. Auri watched as Ayra gently reached over to fix something in Tama’s fur. Neku had finally climbed off the tree agin, seetling down next to his two friends. Mina was trying to flick seeds at Lio, who was pretending not to care. Karo and Velia had wandered off to who knows where.

  "Y'know," Yuki said eventually, "I was quite nervous when I first joined the training. Couldn’t stop tripping over myself. Ayra laughed at me for a week."

  "You? Nervous?" Auri teased, glancing sideways.

  "Shocking, I know. But true." She smirked. "You’ll get used to them all. Even Velia. Eventually. And just maybe we can get them to stop bothering everyone else with their comments."

  "I don’t need them to like me," Auri said. "I just need them to know where I stand and teach them not to push these boundaries. I believe I will get the chance to do so soon enough."

  "Well," Yuki said, biting into a berry and chewing thoughtfully, "right now you’re standing under a tree, next to me, eating weird snacks and watching weird kids."

  He gave a small smile. "I guess that’s not so bad."

  The sun hung high above the crater walls by the time the last stretch of training arrived. Shadows stretched from the sparring posts near the field’s edge, and the hum of energy in the group had dulled somewhat by now.

  Zekel stood at the center, arms crossed. His gruff voice rang out across the training field, commanding immediate attention. "ALRIGHT EVERYONE!" he called. §End of the day, one last push! You’ve been working hard, now I want to see what you’ve actually LEARNED!"

  That got a few groans and a few excited murmurs. Yuki perked up instantly.

  Zekel gestured toward a small obstacle course set up at the far end of the field, nothing too elaborate. A few dummies to dodge, sand pits to leap, simple coordination drills made of logs and stones.

  "You’ll run this in pairs!" he anounced. "Coordination matters more than speed! Work as a team! Support each other! That’s the point!"

  Velia rolled her eyes, barely hiding it. Karo smirked and nudged her with his tail.

  Zekel ignored them. "You’ll go three teams at a time! I’ll judge, and I don’t want any whining! Pair up now and I want to see none of that last-minute partner swapping!"

  Naturally, Yuki darted toward Auri without hesitation. "Let’s go!" she grinned. "I bet we’ve got this!"

  He nodded with a small smile. "Just don’t trip over your own talons," he teased.

  She gasped in mock-offense. "Excuse me!? You’re the one with the stubby legs."

  The others sorted quickly. Tama and Neku teamed up, Lio pairing with Mina. That left Velia and Karo together, which they didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. Ayra decided to not join in this round, instead sitting down next to Zekel.

  "FIRST ROUND!" Zekel barked. "Auri and Yuki, Velia and Karo, Tama and Neku! To the start!"

  The three teams lined up at the edge of the course. Ayra took over for Zekel, stepping up with an authoritative nod. "On my mark!" she called. "Three… two… one… go!"

  Yuki sprang forward, wings pumping, keeping perfect pace with Auri as they ducked under the first hanging net. Auri’s focus was absolute, his paws light, his breathing steady. They barely needed to speak every glance and twitch between them enough to stay synchronized. After having survived a Dungeon-run together, the teamwork between them was flawless.

  Behind them, Karo gave a dramatic yell and fake-tripped, sending a deliberate spray of dust into Tama’s face. She coughed, stumbling, and Neku slowed to help her.

  "Watch it! No sabotage!" Ayra barked sharply.

  “Oops!” Karo said with an exaggerated grin, not looking back.

  Auri’s ear twitched. His stride didn’t falter, but there was a new edge to his movements. He didn’t like the look on Karo’s face, too smug and way too satisfied.

  They reached the sand pit, and Velia suddenly cut across the shallow side, skipping a marker stone to get ahead. Yuki growled low in her throat. "She’s cheating!"

  "I saw," Auri said, voice clipped. "But it doesn't matter. Keep going."

  They pushed forward into the balance section, narrow logs and beams over shallow trenches. Auri was halfway across when Karo came barreling up behind, jumping onto the beam Yuki was on, hard enough to jolt it.

  Yuki squawked, wings flaring as she wobbled. She caught herself just before hitting the dirt.

  "Karo!" she shouted, feathers puffed in fury. "What was that supposed to be!?"

  Karo only smirked. "Whoops! Guess you should watch your balance better Yuki!"

  Auri stopped cold. He turned, stepping off his beam with slow, deliberate precision, and fixed Karo with a stare so flat it cut through the noise of the course.

  "That wasn’t an accident," Auri said, his voice low and dangerous. "You tried to make her fall."

  Karo’s grin faltered. "Relax, it’s just-"

  "And Tama earlier." Auri’s tone sharpened, every word measured. "That wasn’t a joke either."

  Velia rolled her eyes from ahead. "Oh come on, stop posutring, it's nothing more then training-"

  "No!" Auri’s tail lashed once. "Training doesn’t mean making others get hurt! Try that again, and we’re done playing. Then I'm more than willing to show you why you should not mess with me!"

  For a heartbeat, nobody moved. Karo shifted his weight like he might throw something back. And that was enough for Ayra to step in.

  "That’s enough!" her voice cracked across the course like a whip. She was already moving toward them, ears pinned, arms crossed. "Karo, off the beam. Now."

  Karo froze, ears flattening. Ayra stopped in front of him, glaring down with the unmistakable fire of an older sister ready to defend. "You pull a stunt like that again," she said, her voice calm but heavy, "and you’re not sparring with Auri here as a consequence. You’re sparring with me. And I won’t go easy."

  Karo’s ears drooped. "Fine," he muttered, hopping off.

  "Good," Ayra said, then flicked her gaze at Velia. “And you. Finish the course properly, or don’t bother at all next round."

  Velia grumbled but turned and kept running.

  Yuki, still bristling, shot Auri a look. He met her eyes for a beat, then offered her a paw back onto the beam.

  "Thanks," she muttered, still seething.

  "Stay focused," he said simply, and together they finished the course soon after, though slower than Velia. When they crossed the finish line, Zekel was waiting for them. "Points deducted," he said flatly. "All four of you."

  Velia threw up her paws. "Biased!"

  "No," Zekel said. "That's called fairness and focus on your actual assignment!"

  Yuki huffed out a breath as they walked off the course. "That was..." She paused, then grinned. "Actually, that was kind of scary! You didn’t even need to raise your voice, the threat in it was clear anyways!"

  Auri just shrugged. "Physical harm is absolutely where I draw the line, kids or not."

  "Y'know," Yuki said after a moment, "you could’ve just kept running. You’d have beaten them easy and least taken the satisfaction of victory from them."

  Auri looked at her, calm but serious. "Winning’s not worth it if we let them get away with stuff like that in return. And I wouldn't leave you alone like that."

  Yuki smiled faintly, pride flickering in her eyes. “Fair enough. And thanks for sticking up for me.”

  He gave her a sidelong glance. “Always.”

  The sun had mellowed into late afternoon, the light filtering through the trees that ringed the training field in soft, golden patches. Most of the younger Pokemon were sprawled out on the grass, panting or chatting in loose circles as Zekel barked a few last reminders and Ayra vanished off to whereever.

  Auri sat with his back to one of the fence posts near the edge of the field, a paw idly running along the edge of the scarf still tied neatly around his neck. It had held up well during the day, didn’t fray, didn’t get in the way. He found that… comforting.

  Yuki flopped down next to him in a puff of feathers and dirt. "I am officially part puddle!" she declared. "Please carry me to Eri’s shop and tell her to stitch my spirit back together."

  Auri raised an eyebrow, amused. "I thought you were the toughest one here. And stitching you back together sounds more like a job for Juno anyways."

  "I am the toughest here!" she said dramatically. "But tough doesn’t mean immune to exhaustion!"

  A beat of silence passed, then her voice softened. "Still worth it, though."

  Auri glanced at her. "Even with Velia and Karo pulling their stunts?"

  Yuki made a face. "Especially with them. Honestly, I’ve been waiting for someone to call Karo out. You just beat me to it."

  " You know exactly that I wasn’t trying to make a scene."

  She leaned her head back, looking at the sky above. "You didn’t. You made a point. There’s a difference." He didn't really agree with that, but whatever.

  "…Y'know," Yuki said after a while, "this day felt actually still quite mundane."

  Auri looked at her. "What do you mean?"

  She waved vaguely at the field. "All of this. Training, talking, being tired together. You and me, with everyone else. No mysterious rocks or creepy mythicals. Just… village stuff."

  Auri tilted his head, thoughtful. "Isn't that a good thing for once?"

  "Yeah," she said softly. "Yeah, thinking about it, it really is."

  They sat there a while longer, letting the silence stretch comfortably between them. The sky above the crater slowly dimmed, soft streaks of color barely visible beyond the upper rim. Eventually, Yuki stood, brushing off her feathers. "C’mon. Let’s head off."

  He followed her with a small shake of his head, his scarf catching the wind behind him.

  Karo sat on a flat rock near the edge of the training course, idly using his stinger to toss pebbles into the sand pit. Each throw landed with a soft thud, a little harder than the last.

  Velia padded up, tail flicking, and dropped onto the rock beside him. "Still sulking?" she asked, half-smirking.

  Karo scowled. "I’m not sulking."

  "You definitely are." Velia stretched, yawning. "And honestly? You’re right to be. The way Auri looked at you? Like you were some kind of problem that he needed to get rid of? Inacceptable."

  Karo flung another pebble, harder. "It's like he thinks he’s better than us. Like he can order us around, telling us what to do and what not just because he thinks that might makes right!"

  Velia’s smirk sharpened. " You're right, that's Dungeon Pokemon thinking. And everyone just eats his act up. Especially Yuki. She was acting like she’s his bodyguard."

  Karo’s eyes narrowed. "Yeah. I’m not letting him get away with making me look stupid in front of everyone! Especially not in front of her!"

  Velia leaned in, voice dropping conspiratorially. "So don’t. Next time, we make sure he’s the one looking bad. And then everyone, even Yuki, will turn away from him. I'm sure that's doable."

  Karo’s eyes lit with a mean little spark. "Yeah. And then we can show him exactly why he shouldn't have messed with us in the first place!"

  Velia’s grin turned sly. "Exactly. But not today. Or even just in the near future. He has to think this is over. Our counter needs to be unexpected."

  Karo nodded, a slow, satisfied grin spreading across his face. "Then we will show him! I'll tone my comments down a bit for now, just like everyone wanted. let them think they won. But we will be the one having the last laugh!"

  The two sat there a moment longer, watching the last rays of sun slip below the rim of the crater while plotting what would be the best way to set their plans into motion.

  Important characters in the chapter:

  Pikachu (Auri) – Level 13

  Ability: Lightning Rod

  Battle Nature: Lonely

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 62

  Attack: 41

  Ranged Attack: 36

  Defense: 43

  Speed: 48

  Total: 230 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Nuzzle], [Tail Whip], [Quick Attack], [Thunder Wave], [Feint]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Thunder Shock], [Electro Ball], [Swift]

  Utility Moves: [Nasty Plot], [Charm], [Double Team], [Growl], [Agility], [Dig]

  Torchic (Yuki) – Level 15

  Ability: Speed Boost

  Battle Nature: Hasty

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 69

  Attack: 37

  Ranged Attack: 40

  Defense: 44

  Speed: 35

  Total: 225 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Scratch], [Quick Attack], [Feint], [Fire Spin], [Flame Charge], [Aerial Ace], [Counter], [Slash]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Ember], [Sand Attack]

  Utility Moves: [Growl], [Detect], [Dig]

  Riolu (Lio) - Level 11

  Ability: Inner Focus

  Battle Nature: Careful

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 53

  Attack: 30

  Ranged Attack: 20

  Defense: 37

  Speed: 28

  Total: 168 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Quick Attack], [Feint], [Metal Claw], [Counter], [Rock Smash]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Vacuum Wave]

  Utility Moves: [Endure]

  Rockruff (Mina) - Level 11

  Ability: Vital Spirit

  Battle Nature: Naughty

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 52

  Attack: 31

  Ranged Attack: 21

  Defense: 35

  Speed: 28

  Total: 167 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Tackle], [Bite]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Sand Attack], [Rock Throw]

  Utility Moves: [Leer], [Double Team], [Howl]

  Shinx (Neku) - Level 10

  Ability: Guts

  Battle Nature: Timid

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 49

  Attack: 24

  Ranged Attack: 22

  Defense: 32

  Speed: 25

  Total: 152 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Tackle], [Bite], [Spark], [Quick Attack]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Thunder Shock]

  Utility Moves: [Leer], [Charge]

  Raboot (Ayra) - Level 23

  Ability: Blaze

  Battle Nature: Naughty

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 109

  Attack: 72

  Ranged Attack: 51

  Defense: 78

  Speed: 69

  Total: 379 (Strength Level: Teenager)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Tackle], [Quick Attack], [Double Kick], [Headbutt], [Counter], [Swords Dance]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Ember], [Flame Charge], [Swift], [Sand Attack], [Mud Shot]

  Utility Moves: [Growl], [Agility], [Taunt], [Endure], [Sunny Day]

  Alolan Vulpix (Tama) - Level 18

  Ability: Snow Cloak

  Battle Nature: Calm

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 83

  Attack: 32

  Ranged Attack: 39

  Defense: 61

  Speed: 45

  Total: 260 (Strength Level: Teenager)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Tail Whip], [Disable], [Draining Kiss]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Powder Snow], [Ice Shard], [Icy Wind], [Confuse Ray], [Disarming Voice], [Chilling Water]

  Utility Moves: [Spite], [Protect], [Dig], [Helping Hand], [Baton Pass]

  Skorupi (Karo) - Level 12

  Ability: Sniper

  Battle Nature: Impish

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 57

  Attack: 28

  Ranged Attack: 20

  Defense: 35

  Speed: 31

  Total: 171 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Poison Sting], [Poison Fang], [Bite], [Facade], [Payback]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Fell Stinger], [Toxic Spikes], [Venoshock]

  Utility Moves: [Leer], [Hone Claws]

  Snubbull (Velia) - Level 13

  Ability: Rattled

  Battle Nature: Careful

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 65

  Attack: 38

  Ranged Attack: 24

  Defense: 45

  Speed: 25

  Total: 197 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Tackle], [Tail Whip], [Ice Fang], [Ice Punch], [Fire Fang], [Fire Punch], [Thunder Fang], [Thunder Punch], [Bite], [Headbutt]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Lick]

  Utility Moves: [Scary Face], [Growl], [Charm]

  Pangoro (Zekel) - Level 45

  Ability: Iron Fist

  Battle Nature: Adamant

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 238

  Attack: 173

  Ranged Attack: 98

  Defense: 173

  Speed: 99

  Total: 781 (Strength Level: Adult)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Tackle], [Bullet Punch], [Arm Thrust], [Circle Throw], [Low Sweep], [Slash], [Vital Throw], [Crunch], [Body Slam], [Aerial Ace], [Mega Punch], [Mega Kick], [Fire Punch], [Ice Punch], [Thunder Punch], [Drain Punch], [Throat Chop], [Giga Impact]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Night Slash], [Parting Shot]

  Utility Moves: [Leer], [Taunt], [Work Up], [Quick Guard], [Coaching]