Normal Isn't Ordinary [Pokemon SI]

[sabbync]

This story is undergoing a rewrite. The story is largely the same with mostly stylistic improvements, so I will be updating the chapters rather than starting a new thread. I apologize for the time away, and for not letting y'all know that I was taking a break. Going forward I hope to be able to update this regularly, but if I can't, I will make sure to post a hiatus notice

 

[NightmareWarden]

It's still good news in my book! Glad you are still interested in the fic.

 

[sabbync]

AN: Rewrite is finished. Welcome back to Normal Isn't Ordinary, with the first new chapter in almost a year

4 Months Later

"Listen up!" Antonio shouted. "As all of you know, peace has been officially declared in the Indigo Region."

Despite the old news, one of us were able to hold back our cheers. "Peace, Rice, and Rest!" I shouted the Indigo Communist Party's slogan. While the wounds were still fresh (Ecruteak had fallen two months prior, the bloody battle taking Jonnie with it) the news of peace was still worth celebrating. To many, myself included, it seemed more a miracle than a reality.

"It's finally within our grasp," Antonio agreed. "However! While peace is at hand, there is still much work to do, especially for you all. As of next month, the Goldenrod City Gym will be turning its attention away from civilian affairs. Instead, we will be focusing on you." Antonio glared at us. "Currently, only one of you lot is of acceptable strength for a full-time Gym Trainer."

I winced. There were twelve of us, and of the eleven not making the cut only I had the excuse of being a child.

"That, however, is something we can fix," Antonio continued. "What we cannot fix is disloyalty, dishonor, and greed. I would rather have the twelve of you to train than Walter's fifty to command." He stared at us, his gaze no less harsh. "This will not be easy. This will not be fast. But so long as you are willing to try, I will be there to help you. Are you in?"

"YES SIR!" we shouted.

"Good," Antonio nodded. "Now, assignments. While our current duties still stand, we shall begin our training now. Every day, you and your partner will train for at least two hours. And I mean you, not just your pokemon. Starting next week, I will meet with a different pair each day to review and reassess. Your partners are as follows: Choji with Albert. Elise with Ran. Jessica with Akira. Junko with . . ."

"Hey," Akira whispered to me, already bouncing on his feet. "Ready to get started?" A martial artist and former construction worker, Akira's knowledge of the Machop line was half the reason he'd been put in charge of the Gym's rebuilding efforts. I was pretty sure he was the one Antonio singled out as competent as well, seeing as he had two Machoke who followed his every word.

"Definitely!" I answered with a smile. "I'm excited to learn. I looked up Teddiursa's potential moves the last time I was in the library, and there's a bunch of Fighting-type moves I was hoping you could help me with."

"Ha!" Akira laughed good-naturedly. "Yes, perhaps eventually. But first we must ensure the foundation is secure. Without a base, any structure will crumble under pressure. What moves does your Teddiursa know?"

"Fury Swipes, Hone Claws, Crunch, and Slash," I smiled. I was really proud of the last two. Teddiursa had learned Slash well before the expected five or six years in the wild, and Crunch was typically something they didn't learn on their own.

"Strong moveset," Akira noted. "Limited, however."

I grimaced and nodded. With so much time focused on gathering food and medicine I had abandoned my previous exhaustive (exhausting, as Teddiursa would insist) plan for training and instead focused on improving what he already had.

"Still, the master of a single punch will defeat some nerd who has read about a thousand different punches," Akira continued. "Today I will test you and your Teddiursa. Not only moves, but speed and endurance. Capability of fighting with and without orders. Only then will I know where to begin." He smiled, and I recoiled and the sadistic visage. Taking out a stopwatch, Akira pointed at a tree a hundred meters away. "Run there and back. Just you for now. Starting . . . now!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *​

"You," I panted, willpower alone allowing me to stand and breathe, "are a monster."

"I am," Akira happily agreed, no less cheerful for having run every sprint with me. And lifted weights far more than me. And– "And I'm going to make you one too! That's all for today though. Both of you are still young, and need to eat and rest."

"Ursa?" Teddiursa asked, looking up with hopeful eyes.

"We're done," I told him.

"Teddi–" he began, and fell to the ground ready to sleep.

"Nope!" Akira stepped forward, heaving Teddiursa to his feet.

"Ted!"

"Need you to eat first," Akira said, clapping the poor bear on the shoulder. Akira wrinkled his nose. "And bathe. You too Jessica."

"I can't wait for a shower," I agreed happily. Of all the shortages that Goldenrod had faced post-revolution, water was fortunately never one. It was hard to run out of water when the Water Department (recently nationalized) could simply use pokemon to conjure hundreds of gallons from nothing, or purify thousands of gallons of seawater. "What are we working on tomorrow?"

"I need to finish the lesson-plan," Akira said, "but I can give you a rough outline. Both you and Teddiursa have a good base to start from, but it's nothing astounding. We'll work on bulking him up, and I'll be teaching you some martial arts as well. Useful even if you never end up with a Fighting-type and necessary if you do. Crunch is a lot more powerful than I expected, I'm surprised you managed to get him there. Even Bite is pretty advanced for a Teddiursa. That said, you need new moves. Start with Growl and move onto Roar. Hone Claws could use some work too–right now he's just pushing the energy in, nor really focusing on what sharpness means."

"What sharpness means?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Do you know what Aura is?"

"Yes."

"Good," Akira sighed in relief. "I hate explaining that. Aura powers Moves, but concepts are what perfect them. To make something sharp, you must first understand what sharpness is. What it means to you, and to the world around you. Without that concept you are trying to make a knife with nothing more than a hammer and chisel. Possible, but far more work than it is worth."

"And understanding the concept is like a whetstone?" I asked.

"Exactly!" Akira smiled. "It allows you to hone power into a single point. A jet of water rather than a wave."

"But a wave has its own uses."

"Indeed it does," Akira agreed. "Brute force is never useless. Power is never useless. But without knowledge there is only so much it can do."

"How do I teach Teddiursa about concepts?"

"Help him understand what they mean to him," Akira suggested. "Show the difference between a dull blade and a sharp blade. Show the difference between honed claws and unhoned claws. The better your bond, the faster he will learn as he picks up meaning from you. But there is no shortcut. There is no secret trick, no hidden meaning. Improvement and self-improvement are an endless journey, and many abandon the path upon seeing how far they still have to go."

"I won't quit!"

"Good," Akira smiled. "But we are done for the day. Bathe. Eat. Sleep. And come back tomorrow prepared for more."

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

So is this a new chapter or the new ch 1? I'm confused. Regardless it was an awesome chapter

 

[thatlurkerinthecorner]

So is this a new chapter or the new ch 1? I'm confused. Regardless it was an awesome chapter

Click to shrink...

Seems like a new chapter. Looking at all previous chapters you can see they've been tagged with a last edited yesterday/today

Ok time to reread everything

 

[sabbync]

So is this a new chapter or the new ch 1? I'm confused. Regardless it was an awesome chapter

Click to shrink...

New chapter, the other ones have all been edited

 

[sabbync]

Two Years Later/October 18th, 1 AP (after peace)

"Good!" I shouted, jumping up and down as Teddiursa slammed into the Machoke. "Full attack!"

Teddiursa's jaws clamped down in a vicious Bite as his claws lashed out in Fury Swipes. We hadn't quite figured out how to use Crunch and Slash instead, but the damage was still significant. The Machoke cried out in pain Dark type-energy flowed through it.

"Close Combat!" the challenger ordered. The Machoke obeyed instantly, blue-grey fists slamming down on Teddiursa's back even as his knees rose up to slam into Teddi's chest.

"Back!" I ordered, my eyes flying over Teddiursa's form. Close Combat was deadly but exhausting. It broke through the user's natural limits, allowing them to hit harder than possible at the cost of strained and pulled muscles. If we could outlast them—

"Bounce!" Machoke leapt into the air and came down with a dual Karate Chope.

"Defense Curl!" I shouted. Teddiursa hastened to obey, but it wasn't enough. The super-effective move broke through the heightened defenses, sending Teddiursa sprawling across the floor.

"Return," I ordered. Red light covered Teddiursa, pulling him back into the pokeball.

"Good match," the challenger said. She towered over me, only a few years older yet nearly a foot taller. She extended a dark tan hand which I happily accepted, though I was forced to push aura into my hand to keep it from breaking. Damned martial artists. "I hadn't expected so much competition from a Normal-type."

"Fighting may be super-effective," I admitted, "but being the most adaptable type has its benefits."

"No kidding!" she smiled. She was pretty, her black hair falling around a and darkly tanned face, highlighting her warm brown eyes. "I'm Allison, by the way."

"Jessica," I responded.

"Can you show me the way to the Gym?" Allison asked. "I'm supposed to be staying there, but Puck didn't exactly give me directions."

"Oh!" I exclaimed. "You're part of the exchange program, right?"

"Yes," Allison said, bemused. "How did you—"

"I'm a Gym Trainer," I answered. "Come on, I'll show you the way. You're the first to arrive, so you'll have your pick of the rooms."

"Impressive, to be a trainer so young."

"I worked with Leader Antonio before the Revolution," I answered the unspoken question. "Just gathering medical supplies, but it led me here."

"Ah," Allison nodded.

"How is Cianwood?" I asked as we moved through the crowded streets, our path cleared by the sight of Allison's Machoke.

"Better than before," Allison told me. "Medicine is finally coming in. There's enough food. Can't ask for much more."

"Peace, Rice, and Rest," I quoted.

"Eh," Allison wavered. "Not that I disagree with the slogan, but Cianwood isn't Goldenrod, you know? We're not a city, we're not industrial. More independent and individual, ya feel? Don't doubt that we'll work together, but we're not the same."

"Fair enough," I said. "I disagree, of course, but any kind of socialism is better than every kind of capitalism."

"Just so long as we can be friends," Allison smiled.

"Of course!" I exclaimed. "Now, this is the Gym. Ignore the plain facade, we're working on that."

"I thought there were engravings?" Allison asked.

I grimaced. "They were removed."

"Why?"

"They depicted the Burning of Dewford."

"And we have Hoennese delegates coming."

"Precisely," I agreed. "Considering this is an experimental outreach program, Leader Antonio decided it was best to err on the side of caution. Especially since the Indigo and Hoenn governments are already talking."

"Politicking," Allison huffed.

"It's–"

"Important, I know," Allison sighed. "I was just hoping for a break, you know?"

"We could do some training once you pick your room?" I offered. "I want to know how you got that dual Karate Chop down so well."

"Well," Allison began with a smirk. "It starts with training ambidexterity . . ."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *​

"What do you make of the newcomers?" Akira asked.

"They–puff–seem–gasp–nice–" I answered, feet pounding against the dirt road as I struggled to match his pace. "Are—huff—neg—pant—negotiations—"

"Negotiations are going well," Akira said, his breath infuriatingly even. "Stop."

I stopped immediately, slowing down to a walk as I struggled to regain my breath.
"Negotiations?" I asked, once my breathing slowed.

"They're going well," Akira repeated. "As well as can be expected, at least."

"So, no Interregional Communist Party?"

"Ha!" Akira belted. "No. An interregional alliance seems possible, but not a unified party."

"Hoenn, Sinnoh, Indigo—anyone else?" The other regions were considered Lost, but that didn't mean they were completely inaccessible. Otherwise there wouldn't be so many pet Yampers being smuggled in. It was just dangerous, and the governments were nominally still at war.

Akira frowned. "Are you trying to distract me from exercise?"

I looked up with innocent eyes. "Is it working?"

"No," Akira deadpanned. "If you're recovered enough to talk, you're recovered enough to go through move possibilities. Now," he said, pulling a crumpled piece of paper from his pockets, "you're still working on the Full Attack, correct?"

"We managed to get a version done today," I said. "Bite and Fury Swipes."

"Good," Akira said. "Now that you've gotten there, you'll find it easier to reach its full potential. Now, new moves. What are you thinking of?"

"The elemental fangs," I answered. "Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Ice Fang."

"Good options for coverage," Akira said. "If it's anything like teaching the elemental punches, the hard part is getting them to feel and understand the element."

"I think it'll be easier for me," I said. "Normal-type energy is adaptable, and easier to convert than Fighting-type energy."

"I suppose we'll find out. You should also work on improving Tackle, especially if you ever wish to reach Giga Impact."

"I thought that move was too dangerous for Teddiursa?"

"It is, but the precursors are not," Akira said. "With enough effort Tackle can be turned to Slam. Body Slam—Slam's more accurate cousin—and Giga Impact will need to wait until evolution, but Slam can be learned already."

"Huh," I said. "Interesting. Slam is like Tackle, right?"

"It crashes into the opponent with the full body," Akira said. "Thus the whole body must be involved, and with a high degree of type-energy. It will take time to learn."

"Anything worthwhile does."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *​

"Sa," Teddiursa sighed. "Sa-sa-sa."

I smiled, gently pulling the brush through his fur. He was nearly twice the size he'd been when we first met, and his guard hairs were starting to form—signs of evolution in the near future, were it not for the laws. Understandably, Ursaring were considered far too dangerous for a child to have. They were large and powerful, capable of destroying trees even without type-energy. Early in the war wild Ursaring had been teleported into cities where they killed hundreds and destroyed entire neighborhoods.

Hence, Teddiursa now had an everstone necklace. He technically didn't need one yet but neither Teddiursa nor I wanted to risk being separated should he evolve early.

"What do you want for dinner?" I asked Teddiursa as I pulled the loose hairs from the brush. "Venison? Magikarp?"

"Ursa!"

"Magikarp it is," I grinned. "Raw or— a"

Teddiursa Growled. I winced as the Normal type-energy washed over me

"Okay, okay, raw it is," I agreed. "Let me get it first, okay?"

"Sa," Teddiursa proclaimed proudly, and once more melted into the floor, enjoying his post-brushing relaxation.

 

[NightmareWarden]

Using Growl on your trainer? Hmm. Not a good habit to get in your head.

I wonder about the move Fury Swipes and Rage for an Ursarang. Teddiursa has never been able to learn the latter, in spite of the anger of wild ursarangs. Maybe they can, but it is illegal? You'd figure some trainers would learn it, and fold it into other moves.

I don't recognize Allison. I wonder if she has a deep bag of tricks, to justify the risk of getting sent here?

 

[Despacitoleo]

Welp mc gonna have to slap down teddiursa

 

[sabbync]

I stared up at the blackboard, vision dulled. The lines were there in plain white chalk, yet that made their contents no clearer.

"As you can see," Antonio said, gesturing to the intricately drawn matrix, "type-energy mostly flows into each other using Normal type-energy as an intermediary. Again, this is only mostly true. Certain related type-energies—electricity and fire, or ice and water—can flow directly into each other without the need for an intermediary. Naturally, this increases the efficiency of such moves though current research suggests power remains the same, without what has become known as same-type attack bonus."

Turning towards us, Antonio noticed a single hand among the glazed-over expressions. "Mister Birch?"

"Two questions, Leader," Birch said. "First, to clarify, you are saying that a Charmander spends less energy using an Electric-type move than a similar Steel-type move?"

"But more energy than a similar Fire-type move, correct."

Birch nodded. "Second question: how does this affect dual-type Pokemon? For instance, does calling on both Water- and Ice-type energy come easier to Lapras? Does calling on Ice come easily to a dual Water/Grass-type like Ludicolo, or is it hampered by Grass' natural aversion to Ice?"

"Good question!" Antonio smiled. That, at least, meant something worthwhile was coming from this lecture. Not that Pokemon weren't fascinating, but this was the seventh hour of class and I was, in body at least, ten years old. "Quite frankly, we don't know. Research being conducted into this area was largely abandoned for more immediately concerns, but will hopefully resume as peace spreads and settles in."

"How does this relate to non-elemental types, such as Dragon, or Dark?" Birch followed up.

"Excellent question," Antonio grinned. "Unfortunately, this is another area of ongoing research. Preliminary studies have indicated that most pokemon have difficulty grasping these more conceptual types of energy. The two main hypothesis as to why are the Natural Hypothesis, and the Conceptual Hypothesis. While the natural . . ."

"Psst." I blinked, wakefulness coming back to me. "Do you understand any of this?" Allison asked.

"Some," I whispered back.

"Mind helping me out?" Allison scooted closer, putting her notebook beside mine. Across from a stunningly detailed drawing of a Machoke's muscles was the Type-Energy circle, each of the seventeen types laid out with lines of super-effective and not very effective connecting them. It was a traditional layout, and something entirely unhelpful for the current discussion.

I flipped through my own notebook, finding an old sketch of the Elemental Types. Poorly drawn, but it illustrated the point. Instead of the normal ring, this one was formed by five clustered groups, each connected to a single type at the center: Normal.

"Type-energy matches aren't the same as what hits best and what doesn't," I explained. "It's more about what is related, both physically and conceptually. Ground, Rock, and Steel can all turn into each other directly because they're all related to minerals, unliving compounds in the dirt. Grass, Flying, and Bug can turn into each other because each one is a type of life-giving empowering energy. Fire and Electric can turn into each other because they share heat and energy. Water and Ice–"

"Are the same thing, in different states," Allison finished. "What about concepts then? Can Fire turn into Grass because of the Sun?"

"Maybe." I grinned. "That's what Antonio wants to find out. He's also interested in what he calls the Esoteric Types."

"Dark, Dragon, Ghost, and Psychic?"

"Fighting too."

Allison frowned. "But fighting is so straightforward."

"But it's also about a state of mind, isn't it?" I asked. "Otherwise Fighting types would just be Normal types who hit hard."

"And what is Normal energy then?"

"The baseline. Pure energy, unaltered by type. At least, that's the hypothesis."

"Right!" Antonio's declaration, accompanied by a loud clap, brought us back to attention. "That's enough of the lecture for today. You have thirty minutes to get ready before Akira takes you all for a run."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *​

March 1st, 2 AP

"So," I said, crossing my arms and standing in a Standard Trainer Pose (feet shoulder width apart, head high, shoulders squared). "You think you have what it takes to challenge the Goldenrod Gym?"

"Yep!" Allison grinned, bouncing on her feet. Today marked the start of the training season, and our exchange students were eager to get going. Birch had even pulled himself out of his books, and was readily awaiting his turn to challenge.

"This will be a standard 1v1 match," the referee announced. "Gym Trainer Jessica, you release first."

I tossed a pokeball, summoning one of the Gym's many Meowth. She looked up at the small audience and daintily licked her paws.

"Go, Tyrogue!" Allison called, launching her own pokeball. The Scuffle Pokemon appeared with his knees bent and pink crest lowered, already prepared for battle.

"Begin!"

"Focus Energy," Allison ordered. "Then–"

"Fake out!" I called. Meowth attacked, launching itself forward. It lunged for Tyrogue's head.

"Tackle!" Tyrogue launched itself forward. His head impacted Meowth's fist, taking the damage face-first. But his own move landed, momentum and training preventing the dreaded flinch. Tyrogue crashed into the ground on top of Meowth.

"Fake out," Allison ordered.

"Scratch!" But Meowth was not as trained as Tyrogue. She was not supposed to be, not at this level. Her head followed the false punch, letting the real one land hard. Meowth flinched against the sand, and Tyrogue made a follow-up attack.

"Flip him!" Meowth flinched again as the attack landed. I sighed, recalling her. "You have done well, challenger," I said. "But the true test lies ahead."

Allison rolled her eyes. "Do all gyms have a contract about acting this way?"

"Yes. Now go, there are others behind you." I reached for another pokeball. Meowth might be out of the fight, but Sentret wasn't. Granted, I didn't expect him to fair any better against Muki's Steel-types, but winning wasn't always the point of being a Gym Trainer. Especially not at the first badge.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *​

I breathed in. I breathed out. I reached in. I reached out. Aura blossomed around me. From my seat beneath the maple I could feel everything. I felt the slow growth of the solid wood behind me. I felt the gentle breeze that rustled through the leaves. I felt the grass as it struggled to grow under the shade. The dancing Bellsprouts, the crawling Caterpies, the bouncing of Teddiursa as he made his way back to me–I felt it all. The mundane and the magical emerged within my senses, each bearing a special energy of their own. Grass energy was strongest in the Bellsprouts as they waved back and forth, yet it held a place in the grass and the trees as well. The Bug energy was strongest in the Caterpies, yet the crawling ants and little aphids possessed it too. There was Flying energy in the gentle breeze, Fire energy in the sunlight that streamed through the clouds, Water energy in the humid summer air. And through it all, coursing beneath the flavors of every type, was Normal. It was strongest in Teddiursa, dominant in Teddiursa, but Normal energy remained everywhere. It underwrote the structures of the plants and defined the convection of the sun's rays. Normal energy dictated the laws of physics, while other energies existed to gently defy them.

It was in moments like this, at one with the gentle hum of energy coursing through the world, that I came closest to understanding the Hikers who disappeared into the wilderness each spring and the occasional fanatic who showed up in port preaching the word of Arceus. How could one deny the majesty of the pokemon that created this world? How could one be closer to Arceus than to exist among his creations?

I felt him coming. His aura was scrunched, too many thoughts compressed into a single place. It was bound with psychic energy and wrapped in on itself in endless tangles that made sense to none save their creator.

I opened my eyes. "Brother."

"Sister." Adam sat down. I frowned. He never sat down, not on the grass and dirt. "It's about Janine."

"Is she okay?"

"I . . . I don't know. You know she was in Blackthorn Prison, right?"

I nodded. After Ecruteak's fall, prisoners of war were given two options: jail, or swearing the Oath of Loyalty to United Indigo. Our sister, along with a few dozen other half-mad patriots, had refused. Just like she refused to come to Jonnie's funeral. She'd called him a deserter, a traitor to Johto.

"She's escaped."

I stared. "What?" I asked. "To where? Does she even have a pokemon?"

"I don't know," Adam sighed. "We're supposed to call it in if she comes here."

"I–" I paused. "If she does, can we at least talk to her first?"

"Jessica . . ." Adam trailed off.

"I know she's a patriot," I said, eyes wide as I could make them. "But that doesn't mean she has to be a nationalist."

"For her it does." Adam shook his head. "I don't want her in trouble any more than you do. But she wouldn't listen to us. Especially you."

"What do you mean?"

"Jessica, you're a communist. You were part of the overthrow of the only thing Janine ever dedicated her life to. She probably hates you."

Tears welled up in my eyes. The thought of the girl I'd played with, who I'd helped study for math, who I'd watched as she struggled and climbed through school–the thought of my sister hating me–was too much.

"Shi–dang, Jessica, come here." Adam opened his arms. I had no choice but to comply, flinging myself into a hug. I felt tears of his own falling onto my head. "We still have each other."

"Togther?" I asked.

"Always."

 

[sabbync]

Teddiursa and I stared at the array of knives. Despite years of effort, Teddiursa still struggled with Hone Claws. It was not that he was slow. He had learned all of the Elemental Fangs within a year, Fire Fang coming to him with particular ease thanks to his memories of the Legendary Bird. His Tackle had become a Body Slam, and his Growl was strong enough to intimidate some of Antonio's personal pokemon.

"Right," I said. I picked up one of the dull knives. "See the edge of the blade?"

"Ted," Teddiursa agreed.

"It's not very sharp," I noted. "Like this, it could hardly cut anything. But we can make it sharper."

"Teddi?"

"With a whetstone," I explained. "I can't use moves like you–" at least not yet "–so I have to make physical changes." I took out my whetstone and began slowly sharpening the knife, Teddiursa by my side. Even as the sun climbed higher and he grew bored, eyes shifting to the horizon, he remained. I had to correct his vision, to show him how the flakes of steel came off, how the edge grew slowly sharper, but I was hopeful. After half an hour, the knife had been sharpened to a razor's edge. I took it to a piece of paper. It cut without a hint of resistance.

"That's how we humans sharpen blades," I explained. "But you can cheat. You have type-energy."

Teddirusa looked away, his claws flexing in the dirt.

"Hey," I said, pulling his face back towards me. "It's okay that you're struggling with this."

"Teddi," Teddiursa grumbled. He pressed an image of blushing humans through our bond.

"No, it's not embarrassing. Remember how fast you learned Thunder Fang? It took only two storms before you got the idea, and then within a week you were tearing through Water types."

"Ted-urrrrs."

"You can't be good at everything," I countered. "No one is. I know it's a struggle for you, but won't that make it all the sweeter when you succeed?"

"Teddi?"

"Like how hunted meat always tastes better than bought."

"Ted-teddi," Teddiursa protested.

"No, I know you worked hard for the Fangs. But they came easily to you. This doesn't. That's okay." I smiled at him. "Can you try again? For me?"

"Teddi," Teddirursa sighed. Black energy grew around his claws. They flexed, pulling at the dirt. Teddiursa moved suddenly, slashing against a piece of paper. It crumbled, but did not cut. "Ursa."

I frowned. "Can you do that again?"

Teddiursa grumbled, but complied. I watched carefully. The Dark energy built. It grew. He attacked . . . and the energy faded.

"Oh," I said. "I'm an idiot."

"Ted?"

"Your problem isn't the sharpness," I said. "At least, not anymore. It's the Dark energy. I've been a fool! I showed you examples of Steel, but that's not the only part of the move. I–Teddi, what do you think about when you use Crunch?"

Teddiursa did not reply verbally. Instead he pressed images against my head. Images of his mother falling to the flaming bird. Images of Teddiursa fully evolved, a powerful Ursaring holding the Legendary's wing in his maw, Dark energy swirling as he bit down.

Vengeance.

"Hone Claws is about sharpness," I said as the images faded. "But it's about Darkness too. Use that rage. How much harder would you hit if those teeth were sharper? If your claws could rend steel as easily as they do flesh?"

Teddiursa grinned. It was a strange, savage thing to see on such an adorable bear. His mouth split, revealing sharp teeth. His eyes glowed with anticipation.

"Now, Hone Claws!"

Darkness grew around him. Not only his claws, but his fangs as well. It crept up his limbs, settling in his body. Teddiursa glared as he looked up. He lunged, attacking the paper once more. This time it fell apart, torn to shreds under the power of his claws. The lines were jagged, uneven in their sharpness. But he had done it. The move held.

"Very good!" I praised. "Do it again, and remember the sharpness."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *​

Normally my aura practice was meditative. I would sit, clear my mind, and think and feel upon the energies of the world. With Adam busy at work and Euclid with him, my lessons had largely petered out into self-instruction. I focused on gaining strength and clarity. On understanding the relation between the types, and the feeling of each one. I would slowly gather the energy around me, taking only what could be spared. From grass, trees, and animals that was little. Their aura was lesser than even that of a human, focused solely upon keeping them in their natural state. They were born, they grew, they died. Through it all, they held just enough aura to keep them alive.

Only when interacting with Pokemon did they gain enough to truly shed off the excess. Plants affected by Growth or Ingrain were great sources of Grass type-energy, the inherit inefficiencies of using a Pokemon Move on a normal plant sending much of the move's power bleeding off into the air. Pokemon themselves naturally displayed an excess of aura, leaving hints of it as they passed through and far more when they used a Move, though the amounts varied. A skilled Pokemon could theoretically keep a Move completely bound until it hit, landing a devastating strike. A Pokemon using a new Move was much more likely to let the binding on their aura slip, the type-energy dissipating as the Move came towards its conclusion. The more controlled the aura, the better the Move was. It was the difference between a master and a novice, and one of the reasons why older Pokemon tended to be stronger, even when they were from a less powerful species. A grown Furret's Tackle, if properly mastered, could do more damage than a newborn Dratini's Outrage.

Somehow, I had never wondered what happened to the aura that was lost. I guess I assumed it simply filtered through the world, its type alignment fading as it dissipated. Perhaps that was what happened when the energy was left alone. But yesterday, Professor Euclid had given me one last lesson. A lesson I would never have guessed on my own, yet reminded me of countless webnovels from my prior life.

Leftover aura could be taken.

It was a simple process, but not an easy one. First, the being taking the leftover aura needed to have mastered their own body's aura. Not merely understood, but mastered. They needed to control its circulation and reactions, needed to know how to reach in and control, as well as reach out. Second, a certain level of natural power was needed. Not much by the standards of Pokemon, but far more than occurred in unpracticed humans. After all, to absorb the leftover aura, one needed to first control it.

Today would mark my first attempt.

I sat at the corner of the berry fields, my eyes closed and senses extended. I could feel the Growth rising through the trees, pushing buds to develop and fruits to grow. I could feel the green-living energy spreading into the sky, the trees unable to absorb all that the Bellsprouts produced. I took a breath, and reach out. My senses, my being, gathered the Grass flotsam. I spun the strands of energy, moving them slowly, then faster and faster. I pushed some of my being into the whirlwind of energy, and the whirlwind responded. Green faded to beige, the color of Normalcy. I slowed down the energy, letting it keep pace with the aura circulating within my veins.

Then I began to drink. I took a sip, and my world exploded. It tasted like the sweetest chocolate and felt like an Sablu fluff pillow. I could hear an orchestra and a choir, could smell flowers sweeter than roses. I saw colors beyond rainbows, reaching out into infinity.

I drank heavily. The sensations only grew. I could feel the thrum of the world around me. I looked to the skies and saw Arceus dancing with Mew as a thousand new Pokemon species bloomed at their feet. I heard a roar and turned, watching as the Three Beasts of Johto chased after Ho-Oh, their feet so swift they climbed his rainbow contrails.

Then it shifted. The world split, and the Devil arrived. Purple and violet flames grew around him, a green-blue color dancing in on his chitinous body. He stood and Roared, a sound so loud it ejected me from the very seat of reality. I tumbled through Heaven and Earth, through Distortion and Nothingness. I was weightless in that dark void, beyond the reaches of all that was as I sat in the depths of what might be.

Then I was back on the farm. There were berry trees in front of me. Bellsprouts still swayed in the wind, their Moves slowly aiding the crops.

I blinked. My vision remained the same. I reached in, and saw my aura, the same size yet glowing twice as bright. I looked out, and saw the clear skies, Grass aura still being slowly spread through.

I looked at my watch. Two hours had passed. Far longer than I intended. I stood–

That was a mistake.

The world blurred as my blood rushed. I felt faint and dizzy. I twisted, trying to keep myself upright, and vomited onto the ground.

Or rather, where the ground should have been. Through the vomit emerged a Hoppip, pink face clenched in a fearsome glare.

"Sorry?" I offered.

More Hoppips emerged. I started backing up.

"Hoppip-ip!" The Hoppips moved towards me. I turned towards the city and started running.