Chapter One: Training

The freezing wind outside was nothing compared to the cold I felt inside my being.

I crouched in the corner of the cave, arms wrapped around my body. My Pokemon were there with me, of course, huddled close together, providing warmth. We were all pretty much in sync with one another, what with my ability, and now, we all felt hatred, directed at the person in the cave with us.

Him.

He tried his best to keep warm, rubbing his arms to keep his blood flowing. Did he have Pokemon? He did, but they all had been injured badly, and releasing them out of their Pokeballs would kill them. His startling green eyes often glanced in my direction, and I could tell he wanted to say something.

I, on the other hand, was perfectly fine with staying silent. Give him the silent treatment.

"Are you going to talk at all?" he demanded, finally speaking a few minutes later.

Silence.

He sighed, and I saw his warm breath in the dark cave. "Look, I don't how long we are going to be here, but we may as well get to know each other-"

"Get to know me?" I snapped, and then I laughed bitterly. "Why would you want to do that?"

The kid looked at me, surprised. "What are you . . .?"

"Listen, I don't know why you want to know me; I don't know why you even bothered to come to me in the first place."

His eyes flashed. "I was just trying to help!"

I settled back into my corner, and my Pokemon drew closer, offering protection. "We didn't need any help."

There was more silence, except for the howling wind. I hoped the storm would let up soon; I needed to get out of here. I knew that if anyone were to come looking for us, their chances were shot to hell with this storm, our tracks were covered.

The boy spoke up, after a good hour of silence. Or maybe it just felt like that . . . hmm . . .

"How did you get here? Why did this all happen?"

Even though he sounded like he was talking to himself, I couldn't help but think: Good question.

I closed my eyes, letting myself drift away to before, as memories as my past sprung up in my mind of their own accord . . .

"Come on, come on, come on! Move, move, move!"

I frowned as the commands were shouted through the megaphone. Didn't the commander see that we were moving? God, I'd worked myself into a sweat already.

All of my Pokemon were out, exulting in the freedom, rare as it was, that they had. It was a training session at the camp, and right now, we were in a six-on-six battle.

And it was fabulous, let me tell you.

My team consists of my lovely friends: Tonono, my first Pokemon. Glare, my first caught Pokemon, Radodo, my third member, Star, the fourth addition, Fang, the fifth to join, and Nakamaru, the last addition.

Yes, I gave them nicknames, because I am unique, and they are too.

Tonono, is an Empoleon. I received him when he was just a Piplup. He was moody at first, but he sure as hell is a tough-ass Pokemon. Glare is my Luxray, evolving from a cute lil' Shinx. She and Tonono hit it off, and do well together in double battles. Radodo, well, I caught her as a Magikarp, so now she's a Gyarados. (Rawr) I use her for water transportation, just like Star the Staraptor is for aerial transportation. Fang is my Garchomp, and she is my main powerhouse on the team. Mostly silent and surprisingly motherly, she keeps the team functional. Nakamaru is a Houndoom, and he and Glare are like the two long-lost siblings who should have never met. They have a "I hate you, but I love you relationship."

Oh, guess I never introduced myself, huh? My name's Sakura.

So back to the present, the battle we were in was pretty intense. It wasn't just a Pokemon-vs-Pokemon match, the trainers fought too. It was mandatory, so we were all trained well in martial arts.

The battle was even; no one fainted yet. I watched in approval as Fang ran, almost blurring as she moved, and delivered a power-packed Dragon Claw on our opponents' Absol. Radodo was squaring off against a Steelix, and she acted quickly by raising her tail and slamming it down on the steel snake's head with an Aqua Tail.

I should explain something about myself. When I said Fang was the silent type, I did mean that she didn't talk much. Well, it's not like Pokemon speak using their mouths with human-speak, they speak their own language. However, I can hear them speak, using their thoughts. Thinking out loud is how I like to think of it. I don't know if anyone else can, but I can, ever since I was five years old. I must have been born with some weirdo ability.

So, I'm a freak. Deal with it.

Opening my mind completely, I felt my Pokemon's fierce excitement in this battle. Yes, this is what we lived for. The wild thrill of the battle! Through the mind-link, I felt what my Radodo felt when she finished off that Steelix, and I wanted to throw my own head back and roar in triumph.

"Great job!" I congratulated.

One down, five to go, I heard her say, (think?) her voice deep and warm. Her dark eyes glanced over in my direction and sparkled. I grinned.

"Keep it moving! Stop lagging!" The commander shouted at the top of her lungs. I mentally rolled my eyes-what was with her?-and then literally just leapt into the battle.

The field was like a war zone. Beams of power crashed to earth as did failed physical moves that missed. I saw the Absol's Razor Wind move fail, and was buffeted by a gust of air. I kept running, and then rolled out of the way of a wildly aimed Flamethrower.

Or maybe not so wildly aimed.

I looked up, and saw a Magmortar, his arm now just being lowered, sneering. The trainer I was fighting, Nick, was nowhere to be seen right now, but I was willing to bet the measly amount of money I had that he had ordered that move.

Well, two can play at that game.

Lurching to my feet, I quickly evaded another Flamethrower before cartwheeling my way to where Fang was. That Absol was tricky, he was feigning all his moves, and aiming to hit her, but Fang was always ready.

"Fang," I muttered, drawing up close to her. She inched closer to me, listening. "Listen, use your Earthquake move when I give the signal."

What? she asked, alarmed. But that'll . . .

"I know. It'll hit everyone, but I got an idea." I patted the fin on her back. "Trust me."

All right, was her reply, before she ran at that damn Absol and slashed it with Dragon Claw.

Time to inform the others.

Tonono had been near, so he got the gist of what was going on, but I told him anyway. As I was looking for Glare, Nick came roaring into battle, his black hair windblown. He leapt up and aimed a roundhouse kick at me. I ducked, barely, and then lunged up with an uppercut, which caught him neatly in his chin. He staggered, trying to catch his balance, before slipping away, hiding behind his battling team.

What a coward, I thought. Now where the hell is Glare?

As if she heard, the black and blue, piercing eyes lion-like creature came charging into view. Her body was covered in blue electricity, and I recognized the move as Spark. She let out a ferocious growl before slamming her body into the Magmortar's. Star came, double-teaming with Glare, and delivered an Aerial Ace from the sky.

I was so proud of them.

"Star!" I yelled. She instantly flew in my direction. "Tell everyone who can't fly to find someone who can and to stick with them!"

I saw her nod her assent, and then whisk away, Glare right on her tail. Firing off Thunderbolts every now and then to keep the enemy at bay.

The battle was nearing its final stage. The opposing team was getting worn out, and I could tell that my team was as well.

Gotta finish this soon, I thought. Then I felt a tug at my consciousness. I recognized it as one of Pokemon trying to contact me. I let them in my mind, and was flooded my images from Star and Glare; they had informed everyone.

Time to rock 'n roll.

"Fang!" I hollered over the soundtrack of the battle. "Now! Let's GO!"

My legs carried me to where my trusty Gyarados was, and I was seriously glad that she wasn't too far away. Tonono and Nakamaru had climbed onto her scaly lower body, and I hopped on with them, gasping for breath.

"Gaaaarrr!"

We all turned in the direction of the roar, and saw Fang lift her scythed arm up, before slamming it down into the ground with her massive strength. Shockwaves were immediately released from the blow, and Nick's Pokemon were all struck by them. They staggered frantically, but the Earthquake move was too strong. Star flew overhead, Glare crouching on her back, and Radodo was perfectly fine, her dual-type proving handy. She seemed at ease, calm even, and I could've sworn I heard her humming.

The shockwaves ceased and the dust settled, revealing that Nick's team had fallen. Nick stood and looked at his team in bewilderment, before looking at Fang who straightened up and looked very smug.

I believe we won, she said.

I smiled and gave her a thumbs up. My team began cheering, yelling and shouting their unique cries and running about. Glare hopped off Star and celebrated with Nakamaru; Star twirled in the air, graceful as ever. Radodo roared in jubilation and Tonono, not the celebrating type, watched with a pleased air about him.

"I would think that we did."

When I started on my journey a month ago, I didn't want to be a Pokemon Master. I didn't want to complete the Pokedex either. All I wanted to do was to show that I was better than what people saw me as. That I could overcome the challenges and haunts from my past. I just wanted to prove that I could do something.

And I'll be damned if I didn't prove something today, 'cause we kicked some serious butt.

But we still had a long way to go.