Chapter 3: A samurai is born

"Alright Ike, the most important thing a trainer must know in becoming a trainer is to know his pokemon's strengths, weaknesses, and attacks. So I want to look up Cubone on your pokedex and learn about your Cubone." Ike got Marco out of his pocket and flipped it so that the screen was facing him. Remembering Marco's instructions on how to use him, he pointed the scanner at the top of the pokedex to Cubone.

Cubone: The Lonely pokemon, Type: Ground. Usually weak, Cubone's gain strength after grieving from the loss of its mother. It constantly carries a bone which it uses as a weapon. After the loss, if they don't have anybody to go to, they will become lonely and hostile against anyone for they will blame them for their loss. However, should there be someone at the moment, they will become extremely loyal and protect them at all costs.

Ike went over this information in his head, to familiarize himself with what he just heard. "Wait, so all Cubones are supposed to lose their mothers?"

This normally happens in the wild where Cubones are born live. In captivity, Cubones are born in eggs. Allowing the mother to live

"I see" said Ike with his nodding confirming that Marco will answer additional questions.

"Now that you know about your Cubone, you should familiarize yourself with it's strengths and weaknesses, all pokemon belong to a certain type. Your Cubone is a ground type, so look up in what situations a Cubone would be best in." Added Hope as she was also listening to this data.

"Marco, tell me the strengths and weaknesses of the ground type"

Strengths: rock, fire, electric, poison, and steel.

Weaknesses: water, grass, and ice

Resistances: Poison, Rock and 100 immune to electricity

No effect on: Flying

Hope gained some attention at this and went over to Ike, "what is this? I've seen pokedexes before but never have they contained so much information." Said Hope snatching the pokedex from Ike. Eyes widened, as she saw the large amount of buttons on the damn thing. "What model is this?" Ike looked at Hope kind of scared and replied, "When I picked it up, it said it was a generation IV model, I guess that means it is more advanced that the one you've seen" Hope looked at the device, and handed it back to Ike.

"Okay Ike, I want to see exactly how far this things capabilities reach, can you check if it can read it's attacks?" Ike just pointed it again at Cubone and said, "Attacks known"

Bone Club, Focus Energy, Iron Head, and .Rock Slide

Hope now even more impressed with the gadget, said, "Okay Ike, now that you've learned what attacks Cubone has you might as well see how well Cubone executes them."

Ike, pleased to know that they were finally gonna get to do something besides informing themselves, Ike looked to Cubone, which was loyally waiting next to him with eyes of determination

Walking over to a big boulder what conveniently happened to be near his house, Ike decided the rock would be excellent practice dummy

Cubone walked over to the boulder and prepared itself to obey Ike's orders.

"Alright Cubone, let's see what you got! Give it an Iron Head!"

The Tine little pokemon's skull began to catch a gleam that was very shinny and just ran up to the rock and bashed it's head onto it. A fairly large crack all along the side of the boulder and Ike gasped in awe at the power the tiny pokemon had.

Nodding her head in approval Hope decided to enlighten Ike "That was a very impressive Iron Head, but Ike, you should also familiarize yourself the side effects all moves have. For example, ordering Focus Energy will heighten the concentration of Cubone and will be able to identity you foe's weak points allowing it to score a very damaging hit."

Ike saw a tactical advantage in this. It meant that if Cubone could hit the enemy at vital points easier, then the battle would not last as long and reduce the damage Cubone takes in the counter attacks.

"Cubone let's try out that Focus Energy Hope" Yelled Ike pointing at the rock trying to make himself look epic.

A red aura radiated from Cubone's flesh and closed it's eyes to concentrate. Suddenly, it's eyes snapped wide open and he grabbed it's club in it's hand. Without Ike next comment, Cubone charged at the rock wielding the bone like a deadly sword and trusted the point of the bone right into the middle of the crack left earlier before by the Iron Head. In a stylish fashion, Cubone withdrew it's bone from the rock, holstered it over his shoulder, and walked off toward Ike with a pleased look in it's eyes.

Ike just stood there with a confused look on his face wondering what Cubone did just now. "Umm, that didn't do anything." Said Ike looking over at Hope. Morphed on her face, a smirk appeared and said, "Very impressive." Ike looked back at the boulder and all of a sudden, it shattered to pieces!

The sudden shatter really startled Ike. He was amazed that his Cubone was so very precise. "That is the kind of thing you see in movies about Samurai's!" Exclaimed Ike in absolute excitement.

Ike looked over at Hope, with a fire burning in his eyes. "Hope, after studying all of Cubone's attacks, I'm ready to battle you!

Hope nodded at Ike with an I accept look on her face. "It's about time you gain battle experience anyway come with me to the outskirts of town to avoid any damage I may cause. As Ike walked with Hope northward toward the Dark Tunnel, they ran into Edna.

"Hello Ma'am" said Ike cheerfully waving his hand at her as she approached.

"Hello Ike…Hope, where are you two bound for?" asked Edna as she approached them eyeing Hope with a disgusted look. "We're on our way to have a battle so I can gain experience."

"Oh? So you already learned the basics have ye? Well, if your gonna have a battle, there will always be need for a judge. If it is alright, I would like to volunteer. This would also be a good chance to see how you've progressed on just your first day.'

Kind of annoyed to be with the old woman again, Hope undesirably accepted Edna's offer and the three of them walk right into a canyon where at the end, the entrance to the Dark Tunnel is. Picking a open place for the battle, Hope and Ike both went far apart to allow for the battle to begin

--------------------------------------------------------Ike Vs. Hope------------------------------------------------------------

Edna in the middle she announced the rules, "This will be a one on one with no time limits. This battle is not aimed for knock out but only for weakening. Begin"

"I'll start of with my Gastly…GO!!"

Hope's pokeball opened and out of it came out a purple head suspended by nothing. Floating in mid-air. "Gas" said the ghost pokemon as it came out of it's ball happy to be released.

"Well you know I'm using Akechi for this battle so let's do it!"

"WAH??" both Hope, Edna, and the Cubone at Ike's feet looked at him with a "what the hell" expression.

"It's the nickname I've decided to give him…Akechi, you know, cause he fights like a samurai" said Ike explaining why he chose a nickname for Cubone looking down on him looking happily.

Cubone accepting his new name after thinking about it just walked on over to the field to meet Gastly.

"Akechi, let's start of with another Focus Energy!" As Ike said that, the same aura from last time appeared once more on Akechi tensing itself up and then snapping into a near frightful look of confidence.

"Nice start Ike, but I'm afraid you allowed me for the first strike! Gastly use Night Shade!"

Then a similar aura radiated from Gastly, but it was different it was a dark and eerie purple. Then like a laser, fired right at Akechi and hit him right in the face. Akechi stood his ground however and was slid across the dirt of the arena they were fight on. It looked like it didn't do that much damage to the relief of Ike, "Akechi, can you continue?" he asked out of sheer worry for him. "Cue" he replied in a way that made it sound confident...

"That's what I like to hear so lets give it a Bone Club!" said Ike feeling the same confidence Akechi had. Running at the Gastly head on, wielding the bone like a sword, Akechi got right up to it and thrust it right at Gastly, but at the last moment, Gastly went right up and dodged it with ease.

"This is the result of not checking your pokedex Ike. You didn't even know what my pokemon's ability is. Gastly has the ability called levitate where ground type move are next to useless. As for punishment, Gastly, use payback!"

The tiny head started to back up a little and then all of a sudden, glowed purple and charged at Akechi hitting it square in the chest. However, it didn't look like it did much damage. Akechi just slid on the floor, came to a stop and looked up to Gastly mad.

"Akechi, bone club is our best weapon, we have to find a way to hit it in the air" yelled Ike trying to tell him of a strategy without giving it away to Hope and her little ghost. Akechi looked around the field and jumped onto a rock and then jumped up into the air.

Gastly looked up as well, ready to dodge. Then, all of a sudden, boulders started to rain down on the battle field, scaring Gastly about this strange phenomenon. Trying to not get hit by the falling rocks, it forgot about the Cubone in the air. (Bad mistake)

Akechi started to descend from his jump and foresaw the path the Gastly below would follow to avoid the rocks. He adjusted his falling path and timed it just right. Akechi landed out of nowhere and sliced Gastly's face in half. Gastly bellowing in pain, Akechi retreated from the field and went to Ike's side once more.

Meanwhile, Hope saw the damage the little Cubone caused and quickly retreated her Gastly back into it's pokeball to ease it's pain.

"Gastly is to injured to continue this battle, Akechi wins" declared Edna raising her arm in the direction of Ike and Akechi. Signaling Hope's loss.

"That was pretty impressive, normally; it would take a gravity or roost to be able to hit Gastly like that. I think the tower will be safe in the hands of those two."