Chapter 21: Training.
Pikachu's Pov.
"What are you talking about?" I asked getting out of the nest. Combusken gave me a confused look which then turned into a concerned look.
"I don't remember having a nightmare." I said, rubbing the back of my head. I realized that my bandages were soaked and torn.
"You mean you don't remember the dream?" She asked as I removed the bandages from my head.
"No. Why was I screaming or something?" I asked. Combusken didn't answer me straight away, seeming to be thinking about something before answering.
"Uh.. yeah. You were screaming and you sound scared." Combusken moved closer to me. "I was actually scared for you as well."
I laughed at that. "Why be scared? You're not the one with no memories." I said with a smile. Combusken was frowning back at me. I sighed and looked away from her. "Don't look at me like that. I don't need pity."
"I'm not giving you pity. I just don't like how you're acting. Don't just shrug this off with a smile. I've already seen how this is really affecting you." I was surprised at how hurt she sounded. Its like me not showing how I was really feeling was hurting her.
"Sorry. I-," I stop, not really sure what to say, "I just don't want to burden you all any more. I mean I've already done a fine job of that. First, I ran off without letting you explain and then I got your team into a fight with the Ariados." I moved past her and started making my way out of the room and down the hall.
"You're not a burden." Combusken said, chasing after me. "You're our friend, and a member of this team! We take care of each other, look after each other! There is no such thing as a burden on this team." I looked back at her with some surprise and her smile further surprising me.
"I- wow, I guess I forgot that I really am a part of the team now aren't I?" I said, looking down at the floor and continuing with my moving.
"Of course you are! We weren't kidding when we said you could join. We really meant it." She said, a kind of hurt tone in her voice. "Where are you going anyways?" She asked as we made it to the end of the hallway.
"I'm just going to the pond at the back." I said. Taking a left and heading toward the pond at the back. We didn't talk any more after that. I walk past each of the hallways and I couldn't help but think: "This is one insanely large tree. I'm surprised they even get to have this at their team base." Oddly enough this place is big enough for them to live in, but this isn't where they live. All three of them lived near the lake we had visited. At least they do if they aren't on a mission or just finishing up one.
When I finally made it to the pond, I walked up to the edge and sat down with my back paws resting in the water. I just sat there, looking down at my reflection. There were a few scrapes, bruises and burns left on me. Some obvious like the one on my head, and the rest just starting to fade.
I reached up and patted the bruise on my head. "You know, I don't remember falling on my head." I said to Combusken. I looked at her reflection, and she seem kind of sad.
"Must've happened when you passed out during the fight with the Ariados leader." She said, earning a laugh from me.
"I still think you guys were the ones that defeated him. Not me." I said, turning back to Combusken. "I mean me? Really? Its funny just thinking about it."
"You shouldn't count yourself out. I know that deep inside is a power just lying dormant. Ready for you to use whenever needed." Combusken took a seat next to me. Looking down at me she had this look that made me want to believe her.
"Y-you really think so?" I asked, earning a nod of her head and a wide grin. I looked back down at my reflection.
"Well then I guess I better start putting this 'power' to good use!" I said, laughing a real laugh. This seem to change Combusken's mood as well.
"Well then how about you come on your first mission with us?" Combusken suddenly asked, causing me to to almost fall in the pond.
I laughed, thinking it was a joke. But Combusken's expression didn't change. "Wait… Really?"
"Of course, why not?" She asked. I wasn't so sure about this idea, letting me tag along on a mission.
"It's just that I'm not really sure I can, well you know… Make any more lightning." I said with slight embarrassment.
"I kind of figured you would be feeling like this. That's why I'm getting you some help. Think of it as a one day training session." I almost fell in the water again hearing that.
"Wait, we're going on the mission tomorrow!" I cried dumbfounded. "You can't expect me to be ready in one day?" I asked, earning a nod back. "Well, who's going to be training me then? Huh? I know its not you or Totodile and Breloom. I'm pretty sure none of you know electric moves." I finally gave up and asked, the smile on her beak growing bigger.
"I had a friend come over to help you." She said motioning over her shoulder to the entrance to the tree behind us.
I turned and even though I was no longer looking at the pond, it felt like I was still looking at my reflection.
"Hi. I'm the one who'll be getting you back into shape." Said the Pikachu standing in the doorway.
I didn't like this at all. Combusken reached over and placed a claw against my back.
"I know this is making you uncomfortable. But just give her a chance." Combusken said looking down at me. She had this pleading gaze in her eyes.
"Fine." I said after a long deep sigh. "Show me how to fight." I got up and turned toward the other Pikachu, who gave me a strange look.
"Well… You don't seem like you want to do this." She said moving closer to me. "But at least you're willing to learn. So where do you want me to start?" She asked, balling her paws and placing them oh her hips.
"I don't know…" I said honestly. "How about you show me what I'm able to do and then we go from there?"
"Okay." She said with a determined look. "Assuming you're a fully developed Pikachu, in terms of ability wise, you should be able to mimic me." She said. I watched her moving back away from me and stood in the middle of the clearing.
"Okay so once you see me do it , it will be your turn." She said not bothering to hear me reply. For a few seconds she stood there not doing anything. Then the air filled with static and the sounding crackles of electricity coming from the Pikachu.
I watched in amazement as she started emitting more power. The sparks and discharges grew more and more. Then her whole body was engulfed by her electricity.
"Wow." I muttered to myself. Finally the moment I was waiting for arrived. The lighting blasted up into the sky shooting far up and then exploding in a bright brilliant flash.
"Wow." I muttered again. I must of said it louder this time because Combusken was lightly laughing.
"Think you can do that." The Pikachu said looking over at me, sparks still coming from her. I looked at her for a minute not sure what to say.
"Well?" She asked again sounding a little annoyed this time.
"Oh! Uhm.. Well I'm actually not sure how to do that." I said. Both Pokemon looked at me dumbfounded, though Combusken a little more worry than dumbfounded.
"Can't you at least try." The Pikachu asked. I looked between the two Pokemon unsure of what to do.
"I-I can try." I said moving to take the spot the Pikachu was at. I stood there for a moment and closed my eyes. I sweat dropped when I couldn't do anything after nearly five minutes.
"Okay, okay, okay! Don't think of it as something you have to find within yourself whatever you're trying to do over there. It should be muscle memory for you. You may not remember what attacks you have or how but you should have the muscle memory." The Pikachu said looking at me even more annoyed than before.
"I thought teachers, or trainers, or whatever you wanna call them, were supposed to be patient." I thought with with both annoyance of my own and a frustration.
"Would you just tell me how!" I cried. The Pikachu smacked her head with her paw.
"Your dang cheeks kid! Your cheeks!" She yelled pointing at her own red dot cheeks. I looked at her with wonder and confusion.
"Our electricity is stored in our cheeks all you need to do is let it out." She said. I looked at her and then moved my right paw to poke at my cheek.
"You mean….the electricity is in my face….. how did it get there?" I asked. This got both of the Pokemon to yell at me.
"Stay focused and don't asked dumb questions!" I jumped nearly a hundred in the air and I say that with little exaggeration.
"Sorry! Sorry!" I franticly forced out bowing my body forward a few times, something I've seen other do when they would apologize.
"This is going to be a long day." The Pikachu said, and surprisingly I couldn't help but agree with her.
Combusken's Pov.
"Well this didn't go as well as I had hoped." I said to myself. Pikachu wasn't doing so well with his training and Peach, my friend, was starting to lose her patience. It had been nearly three hours since they had started the training and it was going no where.
Though I would hardly call this training. It was more like a long argument, where the would take a few minutes and take a break then move on to the actual training only to start fighting again.
"How many times are you going to make me say it! You don't need to remember how to do it! You feel it and then you act on it!" Peach cried.
Pikachu was hunched over in defeat. "Thats not helping me at all!" He yell, with tears rolling down his red cheeks. Though if they were real or mock tears I couldn't tell.
"Why don't you show him again?" I ask. Peach looked over at me with an annoyed stair.
"Showing it to him again isn't going to help him! He needs to try harder." This time she turn to glare at Pikachu. Pikachu look over at me with a defeated look on his face.
I felt guild build up inside me. "Just jump in and help! You know what its like to not remember how to use your abilities. Just help him!" I kept telling myself. But like always my fear kept me from doing anything.
"Look kid." My friend said with an exasperated sigh. "I don't know what else to do for you. The only other thing I can think of is giving you a charge." I watch Pikachu face turn from defeat to annoyed and curious at the same time.
"Hey don't call me a kid! I'm half way certain I'm the same age as you." He said, pointing a claw at Peach.
"I'm sorry how old a-" I jump in and stop just as Peach was about to say something extremely stupid.
"Peach!" She jumped and looked over at me. "Don't you dare." I said, anger in my voice. I watched her eyes widen and then soften as she turned back to Pikachu.
"Sorry. I- I was going too far there. Please forgive me." She said sincerely. I don't think Pikachu understood what was going on. But he just shrugged it off.
"It's fine. Now please explain to me what you mean by 'giving' me ' a charge'?"
"All it is, is me giving you a little zap." Peach said giving off a few sparks from her cheeks. Pikachu didn't seem to like that idea.
"Wouldn't that hurt?" He asked, causing Peach to laugh. She stop after a harsh cough from me and answered his question.
"No. You will naturally just absorb the energy I emit to you. We're both 'Pikachu' after all." She explained. Pikachu stood there thinking about what she said.
"I guess I've got no other choice. Hit me with your best shot." He said standing up straight and readying himself for her electricity to come.
"Okay here we go." She said letting off even more sparks. "Thunder Shock!" She shouted letting the blast lightning.
The blast of lightning was nothing like what Pikachu had done during the fight with the Ariados. In fact compared to what we saw, nothing could or would ever come close to that. The lightning traveled up into the air and then went back down at Pikachu hitting him dead on.
The attack only last about five seconds and once it was over Pikachu was scrunched up waiting from something to happen. He looked up and gazed from me to Peach.
"You feel that?" Peach asked, her tail swinging back and forth.
"Ya… I feel, like energy moving through me." I smiled as this seem to be working.
"Okay good. Now try forcing the flow of that energy out. But not too much! We can't have you burning down this tree right?" She said in a joking manner. Pikachu nodded closing his eyes to focus.
We watched him waiting for something anything even a spark to happen. When nothing happened I felt my anticipation disappear and turn into disappointment.
Then I saw a spark fly, then another and another. I felt a smile make its way to my beak and it only got bigger and bigger. I looked over to Peach when she looked back throwing me a smile of her own.
"I think… I think I finally figured it out." Pikachu said, continuing to emit sparks of electricity.
I watched happily as the power grew more and more. That is until I remembered what happened with the Ariados.
"Oh no! What if he over does it again!" I thought with fear. I was moving toward him when Peach stopped me.
"Don't let him finish." She said giving me a stern look. I reluctantly back away and watch Pikachu as he continued to build his energy more and more.
Then he stopped. He didn't bother letting the electricity out, he just quit right in the middle of it. Peach and I were confused. "Why didn't he finish his attack?" I thouhgt.
"I got it figured out now." He said with a proud smile. I was in shock for the moment he said that, but as soon as it processed in my mind I started squealing with pure joy.
"Yes! Alright you did it!" I cried happily running to Pikachu and bringing him into hug.
"Don't you mean I did it?" Peach asked, folding her arms.
"Ya thanks Peach." Pikachu said after removing himself from my grasp. Peach didn't like him call her by the little nickname she went by.
"Kid. Don't call me that. As far as I'm concerned Combusken is the only one who can call me that. Got it!" Pikachu jumped at her sudden change in attitude and looked down at the ground in disappointment.
"Peach…." I said sternly, causing her to look over at me with a look that said 'what'. When she finally got tired of me looking at her she gave in.
"Look if you have to call me that fine… just- just don't think too much into this kid." She said looking to the side so she wouldn't have to look at us.
I smiled as Pikachu moved to Peach and pulled her into a hug muttering a thanks. I laughed at her expression of embarrassment and shock.
"O-ok-ay. It's not a problem. Really I'm glad I could help." She said backing away from Pikachu. The two stood there looking at each other before Peach finally moved to leave. "Well I've got to go. You're not the only one with a team to think about." She said looking over at me. "I'll catch you two around, see ya." She said now making her way into the tree.
I turned and watch Pikachu. He was looking at the last place we saw Peach.
"You know." He said looking up at me with a smile. "That wasn't too bad."
I laughed, "What are you talking about. We're not done still have lots of things to go over." I laughed harder when he looked at me shocked.
"What but it looks like the sun could set soon!" He whined. I laughed again, which only got him to glare at me.
"Look its not much I promise all it is just a little sparring and seeing what you can do." I said but he still didn't seem to happy.
"I just got done figuring out how to use my lightning! I'm hungry and would like, I don't know say, a break!" I just continued to laugh and walked past him. "You do realize that I now know how to fry your brain right." I froze at the matter of factly tone. I turned to Pikachu finding him glaring at me with discharges of electricity coming from him.
"Oh… ya I didn't really think about that. Well I best get you some food then shouldn't I." I said with a smile turning away and heading into the base.
"Really!" He cried running after me.
I nodded my head. "Of course. After all, you do deserve a little break." I said, and with that we were running to get a little something to eat.
Well there you have it! Sorry if there were any mistakes! I did send this to Sub but something happened on the way be or maybe she took the part out on purpose... but I wanted in so I'm not sure. But anyways but I'm not going to say anything about it cause Sub is already busy with important things of her own. So I hope you can over look them just this once.
Also if you didn't know I'm now posting this to Wattpad so if you have an account go there and I don't know do something! Lol no you don't have to do anything just letting you know... not sure why. And... I'm sure I have something else I wanted to say but I can't remember what it is... oh well.
Also shout out to IAmSpidey. Good old friend of mine!