Our heroes continue to hit the road, not entirely sure where they are heading to next. At the moment, they stopped for a little break and do some training.

"Absol, Night Slash! Dusclops, Shadow Punch!" Ichigo said. Dusclops launched the attack, but Absol used the attack and slashed right through the attack. "Nice work, guys. You're both looking great. Say, Rukia, have you found the closest gym from where we are?"

"I'm looking." Rukia said as she looked over a map. "If I'm reading this right, it looks like the closest gym is in Glonery City. Hey! Some of the best restaurants are around there."

"That's great. We can get a bite to eat and Ichigo can get his gym battle." Orihime said.

"Works for me. In the meantime, we need to keep training. Dusclops, Will-o-Wisp! Absol, deflect it with Night Slash!" Dusclops unleashed the blue flame, but Absol used the attack and deflected it with it going off.

"Florges!" All of them were surprised to see a Florges with a red flower-design used Safeguard and blocked the attack. Where did that Florges come from?

Rise if you're prepared for the challenge
(Rise to the challenge)
Rise if you're a champion at heart
(Rise to the challenge)
Take my hand, we'll train as one
And triumph together
(Rise to the challenge)
Nothing's gonna stand in our way
Stronger and stronger we'll
Rise to the challenge of
Life
Pokémon

(Ichigo's voice) The Flower and The Sword

"Florges!"

"Beautiful! Who is that pokemon?!" Orihime said as she loved that pokemon.

"That's a Florges." Rukia said. "I wonder why it seems so upset and why did it use Safeguard to block that attack."

"Florges was just trying to protect nature." All of them looked and saw a big chubby guy in a green suit and had short pink hair with a mustache. "Florges saw the attack was going to hit these." He pushed the bushes aside and showed some flowers.

"Flowers? That's it?" Ichigo said.

"Nature can be beautiful and should be preserved." The man said. "My Florges was simply doing just that. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hachigen, but you may call me Hachi."

"Hey. I'm Ichigo and these two are my pokemon. This is Absol and Dusclops. Sorry about that flame."

"Hi. I'm Orihime."

"My name is Rukia."

"And I'm Chad."

"Hachi? Where have I heard that name before?" Rukia said as she tried to remember and it soon came to him. "Hold on! Are you Hachi?! The same Hachi from the Elite Four?!"

"The Elite Four?!" All of them said as they were just as surprised as Rukia was.

"Indeed I am. It is a pleasure to meet all of you." Hachi said.

"Hachi! Where did you go?!" Someone called out.

"I'm over here!" Hachi called.

"Wait. That voice sounds familiar." Ichigo said.

"Hachi!" Somebody jumped out, but Ichigo and the others couldn't believe it when they saw it was Hiyori. "What's the big idea of having Florges run off like that?"

"Hiyori?!" Ichigo said. Hiyori looked around and couldn't believe her eyes herself.

"Ichigo and his friends? This is a surprise." Hiyori said. "I wasn't expecting to see all of you again."

"Hiyori, do you know these people? Are they friends of yours?" Hachi said.

"Not exactly, but I have met them before." Hiyori said.

"What are you doing here, Hiyori?" Orihime said. "I thought you were training with Love, another member of the Elite Four."

"I was, but Love thought it would be beneficial for me to learn under a different member of the Elite Four." Hiyori said. "So he sent me to Hachi here. What are all of you doing out here?"

"We were just doing a little training." Ichigo said. "We just decided to head for the Glonery Gym to get my next badge."

"Really?" Hiyori said as she found that interesting. "You know, I'm actually planning on entering the Johto League myself. That way, when I win, I am clear to challenge the Elite Four and really know where I stand in strength. I already hold five badges." She said as she felt proud of herself.

"Five? I managed to get six." Ichigo said.

"So?" Hiyori said. "What? Just because you think you have more badges than me, you think you're better and stronger than me?"

"What?" Ichigo said as he was a little confused. "I didn't say that? Did anyone here me say that?"

"Hiyori, remember what Love and I have taught you. Do not let your temper get out of hand." Hachi said. Hiyori found it annoying, but she just looked away. "So you're planning on entering the Johto League as well, Ichigo? I take it that means you're training here to be ready for it."

"Yeah." Ichigo said.

"That's great, but you should remember to have some respect for nature. Take in the scenery and use nature's power to help your pokemon and have them help each other." Hachi said, but Ichigo was a little confused. "I'll show you. Please follow me."

"Wait. We're really going to let them join in our training session?" Hiyori said.

"Of course. There's always room. You can never have too many people." Hachi said and led the way. Hachi led them through the forest and brought them to a flower field. "Here is a good place to start."

"What do you mean?" Orihime asked.

"You'll see. If you have any grass, bug, or fairy-type pokemon, please let them out and just let them enjoy themselves." Hachi said. Ichigo and the others thought it was a little strange, but they went with it.

"Cacturne, come on out!" Ichigo said.

"Roserade, Azumarill, and Sylveon, let's go!" Orihime said. They both released those pokemon and just let them enjoy themselves out in the flower field.

"So what's the point?" Ichigo said.

"Just look at them." Hachi said. "Do you see how happy all your pokemon are? It's because they are in a natural environment for them." Ichigo and the others had a look around and saw that Cacturne and the others did seem a lot happy. "A pokemon's happiness is essential. The happier they are, the more efficient they can become."

"I suppose that makes sense. It is rather nice around here." Rukia said.

"It's just a bunch of flowers. No big deal." Hiyori said.

"It is a very big deal." Hachi said. "Pokemon are more in tuned with nature than we humans are. It is their home and we should respect that. Pokemon have the power of nature flowing through their bodies and if we can harness that power, our pokemon can become stronger and happier."

"But how do we harness that power?" Ichigo said.

"That is for each of us to discover by connecting with our pokemon." Hachi said. "Nature can be beautiful and powerful. It can surprise you."

"This all sounds amazing!" Orihime said.

"I think I get it." Rukia said. "It's all about opening our hearts and feeling what's all around us."

"Oh please." Hiyori said as she was having a hard time believing all that. "How can any of that really help in a battle? I'll tell you how. It can't."

"Hiyori, it can be most useful if you open your heart." Hachi said. "Perhaps you all could try and learn it for yourselves. Hiyori, you wanted to battle Ichigo earlier. Perhaps this battle will allow both of you to see what I'm talking about."

"I'm gained for a battle." Ichigo said.

"Fine. I'll win either way." Hiyori said. Both of them took their positions for the battle and were ready.

"We never did get to finish our last battle. So I'll use Cacturne for this one." Ichigo said.

"Cacturne!"

"Here's my pokemon. Go, Doublade!" Hiyori said.

"Doublade!"

"Doublade?! Her Honedge must have evolved." Ichigo said.

"Battle as much as you like, but please try not to damage the flowers too much." Hachi said.

"Let's get this started. Doublade use Shadow Sneak!" Hiyori said. Doublade's shadow stretched out and started to slash against Cacturne.

"Shake it off and use Pin Missile!" Ichigo said. Caturne fought through the attack and used the attack with it blasting against Doublade. "Good! Now use Bullet Seed!" Cacturne started shooting seeds and Doublade was getting hit by all of it.

"You'll need to do better than that. Doublade, Gyro Ball!" Hiyori said. Doublade started spinning around in an orb and slashed against Cacturne. "Great work. Now use Gyro Ball again!" Doublade was going at Cacturne again, but Ichigo was a step ahead.

"Dive into the flowers!" Ichigo said. Cacturne dodged the attack and dived under the flowers and Doublade lost sight of him.

"Where did he go?" Hiyori said for she had no sign of Cacturne.

"Needle Arm!" Ichigo said. Cacturne emerged out of the flowers behind Doublade and landed a powerful hit. "One more time! Needle Arm!" Cacturne landed the attack again and it knocked Doublade right out.

"It looks like that's the end of the battle." Rukia said.

"Very good, Ichigo." Hachi said. "When you told Cacturne to dive into the flowers like that, you harnessed the power of nature Cacturne has, even if it was for a second."

"I did? I didn't really feel anything. I just told Cacturne something that came to me." Ichigo said.

"That's perfectly fine. Everyone has their own way of seeing things." Hachi said. As for Hiyori, she brought Doublade back in its pokeball and still seemed upset.

"Aw! Forget this!" Hiyori said and just ran off.

"Hiyori…" Ichigo said.

"Please. Allow me." Hachi said as he went after her.

…

Hiyori

Hiyori ran until she reached a river. She sat by the river and was just sulking about her lost. She just wasn't getting what Hachi was saying, but he claims that Ichigo did.

"Florges, Aromatherapy." Hachi said. Florges released a sweet and relaxing aroma. Hiyori wasn't having any of it as she tried to brush it away.

"Hachi, cut it out." Hiyori said.

"I just thought it might help you relax." Hachi said. "Losing is always frustrating, but you must not allow anger and hatred to get the better of you when it happens."

"I don't get it. You claim all that stuff about nature and you say Ichigo can do it and he won." Hiyori said. "How can any of this be of any use?"

"So you do not understand. Let me show you." Hachi said.

…

The Flower Field

Hachi was going to show this to everyone. He found a swarm of bug-type pokemon as well.

"Just simple watch how beautiful and powerful nature can be when you harness it." Hachi said and everyone had their eyes peeled. "Petal Blizzard, Florges, if you please."

"Florges!" Florges created petals and sent them scattering around like a blizzard. Florges had the petals scattered around in the wind. Some of the actual petals from the flowers picked up and some of the bug pokemon started flying around with the wind. It started to look beautiful. The beauty of flowers merged with the force of a storm in it and the pokemon don't appear to be afraid.

"Beautiful!" Ichigo said.

"Like watching something from Pokemon Talent Star!" Orihime said as they were all amazed as to what they were seeing.

"This is what I'm talking about. Nature is beautiful and powerful." Hachi said. "I believe we are all capable of wielding that power if we open our hearts." It all settled and all of them were amazed by it.

"I'm not sure if I still get what you're teaching me, but I think I want to keep learning." Hiyori said as she was seeing things in a brand new light.

"That's good." Hachi said and turned to Ichigo and the others. "I hope all of you will take this with you as well. Orihime, did you compare what I did to Pokemon Talent Star? Are you competing?"

"Yes. I only need one more star medal." Orihime said.

"Is that so? Then, you should enter the one in Springer Town. It's not that far from here and it's on the way to Glonery City." Hachi said.

"That's great! Orihime can win her fourth medal and we'll be on our way to my seventh gym battle." Ichigo said.

"So Springer Town is our first stop." Orihime said. "I'll do my best to use what I've learned here."

Yes. Nature can be quite amazing. We might have a hard time seeing it, but it's there. Our heroes will take what they've learned here for future battles. Now that they have their next destinations at hand, there is more amazing times to come ahead.

To Be Continued….