It's been a day or so since he failed to defeat Gardenia in battle. Lucy is off at the Pokémon Center – it's been about long enough, right? It'ser birthday! She's also drawing a bit out of her funds to buy every Field Move they could ever need. Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, Flash, Whirlpool, Waterfall, Rock Smash, Dive, Defog, Rock Climb, Cold Feet, Sweet Scent, Dig, Teleport, Secret Power, Headbutt, Chatter... well, maybe not all of them. That'd be a lot of money.

But more importantly for us, it's also training day. And Gohan is going to train.

"Okay! ... Core-fish, are you listening? You need this more than he does."

Core-fish grumbles. "Corrrrrr~. My trainer. I understand. You will train us. ... Can we do this later?"

"I will take that as acknowledgement."

"Cor. Hmph."

"Heh, it's almost like they can really understand what I'm saying. Pokémon are really smart creatures, huh? They might be even smarter than the monsters back home, even though they can't talk."

He paces in front of the pond – the same one they camped out in front of just before they arrived in the city in the first place. Lucy isn't here, she's off at the Pokémon Center. Probably getting ready for her big day. Which is also her birthday. Gohan better have a gift ready.

"Anyways!" he says, continuing to pace. "I'm gonna be, uh, training you for the rest of the day. You will refer to me as Mr. Gohan! Got it?"

"Corrr!"

"Psy."

"Good! So, uh, I heard you guys can't hit other pokémon, right? Not without using a Move. Otherwise you take a lot of recoil. Right?"

The two nod. That's right.

"But there's still other parts of fighting that I can teach you! Like... pokémon can only learn up to four Moves at once, right? Something about computer data limits or something."

They nod again, though Core-fish doesn't know what to make of the last bit of the explanation. Computers? He's never seen a computer in his life. Why would he be affected by them?

"But you can do stuff in battle without moves! And not just dodging. Though you guys might want to work on that too."

Sighduck grunts approvingly. This is probably why most Pokémon Trainers don't get too far. Even once they understand the basic mechanics of pokémon battling they... well, they see it as a game with it's own rules, divorced from real fights. Or see their own pokémon as extensions of themselves rather than fighters that they are training. There's more to real fights than Moves and grinding for stats.

"Core-fish, you'll be my punching guy. Sighduck, you, uh, ranged attacks." With a bang that makes both pokémon jump he slams a sudden boulder onto the ground in front of them. Gah! "Core-fish, smash this boulder. That should be a good start." Wait, isn't it illegal to use most Moves outside of battle? ... Huh, that must be why a lot of pokémon don't get a lot of training in.

"Corrrro? Mr. Gohan...? I don't know Rock Smash. I also believe, that this may be illegal."

"Like this."

In the blink of an eye the boulder is reduced to pebbles and dust. Where it once stood is Gohan's fist. He punched it. And it exploded.

"Corrrrrrrrr. Ah, yes, I see now! We need not use Moves - we just need to hit it really, really hard!"

"Psyduck. If you try that you will break your claws."

As the two pokémon discuss this, Gohan thinks. How can he apply traditional fighting elements to pokémon battles? Proper punching form? ... Might be useful, if they ever have to fight a non-pokémon. Maybe it'll increase the rate of critical hits? Hm. Bracing to take hits better, or rolling with punches? Might not be too useful – that might not affect how much HP is lost at all, since that's aura-based. Dodging on their own initiative? ... That'd be really useful. Most people apparently just train their pokémon to stand still and fire off Moves. A more jittery dodging pokémon might trip them up.

Oh, and simulating other moves! Maybe they can't fit in Sand Attack, but it might be worth teaching them to just... throw dirt in the enemy's face. And link that to the Sand Attack command, even if they can't use the Move itself.

... Would his ki-based techniques be teachable? Agh, that would be a lot easier to ask if he could understand what his students... er, pokémon can say.

"Duckduckpsy! I don't CARE how much protein is in Whiscash corpses, your Attack stat won't bleed over into mundane strength-!"

"AHEM."

The two freeze. Gohan grunts and points to a spot a few meters away, looking at Sighduck. He gets the message and shuffles away, leaving Core-fish alone.

"Okay, Core-fish, I'mma teach you how to punch." He raises a hand and Core-fish imitates him with a claw. Gohan then closes his fingers into a fist; his thumb is wrapped around the outside. Core-fish tries and fails to imitate. "... Huh. You're body really isn't shaped for this, huh?" He smacks his chest. "All right, uh, use Double Hit!"

"Corr! Would that DO anything, Mr. Gohan?"

"Uh... oh, right, that's probably illegal too. Hm. Uh, we'll get back to you..." he mumbles. Gohan picks up Core-fish and waddles over to Sighduck to switch out his pokémon. He stops short of actually doing so, though – it'd be better to train them at the same time, wouldn't it?

"So, there's a couple kinds of punches, okay?" he says as the two watch with interest. "There's, uh... jabs," he says with a quick demonstration. The air whistles as his hand cuts through it. Wait, was that it? JESUS that was fast.

He continues. "Crosses, which are just jabs but with the other hand. Uh, hammer fists where you just slam the hand down." Demonstrating on the ground, there's a blur for a split second. It results in a crater in the dirt. "... Hey, Core-fish, can you come over here?"

"Corrroro- Of course, me master-"

"DODGE!"

*smack!*

...

Long story short, within about an hour both pokémon are able to punch relatively well. It's especially surprising with Core-fish, considering he can't actually make a fist or thrust his hands forwards in any meaningful capacity - but there's progress.

"Okay! Punch! Block! Punch!"

"PSY! DUCK! PSY!"

"COR! PHISH! COR!"

Gohan nods, proudly looking over his two disciples. It's been a hard... fifteen minutes, but they seem to have the basics down. Core-fish has, against all odds, managed to punch in a straight line. Meanwhile, Sighduck has mastered the proper punch - thumb-analogue wrapped around the outside of the hand and all. The basics of blocking has been taught as well – and dodging, of course.

"Core-fish, if you can dodge a rock! You can dodge a Rock-type attack! And other attacks, too, I think!"

He giggles to himself, even as he keeps throwing air punches for his pokémon to imitate. Dad never really taught him a lot of basic fighting, did he? He sparred with him... and learned ki-specific techniques from him... but the fundamental stuff? That was all Mr. Piccolo.

"Dodge!"

Core-fish and Sighduck throw themselves to the floor! After the first few hits, uh, they know damn well not to get hit by this. Just in time, too. Two pebbles whiz through the air, cracking the sound barrier as they crack! They then cut a disturbingly deep gouge in the ground before being reduced to dust.

"Corerorrrr... Is it safe to come up yet?"

"Psy. Yes."

Sighduck climbs to his feet, and shudders at the sight of the gouges. The first hit five minutes ago... no way in hell is he letting himself feel that, ever, again. Not after the, er, first seven times. He's just fuzzy!

Core-fish takes a few seconds longer. Each time. Each time he was hit he was knocked out instantly. Just like when he was kicked into that rock face a few days ago. But this hurt more. SO MUCH MORE. Dodging is really important.

Clapping rings out. "Okay guys! You did it! Good dodge!"

"Psy. ... Thanks."

"Core-fish, return!"

Sighduck raises a non-eyebrow in surprise. What's this? ... Oh. Gohan is sitting in front of him, crosslegged.

"... Hey, uh, Sighduck. You're really strong for a pokémonster, huh?"

Sighduck doesn't say anything. Why should he? It's not like Gohan can understand him.

"I kind of want to know where you came from. Why the nurse... uh, Cherri? Why she said it was weird of you to know Surf. But I guess even if you wanted to tell me, you couldn't. Huh?"

"...That's right."

"Heh, I'm not even sure how smart you are," he mutters to himself. "Maybe you aren't much smarter than a wild dinosaur or dragon." Sighduck grunts at the accusation, but accepts that humans at large have no way of telling how conscious pokémon really are. "But you're going to be my Special Attacker, right?"

"Psy...? Psy duck... PSY. Duck?! Right...? Where are you... OH. You can use Special Attacks?!"

The look on his face is apparently extreme enough to be recognizable. "Heheh... I'll show you later, okay? I don't think I should do stuff like that this close to the city." His eyes drift to the invisible border which wild pokémon dare not cross - filled with normal humans. Native humans, for whom ki power is not even the stuff of urban legend.

"Psy. ... Psyduck. You are an abomination. ... I'm glad I'm on your side."

Gohan grins.

"Heheh, still can't understand you." Sighduck lives up to his name and sighs as he disappears into the red light – he's being returned. "Now... I should catch another pokémon. One that uses that 'aura' stuff... just in case Sighduck can't learn to shoot lasers."

He turns around, placing the pokéball into the pocket of his backpack - and frowns. He really doesn't have much in here. A few Poké, like three unused Poké Balls, and some berries he found on a bush. Are they even edible? ... Of course they are. As he pops one into his mouth he thinks. What should his plan of attack be...? Lucy is busy today getting her Trainer License and all so he can't ask her. And he can't actually talk with his two companions...

Well, dad was never able to really think on an empty stomach, he thinks as he pops another berry into his mouth. Maybe it's the same with him? He's never been away from home this long. His eyes drift towards the pond in front of him – and his stomach gurgles.

...

"All right, guys! Eat up!"

Core-fish looks up at Gohan in awe, while Sighduck looks up in equivalent horror. How... what... by Dialga's steely glutes. Is that legal?!

Gohan nudges the smoking corpse of the gyarados, and tears of a hunk of meat to devour. "Mgmgmgotnotossttnoerngthup!" he mumbles. Core-fish quickly follows, grateful for this opportunity. Mmm, delicacy! "I caught it after I went into the pond. I think I killed it when it tried to eat me, and I thought it would taste like Paozu tuna!"

"Psy?! Aren't... aren't humans normally against eating pokémon? At least ones... that they saw themselves?" He glances away from the body - breed in captivity and raised on feed, even when he was wild he ate almost nothing but berries and bugs. Non-pokémon bugs.

"Corrorrororororo. Bah, the pokémon center sells pidgy burgers! And gyarados are way less likeable than pidgey."

"Mgblb?" Gohan asks, before swallowing what he has in his mouth. He doesn't seem to quite realize what he's done – it is a bit harder to empathize with sapients when they can't actually communicate with you. And tried to laser you the instant you appeared. "You aren't hungry, Sighduck? ... Oh, you must eat, uh, bread! ... I don't have any bread."

Sighduck grumbles and takes a sliver of gyarados meat, much to Core-fish's satisfaction and his own anxiousness. Ugh. Unbeknowst to him, saiyans were already known to eat other sapients... and in this world, unless you're a vegan (and even then) you're going to taste sapient eventually.

Pidgeotto eat exeggcute, and muk eat garbodor.

Furret eat rattata.

Wailord eat wishiwashi, and sableye hunt carbine.

Native humans eat magikarp and slowpoke tails.

Even tirtouga and carracosta hunted omastar, eons ago.

And saiyans ate everything they could get their Kai-damned hands on. Sapient or not.

The other fish pokémon in the pond watch the meal cautiously, keeping particular watch on the human that took down one of their elders in two blows. But there is no offense here – it's a sapient eat sapient world. And while human society may not quite grasp how equal pokémon really are, the pokémon know.

They just don't care anymore - at least, when it doesn't directly affect them or the individuals they know. It's been millions of years. They have to eat, they aren't all herbivores. Where else would they get Protein? Iron? Calcium? From their environment? From the nearly extinct animals?

"I really don't like this," he grumbles as the other two happily chow down. "How is Gohan taking this so casually? He just... he just killed a person. ... No, he killed a pokémon."

Inequality is real, bros.

"Do you really not like it, Sighduck?" ... Oh, he seems a little concerned. But it's... wait, humans communicate non-verbally too. He shakes his head. "Aw, that's too... wait, you really can understand me, huh? It's not just instinct or something?"

He nods. Core-fish tilts his head, not quite understanding what he's doing and ignoring it in favor of eating more gyarados.

A chill runs down Gohan's spine. Wait, Sighduck is fully sapient? Like... a person? Does that mean all the other pokémon... all pokémon... he glances at Core-fish, still happily munching away at the great serpent's flesh.

"Did I just..."

Gohan walks through the Capsule Corp compound. A few years ago he would have had trouble making it into the place, much less freely wandering around, but his family's reconnection with Bulma and company has made him a familiar enough sight. After only a few minutes of searching the very person he wanted... well, wanted is a bit of strong word, but the one he came to see is spotted by their very own gravity chamber.

"Um, hello, Vegeta? D-do you have some time, today?"

"What is it, brat?!" The look on Gohan's face makes him mentally backpedal a bit, however. Despite his father's... annoying qualities, the child is still saiyan. And, if he is to be honest with himself, a monumentally strong one for his age. Worthy of at least a molecule of respect. "Make it quick - I have some androids to train for," he barks before crossing his arms.

Gohan quickly bows – the purple-haired warrior appeared to warn them only a few weeks ago. As you may have guessed, this is a flashback. "W-well, I came because... I wanted to know more about my heritage." At Vegeta's raised eyebrow and smirk, he quickly adds that "I don't approve of what you guys did. But... I think I should know."

"Well, well, well, you want to know about the saiyans?" The Prince of all Saiyans grins. "It's good to know that one of you has something resembling pride." He turns around, snapping his fingers. "Come, boy. I'm in a generous mood." Gohan mutely follows. Ever since Namek, Vegeta had been ostensibly one of their allies. In practice, however, he has been just as much of a sociopathic jackass as ever.

He follows him into the gravity chamber - Vegeta's most private spot on the planet, since no one else was suicidal enough to step foot into it. Once the door closes behind them he turns back to Gohan.

The ensuing discussion was very enlightening. A strange mix of fascination and horror grew in his stomach, as he learned about his alien side of the family...

"What was planet Vegeta like? The animals, the plants, the air..."

"Barren. Almost a desert. Your planet may be worthless from a monetary point of view, but I must admit that it IS easy on the eyes."

"Do you know anything about saiyan evolution? How did we end up so close to humanity?"

"Hmph! Do you really expect me to know anything about that? I'm an elite warrior, not some scholar! ... Though, I do know that planet Vegeta was not our original homeworld."

"What number system did you use? Was it base 10 like it is here on Earth?"

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Will... will my tail ever grow back?"

"Give it a few years. You shouldn't lose it permanently until you pass adolescence."

There was a lot of interesting information there, to be sure. So different, and yet... so similar to humanity. All aliens are, honestly - must be part of the deal in a universe ruled by mostly humanoid deities.

But.

"What did saiyans eat?"

"Whatever we could get our hands on besides each other, boy. Actually, perhaps even that exception was not absolute. ... I see that look in your eye, boy. What, you going to criticize us? We slaughtered worlds. Filling our bellies afterwards wouldn't have made them any more dead."

Dart Frog: the Deathtouch Animal

Class: Animal

Ability: Deathtouch

Develops from: tadpole

Species Group: amphibian

Type: Poison

Length: 1.5 cm

Weight: 28.3 g

Believed to be an urban legend for decades, the first living dart frog was found in a remote area of the exotic Mistia region. It is thought that their survival in the wild is due to the absurd deadliness of their poison - despite being resistant to chemical toxins, pokémon are thought to have been intelligent enough to quickly learn that it is simply safer to leave the brightly colored animals alone. As a consequence, where they do exist, they thrive in dense throngs. The name derives from an urban legend that Mistian natives would rub their skins against the tips of weapons, making them exceedingly lethal. Their poison is powerful enough to down an indian elephant, and in rare cases, able to disseminate into a pokémon's aura like Poison.