I followed Jules to the training field and it was about what I expected it to be. Bare dirt with some markings to outline it and some wooden practice targets to one side.
I looked around to see if anyone was nearby. When I saw no one but Jules I asked "Jules what is a TM, and moves in general?"
"Moves are how we attack, defend, and assist us and our allies in battle." Jules explained. "Pokemon can be one or two types, and depending on the move used we take more or less overall damage. We can only know four moves at a time, can only use them a limited amount of times, and each one has a type and method of attack."
"Type?" I asked.
"Fire, steel, poison, normal, and bug are some of the many that exist." Jules explained. "Fire is strong against steel, but weak against water. If a water type Pokemon is hit with a fire type move it isn't effected as much as a normal type Pokemon. If the same Pokemon is hit with a grass type move, then it does more damage. Over time you'll learn the types and what they effect."
"What type am I?" I asked.
"Absols are dark types, you're immune to psychic type attacks, but are weak to fighting and bug type attacks." Jules explained.
"Okay, what about the moves and attacks, what do some of them look like and what do they do?" I asked. The informative Jules gave is useful, but I'd like to know what these moves are capable of, even if I only see a few.
"I'll make a demonstration." Jules said as they move over and starts to push two of the targets into separate spots in the middle of the field.
"Each Pokemon can know a variety of moves, even if it's a different type than the Pokemon. I am a grass type, but I can use this water type move."
Jules looks at the target to the left. I saw water suddenly form around their tail out of nowhere. Then they rapidly moved to the target and turned around, striking it with their tail almost instantaneously. After I see fragments of the target fly into the air and fall back to the ground, I notice the water that surrounds Jules' tail is slowly vanishing. I must say I'm impressed at what can be done, bewildered as to how that is possible even in a world like this, and nervous about what that would do to another Pokemon.
"That was 'aqua tail' a water type move that does physical damage." Jules explained. "Don't stop looking, I got another one to display."
Jules backs up to be about ten feet away from the second target. They exhale, and suddenly dozens of leafs form on their body before they break off and rises into the air around them. Then as quick as the aqua tail, the leafs are fired like bullets to the target. Once the dust settles I see the few remaining fragments of the target.
"That was 'leaf storm' a grass type move that does non-physical or 'special' damage." Jules said.
"Non-physical?" I asked. "I saw the leafs strike the target."
"Correct!" Jules said cheerfully. "But I didn't use any part of my body to directly hit the target. If you have to use a part of you like your teeth, tail, or body to hit a target. That's a physical move, if you can strike the target at a distance it's a non-physical move. Although the correct term is 'special attack', Pokemon here like to say non-physical instead."
"Makes since, but what about TMs?" I asked.
"As we grow stronger we can learn new moves on our own, wether or not you choose to replace it with one of your current ones is up to you. However some moves that you can learn can only be found through a TM." Jules explained. "They're disks that when held can teach you the move inscribed on them one time. They're fairly rare also, so if you find one but don't want to or can't learn the move on it you should find someone who would want it or sell it.
"How do we figure out what moves I might already know?" I asked.
"Sparing is the quickest way to learn and will only take a few hours but will likely result in injury, the other way is to meditate but that can take days. Regardless of which option you choose Alex, your moves will come naturally to you, almost instinctual." Jules explained. "Once you learn your moves you'll need to practice them."
"I take it outside of training I'll mainly be using moves in self defense from bandits?" I asked. Surely there has to be some kind of bandit in this world, or an equivalent word for one.
"Not just bandits, but wild Pokemon. Some choose to live wild and not in villages and towns.' Jules explained. "They often attack when they see another Pokemon as they're territorial."
I give a nod to Jules' answer. Now I need to decide if I should try sparing or meditating. Meditating is the safe way, but it would be safer if I knew how to defense myself.
"If I were to spar with you Jules, would you go easy on me?" I asked. I can't stop imagining how brutal it would be if aqua tail struck me.
"Of course! Though eventually that will stop. Can't have you only practicing with easy fights!" Jules said as a smile formed on their face.
I step into the field and face Jules. "I'll spar to learn my moves. You can make the first one."
Jules nods their head. They don't move at first, but I can see water forming around her tail. So far I don't feel any instincts telling me what to do. Jules makes their dash to me and then I feel something. I felt the urge to dodge the attack which I expected, but something in me was telling my front left leg to press my claws together. I dashed over to the right as Jules made a downward strike with aqua tail, and I used that leg to slash a part of Jules' lower body.
Jules made a grunt of pain. "Well done, slash is one of your attacks." Jules said before moving back to where they started. "Don't worry about me, I can take damage. Now, I want you to make the first attack."
I was about six or so feet away from Jules when they said that. Inside I could feel myself wanting to attack, but I knew slash wouldn't be fast enough. Then it came to me, I lunged to Jules as fast as I could and rammed my head into her middle body. It hurt but not as much as I though it would, when I looked up I saw Jules tossed onto the ground a few feet away from me.
"You okay Jules?" I asked. I'm hoping they weren't exaggerating when they said they could take damage.
Jules exhales. "I am." They said as they sit back up. "That was quick attack, with it you can often strike first and can cover a small distance with ease. Two down, two to go."
We spent well over an hour sparing to see what the other two moves I knew were. Jules tried everything from different attacks and dodging but I could only use quick attack and slash. I must have gotten lucky with those two coming early. The spar itself was a stalemate, both me and Jules aren't completely giving it our all and neither of us want to cause any knock outs or serious injuries. So far the worst injuries have been some minor cuts and exhaustion.
"Jules, can we take a break?" I asked. I could feel my back legs starting to shake, I need to sit down.
"We can. Just stay there, I'll get us something to help us recover." Jules said as the slither off in the direction of the main hall.
I sit down and rest my head on the ground. I tried tilting my head to the right side, but this horn I now have on that side didn't let me so I shifted to lay on the left side. Alone for now, I should think of what to do once they finish with helping me. I could set out on my own. I like to work on my own, but what will I do to sustain myself? I could try to see what I can work for, but I'm sure only having legs would limit what I can do. Maybe when I do the work to repay the guild I can see what I'm assigned and do that elsewhere.
It's been about five minutes since Jules left, I heard something coming towards me, but they were footsteps. "I assume you are resting." It was June.
I lift my head and turn to my right to look at them. "Mm-hmm, I spent an hour sparing with Jules to learn a few of my moves." I said.
"Here." June said holding out my uniform fragment to me. "It is yours."
"Put it to the side of the field please. I'll pick it up when I'm done sparing." I said.
June nods her head and places it on the edge of the field before coming back. "After you are done with Jules, I will be the one to teach you how to identify berries and their lookalikes." She explained. "We will find you some quarters to sleep in later. It is likely you will be here for a few days."
I nod to June in acknowledgment. A few days? Hopefully I can repay the guild's kindness in a similar amount of time.
"June!" Jules yelled as they moved over to the two of us. "You're done with your meeting?"
"Yes." June answered. "When you are done with Alex, I will be teaching them how to identify berries."
"June, could you get the oran berries from this small bag and hand one to Alex?" Jules asked.
I heard the bag shift around and saw an oran berry placed in front of me. I took it and began to eat it in one go. As I ate it I felt my strength coming back and a soothing sensation across my body.
"Why do I feel better so suddenly?" I asked. I don't remember the first oran berry I ate doing this.
"Oran berries have potent healing properties." June explained. "When you eat them after combat your wounds heal quickly, and your regain strength to continue fighting."
I stand up feeling rejuvenated. "I must have not been injured when you two found me." I said. "You ready to continue Jules?" I asked.
"Mm-hmm!" Jules hummed with a smile on their face. We wait for June to step back out of the field before we resumed sparing.
I choose to go on the offensive this time, quick attack as my main attack and slash if I missed the first attack. It worked the first few times with me getting some hits on Jules' upper body, but after my fifth attack Jules figured out a way to counter my attacks and either stop them or dodge them completely. Then they went on the offensive with aqua tail, hitting me with it twice. I found myself in front of them trying to come up with a new strategy to attack when I saw something. I saw Jules split up into multiple copies moving in different directions but the copies were all semi-transparent, then I saw semi-transparent copies of myself attack the copies of Jules by biting them. Then they all vanished like they were a vision or hallucination of some kind. All I got from it was that biting must be a move here, it's worth a try at least. I decided to try to bite as an attack, dashing towards Jules. When Jules started to move to their left I found myself correcting my path to them without thinking, and then I bit into them when I could do so. Jules spun me around with enough force that I was forced to let go and have myself thrown across the ground.
"Well done Alex!" Jules said. "Bite is your third move, just one more to go!"
"Wait. Jules, I saw something. Before I bit you I saw copies of me attacking copies of you in different ways." I explained. "What was that?"
"Future sight." June said. "You can see every possible way to attack something with one of your moves."
"You mean, I saw into the future?" I asked. I figured with a name like 'future sight', that must be what I'm doing.
"Kind of, it ensures your next attack always hits your opponent by predicting all possible ways your opponent can dodge your attack and what to do to still make your attack hit." June explained.
"We can spar more later, you must be getting hungry by now." Jules said. They're right, my stomach does feel like it could use a smaller serving of that stew again.
"An early lunch sounds nice. Though after we're done I'll take up your lesson of berries June." I said.