Chapter 8 - Good Morning, Good Morning

I always thought it was kinda cool that Snizzy lived all the way out here in the forest.

Like, if you think about it, it's kinda smart, right? If you wanna train in town, then you gotta go to the Dojo with everyone else - and Snizzy's alot of things, but a poke's 'mon he ain't.

So, I get it. It suits this guy, and he's the boss, so it's fine. It helps his image, being this broody hermit-boi.

To be honest, though, the walk from Snizzy's place to Brownsville is usually pretty boring. As much as I like the woods, going down this straight road with no turns for half an hour is just super tedious.

Most of the time.

But today's a bit different, y'know.

So here I am, walking with Snizzy, side by side. We're walking down this big ol' dirt road, well worn n' wide, with gradually thinning trees as we go along.

I'm not quite sure how exactly to explain my little theory to Snizzy. Like, can you really just bust out with, 'Oh hey, real quick, pretty sure Arthur's from a cult, by the by,' when you're just tryna get to town?

I dunno, 'mon, feels kinda weird I guess. Just, maybe if I got Snizzy talking I could kinda steer it down the culty route... ?

All that we hear is the 'tak tak tak' of my talons on the ground.

Welp, y'never know until you try.

"So Snizzy…" I start, stepping over a large rock in the road.

Snizzy's head turns to me, and he answers with a, "Hm?"

"What do you think of Arthur, dude?" I ask, trying to stay casual.

Snizzy goes quiet for a moment and puts his hand to his chin in thought. After the moment passes, he says, "He is quiet, obedient, and unobtrusive. He is not as combat oriented as I would like, but I can fix that. I have no further issues thus far."

Then Snizzy looks at me with a raised eyebrow and asks, "Why?"

I suck in a big gulp of air, and steal myself for this unloading of hot, sticky theory directly onto Snizzy's face.

"Well, y'know, I was thinking about the guy, right? I was thinking about him, and I thought, 'mon, this guy sure is weird, not knowing so much basic stuff.' So…" I begin, before running around to the front of Snizzy.

While walking backwards, I continue my thought. "… I tried to put it all together, y'know? I thought about it, and I thought real hard - and when I put everything together, like him not knowing about TMs, or basic dungeon stuff; him getting all super anxious around you when he wasn't that level of freak-outy before before."

I make a big sweeping gesture with my feathers, before finishing with, "It all came together just right when he mentioned this place called hell, where he told me it was like where bad 'mon go when they die to get punished, and I was like 'Ah-HA-"

I trip over a rock as I'm walking backwards, taking a tumble and hitting the ground with the back of my head. Yet, in spite of my massive crash, I still see my shpiel through to the end.

"… Arthur must be from a cult!" I exclaim with a strong sense of finality.

There's a moment of silence as I lay on my back. Snizzy steps up and looks down at me, his face silhouetted. I stare at him, he stares at me.

"Cole," he begins.

"That's dumb."

I hop up from my spot on the ground to defend my case.

"No dude, I'm being serious - this is totally legit!" I say, flapping my feathers to emphasize how super cereal I'm being.

We continue walking as the trees finally clear out, and Brownsville comes into view. Beige buildings, beige dirt road, probably beige 'mon as well. If I had to guess, I'd say just another ten minutes until we get there.

While we walk, I keep trying to convince Snizzy. "Like, c'mon 'mon, I know you know Arthurs a massive weirdo! What oth-"

"Cole," Snizzy says sternly, interrupting me.

"Huh?" I respond dumbly.

Snizzy looks at me really hard, and slowly asks me, "How long have you known this individual?"

I tilt my head and think about it for a sec. After a moment, I answer with, "Like a day, I guess."

"Okay, you have known this 'mon for a single day," Snizzy says simply. "Do you think that perhaps trying to pick him apart and figure out information he does not want to tell you right now might not be the… as you would say, coolest thing to do?"

At first, I'm surprised, but I recover quickly enough to defend myself. I stop in the road, and say, "But he's so quiet, 'mon!"

"And?" Snizzle responds with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms.

"And he's all weird and nervous!" I reply with ruffled feathers.

"And?" I hear again.

"And like… he never says anything, 'mon! He won't tell me anything about him!" I finally exclaim.

Snizzy shakes head, pinching the bridge of his nose with his right hand. "Listen to me - he is not obligated to tell you anything. If he doesn't want you to know something about himself, you must respect his desire for privacy and move on."

"But dude, what if it's like important or something? Ya never know!" I counter, getting a little worked up over this argument.

Snizzy just sighs and looks at me with a frustrated look, before saying, "Cole, I am going to be frank with you - drop it. This is blatant disrespect to the 'mons privacy, and to be blunt, we've already had this conversation two weeks ago."

I start opening my beak to defend myself, but as Snizzy's words register I let my head feathers go limp. The excitement riling up in me leaves as Snizzy reminds me about the other time this happened.

I'd been digging around in his stuff, trying to figure out what his deal was. I'd picked up a thing or two, just listening to him talk about his 'First team.'

I still remember how… just, angry Snizzy was when he found out. He said, 'This is blatant disrespect to my privacy!' and we got into this whole big argument about privacy and… well, y'know, it kinda stings to get slapped with the same words twice.

There's a quiet moment of tension. For a sec, I'm not really sure what to do, so I just quietly say, "Okay… you're right. I should know better."

I see Snizzy nod his head briefly as the tension in the air settles.

I can hear the sounds of busy 'mon not too far off as we stand only five minutes away from the town. If it weren't for this whole thing with me and Snizzy, I'd be happy to hear it.

Now I'm just kinda relieved.

Snizzy turns to the road ahead, and I follow him as we walk into town

Grasping the rough wooden handle in my hands, I pull the broom inwards, dragging a steadily growing pile of dust towards me.

As soon as Cole and Snizzy left, I made my way through the forest path to the house. The walk had given me time to adjust to my environment, and by the time I reached the house, a steady calm had fallen upon me.

As it stands, I'm sweeping the floor of our shared home.

Taking inspiration from Snizzy's creative use of his ingredient box's lid, I've emptied the carrying case for my TM and have begun using it as a makeshift dustpan of sorts. It's surprisingly effective - though I must note that it is difficult to get the dust over the lip of the case.

On the stone table is my Training Manual with the marble-like orbs and scratched pieces of miscellaneous crystalline paraphernalia that were included with it.

While I hadn't payed much mind to the contents of the case beyond the manual therein when I initially got it, I must confess that a strong curiosity towards the crystal bits and bobs has formed in me.

I carefully use the broom to navigate the dust into the TM case, and with a bit of finagling - as well as a bit of patience - I get it in there.

With a pleasant calm in my mind, I pick up the case in my left hand, and carry it to a nearby open window. I stick the case outside the window, and dump the dust to meet its brethren from earlier.

As I take the case back inside and place it on the floor, I feel a small smile form on my face.

In spite of the menial nature of this task, I find it quite… soothing. The repetitive motions lend a certain appealing rhythm to the whole affair, and that's only enhanced by the pleasent buzz of taking care of something.

Still, as I set back to work on my task, I glance again to the table in the center of the room.

After a moment of staring at the pile of objects, I cannot resist the urge to examine them. The intrigue in that pile is simply too great, so I gently put down the broom in order to examine the Training Manual and associated objects.

Upon walking up to the table, I decide to examine the manual first, as it is probably the most important part.

Grasping it, I feel the wiry fabric that makes up the scroll. It reminds me vaguely of papyrus, with the fibrous sheet feeling textured in an almost cross-hatched pattern. It is somewhat satisfying to feel.

Then, I open the scroll and look inside.

The first thing I notice are… drawings? Yes, what looks to be artistic representations of the steps necessary to perform whatever technique it is that this manual was created for.

Surrounding these drawings are what I assume are instructions in a script I only partially recognize. The basic elements of the design I recognize, but everything looks distorted somehow. The letters are exclusively capitalized, and are peppered with large circular gaps - almost like eyes - which make the presumed instructions difficult to read.

At the very top of the scroll, in massive bold letters, is the title, 'TRAINING MANUAL 1F - SECRET POWER.'

Secret Power, you say? This, even more than the bizarre script it was written in, intrigues me.

I don't know if it's a good idea to study this scroll or not, but considering that Cole said that these can teach me combat techniques to improve my battling - and good at battling I am not - then I suppose it can't really hurt.

The extra bits and baubles on the table are quickly forgotten as I study the scroll in earnest, or at least attempt to.

The scroll starts with a large paragraph. Squinting my eyes, it takes me longer than I'd like to admit to read it - the letters just look so bizarre!

'Of the many moves mentioned by those who practice the fine art of combat, there are few more enigmatic and volatile than Secret Power. Where Hidden Power seeks to unleash the underlying energy behind a 'mon's very essence, Secret Power seeks to unleash the underlying energy behind a 'mon's environment.'

Fascinating!

Alright, so if I understand this correctly, this technique will allow me to tap into my surroundings in order to… draw power? Okay, perhaps I don't understand the theory yet, but that's only the first paragraph!

What else does the scroll say?

'Secret Power is a technique that anyone can learn, provided they put in the time and energy. It is not limited by the constraints of one's individual pool of power, nor by physical considerations of the body. It knows no limits, in this regard, as to who or what use it. So long as one exists in harmony with the environment around them, one shall find themselves perfectly capable of performing this technique at a competent level.'

So even someone as untalented as me can learn this technique effectively? That's… this really is exactly what I've needed all along!

All of this that I've read up to this point has been at the beginning of the scroll. This has been very fascinating and inspiring, but now that opening section of the scroll has finished.

Looking down, I find the very first step to perform the move, and continue my reading.

'Before one can properly perform this technique, it is of utmost importance for the individual student to find in themselves an inner peace - a sense of connection, linking the feelings of relaxation and contentment to one's surroundings. Without this, Secret Power will allude the student.'

This is accompanied by a picture of an implacably generic 'mon sitting cross legged. The drawing is somewhat crude, but it does convey the relaxed posture of the 'mon quite well.

'One can achieve this state through a number of means, though what proves the most effective will be different from 'mon to 'mon. For some, the key may be meditation, deep contemplation, and utter stillness. For others, a more active approach of exploration - getting lost in one's environment - is the key. What you must do to find your peace is up to you, and you likely have an idea as to what style best suits you individually.'

I see.

So, in order to tap into this Secret Power technique, I have to find an 'inner peace'.

Learning this move may be a bit harder than I initially anticipated, but if nothing else, it does give me a fair bit of leeway. After all, there isn't a hard and fast rule as to how I find this 'inner peace' - finding it at all is that's required.

I quickly reread the introductory paragraphs of the Training Manual, as well as the first step, before I put it back on the table.

I can't say that I've experienced a great amount of calm in the time that I've been here, but I can say that the act of maintaining this home has offered me a level of contentment I was not experiencing otherwise. Perhaps I can use the sweeping of this house as the catalyst for this Secret Power?

I take up the broom once again, feeling the hard wood in my hands as I begin to sweep whatever I had missed up into a little pile of dust.

I allow the rhythm of the task to take me, counting two sweeps left, then two sweeps right. The central mound of the pile grows higher as the pile itself grows narrower. Once I've achieved a satisfactory shape, I carefully sweep the dust into the TM case, before taking said case, dumping out the dust, and beginning the cycle anew.

I hardly notice as time passes, absorbed in my task and experiencing a peaceful stillness of mind. It is only when I realize that there is no dust left to sweep that the spell is broken, and I realize that I've achieved exactly what the TM advises.

A peculiar, housework-induced inner peace.

With a calm mind, I put down my cleaning instruments and quickly make my way over to the table. There, I pick up the TM, and continue my study…

Snizzy's finger taps his chin in thought as he looks at the big ol' public cork board in the middle of town. His eyes are all scanning everything so intently, reading everything so carefully, and y'know? I gotta say… he looks pretty intense.

So here I am with the Big Snizz, hanging out at the board. There's all kinds of notices, n' announcements, n' like adverts - official stuff, basically - and they got it all posted right here in the middle of town on a big giant cork board.

Gotta admit, it's pretty convenient.

I turn away from watching Snizzy's super intense selection, and start watching the 'mon pass us by.

I feel the cold breeze on my face as all these 'mon walk down the beige street, surrounded by these beige little buildings. It's not super busy today, but its like eight or whatever, so there are still folks getting their morning shopping done.

It's always nice watching all these other 'mon going here n' there. You never really know what they're up to, you just know they're up to it, and it's pretty interesting!

Like, you'll see this dude walking down the road with this littler dude next to him, and you're like 'Woah, is that his kid? Maybe it's someone else's kid! Maybe he's like an uncle, or maybe it's some crazy sneaky kidnapping stuff!'

And then the next thing you know, they're gone.

Y'know, it's like, if there's one thing I gotta give Burnie and all those other jackasses credit for, it's showing me that there are all kinds of interesting stories in the 'mons you don't usually care about. I mean, hey, I used to be that 'mon no one cares about, and look at me now!

Like a couple people care about me now! Sweet!

I just wish, y'know, they spruced things up a bit around here. Maybe put a little color somewhere, right? Maybe some green, or some red - I don't know 'mon. You got all these interesting 'mon out and about in the town, going everywhere, but you have them in the most dull looking town since… well, I don't since when, but probably since a long time!

Hey, folks as cool and interesting as these ones deserve a town with a bit more pizazz, that's all I'm saying!

Like, I know the council's gotta approve stuff for the town, but they've gotta be able to think of better colors, right? How are you gonna represent all these different kinds of 'mon woth *beige*?

I mean, look, you got some grass bois, n' some bug bois, and… you got some grass bois…

Okay, maybe it isn't super diverse, but I mean, whatever! It doesn't have to be for these 'mon to deserve -

Oh hey, a Riolu! Neat!

Suddenly, in the middle of my 'mon moniter… ing - whatever - I hear a growl from my right side.

Looking over, I see Snizzy. He's growling at… the cork board?

I inch a little closer, and do a nice big hop to try and see what it is that's got Snizzy all pissed off.

At first, I don't really get what's got him so mad. There's not anything out of the ordinary - missions, advertisements, posters…

And then I see it - a big colorful poster. It's all blue, red, and white, and it's got the words 'TEAM APEX' written across the top in big bold letters. Right underneath are two portriats of 'mon, a Jigglypuff and a Cyndaquil.

I don't get to see much more of it on the board, as Snizzy tears it off the board, crumples it up, and throws it on the ground. Without a word, he grabs a random mission off the board, and storms off.

That… that certainly happened.

I pick up the crumpled up poster and stick it in the rescue bag. I probably can't ask Snizzy directly what's up, but I could probably get a clue or two out of this poster, y'know?

Looking up, I see Snizzy slowly disappearing down the street.

"Hey Snizzy, wait up, dude!" I say as I go running down the street after him.

Jeez, 'mon.