*1 week later

*Elementary school gym

~ Eevee

"Hurk! Like...this?!"

I was attempting to do a pull up on a monkey bar, with Sylveon coaching me. We've been practicing all day and I still couldn't even do one. My face was already red and my paws were getting all sweaty.

"Yeah you nearly have it! Put your back into it!"

"Urk! I'm pulling as hard as I- Whoah! Moof!"

I fell on the ground face first with a smack.

"Hello hard ground. How long has it been? A few minutes? Nice to see you haven't changed. Still as hard as usual."

I heard Sylveon chuckle as he helped me to my knees.

"Before you ask I'm only talking to the ground because I'm hoping it will be a little softer next time."

"No, I'm just going to say why haven't you learned this already? Wasn't it a required criteria throughout 4th grade? So how did they let you pass without learning it?"

"Well there is a little story behing this one. The short version is I did have a coach teaching me. She was holding tutoring sessions with me and thanks to that I was starting to improve. But before I could learn it she was transferred to a middle school and since the year was almost over they let me pass since the rest of my grades were excellent. Only problem was I could never try it again because my classmates had found out I couldn't do a pull up and was made fun of it for a while. And that's why I never really learned it or tried it again."

"That's sad Eevee. At least you have me to teach you now, so come on up you get."

"Maybe if you'll try it I might actually start making some progress. Since I usually learn better through visual learning. So why don't you try instead?"

"I don't know Eevee. I don't want to make you feel bad, you know I like to showoff."

"Come on. How bad can it be?"

"Okay. Here goes."

I eagerly sit on the bleachers and watch Sylveon pull himself up and spin around like an acrobat.

"Uh Sylveon... How are you doing that?"

He paused for a sec to give me a look before doing some pullups.

"Lots and lots of...Urgh! Arm excercises. If you want to cover some...Hehe! I brought a book for you titled '1000 ways to work out your arms'. Hurgh! It's in my backpack."

I was excited at the number 1000 and eagerly opened the book.

'Number #1 : Pushups.'

"Why is it always pushups?!"

"Hmm? Oh hehehe! Don't tell me, you're not particulary fond of pushups?"

"Pretty much- Wait why are you upside down?"

"Hehehe! Um oops I guess I got a little carried away. But don't mind me just start with 20 pushups for now."

"20?!"

"Hehehe! Yeah 20."

"Argh! You're so mean!"

"What? I think that's an acceptable number to start with. Don't be afraid and just go for it you might actually surprise yourself."

"Okay fine..."

I read the book word for word and quickly bent down in the proper position for a pushup.

"1...

2...

3..."

I looked up for a second to see Sylveon go right side up and start doing pullups again.

"Hey! How did you do that?"

"Become one with the bar."

"What?"

"Hehehe! Yup. That's all it takes."

I shook my head in disbelief and tried to finish the last 17.

But I quickly came to a halt at 15 and fell down.

"Do-ne al-ready?"

"Phew! I haven't done pushups in a while. Phew! That really wore me out!"

"Ready to practice with the bar now?"

"Yes I am- How are you upside down again?!"

"What? I was bored."

"Hmmm, I'm gonna keep a closer eye on you Sylveon."

"Whatever you say. And hup!"

He let go bar flying backwards, did a series of complicated mid-air flips, and somehow landed on his feet.

"Wooh! Sticked it again for the 200th time!"

My mouth was open like an O after watching him do that.

"I see my audience is pleased."

"Wow..."

"Okay maybe speechless is the better word. Think you can do that?"

"Maybe in 20 more years. But for now I'll stick with pullups."

"Okay. You're loss."

He laughed and walked to the bar and held on his knee for me to step on up to the bar.

"Can you hold on without my support?"

"I'll try."

"Ready?! 1, 2, 3! GO!"

"WHOAH! Hurk! And 1...and 2..."

"I was worried for a second I thought you might slip off."

"No I got it."

It wasn't until I counted to 5 that I realized what I was doing. I was performing a pull up.

"What the- How am I doing this? Ah- Aaaaah!"

I fell and landed on something not so hard. Or rather I was caught. I looked up to see Sylveon.

"You okay Eevee?"

"Yeah I am."

"That's a relief. At least you didn't have to say hello to the floor again."

I suddenly started snickering and before you know it I was laughing my tail off, Sylveon eventually joining me and laughing too.

It was until a minute later that I realized he was still carrying me.

"Sylveon can you put me down now?"

"Oh right. Hehe! Sorry."

"And Sylveon how was I able to do that earlier? I was never able to do that before, so how did I-"

"I had a feeling that you just needed to warm up before attempting one. The push ups helped you because look what happenned. Do you know what the whole point of the lesson was?"

"To learn I have potential?"

"That's right. You were doubting youself too much because the past. I understand if it haunts you but you have to overcome it so you don't push yourself too hard to get around it. Yet you now have a guide you want to surpass and you want to face things that you were once afraid of. Like the bar and the push ups for example. Tell me how you were able to do it."

"I just needed to believe I could do it and just go for it woth overcalculating or let my fears get the best of me. Because that's not the pokemon I am anymore."

"Exactly. Oh?"

Without warning I started crying. I don't know why it happenned I just felt I don't know relieved and maybe even a little sad. I felt them both strongly and further because I have someone who believes in me. And Sylveon helped me realize I can become anything I want to be as long as I never doubt myself again.

I felt his paws gently tilt up my face and start wiping away my tears.

"You can do anything Eevee. And not as your teacher but as your friend. I believe in you."

"Thank you Sylveon."

I wiped the rest of tears up and gave him a confident smile.

"Are you sure you'll be ready for the test tommorrow?"

"Is it ready for me?"

"That's the spirit."

(Note : Eevee's exam is here?! After she takes it what will happen next? Find out more in Ch 108 ~ Eevee!)