Chapter V: Hinata Meets Akira

"As Pokémon train and get stronger, they learn new attacks and abilities. For example, a Fire type Pokémon may know Ember attack at birth, which is a relatively weak attack. But as it grows, it will eventually learn Flamethrower or Fire Spin or a variety of stronger Fire type attacks. Almost every type has varying weak and strong attacks.

"A young Water Pokémon may learn Bubble at an early age. Though this attack has the slight advantage of having the small chance of restricting its opponent's movements, it seriously lacks in damaging capabilities. Water Gun, on the other hand, is usually learned by adolescent Pokémon and serves as a decent offensive attack. But it is clearly outranked by more powerful attacks such as Hydro Pump."

"Um…Takuma-sensei…I'm here." A small voice caught Takuma's attention and soothed his temper before he could get angry about being pulled away from his writing.

"I am hardly a teacher, Hinata. You are merely my pupil." Takuma put his book down and grabbed a Pokéball from his belt. He threw it and released Nobu.

"What do you know about Pokémon?"

"N-n-nothing, Takuma."

"I see," Takuma muttered, absentmindedly petting Nobu as the Furret rubbed against his leg, "well, Pokémon are pretty much every day animals, like your teammate's dog, Akamaru, except they have a large amount of chakra that changes their appearance. And with that much chakra, they can be used in battle. How do you feel about getting your first Pokémon?"

Takuma sensed something in this girl; she was definitely a kind girl and would take very good care of her Pokémon. But he could already tell she might have trouble taking her Pokémon into battle if she cared too much about it. That wasn't his problem, though.

"To tell you the truth, nervous. I have no idea what it'll look like, what Pokémon eat, or how to take care of it."

"Don't worry, you'll learn in time. And she will help you…"

"She?"

"Yes, your Pokémon is a girl. Don't be nervous, are you scared around Nobu?" Takuma gestured toward the Furret who decided to curl up in Takuma's lap.

"Not really…he looks nice."

"See? Pokémon are no different from animals. And it's time to meet your partner…" Takuma took another Pokéball from his belt and threw it into the air. The red light that poured from it formed into a small figure on two legs. It had a large, bulky, green head with a small white body in comparison.

"Ralts!…Ralts?" The small Pokémon exclaimed, looking at Hinata with a puzzled expression.

"Akira-chan…this is Hinata, your new trainer."

"Ralts!" Akira rushed over to Hinata while Hinata silently studied her new Pokémon.

"She does have a lot more chakra than most animals…"

"Actually, she has more than most Pokémon too. Ralts is a Psychic type Pokémon, quite rare these days. I thought it would be fitting from what it showed in your file. You specialize in close combat, damaging chakra points in your opponent." Takuma drew a diagram in the dirt, showing a dragon-like Pokémon and a girl's figure right next to it.

"Ralts and most other Psychic types specialize in immobilizing their opponents from a distance and they're known for forming especially close bonds with their trainers." Takuma then drew a crude sketch of a Ralts, further away from the girl and dragon.

"Akira…I feel like you understand me. Then again, you are a Psychic type…so I'm not surprised that you can get inside my head and talk to me…" Hinata sat on her bed, staring at her new Ralts as if in a trance.

"I want to be your friend, Hinata. Please, let me in! Don't be afraid of our link…you are my trainer!"

"Akira…chan…I'm afraid. I do not deserve a partner like you…I am a failure. I don't want to make you ashamed of me too…"

"You don't have to worry about making me ashamed…I cared so much about you the moment I saw you…please don't reject me…"

"I won't reject you…I could never do that to anyone…not after that has been done to me…by my father…by my family…"

"You don't have to worry about them anymore. We have each other."

Hinata and Akira spent that night together, curled up with each other in Hinata's bed, holding onto each other for a sense of reality.