Ch.69: The Brutal Training Begins! The Way of Psychic Combat!

Willow wasn't kidding when she said training will begin at the crack of dawn. Not even two seconds after waking up from bed, Ella was startled by the bold woman's ferocious hollers that rattled the weapon store in booming echoes. This led to falling out of bed and regretting what she placed herself into.

Hardly anyone else was awake (not that she could blame them), so it was just her and her master for now. Ella got herself changed into a new outfit before following Willow outside. Much to Ella's surprise, Willow provided her with a training uniform.

A black tank top and black pants that fitted to her body snuggly. The edges of the uniform were dark purple. Curiously, there was the Absol's symbol of a sword wrapped in light and darkness on the back. She questioned why the Absol would have a uniform like this on hand. Wasn't this just a weapons shop?

Well, apparently not, because she was then exposed to the backyard of the store. An outdoor training ground complete with various fields to test different combat conditions. A field of poles for balance and coordination, spinning training dummies for visual awareness of one's surroundings, and some others. Though, nothing beat the classic fighting arena stage in the dead center of it all.

That's where they were now. While the Espeon wasn't a morning Pokémon (the irony), she summoned up her willpower to keep a professional attitude. This was going to be her first training session and she could already tell it will be arduous.

Willow paced back and forth in front of her first ever student, a serious gaze about her eyes. Really, she was just contemplating what she should do. This was the first time she ever took in a student…well, legitimately, so this was new territory. Fortunately, having dealt with psychics before, she may have a plan in mind.

She stopped and faced her student, which made Ella go rigid in anticipation. "Ella Cipher…may you take these lessons to heart and grow as a person through them. Once we begin, you are not allowed to quit until I say so. If you have the drive to take up these daunting tasks, answer firm and clearly."

"Yes, Master Willow!" Ella shouted strong and proudly. Felt weird…but somehow natural.

Willow grinned. "Good." She closed her eyes. "Now then, in order to decide how we must train you, we must first decide on your preferred style of combat."

Ella smirked and placed her paw to her chest. "Easy! I wish to master the blade! I think I can handle it!"

Willow narrowed her eyes. "Yes…about that…"

"Eh?" Ella gasped in confusion.

"The sword is a mighty weapon in the right hands, or teeth, but also incredibly dangerous. One must have fine control over their weapon in order to properly wield. While the whole point of learning any weapon…I'm afraid it would take me years to teach you how to use a sword."

"Years?!" Ella screeched. "I don't have years!" She shrieked again at her tone, then bowed her head apologetically. "I-I-I-I mean…Master Willow, isn't there a simpler way?"

"Young one, do you know how difficult it is for a quadruped to wield a sword?" she asked. "We do not possess the dexterity of most bipeds and must rely doing most everyday tasks with our teeth. You can't teach a Machoke to stop writing with their hands and expect them to adapt to writing with a pencil in their mouth."

Great, now that hilarious image will be stuck in my head all day. Ella shook her head. "B-B-But…"

"And swords weren't exactly made for quadrupeds to use. With development, we've adapted to wielding them. However…to truly master it would take years for you. There's simply too much to be taken into consideration. Jaw strength, ability to switch the blade's position which requires masterful coordination, adapting to other bipeds and quadrupeds-"

"Okay, okay, I get it already!" Ella exclaimed, holding her paws out. She flinched and bowed her head. "Uh…I mean, I understand your point, Master!"

Willow sighed. "Please don't act so tense around me, young one. I'm still getting used to this as well." She raised her paw out to her. "I understand you are very busy. If this were a serious commitment, you would become a master when your training is complete. For now…I can't teach you how to use a sword."

"Darn it…" Ella grumbled.

"However," Ella perked up as she continued, "there is one weapon I can teach you to use, which will perfectly compliment the style I believe will best suit your needs." Willow smirked. "Rather than this be weapon training, I will be introducing you to a martial art designed for psychics."

Ella's jaw dropped and her eyes dilated with awe. "M…Martial art…for psychics?"

"Of the many Pokémon types, only some are still relevant. With the help of Fighting-Types through past generations, we've been able to develop various fighting styles that focus on honing the body to its maximum capacity. Different styles focused on different methods of unleashing pain. Speed and precision, overwhelming strength and force, rapid fire redirection, and so on.

"For you, I believe there's no other style more fitting the Psionic Style."

"Psionic Style?" Ella questioned after getting over her mild freak out.

"A style developed by Psychic Pokémon to fully complement their psychic abilities. It's utilizing martial arts with the added control of psychic energy. Sounds simple on paper. In execution, however, one can do so much more than meets the eye.

"Though, something of this power requires immense control off the mind and body. Focusing on both is key. Since you are lacking in physical training, we'll mainly focus on building up your strength."

"Yeah, but…" She tapped her gem. "What about my little problem here?"

Willow smiled. "Oh, don't worry about that. I have a way to not only give you your psychic abilities back, but also improve your mental strength. For now…let's begin with training to use the weapon I have in mind for you: the staff."

Ella has never truly wielded a staff before. Sure, she has held one and maybe took a few swings with one on occasion, but she never actually used one. Considering it was a weapon that required a bit more maneuverability than a sword, she felt there was no point. How exactly does an Espeon or any quadruped wield a staff without telekinesis?

Well, her crash course began now.

Student and teacher faced each other, a meter apart, with staffs wielded in their forelegs, rested against their shoulders. Willow held her head up and stated, "The staff is not a weapon of killing potential like the sword, nor should any weapon be considered as such. However, the staff provides more where the traditional blade lacks."

"Reach?" Ella guessed.

"Yes, but also control. The staff, unlike trained swordsman, requires extra emphasis on the dexterity of the hands. Movement in tandem with the staff allows the wielder to perform expert defensive maneuvers and debilitating strikes to wither down the opponent."

Ella raised her paw with lowered eyelids. "Uh, question…actually, more of a general observation. I don't have hands…and neither do you."

Willow smirked. "Yes, this seems like an unusual weapon for someone with paws to use. However, with enough muscle control and, in your case, the added benefit of psychic power, you can pull off moves similar to this."

Ella was treated to a startling display of skill as the Absol spun the staff around her foreleg with a flick of the paw. She stood on her hindlegs, retaining balance, and spun the weapon around her body without missing a beat. Expertly crafted spins and twirls of the wooden stick. It carried with it a strong breeze that blew away the gravel at her feet.

Willow spun onto her back and continued to spin the weapon, this time using control with all four legs. Ella flinched and jumped back when it came close to her face, showing off the reach Willow had in her spins.

The Absol flipped onto her hind paws once again and ended the fancy tricks, aiming the staff at Ella's face. "Holding the staff is the easy part. Gripping it is the tricky part. Learning to become one with the staff is the hard part." She spun it around again and dropped back onto all paws, resting the staff over her neck. "Now…repeat that entire display and I'll have nothing left to teach you."

Ella's eyes were wide in befuddlement, then she looked at her training weapon hesitantly. "Uh…sure."

She tried to flick the staff and spin it around her foreleg, but it flopped to the ground. She picked it up and tried again, repeating her mistake. She instead tried to do it on her hindlegs. Not only did she repeat her blunder again, but she lost her balance and fell onto her back.

"Ooowww…" she moaned.

Willow loomed over her and shook her head in disappointment. "Well, guess we have much to learn."

Ella glared. "You're having too much fun with this, aren't you?"

"Sweetheart, I haven't begun to get to the good stuff," she teased. Ella groaned and planted her paws against her face. "Now, let's see if we can't give that another whirl."

The others eventually woke from their slumber and made their way to the kitchen. The back of the shop acted as the family's home, complete with bedrooms, kitchen, etc. Though, there was a lack of guest rooms, so everyone had to sleep in different parts of the house. Since Ella was the one in training, she took up the only guess room. Courtney graciously offered room in her bed for Gwyn. The guys got the short end of the stick and slept in the hallway. Not too bad. They were used to sleeping on hard ground, anyway.

Wes offered to cook up pancakes, much to Courtney's delight. "Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes!" she hollered, slamming her paws on the table. "Extra chocolate chips! And Sitrus berries!"

Wes laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, kiddo, just plain. I'll be sure to add syrup."

Flint rubbed the back of his head and smiled Gwyn's way. "She didn't keep you up all night, did she?"

Gwyn looked tired, evident from an occasional yawn, but remained positively cheery. "Oh, not at all! I mean, we kind of stayed up all night and played games, but it was loads of fun!"

Courtney nodded. "Uh huh! Gwyn is the best babysitter ever!" She blinked. "…she's my only sitter. Momma and I always spend time together."

Tony smirked and leaned back. "Don't count me out yet, kid. Maybe I can teach you a thing or two about sewing. There's an art to it, you know."

"Oooh," she awed with sparkling eyes.

Griffin glanced to the side briefly as everyone chatted. He tapped his finger against the table, at first patiently. But, that was wearing thin as the chatter became louder in his ears.

He huffed an annoyed sigh and asked, "So, no one's going to say anything about Willow?" Everyone stopped talking and looked at him. "Seriously, her name is Willow Shadestar. Are we just going to ignore that?"

Courtney raised her paw. "Do you know my momma?"

Griffin pinched between his eyes and groaned. "I…probably, sort of…I don't know…"

Wes looked over his shoulder. "Griffin, we're all thinking it, don't worry. We just couldn't say anything at the time. The last thing she needs is for us to bring up friends of hers that died or disappeared."

"Besides, we're here for Ella," Tony reminded. "She wants training, so that's what she's getting. We can't distract Willow while she's helping her."

Griffin held his head. "I get that, I know…she just looks so familiar to me…"

"She does?" Gwyn asked. "Have you been here before?"

"I've been practically everywhere, but…no, I remember seeing her a long time ago." He closed his eyes. "I'm almost certain she's the woman who saved Mack, Holly, and me from Voss. I remember one of them being an Absol…can't remember the other guy's face, but my best guess is that he was that Ghostwind fellow."

Flint sighed. "Are all of us connected to the original Team Ravenfield?" He held his head and shook it. "That's too coincidental for me."

Wes flipped pancakes onto a plate and slid them onto the table. "You think we should ask her about Dad?"

"I don't know…it would be nice to hear about him from someone else." Flint placed three pancakes onto his plate. "But…let's let her work with Ella first. I wonder how she's doing so far."

"UGH! WHAT THE HELL, LADY?!"

Everyone nearly fell over when Wes bolted out of the kitchen. He ran through the back of shop, then burst out into the backyard, paw already on his Star Amulet, ready to activate. "Ella! Are you okay?!"

He eased up, however, upon seeing his friend was not in danger. Though, her taste buds probably were. The scene in front of him was the Absol mashing up blue leaves and a half-empty glass of clear blue liquid. Ella was spitting on the ground and wiping her lips in disgust.

"Ugh…that was way too bitter…"

Wes finally eased up and held his head. "Oh…never mind."

Willow looked up and smiled his way. "Oh, hello, Wes. Did we startle you?"

Wes bit his lip and darted his eyes around. There was a twinge of pink in his cheeks. "Oh…no, I just…thought I heard Ella in trouble, so…I…wanted to make sure she was okay."

Ella groaned and sat up. "You can save me from dying of disgust…"

"Yeah, uh…what's this about, exactly?"

Willow stood up and explained, "This is the remedy used to help accelerate the healing process to psychic burnout. Have you heard of a Mental Herb?" Wes nodded. "Consider this the magical equivalent to it. I am providing Ella with medicine that will boost her mental strength, as well as revitalize her psychic abilities. Our hope is to stabilize and gradually build up her powers. Lack of use should help her refine them."

Wes took notice of the headband now on Ella. A red band covering up her gem. "So, when you say lack of use, that headband is keeping her from using her psychic powers to build it up like a…muscle?"

"A good comparison," Willow confirmed. "By the time Ella is allowed to take it off, she should expect some…improved results."

Ella held up the glass of medicine. "The only problem is that this stuff is impossible to drink. It's like acid mixed with razor blades." She raised the glass to her lips and took a sip. Her face scrunched up with rejection, but kept herself from spitting the concoction out. "Ugh…this better be worth it…"

Wes pulled on his hat. "I…see." He smiled. "Well, I'm glad you're not in trouble, at least. You screamed pretty loudly."

Ella smirked. "Oh, were you worried about me? How thoughtful."

Wes turned away, feeling his cheeks heat up. "Uh…yeah." He narrowed his eyes sadly for a moment, then shook his head and turned back with a cheerful smile. "I know you'll do great! You're amazing like that!"

Ella smiled appreciatively. "Thanks."

Wes awkwardly backed away with a sheepish grin to hide his goof up. "Well, I've got breakfast to eat. Feel free to swing by and grab some pancakes." He dashed off before he got her response.

"Uh…thanks," Ella mumbled. She returned to drinking her medicine, enduring the taste from rejection.

Willow smiled at her. "He's a sweet boy, I see."

Ella sat the glass down and wiped her lips. "He's a cool guy. We're friends from all the way back. Even dated a while back." She stood up and stretched. "Though, he can be a bit much to put up with."

Willow chuckled under her breath. "I get the feeling." She picked up a staff laying next to her and handed it off to Ella. "Now, a few more warm-ups with the staff, then you can go enjoy breakfast."

"Yippee…" The Espeon was going to walk out of this with several bandages.

Ella eventually got her breakfast and, despite her weary state, retained her sophisticated mannerisms to keep up appearances in front of her friends. Though, the sweet taste the pancakes almost sent her into a hunger crazed rampage. Hitting herself on the head with a weapon she had no experience with was…just awful.

After that, Ella returned to the backyard in search of her master, then was led to the pole field. The idea was to perfect her coordination with her feet by balancing on several small surfaces with just enough space to stand on. The tricky part was not losing her balance and thinking about plummeting between the poles.

Her stance was awkward and ungraceful, like an Eevee trying to stand for the first time. Every time she stumbled around, she had to be mindful of where she placed her paw, otherwise it was face first into the ground.

Willow, on the other hand, reflected a contrasting image of the Espeon's current predicament, easily walking along the vertical poles as if they were solid ground. She carried their staffs on her back. "You have to have perfect coordination with how your feet move. This can effectively help you understand the best way to fight on uneven ground or to develop proper techniques for movement. Think of it as learning to walk across stones in the water, scattered across the surface. Now imagine that water to be lava. A scorching demise at a close range. The slight misstep can decide life or death."

Ella gritted her teeth. "Can't I just do something simple, like a snatch a pebble out of your paw? Or clean your windows?"

The Absol smirked. "Oh, no pebbles, but I have a suitable substitute." She held her paw up and extended out her paw, revealing a bell. "All you need to do is snatch this bell from me. If you do, you'll advance."

Ella formed a deadpan glare. "…that's way too simple…so I'm expecting to land on my face a lot."

"Oh, but that's not all." She grabbed hold of a staff and flung it over to the Espeon, who barely caught it. "You'll also have to engage me in combat."

Ella's eye was slowly twitching. A wry smile crept up on her face. "Oh…joy, making this even more fun and not strenuous at all."

Willow chuckled, grabbed her staff, and dropped it between the poles. "I'll give you a handicap. I won't make any physical contact with you at all. No punching or kicking from me."

"That's an oddly specific handicap…" She sighed and wrapped her paw around her staff, doing her best to stay balanced on three paws. "Okay…here goes nothing!" Ella raced off, lunging towards the Absol.

A part of her thought she was flying towards the Disaster Pokémon, remarking herself for her amazing takeoff. Then…another part of her saw reality as she missed her step and fell through the forest of poles.

"OH FU-!" Ella slammed on her stomach, remaining motionless as her body slowly registered the pain spreading through her. "…fudge…"

Willow walked over until she was directly above the fallen Espeon. "Not as easy as it looks, child?"

Ella peeled her face off the dirt and glared at her. This woman was awfully smug, something she admired, but it was getting her blood pumping. "I'm just getting started!"

Ella tried again and again, failing and adapting where she was weakest. Willow saw she was improving steadily. Nowhere the status of a warrior, but definitely less of an amateur than earlier. She was starting to get a hang of balancing on the poles. Running was far from her list of accomplishments, but at least she could walk.

Now, actually swinging her staff and getting the bell was a different story.

The Espeon got in close and swiped the staff at Willow. The Absol took a light step back and avoided its swing by a hair, unflinching from the closeness of the blunt weapon. Ella wasn't confident enough to wield it with both paws, still getting used to walking on all three on POLES. She has walked on three legs before, and two on occasion, but with solid ground!

Ella tried using jabs with her staff to make use of its reach. Willow teased her by hopping around the poles like a Buneary, perfectly landing with all four paws on the poles. In her frustrations, Ella fell down several more times.

This went on for, surprisingly, three hours. Ella hardly noticed as she tried to learn the best way to maneuver the poles. She felt she was getting better, even having some confidence to go into a run. Willow continued with her fun by adding more to her evasions.

Just to further infuriate Ella, she did more than just hop around the poles. Oh no, she went all out. Flips, paw stands, twirls, even doing a mini breakdance for the heck of it. It became clear by now, or hours ago, that Willow had the advantage in her own training set.

After…several failings, Ella was lying on the ground, contemplating crawling back into her bed with ice cream to calm her sore body. Willow finally jumped down and met her on the ground. "Okay, we can take a break."

"Ugh…" was her only response.

Ella was allowed an hour of rest, treated to a light snack, water, and that disgusting herb medicine that offended her tongue. She was surprised how long she was enduring half a day of exhaustion. She wasn't sure how much progress she was truly making, feeling like she has been making the same mistake over and over again.

Ella held her head and leaned back against the wall, staring up at the backdoor's awning. She was used to seeing the others training hard and giving their best. Is this what it felt like in the beginning for them? Constant trial and error? It felt like a drag, yet surprisingly satisfying for the end.

She shook her head and felt around for her water. Her eyes widened as the glass was handed to her, right in front of her face. She glanced over and smirked at the Umbreon who snuck by and joined her side. "Thanks." She took the glass and sipped it.

Wes smiled back, then looked ahead. "You know…I always wondered what stopped you from taking up proper training before. You always had interest in learning to fight."

Ella set her glass down and sighed. "Well, not everyone has parents like mine." She closed her eyes. "They took my interests as childish and not thought out, like I'm a little kid who still doesn't know anything."

Wes took his hat off and placed it in front of his feet. "I figured you were…richer than most of the kids at school. It wasn't hard to pick up on. But you never brought these feelings about your parents up with me or Flint. You always kept silent about them other than…basic, normal kid stuff."

She rolled her eyes. "There wasn't much to say…not much to care about." She picked up her medicine and held it up to her lips, but didn't sip it. "I'm an only child…so they put their focus on planning my future and allowing me to succeed. As a kid, that should've made them the best parents ever. In theory, it was a great idea. In execution…" She shook her head. No need to finish the obvious answer.

Wes smiled sympathetically and scratched his cheek. "That explains why you always came over to our place."

"Your parents are cool. I liked them. Felt like I was getting the full experience." She sipped her medicine, cringing at the awful taste. "Ugh…" She vigorously wiped her lips.

"Plug your nose."

Ella glanced at him. "Huh?"

"It helps the taste go down easier."

Ella blinked, then pinched her nose shut as she took a hesitant sip. Much to her surprise, it went down without much thought. She gulped some more and swallowed. She chuckled. "Should've tried that sooner…"

Wes closed his eyes and smiled her way, then gazed ahead at the training ground. "Ella, I never thought of you as useless. You're a much-needed anchor to help keep us grounded. Even though you say you have no personal goals, I believe you have a better understanding of what it means to take things in strides. I complain about it, but you know when its time to take a break and sit back. And…well, you're just an amazing person to be with."

Ella laughed under her breath, scratching the back of her head. "Stop flattering me." She glanced at the Umbreon from the corner of her eye. "Do you think I can fight the shadows? As a strong ally?"

"You're already a strong ally." He grinned encouragingly. "Now you're just going to be even more badass than normal."

She snickered behind her paw. "Well, I do have the sass and attitude." She glanced back at the shop. "How are the others doing?"

"Flint and Griffin are doing their best to run the store for Willow. Tony and Gwyn are keeping Courtney entertained." Wes grinned sheepishly. "I may be taking a scheduled break…of my own doing."

Ella smirked. "Lazy bum."

"I'm not lazy!" he whined.

She laughed, then picked up a berry. She chewed on it, swallowed, then continued their conversation, "Do you have any idea what I should do once this is all over?"

"You could come treasure hunting with me again," he suggested. He rubbed his foreleg with a narrow eyed, guilty expression. "I'm…really sorry I got you hurt."

Ella shook her head. "It's in the past. My leg's doing just fine. I'm still not sure I want to continue treasure hunting." She held her face. "With my studies and lack of goals, I just don't know what to focus on. I might as well become a teacher for ancient text. It's the only thing I have."

"Didn't your parents say they didn't agree with that?" he asked.

"That's why I'm taking it." She grunted. "I just want to show them I don't need their help."

"And yet you don't know what you're doing."

"I just don't want to follow in their footsteps. They didn't leave the best impression on work ethics if they have to bring their young daughter to boring meetings and equally trivial parties. Kids hate boring things, you know!" She crossed her arms. "I didn't get to do the things I wanted and never had anything I enjoyed. You and Flint were the exception in my life."

Wes rubbed his head. "Maybe you can make the most out of this training. Might benefit your indecision."

"I'm not sure I can handle becoming a professional warrior or bounty hunter," she admitted.

"Not like that. Just…something. You like to fight. Maybe there's something you can make out of that."

She scratched her cheek. "I'm not sure."

"Well, either way, I know you'll make something of yourself." Wes smiled kindly. "And if not, I'll be there to help you."

The Espeon stared at her friend in awe, then smiled back. "I knew there was something about you I liked."

Wes chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, it's just me being me." He suddenly tensed up for a second, then relaxed as Ella gave him a side hug. He smiled and wrapped his foreleg around her. "That's what friends are for, right?"

"Forever and ever." She pulled back and nodded sharply. "I won't let this training deter me. At the end of the day, I just want to do my best to help you guys." She held her paw up in a fist. "I'll give it my best."

Wes grinned and bumped her paw. "And we'll support you through." He stood up and opened the door. "I better help the guys before they throw a fit with me. Keep learning." He closed the door behind him.

Ella smiled, then returned to her snack with brimming confidence to replace her weariness from earlier. And the whole conversation didn't go unnoticed by Willow, who happened to be sitting around the corner with her forelegs crossed. She had a warm smile, then laughed quietly before walking out to get their next training session ready.

Later in the day, Ella continued in her training. They've moved on from battling atop the poles and took to a simpler exercise…at least, as simple as it could get. Willow was now having Ella adapt to relying on her other senses, rather than sight. As expected, this required the Espeon to wear a blindfold.

Ella wobbled around on her hindlegs, using her staff as a cane every so often. She spun the weapon a couple times, getting the feel of using it. Her ears twitched as she listened out for her teacher walking around the field. She paid extra attention to the clicking of her claws.

"Good…I can see you're focusing intently," Willow complimented as she stopped behind Ella. "Sight is a remarkable sense, but it can be disabled easily through various means. Dust, blinding light, a direct attack on your eyes. That is why you must know how to use your other senses. Hear your opponent's movement. Feel the vibrations in the air and ground. Smell their position."

"Not sure how I feel about that last one." Ella dropped onto one more paw, still holding her staff in her foreleg. "So, I need to rely on all my senses?"

"There's another feeling you must listen out to: instinct. More often than not, it's the sense that is most reliable in a jam." She continued walking around Ella, where the Espeon focused on constantly facing her position. "You need to trust your instincts. They are like miniature alarms in your head, which detect things even your normal senses cannot perceive."

"Sounds…difficult," Ella admitted.

"It is that feeling of awareness. It comes with experience to train and understand how your instincts respond in danger." Willow picked up a staff and spun it in her paw. "There's no easy way to explain how an instinct works, other than it varies depending on the Pokémon. In fact, you have more of an advantage than you think."

"What do you mean?"

"See for yourself."

Willow jumped and swung her staff down on Ella. Without even thinking, Ella raised her own and blocked the staff, narrowly avoiding her face. Her eyes widened underneath her blindfold. "The hell?! What happened to no physical contact?!"

"I didn't make contact, did I?" Willow pulled her weapon away and smirked. "But you blocked, didn't you?"

Ella blinked, then 'looked' at her staff. "…huh…"

"Espeon have interesting biological mechanisms, from what I've research. Your psychic abilities grow in strength from sunlight, something I'd recommend keeping in mind. But your main advantage is your fur. Fine and silky to the touch, it can read the air currents for disturbances. You've never noticed this because it's a part of yourself you never focused on until now. We don't need to train you to be as strong as your friends, but rather train you to know how to avoid and counter attacks."

Ella spun her staff a couple times, then grinned. "Heh…guess magic isn't all that overpowering."

"That's how I get around. Absol have the uncanny ability to sense danger. I've fine tuned it into my own warning system. It's learning how you fight that we're after. Tell me, do you know exactly how your friends fight?"

Ella tapped her chin. "Griffin's very offensive in battles. Tony uses a lot of hit-and-run tactics. Gwyn's a mixed battler, which makes her harder to read. Flint's more tactical and lets his Guardian do the heavy hitting."

"And what about Wes?"

"…I'm honestly not too sure about him. He's…kind of a jack-of-all-trades, by my best guess."

"Everyone has their preferred method of battling, one that works well for them, but doesn't suit the needs of the other. In your case, with your psychic abilities and your potential for finely tuned awareness, you could have the potential of using your opponent's strength against them."

"You think so?"

"That's not my call, of course. More of a general observation."

Ella pulled her blindfold off. "And you said this would work in tandem with the weapon you have in mind for me."

"I do have something that should work perfectly for you, but give it time. There is still much to learn." Willow smiled. "The key is to finding how you fight and working from there. Once you've gotten a handle on the staff and learn to properly utilize your psychic powers, things should run smoothly from there."

Ella rested her staff over her shoulders, hanging her paws off of it, and smirked dryly. "This is a lot to take in for one day, you know."

"Your circumstances are different from that of a proper student. The rest will simply be more trial and error on your own time. Your friends, of course, will be alongside you to give you tips. Use them wisely."

Ella nodded. "Of course."

The day went by and training came to an end. Ella finally took a long-deserved break, starting by throwing herself onto her bed. She sank into the covers and shivered against the cool surface. Her muscles were throbbing, mostly in her legs. It was only one day and she hardly stepped up from her current skill level, but she learned so much in that time.

"I'd consider showering, personally." Ella looked up and saw Gwyn walk in with a tray of food. "No offense, but I could smell you from down the hallway."

Ella sighed. "I'm not used to sweating this much. I've gotten used to walking for hours, but not actually pushing myself past my limit." She lifted her head and sniffed the food. Her mouth started watering. "Oh sweet Mew, that smells delicious."

Gwyn giggled. "It's funny hearing an expression about me. But yeah, Wes made it himself. He made sure to get it exactly right for you. He figured you needed the energy, so he made stew with me providing the healthier choice of berries and vegetables, some protein on the side, and a nice glass of Sitrus juice."

Ella sat up and smiled gratefully. "You guys are the best."

"Anything for my bestie!" Gwyn beamed at her. "How do you think you're doing?"

"I probably should have keeled over hours ago, but I'm progressing." She lifted her glass and sipped on it. She sighed in relief. "Way better than that stupid medicine."

Gwyn hopped onto the bed. "You must be having fun."

"Heh…'fun' isn't the word I would use." Ella smiled at her. "But…there is something exhilarating about learning new skills." She pulled on her headband. "I wonder what's going to happen when I finally take this off."

"Maybe you'll EXPLODE with psychic power!" Gwyn exclaimed, throwing her hands up and making explosion noises. "Boom! Pow! Ka-Ka-Kaboom!"

Ella laughed and nudged her arm. "You're such a little kid." She smirked to the side. "Though, I wouldn't be against the possibility."

"You think we could spar when we leave?"

Ella looked at the Mew in surprise. "Seriously?"

Gwyn smiled. "Sure, why not? I'm a Psychic-Type, too." She chuckled sheepishly. "Though, I guess I would be mistaken for a Grass-Type given my family history, but you know what I mean. It'd be nice to have a new training partner."

Ella rubbed her chin, then grinned at her. "You know, that's not a bad idea. I might as well see up close what makes you such a strong opponent."

Gwyn wagged her tail, then looked at the bedroom door. "…you know, you talking about your lack of personal goals makes me think of my own."

"What do you mean?"

"I often wonder what I want to do when this is all over. I could continue running my mom's shop and become a potion master. On the other hand, I'm having so much FUN hanging out with you guys!" She giggled with a cute blush. "Flint, you, Wes, Griffin, Tony…it's been fun!"

Ella smiled and hooked her foreleg around the Mew. "Aww, I feel the same way about you." Ella laughed. "Maybe you can visit us in Quartz Plain and room with me during your stay. Nothing fancy, but I can guarantee a fun time." She tapped her chin. "Though, you don't drink, so that's one thing to cross off…"

Gwyn giggled and pulled her foreleg off. "I'd love that. Anything to keep hanging out with you guys." They heard a knocking on the door. "Oh! Come in!"

The door nudged open and Courtney walked in with a book in her mouth. "Gyn…can yew…" She pulled the book out of her mouth and started over. "Can you read me a bedtime story?"

Gwyn beamed and shot off the bed, scooping the child up. "Of course I can! What a silly question!" She hugged the little Absol.

Ella held her chin and smirked with a devious thought in mind. "You're so sweet around kids. Ever thought of having any when you're older?"

Gwyn grinned. "I don't see why not! Kids are SSSOOO cute!" She marched out the door. "Goodnight, Ella!"

"Nighty-Night, Ella!" Courtney exclaimed.

Ella waved back. "Goodnight, you two." The door shut behind them. Ella reached for her stew and took some bites. She caught a whiff of her fur, gagged, then set the bowl down. "On second thought, I'm taking that shower now."

Two days passed. With every hour of training she accumulated, Ella was improving from her original place. She still has yet to master the staff, trouble with using her forelegs to fight in a coordinated manner. She has gotten used to the taste of her medicine, likely because her taste buds went numb in disgust. She has been learning a bit more of her advantages as an Espeon and taking them in strides.

Ella stood atop the pole field, facing Willow who dangled the bell at her. The Absol smirked. "Alright…let's try this again. Take the bell from me."

Ella strapped her staff to her back, then readied herself up. "Yes, ma'am."

She narrowed her eyes with laser focus, then sprinted across the poles. She adapted well to the vertical placement of the poles, moving her feet carefully, yet quickly on the limited surfaces. She was almost running like she would on land.

Willow jumped and avoided the lunge for the bell. Ella stumbled a bit, but caught herself and resumed the chase. She swiped her paw at the Absol, just out of reach of the bell. Willow leaped over Ella and landed on one paw, then avoided the sweep kick from her pupil. She hopped along the poles, now holding the bell by the ribbon in her teeth.

Ella pulled out her staff, got her hold on it with her whole foreleg, and ran after her. She jabbed the pole for quick strikes, but Willow jumped out of reach. Ella spun the staff a few times and chased her down again. Willow jumped over her again, but the Espeon felt a disturbance in the air through her fur.

With a cunning smirk, and risky planning, she spun on her back on a single pole, which hurt a lot, and swiped at where Willow would land. The staff swept across her legs just as she landed, knocking her off balance. She fell through the poles, which excited Ella for a moment, but Willow pulled a fast one and grabbed hold a pole and bent back on it.

Willow smirked. "Excellent try, Ella." She hooked herself around another pole and released the other, snapping it back into position and slapping Ella's staff out of her paws.

"OW!" Ella flew onto her hindlegs and waved her stinging paws. The sudden jerk caused her to lose balance on her two legs and fall back, slamming onto solid ground. "Ow…" she moaned.

Willow slid down the pole and came to her aid. "That was brilliant use of your senses, Ella. You're learning well about your hidden attributes."

"Yippee…" How haven't I gotten a concussion yet?

Willow helped her up. "How do you feel?"

"Sore…tired…hungry…"

Willow chuckled. "How do you think you feel?"

"Exactly those three things."

Her master shook her head and tapped her on the forehead. "I mean up here. Do you feel any different from when we placed that headband on you?"

Ella looked up as best she could and tugged on the band curiously. "Um…not really. I thought you said this completely suppressed my psychic powers."

"Sometimes it's the internal feel you're looking out for. Do you feel the medicine has been helping you?"

"My…head does feel a lot clearer than normal."

"What you've been drinking has been subtly boosting your mental strength. It's the key to psychics getting stronger. For anyone else, though, it helps improve memory and thought process." She held up one of the herb leaves. "That's the whole point of this medicine. We're speeding along with the training and getting you to learn to carry yourself better. Soon, wielding a staff will be second nature."

Ella spun her staff around. "So, how come I can't learn to use a sword if it's a short cut?"

"There's only so much of this stuff you should be drinking before it becomes an overdose. Besides, at the end of the day, a sword would still require much stronger dedication. As I said, I'm only teaching you the basics of a staff. You'll have to self-teach yourself the rest on your own time. I suggest exercising more often."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Noted."

"We'll resume with your instinct training after lunch. This time, you'll have to actually fight someone."

Ella groaned. "Seriously? You just like seeing me get hurt, don't you?" She rubbed her face, then her eyes widened. "Wait…you said 'someone,' not yourself. Who am I fighting?"

"I should have figured."

Ella stood on her side of the fighting ground, facing her opponent: the ever-speedy Tony, who spun his scalchops on his fingers. He smirked. "Willow asked me to help you with your senses. If you can keep track of me without your eyesight, you should be golden."

Ella glared at Willow, who stood off to the side. "…is this some sick joke?"

Willow chuckled. "If we want to see the upper limit of your senses without psychic aid, I felt to use on-hand resources wisely. Your friend is more than happy to assist."

Tony sheathed his scalchops and gestured a beckoning hand at her. "Don't worry, Elly, I'll be gentle. I wouldn't want to rough up that pretty face of yours."

Ella closed her eyes and flashed an irritated smirk. "Okay…sudden motivation rising." She pulled the blindfold down, then spun the staff in preparation. "Do your worst."

Tony crouched down and grazed the tips of his fingers along the ground. "I'd say don't blink, but you won't even see this coming."

"Quit acting smug and just-AH!" Tony flashed behind her and kicked her legs out from under her. Holy Miltank!

Tony slammed his palm against her stomach and blasted her back with a light Ventusphere. Ella tumbled across the arena, but rolled onto her feet safely. She shook her head and held her staff up, now finely in tune with the changing air currents around her. He was surrounding her.

"Cheap shot."

"You're the one with ultrasensitive fur, not me!" Ella felt an immediate disturbance behind her, but had no time to counterattack and took another sweep kick to the legs. She tried to smack him with a staff swipe, but he already left her range.

"Remember, Ella" her teacher called out to her, "Espeon can detect the immediate changes around them. It's practically instantaneous. Learn your senses."

"I'm fighting a living lightning bolt! Hard to hit something too fast to react to!" Ella swung in a direction she thought Tony was coming from, but he changed it up on her and shoved her head down. She stumbled off balance, then took another sweep kick. "Quit doing that!"

Tony appeared on the edge of the arena, sitting down with legs crossed. "I can only do so much without hurting you too badly. You're mostly defenseless the way you are now."

"How can I hit you if you're moving too fast?! I can't react that fast, even with my fur!" Ella waved her staff around, trying to deduce the Dewott's location.

Tony narrowed his eyes. "Battles are more than just fists flying. Think of it as a mental chess match, too."

Willow nodded and spoke up, "Remember Ella, a fight is more than overpowering your opponent. Wit and intellect are just as important. The ultimate counterattack can defeat the fastest or strongest opponent. You have to know what they can do and what you can do to disrupt them."

Ella narrowed her eyes. "Playing tricks, huh?"

"Something like that."

Memories of her time at the Quartz Plain bar surfaced. She knew the customers very well. She knew their preferred drink, fun little facts they mentioned in a drunken stupor, and their weaknesses. She knew who could take the most alcohol and who couldn't. A dishonest scheme to make more money off tips.

Ella smirked. "Okay, let me give it a try-AH!" Tony appeared and shoved her in the side.

"You shouldn't be standing around and doing nothing, either!" Tony teased cockily.

This time, Ella wasn't angry. She snickered under her breath. "Wise words. Let me give it a shot!"

Ella rolled to her feet and swung where Tony was. He, of course, dodged and zipped around the arena. Ella paid extra attention to the shifting air currents, listening out to the sensitivity of her fur.

Tony's all about speed. If I want to land a hit, I need to let him come to me and time my strike. He can take any ol' hit with ease. She snickered. But you forgot one small detail, Tony. My bestie is the one who patched you up after fighting Leroy. Meaning she knows your injuries better than you.

Tony bounced off the ground and rocketed towards Ella. The Espeon put her full concentration into pinpointing Tony, then got a read from behind. She shifted her body around, but didn't swing her staff. It's determining where he'll change position that matters. It's all about split second timing.

Tony saw her turning and flash stepped around her to get behind. Ella, however, detected these movements with her acute senses. Wasting no time, she projected a mental image of the Dewott in her mind and swung approximately where his left side was.

According to Gwyn, that area was still a little sensitive and needed some time to heal. Ella felt like a jerk for exploiting it, but oddly satisfied after being kicked around.

Tony wasn't happy when the staff grazed against his side roughly. His body tensed up and he immediately pressed his hand down on it to ease the pain, biting back the internal cry in him.

Ella sensed he was still and swung her staff at his head, celebrating in her mind that she actually scored a hit on Tony. After the shit he put them through back in Fuego Village, it felt nice that she actually countered the speedster while blindfolded.

Sadly, Tony wasn't so easily fallible. Ella quickly remembered that Tony…wasn't an idiot.

She felt the staff halt in its path. A few tugs on it told her the Dewott was gripping down on it. She shrieked and tried to escape, but Tony pushed the staff back and jabbed her in the stomach. Ella held her stomach and rolled onto her back, groaning.

Her eyes widened under the blindfold and her fur stood on end as sparks hung close to her face. She lifted the cloth and faced the sparking finger aimed at her. Tony was glaring at her, though he didn't look pissed. He actually looked legitimately amused by her cheap trick.

"That's a low blow, Ella. I'm the one who's supposed to pull those kinds of moves on people."

Ella blinked, then she smirked. "Hey, you were the jerk shoving me around."

Tony zapped her on the nose, making her flinch, then pulled her up by the paw. "We'll call it even." He smiled. "Not bad. You actually managed to tag me."

Ella rubbed her head. "It wasn't easy. That was the best I could do. I was lucky Gwyn doesn't know what doctor-patient confidentiality means." She let loose a hearty laugh.

"Oh, I wouldn't sell yourself short," Willow interrupted as she walked over. "You exercised excellent judgment of your surroundings and your opponent. You're beginning to learn your natural instinct. From here on out, you'll be able to improve how you see the world with that sense."

Ella grinned. "Heh…funny how much you can learn a few days."

"You still have a long way to go, but these are the stepping stones to your path." Willow patted her shoulder. "How long do you think you can use that sense of yours?"

Ella pulled her blindfold down. "One way to find out."

Ella seriously walked around all day with a blindfold on. It was to help further experience not using her sight. It felt weird relying purely on her fur to navigate. She knew Espeon were highly sensitive to their surroundings, but she never knew this was the extent of it. She was beginning to feel her forked tail quivering to changes in her position.

Though, she had a few small hiccups along the way, like running her face into a wall several times or mistakenly talking to the wrong friend. Walking was also difficult, but she grew used to it.

It felt like a new world to her. It was difficult to describe. She saw no physical indication something was in front of her, but she could just…tell. It was like an alarm system telling her she got too close to something. It felt odd.

Ella wasn't sure how much time past since she was blindfolded, but she got an idea when she stepped outside for late night training. Cool crisp air and a light breeze. Definitely night. Though, the dinner she had a few hours ago would've been the second clue.

Willow told her she was free to rest, but she still wanted to get a hang of the staff. She took some practice swings at the air, guiding the staff slowly to get the movement down. Her attempts at faster swinging would be clumsily executed, but it was simple progress.

Ella never felt so inclined to practice a skill for so long. Even when learning to hold a sword, she never put so much effort into it. She never imagined she could wield a staff in her paws. It felt nice.

Ella performed a few more swings, then rested her staff over her shoulders. "Who is it?" Someone walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She recognized the touch. "You're up late."

Griffin closed his eyes and walked past her. He drew out Infinity Breaker and spun it in his hand casually. "So are you."

"Just trying to get my technique down." She sighed and waved her paw around. "Do you know how hard it is to use a staff with all four legs? It's ridiculous."

"I've wielded Cekvar's Might with my feet. I'm use to strange fighting styles." He glanced over his shoulder. "Why are you putting in so much effort?"

Ella shrugged. "I want to seem useful to you guys…and I don't want to fall behind."

The Grovyle tapped on his polearm a couple times. "…I was the first person to know about your relationship with your parents. We hardly knew each other at the time."

"Felt appropriate."

"What are they like?"

Ella rolled her eyes. "My dad's pretty overbearing about business, but I kind of like him more than my mother. At least he shows off his weapons to me. My mother and I don't have the best relationship. Oh sure, one might think we're the same because of our love for the luxurious lifestyle and fabulous grooming…" She flicked the tuff of fur at her cheek dramatically. "However, she just doesn't…understand me as a person."

"Do tell."

"She married my dad and was sucked into the affluential lifestyle. She has this warped idea that you have to succeed by being a proper lady and focus on what counts: living a secure and wealthy life."

"Doesn't sound that bad."

"It is when you have to sacrifice most of your happiness to achieve it." Ella glared under her blindfold. "I don't want to attend parties just to do business and certainly not drag my child along to do nothing."

"But what do you want?"

Ella held her face. "Ugh, I don't know! I just…want to be happy! My parents want me to succeed, but neglect my happiness…or my 'childish' wishes."

Griffin narrowed his eyes. "Have you ever really told them this?"

"I've tried, but I get the same boring lecture about how 'we're doing what's best for you, sweetheart.' Ugh! I groaned every time I here that…"

Griffin turned around and crossed his arms. "If there's one thing I've learned from Sparky's feud with his father, these things can't be contained." He closed his eyes. "Don't take my advice, but maybe you should talk to your parents when you get around to it."

Ella raised her brow. "And you think they'll just listen to me?"

"Why not?" Griffin looked down somberly. "At least you have parents who raised and took care of you…you still had them…"

Ella eased up, then rubbed the back of her head. "Right…" She sighed and glared to the side. "I'll…I'll give it some thought…if we ever go back to Quartz Plain, I'll…try and talk things out…"

Griffin nodded in satisfaction. "Good…now raise your weapon."

"Eh?"

Griffin spun Infinity Breaker and got into a stance. "If you insist on staying up longer, let me try and offer my assistance. Don't think we haven't been watching you. Everyone's giving their support. They want you to succeed."

Ella blinked through her blindfold, then grinned. "You guys are too much…" She shook her head and chuckled. "Pesky feelings…" She stepped back and held her staff. "Alright, show me what you got."

The two clashed weapons, though Griffin went easy on her. He explained the proper way she should use the staff, even demonstrating it himself with crude, but efficient results. Ella took his advice seriously and tried to replicate the movements, though resulted in hitting her head or sides in the end.

Watching their training at the backyard door was Willow, who had a faint smile to her face as she watched the two spar. She backed away and slid the door shut, then silently walked towards the kitchen. She peeked around the corner and saw Wes and Flint bantering.

"Hey, I want to get to our destination soon, but what's wrong with a snowball fight?"

"Wes, the last thing I want is to chuck snow at our faces when the key is to stay warm!"

Wes grinned. "What's it to you? You stuck your face in lava and came out just fine!"

"The others aren't fireproof!" Flint shouted.

"Are they coldproof?" Wes asked cheekily.

Flint pulled down on his hat. "You are a deranged idiot!"

"I'm an adventurous idiot! Get it right!"

Willow chuckled behind her paw and walked past the kitchen. She climbed up the stairs and peeked around Courtney's room, where she was hanging out with Gwyn and Tony. The Dewott was teaching them how to sew.

"This is a useful skill many should learn," Tony explained to the young Absol as he stitched up some cloth. "While I'm all for fancy clothes, one should know how to make quick patch jobs."

Courtney stuck her tongue out. "Um…am I doing it right?" The cloth she stitched was messily done.

Tony laughed and ruffled her head. "A good try, but still some ways to go."

"AAHH! Tony! What happened?!" Gwyn shrieked as she flailed her arms. Her sleeves were sewed together, with the cloth hanging between them. "Help, help, help!"

"How did you even do that?"

"I think I stitched over my sleeves by accident!"

Tony held his head and laughed. "Good grief! Hang on, don't rip them apart." He walked over to undo her shoddy work.

Willow stepped away and sat against the wall with a contemplative stare. She had a warm smile on her face. A diverse group of oddballs who get along so well. They certainly are like their predecessor team. She then frowned and looked at the ground.

All of them…I miss them. Ava and Morgan, how you moved on with your lives. All the friends we lost…sweet ol' Clara…that goofball Garret. She gritted her teeth. Tears brimmed at her eyes. A…Alex…oh Alex…

She wanted to cry and mourn for the three they lost, she really did, but she wished not to disturb her guests. She bit her lip and calmed herself down, taking a few minutes to breathe. She held her chest and heaved a heavy sigh.

I can still feel the burns here…and the cold darkness I fell into…the loss…

She stood up and went over to the window, taking another look at Ella and Griffin in combat. She placed her paw against the window and gently ran it down the glass, staring at them and her reflection. She closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded at herself.

Ella…be strong for your friends. They need a strong-willed friend to keep them together. You have that inner strength…what I once had. I will see you to your full potential.

Meanwhile, far off in a dimension of twisted design, Nightmare entered the stronghold of Aeternus and flew through the halls, searching for the labs. A few floors down, he found his destination.

"Puck!" Nightmare called out as he entered the mad herald's lab.

Aeternus poked his head up and grinned. "Ooh, Nightmare! You've returned! I hope you're making good work of those pirates! You have the material I want, right?"

Nightmare bowed to him. "As you requested." He waved his arm over the workstation like a blanket, then unveiled many of item asked for. Magnetic ore stripped from mineral deposits, the two red sunlight gems, and the starlight buster ore.

Aeternus tapped her fingers together in excitement. "Good, good!" He glared. "Where's the priest cloth I asked for?"

"That's still taking time to acquire, but they're right on it." Nightmare bowed once more. "But we've gathered as much as you needed."

Aeternus grabbed the magnetic ore and looked it over. "Yes, you did." He smirked. "Let's see if we can't put those pesky treasure hunters into the ground for good." He snapped his fingers. "Rubia, my dear!"

The Cradily slowed walked out from the shadows. "You called, Lord Aeternus?"

"With the failure of my last assassin, I'll have to make improvements on the next one." He glared at her. "I will transform you into a weapon of mass destruction and have you squash those worthless treasure hunters for good. Think you can handle it?"

Rubia bowed to him. "It shall be done, Lord Aeternus."

Aeternus smirked unsettlingly. "Excellent. Enter the chamber." He pulled put a needle containing liquified darkness. "Let's prep for surgery." Rubia entered the isolated chamber.

Nightmare narrowed his eyes. "Why waste your time with these pawns? We should be worrying about the Shadow King."

"Eliminating those treasure hunters is just as important." Aeternus' grin grew. "Besides, we'll meet up with our king in time. Soon…very soon. For now, I'm just running tests to see what kills and what doesn't. I'll keep improving on the formula until it puts the worst of the worst down forever."

"Coming from you…" Nightmare sighed. "I suppose that makes sense."

Aeternus walked over to his wall safe and placed his hand against the steel door. "I won't be long before we use the revival formula and bring him back. A new body and the power of a god. Kehehehehehe…can't you feel the energy in the air? I'm tingling with joy."

Nightmare closed his eyes and smirked. "Heh…a new start is coming for us. I think you're rubbing off on me." He glared. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's destroy those treasure hunters and focus on bringing back our king!"

Aeternus' grin reached maximum width. "That's the spirit!" He threw his head back and cackled with laughter, sending chills to all in the base who heard.

A sinister aura was creeping ever so closer.