"Ok Saph, hit 'em with bullet punch again!"

[Yes!]

Sapphire rushed forward with both of her paws glowing as she avoided another poison sting attack. A wurmple had attacked us as we walked. Too bad for it, Sapphire was quick on her feet. She had closed the distance before it could attack again. Two hard as steel paws crashed into its face sending it flying a few feet.

Sapphire jumped forward to keep close. I watched the wurmple for a moment to see if it would continue the fight. It didn't move so I asked Sapphire to see if it was alive. She confirmed and I had her come back so we could leave. Nature would sort out the rest.

We quickly moved away, only slowing down once I deemed us far enough away. I motioned for Sapphire to come over to me. I grabbed her arm, running my fingers through her fur.

[It tickles.]

"I know but I need to make sure that the ergo-watch shielding worked." The technology has been thoroughly tested by thousands of trainers world wide but it was still new to me. My finger tips moved along her skin, parting the fur, looking for any abnormalities.

Once I was satisfied with her arm I checked the rest of her body. She would giggle and squirm when I brushed over a ticklish spot. But in the end my fears were unfounded. There was no damage to her body or a stinger stuck in her skin. I looked at the watch and marveled at the power it had.

The screen turned on showing it was only 10:00 AM. I sighed, standing to my full height, stretching from the extended time crouched. We were only into our second day and this last ambush from a wild pokemon was the fifth. Sapphire has been doing well. Her confidence is up since her failure in Oldale.

"I should let Opal and Ruby out to stretch for a minute." I pulled their balls from my thigh.

Sapphire was just happy to rest. Even with the shielding from the watch sapping her stamina instead of physical damage it was still tiring. She plopped on her back in a patch of grass letting out a contented sigh.

Opal and Ruby stretched as well. The both of them looking around.

[What time is it?] Opal asked.

"10, I just stopped to let you two stretch your legs. Even with the simulated environment it must be cramped inside."

Opal nodded as she wandered around. Her pointed legs balancing as she had her hands in front of her like a ballerina pose. After the beach we had drifted apart. I can only think that she is doing what I am. Sorting out her emotions, it might be a side effect of her evolution as well.

I shook my head as she left my sight behind some trees. Seems she wanted some privacy so I sat with my back to a tree. Letting my legs rest.

Ruby came back from her own escapades and barked at me. With a sigh I pull my pack off and fish out her Quartz.

"Here you go. Just don't bite too hard."

She yapped happily before taking the stone in her mouth. She ran around while I got comfortable again. Tossing her head around to send the stone a modest distance away. I smiled as she played fetch with herself. Quickly growing bored, then coming to lay in my lap. That is when Opal came back.

Opal spoke in pokespeech making Ruby whine and give a rebuttal. I sighed again, looking up.

"What was that about?"

[I just asked if she was comfortable.] Opal defended laying on the grass next to Sapphire.

"So what did she respond with? Sounded angry."

[The usual, why don't you come find out.] She pouted. Sapphire and Ruby snickered. I looked at Ruby in my lap, she was looking back up at me as she rolled onto her side. Pressing into my stomach.

It seems the other two knew something was going on between Opal and I.

I chose to ignore it. Instead I cupped Ruby's face and scratched her nose so she would wrinkle it. She let out a growl as she got ready to sneeze. I quickly removed my hand before she did.

I chuckled as her body jumped and her head shook with lightning speed with every sneeze.

"That's what you get for teasing your older siblings."

I leaned back as she got comfortable again, picking up her stone so it wouldn't get lost. After about five minutes I decided it was time to continue the journey. Opal and Ruby were sad to go back into their balls but the amount of poison types was too much.

"What would I do if you two got poisoned? Jenna and mom would kill me."

After they reluctantly went back into their balls Sapphire took the lead, proudly marching. I, on the other hand, was using a map I saved on my phone. Sadly I never got a compass, the trees blocked the cell signal and I had to rely on my survival training.

"Arceus this is annoying." I made a reminder on my phone to buy a cheap compass when we get to Rustboro. "Not doing this lost shit again." I grumbled.

Sapphire laughed at me as we kept walking. We happened across a slakoth who had fallen from one of the trees. They were not happy when I came over to check on it. After some convincing from Sapphire and a potion to heal their scrapes I helped them back into the tree.

Once I was sure they were at a safe height, Sapphire and I left. We kept marching until it got noticeably harder to see. There were no easy clearings nearby. So we decided to set up camp where we were.

I let Opal and Ruby back out while putting the tent up. We made a plan to get a fire going. The girls would collect some sticks while staying together and not going too far.

They moved quickly while I fussed with the tent poles. The soft ground made it easier to get the stakes in but the poles were pulling them back out. It irritated me after the first five attempts.

[Having trouble?] Opal asked, her voice filled with sass.

I threw down my tools. "Yeah, the grass roots are too loose and so is the dirt."

[Can I try?] She asked.

I stepped back. "Sure, I needed a break. I was getting too frustrated anyway." I left Opal to try and get the stakes secured. Instead I turned my focus to getting a small fire going. The girls had gathered a good amount of branches and dry brush. All I had to do was set up the rocks and position the lattice of kindling and branches. I went to pull my fire starter from my pack. Looking inside I found a new item was added inside. I pulled it out and it was a rough white crystal covered in stone. It looked like there was something inside but the outer crystal layers were too cloudy to make out what it was.

I hold up the object calling out to the girls. "Who put this in here?"

Sapphire was the one to respond. [I did. Found it while training. It was pretty.]

'So she put it in the pack.' I finished in my head.

"It is pretty. I wonder what kind of stone it is." I looked it over again. Trying to brush away the dirt and stone still clinging to the hard edges of the crystal. It did nothing to clear up the crystal though.

"Well we can find out what it is when we get to Rustboro. The Devon Corporation Headquarters is there." I put the stone back. Something about it just tugged at the back of my mind. It seemed familiar but I don't know why.

I finally found the fire starter and used it to get the fire going. It wasn't a roaring fire, just enough to keep us warm and the camp lit. I then got the food out.

After I was done Sapphire and Ruby jumped into my lap. I laughed as I rubbed their backs. They had done a good job and deserved a rest. I turned to look at Opal and she had managed to get the stakes secured.

"How did you do that?"

[I used Psychic to hammer the dirt down around the stakes. Thus securing them.]

"Is that normally how that move is used?"

[In a way. It is hard to explain.] She walked over to get warm, her hand on her chin. Thinking about how to explain. [It is just a wave of force. I just made the same force hit one small area.]

"Like a hammer."

[Exactly.]

I laughed. "Look at you figuring things out. Wonder if there are other ways to use the moves. Or if other moves have variable uses." I went to my bag and pulled out a notepad. I opened it and began to write down ideas. Then a thought came to mind. I pulled out my phone and with the spotty data connection looked up the Ralts line.

[What are you doing bro?]

"Thinking." I only had access to the documents I downloaded on the girls' species. So no videos or list ove moves they could learn. Just how to care for them and generic data on their species. Reading through the Ralts line I found what I was looking for.

"Hey sis, can you fly?"

Opal tilted her head. [Sort of, why do you ask?]

I smiled as ideas began to form in my head. "Because I found a way to make Swift hit harder. The fact that this new power is very versatile is just a bonus."

Opal scoffed as she placed her hands on her hips. [What move is so great that it hasn't even been used yet?]

I pick up a pebble and drop it. Letting it fall back into the grass.

"Gravity."

[Ok bro, you lost me.]

"Come over here." I show her the phone when she sits. "So I just checked the kirlia entry. Among the usual yaddy about trainer feelings and your species love of dance there was this."

I cleared my throat before reading. "The Raltz line of evolution has always been curiously able to create black holes in their stoneless evolution. This has had many researchers and trainers wonder about the ability. Is their ability to float and in some cases fly tied to their telekinetic powers or is there something more at work? Further study has yet to be done."

I look up at Opal. "This means, that if you can control gravity to a degree as a Gardevoir. You should be able to do it as a Kirlia since you can float around at will with almost no effort."

[I still don't get it.]

"Imagine what would happen if you increase the gravity around your opponent when they are not ready. They would fall and be immobile. Or if you made a swift star as heavy as a Snorlax falling from the sky."

Opal's eyes widened in surprise. Her arms falling from her hips as she finally realized what I was proposing.

[It would be devastating.]

"Exactly. We could make any move you make extremely dangerous. And with moves like swift that saturate and area."

[It would be like a warzone.]

We look at each other and smile. We needed to train. I thought of using her power to float and fly around to get a feel on how it all works. After she can reverse it we can focus on projecting the power from her to a target.

"First we need to eat." I take one of my MREs while also getting the pellets and bowls for the girls. I prepared their food as well as my own. Using water and the provided things to heat up my food and the drink powder provided. Once it was all ready I handed out the bowls to find Opal floating.

"Training already?"

She took her bowl away from me with telekinesis.

[I need to figure out the feeling of gravity control fast. Without that, our plan will only be a dream.]

I chuckled as she furrowed her brow. [It's harder than I thought. It is second nature to just float.]

"Yep, that is why it is called training."

[Have any idea on how I can learn faster?]

"Nope."

[Some trainer you are.]

"You don't even know how your powers work. Some kirlia you are." I shot back playfully, handing her bowl to her. She stopped spinning to eat. Choosing to float around as she ate.

It was a quiet meal. There was no training except for Opal's self imposed one. She was growing bitter at not understanding her control on gravity.

[It's so effortless. But if I try to lift anything else I use telekinesis and I can feel the effort needed for the power. It's so confusing!" She had lifted some small rocks only to drop them with her outburst.

"Sorry I can't help. I have been searching but no one has thought of this yet."

[Why not?]

"Remember what the beach shack owner told us? Your species is really rare after all that bad stuff happened. Before we might have had a few trainers try. However even in the pokedex, more advanced moves and maneuvers are not in there. Some are secrets for certain teams and others just haven't been mastered by the pokemon. The collective research by professors and trainers on the Ralts line in Hoenn has halted due to their seclusion."

Opal sighed, finally setting herself down on the other side of the fire pit. [So there is nothing I can do.]

I shake my head. "No, we keep trying. You will figure it out someday." I got up to move next to her. "I know you can." I placed my arm over her shoulder, pulling her into a side hug.

She sighed and leaned into me. [Thanks bro.]

"Your welcome sis." I smiled knowing the gap that was there for the last couple days is starting to close.

[John and-]

Opal yelled at Sapphire in pokespeech. Getting up to chase after her sister. Ruby took this chance to jump in my lap. I laughed while petting Ruby. Sapphire squealed in delight as Opal chased her red faced.

Soon enough it was time to turn in for the night. I snuffed out the fire and buried the coals. I changed and opened the door for the girls to come in. As they did Ruby and I looked around. Her tail was fluffed up.

I saw nothing and shrugged. "Must be a Slakoth or a Wurmple in the brush. Come on." I brush the feeling aside and pull Ruby in, zipping the entrance shut. I hugged them all goodnight before settling in. Opal still slept while holding Ruby's tail. I smile sadly.

'Well, today was a good first step back to normal.' I thought.

The next day we packed up and continued on after breakfast. I kept my bow and Opal out. She was still trying to figure out how she controls gravity. I just calmed her down when she got frustrated.

I managed to hunt down a couple rabbits. Tying their bodies to my bag.

[Still sad to see them like that.] Opal said.

[But super tasty!] Sapphire retorted.

"You are both right. Let's go."

A few hours later I could see the exit to the forest.

"Look girls, we made great-" A massive pressure struck my chest. Nothing was infront of me. Then my head and back slammed into a tree. My pack cushioning the impact a little. The wind was still knocked out of me.

My vision swam as I fought to stay conscious and breath. I could hear the scream of a Kirlia. The bark and growl of Riolu and Zorua. Then the sounds of battle. Then before I could try to help my world turned black.