[Gible's POV]
The air was cool, with just a bit of wind rustling the trees above us. As soon as I popped out of my Poké Ball, I saw that everyone else had already been released too. Paul stood in the center of the clearing, scanning the area with that unreadable expression of his.
"All right," he said. "We'll be training here for the next few weeks. Let's get camp set up."
He didn't yell. He didn't bark orders like some trainers I'd seen in the wild. But everyone around me moved like they already knew what to do.
Alakazam closed its eyes and raised its spoons and then things started floating. The tent unfolded itself, poles snapping into place and fabric stretching tight. Alakazam drove the stakes into the ground with pinpoint precision, no wasted motion.
Dusclops glided silently toward the perimeter, his eye glowing with that weird, unsettling red. He wasn't setting anything up, more like standing guard. He gave off serious do-not-bother-me vibes, so I made a mental note to do exactly that.
Elekid was muttering to himself, sparks already crackling between his horns as he was stacking rocks around what looked like the beginnings of a fire pit.
And Ursaring was just staring. Paul noticed and gestured towards a set of fallen trees. "Ursaring," he said, "how about you gather some firewood for us? Anything that looks dry."
The big bear grunted and lumbered off, his powerful claws easily snapping thicker branches and gathering armfuls of wood, which he deposited near the forming fire pit. He still looked a touch grumpy, but he was efficiently building a decent woodpile.
Chimchar zipped into action, hopping in to help. He sorted the branches with a grin, his flame blazing as he flicked Ember now and then to test which pieces would burn the best. He even tossed a few twigs in the air for fun.
I, on the other hand, had no clue what I was supposed to do.
I blinked and looked around, just kind of standing there like an extra rock on the path. Everyone had already gotten started. I shuffled my feet awkwardly in the grass. My tail twitched.
Great. Day one, and I already looked useless.
Then I felt something nudge against me.
"Huh?" I turned.
It was the green one, Larvitar. She looked calm, her little arms carrying a flat rock she'd found near the edge of the woods. She didn't say anything at first. Just tilted her head toward a pile of similar stones and motioned with a nod.
"You gonna help?" she asked, her voice soft but solid.
"H-help with what?" I asked, trying to puff up my chest a little. "I don't do boring rock-moving."
Larvitar smirked, just a little. "Sure. But you also don't wanna be standing there doing nothing, right?"
"…Fine," I huffed.
We walked over to the pile, and she handed me a smaller stone.
"Here. We're lining these around the camp to mark the boundaries. Having wild pokemon interrupt us during trainings would be annoying, this discourages them from entering the camp"
I stared at the rock in my claws. "This is pretty boring."
"Doesn't have to be fun, it's the essential work. We'll do actual stuff later."
Larvitar gave me a knowing look and kept walking.
So, I followed.
As we started laying down stones in a pattern around the edges of the campsite, I stole glances at the others.
Elekid had just finished lining the fire pit and now tested it with a few small sparks. Chimchar was crouched beside him, sorting twigs and kindling from the bigger logs Ursaring had brought in. Alakazam was doing one last reinforcement of the tent, and Dusclops hadn't moved at all. That red glow of his stayed steady, watching the woods beyond the trees.
Paul walked through the camp once, glancing at everyone. When his gaze passed over me, I froze for half a second.
"Good job, Gible."
He gave a tiny nod and moved on.
Just a nod and quick praise. That's it.
But I swear my chest puffed out just a little more after that.
Yeah, I think I could get used to this place.
It feels like I'm part of something now.
After camp was set up, we had maybe 15 minutes to relax.
Then Paul stepped into the center of the camp and clapped his hands a few times to get our attention.
"Alright everyone, we're going to start with morning training time. We'll be doing Gravity training first."
Everyone else stood up without complaint. Chimchar even rolled forward into a cartwheel before standing upright, clearly used to the routine.
I tilted my head, watching as Dusclops walked to the side. He raised both his arms and his eye glowed a bit brighter.
The grass flattened on its own. Dust lifted, then sank unnaturally. Even the sunlight seemed to bend slightly, like the space itself had gotten heavier.
I blinked. I wasn't even standing in it, but I could see the gravity press down on that spot. It was like the world in that patch had decided to stop playing fair.
Creepy? A little.
Cool? Totally!
Paul turned to me and Ursaring, both of us still sitting off to the side. "You two haven't done this yet, so listen up."
Ursaring didn't respond. He just cracked his knuckles.
"This is Gravity Training," Paul continued. "Dusclops uses Gravity to increase the weight of the field. Everyone inside moves like they're carrying extra weight. We'll practice running, dodging, and attacking. It forces your body to adapt. Faster results. Higher endurance. Better strength."
Ursaring snorted. I blinked. That sounded like torture.
Paul looked at the two of us. "Ursaring, you can head inside and join the others. I know you can handle it."
He grunted and walked straight toward the training zone.
Paul's gaze shifted to me. "Gible, when you go in make sure to take it slow. This'll be your first time under pressure like this, so don't overdo it. Alakazam will be watching. He'll pull you out if anything looks off."
I gave a little grumble and puffed out my cheeks. Does he think I can't handle it? I mean, okay, sure, maybe it sounded intense, but I was tough! I had teeth! I had claws! I was a dragon!
Still, I waited where I was, watching from the edge as Ursaring walked straight into the gravity field.
"THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE HARD? THIS IS SO EASY, COME ON!" he bellowed, only slightly crouched under the pressure.
Elekid, halfway through a slow jog in the field, scowled. "Man, shut up. You're a grown-ass Ursaring, no duh it's easy for you. Besides, you're just standing there! Do some laps like the rest of us!"
"HEY, PUNK, YOU WANNA FIGHT? I'LL KICK YOUR ASS AGAIN, JUST LIKE LAST TIME!"
From out of nowhere, Alakazam teleported between them, eyes glowing faintly.
"Behave. Both of you."
Ursaring froze.
Elekid looked away and mumbled, "Tch. Whatever."
They both backed down. Guess even big scary guys don't mess with someone like Alakazam.
Paul gave a light sigh, then glanced sideways at me. "Well, they're... lively."
I nodded sagely. I didn't know what 'lively' meant, but I'm sure he wasn't wrong.
He gestured toward the field. "Alright, Gible. Go ahead. Join them."
Alright! Time to show them what I've got!
I strutted forward, chest puffed out, and stepped into the field.
The air slammed down on me. My body tensed, muscles straining just to move. Each step felt like I was dragging a giant boulder behind me. My arms drooped. My legs trembled. Even my tail dragged like a limp noodle.
But...
I could handle it.
It was hard, yeah—but not impossible. Still, an idea sparked in my head.
I widened my eyes. Let out a dramatic gasp.
Then I flopped backwards like I'd just been shot.
Thunk.
Flat on my back, tongue out, little arms twitching like a Magikarp out of water.
Paul, standing outside the zone, blinked. "...Gible?"
I made a choking sound.
He panicked. "Alakazam, get her out!"
The psychic shimmered. A soft blue glow wrapped around me, and I was gently lifted out of the field.
As soon as I touched the ground, I rolled dramatically onto my side, groaning.
Paul knelt down, watching me carefully. Then, he narrowed his eyes.
"You're faking it, aren't you."
I cracked one eye open.
He sighed, but there was a slight smirk at the corner of his mouth. "Alright. You got me, Gible. Now get back in there."
Tail wagging slightly, I hopped to my feet and scampered back into the gravity zone.
Worth it.
Back inside, I watched Chimchar and Elekid go through the exercises, their movements surprisingly coordinated. I decided that I would copy whatever they were doing!
When I tried the push-ups, it was...sort of successful? My front claws could push against the ground, lifting my weight a little. It wasn't pretty, but I was technically doing something that resembled what they were doing.
The sit-ups, though? Forget about it. My body just wasn't built to bend that way. I'd try to curl upwards, but my short legs and long tail just made me wobble and slide. It was more like an awkward rolling maneuver than an actual sit-up.
After a few minutes, I caught up to Larvitar, who was pushing herself forward in slow, steady steps.
"Nice drama back there," she said dryly, without looking at me.
I huffed. "I earned that performance. I deserve an award."
She snorted. "Well, you better earn some muscle too."
"Huh?"
"This training?" She glanced over at me. "It might feel rough. But it'll make you stronger. You'll notice it in battle. You'll move faster. Hit harder. Get tired slower. It's worth it."
I blinked. Then slowly nodded.
"Okay. I'll do it then."
Larvitar didn't respond. But she gave a small, satisfied grunt and kept walking.
I trudged alongside her, heavier than I'd ever felt before.
[Larvitar's POV]
After Gravity training, I was more than happy to bask on a sun-warmed rock near the edge of the clearing. The stone was smooth, warmed just right from the afternoon light, and best of all quiet.
I liked quiet.
I settled into place with a small sigh, letting the heat soak into my scales. Training was tough today, but tough didn't bother me. I liked pushing through things. I liked the stillness that came afterward.
Then came the shuffling. The not-so-quiet kind.
Gible.
She plopped down beside me, a little too close, kicking up a puff of dust as she flopped backward on the grass. She'd been following me around a lot since camp started. Curious. Loud. Bratty, but not in a bad way. Just noisy.
She tapped her claw against the rock. "Hey, Larvitar?"
"Yeah?" I didn't open my eyes.
"What's an hour?"
I blinked, tilting my head toward her. "Um, I'm not sure how to describe it. Why are you asking?"
"Well," she said, stretching her limbs dramatically, "Paul said we have a three-hour break. I don't know what that means, though."
"An hour is a unit of time," I explained slowly, thinking it through. "Three hours would be the same amount of time as two Gravity training sessions."
She frowned. "So this is it? This is the only training we do?"
I chuckled softly. "No. That was just part one."
Gible tilted her head again. "Part one?"
I shifted a little to stay in the sunbeam. "Paul's building our stamina and strength. We usually eat lunch after this break. Then there's more ability or move training. Then practices against each other. Then wild Pokémon battles."
She perked up at "battle," eyes sparkling. "Okay, yeah. That part sounds fun."
"It is."
She was quiet for a moment, unusually so. Then she leaned back and stared at the sky.
After a beat, she sat up again, glanced at me, then awkwardly scooted over to the rock. She climbed up beside me and lay down, mimicking my exact pose.
For about five seconds.
Then she squirmed. And sighed. And flopped to the other side. Then tried again.
Eventually, she let out a loud "UGH" and rolled off the rock, landing on her back in the grass with a soft thud.
"How do you do that?" she groaned. "Just sit there like a statue. That's not even relaxing, that's just boring."
I chuckled. "It's not about sitting. It's about letting everything settle and not worry about a thing."
"I like moving better," she muttered.
"I can tell."
She kicked her legs a bit in the grass. Then she went quiet again
"Hey, Larvitar?"
"Yeah?"
"Paul handles the food and stuff, right? Like, he makes sure everyone eats and trains and sleeps?"
I nodded. "He does, he's reliable like that."
Gible was quiet for a while after that.
Then she rolled onto her side and said softly, like she wasn't even sure she meant to say it out loud:
"It's weird, but… I think I like it here."
I turned my head and looked at her. She wasn't smiling, but her expression had softened. Less bratty. More thoughtful.
I gave her a small nod.
"I'm glad."
She snorted. "Don't get mushy on me."
But she didn't move away.
And she didn't tap the rock again.
I don't mind her tagging along. She was noisy, sure. Always poking things she shouldn't, snacking on random twigs, being dramatic and messing around. But still.
She was trying. I could tell.
She was still new, still learning. But she was part of the family now.
[Ursaring's POV]
I sat cross-legged near the edge of the training grounds.
Still. Silent.
The grass was soft beneath me, sun warm on my fur. The wind shifted lazily through the trees, but none of it mattered. All I focused on was the voice in my head.
The one that never stopped shouting.
SMASH. TEAR. CRUSH. FIGHT. RIP. CHARGE.
I growled low in my throat. Not loud enough to disturb the air around me.
"Focus," Alakazam said behind me. Calm. Smooth. Like water over stone. "Don't resist it, the more you resist the more it will control you. You can't fight it, you must acknowledge the anger and then let it pass."
Easy for him to say.
That time I flew into a rage, I fought Alakazam. Thought I could take him, but I ended up losing. It wasn't even close.
I didn't land a single hit.
Every time I threw a move he vanished and reappeared somewhere behind me. No matter how fast I lunged or how hard I swung, he wasn't there when I attacked.
Dusclops was worse.
I couldn't touch him. Not just missed, couldn't even land a real attack. My claws went through his body. My fists hit shadows. And when I lost control during that Facade training, when I burned and raged and swung with everything I had, all he did was stand there.
I knew Paul had told him not to fight back.
He didn't need to.
I wasn't strong enough to make him.
And that's why I'm sitting here. Not smashing. Not training with claws or punches. Sitting.
Across from me, Dusclops stood perfectly still, watching. His one red eye never blinked.
"Breath slow. Feel your heartbeat. Anchor yourself in it."
I huffed.
This wasn't training. This was nothing. Sitting around while the others got stronger. Gible got to run and shout and wrestle. Elekid got to throw punches and shoot lightning. Chimchar got to bounce around like a fireball.
And me?
I had to sit and not break anything.
I clenched my fists.
Paul stood nearby, watching. Not saying anything. But he wasn't impatient. He wasn't disappointed in me either.
I closed my eyes again and focused on my heartbeat.
One.
I pictured Dusclops, standing untouched while I raged.
Two.
I remembered Alakazam's eyes, still and endless like the sky before a storm.
Three.
I remembered Paul's voice, after that rage, after that failure.
"This isn't about stopping the anger. It's about controlling it. Guiding it. You have incredible power, but you have no control over it."
Yeah. I remembered.
I breathed deep.
The shouting in my head got quieter.
Just a little.
[Chimchar's POV]
There's nothing better than messing with Elekid.
Seriously. Nothing.
He gets all puffed up and cranky, but I know he likes it. If I didn't tease him now and then, he'd just train until his arms fell off.
Gible was already on board. I could tell from the moment I called her over during the break. She came bounding over like she'd been waiting for trouble all day. Her stubby tail was wagging, eyes gleaming with mischief.
We snuck up on Elekid while he was hydrating, sitting all stiff and serious near the edge of camp, pretending like he wasn't eavesdropping on our giggles.
"Tag!" I tapped his shoulder.
Then Gible tackled him from the side. "Double tag!"
"GAH, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO?!"
"Nothing," I said sweetly, looping around behind him.
"Everything," Gible added, cackling.
Elekid shot to his feet, static dancing between his horns. "I will END YOU."
"Oh my god AHHHHHH!" I shrieked dramatically, bolting for the tree line.
"GET BACK HERE AND LET ME DESTROY YOU!"
We ran. He chased us. It was glorious.
We zigzagged through the clearing, ducked behind a rock, then doubled back toward camp. I threw in a cartwheel just to show off. Gible tripped over a root, rolled for a second, and kept going like it was part of the plan.
Eventually, we collapsed into the grass, heaving with laughter—well, Gible and I. Elekid flopped down and groaned like an old man.
"You guys are the worst," he muttered.
"We're the best," I corrected, nudging Gible with my elbow.
She snickered and nodded, cheeks puffed from grinning.
I liked her. She had good energy. Still figuring things out. But she was fun. And more importantly? She got it.
Before she came along, it was just me trying to get a rise out of Rock-Head and Sparky.
Don't get me wrong, I love Larvitar and Elekid. But come on.
Larvitar? Stone-faced, literally. Total zen queen. I respect it, but she gives me, like, two reactions total—nod and slow blink.
Elekid? Serious with a capital G "Grump." But he's my guy. Has been from the beginning. He'll never admit it, but he likes it when I mess with him. Keeps him from turning into an angry punching machine.
Like right now—he's lying there, pretending to be mad, but his horn's not sparking anymore. That's the trick. If he was really annoyed, the air would be buzzing.
He even laughed once. Quietly, but I heard it.
Gible sat up and looked around. "Hey, where's Larvitar?"
"Probably on her rock," I said, pointing.
Gible scampered off toward Larvitar's sun rock, practically bouncing with every step.
I watched her go, smiling to myself. She was settling in. That made me feel good. Like all the chaos had been worth something.
"Not going with her?" Elekid asked from behind me.
"Nah," I said, flopping into the grass. "Larvitar's better at the quiet stuff. Plus, she kinda balances Gible out, y'know?"
Elekid didn't answer right away. He just stood there, staring out toward the trees, arms crossed.
I looked over at him. "You're not done, are you?"
His jaw clenched just a bit. "I'm fine."
"Right. That's why your arm's twitching like crazy."
He sighed and finally sat down beside me, but his hands were still sparking faintly. I could tell he wasn't relaxing. His mind was still spinning. Thinking. Pushing.
That's how he always was after drills. Everyone else took the break. Elekid treated it like extra time to get ahead.
I rolled onto my side and poked his leg. "You know, dude… you really push yourself extra hard."
He looked at me, frowning. "So?"
"So," I said, "you don't have to carry the whole team, y'know?"
He didn't respond, but the sparks dimmed.
"I don't know what it is," I continued, softer now, "but you always go above and beyond. Like you're trying to prove something. And I get it. I do.
I sat up, letting the joking tone fade away.
"But whatever the thing you're worried about is just know we're here too. The rest of us. Larvitar. Gible. Me."
Elekid looked down at the grass.
"We'll handle it together," I said. "That's what a team's for."
He was quiet for a long moment. The kind of quiet where you don't wanna say anything, or you'll mess it up.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"…Thanks."
I smirked, nudging him with my elbow. "Anytime, partner."
[Elekid's POV]
Everyone else was laughing again.
Chimchar and Gible had started another round of tackle-tag. Larvitar sat nearby like usual, the calm eye in a storm of chaos. Even Dusclops hovered close, silent but somehow amused in his creepy way.
I stayed back.
I told myself it was to conserve energy. But really, I just didn't know how to jump in.
Chimchar always knew how. Gible didn't think twice. Larvitar didn't need to move to be part of the group.
And me? I was just here. I can't focus on things like that, I have to get stronger.
I crossed my arms and looked away. That's when I noticed Paul.
He was sitting beneath a tree at the edge of camp, back resting against the trunk, notebook in his lap. He'd written something a second ago but now he wasn't looking at the page.
He was watching us.
Watching the team play.
His expression was unreadable at first, focused.
But then he smiled.
I remembered something from before. Weeks ago.
That night when it was just me and him. When he first started training me to learn Vital Spirit. I was meditating, and he was right by my side. Then he abruptly told me:
"Elekid... there's a trainer out there I'm afraid of. I don't know when we'll face him, but I do know one thing—his Pokémon are dangerous."
It had been the first time I saw something like doubt in him.
That night changed something in me.
I swore that day that he'd never have to feel like that again. If I worked harder, fought better, maybe he wouldn't need to be afraid.
So I pushed. And kept pushing.
But now...
Now I saw the way his eyes tracked Gible as she spun in a circle laughing, or the way they softened as Chimchar pretended to trip just to get her to laugh louder. I saw the happiness in his face. The quiet pride in that little smile.
He wasn't watching us to grade us.
He was watching because he liked what he saw.
My fists slowly unclenched.
In the back of my mind, I heard Chimchar's voice again.
"You don't have to carry the whole team, y'know? That's what we're here for."
I'd brushed it off when he said it.
But right now?
I believe it.
I took a breath and stepped forward.
"Yo," I said, just loud enough.
Chimchar spun around mid-cartwheel. "Hmm?"
"…I'm in." I pointed my finger toward the game.
Chimchar lit up instantly. "You're gonna play?"
"I'm gonna win," I said, sparks flickering across my knuckles.
He grinned wide. "You're so gonna lose."
We all laughed—Gible, Chimchar, even Larvitar, who gave me a rare little smirk.
Somewhere behind me, I knew Paul was still watching.
AN:
So, the original plan for this chapter was for it to be a standard training chapter that would be a 2-3 week timeskip with the Roark gym battle happening after.
But, I decided I want to change things up a little. I wanted to give the Pokemon on Paul's team some more characterization, and so while the training still happened and this is still a timeskip chapter, it's more of a background action with character moments happening at the forefront instead. Please give me your opinions of occasional chapters focusing on the Pokemon's POVs.
Some more important events that happen during the background are: Larvitar learns Iron Head, Chimchar learns Dig, and Elekid learns Thunder Wave. While I could've shown this, I felt that none of these are particularly difficult to learn and would end up being filler content, especially since I want to focus on their characterization in this chapter.