One week later, most of Eliana's goals set for the team had been met. The constant, grueling training had forged them into something far better than when they first arrived in Vermillion.
Ralts was taller, slimmer, the horns on his head more pronounced. He could now maintain twenty-five moving Double Team clones with minimal effort, a dizzying phantasmagoria of illusions that could disorient even the steadiest opponent. He could have around fifteen the could fire off a mimic of his moves. Evolution was close, Eliana could tell through the build up of energy that Ralts has been storing in his body.
Staryu had also succeeded, though the process had been far more explosive. After hours of failed attempts, its water energy and the nascent electric charge had violently repelled each other. The resulting explosion had left a crater in their training clearing and Staryu smoking, but something had clicked. It could now fire a passable Thunderbolt, that was getting stronger with pointers from Alolan Raichu.
Raichu, true to her nature, had relished the training. She had tested her Psychic powers against trees and rocks, pulverizing them with a focused rage that was both terrifying and impressive. Her Eletric attacks zapped any wild Pokémon that got too close. The bond between her and Eliana had solidified into a simple, unspoken understanding. Eliana provided purpose and targets; Raichu provided overwhelming, uncomplicated violence.
Eliana herself had healed. The bruise on her back had faded to a sickly yellow-green, the deep ache reduced to a dull throb she only noticed in the mornings.
During day eight's training, something had changed. Ralts had not only succeeded Eliana's requirements but he had stored up enough energy. Ralts was finally ready to evolve and excitedly let his trainer know, wanting to do it immediately. Raichu and Startu looked at him with expectation but Eliana stopped them all with a hand.
"I don't want you to evolve right this moment." Eliana told Ralts, who wilted in disappointment, he had done everything she said. Why wouldn't she let him evolve now, such a cruel trainer.
"You're still evolving today, don't worry. We just need to find a more secluded spot," Eliana called out, leading her team off the beaten path and into a denser patch of woods. "I don't want anyone but us to see you evolve."
Ralts didn't completely understand his trainer, why shouldn't everyone see his greatness? But considering he still got to evolve, Ralts couldn't find it in himself to care too much.
They found a small clearing, a circle of mossy ground surrounded by ancient, gnarled trees. The air was still and heavy. The spot was far enough from Vermillion city and the common training spots people used to be private enough for Ralts evolution.
"Alright this is secluded enough," Eliana said, her voice calm and steady. "Ralts let it happen."
Ralts stood in the center of the clearing, his body glowing. The energy he had been hoarding for weeks finally burst free. His form elongated, the pink of his body lightening as it stretched upwards. A slight, humanoid shape began to emerge from the white light. His two horns shifted from being vertical down the center his head to horizontal on the sides of his head. His blue bowl cute grew into two pigtails and his orange eyes were no longer hidden. He grew a thin waist and two stubby legs that didn't quite touch the ground. His legs lengthened and turned the same blue of his hair.
A soft wave of energy flew through the air. As the light faded, the new Pokémon stood revealed. It was a Kirlia.
His body was a slender, graceful white, with a "skirt" of white that flared out around his waist. He blinked slowly, his orange eyes now full of a deeper, more complex awareness. The newly evolved Kirlia shook out his head before giving a few twirls to test out his new legs. He felt so much more than before.
She felt a spike of something from him, an echo of the old annoyance at her cryptic statements, but it was now layered with curiosity. He knew she wasn't just talking about a third stage.
"Raichu," Eliana commanded, turning back to the Alolan Pokémon. "Hit him."
Raichu needed no further encouragement. With a sharp cry of she launched a bolt of Psychic energy, a shimmering pink wave that shot toward the newly evolved Kirlia.
Eliana's eyes widened with delight, wanting to see what's he do.
Kirlia didn't dodge, he simply raised a hand, and the Psychic attack slammed into an invisible wall a foot in front of him, dissipating harmlessly. He had instinctively created a Protect barrier.
"Again," Eliana ordered.
This time, Raichu fired a Thunderbolt. The crackling yellow spear of electricity sped through the air. But before it could connect, the space around Kirlia warped and shimmered. The Thunderbolt bent, its trajectory twisting unnaturally, and slammed harmlessly into a tree behind him, leaving a smoking crater in the bark. He had used his psychic power to warp the very space the attack traveled through.
Kirlia sent a note of surprise in his own mental voice. He looked at his hands, then at the damaged tree, as if trying to understand what he had just done.
Raichu bounced unhappily on her tail, annoyed her attacks were being so casually dismissed.
The training that followed was of a different caliber. Before, it had been about building foundations. Now, it was about refining raw, explosive potential.
…
Elaina's current Team:
Pokémon: Kirlia
Gender: Male
Ability: Trace
Moves: Disarming Voice, Teleport, Draining Kiss, Psychic, Psyshock, Magical Leaf, Charge Beam, Hyper Voice, Protect
Pokémon: Staryu
Gender: Genderless
Ability: Natural Cure
Moves: Water Pulse, Psybeam, Swift, Recover, Confuse Ray, Harden, Power Gem, Icy Wind, Thunderbolt
Pokémon: Alolan Raichu
Gender: Female
Ability: Surge Surfer
Moves: Psychic, Thunderbolt, Electric Terrain, Electro Web, Iron Tail, Light Screen, Reflect, Focus Blast, Grass Knot