The forest clearing had become their arena.
Tall pines ringed the space like silent spectators. Sunlight filtered through their branches in long, golden stripes. The air smelled of sap, soil, and distant smoke from a nearby campfire.
A line of wooden stumps stood in the center—some thick as barrels, others thin as fence posts. Most bore scars from days of training: burn marks, shallow cuts, splintered edges.
Grant stretched his arms over his head and rolled his shoulders. "Alright. Today's focus—power, control, and stamina."
Nyra dropped her bag beside a fallen log. "You sound like a Gym trainer already."
"Someone has to keep us alive," Grant said, only half joking.
Oshawatt bounced in front of him, shell spinning eagerly.
"Osha! Osha!"
Sewaddle peeked from Grant's hood, clutching a leaf scarf it had woven itself.
Nyra released Tepig. "Let's warm up."
Tepig stomped, fire flickering.
Grant clapped. "Light strikes first. No full power."
Nyra smirked. "You're no fun."
They started with movement drills.
Nyra jogged backward while Tepig followed, weaving between trees.
"Flame Charge—but cut left at the second stump!"
Tepig burst forward, flames trailing, then veered sharply around the stump and struck a hanging log.
The log snapped.
Grant whistled. "Good speed control."
Nyra nodded. "Again. Tighter turn."
They repeated the drill. Again. And again.
Each time, Tepig moved faster. Cleaner. Sharper.
Then Nyra pointed to the largest stump.
"One real hit."
Grant raised a hand. "Careful—"
"Flame Charge!"
Tepig launched like a comet.
The impact shook the clearing.
The stump didn't crack.
It exploded.
Wood shards flew.
Grant shielded Sewaddle with his arm.
The smoke cleared.
Tepig stood in the center, breathing hard.
Then light surrounded it.
Nyra's eyes widened. "Wait—"
The glow intensified. Tepig's body stretched, growing taller, broader.
Grant took a step back. "It's evolving!"
The light faded.
Standing there now was a powerful, tusked Pokémon . It had black wrestler like wringets with golden swirls at its chest and arms.
"Piiignite!"
Nyra stared.
Then laughed in disbelief. "You did it!"
She ran forward and hugged Pignite around the shoulders. "My powerhouse."
Pignite lifted her slightly off the ground.
Grant grinned. "First evolution. That's huge."
Oshawatt stared.
His ears drooped.
"O…sha?"
Grant knelt beside him. "It'll be your turn too. This just means we work harder."
Oshawatt clenched his fists.
"Osha!"
Grant walked to the stumps and inspected them.
"Alright," he muttered. "We need drills that build power without burning you out."
He turned to Oshawatt. "Let's work angles and balance."
He placed three stones in a triangle.
"Run between these. Don't touch them."
Oshawatt nodded.
"Aqua Jet—but stop before the tree."
Oshawatt launched.
He overshot.
Hit the tree.
Fell on his back.
"Osha…"
Grant jogged over. "That's okay. Again."
They tried again.
And again.
On the fifth run, Oshawatt curved perfectly and skidded to a stop.
Grant smiled. "There."
Nyra leaned on a tree. "He's fast. Just needs control."
Grant nodded. "Now power."
He pointed to a medium stump.
"Focus Energy first."
Oshawatt closed his eyes. The familiar glow returned.
"Water Gun—single point."
Oshawatt fired.
The stream hit dead center.
The stump cracked.
Oshawatt's eyes widened.
"Osha!"
Grant laughed. "That's it! Again."
They repeated the drill. Each time the crack grew deeper.
By the sixth shot, the stump split in half.
Oshawatt jumped in the air.
"Osha-watt!"
Grant held up his hand. "High five."
Oshawatt slapped it with his paw.
Nyra smiled softly. "You two work like a real team."
Grant scratched the back of his neck. "He deserves a trainer who keeps up."
Oshawatt puffed proudly.
Sewaddle crept forward, tugging at Grant's sleeve.
"Your turn," Grant said. "Let's build confidence."
He tied a berry to a branch with string.
"String Shot. Wrap only the berry."
Sewaddle took a breath.
The silk shot forward, looping neatly around the berry without touching the branch.
Grant blinked. "That was perfect."
Sewaddle straightened.
Nyra raised a brow. "Try moving targets."
She tossed a pinecone into the air.
"String Shot!"
The silk wrapped the pinecone mid-fall.
Grant whistled. "Now Razor Leaf—two leaves only."
Sewaddle spun and launched exactly two sharp leaves. They sliced the bark in clean parallel lines.
Grant crouched beside it. "You're learning restraint. That's huge."
Sewaddle chirped happily.
They set up a web course—silk lines between trees, creating tunnels and traps.
"Move through without breaking your own web," Grant instructed.
Sewaddle hesitated.
Then moved.
It climbed, slid, spun silk, and navigated the maze.
When it reached the end, it raised its head proudly.
Nyra clapped. "That's battlefield control."
Grant smiled. "You're not meek anymore. You're smart."
Sewaddle puffed its leaf cape.
Rival Sparks
Pignite watched the training with arms crossed.
Oshawatt walked over.
"Osha."
Pignite smirked and rolled a stump toward him.
Grant frowned. "Is this a challenge?"
Nyra laughed. "Looks like it."
Oshawatt cracked his knuckles.
Pignite took a stance.
Grant sighed. "No full power."
Oshawatt nodded.
"Water Gun!"
"Ember!"
Steam burst between them.
Oshawatt charged.
Pignite blocked.
They grappled, then fell backward together.
They stood.
Then laughed.
Grant shook his head. "At least they're bonding."
Nyra smiled. "And pushing each other."
Grant wiped sweat from his brow. "Alright. Our turn."
Nyra groaned. "I was hoping you'd forget."
"No chance. Five laps around the clearing."
They ran.
Roots tripped them. Branches scraped their arms.
By the third lap, Grant's lungs burned.
Nyra slowed beside him. "You okay?"
"Never better," he wheezed.
They finished and collapsed on the grass.
Then came strength training—lifting logs, carrying water buckets, climbing trees.
After that Nyra took out a training manual of basic martial arts for trainers.
"When did you get that?", Grant asked.
"When we were shopping, as you were busy looking at all those different pokeballs", Nyra answered.
"We're gonna need them in the future okay!", he said sheepishly.
"If you say so, anyways, you training or what?".
They trained together, it's wasn't much, but they covered the basics and helped movement and command.
Lastly came a round of meditation with all their Pokemon for concentration and spacial awareness.
Soon evening came and they had an early dinner.
Grant lay on his back afterward, staring at the sky.
"If our Pokémon are getting stronger, we have to keep up."
Nyra nodded. "A weak trainer holds back a strong partner."
They sat up.
Oshawatt sat between them.
Sewaddle crawled onto Grant's shoulder.
Pignite stood behind Nyra like a guardian.
Grant smiled. "We're getting there."
Nyra smirked. "Next evolution is yours."
Oshawatt clenched his fist.
"Osha!"
The sun dipped low, painting the forest gold.
Their road stretched on.
Hard , Long.
But today, they had grown stronger.
Together.