Uriah didn't celebrate the Shinx capture. He didn't brag, didn't flaunt. He simply reorganised his schedule with the same cold precision, driving everything he did.
A new Pokémon meant new weaknesses.Weaknesses meant targets.
He'd turn them into strengths fast, or they'd become liabilities in the field.
Assessment Before Training
Before touching any exercise, Uriah used the medical voucher on Shinx.The academy medic gave a simple verdict:
• Leg sprain, minor• Dehydration, moderate• Electrical instability due to stress
"Treatable," the medic said. "But don't expect strong spark output for a week."
Uriah nodded.Good. Limits defined the training scope.
Structure: Morning Synchronisation
He started with something subtle teaching Shinx the same breathing cycle he'd drilled into Vulpix. Most cadets ignored breathing entirely. They cared only about moves.
Idiots.
The corps manual made it clear:
A Pokémon that learns its handler's rhythm can predict orders faster than sound.
So Uriah had both Vulpix and Shinx sit in front of him at dawn.
Four counts inhale.Four counts hold.Four counts exhale.
At first, Shinx trembled through the motions, struggling to match the pace. Its fur crackled with stray sparks every few seconds a reminder of its unstable condition.
Vulpix was the anchor.The fox matched Uriah perfectly, like a metronome.
After three days, Shinx finally kept the pattern for a full minute without breaking.
Not impressive.But consistent.
Practical Conditioning: Body Before Moves
Uriah didn't teach new moves yet. That was pointless if the body couldn't support control.
He built a simple circuit in the sand field:
For Vulpix• lateral dodges• low rolls under wooden bars• short sprints between numbered posts• precision Ember arcs at set distances
For Shinx• slow stepping drills to rebuild the sprained leg• controlled crouching• tail balance practice• static spark pulses (low intensity)
He switched them back and forth, forcing both to train without relying on the other's presence.
This wasn't bonding.This was conditioning.
Most cadets watched their Pokémon pant and whine and immediately stopped, comforting them like toddlers.
Uriah didn't.But he didn't push recklessly either.
He stopped when his posture collapsed.He resumed when breathing stabilised.
Strict.Measured.Caring without softness.
Shinx learnt that structure quickly and stopped resisting it.
Behavioural Calibration
Shinx had fear issues expected for a separated cub. Vulpix didn't. So Uriah used the fox's confidence as a behavioural model.
He placed both Pokémon at opposite ends of the sand circle.
A simple rule:
Shinx stays still until Vulpix moves.Then Shinx mirrors the motion.
Forward.Left.Right.Back.Sit.Stand.
Shinx struggled at first; electric types tended to react impulsively.
But the fox's controlled manner forced Shinx into a slower, more thoughtful rhythm. After enough repetitions, the cub's movements became less jittery.
Electricity became quieter.Fear became manageable.
Instructor Arwin Intervenes Again
One evening, Instructor Arwin stopped by silently, watching Uriah run synchronization patterns.
"You're building a formation team," he said. "Not many cadets bother."
Uriah didn't stop the drill."Dual compatibility will matter in Tide scenarios."
Arwin nodded."Good reasoning. But your Shinx lacks aggression. You'll need to trigger controlled assertiveness."
"Suggestions?"
Arwin pointed at a row of wooden target posts."Have Vulpix strike them first with Ember. Then order Shinx to strike immediately after with Spark but low-power, so it doesn't overload."
Uriah understood immediately:
• Fire scorches wood → visual trigger• Shinx learns to associate Vulpix's attack with → natural aggression cue• Building instinctive follow-up patterns → perfect for multi-Pokémon combat
Good. Efficient. No waste.
They tested it.
Vulpix: Ember, left post.Shinx: Spark, follow.
The first attempt: Shinx hesitated.
Second attempt: spark missed.
Third attempt: connect, though weak.
Arwin grunted. "That's enough. Don't push past controlled output or you'll worsen its leg."
Uriah nodded once.Vulpix and Shinx rested beside him, both breathing steady.
Arwin gave a rare compliment not soft, but factual.
"You train with clarity. Most kids your age chase power. You chase predictability. Keep that."
Then he walked away.
The Night Exercise
Uriah wasn't done.
He took both Pokémon to the dim training yard at night. Visibility was low, wind colder, shadows long across the ground.
Perfect conditions.
Because Pokémon Tide attacks never happened in broad daylight under perfect sun.They happened at the worst times.
He placed Shinx and Vulpix beside him.
"Shadow tracking," he said.
He used lanterns and moved them at unpredictable angles, forcing Vulpix and Shinx to track the shifting shadows of fake "targets". No sound cues. No scent cues. Just motion.
Shinx excelled its eyes adapted better.Vulpix struggled at long ranges but improved in intensity control.
Both cried with exhaustion by the end, chests heaving.
Uriah knelt to their level, checked paws, checked breathing, and cleaned dirt from their fur with a cloth.
That was his version of affection—practical, not emotional.
"Good work," he said simply.
The fox nuzzled his arm lightly.Shinx pressed its head against his knee, quiet and trusting.
He didn't push them away.
He let them rest.
The Result After 10 Days
Not stronger.Sharper.
Not overpowered.Predictable.
Their synergy was forming:
• Vulpix created structure• Shinx filled the gaps• Uriah's rhythm fed both
He didn't have a team.He had a unit.
The kind that survived Tides.The kind that earned rank.The kind that didn't die like disposable recruits.
And he knew this was only the beginning.