Chapter Seventy-One - Lolo At First Sight

Choco was very excited for training the next morning. He was ready to get strong and quick, like those pokemon in that big gym battle they'd seen the night before.

They were so fast and strong too! Apparently the gym was a Normal-type gym, and that's what he was, and they were all very strong.

He was going to be just as strong, and then he'd be even stronger!

"Okay!" Broccoli said as she bounced on the balls of her strangely human feet. Actually, Choco found himself staring at her feet for a moment. Broccoli was barefoot for morning training, and he'd never noticed how... human her feet were.

His feet were proper buneary feet, of course, and Oran had small feet like his too. Their feet were objectively better than human feet. They needed shoes and stuff to get around. And where were their toe-beans?

Broccoli said that his toe beans were very precious and important, and yet here she was, not a toe bean in sight.

Poor Broccoli. Maybe her next evolution would fix that? "Bun buneary bun bun?" What are we training today?

"Hmm, well, I want both of you to master some more self-buffing techniques, but also I want you both to learn a little bit of self-defence. I thought it might be cool to start on the path to learning how to incorporate mana into attacks a little better? I'm good at combining Cleaning magic and my punches and kicks together. So I thought I'd help you both with that?"

"Ma!" Yes!

Broccoli grinned. "Now, I know you still have a bit of a hard time with Cleaning magic, Oran, but you're getting better at it! You're really good at close quarters fighting, so today will be about learning to focus on making mana first and punching second. Choco, it's the opposite for you. You're really good with mana-based attacks already, so let's see if we can't improve your punches and kicks?"

Choco nodded. He was down for that.

"And... when you hear this noise—" Broccoli whistled, sharp and clear. "I want both of you to use Defence Curl. As quick as possible! You might not be experts at it, and it might not be a perfect use of the move, but learning how to better prepare to take a blow will be very important, I think!"

Broccoli then led them into a mock spar. They were supposed to attack each other, but slowly. Instead of swinging at his full speed, Choco had to move at the same speed he'd move for a leisurely walk.

He swung a punch towards Oran, covering his hand in swirling Cleaning energy, then ducked as she spun around and tried to backpaw him across the face. He had to step back to avoid her tail, which was shining with Water-type energy that was trying very hard to be Cleaning-type.

Broccoli whistled, and they both stumbled for a bit before focusing hard. He grunted and tried to make a Defence Curl happen as quickly as possible. It took some effort, but a couple of seconds later he had it, energy washing over himself to make him that much tougher.

Oran succeeded a whole two seconds later, and he was sure hers wasn't as awesome as his.

"Good work!" Broccoli said. "You're doing awesome! Let's keep up the fighting now. Don't forget, move slow!"

Choco nodded, then got back into it with Oran.

Once in a while, Broccoli would step in, kneeling down next to them and gently guiding where their feet should go, how to move their hips and arms to get the most out of a punch, and how to keep their guard up and eyes towards the other.

Oran liked doing spinny tail attacks, because her tail was quite long and had better reach than her stubby little arms, but Broccoli discouraged it a little. It was a cool way to attack, but it also meant that for a while she had her back turned towards Choco and that could be bad.

The play fighting was, oddly, more relaxing than their normal exercise. Usually he'd be pretty sweaty after tag or Quick Attack training, and his magic training always left his brain feeling sweaty, but this was a lot easier.

Oran was not having as easy a time. She kept grumbling as she tried to make her paws be covered in the right type of mana, and when she did succeed, she had a hard time keeping it up.

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"You're definitely getting better," Broccoli said with a serious nod. "I've been counting the seconds, and you're holding onto it for longer now. I think with a bit more practice you'll be able to do this kind of thing easily! And then once we start practising it as an actual move, it'll be even easier!"

Choco supposed that was true. Attacks like they were doing now were kind of... formless? They were strikes and kicks and such but they were in response to what the other was doing, and they were both a little clumsy.

Moves, on the other paw, were so much easier. He just had to learn the move, and then it was a move he knew. Easy!

Broccoli whistled again, and both he and Oran were quick to use Defence Curl again. This time they were both just a smidge faster!

Choco grinned. They were both faster, which still meant that he was faster-er! Oran noticed and narrowed her eyes. There was an unspoken challenge between them now. A race to be the fastest to use Defence Curl.

After a good long while of play fighting, Broccoli had them do some other training. Choco had to learn Cleaning Burst, which involved gathering up his Cleaning energy and letting it loose in a small explosion to dissipate the energy around him.

In the meantime, Oran got to practice that Whirlpool move she was trying to learn now that she'd mostly mastered Bubble Beam. She kept using it on a dummy next to the training room's pool. The move was... not working so good right now, but Oran was slowly figuring it out.

He wasn't looking forward to her using that on him.

"Oh, Choco, look, it's your little friend," Broccoli said.

Choco blinked, then turned to see what Broccoli was talking about. He froze up a moment later. Lolo was here. She was here with a trainer guy that he didn't recognize, but they didn't matter, because Lolo was here.

The Cleaning energy he was gathering to practice his new move exploded out around him, and Choco almost flopped down with it.

"Whoa! That was a good burst!" Broccoli said. "You're getting the hang of that one!"

"B-bun." Y-yeah.

Choco tried to act natural, and not at all like his heart was pounding in his chest, and not at all like he felt all sweaty, and not at all like there were butterflies in his tummy, and not at all like the floor was about to come and swallow him up.

It didn't help that his fur was all frizzy and his ears were all floppy from the miscast spell. He quickly rubbed his fur straight and fixed his ears while Lolo walked over.

Her trainer was a guy who looked like he was made out of bricks. Big and bulky, but he smiled and greeted Broccoli, and complimented her on having a buneary as a friend. Lolo hung out by his side and nodded along.

He was saying something, but all Choco could really hear was a distant ringing sound as he focused on her.

He wanted to impress her so bad.

He couldn't even think straight. So... he decided not to think anymore. He emptied his entire head, because if it was empty, then there were no silly thoughts left.

"Bun!" Hello! "Bun, bun buneary, b-bun bun buneary bun eary bun!" Hi, I'm Choco, and I love your pink fur and I think you're cute!

Lolo smiled and giggled, and Choco could die a happy buneary.

Broccoli translated.

And the brick-trainer laughed.

And then Lolo spoke. Her voice was like... he didn't know, a really, really soft and nice pillow. A very fluffy, warm and cuddly pillow.

She said, "Lo, lo lo punny lo?" Hello, would you like to train with me?

Choco nodded. He'd like nothing more. "Bun! Buneary bun bun!" Yes! Punch me as much as you like!

Lolo smiled, and then bounced over to the mats off to the side. She nodded to him, then paused. "Lo... lopunny lop, lopunny pun punny?" I... I've been meaning to ask, what's in your little pouch?

Choco glanced down at the little leather baggy that Broccoli had gifted to him. He flipped the flap on the top open, revealing a precious berry. He plucked his berry out, closed his eyes, then offered it to Lolo.

She hesitated, then took it.

And that was when he realized.

This was his first gift to Lolo! Yes! She was sure to be his friend now!

***