“Riolu!” The little pup shouted out in shock at the sight of her mom. I had released everyone and Lucario basically flopped onto the grass bonelessly as soon as she appeared. We were back at the Ferrous compound. Morning heavy training was done. Even I felt some muscles ache from just walking around under the Gravity.

“Lu.” Lucario muttered, her voice muffled by the grass but eventually as Riolu was getting a little frantic she slowly sat up, her arms shaking just lifting up her body. “Lucario.” She said, sounding more normal as she assured her daughter.

“Day one of training. Lucario did well.” I told Riolu, who looked at me like I was a monster. Eyes wide and shocked.

“Lu. Lucario. Cario.” She assured her daughter then flopped back into the grass.

“Rio!” Riolu called out in shock and then looked at me.

“Relax, you’re heavy duty training won’t happen for a while. We are focusing on other things first.” I assured her, but it didn’t seem to do much actual reassurance. Although maybe it was the sinister laughter I offered after. So I just let her worry over her mother for a while. She would relax once Lucario had some time to rest.

Instead I focused on the rest of the forest around me.

To my delight the Goomy were out and about. The little slugs were happily munching on leaves delighting in the ample food and safety. But it reminded me about the whole bacteria thing.

“Chansey, The Goomy Bacteria problem. You said to leave it to you, is there something I need to do?” I asked after releasing her, and she stretched a bit before tittering at me, and then waving me after her. I followed her to the barn where there was a bucket that Chansey showed to me.

I didn’t get it.

She tittered again, and then handed me a bottle of… Soap?

I looked it over, and noticed it was the sort of stuff that Nurse Joy used in the pokemon centers. A medical cleaner?

I looked over the back and blinked.

“Pokemon safe?”

“Chanse.” She assured me nodding and mimed pouring some into the bucket and then filling it with water, and then making a ‘dunking’ motion.

“You just dunk the Goomy in, and they are good?”

“Chanse.” She nodded, puffing up looking proud.

“That’s amazing Chansey. We should get it done soon then!”

“Chanse.” She denied waving me off. Then waving her fin in a circle. When I didn’t get that. She tapped on her wrist and looked at it like a watch.

“Before? You already did it.” She nodded happily and I was shocked.

When had that happened!?

“When? I’ve been here every day.”

She mimed sleeping and then pointed at me, and then pointed far away.

“When I went home. You did it that night.” I asked and she nodded.

So I slammed into her with a big hug.

She stiffened in surprise at my sudden attack, but she softened and patted my back.

“Thank you Chansey.” I whispered, I hadn’t known she had done this! She never even told me!

“Chansey.” She murmured soothingly and I pulled back.

“You should… I would have helped.”

“Chansey.” She waved it off and patted my head.

“You’re too nice to me.” I told her simply and then just hugged her again.

Not like hugging Chansey was a bad thing.

Eventually we headed back outside and I had to refocus. I headed over to the first Goomy I saw, one happily munching at the bottom leaves of a bush who looked up at me with his cute little eyes as I approached.

“Hi! Are you happy? Got enough food?” I asked, and it woogled for a minute before straightening up.

“Goom, Goomy!” It cheered and I smiled back. They were happy.

I stood up and got ready to get back to it. I was just happy they were happy.

Looking around I noted a lot of them wandering around, and even noticed it was harder to find them as there were less slime trails. I hadn’t even noticed but Chansey’s bath for them must have done more than just make them safer to be around.

“Alright! Let’s get training!” I called out and gathered up my little team.

Jangmo-o happily followed after Dragonite, practically prancing as he chased her. Dratini was already wrapped around her ankle and cheering happily at every step. They would be on Dragon Pulse Training. Perfect training for the baby pokemon.

Riolu quickly got back to work as well, under her mothers eyes she worked twice as hard. Focusing her Vacuum Wave tighter and tighter. I nodded at her improvement just from a day of focused training. Enhanced diet would also help.

I noticed Mimikyu wasn’t around and headed inside. In the room that had been given to me before I heard him before I entered. The closet light was on, and he seemed to be talking to himself, as I could hear him.

“KukKu. KukUukk.” His voice came out and I cleared my throat.

“Mimikyu?”

“Kukuk!” He cheered and the closet door opened with the head of his disguise peaking out.

“It’s training time. Do you want to keep working on your project, or come practice?” I asked, and he cheered happily as he disappeared for a second, I heard some ruffling around and then he came out walking over to me.

Happily I bent down to give him a ride and walked back out to the growing section of the stable that was our move practice area. The fact a pond was growing larger every day was something I was ignoring!

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“Alright buddy. We are still working on Shadow Ball. You’ve made massive improvements though! Don’t get disheartened, okay?”

“Kukuku!” He cheered seemingly unbothered by his inability to finish the move yet.

While that happened. I moved back and grabbed a certain pokeball.

Time to do more work with Gible.

Releasing her she thankfully didn’t attack, looking around and seemingly comfortable with the yard now.

“Hey Gible. How’re you today?” I asked as I kneeled down. She had focused on me as I spoke, but as I got down to her level she lost interest and started looking around.

“Gib.” She said, and started walking away on her tiny little legs. Waddling along.

Arceus, my little shark dragon was the cutest.

Interested to see what was on her mind I got up and followed after her, but it didn't take long to figure out what had caught her attention.

The sound of roaring and blasts of energy.

Dragonite training the two dragon kids.

She was explaining Dragon Pulse and shooting it off, the energy ball smashed into the water and exploded.

And this whole situation definitely caught Gible’s attention.

She waddled over. Mouth open, and muttering her name every once in a while.

“Gible.” She muttered as she started at the blast of draconic energy.

Eventually she stopped approaching and just watched, as the little ones tried to get the move.

“Do you want to learn too?” I asked, and she didn’t really react. Just watching with an absent look in her eyes.

It was hard to tell if she was incredibly interested, or already half asleep.

So I settled in, giving her time to figure it out. Dragonite got both of the boys started. Jangmo-o let out a chime like roar over and over as he tried to get it to work.

Dratini though was quiet, more focused, I could see that unlike Jangmo-o he was forming his energy.

Neither were getting it yet, but both on their path.

Dragonite nodded and stepped back letting the two boys hammer their head into the act of learning a new move for a while.

But that gave me a chance, I waved, and Dragonite walked over greeting me with a wave of her own before she looked down at Gible.

Gible looked more through Dragonite than anything.

“Drag?”

“She got interested in you teaching the boys.” I explained, and she nodded, settling onto the grass with a sigh beside me. We settled into a moment of quiet. Dragonite was pretty tired from the morning training, but I could tell she was very interested in Dratini’s training.

“He’s picking it up quick.” I offered and she burst into a smile and nodded back.

“Drag. Dragon Dra.” She replied back happily, and threw out a few punches while looking proud. It took me a second and she pointed at Dratini and then at her.

“Ah. Yeah, he’s definitely a fighter like his Mama.” I agreed, she preened at my understanding. I glanced over at Gible. Still quiet, and focused. “Dragonite? Do you have any advice for this one?” I asked, nodding towards Gible.

Dragonite looked to me, and then to Gible, and sort of scrunched up a bit in thought.

“Drag.” She offered, and patted me on the head and then called out. “Dragonite! Drag!” And suddenly Dratini hurried away from the water’s edge and approached looking serious. He looked from Dragonite to Gible and Dragonite nodded. Dratini arched up.

Ready for a fight.

“Is that wise?” I asked and once more Dragonite patted me on the head.

“Drag!” She spoke and reached out and pushed Gible forward.

Gible didn’t react super well. Snapping at air and sort of looking around. Then towards Dratini.

“Tini!” He challenged her, and Gible stared.

Before just rushing forward, mouth open.

I felt myself lean forward worried, but Dratini was older, and probably wiser.

A twister arced out and instead of biting him, Gible bit into the dragon tinged air and launched away.

“Gib. Gib gib gib.” She uttered as she rolled. And I think it was the first time I heard her give out a noise of pain.

I rose up, but Dragonite trilled, reassuring.

And Gible rose up.

Her body shimmered. She opened her mouth and out came a roaring rage of energy.

It wasn’t quite Dragon Pulse. Dratini dodged, and it surprisingly did some damage to the ground as it tore through.

Then it was over and Gible stood there, steam coming from her mouth as she stared.

I waited to see what would happen next, but time slowly continued and slowly I realized Gible wasn’t going to attack again. I walked over cautiously.

“Gible?” I asked, but she didn’t respond and as I reached over to touch her, ready for her to snap, instead she just sort of teetered and then fell over. “Gible!” I gasped, reaching out, but it was a moment later I heard it.

Snoring. Gible was asleep.

“Did… Did you tire yourself out so you went to sleep with your eyes open?” I asked aloud because what else was I supposed to do with this!? “This little ball shaped dragon was the weirdest dragon ever! I ended up just laughing, not sure what else to do and picked her up. With a bit of work I helped her close her eyelids and she murmured in her sleep and seemed to rest easier.

“Dragon. Dragonite.” Dragonite called out and then started tittering to herself as well. Dratini though slumped. Looking rather bummed out that his battle had ended so fast.

“Good job Dratini, thank you.” I told him as I walked by stopping to reach out and pet his head. “Why don’t you get back to training. I want to see your Dragon Pulse.”

“Dra! Tini!” He chirped and slithered away. Jangmo-o I noticed had seemed to make a bit of progress while Dratini was distracted, and the little noodle got worked up to try and catch up.

Aww, they had a little rivalry!

I walked Gible back to the house. Deciding to get some food started. I had a feeling she was going to be hungry when she woke up.

By the time the food was cooking, the smell had hit Gible, and had woken her right back up.

Splitting off a snack for her as I finished the meal for everyone. I kept half an eye on her.

That attack. It hadn’t been Dragon Pulse, and it hadn’t been Dragon Breath, it had been odd.

The only thing I could think of was Dragon Rage.

It made sense. Gible wasn’t strong. She was way too young for an attack like that. But Dragon Rage made sense.

“Did you have fun in the battle?” I asked her, and she blinked at me, looking towards my hands for food, only to see a ladle instead.

“Gib?”

I just rolled my eyes. “Alright.” I agreed, and cut up a few more berry bits for her to chomp down. I dropped the bits onto the porch I was sitting on, in a way she couldn’t just bite it so she had to grab it.

She was still practically biting herself when she did, but it didn’t seem to hurt her too bad.

Eventually food was done. I called everyone for food, and started portioning it out. Gible thankfully didn’t interfere, just sitting there drooling for more.

Feeding her, I did what I had started doing every time I fed her. Stroking her head, and horns. Making sure she understood that I was there, and wasn’t stealing her food.

The last thing I wanted was for Gible to grow up with a food aggression. It would take work, but I wanted Gible to be happy.

—--

I was washing the dishes in the stream, when I noticed it. A goomy that was approaching. Slowly woogling over until it was by my elbow.

“Hello there.”

“Goom.” It called out, and I instantly knew who this was.

“Oh that you Brave?” I asked and she undulated up and down as her agreement. “Nice to see you.” I greeted her. The Goomy had been pretty focused for the few days since they got their cave. They had explored all over, and with the understanding the fence around the area was the perimeter of their safe space, had explored it all.

Grandpa Roy had done as I asked and had a few landscapers come in, and set up some more bushes especially around the river, and the Goomy had happily settled in with their food and habitat settled.

“Goom. Goomy.” She called and then looked over towards where the distant sound of Jangmo-o’s chime like roar echoed out.

I looked at her, and felt myself want to jump at the chance.

This was it! She was finally reaching out! Taking a deep breath I calmed myself down and set the dishes to the side.

“I don’t mind at all, if you want to join us for training.” I offered happily. “If you get stronger, you can protect your family better.”

“Goom.” She nodded, looking pleased at my easy acceptance.

“You know, the offer is still there.” I said, turning to look at her fully. “If you want to join my team. I’ll go all out teaching you, and helping you grow stronger. All the way to Goodra.” I added, and Goomy’s little eyes widened at the name of their final evolution.

But she hesitated looking away towards the ground, and then towards the little cave. I looked over as well. To the line of Goomy going in and out.

All of them chattered to each other.

They were happy.

“You want to protect them.” I said and Brave nodded looking up at me.

“Goomy.”

“I know we only met a little bit ago… But I want to protect them too.” I explained simply as I smiled at their happy little wandering. “Right now, they have lots of protection, but it’s true they could have more… I’ll help you regardless, but if you’re on my team. You’ll travel. You’ll fight battles that you can’t imagine, and you’ll grow from it.”

The quiet after that stretched, Brave woogled in place for a while staring at her family. At the people she was the protector of.

I reached out, and picked her up, much to her surprise.

“Let’s protect them. Together.” I offered, bending down and going forehead to forehead. Our eyes met. “Please, I want to be your friend.” I offered quietly, eyes closed and just trying to convey how much it meant to me. How much I wanted this little goo to accept me.

“Goomy.” She said quietly, and then I opened my eyes because the feeling was so strange. She was rubbing her forehead against mine.

She had accepted.

“Yes!” I whooped rising up and spinning around earning a little squeal and then I settled back down, flopping into the grass as I settled her on my lap.

“We’ll need to change out your pokeball for a Premier ball.” I told her, with a wobbly smile as I felt tears coming to my eyes.

I was so happy!

Goomy smiled, and I melted.