Caelan sat cross-legged on the cool grass, the bustling of the city a distant hum in the background. The outskirts of the city were peaceful at this hour, with no one but himself and Rattata to occupy the open space. She sat beside him, nibbling on some kibble, her whiskers twitching in satisfaction.

Hours had passed since the Pokémon Center, and he'd used the rest of his money buying supplies: a refresh kit for Pokémon grooming, some food for Rattata, and a simple meal of bread and honey for himself.

It wasn't much, but it was better than dumpster diving or stealing for food.

The Pokémon food he bought wasn't really for Pokémon but for rodents in general. It wasn't as good for her as food specifically for her species, but it was better than the garbage she usually ate.

Caelan watched her for a moment, considering their next steps. They needed to train, to get stronger– there was no room for complacency. He couldn't afford to spend his time having a panic attack, he didn't have the luxury of rest.

"Alright, Rattata, it's time to train," Caelan said, his voice calm but determined. "I've never done this before, so bear with me."

Rattata's ears perked up, and she looked at him with sharp eyes, ready for whatever came next.

She gobbled up the rest of her food quickly before moving into a ready stance. "Ra, Rattata!"

"Alright," he said. "I need you to perform every attack you know. Pause between different attacks and I'll tell you the name of each of them."

Sitting on her haunches, she gave a quick salute before darting away into the clearing. He suppressed a smile from how cute that was.

"Begin." He boldly commanded.

Rattata darted forward at his call, her small body moving with quick movements. She suddenly turned on a heel and swished her tail through the air in a smooth, almost practiced motion. It was one swift movement, a crack echoing in the clearing as her tail impacted with the open air.

'Woah. That would do some crazy damage to any person if it hit them.'

"Tail Whip," Caelan identified, impressed. He hadn't anticipated the move being so loud. With more precision and speed, he could see it being used as an attack rather than just a move to lower an opponent's guard.

Rattata barely paused before charging at a nearby rock, her tiny frame lighting up with misty white energy as she slammed into it. The force caused the rock to shift slightly, and she bounced back, landing lightly on her feet.

'Hmm. A bit weaker than I expected it to be. She was probably giving it her all back then, as opposed to just this demonstration.'

"Tackle," he called out, recognizing it as the same move she used on the wannabe gangster. "As expected."

Her confidence seemed to grow with each recognized move. With a determined gleam in her eyes, she shifted her weight, becoming a blur as she darted from one side of the clearing to the other. Her speed was remarkable, though not fast enough for Caelan to lose track of her.

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'She pauses before turning, though. Is that a move that only works in a straight line? We'll have to work on that…'

"Quick attack," Caelan confirmed. Her speed would be a great asset in battle, and he could see a lot of future techniques building off this one move.

For a moment, Rattata hesitated, glancing back at him as if seeking approval for what came next. Caelan raised an eyebrow but gave a small nod, encouraging her to continue.

'Wonder what she's so nervous about–'

Taking a deep breath, Rattata opened her mouth and let out an ear-piercing squeal. The sound echoed through the clearing, harsh and grating, causing Caelan to wince. It was a powerful move, one that could easily shatter an opponent's resolve.

'…Ow. I really wasn't expecting that move.'

"Screech," he confirmed, raising his voice to be heard over the ringing in his ears. "That was… loud."

Rattata's ears twitched as she ran back to him with a satisfied glint in her eyes. He crouched down to pet her behind her ears, pleased with her performance.

"You did well, Rattata," Caelan praised, allowing himself a small smile. "You even surpassed my expectations with that last move. We've got a long way to go, but this is a solid start."

He paused, thinking about their next steps. "I'd like you to remember the names of those attacks," he said thoughtfully, "but we'll get it down in battle. For now, focus on improving your stamina. Find the energy you use for each move and expel it in bursts. Then, go through the motions without the energy. Once you've recovered, repeat the process. Understood?"

Rattata gave a determined nod, hopping back to the clearing to start her training.

"Good," Caelan murmured to himself. "But I can't let myself get left behind."

As Rattata began her drills, Caelan's thoughts drifted to the bond he'd lost with her after Nurse Joy had switched their Pokéball. The connection, something he had taken for granted, was gone. Nurse Joy had rushed after him, apologizing and explaining that the bond they felt was a result of the Pokéball improperly linking them. If they'd left the connection intact, it would have worsened until he started inheriting her instincts and mindset, while she became more human-like.

But the connection wasn't entirely gone—it was just dim, a faint ember in a sea of darkness. It had taken him nearly an hour to locate it, but it was there, just barely.

Caelan closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he centered himself. Meditation wasn't something Nolan or Caleb had practiced, but he needed to find that connection again, or at least understand what had happened. If he could harness whatever it was, his Pokémon wouldn't need to remember the names of attacks—they could simply feel his intention and act on it.

He began to focus inward, reaching for that elusive energy, suspecting it might be something akin to the psychic abilities humans in this world seemed to have. Or perhaps it was a facet of Aura, a deeper connection to his Pokémon.

He didn't know, nor did he particularly care. As long as it worked, that was all that mattered. That's what he told himself as he fell deeper into meditation.

But his concentration was broken by a voice, gruff and slightly amused. "You're doing it all wrong, you know."

Caelan's eyes snapped open, his gaze locking onto an old man standing a few feet away, watching him with a look that bordered on pity. The man's clothes were a bit worn, and his face was lined with age, but there was a sharpness in his eyes that belied his appearance.

"Excuse me?" Caelan asked, rising to his feet, his tone guarded and suspicious.

The old man chuckled, shaking his head. "Kids these days, always in such a rush. You're trying to raise her Class Level and work on her moves at the same time, but you're doing a half-ass job of both."

That was exactly what Caelan had hoped for. According to what he'd read online, a Pokémon's energy guided them during attacks. By removing that guidance, Rattata would have to learn the hard way, improving her precision and control. Additionally, several articles suggested that a Pokémon's energy reserves slightly increased every time they were fully depleted.

It wasn't a genius training method, but it had taken some thought to devise. Yet this man deciphered what I was trying to do in seconds.

He frowned slightly; his curiosity piqued despite his skepticism. "And what would you suggest?"

The old man smiled knowingly, "You've got the right idea, but you're missing the bigger picture. Have you ever heard of the Physical-Special split?"

The old man's words cut through Caelan's skepticism, igniting a spark of curiosity he couldn't ignore.