Ren flicked a Pokéball from his belt with a practiced motion, the red-and-white shell bursting open in a flash of white light. The shape that materialized was compact but coiled with raw energy -
A Mankey. Its wiry frame twitched restlessly, fists clenched so tight its knuckles popped, while its scruffy fur bristled in the summer air. Beady eyes locked onto us, burning with a fierce, reckless focus. The Pokémon let out a harsh cry that split through the trees, a jagged sound that sent birds scattering from the branches overhead.
My heart skipped. It's strong. We can't let it set the pace, we need to act first.
"Caesar Dragon Breath!" I commanded.
My Axew planted his feet firmly, eyes narrowing, the little tusks at the edge of his jaw glinting in the light. He inhaled, chest swelling, scales along his throat glowing faintly green. Then he exhaled hard. A thin but steady stream of emerald blue energy hissed through the air, shimmering with heat, the beam cutting forward like a burning lance.
It struck Mankey square in the chest. A crackle, a hiss, and the fighting-type was blasted backward, smoke curling from its singed fur. The shock of dragonfire lit up its features, eyes widening in pure surprise.
"What the .. ?" Ren muttered, eyebrows shooting up. The smirk faltered for the first time, surprise flashing across his face. "Dragon-type…?"
But he recovered quickly, barking his command. "Shake it off! Low Kick!"
Mankey snarled, fury sparking in its gaze. Its body blurred forward, all twitching aggression compressed into sudden speed. I barely had time to process it before it was already on Caesar, leaping low, leg cocked back. Its foot glowed faintly, power surging through the strike, and then ...
Crack!
The blow swept low across Caesar's legs, knocking them clean out from under him. The world tilted as my partner let out a grunt, his small body crashing onto his side, dirt scattering from the impact.
My fists clenched. "Caesar!"
He stirred, shaking his head, determination flashing in his eyes even as he scrambled back up. The battle had only just begun, and Ren's smirk had already returned, sharper than before.
"Get up! Bite!"
Caesar's claws dug into the dirt, body coiled like a spring. He launched forward with a guttural snarl, jaws snapping shut around Mankey's forearm. The crunch of teeth against flesh was sharp, brutal. For the first time, Ren's expression flickered, his smirk faltering as his partner shrieked, thrashing violently in Caesar's grip.
With a desperate yank, Mankey tore free, the limb trembling. Yet its eyes blazed hotter, wild and unyielding.
"Karate Chop!" Ren barked.
Mankey lunged, arm slicing through the air in a blur. The edge of its hand cracked against Caesar's shoulder, the sound reverberating like a hammer on wood. Caesar staggered, teeth bared, a low snarl tearing from his throat.
"Slash! Meet it head-on!" I shouted.
Claws flared white, gleaming with hardened energy. Caesar roared and surged forward, his right arm sweeping out just as Mankey's chop descended. Their blows collided mid-strike, claw against chop, and the air itself seemed to explode. A plume of dust and force rippled outward from the impact, grass flattening in concentric circles.
Through the haze, I saw it Mankey shuddering under the weight of Caesar's strength. Even here, even raw and unpolished, Caesar was physically stronger.
"Now other hand!" I yelled.
With a guttural cry, Caesar's left claws slashed upward in a vicious arc. The blow ripped across Mankey's chest, carving furrows through fur and skin alike, sending the monkey staggering backward. Burnt patches from the earlier Dragon Breath still marred its chest, smoke rising faintly from singed fur but fury overcame pain. Mankey screeched and leapt, claws flashing as it rained down a barrage of Fury Swipes.
"Block it!" I called.
Caesar raised both arms, claws crossed and glowing with hardened energy. Sparks flew as Mankey's blows slammed against them again and again, each strike a whip-crack in the air. Caesar snarled, tusks brimming with energy as he tried to counter with headbutts and bites, but the flurry was relentless. Cuts and bruises began to bloom across his scales, the weight of Mankey's fury driving him backward step by step.
I clenched my fists. We couldn't just sit there and take it.
"Caesar! Dragon Breath on the ground!"
He roared, twisting his head downward. A thin but powerful beam erupted from his jaws, lancing into the dirt. The earth cracked and cratered, smoke and fire exploding upward between the two Pokémon. The sudden eruption blasted Mankey backward, forcing it to leap away to safety.
Ren scowled. "Focus Energy!"
Mankey froze in place, eyes squeezing shut. Its whole body trembled, chest rising and falling as if it were drinking in the very air around it. A strange, crimson aura flickered over its frame, its gaze snapping open with frightening clarity. The wild rage sharpened into something honed predator's focus.
"Quick Attack!" Ren roared.
The Mankey blurred forward, faster than before, striking like lightning. Caesar braced himself but couldn't fully react as the blow slammed into his chest, driving him back a step. Mankey followed, arm raised for another brutal Karate Chop,
"Bite!" I shouted.
Dark energy flared in Caesar's jaws, his teeth glowing with an ominous edge. He lunged, snapping shut around Mankey's wrist mid-strike. The chop faltered, caught and bound by Caesar's grip.
"Throw it! Now!" I ordered.
With a savage twist of his body, Caesar hurled Mankey upward into the air. The Fighting-type spun helplessly, exposed.
"Full power Dragon Breath!" My voice tore through the clearing.
Caesar's chest heaved, emerald blue light flooding his mouth until it blazed like a forge. Then he unleashed it all in a roaring torrent, a beam brighter and fiercer than anything he'd conjured before. The Dragon Breath lanced upward, engulfing Mankey in a storm of crackling energy. The clearing lit green, the force scorching leaves and searing the air itself.
Ren's eyes widened, color draining from his face. "Reversal! Now!"
Through the blaze, Mankey's body flickered its aura, shifting, surging with desperate, furious strength. With a howl, it twisted into the attack, its body glowing a dull, earthy brown. The reversal met the Dragon Breath head-on, but the energy still overwhelmed it, blasting the Fighting-type from the sky and slamming it into the dirt with bone-rattling force.
The ground quaked where it landed, smoke rising from a crater. For a heartbeat, I thought it was over.
Then Mankey moved. Its body flickered, aura burning brighter, feeding on its wounds. With a scream, it launched forward, reversal's glow erupting around it in a savage charge. too fast
"Caesar, block with Slash!"
He raised his claws, energy blazing along their edges, but the impact hit like a landslide. The Reversal tore through his defense, the blast of power hurling him across the clearing. He crashed, skidding through dirt and leaves, until he finally lay still, sides heaving, a low growl spilling from his throat as he struggled to rise.
My heart skipped. "Caesar…"
Slowly, shakily, he pushed himself to his feet, tusks bared, eyes locked on me. That stubborn spark in his gaze, refusing to quit made my chest tighten.
I raised his ball. "That's enough. You did it. I'm proud of you."
Caesar blinked, panting hard, then managed a tired grin. He gave a low, rumbling snarl that almost sounded like a laugh before the beam of red light pulled him back into the Pokéball.
Across the clearing, Mankey collapsed to one knee, barely standing, its body trembling with exhaustion and burns. Ren stared at his Pokémon, jaw tight, then silently recalled it. For a moment, he just stood there, fists clenching, something ugly twisting across his face.
"You lost kid," he muttered at last, though the words rang hollow. His eyes flicked to me, narrowing.
He turned sharply, stalking off into the trees without another glance.
The girl lingered, her gaze shifting between me and the spot Ren had vanished. She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Sorry about him. He…just like that, I suppose. Oh.. I'm Claire."
Her smile was brief, apologetic, but genuine. "We'll be in town for a while. Maybe I'll see you there." With that, she offered a quick wave and jogged after Ren, leaving me alone in the smoking, torn-up clearing Caesar's Pokéball warm in my hand, and pride burning in my chest.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Arata trudged back to the flat patch beneath an old oak, his worn bag resting against the roots where he'd left it. The adrenaline of battle was still burning faintly in his veins, but his body was already sagging with exhaustion.
He lowered himself onto the grass with a long breath and tugged the bag open. Inside, nestled between cloth and supplies, were the tools of a trainer's quiet duty: a slim potion bottle, a bundle of wrapped berries. His fingers lingered on them a moment, then he unclipped Caesar's Pokéball.
The burst of light brought his partner back into the open. Caesar stood shakily, his scales scuffed, his breathing slightly ragged. And yet his eyes burned as fiercely as they had in battle.
"Sit," Arata said softly. Caesar huffed, almost offended at the word, but obeyed, folding down onto his haunches.
Arata sprayed the potion carefully across the burns and bruises. The wounds hissed faintly, the solution seeping into torn skin and easing the raw edges. Then he offered a few berries from his palm sweet Oran for recovery. Caesar took them with a tired growl, chewing slowly, his tail thumping the earth with faint rhythm.
For a moment, they sat in silence, the only sound the rustle of leaves overhead. Then Arata exhaled, running a hand down his face.
"You were incredible out there," he said finally, his voice low but firm. "That Mankey was fast, strong… more experienced. But you pushed through. I'm proud of you, Caesar."
Caesar tilted his head, tusked grin tugging at his lips despite the pain. His eyes locked onto Arata's, the flicker of understanding glimmering there.
Arata smiled back. "But we've got work to do. We need speed faster steps, sharper reactions. More moves, too. Every battle's going to teach us something. And today taught me… You can stand against anyone."
Caesar gave a grunt that was almost a laugh, shoulders rolling as if to say then bring them on.
Before Arata could reply, the air shifted. A soft flutter, a beat of wings.
From the branches above, a small shape descended, the very Pidgey they had saved days ago. Its feathers were cleaner now, gleaming in the waning sunlight, though a faint scar still traced along one wing. Its eyes, bright and sharp amber, fixed on Arata and Caesar with unshakable intent.
"Hey," Arata said, surprised warmth rising in his chest. "You're… you're fine? They let you out of the Center already?"
The little bird chirped proudly, chest puffing, then hopped closer. Its wings spread just slightly not in threat, but in statement.
Arata frowned, tilting his head. "Wait. Were you watching the fight?"
Pidgey let out a sharp cry that was answer enough. And then it stepped forward, talons digging into the soil. Its gaze darted between Arata and Caesar, then back again. It tapped its wing against its chest once, then stretched it outward toward them both.
The meaning sank in slowly. Arata's heart skipped. "...You want to join us."
Caesar's ear frills twitched, and he leaned closer, studying the little bird. For a moment, silence stretched then the faint shimmer stirred. That strange, subtle aura, the same presence Arata had felt before, pulsed faintly between them.
A recognition. A bond, tentative but real.
Arata placed a hand on Caesar's scaled shoulder. "What do you think?"
Caesar huffed once not dismissive, but approving. A grin curved across his tusked mouth.
Arata's lips tugged into a smile as he looked back at the little bird. "Then… welcome to the family, Pidgey. Training won't be easy, but... "
Pidgey cut him off with a sharp cry, flapping once, as if to say I'm ready.
The moment hung there, golden in the light of dusk, as if the forest itself acknowledged the pact.
And then Arata extended his hand, palm open. Pidgey hopped forward, pressed its beak gently against his skin. The aura pulsed once more, sealing the bond.
For a moment, everything was perfect.
Until Pidgey turned its head toward Arata's pack, then back to him, chirping insistently.
Arata blinked. "You… want to come home with us, don't you?"
The bird puffed its chest and gave a sharp nodding flutter, eyes burning with determination. Caesar snorted. The little dragon jabbed a claw toward Arata, then mimed folding his arms and wagging a finger, doing a spot-on impression of Hailey's scolding stance.
Arata groaned instantly. "Oh, don't you start."
Caesar grinned widely, tusks gleaming, and repeated the gesture, even adding a little mock glare for effect.
"…You're right," Arata admitted reluctantly, dragging a hand through his hair.
"If you want to join us, Pidgey, I still have to get Aunt Hailey's approval first. And that " he sighed, half-laughing, " that's going to be harder than fighting Ren."
Caesar barked a laugh that turned into a wheeze, while Pidgey tilted its head, clearly not understanding the reference but trilling proudly anyway. Despite the weight of the new challenge, Arata couldn't hold back a grin.
"Alright. Guess the team just got a little bigger."