Scyther lowered its arms, the previously swift cutting motions ceasing. Its powerful limbs seemed to sag slightly, the sharp edges of its carapace looking less defined under a sheen of sweat. Fatigue was etched onto its normally stern, insectoid features.
Nearby, Abra simply ceased its mental exertion. The hovering rock beside it dropped instantly, thudding softly onto the grass. The sound didn't even stir Happiny, who remained curled in its sunny nap spot.
But the moment Xiu announced break time and brought out the prepared food bowls, Happiny's eyes snapped open. It scrambled upright and waddled eagerly towards him, seemingly still half-asleep but driven by an unerring instinct for mealtime. 'Does it even fully wake up, or just operate on autopilot when food's involved?' Xiu wondered with amusement.
As they ate, Xiu reviewed the morning's training session, discussing observations aloud, partly for his own benefit, partly hoping Abra or even Scyther might offer some feedback through subtle reactions or, in Abra's case, potential telepathic impressions. He used these observations to mentally tweak their training regimens, adjust nutrient ratios in their food, seeking optimal progress.
"Alright," he announced after they'd finished eating and had a short rest. "Abra, Happiny, go back in the Poké Balls for now. Scyther, you're with me."
He led Scyther deeper into the forested outskirts, away from their usual clearing, stopping finally in a particularly dense section thick with trees and undergrowth.
"Ready?" Xiu asked, turning to face Scyther. He saw the affirmative glint in its multifaceted eyes, a slight tensing of its limbs. Without further warning, Xiu suddenly burst forward, low and fast like a predator launching an ambush, darting between the trees.
Scyther reacted instantly, wings flaring. It launched itself forward, a green streak weaving through the dense woods, easily outpacing Xiu. It disappeared ahead in moments.
Xiu pushed himself, sprinting through the trees, following the path Scyther had taken. He couldn't match its raw speed, obviously, but he didn't fall hopelessly behind either. He kept it in sight, a pursuing presence. Whenever Scyther seemed to slow, perhaps thinking it had outdistanced him, Xiu would put on a burst of speed, closing the gap slightly, startling Scyther into accelerating again.
This wasn't just about training Scyther's speed and agility through the complex terrain. Xiu needed to participate, to push his own limits alongside his Pokémon. Only by experiencing the exertion firsthand could he truly gauge Scyther's condition, its stamina levels, and its breaking points – crucial data for refining its training plan.
More than that, shared struggles forged bonds. He couldn't just stand aside issuing commands. Training together, sweating together, pushing through exhaustion together – that was how trust and partnership were truly built between Trainer and Pokémon. Alienation was a risk if he remained too detached.
They raced through the woods, dodging trees, leaping roots, navigating the uneven ground. Eventually, inevitably, Scyther's pace began to falter. Its movements grew heavier, its wings beating less powerfully. The winner – stamina – was decided.
"Hah... hah..." Xiu slowed to a stop, leaning against a tree, chest heaving, lungs burning. He saw Scyther slumped nearby, looking utterly depleted. "Don't... don't stop completely yet," Xiu gasped out. "Walk it off... cool down slowly." He pushed himself away from the tree and staggered over, gently nudging the exhausted Pokémon forward.
As he touched its carapace, he felt the heat radiating from it. 'Overheating.' Its body temperature was worryingly high. He quickly retrieved a water bottle from his pack, offering it to Scyther, letting it drink deeply while they walked slowly back towards the clearing, allowing its body temperature to regulate.
It took a while for Scyther to recover its breath, its trembling limbs steadying.
"Alright, rest here," Xiu said, glancing up at the sun filtering through the leaves. He checked his cheap wristwatch. "Still some daylight left. We'll run again later."
The look of profound weariness that crossed Scyther's face at that pronouncement was almost comical.
"Haha~" Xiu couldn't help but laugh, clapping Scyther gently on the shoulder ridge. "I know, I know. It's tough. But training makes us stronger. And only the strong," he added, his tone turning serious, "can truly control their own destiny." He didn't know if Scyther fully understood the philosophy, but he offered it another Oran Berry and some energy pellets to replenish its reserves.
His rationale for this specific training was clear. Scyther possessed incredible speed and attack power, primarily through its scythes. But that speed seemed geared towards short, explosive bursts. Its endurance was lacking. Xiu's goal was to improve that endurance, extend its ability to maintain high speeds, strengthen its overall physical conditioning. Persistence builds power.
He also suspected, based on the overheating, that Scyther's ability to dissipate body heat during intense exertion might be a limiting factor, more so than pure muscle fatigue. 'Something to research further in the Stationmaster's notes later.'
The following days fell into a demanding rhythm. Mornings were dedicated to intense training sessions in the woods, putting the theories from the Breeder manuals and the Stationmaster's notes into practice, constantly observing, analyzing, adjusting based on results. Afternoons were spent back at the small apartment, pouring over the books, absorbing foundational knowledge, pushing towards more advanced concepts. Evenings involved more study, interspersed with basic care for Abra and Happiny.
Time was compressed, maximized. Every waking moment, aside from quick meals and basic hygiene, was dedicated to learning or training. It was exhausting, relentless. He even started dreaming about training regimens and nutritional formulas. 'Outrageous...' he admitted to himself, but necessary. He felt the pressure acutely. The three hundred thousand Poké Dollars felt like a rapidly draining hourglass. He had to pass the Breeder qualification exam soon, establish a source of income, before the money ran out. Failure wasn't an option. Thankfully, his past life's experience with intense study periods gave him the mental fortitude to cope.
— — —
"Hah!" Xiu yelled, lunging forward, swinging a sturdy tree branch like a practice sword, aiming a sharp, downward chop towards Scyther. He put his weight behind it, no mercy shown in the mock attack.
Scyther, facing the 'deadly' assault, didn't panic. It shifted its weight fluidly, turning sideways just enough for the branch to whistle past, then raised one scythe smoothly, deflecting the follow-through with a sharp clack.
Xiu didn't pause, flowing immediately into another attack, then another. Thrusting, slashing, feinting – his movements were intentionally erratic, unpredictable, mimicking a desperate, cunning opponent trying to land a killing blow.
But Scyther met each 'attack' with calm precision. It dodged when possible, its movements economical and swift. When dodging wasn't feasible, it parried, using its hard scythes to block or redirect the clumsy branch strikes with minimal effort.
This was a new training drill Xiu had implemented: evasion and defense under pressure. Observing Scyther's natural agility, he wanted to hone its ability to react defensively, to avoid damage even when overwhelmed by a flurry of attacks.
Initially, Scyther had been caught off guard by Xiu's aggressive (even if unskilled) attacks, taking numerous light hits from the branch. But it learned quickly. Day by day, its reflexes sharpened, its defensive footwork improved. It adapted.
'Incredible talent', Xiu thought, pressing the attack. He wasn't sure if he could master defensive maneuvers this quickly.
He pushed harder, feinting low then striking high, trying to catch it off balance. But his own stamina was fading. The initial storm of blows slowed, his movements becoming weaker, less coordinated.
Sensing the shift, Scyther changed instantly from defense to offense. A green blur. A flash of its scythe. The branch in Xiu's hand was suddenly several inches shorter, the severed end clattering to the ground.
Xiu stared at the shortened branch, then looked up at Scyther, who now stood poised, scythes held ready, regarding him with its steady, unblinking gaze.
"Hey! It's not time yet," Xiu protested breathlessly. "We haven't finished the required time for dodging practice..."
Scyther just lowered its scythe slightly and made a small, dismissive clicking sound, as if to say, 'This level of attack is no longer a challenge. I've mastered this.'
Xiu frowned for a second, slightly annoyed at being 'beaten' by his own drill, but quickly suppressed it. He couldn't argue with the results. "Alright, alright," he conceded, lowering the broken branch. "I'm tired anyway. Take a break. We'll switch to attack training next."
He tossed the branch aside and walked over to sit under a tree, catching his breath.
Abra, who had been meditating cross-legged (or as close as its floating form could manage) nearby, seemed to sense the change in activity. It slowly opened one eye, glanced briefly at Scyther, then at Xiu, before closing the eye again, resuming its impassive state as if nothing had happened.
After a short rest, Xiu began setting up the next drill— attack precision. He took thin, strong silk threads (salvaged from the poacher gear) and tied them to numerous fist-sized stones he'd gathered earlier. He then hung these stones from various tree branches throughout a section of the forest, creating a complex web of dangling targets at different heights and distances. Within a ten-meter radius, dozens of stones swayed gently, a challenging obstacle course. He held the ends of all the threads bunched in one hand.
"Alright, Scyther," Xiu called out. "The goal is simple. When I release a thread, a stone will fall randomly. Your job is to react instantly and cut the stone cleanly before it hits the ground. Speed, precision, and reaction time is crucial. Got it?"