Flint’s Secret Method?

"Iron Head!" I shout. Clark hearing this tries to tell his Aron to dodge, but it was too late.

*Boom!*

My Aron after a few back and forth with Clark's Aron, finally defeated it by a non-strategic back and forth of pure power.

Clark returning his Pokemon sends out his last Pokemon.

*Phssszst*

"Charmander!" The little Lizard Pokemon growled out.

"Charmander {Ember}!"

"{Rock Tomb} Aron!"

Charmander proceeded to let a hurdle of little flames towards Aron's direction, but this was quickly stopped by a barrage of rocks heading towards the Lizard.

"Char!" The little Pokemon seeing the boulders proceeds to dodge them each using its surroundings as an advantage.

*Crack* *Crash* *Crack*

Taking cover behind a rock after the boulders embedded themselves into the battle grounds , Charmander was finally behind cover.

"Aron close the gap by using {Dragon Rush}!"

"Stay right there Charmander!"

Aron imbuing itself with a purple hue, starts to charge at the boulder Charmander was last seen. On the way to the boulder the hue started to shape up like a dragon's head.

"RONNN!" Aron roars out just about to crash into the boulder.

"Now Charmander, jump up and go for a {Metal Claw}!" Clark shouts.

Hearing this I click my tongue knowing that Aron just had to tank the attack.

'Aron already used {Protect} so he'll just have to muscle it through.' I though to myself seeing Charmander mid-air.

*Crash!*

The whole boulder got smashed to pieces as a certain fire lizard was on its way down.

It took another second before Charmander headed for Aron and landed a {Metal Claw} on Aron's head sending it straight down.

With this Charmander was off balance and ended up landing on its face flat to the ground.

*Crack*

"One more time Charmander, {Metal Claw}!"

"Aron get up and use {Headbutt}!"

Both Pokemon quickly recovering each. One from receiving an attack and the other dishing the attack out.

They get up and quickly charge at each other. While Aaron went for a straightforward approach. Charmander side stepped and used {Metal Claw} creating some sparks.

Aron tanking the hit returns it by slamming its head at Charmander's solar plexus.

*Bang*

This hit sent Charmander flying at a boulder increasing the damage taken.

"Quickly go in for a {Head Smash}! I shout.

"Get up Charmander!" Clark helplessly said seeing Charmander limp around. Aron with a clear way to victory rushes at its opponent vigorously willing itself forward.

*Boom*

A mild explosion happened as Aron impacted the helpless Charmander. Soon after the hit Chamramder could be seen flying out of the smoke toward Clark.

Clark looking at his Charmander sighs seeing that it had swirls in its eyes.

With the dust cloud dissipating, Aron could be seen with heaps of scratching just standing there.

Intimidatingly…

"What a battle…" Clark murmurs feelings the intensity of the unnatural Aron. With a smirk on my face I pump my fist up seeing Aron still standing.

With the adrenaline starting to ware off, Aron slumped to the ground with a growl indicating how tired it was.

Walking up to the little guy I use a few potions to heal him up.

"You were amazing there buddy." I say rubbing Aron's head. Aron hearing the praise, leaned into me while growling is satisfaction as it's grown closer to me steadily overtime as I've done the same.

It's been a few months since the gym has been adjusted and I've realised how difficult training is.

The grind to just wake up, train, family activities and sleep is my normal routine. It's not too boring because of me facing gym challengers and my co-workers so it isn't too bad.

I don't get payed though, but it's alright because my dad is willing to buy me anything anyways.

"That was a nice battle, your Aron is getting tougher from your dad's training." Clark comments remembering how much the gap between his and my Pokemon have been widened. This has been happening every match as I've been constantly improving.

"Yeah the score is 6-2 now right?" I say with a smug smirk. Clark seeing my smirk just rolls his eyes at my words.

"You're Aron isn't fair man, I keep bombarding him with hits but my Pokemon can't beat him." Clark sighs out. Soon after this he regained his smile

"If you actually trained you're Pokemon other than their moves, maybe they would get stronger." I comment remembering how impatient he is.

"Bro training takes too time, it's boooring. I'd rather go hang out with my friends and play." Clark groans out like a whining child. "But enough of that, have you decided on what regional starter you want or if you're getting one at all?"

Hearing this I start to rub my chin in thought.

I'm definitely not stupid enough to pass up a regional starter but the choice is quite difficult. Charmander will not be part of my pick as I need a Pokemon who easily listens to my commands as it evolves.

The argument could be made that if you "train" Charmander right it will listen to you in its later evolution. But this has been debunked as the species naturally try to rebel.

Squirtle and Bulbasaur are the best picks for me as they are easy to command and are versatile Pokemon themselves.

…

"One more set Aron." I encourage my Pokemon with a disheveled look. The exhausted Aron still in the middle of its stamina training pushed until it dropped in the middle of the rocky floor.

Seeing this I sigh in contempt to the training I was given by father.

In all though over these few months I saw the improvement first hand especially for myself, but it's hard to stay motivated.

My Aron's schedule included:

•Running laps with me around the field of the Aron section of the private training grounds (Stamina).

•Short distance sprints which include ramming its head to the after affects of a {Stone Edge} made by Tyranitar (Speed).

•Doing an agility course to improve Aron's recovery and dodging time. This is swapped with dodging water attacks from Kabutops sometimes (Agility and Dodging).

•Using a macho brace to increase the overall weight of Aaron in different types of physical tasks (Power).

As anyone with a brain could see, this was basically impossible but because of my Aron's pride he didn't back down.

Aron never actually finished most of his training sessions successfully. But dad said he should strive to be able to complete those reps and sets before evolving to a Lairon.

I mean if it was me I'd give up by the first week to be fair. Aron was also in possession of a everstone so he could reach his peak as an Aron.

"Hey champ you finish up todays training?" I hear my dad say walking up to me. Grinning at his words I nod with Aron slumped next to me.

"You've been working hard but today I'll be teaching you how to go to the next level in training Aron and different preferred battle styles with the guy." Nodding at his words I get a little confused on what he's going on about.

"Is there more my Aron could possibly improve on besides his moves? I mean he trains his moves with the other Aron anyways." I say with a confused look. My Aron after knowing there were others, immediately became the leader of the pack through fights. So there were frequent fights between the Pokemon to show their strength.

"As you know Tyranitar is my ace, but you don't know my other five main Pokemon. To train them up to their peak conditions just hard work won't suffice.

Sometimes to get stronger and win, you need to think outside the box and workout how to gain your Pokemon an advantage over others. When I was younger I did this exact thing and looked for any method to improve a Rock-types defence and power.

A method a came up with after researching the instincts of a rock-type was to crack their body against a boulder." Flint says revealing the information. Knowing that we were in a private area I wasn't worried about this information getting leaked.

'So even with hard work not everything is sunshine and rainbows huh.' I thought to myself. If there were really secret training methods, they would probably be very effective depending on the desired affect the trainer wants.

"So to this is how you got your Tyranitar to be so tall?" I questioned hearing him.

"Not quite but it played a significant role in doing so."

Flint proceeded to explain how the training worked and it seemed like actual torture rather than the training Aron and I have been doing.

"I'm not doubting the effectiveness of your training, but wouldn't this practically be torturing the Pokemon?" Is say a little annoyed standing in front of my slumped Aron. Flint noticing this just sighs realising what I'm saying.

Seeing that he wasn't denying the fact, my fists started to clench in rage knowing he wanted me to practically torture my Pokemon.

"So by testing this method out you tortured your own Pokemon." I state not even posing it as a question. Flint getting quiet at my words just looks at the floor.

"It does cause a lot of pain for the Pokemon I admit, due to my stupidness I witnessed it myself. But the training can be done in small doses like how muscle tears work in a human." Hearing Flint say this I start to calm down and regain myself.

'What he's done when he was younger is none of my buisness, I'm just protective over Aron.' After taking care of Aron I realised raising a Pokemon is like having a kid even though I've never had one.

There's no point getting mad over the past and that would make no sense at all.

"I'm willing to try it in small doses, I don't think Aron would despise it as much as stamina training." I chuckle out trying to lighten up the mood. Flint realising this gets a smile back in his face.

…

"Okay today we won't be doing the other training methods and try my secret training." Flint says seriously. It was now the next day and Aron was fully rested up for what ever this old man is gonna do.

"Alright let's go Aron!" Taking out a Pokeball from my pockets, I send out Aron.

*Phsszst*

"Ron?" Aron says confused at where he was. Without much work needed, dad did most of the process and just explaining to me on what was important.

For this training Aron needed to damage its soft body parts that weren't covered in metal armour.

This included the holes in its face, back and its grey body. The process was not pretty and Aron was probably out of commission for a couple of weeks.

"So I'll just have to wait?" I say while giving Aron snacks to cheer it up. Looking at Aron, all over its poor body were huge cracks that would freak out the owner of any ground or rock type Pokemon.

"Yeah, for now you can just take a break and relax. I also want you to read this in your "spare time" when your not being lazy." Flint says with a sorry look seeing Aron's state while handing me a piece of paper.

Looking at the title I smirk.

[Battle Tactics and Styles]

This was something I dearly needed and would be using in the future. While staring at the title, Flint spoke up again.

"Just remember to not to main a battle style or let Aron get used to one before its final evolution. The body type of a Aron, Lairon and Aggron as extremely different so just focus on pure strength for now."

Thanking Flint for all the advice he has given me, I return Aron to his Pokeball.

Looking around the area I spot a Crystal Onix just sleeping on the rocky floors of the forth private battlefield by itself.

The Pokemon is being personally trained by father before I could obtain him. This is because dad wants to make it the icon of Pewter Gym to attract more publicity and have a mascot.

'I'll get strong enough to be your trainer.' I promise myself. It's so annoying that dad gave me the requirements of a few badges to get some of his Pokemon.

But it's better than privately training them myself as I got no idea what's happening.

"Also dad I heard an Ace trainer will be challenging you for the Golden Boulder Badge?" I question.

"Oh that battle? It wont be too interesting as the person I'm battling is a snobby brat who got there through connections. You can watch it though as it's gonna be the first 3 on 3 you'll see of my main team.

The only Pokemon you know of are Tyranitar and Golem. So this should help you get a scope of the difference of real battles." He says confidently. I'm crossing my fingers in hood to seeing more of his actual team as he never shows them to me. While I could literally take his Tyranitar and participate in the league with it, his other Pokemon aren't registered to me.

"What time?"

"Later today at 6pm with a large crowd."

(A/N: I understand if these initial chapters are boring. But the MCs journey will be starting in a few more chapters, so don't hate it please!)