9 Training and D-Rank Promotion

…

The next day he was given his arm badge by Julie who said "Now there is a couple things I need to let you know. First is that your Pokémon, trainer card and arm badge must be with you at all times.The arm badges are to show everyone that you are a Pokémon Trainer. This is mostly to keep the civilians happy. They like to know when they are in the presence of any of us so that they can quickly and quietly leave the area,"

"The trainer cards are your primary form of identification. It lets others know what trainer rank you belong to and allows you to take on missions of the appropriate ranks. It also doubles as a debit card. When you complete a mission you must go to the mission office in the central district to receive your pay. They money you get from the successful mission is deposited directly into your trainer account. The trainer card is the only way to gain access to that money."

"At your rank you are not eligible to take on any missions. You will have to be promoted to D-rank first. I suggest work hard and tame your new Pokémon. When you think that you are ready for the next rank, just head to the Gym and request a D-rank promotion exam. The Instinct gym leader will test you as you are under his supervision during the ordeal. The gym leader will test you and your Pokémon to see if you have what it takes to start taking missions. If he don't think you are ready you can always retake the exam"

The backpack and items including the extra Pokeballs belong to you. They are a gift from the league as a welcome to the ranks.

"Mine where all destroyed in the trial."

She was stunned and sighed. "I have a beat up backpack I can give you but you won't get any of the supplies."

Aaron sincerely thanked her.

Aaron knew that he needed money to do missions but he also needed money for food for Trapinch. He guessed that he would have to go outside the wall again to get its food until he could afford more things. Right now he had an empty backpack 1 pair of simple clothes that he wore and shoes and goggles. He was poor compared to the other trainers who where from guilds. But he was happy he was not In a guild. If all hell broke loose he can only rely on himself.

Aaron made a short to do list for himself

1)Train Trapinch to get a variety of attacks

2)Become D Rank

3)Take on Missions for money

4)Get enough for clothes and food along with emergency supplies.

5)Buy a Pokeball or 2 and Catch another Pokémon that has versatility.

These where his plans for now before he could actually focus on his training fully.

…

Aaron and Trapinch started to spend every minute they could at a remote training grounds. Trapinch was continuing improving in using combination of attacks. She has been trying to work on a longer range attack in order to give her time to reach her opponent or to knock down an opponent out of the air.

Aaron "Okay Trapinch now that we have done combinations such as quick dig and your different bite moves. Sand Escape where we combined sand attack and Dig. We also have upgraded your physical abilities now its time to focus on some ranged attacks."

"Trapinch"

Okay now when you preform mud-slap you use your ground energy do soften the ground and allows you to throw it with your feet correct?

"Pinch" she nodded indicating a yes

"Now instead of just throwing the softened dirt or sand you need to use your inner ground energy to form it into a ball in front of your mouth."

Trapinch nodded and after a few seconds brown glow appeared before it into an oddly shaped ball that was struggling to keep together.

Poof

Plop

Trapinch lost control and the mud landed on the ground in front of it.

"That was good for the first try. Try to compress the ball for stability then we can increase its size to add more power behind it. Then once we perfected this we just need to increase the number."

It nodded and again tried and after about 15 minutes Trapinch had created a ball of mud the size of a cantaloupe. It then launched it at the practice dummy. It looked like a brown bullet and traveled fast but it also fell really fast do to its weight.

"Awesome Trapinch that it basically Mud Shot." Aaron then looked at his watch and it indicated that Trapinch's Mud-Slap upgraded to Mudshot and its Sand Attack somehow upgraded to Sand Tomb.

Aaron smiled as Trapinch showed him the prowess of her purple ranked potential in mastering the usage of ground element in such a short amount of time. Aaron then thought of a couple more combinations and attacks that Trapinch could do with these new moves. "Developing strategies and attacks are quite fun."

Aaron did not stay idle he trained himself along with Trapinch. He wanted to feel that power that he had tapped into during the ordeal. He had started to meditate to find the energy but it was nowhere to be seen.

Days quickly passed and it was time for them to take the D-Rank Exam.

…

The day of the exam came and Aaron was sure that Trapinch and him where ready. He had to do some chores for Julie in order to get some food money for him and Trapinch. They had barely been scraping by as is, they have been out of the wall twice out into the Northern Desert so that Trapinch could catch some food. It was rare for people to leave to the Dessert but now the guards knew him by name.

With her increased abilities Trapinch became a good hunter but the available food in the desert was minimal. He needed to take missions for money but at his current rank he couldn't even officially get missions. That's why he was so eager to advance.

Aaron got up early when the sun just started to come up and immediately at some of the leftovers from last night. It was just scraps but it was enough to get him by. He walked towards the gym and found it closed. Since he was early he went to the nearest training field and released Trapinch. He tossed her what ever was left of his meal which she happily ate. She seemed to be a glutton and loved any type of food. The only thing that Aaron found that she didn't like was very sweet food.

After a while he saw the gym doors open. He went inside to meet the gym leader to take his exam. Aaron walked in and saw the Gym leader feeding his humongous Luxray.

Aaron Silently scanned Luxray

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Luxray (Male)

The Gleam Eyes Pokemon [CLICK TO EXPAND DESCRIPTION]

Ability: Intimidate, Unlocked (Guts)

Attribute: Electric

Potential: Gold

Strength: Low Champion

Moves: Tackle, Charge, Electric Terrain, Bite, Spark, Roar, Scary Face, Thunder Wave, Crunch, Discharge, Hyper Beam, Giga Impact, Light Screen, Protect, Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, Fire Fang, Thunder, Agility, Iron Tail, Electro Ball, Rising Voltage, Night Slash (EGG), Quick Attack (EGG)

======================

GULP

'OP TOOO OP'

'IT IS PROBABLY STRONGER THAN BRUCE'S CHARIZARD'

"Morning," Austin yawned. "You are up too early. I don't usually see anyone in the gym until after breakfast."

Aaron maintaining his calm exterior "We eat breakfast at different times…"

Austin just looked at Aaron and laughed "That we do, that we do. Now what are you here for?"

Aaron"D-Rank Promotion."

"This year has a lot of talents as it usually takes several weeks or months for the chosen of the previous years to take the test. I am impressed that you are now willing take the exam."

"Why?"

"I mean most of the chosen got Pokémon that where docile and easy to train. Not to mention they already seem loyal and quite many of participants this year caught two Pokémon which I think is weird."

He shrugged "Most of those trainers had very young Pokémon which are easier to influence. Your Pokémon is a little more like an adolescent rather than an infant. That and most of your group took their test within two days off their ordeal. Someone who Valor recruited took it the same day as their Ordeal."

Aaron "oh"

"That's it that's all the reaction I get? Ahh, I am too tired to deal with this stuff. Lets get this over with."

Austin then just slouched and slowly walked over to one of the two indoor training grounds that had walls of equipment meant for all different types of training. There where two practice dummies at each field.

He then called out to his Pokémon "THOR we have a trainer to evaluate come here."

Luxray Snorted and swiftly made its way to the edge of the arena where it laid back down. Reigning in its aura.

"Right," Austin said, "Time to begin. Call out your Pokémon."

Aaron took out his Pokeball and released Trapinch. Trapinch emerged and cocked its head to the side as it wondered what's its orders where.

"Now let's start your exam. He then took a lawn chair out of no where and sat down. He pointed to the nearby practice dummy and said "The first part is very simple. Just have it attack one of the practice dummies. Go through all the attacks it currently knows."Austin said

Aaron wanting to get this over with called out to Trapinch " Combination B followed by some mortars."

Trapinch nodded and used Quick Dig. Dust appeared where it once stood and when it cleared there was a small hole seconds later.

The ground rumbled and a orange blur shot out at one of the practice targets its mouth was covered in dark energy. It chomped on one of the dummy's arms then let go sending sand from its feet at it. It then landed and used quick attack and closed in once again towards the dummy again from its marked blind spot this time.

It had a greenish energy around its mouth and chopped hard on the dummy and after it immediately let go and fell to the ground. When it hit the ground a column of sand and small stones swirled around it and the target. Seconds later it reappeared in-front of Aaron and stayed in the hole and just poked its mouth out so that it could see.

It then covered itself in brown energy and a second later it formed 3 Soccer ball sized mud-shots and launched them high into the air and when they seemed to reach their peak, they quickly descended and increased their speed landing on the target from above who was still trapped by swirling sand.

Boom

The shots his and the impact dissipated the small sand storm. When the dust cleared the dummy had many scrapes and bruises and 3 large dents in it.

Trapinch slowly got out of its hole and waddled next to Aaron exausted from using the moves in rapid succession.

Austin just watched calmly but was astonished on the inside. He smirked "Haha you are definitely a step above the others. The others can't compare to your battle sense."

Aaron smiled and patted Trapinch "Yeah we put some practice into it."

'Those other leaders don't know what they are missing. He could be a key part of my plan to tip the scales here'

"Alright let's continue the exam" he then motioned to the side of the area and nodded to Luxray who used a weak lightening bolt to then knock over a container of rubber balls. The balls scattered all around the floor and where three colors red, yellow and blue.

"This part is simple so just put the balls back in the order yellow, blue then red. Aaron nodded and motions to Trapinch. It immediately used dig and then got under each ball and spat it into the bucket from the hole in the ground that it had made near the bucket. The two trainers couldn't see Trapinch but just saw balls fall into the ground and shoot out of a hole into the bucket. When it was done it climbed out of its hole and just cocked his head to the side.

Aaron just watched calmly and turned to the gym leader who was fuming "How the H*** am I going to keep this battlefield maintained if there are so many dam* holes in it."

While shouting he ran and threw a punch at Aaron. Aaron was shocked inwardly but didn't have time to react.

Suddenly the gym leader's fist came to a stop right in front of Aaron.

Trapinch just had its head cocked to the side blinking questioningly.

"Brat you passed."

"Huh?" Aaron was confused but then understood "So that was it huh."

"You don't seem phased?" The gym leader said in a confused tone.

Aaron "Nah not really. You weren't releasing any negative intent towards me and Trapinch that was why I was confused originally. It is either that or you are really good at suppressing your intent. I then figured out it was part of the test to see if the Pokémon was under the trainer's control in stressful situations."

Austin "Pretty smart kid, I could of done some real damage to you there though "

Aaron " I guess" as he shrugged his shoulders and returned Trapinch. "I am used to injuries like that even if you did hit me. So I guess one more won't matter" He said while heading towards the entrance.

Austin smirked and then tossed Aaron's card to him. It landed itself into the ground and Aaron picked it up nodding thanks and left the gym. Leaving behind the lazy gym leader deep in thought.

…