CH_3.1 (06)

The wind rustled the leaves overhead as Caelan stood facing the old man, his thoughts swirling with questions. The serene clearing, once filled with the sounds of Rattata's training, now buzzed with a new tension–a tension brought by the mysterious stranger and his cryptic words.

Caelan's gaze narrowed, his curiosity outweighing his caution. "The Physical-Special split?" he echoed; the term unnervingly familiar.

In Nolan's world, this was a term used to describe the change in how Pokémon moves worked in the main series games. Previously, a move's power was determined by the type itself—Fire, for instance, always relied on the Special Attack stat. 

But in the fourth generation of games, this changed. Moves were classified as Physical or Special based on their nature, not their type. 

For that concept to exist here is... impossible. That was just a video game update—how could it be relevant to real life?

He was shaken from his thoughts by the old man's nod, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "It's one of the most fundamental concepts in Pokémon training. Understanding it could make or break how quickly your Pokémon grows."

Caelan crossed his arms, leaning slightly forward. He didn't fully understand, but he wasn't about to turn away free knowledge. "Explain."

The old man's smile widened, pleased by Caelan's directness. "I will, but first, tell me something. What is the energy that Pokémon use in battle? Do you know?"

Sensing that this was a test of some sort, Caelan closed his eyes in contemplation.

For Caelan, accessing Caleb or Nolan's memories was like flipping through the pages of a book. While his current memory wasn't flawless, he had an almost encyclopedic understanding of their lives.

Yet, no matter where he looked or how thoroughly he searched, there was no concrete answer to this question in either of their experiences. While concepts like "Type Energy" or "Aura" existed in Nolan's world, neither clearly defined what exactly Pokémon used in battle. And while Caleb had useful survival skills, he knew nothing about Pokémon.

Eventually, Caelan conceded. "I… don't know."

The old man raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his features before he quickly masked it. "Oh hoh? It's rare for the youth these days to admit they don't know something." He paused, giving Caelan a scrutinizing look. "Are you sure? Think hard. Take all the time you need."

Caelan shook his head, resolute. "No, that's okay. I really don't know."

"Mm. Wise." The old man nodded approvingly. "It's better to admit your ignorance and learn than to arrogantly know nothing at all." He stroked his chin thoughtfully, his eyes studying Caelan with renewed interest.

Caelan stood firm under his gaze; his expression steady. He didn't fidget or break eye contact, patiently allowing the silence to stretch as he waited for the old man to continue.

Eventually, the old man waved off his thoughts, his hand cutting through the air dismissively. "To preface this, I need to know if you understand something. How does a Pokémon's Class Level increase?"

Caelan straightened slightly, his confidence returning. "A Pokémon's Class Level improves with a combination of both physical training and achieving victory in difficult battles. Additionally, their energy reserves increase incrementally each time they exhaust themselves."

The old man rolled his eyes, a slight smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Mm, yes. A textbook answer." Caelan couldn't help but smile at the small praise. "But the wrong one."

"...What?" Caelan's smile faltered, confusion setting in.

The old man sighed, shaking his head with a hint of disappointment. "Yes, it is quite depressing how out-of-date the Trainer Association's technical information is. I suspect that's where that answer came from?" Caelan nodded absently, his mind racing to absorb this new information. "If it isn't about Pokémon moves, the Association isn't quite as reliable as they portray themselves."

Caelan pressed his lips together, forcing down his frustration. Of course, they wouldn't care about giving Youngsters misinformation. Linda was nice enough, but I can't fully trust the Association.

Though his opinion of the Trainer Association didn't shift completely, the old man's words planted a seed of doubt in his heart.

"There are two major energy sources within a Pokémon's body," the old man suddenly began, his tone shifting into that of a seasoned lecturer. "There is Aura, the reflection of the soul. It is present in all life forms, representing one's ability to exist. And then there is Element, the reflection of the heart. It is present only in Pokémon, and rarely in people."

Caelan's brow furrowed as he absorbed this, his thoughts churning to make sense of it. The old man's words seemed to carry a weight, a truth that felt instinctively right, even if it contradicted what he'd learned from the Trainer Association.

"If the goal is combat," the old man continued, his gaze locking onto Caelan's, "then using raw Aura is insufficient. It is only through applying an Element to one's Aura that it becomes tangible, capable of affecting the world in a meaningful way."

Caelan nodded slowly, his thoughts clicking into place. "So when we're talking about increasing a Pokémon's Class Level, we're really talking about increasing the amount of Aura they have."

"Precisely," the old man confirmed, nodding sharply. "But there's more to it. Aura is not a single, uniform energy. It's a mixture of two components. Physical Energy, which is strengthened through improving the body, and Special Energy which is developed through mental and esoteric methods. Battling, for instance, tempers a Pokemon's willpower and grows their Special Energy by honing their mental focus and resolve."

Caelan's eyes narrowed in concentration, his arms crossing over his chest as he considered the implications.

"Some Pokémon," the old man continued, "require a higher ratio of Physical to Special Energy, depending on their nature. Physical Energy is essential for Pokémon that rely on their bodies, like Machoke or Onix. On the other hand, Special Energy is crucial for Pokémon that are less physically inclined and rely more on their mental faculties or mystical abilities, like Alakazam or Gengar."

Caelan's gaze drifted to Rattata, who had paused her training to watch them. Her body was small but quick, built more for agility than brute strength. He could see how this concept applied to her.

"So, understanding the Physical-Special split isn't about moves at all," Caelan murmured more to himself than to the old man. "It's about tailoring the training to match the Pokémon's inherent nature, balancing their Aura to maximize their potential."

The old man's eyes gleamed with approval as he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Exactly. Training Pokémon isn't just about pushing them to their limits; it's about understanding what they need to grow. For some, that means rigorous physical training. For others, it's more about meditation, mental exercises, or even remaining calm in harsh environments."

But Caelan wasn't listening any longer, his eyes closed and his mind whirring as he internally dismantled and rebuilt his framework of Pokémon training. The old man's insights had unraveled a deeper understanding within him, one that echoed the mechanics of the games in ways he hadn't fully grasped before.

It's all related to the stats, isn't it? he concluded, a sense of clarity settling in.

If Special Attack and Special Defense were labeled with the '-Special' tag, then it followed that base Attack and Defense were tied to something else—Physical Energy, most likely.

Meanwhile, Speed and HP were stats dependent on the Pokémon. While HP was still a mystery, it was clear that Speed could be derived from both physical or special methods. The difference between a fast runner and a quick flier.

Perhaps HP was a factor of the Pokémon's species? Both Chikorita and Snorlax had the same defense stat, but anyone with a brain could tell that Snorlax could take more hits.

Caelan had no way to confirm any of this, but the pieces fit together too well to dismiss.

As he finished formulating his theory, Caelan opened his eyes, intending to thank the old man for guiding him down this path.

But the clearing was empty.

Caelan blinked, searching the area. Yet no matter where he looked, the old man was gone, as if he had never been there at all.

A shiver ran down his spine, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of resolve. The mysterious old man's words had shifted his understanding of Pokémon training, but they had also sparked something else—a new idea, one that could be the key to unlocking Rattata's potential.

He glanced down at Rattata, who had wandered over to him after his conversation with the man had ended and was looking up at him expectantly. His brain clicked into gear, piecing together the fragments of a new plan.

"If Rattata benefits mostly from Physical Energy, then…" he trailed off, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "We're going to need a lot more than an empty field and a few drills."

An idea started to form, and with it, a renewed determination. Caelan's gaze sharpened, his next move clear in his mind.

"Better training facilities," he muttered to himself. "But that's easier said than done."

He wasn't sure how he would manage it, but he knew one thing: he wasn't going to let this opportunity slip through his fingers.

"Come on, Rattata," he said, his voice firm. "Let's head back. I've got a plan."

And with that, they began walking back to the city, the next step in their journey already taking shape in Caelan's mind.

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A/N: I really wish I knew how people write so fast. Even this one, only being about 1600 words, took like 2 and a half hours. Then again, a lot of that time is just figuring out what the chapter will be about and where it will end.

Maybe I need a chapter-by-chapter outline instead of a plot outline...

Oh, by the way, this isn't just a one-off mysterious old man just so I can info dump how training works. He is relevant to the story and will return in the future. The far future.