Chapter 28

By now, Bob had set up camp after travelling for some time.

He decided to apply the disks to their respective pokémon.

It really was not that much, as Bob didn't spend that much money, but it was moves that could be added.

After this, it was late afternoon and Bob was overseeing his pokémon.

"Graveler!" He watched as the rock type readied itself for the move.

"Wooper," His target was the unemotional water-type that stood, staring with his dead black eyes.

With a flick, Graveler dashed forward.

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

He unleashed a barrage of angry fists that shot towards Wooper.

However, it was only met with a screen-like mirror, which all the punches recoiled off.

'Strength and Protect,' Bob thought, 'Graveler needs more attacking moves, and Wooper can use Protect in a clutch moment,'

A few seconds later, Bob focused on the next group.

BASH!

A shining wing collided with another screen.

Dio was now ready to test out his move.

"Larvitar!" Larvitar lifted a rock and lunged it at the flying-type.

He glared for a moment before gaining such ludicrous speed that there were two Dios instead of one.

The rock crushed one of them.

Luckily, Dio made it out in one piece.

"Pidgeotto!" He posed, proud of himself.

"Lar..." When he saw Larvitar's stern glare, he immediately sent another Wing Attack to repeat the cycle.

Soon, Bob overlooked the last group.

Spinarak focused on his opponent, wanting to use Giga Drain.

But that came to nothing as Guts used Protect and blocked the attack.

However, he grew bored.

When Spinarak used his next move, he was concerned.

The fire-type looked to have been bracing and not using the move Protect.

"Spinarak?" Spinarak reminded Guts of this.

"Quil!" Still tensed up, the fire-type urged the bug-type to commence.

"Spin..." Without arguing, Spinarak did as he was told.

BOOM!

Guts' head shook. He was disoriented.

'Always up for pain,' Bob thought, slapping his forehead, 'However, Psychic will be a good move for Spinarak at this moment,'

BASH!

Then, the fire-type dashed forward, delivering a punch.

It sent Spinarak onto his back.

Guts grew excited, as his friend learnt a powerful move.

Nonetheless, he was bewildered at why Spinarak didn't stand up again.

'I know for a fact that Spinarak learns Psychic at a later stage,' Bob thought, returning the fainted bug-type, 'but I am not patient enough to wait for that,'

After Spinarak returned, Guts looked at Bob with eagerness for his next order.

"Now that your partner is down," Bob spoke, leading the fire-type to a nearby tree, "try and use Rock Smash on this tree,"

"Quil!" Guts squealed, ready for this.

DONK!

His small paw fired, hitting against the hard, brown bark of the tree.

"Mhm," Bob nodded, "Now try and twist your arm as it goes forward,"

The fire-type remembered what happened previously, and began to burn in energy.

So, another punch went, but this time the paw had a twist.

BAM!

This time, the attack made a light dent within the bark.

It was barely visible, but it was progress.

'Good,' Bob began to smile, excited by this prospect.

"Now, do you remember Bugsy's Butterfree and what you did afterwards?"

Guts nodded.

"Do that, but focus on gaining your momentum," Boh explained, tracing a figure eight in the air, "once enough, release a Rock Smash from the side,"

"Quil,"

Bob watched as the fire-type began to move from side to side, hoping to the left, then to the right.

It had a somewhat rhythmic pattern to it. Bob could watch this for hours.

However, there was something else that piqued Bob's attention.

It was faint, but it came from Guts' blazing back.

When he got pumped up, one could perhaps hear the engine of a car and a motorbike within the intense inferno that was raging fire of Guts' flames.

Something else could be heard.

When the fire-type kept this pattern up, a sound, similar to something began slowly, but then winding up into a loud hum of noise.

'Is that a jet engine?' Bob thought, dumbfounded, 'Okay, what the hell is packed within those flames,'

He kept his eyes on the fire-type.

The air around Guts began to trace his pathway as if he was breaking through the very barrier.

With the cacophony of noise adding another cylinder to this orchestra, the fire-type armed himself.

In a flash, Guts led his attack toward the side of the tree, his eyes laser-focused on the target.

WOOSH!

Sadly, the fire-type lost his balance and fell over, the swing hitting the air.

'Perhaps I overhyped the move. I bet half of the pokémon Guts fights will be able to counter it,' Bob thought, watching the fire-type get up, 'but it would be a good move to add to his arsenal,'

"The Dempsey Roll,"

"Lava?" Guts heard this and didn't understand.

"Oh, never mind, Guts, just keep doing that move for now," Bob replied, 'Why did I just say that out loud? that was goddamn cringe,'

He sat down next to his bag.

Seeing his pokémon train like this became enjoyable for Bob.

It was as if they were training with a goal in mind.

'Wait,' He began to think, 'Back then, what was my goal?'

He looked down, a hand under his chin.

'Before I died, what did I want to do?' He thought, 'I mean, I didn't mind my mediocre life, but I was not heading for a goal. I was just...'

'Wondering through life, without an endpoint or even a starting point,'

Bob frowned.

'What is my goal here? Why am I training pokémon either way? To become champion? I just went with the flow, like I always do,'

'If I do become champion, what am I gonna do next? Enjoy the fame? Well, I probably would, not gonna lie, but that's just one thing,'

He looked at his Pokemon again.

'Whatever it is, these guys push me forward,' Bob thought, sighing, 'Without them, I don't have a path.'

'Wow, that went south fast,' Bob shook his head, 'maybe I need a nap after all that stress from the second gym,'

Bob scratched in his bag and pulled out a potion.

He was not sure if Guts actually knocked Spinarak out, but he had a revive, so he could take that chance.

Holding the pokéball in the other hand, Bob sprayed the revive on it.

'I kept this ball close to me, so it must be Spinarak,' Bob thought, putting the spray back in his bag.

After waiting a few seconds, he lobbed the pokéball in front of him.

"Spin..." Out came a bug-type with a jumbled memory.

"You're better now, Spinarak," He said, patting the bug-type's head, "Go and train, alone this time,"

"Spinarak," He nodded, and walked off, trying to find space to test his abilities.

Time passed now and then and Bob would let his pokémon take a break but then start up again, training even harder.

By the time it was early evening, Bob had a plan to hit the sack.

'I must think a few things over in this nap' He thought, bringing out his sleeping bag, 'but I must let those guys' training continue,'

So, he called everyone to his attention.

"I'm going to take a nap," Bob explained, getting nods from everyone, "though, I want you all to continue your training well into the night, and only rest once you are worked to the bone,"

"If there is anything else or any danger, wake me up, even if you have to shake me till my head falls off," He spoke, getting into his sleeping bag, "that's all, you may continue,"

With a turn, Bob fell into a peaceful sleep.

His pokémon resumed their exercises.

Though, what Bob doesn't know won't hurt him.