The days passed
slowly while Kenji waited for his twisted ankle to heal. With Pokémon Hunters
in the area, he found himself unwilling to return to the safety of his camp.
The chances of the unsworn Warriors stumbling upon him were too high.
No, it was better
that he continue his progress towards escape from the wild lands, slow as it
was. He found Flutter resting on the sled after he shouted at the Pokémon.
After apologizing to the butterfly, they worked together to bind his ankle with
silk and wood.
The beast was still hesitant, especially after his earlier outburst, but Kenji
encouraged the Pokémon with soft words.
Moving the sled, on
the other hand, was a far more aggravating experience. After a few painful
attempts, particularly one failure that left him on the ground with teeth
clenched against a scream, Kenji reevaluated how to move the sled.
His first thought
was to move in half steps, only placing weight on his injured foot when
switching to the other. The method, while suitable, was painfully slow and saw
him move only a span in half a bell''s time. At such a rate, he was better off
camping in place until he recovered.
Kenji''s other
thought was to find a set of branches he could use as crutches. Only, not for
himself.
Searching for
branches that formed a natural crook consumed much of his remaining daylight.
With wraps of silk, Kenji secured the tree branches to the handles of the sled.
The sun was setting by the time he was able to test the construction.
He was pleased to
discover that he was able to move faster with the sled crutches. While it was
still a heavily reduced speed, perhaps half of what he was able to travel
before his injury, Kenji still viewed it as progress.
At night, he rested
by the river after a wash in the cool waters. The cold helped numb his ankle,
especially when he rested in the flowing river. Of course, in the morning, the
painful heat made itself known once more.
For all that, Kenji
discovered one benefit to his slowed trek.
Sprout.
Or rather, the
turtle''s ability to keep pace with him. While the young beast still required
frequent breaks to recover, they were able to travel all day without him having
to rest upon the sled. Fortunate, considering that he was unsure if he could
even drag carry all their supplies and
the heavy turtle in his condition.
While they traveled,
Kenji maintained a close eye on their surroundings. Similarly, Flutter seemed
reluctant to stray too far. A development he approved of. Especially when
escape was no longer possible for Sprout or Kenji.
To encourage the two
Pokémon, Kenji dedicated effort to training the two.
"Flutter, Stir
Up Wind," he called out to the butterfly as the beast wove between the
trees.
"Beauti!"
the beast trilled.
Immediately, the bug
started to flap its wings, creating a strong gust to blow through the forest.
"Keep it
up," he encouraged. Turning his attention to Sprout he said, "Your
turn. Withdraw into your Shell."
The turtle chirped
eagerly, merely happy to be included, Kenji suspected. Nevertheless, the beast
did as he instructed, a glimmer of blue Energy coating its hard scales.
"Come on,
Sprout, you can do it," he said while keeping an eye on the Beautifly as
the flying bug continued to use its technique. "And don''t let him beat
you, Flutter," he said louder to be heard over the wind.
"Tifly,"
the bug squealed with determination.
While he was wary of
putting them into conflict with each other, Kenji discovered that the two were
slightly competitive. At least, when a snack was involved. At first, the more
evolved Pokémon was winning the simple competition he placed them in. However,
as Sprout familiarized himself more with his Type Energy, the turtle quickly
began to outpace the older Pokémon.
"Come on,
Flutter, you can do it!" he called as he continued to move forward.
"Sprout, since you''re able to beat Flutter, try making your shell stronger
and more durable. Enhance your technique instead of simply using it."
Surprisingly, Kenji
felt himself drawn into the competition between the two as well. Rather than
giving in to exhaustion or pain, he forced himself to take one more step. Reach
the next tree or even one beyond that, repeating the process until he could go
no more.
Occasionally, during
their short breaks or nightly stops for rest, the three of them gathered
together for a short period of cultivation.
While Sprout
continued to familiarize himself with Type Energy and Flutter sought to enhance
its reserves, Kenji practiced falling in and out of meditation. He wished to
reach a state where it was still possible for him to cultivate while moving.
The skill was an advanced one, typically only achieved by mystics or gifted
Warriors.
Nevertheless, Kenji
thought it was one that he could obtain. Especially when true cultivation was
largely useless for him. The little energy that his body managed to absorb was
constantly drawn into his spirit. It naturally enhanced his body as it was drawn
in, but the worry was that his spiritual seed outpaced the cultivation of his
physical body.
Periodically, he
discovered a wisp of Ghostly Energy clinging to him and he carefully guided it
down the connection to his bond. The Energy''s attraction to him was unnerving,
and not a thought that he wished to dwell on.
In the distance, the
mountains loomed larger with each step. The forested plateau fell off to the
wayside as the river flowed from the snow touched peaks. As he traveled,
details slowly emerged on the mountain face.
Enormous boulders
and shear drops decorated the mountains. The surface appeared largely free of
any plant life, a stark contrast to the lively forest he found himself in.
Kenji only hoped that the imposing height would grant him a wider view of the
lands he found himself in.
Turning his gaze
away from the mountains, Kenji tiredly pulled himself out of the river. While
the foot was still tender, he was pleased to find that the discolored bruises
were already fading. The swelling was down significantly as well, leaving only
a sense of lingering weakness.
Honestly, he was
surprised that the injury was so quick to heal, especially with the strain he
was putting on the foot.
"As long as I
can finally rid myself of those accursed crutches," Kenji muttered with a
yawn.
After a series of
stretches to relax his body from the day''s efforts, Kenji picked up his most
recent project and a cocoon of stone flakes from his pack. The length of wood
was among the straightest that he could find, with an interesting knurl tipping
the branch.
Sitting down next to
Sprout and the propped up sled, he settled the future staff across his lap.
Flutter was off, searching for flowers or a beast to fight, though hopefully
not one so easily riled.
"Not that it
influenced my decision," he told the wood and turtle. The Pokémon only
grumbled at his words, used to his commentary, while the staff remained
blessedly silent.
For should it ever
begin to respond, would be the day Kenji feared for his mind. Seeing as today
was not that day, he placed the sharp flake of stone against the wood and
started to slice through the wood.
"Only once did
I allow beauty to influence my selection," he continued, "And it was
a mistake my father corrected thoroughly."
In truth, the
mistake was made more than once. However, the incident he spoke of was his
first staff carving.
"For you see,
while many a Warrior relied upon another for their weapons, my father was of a
different mind."
After extensive
lessons from both his father and several woodcarvers, Sato Isamu finally deemed
his son passable in the Art of Woodcarving. As such, he was handed a length of
oak wood and told to carve a bō.
"It was a work
of beauty," he said dreamily. "For father allowed me the freedom to
work on it as I wished."
Delicate flowers and
strong vines curled along the length of it, with fierce beasts glaring intently
at any who lay their eyes upon the staff.
"Even my mother
commented on it, saying that it was feat worthy of her people," he said,
"Not that she ever talked about them," he added somewhat bitterly.
The dark skinned
woman was tight lipped about her history, with even his father forbidding
Kenji''s persistent questions about her foreign appearance. She was so unlike
the other people of Greenleaf, and as her son, he appeared differently as well.
It was a contentious topic, especially when others commented upon it.
Now, all that
remained of her was the pendant she placed around his neck and the face that
separated him from the rest of the village.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Rubbing at his eyes,
Kenji continued his story as though nothing had occurred. He was forced to
replace his stone, the first already too dull to whittle away at the strong
wood. Tossing the used flake into the river, he resumed speaking.
"My father said
little of the work, only grunting when I showed it to him. Then came the day
that I declared the staff finished," Kenji said with a sigh. "I
presented it to him, proudly thinking that he would congratulate me on the
excellent craftsmanship. Instead, he looked at it with disgust!" Kenji
chortled. "''Art is not in the weapon but how it is wielded'' he said to
me," Kenji intoned seriously, trying to mimic his father''s voice.
"He handed me
back the staff and told me to attack him with it. In that instant, I understood
my mistake. I was told to carve a staff, not a piece of art." Kenji
explained. "Of course, my father was not so willing to leave it there.
Instead, he forced me to battle him, my staff against his bare hands."
Within two strikes,
the beautifully carved staff, whittled away at for nearly a quarter of a
season, was broken in two. His father did not hesitate, striking at Kenji until
he defended himself with the split pieces. Their fight continued until the
useless weapon was splinters in his hand.
"I was fighting
back tears, with wood piercing my hands, when the old man gave me another piece
of wood and told me to try again."
Kenji held the
half-finished staff up to the fading sunlight. He was most familiar with the
bō, though his father trained him in a few more styles of battle, namely his
body. Regardless, bōjutsu remained his first great passion.
There was just
something about using the trimmings of a tree, rightfully given, that resonated
with Kenji.
"But enough
about me," he said as he set down the length of wood. Turning his gaze
upon Sprout, he asked the Pokémon, "Perhaps one day, we''ll learn the story
of you, yes? How does a young turtle like you end up all alone in this great
big forest."
The beast in
question was, of course, asleep already. After a long day of walking and
training, the young Pokémon was exhausted. Tomorrow the turtle would be wide
awake with the energy to match.
Petting the hard
shell, Kenji wondered at the beast''s origins before giving in to the pull of
sleep. Climbing underneath the lean-to, he slept easily until the piercing
trill of Flutter awoke him. Yawning widely, he traveled to the river to splash
the cold water upon his face. The chill woke him fully, leaving his skin
stinging.
Stumbling back to
his sled, he plucked free several fruits to munch on. The simple breakfast left
his fingers sticky and he grumbled at the mess.
"One would
think I would have learned by now," he sighed as he woke Sprout with a
nudge. The turtle whined and Kenji set his breakfast down to help wake the
Pokémon.
"Good morning,
Flutter," he greeted the butterfly. "Thank you for waking me."
"Ti, ti,"
the Beautifly trilled.
While he waited for
the younger beast to uproot himself, Kenji pulled down the sled and placed it
on the ground with a grunt. New territory meant new opportunities for foraging,
and he was sure to keep the frame as loaded as he could bear to carry.
After tying the
unfinished staff to the sled, he pulled on the pack. As he did so, he noted
that the straps were beginning to fray and would need replacing soon.
He was distracted from his inspection by Sprout''s warbles of complaint. The
little turtle was not a morning Pokémon, and often voiced his displeasure at
being woken so early.
"Another day,
another hike," Kenji said, trying to be positive. "And hopefully as
uneventfully as the past few days."
The most exciting
moment was when an unfamiliar bug suddenly attacked Flutter. Strangely, the
beast was easily warded off, his companion only having to use a simple gust to
blow the other Pokémon away before Kenji could inspect it closer.
After Sprout climbed
free of the shallow hole, he escorted the turtle to the river. There, the beast
splashed merrily in the water, until Kenji finally called for him to return. He
did so reluctantly, and then the three set off.
Moving through the
forest, Kenji felt energized. It took him longer than he cared to admit to
realize that he was stepping without a twinge of complaint from his ankle. Upon
discovering so, he let out a cheer and decided to test the foot. Jumping in
place and sprinting between the trees, he was thrilled to find that there was
not the slightest hint of his injury. He tossed the aggravating sled crutches
into the forest with a shout of joy.
With a smile on his
face, he continued to hike through the forest. Sprout kept apace easily,
chirping in interest at the odd plant or snapping up a flower to chew upon.
Flutter was excited by the growing number of vibrant plants they discovered.
To Kenji''s surprise, there was a notable number of blooming bushes. More were
heavy with fruit and berries, the soil barely spotted with overly ripened
selections.
Similarly, the
forest grew livelier, with the strangely colored squirrels appearing
momentarily before racing away. While his one-time nemesis brought a small
frown to his face, it did not stay there for long. Small flocks fluttered to
the forest floor, eyeing him warily as they feasted upon the available
vegetation.
Kenji stared back at
them freely, the large black and white Pokémon leading the flock watching him
intently. A small tuft rose atop its head, the feathers seemingly curled
intentionally. He passed the beasts with a small wave, leaving the Staravia and
its flock behind.
It was only when
soft, bumbling music started to drift through the forest that Kenji realized
something was off. Freezing in place, he tilted his head in confusion.
The noise sounded
unlike anything he ever heard. It was as though a group of bells were being
rung together. While there did not seem to be an intention behind the music, he
was intrigued. Kenji lost himself to the sound for a moment, simply enjoying
the soft ping of noise.
It was then that Kenji realized his insides were itching.
Broken out of the
reverie, he immediately called for his companions.
"Sprout,
Flutter," he snapped, "To me."
The two Pokémon
cried out in confusion and worry, retreating towards him. Sprout cowered at his
feet, the blue film of Energy signifying that the beast was protected and ready
to be picked up at a moment''s notice.
Meanwhile, Flutter
peered into the forest with its large, clear eyes. They were narrowed
watchfully as the bug guard against the oncoming threat.
Kenji stared into
the forest as well, before returning his attention inward.
Now that he was
aware of it, he could sense the Type Energy coating his skin. Unlike the
ethereal wisps that did not seem wholly present, this was a burrowing thread
that wanted to plant itself deep.
The sensation was as
familiar to him as the voice of his father, as the Warrior lectured him on the
art of cultivation.
Breathing deep,
Kenji welcomed the Grass Energy into his body and spirit. The green power
soaked through his skin and muscle, deep into his bones and beyond. His spirit
absorbed the energy readily, the seed glowing with health.
For a brief moment,
Kenji felt revitalized. His aura expanded to touch his companions and the
surrounding forest. His link flared to life, the spirit within his mother''s
amulet rejoicing. Power flooded his limbs and Kenji felt as though he could
conquer a kingdom.
Then it was gone.
Staggering in place,
Kenji was struck by the sudden absence of strength and connection. The world
dulled, and his spirit sequestered itself once more. Feeling more isolated than
before, he let out a shuddering breath.
"Beau?"
his flying companions trilled in concern.
Kenji looked up to
see that Pokémon looking at him, worry evident in its eyes.
"I''m
fine," he struggled to say. "Really, nothing to be concerned
with."
"Ti?" the
butterfly chirped with doubt.
To escape the
beast''s gaze, Kenji turned his towards Sprout.
"It''s all clear, little one," he told the turtle. "You can come
on out."
The young Pokémon
did so with a speed Kenji was not expecting, and he blinked in surprise.
"Of
course," he laughed, "You both knew long before I did. Foolish of
me."
Dropping the sled,
he leaned down to rub Sprout''s leathery hide.
"This is an
excellent environment for you, little one," he said. "Feel the Energy
in the air and earth. Reach for it with your spirit and let it be consumed by
your aura."
The young turtle
warbled uncertainly at his words. Kenji merely sighed and let the Pokémon
resume its energetic stride. Grabbing the sled, Flutter and Kenji found
themselves following the turtle as it meandered through the forest.
At first Kenji was
confused, not wanting to stray from the river. However, Sprout was insistent
and he soon discovered why.
The Type Energy grew
stronger as they traveled, the trees rising even higher as they transitioned
into a truly ancient forest. The air was heavy with age and importance,
quieting even Flutter in silence. Roots grew thick along the ground, badly
disguised by the thick underbrush.
More often than not,
Kenji found himself scrambling under or over the exposed wood. Several of the
typically hidden roots were large enough to be considered full trees in their
own right.
With the Energy
crawling beneath his skin, Kenji finally gave thought to what sort of beasts
would reside in such a mystical realm.
His imagination
turned wild and, when he was finally ready to retreat, Sprout chirped with
abandon.
Kenji dropped his
sled, racing forward to the turtle that had wandered beyond his sight.
Spotting the young
Pokémon, he raced upon with concern, understanding too late that the beast was
only excited. Stumbling into a slow walk, he nearly fell as the pack on his
shoulder unbalanced him.
"Sprout, you
should know better than to scare me like that," he scolded.
The turtle looked at
him, its beak opening wide to warble at him.
Kenji crouched to
pat his head, the scales soft under his palm.
"Honestly,"
he sighed. "What has gotten into you," Kenji''s voice trailed off as
he casually glanced upwards.
A giant boulder,
worn by time and marked with age, dominated a large clearing between the elder
trees. A thick coating of moss grew freely on the stone, droplets of morning
dew still clinging to the green. Small plants and flowers dotted the surface,
with rays of sunlight shining upon them.
Small Pokémon raced
along the forest floor, their bodies camouflaged by the vibrant flowers and
shrubs that grew freely. The sound of overlapping bells was emitted by bumbling
bugs, their formal exoskeletons waddling back and forth. Large, black antennae
chimed as they struck each other.
Other Beautifly
wandered the glade, their wings refracting the light and only serving to add
more color. Rabbits leapt about, their noses wrinkling his direction, and they
cowered behind a larger, decidedly more feminine form.
Kenji blinked in
surprise at the sight, thinking for a moment that he encountered a strangely
furred individual before his eyes landed on the raised limbs. Fists were
directed in his direction and a leg half lifted, ready to lash out should he
present a threat.
All of a sudden,
Kenji''s mind shifted as he viewed the clearing through a new light. Details
emerged and were made clearer as he better understood what he was seeing.
The animals were not
flitting about eagerly or making joyful noise to fill the glade. Flowers were
not bent towards him by an absent wind nor were beasts eyeing him with
interest.
His skin paled at
the implications as he suddenly understood what he was witnessing.
They were terrified
of him and, more alarming, a wrong movement away from preemptively defending
themselves.
Kenji stuttered and
felt his stomach drop as his heart skipped a bit. For a moment, he thought he
felt a stir from his bond before it stilled.
From the massive,
moss-covered boulder, a pulse leapt through the ambient Grass Energy. The
Pokémon took notice immediately, relaxing slightly in reaction.
Kenji did not.
If anything, he felt
as though his heart was clawing its way up his throat.
Swallowing thickly,
he watched as a figure glided through the plants. The beast moved with a grace
that brought memories drifting to the front of his mind. Of another clearing
where he found himself the trespasser.
It was difficult for
him to make out as the creature''s body at first as it was draped in shades of
green. White petals bloomed upwards from a verdant mask. Bouquets of red and
blue roses grew from its limbs, uplifted towards the sun as the beast swayed forwards.
A leafy cape followed, further serving to signify the majesty of the Pokémon.
The beast only stood
half his height, yet the aura it released nearly drove him to his knees.
Panting through his nose, Kenji clenched his teeth in determination. Despite
the difference in size, it felt like the boulder itself was bearing down upon
him. Though, judging by the resolute expression on the Pokémon''s face, the
boulder would be more welcome.