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[a_gentle_boy]

[Today is Train Your Pokémon to Battle Day! And having finally recovered slightly from his ordeal, Lucas is using the last few days of his requested vacation from work to get some of this move groove going. He's never been one to push his Pokémon to train until they drop or anything, but in light of the fact that new and unusual threats seem to be cropping up quickly, it's worth taking a few hours every week to do his part.]

[action 1]
[Early in the morning, Lucas is sitting on a bench in the city holding what looks to be a disc in one hand and a Castform in the other. Anyone who has borrowed a TM from the Rangers will recognize what Lucas is holding... and probably what he's unsuccessfully doing, too.]

Um.

[He scratches at the back of his head a little before gingerly placing the disc on Castform's forehead and staring at it expectantly for a few moments.]

Or...

[Now he rotates Castform every which direction and scrutinizes it carefully.]

Maybe...

[Castform's mouth is slowly eased open as Lucas peers inside.]

...I don't think it's going to fit.

[action 2]
[Having sorted out that TM business (why didn't anyone tell him it would play a video on his Warp Band???), Lucas is in the forest outside Union with a Mareep after lunch. He swings a stick energetically like a conductor while the Mareep disinterestedly wanders around eating every piece of vegetation in sight.]

Thundershock!

[Mareep calmly annihilates a pretty blue flower.]

Thundershock!

[One petal at a time.]

...OK, pretend I'm a bad guy and I'm going to hit you. You've got to get me away however you can! Like a real fight, OK? Count of three.

One. Two. Three --

[And as Lucas runs towards the Mareep with the stick held high, the formerly cloudless sky instantly materializes a bank of dark clouds and launches a massive thunderbolt that jolts right through the boy.]

eeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

[Down he goes. Mareep quietly meanders over and noses at his awkwardly twitching and spasming trainer on the ground. Was that a little too much?]

aaaaaaaaaaah........

Comments

[a_gentle_boy]

[Well, maybe he'd stop a little short of dying, but without any of his incredible array of shields, taking a Thunder head-on hadn't really been a terribly entertaining experience. As the Heal Pulse relaxes his seized limbs slightly, Lucas gives a long and slow exhale.]

Thanks...

I should have been more careful...

[faithfulflame]

[Rei gives him a bit of an odd look. Boy, what is going on with you...]

Um, why did your Pokemon shock you, anyway?

[a_gentle_boy]

I was trying to train it...

[Lucas sheepishly begins to try to sit up as Mareep decides that Lucas will survive and returns to grazing on the vegetation.]

But it looks like he's a lot stronger than I thought he was. I must be doing something right.

[faithfulflame]

Well he sure seems strong.

[She gives Mareep a small smile.]

He's fluffier than my friend Mako-chan's. I think that may mean he's pretty tough. But...why are you having him shock you?

[realmenknitplushies]

[Kanji snorts slightly and looks away from the Pokémon, but his expression hardens at Lucas' plan.]

Whoa. No way, dude. That's not gonna do ya any good. But ... [He pauses as he thinks about it.] Damn...

2.

[worldmother]

[ Taking a breather for a few busy days was nice, and while winter continued to grip the forest, there were a few tell-tale signs that the end was near. Pidgeys sang in the trees, and the snow was beginning to melt in the sun. It was only a matter of time now.

Still, the snow was kind of nice, in a way. Elly was a bit sad to see it go, even if she wouldn't outwardly admit it.

Hearing a very familiar, young voice, the redhead followed it, finding Lucas in time to see the final bolt hit. ]

LUCAS!

[ Eyes wide, she ran toward him, heart pounding in her ears. ]

1.

[ladyofluminosity]

Lucas?

[ Approaching the other blond, Camille the Dragonite following behind, both human and pokemon looked confused. ]

What... what are you doing?

[incousinswithyou]

[kitty had almost devolved into chasing after her tail, but turns back around and squeaks at Aries. Really? Maybe she'll get this wool stuff when she gets big!]

Some may be more independent than - [Michiru starts to respond, but then pauses curiously, hand still outstretched.]

[niepokonany]

Is it working?

[This is important for future reference!]

[a_gentle_boy]

[Castform responds to this by looking slightly unhappy and making a tiny rain cloud materialize over Lucas and Feliks's heads.]

Is that Secret Power?

[No it's just water.]

((Account out; ignore icons!))

[a_gentle_boy]

((Account out; ignore icons!))

[Mareep is perfectly willing to continue assisting with this excellent plan, but Lucas seems to be considering something else...]

But I think, at least...

[He holds up a hand and a cyan light shines faintly from it once again.]

I can see far enough to use this.

[There is a tiny spark like fireworks.]

Do you mind... telling me what you see?

[a_gentle_boy]

((Account out; ignore icons!))

[Lucas has frozen in the position he assumed - his eyes seem transfixed on something far off in the distance...]

Don't... Don't move.

[That's all the warning he gives before he sparks once again, the electricity taking on a strange greenish hue. It seems almost as if his body is re the current that's just traveled through him.

With a gasp, a burst of energy shoots up from Lucas back into the sky, creating an explosion of green fireworks high above...]

[a_gentle_boy]

((Account out; ignore icons!))

Well... That wasn't exactly what I was going for, but Aries took me by surprise.

[Aries seems entirely uninterested in the conversation now that Lucas has proven himself capable of continuing to breathe on his own.]

I just wanted him to defend himself, so I told him to act like I was a bad guy.

[a_gentle_boy]

((Account out; ignore icons!))

[It would be a comical sort of scene under less serious circumstances - Lucas seems slightly charred and crispy on the outside as he lies on the ground and coughs, trying to rid his mouth of the metallic taste.]

I'm OK!

[Is what he instinctively tries to say, but it comes out in a rather garbled sort of tone.]

[a_gentle_boy]

Oh -- Hi, Miss Lux.

[His fellow tortured prisoner in the Training that Never Ended. Lucas waves a little bashfully.]

I'm teaching Castform a new move! I saw Miss Melaka use it a few days ago to do something really neat...

[faithfulflame]

[Rei sighs and looks at the Pokemon, frowning. Baaaaad boy Aries.]

Well, I guess it worked, didn't it? But why you? It's obvious you aren't Ground typed, and that could be dangerous.

[worldmother]

[ Nope, sorry, you lost all right to make light of this as soon as you croaked that out, Lucas. Mama Elly's concerned! You're getting the world's biggest bandaid.

Or, in this case, some burn heal. ]

What was that? What happened?

[ladyofluminosity]

By feeding it to him?

[realmenknitplushies]

[Okay, that sounds a bit more workable.]

Yeah, sure thing. I can do that. [Pause...] I'm mostly seein' sparkles at the moment.

[a_gentle_boy]

[Lucas frowns for a moment or two at his hands, and the glow becomes more intense as the sparks blossom out more impressively. His eyes are beginning to take on a faintly odd hue once more...

As Kanji stares at the lights, he may or may not feel a sudden intense heat and the flickering flames of fire reflected in the glow. If he does, it lasts only a half second before it quickly fades.]

((Up to you if you want this!))

[a_gentle_boy]

Well, I mean... he'd just never used anything much stronger than a shock before.

[This probably isn't a very good explanation.]

I'll be more careful.

[His tone is slightly meek.]

[a_gentle_boy]

[When Lucas has managed to stop garbling his words incoherently, he sits up and rubs at the back of his head, both embarrassed and... still slightly light-headed.]

I, um...

We were trying to train, but it got a little... out of hand...

[a_gentle_boy]

Aha...

[He pulls the disc away sheepishly.]

It wouldn't have fit, anyway.

I'm... not sure how this is supposed to work. Wisp doesn't seem like she feels any different, either...

[faithfulflame]

...are you sure?

[This is a really odd explanation, Lucas.]

I mean, what do you mean, stronger than a shock?

[worldmother]

A little? Lucas, you're still smoking. Here.

[ Kneeling down, she slowly helps him sit up. ]