Kenji dreamed of this cycle as his spirit split. He was first the seed, enduring all that sought to crush him. Then his shell split and tiny tendrils reached out to the soil, slowly sprouting to gather nutrients. Growth was fast, slowing upon reaching the source and soaking in the Energy.
Then he matured, sprouting seeds to spread and claim the earth surrounding him. First a vine, then an oak, bamboo, and even a common weed, he grew
Further dreams plagued him, lessons and memories from his parents. Written teaching from his mother, her knowledge expansive and recorded in depth on bamboo paper and painstakingly written by hand. Time spent with his father in their gardens, covered in soil and scratches from Pokémon that took offense to their work.
The ache in his spirit grew as his mind shifted to that of a barren landscape. His body was carved into the ground, with shadows and scars decorating his inner self.
It was different, he realized as he studied the warped shape. The shadows, while still clinging, now gave his body form instead of simply trying to smother it. Arms were no longer twisted around the body and the legs were more relaxed instead of curling towards his chest. No longer was his spirit curled into a fetal shape, but instead a relaxed contentment.
Over the course of his desperate survival in the wild woods, there was not much chance for proper reflection and cultivation. As a result, his inner self developed on its own, free from his conscious guidance. The representation was one that naturally formed after he destroyed the original garden that existed here. Lovely cared for and grown from wisdom gifted by his parents, the previous raised beds were fed Energy that he cultivated over the course of years.
The same green Energy pulsed from the earthen body's torso, in time with the splintering of his spirit. The pain was not so much an agony as it was the rough aches of growth. The pains of growing bone, splintering shells, and the fight for life.
Kenji forced himself to breathe evenly. At some point he shifted from unconsciousness to dreams to meditation. Now that he knew what was happening, he could better guide the process. Kenji lifted his hand and reached out with his will to smother the unwanted inner self. His power hung over the inner body as a Leavanny's scythe and hesitated.
Shadows reached out towards his will and scars shifted, the markings evoking the memories that gave them permanence.
Lowering his hand, Kenji sighed and allowed his will to fade.
"Accept oneself, in your entirety, and grow," he murmured.
The words of his father's manuscripts returned to him. The papers were faded with age and full of cryptic instructions for proper cultivation. His father was of little help, only repeating similar phrases when Kenji asked for clarification.
Now, he understood.
Kenji walked forwards, his steps weak at first, but growing with strength as he closed with his inner self.
"I will go home," he whispered to himself. Pausing, Kenji narrowed his eyes and firmed his will.
The shadows reached out to welcome him, their darkness no longer absolute. Grass Energy highlighted his scars, promising growth and change. Dirt clung to his bare feet, growing richer as he stepped up to the pulsing chest of the earthen form.
"I will go home," Kenji repeated louder.
Kenji walked forwards, allowing the representation to envelope him. As he did so, he forced himself to release the iron control he maintained over his spirit. The pain he was feeling was not born of growth but resistance. The urge to compress his spirit and hide was ingrained into him, a necessity to survive.
There were still some nights when Kenji awoke to find himself squeezing his spirit even tighter. The effort was more familiar than breathing. In some ways, it was the only comfort he carried, a broken memory of family.
Finally released, Kenji felt his spirit splinter.
Blinking the sunlight out his eyes, Kenji breathed deeply and started to cough. His face was laying on the ground and he inadvertently inhaled a breath of dirt. Hacking, he worked spit in his mouth to spit out the soil that stuck to his tongue.
Looking around, Kenji wiped his face as he took in his surroundings. He was not sure how long he was out nor could he see his companions nearby. The sun was lower in the sky, giving him a rough estimation of several bells having passed. The forest was growing dark as the shadows stretched with the movement of the sun.
Sitting up, he was startled at how light he felt. Looking himself over, there was nothing different that he could see. More than that he felt . . .
Relaxed.
Muscles that were tight with anxiety and the constant need to move, were now loose and free to move. Not only that, the constant ache in his limbs was gone.
Grinning, Kenji jumped to his feet with ease, not even a grunt of exertion escaping his lips. He marveled at how light his body felt, as if he could lift away. Yet at the same time, he knew that when the wind blew, he would not be the one that yielded.
His pack was nearby, laying where he dropped earlier. The silk wrap held the contents close, keeping his precious food from rolling free. Snatching it up, he pulled out a handful of berries before shouldering it onto his back. Walking into the forest, he chewed on the berries, savoring the rich flavors. The juice helped with his dry mouth and he quickly finished the meal.
Continuing to walk, he studied the trees and plants he passed by. The forest was alive with color. Flowers were abundant, as were ripening fruits. The plants were in various shades of green, with several more exotic colors mixed in.
He wanted to stay and study the landscape more, but he knew that he was only here at the Guardian's sufferance. The powerful Type Beast made its displeasure known, freely offering its hatred of humans and feelings on Kenji's trespass.
No, it would be best not to risk angering the beast any more than his presence already had. After only a short while, he broke into a clearing full of blooming flowers. Flutter was dancing through the air, eagerly tasting each flower and squealing in happiness after. A small trail led through the field, ending near the center at a familiar mound in the overturned soil.
Kenji blinked in surprise to see his companions before him.
It was highly unlikely that he simply stumbled upon the duo. There were several times that he turned or moved around a tree. His path changed as a result, leaving him to follow a wandering path through the mystical woods. In all consideration, Kenji should have been hopelessly lost.
Frowning, he briefly considered the Guardian interfering, whether mentally or otherwise, before dismissing the thought. The beast clearly despised humans and he did not believe it would assist him in such a manner.
There was a more likely possibility, however.
Closing his eyes, Kenji felt for his spirit. It responded easily, and he stumbled as he was blinded by the Energy surrounding him. Where before he could only perceive the Energy in contact with his body, now he could feel it beyond the reach of his skin.
The entire plateau was coated in Grass Energy, a deep well as wide as the uplifted forest. Every root, flower, shrub, and tree was on par with a spiritual herb of his father's cultivation garden, with many more surpassing the hard-earned plants. The mystical realm pressed in his skin, threatening to crush his spirit under its weight. Despite the overbearing sensation, where one may have felt threat or even pain, Kenji only felt comforted.
As distracting as the over-abundance of Energy was, he could still sense his companions. Their presence was a familiar balm, one that he recognized even though this was the first time he was conscious of it.
Flutter drifted on a sparkling wind, the Bug and Flying Energy causing some of his own aura to shy away. The interactions were strange, not painful exactly, but more a retreat in the face of the diffuse wind that the trilling bug contained. It was only natural considering the enmity the two had for his specialty.
Meanwhile, Sprout was empty of Energy, nearly devoid of the power that Type Beasts used to function. Instead, Kenji perceived a dense orb of Grass Energy. It seemed that the seed from the guardian of the mossy boulder was slowly cultivated by the young turtle. Grass Energy was slowly cycling through the Pokémon's system, helping the beast recover and grow.
Stepping out into the small meadow, Kenji laughed. With his aura and spirit returned, he felt whole once more.
The sound alerted Flutter, who swung around it surprised. The beast squealed and bounced towards him through the air.
"Tifly!" the Pokémon trilled.
Sprout awoke with a start at the butterfly's piercing cry and warbled in concern. Searching around for the source of the alarm, he saw Kenji and chirped happily.
Kenji lifted his arm for the butterfly to rest upon, carefully rubbing the Beautifly's sensitive hairs. He walked up to the small turtle and grinned down at him.
"I see that the two of you made yourselves at home," he said with mock disapproval. Relaxing his aura, he slowly spread it towards the two Pokémon.
"Ti?" the butterfly chirped with a tilt of its large head.
"You can feel that?" he asked in slight surprise.
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"Fly," the beast trilled.
Kenji felt the Energies within the butterfly shift. Staring into Flutter's eyes he saw curiosity and determination, the emotions mimicked in the Pokémon's aura. While his Energies conflicted with the Type Beast's own, Kenji nevertheless felt comforted by the Pokémon's presence. Holding his arm aloft, he gently encouraged the butterfly to lift into the air.
Stepping back, he bowed to the Pokémon.
"Flutter, my companion of battle and sky, we have traveled together for days upon days," he began, "You have protected and guided me through this great forest, helping with both food and health. I hope that I can say the same as I offered shelter and companionship."
Flutter remained silent as he spoke, perhaps sensing the weight of the moment. The butterfly's clear blue eyes remained steady upon him as he remained bowed towards the bug.
"You have been my companion nearly my entire time in the wilds of this land," Kenji continued, "I wish to extend a link towards you, formalizing our bond and making it a true link that binds us together." he finished.
As he spoke, Kenji opened his aura to the flying bug. He wanted the beast to believe his words and intention, allowing the beast to sense the truth of his words from his spirit.
Doing so left him exposed, a distinctly uncomfortable feeling. It was akin to the brush of cold wind on bare skin, with the knowledge that a capable Warrior could take advantage of his exposed spirit.
However, it was necessary if he wanted the butterfly to understand his intentions.
Kenji felt Flutter study him for several moments. The beast's aura fluctuated with its emotions, allowing him a glimpse into the bug's thoughts.
. .
Tentatively, the Pokémon started to respond in kind, its aura opening to expose its spirit. Then the butterfly bobbed closer and butted heads with him.
"Ti," .
Gently, Kenji reached out with his will, allowing his aura to blend with the Pokémon's. He kept his spirit exposed, forming a corridor with their power. With physical contact, it was relatively easy for him to reach out with his spirit.
Flutter copied him, the beast unsure but still following along with what he was doing. The Pokémon's control was fumbling and he noted it for later training in the back of his mind. Unlike humans, every Type Beast was capable of controlling their aura. However, actually doing so was typically only seen in older, more evolved Pokémon.
They combined their Energies, forming a spiritual link to bond them together.
With it, Kenji's awareness of the Beautifly grew. Emotions were clearer, with a better understanding of their complexity. He could feel the butterfly's presence as if it were his own. Their aura's recognized each other and no longer kept the other at a distance.
Unable to help himself, Kenji laughed and wrapped his arms around the Pokémon. He nuzzled the soft hairs coating the butterfly's carapace.
"Ti, beau, ti," the beast trilled eagerly. He could feel the Pokémon exploring their connection. The attempts were clumsy and fumbling, but the Beautifly's natural curiosity helped her.
"Yes, Flutter," he murmured to the beast. "We will be companions until the end."
Already he could feel Energy flow between them, only a minor amount as the link was still new. That they were incompatible with each other only served to hinder the process further.
Eventually, the tight hug turned too constraining for the butterfly and she squealed for freedom. Kenji released her with a grin, feeling her elation through their link as the Beautifly returned to exploring the flowers throughout the glade. Each time the Pokémon dipped her proboscis into the petals, she trilled with happiness with the emotion mimicked across their bond.
Leaving the bug to feed, Kenji turned his attention to the other link. Within his spirit, he could feel his first bond, the specter of sand and sea, stirring. Instinctively, he reached out to comfort and still the Type Beast.
Now that he was aware of the bond and his spirit was no longer compressed into an unfeeling orb, Kenji could feel his bond more clearly. He still did not know how the Pokémon was bound to the pendant and how or why the sphere dampened their link. Still, with his aura, Kenji was able to at least communicate somewhat to his bond.
Like Flutter, the communication was limited to simple emotion and little else. The ghost was elated by the contact, the scent of sea salt lifting into the air for a moment before the Pokémon settled down.
Smiling, Kenji turned his attention to Sprout. The young turtle was warbling as he trundled up to Kenji. While the beast was unconcerned with the damage he inflicted upon the meadow. Flowers were crushed under his stumpy limbs, with the beast even snapping idly at the petals as he passed.
Kenji winced from the breaking of stems. The mental encounter with the Guardian of the plateau was still sharp in his memory. Crouching down, he was far more careful than his youngest companion.
Sprout nuzzled his outstretched hand, with a muffled chirp. The turtle was covered in soil from planting himself in the ground. Closer, Kenji could better perceive the Energetic seed carefully strapped within the Pokémons shell. The beast was slowly starting to look healthier. Fresh scales were growing to fill in the bare patches and his shell was even retaining some soil.
Better yet, he could feel Energy begin to pool within the Pokémon's body. It was slight, as most of the power was spent healing the beast. Still, it was far better than before.
Like with Flutter, Kenji reached out with his aura. However, where he attempted to meet the Beautifly halfway, with Sprout he surrounded the turtle with his will. It was ideal for a Warrior to form a link with a young Type Beast, as the effects of the bond would accumulate over time and be amplified by any evolution the beast underwent.
For all that, though, the actual formation of the link was more difficult. Such young beasts did not have a grasp of their spirit or aura. As a result, the Warrior had to be more of a guide for the young Pokémon.
The lessons of his father flashed through his mind as he reached out to the Pokémon before him. They mostly focused on forging a bond with an unfamiliar Pokémon, ones nearly too young to do so on its own without forcing the link upon the beast.
With Flutter, the action was more instinctive than learned. Their bond was already present, it merely needed to be brought into existence. The same could be said for his connection with Sprout, except the turtle did not have the Energy to actually complete the bond.
It would all have to come from Kenji.
Typically, multiple links would form over time. Often, seasons passed before a Warrior bonded with another Pokémon. The time allowed a Warrior to recover the necessary Energy to support the new link and form the hints of connection.
Be that as it may, the rule was for linking with multiple young Pokémon.
Flutter was neither young nor unevolved. The butterfly was in the final stages of her evolution and fully matured. As such, the beast had more than enough Energy to assist with the formation of the link.
Greater than the Beautifly's maturity, however, was the seed from the mossy boulder. The item was packed with Grass Energy and Sprout was easily cycling it through his system.
Keeping the beast surrounded by his aura, Kenji felt for the turtle's forming power. It was weak and diffuse, the Pokémon's poor health hampering proper development. Nevertheless, Kenji slowly teased out Sprout's spirit.
The abundant Grass Energy, from the mystical realm and the seed, clouded the turtle's signature aura. Strangely, it was his first bond that assisted with the progress. Sprout's weak health was like a miasma that pervaded the Pokémon like a poisoned root. Kenji followed it back, offering his own Energy to help the turtle heal.
In doing so, his Energy was incorporated into the Pokémon's body and allowed Kenji to discover his young companion's spirit. Instead of forcing a connection, Kenji continued to offer up his own strength. He could feel himself growing weak and lethargic from doing so, yet refused to stop.
Little changed about the Pokémon's appearance, but Kenji sensed how the turtle's spirit strengthened from his efforts. Unlike with Flutter, their Energies were entirely compatible. As such, the loss of Energy was nearly nonexistent as he worked to link their spirits.
Only when Kenji felt ready to faint from the drain he was forcing upon himself did the link start to manifest. Awareness of the beast bloomed within his mind, their auras mingling together like old friends. Kenji's grin turned to a frown of worry as he sensed the state of his young companion.
The turtle was far weaker than he originally expected. It felt as though the only thing holding the Pokémon upright was the infusion of Energy that he and the seed were providing.
"I should have not forced you to walk so long," he murmured to the turtle. "I thought I was helping," he sighed with guilt.
The young Pokémon was able to move, and he believed that the beast was growing stronger. Now, he saw it for the false premise that it was. Yet all he could do was continue to support the young Pokémon. It would take a powerful mystic healer for the beast to recover.
Feeling his new bond's weariness only emphasized his own. Already, his body was starting to ache with new phantom pains as his spirit continued to develop the two new links. Unable to help himself, Kenji drifted off to sleep in the afternoon sun. His dreams were plagued by conflicting sensations and vague emotions.
He was woken by a shiver of happiness running through his spirit, jolting him from a nightmare of cowering from shadowy predators. Jerking his head around, Kenji searched for what awoke him only to drop his head when he spotted Flutter resuming her taste of the surrounding flowers.
Despite remaining asleep until past dawn, Kenji felt as though he only just closed his eyes. Nevertheless, a smile tugged at his lips as he turned his attention inwards to explore his new links. His first was dull and shaded into stillness while his unsealed companions were alive with awareness.
Excitement and pleasure flowed into him from the butterfly, balanced by the sense of exhaustion he received from Sprout. Checking the turtle over, he was concerned as the Pokémon started to waken with a chirp. The sensations he was receiving from the beast were conflicting with how the Pokémon was trundling around. The turtle chewed on the surrounding plants, eliciting another wince from Kenji.
Climbing to his feet as well, a yawn cracked his jaw. Digging through his pack, he pulled out a handful of fruit and joined his bonds in eating. The Energy in the air was invigorating and he was soon wide awake.
"Come along, Flutter," he called with a soft whistle. "Time to move on."
"Ti," the butterfly cried with a trill. He could feel the beast's desire to stay.
"No, the Guardian has made its will known," he answered firmly. "We will leave," he emphasized.
The Beautifly trilled its disappointment as she flew to his side. Picking up Sprout, Kenji tried to push a sense of rest towards the bond.
"As for you," he said, "Rest and let me be your legs."
The turtle chirped and partially withdrew into his shell, keeping his head out to watch the environment.
Leaving the meadow behind, Kenji strode into the trees. Unlike the forest below, sunlight easily reached the ground to illuminate the plants below. He was once more struck by how perfectly everything appeared to be growing. Thick stems lifted flowers and small plants high while grass below.
While the soft plants made for a comfortable walk, he felt terrible for the marks his passage left behind. Trampled grass and broken plants were unavoidable as he walked. Fruits and berries were abundant, leaving his mouth watering, especially as he could sense the potent Energy within. Still, he resisted the urge, lest he anger the powerful Guardian.
Without the sled, travel was far easier. He was forced to set Sprout down at times to rest his arms and take a break to eat. There was a constant need for water drying his mouth, driving him to eat more of the juicy berries than originally wished.
As the day passed, Kenji realized that there was little evidence of any other beasts on the plateau. It was eerily quiet, with even the wind seeming to avoid rustling the trees. Eventually there was not enough light to see and he was forced to stop for the night.
Despite the Grass Energy suffusing the plateau, Kenji still felt drained. The links were still settling and much of his strength was used up by Sprout in an effort to heal the turle. It was a strange feeling as his body absorbed Energy, only for it to quickly drain away through his links.
Not only that, but the entire day his spirit was bombarded by foreign sensations and emotions. Flutter was easily excited, especially with the numerous flowers throughout the higher forest. Meanwhile, Sprout managed to rouse a curiosity that flowed through their bond along with the turtle's near-constant state of exhaustion.
Dropping his pack, Kenji collapsed to the ground with a sigh. He was not sure how far he managed to travel, as he took a winding path to avoid any large fields of or other delicate seeming plants. Flutter was less thoughtful and flew around merrily to taste the beautiful plants.
More concerning was the state of the plateau's Energy.
There was a restlessness, at least to his mind, to how the ambient Type Energy behaved. The longer he stayed and the further he traveled, the Grass Energy seemed to almost reject his presence.
Before his body readily absorbed the power drifting in the air and earth but now the Energy resisted. Worse was the fact that he needed to regain the power was losing to his new bonds.
Between the fresh links and the constant tug of war with the Grass Energy, Kenji's mind and body were exhausted. Unfortunately, his sleep was as fitful as the night before. To make it even more restless, a strange tone quickly began to pervade his dreams. The gentle ping of bells created a soft lullaby that tugged at his consciousness.
Eventually, he could take it no longer and sat up to investigate.
Rank: 1. Grass/Ground.
- Power: __
- Wisdom: __
- Charisma: __
SproutWithdraw into Shell.
FlutterBody Blow. . . . . .