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.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  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.