How to Train Your Pokémon

A/N: I pray to all the Pokémon Legendaries that this one will not be too long. Let's read Chapter 6. Roll it!

Chapter 6

Training Day One

The following morning, Mari felt sick to her stomach. So much so that she only ate one piece of buttered toast for breakfast, while the twins ate about four pieces each.

Luke noticed his sister's uneasiness. "Hey, Mari. Are you okay?" He asked.

Mari swallowed her last bite of toast and reached over to grab the jug of apple juice. "I'm fine, Luke." She assured him. "Just a little nervous."

Her brother raised an eyebrow. He then patted her shoulder comfortingly. "You know I did you a favor. Getting you in training."

Mari faintly smiled at her brother. "I do know." Her smile then vanished. "I just don't think catching Pokémon is my thing."

"What do you mean?" Evan asked.

The oldest Ketchum child was silent. Should she tell the twins about her encounter with the Electric type? Her brothers were the only ones in the whole town who she could really confide in just about anything. But, how strong is their loyalty?

"After training." Mari promised.

Luke and Evan glanced at each other, then complied to their sister's wish. She would never keep anything from them.

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After they finished their breakfast, the Ketchum kids left their house and headed down the hill towards the training arena. Luke had a birch wood staff strapped on his back, Evan had a small grappling gun hanging on his waist, and Mari had a long lance with a spiked ball on the end placed carefully on her hip.

Soon, they had reached the Training Arena. It was a plain, circular, open-ceiling, gray brick building out on the plains down at the bottom of the hills, near the laboratory. When they arrived at the front entrance, they saw the Newton kids already waiting for them. Keira had a small stun gun in a stylish leather pouch on her hip, Jenna had a crossbow, and Aiden had an extendable metal baton on his waist.

They had a friendly or flirtatious smile, or an attempt of a simple grin in Aiden's case, on their faces when they saw the twins, but didn't notice Mari trailing far behind them.

Gary was already inside when he opened the doors. "Welcome, trainees."

"No turning back." Aiden said as he and the others entered the Arena. There were five barred doors, where the Pokémon they would train with.

"I wonder what types of Pokémon we will fight against." Evan said.

"I don't really care, unless I get that guy on my side." Keira gave a flirty glance to Luke, who rolled his eyes.

"Put a cork in it, Keira, or I'll fight you instead." He retorted to her, making her frown with disappointment.

Evan whispered over to Jenna. "You really got to get your sister on a leash."

"It's not that easy." She hissed back to him. "She's a year older than me, yet I act like the one who doesn't have her head in the clouds."

"No kidding." Mari grumbled, making herself known to the trainees.

"Oh, great." Keira groaned. "Who let her in?"

Luke and Evan came over to their sister's side. "Our mom let her join in." Luke explained, glaring sharply at Keira.

"And she can fight. Pretty good, as well." Evan piped up.

"She can?" Keira asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow. In response, Mari immediately tackled her down onto her stomach and put her in a tight armlock. "Okay, okay! She can, she can!" She cried out, begging for mercy. Mari released her and glared at the cocky Newton girl.

Mari then turned over to see Aiden staring her down with indifference. She felt a sharp prick in her chest when she saw his steel blue eyes; no more emotion in them. But she still put on her tough demeanor. Whatever connection they had as kids was gone now. Besides, he now wouldn't give a crying shame about her.

"Let's get started." Gary said, breaking up the tense stare down. "Remember, whoever does the best will win the honor of capturing their first Pokémon in front of the entire town."

Mari tried her best not to flinch at the thought of capturing Pokémon, especially when it would be done as a sort of public show to the entirety of Pallet Town. However, her effort didn't go unnoticed by the twins. What was going on with her?

"Uh, Mari already took down an Electric type." Keira broke in. "So, does that-" she paused when she saw the oldest Ketchum kid giving her a threatening red-hot glare with her hand hovering above her lance. "-And, I'll shut up now."

"Please do." Luke hissed at her, almost sounding as deadly as a Seviper. Keira then went over to her siblings quickly to avoid him and his bubbling rage.

Gary lined everyone up and stood in front of them pacing. "Now, behind these doors are just a few types of Pokémon you will learn to fight." He then pointed to a tall, barred steel door one at a time. "Espeon, which is a Psychic type. Umbreon, a Dark type. Lucario, a Fighting and Steel type. Piplup, a Water type. And Larvitar, a Rock type."

Everyone noticed that Gary had his hand on the lever controlling the door holding the Larvitar. "Uh, aren't you gonna teach us first?" Keira asked nervously.

The Ketchum kids smirked. "You don't know Gary like we do." Evan said.

"They're right." Gary agreed. "I believe in learning on the job." With that, he pushed down the lever.

A small lizard-like Rock Pokémon came charging out. It had olive green scales, a long single spike on its head, red eyes, and a small body with stubby arms and legs. It would almost look cute if it wasn't giving the trainees a fiery glare and was charging at them so fast.

The trainees quickly began running in all directions. "First, we will learn about survival." Gary instructed from the sidelines. "If you get blasted, you're out. What's the first thing you will need?"

Evan decided to try and be funny. "A doctor?"

"Not now, bro!" Luke shouted.

"Extra agility?" Jenna guessed.

But Mari and Aiden both had the correct answer. "Shields!" They said at the same time.

"Yes! Shields, go!" Gary said. The trainees ran over to a weapons stand nearby where laser shields were settled on top. The shields were wore as a wristband and can be activated with a push of a button.

Everyone quickly grabbed a shield and activated them. All the laser shields were different colors: Mari's was yellow, Luke's was red, Evan's was blue, Aiden's was green, Keira's was purple, and Jenna's was white. But Jenna was too slow to activate her shield before Larvitar used a Hidden Power to attack her.

"Jenna, you're out." Gary said.

"Nuts!" Jenna groaned as she retreated to the sidelines for safety.

The other trainees were on their toes as they ran all around the Larvitar in many directions, frustrating it even more. And for a Rock type, the little Pokémon could really move as it tried to single out one trainee.

"This Larvitar knows Hidden Power, Dig, Stone Edge, and Crunch." Gary informed. It seemed like a pretty good range of attacks. "How many times can a Pokémon normally use Hidden Power?"

"Ten?" Keira guessed.

"No, fifteen!" Evan stated.

"Correct, fifteen!" Gary said. "Enough for all of you."

The Larvitar then dug underground. "It's using Dig now. Keep a sharp eye out." Gary said. "You never know where Larvitar will appear next."

The trainees began scanning the Arena in search of Larvitar. Suddenly, the Rock type popped out of the ground and tackled Evan in the belly.

"Evan, out." Gary said. The youngest Ketchum rubbed his sore stomach and went to the sidelines to watch with Jenna.

Gary then saw Mari circling around the Arena, her eyes focused intently on the Larvitar. The more he observed her, the more it looked like she was coming up with something. He then saw the twins; Luke still out on the field and Evan on the sidelines, and they were staring at the Larvitar with the same concentration as their sister. They were probably analyzing every move that the Rock type can make.

But really, Mari was listening to the Larvitar's angry cries. To her, it didn't exactly sound like it was just saying its name, which according to human knowledge is how they communicate with people and other Pokémon. Instead, the sound was like there was water in her ears, sounding like muffled actual words. The twins were hearing the same thing as their sister. What was going on?

Keira then came up to Luke. "So, my mom moved our training equipment to our basement. You should come by and work out. You look like you work out."

Luke groaned and cartwheeled away. He had a sickening feeling that she just wanted to see him without a shirt.

The Larvitar then fired another Hidden Power at Keira, and it was a direct hit. "Keira, you're done." Gary said.

Aiden then came beside Mari. Even though she felt a little shy that he was pretty close to her, she masked it with a focused and indifferent glance. It made it easier when Luke also came over to them.

"So, it's just the three of us, right?" Mari said.

"Nope, just you two." Aiden said before heading off.

Mari and Luke were surprised that Aiden actually spoke to her. But, Luke noticed that the Larvitar was about to use another Hidden Power at Mari. Quickly, he pushed her away, taking the blow.

"Luke, you're out!" Gary announced.

"Sorry, Luke!" Mari called out to her brother.

"None taken, sis!" Luke called back to her as he went over to the sidelines.

Suddenly, the Larvitar released a Stone Edge attack, trapping Mari in a circle of huge rocks as the attack landed all around her.

"Mari!" Gary and the twins shouted.

The Ketchum girl struggled to climb out of the tight rock circle around her, but the Larvitar jumped up to the top of the rocks and prepared another Hidden Power. Mari shut her eyes and waited for the blow. But it never came. Mari opened her eyes and saw that the Larvitar was back in its black and white capsule, shaking violently in Gary's hand.

"Relax, you." Gary snapped. He walked over to the open door and in a burst of red light, the Larvitar burst of the Poké Ball. But before it can run back out, Gary pulled up the lever and quickly closed the door.

"Don't worry." He said to the trainees who were coming over. "You all will get another chance. But remember, a Pokémon will always go for the finish." He lent a hand to Mari and pulled her out of the Stone Edge circle.

Mari glanced over at the pounding steel door. A Pokémon always goes for the final blow. That's what Gary said. But then, why did that Electric type, the most rare and feared of all Pokémon, spare her? That thought occupied her mind as she walked out of the Arena and headed towards the forest, trying to ignore the fading sound of angry but muffled words in her head. Luke and Evan noticed her leaving and took after her. Something had changed in their sister, and they were going to find out.

A/N: Okay, this was longer than I originally thought. But I'm not going to complain about that. I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a comment about what you think. They are highly appreciated. I'll see you guys in Chapter 7!

Got to fly! ;)