Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Who is Teddiursa?
"Urgh." Leon grunted, feeling the weight of his actions as he struggled to pry open his heavy eyelids.
A bright light engulfed his sight, casting stark shadows against his weary form as every movement revealed itself as pure agony, every breath a struggle against the weight of his aching body.
"Heaven?" Leon hopefully voiced out, reaching upwards only for a hand to push him back down.
"Calm down, you're not dead yet, just in the infirmary." A voice sounded from the side, and Leon recognized it as belonging to the one who prompted his earlier performance, Josh.
"Ugh, it's you." Leon dryly whispered out in annoyance, his headache making him unable to cope with Josh's clear disdain towards him.
Josh chuckled at Leon's words, pulling out a cigarette and placing it between his lips before lighting it.
"Do you mind? Sam doesn't like it when I smoke, so I tend to do it when she's not around." Josh asked for permission only to immediately light the cigarette without getting a confirmation from Leon.
"Give me one." Leon muttered, eliciting a curious glance from Josh.
"Leon-"
"Give me the f*cking cigarette." Leon hissed as his usual calm demeanor broke with all his ribs from the previous exchange.
Though Josh didn't give some speech about being responsible, instead, he put a cigarette in Leon's mouth before lighting it for him.
*Cough*
*Cough*
Leon coughed twice, his eyes narrowing in discomfort, but he persevered, coercing his unwilling lungs to accept the smoke before exhaling smoothly.
"Do you want the good or bad news." Josh asked, blowing out a gray cloud of smoke.
Leon didn't answer but closed his eyes and drew another deep breath, filling his lungs with smoke before exhaling slowly.
Craving the sensation of his first nicotine high in this new life, he repeated the process two more times before Josh rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Well the bad news is you'll be bedridden for about one month, however the good news is that there isn't any permanent damage." Josh pointed from Leon's bandaged head all the way to his bandaged toes.
"What about Ted-"
"Pokemon heal differently and much faster than human's Leon, they're fine." Josh tapped the side of the bed, understanding how inept Leon might be about these things while informing him.
"However, although fine physically, the Corsola you got from Reggie is pretty shaken up mentally." Josh added though Leon expected that much since not every pokemon can be like Furret.
"Thanks." Leon side eyed Josh who shrugged since he only did what was asked of him.
"It's the least I can do after sending you off to your death in the diamond bracket." Josh dryly spoke while finishing his cigarette, putting it out on the ashtray while waving away the smoke.
"and though I won't apologize for my earlier actions, I will be responsible for them." Josh stood up, gazing down at Leon.
"One more thing Leon, I'm sure you're aware of this fact since you experienced it first hand but the fights as well as the struggle to survive are only going to get harder from here on out." Josh looked down at the unmoving Leon.
"Your mind is sharp, however your potential will be heavily affected by the fact that you don't have a talent or an energy affinity." Josh sighed, gesturing to the chart in front of his hospital bed after shamelessly reading Leon's charts.
Leon furrowed his brow, realizing that along with providing treatment, they always ran a couple of extra tests only to realize that he wasn't special which kind of stung his narcissistic heart.
Upon first glance, many, including Josh, assumed Leon possessed some sort of talent based on a lucky move, only to be surprised that the only thing he had was a deficiency in nutrients.
"Good." Leon exhaled a plume of smoke, the last remnants of the cigarette dissipating into the air, as he spoke.
"It'll be more fun that way." Leon flicked the cigarette bud at Josh's feet, lying to himself while getting slightly more comfortable in his bed.
"Be a dear and throw that away for me, then we're square." Leon saw this exchange as an opportunity to extend a gesture of peace, using it as a way to reconcile their differences.
Josh arched an eyebrow, but seeing the confidence in Leon's eyes, he didn't dwell on it and simply picked up the cigarette butt from the floor, accepting the reconciliation.
"We'll come back for you when you can actually walk to teach you the ropes." Josh waved while throwing the bud into the trash.
"See you after the initiation." Josh didn't look back as he left through the door and once he did a small orange bear stuck its curious head into the frame.
"Teddi?" Teddiursa peaked inside with curiosity to see Leon finally awake.
*Sigh*
"Teddiursa." Teddiursa flicked his head to the side, gesturing for someone to come in, and Furret followed him.
"Ursa." Teddiursa playfully sneered at Leon, whose body was almost completely bangaed.
"Furret." Furret anxiously spoke, quickly making her way to his bedside with immense worry.
Furret was deeply concerned about Leon, knowing he was the only thing left in her life. Her ears drooped as she inherently blamed herself for Leon's injuries, eliciting a chuckle and a groan from him.
"Furret, it's not your fault." Leon smacked his dry lips trying to ease the little furball.
"Fur?"
"Really."
"Fur furret?"
"Yes, really really."
"Fur-"
"Stop." Leon quietly sighed as Furret nodded her head before jumping onto his bed.
Though before he could disway this approach Leon hesitated, his words caught in his throat when he saw the watery eyes of the Furret before him, causing his resolve to falter.
Meanwhile, Furret offered a comforting smile as she nestled against his chest, wiping her teary eyes on the blanket of relief while Teddiursa curiously examined the various medical instruments around them.
"Teddiursa make yourself useful and get me a glass of water." Leon shamelessly asked after realizing how parched his throat truly was at this moment.
Turning around, Teddiursa was about to join in on the laughter only to see Leon wasn't joking but actually serious.
"Ted." Teddiursa brows scrunched, his expression as if he ate something rotten only for Leon to wince in pain.
"M-My body~" Leon huffed out, Teddiursa frowned, deepening as Furret patted his arm as if it would help.
"Teddiursa." Teddiursa grunted yet the guilt buried in his heart caused him to climb up onto the counter before walking to the sink.
"The right nozzle is for the cold water." Leon spoke without gazing at Teddiursa, causing a tick mark to form on the pokemons forehead.
"Ursa." Teddiusa clicked his tongue, mimicking Leon's voice with a soft whisper while filling up a glass of cold water.
Hopping off the counter, he huddled over to his bed ridden trainer as he held the water out for Leon to take.
"You have to feed it to me." Leon continued his shameless approach as Teddiursa gazed at him in disbelief.
Frowning deeper, Teddiursa let out a sigh when Leon gestured towards his own body, causing a twinge of guilt to flicker through him. He reluctantly complied with Leon's silent request.
*Gulp*
*Gulp*
*Gulp*
*Gulp*
Leon's smug smile while drinking the ice-cold water only fueled Teddiursa's frustration. Despite his paw shaking furiously, he managed to keep it steady.
As the water slowly left the clear glass, Leon's gaze wandered around it before settling on Teddiursa's paw, noticing subtle wounds and hints of wood chips still present between his paws, confirming his suspicion.
"Ah, thank you Teddiursa." Leon let out a refreshed sigh after finishing the last of the water.
"Teddiursa." Teddiursa whispered, turning his back to Leon in an exaggerated way before hopping off from the bed.
"Hey Teddiursa." Leon's words made Teddiursa stop, sensing the seriousness laced into his tone.
"I think you should lay off the training for a while." Leon let out a small sigh, staring up at the ceiling waiting for a response that never came.
Despite not being a genius, Leon could discern that Teddiursa was burdened by guilt, going so far as to act against his natural instincts to serve him.
All Leon's requests of Teddiursa were aimed at uncovering this, but upon truly realizing how aggrieved Teddiursa was, he chose to comfort him.
*Crunch*
Shards of glass sprinkled all around, hitting the floor as they glided all around the culprit.
Teddiursa's paw furiously shook as his breath slowly started to become unsteady while still showing his back to Leon.
"Fur?" Furret's head poked up curiously, her two ears swaying ever so slightly as unlike her new trainer, she struggled to grasp social cues.
Her curiosity was fleeting, her fur standing on end as a furious flame ignited on Teddiursa's right paw.
"Calm down." Leon's soft voice echoed in the small room, the red hue reflecting on the peeling wallpaper indicating that the flames were only growing brighter.
"Teddiursa." Teddiursa's voice trembled as the residual glass shards in his paw melted and dripped onto the ground.
"Teddiursa, you did everything I asked of you-"
*Crack*
"TEDDIURSA!" Teddiursa stomped his foot onto the ground, the floors cracking all around him as the anger appeared all around the seams of them.
On the outside, Teddiursa may appear arrogant, smug, and prideful, but internally, he harbors a deep sense of helplessness.
Losing, whether in the smallest of battles or in matters of life and death, is something he cannot accept.
Due to this Teddiursa trains tirelessly every day, not simply to become stronger, but to ensure he doesn't have to have this unsettling feeling riddle his being.
This mindset stems from his earliest memory, one that led to the events which was responsible for the scar on his face inflicted by a Pokémon who cruelly carved it into his flesh while snickering throughout his screams.
"Listen Teddiursa-"
"Teddiursa! Ted teddi ursa teddiursa!" Teddiursa's shout echoed through the room as the flame on his paw threatened to spiral out of control signaling his rage.
Seeing Teddiursa, Furret instinctively coiled her body, ready to intervene, until Leon's hand gently brushed against her fur.
At his touch, Furret's fur finally settled, as if reassured that Leon would take charge of the situation.
"None of the setbacks we had during that tournament wasn't your fault, in fact, most of it was due to my arrogance while not fully understanding how formidable my opponents truly were." Leon spoke with honesty, acknowledging that it was only after the third battle that he truly grasped the extent of his carelessness.
Reclining on the bed, his body wrapped in bandages, Leon's mind churned with newfound realizations.
The events with Reggie served as a stark reminder that humans could pose just as much of a threat as Pokémon.
Leon was too narrow in his thinking since he wholly expected humans to be as dangerous as they were in his past life, only to see his faults with his own eyes.
Reggie's ability to manipulate an energy he'd never thought humanly possible while going toe to toe with a pokemon coupled with his tenacity and skill, highlighted the true resilience of individuals in this world.
Yet, what truly wearied Leon was the thought that Reggie might only be considered an amateur.
It left him sighing, contemplating the inevitable challenges that lay ahead on his journey if that was considered a mere novice.
"Tedd-"
"Teddiursa, I don't know what you think partners are but to us humans it's something different." Leon decided to take hold of this conversation since if Teddiursa was to have his back, then this way of acting needed to be rectified.
"Partners share the victories while helping each other overcome the hardships." Leon's words caused the fire within Teddiursa to dim as the light on his paw simmered.
"To be honest Teddiursa, everything up to this point was half-heartedly rushed and I'm partly to blame, I apologize." Leon turned his head towards Teddiursa who was staring at him.
"But when you went up against Reggie, instead of using Close Combat like I instructed, you opted for a fire punch." Leon then revealed his true meaning as Teddiursa instinctively looked down.
"We ended up winning, but in that heat of the moment, I could tell that you didn't see Reggie and that can't happen anymore." Leon's gaze felt as if Teddiursa was being seen through like glass as he remained quiet.
"I'm not the type of guy to run in circles, so instead of holding it in and causing even more messes in the future, if this partnership is going to continue then you're going to have to come clean." Leon wasn't mad at Teddiursa, but he honestly didn't know if the outcome would have been different if he listened since the plan was never to use fire punch.
In fact, Leon was briefly aware of type advantages and Fire wasn't even that effective on Rock which is why he was even talking about this.
Communication is the easiest and yet, the hardest part of any relationship be it personal and business but Leon wasn't about to die because of Teddiursa's internal issues.
"Te-" Teddiursa was going to refute but the words halted in his throat, the flames on his palm wisped away as he gazed up.
"Teddiursa." Teddiursa finally admitted how defeated he truly felt, thinking Leon would laugh at his insecure state but he simply smiled.
"The first step is admitting it, so now pull up a chair and let's just talk." Leon's reassuring words caused Teddiursa to pause, momentarily surprised by the unexpected support.
Teddiursa had braced himself for ridicule, anticipating mockery for revealing his vulnerability.
However, Leon's response was the opposite of what he expected; instead of scorn, there was genuine concern and a desire to assist.
Teddiursa retrieved a stool from the side and placed it beside Leon, hopping onto it with a deliberate but hesitant movement.
He didn't immediately begin speaking; instead, he sat twiddling his paws together, contemplating where to start.
"Why don't we start with why you always use Fire Punch since from day one, it's been your default move." Leon saw Teddiursa's hesitance, deciding it was best to start with the question that had been probing his mind ever since he first met Teddiursa.
'Why does he always want to use a fire punch?' Leon, still navigating the intricacies of Pokémon battles, was aware of the concept of innate moves with different typings.
From his observations of Teddiursa, he noted that the Pokémon sometimes struggled to control this move.
However, when executing moves like Bulk Up, Cross Chop, and Close Combat, Teddiursa seemed to do so effortlessly.
Though Leon didn't mention it, still convinced it was an innate move but as the more time passed, his thoughts went into a different direction.
'Teddiursa has a reason why he's so hell bent on using this move.' Leon observed Teddiursa's reaction, noticing the shift in his expression as the topic was broached.
It resonated with Leon, stirring memories of his own past struggles.
He empathized with Teddiursa, recognizing the weight of carrying emotional baggage from a young age.
In his previous life, Leon had faced challenges and responsibilities beyond his years, forced to shoulder the burden of providing for his family at a tender age.
Instead of seeking support, he had chosen to bury his pain deep within, until he would snap in a burst of rage.
Reflecting on this later in life, Leon acknowledged that his circumstances could have led to a different outcome if this attitude continued.
Everyone needs another to vent, that was Leon's mindset since in time he had found solace in talking with his little brother and supportive comrades.
Though back in the day, especially within his community, many weren't as fortunate as Leon to have people who actually cared about other problems.
This was especially true for those whose daily concerns revolved around necessities like paying the water bill or putting food on the table for their families, throwing away their health to support those truly dear to them.
It's made him more attentive to these types of things, especially with those around him including his Pokémon as getting shot is painful but finding your friend hanging from the ceiling is dreadful.
"Ted." Teddiursa gestured toward Furret, eliciting a slightly annoyed reaction from her while Leon chuckled at this remark.
"Oh come on, Furret's rolling with us so it's either tell her now or let her find out later." Leon explained, causing Furret to nod her head before sticking out her tongue at Teddiursa.
*Sigh*
"Teddi ted teddiursa-"
Teddiursa was still a little reluctant but accepted it and started pouring out word after word of his life story.
From the start, Teddiursa couldn't recall his parents.
One day, his mother vanished, leaving him, a young cub, alone in an overwhelming forest.
The only link to his past was the cave where he hatched and like many struggling Pokémon, Teddiursa turned to scavenging, enduring each day's hardship to fill his perpetually hungry stomach.
Then came a momentous day after returning to his cave with his largest haul yet as that same joy was short-lived.
Another Pokémon had discovered his dwelling and demanded he vacate. Reluctant to abandon his only sanctuary, Teddiursa hesitated.
This hesitation wasn't well-received, and a confrontation ensued as initially bewildered by the concept of combat, Teddiursa soon found himself instinctively engaging in the struggle.
As the battle unfolded, Teddiursa felt as though his body moved of its own accord, tapping into an instinctual understanding of combat that seemed woven into his very essence.
After a successful attack, Teddiursa actually managed to land a hit that had an adverse effect on the overly confident pokemon.
This success made the pokemon who was merely playing with him at that point to go all out until Teddiursa was left on the brink of death.
However the pain felt scarring so in that moment when Teddiursa was barely conscious, the pokemon slowly started to claw at his flesh.
It's tough and thick claw forcefully parted Teddiursa's flesh in such a slow manner that he could feel all the pain until his frustration was properly mended.
Once finished, the pokemon didn't even give him the curiosity of death, finding the action beneath it as the pokemon threw him into the woods, wholly expecting him to die from the scavengers that mostly feed on scraps.
At his lowest point, Teddiursa wept for what he believed would be the last time, lying in the silent forest, resigned to his fate only to have even the grace of death abandon him.
In that moment as he stared into the brush of trees above him, abandoned even by fate itself, something within him fractured.
How long had he skulked in the shadows, scavenging for scraps, only to remain hungry?
The self-loathing swelled within Teddiursa until it broke every part of himself that had been acting as prey before he forcefully formed it into the very thing he was scared to be.
Dragging his weary body to a nearby hollow log, he resolved to survive, teaching himself to harness his energy for healing and persevering through each agonizing day, refusing to yield to the merciless grip of fate.
For three grueling days, Teddiursa endured the cramped confines of the desolate log, subsisting solely on moss and mushrooms as he painstakingly healed his wounds.
Emerging from his makeshift sanctuary, his hunger gnawed at him, but he no longer sought the comfort of berries.
Encountering a Rattata, Teddiursa hesitated no longer, his survival instinct eclipsing any fear for his own well-being.
With a newfound determination, he committed himself to the pursuit of power, willing to prey on anything and everything to ensure his survival.
From that day forward, Teddiursa dedicated himself to relentless training and hunting, his thirst for revenge fueling his every action.
Obsessed with avenging the injustices inflicted upon him, he even resorted to spying on the very pokemon who caused so much pain to him.
Then, in a fateful confrontation with a formidable opponent who nearly bested him with a devastating Fire Punch, Teddiursa's fixation led him to devote every waking moment to mastering the same technique, until one day, his paw ignited with a deadly crimson glow.
From that point on, Teddiursa devoted each day to perfecting the move, going so far as to forcefully coerce weaker Pokémon into gathering berries for him, establishing a network of Sentrets who coughed up a share of their findings for him.
Despite his efforts, Teddiursa always felt a sense of inadequacy in his training and progress.
However, everything changed when he encountered his first human after witnessing a trainer guide and empower their Pokémon to become formidable fighters left Teddiursa in awe.
Yet, he despised the trainers who attempted to befriend him with empty promises of "the power of friendship" or assurances of being "best friends."
Disillusioned, Teddiursa nearly abandoned hope until Leon emerged unexpectedly from the bushes.
Initially wary of Leon's intentions, Teddiursa was intrigued by how this seemingly stronger human could appear so vulnerable.
Leon didn't seek to force him into servitude like others; instead, he proposed a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Teddiursa found himself drawn to Leon's approach, yearning for strength and genuine challenges.
Leon even came through with his promise, giving Teddiursa suitable opponents yet as the battles progressed, Teddiursa couldn't shake the feeling of failure.
With each subsequent match, Teddiursa began to confront the harsh reality of his own limitations.
Until the bitterness of needing assistance from the furball weighed heavily on him, fully stirring feelings of frustration and inadequacy.
Reggie's role in the battle was pivotal; despite Teddiursa's potential advantage over Corsola, his unfamiliarity with his innate moves beyond his natural proficiency nearly cost him victory.
As Teddiursa reflected on the past three days, he grew to value Leon's unwavering support, realizing that he wouldn't have reciprocated such dedication.
It wasn't until he emerged victorious in battles against both humans and Pokémon that Teddiursa fully embraced their partnership.
Teddiursa's desperation in the match stemmed from uncertainty about Leon's ability to survive against Reggie's strength.
However as he approached Reggie, he slowly lost that train of thought as that feeling of frustration and inadequacy boiled to the surface.
In that crucial moment, he wasn't focused on Leon's earlier words but on his own determination.
The fire punch he unleashed was a testament to his relentless effort and a bid to prove that his struggles hadn't been in vain only to come up short.
Falling to the ground, Teddiursa's last memory was the sight of Reggie standing over him, however he wasn't even gazing at him but instead Leon.
Teddiursa realized that Reggie had always viewed Leon as the true challenge, not him.
Drifting into unconsciousness, Teddiursa later awoke to a harrowing sight: Leon's battered state.
Full of shame at his weakness, Teddiursa blamed himself, retreating to the nearest wall to punch it until Josh guided him to the training area where all the wooden training dummies were located.
There, Teddiursa threw himself into practicing his fighting-type moves, pushing himself until his paws bled.
However even in moments of distraction, he unconsciously resorted to using fire punch, deepening his sense of shame.
Despite understanding Teddiursa's struggles, Leon remained silent, observing as Teddiursa's shoulders slumped further with each expression of insecurity.
"Teddiursa you're wrong." Leon's terse sentence carried significant weight, conveying a profound message.
Teddiursa glanced up but avoided meeting Leon's eyes, his clenched paws slowly releasing their tension.
"I mean, you completely should have listened to my every word since I'm almost never wrong." Leon first corrected as Teddiursa unconsciously clicked his tongue.
"But all of our opponents had days, weeks, months, and maybe years to train and refine themselves, then there were us who had like three days to even get to know each other." Leon's words caused Furret's ears to droop as memories flooded her mind of her and Jessica working tirelessly toward their inevitable defeat.
"Tedd teddiursa-"
"No Teddiursa, you did everything I asked of you and more. You went into that fight completely unprepared and came out the victor. Don't take away from your success because of slight mishaps." Leon continued but Teddiursa was stubborn while gesturing to him.
"Teddiursa-" Teddiursa gestured to him, someone who seemed to know everything and always came up with a plan.
"HA!" Leon simply laughed at this only to recoil in pain.
"Listen Teddiursa, there's a saying that says 'Anyone who believes there is such a thing as a foolproof plan, is just proof that they're a fool'." Leon looked at Teddiursa before shaking his head.
"That's the sh*t part of life Teddiursa, it's unpredictable. Sometimes no matter how hard you practice, no matter how many fights you win, life will always make a way for you to lose." Leon sighed from experience since even the slightest thing can cause a horrible loss.
"However, improving isn't simply about accepting defeat, but learning from your loss so that one day you can have the power to stand up above those who simply accepted their way of life." Leon quickly spoke to Teddiursa to clear up any confusion.
"Just because you acknowledge that you're weak in certain areas doesn't mean you have to accept you will fail, instead, it shows that you're willing to grow and be stronger." Leon's words really made Teddiursa think about everything he believed until now as he silently listened to his trainer.
"Teddiursa, you still haven't realized that you're not alone anymore so instead of fighting that poke-mon alone, let me train you so that one day you can pay your debts." Leon smiled as Teddiursa's head shot up upon hearing the chance of defeating the adversary who had mentally weighed on him his whole life.
"Teddiursa?"
"Yeah why not, I mean it's not like I can ignore the bastard who treated you like that as it makes me seem weak." Leon's cheeky smile made Teddiursa feel more relieved until he finally let out a small smile.
"Alright now go get me another glass of water, I'm still a little parched." Leon shamelessly ordered Teddiursa who immediately lost his smile while showing another look of disbelief.
"Oh before I forget, go and clean up all the glass shards on the floor since you made that mess." Leon beckoned once more as Teddiursa dragged his paw across his face though still complied.
"Furret?" Furret asked a little worriedly but Leon only shrugged.
"He'll be fine with time but all wounds heal with time, especially yours." Leon nudged Furret who frowned at him.
"You can show me all the affection you want, but I know that you're still anxious around me. However when I said I'd take responsibility for what, I meant it and I hope one day you can truly forgive me for taking away Jessica." Leon understood that Furret wouldn't wholeheartedly accept him, and that was fine; it would be weird if she did.
Furret didn't show any upfront reaction but instead burrowed herself into the clumped-up sheets, using them as a makeshift burrow.
*Sigh*
'What makes this worse is that it's only the beginning.'
1 month later
"45."
"46"
"47-urgh." Leon didn't finish before his arms collapsed to the floor, showing signs of muscle failure.
For the past month, Leon had been recuperating in this room, provided to all participants after they took part in one of the brackets.
Usually, they're kicked out after four days, but since Leon was a special case, they gave him the entire month to recover, considering his bracket was of a higher tier.
However after seeing how fast he healed, Leon was somewhat surprised though decided not to invest his time into human anatomy in this world but instead not looking like a skeleton.
Although he was still skinny, he was bone dry skinny which was what he was aiming for and let him feel more comfortable.
"Teddiursa!" Teddiursa shouted in frustration as he pulled both paws out of the water bucket.
Furret, who was practicing the move agility, scoffed, indicating this wasn't the first time she had shown her dissatisfaction with Teddiursa's outbursts.
"Teddiursa, listen I'm still inexperienced in terms of training methods but from the trainer books given to me, they all said that training a move in difficult environments will heighten/elevate when understanding it." Leon spoke up, having spent time brushing up on a multitude of trainer manuals supplied to him by Josh in return for a favor.
Initially, Leon vehemently refused once he heard the outrageous condition of owing Josh a whole favor for some training manuals.
However, upon learning that he had the option to deny it if it was unreasonable, he reluctantly agreed but only for a large amount of them.
"Teddi ted ursa teddiursa!" Teddiursa's frustration was palpable as he grabbed his head, indicating the depth of his frustration.
From his reading, Leon understood that every Pokémon is given their type energy at birth, but this doesn't limit them to only using moves of that type.
So after realizing that fire punch wasn't an innate move, did Leon figure out it would take twice as long for Teddiursa to truly comprehend/master it.
However, the process of using moves with different types is more complicated, unless they are innate, meaning the move is ingrained into their minds, making the execution easier.
If Leon had to describe it, he would more or less attribute using a move of the innate or same type, to tracing a maze with a pencil.
However, when using a move with a different type and no aptitude, it was like carving a pencil out of wood, placing the lead into it, then being given a maze where you didn't even know the entire outline of it and had to find all the ends yourself.
What made this even more challenging was that remembering these patterns became harder for less talented Pokémon.
Leon didn't know Teddiursa's talent, nor did he really care.
In fact, after learning that talent only made Pokémon progress faster and understand things more swiftly, he stopped worrying about it.
Yes, having a talented Pokémon was incredibly useful and sought after. However, with the right amount of dedication, any Pokémon could THEORETICALLY reach level 100.
It would just take a significantly longer time or maybe even their whole life to simply reach Level 50 compared to more proficient Pokémon.
This system was incredibly disadvantageous for lower talented pokemon, but Leon could still see the upside in a low talented pokemon.
Leon knew talent was important, especially in his past life; however, at least on the streets, no matter how talented you are or how smart you are, death doesn't show favoritism.
How many times had Leon seen an incredibly talented individual, seemingly destined for a bright future, only to end up next to some trash cans with a bullet between their eyebrows?
Too many to count.
This is why Leon always valued experience and sure, he wouldn't mind having a talented, hardworking subordinate, but he would choose an experienced, hardworking person who may not excel at everything over a lazy, arrogant individual who can pick up any skill effortlessly.
"Teddiursa." Teddiursa sighed, briefly letting up in his training only for Leon to whip his forehead with a towel.
"Either keep going or leave." Leon pointed towards the door, only to see Teddirusa scrunch his eyebrow.
"That's what I thought now, keep putting BOTH paws in that water and don't stop until that water is boiling." Leon emphasized "Both" since Teddiursa had a problem with having both paws ignited in flames at once.
Leon saw this as inefficient because if he combined that with close combat, whoever he held a grudge against would surely suffer.
"Teddi teddiursa." Teddiursa complained, which immediately made Leon scoff.
"Any other trainer would force you to prioritize your innate moves, but you've been graciously given an empathetic trainer who cares about you." Leon complimented himself as Teddirusa had a ugly expression.
"TEDDIURSA!" Teddiursa yelled at him, literally practicing all of his innate moves before even getting a chance to even use a simple fire punch.
"You're using it ain't you?" Leon gestured to the water as Teddiursa muttered something under his breath while quietly putting his paws in the water.
This last month, Leon had been getting to know what innate moves Teddiursa could use better than others and he narrowed it down to Cross Chop, Bulk Up, Bite, Close Combat, Facade, and surprisingly Play Rough.
Leon was a little confused at how Teddiursa was so well-versed in a Fairy-type move, but he didn't question it.
Instead, he embraced it while teasing Teddiursa a little for being a fairy, which made Teddiursa embarrassed.
Leon had a plan for Facade, but he decided that he would put it into play after Teddiursa got used to Fire Punch.
"Furret!" Furret shouted from across the room, making both of them flinch, as she is usually always quiet or passive.
Her face showed just how frustrated she truly was when trying to use Agility. Evidently, even though she had learned the move from evolution, she could barely grasp it.
"Furret calm down, patience is key." Leon eased Furret who sighed, slumping her lanky boys over dramatically into the ground.
"Fur furret ret." Furret whined, showing her teary eyes to Leon indicating she wanted a hug.
*Sigh*
"No you're not useless." Leon understood the cue and picked up her soft, snake-like body, to which she coiled around his shoulder like a scarf.
After much trial and effort, Leon had learned Furret's innate moves, which were Defense Curl and Quick Attack.
Evidently, Jessica had only been training her primarily in those two moves, which Leon had to change.
This made the situation now more challenging, as Furret had an even harder time learning new moves since she only focused on those she already instinctively knew. This weighed on her mind as she doubted her skills.
"Furr~" Furret whined again as Leon patted her head, nuzzling under his touch.
"I know it's hard but you have to keep at it or else your moves will be incredibly predictable, which cannot happen." Leon firmly spoke up even when Furret kept whining, but Leon didn't budge on this for a second.
"Furret." Furret huffed as she jumped off Leon's shoulder and headed to her training spot.
Leon shook his head, his gaze falling on a pokeball attached to his waist, containing Corsola.
He frowned, knowing that Corsola harbored a deep animosity towards him. Unlike Furret, who at least tolerated him initially, Corsola outright refused to cooperate, often attacking him or returning to her pokeball at the mere sight of him.
Leon was surprised to discover that Reggie had somehow removed his blood signature from Corsola, making it easier for Leon to own her, but their relationship remained strained at best.
As for Furret, technically she still belonged to Jessica, but Leon didn't care; all he needed was her signature and a DNA sample, which he would address later.
Corsola had been essentially starving herself for the past two weeks or attempting to provoke Leon into killing her by constantly attacking him.
However, he remained steadfast, always returning her to her pokeball whenever she lashed out.
The situation had escalated to the point where Leon had to put her in status mode, granting him only a month to find a way to convince her to cooperate, a task he knew wouldn't be easy.
*Knock*
*Knock*
*Knock*
"Leon, it's time to get your ass beat!" Sam didn't wait for a response as she barged the door open with a toothy smile.
"Huh?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone