Learning to Fly
Chapter 11: Winds of Change
A Clover Guild Story
By Ribombee-anon
Previous part: https://rentry.org/RibombeeFly10
I felt warm sun on my aching body. I heard soft wind rustling leaves. Wherever I was, it seemed peaceful.
My eyes weakly opened, and I saw I was still in Twilight Overstory. It was a room like any other, with the same orange sky peeking through the leafy branches comprising the walls and ceiling. I didn’t sense the Bulbasaur or any other enemies nearby, so it seemed like I was safe for the moment, although pain still pulsed throughout my body. I felt so weak I could barely move, and any abrupt motion of my head made the room spin as waves of dizziness washed over me. I’d clearly suffered head trauma after that harrowing encounter with the Bulbasaur (the memory of which made me shudder).
I needed to know how badly I was hurt. Carefully and slowly, so vertigo wouldn’t have a chance to strike, I propped myself up and looked over my body. I had suffered many small cuts, leaving blue-green bloodstains on my chitin and setae. Strangely, it was clear that someone had found me and helped me, because I had bandages wrapped tightly around my injured head, abdomen, and leg. The white fabric was stained with the familiar blue of Oran Berry juice, which dulled the pain—but not enough to remove my splitting headache and my turning stomach. I wondered who had helped me, but my attention was currently drawn to the additional damage I’d taken. My waist cape and scarf were in tatters, and my wings—
My heart stopped. My gossamer wings were in ruins. They looked like flags torn apart by harsh wind, like paper slashed and torn by careless hands. They were... broken.
My heart raced. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn’t stop shaking. My wings, my precious wings, so necessary for flight, were unusable—and would they ever heal? I had no idea how well a Ribombee’s wings could recover from damage like this, assuming they could even recover at all. Was this permanent? With broken wings, was my dream ruined forever?
I shut my eyes tight. No—I couldn’t accept that my dream had been destroyed so suddenly, so easily. I took deep shaky breaths, doing my best to control my breathing and slip into a calm meditative state. I couldn’t let panic overwhelm me. I had to believe that it would turn out alright.
After all... Pokemon were more durable than animals and humans. They could withstand a great deal of punishment and recover from serious wounds. Even though I was a tiny and frail species, and I was far weaker than a regular Ribombee, there was cause to believe these injuries wouldn’t be permanent. Not only that, the guild had an Audino nurse, a former human called Kina, who could use her powers to heal me. And if she failed, there were certainly other healers I could visit.
Even with broken wings, there was still hope.
The horrible weight of fear was fading away, and I slowly opened my eyes. I let out a loud yelp as I saw a familiar Pokemon crouching before me.
“K-K—” I stammered.
My trainer smiled faintly. “How do you feel?” KFC asked.
I stared up at the Combusken, shocked into silence. “It... It’s you...” I murmured after a pause. My side hurt as I spoke, but I ignored it. “I th-thought you...”
“You thought I abandoned you?” he said, finishing my thought.
“Um... y-yes. I’m s-s-sorry,” I said, slurring my words a little. “I should’ve trusted y-you wouldn’t really do that. Were you watching me?”
“I was. I never left you. As soon as I sensed you take serious damage from that Bulbasaur, I rushed in to save you. A trainer is meant to protect his students, after all.”
I felt my stomach grow tight again as I realized what this meant: my trainer had witnessed my panic and fear, my frantic attempts to survive, my complete inability to use a single move. I felt myself tearing up, and I shut my eyes in shame.
“I’m s-sorry I failed,” I murmured. “I did such a bad job, and—”
“Don’t apologize,” KFC said. “You made an honest effort back there, despite your fear. If anyone failed, it’s me. I should have prepared you better for this test.”
I didn’t agree with him. He was a wonderful teacher, and I’d learned so much thanks to him. This was all my fault. Regardless, I knew arguing would get me nowhere, so I simply lay there in silence.
My trainer revealed a small wooden bowl and a glass vial with a pale orange liquid inside. “Here’s a healing potion. If you think you can hold it down, I’ll give you some.”
He poured a few drops into the bowl and lowered it to me, carefully tilting it so I could drink it. It had a pleasant, sweet, citrusy taste. It must have been made with Sitrus Berries, a much stronger option than Oran. My stomach lurched a little, but I fought back the queasiness and forced a smile. I felt some strength return to me as the potion entered my system, and I quietly thanked my trainer.
“This should reduce the pain,” said KFC as he poured out another few drops to give me. “You’ll be up and running again in a short while. Until then, I’ll think about whether to resume the test or postpone it until you’ve trained more. Either way, when we get back to the guildhall, I’ll take you straight to the clinic so Kina can look you over.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Um... On that topic, I was w-worried about my... my wings...”
“I noticed they were damaged,” KFC said. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I’ve seen Pokemon recover from worse injuries than that. I’m no medical expert, but I believe those cuts and holes are small enough to be fixed.”
With that, the last remaining bit of terror about my wings disappeared. If my trainer believed things would be okay, then I felt much better, and I put more faith into the hope I’d been clinging to. I let out a big breath of pure relief.
For a few minutes longer, KFC administered medicine. We were both quiet. It felt so comforting to have my trainer with me after struggling alone for so long. Even better, I realized my fears about never seeing Sneasel again were now moot. I was alive. I’d be able to return to the guildhall. That was a huge weight off my shoulders. Plus, the Sitrus Berry potion was easing my pain, so I was certainly feeling more relaxed now. However, one thing still bothered me: I wasn’t sure why my trainer abandoned me in the first place and put me through all this.
“P-pardon me,” I said, “but can you tell me why you... had to leave me? Or, that is, why you m-made me believe you left me?”
“For this test to succeed, I couldn’t interfere,” KFC replied, setting down the bowl and vial. “At least, not until your life was in peril. I needed you to believe you were on your own. If you knew you could rely on me to help you, you wouldn’t realize all of your power. Only when we’re all alone can we see our true strength.”
Power? Strength? Those words made me grimace. The events of my ill-fated dungeon run kept replaying in my head, and they told me one thing: I was powerless. Despite all my efforts, I simply wasn’t strong enough to reach my goal. I’d failed my teacher, my partner, and myself.
“True strength?” I mumbled. “W-what strength? I’m... I’m not strong. I did so much training, a-and this is the result? You were watching! You saw exactly how h-helpless I was...”
“Nobody is truly helpless. You have power, just like me, or Sneasel, or any Pokemon. And if you stay motivated, you’ll be able to use it.”
“Believe me, I want to. I know th-that’s what I should do. Sneasel... told me something like that too, a while back. She told me to k-keep fighting, even if I’m scared. But I’m... I’m not s-strong enough to fight... I just... c-can’t do this...”
“Speak up. I can’t hear you.”
“I said I j-just can’t do this!” I yelled, pushing through a jolt of pain from my side. “Look at me! How am I s-supposed to handle myself in a dungeon? I’m so s-small, and weak, and a... c-complete coward. I can’t do anything on my own! I... I need Sneasel with me. Without her, I’m... n-nothing.”
I flinched as tears dripped into the white setae on my cheeks. My face grew hot with embarrassment as I broke down in front of my trainer. I tried lifting an arm, and barely had enough energy to wipe my eyes before letting my arm fall back down onto my useless wing. My voice shook as I begged, “Please... d-don’t leave me again. Please...”
The Overstory was painfully quiet for what felt like forever. I lay there on my back and cried silently with eyes shut tight. I felt sure that my trainer was disappointed in me beyond all measure. Earlier, he insisted he didn’t see me as a failure, but how could that be true? He had worked so hard to help me, only for me to fall apart at the end. I was a useless failure, and I deserved all his frustration.
When KFC finally spoke, his voice was surprisingly calm. “So, you think you need your partner?” he said. “You think you’re useless without her? I wonder if that’s the problem.”
I opened my eyes and looked up at him through tears. Seeing my confusion, he continued.
“You’re too attached to your partner. And that means you’re afraid of becoming more independent and drifting away from her. Deep down, you don’t actually want to learn Fairy Wind. Is that it?”
That caught me off guard. I wanted to dismiss this suggestion, but I couldn’t bring myself to ignore it. The more I thought about it, the more I felt a nagging sense that there was some truth to what KFC said. Even though I’d told myself that I wanted to unlock this move, and I didn’t want to be a burden on Sneasel anymore, and my trainer believed I could succeed, I was unable to turn all those hopes into action. All I’d done was struggle and falter and disparage myself, all while wishing Sneasel were with me.
Had my trainer uncovered something I’d been hiding from myself? What if I really was too dependent on my partner? After all, I was carried by her everywhere. I took a back seat in dungeons. I relied on her for so much.
Had I spent so long in Sneasel’s shadow that I’d lost all faith in my own abilities?
KFC spoke again, drawing me out of my thoughts. “You’ve definitely trained enough to use moves now, Booker. There’s nothing wrong with your body, and I can sense your Aura is stabilized. I wouldn’t have thrown you into this dungeon if I didn’t believe you were ready for it. So, the way I see it, the only thing holding you back is a mental barrier.”
He gently poked my chest with a claw, right above my bandages. “You’re definitely capable of more when you’re working with your partner, but that doesn’t mean you’re useless on your own. A partnership means you both contribute something, and you both have value. Even when you’re on your own, that won’t change.”
KFC pulled back his hand, and I weakly moved an arm and let it flop onto my chest where he’d prodded me. “D-do you really think that?” I asked faintly.
“Absolutely. And I understand the importance of finding your own strength.” He stood up and paced with his hands clasped behind his back. “I can relate to you, Booker. I know how it feels to be attached to someone. You remember my mentor, Lucario?”
“Yes, y-you’ve mentioned him before,” I said. KFC had talked about his elderly Aura teacher during our training sessions over the last few weeks, but never in much detail.
KFC nodded at me and resumed pacing. “Our bond was as tight as could be. He was like a father to me, in fact—infinitely better than my real father. But he was old, so I couldn’t exactly depend on him. I had to learn to handle things without him.”
My trainer faced away from me, turning his eyes to the endless sunset through the dungeon walls. “It came to a head at Serene Village,” he continued. “We were in danger from my—from some enemies. It was up to me to protect Lucario, and I gladly would’ve given my life to make sure he escaped. But I was too weak. I couldn’t defend him. We did survive, but only with outside help, and Lucario was badly injured. If I’d only been strong enough to handle the situation by myself, and keep him safe from harm, he wouldn’t have...”
My trainer’s voice trailed off. His even tone and upright posture so far had betrayed no hint of sadness, but the shuddering darkness creeping into his Aura told a different story. This was the deepest glimpse into his past that I’d received so far, and it made my heart ache.
“I’m so sorry,” I murmured, not knowing what else to say.
“I still regret what happened,” said my trainer, walking back and sitting by me. “But despite the pain, I’ve done my best to move on and grow stronger so that kind of disaster will never happen again. This is something everyone should learn to do. The day may come when you’re the only one who can save what you care about—including your partner. You need to accept this, Booker. You need to awaken your own strength. And after all we’ve done together, I firmly believe you’re ready. The question is: do you?”
That question was so difficult that it silenced me for a while. Truthfully, I still thought I was weak and fragile, and I wasn’t sure I could do the things my trainer believed I could. But if I allowed those fears to hold me back, I would never move forward and realize my dreams. If I wanted to become stronger and finally take to the skies, there was only one way: I had to trust in myself, no matter how hard it was.
I clutched at the short setae of my chest. I breathed deeply, yet softly. Below my hand, my Aura glowed, and I clung to that feeling of warmth and light inside me, letting it illuminate the truth I’d been seeking.
“I believe,” I said. “I believe. I’ll... try it again.”
My trainer smiled. “Excellent. I’m glad you found the right answer. In that case, I’ll leave again and let the test resume. Of course, now you know I’m watching you, so there’s less of a sense of danger. Still, I won’t help you until the last possible second. Hopefully that will be sufficient to make this feel like a life-or-death situation for you.”
I gulped. “I’m s-sure it will,” I said, thinking back to the Bulbasaur and idly touching the bandages around my abdomen.
“One last thing,” said KFC. He held a hand over me, as if asking for a high-five. “Touch my hand.”
I lifted an arm and placed my tiny palm on his much larger one. I sensed a surge of warm blue Aura flow out of him and into me, which made me gasp. By the time my trainer took his hand away, I felt oddly reinvigorated, though my pain persisted.
“What was that?” I asked.
“I shared some of my energy to restore your stamina,” he explained. “It’s an Aura technique. I’m not the best at it, but it should help a little. If you’re going back in, I want you be in good shape. In case you’re wondering, this won’t give you any extra power. It’s simply speeding up your recovery. You’ll be relying on your own strength from here on out.”
“I understand,” I said. “Th-thanks again.”
My trainer nodded and got to his feet. I stood up as well, wincing a little as I moved, and craned my neck to look up at him.
“Once more, I wish you luck,” he said. “We’ll meet at the end of the dungeon. Remember: believe in yourself.”
With that, the Combusken turned and left once more. I watched him until he went out of sight around the bend of a corridor. Then I sighed and faced another direction, marching into the dungeon one last time.
* * *
Though Twilight Overstory had nearly been the death of me, it was oddly serene when there were no foes nearby. I slipped into a zen-like state and thought about my situation as I walked aimlessly, with the endless orange sunlight washing over me and the leaves rustling in the warm breeze.
Reuniting and talking with my trainer had given me a much-needed dose of courage and hope—but even though I’d risen out of my despair, I knew success was far from guaranteed. Motivation wasn’t enough. I actually had to work to achieve my goal. Work required effort, though, and there was still a part of me that insisted I didn’t have what it took. After all, I’d only reached this point because of my friends. Over the last few months, I’d fallen into hopelessness multiple times, and other people had given me the strength to carry on. The same was true even now. KFC told me that I shouldn’t rely on anyone to succeed, but to even understand that in the first place, I had to rely on him. Wasn’t that a contradiction? It sounded like I really was powerless unless I received help from others.
I thought it over as I walked along, dividing my attention between considering my trainer’s words and sensing for enemies. After some time, I realized my answer. It was true that I’d received motivation from outside, but the next part would come from within. I would hang on to the support that I’d received in the past, but I’d have to take everyone’s words and turn them into action—and that could only happen from my own power. Sure, I wasn’t being entirely independent, but there was nothing wrong with deriving some strength from others, so long as I could still function on my own when I needed to. That was the point of this test, just as KFC said: I had to prove that I could handle myself.
And I swore I would prove it.
* * *
I continued to reflect on what I’d learned, doing my best to keep my motivation up as I journeyed through the dungeon. There was no sign of foes in the first couple rooms and hallways. Part of me hoped I’d escape the dungeon without finding any enemies at all, but I dismissed those cowardly desires.
Before long, the opportunity presented itself. I sensed an enemy above me, and I quickly looked up. Sitting among the tangle of branches that formed the roof of the dungeon, mostly silhouetted by the strong sunset, something was staring right at me. I squinted my eyes, trying to tell what this Pokemon was.
My heart plummeted the instant I recognized it: a Pidgey. A bird. A gigantic bird had me in its sights, and there I was, alone and exposed. My courage cracked, and I stumbled back, unable to take my eyes off the creature.
‘What do I do?’
The Pidgey’s eyes narrowed, and it dove off its perch.
‘It’s coming...’
The bird swooped at me with its sharp talons extended.
‘Someone help me...’
Memories flashed before my eyes. Chief among them was the incident that happened a couple weeks ago, when Taillow flew toward me just like this feral Pidgey was doing now. And as I remembered her, I again heard the words she told me: I could ignore my instincts and fight my fears. It would be hard, but now, as winged death stared me in the face, I had no choice. I’d spent too long running, cowering, failing. Now it was time to do what trainer, partner, and friend knew I could do. I refused to disappoint the people I cared about. I wouldn’t use trickery, and I definitely wouldn’t flee. I’d stand my ground and take this step toward flight.
Driven by these convictions, I leaped to the side with all my strength, dodging the raking claws of the massive bird as it flew at me. It squawked and landed, and we faced each other with narrow eyes. The Pidgey spread its wings to make itself look larger, even though it was already a giant. My heart skipped a beat, but I grit my teeth and stood firm. An idea came to me, and I quickly took on a fighting stance I’d seen Sneasel use before: one leg forward and the other back, one arm forward and the other by my head. It wasn’t an effective stance for me, since I couldn’t fight like Sneasel did, but emulating her gave me a jolt of confidence.
“C-come on,” I grumbled, forcing out the words despite my shaky voice. “I’m... I’m ready now. Let’s fight.”
The feral couldn’t understand me, but it didn’t need to. Its kind only cared about fighting, anyway. The Pidgey charged at me, its talons clacking against the floor, its wings low and spread wide. It pecked aggressively with a sharp beak as big as my head, but I predicted its moves and evaded each strike. The entire time, part of my attention was devoted to my Aura. As I felt my heart racing, I tried to imagine the rhythm stoking my inner flame. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but it seemed like my Aura was getting brighter.
Before long, the giant bird grew tired of missing. It screeched and hopped back, then gripped the wood floor with its talons and flapped its wings powerfully, kicking up a gust of wind. It was too big to dodge, so I crouched and shielded myself with my arms, leaning into the gale and trying not to get blown away. I slid back along the floor as my damaged scarf, cape, and wings fluttered behind me. I felt like I was burning up, getting sliced by tiny hot blades all over my body. This was no ordinary wind—the enemy was using Gust, fueling its attack with its own energy.
Somehow, I stood my ground and didn’t fall. As soon as the wind died down, I gasped for breath and staggered, trying to get back into a proper stance. The Pidgey gave me no chance to do so. It had already rushed at me, flapping its wings to propel itself. It slammed into me with a headbutt and sent me flying. Yelling in pain, I tumbled along the floor of the dungeon and ended up on my back. An instant later, the bird leaped up and landed on me heavily. One of its feet slammed onto my torso and pinned me down, making my bandaged wounds flare up and forcing another pained cry out of me. Grimacing, I grabbed the Pidgey’s talons and tried to force them off me, but they refused to budge. The feral screeched in my face and reared back, ready to stab me with its beak.
Time seemed to stop as I stared helplessly up at the huge, vicious bird. It was happening again... Just like with the Bulbasaur, I was trapped and on the brink of defeat. But things were different now. I was stronger. No—I was as strong as I’d been before. The difference was that I knew how to see my strength now. And with my new determination, I absolutely refused to fail again.
In that moment, I could say I honestly believed in myself. And as soon as I did, a change came over me. I clearly saw a flash of mint flame before my eyes, tinting the world for an instant. Heat surged inside me and spread through my entire body, flooding into my limbs, my wings, my mind itself. It was a powerful, roiling blaze of Aura—yet it was controlled, compliant, patiently waiting for my call.
Without hesitation, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, I focused my mind on my power and told it what to do: ‘Fairy Wind!’
For the first time in my life, my Aura listened to me.
My energy poured out of my body, whipped into a frenzy, swirling around me and my foe like a cyclone. It visibly glowed and glittered with pink energy, and the Pidgey flinched as this weak yet unexpected gale battered it. It stepped off me and stumbled back, flapping its wings to dispel the wind. My small twister faded away, and the air was still again.
For a precious few seconds, I lay motionless, frozen in shock. Did that really work? Was that...?
I sensed a burst of energy from the Pidgey. It had recovered already, and I could tell it was about to lunge. I scrambled away as its beak came for me. It kept up the pressure, but I managed to buzz my injured wings and get back on my feet. As I dodged repeatedly, my heart was racing. However, this time, it felt good. It wasn’t fear—it was excitement, just like the first time I’d trained. I focused on the beat of my heart, letting it meld with my Aura and strengthen it. I pictured that wind from moments ago and imagined it fanning the flame within me, guiding it into my right arm. In response, my arm grew hot and glowed with a soft pink light.
I was so surprised, I almost got hit by a peck. I sidestepped the bird’s beak at the last moment, then held out my glowing arm and steadied it with my other hand. I envisioned another cyclone brewing in my core and rushing through my right arm and hand, then out to strike my foe at point-blank.
Just like the last time, my Aura followed my whims, forming into the move I needed. This time, it was focused into a cone of pink-tinted wind. The blast struck the bird in the chest just as it plunged its beak at me. I leaned into the recoil to avoid being blown back, but the bird was thrown and knocked over with a pained squawk. I spent a few long seconds silently staring at my still-glowing arm, and beyond it, the fallen Pidgey flailing its legs in the air. It was hard to believe that this was really happening. And yet, there was no denying it.
My heart soared. After so long, after all this struggling and suffering, I’d done it. I’d learned Fairy Wind!
However, it was no time for celebration. The bird got up again, and while black tendrils of smoke were drifting from its chest, it still had some fight left. The bird leaped back, then beat its wings and kicked up a wind that shimmered with blue energy. In response, I prepared another Fairy Wind. Now that I’d done it twice, it was easier to do it again. Once more, I unleashed a glittering pink air current at the Pidgey, and our attacks clashed midway between us. Through the swirling chaos of pink and blue, I saw the giant bird flap its wings more and more, disrupting my attack. Its Gust was about to break through.
I couldn’t let that happen. I narrowed my eyes and thought about how far I’d come, and the people I couldn’t disappoint. Fueled by these thoughts, my Aura shined brighter. I let out a yell and channeled more power into my move. My wind flashed with light, and it plowed right through the feral’s Gust. My attack crashed into the Pidgey and flung it across the room. It writhed on the floor and screeched, flailing its wings and legs as its body began to disintegrate. I watched the feral Pokemon turn into smoke and fade into nothing. The room was again silent and calm.
It was over.
A wave of relief like I’d never felt before washed over me, replacing all my fears with pure bliss. I collapsed to my knees, tears in my eyes and a huge smile on my face. For the first time, I’d defeated a Pokemon—a bird, at that—all by myself. More importantly, I’d finally gained control of my Aura. In fact, the flame in my core seemed brighter than before, as if this awakening had granted it a new level of strength. I wiped my eyes and looked at my little hand, allowing that soothing and invigorating warmth to flow along my arm. Around my black chitin, the air glittered with pink fairy energy. I curled my hand into a fist, and a gust of wind swirled around it, scattering the bright sparkles with a gentle flash. Strength and hope filled my heart, and my wounded wings fluttered with joy.
Next part: https://rentry.org/RibombeeFly12
”Learning to Fly” homepage: https://rentry.org/RibombeeFly My homepage: https://rentry.org/RibombeeHomepage Clover Guild homepage: https://cloverguild.com