"Aaaand swim swim swim!" I called out. I was resting on an inner tube as my hands were held out, and I was urging Gible to swim as hard as she could.

I grinned as I kept my hands out, giving her little hands something to push against as she began beating her feet in the ocean.

And slowly I was being pushed back. I grinned as the training efforts were showing results.

"Gib… Gib… Gib." She muttered to herself slowly as she continued to push me around, making a good headway in the water. Gible had liked the water, but her distraction meant her swimming was… Not as strong as it should be. So instead of focusing on attacks, I was using her interest to get her more physical training and trying to work on her awareness.

Considering how happy she was to be in the ocean, I'd say it was a good choice!

She'd likely always be my little airhead, but that didn't mean training wouldn't bring out the true her.

I mean, even now, with just some minor assistance she was pushing both of us in the ocean with just her back feet. She was getting the hang of properly swimming the more we practiced, and that was honestly all she needed.

She might even be able to swim safely on her own…

Well, maybe soon. I wasn't going to test that until I was sure.

"I thought you were using this time for training!" I heard the call behind me, and turned around to see Papa. Standing on the beach with Riolu and Lucario together. While technically today was a training day, I was letting Riolu get some time with her Mama, and of course the two of them had gotten into a game of beach ball dragging Papa into it.

"I am! Endurance training!"

"Uh-huh. Is that what you're calling it?" He called out teasing and I grinned. I was absolutely just playing in the ocean with Gible, but it was still training too!

"Yep!"

"Well c'mon! It's lunch time."

"Alright! Once Gible pushes us out!" I called out, and Gible still single mindedly just swimming forward was well on her way to do just that. So I just leaned in and smiled, keeping my teeth hidden. Didn't want her to catch teeth so close to her face. "Keep going. You got it." I told her. Assuring her and Gible just kept on trucking.

"Gib… Gib… Gib."

But… There was more of a light in her eyes than there ever had been. She might always be like that. Be a bit odd, but she was growing into the person she was meant to be.

And I grinned, lips quivering to keep it from spreading open and maybe getting Gible to mistake it for a threat.

And then I felt it, Gible pushed us right onto the beach and I grinned as my feet felt sand and the waves started pushing us forward, but even when the wave flowed over Gible she didn't hesitate, just pushing through.

"Yeah!" I cheered and then I couldn't even stay in the inner tube as I started walking back fighting the waves and Gible hit the sand and finally stopped.

"Gi-Brgl?" She seemed to question just as a wave hit her, and she went rolling a bit, but instead of being dragged around she oriented herself and started swimming!

Right back into my arms.

"Good job!" I called out lifting her out of the water so the next wave would just push me back and not snatch her up again.

And then there was a moment where she looked at me!

A bond! She was- Oh nope. She was just still swimming.

"Hehehe!" I laughed into the sky as she was still faux paddling in my arms. "You're definitely a little dreamer aren't you?" I whispered and rose up grabbing the inner tube and hauling both of us out of the water and onto the warm sands.

Whew! It was actually getting hot.

"Oof, ah ah!" I hissed as I dashed across the beach for our spot. Mama sitting in a chair soaking up some sun sent me a look as I ran for my flip flops and slipped into them with a sigh.

"It's getting hot."

"I know!" I argued back, grumbling a bit. Mama just smirked at me, just like her Meowth.

The little shit.

I settled into a chair beside her, and was instantly attacked.

"Hehe! Mimikyu!" I laughed as he launched onto my head with a towel and started attacking my wet hair. "What are you doing?" I laughed as the towel was practically power rubbed over my head until finally it stopped and he was sitting on my head, the towel dropped down around my neck.

I felt his little shadow fingers worm into my now mostly dry hair and I grinned up at him. He still didn't like the ocean water much. Or the sand.

I looked around and smiled.

All of my team were doing well.

Goomy was enjoying her break from morning training. Snacking on some berries while sitting in a bowl of water to soak back up after training. Jangmo-o was racing along the sands besides Riolu. Barking like a dog as he chased the ball after Riolu snagged it from Papa and took off running.

Dratini was tittering, having been hanging out in the ocean, but seeing Gible and I leave he came slithering out of the waves and up the sand. Thankfully the sand which was getting a bit hot for my bare feet didn't seem to bother him, quite the opposite.

I nodded. Everyone was doing well, after lunch we'd continue training.

"Riolu! Bring the ball back! It's lunch time!" I called out, and she stopped and stared.

Our eyes met across the sands and despite Jangmo-o barking at her heels she stared at me.

Then she scoffed and carried the ball back to Papa, holding it over her head so Jangmo-o couldn't get it. Lucario I noticed, looked between the two of us, and rolled her eyes.

Finally we all packed up, and since it was so much easier to feed my baby monsters, we just went to a restaurant, and everyone got cooked food that I didn't have to make myself.

It was a bit of a relief I'll admit, even if I liked cooking for my team.

—--

After lunch I lined everyone up on the beach, even Riolu with a look as she'd been about half a second away from running off to play with Papa.

Gible was wrapped up in Dratini's coils to keep her from just wandering to the ocean. She wouldn't get much out of this talk, but that's okay.

"Alright! Training camp is officially on! First thing first! Z moves." I called out, and that got everyone's attention! Well except Gible. She was still trying to walk into the ocean. "I've learned how to use the Z move without passing out! And it won't make you pass out anymore either!" I called out and Jangmo-o's feet started tippy tapping.

"Jang! Jang jangmo!"

"Hey easy. I'll have all of you train with the Z moves we have, lots and lots of training… But first! I need some training too. What we need to do is figure out how quickly I can use a Z move back to back. If I did one right away I still pass out, but if we spread it out a bit? That way we can set up a training schedule. First off! Riolu."

"Rio?"

"We earned the Fightinium Z move last time, but we never got a chance to try it out… We earned it together." I offered and held it out letting Riolu see the Orange Crystal.

"Rio… Lu?"

I just nodded at her slightly confused face. We might not get along, but that was something different than our bond as trainers. I'd promised to train her into the strongest after all.

"Let's practice it, and then, I can use another Z move in… Thirty minutes. That'll give us all some solid training time if I do end up needing a break." I explained and she hesitantly nodded. Even Riolu couldn't deny her interest in Z moves.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Okay! While Riolu and I do that… How much have you all been training while you were gone huh?" I asked, hands on my hips and I noticed a few of my friends looked away pretending I couldn't see them. "Uh-huh. Alright! Special Attack Training at the ocean! I want to see your growth! Let's go, go, go!" I called out and everyone raced towards the ocean to take position, I helped out. Mimikyu got a Beach towel to sit on. Brave her plate, and Gible? I just put Gible in the inner tube.

I'd need to give her more focused training, but for now, her endurance training with swimming was just going to be her main focus.

"Alright Riolu. Ready?"

"Rio! Riolu." She agreed for once there was no hesitation she was humming with the chance to use a Z move as well.

"Alright, let's go over the moves!"

First a big splits, lifting my leg straight up! Which I couldn't really do well, but that was okay. One leg high into the sky then drop it down like a Sumo wrestler. Sumo stance. Right leg shift and stomp. Arms up and then spread wide. Double punch forward, wrists crossed. Then rapid punches, and double punch! Then a final full palm forward!

Even just practicing it, I felt that surge of power flow through me! I was getting better and better at getting the Z move to activate, then I looked at Riolu who'd been watching eagerly, her little trail wagging.

"You got it?"

"Rio!" She agreed instantly.

"Okay, let's try it together then." I offered and she took her pose. Once again the splits was the hard part, and we moved through the Z move, but I could see Riolu was too fast. Racing ahead. "Slow down Riolu." I said calmly, as I broke into the punches while Riolu was already far ahead.

Then the connection broke.

She turned to glare at me.

"It's called practice. We need to sync up. Let's do it again." I assured her. I took a moment to check on my team and smiled.

While they'd definitely been slacking, they were still stronger. Brave I noticed was absolutely leading the group. Her Dragon Pulse was being thrown out with strength and consistency that was making the boys look bad.

I grinned as that made both Jangmo-o and Dratini push themselves even more.

I shook it off and looked at Riolu. "Again!"

She growled and we once more ran through the poses which really the splits was not fun, and Riolu once again raced ahead, and our bond splintered.

"Riolu! You have to slow down!"

"Rio! Riolu! Rio!"

"It's not about speed! We need to sync up! Then we can speed up." I snapped at her, and then we were both growling at each other, face smashed into her face as we glared.

"Rio! Riolu!"

"You want to go!?"

"Riooo!" She growled and I was about to start throwing hands when both of us were lifted off our feet.

"Eh!? Lucario!"

"Rio!? Riooooooo." Riolu whined as we both looked into the not at all impressed eyes of Lucario.

"Lu. Lucario, Lu Lu-lu!" She shook us both and dropped us, leaving us both rubbing our butts from the sandy drop.

Then she crossed her arms, and we both wilted.

Aww. Bummer. I looked at Riolu and sent her a firm, 'this is your fault!' look which she instantly returned.

But we both stood up, and shook the sand off, and I took the starting pose.

"Again!" I called out, and Rio grumbled.

Pose after pose, and with Lucario right there, Riolu didn't rush ahead, and I felt that connection grow between us.

The pulse of heat and warmth. The understanding.

The surge of power flowed and Riolu surprisingly accepted it easily. Despite everything… We didn't have any disruption?

Were Riolu and I surprisingly synced up?

No, that's impossible. It was just luck or something.

"Now! ALL-OUT PUMMELING!" I roared as I pushed the energy forward, but limiting it, not just letting it all surge up to use everything. Just like throwing a punch, control was more important than just power. If you just gave everything into a punch you'd likely just miss or leave yourself open.

A Z move was powerful, it was amazing, but it needed control.

"Rioooo! LU!"

And then Riolu started throwing fists, and out came those energy palms. "Lulululululululu!" She kiya'ed letting the move guide her, and the ocean started exploding as each attack hit.

Unlike Devastating Drake, or Breakneck Blitz, All-Out Pummeling was a multiple strike attack, but…

It was also seemingly weaker for it. Or Riolu's Vaccuum Wave was just not the strongest move choice for it.

Either way it was still awe inspiring, and soon Riolu ran out of the Z energy and stopped, breathing a bit heavily she stood there staring at the thrashing waves from the attack.

"Rio!" She suddenly jumped up cheering and looked straight to her mother.

Lucario had definitely been watching standing still and tall behind us, and as she watched the waves finally end their disruption, she looked to Riolu.

"Lu… Lucario." She said firmly, and Riolu raced forward to tackle her mother, nearly crying in delight.

"Heh. Yeah. That was impressive." I said, even if it wasn't the most amazing Z move, I'd seen. It was still… Amazing.

"Very cool." Papa said suddenly behind me and throwing an arm over my shoulder. "I didn't think you and Riolu would get that off so quickly."

"Hehe!" Me neither!

—--

"Oooohkay." I hissed as I sat down. Thirty minutes and a second Z move, this time giving Jangmo-o his Devastating Drake, and it still hit like a truck.

I wasn't falling on my face, but I was tired.

"Jang?"

"I'm okay." I assured him as he came zipping around past me tearing up the sand with his claws as it was like someone hooked him up to a power line.

Hehehe!

I reached out and pulled him into my lap to hug him tight. "That was amazing." I told him and got a happy wiggle in turn.

Thirty minutes was definitely pushing what I was capable of though. I'll try forty-five and see if that works, and I'll need to try again to see how much I recover.

If I can figure out the exact timeframe, I can see about training.

Are Z moves like a muscle? Or maybe would increasing the bond between me and my pokemon make them even easier?

Or maybe if the pokemon were stronger? Was that a factor?

Ugh, there were a lot of things I'd have to keep an eye on, but for now, I was done for a while.

"Still have energy?" I asked him and he nodded his head happily against my chest, his feet wiggling into the sky. "Alright, go ahead, and let's see some more Dragon Pulses!" I called out, and he raced off to the 'firing line' that I'd set up.

Pokemon shooting attacks into the ocean was eye catching, and I'd gotten plenty of interested looks from locals, and tourists about what was going on.

Especially since Dragon Pulse was fairly flashy as far as moves went.

I looked over my team as they worked, and nodded. A lot of them needed some focus, and I'd have to give it to all of them while balancing the others.

I could literally spend all day with Gible, and still not have enough time for her, for example, but that's just the nature of it all.

Besides, getting Gible some time with the other dragons, and having them actually play was good for her too.

I shook it off and headed to one of my other girls. One that deserved some solo attention for a bit.

"Good job Brave!" I called out as I flopped down into the sand beside her, and she looked away from the ocean, her plate of water was getting a bit low, I noticed, and nodded at me, before charging up once again a bit Dragon Pulse. The Orb flew out and smashed across the waves raining a bit of water down on all of us.

"Goom! Goomy!" She said, nodding at her work, and I couldn't help but nod along with her.

"Yeah it's amazing. You've grown so strong!"

"Goom!"

"In fact you've grown enough to learn something new." I revealed and grinned as Goomy spun in her dish and looked up at me with big stars in her eyes! "Yep! Normally I teach Lightning Rod now. Buuut, you can't learn any Steel Type Moves, unless you evolve into a Hisuian Sliggoo."

"Goom? Goom?"

"It's a variant. Like how that Meowth is a Dark Type, instead of normal. Goomy, if they are raised in a heavy iron rich environment become a Steel And Dragon type pokemon, instead of just a Dragon type."

"Goo? Goomy?"

"Uh-uh. I think you're perfect just the way you are. I mean, if you want to I would help, but I think it's better to just be you."

"Goom… Goomy?"

"Hmm?" I asked, not quite understanding and she puffed herself out and made a cute little growl roar. "Are they stronger?"

"Goom!"

"Eh. Not really. Just different. Steel Types give you a lot of defenses, and it removes your weakness to Fairy types, but a Dragon is a Dragon. Goodra is strong, no matter what."

"Goom… Goomy goom." She decided flopping up and down a few times as if she was getting bigger.

"Yeah, you'll grow strong no matter what. I promise."

"Goom."

"Right! So what I'm going to teach you! Since you can't learn Iron Tail or something else to mitigate for a Lightning Rod, you need another method to counter electric type moves… Or just many attacks in general!" I grinned, as I reached out and took her plate. "The basic idea, is that you spin around, as fast as you can, while using a move. Dragon Pulse, or maybe even your area Dragon Pulse, and that causes the attack to Counter against a lot of moves!"

While saying this I slowly spun the plate around and Goomy was giggling as she spun around in circles.

"It's gonna be hard though. It needs a lot of speed, and you have to put out a lot of power for a Counter Shield. So… Ready for some tough training?"

"Goomy!"

"I knew you'd say that! Let's find a good place to practice, and maybe use Watergun to start out? Yeah, that'd be for the best, a little more water isn't going to hurt anyone on a beach. So let's get started!"

I grinned as she was eager. Plus once she had this down, it would give the boys even more of a hill to climb to catch up. Dratini and Jangmo-o both would have all the motivation in the world to grow stronger, and Goomy would be a big source of that.

—--

"How is it?" I asked as I caught up with Mama, wiping my forehead, it wasn't sweat anymore, I'd jumped into the ocean after an intense training session with Goomy, but Mama smiled and lifted up the towel we'd placed over the Incubator. Mimikyu looked up from under the towel, and I blinked.

Is that where he was hiding?

"Just like it was last time you checked."

"It's an egg! I'm just worried." I muttered, and Mama just smiled at me.

"You get too anxious. It'll come. Done for the day?" She asked dropping the towel back down on Mimikyu who slumped over. I guess he was super tired too.

"At least for a bit." I agreed as I found a seat, Meowth opening her eyes to sort of look at me before they closed and once more purred a little louder so Mama would return her fingers to stroking along her back.

My team was mostly playing by now. Even Brave after an intense session was using her plate as a kind of surfboard. It was just deep enough in the ocean that when the waves hit she was rocked up and I could hear her giggles as the plate scraped along the sand before settling in.

I'd definitely have to take her out for real surfing after.

Riolu was off with Lucario, having ducked out of training while I was distracted, and the three of them, because of course Lucario was with Papa were out doing something on the island.

Gible was playing with Dratini, the two of them swimming around, I'd have to get Gible out of the water soon, so she could rest. She'd been in there nearly all afternoon.

And then Jangmo-o was… I looked under the beach chair I was on, and he was snoring in the shade, laying on his back and his mouth wide open. Taking a nap.

Heh.

Training was going well though. But… I grinned. I had plans to make their training even better tonight.

Tonight? Tonight we were going to battle.

But for now they could cool down, take some naps, or in Gibles case just keep swimming. I myself stretched out on the chair and relaxed. A nap sounded pretty good right about now.