*3 Days Later, in the Middle of a Battle Against a Rocket Grunt*




        “C’mon Monferno use Mach Punch!” Kevin said, pleading with his Pokemon to obey him.


        Monferno just rolled his eyes, why would he listen to him? His trainer doesn’t know how to fight, it’s a Kadabra for fuck’s sake, that won’t hurt him, at the worst it will make him angrier.


            He jumped on the nearest tree just as his opponent tried to blast Confuse Ray. Leaping from tree to tree Monferno got an idea, he used double team, creating shadow replica to trick psychic opponent. At once all of the Monfernos jumped down from the forest around them and made a circle around Kadabra, quickly moving in, readying for attack.
        
The blonde-haired trainers Pokemon made short work of each clone, producing a well-timed psybeam, spinning once around to eliminate the clones. The real Monferno anticipated this and ducked at the last second. Kadabra’s quickness betrayed him as he didn’t notice the real Monferno behind him and his trainer.
        
        “MONFERNO NOW! USE FLAMETHROWER” Kevin yelled up to the tree, creating a distraction leading the eyes of the Kadabra away from the fight.


        Wow, Kev made a smart move for once. Monferno thought to himself as he executed the move. The scorching flame Monferno released chared the hair of the blonde-trainer and hit the Kadabra from behind. Launched into the air by the force of the red hot flame, Kadabra, stunned from the attack, was unable to move or teleport as he was slammed face first into a tree. The oak groaned as the sudden force of the speeding Pokemon was thrust upon it. The ground kicked up and created a cloud of dirt and dark, thick, ash throughout the impact zone.
        
        All was silent for a moment, as both trainers and Monferno looked on to see if Kadabra would be able to continue. As the smoke cleared a soot covered Pokemon emerged limping from the explosion.


“Ka..a” Was all the Kadabra was able to get out before he collapsed, fainted from the battle, leaving Monferno the victor. The blond-haired Team Rocket Grunt called his Pokemon back to the Pokeball to prevent any other damage.


“You got talent kid” He said handing over some money, as custom to do when you lose a battle. “Maybe I’ll see you again?”


“Maybe, this area is full of great pokemon and trainers to battle, I think I’ll be here for a while”


“Well then, if I do see you I’ll be sure to say hi!”


        As they left the battlefield and went their separate way he noticed how distant Monferno felt from him. Worried about his friend he spoke up.


        “Hey Mon, you ok buddy?” Kev asked


“Monferno!” The fire monkey retorted back at him, unbeknownst to Monferno, Kev understood the poke-speak, it was more or less to the tune of fuck off.


“Well, you don’t have to be mean about it, we won the battle, aren't you happy about that, or are you just not happy with me as your trainer?”


“If you actually knew a damn thing about being a good trainer, maybe I wouldn’t have to be angry at you” Monferno said, still thinking Kev couldn’t hear him. “ You speak like you know what you’re talking about, but if someone experienced heard you, they would know what was coming out of your mouth was complete nonsense”


Kevin planned on talking to Monferno about his “gift” on understanding poke-speak, but he decided against it after those harsh words. They hurt Kev, hurt his sense of pride and friendship with Monferno, he thought they did well in the fight today, sure there were ups and downs, but in the end they won, and by a decisive margin too. This left Kevin quiet for the rest of the afternoon. They walked for a what seemed like forever along the forest path, seeing all sorts of Pokemon, some Monferno lit up with ease and others that smartly scurried away. When it started to get dark out, Kevin decided to set up camp for the night. He went over to Monferno who was hanging on a tree watching the purple sunset envelop the sky.


“Hey, Monferno I don’t know why you're so angry at me, so I’m gonna give you this.” He pulled out the Pokeball the Professor gave him and said, ”If you want to sleep here tonight fine, I won’t force you to go in your Pokeball tonight, here” As he tossed the ball up for the Pokemon to grab he turned away, walking back to his camp, unsure that he had what it took to be a trainer.




        
        Monferno decided to take a walk around the forest, he knew where the camp was, and most importantly where Kev is. Being a trainer’s Pokemon wasn’t all that he thought it would be, at least right now, when his trainer doesn’t even know type advantages.
 
No, he thought, I just need more time to clear my head, forget about what Kev can’t do and what he can. We beat the Kadabra today, that must be worth something right? Ugh, he thought as the sun fully set and darkness descended over the landscape, it’s too late, I’ll have a clearer mind tomorrow.


        As he approached the camp he heard his trainer mumbling to himself, interested he lurked closer, trying to get into a better position to hear his trainer. He listened to him for a while, just ramblings on making notes to himself as he looked over his Pokedex.
        “Ah Crap!” Kev exclaimed, “Maybe this is why Monferno is mad at me, Fighting is weak against Psychic, maybe Mach Punch wasn't the best move in that situation. I need to apologize for being hard on him, we did win, we won the type disadvantage, but I shouldn’t have put him in that position to begin with”


        Damn right, Monferno thought, hopefully now you will start learning how to fight!


        “I’ll apologize to him tomorrow, tell him what I did wrong, and hopefully then we’ll get back on the right foot, this will be the last time he has an excuse for me being inexperienced, nonsense won’t be coming out of my mouth anymore, Mon”


        As Kevin tucked himself into his sleeping bag, Monferno just sat there, stunned, shocked that his trainer heard him.