Chapter 8 Basic Training

As Asahi made his way home, his mind buzzed with anticipation for the training ahead. He had barely stepped through his apartment door when Tommy emerged from the shadows, red eyes glowing expectantly.

"Honey, I'm home," Asahi announced with a grin. "Ready to turn me into the next Shadow Pokémon Master?"

Tommy's voice echoed in his mind, a mixture of amusement and exasperation. [I believe the term you're looking for is 'mentor', not 'Pokémon Master'. But yes, it's time to begin your training in earnest.]

Asahi dropped his school bag and rolled up his sleeves. "Alright, Shadowchu, I choose you! Let's do this. But first, I've been wondering - how was I able to create you so easily that first night? I mean, you're pretty impressive for a first try."

Tommy's form shimmered slightly as he explained, [Your Sacred Gear, the Annihilation Maker, responded to your extreme emotional state and desire for protection. It tapped into your subconscious, creating a powerful guardian - me - based on your need and imagination. However, conscious creation requires more focus and practice.]

Asahi nodded thoughtfully. "So it's like the difference between a reflex and a deliberate action. Interesting. Alright, where do we start?"

[We begin with the basics,] Tommy instructed. [Try to create a small shadow orb in your hand.]

Asahi closed his eyes, concentrating on the idea of a shadowy sphere. He felt a slight tingle in his palm, but when he opened his eyes, there was nothing there.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Asahi muttered.

[Patience,] Tommy urged. [Focus on the feeling of darkness, of shadows gathering in your hand.]

For the next hour, Asahi practiced creating the shadow orb. By the end of the hour, he managed to form a small, flickering ball of darkness that lasted for a few seconds before dissipating.

"Progress!" Asahi exclaimed, wiping sweat from his brow. "Tiny, frustrating progress, but progress nonetheless."

The training continued, with Asahi gradually learning to create and maintain larger shadow orbs. As the sun began to set, Tommy introduced a new exercise.

[Now, try to shape the shadow into a simple form,] Tommy instructed. [Start with something basic, like a cube.]

Asahi focused, molding the shadow in his mind. Slowly, a rough cube-like shape formed in the air before him, its edges blurry and unstable.

"Ha! Take that, geometry!" Asahi cheered as the cube held its shape for nearly a minute before collapsing.

As the evening wore on, Asahi practiced creating various simple shapes - spheres, pyramids, cylinders. Each attempt left him more drained, but also more confident in his growing abilities.

"You know," Asahi panted, collapsing onto the couch after hours of training, "this would make for one hell of a party trick. I could be the world's most gothic magician."

[Your progress is impressive for a beginner,] Tommy acknowledged. [But remember, we still have much to learn. The supernatural world is vast and dangerous.]

Asahi nodded, his expression growing serious. "I know. We need a plan, a way to gather information without exposing ourselves. Rias and Sona are obviously key players, but there must be others we don't know about yet."

He stood up, pacing the room as he thought out loud. "Okay, let's break this down. Our objectives: gather information, improve my abilities, and stay under the radar. We need to map out the supernatural landscape of this town without alerting anyone to our presence."

Asahi grabbed a notebook and began jotting down ideas. "First, reconnaissance. Tommy, you can move through shadows undetected, right? You could observe Rias and Sona's groups from a safe distance, maybe even follow them after school."

[A sound strategy,] Tommy agreed. [I can gather information without risking your exposure.]

"Exactly," Asahi nodded. "Meanwhile, I'll keep my ears open at school, maybe try to subtly probe for information during conversations. We need to establish a baseline of 'normal' behavior for our suspects, then watch for deviations."

He continued scribbling in his notebook. "We should also create a map of the town, marking any locations with unusual energy or activity. And we need a secure way to store and organize our findings - maybe a coded journal or encrypted files on my computer."

[Your analytical approach is commendable,] Tommy praised. [But remember, your studies are also important. We cannot afford to draw suspicion by letting your grades slip.]

Asahi grinned, tapping his temple with his pen. "Don't worry, teach. I can handle a few devils and still ace my calculus exam. Multi-tasking is my middle name. Well, actually, it's Hiroshi, but you get the idea."

As he prepared for bed, Asahi's mind whirled with possibilities and plans. The world of the supernatural was complex and dangerous, but he was determined to master it. With his intelligence, his growing powers, and his shadowy companion, Asahi Indra was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"You know," he mused to Tommy as he climbed into bed, "I always thought high school was supposed to be about awkward dances and pop quizzes. Nobody mentioned the part about shadow powers and devil princesses."

[Life rarely follows the expected path,] Tommy replied sagely.

Asahi chuckled, settling under the covers. "True that. Well, here's to the unexpected. May it keep things interesting without, you know, killing us horribly."

As he drifted off to sleep, Asahi couldn't help but smile. Tomorrow was another day of balancing school life, supernatural training, and careful information gathering. It was going to be challenging, dangerous, and probably life-threatening.

And he wouldn't have it any other way.