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The Great Swamp - Floria Region
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The first thing Alex felt, was damp wetness. There was nothing he hated more than feeling dirty and damp, and it was that innate discomfort that finally brought him to consciousness. He sat up, groaning, and looked around to find that his entire team of Pokémon was out of their balls, standing around him, with concern in their eyes.
Arthur knelt next to him, and he rubbed his aching head. "Oof. What happened? Where'd Arceus go?"
Arthur tilted his head at his Trainer. "You fainted. Never saw an…Arceus. Whatever that is."
He turned his head to the others, "Did you guys?" They all responded with negative sounds that were part of their name, and that was when Alex noticed. His head snapped back to Arthur. "Wait…did you just speak?"
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Arthur blinked at him slowly. "You…can hear me?" He sensed confusion, and not just from Arthur, but from his entire team. Alex nodded, eyeing each of them. It was like he was seeing them for the first time, what they thought, what they felt, and with but a glance, he could tell how much they cared for him.
His heart wrenched as he sensed their loyalty, especially Terra's. He resisted the urge to hug them all, and forced himself to stand up. They were sensing the connection as well. Something had just awakened another part of their Trainer, and their bonds were stronger than ever. He formed their seven minds into a unified mental web by pure instinct, and a little help from Arthur. They were a team now, bonded in thought and purpose.
He'd felt their loyalty before of course, in battle, but this…was different. "We Battled with Arceus." He said, voice returning to his usual confident baritone, "We Battled and lost…hard…he used Judgement on me…and then I fainted."
His team continued to stare at him. Arthur spoke again, and as soon as he started, Alex's eyes went to his mouth. It wasn't moving.
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"There was no Battle, partner. No…Arceus." His comprehension of human terms for the deity of all Pokémon from just a few hazy dream memories was impressive, but then, he was a psychic type. "We would know the Alpha. You rode Hydrus, then fell into dirt-water. Been lying here ever since." Alex let the psychic words ring in his head for a moment, still amazed that Arthur could form them.
Of his entire team, he now knew, Arthur was by far the most intelligent. Meaning were he to be tested, his intelligence score would be the highest. He didn't doubt the intelligence of the others, but their intelligence was more specific to what they were good at. For example, Leo knew more about walking silently and hunting than Alex had originally guessed, given that his diet was mainly berries and Moo Moo Milk from their ranch.
That was normal for psychic types, as they were said to have near-human intelligence. Now, with his strange new ability, Alex was slowly realizing that it was humans who had near-psychic type intelligence.
He eyed each of his team again, and noticed something else. Their coloring was…different somehow, brighter, and though he knew their typing by heart, he knew that with a single glance, he'd be able to tell another Pokémon's typing as well. Then, on a whim, he looked at himself, and his mouth dropped. One eyebrow raised to Spockian height.
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In each of them he could see their typing, and by pure instinct, he knew what they were, each of the known types having been drilled into his skull at University. When he looked at himself, it was no different, but what he sensed was normal, and psychic typing.
Did that technically make him a Pokémon? Was this how all psychic types viewed the world? Could he learn attacks, or something? What did that make the rest of humanity? Could they learn from TMs as well? He tried not to imagine the chaos that would ensue from humans learning they could, if the trend held, learn a move like Hyper Beam.
Realizing he was damp all over, he paused the flow of questions as he undressed from his soaked, wet clothes and changed into his spares, or rather, he would have, but instead found a new outfit, and a note within its folds as well.
He didn't have to read it to know who it was from, her scent was all over them, and suddenly, standing in naught but his undergarments, he was reluctant to put the new clothes on. He might go months without that scent, he didn't want to lose it.
He decided to keep his damp socks, and had Blaze dry those first. They were a bit singed afterwards, but warm feet were better than damp feet, and now, the pair from his lady love would remain untouched. As long as he washed and dried them, the ones he had would never need changing. Holes in one's socks were a thing of the past.
He grimaced then, as he realized he'd be living out here for who knew how long with only one pair of socks. He fervently hoped this Psychic Sage had clean water. Then again, there was always Hydrus, who even now was washing his filthy clothes with a Water Gun. Even though he'd forgotten that move ages ago. Arthur then let them hover over Blaze's tail to dry, using his psychic power, and keeping them from burning. The whole process was relatively quick.
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Examining himself again, Alex tried to figure out how to tap into his supposedly psychic abilities. As he had so often in the past, he reached out towards the nearest small object, a rock on the embankment, and tried to make it levitate. Something was different this time. He could feel it.
He pushed and pushed, until he began to sweat, but the rock he focused on remained firmly in place. That was when a new voice, similar somehow to Arthur's, rang in his skull, and he took a moment to puzzle out the words.
"There will be time enough for that later. Come, my student, and I shall teach you."
"How?" he said aloud, drawing looks from his team once more. Leo muttered to Terra in Pokéspeech, but Alex understood the gist of what he said near-perfectly. He'd been able to before, with about eighty percent accuracy, but now, he had no trouble discerning that Leo was wondering if their Trainer was losing his mind. Fainting randomly, and now speaking to the open air? Signs of madness indeed. He ignored the two, and mentally fumbled for the source of the deeper voice.
"How?" he asked again, without speaking, instead letting his question echo in his head, hoping that would work.
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Then, just like that, he knew. He knew every part of the swamp, every tree, every river, every Pokémon. He could sense them, if he focused, and he had a feeling he would be able to do this on a much larger scale once he was trained.
More than that, his insight into the previously unknown Pokémon's minds gave him Pokédex worthy information. He could catalogue entire regions, if he entered entries manually.
He felt his excitement build. Not because he would likely be able to finally move objects with his mind, but because through this sensory technique, he could maybe, one day, communicate like this to Jess. Distance could mean nothing. He was even more eager to learn, now. He tugged at his new jacket, as it fit a bit snugly over his large frame.
It was primarily black, lined with white, and his undershirt was white, and bore a green Pokéball on it. He had black pants and shoes as well, also with bits of white. His new gloves were white, and his new hat was similarly split between the two colors, but more importantly, bore the symbol of eternal balance on the front of it. She knew him so well.
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His clothes still smelled like her, even his new hat, which he had instantly loved. He was half tempted to try reaching out to her right there, but had a feeling that would be meddling with powers he had not yet mastered.
He'd read enough stories to know that heroes who used such things without practice usually ended up paying for it. Heavily. For all he knew, his attempt at psychic contact would fry her mind and leave her a tragic vegetable. He could be patient, if it meant avoiding that.
So instead he recalled his Pokémon, and rode forth once more on Hydrus. He knew their destination now, and as he linked with Hydrus, he knew his Pokémon knew the route now as well. He'd almost jumped out of the water when he felt Alex's consciousness brush his, but he was rapidly adjusting to it. He was the last member of the team to be fully integrated into their mental connection, and the others teased him like he was their little brother.
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Feeling a sudden urge to prove himself, Hydrus reached out with his mind to his Trainer's over this new link. They were one. Alex crouched, placing his oversized feet where he knew Hydrus preferred them, and the swamp Pokémon picked up speed, as he could feel his Trainer's movements, and easily keep him from falling.
The Swampert smirked as he sensed the rest of the team's shock at his speed through the swamp water. He was built for this. They all shone with the power of the Splash Plate crystal, as Hydrus mega evolved. His arms rumbled like rocket engines, and now, Alex had to cling for dear life as the speed of his Mega Form propelled them along the massive swamp rivers.
They were speeding now, rapidly, down a series of smaller rivers, and then into a larger one. He saw several other Trainers doing the same, and gave them a tip of his hat and a smirk as he blew past them. They would try to follow, but he understood the Swamp now. Finding the center was inevitable, but he could understand why not choosing the right direction to wander in led to so many lost Trainers. Apparently, those the Sage wanted were supposed to wander towards him on instinct, likely have a vision similar to his own, and then be given the same mental map he had.
He'd had his resolve to be a Trainer tested by what seemed like an illusion of the Pokémon he wanted to one day partner with. He didn't care whether it had been real or not, that had nothing to do with the lesson he'd learned.
Losing was as much a part of the path he'd chosen as winning, and even when he'd managed to almost turn things around at the end, and was then cheekily thrashed, he hadn't given in to despair. He didn't care what his record said now, but he would always consider himself one loss heavier than the official number.
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He adjusted his seating again, regaining some hold, and felt Hydrus turn then, down a side river, and heard the Trainers behind him make the same adjustment. They were a persistent bunch, and he had a feeling that guiding them to the Sage wouldn't be a good thing, for himself, or for them. He almost stopped to reason with them, when he spied a fork in the river he knew Hydrus had to take. They were moving in a counter-clockwise spiral, heading ever closer to the center, and so their path always was to the left.
He knelt down on Hydrus then, and gripped his head fins, the way he knew he'd have to once he submerged himself. They weren't as sensitive anymore, and Hydrus didn't mind having them petted now.
"Water Pulse." A condensed ball of water shot from his mouth, and Alex marveled at how he'd drawn the power, formed it into a sphere, and then launched it all within seconds. He'd felt it like he was actually doing it. He was quite proud of how strong his little Mudkip had become, and he felt Hydrus grin as he sensed his Trainer's pride through their link.
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The river exploded before them, and Hydrus dove, dragging his massive hands through the silt at the bottom before moving left again. The other Trainers tried to follow, but by the time they decided on a direction, they'd split up, and the pause had given Alex and Hydrus enough time to make two more such left turns.
They were closer, but it still took some time for them to travel the spiral. He knew Hydrus sensed quicker paths, but he kept him on the spiral course. Alex didn't quite know why, he simply felt his instinct telling him to do it, so he did.
Hydrus didn't argue with his Trainer's instincts, and took the longer path without complaint. He opened up his speed as they came into the last turn, and they sped through the water like a bullet until finally they spied the center. Hydrus slowed to a paddle in the filthy swamp water he loved so much, and let the power of the crystal fade, but his attention was on land, for once. The river's center flowed into a massive wooden hut, and as they entered it, Alex felt a presence. It was enormous, ancient, powerful. It had to be the Sage.
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The room they floated into was half water, half wooden flooring. The wooden half had a Taijitu symbol carved into it that must've been centuries old. He couldn't help but grin. His granduncle wasn't as 'mad' as everyone made him out to be. This was physical proof that his concept of combining type energy in that pattern was the right way to go.
He recalled Hydrus, and entered the wooden building. It was little more than a dock, really, evidently made for Pokémon Trainers arriving by way of surfing. As he exited the old structure, he found another symbol of eternal balance, right in the center of several other similarly old, moss-covered buildings.
This one was much larger, however, and newer. It was made of stones of varying shades of white and black, that had been fused together somehow. In short, it was a masterful work of art and he didn't want his clumsy feet anywhere near it. He walked around, on the white Yang side, towards the large building directly in front of where they had entered this new central area. That was where he sensed the Sage.
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It was, by far, the nicest building in this compound, despite the fact that there was an enormous tree serving as the back of it that reached well above the canopy, and into the sky. Now he understood why flying wasn't allowed. Anyone who saw it could make their way towards it easily, and bypass the test.
He had seen several other buildings and wings to the compound, but they were simpler in construction compared to the one he was approaching. He wanted to explore every inch of this place, but first, he needed to meet this Sage.
As he entered the building by way of ascending wooden steps, he found himself standing in a grand room that almost reminded him of a throne room in the ancient castles that yet dotted the planet. Nobody knew who had built them, or why, but they had captured the imagination of humans.
They were only owned by the mega-rich, of course, as they were limited in number. The Redwoods owned none, as no such castles had been found in their region. He knew Jess's father had at least one somewhere in Albion, north of Galar. He bragged about it every Festivus.
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Perched on an ornate circular wooden bowl that acted as his 'throne' Alex spied the Sage. He was an Oranguru, but he was easily larger than every other Oranguru on record. Most averaged out at four to five feet. This one had to be pushing fifteen. Instead of a star upon his brow, Alex again spied a Taijitu symbol, white and dark pink, outlined by a black circle with an S through it.
He examined every part of the room then, and realized this wood was mahogany. The Sage had good taste, it seemed, especially in his doors, which also bore the Taijitu symbol. It was everywhere.
Two Passimian stood before the Sage, clearly acting as bodyguards. They, at least, were more normal sized. He still wouldn't want to fight them himself, however. He approached, and saw the guards tense up, ready to fight. His team responded, eager to thrash these strange, new, and evidently powerful Pokémon.
He held them in check, and gave the guards a smirk. He couldn't wait to battle like this. They'd be unstoppable, now that he didn't have to call moves aloud. They could hear his thoughts as Arthur could, though forming a similar response with human words was, for the moment, beyond them.
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Ascending the steps to the throne, Alex looked up at the Sage, and blinked. He'd assumed the large green thing behind the Sage was just another part of his ornate chair, but no, it was much more. Most Oranguru used hand fans made of leaves to channel their psychic power. This one was much, much larger, though given the size of the Sage himself, Alex didn't doubt he could wield it with one hand.
The Sage spoke first, and the power in his voice sent shivers through himself, and then every member of his team. "Hello there." Alex had paused before the guards, who had moved out of his way. He hadn't stopped for them, but had instead been, for a moment, unable to move forward against such raw power. "Come here, my little friend. Don't be afraid." Again, his voice echoed, but this time, with far less impact. Like Arthur, the Sage's mouth did not move as he spoke. He was more amazed that someone had actually called him little.
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Alex placed his right fist against his left open palm, and bowed in the classic Unovan style. "Foggy Swamp Sage, I have come many miles to learn from you. Please, teach me." Oranguru eyed the Trainer then, and his eyes widened. Old as he was, with mastery of the psychic power a human could only ever dream of wielding in their limited lifetimes, he saw many things with the same kind of sight Alex had only just acquired.
Only those with the potential for such power made it through the Swamp. The others usually quit, disappeared from even his sight, or were eaten by one of the many Pokémon that had acquired a taste for humans.
Those mostly lived south of him though. There was a reason Trainers came here from the north. The local wildlife knew not to attack humans in his territory, but should they wander beyond it, said humans were considered fair game.
With his sight, the Swamp Sage saw that this Trainer had already used his new connection to bind his team together. A tingle of what might have been excitement ran through the ancient Pokémon.
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There had been a prophecy, made thousands of years past, during the age of Arceus' last Holder. It said that one day, another Trainer would rise to the same heights he had, and when Arceus was again Tamed, the whole of Time and Space would finally enter into an eternal balance with the realm in which Arceus dwelled.
Passing between them would become easy, and all those who suffered would have a means by which their suffering would end. Since that prophecy had been made, the world had descended into the era known only as the Dark Times, which had ended not so very long ago, at least for a Pokémon as long lived as he.
Oranguru's sire had passed when the Dark Times finally ended, and that was when his heir finally stepped up to become the next Foggy Swamp Sage. As it stood, he was still in his youth, though he was old beyond measure by human standards. In the final days of those long, dark millennia, he had seen, through inherited memory, and his own sight, attempts to find the next Tamer of Arceus fail time and again. The few candidates who made it to the Sages were always turned away, or denied the chance to become the honored student of the Sage who taught them.
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Oranguru expected this time to be no different, and yet, the raw potential in this Trainer before him, and indeed, in all the Trainers that had thus far arrived at his secluded home, astounded him. Evidently humanity's potential had grown, or surfaced, in the two hundred years since the last attempt to find the One. There were several Sages around the world, and though he had several rivals amongst them, he had friends as well. One such was a Slowking, who was the Secret Island Sage of his region, Alola.
They had often competed in games of chess, an amusing and challenging game the humans had invented in a time lost to history. Slowking had also sent word; his own crop of candidates was just as promising. After checking with and receiving similar reports from each of the Sages, they had all agreed. This time, the World Tournament would truly commence, and for the first time in centuries, one of their pupils might climb all the way to the top. But first, they needed to be trained.
Alex had been waiting, awkwardly, for about five whole minutes as the Sage sized him up, and after coughing, Oranguru blinked, and Alex felt his focus return. "Hmm? Oh yes. Train you I shall. For now, join the others in the dormitory. It is almost time for food."
Bowing again, Alex strode from the Sage's hall, following the mental directions the Sage had shared. He was experimenting with following them while his eyes were closed, when he felt himself bump into someone.
"Oof, I'm sorry, I wa-" He paused, opening his eyes as he didn't quite believe who he sensed. "Professor Oak?" It was indeed the same Professor from Victory Road, a little worse for wear, but unmistakable in appearance.
Gone was the lab coat, and without it, Alex got a good look at his outfit. Purple, mostly, on his long, woolen shirt, the manliest of colors, with the Taijitu pendant still where it had been before, dangling from his neck.
"Ahh! Young Redwood. Glad to see you made it."
Alex raised a brow at the Professor. "I…didn't expect to see you here, Professor. I thought this challenge was for…erm…younger Trainers."
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That got a laugh from the aging Professor, who shook his head. "Nonsense. Most of the challengers are my age at least, or rather, the ones who made it here already are. Though there are a few exceptions."
Alex's brow rose further. "Really? Who? How many made it here?"
The Professor stroked his stubble-covered chin, saying, "So far? Around thirty. I didn't expect so many. As for who? Hmm…well there is one you might have heard of. His name is Red."
Alex blinked. "Wait, not the Red from Kanto, who beat you at the Indigo Plateau! Trained on Mount Silver? Former Champion of who knows how many Regions? That Trainer is here? Now?"
"Yes, the very same!" Gary Oak said, chuckling. He'd had a feeling Alex was a secret Red fanboy, though the way he talked, he'd probably studied a few other past Champions as well. Including himself, of course. "He was in the Unova Region actually, but didn't get a chance to challenge the Four before…well, before you showed up. He ran into Lance, the Dragon Master, who was searching for his nephew in Unova, and Lance guided him here when he heard the Word. I tagged along as well. I've always wanted to train under a Sage."
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Alex paused for a moment, then eyed the Professor. Normal typing only, or so his instincts said. Perhaps not everyone's challenge had awakened their psychic potential. Or perhaps the Professor's potential lay in another direction. "The Word? What word?"
Gary chuckled. "The one from Arceus. The real Arceus. He's awake again. The challenge to find his next Holder is beginning. It's what you're training for. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with a bush I need to get back to. Don't eat the berries. Smell ya later, Champion." Suddenly glad that they hadn't clasped hands, and still processing the surprising information the Professor left him with, Alex continued on to the dormitory, to find that Professor Oak had been right again. Most of the Trainers here were several years older than him.
Looking around, he realized he was probably the youngest. He ignored their stares, a skill he had acquired after being forced into the spotlight so often back at the Dragonspiral Tower, and claimed a bunk at the far end of the dorm.
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He decided immediately that he could not, would not, live like this. The combined stink of thirty grown adult humans that had just spent over a week in the Swamp, minimum, was almost too much to bear. Even swamp gas was better than this.
Dinner came, and after gathering in a great hall on the opposite side of the dorms, to the right of the main entrance yard with the Taijitu symbol etched in precious stones, Oranguru informed each of them of how their training was to proceed. Each day, they would receive exactly one lesson, no more, no less. Upon completing that lesson to the best of their ability, they would be given a new one the next day.
These lessons were quite difficult however, the Sage had warned, and some trainees had taken lifetimes just to complete one. Having acquired a nose for BS from living with his granduncle, who had quite literally berated the naivete out of him long ago, Alex had a feeling most of them would not require a lifetime to complete, but rather would improve consistently over the course of a lifetime, as was typically the case with 'special powers'.
He groaned inwardly. It seemed Oranguru was one of those hermit-types that liked to speak in half-truths and give information from points of view only he was privy to. Just like Tao, and his granduncle. His mentors had a common theme, apparently.
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Dinner was simple fare, some bread, some rice, and a banana. The Sage gladly took the fruit from those who abstained from eating it. Alex had no desire for it either, but he knew he'd need more than bread and rice before long. His body was large, and required quite a bit to keep it running at the level he knew he would need. Thankfully, the Sage informed him that they could indulge in as many helpings as they dared.
Wary of the master's word choice, he settled for seconds, and didn't take more after that. Some other Trainers did, however. One in particular, a Trainer with a red jacket, tanned skin, and sandy blonde hair who was clearly from the Fornia region, Unova's equivalent on the western coast, helped himself to four rounds of rice and bread, eating as though he'd been starved for months.
The others, Alex included, had watched for the consequences of so much gluttony, but the Sage had seemed to ignore him. Indeed, he ignored them all, most of the time, preferring to spend his day meditating on his throne. At his size, moving was a chore, and judging by the green moss that covered the ends of his fur, it was not something he did often.
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That was how the first three weeks passed. Occasionally a new student would arrive, or an older one would depart, frustrated with their lack of progress. September was just ending, when something interesting finally happened.
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The old Psychic Sage had mostly ignored the apprentices who survived the Swamp, and while he trained them, and answered any question with a confounding riddle, he wasn't the sort of Master you could just visit. He battled each of them once a day, and by using Instruct, taught their 'weakest link' in their Pokémon teams how to properly get over a shortcoming.
For Alex, he knew it was Arthur's inability to learn Psycho Cut, a physical move, instead of Psychic. To get to Psycho Cut however, they first had to learn a new fighting type move that suited this Gallade perfectly, and would help him form his arms into swords.
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His other partners had gotten lessons in battle experience against the Sage, and those battles had not allowed orders to be shouted by their Trainers. Many students, who Alex saw also lacked psychic typing, had floundered. Yet when Alex's opportunity had finally come, he had excelled…or rather, he'd at least managed to order an attack.
Like the others, he lost consistently to the Sage's fierce psychic power, for he never went easy on them. It was only once Terra had demonstrated that he could balance both types of energy in his Energy Ball, and thus survived the Sage's fierce power, that Oranguru had ordered him to appear early the next morning, for a private lesson. Other students had received similar instructions, and always, they and their Pokémon came away stronger for it soon after.
As instructed, Alex appeared the next morning on the training field. The compound was south of the massive tree that grew partly out of the Sage's main hall, but to the north of it, there had been enough untouched land for a proper battlefield to be constructed.
Instead of a Pokéball in the center however, yet another Taijitu symbol had been carved. Alex was starting to see it in his sleep, and he knew there was a reason. His mind kept nagging at him to look at it, but he never quite figured out why. He felt something obvious was staring him in the face, but the more he tried to see it, the more it eluded him.
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Today, Arthur had been picked out by the Sage, and he and Alex stepped onto the field, expecting a battle. Out of all his team, Arthur usually did the best, as fighting moves were Oranguru's weakness.
"Not today." The Sage had said, as his fan glowed with psychic power from where it was fastened to his back. A large boulder had been brought onto the field then, and placed before Arthur.
"Now," Came the psychic tone of the Sage, "Use Brick Break upon it."
Arthur's hands glowed with the energy, though they didn't form swords for this move. Oranguru's fan glowed again then, and before Trainer or Pokémon could blink, he'd used Instruct to force Arthur's glowing hand into the massive boulder, burying it deep within the large rock.
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The energy of the fighting type move faded, and Arthur looked at the Sage. He tried to raise his fist then, and found himself stuck. He couldn't pull his arm free of the stone. Refusing to be made a fool of, Arthur summoned the fighting type energy again, and it flowed through his arm.
Deep within the stone, the Sage had used his power to shape it, molding it, and forcing the malleable arm of Arthur, unique to his species, into a proper sword shape. It had been stuck however, despite now being sharp.
As he used Brick Break, planning to pull free of the stone by force, the fighting type energy of the move, channeled through his sword-like arm, allowed him to pull free effortlessly. Eyeing his arm, Arthur switched it between its normal and sword forms at will, a skill that until now, he had not had. As usual, doing it once was enough for the brilliant Gallade.
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"Form a sword, and channel the energy again." The Sage had instructed, and as Arthur complied, his Trainer stared at the fighting typed energy radiating off of the arm blades of his Gallade. He wasn't using Brick Break anymore. He and his Trainer shared a smirk. They had always talked about him learning Sacred Sword, but had no idea as to how they might achieve that.
As he focused the power for the attack, his sword arm began to glow with a golden light. Alex suppressed a chuckle, as he heard what his Pokémon planned to call his newest weapon. When filled with fighting type energy, and using Sacred Sword, he would refer to his arms as 'Excalibur'.
Oranguru beckoned the fighter, only to see that Arthur was already being given a PP Max for his new move by his eager Trainer. Eye twitching, the enormous ever-present fan on the Sage's back glowed with a furious pink colored energy. Not unlike Mew, when frustrated.
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Suddenly sensing that their daily battle was very much on, Arthur's eyes glowed as well. But for this attack, his arms glowed with a Taijitu swirl on both limbs, a balance of bright pinkish white psychic energy, and the dark type energy he now called forth as well. He never had problems forming sword arms of dark type energy.
He slashed through the furious Psychic attack, canceling it out entirely. Had it continued, it would surely have obliterated the rest of the compound behind them, which would've meant failing, and proving unworthy of whatever he was here to learn from this Sage. The boulder had, of course, been crushed when the moves had canceled out, and now the field was clear once more.
The Sage's eye twitched again, this time a proper battle-strength Psychic lashed out at Arthur, and even though he knew fighting type energy had the disadvantage, he used his new move, Sacred Sword, anyways.
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It was a poor choice. The immensely powerful Psychic attack cut painfully through the perfected fighting type move's energy, revealing a hidden layer of psychic energy just underneath it, and the attack was canceled out again as it slammed into Arthur, damaging him quite a bit. Astounded, the Sage sat hard on the ground, a little impressed that this duo had withstood a serious attack from him.
Arms still glowing with psychic power, Arthur looked back at his Trainer, giving a weak grin as he held his smoldering arm up, and the glow increased. "It's Psycho Cut! At last!"
He looked back to the Sage, who had a smile for once upon his lips. Nothing could quite compare to seeing one's students excel, and these two were quite the pair indeed.
The battle raged on for a few more rounds, and eventually, the Sage called a draw. With Sacred Sword, Psycho Cut, and Night Slash, this Gallade had managed to hold his own against the fearsome power of a Sage Pokémon. They were almost ready.
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"How did you two come by such a strong bond so quickly?" The question rang in the skulls of Trainer and Pokémon, and Arthur let Alex answer. Even though he could communicate now, even with other Trainers, he found conversing to be irritating.
It seemed that after their trial in the Swamp, Alex had not been the only one to gain a new ability, and yet only Arthur had benefited. The other five seemed unchanged, though now, connected as they were, they could use Arthur or Alex as mouthpieces. It was quite useful for all of them.
"After I…experienced a vision in the Swamp, I awoke to find that I could see the typing of other Pokémon, and communicate telepathically…with those I could see, anyways." The Sage came closer then, sitting before the Trainer and his now-released team. He made a gesture that suggested they should sit as well. Though most of them were itching for a battle as well now, they complied. Chances for Instruction from the Sage always gave them new insight that made them stronger.
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"And what did you do, in your vision?" The Sage had an inkling, but he needed to hear it from the Trainer himself. Reading minds was nothing for a Pokémon of his power, but when it came to humans, he found that they appreciated not having their innermost thoughts read aloud.
"I battled Arceus…I battled Arceus, and lost. Hard. I managed to get one good hit on him, but then he took out my last Pokémon, and used Judgement on me. When I woke up, I saw the world with different eyes." The Sage pondered his words, then nodded.
"No more training do you require today…nor any other day. You and your partners are ahead of the others by many degrees. You may stay, train, observe, but until they catch up, you do not require more instruction. For now." The Sage eyed the human subtly, watching for a reaction of rage, or disappointment, or entitlement…but this Trainer remained calm, balanced, and though he could see the Unovan Dragon's presence deep within his very being, he did not need to rely on that Pokémon's balance to keep his own.
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Choosing an honored apprentice this early was unheard of…but the Sage had a feeling that this Trainer would definitely be one of the final contenders for that honor. There were many challengers now, though. Roughly five hundred Trainers total now remained at the Swamp Dojo, less than half of what they'd started with. Many Champions who'd made it to the Swamp's center had left after weeks of poor living conditions, and way too much free time. Though sparring against other Champions was entertaining, the way they battled, newcomers faced off against previous winners, and some, like Redwood, had earned annoyingly long winning streaks.
In time, many of the others had gone home after receiving permission to fly away, but some were simply lost in the Swamp still, and likely would be for a time, until they were found. Or eaten. Even though training that many other humans would take time, Oranguru resolved to keep an eye on this one from then on. "Go, enjoy your free time, do what you wish, and when the time comes to resume your training, you will know it."
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Alex nodded, then stood, and bowed. The rest of his team, even the prideful Charizard, did the same. The Sage felt the tingle of what could have been excitement once more. "We will still Battle once a day…but otherwise, you are free to do as you please."
Alex nodded again, recalled his team, and left. Oranguru then announced that for the rest of that day, all but Redwood would be required to endure the intense physical training under the guidance of his strongest Passimian. He would still spar with them in the Foggy Swamp Style of martial arts, but he and he alone got a free pass from the endurance training.
The announcement caused confusion, even anger, but Oranguru knew that drawing ire to his strongest pupil would only forge him further into what he needed to become. He had singled out a candidate, and that meant Redwood now had a target on his back.
He reacted accordingly, and that night he did not return to the dorm, much to his fellow Trainer's surprise. Instead he camped out in the Swamp, on an unused part of the massive landmass the great tree stood upon. It was probably the largest mass of land in the entire Swamp, and the Sage's compound took up only a small space.
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Alex set about constructing a small private dwelling then, with the help of his team. Each of them pictured what it should look like, and eventually, they worked out a design and set about building it. On the westernmost edge of what he'd nicknamed the 'Sage's Island', for the landmass was surrounded by water, Alex set up his hut.
Hydrus had access to the water, and was content with sleeping in the mud and filth his kind preferred. He said that on the Swamp Scale, this place was a ten. Alex didn't quite understand that, but took Hydrus' word for it.
With the help of the rest of his team, he gathered logs, cut down a few trees across the massive swirling river, and bound them together with the ever-plentiful vines that crisscrossed the Swamp's canopy.
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Terra also slept outside of the small dwelling, covering most of it from view with his tree. He buried himself in the rich soil, as his mother had, and each night grew stronger for it. He too found that the land here was giving him immense power, as he adjusted to it.
Blaze rested atop the domicile, and because everything was flammable, he'd been given a small U-shaped perch he could rest his massive tail upon safely without lighting a blaze. Leo preferred to stay inside, with his Trainer, keeping him warm as he lounged in the hammock of woven vines he'd shaped like Oranguru's 'throne' and gave the thunder cat scritches as his laptop entertained him.
Arthur had a small adjoining room where he let himself hover in the air as he slept. It wasn't full sleep, but more of a restful meditative trance that allowed him to remain vigilant, but also rest his conscious mind. Shruikan, for his part, had opted to remain in his ball. He didn't care for the Swamp, finding the whole thing a waste of time. He wanted to evolve, and he often asked Alex how he expected to find a Legendary Tamer if all he did was train here. When told he would simply have to deal with waiting, Shruikan had entered another deep sleep, and Alex noted his size was increasing yet again. He was far too large to propel himself with Dragonbreath as high as he'd used to.
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As time passed and the fall passed with it, the training of the rest of the compound intensified, and the Sage kept an ever-present eye upon the Trainer he had a feeling would make the final cut. He had a top four of potentials already, but time could change his opinion, as could new students. Pupils needed to constantly advance, to keep ahead of their peers. Such Trainers grasped that he only took the best. He kept an eye on all of them, though Redwood's antics often drew his gaze with routine curiosity.
He was a strange man, always lounging around with his Pokémon, smoking various plants he grew on his Torterra's shell astoundingly quick in the bright southern sun. Despite the Swamp's ever present and entrancingly green canopy, there were patches of sunlight where his Torterra would lounge, and he'd discovered that tossing the seeds of Leaf he found in his purchased bags onto his Pokémon's shell was an amazing way to grow a stash for the rapidly approaching winter.
He'd run out of seeds once, of course, but the 'Vegemite Man' as he'd named the blonde stranger from Unova, always had more. From their home region, no less. He seemed glad to share it whenever he stopped by the compound, but it seemed he'd been unable to beat Hilbert, either. The Leaf often reminded him of home, and Terra kept up a steady supply of it for his Trainer, who hoarded it in a strong, storm cloud colored jar, full of crushed Leaf.
When asked why he did this, by the Psychic Sage himself, Alex replied, "Because, winter is coming." Oranguru's stoically passive face had twitched as he suppressed the urge to laugh, and had gone back to lounging. Winter was indeed coming, but this one wouldn't be too terrible. Next year's, he had sensed, would be quite harsh indeed.
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The next chance he had, Oranguru looked in on Redwood some more. He moved around strangely, with a makeshift 'staff' of what looked like a long, thin, ancient piece of plastic waste used at one point, ironically, for cleaning homes.
He'd apparently found it while wandering the Swamp, but now, it was an extension of himself, and when asked if such a strong Trainer like him needed a real staff, Alex simply shrugged saying, "I don't mind using this one until it breaks. I have a better one."
From then on, he made a show of idly twirling it as he amused himself on his solar-powered computer, which he'd stashed in his bag. He smoked, gamed, and grew more for winter, when he wasn't training, of course. Through his Box Link, Arbor got some training time in as well, and evolved into a Grovyle. Garuda was a Combusken now, apparently, and was leading the Torchic back on the ranch as their Alpha. The pair who got the most training though, were his Umbreon, Shadow, and Espeo, his Espeon. Training on other Champions made them strong enough to be sufficient guards for the ranch.
His debts were paid back home from the money he'd gained on the road, and he'd earned the right to not have to deal with his family's insanity this Arcanalia, another term for the Festivus season. When his device needed recharging, he trained with his team, every day, pitting them against the opponent they'd have the most trouble against over and over, until they found a way to win. Training ceased when the charging was done, and there was a decent eight hour split, with the rest of the time being used for sleep. Since training here, he found he only needed four hours for a full mental recharge.
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He'd told his family he would become a serious Trainer, and with the sheer amount of uncontrolled destruction his lounging Pokémon wreaked on his 'room' any civilized home would've been destroyed. Yet another reason not to return home for Festivus. After Redwood had blocked the Sage's full power moves, there had been a shift in the mood of the complex.
The other students continued to get one-on-one time with the Sage, but Redwood had not, as his Gallade had already learned Psycho Cut and Sacred Sword, thus fixing the weakest link in his team. While many of the other disciples envied or disliked him for his seemingly rapid advancement, most had been fascinated, or curious, and sought to learn from him.
He had combined the Unovan Dragons together again, after all, at the Sage's own admission when the feat had been doubted, as was typical. It was no small accomplishment, restoring a Guardian, and none wondered if the Sage was lying. There had been video evidence of the entire thing, after all.
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Alex explained what he'd learned about combining the energy of Pokémon, and how he used it in battles, and often he would spar with the other Trainers, teaching them what moves he could, usually though, he was the one learning.
Oranguru had approved of this, and soon, being able to successfully combine a dual-type Pokémon's attacks was a requirement for advancing. Many Trainers had special crystals and at least one Pokémon with dual typing, so all of them had the potential to master this style of battling.
Alex hadn't held onto his perfect win record, not like he supposedly had in Unova. The Trainer from the Fornia region with the sandy blonde hair and classic good looks had arrived at his hut to challenge him one day, and revealed that all he used was a Rayquaza.
Typically, there were three shades of Rayquaza to a continental region, not dissimilar to the roosting habits of Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno. Each Rayquaza ruled over a portion of the sky, and often you could tell which you were facing by its coloring. Because much of the western part of the continent had red rocks, the western sky's Rayquaza had formed red scales, while the east's remained green. Unova's Rayquaza was much, much older though, having legends of its heroic and noble deeds that stretched back as far as the Unovan Dragon's own history. Give or take a century.
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This Trainer's Rayquaza was powerful, and could even Mega Evolve. Often a powerful Outrage attack would one-hit Alex's chosen Pokémon, Shruikan, and through the bastardry of item usage mid-battle, he could end up missing the right moment to hit the Legendary with a dragon move in between truly destructive bursts of rage.
Shruikan saw it as good training though, for if he was going to be stuck in this green hell, he might as well benefit from it. As messy as Alex's Pokémon were, their destruction usually did not permanently injure their surroundings, but this Trainer and his partner did not seem to care what destruction their attacks left in their wake.
Each time they battled, the Swamp around them would have devastation for miles, the only exception was when Shruikan actually got hit. Then, it was the makeshift battlefield that took the damage.
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After a straight week of being beaten in this manner, Alex approached the Sage, more irritated than anything. His items were not infinite, and he was running through Max Revives. There was no place to replenish them, either. Oranguru had almost seemed to smirk, and say that Alex simply hadn't practiced enough, clearly. He'd returned home then, only to find Brad waiting to battle again. This latest loss was different, however.
"What's the matter?" The sandy blonde Trainer said, shouting as Shruikan went down again after the latest pair of Outrage attacks. The Trainer's flute cured confusion, so after a brief song from it, his Rayquaza could attack over and over.
"Too much for you? As someone who's supposedly mastered a Trio of Legendary Pokémon, I figured you of all people would be able to handle my 'inferior' west coast Rayquaza. Have you caught the eastern one yet? Or, you could just use the Unovan Dragon… unless he was too much to handle in a ball."
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On their continent, Unova and Fornia had always clashed, as they were the center of their respective regions, and the most obvious way of testing which coast was stronger, short of war, was battling. There was a tradition of Trainers catching the Rayquaza of their region, and then battling against the other.
The east coast had a record of victory over the west, but since the east's Trainer had passed several years ago, causing their Rayquaza to disappear in sorrow, the west now claimed superiority. Nobody in Unova seemed to care however, as they were too enamored with the return of Tao to bother with worrying about the annual battle with the Fornians.
Alex smirked. He swirled his bag around to his front, catching the 'staff' that had been resting between the pack and his back expertly, before it could fall. He fished through his pack with one hand, and pulled out an emerald colored ball, patterned with the coloration of the eastern green Rayquaza's scales.
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These battles had acquired a small crowd of other disciples over the past few days, and now, they murmured with excitement at the appearance of this ball. This was the Trainer who combined the Unova Dragon. Surely catching a Rayquaza would've been easy compared to that.
The other Trainer stared. "You…did catch it? Then why aren't you using it?" Alex shrugged, smirking inwardly as he played up his bluff. The ball was, of course, empty.
"My own team needs the experience more than a Legendary Dragon Type does. I was hoping to battle your team, you know, the one you journeyed with?" The crowd murmured again, and the Trainer, Brad, lowered his gaze at the mention of his team.
He had classic good looks and tan skin to match his hair, a perfect stereotype of the people who lived on the western golden coast. As Brad looked down, a flash of red light burst from Alex's belt. Blaze appeared in a burst of flame, and glared down at the tan Trainer, nostrils flaring as he recognized the scent of the man who'd abandoned him.
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He'd watched from his ball for several days now as this Trainer had beaten his, and while losing wasn't new for them, it wasn't common. Not that common, at any rate. He'd been itching to save their battle record, for Blaze actually cared that his wins counted towards the League's view of their skill level, but he hadn't been sure of this Trainer's identity until he'd gotten a good look at him, and his chosen Pokémon. Blaze had been abandoned, forced to wander the massive desert of the Orre region, as his Trainer had managed to acquire Rayquaza early on through sheer luck. A relative's Pokéball.
Evidently, he had no longer seen the point in using his Charmander, so he flew into the desert and left it. Blaze shifted his gaze to the 'guardian' that was responsible for abandoning him. This Rayquaza could fly far and fast, and once it saw its Trainer leave Blaze's ball, it must have known the Charmander within was likely to die if left alone. Yet it had done nothing to prevent this.
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Blaze had emerged from that ball on his own, and upon realizing he'd been abandoned by his best friend, shattered the symbol of their bond with Dragon Tail. It was a move that would keep him alive as he traveled ever eastward for years, towards the rising sun. Alone, lost, and in one of the most hostile environments on the planet, he moved quickly, avoiding human and Pokémon alike. As he crossed, he gained only a few levels. Enough to, at least, learn Ember and give him a slight type advantage over the many bug and grass Pokémon he ran into. It was sloppy though, and had a tendency to completely miss his target. Between that and Dragon Tail, he'd managed to survive. He'd traveled from one side of the continent to the other before he realized what he was looking for was an honest Trainer who could make him strong. He was sick of losing to ground types.
The fire crystal in Alex's pocket glowed, and surrounded the Charizard. His form shifted as he near-instantly mega evolved. His eyes were as red as they had been against Lizardon, and he snorted blue flames at Rayquaza, before focusing his gaze on his old Trainer, and snarling.
Being the sole member of a Trainer's team for most of his pretty challenging journey had made this crimson Rayquaza a bit arrogant, and attached, to this human. What he'd lived through had touched a sympathetic nerve in the dragon, one the cult the boy belonged to used to their advantage. He was in prime form, could Mega Evolve, and few were capable of withstanding his Outrage. The Legendary Pokémon's eyes burned as well. If this upstart thought he could match a Legendary because of a temper tantrum, Rayquaza would put him in his place.
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Realizing the battle was on again, Rayquaza kept his Mega Form, but before he could unleash an Outrage, Blaze was there, furious, both claws engulfed in the deep red, sparking energy of his Dragon Claw. Alex shared his rage, as through their link he had read the Charizard's thoughts, and memories. The fire lizard had, after some reluctance, finally shared them with his team.
Blaze had always been reluctant to share his past with his Trainer, but now, the secret was out. There was no hesitation on Alex's part. He shared the universal dislike of Trainers who abandoned their Pokémon, and Blaze had more than earned his revenge. He freely gave him the power to take it. United, they were ridiculously strong.
It didn't matter if this single battle with Shruikan had already ended, Rayquaza hadn't been hit, and this was a grudge match that Alex had no intention of stopping. The crimson Rayquaza went flying through the air, and though it eventually managed to right itself, it had been knocked clear of the makeshift field Alex had outside his hut.
After so many Outrage attacks, the 'field' was basically gone, but that didn't matter anymore. Furious, and knowing he'd need room to fly, Blaze torched the vines around them, clearing a space above the field. Oranguru's field had a similar open-air space, so Alex figured it was fine. There would always be more vines.
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"Alex! Calm your Charizard down!" The cry came from Red, who was standing beside Gary Oak. Both known experts on how to use a Charizard. Red's, once Gary's, was rumored to be the Alpha of the Charicific Valley, in Johto.
The two had met, of course, and Alex found the older Trainer's insight both amusing and enlightening. They'd even pitted their Charizard against each other, and had a great match. Blaze had gone strike for strike with Red's Charizard. Alex was kind of proud. They'd eventually had to stop however, as the combined heat of two Pokémon with Drought had rapidly turned the Swamp to kindling.
Oranguru had watched the battle unfold from his bowl throne, which could ascend to the branches of his tree, and had eventually called for the flaming fire lizards to cease, before they ruined the ecosystem by drying out too many plants.
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Alex shook his head at Red's words, and the other Trainer arched a brow. "Don't worry, Red. His eyes do this sometimes...but he's never been more focused. It's long past time for this Rayquaza to face someone on its own level." Alex spoke quickly as Brad's Rayquaza recovered, and prepared to retaliate. He had no doubt as to what move it would use.
"Trainers who abandon their Pokémon are scum." Alex declared, glaring across the ruined field at his opponent. "This Charizard was once your Charmander. Do you remember him? You left him in the Orre Desert to die once you had your Legendary."
Brad kept his face neutral as he ordered his partner to attack. "Outrage." The small crowd's murmurs turned to angry whispers, and more than a few glared at the Fornian Trainer. It seemed the rumors about the Fornian's tendency to leave weak Pokémon to the desert east of their region was true. The Church's Trainers only accepted the strong.
Nobody liked stereotypes but most gathered had learned about Alex's mental connection to his team by this point. His words rang with truth, and Blaze's fury only reinforced them.
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Crimson light surrounded the Legendary dragon, and a similarly colored beam shot from its maw, towards Blaze. Wordlessly, he narrowly dodged by turning sideways in the air, and flew towards his opponent. The thing about Outrage however, was that it was a furious, multiple shot attack that kept coming and rarely missed.
Blaze dodged each of the fierce shots, using Alex's eyes and his ability to fly in combination. He'd been burning for a shot at this Rayquaza for years. He refused to lose. Now, this Trainer would see what he had missed by choosing a Legendary Pokémon over him. That choice had cost Blaze everything he'd ever known before being tossed into the wilderness to survive. It was time for revenge.
Once he reached his opponent, the Charizard raised a claw, and Rayquaza twisted, planning to dodge it. Blaze let the claw slash through the air uselessly. He hadn't summoned power for the Dragon Claw attack, but instead used it to gain momentum for a forward roll that ended with a fierce Dragon Tail.
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Rayquaza's eyes widened as it recognized that particular strike, one his sire had mastered. The crimson dragon went down hard, but this was a Legendary, and a well-trained one at that. The irritating sound of Brad's flute cured the haze of confusion that had begun to settle over his eyes, and once more, Outrage struck.
Once more, Blaze dodged. In a normal battle, he might have taken a hit, but this was no normal battle. Not for him. This was long-awaited revenge against the Trainer who'd abandoned him. His focus was like iron, and linked as he was to his Trainer in his Mega Form, these attacks almost seemed to move in slow motion. Seeing them from multiple angles made dodging much easier. Had the Rayquaza used its own speed to outmatch him, Blaze likely would've fell, but he could tell this dragon had been relying on its impressive power alone for quite a long time.
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Again, he countered, dodging the last furious blasts of red energy before coming up and hitting the Legendary with a dual Dragon Claw across his throat. It was a critical hit, and caused serious damage, but Blaze wasn't done. He spun again, sideways this time, hitting the snake-like body of the Legendary horizontally, and sent it soaring across the river to the west, through yet more vines that hadn't been burned, and into the trunk of a large, ancient tree on the opposing side of the wide river that surrounded the island.
Alex sensed his Charizard fully intended to rid the western skies of their guardian, when he shouted, "Enough!"
Blaze paused, glaring back at his Trainer, and Alex focused on their link, reaching into his partner's mind, and letting his inner peace mix with and balance out Blaze's rage. "Enough…" He said again, tone soft.
Blaze landed, and Alex held out his hand, palm open. The fire lizard pressed his forehead against it, and his Trainer sighed in relief. He'd been close to losing control, closer than he'd ever been, but Alex didn't blame him for it. He would've been just as furious.
"You'd better go to him." Alex said, louder, hand still resting against his Charizard. "He's hurt. I can sense it from here." He looked from Blaze to Hydrus then. "Help him cross the river, and then bring him to the northern edge of the Swamp."
The Swampert then ordered the other water types he'd gathered at the Sage's request to keep dousing fires, as it obeyed Alex's command. Oranguru watched, stunned, as his command was overwritten. The mud fish respected the boy more than a Sage. He sighed, exhaling Leaf smoke as he watched the human from his perch. "This kid…"
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Alex turned to Brad then, giving him the same icy stare his Charizard was. "From there you can find a Pokémon Center. Heal your partner, and don't come back. Scum like you doesn't deserve to learn from the Sage."
The sandy blonde's face twisted with anger. "You're going to pay for this, Redwood…"
Alex smirked. "No, I don't believe I am. When you and I next meet, Shruikan will be more than a match for you, and on the off-chance he isn't…" Blaze snorted, his flames still burned blue, and they seared the air.
"My Charizard will handle you. Either way, you are done here. I'm not going to abandon you and your injured partner to the Swamp, the way you abandoned Blaze. I'm a Pokémon Trainer. I try to help everyone. Now get out."
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Brad looked around, but seeing that the few friends he'd gained here had turned to enemies, judging by their expressions, he did as Alex suggested. He was wise enough at least, to take help when it was offered. He stomped over to where Hydrus waited, muttering as he shoved past Alex, "You will pay for this, Redwood. I'll find another Sage. Mark me, this is not over."
Blaze snarled at the Fornian Trainer, fangs bared. "End him now, no threat later…" His thought process echoed in Alex's head. Rather than respond, Alex focused on keeping Blaze's fury from re-igniting.
"Not yet, my friend…" He replied, glaring at the Trainer as Hydrus ferried him over. "Not yet…be better than he is. Everyone has the potential for redemption...and if they don't, he at least, does. There's potential, otherwise Oranguru wouldn't have let him in. Time away might do his attitude some good." He stayed closely linked to Hydrus for the rest of the day, and when he felt the pair had reached the northern edge of the Swamp, where they'd started from, he instructed his Pokémon to return post-haste.
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Hydrus did so, but not before batting away a Master Ball from Brad, sending it smashing back into his face. The coward had tried to add thievery to his list of abuses, and Alex looked forward to the day he dared to show his face again.
Alex exhaled slowly, and kept himself, and the rest of his team, calm. They would use that anger later, and save it for a battle in the future. For now, he would let it simmer. Once Hydrus returned, Alex sensed Red approaching.
He arrived just as his Swampert did. "The Sage has asked to see you." Alex nodded. He'd been expecting that, as well. He rose, and headed back towards the compound.