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Thank you 🙂 ——————– “Zangoose, Detect!” Along with Chase’s loud shout, a glint flashed through Zangoose’s eyes as it maneuvered its body to narrowly evade Blaze’s pounce.
“Woof?” Missing its attack, Blaze tilted its large furry head to glance at Zangoose not far away, then opened its jaws and swiftly shot out a pillar of fire.
[Flamethrower]!
“Zan!” Without needing Chase’s command, Zangoose immediately used [Quick Attack] to try and dodge, but its reaction was a beat too slow, and it still got singed across a good portion of its body.
“Zangoose!” “Now’s your chance, use Close Combat!” Following Chase’s command, Zangoose had no time to care about the charred flesh on its right arm.
Enduring the pain, it charged right up to Blaze and threw a full-power strike with its still-intact left claw.
“Woo…” Facing its disciple’s attack, Blaze remained completely unfazed and similarly countered with Close Combat.
Zangoose had only just mastered this move recently.
Even though it struck first, Blaze’s counterattack arrived faster, hammering Zangoose right in the forehead.
“Zan…” With a pitiful cry, Zangoose collapsed powerlessly to the ground, its eyes already swirling in the classic dazed spirals.
This was a blessing bestowed upon Pokemon by the creator god Arceus: when they suffered a severe injury for the first time, the power of the world’s rules would protect them, rendering them immune to the lethal damage.
However, they would immediately faint and lose their ability to battle for a period of time.
Even without timely medical treatment, they could slowly regain consciousness as their stamina recovered.
With external intervention, they could recover even faster.
However, if they continued to suffer attacks while unconscious, Pokemon would no longer be granted this protection, leading to severe injury or even death.
Chase hurriedly took out a Potion and sprayed it on Zangoose.
The latter slowly came to, its face filled with disappointment.
“Zan…” I lost again…
Zangoose clearly remembered what had just happened.
It also knew full well that its master had clearly been holding back during their spar.
Otherwise, after it used [Detect] to dodge the attack, Blaze could have simply used [Extreme Speed] to end the battle right then and there.
It just went to show that even at the same potential level, the disparity between species could sometimes be brutally obvious.
With [Extreme Speed] in its arsenal, Blaze could still hold its own even against Pokemon many levels higher, and might even emerge victorious.
“Woof, woof.” It’s fine, you did very well.
Blaze walked over at this time and offered some comforting words to Zangoose.
A week had passed.
Through Zangoose’s relentless efforts, it had finally mastered the Fighting-type heavy-hitting move [Close Combat] a level early under Blaze’s guidance.
This was also the final move in Zangoose’s level-up movepool.
It meant that if it wanted to learn any new moves from here on out, it would have to rely entirely on its own hard work.
“Pidgee!” Pidgeotto, who had watched the entire battle from a high-altitude vantage point, also fluttered down, giving high praise to both Pokemon.
Perhaps because it had experienced so much discrimination when its potential level was too low, Pidgeotto possessed an incredibly good mindset.
It never felt frustrated over its own strength or lack thereof.
In its view, as a scout, as long as it could fly high enough and fast enough to bring back intel, its job was done.
Everything else could be safely left to its teammates.
…
Chase offered Zangoose a few words of comfort, and the latter quickly reignited its fighting spirit.
“Zangoose Zan!” Don’t worry, Master, I’m heading back to practice right now!
Firm in its resolve, Zangoose took the few boxes of Pokeblocks Chase had gifted it and headed back to its own territory.
My neighbors should have healed up from their injuries by now over the past couple of days.
It’s time to continue our friendly exchanges with them!
Fortunately, Zangoose wasn’t a total blockhead.
It knew that constantly bothering its neighbors like this would easily get it gang-beat, so the boxes of Pokeblocks in its arms were meant as compensation for them.
Watching Zangoose’s retreating figure, Chase, who knew exactly what was going on, could only hope that Zangoose wouldn’t go too hard on them.
Otherwise, a mere few boxes of Pokeblocks probably wouldn’t be enough to quell the resentment of its neighbors.
“Pidgeotto, follow it and keep an eye on things.
If anything happens, remember to come back and let me know right away.” Chase felt it was better to have an insurance policy.
“Pidgee!” Pidgeotto nodded and immediately flew off in the direction Zangoose had left.
After helping Chase get a clear picture of the outer perimeter of the forest a while back, Pidgeotto had noticeably a lot more free time lately.
Every day, it was either flying aimlessly around the vicinity or visiting the shelter area to see that Starly with the heart condition.
As fellow Flying-type Pokemon, it was the one who could empathize the most with the flightless Starly.
Moreover, given its current strength, venturing deeper into the forest was out of the question.
This task would at least give it something to do.
After sending the two Pokemon off, Chase finally turned his gaze to Blaze, who was lying prone on the ground with a moping expression on its face.
“Woo…” So bored, no one to fight…
Umm…
Had it not been for spending day and night together recently, Chase would never have imagined that this giant ball of fluff was actually a battle maniac.
No wonder it had been willing to take Zangoose on as a disciple.
But it made sense.
Blaze hadn’t become a Gym Leader-level Pokemon out of thin air.
Back when it was still a Growlithe, it had followed in Grey’s footsteps into the unknown forest, scrapping with a Buneary here and a Bidoof there, fighting its way up to its current strength.
It was only during the final years of his tenure, when Grey’s failing health prevented him from traveling deep into the forest for patrols, that Blaze had been forced to suppress its true nature.
Now that it was following a young new boss, how could it possibly hold back any longer?
“Woof woof woo…” Chase, let’s find some time to go into the forest.
It’s so boring here…
Looking at the large dog sprawling on the ground and acting coquettishly toward him, Chase couldn’t help but walk over and give its furry head a vigorous rub, revealing a blissful smile.
“Just wait a little longer.
In a few days, when Officer Jenny Lina delivers the Protect TM, and both you and Zangoose have learned the move, we’ll go take a stroll in the forest.
How does that sound?” Winter was fast approaching.
If nothing unexpected happened, the first snow would likely fall before the end of November.
He had to complete this exploration before that happened.
Otherwise, Chase wouldn’t be in such a rush to get his hands on the [Protect] TM.
“Aowoo.” Having received the promise, Blaze nodded excitedly, then pounced on Chase and affectionately licked his face with its tongue.
“Stop, stop, stop!
I’m ticklish!” Unfortunately for Chase’s pleas for mercy, Blaze only licked him even more happily.
…
Some things just couldn’t be spoken too soon.
Chase had only just made the promise to Blaze that morning, and by the afternoon, Officer Jenny Lina arrived at the Ranger station riding her Pidgeot.
“Long time no see, Chase,” Officer Jenny Lina smiled as she hopped down from Pidgeot, greeting him.