Author's Notes: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I've been sick all week and too tired to write, unfortunately. Anyway, I'm feeling better now, so this should be progressing at the usual speed once again. On a related note, Here We Go Again has been temporarily shelved because I'm writing a short story as a birthday present to a friend and it's taking up my secondary work writing time.
Wow, there were lots of reviews for the last chapter! Thank you all very much. And yes, Keleri, I know that the Pokegear is, technically, the one with the phone service attached. I think that the Pokenav is cooler, though, and since this story takes place a few years after the Groudon/Kyogre incident, I thought it logical to assume that Devon would offer a new model with phone capabilities.
Well, I don't think that Tobias is going to be able to catch a legendary, BambookidX. He doesn't like them very much, anyway. Thanks for pointing out the repetition of phrases. I try to avoid that as much as possible…I will fix it if I can.
Oh, no, the Raikou's long gone, Facia (as we'll see in chappie 26). The nevermelt ice thing just came to me while I was trying to figure out how trainers could realistically carry milk around in their bags with them for extended periods of time (I have eighty-something with me in LG at the moment. I love moomoo milk.)
I've said this several times before, Cedric: WindieDragon has drawn all of the currently released Waytaran Pokemon. You can get to the pictures using the link on her profile. As for what animal she's based off of, it's loosely the tarsier.
Chapter Twenty-Five: A Debt Repaid
"Psychic-types are notoriously difficult Pokemon to train, for several reasons. They tend to be fickle and, with complex, species-specific moral and behavioral codes, easy to offend. Many psychic-types also quarrel with their trainers as they are, in fact, technically more intelligent than their human companions. Naturally, some captive psychic Pokemon become resentful of their situation and of being ordered around by those that they consider to be inferior. Therefore, trainers should move slowly when attempting to develop a bond with such Pokemon in order to avoid conflicts as much as possible. If such problems should arise, however, and the Pokemon becomes intractable, there are several measures that can be taken to rectify the situation."
Tobias was only half-listening to his Pokedex's monotonic speech as he sat on a rock formation near the sea's edge watching Chevron and Jinx annoying the local Wingull and Pelipper. The seabirds regularly landed to rest on a nearby cluster of particularly large rocks strewn across the beach. Chevron quietly slunk around the base of the largest boulder, trying to avoid the roosting birds' gaze. Whenever he spotted a likely target, a Wingull or Pelipper enjoying a recently caught meal, he would signal to Jinx, who was circling above. The Murkrow would obligingly dive-bomb the indicated bird and, during the ensuing chaos of screeching Wingull and wildly beating wings, Chevron would stealthily acquire the bird's former lunch. Tobias just hoped that their little game didn't get out of hand; only yesterday Chevron had miscalculated, sending a misinformed Jinx after a very large, very irritable Pelipper instead of one of the more skittish Wingull. It had taken him hours to dry off enough to be able to fly again.
"Low-level Pokemon should not be bribed or cajoled into cooperating," the Pokedex continued. "If a Pokemon, particularly a clever psychic-type, is spoiled whenever it misbehaves as the trainer attempts to get it to cooperate, it will gladly take advantage of the situation and even begin to engage in negative behavior purposefully. The trainer should assert dominance by punishing the Pokemon instead, confining them to their Pokeball or depriving them of treats, and so forth. This course is inadvisable for trainers of high-level Pokemon, however, as such creatures often develop astoundingly fast reaction times, thus allowing them to teleport away or incapacitate their trainer before he or she can activate the Pokeball's return sequence."
An explosion of noisy Wingull announced that another raid was underway. Sure enough, Chevron reappeared around the side of the boulder, speeding back towards Tobias with a stolen Goldeen dangling out of his mouth. Jinx exploded out of the turmoil of the disturbed Wingull cluster to intercept Chevron before he could reach his guide, guessing, probably correctly, that Chevron didn't feel like sharing. Latching onto the fish with his small talons, he and Chevron engaged in a playful tug-of-war for the meal. Tobias shuddered and turned his full attention back to the Pokedex. Whether or not it was the natural order, he always found Pokemon eating other Pokemon, the intelligent creatures that could just as easily befriended a human, disgusting. He was a lot less unsettled by the manufactured energy pellets that many trainers fed their Pokemon for this very reason.
"For older subjects, it is still unwise to offer gifts to try to appease the Pokemon. Many psychic-types are very cynical and view such offerings as insults to their own intelligence, taking offense at the idea that they can easily be swayed by material goods."
Now it tells me, Tobias thought ruefully, looking down at his berry juice-stained shirt. Accemenla had been less than impressed by his own peace offering and decided to use the berries that he had given her, her favorite kind, as ammunition and pelted him with them. Now one of his only two shirts was hopelessly stained and he had apparently only made his relationship with Accemenla worse.
"Many psychic-types develop large egos; as a result, praise and flattery may win them over. If all else fails, the trainer can always send the ornery Pokemon out in a difficult battle. While the psychic-type will initially see this as a chance to prove their superiority and ignore their trainer's commands, they will quickly come to appreciate the very reason why Pokemon must be trained by humans in order to become great. Psychic-types, though their minds are incredibly powerful, are generally poor multitaskers. In a difficult battle, the psychic-type will quickly find it impossible to fend off the opponent's attacks while formulating battle strategies and launching their own. Typically, such an experience will cause the Pokemon to gain a greater appreciation for their trainer and they will become more cooperative. Of course, each Pokemon is different, and it is ultimately up to the individual trainer to find out what method works best in dealing with his or her own Pokemon."
The tinny voice cut off abruptly as it reached the end of the file, offering him the option of returning to the main psychic-type data file, which he did half-heartedly. As the computer launched into a broad description of the psychic-type's traits, he considered the options that it had given him. He'd already tried flattery, and Accemenla, who had refused to speak to him since her last cryptic statement on the day that Tobias had found the Slipstri, had simply accepted it in silence. He didn't have many battling opportunities out here in the middle of nowhere, and he couldn't leave to find any, what with the Slipsrti to look out for.
The Slipstri herself was much improved. Most of her wounds were healing well, though some damage could never be repaired. She would always sport the broken horn and the missing chunk of her front flipper, and several of the gashes along her body would leave permanent scars. Still, she was lucky to be alive. She had begun hunting on her own again, though she continued to return to Tobias for food, unable to catch much of anything as of yet. Soon, though, Tobias figured that she would be heading off into the ocean from whence she came, and with her would depart his only hope of learning her story and, perhaps, discovering the way home.
Professor Elm had not been any help in this regard, either. In fact, Tobias still hadn't been able to reach him, though he had been calling periodically over a period of four days. Tobias didn't know whether to be confused or worried; perhaps the situation was merely that the Professor had misplaced his Pokenav somehow and hadn't been able to find it yet.
"…easy to gain the ability to gain the ability to communicate telepathically with one's psychic-type Pokemon, even without formal training."
Tobias blinked, realizing he had been staring blankly at the scrolling text on his Pokedex's screen. What was that about communing with psychic-types?
"Return to the top of current paragraph," he ordered the device, curious.
The Pokedex obliged, text scrolling back upward before the computer restarted its narration. "Psychic-type Pokemon, in addition to being able to send telepathic communications to any living creature nearby, maintain a field of telepathic awareness, allowing them to pick up the psychic broadcasts of sentient organisms within a similar range. Particularly strong thoughts or emotions will penetrate the psychic-type's conscious even if they are not actively engaged in psychic communication with the subject. Thus, if a trainer thinks a certain message at their Pokemon, it is likely that he or she will pick it up, if only to get the general idea that their trainer is trying to contact them. The effect is heightened if the psychic-type is actively waiting to receive commands or information from their trainer; in such cases, messages may actually be sent to them and interpreted word-for-word. Thus, it is relatively easy to gain the ability to communicate telepathically with one's psychic-type Pokemon, even without formal training."
Now, that was intriguing. Occasionally on his travels in Johto Tobias had encountered a member of a class of trainers known as "psychics." Such people claimed to have many of the abilities of the psychic-type Pokemon and often guided their battles entirely nonverbally. Apparently, they had not necessarily acquired any powers at allmerely learned how to take advantage of the psychic-type's unique powers of telepathy.
The old rod wedged into a crevice next to Tobias shuddered suddenly, its flexible tip bending downward. Tobias hastily clipped his Pokedex back to his belt and grabbed the rod. Finally, a bite! Sitting around and waiting for an aquatic Pokemon to take the bait was more dull than he could possibly have imagined, and it was even worse for the fact that so few Pokemon lived in the shallow waters right up against the beach. Struggling to reel in his catch, Tobias forgot about his Pokedex's information.
He had remembered it by dinnertime, however. Chevron and Jinx, feeling satiated by the Pokemon that they had managed to swipe throughout the day, declined to eat anything, but Tobias released Accemenla and handed her a bowl of soup. She accepted it and a spoon in stony silence, making a point of walking over to the other side of the fire before settling down to eat it. Tobias ate his own soup, peering at the Tarsix through the central fire.
Accemenla, he thought, trying to push the word out towards his Pokemon. She did not respond nor give any sign that she had heard. Hey, Accemenla, Tobias tried again. Still nothing. Accemenla! Listen up! Pay attention! She gave no sign that she had heard. Concentrating as hard as he possibly could, Tobias gave a mental bellow of, ACCEMENLA! When this failed to elicit any sort of reaction, he angrily yelled across to her, vocally this time, "You know, it's bad enough that you ignore me when I'm trying to talk to you out loud, but now you've even decided to ignore my thoughts as well? Doesn't that seem to be going a bit far?"
Accemenla paused in eating her soup, giving Tobias a puzzled look.
"Oh, don't play innocent with me," Tobias snapped irritably. "The Pokedex told me all about your ability to detect thoughts directed at you. I know you could hear me."
This statement seemed to disturb the Tarsix for some reason. She stopped eating in earnest and stared at him intently. It almost seemed to Tobias that she was sizing him up, trying to decide if he was lying or not. Then, she reluctantly said, I couldn't hear you.
"What? I was trying to send you mental messages, and the Pokedex says that you should be able to pick up on them."
Oh, does it now? Of course it would know better than I would. If you were trying to send me anything, I'm afraid that you've been unsuccessful. Now leave me in peace, Accemenla snapped, digging into her soup again with a vicious slashing motion of her spoon.
Surprised, Tobias did as he was bid. Returning to his dinner, he mulled the brief conversation over in his mind. Something didn't add up here, somehow. Accemenla had been ignoring his best efforts to get a rise out of her for days, but she had suddenly jumped at him over this one seemingly innocuous dispute. Her response to his announcement that the Pokedex had told him that she would be able to hear him seemed particularly uncharacteristic. It was a bit too angry, the sarcasm was a bit too forced. Tobias was musing quietly, scraping the last of the soup from the bottom of his metal bowl, when it hit him. His head jerked up suddenly and he fixed Accemenla with a piercing stare. "You were telling the truth, weren't you? You really couldn't hear me. For some reason, you can't hear humans like other psychics can."
That touched a nerve. For Sol's sake, human, no psychic can hear your thoughts! Accemenla snarled back. I am perfectly capable of communicating with all of the normal, rational human beings in this world. Though why any fool would want to is beyond me.
Tobias was considerably taken aback by this answer. But almost instantly he discredited it. "It's all right, Accemenla. If you can't read people's thoughts, that's fine by me. But I know that other psychics can read my mind," he said, voice turning slightly bitter. "After all, that was how Jinx got selected as my starter Pokemon."
Accemenla was so frustrated that she actually let out a vocal screech, clutching her head with her long-fingered hands. Of course, you fool! This is all that thrice-damned Murkrow's fault to begin with!
"Now, Accemenla," Tobias said with a reproving frown, as though he were patiently dealing with a three-year-old throwing temper tantrum, "you know you shouldn't call Jinx things like that. Apologize." Jinx gave a cackle of ascent. He had taken great offense to the Tarsix's statement. His red eyes glittered dangerously in the firelight.
Accemenla told Tobias some very uncomfortable things that he could do with his request for an apology. Tobias, despite himself, could feel himself beginning to lose his temper again. He forced himself to calm down, to keep his head. Accemenla was clearly very distressed; if he was ever going to get to the bottom of her odd behavior, it might as well be now. "You shouldn't take your anger out on Jinx like that all the time, Accemenla. Why can't you just admit that sometimes it's your fault and that you're not perfect?"
The change in Accemenla was almost instantaneous. She abruptly regained control of herself, unclenching her fists and settling into her usual relaxed position, leaning back on her log seat as the usual curtain of sarcasm and scorn fell across her anger. I should have known that you were too dense to understand. Well, I suppose it's your loss. Forget I said anything.
Tobias felt himself losing control of the situation again. The almost instantaneous mood shifts that the Tarsix exhibited threw him off, made him lose his train of thought. Scrambling for something to say before the win undeniably went to Accemenla, he finally stammered, "No, I won't forget"
Look, will you drop it if I promise to talk to your precious Slipstri for you? Accemenla interjected impatiently.
"But I"
Or I could not speak to you for another couple weeks while your one and only ticket home goes swimming away, she continued dispassionately.
"Ummm…." Tobias was torn. He wanted to get to the bottom of Accemenla's strange behavior, but he of course he wanted to go home…or thought he wanted to go home. Yes, that was more important. "All right," he sighed, accepting defeat.
Good. I suppose you want to go now, lest the great beast decide to up and leave between now and morning?
"Err, no," Tobias admitted. The Slipsrti was asleep, and he didn't want to awaken her under any circumstances. Most Pokemon were grouchy if awoken in the middle of the night, and a grouchy Slipstri, even one that he had saved, was not something that he wanted to deal with.
Accemenla snorted softly. Well, at least you're not a complete imbecile, she observed. See you in the morning. And with that, the enigmatic Pokemon returned to her chime, leaving a muddled Tobias to try to sort the situation as best he could.
Tobias mechanically fed Igneous and bedded down for the night. Accemenla's words kept returning to haunt him, however. This is all that thrice-damned Murkrow's fault to begin with! What did Accemenla know, or think she knew, that he didn't? Was it just her hatred of dark-types speaking or, perhaps, something more?
Accemenla was relatively cooperative the next morning, offering no resistance as Tobias led her the short distance to the beach. Jinx and Chevron declined the invitation to come along, instead opting to lounge around the fire pit for a while longer. They both had learned early on that the Slipstri was not a very friendly sort and had been avoiding her presence where possible. Tobias had moved the camp nearer to the shore after discovering the Slipstri so that, early on, he could be close by and able to reach her quickly if need be, and as far as his other Pokemon were concerned, that was as close as they needed to get to her. The Slipstri herself still wormed her way up onto the beach to sleep, a practice which puzzled Tobias because he had thought that Slipstri were more deep-water creatures, sleeping under the waves. Tobias hoped fervently that the Slipstri hadn't already left on a hunting trip by this point.
But no, he was in luck. The serpentine form of the Slipsrti was lying coiled in lazy loops on the beach, only just beginning to stir. Tobias approached her carefully, not wanting to accidentally creep up and surprise the wild creature. Instinct tended to come before gratitude, and if the Slipstri felt threatened by him, she would probably not hesitate to deal with him quite harshly.
"Hey," Tobias called, stopping a few feet away from the Pokemon. She snorted a cloud of sand grains out of her nostrils and shook her head blearily, the motion seeming awkward and lopsided due to the fact that one of her horns was now considerably shorter than the other, coming to an awkward, ragged end rather than a graceful point.
"Ummm, good morning?" Tobias tried, walking a little closer to the water-type, trying to move as loudly as possible to be sure that she noticed him. Accemenla hung back a bit, watching the Slipstri with a narrow-eyed glare.
Still, the Slipstri didn't seem to notice his presence. She dug her flippers into the sand and awkwardly began to coil her way back to the ocean. The bandages that Tobias had used on her earlier were now gone, gnawed off by her own teeth. The wosunds that had littered her hide had healed as well as they were going to, many leaving permanent scars that stood out noticeably against her normally smooth hide. Now nearly strong enough to fend for herself again, she would be leaving this foreign land soon.
Seeing the Slipstri apparently ready to head for open water and, perhaps, his last chance of finding anything out about Waytar with her, Tobias couldn't help but lunge forward after her, calling, "Wait! Stop!"
Faster than his eye could track, the Slipsrti's head whipped around, her upper body quickly following suit. She bared her teeth menacingly, letting out a loud warning hiss. To his horrid fascination, Tobias saw gobbets of dark energy slide off of the curved fangs that lined her mouth. He backpedaled, stumbling backwards only to be thrown off balance as his heel caught an irregular sand mound. He teetered on the brink of regaining his feet for a second, time seemingly slowing down as the world focused in on this one panicked moment, before he went down in a spectacular cloud of sand. He landed spread-eagled and winded on the sand, his head smarting painfully from where it had hit a shard of driftwood.
Dazed, Tobias only barely registered that the Slipstri's dangerous hiss seemed to be going on for quite a long time, though now it had taken on an odd, undulating quality. It was Accemenla's mental voice, cutting through the pained haze that shrouded his brain, that brought him back to reality. How gullible can you get? she asked in disgust.
Tobias struggled to sit up, freezing awkwardly halfway when raising himself up brought himself dangerously close to the leering head of the Slipstri. Her mouth was still open, but relaxed, the dark beads of energy gone, though Tobias could see black pockmarks in the sand beneath her mouth from where they had dripped onto the beach. She didn't immediately attack, however, and as Tobias focused more closely on the sound that she was making, he realized that she was laughing. She had heard Tobias coming up on her all along and had thought that it would be amusing to give him a good fright. Tobias himself thought that his heart might never recover; it seemed to have taken on a life of its own, beating a loud, frenzied tattoo that was only now beginning to die down.
"Well, uh, hi," Tobias said lamely, pulling himself all the way up so he sat cross-legged before the Slipstri. She stopped laughing and cocked her head at him, apparently curious. "Feeling better?" Tobias asked, not quite sure how to bring up what he really wanted to discuss. The Slipstri nodded once, warily, before returning to her previous position. "How did you get hurt in the first place? Did something attack you?" Tobias asked.
This elicited a response. The Slipsrti growled something, gnashing her teeth. Her yellow eyes seemed almost to glow with malice, and Tobias shrank back despite himself. When Accemenla's translation cut through his mind, however, it was almost bored. Clearly, the Tarsix was not impressed by the Slipstri's display of bravado.
As the land has become ever more dangerous, so too has the sea. Though his minions are fewer beneath the waves, many there are who disrupt the balance in his name. They attacked me as I was returning to the clouded land.
Tobias frowned. Back to this mysterious "him" person that Raikou had mentioned. Or was it the same one? "Who is he, the one who sent those…um, minions, after you?"
The Slipstri snorted something concise. She doesn't know, Accemenla said.
The translation didn't really seem to fit with the original action. "Really?" Tobias asked. The Slipstri, thinking it had been a direct question, looked puzzled.
Yes, of course really, Accemenla snapped. That was what she said.
The Slipstri herself merely stared blankly back and forth between guide and Pokemon, uncomprehending. Tobias realized with a jolt that Accemenla wasn't letting her in on the mental translation. Why not, though? The idea unnerved him slightly. But Accemenla wouldn't lie about what the Slipstri had said, would she?
"The clouded land?" Tobias asked. "Do you mean Waytar."
The Slipstri made dismissive gesture with a fin, bobbing her head. Yes, yes, if that's what the humans call it, Accemenla supplied.
Tobias's heart leapt. Finally he had confirmation of his greatest hope. This Slipstri had been to Waytar before, and apparently had been intending to return therefrom outside of the shield. She must know a way for him to get back in! "I'm from there, too!" he gushed before he could restrain himself. The Slipstri merely gave him an incredulous look.
I think she guessed that already, Accemenla observed drily.
"Oh, err, yeah," Tobias admitted. Probably even having heard of Waytar was a dead giveaway that you came from the hidden land. "But how did you get through the shield?"
The Slipstri gave a shot speech, occasionally gesticulating with a front fin. All dark-types can enter and exit the shield freely, Accemenla said. Tobias thought he could detect an undercurrent of some other emotion rumbling beneath the cool mental message. What was it? Bitterness, scorn, uncertainty…fear? The Slipstri migrate yearly from Waytar to some other place. She just knows it as "the sleeping land." And before you ask, no, I have no idea what that means, Accemenla continued.
Tobias took a minute to try to make sense of what had been said. All dark-types could cross through the shield? Well, he guessed that maybe that could be true. Few people would notice a missing Pokemon here or there, he supposed. But what about him? "I could get through the shield, but I'm not a dark-type Pokemon," Tobias pointed out. "Why?"
The Slipsrti just blinked at him. Puzzled, Tobias turned to Accemenla. I've got nothing, she said. Next question.
"How can I get back?" Tobias asked. "How can I find Waytar?"
The Slipstri swiveled to look at Accemenla, giving her a piercing, searching glare. Then she returned her attention to Tobias and snorted something short and simple.
The Murkrow knows the way back. He can show you, Accemenla said.
Really? Now that was interesting. Why would Jinx know the way back, and why hadn't he tried to show Tobias before? Unless…for some reason he couldn't? How was he going to get to…wherever Waytar was? He couldn't just take any Pokemon with surf; they couldn't get through the shield. Jinx couldn't fly there; he wasn't strong enough. And swimming there on his own was pretty much out of the question, too. "Couldn't you just take me?" Tobias suggested.
The Slipstri recoiled as though she had been struck across the face, hissing angrily and shaking her head vehemently. "But why not?" Tobias persisted, perhaps unwisely.
The Slipstri brought her head down, dangerously close to his face. The reek of decaying fish wafted from her open mouth as she hissed, "Sssslippsssss…."
No Slipstri would ever stoop so far as to bear a human rider, Accemenla explained. It is unwise even to ask; you're rather brave, to insult her honor so.
"Sorry," Tobias said hastily, feeling disappointment creep in like a chilly fog to shroud his happiness. "Do you know any way that I can get back? I don't have any dark-type Pokemon that can carry me through the shield right now."
The Slipstri gave him a questioning look, shaking her head slightly and sighing. Didn't you ever wonder why Murkrow guides are so feared in Waytar? Accemenla asked, translating the Slipstri's question.
"Yes!" Tobias replied enthusiastically. Would the serpent actually be able to tell him why the world seemed to turn against him after he was selected to guide Jinx? A rush of old memories came flooding back with the question: the nurse in the Pokemon center of Tomato, sleeping fitfully through a cold, wet night on the Larvari plains, Madam Truealder's horrified expression as she saw what Tobias's first chime had given to him… was there some deeper reason than just the fact that Murkrow were hated by Waytar's residents?
The Slipstri took an unusually long time to explain. Accemenla translated as she went, filling in the Slipstri's narration after a slight lag. In Waytar, there are four dark-type families, she began. First are the Slipstri, and they are far too proud to carry any human through the shield. Nor will they discuss the shield's weak points with those that they consider unworthy of the knowledge, and those that fall into this category are many. Even those pitiful captive-raised Slipstri, evolved from Blubble, will not carry their guides through the shield. They are unimportant in any event; their riders could not cross through anyway. Blubble is an accepted starter.
Skullk and its kin cannot swim, nor can it fly. As such, they have never learned that the shield may be broken.
Sneasel can swim, but are very poor at it. They hate saltwater and would not be strong enough to carry a human for any great length through the ocean as it saps their powers. Still, Sneasel guides are considered very dangerous by the shield's guardians. New guides that get a Sneasel for a starter are ostracized and heavily monitored.
Finally, there are the Murkrow. Murkrow can fly, though admittedly not far or well. This weakness can be overcome by strong guiding, however, which is what makes Murkrow guides dangerous. A well-guided Murkrow will gain the ability to enhance its flight capabilities through the use of dark energy. Murkrow are known to be far less proud than Slipstri; if they see some gain in it for themselves, they would have no qualms about taking a human through the shield. And so, guides who begin with this Pokemon are marked from the beginning. They are some of the few who can pass through the shield, should they be given the means. The Murkrow that they receive as starters will be able to take them through the shield, should they be adequately guided. Either of the two by themselves is not very dangerous, as the guide would be without transportation and the Murkrow without necessary experience. Together, they create an ignorant but still potentially deadly combination. This is why the caretakers of the shield target Murkrow guides.
It was as though a veil had been drawn back from Tobias's eyes. The reason seemed so logical, so obvious. Though he somewhat doubted the Slipstri's assertion that none of the creatures would ever consent to bear a human through the shield. Surely, there must be some who would value the chaos that it would cause more than they valued their honor? And there was something else. "Wait, you said that Murkrow guides can all go through the shield? Why?"
The Slipstri didn't answer the question, or if she did, Accemenla omitted her response. The next that Tobias heard from her was, Do you really wish to go back?
"Of course I do!" Tobias said without thinking. "I mean, why wouldn't I?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, however, they seemed rather ridiculous. Wasn't the fact that people in Waytar seemed to want to kill him a good reason not to go back? He had an easy life here in Johto, or at least as easy as it got for a trainer. What did Waytar have that Johto didn't?
The Slipstri merely shook her head, and Tobias thought that she might have sighed. Tell me, then, has your Murkrow learned to use the technique faint attack? Accemenla translated when the serpent next addressed him.
"Ummm, no…" Tobias replied, heart sinking. Would nothing ever be easy? He was sure that Jinx must be fairly close to learning the attack, but even so, he felt irked that it would take still more effort to finally achieve his goal.
That is the technique that he must master before he will be able to take you through the shield, the Slipstri announced, by way of Accemenla. Once he learns that, he will be able to carry you almost anywhere in the world.
"Almost?"
There are some places that would be dangerous to fly to, the Slipstri said with a slight wave of her flippers, a sort of shrug. Accemenla found herself unconsciously mimicking the dark-type's movements as she translated, and angrily reigned her body in, standing rigid, paws held deliberately at her sides. Is that all that you wished to ask me? the Slipstri continued. The tides call to me…it is long past time that I return to the clouded land. I think that I am well enough to make the journey, now, and I would prefer to leave as soon as I could.
"No, I guess there's nothing else," Tobias said, quickly running through the questions swirling around in his head. None of them seemed appropriate to ask the Slipstri, however. He groaned inwardly, knowing that he would probably remember something to ask her long after she had disappeared back into the trackless ocean. "So, thanks, I guess. And goodbye."
I suppose it is I that should be thanking you, was the grudging reply. Tobias smiled slightly; though neither of the two of them would appreciate the comparison, the Slipstri and her unwilling translator were very much alike. Farewell, human, the Slipstri concluded, turning away from him. Her powerful body slithered across the sandy beach, sliding foot by foot into the water. Tobias watched her go with an odd mixture of emotions.
He felt happy, of course, that he had been able to find out a way back to his homeland. Still, he was almost disappointed at how simple the answer really was. After all this time of searching and hoping, he had been expecting some sort of grand quest to unlock an ancient artifact or fulfill a prophecy. As the Slipstri's fluked tail at last slithered off of the sand and into the foam of a breaking wave, Tobias felt the bizarre urge to wave at the departing Pokemon, much as he might wave at a ship carrying a friend or family member out of port and off to some distant land.
The Slipstri had reached deep water and was beginning to accelerate before suddenly stopping and calling something back over the water. Tobias didn't know how Accemenla discerned the hissing cries from the roar and slosh of the waves, but she did, and relayed, Oh, and human, tell the Murkrow that Alsokaran will hear of this. By your actions, his debt has been repaid in full.