บท 50: Unchained Mind
See the title comment for the Pidgeot's picture.
............
A small tornado whipped around the Pidgeot ruffling its feathers as it regally hovered in the sky.
Like a mythical creature of the old, the Pidgeot exuded an ethereal elegance and power.
Its eyes glowed with untold wisdom. Its talons radiated power and sharpness bearing down on the world.
The Majestic Bird waved its wing in the direction of the Steel Pokemon, making the soaring Skarmory sputter and slow down- like it crashed into a solid wall.
The Skarmory screeched with indignation before trying to close the distance again.
But the result wasn't pretty. Whenever the steel bird of prey entered a range of 100M near the Pidgeot, it was tossed back like it weighed nothing, all the while the Pidgeot imperiously stared down at the Skarmory not even gesturing with its wings after the first time.
After getting thrown back multiple times, the Skarmory stared at the Pidgeot. Rage blinded its eyes as its carapace shined multiple times.
'What move is that?'
The Skarmory became quite nimble and agile, dodging the gales of wind unleashed by the Elite Pidgeot.
It crossed 50 more meters before it started acting like a drunk and started going haywire. Tumbling in different directions, the Skarmory dropped some height before stabilizing itself.
'What just happened?' I wondered.
As if she heard the question, Xatu replied.
"That's what will happen when someone directly alters the wind that helps you fly. In human terms, it's like someone applying force on your legs to disrupt your movement or to topple you when you have one leg in the air."
'Neat,' I exclaimed.
After imitating a drunk whenever it flew close to the Pidgoet, rage lessened in the Skarmory's eyes. But its body glowed multiple times again, appearing as though its steel frame had gained additional weight.
'Iron defence.' I recognized the move.
This time the Skarmory dashed straight at the Pidgeot, nimbly dancing around the powerful gales. The wind under its wings fruitlessly tried to unbalance the Skarmory.
I raised an eyebrow at that, turning towards the Xatu.
From what I have seen today, some extra weight is not enough to fly against the winds when Wild Elite is controlling them, I mean the Pidgeot effortlessly tossed the Skarmory's whole body at the start.
I don't see why it couldn't use the winds surrounding the Skarmory's wing to fracture it or something.
'We are trying to help a fellow Skyfarer to awaken, child. Not trying to beat it up.' Xatu's voice rang in my head, chiding me.
'Man! These psychics,' I grumbled as much as I liked to have answers to my unasked questions, the effortless manner a psychic Pokemon can access my mind still didn't sit right with me.
20M.
10M.
Just when I thought they were going to crash into each other, the Pidgeot gracefully dived into a parabolic arc and rotated, facing towards the Skarmory's departing back.
It was like the Pidgeot was underwater, the movement was graceful and fluid. The Pidgeot seemingly moved with the wind, instead of wrestling with the wind to stay afloat.
The Skarmory was relentless in its pursuit. But the Pidgeot always evaded the Skarmory like it was dancing with the wind.
Slowly but surely the Skarmory tried to imitate the Pidgoet. Instead of flapping its powerful wings, without a break to force the wind, the Skarmory tried to ride the wind like the Pidgeot was doing.
If at the start of the battle the wind acted out of control responding to the fury of the Skarmory, aimlessly showcasing its power, now it responded in harmony with the Skarmory's wishes, aiding the steel bird.
The wind wasn't as powerful, but it was in control of the Skarmory.
Rage slowly receded from the steel Pokemon's eyes as it got immersed in the new feeling of control, finally noticing the winds responding to it.
"Ah! There it breaks. At last, the Skyfarer is unchained. There it blooms- the nascent thought from the unchained mind." Xatu's words deeply resonated in my mind.
The two Pokemon danced to a tune unheard by the rest of us, the wind merrily adhering to their whims.
'I want to fly like that too,' I thought, immersed in their peaceful rhythm.
The Skarmory made a piercing cry, the wind carrying the sound to us. But this time the cry gave of a feeling of untold infectious joy, pure like a baby's laugh, forcing a smile onto my face and snapping me out of the funk I was in the last few days.
The Pidgeot cried, issuing a challenge and blurring into the distance. The Skarmory looked surprised before following the mighty bird with the same vigour.
"Let's depart children, some of you will have to participate in the third round today." The serene voice of the Xatu snapped me of the peaceful state I was in, making the gears of my mind turn on registering the Xatu's words.
"Wait! Wha-"
Our surroundings turned into a whirl of colours before we appeared in front of a wooden cabin, standing on a floor paved with smooth stones.
I turned towards the dozen other trainers and noticed the absence of Amanda, Madlyn, and Mike.
Each trainer had a peaceful expression before turning to a nervous one, the crowd quickly buzzed with whispers of what they had just witnessed and some even looked afraid.
As if waiting for this moment, the Xatu appeared before the crowd levitating a dozen feet off the ground.
"Silence!" The Xatu waved its wings punctuating its words with a small burst of wind that ruffled the trainers' clothes.
"You all witnessed something rare today and feeling afraid is normal, but don't be afraid for humans are not as defenceless as you think."
"With that out of the way, let's start the third round. Instructions will be provided in the cabin, form a line and calmly enter the cabin."
'OH! COME ON, COME ON!' I was vexed with the ill-concealed mystery; I wanted answers, and I wanted them baaaad.
As the trainers formed a line, I was mentally shouting in my mind trying to attract the attention of the drama-loving bird.
"You can stop shouting trainer Leon. I can hear you."
"Can you tell me, what you meant by 'humans are not defenceless'," I asked, trying my best to project my hope, and giving the Xatu mental puppy eyes.
"It is not my place to inform you of that, trainer Leon," The Xatu said, making me take deep breaths at her response.
"Please call me Leo and you can tell me. I don't have guardians anymore," I voiced my thoughts, intently staring at the Psychic Pokemon.
"Unfortunate as it is, the League will inform you after you gain your third badge, the league is quite protective of its trainers and quite more so for talented trainers like you."
"OH, COME ON, can I do anything to change your mind," I asked stubbornly.
The Xatu met my eyes for a second before her voice echoed in my mind.
"Impress me with your performance in this round and I will tell you."
I grinned widely on hearing that.
"Now, it seems it is your turn, Leo."
I was the only one outside, the rest disappeared into the cabin, making me dash into the wooden cabin.
Celia was seated behind a semicircular arrangement of tables that held wooden boxes. She looked like she wanted to talk to me before schooling her expression into her normal cold one.
"The wooden boxes will glow after a buzzer rings, you will have to point to the box that calls to you with your eyes closed. But before that no Pokemon are allowed in this round, leave your Pokeballs here, they will be healed," she said motioning me to stand in an area marked on the floor and to a tray.
I nodded and left my Pokeballs in the tray before positioning myself within the marked area, right at the centre of the semi-circle formed by the tables.
I closed my eyes waiting for the buzzer.
A shrill sound rang and before it ended my hand was pointing towards a wooden box.
'What was that? I didn't move my arm,' I thought confused, before I could think deeply about it, I got a little disoriented making me open my eyes.
"Wow!" I exclaimed, surprised by the marvellous scenery in front of me.
I stood at a tremendous height, on a mountain's edge, gazing down at the world below.
Trees as small as ants covered the land until the horizon.
Harsh winds nearly threw me off the mountain, making me chuckle and go down on my knees for leverage.
The Xatu appeared with a hang glider in tow and looked at me, amused by my position.
"Now! You will be using this glider to collect the floating objects that are waiting for you in the sky," the Xatu said gesturing to the blue-colored glider.
The glider looked more sophisticated than the pictures of them on earth.
It looked more compact and futuristic.
"But I don't know how to operate one," I worriedly exclaimed at her ridiculous notion.
"It's quite easy, just like riding a bicycle- they said. Now you will have a time limit. The faster you reach the destination, collecting the objects in your course, the better your results will be. Just follow the same direction you are facing right now." Xatu waved her wing, levitating me and attaching me to the hang glider.
"But. But…"
"Your time starts now, shout 'ready'. Whenever you want to take off."
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