[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Another day, another- oh. Oh, wow. Isaac didn't even have time to get to his usual "I'm bored of being hospitalized" internal monologue before the sound of frenzied footsteps cut him off. Huh. This was new. Usually, if there was chaos in the hospital, he had a hand in it.[break][break]

Perhaps he was more right than he knew. The frenzied footsteps stopped in front of his door. After a little bit of hushed muttering, in came Asher with food in tow and an Alolan Marowak at his side. Isaac could barely even finish saying "hi" before the teen burst into a flood of worries, threats, and cares.[break][break]

Normally, Isaac found being fussed over kind of stressful, but it was kinda sweet coming from a little brother figure. "Relax, relax, I'm okay," he said between laughs, shooting Asher an easygoing smile. A tension headache induced wince chose the worst time to punctuate that sentence, but he tried to keep the smile holding strong as it passed. "Or, at least, okay as I can be."[break][break]

Asher was all too enthusiastic to get even. Isaac counted his lucky stars that Ashley Shepard wasn't here right now; hoo boy, would that make things awkward! "Honestly? I just hope you're never in a position where you gotta fight like this," Isaac admitted. "Trust me. It isn't worth it. Nothing is."[break][break]

It was true, Isaac's wound didn't come from a battle. But a war was so much more than a series of clashes.[break][break]

At least some hot food did just the thing to distract him from that cold reality. "Now this is what I'm talking about! Thanks, Asher," Isaac said, a big, grateful grin spreading across his face. "Trust me. The hardest part about injured's not the injury; it's the food around here!" That food was gonna vanish in seconds at this rate.[break][break]

"Here's hoping things've been going a lot better on your end."

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]"Well, when my brain feels like being clear and convincing, I'll give you a call," Isaac teased. "Trust me. Trying to figure out how you're feeling when you're like this is . . . hard. Harder than you could ever guess, until Arceus forbid it's your turn."[break][break]

It was always so easy. "I'm sorry for your loss." "I would react better than this." "It can't be that bad." People had a million and one ways of weighing in on others' troubles. Then, as soon as something bad happened to them, it was like their brains shut down. Forget words; even thoughts failed them. Isaac could barely comprehend how he felt about this whole situation. It was so much better than it could have been, but so much worse than he had ever feared. There were moments where he could joke around with an easy smile, and moments where he wanted to break into pained, screaming sobs. How was he supposed to say how he felt to others when he was like this?[break][break]

At least food helped. If it ever didn't, that was his cue to stop the world so he could get off. "Good on ya. Self sufficiency and talent are gonna take you far, one way or another." The former without the latter helped you tread water. The latter without the former got you aiming high but falling far. Together, they were an unstoppable pair.[break][break]

Since they last met, things had been pretty easygoing for Asher. Minor jobs and bonding time with his team were the real highlights. Good. The last thing Isaac needed was Asher rushing into this Rocket stuff and getting in over his head. Maybe by giving the kid some proper training, he'd be able to ensure that.[break][break]

After all, they did have plans.[break][break]

"Ah, heck. Sorry. I'd say it slipped my mind, but luckily that's still in one piece," Isaac joked. "I'm not sure how great of a rider I'm gonna be with my depth perception out of whack. Arceus knows I shouldn't even be in the vicinity of a motorcycle right now. But the nice thing about Pokemon is they know what they're doing, so Buffaloman should be able to fill in for what I lack."[break][break]

"You said your Rapidash is clashing with the team? Anything in particular seem to get things fraying?"

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Isaac wished it was that simple. Sometimes, a muddled mind just came from being loaded up to the gills with morphine. But sometimes it came from a place of genuine indecision, confusion, and heartbreak. The former, in responsible cases, passed with time and distance. The latter? That was a mountain Isaac would have to climb on his own.[break][break]

"You're darn right I will," he said, his best cocky grin on his face. "Everything sucks right now, but I'm never gonna let this beat me."[break][break]

He didn't care if it took months. He didn't care if took years. He didn't care if in the process he tore his hair out from the stress, or beat his head bloody against the mountain he had to climb. If he accepted that this was It for him, he might as well have died up on Mt. Pyre.[break][break]

Part of that was helping where he could, and that would have to be more social than physical for a while. Frou-Frou had one friend (Dazzle), a few Pokemon keeping her in check (mostly Ground and Water types), and plenty of other Pokemon that she picked fights with or bullied around. She sounded like the alpha diva type, and even her own trainer was having trouble reaching her.[break][break]

"Alright. You've already got a foot in the door with Dazzle. That's a good thing." If she liked and trusted Dazzle, Dazzle could be the key to turning around her opinions. "How does Dazzle get along with the rest of the team? Are these a pair of loners? Or could Dazzle be the bridge we're looking for here?"

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]Interesting. Perhaps Asher's assessment was only partially right. Maybe it wasn't that Dazzle was the mom figure. Maybe it was more that she was the cool aunt figure. She wasn't going to parent Asher's team 24/7, and tended to be off doing her own thing. But she'd stick her neck for the outcasts, protect the children, and entertain the rest enough to make them smile before sending them away. Regardless, she seemed well on her way to becoming a fixture of the team.[break][break]

"What's Noodles like? Is he a bit of an outcast type, too? It could be Dazzle's sticking her neck out to make sure at least someone's there for those on the sidelines." It was at least a theory worth putting forward. "Does she get upset if Frou-Frou and Dazzle get tense with each other? Or do they usually stay apart?"[break][break]

Isaac almost hoped it would be the latter. It was easy to keep your guard raised when you only had one ally worth keeping around. They were the Exception, the Ideal. Throw in a second, and you start to realize that maybe not all of your teammates are beneath you. Even if they just formed a little three amigos deal, that would be better than nothing. Especially if Dazzle and Noodles played nicer with others than she did.[break][break]

"Getting her in with them might help her get out of her shell. But that's respecting Pokemon. Respecting you might be a different story." Some Pokemon craved the guidance of their trainers. Some could take it or leave it. Some flat-out resented it. But some made you fight for it. "You're gonna need to prove your worth to her, as a trainer and a rider. If she's not aggressive, it's a sign she doesn't hate you. But she might think she's beneath your notice right now. That means you gotta show her up and prove her wrong."[break][break]

"Luckily for you, I've got an ace in the hole. Guess who caught a Gogoat recently?" With Asher aiming to get riding lessons, Isaac made a point of finding a wild one in the days before the Mt. Pyre incident. "Handle like a dream. Surprisingly quick. Even have their own handlebars and saddles built in. Can't ask for an easier first ride than this."[break][break]

"You get some practice on Goatercycle, and I guarantee you'll have some new tricks for teaching Frou-Frou a thing or two."

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]So Noodles and the babies helped connect Dazzle to the group. Dazzle helped connect Frou-Frou for the group. Isaac could see the individual links on the chain. Now they just had to find a way to tie it all together. "So long as Dazzle's got a soft spot for Noodles, and Noodles wants everyone to get along, that should at least be a start." Isaac said. It wasn't a perfect solution, especially considering the fights were still going on. But sometimes a start was all you could ask for.[break][break]

At the mention of his Cyndaquil, Isaac couldn't help but laugh a little. "Funny story, actually. You know those space-time rifts going around Hoenn?" Isaac asked. God, after the Meteno incident, those felt like yesterday's news. It was surreal to say about little distortions in the fabric of time. "We got caught in one. I came out of it alright, but Hearth ended up getting a bit of a growth spurt. He's still adorable. But he's a lot more in touch with his spiritual side now."[break][break]

Maybe he'd take the strange, time-displaced Typhlosion to Mt. Pyre sometime. Maybe he'd be able to help ease the restless dead.[break][break]

Apparently Frou-Frou wasn't just horse sized. She was absolutely fuckmassive. "Sheesh, no wonder she's always trying to throw her weight around." If he was ten feet tall, he'd have a way bigger ego, too! "Alphas like that might never get along with you, no matter how much you try to bargain with them. And little spats aren't gonna do much to their fighting spirit. I can see why you've been having so much trouble."

"You wanna get an alpha to acknowledge you? You're gonna have to challenge it for its spot. Maybe taking her for a ride to get her used to you is putting the cart before the . . . well, y'know." At least this gave them an oh-so-tantalizing backup option. "You might just have to beat her at her own game instead."[break][break]

It looked like Goatercycle was going to have to be more than a pair of training wheels today. Interesting.

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]"Why don't you see for yourself?" Isaac said, a teasing smirk spreading across his face. "Echo! Ex!" At his call, a Rotom sprang from his phone and a Ralts appeared by his side. The two had basically become his personal assistants since the injury; in every sense of the word, invaluable. "Can you guys pop over to the Center and bring back Hearth for me?" Echo saluted, took Ex Machina's hand, and teleported away.[break][break]

Within moments, they returned, Echo lobbing a Pokeball towards Isaac. Unfortunately, with the state of his depth perception, his attempt at catching the ball just lead to him getting bopped on the noggin. Echo giggled a little at the incident, only laughing more at Isaac's irritated "Oiiiiiiiiii."[break][break]

Once he fumbled the ball back into his hand, Isaac tossed it by his side. Normally, Typhlosion were creatures of pure intensity; bristling fur, sharp, focused eyes, and flames that seemed to explode from its body. If they were triangles, the Typhlosion that Isaac released was all swooping curves; smoothed out fur patterns, a relaxes facial impression, and gently-flickering wisps of purple flame.[break][break]

"Here's Hearth; all grown up now." Hearth looked towards Asher, shooting him a soft smile and a gentle nod. He'd seen the boy before, both weeks ago and decades ago. Time was such a curious thing, was it not? "He's a lot more in tune with the spirits now. Kinda like an Alolan Marowak in that regard."[break][break]

As Hearth curled against Isaac's side, he considered the ideas of bonds and strength. Did bonds exist to serve the strong? Or did strength exist to preserve and protect bonds? Such was the conundrum the two weighed as they planned how they would handle this. Asher's approach was certainly more direct than Isaac figured, earning a little snicker in response. "No, no, not like that. Good hustle, though. Gotta respect that."[break][break]

"What I'm thinking is you take her on, head to head, winner takes all. Maybe its a battle. Maybe its a race. But some sorta competition with a result she can't ignore. Show her that you're the one in charge here, and when push comes to shove she's gotta respect you. But also show her that, by putting your heads together, you can help her be more than she ever was alone. That's the mark of a truly great trainer. They don't just have strong Pokemon. They work with 'em, two halves of one whole, and bring out all their potential."[break][break]

"Right now, she might not think you can do that for her. What better way to catch her eye than to prove her wrong?"

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skullbody"]"That's the spirit." Asher was many things. A quitter wasn't one of them. Seeing that fire lit under him (pun only mildly intended) never failed to get a smile on Isaac's face. "And once you've got your plan, just let me know. Only fair I finally make good on that promise to train you, right?"[break][break]

Frankly, he wished he could train himself as well as he could train others. This depth perception change was going to haunt him for a long time. Even now, it was hard not to have the specter of uselessness hovering over his head. Ultimately, he knew it would only make things worse if he let those thoughts linger. But how could he not?[break][break]

"After all, I'll be blowing this joint before you know it," he said, hoping against hope that there was truth layered in his own bravado. "They just wanted to make sure nothing went wrong with the removal. Once they're one checking, I'm in the clear."[break][break]

He still didn't feel great. But he already knew he'd never feel great-great again. Why let it hold him back? And if it held him back on the inside, why let it show on his outside?[break][break]

[break][break]

[break]