"Can you walk on your own?" Alex lowered his head slightly, still holding Misty in his arms as if protecting a fragile treasure. His voice was low and deep, yet carried a distinct note of concern.
"Uh… but… yes…" Misty replied awkwardly, her cheeks suddenly flushing as though a warm gust of wind had swept over her. Her heart was racing, and she could feel Alex's firm embrace slowly loosen.
He set her down gently, as if afraid that the slightest carelessness would hurt her. Immediately, his eyes shifted to the massive Gyarados ahead. Under the reflection of the water's surface, its scales shimmered, yet its blood-red eyes still burned with killing intent—like a fierce beast just waiting to break free from its chains.
"Your Gyarados… did something provoke it, causing it to attack you?" Alex asked. His tone was no longer as soft as before, but carried a hint of severity.
At the moment, Gyarados was immobilized under Gardevoir's Hypnosis. Its massive, serpent-like body floated on the water's surface, its fins twitching slightly with a faint, unsettling swish.
Yet even under hypnosis, the ferocity in its gaze hadn't faded. Like an ember smoldering in ashes, it only needed a single gust of wind to ignite into a raging blaze.
"Y-yes!" Misty answered, her earlier awkwardness replaced by tension as her eyes met Gyarados's. In that moment, she wasn't looking at her rescuer anymore—she was looking at the Pokémon she had bonded with for so long. She took a step forward, intending to approach and comfort it.
"Don't." Alex moved to block her path, his voice firm. "If words alone could calm it down, it wouldn't have attacked you in the first place."
He cast a glance at the motionless Staryu beside them. "Your Starfish knows Recover, right? Let it heal itself first. If not, give it this fruit."
Alex reached into his bag and took out a plump, round grapefruit, placing it in Misty's hand. "I'll handle the rest."
"Okay!" Hearing his calm and confident tone, Misty felt a surge of reassurance. She gripped the grapefruit tightly and hurried over to Staryu, checking its injuries with anxious eyes.
Turning back to Gyarados, Alex knew that if he couldn't keep it under hypnosis and return it to its Poké Ball, there would be no choice but to bring it down.
[Level]: Base 33 (temporarily boosted to 43)[Type]: Water, Flying[Ability]: Intimidate (lowers the opponent's Attack upon entering battle)[Description]: Gyarados is an extremely aggressive Pokémon. It is believed that when it evolves from Magikarp, changes in its brain structure cause its temperament to become far more violent.
"Hoo… hoo… hoo…" Heavy breaths echoed from its mouth. Its massive body began to twitch, as if struggling against invisible chains.
And then… the crimson gleam in its eyes flared to life again.
"Rocky, Thunder Punch! Luna, Mystical Fire!"
At the command, Lucario darted forward, his lightning-charged fist slicing through the air before slamming into Gyarados's stomach. A sharp crack resounded as electricity surged through its body.
Almost simultaneously, Gardevoir unleashed a swirling blast of mystical flames, a swirl of crimson-orange enveloping Gyarados's head.
But the beast refused to fall. It roared, sending water spraying like a sudden downpour, and lashed its tail so hard that Lucario was forced back several meters.
Alex narrowed his eyes. "Strong… in this state, it's even tougher than a normal level 43 Gyarados."
"Rocky, one more Thunder Punch! Luna, keep up Mystical Fire!"
This time, both Pokémon went all out. Lucario's electrified punch landed squarely, while Gardevoir's brilliant flames engulfed the creature. Finally—Gyarados trembled, then collapsed into the water with a deep, heavy SPLASH.
Misty rushed forward, tossing a Poké Ball to recall it.
"Get it to a Pokémon Center. It'll be fine," Alex reassured her, his voice softer now.
"Yes… thank you!" Misty bowed her head, her tone sincere.
Alex smiled, recalling Rocky and Luna into their Poké Balls. As he set his backpack down, Misty suddenly noticed—his left hand was covered in blood.
"Your… your hand's injured!"
"It's nothing," he said lightly, smiling as if brushing it off. "Just a surface wound."
But Misty wasn't listening anymore. She snatched the first-aid kit from his grasp, disinfected the wound, applied powder, and wrapped the bandage neatly. Her movements were quick and steady, like those of a trained nurse.
Alex chuckled softly. "… Your technique is pretty professional."