The Wandering Warrior

Once ignored by the throngs, the cage was now choked with a glut of rowdy spectators around its sides. The crowds moshed against the steel bars like waves of a stormy sea. The white platform was illuminated with the dancing colors of strobe lights.

“Turn up the heat, everyone!” an Exploud announced with his booming, unassailable howl. “Edge and edge will clash in this serrated showdown inside Ring #4! Brace yourself for the two fearsome fighters!”

The Exploud flicked his arm to one side. “Toward my right stands the giant horn of madness, the bold new blood with guts harder than rock. He is a rising meteor, ready to set a new era in stone. Rrrrhyzooo the Rrrrrrhydoooon!“

Under the blinking spotlight, Rhyzo raised his arms and clenched his fists, baring his fangs to the raucous audience. “Just watch me begin my journey to greatness,” he bragged, giving a smug look to the spectators. “I’ll be the Pokémon who will destroy Team Renegade for good. Before Hado or Dynamo can!”

The audience was stunned into silence by Rhyzo’s declaration. Murmurs steamed from the crowd. He could identify critical remarks that drove needles into his unassailable bravado.

“Halt your discussions and listen to this humdinger!” the Exploud rallied, pointing his hoof opposite Rhyzo. “You won’t believe who Rhyzo has chosen to make his debut! This infamous veteran is the bottomless ocean, the tsunami who swallows competitors whole. He has sailed many years, but his chitin remains spotless. Rrrroniiiinnn the Gooolisopoooood!”

Another spotlight burst into light, revealing the gallant isopod. He protracted the claws of his massive armored hindarms and swiped them. The audience gasped in awe, proving that Ronin’s reputation was not just a fable.

A switch screamed and Luminous Orbs flooded the cage with light. Rhyzo’s blood-red irises met Ronin’s solemn cross pupils as the two warriors marched closer to each other.

Surge peered from under the platform, concealing him from the commotion. Shade lay beside his feet, her breaths deep and deliberate. Surge had suggested a breathing exercise to alleviate her agony at witnessing the violent battles in the Bonanza, and it appeared to work, isolating her from this den and into a colorless, detached plane.

“Do it for us, Rhyzo!” Surge cheered, grasping the wires.

That sentence was an utter paradox to him. Ever since that ignominious decision at Poppyham, Surge never believed a time he would root for this selfish, stubborn embarrassment of a leader and dungeoneer. Then again, all of them were desperate for a sufficient fortune to eat three meals a day, afford tools for their explorations and maintain their health. Rooting against him would deny these necessities in an exercise of hypocrisy.

Surge’s cry dissipated in the rumbles of the crowd before it could register in Rhyzo’s ears. As the audience’s fervor boiled, an Absol referee, wearing a black-and-white striped shirt, strode into the cage. He looked at the two competitors and banged a bell around his neck. The bell made a shrill ring.

Rhyzo roared and summoned a Rock Slide. The audience perked their ears at his bellowing voice as a meteor shower of stones manifested above Ronin.

As the barrage of rocks were about to collide and crush him, the Golisopod didn’t move a muscle.

Aqua Jet, Ronin commanded himself.

A deluge of water surged around him in an instant. Wreathed in this aquatic shield, he burst toward Rhyzo, leaving behind a trail of spraying water. Several rocks that would have struck him were swallowed by the water and eroded into sediment while the rest bounced off the ring’s rubbery surface. The audience erupted into cheers at his maneuver.

He stopped mere feet away from Rhyzo and the Aqua Jet dissipated.

“How did you lug your heavy ass around?!” Rhyzo snarled in disbelief. “You could have slammed that Aqua Jet into me, thespian. Get schooled by my Rock Blast!” He unleashed a swarm of stones at Ronin.

Ronin glared at the hurtling Rock Blasts.

Protect.

He crossed his hindarms into an X-shape and a sphere of solid light blinked into existence around him. The Rock Blasts clashed against its hexagonal surface.

As Rhyzo tossed more Rock Blasts and Ronin maintained his Protect, adrenaline coursed through Surge’s veins as he observed each move and counter.

“Finish him off, Rhyzo!” Surge encouraged. “Bag as much money as you can!”

The Rhydon accelerated his Rock Blasts. Cracks began to form in the Protect shield’s surface as more and more stones battered it.

Ronin brought a leg back. Sucker Punch, he initiated.

The Protect shield shattered and was replaced by a malevolent purple aura. With the force of this aura, Ronin flung his own body backward faster than the Rock Blasts could cross. He zipped to the edge of the cage and used its momentum to rebound himself at the same throttling speed.

He raised his right hindarm and charged it with aquatic energy. He slashed the Razor Shell against the incoming Rock Blasts. The stones were sliced into tiny fragments that scattered on the ring.

“Hurling your body at me, huh?” Rhyzo taunted, jamming his fists together. “How stupid of you to ask for a Horn Attack!” He crouched, pushed a hoof aside and aimed his horn at the lunging crustacean.

Ronin withdrew his right hindarm and drew his left.

Liquidation.

A titanic blade of water erupted from the claws of his left hindarm. The fluid katana shimmered under the spotlights.

Rhyzo glanced above and recoiled at the glinting tip of the Liquidation sword.

How did you pull that shit off?! Rhyzo’s mind raced with shock, but he had no time to rile up Ronin. He braced himself and charged a Hammer Arm. Hot orange energy crackled in his right arm, swelling it with power.

Ronin swung his hindarm. Rhyzo retracted his right arm.

The Liquidation sword and the Hammer Arm punch collided.

SLASH

The Liquidation cleaved through the Hammer Arm as if it were just a hologram. The humongous water blade drove into Rhyzo’s rock-armored chest. Splatters of water were flung everywhere, leaving behind an explosive mist.

Rhyzo let out a wail of pain as water dug into his hide. He was swept off his hooves and toppled on his tail.

The referee, who had been standing at one edge of the cage, walked to Rhyzo’s soaked, still body.

“Rhyzo is unable to battle,” he announced, peering into the abyss of the Rhydon’s agape mouth. “Ronin is the winner.”

Amid a burst of cheers from the audience, Surge lowered his head, keeping his paws around steel bars. Aww, there goes our 500 bucks. At least Rhyzo didn’t throw us into the fire this time.

He saw Ronin raise his hindarm with the referee. He’s just unlucky to go up against a Pokémon in a league of his own. That’s what a well of experience in dueling does.

“What’s causing that noise, Surge?” Shade asked, raising her head. “Did Rhyzo win?”

“No,” he replied. “Ronin won the battle by a handsome margin.”

“Oh… Do you have to pay those 500 golds?”

“The bet’s not set yet, but I regret the margin of victory might exceed our coffers.”

Shade blinked at him.

“Luckily, Rhyzo can book another battle where the odds will be more favorable. I’ll goad him to make it quick and we’ll go to the ice cream parlor together.” Surge gave a thumbs-up.

Shade rolled her eyes around the crowded arena and the battles raging in the other cages. “A delay…” she whispered.

---

On the floor, Rhyzo’s eyes flickered. Flare was the first Pokémon he saw, dangling a Plain Seed in her claw.

“What are you doing here, Flare?” he mumbled. “Did you kiss me out of unconsciousness?” he added in distrust.

“How could I, daydreamer?” laughed the Salazzle. “That would be sick. Look at this used Reviver Seed.” She flicked the seed side-by-side like a pendulum. “I revived you with this.”

Rhyzo pushed his claws against the floor and raised his body. A few inches later, he lost his grip and collapsed with a thud.

“You should wait for your body to gather steam,” Flare advised. She held Rhyzo’s claw and helped him onto his rear. “Eat this Sitrus Berry to kick-start it.”

Rhyzo grabbed the fruit from Flare’s other claw and tossed it into his mouth. Its sweet juices flowed down his throat and energized him.

“Good job reviving me,” said Rhyzo, holding his horn. “That Golisopod’s a Mewdamn beast. No wonder he’s the only available challenger.”

“At least he finally got a battle to subsist on.”

Damn, I can only hope he doesn’t charge more than 500, Rhyzo resigned before clenching his fist. By Victini’s ears, if the Bonanza never offered infinite battles, I would have been screwed.

With an indulgent grin, he strode to Surge and Shade at the other side of the deserted cage. I can rack up as many coins as I want! My TM dreams aren’t snuffed out. Ronin’s Aqua Jet tricks blazed in his mind. And Ronin… cannot be left behind.

“Hello, Rhyzo!” Surge greeted, waving a paw. “How was the battle?”

“It’s not just a loss,” he replied, “It’s an awesome loss. And…” He laid a claw to the back of his head. “I admit Ronin fully deserved the win. That Liquidation katana is the sort of craziness exclusive to Master Rank dungeoneers. You know, Team Evolution and their ilk.”

“Nice to see you accepting a defeat for once,” said Surge, nodding. “How much should we reward him?”

“I don’t know about that yet. Let’s meet him. We’ve got extra business to do.”

Surge withdrew the pouch of 500 golds from his bag.

Team Venture found Ronin at one corner of the cage, sitting on his crate with his hindclaws retracted. He was writing haikus in a scroll held in two of his tiny forearms. His conical hat leaned on his head, obscuring his face and blocking the howls of the other battles in the arena.

“Ronin the Golisopod,” Surge began, offering a paw. “We would like to have a conversation with you.”

Ronin got up, left his scroll on the crate and lifted his hat. He kowtowed at Surge, Rhyzo and Shade, who reared back and widened their eyes.

“What’s with the grand gesture?” Rhyzo commented. “We’re not the Queen and her supreme knights.”

“Hush,” Surge chastised the Rhydon. “Don’t make stray comments when we’re having a serious conversation.”

“You sound like my bitchy caretakers,” retorted Rhyzo with pain brewing in his mind. “Don’t drag me back to my horrid past!”

“Excuse me, Golisopod,” Surge said, drawing an arm in front of Rhyzo. “My teammate is quite rough around the edges to begin with.”

“Teammate?” Ronin muttered as his antennae jumped.

“Yes. We’re Team Venture and Rhyzo is our leader.”

“Dungeoneers?” Ronin breathed out as his pupils shrank. He tipped his hat under his face.

“To start with, thanks for giving me an epic beatdown,” Rhyzo applauded. “You must have the talent to take down Smite!”

Ronin was silent as he kept a hindclaw to his hat.

“What reward do you accept?” Surge offered, showing the pouch to Ronin. “500 golds?”

“A hundred is enough,” Ronin stated, raising his hat and closing his eyes. His cross pupils became narrower.

“Only a hundred?” Rhyzo gasped. “That’s way too disproportionate to your performance! Don’t be such a miser!”

“I do not battle for wealth. Only for subsistence.”

“Then where did you get your Liquidation sword from? You couldn’t have mastered it without shelling some hefty bucks to a move tutor.”

“It is natural to every Golisopod.” He drew two of his six foreclaws. “Please paw over my reward. I must depart now.” He loosed a small pouch from his waist, untied it and held it in front of Surge.

“Wait a minute, Ronin!” Rhyzo persuaded as Surge counted the coins. “Just to let you know, your performance is too kickass to ignore.”

Surge finished counting and filled Ronin’s pouch with 100 golds.

“We, Team Venture, aspire to ascend the stairs of power. Sadly, we’re rooted to the scrap heap, far away from the elites we want to surpass.”

“And so we were forced to engage in this battle ring,” added Surge, glancing at Ronin’s obscured head, “to raise a sufficient sum.”

“You’re a diamond in the rough, Ronin,” Rhyzo continued with a grin. “I want a powerhouse to marshal our way through the dungeons. My current teammates are…” He gave a snide look at Surge and Shade. “…not exactly suited for this role.”

The Rhydon put a hoof forward and drew a claw. “With all these stuff considered, do you want to join Team Venture?”

Ronin blinked.

“You’ll be a reliable asset to us,” Surge assured. “You’ll even lift mine and Shade’s battling burdens.”

Shade nodded in agreement with Surge, turning her good eye to him.

“You know what they say, the more the merrier,” Rhyzo figured. “Join Team Venture and we’ll kick a million asses together!”

Ronin pulled his hat off his face, closed his eyes and shook his head.

“I’m sorry,” the Golisopod declared. “I decline your offer.”

“Huh?!” Rhyzo’s eyes bulged. “You’re kidding. Aren’t you craving for treasure and accolades?”

“Ronin,” Surge countered, gesturing with his paws. “You can’t rely on shady activities like this ring. You’ll be caught anytime. Exploring dungeons is a far more esteemed and mainstream career.”

“Team Venture, I understand your considerations,” he replied, “but I choose to be a lone Lycanroc. I prefer to drift in the annals of recognition.” He gave a look at Surge, Rhyzo and Shade. “You three alone possess bottomless potential. Cherish and use it wisely.”

“But-” Surge tried to hold Ronin’s hindarm.

“Do not hold any reservations for my lifestyle,” told Ronin. “One battle a day is enough for me. When I am done, I will depart.”

I can’t let that badass slip through my claws, Rhyzo rued. “Being alone will bite your ass in the long run!” he cried. “What will happen when you face a Gyarados who’ll resist all your moves? You’re better off with Team Venture!”

Ronin picked up the scroll from the crate and tore off the top of the paper. “Here is my parting gift,” he offered with the strip of paper. “It is one of my poems.”

Surge collected the strip and said, “I appreciate your kindness, but why are you in a rush?”

“I am about to leave. Today’s quota is satisfied. Thank you for your attention and cooperation.” He lifted his hat and bowed again. “Farewell.”

As Ronin turned around and pulled his hat down his face, Rhyzo brought his arms forth and called, “What farewell?! Don’t be so down on yourself!”

The Golisopod strode into the distance, his armor plates shining under the Luminous Orbs. Surge, Rhyzo and Shade stood and watched the glint of armor disappear into the crowd.

Damn it, Rhyzo pressed a claw against his face and grimaced. I finally find an extraordinary warrior to recruit and he repays me with this?! Well, a hundred more potential teammates are already lurking in here. Just wait till I book another battle!

Surge sighed. “The gentleman got away…” he lamented to Shade, his ears drooping. “You don’t meet many Pokémon like him. Power and respect in equal measures.”

Shade gave a nod and replied, “He would have been the X factor of Team Venture.”

“Absolutely. Now we have to contend with that brutish rhino for who knows how long.” Surge’s voice dropped off and he rested his muzzle on a paw.

Shade’s horn swung a little. “Ronin is entitled to his own freedom,” she surmised. “Not all Pokémon are social. I had to fend for myself in the streets and ward off criminals.”

Surge gave a warm glance. “You’re part of a team now. I have your back.” He looked at his leader, in animated conversation with Flare. “And so does Rhyzo, even if it’s not apparent.”

He continued, “The problem is that Ronin doesn’t have this necessity. Who will take care of him when he’s gravely injured? Who will guide him when life goes rough? Who will help him fight his inner demons?”

Rhyzo sauntered toward Surge and Shade, his horn glinting under the lights. His hooves crashed on the floor.

“Your moping time is over,” the Rhydon proclaimed. “I’ve asked Flare to book a battle for me. Now all we need is the opponent.”

“Good luck, Rhyzo,” Surge encouraged, shaking his claw.

“Seconded, Surge!” Rhyzo grinned, his horn spinning. “Let’s hope they’ll be a Fire-type to trample with my Rock and Ground moves!”

“Don’t forget to look for new recruits. Strength in numbers is the key.”

“Don’t worry about that. Any Fire-type will have the… what do I say, firepower to balance Team Venture!”

Surge raised a facial marking. “Yammering about fire won’t work when our opponent’s typing is a roulette. You’ll eat your words when you’re booked with a Grass-type.”

“Yeah, yeah, your usual diatribes.” Rhyzo crossed his arms. “Don’t divert attention from my upcoming battle, will you?”

Surge nodded. “As you wish.” He walked away from Rhyzo and approached Shade. Amid the grunts of fighters and spectators in other corners of the arena, he looked at the paper strip in his right paw.

“Shade,” he said, waving the strip. “Want to read Ronin’s poem?”

The Absol blinked her right eye at the mysterious paper. “…I’ll try,” she obliged.

Shade picked up the paper in her mouth and placed it on the floor. She crouched and unfurled the paper with her claws before focusing her eye on the elaborate brush script in it.

Surge waited for her words. “Can you read the handwr- ahem, claw-writing?”

Shade made out the script and read the haiku aloud.

“From cheer and laughter, to a present of silence, I carry the weight.”

“Can you be louder?” Surge pleaded as he kneeled beside his friend.

Shade repeated the phrase, and musings began to flood Surge’s mind.

Cheer and laughter, a wistful past indeed. Ronin, what weight are you carrying? Cravings of companionship? I’m sorry to hear about your struggles, however hazy they are. But if your heart bleeds for the cries of other Pokémon, why did you turn us down? Why are you letting your own sorrows rage on? Why do you choose to haul the weight all by yourself, instead of sharing it with allies to trust?

“Poor Ronin,” Surge pitied. “Underneath his emotionless exoskeleton, he secretly yearns for lost happiness. If he is troubled by constant silence, why did he refuse to join Team Venture?”

“It’s his choice,” Shade expressed, looking at Surge’s face. “Some cannot escape the past…” She trailed off and shut her eyes with deeper breaths.

An odd silence washed over the duo.

“What’s wrong, Shade?”

“I hate talking about my past.”

“Makes mindfulness all the more important,” Surge advised. “Let’s move on from Ronin and hope Rhyzo emerges victorious.”

As Surge and Shade united amid the raucous crowds of the Bonanza, they wished one thing was certain. That Rhyzo would make up for a missed recruit with the sum of money they had been hunting for all day. A new dungeoneering aspirant will only be the cherry on top.

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