It had spent a good while in the Ralts's company as well, and looked on the little one as a junior of its own; and besides that, there was an old connection between it and her parents.
It would think of her often. But it had seen a great deal, and knew how to choose; and this way she could have a different soil to grow in.
That boy with the Viridian Power and the psychic power both was a fine Trainer, and honest with his Pokémon. The Ralts would have a decent future ahead of her.
"You won't go and see her?"
Ripples opened in the space about it and Vance's shape came out of them, standing at its side.
"No. She must learn sense too."
The Alakazam shook its head. Its aged body looked more bowed than before.
"Young man, I believe you can bring her up well. I am easy in my mind, leaving her with you."
The Alakazam's deep eyes went over him.
It had lived in the human world too, and had a plain enough understanding of human Trainers.
It had known a great many people, understood what people are, and flattered itself that it had some eye for them.
"Don't worry. I'll treat her as a teammate, the same as the Gyarados and the rest."
Vance gave his word. He had always been so: with his Pokémon he made no distinctions, held the bowl level, and took no one's part over another's.
Since the Ralts had joined, and given how small she was, Vance would give her his attention and take particular care of her.
For a young Pokémon to be given more care and protection is only right, until it is grown.
"Then my mind is easy."
The Alakazam let out a breath and said it.
And then its face changed. The wound in its belly was hurting again, and it had to call up its power to hold down the spreading of it.
"That wound is full of Dark-type power, and it has the shape of a bite. By the look of it, a canine Pokémon did it — and there's fire-type power left in it as well. A Houndoom's work, is it??"
Vance took one look at the injury and guessed at it.
"Mm?? How did you know that?"
The Alakazam was mildly surprised, and then let it go. A good Trainer would have that skill too.
"They have a great many Pokémon. Five or six of my own order, at least, and in the dark behind them I sensed something stronger still. That presence — it was like a Legendary! And yet not quite."
The Alakazam fell into remembering as it said it. It too had crossed hands with the Godbeast Gang, and had been driven off before it ever saw their faces; all it could carry away was the Ralts. Its foreboding had told it at the time that if it stayed it would die.
Its forebodings were seldom wrong.
"Your instinct was right. They have more tricks than that about them."
Vance inclined his head, and thought of that day out on the sea, the whole scene of the Godbeast Gang's people closing in on that Zapdos.
Those few Legendaries had certainly been formidable.
"I have put the Ralts in your hands, and I do not look for her to take revenge. I only want her to live her life in peace. They are not a thing that can be met with force."
The Alakazam said more, holding the wound and pressing it down.
"So what do you mean to do next? Stay in hiding and watch over her??"
"I have a few things left to do. When they are done I may be dead as well. I shall watch her a few days more." The Alakazam said it thoughtfully.
"That wound of yours — let me have a look at it."
As he said it a faint layer of green radiance came over Vance's hands, carrying the power of life in it.
The Viridian Power has excellent healing in it too.
Only that his Viridian Power was not yet very strong — no higher than Elite — and there was no telling how much good it would do.
"Please."
Nor did the Alakazam refuse the kindness; whether from believing in the man he was, it let its body open and allowed him to treat it.
Points of radiance settled on the wound, and the Alakazam felt a coolness go through it, and the burning that had been clawing at its heart eased a little.
*A pity.*
The Alakazam sighed inwardly. This Viridian Power was still of too low an order; it could not clear away a hurt left by a Near-Champion.
After working with the Viridian Power for a while, Vance stopped. Just as he had thought: it did some good, but not much.
"I have troubled you for nothing. A pity it cannot be healed."
The Alakazam sighed and said it, rather helplessly.
It had come to terms with it. It was old to begin with, and treated or not it could accept the thing; it was only that it affected its condition.
"My Viridian Power certainly can't heal you." Vance nodded and agreed with it, and then spoke again. "But the difference between us humans and you Pokémon is that we make use of outside things, and we are good at making use of them."
Vance took a heap of bottles and jars out of his storage space, and began mixing something to a set of proportions.
"Humans... are stranger creatures than we Pokémon are."
The Alakazam understood him then, and watched him mix in silence.
Could he really settle the thing?
Before long Vance had the medicine made up, and he spread it over the wound; and there was a dose to be taken by mouth as well.
Dressed outside, taken inside, and the Viridian Power wound about it on top.
The worsening of the Alakazam's injury was checked. It went no further, and the greater part of the pain eased away.
The Alakazam was a good deal easier itself, and its face relaxed.
That was a relief. The burning that had gone straight to its spirit was gone at last, and there was a strange look in its eyes as it watched Vance.
It had not expected this. He really could settle the thing.
"It's working, but a full cure will take many days yet."
Vance explained it. With what he could do now, this was as far as it went.
"Very good. Then I shall trespass on you."
The Alakazam was well satisfied too. It had thought to go and see to what was left of its affairs carrying a wound; and instead this Trainer in front of it had given it a turn for the better.
Then it would stay a few days. When the wound was healed it would set out, and these few days it could watch the Ralts into the bargain.
"Not at all."
Vance said it with a smile in his eyes. In treating it he had the Ralts for one reason, but he had one or two other thoughts in mind as well.
Provided, of course, that it lived.
There was some calculation in it, but Vance flattered himself he meant nobody any harm; it was a matter of good on both sides.
"These things you have left — are they dangerous?"
Vance asked it as he packed his things away.
"Not very. Only a few matters to be put in order."
"Mm."
Vance nodded, put his things away and walked off toward his Pokémon.
"You can come and sit with us, you know. With your ability the Ralts will never notice."
Hearing that, the Alakazam stirred itself too and followed him.
When they came in among the Pokémon the Ralts was already fast asleep, her small body curled into a ball under a blanket.
"Boss. How about that, then. That was my doing, that was."
The Gyarados moved quietly across and said it under his breath.
"Mm. Very good. Very gentle of you."
Vance gave him a thumb up.
"Heh heh."
That was how gentle he, the Gyarados, was. It was only his looks that let him down.
"The great fool. Still the great fool. Honestly."
The Slaking watched it and shook his head, and went back to sleep.
That fellow was the same as ever. Not a clever look about him.
"Roar, roar—"
The Zweilous gave two low roars, exchanged a greeting with Vance and went back to keeping watch.
It was his turn on guard tonight.
Black One was watching the ground round about in great earnest, while Black Two had the air of a creature with nothing to do, looking at this and looking at that, all restlessness.
The Aerodactyl and the Blaziken had gone to sleep as well, sleeping soundly with their fellows beside them.
There was no telling what the Aerodactyl was dreaming of; he was even giving out a sound like a chuckle, and by the look on his face it might have been some very pleasant dream.
"Overtake... catch up... I'm the strongest... heh heh."
That was the gist of what came through on the feeling between them, and what Vance heard.
"Your Pokémon are splendid. And amusing, too."
The Alakazam spoke without opening its eyes.
"Ha ha ha. They'll do, they'll do."