Paragon

Hisui Incursion [11]

PARAGON

Hisui Incursion Arc [11]

Chapter 63 : Foothills of Peril

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Decidueye touched back down and released a throaty growl. He hunched over as he stalked across the grass and he stared down Sabrina, standing isolated now.

A chill ran through Sabrina's body. As Decidueye glared at her, it became painfully obvious how he viewed their dynamic.

Predator and prey.

When she'd first caught him, he was the prey.

Now, defenseless and awestruck at his violence, she was the prey. Maybe she'd be joining Rapidash in the river shortly.

Decidueye coughed and stumbled. He tried to catch himself, his wings spraying out, but he collapsed onto the ground with a pained snarl.

"Decidueye!" Sabrina yelled, jogging toward him.

The owl tore its head around and fixed Sabrina with a death stare. With a baleful squawk, he slammed his fist into the ground between them.

Sabrina slowed, then stopped just out of his reach. Now that she was closer, the source of his fatigue was clear. His torso and legs were peppered in blackened burn marks. His breath came in quick bursts, each one saturated in pain and hate.

"I think that was Play Rough Rapidash used on him when they were up in the air. And Fire Fang."

Sabrina jerked around just as Ash limped up beside her.

"Ash!" She looked him up and down, but nothing seemed wrong, which itself was wrong since he'd taken such a big hit. "Are you alright?"

He rubbed his head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. I got careless. Without the Plate, I'd be dead."

Since it looked like he'd sustained no damage, that meant Rapidash's attack should've been fatal. She remembered Ash telling them once while they were at Cameran Palace that Sir Aaron's Corviknight unleashed a full power Hyper Beam at him, but he came out unscathed because of the Plate. Apparently, he could suffer non-lethal injuries, but only a Platebearer could kill another Platebearer. Of course, somehow, Sir Aaron and Zagreus had both been able to damage AZ without Plates, so that didn't seem to be an absolute rule. And given that these Alpha Pokémon were imbued with some sort of power, Ash was extra lucky he hadn't perished.

As Ash walked up, Decidueye's attention shifted and he let loose a fearsome screech, as if challenging him. Pikachu hissed back, electricity crackling across his body, but Ash calmed him with a pat.

"Well, that's that taken care of," Ash said grimly. "At least now we don't have to worry about it attacking us from behind."

Ash's words passed through Sabrina's head like wind. She was still focused on Decidueye's wounds and the pathetic state he was now in.

Predator and prey, huh? Says who?

Decidueye whipped around again as Riley approached, with Laventon, Rei, Akari, and Yura in tow. They steered well clear of him, but Decidueye glared at them as they walked nonetheless.

"Riley, can you get me the sitrus potion and some rawst salve please?" Sabrina asked before any of them could comment on what'd just happened.

He eyed her warily but eventually nodded. "Of course," he said, slinging off his backpack and rummaging around a bit before pulling out a small glass bottle, thankfully undamaged in the chaos, and a sealed abalone shell.