Stay A While and Listen

Perhaps Will was getting old. There were times when he surely felt the symptoms. His mind was tempered with harsh experiences that one his age didn't normally grow accustomed to. Those instances in his short life had made a profound impact. The man had to admit to himself that he had become 'distorted' by them. More twisted than before. That tired exasperation of everyday life and everything in it, the aches and pains from wounds long passed, or the urge to just wait and watch. The latter is the one that became a growing part of him as he continued to travel. However, he couldn't find it in him to be annoyed by the habit.

Sitting calmly in the mountains, smoking a cigarette and watching the village far below as it came to life along with the scenery around him. The sounds of pokemon both settling down for a rest during the day and waking early to begin their growth. This kind of thing was calming to him now. The possible dangers were pushed to the back of his mind. His pokemon could terrorize the average wildlife and he himself had grown out of his feeble flailing when faced with a head on battle. Whereas once he was a boy that would struggle with dirty tactics and quick calculated reactions alone, he now had an actual physical strength in battle.

The passion to acquire knowledge drove him forward constantly, stronger than in the beginning. And the thirst that came with it was almost unquenchable at times. When his Tyrogue had evolved into the Hitmonchan just as he planned, who was he to turn down a new fountain of information. Training in that style still proved fruitful and Will often toyed around with the concepts of trying to develop special abilities despite the lack of pokemon blood within. Ki would be a trump card second to none and equal with others. There were stories and studies on how pure humans could perform feats that should be out of capacity with the aid of that discipline. Shattering hardened rock as if it was nothing. Or maybe he was more suited toward psychic manipulations with his strong mind?

Those thoughts taunted him still. And there were as appealing as they were terrifying. Aura. Ki. Telekinesis. What if they were a poison to his journey? It was a risk he wasn't quite willing to take lightly. So Will would continue to hone the skills at the basics. Or as basic as the 'Chan fighting style could be. Already had he become stronger, faster, and more fit in general. A solid punch from him could break an average bystander after the handful of years learning from the purest source.

A steady stream of smoke escaped his lips as he stood. Slipping off his jacket and revealing only the t-shirt beneath he started moving slowly through the actions that had been engrained into his muscles' memory. He didn't need to think to do this, for which he was grateful for. The peace from his own mind was relished when thoughts became too erratic. Faster and faster he began to move until his cigarette became a stub and even then he continued after merely spitting it out with no thought.

An opponent formed before his eyes, borrowing from memories of foes that once hunted him. Detailed and sharpened until the features were clear enough to be real, it started to go through a deadly dance with him. Flashing punches that became blurring combinations formed between them, continuing with short breaks between. The fists attacked while legs traded ground. The stalemate finally ended when Will took a blow to give one. Had it been real, he would have most likely been greatly injured. Had it been real, his opponent would be surely dead.

He stood sweating as he watched the mental image die. Will's breath came out in rattle gasps that became mist in the cool morning air. As the image finally faded, he took a moment to look down on his hands and reflect. If only he learned sooner, what changes could have been made? Clenching his thickened knuckles, he watched as the power focused before his eyes. Then he sighed. Will couldn't change the past and even if he could, he probably would never be able to work up the nerve to tamper with something so delicate.

So he stood there, glaring out at the rising sun, before pulling out another cig to light and puff on thoughtfully. The sounds all around him began to tune back in and he listened. Slowly his body relaxed and he listened more carefully. What was he trying to hear? Not even he knew, but if he waited. If he watched. If he listened. Then maybe something he had never experienced before would greet his senses.

It was odd for Hiker Anthony to return to this place. The very path he had cleared all those years ago, now modernized, expanded, even paved. It wasn't anything that Anthony had enjoyed about it his first time through, and it frankly frustrated him. Not very much, but this particular hiker rarely was anything more than slightly unhappy.

He decided to go off into the woods to his left. Hey, he might have even made a new trail that day, who knows?

He was walking through the forest, nonchalantly pushing pine trees to the side like some sort of lazy giant or something. He would've used his ax, but he wasn't really in the mood right now. He drank something from a thermos and munched slowly on some kind of cake. Both of which I'm fairly sure haven't been named yet, because Anthony's mother is the only person capable of creating these treats, but I'm getting sidetracked.

Anthony heard something out of place, but something he recognized none the less. The sound of something moving quickly through thin air, multiple times. The sound was obviously coming from quite some distance away, but when you were this used to the woods, (especially if you were hiker Anthony) you noticed anything out of the ordinary. Anthony decided to go inspect the noise. On his way he encountered plenty of the landmarks he'd noticed on his last trip to this mountain, that gave it it's own charm. The soft blue tint of the rocks always perplexed him, but it wasn't something he was going to question now, his curiosity was too roused. On his way he had to pass a small stream, and yet again his adventurous instincts kicked in. With every fiber of his being he wished to find the source of this stream, because he'd never found running water on this mountain before. He hesitated for an instant, than was able to convince himself it was probably just run-off from rain water.

Eventually, he reached the man. More importantly, he noticed the still smoldering cigarette in the grass, which he stamped out quickly.

Only hiker Anthony can prevent forest fires.

"Hey, you doin' some trainin'? I did something similar awhile back, at this very mountain. Really is a nice place for the sort of thing."

sorry for reply. Distractions and low muse make for such things.

Will turned to the sounds coming from behind him. Loud and slow, but confident steps. A pokemon? To the best of his knowledge they were scarce on this path, let alone one that sounded as big as this one was. His spare hand reached to the pokeballs at his belt, but he restrained himself from revealing his hand so quickly. There was a good chance it would just wander by. It didn't. Something, no, someone pushed passed the brush easily. Branches groaned as they made way for his girth and the cigarette bud he spit out moments ago was crushed by his weight.

With the sun rising behind him, Will was provided a detailed description of the individual. It was a man that looked more like an Ursaring. Massive and wild looking with a prominent beard and an axe at his side. The way he dressed only added to his intimidating build, heavy clothes to ward off any semblance of cold. The breeder instantly pegged the man as strong, probably as strong as the bear he seemed to resemble. Will involuntarily tensed despite himself, but forced the urge to fight or flee down. It was just a hiker, he told himself not some Imum grunt out for his head.

Still, the question remained. What did he want? The hiker's question did little to clue him in. Will wrote off his paranoia as just that, hikers were mostly just curious folk. The breeder most likely wandered onto one of the paths that the other man frequented. "Yeah," he answered. "Not many pokemon to train against so I'm left to other ways to pass time." Speaking of which, Will wondered if the man had any pokemon of his own. He'd studied quite a few rock types, but never really captured on because of the weaknesses they held. It'd be interesting to see how hikers influenced their growth.

Nonchalantly, Hiker Anthony sat down and started to take his bag off. He seemed to take it for granted that he was welcome, and that this total stranger would gladly except his company. That's just how his head worked. He took out a few paistries, and motioned to the man with one of them, in a show of offering. Hiker Anthony didn't know how long he'd been walking around, but it must of been a while; his trail- beaten feet had actually gotten sore. Anthony couldn't even remember the last time that'd happened.

He looked back at the trail of fallen trees he'd left behind him, and muttered something to himself about how he'd made another path he'd never get any recognition for.

After a long pause, the hiker's voice boomed, "Oh, I know what you mean!" His voice cut through the air, and the absence of background noise only made it more clear. "I don't think I've ever seen a wild pokemon up here."

(Oh god this post was short. Sorry.l)

The bear of a man seemed right at home among the foliage. something that Will found himself envying. The breeder always felt like he was more of an outsider within the depths of the world whether in civilization or not. This man. He just seemed to fit in the wild and Will would dare to say that he could find his place just as easy around other people. The hiker just seemed to fit seamlessly.

Earthen tones that blended in. Dark hair that didn't give him away. The casual calm, he moved with. The young man was curious how the hiker made it look so easy. Will tensed once more as the bag dropped to the ground with a soft thump. Was this where the man charged at him? Will almost took a step back to steady himself, to prepare for the worse. However, he found instead a small morsel waved in his direction.

Much to his displeasure, a low growl escaped him. Not from his throat, but from his stomach. The breeder could feel the rumble through his chest, it was so loud. A tantalizing scent of the snack drifted to his nose and set his stomach ablaze with wonder and curiosity. Will could feel his saliva increase, but force himself not to drool at the promise.

Cautiously, carefully he took a step forward. Funny how he now acted like the pokemon he studied more than a human over the years. The breeder accepted the offer and took a few steps back before seating himself against a tree with his back to it. Here nothing could sneak up to him and he held a full view of the man that had stumbled upon him. There he sat in silence and watched the man while he took a small bite.

The snack was heavenly. Expressions normally kept hidden danced across his face uncontrolled. Will's eyes widened with how good it tasted. The flavors even tingled all the way down. Before Will realized it, he had finished the treat. Slightly appalled at his own lack of control, he tried to reign himself in quickly, but there was no doubt that if the man had been watching he'd seen the display.

Shifting his mind to a new topic, he asked. "How'd you find me?"

"How'd you find me?" Hiker Anthony thought this might have been the most obvious question of all time, but he liked this guy so he figured he'd humor the guy. In retrospect, Hiker Anthony couldn't imagine many people he didn't like.

"Well it's pretty simple, really!" He boomed with the voice of a giant who was amused, "I walked from over there, to over here." He pointed back toward the trail of destruction he'd left behind. "Besides, kid, don't be paranoid. I wan't really lookin' for anybody. I was just walkin' about."

Hiker Anthony continued to sit down, proud that he'd given another individual happiness through the amazing power of paistries. After quite a long, awkward silence, Hiker Anthony stood back up.

"You said you were looking for ways to pass the time, right?" the great bear asked. "Well, you might just be able to help me finish a job I started quite a while ago!" Automatically assuming that Will would say yes, Hiker Anthony quickly fashioned up a torch out of plants and a stick, lit it with his lighter, and was off toward an old maze of caves he hadn't been to in quite some time.