Chapter 85: Let's Battle Together Again Someday
In the evening, outside the cave.
"Dragonite~"
Will, having returned from testing out his newfound strength, let out a wolf-like howl.
From inside the cave, the Scyther crew heard the strange cry and swarmed out, ready to see which suicidal fool was making such a racket at their doorstep. Then they saw the chubby Dragonite, Will in his brand new form.
"...Scyther?"
While the other Scyther were still baffled, Will's friend immediately guessed the identity of the big, fat dragon.
"That's right! I evolved!" Will said, proudly patting his belly. He spread his arms and walked over, preparing to give his friend a big hug. He finally had arms again, and he was going to use them to their fullest!
Duang.
His belly arrived before his hands. As he went to embrace the Scyther, his stomach made contact first and sent his friend bouncing away. This move was called the Meatball Bounce.
The repelled Scyther looked at Will's trembling belly, a question mark floating above its head. Is it really that springy?
"Never mind that. Scyther, I'm super strong now," Will said.
"Scyther," the old Alpha nodded, indicating it could see that. Although Will's current form was a bit comical, the power within his new body was undeniable. Compared to before, it was a qualitative leap. Just yesterday, he felt their strengths weren't that far apart. But today, he felt that all six of the other Scyther combined probably wouldn't be a match for Will. Of course, that might be because the other five were just too weak.
"Where's Golbat? Get him out here. I'm going to give him a big hug," Will said, waving his arms.
"Scyther," the old Alpha gave Will a strange look, then turned and went into the cave to get Golbat. The reason he found it strange was that Will seemed to have become a bit of a... goofball?
The Dragonair version of Will had always given him the impression of being steady, noble, elegant, and aloof. But today, the Dragonite version of Will had a completely different feel. To put it bluntly, he was a bit of a clown. Could evolution really change a person that much? How terrifying.
The Scyther shook its head and called out the Golbat. The Golbat had now reached Lv. 35. This wasn't particularly high in the middle ring, but it was enough to get by without having to hide in the cave all the time. Besides, with a Lv. 52 Scyther guarding it, there wouldn't be any problems. Golbat just preferred to stay in cool, dark places. Probably because it had spent its time as a Zubat in the cave, the place still gave it a great sense of security even after evolving.
"Golbat," the Golbat came out and recognized Will at a glance. It didn't even have to guess; the moment it saw him, it knew this strange-looking fellow was actually Will.
"Golbat~" Will rushed over, pulled the Golbat into an embrace, and nuzzled its cheek against it. Having arms was the best feeling. You could hug whoever you wanted.
"Bat~~"
Being hugged by Will, the Golbat seemed to be paralyzed. Its entire body visibly softened, and it finally just went limp on Will's large stomach.
As professionally certified by Dragon Master Iris: a Dragonite's body is soft and squishy. For any Trainer who likes Dragon-type Pokémon, Dragonite is a must-have. Among the many Dragon-types, Dragonite might not be at the very top tier of strength without a Mega Evolution, but it is the most suitable dragon companion for a Trainer. Its body is so soft it can be compared to an Altaria's cotton wings, and hugging one is the ultimate enjoyment for any Trainer who loves to be close with their Pokémon. Moreover, most Dragonite are gentle and kind, and they are meticulous and caring, no less so than a Chansey or an Audino. Whether as a companion for the elderly or for children, the Dragonite line are excellent caretakers.
At this moment, Golbat was completely lost in Will's embrace.
"By the way, Scyther, it's time for me to leave Mt. Silver," Will said, putting Golbat down and looking at his friend.
In his year and a half on this mountain, he hadn't made many friends. Scyther was the one he was closest to; they held a special meaning for each other. Scyther was the first true friend Will had made in this world. And Will was the one who had saved Scyther's life at its lowest point and helped it reclaim its honor. The two of them had defeated countless enemies together. To say they were invincible was an exaggeration, but they had yet to taste defeat. Their relationship could be called a friendship, but it was much deeper than that of ordinary "friends."
"Scyther," the old Alpha nodded. There was no need for sorrow or sentimentality. In its fifty-plus years, it had seen countless companions die. It no longer felt the same grief as it had in its youth. Besides, Will wasn't dying. He was just going back to the place he had always missed, to see the person he had always wanted to see.
"Scyther," the old Alpha said, genuinely happy for him.
"Yeah, I've finally made it through," Will said, looking down at Golbat, then up at his friend. "I'm taking this little guy with me."
"Scyther," the old Alpha spread its scythes. He meant that even if Will didn't say so, the Golbat would have definitely followed him anyway.
"Do you want to come with me? You can bring your clansmen. You'll be treated well in the Dragonite Kingdom," Will asked.
If they went to the Dragonite Kingdom, they would no longer have to worry about survival. The only thing they might have to face was the war with the Kingdom of the Land. But who knew when that war would come? It might not be for another ten years. With their squad's combat power and coordination, they wouldn't face much trouble on the battlefield.
The Scyther was silent. It turned its head and looked towards the peak of Mt. Silver, and finally, shook its head.
"I understand," Will nodded, respecting its choice.
Every person has their own aspirations, and Pokémon also have their own pursuits. Just like Dawn's Buizel, who loved to battle. Jessie's Dustox, who found true love. Ash's Squirtle, who loved firefighting; his Butterfree, who fell in love at first sight; his Primeape, who longed to be a fighting champion; his Aipom, who loved to perform; his Goodra, who couldn't bear to leave its homeland; and his Greninja, who decided to protect Kalos... They were all lucky to have met Trainers who respected them. In the end, their Trainers never forced them to follow their own path, but chose to let them pursue their own lives.
"Scyther," the old Alpha said, indicating it would see him off.
"Alright," Will didn't refuse. He woke up Golbat and then slowly flew down the mountain.
"Scyther?"
"Yeah, I'll definitely be back. I'll probably need to come to Dragonite Valley to learn some skills from the chief occasionally. I'll drop by and see you then."
Will nodded. He felt that he would be able to see his friend again soon. With a grandmaster of his own species like the Dragonite Chief around, there was really no need to learn skills from other Pokémon. Once he mastered Extreme Speed, it might not even take him half an hour to get from the palace to Dragonite Valley.
"One more thing. A great war might break out in the human world in the next two years. I don't know if it will affect Mt. Silver, but you need to be careful. If the flames of war spread here, take your clan and seek refuge in the Dragonite capital, or fly to Dragonite Valley for protection."
"Scyther," the old Alpha nodded, taking note. It had always felt that although Will was young, he was exceptionally smart and knew many things. So, it had always believed deeply in his words.
"By the way, come with me somewhere," Will said, about to fly out of Mt. Silver when he saw a small lake below. Memories came flooding back.
"Scyther?"
"Just come with me."
Will flew down and stopped beside the lake. This place was truly nostalgic for him. In his first life as a Weedle, he had been born here. That whole life had been spent fighting for territory around this lake. It was also near here that he had met the eight-year-old Liz. He still remembered bringing her here for a bath.
In his second life as a Dratini, he had been born in this very lake. Shortly after being reborn, he had tried to go ashore to check the situation, only to be immediately picked up and carried away by the twenty-eight-year-old Liz. Thinking back on it now, it was an incredible coincidence, as if an invisible thread had connected him and Liz across twenty years.
And later, he had brought Iris here and caught two Magikarp, who were now Karp and Little Splasher.
"Scyther?"
"This is where Liz and I first met," Will said casually, then leaped into the water. He couldn't explain the full extent of his connection to this lake to his friend.
Underwater.
"Phew~"
Will lay quietly at the bottom. The surrounding Water-type Pokémon and fish had all been scared away by this behemoth and were now trembling in the corners of the lake.
In a daze, ripples spread across the surface of the lake above. He seemed to see a blurry image. He couldn't see it clearly, but he recognized one of the figures. It was Liz.
He thought he saw Liz come to the lake alone, sit down under a nearby tree, and look at him in the water. In that moment, it seemed Liz saw him too.
"Lan?" she called out softly, reaching a hand towards him in the water.
"Liz?"
Will's eyes suddenly widened. He shot up from the bottom of the lake. The moment his head broke the surface, there was no Liz, only the Scyther, waiting quietly by the shore.
"Scyther?"
"...It's nothing. I should be going. You should head back too, Scyther."
"Scyther."
"Let's battle together again someday."
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