Chapter 161: Guardian of Dragon Island, Arise!
Chapter 161: Guardian of Dragon Island, Arise!
There was just one problem.
The massive Dragonite and Dragonite, though both of the same species, could never be companions. They had never interacted before, and their lives were like parallel lines that would never meet.
The impulsive decision of the enormous Dragonite to come to the Paldea region would surely leave it disappointed if it found out about this.
Nevertheless, the only way to know for sure was to pay a visit.
Having made up his mind, Naoki set about putting his plan into action. He informed the Pokemon on the ranch that he would be taking Dragonite out for a while.
"...We might be back late, Golett. Remember to take care of Motostoke and everyone else on the ranch."
The reason he wasn't taking Golett with him was that he didn't want to expose everything to outsiders. After all, there would be a lot of journalists, as well as the Top Champion, Gym Leaders, and police officers. He might even end up on television.
It was better to keep a low profile.
Upon hearing that it wouldn't be joining him, Golett's face fell, and the vibrant feathers on its head drooped.
Naoki held up a finger, "You're allowed to sleep on the bed tonight."
At this, Golett's eyes lit up, and it let out an excited cry, "Agas!"
Naoki smiled and patted its head, "But before that, you have to help me take care of the ranch."
Golett proudly patted its chest and assured, "Agas! Leave it to me!"
"Then I'm counting on you," Naoki said.
He turned and went back into the house, shouldered his backpack, and filled it with some emergency recovery dishes.
As he did this, Naoki began to ponder what would happen when the two Dragonites met.
The first possibility was that the enormous Dragonite didn't consider the smaller Dragonite a companion and sadly turned to leave.
The second possibility was that the enormous Dragonite recognized that the smaller Dragonite wasn't its original companion but was still happy to make a new friend.
The third possibility was that the enormous Dragonite realized it had been deceived and flew into a rage.
However, upon further reflection, the enormous Dragonite had been patiently waiting in the sea and was able to communicate calmly with humans, indicating that it had a gentle and non-violent disposition.
So, for now, the third possibility could be ruled out.
The first possibility wasn't a concern, but if the second one played out, and the enormous Dragonite was accepting of the modern-day Dragonite, Naoki planned to take it to Dragonite Island.
While the massive Dragonite was rare, he didn't fantasize about capturing it. The ranch was just too small, with no space to accommodate it.
The best solution was to send it to Dragonite Island, where it could live in the vast ocean nearby. Perhaps it could even become the island's guardian.
Thinking about his impending visit to Dragon Island, Naoki packed his bag with a variety of food and berries—a promise he had made to the group of Dragonites, Hakamo-o, and Noibat during his last visit.
If he was going to pay them another visit, he would bring them some tasty treats.
Once he was satisfied with his preparations, Naoki closed the fridge and stepped outside.
Dragonite was already waiting, and Naoki mounted its back. After confirming the direction of the west coast of Paldea, he instructed Dragonite to head that way.
Everything below them gradually became smaller, and a blue glow appeared in Dragonite's eyes.
Dragonite activated its high-speed movement, rapidly increasing its speed before shooting forward like a jet plane.
————
West Coast of Paldea.
Yeci stood on a cliff, gazing at the enormous Dragonite in the distant sea.
By her side was Lip, who joined her in this awe-inspiring view.
"To think that such a massive Pokemon exists in this world," Lip remarked.
Lip reminded her, "You forget, the neighboring Galar region also has these gigantic Pokemon."
However, Yeci shook her head. As the Top Champion, she could easily distinguish between the two.
"They're different. The giant Pokemon in the Galar region rely on external power. Once they leave that region, they lose their ability to maintain their giant form."
This massive Dragonite, on the other hand, clearly possessed its own immense power, as evidenced by the strength it had displayed.
A power that surpassed even that of a Champion—even she couldn't guarantee victory if she were to face this Dragonite.
At that moment, Miss Junsha's voice called out from behind them, "Chief! The companion that the giant Dragonite has been searching for has arrived!"
At this news, Yeci's heart stirred.
She turned to see a young man with black hair, dressed casually, approaching with Miss Junsha by his side.
Beside the young man stood a remarkably robust Dragonite.
From its determined gaze and sturdy physique, one could tell that it had been trained to perfection.
"This person knows how to cultivate Pokemon exceptionally well," Yeci thought to herself, forming a first impression of the young man.
As she sized up Naoki, he, too, observed the Top Champion with interest.
"She looks younger than twenty, even younger than I was before I crossed over," he mused to himself.
It was impressive that Yeci had achieved so much at such a young age, becoming both the Top Champion and the Chairman of the Pokemon League.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Naoki heard the person before him introduce themselves.
A ranch owner? Yeci was slightly taken aback. She had imagined many possible occupations for him, but this was the last thing she expected.
How humble.
However, the exceptional Dragonite by his side was a testament to the fact that he was no ordinary man.
Though her mind was abuzz with thoughts, she maintained her composure and got straight to business.
"You know that massive Dragonite, right? Can you get it to leave the Paldea region?"
Naoki couldn't make any promises. "I'll give it a try."
That was good enough for Yeci. She gave a slight nod and gestured for Lip to release Tsareena. Turning to Naoki, she said, "This Tsareena can communicate through telepathy. It should help you and the Dragonite understand each other."
She paused before asking, "Aside from this, is there anything else we can help you with?"
Naoki shook his head. "No, that should be all."
He glanced at the Tsareena, recognizing its ability as telepathy.
Telepathy, the incredible ability to sense human thoughts and convey its own thoughts directly through the power of the mind.
"Then I'll leave it to you," Yeci said.
Naoki nodded, and as he watched him skillfully mount the Dragonite and fly towards the sea, Yeci thought to herself that he was indeed courageous.
Even she had been startled the first time she laid eyes on the massive Dragonite!
However, Naoki's heart was far from as calm as he appeared.
He gazed in awe at the colossal dragon in the sea, murmuring, "It's so huge! It's just like a monster from Ultraman!"
Dragonite was equally shocked. "Roaar!"
It had never imagined that there could be a Dragonite this enormous in the world!
Naoki felt a sense of dread as his heart raced. He asked softly, "Are you scared?"
"Roaar..." Dragonite's eyes reflected its awe.
Meanwhile, Tsareena maintained a calm demeanor as it followed behind them.
Soon, they arrived before the massive Dragonite.
The giant Dragonite noticed their presence.
Upon seeing the smaller Dragonite beneath the human, it first showed delight but quickly replaced it with a confused expression.
Why had its kin become so tiny?
The giant Dragonite was perplexed.
It had slept for a very, very long time in the depths of the sea, and when it awoke, it found that the world had changed dramatically.
Its companions, its kin, were nowhere to be found.
It had searched for a long, long time, but to no avail.
"Hrooaarr?" The giant Dragonite voiced its confusion.
Tsareena translated, "It's asking why you're so small."
The smaller Dragonite was at a loss for words. "Roaaar..."
It didn't recognize this gigantic creature!
As the giant Dragonite waited for a response, it blinked its enormous eyes, growing even more perplexed.
Facing this massive creature, Naoki cleared his throat and spoke up, "Hello, were you sent here by Mew and Kubfu?"
The giant Dragonite's pupils flickered as it noticed the human on the Dragonite's back.
Mew and Kubfu... Its mind conjured images of the two tiny beings, and it nodded, letting out a thunderous roar, "Hrooaarr!"
"Yes," Tsareena translated.
Naoki studied the Dragonite, noting that it seemed to have accepted the smaller Dragonite as a companion but was confused about its size.
"I wonder if ancient Dragonites were all this huge," Naoki thought to himself.
He fell into contemplation, considering two possible paths forward.
One was to tell the giant Dragonite the truth, explaining that times had changed and the world was no longer what it used to be, and that Dragonites nowadays were much smaller.
The second option was to deceive this innocent giant Dragonite and try to make it accept the modern-day Dragonite as a companion.
Which path should he choose?
After a moment's hesitation, Naoki asked tentatively, "Have you noticed any differences between the two of you?"
Upon hearing this, the giant Dragonite carefully examined the smaller Dragonite and replied, "Hrooaarr."
Tsareena translated, "It says you're exactly the same, a Dragonite."
Naoki: "..."
Forget it, rather than letting the giant Dragonite continue to wander aimlessly and alone in the vast sea, it was better to give it a sense of belonging.
With that in mind, Naoki said, "There are other Dragonites in this world. I can take you to them so you can live together. Would you like that?"
At these words, the giant Dragonite's eyes lit up.
"Hrooaarr?"
Tsareena: "There are other Dragonites?"
Naoki nodded. "Yes, many, many more."
The giant Dragonite let out a joyful cry, its eyes sparkling with excitement. "Hrooaarr!"
This time, even without Tsareena's translation, Naoki understood its intention.
He nodded and said, "Then follow me, I'll take you to them!"
The giant Dragonite immediately prepared to accompany them.
Naoki thanked Tsareena before turning to leave.
"Roar!" Fast Dragon replied and took the lead.
The enormous Fast Dragon turned and followed behind them, slowly leaving the Paldea region.
Yeci and the others on the shore heaved a sigh of relief as they watched this scene unfold.
With the crisis averted, it was time to wrap up and head home!
————
The Paldea region behind them gradually faded from view.
Naoki rode on Fast Dragon as they soared through the sky, while the enormous Fast Dragon submerged itself in the sea, turning into a massive dark shadow that moved gracefully underwater.
If someone had witnessed this scene in another world, rumors of seeing a sea monster would likely spread by the next morning.
"I wonder if ancient Fast Dragons lived in the ocean," Naoki thought.
His mind conjured an image of a group of colossal Fast Dragons building an underwater dragon palace, akin to mythical sea beasts.
He wondered if such enormous Fast Dragons could still fly, looking at their tiny wings.
Naoki's thoughts became even bolder, and he contemplated the possibility that the super-ancient Fast Dragon type was not Flying and Dragon but Water and Dragon instead.
"Now Gyarados has a companion," he mused.
Both Fast Dragons were incredibly fast, whether swimming or flying. Fast Dragon was indeed a versatile Pokemon.
After an unknown amount of time, a familiar island finally came into view ahead of them.
The Fast Dragons on the island seemed to sense the strange aura and took to the air one by one to investigate.
Upon seeing that it was Naoki riding on the silly Fast Dragon, they breathed a collective sigh of relief.
However, right after, an enormous shadow broke through the water's surface, sending a shower of splashing water that resembled a heavy downpour.
The Fast Dragons on the island were startled, their eyes widening in tension.
What a massive Fast Dragon!
Seeing so many Fast Dragons together, the enormous Fast Dragon seemed even happier.
It stood guard by the island, looking down at it affectionately.
Meanwhile, Naoki and Fast Dragon landed near the lake in the center of Dragon Island.
The grass here remained lush and vibrant, full of life. Perhaps it was the arrival of summer, as yellow wildflowers had also blossomed among the grass.
In the lake, the young Mini Dragons and Hak Dragons poked out half of their heads, their eyes darting nervously at the towering Fast Dragon head above them.
As their gazes met, the Mini Dragons and Hak Dragons trembled.
Witnessing this, Naoki turned to Fast Dragon and said, "Go tell the others that this enormous Fast Dragon won't harm them; it just wants to live together with them!"
Along the way, he had shared the story of the lonely, companion-seeking enormous Fast Dragon with his own Fast Dragon.
Fast Dragon nodded and agreed.
It flew into the air, letting out a roar to gather all the adult Fast Dragons on the island. Following Naoki's instructions, it introduced the harmless nature of the giant Fast Dragon to its peers.
Naoki, with a beaming smile, approached the lake and called out to the adorable group of Hak Dragons and Mini Dragons.
"Alright, don't be scared. It won't hurt you!"
As he comforted the little dragons, he opened his backpack and pulled out an assortment of snacks—bread, Poke Puffs, pudding, and berries—creating a small snack mountain in front of the young dragons.
As expected, the treats immediately captured their attention, and they gathered around eagerly.
Seeing their reaction, Naoki's face lit up, and he playfully grabbed one familiar Hak Dragon, asking, "Do you remember me?"
The Hak Dragon wriggled happily and replied with an excited, "Wroo!"
"You little rascal," Naoki teased, scratching its chin affectionately. "Last time, I promised to bring you food, and here it is. Come on, share it with your friends!"
He fed the charming Hak Dragon a delicious Poke Puff.
The Hak Dragon swallowed the treat and wore an expression of pure bliss. It then nuzzled Naoki affectionately, rubbing its face lovingly against his.
The other Mini Dragons and Hak Dragons excitedly crowded around, forming a circle around Naoki.
Seeing them like this, Naoki felt like the happiest person in the world, and he happily fed them more Poke Puffs.
At that moment, the adult Fast Dragons also landed on the grass, their faces softening with sympathy as they learned about the enormous Fast Dragon's loneliness and its desire for companionship.
They felt for their fellow Fast Dragon—alone and wandering the vast ocean, its sad cries echoing through the night...
How pitiful!
One particularly friendly and bold Fast Dragon even took to the air, opening its mouth wide as it called out to the enormous Fast Dragon with a hearty roar.
It was saying, "Stay here with us from now on! We are all your companions!"
The enormous Fast Dragon's expression softened, touched by the warm welcome. Tears welled up in its eyes, threatening to spill over.
Half of its body emerged from the sea, and it formed a circular shape with its arms, cradling the island as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.
4500 characters!
(End of Chapter)
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