Drake appeared on the deck and saw Aoki, who had arrived abruptly, accompanied by his Flygon and Slowking.
Aoki immediately spoke up, "That... I apologize for the sudden intrusion. I meant no harm. I was training on the cliff above and needed a place to camp for the night. I saw this ship and thought it might be suitable. If I'm causing any trouble, I can leave."
Hearing Aoki's words, Drake adjusted the cigar in his mouth and waved to the surrounding sailors, signaling them to return to their duties. He then approached Aoki, standing much taller than the young Trainer had expected.
"It's fine," Drake said indifferently. "Since you're here, you may stay the night. There are plenty of empty cabins below deck." His gaze then shifted to the Flygon beside Aoki.
"That's a Flygon. Are you a skilled Trainer, sir?" Aoki asked, noticing Drake's interest.
Drake, despite his lean face, carried the rugged presence of a seasoned seafarer, emphasized by his thick white beard. He seemed like a man born in the wrong era.
"Ha! Skilled? I suppose you could say that," Drake chuckled. "Though I know Flygon well enough. Yours has potential, but it hasn't been fully realized yet."
Aoki's interest was piqued. Drake, known as the Dragon King of the Hoenn region, was a master of Dragon-type Pokémon. Though many of his Pokémon had secondary Flying-type attributes, they were still formidable Dragon-types—far more reliable than some so-called experts.
Currently, Aoki had a Flygon and a Bagon, with the possibility of adding Altaria to his team in the future. Even if he never captured Altaria, raising his Bagon properly would require significant effort.
If there was anyone who had perfected raising a Bagon into its final evolution, Salamence, it was Drake. His signature Pokémon was a Salamence, rumored to have once saved his life. This bond had driven Drake to dedicate himself to its training.
But raising a pseudo-legendary Pokémon was no simple task. As a young sailor, Drake had limited resources. It took years of struggle to train his Salamence to its full potential, which was why, by the time he became one of the Elite Four, he was the oldest among them.
Still, a pseudo-legendary was a pseudo-legendary. As the Dragon King, Drake's strength was undeniable. Over the years, he had trained many Dragon-types, with Flygon and Altaria being just two examples. If Aoki could learn from him, it would save him countless mistakes in raising his own Dragon-types, especially his Bagon.
Though Aoki had experience raising Bagon in the past, his old methods weren't entirely applicable now. The Bagon he had now possessed far greater potential than any he'd trained before, meaning his previous knowledge wasn't enough to maximize its growth.
Drake had immediately noticed the flaws in Aoki's Flygon's training. Gaining his insight would be invaluable. But first, Aoki needed to earn his trust.
Right now, Drake saw Aoki as just another passing Trainer seeking shelter for the night. While Aoki might be stronger than most, to Drake, the difference was negligible. The only reason he'd taken notice was Aoki's possession of Dragon-types like Flygon.
"Yeah, this Flygon hasn't been with me for very long," Aoki admitted, scratching his head. "To be honest, I'm not the best at raising Dragon-types. I have more experience with Pokémon like Slowking."
Under Aoki's care, Flygon hadn't reached its full potential. Despite having blue-level aptitude—a rarity even among Dragon-types—it struggled against Honchkrow, another blue-aptitude Pokémon, despite being at level 49, the peak of the Elite tier.
Honchkrow, meanwhile, was only level 46.
Flygon relied too much on Aoki's commands, lacking its own battle instincts. It fought recklessly, but recklessness only worked with overwhelming strength—strategy was still essential.
"I see," Drake mused. "For a Flygon raised alongside a Slowking, it's not bad. But if I judged you solely by Flygon or Slowking, I'd think you were two different Trainers. The difference in their training is stark."
Aoki suppressed a grimace. If Drake had seen Flygon when I first got it, he probably would've scolded me into the ground.
"Unfortunately, I don't have any friends who specialize in Dragon-types," Aoki said. "And as a Gym Leader, I can't leave my Gym for long. This trip is a rare chance to train." He deliberately revealed his status as a Gym Leader.
As expected, Drake's eyes brightened.
"A Gym Leader? Which Gym do you run?" Genji asked.
"Just a small town—Verdanturf Town. I'm Aoki, the Verdanturf Gym Leader," Aoki introduced himself.
Drake's expression shifted to recognition. "Aoki? The one the League promoted? One of Hoenn's rising stars, the Verdanturf Gym Leader? The so-called 'twin prodigy' alongside that young lad from the Stone family?"
"Ah… if by 'young lad from the Stone family' you mean Steven Stone, then yes, that's me," Aoki replied modestly.
He wondered if he should take up acting—maybe he could share the screen with Kalos's future Champion, Diantha.
"And you are…?" Aoki asked.
Drake laughed heartily. "The name's Drake! Just call me Uncle Drake."