"Come on… you know where. Skip ahead."
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Johto Region – Snowy Mt. Silver
A heavy snow drifted across the rugged peaks of Mt. Silver.
The sky above was gray, cloaked in thick winter clouds.
Cutting through the chilly wind was the silhouette of a large, majestic Pokémon, its broad wings gliding gracefully through the air.
It was none other than Silver.
On his back was Sam, wrapped in a thick coat, calm as ever.
They had just spent an entire week at the Whirlpool Islands.
Every day during that week, Sam devoted himself to training Silver.
The progress had been steady, no, remarkable.
The young Legendary was improving quickly.
It had started to crave more than simple drills.
Its instincts, power, and pride were all pushing it toward something more real.
And so, Sam brought it here, Mt. Silver.
Unlike the peaceful isolation of the Whirlpool Islands, Mt. Silver was wild and ruthless.
The extreme cold, the scarce food supply, and the unforgiving terrain had shaped the Pokémon that lived here into fierce survivors.
They were strong.
And to Sam, that made this place perfect for live combat training.
"Silver, fly forward," he said, pointing toward a ridge blanketed in thick snow.
His voice was calm but steady with purpose.
"There's a Rival waiting."
"Lili~!" Silver chirped in response, flapping his wings once before shooting forward.
He soared ahead, cutting through the wind, then hovered high above the snowy slope Sam had indicated.
His sharp eyes locked on something below.
Hidden in the snow were shadows, sleek and black, like feline predators waiting to pounce.
They were Weaviles, Ice, and Dark-type Pokémon that had made Mt. Silver their hunting grounds.
The moment the Weavile noticed the presence in the sky, their bodies stilled.
One by one, they sank further into the snow, blending seamlessly into the terrain, sharp eyes watching from the white void below.
Sam patted Silver's neck.
"Alright, let's go down."
"Lili~!" he chirped again, descending steadily with wide, careful flaps.
The moment they touched the ground, the surrounding snow erupted.
Four, no, five, Weavile leapt out, surrounding them in a loose circle.
Their eyes glinted with cold precision.
These weren't just random wild Pokémon.
These were hunters. Organized. Coordinated. Dangerous.
Sam didn't flinch.
Instead, he stepped back a few paces and looked up at Silver.
"Silver, are you ready?"
"Lili~!"
He nodded, tail swishing with anticipation.
Her large wings lifted slightly, ready to take off at a moment's notice.
"I'm not going to give you any commands this time," Sam said, his voice low but filled with trust.
"You're in control. Think you can handle them?"
Another nod.
A short, excited cry. "Lili~!"
Sam smiled faintly. He could see the difference.
Silver had matured, even in just a week.
"Alright, then I'll leave it to you."
He stepped back again, now a quiet observer.
This was his battle.
"Lili~!" Silver's wings snapped open.
He moved first.
In a flash, He locked eyes with one of the Weavile and dove straight at it, wings tucked for speed.
At the last second, he spread them wide and struck with Aerial Ace, a clean, practiced hit.
Bang!
The Weavile was knocked back over ten meters, crashing into a mound of snow.
That move wasn't just an attack; it was a challenge.
The remaining Weavile responded immediately.
Offended. Provoked.
Taunting a pack of Dark-types, especially with Psychic energy running through him, was something they couldn't ignore.
The entire group shifted into action, their claws glowing with ice energy.
The cold vapor in the air condensed around them, forming razor-sharp Ice Shards, which they hurled toward their airborne foe.
"Lili~!"
Silver soared upward, twirling with agility.
He dodged some of the shards with elegant rolls, batted others away with the force of his wings.
Now it was five against one.
The Weavile pack was fast, aggressive, and used to working as a unit.
Each move they made complemented the others, closing in on him from different angles.
They were high-level Gym-tier Pokémon, on par with some of the strongest wild Pokémon in the region.
By comparison, Silver's power was at an Elite-tier intermediate, stronger individually, but not overwhelmingly so.
And type-wise, the matchup was not in his favor.
As a Psychic/Flying-type, he was weak to both Ice and Dark moves.
That gave Weavile the edge, at least on paper.
But power wasn't everything.
And Sam knew that better than anyone.
The battlefield was surrounded by snow, granting Weavile even more advantage, speed, and camouflage, both enhanced by the terrain.
Still, Silver didn't hesitate.
He darted sideways, narrowly avoiding a Night Slash that gleamed with dark aura, then spun midair and struck back with Air Slash, forcing one of the attackers to break formation.
He was fighting smarter now and not just relying on strength.
Sam watched quietly, hands tucked in his coat.
He didn't need to shout instructions.
Silver had already begun to understand his rhythm, how to read an opponent, how to balance offense and defense.
The Weavile regrouped, reforming a rough semicircle.
The snow fell heavily now, visibility dropping.
But the battle was just getting started.
"Lili~!"
Silver's sharp eyes spotted a gap in the Weavile's formation, an opening.
It didn't hesitate.
With a burst of speed, he launched herself into the fray, wings flaring wide.
He used Steel Wing; the metal-coated feathers glowed as they deflected the incoming attacks of the remaining four Weavile.
The force of the blow sent shockwaves through the air.
With a sharp cry, one Weavile was knocked off course.
Its body slammed into the ground with a thud, completely spent and unable to continue the fight.
"Ma~!"
The Weavile screeched as it collapsed.
With their formation broken and their strategy faltering, the Weavile pack scattered, unable to regroup quickly enough.
"Lili~!" Silver cried triumphantly, his wings cutting through the air as He darted after the remaining foes.
Gradually, the battle reached its peak.
One by one, the Weavile fell, driven back by the force and speed of Silver's relentless attacks.
Finally, there was only one left, a lone Weavile who, despite its desperate efforts, couldn't withstand the onslaught.
With a powerful flap, Silver struck again, knocking the last Weavile into the snow.
It crumpled, unable to rise again.
The battle was over.
"Lili~!" Silver cried, his wings spreading wide in victory, his voice full of pride.
He flew back to Sam's side, circling above him before landing gently in front of him.
"Well done, Silver," Sam said, giving him a thumbs up.
His voice was warm with praise.
"You've come a long way. I'm proud of you."
He extended his hand, sending a pulse of energy through his fingers.
It was the Virdian energy, his form of restorative power.
It coursed into Silver, helping him replenish the stamina and energy lost in the battle.
"Lili~!" Silver chirped happily, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
The fluffy wings flapped in joy, urging Sam to hurry and mount him again.
He was ready for the next fight, perhaps even a group of rivals this time.
Sam chuckled softly.
"You're full of energy. Let's rest for now."
The day wore on, and Silver's battles had only grown fiercer with each passing hour.
By now, the sky had darkened, the heavy snowfall turning the landscape into a vast, silent white world.
Sam set up camp in a sheltered area, near a rock outcropping that blocked the wind.
He carefully set up a small stove, to cook their dinner for the night.
The smell of the food was enough to soothe the tension of the long day's battle.
Nearby, Silver sat with Lucario.
The two Pokémon were talking; Silver was animatedly recounting his victories, his wings twitching in excitement as he mimicked the movements of the Weavile he had fought.
"Luka~!" Lucario nodded now and then, offering his thoughts on the battle, his calm voice balancing Silver's energetic chatter.
A few paces away, Darkrai sat quietly by itself.
Its cold demeanor was as intimidating as ever, and it seemed entirely focused, sitting still in a meditative pose.
Darkrai was practicing Calm Mind, as always, lost in the depths of its thoughts and the energy of the surroundings.
But then, everything changed.
Suddenly, the sound of the stove and the quiet conversations came to an abrupt halt.
The air grew heavier.
Silver stopped his chatter and turned toward the horizon, ears perked.
Lucario, too, paused, his body instinctively tensing.
Darkrai, despite its calm, seemed to feel the shift as well.
It stopped its meditative state, slowly rising to its feet, eyes narrowed.
All of them felt it, an intense, distant pulse of Psychic energy emanating from beyond the snow-covered mountains.
Sam, who had been preparing dinner, felt a slight chill run down his spine.
He instinctively stood up, his eyes scanning the distant, snow-filled horizon.
Whatever it was, it was powerful.
And it was close.
Something, or someone, was coming.