Goodness… Tyrantrum seemed to have grown quite a bit taller.
Its already sturdy body had become even more solid, and the color of its skin had deepened slightly. It was obvious that it had been eating very well during its time in the Village of Dragons.
"Tyrant!"
The moment Tyrantrum saw its trainer, it ran over happily, lowering its head and gently rubbing its large skull against Theo's shoulder, letting out an affectionate rumbling sound from its throat.
Metagross hovered in midair, carefully scanning Tyrantrum. A faint white light flashed across its body, and then it suddenly charged forward.
Tyrantrum grinned widely, its own head lighting up with a similar glow.
"Boom! Bang, bang!"
A series of loud collisions rang out.
Metagross and Tyrantrum enthusiastically slammed into each other, clearly enjoying themselves. It had been a long time since the two had played like this, and they quickly got carried away.
Nearby, Deino stood frozen in place.
It also liked headbutting things, but it had never dared to collide like that with Metagross. That was steel, after all, and it definitely hurt.
Now seeing that its own kind could do it so fiercely, Deino turned its head toward Larvesta beside it. Hidden beneath its bangs, its eyes rolled around as its little brain worked hard.
Was there a way… to get this big dragon to teach Larvesta a proper lesson? That chubby bug bullied it every day.
Larvesta seemed to see right through Deino's thoughts. It immediately leapt up and slammed down onto Deino, pinning it beneath its body and starting to rough it up again.
Deino hurriedly begged for mercy. A wise dragon did not fight a losing battle. It decided that once it figured out a plan in the future, it would deal with Larvesta then.
After crashing into each other for a while, Metagross and Tyrantrum finally stopped. The two pressed their heads together, rubbing against one another to express how much they had missed each other.
Milotic floated over, manipulating the surrounding moisture to hover gracefully. It stopped beside Tyrantrum's head and gently leaned against it.
Only after the group had finished their affectionate reunion did Larvesta step forward.
"Lar!"
Larvesta proudly introduced the two "little daughters" behind it, the Fire-type Vulpix and the Ice-type Alolan Vulpix.
It gestured for the two little foxes to greet Tyrantrum. Fire Vulpix lifted its head and stared curiously at the large dragon, poking at Tyrantrum's leg with the tip of its tail, only to recoil slightly when it felt how hard the skin was.
Ice Vulpix, on the other hand, released a few snowflakes that landed on Tyrantrum's body. The sudden chill made Tyrantrum shiver and quickly jump away, instantly ruining its previously majestic and imposing image.
Finally, there was Larvesta's little follower, Deino.
Larvesta shook its head, signaling Deino to properly greet Tyrantrum and learn from it, making sure not to disgrace Dragon-type Pokémon.
Tyrantrum looked at this fellow dragon and found it far too skinny. It let out low growls, indicating that Deino should follow it from now on.
It intended to train Deino properly. As a Dragon-type Pokémon, how could it be so scrawny? Even that chubby Larvesta looked fatter than it.
That comment immediately annoyed Larvesta, and the two began playfully fighting again.
Theo could not be bothered to intervene and simply let them fool around.
After their scuffle, Larvesta and Tyrantrum huddled together and began whispering.
Tyrantrum lowered its head, making low rumbling sounds as if bragging about its achievements in the Village of Dragons.
Soon after, Larvesta climbed onto Tyrantrum's back and waved for Fire Vulpix, Ice Vulpix, and Deino to follow.
The three little ones hurriedly imitated it, grabbing onto the tuft of white mane around Tyrantrum's neck and holding on tightly.
"Lar!"
"Tyrant!"
Receiving Larvesta's signal, Tyrantrum let out a low roar, pushed off with its powerful hind legs, and began sprinting along the lakeside.
At first, it was just a light jog, but within seconds it broke into a full run, picking up speed as the wind whipped its mane wildly.
Larvesta stood proudly atop the crown-like ridge on Tyrantrum's head, shaking its head excitedly. The feeling was simply amazing.
The two Vulpix clung to either side of Tyrantrum's neck, their little heads bobbing with the rhythm of the run as they let out cheerful cries.
As for Deino, experiencing this elevated vantage point for the first time, it grew more and more excited, letting out a low dragon's roar.
Seeing Tyrantrum running more and more recklessly, Metagross quickly followed, using its psychic power to keep pace. It was worried that this reckless brute might accidentally throw off the three still-growing youngsters.
Like a dutiful bodyguard, it hovered alongside Tyrantrum, keeping a close eye on their safety while watching them play.
Theo stood where he was, listening to the joyful cries echoing in the air. He could not help but smile. He reached out and gently stroked Milotic's head, and Milotic responded by softly nuzzling his palm. The two shared a quiet smile, the atmosphere filled with warmth.
Days passed quietly amid training and play, and the Water Festival drew closer.
The atmosphere in Sootopolis City grew more festive with each passing day. Walking through the streets, one could hear people discussing the festival everywhere. Blue ribbons were hung along the lakeside railings, and every household displayed wind chimes made of seashells at their doors.
Many local residents wore traditional garments embroidered with wave patterns, gathering by the lake to rehearse ritual dances over and over again. The sound of drums and chanting could be heard from afar.
Theo's Pokémon also continued their training steadily during these days.
With Tyrantrum back, Metagross finally had a proper sparring partner again. Of course, it could not use Mega Evolution, otherwise Tyrantrum would stand no chance.
The two engaged in close combat, exchanging blows, fists and claws clashing as they tempered their bodies.
Meanwhile, Milotic and Larvesta took on the role of instructors, teaching the two Vulpix and Deino how to control long-range energy attacks. Although everyone usually doted on the little foxes, there was no leniency during training.
If they failed to control their moves properly or lost focus, Larvesta would scold them. It even held a small twig, and whoever performed poorly had to extend their paw to receive a light smack.
The one who got hit the most was, of course, Deino.
It was not that Deino was stupid, but since it was not appropriate to keep punishing the two little foxes, Deino had to take the lead and bear more of the hardship.
At first, Deino felt a bit resentful. However, after every training session, Larvesta would sneak into Theo's bag and bring out some tasty snacks for it.
With that, Deino quickly lost its complaints and even began to enjoy the process.
After all, Larvesta only liked to fool around. It was not a bad Pokémon. It just enjoyed teasing Deino and never truly intended to bully it.
After finishing their basic training, Larvesta and Tyrantrum would move aside to practice coordination of their moves.
It had been a while since they had worked together, so they needed to regain their previous sense of teamwork.
Meanwhile, Deino would head into Metagross's gravity field to undergo physical training.
Although it endured plenty of hardship, its growth was visible to the naked eye.
Its body had become much sturdier, and a small bulge had even appeared near its neck. This was a sign of imminent evolution. It would not be long before it evolved into Zweilous.
Deino seemed to sense this change as well. It trained even harder, determined to one day reverse roles with Larvesta and become the one in charge.
Time quietly slipped by through training.
At last, December 12th arrived.
(End of Chapter)