[pokémon: Gyarados]
[Type: Water/Flying]
[Ability: Moxie (Attack rises after knocking out an opponent)]
[Moves: Splash (Perfected), Tackle (Perfected), Flail (Proficient), Bounce (Mastered), Waterfall (Proficient), Rain Dance, Taunt, Roar, Stomp, Protect, Double Team, Soak, Icy Wind]
Gyarados's Bounce had just climbed from 'Proficient' to 'Master'.
Waterfall, meanwhile, vaulted straight from 'Learned' to 'Mastered'.
"Gyarados, Waterfall!"
Adrian wanted to gauge the power of the two newly promoted moves.
"Roooar—"
With a thunderous Roar, a twenty-metre column of water erupted around Gyarados, the sight terrifying.
The next instant, its aura exploded; like a flood dragon commanding a tide, it surged forward and smashed everything in its path.
Boom!
The colossal wave and Gyarados together struck a trunk wide enough for several people to hug; the tree snapped, crashed down, and sent leaves whirling everywhere.
"So this is Master-rank Waterfall? Incredible!"
Adrian's eyes widened in awe.
Although Tackle was Mastered, it was still a basic move; Waterfall belonged to a far higher tier and packed far more base power.
Add STAB into the mix, and Waterfall clearly outclassed Tackle by a mile.
"Pii—"
The little Pichu on his shoulder was equally stunned.
Though the killing intent wasn't aimed at it, the mere overflow made Pichu too scared to fight.
A direct hit wouldn't necessarily knock it out, but it might lose the will to battle on the spot.
"Now for Bounce!"
After the shock wore off, Adrian kept probing.
Whoosh!
Its tail slapped the azure water like a cannon, kicking up spray everywhere.
At the same time, the serpentine body shot skyward.
"Roooar—"
Surprise and delight flashed across Gyarados's face.
It could feel its body lighter, the Flying energy far easier to control.
Hundreds of metres up, instead of dropping like a rock it glided freely on Flying energy for several minutes.
It twisted through the air like a true sky dragon.
Only after a long while did it drift slowly down.
"Roooar—"
Gyarados was ecstatic.
Still not real flight, but it felt tantalisingly close.
"Does Bounce have to hit 'Perfect' or even 'Mastered' before Gyarados can truly fly?"
Adrian rubbed his chin, already feeling the headache.
To push Bounce from Master to Perfect required eight TMs; another sixteen for Mastered—no small number.
The Seaking Fishing Tournament was held only once a year, after all.
"Let's try it with a Float Stone!"
With a thought, he produced the prize from catching that giant Seaking.
[Float Stone: an ultra-light stone that drastically cuts a pokémon's weight.]
In the games its effect was minor—just a slight reduction in Grass Knot or Low Kick damage to heavy targets.
In reality, less weight meant greater agility and speed, a far more useful perk.
For Gyarados, shedding weight might finally let it achieve true flight.
He clipped the stone on. "Gyarados, Bounce again!"
Whoosh!
Gyarados rocketed upward once more.
Thanks to the Float Stone, its weight dropped sharply; Adrian could feel it leap higher and descend slower.
Leisurely it glided a full li through the air.
Yet to his disappointment, this still wasn't true flight.
Its altitude only decreased over time; it couldn't climb freely like a bird.
"So Bounce alone can't unlock real flight?"
After long deliberation, a new idea struck him. "Maybe I should teach it Hurricane…"
Gyarados could learn only two Flying moves: Bounce and Hurricane.
Hurricane manipulates air currents to attack, but in theory it could also generate lift for Gyarados itself.
The more he thought, the more excited he became—he itched to test it right away.
Unfortunately, he didn't possess a Hurricane TM.
"I recall Mantine can learn Hurricane; when I get the chance I'll try fishing for one."
Adrian gazed into the distance. "I'll ask President Nixie later where Mantine like to appear."
Beep-beep-beep!
His phone rang at that moment.
It was Clair calling.
"Adrian, I've reported your matter to the Dragon Elder. He agrees to let you train in the Dragon Sanctuary, but if you wish to learn the clan's secret techniques you must first pay your respects at the Dragon Shrine…"
Clair's crisp voice came from the other end.
"The Dragon Elder wants to see me?"
Adrian was taken aback.
The Dragon Master Family, steeped in thousands of years of tradition, clung to ancient customs—elders holding real authority, and so on.
Of these elders, the most venerated was unquestionably the Dragon Elder.
According to Adventures canon, the current Dragon Elder should be Clair and Lance's grandfather—a living legend.
"No need to panic; he'll just ask you a few questions…"
Sensing his nerves, Clair chuckled. "Secret techniques are the clan's heritage; only the Elder can decide whether an outsider may learn them. Answer carefully."
"Questions?"
Adrian's brows lifted in delight.
He recalled the games: the Dragon Elder would quiz you on pokémon knowledge inside the Dragon Shrine.
A decent score earned you a Dratini.
A perfect score netted a Dratini that knew Extreme Speed.
"I wonder if this Elder follows the game version or the manga version?"
Adrian's heart fluttered. "If the questions are the same as in the games, I'm golden!"
As a lifelong fan, he knew every answer by heart.
In other words, that Extreme Speed Dratini could be his!
"My business here is done. Don't worry, Miss Clair—I'll grab a ticket to Blackthorn City at once and won't keep the Elder waiting."
"A coach?"
Clair snorted. "I'll pick you up. Be at Goldenrod City's Pokémon Center tomorrow at nine. All right?"
Blackthorn sat at Johto's far east, Goldenrod at its south-centre—over a thousand li apart.
By coach it would take two or three days.
The ever-decisive Clair wasn't about to wait that long.
"No problem!"
Adrian grinned. "Much appreciated!"
He'd be riding Flygon again!