"Go go go, let's head out!"
Early in the morning, Silas mounted Dragonite and set off toward Dragonite Island.
Litleo and Altaria had already returned to the Pokémon town after dinner yesterday, while Toxtricity and the others stayed behind at the ranch to rehearse with Jigglypuff. Having just met, they still lacked coordination, and that kind of teamwork required time and repeated practice, something that could not be rushed.
Because of that, Jigglypuff was left behind today, and Alcremie had no choice but to stay as well. The Toxtricity duo still could not use Electric Terrain, so for now they could not do without Alcremie's support.
After putting on the windproof goggles he had bought yesterday, Silas turned his head and said, "Indeedees, Kangaskhan, I'll leave the ranch to you. I'll be back by tomorrow at the latest."
"Indee~" x2
"Kang!"
Kangaskhan and the others nodded, reminding Silas to stay safe and telling Dragonite to protect him well.
"Draa!"
Dragonite puffed out its chest proudly, flapped its small wings, and soared up into the clouds. Following a route it knew by heart, it sped toward Dragonite Island.
Lowering his body to reduce wind resistance, Silas did not forget to wrap up Cinccino and Morpeko, who were poking their heads out curiously.
They were not the only ones traveling. Three Noivern chased closely behind. Cyclizar clung to one of their heads, howling loudly as it urged them to go faster and overtake Dragonite.
Amid this playful chase, they reached the waters around Dragonite Island in only half the usual time.
It had been a while since Silas last came here, and he immediately noticed something strange.
"Dragonite, into the water, use Thunderbolt."
A thick bolt of orange lightning burst from Dragonite's antennae and struck straight at the shadow beneath them.
The shadow convulsed from the sudden hit, its body twitching before floating up to the surface.
As expected, it was a Gyarados.
"Even Gyarados are showing up here?"
Behind them, the Noivern released ultrasonic waves in unison, locking onto the same direction.
At first glance, there was nothing there.
But on a second look, a faint outline appeared.
Under the interference of the ultrasound, the opponent's invisibility was broken, revealing its true form.
"Dragapult!"
"Dragaa!"
The revealed Dragapult let out a sly laugh before vanishing once more and disappearing without hesitation.
After encountering two powerful Pokémon in succession, especially Dragapult, Silas could not help but grow serious.
Not far away, on the sea surface, a Seviper and an Arbok were locked in a fierce battle.
Above them, several Vibrava flew past, heading in the exact same direction as Silas and the others toward Dragonite Island.
"What is going on? There are so many more Pokémon around here."
After meeting the Dragonite elder, Silas finally learned the reason.
It turned out that the cause was his own Dragonite. When its body had shrunk, it released excess Dragon-type energy. That energy had transformed Dragonite Island, making its environment extremely suitable for Dragon-type Pokémon.
As a result, large numbers of Dragon-types had begun migrating here in groups.
The island was no longer just home to Dragonite. Now, most Pokémon from the Dragon Egg Group could be seen here.
Dragonite Island had evolved into Dragon Island, a shared paradise for Dragon-type Pokémon.
It would take some time for Steven to arrive, and the Noivern nudged Silas eagerly. After getting his permission, they charged into the island's core, quickly engaging wild Pokémon in battle.
At this point, Dragon Island had become the best training ground imaginable for them.
Following the Dragonite elder to the Dragonite camp, Silas soon heard rustling sounds.
Dratini and Dragonair poked their heads out one after another.
Then more and more followed, all rushing toward Silas in waves.
They had not forgotten about the snacks and quickly surrounded him, asking for them.
"There's enough for everyone. I brought plenty. Go call the other Dragonites too."
Soon, Dragonite of all shapes and sizes gathered around him. The mountain of snacks was devoured at a visible speed.
After eating their fill, the Dragonite lay down leisurely, turning into a group of content, lazy dragons.
As for Silas, he was completely surrounded by baby Pokémon, with small blue coils wrapped around his arms and legs.
Among them, shiny Dratini had secured the best spot, curling softly in his arms, even clingier than Litten.
Just as Silas was playing with the Dratini, he looked up and saw a silver Metagross descending steadily.
"Silas! Long time no see!"
"Long time no see, Steven."
Steven waved from afar and quickly walked over. The two of them exchanged a friendly embrace.
Sensing a stranger's presence, the Dratini immediately retreated toward the Dragonite, their awareness of danger surprisingly high.
After a brief explanation and some casual conversation, the two got down to business.
With a smile, Steven took out a Poké Ball that was purple-red in color with a white "M" mark in the center.
"What's that?"
"A Master Ball, developed by Silph Co. Because of its materials, only a handful are produced each year. It guarantees success when catching ordinary Pokémon and even has a chance to capture Legendary Pokémon."
With a Master Ball available, Silas could save the Ultra Balls he had prepared.
The two stood before the massive iron sphere, eager to attempt the awakening.
"According to the stone chamber records, we need Relicanth and Wailord to release their power in a specific order, creating a resonance that awakens the sleeping Regi Pokémon."
"Let's try it first, then adjust as needed."
"Alright."
Each of them released the required Pokémon and followed the recorded steps carefully.
Whenever something went wrong, they adjusted slightly and tried again.
After repeated attempts, the giant iron sphere finally responded.
With a thunderous metallic roar, the legendary titan revealed itself.
Registeel.
Its body, made of an unknown metal, slammed into the ground, leaving a deep crater. Its surface gleamed with a cold silver-gray sheen.
The seven dots on its face lit up one by one, until all were shining brightly.
After an unknown number of years, Registeel had awakened.
It slowly raised its heavy metal arm, each movement accompanied by grinding mechanical sounds.
At this moment, Registeel was at its weakest. It stood only about 1.9 meters tall, lacking the overwhelming presence of a legendary giant.
"Silas, use the Master Ball to catch it."
"Got it."
Holding the Master Ball tightly, Silas took a deep breath to steady himself before throwing it with force.
The ball traced an arc through the air, heading straight toward Registeel.
But before it could absorb the titan, Registeel casually raised its arm and sent the Master Ball flying back into Silas's hand.
"As expected, we need to battle first," Silas muttered. "Cyclizar, get ready."
"Cyc!"
Legendary Pokémon possessed intelligence no less than that of humans. To capture them, one first had to earn their recognition.
For Registeel, that meant defeating it in battle.
Silas's previous strategy of relying on a single ball clearly would not work. Even if he succeeded, whether Registeel would obey him was another matter entirely.
(End of Chapter)