Theo was overjoyed and immediately nodded without hesitation.
"Of course I don't mind! Having you and Professor Birch help me is something I couldn't even hope for!"
"Then it's settled!"
Professor Oak slapped his thigh, then casually tossed a Poké Ball from his waist. It flew out of the frame, and he excitedly shouted:
"Dragonite, hurry up, hurry up, get ready to take off! Birch, you lead the way, it's… what was it… Izabe Island, right? Let's go!"
With a sharp click, the video call ended, leaving Theo standing there in a daze, unable to come back to his senses for quite a while.
Was Professor Oak always this energetic and impulsive? This behavior was almost exactly like Ash…
And what Professor Oak had just mentioned, "another Mega Evolution form of Charizard"… could that be Charizard X? The black Mega Evolution with Fire and Dragon typing?
As Theo was still thinking about it, a faint rustling sound came from beside him.
Looking down, he saw that his Fire-type Vulpix and Ice-type Vulpix were gently nudging the red cocoon with their heads. Deino was imitating them as well, its small head repeatedly bumping softly against the cocoon's surface, as if cheering Larvesta on.
"You're worried about it too, aren't you?"
Theo smiled and crouched down, gently patting the three little ones on their heads.
"Wuu wuu!"
"Wuu~"
The three little Pokémon ran into Theo's arms, clinging to him and constantly asking when Larvesta would wake up and whether it would be okay.
Theo patiently explained Larvesta's current state to them, reassuring them that there was nothing to worry about. This was simply part of its evolution.
Milotic stayed by Theo's side, helping to calm the three little ones.
Meanwhile, the Mega Metagross stood guard nearby. The blue cross-shaped mark on its forehead emitted a soft glow, and a faint psychic force continuously wrapped around the red cocoon.
It was transmitting the information sent by Alder to Larvesta, telling it not to worry and that everyone outside would help it complete its evolution.
Time passed little by little. The sea breeze carried a slight chill, brushing past them, yet it could not dispel the warmth gathered in this small corner.
Leaning against a rock, Theo watched the red cocoon and the Pokémon surrounding it. The anxiety in his heart gradually gave way to anticipation.
About an hour later, a rumbling sound came from the distant sky.
Theo looked up and saw a massive orange figure breaking through the air, flapping a pair of small wings. Despite their size, its speed was astonishing.
Behind it followed a large, powerful bird Pokémon. Its wings spread wide like blades cutting through the sky, and its speed was no less impressive.
On the backs of the two Pokémon sat Professor Birch and Professor Oak respectively.
"It's a Dragonite and a Pidgeot!"
Theo recognized the two distinctive Pokémon at a glance.
Especially Dragonite, whose tiny wings looked completely mismatched with its large body, yet somehow supported it in flying at speeds of 2.4 Mach, even faster than Pidgeot's 2 Mach.
Truly, appearances could be deceiving when it came to this "chubby dragon."
What surprised Theo even more was the moment Dragonite landed.
Pidgeot descended gracefully, folding its wings and landing lightly without anything particularly remarkable. But Dragonite, with its massive and bulky body, actually landed just as silently and gently, like a feather touching the ground. It was simply unbelievable.
"Oak, your Dragonite flies way too fast!"
Professor Birch jumped down from Dragonite's back, rubbing his lower back and wincing.
"It's even more intense than Drake's Salamence. My old back almost gave out."
"Hahaha!"
Professor Oak laughed heartily as he jumped down from Pidgeot, then patted Dragonite's tail.
"Of course! How could Drake's Salamence compare to my Dragonite in speed?
By the way, Dragonite, I'll test your speed again someday. Flying such a long distance this quickly… you're getting more and more capable!"
Being praised for its speed, Dragonite immediately lifted its head proudly. Its small wings flapped rapidly as it waved its fist triumphantly.
At the same time, it flexed the muscles on its arm toward Professor Birch, looking completely confident as if to say it was no big deal.
Beside it, Pidgeot let out a dissatisfied cry. It turned to Professor Oak, pointed its beak toward Dragonite, then flapped its own wings, clearly wanting another race to prove that it was faster.
"You're fast too, Pidgeot."
Professor Oak scratched the back of his head awkwardly and came up with a rather unconvincing excuse.
"It's mainly because I'm heavier than Professor Birch. I slowed you down."
Pidgeot turned its head away disdainfully and lightly brushed Professor Oak with its wing. It was not so easily fooled anymore. It was no longer the naive youngster it once was and would not fall for such excuses again.
Dragonite also looked at Professor Oak with a face full of disdain. Both it and Pidgeot had eyes. They could clearly tell the difference between who was heavier and who was lighter.
"Ah, right, right… you've all grown up. Harder to trick now."
Professor Oak laughed even more awkwardly.
Theo's gaze fell on Professor Oak's two Pokémon as system information flashed through his mind.
[Pokémon: Pidgeot]
Type: Normal / Flying
Category: Bird Pokémon
Ability: Strong Chest Muscles (Big Pecks) (Compared to others of its kind, its body is more robust and powerfully built, making it a standout giant among its species. It is also unaffected by moves that lower its Defense.) TN: Lmaoo
Moves: Hurricane, Brave Bird, Air Slash, Feather Dance, Double Team, Hyper Beam, Heat Wave, Dual Wingbeat, Sky Attack…
...
[Pokémon: Dragonite]
Type: Dragon / Flying
Category: Dragon Pokémon
Ability: Multiscale (When its HP is full, the scales on its body shift and overlap like layers of precise armor, becoming thicker and providing greatly enhanced defensive capabilities.)
Moves: Extreme Speed, Dragon Claw, Dragon Pulse, Dragon Dance, Outrage, Draco Meteor, Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Hurricane, Fire Blast, Blizzard, Hydro Pump, Thunder…
Looking at the Dragonite that stood over three meters tall and the Pidgeot with a wingspan of around two and a half meters, Theo was momentarily stunned.
Compared to ordinary Dragonite, which were just over two meters tall, and Pidgeot, which were around one and a half meters in size, Professor Oak's Pokémon were exceptionally well-trained.
Moreover, both possessed rare Hidden Abilities. Truly worthy of Pokémon raised by a top researcher.
At that moment, a deep dragon-like roar suddenly rang out, filled with vigilance.
It was Tyrantrum.
It had not been staying beside Larvesta with Deino and the Vulpix earlier because it had taken on the role of protecting everyone the moment it came out.
When Larvesta had begun spinning its cocoon, Tyrantrum had already patrolled the surroundings to check for any potential dangers, ensuring that nothing would interfere with the transformation.
Now, sensing a powerful threat approaching its trainer, and worried that Metagross and Milotic might not be enough to handle it, it rushed back at full speed.
The moment it returned, Tyrantrum immediately noticed Dragonite. As a fellow Dragon-type Pokémon, it could clearly sense the unfathomable power contained within the other's body.
But when it got a clear look at Dragonite's appearance, Tyrantrum's mind went blank for a moment.
(End of Chapter)