Pokemon: Rising From The Dark

Aoki's body had not yet fully recovered, leaving him without even basic mobility. This made venturing into unfamiliar areas somewhat dangerous. Since the investigation within a twenty-kilometer radius of their base was nearly complete and there was no immediate urgency, it was prudent to slow their pace and proceed with caution step by step. For Aoki and his Pokémon, this period in the unknown space served as a valuable opportunity to calm down and consolidate their strength.

The three Beedrill colonies discovered earlier now presented an ideal training opportunity. While his Tyranitar and Gengar required a period of calm stabilization, the younger Pokémon did not share this need. His Bagon, Horsea, and Kirlia had not participated in a proper battle for a long time. A battle-hungry Pokémon like Bagon, in particular, had long been unable to suppress its desire for a fight. Furthermore, the levels of these three Pokémon were at a critical juncture.

The Bagon was currently at level 29; gaining one more level would allow it to evolve into Shelgon. The Horsea had reached level 30; two more levels would enable its evolution into Seadra. Kirlia was at level 26; four more levels would allow it to evolve into Gardevoir, completing its final evolution. For a Pokémon like Gardevoir, which evolves relatively quickly, Aoki would typically suppress its level if conditions permitted to ensure a more solid foundation. However, the cases of Bagon and Horsea were different.

Aoki had been deliberately suppressing their levels since their last major battle, a process that was now nearly complete. Their physical development had been pushed to its current limit, ensuring no detriment to their long-term growth potential. Therefore, Aoki aimed to focus training on these two Pokémon first, hoping they could complete their evolution during this period, though he would not force the process.

Aoki had formulated a relatively perfect training plan for the Bagon, knowledge he had acquired from the Elite Four member, Drake. After all, Drake's understanding of Dragon-type Pokémon like Salamence was among the best in the Pokémon world. With Drake's guidance, Aoki and his Bagon could avoid many pitfalls. During its youth, the Bagon had suffered significant physical and psychological trauma. While the physical wounds had healed and its lost potential had been restored—even slightly improved upon under Drake's tutelage, with its talent now a dark green shading into light blue, partly due to the effects of Aoki's high-quality Pokeblocks—the psychological trauma remained a lingering issue.

The original plan had been to remain on Drake's ship for a period after their journey through Celebi's space to address this, but now it seemed that would have to be postponed. Fortunately, after evolving into Shelgon, it would enter a stage of strength accumulation, much like a Pupitar, meaning the interval before its next evolution would not be short.

The Horsea required a Dragon Scale to evolve into Kingdra after it became a Seadra. Aoki had procured this scale long ago. Once it evolved into Seadra and developed itself to its peak, Aoki would allow the evolution. Another primary reason for delaying the Horsea's evolution was its Sniper ability. Upon evolving into Seadra, its ability would change to Poison Point, only reverting to its preferred Damp ability upon becoming a Kingdra. However, Aoki's immediate need for a Rain team was not pressing, so he could afford to build the team slowly and methodically. In contrast, his Sandstorm team, with its core member Tyranitar, was rapidly catching up.

Therefore, at dawn the next day, Aoki, guarded by his Slowking and Mismagius, set out from the base with the three younger Pokémon: Bagon, Horsea, and Kirlia. Using Slowking's Teleport, they arrived directly at the outskirts of the forest dominated by the three Beedrill colonies. The three obedient Skuntank, having witnessed the formidable strength of Aoki's Pokémon during training, followed along to pull the cart, now utterly docile and focused solely on their task.

The Bagon, understanding the purpose of this excursion, was the most excited, having waited a long time for a fight. The Horsea maintained its typically indifferent attitude; if Aoki commanded it to battle, it would obey without question and perform flawlessly, just as it would with training or rest. Riolu, who stuck close to Aoki, also accompanied them. It was often lying next to Aoki's hand, licking the back of it periodically. Perhaps as a result, after the muscles in his head had mostly recovered, the next area to show improvement was the fingers on his right hand, the very ones licked by Riolu. Aoki could now move them slightly, enough to stroke Riolu's smooth fur.

With the powerful Slowking and Mismagius by his side, safety was not a concern. If the training Pokémon encountered a powerful enemy during battle, Slowking could intervene and rescue them immediately. This security was what allowed Aoki to confidently train in the territory of the three Beedrill colonies. Kirlia would not participate in the battles today; the focus was entirely on the Horsea and Bagon.

Under Aoki's command, the Bagon and Horsea set out together to provoke the Beedrill tribes. Aoki's orders were clear: they were to handle any number of Beedrill or Vespiquen below level 35 on their own. They could only request assistance if they encountered an opponent above level 35. This directive placed significant pressure on the two young Pokémon, forcing them to rely on their own strength and cunning.

Pokemon: Bagon (Dark Teal)

Gender: Male

Level: 29

Attribute: Dragon

Ability: Rock Head

Held Item: Dragon Scale

Inherited Moves: Hydro Pump, Dragon Dance, Fire Fang, Dragon Rush

Basic Moves: Rage, Ember, Leer, Bite, Dragon Breath, Headbutt, Focus Energy, Crunch, Dragon Claw

Taught Moves: Dragon Pulse, Snore

TM Moves: None

This was the Bagon's current data. Since the Horsea had no immediate use for the Dragon Scale, it was most appropriate for the Bagon to hold it. According to Drake, for a pure Dragon-type Pokémon, the best way to help it better develop its draconic attributes and deepen its understanding of them was to have it carry an item imbued with Dragon-type energy. A Dragon Scale was the perfect object.

This particular Dragon Scale had been purchased by Aoki at an auction. The auctioneer claimed it was a scale shed from a immensely powerful, peak-condition Dragonite from Kanto. Regardless of its exact origin, it was undoubtedly a Dragon-type Pokémon's scale, and a high-quality one at that. The Dragon-type energy within it was exceptionally potent. If a Dragon Scale of this quality were left in the wild, it would inevitably attract hordes of Dragon-type Pokémon vying for possession, as its rich draconic energy acted like a beacon in the dark, easily sensed and identified. However, when held by a Pokémon, especially a Dragon-type, this energy was concealed to a certain degree. It could still be detected, but doing so required immense strength—strength possessed by Dragon-type Pokémon who would have little interest in a single Dragon Scale anyway.