"Draaa~~"
Dragonite contentedly patted its belly.
All full now!
Nearby, Clair stared at the massive pile of empty plates with sweat running down her brow.
"Does it always eat this much?"
Johan wiped his forehead and replied,
"Not always. But today, since someone else is paying, I guess it decided to let loose."
Back when Dragonite was still a Dragonair, its appetite wasn't anywhere near this frightening.
But today, it had just evolved into Dragonite, fought a grueling battle with the sanctuary's Dragonite, burned through a ton of stamina, and even pushed itself to use Outrage.
And more importantly—this was the Dragon Clan's treat, so of course, it went all out.
Its appetite was practically rivaling Gengar's now.
"Draaa~ Draaa~~"
Dragonite picked at its teeth with a claw, grinning and muttering softly to itself.
All full, but plain berries just don't taste as good as Johan's energy cubes.
Clair: "..."
She'd previously been curious as to why Johan's Dragonair had grown so much larger than normal Dragonairs.
Now, she wasn't curious anymore.
With an appetite like that, how could it not grow big?
And not just Dragonite—all of Johan's Pokémon were a handful.
As soon as they heard someone else was paying, they acted like they hadn't eaten in two weeks.
Especially Gengar.
Clair had to wonder if it was really eating or just stuffing food away into some hidden dimension in its belly.
But the Dragon Clan elder didn't mind at all.
He even laughed and said,
"A good appetite is a blessing. Let the little ones eat their fill. No way a few Pokémon are going to empty the Dragon Clan's coffers!"
"Draaa~~"
The sanctuary's Dragonite, having also eaten its fill, gave Johan's Dragonite an approving pat on the shoulder.
Dragonite's growth and progress had earned its satisfaction.
"Draaa~~"
Dragonite smiled bashfully.
The two Dragonites sat together, and for the first time, everyone noticed the size difference between them.
During the fight, it wasn't as obvious since the exchanges were so fast. But now, sitting side by side, Johan's Dragonite was noticeably taller—by an entire head!
Its body and limbs were also bulkier, and it carried a bit more... weight.
Truly "big-boned."
Even Johan couldn't help but give Dragonite's bouncy, squishy belly a playful pat.
The texture was amazing!
If he ever lay down to nap on Dragonite's stomach, it would probably be the comfiest bed ever.
Soft, cool, and just the right amount of bounce—better than any summer mattress.
"Draaa~ Draaa~~"
Dragonite immediately vowed to turn all that "fluff" into muscle!
Johan chuckled and said,
"No need for that. I like you just the way you are."
His view of Dragonite's stats appeared in his mind:
[Dragonite]
Type: Dragon/Flying
Ability: Multiscale
Moves: Extreme Speed, Supersonic, Wrap, Leer, Twister, Thunder Wave, Dragon Tail, Slam, Aqua Tail, Safeguard, Hydro Pump, Thunderbolt, Icy Wind, Dragon Rush, Outrage
Mood: Happy (I've finally evolved! I'm a proper Pokémon with arms now!)
Condition: Excellent (Outrage isn't something to use casually—it takes a toll on the body.)
Friendship Level: 100 (I need to lose weight... Draaa...)
The power boost from evolution was obvious.
As the final stage of a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, Dragonite's strength had surprised even Johan.
But what really stood out was its ability to use Outrage.
In the Pokémon world, a dragon's Outrage was a symbol of its potential and the strength of its bloodline.
The drawback, however, was significant—using Outrage often sent the Pokémon into a state of uncontrollable rage or confusion, and they couldn't stop until the move naturally ended.
But the sanctuary's Dragonite had shown Johan what controlled Outrage looked like.
Under its guidance, Johan's Dragonite had already begun to show faint signs of mastering a similar technique.
That was what truly stunned Clair and the Dragon Clan elder.
Johan couldn't help but wonder...
If Outrage typically lasted two or three turns...
Could there be a "second gear" Outrage? Or a "third gear"?
Monkey D. Dragonite?
"Draaa~~"
The sanctuary's Dragonite continued explaining the finer points of Outrage, and Johan's Dragonite nodded eagerly, fully absorbed.
One willing to teach, and one eager to learn.
Johan was starting to feel a bit nervous about where this might lead.
Training this move... wouldn't it end up wrecking his home?
Guess there was no choice—he'd have to rely on the facilities at Rustboro Academy.
"Wait... or maybe a Gym or tournament venue..."
Johan's eyes lit up at the thought.
Noticing his expression, Clair instinctively tightened her grip on the whip at her hip, staring at him with suspicion.
What are you planning, you weirdo?
"Cha~ Cha~~!"
Standing proudly on Dragonite's back, Tinkaton was nearly vibrating with excitement.
The dream of becoming a Dragon Knight had finally come true!
"Draaa~~"
After a brief flight around the sanctuary with Tinkaton riding proudly, Dragonite landed back on the ground with a resounding thud.
"Cha~~"
That was amazing!
Tinkaton adjusted her twin ponytails, looking thrilled.
With Dragonite's speed and Tinkaton's strength, the two could probably flatten an entire hill with ease.
"If it had a cape, it'd look even cooler..."
Johan suddenly froze mid-thought.
Wait a second...
Was this why Lance always wore a cape?
"Draaa~~"
After Tinkaton hopped down, Dragonite gestured for Johan to climb on.
Seeing Dragonite's eager eyes, Johan hesitated.
He wanted to refuse, but this was Dragonite's big day—it had just evolved. He didn't want to disappoint it.
After some internal conflict, he sighed and climbed onto its back.
Compared to Dragonair, whose slippery, smooth body made for a tricky ride, Dragonite's back was spacious and stable, providing proper footholds.
And thanks to its broad body, Dragonite shielded Johan from most of the high-altitude winds.
The only issue...
Was the speed.
After a single lap around the sanctuary, Johan stumbled off Dragonite's back, his face pale.
"Draaa?" Dragonite tilted its head, looking concerned.
"I'm fine," Johan said with a shaky laugh. "I just need to rest a bit."
Clair raised an eyebrow, her tone skeptical.
"You're not... afraid of heights, are you?"
"Of course not! You're afraid of heights! Your whole family's afraid of heights!" Johan shot back indignantly.
He wasn't scared—it was just... flying that high and that fast was a lot to take in.
Still, if he kept riding Dragonite, he'd probably get used to it eventually.
With a partner like Dragonite, it would be a waste not to take advantage of such a comfortable ride.
Honestly, what other flying Pokémon could compare to Dragonite in terms of sheer coziness?
"Draaa~~"
The sanctuary's Dragonite reappeared after its meal, tossing a Dragon Fang to Johan's Dragonite before giving it a final pat and a wave.
It was time to leave the nest.
With a trainer like Johan and such dependable teammates, the sanctuary's Dragonite was fully confident in its offspring's future.
"Draaa!!"
Dragonite held the Dragon Fang close and nodded solemnly.
Johan patted its arm with a grin.
"Alright, let's go conquer the seas and become Pirate King!"
Dragonite: "???"
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Powerstones?
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