"Sylveon, are you ready? It's time to attack!"
Naoki's voice rang out as Articuno took its position in the sky. Sylveon leapt forward gracefully, eyes sparkling with determination.
"Boo-ee!" Sylveon cried, facing the legendary bird without fear.
From above, Articuno responded with a high-pitched, echoing cry. It stretched its magnificent wings, summoning a powerful wave of Ice-type energy that chilled the air instantly.
A blizzard began to howl, the snow thickening into sharp, slicing winds.
"Move! Use Protect!" Naoki commanded.
Sylveon dashed across the snow-covered field, her paws leaving light, flower-shaped prints that were quickly buried under the whirling snow. A shimmering white light enveloped her body, a glowing dome-like barrier formed, surrounding her completely.
The radiant shield flickered as the blizzard slammed into it. Though the storm howled with intensity, the mystical energy deflected the worst of it, keeping Sylveon unharmed.
Still, the danger wasn't over.
Articuno tucked its wings and dove down like a hunting falcon, snow trailing in its wake.
"A tailwind," Naoki muttered, sensing the shift. The battlefield was now working in Articuno's favor, boosting its speed and power.
"Moonblast!" he ordered.
Sylveon skidded to a stop, turned sharply, and looked skyward. Fairy-type energy shimmered around her like falling stardust. Behind her, an ethereal full moon materialized, casting a soft glow as the energy concentrated into a glowing orb.
She launched it skyward. The beam of light streaked through the sky like a comet, aiming directly for Articuno.
Articuno responded with an icy counter. The snow around it coalesced into razor-sharp crystal shards, forming a hardened barrier midair. The two energies collided with a thunderous crash, Moonblast against Ice Shard.
The explosion scattered snow and fairy dust across the battlefield. Though part of the icy defense was shattered, many shards pierced through and rained down on Sylveon.
"Boo-yi!" she yelped in pain as the shards pelted her.
In the sky, the tailwind cleared the aftermath of the explosion and revealed Articuno, unharmed and glowing with ice energy.
Naoki tensed.
From the legendary bird's mouth, an orb of frigid blue light began to form, the unmistakable sign of a Freeze-Dry attack.
A deafening blast followed. The beam cut through the air like a frozen lance, heading straight for Sylveon.
"Dodge it!" Naoki shouted urgently.
But Articuno's enhanced speed gave it the edge. The moment Naoki's words left his lips, the Freeze-Dry beam struck Sylveon squarely.
Though her previous Protect had faded, her resilience and prior training still counted for something. Sylveon's ability to shield herself from status conditions, likely due to her innate trait or a recent use of Protect, kept her from being frozen solid.
However, the raw impact sent her flying.
She hit the ground hard and rolled across the snow, her slender body going limp as her eyes fluttered closed.
"Boo… Boo-ee…"
Naoki's heart clenched. He rushed to her side with Koraidon close behind.
Articuno glided down silently, its wings folding gently as it landed, watching Sylveon with concern.
"It's alright, Articuno. She'll be okay," Naoki assured the Legendary Pokémon.
He knelt beside Sylveon, quickly pulling out a bottle from his bag, a glass vial of Life Goat Milk.
Naoki gently opened Sylveon's mouth and poured the milk in.
Within seconds, a soft pink glow surrounded her body. Her wounds closed rapidly, and her breathing steadied.
Sylveon's eyes snapped open.
"Boo-ee?!"
Sylveon had lost.
She sat silently, her blue eyes dim with disappointment. Naoki had said that Kyurem was far stronger than Articuno, and yet, even against Articuno, she hadn't stood a chance.
If that was the case, then what hope did she have against Kyurem?
"Boo-ee…" Sylveon let out a small sigh. Becoming a hero was not as easy as she had imagined.
She lowered her head, ears drooping. Her dream suddenly felt so distant and unreachable.
Naoki, however, just laughed gently. "You're not giving up already, are you?"
Sylveon's head snapped up. "Boo-ee!" she cried, shaking her head fiercely.
No. Of course not.
She had trained for so long. She had come so far. There was no way she would give up now, not when her dream was finally within reach.
"That's the spirit." Naoki grinned and reached into his coat pocket. "In that case, let's reveal the secret weapon I've been saving for you."
"Boo-ee?" Sylveon blinked, startled. Then her eyes lit up with curiosity.
From Naoki's pocket, he pulled out a small drawstring pouch. As he untied it, Sylveon leaned forward eagerly.
Inside were dozens of strange-looking seeds, glimmering slightly and pulsing faintly with power.
Sylveon tilted her head. "Boo-ee?"
Naoki chuckled. "Eat them," he said simply, offering the bag.
Sylveon looked at him for a second, then nodded.
She extended one of her ribbon-like feelers into the pouch, pulled out a single seed, and carefully popped it into her mouth.
She barely had time to swallow before she felt it. An intense warmth spread through her chest and limbs like sunlight breaking through a cold fog.
Sylveon gasped softly and looked down at herself.
The snow around them was frigid, the air still sharp from Articuno's earlier Blizzard. But now, she didn't feel cold at all.
Quite the opposite.
Her whole body felt hot. No, it felt energized.
"Boo-ee…" she whispered. A rush of power surged through her, filling her with strength.
She looked back at Naoki, wide-eyed.
"This," Naoki said with a warm smile, "is the secret weapon I promised."
Sylveon's gaze shifted to the entire pouch still full of magical seeds. Her mouth opened in awe.
If one seed made her feel this strong, then eating all of them might help her become a Pokémon powerful enough to defeat even Kyurem.
Her eyes sparkled.
"Boo-ee!" she squealed joyfully, bounding forward and wrapping her feelers around Naoki's arm in a tight, affectionate hug.
Sylveon's ribbons shimmered slightly as they looped around him. It was a gentle and heartfelt gesture. This was how she showed her love.
Naoki could feel her emotion in that touch. She was grateful, joyful, hopeful, and determined.
He reached down and gently stroked her head.
"Go ahead," he said softly. "Eat them all."
"Boo-ee!"
Sylveon gave a firm nod. She turned back to the pouch with fierce resolve.
She buried her face inside and began to eat quickly and eagerly, her eyes full of fire and purpose.
Every seed that entered Sylveon's belly turned into a warm current, spreading through its limbs and bones like sunlight after a storm.
Its power was growing at an astonishing rate.
A sudden pulse ran through its body, like a volcano erupting deep inside. Sylveon gasped, eyes wide as a rush of energy overwhelmed it with a feeling it had never experienced before.
After swallowing the final magical seed, it let out a small burp, completely unintentional.
Sylveon looked down at itself, stunned.
It felt stronger. So much stronger.
Articuno, standing nearby, tilted its head. Something had changed.
In that instant, the legendary bird sensed an overwhelming force radiating from Sylveon. Its calm gaze sharpened.
This wasn't just normal energy. Sylveon's aura had completely transformed.
That kind of presence was something Articuno had only ever sensed from truly powerful Pokémon.
What just happened?
The Ice-Type looked at Naoki, then at the small bag he had brought with him. A realization struck Articuno like thunder.
It was those seeds.
"How are you feeling?" Naoki asked, his voice gentle as he studied Sylveon closely.
"Boo-ee!" Sylveon chirped with excitement, leaping into the air.
Its whole body buzzed with energy. It had never felt this good before.
Naoki grinned.
As he expected, the seeds were working. They were more than just rare items. They were essentially equivalent to Rare Candies. And not just a few.
Together, the seeds were equal to thirty-one Rare Candies in total.
That meant Sylveon's level had effectively jumped by thirty-one in a matter of moments.
If it had started at level 10, it would now be level 41.
But of course, Sylveon had long surpassed that.
Over the past year, it had trained hard, fighting to one day stand against Kyurem, the fearsome Ice-Dragon.
From the Hero Trials on the ranch to harsh blizzard training under Articuno's watch, Sylveon had given it everything.
Naoki estimated that before eating the seeds, Sylveon was probably already around level 25.
That would mean now it was somewhere near level 56.
Just four levels shy of the average champion-tier Pokémon like Cynthia's Garchomp in the games.
Its power wasn't just growing. It was evolving into something incredible.
...
Bonus @500
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