Golden Aptitude
Feebas had only been of green aptitude before. Hayashi Kaede had expected a jump in potential, but not such a massive one—it had evolved straight into Golden Aptitude.
"Milotic~?"
[Congratulations! Feebas' happiness has increased from 70% to 98%. Rewards: 20 bags of fertilizer, 1 Intermediate Magic Candy (boosts energy moderately), Rain Dance TM.]
At that moment, Milotic emerged from the lingering glow of evolution, gazing at its reflection in the water in disbelief. Its thoughts had never been clearer.
Evolved?
Every Feebas knows it can evolve into Milotic. But they also know how slim the chances are. Most Feebas spend their lives as they are—ugly, misunderstood, unloved.
Only a rare few evolve—through accidents, miracles, or sheer devotion.
It was like a koi leaping over the Dragon Gate.
Feebas had never dared to dream it would become a Milotic. It thought Hayashi Kaede's words back in the fish tank were just to cheer it up.
"Milotic~!" (Evolved~!)
"Yes, you evolved!"
Thanks to his Evergreen Power, Hayashi Kaede could now fully understand its words.
"Milotic…" (So happy!)
Apparently, it was a little too happy. Milotic wrapped its elegant tail around Hayashi Kaede and hoisted him into the air with glee.
The sudden weightlessness and snake-like squeeze made him shout out in discomfort.
Then, Milotic dove, swimming through the reservoir with Hayashi Kaede still in its grip.
"Alright, alright, Milotic, put me down!" Hayashi Kaede said, laughing helplessly as he held on with both hands.
He understood Milotic's excitement, but if this kept up, he was going to be soaking wet.
"Yu~~"
Milotic let out a soft cry and, realizing what it had done, gently set him back on the bank.
"You're too big for the fish tank now. You can stay here for the time being—help watch over the plants and water them when you get the chance."
"Milotic~!"
Milotic nodded seriously.
Ever since evolving, its mind felt sharper. Understanding Hayashi Kaede's instructions came naturally now.
"Then I'll leave it to you~," Hayashi Kaede said with a grin.
"Snivy~?"
Nearby, Snivy watched the whole thing unfold, unable to hide the awe on its face.
It knew Pokémon could evolve.
But this kind of transformation—from awkward to radiant—was simply life-changing.
Could I evolve soon too?
Recently, Snivy had felt energy stirring within it—sometimes restless, sometimes calm.
Maybe…
"Don't worry. You'll get there soon."
Hayashi Kaede seemed to read its thoughts and stroked its head with a gentle smile.
Still, he felt a tinge of melancholy.
It's evolving too fast. I haven't hugged it enough yet.
July 12th – Two Days Until the Baby Cup
With Milotic now living in the reservoir, Hayashi Kaede no longer had to wake early and stay up late supervising Squirtle's watering routine.
After teaching Milotic Rain Dance, it mastered the move almost instantly thanks to its golden aptitude. It could now condense airborne moisture and gently irrigate the plantation.
So, Squirtle was dismissed from duty.
Now that it could summon rain, the silly turtle could finally enjoy retirement.
A pity, though…
If only Squirtle's arms were longer, she could've been used to cut grass in a few days.
On the Bluestone Trail, Hayashi Kaede walked alongside Snivy, who brimmed with fighting spirit.
The plantation was stable for now, and he had a new plan:
Get ready for the Baby Cup.
Two days of intense training would have to be enough.
He pulled out an energy cube made from pomelo fruit and handed it to Snivy. This kind was specially designed to enhance move comprehension—perfect for Snivy at this stage.
"You've gotten good with Vine Whip and Grassy Terrain. I also see signs that you've picked up Grass Mixer and Leaf Blade. Grass Mixer is great for range, and Blade works well up close. Let's see how well you've mastered both."
(´･･`): "Snivy?"
Snivy blinked. It hadn't shown either move yet.
How did he know?!
Of course... he's my Trainer. He sees through everything.
The corners of its mouth curled up proudly.
Back in the wild, these were the two moves it practiced the most. It would show him what it could really do!
Eyes sharp, Snivy bounded toward an open clearing by the trail. A green light gathered at the tip of its leafy tail, which swirled gracefully.
A cyclone quickly formed—taller than a person—leaves spinning wildly inside, rustling in the air.
The edge of the whirlwind dug into the ground, scattering ground sand and revealing the yellowish earth beneath.
"Great! Now let's try adding one Leaf Tornado inside another!"
Just as Snivy was about to release the whirlwind, Hayashi Kaede's voice chimed in.
[Leaf Tornado – Uses wind to drive spinning leaves, wrapping and cutting the opponent.]
Faster wind = stronger cutting power.
If you embed one Leaf Tornado inside another and sync them perfectly, the result is double the power.
Even more: you can layer it multiple times.
A weaker version of Leaf Storm, in essence.
Hayashi Kaede had seen the spinning blades and remembered this advanced tactic.
Snivy was briefly stunned… then its eyes lit up with understanding.
It focused and channeled more grass energy into the whirlwind. Another smaller vortex began forming within.
But…
The moment the two cyclones overlapped, they spun out of sync—clashing violently.
The whole thing spiraled out of control like a wild Tauros, veering straight toward a nearby rice field.
Crap, that's someone else's field!
Panic flashed across Snivy's face.
Then—Hayashi Kaede's calm voice came through:
"Don't panic! The vortex slows when it destabilizes. Focus! Match their speeds and frequencies..."
Snivy took a deep breath and regained control, gently syncing the winds again.
No mistakes. Not when the Trainer is watching.
The cyclones aligned. The spiraling blades became focused and sharp once more. Finally, Snivy hurled the double-stacked Grass Mixer at a nearby boulder.
Crash!
When the whirlwind faded, deep gouges—each over ten centimeters—lined the surface of the rock.
"Snivy…!" (I did it!)
Snivy exhaled deeply, then grinned in triumph.
This version of Leaf Tornado was at least twice as strong.
"Nice."
Hayashi Kaede nodded in approval.
He'd thought the move might be too much for Snivy on the first try—and was ready to jump in to help.
But Snivy had pulled it off.
The first time is always the hardest.
From here on out, it was just practice.