Gible stepped into the Pokeball without so much as a struggle, sealing the deal in an instant.
It seemed the lure of delicious food was all it took to sway the little dragon.
Somewhere in the distance, the towering Garchomp King watched the scene unfold, its expression unreadable.
As the Pokeball clicked shut, the other dragon cubs who had been eyeing their chances slinked back to their clans. They turned away, escorted by their parents, while the Dragon Kings who'd gathered began to disperse.
And then, with a pop, the Pokeball opened again. Gible reappeared, turning to wave enthusiastically at his mother. "Ka~~~!"
The Garchomp King paused, its massive form barely glancing over its shoulder as it let out a sharp roar. "Garchomp!"
It didn't slow down, though. Instead, it strode forward with purpose. Two smaller Garchomps, however, hesitated, casting frequent looks back at Gible. Their reluctance earned them a firm nudge forward from the Dragon King, who was clearly in no mood for sentimentality.
Daisy—watched the exchange with no small amount of envy. "You don't know how lucky you are," she said, shaking her head. "A Gible, and not just any Gible—the child of the Garchomp King. Train it right, and you're looking at Gym Leader status in no time. Maybe even Elite Four if you play your cards right."
John glanced at the Pokeball in his hand, a doubtful look on his face. "Depends on its stats. If they're bad, it's just gonna be a mascot."
Daisy rolled her eyes. "Wow. Way to take the magic out of the moment."
Gible safely tucked away, the two started their journey back toward Riverstone University. The forest seemed just as lively as before, if not more so.
They passed the cotton candy trees again, where the flock of Altaria and Swablu were still perched like sentinels. One of the Altaria gave John a withering glare, clearly remembering the "dragon traitor" remark he'd made earlier.
"Let's move before they get ideas," Daisy muttered, giving him a shove.
Further along, they reached the beach. The two Krabby they'd seen earlier were still at it, their claws clashing in what could only be described as a crabby grudge match. Starmie, however, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a massive Torterra was lumbering along the shoreline, leaving deep tracks in the sand.
"This place really is crawling with rare Pokemon," John said, watching the Torterra with interest.
"You're just figuring that out now?"
Daisy teased.Daisy released her Gyarados to make the trip across the water. Just as John was about to climb onto Gyarados's back, something caught his eye. On the far side of the beach, a group of Haxorus was moving in formation, accompanied by several Axew and Fraxure.
"Haxorus..." John muttered, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes. "Man, when I first saw one, I thought it was a pseudo-legendary. That attack power? Insane. Add a Dragon Dance, and it's game over."
"They're great, no doubt," Daisy said, climbing onto Gyarados. "But they're not invincible. Their defenses aren't exactly top-tier."
"Still," John mused, "if I ever build a dragon team, I'd want one of those."
As the dragon group passed, John's attention was drawn to one Axew in particular. Among the cluster of dark green scales was one with light gray scales—a subtle yet unmistakable difference.
His heart skipped a beat. "Wait a second... is that a Shiny Axew?"
Daisy followed his gaze, her jaw dropping. "No way. A Shiny Axew? Here? In the Dragon Nest?"
John stared, his mind racing. How did I miss that earlier? He turned to Daisy with urgency. "Is it too late to switch?"
Daisy winced. "Yeah, way too late. The deal's sealed. You've got Gible, and not just any Gible—the kid of the Garchomp King. If you even thought about ditching it for that Axew, you'd have three Dragon Kings breathing down your neck."
John sighed heavily. "So what you're saying is, if I go after that Axew, I'd end up as dragon chow?"
Still, John wasn't one to give up so easily. "There's gotta be another way. I can't just let someone else grab a Shiny Axew."
Daisy tapped her chin, thinking. "Well... there is one way. The Intramural League."
"It's a school tournament," Daisy explained. "Every year, Our University holds it to decide who gets to represent us in the national college league. The top five get to compete, but the top three usually earn special privileges—like a chance to capture another Pokemon from the Dragon Nest."
John perked up. "So, if I win, I could come back for that Axew?"
Daisy nodded. "Yep. But it's not gonna be a cakewalk. The tournament isn't just for freshmen. You'll be up against, juniors, seniors... the works. The competition's brutal."
John groaned. "Great. No pressure or anything."
"Or," Daisy added with a mischievous grin, "you could try sweet-talking a professor into using their privilege to let you go back. That's probably even harder, though."
John mulled it over, his gaze drifting back toward the distant Axew. Its light gray scales shimmered like silver in the sunlight, a stark contrast to the darker hues of its companions.
I'm not letting this go, he thought. "One way or another, that Axew's mine."
As they crossed the water, Daisy chuckled. "You're really not gonna let it go, huh?"
John smirked. "You know me. Once I've got my sights set on something, it's as good as done."
By the time they reached the university, John's mind was made up. Whether it meant battling through the Intramural League, bargaining with a professor, or pulling off some other crazy scheme, he was determined. A Shiny Axew wasn't just rare—it was practically a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
And John wasn't about to let that slip through his fingers.