"Evolution?"
Lin Feng paused, his hand still resting gently on the soft fur.
Looking into A-Jiu's bright, jewel-like eyes filled with anticipation, he quickly understood.
Over the past few days, the Eevees had been following Alolan Ninetales around, watching her battles against Salamence. That kind of power, that kind of presence, it had clearly stirred something in them.
They were starting to long for growth.
As for evolving into Sylveon…
It had failed once before, but now, at least, there was a chance to try again.
"Tonight," Lin Feng said after a moment, "we'll give it another shot. All of you."
The reason for choosing nighttime was simple. A-Wu could only evolve into Umbreon at night, while A-Sang needed a Grass-type condition and a Leaf Stone.
The three Eevees immediately perked up, their excitement written all over their faces.
"Vui vui!"
"Don't run around today, alright?"
"Vui…"
Their voices softened, but the eagerness didn't fade.
…
After finishing their baths, Lin Feng checked the time. He was about to head to the kitchen with Gardevoir and Latias to process the day's berries into Pokéblocks and prepare dinner.
But the moment he stepped out of the bathhouse and into the living room, he stopped.
Two figures approached him.
Salamence and Dragonite, both in their reduced forms.
Salamence lingered behind, hesitant. Dragonite walked ahead, far more natural.
In her smaller form, Dragonite could not wrap him in a full embrace, but she could still fly straight into his arms and nuzzle against him.
"What's wrong?" Lin Feng asked, looking down at her.
Dragonite was not as clingy as Alolan Ninetales or the Eevees. She only came over like this once in a while.
After all, she was already over ten years old.
"Ang ang…"
Dragonite waved her small claws, clearly trying to figure out how to explain. After struggling for a moment, she simply flexed her arms, puffed up her chest, and then made a "growing bigger" motion.
"…Stronger muscles. You want to become stronger, right?" Lin Feng understood almost instantly.
But just as quickly, he realized something else.
This probably wasn't Dragonite's idea.
It came from Salamence.
Dragonite's personality was gentle. Eat, sleep, relax, that was her daily rhythm. The only time she showed real sadness was when Jirachi fell asleep, and even that never lasted long.
So… she couldn't bring it up herself, and Salamence used her to say it instead?
Lin Feng let out a quiet laugh inside.
"Why do you want to get stronger?" he asked calmly. "Aren't you already strong enough? In the Horizon League, no Pokémon could defeat you."
"Ang?"
Dragonite froze.
In an instant, everything Salamence had "taught" her disappeared from her mind.
She had no answer.
In the end, she simply bumped her head lightly against Lin Feng and burrowed into his arms.
"…Alright."
Lin Feng stroked her head, then lifted his gaze toward Salamence behind her.
Salamence whistled and turned its head away, pretending to look elsewhere.
Lin Feng's gaze sharpened slightly.
He could see it clearly.
Salamence had always carried its own motives.
At first, it planned to perform for him, then leave.
Now, it had gone so far as to use Dragonite to voice its desire to grow stronger.
He didn't mind ambition. But manipulation, especially using Dragonite, did not sit well with him.
"You want to get stronger… for revenge, right?" Lin Feng said quietly.
He set Dragonite down and looked directly at Salamence.
The meaning in his eyes was unmistakable.
Dragonite might be naive. He was not.
"Ang…"
Salamence hesitated, then slowly nodded.
"Then why not tell me directly?" Lin Feng continued. "Or are you planning to leave after you get your revenge?"
The word hung in the air.
Leave.
Salamence stiffened.
"Ang ang!?"
Panic flashed across its face. It shook its head rapidly, wings fluttering in agitation.
For the first time, that fierce expression softened into something uncertain, almost lost.
Lin Feng stopped.
Something in that reaction made his chest tighten.
He crouched down slowly and raised his hand.
This time, Salamence did not resist.
That alone was rare.
Lin Feng gently placed his hand on its body.
"…I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I shouldn't have said that."
Salamence only wanted to grow stronger, to settle its past. It just didn't know how to say it, so it pushed Dragonite forward instead.
But he had used the word leave.
That word carried weight.
For a moment, Lin Feng was reminded of an old story.
A monkey once sought a master to learn powerful skills. After mastering them, it became proud, playful, and eager to show off, flaunting its abilities before senior disciples.
When the master discovered this, the monkey was driven away from the mountain.
But thinking deeper…
Monkeys are monkeys. Playful, restless, a little vain, that is their nature. A master does not cast them out simply for being themselves.
Even a hardworking, obedient monkey could still be sent away for reasons beyond its control.
Was that how Salamence felt?
That no matter what it did… one day, it would still be told to leave?
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