"A Farfetch'd that gets stronger the more it drinks... what kind of bizarre setting is that?"
Feng Che stood frozen for a moment. This was the first time he had ever encountered such an eccentric trait.
Just then, an Escavalier and an Accelgor burst from the foliage. Their eyes were locked onto the Farfetch'd with murderous intent.
[Escavalier: Hmph. This duck stole so many of our berries just to brew that swill.][Escavalier: I'm going to destroy its hard work. Let's see if it dares steal from us again.][Accelgor: Vile duck, we've finally caught you.][Accelgor: So this is where it's been fermenting its hoard.]
Escavalier was the evolved form of Karrablast, clad in knight-like steel armor. It brandished two sharp lances and wore a pointed helmet. While encased in steel, one could still see the blue skin and black face of its original form peeking through the gaps. It attacked by darting to and fro, thrusting its twin lances with blinding speed. To protect its weak spot—its back—it constantly remained on the move during battle.
Accelgor, the evolved form of Shelmet, stood as a bipedal, ninja-like Pokémon. Its body appeared wrapped in cloth, hiding its legs, with a four-pointed star on its head and a spiral pattern at the crown. Having shed its heavy shell, it was incredibly light, moving with high-speed agility and preferring to strike from the shadows.
Accelgor: Green Potential, Level 48 Escavalier: Green Potential, Level 50
"This Farfetch'd has provoked two formidable enemies. This doesn't look good for the bird," Feng Che muttered, watching the standoff. "And the fact that it's trying to protect that dead tree—its brewery—makes this a desperate defensive battle. That tree is its Achilles' heel."
[Farfetch'd: Crap. How did Accelgor and Escavalier find this place? I was too careless.][Farfetch'd: The wine isn't even finished fermenting yet. Curse it! They had to come at the worst possible moment.][Farfetch'd: There's no other choice. I have to fight to the death to protect my brew.]
The Farfetch'd gripped its leek stalk, its gaze sharpening as it faced the duo.
"I'll watch for now," Feng Che decided. "If the duck can't hold them off, I'll step in."
Accelgor vanished instantly, melding into Escavalier's shadow. Escavalier raised its twin lances and lunged at the Farfetch'd with a powerful Twin Needle strike. The Farfetch'd raised its leek to parry, but the force of the impact sent it skidding backward several steps.
That's not right. Why is it so weak? It couldn't even block a casual thrust, Feng Che thought.
[Escavalier: As I thought. Without its wine, this duck is nowhere near as strong as it usually is.][Escavalier: Once I destroy the brewery, this duck will have to tuck its tail and crawl.]
So it really does need alcohol to reach its peak power, Feng Che realized. He reached into his storage bracer and felt the bottle of high-concentration Vodka he had bought for chemical extractions. Vodka is significantly more potent than fermented berry juice. I wonder how far this duck can go with the hard stuff.
Meanwhile, Accelgor reappeared atop the dead tree, raising its hand for a Slash aimed at the trunk. Farfetch'd's eyes widened. It used Aerial Ace, blurring across the clearing to intercept the strike with its meter-long leek.
The leek took the brunt of the hit and was sliced in half. The dead tree was also nicked, and a thick, golden syrup began to ooze from the crack.
[Farfetch'd: MY WINE!]
Unbidden tears pricked the corners of the Farfetch'd's eyes. Its gaze suddenly turned icy, radiating a chilling intent. It raised the jagged half-leek and thrust it at Accelgor. Just as the strike was about to land, Escavalier's twin silver lances crossed in front of its partner, sparks flying as the weapons clashed.
That scent... there's Starf Berry in that brew. Does this island have Starf Berry trees? Feng Che sniffed the air. The rich aroma wafting from the crack in the tree was unmistakable. Starf Berries were rare fruits known to significantly boost the growth of Fairy-types. Perfect. If I can find some for Alolan Vulpix, her development will skyrocket.
Driven by rage, the Farfetch'd's physical strength seemed to surge. It gripped the broken leek tightly. As the scent of the spilled wine intensified, Feng Che felt the bird's aura beginning to swell.
[Escavalier: Not good. It's catching the scent and getting stronger!][Accelgor: We have to finish this now. If it enters a drunken state, the two of us won't be enough to stop it!]
The two attackers shared a look of silent understanding.
[Farfetch'd: It's not enough. I haven't actually drunk it yet. I'm only tipsy from the fumes.][Farfetch'd: At this rate, I still can't beat them both.]
A pale green light enveloped the Farfetch'd, and the severed half of its leek rapidly regrew. It gripped the massive stalk like a claymore and swung it through the air, unleashing crescent-shaped blades of wind—Air Cutter.
[Escavalier: Still too weak!]
Escavalier crossed its lances, which began to glow with a brilliant white light. With a heavy swing, it unleashed a silver X-Scissor. The wind blades shattered upon contact with the cross-strike, dissipating into yellow smoke. The X-Scissor continued forward, though reduced in size. If it hit, the Farfetch'd would be crippled.
[Farfetch'd: I can't retreat. If I move, the wine is gone!]
The bird began a frantic Swords Dance, spinning its leek overhead.
[Farfetch'd: It's too rushed! I've only managed one stage of the dance!]
It planted its feet and swung the leek upward into a Slash to intercept the X-Scissor. Sparks showered the ground as the two moves ground against each other. The Farfetch'd was forced back, its feet carving deep ruts into the earth.
[Accelgor: That tree is its lifeblood. Destroy the source, and its arrogance dies with it.][Accelgor: I'll use Hyper Beam to end this swill.]
Feng Che saw Accelgor's hands begin to glow with a gathering white light. Escavalier's lances began to charge the same energy. The Farfetch'd's back was pressed against the trunk; it had nowhere to go. It gritted its beak, channeling the last of its Flying-type energy to finally shatter the X-Scissor, but it was now gasping for breath.
Suddenly, two twin pillars of blinding white light erupted from the Accelgor and Escavalier. The ground scorched as the Hyper Beams tore through the clearing. The Farfetch'd, completely drained, could only spread its wings and close its eyes, shielding the tree with its own body.
"Sigh... all this for some berry juice?" Feng Che muttered. "Go, Frogadier! Save the duck!"
If the Farfetch'd took those beams point-blank, it was dead. The attackers were already wearing triumphant grins.
[Accelgor: Farewell, duck.][Escavalier: You were a worthy rival. Goodbye.]
A blue blur streaked across the clearing, snatching the Farfetch'd away just as the beams hit. The dead tree took the full impact. A massive explosion rocked the forest, sending up a mushroom cloud of smoke and debris.
When the dust settled, the tree was gone—and so was the Farfetch'd's spirit. It lay on the ground, wings limp, watching the ruins of its brewery with tears streaming down its face. It looked up at the Accelgor and Escavalier with a look of pure, agonizing hatred.
"Hey, duck. Follow me, and I'll make sure you never go thirsty again."
Feng Che reached into his bag and pulled out the bottle of high-proof Vodka, holding it out. The Farfetch'd sniffed the air and suddenly jolted upright, its eyes widening at the intense alcoholic aroma. It snatched the bottle, tilted its head back, and drained the entire thing in a series of violent gulps.
[Farfetch'd: GOOD! This... this is the real stuff!]
A deep flush crept across the bird's face. It let out a thunderous belch and tossed the empty bottle aside. Its aura shifted instantly. A dark, oppressive mist began to swirl around its body, and its verdant leek grew thicker and more jagged under the influence of the black energy.
"Did it just awaken the Dark type?" Feng Che wondered, watching the Farfetch'd transform into something truly monstrous.