Alolan Vulpix opened her small mouth, exhaling a blast of intense freezing air. As the frost surged forward, countless icicles materialized in the surrounding air. The cold hit Klinklang and Ferrothorn, encasing them in solid blocks of ice.
However, the containment didn't last long. Spiderweb cracks rapidly spread across the frozen surfaces, and both Steel-types shattered their icy prisons with a violent burst of strength. Enraged, they launched their counterattack.
Klinklang's secondary gears whirred, shrouded in golden arcs of electricity. These arcs formed an impenetrable protective barrier. Even when struck by Torracat'sFlamethrower, the electricity shielded the gears from the searing heat.
"Ivysaur, use Vine Whip! Weave a net to intercept those gears!"
Ivysaur's vines extended, braiding themselves into a massive net. It momentarily snared the flying gears, but only for a second before the spinning metal tore through the foliage.
"Perfect. Frogadier, now! Use Bubble!"
Feng Che knew the vine net wouldn't hold them for long. He only needed to stall the gears for a split second to give Frogadier the window he needed. Frogadier pulled a large mass of foam from its neck, split it in two, and used its precise throwing technique to pelt the gears.
The sticky secretion in the foam glued the small gears firmly to the ground. As the foam hardened, it acted like industrial-strength adhesive, leaving the small gears immobilized. Depleted of its secondary components, Klinklang could only generate electrical attacks through the friction of its remaining main gears—a significantly limited offensive.
"Klinklang is effectively neutralized. Alolan Vulpix, Frogadier, focus on freezing the main body completely."
Feng Che intended to capture these Klinklang and move them to his daycare center. These Pokémon were exceptionally reliable at following orders, and much like Magnemite, they could serve as a backup power supply during outages. With Zeraora managing them, the daycare's security would be ironclad.
Next, he turned his full attention to Ferrothorn. Fortunately, the earlier Rain Dance had significantly increased the cavern's humidity, preventing the Ferrothorn from using its most dangerous move: Self-Destruct. Feng Che wasn't certain he could tank a Quasi-Elite explosion without Caitlin's direct psychic intervention.
"Vulpix, Fire Spin! Torracat, Flamethrower!"
Vulpix tilted her head back, breathing out spirals of flame that coalesced into a three-meter-high vortex. Torracat added his own blast to the center, causing the intensity of the fire to explode. Ferrothorn, unable to detonate, attempted a Flash Cannon. A beam of brilliant silver light pierced through the flames, shattering a section of the cave wall, but the Steel-type was eventually overwhelmed by the fire. Because of its 4x weakness to Fire, the battle ended decisively in Feng Che's favor.
"Whew. That's that."
Feng Che wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. He had won through a combination of numerical advantage and precise elemental countering. He used his telekinesis to guide Poké Balls toward the fallen leaders, securing the powerful Steel-types for his facility's defense force.
[Hydreigon: Excellent. This human has passed my test. He is a worthy trainer.][Hydreigon: It is time for me to fly.]
The mother looked at the newly hatched Deino with a lingering, sorrowful gaze. She used her left head to gently pick up the other, still-sleeping Deino, and beat her wings toward the summit.
"Caitlin, follow me. We need to find the Deino and get out of here before the others arrive," Feng Che said.
They reached the massive inner cavern a few minutes later. Hydreigon was gone. The room was a treasure trove, filled with Dragon Gems, Dragon Blood Fruits, and a nest woven from rare Dragon Heart Grass. In the center of the nest, a frail Deino was busy nibbling on its own eggshell.
Deino resembles a small sauropod dinosaur. Its body is blue, with thick black fur covering its eyes, rendering it blind. The fur extends down its neck toward its legs, and a single tuft of hair on its head forms a sharp point.
Feng Che scanned the little dragon with his psychic sense. It hadn't even opened its eyes yet, and it was noticeably thinner than a typical newborn.
"Feng Che, this little one looks so weak," Caitlin said, looking at the Deino with concern. "Its breathing is shallow. My family's daycare has plenty of Deinos; perhaps you should consider a healthier one?"
Feng Che looked at the system evaluation.
Pokémon: Deino Potential: Epic (Deep Cyan) Ability: Hustle Level: 5 Type: Dark / Dragon Evaluation: An exceptional prospect. Though it appears weak, it was hatched using the mother's Dragon Essence. Its potential is staggering.
"This Deino is a Deep Cyan prospect," Feng Che whispered. "I'm taking him."
As Feng Che reached out to touch the Pokémon, the Deino suddenly opened its eyes. Feng Che gently brushed back the thick fur from its face. The dragon's big, watery eyes looked up at him with curious affection.
"I look forward to working with you, Deino."
The dragon transformed into red light and entered the ball.
"Caitlin, help me gather these resources. Use your telekinesis to pack them, but leave half of the Dragon Blood Fruits," Feng Che instructed. He knew Zinzolin had come here specifically for his Kommo-o's food and had unintentionally acted as a shield for them.
Nearby in the Tunnels
"I feel the Hydreigon's aura leaving... Crap! My resources!" Zinzolin shouted. "Daughter, stop playing around! Finish them! Your snacks are about to be stolen!"
Kommo-o clapped its hands together, unleashing a massive Aura Sphere that leveled the remaining wild Pokémon in their path. Zinzolin followed up by expertly tossing a row of Poké Balls with his machete to capture the fallen stragglers. "This should satisfy Ghetsis. Now, for the real prize!"
But when Zinzolin reached the nest, he found the cave empty. Feng Che and Caitlin had just Teleported away.
"Dammit! Too late!" Zinzolin looked at the barren cave, feeling a surge of disappointment. Then, his Kommo-o nudged his sleeve and pointed to a corner where a neat pile of Dragon Blood Fruits had been left behind.
"Ah... that girl Caitlin must have left these for me. Well, I won't say no. Daughter, dinner is served!"
The Summit
Hydreigon appeared at the peak, let out a thunderous roar, and unleashed her fury.
[Hydreigon: Cursed humans! You've taken so many of my subordinates—now feel my wrath!]
A golden draconic aura erupted from her body, connecting with the storm clouds above. Massive, glowing meteors began to rain from the sky—Draco Meteor.
"Dammit! She played us!" Kaiser screamed, his face turning blue with rage. He saw the Hydreigon clenching a single Deino in her jaws. All his planning, all his resources, and he had been lured into a decoy trap while she secured her heir. It was a humiliating slap to the face.
"Cunning fox!" Rose snarled as the meteors began to crash around them. "Kaiser, for all your 'brilliance,' she saw right through you!"
"Less talking, more surviving!" Joia shouted, still clutching a chicken leg. "A Draco Meteor from an Elite-tier Dragon is no joke!"
From a distant ridge, Feng Che and Caitlin watched as the Hydreigon flew off into the horizon, leaving the panicked, screaming poachers behind to deal with the aftermath of her rage.