"First, use a high-grade Flying-type energy crystal, which costs 15,000 Pokédollars.
Then, when Pidgey's body starts to grow, attach a Gym-level Pidgeot feather to each of its wings. The two feathers cost 10,000 Pokédollars in total. They contain a lot of Flying-type energy, so the price is considered reasonable.
Finally, once Pidgey's body stops changing, add a low-grade Normal-type energy crystal, which costs 5,000 Pokédollars.
Including the 10,000 Pokédollar information fee, the total comes to 40,000 Pokédollars."
After taking the bank card, Mr. Arai carefully explained the evolution process to Icarus, especially the price of the two feathers.
"Alright, thank you, Grandpa Arai. I'll head back now. I'll visit you again next time when I have the chance."
After receiving the evolution materials and the plan, Icarus immediately said his goodbye.
"Go on," Mr. Arai said impatiently. Since Icarus had rejected his earlier offer, he was still somewhat annoyed.
---
After leaving the grocery store, Icarus ran all the way back home.
"Already past five?"
He glanced at his watch and realized evening had arrived before he noticed.
After feeding Weepinbell and Pidgey their Pokémon meat, he quickly prepared dinner for himself as well.
After all, people are like iron and food is like steel—skip a meal and you'll feel hungry.
Fortunately, they had hunted Pokémon earlier that day. Otherwise, he might have had to buy meat from a butcher shop to feed the two Pokémon.
The forty kilograms of snake meat they had previously stored was already gone.
"Let's wait for Pidgey to evolve first," Icarus muttered.
"There should be better feeding methods in those training manuals. At least something better than the usual Pokémon meat diet."
Thinking about Weepinbell's increasing appetite, he felt feeding only Pokémon meat wasn't very efficient. The amount required was simply too large.
He had previously considered using Energy Cubes, but he didn't dare rely on them completely.
Weepinbell's physical growth required more than just energy. It also needed other nutrients. Too much pure energy could sometimes do more harm than good.
---
After dinner, the trainer and his two Pokémon stood once again in the familiar clearing.
But this time, the main character was no longer Bellsprout.
It was Pidgey.
"Are you ready, Pidgey?" Icarus asked seriously, looking at the small bird standing on the ground.
He was actually a little worried.
After all, Pidgey was afraid of pain, and the bond between them wasn't as strong as the one he shared with Weepinbell.
He still remembered their early training days. While practicing Scratch and Peck, Pidgey had almost given up because of the pain.
Fortunately, after some encouragement, it managed to persevere.
"Pi~!"
Pidgey puffed out its chest with its wings, signaling confidently that there was nothing to worry about.
"Alright. Let's begin."
Seeing Pidgey's determination, Icarus nodded.
"PIII!"
Standing in the clearing, Pidgey cried out loudly.
At the same time, a bright white evolution light appeared around its body.
"Pidgey! Absorb the crystal!"
Seeing the evolution begin, Icarus knew the first step had succeeded. But the difficult part was still ahead.
Crack!
Pidgey looked at the Flying-type energy crystal with a hint of fear in its eyes.
But that hesitation quickly turned into determination.
With a sharp peck, it shattered the crystal.
The pure Flying-type energy immediately surged into its body.
"Pi—! Pi—!"
It hurts! It hurts!
Although Pidgey had witnessed Bellsprout's evolution, it hadn't expected the process to be so painful.
But it was willing to endure it.
It didn't want to fall behind.
It didn't want to become a Pokémon that couldn't keep up with its trainer.
Icarus had once told it that Pidgeot should be fearless, soaring freely across the sky.
It wanted to evolve into Pidgeot.
It wanted to fly through the skies alongside Icarus.
---
Amid the intense pain, Pidgey suddenly recalled the day it first began training its claws.
Back then, when it had almost given up, Icarus didn't scold it.
Instead, he recited a poem about eagles.
Pidgey hadn't understood the words at the time, but Icarus patiently explained each line.
Through that explanation, Pidgey learned how powerful and majestic its final evolution could be.
> Eyes that see across the vast lands,
Wings brushing against the heavens.
Golden gaze sweeping through the mist,
Riding the wind with effortless grace.
Soaring through the sky with thunderous cries,
Racing across the earth like a storm!
"Pidgey, I'm waiting for the day you evolve into Pidgeot and rule the skies!"
---
"That day… I made a promise with Icarus to soar across the world together!"
"So I will evolve into Pidgeot!"
"PIIII!"
With a fierce cry, Pidgey's body began growing larger within the shining light. The evolution continued smoothly.
"Pidgey! One day we'll stand proudly above the clouds together!"
Icarus seemed to feel Pidgey's determination through their bond and shouted encouragement.
At that moment, he felt their connection deepen significantly.
There was no number to describe it. No visible phenomenon.
But he could clearly feel it—
The bond between him and Pidgey had grown to match the bond he shared with Weepinbell.
---
"Pidgey! Put these feathers on your wings!"
Seeing Pidgey's body growing larger, Icarus quickly handed the Pidgeot feathers to Weepinbell, who placed them on Pidgey's wings using its vines.
The moment the feathers touched its wings, they burst into light similar to the evolution glow.
"Piii…"
Pidgey cried out softly.
The pain gradually began to fade.
The violent Flying-type energy inside its body seemed to be guided by an invisible force, flowing in a steady and orderly manner while strengthening its body.
"It seems the old man's 10,000 Pokédollars were worth it," Icarus muttered.
Now he understood that the old man's plan not only increased the success rate—it also helped reduce the pain of evolution.
---
A few minutes later, Pidgey's body stopped growing.
Although the evolution light still surrounded it, Icarus could already see the long crest forming on its head and the extended tail feathers.
"Finally—Pidgey!"
He threw the final item.
The low-grade Normal-type energy crystal.
Crack!
This time Pidgey shattered the crystal easily and absorbed the Normal-type energy for the final step.
"Pi… Pi…"
Because it was only low-grade, the energy surge was much gentler than the earlier crystal.
After two brief cries of pain, Pidgey gritted its beak and endured it silently.
---
Several minutes later, the light finally faded.
"Pidgeotto!"
With an excited cry, a Pidgeotto several times larger than Pidgey appeared in front of Icarus.
Its bright crest feathers, sharp determined eyes, larger wings, and strong claws all showed that it had gained tremendous benefits from this evolution.
"Congratulations, Pidgeotto."
"We're one step closer to our promise."
Looking at the Pidgeotto flying in the air, Icarus smiled with satisfaction.
---
Author's Note:
Pidgey has finally evolved. I know its final evolution is officially called Pidgeot, but when I was young it was translated as Bidiao, so that name still feels familiar to me.
I still remember the episode where Ash released his Pidgeot. I always felt a little sad watching that scene.
(End of Chapter 121)
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