Negotiation

Yuga, feeling drowsy, was deeply tired and had no desire to open his eyes.

Rowlet, seeing that Yuga couldn't be awakened, resorted to flapping its wings and gently hitting Yuga's face, causing his cheeks to turn red.

"What... what's happening?" Yuga rubbed his eyes and mumbled, feeling a slight stinging sensation on his cheeks.

At this moment, the other Pokémon were awakened by Rowlet's commotion and began to stir. Arcanine let out a loud howl.

Yuga finally started to regain consciousness and immediately noticed the unusual state of Snover lying beside him.

While the other Pokémon were awake, Snover still had its eyes closed. A palm-sized green light orb was shining brightly on its belly, nearly making its normally gray-brown belly appear translucent.

Alarmed, Yuga hurriedly got up from the bed and picked up Snover, calling out to it, "Snover! Snover! Wake up, please wake up!"

As he called out, he gently shook Snover's body, but Snover remained peacefully with its eyes closed, as if it couldn't hear Yuga's voice.

"What's wrong with Snover?" Yuga asked Rowlet.

Rowlet shook its head and looked anxious.

"Rowlet, Rowlet, Rowlet..."

I don't know. It's been like this since midnight, and no matter how I call, it won't wake up.

Rowlet expressed its concern.

Yuga decided to seek help from Joycelyn. He held Snover and was about to leave the room when suddenly, Snover's body began to emit a blinding light, forcing Yuga and the other Pokémon to close their eyes.

After the intense light faded away, Yuga saw that Snover's body was covered in green patterns, which extended from its belly to its head and back.

With a faint green glow, all the green patterns retracted into Snover's skin, and Snover slowly opened its eyes.

"Rowlet, Rowlet, Rowlet..."

Snover, are you okay?

"Snover, are you alright?" Yuga asked with concern.

Snover blinked its eyes in confusion, as if it had no idea what had just happened.

Seeing Snover appearing unharmed, both Yuga and Rowlet breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed that Snover hadn't encountered any harm during its sleep. The strange event tonight was undoubtedly related to the Moon Stone it had swallowed, which was no ordinary Moon Stone.

With this in mind, Yuga activated his Insight ability.

...

[ Snover (Mutated) ]

Type: Grass/Ice

Ability: Snow Warning

Gender: Male

Potential: Blue

Level: 28

Moves: Powder Snow, Icy Wind, Grass Whistle, Mist, Growth, Synthesis.

...

Seeing the results, Yuga was genuinely surprised. Snover not only underwent a mutation but also had a significant change in its potential.

Previously, Snover had an ordinary red potential, but now it had jumped several levels, becoming an excellent blue potential, which was an astonishing improvement.

Yuga had never heard of anything that could boost a Pokémon's potential so drastically in such a short time.

Based on the current assessment, Snover's mutation didn't seem to have any negative effects. On the contrary, its various abilities had been optimized to different degrees, especially its two attack moves.

Yuga couldn't help but wonder if the Moon Stone Snover had swallowed was somehow related to the legendary Nine-Leaf Revival Grass.

Because of Snover's situation, Yuga couldn't fall back asleep, and early the next morning, he took Snover to see Nurse Joycelyn. Despite Snover appearing fine, it was better to be safe.

Joycelyn was highly skilled in her profession, and the examination results were quickly available.

"Your Snover... mutated overnight!" Joycelyn exclaimed in disbelief upon seeing the results.

"Based on the current examination, Snover's mutation hasn't brought any negative effects. In fact, its various abilities have been optimized to varying degrees, especially its two attack moves."

After finishing the conversation, Joycelyn looked at Yuga with envy. Mutated Pokémon were indeed rare, and each one of them was exceptionally talented.

Joycelyn's examinations of Pokémon did not include assessing their potential. If she knew that Snover had transformed from a basic red potential to an outstanding blue potential overnight, she would have been shocked.

In the Pokémon medical field, it was a rule that unless the owner permitted it, Pokémon doctors couldn't casually examine the potential of others' Pokémon.

"I'm not exactly sure what happened, but it was like this when it woke up!" Yuga said helplessly, keeping his suspicions about Snover's change and its potential link to the legendary Nine-Leaf Revival Grass to himself.

"I didn't expect eating a Moon Stone to have such benefits. Maybe I'll let some of my Pokémon try a few Moon Stones," Joycelyn jokingly said.

Of course, Moon Stones couldn't be actually consumed, and Joycelyn was well aware that Snover's mutation had nothing to do with the Moon Stone. She also knew that Yuga likely hadn't revealed the entire truth, but it was something they all understood without the need to point it out.

Joycelyn, being an elite of the Joy family, had seen many things and knew that there were various treasures in the world that could enhance a Pokémon's strength, potential, and talents. There was no need for excessive astonishment. She had her own share of extraordinary experiences that contributed to her success, thanks to her family's nurturing.

"Anyway, as long as Snover is fine, I'm relieved. I have some matters to attend to with Joyna, so I'll take my leave. Sorry for the trouble," Yuga said after chatting for a while.

Joycelyn nodded, "Go ahead, take care."

Leaving Joycelyn's medical room, Yuga found Joyna and shared the information he had acquired from Arcanine.

Of course, he didn't mention that he got the information from Arcanine. He simply said he heard it from some Pokémon living near the Nidoran clan.

"Are you sure everything you heard is true?" Joyna asked excitedly.

Yuga nodded, saying, "It's quite reliable."

Joyna thought for a moment and then asked, "Do you have a plan?"

"I do have an idea, but it might involve some risk," Yuga replied.

"Tell me about it," Joyna encouraged.

"Since the Nidoran are afraid of leveling down after consuming Revival Herbs, we can negotiate with them. They provide Revival Herbs, and in return, we create Max Revive for them. This way, they can heal injuries without worrying about leveling down. As compensation, they can give us a certain amount of Revival Herbs."

Joyna considered the plan and said, "It's a good plan, but what if the negotiations fail?"

Yuga replied confidently, "With my Gardevoir by my side, even if the negotiations break down, we can make a safe escape."

Joyna nodded in agreement. She had witnessed the incredible abilities of Yuga's Gardevoir, and its Teleport was truly remarkable.

Yuga continued, "To ensure a safe exit in case the negotiations break down, we shouldn't send too many people to negotiate with the Nidoran clan. It's best if I go alone."

As soon as she heard this, Joyna immediately objected, "No, that won't do. With me around, I can't allow you to go alone, especially when you're younger. I'm coming with you!"

Her Latias might be injured, but it could still be of assistance in critical situations. As for the others, they would be better off staying put. Facing the Nidoran clan, even in their weakened states, these individuals would only be a hindrance.

Yuga, seeing Joyna's determination to accompany him, reluctantly agreed.

With the negotiation plan in place, Joyna promptly called an emergency meeting to inform the others of their upcoming mission.

Upon learning that Joyna and Yuga planned to venture deep into the Nidoran clan's territory for negotiations, the others voiced their objections.

They had witnessed the terrifying nature of the Nidoran, and Joyna was the pillar of their Joy family; her safety was paramount. If anything were to happen to Joyna in pursuit of Revival Herbs, it would be a significant loss.

However, Joyna was resolute, and no matter how much the others protested, her decision remained unchanged. It wasn't due to stubbornness but because she knew of the exceptional abilities of Yuga's Gardevoir.

While others couldn't discern Gardevoir's extraordinary nature, her own Latias could sense it. But She couldn't tell the truth to the others.

Yuga believed that Joyna couldn't perceive Gardevoir's true origins, but her Latias could faintly sense a divinity within Gardevoir—a divinity far older and more profound than its own.

In reality, Yuga wished he could tell them that the situation wasn't as dangerous as they imagined.

He had great confidence in Gardevoir's abilities, and the Nidoran clan was neither Psychic-type nor Dark-type, which meant they couldn't block Gardevoir's Teleport. Keeping Gardevoir behind was almost impossible.

Soon, Yuga and Joyna set off.

Yuga only had Gardevoir with him on this mission, and Joyna had one Pokémon accompanying her, a Champion level Salamence.

Salamence soared high above the jungle, and any wild Pokémon that sensed its presence quickly avoided it.

Joyna had three Champion level Pokémon in total: Latias, Salamence, and Lucario. Apart from Latias, her strongest Pokémon was Salamence.

Seeing that Joyna didn't release Latias, Yuga became even more certain that Latias was injured. Joyna probably didn't mention it to prevent the others from panicking.

Latias possessed strong self-healing abilities. Even if it were injured, given enough time, it could recover gradually. However, these two days were clearly insufficient for Latias's complete recovery.

Having been to the Nidoran clan's territory once before, Yuga and Joyna quickly arrived at their destination, only to be intercepted by two Kangaskhan blocking their path.

These two Kangaskhan were none other than the Champion level Kangaskhan mother and daughter.

Since the Nidoran clan's recent encounter with Yuga and the others' attack, they had intensified their patrols within their territory. As soon as Yuga and Joyna entered the area, they were reported by the surveilling Pokémon, leading to Kangaskhan mother and daughter intercepting them.

Before the Kangaskhan could launch an attack, Yuga hastily shouted, "We're not here to fight. We have business and wish to negotiate with your leader, Nidoqueen!"

Kangaskhan mother and daughter's strength was slightly inferior to Nidoqueen's, so when facing Yuga and Joyna, who had injured Nidoqueen, they lacked some confidence, especially with Gardevoir and Salamence watching them closely.

Therefore, as soon as Yuga called out, they halted their partially activated moves, but their eyes were filled with suspicion.

Maybe these two humans were allies of the Aerodactyl! Yuga seemed to read this meaning from the Kangaskhan's eyes.

"We're telling the truth! Your leader, Nidoqueen, is injured, and we have a way to heal her!" Yuga continued to speak.

Upon hearing this, the two Kangaskhan's faces turned grave.

They had been guarding the secret of Nidoqueen's injury meticulously and didn't expect it to have leaked!

While Yuga and the two Kangaskhan were conversing, a large number of Nidoran and Kangaskhan from the jungle began to emerge, completely encircling the two humans.

Seeing the Pokémon surrounding them, Yuga felt anxious, fearing that one wrong move might lead to them being attacked. However, his demeanor remained remarkably composed.

Observing the two Kangaskhan's serious expressions, Yuga hurriedly continued, "I believe you might not have the authority to decide on this matter. How about you relay my message to Nidoqueen and let her judge for herself!"

The Kangaskhan hesitated upon hearing Yuga's words. If these humans did indeed possess a method to heal their leader, keeping it a secret would harm Nidoqueen.

Nidoqueen's condition was the collective concern of the entire Nidoran and Kangaskhan communities. Without Nidoqueen, they wouldn't be able to maintain their dominance on the island as they used to.

After much deliberation, the two Kangaskhan reluctantly agreed. One of them beckoned to a young Kangaskhan and whispered a few words in its ear, instructing it to go back to the territory and inform Nidoqueen.

Seeing the Kangaskhan's actions, Yuga and Joyna finally breathed a sigh of relief. This was a partial success.

Before long, the Kangaskhan that had gone to deliver the message returned. Accompanying it was the Nidoking that Yuga and Joyna had injured.

Nidoking's injuries were never severe, and she possessed a powerful self-healing ability due to her Champion level status. After these two days, her condition had mostly recovered. However, her eyes still bore a deep hostility when she looked at Yuga and Joyna.

"Nidoking?"

Is what you said true?

Nidoking asked suspiciously.

Yuga replied confidently, "Absolutely."

"Nidoking, Nidoking."

It's best if it's true. Follow me.

With a skeptical glance at Yuga and Joyna, Nidoking gestured for them to follow, and they complied, trailing behind Nidoking.

Under Nidoking's guidance, Yuga and Joyna entered the inner part of the Nidoran territory and once again encountered Nidoqueen. However, compared to their previous brief encounter, Nidoqueen's aura was even more weakened, and her injuries were indeed serious.

Nidoqueen resided in a spacious cave that was surprisingly clean, well-illuminated, and organized, which left Yuga and Joyna quite astonished.

Furthermore, the cave where Nidoqueen lived was lined with numerous Moon Stones, which finally explained why they couldn't detect the tunnels and dome spaces below the territory.

They had an abundance of Moon Stones and no need to dig deep underground, hence they naturally wouldn't discover those areas.

Yuga even spotted several supreme-grade Moon Stones in the cave, clearly part of Nidoqueen's treasured collection. supreme-grade Evolution Stones had a distinct appearance, with a sparkling and translucent quality that made them resemble precious gemstones, easily distinguishable from ordinary Evolution Stones.

Even in a large Evolution Stone vein, finding a supreme-grade one was not guaranteed, yet Nidoqueen had several of them, indicating the staggering reserves of Moon Stones here.

Joyna, being from the Joy family, had extensive knowledge, and she recognized those supreme-grade Moon Stones. However, both she and Yuga were aware of the purpose of this visit, so supreme-grade Moon Stones had to take a back seat for now.

What disappointed Yuga somewhat was that while Nidoqueen had access to supreme-grade Moon Stones, he had spent so much time digging in the dome space and hadn't even found fragments of supreme-grade Moon Stones.

"Nidoqueen, Nidoqueen, Nidoqueen."

Do you have any way to treat my injuries?

Nidoqueen had confidence in her strength, even when she was heavily injured. She believed she had nothing to fear from Yuga and his companions, which was why she had confidently invited them inside.

"Do you know if you've ever heard of something called 'Max Revive'?" Yuga asked Nidoqueen.

"Max Revive is a medication made from Revival Herbs. It can treat injuries just like Revival Herbs, but without any side effects," Yuga explained with a smile.

Upon hearing that there were no side effects, Nidoqueen's eyes flickered rapidly.

However, despite their simple nature, Pokémon were not stupid. They couldn't simply trust Yuga's words.

The mention of Max Revives did pique Nidoqueen's interest, though. Having access to Max Revives would mean she no longer had to worry about her injuries.

"How can I obtain these Max Revives you speak of?" Nidoqueen inquired.

"We'll help you make Max Revives, and in return, you provide us with Revival Herbs," Yuga proposed.

Nidoqueen agreed but requested a sample first. She wanted to see an Max Revive before fully trusting Yuga and his group. She offered to provide a Revival Herb as proof of her sincerity.

Yuga, however, shook his head and declined, saying, "The creation of Max Revives isn't that simple. Apart from Revival Herbs, we also need other ingredients, which you don't possess, but we do. Furthermore, we require specialized equipment, which is only available on the cruise ship."

Yuga was able to create Max Revives together with Joyka because they had access to the pharmaceutical equipment in the Pokémon Center. Trying to do it individually wouldn't work for either of them. The same applied to Joyna, even though she was a combat Joy.

Nidoqueen's tone immediately turned cold as she asked, "So, what do you propose, then?"

Yuga responded, "You can give us one Revival Herb for now, and we'll take it back with us. After we've successfully created the Max Revive, we'll bring it to you tomorrow. Once you've tested its effectiveness, we can discuss further cooperation."

Nidoqueen immediately rejected the idea, saying, "No, we can't risk giving you a Revival Herb upfront in case you run away!"

Yuga shook his head and reassured, "That won't happen. We need more Revival Herbs, not just one. It wouldn't make sense for us to run away over a single Revival Herb."

Nidoqueen found Yuga's reasoning sensible. Running away over a single Revival Herb would be foolish. So, she instructed Nidoking to fetch one Revival Herb, a regular Three-Leaf Revival Herb, and handed it to Yuga.

Throughout the negotiation, Joyna remained silent because she couldn't understand what Nidoking and Nidoqueen were saying. She only accompanied Yuga throughout the process.

It wasn't until they left Nidoran clan's territory that Joyna finally let out a sigh of relief. She had been tense the entire time, but when she saw Yuga's calm expression, she berated herself for being so nervous. She felt useless compared to Yuga, not even as good as a junior.

If Yuga knew what Joyna was thinking, he would probably protest. In reality, he was also panicking in his heart, but he was pretend to be calm to maintain their negotiating position.

On the way back, Joyna, unable to understand the previous conversation, asked Yuga in confusion, "Aren't you afraid that Nidoqueen might change her mind once she's healed by the Max Revive tomorrow?"

Yuga shook his head and explained, "No, she won't. Once they've tasted the benefits of the Max Revive, they'll want more, and that means they'll have to come to us. We can use this to secure enough Revival Herbs."

Joyna found Yuga's explanation reasonable. As long as they managed the situation well, the Nidoran clan would have no choice but to trade Revival Herbs for Max Revives.