Ash's Gible Appears!
"Monferno, use Mach Punch!"
"Floatzel, this time, you've got to deflect it!"
"Fuu-ha!"
"Gaaa!"
Monferno's body blurred, surging forward like a violent gust of wind!
A crimson flash streaked past—Monferno's Mach Punch was already closing in on Floatzel!
Floatzel hurriedly took a deep breath, inflating the flotation sac around its neck in preparation—
But Monferno's speed had already surpassed the limits of Floatzel's reaction. The Mach Punch slipped through the flotation sac's gap and landed squarely—
—Right into Floatzel's stomach.
"Fuu… ha..."
Monferno had pulled back his strength at the last moment, so Floatzel wasn't seriously hurt.
Even so, it was clear now—Floatzel could no longer keep up with Monferno's Mach Punch!
"Ash, Monferno's getting faster and stronger… could it be on the verge of evolving?" Anabel remarked thoughtfully, watching the blazing fighter.
"It's very likely," Ash nodded. "Its level has long since reached the threshold. It just hasn't evolved yet. Normally, that means evolution could happen at any time. Once Monferno evolves into Infernape, it'll experience a massive power spike across the board. My guess? It'll probably evolve the moment it breaks through from Pseudo-Elite to full Elite Class."
As Ash and Anabel chatted, their eyes drifted over to the other side—where Dawn was in the middle of training.
"Piloswine, yes, just like that! Focus all your Ice-type energy between your tusks. Let it build until it hits the limit—then fire it all at once!"
Dawn was teaching Piloswine to master the move Ice Shard.
Once properly learned and refined, Ice Shard was an extremely fast move with high accuracy—a crucial technique in contests.
"Wuluuu…"
Between Piloswine's two tusks, a glimmering ice-blue energy sphere slowly took shape.
Under Piloswine's careful control, the sphere continued to grow larger.
"Perfect, perfect—this time it might actually work!" Dawn watched, full of anticipation.
Then, in a sudden burst, Piloswine launched the icy energy sphere from between its tusks!
Target: a massive boulder straight ahead!
Crack crack crack—!
Ice Shard hit with impressive force, partially freezing the huge boulder!
"Yes! You did it, Piloswine! That was amazing!" Dawn beamed.
"Piplup-pip!" Piplup cheered, hugging Piloswine as Dawn joined in, both elated by the success.
Maybe it was too excited—but Piloswine launched another Ice Shard at the half-frozen boulder, finishing the job and encasing it in solid ice!
But it didn't stop there.
Piloswine's tusks suddenly started gathering energy again—only this time, the power wasn't icy blue. It had a stone-gray, almost white glow…
A Rock-type energy?
Though it was a Rock-type move, the shimmering ball forming between its tusks gleamed with a pure white luster.
Once the energy was concentrated—Piloswine launched it directly at the frozen boulder!
BOOM!
The boulder shattered, splitting wide open from the impact. Piloswine roared in delight.
"Wait… what move was that?"
Dawn blinked, confused.
As if hearing her, the Pokédex in her pocket lit up and spoke:
"Ancient Power, a Rock-type move. Powerful. There is a chance that using Ancient Power will raise all of a Pokémon's stats. Once Piloswine learns Ancient Power, it can evolve into Mamoswine!"
And just like that—Piloswine's body began glowing radiantly.
A sacred light of evolution!
Before their eyes, Piloswine's form expanded rapidly—growing to three times its previous size!
It had evolved—into Mamoswine!
Piloswine had already been pretty massive, but now as Mamoswine, it was a hulking force, practically the size of a moving boulder.
Its movement now resembled a tank—unstoppable and solid.
"Wuluuuu…"
Mamoswine marveled at its new strength, while Dawn and Piplup squealed and hugged it tightly.
"This is amazing, Piloswine! You evolved into Mamoswine! You're so much stronger now! We're definitely ready for the Grand Festival!"
"Piplup!"
"Congratulations, Dawn," Ash and Anabel walked over, smiling. "Didn't expect it to evolve by learning Ancient Power!"
In the original timeline, after Dawn's Swinub evolved into Piloswine, it had become disobedient. When it became Mamoswine, it outright ignored her commands.
But now, under Ash's quiet but consistent influence, Dawn had grown much stronger than she had at the same point in the original story.
To Pokémon, a Trainer's strength mattered greatly.
Mamoswine was still obedient and respectful to Dawn.
"Alright, Anabel," Ash looked at her. "How about you team up with your Espeon and Metagross, and spar against my Monferno and Floatzel?"
"Pika-Pika!"
Ash and Pikachu both turned to Anabel expectantly.
Anabel was just about to nod—when something in the sky caught her attention.
They all looked up.
A brilliant energy sphere, glowing like a fireball, shot into the air!
At the peak of its ascent—it exploded!
A fiery blast scattered into dozens of smaller meteors, falling gracefully across the sky!
"Meteor Draco?"
Ash's eyes lit up.
That meant—there had to be someone nearby who taught Dragon-types to use Draco Meteor!
That old Dragon Lady must be around here…
And that meant—the Gible must be nearby too!
Perfect!
"Dawn, Anabel—let's go check it out!"
…
Nestled deep between several forest groves was a quiet, hidden valley.
In the center of the valley stood a quaint little cottage.
Its owner was an elderly woman.
At the moment, she was instructing an Altaria on how to perform Draco Meteor!
"Altaria, you did great just now. Try it again so I can see."
"Altaa~!"
The Altaria chirped happily and nodded.
"Gather your Dragon-type energy… find your center of balance… concentrate all that energy until it's at its peak… and then release it to the sky!"
This woman was none other than the famous Dragon Lady Grandma Wilma.
Altaria once again unleashed a brilliant Draco Meteor and snuggled up to her instructor afterward, rubbing its head against her affectionately.
Off in the distance…
On a thick tree branch—
"Heh heh… as usual, we followed the twerps and got lost again," Jessie muttered.
"And then, we heard a noise from this direction and stumbled into this valley," James added, chomping on a compressed biscuit.
Meowth nodded. "That Altaria can use Draco Meteor—pretty impressive, huh? It must have amazing potential. If we steal it and give it to the boss as a gift, he'd be thrilled, nya!"
PS: We'll catch that Gible, and the Shaymin: Giratina and the Sky Warrior movie arc begins—Giratina is coming!
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T/N:
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