Chapter 241: Fox Pokémon
~Third POV~
[Hoenn Region, Next Day, Slateport City – Pokémon Center]
After yesterday's events, Azure and Ruby arrived back in the Pokémon Center last night, startling Sapphire with the news regarding Team Magma. She was concerned about her Master and Ruby hearing the news, much to Ruby's surprise, but took her words without any sass for that moment.
After eating dinner, they all rested up in separate rooms for the night, as the exhaustion was enough for them. But it was soon the next day, the lingering scent of burnt asphalt and ozone still clung faintly to the humid air of Slateport City, a testament to Team Magma's audacious, albeit failed, mission just the day before.
Azure found a strange solace in the familiar hum of the Pokémon Center's healing machines, a sound that had been a constant backdrop to his illustrious career. He sat at a polished wooden table in the center's dining area, a half-eaten dish of Poffins growing cold before him.
The briny tang of the Slateport sea hung heavy in the evening air, a salty counterpoint to the sterile, clean scent of the Pokémon Center. Azure sat on a bench just outside, watching the sun dip below the horizon, painting the clouds in fiery strokes of orange and violet.
Beside him, perched on the bench's backrest, Pikachu's ears twitched at every distant sound, his tail flicking with a restless energy that betrayed the calm facade. At Azure's feet, Eevee was curled into a perfect, fluffy ball, asleep but for the occasional soft snuffle.
Recalling his battle against the Three Flames, he managed to push them back. He had won. But it was a victory that left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Then a voice said, pulling him from his thoughts, "You're doing it again."
Azure turned to see Sapphire leaning against the Pokémon Center wall, her arms crossed. Her usual wild, energetic grin was replaced with a look of genuine concern.
She was a force of nature, a Trainer who battled with instinct and raw power, and she was learning from him how to temper that with strategy. She asked curiously at him, "You're replaying the whole fight in your head, aren't you? I can practically see the little battle animations in your eyes."
He managed a faint smile as he said helplessly, "Is it that obvious?"
She said cheekily, pushing off the wall to sit beside him, careful not to disturb Eevee, "Only to me. You won, Master. You took on three of their top people and sent them packing. That was incredible!"
Azure said calmly, his voice low and serious as his Pikachu's ears drooped in agreement, "It was too close, Sapphire. They weren't just strong; they were smart. They were aiming for the people, but I forced them to fight me, as it was hard to focus on the people during the fight. They were fighting as a single unit."
He had cycled through his team rapidly. Vigoroth's brute force, Vulpix's surgical cleverness, and Golduck's psychic prowess.
Each had landed significant blows, but the relentless, coordinated pressure from the Magma Admins had nearly broken his rhythm. It was a last-minute, Thunderbolt from Pikachu that had finally given him the opening to turn the tide.
A champion's victory, but not a clean one. It felt like a warning.
Azure continued, his gaze drifting over the nine Poké Balls clipped to his belt, "They'll be back. And next time, they'll have analyzed this battle. They'll have a counterstrategy for my counter-strategies. To them, this was just data collection. To us, it was a fight for our lives, which isn't anything new to me."
From the entrance of the Pokémon Center, a third figure emerged. Ruby adjusted the brim of his hat, his expression one of fashionable disdain for the dust still clinging to his contest-ready outfit from yesterday's scuffle.
Ruby lamented, joining them as he conceded, his eyes softening as he looked at Azure in a thankful voice, "Honestly, all that noise and fire. It's so dreadfully uncivilized. My Kiki's beautiful fur was nearly ruined. But I must admit, the way your Vulpix moved… it was a dance of destructive elegance. A tragic, but breathtaking, performance."
Azure appreciated Ruby's unique perspective. Where Sapphire saw power levels and tactical advantages, Ruby saw artistry and the spirit of the Pokémon.
Both views were valuable. He chuckled, thanking him for his honest opinion, "Thanks, Ruby. But elegance isn't enough if it gets overwhelmed."
Azure stood up, a new resolve hardening his features. He unclipped his nine Poké Balls and held them in his hands, feeling the familiar weight of responsibility.
Metang, the psychic juggernaut-in-training. Grovyle, the blade in the grass. Gardevoir, the graceful sentinel. Golduck, the unpredictable psychic swimmer. Crawdaunt, the hard-shelled brawler. Bagon, dreaming of flight. Vigoroth, a powder keg of restless energy. And finally… Vulpix.
He looked at the Poké Ball that held the small, intelligent Fire-type. He knew this Alpha Pokémon was waiting for its time to shine.
Azure said calmly, more to himself than to his companions, "I have to adapt. I can train them all to be stronger, faster, but some potential is locked behind a door. Sometimes, you need the right key."
He reached into his backpack and pulled out a small, flat stone. It was a deep, vibrant orange, with a flickering, flame-like pattern at its core that seemed to pulse with latent heat.
A Fire Stone.
He'd found it years ago, deep within Vermillion City's sea in Kanto, and had kept it ever since, waiting for the right partner, the right moment. Sapphire's eyes widened as she said in awe, "A Fire Stone? Are you going to…?"
Azure nodded grimly. He chuckled lightly as he muttered to himself calmly with a knowing expression, "Team Magma's entire ideology is built on fire and earth. Their power is primal. To counter them, I need more than just tricks and type advantages. I need a different kind of power. Something… mystical."
*Pop*
He pressed the release button on Vulpix's Poké Ball. In a flash of red light, the little fox Pokémon materialized on the ground before him.
She had six beautiful, curled tails, a coat the color of burnished mahogany, and intelligent, dark eyes that immediately fixed on Azure, sensing the gravity of the moment. She tilted her head, giving a soft, inquisitive yip, "Vull!"
Azure knelt, meeting her gaze. Pikachu hopped from the bench onto his shoulder, a silent show of support. He began, his voice gentle but firm, "Vulpix. You were incredible yesterday. You held your own against Pokémon far more experienced than you are. I'm proud of you."
Vulpix preened slightly, her tails fluffing up with pride. Azure continued, "But you felt it too, didn't you? Courtney's Ninetales. The way it commanded the battlefield, the sheer presence it had. That power… It's inside you, too. It's a legacy."
He held out the Fire Stone in his open palm. The stone seemed to thrum in the twilight, its inner light casting a warm glow on Vulpix's face.
Her eyes widened, flicking from the stone to Azure's face and back again. She understood instantly that it was time.
This wasn't a command. It was a question. Azure explained, his tone unwavering, "Team Magma will come back. I need to be stronger to protect everyone. To protect you, Pikachu, Eevee, and the rest of our family. I believe evolving will unlock the strength we need. But… this is your decision. Your body, your future. I will never force you."
Ruby watched, captivated. This was the true essence of a bond, a beauty far deeper than any contest ribbon.
It was a conversation between souls, a pact of mutual trust. Sapphire held her breath, understanding the weight of the moment.
Evolution was permanent. It was a transformation not just of body, but of spirit.
Vulpix took a step back, her gaze distant. She glanced at Pikachu on Azure's shoulder, a Pokémon who had famously refused evolution and had become a legend in his own right through the Trainer community.
Then she looked at Eevee, still sleeping peacefully, a creature of infinite potential, content in her current form. Eevee could always change forms, but always preferred its original form. Azure always allowed her choice of what form she preferred.
Her path was not theirs. She looked at the other Poké Balls on Azure's belt, her teammates. She had fought alongside them. She had seen their struggle.
Finally, her dark, intelligent eyes met Azure's again. There was no hesitation in them now, only a fierce, burning loyalty.
She saw not a master demanding more power, but a partner asking for help, a leader preparing his family for a coming storm. She took a deliberate step forward and gently nudged the Fire Stone with her nose.
A soft yes. Azure smiled, a wave of gratitude and pride washing over him. He whispered, "Thank you."
[Would you like to use this item [Fire Stone]?]
[Which Pokémon will you use it for?]
He placed the Fire Stone carefully on the ground as he said carefully to his Fox Pokémon, "Are you ready?"
Vulpix gave a determined bark and pressed her forehead against the stone. The effect was instantaneous and breathtaking.
*SHIII*
The Fire Stone shone into a cascade of brilliant, fiery light that surged into Vulpix's body. An incandescent aura erupted around her, warm and powerful, forcing Sapphire and Ruby to shield their eyes.
*Sssss*
It wasn't an explosion, but a controlled, intense burn, like a star being born. The air grew hot, shimmering with heat haze.
Within the pillar of light, Vulpix's form began to change. Her body elongated, growing taller, more slender, more elegant. Her six tails writhed and merged in the light before unfurling into nine magnificent, golden-tipped plumes, each moving with a life of its own, like tongues of a sacred flame.
Her mahogany fur softened, shifting to a lustrous, creamy gold, so pale it seemed to glow from within. Her ears grew longer and more pointed, her facial features sharper, more refined, imbued with an ancient wisdom.
The light receded, coalescing into a final, brilliant flash before fading away, leaving behind a creature of myth and legend. Where a proud Vulpix had stood, there was now an Alpha Ninetales.
She was magnificent. Her coat shimmered in the last rays of the setting sun, and her nine tails fanned out behind her in a graceful arc. But the most striking change was in her eyes. They were no longer just intelligent; they were ancient.
They glowed with a deep, crimson light that held the wisdom of a thousand years, a silent promise of immense and mysterious power. She held herself with an ethereal grace, a silent, powerful dignity that commanded respect.
Ruby let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He whispered, his voice filled with awe, "Incredible! It's… It's the very soul of beauty and power given form."
Sapphire was practically vibrating with excitement. She exclaimed excitedly seeing Vulpix evolution, "Whoa… The energy coming off her… It's on a whole different level! Team Magma won't know what hit them!"
Ninetales took a step forward, her movements fluid and silent. She walked to Azure and gently rested her head against his hand. The fur was impossibly soft, and he could feel a deep, comforting warmth emanating from her, a controlled power that hummed beneath the fluffy surface.
He looked into her crimson eyes and saw the same loyal partner he had always known, now armed with the strength of legends. He felt a new surge of confidence, not just from the added power to his team, but from the renewed bond of trust.
This was why he was a champion. It wasn't just about winning battles; it was about raising partners, building a family, and facing the future together, as he said, patting her fur proudly, "Good girl. You are very pretty now, like your mother."
Ninetales puffed her chest, giving a light cry, "Niii! (Nope! I'm prettier!)"
Azure chuckled, hearing Ninetales' response. He returned Ninetales to her Poké Ball with a quiet word of thanks, the sphere feeling heavier now, charged with new potential.
He clipped it back onto his belt, the last piece of the puzzle clicking into place. Azure said cheerfully, turning to his companions, his own eyes reflecting the determined glow, "Alright. It's time we start heading out to Route 110 soon. But first, we need to resupply on food before we begin heading out again. That's fine with you, Ruby?"
Ruby, listening, pondered lightly before nodding his head, agreeing as he muttered, "… We are a bit low on food supply and other essentials. Yeah, we should hit up the Slateport Market, then we'll go to Route 110. That's fine, Sapphire?"
Sapphire, listening to the conversation, pondered a bit before nodding her head, "Yeah, I'll need to increase my own Pokémon food diet too, along with extra food. Maybe a few dolls too – I mean, great held items, yeah!"
Ruby and Azure caught her slip-up. Ruby grinned smugly as he said proudly, "Ah! So you do like cute things, perhaps there's hope for you yet to join a Pokémon Contest as a coordinator!"
Sapphire angrily replied, "HELL, NO?!!"
Azure chuckled at their interaction as they left for Slateport Market. Sapphire blushed, refusing their teasing as the unlikely traveling companions traveled towards Route 110 after getting their supplies…
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A/N: Reach the goal of 50 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!