"Come on, Tepig! Use Ember quick, use Ember!"
The boy in shorts shouted desperately, voice cracking through the cold air.
But within the deep blanket of snow, only a faint glimmer of red sparked to life then flickered out completely.
No fire. No heat. Just silence.
The Ember attack had failed. Completely.
The boy froze, his mouth hanging open.
Wait. Wasn't fire supposed to beat ice? That's what his teacher had said! So why was his Tepig buried under snow before the match even began?
Across the field, Lin Feng stood quietly, watching the scene unfold with a faint, amused expression.
The referee finally snapped out of his stunned silence. "Battle over! Victory goes to Lin Feng and Alolan Vulpix one win recorded!"
At that, Lin Feng smiled and raised his hand slightly. "Alright, Vulpix. That's enough."
The heavy clouds scattered as if retreating from a command, and the snow began to ease. Soon, only a thin white layer remained across the battlefield, proof of how powerful that storm had been.
"Vulpix!"
A small, snowy head popped out of the drifts. The young Vulpix bounded over the snow, landing neatly beside Lin Feng with gleaming eyes and a face full of excitement.
"Vul! Vulpix!" (How did I do? How did I do?)
Lin Feng chuckled and shifted the egg he was holding to one arm so he could crouch and pat her head. "You did great."
Vulpix's tail wagged so hard it almost knocked her over. She looked down at the scarf around her neck, proudly tracing the stitched emblem of her hero the Vulpix Knight.
"Vulpix!" (One day, I'll become the Vulpix Knight too!)
Lin Feng nodded. She was full of spirit today perfect time to keep that motivation going. Maybe he could find her another opponent or two to spar with.
But when he turned toward the nearby trainers, he found something strange. The other kids were… avoiding his gaze. Some shuffled their feet, some pretended to check their Poké Balls, and others just awkwardly laughed before hurrying away.
Seriously?
He sighed. "Does anyone want a friendly battle?"
The moment the words left his mouth, the group dispersed even faster.
Lin Feng couldn't help laughing under his breath.
His little Vulpix looked up at him, confused. "Vulpix?" (Why won't they battle with me?)
Before Lin Feng could explain, a familiar psychic voice floated from behind.
"They won't fight because you're too strong," said Mewtwo, arms crossed as it watched from the sidelines.
Lin Feng blinked. That… almost sounded like praise. Coming from Mewtwo.
He turned to look, eyebrows raised. "You're complimenting me?"
Mewtwo's tail flicked slightly, as if annoyed he'd noticed. "I'm stating a fact."
Vulpix, of course, took it as a full-blown compliment. "Vulpix!" (I'm awesome!)
She twirled happily in the snow, clearly eager to test herself again. Lin Feng smiled, already scanning the nearby fields for another match.
And then he froze.
Across one of the smaller arenas, he spotted a familiar figure.
Sophie.
That wasn't what shocked him, though. It was the Pokémon hovering by her shoulder.
A small, glowing star-shaped creature, its body radiating soft golden light. Three shining tags hung from its head, swaying gently as it floated.
Lin Feng blinked once. Then twice. Then rubbed his eyes for good measure.
No way.
"Vulpix!" (Isn't that Sophie? And Wartortle!)
Even Vulpix had recognized her. She bounced excitedly beside Lin Feng.
But Lin Feng was staring at the floating Pokémon in disbelief.
Hold on. He'd literally just told everyone yesterday about Jirachi's legend during a campfire story. And now right in front of him was the real thing?
Wait. Maybe it wasn't real. Maybe… it was Mew playing a prank again!
After all, that little troublemaker had laughed when he'd told the story. And she'd disappeared this morning.
Yeah. That had to be it.
Smirking confidently, Lin Feng activated his Pokédex's "Scan Vision." "Alright, let's see what you're up to this time, you sneaky little cat wait… what?!"
The data flashed across the screen:
Pokémon: Jirachi
Gender: None
Ability: Serene Grace
Potential: Divine
IVs: HP (25) / Attack (25) / Defense (25) / Sp. Atk (25) / Sp. Def (25) / Speed (25)
Level: ???
Moves: Confusion, Wish, Swift, Healing Wish, Zen Headbutt, Gravity, Psychic…
Friendship: 10 (It's curious about you.)
Joy: 70 (It's wondering where the tastiest food is.)
Description: A mythical Pokémon that sleeps for a thousand years, awakening for just seven days to grant wishes.
Lin Feng stared, dumbstruck.
"…You've gotta be kidding me."
He'd told one story, and the real Jirachi decided to drop by? What kind of cosmic joke was that?
Beside him, Mewtwo narrowed its eyes, gazing at Sophie's companion. "What is that creature?"
The psychic aura around it was faint but… strange different from anything Mewtwo had felt before.
Lin Feng let out a breath. "If I said that's Jirachi the Wish Pokémon would you believe me?"
Vulpix tilted her head. "Vulpix?"
Mewtwo's eyes widened. "The one said to grant any wish?"
"Yep." Lin Feng nodded. "That's the one."
Both Pokémon fell silent, staring at the small creature.
Lin Feng's thoughts drifted briefly to the meteor he'd seen last night. The one that had streaked across the sky and fallen somewhere near Changsha City.
So that's where it landed.
Across the field, Sophie's Wartortle was already in the middle of an intense battle.
Lin Feng activated Scan Vision again.
Pokémon: Wartortle (Female)
Ability: Torrent
Level: 29
Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Water Gun, Withdraw, Hydro Pump, Rapid Spin, Protect, Water Pulse, Rain Dance
Friendship: 92 (It really likes you.)
Joy: 10 (Too many Pokémon eating my snacks…)
Not bad at all. Just one level shy of Gym rank.
At only sixteen years old, and already handling a Wartortle this strong Sophie's progress was impressive.
Her opponent was another girl of about the same age, commanding a sturdy Grotle.
Pokémon: Grotle (Male)
Ability: Overgrow
Level: 27–29
Moves: Energy Ball, Withdraw, Absorb, Razor Leaf, Giga Drain, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Bullet Seed, Grass Pledge, Grassy Terrain
Two turtles. One water, one grass. This was going to be fun.
The first moves came almost simultaneously Sophie called for Rain Dance, while her opponent ordered Grassy Terrain.
Raindrops fell from the ceiling as lush green grass spread across the ground. The contrast was beautiful rain glimmering on blades of energy-grown grass.
But Lin Feng quickly noticed that Wartortle's Rain Dance activated faster, giving her an early edge. The downpour weakened the grassy field, bending the energy-grown stalks under heavy droplets.
"Good control," Lin Feng murmured approvingly.
After all, he knew this Wartortle's habits. She often sneaked over to the plantation during watering time, helping Milotic irrigate the crops and occasionally stealing snacks from the feed barrels.
Who would've guessed all that swimming and training would make her Rain Dance this precise?
"Alright, Wartortle use Water Gun!" Sophie commanded, her voice clear and confident.
The turtle inhaled deeply and fired a pressurized jet of water. Rain enhanced its power, and the streams struck like arrows, rapid and precise.
Each shot slammed into Grotle's shell, forcing it to brace.
The opposing trainer frowned. She knew her Pokémon's weakness speed. And this Wartortle was fast. Too fast.
But she didn't panic. Instead, she kept her voice steady. "Grotle, hang on and charge your energy!"
Lin Feng raised an eyebrow. Smart move.
A few seconds later, the rival trainer shouted, "Use Grass Pledge!"
The field erupted in emerald wind. Three whirling tornadoes of razor-sharp leaves spun upward, twisting toward Wartortle.
A bold gamble and a good one.
Grotle's trainer was betting everything on one attack, taking advantage of both the grassy terrain and the rain-soaked field that amplified its power. If the Grass Pledge hit, Wartortle would go down instantly.
Sophie's eyes widened. "Wartortle!"
The whirling leaves closed in from all directions. Wartortle fired another Water Gun, but the torrents of leaves swallowed it whole, twisting faster.
Realizing escape was impossible, Sophie clenched her fist. "If that's how it is… then use Hydro Pump! Aim straight at Grotle!"
The ground trembled. A massive burst of water surged from Wartortle's mouth, nearly a meter wide, smashing through one of the leaf storms and crashing toward Grotle.
The explosion of steam and energy lit up the arena. Both Pokémon were engulfed water crashing against grass, grass tearing through the storm.
When the winds finally stilled, both stood frozen, trembling.
Then, almost simultaneously, they collapsed.
The crowd fell silent.
Sophie's breath caught. "Wartortle… hold on!"
At that moment, something shimmered.
The Jirachi in her arms opened its eyes wide, sensing her desperate wish.
"Hold on," she'd said.
Was that… her second wish?
The little star Pokémon blinked, tilting its head as it gazed at the fallen Wartortle. Its tags glowed faintly gold, rippling with ancient energy.
A soft hum filled the air.