A Snivy with Contrary?
When Lucien saw this trait, he couldn't help but think, Wouldn't this make it possible to use Leaf Storm infinitely?
[Contrary: Reverses stat changes, causing increases to become decreases, and decreases to become increases.]
[Leaf Storm: A storm of razor-sharp leaves lashes the foe. Normally, after use, the user's Special Attack sharply drops. But when combined with Contrary, the negative stat change reverses, raising Special Attack instead.]
In this age of Pokémon ignorance, where no one had any real strategies, no one could possibly imagine a way to counter a Snivy spamming Leaf Storm without end.
Lucien also realized something else, this Snivy was already stronger than his Dratini.
Beyond Vine Whip, it had also mastered Grass Knot.
And most importantly, it had survived something nearly unthinkable:
Snivy had escaped an ambush from five Sneasel.
This little Grass-type's strength was truly extraordinary.
Though surprised, Lucien kept calm. After all, Snivy had only temporarily joined his territory. Unlike Dratini, it had not yet accepted him as its trainer.
After confirming that its wounds weren't life-threatening, Lucien planned to bring Snivy back, show it around, and let it grow familiar with the territory.
But when he reached out to pick Snivy up, the Pokémon stiffened and refused.
So instead, the scene became one of Lucien walking ahead, with Snivy trailing silently behind.
"Snivy, this is where we live," Lucien said, gesturing toward the cluster of small wooden houses built in the clearing. He pointed around as he spoke.
"That river over there is where we usually fish. Some of the villagers wash clothes there too. Oh, and you haven't eaten fish before, have you? You should try it sometime. It's delicious whether steamed, grilled, or made into soup."
"Snivy…" The little Pokémon gazed at the flowing river with curiosity. It had indeed never eaten fish before, rarely straying near such places.
Then its eyes were drawn elsewhere. Ahead, a patch of land looked different, and three Snover circled the fields, performing some strange, deliberate actions.
Lucien noticed where Snivy was looking and explained,
"Those are our crop fields. We cleared that land and planted seeds. Come spring, they'll sprout and bear fruit. The Snover are helping us tend the soil."
Snover had their own unique way of caring for crops: they sank part of their roots into the earth, then released bursts of Grass-type energy to nourish the seeds and stimulate growth.
"Next year," Lucien continued with a faint smile, "we'll use this same method to replant your trees and restore an orchard for you."
As he spoke, a significantly larger wooden house came into view ahead.
Lucien stepped forward and pushed the door open. Turning back to Snivy, he said with a smile,
"Here we are. This is our home. You'll stay with us for a while, at least until the storm passes."
As the wooden door swung wide, a rush of warm air greeted Snivy.
It peered inside cautiously, and was startled to see several Minccino tidying the carpet with their fluffy tails, while a Dratini lay curled on a cushion, fast asleep.
Lucien walked in. The firewoody from the previous night had nearly burned out, so he tossed a few more logs into the stone fireplace. The flames flared back to life, quickly driving out the lingering chill that had entered with the open door.
'So warm…' Snivy thought, surprised.
At that moment, the Minccino and Dratini stirred, noticing the newcomer. They clustered around Lucien curiously.
"Chino?" squeaked one of the Minccino.
Lucien introduced them. "This is Snivy. Like you, she once lived in the forest. For now, she'll be staying with us."
The Minccino had no objections. Instead, they chirped happily in greeting.
"Chino! Chino!"
Lucien chuckled at their friendliness.
Morning sunlight streamed faintly through the windows; outside, the snowfall had finally ceased. After settling Snivy inside, Lucien turned to his partners.
"Minccino, Dratini and I are heading to training. You've just recovered from your injuries, Snivy, so stay here and rest for now," he instructed.
"Snivy…" The Grass-type nodded quietly.
Lucien smiled, then turned and left with Dratini at his side.
For a long moment, Snivy remained still. Then, on sudden impulse, she leapt up to the window and slipped out, darting past the startled Minccino.
Lucien's so-called "cheat" offered little help when it came to actually training Pokémon.
Because of this, he relied on the simplest, most direct methods.
He had designated a special area in his territory for training. In truth, it was little more than an open space with a thick wooden log set upright in the center.
Now, under Lucien's command, Dratini was repeatedly lashing its tail against the log.
But Dratini's strength was still limited. No matter how hard it struck, the wood showed no sign of damage. Instead, red marks began to form on Dratini's own tender tail.
Lucien winced at the sight, his heart aching. Yet he did not call for a halt.
This was the only way Dratini could grow stronger.
To become a powerful Pokémon, one had to endure countless trials and tribulations, tempering the body until every part of it could become a weapon.
Only then could it truly master moves like Dragon Tail.
Fortunately, Dratini persevered. Despite the pain, it worked tirelessly, never once giving up.
Lucien silently counted each strike of its tail against the wooden stake. When the number reached his target, he finally called out:
"Rest, Dratini!"
"Woo!"
Dratini stopped, coiling into Lucien's arms as it always did.
Lucien sat down on the log and carefully brought out medicine. With gentle hands, he applied it to the bruises on Dratini's tail, then massaged the sore muscles to ease the tension and restore circulation.
"Alright… let's continue," Lucien said softly after a short break.
Now it was time for energy training.
While Pokémon like Dragonite excelled at physical attacks, their mastery of special attacks could not be neglected.
By practicing Twister, Dratini could steadily refine its control over Dragon-type energy. With a solid foundation now, learning powerful moves like Dragon Pulse and Outrage would be far easier in the future.
At the same time, Lucien considered another path. Improving Dratini's proficiency with Thunder Wave might one day allow it to wield stronger Electric-type techniques, perhaps even the famed Thunderbolt.
From behind a nearby tree, Snivy quietly watched the scene unfold, its expression uncertain and its heart conflicted.
...
Stones Plzz
5 Bonus chapters @1300 PS
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