After saying goodbye to Gary, Ash and the others continued their journey toward Cinnabar Island. On the way, Ash went over the spoils of this latest adventure.
A Key Stone. A MEGA Stone.
A Pokémon egg. And an Aerodactyl.
Both the Pokémon Egg and Aerodactyl possessed S-rank potential. If they ever encountered an opportunity to push that potential to triple-S, they would reach the threshold of the Divine Tier.
At the same time, Ash had begun to notice something: there seemed to be an invisible barrier between double-S and triple-S.
Whether it was Bulbasaur, Aerodactyl, or the Togepi Egg, all of them were only a hair's breadth away from that level. Ash couldn't believe that was a coincidence.
Still, he had no concrete proof, and even if such a threshold truly existed, then as long as one could cross it, that would solve everything.
As for how to cross it, he hadn't figured that part out yet. For now, he'd just focus on improving steadily.
After all, the so-called Divine Tier was still a distant goal.
Meanwhile, with the help of the experts in the group chat, Ash had already identified the MEGA Stone, it turned out to be Aerodactyl's own.
That wasn't surprising. If Aerodactyl was capable of MEGA Evolution, it made sense that the stone found near it would be its own MEGA Stone.
Even so, Ash couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. After all, he and Aerodactyl had just met, there was no real bond between them yet.
While still in the cave, Ash had sent Pidgeot back via Teleport and kept Aerodactyl on his team.
But he didn't plan to keep Aerodactyl with him for long. Its level was simply too high, second only to Gengar, who was still training back at Professor Oak's Laboratory.
Ash had never trained a Pokémon at such a high level before. All of his current partners had been raised from scratch. For every stage of growth, he would design a specific training regimen suited to their level.
That steady, hands-on approach was how he truly came to understand each Pokémon's capabilities and built trust with them.
For a high-level Pokémon like Aerodactyl, though, he had no relevant experience. Its power was far beyond the rest of his team's, making it hard to find appropriate sparring partners or training battles.
His other Pokémon could still train among themselves to grow stronger, but Aerodactyl had no equal within the team. If it stayed, it would end up serving only as a practice dummy for others.
So Ash decided it would be better to send Aerodactyl back to Oak's Lab and let Gengar supervise its training.
They could work on teamwork and trust later.
He wasn't planning to leave Aerodactyl at Oak's Lab forever, of course. From time to time, he'd rotate it back into his team to build their bond. As for power training, Gengar was better equipped to handle that.
In fact, not only Aerodactyl, eventually, when Charizard and the others grew stronger, he would also teleport them to Oak's Lab for high-intensity training.
After all, as their strength rose, finding suitable opponents would only get harder. In that case, it was better to create detailed plans and let Gengar push them.
By then, Oak's Lab would have both Gengar and Aerodactyl as sparring partners, more than enough to keep everyone in top form.
Back at the lab, Gengar suddenly sneezed several times. He was in the middle of drilling Muk and a few others when an ominous shiver ran through him, as if he were being targeted by someone…
By evening, Ash and his two companions finally reached a roadside Pokémon Center. Ash took Aerodactyl in for treatment.
Nurse Joy was visibly shocked when she saw the prehistoric Pokémon. As far as the world knew, only Lance owned an Aerodactyl, Ash was now the second person ever confirmed to have one.
Since Ash wasn't hiding his identity this time, Nurse Joy immediately recognized him, the young Trainer who'd become something of a sensation throughout Kanto.
Of course, Nurse Joy didn't ask for autographs or selfies like some overexcited fans. The Joy family was plenty famous in their own right, after all.
Still, she chatted warmly with Ash for a while, curious to meet the prodigy whose exploits everyone had been talking about.
Meanwhile, Misty and Brock stood off to the side, watching the two of them laughing together.
Misty's tiny fists were clenched, and Brock, biting down on a random handkerchief, tears streaming down his face, looked just as comically pitiful.
It wasn't until quite late that Nurse Joy finally let Ash go back to rest. Aerodactyl's recovery would have to wait until the next morning.According to the Pokémon Center's examination results, Aerodactyl's head had suffered a fairly severe blow, and it would need extra time to heal properly.
Ash could only laugh awkwardly at that.
Come to think of it, both of his punches had landed squarely on Aerodactyl's head, but with the Rock Head ability, that hard skull shouldn't have taken much damage at all.
Apparently, his "light taps" had hit harder than expected...
Time passed quickly, and by the next morning Ash was already up early.
At the front desk, a drowsy Nurse Joy handed him Aerodactyl's Poké Ball with a yawn.
Ash took it and, with the help of Gardevoir's Teleport, arrived at a quiet stretch of open plains. There, he released Aerodactyl.
The moment Aerodactyl appeared, he instinctively glared at Ash with fierce, predatory eyes. But the instant he recognized who stood before him, that ferocity vanished, replaced by a strangely eager, almost flattering look.
The terrifying "ancient overlord of the skies" now looked more like an oversized husky.
"Roar?" 'Master, what are your orders for calling me out?'
Ash blinked, momentarily stunned. "You've already figured out your place this fast? Don't tell me you've given up on fighting me again?"
Aerodactyl shook his head frantically, like a rattle-drum.
Fight you again? Are you kidding me?! Sure, my ability is Rock Head, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid!
If he couldn't see the gap in power after that last battle, then all those years he'd lived in ancient times would have been wasted.A wise dragon knows when to bow its head, and he knew exactly where he stood.
That human had subdued him and placed him into some strange device, yes, but the environment inside wasn't bad. His injuries had been healed, and when he was released again, his new master hadn't shown the slightest bit of hostility.
Most importantly, he was no longer starving.
Without hunger clouding his mind, Aerodactyl could finally feel the faint warmth and resonance radiating from the human before him.
That was the effect of Tokiwa Power, its passive ability gave Ash a natural affinity with any Pokémon he met for the first time.
The reason it hadn't worked before was simple: Aerodactyl had just awoken from ages of slumber, nearly starving to death, and his feral instincts had been overwhelming.
But now, fed, healed, and thoroughly humbled, that wild savagery was suppressed. What remained was submission, and, somewhere deep down, the beginnings of respect.
If not now, then when would be the time to yield?
Ash scratched his head, completely thrown off.
He'd prepared a whole speech for convincing Aerodactyl to cooperate, but looking at the dinosaur's obedient expression, none of it seemed necessary.
Weren't Aerodactyls supposed to be proud and domineering ancient rulers? Why did this one surrender so easily?
"Ahem," Ash cleared his throat. "Don't call me master. I'm your Trainer, which means your partner. We're equals."
"The times have changed. Humans and Pokémon can coexist peacefully and grow stronger together. Our goal is the same, to stand at the very top of the world. Let's do it together."
Ash extended his hand, a bright, genuine smile lighting up his face.
Aerodactyl froze for a moment, his expression complicated.
Before, he had submitted purely because of Ash's overwhelming strength. But now, hearing those words, something in his chest stirred.
This human, this Trainer, maybe he wasn't so bad after all.
Aerodactyl slowly reached out his massive claw and placed it in Ash's open palm.
"Then from now on, we're partners, Aerodactyl. In a little while, I'll have Gardevoir Teleport you back to Professor Oak's Laboratory, that'll be your new home for now. You don't have to stay cooped up inside the lab, but there's an old man there who might take a lot of interest in you. Whatever happens, don't lay a claw on him, got it? If he decides to 'discipline' you, I won't be able to step in."
Ash gave the warning very seriously.
He wasn't worried about Professor Oak's safety, of course, the man was a retired Champion, and even at his age, what Pokémon couldn't possibly threaten him.
No, Ash was worried about Aerodactyl. If the ancient dragon actually picked a fight with Professor Oak, then Oak's old buddies would probably rush in and tear him apart before Ash could even say a word.
So this was more of a preventive warning. If Aerodactyl refused to listen and brought it upon himself… well, that'd be his own problem.
It's not like he'd actually die.
Aerodactyl nodded immediately, though he didn't fully understand. Still, if his Trainer made such a serious face, this "old man" had to be someone he absolutely couldn't provoke. Best to keep a low profile.
After settling that matter, Ash took out the two treasures from his backpack, the Key Stone and the MEGA Stone.
"Aerodactyl, do you know where these two came from?" he asked.
When Ash found Aerodactyl, the ancient Pokémon had been holding the Key Stone in its claws while the MEGA Stone had been placed deep in the same cavern. It was very likely Aerodactyl knew something about their origin.
If he could trace their source, that would be hitting the jackpot!
Upon seeing the two stones, Aerodactyl's expression turned thoughtful. After a pause, he let out a low roar and explained through Aura resonance.
They were both originally in the Grand Canyon. I chose that place to sleep because I sensed power within those stones, something that could strengthen me. But no matter what I did, I couldn't draw that power out.
Ash nodded, chuckling softly. "That's normal. The energy inside them needs both a Pokémon and its Trainer to channel it together. We'll have our chance to use it someday."
He patted Aerodactyl comfortingly, though a faint trace of disappointment flickered across his face.
So much for his dream of finding a mountain full of Key Stones and Stones, it seemed that had just been wishful thinking.Still, the MEGA Guidance ability in his mind hadn't faded completely yet, which meant there was still one more MEGA Stone waiting to be discovered.
That in itself was already a pleasant surprise. He hadn't expected that the so-called "one-time" ability guiding him to the stones would continue working until all its potential was fully used.
Whether it was a single-use ability or a slowly depleting one, it had already paid off far beyond his expectations.
Ash was more than satisfied.
When they returned to the Pokémon Center, Ash immediately placed a video call to Professor Oak.
Although it was still early morning, the professor was already awake, and the moment he heard that Ash had captured an Aerodactyl, his face practically filled the entire screen.
"You caught an Aerodactyl!? Quick, send it over right now! I was wondering why Pidgeot was Teleported back, thinking you must've caught something new, but Aerodactyl!? Incredible! Good job, Ash!"
Oak's wide-eyed, overexcited face was pressed right up against the camera like some kind of ghoul. Ash couldn't help but grimace.
"Professor Oak, Aerodactyl's an ancient Pokémon. His temper's not exactly mild, so don't get too close or provoke him."
"Don't worry, don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Oak said cheerfully, pulling back with an air of complete composure.
Ash rolled his eyes but didn't argue further. Instead, he took the two stones from his backpack and held them up to the webcam.
"By the way, Professor, could you help me look into these? I think they're special."
Oak leaned forward again, pressing his face close to the screen to examine the stones carefully.
"Hmm… interesting. Two gems with faint energy signatures. I feel like I've seen something like them before…" He stroked his chin, deep in thought.
Ash's eyes brightened. "You've seen them? Where?"
"I can't quite remember," Oak admitted after a moment. "I've come across a few unusual stones over the years, but these… ah! Steven might know!"
"Steven?"
"Yes, Steven Stone, the Champion of Hoenn. He's an avid collector of rare minerals and gemstones. I hear he's even planning to step down as Champion soon to focus entirely on mining and excavation work. If anyone knows what these are, it's him. I'll reach out and ask when I get the chance."