"…That kind of bond…"
Clair caught herself staring again.
Dragonite lowered its massive head, letting Caster scratch its chin like they'd been friends forever.
A spike of envy twisted in her chest before she could push it down.
That Dragonite wasn't just any Pokémon.
It was the Dragonite: a living piece of Blackthorn history, stubborn as hell and twice as proud.
She'd been put in charge of the Dragon Sanctuary partly out of duty, partly out of hope that someday she'd earn that creature's trust. Maybe even call it her own partner.
And yet…
Years.
Years of patient offerings and quiet mornings, and the damn thing still treated her like furniture. But this kid? This scruffy wanderer named Caster?
He scratched it once, and suddenly Dragonite was acting like it had found its soulmate.
Clair's mouth pressed into a thin line.
"When it comes to connecting with Pokémon…" she muttered, the thought slipping out, "this guy might be getting close to Lance's level. You know, that Viridian Forest thing where he can read a Pokémon's mood just from how it breathes." Her voice carried equal parts admiration and irritation.
Caster, that infuriating mystery, had surprised her one too many times.
"Aoo~"
The soft sound pulled her back. As the last traces of the Energy Orb faded, Dragonite's eyes cleared.
It gave Caster one long, searching look (half suspicion, half respect, maybe a touch of what the hell are you?), then spread its massive wings and launched skyward.
Even as it climbed, it glanced back once more, like it was still trying to figure him out.
When it disappeared into the clouds, Ayu, who'd been holding his breath the whole time, finally cracked. "Dude… that Pokéblock you used… what was that?"
Caster stretched like he'd just woken from a nap, his grin way too smug. "Oh, that? A gift. From a friend."
He didn't elaborate. The way he said friend made it sound like there was a whole story there, too complicated to get into. Ayu let it drop.
Trade secrets, proprietary recipes, unspoken trainer code. You just didn't push.
"Magikarp!" Clair called toward the lake behind them, her tone shifting gears.
Splash!
From the glassy surface, a huge orange shape rocketed into the air, muscles rippling, water streaming off its scales.
"Karp~!"
It landed beside her with an enthusiastic flop, tail swishing hard enough to soak her boots. Clair laughed and tossed it a handful of food, which it gulped down happily.
"Caster," she said, gesturing toward the oversized fish, "this one's your next student. I want you to teach it Bounce. Its parent was a strong Dragonite, so it's got some aerial genetics going on. Perfect foundation for flying-type moves. Plus, its stats are excellent. I caught it myself as a side project."
Caster nodded. Made sense. Gym Leaders bred and trained the same species over and over, always chasing perfection. Lance had what, two Dragonair and a whole squadron of Dragonite?
Oh, and let's not forget the guy caught both the blue and red Gyarados just because he felt like it.
Money, clout, and infinite Poké Ball storage: the Lance special.
Clair's tone sharpened. "If you can get this Magikarp to learn Bounce, I'll teach you Dragon Dance. That's a promise."
"Bounce?" Ayu blinked. "Wait, Magikarp can learn Bounce?"
The realization hit him like cold water. So that's the catch: Caster's reward came with a ridiculous test attached.
Caster, completely unbothered, thumped his chest. "Leave it to me. Easy."
He was lying, of course, but only technically. Tucked away in his fishing inventory were two Bounce TMs, pristine and untouched. The "challenge" would take him maybe… two minutes.
Clair crossed her arms. "How long do you think it'll take?"
Caster didn't answer right away.
His gaze drifted across the lake, endless and shimmering, full of quiet possibility. He muttered under his breath, "Hmm… ten days, maybe two weeks? Depends on how the fishing's going…"
Then louder, more professional: "Ten days to two weeks, maybe a month if it's stubborn. Depends on Magikarp's natural aptitude."
A nice, believable estimate. Still a lie, but a respectable one.
Truth was, it depended on how much fishing he wanted to do. If the lake was busy, well, Magikarp was "slow." If it was quiet, then "genius material!" Easy narrative control.
Clair seemed satisfied. "Good. I'll leave it to you. I've already told it to follow your instructions."
A month wasn't long. She could wait, and honestly, she liked watching how this Caster kid worked. There was something… rough around the edges but sharp underneath.
Turning to Ayu, she smirked. "You and I have training to do. Don't think you're off the hook."
Before he could protest, she hauled him off toward another section of the lakeside, her cape snapping in the wind.
It wasn't just about giving them space. It was a sign of respect. She wouldn't intrude on someone else's process.
"Karp~!"
The second she was gone, Magikarp turned to Caster, eyes bright. You could practically feel the excitement radiating off it. Dragon blood did something to the brain; this fish was way sharper than average.
It wanted to train. It wanted to evolve. It wanted to fly.
And Caster? He… wanted to fish.
He waved dismissively. "Magikarp, uh, go… I don't know, swim around or something."
The fish blinked. Once. Twice. Its tail gave an uncertain twitch.
But Caster was already kneeling, unpacking a collapsible fishing rod, whistling like a man without a care in the world. His grin was pure mischief.
"I swear there's a Dratini in this lake somewhere. And even if there's not, I spotted some Horsea earlier. Trust me."
"Karp?" Magikarp burbled.
This wasn't training! Clair had warned it about hard drills, exhaustion, suffering. Instead, this so-called "Skill Tutor" looked like he was on vacation.
Seeing it still hovering nearby, Caster sighed. "Look, you're scaring the fish. Go, uh, swim across the lake a hundred times. Full speed. Gotta get a feel for your… baseline performance or whatever."
"Karp~!!"
That sounded like real training! Magikarp's fins flared with determination, and it shot off, leaving a trail of bubbles in its wake.
Caster waited until it was a distant speck on the water.
"Gone." He exhaled, smiling. "Now I can fish in peace."
He baited the hook smoothly and cast his line.
Plop.
The ripples spread out across the glassy surface.
Pichu hopped down from his shoulder, found a sunny patch of grass, and curled up, ears twitching contentedly.
The breeze carried the faint scent of wildflowers and damp earth, and for once, everything felt right.
Caster lost track of time. The water lapped gently, the world hummed. It was meditative: that fragile, timeless space between boredom and wonder.
Then—tug!
The bobber dipped sharply.
"Got a bite!"
Instinct kicked in. He yanked the rod hard, adrenaline spiking.
Splash!
A spray of water exploded upward, and out came something blue, something small but fierce-eyed.
Strong jaw. Yellow V-shaped marking on its belly. Red spikes gleaming like gemstones.
Caster blinked, dripping wet. "Wait… Totodile?!"
A Johto starter. A Totodile.
The system chimed in his mind, clear as a bell:
[Caught 'Totodile.' Reward: 1 Dragon Dance TM.]
[First time catching 'Totodile.' Bonus reward: 1 Damp Rock.]
Caster stared at the little crocodile, which was still snapping at the air, looking way too pleased with itself.
He laughed. "Well, I'll be damned. Guess it's not just Magikarp that wants to fly today."
And for a fleeting moment, the lake felt alive, like it was listening.