So, Yuga and the others happily visited the famous attractions in Fortree City according to their navigation system. The most famous spot in Fortree City is the Ancient Tree Park located in the city center, which was also their final destination for the day.
As the name suggests, the main attraction of the Ancient Tree Park is an ancient tree in the park. According to the introduction, this ancient tree is said to be over a thousand years old.
Of course, whether the tree is truly a thousand years old is uncertain to Yuga and the others. It could be true, it could be a fabrication by the citizens of Fortree City to attract tourists, or maybe even the people of Fortree City themselves are not sure.
However, the tree's sheer size is undeniable. Yuga and the others noticed its towering canopy from a distance even before they approached the Ancient Tree Park.
Fortree City is not lacking in tall trees, but even so, this ancient tree stands out remarkably. Yuga used to think the lactation tree in his ecological garden was huge, but it still pales in comparison to this ancient tree. No wonder the people of Fortree City say it is a thousand years old; it might very well be true.
By the time Yuga and his group arrived at the Ancient Tree Park, it was already mid-afternoon, but the park was still bustling with people, indicating its popularity.
The entire Ancient Tree Park is covered under the ancient tree's canopy, making the environment somewhat dim. However, the light spots cast through the gaps in the canopy create a unique atmosphere here.
Yuga does not recognize the species of the ancient tree. It somewhat resembles the banyan tree from his previous life but with differences; for instance, it lacks aerial roots. He wonders how such a large tree manages to absorb enough nutrients.
After a systematic explanation, Yuga learned that the scientific name of the ancient tree is *Nimora Chesto Berry Tree*, related to the Chesto Berry tree species, or rather a variant of the Chesto Berry tree.
Chesto Berry trees grow in cooler climates and are relatively small; however, Nimora Chesto Berry Trees prefer hot climates and grow exceptionally tall.
The only thing larger about the Chesto Berry tree compared to the Nimora Chesto Berry Tree is the fruit. Chesto Berries can grow as big as a fist, but Nimora Chesto Berries are only the size of a thumbnail when mature.
Moreover, Chesto Berries have medicinal value as they can heal Pokémon's sleep status, but Nimora Chesto Berries have no special effects besides tasting good.
Most Nimora Chesto Berry Trees in the Pokémon world are now extinct, with only a few remaining in certain places. The one in Fortree City is a miracle for its size.
It is said that the Nimora Chesto Berry Tree in Fortree City has not flowered or fruited for many years, though the tree itself is reported to be very healthy.
After learning about the Nimora Chesto Berry Tree, Yuga suddenly wanted to plant some in his ecological garden. Although the Nimora Chesto Berry doesn't have any special effects, it is said to be very tasty.
He wondered if he could even keep it alive, given that it is a near-extinct plant and likely difficult to cultivate.
He planned to ask Lovia if she could get a seedling of the Nimora Chesto Berry Tree from Winona. Yuga thought to himself.
The Nimora Chesto Berry Tree in the Ancient Tree Park is a paradise for bird Pokémon. Various bird Pokémon are seen fluttering overhead, including familiar ones like Swellow and Talonflame from the Hoenn region, as well as Pidgey and Noctowl from Kanto and Johto, and Murkrow and Chatot from Sinnoh.
Seeing so many Pokémon in one place made Max the happiest. He kept pulling Yuga's hand and pointing out the Pokémon in the trees, jumping excitedly, while May looked on helplessly.
During their sightseeing, Yuga decided to split up with Max, May, Ash, and Brock. Since May wanted to buy souvenirs and sample local food, and Yuga and Max were not interested, they formed two groups and agreed to reunite at a designated time.
The Ancient Tree Park is indeed a great place to relax. As the time approached to meet up with May, Yuga and his group were preparing to leave when they suddenly saw a small figure flying toward them, chased by two Talonflames.
As it drew closer, Yuga and Max realized that the pursued creature was a Ledian.
"It's a Ledyba! It's being bullied by the Talonflames, how pitiful!" Max exclaimed, seeing the Ledian in distress.
Despite Max's shout, the two Talonflames did not stop their attack and continued pecking at the Ledian with their long beaks.
Talonflames are known as "bullies" among bird Pokémon, and since city-dwelling Pokémon are not afraid of humans, the Talonflames were not deterred by Yuga and his group's presence.
"Brother Yuga, help the Ledian!" Max pleaded, pulling Yuga's hand.
However, Yuga did not respond immediately but focused intently on the Ledian being attacked. To Yuga, the Ledian's situation did not seem as dangerous as Max imagined.
**Ledian**
- Type: Bug, Flying
- Ability: Early bird
- Gender: Female
- Quality: Yellow
- Level: 38
- Skills: Tackle, Supersonic, Swift, Aerial Ace, Silver Wind, Tailwind
This Ledian has a low level, ordinary quality, and unremarkable skills, so why does Yuga think it is not in much danger against the Talonflames?
Look! When the two Talonflames simultaneously pecked at it, the Ledian first used Supersonic to hit one of the Talonflames on the head, causing it to immediately become dizzy and get knocked away. Meanwhile, the Ledian's wings fluttered lightly, creating a breeze that increased its speed and easily dodged the other Talonflame's attack.
Even though one Talonflame was confused, the other one continued to chase relentlessly. However, the Ledian alternated between ascending and descending rapidly, using the air currents beneath its wings to playfully evade the Talonflame's attempts.
No matter how the Talonflames pursued, the Ledian skillfully avoided their attacks. The air currents surrounding it were created by a combination of Silver Wind and Tailwind skills. The Ledian managed to keep them concentrated around itself, using precise control of the wind to perform intricate flying maneuvers.
Silver Wind has a certain probability of enhancing all five of the user's stats (Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed). Although the chance is only ten percent, the more often it is used, the more significant the enhancements.
The Ledian did not use Silver Wind to attack its opponents but rather utilized the wind power to assist its flight. As a result, the frequency of use was quite high, which significantly increased the probability of triggering enhancements, making its speed faster during the Talonflame's pursuit.
When the other Talonflame recovered from its confusion and resumed the chase, the Ledian's use of Silver Wind had reached its final enhancement stage. At this point, its control over the wind left Yuga increasingly impressed.
The Ledian's wings flapped rapidly, and two whirlwinds like tornadoes emerged from its wings. The rising air currents accelerated it, helping it evade one Talonflame's claws, while another parallel air current propelled it forward, allowing it to dodge the beak attack of the other Talonflame.
Even with all its abilities enhanced by Silver Wind, the Ledian still avoided direct confrontation with the Talonflames. It knew that, despite the enhancements, it was still no match for the Talonflames due to its inherent weakness.
This is why the Ledian looked so battered despite not being injured, according to Max.
However, from Yuga's perspective, despite the Ledian's superb flying skills, escaping the Talonflames' pursuit remained challenging.
Generally, using skills to enhance oneself is highly exhausting for Pokémon. Everything comes with its pros and cons. Whether it's Swords Dance, Quiver Dance, or Dragon Dance, they all come at the cost of significant stamina depletion, and Silver Wind is no different. While it enhances the user's abilities, it also drastically increases their stamina consumption.
For a Bug-type Pokémon with low levels like the Ledian, this is critical. Talonflames are notoriously aggressive and impatient among bird Pokémon, so as long as their patience lasts, the Ledian might be saved.
However, the reality is that the Ledian's stamina is likely to be depleted before the Talonflames' patience runs out. In other words, no matter how skilled the Ledian is at flying, it's doomed once its stamina is exhausted.
Seeing the Ledian struggling, Max grew increasingly anxious and urged Yuga to take action. Yuga, however, shook his head and said, "Let's wait a bit longer."
As Yuga suspected, the Ledian soon began to weaken and was knocked away by one of the Talonflames using Steel Wing. The other Talonflame continued its attack, pecking at the Ledian with its sharp beak.
Seeing this, Max covered his eyes in fear.
At this moment, Yuga finally stepped in. His Vivillon used Electro Web to ensnare both Talonflames. The Talonflames struggled frantically but could not escape, screaming as they were shocked by the web's electricity.
Yuga did not make things difficult for the Talonflames. After capturing the Ledian in a Poké Ball, he released the Talonflames. By this time, the Ledian had already fainted, and the capture process went smoothly.
Seeing Yuga capture the Ledian, Max sighed in relief but was also surprised, "Brother Yuga, are you going to keep this Ledian? It looks really weak."
Yuga smiled and replied, "Being weak now doesn't mean it will always be weak." He wouldn't tell Max that he was interested in the Ledian's flying skills and wanted to bring it back to teach Vivillon.
Although the Ledian is not high level, its flying skills are unmatched by most Pokémon, especially its precise control over the wind, which is truly impressive and worth Vivillon learning from.
Yuga's Vivillon is also quite skilled in controlling the wind, but it has hit a bottleneck in its progress. Now, with the Ledian's guidance, it is expected to advance further.
Upon hearing Yuga's response, Max nodded in understanding and asked, "Then why didn't you save the Ledian earlier? It was being bullied by the Talonflames and looked so pitiful."
Yuga seriously said, "At first, I didn't plan to capture the Ledian. In nature, the weak are preyed upon by the strong, and humans shouldn't interfere arbitrarily. If we saved the Ledian today, what if the Talonflames bring more companions to bully it tomorrow?" In reality, Yuga just wanted to see how far the Ledian could go and whether it was worth bringing back to teach Vivillon.
"Yeah, yeah, you're right, Brother Yuga!" Max, being "smart," accepted Yuga's explanation, believing it made sense and not realizing he was being misled.
With the Ledian incident resolved, Yuga and Max rejoined May and the others and returned to the Pokémon Center. When they arrived, Lovia had already returned and, upon learning that Yuga and the others had gone out without her, scolded Yuga for being heartless and only using her for work.
Back at the Pokémon Center, Yuga asked Nurse Joy to examine the Ledian. It soon woke up; although it looked battered, it wasn't seriously injured.
After the Ledian awoke, Yuga requested it to teach Vivillon. The Ledian, remembering Yuga and Vivillon's help, agreed without hesitation.
Yay, the plan worked! Yuga thought to himself, making a victory sign silently. It was truly meaningful to intervene at the right moment.
Back in his room, Yuga took out a bottle of Potential Potion from his system backpack, which he had kept for a while, and decided to see if it could elevate the Ledian's quality to green.
A capable Pokémon like the Ledian shouldn't be wasted. There are plenty of Bug-type Pokémon in the ecological garden that need its skills.
Due to its size, the Ledian flying skills are not suitable for bird Pokémon or other large flying Pokémon. This is why Yuga didn't expect Charizard or Dragonite to learn together.
After Yuga explained the effects of the Potential Potion, the Ledian gratefully drank it.
Though the Ledian's level was low, it had considerable age and experience, which contributed to its impressive flying skills.
Vivillon, while having excellent quality, was still too young, but with the Ledian's guidance, it would definitely improve further.
The Potential Potion was a rare opportunity for the aging Ledian, so it wanted to make the most of it.
The chance of a yellow-quality Pokémon becoming green with the Potential Potion is less than fifty percent, but fortunately, the Ledian had good luck and also learned the new skill Agility during the quality enhancement.
Feeling the changes in its body, the Ledian was increasingly grateful to Yuga and vowed to repay him well.
With the Ledian matter resolved, Yuga was in a good mood and shared his idea of planting Nimora Chesto Berry Trees with Lovia.
"You want seedlings of Nimora Chesto Berry Trees?" Lovia was very surprised upon learning Yuga's plan.
Nimora Chesto Berry Trees are famous in Fortree City, and as Winona's former sister-in-law, Lovia certainly knew about them. She advised Yuga, "Are you sure you want to plant these? They are very difficult to grow."
The Nimora Chesto Berry Tree in the Ancient Tree Park produces a batch of seedlings every year, but only a few survive. Many botanists have struggled with this problem, and Lovia didn't think Yuga would be any different.
Rather than waste time and effort, it might be better not to get involved from the start.
"I'll just give it a try. Whether it survives or not is fate. I've heard that Nimora Chesto Berries are very delicious," Yuga said with a smile.
He believed that since he could grow Revival Herbs in his ecological garden, the chances of growing a Nimora Chesto Berry Tree were quite high. That's why he wanted to try, though he couldn't tell Lovia this.
"Well, if you just want to try planting it, I'll ask Winona for you."
Seeing that Yuga only wanted to try planting, Lovia did not insist further. Since Nimora Chesto Berry Trees are difficult to grow, the seedlings in the Ancient Tree Park are mostly left to fend for themselves. It should be easy to get some for Yuga.
(End of Chapter)