Dragonite and the Incarnation of the Sea!

The waters Dragonite found itself in were teeming with unusual and beautiful Pokémon.

Pearl oysters nestled among the coral reefs, their pearlescent shells glinting faintly in the dim underwater light. Slender Sakura Fish with shimmering pink scales danced gracefully in schools, their movements reminiscent of falling cherry blossoms. Heartfish, aptly named for their heart-shaped bodies, fluttered gently along the currents like leaves in a breeze.

Despite the mesmerizing marine life, Dragonite remained focused. It darted through the waters, its sharp eyes scanning for its target. But none of the Pokémon it encountered seemed to meet its criteria.

"Too small," it thought, dismissing a Pearl Oyster. "Too fierce," it decided after passing a particularly aggressive Barraskewda. Its frustration grew with every encounter.

Dragonite's determination only intensified as it recalled Naoki's kind gestures toward the other Dragonites. A burning resolve filled its chest—it had to find the biggest fish to make Naoki proud.

It spotted an old Hunting Grouper peeking out from an abandoned shipwreck. Deciding it might hold some answers, Dragonite swam closer and called out, "Awoo?" (Excuse me, have you seen any really big fish around here?)

The grouper blinked, its cloudy eyes assessing the strange Pokémon. "Gu?" (What's that?) it muttered, unused to visitors in its secluded home.

Dragonite repeated its question, leaning closer.

After a moment of contemplation, the grouper replied, "Gugu." (Well, I've heard of a Megalodon nearby. Could that be what you're looking for?)

Dragonite's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Owu?" (How big is it?)

The grouper squinted at Dragonite, seemingly measuring its size before answering, "Gugu!" (About your size.)

Dragonite's hopeful expression immediately fell. What was the point if the fish wasn't bigger than itself? It let out a disappointed huff and turned to leave.

Seeing Dragonite's crestfallen look, the grouper suddenly recalled an old tale. "Guh!" (Wait! I remember something else!)

Dragonite froze mid-turn, its wings fluttering with anticipation.

The grouper shared its story in a slow, gravelly voice: "Gu, Gugu." (There's a legend about a massive Pokémon sleeping in a pitch-black underwater cave. Long ago, a young Heartfish stumbled into the cave by mistake and saw it. The Heartfish said it was the largest Pokémon it had ever seen.)

"Awoo?!" (Really?!)

Dragonite's eyes lit up like lightning bolts, its excitement rekindled.

The grouper nodded solemnly. "Gu." (But beware. The cave lies within a deep canyon ahead. It's said that any Pokémon foolish enough to venture there will never return.)

Dragonite didn't wait for the rest of the warning. Driven by determination, it surged forward, leaving the grouper staring after it in disbelief.

The canyon loomed like a shadowy maw in the ocean floor. Dragonite hesitated only for a moment before diving into the inky depths. It swam downward, the faint glow of sunlight fading until only darkness remained. Unfazed, it summoned its internal electrical energy, creating a bright glow that illuminated its surroundings.

The trench was vast and eerily silent, but Dragonite pressed on, guided by the grouper's story. Finally, after what felt like hours, it spotted the mouth of a massive cave carved into the rocky walls.

Dragonite's heart raced. This had to be it—the home of the legendary fish Pokémon. Without hesitation, it swam into the cavern, its light casting long, wavering shadows on the walls. The tunnels twisted and turned, branching off in countless directions, but Dragonite stayed its course, following the faint glimmers of light ahead.

At last, it reached a chamber where the water seemed to shimmer with an ethereal glow. Dragonite propelled itself upward toward the source of the light. 

Dragonite emerged from the water into a vast underwater cave, the sheer beauty of the scene rendering it momentarily speechless.

A serene blue lake stretched before it, shimmering under beams of light that appeared to originate from unseen openings above. The light danced across the lake's surface, casting mesmerizing reflections that made the entire cave feel like a scene from a dream.

Floating above the tranquil waters was a Pokémon of immense size. Its dark blue body mirrored the vastness of the ocean, exuding a sense of power. Its enormous pectoral fins, tipped with four white square structures, rested motionless, while mysterious red lines traced ancient patterns across its frame.

"Awoo…" (What a massive fish...) Dragonite whispered, its voice tinged with awe.

This Pokémon was far larger than any tuna, and in Dragonite's mind, Naoki would undoubtedly be thrilled to meet it. Its determination surged, heart racing with the thought of impressing Naoki with this incredible find.

But just as Dragonite began to move, the enormous Pokémon stirred. Its golden eyes opened slowly, locking onto the intruder. In that moment, an aura of ancient power swept through the cave, crashing over Dragonite like a tidal wave. The air seemed to hum with the weight of its presence.

The Pokémon's commanding gaze pinned Dragonite in place, and an ancient, resonant voice echoed in Dragonite's mind:

"Intruder, what is your purpose here?"

...

Meanwhile, in the Paldea Region, at Naoki's Ranch

Naoki stood near the fence, his eyes fixed on the horizon, worry etched across his face.

Two days. It had been two whole days since Dragonite had flown off, and there was still no sign of its return.

The Pokémon Encyclopedia stated that Dragonite was capable of circling the entire globe in just sixteen hours. Forty-eight hours had passed—plenty of time for Dragonite to have completed the journey three times over. Yet it was nowhere to be found.

Naoki couldn't shake his unease. He knew his Dragonite well; it wasn't the type to hold a grudge or run away indefinitely, even when upset. It had to be delayed—or worse, in trouble. A flurry of dark possibilities churned in his mind: 'Could Dragonite have been captured by a nefarious organization like Team Rocket, the Pokémon Hunters, or even Team Galactic?'

The anxiety gnawed at Naoki, leaving him restless. He had even begun to lose enthusiasm for the upcoming agricultural exchange in Kitakami Township. How could he leave when one of his closest companions was missing?

Unable to bear the uncertainty, Naoki decided to seek advice. He made his way to Kosaji Town to consult Nurse Joy at the local Pokémon Center.

"Nurse Joy," he began, his voice heavy with concern, "what should I do if my Pokémon is angry and runs away from home?"

Nurse Joy paused her work and looked at him curiously. "A Pokémon ran away from your ranch?"

Naoki nodded, his worry evident. "…It's Dragonite."

Naoki explained the situation to Nurse Joy in detail. He recounted how the part-time working Dragonites had gifted him some freshly caught fish one day. Touched by the gesture and charmed by their cuteness, Naoki couldn't resist patting the heads of the Dragonites that had brought him gifts.

"But when Dragonite saw me doing that," Naoki continued, his face clouded with worry, "it suddenly used Extreme Speed and took off like a flash. It hasn't come back since."

Understanding dawned on Nurse Joy's face. "Ah, I see now," she said, nodding. "If I had to guess, I'd say Dragonite felt jealous. It probably didn't like seeing you giving attention to the other Dragonites."

Naoki blinked, startled by the idea. Seeing his troubled expression, Nurse Joy spoke gently.

"Pokémon have emotions just like humans. It's not uncommon for them to get upset when their trainer shows more affection to others in the group. They can feel left out, or even jealous, which might lead to them running off in frustration."

Naoki sighed. Deep down, he'd already suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed left him feeling helpless. 

"It's just… there are so many cute Pokémon in the world," he said, his voice tinged with guilt. "I can't help wanting to hug and pet all of them."

Nurse Joy chuckled softly. "I understand the feeling, Mr. Naoki. But in situations like this, it's important for trainers to pay close attention to the emotions of their Pokémon. Try to share your affection equally among them." She paused, then added, "That's also why most trainers are advised to travel with only six Pokémon. Taking care of too many can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and, in the worst cases, a divided team."

Naoki felt a pang of guilt. Nurse Joy's words made it sound like he was some sort of scoundrel, playing with the feelings of his Pokémon. 

"But it's not like that," he thought, his face clouded with frustration. "I genuinely love all my Pokémon! I'd never abandon or mistreat them!"

The scene of the other Dragonites eagerly giving him gifts replayed in his mind. Their hopeful faces, their wagging tails, their joy at his approval—it had all been so touching. How could anyone resist such heartfelt gestures? And now his own Dragonite was upset. The situation felt impossible.

Seeing Naoki's distressed look, Nurse Joy offered him a reassuring smile. 

"Don't worry too much. Dragonite is a wonderful Pokémon—it'll come back to you. It might just need a little time to cool off."

She hesitated, then added, "I've actually seen something like this happen before. There was a trainer, a young girl, who had a Primarina she'd befriended while swimming in the sea. They were inseparable at first, but as she caught more Pokémon and gave them her attention, Primarina started to feel left out. One day, it swam away in anger."

Naoki looked at Nurse Joy, intrigued. "What happened next?"

"Well," Nurse Joy said with a small laugh, "Primarina swam across the ocean, all the way from Sinnoh to Galar. Along the way, it met some kind trainers who helped it. Not only did it find its way back to the girl, but it also set a record in an inter-regional swimming competition!"

The Pokémon Center was quiet that afternoon, with only a few trainers passing through. Nurse Joy was chatting leisurely with Naoki as the TV in the lobby played yesterday's news on a continuous loop.

Naoki sighed deeply, thanked Nurse Joy for her advice, and prepared to return to the ranch to wait for Dragonite's return. But as he turned to leave, a news segment caught his attention.

"This is Kosaji TV reporting on an extraordinary event that occurred at 4 PM yesterday near Lilycove City. An unprecedented tsunami struck the area, reportedly caused by an unidentified Pokémon. Let's hear from witnesses who were there."

Naoki stopped mid-step and turned to watch the screen. His attention sharpened. Yesterday… he hadn't been paying attention to the news because he was too preoccupied with Dragonite's disappearance.

The TV showed a female reporter holding a microphone out to a blonde woman in a swimsuit, who looked visibly shaken.

"It was terrifying!" the woman exclaimed. "I was out surfing with my Goldeen when this massive wave suddenly appeared! I was so scared! And then I saw a giant blue Pokémon fighting with a Dragonite!"

The screen shifted to another witness, a young man with a surfboard under his arm.

"It's true!" he said, nodding emphatically. "I saw it too! That massive Pokémon—it was ancient and powerful-looking! And the Dragonite—it wasn't even with a trainer. It was wild! Isn't that strange? There aren't supposed to be any Dragonites in the Hoenn region."

Finally, the broadcast showed a tourist in a floral shirt, complete with a hat and camera, eagerly sharing photos he'd taken during the event.

"This is what I managed to capture," he said, holding up the images. "Unfortunately, the distance was too great for a clearer shot, but you can see the blue Pokémon riding a massive wave and attacking the Dragonite."

Naoki's breath hitched. He recognized the figure in the blurry photograph immediately.

Miss Joy, standing nearby, pointed at the screen, her voice a murmur of disbelief. "Is that… Dragonite?"

Naoki didn't respond right away. His mind was racing. It wasn't just any Dragonite in that image—it was his Dragonite.

But what had happened? How had his Dragonite come to clash with Kyogre, of all Pokémon?

Then the tourist's words replayed in his mind: "The battle ended quickly. The Dragonite was defeated and fell into the sea."

Naoki's heart clenched.

Kyogre. The embodiment of the sea. The creator of the primordial sea and one of the most powerful Legendary Pokémon. There was no mistaking it. Even with the blessings of the storm buns, Dragonite was no match for Kyogre's overwhelming strength.

The thought of his Dragonite falling into the sea, injured and possibly unconscious, sent waves of nausea through him. Panic bubbled to the surface.

No, he couldn't just sit here. He had to act—and fast.

Naoki stood abruptly, his resolve hardening. 'I need to go to the Hoenn region.'

'I'll take Koraidon and Calyrex with me. If that's not enough, I'll have to ask for help from my good neighbor.'

...

Next Bonus Chapter @1000 Power stones.

...

(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 353@ patreon.com/Keepsmiling818