NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Evolution
Nidoran's tiny legs pumped furiously as it chased after Ron, who held a jar of Beedrill honey in his hand. Though full of energy, the little Pokémon couldn't seem to close the gap between itself and Ron.
It had been eight days since Nidoran was born.
With the attentive care of Ron and Nidoking, combined with the nutritious properties of Beedrill honey, Nidoran had matured past its infancy. It could now handle basic training, like running.
This training served dual purposes: improving Nidoran's physical stamina and laying the foundation for future mastery of techniques like Shave (Soru). It was a win-win situation.
Since Nidoran was still just a baby, Ron employed an incentive-based method for training, using Nidoran's favorite honey as motivation. This strategy, however, came at a cost to the local Beedrill. Every few days, Machoke would launch a surprise raid on their hives, depleting their honey reserves. Were it not for their unfamiliarity with distant territories, the Beedrill colony might have relocated entirely.
Ron only called for a break when Nidoran was utterly exhausted.
Although Nidoran had inherited Fighting Aura (Dō no Chikara), Ron took care to avoid pushing it too hard, fearing injuries might dampen its enthusiasm for training.
After each session, Nidoran relished the reward of its hard-earned honey. As the Fighting Aura coursed through its body, revitalizing its strength in soothing waves, Nidoran found itself thoroughly entranced by the experience.
When training ended, Ron let Nidoran rest under Machoke's watchful eye. Nidoran, now past infancy, was no longer as vulnerable. Meanwhile, Ron packed up their belongings, preparing to venture deeper into the wilderness.
There were only twenty days left until the trial's conclusion.
In that time, Ron had a packed agenda: helping Meowth evolve, further honing the strength of both Machoke and Meowth's evolved form, and leveling up Gloom. With so many objectives, Ron had little time to spare.
As they resumed their journey, Meowth could hardly contain its excitement.
It had seen the transformation Machoke underwent after evolving and couldn't wait for its turn. Now, it was eager for a wild Pokémon encounter to facilitate its final step toward evolution.
Almost as if in response to Meowth's wish, a wild Pokémon entered its radar shortly after they left the area.
To maximize efficiency and expose Meowth to a variety of opponents, Ron avoided using familiar wild Pokémon as stepping stones. Even so, he didn't expect to encounter a new wild Pokémon so soon. Meowth's luck, it seemed, was holding strong.
Guided by Meowth, they quickly located the Pokémon in question: a Victreebel.
Victreebel, being a Pokémon that required a Leaf Stone to reach its final form, was relatively rare in the wild. This was unlike Nidoking, which, along with Nidoqueen, actively sought Moon Stones to prepare for the next generation of Nidoran.
As a result, Nidoking and Nidoqueen were a common sight in the wild, while Victreebel, lacking such parental support, rarely evolved past Weepinbell. Ron's earlier encounters, which consisted almost entirely of Weepinbell, only underscored this reality.
Still, this worked to their advantage. A fully evolved Victreebel would pose a tougher challenge than its pre-evolved counterparts, providing Meowth with a more worthwhile battle.
"Go, Meowth! Use Hypnosis!"
With persistent practice, Meowth's Hypnosis had become so precise it could disrupt opponents even during an all-out sprint. Sure enough, the moment their levels aligned, Victreebel was immobilized, allowing Meowth to land a clean Iron Tail.
The sharp pain snapped Victreebel out of its stupor. Just as it prepared to counterattack, Meowth unleashed Taunt, effectively preventing it from using status moves like Stun Spore or Poison Powder.
Left with no choice, Victreebel retaliated with Razor Leaf. Simultaneously, its trailing vines extended to prepare a Slam attack.
Unlike the attacks of the Weepinbell Ron had encountered, Victreebel's Razor Leaf was both more numerous and more powerful.
Meowth deftly evaded the barrage, its agility enhanced by techniques reminiscent of Soru. Moving seamlessly between the leaves, Meowth waited for an opening.
Victreebel stood its ground, anticipating Meowth's strike. But instead of a physical assault, it was met with another Hypnosis.
Capitalizing on the momentary daze, Meowth struck with Iron Tail, carving three deep gashes into Victreebel's body and sending it sprawling.
Calmly, Meowth stepped back, giving Victreebel space to rise while preparing for the next phase of their battle.
Ron no longer needed to issue commands during battles. His rigorous training and tactical lessons had given Meowth and the others the tools to adapt and outthink their opponents independently.
Bruised but determined, Victreebel launched another attack: Grass Knot. However, the effects of Taunt wore off, and Victreebel, sensing an opportunity, tried to revert to its signature status moves.
Meowth was faster. Closing the distance with Soru, it reapplied Taunt, forcing Victreebel to rely solely on offensive moves.
The repeated Taunts began to take a psychological toll. Anger simmered within Victreebel—one of the skill's subtle effects. With each successive use, the target's frustration grew, clouding its judgment.
Such distractions could prove fatal in battle. A Pokémon that ignored its trainer's orders mid-fight risked disaster.
Meowth alternated between Hypnosis and Taunt, keeping Victreebel on the backfoot and rendering its usual strategies useless.
A final Hypnosis immobilized Victreebel long enough for Meowth to deliver a decisive Iron Tail to its head, ending the battle.
As the experience took hold, Meowth was enveloped in the radiant glow of evolution, just as Machoke had been.
Without needing Ron's instruction, Machoke swiftly carried the unconscious Victreebel away, standing guard to ensure Meowth's evolution proceeded undisturbed.
Like before, Ron's Fighting Aura radiated outward, intertwining with the glow of Meowth's transformation. From his perspective, the usual white light of evolution was tinged with a faint golden hue.
This time, Ron wasn't surprised. He simply waited for the process to complete.
As the light faded, Meowth's evolved form—Persian—stood proudly before him.
------------------------------
If you want to support me and read advance chapters, please visit:
patreon.com / madbot635