Chapter 50: I, Steven, Would Take a Knife for My Brother!
The video continued playing, but this time, the scene abruptly switched to Cerulean Gym.
Asher crouched on the ground with three piles of Berries and a large supply of Dragon-type Pokémon food arranged before him.
"Old friend."
Asher rubbed his hands together.
"Let’s discuss something."
Opposite him, his Dragonite sat with its tail curled around itself. Its chin was slightly raised as it regarded its Trainer with a scrutinizing gaze.
"...I only need one."
Asher raised a single finger.
"Just one."
Dragonite released a short snort and turned its head away.
"We’ve been partners for so many years, and you won’t even do me this small favor?"
Asher pushed the Pokémon food forward.
"This is your favorite brand. I’ve already ordered three crates."
Dragonite’s tail twitched, but it still refused to look back.
"Five crates."
Dragonite glanced sideways at him.
"Ten crates, plus a full month of massages."
Dragonite remained unmoved.
"Dragonite~"
Boss, what kind of Dragonite do you take me for? You think that little is enough to buy one of my children?
Asher took a deep breath and decided to use his ultimate weapon.
He took a small box from his pocket, placed it in front of Dragonite, and opened it.
Inside lay a green scale with a faint golden sheen along its edges.
"This is a scale from Rayquaza."
For once, Asher’s voice became serious.
"You know both Garchomp and Salamence have wanted it, but I never gave it to either of them. I was saving it for you."
Dragonite remained silent for several seconds.
Then it turned its head even farther away.
Asher’s eyes widened.
He had already brought out one of his most valuable treasures, yet this dragon still refused to budge!
There was no other choice.
He would have to appeal to its emotions.
"Old friend, I know that’s your child—your precious baby."
Asher patted Dragonite’s round belly.
"But Raina is my precious daughter too. Look, she’s already left on her journey. Who knows what kinds of dangers or bad people she might encounter along the way? How could I, as her father, possibly feel at ease~?"
"Besides..."
Asher took a photograph from his pocket.
It showed four-year-old Raina standing beside the pool while hugging Squirtle.
"Look at this girl. She has treated Pokémon wonderfully ever since she was little. I promise she’ll never mistreat your child."
Dragonite’s eyes shifted.
Asher pressed his palms together.
"Old friend, help me out."
Dragonite released a short breath through its nostrils, seemingly weighing the decision.
After a moment, it turned toward the Gym’s backyard and released a low cry.
A rustling sound came from behind the Gym.
A young Dragonite, one size smaller than Asher’s Dragonite, poked its head out from behind the bushes.
It rubbed its sleepy eyes with one claw. Its orange body was round and plump, while the tip of its tail dragged across the ground, leaving a faint trail behind it.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Iris]: Aaaaaah! It’s a young Dragonite! So adorable! (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)
[Axew]: Axew, Axew, Axew!
[Lance]: ...The luster of this young Dragonite’s scales and its bodily proportions are both exceptionally healthy. Judging by the lines extending from its torso to the tip of its tail, it has inherited traits from an outstanding parent.
[Leon]: Lance has already begun his professional assessment. Honestly, though, that young Dragonite is almost as round as Asher’s Dragonite.
[Raihan]: Leon, was that supposed to be praise or an insult?
[Leon]: A slightly rounded Dragonite is a healthy Dragonite.
[Wallace]: A scale from Rayquaza? Where did Asher obtain something like that? Could he have encountered Rayquaza before?
[Steven]: I believe he has.
The video continued.
Asher beckoned to the young Dragonite.
"Come here, little one. I have something to show you."
The young Dragonite tilted its head and looked at its father.
Dragonite released a breath through its nostrils and gently tapped the youngster with its tail, using just enough force to make it stumble two steps forward.
"Dragonite~"
Go on.
The young Dragonite slowly walked over to Asher.
Asher held the photograph in front of it.
"See this girl? This is Raina."
He pointed at the photograph.
"She’ll be your Trainer from now on."
The young Dragonite took the photograph with both claws and stared at it for a long time.
It then looked up and pointed at its own face with one claw.
"Dragonite?"
M-me?
"That’s right. She’ll treat you wonderfully. She’ll provide food, shelter, and anything else you could possibly want."
"Dragonite?"
Really?
"Of course. You have nothing to worry about."
The young Dragonite’s eyes brightened, but it still hesitantly glanced back at its father.
Dragonite expressionlessly turned its head away, refusing to offer any advice whatsoever.
Asher pretended not to notice the corner of Dragonite’s mouth twitching and continued persuading the youngster.
"Besides..."
Asher leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"Raina is my biological daughter. Do you know what that means?"
The young Dragonite shook its head.
"It means she inherited my outstanding qualities."
Asher proudly patted his chest.
"Generous, dependable, and exceptionally kind to Pokémon. These virtues have been passed down through the Winter family for generations."
[VIP Chat Group]
[Brock]: The way Asher is behaving seems a little...
[Gary]: He’s tricking it! This is pure deception!
[Asher]: Hey, hey, hey! How am I deceiving anyone? I’m warning you not to make baseless accusations! I’ll sue you for slander!
[Daisy]: Exactly~ My future brother-in-law must be extremely generous. Don’t you agree, Misty?
[Misty]: Why are you asking me?
[Violet]: You’re supposed to praise your man properly~ Honestly, do your sisters really have to teach you everything?
[Misty]: I refuse! Praise him yourselves if you want!
[Asher]: Sigh. I don’t really care about such things. After all, I’m simply an exceptionally handsome, charming, free-spirited, generous, and dependable man. Sometimes, being this outstanding is genuinely burdensome.
[Cynthia]: ...
[Wallace]: ...
[Lance]: ...
[Leon]: ...
[Diantha]: ...
[Gary]: I admit that you’re undeniably handsome, but I have never encountered anyone so shameless!
[Alder]: I’m getting old. I can no longer understand the world of young people, so I’ll refrain from commenting.
[Steven]: It’s all right, Brother Asher. They don’t understand you, but I support you!
[Wallace]: Steven, have you been completely bought off already?
[Steven]: Bought off? Nonsense! I, Steven, would gladly take a knife for my brother!
[Asher]: My good brother!
[Steven]: Brother Asher, regarding that mineral-identification matter...
[Asher]: Mineral identification? You mean surveying the mineral deposits!
[Steven]: Surveying the mineral deposits? Oh my... Brother Asher, you’ve truly given me a wonderful surprise~
The video continued playing.
The young Dragonite held the photograph and studied it with its head tilted.
It poked Raina’s face in the photograph, then touched its own round belly as though comparing something.
Finally, it looked up and called toward its father.
"Dragonite~"
I’m leaving.
Dragonite kept its head turned away and refused to look at it, but the tip of its tail gently tapped the ground twice.
The young Dragonite carefully held the photograph in its mouth before taking flight.
Only after its silhouette had completely disappeared did Dragonite release a long breath through its nostrils and pull the pile of Pokémon food toward itself with its tail.
"All right, all right. Ten crates, not one fewer."
Asher crouched beside Dragonite and patted its belly.
"Thanks, old friend."
Dragonite gave him a sidelong glance before placing Rayquaza’s scale inside its mouth.
[VIP Chat Group]
[Lance]: They’re allowing such a young Dragonite to travel alone? How old is it?
[Leon]: I don’t think there’s any problem. If Asher’s Dragonite is willing to let it leave, that means the young Dragonite’s abilities have already reached an acceptable level.
[Lance]: An ordinary young Dragonite wouldn’t possess enough stamina or directional awareness to sustain a long-distance journey.
[Cynthia]: Judging by everything we’ve seen, Asher may appear lazy, but he never acts carelessly when raising Pokémon. I don’t believe there’s any need to worry.
[Professor Oak]: Indeed. Asher doesn’t appear to be someone who would casually gamble with a Pokémon’s safety.