Dragonite Isnd, tral Lake, 3:00 PM.

  Naoki and Koraidon sat together by the ke, gazing up at the sky where white clouds drifted zily. The seremosphere around them filled Naoki with a sense of pead wonder. Nearby, Dragonite was the ter of attention, surrounded by the other Dragonites, all of them listening ily as it reted its adventures over the past few months.

  Naoki and Koraidon chose not to interrupt, instead sitting quietly by the ke, soaking in the isnd's unique beauty. Though deep within the o, the isnd's enviro felt just like the mainnd—likely due to the powerful presence of the Dragonite.

  The ke in the isnd's ter erfect circle, encircled by lush trees, resembling a full mooing in the arms of the sea. As Naoki imagihe night falling over this pce, a vivid se came to his mind:

  The ke would mirror the night sky, with a bright moon above and another shining withier. As Dratini swims through, the refle would ripple, breaking the moon's image. But given time, the moon in the ke would mend itself, whole once more. Dratini would nap on this "full moon," lulled to sleep by the gentle moonlight.

  These tranquil images filled Naoki's heart with a deep sense of te. He y down beside Koraidon, gazing up at the blue sky framed by the circur clearing above.

  Suddenly, the light above him dimmed. Naoki looked up to see several petite Dratini gathered around, their big eyes filled with curiosity as they observed the strange human lying on the ground.

  Their shadows blocked the sunlight, and their expressions seemed to ask, 'Why is this human lying here?'

  Naoki was surprised at first, but then he smiled, reag out to gently poke the cheek of one of the tiny dragons. The Dratini's smooth, soft ski wonderful to touch.

  Surrounded by these adorable quasi-legendary Pokémon, Naoki felt as though he had reached a pinnacle in life.

  'Dratini are so cute!'

  But Naoki had to admit, pared to other Dragon-types like Dragonite and Dratini, Dratini were exceptionally gentle and friendly—both to humans and their own young.

  "Woo~" one of the Dratini cooed, its voice melodid i.

  Naoki sat up, his curiosity piqued by a memory from earlier. He began sing the ke for the shiny Dratini he had glimpsed before.

  But after searg for a while, he couldn't spot it.

  'Strange, did I imagi?' he wondered.

  Determio find out, Naoki approached a nearby Dratini and asked, "Did you see a pink Dratini around here?"

  "Woo?" Dratini blinked, not quite uanding.

  Naoki crified, "A Dratini that's a different color—pink, not blue like the others."

  This time, Dratini seemed to uand. With a nod, it happily dove into the ke. After a short while, it emerged with a small, light pink Dratini in tow.

  Naoki's eyes lit up at the sight.

  'It really is a Shiny Dratini!'

  While most Dratini are a soft blue, this one was a lovely shade of pink, making it look especially cute and delicate. The little dragon, still timid from being brought over, shyly peeked at Naoki.

  'This one must be shy,' Naoki thought, feeling a surge of affe.

  Naoki wao reach out aly touch the mini dragon, but the Dratini immediately showed a look of fear on its face.

  Seeing this, Naoki instinctively reached for his pocket, hoping to find some dy to coax the little Pokémon. However, he quickly realized that he hadn't brought anything with him except two bottles of milk for emergency treatment.

  'Pity,' Naoki thought, feeling a pang ret. If he had known Dragonite was taking him tonite Isnd, he would have packed all the snacks from the refrigerator.

  With nothing else to offer, Naoki could only try to show his kihrough words. "Don't be afraid, we won't hurt you. We just want to be friends."

  Despite his reassurahe Dratini remained frightened.

  Naoki followed the Dratini's gaze and quickly uood what was causing its fear.

  "Ah, gah." Koraidon, standing nearby, notiaoki's gaze and immediately tried to look i, as if saying, 'I didn't do anything!'

  Naoki couldn't help but sigh, 'You're sg it, Koraidon.'

  He was about to say something more wheiced that the gathered Dragonites had suddenly fallen silent, their attention focused on something in the sky.

  A wild Dragonite was desding from the sky, slowly nding on the isnd.

  Naoki immediately noticed the ge in his own Dragonite's demeanor—it looked nervous, almost shy.

  'Something's off,' Naoki thought, narrowing his eyes. He could sehat something unusual was happening.

  As any experienced Pokémon Trainer knows, Pokémon fall in love and even have retionships much like humans.

  In the anime, for example, Meowth once had feelings for a female Meowth named Meowzie, but she chose to be with a Persian instead. There's even that famous line about Tropius falling in love with Miss Joy's Meganium.

  And now, watg his Dragoher its ce to approach the wild Dragonite, Naoki couldn't help but be reminded of a young boy nervously fessing his feelings to his crush.

  His Dragonite looked incredibly nervous, its usual fidence repced by shy hesitation as it walked up to the wild Dragonite and said something Naoki couldn't quite hear.

  But whatever Dragonite said, it had a profound effect. The wild Dragonite immediately assumed a fighting stance.

  Naoki, pletely bewildered, asked out loud, "What are they doing?"

  "Ah, gah." Koraidon irely uanding the situation but reizing the wild Dragonite, responded with a sound that veyed its fusion.

  Dratini, who had been quietly, spoke softly to Naoki, as if answering his question, "Woo…" (The Dragonite is fessing its love to the other Dragonite.)

  Naoki's eyes widened in realization. 'fessing love? So that's why Dragonite is so nervous!'

  But Dratini wasn't finished. It expihat all the Dragonites on the isnd khe wild Dragonite was no ordinary Pokémon.

  "Woo…" (But that Dragonite is very special. It's incredibly strong. Any Dragohat fesses its love to her is usually beaten to a pulp.)

  Naoki's grew as Dratini tinued, revealing the wild Dragonite's unique dition for accepting a mate.

  "Woo…" (Only the Dragohat defeat her head-on bee her mate. Together, they will raise a powerful Dratini.)

  Unfortunately, Naoki couldn't uand the Pokémon nguage, so he had no idea what Dratini was trying to vey fully.

  He could only watch as his Dragonite and the female Dragonite began their battle.

  The fight started with a surge of iy. The female Dragonite unleashed her full aura, radiating a terrifying i as she swooped down toward Dragonite.

  At first, Naoki's Dragonite was clearly frightened by the sheer ferocity of the attack. But it quickly gathered its ce and adjusted itself. With a burst of speed, it narrowly dodged the Dragon Dive and immediately used Rain Dance.

  Dark clouds quickly gathered overhead, and heavy rain began to pour down from the sky.

  Dragohen fpped its wings, summoning a powerful storm. The rain-soaked winds roared as they swept across the battlefield, engulfing the female Dragonite in a swirling tempest.

  For a brief moment, shistered on the female Dragonite's face. She was baffled—this Dragonite, who oruggled to learn even basic moves, was now wielding immense power.

  But despite her surprise, the female Dragonite wasn't oo back down easily. Grittieeth, she steeled herself and plunged bato the battle, determio fight with all her might.

  This would not be a battle easily won.