Ash and the girls left Muramasa's training academy behind, the morning sun filtering through the trees as the road to Azalea Town stretched ahead once more. The moment they were clear of the grounds, Ash opened his system interface and accepted the newly completed mission rewards. A soft chime answered him.
A golden arrow materialized in the air directly in front of his eyes the same radiant guide that had once led him to a Shiny Magikarp in Viridian Forest and a Shiny Horsea years earlier.
The arrow hung for only a second before it shot forward at high speed, pointing deeper into the wilderness.
Ash's expression sharpened. "Skarmory! Fearow! Come out!"
Two flashes of light answered him. The steel-armored bird and the fierce spear-beaked Fearow spread their wings. Ash turned to the girls without explanation.
"Climb on. Quickly."
They sensed the urgency in his voice and asked no questions. Misty and Daisy settled onto Skarmory's broad back. Erika, Melody, and Sabrina climbed carefully onto Fearow. Giselle waited only long enough for Ash to release Pidgeot before joining him. Pikachu scrambled onto Ash's shoulder; Eevee leapt up beside Giselle.
"Follow me at full speed," Ash ordered.
Pidgeot launched first, the golden arrow racing ahead like a living comet. Skarmory and Fearow matched the pace, cutting through the sky in tight formation. Wind roared past their faces. Forests and ridges blurred beneath them. For a full half-hour the three Flying-types held the demanding pace until the golden arrow finally slowed and stopped, hovering above a dense stretch of ancient woodland.
Ash guided Pidgeot down into a small clearing. Skarmory and Fearow landed moments later. The girls dismounted, and Ash recalled all three birds with a quiet word of thanks.
"There's a Champion-potential Scyther in this forest," he told them as the arrow began drifting forward on foot level. "The system marked it. That's what the reward unlocked."
A collective "Ohhh" of understanding and excitement passed through the group. Misty's eyes lit up. Daisy grinned. Erika looked intrigued. Melody clasped her hands. Sabrina's gaze sharpened with interest. Giselle simply nodded, already prepared to follow.
They moved carefully through the undergrowth, guided by the steady golden light. After several minutes the trees parted to reveal a true giant of the forest a massive trunk that rose twenty to thirty meters into the sky.
The girth was so great that five or six adults would have been needed to join hands around it. Above, the canopy spread wide and dense, a living fortress of green. Within those high branches dozens of Scyther lived, their green bodies and sharp scythes glinting as they moved from limb to limb.
The golden arrow pointed unerringly toward one particular figure: a smaller Scyther following a larger leader, carefully mimicking the motions of Swords Dance. Though younger and shorter than the adults around it, the little warrior already carried a fierce, focused presence. Ash knew at once this was the one.
As the group stepped closer to the base of the great tree, an adult Scyther spotted them. A sharp, chittering signal rang out. Instantly the entire colony became vigilant. Blades rose. Wings flicked. Eyes locked onto the humans below.
The small Scyther Ash had marked dropped from a lower branch and landed squarely in front of the group. It raised both scythe-arms in a clear ready stance, body low, gaze locked on Ash with pure warrior intensity.
The colony sensed no immediate ill intent from the humans, yet the instinct to drive outsiders away from their home remained strong.
Ash lifted a hand, signaling the girls to stay back. He walked forward alone. The surrounding Scyther began to circle, scythes gleaming, ready to strike at the first wrong move.
The young blood of the small Scyther proved hottest of all it charged first with a sharp cry, and the adults followed in a sudden green wave.
Ash's eyes glowed. A transparent psychic cocoon snapped into existence around him. Scythes and bodies struck the barrier and rebounded harmlessly. In the next breath he released a controlled pulse of Aura raw, steady, and unmistakably powerful. The wave washed over the colony.
Every Scyther froze mid-motion, instincts screaming that the human before them was far beyond ordinary prey or threat.
Ash stepped through the still circle and stopped in front of the small Scyther. He smiled, voice calm and clear.
"You've got fire in your eyes. Even after I showed my power, you're still ready to battle me. I like that. How about this I want you to come with me. I'll make you the strongest of your entire species."
The young Scyther stared directly into Ash's eyes, searching for any trace of deception or weakness.
Long seconds passed. Finally it turned toward the elders and released a series of sharp, determined cries. The meaning was plain even without words: it would go with this human. It wanted to become strong.
Several adult Scyther protested at once, wings flaring. Yet the memory of the Aura pulse was still fresh. One by one the elders settled. A grizzled leader stepped forward and gave a short, solemn cry of blessing. They would allow the young blood to leave and seek greater heights.
The small Scyther turned back to Ash. Through the quiet link of Viridian energy Ash understood its final condition: it would become his Pokémon… but only if he defeated it first. An easy capture would be an insult.
Ash's smile widened. "Pikachu!"
Pikachu leapt from the girls' side and landed in front of his trainer with a spark of anticipation. The young Scyther settled into a low stance, both blades gleaming.
The battle was short and decisive.
Scyther opened with a blazing Quick Attack.
Pikachu met it with a perfectly timed Iron Tail that knocked the green Pokémon off-line. Scyther recovered and unleashed a flurry of Fury Cutter strikes, each one stronger than the last.
Pikachu's Agility carried him through the storm; a point-blank Electro Ball staggered Scyther and disrupted its rhythm. The young warrior refused to yield Swords Dance raised its Attack, and a desperate Slash scored a shallow hit across Pikachu's cheek. Pikachu's eyes narrowed.
Thunderbolt exploded point-blank, followed by a spinning Iron Tail that sent Scyther crashing into the roots of the great tree. Even then Scyther forced itself upright, blades shaking, and charged one final time. Pikachu's last Thunderbolt met it head-on and dropped the exhausted warrior cleanly to the forest floor.
Scyther lay still for several heartbeats, then slowly raised its head. There was no resentment in its eyes only acknowledgment of a superior strength and the beginning of respect.
Ash stepped forward and held out an empty Poké Ball. "You gave everything. That's all I ever ask."
The ball tapped Scyther's forehead gently. Red light enveloped the fallen warrior. The ball shook once, twice, three times… and clicked.
Ash lifted the Poké Ball, then opened his system interface to examine the newest member of the team.
Pokémon: Scyther ♂
Level: 30
Talent Potential: Champion Level
Ability: Technician (boosts the power of weaker moves)
Hidden Ability: Apex Blade (Upon entering battle, Attack and Speed rise by one stage at the end of every round, up to a maximum of six stages. Contact moves gain a 20 % chance to flinch the target. Critical hits ignore any defensive boosts the opponent may have.)
Skills: Quick Attack, Leer, Focus Energy, False Swipe, Wing Attack, Fury Cutter, Slash, Swords Dance, Double Team, Agility
Intimacy: 150 (rising rapidly)
Items carried: None
A quiet murmur of approval passed through the girls.
Misty smiled. "Another strong one."
Daisy grinned. "Champion potential again. You're collecting them."
Erika's eyes were warm. "It already carries itself like a warrior."
Melody clasped her hands. "That hidden ability sounds incredible."
Sabrina gave a rare nod. "The bond will grow quickly."
Giselle simply said, "Welcome to the family, Scyther."
Ash returned the Poké Ball to his belt and looked up at the colony still watching from the great tree. He offered a respectful bow. The elders answered with a final, solemn cry of farewell.
With the golden arrow gone and a new partner secured, Ash and the girls turned back toward the clearing where their Flying-types waited. Azalea Town still lay ahead, but the forest had given them one more powerful reason to keep moving forward.