Ninetales could predict the exact eruption time and moment of the geyser, relying entirely on the close connection between itself and Alola, as well as the Calm Mind meditation technique bestowed by the guardian deities.
As the "newest member" of this family, Salamence didn't have access to these special advantages.
He was the protagonist of an underdog story, and the script about his journey had only just begun.
The moment the geyser erupted, it had a tremendous impact on the air currents in the sky above.
The air flow above the geyser field was inherently warmer than that of other locations.
Salamence was still just trying to adjust to the temperature when he was caught completely off guard by the sudden blast of hot air.
So hot, so hot, so hot!
Salamence flapped his wings frantically, trying to cool himself down.
Heat spread through the air much faster than the water itself could travel.
But it was precisely this brief interval that left Salamence with no time to react properly.
The scalding spring water shot upward from bottom to top, giving Salamence no chance to escape, and drenched him completely.
Salamence hadn't expected the water to be quite so hot and thought he could handle it.
Only a piercing scream echoed from the sky, which attracted the attention of many wild Pokémon in the area.
Of course, because the sound was truly pitiful, both Lucario and Electivire—two dedicated training enthusiasts—paused their exercises, wanting to see what had happened.
Then they witnessed a black shape falling from the sky above the geyser and landing in the ocean with a resounding 'splash.'
Lucario used Extreme Speed for a moment but stopped when he reached Ninetales' side, then burst out laughing.
[That's really stupid, hahahahaha...]
Lucario's laughter woke Ninetales, who had just entered a deep state of Calm Mind meditation.
Ninetales glanced impatiently at Lucario, who was cackling like a gossiping old lady in the town square.
Lucario didn't care about Ninetales' irritated glare at all.
Instead, he urged Ninetales to take a quick look, and Ninetales found herself genuinely curious.
[Look, look, look!]
Ninetales poked out her small head and gazed toward the sea not far away.
"I have high standards for humor. If this isn't funny, I'll make you regret it."
After seeing clearly what had transpired, Ninetales couldn't help but pause for a moment before covering her mouth and laughing gleefully.
In order to maintain her dignified image, Ninetales even brought her large, fluffy tails forward to cover her face.
Roy and the other Pokémon were also drawn over by the commotion.
"What? What happened?"
"What's so funny?"
"Let me see!"
Upon witnessing the scene, Roy was also left utterly speechless.
Salamence's body wasn't light, and falling from mid-air had added considerable velocity to his descent. It should have hurt quite a bit even hitting the water.
Salamence didn't understand what his friends on the coast found so amusing.
But he felt something was off.
Why doesn't it hurt?
Salamence spread his wings and flew up slightly, and the group finally saw what was actually happening in the water.
An innocent turtle's head had been forced completely underwater by Salamence's impact, and its limbs were thrashing frantically.
Salamence had landed directly on Blastoise's shell!
And because Blastoise's head had been caught off guard and pressed underwater by Salamence's belly, the Water-type hadn't reacted in time and had even swallowed several mouthfuls of salty seawater.
Blastoise had choked on water in the ocean—what humiliation!
Not to mention that because Salamence was also dazed and didn't fly off Blastoise's shell in time, Blastoise's limbs flailed wildly like a drowning turtle.
Good heavens, Blastoise was drowning in the ocean!
This was simply the biggest joke in recent memory.
So said an Electivire who did not wish to be named.
Blastoise felt utterly mortified. Never mind what had caused this disaster.
In any case, this 'eternal shame' was something he would have to carry on his back—quite literally.
Ah, fate! Life! Why do you treat an adorable turtle like this?
Just because I'm not the Squirtle you loved?
Blastoise wailed loudly, and while everyone was still laughing, he dove deep into the water, deciding to stay far away from this place of humiliation.
I can't stay in this family for another minute!
Salamence realized he had done something wrong and wanted to apologize to Blastoise.
But Blastoise didn't give Salamence any chance whatsoever.
Right now, Blastoise was too eager to escape this embarrassing location to be in any mood to hear apologies from Salamence.
Naturally, Salamence couldn't dive into the sea like Blastoise could. The sky was his domain and home field.
For the moment, Salamence couldn't locate where Blastoise was hiding beneath the ocean's surface.
Salamence hovered in the air, a look of confusion and distress appearing on his face.
Seeing that the entertainment was over, everyone scattered like birds and beasts, returning to their training routines.
Roy stood on the shore, calling out to Salamence.
"Salamence, come here!"
Salamence had been uncertain about what to do next, so when he heard Roy's voice, he quickly flapped his wings and flew over.
Roy understood Salamence's current emotional state, but he wanted to reassure the Dragon-type first.
"You don't need to worry too much. Blastoise doesn't hold grudges for long."
"When he comes back, just apologize to him properly."
"Right now, he's probably somewhere playing around on the ocean floor, and you wouldn't be able to find him anyway."
Salamence nodded solemnly, showing that he had taken the matter to heart.
Roy smiled. As for how they would resolve things between themselves afterward, he would just let them handle it on their own.
We have to be supportive parents who trust our Pokémon.
"So why did you suddenly fall from the sky?"
"Did you encounter some difficulties?"
Finally getting to the important point, Salamence—with tears welling in his eyes—told Roy about all the problems he had encountered just moments ago.
Roy nodded while listening, and gradually formed a training plan suitable for Salamence in his mind.
"Do you remember Lugia's feather?"
Salamence nodded enthusiastically. This was the first such precious gift he had ever received, and he had been reluctant to use it, keeping it stored away carefully and properly.
Roy couldn't help but chuckle at the idea of Salamence being like a dog hoarding bones.
"You need to actually use it, otherwise its existence becomes meaningless."
Salamence hesitantly retrieved the silver feather and grasped one corner of it gently.
In an instant, Salamence felt that the air currents throughout the entire Alola spirit realm couldn't escape his awareness.
Gently stroking the air with one claw, he could actually feel the movement of the wind itself.
He was touching the wind!
This realization filled Salamence with tremendous excitement, and he even wanted to soar into the air right now to ride and flow with the wind.
For Flying-type Pokémon, the most crucial skill was achieving harmony and synchronization with the wind.
Ordinary Pokémon couldn't master the wind. All they could do was follow appropriate wind directions and release their moves accordingly.