Feebas nodded, swam to the shore, and affectionately rubbed against Theo's fingertips.
Theo took the opportunity to gently stroke its scales. He could feel that the little one's body was slightly warm from the previous training session—a clear sign that its internal energy had been consumed rapidly during training.
After a brief moment of rest, Theo issued his next command:
"Are you ready? First, begin with Whirlpool. Once the vortex stabilizes, use Icy Wind on the outer surface of the vortex. Remember—freeze only the outer layer. The water flow inside must continue spinning."
This was the Water–Ice combination move he designed specifically for the Contest—
The Frozen Whirlpool.
The outer shell of ice could freeze and lock the swirling water into a solid shape, giving the spinning vortex the appearance of a beautifully carved sculpture.
Meanwhile, the continuous rotation of the water trapped inside created a dynamic sense of movement.
The collision of ice and water… the fusion of stillness and flow…
It was a technique designed to create overwhelming visual impact on the stage.
Feebas took a deep breath and once again stirred the water, forming another Whirlpool. This time, the vortex was steadier, its rotation smoother and more even.
The moment Theo shouted, "Begin!"
Feebas suddenly surged upward, releasing a blast of frigid air toward the spinning vortex.
The Icy Wind collided with the flowing water, and along the edges of the vortex, a transparent layer of ice quickly formed.
"That's it!" Theo's eyes lit up.
The ice shell extended upward along the curved shape of the whirlpool, as though a clear, crystalline dome had been fitted over the spinning water.
The most impressive part was Feebas' precise control.
It froze only the outer layer, about five centimeters thick while the inner core continued spinning rapidly.
The result was a dazzling phenomenon: a living water wrapped in ice.
Sunlight passed through the ice, refracting into shimmering colors, while the motion inside caused those lights to shift, flow, and dance.
The entire creation looked like a beautiful, otherworldly sculpture.
Nearby, Tyrunt, who had been secretly watching, was completely stunned.
It let out an awed "Tyrrr?" and slapped its tail excitedly against the ground.
But the beauty lasted only two seconds.
Unable to withstand the constant impact of the swirling water, cracks slowly appeared at the top of the ice shell.
A heartbeat later—
CRACK!
The entire structure shattered.
Melted ice mixed with the internal water flow crashed back into the pool, sending up a spray of water and shards.
The combination had failed.
Using and controlling two moves at the same time was still too difficult for Feebas.
Its fins drooped as it sank, depressed, to the bottom of the pool.
But Theo only smiled, shaking his head reassuringly.
"Don't get discouraged. This is your first attempt, and you already did amazingly well. These are two moves used simultaneously, you've done a fantastic job."
While comforting Feebas, he picked up a fragment of ice from the water and held it in his hand as he spoke to the little Pokémon below.
"Look, this layer of ice was too thin. Next time, try increasing the power of Icy Wind so the shell becomes a bit thicker. At the same time, reduce the spinning speed of Whirlpool just a little. That should help extend how long the combination can hold."
He continued gently,
"Take it slow. Don't rush. We still have an entire month. The fact that you've already achieved the prototype on your very first try is incredible."
Hearing his encouragement, Feebas rose from the bottom of the pool and nodded firmly at him. Its eyes shone with renewed determination.
It immediately resumed its practice—again and again creating Whirlpool, casting Icy Wind, adjusting the thickness of the ice and the speed of the water flow.
Watching Feebas train like an enthusiastic child after being encouraged, Theo couldn't help but smile warmly.
Then he shifted his gaze toward Tyrunt, who was still secretly watching Feebas' training.
The little Tyrunt was sprawled on the grassy edge of the pool, its tiny head bobbing up and down in rhythm with Feebas' attempts.
When the ice shell shattered, it even clicked its tongue regretfully.
Feeling Theo's gaze fall on it, Tyrunt immediately snapped upright, hurriedly pretending to train by swinging Dragon Tail in the air.
Its amber eyes sparkled brightly, as if saying,
"I've been good this whole time! I'm training seriously!"
Theo sighed helplessly.
Tyrunt was still very young—unlike Feebas, which had been with him for a long time. He could only coax it into training patiently.
"Tyrunt, come here," Theo called out.
The little dinosaur instantly leaped up in excitement.
With short legs pumping rapidly, it ran to him and rubbed its head vigorously into his palm, letting out soft, affectionate "Tyrrr~" sounds while wagging its tail like a tiny motor.
Laughing, Theo rubbed its head, his fingertips brushing over the two small orange horns on its forehead.
"Now it's your turn. Starting today, you'll be focusing on two moves, Dragon Dance and Ice Fang."
"Tyrr?"
Tyrunt tilted its head, clearly confused by the term "Ice Fang."
It opened its mouth, showing its tiny pointed teeth, then tapped them with a claw as if asking,
"Use… these?"
"Did you already forget the move I uploaded into your mind last night? Concentrate. Think carefully. Imagine a cold air rising from your stomach to your teeth. Gather that chill around your fangs."
Tyrunt closed its eyes, trying to follow the instructions.
Its small mouth twitched, and a faint gurgling sound emerged from its throat.
A few seconds later, it opened its mouth again—
A thin wisp of white frost appeared along the edges of its teeth.
It vanished quickly, but it was unmistakably the early form of Ice Fang.
"That's it!" Theo praised enthusiastically.
"Try again. Hold onto that cold energy this time!"
Motivated by his encouragement, the little Tyrunt's spirit soared.
Over and over, it opened its mouth—
at first producing only a fleeting puff of frost, but soon its teeth could maintain a faint, lingering chill.
It was still far from mastering Ice Fang, but the progress was unmistakable.
After practicing Ice Fang for quite a while, Theo let Tyrunt rest for a moment before beginning the training for Dragon Dance.
"This skill is extremely important. Dragon Dance increases your attack and speed, but more than that, it helps you sense and control the flow of dragon-type energy inside your body."
Pointing at a flat rock beside the waterfall, he continued:
"Go over there and practice properly. Engrave Dragon Dance into your bones.
Every turn of your body, every swing of your tail—
all of it should carry the rhythm of Dragon Dance.
Make it a part of your body, present in every movement, every rotation, every flick of your tail. Understand?"
Tyrunt didn't fully grasp the meaning, but it obediently trotted to the rock, took a deep breath, and assumed the opening stance of Dragon Dance.
Its little claws tapped gently against the rock as its body began to sway to an unseen rhythm.
Its head bobbed, the two orange horns glowing faintly.
Each sweep of its tail stirred the air, creating ripples across the surface of the pond.
As the dance continued, a light red aura slowly wrapped around its body—
proof that dragon-type energy was surging through it.
Theo could clearly sense that Tyrunt's breathing was steadier than before, and the muscles in its limbs looked firmer.
"Very good! Keep that rhythm!" he called out.
Watching Tyrunt dance so earnestly, Theo nodded inwardly.
Its talent for dragon-type moves far exceeded his expectations.
Compared to its clumsy attempts at Ice Fang, Dragon Dance seemed like an instinct etched into its very genes.
After two rounds of Dragon Dance, Tyrunt was panting heavily, collapsing onto the rock with its tongue hanging out.
Theo walked over and handed it a bottle of fresh Miltank milk.
"Take a break. Let's talk about what comes next."
While the little one gulped down the milk, Theo sat beside it and pointed toward the direction of Rustboro City.
"Soon, I'll take you to challenge the Rustboro Gym. The Gym Leader, Roxanne, specializes in rock-types. You're going to be our main force in that battle. You need to train seriously, understand?"
He continued gently:
"The reason I haven't shown your and Feebas' training in the livestreams is because I want both of you to deliver an impressive debut at the upcoming Gym battle and Contest."
"This will be our very first official battle together. I want us to give a performance we can all be proud of, alright? Tyrunt, Feebas!"
Theo looked from Tyrunt to Feebas, who was still practicing in the pool.
Feebas stopped its training and nodded firmly at him.
Tyrunt, still slurping milk loudly, raised its head and let out a muffled "TYRRR!"—
as if saying, "Got it!"
(End of Chapter)