When Lance released his two Dragonair, their draconic hides were stretched to the breaking point, already beginning to split in several places. The pain was clearly immense, but the proud creatures bit back their cries, unwilling to let their trainer worry.
"Their condition is critical," Feng Che said, his brow furrowed as he assessed the swelling. "Do you have any Dragon Blood Fruit? I can craft a specialized elixir to smooth the transition."
"I do. The Grand Elder gifted me two before I left the Dragon's Den," Lance said, producing a carved wooden box. Inside lay two heart-shaped fruits, the size of fists, pulsing with a faint, rhythmic throb as if they were alive.
Feng Che took one of the fruits to inspect its vascular structure. His expression quickly soured. "Lance... has the Dragon Blood Tree been acting strange lately?"
"How did you know?" Lance asked, surprised. "It's a clan secret, but the tree has been failing."
"Because these fruits are toxic," Feng Che said grimly. "You can't give these to your Pokémon."
"Toxic? Impossible! Our dragons have been eating them for generations!"
"Look at the core under a magnifying glass," Feng Che instructed. "See those faint black specks? That's where the toxins concentrate. It doesn't kill instantly; it accumulates in the nervous system. Eventually, it causes irrational rage and total loss of sanity. Does the tree have withered leaves and a dying trunk? Does using life-force artifacts only make it worse?"
Lance nodded slowly, his face pale. "Exactly like that. It's our clan's greatest treasure. If it dies, the Dragon Clan falls."
"The toxins are coming from the roots," Feng Che explained. "Someone buried a Toxic Orb or a high-purity Poison Jewel deep beneath the soil on one side of the tree. It's slowly leaching poison into the roots. To fix it, you need to excavate the source and replace the surrounding earth. Don't eat any fruit from the new harvest for a while."
Lance exhaled a breath he seemed to have been holding for months. "If this works, the Dragon Clan will owe you a debt beyond words."
Feng Che went to work. He released his Aipom and Ivysaur to assist. Using a surgical blade, he carefully drained the blackened fluid from the Dragon Blood Fruits into a neutralizing solution.
"Only a Master Alchemist should handle tainted fruit," he lectured as he ground herbs into a paste. "Lance, trust me—this elixir will be ten times more effective than the raw fruit."
"I believe you," Lance said, watching Feng Che's fluid, confident movements.
"Litten, I need you. Heat this solution to exactly 75°C," Feng Che commanded. "Maintain it for fifteen minutes. Too low and the active compounds won't bind; too high and they'll break down. Your control over fire is the key here."
Litten focused, breathing a steady, controlled blue flame around the beaker. While the medicine brewed, Ivysaur used Grassy Terrain to soothe the Dragonair's pain.
After fifteen minutes, the solution turned into a vibrant, glowing crimson liquid, shimmering like molten lava.
"Perfect. Drink up," Feng Che said, administering the Dragon Force Elixir to both Dragonair.
The effects were immediate. The Dragonair felt a cooling numbness spread through their bodies, replacing the searing agony of the split skin.
[Dragonair: It's time... the shedding begins!]
As the night progressed, the Dragonair grew in size, their old skins peeling away in massive, translucent sheets.
"Feng Che," Lance said quietly, watching the process. "Why stay with Team Rocket? An alchemist of your caliber shouldn't be a criminal."
"The League is no better, Lance," Feng Che replied casually. "Rocket is cruel, but they have rules. I have freedom there. If I joined the League, I'd be buried in paperwork and noble house politics while dodging Rocket assassins. For now, I'm fine where I am. If you need me, you know where to find me."
Lance sighed, but didn't push. He respected the boy's resolve.
By dawn, the process was complete. Two majestic Dragonite stood in the room, their wings buzzing as they tested their new forms.
"I'll be taking these old skins, if you don't mind," Feng Che said with a shameless grin, quickly tucking the discarded Dragonair hides into his ring. "They're rare medicinal ingredients."
"Go ahead," Lance laughed. "I owe you. What can I do for you in return?"
"The Death Islands," Feng Che said. "The League has officially discovered them. I want you to pull strings to make those islands your private jurisdiction. I'll pay the costs; I just want you to be the legal 'owner' so I can research the flora there without interference from other Elites."
"A small request for a Dragon Master," Lance smiled. "Consider it done. But that's too small to count as the favor. I'll keep the real one on tab."
Lance recalled his new Dragonites. "I have to head back to the Dragon's Den to fix the tree. I'll speak of your deeds to the elders." He vanished into the morning light.
Red Island Volcano
"Vulpix is about to hatch. I need that crystal," Feng Che whispered, looking at the vibrating egg.
He traveled deep into the Red Island Volcano, the largest active peak on the island. The ground was scorched, and the air hummed with heat—nearly 80°C in some spots.
Litten jumped into a pool of actual lava, bathing in the molten rock with a look of pure bliss, its body soaking up the primal fire energy. Meanwhile, Ditto (as a Golbat) used ultrasonic waves to scan the rock walls for high-density mineral veins.
Fire Crystals only form at the heart of massive Fire Stone deposits, Feng Che thought.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from the deeper tunnels, shaking the cavern walls.
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