Gabite's ability to track enemies through vibrations in the air and ground was a natural talent of his species. It had never failed him before—not even when chasing Excadrill. But now, glaring at Su Feng, he couldn't hide his frustration.
"So… you didn't actually sense me?" Gabite growled, claws twitching. "You just… bluffed?"
Su Feng shrugged. "If you'd stayed hidden a bit longer, we'd have left. You kinda played yourself."
Gabite: "Grr…! (Damn humans…!)
He seethed silently. His elders had warned him about human cunning, but he'd never imagined falling for such a cheap trick. That Ice Beam theatrics had rattled him!
Seeing Gabite's sulking expression, Su Feng tossed him a Dragon-type Energy Cube. "Cheer up. Try this."
Gabite sniffed the cube suspiciously before nibbling it. His eyes widened. "Grr! (This is… amazing!)
Su Feng smirked. The system's Energy Cubes rarely disappointed.
Gabite licked his claws, then plucked a shimmering blue scale from his neck. "Grr. (Trade you. For more.)
Su Feng accepted the Dragon Scale, its iridescent surface glinting in the sunlight. "Deal." He handed Gabite a full canister. "Three a day. Any more, and you'll get chubby."
Gabite nodded eagerly. Scales regrew—but this deliciousness? A once-in-a-lifetime find.
Thirty minutes later, the group reached the outskirts of the Dragon settlement. A passing Haxorus greeted Gabite warmly, followed by a Flygon swooping down from the sky.
"Vibra~ (Morning, Gabite!)
Gabite, now oddly polite, returned each greeting. Su Feng raised an eyebrow—this gruff Dragon had a soft side after all.
"Grr. (Most here are my elders. Step out of line, and they'll swarm you.) Gabite warned, though his tone lacked bite.
Su Feng nodded. "We'll behave."
As they crested a hill, Gabite spread his claws dramatically. "Grr. (Welcome… to the Valley of Dragons.)
The vista took Su Feng's breath away. A vast basin stretched below, terraced with caves housing hundreds of Dragons—Dratini coiled around rocks, Tyrunt play-fighting, Goomy gliding across a sparkling lake. A lush, young forest thrived at the basin's heart, teeming with life.
[Livestream Chat]
[THIS IS A DRAGON PARADISE?!]
[I've seen more Dragons here than in my entire Pokédex!]
[Gabite's homecoming arc is hitting different.]
[Where's Blaziken?! Find Xiao Di already!]
"Beautiful," Xiao Da whispered.
Gabite puffed with pride before nudging Su Feng. "Grr. (Focus. Your friends are waiting.)
As they descended, curious eyes peeked from caves—Jangmo-o, Dreepy, and wide-eyed Axew stared at the humans. Whispers echoed:
"Momo! (Are those… people?)
"Dree~ (The pink one looks squishy!)
Su Feng ignored the stares, scanning the valley. Near the lake, a familiar figure stood—Blaziken, feathers singed but unharmed. Beside him, Xiao Di sat cross-legged, feeding berries to a fascinated Applin.
Relief washed over Su Feng. They'd made it.