The Pantheon

The Tournament

Ashley sat on the cushioned bench of the S.S. Anne's healing center, idly tapping her fingers against her knee as she waited. The tournament was on a break between the quarterfinals and the semifinals, giving trainers just an hour to rest, strategize, and, most importantly, get their Pokémon healed up. And after that absolute brawl of a match, Apollo deserved nothing less than the best care possible.

She exhaled, leaning back against the wall, her mind still running over everything that had happened. Apollo had evolved. That alone was still sinking in. The sleek, elegant Dragonair that had emerged from that glow was an entirely new presence—a larger, more powerful force than the small Dratini who once coiled around her like a living scarf. And while Ashley trusted him, she couldn't shake the small knot of worry in her stomach. Had the battle and sudden evolution put too much strain on him?

Her knee bounced anxiously as she glanced toward the closed door of the medical ward. Come on, Nurse Joy, give me some good news.

As if on cue, the door slid open with a soft hiss, and Nurse Joy stepped out with a warm smile, her Chansey following behind. But the real relief came when Ashley saw Apollo slithering behind them, his long, elegant body moving smoothly across the floor. His blue scales gleamed under the clinic's bright lights, his pearl-like orbs shimmering as he moved. His expression was calm—no signs of fatigue, no sluggishness, just the same intelligent gleam in his eyes.

Ashley barely had time to sigh in relief before Apollo launched himself forward and wrapped around her torso in a loose coil.

"Hey—whoa!" Ashley laughed, stumbling back slightly from the sudden weight of him. Apollo, despite his newfound size, still tried to act like the tiny Dratini that could curl up around her neck. He pouted, nuzzling into her cheek, clearly irritated.

Ashley blinked before realization hit her like a Thunderbolt. "Oh, my Arceus. You're mad that you can't sit on my shoulders anymore."

Apollo let out a long, grumbling trill, his head flopping against her shoulder in the most exaggerated display of suffering she'd ever seen.

Gary—who had apparently shown up to check on her after the match results—stood a few feet away, arms crossed, eyebrows raised. "Are you serious?" he deadpanned. "You evolve into a freakin' Dragonair, one of the coolest Pokémon in existence, and you're mad because you're too big to be a scarf now?"

Apollo shot him a haughty look, flicking his tail dismissively before winding himself more securely around Ashley's waist.

Ashley couldn't help it—she lost it. Doubling over, she clutched Apollo's smooth body as laughter shook her shoulders. "I—oh man, I can't—Apollo, you drama queen!" She wiped at the corner of her eye, still chuckling. "This is the crisis we're dealing with? Not the fact that you went toe-to-toe with a Fairy-type? Not the fact that you unlocked Supersonic as an egg move? No, the real issue here is that you can't hitch a ride on my shoulders anymore?!"

Apollo gave an indignant huff and turned his head away, nose pointed skyward.

Gary shook his head, snickering. "Unbelievable. You and your Pokémon are all weird."

Ashley shot him a grin, still breathless. "Takes one to know one, Oak."

Nurse Joy, who had been watching the entire interaction with amused fondness, finally stepped forward. "Apollo is in perfect condition," she reassured Ashley. "There was no strain from the evolution, and his stamina is exceptional for a newly evolved Pokémon. Whatever training you've been doing with him, it's clearly working."

Ashley beamed, reaching up to rub under Apollo's chin, earning a pleased coo from the dragon. "That's my boy," she said proudly. "You did amazing out there."