"Who's there?"
Blaine gripped a Poké Ball tightly, his knuckles white. When he saw Feng Che's silhouette emerging from the shadows of the lab, he let out a long breath and relaxed his grip.
"I should have guessed. Feng Che, what brings you to my doorstep so suddenly?"
"You're likely aware that the League is recruiting trainers for the Viridian Gym vacancy," Feng Che said, his voice carrying a subtle weight. "I've come to Cinnabar Island to harness the power of the volcano for Vulpix's evolution."
Blaine removed his glasses and began cleaning them with a cloth. "So, Giovanni's identity as the Rocket Boss is finally out in the open. If he hadn't marched on the League, Goodshow might have kept that secret buried for another decade. But Giovanni won even in retreat; he proved the League isn't invincible."
Blaine had long ago deduced Feng Che was one of Giovanni's agents, ever since seeing that unique Litten. But he was a man who lived by a simple rule: mind your own business and live longer.
"If you were here for any other Pokémon, I'd send you elsewhere. But for Vulpix? Cinnabar is perfect. It's the historical gathering place of the Niales clan. Go find their leader. If your Vulpix passes the trial, it will receive their ancient inheritance. In the primordial era, Niales were the absolute sovereigns of this island. Though their numbers have dwindled, a fallen giant is still taller than a horse."
"Thanks, Blaine," Feng Che said.
As he turned to leave, he paused. "If you're still working on fossil resurrection, you might want to look into fossils from the Galar region. The 'chimera' approach you're taking now... it's a dead end." He truly couldn't stand those mismatched fossil monsters and hoped to see a true Dracozolt or Dracovish one day.
Feng Che summoned his Aerodactyl and soared toward the mouth of the volcano.
High on a ledge of volcanic rock, the Niales leader lay basking in the sun. Below it, dozens of Niales and Vulpix played in the warmth. Suddenly, the sun was eclipsed by a massive shadow. The leader opened its eyes to see the terrifying, prehistoric face of Aerodactyl, and its fur stood on end.
"Niales, it's been a while," Feng Che called out from the dragon's back.
[Niales: Scared the life out of me! I almost peed! This monster belongs to that kid?]
The leader immediately masked its panic, gracefully smoothing its fur. "What business do you have here?"
"I'll be blunt. I have a Vulpix that seeks the Niales inheritance. I'd like you to arrange the trial." Feng Che hopped down and released his small, elegant Vulpix.
Recently, seeing all its teammates reach their final forms had put immense pressure on Vulpix.
[Niales: Did that old fox Blaine tell him? The inheritance is our clan's greatest secret!]
"The ritual is complex," Niales said aloud, eyeing the Vulpix. "It requires a Vulpix with a natural talent for Psychic energy to even begin."
"Lucky for us, mine does. Vulpix, show her. Use Confusion."
Vulpix's eyes glowed with a sharp blue light. Nearby volcanic stones levitated into the air, swirling into intricate geometric patterns.
Feng Che focused, listening to the leader's internal thoughts.
[Niales: It can levitate stones with that much precision? It definitely has the talent.] [Niales: But to receive the inheritance, it must enter the magma and absorb the raw, violent heat of the earth. I worry its body will simply melt.] [Niales: I didn't even pass my trial until after I evolved. No Vulpix in our history has ever attempted it in this form. Should I give it a chance, or let it fail now to save its life?]
Niales made its decision. It would lead them to the trial, assuming Vulpix would back out. "Follow me. I will take you to the Sacred Path."
As they walked, Niales explained, "Our inheritance is the mastery of the Soul Fire. If successful, Vulpix will learn to burn the opponent's spirit to replenish its own vitality. But the path is not for the faint of heart."
They arrived at the Flame Path, a narrow tunnel where the air shimmered with heat. "The temperature here exceeds 2000°C. If Vulpix can withstand this, I will take it deeper. If not, go home. One who cannot handle the porch cannot enter the palace."
"2000 degrees? That's just bathwater for my Vulpix," Feng Che laughed. Vulpix had been raised by Incineroar, who had personally drilled the pup in heat resistance.
Vulpix trotted into the Flame Path with an elegant, breezy gait, looking perfectly comfortable. Niales stared in shock, dipping a paw in to check—the heat was as scorching as ever.
[Niales: This kid is a fire-taming genius! Maybe it really can be done...]
They passed through the Lava Path and reached a massive statue carved from a single, gargantuan Fire Stone. It was a Niales so lifelike it seemed ready to breathe.
"This is the Heritage Statue. It houses the Soul Fire. If Vulpix touches it, the trial begins. Success means evolution and the gift of the flame. Failure... means being reduced to nothing. I suggest you prepare high-grade Fire resources to stabilize the process."
"Vulpix, you've got this," Feng Che encouraged.
Vulpix stepped forward and pressed a paw to the stone. Instantly, a gargantuan phantom of a Niales appeared in its mind.
[Giant Niales: My descendant, are you prepared? Once the path begins, there is no turning back.]
Vulpix nodded. It wanted to be the final piece of Feng Che's "Ultimate Shield" for the Viridian Gym.
"Then let it begin."
The phantom dissolved into a sea of white spirit-fire that engulfed Vulpix. Outside, Feng Che watched through his psychic link as Vulpix's body began to twitch in agony. He instinctively moved forward to help.
"Stay back," the Niales leader warned, blocking his path. "This is a trial of the soul. Your interference will only cause it to lose focus. All we can do now is wait."
Feng Che watched the white flames through Vulpix's eyes and began to pray.
Team Rocket: Viridian Headquarters
A massive, burly man wearing dark sunglasses entered Giovanni's office.
"Boss Giovanni, you summoned me?" Vicious said, bowing respectfully.
Giovanni leaned back, one hand supporting his chin as he stared at the operative. "Vicious... how long have you been with me now?"
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