Catching Scyther, Shiny Magikarp Evolves

Despite its name, Viridian Forest was not confined to Viridian City and Pewter City. It stretched across the entire Kanto Region and even covered parts of the Johto Region. It was one of the largest, best-preserved forests in the world, home to an extraordinary variety of Pokémon. It also possessed a special, inheritable power known as Viridian Power, something even the Pokémon League and the major factions coveted. All had agreed that no faction was permitted to damage Viridian Forest; doing so would be regarded as a provocation against them all.

Liu Qing had plunged headlong into this boundless forest to take a shortcut. With knee-high weeds, thickets everywhere, and dense canopies blotting out the sky, it felt eerily gloomy even in daylight.

Anyone who had never entered such a forest could not possibly imagine how miserable traveling through it was. Tangled roots lurked in the grass, ready to trip him the moment he stopped paying attention. The mosquitoes and other insects everywhere were even more tormenting than Bug-type Pokémon, while the wild beasts that appeared from time to time were enough to make his heart race. This also explained the meat Liu Qing had eaten at home. Besides humans and Pokémon with special powers, this world also had ordinary animals and fish. Those ordinary creatures served as food not only for humans but for all sorts of carnivorous Pokémon.

Of course, some Pokémon occasionally preyed on other Pokémon as well. Spearow, for instance, ate Pidgey, while Pidgey's evolved form, Pidgeotto, ate Spearow. Spearow's evolved form, Fearow, in turn ate Pidgeotto and Pidgey, while Pidgeotto's evolved form, Pidgeot, ate Spearow and Fearow. These two species were natural enemies. A Trainer who caught both would struggle to keep them under control, even at Champion-class level.

Liu Qing was still on the outskirts of the forest. All he had seen along the way were Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Caterpie, Pidgey, and Spearow, but none tempted him to catch them. His plan required Pokémon of the three basic types—Water, Fire, and Grass—as well as a Flying-type. The talking Gastly with exceptionally powerful illusions was another of his targets. That would give him exactly six Pokémon. For his Water-type, his first choice was naturally Gyarados, the most feared Pokémon in the Kanto Region. He remembered Misty discovering a Gyarados at a waterfall in Viridian Forest in the original story. Although he did not know whether it would still be there after several months, Liu Qing decided to try his luck. The problem now was: where was the waterfall?

That question had left Liu Qing wandering aimlessly through the forest for several days. Exeggcute, Bagon, and Growlithe were all exhausted from dealing with the Pokémon blocking their path.

Ugh, I'm such an idiot. If I just caught a Flying-type Pokémon, finding it would be easy. Why am I so stubbornly set on looking for that one in the Safari Zone? Sitting on the ground and eating the food Chansey had just prepared, Liu Qing suddenly smacked his forehead in frustration. But seeing how tired the three Pokémon before him were, he abandoned the idea of catching one immediately.

Whoosh! Just then, a green blur flashed past, stirring up a whirlwind, and the food on the table vanished in an instant.

"What was that? Chansey, stop it! Gravity!" Liu Qing froze for a moment when his meal vanished, then hurriedly shouted. His three Pokémon, however, were furious. As gravity suddenly weighed down the green blur, slowing it sharply and forcing it to the ground, they hurled Flamethrower, DragonBreath, and Seed Bomb straight at it. Only after a thunderous boom did Liu Qing get a clear look at the thief.

Uh, has my protagonist halo already kicked in? Whatever I want just turns up! The green blur was none other than Scyther, known as a born warrior, and precisely the Flying-type Pokémon Liu Qing had planned to catch. Scyther were extremely rare even in the Kanto Region, so he had intended to try his luck in the Safari Zone. He had never expected to encounter one in Viridian Forest. Still, it made sense. Ash had only traveled through a small part of the forest's outskirts, whereas Liu Qing might already be approaching its center.

This Scyther was a fresh, pale green and somewhat small, suggesting it had not yet reached adulthood. Its body was well-proportioned and sturdy, though, its two scythes gleamed coldly, and the speed it had just displayed was impressive. It clearly had tremendous potential for growth. Without hesitating, Liu Qing threw a Poké Ball and caught it.

"Chansey, sorry for the trouble, but please heal Scyther and then prepare some more food." After Liu Qing released Scyther again, Chansey followed his instructions, healing Scyther before preparing another meal.

Scyther were generally proud and highly combative, but they willingly submitted to those who could defeat them. With Liu Qing's food-based persuasion and verbal explanation added to that, Scyther soon accepted him and his four Pokémon after waking up, joining them for the meal. Then, upon hearing that Liu Qing was looking for a waterfall, Scyther immediately indicated that it knew the way and led him toward it.

"Scyther, are you sure this is the right way?" Although he had already asked several times along the way, Liu Qing could not help asking again.

"Scy!" Seeing Scyther nod with absolute confidence, Liu Qing said no more. He added some wood to the campfire to brighten the flames, then looked at his four sleeping Pokémon and could not help recalling the afternoon's journey.

That afternoon, as Scyther led the way, the surrounding trees had gradually grown taller and denser, and even the grassy ground had given way to tall weeds. The wild Pokémon they encountered had also become increasingly powerful. Individual Butterfree and Pidgeotto were still easy enough to handle, but when they ran into a group of Gloom, the overwhelming cloud of Stun Spore alone was enough to make his scalp prickle, never mind the stench. Fortunately, the training along the way had greatly strengthened Exeggcute's Confusion, allowing it to reflect the Stun Spore back. Growlithe then cleared a path with Flamethrower, letting them break through. Worse still, they next blundered into a Beedrill nest containing nearly a thousand Beedrill. The result was obvious: another flight for their lives. Although Growlithe's Flamethrower, Exeggcute's Confusion, Bagon's DragonBreath, and Scyther's wing strikes injured many along the way, hundreds were still doggedly pursuing them by the time darkness fell and the four Pokémon were too exhausted to fight. With no other choice, Liu Qing released Chansey again. Though it was not good at fighting, it controlled the field with Gravity and restored some of the others' stamina, allowing them to defeat every remaining Beedrill.

Once the danger had passed, Liu Qing realized that the long escape had left him on the verge of collapse. After having Exeggcute clear a patch of ground with Confusion, he sat straight down while Chansey helped him and his four Pokémon recover their strength and prepared their meal.

After thinking for a while, Liu Qing drifted off to sleep as well.

Early the next morning, Scyther led them onward cautiously, avoiding groups of Pokémon whenever possible and defeating those they could not avoid. Finally, around noon, Liu Qing heard a thunderous roar and felt moisture filling the air. He knew they had arrived at last.

A little over ten minutes later, Liu Qing finally saw the waterfall in full. A white curtain of water dozens of meters wide crashed down from hundreds of meters above with overwhelming force. It plunged into the pool below, sending spray several meters into the air, where the sunlight painted a beautiful rainbow. The sight involuntarily reminded him of a poem by Li Bai: "Westward I climb Incense Burner Peak; southward I see the waterfall. Its hanging stream drops three hundred fathoms, spraying through ravines for miles. It comes like flying lightning, faint as a rising white rainbow. At first I start, thinking the Milky Way has fallen, half scattered through the cloudy heavens. Gazing upward, its force grows grander—magnificent is nature's work! Sea winds cannot sever it; the river moon shines through its emptiness. It shoots wildly through the air, washing the blue cliffs on either side. Flying pearls scatter through pale rosy clouds; streaming foam boils against the towering rocks. As I wander famous mountains, this sight brings greater peace to my heart. No need to sip the nectar of jade; it is enough to wash my dust-stained face. If only my lifelong wish is fulfilled, I would gladly leave the human world forever."

On the exposed rocks in the middle of the pool, Poliwag could occasionally be seen hopping about and playing. Vacant-looking Slowpoke and Slowbro basked leisurely in the sun, while schools of Water-type Pokémon swam freely through the pool.

"This is probably upstream from the waterfall Misty found. Otherwise, I can't even imagine what the source of this one looks like." After briefly marveling at nature's wonders, Liu Qing no longer felt any urgency to catch a Gyarados. He released Chansey to prepare lunch, once again appreciating his mother's thoughtful arrangements. Without them, meals really would have been a major problem.

After lunch and a short rest, Liu Qing took his diving gear out of his bag, ready to go underwater and see whether there were any Gyarados.

With a splash, Liu Qing entered the water and immediately felt refreshed, as though all the exhaustion of the past few days had disappeared. Taking a deep breath, he plunged beneath the surface and began searching swiftly.

As Liu Qing swam deeper, he frequently saw groups of Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, Goldeen, Seaking, and Magikarp swimming about. Occasionally, he also spotted Shellder and Cloyster on the rocks, idly opening and closing their shells.

How can there be no Gyarados? That doesn't make sense. Could they be deeper down? Unfortunately, this is already as deep as I can go. Looks like I'll have to use the slow, clumsy method and fish for one!

After swimming back to shore, Liu Qing dried himself and got dressed. He instructed Exeggcute to stay beside him and let the other Pokémon roam on their own, then took out a fishing rod, cast his line into the water, and waited quietly.

"Uh, Magikarp. No thanks!"

"Goldeen. No thanks!"

"Oh, a Cloyster. Still, no thanks."

"Psyduck? No thanks!"

Gradually, the sun began sinking in the west and the sky grew darker. After spending the entire afternoon without catching a Gyarados, Liu Qing felt frustrated that he had traveled so hard for a whole day only to find not a single one. Still, he noticed that the number of Magikarp in the pool seemed to be increasing, and they were gathering in ever greater numbers. Under the setting sun, the entire pool now seemed to have turned red.

"Huh? What's that?" Having put away his fishing rod, Liu Qing was sitting idly on the bank waiting for dinner when he suddenly spotted a golden figure flash past nearby. Despite its speed, it had not escaped his eyes. A possibility occurred to him, and the more he considered it, the more likely it seemed. He hurriedly called Scyther and Exeggcute over. "Scyther, carry Exeggcute over the pool and look carefully for a golden Magikarp. If you find one, Exeggcute, pull it out with Confusion."

Soon, after carrying Exeggcute on a circuit above the water, Scyther suddenly stopped. Exeggcute's eyes turned blue, and under Liu Qing's expectant gaze, it lifted a golden Magikarp roughly half again the size of an ordinary one into the air and carried it toward shore.

"Yes, yes! It really is a Shiny Pokémon!" Watching Magikarp struggle violently in midair, Liu Qing's eyes lit up with a startling gleam. He stepped forward and took Magikarp into his arms. Feeling the force of its struggles, he could not help remarking, "Good thing Exeggcute's Confusion has gotten much stronger. Otherwise, who knows whether it could have held on to something struggling this hard?"

Magikarp were very dim-witted Pokémon and could be caught with almost no battle at all, even if they were Shiny. After taking out a Poké Ball and catching Magikarp, a thoroughly satisfied Liu Qing released it again to join them for the delicious dinner Chansey had prepared.

That night, while sleeping soundly, Liu Qing suddenly felt something warm licking his face. He opened his eyes to find a huge canine face before him and jumped in fright. Only after a closer look did he realize it was Growlithe. Sitting up, he hugged Growlithe and looked around. "What's wrong, Growlithe? Where are the others?"

"Woof!" After barking several times, Growlithe jumped out of Liu Qing's arms and walked ahead, occasionally looking back to bark at the puzzled Liu Qing. Realizing Growlithe wanted him to follow, Liu Qing stood up. From a distance, he could see Bagon and the others standing on the bank. When he followed Growlithe all the way to the water, an astonishing sight greeted him, and he understood why countless Magikarp had gathered there.

A bright full moon hung high in the sky, and a clear beam of moonlight fell straight down onto the waterfall, draping the surroundings in what seemed like a thin veil. Across the entire pool, all he could see was red. Countless Magikarp swam upstream against the waterfall, only to be swept down by its tremendous force. Yet they quickly charged upward again, seemingly tireless. By now, red completely covered nearly half the hanging curtain of water.

"Is... is this the carp leaping through the Dragon Gate?" Liu Qing said in shock at the sight. He hurriedly took out his video camera, adjusted the focus, and aimed it at the waterfall. This could be a major discovery; otherwise, surely he would have heard of someone witnessing such a scene before.

After setting up the camera, Liu Qing began watching intently. He easily found a speck of gold among the countless red figures. The golden Magikarp surged into the waterfall and fought its way about one-fifth of the way up before running out of strength and being driven back down by the tremendous force. After resting briefly, it charged upward again, but each time it failed to surpass its previous height and was swept back down.

Gradually, the beam of moonlight began to narrow. Countless exhausted Magikarp drifted back down with the current, but the golden Magikarp kept charging upward without tiring.

"No, the waterfall is too powerful. Magikarp can't possibly make it up, much less now that its strength is running out." Watching the tireless Seaking, Liu Qing felt a pang of heartache. But as Magikarp's Trainer, he understood its determination better than anyone and immediately decided to help.

"Scyther, carry Chansey and Exeggcute to the top of the waterfall, then help Magikarp get up!"

"Chansey, use Gravity from the top to control the waterfall's gravity and reduce the force hitting Seaking."

"Exeggcute, help Magikarp with Confusion too."

"Scy!" Scyther gave a low cry, picked up Chansey and Exeggcute, and flew to the top of the waterfall. After putting them down, it immediately returned to Magikarp's side, gripped it, and beat its wings to rush upward. Chansey and Exeggcute also used their moves, greatly reducing the pressure on Magikarp. It quickly passed the quarter mark, then the one-third mark. But as they approached halfway, they could no longer hold out and began slowly descending.

How can this be? According to the principles of dynamics, the water's resistance should decrease the higher they go. Why does it look like it's getting stronger? Liu Qing was deeply puzzled, but he knew he had to help. He looked at the only two Pokémon still beside him. Growlithe certainly could not help, so he stripped off his clothes, picked up Bagon, and jumped into the water. He made his way to a rock beneath the waterfall. By now, the beam of moonlight was only about a meter wide.

"Bagon, it's up to you! Hydro Pump!" Although the recoil usually affected Bagon when it used this move, Liu Qing was holding it this time, meaning he took all the recoil himself. Aim was therefore no longer a problem. A Hydro Pump blasted out, laboriously pushing Magikarp three-quarters of the way up before it could push it no farther.

What do I do? I've used everything I've got. How can we cover that final quarter? No, I have to believe in my Pokémon. If I can't even believe in them, what right do I have to talk about becoming a Pokémon Master? Watching the ever-narrowing beam of moonlight, Liu Qing was terribly anxious. But as he thought of his Pokémon's relentless efforts and heard Growlithe's encouraging barks from the shore, his gaze hardened with resolve. Regardless of whether those above the waterfall could hear him, he shouted, "Come on, everyone! Give it everything you've got!"

At Liu Qing's shout, the Hydro Pump from Bagon in his arms grew another thirty percent stronger. Above the waterfall, the blue light surrounding Magikarp gradually began to shimmer with rainbow colors. Liu Qing knew that was the glow of Confusion! The force of the water striking Magikarp also weakened somewhat.

"Scy!" Suddenly, Scyther, still gripping Magikarp, cried out loudly. A white trail of light streamed behind its body—it had actually used Aerial Ace! Magikarp also unleashed every last bit of its strength. With all five Pokémon working together, it surged upward, finally leaping over the top of the waterfall just as the beam of moonlight narrowed to only a few centimeters. Bathed in moonlight, its entire body shone with dazzling white light and gradually lengthened. When the light faded, a red Gyarados appeared above the waterfall and let out an earthshaking roar. Its overwhelming presence spread outward, as though even heaven and earth had fallen silent.

Scooping up the exhausted Scyther, Chansey, and Exeggcute, Gyarados flew down and landed beside Liu Qing with an enormous splash. It narrowed its eyes and kept nuzzling his chest with its huge head.

"Hehe!" Liu Qing gently stroked the horn on Gyarados's head, then climbed onto its back and rode it to shore. He lifted the exhausted Pokémon off its back and took some stamina-restoring medicine out of his travel bag for them. Only then did he put away the camera. After tidying everything up, he left Growlithe on guard and fell into a deep sleep, unable to resist his exhaustion.

When Liu Qing woke the next morning, he found that his Pokémon were already awake and playing in the pool with Gyarados. Only now did he examine Gyarados carefully. It was at least eight or nine meters long, roughly half again as long as a Normal-type Gyarados. Even more strangely, it had five fins, one more than usual. Whether it possessed any other unusual traits remained to be discovered.

The six Pokémon playing in the water noticed Liu Qing and gathered around, brought over by Gyarados.

"Gyarados, let me see what moves you know!" Once the other Pokémon had returned to shore, Liu Qing addressed Gyarados.

"Roar!" Gyarados roared, and cold air streamed from its teeth as they abruptly extended to a considerable length. It bit down on a rock, instantly freezing the entire boulder. Then its huge tail rose from the water, rippling with waves, and smashed into the frozen rock, sending fragments flying. The next two moves it demonstrated made Liu Qing chuckle: they were Magikarp's two moves, Splash and Tackle.

Gyarados's Aqua Tail and Ice Fang are both pretty good. As for the other two moves, it can learn Giga Impact from Tackle, while Splash needs to be replaced with Thunderbolt! Liu Qing instantly settled on Gyarados's path. Also, Gyarados is so huge that it's practically a living target. I'll have to improve its speed and defense.

Bagon needs to practice controlling Hydro Pump. Growlithe and Scyther need speed training, while Exeggcute needs to keep strengthening its psychic power.

With their tasks decided, it was time to put them into practice. Naturally, they also needed to head toward Pewter City, but all they had to do was follow the river.