Chapter 52 52: The Ultra-Social Victini
"On second thought, you should go together with Buneary."
Sora decided to send out the team's best communicator alongside Ogerpon.
"Ponpon, remember to protect Buneary."
"Bo-ni-ao!!"
That instantly boosted Ogerpon's confidence.
Talking to others wasn't her strength.
But fighting?
Ogerpon: Taste my Ivy Cudgel!
With the team split into three groups, Sora began asking Pokémon he encountered along the path for information about Volcanion.
Meanwhile, Victini darted through the forest, crossing lakes and mountains in the blink of an eye.
"Hm…"
"Which direction should I search first?"
She hovered in midair, nibbling on her finger as she scanned the landscape.
Below her stretched endless green and blue—
forests and lakes scattered across the Nebel Plateau like an emerald ocean.
Having grown up in Eindoak's reddish deserts, Victini had never seen land this lush before.
"It's really beautiful here."
She looked toward a flock of Flying-type Pokémon circling overhead.
"I'll ask them first."
The group ahead was a family of Fletchling and Fletchinder, led by a Talonflame—about twenty members in total.
As Victini approached, several Fletchinder moved forward to intercept her.
Both sides kept a cautious distance.
The Talonflame leader stared sharply at the floating, squirrel-like Pokémon.
"What do you want?"
From its perspective, Victini radiated an invisible pressure.
It was stronger than anything the Talonflame had sensed—even stronger than the plateau's territorial bosses.
This one is dangerous.
Instinct told it clearly:
Do not make an enemy of her.
"I mean no harm," Victini said gently.
"I just want to ask something."
As she spoke, she reached into her small satchel and pulled out a handful of Pokémon food.
Victini had her own method for dealing with wild Pokémon.
Friendly—but backed by undeniable strength.
And recently, with unlimited access to energy cubes, both Victini and Ogerpon had grown rapidly.
In just half a month:
Victini had gained 4 levels, reaching Level 76
Ogerpon had surged to Level 79, on the verge of breaking into Level 80
After centuries of surviving on sunlight, water, and the occasional berry, Ogerpon had essentially been undernourished.
Once proper nutrition and Victini's daily energy infusion arrived, her potential exploded.
What she needed now was likely one intense battle to push her over the threshold.
That was partly why Sora wanted her to meet Volcanion.
"What do you want to know?" the Talonflame leader asked cautiously.
It didn't dare refuse outright.
Angering this small Pokémon could end badly for its entire flock.
"Have you seen this Pokémon?"
Victini produced a drawing of Volcanion.
"Lord Volcanion!"
The flock recognized him immediately.
On the Nebel Plateau, almost every Pokémon knew that name.
The Talonflame family exchanged glances.
"We haven't seen him for a while," one Fletchinder said.
"The last time was over on that mountain."
"That direction?"
"Thank you!"
Victini beamed with excitement.
She tossed the food into the air.
"This is a gift—thanks for the information!"
With a flurry of wings, the birds swooped in and snatched the food mid-flight.
Within seconds, they discovered the irresistible charm of processed Pokémon cuisine.
Only after Victini disappeared into the distance did the Talonflame leader finally relax.
So small… yet so powerful, it thought.
Still, it wasn't worried.
After all—
That was Lord Volcanion.
The strongest being on the plateau.
And so Victini continued flying, gathering clues from every Pokémon she met.
From distant mountain dwellers
to water-type Pokémon in lakes
to bug Pokémon hanging from forest branches
Through sheer social mastery, she gradually mapped out Volcanion's movement pattern.
Elsewhere, Ogerpon and Buneary walked together through the forest.
"Bo-ni bo-ni~ bo-ni-ao!"
Ogerpon was in a great mood, skipping along on her short legs while humming cheerfully.
"Ponpon, your singing sounds funny," Buneary giggled, covering her mouth.
"Bo-ni…"
Ogerpon suddenly remembered Buneary was there and quickly covered her face in embarrassment.
Truthfully, Sora's assignment was less about finding Volcanion—
and more about giving Ogerpon a chance to practice interacting with others.
Helping her grow more confident.
As for actually locating Volcanion?
With her short stride, even running all day wouldn't cover many mountains.
The real search effort rested on Victini.
Ogerpon's mission was about participation and growth.
"There's a Pokémon ahead!"
"This time… let me try."
Ogerpon didn't know Sora's deeper plan.
She sincerely believed she carried an important responsibility.
So she worked hard to gather information along the way.
Well—mostly Buneary handled the talking.
Ogerpon mainly stood beside her as moral support.
The funny part was their size.
A 1.2-meter childlike Pokémon and a rabbit barely reaching knee height
Their intimidation factor was essentially zero.
Especially since the Pokémon they approached—
was a Pangoro standing nearly two meters tall.
Compared to Victini, Ogerpon lacked a naturally intimidating aura.
Victini didn't look threatening either—
but her energy output was another story.
To other Pokémon, her presence felt like standing next to a blazing sun.
That was why the Talonflame leader had been so wary in the first place.
—------------------------------
Pat reon Advance Chapters: /YonkoSlayer