It took Rosaria a moment to collect herself. She sprang to her feet, putting distance between them as she struggled to regain her composure.
Virelyra had been far too abrupt in her decision, whisking Rosaria away without so much as a warning. But it wasn't the first time. Reden and Wentia would no doubt assume—correctly—that Rosaria had been "kidnapped" by Virelyra again. They weren't worried. After all, there was no place safer than at the side of one of the most powerful dragons alive—the Sky Sovereign herself.
"H-hello... Arthur... I apologize for the... unannounced visit..." Rosaria stammered, cheeks flushed red. She fidgeted nervously, pressing her index fingers together like a child caught sneaking sweets before dinner.
"It's okay," Arthur replied with a smile, waving off her concern.
After quickly saving the current state of Porygon's template, Arthur turned to face the unusual pair before him: a grinning, breathtaking half-dragon woman and an embarrassed Rosaria, who was sneaking curious glances at his research lab.
When the silence dragged on, Arthur cleared his throat, introduced himself briefly, and asked, "Are you perhaps the Sky Sovereign, Viraryla?"
"Nope! Not Viraryla!" Virelyra corrected with a gleeful shake of her head. She leaned back, placing a hand dramatically over her chest as she proclaimed, "Listen closely and remember this well! I am the Sky Sovereign, Virelyra Skydrathis Aeonwing! The Hurricane Dragon! The Zephyr Blade! Empress of the Sky! Aero Dragoness of the Void! The First and Last Protector of—"
"Don't mind her, Arthur," Rosaria interjected quickly, shaking off her embarrassment as she cut through Virelyra's bombastic monologue. "She's just being dramatic. Just remember her name—and the Sky Sovereign part."
Though nearly everything Virelyra declared was technically true, they were all self-bestowed titles. The only one widely recognized was Sky Sovereign.
Arthur felt a flicker of embarrassment when he got Virelyra's name wrong—something that shouldn't have been possible with the Memora Potion still in effect, sharpening his memory. But her name was enough of a tongue-twister that he bit his tongue halfway through trying to say it.
Suddenly, Virelyra leaned in, narrowing one eye as she studied him with unnerving intensity. Her gaze seemed to pierce right through him, making a cold shiver run down his spine.
"Mhm... Memora Potion. Quite a lot of it, hmm?" she murmured, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Now, why would a thirteen-year-old human boy feel the need to overdose on something like that?"
In all her long years, few things had truly surprised her. The discovery of Dratini had been one. Now, here stood a human boy, barely into his teens, flooded with Memora Potion. For a moment, she couldn't decide which was more astonishing—Arthur or Dratini.
"You noticed that?" Arthur asked before he could stop himself. As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt foolish.
Of course she noticed. She was Virelyra—the Sky Sovereign. One of the most powerful dragons alive. It would've been more surprising if she hadn't sensed it immediately.
"You've been overdosing on Memora Potions, Arthur?" Rosaria asked, her surprise matching Virelyra's. She'd known Arthur had been ordering large quantities, but she assumed they were for his research—not for personal use.
"I have my reasons—and I'm not overdosing, just... drinking a lot," he said curtly, choosing not to elaborate. There was no good excuse he could come up with for relying so heavily on the potion.
"All secretive and mysterious—I like it!" Virelyra laughed gleefully, giving him a hearty pat on the shoulder. The force of it made him stagger slightly.
Arthur didn't complain. He knew she was holding back her strength considerably. Instead, his thoughts drifted toward her appearance.
This was the first demi-human he'd ever met—though calling a Dragon Race like her a "demi-human" felt inaccurate. Still, she was in a humanoid form now, and she was mesmerizing.
She stood like a vision from legend—tall and regal, her sapphire-blue scales glinting like living gemstones. Misty silver wings arched elegantly behind her, and coiled blue horns framed eyes that crackled like distant storms. Her silvery-blue hair cascaded like moonlit mist, and even the flick of her tail shimmered with latent magic.
She needed no jewelry or ornament. The sky itself seemed to cling to her as adornment.
The only thing grounding her appearance was the simple, flowing robe she wore—plain by comparison, yet somehow enhancing her presence. Depending on perspective, it either dulled her otherworldly beauty or made it all the more enchanting. To Arthur, it felt just right.
How to describe it? She reminded him of a humanoid version of Mega Altaria—ethereal and soft in form—with the commanding presence of Rayquaza. Graceful, yet intimidating.
"Beautiful, isn't it? I love myself too!" Virelyra declared with a proud, playful spin, striking a pose with the flair of someone fully aware of their effect on others—and enjoying every second of it.
And honestly, Arthur couldn't blame her. She had every right to be a little narcissistic—she had the power, the presence, and the looks to back it up.
"Let's get to the point," Rosaria said suddenly. Her tone made it clear: enough with the theatrics.
"Right! Ahem, ahem. Please check on this little guy for me, Arthuros, Father of Pokémon!" Virelyra declared, dramatically pointing to what appeared to be a scarf around her neck.
It wasn't a scarf, of course—it was a Dratini, coiled snugly around her like a living ornament, fast asleep.
Rosaria's Pokémon stared at it in disbelief, as if it were some kind of eldritch creature.
They had all vomited up their breakfast and lunch during the earlier spatial travel. But this Dratini? Completely unfazed. It had slept through the entire ordeal.
Unbeknownst to them, Dratini had simply built up a resistance after throwing up more times than it could count thanks to Virelyra's frequent—and chaotic—methods of travel.
"Oh—Dratini!" Arthur's eyes lit up as his attention immediately shifted, drawn toward the small dragon curled around Virelyra's neck.
His Pikachu and Misdreavus, who had been chatting with Rosaria's Pokémon, paused their conversation and joined him, curiosity sparking in their eyes.
This Dratini was in incredible condition. Its scales—usually smooth and barely visible—shone like polished glass, catching and reflecting the light with a radiant shimmer. It practically glowed with latent power. The visibility of its scales alone told Arthur it had been raised with remarkable care.
So remarkable, in fact, that it had likely shed multiple times already, each molt further strengthening its sleek, serpentine body.
Level 20, maybe? Or could it really be close to 30? The idea sounded ridiculous at first—but then again, it was being raised by a Dragon Race like Virelyra. It seemed entirely possible.
"Amazing! It's extremely healthy and strong. You've raised it exceptionally well—solid ten out of ten," Arthur said with a smile, offering his evaluation casually, knowing Virelyra's outgoing nature would appreciate the praise.
Truth be told, he had been a little afraid of Virelyra at first. But after talking with her and getting a sense of her personality, he began to understand why Rosaria had become friends with her. In a way, the two were surprisingly similar.
"Right?! RIGHT?!" Virelyra beamed, lifting her chin proudly, her posture practically preening and her tail literally wagging. Dratini stirred awake at the sound and raised its head, just as proud, as if showing off its trainer to Arthur.
"Hmph... You never gave me that kind of evaluation when inspecting my Pokémon..." Rosaria muttered, pouting slightly. She made a silent vow then and there—to be an even better Trainer and earn that same praise.
"I'm just being fair and honest," Arthur said with a chuckle, holding up his hands in defense. Rosaria narrowed her eyes at him playfully.
He then pulled out his personal Pokédex and pointed it at Dratini. "May I?"
"Go ahead!!" Virelyra said with unrestrained enthusiasm, her smug grin making it clear she couldn't wait to show off.
Arthur nodded and scanned the little dragon.
And what he saw shocked him—more than even Reden's Eevee had.
---
[Dratini]
[Types: Dragon]
[Ability: Shed Skin]
[Gender: Female]
[Level: 10]
[Dratini dwell at the bottoms of deep lakes, making them difficult to find. Surprisingly large for newborns, some young Dratini have been recorded at lengths of up to two meters. As they grow, they shed their skin periodically—a process that occurs frequently due to their rapid physical development. During these vulnerable moments, Dratini retreat behind powerful waterfalls, isolating themselves even from their own colonies. These discarded skins are believed to be the origin of myths about mysterious, serpentine creatures lurking in lakes.]
[Base stats: -Redacted- (Total: 300)]
[Moves: Dragon Breath, Twister, Dragon Tail, Draco Meteor, Scale Shot, Dragon Dance, Dragon Pulse, Dragon Cheer, Breaking Swipe]
---
Outrageous! Arthur's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he stared at Dratini's moveset. For a moment, he was so stunned he forgot how to even curse properly.
This wasn't a Dratini—this was like looking at a miniature Dragonite.
He had thought Reden's Eevee was an absolute monster, but this Dratini shattered every expectation. Its entire moveset was stacked with powerful Dragon-type techniques—moves that shouldn't be available this early.
Rosaria, who had been watching him closely, grinned from ear to ear. She had expected his exaggerated reaction, and the look on his face didn't disappoint. It was far more vivid than his surprise when he'd battled Reden's Eevee or seen its data.
Arthur slowly turned his gaze toward Virelyra, who was wearing a predictably smug expression. His voice trembled slightly as he asked, "How did you teach Dratini all these moves? And why are they all Dragon-type?"
Virelyra beamed. "Of course! I'm raising a young dragon to become a True Dragon! If I can't do it, who else could? And sure, it learned other types of moves, but Dragon-type moves are superior! Dragons are the supreme race!"
Despite how over-the-top it sounded, Arthur found himself nodding. Honestly, it did make sense coming from her. If anyone could push a Dragon-type to this level of specialization, it was Virelyra.
Only then did he realize he'd completely skipped over the most basic stat—the Dratini's level. The flashy moveset had been so overwhelming, he hadn't even noticed. His gaze dropped back to the screen, scanning for the number.
And then he froze.
His expression turned doubtful, drawing confused looks from both Rosaria and Virelyra.
Without a word, Arthur pulled out another Pokédex and scanned Dratini again, just to make sure the first one wasn't malfunctioning.
But the result was the same.
Dratini's level was... 10.
No way... Arthur thought, staring at the screen.
It was known that Dragon-type Pokémon were late bloomers—slow to develop, but monstrously powerful once they matured. But what if a Dragon-type raised by a Dragon Race became an even later bloomer? It sounded like nonsense... yet, in this case, it somehow made a strange kind of sense.
Rosaria had been puzzled by the same thing when she first saw Dratini's data. Like Arthur, she had expected it to be at least level 20.
And yet... here it was. Coiled comfortably around Virelyra's neck, practically glowing with power, brimming with refined energy—and still only level 10. Pokélogically, it didn't add up.
While Virelyra and Rosaria chatted, distracted, Arthur discreetly accessed the deeper diagnostics with his admin-level Pokédex. His eyes scanned the data carefully, sliding past level and base stats, until they stopped on one particular value—
---
[Individual Values (IVs): HP = 31, Attack = 31, Defense = 31, Special Attack = 31, Special Defense = 31, Speed = 31 (Total: Perfect IVs)]
---
This can't be... Arthur's eyes once again nearly bulged out of his head. There's no way this is all just luck... Does she have some method for training IVs directly?
Virelyra's Dratini was growing more and more absurd by the second. Eventually, Arthur gave up trying to make sense of it.
After all, she was one of the strongest dragons in existence. It was only natural she wouldn't do things by the book—and apparently, being a Pokémon Trainer was no exception.
By the way, Arthur had hidden the IV data behind admin access for a reason: to prevent Trainers from judging Pokémon solely by their potential. In a world where power was respected, he feared that showing IVs and EVs would lead to abandonment or bias. Until he could gauge the public's attitude more clearly, he had no intention of making that data visible to everyone.
While he was lost in thought, Virelyra suddenly leaned in, her face inches from his, and asked in a serious tone, "Arthuros, you are the Father of Pokémon, correct?"
Arthur blinked, startled by her abruptness—but answered firmly, shaking his head. "No. That would be Arceus, not me."
"Huh?" Virelyra tilted her head in visible confusion, then looked to Rosaria, who also wore a surprised expression.
Turning back to Arthur, she narrowed her eyes. "That wasn't a lie?"
"What do you mean? Of course it's the truth," Arthur replied, though sweat was starting to bead at his brow. She doesn't have a lie-detecting magic, does she?
Rosaria gently touched Virelyra's shoulder and gave a subtle shake of her head, silently urging her to drop it—but Virelyra wasn't letting this go.
She leaned back slightly, thoughtful, then said in a calm, measured voice, "Then... you're Dratini's Father, right?"
Arthur blinked. What is she getting at now?
He answered cautiously, "No, Dratini's Father is Arceus."
For the first time since arriving, a faint frown crossed Virelyra's face. But it quickly vanished, replaced by a smooth, serene smile that made Arthur's stomach turn.
"I'm not asking who the Father of Dratini is in general," she said. "I mean this one—my Dratini. Unique, unmatched, the only one of its kind I've brought before you!" She lifted her chin and gestured proudly to the little dragon coiled around her neck.
Now Arthur was seriously sweating. If Virelyra really did have some kind of lie-detection ability, there was no way he could bluff his way through this. After all... he was the one who created this Dratini—created all the Pokémon in this world.
Desperately, he tried anyway. "No, it's Arceu—"
Before he could even finish, Virelyra's eyes lit up, and a triumphant smile spread across her face. "That's a lie!"
Arthur sighed in defeat, frustration curling in his chest.
People with lie-detecting magic were the worst.
"Virelyra, stop it..." Rosaria finally spoke up, unable to hold back any longer. Her tone was firm, almost pleading.
But Virelyra didn't back down. Her easygoing attitude shifted into something serious as she looked Arthur in the eyes and asked again,
"Arthuros, you are the Father of this little one, right?"
Arthur gave a wry smile, then nodded. "Yes…"
"That means you're the Father of all Pokémon in Ocasia, correct?"
"…Yes."
"Then by that extension, you're the Father of Dragons, right?"
"???" Arthur and Rosaria both tilted their heads at the same time, confused.
"Uh... no?" Arthur offered hesitantly.
"It's a yes!" Virelyra declared with conviction. Her tone had become firm, almost reverent. "I don't know how you managed it, but it's a fact that you created a dragon with a True Dragon bloodline! So yes—you're the Father of Dragons!"
Arthur opened his mouth to protest, but then saw how serious she was—how much this seemed to mean to her. The weight in her voice made him pause.
"…No," he began again, more carefully this time. "While I could 'mimic' a dragon's bloodline, it—" He stopped mid-sentence, glancing at Dratini.
It was watching him.
And in that moment, he realized—this wasn't something he should say in front of it.
Virelyra noticed and clapped her hands. "Dratini, go play with Rosaria's and Arthur's Pokémon over there for a while."
The little dragon nodded, uncoiled from around her neck, and slithered off toward the group of curious Pokémon.
Once the three of them were alone, Virelyra snapped her fingers, conjuring a shimmering barrier around the three of them. It cut off sound and light—isolating them in a private space.
Arthur exhaled slowly. "Although Dragon-type Pokémon have the dragon attribute, they can never compare to you—a True Dragon. So no, it's wrong to call me the Father of Dragons."
Anticipating Arthur's response, Virelyra broke into a charming smile.
Without warning, she began to dance—graceful, mesmerizing—right before the bewildered eyes of Arthur and Rosaria.
"What are you doin—" Arthur started to say, but before he could finish, a shimmering powerful purple aura began to swirl and envelop her entire body.
Arthur's eyes widened, a sudden flash of realization gleaming within them.
Dragon Dance!
She was using a Pokémon's Dragon-type move—Dragon Dance!