"Rin!"
Hakamo-o leaped into the air, its tail glowing with a vibrant blue light as it whipped forward, striking the wooden target with a sharp crack! The supporting pole snapped clean in half.
It landed gracefully and nodded to itself—no arrogance, no celebration, just quiet acknowledgment.
Nearby, Ogerpon clapped excitedly, as if it had just mastered a new move.
"So this is the result of your training at Misty Lake, huh?" Summer praised. "Not bad. And it's not just the new move—your gaze has grown steadier, too."
He had already known about Hakamo-o learning Dragon Tail from his ranger assistant, but he still made sure to compliment it.
After all, despite its calm demeanor, Hakamo-o's constantly wagging tail betrayed its excitement.
"Rin!"
The young dragon began gesturing with its claws, explaining its thoughts.
Even though Milotic had helped train it through sheer presence, it still wasn't a true Dragon-type. Hakamo-o wanted to witness a real dragon in action—to feel its aura firsthand and gain new insights into battle.
"You've got a solid plan there," Summer chuckled. "A real Dragon-type, huh…? Oh, I know just the one. There's one living at Misty Lake."
Hakamo-o blinked, tapping at the ground in deep thought.
A Dragon-type… at Misty Lake?
But… I didn't sense anything like that there…?
Mmph. I guess my training isn't enough yet.
At Misty Lake, Summer pointed up at an apple tree.
"Your fellow Dragon-type is up there. Hey, Applin, you around?"
Hakamo-o tilted its head, full of anticipation.
A Dragon-type Pokémon… What would it look like?
Wait.
Why did its name have "worm" in it…?
From between the leaves, a golden apple peeked out.
"Oh, it's you, Summer. Need some syrup?"
Hakamo-o's eye twitched.
It had just suffered its greatest confusion since hatching.
That?
That's a Dragon?
That's just an apple.
"Miyaa!"
Flapple huffed, puffing out its tiny chest.
Oi, kid! Your look is seriously disrespectful! What, you think I don't look like a Dragon?!
Hakamo-o glanced down at its own claws. Then back up at the tiny apple.
Then at its own shining, armored scales.
It slowly furrowed its brow and hesitantly bowed its head.
"...Sorry, I just don't see it."
Nearby, Rillaboom, Ogerpon, and Milotic had been casually munching on apples while watching the exchange.
At this moment, they all silently nodded in agreement.
Yep. Kid's got a point. That's definitely just an apple.
"Don't be mad, Flapple," Summer chuckled. "Hakamo-o just wanted to observe other Dragon-types in action."
Flapple huffed, then sighed.
"Fine. This little guy's been working hard, so I'll show it what I've got."
Flapping its leafy wings, it opened its tiny mouth—swirling blue-purple energy began to coalesce within.
A heartbeat later, the attack erupted forward, the air trembling with a deafening Dragon's Roar as a Dragon Pulse shot across the clearing, blasting into the target with a powerful explosion.
"Rin!"
Hakamo-o's eyes sparkled.
This was it.
This was a true Dragon-type move.
It could feel the powerful draconic aura surging through the air!
"That was Dragon Pulse," Summer explained. "A move that channels raw Dragon energy into a powerful ranged attack. What do you think?"
Hakamo-o opened its mouth, trying to copy Flapple's technique.
A faint, pale blue mist escaped from its throat.
But that was all.
Summer smiled.
"Listen, Hakamo-o. A Pokémon's typing is determined by a lot of things—appearance, physiology, natural abilities… But if you ask me, it's even simpler than that."
"It all comes down to control."
"You've seen Milotic. She knows Water, Ice, and even Dragon-type moves. But which one do you think she's best at?"
Milotic nodded, flicking her tail.
She didn't use Water-type moves often—not because she couldn't, but because they'd be too powerful if she wasn't careful.
"So, you need to learn to control your Dragon energy," Summer continued.
"Channel it into your tail? Dragon Tail.
Focus it into your claws? Dragon Claw.
Let it radiate from your scales? Scale Shot.
Unleash it in a full-body explosion? Outrage.
It's all still your energy—if you can master it, you'll grow even stronger."
Hakamo-o nodded vigorously.
Dragon energy… in its claws…
"Rin!"
A faint blue-purple glow flickered around its hands as it slashed forward—barely leaving a thin streak in the air.
The power was still weak.
But that was definitely Dragon Claw.
[Hakamo-o learned Dragon Claw (Unrefined).]
"Looks like you get it now," Summer praised.
Hakamo-o looked down at its claws, replaying the sensation in its mind.
That was Dragon Claw…?
But the power wasn't enough.
If I can condense my energy more—if I can make it sharper, stronger…
Determined, Hakamo-o began practicing over and over again, swinging its tiny claws at the air.
"Bo!"
Ogerpon beamed with pride.
Our little bro is so talented and hardworking!
Summer turned to Milotic.
"By the way, you wanna hear about what happened at the Snowy Forest the other day?"
Milotic's eyes lit up.
"Oh? I'd love to hear it!"
Ogerpon immediately raised a hand.
"I played a huge role, you know! I knocked out those Ice-types in one swing!"
[Hakamo-o has learned Dragon Claw.]
Exhausted, it collapsed onto the ground—but its eyes burned with excitement.
It had finally taken its first step toward mastering Dragon-type moves.
"Training's important, but so is resting," Summer said, handing it an apple.
Hakamo-o didn't argue.
It took a big bite—sweet, juicy flavors filled its mouth.
Recover energy… then more training… But wait—this is actually delicious. I should eat a few more. Just for recovery, obviously.
Summer suddenly smirked.
"Hakamo-o, you know… There are actually more Dragon-types living in Sunset Forest. Wanna check them out?"
Hakamo-o immediately shot to its feet.
Of course.
"Great. Then let's head to the Tropical Rainforest."
The moment they arrived, Hakamo-o craned its neck, staring way up into the treetops.
Its jaw slowly dropped.
Once again, it was completely baffled.
That's… a Dragon?
That's just a coconut tree.
A towering Alolan Exeggutor swayed gently in the breeze.
Unlike its Kantonian counterpart, its body had adapted to Alola's climate, awakening the Dragon-type power that had always slumbered within it.
Despite its size, its true senses weren't in its heads—but in the tiny tail-head at the base of its trunk.
Summer smirked.
Hakamo-o, on the other hand, stared in disbelief.
"Rin?"
"This isn't a joke, right?"
"Of course not," Summer chuckled. "Dragon-types come in all shapes and sizes—look."
He pulled out his Pokédex, scrolling through a list.
"Slugs. Seahorses. Birds. Dragonflies. Bats. Turtles… All of them are Dragon-types."
Hakamo-o's worldview shattered.
"You're telling me… you're ALL Dragons?"
It looked up at the sky in profound realization.
"My kind… is truly diverse."