Bell surveyed his fellow Butterfree with determination. Though hesitant to challenge them directly, a sparring match seemed harmless enough.
Before he could act, yesterday's guide Butterfree approached.
"The Chieftain summons you. He has a gift."
Without waiting for a reply, it fluttered away.
"A gift?" Intrigued, Bell flew back to the sacred canopy.
Inside, the elder Butterfree trembled oddly, wings shuddering as iridescent particles drifted from his body.
"Chief! Are you alright?" Bell rushed forward.
"Merely... a strenuous process," the Chieftain wheezed. The glittering powder held an inexplicable allure—Bell's very cells thrummed with desire for it.
Item: Silver Powder
Effect: Secreted by veteran Bug-types. Boosts power of Bug-type moves when held.
"This powder carries fragments of my strength. A boon for our tribe's future." With a wingbeat, the Chieftain showered Bell in the shimmering dust.
Warmth flooded Bell's body. Energy crackled through his veins like live wires.
"I feel... stronger."
Touched beyond words, Bell bowed deeply. This was the first unconditional kindness he'd received in this world.
The Test of Winds
"You remain weak," the Chieftain stated bluntly. "Come. I'll show you our training grounds."
Before Bell could blink, the elder vanished in a blur of wings—only to reappear high above. Struggling to keep pace, Bell followed to a jagged crevice at the valley's edge.
Turbulent winds howled through the narrow pass, their erratic gusts strong enough to fling unprepared fliers into stone walls.
"This wind tunnel connects to the outside world," the Chieftain explained. "Master it, and I shall teach you a secret technique."
To demonstrate, he surged into the maelstrom. His wings adjusted minutely to each gust, riding the chaos like a leaf on a storm—until he disappeared into the darkness. Moments later, he emerged unscathed.
"Use Psychic to assist, but harmony with the wind is key."
With those cryptic words, the elder departed.
First Attempt
Bell entered the crevice. Darkness enveloped him, but his compound eyes pierced the gloom with ease.
"Simple enough—"
WHOOSH!
A gale hammered him sideways. Bell barely activated Psychic in time, anchoring himself midair as the wind shrieked around him.
Minutes passed. His mental energy waned. The pink glow flickered—
CRACK!
He slammed into stone as the wind died.
"Arceus-dammit!" Rubbing his bruised wing, Bell glared at the now-calm tunnel. "Psychic alone isn't enough..."
The Chieftain's words echoed: Harmony with the wind.
"Maybe..." Bell's eyes narrowed. "If I synchronize Psychic with my wingbeats..."
Steeling himself, he plunged back into the tempest.