Today, Andrea made another attempt at moving the mysterious Regi statue, this time banking on Tyrantrum's Strong Jaws that were capable of uprooting trees. The way the T-Rex's head was submerged in the lake, while its gigantic hindquarters were sticking out, was kinda comedic.

"Did you grab it?" Andrea asked as the dinosaur pulled its Jurassic noggin out. The fossil Pokémon shook its head in response. All it had gotten was a bunch of water in its mouth. "It's okay, Regina. I know you tried your best." The dragon-hooded girl comforted her reptilian partner.

By this point, it had been firmly established that the effigy could not be moved under any circumstances. Which meant that the powers that be wanted it to remain in this exact spot for reasons that would likely be revealed whenever the time was right.

//Tyrantrum forgets Giga Impact and learns Draco Meteor

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If moving the statue was impossible, perhaps they could gleam something from looking inside it. Dragapult were remarkably adept swimmers, lending to the theory that they used to be aquatic Pokémon in prehistoric times. Upon making it underneath the shrine, Stella's ghostly form merged with the Regi effigy using Phantom Force.

Soon, the fighter jet dragon came back out of the water, meaningfully pointing at a bunch of rocks on the ground. "So the inside's really just made of stone, huh?" Andrea surmised, looking mildly disappointed. Their options were running thin. "Well, it was worth a shot. Let's come back here tomorrow."

//Dragapult forgets Last Resort and learns Draco Meteor

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There was more research to be done here. Andrea's approach to the scientific method was rather unorthodox. All field work. No notes. Writing things down was troublesome, so she just memorized everything. She was the living definition of fuck around and find out.

From previous visits, she had concluded that the shrine had some kind of effect on Dragon-type Pokémon, amplifying their draconic spirit. But what about those that channeled the Dragon typing through other means? Could they too possess some form of latent draconic spirit?

"Dragon Memory Install!" The self-proclaimed scientist slotted a small disk into her Silvally's head, activating its RKS System. The creature's tail fin and crest feathers changed into a deep blueish hue. "Now, Kimmy, use Outrage!"

The artificial chimera roared like a true dragon. Bathed in an aura of pure power, it rammed into a large boulder, reducing it to smithereens upon impact. "Yep, that's the power of a dragon alright!" The eccentric trainer nodded to herself, considering this test a success.

The Ultra Beast Killer could change its typing on a whim, so it should have come as no surprise. That ability made it more flexible than other Pokémon capable of learning Dragon-type moves. Who knew what other moves Kimmy could emulate when equipped with the Dragon Memory?

//Silvally forgets X-Scissor and learns Draco Meteor

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Out of all Dragon-types, the Duraludon line looked the least like actual dragons. Heck, they hardly looked like reptiles. Some conspiracy theorists believed them to have been created in a lab somewhere. Nonetheless, those walking hunks of metal possessed enough draconic spirit in them to rival pseudo-legendaries.

Andrea's Archaludon (affectionately nicknamed Archie) lumbered behind her, its heavy feet leaving square footprints on the ground. "Here we are!" The dragon-costumed girl said, admiring the old Draconid shrine from a distance. "What do you think, Archie? Beautiful, isn't it?"

Inspired by the abundance of draconic spirit in the area, the Alloy Pokémon let out a booming, excited roar. Its Dragon Cheer roused the many Dratini and Bagon frequenting this place. If that did not prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was a Dragon-type, nothing else would.

//Archaludon forgets Outrage and learns Draco Meteor

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"Hnghh... how do you open this thing?" Andrea struggled to pry a Hisuian Pokéball open. She had recently acquired that priceless piece of history from an antique store, but not even the elderly owner knew how it had gotten there. It was as if it had just appeared one day.

After much trial and error, the archaic ball finally popped open, unleashing a Goodra. Except it was no ordinary Goodra; it too had undergone a mutation that made it resemble its Hisuian ancestors. Its tail had curled up and hardened into a tough shell, granting it the Steel typing.

"What do you think of this shrine, Slushie? Does it unlock any memories from your past life?" The draconic trainer inquisitively asked, observing her Goodra as it tentatively approached the old Draconid temple, its large shell bobbing to and fro.

The Shell Bunker Pokémon did not seem to have any recollection of this place--past lives' or otherwise--but being here filled it with inexplicable joy, making the snail-like dragon bounce up and down. Could this place's vibes remind Slushie of home, whatever 'home' might mean in this context?

//H!Goodra forgets Water Pulse and learns Draco Meteor

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As far as unconventional Dragon-types went, Hydrapple stretched not only the definition of a dragon, but also the definition of a Pokémon. This species that had recently gained popularity in Hoenn was actually seven wyrms burrowed into the same giant, candy-coated apple.

It was the Dugtrio conundrum, except worse. Did the seven of them count as one Pokémon? Did having Hydrapple in one's team violate the six party members rule? How did the apple fit into the equation? Was it the reason for their partial Grass typing?

And the most important question of all: Could those wacky syrpents channel the power of the draconic spirit? Only one way to find out.

"C'mon, Wormy, we're almost there!" Andrea visited the old shrine yet again. Her newly evolved Hydrapple followed close behind, dragging its large ball of candy along. Upon hearing the sound of the bell ringing, all seven syrpents popped their heads out and roared in unison, their Dragon Cheer echoing against the walls of the cave.

"That settles it!" The dragon enthusiast enthusiastically nodded to herself. "You're a real dragon, Wormy, no matter what anyone else says!" Was there anyone who even refuted that? She liked to think that there were some Hydrapple deniers out there. And now she had proven them wrong.

//Hydrapple forgets Double Hit and learns Draco Meteor

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