Caleb remained unaware of Lorelei and Lance's arrival in Ecruteak City...
After purchasing a cap identical to Red's in Goldenrod City, he left the urban sprawl behind, crossing Route 34 to enter the mist-shrouded, shadowy depths of Ilex Forest.
The massive orange feline lifted its thick forepaw, its controlled steps leaving no sound as its padded feet met the earth. Ears hidden beneath its mane twitched attentively, monitoring the surroundings.
Then, the footsteps behind it abruptly halted.
Entei paused mid-step, turning its head to glance questioningly at Caleb.
"I think... someone's crying," Caleb said.
The weeping came in fragmented bursts; sometimes clear, sometimes illusory... as if both nearby and impossibly distant.
A flicker of confusion passed through Entei's golden eyes. It focused intently, but beyond the rustling of leaves in the wind, it detected nothing.
Caleb didn't believe he'd misheard. After pinpointing the direction, he moved toward the sound.
Entei hesitated briefly before following.
Pushing through dense thickets and clambering over rotting logs blocking the path, Caleb eventually spotted a young Stantler pinned beneath a massive fallen tree on a patch of muddy ground.
The poor fawn was still in its juvenile stage, its body less than half the size of an adult Stantler. It was impossible to tell how long it had been trapped, but its breathing was shallow, its consciousness teetering on the edge of collapse.
Without delay, Caleb released Lucario and Dragonite. Together, they lifted the heavy trunk.
Had this been Ash, he might've rushed the injured Stantler to a Pokémon Center. But Caleb didn't need to, after all, he was essentially a mobile first-aid kit himself.
Minutes later, the Stantler slowly blinked its eyes open...
"Where's your mom?" Caleb asked.
Stantlers typically traveled in small herds, rarely wandering alone, especially not one this young. So in this case, only two scenarios made sense: either the herd had been wiped out, or this fawn had been left behind.
The Stantler let out a soft, mournful cry, saying its mother was gone.
Caleb: "..."
Though he knew the Stantler's actual 'words' were likely more nuanced, his Viridian Power translated its thoughts into their most direct and unfiltered essence.
"My mom is gone" was far more straightforward than a convoluted explanation.
Just then, a deep, sorrowful call echoed from nearby. The sound grew closer, thick with unmistakable urgency.
The little Stantler's eyes brightened instantly. It raised its head and responded with a clear, joyful cry.
Soon, a towering Kangaskhan came charging through the undergrowth.
The little Stantler bounded over, nuzzling affectionately against the Kangaskhan's side.
Only after confirming the fawn's safety did the Kangaskhan's tense expression soften. Its own child had left the pouch years ago, grown and independent.
While returning to its den one day, the elderly Kangaskhan had heard faint whimpering from the bushes. Upon investigating, it discovered the trembling fawn.
From that day on, the two Pokémon of different by species had lived together as family.
Dragonite and Lucario stood on either side of Caleb, watching the scene with quiet warmth...
"Time to go." Caleb said softly, patting their shoulders.
Nodding, Dragonite and Lucario turned and followed as he walked away.
Entei, lingering nearby, glanced between the unlikely mother-and-child pair and Caleb before trailing after them.
But before Caleb could get far, the Kangaskhan, having finally processed what had happened, hurried after him with the Stantler in tow.
From its pouch, it withdrew a handful of berries and offered them to Caleb. These were the dinner it had gathered while the Stantler napped.
Caleb declined. For one, he wasn't short on supplies. More importantly, he hadn't helped with any expectation of reward.
Undeterred, the Kangaskhan rummaged in its pouch again and produced a smooth green stone veined with leaf-like patterns, pressing it into Caleb's palm before darting off without giving him a chance to refuse.
Caleb: "..."
He glanced down as the stone's details materialized before him.
- Leaf Stone: A mystical stone that triggers evolution in certain Pokémon. It bears a leaf-like pattern...
'Well, might as well keep it alongside the Red Orb.' Caleb mused, tucking it into his inventory.
Only then did he ponder how he'd heard the Stantler's cries from such a distance. At that range, even if the Stantler had been wailing, he shouldn't have detected it, let alone when the fawn had been too weak to make a sound.
The voice had seemed less like a cry and more like guidance. A plea for help, leading him straight to the trapped Stantler.
Mentally reviewing his abilities, Caleb quickly zeroed in on the most plausible explanation: the Viridian Power, a gift bestowed upon humans by the forest itself...
Thinking of this, he raised his head as if sensing something.
Sunlight filtered through the canopy, painting dappled patterns across the forest floor. A breeze stirred the leaves, sending emerald waves rippling through the treetops.
The rustling crescendoed, an invisible energy pulsating outward with each swaying branch.
In that moment, Caleb's mind cleared entirely. Viridian energy surged within him, vibrant and alive. He felt like he could hear the forest speaking.
Nearby, Entei seemed to sense the shift. It lifted its gaze toward the wind and leaves, then padded over to Caleb. Lowering itself, it glanced at him expectantly... It was an unspoken invitation to climb aboard.
Caleb blinked, momentarily stunned.
"Wuuu!"
Dragonite shot Entei a warning glare before crouching as well, eyes bright and hopeful.
Caleb pondered, 'A choice between the two. Who to pick?'
The answer was obvious. He'd been eyeing Entei's luxuriously thick fur and cloud-like mane for ages. Imagining how soft it must be to touch...
Dragonite, reading his expression, visibly deflated.
Caleb: 'Since when was being ridden something to compete over?'
Still, he couldn't leave Dragonite disheartened. Maintaining a neutral expression, he reassured it: "The forest canopy's too low for flying. If we travel through the air, we'd miss everything on the ground. Be patient. Once this is over, I'll take you stargazing, okay?"
Grudgingly accepting this compromise, Dragonite sighed and returned to its Poké Ball alongside the ever-silent Lucario...