"Spheal?" (Where is this place?)
"Chic-chic…" (So many berries… Maybe I won't go hungry anymore…)
"Bounsweet…" (There! There's a human over there!)
The three little Pokémon who had just arrived were each lost in their own thoughts.
But before long, Bounsweet finally noticed Lin Feng standing there.
"Chic-chic?" (A human?)
"Spheal…"
The moment they laid eyes on Lin Feng, all three Pokémon instinctively showed hostility.
But the next second, Gardevoir delivered a revelation that hit them like a thunderbolt.
"Gardevoir, Gardevoir…" (From now on, you'll be staying with him. All the Pokéblocks you've been eating these past few days came from him.)
"Chic-chic?"
"Spheal!"
At Gardevoir's words, Spheal and Torchic exchanged wary glances, resistance written all over their faces. Torchic, in particular, looked like it was about to burst into flames with the fury smoldering in its eyes.
"Chic-chic?" (A Trainer? No way, no way! I don't want a Trainer!)
Spheal didn't react as dramatically, but it clung closer to Gardevoir, clearly unhappy about the idea.
Pokémon: Torchic
Gender: Male
Ability: Speed Boost
Potential: Red Grade
Individual Values: HP (18), Attack (31), Special Attack (31), Defense (12), Special Defense (13), Speed (31)
Level: 11-15
Moves: Ember, Peck, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, Sand Attack, Aerial Ace, Feint Attack
Friendship: -15 (Hates humans)
Happiness: -20 (Doesn't want to follow a human. Thinks all humans are liars…)
Description: For some reason, Torchic's ability has developed to an unusually high degree, performing at two to three times its normal effectiveness in battles. However, it consumes massive amounts of energy, leading to an increased appetite in daily life.
Pokémon: Spheal
Gender: Female
Ability: Torrent
Potential: White Grade
Individual Values: HP (8), Attack (4), Special Attack (14), Defense (17), Special Defense (19), Speed (2)
Level: 7-8
Moves: Pound, Growl, Water Gun
Friendship: -5 (Doesn't like you)
Happiness: -5 (Feeling conflicted)
Description: Her mother suffered severe injuries while pregnant, resulting in a premature birth and insufficient nourishment. As a result, she was born with congenital deficiencies, leading to lowered potential.
Lin Feng studied the three Pokémon's status screens, gaining a clearer understanding of their situations.
Judging by their stats, each of them indeed came with certain "problems."
Take Torchic, for instance. Despite having excellent potential and individual values, it simply ate way too much a real headache for most ordinary Trainers.
"Gardevoir,"
Gardevoir's tone turned stern. "Gardevoir!" (If you refuse to follow a Trainer, how do you expect to survive in the wild?)
"Gardevoir…" (Do you want me to spend my entire life taking care of you?)
Her voice carried a mix of frustration and helplessness.
She herself had grown up alone in the dangerous wilderness.
Because of that experience, she knew better than anyone just how difficult survival could be for these three children, who had absolutely no experience living on their own.
Especially Bounsweet, whose fruity aroma could easily attract predators looking for a sweet snack.
And Spheal, whose strength and potential were both sorely lacking…
"Spheal…"
"Bounsweet…"
Spheal and Bounsweet both lowered their heads, looking like children caught misbehaving in class, too timid to speak up.
Torchic, however, was a different story altogether. His eyes flared wide.
"Chic-chic!" (Humans are all liars!)
He abruptly turned and tried to run for it. But after dashing around in circles, he realized the entire area was securely fenced off.
And near those fences grew rows upon rows of berry trees, their branches heavy with ripe, golden Oran Berries, radiating a mouthwatering aroma.
"Chic-chic…"
Torchic hesitated, then made up his mind to leap the fence and escape into the wild.
But just then, a faint, enticing scent drifted through the air and wafted into his nostrils.
The aroma was light yet rich, locking onto his senses and making his already empty stomach growl even louder.
He kept telling himself to run, but his body stubbornly refused to budge.
His eyes couldn't help but drift toward the source of the delicious smell.
There stood the human, Lin Feng, holding something that definitely hadn't been there a moment ago a Pokéblock radiating that irresistible fragrance.
Lin Feng chuckled. "If you're going to leave, at least have a bite before you go."
"Chic-chic…"
"Chic-chic…"
Torchic struggled to turn his head away, desperately trying to maintain his pride and walk off.
But that enticing scent kept drawing closer and closer. He finally glanced back and realized, to his shock, that the human had somehow gotten right up next to him.
"What kind of host would let a guest leave on an empty stomach? Eat your fill first," Lin Feng said with a grin.
He held out a Pokéblock infused with fragrant pink nectar and Miltank's fresh milk. "Here, have one."
"Chic-chic?"
The Pokéblock in front of him seemed to possess an almost magical pull, locking Torchic's gaze onto it.
Just one piece… couldn't hurt, right?
Hesitating, Torchic cautiously shuffled closer, then, like a chick pecking at grains, quickly snatched the Pokéblock from Lin Feng's hand.
o((＞ω＜ ))o "Chic-chic~"
After finishing the first piece, Lin Feng promptly produced a second… then a third, a fourth…
Until finally…
Torchic let out a loud burp, looking blissfully content, and Lin Feng asked with a smile, "Good, isn't it?"
Torchic nodded enthusiastically. "Chic-chic~!" (Delicious!)
But as soon as he finished nodding, he suddenly seemed to remember his original plan to leave.
Yet now, a conflicted expression clouded his face.
If he left… there'd be no more chances to eat like this.
Did he really want to go back to a life of wandering, starving, and hiding?
At that moment, the human crouched down in front of him, speaking in a gentle voice and wearing a warm, reassuring smile.
"If you think it's delicious… why not stay? Don't worry. No matter how much you eat, I can afford to feed you."
"…Chic-chic?" (Hmm…)
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