"You really are a little troublemaker."
Ethan looked down at his shirt, which now had a hole burned through it by the flame on little Charmander's tail, and couldn't help but laugh through tears.
"Chaarrr!"
Charmander lowered his head, embarrassed.
"Ah, you..." Ethan shook his head helplessly and lifted him back into his arms.
He knew perfectly well it hadn't been on purpose; Charmander had just been too happy and forgotten about the flame on his tail.
"Chaarrr!"
Seeing that Ethan still wanted to hold him, the little dragon became overjoyed. This time, he hugged his own tail tightly, as if saying, "I'll be a good boy."
Ethan couldn't help but laugh. He gave him a gentle pat on the forehead, as though placing a gold star on him, and Charmander beamed with joy once again.
After that little episode, group training began. Judging by the final results, it was clear that all five of them were very satisfied with the session.
"Come on, let's go hang out for a bit! Let's call it an early victory celebration!" Marcus Foster said with a grin. Among the five, he was the most carefree—he even dared to talk about celebrating before the battle.
...
At the hotel, they rented a room.
The five of them went in along with their Pokémon.
"The service here is great— they even have release machines for Pokémon!" commented Ethan, standing in front of one of the devices as he placed his other three Poké Balls on it.
A moment later, a white flash lit up the room, and the figures of Absol, Shuckle, and Kingdra appeared.
When Ethan's other Pokémon came out, the rest of his team happily ran over to greet them. Charmander immediately jumped onto Absol's back, rubbing himself affectionately against the soft fur on his neck.
When Ethan usually rode Absol, that spot was Charmander's perch, and the Absol didn't mind in the slightest. He even adjusted his posture to make sure the little troublemaker wouldn't fall off.
That new team member was still just a baby, and all the others treated him with great tenderness.
Amid laughter and chatter, dinner began.
"Sha!"
As soon as the food was served, Sandslash devoured his portion at lightning speed. The way he gulped it down almost desperately made Ethan feel a twinge of pain in his chest.
Maybe it was because Slowking had been too dominant lately, or maybe because Sandslash had seen how harsh the wild could be. As the "big brother" of the group, he had been pushing himself with harsh daily training, not worrying much about eating properly.
To think that when he'd first joined Ethan, he'd been such a glutton!
"Looks like I'll have to find some time to talk with Sandslash," Ethan thought, feeling guilty. Lately he'd been focusing all his attention on training his Pokémon, but he had neglected their emotional state... a serious mistake for a trainer.
"Sandslash's biggest problem must be his lack of confidence..." he reflected. "His potential and base stats aren't particularly high. Even though he's mastered dual battles and move combinations, when facing pseudo-legendary Dragon-types born with overwhelming strength, he feels powerless. That's why he trains so desperately."
With that realization, Ethan understood that he had been neglecting his very first partner.
As he made that mental note, his eyes wandered to the rest of the team.
Cacturne, the second Pokémon to join, had grown up in the wild and suffered greatly. Since joining the team, his life had improved tremendously, and when he was still a Cacnea, he'd been very attached to Ethan.
After evolving, however, his personality became calmer—he was now the "gentle big brother" of the group, always exuding a sense of peace and reliability.
Then there was Slowking, the wise king who loved to meditate and ponder life. Shellder, his fusion partner, had become just as calm and introspective.
Meltan, on the other hand, was pure curiosity. Everything interested him; he had a contagious innocence and very expressive reactions— the happy clown of the group.
Since the mischievous Charmander joined, the two had become inseparable, bringing joy and laughter to a team that used to feel a bit tense.
Absol, with his unshakable sense of justice; Vibrava, who loved soaring freely through the sky; Shuckle, always lazy and content with Berry juice and long naps...
Ethan looked at each one of them. He thought about how, just a year ago, he'd been alone— and now he had so many companions by his side. A warm feeling spread through his chest.
"I'm glad to have you all with me," he whispered with a smile.
All nine Pokémon looked up at him, their eyes narrowing happily.
Maybe... this was what people called a bond.
...
The next morning, Ethan went to find Kyle Miller.
Beside him, Sandslash was happily chewing on a chicken leg, completely at ease after their talk the night before.
"Ethan? What brings you here?" asked Kyle, surprised.
"Hmm, don't you think we should talk a little?" Ethan replied with a faint smile.
"Ah... you mean about the Scyther thing?" Kyle scratched his head awkwardly.
After a few seconds of silence, he sighed and said, "You're right, I wasn't very considerate. I promised you a Scyther, but I haven't been able to deliver yet."
"I actually almost had it ready, but after the case about Scyther's evolution into Scizor became public, my family tightened the restrictions. It's going to take me a bit more time," he explained apologetically.
"So, it's my fault then?" Ethan said, rolling his eyes.
"No, no, no!" Kyle quickly replied.
"It's fine, don't worry," Ethan laughed. "I didn't come to complain. I just want to trade the Scyther for something else, so it won't be so troublesome for you."
Hearing that, Kyle's face lit up with relief. With his family's strict rules, he wasn't even sure he could get one anytime soon—much less guarantee its quality.
(End of Chapter)