The forest changed the moment we crossed the ridge.
The air grew thick—sweet, sharp, and earthy all at once. Vines crisscrossed the trees like living nets, some hanging low, others coiled tight around trunks and rocks. Leaves rustled even when there was no wind.
Tangela territory.
They didn't reveal themselves immediately.
But I could feel them.
Fear has a texture.This place was soaked in it.
"They're close," I said quietly. "But they're hiding."
Apoorv glanced around nervously. "From us?"
"No," I replied. "From them."
At my gesture, the Poochyena pack slowed and stopped at the edge of the vines. Their ears flattened. Low whines escaped a few throats.
They wouldn't go further.
Neha noticed first. "They're scared."
"Yes," I said. "And for good reason."
Tangela vines carried a scent—strong, grassy, rich in nutrients.
To herbivores, it was food.
To dark-types like Poochyena and Mightyena?
It was irritating. Almost maddening.
That scent had triggered fights before.And the Tangela had paid the price.
A vine shifted.
Then another.
From behind a thick cluster of leaves, a pair of Tangela peeked out—round bodies hidden beneath tangled blue vines, red eyes wide and wary.
Then more.
Five.Ten.A dozen.
None advanced.
Some vines trembled slightly—injured, scarred, regrown poorly.
I stepped forward alone.
Slowly.
No Pokémon released.
No authority in my voice.
No pressure.
"I know you're afraid," I said calmly. "They hurt you before."
The Tangela recoiled at the sound of my voice—then froze, realizing I wasn't advancing.
I knelt and set a handful of Pokéblocks on the ground.
Not tossed.
Placed.
"These are for you," I continued. "No tricks."
The Poochyena stayed back, heads lowered, deliberately non-threatening now. They'd learned.
A long moment passed.
Then—
A vine crept forward.
It stopped inches from the Pokéblocks.
Paused.
Then wrapped around one and pulled it back.
Silence.
Crunch.
Another vine followed.
Then another.
The Tangela slowly emerged, drawn by hunger but still tense.
"This land isn't safe for you anymore," I said gently. "Not here."
That made them freeze.
I raised a hand slightly, gesturing backward—toward the path that led to my home zone.
"I can give you a place where no one hunts you. Where no pack will touch you. Where your vines can grow without fear."
Their vines stirred uneasily.
One Tangela—larger than the rest, older—tilted its body slightly, vines tightening.
A leader.
"I won't force you," I added. "But if you come with me, I promise you safety."
The leader Tangela extended a vine toward the Pokéblocks again—then stopped halfway.
It was thinking.
Finally, it turned—looking not at me, but at the injured among them.
Scarred vines.
Uneven regrowth.
Burn marks from friction and bites.
The decision was made.
The Tangela nodded.
Once.
That was enough.
I released Pokéballs one by one—not throwing them, but holding them open, allowing each Tangela to choose.
They entered willingly.
One.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
A safe relocation.
A new beginning.
When the last Pokéball clicked shut, I turned back toward the Poochyena pack.
"Come here," I said.
They hesitated—but obeyed.
I knelt, checking them properly now.
Bite wounds.
Old infections.
Malnutrition.
And fear.
"Happiny," I said softly.
She waddled forward immediately, glowing with purpose, stone warm in her hands.
"Happi~!"
She moved from one Poochyena to another, pressing her hands gently to wounds, releasing soft pulses of healing light. Small. Careful. Controlled.
The Poochyena stiffened at first—then relaxed as pain faded.
Some lay down.
Others licked her hands.
One wagged its tail for the first time since we'd entered the zone.
Apoorv watched in silence.
Neha swallowed hard.
"This… this is how it's supposed to be, isn't it?" she whispered.
"Yes," I said. "Power to stop harm. Compassion to fix it."
When Happiny finished, she stood proudly, chest puffed out, stone gleaming.
I smiled at her.
"Well done."
She beamed.
Happiny wobbled once.
Then twice.
Before I could even say her name, she climbed straight into my arms, curled against my chest, and went completely limp.
Fast asleep.
I adjusted my grip instinctively, supporting her properly. Her little stone was warm—almost hot—which told me everything I needed to know.
Healing that many Poochyena had taken everything out of her.
Chansey would've been proud.
"Alright," I murmured softly. "You did more than enough."
Pikachu peeked over my shoulder, ears drooping slightly when she saw Happiny asleep, then settled down quietly, unusually calm.
We didn't push further.
For the next two hours, we stayed in a relatively open clearing near the Tangela boundary—safe, visible, controlled.
Training Time
This part was important.
Not suppression.
Not authority.
Growth.
Apoorv released Piplup.
Neha's Spearow fluttered down from her shoulder, wings twitching with restless energy.
Arpit stood awkwardly with his Poochyena, who kept glancing between him and the forest like it wasn't sure where it belonged yet.
"One at a time," I instructed. "Controlled battles. No reckless moves."
Piplup went first.
Against a practice target I set using Grookey's roots and Mankey's agility drills, she learned quickly—how to move, when to retreat, when to strike. She slipped twice, got frustrated once, then adapted.
Apoorv was grinning by the end of it.
"She's… smart."`
"Yes," I replied. "And stubborn. Keep that balance."
Spearow surprised everyone.
Fast.
Sharp.
Aggressive—but not mindless.
Neha barely spoke, but every instruction she gave was precise. The Spearow listened. Adjusted. Improved.
By the end of the session, it wasn't circling randomly anymore—it was watching.
Arpit's Poochyena was last.
This one was different.
It flinched at sudden movements.
Hesitated before attacking.
Checked Arpit's face constantly.
I crouched beside him. "Don't command. Encourage."
Arpit nodded, swallowed, and tried again.
"Hey… it's okay. Just… try."
The Poochyena took a step.
Then another.
It lunged—not hard, not fast—but with effort.
Progress.
That was enough for today.
When we finally began moving back toward the perimeter, something unexpected happened.
The Poochyena pack followed.
Not aggressively.
Not tightly.
Just… there.
Like an escort.
The soldiers at the checkpoint stiffened the moment they saw dark shapes emerging from the trees.
Hands went to weapons.
Voices rose sharply.
I raised a hand.
"It's fine."
I recognized the same officer from earlier—the one who'd stopped us initially. I called out to him.
"These Poochyena will stay near the entrance for now," I said clearly. "Colonel Rawat will arrange for some of you to receive your first Pokémon from them."
For half a second, there was silence.
Then—
"What?"
"Did he say first Pokémon?"
"Sir—are you serious?"
The tension shattered instantly.
Excitement rippled through the troops like electricity.
Some stared at the Poochyena in awe.
Others looked downright emotional.
I nodded once. "They need stable partners. You need Pokémon. This works."
"Yes, sir!" came the chorus.
That was enough for today.
Apoorv dropped me off at the villa just as the sun dipped low enough to cast long shadows across the yard.
Before they left, I handed out two Pokéballs.
One to Arpit.
One to Neha.
They didn't rush to use them.
They didn't need to.
"That's… thank you," Arpit said quietly.
Neha nodded, fingers closing around the ball carefully, like it was something fragile.
"You earned them," I replied. "Take it slow."
They left after that.
The moment I stepped inside, I called out softly.
"Chansey."
She appeared almost immediately.
I released the three captured Mightyena.
They didn't even get a second to posture.
They growled.
Chansey smacked all three—hard.
Left.
Right.
Spin.
It was so sudden, so disproportionate, that I actually laughed.
The Mightyena yelped and flattened themselves instantly.
I stepped forward.
"This is your new home," I said evenly.
"You will guard it.
You will not harm any Pokémon here.
You will not harm my family."
My gaze sharpened.
"And if you do… you will suffer worse than under your previous leader."
They whimpered in perfect unison.
Chansey nodded, grabbed two of them by the scruff like misbehaving pups, and led them away.
Problem solved.
I headed straight for the backyard.
The Tangela I'd befriended earlier was already there—wrapped comfortably around a tree, vines basking in the open space.
The moment he saw me, he uncoiled and rushed over, nearly tripping over his own vines.
"Hey, buddy," I said, kneeling. "I've got a surprise for you."
He tilted, curious.
"I found more of your kind," I continued. "They'll be staying here. Help them get used to this place, alright?"
His vines twitched.
Excitement.
I released the Pokéballs one by one.
Tangela spilled out into the yard—hesitant at first, then slowly realizing…
No predators.
No pressure.
Plenty of space.
The original Tangela immediately moved among them, guiding, reassuring, anchoring them.
Watching that—
I felt something settle in my chest.
This wasn't conquest.
This was community.
Behind me in the backpack, Happiny slept peacefully, breathing slow and steady.
__________________________
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