Chapter 128: May the God of the Forest Bless Them
Early the next morning, Ryu and Sprigatito prepared to set off.
"Meow!" The little cat sat down on the ground, refusing to move. She was certain he wouldn't abandon her.
"Then I'm leaving. Bye-bye," he said, turning and walking out the door without looking back.
"Meow?" She turned and saw his back disappear. "Meow meow!" Now she panicked, pushing the door open and pouncing on his leg, scratching with her paws.
"Alright, alright, you're not a baby anymore. Watch your claws."
At the town entrance, Mabel and Nurse Joy were waiting. Mabel handed him a bag filled with bread and biscuits. Joy gave him another small bag with Potions and other medicines.
"Be careful on the road," Mabel said, poking his stomach. "And remember to eat well!"
"Meow~" Sprigatito licked her palm.
"Don't catch a cold again," Joy added with a smile.
Ryu kicked Sprigatito's butt, took the two bags, and entered the forest. As he walked, a familiar voice sounded from behind a tree. It was Kurt.
"Come with me," he said, his expression haggard.
He led them through the forest to a small, clean shrine. "This shrine was built by my grandfather," he explained. "It's dedicated to the legendary God of the Forest. The people of Azalea Town live off this forest, so the God of the Forest is the most important god in our hearts."
In the center was an ancient wooden table with a wooden box on it.
"You are a Grovyle. Perhaps your ancestors have some connection with the God of the Forest. Ask your old ancestor to bless you."
To appease him, Ryu put his hands together and pretended to pray. While he was distracted, Sprigatito jumped onto the table and pushed open the box.
"Meow?" she said, disappointed to find only an ugly little bottle inside.
"You stupid cat!" Kurt burst out angrily. "How can you be so disrespectful! That bottle has been passed down from my great-grandmother! It's the legendary milk bottle of the God of the Forest!"
Ryu stood still, frozen. He had seen that jade milk bottle before. It wasn't Celebi's. It belonged to Alan, the "Guardian Dragon" of the Royal Dragon Kingdom. It was his old milk bottle.
At that moment, he understood. Mabel's feeding method, Kurt's tsundere personality... their ancestor was Hestia.
"Truly, fate," he shook his head and turned to leave. Knowing that Hestia had started a family and had descendants was not bad news.
"Hey!" Kurt's voice came from behind again. "Stop chattering. If you're leaving, hurry up. And this... that cat doesn't have her own Poké Ball yet, right? I made a failed attempt yesterday... just going to be thrown away anyway..."
Ryu didn't listen to the rest. He looked down at the green and white ball in his hand, a perfectly crafted Friend Ball. It was a rare item, far from a failed attempt.
"Thank you, Uncle Kurt."
"Meow!"
"Hmph, go," Kurt snorted and turned back into the shrine.
"Sprigatito, hit it," Ryu said, holding out the Friend Ball. She tapped it with her paw and was pulled inside in a flash of red light. A moment later, she popped back out, confused.
"Haha, it's okay," he said, patting her head.
Inside the shrine, Kurt watched the two green figures walk away. He put his hands together. "May the God of the Forest bless them."
Soon, their path was blocked by a large mountain that separated Azalea Town from Violet City.
"Climbing is out of the question," Ryu said, looking at the map in his hand. "We'll take Union Cave."
The cave was an ancient tunnel connecting the north and south of the mountain. Its lower levels led to the Ruins of Alph, a place filled with the mysterious Pokémon known as Unown. He knew from the movies that when Unown gathered in large numbers, they could materialize thoughts and even create phantom legendary Pokémon.
"Let them just sleep soundly," he muttered, a chill running down his spine. He had no intention of waking them.
[Inorin Note:
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