Chapter 136: The Little Cat Defies Heaven?!
Ryu awoke two hours later to find Lapras resting her head on the shore, silently shedding tears.
"Lapras, why are you crying again?" he asked, gently stroking her large head.
"Mii? (Will I ever see my family again?)"
"Of course you can. They're definitely still looking for you."
"Miiwu? (Can you stay with me until they find me?)"
Ryu hesitated. He didn't want to stay in one place indefinitely. But seeing the big, sad tears in her eyes, he compromised. "How about this: Sprigatito and I will stay on this island for a while. It's a good opportunity for me to train, too." His mental estimate was no more than a month.
"Mii~" Lapras was extremely touched and vigorously pressed her large head against his belly in gratitude.
After getting the Gliscor leader's permission to stay, Ryu began to plan his upcoming training regimen. He would spar with the high-level Gligar to increase his own level and learn new moves like Fury Cutter and X-Scissor by observing them. As for Sprigatito, she just needed to increase her level and battle experience.
That evening, the unsuspecting Sprigatito was ambushed by three Gligar who had also just left their juvenile stage. She got angry. Three minutes later, she was lying on the ground, defeated.
Just when she thought she could rest, Ryu picked her up and began pointing out all her shortcomings in the battle.
"Meow," she huffed, turning her head away. A couple of pats on the butt later, she decided she could listen again.
The hellish training continued for days. On the morning Ryu made the seventh mark on a nearby tree, her body started to heat up.
"Meowth!" she cried, running to him.
"Don't be scared. You're about to evolve," he explained. "It means getting taller, bigger, and stronger."
"Meow!" Hearing this, Sprigatito immediately stood at attention, excited. She had long been waiting for the day she would become a big cat and could finally get back at Ryu for all his teasing.
"Meow meow meow~" she imagined the scene and let out a wicked laugh.
The surge of emotion promoted the growth of energy within her body, and a white light enveloped her. When it dispersed, a pale green, bipedal cat stood in her place.
A Floragato.
The first thing she did was hop in front of Ryu. Then she froze. She stared blankly at his belly, then slowly raised her head to look up at his face. Didn't he say she would grow taller and bigger?
"What are you doing?" he asked, looking down at the little cat who was clearly planning some mischief.
"...Meow," she said, turning away as if nothing happened.
"Were you trying to rebel just now? You want to defy the heavens?!" he said, pulling her over and giving her two playful slaps.
"Meow!"
[Inorin Note:
If you wish to support me so I can continue to survive and afford proper food, you can join my membership on Patreon [patreon.com/InorinTL]. Be sure to check out "The Founding Pillars"—a special, limited-time tier that offers all the benefits of "The Plot Uncoverer" at a discounted price! Slots are limited, so grab yours before they run out. Besides membership, you can also donate via Ko-Fi [https://ko-fi.com/inorintl].
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]