If yesterday felt like being thrown into an ice cellar, then Aiden's mood now could only be described as spring blooming with flowers.
Putting aside the other things, At the very least, his safety in this strange new world wasn't as hopeless as before. He had a Pokémon at his side that something no amount of danger could take away.
"Alright… Cramorant, use Air Slash!" Aiden commanded.
"Gah?"
The shiny Cramorant cocked its head, wings pressing against the sides of its head in an awkward pose, reminding Aiden of Psyduck from the anime.
One second passed. Then two. Then three.
Instead of slicing through the air, the bird simply stared blankly, pecking aimlessly at the dirt with its beak.
"…" Aiden's lips twitched.
No way. Was it… ignoring him? Did his "Trainer Level" not meet some hidden requirement?
But the status panel clearly showed Friendship: 100. That meant it should obey.
He crouched down, pointed at himself, and asked gently, "Do you know me?"
Cramorant blinked, then went back to tidying its feathers with its beak.
Aiden cautiously reached out. The bird didn't resist, so he carefully lifted it in his arms.
"Gah?"
"Can you understand me?"
No response. Just that same vacant look.
Aiden frowned. Two possibilities came to mind:
1. It couldn't understand human speech.
2. It could hear him, but simply didn't recognize his words.
But weren't Pokémon supposed to instinctively understand humans? At least in the anime…
To test, Aiden picked up a stone and tossed it into the river.
Plop!
Instantly, Cramorant snapped its head toward the ripples.
So,it could hear. It just didn't comprehend commands.
"Great. Just great…" Aiden muttered. That meant he had to actually train it properly, not rely on anime logic.
He returned the shiny bird into its Master Ball and pushed forward, sticking close to the river. Civilizations always grew near water; if he wanted to escape this forest, following the current was his best chance.
This time, he moved cautiously, remembering the Beedrill swarm.
Still, wild Pokémon noticed him. Ekans slithering in the grass, Wurmple clinging to tree bark, Lotad bobbing on the surface of the river, even a Whismur peeking curiously from the bushes.
None attacked. They only watched.
Aiden's chest tightened. This—this was beautiful ,the living Pokémon ecosystem. Something no game or anime episode could truly capture. His hands itched to touch them, but his brain screamed, Don't be stupid it's bad idea.
After a while, the burning pain at his waist grew worse.The purple spreading around the Beedrill sting was proof enough that the poison was worsening.
"I really need an Antidote berry… a Pecha Berry. If I don't find a Pecha Berry, I'm done for," he muttered.
His stomach growled. Noon heat weighed down like a blanket. Storm weather, he thought grimly.
From the Pokémon he'd seen Ekans, Lotad, Minccino it was clear this world wasn't bound by region. Pokémon from different generations coexisted freely.
His stomach growled again,Aiden was hungry and thirsty because of not having eaten or drunk water in the morning till the noon.
That's when his sharp eyes caught it: a greedent hopping between branches, clutching a pink fruit.
The greedent has the similar habits to the real squirrel. They both have the habits of storing food for the winter in advance.
So maybe he could find berries by following it and if he was a little lucky ,then he might find pecha berrie.
After hesitating for two seconds,Aiden made a swift decision to follow it .
"Please… let it be Pecha…" Aiden whispered.
He trailed the squirrel-like Pokémon as it dropped its stash into a big hollow tree.
The moment greedent left, Aiden darted forward, reaching into the hole while silently saying sorry in his mind and His fingers closed around something smooth as he pulled it out, then text flashed in his mind.
[Oran Berry: Restores a small amount of HP of Pokemon.]
"Damn it ,Not what I need" He pocketed it, reached in again.
"Chiiiiiik!!"
A furious screech rang out from tree trunk above.
Aiden froze, eyes snapping up to meet the returning greedent's glare.
"..."
"..."
"…awkward," he muttered.
Busted.
It was unbelievable that a grown man with hands and feet would be reduced to stealing from squirrel like Pokemon. This was the first time aiden had done such a thing in thirty years and subconsciously yanked his hand out, raising his empty right hand. "See? Nothing!"
But Pokemon's were smarter than animal and greedent's sharp eyes darted to his other hand gripping the Oran Berry while pointing his arm in accusing.
"…."
The tiny Pokémon launched itself at him from above knocking him down with its fists hammering his forehead.
"Ow ow ow! Stop, stop! I'll give it back!,it was my fault!" Aiden yelped, handing over the berry.
Greedent snatched it, glaring but then froze. Its nose twitched, and its gaze shifted to Aiden's waist. Poison. Blood.
Aiden lifted his shirt, showing the wound. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to steal. But I'm poisoned… If I don't find a cure, I won't last long."
Could it understand?
Greedent hesitated. Then, with a squeak, it darted into its tree, rummaged, and returned clutching a soft pink berry.
[Pecha Berry: Cures poison.]
It pushed the berry into Aiden's hands.
"…for me?" he asked, stunned.
The greedent nodded firmly.
Only then did Aiden notice a tiny pink ribbon tied neatly around its leg. A bow something only a human hand could make.
This greedent had once been cared for by people. That explained its kindness.
Gratitude welled up in Aiden's chest. For the first time since waking in this world, he didn't feel entirely alone.
....