Having captured his first Pokémon, Ray Chu immediately began a rigorous training regimen.
"The first step in the Turtle School training method is building stamina! Without solid physical conditioning, how can you handle intense battles? But you're still young, so we'll skip the more demanding routines for now and start simple—with running."
No vehicles, just jogging along the main road toward the next city. This posed quite a challenge for Bulbasaur's stubby legs. Since its crawling was too slow, Ray Chu insisted it travel by leapfrogging instead.
Thus, passing travelers witnessed a bizarre spectacle: an ordinary-looking Pikachu and a Bulbasaur bounding tirelessly along the road, neither fast nor slow, but persistently heading forward.
Of course, some trainers attempted to capture these seemingly wild Pokémon, but every Poké Ball thrown was effortlessly smacked away by the Pikachu's tail. Those who tried battling ended up swiftly defeated in mere seconds.
Soon, a new legend spread among travelers on the road to Pewter City: "Beware the Demon Pikachu—every rookie trainer's nightmare and merciless destroyer of hopes!"
After three straight days of travel and intense training, Ray Chu and Bulbasaur finally arrived at the outskirts of the next town.
"Traveling from city to city like this might seem a bit cliché, but experiencing the local customs and atmosphere is quite pleasant," Ray Chu mused atop a large boulder, gazing toward the town ahead. Beside him lay an exhausted Bulbasaur, sprawled limply. Though Ray Chu had frequently restored its stamina with aura, keeping pace for so long was undeniably tough for the young Pokémon.
But perhaps inspired by Ray Chu effortlessly crushing opponents along their journey, Bulbasaur had grown determined to become stronger, diligently completing every training exercise without complaint.
In short, this Pokémon desperately desired strength.
"You've done well. Keep it up, but for now, rest inside your Poké Ball."
Bulbasaur nodded obediently and returned. Its "trainer" might be a bit strange, but his strength was undeniable, and the strange aura he used always left Bulbasaur feeling invigorated, as if its potential was steadily being unlocked.
"I should probably catch a healer-type Pokémon soon. It won't be feasible to rely on my aura for healing every teammate forever—it's better suited for battle, not recovery."
Ray Chu pondered as he strode confidently into the city, his upright posture attracting many curious glances.
This time, however, nobody casually tossed Poké Balls at him. Unlike the wilderness, towns rarely had wild Pokémon. Even solitary Pokémon in town usually belonged to trainers and were just out running errands.
Ray Chu observed several Pokémon along the streets—some shopping, some playing, but all accompanied by trainers. Only villainous groups like Team Rocket went around snatching others' Pokémon.
Pewter City was home to the famous Rock-type Gym, and naturally, Rock-type Pokémon dominated here. As Ray Chu walked along, he spotted trainers engaging in battles everywhere.
"Geodude, use [TACKLE]!"
"Graveler, [DEFENSE CURL]!"
The two boulders clashed together with an unpleasant grinding noise. To Ray Chu, Rock-types held no charm whatsoever.
"No interest in these rock Pokémon with terrible texture," Ray Chu muttered dismissively, leaping casually over the gathered crowd—until suddenly, his attention caught on a blue-and-white Farfetch'd assisting an elderly woman across the street.
"Farfetch'd…aren't they normally brown? A shiny Pokémon!"
Ray Chu's eyes sparkled as if he'd discovered a new continent, immediately following behind the old woman and her unusually colored companion.
Once the Farfetch'd escorted the elderly lady safely home, it waved goodbye with the leek stalk in its wing. Only then did it turn to Ray Chu, tilting its head and quacking inquisitively.
Ray Chu carefully observed this shiny Farfetch'd. Unlike the typical brown plumage, its feathers were a brilliant sapphire blue. Its chest and belly were pure white, while a golden tuft of feathers crowned its head. The markings above its brow resembled a regal crown, and among the three feathers atop its head, the center one stood prominently, swaying gently with its movements.
"Pikachu!" Ray Chu raised a paw, greeting it cheerfully.
Farfetch'd tilted its head curiously, then abruptly shifted its attention toward a nearby field. A Charmander was staggering along the roadside before suddenly collapsing into the grass.
Farfetch'd immediately rushed over to help. Ray Chu followed suit and quickly assessed the Charmander's condition. Its body was covered in injuries, and the flame on its tail flickered weakly—a clear sign of exhaustion and overtraining.
"This wasn't caused by battle—it's purely from excessive training and fatigue," Ray Chu determined at a glance. Such extreme training hinted at an absent-minded trainer, yet there was no trainer in sight.
Upon hearing Ray Chu's explanation, the shiny Farfetch'd's eyes flickered thoughtfully. It swiftly dashed away, returning shortly afterward with cooking utensils and ingredients. After igniting a small fire expertly, it began cooking right there on the spot.
Ray Chu watched in astonishment as Farfetch'd effortlessly added various ingredients, seasonings, and water, stirring skillfully with the leek stalk. Soon, a delicious and nourishing stew bubbled invitingly in the pot.
After feeding a portion to Charmander, the little lizard regained some strength, standing up with renewed energy. Gratefully nodding to Farfetch'd, it departed resolutely.
Once Charmander left, Farfetch'd sat gracefully, quacking politely toward Ray Chu.
"You're saying… as thanks for alerting you, you're inviting me to share the meal?"
Farfetch'd nodded courteously, magically producing two bowls and ladling stew for itself and Ray Chu, signaling with its wing that he could begin.
Ray Chu glanced up—the sky had indeed grown darker, signaling dinnertime. He released Bulbasaur from its Poké Ball. "You should join too, Bulbasaur."
Bulbasaur emerged joyfully, rubbing affectionately against Ray Chu. Farfetch'd, likely seeing a Pokémon owning another Pokémon for the first time, displayed curiosity in its eyes before bringing out a smaller bowl and serving Bulbasaur as well.
Moments later, the three Pokémon sat together, enjoying their meal. Ray Chu had no idea what special ingredients Farfetch'd used, but even from a human's perspective, the stew was unbelievably delicious. For Bulbasaur, who had only tasted typical Pokémon food, it was nothing short of extraordinary—so much so that it rapidly emptied its bowl, gulping eagerly until there wasn't a drop left.
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T/N: NOOOOOCHARMANDER CATCH THAT CHARMANDER CATCH CATCH CATCH CATCH CATHC CTAHC CHTACHTCHATHCAHTCHATHCHATCHAHTCAHTHAH CATCH ITTTT