The afternoon sun at 2:30 PM carried the gentle warmth that was so characteristic of May.
The path leading from the Ranch to Viridian Forest was a pale yellow dirt road, with foxtail grass growing along the roadside, their fluffy seed heads swaying in the breeze. Dappled sunspots danced across the grass, moving gently with the wind.
Several Caterpie were climbing slowly up a tree trunk, their antennae extending into the shade before spreading out wide, clearly enjoying the perfect temperature within the forest.
Crisp bird calls echoed from the distant woods, one chirp following another.
Occasionally, there was a soft rustling of wings through the branches and leaves, and the dancing sunspots would flicker twice between the gaps.
Jack walked along carrying his backpack.
Inside, he had packed four bottles of lemonade.
The remaining space was reserved for any herbs and ingredients they might collect.
"Everyone, look around and see if there's anything good to gather. Don't pick too much from any one spot—we need to leave some for the local Pokémon."
Jack handed out three small baskets to Meltan, Bulbasaur, and Sandshrew.
They would search only in the outer areas of Viridian Forest.
Venturing any deeper might lead them to encounter Pokémon that were far too powerful.
"Stay close to me. Don't wander too far!"
Jack was still worried about the threat of Pokémon thieves.
If they strayed too far and were captured by Pokémon hunters, it would spell serious trouble.
[Leppa Berry: Possesses sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and astringent flavors. An important ingredient for making jams, creams, Pokéblocks, Poffins, and other Pokémon foods.]
"We can take a few of these back."
Just as Jack reached out to pick a Leppa Berry, a Caterpie crawled up the branch and took a bite out of it.
"Caterpie?"
The common Bug-type Pokémon of the Kanto region.
Because of its extremely rapid development cycle, it was very popular among novice Trainers.
Jack moved to another Leppa Berry tree.
Although Caterpie evolved quickly, the Ranch temporarily couldn't accommodate a fourth Pokémon.
Besides, Caterpie didn't quite match Jack's personal preferences.
After harvesting more than fifty Leppa Berries, Jack returned to their meeting spot.
Meltan, Bulbasaur, and Sandshrew had all brought back various berries and herbs, each carrying different amounts.
"Melo—" (All the berries around here have been picked clean. Should we venture a bit deeper?)
"Going any deeper might mean encountering powerful wild Pokémon. If anyone gets injured, it wouldn't be worth the risk."
Compared to gathering ingredients, Jack cared far more about the safety of his Pokémon.
Besides the ordinary Caterpie, Viridian Forest also housed dangerous Beedrill swarms, and even predatory birds like Fearow.
Jack's current strength wasn't yet sufficient to venture deep into Viridian Forest.
The group continued their search in the areas closer to the forest's interior.
Meltan burrowed through thick piles of fallen leaves, its Metal Claw making soft rustling sounds as it pushed aside the decaying foliage.
Suddenly, it stopped, its small claw pressing firmly down on a mushroom with a bright red cap and white stem.
"Melo—" (Look, there's a mushroom here!)
"Is this one edible?" Jack squatted down, his fingertips lightly touching the mushroom's slippery cap.
[Fly Agaric: Poisonous. Ingesting even a small amount will cause severe gastrointestinal distress, though it is not typically fatal. If one's cooking skills are exceptionally advanced, it might produce unexpected effects.]
Sandshrew suddenly darted out from near Jack's feet.
Its nose sniffed the mushroom repeatedly, and its small head shook vigorously back and forth like a rattle.
It even deliberately tugged at Jack's pant leg, warning him not to touch the dangerous fungus.
"Melo—" (It's poisonous...)
"Let's look somewhere else, then."
Even with his ability to create special dishes, Jack wouldn't dare take that gamble.
What if a single drop of juice contaminated the pot and he accidentally poisoned himself?
He knew his own cooking limitations well enough.
The only "unexpected effect" would be both of them lying flat on their backs.
"There are wood ear mushrooms here."
Jack pointed toward a piece of decaying black deadwood.
The rotting log was covered with a layer of damp green moss.
Sandshrew immediately scurried over, its small claws digging rapidly.
It scooped up thick wood ear mushrooms and placed them into the small basket hanging around its neck. When it grew excited, it would even use its nose to push aside bothersome wood chips.
Bulbasaur, not wanting to be left out, extended its Vine Whip to help gather the wood ears.
"Bulbasaur!"
Bulbasaur suddenly jumped up with a startled cry.
A plump Caterpie was dangling from its Vine Whip.
"Did it scare you?" Jack gently moved the Caterpie a safe distance away.
"This should sell for a decent amount of money." Jack tested the weight of his now-heavy bag. The sweet fragrance of wild berries mingled with the earthy aroma of wood ear mushrooms, creating a pleasant scent.
"Melo—" (What kind of mushroom is this one?)
Meltan was carefully digging through a pile of rotting leaves when it uncovered a black and white mushroom growing beneath.
[Black Truffle: A premium gourmet ingredient. It can harmonize the flavors of different ingredients, making any dish more delicious. Using it in cooking will never waste its exceptional properties.]
"Such a large one, and nobody's picked it yet? How incredibly lucky."
Just as Jack reached down to harvest the black truffle, several chunks of ice came flying toward him.
"Zhi Zhi—" Sandshrew shattered the ice projectiles with a single swipe of its claw.
A Swinub burst out from the forest undergrowth.
Her body was covered with numerous scars, and there was still quite a bit of fresh blood visible on her fur.
[Species: Swinub]
Type: Ice/Ground
Ability: Thick Fat
Known Moves: Icy Wind, Ice Shard, Earthquake, Rock Tomb, Ice Fang, Bite...
Base Stats: 250 (HP: 50; Attack: 50; Defense: 40; Sp. Atk: 30; Sp. Def: 30; Speed: 50)
Current Mood: Angry
Physical Condition: Severely injured
Friendship: -30 (You're trying to steal the black truffle she has been guarding for so long)
"Swinub, we only want to harvest a small portion of the black truffle, not all of it." Jack tried to explain.
It had already seemed strange that such a large black truffle hadn't been discovered by anyone.
He hadn't expected that Swinub had been guarding it this entire time.
Meltan and Bulbasaur quickly positioned themselves in front of Jack, forming a protective barrier between him and the hostile Swinub.
Swinub glared at Jack with fierce intensity in her eyes.
However, her steps were clearly unsteady and faltering.
"Swinub?"
Swinub had barely managed to take a few steps forward before she finally collapsed onto the ground.
Jack rushed over and carefully picked up the injured Swinub.
She was far too severely wounded and needed to be taken to a Pokémon Center immediately.
Jack couldn't afford to worry about anything else. He cradled Swinub in his arms and ran toward the forest's edge.
"Meltan, Bulbasaur, Sandshrew—please clear the path ahead!"
Swinub had been severely injured for reasons unknown.
She required immediate medical treatment, or her life would be in serious danger.
Not far from the outskirts of Viridian Forest stood a Pokémon Center.
It specialized in providing treatment services for Trainers who were training in Viridian Forest, as well as for injured wild Pokémon.
Pokémon Center
"Nurse Joy, please help this Swinub!"
Jack arrived at the Pokémon Center, breathing heavily from his frantic run.
He had rushed so quickly that he hadn't even taken the time to remove his backpack.
"Of course. We'll take her in right away."
Nurse Joy's Chansey carefully pushed a small medical cart and wheeled Swinub into the emergency treatment room.
"This Swinub appears to have originated from the Johto region. After settling in Viridian Forest, she's injured quite a few Trainers who attempted to catch her. I still don't understand why she would travel all the way here from Johto."
Nurse Joy shared what she knew about Swinub with Jack.
"As far as I'm aware, this Swinub carries an Everstone with her, which allows her to remain hidden in the shadows without being easily discovered."
Jack had noticed Earthquake among Swinub's known moves.
Although he didn't know exactly when Swinub would have naturally evolved into Piloswine, the presence of the Everstone prevented that evolution.
Earthquake was a powerful Ground-type move with high base damage.
Jack understood something important now.
This Swinub had truly paid an enormous price to protect that black truffle.