In another area, Alice, Vulpix and Fel had decided to stop for a bit for lunch as Alice was cooking up the meat from the Cockatrice and she used Pinap Berry on their lunch to give it more flavor. Alice was cooking up another serving for Fel while Vulpix had finished her second helping.
{Grilled Cockatrice with Lemon Butter, Soy Sauce and Pinap Berry bits}
"I never would have imagined cooking a Cockatrice could make it so delicious." Fel said as he finished his first serving as Alice came to him with the next one.
"The trick is to fry it skin side down until the skin gets super crispy." Alice explained as she put three pieces of Cockatrice on his plate along with the lemon and Pinap Berry pieces.
"And drizzling a bit of soy sauce into the lemon butter along with the bits of the Pinap Berry takes it to a whole another level." She poured the sauce of it as Fel ate it once more, enjoying the Pinap Berry bits and the lemon butter which made the meal a lot more delicious.
"This is lighter in flavor than the Rockbird, but quite good all the same." He said as Vulpix finished her serving and went to sit down by Alice's feet who sat down on a log and started to eat a sandwich.
"I guess it's kind of like the difference between a chicken and a duck." She said. She had read in the book about the city Tokyo came from and she discovered how different livestock there have different textures in flavors.
"Both of them are delicious in their own way." She took another bite of the sandwich as Fel finished his lunch.
"Methinks I should hunt another Rockbird." Fel told her as she gave him a look. He hunted more than a Rockbird and they have a lot of monsters that need butchering once they reach another guild.
A thought crossed Alice's mind just now. How does Fel hunt the monsters he caught last night? She can tell some have wounds from physical attacks but some looked really banged up without physical wounds.
"Fel, I was wondering something right now that it crossed my mind." Alice said after swallowing the food in her mouth.
"Do you use magic when you're hunting monsters?" She asked him curiously and Fel's ears perked up at that. What a silly question she's asking, of course he does.
"Hmm... I typically use my claws and teeth." He started after licking his paw after they had finished lunch.
"But magic can be an efficient method of dealing with many small foes at once." Fel explained as he groomed his fur which Alice noted was feline-like of him.
"I see." She hummed, nodding slowly. So Fel uses his claws and teeth when hunting, especially magic when necessary.
"I'm most adept in the use of wind magic, of course, having received the blessing of the goddess Ninrir." He explained and he demonstrated a small wind magic with his paw as a small gust of wind came from it and he felt his heart soar when he saw how her amethyst eyes lit up even the young fox kit looked in awe.
"Wow, actual magic!" Alice said in awe though she glance at Vulpix.
"The difference between magic and Pokémon typing are so interesting." She admitted as he looked curious.
"How so?" Fel asked.
"Well, you've already met my team but they're not just companions, they're very powerful when trained. Vulpix here with us right now is a variant of the Vulpix species. There's two different types of Vulpix which are fire and ice and Vulpix here is an ice type." She explained helpfully and he looked intrigued.
"Ice, you say?" He said as he looked at Vulpix who let out a small howl, fluffy tails wagging slightly.
"Yup. Like this. Vulpix, use Powder Snow." Alice told Vulpix who obeyed and inhaled before letting out a sudden gust of wind with snow mixed into it which made Fel's fur stand up with how cold it had gotten before it stopped and a small pile of snow appeared by his feet.
"Amazing. I never knew such a small creature could be so powerful." Fel said, surprised and amazed but he secretly used appraisal on Vulpix and had to double take. Vulpix was level 20 and has skills or attacks consisting of Powder Snow, Ice Shard, Protect, Ice Beam and Dazzling Gleam. The little kit is much more powerful than he thought.
"I know but back to the subject. Actual magic. That's a first for me." Alice said in awe, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
"The barrier I placed on you was magic too." He explained and Alice hummed. She did sense that his barrier was magic yet she only sensed warmth and safety whenever he placed it on her.
"Oh, it didn't feel very magic-y, I guess. But...it felt warm and safe when you placed it on me." She admitted which satisfied Fel. He was glad that his barrier made her feel safe and warm at the same time.
"Hey, do you think I might be able to use magic?" Alice asked him hopefully and he looked confused. He had used appraisal on her when they first met, of course she has magic.
"Perhaps if you possess magic power." He hinted as he was laying down for a nap.
Alice remembered that she can open her status and she opened it to see.
[Name] Alice Greenflower
[Age] 17
[Job] Accidental Otherworlder, Pokémon Researcher
[Level] 1
[Strength] 100
[Magic] 100
[Defense] 80
[Attack] 78
[Agility] 75
[Skill] Appraise, Item Box
[Familiars] Fenrir
[Unique Skill] Online Grocery
"Let's see magic." She muttered before she saw that she does have magic power and it's only 100. Her level is pretty low so it doesn't mean she's entirely strong enough.
"What do you know? Looks like I actually do have some though it's only 100." She said as she closed her status box before holding her chin, thinking.
"But how do I use it, though? I've never known what it's like to use magic." She muttered in wonder but Fel heard her muttering even in his sleep.
"It's simple. To use magic, you merely think about it." He said as if it was easy, opening an eye to look at her but she gave him a confused look.
He soon stood up and stood tall as Alice stared up at him.
"I told you. If you wish to use wind magic, think about using wind magic. Likewise, if you prefer to use fire magic, think about that instead." Fel explained as Alice tried to process.
'Fel's an expert and probably been more used to using magic when he was young from the start, so it's much easier for him. But I'm not equipped for magic usage yet other than aura and I'm a complete novice here!' Alice thought in shock. She wasn't equipped to the method of magic except for aura since Lucario was training her to use aura.
'I have to think about it, huh? Easier said than done. Pokémon learn moves that they learn unexpectedly. But... maybe I should try creating a mental image first?' She stood up as she walked to a large boulder, eyes shut, determined.
'Fire magic is one of the elemental magics here. Similar to fire, water and grass types being the starter Pokémon when starting a journey. Fire magic... A ball of fire. Got it!' She snapped her eyes open, her body suddenly surrounded by a blue aura which Fel noticed immediately. That felt so much different than magic. It felt personal yet it's like a river, calm before becoming a raging current!
"Fire ball!" Alice outstretched her hand as the aura disappeared but nothing happened when she shouted.
"Was something supposed to happen?" Fel asked her, deciding not to ask her about that blue aura surrounding her earlier as Vulpix was confused as she was sitting beside Fel.
"This is so hard..." Alice said in dismay and slight embarrassment. Fel watched her carefully and knew he had to teach her a bit.
"To use magic, you must first let it flow through your body." He told her as she looked at him in confusion but curiosity was in her eyes.
"What's that mean?" She asked him as he stood up as he walked to her.
"It is difficult to explain in words. I shall move the magic within my own body. Touch me and you'll feel it." He told her and Alice looked at him before putting her hands on his body, concentrating as she closed her eyes.
She can feel something flowing through his body. It felt like a river flowing calmly. It was also warm. She didn't notice that her aura appeared and Fel's magic reacted to it, intertwining without them noticing. Vulpix felt a shift in the air as she stared at Fel and Alice with wide eyes. Something had changed between them. She doesn't know why but she can sense something happened.
"Wow, it's so warm and it flows like a river." She marvelled.
"Understand?" Fel asked as she opened her eyes, looking at him before looking at her hands.
"Yeah, kind of." Alice said before looking back at Fel.
"Well then, all that's left now is to practice." He said and Alice nodded.
"Alright, let's go." She smiled as Vulpix jumped onto her shoulders with a yip.
They cleaned up before Alice took out an empty can of the meat sauce from the spaghetti and set it on the rock as she stood at a distance as Vulpix and Fel stayed a bit back to watch her.
'I can do this. I know it!' Alice thought as she inhaled, letting the magic flow through her body. She didn't notice but her aura reacted instantly to the flow of magic.
"Fireball!" She summoned a small ball of fire with her hand and it had a strange blue aura around the core before she threw it at the empty can like she was throwing a poke ball.
It went flying to the empty can before losing momentum and fell down on the rock, hitting it instead with a small hiss.
"Damn it... This is going to take a while." Alice sighed, knowing she needs to train and practice a lot.
"Yes, very much so." Fel agreed with Vulpix howling softly.
"Hey." She said but knew that Fel was right to agree.
"Still, your lack of growth is to be expected given the mediocrity of your training." He said as he thought of a way on how to help her level up.
"Right. What you need is battle experience." He said, looking at her, a glint in his eyes and Alice didn't know why but she has a bad feeling the way he was looking at her. Battle experience?
"You mean, you want me to fight actual monsters?" Alice questioned him, dreading the outcome.
She has never fought monsters before. Don't get her wrong, she would train to master her skills but she has never and had no experience when it comes to monster fighting. She had experience training her Pokémon in battles but she doesn't know what will happen if she goes against monsters.
"I've never so much as held a sword before, you know." She told him as she went to the empty can to put it away.
"I-I don't know if I can do it." She said as but Fel didn't miss how her hands trembled.
He had noticed when her hands trembled when she asked that he wants her to fight monsters and that she has never touched a weapon or held a sword before and it spoke volumes that she must've gone through something.
"Look, I appreciate the advice but there's no way, Fel." Alice said as she turned to him before putting the empty can in her item box as Vulpix walked up to her, nuzzling her leg, sensing that her trainer was in distress.
"You won't know that until you try." Fel insisted but Alice wasn't sure. She had given up on Pokémon battles after what she went through and became champion twice before giving the titles to those worthy of it.
"But what if they attack me?" She questioned.
"A few minor injuries aren't going to kill you." He reassured her, plus he still left his barrier protecting her and if monsters dare try to attack what was his, they'll meet a gruesome end.
"Maybe not enough to kill me but they'll hurt." She muttered.
Fel has had enough. He doesn't want to do this but she left him no choice.
"Enough!" He shouted before he grabbed the scruff of her clothes from behind as she yelped in shock and disbelief as she was thrown onto his back. Vulpix yipped in shock when Fel grabbed her by the scruff with his teeth.
"We need to leave at once!" Fel told her though a bit muffled since he was holding Vulpix by the scruff and started to carry them somewhere.
"Fel, wait! Wait, hold on, Fel!" Alice yelled at the suddenness as she had to hold on tightly with how fast he was going.
"Fel, I'm serious! I'm not ready to do this!" She exclaimed as they disappeared in the distance. At least they didn't leave any of their belongings behind as she had put them in her item box.
Hiding in the bushes, Alice, Vulpix and Fel were observing some goblins as they were unnoticed for now.
"Those goblins will make perfect targets. Try fireball." Fel said quietly but Alice was still unsure. Was she even ready to fight?
The area they found seemed to be a goblin settlement and there were a lot of goblins in the area.
"Fel, there's no way this is going to work." She whispered hesitantly.
"Go on, quickly." Fel insisted, nudging her back slightly to start her training.
"There are entirely too many of them over there!" She whispered and Fel could understand where she was going but she must understand that she needs to train to become stronger.
"Pititful. If you're too cowardly to act, then I shall." He said and the words pitiful and cowardly pierced something in her. Oh, she'll show him pitiful and cowardly. Vulpix yipped, a bit angry at Fel for calling Alice pitiful and cowardly.
Fel stood up before letting a loud howl, giving away their position as Alice tensed, looking at the goblin settlement and a chill went down her spine. They're spotted. Alice immediately ran with Vulpix on her shoulder as Fel was running on a slope.
"Crap! They're after us!" Alice shouted as Fel caught up with her.
"Now you have no choice but to take them on. Whatever happens, keep casting the spell! I shall go hunt some higher level goblins in the meantime." He told her before disappearing in the forest, his heart clenching when he heard her shouting for him but he had to do this and he had already casted a barrier spell on her and Vulpix, they should be safe until he returns.
"Fel, damn it! Don't just leave us!" Alice shouted after him.
"You're gonna regret it later!" She shouted, avoiding the weapons that the goblins were throwing at her and Vulpix.
An axe went flying and stopping in front of them and she gritted her teeth. If it's a battle Fel wants her to do in order to train, then so be it.
"Fine! Fireball!" Alice shouted, making the same fireball from earlier and throwing it at the goblins who were surprised as she casted another fireball at them, hitting a few goblins in the process.
"It's working! If I keep attacking from a distance, it's-" Alice's foot caught on the axe and fell to the ground and the goblins were advancing quickly. She struggled to get up as Vulpix growled at the goblins. She mustn't leave her trainer behind!
A goblin jumped, about to swing its sword on Alice and Vulpix. Alice, reacting on instinct, held Vulpix in her arms, using her body as a shield. She doesn't care if she gets hurt severely, all that matters is she protects her Pokemon. She won't let anything happen to them!
'I'll protect my Pokémon even if I'm going to die doing so!' She shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the blow and pain but nothing.
The blade made contact with the barrier Fel had placed on her and she opened her eyes, her breath shaky. Fel... Despite him getting in this situation, kept his barrier on her as protection.
"The barrier... Fel's barrier spell kicked in?! Thank Arceus... We'll be okay now..." She told Vulpix but goblins surrounded, trying to break the barrier to get to them.
"Maybe not." She muttered in annoyance before she realized something. If the barrier spell is keeping her and Vulpix safe then...
'This is our chance. I just need to keep casting!' She thought, a flame igniting within her as she turned to Vulpix who saw the look in her eyes as Alice stood up.
"Vulpix, let's deal with these guys." Alice said as she summoned another fireball and threw it at the goblins with Vulpix launching ice shards at them.
The two attacked the goblins with Alice's attacks growing stronger with each cast. They ran ahead and Alice doesn't know how long she can keep doing this as she was breathing heavily as Vulpix unleashed a powder snow at the goblins.
"Vulpix, get behind me." She told her as she was feeling exhausted but she has to do this. The snow kit understood and hid behind Alice's legs.
"This is it. FIREBALL!" Alice summoned the very last of her energy, the fireball once small had grown immensely but instead of the color of fire, it was blue and covered in a powerful aura as she threw at the goblins and it hit upon impact which caused an impressive explosion.
"There... F-Finally... That's what I was waiting for..." Alice breathed heavily before collapsing from exhaustion and the loss of using too much magic.
Alice's vision was blacking out and there were still goblins that she needed to take care of but she was out of magic and her body feels heavy.
'Vulpix... she needs to run... I need to protect her but... I'm completely spent... And there are still goblins left...' She thought hazily, her eyes struggling to stay open.
A familiar red paw appeared in her vision and Fel's voice echoing in her ears as she look up tiredly.
"It seems you can do it if you try." He said though his voice was muddled and echoing.
'Fel... your turn... Take them out...' Alice finally passed out as the last thing she saw and heard was Vulpix yipping worriedly along with the goblins backing away from Fel before blacking out.
A few minutes earlier...
Fel had just hunted down a goblin king and he could sense a magic stone in it. Yes, he can present this to her so she can get it butchered to get the magic stone. He has heard that it can be exchanged for money. He looked up suddenly. Something was wrong. He can sense that Alice's magic was depleting fast and he felt his whole body getting doused in cold water.
He ran back to where he had left her to fight against the goblins and what he saw stunned him as soon as he reached them. He watched as Alice launched a much more impressive fireball at the goblins but the color was blue. It caused an explosion which took out some of the goblins but his inner beast growled when he sensed that she was completely out of magic and collapsed from exhaustion.
He finally stepped in, landing above her. A protective stance as Vulpix yipped worriedly at Alice who had passed out completely. His mate was exhausted and defenseless. He won't let anyone come near her.
"Vulpix, stay with Alice until I can deal with these pests." He told her, voice cold and sharp and Vulpix stared up at him and nodded as he chased down the goblins who ran away as soon as they saw him, tearing them to shred until they were dealt with. No one will harm Alice while he's still breathing.
He came back to where Vulpix and Alice were and his eyes softened as Vulpix was standing vigilantly beside Alice, ears lowered as she whined and whimpered trying to wake her trainer up.
"Do not worry, young kit. She will awaken soon. She just needs to rest." Fel told her as the snow kit looked at him, whining but nodded.
Fel picked Alice up by her shirt once more, placing her on his back. He paused as he checked her breathing. She was breathing softly and peacefully despite being exhausted as he took her and Vulpix to where he had left the body of the goblin king. He stayed vigilant as he lay down on the ground, letting Alice rest up against his side. She stirred but didn't awaken as she seemed to huddled against his fur. Vulpix lay between his front forelegs, falling asleep in the process. He watched over them sleep before looking elsewhere. His body relaxed to the sound of Alice's breathing. He's gonna make it up to her and show that he was sorry for leaving her and Vulpix alone to deal with the goblins.
It was around night time when Alice showed signs of awakening as she blinked in confusion, groaning softly. It was night time already? Suddenly, the events of earlier came crashing down on her as she shouted, bolting up right.
"Goblins!" She yelled before realizing that she was leaning against something massive, warm and furry along with the familiar scent of rain and grass and the feeling of Vulpix sleeping by her leg.
"You're finally awake." Fel said though his tone was gentle as she looked at him, shaken but okay as he looked at her.
"Well then, your first battle. How was the experience?" He asked and Alice would have answered him if it weren't for what she was seeing. The moon shining down on them from the sky and his fur having an almost magical and mystical look that stole her breath away and the way he was looking at her, his eyes not holding smugness or arrogance but inquiring how the battle went but genuine concern deep within his emerald eyes and it made her heart skip a beat.
"I-It was absolutely unequivocally terrible and terrifying!" She admitted though she ended up shouting and waking Vulpix in the process, looking away. Her heart was racing from what she saw. What was that feeling?
Feeling tears pickle her eyes which she wiped away quickly. The experience was completely terrifying and it's gonna take a while for her to recover from the experience.
"It's gonna take a while for me to recover from that experience..." She said as she sniffed. Vulpix whined softly, pawing her leg worriedly.
Fel's ears pressed back against his head, realizing how the experience might have scared her.
"I... I apologize if the experience might have terrified you." He said softly as he nudged her head up slightly with his snout as she wiped a bit of her tears away as she looked at him, sniffing.
"But come now. If it makes you feel better, that last fireball of yours was quite impressive actually." He told her, hoping it would cheer her up.
"W-What?" She asked softly, calming down slightly.
"And now you're able to use magic, thanks to my expert guidance." He said, looking pleased as she felt better but she was still shaken from earlier.
"At least someone's pleased with himself." She said, not feeling sad anymore but a bit annoyed.
"Wouldn't make a lot more sense to start a beginner off with one or two monsters at a time." She reasoned with him and Fel hum. He can see her point. Maybe he should have let go against one monster next time but he can't promise that but he's considering it.
"But you threw an entire goblin settlement on me without any warning! Give me a heads up next time, will you?!" She exclaimed as Fel turned to her.
"You've only yourself to blame for struggling so mightily with such a low-level spell." He told her, tone firm but his ears perked up as he checked her status using appraisal and was surprised. Looks like the fight wasn't so useless after all.
"And yet..." He brought his face closer, his snout a bit away from her face as she and Vulpix stared at him in confusion.
"Yes, it seems you've leveled up." He said as she was surprised. Did she really?
"Really?" She opened up her status and her heart leaped. She had indeed leveled up from the battle.
[Name] Alice Greenflower
[Age] 17
[Job] Accidental Otherworlder, Pokémon Researcher
[Level] 6
[Strength] 120
[Magic] 120
[Defense] 84
[Attack] 86
[Agility] 84
[Skill] Appraise, Item Box, Fire Magic
[Familiars] Fel the Fenrir
[Unique Skill] Online Grocery
"Awesome! My stats went up and I gained the fire magic skill." She said in delight as Vulpix was happy for Alice as she jumped in her arms, licking her cheek which caused Alice to laugh in delight as Fel stood up to grab something.
"Here's a gift to celebrate." He said as Alice turned around and tensed slightly as he dropped the body of the goblin king he took care of earlier.
"That's a huge goblin." She said tensely but relaxed, knowing it's not alive but she backed away slightly from it as Vulpix growled slightly at it.
"Normally, I wouldn't bother bringing back a goblin, as they are inedible. But this one was worth it." He said as Alice was confused by what he meant.
"How can hunting this one...worth it?" She asked him in confusion
"A goblin king with a magic stone." He explained his reason and Alice figured that's probably why.
"Ah, magic stones. I almost forgot about them." She said, petting Vulpix's head to calm her down.
"At my level, it's easy to determine whether or not a creature has a magic stone." He explained as he flicked his paw.
"That's impressive." She admitted. Despite what happened, him managing to tell if a monster has a magic stone was impressive.
"Magic stones can be sold, can they not?" He asked and Alice remembered telling her one time that she can sell the magic stones for money.
"That's what I was told by Arthur, yeah." She said but she could feel that he wanted something as he kept glancing at her.
"Then have I not earned an Otherworldly feast as a reward for bringing it to you?" He asked, tone expectant and his ears twitching which she found cute but she saw what he was doing. He expected a feast as a reward?
"Like, say, wagyu steak, for instance. Yes, like wagyu steak, for instance." He said excitedly, salivating at the idea of eating that delicious meat from before but that was the last straw. After the amount of monsters he hunted, she told herself that wagyu steak is off the menu!
"Fel, we still have a lot of meat to use up, so there won't be any treats like that or wagyu for a while, so you better forget about it!" She exclaimed, scolding him firmly and sternly which made him back down, not expecting such a reaction coming from her as Vulpix yipped, agreeing with Alice.
"No wagyu steak!" She exclaimed, putting her foot down. Fel relented. They do still have a lot of meat, so it's probably best not to ask about it for now as to not risk her ire like today.
"I'll table the thought for now." He relented but he was hungry.
"I am hungry, however." Fel said as Vulpix was on the same boat.
"Pix." Vulpix yipped sadly as Alice sighed. She was out like a light for the entire day so they must've gotten hungry while she was unconscious.
"Yeah, I gotcha. Honestly. Why did I give you a taste of luxury?" She questioned as she moved to stand up. Was she spoiling Fel with the meals from both worlds? But when she stood up, the world tilted and she would have fallen over if it wasn't for Fel catching her immediately with his leg.
"What the..." Alice rasped as she held onto his leg, his eyes concerned as Vulpix whined and looked at her.
"Why did you wobble?" He asked her but his tone was concerned.
"I... I don't know why I'm so exhausted..." She said tiredly, her body still felt exhausted.
'Is it because I used so much magic?' She thought in exhaustion. That must be the reason why.
"There's no way I can cook tonight." She said as she regained her balance, opening the online grocery.
"Only one thing to do." She purchased food that has lots of sugar from her world and the other before purchasing them.
A box of the food appeared and she opened the packets, putting a large amount for Fel and a portion that Vulpix can finish and set their plates full of sweets and pastries in front of them. A mixture of sweets from her world and the other.
"Hope you've got a taste for sweets, Fel." She said as Fel's eyes widened as he saw the pile of sweets on his plate. They look so tantalizing but there was one problem.
He took a sniff. They smelled good but there was no meat. Vulpix already started to eat the sweets immediately, enjoying the sweet dinner.
"Oh, what a peculiar smell. Is this not meat? I like meat." Fel said as Alice was opening a packet of bread from her world. An oran and pecha sweet bread.
"Come on now, Fel. You're not gonna make me cook when I'm this exhausted now, would you, huh?" She asked him and Fel lowered his ears. She doesn't look like she can even cook right now. He might as well make do with what was served.
"Oran and Pecha bread with cultured sugar?" She soon took a bite and she felt like crying. The taste of the sugar was a welcome relief and the sweetness of the pecha berry was a soothing flavor and the oran berry in it helped her regain her energy.
"I can feel my body absorbing the sugar..." She said in relief and content as she continued to eat.
Fel observed her and Vulpix, clearly enjoying the temporary meal as he sniffed the sweets again. One bite couldn't hurt. He took a bite on one of the sweets. It's different from the meat but it's delicious and sweet.
"Not bad for what it is." He admitted as he took another sweet, popping it in his mouth.
"I wasn't expecting the sweetly boiled bean filling but the flavor is rather good." Fel chewed, savoring the bread before swallowing, licking his chomps.
"There seems to be milk in this one, and it's quite thick." He commented before eating another one.
"Mmm, this one's richly sweet with a hint of bitterness behind it. Yes, they are all delectable." Fel said as Alice and Vulpix had paused on eating, watching him in disbelief as he finished his plate of sweets.
He picked up his plate in his mouth, showing it to her but really, he wanted more of those delicacies.
"More!" He said and Alice had to stop herself from laughing. Fel holding the plate in his mouth, demanding more of the sweets and the wagging tail didn't escape her as she thought that he looked so cute like that.
"So, I guess this means you're okay with sweets for tonight, fluffball?" She asked him before putting a second helping of sweets on his plate.
"Be careful though. Eat too many sweets and you'll become diabetic or get cavities. Then you won't be able to eat meat. I have to give my Pokémon special tooth brushes to keep their teeth healthy." She told him, her tone worried for his well-being which he appreciated but she doesn't need to worry.
"I cannot possibly succumb to illness." He said confidently but Alice doubted that.
"You sound pretty confident, fluffball." Alice noted as she finished.
"Tis not confidence, but merely the plain truth." Fel said as he looked at her as Vulpix sat next to Alice after she finished giving Fel a second serving.
"I hope you'll forgive me for repeating myself, but I've received the blessing of Ninrir, Goddess of Wind." He explained as she stared at him in wonder. A goddess gave Fel a blessing? How does that work?
"Blessing?" She asked curiously as he nodded before explaining.
"A blessing imbues one with immunity to all poisons and sicknesses, and protects against status ailments as well." He explained and Alice was amazed.
"Oh yeah?" She breathed in awe before she realized it. If Fel was blessed by the Goddess of Wind and he told her that he received the blessing from the same goddess...
"And that's the reason why you're so good at wind magic too, isn't it?" She said in realization as Fel nodded, impressed that she realized it quickly. If she was being honest, it felt like a cheat to her but if it means he didn't get sick all the time then she can relax a bit but she's still worried about his health.
"I was, of course, born with much innate talent. However, upon receiving the blessing of Ninrir, I have become stronger still." He explained before he grew a bit confident and smug.
"Now mind you, I should mention that to receive the blessing of a goddess is no easy feat." He said confidently and Alice and Vulpix stared at him.
"Of course it's not." She said. If she was being honest, she was gifted by one of the legendary Pokemon, Ho-Oh, the rainbow wing which would bring her happiness.
"If I'm being honest, Fel, it sounds like a total cheat just like those three other heroes who were completely overpowered in stats before we even met." She chided, ranting a bit on her frustration.
"You'd be insanely overpowered even without a goddess' blessing if you worked so hard to reach the level you are now even with the blessing." She said truthfully before sighing.
"I might sound selfish but I might need something like that." She said softly as they began to eat their sweet flavored dinner.
'Arceus, Goddess, whoever. If you can somehow hear me, please see fit to bestow a blessing upon me one day.' She thought as she took a bite of the second bread, unaware they were being watched.
In the Divine Realm by a viewing pool and sitting on the bricked frame. Sitting on as a hand dragged on the pool with lily pads was a deity. She has been observing the events down below and a particular pair has caught her attention. She smiled mysteriously, needing to observe them more.
The following day, Alice had let Eevee out after recalling Vulpix back into her poke ball, they had spotted a town to make a stop but the sight of Fel had caused a panic on the travellers entering through the gate as a shrill scream came from a woman.
"Look out, everyone! It's a wolf monster" The woman screamed, pointing at Fel fearfully and Alice was getting annoyed at how people are treating Fel as if he was a dangerous beast.
Then as if the day couldn't get worse, guards were alerted to the commotion at the entrance to apprehend the problem.
"Stop right there!" One of the guards ordered as their spears were pointed at Alice and Fel. Fel was angered, his shackles rising slightly as he bared his teeth, growling, when the guards drew their spears at them as he felt a protective surge to course through him for Alice's safety as Eevee squeaked in fear.
"Don't worry, it's fine! No need to panic." Alice reasoned with them, raising her hands in a peaceful gesture.
"See, this is actually my familars." She calmly explained though a bit unnerved with the weapons pointed at her, Fel and Eevee but Fel's growling just intensified, feeling threatened which was not helping as she gave him a pleading look to stop.
"Your familiar?" One of the guards questioned her skeptically.
"Wait, here, hold on. Here's my guild card." Alice rummaged through her bag before pulling out her bronze guild card to show her registry from the adventurer's guild.
The one who spoke, probably the captain chief, took the guild card and read the info on it. It seems legit and real.
"So it is a familiar." He said as Alice watched anxiously as the guy glanced at Fel who was giving what Alice would call a death stare.
"Is that thing a great wolf?" He asked which annoyed Fel. Why do people keep mistaking him for a Great Wolf?
"Can't believe a brand new G-rank Adventurer managed to make an A-rank beast her familiar." The guard chief said but both Alice and Fel could tell this guy was skeptical and believing Fel is a Fenrir.
"Listen." Fel has had enough and would have corrected the human if it wasn't for Alice stopping him as Eevee jumped on his head.
"Yup, pretty lucky, wasn't I?" Alice said, lying through her teeth as she smiled anxiously. She might as well keep up the act that people mistake Fel for a great wolf.
'Things will be easier if I let them get the wrong idea. We'll just go with that, and-' She thought before Fel decided to surprise her with an ability that came with their familiar contract.
'(I am surely no great wolf.)' Fel's voice suddenly rang in her head and she whirled around to look at him, recognizing what that meant. Even Eevee recognized what he just did. Telepathy.
Her sudden movement caused a major confusion with the guard chief as he looked at her strangely.
"What?" He looked at her as she just shook her hand reassuringly. Fel better be thankful that she's used to legendary Pokémon using telepathy whenever she encounters one on her journey.
"Oh, it's nothing at all, sir." Alice reassured him as he eyed her suspiciously but returned back to what he was doing as he wrote something on a paper to ensure to report it back to the noble in town.
"Anyway, panic at the sight of a great wolf in town is natural. Please be more careful from now on." He told Alice, handing her guild card back to her and she accepted it back, putting it back in her bag.
"Of course, no problem. I sure will." She reassured him, just grateful that an escalation didn't occur as Fel talked to her telepathically as he cleared his throat.
'(As I said, I am no great wolf.)' Fel repeated himself telepathically and she gave him the side eye.
'(Of course, I know that, you giant fluffball.)' She told him, revealing that she can understand him and wasn't spooked when he spoke telepathically as he glanced at her in surprise.
'(I am surprised to see that you are not reacting strongly when I speak telepathically. But it is one benefit of the familiar contract between us is that we can communicate without having to speak.)' He told her with a small smile as she snorted, crossing her arms.
'(If I'm not so used to having certain Legendary Pokémon speaking telepathically when we first met, I would have reacted with shock, but why didn't you tell me before about the benefits?)' She asked him as he raised his head proudly.
'(It didn't seem to be necessary at the time.)' He said simply as she rolled her eyes at Fel.
'(Were you trying not to be impolite then?)' Alice asked him playfully though a small smile crossed her face at which he returned.
"Listen up! I was speaking." The chief guard said suddenly, breaking the telepathically communication between as she blinked and looked at the guard.
"Right, I'm sorry. Can you repeat what you just said please?" She asked the guard politely as he backed off though Fel had shifted a bit closer to Alice, not liking how the male human got into her face.
"As the owner of this beast, you bear full responsibility for any problems or accidents it causes. Better watch out. If anything goes wrong, you could be forced into slavery. Or sentenced to capital punishment." The chief guard warned her and she tensed, her hand instinctively finding Fel's fur for comfort which Fel noticed while Eevee growled slightly at the chief guard for trying to warn her trainer even if it was to remind her what the consequences will be.
"That's understandable." Alice said tensely before they were finally given permission to enter the town and whispers immediately rang out from people who stopped to watch them walk by.
"Look at that!"
Alice paid them no mind, just glad to be away from the entrance as she and Eevee marveled at the sight of the town they were in. It was much bigger than the previous ones.
"This town's even bigger than I thought." Alice marveled in awe, Eevee voicing her awe as well while Fel walked beside her. If this town is big, then maybe she can get the one item that helped her navigate Tunod and Johto.
"Maybe I can finally get one here." She smiled hopefully. Eevee knew what she meant and squeaked happily, tail wagging. Fel glanced at Alice and Eevee curiously, sensing something that only they both knew.
"One of what?" Fel asked Alice curiously as she turned to him.
"A map. Can't keep wandering without direction now, can we? A map helped me a lot when I was 12 years old on my first Pokémon journey too." She explained happily before they rented a room at the inn and of course, they still don't allow monsters in the room but thankfully, there was a stable at the back.
Alice had to leave Fel there alone but not without company as she let Bolt out as Eevee wanted to stay and keep Fel company while Bolt kept Alice company to find a map.
"I'll go look around to see if I can find a map. Wait here for me with Eevee." Alice told Fel as Eevee squeaked and nodded as Alice started to leave, Bolt on her shoulder.
Fel knew she was capable of venturing into town alone but the thought of his future mate venturing out there alone with Bolt didn't sit well with him.
"Where will you go? And when do you plan to return?" Fel questioned her as she paused as Alice and Bolt looked at him. Bolt and Eevee looked at each other and Eevee just wagged her tail, a signal that something was happening between their trainer and Fel even if the two didn't know it.
"When I find a map, Fel. I'll see you later." Alice said as she was gonna leave but Fel was persistent.
"Hold it. What if you are unable to find one?" He asked her again, not wanting her to leave.
"I'll be back by evening either way, you big fluffball." Alice reassured him with a smile that was growing fond. Honestly, if she was being honest to herself, she can see that Fel didn't want her to leave.
"But what's with all the questions? You're sounding like a possessive boyfriend." Alice said in confusion and curiosity and Fel paused. He didn't know what that phrase meant but he could smell that it made Alice a bit confused and he was confused with himself but all he can feel is that he doesn't want Alice to be hurt again like last night.
"I may not know what a possessive boyfriend is but I can tell when I'm being mocked." He said but he saw how Alice, Bolt and Eevee were trying not to laugh at how he phrased the word.
"I'm not mocking you. Don't worry too much. I have Bolt with me. If anything happens, he can just use a thunderbolt on the bad guys." She reassured him, setting a plate of pastries down for him and Eevee to share.
"Just... Please try not to disturb anyone, okay?" Alice said softly as she reached up and petted his forehead on his mark gently and he found himself leaning to her touch. That felt good actually. Her touch was gentle and warm.
She pulled her hand back as she and Bolt left while Fel watched them both leave until they rounded the corner before he and Eevee shared the pastries.
The first stop in Alice's mind is a book store. There should be a map there right? Bolt stayed on Alice's shoulder as they went from shelves to shelves, looking for a map section but so far it was only books.
"If I were a map, where would I be?" Alice muttered before Bolt's ears perked up when he saw a particular book.
"Pike pi." He said, pointing to a maroon cover book.
"Huh? What is it, Bolt?" Alice asked him and looked to where he was pointing.
"What's that?" Alice picked it up and used appraisal to reveal the title of the book.
"Basic magic that anyone can understand." Alice read the label and smiled.
"This could be handy." She smiled as she went to the front desk to ask for the price of it.
"Pardon me, sir, how much is this book?" Alice asked the person at the desk who was reading a book and he looked at the book Alice was holding.
"It's seven gold coins." He said and the price made Alice jolted slightly and Pikachu had to hold onto Alice. 7 gold coins?!
"That much? No way." Alice said in disbelief as the shopkeeper turned to her.
"That's an extremely rare book with pages made from paper. Of course it's expensive." The shopkeeper explained, taking the book from her as Alice hummed.
'So papers are rare items?' She thought in confusion. She shook her head, no, she has to focus on getting a map.
"Um, I don't suppose you might carry a world map around here?" She asked though her expression was honest but the shopkeeper was on guard. Why would a young teen ask that?
"Now why would a book store have a map of the world? Those are nationally restricted." He told her sternly which caused Alice and Bolt to deflate. No luck here then.
"Ah, yes of course. I forgot." She said, remembering she's not back home. Of course they won't have a world map ready to be sold.
After leaving the book store, Alice checked other shops to see if they at least have a map of the country she is in but so far no luck.
"I don't need anything that detailed. Honestly, it's not like I'm planning a military or organization action." She said to Bolt who nodded.
'I'm not even gonna use it for bad purposes, only for travel purposes. Something to hold onto like before.' Alice thought before she remembered. If the book store or other stores don't have one, maybe a library?
"Wait a sec. A town this size must have a library." She said hopefully as she jogged. She asked around before being given directions to a library.
"Hopefully I can find something here." She said as they entered and it caused her four silver coins to enter.
She spent the entire day in the library, browsing through books but didn't find anything until closing time.
"Sorry, closing time." The librarian said and the gates closed as Alice stood dejected outside the gate. No maps at any of these places that she can think of.
"That was a total bust. Even though they charge me four silver coins for admission." She said dejectedly as Bolt looked at her sadly before nuzzling her cheek and she smiled wearily before walking back to the inn and the stables.
Fel and Eevee have been waiting patiently for their return all day as Eevee was resting on Fel's back, nestled against his fur. His ears perked up and his tail wagged slightly when he heard familiar footsteps and Alice came back with Bolt. He would have asked if she found what she was looking for but the expression on her face told him everything. She didn't have any luck.
"You're late." He said, hopefully to change the subject as Eevee woke up and both her and Bolt started to play.
"I know and I had no luck all day..." She admitted, smiling sheepishly at Fel but her smile grew soft as Bolt and Eevee play fight.
"I am hungry. Ravenous." He said though his tone had taken a small playful one as his eyes followed her movements as she went to the table with a crate.
"Just sit tight. I'll have our dinner served up soon." She said, sensing the playfulness in his tone even though it was small, she appreciated how he tried to at least make her feel better.
"When is soon?" Fel continued playfully but he made sure he was sulking so he didn't look like he was teasing her.
"Jeez, I don't know if he's being a pain or trying to cheer me up." She said quietly to herself before she opened the online grocery and saw that there was a Carry-Out Collection from Japan. She picked that and purchased the meat section there for Fel to eat.
"Very well."
She smiled as she opened the box. She had bought enough for herself, Fel, Eevee and Bolt to eat as she served Fel two large plates of different meat varieties and she couldn't help but think at how cute Fel looked when his ears were droopy. She set the plates down as Fel looked at the contents. Those look different.
"And what are these?" He asked her curiously.
"I think it's called Yakitori and Tonkatsu from the info. I'd say this one would be comparable to grilled skewers of Rockbird or Cockatrice." Alice explained, pointing to the Yakitori first before she pointed to the second one.
{Otherworldly Yakitori Assortment}
"While this one is more along the lines of breaded and fried cutlets of Red Boar and Orc." She said as she stood up as Fel sniffed each dish. They smell like meat though.
{Otherworldly Tonkatsu}
Fel took one piece of the Yakitori and chewed thoughtfully.
"Mmm, I'm sensing two flavors at once. One sweet, the other salty. Delightful!" Fel continued to eat the Yakitori as Alice turned on the stove to start cooking some rice before giving Eevee and Bolt their meals mixed with the Oran, Sitrus and Pecha Berry. She didn't forget to give Fel some.
"I believe there are different types of meat in it. Take your time and savor them, Fel." Alice told him and Fel didn't need to be told twice as the flavors were practically dancing on his tongue.
"There are meaty ones, of course, but there are also those with a hard texture. Some that are crispy and still others that are very chewy. The variety is captivating." He explained with each chew and Alice didn't know better but he can be a great food taster somewhere in the future.
"And the tonkatsu?" Alice asked after he swallowed before trying a piece of the tonkatsu.
Once he bit into it, it was crispy yet very chewy and enjoyable.
"The meat is solid yet the taste is not dissimilar to the ground cutlets I've eaten in the past. Cooked meat alone is delicious, but the fried breading compliments it beautifully." He admitted and Alice smiled. She was glad he was enjoying himself.
"Great to hear that, Fel. It looks as though your mood has improved considerably." She smiled as Eevee and Bolt agreed, both were almost done with their meal.
It had finally reached night time and the rice cooked just in time and Alice served herself some dinner for herself as she used the crate as a chair as she held a pair of chopsticks.
'First, I'll take one of the cutlets and dip it into the sauce.' She held the small bowl that had the sauce before dipping the cutlet in it before putting it in the rice.
'Then I'll bury it with the rice. A great way to warm up the cold cutlet while simultaneously allowing the rice to absorb some of the sauce.' Alice watched as the rice absorbed the excess sauce from the cutlet until she was sure it was ready.
"A little bit of patience for a great big payoff." She soon took a bite of her dinner and it was delicious. She has to be thankful that the online grocery can access both her world and the one where the three older teens come from. This dish was delicious.
"Yum!" Alice didn't hesitate to start eating dinner immediately. After eating sweets last night, this was more than welcome to her stomach.
'White rice, sauce and fried cutlets! What a golden trio!' Alice was practically shovelling food in her mouth probably out of hunger but she doesn't care all that matters is getting to eat dinner that's not sweets.
She didn't notice but Fel has been watching her eat. He was glad that she was eating well but what she was eating looked so interesting that he could feel his mouth watering. He had already eaten his fill but her meal looks delicious. Eevee and Bolt were done as they were eating Pecha Berries for dessert.
"That looks tasty too." He told her as she whirled around at him in surprise, seeing a bit of drool dripping from his mouth. She gave him a large helping of the meat and berries and he's still hungry?!
"Unbelievable. You want more? Uh, Fel, the thing is, I really don't want to feed you too much from the online grocery if I can help it." She said but Fel won't back down plus he was still a bit hungry.
"I'm far from done!" He argued, showing her his empty plate.
"Seriously?!" Alice argued back but she gave him the rest of the rice, knowing she can't finish it all and they both shared the dinner together before it was time for sleep.
The next day, the hunt for the map resumed and every store wasn't selling a single one. She had left Bolt and Eevee with Fel back at the stable so it was just her. Could she try and find adventurers to help her get one? She was deep in thought that she didn't see where she was going but moved out of the way in time to avoid bumping into two drunk adventurers.
"And that's when I decided I wasn't going to put up with it anymore. So I stood up. I turned around, I looked him square in the eyes and I told him..."
Alice watched them go and looked up at the sign, seeing that she was in front of a pub. She didn't want to go in there but she desperately needed a map so she and her group/family won't get lost.
"A pub, huh?" She whispered quietly. She sighed as she approached the door, desperate times calls for desperate measures.
She opened the door and went in and the sound of laughter along with the smell mead and ale greeted her and she gripped the strap of her bag as she walked in. Adventurers were having fun and getting drunk and having drinking contest.
"It's a bit scary here. Okay, find someone who might know where I can get or find a map and leave." She told herself. She scanned the area before finding a table with three people and approached them.
"Um, excuse me, I was wondering if you could answer some questions. Do you mind?" She spoke up as the three men turned to her in confusion.
"And why should we?" The one with the purple hood asked her suspiciously.
Alice realized she looked a bit out of place before she turned and saw a waitress walking by. She needs to get on their good side even for a moment.
"Uh, ma'am, I'd like to buy these gentlemen a round of drinks, please." She told the waitress politely who looked at her in confusion and surprise but smiled warmly at how polite Alice is. The three men looked surprised and in disbelief but smiled nonetheless.
"Sure." The waitress smiled as she went to grab the ordered drinks.
"Oh, I didn't realize you'd be treating." The bald guy with a scar on his scalp said in surprise, putting a hand on her shoulder, ushering her to sit down and she cringed but sat down after brushing his hand off her shoulder.
"That's an entirely different story, of course." The bald guy said before getting to the subject.
"Now, ask away, kid." Alice sighed inwardly, not liking that she was being called a kid but she's only 17 so it was probably understandable even though these three were a bit shady.
"Thank you. To begin with, the name's Alice, and I'm a traveling merchant. But I'm only just starting out, so I'm still learning the ropes. And, since you're obviously experienced, I was hoping that you might be able to fill me in on what kind of country this is." Alice told them as the waitress came with the requested drinks as the men looked surprised. Was that all this girl needed to know?
"Is that really all you need to know?" The purple hooded guy asked her.
"Well, I assure you, you've come to talk to the right people." The third guy said but Alice could sense that their auras was a mix of black and blue meaning they can be truthful and honest but they might trick and trick anyone.
"See, I hail from the Kingdom of Reijseger. This is the first time I've set foot in the Kingdom of Veenan in my whole life." She said though naturally, Reijseger wasn't really her birth home but she was brought in that kingdom with some type of summon with three others.
The purple hooded guy listened and set down his drink after taking a small gulp.
"Reijseger? They tell me things have gotten pretty rough there since the new king took over." The purple hooded guy revealed and Alice can tell he was being honest and the bald guy nodded.
"They're starting wars left and right lately, trying to gain more territory." Alice looked concerned as she knew she had to put more distance from Reijseger.
"At the present moment, the Kingdom of Erman and the Kingdom of Leonhardt in the East are the most politically stable." The third guy explained and Alice became curious what the two kingdoms would be like if she happened to head there.
"And on top of that, they both have plenty of dungeons as well. So they're ideal destinations for adventurers, eh?" That caught Alice's attention. Dungeons?
"That's good to know." Alice was grateful for the info at least.
'So dungeons are real here. Figured it would come up and Fel would have probably taken me there for training. Intriguing in theory but I have no desire to actually visit one anytime soon. At least not yet. Staying alive comes first but danger isn't always too far.' Alice thought before she let out a sigh. Their info was helpful but it still didn't solve her present problem.
Her sigh didn't escape the trio, noticing that something else was bothering her.
"Of course, I'll need a map before I can go anywahere." She said. That caught their attention.
"Wait a second, you haven't got a map? You must be joking." The bald guy questioned her in confusion but she shook her head.
"No, I'm not. Been trying to find one since yesterday, but so far, I've had no luck in locating one. I just need a general idea of the kingdoms' locations" Alice said, paying close attention to their auras. The blue was shining when they answered some of her questions before the black overlapped. They were scheming something with how they looked at each other, grinning.
The bald guy put a hand on her shoulder and leaned slightly to her ear to whisper.
"Hey, listen, kid. Just between the two of us, it so happens that we have a map." He told her in a whisper and her heart leap. They have one?!
"Do you really?" She asked him in surprise but was motioned to quiet down before she nodded.
"Here it is." He presented it to her as she looked at it in awe. It looks like it was new but the paper makes it hard to guess.
"We were fortunate enough to pick it up from an old Adventurer we used to know." He said, the purple hooded guy nodding along.
"That's right. Gave it to us when he retired."
"A treasured gift." The third guy agreed as Alice touched the paper, running her finger on the surface. It feels legit despite the condition but it was certainly a map.
"If you're interested, we could pass it on to you." The bald guy told her as she looked to him.
"After all, we've long since committed it to memory." The hooded guy said, pointing to his mind.
"It is an extremely rare paper map. But hey, let's pay it forward." The third guy nodded in agreement.
"We'll even give you a deal on it. How about one gold coin?" The bald guy suggested which made her hesitate. One gold coin for the map?
"Miss out on a chance like this, and you may well never get another one. You've seen how hard they are to find." The third guy said as Alice thought it over. This was her only chance for a map but she has to risk at least one gold coin for it.
"Alright, well said." Alice finally gave in and took out one gold coin from her pocket and set it on the table.
"Thank you, I'll take it." She said and the exchange was finally done as the trio took the gold coin as they walked to the door and Alice held the map.
"Be careful out there, kid." The hooded guy said.
"Hope to see you again sometime." The bald guy said as they left and Alice hoped they don't one day but at the very least, she finally had her hands on a map.
"I appreciate it." She said, watching them leave before opening the map to see which stop she can go next only to hear snickering behind her and she looked behind her.
"Stop that!" Someone nudged their friends but they were clearly suppressing their laughter.
"It's bad enough without laughing at the poor girl!" He said but when Alice turned to face them, they couldn't contain their laughter and just started to laugh.
Alice approached them, glad that Bolt wasn't with her or else he would have given them a nasty thunderbolt.
"Is something funny?" She asked the one with a darker blonde hair color who looked at her with sympathy and amusement.
"Please excuse us." He said, calming down slightly from his laughter but chuckles escaped him a bit.
"Anyway, you bought a map, huh?" He questioned her as she held the map tightly. Do they have a problem?
"Yes, I did." Alice nodded before he pulled out a map from his pocket and it was identical to the one that she had just gotten.
"Like this one?" He asked, showing it to her and all she could do was blink in disbelief.
"You may not be aware of this, but they sell these at the Adventurer's Guild for a silver coin each." He explained, honestly feeling sorry and amused at her situation and Alice felt her eye twitch. She could have done that from the start before leaving?!
That just made everyone who had witnessed the exchange start laughing and she gave them all the stink eye but mostly the ones who tricked her. Oh they are so gonna get a thunderbolt for sure from Bolt.
"Looks like I've been ripped off." She gritted her teeth, knowing she should have trusted her aura sense.
The laughter died down slightly at that as they gave her a look.
"Sorry, but, it's no one's fault but your own!" They all lectured her which just made her sigh in defeat.
"The truth hurts and it can't be helped." She sighed sadly before finally leaving the pub.
She had returned to the inn to tell everyone that it was time to leave. She found Fel watching Eevee and Bolt play fighting. He looked up when she arrived and she gave him a strained smile.
"Hey, guys, I'm back and got the map." She told them.
"I see. Then is it-" Fel said but paused when his nose twitched and it made his ear twitch as he stood up and walked to her as she looked at him in confusion.
"Uh, what?" She asked as he sniffed her again, around her shoulders and growled.
"Why is there another scent on you?" He questioned her with narrowed eyes and Alice realized he could smell the fading and lingering scent from that bald guy and Fel smelled it.
"Fel, nothing happened. I promise." She said but yelped when Fel moved behind her and seemed to put his entire head over her shoulder as she blinked in surprise and confusion.
Fel didn't want to admit it but he didn't like how the scent of another male was clinging onto her clothes despite it fading. He put his entire head over her shoulder, watching as she blinked at him in confusion but he could feel her racing pulse at the contact as he made sure his fur was sticking to her clothes to replace the scent with his own before pulling away.
"What in the name of Arceus was that?" She asked him in confusion.
"I will not allow anyone else to touch what isn't theirs." He simply said, huffing and looking away.
She continued to stare at him before calling Eevee and Bolt over before they finally left the town. Once they were out, Alice finally showed them the map and admitted how she got it.
"It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, isn't it, Fel?" She started but sulked a bit as Bolt and Eevee were on his back.
"My gold coin..." She muttered sadly as Fel looked at her in concern before huffing again. So she lost one, she can always get another one and she has a lot of gold coins.
"Money lost can be easily earned again. Don't dwell on what has happened." He told her as she looked at him and knew that he was right. She may have lost one coin but she can earn it back.
"Well, I guess that's true. Thanks." She said as she smiled at him as they looked at the map.
"I think we should head east next. According to the map, the country there is right by the sea." She told him and his eyes lit up.
"For your information, sea serpents and kraken are utterly delicious." He said as she chuckled. Of course he would say that.
"Talking about them as if they're everyday seafood, Fel." She told him as she folded the map and put it in her bag.
"Right. Let the otherworldly journey continue, for better or worse." Alice said before Eevee remembered something and squeaked at Alice who paused and panics as she opened her item box.
"How can I forget?!" She exclaimed as Fel paused and looked at what she was doing and he watched in astonishment when she pulled out a strange looking container that was holding an egg with green patterns inside it.
"What is that?" He asked her as she cradled it in her arms.
"It's a Pokémon egg. My Dragonite laid it after I let her go and find a mate during mating season." She told him with a smile.
Fel lowered his head to the container and sniffed it.
"It seems that it is close to hatching." He told her, intrigued about what will hatch from it.
"Really?" Alice smiled excitedly which made his heart leap at the sight of her smile as the egg glowed slightly before stopping, signalling that the egg was indeed close to hatching.
In another place, a leaf with a small dew drop was seen before the dew drop fell into a puddle below. The puddle rippled before something emerged. It's so small yet sure enough it was a baby slime that was just born from the water. It emerged from the puddle and started to hop around for anything to eat, letting out small adorable sounds doing so.
It was hungry and started to eat anything it could find. First a small rock before a slightly bigger one and a stick. Eating those helped it grow a bit more. Though still being a baby, it was completely defenseless against bigger monsters as its body shook and trembled when a goblin with two rabbits that it caught was walking by as the baby slime shook in fear but the goblin sensed it and turned to it which spooked the baby slime who hopped away immediately for safety under a log. The log offered temporary safety for now as it finally fell asleep after letting out a small sigh.
The smell of something delicious and good woke it up as it blinked its beady eyes in confusion as it saw light from ahead of it. It carefully approached and peeked through the bushes to see what was making that delicious and yummy smell and found creatures he had never seen before and eating the yummy stuff.
"I'm so full. Drinking and eating outside like this makes me feel like we're camping again." The one with the delicate skin said in content.
"Is one able to eat fish like this whenever one is camping?" The bigger one, blue like it and with white asked the first one as there was another creature. White and red with gold eyes.
"Well, that depends." The baby slime's eyes shimmered hopefully as it stared at the group.