Bonus chapter
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"Bellsprout, use Vine Whip on those two!"
In a patch of jungle, Icarus directed Bellsprout as it dealt with three remaining Weedle that were still struggling.
Two other Weedle were already lying in the grass nearby, having lost the ability to fight.
Dark stains dotted the green ground—the marks left by five Weedle firing Poison Sting together.
"Spri spri~!" ╰╮o(￣▽￣///)
Bellsprout immediately hurled one of the Weedle it had grabbed.
Boom!
"Wii!"
One Weedle accidentally collided with a Poison Sting that had just been fired. With a pained cry, its remaining strength vanished.
"Wii~ wii~!"
The other two Weedle, having accidentally injured their companion, cried out in panic.
"Hmph. Just the two of you left, and you still dare act tough? Same as always—one Vine Whip each."
Seeing their futile resistance, Icarus sneered and decided to finish them quickly.
"Spri!" (òó)
Under the bright morning sun, and having just completed a growth breakthrough, Bellsprout moved with even greater vigor.
Crack! Crack!
The swift vines lashed out, sending both Weedle flying before they could react.
"Wii~ wii~ oh—"
The enhanced Vine Whip left them unable to rise.
With a smooth follow-up—Bind and Absorb—the battle ended swiftly. Once restrained and drained, they were nothing more than helpless targets.
Meanwhile, Icarus, who had already sprayed Repel nearby, began sorting through the spoils.
Thud.
Bellsprout dropped the defeated Weedle in front of him, then shifted its attention to guarding the surroundings—and especially the sky.
It hadn't forgotten the lesson from that Pidgey before.
"It seems that since that small group of Flying-types arrived, the Bug-types have become more cautious. Even their group sizes have increased."
As he processed materials, Icarus reflected on their hunt.
Since entering the forest, he had discovered Pokémon tracks four times. Twice, there had been seven or eight Bug-types gathered together.
Only these two encounters—with five in a group—had been manageable enough for Bellsprout to attack.
"But their alertness has increased. Next time, release Sleep Powder from ten meters away."
Twice now, their attempt to ambush at eight meters had failed.
Ten meters would be safer. As long as the powder took effect, their condition would decline, making it easier for Bellsprout to handle them.
Otherwise, like today, they had to endure multiple attacks before isolating targets. Fortunately, with Absorb, Bellsprout could sustain itself.
"Alright. You worked hard. Here—fresh Bug meat."
"Spri~"
Bellsprout happily swallowed the snack.
"But keep watching for Flying-types—Spearow and Pidgey."
"Spri spri." (●—●)
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After more than half an hour of searching, Icarus finally spotted a Pidgey through his binoculars.
"Go. Get as close as you can. I'll stay here. If I hit it, bind it immediately."
Hidden within dense foliage, he signaled Bellsprout forward.
Thanks to its natural plant camouflage, Bellsprout could advance further without being noticed. It moved slowly when Pidgey's gaze swept downward and darted forward when the bird looked elsewhere.
"Pidgey?"
The bird suddenly sensed something off. The forest was too quiet.
"Damn. I used too much Repel."
Realizing the silence had tipped it off, Icarus stopped waiting.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He fired three shots in rapid succession.
"I still have forty-two rounds. I can afford it."
Whoosh!
As a Flying-type, Pidgey reacted instantly, dodging left with a burst of speed.
"Pidgey!"
In seconds, the yellow-brown blur avoided all three shots.
"Lightning-like speed… It's a high-level one."
A strong Pidgey meant good potential—but also meant his shots were unlikely to land.
Bang!
Tracking the bullet trajectory, Pidgey quickly located Icarus.
"Bellsprout, retreat!"
"Hisss—"
Icarus sprayed Repel forward and rushed ahead to retrieve Bellsprout, who was already running back.
"Pidgey~ Pidgey!"
Clearly disgusted by the spray's scent, the bird screeched angrily but chose not to pursue.
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"Haa… come out. It's safe."
Leaning against a tree, catching his breath, Icarus released Bellsprout.
"Spri? Spri spri?"
Why didn't you let me attack? Didn't its speed drop after that burst? It didn't even see me!
After drinking some water, Icarus explained calmly.
"Yes, its speed dropped slightly. But even simple lift-off speed is extremely fast for Flying-types."
"That Pidgey's flight height was almost at the limit of your Vine Whip. Your chance of hitting it was very low."
"Spri?!" (`Δ´)
Bellsprout was clearly unhappy being told it couldn't defeat a bird of similar strength.
Gently patting its head, Icarus continued:
"We have to understand our weaknesses."
"Remember that Gust before? When it suppresses you midair, and then follows up with Quick Attack… you'd probably lose the ability to fight."
"And if you fell, I might not even be able to retrieve you."
He picked up Bellsprout.
"I don't want to lose you."
"Spri… spri~"
Bellsprout relaxed in his arms, clearly pleased.
"Haha. Let's rest a bit and try again."
After all, the forest was vast—and opportunities would come again.
---------------Author---------------
Thank you RebelRob_94,
Domnick Dawson, terrance smith, What if stories for supporting me!
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