The weather in Paldea today was far from pleasant. It was damp and bitterly cold.
Fortunately, it was not snowing, otherwise it would probably be freezing to the point of being unbearable.
The cold seeped into the air along with the moisture, creeping straight into one's bones.
After standing outside for just a few minutes, Silas felt as if everything from the top of his head to the soles of his feet was trembling.
He had no choice but to climb onto Cyclizar's back, and only then did his body gradually begin to warm up.
Only now did he truly understand why a Pokémon like Cyclizar had become a household presence across Paldea.
Winters on the Paldea continent were not something ordinary people could endure.
Without Pokémon like Cyclizar serving as both helpers and mounts, once winter arrived, people would rather stay indoors no matter what.
"Good thing I have you, Cyclizar." Silas said with relief, patting and stroking it in praise.
"Cyc~" (With you riding on my back, I feel warm too!)
Cyclizar grinned widely, clearly delighted. With Silas accompanying it, the cold did not seem so harsh anymore.
"Alright, stop joking around. Let's look around nearby first, find a sheltered spot to start a fire and have some hot tea to warm up."
Carrying Silas, Cyclizar quickly broke into a run, its thick and flexible tail swaying back and forth to maintain balance.
They ran across a small wooden bridge, then past a pomelo berry tree. Beneath the tree, two Charcadet stood looking up at the fruit hanging above.
Cyclizar rushed past in a hurry, its tail casually striking the tree trunk.
By the time the two Charcadet scrambled back to their feet in a somewhat miserable state, one of them stomped angrily in place, its gestures alone making it obvious that it was cursing quite fiercely.
The other one, on the other hand, held its head pitifully, letting out weak, mosquito-like whimpers.
Just as it tried to stand again, a falling fruit struck its head. It let out a small cry, its blue eyes filling with tears, looking utterly wronged.
Meanwhile, the one that had been stomping angrily suddenly lit up with excitement, reaching out to catch the fallen fruit.
No need to go hungry today. Yay!
At the same time, Silas and Cyclizar found a cave at the foot of a mountain.
Inside was a dead end, and in one corner lay a small pile of dry firewood.
It was clearly left behind intentionally by some trainer, making it convenient for others to dry themselves off when they arrived.
Taking some of the firewood, Silas arranged it into a small campfire, then lowered his head and said to Cyclizar, "Ember, minimum power."
Cyclizar immediately understood. It opened its mouth slightly, and the flames from Ember ignited the pile of wood.
With the fire burning, the cold in their bodies quickly dissipated.
Cyclizar shifted into its battle form, standing upright to warm itself by the fire, a satisfied smile appearing on its face.
Smiling as well, Silas patted it before taking out a small pot from his spatial waist bag. He poured in clean water and began to boil it.
The reason they had rushed to find shelter was simple. It was about to rain, and their timing had not been ideal.
Rain in this season would make the temperature even lower.
Without a place to shield themselves from wind and rain, once they got soaked, hypothermia would be inevitable.
Sitting by the campfire, Silas handed Cyclizar some poffins to replenish its energy.
"Rumble…"
Outside the cave, the sky suddenly darkened, only to be illuminated by a flash of lightning.
Immediately after, without giving anyone time to react, large raindrops began to fall like drumbeats, rapidly forming a curtain of rain. The already cold air became even colder as it soaked through everything.
"Good thing we ran fast. Otherwise we would have been soaked chicken'."
"Cyc?" (Is 'soaked chicken' a new dish? Does it taste good?)
"No." Silas pointed toward the entrance of the cave. "They're what 'soaked chicken' looks like."
At the entrance stood a group of Pokémon, including Dudunsparce, Greedent, and Oinkologne. Upon being stared at, they all turned their heads, their eyes filled with caution and wariness.
"Here, take these. Poffins are very tasty."
On a plate were three poffins, which Silas pushed toward them.
The Pokémon caught the enticing aroma, and Greedent was the first to give in. It grabbed one and began nibbling cautiously.
The moment it tasted the poffin, its expression turned to pure enjoyment. It quickly stuffed the entire thing into its mouth, storing it in its bulging cheeks.
Such delicious food had to be saved and enjoyed slowly later.
Seeing that Greedent did not collapse from poisoning, the other two Pokémon also cautiously ate their portions.
With food acting as a bridge, Silas then invited them to come closer to the fire. Gradually, the three Pokémon moved nearer.
The rain outside continued endlessly, while inside the cave, Silas sipped on hot tea.
The only change was that more Pokémon gradually came into the cave to take shelter from the rain.
Everyone gathered peacefully around the campfire, quiet and harmonious.
"Cyc!"
Cyclizar suddenly stood up, alerting Silas.
Another Pokémon had arrived to take shelter.
Turning his head, Silas saw a drenched and mud-covered Charcadet stumble into the cave. Its footing was unstable, and it fell forward at the entrance. The pomelo berry it had been holding rolled to Silas's feet.
Picking up the fruit and placing it on the table, Silas quickly went over to check on the Charcadet.
Its condition was not good. It frowned in pain, and the flames burning on its body had weakened under the rain.
"Cyc!" (It's the one we saw earlier.)
Cyclizar recognized it immediately.
"Yes, it's that one. The one with the bad temper."
While responding, Silas's hands did not stop moving.
He sprayed a few bursts of medicinal spray onto the Charcadet. The spray, which had a thawing effect, quickly began to work.
The cold within Charcadet's body dissipated significantly. Half-conscious, it shivered.
Its condition gradually improved, and the flames on its body slowly grew stronger again.
Silas instructed Cyclizar to bring it closer to the campfire to warm up, while he rinsed the pot with rainwater and prepared to make lunch.
Since it was just the two of them on this trip, they had only brought poffins and basic ingredients.
He set the pot on the fire and brought the water to a boil, then added noodles.
He cracked in two eggs, letting them cook into poached eggs, and added a moderate amount of salt for seasoning.
Before finishing, he sprinkled freshly chopped green onions on top. Even for a simple dish, the sense of ritual could not be ignored.
[Hot Soup Noodles (C): An ordinary bowl of noodles, yet in the cold rain it carries the most genuine warmth.
Dish Effect: Restores stamina (small), warmth (lasts 60 minutes)]
It had been a while since Silas had made such a simple dish. He tasted it first.
Aside from being a little bland, everything else was quite good. As an emergency meal, it was more than sufficient.
The warm noodles slid down his throat into his stomach, and a comforting warmth spread from within, dispelling the lingering chill. Even his mood, dampened by the rain, improved after finishing the bowl.
Turning his head, he saw Cyclizar already staring eagerly, unable to wait.
"A single bowl of noodles got you this greedy. Where's your dignity?"
Chuckling, Silas lightly tapped its head and served it a bowl.
Holding the bowl with both hands, Cyclizar tilted its head back and finished everything in one go.
Its whole body warmed up, and it let out a satisfied sound, licking its lips. "Cyc!" (Delicious!)
"If you like it, have more. There's still half a pot left."
He served Cyclizar another full bowl, then looked toward the Pokémon gathered around the fire.
"Do you want some too?"
Once again, Greedent rushed forward first, followed by the others. Silas also reminded Cyclizar to bring a bowl to the Charcadet.
Only after Charcadet had finished eating did Silas ask curiously, "I remember you had a companion. Why aren't you together? Did you get separated?"
(End of Chapter)