The man standing before him was someone Silas knew all too well. He was none other than Professor Turo, one of the two renowned professors of the Paldea region.
He was a composed and highly professional man, wearing a white lab coat over a form fitting dark bodysuit. The outfit was primarily black with teal accents, giving off an advanced, futuristic sense of technology.
"Professor, you are not hurt, are you?"
Silas stepped forward with a hint of apology in his tone and extended his hand to help him up.
Unlike in the game, Professor Turo did not seem distant or cold. He stood up naturally and replied calmly, "I am fine. Instead, you should be careful. There are quite a few Toedscool living in this forest, so watch out so you do not run into them."
"Got it." Silas nodded lightly, but his gaze had already shifted to the Charcadet hiding behind a tree. "Blue eyes?"
As everyone knew, a Charcadet with blue eyes was a shiny variant.
That was right. The only visible difference between a normal and shiny Charcadet lay in its eyes.
Because of that, unless one made direct eye contact or was extremely familiar with the species, even if a shiny Charcadet walked right past you, it could easily go unnoticed.
The shiny Charcadet realized it had been noticed and timidly shrank further behind the tree, letting out a soft and nervous murmur. Its personality was clearly timid.
Silas reached out and gently pressed down on Cyclizar's head to stop it from approaching and frightening the little one. "Do not go over. This Charcadet is very timid."
"Cyc…" Cyclizar obediently rubbed against Silas and stayed by his side.
Professor Turo, who had been observing Silas's actions, stepped forward and explained, "That Charcadet was being cornered by a wild Pokémon. I drove it away, but since then it has been hiding behind the tree."
"I see." Silas nodded in understanding.
He briefly explained how he had encountered another Charcadet while taking shelter from the rain and had promised to help it find its companion.
Now that he had found it, there was no way he could just ignore it.
First, he needed to lower its guard.
Slowly crouching down, Silas took out a pink Poké Puff from his waist pouch and gently waved it in front of the Charcadet. "We are not going to hurt you. Are you hungry? Want something to eat? It is a sweet and spicy poffin."
The aroma drifted through the air.
"Char… gurgle…"
The shiny Charcadet sniffed the scent and immediately reacted. Its stomach let out a series of loud growls.
Yesterday, it and its companion had just found some berries, but before they could eat, they were frightened by the running jellyfish Pokémon and dropped everything. It had not eaten for an entire day.
It shrank back slightly, yet could not resist peeking out again. Its blue eyes were filled with hesitation.
When it noticed Cyclizar looking at it, it quickly pulled back, hiding its small body behind the tree.
"Shh." Silas raised a finger to his lips and signaled Cyclizar to stay put. Then he approached quietly.
When the Charcadet once again could not resist peeking out, Silas had already placed the food on the ground near the tree and stepped back.
Too timid to approach humans, the Charcadet decided to at least enjoy the smell.
It sniffed once, then realized the source of the delicious scent was very, very close.
Carefully, it leaned out halfway, its small eyes scanning cautiously.
At once, it spotted the food placed beneath the tree.
"Gulp…"
It swallowed unconsciously and shyly wiped the corner of its mouth.
Watching its adorable reaction, Silas spoke softly, "Go ahead and eat. Once you are full, I will take you to find your companion. It ran out to look for you as soon as the rain stopped. Who knows where it has gone, or whether it ran into any danger."
The earlier part of Silas's words barely registered, but the last sentence struck deep.
Warmth filled the Charcadet's heart, followed by worry for its companion's safety.
That one had such a fiery temper, it would surely get into trouble with other Pokémon.
The timid look in its eyes gradually gained a trace of determination. After hesitating for a few seconds, it lifted its head and spoke in a crisp voice. It was a girl.
"Charca!"
She politely expressed her thanks before picking up the poffin with both hands and eating it in small bites.
The sweet and spicy flavor perfectly suited her taste. She quickly finished the entire Poké Puff without leaving a single crumb.
"Here. A daily bottle of Moomoo Milk is important for balanced nutrition."
This time, when Silas approached, the shiny Charcadet did not retreat in fear. Instead, she closed her eyes tightly, her small body trembling slightly.
After a few seconds with no sign of danger, she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him.
Silas gently shook the milk bottle in his hand and moved it closer, signaling her to take it.
"Charca!"
"You are welcome. Make sure you drink it all."
Now that he was closer, Silas noticed just how small this shiny Charcadet was. She was practically a miniature version.
Comparing sizes, she was only about ten centimeters taller than Morpeko.
After eating the Poké Puff and drinking the Moomoo Milk, the Charcadet's attitude toward Silas had clearly softened.
At the very least, she no longer turned and ran when he approached. The slight increase in friendliness had played a crucial role.
After resting briefly, the shiny Charcadet suddenly sprang to her feet with determination. She clenched her tiny fists and swung them in the air, gathering her courage to go find her companion.
"We will go together. I already promised that Charcadet," Silas said. Then he pointed at Cyclizar and added, "You are too slow on your own. By the time you find your companion, who knows how long it would take."
"Cyclizar can run very fast. We will definitely find your companion quickly and reunite you."
The shiny Charcadet hesitated, but in the end, her worry for her companion won out. She nodded softly.
With her agreement, Silas carefully lifted her into his hands.
The moment he touched her, he could clearly feel her small body tense with nervousness.
He gently stroked her, offering a kind and reassuring smile.
Then he mounted Cyclizar and placed her in the small seat at the front of the saddle, perfectly suited for smaller Pokémon.
Once settled, Silas climbed on as well and turned to Professor Turo. "Professor, would you like to come with us?"
Professor Turo shook his head. He had more important matters to attend to.
Before they parted, he added, "I have set up a temporary camp near Casseroya Lake. Trainer Silas, you can come find me anytime."
"Alright." Silas nodded. "Please stay safe as well. I will be active in this area for the next couple of days, so feel free to call for help if needed."
"Let us go. Head for the highest point nearby first," Silas instructed. Then he gently reassured the shiny Charcadet, "Hold on tight. Cyclizar might be a bit fast for you."
"Charca!"
"Cyc!"
(End of Chapter)