Chapter 5: Taking A Stroll
Yuga prepared his own dinner. When his aunt, Hisako, visited in the afternoon, he informed her that he would handle dinner himself, sparing her the trouble.
The ingredients had already been purchased by Hisako, so Yuga didn't need to go out.
Yuga was skilled at cooking; after all, he had lived for 28 years in his previous life and had acquired basic survival skills.
Today, with the new system and a generous beginner package, Yuga was in a good mood and ate more than usual.
Flabébé joined him at the table, enjoying an energy cube.
In Hoenn region, where they lived, energy cubes were a common food source for Pokémon.
The highest-quality cubes were manufactured by Devon Corporation, which made them more affordable in Hoenn.
Of course, Yuga had only heard this from others; he wasn't personally aware of it.
After dinner, while washing dishes in the kitchen, Yuga shouted to Flabébé, "Flabébé, after dinner, how about we go for a walk to aid digestion?"
Flabébé flew into the kitchen and happily nodded.
It enjoyed spending time with Yuga, their strong bond formed over four years of companionship.
Having lost his parents, Yuga hadn't had many pleasant moments recently.
Taking Flabébé for a walk was a chance for them to enjoy each other company again.
After cleaning up the kitchen, Yuga set off with Flabébé.
Since he had nothing else to do and had dinner early, the sun was still shining when they left home.
As they stepped outside, Yuga saw Mr. Kate sitting at the doorstep, enjoying the breeze. Yuga greeted him politely, "Good evening, Mr. Kate."
Flabébé also greeted him, "Flabébé."
Mr. Kate responded, "Oh, it's Little Yuga and Flabébé. Are you two heading out?"
Yuga confirmed, "Yes, I'm taking Flabébé for a walk."
Mr. Kate smiled, "A walk is a good idea, especially when you're recovering. Enjoy yourselves."
"See you later, Mr. Kate."
"Take care."
Mr. Kate was a kind and easygoing neighbor, and their families had a good relationship.
He was the one who had rescued Yuga when he attempted to end his life by jumping into the river.
Nearby was a small forest, a perfect place for a stroll.
Yuga used to bring Flabébé here often to play.
In the forest...
"Flabébé, what if I encounter danger in the future? Who will protect me?"
Flabébé patted its chest confidently, signaling that it would protect Yuga.
Yuga chuckled, "You? Sorry, that won't work. You're too weak. I'd be dead several times over if I relied on you."
Hurt by the doubt in Yuga words, Flabébé protested, "Flabébé! Flabébé!"
Yuga didn't understand its response, but its indignant expression was clear.
Yuga thought to himself, "It seems you haven't quite realized just how weak you are."
"I'm speaking the truth. But if you're so sure, find a nearby Pokémon to battle. If you win, I'll take back what I said."
Excited by the challenge, Flabébé flew off to find an opponent.
The forest was frequented by trainers, and the Pokémon there were friendly due to human interaction.
Yuga looked around. There were Wurmple, Zigzagoon, Seedot, and Taillow...
Ah, there it was, a Linoone.
Immediately, Yuga shouted towards Flabébé, who was searching for an opponent, "Flabébé, how about this Linoone? It looks pretty weak. If you can't even beat it..."
The sudden shout startled Linoone, but it just glanced at Yuga and didn't flee.
In response to Yuga words, Flabébé flew over and circled around Linoone.
"Flabébé! Flabébé!"
Yuga understood that Flabébé had accepted his proposal.
"Shall we choose it as our opponent then?"
"Flabébé."
Flabébé confidently patted its chest, indicating its readiness.
Yuga squatted down and addressed Linoone, "Could you please accompany Flabébé for a Pokémon battle? This is your reward."
Saying so, Yuga pulled out a few energy cubes from somewhere.
Fully prepared, it was evident that Yuga had planned this.
Linoone gulped down the energy cubes and squinted its eyes, nodding in agreement.
They found an open area, with Flabébé and Linoone standing on opposite sides.
"Alright then, the Pokémon battle between Flabébé and Linoone is about to begin. I'll be the referee. Are both of you ready?"
Both Flabébé and Linoone nodded simultaneously.
"Alright, I hereby declare the match - begin!"
As Yuga voice fell, Linoone leaped like a cannonball, quickly hurtling towards Flabébé. It was using its Normal-type basic move, Tackle.
Although Flabébé wasn't a Flying-type Pokémon, it could still fly, giving it an advantage in battles.
Linoone speed was impressive, but Flabébé agilely evaded its attack.
Dodging Linoone charge, Flabébé suddenly sprouted two green vines and swiftly launched an attack towards Linoone.
Having just finished its assault, Linoone was caught off guard and got entangled in the vines.
However, this gave Linoone a point of leverage.
Both of its front paws emitted a white light, and it swung them towards the vines ensnaring Flabébé.
The vines were snapped in an instant.
Freed from the vines, Linoone immediately bounced back to its feet and charged at Flabébé again.
Yuga was impressed by Linoone consecutive attacks.
Flabébé had been pampered by its previous owner, enjoying delicious meals and playtime every day.
It lacked any battle experience.
As Linoone charged straight at Flabébé, it froze, face turning pale.
It didn't know how to respond.
With a loud "thud," Flabébé was sent flying by Linoone headbutt.
It crashed into a nearby tree, losing its ability to battle.
Yuga walked over, picked up Flabébé from the ground, and approached Linoone.
"Thank you, Linoone."
Linoone, having completed its task, let out a call towards Yuga before turning and running away.