Chapter 159: The Hunt Begins
After another week of recuperation, aided by the healing effects of his enhanced power of Viridian, even Beedrill and Persian were nearly at full strength.
With the added protection of Matt's Weezing, Giovanni felt confident enough to venture out. After packing a few days' worth of food, a change of clothes, and other outdoor essentials into a small pack, he was finally ready.
"Be careful," Matt said, clapping a hand on Giovanni's shoulder. "I will oversee the project here." He had originally planned to have a Chief and his squad accompany Giovanni, but Giovanni had refused. His own strength was superior to any of the ordinary Chiefs.
Bringing them along would only hinder his movements; they would be a liability, more trouble than they were worth. Seeing Giovanni's firm resolve, Matt had relented.
Pop. Giovanni released Persian. Compared to the piercing buzz of Beedrill, Persian was a silent predator. It had lived in Viridian Forest for a long time; this jungle was its natural element.
"I am going," Giovanni said to Matt and the others. Then, with Persian at his side, he walked into the forest and disappeared from view.
After he had gone, one of the Chiefs spoke. "Do you think he will come back?"
"What are you thinking?" another replied. "He is the one who fought four Chiefs alone and won. We might die out there, but he will not."
"Right. Besides, the Captain's Weezing is with him. Even if he were in trouble, the Weezing would ensure his return."
The men chattered amongst themselves, not noticing Matt's gloomy expression. He had just been boasting about the formidability of his troops, only for them to be wiped out so easily. "All of you," he snorted, "get back to your duties."
"Yes, sir," they quickly nodded.
Giovanni and Persian moved through the forest at an incredible pace. With his enhanced power, he could detect energy fluctuations up to nearly a hundred meters away.
The Pokémon in the outer regions of the island had either been captured, killed, or scared away, so for now, they had nothing to worry about.
Matt had given him the approximate direction of the last known contact with the reconnaissance squad. Following that same route, however, would surely lead to an ambush. The best option was to take a detour. The forest was large, but not unmanageably so.
He traveled for most of the day. The constant use of his power to scout the area was physically and mentally draining, and as they ventured deeper, the density of wild Pokémon increased, adding to the strain. He found a secluded spot. "Let's rest for a bit," he said to Persian.
The Pokémon leaped silently to the top of a tree, its nose sniffing the air, its eyes scanning their surroundings with unwavering vigilance. Giovanni smiled helplessly at its diligence.
He patted the Poké Balls at his waist, then closed his eyes, deactivating his power. He was exhausted and needed to rest.
After only a few minutes, an unlucky Flaaffy stumbled upon their location. It saw Giovanni resting under the tree, its eyes widening as it prepared to let out a shrill cry.
Suddenly, the wool on its body stood on end— a faint warmth sprayed across its neck from behind. Before it could turn its head, it felt a sharp pain, and its world went black.
Other creatures arrived. In Persian's blind spot, directly above where Giovanni leaned against the tree, a white silk thread descended, a colorful spider at its end—an Ariados. The horn on its forehead gleamed, aimed directly at Giovanni's head, its eyes filled with killing intent and greed.
Crack!
A rough, large hand shot out, easily pinching its horn. The Ariados was stunned, then a vicious light entered its eyes. Poison-type energy began to condense on its horn. It would poison this ignorant fool to death.
But the scream of agony it expected never came. Instead, the pressure on its horn intensified. Though a hint of purple seeped into the hand, it had no effect.
Snap!
The Ariados was bewildered. Its horn was being crushed. It let out a shriek of pure terror. What kind of creature is this?
It was Machoke. It stood beside Giovanni like a loyal, silent bodyguard. It pulled hard, yanking the Ariados down from the tree. With its other hand, it grabbed the spider's abdomen and, with a single, brutal tug, ripped it in half— a shower of insectoid blood and organs splattered across the ground.
Machoke nodded to Persian, then squeezed a poison sac from the remains, holding it out toward Giovanni's waist.
Pop!
The aloof Beedrill emerged. Its twin needles moved with surgical precision, taking the poison sac from Machoke's hand and swallowing it whole. It chirped its thanks. Machoke grinned foolishly, scratching its head.
The moment Beedrill appeared, its red compound eyes rotated. Its wings vibrated, and it vanished, reappearing behind Giovanni. Its massive stinger plunged violently into the ground.
Squelch.
A gush of blood sprayed from the soil. Beedrill, radiating killing intent, lifted its stinger with force. As the ground churned, a Sandslash was flung into the air. Its hard scales were useless against Beedrill's stinger.
Beedrill didn't even need to poison it. With a furious buzz of its wings, it swung its stingers again and again, dismembering the Sandslash in mid-air. It chirped softly, satisfied.
Pop!
Rhyhorn ran out of its Poké Ball. It gave Beedrill a fawning smile and rushed to the Sandslash's side, picking through its remains. The beast had been scared stiff by Beedrill ever since Giovanni had broken it.
After its display of loyalty during the ambush, however, Giovanni had granted it the freedom to emerge at will.
Pop!
Nidorino, not to be left out, also emerged— but as it tried to get close to the resting Giovanni, it was met with the cold, protective glares of Beedrill and Persian and quickly backed away.