Chapter 144: Enemies Meet on a Narrow Path
"I've already contacted my friend, but he's currently traveling in the Sinnoh region. He said he'll have his younger cousin come and get you in," Leaf's words put Will's mind at ease. If his friend had said so, then it meant it could be done.
"Thank you."
"Before his cousin gets here, you and the cat can stay here. As it happens, there's a problem I'd like to ask your opinion on," Leaf said, remembering something and beckoning for Will to follow him.
They made their way to a small grove of trees within the park. Floragato followed beside Will, her eyes curiously darting between the Pokémon she saw, though her gaze lingered on the Treecko in the tree. Because of Will, she couldn't help but be interested in it.
"Sceptile, look at this Treecko. Do you think evolution can solve its eye problem?" Leaf asked, pointing up at it.
"...Why would you think I would know that?" Will asked, scratching his head.
Sometimes, Pokémon don't even understand their own conditions, let alone those of another individual. Although he was a Sceptile, it was impossible for him to know the answer to a question like this. If you really wanted to know, you'd just have to evolve it and see. He had certainly never seen a case like this in the games. Other Treecko were either shiny or not. This one was only shiny in one eye.
"According to our Pokémon doctor's speculation, this situation might be because its father was a Goodra from the Kalos region. That Goodra's eyes were a greenish-blue," Leaf said, patting the tree trunk and calling upwards, "Treecko~ look! It's your evolved form!"
"Treecko?"
Hearing Leaf's call, the Treecko snapped out of its daze. It looked down, its gaze falling on Will, and its eyes instantly lit up. It climbed down from the tree but didn't approach, instead hiding half its body behind the trunk and cautiously peeking out at him.
Will quietly looked down and met its gaze. He really had no idea how a Sceptile was supposed to interact with a Treecko. After all, since his transmigration, this was his first time seeing one. And there had never been a scene in the anime where a Sceptile and a Treecko interacted.
"Meow," at this moment, Floragato made a move. She reached out a paw and took Will's hand. She definitely would have been too embarrassed to do something like this in the past.
"Hm?" Will raised an eyebrow and looked down at her. She felt his gaze but didn't look back, just continuing to stare at the Treecko behind the tree.
"Treecko?" The Treecko looked at Floragato, a hint of confusion in its eyes. It seemed to be wondering why a Sceptile would be hanging around with a cat Pokémon.
"Come on, Treecko, don't be so shy," Leaf said, walking over and picking up the Treecko from behind the tree. "Because of its eye, this kid has had to endure a lot of strange looks. So its personality has become a bit timid and introverted."
"I see," Will nodded. He understood this feeling well. Just think of how many people had crowded around him and Floragato when they first arrived in Cherrygrove.
"Treecko," the Treecko said, now held in front of Will. It looked up at him, its eyes full of longing and admiration.
The Sceptile clan and the Gliscor clan actually had a little in common. The "King" was a true king. Both a Sceptile and a Gliscor held absolute ruling status in their clans, and no one could defy their orders. But the difference was that the Gligar obeyed their instincts and feared the Gliscor's strength, but they weren't necessarily truly loyal. If two Alphas fought, the members of the losing clan would immediately submit to the stronger one.
But the Sceptile clan had something more. While the Treecko and Grovyle revered the Sceptile out of instinct, they also developed new, personal emotions, such as admiration, longing, and respect. This emotion transcended the limits of their genes and eventually gave birth to loyalty.
At this moment, the look in the Treecko's eyes was not just reverence. It was a desire to follow him.
"In the future, do you plan to return to the wild, or follow a human?" Will asked, stroking the Treecko's head.
Although he had never been in a wild Treecko clan, he guessed that a Pokémon with a "mutation" like this probably wouldn't have a very good life. It wouldn't be abandoned, but it would always be treated differently. Pokémon don't understand things like being "shiny." They don't know if such a "mutation" is a disease, or if it could be contagious.
Never mind physical differences; even a Pokémon with the same appearance but different behavior would be ostracized by its own kind. This was a fate that many unique Pokémon faced. If they weren't bullied, that was already considered a good outcome.
The most famous case was Team Rocket's Meowth. He had learned to walk on two legs and speak human language for a female Meowth, only to be called a "freak" by her in return.
"Treecko..." Hearing Will's question, the Treecko was at a loss. It had never thought about leaving the Sunshine Kindergarten. It felt that this place was very good. It didn't have to worry about food or shelter, and it had friends who didn't mind its eye. It didn't want to leave.
But that was impossible. As a Pokémon evolves and gets stronger, its upkeep becomes more and more expensive. This little grove might be enough for a Treecko, but for a Grovyle, it would be a crowded doghouse. And for a Sceptile, it would be a toilet. To upgrade this environment, the kindergarten would have to expand its territory or take resources from other Pokémon. Leaf wasn't running a charity; his family were merchants at their core. He couldn't possibly keep the Treecko here until it died of old age, unless it never evolved.
So, go to the League, or go back to the wild. This was a question the Treecko had to consider.
"Treecko?" the little one looked up, asking if it could go with Will. It had seen an Alpha in its old clan, but it felt that Will was much stronger and cooler. From the moment it had seen him, it had felt an instinctive desire to be close to him. If it had to choose, it wanted to leave with Will.
"Meow!" Floragato, before Will could even speak, rejected the idea.
"Well, I've already got one little tag-along, and that's enough. So I can't take you with me," Will said, not scolding Floragato for her outburst. He really didn't intend to take on any more Pokémon. With her around, he was no longer lonely.
"Meow," Floragato gently patted his thigh. She didn't like being called a "tag-along." But this time... she was in a good mood, so a symbolic pat was enough.
"Treecko..."
"If I were you, I would recommend going to the League. Find a trustworthy partner," Will said, pointing a thumb at Leaf. "You might even meet a trainer as good as him, or even better."
"Treecko..." the Treecko looked at Leaf, moved by Will's words, and nodded. It had made its decision. When it grew up, it would go to the League.
"I'm sure you won't regret it," Will grinned, rubbing its head. Most of the humans in the Pokémon world could be trusted to take care of their own Pokémon.
WHOOSH.
Just then, a strong wind blew from the sky. Will looked up and saw a familiar figure.
"Meow?" Floragato tilted her head, a strange look in her eyes. Isn't that the guy Will beat up?
It really was a narrow road for enemies.
"Hey! Leaf! The Pokémon you wanted me to bring... it's not this Sceptile, is it?"
The newcomer was none other than Jace, the trainer whose Charizard had been so thoroughly thrashed in Cherrygrove.
"Roar-char!"
The Charizard, seeing Will, was extremely excited. It shook its tail, knocking its own trainer to the ground, and then came up to Will, puffing out its chest. The meaning was clear: the last battle didn't count, and it wanted a rematch.
"It's good to be persistent, but you also have to recognize your own strength. You should just save it," Will said, not even looking at the Charizard.
If a Charizard wanted to fight him, it had to meet two conditions simultaneously: be at least five levels higher than him, and have a competent trainer. At least then, the battle would be a little more interesting and last a little longer. As for whether it could actually win, that was another story.