A friendship level of 5 was a start, but it was nowhere near high enough for a successful capture.
From what Zane knew, Budew were shy and gentle Pokémon that typically lived near clear ponds and lakes. Unlike intensely territorial Pokémon like Beedrill, Budew were generally easygoing and would show a placid attitude towards humans and other Pokémon—provided, of course, that you weren't a threat. That initial +5 to friendship was just the baseline reaction to a non-hostile human.
After a long night of diligent labor (which consisted of watering, feeding, and making sure it got some sun), Budew's opinion of Zane had changed again. Its friendship level had climbed from 5 to 15.
When he looked at its info panel now, its mood and status had updated accordingly.
Species: Budew ♀
Type: Grass / Poison
Ability: Leaf Guard
Base Stats: 280 (HP: 40, Atk: 30, Def: 35, SpA: 50, SpD: 70, Spe: 55)
Moves: Absorb, Stun Spore, Seed Bomb
Current Mood: Happy
Status: Relaxed (´◡`)
Friendship: 15 (It's very comfortable being with you)
"Hey, little one. You want to live like this all the time?" Zane asked, pulling out a Poké Ball. He knelt in front of the Budew and began his attempt at friendly abduction.
Pokémon were intelligent creatures. In this world, there were several different ways to go about catching one.
The first was the brute force method: battle a wild Pokémon until it's unable to fight back, then throw a Poké Ball. It was, without a doubt, a one-sided, forcible capture. Watching the anime, Zane had always found it weird how a Pokémon that was trying to kill you one second would be affectionately nuzzling its new trainer the next. It had left him with the distinct impression that Poké Balls had some kind of brainwashing function. That theory was only strengthened by the newest series.
The second method was the challenge. A trainer would propose a battle, and the wild Pokémon would accept. If the trainer proved their strength by winning, the Pokémon would acknowledge them and agree to follow.
The third was when a wild Pokémon, seeking to become stronger, would proactively choose to follow a trainer it deemed worthy.
And the fourth was the most peaceful and harmonious of all: the "friendship" capture. It was the Ash Ketchum special. He'd protected his disobedient Pikachu with his own body, and in doing so, had moved it so deeply that it earned him a loyal partner for life. It was a capture based on mutual choice.
"Nini?" Hearing Zane's question, Budew looked confused, tilting its head at the red-and-white ball in his hand.
Zane clarified. "I mean, let me be your trainer. You can live here with us from now on."
This, the Budew understood. It glanced at the forest outside the window, then seemed to think back on its experiences over the past day.
"Nini..." It was hesitant. The human's tempting voice continued.
"I can make you stronger. I can help you evolve into a Roselia."
Budew paused, its hesitation lessening slightly.
"You'll get to sunbathe peacefully every day, and you'll always have clean water to drink."
"Nini..." It was almost convinced.
"And I'll prepare lots and lots of delicious food for you! So many things you've never tasted before!"
That was the final blow. The scales in Budew's mind tipped completely. Its little eyes sparkled. "Nini?"
Though they couldn't communicate with words, Zane magically understood exactly what it was asking. He smiled. "That's right. Even more delicious than the food you had last night."
The night before, since he hadn't let the Budew go, he'd brought back an extra portion of the free Pokémon food from the cafeteria. It was a simple mix of honey, flour, and berries. While it wasn't as nutritious as a professionally made Pokéblock, compared to the wild berries it was used to, it was a gourmet meal.
"NINI!" Budew responded with a quick, decisive chirp.
"Alright then, I'm bringing you in!" Zane pressed the button on the Poké Ball, and it instantly expanded to its normal size. A beam of red light shot out, enveloped the Budew, and pulled it inside.
The Poké Ball in his palm shook once, as if the Pokémon inside was getting accustomed to its new environment. Then, just as quickly, it fell still.
It was a successful capture.
"I can't believe the little guy is such a foodie," Zane laughed to himself. But he hadn't been lying. He fully intended to keep every promise he'd made. After all, fulfilling a Pokémon's needs was a core part of raising it properly. Good food not only provided the nutrients they needed to grow, but it also kept them happy.
As he looked at the Poké Ball in his hand, a completely new information panel suddenly appeared in his mind.
[Name: Budew]
Nature: Timid
OT: Zane
Held Item: None
Notes: A shy personality.
Met in Petalburg Woods on September 15th.
Likes to be clean.
Ribbons: None yet
Zane blinked.
Isn't this the summary screen you get in the games after you catch a Pokémon?
The first few entries were standard, but the "Nature" tab caught his attention. In the games, a Pokémon's Nature affected its stat growth. In the anime, it wasn't really a factor. He wondered if it was just flavor text here, or if it had a real, tangible effect on its stats.
Probably just a simple description, he reasoned. After all, a Pokémon's personality can change when it evolves.
As for the Ribbons section, he knew that in the games, it was a record of a Pokémon's life achievements. Suppose a trainer won the Pokémon League or a Grand Festival with a Pokémon, the corresponding ribbon would be displayed there. They were two small, mostly cosmetic features, but they could definitely help a trainer understand their Pokémon better.
Zane dismissed the data screen. Fearing he might accidentally drop the 200-pokedollar piece of equipment if he threw it, he opted to just press the white button on the front.
A beam of white light shot out, materializing on the desk into the form of Budew.
"Nini!" It seemed very pleased with its new home.
Zane was happy, too. He finally had a real, true starter Pokémon.
Cramorant, seeming to pick up on the joyful atmosphere, stood to the side and let out a series of dopey "Gah gah!" sounds.
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