Run!
Natsuhiko and Weedle rendezvoused at the agreed spot. He scooped up Weedle, along with two fruit it had wrapped in silk, showing no trace of their previous luster.
They looked just like ordinary Tree Fruits now, their intense aroma and glow vanished.
But at this moment, neither Natsuhiko nor Weedle had time to care about that.
At this moment, they had only one thought in mind.
Run!
Swiftly darting through the dense woods, with the return path memorized and aggressive Pokémon cleared away in advance, all for this moment.
"Up ahead is an exposed tree root... then a patch of thorny bushes... and then a large tree to go around..."
Natsuhiko's face flushed red.
Beads of sweat appeared instantly on his forehead, soaking his hair, reddening his eyes, and dampening his nose.
He needed not only to run fast but also recall all the crucial spots to be careful of and mind as he passed by.
This was a dual test of physical and mental endurance.
Soon, he had to breathe heavily through his mouth, his chest heaving like bellows.
Thanks to the rigorous training sessions with Weedle these days—pushing himself each day until he couldn't go on—Natsuhiko's stamina had been honed.
Moreover, with improved meals compared to before, his body was no longer frail.
Otherwise, even if they snatched the fruit from that group of Insect-type Pokémon, they wouldn't escape.
Buzzzz...
Yet no matter how hard they ran, the sound of wild Pokémon pursuing came from behind, with two Beedrill at the forefront, eyes red with anger.
They brandished their two sharp stingers, buzzing their thin wings furiously, closing in on Natsuhiko and Weedle.
Natsuhiko paid them no mind, focusing only on running, leaping, and dodging obstacles with ease.
Branches and thorns scraped his body, tearing apart the expensive clothes he had recently bought during this frantic escape.
Weedle, perched on Natsuhiko's shoulder, gripped his clothes tightly with its seven pairs of tender legs, turning to face the pursuing Pokémon.
Hiss—
Strings of silk and webs spewed out, not to inflict damage but to slow down the chasing Insect-type Pokémon.
Weedle anchored the silk between trees along their escape route, layering barriers.
When any Pokémon got too close, it spat out a Power Grid to restrict them.
Weedle focused on obstructing the chase, while Natsuhiko concentrated on escaping, trusting each other implicitly with their roles.
Natsuhiko believed in Weedle's ability to hold back the pursuers, so he devoted all his attention to recalling potential environmental obstacles and crafting the perfect escape route.
Weedle trusted Natsuhiko could lead it to safety, so it focused entirely on blocking the Pokémon behind them with all its strength and skill.
With their teamwork, the pursuers couldn't close the distance despite not falling behind. Weedle's silk became the bane of their pursuers, who had no answer and could only trail further back.
Neither the fast Beedrill nor Butterfree could do anything more.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, a violent figure barged to the front.
It was Pinsir!
It finally caught up, its body bruised and battered, crouched, its massive pincers slicing through branches, shrubs, and even Weedle's silk with ease.
Its appearance brought immense pressure on Weedle.
"Oooh!!" It lowly growled, directing most of its techniques at Pinsir.
Yet whether spinning silk, Poison Needle, or Power Grid, they failed to harm it significantly. Instead, they seemed to fuel its fury, the robust energy flaring on its body as it drew closer.
Pinsir was a foe Weedle couldn't defeat alone at this point.
Fueled by anger, it charged ahead heedlessly.
Not even Natsuhiko's speed could outpace it.
"Oooh!!"
Weedle grew anxious, shouting at Natsuhiko in between unleashing techniques.
A trace of regret seeped into it.
If they hadn't entered this forest, if they hadn't fought for those two Tree Fruits, they wouldn't be in such a dire situation now.
Natsuhiko no longer had the strength to speak, but he gave Weedle a determined look.
That look made Weedle pause, considering sacrificing itself to buy Natsuhiko time.
Then it understood.
Stay calm, don't panic.
Though Natsuhiko didn't speak, these oft-repeated phrases from their training and battles echoed in its mind.
Trust Natsuhiko; as long as he hasn't given up, there's still hope!
Weedle's gaze focused intensely, relentlessly deploying every technique at Pinsir.
Even if it couldn't cause significant harm or create a major obstacle, persistence might just create an opportunity.
At this moment, its small eyes became exceptionally keen, locking firmly onto Pinsir's body, calculating its movement patterns and the subtle gaps in its seemingly impenetrable shell.
That was Pinsir's weak point!
Weedle's eyes brightened, as if discovering a crucial detail, and three Poison Needles shot off instinctively.
Ptsssch—
Then, much to Weedle's surprise, the Poison Needles arced gracefully, bypassing the tough shell on Pinsir's legs, piercing through the narrow gap between two plates, embedding into the soft muscle beneath.
"Kreee!!!"
Pinsir cried out in devastation, its steps faltering, tumbling heavily to the ground, skidding several meters before stopping.
It worked!
Weedle's eyes sparkled with joy.
But before it could revel in this success, the distracted Pinsir allowed two Beedrill to catch up rapidly, their sharp stingers bringing a chilling sense of danger.
Darn!
Whoooosh—
Just then, as Weedle feared the worst, the running Natsuhiko reached the most crucial point in his plan.
A moderately flowing stream.
This was his optimal escape strategy!
Grabbing Weedle with one hand and clutching the two precious Tree Fruits to his chest with the other, he took a deep breath, making a leap for it.
Plop—
The chill of the autumn stream, mixed with the night's coldness, almost forced the air out of him. Water streamed through his ears and nose, as Natsuhiko held Weedle tightly, curled up, and drifted along with the current.
The pursuing Insect Pokémon saw this and were infuriated.
They were instinctively wary of the water, especially when Natsuhiko submerged and disappeared beneath.
Without the fruits emitting their enticing aroma, the pursuit felt pointless.
After circling the stream's surface for a while, they grudgingly retreated, their anger unspent.
Meanwhile, under the water, Natsuhiko, feeling the burn in his lungs, surfaced only when he was sure they were far enough from danger, dragging his numbed body to shore.
Collapsing heavily on the stream bank, he placed Weedle beside him.
Even Weedle, experiencing such an ordeal for the first time, was momentarily stunned until its feet found solid ground again.
Natsuhiko and Weedle exchanged glances at the two bulging spheres in his tattered clothes...
And laughed.
...
...
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