Over the next few days, Arthur gradually brought Whitey and Brownie back into the fold. Both had successfully emerged as Beedrills, standing at 1.5 meters and 1.6 meters respectively.
Each had developed distinct physical traits. Whitey's yellow hide was quite pale, making his dual arm-stingers and wings appear a brilliant, polished white.
Notably, both his arm-needles and his tail-stinger were massive—even larger than Goldie's. Brownie, with his coffee-colored hide, was apparently quite the "heartthrob" in the eyes of the squad, according to Bella's reactions.
During this time, Arthur focused on one primary goal: Mapping.
He scouted not just the lakeside, but the surrounding territories. He discovered that the Poliwrath's peaceful domain was bordered by two other major powers: a Fearow and a Primeape.
Both were notoriously temperamental species. Arthur took one look at them from a distance and noped out immediately.
He had no intention of testing their patience or their power—especially the Fearow, which was a natural predator of Beedrills and effectively a "discount Ho-Oh" in terms of aerial dominance.
Instead of reckless expansion, Arthur led his four subordinates on a mission to stockpile specialty berries.
He focused on Oran Berries and Leppa Berries. These were essential because they restored health and energy with zero side effects, and almost every Pokémon loved the taste. He also gathered small amounts of Cheri, Chesto, Rawst, and Persim berries to keep as a "medical kit."
The purpose of all this? Leveling up.
Most wild Pokémon grow simply by eating. They don't have a concept of "grinding for XP" through combat.
In this Era of Pokémon, a fight often ended in death or permanent crippling; without Pokémon Centers, a serious wound was a death sentence.
This was why the Ekans from before chose to retreat—even if it won, the injuries might leave it unable to hunt later.
But Arthur had a human's strategic mind. To grow fast, he needed combat. To survive combat, he needed his "medical kit" of berries to heal wounds and clear status effects.
"Alright, we're ready," Arthur said, looking over the stacks of fruit they'd cached in their home trees. "Let's go pay a visit to the Arbok's territory next door. We need to introduce ourselves so the neighbors know who's moving in."
Currently, the squad considers the dozen or so trees near their birth point as home base. With only five members, they didn't need a massive kingdom.
Plus, being too high-profile might attract the attention of the local landlord, the Poliwrath, who might decide to evict them for disturbing the peace.
"Whitey, Brownie, you two stay behind and guard the stash," Arthur ordered.
The two were nearly a week behind the others in development. While Arthur, Goldie, and Bella had reached Level 13, Whitey and Brownie were only Level 10.
They were more than capable of guarding the home front against the local "runt" Pokémon like Pidgeys or Venonats, but they weren't ready for a frontier war.
The two nodded, their intelligence having noticeably improved since evolution. They now understood Arthur's more complex instructions.
Arthur, Goldie, and Bella took flight. Within ten minutes, they crossed the invisible border into the "Ruined Zone."
The difference was immediate. The air felt heavier, and the sense of safety provided by the Poliwrath vanished. Soon, they spotted a prime target: a Pinsir (formerly known as Kaiser) resting on a branch.
In this world, the Pinsir was a beast, standing 2.5 meters tall—nearly twice the size of its modern-day descendants.
"Pinsir!"
The beetle Pokémon noticed them instantly, the loud hum of Beedrill wings giving them away. It snapped its massive head-pincers together, trying to intimidate the trio into leaving. It clearly preferred to keep its tree without a fight and was prepared to back down.
But Arthur wasn't there for the tree. He was there for the experience.
"Attack!"
Arthur opened with Fury Cutter—the first time he'd used it in a real fight. He swung his twin stingers with blurring speed. The Pinsir, realizing there was no retreat, lunged back with its mandibles glowing.
Bug Bite... Arthur recognized the move instantly.
"Goldie, Bella, together! Surround him! He's high level—don't give him an inch!"
Under Arthur's command, the three Beedrills began a disciplined "circle-kick" beatdown on the massive beetle.