Chapter 497: The Scoundrel Dragonfly
The moment the little dragonfly arrived, the young Krokorok and Sandile in the city were overjoyed. They knew that when this big sister came to visit, there would be delicious food. Only the Krookodile sub-leaders looked melancholic. The children didn't understand; the reason there was good food when she arrived was because the tribe had no choice but to offer it to her.
This was a powerful dragonfly that could go toe-to-toe with their Chieftain, completely different from the ordinary Flygon that followed the lower-ranking sub-leaders. If they didn't treat her well, the entire city would be in chaos.
However, the little dragonfly wasn't some freeloader. She landed gracefully, took a bundle from her back, and handed it to one of the sub-leaders. "Flyy~"
It was her way of saying, Here are the seeds and herbs your Chieftain wanted.
Being fond of interacting with humans and naturally free-spirited, she had, over the past two hundred years, gradually become a traveling merchant in the Ashen Desert. She would gather things the Chieftains needed, sometimes by trading in other territories, and sometimes by flying to human cities. Then, she would use these goods to mooch food and lodging from the desert leaders. She hadn't hunted for herself in years, but she lived a very comfortable life.
The Krookodile in the stone city had a love-hate relationship with her. They loved the goods she brought, the knowledge she shared, and the stories she told. But they hated how she would always feast on their camels whenever she visited. Did they have any idea how hard it was to raise camels in the desert? The sub-leader in charge of livestock was on the verge of tears. Two humans had come yesterday, and today, this gluttonous dragonfly had arrived. The landlord's camels were running out!
But the sub-leader's complaints quickly caught the little dragonfly's attention. "Gon?"
She asked why humans were here. Weren't the Krookodile always hostile toward humans? Her first thought was that they were here to compete with her business. Humans were the original merchants, after all. Her own humble skills were no match for professional human caravans. She had only been so successful because humans didn't dare to venture deep into the desert, and many Chieftains were wary of them.
In an instant, the little dragonfly's eyes sharpened. Which insolent human dares to compete with me?!
Seeing this, the sub-leader was delighted and immediately began to speak ill of Arthur and his team with great enthusiasm. The Krookodile species, from top to bottom, from sub-leader to Chieftain, had absolutely no integrity. With Arthur gone, they had no qualms about badmouthing him behind his back.
But the more the little dragonfly listened, the more she felt that something was off. Why does this human's style sound so familiar?
Her curiosity was piqued. "Flyy!"
Give me fifty strips of dried meat, and I'll go teach that human a lesson for you.
The sub-leaders were shocked and quickly waved their claws. No, no, we were just blowing off steam! The Chieftain is cooperating with that human now. We were just talking.
The little dragonfly shot them a contemptuous look. Tch, cowards.
The Krookodile sub-leaders puffed out their chests and argued—It's not that we're cowards, it's that the human is just too overpowered! You'd be scared too if you saw him!
"Flyy, gon?!" This set the little dragonfly off. I roamed the entire East Continent, I've even fought Legendaries! You think I'd be afraid of him? I don't believe there's any human who can scare me!
After her bold declaration, the little dragonfly's eyes darted around. She was no saint herself. "Flyy?" — You're saying your Chieftain left with that human?
The Krookodile sub-leader nodded honestly.
"Flyy!" — Fifty strips of dried meat!
"Krook?" — Why?
"Flyy!" — Because your Chieftain isn't here. If you don't give them to me, I'll beat you up. You can't win against me.
"..."
The remaining Krookodile sub-leaders were dumbfounded. At that moment, he wanted to slap himself. Why did I have to run my mouth! Why did I have to badmouth that human behind his back!
...
A few hours later, after a hearty meal, the little dragonfly forcefully claimed her fifty strips of dried meat and happily set off. Before leaving, she made sure to emphasize her credibility. "Flyy!" — Don't worry, everyone in the desert knows I'm a Pokémon of my word. I said I'd teach that human a lesson, and I will.
"Krook..." The Krookodile hung their heads. We don't want you to teach him a lesson anymore. Can we have our meat back?
The little dragonfly let out a satisfied burp, hummed a familiar Kubfu ballad, and took to the skies again. Her actions spoke louder than words: In your dreams.
The remaining Krookodile gnashed their teeth in frustration, but they were helpless. That scoundrel dragonfly!
Meanwhile, Arthur and the Krookodile Chieftain had returned to the oasis where Amani and the others were staying.
"You're back so soon? And you even—" Amani, who had come out to greet them, stopped mid-sentence. She had just seen the Krookodile Chieftain following behind their vehicle. She was so scared she almost dropped the survey tool in her hand.
"Y-y-you... what did you do? I thought you were just going to talk?" She stammered as she looked at the calm Arthur getting out of the car.
But Arthur's expression was serene. "It's a long story. But don't worry, he won't harm us now."
The Krookodile Chieftain snorted dismissively, perhaps intending to emphasize his own aloofness and that he wouldn't deign to harm such weak humans. However, in Amani's eyes, it looked like the nearly ten-foot-tall tyrant was acknowledging Arthur's words.
What kind of miracle was this?! In just one day, he had not only brought back the leader of this territory but had also managed to get him to promise not to harm the rest of them.
Although the reality was slightly different—Arthur was actually being roped into helping the Chieftain, providing his strength in exchange for information—in the eyes of Amani and the other researchers, Arthur's image had been elevated to a whole new level. It was simply incredible! A human had, for the first time ever, commanded one of the Seven Chieftains of the desert to accompany them.
Arthur: Actually, I didn't command him.
Amani: Team Leader Arthur is a beast!
Their communication was on completely different wavelengths. Arthur found it difficult to explain, so he just said, "We're heading to the Nidoking Chieftain's territory in the south. If you're done collecting samples here, we should pack up and get ready to leave."
"Yes, of course, Team Leader! I'll get right on it!"
Arthur noticed that Amani's tone had become even more respectful. He was at a loss. He wanted to tell her it was a misunderstanding, but it seemed like no one would believe him.
A short while later, the research team packed up the other two vehicles, and the group, now plus one giant crocodile, set off again.
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