"You've likely noticed that Professor Burnet and I wear the same or similar outfits every day, right?" asked Korrina, standing behind a shirtless Jason with a shirt held up in front of him before a standing mirror.
"I have," affirmed Jason, nodding.
"Well, as you interact with more people, you'll notice this is very common," stated Korrina, explaining, "There are several reasons for this, but the two central ones are image and marketability. If you wear a bunch of different outfits, you won't be nearly as memorable to people or Pokémon. Wearing the same or a similar style of outfit each day makes you recognizable, and as your fame and popularity increase, it makes it easier for companies you partner with to market your image."
'So it's kind of like a Superhero costume...' Jason noted, stopping Korrina's selection on a simple white tee. Many of the articles of clothing she had personally picked out for him had colors and tones that matched those of a Lucario, but while he didn't mind matching with his future partner, Jason felt it was a little on the nose.
With Korrina's input and assistance, Jason ultimately selected a pair of dark grey swim trunks to wear as underclothes, Lucario-blue pants that were comfortable and breathable, predominantly black Omni Shoes with white sides and laces, and a black, white-trimmed, blue-patterned vest-style summer jacket with a hoodie. He had three choices of backpack to choose from: one reminiscent of a school bag, another for hiking, and a third for camping, but they were all the same Lucario-blue with pale gold accents as his pants.
"Is this the outfit you want to go with?" Korrina asked, eyeing Jason with the discerning gaze of a veteran PR video star as she remarked, "It's not particularly impactful, but the most important thing is that you're able to move freely and battle comfortably."
"This is good enough for the time being..." affirmed Jason, adding, "Once my egg has hatched and we're traveling around doing your video shoots, we can stop by some local clothing stores to sample their selections. In the meantime, it's probably better that I don't stand out too much. Even if they aren't attracted to you in the same way I am, you doubtlessly have a lot of male fans. If they learn their idol has a boyfriend, it could harm your image."
Blinking in surprise, Korrina asked, "You're planning to accompany me for my video shoots?"
"I mean...we're a couple, right...?" asked Jason, smiling awkwardly as he contended, "As your boyfriend, I have a duty to escort you and lend you a hand where I can..."
"I see..." remarked Korrina, a broad smile adorning her face as she added, "Then, if there's anything more I'm supposed to do as your girlfriend, just let me know. We just have to keep in mind that public displays of affection are generally a no-go."
"I understand..." affirmed Jason, nodding. He obviously wouldn't kiss or fondle Ellaine or Korrina in the middle of a crowd, but as they had no way of knowing that, he didn't blame her for reminding him. They were all still learning the nuances of their relationship, and to ensure there was as little confusion as possible, they had resolved to be honest and direct with one another.
"Great! Then, if you're ready, let's go catch some Pokémon...!" exclaimed Korrina, striking a clearly excited guts pose that invaded Jason's personal space. The latter was still getting used to this, but instead of freezing up, he jolted slightly, adopted an awkward smile, and affirmed, "I'm ready..." with a curt nod. Then, with Korrina pulling him along, they left their shared room, said goodbye to Ellaine, Audino, and Munchlax, packed up the food she had prepared for them, and made their way toward the dense strip of forest lining the beach...
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"Alright, when searching for wild Pokémon, particularly in places with very few people nearby, there are several key things you need to keep in mind at all times," stated Korrina, her eyes constantly scanning her and Jason's surroundings as she explained, "You need to be wary of grass higher than your shins, fallen logs, dense foliage, the canopies of trees, and shadowy areas. Predatory and battle-oriented Pokémon are definitely dangerous, but the most common causes of injury or death among Trainers are being ambushed and bitten by a venomous Pokémon."
Holding up her right hand to stop Jason, Korrina's eyes briefly contracted before dilating as she focused on what looked like an inconspicuous bush. Then, keeping her voice low, she gestured for Jason to come closer with her left hand, whispering, "Look...there in the shadows...can you see it...?" while forcing him to hunch down close to her and guiding his line of sight.
Though all he saw was darkness at first, Jason eventually noticed a faint gleam of yellow among the underbrush. He then noticed that the shadow had a distinctive purple hue, allowing it to blend in with the darkness but not fully.
"It's an Ekans..." noted Jason, recognizing the concealed Pokémon as a Gen 1 Poison-type, the pre-evolved form of the cobra-like Arbok. And as if to confirm his suspicions, a fast, high-pitched rattling began to radiate from the bush as the Ekans presumably recognized him voicing its name aloud.
Nodding, Korrina explained, "In areas populated by Rattata and Raticate, you can be certain there are ambush predators like Ekans around. That's something to keep in mind when you're foraging for specific Pokémon. If it's commonly preyed upon by other Pokémon, you can expect to find its predators in or around the same area. Everything eats something, and one of the biggest mistakes young Pokémon Trainers make is believing they're not on the menu..."
"Right..." muttered Jason, a sense of tension permeating his body as his sweat production ramped from an influx of adrenaline into his system. He wanted to appear calm in front of Korrina, but knowing there were two to three-meter-long snakes lurking about, watching him with their reflective yellow eyes, was unnerving. To make matters worse, Ekans weren't even considered a considerable threat in the Pokémon world—just one of many environmental hazards Trainers needed to be wary of.
"Hey, you don't need to be so nervous," remarked Korrina, patting Jason on the back as she stated, "Most Pokémon are considerably more afraid of people than we are of them. Ekans, in particular, are nocturnal ambush predators. Most of their victims are people who didn't notice and stepped on them by accident."
"Makes sense..." responded Jason, nodding. Snakes in his past world were very similar, so as long as he was deliberate with his movements and minded his steps, he shouldn't have to worry.
"The Pokémon you really need to look out for are Fairy and Ghost-types," stated Korrina, revealing, "They are unique among Pokémon in that they actively target humans. It's theorized that the reason Fairy-types look as cute as they do is to lower the guard of humans, particularly unsuspecting children. As for Ghost-types, it's widely believed that they're the spirits of humans who died with grudges or were predated by other Ghost-types. If you travel at night or camp out in the forest, it's essential that you encircle your camp with salt or add it to your fire to keep them at bay."
"How do people go about catching Ghost-types...?" asked Jason, trying to calm his nerves by focusing on Korrina's lessons.
Shaking her head, Korrina stated, "I'm not an expert on Ghost-types, but I know they're commonly sought after near the locations of major disasters, long-abandoned buildings, and cemeteries. But you need a certain degree of compatibility to capture and train them, similar to Psychic and Fighting-types. If you lack psychic power or the resolve to train and fight alongside your partners, you won't be able to form a proper connection with Psychic or Fighting-type Pokémon. In the best-case scenario, they'll run away and you'll never see them again."
Though he was tempted to ask what the worst-case scenario was, Jason decided he could look into it later. Not because he was afraid to know, but because a line of small, softball-sized Pokémon had revealed themselves, bouncing happily in an orderly cue as they crossed his and Korrina's path without paying them any mind. At a glance, they looked like large, purple-pink fruit with four rounded green leaves atop their heads that spun like a helicopter's propeller as they bounced. Concealed beneath their purple-pink tops were white bulbs reminiscent of the interior of a fruit Jason had seen in his previous life but couldn't recall the name of.
Adopting a broad smile, Korrina revealed, "Those are called Bounsweet, the Fruit Pokémon. They're a prey Pokémon and a delicacy here in Alola, but if you care for and train them diligently, they can evolve twice into a powerful Pokémon called Tsareena. Unfortunately, while it specializes in kicking, Tsareena is a pure Grass-type."
"Right...I remember reading about them in one of Ellaine's books on local Pokémon..." affirmed Jason, feeling a slight but not overwhelming sense of melancholy as he observed the group of Bounsweet bouncing happily toward their destination. He was pretty sure he had seen the white parts of them served in one of the meals Ellaine prepared, so he couldn't help but feel guilty seeing them bouncing happily without a care or concern in the world.
"Do you want to try catching one?" asked Korrina, noticing the thoughtful look on Jason's face, compelling her to produce a red and white Poké Ball that expanded from the size of a large marble to a softball when the white button on its front was pressed.
Shaking his head, Jason caused Korrina's smile to broaden as he softly contended, "It doesn't feel right...maybe if we happened across a lone one, but this group seems like a happy family. I don't want to ruin that..."
"Great. That's the exact mentality a Trainer should have," affirmed Korrina, nodding approvingly and following the Bounsweet with her gleaming eyes as she stated, "Whenever possible, humans should try to live in harmony with Pokémon. There have been times in the past when humans sought to conquer or subjugate Pokémon, but each time resulted in disaster and the destruction of the civilization responsible. So while we may regard certain Pokémon as food or sources of materials, we musn't go out of our way to be cruel or self-serving. Because whenever Pokémon feel threatened on a broad scale, humanity inevitably gets set back hundreds of years..."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind..." responded Jason, offering a nod as he imagined various Legendary and Mythical Pokémon laying waste to large cities and population centers. The technology he had observed thus far in the Pokémon world was far more advanced than his own, but at the same time, it distinctly lacked satellite infrastructure, and many regions of their world were still unexplored. Any rockets launched would be attacked and destroyed by Rayquaza, so while their society was advanced, it was clear from Korrina's warnings that humans were far from the dominant species in the aptly-named Pokémon world...
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As Bounsweet was common prey for other Pokémon, including Rattata, Korrina suggested to Jason that they follow the group from a safe and reactive distance. It was evidently common for Trainers in the midst of tracking Pokémon to be ambushed by others, so while keeping a close eye on their surroundings, they followed roughly ten meters behind the group of bounding Bounsweet to a small, crystal clear, creek-fed pond with many tracks leading to and from it.
Stopping Jason near the edge of the clearing, Korrina, her expression serious, softly explained, "Fresh water sources like this are a great place to observe and capture a wide variety of Pokémon, but they're also where hungry predators will lie in wait. Without a partner Pokémon at your side to act as a deterrent and detect threats, it's best to avoid places like this entirely..."
"I under—" started Jason, falling silent as Korrina pulled him close and placed her right hand over his mouth. At the same time, something large, black, and pink moved like a speeding car toward the group of Bounsweet that were happily drinking and frolicking in the pond's shallows. The much smaller Pokémon immediately scattered, taking to the air with their petals, but several ended up getting caught by their assailant's powerful swipe, a blow that produced tempestuous winds that could be felt from more than ten meters away.
"Beweaar~" chimed the ambushing Pokémon, standing close to two and a half meters tall with a stocky but muscular body covered in predominantly black fur. Its head, upper back, and raccoon-like tail were covered in pink fur with darker pink stripes, and its ears and snout were covered in white, featuring a pattern that gave it the appearance of wearing a headband. At a glance, it appeared to be an adorable fusion between a large bear and a red panda dyed strawberry pink, but Jason immediately recognized it as a Bewear, the Strong Arm Pokémon. He also knew that, among those found in Alola, Bewear was among the strongest and most dangerous Pokémon that could be encountered in the wild...
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