Ren learned several things on his second day.
First: Building a shelter with enhanced strength was easier than he expected, but still required actual planning. Throwing large rocks around didn't automatically create livable space.
Second: The Lotad was surprisingly helpful once it understood what he was trying to do.
Third: The Bidoof was even more helpful, but only when it felt like it.
"No, not that log," Ren said, watching the Bidoof drag a piece of driftwood toward his construction site. "I need the one over there. The one that's actually straight."
The Bidoof looked at him, looked at the log it was dragging, then kept dragging it anyway.
"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
The Bidoof made a sound that might have been agreement.
Ren sighed and went to get the other log himself. He'd been working on his shelter since dawn, using the large boulder from last night as one wall and building out from there. The plan was simple: create a three-sided structure with a roof, using rocks for the walls and logs for support.
The Lotad helped by using its water attacks to soften the ground where Ren wanted to place support posts. A quick Absorb on the wet soil made it easier to dig, and its Mist kept the area cool while Ren worked in the tropical heat.
The Bidoof helped by... well, Ren wasn't entirely sure what the Bidoof was doing, but it seemed to be having fun dragging things around.
By midday, Ren had a basic frame up. Three walls of stacked stones, mortared together with mud that the Lotad had helped create. Logs stripped of branches formed a simple roof support. He'd need to find something to actually cover the roof, leaves or bark, but the structure was solid.
He stepped back to admire his work, hands on his hips.
"Not bad for someone who's never built anything more complex than IKEA furniture."
The Lotad chirped approvingly from the pond.
The Bidoof was asleep in the shade.
Ren's stomach growled again. He'd eaten more Oran berries this morning, but they weren't enough. He needed protein. Fishing seemed like the best option, since he had no idea how to make traps or hunt properly.
"Alright," he said, mostly to himself. "Time to figure out fishing in a world where the fish might eat me instead."
He fashioned a simple spear from a straight branch, using a sharp rock to carve the end into a point. It wasn't great, but it would work for stabbing at fish in shallow water.
Probably.
Ren waded into the pond, moving slowly to avoid disturbing the water too much. The Lotad watched from nearby, curiosity evident in the way it tilted its head.
Small fish darted around his feet. He focused on one:
[Species: Magikarp
Level: 5
Gender: Male
Type: Water
HP: 100%
Status: Healthy
Known Moves: Splash
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Adamant]
"Magikarp," Ren muttered. "The most useless Pokemon until it evolves into a Gyarados."
Still, useless or not, it was food.
He raised his spear and thrust down.
The Magikarp darted away effortlessly. Ren's spear hit nothing but mud.
He tried again. And again. And again.
Every time, the Magikarp avoided his spear with ease. They were fast, much faster than he'd anticipated.
"This is ridiculous," Ren said after his tenth failed attempt. "I can kick a Poochyena into a tree, but I can't catch a fish."
The Lotad made a sound that might have been laughter.
Ren glared at it. "If you think you can do better-"
The Lotad's eyes glowed briefly, and a blast of water shot from its mouth, nailing a Magikarp with perfect accuracy. The fish went flying onto the shore, flopping helplessly.
"Show-off," Ren muttered, but he was grinning.
He waded to shore and picked up the Magikarp. It was small, maybe a foot long, but it would be enough for a meal. The system showed its HP had dropped to 30%, unconscious but alive.
"Thanks," Ren said to the Lotad. "I'll, uh... I'll work on my fishing technique."
The Lotad chirped smugly.
Now came the hard part: actually preparing the fish. Ren had watched cooking shows, sure, but he'd never gutted and cleaned a fish himself. And he definitely didn't have a knife.
He ended up using the same sharp rock he'd used to make his spear, which was messy and inefficient but got the job done. By the time he was finished, his hands were covered in fish blood and scales, and the Magikarp looked significantly less appetizing than it had in the water.
"Next problem," Ren said, looking at the cleaned fish. "No fire."
He'd seen people make fire in survival shows. Rubbing sticks together, using friction. But he'd also seen those same people take hours to get even a single spark, and that was with the right materials and experience.
Ren looked at the Lotad.
The Lotad looked back.
"You don't happen to know any fire moves, do you?"
The Lotad shook its head, lily pad wobbling.
"Didn't think so. You're Water-Grass type. Fire would be weird."
He'd have to figure out fire later. For now, he could try eating the fish raw. It wasn't ideal, but he'd heard of people eating sushi. This was basically the same thing, right?
Ren took a bite.
It was not the same thing as sushi.
It was slimy, fishy, and the texture made him want to gag. But he forced himself to swallow. Food was food, and he needed the protein.
He managed to eat about half the Magikarp before his stomach threatened rebellion. The rest he left near the pond's edge, figuring some other Pokemon would appreciate it.
The Bidoof woke up, waddled over, and ate the remaining fish without hesitation.
"At least someone's enjoying it," Ren said.
He washed his hands in the pond, scrubbing away the blood and scales. The cold water felt good against his skin. The tropical heat was oppressive, even in the shade.
As he sat there, hands in the water, the Lotad drifted closer again. This time it didn't hesitate, bumping its head against Ren's arm like it had the night before.
Ren smiled and patted its lily pad gently. "You're pretty friendly for a wild Pokemon."
The Lotad chirped.
"I wonder if few Pokemon are like this, or if you're special." He paused. "In the games, wild Pokemon attack on sight most of the time. But you and the Bidoof just... accepted me. Why?"
The Lotad tilted its head, as if considering the question.
"Maybe it's because I helped myself to your water without attacking you first. Or maybe you're just curious about the weird human with blue hair." Ren looked at his reflection in the water. His hair was getting messier, and he definitely needed a shave, assuming he could figure out how to do that without a razor. "Or maybe Pokemon are more intelligent than humans give them credit for."
The Lotad made an agreeable sound.
"Yeah, I'm going with that last one."
They sat together in comfortable silence for a while. The sun was starting to descend toward the horizon, painting everything in golden light. Ren's shelter cast a long shadow across the pond.
"You know," Ren said eventually, "if I'm going to be stuck here for a while, I should probably name this place. Can't just keep calling it 'the pond.'"
The Lotad chirped, seeming interested.
"How about... Survival Pond? No, that's depressing." He thought for a moment. "Lily Pond? Because of you?"
The Lotad's lily pad wiggled, which Ren chose to interpret as approval.
"Lily Pond it is, then." He stood up and stretched, his joints popping. "Tomorrow, I need to explore more of the island. Find out if there are any other humans here, or any signs of civilization. And I need to figure out fire, because eating raw fish is not sustainable."
The Lotad watched him, those large eyes tracking his movements.
"But tonight, I have a shelter. I have water. I have food, even if it was disgusting. And I have..." He paused, looking at the Lotad. "I have company. That's not nothing."
The Lotad chirped and bumped against his leg again.
This time, without thinking about it, Ren reached down and picked the Lotad up. It was surprisingly light, maybe ten pounds, and cool to the touch. The lily pad on its head shifted slightly as Ren adjusted his grip.
The Lotad didn't struggle or seem upset. It just settled into his arms, making that soft trilling sound.
"We're friends now, aren't we?" Ren said quietly.
The Lotad's response was to gently pat his chest with one small flipper.
Ren felt something in his chest tighten. He'd been alone for two days, lost and confused and trying desperately not to panic. But this small Pokemon, this creature that had no reason to trust him, had chosen to stay.
"Thanks," he said, his voice rough. "For not leaving me alone out here."
The Lotad chirped and nestled closer.
As the sun set and the stars began to appear, Ren sat at the entrance to his new shelter, the Lotad in his lap. The Bidoof was sprawled out nearby, already asleep and snoring softly.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges. He still needed to find a way off this island, figure out what happened to his memories, understand why his body was different.
But tonight, for the first time since waking up on that beach, Ren didn't feel quite so lost.
He had a shelter. He had friends.
He was going to be okay.