After eating and packing up, Lily and Emma headed deeper toward the forest.
They absolutely refused to go anywhere near the lake again.
Who in their right mind would provoke that terrifying Gyarados?
"Behave yourself," Emma warned as they walked. "Don't mess with another boss-level Pokémon like earlier."
"Oh, relax!" Lily puffed her cheeks. "Emma, what do you take me for? I'm being very well-behaved."
"Wow! This is so cute!"
Before Emma could respond, Lily's eyes lit up. She jogged toward a small, light-brown Pokémon nearby.
"Milk Bear! Milk Bear!"
The tiny bear Pokémon tilted its head curiously.
Lily quickly checked it with her Pokédex.
"Teddiursa. Normal-type… Should I bring it back to the garden?"
She looked conflicted. She had no intention of making it her main battler—but as a pet?
It was adorable.
Teddiursa didn't seem afraid. It simply blinked at her, then turned as if preparing to leave.
"Hey, little cutie, don't go. I've got snacks!"
While Lily tried coaxing it closer, Emma shook her head and turned her attention elsewhere. She aimed her Pokédex at a small, acorn-shaped Pokémon not far away.
"Seedot. Grass-type… I wonder what it evolves into."
She lowered the Pokédex, satisfied. Since arriving in the western suburbs, she had already recorded eight different Pokémon.
That was excellent progress.
Then—
"KUBAAA!"
A deep, furious roar exploded behind them.
Emma stiffened and spun around.
A massive brown bear Pokémon stood upright several meters away.
Even with a slight hunch, it was nearly 2.5 meters tall. Its body was thick with muscle, radiating overwhelming pressure.
Ursaring.
And at this moment, Ursaring was glaring at Lily with blazing fury.
Because Lily was holding Teddiursa.
Its cub.
Lily froze.
"KUBAAA!!!"
Ursaring roared again, raising its enormous claws. White light gleamed along their edges.
Slash!
A nearby tree was cleaved cleanly in two and crashed to the ground.
Lily's face went pale.
Not again.
Why did she keep running into boss-level monsters?!
"Th-that… I didn't mean to hurt your baby…"
She forced a stiff smile and carefully placed Teddiursa back onto the ground.
Ursaring watched her every movement without blinking.
Teddiursa happily toddled back to its parent.
And then—
"KUBAAA!!!"
Ursaring lunged forward.
Lily's expression changed instantly. She turned and bolted.
"Big Brother Bear! I swear I wasn't trying to hurt your kid!"
"Emma! Emma, save me! Huh?!"
"When did you run that far ahead, Emma?! Don't abandon me!"
Lily's tragic wailing echoed through the forest, startling flocks of birds into the air.
That shameless woman had run off so fast!
---
Pokémon House
"How does this look?"
"Very good. Boss, you look really handsome."
Rao Xiaofei smiled as she reviewed the recorded video.
Ren laughed helplessly. "You're getting better at flattery."
"I'm serious!" she insisted, sticking out her tongue playfully. "It's very clear. Anyone can understand it."
"Alright. Send it to tech and upload it to the official website."
Ren nodded in satisfaction.
---
At School
Ava lay slumped over her desk like a lifeless fish.
"This is torture… Why can't I just be one year older…"
She wanted to go on an adventure too.
But the school rules were strict. Leave requests were nearly impossible.
All she could do was watch group chats fill with wilderness photos and scroll through the Pokémon House forums.
"Huh? A new video?"
A notification popped up at the top of the official Pokémon House site.
Curious, Ava clicked.
The video opened with scenes of various adorable Pokémon.
Then the camera shifted to a handsome young man.
"Hello everyone. I'm Ren, owner of Pokémon House. Maybe you don't know me yet—but that's okay."
"Today, many people in Magic City probably feel overwhelmed. Pokémon have appeared everywhere. Some of you might be wondering—what exactly are Pokémon?"
"Perhaps you imagine them as magical creatures. Or cute pets. Or powerful beasts."
"All of that is true."
"But to me, they are lifelong companions."
Ren took out a red-and-white Poké Ball and tossed it gently.
The ball opened midair.
"Lalu~"
A soft, sweet cry melted hearts instantly.
A small Ralts appeared.
Ren caught it gently and rubbed its head.
"This is Ralts, a Psychic-type Pokémon. Our little cutie."
He smiled warmly at the camera.
"Pokémon are gifts to us. They'll become important parts of our lives. So please—don't be afraid of them."
"Some of you may be wondering what just happened."
Ren held up the Poké Ball.
"This is called a Poké Ball. It's used to capture Pokémon."
"Most Pokémon are mild-tempered. Many of you may have noticed that despite their sudden appearance, they rarely attack humans without reason."
"Once you earn a Pokémon's friendship, you can attempt to capture it with a Poké Ball."
"The most common method is Pokémon battle."
"Defeat them fairly, earn their acknowledgment, and they will choose to follow you."
His voice was calm and reassuring.
"Pokémon are new to our world. We're unfamiliar with each other. But that's not a problem."
"Understanding. Trust. Coexistence."
"That's how we build a better planet together."
He gently scratched under Ralts' chin. The little Pokémon happily nestled against his shoulder.
Countless viewers melted on the spot.
"So where can you get Poké Balls?"
"Currently, Pokémon have only appeared in Magic City. After discussing with the authorities, Pokémon House has officially opened a Pokémon Store location here."
"You can purchase Poké Balls, space backpacks, and Pokédex devices there."
"The Pokédex helps you identify Pokémon and understand their basic information."
"And once you have your partner…"
"Becoming a Trainer might be closer than you think."
The camera shifted.
Suddenly, intense battle footage appeared—
Lapras versus Aerodactyl.
Dratini versus Larvitar.
Fast cuts. Explosive impacts. Dramatic music.
The video ended.
But the internet exploded.
---
Comment Section
"I'm throwing my husky into battle immediately!"
"Calm down. Your dog will get flattened."
"I'm in Longcheng. Booking a flight to Magic City now."
"Ralts is SO CUTE. I need one in my life."
"So buying a Poké Ball means you get a Pokémon?"
"Reading comprehension, please. You need friendship or battle first."
"How do we gain friendship though?"
"I think communication matters? I might know how to deal with the stubborn Pokémon in my backyard now."
"I'm taking Goldeen to conquer the East China Sea!"
"Bro, fishermen say there are shark-like Pokémon out there now. Good luck surviving."
Ava blinked at the screen.
It seemed…
Everyone was excited to become a Trainer.
-------------Author---------------
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