Chapter 31: Pidgey

"This is a forest! There are so many Bug-Type Pokémon. I... I don't dare to sleep alone! What if one crawls into my tent?"

Misty shouted, clearly embarrassed but also terrified of the idea. She wasn't willing to sleep alone, no matter what.

"Oh... right," Ash nodded, understanding her fear but finding her flustered state more cute than anything.

With the tent set up and sleeping bags inside, it was time for lunch. Both Ash and Misty were quite hungry, their stomachs growling loudly.

Neither of them were particularly good at cooking, but Misty was even worse, so Ash took the lead in preparing their meal, while Misty helped where she could.

Lunch was simple: some pre-cooked food they had bought in "Viridian City" that only needed heating and seasoning.

The main dish was rice, though it wasn't anything fancy. Misty, however, was impressed by Ash's cooking. It wasn't spectacular, but it was better than she expected.

They didn't forget about Pikachu either. Ash had specially prepared Pokémon food for Pikachu, flavored with its favorite "Tamato Berry" to add that familiar spicy kick.

"By the way, I almost forgot about Pidgey!" Ash suddenly remembered, taking out Pidgey's Poké Ball and releasing it.

With a flash of white light, the small bird Pokémon appeared, blinking in confusion at the two humans and Pikachu before it.

It looked at Ash with a mix of caution and curiosity. In the strange space of the Poké Ball, Pidgey had been disoriented but now felt more grounded.

Pidgey eyed Ash warily, noticing the Poké Ball in his hand and realizing it had been captured.

Although it wasn't entirely sure how it had ended up in this situation, Pidgey instinctively knew, through genetic memory, what a Poké Ball was for.

"Hey there, it's nice to meet you. My name's Ash," Ash said, reaching out his hand in a friendly gesture.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu waved its tiny paw, welcoming Pidgey with a warm smile.

Pidgey hesitated, glancing at Ash's hand before locking eyes with him. Ash's gaze was calm and kind, and after a moment, Pidgey seemed to relax.

It was a little annoyed about being captured, but sensing Ash's good nature, it started to see the situation in a more positive light. At least now it wouldn't have to worry about finding food.

As if on cue, Pidgey's stomach growled, and its eyes wandered to the pot that Ash had been cooking in.

Ash chuckled. "You must be hungry. Well, you can't eat our food—it's not nutritious for Pokémon. But don't worry, I've got something better for you."

Ash rummaged through his backpack, pulling out some basic Pokémon food. "Here, eat this for now. I'll make you something special in a bit."

"Bo!" Pidgey chirped happily, lowering its head to the bowl of food Ash had provided. It began eating eagerly while Ash got to work preparing something more suited to Pidgey's tastes.

"Want me to help?" Misty asked, feeling full from lunch and wanting to assist in any way she could.

"Sure, you can help with this." Ash handed her a few items, and Misty smiled, happy to be of use.

Ash decided to incorporate "Lansat Berries" into Pidgey's meal. The Lansat Berry, with its sun-like appearance, had a spicy flavor similar to Tamato Berry, but with a sweet aftertaste.

It was a great choice for Pidgey, who would appreciate both the flavor and the long-term benefits. The berry also helped improve eyesight, which was perfect for a flying Pokémon like Pidgey.

With Misty's help, the special recipe came together quickly. Once it was ready, Ash placed the dish in front of Pidgey, whose eyes lit up at the sight and smell of the food.

The little bird flapped its wings in excitement before eagerly digging in.

"Don't rush, there's plenty," Ash laughed, setting the bowl down for Pidgey. It was clear from Pidgey's delighted expression that the meal was a hit.

As Pidgey ate, Ash and Misty both smiled, happy to see it enjoying the food.

After finishing lunch themselves, they watched as Pidgey lay down on the grass to rest, its stomach full, while Pikachu curled up beside it, the two exchanging friendly chatter in their Pokémon way.

"Alright, time to wash the dishes and get ready for the afternoon training session," Ash said, packing up their utensils. Misty wasn't one to laze around either, so she joined Ash by the pond to clean up.

While washing, Ash's thoughts were on Pikachu's training. He needed Pikachu to learn "Thunderbolt", an iconic Electric-Type move that was much stronger than "Thunder Shock".

Thunderbolt would greatly increase Pikachu's battle potential, and with some focused training, they could get there soon.

As for Pidgey, Ash still wasn't sure what moves it knew. He would need to figure that out before planning its training regimen, but he was excited about the potential.

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Adios