An Adventure, and Then Finding a Combee
"By the way, to celebrate your evolution, let me give you a gift!"
At that moment, Angie seemed to remember something and suddenly spoke.
"Bellossom~"
"Vileplume~"
Bellossom and Vileplume looked at Angie in confusion upon hearing this.
Angie had already bought them Evolution Stones, and now he was giving them another gift?
Angie took out a Miracle Seed from his system backpack and handed it to Bellossom.
"Bellossom, this is for you. As for Vileplume's gift, we'll go to the store and buy something later," Angie said.
This Miracle Seed was the very one that Oinkologne and the others had found in the forest earlier.
At that time, they had also found a Sun Stone along with the Miracle Seed, which was used by Helioptile to evolve into Heliolisk.
"Bellossom~ Bellossom~"
Why are you giving us gifts?
Bellossom didn't take the Miracle Seed but instead looked at Angie in confusion.
Angie smiled and said, "Didn't I just say it's a gift to celebrate your evolution?
Also, before you evolved, everyone, including me, acted inappropriately because of your scent. On behalf of myself and them, I sincerely apologize."
After hearing this, Bellossom and Vileplume exchanged glances. Then, Bellossom solemnly accepted the Miracle Seed and said.
"Bellossom~ Bellossom~"
Alright, we forgive you, Angie, and everyone else.
"Thank you both for your generosity!" Angie said as he gently patted the petals on their heads.
"Bellossom~ Bellossom~"
"Vileplume~ Vileplume~"
The two Pokémon affectionately hugged one of Angie's legs each.
"Alright, let's go pick out a gift for Vileplume too!" Angie said.
"Vileplume~"
"Bellossom~"
Vileplume and Bellossom nodded and followed Angie back to the store. As they walked, Bellossom tucked the Miracle Seed into its leaves.
Upon re-entering the Pokémon store, Angie led Bellossom and Vileplume directly to the held items section and began introducing them to the different items and their uses.
"Look, this is a Poison Barb. When held, it increases the power of Poison-type moves."
"This is Black Sludge. When held by a Poison-type Pokémon, it gradually restores some HP during battle."
"This is Bright Powder, which lowers the opponent's accuracy."
"And this is a Miracle Seed, just like the one I gave to Bellossom earlier. It boosts the power of Grass-type moves."
...
Angie introduced several suitable held items to Vileplume in one go. In the end, it chose an item that surprised Angie—Wide Lens.
The Wide Lens, shaped like a monocle, is an item that slightly increases accuracy.
Thinking about Vileplume's moves like Stun Spore, Poison Powder, and Sleep Powder, Angie somewhat understood why it chose this item.
Although Bellossom also knew these three powder-based moves, when it came down to it, Vileplume's usage was undoubtedly more potent.
Their species differences meant that Vileplume's powders naturally had a much stronger effect.
After purchasing the Wide Lens, Vileplume immediately put it on.
Angie praised it, "Vileplume, it suits you really well!"
"Vileplume~ Vileplume~"
Vileplume showed a shy smile.
With the Evolution Stones and gifts all taken care of, Angie took the two Pokémon home.
By then, it was already evening. When they arrived home, the Pokémon had gradually gathered in the plaza, waiting for dinner. Meanwhile, Munchlax and Inteleon were busy in the kitchen.
As soon as Vileplume and Bellossom appeared, they were immediately surrounded by everyone. The other Pokémon congratulated them on their evolution while also apologizing for not recognizing them earlier and even being dismissive of them.
Since Angie had already apologized on everyone's behalf, Vileplume and Bellossom generously forgave them, and soon, the plaza was filled with cheerful chatter and laughter.
Seeing this, Angie smiled in relief.
At that moment, Bruno happened to return from his special training outside. Looking at Vileplume and Bellossom surrounded by everyone, he smiled as well.
Turning to Angie, he said, "Looks like your troubles are over."
Angie grinned and replied, "Luckily, though it cost me some money."
Bruno, understanding his meaning, couldn't help but laugh.
"I'll go check the kitchen," Angie said after a brief chat.
Bruno nodded, gesturing for him to go ahead.
When Angie walked into the kitchen and rolled up his sleeves, he said, "Let me help."
"Munchlax~ Munchlax~"
Almost done, no need, Master.
With that, Munchlax pushed Angie out of the kitchen.
Coming back out, Angie looked at Bruno with a helpless smile and said, "I can't even help if I want to, seriously..."
Bruno chuckled, "Everyone likes you, that's why."
With no other option, Angie sat down to chat with Bruno.
As they talked, a sudden commotion erupted outside.
Angie quickly said to Bruno, "I'll go check it out."
Bruno nodded.
When Angie went outside, he found that the commotion was caused by the return of the two Oinkologne, along with Armarouge and Ceruledge, from their adventure.
Xerneas had been living in the Nebel Plateau for a while now, and after a few days of resting at home, Armarouge, Ceruledge, and the Oinkologne couldn't sit still and resumed their daily adventures.
Usually, their return from exploring didn't cause much of a stir, but today was different because they had brought back two Pokémon—something Angie had always wanted: Combee!
Seeing the two Combee, Angie was beyond excited. But what thrilled him even more was that one of them was an extremely rare female Combee!
Unexpectedly, before the Rising Volt Tacklers could complete this task for him, it was the Oinkologne and the others who accomplished it first.
At this moment, the two Combee were excitedly hovering around Bellossom and Vileplume, appearing to like them very much.
"Oinkologne! Armarouge! Ceruledge!" Angie called out the names of the four Pokémon.
Upon hearing Angie, the four Pokémon immediately ran over, their faces filled with expressions eager for praise.
They had long known that Angie wanted Combee, so when they encountered the two, they didn't hesitate to bring them back.
"Where did you find these Combee?" Angie asked curiously.
"Oinkologne~"
"Oinkologne~"
"Armarouge~"
"Ceruledge~"
The four Pokémon took turns explaining how they had encountered the Combee.
The Combee originally lived in the Allearth Forest. Later, when Yveltal triggered a mass extinction event, it caused great panic in the forest, forcing many Pokémon to leave.
The two Combee were initially supposed to leave with their Vespiquen, but in the chaos, they were separated from their colony by other fleeing Pokémon.
They tried to search for their group, but by then, the colony had flown off to an unknown location.
With no other choice, they returned to their original habitat.
By that time, Yveltal had already left the Allearth Forest.
However, their original flower fields had completely disappeared, leaving only a scorched, blackened wasteland.
The Combee waited for many days in their former home, hoping their queen would return, but reality was cruel. Vespiquen had already abandoned the habitat, leading the rest of the colony to a new place.
Having waited in vain and starving, the two Combee had no choice but to embark on a journey of wandering.
It was during their wandering that they encountered Oinkologne and the others.
At the time, Oinkologne and the group had accidentally angered a horde of Pinsir and were being relentlessly chased.
In an attempt to calm the enraged Pinsir, the female Oinkologne released its fragrant aroma.
Under the influence of the soothing scent, the Pinsir did indeed calm down, but the aroma also attracted the two starving Combee.
Mistaking the scent for a flower field, they followed it eagerly, only to find out the truth upon arrival.
Too hungry to bear it, the two Combee fainted in front of Oinkologne and the others.
Oinkologne, Armarouge, and Ceruledge quickly rescued the Combee and fed them some Moomoo Milk they had brought along. It didn't take long before the Combee regained consciousness.
Seizing the opportunity, Armarouge, Ceruledge, and Oinkologne invited them to join them for lunch.
Through some casual conversation, the Oinkologne and the others learned about the plight of the Combee.
They were separated from their colony, unable to find a suitable habitat, and lacked the strength to protect themselves.
Even if they found a new home, their small stature and limited ability to produce honey would likely make them easy targets for other Pokémon.
Many wild Pokémon enjoy stealing honey from Combee, such as Beautifly, Mothim, Teddiursa, Ursaring, and even Snorlax.
Despite Beautifly's beautiful appearance, its name alone suggests its predatory nature and aggressive tendencies that contrast with its looks.
After learning about the situation of the two Combee, the Oinkologne and the others did not hesitate to extend an invitation to them.
Delicious food, a safe environment, and lush flower fields—Nebel Plateau could provide all of these.
Realizing that they might never reunite with their colony, the two Combee agreed to Oinkologne and the others' invitation.
After understanding what had happened, Angie gave Oinkologne and the others a thumbs-up. "Great job! You guys are amazing!"
"Oinkologne~"
"Oinkologne~"
"Armarouge~"
"Ceruledge~"
Hearing Angie's praise, the four Pokémon proudly puffed out their chests.
"Armarouge~ Armarouge~"
At that moment, Armarouge waved at the two Combee, who were getting to know everyone. The Combee quickly flew over.
"Combee~"
"Combee~"
They looked at Angie with curious yet uneasy eyes.
"Armarouge~"
This is Angie!
Armarouge introduced Angie to the two Combee.
In fact, before they returned, the Oinkologne and the others had already told the Combee all about Angie and Nebel Plateau.
"Combee~ Combee~"
"Combee~ Combee~"
The two Combee greeted Angie, though they appeared a bit shy since it was their first time meeting a human.
Angie spoke to them gently, "Combee, I look forward to getting along with you!"
"Combee~"
"Combee~"
The two Combee nodded.
Angie continued, "You must be hungry, right? Dinner will be ready soon."
Upon hearing they could eat, the two Combee excitedly buzzed around Angie.
As soon as Angie finished speaking, he saw Gardevoir and the others bringing out the food. He then called out to everyone, "Let's eat!"
With cheers, everyone happily began their dinner.
Since the two Combee had just arrived, everyone took special care of them.
Feeling the kindness of the group, the two Combee gradually relaxed.
Once they tasted the delicious food, they became even more lively.
After dinner, Angie approached the two Combee and said, "Would you like to sleep with Bellossom and Vileplume tonight? I'll build a hive for you tomorrow."
Since the two Combee were very close to Bellossom and Vileplume, Angie arranged it this way.
He then turned to Bellossom and Vileplume and asked, "Bellossom, Vileplume, is it okay for Combee to stay with you tonight?"
"Bellossom~"
"Vileplume~"
Bellossom and Vileplume nodded happily. They also adored the cute little Combee.
"Combee~"
"Combee~"
The two Combee immediately fluttered onto the heads of Bellossom and Vileplume, dancing joyfully while expressing their gratitude.
After watching Bellossom and the others leave with the Combee, chatting and laughing, Angie turned around and went back inside the house.
As usual, Angie first spent some enjoyable family time with the Pokémon, then trained in the training room, and finally went to sleep in his own room along with the Pokémon.
Once he had finished washing up and climbed into bed, Angie began to claim his task rewards.
Today, he had five task rewards to claim—three daily task rewards, one ingredient collection task reward, and one temporary task reward.
He first claimed two daily task rewards, though they turned out to be rather ordinary.
The first reward: one barrel of peanut oil.
The second reward: two Yache Berry.
The third reward: two Thick Leeks.
Huh? Thick Leeks? Didn't they already have some planted? This can be a reward too?
Angie casually stored them in his system backpack.
Next, he claimed the reward for the ingredient collection task, and a pop-up notification appeared in the task panel.
...
[ Congratulations, Master! You have completed (Ingredient Collection Task 2) by capturing a female Combee. ]
[ Reward: Individual Value +1, Physical Strength +1, and the recipe for "Honey Pomeg Tea. ]
...
Angie was quite satisfied with this reward. Not only did it include an increase in individual values and physical strength, but it also unlocked a new recipe.
He flipped through the "Honey Pomeg Tea" recipe and found that the main ingredients were Combee honey and Pomeg Berry.
Now, onto claiming the final task reward!
...
[ Congratulations, Master! You have completed (Temporary Task) by helping two Gloom regain their confidence. ]
[ Reward: Individual Value +1, Physical Strength +1, and a pair of Punching Gloves. ]
...
Angie was stunned for a moment upon seeing this reward. He didn't expect to receive not only individual values and physical strength points but also a held item.
The Punching Gloves increase the power of punching moves by 10%, and because of the glove's protection, punching moves are no longer considered contact moves.
This meant he wouldn't have to worry about being affected by certain abilities or held items that punish contact moves.
There are quite a few abilities and items that counter contact moves.
For example, abilities include: Static, Rough Skin, Effect Spore, Poison Point, Flame Body, Cute Charm, Mummy, Poison Touch, Iron Barbs, Gooey, and more.
Held items include: Sticky Barb, Rocky Helmet, and so on.
He had actually seen these Boxing Gloves at the Pokémon store earlier today; they were quite expensive, even pricier than Miracle Seed and Wide Lens.
Tomorrow, he'd give them to Golett. With its Iron Fist ability, it was already well-suited for learning punching moves. If it had the Punching Gloves, wouldn't that be the perfect combination?
After claiming the rewards, Angie glanced at his personal information panel.
...
[ Angie ]
Species: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 16 (+500)
Physical Strength: 67
Intelligence: 33
Culinary Skill Rating: A beginner cook who has just passed the basic level.
...
Thanks to his recent martial arts training with Bruno, his physical strength had increased significantly, nearing 70.
With the 2 individual value points he had, Angie unhesitatingly allocated them to Inteleon's Special Defense.
...
[ Inteleon ]
Type: Water
Ability: Sniper
Gender: Male
Level: 55
Moves: Sniper Shot, Pound, Growl, Water Gun, Water Pulse, Sucker Punch, Bind, Soak, Aqua Break, Water Pledge, Whirlpool, Aqua Ring, Swift, Muddy Water, Rain Dance, Hydro Pump, Scald, Whirlpool, Air Slash, Dark Pulse, Ice Beam.
...
[ Individual Values (IVs) ]
HP: 31
Attack: 31
Defense: 20
Special Attack: 31
Special Defense: 26
Speed: 31
...
Recently, Inteleon had been working really hard, not only leveling up but also learning Flying-type move Air Slash from Tropius, Dark-type move Dark Pulse from Honchkrow, and Ice-type move Ice Beam from Lapras.
Angie figured that Inteleon must have been motivated by the progress of Munchlax and Pawmot, who had improved rapidly under Bruno's guidance.
After finishing the allocations, Angie closed the system, turned off the lights, and snuggled under the blanket.
Time to sleep!
As the night deepened, the entire Nebel Plateau suddenly fell silent.
"Honchkrow~"
"Murkrow~ Murkrow~"
However, the occasional cries echoed in the distance, proving that not all Pokémon on the plateau had drifted into slumber.
In the pitch-dark employee dormitory, a Golett quietly opened the door.
As a Ghost-type Pokémon, the darkness did not hinder its vision. Its golden eyes gleamed in the blackness.
Seeing that everyone was asleep, Golett beckoned toward the room.
"Golett~ Golett~"
Come out.
It whispered while slipping outside.
Another Golett responded to the call and tiptoed out of the room.
After much thought, the two Golett had decided to meet Darkrai.
They sneaked out of the employee dormitory carefully, afraid to make the slightest noise and wake the other Pokémon.
Once they were outside the secret fortress, they dashed across the plains, heading straight for the Nebel River.
What they didn't know, however, was that a Murkrow lurking on the roof of Angie's house had been watching their every move.
Murkrow tilted its head with curiosity.
Where were they going so late at night?
After pondering for a moment, Murkrow flapped its wings and silently followed the two Golett.
In the darkness of the night, when Murkrow didn't want to make a sound, its flight was completely silent.
Following the Golett all the way, Murkrow unknowingly left the boundaries of the Nebel Plateau.
Under a tree, it saw a pair of eerie crimson eyes staring back at it.