Chapter 42: Have You Studied Feng Shui?
"Could it be some kind of hidden item?"
Maki turned it over, kneading it carefully. Besides being tougher than regular cotton, it didn't seem any different.
"Why don't you try eating it?"
Maki held the tuft out to Charmander, testing the waters.
Charmander shook his head vigorously. He wasn't a fool. If it were something edible, Maki wouldn't have been fiddling with it for so long.
When Charmander opened his mouth to reveal a tiny flame brewing inside, clearly intending to set it on fire and see what happened, Maki quickly stopped him.
"Alright, alright. It's a gift, after all. Let's not burn it. I'll just put it away for now—it might come in handy later."
After failing to discern its use, Maki stuffed the cotton into his backpack.
Glancing at the Poké Ball on his belt containing Dragonite, Maki figured the dragon was too full and satisfied to want to come out anytime soon. So, he ignored it and continued into the depths of the forest with Charmander.
As they walked, Maki started to notice something unusual. In earlier areas, while weaker Pokémon would often hide or run away at the sight of him, he still saw plenty of them. Here, however, there wasn't a single Pokémon in sight.
Licking his lips, Maki quickly realized what this meant—he had likely wandered into the territory of a powerful wild Pokémon.
"Charmander, use your nose. Do you smell anything different from outside?"
Powerful Pokémon often marked their territory by leaving their scent in various places, warning weaker Pokémon to stay away.
Charmander sniffed the air, his nose twitching. After a moment, he hesitantly replied with a soft growl.
He'd picked up a faint, unusual scent, but it was so weak he wouldn't have noticed it if Maki hadn't told him to look for it.
"Stay alert. There might be a strong wild Pokémon nearby."
Maki's tone was calm, not particularly worried. Giovanni had given him Dragonite to ensure he could handle himself without revealing his true strength. Maki intended to take full advantage of that safety net.
Of course, unless they encountered a Pokémon that Charmander absolutely couldn't handle, Maki had no intention of relying on Dragonite.
Charmander nodded seriously, taking Maki's warning to heart.
Snap!
The sudden noise startled Charmander, who was already on edge.
"Relax, it's just me," Maki said, lifting his foot to reveal a snapped tree branch beneath. Forests were littered with dried leaves and branches; avoiding them entirely was impossible.
Charmander growled in protest. It wasn't his fault he was jumpy—Maki was the one who'd made him nervous in the first place.
"Alright, alright. Let's keep moving. If things look bad, we'll head back. After all, we're just here to explore."
Unbeknownst to Maki, his words had set a classic flag—a declaration akin to "I'll be back to marry you."
Rustle, rustle.
After walking a bit further, Charmander looked at Maki again. This time, Maki shook his head, silently mouthing, "It wasn't me."
Both their gazes shifted toward a rustling bush. The noise grew louder until a brownish-yellow figure emerged, staring straight at them with gleaming eyes.
It was a Ursaring—an absolute nightmare for trainers in the forest.
Ursaring's reputation wasn't just due to its strength—it was fiercely territorial. And if you stumbled upon a baby Teddiursa, you could bet an Ursaring was nearby, watching you like a hawk.
If you were lucky enough to spot an Ursaring, you'd be better off finding a scenic spot to appreciate the view. If you knew feng shui, all the better—you might as well pick a good burial site.
Ursaring weren't just extraordinarily strong; they were also incredibly fast. Don't be fooled by their size—they weren't clumsy giants. Ursaring could have the Quick Feet ability, which significantly boosted their speed when affected by a status condition. Even without Quick Feet, they were far faster than your average Ursaring.
The moment Maki saw the Ursaring, he didn't bother explaining anything to Charmander. He immediately recalled the Pokémon to its Poké Ball and bolted.
Could he outrun it? Who knew—but standing still wasn't an option.
Besides, maybe this Ursaring had just eaten and wouldn't bother chasing him.
Maki kept a hand on Dragonite's Poké Ball, ready to send it out if things got dicey. Worst case, he'd just have to endure a bit of mockery from the smug dragon.
The Ursaring paused, seemingly surprised at how quickly Maki had fled. Its gaze carried a faint hint of amusement, as though it hadn't seen such a smooth retreat in ages.
This area was just the forest outskirts, frequented by trainers. As one of the strongest Pokémon here, the Ursaring had encountered plenty of humans before.
Wiping honey from its mouth, Ursaring pulled its paw from the bush, revealing a large chunk of Sweet Honey—golden, viscous, and completely unprocessed.
Glancing at the honey in its paw, then at the direction Maki had fled, Ursaring hesitated before deciding not to pursue.
Human meat wasn't exactly delicious. Unless it was starving, why would it bother? It was an omnivore, content with Berries and other foods.
Shaking its head, Ursaring turned back. It broke off a piece of the honeycomb, the smaller chunk still about the size of a human palm, and popped it into its mouth. The larger piece remained in its massive paw, carefully protected.
Meanwhile, Maki, having run a fair distance, finally realized the Ursaring hadn't chased him. He let out a sigh of relief.
Ursaring were no joke, especially considering their evolved form, Ursaluna—a true behemoth.
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