Chapter 209: Successfully Lured 

The shiny-colored Combee quietly perched on a tree branch, fast asleep.

Though spring had arrived, the weather was still quite chilly.

It could only try its best to wrap itself in leaves, enduring the cold wind that swept through the night.

Each time it looked at its companions huddled together for rest, envy would surge in its heart.

Since the moment it was born, it had been ostracized by its kind because its color was different.

While the other Combees would always go out in groups to gather nectar, it was the only one left behind, always alone.

'Why is my color different from the others?'

'Could there be another Combee like me in this forest?'

Eventually, the cold night passed, and sunlight poured down over the forest.

The hive of Combees began to stir, their wings fluttering as they took to the sky to begin another busy day of collecting nectar.

Seeing this, the shiny Combee also took off from the branch and casually joined a random group.

With spring in full swing, colorful flowers bloomed throughout the forest, and Pokémon could often be seen flitting through the underbrush.

The Combees danced among the blossoms, pausing here and there to collect nectar and bring it back to their hive.

The shiny Combee carefully followed behind its companions, hovering at a distance in midair.

Only when the others had moved on would it cautiously descend to gather the leftover traces of nectar.

Even just a little was enough to bring it joy—this nectar was all it had for sustenance.

Unfortunately, the other Combees were thorough in their harvesting and left it almost nothing. Disappointed, it rose into the air again, continuing to follow from afar through the flower-filled forest.

…

Outside the Vespiquen's territory, Aven still had the shiny Combee on his mind.

'Could I possibly capture this unique Combee?'

The thought echoed in his mind.

He felt that this might be the best opportunity yet.

Ordinary Combees were nearly impossible to catch due to the pheromones from the Vespiquen that they carried.

Even if one managed to capture them by force, without the queen's scent, they would refuse to eat and gradually waste away.

But this shiny Combee was clearly different—it didn't seem to feel the same strong connection to its hive.

There was a chance, perhaps, that he could earn this one's recognition.

"Looks like I'll need Vileplume's help." Aven made up his mind.

The large flower on Vileplume's head had a deadly allure for Bug-type Pokémon.

Every spring, many such Pokémon would gather around it, hoping to collect nectar from its massive blossom.

What's more, Vileplume could use Sweet Scent, which further enhanced its appeal to Bug-types.

…

Bzzz...

The Combees continued to flit through the forest.

Once they had gathered enough nectar, they would return to the hive and then head back out again.

Their tireless work ethic was well known among Pokémon—they could fly around all day without fatigue.

As they worked, a sudden pause came over them in midair.

A sweet aroma drifted through the air—it was Sweet Scent.

The scent was irresistible, and the Combees quickly determined its source and changed course to follow it.

The shiny Combee smelled it too. It hesitated in the air but eventually followed the others toward the alluring scent.

They soon reached the edge of the Vespiquen's territory and came to a stop, hovering and circling.

They longed to go further toward the source of the scent, but the pheromones from the Vespiquen told them not to.

Crossing that line would mean leaving their hive's territory, something they instinctively feared.

After a moment of hesitation, the Combees reluctantly flew away in another direction.

The shiny Combee had also reached the border.

It looked back at the retreating group and then at the fragrant forest ahead.

In the end, it couldn't resist the temptation.

In truth, it had long wanted to leave this territory and explore the forests beyond—there might be much more nectar waiting out there.

Now, with both hunger and the sweet scent pushing it forward, it decided to venture out of the hive's range.

…

In a clearing, Vileplume used Sweet Scent.

This scent was fatally attractive to Bug-types.

It didn't take long before a swarm of Bug Pokémon began arriving at Vileplume's location.

Among them, the most numerous were Wurmples.

The forest had a huge Wurmple population—these Pokémon would cocoon in the fall, hatch in spring, and evolve into Beautifly or Dustox during spring and summer.

Now that it was spring, many Wurmples had just hatched and were foraging for food, preparing to evolve.

Drawn by the Sweet Scent, they crawled toward Vileplume.

Fortunately, Vileplume was surrounded by a large group of Oddish, who formed a barrier and blocked the Wurmples outside.

Clearly, using Sweet Scent in the forest was risky—without caution, one might attract too many Bug-types at once.

…

Bzzz...

The shiny Combee flew through the trees, curiously observing its surroundings.

It still hadn't found any flowers with nectar to harvest.

Flying onward for an unknown distance, a large blossom suddenly appeared in its field of vision.

From the massive petals, it detected an abundance of nectar and that same pleasant aroma.

Just as it moved in for a closer look, it realized the giant flower wasn't a plant—it was a living Pokémon.

Startled, it recoiled.

Vileplume, aware of its mission to lure the shiny Combee, gently shook its petals and released even more fragrant mist.

The scent was irresistible.

The shiny Combee hesitated again.

But the flower's nectar was too tempting to resist.

Eventually, it gave in and flew toward Vileplume, landing atop its petals.

At once, the strong scent of nectar filled its senses.

Unable to hold back, it eagerly began sipping.

Vileplume quietly tolerated the tiny visitor on its head.

As Aven had explained, Combees would carry nectar on their bodies, spreading it along with pollen, which would attract more Oddish to the area.

Before long, the shiny Combee was full and content, lying lazily on the flower, eyes half closed.

It had never felt so satisfied before.

After a brief rest, it flapped its wings and hovered around Vileplume as if expressing its thanks.

Vileplume waved one petal in response, signaling that it was no trouble.

The Combee then sped off in the direction it had come, returning to its hive.

Watching it leave, Vileplume let out a quiet sigh of relief.

'That should complete the task my trainer gave me, right?'

…

"Vileplume, excellent work."

Aven emerged from the forest.

He watched the direction the shiny Combee had flown with a smile—it really had shown up.

Being able to fly beyond the queen's influence suggested that this Combee was far less bound by pheromones.

Usually, Combees who resisted the queen's control would gradually break away from the hive.

In many cases, this was how new Vespiquen colonies were born.

Of course, most Combees who left their hives didn't survive long—they weren't built for solitary life.

After getting used to group living, few could adapt alone.

But this shiny Combee might be an exception.

Aven suspected that even without Vileplume's lure, this Combee would have eventually chosen to leave on its own.

…

"Plume~"

As Aven approached, the Oddish cleared a path for him.

Vileplume quickly walked up, shaking its flower proudly at his praise.

"We'll need to rely on you for a bit longer" Aven said.

Over the next few days, Aven stayed nearby, searching for a White Apricorn tree.

Meanwhile, Vileplume continued gathering Oddish and drawing the shiny Combee in with its scent.

According to Aven, once the shiny Combee became fully accustomed to staying near Vileplume and no longer returned to the hive, that would be the moment it had truly left its colony.

…

Bzzz...

The shiny Combee flew back to the hive.

This time, it had collected a generous amount of nectar and eagerly wanted to present it to the Vespiquen.

But when it neared the royal jelly-constructed hive, it was blocked again.

The other Combees wouldn't allow an outcast like it to come close.

Bzzz...

Feeling dejected, the shiny Combee flew alone to a nearby tree.

As night fell, more and more Combees returned to the hive.

They landed on it, and soon their triple-bodied forms combined into a massive cluster that formed a warm, cold-resistant beehive.

The shiny Combee quietly watched, feeling once again like it didn't belong.

If not for the faint trace of the queen's pheromone still lingering on its body, it likely would have been expelled by now.

(End of Chapter)