While making its threat, Mawile placed one hand on a nearby tree—thick enough for a person to barely wrap their arms around. With a slight application of force, Mawile patted the trunk.
Crack...
Boom!
The sturdy tree instantly collapsed, crashing onto the ground with a thunderous noise.
That Iron Head earlier wasn't even her full strength—she held back out of fear she might accidentally kill Beedrill with a stronger blow.
The moment Mawile struck the tree, Maki felt an ache in his waist. If Mawile ever decided to give him the same treatment, that would be the end of him.
Perched on Maki's head, Cottonee, who had grown accustomed to Mawile's freakish strength over the past few days, still couldn't help but tremble, its cotton-like fluff quivering at the sight.
[Hmm... Maybe I should be nicer to this one from now on?]
"Spihhh!"
Beedrill's body trembled violently. It no longer cared about the old man—it flapped its wings and fled without a second's hesitation.
"Alright, since it's gone, come back." Maki called to Mawile.
With a smug clapping of its jaws, Mawile waddled back, tugging at Maki's pants for praise. Even Maki couldn't help but feel the surrealness of the moment.
He patted Mawile's head, reminding himself that he needed to resume his own training. Recent events had disrupted his routine.
In this world of Pokémon, humans were far weaker than powerful Pokémon, but a trainer with a strong physique had their own advantages in battle.
At the very least, if he couldn't win, he could run faster.
"Get up, Beedrill's long gone."
Maki addressed the old man.
Seeing Maki approach, the old man nearly stumbled backward, afraid Mawile might give him a smack too—but he managed to hold himself together.
"I-I just need to catch my breath," the old man panted. "Young man, are you heading to the town up ahead?"
Maki nodded.
"I plan to rest there and continue my journey tomorrow."
"Heh, then you're in luck! I've lived there my whole life. If you need any information, I'll tell you everything you want to know. Some inns out there scam travelers like you—but if you don't mind, you can stay at my place for the night. Got some empty rooms anyway."
The old man chuckled, his weariness fading as he patted his clothes and stood up.
"But you, kid—wandering around with so many rare Pokémon out in the open... you ought to be careful. There've been a lot of Pokémon thieves around lately."
[Not gonna lie, I might be one of those Pokémon thieves you're talking about.] Maki mused silently.
"They don't like staying in their Poké Balls, so I let them roam free," Maki replied nonchalantly. In cities, few dared to make moves in broad daylight, and in the wild... well, who would be robbing who was another question entirely.
Seeing Maki's indifferent attitude, the old man didn't press further. He glanced at Mawile, clearly reminded of something.
"Alright, I'll lead the way."
The old man was surprisingly polite, showing warm hospitality. Maki accepted without hesitation—but he wasn't naive.
A decade in Team Rocket had shown him betrayal and treachery more times than he could count. Trust wasn't something he gave freely.
"By the way, didn't you think to bring a Pokémon with you? It's dangerous out here." Maki asked.
"My Pokémon... passed away years ago. I didn't bother raising another."
A flicker of sadness crossed the old man's eyes, but it was quickly buried.
"Sorry... I didn't mean to bring it up."
Maki apologized. He should have considered that—the old man's age made it likely his Pokémon had reached the end of its lifespan.
Even Champion Pokémon eventually died—how much more so for ordinary ones?
The Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town was full of graves, a sanctuary for Ghost-type Pokémon.
"It's been so long... I've moved on. Just a little melancholy now and then."
The old man's voice was carefree—what else could he do? The dead couldn't come back.
"Judging by the direction you came from, you must be from Cerulean City?"
"Yeah, I'm traveling to challenge the Indigo League. Next stop is Pewter City." Maki replied with a smile.
"Pewter City, huh? Then your next destination should be Mt. Moon, right?"
Maki nodded.
"You might want to take a detour—better not go through there right now."
"Why?" Maki asked, puzzled.
While Mt. Moon was dangerous, the main route was usually safe thanks to frequent travelers.
"You haven't heard? A few days ago, someone caught a Larvitar there—a pseudo-legendary Pokémon! And not even in the mountain's depths. Word got out... now every crook and opportunist is swarming the place hoping to strike it rich. Do you really think fortune like that falls into just anyone's lap?"
The old man shook his head.
"I see..."
Pseudo-legendary Pokémon were irresistible to most trainers. The old man wasn't interested in such matters, but Maki understood the chaos such rumors could cause.
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