Su Feng and his group spent the entire day near the water source. Though the local Pokémon remained wary, they gradually warmed up to the humans thanks to Su Feng's Pokéblock diplomacy.
Su Feng gathered valuable data on these Pokémon, enriching the Pokédex and aiding research.
However...
Jin stared at the massive tent Su Feng had pulled from his seemingly ordinary backpack. The sheer size of it was mind-boggling, like watching Doraemon pull a magic door from his pocket.
"Su Feng, be honest. Is Doraemon your relative?"
"He's my little brother," Su Feng joked, brushing off the question.
Su Feng hadn't expected so many companions on this trip, so he'd exchanged points for a larger tent. Now, it seemed a bit too large.
Xiao Da, being a young girl, couldn't share a small tent with the men, so the smaller tent went to her.
"One last night here, then we head back tomorrow," Su Feng suggested.
Jin nodded.
But there was still the issue of transporting Ponyta.
Well, cross that bridge when we get to it, Jin thought, stepping out to stroke Ponyta's fiery mane.
Suddenly, the ground trembled as a cloud of dust approached. Pokémon by the water looked up, curious about the commotion.
"Su Feng, is that Tauros?" Jin called.
Su Feng peeked out. "Doesn't feel like Tauros. The tremors aren't strong enough."
"Then what is it?"
Moments later, the source of the disturbance came into view.
[Are those ostriches? Wait, three-headed ostriches!?]
[Some have two heads! They're practically flying over the grass!]
The ostrich-like Pokémon moved with incredible speed, each step propelling them dozens of meters.
"These… are new Pokémon?" Jin asked.
"Yep. Doduo and Dodrio," Su Feng said, snapping photos. "Dodrio, the Triple Bird Pokémon. As you can see, it has three heads, each with sharp eyes that can see great distances."
"Each head has its own personality—happy, angry, and sad. They also have three hearts and lungs, allowing them to run long distances without tiring. They're excellent riding partners."
"Dodrio are highly alert. When they sleep, one head always stays awake. Occasionally, the heads argue, but they always make up."
[Three heads with independent minds? Fascinating.]
[The Pokémon world is full of such bizarre yet balanced creatures.]
[Arguing with themselves? That's like fighting… yourself?]
[Is this… dissociative identity disorder?]
[Probably not…]
Su Feng scratched his head. This was beyond his expertise.
The Dodrio, aware of the disturbance they'd caused, slowed as they approached the water. Under their leader's guidance, they drank quietly.
One Dodrio, however, locked eyes with Ponyta.
"Why's it staring at Ponyta?" Jin asked, stepping protectively in front of his Pokémon.
"No idea," Su Feng admitted.
The Dodrio hesitated, then approached. Ponyta, unafraid, stepped forward to meet it.
"Ponyta!" Jin called, worried.
Ponyta gave him a reassuring look.
"Doduo~"
"Neigh~"
After a brief exchange, the two Pokémon seemed to reach an agreement.
"They might want to race," Su Feng guessed.
"But isn't Ponyta at a disadvantage?" Jin asked.
"Actually, it's the opposite," Su Feng explained. "Dodrio can hit 60 km/h, but Rapidash—Ponyta's evolution—can reach 240 km/h in just ten strides. Even as a Ponyta, it's no match for Dodrio."