Rekindling the Fire

As Floyd and his Pokémon journeyed towards the Kemonohaji Forest, they stumbled upon some scouts in distress, particularly over a troublesome Growlithe.

This Growlithe, rambunctious and elusive, had been eluding the scouts all day. When the creature spotted Floyd, it dashed straight towards him, seeking refuge behind his legs.

"Awrrr," Growlithe mumbled softly.

A Chinese teenager, appearing to be between 18 and 20 with a smattering of freckles on his face, approached with a look of mild embarrassment. "Youngest," he greeted.

Floyd sighed inwardly, having already surrendered to that nickname. Recognizing the young man, he responded, "Brother Hu, what's the commotion about?"

"This beast here has been causing quite the ruckus. We intended to use him for scouting, but he seems resistant. We've been wary of getting too close for fear of an accident," Hu Tianyi explained with a hint of frustration in his voice.

Floyd's gaze shifted from the skittish Growlithe to the four other obedient Growlithe, who responded with synchronized "Awrrrs" when they caught his attention. A realization dawned on him. "Isn't this the little guy who's always tailing Chansey? The timid one?"

At the mention of 'Chansey', Growlithe perked up, "Awrrr!"

"Chansey? Another beast?" Hu Tianyi queried, a touch confused.

"Yes, a healing beast. Pink in color," clarified Floyd.

"Oh, the pink one! Are they close? They must have been separated during yesterday's when Captain Chen Yu and others did some relocation. That explains a lot," Hu Tianyi pieced together.

Floyd nodded, "They were indeed close. This one here likely became distressed after being separated from Chansey. He suffered traumas from the humans. Let me take care this guy for now."

Considering this revelation, Hu Tianyi was hesitant. "Taking this one might pose a risk to you. Its traumatic experiences with humans have left it wary and unpredictable."

Floyd reassured him, "Trust me, it'll be more problematic if I leave him behind. Besides, I have many Pokémon who can protect me."

Upon hearing Floyd's mention of the many Pokémon, Hu Tianyi glanced over his shoulder, taking in the number of creatures behind Floyd. A hint of uncertainty crept into his voice, "Protect you? With this many beasts? That seems even more troublesome. But, I've already warned you. If something happens, remember I've warned you."

"I understand," Floyd replied with a nod.

Floyd was about to depart when Hu Tianyi offered, "Here, take this whistle-"

But Floyd interrupted, "I've got one. Vice Captain Kang Jihoon gave it to me," showing the whistle in his hand.

Noting the whistle, Hu Tianyi responded, "Alright then. If you run into any trouble, just blow the whistle. I'll be heading back."

Motioning for Growlithe to follow, Floyd began heading towards the Kemonohaji Forest. Growlithe hesitated for a moment, but eventually followed after him.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Hu Tianyi shouted, alarmed to see Floyd heading deeper into the forest.

"I'm venturing in to train my Beasts," Floyd responded without slowing his pace.

"Youngest! That's too dangerous!" Concern evident in his voice, Hu Tianyi made as if to chase after Floyd, but was stopped by Ivan, another scout.

"Don't worry over him. He's more stronger than you might think. We should just await the captain's return," Ivan reassured.

"Really? Aren't you concerned for him? After all, he's one of yours," Hu Tianyi probed.

Ivan, resuming his work, remarked, "That's precisely why I trust him. I've known him longer than you have."

Shaking his head with exasperation, Hu Tianyi muttered, "Really... these people. Well, whatever. It's out of my hands now," and returned to his duties.

"Horsea, use Dragon Dance! Dratini, Thunder Wave!" Floyd commanded as two wild Nidorans - one female and one male - charged towards them.

"Horsea~"

"Ehew~"

Growlithe clung closely to Floyd, his body trembling, unable to tear his eyes from the ongoing battle. A pang of regret settled in; he wished he hadn't decided to follow Floyd into this confrontation.

All the while, Floyd remained laser-focused on the action, paying no mind to Growlithe's visible discomfort.

As the skirmish unfolded, the female Nidoran became paralyzed, rooted to the spot, while her male counterpart dodged an attack from Dratini only to be thrown off balance and separated from her.

Despite the evident pain, Horsea managed to complete her Dragon Dance. Seizing the opportunity, both Nidorans launched a Poison Sting attack. "Dratini, use Twister!" Floyd ordered. Following his command, Dratini whipped up a vortex with its tail, deflecting their strikes.

"Now, Horsea, Water Gun!" Floyd called out.

With precision, Horsea targeted the male Nidoran, sending him flying. The female Nidoran, caught by surprise, turned to see her partner in distress. Floyd didn't miss a beat, "Dratini, use Extreme Speed!"

A resounding crash echoed as the female Nidoran was hit hard, rendering her unconscious. The male, struggling to get to his feet, met a similar fate after Floyd commanded, "Horsea, Tackle."

Floyd took a moment, gazing down at the defeated creatures with a pang of sympathy. He was, after all, the instigator of this altercation. He gently placed some food next to them as a gesture of goodwill before continuing on his path.

(Rattata currently inside Ekan's Stomach, from Chapter 4: It's unfair, I didn't receive such a treatment, there are racist here T_T)

…

A few hours later,

"Eeeeeh"

Floyd tensed as two Spearow lunged at him. "Axew, use Breaking Swipe!" he shouted.

"Axew!" With a swift motion of its tail, Axew countered the attackers, causing them to screech in pain.

"Eeeeeh" Two Spearow screamed in pain.

The battle continued with a barrage of commands, "Horsea, Water Gun! Dratini, Extreme Speed!"

Bang!

"Axew, use Dragon Claw!" Floyd shouted.

A deep green energy came out in both Axew's claws, then slashed both of them.

Both Spearow screamed, unconscious, and were ultimately defeated.

What Axew uses is not the usual Dragon Claw but a two-clawed assault attack.

"Hurry up, let's return back, it's dangerous here," Floyd, aware of the Spearows' notorious vengeful nature, decided against lingering and quickly chose to retreat.

…

A few minutes later, they found themselves nearing the safety of Kemonohaji forests. During their journey, they encountered a scout, exchanging friendly greetings as they continued on their path.

Floyd stared at the trembling Growlithe, "If you keep this up,"

He began, his voice firm, and cold, "Then what was the point of the Professor rescuing you?"

Growlithe, overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, shivered more deeply. The weight of Floyd's words caused him to lower his head in shame.

Floyd gestured to some beasts who were working, drawing Growlithe's attention to the other Pokémon. "See all these beasts? Each of them has faced tragedies similar to yours, tormented by humans. Yet look at them now. They've not only moved on but are also doing everything they can to repay the Professor's kindness," Floyd stated, trying to instill some sense of responsibility in Growlithe.

He continued, a touch of exasperation coloring his voice, "And you? Instead of helping, you remain a coward, avoiding not just humans but even other Beasts. Do you not feel a sense of gratitude for being saved?"

Growlithe's response was a series of anxious whines, "Awwwwr, Awwwwr." His eyes, however, told a different story, shimmering with a mix of sincerity and unease. He desperately wanted Floyd to understand.

Understanding the message in Growlithe's eyes, Floyd responded and knew this guy had gratitude in his heart.

He paused, collecting his thoughts before continuing, "Think about Chansey. She's moved past her traumas and found purpose. And you, what is your purpose here? Will you continue hiding like this forever? What If Chansey was gone? Professor was gone? And everyone else here were gone? Who would you rely on?"

The weight of Floyd's words seemed to press down on Growlithe. He was at war with himself, torn between wanting to respond and the ingrained fears holding him back.

But their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a series of loud, distressing cries echoing from the direction of the Kemonohaji forest. "EHHHHHHH!"

Floyd's face paled. "Spearows! And that location..."

A sudden realization hit him hard, "The scouts!"

He exclaimed, his voice edged with panic. "Shit!"