2 Chapter 2

Emmet leaves the laboratory and immediately notices that his jog back home is different from his mad rush to the lab earlier. Specifically, his legs feel stronger and his cardiovascular endurance seems to have improved, even though it's only been an hour since he first ran to Professor Oak's place. The change is small but noticeable, proving to him that his efforts have already started yielding results.

He then starts theorizing about his newfound power, Efficiency Mastery, or EM for short. EM doesn't just boost the results of his efforts in a straightforward manner. Rather, it serves as a massive amplifier for his capacity to improve. In essence, EM makes him "super efficient," transforming what would normally take dozens of hours of effort into results achievable in just one hour. This conclusion helps him understand how he managed to develop psychic abilities so rapidly, impressive enough to get noticed by Professor Oak during their brief encounter.

Emmet arrives home and dashes straight to his room. There, his Silph Co. bag sits on the bed, filled with his journey supplies. The bag has expanded space technology, similar to that of a Pokeball, but designed for carrying items. Developed by Silph Co., it's a remarkable piece of gear that can hold much more than its appearance suggests.

He tidies his room quickly and leaves a note for his mother on the kitchen table. He assures her that he'll call within a couple of days upon reaching Viridian City. He also provides his Pokedex ID so she can keep track of his whereabouts via the Ranger Tracking System. This is a tech solution designed to help trainers in the wild call for help, with rangers dispatched immediately to their location if needed.

Packing his bag, Emmet stuffs it with as many ration bars as it can hold. After his recent revelations about Efficiency Mastery (EM), he suspects his metabolism will be high, demanding more energy. He also swings by a local market to buy an assortment of Charmander-friendly food, stuffing it into his already heavy bag.

Hitting Route 1 to Viridian, Emmet waits until he's a safe distance from both Pallet and Viridian to go off the path. He finds a secluded clearing perfect for a private conversation with his Charmander. Luckily, the few wild Rattatas and Pidgeys he encounters on the way seem uninterested in him, and he proceeds unmolested.

Once in the clearing, Emmet pulls out Charmander's Pokeball and gazes at it tenderly. A lifelong dream of having a Charizard as a partner is finally coming true. After making sure he's still alone, he presses the button on the Pokeball twice. Charmander materializes in a flash of light, shouting her own name.

"Hey there, partner! Ready for some more adventures?" Emmet grins as Charmander lunges at him for an enthusiastic hug. He chuckles at her infectious enthusiasm, finding her antics adorable.

Hungry? Emmet signs, holding out a food bowl. Charmander nods vigorously. "Alright, dinner time!" He fills the bowl to the brim with high-quality Charmander chow, which she immediately begins to devour.

As Charmander eats, Emmet munches on a nutrient-rich bar. He starts to focus inward, exploring the nascent bond between himself and his new partner. At first, his attempts are clumsy and yield nothing. But just like with the shampoo bottle and his psychic abilities, his Efficiency Mastery kicks in. Slowly but surely, he starts to get a feel for how to deepen the emotional connection between them. "Okay, so if I focus like this, the bond strengthens. It's like tuning a radio. Just need to find the right frequency," he thinks to himself.

So engrossed is Emmet in his internal musings that he doesn't realize Charmander has finished eating. She's now looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and confusion. Snapping back to reality, he notices her staring. Content with how much stronger their bond feels now—arguably 40 times stronger than when they first met—Emmet decides it's time to put his internal efforts on hold and focus on the Pokemon in front of him.

Emmet's eyes widen as he notices Charmander's slightly bloated belly. "Oh man, I overfed you, didn't I?" he berates himself loudly, feeling guilty for not being more cautious with a Pokemon so young.

Confused but empathetic, Charmander doesn't quite grasp why Emmet is upset. She toddles over and pats his knees in a consoling manner. The adorable gesture makes Emmet laugh as he picks her up and gives her a big hug.

Charmander growls indignantly, her dragon-like pride wounded by the coddling. Amused, Emmet sets her down and chuckles, "You really don't like being picked up, do you?"

He checks his watch and turns his attention to the fading daylight. "How about we set up camp? It'll be easier if we still have some light. Want to help?" he asks Charmander.

Excited to be involved, Charmander waits for instructions. "Could you go collect some dry branches? We'll need them for a fire," Emmet tells her. She nods and scampers off, her tail flame flickering with anticipation.

While Charmander is away, Emmet retrieves the tent from his bag. As he begins to assemble it, he activates his Efficiency Mastery (EM). The speed at which he improves the tent assembly both amazes and frightens him—the psychological thrill of seeing immediate results is almost intoxicating.

Just as Emmet starts to worry about becoming addicted to improvement, he's jolted from his thoughts by a shout from Charmander. He looks up to see her hurrying back, arms full of dry branches, being chased by an angry-looking Eevee.

In the split second it takes him to marvel at the rarity of encountering a wild Eevee, he hears Charmander cry out. The Eevee, gaunt and clearly hungry, has tackled her from behind. Emmet's joy evaporates as he realizes they're in a losing battle.

"Charmander, use Growl!" Emmet commands, hoping to turn the tide. Charmander lets out a deep, rumbling growl that echoes through the clearing.

The Eevee flinches, seemingly intimidated. Emmet isn't sure if it's his command or Charmander's growl that has the Eevee hesitating, but he shelves the thought for later. "Charmander, use Scratch!"

With a roar, Charmander lunges forward, slashing her claw at the Eevee. It lands, leaving a visible scratch on the Eevee's fur.

Feeling a nudge from his EM, Emmet is guided to give another command. "Scratch again, Charmander!" This time, he also feels a different kind of nudge, urging him to channel EM into their bond.

Emmet observes Charmander's movements closely, noting a different, more potent gathering of energy in her claw this time. She lands another Scratch, causing Eevee to yelp in pain.

Despite its injuries, the Eevee shows remarkable tenacity, delivering another Tackle that makes Charmander cry out. 

Emmet's patience runs thin. "Charmander, Scratch! One more time!" His words fuel her fiery pride. The energy gathers around her claw even faster than before, and she delivers a flawless Scratch. The Eevee gives a final painful yelp before collapsing, finally defeated.

Emmet spots the branches Charmander had gathered; they're smaller than he expected and covered in Eevee fur. Understanding dawns on him—Charmander had unknowingly invaded Eevee's nest to collect the branches, prompting the enraged chase from the fox-like Pokemon.

Guilt surges through Emmet. He decides to capture the Eevee, not for collection, but for medical treatment and a subsequent choice for the creature—either join them on their journey or return to the wild. 

"Charmander, are you okay if I capture this Eevee? It's not well, and we should take care of it," Emmet asks. Charmander looks at the fallen Eevee and then nods, her eyes reflecting her concern. "Alright, let's do the right thing."

Emmet takes an empty Pokeball from his bag, clicks it once to enlarge it, and then gently presses it against the fainted Eevee. A red light flashes once, followed by a white light, signaling a successful capture. The ball snaps shut.

A sigh of relief escapes his lips. Activating the Pokeball's stasis mode, Emmet ensures that time will move slower for the captured Eevee, buying him time to get it medical attention the next day.

"You did great, Charmander, especially for your first battle. I'm really proud of you," Emmet says, beaming at his partner. 

Charmander lets out a series of happy cries, "Char! Charmander!" Her tail flame flickers excitedly, mirroring her elation.

Suddenly, Charmander goes quiet, focusing on her claw. It glows white, as if she's preparing another Scratch attack. Astonishingly, Emmet realizes she's channeling Efficiency Mastery (EM) through their bond, practicing control of her Normal Type energy.

As he watches Charmander's growing mastery, her channeling becomes faster and more efficient. "Charmander, hold on a second," Emmet finally says, interrupting her practice.

Charmander looks up, her eyes narrowed, clearly annoyed by the interruption. 

"Hey, hey, calm down," Emmet raises his arms, placating. "You need to conserve your energy, okay? Tomorrow, we'll go to Viridian's Pokemon Center to get you and Eevee checked out. Once that's done, we'll follow Professor Oak's training guide. You're doing amazingly, but let's not push too hard, too fast. We need to be balanced, alright?" 

Understanding seems to dawn in Charmander's eyes as she listens to Emmet's reasoning, her tail flame settling to a gentle flicker.

"Great, you understand. Now could you pick up those branches you dropped and grab some dry leaves? We need to get this fire started," Emmet says, then adds with a wink, "But please, no more home-wrecking, alright? Let's not make any more Pokemon homeless today."

Charmander grumbles, puffing out her little chest and lifting her snout high. With exaggerated dignity, she sashays away, as if she were a queen departing her royal court. Emmet can't help but chuckle at the display.

Refocusing on camp setup, Emmet tests his newly discovered Efficiency Mastery and budding Psychic abilities. He telekinetically clears leaves, pebbles, and rocks from the ground. The result is impressive—a large, cleared area around the tent. He even manages to pack the ground slightly, although it leaves him with a tiring headache.

Charmander returns triumphantly, carrying an enormous pile of dry leaves. "Well, I guess I should've been more specific," Emmet chuckles, somewhat overwhelmed by Charmander's enthusiasm.

"Thanks, Char," Emmet says and starts making a fire pit. Guided by EM, he remakes the pit multiple times. Charmander gives him a deadpan look, clearly unimpressed. Embarrassed, Emmet refocuses and crafts the pit one last time.

Digging through the tent, Emmet mutters, "Where's that lighter?" He hears Charmander call out, "Char!"

"Just a sec, Charmander! I'm almost finding it," he shouts back, though he has no idea where the lighter could be.

"Char! Char!" Charmander's voice rings out again.

"One more minute, I swear!" Emmet yells, his voice tinged with comedic desperation.

"CHARMANDER!" The Pokemon practically shouts, clearly losing patience.

"What is it?!" Emmet exclaims, finally sticking his head out of the tent. He's met by an annoyed Charmander, standing beside a perfectly lit fire pit. Her tail flame wags side to side, almost mockingly.

"Oh. Right. You, um, you have fire," Emmet mumbles, his face flushing. "Guess we didn't need a lighter after all, huh?"