Chapter 2 Trying to Steal

If Hu Yang felt like he was in an ice cellar in the last second, he now felt like he was surrounded by the warmth of spring.

Leaving aside everything else, at the very least, his safety in this new world seemed to be assured.

So, what to do now?

"Cramorant," Hu Yang commanded the Pokémon, "use Spacial Rend!"

"Gah?"

Cramorant responded by supporting its head with its wings, acting much like the confused Psyduck owned by Misty in the animated series.

One second, two seconds, three seconds passed, and it seemed like a group of crows flew by in the sky.

Cramorant tilted its head with a vacant look in its eyes.

Hu Yang: "…"

Wait, seriously? Could it be that Cramorant wasn't following his commands because his trainer level wasn't high enough?

Hu Yang hesitated for a moment, then had an idea. He squatted down, pointed at himself, and asked, "Do you recognize me?"

Cramorant finally stopped fidgeting. Instead of clutching its head, it lowered its head to play with the stones on the ground using its beak.

"…"

Hu Yang carefully reached out and touched Cramorant. Seeing that it didn't resist, he gently picked it up from the ground.

"Huh?"

Cramorant made a quizzical sound.

Hu Yang asked again, "Can you understand me?"

Cramorant paused for a moment, then turned its head and began tidying its feathers with its beak.

Hu Yang watched this behavior and formulated a theory in his mind. Cramorant didn't resist his touch, implying that it recognized him. However, it wasn't responding to his commands and words for two potential reasons: either Cramorant didn't understand him or it couldn't hear him.

Hu Yang, who had no experience as a Pokémon trainer, found himself in a perplexing situation. Could it be that the natural ability of Pokémon to understand human speech, as depicted in the games and anime, didn't actually exist?

Or perhaps, why wasn't this Cramorant behaving like a typical Pokémon?

Little did he know that in the world of games, Pokémon were essentially data entities without emotions, their behavior patterns and abilities pre-programmed by game developers.

As he pondered this, Hu Yang picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it into the river. The resulting "pu chi" sound echoed through the air.

Hu Yang observed Cramorant's reaction. Upon hearing the sound, Cramorant visibly perked up, quickly raising its head to scan the area where the sound originated.

Something clicked in Hu Yang's mind.

While he couldn't fully comprehend the situation, he realized that Pokémon might react to sounds and situations they recognized. This led him to wonder: did Pokémon in this world not have the ability to innately understand human language, as portrayed in games?

However, he pushed these questions aside for now. There were more pressing matters to attend to, like getting out of the forest and seeking answers from fellow trainers.

Hu Yang returned Cramorant to its Master Ball and resumed his journey along the river. Water was vital to any living creature, and he knew that finding water was his primary goal. This also increased his chances of eventually leaving the forest.

Because of his previous encounter with Beedrill, he was cautious in his movements to avoid attracting unwanted attention. Despite his stealth, he still caught the eye of various Wild Pokémon—a Zigzagoon in the grass, a Wurmple wriggling on a tree, and even a rare Mawile.

Interestingly, these Pokémon didn't attack him; they simply watched from a distance with curiosity. Hu Yang was deeply moved by this real-life Pokémon ecosystem, far more complex and nuanced than anything he had encountered in the games.

However, his hunger and thirst were growing more pronounced by the minute. He observed a full Minccino holding a Berry and suspected it might be able to lead him to food.

Hidden Minccinos, much like real-world squirrels, stored food for the winter months during autumn. Following it might lead him to sustenance, and with luck, even a Pecha Berry to detoxify himself.

Without hesitation, Hu Yang chose to trail the Minccino. He noticed that it was not very vigilant, probably because it considered this territory familiar. The Minccino was busy collecting and storing berries, jumping from tree to tree.

Hu Yang followed closely behind, hiding behind a large tree and observing as the Minccino deposited berries into the opening of a large tree. Afterward, the Minccino departed.

Hu Yang rushed forward, inserted his arm into the tree opening, and retrieved a fruit. It turned out to be an Oran Berry, which he learned would restore a small amount of Pokémon's stamina.

While this wasn't exactly what he was looking for, he still held onto the berry. He tried again with his other arm, only to be greeted by a mournful cry from above.

Hu Yang looked up to see the full Minccino scolding him from the tree trunk.

"…"

"…"

Embarrassing. There he was, a grown adult reduced to stealing "winter chestnuts" meant for squirrels.

Even more amusing, he was caught red-handed.

This was a first for Hu Yang in his thirty years of life. He instinctively withdrew his arm, his intention to back off clear.

However, Pokémon were far more intelligent than regular animals. The full Minccino gestured at his left arm, reproaching him.

Hu Yang: "…"

Before he could react, the irate Minccino pounced from above, sending Hu Yang tumbling as he struggled to maintain his balance.

The Minccino's tiny fists landed on Hu Yang's forehead.

Reacting quickly, Hu Yang grabbed the Minccino by the armpits and lifted it up. He tried to return the stolen berry: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take it. I'll give it back to you."

After all, he was in the wrong.

The Minccino accepted the berry, gave a dismissive snort, and then, unexpectedly, extended its right leg towards Hu Yang's stomach.

It was then that Hu Yang noticed a pink bandage tied around the leg, in the shape of a small bow. This detail had been hidden beneath the Minccino's fur, and he hadn't noticed it until now.

It was a style reminiscent of how humans tied things.

Hu Yang paused for a moment, and a realization began to dawn on him. He gleaned a possible explanation for the Minccino's behavior from this clue.

Perhaps this full Minccino had been saved by humans before, fostering goodwill towards them. This could explain why it chose to help him.

The realization filled Hu Yang with a mixture of excitement and wonderment.