Chapter 17: Oran Berry

Combining "psychic powers" with "Viridian" seemed somewhat familiar to Heath. Could eating the Viridian Fruit grant him the power of Viridian? The thought excited him. In the world of Pokémon, Aura, psychic powers, and the power of Viridian were all very special abilities, possessed by only a few individuals.

However, after thoroughly questioning Jana, Heath realized that obtaining this Viridian Fruit was nearly impossible because it was always something from storybooks.

"This is a dead end. Completing the task for Viridian City feels impossible," Heath yawned as he sat on his small stool, basking in the sunlight.

The warm sun made Heath feel lethargic, while his Farfetch'd stood beside him, dozing off with its leek in hand.

Initially, Heath planned to put Farfetch'd back in its Poké Ball, but Farfetch'd stubbornly insisted on sunbathing. Heath had no choice but to let it stand by his side.

Just as Heath was about to drift off, he heard a Meowth's cry.

"Hm? What's up, Meowth?" Heath stretched lazily, yawned, and looked curiously at the Meowth poking its head out of the bushes.

Wild Pokémon were not allowed in human society without a trainer. This rule, set by the League to protect Pokémon, ensured that any wild Pokémon found would be captured, cared for, and either released back into the wild or given to another trainer.

But Meowth, Rattata, and Ekans clearly didn't intend to follow these rules, so they lived cautiously every day.

"Meow!" Meowth happily pushed a blue fruit into Heath's hand. Heath picked it up curiously and saw that it seemed to be an Oran Berry.

Oran Berry, a type of berry only Pokémon could eat, had some magical effects. Oran Berries could heal a Pokémon's injuries, but their healing power was limited.

"Is this for me?" Heath was surprised. Oran Berries were rare and valuable for stray Pokémon.

Wild berry trees were usually occupied by other Pokémon, making it difficult to steal their berries. And companies that cultivated berries wouldn't let wild Pokémon take them.

So Heath hadn't expected Meowth to bring him a berry.

"Meow~ Meowth~" Meowth nodded happily, then quickly withdrew its head upon noticing passersby.

Watching the rustling bushes, Heath chuckled and put the Oran Berry away. He felt both touched and amused. Heath had never expected anything in return for helping Meowth and its friends, so this gift was both heartwarming and funny.

"These little guys," Heath said, stroking the Oran Berry. Though it wasn't particularly useful to him, he decided to keep it.

Heath looked at the berry box and pondered whether Pokémon berries could be used in cooking. But what did Oran Berries taste like? What kind of dish would they suit?

Heath thought this was a question worth exploring.

"Should I go watch some trainer battles?" Heath yawned. He knew that from now until 5 PM, there wouldn't be many customers, making this his relaxation time.

Heath's idea of relaxation was either watching TV or Pokémon battles, with the latter being his favorite.

With that in mind, Heath pushed his cart towards Viridian City's battle arena. Most cities had designated areas for trainers to battle, while towns decided based on their size and the number of trainers.

Viridian City's battle arena was next to the Gym, probably so trainers could quickly head to the Gym after warming up to battle, staying in peak condition.

"Let's go, Farfetch'd," Heath said, patting Farfetch'd on the head. Farfetch'd opened its eyes groggily, finally waking up.

Heath quickly made a serving of fried rice and handed it to the arena's security guard, who smiled and helped Heath move his cart aside.

The security guard was responsible for the cart's safety. In exchange, Heath paid him with a bowl of fried rice, a mutually beneficial arrangement.

When Heath arrived at the arena, he saw several trainers battling. Most were using Pokémon like Oddish and Ekans.

The most eye-catching was a pretty blonde girl in a dress, smiling as she battled her opponent.

Despite the girl's Electabuzz facing a Squirtle, an easy match for the Electric-type, Electabuzz seemed to be struggling under the girl's commands.

"That girl..." Heath watched curiously, recognizing her as the same girl he saw that morning.

Though not wearing a white dress, she looked exactly like the girl Heath saw in Evergreen Forest yesterday.

Heath stood by the battle area, watching the fight. Electabuzz was obviously holding back, letting Squirtle dominate, occasionally crying out in exaggerated pain, clearly about to lose.

Heath chuckled. Electabuzz was quite the actor, and the girl hadn't noticed, happily directing her Squirtle to press the attack.

Amid the spectators' laughter, Electabuzz was hit by a Bubble attack and fell dramatically.

"Wow, Alice, you're amazing! You have a real talent for being a trainer." As the battle ended, Heath learned the girl's name: Alice.

Heath scratched his head, wishing he could play the piano to surprise Alice with a performance of "Für Elise," just like in the novels.

(End of Chapter)