Chapter 65: Survival

Heath scratched his head, unable to understand why Zorua was acting this way. Without dwelling on it, he took his food truck to his usual market to buy groceries.

"Yawn... Spring is coming," Heath yawned, looking out at the small path through the window. Firefly-like insects fluttered around, with tiny points of light flickering in the dim light.

This scene didn't stir much emotion in Heath. He had been excited when he first arrived, but now he was used to it.

"But what kind of insects are these?" Heath wondered. Such insects in the Pokémon world usually appeared at the end of winter and the beginning of spring. They resembled fireflies, but Heath wasn't an entomologist and couldn't identify them.

"You mean those? I call them glow bugs," Zorua, perched on Heath's head, yawned, her tail swaying.

"Glow bugs? That's quite a straightforward name," Heath chuckled, looking out at the small path.

The most beautiful city Heath had seen was Alto Mare, known as the City of Water. Besides its world-famous scenery, what intrigued Heath the most were the Eon siblings.

Heath recalled that Latias had once transformed into a human girl, making it one of the few Pokémon capable of human transformation.

After reaching the market, Heath quickly bought some missing ingredients and drove to his usual spot to set up his stall. He arranged his food truck and placed tables and chairs outside.

The weather was nice today. Heath glanced at the sky—no clouds, a clear day. Being a street vendor required a keen sense of the weather since no one would sit and eat in the rain.

Heath had once thought that street vendors only needed to sell their goods, but he soon realized there was much to learn: choosing a location, understanding foot traffic, watching the weather, and studying the latest food trends were all crucial.

"Meowth!" As soon as Heath finished setting up, he heard a Meowth's cry.

Heath turned to see Meowth and Rattata cautiously observing from the bushes. After ensuring it was safe, they emerged and approached Heath.

An Ekans slithered over, flicking its tongue. It raised its head, its single eye reflecting a certain emotion.

"Are you here to ask about Charmander?" Heath guessed. After all, Ekans and the others had brought Charmander over yesterday.

Ekans nodded. Even Meowth, who had been lying at Heath's feet, got up and looked at Heath seriously.

The two Rattata, who had been chasing each other's tails, also stopped. Heath couldn't help but smile.

For stray Pokémon to survive in Viridian City, they needed to unite any possible allies. Ekans was the leader of this small group, showing no aggression towards Rattata and Meowth. They banded together, living well in the city.

Heath knew that Rattata often scavenged food from sewers and hard-to-reach places, while Meowth foraged in trash cans and picked up discarded food.

Ekans was responsible for guarding and protecting its companions, preventing other stray Pokémon from invading their territory.

Viridian City had more than just Ekans's group of stray Pokémon. Each group had its own territory.

"Charmander has been taken to the Pokémon Center and is receiving proper treatment. I've decided to make it my Pokémon," Heath said, smiling as he petted Meowth's head. Ekans nodded, curling up beside Heath.

Heath chuckled, petting Ekans's head and then rubbing it with both hands. Ekans reluctantly tolerated this due to their friendship.

After giving them some food, Heath returned to his food truck.

"Trainer, why didn't you catch them?" Zorua asked curiously, having wondered why Heath caught Charmander but not Ekans and the others.

"Because they don't want to be caught," Heath shook his head. He had considered catching these Pokémon with whom he had a good relationship, but they didn't want to become his Pokémon.

Ekans had a disability and, for some reason, never allowed anyone to catch it. As for Meowth and Rattata, they were very attached to Ekans and didn't want to become anyone else's Pokémon.

"Strange. Being a stray is so tough," Zorua shook her head, jumping down from Heath's head and lying on her small table.

"Maybe it's just their choice," Heath said, not elaborating. Everyone had their own way of living.

Heath sorted his ingredients and began preparing for the day. He needed to make batter for pancakes, cut vegetables, and pre-cook some items, all of which had to be done in the morning.

"Good morning, Heath. Do you have something suitable for someone who's sick?" Heath recognized the old but vigorous voice and knew who it was.

"Grandpa Majid, of course. Are you sick?" Heath asked, smiling at the elderly man.

"I'm not sick, but Charizard isn't feeling well. I just took it to the Pokémon Center and asked Nurse Joy to take care of it," Majid sighed. Despite his upright posture, he couldn't hide the worry on his face.

Heath sighed too. Charizard had sustained many injuries in battles and against evil organizations, draining much of its vitality. Although still in its prime, it seemed like an elderly Pokémon.

"Food for the sick, huh? I have an idea. Please wait a moment," Heath thought for a while and nodded. He had an idea for a suitable dish. The food needed to be light yet nutritious.

Considering Charizard's condition, Heath knew exactly what to prepare.

(End of Chapter)