–+–
Bugsy held the Fast Ball in the palm of his hand, feeling the unique, cool texture of the brand-new Poké Ball.
A spark of excitement flickered in his eyes.
Click.
He snapped the button, peering inside to examine the jade-colored mesh structure.
Bugsy only had a vague understanding of how Apricorn Balls were crafted, but the internal net structure of this Fast Ball was surprisingly intricate.
Even among the various Apricorn Balls he had seen in the past, this one was remarkably well-made.
—Wait, did Sera say just now that she made this herself?
“I’ll take it!”
Sera watched as Bugsy tossed the Fast Ball upward, then caught it with a backhand grip, looking absolutely thrilled.
“I’m very satisfied with this Fast Ball!”
It looked like this transaction was officially closed.
After confirming the quality, Bugsy pulled out his phone, added Sera as a contact, and promptly transferred the payment to her account.
Checking her balance, Sera confirmed she had made a profit of 9,000 Poké Dollars from this single Fast Ball.
“May I ask, Gym Leader Bugsy, which Pokémon do you intend to capture with this?”
Bugsy was still turning the Fast Ball over in his hands, clearly unable to put it down.
In a great mood, he answered Sera’s question directly.
“I’m going to use it to capture a Scyther!”
Because the Scyther he had been training had reached a bottleneck, Bugsy had consulted with his partner Pokémon and decided to use a Metal Coat to evolve his main Scyther into a Scizor.
However.
Since the Azalea Gym focused primarily on Bug-type Pokémon, Bugsy wanted to catch a new Scyther before evolving his current one, just to ensure he didn’t have any gaps in the variety of Pokémon kept in the Gym.
As it happened, the Scyther he had been scouting showed excellent potential, which is why he had specially requested a Fast Ball to ensure the capture wouldn’t fail.
“I see.
In that case, I wish you a smooth hunt, Gym Leader.”
Having received the answer she wanted, Sera said her goodbyes to Bugsy and watched as the young man headed toward the forest, clutching his bug-catching net with infectious enthusiasm.
With the information she had just gathered, a new thought took root in Sera’s mind.
The real world wasn’t a game.
Every NPC she knew from the game was a living, breathing person here.
Trainers, Gym Leaders, members of the Elite Four, even the Champion…
These people, whom players constantly defeated in the original story, were all capable of growing and improving in reality.
Take Bugsy, whom she had just met. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
This Gym Leader, nicknamed the “Bug-type Pokémon Encyclopedia,” was also constantly optimizing and adjusting his main team, always striving to improve.
Although Bugsy would eventually hit a power ceiling when he pushed himself to his limit, it at least suggested that the plotlines Sera was familiar with might not unfold in such a rigid, predictable way.
“Maybe I should just write an anonymous tip to the League about the bad things Team Rocket is planning…”
Sera pondered this for a moment.
She was currently in the Johto region, and after some thought, the only trouble she was likely to encounter was the schemes plotted by the criminal organization Team Rocket.
A crime syndicate operating under the name of Team Rocket, these people were guilty of every evil imaginable.
They were hated by everyone throughout the Kanto and Johto regions.
But because they were powerful and held tight to their web of interests, the League hadn’t yet been able to root them out.
However, if Sera provided some critical intel, the League might be able to land a lethal blow on Team Rocket at a decisive moment.
“…Anyway, I’ll find time to organize my intelligence once I’m home.”
The girl made a silent resolution.
She disliked trouble, but rather than worrying when it arrived, it was better to find an opportunity to nip it in the bud.
As for now…
Sera pulled out her phone, looked at the new numbers in her account balance, and felt her mood soar.
This joy must be shared with my Ogerpon!
Already addicted to the game, the girl quickened her pace, headed straight home, and pulled out her simulator.
Electronic Pokemon Raising System, activate!
As the screen lit up, Sera heard the familiar, endearing cry.
“Pon~”
[Ogerpon is welcoming you.]
The outside world was so dangerous, but the little demon at home was always so heart-warming.
No matter when or where, Ogerpon could always put Sera in a great mood.
It was a pity that while Sera could hear Ogerpon’s cries, she couldn’t share her joy with the Pokémon through words.
But, well.
Even if she couldn’t speak, Sera could still communicate with Ogerpon through actions.
–+–
Ogerpon had fully adapted to the “presence.”
Although it couldn’t see the true form of the presence and could only vaguely sense her arrival, Ogerpon could immediately tell that she was keeping it company.
“Pon, pon~!”
Thinking that she was watching over it with such gentleness, Ogerpon couldn’t help but spread her arms and trot in circles around her.
Just running around her was enough to fill Ogerpon with pure joy.
“Ponyo?”
She stopped and looked curiously at the bright red, petal-patterned blanket that had appeared before her.
–+–
[You have delivered a Lilligant-style blanket to Ogerpon.]
Sera had decided to tidy up Ogerpon’s living space.
Since the first time she saw Ogerpon, she had been concerned about the rock den it lived in.
Aside from the Teal Mask, Ogerpon’s home was completely bare and incredibly cramped.
If it didn’t seem like Ogerpon was already accustomed to the Dreaded Den, Sera would have helped it find a new place to stay.
Since Ogerpon didn’t want to leave the Dreaded Den, Sera decided to renovate it instead.
The first thing was the blanket.
When Ogerpon slept, it just laid down on the hard ground.
Not only would it get covered in dust, but the cold, jagged rock surface didn’t look comfortable at all.
So, Sera spent 3 Raising Points to purchase a Lilligant-style blanket.
This blanket constantly emitted a sweet aroma, which would heal the soul and soothe the mood of any Pokémon that caught a whiff of it.
“Ponyo!”
[Ogerpon accepts the gift and begins to decorate the Dreaded Den.]
The little demon actively placed the blanket on a flat stone ledge in the corner that looked like a makeshift bed, and then, under Sera’s watchful eye, tried lying down on it.
[The comfort level of Ogerpon’s dwelling has increased.
Ogerpon feels very happy.]
Sera looked at the notification, an involuntary smile spreading across her face.
“Not finished yet.”
Muttering to herself, Sera looked at the recommended items in the system shop and clicked to purchase.
[Mysterious Doll: A doll that possesses a strange aura; it has the effect of continuously increasing the friendship level of your Pokémon.]
Although the item icon in the shop looked a bit blurry, it certainly seemed like a powerful item.
Deliver!
–+–
“…Pon?”
Ogerpon saw a new item appear before it once again, but this time, it sensed an unusual aura.
The little one took a closer look at the object to see what it was.
It was a doll shaped like a young girl.