Before setting out to pursue Mew, Logan had already stocked up on water, so he no longer needed to seek out a water source. Since they'd be leaving the forest and returning to the city the next day, there was no need for the meticulous rationing he had practiced over the past month, where every meal had to be calculated to the last bite.
Logan had tried some of the wild berries growing in the forest, but although they were perfectly edible for Pokémon, they were almost unbearable for humans. These berries were typically ground into powder and used as seasoning — eating them raw was like chewing on concentrated peppercorns. They could fill your stomach, sure, but they left your mouth feeling like it had been lit on fire.
After being completely overpowered by Mew, Gible had sunk into a gloomy slump. Logan had to console the little land shark quite a bit before it finally perked up. As for Mewtwo's request to seek out Mew, Logan wasn't in a rush. Legendary Pokémon like Mew were rare to encounter — even if you actively searched, there was no guarantee of success. But once Mewtwo's genetic tuning was complete and it could battle outside its Poké Ball freely, Logan was more than happy to accompany it across the world in search of Mew. After all, if Mewtwo could unleash its full power, tracking down Mew wouldn't be all that difficult.
With the tent set up and Logan sprawled out on the soft mat inside, the warmth of the fire was kept at bay by the tent's special material. He had grown used to this lifestyle. There was a time when he suffered from chronic insomnia, but now he could fall asleep almost the instant he closed his eyes.
Just as he drifted into a sleepy haze, Gible suddenly ran up to him, tugging urgently at his shirt with a worried look on its face.
"Hnn? What is it, Gible?" Logan yawned and opened his eyes, drowsiness clouding his voice. But the moment he sensed Gible's alert tension, he snapped fully awake. Sitting up, he lowered his voice and asked, "...Someone's coming again?"
Gible nodded and pointed in a specific direction.
"Let's go. Leave the tent for now — no time to pack it up."
Logan and Gible stepped out into the night. Using his psychic powers, Logan scanned in the direction Gible had indicated. There, flickering faintly in the distance, he caught the glimmer of light.
"Doesn't seem like a hostile presence, but let's play it safe. Gible, go hide!"
Gible nodded enthusiastically and scampered off to prepare. Logan quickly climbed a nearby tree — after a month living wild, he figured he was practically jungle-born at this point.
As the light drew closer, Logan perched quietly in the branches saw the source: the glowing tail of a Charmander. Beside it walked a teenage boy, about Logan's own age.
"Well, if it isn't Professor Oak's grandson!"
Logan immediately recognized the figure and called down in a teasing tone from above.
—
Ever since leaving his parents' home in Viridian City to begin his journey, Blue Oak had set his sights on the nearby Viridian Forest. But the 15-year-old, with zero travel experience, quickly found himself overwhelmed. He had packed far too little food and too few supplies. Within a few days of entering the forest, his rations were nearly depleted. Stubborn and proud, Blue refused to turn back and ask for help — instead, he resolved to tough it out in the forest for over a month.
Fortunately, he'd trained in kendo since childhood, and his body was well-conditioned. With Charmander's fire to help him, he managed to boil water and cook the edible mushrooms and plants he found, surviving off of whatever the forest offered. Sometimes, he ate the berries that Pokémon found palatable — even if they made his eyes water and tongue burn, they kept him going.
That night, after seeing a blinding flash of light in the woods and watching the wild Pokémon flee in panic, Blue's curiosity as a trainer got the better of him. He followed the signs slowly and carefully until nightfall but never found the source. Just as he was about to give up and look for a place to rest, a voice called down from the treetops:
"Well, if it isn't Professor Oak's grandson!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Blue barked a command: "...Ember!"
Charmander flicked its tail, launching a flaming orb that resembled more of a fireball than a spark. Logan's silhouette flipped midair with athletic ease, landing gracefully on the ground. Blue's eyes narrowed in caution — this was the first human he'd encountered in the forest in a month.
"Hah, pretty decisive. Didn't even bother asking who I was before attacking. Then again, I'd probably have done the same," Logan chuckled. "And since you've made your move... It's only fair I respond. Dig!"
'A Ground-type Pokémon?!' Blue's expression changed. He scanned the dark surroundings warily, but the forest was too shadowed to see clearly.
"Forget the Pokémon — just go for the trainer— No! Charmander, below you!"
Blue's shout came too late.
The command to 'use Dig' had been a feint — the Pokémon had already been lying in wait underground. With a violent burst of earth, Gible's rock-hard skull slammed into Charmander's jaw. The ground-type energy was powerful enough to shatter stone. Charmander let out a pained cry as its body was flung through the air.
"Charmander!!" Blue cried, sprinting toward his injured Pokémon. Meanwhile, Logan advanced toward Gible with practiced coordination. Though both trainers were still technically rookies, they each understood a fundamental battle principle: Never stray too far from your Pokémon!
"Sand Tomb!"
"Don't give them the chance — Flamethrower!"
Charmander, despite the pain, reacted swiftly to its trainer's command. With a growl, it forced its body up and blasted a scorching stream of fire toward Gible and Logan.
"Still using Flamethrower when you suspect your opponent's a Ground-type? Getting desperate, aren't you, Blue?" Logan laughed as he crouched behind Gible, shielding his face with his arm.
In this close bond, a trainer working alongside their Pokémon could endure the residual effects of many moves without serious harm. Without Gible's presence, that attack might've left Logan with severe burns. Instead, he felt only a surge of heat and the smell of singed cloth.
Gible emerged with some blackened patches of skin but still looked better off than the heavily injured Charmander. Then Blue realized something else — his feet were sinking.
"Damn it...! The Sand Tomb was aimed at me!?"
Only now did he realize the truth — Logan had no intention of dodging that Flamethrower. The goal wasn't Charmander at all — it was him, the trainer.
"Surrender now. If you so much as mutter another command, Gible will crush your skull. Wanna find out if its teeth are sharp enough — or if your head's tough enough?"
The cold, whispering voice brushed against Blue's ear like the edge of a blade, sending a chill down his spine.
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