Ryuuske shuddered at the sight of the swarm of insects before him. He had never been fond of bugs, and now, confronted with such a dense mass of them, his trypophobia kicked in, sending chills down his spine.
"Disgusting… But it's perfect timing. Those Beedrill have all gone out to hunt and fight. Gible, this is our chance."
Crouching in the bushes, Ryuuske patted Gible's head as the two stealthily approached the Beedrill hive. As they moved closer, Gible's mouth began to drool, a greedy glint in its eyes.
The honey harvested by Beedrill was considered a top-tier delicacy, fetching sky-high prices on the market. It was gathered from various Grass-type Pokémon and flowers, giving it an exquisite taste and immense nutritional value. However, while a single Beedrill wasn't too threatening, they always lived in large swarms, making stealing their honey an incredibly risky task. That's why it was such a rare commodity.
Ryuuske and Gible had previously managed to snatch some Beedrill honey. The taste was irresistibly sweet yet not overwhelming, carrying a refreshing floral fragrance that left a lasting impression. Once tasted, it was impossible to forget. Yet, stealing from the Beedrill hive was no easy feat. Ryuuske had even considered sending Mewtwo to wipe out an entire Beedrill colony just to enjoy the honey without worry.
"Go, go! I'll wait under the tree!"
Like a taskmaster cracking a whip, Ryuuske urged Gible to hurry up. Excited, Gible grabbed the container Ryuuske had prepared and nimbly climbed the tree, completely ignoring the Kakuna glaring at it. Carefully avoiding the Beedrill guards left behind, it eagerly started collecting honey.
Minutes ticked by, and though Ryuuske didn't want to stray too far from Gible, he remained on high alert, urging it to move faster in his mind.
But fate was not on their side today. The Beedrill swarm that had left earlier hadn't gone far, and before long, the ominous buzzing of wings reached Ryuuske's ears. His expression changed instantly. Ignoring any risk of revealing his presence, he shouted to the treetop, "Gible, we're leaving! Their owners are back!"
His shout was like a drop of water in hot oil—chaos erupted in an instant. The once-calm Weedle in the trees began to stir, and the Beedrill guards immediately noticed the intrusion. They let out sharp cries, calling their comrades. Without hesitation, Gible leapt down, handing the honey-filled container to Ryuuske.
"Execute the plan—Flamethrower!"
With a snap of Ryuuske's fingers, Gible unleashed a torrent of flames—not at the incoming Beedrill, but at the helpless Kakuna hanging from the trees. The intense fire spread rapidly, engulfing the nearby foliage in searing heat. The wave of heat brought back memories of Ryuuske's desperate escape from the research lab, where even breathing had burned his lungs.
This time, however, he wasn't the victim—his Pokémon was the one wielding the flames. Standing beneath the burning trees, he could see the terrified eyes of the Kakuna hanging helplessly. The Beedrill in the sky immediately abandoned their attack, rushing to save their immobile kin.
"Ah, the gluttony and greed of it all… Tsk, tsk."
Ryuuske felt no guilt for his actions. Patting the futuristic pouch at his waist, he smirked, already anticipating the meals he would prepare with the stolen honey. With a quick signal to Gible, the two swiftly fled the scene of the crime.
Yet, one Beedrill didn't join the rescue effort. Instead, it hovered in the air, trailing them with burning rage in its single, unblinking eye.
"That must be the leader of this swarm," Ryuuske mused, noticing the Beedrill's missing eye—a testament to its brutal battles. "Perfect. Let's test whether this move works."
As he ran, Ryuuske exchanged a glance with Gible. He retrieved an empty Poké Ball from his waist, tapped it against Gible, and recalled it. His eyes glowed faintly with a mysterious purple hue as the Poké Ball hovered in his palm.
With a flick of his fingers, the Poké Ball shot forward like a fastball, whizzing through the air toward the pursuing Beedrill.
The battle-hardened Beedrill instinctively dodged with a sudden stop and twist, its mouth curling into a sneer. But just as it thought it had evaded the attack, the Poké Ball suddenly burst open mid-air with a loud "pop!" In a flash of smoke, Gible reappeared—right above the Beedrill.
"Dragon Pulse!"
The trainer's command rang out precisely on cue. Gible unleashed a thunderous roar—not just a pulse, but a true draconic bellow. The sheer force of the sound made the very air tremble at a specific frequency, throwing the Beedrill's wings into disarray. Its body locked up, sustaining internal damage from the pressure. Before it could recover, Gible stomped onto its back, sending both of them crashing to the ground.
With a dull thud, the one-eyed Beedrill lay pinned beneath Gible, completely defeated.
"Hah, see? This is how Poké Balls should be used. Who says you have to throw them in front of yourself?"
Ryuuske chuckled, nodding toward Gible.
Gible let out a triumphant roar, then playfully smacked the downed Beedrill's head a few times before scurrying back to Ryuuske's side.
"When you evolve into Garchomp, we won't need to be sneaky anymore. Next time, we'll just wipe out the whole Beedrill colony and take all the honey we want."
Elated by their success, the duo walked away with a spring in their step. Gible eagerly nodded at Ryuuske's words, drooling as it fantasized about a future where it ruled over the Beedrill and took their honey at will.
But their carefree march didn't last long.
Ryuuske suddenly furrowed his brows, raising a hand to signal Gible to stop. Carefully, he moved about five meters to his left, pushed aside the undergrowth, and observed the flattened grass beneath his feet. His expression turned serious.
"…These are human tracks. And not just one person—a whole group. Judging by the freshly disturbed soil, this was left today."
A month of surviving in the wilderness hadn't made Ryuuske a survival expert, but in this Viridian Forest, he had already become a seasoned veteran.
To be continued…
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