After purchasing the Nanab Berries, Lian accompanied Kalia for a brief stroll before returning to their dormitory room at the Pokémon Center.
The dormitories had shared rooms; Kalia stayed in the female section with her roommate, another girl. Since there were fewer female Trainers, these accommodations had vacancies available for her.
Although Kalia felt that the Pokémon Center's dormitory environment was not particularly impressive, she didn't mind as long as it provided a place to stay.
The new Trainer must have gone to the battle arena within the Pokémon Center, as they were not present in the room.
Kalia sat on her bed, opened her backpack, and took out the Pokéblock Blender along with Charti Berries for making energy cubes.
Creating energy cubes was quite straightforward. First, peel the berry shells, then mix different fruit pulps according to specific ratios in the Pokéblock Blender. After rapid blending, the energy cubes can be produced.
Kalia's Pokéblock Blender was the simplest model. In larger cities, there exist more advanced, large-scale blenders capable of mixing a wider variety of berries and producing up to seven or eight energy cubes at once.
Kalia's small Pokéblock Blender could only produce one energy cube at a time, yet even this model was quite expensive and unaffordable for most without sufficient funds.
With great patience, Kalia continuously turned the crank handle, blending the berries thoroughly to ensure proper mixture.
Soon, an energy cube made from Charti Berry and Nanab Berry was completed. Kalia retrieved it, revealing a pale pink energy cube.
"Charmeleon, give it a taste. If it's not sweet enough, I'll adjust the ratio of Nanab Berries accordingly."
Lian took the pale pink energy cube, sniffed it, then took a bite. He found the sweetness lacking, with bitterness still dominating the flavor.
He shook his head, indicating it wasn't sufficiently sweet.
"Not sweet enough?"
Kalia continued making another batch, increasing the proportion of Nanab Berries this time.
Lian tasted the new cube, finding it much improved. The sweetness now masked the bitterness and astringency; unless carefully discerned, the slight astringent taste was barely noticeable.
Lian nodded contentedly and quickly finished the energy cube. Being made from Charti Berries, he relished every bite.
"I understand now; let's stick with this ratio." Observing Charmeleon's reaction, Kalia realized she had achieved the desired flavor balance. Following the same proportions, she continued to make more energy cubes.
Once berries were picked from their trees, they couldn't be preserved for long unless stored in sealed containers. However, transforming them into energy cubes allowed for extended shelf life.
After some time, the new Trainer returned - it was a girl, seemingly much younger than Kalia. She had two ponytails, a round, cherubic face, and wore a cute little skirt.
"Hi!" The girl appeared surprised upon seeing Kalia, holding a Jigglypuff in her arms as she approached.
"Hello, my name is Kalia," Kalia greeted with a smile, pausing her work.
"Nice to meet you, Big Sister. I'm Linnea," Linnea politely responded, her eyes widening in wonder at the small Pokéblock Blender in Kalia's hands.
"What's that?"
"It's a Pokéblock Blender, specifically designed for making energy cubes. I just finished creating some; would you like to give one to your Pokemon?" Kalia explained while taking out an energy cube and handing it to Linnea.
"Energy cubes! Wow, Big Sister, you're amazing!" Linnea exclaimed, impressed. Although she was a new Trainer from a remote island, she had heard about energy cubes but never seen them before.
Linnea accepted the energy cube and offered it to her Jigglypuff. The Pokémon seemed unfamiliar with this treat, holding it carefully, sniffing it first, then taking a small bite. Instantly, its eyes narrowed with delight, emitting a pleasant sound.
"Jigglypuff seems to really enjoy it," Linnea observed happily.
"Thank you, Big Sister Kalia. You must have earned many Gym Badges by now, right?"
With that, Linnea and Kalia struck up a conversation. Linnea, curious like a child, asked numerous questions, clearly demonstrating her lack of experience as a new Trainer.
"Big Sister Kalia, how should I train Jigglypuff to become stronger? Right now, I don't even have one badge," Linnea asked pitifully.
"Jigglypuff is quite weak, but it can grow stronger through evolution. However, evolving Jigglypuff requires a Moon Stone, which isn't easy to obtain. In the meantime, you can focus on training its Sing move, and then..."
"I see, thank you."
After many questions, Linnea finally felt exhausted but had learned a great deal, showing immense admiration for Kalia's knowledge.
"Is this your Charmeleon? It looks so intimidating! Why isn't it inside a Poké Ball?" Linnea noticed Kalia's relaxed Charmeleon sitting nearby and asked curiously.
Due to its size, Charmeleon appeared roughly as tall as Linnea, with sharp claws and a fiery tail that made others hesitant to approach.
"My Charmeleon doesn't like staying in a Poké Ball; he's actually very gentle, so there's nothing to worry about," Kalia reassured her.
"Okay." Linnea nodded.
Having consumed several energy cubes, Lian felt satisfied. He found an empty bed, lay down, and quickly drifted off to sleep.
***
Later that night, within the system space.
Lian's combat rating for today was low, as the Pokemon encounters in the Kana Mountains no longer posed any significant challenge to him. Consequently, the reward amounted to only two or three hundred Combat Points.
Having consumed three energy cubes made from Charti Berries earlier, Lian sensed there might be changes. He checked his data panel, and indeed, new information appeared.
The rare berries like Charti and Custap possess certain special effects. After consuming the Custap Berry, Lian gained increased burst capabilities. Now, after eating energy cubes made from Charti Berries, another ability showed up on his attribute list:
Rock Resistance: 1.99(+)
Rock Resistance clearly indicated Lian's resilience against Rock-type moves. Originally it would have been 2, but due to consuming the Charti Berry-based energy cubes, it slightly improved to 1.99. This meant that when hit by a Rock-type move, he would now take 1.99 times the damage instead of double.
Rock Resistance is undoubtedly a valuable ability; if raised to just one time normal damage, it could significantly reduce Lian's vulnerability.
Once evolving into Charizard, attacks from Rock-type moves will cause quadruple damage. However, if Lian could enhance his Rock Resistance significantly, he might even withstand future Rock-type assaults directly.
Lian didn't rush to increase his Rock Resistance immediately. If he used Combat Points now and subsequently rendered the energy cubes made from Charti Berries ineffective due to already elevated resistance levels, it would be a significant loss.
He decided to consume all the energy cubes first, waiting until the Charti Berry's effect diminishes before using Combat Points to boost his Rock Resistance. This approach would save a substantial amount of points.
There was no immediate urgency to improve Rock Resistance; evolution into Charizard is still far off, so taking things gradually was fine.
The most pressing issue remained the scarcity of Combat Points. Even with an increase, the gain wouldn't be substantial enough to make much difference.
"The consumption of Combat Points keeps accelerating," Lian sighed.
Just days ago, he earned over ten thousand Combat Points, only to exhaust them quickly by upgrading Special Attack and Explosive Power. With the addition of Rock Resistance, Lian needed to accumulate more Combat Points to keep up with these demands.
His laid-back lifestyle seemed increasingly distant as, without realizing it, Lian found himself constantly strategizing on how to enhance his strength and acquire more Combat Points.
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******
The next morning:
"Linnea, how long have you been staying in Pearl City? Has the Gym Leader returned yet?" Kalia casually asked while getting ready for the day.
"I've been here for a month now. The Gym Leader went on a sea expedition and hasn't been seen in quite some time." Linnea shook her head; it had already been over half a month since the Gym Leader embarked on her adventure.
"Still not back?"
If the Gym Leader remains absent from the gym for too long, the Pokémon League may impose penalties and temporarily assign another Trainer to fill their position. Exceeding a certain duration could result in losing the Gym Leader status altogether, along with all associated benefits.
With Gym Leader Moran away at sea for such an extended period, it's likely that soon, the League will need to send a temporary replacement, causing Kalia some concern as it would further delay her gym challenge by several days.
At the Pearl City Pokémon Center, most residents were new trainers, with very few beginner trainers present. For Kalia, conducting practical training here proved ineffective due to the lack of suitable opponents.
Her only option was to seek real-world combat training outside Pearl City. With the ocean surrounding the area, the best training grounds would be on uninhabited islands beyond the mainland.
However, this meant purchasing boat tickets to reach those wild islands, adding another expense. Kalia's money didn't grow on trees; reckless spending could deplete even the largest savings eventually.
"Looks like I need to find opportunities to earn some extra cash."
Currently, she was focusing on training just two Pokémon, but once she acquires a third or fourth, the expenses will multiply rapidly. Many Trainers have part-time jobs for this very reason; otherwise, it becomes unsustainable to support so many Pokémon.
Real-world combat training cannot be neglected, so Kalia had no choice but to prepare herself financially. Several Trainers often visit undeveloped offshore islands, occasionally encountering rare Pokémon they can capture.
However, these wild islands also pose significant dangers. Some islands are densely populated with Poison-type Pokémon, where one misstep could not only poison the Pokémon but also put the Trainer at risk. Therefore, thorough preparation is essential before embarking on such journeys.
***
Pearl City had multiple ports leading to various destinations, with different types of S.S. Tickets available. The most expensive were tickets to the Ellie Region, while the cheapest were for unexplored islands.
At Pearl City's coastal pier,
After finishing breakfast, Lian accompanied Kalia to the pier. Today's weather was splendid, bright and sunny - his favorite kind.
Lian learned that the Water-type Gym Leader still hadn't returned, which was unfortunate but unavoidable. To maintain daily practical training, Kalia decided to take him by boat to a wild island for exercises.
Kalia purchased two tickets for Fossil Island; it earned its name due to numerous Kabuto fossils discovered there in the past.
The island is home to many wild Kabutos and insect-type Pokemon, making it a relatively resource-scarce location.
She bought dual tickets because these wild islands often harbor hidden dangers. Even with Pokemon protection, traveling alone can be extremely risky, so it's customary to form groups of two for safety.
After purchasing their boat tickets, Kalia headed to Pearl City's Pokemon Center to buy essential remedies for abnormal conditions and some Repel spray as a precaution. In case her Pokemon couldn't continue battling, these sprays would protect her from wild Pokemon attacks.
With preparations complete, Kalia awaited her fellow passenger. The departure time was set for 10 AM, leaving them with half an hour to spare.
To Kalia's surprise, her co-passenger was also a girl, though it wasn't unusual; typically, passengers of the same gender were paired together unless specifically requested otherwise.
The newcomer was a rookie Trainer named Mani. Similar to Kalia, due to the absent Gym Leader in Pearl City, she couldn't obtain her badge yet and sought to train her Pokemon on the wild islands.
Mani had already caught two Water-type Pokemon: one Marill and the exclusive starter offered by the Pokemon League, Mudkip.
Kalia felt uncertain about Mani venturing to Fossil Island so early, especially since her Mudkip hadn't evolved yet. She thought it might be better to first challenge the Ground-type gym in Kana City. With the advantage of her Water-type Pokemon, securing her first badge could be swift.
However, this was Mani's decision, and given their lack of familiarity, Kalia didn't feel comfortable voicing her concerns.
Mani tended to be quiet; after boarding the ship, she barely spoke, except for when Kalia initiated conversation.
The vessel sailing towards Fossil Island was a small boat, accommodating only three or four people at most, with just Kalia and Mani on this trip.
As Lian boarded the ship with Kalia, he felt slightly uneasy, experiencing what seemed like seasickness. His head spun dizzily, particularly intensified by the uncomfortable sound of water splashing as the boat moved forward.
Kalia quickly noticed Lian's discomfort and understood the cause immediately. Fire-type Pokémon generally have some fear of seawater, and Charmeleons are no exception.
This reaction is quite normal. Typically, storing a Pokémon inside its Poké Ball would alleviate the issue, but the problem here was that Charmeleon had refused to enter one.
Concerned, Kalia asked, "Charmeleon, are you okay? Is everything alright?"
Lian glanced at Kalia, feeling utterly drained and unable to muster any strength to respond. The surrounding water energy instilled fear within him, stemming from his elemental nature.
"Um, why not use a Poké Ball?" Mani observed softly, questioning gently.
"Charmeleon doesn't like entering Poké Balls..." Kalia offered a vague explanation, somewhat helpless as there was no easy solution.
"My Marill knows the Sing move. Would you mind if I try lulling Charmeleon to sleep with it?" Mani suggested kindly.
"Yes, please. Thank you," Kalia expressed her gratitude. Normally, Marill cannot learn the Sing move unless through inheritance; evidently, this Marill had inherited the ability.
Subsequently, Mani commanded Marill to start singing, filling the cabin with its crisp and melodious voice.
As Lian heard the song, he couldn't resist being captivated. He gradually relaxed his resistance, allowing the soothing effects of the Sing move to take over, slowly drifting into slumber.
Kalia felt relieved seeing Charmeleon asleep, and her appreciation for Mani grew stronger.
When Lian woke up, the discomfort had vanished. They were already ashore, indicating that Kalia had reached their destination, Fossil Island.
Upon purchasing the S.S. Ticket, they received a complimentary map of the island. It showed that most of Fossil Island consisted of sandy beaches and forests, with numerous Bug- and Poison-type Pokemon inhabiting the woods, while the sandy areas housed Rock-types, including Kabuto's habitat.
Fossil Island was one of the few places where Kabuto still thrived. This species has a long history, dating back to ancient times during the era of early Pokemon evolution.
Noticing Lian awake, Kalia asked, "Feeling better now, Charmeleon?"
Lian nodded, indicating he was back to normal. He preferred solid ground; traveling by boat was truly uncomfortable. Just thinking about having to take another boat trip back to Pearl City in a few days gave him a headache.
"Let's get going. First, we need to find a place to set up camp," Kalia said, relieved to see Charmeleon recovered. She turned to Mani, suggesting they secure a safe spot, pitch their tents, and then commence practical training exercises.
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