บท 37: Chapter 37: Heading to Falcon City
The next morning arrived.
Lian opened his eyes and realized he was no longer inside the tent. He spotted Kalia nearby, busily packing up as they were preparing to head towards Falcon City today.
He stood up, stretching lazily, and assessed his body, noticing significant changes - he felt stronger and more robust, with considerably increased strength.
These improvements were clearly the result of upgrading his three ability values. The transformation was substantial, making it unlikely that he could hide it any longer.
Soon, Kalia folded the tent neatly and placed it into her backpack. Noticing Charmander had woken up, she approached him.
"Hmm?" Kalia let out a surprised sound upon seeing Lian. Her keen Trainer instincts detected a change in Charmander; it seemed...he had gained weight?
Upon closer inspection, Kalia confirmed that Charmander indeed appeared bulkier, with thicker arms and legs.
She attributed this to Charmander frequently slacking off and sleeping lately. With daily eating and minimal exercise, it was inevitable for him to gain weight.
"Charmander, look at you, getting so chubby! Your legs have thickened quite a bit. Once we reach Falcon City, you're definitely joining me in training sessions. Otherwise, you'll turn into a little fat dragon," Kalia said firmly while gently pinching Lian's pudgy legs.
Lian swiftly wriggled free from Kalia's grip and jumped aside. Fortunately, she didn't suspect anything; she merely thought he had gained weight, which was fine for now.
Let him be chubby as long as his face stays slim - after all, he remains just as handsome.
After packing up their belongings, Kalia prepared to head towards Falcon City. Although living outdoors these past few days had its merits, it wasn't entirely comfortable.
"Kalia." Aaron, having finished packing with his large backpack, approached them. They had agreed yesterday to depart for Falcon City today.
With everything ready, the duo set off together towards Falcon City. By crossing the Kana Mountains directly from this point, they would arrive quickly.
During their journey, Treecko also noticed Lian's increased weight but, as a keen Pokemon, sensed that Lian had actually grown stronger. This puzzled Treecko greatly. Previously, it attributed its defeat solely to type disadvantage, believing that with diligent growth, it could eventually surpass Lian one day.
However, now it felt less confident.
"Let's have another battle," Treecko earnestly challenged Lian. As a creature fond of combat, it wanted to ascertain if Lian truly became stronger.
Taken aback, Lian hadn't expected such a swift challenge from Treecko; he initially anticipated waiting until after its evolution.
Now, Lian's speed was comparable to Treecko's, and with his level reaching 12, both his defensive stats had significantly increased. Even if he stood still, Treecko wouldn't be able to defeat him.
"Sure," Lian eagerly agreed. How could he pass up a guaranteed victory? With travel plans for the day, they likely wouldn't have another chance to battle, so it was essential not to waste any combat ratings. Free Combat Points were always welcome.
After walking for some time, Kalia decided to take a break and eat something to replenish their energy.
Lian and Treecko initially planned to use this opportunity for a quick nearby battle, but unfortunately, Kalia kept watchful eyes on them. Treecko clearly understood that with Kalia present, she would undoubtedly prevent their fight.
Thus, they reluctantly abandoned the idea. After eating, they continued their journey, crossing numerous peaks and valleys. Finally, in the afternoon, they emerged from the Kana Mountains, arriving at the outskirts of Falcon City.
Although the Kana Mountains also housed several flying-type Pokémon, it couldn't compare to Falcon City's abundance.
Falcon City is known as the haven for flying-type Pokémon, boasting the second-largest grassland in the Sebas region—the Blue Grasslands. This area is home to a vast number of flying-type Pokémon, with an incredible variety of species.
Although not yet at the Sapphire Blue Grasslands, Kalia could still spot numerous flying-type Pokémon soaring overhead, predominantly from various avian species.
"So many flying-type Pokémon!" Kalia gazed up at the sky. Falcon City had the highest concentration of flying-type Pokémon, including some exceptionally rare ones.
However, Kalia currently did not have the habit of capturing large numbers of Pokémon. The standard battle format for red-star gyms is 2v2, with only silver-star gyms featuring 3v3 matches. Therefore, she decided against acquiring additional Pokémon for now.
"Yes, it's too bad I already have my Pidgey," Aaron remarked. Unlike Kalia, he found joy in capturing Pokémon. Yet, influenced by her approach, he no longer indiscriminately caught them but focused on training his Electrike and Pidgey instead.
"Your Pidgey must be close to evolving soon. Has it learned Whirlwind yet?" Kalia glanced at Pidgey, curious to know.
"It has indeed," Aaron nodded.
"That means evolution isn't far off." Kalia commented, then turned her attention to her Charmander and Treecko. Due to having obtained them recently, both Pokémon were still some time away from their evolutionary stages.
However, both Treecko and Charmander displayed exceptional talent, learning moves ahead of schedule, making them quite formidable.
"I've heard that Falcon City has instruments to assess potential abilities; it would be interesting to test Treecko and Charmander's potentials," Kalia murmured to herself.
Falcon City, due to its proximity to the Sapphire Grasslands, is considered relatively developed. Although not comparable to major cities, it does have a Pokémon research institute, which typically houses equipment for assessing Pokémon potential.
After leaving the Kana Mountains, more people started appearing around them. The mountains weren't entirely safe, with several areas harboring dangerous Pokémon.
Apart from Trainers, ordinary individuals risked attacks from less friendly Pokémon.
In the vicinity, some people were playing with their Pokémon, while buildings became more frequent in the distance, indicating the approach to Falcon City.
Falcon City is significantly larger than Kana City, boasting superior infrastructure across various aspects such as streets, facilities, and entertainment venues.
Upon entering Falcon City, Kalia's first priority was finding accommodation before considering other matters.
After bidding farewell to Kalia, Aaron followed the map's directions towards the Falcon City Gym.
Lian observed the streets and buildings of Falcon City, feeling quite impressed. The roads were clean and well-maintained, with the architectural style exuding a comfortable ambiance. His only curiosity now was about the local cuisine.
"What's going on over there?" Lian took a few steps and noticed a crowd gathering nearby, seemingly drawn by some lively event. Intrigued, he approached to investigate.
"Charmander, don't wander off," Kalia promptly warned. In the city, unlike the wilderness, Pokemon that stray from their Trainers may not return voluntarily. There's a high chance, around seventy to eighty percent, of never finding them again if they get lost here.
This is because cities are densely populated, and some individuals specialize in trafficking Pokemon, often targeting lone creatures. It's no joke.
Kalia quickly recalled Treecko into its Poké Ball and rushed after Charmander, also noticing the gathered crowd ahead.
"What's happening with these people?" Kalia wondered aloud. She glanced at a banner nearby, which read 'Falcon City's 12th Annual Extreme Speed Conference,' hinting at some sort of competition.
"Extreme Speed Conference?" Kalia pulled out her phone to search for information, as it sounded familiar.
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