Walking along the sole road leading towards the nearest city which was the Cherrygrove City, Kota felt like someone was following him.
He looked around, then reached out for Charizard's pokeball on his waist belt. He couldn't find anyone, but his senses were sharp enough to tell that something was weird.
"Come out before I find you. And if I do, you will regret it!"
Shouted Kota. Other than the wind blowing, the leaves shaking, the forest was quiet.
'Was I wrong?'
Thought Kota. Sighing, he continued to walk on the road but with more alertness this time.
There were many wild pokemon in the forest who did have ill intent even so they normally wouldn't attack travelers on the road.
His figure slowly went further and further on the road. After a few more seconds, a blue colored pokemon walked out of the bushes.
"Cro~conaw."
It hurriedly walked on the path taken by Kota and followed behind him secretly.
Croconaw made sure that it didn't lose sight of Kota all the time. The reason it was following Kota was because of the incident yesterday.
The life and death situation made this little Croconaw realize how weak and stupid it was.
No, it was already aware of its weakness but never really got a chance to train or become stronger.
But after seeing how strong Kota's pokemon were, it thought that if it followed behind Kota, it might also get stronger.
So from yesterday, right after the incident, it had stalked him.
"Croconaw!"
Seeing that Kota was about to go slightly far from his range, Croconaw rushed his legs.
An hour later, it stopped behind a tree and watched Kota stand before a small lake.
It didn't notice any strange thing. Kota stood there for a few seconds before shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest.
It was then that Croconaw felt a shadow over itself. Looking back, it saw Suicune staring at it with a smile.
"Finally found you."
Kota walked over and leaned on the tree trunk. He looked down at Croconaw with puzzlement.
'Why is it after me? I don't remember but did I do something to it?'
He scanned this particular Croconaw and immediately knew which one it was.
"But why you? You're the weakest."
Muttered Kota in a low voice with some clear disappointment in his eyes.
"Croconaw."
It spoke. Kota wished he could learn the pokemon language but unfortunately, no one could. Unless of course they were special.
Then, a reasonable idea entered his brain. He crouched down and stared at Croconaw.
"Do you perhaps want to tag along?"
He asked with uncertainty. Croconaw's eyes shone in bright light as if it was waiting for this question to be asked.
"Cro~conaw!"
It shook its head profusely at Kota. The response it got was even quicker from him: "Denied."
"You are too damn weak. Sorry to say, you should just return to where you came from."
Replied Kota. He gestured to Suicune to follow while he stepped away from Croconaw.
Unexpectedly, he heard a loud cry from behind. Croconaw clenched its claws tightly and then called Kota.
"Croconaw! Cro~conaw!"
It said in its language. Kota raised his eyebrow in confusion. On the other hand, Suicune understood everything.
"Croconaw!"
Turning to face the tree near it, Croconaw opened its mouth and shot a very powerful jet of water, most likely Hydro Pump.
Boom!
Even Kota was surprised, the entire tree had slightly flown in the air from the shattered part of the trunk.
Such power was no less than that of Gyarados when he used little of his strength but still.
The fact that this tiny Croconaw could deliver such a strong water type move, caused interest to grow in Kota's heart.
Unfortunately the tree started falling down right at Croconaw, who's face paled in fear.
Woosh!
Suicune appeared before Croconaw and shot a beam of blue light, which when hit the broken tree, froze it completely.
At an angle of 45°, the tree trunks were connected only by thick clear ice.
"Croconaw!"
Saved by Suicune, it grabbed at his leg and thanked with all its heart. Still carrying the smile, Suicune shifted his eyes at Kota.
"Don't tell me you like him? Hm, it has strong water type moves but is physically weak as hell. Should I give it a chance?"
Pondered Kota. While thinking about his decision, he felt something grab his left leg. Looking down, Croconaw was the one, it looked up at him with teary eyes.
"This…"
At first he frowned, but after exhaling his breath. Kota decided to give Croconaw a spot in his team.
"Fine. But, you will be facing hell."
Said Kota seriously to Croconaw, the latter nodded its head and awaited the next moment.
Kota pulled out an empty pokeball and touched Croconaw with it, which then opened and sucked Croconaw in with a red light.
Tut Tut Tuh!
The pokeball made a soft sound, indicating the successful capturing of Croconaw.
"Well, a Feraligatr in the future doesn't look bad."
Muttered Kota as he once again returned to travel on the road towards his destination, Cherrygrove City.
* * *
Kota's Mension___
In the basement which now looked very different from how it was a few months ago due to the new devices, Birkang finished his work and leaned back on the chair.
"Ariya, can you connect yourself in it? Try."
"Yes, sir."
Responded Ariya. He obediently connected himself with the new machine on the long table before Birkang.
The machine on the table was actually a physical body for Ariya to reside in. A robot was what this medicine would be called but it was yet to function.
Blue lights lit from some parts of the robot body, then with dozens of numbers appearing on the monitor next to the table, the process of connecting was completed.
Then transferring of data progressed. The entire time Birkang just observed and waited patiently.
[Transfer Completed!]
[System Running… System Active!]
The two eyes, in the robot's face, glowed in blue light. Then with weird movements, the hands moved.
The robot, or Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) named Ariya, got up from the table and stood up on the floor.
"How is it?"
Asked Brikang. Ariya didn't respond immediately, instead he examined himself and turned to Birkang with a straight posture.
"It's wonderful, sir. I can feel myself. My hands, and legs. Thank you for this. I am forever grateful!"
Bowed Ariya. His body made a full right angle bend at Birkang. No matter what, He didn't forget the proper manners installed in him.
Birkang grinned widely, his wrinkled face didn't hide the proud feeling of achieving great success.
"I can use help. Ariya, there's clothes in that bag. You shall be the butler from now on."
He watched as Ariya nodded and started wearing the clothes he brought from the town.
Black trousers, a six-buttoned double-breasted tailcoat, and a gray vest. High heeled black shoes and a pair of white hand gloves.
All of them perfectly fit Ariya. Looking at him the only thing standing out the most was his robot face.
So, Birkang covered it up with a full black mask. Only two holes for eyes were cut out by him.
Now no one could make out who or what Ariya was from his appearance except for that he was like a servant.
"Now it's better. You can go and see the egg."
Said Birkang in a light tone waving his hand. He then headed up to get a shower and refresh himself from all the sweat.
"Yes, sir!"
Bowed Ariya like a professional butler. Next he stepped to the left and arrived for the green pokemon egg inside the glass cylinder filled with new green colored fluid.
This was the new energy fluid developed by Birkang a few days ago.
Ariya read all the new updates on the pokemon egg and estimated that it would hatch in a week's time.
This information, he quickly transmitted it to Kota who just reached Cherrygrove City and was on the way to book a room.
By the time Kota came, the time left for the hatching of the giant green pokemon egg was two days.
Many surprises welcomed Kota, the first one obviously being Ariya in the physical form.
He was informed beforehand but seeing for himself, he couldn't help but nod in approval.
The new look of the mension, with rich green trees and flowers and beautiful garden was stunning.
The new machines, devices and advanced gadgets brought him a sense of betterment.
Not just that, but Birkang also found a way to trace his old pokeballs that he lost in the storm.
Good news came one after another, but it did made Kota nervous because it could mean something bad was about to happen.