In the afternoon, Naoki rode on Koraidon's back, venturing into the back mountains. Why Koraidon instead of Cyclizar? Well, when Naoki had mentioned his destination, Koraidon had enthusiastically volunteered to take him there.
Leaving Cyclizar behind to guard the ranch and protect the fish from potential thieves like Psyduck, Sneasel, or Zigzagoon, Naoki embarked on his journey with Koraidon.
Riding Koraidon was a unique experience. Cyclizar felt like a small electric scooter, but Koraidon was much larger, akin to a powerful motorcycle. However, if Naoki were to compare it to a motorcycle, the future version of Koraidon, Miraidon, would be a more fitting analogy.
Since this world was the one where Koraidon escaped from the Paldea crater, this must be Arven's world, Naoki mused. Which meant Professor Olim had likely perished...
His thoughts drifted as Koraidon swiftly carried him into the heart of the mountains. Their goal wasn't to forage for sellable goods this time but to find a Caterpie to test the effects of his cooking.
The afternoon sun filtered through the lush canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The calls of bird Pokémon echoed through the trees. Naoki patted Koraidon's shoulder, signaling it to slow down. He scanned the surroundings, searching for signs of Caterpie among the dense foliage and tall grass.
Caterpie were notoriously weak Pokémon. While Magikarp and Wimpod might be weaker, Caterpie weren't much stronger. Before evolving, their moveset was limited to Tackle, String Shot, and Bug Bite. Even after evolving into Metapod, they could only Harden, leaving them defenseless against attacks.
Only upon reaching their final form, Butterfree, did they truly undergo a metamorphosis, transforming from a vulnerable caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.
In the wild, these weak green caterpillars were often preyed upon by other Pokémon, Pidgeotto being one of their most common predators. To avoid detection, Caterpie usually hid in dense vegetation, relying on camouflage for survival.
A rustling sound emerged from the nearby grass. Naoki dismounted from Koraidon, approaching the sound with light footsteps. The Pokémon hiding in the underbrush froze, the rustling ceasing abruptly.
Naoki gently parted the leaves to reveal a green Caterpie, its body tense and trembling with fear.
Bingo!
Naoki's eyes lit up, but he quickly noticed that the Caterpie appeared injured. Upon closer inspection, he saw several claw marks on its body, likely inflicted by a bird Pokémon.
The Caterpie, realizing it had been discovered, stared at Naoki and Koraidon with wide, terrified eyes.
Naoki's heart went out to the injured creature. Luckily, he had two Oran Berries in his backpack that could restore its strength. He held them out towards the Caterpie, but the frightened Pokémon instinctively reacted by spitting a strand of white silk.
The silk wrapped around Naoki's hand, but its quality was so poor that it snapped with a gentle tug.
"So weak," Naoki muttered, shaking his head. He opened his hand, revealing the berries. "You can understand me, right?" he said in a soothing voice. "I don't want to hurt you. Eat these, and you'll feel better."
The Caterpie hesitated, its big black eyes studying Naoki's face.
"Here," Naoki placed the berries on the grass in front of the Caterpie.
This time, the Caterpie didn't attack. It lowered its head and began to nibble on the Oran Berries.
By the time it had finished both berries, the Caterpie's injuries had visibly healed.
Naoki, observing the scene, knelt beside the Caterpie and asked, "Do you want to become stronger?"
His tone was gentle yet laced with temptation.
The Caterpie looked up at him, confused.
"You're very weak right now," Naoki continued. "The silk you're so proud of is fragile against other Pokémon. You're often attacked, aren't you? Chased as prey?"
The Caterpie nodded slowly, its antennae drooping.
Naoki pressed on, "Are you content with this life? Everyone sees you as weak. But have you ever imagined fighting back against those who see you as food? Dominating the forest? Earning the respect of all Pokémon?"
Could that be possible? The Caterpie was stunned.
Did it want that?
Oh, how it did!
Everyone considered it the weakest Pokémon. Even a newborn Pidgey could easily make a meal of it. The Caterpie envisioned itself standing triumphant over a Pidgey, striking fear into the hearts of all bird Pokémon.
A newfound determination ignited within it.
Naoki's words had struck a chord. He reached into his bag and produced the prepared glutinous rice dumplings, placing them before the Caterpie. "Eat this," he said, "and you will become stronger."
The Caterpie looked at the white orbs, then without hesitation, began to devour them.
After finishing the dumplings, the Caterpie let out a satisfied burp. Outwardly, nothing seemed to have changed.
Naoki thought for a moment, then asked, "Can you try spinning silk again?"
The Caterpie nodded and opened its mouth, releasing a stream of white silk. This time, the amount was significantly greater than before. Even the Caterpie itself seemed surprised by the abundance of silk it had produced.
Naoki gathered the strands and wrapped them around his hands, pulling with all his might. The silk stretched taut, but unlike before, it didn't break.
"Indeed," Naoki mused, "the toughness and viscosity have increased significantly. The strength is on another level."
He turned to the Caterpie. "Congratulations," he said, "you've become stronger."
Having confirmed the dumplings' effectiveness, Naoki mounted Koraidon and prepared to leave.
The Caterpie, though elated by its newfound strength, was quickly filled with a renewed determination. This wasn't enough. It wanted to be even stronger, so strong that no one would ever underestimate it again.
And the human who had helped it achieve this...
As it watched the retreating figures of Naoki and Koraidon, a sense of longing welled up within the Caterpie. It wanted to follow them, to learn more about this human and his powerful Pokémon companion. It wanted to see where this newfound strength would lead it.