"Minccino?"
Minccino hesitantly pointed at itself, wondering if it could really eat.
Felix nodded encouragingly.
"This is for you. Go ahead and eat."
"Minccino!"
Minccino was very happy and let down all its guard. It picked up the pancake with its left hand and the bread with its right, starting to devour them.
After finishing, it looked at Felix with shining eyes, almost melting Felix's heart.
He wondered how such a small body could continue to hold more food. But under Minccino's eager gaze, he gave it two more pancakes, two more pieces of bread, and a glass of milk.
"Hic!"
The small body had great energy, and after eating all the food, Minccino let out a satisfied burp.
Felix gently approached it.
"Minccino, I can see you have been living a rough life in the wild, probably not wanting to continue like this. How about coming with me?"
"Minccino?"
Minccino tilted its head, looking at the human in front of it. Although this human had given it delicious food and it had a good impression of him, agreeing just like that felt a bit too easy.
After thinking for a while, Minccino showed a serious expression.
"Minccino!"
"Do you mean to have a battle? As long as I don't lose, you will come with me, even if it's a draw."
Felix could see its hesitation, wanting to follow him but also feeling a bit reluctant.
Since that's the case, there was nothing more to say. Let's settle this with a battle.
In a quiet forest, with sunlight filtering through the treetops, an intense Pokémon battle was about to begin.
Growlithe and Minccino, two unique Pokémon, were about to have an exciting duel.
Growlithe, the warrior covered in flames, had a determined and fighting spirit in its eyes. Its fur swayed in the breeze, like an unextinguishable flame.
Minccino, on the other hand, appeared small and exquisite. Its body was like a round foam ball, agile and quick.
The battle began.
Growlithe launched the first attack, opening its mouth wide to spray a hot Ember. The Ember streaked across the sky like a meteor, heading straight for Minccino.
Minccino dodged nimbly and counterattacked with a Pound, charging at Growlithe. Growlithe was a bit dazed by the hit but didn't back down. It quickly adjusted its stance and launched another Ember attack.
This time, Minccino didn't dodge but chose to face it head-on. It charged with all its might at Growlithe, but Growlithe dodged skillfully.
Taking advantage, Growlithe used a Bite. Its sharp teeth left deep marks on Minccino.
Minccino was knocked back but didn't give up. It charged at Growlithe again, attempting to knock it down with a Pound. However, Growlithe didn't give it a chance. It launched another Ember attack, even fiercer this time.
Minccino was hit by the Ember, its body scorched. Struggling to stand, it could no longer fight.
The battle ended with Growlithe's victory.
"Woof!"
Growlithe walked to Felix, panting with pride.
Felix smiled and patted Growlithe's head.
"Well done. Tonight, you'll get an extra chicken leg."
"Woof woof woof."
Growlithe was even more excited, its tail wagging so fast it almost created an afterimage.
"Alright, now let's heal Minccino."
He walked over to Minccino and applied a healing potion all over its body.
When he felt it was enough, he threw a Poké Ball. Minccino, drawn in by the Poké Ball, entered it, signifying a new member in Felix's team.
A new day arrived. Felix got up from bed and found Growlithe staring intently at a spot on the bed. Looking over, he saw Minccino comfortably hugging his arm, occasionally letting out a contented sound.
This scene sparked a bit of jealousy in Growlithe.
Seeing this, Felix quickly reassured it.
"Growlithe, don't worry. You are my first Pokémon, and you will always be my favorite. Minccino won't take your place."
"Woof?"
Growlithe seemed doubtful.
"Really."
Felix's face was full of sincerity.
Growlithe was instantly appeased, its head nudging into Felix's hand, completely content.
Managing the relationship between Pokémon is crucial for a cohesive team. Fortunately, Felix knew how to handle it. Although similar issues might arise in the future, he was confident in his ability to resolve them properly.
After breakfast, Felix addressed his Pokémon.
"Everyone, our next task is to plant Berry trees. Let's work hard!"
"Woof woof woof."
"Woof woof woof." (×6)
"Minccino."
With the enthusiastic responses from the Pokémon, the Berry tree planting began as scheduled.
The Berries from Berry trees are beneficial for both humans and Pokémon, with various effects, making them valuable.
Consuming Berries over a long period can even accelerate Pokémon training.
With so many benefits, Felix naturally wouldn't miss the chance to plant Berry trees on his ranch.
Once mature, the Berries would ensure a bountiful harvest, excellent for both consumption and sale.
The Berries are larger and more nutritious than regular fruits, commanding higher prices.
Regular fruits might sell for a few to a dozen Pokémon Dollars per pound, but Berries could fetch at least a hundred Pokémon Dollars per pound, making it a lucrative venture.
"Let's go, Poochyena. We're heading up the mountain."
With his words, the Poochyena wagged their tails and followed Felix. Minccino and Growlithe also joined, though they weren't the main labor force. The six Poochyena were, given Felix's preference for high-potential Pokémon.
The group arrived at the mountainside. Felix took out the prepared seeds, distributing them to the six Poochyena.
They worked in coordination: one digging, another planting, and yet another covering the seeds with soil.
Even though they weren't Ground-type Pokémon, they worked efficiently.
"Minccino."
Minccino watched the Poochyena working and wanted to try.
"Alright, give it a try."
Felix handed it a small shovel and patted its head encouragingly.
Growlithe, seeing this, appeared anxious.
Felix smiled. Were they competing for attention?
"Alright, you too."
Although Felix didn't plan for these two to work, he couldn't stop them when they insisted.
With Minccino and Growlithe joining, the planting pace quickened, and by noon, they had planted 50 seeds.
"Clang!"
The shovel struck a rock, and Minccino looked helplessly at Felix.
He noticed the issue: a Sandshrew was disrupting Minccino's digging.
The Sandshrew looked at Minccino provocatively.
Minccino, annoyed by the troublemaker, glared back.
Felix didn't intervene or let Minccino act further. He simply observed the Sandshrew.
Pokémon: Sandshrew
Type: Ground
Potential: Gym
Ability: Sand Veil
Strength: Beginner (67.5%)
A smile formed on Felix's lips. He felt lucky.