"I don't know what Charmander's stats are. System, open Charmander's panel for me."
Gary was quite interested in seeing Charmander's stats. After all, once Charmander evolves into Charizard, it becomes incredibly strong, rivaling even a Gyarados.
''Sprite:'' Charmander
''Classification:'' Lizard Pokémon
''Type:'' Fire
''Level:'' 2 [0/100]
''Next Stage:'' Charmeleon [Evolves at Level 16]
''HP:'' 290
''Attack:'' 60
''Special Attack:'' 85
''Special Defense:'' 55
''Defense:'' 55
''Speed:'' 95
''Ability:'' Blaze [When HP is low, the power of Fire-type moves increases]
''Move:'' Scratch
After reviewing Charmander's stats, Gary placed his hand on his chin and muttered, "Charmander's speed is really impressive. Even a Deino has a speed of only 115, but Charmander is just at level 2, and its speed is already 95. That's incredible."
"What are you mumbling about? Is the Caterpie taken care of? Can I come out now?" Mia asked, poking her head out from behind a tree, looking at Gary in confusion.
"Nothing important, but you really don't need to hide like that. The Caterpie is dealt with; come on out."
Mia's voice had interrupted Gary's thoughts. When he looked over at her, she was still hiding behind the tree, only her head peeking out. He couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"What are you talking about? Of course, I'm scared! Now that you've handled it, let's hurry up and go. If we run into another one, I don't think I can handle it," Mia said, finally stepping out from behind the tree. She urged Gary to move quickly, clearly worried about encountering another bug.
"Do you really have to be so scared? It's just a Caterpie. Are you afraid that Charmander can't handle it?" Gary asked, smiling bitterly at her fear.
"It's not about whether Charmander can beat it; it's that I really can't stand Caterpie. Even looking at them from a distance makes me uncomfortable," Mia said, shaking her head helplessly.
"You can't stay afraid forever. You need to deal with this fear. Caterpie are some of the most common Pokémon. If you don't confront this now, will you run away every time you see one in the future?" Gary didn't expect Mia to be so terrified of Caterpie, but he hoped she could overcome this fear. Otherwise, it would be a major obstacle on their journey.
"I want to get over it, but how can I? Even just looking at them from afar makes me feel uneasy, let alone getting close," Mia admitted. She understood Gary's point, but she couldn't think of a way to tackle her fear.
"I'll come up with a solution, but you have to work with me. Do you agree?" Gary asked after thinking for a moment.
"Okay, but don't go too far. If your solution is too extreme, I won't agree to it," Mia nodded in agreement but with some hesitation. She was willing to try, but only if Gary's method wasn't too outrageous.
"Don't worry, my plan will work."
Gary had already thought of a solution and was just waiting for Mia to agree.
"Huh? You've already thought of something?" Mia asked, surprised.
"Since I realized your problem, I've been thinking of a solution. After all, we'll be working together for a while. If I help you with this, it's like helping myself too, isn't it?" Gary said with a slight smile.
"Then tell me what the plan is."
Gary's confidence made Mia curious, so she asked him to explain.
"I can't tell you yet. The idea is to surprise you. If I tell you now, how can I surprise you? Don't you think that would ruin it?" Gary replied. His plan relied on catching Mia off guard, and if she knew everything in advance, it wouldn't have the same effect.
"Fine, if you don't want to tell me, then don't. But I want to see how you plan to surprise me," Mia said, feeling a bit annoyed.
"Just wait and see," Gary said, unfazed by her irritation. He was confident in his plan.
"Come on, tell me the method," Mia insisted, giving Gary a blank look.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you," Gary said, smiling helplessly. "The method is simple. I'll need you to cover your eyes, and then leave the rest to me. I promise that after this, you won't be afraid of Pokémon like Caterpie and Weedle anymore. How does that sound?"
"Is it really that simple?" Mia was skeptical.
"I know it sounds too simple, but if it works, does it really matter how simple it is?" Gary expected Mia to be doubtful. His method was straightforward, but as long as it was effective, that was all that mattered.
"Okay, let's do it your way," Mia agreed.
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