Angie picked up a plate, filled it generously with rice and dishes, and placed it in front of Pawmi.
"Here, eat up."
"Pawmi~!"
Pawmi cheered and immediately buried its face in the food, hugging the plate tightly.
Despite its small size, its appetite was anything but ordinary. Before long, the plate was completely empty, and the dishes were licked so clean they looked freshly washed.
"Pawmi~!"
More, please!
Pawmi held out the empty plate to Angie.
"All right, all right." Angie took the plate and filled it up again to the brim.
At that moment, Nacli hopped over. It still seemed displeased with Pawmi and glared at it with a hostile expression.
Angie picked up Nacli's plate, refilled it with food, and said, "Nacli, what Pawmi did earlier was wrong. On its behalf, I apologize to you. Can you forgive it?"
"Naku~ Naku~"
However, Nacli felt it wasn't right for Angie to apologize on Pawmi's behalf and firmly insisted that Pawmi should apologize itself.
Angie thought for a moment and agreed. Since he had captured Pawmi, it was his responsibility to instill the right values in it. He gently patted Pawmi's chubby belly.
"Pawmi, apologize to Nacli."
Pawmi, its mouth stuffed full, mumbled in confusion.
"Pawmi~?"
Why?
Angie put on a stern face and said, "When you do something wrong, you must apologize. Otherwise, I'll take your food away right now. How about that?"
Pawmi couldn't believe its ears. Alarmed, it immediately dropped to its knees, swallowed its mouthful in one gulp, and turned to Nacli.
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~!"
I'm so sorry!
Only then did Nacli feel satisfied, returning to its meal with a contented expression.
Angie patted Pawmi's head. "That's a good kid. Remember, from now on, you can't just steal or take others' things."
"Pawmi~"
Pawmi nodded its head as if it understood, then resumed devouring its plate of food.
After lunch, everyone sat together on the grass, chatting and relaxing. Around 1 p.m., the professor and the researchers returned to the lab to continue their work, and Diancie went along with them.
Angie and Arven tidied up the cookware and utensils, preparing to continue exploring Area Zero and capturing Pokémon.
Angie still had one task left: to capture either a Capsakid or a Scovillain.
Before setting out, Angie instructed Munchlax to take the two Dolliv, the Garganacl and the two Nacli back to the Nebel Plateau. It was time for them to get familiar with their new home and start bonding with their companions.
After sending off the Pokémon, Angie looked at the Pokémon distribution map in his hand, lost in thought.
Noticing Angie's furrowed brow, Arven asked, "Angie, what's wrong? What Pokémon are we going to capture this afternoon?"
Angie replied, "I want to capture a Capsakid or a Scovillain, but the map that the professor provided doesn't show their locations."
Since the system had assigned this task, there was no way Area Zero wouldn't have these Pokémon!
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~!"
At that moment, Pawmi hugged Angie's leg and began calling out repeatedly.
Angie looked down and asked, "What's wrong, Pawmi?"
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~!"
Pawmi called out while gesturing energetically.
Angie asked, "Do you know where Scovillain and Capsakid are?"
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~"
Pawmi nodded quickly.
"Then could you lead the way for me?" Angie asked.
Hearing this, Pawmi immediately nodded but then extended its hand.
"What are you doing?" Angie asked, puzzled.
Pawmi gestured persistently. Angie soon chuckled in disbelief and said, "Didn't you just finish lunch? And you ate so much. Now you want more?"
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~"
Pawmi shook its head firmly.
No food, no guiding.
"Fine, fine, here you go!" Angie pulled a cucumber from his backpack and handed it to Pawmi.
Pawmi happily took the cucumber, slung it over its shoulder, and started walking briskly ahead, occasionally turning back to wave at Angie, urging him to keep up.
"Let's go," Angie said to Arven.
The two of them climbed onto Espartha's back and followed Pawmi, with the two Oinkologne and Mabosstiff trailing close behind them.
Pawmi's little feet were surprisingly quick, and before long, they had left the upper level and entered the mid-level.
"Pawmi, aren't we there yet?" Angie called out.
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~"
Pawmi took a bite of its cucumber, shook its head while chewing, and pointed downward repeatedly.
"You mean it's further below, not in the mid-level?" Angie asked in surprise.
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~"
Pawmi nodded enthusiastically.
It had seen Scovillain and Capsakid in the lower level. Pawmi itself was originally from the lower level, having wandered up by chance.
"All right, let's keep looking," Angie said.
"Pawmi~"
Pawmi nodded and continued forward, still carrying its half-eaten cucumber, its chubby little body swaying as it moved.
The entrance from the mid-level to the lower level was still guarded by League personnel. After seeing the pass provided by the professor, the guards promptly let them through. However, as Angie stepped into the lower level, a guard reminded him.
"The Pokémon in the lower level are much stronger than those in the upper and mid-levels. Be careful! If you're in danger, you can call us for help anytime."
"Got it, thank you," Angie replied gratefully.
After saying goodbye to the guards, Angie entered the lower level of Area Zero.
No sooner had they stepped inside than a Pokémon blocked their path.
The Pokémon was entirely dark blue, its body resembling a blooming flower with petal-like appendages. Its golden eyes fixed a piercing stare on them.
It was a Glimmora!
Glimmora, the Ore Pokémon, a dual Rock/Poison type. While rare outside, they were abundant in Area Zero's lower level.
Seeing Glimmora glaring at them, Angie said to Arven and the Pokémon, "Let's not provoke it. Quietly walk away."
Pawmi nodded repeatedly. It was best not to mess with Glimmora; their influence in the lower level was far too great to risk offending them.
As Angie and his group began to detour, Glimmora suddenly unfurled its petals, unleashing a dazzling beam of light straight at them.
Angie was startled. What was this about? They hadn't even done anything!
"Espartha, dodge quickly!"
At Angie's command, Espartha leapt with its long legs, effortlessly carrying Angie and Arven out of the attack's path.
Pawmi had already ducked into the ground with Dig, while Oinkologne and Mabosstiff dashed away at full speed.
BOOM!
A loud explosion followed, leaving a large crater where Espartha had just been standing.
Espartha instinctively wanted to retaliate after being attacked unprovoked. But Angie quickly called out, "Espartha, let's go! Don't fight it."
Angie had noticed several Glimmora and Glimmet hiding near the rocks and crystals not far away. Fighting one might mean fighting them all—a situation best avoided.
Espartha hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose to obey Angie. Lowering its head, it grabbed Pawmi, who had popped out from the soil beneath it, and started running.
Oinkologne and Mabosstiff followed closely behind.
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~!"
Pawmi shrieked as it was jostled about, swinging left and right in Espartha's mouth. The remaining piece of its cucumber had long been flung away.
Once they were safely out of Glimmora's range, Espartha finally stopped. With a flick of its head, it tossed Pawmi onto the ground.
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~!"
Pawmi cried angrily.
You owe me a cucumber! Give me back my cucumber!
Pawmi quickly scrambled up from the ground, pointing at the Espartha with tears streaming down its face. It wailed loudly and then plopped back down, kicking its short legs in frustration.
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~"
My cucumber! My cucumber is gone!
Espartha: (_|||)
Angie hopped down from Espartha's back, sighing as he reached into his bag and pulled out another cucumber. He handed it to Pawmi. "Here, take it, okay?"
"Pawmi~"
The moment Pawmi hugged the fresh cucumber, its crying came to an abrupt halt. Tear-streaked face and snot bubble still intact, it beamed at Angie. With a quick swipe of its paw across its face and a shake of its stubby legs, Pawmi sprang to its feet. Hoisting the cucumber onto its shoulder, it strutted forward with a swagger only it could muster.
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~"
Hurry up! Keep up!
Halfway down the path, Pawmi turned to wave impatiently at Angie.
"This little guy…" Angie muttered with a wry smile.
Angie, Arven, and their Pokémon followed behind the spirited Pawmi.
After about twenty minutes of walking, they arrived at a sprawling grassland.
Even here in the lower levels, wild Pokémon thrived—species like Girafarig, Farigiraf, and Frosmoth mingled across the expanse. Angie even spotted several of Pawmi's kin.
The wild Pawmi had noticeably lower levels and timid natures. At the slightest noise, they scurried into burrows or hid in the tall grass. Observing their behavior, Angie chuckled. No wonder his Pawmi boasted about being undefeated among its kin—it was all relative!
Despite having decent individual values, Pawmi's low level and unevolved state kept its overall strength in check.
Yet, Angie couldn't ignore the stark contrast in Pokémon levels here compared to the upper and middle levels. The lower levels housed significantly stronger Pokémon, with many reaching above Level 50 and some even surpassing Level 60.
No wonder the gatekeeper had cautioned him. Pokémon at these levels would challenge most Trainers. Angie knew he'd be in over his head without the reliable Komala by his side.
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~"
Pawmi chattered animatedly with its wild counterparts. After a brief exchange, they pointed in a direction and scampered off together. Angie's Pawmi waved for the group to follow.
After another short trek, they finally spotted the targets of their search: Scovillain and Capsakid!
On the grass sat a relaxed family—a pair of Scovillain parents with three Capsakid offspring basking under the sun.
"Pawmi~ Pawmi~"
Pawmi proudly chattered with Angie, gesturing toward the Scovillain and Capsakid. Its message was clear: mission accomplished.
Angie crouched and patted Pawmi's head with a smile. "Thank you for your hard work."
"Pawmi~"
Pawmi beamed with satisfaction.
Angie stepped closer, positioning himself across from the Scovillain family. Five pairs of eyes turned toward him, their gazes sharp and wary.
Each Scovillain had two heads—one red and one green—emitting an aura of fierce energy.
"I'd like to capture you," Angie said plainly, "so please battle with me!"
As he spoke, Angie activated his Eye of Observation skill, revealing the details of the two Scovillain.
...
[ Scovillain ]
Type: Grass/Fire
Ability: Chlorophyll
Gender: Male
Level: 60
Moves: Spicy Extract, Flamethrower, Leer, Fire Fang, Razor Leaf, Bite, Growth, Leaf Blade, Sunny Day, Bullet Seed, Crunch, Zen Headbutt, Worry Seed, Seed Bomb, Overheat, Solar Beam.
...
[ Individual Values (IVs) ]
HP: 11
Attack: 15
Defense: 19
Special Attack: 16
Special Defense: 11
Speed: 23
...
Angie grinned. "This is going to be interesting."
...
[ Scovillain ]
Type: Grass/Fire
Ability: Insomnia
Gender: Female
Level: 54
Moves: Spicy Extract, Flamethrower, Leer, Fire Fang, Razor Leaf, Bite, Growth, Leaf Blade, Sunny Day, Bullet Seed, Crunch, Zen Headbutt, Worry Seed, Seed Bomb, Overheat, Solar Beam.
...
[ Individual Values (IVs) ]
HP: 19
Attack: 21
Defense: 10
Special Attack: 13
Special Defense: 6
Speed: 5
...
Although both Scovillain were high-level and knew numerous moves, their overall stats weren't particularly impressive. This battle shouldn't be too difficult.
"Capsakid~ Capsakid~"
"Capsakid~"
"Capsakid~"
The three Capsakid got visibly excited after hearing Angie's declaration. They chirped noisily and charged toward him, eager for a battle.
Seeing this, the Scovillain quickly bent down, grabbed their kids, and tossed them behind them. The parents then let out fierce roars.
"Scovillain! Scovillain!"
Get back! Behave yourselves!
The three Capsakid immediately shrank back, sitting obediently on the grass with their heads lowered.
Despite their slightly awkward appearance, the Capsakid's unique charm began to grow on Angie the more he looked at them.
After pacifying their kids, the Scovillain pair turned to face Angie, calling out to him in unison.
"Scovillain! Scovillain!"
"Scovillain! Scovillain!"
Angie tilted his head. "Are you saying I have to defeat both of you at the same time for your whole family to agree to come with me?"
The Scovillain parents nodded firmly in unison.
"Alright then!" Angie agreed.
No sooner had Angie finished speaking than Espartha leaped forward, landing right in front of the Scovillain pair.
Having missed its chance to fight the Garganacl last time, Espartha was clearly itching for action.
Angie had initially planned to let Komala handle the two Scovillain alone, but seeing Espartha's enthusiasm, he decided to let it have its way.
"Komala, I'll need your help too." Angie placed Komala gently on the ground.
Since this was a double battle, Angie figured sending out two Pokémon on his side should be fair.
Komala tumbled onto the battlefield, rolling up next to Espartha. Together, they stared down the Scovillain pair.
"Shall we begin?" Angie asked, looking at the Scovillain parents.
Both nodded.
Their heads, shaped like chili peppers—especially bell peppers—bobbed comically as they moved. Their thin necks made Angie worry their heads might fall off like overripe fruit.
"Alright then… let the battle begin!"
As soon as Angie gave the signal, Espartha sprang into action, firing its signature move, Lumina Crash, directly at the female Scovillain.
The female Scovillain refused to back down. Its red head opened wide, unleashing a torrent of flames that clashed with the radiant energy of Lumina Crash.
Though higher-leveled than Espartha, the female Scovillain's Flamethrower couldn't gain the upper hand. After a momentary stalemate, the Lumina Crash shattered through the fire attack.
Just as the colorful sphere was about to strike the female Scovillain, another Flamethrower burst forth, intercepting the Lumina Crash and neutralizing it.