---
"Starter Pokémon?" Professor Cerise chuckled, "That's an interesting term."
"It's just a nickname, Professor; don't take it too seriously." Kai asked again, "Do you know where any wild Starter Pokémon might be found around here?"
"As for the Starter Pokémon, Charmander can usually be found near volcanoes or in lava caves, while Squirtle can only be found along remote coasts and isolated islands."
"And as for Bulbasaur, you'll likely see them in dense forests," Ren seemed to think of something and asked, "Have you heard of the Mysterious Garden?"
"The Mysterious Garden?" Kai was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head.
Beside them, Professor Cerise explained, "Legend has it that the Mysterious Garden is a place where Bulbasaur gather to hold a festival celebrating their evolution, but since it has never been discovered, some people believe it only exists in myth."
Hearing this, Kai seemed to remember an episode about it.
He recalled that in the Hidden Village chapter, Ash once encountered the Mysterious Garden and found a group of Bulbasaur gathering there!
Curious, Kai asked, "But is it the season for them to hold their festival?"
"I'm not sure," Professor Cerise thought for a moment, then added, "But I do believe the Mysterious Garden is real. And even if it's not the festival season, I imagine quite a few Bulbasaur would still inhabit the area."
"I see." Kai frowned. "But I don't know its exact location. How can I find it?"
Professor Cerise activated his computer and pulled up a map of the area around Vermilion City on the large screen.
"While I don't know the exact location of the Mysterious Garden, we've noticed that in the forest north of Vermilion City, there are quite a few wild Bulbasaur. You could try your luck there."
"I see." Kai's eyes lit up, and he thanked him sincerely, "Thank you so much, Professor Cerise!"
---
Walking down the steps of the research lab with Chloe, Kai looked back and saw Professor Cerise's Yamper had followed them out, wagging its tail and trotting close beside Chloe.
Kai smiled and said, "Looks like it likes you."
"Really?" Chloe glanced down at Yamper, her tone neutral. "I don't feel much about it it often hangs around my parents at home. I think it treats everyone the same."
In their brief interaction, Kai realized Chloe wasn't the talkative type.
Though she was only ten, her calm and composed demeanour made her seem mature and well-behaved.
Kai knelt, gently scratching Yamper's forehead.
Yamper closed its eyes contentedly and stuck out its long tongue, enjoying the attention.
"No need to see me off any further. Chloe, I'm sure we'll meet again."
After waving goodbye to Chloe, Kai headed to an outdoor store in Vermilion City.
Where he bought a cap, sleeping bag, water bottle, binoculars, portable food, and some cooking supplies, packing them into a large backpack.
Since he was heading into the wild, he needed to be prepared.
If he missed a town by nightfall, he would rely on this equipment to camp out.
Leaving Vermilion City, Kai and Ralts walked northward until they reached a dense forest.
Entering the forest, his cell signal quickly disappeared, and his GPS stopped working.
Kai had to rely on his intuition as he navigated.
The forest was vast and dense. Initially, he found a few narrow trails, but as he ventured deeper, the paths faded, and Ralts had to use its psychic powers to move branches so they could continue.
The surroundings were silent.
There weren't any Caterpie, Weedle, Oddish, or Bellsprout Pokémon usually common in forests.
The more he noticed this, the more convinced Kai became that he had entered a special habitat.
In this sprawling forest, he walked and paused, and finally, at dusk, he heard cries of multiple Pokémon ahead.
He quietly pushed through the branches and found himself overlooking a basin in the thick forest.
In the centre of the basin was a giant dead tree, around which countless Bulbasaur were playing.
After a long journey, Kai had finally discovered the fabled Mysterious Garden!
Seeing this peaceful sanctuary, he refrained from entering to avoid disturbing the Bulbasaur.
Instead, he took out his binoculars and observed them as the sunset.
Bulbasaur was a four-legged Pokémon that resembled a small dinosaur with green, spotted skin, bright red eyes, and a large plant bulb on its back.
The Bulbasaur didn't seem to notice Kai's presence, but with so many around, it was hard to choose which one to approach.
After some observation, Kai fixed his gaze on a Bulbasaur that had just wandered away from the group.
This Bulbasaur looked relaxed, occasionally using its vines to pick fruit from trees and eat it. Slowly, it distanced itself from the others.
Seeing an opportunity, Kai moved silently, careful not to make a sound as he approached it.
Kai chose this Bulbasaur since he didn't want to venture too deep and cause panic among the others.
Once close enough, Kai made his move, stepping out quietly to block its retreat.
Hearing the noise, Bulbasaur turned and froze upon seeing Kai.
It lowered its stance, then raised two vine whips from the bulb on its back, waving them threateningly in the air.
Locking eyes, Kai raised his hand, and Ralts stepped forward to meet Bulbasaur's gaze.
Upon seeing Ralts, Bulbasaur seemed to understand something, letting out a soft cry of "Saur! Saur!" as it prepared for battle.
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Thank you for reading!