Check out my other books, Pokemon : Starting with an Overpowered Gameboy advance, Pokemon : A Different Ash, Pokemon : I am A Breeder/Champion
Join my Patreon for 60 more chapters and earlier updates of all of my works
patreon.com/Tempest_29
The sudden change stunned the Pokémon present. Ariados, who had given up hope and awaited its demise, showed a strange look in its eyes.
Looking at the figure approaching from a distance, Ariados and Spinarak initially displayed alert expressions. Spinarak crouched low, ready to attack at any moment.
Jack stopped when he approached Ariados. Although the two Ariados had essentially lost their ability to fight, basic caution was still necessary.
Psyduck also observed the three Pokémon warily, staying on guard in case they suddenly caused trouble.
Ignoring the two Pokémon nearby, Jack slowly approached the newly evolved Ariados, looking directly at it. He spoke sincerely: "Ariados, I want to invite you to be my partner, okay?"
Pokémon are creatures with a certain level of intelligence. While it wasn't impossible to capture Ariados directly with a Poké Ball since it was defenseless, Jack wanted Ariados to follow him willingly.
Ariados looked at the human in front of it. It knew this was a human. Having lived in the forest for a long time, Ariados had occasionally encountered humans, though not frequently.
Understanding the concept of a human Trainer, Ariados was slightly confused by Jack's invitation. Was this human really inviting it?
Though grateful for having its life saved, Ariados, accustomed to life in the wild, wasn't sure how to respond to this situation.
"A partner?" Ariados' eyes shifted slightly as it pondered the word. It used to have only another Spinarak as a partner, but now...
Ariados glanced from Jack to the nearby Spinarak.
Seeing Ariados' reaction, Jack, who had witnessed the events earlier, understood its hesitation but couldn't quite discern its thoughts. Choosing to stay patient, he ignored the two Pokémon in the distance and repeated his question to Ariados: "So, what's your answer, Ariados?"
Ariados and the other Spinarak grew uneasy as Jack extended his invitation. Spinarak felt the intense pressure of the Psyduck's presence, while Ariados, though not considering Psyduck especially strong, was too weak to resist. This left them both deeply unsettled.
Cautiously, Ariados called out to Spinarak twice. Spinarak seemed to understand.
Taking a careful glance at Jack and Psyduck—who appeared focused on Ariados—Spinarak sighed in relief. It began inching closer to the fallen Ariados.
Just as the two were near each other, Spinarak suddenly released a flurry of spider silk, binding them both. It quickly shot another strand at a distant tree and pulled hard, suspending their bodies in the air.
The pair had devised a plan to escape while Jack's attention was elsewhere.
Jack, engrossed in waiting for Ariados' reply, failed to notice the sneaky duo. However, Psyduck was not so easily fooled.
As Ariados and Spinarak moved through the air using the tree's assist, a precise jet of water sliced through the spider silk mid-flight with incredible speed.
The two Pokémon tumbled back to the ground, their escape thwarted. They landed hard, in an even worse state than before.
The injured Ariados let out a pained cry, looking even more miserable. Realizing escape was futile, Spinarak wasted no time launching an attack.
It spat out a thick Spider Web aimed at Jack and Psyduck. The web's large scale made it clear that the other Ariados was also within its range of attack.
Seeing Spinarak's actions, Ariados standing next to Jack seemed to darken in mood, yet it remained calm.
The oncoming Spider Web was obliterated by a single Water Gun. Jack didn't react much to Spinarak's attack, his focus still on Ariados, awaiting its answer.
From the start, Jack had assessed Spinarak's attributes and recognized it posed no real threat to Psyduck. As such, he paid it little attention.
Race: Spinarak
Type: Bug, Poison
Gender: Female
Level: 13
Potential: ★★
Held Item: None
Ability: Insomnia (Prevents sleep conditions)
Moves: [String Shot], [Poison Sting]
Egg Moves: None
A Spinarak with such low potential held no value in Jack's eyes.
While Jack remained indifferent, Psyduck grew visibly impatient with the persistent Spinarak. Raising both hands, Psyduck summoned a massive orb of water that hovered in the air. With a swift motion, it sent a Water Pulse hurtling directly at Spinarak.
Bang! The Water Pulse struck Spinarak squarely, the water sphere exploding on impact, drenching its target entirely.
Watching the scene unfold, Ariados beside Jack showed no reaction. It seemed Spinarak's repeated attacks had completely exhausted any lingering goodwill.
Ariados glanced at the trembling Spinarak, its gaze devoid of sympathy, before rolling its eyes and turning back to Jack.
From the time Jack had hidden at a distance, Ariados had been aware of him. It had lived in this forest for a long time, surrounded by its own intricate network of Spider Webs, some invisible to the naked eye.
When Jack brushed against one of these webs behind a large tree, Ariados had sensed him immediately. It knew Jack had chosen to approach after waiting for both it and Spinarak to exhaust themselves in battle. Yet, something about the sincerity in his eyes stirred an instinctive trust within Ariados.
Shaking its head slightly as if to clear its thoughts, Ariados quietly observed Jack and Psyduck as they stood waiting for its decision.
The forest was still, save for the ever-present rustling of the wind through the trees. As the breeze whispered through the clearing, time seemed to stretch—a moment, or an eternity.
Gradually, the confusion in Ariados' eyes gave way to resolve. With a loud, firm cry, it called out to Jack and slowly raised one of its forelegs.
Jack's face lit up with joy. Without hesitation, he retrieved a Poké Ball from his waist, approached Ariados, and extended it toward the Pokémon. "Please take care of me, Ariados."
Without the slightest pause, Ariados lifted its foreleg and tapped the Poké Ball. A flash of red light enveloped the Pokémon, and it disappeared into the device.
The Poké Ball wobbled a few times in Jack's hand before settling with a soft click. A wave of elation washed over him.
"I caught Ariados!"