Claire pressed the button on the Pokeball after a moment. A flash of red light appeared briefly in front of her before the Abra materialized once more in the grass. The little yellow creature settled beside her almost immediately, folding its legs beneath its body in the same cross-legged posture they had first seen earlier, while its eyes closed slowly as if nothing unusual had happened at all.
Professor Oak pinched his chin as he observed, then he spoke up. "That level of calmness usually indicates strong compatibility. I guess congratulations are in order."
"Thank you, Professor." Claire answered calmly. But for someone who knew her, it was easy to tell that she was happy through her tone, which was quite different from usual.
As she said that, her hand was lowering toward the Pokemon. However, she stopped before touching it. Even though the Abra didn't move away, one of its ear twitched briefly before the small psychic Pokemon settled again, apparently satisfied with the presence beside it.
Throughout the conversation, Ludwig's eyes were on the Abra. Aside from its small size and its bright colour, its personality was anything but that. Just looking at how it closed its eyes while in the middle of a few humans spoke volumes about how calm and composed it was.
The Pokedex had mentioned that Abra could sense threats long before they became visible, yet this one had walked toward Claire instead of teleporting away from her. Attraction could explain part of it, but attraction meant several things in this context. Instinct, curiosity… and intelligence.
Ludwig could not remember any particular trainer who used Abra or its evolution line from what he knew before, so there was little he could compare it to. Still, he had seen enough battles to understand the potential. If the small psychic Pokemon in front of him eventually evolved into Alakazam, and if Claire's strategic way of thinking remained the same, the combination would become extremely troublesome for anyone standing on the opposite side of a fight.
His thoughts were interrupted by Rimuru clearing his throat loudly behind them.
"Wait."
The word came with enough power that both Claire and Oak turned their heads toward him. Rimuru was standing with his arms folded while looking between the Abra sitting beside Claire and the Pokeball still resting in her hand.
Then he pointed a finger toward himself.
"I'm the only one who hasn't chosen a Pokemon, huh?"
Claire blinked once before answering in the same calm tone as before. "Correct."
Rimuru stared at her for a second.
"You don't have to sound so satisfied about it."
"I am not satisfied." Claire replied. "I am simply stating a fact."
Ludwig chuckled.
"You noticed a bit late."
Rimuru shifted his gaze toward him. "You're not helping either."
He sighed before reaching into his pocket and pulling the Pokedex out again. The device lit up the moment he activated it, and the list of entries appeared on the screen once more.
"Well, give me a minute." He muttered while starting to scroll. "It's not like I can just grab the first thing I see, right?"
"Technically, you could." Ludwig answered with an amused tone. "Though, I know you will not go with that route."
"Ughh." Rimuru made a noise, but he still didn't raise his head and just kept scrolling through the entry.
"Pidgeotto…" Rimuru murmured. He stared at the picture for a moment before shaking his head. "Too serious."
His thumb flicked the screen again.
"Growlithe." Another pause. "Too hyperactive. I already have Ranga filling that role."
Another scroll and Poliwhirl appeared next.
Rimuru squinted slightly at the image. "…Why does that one look like it's judging me?"
"That is simply how it looks." Oak replied patiently.
"Still judging."
He kept scrolling while muttering occasional comments under his breath, none of which sounded particularly enthusiastic. Ludwig leaned against a nearby rock while watching him go through the entries. The process continued for another few minutes before Rimuru's movement finally slowed.
Contrary to his expectation, Rimuru didn't say anything when his thumb stopped moving completely. He just looked at an entry Ludwig couldn't see in great focus. Then he finally muttered something. "This dragon looked cool."
Ludwig's ears perked up at the mention of a dragon. A dragon-type Pokemon native to Johto-Kanto. There's only one species that checked those boxes.
"Oh, you want a Dratini?" Professor Oak chimed. His curiosity was on full display. "Excellent choice."
Judging from how Looker also nodded his head, it seemed like he also approved the choice.
Well, it's not hard to see the reason why. Dragon-type was strong. That was an absolute truth. Just look at Lance and his dragon. Moreover, knowing Rimuru, it seemed like he made the choice partially because of a particular dragon inside him, while also because it's simply cool.
Now he's curious. Just what kind of synergy would happen if he really got a Dratini in his team?
"Is it an easy Pokemon to obtain?"
The question sounded casual, but the way he kept his eyes on the Pokedex screen made it obvious that he already expected a certain kind of answer. Ludwig noticed it immediately and could not stop the small smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. Rimuru had already decided. The only thing left was pretending he had not.
Professor Oak answered without much delay. "Dratini are not commonly encountered in the wild. In Kanto, the most reliable place to find them would be the Safari Zone near Fuchsia City. Even there, sightings are considered rare."
Rimuru finally lifted his head from the screen. "Safari Zone…"
Ludwig hummed inside his mind. Yeah, that place. Back when he played the game, that's one place he rarely went to. Though, he didn't remember why now.
"Yes." Oak continued. "It is a protected area designed to preserve natural habitats for many Pokemon species. Trainers are allowed to enter and attempt to catch Pokemon, though the rules inside the zone differ from normal battles."
"That sounds suspicious already." Rimuru muttered.
Ludwig chuckled quietly while pushing himself away from the rock he had been leaning against. "You are the one who asked for a dragon."
"I just asked if it was easy." Rimuru corrected.
"And the answer is no." Claire replied.
Rimuru stared at the two of them for a moment before sighing. The act of pretending did not last much longer after that. "…Fine. The dragon."
Professor Oak nodded once in approval. "A Dratini would suit you well."
"Well then." Ludwig said while glancing briefly at the sky above them. The sun had not climbed very high yet, which meant they still had plenty of time before night arrived. "Since the Pokemon of my choice could only be captured during the night, there is no reason to wait. Show me the way, Professor."
Professor Oak gave a small nod at Ludwig's words before turning his attention toward the path they had used to reach the field earlier. "Fuchsia City lies to the south of here. The last town before the sea. But the Safari Zone should be located before the city if we depart from here."
"Understood." Ludwig nodded and let his mana envelop the people around him. Thankfully, Claire quickly recalled Abra back to the Poke Ball. A wise choice.
However…
"…Wait." Rimuru still tried to protest.
Of course, as a friend, Ludwig pretend to not heard it.
The air around them distorted before Rimuru could add another comment. A sea of purple stretched before Ludwig. Then, the sight around him started to move like a fast-forwarded video. When he saw what Oak had described earlier, he left the void behind and returned to reality.
When the world stabilized, the environment around them had changed completely.
Rimuru bent forward almost immediately, one hand pressing against his stomach while the other rested on his knee.
"I really hate that."
Claire steadied herself beside him, though the reaction looked milder than before. She exhaled slowly before straightening again.
Professor Oak remained silent for a few seconds while he adjusted his glasses once more. "Remarkable. Though the sensation remains… quite unpleasant."
Looker had already stepped aside toward a nearby tree, one hand resting against the trunk while he waited for his balance to return.
Ludwig, meanwhile, took a moment to observe their surroundings.
The landscape was noticeably different from the open grasslands near Cerulean. The air carried a faint scent of salt from the distant sea, and the ground beneath their feet had been flattened into a maintained path instead of the uneven soil they had been walking on earlier. A wooden fence stretched along both sides of the road, separating the public area from the dense vegetation beyond it.
Not far ahead stood a large wooden gate.
A sign hung above the entrance, weathered but clearly maintained.
Safari Zone — Fuchsia City
At that moment, Looker had finally stepped away from the tree he had been using for balance. His composure had mostly returned, though he still took a slightly slower breath before speaking. "The entrance seems to be staffed."
Ludwig followed his gaze.
A small reception building stood beside the gate, its windows open to the outside. A uniformed attendant sat behind the counter while another staff member moved through the doorway carrying a stack of supplies. Several posted signs were attached to the fence nearby, each explaining the rules visitors were expected to follow inside the reserve.
As they walked closer to the entrance, Rimuru approached one of the signs attached to the boards.
"No battling?" He asked.
Oak nodded. "That is correct. The Safari Zone operates differently from normal trainer encounters."
Another sign caught Rimuru's attention.
"Limited number of Pokeballs."
"That is also correct."
Rimuru turned back toward the professor with narrowed eyes. "So we walk into a giant Pokemon reserve… with limited balls… and we're not allowed to fight them?"
"In simplified terms, yes."
"…This place is ridiculous."
Ludwig chuckled quietly. If he's acting, then he deserved to win an Oscar through that alone.
Despite Rimuru's complaints, the concept made sense once he considered the environment around them. The Safari Zone was not meant to be a battlefield. It was designed to preserve the natural behavior of the Pokémon living inside it while still allowing trainers a chance to interact with them.
Which meant patience mattered far more than strength.
His gaze drifted past the gate again.
Inside the sanctuary, he could see the terrain spreading outward in several directions. A large wetland area stretched toward the west, while deeper sections of forest occupied the northern side. Narrow paths and wooden walkways connected each region of the reserve, guiding visitors through the different habitats.
If Oak's explanation earlier was accurate, Dratini would most likely appear somewhere near the water.
Ludwig shifted his attention back toward the others.
"Well then…" He said while gesturing lightly toward the entrance. "Shall we?"
Rimuru sighed but still stepped forward.
"Fine. Let's go get my dragon."
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