NOVEL NEXT Chapter 44: Bulbasaur
The forest near BridgeTown was eerily quiet, save for the faint rustling of leaves and the occasional chirp of distant Pokémon. Ethan strolled through the shaded paths, admiring the serene beauty around him. Sylveon walked by his side, its ribbon-like feelers swaying gracefully.
"This place is nice," Ethan said, stretching his arms. "It's good to take a break from the usual hustle."
Sylveon nodded, letting out a soft trill of agreement.
What Ethan didn't realize, however, was that the peace was merely the calm before the storm. Unbeknownst to him, the mischievous Bulbasaur that had been trailing him since the previous day was busy putting the finishing touches on a cleverly dug pit trap just a few meters ahead.
The crafty Pokémon grinned to itself as it covered the trap with carefully arranged leaves and twigs. Its plan was simple yet effective: trick Ethan into stepping into the pit and revel in its victory.
Satisfied with its work, Bulbasaur scurried off to a nearby bush to wait. Its eyes gleamed with anticipation, and its bulb quivered as it suppressed a giggle.
Ethan, oblivious to the impending disaster, continued his leisurely walk. "You know, Sylveon," he mused, "maybe we should start training here tomorrow. The terrain looks good, and it's pretty quiet."
Sylveon chirped in agreement, but its feelers twitched slightly, sensing something. It glanced around but couldn't pinpoint the source of its unease.
Then it happened.
Ethan took one step too many, and the ground beneath him gave way.
"Wha—?!" he exclaimed as he plummeted into the pit with a loud thud.
Sylveon, standing at the edge of the trap, peered down at its trainer, blinking in disbelief.
"Oh, come on!" Ethan groaned, dusting himself off as he sat at the bottom of the pit. "What is this? Who even digs pits like this anymore?"
As if on cue, a burst of laughter echoed from nearby. Ethan and Sylveon both turned their heads, only to see the mischievous Bulbasaur emerge from its hiding spot, laughing uncontrollably.
Bulbasaur's bulb shook as it rolled on the ground, tears of mirth streaming down its face.
Ethan's expression shifted from confusion to realization, then to sheer exasperation. A massive metaphorical question mark seemed to hover above his head before morphing into a storm cloud of fury.
"You've got to be kidding me," he muttered, climbing out of the pit with Sylveon's help.
Sylveon, now glaring at the Bulbasaur, shared its trainer's annoyance.
Ethan pointed an accusatory finger at the grinning Pokémon. "It's you! You're the same Bulbasaur from the forest! The one that tricked me before!"
Bulbasaur, still laughing, gave a cheeky smirk as if to say, Guilty as charged.
"You little...!" Ethan clenched his fists, his patience snapping. "Sylveon, get that troublemaker!"
Before Ethan could even finish his sentence, Sylveon was already in motion. Its ribbon-like feelers glowed faintly as it leapt into action with lightning speed.
Bulbasaur's laughter abruptly stopped as it realized the Fairy-type wasn't playing around.
Sylveon unleashed a Fairy Wind, sending a glittering gust toward the Bulbasaur, who barely managed to dodge.
Bulbasaur tried to counterattack by launching a Vine Whip, but Sylveon deftly avoided it, its movements fluid and precise.
Ethan smirked, arms crossed. "You thought you were clever, huh? Let's see how clever you are now!"
Bulbasaur, clearly outmatched, attempted to retreat, but Sylveon was relentless. Using its feelers, it swiftly ensnared the Grass-type, binding it tightly.
The crafty grin on Bulbasaur's face was replaced by sheer panic as it found itself immobilized. It wriggled and squirmed, but Sylveon's grip was unyielding.
Ethan walked up to the bound Pokémon, shaking his head. "Not so funny now, is it?"
Bulbasaur let out a nervous squeak, its eyes wide with terror.
Sylveon glared at the mischievous Pokémon, its expression practically saying, This is what you get for messing with us.
Ethan sighed, pulling out a Poké Ball. "I didn't want it to come to this, but you've left me no choice. If you're so determined to mess with me, then you can join my team. Let's see how you like being put to work."
With a flick of his wrist, Ethan tossed the Poké Ball. It struck the Bulbasaur, converting it into a beam of light before pulling it inside.
The ball wobbled once, twice, and then clicked shut.
Ethan picked up the Poké Ball, a victorious smirk on his face. "Gotcha, you little troublemaker."
Sylveon let out a triumphant chirp, clearly proud of its swift and decisive victory.
Ethan glanced at the ball in his hand. "You've got a lot of nerve, Bulbasaur. But maybe, just maybe, you'll turn out to be useful. We'll see."
He slipped the Poké Ball into his bag and dusted himself off once more. "Come on, Sylveon. Let's get out of here before this forest throws any more surprises our way."
As the two walked away, Ethan couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Despite the annoyance, he had to admit—this Bulbasaur had some serious spirit.
"Welcome to the team, you crafty little rascal," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.