Chapter 110: The Spoiled Princess Skitty
Dinnertime.
Granny Sola insisted that Officer Jenny, who had just gotten off work, stay for dinner, which resulted in Will, who had just been taunting her, getting a scolding.
At the dinner table, Will was held firmly on Jenny's lap, not daring to move, obediently waiting to be fed.
"Open wide~"
Jenny seemed to be completely immersed in the act of feeding a baby, having forgotten to eat her own food. She held a biscuit-like treat in one hand and pinched Will's tail with the other.
"...Ah-nom~"
By now, Will could roughly guess the meaning behind some of Officer Jenny's actions. For example, pinching his tail was a signal for him to get the hint and open his mouth on his own, without waiting for her to force it.
Crunch. Crunch.
He chewed on the biscuit. It was crisp and fragrant, seemingly made from some kind of plant. The taste was quite good, but it was a bit hard on his jaw, not as soft as the macarons. It was probably because he was still in his infant stage and his bite force wasn't strong enough, so eating this kind of hard food was a bit difficult.
"Treecko."
Will pointed a finger at a small bowl of milk on the table.
"Thirsty?" Jenny asked, picking up the bowl.
But Will didn't want to drink it. Instead, he took a biscuit from her hand, dipped it in the milk to soften it, and then ate it. This time, the moist biscuit broke apart the moment it was in his mouth, releasing a milky fragrance. Not only was the flavor unique, but more importantly, it saved him a lot of effort.
"You're a clever one, aren't you," Jenny said with a smile, tapping his head with her finger. It was only then that she noticed her own plate was untouched. She placed Will on the table and began to eat.
Hmm, she's not too bad, just spoiled with a bit of a princess complex, Will thought, his eating speed incredibly fast. He was popping biscuits into his mouth one after another, and the milk in his small bowl was rapidly being absorbed.
His attention was focused on the Skitty nearby. Unlike him, who was being force-fed, the Skitty was actively demanding to be fed. The cat just sat on the table, mouth open, and waited. If Sola was too slow, the Skitty would show its displeasure by smacking the table with its large tail.
Will would occasionally glance at Officer Jenny to see her reaction. There was none. From this, he concluded that this behavior was a common sight in her eyes. It was obvious. This Skitty had been pampered since birth and had developed a serious case of "princess syndrome."
However, it hadn't done anything else wrong. And its princess syndrome only acted up around Sola. In front of others, it was as timid as a mouse. In other words, it was a classic case of being a tyrant at home and a coward outside.
For a creature like this, just a beating might not be enough. She had to be made to deeply understand that her current happy life did not come easily. But Will couldn't think of a plan right away. And even if he could, he might not be able to execute it in his current infant body. He would have to wait until he was out of this stage.
Will swallowed his last biscuit, then looked at the Skitty, who was still waiting with an air of entitlement for Sola to feed it. His eyes darted back and forth, his tail tilted involuntarily, and an evil smile spread across his face.
He then got up and walked over to the Skitty's plate. He picked up a biscuit, dipped it in the milk, and tossed it into his own mouth.
"Meow-meow!"
The Skitty was instantly flustered. It jumped up and ran in front of Will, questioning him loudly.
"You snooze, you lose. You eat too slow, so it gets snatched by others," Will said. He picked up another biscuit, dipped it in her milk right in front of her, and then tossed it into his mouth. He was already starting to feel full.
"Meow..."
In the end, the Skitty didn't dare to fight this fierce-looking "little brother." It could only lower its head to its own plate and start eating quickly. Sola was now saved the trouble of having to constantly feed it. Because she had been so focused on taking care of the Skitty, she hadn't even had a chance to eat her own dinner yet.
"Treecko."
Will walked over to Sola, pointed at her plate, and gestured for her to eat.
Sola blinked, then smiled. She first reached out and stroked Will's head before finally starting her meal.
"Meow," the Skitty, seeing this, pursed its lips and turned its head, pretending not to care.
Officer Jenny, who had been watching from the side, had a strange look in her eyes. She had originally thought Will was going to bully the Skitty. But now it seemed he just wanted to give Sola a chance to eat. She hadn't expected this little Treecko to be so smart and considerate. It seemed what Granny Sola had said about him was true.
Thinking this over, she decided it was a good thing for the Treecko to stay here and help Sola cure the Skitty's attitude. She completely abandoned the idea of taking him back to the station.
After dinner, Jenny left with her Growlithe. A few other people came to the daycare to pick up their boarded Pokémon. By the time Sola was free, the Skitty was already tugging at her, wanting to go to the backyard to play ball.
How could Will stand for this? The old woman had been running around all day looking for you. When she got back, she had to cook for you, feed you, and take care of the other Pokémon. Now that it was finally evening, she had to go out into the dark, hold her aching back, and throw a ball for you?
Will followed them to the backyard. He immediately brought over a chair and had Sola sit down and watch, while he picked up the ball himself.
"I'll play with you!"
"Meow..."
The Skitty, seeing Will holding the ball, couldn't help but shrink back and take a few steps away. Although Will wasn't much taller than the ball, the Skitty felt his gaze was very fierce, a look it had never seen before.
"Catch," Will grinned.
He tossed the ball into the air, then used his tail for a "heavy" slap.
Tap.
A gentle sound was heard, and the ball flew out slowly.
"Meow~"
Seeing that Will wasn't looking for trouble, the Skitty immediately relaxed and happily chased after the ball. A Skitty is just that kind of Pokémon; it has a habit of chasing after anything that moves.
Will, on the other hand, stood panting. He had clearly used all his strength, intending to teach the arrogant little cat a lesson. But it turned out that his "full strength" was only barely enough to bat the ball away. He hadn't realized he was so weak.
When Ash's newly-hatched Scraggy used a 120% power Headbutt on Pikachu, Pikachu only felt a little tickle.
"Hehehe..."
Sola, watching from the side, saw Will's expression and couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle. Her movements were gentle and graceful, perfectly in line with the etiquette of an old-world lady.
Liz will probably be this elegant when she's an old woman, Will thought, momentarily stunned by the sight.
He rested for a moment, then stood up straight, having lost the desire to teach the Skitty a lesson. Since Sola enjoyed watching the two "children" play together, he might as well play with the Skitty for a while.
And then, the courtyard unexpectedly became lively. The other Pokémon, who had been resting, saw how much fun Will and the Skitty were having and ran over to join in. Sometimes they would even get into a playful tussle over the ball.
Sola rested her chin on her hand, quietly watching them play, occasionally clapping to cheer on a Pokémon that was getting discouraged. She wished this moment could last a little longer.
The sky grew darker, and the spring night wind was still not warm.
"Ahem..." Sola tightened her clothes and coughed twice.
Will, who hadn't really wanted to play in the first place, saw this and walked over, tugging at her pant leg and leading her towards the house.
"Oh my, is the little Treecko worrying about grandma?" Sola smiled, squinting her eyes as she picked him up.
"Yes," Will said, not being coy, and nodded frankly.
"You're such a good child. Don't worry, grandma is fine. You can play a little longer."
Sola seemed to think that Will still wanted to play and was forcing himself to stop for her sake. Will didn't say anything, but just jumped to the ground. He couldn't explain it to her, but he could explain it to the other Pokémon.
"Hey, all of you, stop playing! It's time for bed. Let grandma get some rest," Will said, pointing a finger.
The scene immediately quieted down. The other Pokémon had all been wild before being taken in by Sola. They were full of gratitude for her and would naturally be considerate of her condition. Without another word, they all returned to their own nests to prepare for sleep.
But the Skitty clearly still wanted to play. Seeing that everyone else had gone back, it looked at Will angrily.
"What?" Will glared back at the Skitty, frowning.
A terrifying aura emanated from his body. It was an aura that Will himself couldn't perceive, one that could only be exuded by a Pokémon that had been tempered in the Era of Primal Beasts. Will had once been the strongest in the middle ring of Mt. Silver; this aura on him was only more intense.
How could a hothouse flower like this Skitty withstand it?
"Meow..." The Skitty didn't dare to meet his gaze. It lowered its head and obediently walked back into the house.
"Ooh, Treecko, you have to get along with everyone~" Sola said, looking at this scene with some concern. Although she was touched by his actions, she was worried that he would be ostracized and disliked by the other Pokémon because of it.
But Will didn't care about that. After all, he wouldn't be staying here for long. But from this incident, he did get an idea. But that would have to wait for seven days. His current body was so weak it was unbelievable. Once he was out of his infant stage, with his base stats, movepool, and battle experience, he shouldn't have any opponents below Lv. 10, or even Lv. 15.
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