Perhaps Ethan's Warm gaze was a little too direct, because even the usually cold and aloof Cubone seemed somewhat uncomfortable.
"Cuba?"
"Cubone, these are Pokéblocks made for Ground-type Pokémon… want some?"
Ethan pulled out the rations the original body had prepared, placing them in a small bowl and handing them toward Cubone.
Cubone sniffed lightly, then—without hesitation—accepted the food and quietly began eating.
With its head hidden beneath the skull, Ethan couldn't see its expression.
He could only judge from Cubone's eating speed that it probably liked the taste of the Pokéblocks.
Seeing this, Ethan let out a quiet sigh of relief, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his face.
When he turned his head, he noticed Captain Yuzo watching them with a look of satisfaction.
"Cap—… Boss…"
"Heh, it's nothing. Just seeing you two suddenly reminded me of when I first met Golbat. Back then, we were just as cautious… and just as full of expectation."
As if sensing something, Golbat—who had been burying its face in its food—looked up and gently nudged Yuzo.
Ethan blinked. Somehow, Golbat didn't look nearly as frightening anymore.
After finishing their ramen, Captain Yuzo took Raticate and Golbat to train in the backyard, leaving the dishwashing, of course, to Ethan.
In the kitchen, Cubone stood silently behind Ethan, watching as he repeatedly plunged his hands into the water it disliked so much. Beneath the skull, its brow furrowed little by little.
A few minutes later…
"Finally done!"
Ethan tidied up the kitchen and turned around, only to see Cubone suddenly take a few steps back.
His heart sank for a moment, and an unexpected sense of disappointment welled up inside him.
But then, Cubone darted off to the side, grabbed a towel, and hurried back on short steps.
"Cuba~"
Ethan looked at Cubone struggling to hold up the towel, and his heart stirred in understanding.
A strange sense of emotion washed over him.
He had come here out of nowhere, burdened with a complicated identity that forced him to live cautiously under disguise.
And yet, it was Cubone who had shown him the purest kindness.
Squatting down, Ethan carefully took the towel, making sure no drops of water from his hands fell onto Cubone.
"Thank you, Cubone."
Cubone turned its head away, its body still radiating that same aura of coldness and loneliness. But in Ethan's eyes, it suddenly seemed a little more adorable.
Drying his hands thoroughly, Ethan smiled and said:
"Want to go watch Golbat and Raticate train?"
Cubone didn't move, but Ethan was beginning to understand how to communicate with it.
"I'd like to go see them train. Will you come with me?"
Cubone gave him a glance but said nothing.
Even so, Ethan understood, and he headed toward the backyard.
Cubone gripped its bone club tightly and followed right behind him.
As soon as Ethan stepped into the backyard, Yuzo spotted him, but only gave a brief nod before continuing his training.
Ethan and Cubone stood quietly in a corner, not disturbing anyone, just watching in silence.
Cubone preferred peace and quiet, so it certainly wasn't going to talk much.
While he observed, Ethan also "recalled" everything he knew about Cubone.
Cubone had been one of the Pokémon Team Rocket had captured in bulk. But since it was still just an Egg when caught and had been raised entirely within the incubation facility after hatching—it didn't hold any grudge against Team Rocket.
And such a Pokémon was far more valuable than the typical Rocket "starter trio" handed out straight from the wild: Ekans, Koffing, or Zubat.
The reason Ethan's predecessor was given a Cubone was because he had demonstrated impressive IT skills after joining Team Rocket. He was being trained as an intelligence operative, which gave him more options when choosing a partner Pokémon.
But since intelligence officers didn't need much battle power, the original Ethan had basically left Cubone on its own, with little to no training.
Yet despite its small body, Cubone was born with a longing for battle and strength. Its trusty bone club wasn't meant just for cracking nuts.
Not being valued by Ethan's predecessor, Cubone had gradually grown discouraged, its aura of coldness and loneliness only deepening. Which in turn only made the old Ethan less fond of it.
Fortunately, Pokéblocks were distributed regularly by the organization, so Cubone never went hungry.
And though the original Ethan saw feeding as nothing more than routine, for Cubone it was a rare and precious time spent together.
The lonelier you are, the more you fear being alone.
Cubone longed to be seen.
The old Ethan hadn't noticed—but Ethan Bright did.
Squatting down, Ethan gently rested his hand on Cubone's hard skull.
For an instant, Cubone stiffened. But Ethan's next words made it light up with joy.
"I'd like to ask the boss about training methods for you. Will you come with me?"
"Cuba!"
This time, Cubone didn't hesitate at all. For the very first time, the cold and lonely look in its eyes was replaced with burning determination.
"Cubone, honestly… I've never raised a Ground-type Pokémon before. I can't give you any truly professional advice," Captain Yuzo admitted. Seeing Cubone's expression sink with disappointment, he quickly added:
"But instead of asking me, it's better to check the platform. You can use your points to exchange for training manuals. If you don't have enough, I can lend you some."
Cubone didn't fully understand his words, but it could sense hope. At once, it turned its gaze toward Ethan.
Ethan gave a small nod to show he understood, thanked Yuzo, and then offered Cubone a reassuring look.
The original memories of this body still hadn't completely merged. Often, they only resurfaced piece by piece whenever something related triggered them.
Of course, Team Rocket's system platform also provided all sorts of supplies that could be exchanged with money or points.
But using points was generally far more cost-effective.
Seeing Cubone's eager eyes, Ethan didn't hesitate any longer. After greeting Captain Yuzo, he headed toward the storage room.
Inside, he booted up an ordinary-looking computer. After entering a special password and identity verification, the Team Rocket system platform appeared before him.
Mission Submission Window, Points Exchange Window, Personal Info Window.
With the identity of "Ethan Bright, a low-level intelligence operative," these three were the only permissions available to him.
The operation was simple enough. Ethan first clicked into the Personal Info tab.
Name: Ethan Bright
Age: 16
Registered Region: Lavender Town, Kanto
Position: Level-2 Intelligence Operative
Points: 1245
[Mission Assignment] Stationed in Oreburgh Town, Sinnoh. Responsible for daily intelligence-gathering duties.
The 1245 points had basically been accumulated by the original Ethan while assisting higher-ranking intelligence operatives on missions at Rocket HQ.
Not sure yet of the points' true value, Ethan immediately clicked into the Points Exchange window.
After some searching, he found his target—and let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Beginner's Ground-Type Pokémon Training Manual – 200 points
Beginner's Ground-Type Pokémon Breeding Manual – 400 points
Cubone Line Skills Training Manual – 400 points
Beginner Ground-Type Pokéblock (Box of 100) – 100 points
At present, Cubone had been eating the beginner-level Ground-type Pokéblocks. On average, two or three a day were enough.
But those only met its daily nutritional needs. If Cubone was going to train for battles, its consumption would be much higher.
As for the manuals, the first two were absolutely necessary—training and breeding were both indispensable.
The third one, dedicated specifically to the Cubone evolutionary line, could be cross-referenced with the first two.
Even more importantly, Ethan discovered that the first two manuals had complete advanced continuations:
Intermediate Ground-Type Pokémon Training Manual – 2000 points
Advanced Ground-Type Pokémon Training Manual – 20,000 points
Top-Tier Ground-Type Pokémon Training Manual – Special Contribution Required
The Breeding Manuals followed the same progression.
Each tier's value grew tenfold, and the top-tier manuals couldn't even be bought with regular points at all.
But because of this, Ethan felt reassured. At least there was a full set that could be upgraded over time, ensuring Cubone's growth wouldn't be disrupted.
Of course, this was also exactly how Team Rocket kept its members bound tightly to the organization's massive ship.
The further one advanced, the stronger the dependence on the organization became.
And the heavier the price of leaving would be.
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