Machop's injuries had been severe, but after Yozora's timely treatment, it recovered quickly.
Opening its eyes, Machop pushed itself up from Yozora's arms. With an awkward scratch of its head, it turned around and walked away.
Clearly—
Its robbery had failed, and in the end, it was even treated by its "enemy." The humiliation was too much to bear, and naturally, it no longer wished to linger here.
"Machop!"
With a loud roar, Machop gave the command of a leader, signaling for all its followers to retreat with it.
But its followers… looked reluctant. None of them wanted to leave.
Moments ago, they had been too afraid to approach. Now, they found it hard to turn away.
The reason was simple—Yozora's dinner was nearly finished cooking, and the aroma was intoxicating.
The wild Pokémon gathered here were all thin and frail, clearly accustomed to hunger and hardship. To them, the food Yozora had prepared was an irresistible temptation, enough to make their mouths water uncontrollably.
"…" Seeing his subordinates so weak-willed, Machop only felt even more humiliated.
"Stay," Yozora said gently. "I can't share tonight's dinner with you all, but I have other food."
Smiling faintly, he pulled out an enormous tray nearly a meter long, along with a great heap of Pokémon food.
He poured the food into the tray with a clatter, stacking it into a towering pile. With a gesture, he indicated that Machop and its followers could help themselves.
…
The dinner Yozora had prepared for himself was crafted with top-grade ingredients and rare Berries simmered together—each meal costing thousands of Pokéyen.
But it wasn't just about the money; it was also about the effort and time it required. And besides, there wasn't enough of it to go around.
If it were just for Machop alone, he could spare a portion. But Machop's army—hundreds of wild Pokémon, gathered in a throng—was simply too many.
Thus, Yozora offered the ordinary Pokémon food instead.
Even so, Machop and its followers were overwhelmed with emotion.
With a single wave of its hand, Machop's underlings surged forward, crowding around the tray to devour the feast with wild enthusiasm.
Machop itself, however, remained where it was, standing tall and watching with satisfaction.
"That's what a real leader looks like."
Yozora noted the sight with deep admiration. This Machop was honest and straightforward. For the sake of its followers, it would rather go hungry itself.
Before long, Yozora called his own partners—Beedrill, Charmander, Psyduck, Pidgeotto, Nidoran♂, and Kangaskhan—over to share his carefully prepared dinner.
But privately, Yozora had set aside a portion specifically for Machop.
…
As night deepened, the wild Pokémon finished their meal and dispersed, leaving only Machop behind.
The enormous tray that had once been heaped with food was now empty, save for scraps and crumbs.
Machop rubbed its belly and wandered over, picking up one of the larger leftovers to chew.
But such a tiny morsel could never fill its stomach.
With a sigh, Machop clutched its belly. It seemed tonight, once again, it would have to endure hunger.
"Here, eat this."
Yozora appeared beside it, placing the portion he had reserved for Machop right in front of it.
Thanks to the heat-preserving method he used, the food was still warm even after so much time had passed.
As he lifted the lid, steam rose into the cool night air.
Machop's eyes grew misty with gratitude. With a goofy smile, it plopped down and began wolfing the food down ravenously.
Yozora sat across from it, smiling. "Machop, I really admire your character. How about it—would you like to come with me?"
In his heart, Yozora felt certain. With his charisma, and with this special treatment, Machop would surely accept.
Yet Machop, between mouthfuls of food, shook its head.
Yozora froze, then quickly guessed the reason. "You're worried about your followers, aren't you?"
Machop finished its last bite, set down the bowl, and nodded.
It knew Yozora could understand its words, so it began to explain.
The soil in this wildland was barren, and food was scarce.
Yet far too many Pokémon had gathered here. As a result, many of them often went hungry.
Normally, in places where resources were this poor, the number of wild Pokémon would be naturally low.
But most of the Pokémon living here—including Machop—weren't native. They were abandoned here by third-rate Trainers.
In the end, they were all pitiful creatures, clinging together for survival.
To fill their stomachs, Machop had led them to beg passing Trainers for food. When begging failed, they had no choice but to rob them—hence what had happened earlier.
Most of these abandoned Pokémon had gentle, fragile personalities.
Machop alone felt responsible for them, and because of that burden, it couldn't leave—even though it recognized and admired Yozora.
"I see… So your heart is even better than I thought." Yozora chuckled. "That only makes me want you on my team even more."
Machop let out a heavy sigh. Its eyes reddened, and its expression dimmed.
"You're saying it's impossible? That you can't come with me?"
Yozora grinned. "Machop, isn't it simply because you can't let go of your companions? That's easy. Including you, I'll just capture all of them!"
Machop froze, staring blankly at Yozora in disbelief.
"I can't promise how well I'll train them," Yozora said firmly, "but I can promise they'll be safe, they'll never go hungry again, and they'll live in peace for the rest of their lives."
This confidence didn't come from Yozora alone—but from Professor Oak.
After all, the fields behind Oak's Laboratory were vast as mountains, beautiful in scenery, and abundant in resources.
For Pokémon, it was nothing less than a paradise.
And now that Professor Oak was researching Pokémon Abilities, he needed as many diverse Pokémon as possible for observation.
Yozora was certain that if he sent all of these abandoned Pokémon to Oak, not only would the professor not mind—he'd be delighted.
Machop was stunned. It had never imagined Yozora would go so far for its sake!
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Yozora laughed. "Go and bring all your followers here."
Machop nodded eagerly, then rushed off excitedly to gather its companions.
It trusted Yozora completely, believing without doubt that he would not deceive it.
And even if—just hypothetically—he did, what would it matter?
As long as he could take them away from this forsaken wasteland, that alone was worth it!
About ten minutes later, Machop returned with the wild Pokémon from earlier. Upon hearing they could leave this place, most of them were thrilled.
Together, they numbered over a hundred. Though not every Pokémon in the wildland belonged to this group, these were precisely the ones that had upset the ecological balance here.
For them—and for the wildland itself—leaving was the best possible outcome.
…
…
(End of Chapter)