"Rroaar!"
The Rhyhorn bellowed in pain, its deep voice echoing across the plains.
Its eyes locked onto Snivy, full of fury and disbelief.
Digging its hind legs into the soil, it snorted heavily, then charged again, thunderously tearing through the grass in a cloud of dust.
But Snivy didn't panic. Calm and sharp-eyed, it waited until the last possible second before snapping its vines forward.
Two Vine Whips lashed out in perfect unison, striking from opposite directions and coiling tightly around the Rhyhorn's thick limbs.
With a sharp twist, Snivy pulled.
The mighty beast stumbled mid-charge and crashed heavily to the ground, sending a small tremor through the plains.
For a brief moment, the Rhyhorn lay there, dazed and breathing hard. Then, as if realizing the vast difference in their strength, it gave a short, frightened snort, and turned tail, galloping off into the distance.
Lucien blinked. "And it ran."
He exhaled through his nose, half amused, half resigned.
Rhyhorn, a Ground- and Rock-type Pokémon. Tremendously strong, but not exactly known for its intelligence. Brute force without strategy.
Lucien shook his head and looked back across the fields. There was no need to chase it.
With the threat gone, he turned his attention once more to the other wild Pokémon nearby.
Among the grass, he noticed a small, timid Budew peeking out from behind a cluster of flowers.
A Grass-type Pokémon, adorable and seemingly harmless, but Lucien knew better. The pollen it released carried mild toxins, capable of causing sneezing fits and watery eyes.
This one, however, looked more frightened than dangerous. The moment Lucien and his Pokémon stepped closer, it squeaked in alarm and hid deeper in the tall grass.
Lucien crouched down, gently pulling a ripe berry from his pouch.
"Hey there, Budew," he said softly. "It's okay. Come on, this is for you."
The little Pokémon peeked out again, blinking uncertainly at the berry in his hand, then at Lucien himself.
Seeing the calm smile on his face and sensing no hostility, Budew hesitated for only a moment longer before inching forward.
It sniffed the berry, then began nibbling happily.
Lucien chuckled quietly and reached out to pat its head.
"You're a sweet little thing, aren't you?"
As if encouraged by the peaceful scene, the Sawsbuck herd that had fled earlier slowly returned, curiosity gleaming in their gentle eyes.
They gathered around Lucien and Budew, lowering their antlers as they watched the human and his Pokémon interact.
Lucien laughed softly. Unable to resist, he pulled out a few more berries and offered them up.
The Sawsbuck eagerly accepted, munching contentedly.
But once the berries were gone, several of them turned their gaze toward his satchel again, their big eyes shimmering with expectation.
Lucien held the bag protectively. "No, no, that's enough! The rest are for Mareep!"
The stags snorted softly, tossing their heads in mock annoyance before bounding away, their hooves thudding rhythmically against the grass.
Lucien rose to his feet and continued onward, his eyes scanning the plains.
Ahead, he spotted a herd of Blitzle galloping through the fields. Their black-and-white stripes flashed like lightning as electric sparks crackled across their manes.
He didn't approach. Blitzle and their evolved form, Zebstrika, were known for their volatile temperaments and strong electrical discharges.
Even with Snivy and Dratini at his side, confronting them would be reckless.
Lucien wisely chose to skirt around their territory.
Consulting the small parchment map Christina had drawn for him, he followed the marked route toward the Mareep habitat.
Before long, he reached a lush green meadow.
There, grazing peacefully under the sun, was a fluffy herd of Mareep, their wool shimmering faintly with static electricity.
Lucien's eyes brightened. "Found them."
He slowed his pace, motioning for Snivy and Dratini to stay quiet as they approached.
The nearest Mareep lifted its head, blinking curiously at the newcomers.
"Baa?" it bleated softly, tilting its head.
Lucien smiled.
But the Mareep didn't flee.
Lucien cleared his throat softly, adjusting his tone to sound as gentle as possible.
"Ahem… hello there, Mareep."
"Baa-ree?"
The flock tilted their fluffy heads in unison, a few question marks practically floating above their expressions. What was this human up to?
Lucien couldn't help but smile. "You're even cuter up close…"
He took a few careful steps forward, keeping his movements slow and nonthreatening. Seeing the sincerity in his eyes and sensing no hostility, the flock began to relax.
A few Mareep even bleated softly, their tails flicking in delight as Lucien praised them.
"Baa-ree~!"
"That's right," Lucien said warmly, opening his pack. "I brought you all a little gift."
He drew out a handful of berries he'd prepared beforehand.
The moment the words left his mouth, the Mareep perked up and trotted closer, surrounding Lucien, Snivy, and Dratini in a loose circle of woolly, golden bodies.
Lucien counted quickly, seven, maybe eight in total. Fortunately, he'd brought over twenty berries. Even after feeding the Budew and Sawsbuck earlier, there were still enough left to share.
Perfect.
The Mareep lowered their heads, sniffing the fruit curiously before nibbling eagerly. Their eyes half-closed with joy as they chewed, their wool crackling faintly with tiny sparks of static.
Though they clearly preferred tender grass, the berries were a welcome treat.
While they ate, Lucien slowly extended his hand toward one of them.
But the moment his palm brushed its wool...
Zap!
A small jolt ran through his hand, sharp and tingling.
Lucien winced slightly, withdrawing his hand with a laugh. "So it's true… Mareep's wool really does store electricity."
The shock wasn't strong enough to hurt him, just enough to make his fingertips buzz.
Soon, the Mareep finished their berries and turned their round eyes back toward Lucien, as if waiting for more.
Lucien crouched and smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Lucien, the lord of the lands across the river. From now on, I hope we can get along."
"Baa?"
The Mareep blinked in confusion. They didn't quite understand what "lord" or "territory" meant.
Lucien chuckled. "You'll see soon enough. We'll be expanding across the river soon. Once the land is ready, we'll plant plenty of fresh, delicious grass near the banks. If you ever get hungry, you're welcome to come graze anytime. You'll always be welcome in my territory."
That part, at least, they understood.
This human named Lucien was planning to plant fresh, tender grass across the river, and then invite them to come eat it freely?
Was there really such a kind person in this world?
The Mareep blinked, wide-eyed and confused.
But the young man before them didn't elaborate further. He simply smiled, rose to his feet, and bid them farewell before turning away with his two Pokémon.
Lucien hadn't come to capture anyone today. He only wanted to make contact, to establish a bond of trust.
Once the ranch was built, these Mareep could come and live there peacefully.
By all accounts, his plan was going well.
Lucien was just about to head back when Dratini suddenly lifted its head, its sapphire eyes reflecting the sky above.
"Woo?"
Lucien followed its gaze, and froze.
A massive shadow passed overhead, gliding gracefully across the sunlight.
High above them soared a magnificent creature, its entire body a mix of warm brown and gray-green hues. A long, elegant neck stretched forward, its thick limbs moving with slow, deliberate power.
Large, palm-like leaves fanned out around its body, and on its back grew four enormous fronds that fluttered like wings, keeping the creature aloft.
But what truly caught Lucien's eye were the golden, banana-shaped fruits hanging beneath its chin, gleaming in the sunlight.
Lucien's breath caught.
"That's… Tropius."