Ron pulled out his two Poké Balls.
"Two Pokémon! That's amazing!" Leah said.
In Kalos, owning two Pokémon wouldn't be impressive at all.
But here in Pelican Town—where Poké Balls cost 5,000G each and didn't even guarantee capture—many residents didn't own a single one. Most never ventured into dangerous areas and didn't need Pokémon for labor, so it hardly mattered.
Leah's Deerling, for instance, had taken her weeks of effort to catch.
Ron immediately understood why she called him "amazing." He couldn't help but smile. "Poké Balls will get cheaper soon—I promise."
"Did you convince Pierre to lower prices?" Leah asked.
Ron shook his head meaningfully. "He's about to learn a hard lesson about greed."
Leah didn't grasp his meaning—but her attention quickly shifted to a patch of wild raspberries nearby. She picked a handful and placed them in her basket, then turned to Ron.
"Oh—I heard farm life's been… challenging for you."
She chose her words carefully. "If you ever need help, just ask. I'm no good at making money—but foraging in the forest and turning it into a decent meal? I'm an expert."
She cleared her throat modestly. "Not to brag… but I am basically the authority on this."
"That's incredible," Ron said, clapping lightly.
Leah tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, slightly flustered. "So… seriously, if you need anything, I'm here."
Her situation mirrored Ron's. She'd also left city life behind—abandoning the comfort of Zuzu City for Pelican Town's modest means.
But for Leah, this wasn't hardship—it was freedom. Here, she could chase her dream of becoming an artist and immerse herself in nature. Even if meals were sometimes uncertain, it was still better than her old gilded cage.
She wasn't sure if Ron felt the same—so she wanted to offer support.
She knew better than anyone how hard it was to pursue something others didn't believe in.
"Thanks," Ron said.
Leah waved it off and handed him a raspberry. "Try this."
Ron popped it in his mouth—and instantly winced, his face puckering from the tartness.
Leah burst out laughing. "Sharp, right? Perfect for making raspberry jam!" She ate one herself, her expression twisting just as dramatically before smoothing out. She even fed one to Deerling.
The little Pokémon squealed and bolted in circles, overwhelmed by the sourness—finally ending the ordeal.
The path sloped downward, winding through the trees. With Leah's guidance, the distant Wizard's Tower soon loomed into full view.
"That's your stop," Leah said, pointing ahead. "Just follow this trail."
Ron nodded.
"Alright, I'll head back now," she said—then yelped as a massive Beedrill cocoon plummeted from a tree and bonked her on the head.
Ron's eyes narrowed. He grabbed Leah's wrist as she rubbed her head in pain.
"Huh? What—" She turned—just as Ron pinched both Poké Balls between his fingers.
Flash!
Two unfamiliar Pokémon appeared at his side.
Following Ron's tense gaze, Leah turned—and froze.
A line of giant Beedrill, each nearly a meter tall, had silently emerged from the trees.
"What are those?" Leah gasped, realizing these must be Pokémon too.
Ron quickly scanned them with his Pokédex.
[Beedrill]
[Poison Bee Pokémon]
[Evolved from Kakuna. Attacks with twin arm stingers and a triple-barbed tail stinger.]
Leah instinctively stepped back.
Ron glanced toward the tower, analyzing.
Beedrill was a final evolution—but it evolved early, so these might not be too strong.
And his team had type advantages.
The only problem? There were way too many of them.
"Stay behind me," Ron said, pulling Leah back. "If it gets bad, run straight for the tower—don't stop. I'll hold them off."
He turned to Orthworm. "Orthworm—Sand Attack!"
Instantly, Orthworm whipped up a storm of dust and gravel, diverting the Beedrill's focus.
Through the haze, the Beedrill seemed to locate Orthworm—and charged.
"Geodude—block them! Harden!"
Ron couldn't see through the sand—but he heard the sickening crack-crack of stingers hitting rock.
"Orthworm—Smack Down!"
From the swirling dust, stones arced into the air—then thudded as airborne Beedrill dropped to the ground, fainted.
More screeching impacts followed—sharp stingers clashing against hardened stone.
Then—a barrier shimmered into existence within the dust cloud.
In a flash of light, the Beedrill were gently forced backward, retreating into the forest.
Ron quickly checked on his Pokémon—and noticed Leah's Deerling huddled behind Orthworm.
It seemed Orthworm had taken hits to shield it.
"Ah! Deerling!" Leah rushed over.
Just then, a Potion bottle materialized in her hand.
She blinked—then sprayed it on Deerling, carefully inspecting Orthworm next and applying some to its wounds too.
Ron heard a voice in his mind—calm, ancient.
He walked to Leah's side. "Go home. The barrier on the path's been reinforced. No more Pokémon will trouble you. Just rest with Deerling."
Once Leah recalled Deerling and hurried off, Ron turned toward the forest.
From the shadows emerged the Wizard—a bearded man in deep purple robes, watching him silently.
After a long pause, he spoke. "Hello, Ron. I'm M. Rasmodius—the one who wrote you. Your grandfather left you something. Come with me."
Thinking of the mysteriously appearing Potion, Ron followed without hesitation.
As they walked, the Wizard asked, "Why didn't you run earlier? That swarm of Beedrill… you couldn't have won."
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