Farewell, My Sandwiches~~ Farewell, the Only Light in My Bird Life~~

Inside the gazebo.

"Was this meant to test and confuse the opponent with String Shot first, then hit them with something underhanded?"

"Or was it simply a reminder to make the opponent face defeat in their best, most serious state, crushing them both mentally and physically?"

Watching Weedle and Pidgey train, Mu Yun screwed the cap back onto the bottle and pondered.

The former was merely a normal tactical arrangement, but the latter was downright cruel.

It was only training. There was no need to make it so brutal.

No, Xiao Du, who always got fired up so easily, definitely would not have such dark thoughts.

Then why was he thinking this way?

Mu Yun fell silent, lost in thought.

Outside the gazebo.

Having narrowly avoided the String Shot attack, Pidgey now wore a serious expression as well.

He had thought he could get a delicious sandwich just by flying around a little.

It seemed he would have to put in some effort after all.

But it was no big deal!

"Pidgey!!"

Pidgey cried out, cheering himself on as his wings flapped rapidly, ready to dodge at any moment.

"Wooah!!"

Seeing Pidgey remain serious yet confident, Weedle straightened his body high and opened his mouth slightly.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Three consecutive String Shots fired out, finger-thick strands shooting through the air.

Pidgey fixed his gaze on the incoming threads.

With his earlier experience, even against the faster String Shots, Pidgey still dodged them with ease in small movements, avoiding every one.

However, another whistling sound suddenly came from the air.

A snow-white strand of String Shot, thicker than the previous ones, came flying from afar.

Pidgey reacted as he had before, moving his left wing and shifting his body to the right.

But just as the thread was about to brush past him, it suddenly exploded, transforming into a large white net that glittered beneath the sunlight.

The burst came from nearly point-blank range, giving Pidgey no time to react. He could only watch helplessly as the sticky threads struck his body.

Then, carried by inertia, he flapped once and was stuck in the pile of grass beneath the tree's shade.

[ Ding! Weedle used String Shot in a simulated battle. Proficiency +2! ]

[ Ding! Weedle was excited and exhilarated, gaining deeper insight into the move String Shot. Additional proficiency +10! ]

[ String Shot (Perfected, 88/1000) → String Shot (Perfected, 100/1000) ]

"Wooah!!"

Although he had been mentally prepared, Weedle still cried out excitedly when he saw Pidgey lying in the grass, his eyes full of confusion and bewilderment.

Defeating a natural enemy would excite anyone, no matter when it happened.

"Just as expected. Small-scale dodges alone can't avoid the improved String Shot Net attack."

Inside the gazebo, Mu Yun showed no surprise at all as he watched the scene.

The only question was whether Pidgey would still have a chance to dodge after learning that Weedle possessed this move.

After thinking for a moment, Mu Yun stood up, left the gazebo, and came to Weedle's side.

"You did well!"

As usual, Mu Yun encouraged him first, then led Weedle over to the pile of grass and looked at Pidgey.

"Pidgey~~"

At that moment, there was no surprise or anger in Pidgey's eyes over being suddenly bound by String Shot. There was only sorrow and pain over having just one sandwich for lunch today.

Farewell, three delicious sandwiches~~

Farewell, the only light in my bird life~~

Wuwuwu~~~

Overcome by emotion, Pidgey could not control himself. Something crystalline seemed to glimmer at the corners of his eyes.

He closed his eyes, raised his head, and tried hard not to let the tears fall.

"Wooah?"

Seeing this, Weedle, who had just been excited and thrilled, was instantly dumbfounded.

No, it was only training. Why were you crying, little bro?

Was it really that serious...

Although he always called Pidgey a "greedy stupid bird," he was still very grateful for Pidgey's help with his training.

"Wooah~~~"

Weedle straightened himself and moved closer to Pidgey, intending to comfort him in a gentle voice.

However, Pidgey showed no sign of being comforted when he heard Weedle. He simply kept his eyes shut in despair and did not move.

There were not going to be four sandwiches for lunch today. He might as well die...

And so, one bug tried to comfort the other softly, while one bird lay there in sorrow, half-dead inside.

Mu Yun's mouth twitched as he watched.

What kind of development was this?

The Pokémon version of, "Please don't die after I punch you"?

Could it be that getting hit by a Bug Type Pokémon's String Shot while prepared for it had shattered his mentality?

He had not expected this Pidgey to have such strong pride.

Then again, it was like a meat-eating tiger being knocked down by a grass-eating elk while hunting. It really would hurt one's pride.

Judging from Pidgey's level, he was probably not born very long ago.

After some thought, Mu Yun took a sandwich from his storage space, intending to comfort the poor little guy.

"Pidgey, want some?"

"Pidgey!!"

Before Mu Yun had even finished speaking, Pidgey, who had been lying there playing dead, immediately opened his eyes and shouted energetically. His tearful eyes were now filled with determination.

"Wooah?"

Weedle tilted his head, as though his brain had crashed.

Mu Yun understood Pidgey's change immediately.

So Pidgey had not shut himself away because his pride was hurt. He was grieving because he had no sandwiches for lunch.

Right. He was still a little glutton.

Shaking his head, Mu Yun brought the sandwich to Pidgey's beak.

After String Shot broke through to the Perfected level, Weedle's threads could now last for over an hour.

Unless they were removed with a specific Acid, they could only wait it out.

Obviously, Mu Yun did not have spare money to buy such a thing, so he could only feed Pidgey himself.

"Wooah!! Wooah!!"

Watching Pidgey wolf down the food, his face full of bliss and utterly lacking the tragic, death-seeking look from moments ago, Weedle widened his eyes as if saying something.

But Pidgey did not care in the slightest and continued eating with relish.

So what if Weedle said a few things to him after getting emotional? As long as there were enough sandwiches, even if Weedle climbed onto his back and yelled right in his face, he would not care.

Heaven and earth were vast, but sandwiches were greatest!

Woohoo, long live sandwiches!!

"Alright, Xiao Du, you should have lunch too."

Watching Weedle sulk at Pidgey, Mu Yun reached out and patted his little head, comforting him with amused helplessness.

Only then did Weedle calm down a little. He tossed his head and went to Mu Yun's side, beginning to eat Energy Cubes and sandwiches.

After lunch, Mu Yun found Pidgey a spot in the gazebo where the sun could not reach.

The String Shot would last for more than an hour. He could not simply wait around here with Weedle for that long.

After saying goodbye to Pidgey, Mu Yun left the gazebo with Weedle and headed home.

Only after the figure of one human and one Pokémon disappeared did Pidgey withdraw his gaze and stare blankly at the gazebo ceiling.

How could Pidgey not feel upset after being defeated by a Bug Type Pokémon?

He simply did not want to bring those feelings to that handsome, kind-hearted human.

That human had fed him such delicious food. If he made him feel guilty too, would that not make him a shameless bad child?

That Big Bug was really lucky to have met such a good Trainer.

Having a human take care of you was wonderful. Unlike him, a wild Pokémon with no one to rely on, who had to search for other people's leftovers just to eat.

Do not assume that Pidgey living in residential complexes all lived good lives.

Aside from pleasing humans being their shared goal, internal competition was actually fierce.

Otherwise, he would not have been alone in this nearly deserted corner of the residential complex, where food was difficult to find.

Time passed quickly amid envy and melancholy.

The snow-white String Shot wrapped around his body gradually cracked apart and dispersed, eventually vanishing into the air.

Pidgey still did not move.

Not until the sun began to set and the afterglow washed over his shoulders did he suddenly come back to himself, as if waking from a dream.

He first sat upright and shook out his ruffled feathers. Then he stretched his somewhat stiff body and took flight.

The orange-red sunset cut diagonally through the woods beyond the gazebo, dyeing every leaf a translucent amber. Pidgey's figure swayed, then silently melted into that shifting sea of light and shadow like a drop of water falling into a pond.

The night deepened...