The Encounter Again

"Let me see your true colors!"

Bai Shi tossed the Poké Ball in his hand into the sky, releasing the mysterious Pokémon inside.

In an instant, a yellow Pokémon with blue stripes covering its body, two small white wings sticking out, and a drill-like tail appeared before Bai Shi.

"This is... Dunsparce?"

Looking at the Pokémon sprawled on the ground and fast asleep, Bai Shi's eyes lit up, and his face filled with pleasant surprise.

Dunsparce was a Land Snake Pokémon with the Normal type.

Because of its timid nature, whenever it saw a Pokémon Trainer, it would use its tail to Dig a hole and Run Away at once.

This made it very difficult for Pokémon Trainers to catch, and it was considered an extremely rare Pokémon.

For example, Ash had once tried to catch Dunsparce twice in the anime, only to fail both times.

Bai Shi also remembered that in the game released shortly before he crossed over, Dunsparce could learn a certain move that allowed it to undergo Evolution again.

That alone was enough to prove that it was a Pokémon with considerable potential.

"Although I let Buneary get away, catching Dunsparce isn't bad either."

Bai Shi was extremely satisfied with this Pokémon he had caught by accident.

"Starly~" (Brother, are you here to back me up?)

While Bai Shi was still immersed in his joy, Starly had already flown in front of Dunsparce and was carefully sizing up this future new companion.

As the team's senior, it was preparing to greet this newcomer and junior.

But after circling around it once, the other party still refused to open its eyes and look at it.

"Starly~" (Show some respect and open your eyes!)

Feeling that the other party was slighting it, Starly could not hold back any longer. It raised one wing and smacked Dunsparce on the head.

"Huh?"

Starly's action left Bai Shi dumbfounded as well, and he completely lost his composure.

"Dunsparce~" (What happened?)

Dunsparce, which had been sleeping soundly, woke up in an instant.

It shook its head repeatedly, looked left and right, and anxiously examined its surroundings.

Wasn't it hiding in the grass and sleeping soundly?

Why was there a "fierce-looking" Bird beside it as soon as it woke up?

Could it be that it still had not woken up?

"Dunsparce~" (How scary! I'm out of here!)

Panicking, Dunsparce immediately began using its tail to Dig a hole, trying to escape.

It had not realized at all that Bai Shi had caught it.

"Oh no! Come back, Dunsparce!"

Seeing this, Bai Shi hurriedly took out a Poké Ball, wanting to recall Dunsparce.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Dunsparce had finished digging the tunnel long ago and had transferred itself through the underground passage.

The red light shot from the Poké Ball could not recall it at all.

"Starly, catch up to it! Don't let it Run Away!"

Seeing that the "cooked duck was about to fly away again," Bai Shi could not worry about anything else and shouted at Starly.

"Starly~" (Mission accepted!)

Realizing that it seemed to have caused a huge disaster, Starly immediately gave chase.

It swore to help Bai Shi catch that Pokémon and bring it back.

Bai Shi also followed behind Starly, joining it in the Pursuit.

Fortunately, whenever Dunsparce fled, it pushed up the soil underground, leaving behind a relatively clear trail of disturbed earth.

Otherwise, Bai Shi and Starly might truly have let it escape.

"Starly~"

After following Dunsparce's escape route for a while, Bai Shi suddenly heard a scream coming from ahead.

Moreover, the source of the sound seemed to be his own Starly.

Bai Shi got a bad feeling and hurried over.

"Why is it you again?"

When Bai Shi arrived, he discovered that Starly and Dunsparce were already fighting a Seviper.

Several faint claw marks remained at the corners of Seviper's eyes.

It was obvious that this was the same one he and A Lin had driven away together earlier.

He simply did not know why it had encountered Starly and Dunsparce again.

"That Seviper is no pushover! Drive it away first!"

Bai Shi's expression turned solemn. He hid to the side and carefully observed the situation, ready to step in and help at any moment.

"Hissss~"

Seviper opened its mouth and bit at Starly with teeth wrapped in purple light.

The wounds at the corners of its eyes still throbbed faintly even now.

Having finally caught the culprit responsible, Starly, Seviper naturally wanted revenge.

Having accumulated some battle experience, Starly quickly rose into the air and nimbly dodged Seviper's bite.

Then, from above, it forcefully flapped its wings and sent out a powerful gust of wind.

It dealt Seviper a small amount of damage.

Compared to Starly's bravery, Dunsparce's performance was far inferior.

It had curled up nearby and was trembling all over.

It wanted to go up and help, but it was intimidated by Seviper's "might."

In its panic, it had accidentally barged into Seviper's nest earlier.

It had nearly been eaten alive by the enraged Seviper.

Fortunately, Starly had arrived in time and allowed it to escape that disaster.

Dunsparce was extremely grateful to Starly for saving its life.

But asking it to go up and fight was another matter entirely—it did not quite dare.

And so, this was the scene Bai Shi saw before him.

"Hissss~"

Seeing that it could not do much to Starly in the sky, Seviper changed targets and prepared to vent all its anger on Dunsparce.

It opened its huge jaws and bit toward Dunsparce.

Dunsparce had long since been scared senseless. It stood frozen in place without moving.

"Starly~" (Shut your mouth!)

Starly's eyes nearly bulged with fury. It wanted to rush over and help, but it was already too late.

This was a Pokémon Bai Shi had finally managed to catch.

How could he let some stinking snake eat it?

"Go, Poké Ball!"

Seeing that Seviper was about to bite Dunsparce, Bai Shi suddenly acted and threw a Poké Ball at it.

He did not expect to catch it; he only hoped to hold it up for a few seconds.

If Seviper had not been so large that it blocked Dunsparce, he would not have resorted to such a desperate measure.

He could have simply recalled Dunsparce with the Poké Ball.

"Thud~"

Caught off guard, Seviper was struck by the Poké Ball.

It turned into a streak of red light and entered the ball, which began shaking violently.

"You're safe for now, Dunsparce!"

Taking advantage of the opening, Bai Shi quickly circled around the Poké Ball.

He scooped up Dunsparce, which was lying on the ground "playing dead," and gently comforted it.

Even so, the Dunsparce in his arms continued trembling nonstop.

Clearly, it was still immersed in the terror Seviper had brought it.

"Bang~"

At that moment, Seviper, which had been drawn into the Poké Ball, also broke free successfully.

It was filled with rage and prepared to teach Bai Shi a lesson for ruining its plans.

"Starly~" (How dare you take your eyes off me? Die!)

Starly's eyes blazed with fury. It put all its strength into a charge and slammed into Seviper's back, knocking it onto the ground.

However, the attack did not cause Seviper much damage.

Instead, it enraged Seviper even further.

"Hissss~"

Seviper raised its tail and lashed it toward Starly, which had been unable to widen the distance after using too much force.