The more they talked, the better they hit it off, and they soon exchanged contact details. The delivery guy's name was Li Zicong, and he came from a humble background just like Ash.
To pursue his dream of becoming a Pokémon Trainer, he had moved from the countryside to the city and worked to earn his tuition. He was a hardworking young man determined to get ahead.
Their shared humble origins also gave them plenty to talk about, and before they knew it, they had spent far too long chatting at the door.
Finally, Inteleon ran out of patience, charged into the entryway, and delivered a Karate Chop to the back of Ash's head. "Ow!"
Then Inteleon snatched the food from the pained Ash's hands, saving Applin from being starved to death by that chatterbox.
Inteleon even thoughtfully dipped the roast duck leg in hot-and-sour sauce and set it in front of the limbless Applin to feed the little Pokémon.
Despite that cold first impression, Inteleon turned out to be surprisingly kind beneath that prickly exterior.
Watching the interaction between the two, Ash felt as though the back of his head didn't hurt quite so much anymore.
Time flew, and before long, half a month had passed. The first day of school had arrived.
During that time, to give Applin the best possible foundation in fitness and move control, Ash had taken Applin on a morning run around the city every day.
Of course, Applin was still required to use only Rollout the entire way.
Compared with the frequent dizzy spells at the beginning, Applin had gradually adapted, and even the dried Persim Berries were starting to seem unnecessary.
After keeping this up for half a month, Applin's stamina and speed had improved by leaps and bounds. Its control over