Chapter 7

Arthur and Froakie spent the morning training and battling wild Pokémon as they journeyed deeper into the forest. Most wild Pokémon they encountered were eager for a battle with Froakie, eager to test their strength. However, some with more timid personalities took one look at Arthur and Froakie and scampered away, not wanting to taste Froakie's attacks. Arthur chuckled to himself, feeling more like an intruder in their world than a trainer looking for challenges.

After the encounter with the Bidoof, Arthur and Froakie continued scouting the forest, keeping an eye out for anything interesting. Arthur's stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn't had lunch yet. Fortunately, they stumbled upon two berry plants along their path. Arthur grinned, recognizing one of them as a Babiri plant. He took out his Pokedex to gather more information.

"Babiri berries, huh?" Arthur muttered to himself as the Pokedex provided details on the berry's steel-type resistance properties. "I could use some of these in case my Pokémon ever need them."

With that thought in mind, Arthur plucked a few Babiri berries and tucked them safely into his bag for later. The other berry plant had some Oran berries, and he couldn't resist grabbing a few of those as well. "Never hurts to have a bit of variety," he said with a grin.

As the afternoon sun began to dip low in the sky, Arthur and Froakie made their way out of the forest. Just as they were about to leave, they came across a wild Shinx. Arthur's keen eye immediately noticed the Shinx seemed a little injured. Its fur was ruffled, and it winced slightly as it moved.

"Hey there, little one," Arthur said, approaching the Shinx slowly to avoid startling it. He reached into his bag and pulled out some potions and electric-type Pokéblocks. "Let's get you fixed up."

The Shinx seemed to trust Arthur's calm demeanor and allowed him to apply the potions to its minor injuries. After that, Arthur offered the Shinx some electric-type Pokéblocks, which it eagerly accepted. Being part of a well-off family had its perks—Arthur always had a wide variety of Pokémon food in his bag.

As Arthur tended to the Shinx, he debated whether to catch it. He had his Kalos Pokémon team planned out, and capturing the Shinx could potentially change his future strategy. However, he also didn't want to let the Shinx go without ensuring its safety.

Just as he was deep in thought, Froakie, ever alert, sensed a noise in the distance. It turned its attention to a trainer walking their way, and Arthur's attention followed. The trainer approached with a confident stride, and when he saw the Shinx, his face lit up.

The Shinx immediately recognized the trainer and rushed back into his arms, clearly not a wild Shinx at all. Arthur raised an eyebrow as he watched the interaction between the trainer and the Shinx.

"Looks like this little guy is yours," Arthur said with a smile as the trainer approached.

"Yeah! Thanks for taking care of him," the trainer replied, looking relieved. "He must've wandered off when I was distracted. I'm Leon, by the way."

"Arthur," Arthur introduced himself, shaking Leon's hand.

Arthur's curious nature took over as he stood with Leon, watching the Shinx run around its trainer with renewed energy. "So, why was Shinx injured?" Arthur asked, eager to hear the story behind their encounter.

Leon sighed and nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "We were fighting a Weedle when two Beedrill swooped down and launched a sneak attack on me. They caught us off guard, and both Shinx and I had to bolt out of there to avoid getting seriously hurt."

Arthur winced at the thought of Beedrill's attacks, knowing they could pack a painful punch. "Must've been chaotic," he said.

"Yeah, it was pretty intense," Leon agreed. "We ended up running in different directions, and that's how Shinx and I got separated."

"Glad you found each other in the end," Arthur said with a grin. "You know what? Why don't you stick with me until we make it out of the forest? I've got a path marked, so it should be an easy exit."

Leon beamed, happy for the company. "That sounds great. Thanks, Arthur!"

As they made their way towards the exit, Arthur led the way using the trees he had marked earlier. The sun was setting, and the forest began to cast long shadows on the ground. Arthur knew they wouldn't make it out before nightfall, so he suggested they set up camp for the night.

Leon agreed, and they found a comfortable spot to set up their tents. Arthur took charge of cooking dinner for everyone, including Froakie and Shinx, who were playing nearby. As the aroma of cooking food filled the air, Arthur and Leon sat around the campfire, sharing stories about their lives and their goals.

"Funny how we both started our adventures from Lumiose City," Leon remarked as he took a bite of his dinner. "It's such a big city, though, so we probably wouldn't have met if it weren't for this forest."

Arthur nodded in agreement. "Yeah, fate has a funny way of working out. So, what's your goal, Leon? Any big dreams?"

Leon grinned, looking up at the night sky. "I want to win the Kalos Conference and become a renowned trainer. Shinx and I are just starting out, but we're going to give it our all."

Arthur smiled, listening to Leon's aspirations. In his own mind, he was already thinking about exploring other regions and dominating famous trainers from all over the world. But he didn't want to burst Leon's bubble, so he kept those thoughts to himself.

"That's a great goal," Arthur said with a nod. "You and Shinx seem like a great team. I'm sure you'll do well."

Leon appreciated the encouragement. "Thanks, Arthur. I'm on my way to face my first gym battle against Grant, the Cyllage gym leader. It's a little nerve-wracking, but I'm ready."

"Good luck!" Arthur exclaimed. "Grant's no pushover, but you'll learn a lot from the battle."

The two trainers continued their conversation late into the night, talking about their dreams, experiences, and strategies. Eventually, they both decided it was time to sleep and packed up their dinner.

The next morning, they packed their belongings and set off towards the forest exit. The sunlight filtered through the trees, creating a beautiful morning atmosphere as they made their way out. Once they reached the edge of the forest, Leon turned to Arthur with a grin.

"Before we part ways, how about a Pokémon battle?" Leon suggested, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Arthur's face lit up at the challenge. "You know what? I'm up for it! Let's do this!"

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