"——Audino?"
Inside the Poké Ball, Audino stared blankly at the struggling Eerie Doll it held in its hands, mentally jumping back and forth between wrestling it and trying to escape.
"The Poké Ball keeps shaking; does it not want to come back with us?" Jas asked, looking at the bouncing Poké Ball.
"I don't know." Shane scratched his head a bit awkwardly, then took out the remaining Poké Balls. "It's okay, if it comes out, we'll just try again with the others."
Joy had actually told him that if he could wear down a Pokémon's stamina, it would be easier to catch them.
"Alright," Jas said. Just then, the Poké Ball finally stopped shaking.
This was followed by a soft ding signaling a successful capture.
"——Did it work?" Jas whispered, staring at the Poké Ball.
"Seems like it."
Shane, who didn't know much more about Pokémon than Jas did, slowly walked over and picked up the Poké Ball from the ground. He then recalled how others used Poké Balls and pressed the button.
"I choose you——" Shane paused, deciding to check the Pokémon's name at the Pokémon Center later.
A flash of red light swept by. Audino sat blankly on the ground, looking at the Cursed Doll it had finally subdued in its hand, struggling to accept the fact that it now had a Trainer.
It then looked up at Shane.
"Au... di... no..."
You don't look like much.
You don't look like you have the strength to command me. Thinking this, Audino lifted its head proudly.
Bringing Audino to the Pokémon Center, Joy gently took the Poké Ball. She then helped Jas, who was leaning on the counter, confirm its name.
"Yes, it's an Audino," Joy continued. "Some Pokémon Centers in Kalos also employ Audino as assistants. It's a very gentle Pokémon."
"Really?!" Jas happily looked at Audino, who was being treated at the bedside nearby.
"Audino!" Audino immediately lifted its head haughtily.
"Audino!"
"Ah, there are these kinds of Pokémon too," Joy continued. "Because they can't trust their Trainer's strength for the time being, they don't really listen to their Trainer's orders."
"Then what will make it listen?" Jas asked, standing on her tiptoes. "Do we have to fight it?"
"Generally speaking, Gym Badges also serve as proof of strength," Joy thought for a moment and said.
"Do Pokémon recognize the badges too?"
"Well, not exactly." Joy wasn't quite sure how to explain it. "Anyway, every Gym has a corresponding level. Defeating a Gym Leader itself means you have the strength to conquer Pokémon of that level."
"Then I want to challenge a Gym too!" Jas said happily, raising her hand.
"No," Shane refused without even thinking.
Joy glanced at Shane and smiled at the disappointed Jas. "I heard today is your birthday?"
Seeing Jas nod, Joy pulled out a set of cards from under the counter and handed them to her. "These are Pokémon cards. Although they can't instantly identify which Pokémon you've met like a Pokédex can, you can find them yourself if you work hard at it. Consider this a gift."
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome." Joy then whispered, "When you're old enough, you can sign up for the Pokémon League here, and then you'll be able to get your own Pokédex."
"Like Ron's?"
"Like Abigail's," Joy answered.
Remembering Abigail's talking Rotom Dex, Jas cheered again.
Shane didn't say anything. He looked at Jas and was just about to hold her hand and walk toward the door when Linus ran in from outside, looking a bit anxious.
"Au... Audino—" Linus paused. Seeing the reluctant-looking Audino following behind Shane, he slowly swallowed the rest of his words. "You caught it?"
"Yeah! It's going to be our family from now on!"
Looking at the cheering Jas, Audino tilted its head up and snorted.
The kind-hearted Audino certainly wouldn't be like some of the more vicious Pokémon, abandoning its Trainer just because it was dissatisfied with them. But it hadn't been caught willingly either. If it hadn't been momentarily careless while wrestling the Cursed Doll, it would still be free in the forest, acting as its forest doctor.
"——So will it have to stay at the ranch with you from now on?" Linus asked.
"Of course!"
"Audino!" Audino shook its head vigorously.
"As I thought." Linus took a deep breath. Not being very familiar with Jas or Shane, he thought for a while before wording it carefully: "But the forest still needs it. The untreated Pokémon in the forest also need its care."
"Really?" Jas turned her head to look at Audino.
"Audino." (Yes.)
"——" Jas immediately hung her head. "I thought we were going to have a Pokémon."
"The Pokémon in the forest are taken care of by this child." Joy mused. She had indeed encountered some bandaged wild Pokémon before, though she had no memory of treating them herself. She thought for a moment and came up with a compromise for Jas.
"How about letting Audino work at the Pokémon Center?"
"Audino?" Audino looked at Joy.
"Every day when you go to school, Audino can come to the Pokémon Center and help me take care of the injured Pokémon. When you get out of school, you can come pick it up and take it home."
"Is that okay?" Jas looked at Audino.
"Audino." Audino thought about it. Even though it could tell Jas was willing to let it go, it also sensed a hint of loneliness in her that shouldn't belong to someone her age, so it agreed to Joy's proposal.
Jas became happy again and threw herself into Audino's arms.
"So great, so great! You'll be with me from now on."
"Audino." Audino hugged Jas back. Then, it looked at its nominal Trainer, Shane, who was looking its way.
"Hmph!"
"Seems like it doesn't like you very much," Joy said with a smile.
"That doesn't really matter, as long as Jas is happy." Shane said, remembering how Jas had mentioned being lonely earlier. He patted her head apologetically. "When we have time in the future, Marnie and I will make more time to spend with you too."
Meanwhile, Sailor frowned on the side.
"Rattata?"
Going by this situation...
Does it still need to free up time on weekends to play with Jas?
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