Five nights later.
"Natsuhiko, I'm hungry." Ono blinked her bright eyes.
Even by the campfire, her pure eyes were unshielded.
"Almost ready."
Natsuhiko nodded while flipping the roasting meat in his hand.
He looked at the girl beside him, toying with a Pokeball, staring eagerly at the sizzling meat on the fire, as if she couldn't wait to take a bite.
After Natsuhiko repeatedly emphasized, Ono had cleaned the dirt off her, tied her hair up, and changed into clean but obviously oversized men's clothing, quite different from her prior ragged wildman appearance.
Looking at her now, she finally resembled a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl.
One must admit.
Aside from her exceptionally bright eyes and healthy wheat-colored skin, Ono has the potential to become a beauty just from her features and contours.
These days, she has been following Natsuhiko with her Hakamo-o.
Helping in battles and asking questions that seem like common sense to Natsuhiko.
Natsuhiko didn't hold back, teaching her like a teacher instructing a student, saying everything he knew.
Allowing Ono to learn a lot.
For example, she learned about the existence and purpose of Pokeballs, that Awu's real name should be "Hakamo-o," and the bad guy's name is "Hydreigon," and so on.
Their relationship has become much closer than before.
Ono is very straightforward, but she's not a blank slate.
She just has a straightforward personality like many wild Pokémon, avoiding roundabout things due to her life surrounded by Pokémon.
The exchanges between Natsuhiko and her are quite relaxed.
And through their exchanges, Natsuhiko learned something about her.
The names "Ono" and "Awu" were given by someone Ono called "Aweng."
He should've been an elder who passed away long ago.
Many of Ono's life skills were taught by him.
Including her dragon-taming ability.
Even.
The Hakamo-o could also be considered the elder's Pokémon.
After he passed away, he entrusted Ono to Hakamo-o.
Hakamo-o has dutifully fulfilled its responsibilities and duties.
For Ono, Hakamo-o is not just a Pokémon, but even akin to a brother, with a very close relationship between them.
Finally.
The meat is ready.
Natsuhiko gave Ono more than half.
Her appetite is much larger than Natsuhiko's, and she eats much faster too.
Fortunately, since she joined, Natsuhiko has prepared a lot more food each time.
"Natsuhiko, we haven't gone to that part of the forest ahead, Awu and I." Ono casually wiped the oil off her mouth and said.
"Haven't gone there?"
Natsuhiko chuckled as he watched her gaze fixedly on the meat in his hand.
In the end, he gave her a bit more.
"Yes, because Awu doesn't like going there."
Ono didn't hesitate, happily accepting the meat and munching it down again.
"Doesn't like it...." Natsuhiko repeated quietly.
He looked at the distant forest.
In the night, the forest should've been entirely dark, but it was enveloped by a faint glow, dreamlike and ethereal.
He initially thought it was just some fireflies in the forest.
Now it seemed more complex than that.
A Pokémon's instinct is quite sensitive.
Especially the stronger the Pokémon, the more sensitive the instincts.
He shoved the last piece of meat into his mouth, propped himself up on his knees, and slowly stood.
"Where are you going?"
Ono blinked, slightly curious.
Natsuhiko patted her head and smiled, "I'm going to take a look. You and Awu should rest here tonight; most nearby Pokémon have been cleared, should be no danger."
Upon hearing this, Ono hurriedly shoved the remaining meat into her mouth and stood up.
"We'll go too."
"Roar—"
Nearby, Hakamo-o, who had just been lounging by the campfire, also stood.
"No, you rest here. I'm just going to check things out; if it's what I suspect it is, you and Awu might not be able to help much," Natsuhiko stopped her.
"We're really strong..."
Ono was about to object but was interrupted by Natsuhiko.
"I know you're strong, but do you remember what I told you before?"
"What?"
"Attribute suppression between Pokémon." Natsuhiko squinted at the hazy, picturesque forest and spoke slowly.
"Attribute suppression..." Ono lowered her head a bit awkwardly.
Fiddling with her fingers, she was muttering things like "Rock type suppresses Flying type, Ice type suppresses Flying type, Electric type suppresses Flying type..."
Listening to her full of "Flying type," Natsuhiko twitched his lips.
He wondered why of all the attribute suppression relationships he discussed, Ono remembered Flying type the most.
Perhaps...because Hydreigon can fly, and Hakamo-o cannot.
This kind of knowledge is basic for Natsuhiko and most Trainers.
The "Aweng" Ono mentioned had slightly mentioned some knowledge of this to her.
But in Natsuhiko's view, Aweng might've stayed in this Rayquaza's alternate space for countless years, possibly never been to the outside world, so his teachings were a bit fragmented, only passing on some of his accumulated experience to Ono.