Onto Pewter City!

Rika and I head through the Viridian Forest. I slow my running pace because I realize she isn't as agile as I am in the forest. Eventually, we stop to rest. "Hey," I begin, "in response to your question in the center, I can understand Pokémon. I've been able to ever since I helped out an injured Mew, four years ago. By the way, why were you so freaked out back there?"

I looked at him as I caught up to him and he asked me the question. I wondered how to phrase it and then said, "I have some issues with the Viridian Gym Leader. He's my stepfather." I cringed in the memories he brought back to my mind. I hated the man's very guts and the worst part about it was I could take on several of my past gangmembers but I couldn't stand up against him. He was just too intimidating and powerful.

I hear her response, and still wonder about her. She has problems with her step-father, and she doesn't trust someone, who saved their life, enough to give them a fake name!? She's got serious issues. Just before I asked my next question, a Weedle and Cascoon appear in front of us, and they're looking for a fight.

I watched as the Pokemon appeared and said to Dante, "Looks like we've got company." I told Tepig, "Tepig, use Ember on Cascoon." Tepig jumped forward and shot fire out of its mouth towards the Cascoon. It hits the Cascoon head on and the Cascoon fainted.

I get up and Bulbasaur gets up and says to me, "Bulbasaur, Saur..."("Alright, a battle, finally...") I nod at Bulbasaur, "Bulbasaur, use tackle!" Bulbasaur charges at incredible speed, thanks to Chlorophyll. It smacks Weedle dead on, causing it to fly back. Then the Weedle attacks Bulbasaur with Poison Sting. It hits Bulbasaur, who cringes in pain. "Don't give up," I say to him, "one more time, tackle, let's go!" Bulbasaur charges at Weedle, hit him once more, causing him to faint.

Both Pokemon receive 6 exp

I smirked as we took down the Pokemon and said to Dante, "Great team work." Tepig looked happily at Bulbasaur and said, "You're not half bad actually." We had actually won our first Pokemon battle. I looked out at the forest and then back at Dante and asked, "What were you going to say again?"

I started to get very embarrassed, "I uh... um, i-it's nothing now." Damn it, that's not what I wanted to say. What I meant to say was I wanted to help her with her daddy issues. I really want to help her; she may be messed up a little, but we're all people, and I've vowed to help anyone I can. Bulbasaur looks at me and says, "Bulba Bulbasaur... Bulba, Bulba, Bulba, SAUR!"("A little tongue tied are we... hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, FAIL!")

I look at him, then just give it up, "Oh forget it. I won't stop your stupid little jokes." Bulbasaur laughs at me, then says, "Bulba Bulba Bulbasaur."(At least you know their jokes.)

I chuckled at his shyness and said, "Let's keep moving." It wasn't long before we came across a boy that looked as if he was trying to catch some Pokemon with a butterfly net. He spotted us and said, "Hey, the name's Rick. Let's have a double battle. He sent out two Pokemon.

I thought, 'Too easy, a Caterpie and a Weedle.' I exclaim to Bulbasaur, "Alright, let's keep luck on our side; use Leech Seed." Bulbasaur launched a seed from the bulb on his back. It hits Caterpie and sprouts all over it. The Caterpie uses string shot, and tangles Bulbasaur's feet in webs. "You can do this Bulbasaur, break free from the webs and use Tackle!" I say to my partner. He struggles to break free, and when he does, the Caterpie hits him with its own tackle attack. Bulbasaur skidded back a few inches, then charged at Caterpie. Caterpie was hit with full force. Caterpie skidded backward, then had its energy drained from leech seed. "Alright," I say to Bulbasaur, "let's finish him off, Tackle at full speed." Bulbasaur nearly flew as he charged for Caterpie. It landed the move, then the Caterpie fainted.

I watched as Bulbasaur took out the Caterpie and then I focused on the Weedle. I told Tepig, "Tackle the Weedle and then use Ember." Tepig charged at the Weedle and then jumped into the air spinning around and causing a spinning vortex of Embers going downward. When it came back down the Weedle was fainted. I looked at Tepig surprised and said, "Wow, that was awesome." Tepig smiled and raised its front leg happily saying, "Tep."

Both Pokémon gain 6 experience

I look at Bulbasaur, and he jumps up and down vigorously, "I guess your really excited about battling?"

"Bulba, Bulbasaur, Bulab, Saur."(Of course, I feel like I'm getting stronger by the minute, Dante.)

"Well," I say, "perhaps I need to get you in battles more often." Bulbasaur nods his head, and I pat him on the forehead. I then motion Rika to follow me once more into the darkness of the Viridian Forest.

As we continued along we came across two Pokemon in our way. I looked at them and they both stared angrily at me as if I was interrupting something. They turned to face us and then I sent my Tepig out in front of me. I told Tepig, "C'mon Tepig, use Ember on Metapod." Tepig ran to the other side of the Metapod and since the Metapod couldn't really move very quickly Tepig grabbed it with its front legs and positioned its mouth right over the Metapod's head and let loose an Ember. It fainted on the spot.

The Shroomish still stood. I look to Bulbasaur, who nods back. He rushes at Shroomish, clearly on instinct. He connects the hit. However, something happens to Bulbasaur. He starts getting drowsy, then falls asleep. Effect Spore! I shout to Bulbasaur, "C'mon bud, you gotta wake up!" Shroomish rams my sleeping partner using tackle, then it uses absorb to sap his energy. Bulbasaur wakes up at this time, weakened by the beating he's taken. Bulbasaur looks at the Shroomish with intense rage. He rushes at Shroomish, side-steps, turns, then tackles Shroomish, flat on the back. It seemed to damage more then regularly, because the Shroomish fainted instantly.

I smirked and then looked at Bulbasaur noticing it had been weakened during the battle. I take my backpack off and open it. I take out the Potion I had been given by Professor Oak and go over to Bulbasaur saying, "Here, Bulbasaur. You need this right now more than my Tepig." I hoped it would help Bulbasaur to feel better.

I stare at Rika, astonished at her reaction to Bulbasaur's weakness. "Thanks, but," I said to her, "you really didn't need to do that." Bulbasaur hesitates, then takes the potion and chugs it down like a bottle of water.

I stood up when Bulbasaur was finished drinking the Potion and said, "Actually, I did need to do that. We're going to be in here for quite a while still and so we need our Pokemon to be at full strength. We can't have either of our Pokemon fainting while we're in the middle of training them." I looked at Bulbasaur and said, "I hope you feel better." I then walked onward towards Pewter City until we came across a boy similar to the one we found earlier. He looked at us and said, "You looked at me funny. Let's battle!" I looked at him confused and then said, "Ummm, okay?" I sent Tepig out and the bug catcher sent out two Pokemon. He sent out two Weedles.

I placed my head and my forehead and sighed. "Okay then, I guess?" Bulbasaur looked at me, pumped up and ready to go. I tell him, "Bulbasaur, use tackle on anyone you see fit." He charged at one of the Weedles, and slammed into it head on, causing it to faint. I pat Bulbasaur on the head, "Good job, little dude." Just then, the bug catcher sends out a Kakuna. I say to Bulbasaur, looks like our battle ain't over yet."

I look at the other Weedle that is still raring to go and I tell Tepig, "Charge at the Weedle and Use Ember on it. Then use Tackle on the Kakuna." Tepig charged extremely quickly at the Weedle and used Ember. It surrounded the Weedle in flames and then let lose one last flame right towards the Weedle making it faint. It was then hit in the back by Kakuna with a Poison Sting. It injured Tepig but not a whole lot. Tepig then charged at the Kakuna with a Tackle attack and slammed its body into it causing the Kakuna to fly back a little bit. It was hurt badly but still alive.

I decide to finish off Kakuna, "Bulbasaur, use tackle to finish it off." It slams into Kakuna, causing it to faint.


After the battle, Bulbasaur brings out his vines. They have gotten a bit longer than before. "Buuuulb,"("hmmmm,") he says then starts to whip the ground near Tepig with his vines. "Bulba, Bulba, SAUR!!!"(Dance, fire type, DANCE!!!) he yelled.

Now I start to discipline Bulbasaur, "Bulbasaur, stop it right now!" I bring Bulbasaur back in his Poké ball. I consider this a punishment for him, because he hates being in the poké ball.

I looked at Tepig and said, "Great job." I then said to Dante, "Let's keep going. I'm ready to battle someone else now." I continue walking and then we come across a Pidgeotto and a Ledyba. The Pidgeotto shrieked angrily at us and swooped into attack but I dodged right at the right time. Shocked, I say, "Holy crap." I say, "Come on Tepig. We have to give this a try."

I bring Bulbasaur out of his Poké ball. He looks up to find the Pidgeotto stare at him. He squeals, then runs to hide behind a rock. I kneel next to him, "Hey bud, what's up?"

"B-B-Bulba Bulbasaur, Bulba!"("P-P-Pidgeotto gonna hurt me, help me!") he stuttered.

"Don't worry, you can take him, and besides, we can start on the Ledyba. Rika's Tepig might help us anyway," I reassured him. I didn't like seeing him so afraid of types that trump him. But I guess that fear is rational. I tell him, "Bulbasaur, tackle on Ledyba!" He jumps up to hit Ledyba. It hits and it spirals out of control to the ground. "Alright, use vine whip to finish it off!" He hits Ledyba repeatedly with his vines. Soon, Ledyba faints. Before I can tell him to watch out for Pidgeotto, he gets swarmed by a gust, leaving him weak. "BULBASAUR!!!"

Without me telling Tepig to, he charged at the Pidgeotto and jumped on its back pinning it to the ground. It yelled at the Pigeotto, "Tepig, Tepig, Tep, Tepig!" It then used Ember on the Pidgeotto and its wings caught on fire. I smirked and said, "Alright, here's my chance. I threw a pokeball at the Pidgeotto and it disappeared into it with a flash of red light. It started to shake and it seemed to continue shaking forever. Finally, it dinged and I walked over to the Pokeball now holding Pidgeotto. I picked it up and placed it in the second slot on my belt. I looked down at Tepig and said, "You did wonderfully."

I go to a nearby tree, and pick at least five Oran berries. I give two to Bulbasaur for him to eat. He nearly swallows them whole. He gets up slowly, "Bulba Bulbasaur. Saur Saur Bulbasaur?"("Thanks Dante. Where's that Pidgeotto?)

"Rika took care of her," I tell Bulbasaur.

"Bulba Bulba!"("Wait, Bacon Strip beat that little birdie!") he said.

"Uh, no. She caught her."

"Bulba, Bulbasaur, Saur, BULBA!!!"(Oh that's good, wait, WHAT, DON'T TRUST HER!!!)

"Oh stop being so afraid."

I looked at Bulbasaur after I had fed my Tepig an Oran Berry and said, "There's no reason for you to be scared of me. I'm not going to hurt you... possibly. Scratch that, there's a 95% chance that I won't hurt you." I smiled at him. I sure had changed a bit since I had first set off. Maybe having someone around me was changing me for the better.

I continue to embark in the forest with Rika following behind. As we move along, I see another of those bug catchers. He challenged us to a battle; I knew this was going to be an easy battle.