A Classic Hoenn Tale
A blast of air followed Brendan out of the Rustboro City Pokemart. Five new pokeballs gleamed on his belt in the afternoon sun. The darkening sky alerted Brendan to the time; shopping had taken longer than expected.
The limited edition Premier ball had only been released a few days prior, however Brendan's previous attempts to acquire one had ended in failure. It was not by chance that he had succeeded on this particular afternoon.
Brendan ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. He winced as the metallic watch on his wrist caught the fading sunlight, blinding him with the reflected rays. A gust of wind carried faint cheers to Brendan's ears. The city was always quieter when Roxanne had a challenger. Brendan smiled at the memory of his battle with Rustboro's Gym Leader, as he began to make his way down the cobblestone path towards Route 104. The Stone Badge, the prize given to all who defeat Roxanne in battle, was nestled snugly in his badge case in his bag. Lying next to it, the Knuckle Badge- the reward for trainers who have cleared Dewford Town's Gym.
He had hoped to run into May during his trip to the city, but he had spent the afternoon alone instead. She had probably stayed home helping her father with his research. May's father, Professor Birch, was a large and gentle man who spent most of his time observing Pokémon in their natural habitats. Although, he could often be found dozing discreetly in the shade of some of the larger trees surrounding Littleroot.
As Brendan walked, his stomach gave a hungry growl. The walk south out of the city wasn't long, but the journey home was a lengthy one. He groaned at the thought of it on an empty stomach. Suddenly, his face lit up. He'd spotted some berry trees the other day whilst chasing a Tailow nearby.
The berry trees swayed softly in the slight wind. Brendan had walked east, skirting Route 104's lake located just south of Rustboro. The massive body of water had made accessing the city from that direction difficult, until the wooden bridge that now spanned it was erected, courtesy of Devon Corporation. Brendan considered the best route to the berries. His exploration had brought him to a narrow strip of grass, cornered against the lake's edge by thick vegetation. Ahead of him, roughly one meter above eye level stood the berry trees. A steep embankment separated Brendan from his targets. He reached for the first pokeball clipped on his belt.
"Go Vigoroth" Brendan said as he wielded the ball.
There was a familiar click, and a bright flash of red…And Vigoroth stood before its trainer. The Pokémon was ape-like, and covered in coarse white fur. Standing, it reached Brendan's shoulders. Its long arms, tipped with a pair of razor sharp claws each, almost reached the ground. Two more claws could be seen on each foot. It had large brown eyes, circled by dark fur, and two small fangs stuck out on either side of its huge mouth. In addition, a tuft of red fur quivered on its forehead, as the Pokémon seemed to be incapable of staying still.
A lone cloud sailed smoothly across the diming sky above the pair, its twin mimicking the journey on the lake's still surface. A short moment passed before Vigoroth looked up, locking eyes with its trainer.
"Vigoroth" Brendan said, his eyes never leaving his Pokémon's- exactly how his father had taught him. "I need you to pick some berries for me from those trees" He pointed behind Vigoroth, causing it to turn around.
With an excited bark, it bounded easily up the hill, its long limbs giving it good purchase on the steep slope. Once there, it nimbly started picking berries, taking care not to target only one tree. Soon after, it had a heaped pile of berries in its hand. The descent was as quick as the climb, even with one hand delicately holding the picked berries. Brendan smiled at his Pokémon's dexterity. It wasn't so long ago when Vigoroth had been a Slakoth, and the contrast between the two evolutions couldn't have been greater.
"Thank you" Brendan said to the restless Pokémon before him, as it transferred the picked goods to Brendan's outstretched hand. Once there, he divided the pile in half and offered one to Vigoroth. The Pokémon, whose eyes had never left Brendan and the berries, gave a short bark in thanks, and eagerly accepted its reward. In one fluid motion, Brendan detached its pokeball from his belt, and with a flash and a click, Vigoroth returned to the ball.
Streaks of purple and yellow filled the sky, as the sun slowly made its way across the horizon. A flock of Wingulls flying high up appeared to be chasing the giant ball of light, their wings flapping slowly in unison. The lake rippled lazily as a gust of wind coming from the city disturbed it. Brendan's footsteps echoed loudly across the water, as he began to walk on the bridge. His berries momentarily forgotten as he travelled to his destination. The water reflected his journey on its mirror-like surface, the occasional ripple distorting the image. About halfway across the bridge, Brendan stopped and sat. He carefully placed his pile of berries next him, feet dangling just above the water, and watched the sunset.
Some time passed before Brendan realised he had a visitor. His silent companion's head stuck out of the water within spitting distance, its small, intelligent eyes shifting nervously between Brendan and the diminished heap of berries next to him. The head looked very large, and it took Brendan a moment to distinguish the actual head from the broad fin on top of it, in the fading sunlight. On each cheek, it had an orange, star-shaped gill, which differed nicely from the Pokemon's blue skin. The rest of the Mudkip's body was hidden beneath the dark surface.
Brendan, taking care not to make any sudden movements, dropped a berry near his watcher's head. The treat and the head both disappeared from sight, a bunch of bubbles the only sign that the Mudkip was still there. After a moment the head emerged once more, its black eyes now focused entirely on Brendan, the meaning clear.
By the time Brendan's berry supply ran dry, the Mudkip's eyes were half closed, its movements sluggish. Its hunger thoroughly defeated, it was prepared to sleep off its meal. Brendan reached for one of the new pokeballs hanging on his belt.
"Would you like to come with me?" Brendan asked the small Pokémon, holding up the ball to make his meaning clearer.
The Mudkip gave a soft hum in response.
Brendan walked home some time later. One more Pokémon in his party.
