Take-Down

Today was the perfect day to start training. It was a cliché spring day. The temperature was average, the breeze was slight and the effervescent light was the icing on the cake. It filled the trainers with enthusiastic energy.

Orion nudged swablu awake, and it flew from his head to his shoulder.

"Swablu, we are about to take the first steps of our journey. I want to make sure you are awake so you we can experience this together." Orion took a deep breath, and started walking.

Swablu was engulfed with excitement. It flew up and started flying in circles. It was letting out joyful chirps.

"Alright, alright, come down and let's get started."

Swablu flew back down and perched itself on Orion's shoulder again. Orion reached around and took the Pokedex out of his bag. He turned it curiously.

"How do I turn this thing on?"

Swablu made a confused chirp then the pokedex flickered to life. The screen read Initial Start-up, and there was a bar being filled up as it was loading. When it was finished, it spoke in a monotoned, robotic voice.

"Swablu – The Cotton Bird Pokemon. Swablu is known to clean things with its cottony wings and to sing people and pokemon to sleep."

On the screen it showed a picture of Swablu and its base statistics, like its height, weight, habitat and its type.

"Whoa, now that's cool. Ok, now we need to find out where we're going first." Orion tapped a little map icon on the top right of the pokedex's screen. A map of the entire region popped up. It was labled with dots. If he clicked one, an information box would show up.

"Ok so we're right here, on Route 1. We probably want to go-"

"You're going to want to go to Ordinaria town. It's just after the next city. It has a normal pokemon gym. It's the easiest: for the beginners."

Orion looked up from the pokedex. A young man, just older than Orion was glaring at him. He was wearing a white, high-collared sweater, with the sleeves rolled up. He was wearing khaki pants, sunglasses and running shoes. He had a whate shoulder bag slung over one shoulder and a notebook in his hand.

"Oh, uh, thanks.."

The guy walked up. "Oh, sorry where are my manners?" He reached out for a handshake. "My names Maverick Polanski, but people call me Polan."

Orion slid the pokedex in his pocket and shook Polan's hand. "Nice to meet you: I'm Orion Grey."

"Ah, well, shall we begin then?" He reached for something in his bag.

"Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Uhm, a pokemon battle. That's kind of how these encounters work."

"Oh, sorry I'm new at this, sure, I guess." Orion said. "You ready Swablu?"

"Oh, so am I. I just got this pokemon from Professor Drago today."

"Wait, you mean you just started today too? But you're like sixteen, no offence."

"Ya, so? I felt I should wait until I was 100% ready before I started. It gave me time to mature and get a better education." His voice was shaky, but then became firm. "Now are we going to battle, or not?"

"Yea, let's do this. Come on Swablu."

Polan brought a pokeball out of his bag and it grew in his hand. "Beldum, let's go!" He threw the ball in the air and a red beam streamed into a pool just above the ground. A dark blue cyclops-like pokemon formed. It had three claws on the back and it jittered, almost like it was nervous.

Orion brought out his pokedex and it flickered on.

"Beldum – The Iron Ball Pokemon. Beldum sometimes gather in swarms and communicate with eachother telepathically." Orion read the type: steel and psychic, then put it back in his pocket.

Swablu flew to the ground and prepared itself. It hit Orion; he didn't know any of Swablu's moves. He decided to wing it and try his best.

"Beldum, use Take-down!"

"Wait, what? We started already?"

But before Orion could give a command, Beldum slammed into Swablu. Swablu flew backward. It clenched one eye, but then put its game face on. Orion noticed that Beldum also winced. Take-down does damage to both pokemon. Orion had an idea.

"Swablu, get in front of that tree and prepare yourself!"

Polan gave him the command again. "Beldum, use take-down!"

Beldum started flying towards Swablu at high speed.

"Swablu, dodge now!"

Swablu flew up just as Beldum was about to strike. Beldum missed and struck the tree behind it. It backed up in a giddy manner.

"Now Swablu, land on it and use peck, if you know how to do that."

Swablu perched itself on top of Beldum's body. Its beak started to glow and it started pecking at Beldum's head repeatedly.

"Beldum, shake it off!" Polan yelled.

Beldum started spinning and whirling its body around. Swablu flew off and came back and stood in front of Orion. Orion saw that Beldum was starting to look weak. It was floating faintly.

"Beldum, take-down, again!"

This time, Beldum wasn't nearly as quick or as powerful. Swablu dodged it easily and Beldum slid to the ground. It was K.O.'d.

"I think it's done man. Good battle." Orion stepped up to Swablu and grabbed it out of the air triumphantly. "And you! You did amazing!" Swablu let out a cheerful chirp.

Polan was walking over to Beldum, but was startled to a stop. Beldum started sliding on the ground, like something was pulling it. There was, just beyond the line of trees were two people, holding a gun-like object. It was a giant magnet.

Beldum slid and hit the magnet with a thunk. The people took off through the woods.

"Orion, please, I need your help. Come on." Poland said. He took off running through the woods.

Orion looked at Swablu with a confused look. "What the heck just happened?"