Valiant Emblem:

Chapter 1: Strawberry Butterfree

Have you ever disliked bug types?

For once, I was afraid of getting close to one. Or run away at the first sight. I had that ever since I was a kid. The name is Motto, thirty two years old, masculine gender, status: single, Scholarship: Master's Degree.

I'm a biology geek and my friends are just like your ordinary rural friends. Let's just say that I live in a poor country. I had a lot of my younger days escaping my poverty through my studies and dedication. Twelve to sixteen years later, I became an influential icon to my family. Too bad I can't use my geeky side when I'm outside of the university. My region, Hati, is a nature loving country. There aren't a lot of modern cities that are closely related to Goldenrod of Johto. Sure they're nature loving to. But Kanto kind of ruins the natural forestry and tourism. It's just my place is somewhat undergoing through an economical repair after last year's flood disaster, and political burglary of Hati's natural property.

Hati is a natural tropic region with a government respected by other countries entitled as "The most conservative in pokemon and natural biodiversity." Like Hoenn, the laws are strict when the topic is all about the pokemon and their environment. Sometimes, if you are migrating, you have to undergo through foreign registration, even if it means migrating for the sake of education. They always have a port ready for people who rather live the big dreams of whatever they want. I see a lot of kids that are trainer inspired. But me…

I'm a freelance photography writer.

My main job has been photojournalism. I recently returned to Hati from the big city of Unova as a Pokemon Environmentalist and a Photojournalist a week ago just to have a break with my family. That is reason number two. There's no need for me to write about my family ever since that experience.

Why did I return here you ask? What I came here for is that 'Johto biologists' are currently holding a certain festival for only thirty six contestants region wide. This unique festival travels worldwide today. But it all began when the Silph Company president built a special festival for those who cannot travel to Hoenn's or Sinnoh's Contests, or Unova's Musicals and Pokestar studios. I decide to check this place out because I receive the festival's invitation letter from one of my friends.

On the registration, all of us want to join in this festival. I'm a naturalist like person, the kind who is okay walking on the muddy roads of the countryside. That was my life before; eating wild berries with pokemon when I'm too famished to even buy a human meal.

One of my old pals thought that it would be a new pokemon discovery. Quite surprising eh…

My best friend, he thought that this year, new bug type pokemon will be featured on the grand opening. Just my luck, entomophobia is what I learned from Unova University. "Hey Motto, is that…?" one of my pals tells me that they see a shadow of sorts struggling in the forest nearby the road we are crossing.

"Pal. What does it look like? I can't see well without my glasses. Tell me!" my Biology geek ego is kicking me and my mouth once more.

"Well…."

"Great! I forgot to buy a new one from that store!" Sigh, this is a problem with the glasses I'm wearing now.

"But you said that it is broken Motto! You even apologized to the store owner herself!" My other pals, to what I could see in a blur, would be a lavender-like thing. It's kind of straight looking too with a somewhat curvy look at the back. I couldn't outline it enough that all I could see would be my two pals carrying it towards me. I hope that whatever pokemon it is would be okay.

"WE got it! We got it! This thing seems to be bleeding a bit but not serious." My second pal said.

"Does it have any pokerus?" I ask.

"Poke-what? Simple English please!" Ughh. I hate my pals for not pursuing such a knowledgeable opportunity.

"Is that creature sick? Is it affected with a virus?" I ask again.

"I think. We have to bring this fella to a hospital." My best friend starts acting like a dramatized person. Oh I'm not falling twice to that old bag of his.

"Why?!" I demand to others whenever I'm not wearing glasses.

"I'm afraid … it must be struck by something that knocked this pokemon our cold. We found this pokemon stuck and pierced by a small pointed wood from a fallen tree branch." Just great, that last sentence slaps me to the face. It's okay since I get use to this if my pals are truthful. Not being truthful acting.

'Oh just great! Either a wild chansey, or audino would help us now. Unless we are near the river, alomomola works too.' I thought as to what pokemon it could be. 'If it's a venonat then arceus please don't. Moths, and worms would be the last thing I'd rather not see.'

"Are there any pokemon clinics near our location?" knowing that I said clinic instead of center, is that they are not that informative with the latest technology. Hati is a country that barely changes, very respectable ever since the human population began to rise excessively elsewhere. Maybe genocide of the poor people who are lazy; NOT the poor who are determined to become someone worthy and escape poverty like myself. That helps too though I could get killed if that were to happen.

"Fine," I said sternly, "Just place it on top of my head if it is a flying type and lightweight."

"But … but … uhhh." Are my pals just idling there? Geesh!

"Just do it!" I regret saying that phrase once they place it on top of my head

Oh my gosh! My hair feels like being dumped by something juicy or squishy. "Eeeeeewwwwww! This is gross! If only I could move it out of my head."

"Sorry that this creature is quite blood stained and squishy but we've got to-" I hate my friends too at times. They gave me some miserable pranks before.

"If I can interrupt your emergency, how 'bout you come with us?" A man of somewhere in the forty's is calling us. "You, the cameraman, use this shades. Don't look up on your head. Or we will lose a pokemon's life. We have no first aid kit."

"A pokemon on top of my head?" Well that is adorable. If it is just NOT gooey!

"Sure..." facing forward as I leave out a sigh, the older man approaches me replacing my worn out glasses with his shades that are black. Nice for now. But during the journey, it is creeping toward my face as if it wants to look at me. Freaky, but I said to myself, 'note my phobia'. Oh Jirachi please this better not be a bug.

After a long walk to the main road, we enter a tent house with the Pokemon Center logo and pick ourselves a break from the nearby wooden chair. The stranger picks up the pokemon hanging in my head. I'm glad it is out of my head. When I scratch it, I hook something silky like a string. I just dump it on the floor without a care. Just too gross! Sleeping for a bit will relieve my head.

Hearing the chime hanging on the nearby door some minutes later, the man who led me to this very place comes out. This hospital tent of sorts is the necessity that hikers and travelers use out of civilization; not that I mind about it though. He removes my glasses and gives me a properly fixed one with clear, fiber glass.

"My apologies for disturbing your time. But we're thankful for your help." Now that I can see him properly, he must be a sort of modest rich guy doing whatever he can living a simple life from the way he's dressed up with a forestall tourist clothing. His accessories don't look like the kind that Black City offers. Unlike many fancy pants I've met way back in Unova.

"No problem. Just doin' what I think was right. The name's Motto Lokomo anyway." I said.

"Wait a minute. You are our thirty sixth competitor!" Me? A competitor?

"What! Hold your tongue Sir? What do you mean I'm a competitor? I never registered to this!" This is absolutely a random day for me to hear someone entitling me as a contestant.

"Welcome Mr. Motto! We've been waiting for you to join this biodiversity contest! Oh where are my manners, I'm Professor Zark Landmore; producer and manager of the contest." We enjoy our hand shaking for a while. If you ask me, I never expect this kind of course to meet. Fate I guess. He turns around to an open window tent and tells to me as to how I become a contestant. It seems the moment I took that electronic tablet letter when I was still in Unova, my profile was automatically registered. All thanks to my friends.

According to him, unlike pokemon trainers, you don't need any pokedex if you can't afford it. But Pokedexes are optional if you want to have a full study of the species you're studying.

"Professor Zark? What's this contest all about?" I ask him while I grindingly chew up a sugar cane stick. Think of it like an edible cigar minus the health risk. It's a sweet biscuit.

"This show would be to show the natural behavior of bug type pokemon," Oh no! "And this pink bug you rescued, Is a kinder version of Agehunte. You are an environmentalist right?" And with that, I faint like a pokemon beaten up in battle as my eyes are twirling dizzy in fear and shock. Bugs EVERYWHERE! I don't even care about the faint voices echoing from this crazy professor.

"Freeee…" Oh gosh. What? I wake up at a presence of a butterfree lying on my forehead as I tried to regain my composure. I'm glad that humans are not bug food. Beedrills, Beautiflies, and Scolipedes say otherwise.

"Free?" It flaps away from my head when the old guy stands up. Something tells me that this bug pokemon is playing with its wings like a little kid above me.

"Oh dear. You have entomophobia." Professor Zark said to me in a grimly voice.

"Oh my Gosh. A butterfree. A female one too. Like Grovyle's loved one. Why me little butterfly? I'm no Grovyle quality for you. I'm not pro beastiality." I am so grim with bad luck today. I swear I'll give them a smack if I have the chance.

"Freeee…" I just tilt my head to dodge it. No way am I letting it lay on top of my head twice.

"It seems to trust you; you know what? This should be your contest pokemon." he passes me an advertisement paper of his contest.

"Contest pokemon? I don't get the point of it. And why should I?" I sigh once more.

"WE are planning to make professional pokemon trainers from around the world appreciate bug type pokemon. Specifically, barely used bug types." Geesh, he's like a breeder, a fan and a trainer rolled into one. Not that it's bad. It's not my cup of Moomoo milk.

"For pokemon battles?" Oh no way I'm ever fighting. I never EVER had been on a pokemon battle.

"Yes. Encountering a shiny one is amazing. You could win our special prize." Now Zark expects me to win? Geesh. How unkind of you.

"What price?" I wasn't reading the advertisement paper he gave me.

"Check it again." I looked once again at the ad. It says, 'Want to test your skills as a bug type user? Come join the Valiant Contest! For a limited time only! You could win 50000 Pokedollars. Show to the world the potential of under-appreciated bug type pokemon!' "Why not just apply an ordinary battle instead?"

"I won't answer that. It's merely about business," thanks prof. "I'll test your knowledge though. How many fully-evolved bug type pokemon are recently discovered?" Quite easy.

"Thirty six Adult aged pokemon."

"Correct," Alright. "Second, who are Johto's most popular bug type duo often used by expert pokemon trainers?"

"Heracross and Scizor," Too easy, yet I find it so bad that I drop my guard this time as his butterfly lands on top of my head again. "I give up. This bug just turned me to a nest."

"Correct again," Yeah, it's obvious that their secondary types aid them than giving them trouble. But this annoying butterfree… "Final Question. What's the species name of the Sun pokemon?"

"Volcarona. The moth like being from Unova." Really? As I'm about to walk, butterfree flies off my head: flying in the nearby garden of flowers. 'My, that thing's fast.'

"Let's follow that Butterfree for a while. Wouldn't you mind?" leaving the tent, he runs along the road in pursuit of the bug I've rescued. As nervous as I was to bug types up until now, I force myself to follow him.

Once I find Zark near the river, I shout to call him, "Professor Zark!-" I hear him only sigh. On his left is the pink butterfree shedding some tears.

"Tears? It's crying? What happened? It better not be me the reason I've hurt it." I ramble inside my head "Professor, why are you silent? And why is it crying?"

"Watch the butterfree's eyes as I ask you this," I look at this weeping bug. It took me a while since I'm afraid of butterfree. "Remember when you said the word Volcarona?" Immediately, the butterfly sheds more tears facing away from me.

"How does that word hurt this one? It's not like saying the name could fry her. If it did, I'll be glad it did."

"Oh Show some empathy contestant!" Crap, vad way to introduce yourself to him. "This one must be a female Motto. Plus, on the biological pattern of its movements, a Volcarona must have burned its home. Maybe it flew away too far that it landed exhausted where you and your pals are going."

"fffrrreeee…..freeeee…"

"Why are you looking at me in the eye?" I ask the little butterfly with a puzzled look. That is her eyes glow and my mind is invaded by a telekinetic force. "She can use psychic moves goshdarntoheck."

"butter…..freee…." my mind says that name over and over despite the fact that I want to stay away from it. My entomophobia instincts are supposed to be driving me in fear now. But my mind and eyes are like seeing things instead. Visions are blowing up in my view. What is this girly bug showing me? A Volcarona?

"Butterfree, is this, your tale? Don't' manipulate me! Stop! Stop!" Everything goes so fast that I thought this pokemon bends me to its will. I could see a burning forest and pokemon running everywhere trying to escape the flames. Some of them are horrifying to the bone: dead pokemon bodies, even a group of Bellossom turning to ashes. They weren't alone though, humans with their fellow bug type pokemon died. All thirty six adult bug type pokemon are nothing more but dust leaves me really disturbed. Until, I could see none other than a volcarona burning everything in its path.

"Motto! MOTTO!" my world just gone shaking wild until everything falls apart. "What did this butterfree show you?" As I snap out of my mind, I could see the forest again. Butterfree is looking away from me while I gaze in shock recalling nearly everything this BUG induced inside my mind. The moment it turns away at me, it flies away.

"Whew. I just have to check on ya. Sometimes, there could be cases where even harmless bugs like butterfree become harmful to those who are helping it." What? Not only in parenting? But innocent ones too? How does Zark know this?

"I thought … only beautifly have that tendency. It's the opposite of butterfree. Gentle, caring, easy to approach, you know the details. There is NO WAY a butterfree will suck up my blood!" I said to him. But I am happy that this wild pokemon left me for good.

"Hhmmmm. That's a possibility…."His questioned expression is mixed with confusion and a foggy misunderstanding.

"What are your plans today Motto?" I'm not sure on how am I supposed to help him. "If you got no ideas, Can you do a favor for me?" A favor?