I felt the muck tugging on my boots as I squished through the swamp. They were caked in it, I was sweating from the humidity alone, and the smell of rotting vegetation hung thick in the air. I was barely ten metres into the wasteland and I was breathing hard and my legs were tired simply by walking. I looked back, Brookmount still in view in the distance, I could see rooftops poke out from the hills and I thought maybe the field was a better idea; maybe I should just go back. I looked down at the red and white sphere in my hand and I saw my dreams flash before my eyes. Me in some fantastical stadium, a winner's trophy, and the world still ahead of me. If I was going to get strong I needed to wade (literally) through the worst, the strongest Pokemon didn't live where it was easy or along the path. I turned back to the swamp, the dead trees stood tall and thin like obelisks, surrounding me, spread out through the entire swamp, watching me, this was my first test. I continued to move at a good pace, ignoring the ache in my legs and the sweat on my brow, I am not leaving this swamp until I am the proud trainer of a Pokemon.
But alas I have spent about half an hour here, and haven't seen one sign of life. Perhaps I was just wrong about what I thought lived in the swamp and I would have better luck someplace else. I sat on a fallen log and began to plan my next move, I couldn't just sit here, but I don't think I'm going to find anything here, but I need a place where most people wouldn't catch a Pokemon, I need to stand out above the rest. My head was spinning and I was lost. I took out the Poke Ball again and stared at it hard for a few minutes, hoping to find the same inspiration as before, trying to picture what could be inside it. Just then something shiny caught my peripherals, I looked over and saw a rock covered in sludge, I had decided not to sit on it because it was wet and muddy. But something was poking out of the mud now and it was smooth and silver. I went over to the odd rock and wiped some of the mud on it and it had a metallic feeling. The rock was large, up to my waist and wide too. It was curious that a metal block would be in the middle of the swamp so I kept attempting to uncover it, but then it began vibrating and rumbling.
I took a step back, kind of afraid, and it shifted in the mud, knocking much of the mud covering it loose now showing a dirty completely steel boulder. It lifted slightly off the ground and the mud and soil close to it and even 15 feet away broke and shifted and bumped up. I considered just running, but I couldn't resist this mystery. Another much smaller metallic stone revealed its self about 10 feet to the right, poking out of the dirt, and then it all stopped moving and the ground stopped shaking. I froze, waiting for what would happen next. 10 seconds passed, and then the smaller shape that emerged began to rise, revealing a line of metallic stones growing in size eventually reaching the one that I had come across, then more of them after that, bigger still began to magically rise from the earth. The string to my right went back down to the ground and seemed now to be pushing into it, and as it fell the other end of the line rose up, the largest yet, some of the shapes spun and had long spikes jutting out. I was stunned and afraid, and then the line rotated so that the raised half was parallel to me. The largest stone split in two and began to emit a large grumbling noise.
I had realized what I was standing before and realized I should have run when I had the chance. Two more spots on the stone became clear of mud as more openings revealed themselves, these ones were organic and familiar, large white eyes staring at me. I had attempted to uncover a Steelix. It roared loudly looking directly into my eyes and began to move towards me quicker than I would have thought a Steelix could move (especially through a swamp). I turned and ran; there was no chance of me catching it with my Poke Ball so I ran as fast as I could. The mud weighed me down, I was dehydrated and tired from even getting this far, but my legs didn't stop. I was moving on pure adrenalin, and I could hear Steelix's body digging a trench pushing through the dirt and mud easily and destructively. Another roar pierced my ears and shook my body; suddenly everything went black and white. A black beam of interlocking rings went by and hit the ground nearby me. It missed thankfully but suddenly I was knocked down by a wave of energy that came from the impact of the beam. I looked up, dazed and winded, color slowly fading back in and Steelix still grey and hovering right above me. It opened its mouth and this time a purple beam similar to the previous one began to fill its mouth, I realized it has been using dark pulse on me; this was no ordinary wild Pokemon.
I didn't have time to turn and run and I was out of options, in one final hail marry I yelled back at it at the top of my lungs and stood to face it which seemed to catch it off guard. I took the moment I had and threw the Poke Ball at it. It bounced off its head and the large steel snake seemed annoyed, but then the red light surrounded it and it disappeared into the ball. The ball fell and hit the dug out ground in Steelix's trench. I waited focused on the slight beeping coming from it, then it burst open in a bright light and revealed an even angrier but somewhat confused Steelix. That was it, that was my one chance and it failed. I got ready to attempt to dodge the coming attack when suddenly Steelix was hit by something. Three cords flew from the air and wrapped around some of its body segments. I looked to the right in unison with the giant Pokemon to see a military helicopter on the other end of the cords. Steelix angrily roared at the helicopter but seemed to think it was a bigger threat then me because it dove down into the ground quickly.
The helicopter got tugged closer as Steelix dug down and I could see a black H painted onto the side with what seemed to be a painting of a rising sun behind it. But then I realized the helicopter was falling towards me, so I found the strength to get up and run again. I ran as far as I could then looked back. The helicopter was almost on the ground and the cords were still being pulled farther into the hole meaning Steelix was still digging and winning the massive tug-o-war match. Right before hitting the ground the helicopter impressively released the cords, which disappeared into the crater, and recovered and flew off into the distance as if nothing happened. I was quite confused and stood dumbfounded by my luck. I guess someone out there was on my side today.
I was at the end of my stamina. I went and picked up my empty Poke Ball and prepared to give up. If anything I would go home now and come back tomorrow to find another strong Pokemon, but I had had it for the day. I walked slowly back through the swamp following my own footprints in the other direction, leaning on dead trees when I got tired. It seemed I would never again reach solid ground. I sat on a stump and closed my eyes for a moment. I was covered from head to toe in mud, my sweating had increased even more and I forgot to bring any water with me. I began to feel light headed and faint. If I just close my eyes for a minute, maybe even take a power nap, I'm sure I'd be able to make it home. Soon after succumbing to my weakness I passed out and fell hard into the mud, and nothing had ever felt more comfortable.
I was shocked awake by an extremely cold splash of water and jumped up noticing that the sun was now setting. Oh no, how long have I been sleeping? How long have I been knocked out is more like it. I looked down and saw a small blue amphibious creature smiling up at me. Its two orange sensors on its cheeks twitched around, probably sensing me. The little Mudkip tilted its head and gave me an adorable smile capped off with a wink. I suddenly felt slightly weaker and much more attracted to Mudkip, it had used captivate on me! She must like me if she is using moves like that.
A sudden blast of water launched from its mouth hitting me hard and knocking me back down. It would have been a refreshing way to cool off and clean up if the pressure wasn't so immense. That was too powerful for a water gun, this wild Mudkip just used hydro pump. This was about as rare as it gets, I absolutely had to catch it. It didn't seem interested in fighting and I didn't have any Pokemon, so I reached into my bag and took some lettuce off of my sandwich and held it out. Its orange feelers tilted back and forth like radar, and then it quickly took the lettuce from my hand and happily munched it. Powerful, rare, and cute, this Mudkip would be mine. It looked at me and excitedly called its name and hopped once. I had no more lettuce but it seemed to like me, so I picked up the Poke ball and held it out as well. Judging by how it used its feelers to detect me and the lettuce I figured if I suddenly threw the ball at it, it would lose its trust for me, so I let it check the Poke Ball out too. It did for a while and then smiled up at me again, I suppose judging it to not be a threat.
So I tapped it on the head with it. Mudkip quickly flinched back but realized I hadn't attacked it and smiled again as the red light blanketed it and then it was gone. I watched the flashing light on the ball and it felt like an eternity, if it decides it doesn't like it in there I have no way of battling it. I had never been more nervous. I practically almost passed out again when the flashing stopped and the final beep went off. The ball shrunk again in my hand and I was a trainer. I didn't have the energy just yet to celebrate, but the excitement was unbearable. I began my walk back home, the first step of my journey now pushing my feet to take more.
When I finally reached the edge of town I attracted some strange looks, I bet I did look odd, muddy, sweaty, limping slowly through town clutching a Poke Ball in my right hand. But I didn't care if people pointed and wondered, because what they would soon find is that I entered the swamp lost, and I left it with a destiny.
