Chapter 2
Bulbasaur heard something rustle in the bushes. He had learned that any moving thing that was not his family was an enemy. It certainly was not his family, for they were all gone, so he ran from whatever lurked in the bushes. Bulbasaur heard other Pokémon among the trees and repeatedly faced the same decision: should he fight or run? Had his family been with him, he would have been able to fight most Pokémon if they attacked. But on his own, he was afraid. He was still a little Bulbasaur and not a very strong fighter. Bulbasaur kept running if he heard anyone approach.
The sun crept downward, and Bulbasaur's pace slowed. "Saur…" he panted. He searched the area and found a large decaying tree. Bulbasaur crawled into the gnarled roots and curled up to sleep. The branches overhead reminded him of his mother and gave him some comfort that night.
The morning light and a swarm of Beedrills flying by caused Bulbasaur to wake. He stretched and cautiously looked around before leaving the shelter of the tree. Some foraging in the shrubs rewarded him with a bushel of Oran berries. He quickly ate them before another Pokémon could discover him or his food. Bulbasaur trudged onward.
"Bulba," he uttered in regret. Where was he going and why? What did it matter without his sister and parents? The further he went, the flatter the ground became, and the space between the trees grew. "Bu?" he commented at the sounds he heard in the distance. He paused to listen.
Bulbasaur could hear dozens of Pokémon cries and the shouts of humans. He ventured slightly closer to see what was happening.
"Bulbasaur, go!" someone commanded.
The order startled Bulbasaur, but he soon realized that the human calling was not speaking to him but to another Bulbasaur. Another Bulbasaur! Could it be? "Sau?" Bulbasaur asked and crept even closer. He darted into some tall grass where he could watch the source of the racket. Bulbasaur saw many humans in a dirt field sending out Pokémon to attack each other. One of the Pokémon in the group was indeed a Bulbasaur.
Bulbasaur's head drooped. "Basa," he sighed. The Bulbasaur on the field was not his sister. He did not know whether to be relieved or disappointed. He remained motionless as the humans used the Pokémon to battle; mostly out of fear of being discovered, but partially out of curiosity.
He became startled again when a human shouted "Bulbasaur, tackle!" and the Bulbasaur on the field obeyed. Bulbasaur calmed down and kept observing the Pokémon battle from the safety of the grass.
Bulbasaur could not help but be impressed by the humans' power over their Pokémon. The humans led the Pokémon with their voices. Most of the words Bulbasaur did not understand. Or so he had thought. The more he listened, the more he noticed certain attack patterns and behaviors from the Pokémon. Attack commands were easiest to recognize. Tackle, Growl, Poison Powder, Bulbasaur guessed correctly at what the captured Bulbasaur would do to obey. The humans used different words on different Pokémon, and were able to guide them in the battle successfully.
Before long, the humans gave a final command, and the Pokemon returned to the terrible orb prisons that Bulbasaur had just recently learned to recognize. The human group then walked toward what looked like rectangular mountains in the distance, and Bulbasaur was alone again.
Bulbasaur was afraid, but part of him wanted to see the humans again. He had learned so much just by watching and listening. Perhaps it would help him protect himself in the dangerous lonely world he now knew.