ENTRY TWO

Long story short, we trained a while before entering Viridian Forest and, surprisingly enough, I wasn't the one who had to deal with getting a new recruit this time. I got to sit back and watch for a change. I must say, it was satisfying to watch Natalia get her tail kicked. And by a bug, no less.

You're probably wondering why I'm not really mad at another teammate. Well, honestly, I think he's kind of cool. Metabee, a little Weedle who found himself against a huge primate, never faltered for a second, not even when he'd been bruised in almost every part of his body. He was fearless. Admirable, compared to the wild and weird girls on my team. Mostly Natalia. And plus, her confused face when he wouldn't give up and run was totally worth it. "Why does orange venom-spitting bug not scram," indeed.

Jesse fussed over his state a bit once Lockley caught him, calling Metabee a "poor, damaged baby" as she flew him to the Pokémon Center. I kind of wished I was the one flying, too, but not for Jesse's company or anything. Of course not. Why would I? Flying is cool, is all. But I'm getting off topic. What I'm really trying to say is that I was both completely unsurprised and shocked beyond belief when I realized I wanted to check in on Metabee and see if he was okay, too. Lockley patted my head as she saw me going towards him, and even though I'm the toughest Squirtle to ever be born in all of Kanto, that kind of made me happy. If I'm going to be party leader, I may as well get used to it.

Also, I used that opportunity to trip Natalia on the way there. Her face! Bet she can't make that expression on her own free will!

"So… Metabee, right?" I sat down next to our new teammate. He opened his eyes from where he rested and nodded at me, and suddenly I felt uncomfortable. I'd never dealt with a boy pokémon who was captured from the wild; the foster Eevee who nursed me and my Bulbasaur and Charmander 'brothers' was the only previously-wild pokémon I'd known up until travelling with Lockley, and she was obviously a girl. Metabee looked at me in a way that was both expectant and noncommittal. "Uhh, you were—were great out there." I gave him a smile, but I think it looked more grimacey than anything. "I like your style, pal."

Nice work, genius. You must look so dumb right now. Totalize him!

He nodded again. His voice was soft, but firm. "I endure."

"But you were relentless. You never backed down."

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," he mused, giving me a kind smile as best he could with his bug-like face. He looked so cool! Maybe I could get used to a partner after all. "I'm close to evolving," he continued, "and once I evolve again, I want to be as strong as I can be if I want to father a family."

That kind of surprised me. I foamed a bit in confusion. Yes, that's a habit of mine; think nothing of it. "A family? But girls are… I mean…." At that moment, I saw Jesse perch on Lockley's head, nuzzling her and letting out a giggle, the two of them looking innocent. Whenever Natalia approached Lockley, I got angry, but not with Jesse. She needs something to perch on, I think, is why. I couldn't finish my thought anymore. "We're young, aren't we?" I asked, huffing.

"I'm a big-picture pokémon," Metabee replied. "Thinking about things that happen a long time from now reminds me that this, too, shall pass. All things do in time."

I crossed my eyes. All the riddle talk was starting to annoy me. "You sound like an old guy."

"Even your taste in girls," he added, a whirring click to his voice that sounded kind of like laughing. I gaped at that unthinkable concept.

"What?!"

He kept making the clicking noise as he crawled away, swishing his tail in salutation, and I was left with aggravated, bubbling foam leaking through my lips against my will. I may respect the guy, but I guess that doesn't exempt Metabee from making me upset.

TRAVELING PARTY:

1. Totalizer – Squirtle – Male – Torrent – Naughty (Level 8)
2. Natalia – Mankey – Female – Vital Spirit – Quirky (Level 6)
3. Jesse – Pidgey – Female – Keen Eye – Quirky (Level 6)
4. Metabee – Weedle – Male – Shield Dust – Brave (Level 6)

PC POKEMON:
None

DECEASED POKEMON:
None