Hey, guys! Little slower on the update since I'm currently studying abroad, but that doesn't mean I'm not brainstorming for this story! I'll hopefully have another update by Monday, if I can write another chapter by then to stay ahead. Thanks for your kind words, and please keep them coming! They're very encouraging! Don't be afraid to leave constructive criticism, too! Thanks!
July 2nd, 1996 (9:45 AM)
The morning was still on Route 2 in the Kanto Region. Life had begun to stir several hours earlier, but one young man in a sleeping bag seemed to deny nature's wake-up call, so nature had to ramp up the power of the morning.
Either that or a Weedle crawling on Red's face sufficed to wake him.
"Blegh!" He blurted, rocketing himself out of his sleeping bag. The little worm Pokémon looked like many brown spheres connected together, with a barb on its hind end, beady eyes, a large red nose, and a monstrous horn on the top of its head. Fortunately, this particular Weedle didn't seem interested in a fight, as it had scampered off.
"Good thing it's gone. I'm almost out of antidote." Red muttered to himself. Weedle's horn was known for being toxic, and while not fatal, proved to cause damage to muscle cells in humans and Pokémon alike.
"Morning, Leaf," Red called out, only to be answered with soft bird-Pokémon calls and the wind buffeting the trees. "Leaf? Where'd you go?"
He walked toward the makeshift fire pit the two had made the previous night, which had since died out. He found what appeared to be a piece of paper near the small pile of sticks they had used for kindling.
"Did she already leave…?" Red mumbled to himself as he opened the yellow notebook-paper letter. It had a short message scrawled out on it, but Red could immediately recognize Leaf's curvy and feminine, yet firm handwriting.
Red,
It's about six-thirty in the morning, and I decided to get a move on without you. After all, it would be bad if we stayed together too long. Don't worry about me, I've got Bulbasaur and Nidoran with me, so I'll be fine. The forest is really big, but there's a definite path. Follow it and you'll be in Pewter City in no time.
Don't sleep in too late, Mr. Slowpoke! I'll have my first badge by the time you even get to the gym, I'll bet~!
Take care!
Leaf ;)
Red sighed as he folded up the note and put it into his backpack. He figured she would pull something like this, but it was probably for the better, honestly. Kanto's stupid laws were stupid, and they prevented him from traveling with his best friend. The nerve of those lawmakers, and of Leaf! She had equated him to one of the most dull-witted, stupid Pokémon in existence!
"The nerve!" He chuckled to himself.
After freshening up, Red set out on Route 2. He still felt sticky and sweaty from yesterday, but he knew that once he reached Pewter City, he'd be able to freshen up at the Pokémon Center, provided there was a room available. Since Viridian's Gym was currently unoccupied, Red couldn't obtain his first gym badge as soon as he'd like. Nonetheless, he knew all about the current seven other gym leaders in the region. He honestly couldn't be ignorant about them even if he tried, because they were basically celebrities. The first of the seven that he knew of was Brock, in Pewter City. He was famous throughout the region for his focus on defensive battling, a trait that no other gym leader really used. He used rock-type Pokémon, which had high physical defense and could shrug off basic attacks like Scratch or Tackle. He even knew that with his current team of Pokémon, he would either have to train hard enough, catch another member that had an elemental advantage over Brock's Pokémon, or hope for a miracle. Since Charmander was a Fire-type and Pidgey was a Flying-type, they both were vulnerable to Rock-type moves.
"I need to find a water-type or something...Leaf and Blue picked the starter Pokémon better for the job." He grumbled to himself as he hiked. He suddenly realized why Charmander was "hard to raise", according to the professor. It had an elemental disadvantage to the first two gym leaders!
As Red mulled his situation in his thoughts, he came to the gate leading to the forest. Kanto had many gates between the routes, as they were areas provided where trainers could rest and take a load off from walking so much. Red and Leaf hadn't passed through one between Route 1 and Viridian since Pallet Town was such a hick town and isolated from Kanto. He had been walking for about an hour and figured that it was time to stop and take a break.
The tile floor of the gate was a nice transition from the soft grass, and Red quickly found a chair to sit in. The gate wasn't much, just an open area with chairs, a couple vending machines, and a counter where a guard would sit behind during the night hours. He, a younger-looking boy, and an old man were the only people inside.
Red pulled out his water bottle from his backpack and sat down, staring at the white void of a ceiling above him. He wanted to catch a new Pokémon in Viridian Forest, but the only ones that appeared were all bug-type, meaning he would be strapped with yet another Pokémon weak to rock!
That is until something came crashing through the double doors.
It was small, yellow, and moved on all four legs. It had a tail shaped like a lightning bolt, long yellow ears with black tips, and red, circular cheek marks. Red immediately recognized the Pokémon. It was a Pikachu, one of the most well-loved and idolized of all of them. It was adored as a pet, but it was also a decent fighter. It was an electric-type, meaning that it would be able to do some damage against Brock's Pokémon.
"Get back here!"
Before Red could say anything, a young man clad in a tank top and shorts barged in, carrying a large net. "You're mine, Pikachu!"
He produced a Pokéball from his belt, and with a grunt, lobbed it at the poor creature. Pikachu's expression hardened from neutral to aggressive, and in a blink of an eye, whirled around and smacked the ball back at the poor trainer with its tail. The ball would've made contact with his face, but he ducked in time, letting it crash into the wall, shattering.
"Aw, come on!" The Pikachu ran out and disappeared from sight. "That was my last ball!"
The younger boy who had watched the whole thing laughed. "Nice try, but that Pikachu is one tough customer! You're better off finding a different one, man!"
"Tough customer?" Red walked up to the two boys. "What do you mean?"
"It's only that one Pikachu, but nobody's been able to catch it, like, ever!" The boy with the net sighed. "I felt lucky today and decided to look for it, but it played me for a fool! Guess I should just stick to bugs."
Red smiled, drawing the two boys attention. "Maybe I'll catch that Pikachu. It certainly does sound strong."
The boy with the net shrugged. "I don't know, man. Just keep your eyes peeled for it since there are other Pikachu in the forest."
"How can I tell the difference?"
"Oh, that's easy. The Pikachu you're looking for has a tiny notch in its tail, right at the end in the center. It's hard to see from far away, but if you get close enough you should see it."
Red nodded, walking back to grab his bag. "Thanks for the tip." He turned back to the boys. "What's your names?"
"I'm Rick, and I like to use Bug-type Pokémon!" The boy with the net replied, brandishing it like a weapon.
"I'm Sam. I don't have any Pokémon yet, but I want a Rattata! They have a really powerful bite attack! It's wicked strong!" He laughed.
"Nice to meet you guys. I'm Red, from Pallet Town. I would stay longer, but I have to get through the forest so I can challenge the Pewter City Gym tonight. Hopefully, we'll see each other again!"
Red waved goodbye to the boys, knowing that his next challenge was looming ahead like a storm cloud: getting through the forest.
He had to do it, though. For Mom, for Leaf, and for himself.
July 2nd, 1996 (11:30 AM)
The temperature change was the first thing Red noticed, as it had cooled him down substantially. There was little direct sunlight, as it was blocked by the umbrella-like trees; instead, there were little patches of sunlight here and there along the grassy paths. There were multiple paths, but they were enshrouded in trees and taller trees, where wild Pokémon would normally reside. The whole forest was misty, too, since it was still morning.
Red decided to continue along the dirt path for as long as possible. He figured that the dirt would give way to tall grass, and he and his Pokémon would have to fight their way out. Sure, Bug-type Pokémon weren't too much of a threat, but Weedle could use its horn to afflict its toxin on other Pokémon and even humans. Luckily, had purchased multiple antidotes, which were medicine for poison inflicted by Pokémon, beforehand. He felt like he could take on an army of Weedles and their poison stingers.
As Red trudged through the tall grass, his thoughts went back to the Pikachu that had so effortlessly evaded that boy's attempt to capture it. He had always seen Pikachu portrayed in movies and advertisements as cute, chubby, docile, and honestly pretty stupid, but the Pikachu he had seen then was sleek, fierce, and had an indescribable fire in its eyes; it had a fixation for combat, and while he hated to admit it, he was interested.
Even though it was daytime, Viridian Forest wasn't the pleasant place many people thought it was. Darker, drearier than the outside, since the sun was almost completely blocked, and the scattered noises of the life it teemed with made the forest seem like it would swallow its trespassers. If he stopped for a moment, Red could hear the chirping of bird Pokémon, the flapping of insectile wings, leaves crunching underfoot of other creatures, and even the dripping of yet-to-be-evaporated dew drops on shaded tree leaves.
"Hey, what's up?"
Red was pulled from his thoughts by a young man, dressed in a sleeveless tank and a straw hat, carrying a net. "Wanna battle?" He said. "I just caught a new Caterpie, and I wanna see how strong it is."
"Sure." Red pulled out Charmander's pokeball. "Hey, do you know where the north exit is, though? I'm in a bit of a hurry."
"If you beat me, I'll tell you!" The young man winked.
"You're on!"
It wasn't really much of a battle at all. It was more of a curb-stomp, for the Bug Catcher, that is. His Caterpie and Weedle were both smoked and scorched by Charmander's ember attack. Bug-type was a great matchup for Fire-type since it was advantageous.
"No way! I wouldn't have challenged you if I knew you had a Fire-type!" The boy sulked as he handed Red his prize money. Trainers who lost battles gave prize money to the winner, with a minimum of 50 dollars. Dollars, or Pokémon Dollars, as they were officially called, was Kanto's currency. Red had saved up some money before he left Pallet Town, but had already used most of it stocking up on items for the forest, much to his dismay.
The boy sighed. "You're strong, though. The path is pretty straightforward, but you'll have to lean west, then north. The exit is at the top right corner of the forest."
"Thanks. Sorry for demolishing your Pokémon, though." Red chuckled.
He shrugged. "I was on my way home anyway, so it's all good. Good luck!"
The young man scampered off as Red continued his trek, filled with uncertainty and trepidation. He figured that the young man he just battled wouldn't be the last one he battled that day.
By the time an hour had passed, Red had been exactly right, and he hated it. He battled four more trainers, much like the first one, and they carried the same manner of Pokémon: Caterpie, a small, green worm-like creature with a two-pronged red horn on its head, and Weedle; their evolved forms as well were used, Metapod and Kakuna, green and yellowish cocoon Pokémon. Bug-type Pokémon were extremely fast to grow and develop, but they were generally weak fighters, and more suited to casual trainers and hobbyists. Between how they were weak in combat attributes, and how Red carried two Pokémon with elemental advantages against Bug, the battles were a breeze, and Red could feel his Pokémon getting stronger.
After his fifth battle, Red decided to stop and rest on a mossy tree stump. If he was going the right way and the young man from earlier had gave him correct directions, he was close to the exit, which would lead to Pewter City, and in turn his first Gym badge. The water in his bottle had warmed, leaving a nauseous feeling in Red's stomach as he drank it all. He had also spritzed Charmander and Pidgey with a potion, just to make sure they were in good shape.
"You guys feeling okay?" Red asked his companions.
Charmander growled, with what appeared to be a toothy smile, and Pidgey chirped softly, his feathers barely moving in the gentle breeze. The latter had grown quite affectionate, and would sometimes rub his face feathers against Red's hand. They were soft, yet resilient to the touch.
"Okay, back in you go," Red returned his friends back to their pokeballs, and with a grunt, stood up. His legs were becoming sore again after hiking, especially since he and Leaf had gone six miles yesterday.
Oh, yeah, Leaf...Red thought to himself. He thought about her often, whether he liked it or not. She had gone ahead of him, and was possibly battling Brock at the moment for her first badge. Red knew that she would have a much easier time with Brock than he would, having a Grass-type Pokémon like Bulbasaur. Grass-type was advantageous against Rock-type, after all.
As Red turned what felt like the twentieth corner that day, sure enough, he could see a straight path leading to another gate, its stone and steel fighting against the creeping vines and trees of the forest. He had made it in just under two hours! It was perfect!
His silent reverie was cut short by rustling in the pocket of shrubs and trees nearby. It wasn't little baby rustles, like a Caterpie was busy eating. It was strong shaking, accompanied with growls and buzzing noises.
Red wasn't prepared for what came next. A loud crackling noise like a snapped power line assaulted his eardrums like a coiled snake, accompanied by a large flash. Red covered his eyes to avoid being blinded.
Red ran into the underbrush to see just what was going on. Maybe it was a trainer in trouble, or someone trying to set fire to the forest, but the flash and crackle from earlier sounded very much like an Electric-type attack.
The only Electric-type Pokémon in the forest was Pikachu.
Red tried to run through the underbrush, but it was so thick off the path that he had to be careful where the stepped, to avoid tripping. He pushed saplings and branches away, watching every step as he ran deep into the unventured part of the forest. Within seconds, he came across a clearing, where he witnessed an amazing sight.
It was the Pikachu from earlier (he could tell because of the little notch in the middle of the tail) was locked in combat with another Pokémon that Red didn't recognize. It was large, insectile, and had a plump, yellow and black abdomen with a stinger. It's head held two beady compound-eyes, sitting like rubies in the face of an expressionless ancient artifact, and instead of forelegs, it had huge, sharp lances for hands. It's body was supported by its white wings, which looked like thin, lacy honeycombs.
Red pulled out his pokédex, which identified it as the final stage in Weedle's evolutionary line: Beedrill. It was a vicious Pokémon, and attacked anything that entered its territory. From the looks of it, it was attacking Pikachu for that very reason.
"Pikaaa!" The yellow Electric-type cried out as it unleashed Thunder Shock, a weak Electric-type attack. The beedrill was repelled, but that didn't stop it from rushing Pikachu, ramming its lances at it furiously. After four or five blows, they were too fast for Red to count, Pikachu collapsed, exhausted.
We have to help it, Red thought. Then again, he could take a side and capture both, but which would he rather take? The infamous Pikachu from earlier, or a run-of-the-mill bug Pokémon that wouldn't help against Brock at all?
He had another idea.
"Charmander!" Red called out his own fighter, his own weapon, to the front line. Charmander immediately grasped the situation, the natural fighter he was, and attacked the Beedrill with an embers from its mouth.
The Beedrill's compound-eyes began to flicker, as if they were loose light bulbs. Red saw this as an opportunity to catch it, and with a swift motion, grabbed a new pokéball from his pocket and lobbed it at the giant insect, where it hit its mark and sucked it inside.
The Pokéball rolled, and Red rushed to Pikachu's side in the meantime, preparing a potion. Charmander was still at the ready, poised to launch more smolders at it when it would break free, but it never did. The ball hummed, and stood still. Beedrill was caught.
"Nice!" Red ran to claim his prize, all the while his pokédex updated with more detailed data on his new team member. Red clutched the ball in his hand before clipping it to his belt. Would he keep Beedrill with him? Maybe, but considering how Bug-type Pokémon had a hard time against Rock-type ones, he was hesitant to do so. Currently, his foremost concern was Pikachu.
He turned back to the yellow, lightning-tailed creature, its body bruised and bloody in some places. It was trying to stand up on its four legs, but failing to do so. Red took the potion he still clutched in his hand, and crouched down to Pikachu's level.
"Hey," He spoke to it, much like he would a toddler. "This'll help, I promise."
Surprisingly, Pikachu let Red apply the medicine to its body, but held a glare the entire time. Once its wounds melted away, it became more affectionate, letting out soft squeaks as it nuzzled Red's legs.
"Hey, you can be nice if you want, can you?" Red placed his hand on its head, scratching lightly. It's fur was very short and fine, but soft and almost...rubbery. It's tail and ears were firm and pointed, the former like a lightning bolt.
"You wanna come with me?" Red asked.
Instead of a verbal response, Pikachu opted to jump on Red's shoulder. While light, it was a new weight that pushed him down, but didn't prevent him from moving.
"You feeling better, Pikachu?" Red asked his new friend.
"Chaaa…" He yawned. Red took that as a yes as they moved back to the forest path to the exit. Red could feel his excitement bubbling up as the leaves crunched under him. He had caught not only the infamous Pikachu that had been regarded as "uncatchable" in the Viridian Forest, but he had also nabbed a fully-evolved Pokémon as well. Nonetheless, Brock's gym still loomed over him like a shadow, a predator ready to ambush. Despite his expanded team of Pokémon, none of them had advantages against Brock's own Pokémon. It would be a tough first gym battle, but not impossible. He wouldn't let it be impossible, because he had to people to prove things to: Blue and Leaf. The former he would show his strength, and the latter he would protect.
I just hope I can make it in time for today's openings, Red thought.
July 2nd, 1996 (2:52 PM)
Route 2 had also extended past Viridian Forest slightly, so Red had more walking to do than he thought. Luckily, it wasn't wooded and hard to traverse, rather soft and grassy, but also teeming with trainers practicing with their Pokémon.
"C'mon, Kakuna!" A young trainer shouted his battling Pokémon. "Poison Sting!"
"Keep right and use Ember!"
Charmander had really grown so much in such a short time, it was beginning to frighten Red a little. He had grown from a naive, tottering Pokémon into a fierce battler, with quite the penchant for fighting. Red could've sworn he had grown bigger, too. Red was also noticing the flame on Charmander's tail was beginning to randomly increase in size during battle. Was it a sign that evolution was close?
Evolution was a mysterious process that humans have never been able to understand. A large majority of Pokémon are able to evolve, and when they do, they take on a different form entirely and gain new abilities, but are still the same individual on the inside. Red had learned in the trainer's school that when Pokémon are close to evolving, they begin to behave oddly, or their body starts to do strange things. Pidgey hadn't been acting strangely at all, still affectionate, but strong, and Pikachu, while having an arrogant disposition and fragile ego, was quite capable. Red hadn't sent out Beedrill, for fear that it would attack Pikachu again.
The foe's Kakuna fell, charred to crisp, but still alive.
"Ugh, I can't win!" The boy cried as he recalled his toasted cocoon. "You're pretty strong, but don't get cocky. Brock's Pokémon wipe the floor with Fire-types."
Red received his prize money from the young man and continued. The path was still straight and grassy, but that meant that wild Pokémon could attack at any time, and sure enough, Red couldn't take ten steps without being attacked from above.
"Scraw!" It was the cry of a bird Pokémon, Spearow. It was short and red and black, with a curved beak and angry eyes. It was far more aggressive than Pidgey, who would only fight if it was forced to do so. Spearow was wildly territorial, and would attack humans and Pokémon alike.
"Charmander!" Red released his Fire-type Pokémon for combat, and it attacked without command. Embers scattered, repelling the small bird. However, it didn't give up, opting to dive-bomb Charmander with its beak.
Struck and now angry, Charmander lashed out with its claws, but it didn't seem like a typical Scratch technique. While it may have been the sun reflecting off of them, Charmander's claws seemed to...glisten? They shined like the polished steel hull of an aircraft carrier. It was only for a split second, though.
Red couldn't think much of it, though, as the battle had ended as quickly as it started. The Spearow, collapsed in a charred, beaten heap, stood up with shaky legs and ran off into the tall grass.
"Return, Charmander," Red recalled his Pokémon in a flash of light, and continued on his way. Pewter City was in sight, and that meant his first battle with a Gym Leader. It also possibly meant he'd see Leaf.
As if Red himself had dictated fate that day, he was met with his smiling friend from Pallet Town as soon as the sliding doors to the Pokémon Center opened.
"Red!" She tackled him in a hug. Red stiffened, but quickly returned the hug. She was soft and warm to the touch. "You made it, doofus! I was beginning to think I'd have to come and get you!"
"Hah, I'm not that bad, Leaf!" He replied, embarrassed. "I even found some new Pokémon, too."
"Great, I'd love to see them in battle, but first," She gestured to the receptionist. "You should freshen up. You kinda stink, dude."
"H-hey!" Red was really embarrassed, now. "You don't have to point it out!" He whispered through his teeth.
"Would you rather have me point it out, or a stranger?"
"...you…"
Leaf smirked. "That's what I thought! Now go and shower, boy!"
Red's face burned with humiliation as the receptionist giggled, handing him the key to his room. "She's quite the firecracker, isn't she?"
"Yeah, she's something, alright." Red chuckled back half-sarcastically.
Red took off his clothes and put them in a heap beside the twin-sized bed in his tiny room, and eagerly stepped into a hot shower. It didn't take long for him to scrub clean, especially since he knew that Leaf was waiting for him. He felt almost like a kid at Christmas, having to endure an activity before opening presents.
After drying off and putting on new clothes, which were his other pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, underwear, and his sneakers, he took his belt of four pokéballs and stepped outside, where Leaf was waiting.
"Feel better?" She asked, a sly glint in her eyes.
"Yeah, of course. Are you staying the night?"
She shook her head. "I was thinking about heading out to Mt. Moon this evening, because there's a Pokémon that comes out more often at night that I want to catch."
"Which one?"
"That's a sec-ret~!"
"Ugh, seriously?"
"Don't be such a stick in the mud, Red." She suddenly came close to him, her face mere inches from his. She wasn't wearing much makeup, and her blue eyes bored into him like drills. "Besides, we have something more important to do, right? Let's battle!"
Red would've turned her down that morning, but after the day's events, he was feeling satisfied and optimistic about his quest so far. "You're on!"
Red was feeling optimistic, until Leaf showed him her new badge.
"That's right, I beat Brock! It honestly wasn't that hard, 'cause of Ivysaur." She chattered as she skipped ahead of him.
"Wait, Ivysaur? Bulbasaur evolved?"
"You bet! He's much stronger, now!"
The found an empty lot that the nearby residents said they could use for a battle, as long as it didn't get too crazy. It was dusty and grassy, but perfect for a short battle with weaker Pokémon.
"Use all of your Pokémon, Red." Leaf laughed as she pulled out own pokéball.
"Sure, just don't go easy on me 'cause I don't have any badges, Leaf." Red smirked, tapping Charmander's ball on his belt in anticipation
"Sure thing, dude. Ivysaur, go!"
She threw the ball underhanded, and it released her first Pokémon that she ever received. However, it had since evolved. While Bulbasaur was small, Ivysaur was a bit bigger, and its bulb had graduated to a bigger, pinker unblossomed flower with large fern petals on all sides. Its features were also more mature, with thicker legs, longer fangs, and narrower eyes.
"Charmander!" Red sent out his own starter Pokémon. The little orange lizard took its place on the field, knowing that this was an important battle.
"Ember!" Red took the first move. Charmander was quick to launch its smoky, smoldering attack at Ivysaur, his opponent was no slouch. Ivysaur wasn't fast, but it wasn't slow, either. It managed to dodge most of the attack, but still took a glancing blow.
"Ivysaur, Leech Seed!" Leaf commanded. The quadrupedal Pokémon aimed its bulb as Charmander, blasting a bundle of green vegetation at him. It struck, and slowly grew and wrapped around Charmander, glowing all the while.
"W-what is that?" Red asked out loud.
"It's a health-draining attack, remember? It steals Charmander's health and gives it to Ivysaur. Crazy, huh?" Leaf's hands found her hips as she admired her partner's handiwork.
"Charmander, shake it off!" Red commanded, but it was no use. Charmander's claws couldn't cut it, nor could it pull it off.
"You have the advantage, Red! Why aren't you attacking?! 'Cause if you don't, I will! Ivysaur, Vine Whip!"
She wasn't waiting for my turn, Red thought. Ivysaur summoned green vines from around its bulb and with a sharp snap, brought them over Charmander. While the attack was elementally not a good choice, the difference in battle attributes between the Pokémon was certainly evident.
"Charmander, no! Come on, use Scratch!"
Shaking off the lashing, Charmander charged in, raking its claws over Ivysaur's face and body. It seemed to have some effect, since it went sprawling backwards.
"Ivysaur, do it! Poison Powder!"
Ivysaur shook its body, releasing a noxious cloud of purple dust in the vicinity. Charmander, since it had been so close, was caught in it. Charmander's constitution immediately changed, and he bent over, turning green.
Ack, he's poisoned, Red thought. I don't have time to heal, though. Gotta attack!
"Charmander, Ember again!"
Recovering momentarily from his sickness, Charmander launched another volley of embers at Ivysaur, hitting his mark this time. The embers stuck to Ivysaur, dealing more damage. Despite that, he was still standing. It must be the Leech Seed that's keeping it in the battle, Red thought.
"Ivysaur, wrap this up with Tackle!" Leaf ordered.
Despite its slow appearance, Ivysaur was more than capable of running, and slamming into a target. Charmander went flying back towards Red, landing just a few feet from him, unconscious.
"C-crap…" Red muttered as he recalled his Pokémon. You did good, buddy, he thought.
"Not bad, but not good enough, Red. Show me what else you have!" Leaf called, petting Ivysaur on its broad, green forehead.
"Pidgey!" Red summoned his small bird Pokémon, which flapped to stay airborne. He knew that grass-type Pokémon were weak to flying-type Pokémon, so it he would finish off Ivysaur with Pidgey.
"Nice choice, Red, but it won't guarantee a win." Leaf snickered. "Ivysaur, Leech-"
"Quick Attack!"
Pidgey launched itself at a blinding speed at Ivysaur, smacking it aside. Quick Attack was a lot like Tackle, but it was almost sure to strike first. Ivysaur was heavily damaged; it stood up, panting.
"All right, I hate to do this, but use Sleep Powder!"
It was the same as Poison Powder, except it was green. Even in the air, Pidgey wasn't safe, and soon crashed to the ground, fast asleep.
"Pidgey, no! Wake up!"
"Vine Whip, only stronger!"
"Saurrrr!" Ivysaur's vines came out faster and thicker, but maybe it was just Red's imagination. Red learned about abilities that Pokémon have at the school, and he also knew that the three Pokémon Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle had abilities that boosted the power of their Fire, Grass, and Water-type attacks when they were low on health. He knew this now, because he witnessed it. Pidgey woke up, but only rolled over, unconscious and unfit to battle.
This is bad, Red thought. His two strongest Pokémon fainted relatively easily by only one of Leaf's. That Ivysaur was a force to be reckoned with. Red knew that Pikachu would struggle, but maybe Beedrill would be better. Then again, Beedrill didn't really like him all that much.
"Hello, earth to Red? Are you done or do you have more Pokémon?" Leaf taunted him.
"I'm not done, yet! Beedrill!"
Red sent out Beedrill, in all its black and yellow, winged glory. It didn't seem to thrilled at first, but when it recognized the heat of battle, it immediately tensed up, ready to strike.
Red didn't give Leaf a chance to speak. "Fury Attack!"
Beedrill launched a flurry of stabs with its two lances, sending Ivysaur rolling back towards Leaf with a final blow. It was finally defeated.
"Hey, not bad!" Leaf recalled her Pokémon. "Let's see if you can handle this one, then. Nidoran!"
The small, bluish creature landed, sniffing the air. Once it saw its enemy, its small horns tensed, and it hissed.
"Tail Whip!"
Nidoran used its short tail to distract Beedrill, lowering its guard. Red wasn't going to take that, though.
"Poison Sting!"
Beedrill launched a volley of stingers from its mouth, all glowing with toxins. They struck their mark, but did little damage.
"W-what? What type is that thing?" Red stammered.
"It's poison-type, just like Ivysaur, silly." She giggled. "Scratch!"
Nidoran dove at Beedrill, swiping at it with its paws. Beedrill was fast and strong, but its endurance was rather lacking. It stayed conscious, but was visibly hurt.
"Fury Attack!"
Beedrill charged in like a berserker, ready to tear at Nidoran, but the small Pokémon was just too fast. It deftly dodged all of the oversized bee's attacks, and would leap up to scratch and bite Beedrill at any opportune time. Before long, Beedrill had collapsed not only from attacks, but its own battle-induced exhaustion.
Red was down to one Pokémon, and he hadn't excluded the prospect of losing. He told himself that if he had to lose to one person in the world, even multiple times, it would be Leaf, because he knew that she wouldn't make fun of him for it, and that's what he liked about her. She was kind, unlike certain spiky-haired individuals.
"One more?" Leaf asked.
"Yep, this is it." Red could hear his heart thumping. "Pikachu!"
The yellow, rodent-like Pokémon landed with a soft thud, glaring down his opponent. Sparks began to tease out of his red cheeks.
When Red caught Pikachu and Beedrill, he didn't know any of their attacks, at least for sure. Luckily, the pokédex was there to show him. He'd start off with his best attack. "Thunder Shock!"
Pikachu released a wave of volts and electricity at Nidoran, pushing it back. Shaken but not defeated, Nidoran shook its body free of sparks.
"Double Kick!"
Double Kick was a Fighting-type attack, and probably another factor in Leaf's easy victory against Brock, as Fighting beat Rock easily. Nidoran drove its forelegs into Pikachu's face and torso twice, and then ran around and did it a second time, resulting in two strikes with each leg. Pikachu shook it off, gritting its teeth.
"Quick Attack!"
Pikachu dashed at his opponent, slamming into it.
"Keep it up, Nidoran! Double Ki-"
"Quick Attack!"
Red wouldn't relent. Pikachu flew at Nidoran again, but the unexpected struck.
Nidoran began to glow.
Pikachu was sent flying back to Red from the sudden surge of energy. Red and Leaf watched in awe as Nidoran grew bigger, its claws grew sharper, its teeth longer, and its ears rounded out and became large. The glow faded, and Leaf's newly evolved Nidorina brayed, ready to battle.
"Wow, you evolved! You're awesome, Nidorina!" Leaf cheered, her new Pokémon crying out in glee back.
"We can't give up, Pikachu!" Red called to his Pokémon, which squeaked an affirmative reply. "Thunder Shock!"
"Poison Sting!"
The volley of stingers sent from Nidorina's mouth overpowered Pikachu's electric current, blasting through it. Pikachu was pelted by all of them, and sent sprawling. It was over. Leaf had won.
"Great job, Nidorina!" Leaf cried as she hugged her Pokémon, petting its head. She returned it to its ball, knowing that she had someone else to congratulate.
"Nice work, Red! That was honestly as tough as my battle with Brock!" Leaf laughed, slapping his shoulder lightly. "You okay?"
Red shrugged as he recalled Pikachu. "Yeah, it's okay. I just have to do more, I guess. Does Brock have more appointments today?"
Leaf shook her head. "Free battles start at five, so if you get in there, he should have an opening. Let's go back to the center, first."
Red smiled, knowing that despite losing, Leaf didn't hold it against him. He would defeat Brock, and then he'd maybe defeat her, too. Then, he'd defeat Blue and make him eat his words.
