Bri quickly released her pokemon in a small area on land. The floor was made of stone and it had a three-foot tall barrier going all the wall around.
Stantler snorted out his name and immediately locked eyes with Lin's pidgeot, glaring at him. The bird barely seemed to care about his presence, trimming his feathers with his beak.
Lin gently shook his arm and his pidgeot took off, flying a few feet away before landing on the wooden barrier. It creaked slightly but held.
Totodile squeaked as Lin knelt beside him, eyebrows raised.
"Look at the base of his tail. See that little red nub? That's another spine that's starting to grow. Your totodile will evolve soon, but you'll know he's getting close when he really starts to swell in size. He'll grow a lot more sharp teeth and his stomach with start to develop patterns. Remember, if you can, take your pokemon to a Pokecenter right before or after they evolve. Helps to stop any irregularities from happening."
Bri gaped. "You really know a lot about evolution."
He laughed. "Kid, I spent about four years studying under Professor Elm. You should be surprised if I didn't know my stuff. So what do you want me to teach them?"
She hurriedly brought up her pokedex, scanning through it as fast as she could. "Well, for Stantler, I'd like him to learn Jump Kick. And then Totodile needs Superpower. Because they're effective against steel-types and I really want my first badge."
Lin nodded. "First, I know that. Okay, I can do that. They'll probably have the basics by the time I'm done and you can teach the rest. Remember, you're only getting this for free because it is your first time, and Jasmine told you."
Bri tiled her head to one side. "What do you mean?"
"Well, normally, this is my job. I teach moves to people's pokemon, but trainers that Jasmine sends to me for their first couple a' moves get it free."
Breathing out a sigh of relief, she suddenly paused. "Wait. So you could teach my pokemon any move?"
"Within reason, of course. Only moves they can actually learn. But yeah. At a 100 a move, I teach pokemon."
He stood up, stretching mightily. His muscles rippled, leather armband flashing. "Okay, you're going to have to scram for about two days while I teach them."
Bri lurched backward. "What?"
"I'll feed them and take of them and everything, but I don't have other people here while I teach. It messes everything up. I'll meet you here in two days at noon, is that okay?"
"Sure," she said rather weakly. He was going to take her pokemon. "What do I do in that time?"
He shrugged. "Train your other pokemon."
She blinked. "Those are my only pokemon."
Lin looked at her with a very surprised expression. "Well then, spend this time catching some more! You're not going to make it very far with only two pokemon."
"I don't want anymore pokemon right now." She tilted her head to one side.
He sighed. "Listen, kid. It's just a smart idea. Two pokemon is a good idea if they have effective moves against steel-types, but its just better if you have a three on two fight. I know Jasmine will still only fight you with two pokemon because it's your badge. Even if you have a weak third pokemon, it's still a good idea."
"But then how do I weaken them?"
He shrugged. "Find a way. Recall your pokemon and give me their pokeballs, please."
She did so rather numbly, mind already whirling. There was Bait in the Pokecenter that she could use. It would be nice to have another pokemon now that Stantler was finally warming up to her. A little.
Lin neatly plucked them from her hands, gently dropping them in a pouch on his waist. "Okay then. I'll see you in two days. Have fun!"
And then there was a low cry from behind him and his pidgeot took off from the barrier, wings spread at least 10 feet apart. Lin jogged off after it, moving quickly.
Then they were both gone and she didn't have any pokemon.
But it was time to get a new one.
It took her about five minutes to dart through the town until she reached the Pokecenter, running inside. The pokemart was nearly always open, and there were only around two ways to capture pokemon with other pokemon to weaken it first. Either weaken it with rocks - which she would probably have to do - or use Bait to attract the pokemon and hit them while they were distracted - which she would also probably have to do.
Bait cost 5 pokecoins each, and she bought three. 15 pokecoins was a lot to part with for something like this, but another pokemon would win her more battles and then she would get more money.
She walked carefully through the town until she reached the entrance of Olivine City. Route 39 was still covered in enormous trees that towered over everything with bushes coating the ground.
What did she want to catch?
Bri pulled out her pokedex and typed in Route 39 and quickly read through the list. She frowned.
It was mainly normal, flying, and bug-type pokemon on this route, and that wasn't exactly what she wanted. But she would have to deal with it.
There wasn't any way she could go on Route 40 without having the move Surf or a fishing rod, and she had neither. So Route 39 would have to do.
But what did she want?
Something rustled in the woods.
She threw herself into the bush, Bait in her hand and a pokeball in her other. She could see something on the other side of the path, something with brown fur and large ears on the top of its head. It was maybe only a foot tall high.
It was another minute of staying as still as possible before she recognized what it was.
A meowth, one that was hunting through a bush for a bare hint of red she could see, probably a berry of some sort.
All she had to do was manage to throw her Bait so that the meowth could see it but not run away and also eat it so that she could catch it. And she didn't have that much Bait so she had to do it perfectly.
Slowly, she raised her hand and gently lobbed the small orb full of mashed berries.
It bounced once and landed only three feet away from the meowth.
She held her breath.
The pokemon immediately jumped upward, fur fluffing out and tail sticking straight out. Its ears snapped up and its whiskers straightened.
It abandoned the berry in the bush and turned around, leaning low to the ground. There was a low wind that ruffled its fur as it walked forward, nose twitching.
Bri crouched lower, raising her pokeball in her hand.
Her arm brushed against a branch, crackling leaves. Instantly she stopped moving and didn't even breathe, but the damage was done.
The meowth instantly straightened, staring in her direction. Its nose twitched furiously, golden-brown eyes narrowing. And then it ran off.
Bri cursed and moved to stand up.
A pidgey flapped down from the sky. It shook itself, feathers ruffling.
And then it hopped to the Bait and started eating.
Bri lunged out of the underbrush and hurled a stone.
It smacked against the pidgey's wing and knocked it to the ground. There was a screamed shriek as the pidgey fluttered on the ground, wings flapping furiously and kicking up dust.
She threw her pokeball, its red and white surface spinning in the air.
It smacked onto the downed pidgey and immediately turned it into a puff of red mist. Landing hard on the ground, it started to twitch.
Bri ran forward just in time to see the pidgey explode out of the pokeball. It started to fly into the air, cawing its name furiously. She jumped into the air and managed to catch one of its talons.
It shrieked, flapping its wings. Sand fluttered up from the ground, slapping against Bri's face. But the pidgey wasn't strong enough to fly away with both of them, and they both fell to the ground. Bri tried to pin it to the ground, desperately scrabbling around for the pokeball.
Her finger landed on the very edge and she managed to pull it into her hand. She grabbed it just as the pidgey launched a Peck attack at her arm.
Its beak bit cleanly through her arm and drew blood. She squeaked and pressed the pokeball onto the pidgey.
It started to tremble against the ground before slowing down.
And then, with a fateful click, the pokeball stopped moving and stayed still.
Bri sighed and fell on her side, pressing one hand to her arm. The blood was slowing down but it still hurt.
But she had done it. She had captured a pokemon with no other pokemon with her and gotten her third pokemon.
A pidgey - one that would eventually evolve into another amazing pidgeot like Lin's.
And she had another day to train him up for a gym battle.
She would do this.
Hey guys! Second chapter in one day! I'm quite impressed with this chapter, though it is a bit short. Actually, much shorter than I'm used to. But I'm okay with it for right now.
But now Bri has her third pokemon! I bet you didn't see this coming. Pidgeys aren't super effective against steel types and they have a weakness of electric types.
But Stantler and Totodile are learning fighting-type moves and will be gone for a couple of days!
Also, let me clarify: Lin is not canon or anything like that. I'm trying to avoid going down the same path as either the anime or the games. Just going on my own little adventure.
What do you like I should do for the next chapter? The gym battle? More training? Bri-pidgey bonding? Maybe another side plot?
You'll never know until I post!
Also, I'm super sick, so that's why I'm able to do two chapters today. Don't expect that regularly. Or even one chapter a day regularly. I'm going on a spree this week.
Also, I think I might take out the OCs being submitted thing. I've gotten a few really good ones, but I seriously have no idea how to put them in the story. Tell me if you have any ideas, okay?
Anyway! Please read and review!
Frost OUT!
