The ball clicked. Alex smiled. He was so happy he was speechless.

"Haha...ha... Yes! I caught a Pokémon!" Alex squealed. He ran over and picked up the pokeball. You did so well Ponyta! Ponyta huffed triumphantly. "I better start healing Turtwig," Alex said. Alex called out Turtwig. Turtwig lay on the ground and his twig was drooped. Alex pulled out some Sitrus Berries. "Here, eat these," Alex said. Turtwig started eating them. Alex also fed one to Ponyta.

"Turtwig twig!" Turtwig said, much more perked up.

"That's good!" Alex said. He sat on the ground beside Turtwig and Ponyta lay down beside him. They lay there for a few minutes, still looking out at the lake. The morning sky had gone and the normal day had started. Alex heard footsteps coming towards him.

"Alex?" a familiar voice said. It was Alice.

"Alice?" Alex said as he lay back so he could look at her, albeit, upside down.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"I'm good! I caught a Turtwig!" Alex said delightedly.

"Well it's good you're ok. Have you caught a Squirtle yet?" Alice asked.

"Nope. I haven't seen one," Alex said.

"That's a shame. Professor Larch said this would help," she held out a Super Rod.

"That would help a lot!" Alex said as he got up off the ground. She handed the Super Rod over to him and she knelt down beside Turtwig.

"Now let me talk to this little guy," Alice smiled. Turtwig smiled back.

"Twig!" Turtwig smiled. Alex went over to the lake and put the end of the Super Rod into the water.

"So now what?" Alex asked.

"We wait," Alice said. Alice picked up Turtwig and sat beside Alex. Ponyta started running around again.

"Ponyta likes to run, doesn't he?" Alex said.

"Yeah he does, he's really fast too," Alice said.

"Do you think he could learn Extremespeed?" Alex asked. Alice watched Ponyta thundering around the edges of the lake.

"Probably. Maybe there's a tutor somewhere nearby," Alice said.

"A tutor?" Alex said.

"Yeah, there are some people in Ireland who can teach pokemon special moves," Alice explained.

"Whoa! Really?" Alex exclaimed. Alice looked saddened.

"Mmm-hmm," Alice said. She let Turtwig roam around again. She put her head between her knees.

"Alice, are you ok?" Alex asked.

"What have I done? I've made you come along on an adventure you weren't even planning on... It's something you didn't know about and you don't know all the things about Pokemon I learned about," Alice said. She looked up and a tear streamed down her face.

"Alice... It's fine. It was a good idea to go. I mean, when you talked about going on a journey the main reason I didn't want to go was...I was scared. I didn't want to leave home because I was scared. You wanted to go, and you weren't scared which I was jealous of. But look at me now! I'm out on a journey! And I'm making friends! I mean, look at Turtwig. I met him yesterday, and now we're friends! This has been great, and I'm sure there are still a lot of things still to do on this journey that we aren't even aware of. I don't regret this at all. And I can learn things from you! I guess that's why I went with you" Alex explained. Alice smiled.

"Ok...if that's how you feel...will you make me a promise Alex?" Alice sniffled.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Alex said.

"Will you stay by my side until my journey is over?" Alice asked.

"Of course, I promise," Alex said.

"Will you say the words please?"

"I promise I will stay by your side till the end of your journey."

Something close to an hour had passed and Alex had fished up various common pokemon. He hadn't seen a single Squirtle. Ponyta had come to a stop and was grazing. Turtwig was snoozing. Alice was resting against Alex's shoulder. The sun was high in the sky and it was the warmest part of the day, at least, as warm as it gets in Ireland.

Suddenly, there was a tug on the Super Rod. Alice hopped up with Alex and he grabbed the Super Rod.

"Please don't let this be another Magikarp!" Alex said as he landed the Pokemon.

"Squirtle!" the pokemon said.

"Finally! Go Turtwig!" Alex called. Turtwig leapt up quickly from his slumber and jumped up to face the water pokemon. Squirtle quickly attacked with a Bubble attack. "Counter with Razor Leaf!" Alex commanded. The leaves burst the bubbles and hit Squirtle.

"Squirr!" Squirtle cried.

"Turtwig! Use Tackle!" Alex called. Turtwig started making an attack towards Squirtle but it used Withdraw. The attack hardly affected it. Squirtle quickly countered with its own tackle attack. Turtwig tumbled backwards. "Razor Leaf again!" Alex called again. Squirtle leapt out of the way and hit Turtwig with Bubble which was quickly followed up with Tackle.

"Tuur..." Turtwig was injured. Alex pulled out his pokedex.

"I wonder if Turtwig has any other moves," he whispered to himself. He looked over the moves. He grinned. Squirtle ran in for another Tackle. "Tackle it back!" Alex called. Turtwig was the stronger one here and knocked Squirtle back. "Now use Absorb!" Alex called. Turtwig started leeching health from Squirtle. Squirtle now was clearly the weaker one and Turtwig stood strong. "Tackle!" Squirtle was KO'd and fainted on the ground. "Go Pokeball!" Alex tossed the ball at the Squirtle. The red light from the Pokeball enveloped Squirtle and the ball came to rest on the ground. He had caught the Squirtle for Professor Larch. He grabbed the ball and put it in his bag.

"Wow! That was an awesome battle!" Alice said.

"Thanks, but Turtwig did most of it, he's really strong!" Alex said.

"Turtwig!" Turtwig laughed. Alex returned Turtwig and Ponyta to their pokeballs and they headed off to the professor's lab.

Please review, as constructive criticism is welcomed as well as your thoughts on the story!