#100 Voltorb
Voltorb, the ball Pokémon. Voltorb is extremely sensitive - it explodes at the slightest of shocks. It is rumoured that it was first created when a Poké Ball was exposed to a powerful pulse of energy – Nurse Evergreen.
Walking with Ivysaur at her side, Nurse Isabelle was walking around after a shift at the Pokémon centre in a small town whose name she could not remember. Her back and feet were sore from spending twelve hours up and around. Ivysaur darted around her and between her legs, acting silly to make her laugh. He would growl at Pidgey on the sidewalk to clear the way or try to open and close gates with his vines. He had grown a lot from the dehydrated Bulbasaur he had been nearly a year ago and Isabelle was incredibly proud to see how tall he'd grown. He'd make a fine Venusaur one day.
When Ivysaur opened another gate, a loud explosion from the garden startled them both. Rushing over, Izzy found a dazed Voltorb in the garden. A man exited the house, saw the Voltorb and sighed.
"This is the third time today," he groaned.
"What's going on, sir?" Isabelle inquired. The man noticed her and gestured towards the Voltorb.
"We were told to adopt a Voltorb to protect our house. Cheaper than those fancy alarm systems, you know? Only, this one detonates at everything! Once, a Pidgey flew over and he detonated."
Isabelle had to smile. A Voltorb that was easily triggered? Not uncommon, though rarely this extreme. Behind Izzy, Ivysaur sneaked closer, prodding the dazed Voltorb with his vines, which remained unresponsive. "I am terribly sorry for causing your Voltorb to explode, sir. Ivysaur here was just toying around with the gates of the gardens we pass. He likes to open and close gates, to show off a little and to practice dexterity," Izzy smiled down at her grass starter, who in turn tried to look innocent.
As Ivysaur approached the Voltorb, it whimpered and rolled away, hiding in some shrubbery. "Oh… That explains a lot," Isabelle exclaimed. Both Ivysaur and the man looked at her confused. "Well, you see. I thought Voltorb was over-eager, but it seems your Voltorb is frightened. All those triggers might just scare your Voltorb and cause it to explode in self-defence."
The man crossed his arms, looking at the Pokémon thoughtfully. "I had not thought of that. How do you think he became so frightened?"
"Unsure. Maybe the responsibility of protecting you and your house is too much? Or he fears whatever made you decide you need a guard."
"Poor little tyke," the man mumbled. He knelt down and reached out his hand to the Voltorb. "Come here, little guy. It's okay."
The Voltorb rolled up to him and gingerly allowed himself to be stroked.
"I suggest a friend for Voltorb. Someone to accompany him on his job. Do make sure it's a rock type, though. They're immune to the explosions. Geodude, for example. They'd be good friends, and it could make Voltorb much more confident."
The man nodded. "Geodude shouldn't be so hard to find. I keep hearing those kids moan they're bloody everywhere." That caused Isabelle to laugh.
"Or adopt one from the centre. Believe me, there are loads of Pokémon in need of a good home. Adopted Pokémon might not be the best of battlers, but they make faithful companions, most of the time."
"Thank you, miss. I will. And thank you for your help."
Isabelle smiled and waved as she exited the garden. "Don't worry. I love helping Pokémon and their humans. It's why I became a nurse."
The following day, Isabelle saw the houseowner with his Voltorb at his feet enter the local Pokémon centre and leave with a Geodude in his arms. It brought a smile to her face that he thought her suggestion was a good one. During some downtime on her shift, she wrote a little blogpost about Voltorb used as home protection and the advantages of having Pokémon help, rather than high-tech gadgets. She linked the Kanto adoption database to her post and made some suggestions what could help, such as Oddish and Voltorb.