Chapter 3:
Woodwinked
Location: Santalune Forest
As morning broke (which wasn't easy to know about since trees blocked a lot of the sunlight), we had our breakfast and packed up our camping equipment.
"How far out of these woods?" I asked.
"No rush!" Trevor said. "I want to see as many Pokémon as I can!"
I understood the ambition, but the woods were creepy. I was a bit concerned that something might poison me.
"Hey," Shauna whispered. "There's something there…"
She pointed through the bushes to reveal a dark green Pokémon that was crawling on all its stubby little legs.
Scatterbug (Lépidonille)
#020 (Central)
Bug Type
Scatterdust Pokémon
0.3 m (1'00")
2.5 kg (5.5 lbs)
When under attack from bird Pokémon, it spews a poisonous black powder that causes paralysis on impact.
"I'm going to catch it!" Trevor said. "I choose Pidgey!" Trevor sent out a brown Pokémon that was covered in feathers.
Pidgey (Roucool)
#017 (Central)
Normal/Flying Type
Tiny Bird Pokémon
0.3 m (1'00")
1.8 kgs (4 lbs)
It is docile and prefers to avoid conflict. If disturbed, however, it can furiously strike back.
"Pidgey, use Tackle!" Pidgey rammed its body into Scatterbug. Scatterbug then came back with its own Tackle.
"Throw a Pokéball!" Shauna shouted.
"Got it! Pokéball, go!" Trevor threw a ball at Scatterbug and it went inside. It shook.
"Will he do it?" I asked.
The Pokéball clicked shut!
"You did it!" Serena said. "Is this your first Pokémon?"
"Actually," Trevor said. "This has filled up my Party! I now have a full team of six!" He took out his six Pokéballs. "Obviously you've seen Pidgey and my new Scatterbug. But I also have Bunnelby, Fletchling, Pikachu and Caterpie!"
"If I may ask," I said. "Which one is your Partner? You know, like me and Chespin."
Trevor grinned. "My Partner will be a Fairy Type! They're a Type of Pokémon that have been cropping up recently. On top of this, Pokémon such as Ralts and Marill have been shown to start becoming a Fairy Type. It's an amazing phenomenon. The cool thing? Dragon Types can't harm them! And on top of that, Fairy Type moves are Super Effective against them to!"
Shauna's eyes were glowing. "Amazing! I wish you luck in finding your Partner! Okay, let's hit the road! Err, path."
I decided to make my way through the woods. I could hear the cries of the Fletchling from the undergrowth, the rustling of Weedle in the bushes and, of course, the sight of Trainers. Standing around in hopes that someone would battle them. Well, it was their lucky day.
I walked in front of a Youngster.
"Hi! I like shorts! They're comfy and easy to wear!"
Calem Vs. Youngster Joey
"Okay Fletchling, I choose you first!" My Flying Type was summoned.
"And I choose Scatterbug!" Joey replied.
With Fletchling, I had the defensive advantage. "Fletchling, Tacjke!" Fletchling flew at Scatterbug with full force and hit it in the face for a Critical Hit.
"Scatterbug, use String Shot!" Scatterbug spat a white thread at Fletchling, lowering its speed.
"Okay Fletchling, use another Quick Attack!" Fletchling flew into Scatterbug once again and hit away the rest of its health.
"Nice. But let's see you do against a Fletchling of my own!" Joey said. True to his word, he had his own Fletchling. "Use Tackle!" Due to the String Shot beforehand, Joey's Fletchling was faster. Joey's Fletchling attacked with a Tackle that was a Critical Hit.
"Use Tackle back!" Fletchling attacked with its own Tackle attack. But it wasn't a Critical Hit.
Two more Tackle attacks from the opposition and my Fletchling was down. "Hey, I never said yours was weak!"
"I choose Zigzagoon!" I shouted.
"Use Tackle Fletchling!" Fletchling used Tackle at Zigzagoon.
"Tackle it back!" Zigzagoon rammed its body into Fletchling and dealt the final blow.
"Great match!"
With one victory out the way, I continued walking through the dense foliage. I swear the forest's structure seemed very familiar, but I couldn't exactly work out why…
Just then, I saw a tree. Well, okay big deal it was a forest. But no. The tree was looked… different. It was white with ten branching branches that looked like horns. There was an X in the middle of the tree, but it seemed naturally there. Not like anyone had vandalized it.
"What's up?" Tierno asked.
"Oh, just checking this tree out," I said. "There's something about it…"
At that point, I was spotted by a Lass.
"Gosh I hope I'm not lost in this forest…"
Calem Vs. Lass Anna
"Okay Chespin, you're up!" I shouted.
"Go Pikachu!" Anna shouted. Need I describe it?
Pikachu (Shares English name)
#036 (Central)
Electric Type
Mouse Pokémon
0.4 m (1'04")
13.2 lbs (6 kg)
It has small electric sacs on both its cheeks. If threatened, it looses electric charges from the sacs.
Pichu (B) -Happiness- Pikachu
"Pikachu, start with Thundershock!" Pikachu zapped Chespin with a jolt of electricity which did miniscule damage.
"Counter with Vine Whip!" Chespin summoned vines and whipped Pikachu. I was in no danger of losing.
"Pikachu, Thundershock again!" Yeah, keep doing that. Grass Types can't be paralyzed. Another phenomenon that's happened recently.
"Another Vine Whip!" Chespin attacked again. One more would finish Pikachu.
"Use one last Thundershock!" Yeah, that didn't do much either. And that Thundershock was a Critical Hit.
"Vine Whip once more!" Chespin attacked Pikachu again, knocking it out.
"Now I really need to get out of this forest!"
"Nice one!" Tierno said, slapping me on the back. Considering his big size, he almost knocked me on the floor.
"Hey," I said. "Those Trainers. They didn't realise I was the son of…"
"They were too in the moment!" Tierno replied. "They want to battle you so badly then they didn't even think twice! Look, the Lass has only just noticed!"
As she walked off, I heard her say…
"Wait, was that Grace's son?"
I wanted to tell her to stop, but I decided to let her go on her way. "Well, now I'm really looking forward to seeing what Kalos has to offer!" I said. "But first, let's get out of this forest."
Just then, we heard battling from round the corner. "Wonder what's going on?" Trevor said. "Come on!"
I forgot to run. I was still looking at the tree. "What is it with this tree?"
Suddenly, I had a vision. It was of a large man. He was in a white void.
"Where… are you?" he asked quietly. He was barely audible. "Flo...ette. I'm sorry. I... didn't mean to end it like this..." I could hear some very faint crying.
"Earth to Calem!" said Trevor. "Come on, we were going to see what was happening!"
Thankfully, it was nothing to worry about. It was just Trevor battling a blue Pokémon with its eyes closed.
Panpour (Flotajou)
#033 (Central)
Water Type
Spray Pokémon
0.6 m (2'00")
13.5 kg (29.8 lbs)
The water stored inside the tuft on its head is full of nutrients. Plants that receive its water grow large.
"Caterpie, use Tackle!" I saw Trevor using a light green Pokémon with a red horn.
Caterpie (Chenipan)
#023 (Central)
Bug Type
Worm Pokémon
0.3 m (1'00")
2.9 kg (6.4 lbs)
Its feet have suction cups designed to stick to any surface. It tenaciously climbs trees to forage.
Caterpie gave the already somewhat injured Panpour a bashing that brought it down to yellow health. Panpour came back with a Scratch attack.
"Okay, let's give this a go. Go Pokéball!" Trevor threw another Pokéball, and Panpour went inside.
"Can he do it again?" Tierno asked.
Sure enough, it did!
"My first Water Type!" Trevor said as the Pokéball disappeared to the PC. "Nice one Caterpie!"
Caterpie grinned, and then started to glow…
"Trevor!" I said. "I think that Caterpie is starting to evolve!"
We watched in awe as Caterpie became a Pokémon in a green hard shell.
Metapod (Chrysacier)
#024 (Central)
Bug Type
Cocoon Pokémon
0.7 m (2'04")
9.9 kg (21.8 lbs)
A steel-hard shell protects in tender body. It quietly endures hardships while awaiting evolution.
Caterpie -Lv 7- Metapod
"My first evolution to!" Trevor said excitedly, hugging it. "Hey, Weedle evolves at the same level! When I reach Santalune City I'm taking it out the PC and doing just that!"
Trevor tagged along for the next leg of the journey.
"Hey," I said. "I haven't seen your Pokémon yet. Mind if I?"
"Sure!" he said, running into the tall grass. He ran about, allowing a red Pokémon to jump out. It looked a bit like Pansear.
Pansear (Flamajou)
#031 (Central)
Fire Type
High Temp Pokémon
0.6 m (2'00")
11 kg (24.3 lbs)
Very intelligent, it roasts berries before eating them. It likes to help people.
"Perfect! A Fire Type! Okay Corphish, go!" Tierno sent out a red crusty Pokémon with two pincers.
Corphish (Écrapince)
#051 (Central)
Water Type
Ruffian Pokémon
0.6 m (2'00")
11.5 kg (25.4 lbs)
Its hardy vitality enable it to adapt to any environment. Its pincers will never release prey.
Pansear started with Scratch, but it wasn't exactly going to get through Corphish' rock-hard shell.
"Corphish, Bubble!" Corphish fired bubbles at Pansear, doing lots of damage to it. Pansear came back with another Scratch that didn't do much. "One more Bubble!" Corphish ended Pansear with a second Bubble attack.
"Amazing!" I said as Tierno and Corphish danced on the spot.
"Yeah? My Corphish is a great battler, but an even better dancer!"
Soon, we were almost out the Santalune Forest. But a Lass wasn't going to let us go without a battle. Or, with me at least.
"You're not leaving here without beating me!"
Calem Vs. Lass Lise
"Chespin, go!" I yelled.
"Go Weedle!" Lise replied.
"Okay Chespin, use Rollout!" Chespin tried its new move. It curled up into a ball and rolled into Weedle, knocking it out in one.
"A Rock Type move!" Tierno shouted. "Good timing!"
"I'm not finished yet!" Lise yelled. "Go Bunnelby!" She sent out her other Pokémon, who also got smacked in the face by a Rollout. This one knocked it out in one go.
"Sorry for keeping you hostage!" Lise said gleefully.
After that, me and Tierno met the rest of the group at the exit to Santalune Forest.
"Well?" I said. "Here we are. The end."
"I know," Serena said. "To think this is the start of something big."
"Hey!" Shauna said. "Let's all walk together!"
"Good idea!" replied Trevor.
I didn't seem as excited as the others. That man. What did that tree tell me?
"Hey," Trevor said. "Don't be like this again. Come on, onwards!"
We all formed a line as I returned to the group mentally. "Our Kalos adventure has begun guys," I said. "And I have my new friends by my side!"
With that, we all walked out of the dense forest.
Location: Route 3
"Finally! Fresh air and su-"shouted Shauna, before realizing that it was now the evening.
"Cheer up!" I said. "Look over there!" I pointed in the distance to where I could see some stone buildings with green roofs. "Is that Santalune City?"
Trevor got out his Town Map. "Sure is! Hey, it's been a long day. Shall we camp again tonight?"
We all decided that was a good plan.
I stayed up a bit longer that night. It was another clear one and, being closer north, the lights of Lumiose City could be seen easier.
"Hey," Serena said. "You coming to bed? It's a big day tomorrow; we reach the sight of our first Gym battle!"
"I know," I said. "I'm just… still getting use to this place. Not in a bad way. I've only seen the first three Routes of Kalos, not counting two towns and a forest. But it's absolutely beautiful."
"The most beautiful in the world," Serena replied as we sat down beneath the many stars that night.
"Hey, something weird happened back at the Forest."
Just then, a shooting star went passed. "Oh, make a wish!" Serena said. "Why not wish for a victory in your next battle?"
I found it a tad rude that she interrupted me, but then I thought what's the point. No one would believe me. All I'm known as to people is just… the son of a celebrity. I don't get that with Serena, but I didn't want to come off as a weirdo. "Nah. If that wish comes true, it would be boring!" I did think about my wish though and looked into Serena's eyes. I… felt a bit awkward next to her.
"Well?" Serena asked. "Did you wish for anything? Oh, don't say it; it won't come true!"
I wasn't going to tell her anyway, if I knew what I was wishing of course. I was about to put my hand on top of hers, but at that point she started yawning. "I think it's time for bed," I said. "Well, bonne nuit as you folks say."
Serena smiled as she went back into her tent.