I will continue uploading new chapter every week, as I did thus far. It might not always be the same day, and I realize I'm a bit late with this one but I've been busy lately~ Hope you understand 3

Have fun reading, and don't forget to leave a review if you enjoyed it thus far!

George

DAY 2

VIRIDIAN FOREST

They stayed there for a spell, taking advantage of Max's hospitality. Even while his character left much to be desired, he was a good host who took care of their Pokemon. They parted later that day, as the dawn already set upon Viridian, throwing long shadows over the pavement. Red, Leaf and Clover now stood outside the gates of Viridian, looking north towards the forest.

"I guess this is where we part ways." Clover said. As always, Red just nodded. Leaf looked down the road.

"This road leads north through the forest, and ends up at the Pewter city. There's a gym there. However, I plan to stay at the Viridian a bit, train and maybe offer some help in rebuilding the Pokemon center. What about you two?"

Red looked west.

"I will visit the Indigo Plateau. You can't enter it unless you have eight gym badges, but I want to walk to the gates anyway."

"And you, Clover?"

Clover thought for a while.

"I will go to the Viridian Forest, catch some new Pokemon and then, after getting stronger, attempt the Pewter City gym. Leaf, are you sure you want to stay? It will be more fun together!"

"I'm quite sure of it, Beanstalk. Don't worry, I'm sure we'll meet each other again."

"Well then, there's no point in standing around! I'm itching to get started!"

"Alright, Beans! Have fun in the forest! Red, have fun walking to the gates!"

Red smiled and nodded.

Clover walked on towards the forest, throwing glances behind her back ever so often. Leaf was still standing there, looking at her from time to time. As she took the turn around the bend, she was no longer in sight and for the first time since she was born, she was totally alone. The feeling was both scary and liberating.

"Alright, Clover! You can do this!" she pep-talked herself.

Just as she walked into the tall grass separating the forest from the road, she noticed something scuttling deeper into the foliage.

"Hey, that's a Pokemon!" she yelled and after a bit of chase finally caught up. It was a small Weedle. Noticing Clover's approach, it got spooked and started running away once again.

"Oh no, you won't! Bulbasaur, go!" she ordered. They were already by the edge of the tall grass and Weedle almost ran towards the forest. She knew it would escape if it goes there. Clover hurried to throw the Pokeball, aiming carefully to avoid the sunlight. Anxiety rose as she watched the Weedle scuttle further away. As soon as her Bulbasaur appeared, she pointed towards the Weedle and yelled:

"Bulbasaur! Cut its way! Use your leech seed to slow it down!"

A small seed appeared from the bulb and vines grew over the Weedle. However, it did not keep the tiny worm for long. Weedle chewed through and escaped.

"You won't get away!" Clover yelled, rushing to grab it by hands. When all else fails...

However, grabbing a scared poisonous bug isn't the smartest idea. It almost jabbed her with the poison sting. She could only watch as it scuttled towards the safety of the forest.

"I won't give up so easily! I will catch you, even with a peg leg!"

Forest proved itself to be deep and dangerous. Plenty of Pokemon lived there and she walked slowly, careful not to disturb a nest of Spearows or a swarm of Beedrills. As she walked on, she overheard somebody talking in the distance. She got closer to hear it better.

"I don't understand why are you so afraid. Look how cute it is! Aren't you, Caterpie?"

"Pi, piii!"

"I don't care how cute it is, get it away from me! I hate bugs!"

Clover didn't really wish to socialize, however. She was drained from all she went through lately and right now, did not wish to make any new acquaintances. The voices did sound familiar, but not enough to change her mind.

Besides, that Weedle is still somewhere around.

"Hey! It's a Weedle! I will catch it!" She heard male voice again.

"Oh shit." Clover thought. That's when she realized who the voice belonged to.

"It's that tardy Ash! I can't let him take my Weedle!"

Just as she wanted to run there to interrupt his plans, there was a loud groan of disappointment and she saw a Weedle sweeping past her, jumping in the bushes.

Her leg wasn't really good for scurrying through the thick foliage, yet she somehow found her way and in the end, Weedle finally stopped.

"Weedle!" It warned her, beady eyes squinting in anger.

"Listen, Weedle..." she stopped to catch the breath:"... I won't hurt you. I want to be your friend. Can you stop running?"

"Weeedle!"

"I won't hurt you, but I won't leave either!"

Weedle propelled itself, ready to launch another attack.

"Oh no, you won't. Bulbasaur, go! Use your razor leaf!"

Her Bulbasaur hit the little worm with the leaves and it fell down, scurrying back to where it was yet not relenting. Hurt, it raised up and eyed her with anger once again.

"We-eedle!"

She suddenly realized something.

"What are you protecting there?" She asked, walking closer. Weedle panicked, yet Bulbasaur's last attack hurt it. The fact it was already hurt before did not help much. When she walked closer, she noticed something laying in the bushes. It was a Beedrill.

"Wee-edle!" It yelled and its small eyes filled with tears. She walked closer to inspect the wounds on the bee Pokemon and Weedle was simply too weak to stop her. It looked on as she knelt by its side.

Beedrill wasn't moving. It looked kind of bent or broken in the middle, as if its body no longer had a natural shape. Its eyes haven't had the glimmer they usually have and atop of that, it wasn't moving.

"Oh no..." she uttered.

"Weedle!" Weedle broke into tears.

"Is this your mother?" She asked.

Weedle waved its head.

"A friend?"

Weedle nodded and crawled nearer, stopping Clover from inspecting the Pokemon further. She heard somebody walking behind her.

"What are you doing there?" It was a male voice, but this time not familiar. She rose up, shielding Weedle in case it was another member of Team Rocket. The voice belonged to a boy wearing a samurai armor.

"I am trying to help the Weedle. It lost its friend."

"Wasted effort. I tried catching it earlier. It nursed the body of a dead Beedrill, possibly abandoned by some weak trainer and left to die."

"We can't just leave him here. He needs help!" Clover said.

"It's pointless. But I am here for yet another reason, which takes precedence over such trivial matters! I am a samurai, looking for strong opponents to beat in an honorable battle! Be my opponent!"

"Look, jerk. This Pokemon is hurt and I won't fight you unless we help it first!"

Samurai bit his lip.

"I will help you, if you accept dueling me after I do."

"It's a deal. By the way, my name is Clover."

Samurai came closer, looking at Clover in confusion.

"Clover, huh? My name does not matter. Why haven't you just thrown a Pokeball? It's weak and won't be able to resist like it did when I tried.'

Clover reached for her backpack, but found out she's reluctant to take the Pokeball and throw it. As a matter of fact, she felt anxious and afraid.

"Last time I did this, I lost my leg." She admitted.

Samurai looked down.

"A brave warrior always faces his fears. It's the only way you can help."

"You're... right. Alright, Weedle. I am sorry for what I'm about to do." She took the Pokeball out against her own judgement and lobbed it at tiny worm Pokemon. It tried raising its tail to protect itself but could not do anything. Pokeball barely shook before it stopped.

"I... got it. I have my own Weedle! I have my own Weedle!" She was overjoyed.

"No time to wait. I'll take this Beedrill's body. We will give it warrior's burial and this Weedle will attend."

"Are you sure? Won't it be hurt?"

"It needs to toughen up. If it doesn't say goodbye it will die here, from loneliness, starvation or both."

"... Right. Lead the way."

Samurai took the dead Beedrill in arms, walking towards the cottage in the middle of a forest where he lived. She saw an odd, beetle like Pokemon eating from the bowl by the doorside.

"Pinsir. A crush of its mighty pincers can crack even the hardest shell." the Dexter explained.

"Your Pokemon looks mighty." Clover admitted.

"Of course! I raised it well! Now, come inside. I have the medicine and food."

Clover sat by the table, rubbing her sore thigh as Samurai rummaged through the locker.

"Nope.. nope. Not this either... alright! Here it is! A bug medicine! Since I love bug Pokemon, I devised my own medicine to heal them."

Clover let the Weedle out of the Pokeball and it cried out, trying to assume a defensive pose. Samurai took some medicinal herbs, crushed them with mortar and pestle, mixed the powder with the water and soaked the piece of tasty Pokemon food. He gave it to Clover.

"You ought to be the one to heal your Weedle. It won't help you if I'm the one to do it."

"Right-o! Here. Eat this, Weedle. It will heal you and give you energy."

She said, kneeling in front of her Pokemon. Weedle observed her for a moment before it realized its hunger is greater than fear. Weedle gobbled the Pokemon snack with joy and already looked better.

Boost in energy partially improved its mood, but when it regained strength it possibly remembered what happened because it yelled in anger and turned at them.

"Clover! Let it attack you! It has to realize you're the boss! Show it the ropes!"

"Are you serious?! I don't want to attack it! Weedle is my friend!"

"That is weakling's attitude! Good Pokemon is like a sword! Loyal, sharp and doesn't hesitate to get the job done! It's a tool of war!"

"No wonder I didn't like you. Now move. I will handle this. Weedle, I don't want to hurt you. Please, can you be my friend?"

Weedle didn't budge. In fact, it got even angrier.

"We will find people who did this. I promise!"

Weedle didn't wait this time. It reared itself up and attacked her, stinging her in the thigh.

"Weedle!" It screamed.

"Weedle... it's okay. I won't hit you."

"Weedle!" It yelled again and tackled her in the chest. Pain was intense, but she didn't relent.

"You're my... friend. I won't... harm you, no matter what you do..."

Weedle's eyes watered and it hit her again, and again, yet she did not relent. The pain was so strong she almost passed out, yet she didn't relent. It finally stopped. She hugged it and it bawled.

"There, there. I know it hurts. But I won't hurt you. I will be your best friend, forever."

Samurai looked down, shifted his helmet and said:"Come on. We need to bury the Beedrill."

"Weedle. It's time to say goodbye to your friend. Let's go."

Weedle nodded and she carried it out in the yard. Samurai put the logs one on the another and carried Beedrill, putting it on the top. Weedle looked at the ceremony, not budging an inch.

"Greetings to all of you gathered here. We are here to send Beedrill's spirit into the afterlife. Beedrill was a strong warrior and has undoubtedly defended Weedle. In hopes of life after this one, Beedrill, we send you to the next world with warrior's goodbye. So long!"

He put the torch to the logs and it blazed. Fire rose up in the air. Weedle looked on and it's eyes got misty. After a while, its eyes hardened and it jumped down from Clover's arms.

"Wee-dle!" It yelled and shot its strings above the fire. They burned in the peculiar manner and they could almost see the Beedrill's shape disappearing to the fading sunlight.

"So long, Beedrill. I will take care of your friend, I promise."

Weedle jumped back into Clover's hands.

"Return, Weedle. Take some rest. You earned it." She smiled and Weedle gladly returned to the Pokeball.

Samurai looked at her and smiled.

"You are a great Pokemon trainer. I never saw anyone brave enough to risk their life for a friend. You are an honorable warrior, and I forfeit the challenge. Clover, you have proven your worth."

"Oh bollocks. I was looking forward to our match."

"Maybe some other time we shall meet. Until then, I will tell every trainer I meet about strength and skill of Pallet trainers."

"My friends might come, indeed. If you see a girl with a white trilby and boy with red hat, tell them Clover said hi."

"I will do this! So long, Clover!" He said as Clover departed, ready and eager to leave the forest and face her next challenge, a Pewter gym!

Next time: The heat of the battle, the hardness of the rock! Clover enters the Pewter city and faces off her first gym trainer, Brock!