A few days after that initial moment at the top of that hill, Snivy and I found ourselves training in the forested mountains surrounding our little town. We fought Patrats and Purrloins. I took on a more authoritative persona, going out of my comfort zone, instructing Snivy to dodge attacks and retaliate against theirs. I returned home to heal my pokémon at the pokémon centre. To my surprise, Hueso's younger sister was there waiting for someone.

"For me?" I ask.

"Yeah! It's a town map," she replies, "your mom sent me to give it to you."

"Thanks."

"Here, take this one too! Could you deliver this to my brother? I thought he'd stop by to heal his pokémon here but, I guess he must be pretty far by now."

"Sure, I'll get this to him."

"Thank you!"

After healing my pokémon, I sat down at a table and had a look at the map. There's a town somewhere beyond the mountains. 'Floccesy' it's named on the map.

We headed out in the morning. I willed myself into feeling headstrong, taking deep breathes as I set forth into the wilds. The ponds shimmered under the morning sun. Bird pokémon were singing their whimsical tunes. It was serene and the definition of peaceful until the loud booms rang out through the whole valley. It sounded like bombs exploding. Are they doing construction out here? Maybe they're clearing some land?

I followed the source of the booms to the cliffs of the side of a mountain. There was a man there, a big, tall man with long hair and a pokémon new to me. I took out my pokédex to register it's information.

"Bouffalant, the Bash Buffalo pokémon. A normal type. Their fluffy fur absorbs damage, even if they strike foes with a fierce headbutt. They charge wildly and are known to be territorial. Their headbutts have enough destructive force to derail a train."

The large Bouffalant turns towards my direction and grunts.

"It seems we have a visitor," the man says. "Easy, Bouffant. They're a trainer, they mean no harm."

At his soothing voice, the pokémon stands it's ground, becoming docile even as I approach closer.

"Hello there, fellow trainer. Who might you be?"

"C-Catheri."

"Catheri. A fine name. My name is Alder. What brings you out here, Catheri?"

"I'm…training. Training to compete in the pokémon league."

"Oh? Then you must know firsthand the glory of your first victory!"

"Um…actually…I lost."

"You lost?"

I nod. "My first battle was against a friend of mine. I lost to him, fair and square. I was so flustered I couldn't to a thing."

"Hmm, well, have you battled anyone else since?"

"No, Snivy and I have been fighting wild pokémon. We're training for now to someday beat him. With our own strength."

"Hahaha! That's what I like to hear! Well, Catheri, consider yourself lucky to have run into me. I was champion of this region once upon a time."

"You were?"

"Yeah. Me and Bouffalant, and the rest of my team. We fought off challengers nearly on a daily basis."

Pokémon battles on a daily basis? That's intense.

"Yeah, you have to hold your own out here. Nobody but you can push forward."

"That's amazing." I stare at the ground. "I don't know how you all do it. If only I could have one percent of your strength, I think that would be enough for me to move forward."

"Hey," placing a hand on my shoulder, he says, "listen, pokémon trainers are built from the ground up. Champions are made from all the mistakes and experiences they encounter as a trainer. No one is born into this world knowing. We learn as we live, right? Otherwise, we would all be born knowing everything. Where would the fun in that be?"

I look up to him, into his gentle eyes.

"Come, I'll show you the way to Floccesy town. I have a ranch there and a small school where I teach my students."

I was guided through the woods, following a dirt road, over a mountain, into a town more desolate than mine. It was definitely much older too. The buildings were made of old building material, mud and clay. There was a stone clock tower in the centre of town that still functioned.

We arrived at the ranch just before sunset. The first thing I noticed were the painted white lines marking the dirt battlefield out front.

"You can stay here for the night. Tomorrow, I'll introduce you to my students. You'll have a taste for yourself what experience looks like. Good night."

"Good night."

After he leaves, I lay down on the bed with Snivy. It curls up to sleep next to me, coiling itself into a circle.

The next morning, rising early to the sound of a Dodrio's cry, I awoke to find Alder had been awake since before the sun was even up. He was tending to the Miltanks and Tauros. Breakfast had been left at the table for me. Afterwards, I decided to lend a hand at brushing the Miltank and Tauros, feeding them, and cleaning up their waste. I then joined him out front on the battlefield.

We waited a while for his students to arrive. And then, just as noon ticked over, his two students arrived. Two students. And to my surprise, they were children. Grade school children. They were obviously shorter than me, one a boy, the other a girl.

"Hello, I'm Seymour. A pleasure to meet you."

"Hi, I'm Cassie. Nice to meet you, fellow trainer."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both." I awkwardly nod and shake their hands.

"Now," Alder says, "if everyone here is ready to start today's lesson, let's get right down to it, shall we?"

His students agree enthusiastically. I nod my head.

"Today's lesson will be experience. Catheri is new to pokémon training, so why don't we welcome her into our world with a greeting that will leave her with some experience for her to grow from? Seymour, you're up first."

"Yes, Mr Alder."

"Okay, both trainers take your side. This will be a one on one battle. The winner will be the one with the least amount of damage. Are both trainers ready?"

"Ready!" says Seymour.

"Ready," I say.

"Battle begin!"

Seymour throws in his pokéball, out appearing a Panpour.

A water type, huh? This'll be easy.

"Go! Snivy!"

Snivy comes out ready and raring to go.

"Snivy, use Tackle!"

The little grass snake rushes forwards up to where Panpour is standing.

"Lick!"

Panpour sticks its tongue out and licks Snivy's face from the bottom up. Snivy stops in his tracks, not finishing his command.

"Snivy?"

"It's been paralysed," Alder says, "It's a side effect of the move Lick. Snivy won't be able to move until it breaks free of paralyses or you heal it with a berry or a medicine."

My mind goes through yesterday's events and remembers that we passed a berry tree with cheri berries on it. Ugh. I shake my head in disappointment for not picking them.

"Snivy, concentrate and break through that paralyses!"

"Panpour, use Leer twice!"

The elemental water monkey successfully pulls off Leer two times in a row while Snivy stands still, paralysed and vulnerable.

"Use Fury Swipes!"

Panpour mercilessly swipes away at Snivy all over with sharp, pointy claws. Again, I am unable to do a thing to my opponent as I just stand there dumbfounded.

"Okay, that's enough. The winner of this battle is Seymour!"

"Yeah!" Seymour celebrates with Panpour.

"Cassie, you're up next."

Cassie lines up with the white line, taking Seymour's place as he switches out.

"Let me heal your pokémon," Alder says.

He uses a spray bottle to temporarily heal Snivy's bruises and scratches. It works quick because sooner than I realise, Snivy's ready to battle once more.

"Okay. Are both trainers ready?"

"I'm ready," I say.

"Ready!" Cassie says.

"Battle begin!"

"Go! Pansear!"

I'm not losing this time. "Snivy, get up close to it!"

"Ready, Pansear? Wait for it."

Snivy rushes forward. Closer, closer, closer–

"Now!" I yell. "Coil yourself around Pansear!"

Cassie yelps out, "What?"

Snivy lunges forward onto Pansear, coiling its slender body around the fire monkey, partially immobilising it.

"Grr, Pansear, use lick!"

Pansear does so but fails to paralyse Snivy as Seymour's Panpour successfully did. Panpour licks the Snivy's back, the only place its tongue reaches.

Alder says, "Is it doing Wrap? Snivy just learned a new move."

"Snivy! Keep using Wrap!"

"Pansear! Spin in place and use Fury Swipes to knock it off!"

The Pansear starts to spin round on its two legs, relentlessly swiping away at Snivy's body surrounding it. Upon a hit, Snivy is catapulted away, writhing in pain.

"Pansear landed a critical hit," Alder states.

"Snivy, get up!"

"Pansear, finish it off with Ember!"

As Pansear gathers and builds the energy in its body to fire off its Ember, I yell, "Dash forward and slide!"

Pansear shoots out a fire ball from its mouth. Snivy meanwhile dodges by diving and sliding underneath. The fireball hits the ground and dissipates.

"No! Miss!"

"Tackle!"

Snivy stands and with its last burst of energy, dashes forward, butts Pansear head on and knocks it out.

"Yes!"

I enthusiastically, for the first time ever, yell out in celebration. Snivy seems pleased as well and definitely exhausted.

It feels good.

"The winner of this battle is Catheri!"

"Pansear, return. You did great."

Cassie approaches me and says, "You did well."

"Thanks," I say. "You guys sure are strong and at such a young age."

We shake hands. Seymour, too.

Afterwards, I take one last look at the farm as I leave to continue on my journey. I ask Alder if he had seen a tall skinny boy with a Tepig around recently.

"I didn't see him with a Tepig, but he seemed like a traveller. He went up the road, most likely heading up to Floccesy Ranch."

"Why isn't yours called Flocessy Ranch? You're closer to the town."

"Mine wasn't the first ranch."

"Oh."

"The family who owns the place is very hospitable. They'll probably let you stay the night if you kindly ask. Also, as a hint, there are wild Riolu living in the woods around the ranch. They're worth training as their strength might prove useful for your journey."

"Riolu?"

"Yeah, but be cautious around them though. They may look small and fragile, but they pack a lot of power."

"Thanks."

"Safe travels out there. You take good care of her, alright, Snivy?"

Snivy cries out on my shoulder. We share a laugh and a smile before I set back out onto the dirt road.