"Alright, todays the day I start expanding my team again!" Brendan said, jogging in place.
"Just remember, you might not find anything as powerful as your current team." Ash warned.
"I know, I just need something new, I can figure out the rest from there." Brendan said.
"Well at least have some breakfast first." Wally urged.
"No time! My next Pokemon is out here and I need to find it before someone else does." Brendan said rushing off.
"Marshtomp!" Marshtomp cheered, rushing after his trainer.
"Aren't we going to go after him?" Wally asked. Normally they went as a group unless there were extenuating circumstances.
"He's heading for a bend in the river, as long as he stays in the general area, he'll make his way back." Ash said. "Ooh, are those pancakes!" Ash said, excitedly grabbing some breakfast.
"Come out come out wherever you are new Pokémon." Brendan said, looking behind bushes and in trees.
"Marsh Marshtomp." Marshtomp mimicked.
"Rati!" A voice cried out, leaping at Brendan, shoving him to the ground.
"Marshtomp stop it with Ice Beam!" Brendan exclaimed.
Marshtomp fired an icy beam at the assailant, striking it back into a tree.
"Now let's see what we can find out." Brendan said.
'Raticate, the Mouse Pokemon, a normal type and the evolved form of Rattata. A Raticate's sturdy fangs grow steadily. To keep them ground down, it gnaws on rocks and logs. It may even chew on the walls of houses. It's rear feet have three toes each. They are webbed, enabling it to swim across rivers. It uses its whiskers to maintain balance. It apparently slows down if they are cut off.' The Pokédex said.
"Wow, chatty today." Brendan said. "And the evolved form of Rattata." Brendan said, thinking back to his battle against Wolf. "Oh you're definitely joining my team! Marshtomp use Rollout!"
Marshtomp curled up into a ball, launching at Raticate as the normal type finally recovered and leapt out of the way.
"Marshtomp look out!" Brendan said, as Raticate dove back down, its teeth gnashing together.
Marshtomp rolled to the side, barely avoiding the devastating attack.
"Now Marshtomp use Muddy Water!"
A wave of water shot out, practically drowning the Raticate before it ran off.
"Hey get back here!" Brendan shouted, continuing the chase.
Back at the campsite
"So how do you think he's doing?" Wally asked, as he folded up the table.
"Knowing Brendan, he's either on his way back with the Pokemon, or is still chasing it." Ash said.
"WHERE'D IT GO!?" Brendan exclaimed bursting through the tree line.
"Or both, both works too." Ash said.
"Where'd what go?" Wally asked.
"The Raticate, I chased it this way!" Brendan said, catching his breath.
"I didn't see one come this way." Ash said in confusion.
"He must have gotten the slip. Come on Marshtomp!" Brendan said.
"He sure is determined, is Raticate rare or something?" Wally asked.
"Nope, it's common to the point of being invasive at times." Ash said, stretching.
"So we're good to stay here?" Wally asked.
"Yep, it probably won't be the last Raticate we see." Ash said calmly.
"Where are you Raticate?" Brendan whispered, stepping over a root.
"Marsh Mar Mar Marshtomp?" Marshtomp mimicked.
Suddenly a branch nearby snapped
"There he is Marshtomp use Rollout!" Brendan called out.
Marshtomp barreled forward through some shrubs, pinning the target to the ground.
"RATTATA!" The small purple Pokemon shouted in pain.
"Nevermind, wrong one." Brendan said, lifting Marshtomp off the wild Pokemon. "Maybe he's gone for good?" Brendan sighed, as he regathered his bearings. "We should head back before we get lost."
"Marshtomp." Marshtomp said, taking an offensive stance.
"Wait it's here?!" Brendan asked excitedly.
"Marshtomp." Marshtomp replied.
"Alright then, use Ice Beam!"
Raticate leapt from its hiding place, baring it's teeth as it chomped down on Marshtomp.
"Marshtomp!" Brendan called out, but relieved to see his partner okay. "It'll take more than a Super Famg to beat us. Marshtomp use Mud Shot!"
Marshtomp dug his good arm into the ground, launching a handful of mud at the Raticate who leapt straight through the attack, this time sinking its teeth in even further.
"Marshtomp!" Marshtomp said, angrily going into a Rollout, and taking Raticate along for the ride.
"What in the?" Brendan said as suddenly Raticate was running on top of the rolling Marshtomp, was it messing with them?! "Marshtomp stop now!" Brendan called out.
Marshtomp stopped instantly, sending Raticate into a tree.
"Alright then, Pokeball go!" Brendan said, tossing out a Pokeball.
'Ding ding ding!'
"Alright I just caught a Raticate!" Brendan cheered. "Guys?" Brendan asked looking around at the open woods.
Back in the clearing
"Now?" Wally asked.
"Yeah." Ash sighed. Brendan had run off in another direction and was likely turned around at this point. "Swablu come out!"
"Blu?" Swablu asked, flying low.
"Go find Brendan and lead him back here." Ash said. "He went that way."
"We aren't going in after him?" Wally asked.
"And risk getting lost ourselves? Right now Swablu is our only flyer, so she can keep above the trees to find her way back." Ash reminded.
"Good point." Wally realized.
Back with Brendan
"Okay, I think we came from this way." Brendan said, pointing in a random direction.
"Blu!" Swablu said, nose diving at Brendan.
"Gah! Swablu what'd you do that for!" Brendan shouted. "Wait Swablu! Did Ash send you?"
"Blu Blu." Swablu said proudly.
"Okay, lead the way." Brendan said, lifting Swablu back up in the air. "Come on Marshtomp! We're saved!"
"Tomp?" Marshtomp said in confusion before hopping out of the hole he'd been digging.
Brendan's Current Team and their moves
Marshtomp: Ice Beam - Rollout - Muddy Water - Mud Shot
Shiftry: Razor Wind - Faint Attack - Bullet Seed - Extrasensory
Lairon: Headbutt - Iron Defense - Rock Tomb - Metal Claw
Rhydon: Mega Horn - Crush Claw - Aqua Tail - Rock Blast
Raticate: Super Fang - Hyper Fang