Disclaimer: I do not own anything, I make no money or profit from this.
Chapter 4
[Viridian Forest]
It was the start of a new day and the 3 Royal Woods trainers were making their way through the Viridian Forest. Nidoran and Oddish were back in their balls, while Lycanroc was walking beside his trainer. It had been 3 days since leaving Viridian City and they had just entered the forest yesterday evening. While traveling Lynn was teaching them the tips of how to live while constantly traveling. Important things like how to pick a camping spot, what to watch out for, signs of Pokemon territory, and how to keep wild Pokemon away from your camp. Clyde meanwhile was teaching Ronnie Anne more about Pokemon and how this world works. The 2 also learned more about their Pokemon thanks to their poketch. The two had light battles with each other, just to get them ready for when they take on the Pewter City gym leader. Lynn supervised the battles and gave them tips afterwards.
"I can't wait to get to Pewter City and challenge the gym leader" Ronnie Anne cheered out loud. "We'll beat whoever it is and catch up to Lincoln." While Clyde was just as excited as her, he was more nervous about their upcoming battle.
"I get that you're excited Ronnie Anne, but not sure if we're ready yet" Clyde told his companion. "We haven't even had a real Pokemon battle yet. Plus we don't know anything about the gym leader. Every gym has a type theme and we don't know what Pewter City's theme is. You also need to learn more about type advantages and disadvantages."
"Sometimes you just need to take a risk, Mcbride" Lynn said, looking over her shoulder at him. "You can know everything about Pokemon and still lose a battle. Having an advantage or disadvantage sometimes does nothing in a Pokemon battle. Sometimes you just have to go into a battle blind and hope for the best. That's what Lincoln had to do in his first Gym Challenge." Clyde looked at her in surprise before smiling and nodding.
"However he is right in what he said" Lynn then turned her attention to the younger girl. "Neither of you had a real battle yet, so we have no idea of how you'll handle the pressure of an important battle. Then there's going into something with confidence and just being cocky. Lincoln was able to get his first badge so fast because he and his Pokemon have experience. Both of you are new trainers with no experience with Pokemon of any kind." Ronnie Anne turned her head with a look of annoyance, but knew she was right. Both younger teens learned that while Lynn could be cold and blunt with them, she was trying to help them.
"With that said, you both are already at a disadvantage for the gym battle" Lynn continued on returning to look at the path ahead of them. "It's common in Gym Challenges that people going for their first badge, gym leaders use two Pokemon. Right now your Pokemon will have to beat two Pokemon for you to earn the badge." Both teens looked at her in shock. "Now I'm not telling you to catch the next Pokemon you see, remember you'll have to take care of it. I'm also not telling you that you'll lose if you challenge the gym leader, just that it will be harder for you to win. Anything can happen in a battle, just don't expect to win or it to be easy." Both stayed silent and just followed their mentor, thinking about her words.
They had been walking through the forest for a couple of hours and they felt like they were walking in circles. "Lynn, are we lost?" Clyde asked unsure. "Because I feel like we've been here before."
"How can you tell? Everything looks the same" Ronnie Anne questioned the boy.
"He's right," Lynn said, looking closer at a tree. "I recognize the marks on this tree, they are the same ones warning us about Beedrill territory. Which means we are not too far from where we camped. One of the paths we took must've circled back to go to Viridian City."
"Now I see why people get lost here" Ronnie Anne grumbled. "They need to put up signs for people to get out of this forest."
Before anyone could agree, they heard the sound of someone screaming above them. Not a scream of fear or pain, but like a war cry. Soon a figure dropped from the trees and in front of them. It was a teenage boy wearing samurai armor and a butterfly net on his back. After getting over their shock the 3 Royal Woods born looked at the guy with a different expression. Ronnie Anne was snickering at his outfit, Clyde with a look of confusion, and Lynn had a neutral expression.
"Halt travelers, you have entered my territory" the boy spoke in a loud voice. "I am Samurai and all of Viridian Forest is my home. In order to proceed you must defeat me in a Pokemon battle!"
Both new trainers looked at Lynn in confusion, while the older girl facepalmed and sighed in annoyances. "If we beat you, will you show us how to get to Pewter City?"
"Of course, you have my word as a samurai," he said with a serious expression as he crossed his arms.
"Fine, lead the way and we'll battle you" Lynn said tiredly. The boy nodded and led them to a large clearing in the forest. "I'll act as referee while you battle these two" she said while pointing and looking at her students. "This will be a good opportunity for you two to experience a real Pokemon battle." She then looked back at the samurai boy. "They both only have one Pokemon, so it will be a one-on-one battle."
"That's fine, now let's begin" the odd agreed while pulling out a pokeball. "Come out Pinsir!" What came out of the ball was a large brown beetle Pokemon.
"I'll go first Clyde" Ronnie Anne said with a smile. "Let's go, Nidoran!" Said Pokemon popped out of the ball with a loud war cry.
"This is a one on one battle between Samurai's Pinsir and Ronnie Anne's Nidoran" Lynn shouted between the two trainers off to the side. "The match ends when one trainer forfeits or their Pokemon is unable to continue. The match begins now!"
"Nidoran, use Poison Sting" Ronnie shouted, going for the first attack. The Pokemon's horn glowed a bright purple before charging towards the Pinsir. Unfortunately for them the beetle Pokemon was able to easily dodge the strike. Feeling frustrated, the young repeated her order and the Pokemon obeyed. The Pinsir avoided the attack again.
"Now Pinsir, use Vice Grip," Samurai told his Pokemon. The beetle Pokemon then grabbed the Nidoran with its large pincers. It then started to squeeze the smaller Pokemon, making it cry out in pain. Ronnie Anne shouted orders to her Pokemon hoping something would help it escape, but nothing worked. Clyde looked worried, Samurai had a smile on his face, and Lynn had a neutral expression. However Pinsir suddenly let go of Nidoran and had a look of pain, the Nidoran used the opportunity to get some distance from the beetle Pokemon.
"What happened? Pinsir, are you okay?" Samurai asked with shock and worried.
"Nidoran must have the Poison Point Ability" Lynn commented out loud.
"The what?"Ronnie Anne confusedly asked.
"Poison Point Ability" Clyde repeated. "It's an ability that may poison other Pokemon that have physical contact with the Pokemon with the ability."
Ronnie still looked a little confused, but focused back on the battle. "Quick use Scratch while it's distracted" Nidoran did as it was told and started to do damage to her opponent.
"Pinsir, use Harden to protect yourself'' Samurai called, seeing his Pokemon taking damage. Pinsir's body glowed for a second before fading and having a shine to its body. It then blocked the scratches, but was still feeling pain from the poison.
"Keep it up Nidoran, it can't block forever" Ronnie Anne shouted from her side.
"Keep using Harden, it will tire out soon" Samurai shouted from his side.
Both Pokemon did what their trainers told them and refused to give up. Unfortunately for Pinsir the poison had done its work, it fainted from the poison and non stop attacks.
"Pinsir is unable to battle, the winner is Nidoran" Lynn shouted as the beetle Pokemon faint. Ronnie Anne and Nidoran cheered, while Samurai returned his Pinsir back to its pokeball.
"You fought well my friend, now rest" Samurai said to the pokeball, before putting it away and pulling out a different one. "It's your turn Weedle!" What came out was a light brown caterpillar with a large horn on its head.
Ronnie Anne and Clyde switch places, with Ronnie Anne giving him some words of encouragement and a punch to the arm. Clyde took a deep breath before throwing out his pokeball "Let's do this Oddish!" The weed Pokemon stared at its opponent with a serious expression.
"This is a one on one match between Samurai's Weedle and Clyde's Oddish" Lynn announced as both trainers got ready. "You both know the rules, the match begins now."
"Weedle use String Shot" Samurai shouted. The bug Pokemon wasted no time and fired white thread at its opponent, instantly trapping it. Seeing Oddish trapped in the sticky thread caused Clyde to freeze up. "Now Weedle, use Bug Bite" the hairy bug then proceeded to attack the trapped Pokemon.
As Oddish was being assaulted, Clyde's mind told him what to do while his body was frozen with nervousness. "Come on Clyde, snap out of it" Ronnie Anne shouted from the sidelines. "You've been preparing for this journey for at least a year, now is the time to put all that knowledge to use. You came here to experience what Lincoln went through right?"
Hearing that snapped Clyde out of his nervousness, after taking a deep breath he was now ready to take on this challenge. "Oddish, use Stun Spore" The grass type Pokemon heard his trainer and released yellow pollen onto the battlefield. The Weedle attempted to jump backwards to avoid the attack, but was unsuccessful. "Now Oddish, use Acid to free yourself" the weed Pokemon then spit out a purple liquid onto the sticky thread, dissolving it and freeing him. "Now use Absorb on Weedle."
Weedle was paralyzed from the Stun Spore when a green energy surrounded its body. The energy then left Weedle and flew towards Oddish.
"Now use Acid on Weedle" Oddish then shot the purple liquid at the bug Pokemon. As the poison attack hit Weedle and it was still being paralyzed, all it could do was take the hit. It wasn't long before it became too much and it fainted.
"Weedle is unable to battle, the winner is Oddish" Lynn announced. Clyde stood there in disbelief as his Oddish cheered in joy. Ronnie Anne ran up to him giving him a congratulatory slap on the back, bringing back to reality. While Samurai called back his Weedle to its pokeball. "Now that's over, can you show us how to get out of this forest?"
"Not so fast! We still have to battle" Samurai replied while pointing at Lynn.
"Fine, if it will get us out of here" Lynn said annoyed. She went to stand where Clyde was, while he and Ronnie Anne went to stand on the sidelines. "Let's make this quick Lycanroc" the wolf Pokemon casually walked into the battlefield.
"Let's go Metapod" Samurai said, throwing a pokeball releasing a light green cocoon Pokemon. "Metapod, use Tackle" the cocoon Pokemon somehow leaped its body towards its opponent.
Both Lynn and Lycanroc looked at the charging Pokemon with bored expressions. "Lycanroc, use Accelerock" Lynn said in a monotone voice. Lycanroc smashed into Metapod with high speeds and sent it flying behind its trainer into a tree. Samurai looked back to see his Pokemon knocked out before looking at his opponent. "This match is over, now show us how to get to Pewter City." Samurai could only stare at the girl in disbelief, while Clyde and Ronnie Anne were reminded of the difference in strength, skill, and experience between them and the Loud girl.
[Route 2]
It took them a few hours and the sun was starting to set, but the group finally found themselves out of the forest and back on the route to their first gym battle. "Just follow this road and you'll get to Pewter City" Samurai informed the group with a smile. "It's only about a day's walk from here, I wish all of you luck in your upcoming gym match." The 3 trainers gave him their thanks and continued onwards to their first gym battle.
