Here comes part 2.

Chapter 3

I ignored the confused buzzing of the beedrill in front of me as I stared straight at the oddish I carried with my hand. It was injured and had a large bruise courtesy of the possible bug type attack the beedrill inflicted earlier. Also, its eyes looked wet. Was it about to cry from the pain? I'd probably bawl my eyes out if I got hit with that attack.

I really didn't expect all this when I decided to follow the oddish earlier. It seemed interesting, and I was proven correct with my decision when I watched it practice kicking a tree to get stronger. This last few hours was me trying to think of a way to convince the pokemon in a way that won't just lead to it running away from me.

Then a beedrill came out along with a weedle and a kakuna. They strutted like a trio of thugs, and from what I could tell, they wanted the berries the oddish was eating. The oddish refused and the rest was history.

Honestly, I felt a little guilty barging here at this time. I could've interfered earlier before the oddish could get beat up. But then again, this little grass plant thing decided to take on a damn beedrill of all things instead of running away. Also it kicked the ball to my nose really hard. I think that small pea brain that it had inside that tiny pokemon body deserved getting knocked around a bit.

The oddish stared at me with confusion. I did, after all, just appeared out of nowhere and said those vague ass words.

"I need strong pokemon, so the deal is that you'll be my pokemon and I'll deal with that bug over there." I said with certainty that I did not have while pointing at the beedrill. "How about it? I can see that you have the potential to be powerful. Want to be partners and help each other out?"

I offered it my pokeball.

The oddish frowned as it stared between me and the ball. I suddenly had a sinking feeling, thinking it might be prideful enough to refuse help, but I didn't show it in my face.

Then it clicked its tongue and inclined its body forward, touching the ball. It disappeared inside in a flash of red as the pokeball's trapping mechanism activated. The ball shook for a bit, then made a little noise indicating the capture.

"...bzz…?"

I stood up from kneeling on the ground and faced the only thing left inside the small clearing with me. The beedrill still looked a bit poleaxed from my sudden appearance and me capturing the oddish, but it had a cautious stance.

"Hello." I greeted the bug cordially.

Then I turned around and ran.

I hear the outraged buzz of the beedrill behind me as I book it, running as fast as I can out of the forest.

Hm? I promised my pokemon, you say? I said I'll deal with the beedrill and didn't specify! Like hell I'm going to fight that thing.

I've accomplished my objectives. Now I only need to escape this beedrill and—

"Shit!"

I throw myself to the ground as the beedrill dive bombs me. It passes above my head and the pokemon overshoots, but it maneuvers midair to turn around and face me. It buzzed angrily in front of me, cutting me off from the nearest path out of the forest.

Of course things aren't going to be easy…

Rather than pushing it, I ran to the side instead of my original path. The beedrill doesn't waste time to chase me and I watch as its stingers glow yellow green. It appointed the stingers towards me and I had to seek cover from the trees to not get hit.

And this bug bastard isn't letting up a single bit. I could see its plan too—it directed me where to go by shooting whatever that move was and I had to go travel deeper in the forest as a result. It's only a matter of time before I get tired and this bug catches up to me. I need to do something quick…!

Okay, okay. Calm down. Beedrill is a bug and poison type. And I have an injured Oddish which is grass and poison type. What do oddish know? Absorb is a certainty if we go with the games, but I've never seen this oddish do anything but kick its enemies.

I brought up the ball to my face. Pokemon can make the pokeball move and they can hear the outside world as well. "Hey, know, absorb? Shake the pokeball if yes and don't if no." I asked in a hurry, dodging another of the beedrills attacks by jumping behind a tree.

I felt a sinking feeling in my gut as the ball didn't move for a few seconds.

Then I feel it shake in my hand.

I grinned as a plan began to form in my mind.

"Alright oddish. I'll throw this pokeball and the moment you get out, you hold on the beedrill and don't let go." I say to the pokeball. "It may sound strange, but I'm going to need you to trust me."

Another shake.

"Alright. Get ready."

I step out of the cover and face the beedrill. It stared at me with confusion when I abandoned my protection, but I kept my face completely neutral. For a moment it didn't seem to know what to do.

"Oi, dumbass." I pointed to my chest. "Here. Hit me right here."

I didn't hesitate to throw myself to the ground even before I saw it move and I felt the beedrill pass over me. Before I could fall down completely though, I twisted my body around to land on my back.

Then before the beedrill could turn around, I threw the ball.

"Now!"

The ball hit the beedrill's back and it opened to reveal an Oddish. With a cry, it grabbed on to the back of the beedrill with its legs and held on. The beedrill let out a startled buzz as it twisted to see the weight that descended on its back.

It was now or never.

"Absorb! Drain it dry!" I shouted.

"Bzzt!?"

A red glow enveloped the grass pokemon and the beedrill started to panic.

"Oddish!" oddish cried out.

Then the tendrils of the absorb move reached out and hit the beedrill point blank, making it cry out in pain midair. The beedrill flailed around, trying to get rid of the oddish stuck on its stingers are too long and doesn't have the leverage to throw the grass pokemon off. Then it switched to maneuvering midair to try and shake it off.

Oddish cried as it held on.

Then slowly but surely, the constant absorbs showed its damage. The beedrill slowed down in its flight as its strength was sapped and it slackened its stance. The beat of its wings slowed until it no longer flapped, sending two of the pokemon falling.

Then it crashed to the ground, whipping up a cloud of dust.

I approached it warily, holding my pokeball ready to return Oddish in case the bug was still moving.

Then the wind cleared out the dust, and I relaxed when I saw Oddish standing, refreshed and invigorated unlike its earlier injured self. It had one feet up on the beedrill's head like doing a heroic pose.

The sun shone above the grass pokemon. It puffed its body up… then cried its name in victory.

"ODDIIIISH!"

I smiled as I let the pokemon bask in its glory. Even I feel like laughing my heart out.

After all, I just survived a run in with a pokemon and got a strong one to join me.

Life is looking good at the moment.

…But first, I think I need to lay down.

"You sure you can't spare some of that? All that stuff can't possibly fit in you."

"Dish! Oddish!" came an angry reply.

I stare at the pile of berries that my pokemon is currently gorging out. I'm guessing since it realized that it's going to leave the forest, it didn't want the food left alone for some other pokemon to take it and decided to eat all of it as much as it can.

I'd praise this pokemon for its greediness since I'd probably do the same, but watching it eat is suffering. I'm fucking hungry and its eating all that food… where the hell is this thing putting it all anyway? Also I just realized that it's a plant eating berries. Isn't this cannibalism?

I sighed as I lean my back against the tree trunk. It's afternoon and in a few hours it'll be going dark. I already missed yesterday's dinner along with today's breakfast and lunch. If I can't find a trainer willing to give me enough money for food then I might have to resort to actual berry scavenging.

…

The wind blows across the clearing we're at, rustling the leaves of the trees. That and the gorging of Oddish is the only thing that breaks the peaceful silence in the forest.

"Hey, Oddish." I speak out, looking at the forest instead of the pokemon.

Oddish paused, then looked at me irritated. But oddly after seeing me it seemed to lose that expression and stared at me curiously.

"I did you dirty by forcing you to be my pokemon earlier." wait, what the fuck am I saying? "You don't really have to be my pokemon. You're free to go if you don't want to… but know that I was serious about what I said to you earlier."

This time, I looked at Oddish straight in the eyes.

"I'm going on a journey and I need pokemon to be at my side. In return, I'll make you more powerful. It's going to be a partnership between the two of us." I lay it out for her to hear. "I'm not asking you to be my friend or anything—I'm fine even if we didn't. So long as we agree to help each other out, I'm okay with that."

Ah… yeah. That's right.

I'd be pissed at myself if I essentially drag this living, breathing, sentient being to my whims without being given a choice. It's one of the few things that I always wondered about pokemon. For all that they claim about the power of friendship, the fact that still remains is that most of these "friendships" start out without the pokemon having no choice about the matter.

And I was already forced to be whizzed away into a different world without my choice. I'd be damned if I forced another to leave their home too.

I can suffer the consequence of losing a pokemon right now instead of losing my morals for just a few days of working to buy another pokeball. It might mean I'll be hungry for another few days, but I'll get by with berries.

I was broken out of my musing when my hand snapped up to catch the berry that was suddenly thrown on my face. I looked at Oddish, who was sporting a pensive look in their face.

It nodded its head resolutely. "Odd."

Then it turned to the forest, glaring at nowhere in particular. Like it was seeing something else there.

…What are the chances of this pokemon having a sad backstory?

I shrugged. Oh well, motivated pokemon. It had its own goals, I had mine. "Well, guess we're partners now then. Glad to be in your care."

I brought the berry up to my mouth and bit it.

As always, success tastes so sweet.

…

…

"By the way, you a boy or a girl?"

"D-Dish?! Oddish!"

Pokemon has a special place in my heart for being the show that I watched the most in my childhood, but "catching" will always be the one part that bothered me the most whenever I think about it. I mean there's plenty of topics about "Is PoKEmon AniMal ABuSe!?" which could be easily explained in fiction as a difference in world culture, or making it morally acceptable by making pokemon literal animals that don't know any better instead of sentient beings the show describes them as, but it still doesn't make me feel any better. It's like stockholming someone to liking you.

Anyway, thank you for reading! If you have any criticism just write a review. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!