A/N: Thank you for the recommendation, KakeruPB, but there is a problem with that. I've never been that great at English literature. That's not to say I sucked really badly at it, or I received poor grades, but I was never really the Shakespearian writer of the class either. Because of my autism, it's difficult for me to write either in some specific manners, or remember the correct way to say things on paper. It would take quite a good while for me to show any noticeable improvement of my writing skills, and I don't want to put you through you all too much waiting like I went on hiatus or something since someone already asked me about an update while I was having writers block. I'm generally a very optimistic person, but in fields of where I struggle; I at least know my limits. Although I can say this, it's hard always trying to remember when to put he/she pronouns on Pokémon when you call most of them it.
It was tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM, and Ash and Dawn left the Pokemon Center in Floaroma Town.
"So, we're now off to Eterna Forest." Dawn said.
"Yeah. Should take us a week before we reach the city based on what the GPS says." Ash added.
"Alright, let's go." Dawn affirmed as they set off. "So, Grotle didn't seemed pleased about what Prof. Rowan said."
"Yeah, just sitting there and letting your opponent wail on your head? Sounds like something for a rock or steel type. But I know we can get past this." Ash told her with determination in his eyes. They left Floaroma Town and set foot on Route 205, and this time they took a left across a bridge over a calm stream. But it was there however that a Pokémon jumped out of the water and landed on the bridge. It looked like a combination of a weasel and a sea otter with a primarily orange and cream color pallet. It had a yellow collar around its neck and two blue fins on its arms. Finally, it had one tail that split off into two around half way down. It was a buizel.
"Bui Bui!" It yelled at the teens who had their arms up in surrender.
"This must be a very territorial buizel." Dawn whispered in both fear and surprise. Ash, while concerned, kept his composure.
"Let's just back away, real slow like. Ash mumbled back as they took a step back as the weasel took a step forward. Once they were off the bridge and quite a few steps away from it, the buizel grunted and was about to walk back into the stream when Ash called out,
"Grotle, I choose you!" It turned to see a grass Pokémon with a yellow shell and two bushes on it's back.
"Grotle." He said rather depressed like, still hung over on his loss on speed.
"Alright Grotle, let's begin our endurance practice. It's not always about speed." Ash instructed softly. Seeing that they're ready for a battle, buizel began with quick attack, traveling faster than it can be seen, and slammed itself into Grotle's head. It hurt somewhat, but to Grotle's surprise, it barely tickled. He started gaining confidence as he tackled his enemy off. It retaliated with water gun, which did nothing more than water the bushes on its back. He even enjoyed the attack.
"Good job Grotle! I knew you could do it!" Ash cheered for his starter, having gotten over it quick. Realizing it wasn't getting anywhere, Buizel let its tail glow white, and did a front flip to shoot off an attack that exploded on Grotle's head. And from the sound of his cry, it sounded like it hurt.
"What was that?" Ash asked in shock.
"That was sonic boom. It's a move that sends shockwaves as an attack. They've been known to be born with the move, but it's uncommon to find one." Dawn explained. Ash grinned.
"Ain't that cool? Grotle, use razor leaf!" The bushes on Grotle's back started shaking violently, sending many leaves in buizel's direction. It unleashed another sonic boom to counter. It pushed past some of them before exploding from the barrage. "Absorb!" From buizel's perspective, it saw two red dots through the smoke before red beams shot out and caught it by surprise. It could feel its strength leaving rapidly. Sensing it could not win now, it tried retreating. "Good thing we stocked up." Ash said as he drew out a special Pokeball. "Go, Net Ball!" Colored blue with grey lines in a net pattern, it hit the buizel and absorbed it. It shook three times before clicking. Ash picked up the net ball. "Hehe, I got you. Now let's see what the Pokedex says." Ash chuckled in triumph as he examined his newest Pokémon.
"Buizel, the Sea Weasel Pokémon. It spins its two tails like a screw to propel itself through water. It's tail also slices through clinging seaweed."
"Yeah, and the collar around their neck acts as a floatation device. Especially when it's inflated." Dawn added.
"That sounds real nifty Dawn." Ash complimented. He went over to his starter. "You did awesome Grotle. You really tackled the situation head on." Ash chuckled to his pun, though Dawn simply rolled her eyes with a bemused smile. Grotle didn't mind too much though as he figured he could get used to using its head as a shield.
"Grotle!" He cheered along Ash.
"Okay Grotle, return." Ash said as Grotle went back into his Pokeball. At that moment though, many Pokémon came out of the bushes and showed themselves from the creek, cheering the two humans for catching the buizel.
"Do you think they're cheering us for capturing that buizel?" He asked Dawn, unused to this kind of attention.
"Seems like it." Dawn replied, sort of feeling flattered. A few of the Pokémon especially nuzzled their legs or aimed their eyes at the bags they were carrying.
"What? You want us to catch some of you?" Dawn inquired baffled. They nodded. "Wow. Thank you so much. We must've especially impressed you." Dawn remarked as she observed some of the Pokémon surrounding them and took out a Pokeball to capture a pachirisu, a pink shellos, a magikarp and a finneon. "Thank you all so much. That will be all. You can go back home now." She responded to them all with a huge smile. Satisfied, they went back into the bushes and swam back down the stream. "I can't believe it! Five new Pokémon! It's unbelievable how many Pokémon we caught in one day!" Dawn shouted at the top of her lungs exuberated as she hugged Ash and jumped up and down.
"Yeah, seems like our lucky day." Ash chuckled, feeling the contagious positivity radiating from her. Dawn eventually put him down and ran ahead.
"Come on Ash, let's catch more Pokémon!"
"Oh boy." Ash sighed in content as he chased after her.
They soon found themselves at the southern most part of Eterna Forest, which had browning leaves all over them and plenty of the leaves already on the ground.
"This looks like the perfect place for Weedles' and such at this time of year." Ash observed.
"Yeah. Camouflage is very important for bugs. I wonder what we'll come across?" Dawn wondered.
"Well, there's only one way to find out." Ash said as they entered together, walking a path but not seeing much due to overgrown grass and trees in virtually all directions.
"Sheesh, someone could get lost in here." Dawn whispered to her companion.
"Yeah, and the canopy up top is so thick we can't even see most of the sky, so relying on our staravias are out." Ash complained. After a bit of walking, they soon came across a fascinating sight; Pokémon covering a tree licking at it.
"Why are they licking a tree?" Ash asked in confusion.
"I don't really know." Dawn replied with the same emotion. They went up to the tree and observed that it was covered in a gooey golden yellow liquid as it was licked off. Getting closer, Ash dipped a finger into the liquid and licked it, only to suddenly hum in happiness.
"It's honey! It's been so long since I've tasted anything so sweet!"
"But how did that get on there? Trees just don't grow honey by themselves. One Pokémon that appeared that appeared to be a black bug covered in leaves. "Huh, what's that Pokémon?" Dawn asked herself. Just as it was about to join the many Pokémon licking away at the honey, a young woman revealed herself from the bushes. She had dark green hair in a long segmented ponytail. She wore a light green jacket with a brown undershirt, a long dark green skirt and tall brown boots. Next to her was a Chansey, a light pink Pokémon whom mostly resembled an egg shape with an egg in its pouch.
"I've got you Burmy! Chansey, use attract!" The woman ordered. The pink Pokémon sent out hearts that enveloped the bug Pokémon, reeling it in by love with its move. "Yes, you're just the burmy I was looking for! Beautiful! Now use egg bomb!" Forming a ball of golden light, she threw the egg shaped bomb at the Pokémon and the ball blew up, though not blowing up Burmy. Nonetheless, it was dealt some serious damage. "That's perfect! Go Pokeball!" She threw a Pokeball at the leaf covered bug and it was drawn into the sphere. It shook three times before it clicked. "I finally done it. At last I have a male burmy!" She cheered with Chansey saying her name in positivity. It was then she noticed the two teens nearby.
"Sounds like you've been looking for a specific burmy, right?" Ash questioned with a smile.
"Oh yes. I have three wormadams evolved from burmy, but a wormadam is a inherently a female. I was looking for a male so it could evolve into mothim. My name is Cheryl."
"I'm Dawn, and this is Ash. You have to be the one who put the honey on that tree, right?" Dawn asked.
"Yes. I'm a treasure hunter, and it's such a pleasure to meet you." She politely said with a voice as smooth as the honey she used.
"So, why did you need a male burmy to evolve into mothim?" Dawn asked with curiosity.
"Let me make some brunch and I'll answer your questions." Cheryl requested. Once food was made, the three were talking. "I'm looking for enchanted honey. It's said to be much richer in taste than regular store bought honey. Hundreds of times I'm told."
"Is it also rare? Because I'd imagine just taste alone wouldn't be enough to call it treasure." Ash pointed out.
"That's right. It's super rare since only combee and Vespiquen make it in the Sinnoh region, as far as anybody knows." Cheryl confirmed with a nod.
"And they're in this forest?" Dawn inquired.
"Primarily, yes. There's probably more out there but this is the hotspot for the honey I'm looking for." She answered. She then held out her newest Pokeball. "Burmy, come on out and say hi!" From the sphere came out the same leaf covered bug. It stumbled a bit due to its damage but it still stood tall... for it's small height. "Chansey, use soft boiled." Chansey obeyed her owner by having her egg glow yellow and moved the energy to Burmy, healing it. It looked good as new.
"Burmy!" The bug Pokémon chirped.
"Wait, why do you need a Burmy need to evolve into a mothim when you can just catch one?" Dawn inquired, confused due to not seeing the logic.
"My grandfather used to say that all roads begin with burmy." She explained.
("Talk about a very narrow minded beginning of a road.") Ash thought to himself in his head, dumbfounded by such weird advice. And from the looks he saw on Dawn's face, she was likely thinking the same thing. Cheryl turned to her newest burmy and greeted,
"I've been looking for you for a long time. I'm so glad you'll be able to help me."
"Burmy." He chirped.
"Perhaps we can help? Looking for some treasure ought to be an awesome pastime while going to Eterna City." Ash suggested.
"Yeah, and maybe I can capture some Pokémon along the way." Dawn added.
"I would love some assistance and accompaniment. Thank you so much." Cheryl responded with gratitude.
"Alright, so Dawn. Since you're the Pokémon researcher, which of our Pokémon is the weakest overall?
"I believe that would be my Krikky. If even he's too strong, we can just go back to Floaroma Town and get a weaker Pokemon for a bit." Dawn reasoned as she brought out a Pokémon.
"Krikky, I choose you!" She yelled, summoning a red cricket like Pokémon. "Now Krikky, we're not battling this time to win, but to lose so Cheryl's Burmy evolves." Her Pokémon then turned to her chirping and making noise in saddened complaint. "Yes I know you've been training to help me but I'm not a trainer like Ash. We only battle when it's necessary. And right now it's helping a Pokémon evolve. Please? I'll make it up to you." She pouted. Though he didn't look happy about it, Krikky turned back to Burmy with fighting intent. "Thank you Krikky. I promise you'll get a big reward for losing.
"That's very kind of you Krikky. Here, let me show you my other Pokémon." Cheryl stated as she threw three Pokeballs into the air and showed off her three wormadams. They looked like black bugs covered in respectively leaves and flowers, sand and rocks, and building insulation. "Wormadam, would you all cheer for our newest Burmy please?" She requested. All of her wormadam showed all their encouragement by saying their names with positivity.
"Burmy, use tackle!" Cheryl started. The Bagworm Pokémon charged forward at a somewhat slow pace, but still fast for it's species.
"Use bide!" Dawn instructed. Krikky crossed his scythe arms waiting for impact. While it wasn't painful, the bagworm did push himself into the cricket as hard as he could.
"Tackle, then use protect!" With all his effort again, it tacked into Krikky then coated itself in a green forcefield before Krikky could retaliate with the built up damage. "Beautiful! Now use bug bite!" Cheryl continued. The bagworm then leapt forward and bit into his opponent.
"Krikky, counter with leech life!" Krikky ran forward and scooped up the smaller bug type and bit into his leaves, hurting Burmy.
"Burmy, try to escape!" Cheryl cried out. The bag worm scurried out of it's surrounding leaves and leapt into a bush.
"Krikky, use fury cutter!" Dawn commanded. It's two scythes for arms grew bigger and glowed red energy. He then charged and slashed the bush into pieces, but his foe wasn't there, confusing it. From behind, he was then tackled by Burmy from behind near another bush.
"Perfect camouflage! Now use bug bite!" Cheryl instructed. Burmy leapt onto the downed Cricket Pokémon and bit into it until Krikky fell unconscious from the damage.
"Burmy, you did wonderful!" Cheryl congratulated, along with the wormadam when it started glowing white. From his body, wings grew. And from its head were antennae. It flapped off the ground as he went from a bagworm to a orange and black moth. He displayed his new power by surrounding himself with small white orbs and fired them at a random patch of earth, blowing it up.
"Whoa, what's that move?" Ash asked in awe.
"That was hidden power." Cheryl answered before Dawn could. It's a mysterious move that changes its type depending on the Pokémon, so it's a total wildcard. Thank you so much. My burmy evolved thanks to your generosity. We're grateful beyond words. Isn't that right dears?" She asked all of her Pokémon. They all either said their name or chirped in gratitude. However, Mothim caught scent of something and flew off into a direction.
"Oh, Mothim must've picked up on the enchanted honey's scent! We mustn't dilly dally! Wormadam, return!" She cried out as she returned all her Pokémon except Chansey and ran off with her Pokémon in pursuit.
"Wait for us! Krikky, return!" Dawn called out as she returned her Krickitune and the duo tried to catch up.
A/N: Okay, let's be honest. Burmy should have been level 19 instead of level weak based on it evolving the same episode it came out. Well, what do you say to that? Ash catching Buizel and we're doing the enchanted honey thing from the anime. Told ya some of the anime would be sprinkled around. That was chapter 1 or 2, I think? Anyway, tell me what you think in reviews below. Sayonara.