Hey sorry it took so long to write. Everything's going a little slow since I started new collage. Will try to update again soon.
Enjoy!
"No! Turtwig stop!" I shouted as I ran after my speedy Pokemon through the streets of Oreburgh city, which was really more of a town. We had just arrived and Turtwig was doing anything he could to get out of the mountain, not liking being out of the sun. He was currently charging down the streets, knocking into people and angering them while leaving me to apologise before chasing him more. It had taken us two days to get to the city, me having to walk all night through the mountain so that Turtwig didn't have to spend his exercise time in the mountain. We would have gotten through sooner, if it had not been for the constant amount of trainers that stopped me for a battle. On the plus side, when I told Turtwig the quicker he won the quicker we could get out the mountain, he won every match in record time.
"Turtwig! Seriously we gotta find the gym!" I shouted at him as we approached two figures standing outside a large building. Turtwig ran right up to the blonde one, rubbing his head against his leg.
"Whoa! What the hell?" the figure shouted, jumping when Turtwig touched him. Just as I was preparing to make another apology, I realised that the person was Barry. I smiled as I walked up to him.
"Hey Barry!" I laughed as he prised Turtwig off his leg. He looked at me, gripping a struggling Turtwig in his hands.
"Hey Toby. I'm guessing this is your Turtwig?" he said as he handed it back to me. Turtwig stopped struggling as I gripped him under his back legs and around his stomach, me having found out yesterday that that was Turtwig's sooth spot.
"Yeah. Sorry man, he's still a little jumpy and disobedient." Barry smirked.
"You should train him better. A good way to start is to fight the gym leader, except he's not in." Barry grumbled. I felt my eyebrows crinkle together in confusion.
"Well where is he?" I asked. Barry shrugged.
"If I knew that ii wouldn't be waiting for him here, would I?" he said, before turning back to the door. I knew Barry well enough to know that when he was pissed off he wouldn't talk to me until he got what he wanted.
"Come on Turtwig. Let's go check into the Pokemon centre." I decided, placing him back on the ground. That was a mistake because as soon as he was down he was off again, charging in a new direction. "Turtwig! Come on! What is with you?" I shouted as I followed. I don't think Turtwig knew where he was going because the path started to slope downwards, a cave opening up at the bottom of a ditch. "Turtwig stop!" I shouted but it was to late. The little Pokemon disappeared into the darkness.
I thought about how dangerous the cave could be, but that just drove me on faster. Turtwig was my Pokemon and I wasn't goanna let him get hurt. The cave was dark, probably filled with Zubat and Golbat. I couldn't hear Turtwig anymore, but I could see green as he rounded a corner.
"Turtwig!" I shouted as I followed him. I rounded the corner and felt myself collide with a wall, falling flat onto my butt while my hat was knocked from my head. I clutched my nose, feeling a trickle of blood wash over my fingers.
"Hey kid, are you alright?" a voice shouted.
"Who's there?" I shouted back, grabbing for my hat in the darkness. At first I thought I imagined the flash of light that lit up the area. It was only when I was blinded by a light from the ground that I knew I wasn't imagining it. I backed up from the light, probably wreaking the back of my jeans as I scooted backwards. The light brightened before it finally dimmed as a head appeared from under the rock wall. My eyes widened.
"Hey kid! Your Turtwig totally interrupted my digging session down in that grotto!" the man yelled at me as he pulled himself out from under the wall.
I gulped as the man pulled himself up to his full height. He was tall, with largish muscles (probably from digging) and tousled red hair. He was wearing a diggers hat with a bright light on the top which was shining down on me as he stared at me. He was wearing a grey jumpsuit with a tool belt around his waist, each slot filled with some kind of digging utensil.
"I'm so sorry sir! I didn't mean to let him run off like that. It's just that he hates caves and we just spent two days walking through the one that led from Jubelife city to get here to fight the gym leader but he wasn't there so we decided to wait but he ran off down here and ruined your digging…thing." I rushed out, really not wanting to die in a cave. The man chuckled.
"Whoa kid slow down." he laughed. "And what do you mean ruined? Your Turtwig saved me from digging to far into the wall. If he hadn't showed up the cave would have collapsed on me." he said, his teeth shining in the dark. I breathed a sigh of relief, glad that my untimely death had been postponed. "Now about that gym leader thing." the man continued.
"Oh you don't have to worry about that, I'll just check into the Pokemon centre and fight the guy when he comes back." I said.
"Well I could do that, or I could go back to my gym and let you battle me today?" he said with a grin.
"You're the gym leader?" I asked. He nodded.
"Yup. Name's Roark Now hurry up and get out of this mine. I'll be back at the gym by the time you get there." he said before shimmering down into the hole again. A second later, Turtwig was lifted out and leaping into my arms, crying out hysterically.
"Hey, it's ok Turtwig. I know you don't like caves. Don't worry we're leaving now." I said as I turned and walked the way I had come, using my free hand to guide me along the cave wall.
When the light from outside lit up the entrance I broke into a run, escaping the cave.
"Hey Turtwig, we're out the cave now." I said happily. Turtwig had his eyes closed, but looked up at me as he opened them. His eyes widened and he cried out in fear. "What? What is it?" I cried, trying to shush him. I was answered with Turtwig's leaf in my face. As I pulled it off, I realised there was blood on it. Of course! My nose bleed must have freaked him out. I quickly used my sleeve to wipe away the rest of the blood. "Better?" I asked. Turtwig opened his eyes and looked at me, nodding. "Alright well, lets head to the gym." I sighed, walking towards the building that Barry had been standing in front of earlier. I stood in front of the giant double doors.
"Tur! Twig twig! Turtwig!" Turtwig demanded from the ground. I think our relationship was getting to the point where I was starting to understand him a little. He either said "Suck it up you training twit!" or "Pucker up your raining grit." I'm guessing it was the latter.
"I'm getting to it!" I snapped at him. Turtwig smirked up at me before tossing his head at the gym. "Fine! If you're so eager to have the possibility of having your butt kicked, then lets go!" I said determinedly before marching through the doors.
Inside was a basic gym, the lines painted just like they were on the matches on TV. The field was littered with Rocks, stones and dust. Roark was standing at the far end, watching me.
"Took you long enough." he greeted. I nodded at him.
"Sorry, had to clean up." I called over. Roark smirked.
"Well you obviously didn't do a good job." he laughed. I looked down at myself. My shirt and under shirt were covered with dust and there was a large tear in one of the sleeves of my red coat. my jeans were covered in brown mud stains.
"Are we going to start soon?" I shouted across the field, wanting to switch topics. Roark smirked at me again.
"As gym leader it is my job to see the toughness of the Pokemon that battle with you. There will be three rounds, whoever wins the most will be the victor." he instructed. I nodded, looking down at Turtwig.
"You ready?" I asked. Turtwig snorted before running out onto the field.
"Lets go! Geodude, go!" Roark shouted, releasing his Pokemon. The rock with arms bounced over the ground, glaring at Turtwig.
"Trainers ready!" the referee shouted. We both nodded. "GO!"
"Geodude, use rock throw!" Roark ordered. Geodude grunted as he lifted a rock in his arms.
"Turtwig, dodge then use tackle!" I shouted at him. Turtwig nodded before charging towards the Geodude.
The rock soared at Turtwig, who jumped out the way before running head first into the Geodude. Roark laughed as Turtwig stumbled backwards, shaking his head.
"You can't use physical moves like that on a rock type, it will have no effect on my Pokemon." he said between his laughter. I grit my teeth. As far as I knew, tackle was the only move that Turtwig knew. "Geodude, show his Pokemon what a real tackle looks like!" he ordered.
"Turtwig…try withdraw!" I shouted, needing more time to think of something. Just as Geodude rammed into Turtwig, he pulled his body into his shell, shielding himself from the brunt of the blow.
He flew across the field, skidding to a stop and bumping into a large rock, upside down. His head and legs popped out of his shell, flailing wildly as he fought to turn himself over.
"Turtwig!" I shouted, trying to get his attention.
"Geodude finish him with tackle!" Roark ordered. Geodude nodded at his trainer before charging forwards. Turtwig continued to struggle. I gripped his Poke-ball, I wasn't going to let him get more hurt then necessary.
"Turtwig, re-" I abruptly stopped when Turtwig used the leaf on his head to flip himself over, rolling out the way as the Geodude collided with the rock behind him. As he rolled, Turtwig tossed his head, letting out a barrage of leaves from the leaf on his head. "Whoa." I breathed as the Geodude collapsed onto the ground, stars in his eyes.
"Geodude is unable to battle, point to challenger!" the referee announced, lowering the flag held towards Roark. Roark didn't look to happy as he re-called his Pokemon.
"Nice job. But just because your Turtwig finally learned a grass type attack, doesn't mean you'll be able to stop the force of my next Pokemon! Cranidos go!" he shouted as he threw his ball. A Cranidos?
"Cranidos!" the small dinosaur like Pokemon screeched as the light cleared. I pulled out my Pokedex, the blue light twinkling as it registered the Pokemon.
"Cranidos: the headbutt Pokemon. It was resurrected from an iron ball-like fossil. It downs prey with its headbutts." it informed. Headbutts?
"Turtwig, use razor leaf and stay out of his range!" I commanded. Turtwig nodded, letting loose his leaves that spiralled towards the Pokemon. The Cranidos just smirked as it lowered its head, the leaves bouncing off the steely dome.
"Cranidos! Use headbutt!" Roark ordered. The Cranidos screeched again as it charged forwards. Turtwig stared at it, waiting for my orders.
"Turtwig use dodge!" I yelled. Turtwig obeyed and the Cranidos charged straight on, its head shattering one of the boulders behind him. The boulders cascaded around the Pokemon, who was batting them away with its enforced head. My mind clicked with an idea.
"Turtwig, jump up onto one of the boulders!" I instructed. I watched Turtwig tense before he leaped onto the closest boulder.
"Didn't you see what my Cranidos did to the boulder? Cranidos, bury that Turtwig in a pile of rubble!" Roark roared. Cranidos let out a cry as it charged at Turtwig, head down. Closer. Closer.
"Hold Turtwig." I murmured. When the Cranidos was less then a meter from the rock, I executed my plan. "Turtwig! Jump up in the air!" I commanded and Turtwig leapt. Cranidos crashed into the boulder, shattering it into a million pieces. Cranidos stumbled to a halt, struggling to protect itself from the tumbling rocks. "Now Turtwig! Use razor leaf!" I ordered. Mid-jump, Turtwig tossed his head, leaves shooting downwards towards the distracted Pokemon.
The green bullets sliced through the rocks, hitting Cranidos and sending him flying through the air. It landed on the ground with a heavy thump, unmoving.
"Cranidos is unable to battle. The match goes to the challenger!" the referee announced.
"Yes!" I shouted, pumping my fist in the air.
"Tur Turtwig!" Turtwig cried in victory. I grinned as he ran at me, jumping into my arms.
"That's my boy!" I gushed, scratching his head. He cooed happily, pushing his head against my fingers. I heard Roark recall his Pokemon and looked up to face him.
"That was tough. You were strong and I was weak. That's all there is." he said as he walked over, smiling at me. "According to the Pokemon league rules, I have to give you our gym badge. Here is the Coal Badge." he said, reaching into his shirt pocket and handing it to me. I smiled as I took it, pinning it to the inside of my jacket.
"Thank you Roark." I said. He grinned back down at me.
"No problem kid. Now I suggest you take that Turtwig to the Pokemon centre, he looks pretty tired." he said. I looked down at Turtwig to see the little Pokemon barely able to keep his eyes open.
"Ok. Bye Roark." I said as I turned and left.
I collapsed onto my bed in the Pokemon centre. Turtwig was resting down with the other Pokemon. The little guy really did me proud today, and imagine how I'm going to feel when he wins even more matches. After changing into my pyjamas I grabbed my journal from my bag.
Pokemon Journey day three: 8th July
Today Turtwig became more then just my Pokemon, he became my friend. Not only did he get us out of that cave with record timing, he beat Roark the gym leader! A gym leader! On his first try. At first I thought he was just a little stuck up turtle that only knew how to use tackle but the little guy really showed what he's made of today.
I hope he saw the shift in our friendship to, he's still pretty disobedient but at least he pays attention when it matters. Maybe he'll listen to me more if I get more Pokemon, learn to work more as a team if there are more involved.
I also hope I get a companion soon. Travelling alone is great, but seeing Barry today reminded me of how much I miss my friends. I wonder how Barry's getting on with his Chimchar, the two seem to be getting along great, they're both pretty big hot heads.
That was a bad joke, but hey I'm tired. I wonder what I'll do tomorrow…
So that was the latest instalment of Toby's Diamond And Pearl Adventure. Review and wait for the next chapter!