Chapter Two: Flicker
Green had been standing in front of the table for a good long while now, trying to decide which pokeball to take. She could see the pokemon inside, ready to come out of those little capsules, and meet the Human that had chosen them. There was the grass type, Bulbasaur, who looked like a frog that had a budding flower on its back. Then there was Squirtle, the water type. The little bipedal turtle pokemon looked like it would hide in its shell if it saw even the slightest bit of danger. It was cute, and honestly one she would've chosen, if she weren't so fascinated with the last Pokemon. The last was a bipedal flaming lizard that went by the name of Charmander. The fire on its tail burned rather dimly, and it wavered every once in a while. It wouldn't look up at her like the others would, as if it knew it wasn't going to be chosen. Green felt a bit of pity for the little thing, sadly smiling down at it.
"Come on, choose one already so I can get my pick." Blue said from off on the side. He was standing over near his grandfather, Professor Oak, who placed a hand on Blue's shoulder and responded with, "Now now, Blue. Choosing a starting pokemon is a very important part of a trainer's journey. They will stick with their trainer through thick and thin, offering up their lives for them. Choosing the right one is vital to the success of one's journey."
Green smiled from over at the table, nodding at the professor, who, in turn, nodded back at her. Green reached down, and picked up the Charmander's ball of the table. "I think this one would do perfectly." Green backed away from the table, and approached the professor, holding the ball in both hands as she presented it to him.
"Ah. Charmander, the fire type. This one in particular is a rarity among it's species. It's a female. Would you like to give her a nickname?" Professor Oak asked, folding his hands behind his back as he gave Green a small, but gentle smile. Blue had already begun to walk over to the table where the two remaining pokemon lie, looking over which of the two he wanted.
"A nickname? I never thought of that." Green said, lowering the pokeball, and looking down into it at the Charmander inside. She couldn't stop staring at that tail. Green forced herself to look over the Charmander's other bodily parts as well, trying to make out anything that might help her with a name. The Charmander herself had noticeably brightened up, no longer looking away from Green with a saddened look, but more up at her with a hopeful one.
"Yes, a nickname. Some trainers find that naming their pokemon special names rather than going off of what species they are, brings them closer to their pokemon. It adds a special bond between the trainer and pokemon. I myself, had nicknamed my own pokemon. I had a very special partner too. When I was little, I named him Leaf. I had always thought it was clever, because my last name is Oak. Together, we were Oak Leaf. Growing up, however, I stopped looking at my partner as if he were something to battle with, and more, a friend. Maybe even someone closer. It's very important to think of meaningful names when giving your pokemon nicknames."
Green nodded in response. While the professor had been talking, she had been thinking, and listening of course, but more so thinking. She had thought of a name for her Charmander. She was always drawn back to the Charmander's tail, fascinated by it. She studied how the flame moved and reacted. One time, the Charmander yawned, and as she did so, her tail flame increased in size! But as she let that yawn out, her tail fell back to a normal size, burning dimly in the pokeball. "I think, I'm going to name her Flicker." Green said, smiling up at the professor.
"I couldn't have thought of a better name myself." Professor Oak responded, reaching over and patting Green on the head.
"Alright, Gramps. I've got my Pokemon. Are we done here? Are there any other boring things you're gonna tell us?" Blue asked. He had chosen the blue one of the two. The Squirtle. The little blue pokemon inside its capsule looked like it really wanted to come out, reaching up at the glass top towards its new owner.
"Ah, you've chosen Squirtle. Later in its life, it will have some very well built defenses. Help it learn how to harness these powers, Blue, and your team will be nearly impenetrable. You might even become one of the top trainers in the region." Professor Oak said, looking over at Blue.
"Yeah yeah, whatever. If Squirtle's really that tough, then I'd like to test it out. Green, I'm challenging you to a battle. Right here, right now." Blue said, a smirk on his face as he pressed the button to release his pokemon. Squirtle shot out in a red beam of light, and appeared on the laboratory floor. It let out a little roar of its own, and stood defensively in front of its owner, outstretched arms ready to take on anything that came its way.
"Wh-what? Now? But, what about the professor's lab? What about our pokemon? Wouldn't they get hurt?" Green asked, clutching the pokeball in her hands tightly and possessively. She was worried about Flicker getting hurt.
"It's alright, Green. My laboratory can hold a few attacks from these little guys. They're near harmless right now, but later on, I don't think my lab would be able to survive even one of their attacks! Besides, by battling with your pokemon, you'll grow closer to them and be able to understand them. Battling isn't such a bad thing." The professor said, looking between Green and Blue.
"A-alright, professor. If you say so." Green said with a nod. She let out a long sigh, and looked down at Flicker. The Charmander didn't seem to respond with any notable indicators that she was ready for battle, nor that she wasn't going to battle. So, she turned the pokeball to face the Squirtle, and pressed the button with her thumb. With a flash of red, Flicker materialized a few feet in front of her. She didn't seem ready to attack, or defend. She seemed like she didn't even want to be here at all. Her shoulders were slumped, and her head was slightly bowed, but she stared down the Squirtle with a deadly glare. Green sighed, and closed the pokeball, moving her hand to store it in her bag.
"Since we're new at this, and you're the lady, I'll let you go first." Blue said with a confident smirk. He stuck his hands in his pocket, and arched his back inward, watching Green for whatever moves she might make.
"Erm, right. Okay. Uh, professor? I- I don't know what to do. I've never been in a battle before." Green said, tensing up a little bit. She looked over at the professor for help, and in turn, he smiled and shook his head.
"Alright, Green. Here's how a Pokemon battle works. Two opposing pokemon attack each other until one pokemon stands, or there are no other pokemon left for the trainer to use. You may use items, or switch your pokemon out, but that consequently uses up your turn. There are also three types of moves. Moves that inflict damage, moves that lower a pokemon's stats, and moves that passively hinder a pokemon. Use these three types to gain an advantage in battle, and win. Right now, your Charmander, Flicker, knows Scratch, and Growl. Growl lowers an opponent's effectiveness at attacking, while scratch inflicts basic damage onto an opponent. Your opponent's pokemon, Squirtle, knows Withdraw, and Tackle. Withdraw enables the user to gain an upgraded defensive stat, while tackle inflicts basic damage. It is important to know what pokemon know what, and how you can use your pokemon's moves, and your opponents to your advantage."
"R-right. Thank you, Professor Oak." Green said, looking back at Blue, who now seemed even more bored than before. "Um, Flicker, Growl." Green said, moving her hands to her collarbone and clenching them into fists. Flicker looked back at Green for a moment, and then nodded. The fire lizard took a deep breath in, and then let out a loud growl towards the Squirtle.
Blue's Squirtle looked rather unnerved, furrowing his eyebrows with a look of worry. But Blue's response to Green's move was quick, and hastey. "Squirtle, use Tackle." Blue commanded, moving a hand out of his pocket, and pointing a finger right at Flicker. The Squirtle obeyed, and lunged itself at Flicker, knocking her back about a foot.
Flicker had fallen while getting tackled, but got back up, and looked to Green for her next order. "Oh! Flicker! Are you okay?" Green asked worriedly. As she saw Flicker get hit, she knew it didn't look good. Getting knocked back like that didn't look good for her body.
"She's fine, Green. Pokemon are resilient. She'll still be able to fight for a little while longer. Keep going. Make your next move." Professor Oak said reassuringly.
"Alright, professor. Whatever you say. Flicker, um, do another Growl." Flicker responded with the same motions as the last time she used Growl. Blue's Squirtle looked even more worried than before, even looking back at Blue, and making a little noise. It was like he was hoping Blue was going to reassure the Squirtle that everything would be alright.
But he didn't. All he did was say, "Squirtle, use one more Tackle attack." The Squirtle hesitated for a moment, then lurched forward, and slammed its body into Flicker once more.
Flicker was knocked back more than a foot this time. She was knocked back all the way to Green's shoes. And as she began to pick herself up, she coughed a few times, blood spurting from her mouth and onto the laboratory floor. Flicker looked down at the blood for a moment, and then up at Green, almost to ask, "Why?"
"Oh no! Oh no no no! Flicker!" Green whimpered, her hands moving to her bag and pulling out the one item she had for pokemon, her one and only potion. She bent down and sprayed the spots where the Squirtle had tackled her, hoping this would help the Charmander.
"A potion? Smart thinking, Green. That hit looked like it surely would've put Flicker out of commission had she gone another round. But with this potion, she'll be right back to her fighting spirit in no time." Professor Oak said.
Green heard a tiny voice after the professor was finished speaking. And the voice said, "Thank you." It was quiet, and feminine. It was Flicker. Green didn't know pokemon could speak. Any she saw on the television certainly didn't. So this was definitely a surprise to her. Or maybe they could always speak, she just never noticed? Either way, Green nodded, and set Flicker back up on her feet. "We'll win. I promise." Green said.
"Well, you heard what Gramps said. 'If you use an item or switch out a pokemon, it uses up your turn.' So that must mean it's my turn. Squirtle, bring that lizard down with another tackle." Blue commanded, looking ever so sure of himself. The Squirtle lurched itself forward just like before, but, he never hit. Flicker had jumped out of the way just in time, and dodged the attack!
"Nice job, Flicker! Now, use your Scratch attack!" Green commanded, watching as Flicker landed, and almost instantly turned around, rushing the Squirtle with her claws out. The Squirtle still hadn't gotten up from missing the tackle attack, and Flicker took this opportunity to jump onto the Squirtle's back, and scratch at his head. Once she was done, she hopped off the Squirtle, and jumped towards Green, the reaction force launching the Squirtle towards Blue.
Blue sighed and caught the Squirtle with his foot, letting go after a second. "Come on, finish her already. Go use another tackle, and make sure this one hits." Blue said, looking down at the Squirtle disappointingly. The Squirtle nodded, and picked himself up, repeating the launching motion at Flicker. This one did hit Flicker, but not as hard as the last two, for Flicker managed to stay on her feet this time.
"Alright, we can do this, Flicker! Use Scratch!"
"Counter with a Tackle, Squirtle."
"One more, come on!"
"Finish her, Squirtle. Tackle, now."
"You're doing well, Flicker! Scratch!"
And with that one final blow, Blue's Squirtle dropped to the ground, fainted. Blood trickled down in a few places where Flicker's claws dug in deeper than the skin could resist, but Flicker herself had a few wounds. A gash on her upper arm from where the Squirtle's shell hit her, a bleeding cut on her thigh when she was tackled into the side of a metal bookshelf, and bruises all over her body. She had taken a beating, but so had the Squirtle.
"Good job, Flicker. We won. Now, return to your pokeball for now, you need to rest." Green said, bringing the pokeball out, and clicking the button on the front of the ball. Flicker was enveloped in a white light for a moment, and then returned to the pokeball in a flash. Green took a deep breath in, and then let it out. The entire battle had been stressful for Green, so worried her pokemon wouldn't make it through the battle. Blue was relentless in his attacks, and Flicker was barely holding on. But they made it, and all Green wanted to do right now, was go home for a night, and rest.
"Good job, Green! Whenever you defeat another trainer in battle, you receive prize money. It could range anywhere from a single pokedollar, to thousands if you're lucky. The much stronger trainers will give out more and more, since they have collected so much throughout their own travels. I will cover the prize money for this battle, and you two can go on your way now." Professor Oak said, taking out his wallet, and handing Green three hundred pokedollars.
"Oh. Thank you, professor. I really do appreciate all your help." Green said, smiling at him as she accepted the money. She stuffed the bills in her bag, and then turned to Blue, who was only just now returning his pokemon to it's pokeball.
"Tch. Beginner's luck. Next time you won't be so lucky." Blue clipped the pokeball to his belt, and walked past Green with nothing more to say, pushing the lab doors open, and heading out into the wilderness beyond. Green worried for him for a moment, wondering if he was okay, or if he would be okay. She could only hope she'd meet him sooner than later to find out.
"Alright, professor. I'm gonna head out too. I hope you have luck with your research!" Green said, bowing to the professor for a second, and then turning to head out of the lab as well. Nothing was said from the professor, or any of his assistants as she left, and Green was set on getting some rest, even after starting her journey so soon. The battle she just had with Blue was stressful, and tiring. Besides, if she stopped by home, she'd be able to show her pokemon to her mother! Green was so sure her mother would love Flicker. And so, the duo were back on the way home, ready to rest up before heading out for good.