Torterra and Starly

It was a crisp fall day in Sinnoh. The trees were a bright assortment of reds, yellows, and even purples. Although those dried leaves were crackling in the breeze, a light jacket was enough to keep her warm. The sun was bright and thus it was the perfect chance to take a break and read a book. She had a Star Wars novel that was quickly coming to an exciting point; she might just have to make this break a little longer than usual.

She waved a Bug Pokemon away from her book. "Shoo, I'm resting up there."

The Burmy crawled back to get away from the waving hand, but then was snatched up by a Starly. The small brown bird then flew up to a nearby tree to eat its snack.

The Trainer looked up after them, then tapped the hardened dirt beneath her. "You're attracting your own little eco-system, did you know that?"

A tan colored head poked out of what had appeared to be a small hill. "So long as the birds get the bugs before the bugs get my tree, I don't mind," the Torterra replied.

"Holy Luvdisc!" a male voice yelled from the road below. "Th-that hill's alive!"

"That's... not a hill," a Pokemon replied.

"Hey, I'm not that slow," the Torterra retorted.

The girl sat up. "Oh, hi Mark!"

"Carol? What're you doing up there?"

"Taking a break to read." She grabbed her book and slide off the tortoise's back. "You remember how you teased me about picking the little Turtwig?"

His jaw dropped. His Empoleon was as tall as the Torterra, but nowhere near as big. "That's your starter? How'd she get so big?"

"Patience," the Torterra answered, even though he wouldn't understand.

"He's not someone to talk about patience with," the Empoleon said. "We're always in a hurry to get somewhere or do something."

A Starly landed on the Empoleon's head. "Hey, got any food, got any food? I'm hungry," he squawked.

"Ah, grow up," the Empoleon replied before retreating back to his Pokeball.

"Ack, rude!" the Starly cried, flapping his wings frantically to not crash.

"Rude! Rude!" his peers called out.

"What's up with the Starlies?" Mark asked.

Carol shrugged. "They get less annoying when you evolve them."

"So what're you doing blocking the road?"

She put her hands on her hips. "We are not blocking the road."

He leaned back slightly, scratching his head. "Okay, okay, so you're not blocking the road. You're not going to hit me, right?"

"Not for now." She put her hands down. "Anyhow, she gets most of her energy from photosynthesis now and she's too big to take many places, unfortunately. I even had to request a Gym battle to take place outside once because her tree would have touched the ceiling. So for those reasons, I try to bring her out at least once a day, maybe half an hour."

"Huh. And here I was getting annoyed at my starter having to duck through doorways. Sorry, didn't think she'd really grow this big."

"Well she's still my friend," Carol said, patting her Torterra on the head.

"For always and ever," the Torterra added.

"When I get my own house, I'm gonna have to add a special greenhouse just for her."

Another Starly dropped near them. "Hey, hey, wanna fight?"

"You're asking for a concussion, bird," the Torterra replied. "You might want to think twice about your challenge."

"Um, he tilted his head, then hopped up. "Yeah, fight, fight!"

"Ugh, they're so annoying," Mark said. "It's like an infestation, how those Starlies are everywhere."

"As much as I like my Staraptor, I don't want to bother with these little guys," Carol agreed. She pulled out a spray can and sprayed some Repel over the brown bird. "Scram."

"Ew, ew, ew!" the Starly squawked, rushing off. "You smell disgusting now!"

The Torterra wrinkled her nose. "It is pretty bad."

Landing on a branch, the Starly blew a raspberry at the two humans. "Stupid smelly humans."

"Ew, you're smelly," a nearby Starly squealed.

"I'm not smelly."

"Are too smelly."

"Are not."

She hopped away from him. "Are too... oof!"

The female she'd crashed into fluffed herself up. "Hey, watch it! Don't get no smelly on me."

"He's the smelly one."

"I am not smelly!" he insisted. While he could still smell the disgusting Repel (something like rotting trash that humans somehow could not smell), he didn't want to admit that he was wrong, or smelly.

"Will you keep it down? another male called, flinging his wings out and accidentally smacking two others. "I'm trying to nap here."

"Hey, no hitting!" the two beside him squalled.

"Well if you wouldn't be in the way."

"No shoving either!"

"And get away, Stinky Stunky Starly!"

"I'M NOT STINKY!"

Below them, the two humans glanced at the tree. "And for such little birds, they make such an incredible racket," Mark commented.

The Torterra sighed. "I normally wouldn't mind them, but..." she shook her shell.

The bushes, grasses, and single tree on her shell all shuddered like a strong Earthquake had hit them. Panicking, the Starlies flew off in a large cloud of brown and tan, squealing, "Monster!", "The world's gonna end!", and "Mommy!". Their wings caused a chaotic mess of wind, knocking over a sign and causing panicked stampedes among other small Pokemon. Carol lost her new straw hat and had to go chase it down.

When she came back, Mark shook his head. "Life with Pokemon: never a dull moment, right?"

"Right," she said, checking her hat for any stray debris.

The Torterra chuckled. "But that's exactly what you wanted, right?"

…

Torterra Diamond entry: Small Pokémon occasionally gather on its unmoving back to begin building their nests.

Starly Pearl entry: Usually with a large flock, it is barely noticeable when alone. Its cries are very strident.

Every spring and fall, we get migrating birds in our yard. The starlings are the most noticeable; they show up in the hundreds and squabble nearly constantly. And I would bet you that their arguments are very much like this one.