Venusaur and Wartortle

The Jungle of Flowers was colorful and beautiful, but dense and bewildering. So many flowers bloomed there at all times of the year, in every color imaginable. But with vague paths that often vanished under undergrowth for a hundred feet or more, it was hard to keep track of where one was. The leaves overhead covered the sky, and the many trunks obscured any potential landmarks. Still, it could be a lucrative place to clever explorers; seeking out rare flowers to bring back and sell in town would turn a tidy profit.

That is, so long as the team didn't get lost and have to hire another explorer team to come find them.

In this place, she blended in quite well. Vesta the Venusaur had a brilliantly red flower on her back, of such a tone that she was obviously not a native. Her kin that lived here had pale flowers as the jungle canopy filtered out much sunlight. Because of her bright flower, she and her partner (both of Team Coral) had an easier time in the jungle than others, as the native Venusaurs would not bother them. Indeed, some males might even show off by fighting off other jungle natives for them.

Just so long as they didn't attack her partner. Walter the Wartortle was a Water type, and so he always had some trouble in navigating the Jungle of Flowers. Yet he knew this place better than her. If he got into a pinch, he could always use his fluffy white tail and algae coated shell to hide among some bushes. He was holding onto the Weeping Orchid which had been their goal, using his power over water to keep it alive while they left. Or tried to leave; they had gotten lost.

"I'm sorry," Vesta said. "I wasn't born here and I don't remember the way we came."

"It's okay," Walter replied, looking around. He pointed to a clump of bushes. "It seems we're headed in the right direction; those only appear in the deepest part of this jungle."

"How are we getting out if we go deeper?" she asked, looking over the bushes. They were very distinctive, with large violet leaves and pinkish flower plumes towering overhead.

The Wartortle chuckled. "I set up a teleport pad one time I was in here. Finding the clearing it's in is a bit tough, but I tried to leave some signs along the deep trails."

She blushed. "Oh, right. I didn't think there would be one here, but our team goes in here a lot, huh?"

"Yeah, we do. You know how we accept rescue missions from the poorer Pokemon?" When she nodded, he went on. "We use flower collecting in this jungle to make most of our money, so that we're capable of covering the costs of such rescues. Most of those without much money will enter those close to town, but occasionally you get ones desperate enough to go to more distant and dangerous places. The end costs of such missions can be far more than what the client can afford. But that's okay; no one ought to be denied because they can't pay a good reward."

Vesta smiled. "That's great. I'm glad I joined a nice team. But I still have a lot to learn, don't I?"

"You do, but don't worry," Walter said. "Oh, here's one of the paths, and I think…" he walked over to a cluster of ivy that was growing up oddly. Carefully holding the orchid in one paw, he cleared the ivy with the other. There was a sign underneath, marked with Unown symbols. "Ah, we're back on track. Can you read this?"

"Maybe." She went up to the sign, causing him to step aside. "It's been awhile since I've read this… ah, it says that 'To leave, stay on this path'. This is one of yours?"

He nodded then nudged aside more of the ivy to continue down the path. "That's mine, so I'm pretty sure I know where we are now. It'll take a little while, but we'll get to the clearing. As I was saying, I think you will make a great explorer in time. And I've trained a lot of novice explorers too."

"I'll do my best, then. But Walter, I didn't think you were that old."

That made him laugh. "Ah, thank you, I suppose. I am one of the founding members of Team Coral, you know."

"You are?" Vesta asked, her eyes widening in shock. "But I heard that Team Coral was a legacy team from a distant town, generations old. I mean, Dana says that her grandfather was in Coral."

Walter shrugged. "We've been through nine leaders this whole time. Including me for a brief time, but I never liked being leader and the center of attention. My mentor, a Corsola, founded Team Coral after her last team broke up and I was one of the first members, just a trainee like you at the time. The members have changed a lot, but Coral has never really broken up; I always decline suggestions of changing the name because of that. I'm the only original member left, but I'm fine with letting younger and sharper minds lead."

She twitched her flower petals momentarily, letting its calming scent stir up briefly. "Wow, I didn't think you were that experienced. But you're still in your second stage, right? I've managed to impress the light springs twice already. Why haven't you evolved yet?"

"That." His expression faltered for a moment, as if saddened. "Well I made a promise a long time ago that I would get something done before I evolved again. It turned out to be harder than I thought, and I failed several times. I might be able to get through that dungeon easier if I was a Blastoise, but I don't want to break a promise in order to fulfill it. So I turned to training new members of Coral and myself until I might be strong enough."

"Well you are very strong and skilled," Vesta said. "I mean, you set up a teleport pad here, in the deepest part of a Grass dungeon, and set up signs in case others get lost. And if that's still not enough, maybe I or the others could help you."

Walter smiled a little at that. "You would have to train a lot in order to accompany me into that place. But thanks for the offer. Maybe that could help me."

"I mean to train myself to be much tougher anyhow," she told him, smiling warmly. "And you're respected by everyone on the team, so I'm sure they'll all help too. What dungeon do you have to get through?"

The Wartortle waved his paw at the tall trees. "It is much deeper and longer than this place. It lies far away and few people know about it. But I've been there several times. It is a place of wonder, but much danger."

As they walked along the path in the Jungle of Flowers, Walter told his tale of the mysterious dungeon. It put many strange images and dreams in Vesta's mind. But that only made her more determined to help Walter fulfill his promise there somehow.

…

Emerald entry: Venusaur's flower is said to take on vivid colors if it gets plenty of nutrition and sunlight. The flower's aroma soothes the emotions of people.

Heart Gold entry: It is a well-established symbol of longevity. If its shell has algae on it, that Wartortle is very old.