As we walk out on the lake, I have all of my Pokemon out with me. I wave Misty off to where she's planning to fish, and walk a ways down the bank of the lake before taking off my clothes, barring my compression shorts, and put the rebreather in my mouth, and turn it on. I take a deep breath through it, before nodding. I take it out a moment later, and look at my Pokemon.
"I'm going to go diving, and look for any Pokemon who may want to join up with us. I have a few things I'm looking for, so be ready. I may come up with something less than happy with me. Either way, I'll be back in fifteen or so minutes, unless I get chased out!" I say cheerily, getting a serious nod from Scyther, and a happy trill from Pidgey who begins flying over the surface of the lake, which I note is clear enough he'll probably be able to track me under the water.
Then I secure the rebreather, and jump right in. I suck in a breath through it to confirm, again, it is working, before exhaling through my nose and looking around.
A few Goldeen, fleeing my dive. A Magikarp looking on curiously. Nothing too interesting, so far. Aside from the environment. The way the weed moves and the water makes a faintly blue hue on everything is, as always, breathtaking to me. My whole family had been fishermen for many years. I'd gone diving in lakes, the ocean and even in the deep sea, just to look at life. It was always beautiful.
I dove down to the floor of the lake, and swam along at the bottom. The rebreather could hold 10 hours of air, but I'd set it to ding every fifteen minutes for me, so I could keep track of my time.
As I went deeper, I started seeing more and more unusual pokemon. It wasn't too different to start. A Poliwag here, a Shellder there. Lots of Goldeen and Magikarp. Then, as I got around ten minutes in I saw my first Staryu in the water, and kept swimming. I'd stopped going deeper after eight minutes, and was just making a large circle at my current depth.
A few Remoraid were next. Octillery would be a good team addition, but maybe too long to train. A few Feebas were huddled in a particularly silty part of the water, where I assume the water flows in from some underground system. The water there was notably warmer. It probably connects to some volcanic vents of a dormant volcano.
As I'm finishing my lap, and I hear the ding of my rebreather, I notice a flash in the corner of my vision. Something blue, blending with the water. I do a spin and look around carefully, and see it there. Slithering along the floor, almost blending in with the water shimmers and tint of the water on the floor of the lake something I did not expect.
A Dratini.
I look on incredulously as it peeks at me, then noting my stare, lets out a barely audible "Ee!" and swims over, then bonks my shin, sending me spinning as it lets out more of the "Ee" sounds. Laughter?
I take a playful swing and bat at the Dratini, sending it floating up, and then, it begins.
My play wrestling match with a Dratini which is longer than I am tall.
Like, Dratini is around six and a half feet in length. I know that's pretty normal for these, they produce so much life force they shed and grow until evolution. The longer they hold as a Dratini and the longer they get, the stronger they are as Dragonair.
Dratini, of course, kicks my ass in wrestling. I end up as a wrapped up bundle, and then, as we sink, I lightly bonk the Dratini in the snout with my head then gesture up to the surface, indicating I want to go up. A sad "ee" is given, but Dratini lets me go, and I swim up to the surface, then back to my team. I'll bring some sweet berries with me to bribe Dratini with next time I go down, and see if I can't get them to come with me.
I quickly get a drink, then tell my Pokemon of my underwater adventures, and Dratini. Then I dish up a quick meal for them, and excuse myself to go diving again after checking if the Pokedex is waterproof in its help menu.
It is. So I take it, a Pokeball and a pile of berries with me as I dive back in. I just put them in a little bag I got in Viridian for holding emergency medical supplies on my hip. I'd not used it yet, but this was a really good use.
As I dove back to my previous location, I spotted Dratini trying to ambush me, and I pulled out a berry, and held it out. Dratini, after a moment, came over and ate the berry, then nuzzled my hand. I gave a light scratch behind the head fins, and then pull out my Pokedex, to scan Dratini while I fed… him another berry.
Dratini, the Dragon Pokémon.
Dratini sheds its skin as it grows, often doing so while hidden behind large powerful waterfalls.
This Dratini is Male, and knows the following moves:
Wrap, Leer, Twister, Thunder Wave, Dragon Tail, Agility, Extreme Speed, Water Pulse.
I nod, put the dex back in my bag, and then offer another scratch and berry as I point up. Dratini nods, and follows. We surface a moment later and I lead Dratini back to shore, where my team watches on with excitement. I pop out the rebreather, and then address Dratini.
"So, I'd like to have you come along with me on my journey. I think you'd be an excellent addition to my team, and we could help you become powerful. You're quite strong for a Dratini already, but I aim to reach the top of the league, and for that I'll need the best, strongest team I can find. So, what do you say? Up for the challenge?" I ask, giving a smirk while Dratini looks on, before what I could swear is a grin breaks out on its face, and it gives what is an unmistakable nod.
"Tini, dra dratini!" It declares, then looks around, Scyther nods, then points at Charmander, who puffs up in pride, before firing a Flamethrower into the sky which is so hot it singes the grass for a good few feet all around the little guy.
Dratini seems appeased by this, then looks back to me, curling into a coil, and staring at my pouch. I give a nod, then pull out the ball and hold it out.
Dratini boops the button on the center with his nose and then is sucked in with a red glow, followed by an instant ding of success.
I let Dratini out a moment later, then give Dratini a grin.
"So, first thing you should know is we're going to keep expanding the team. I'm looking for as many strong pokemon as I can find. Do you know anyone around here who might be interested in joining who's around our level?" I ask, and Dratini thinks for a bit, before nodding and pointing to the north with his tail. I nod, and then scritch behind the ear-fin again. "Thanks! Are you talking about the hill to the north with the ground and steel types?" I ask. Dratini shakes his head. "Could we get there today?" I ask, and Dratini nods.
"Tiiiini!" he trills, and then starts slithering over towards the treeline.
"I'll put on my clothes and be good to go in a minute!" I call over, and he stops, then begins circling me as I put on pants, shirt, jacket, beanie and then socks and boots. "Alright! Lead the way!" I command, and Dratini shoots off, going north, and I scoop up my bag and run after him.
Misty should be fine. There were no big, dangerous water types here. To be sure, I scribble a hasty note when I enter the treeline and give it to Pidgey to deliver to Misty, so she won't worry.
It reads 'I caught a Dratini and it is having me follow it to some Pokemon who may want to come with me. Be back later or maybe tomorrow. Sorry!"
Not the best, but it'll have to do.
*** Scene Change ***
The run takes two hours, at the end of which I'm panting like a dog, but am before a small hill, maybe two hundred yards to the top, barren of trees except at the top where there are a couple trees surrounding a large pillar of stone. There's a small stream coming from the top, maybe from the rock? Dratini slows and begins slithering up the slope at a casual walking pace, and I follow after. Dratini looks at me, impressed at my being able to keep up so well if I read that right, then stops on the top of the hill, and lets out a long "Draa!" noise, calling up at the rock.
There's no response, after a few minutes. So, Dratini lets out an annoyed huff, and shoots a ring of water - Water Pulse - into the air. It collides with the rock a few feet from the top, creating a big splash, followed by a sudden but short downpour. A second later, I see a pokemon shoot off the rock, landing before me.
On my level I'd said, and I get… this?
"Lee!" The Pokemon cries, looking at Dratini admonishingly. A Leafeon. Upon seeing me, it gives me a curious, cautious look. I keep my face rather open and happy - not hard.
I'd wanted one of these for a long time. My favorite Eevee evolution. I slowly reach into my pouch, pull out a berry and hand it over to Leafeon who sniffs, then eats it, then sits down as Dratini begins regaling her with a tale. And yes, this Leafeon is clearly female. I'd looked up how to spot the differences in the line and it has to do with the leaves on her paws. Females paws have slightly shorter but sharper leaves.
I pull out and scan her with my Pokedex and confirm that, yes, this is not your average Leafeon. I'd thought not. She looks very, very strong. Not at Dratini's level. This is confirmed by the Dex.
This Leafeon knows the following moves:
Covet, Helping Hand, Swift, Bite, Copycat, Baton Pass, Razor Leaf, Sand Attack, Quick Attack, Baby Doll Eyes, Leech Seed, Magical Leaf, Synthesis, Tackle, Growl, Tail Whip, Double Kick, Wish, Sunny Day, Rain Dance.
So, yea. This thing? It's not normal. Not at all. I wouldn't be surprised if this thing was one of the Pokemon which kept the stronger ones from going deeper into the forest, and was probably something of a support for the other Pokemon in the area. She gave off an… aura. As Dratini is telling her tale, I feel Leafeon look over to me, first in surprise, then approval, then mild outrage, then glee. The final glance makes me look up from comparing this Leafeon to the averages, and finding the averages both smaller, lighter and with shorter fur.
I look up from the notes, though, and then meet Leafeon's eyes. Dratini trails off, noticing our staring match. I nod, then begin to explain. "I asked Dratini, after capturing him, if he knew any pokemon around our level who might be interested in joining us. He said yes, then led me here. I'm aiming to be the best trainer in the league this year, and take home the Indigo conference. If I win this year - my first year - it'd be something only done a couple of times before me. My end goal is to be the strongest trainer out there, but I think this is a good place to start." I explain, getting a nod, then a long look around, which comes to settle back on me.
"Eon." Leafeon points at herself, then at the area around. "Leaf." She says, and I think I kind of understand.
"This is your area, right? Like, you keep it safe?" I ask, getting a nod. "You don't really want to leave because you're afraid it'll get taken while you're out training and getting stronger?" I ask, getting another nod. "But you do want to go and get stronger?" I ask, getting a final nod. I smile.
"Well, if it helps, you probably don't have to worry about Pokemon taking this place over being strong enough to stop you when you come back. The goal is to be the strongest, and frankly, having you alone will help the others catch up to your level quickly, then we'll all be progressing nicely and steadily. I'd say you're around the power of a fifth or sixth gym's pokemon. That's out of eight needed for the league, and the possible fourteen. Of course, anything beyond ten is kind of pointless. I aim to make all my pokemon at least ten badge levels, then go and prove we're the best in the conference this year. It's going to be hard work, but conference winners are a step below the people who we trust to keep Legendary Pokemon from destroying our homes when they get upset. I want to train my pokemon to be on that level, and stronger. Because I'm not going to settle for being as good as them, I'm going to go until I'm better than them. No matter how long it takes. If you want to go for a couple years, then retire back here, that's fine. If you want to stick with me after a while, that's great. If you try training and after a couple weeks it isn't for you, that's fine. This is an offer to come with me and nothing else. Feel free to accept or decline, as you will." I explain, and get a few nods throughout, before Leafeon holds up a paw, sits and begins thinking. I take a seat on the grass and give Dratini a scratch, then, Pidgey lands on my shoulder so I give him one too. Soon, I'm swamped with pokemon, and struggling to keep up with cuddling and scratching them all.
Seeing this, Leafeon chuckles, then gives me a look, then points at herself, then at me. I give her a big smile, and pull out a Pokeball from my pocket.
I have Dratini, Chancey, Pidgey, Vulpix, Scyther and Charmander on me. I have no space in my current party.
"What's going to happen is, when I catch you, you'll go off to Oak's lab. So, if you want to stick around and train, then I shouldn't capture you for now, and wait until Pewter. When we get close, I capture you and then I can rotate my team, or send most of them back except for Feebas, and then just spend some time with her while you do the workouts and get on the same level. Whatever you like." I offer, and she gives me a nod, then trots over to the edge of the clearing we came in on.
"Leaf" She calls, and begins following our trail back from where we came.
I guess I got a Leafeon? This whole adventure thing was going easier than I thought it would, but this was just incredible luck. Stupid, dumbly good luck. Whatever.
I rolled my shoulders, and began the quick trot after Leafeon, while I explained to my Pokemon my idea for training. Which, today, is going to be enhanced by gravity while we walk. I will be exempt, but only because I'm going to be carrying Chancey as she keeps the Gravity up. We have six hours to nightfall, and probably about that much walking to do.
I suspect we'll have to do thirty minute intervals, then jog for a bit, then another. But it'll increase our speed! I'm sure!
*** Scene Change ***
By the time we get back, covered in sweat and panting, it's past dark. I can see a small campfire with Misty next to it, and a Poliwhirl - who I'd not seen in the lake but was certainly new, sitting across from her on a log. I jogged up with my now seven pokemon, and gave her a big sweaty hug after putting Chancey down.
"Wha- you stink! Let me go!" She yelps as I laugh, spinning her around, then setting her back on her log. Then I, and most of my pokemon sprint at the lake. I only take a few moments to take off my boots, socks and jacket before following them. Cackling all the way.
After a short water fight and bath, I come out of the lake, peel off my soaked clothes, dry off what I can, stomp into my boots and then set up my part of camp, and start cooking for my team. A quick meal because we're all exhausted. Even Chancey looks done-in when she finishes massaging the last of the sore muscles away.
"Today was a good day." I say, as I cook, watching my pack of pokemon all talking among themselves as Misty watches.
"I can tell. How do you have seven Pokemon, by the way?" She asks. I gesture with the hand I'm not stirring the heat-and-eat poke-stew with at Leafeon.
"Waiting to ball her until we're close to Pewter so she can train and travel with me. She wants to see what it's like, and if she can get stronger. She might be a temporary member of the team. We'll see. She agreed to train with us and help my team get to her level, though indirectly. She's very powerful for a wild Pokemon." I confer, before sniffing at the pokemon food, nod, and dish it up into bowls, and snag my steak and potatoes from where they'd been roasting nearby. After I put out the bowls, and settle in with my plate, Misty looks almost jealous.
"How are you this lucky?" She asks, and I shrug.
"I could have found something even more insane. Like a Dewott. At least these are from relatively around here. Eevee who evolve in the wild are usually Umbreon, Espeon, Glaceon or Leafeon. In forests it's nearly always a Leafeon. The Dratini? Well people know they like to live in quiet places with ponds. I guess this place fits the bill well enough." I say, gesturing around. The fact there are no trainers - and have not been since we left the path - is a good indicator of how many risk the forest.
I get Beedrill Swarms are dangerous, but when you have a walking flamethrower, overgrown wasps tend to stay away.
Misty snorts in a cute - but very unladylike - manner. "Yea. Because Dratini and a wild member of the Eevee line are very common." She snarks. "I got a bunch of Goldeen, a Magikarp and this Poliwag. I'll try to train the Poliwag and even the Magikarp, but… those are normal when you go to places like this. You spend a few days, maybe get a Corphish or Krabby or Shellder or Feebas and you're lucky. You spend an hour or so and get a Dratini, run off into the woods and come back with a Leafeon." She snorts again. I roll my eyes at her explanation.
"If you want a Shellder, go three hundred yards down the bank. Feebas are on the western edge. Krabby are bang on the center of the lake. Send a pokemon in to bring one back for you while you get the others." I list, and she gapes. I just shake my head. "My hour was spent swimming around the floor of the lake. Rebreathers are useful." I comment, and she shakes her head.
"And damned expensive!"
"Oak got it for me." I reply easily. "I even tried to say no but he wouldn't have it." I scoff, and she stares at me for a moment, then sighs.
"You're insane." She finally grumbles. I just give her a big smile, then a pat on the head.
"And you love it." I glory in the way her cheeks go red.
*** Scene Change ***
The next two days are me and my team training while Misty Fishes. We decide to just leave the forest, go to Pewter, get me the badge, then go back to the hill since my party limit is already at over-capacity.
In the two days, though, my team grew by leaps and bounds. Charmander, and Pidgey evolved on the first day. It wasn't surprising, I'd been expecting it to happen. Pidgeotto looked ready to evolve again, almost, at the end of the two days of sparring and training. Charmeleon was also growing at a prodigious rate. With Chansey healing everyone between spars, and everyone trying to take on Leafeon at once, they were getting a lot of battle experience every three hours or so when they were ready for a spar. It usually went something like battle, heal, train physically for an hour, then practice moves for an hour with as much physical training as they could manage, then healing, then a fight.
Which meant I had to feed them every three hours or so. It's a really good thing I prepared to be lost in these woods for a month because of some random shit like a Ghost type trick, a Team Rocket op, or something.
But, as the two days come to a close - with Misty using my rebreather to scout more of the lake and find more pokemon - including Barboach - my team is much stronger. We're probably about equal to the fourth badge, right at this second. It's like grinding in the games for two whole days on wild pokemon before doing the first gym. You end up about level 30, bored, and wanting to find a challenge.
So it is, with reluctance, Misty leaves the lake so we can crush every trainer on the way to Pewter, and I discover Leafeon can carry Misty. Easily. Apparently compared to hours of Gravity Training, Misty at a human running speed is nothing. And compared to carrying Chancey as I workout, or gravity while I run, running for two hours does not leave me gasping for breath.
It does leave me a good half-day north of where we'd left the route. It only takes a few minutes for Chancey to heal me and Leafeon, before we go running down the route.
I crush every trainer I meet. First badge or no. The only ones I do not smash are the ones who recognize me from Viridian when I'd crushed them before. When we set up camp that night, Misty complains about having a sore butt and back, while Leafeon complains that today was too easy.
So I send out Chancey, and tell my team to go off a few hundred yards and get in physical training, a spar, and then come back for dinner.
First, though, I have Chancey heal Misty, who apparently isn't used to getting a lift from a pokemon with no saddle. I roll my eyes at the thought. Who the hell would be used to riding a pokemon? Especially one not really made for riding, like Leafeon.
Whatever.
After coming back from training, I realize Pidgeotto is very close to evolution. It'll probably be a day or two. Charmeleon will be a day or two behind, but not much, really.
I'm going to absolutely brick the Pewter city gym.