In quaint Littleroot Town, Lapis Eurig began the unofficial start of his Nuzlocke journey. There, he had a tense conversation with Professor Birch's niece, Jade, and met his first Pokémon, Zuli the Mudkip. But before he could even start the challenge, the professor wanted Lapis to bring Jade his camera. As his training commences, will his relationship with the research assistant improve? And who will be Lapis' first caught Pokémon?
A.N.- To avoid spoilers, Lapis' team members will be shown at the beginning of the chapter.
Lapis' Pokémon:
Zuli (Lvl. 6 Mudkip, male): Impish Nature, Torrent Ability, moves: Tackle, Growl, Mud Slap
Chapter 2: A Jaded Encounter
Lapis, frustrated by what happened in Oldale Town, stomped on Route 103 with Zuli hopping behind.
"Come on, Loud Lapis!" the Mudkip cried as they passed a large farm. "That wasn't all that bad. I mean, you finally met Summer and her rival Weldon."
Ignoring the optimistic remark, his Trainer pointed to several Zigzagoon, Poochyena, and Wingull charging at them for disturbing their peace.
As Zuli was forced to tackle them and splatter mud in their faces, Lapis vented, "Are you crazy?! I just wanna go on Route 103 after filling out those damn forms, but NOOO! A dumb shopkeeper pulled me over just to give me an unnecessary tour to the Poké Mart, which is so obvious with the blue roof. Then, I almost get steamrolled by a nerd who thinks footprints by Route 102 are some rare species of Pokémon! They're not even Pokémon footprints!"
"I thought this is your first time being a Trainer, Loud Lapis."
"I don't need a license to tell me that."
"Well," the Mudkip said in between a Mud Slap, "you won't know until he's ID'd them, right?"
"It ain't what he's looking for…"
"HEY!" a girl shouted. "Can you two keep quiet?! I'm trying to study the Pokémon here!"
Everyone stood still. Lapis smirked and haughtily crossed his arms. Jade then put her arms on her sides, and the wild Pokémon scattered. A Treecko climbed onto her right shoulder, equally as frustrated.
"Oh, this is just great! It's YOU," she scoffed.
The boy laughed. "What's wrong? Sounds like you missed me."
"I thought I told you I never wanted to see you again!"
Lapis shrugged. "I got my reasons for being here."
She rolled her eyes. "Well then, what the hell are you doing, and why are you beating up all the Pokémon here!?"
He smirked and lowered his eyes. "You heard of the Nuzlocke Challenge?"
She crossed her arms. "Uh huh. It started in this region after all." Then, her eyes lit up. "Wait, the person who's doing it is you?!"
Lapis mockingly bowed. "You got it, Green Bandana Girl."
"You're mocking my clothes, huh?! I'll show-"
She paused to see the Mudkip saunter to his Trainer's side.
"Hey, Loud Lapis. I just gained another level."
"Hm? Oh, good for you."
Her demeanor instantly changed. "Hi there, Mudkip! How are you doing?"
She's more interested in my Pokémon than me?! What a nerd.
"It's good to see you again, Jade," the Water type replied. "And the name's Zuli."
"That's a cute name. I bet your Trainer's not that smart to come up with a nickname like that." The boy fumed as she knelt down and touched Zuli's necklace. "So, what is this stone?"
Zuli looked to his Trainer for the answer.
"Oh, it's lapis lazuli. My favorite stone."
Jade bit her lip. "Guess you're smarter than I thought," she flatly stated. The Mud Fish Pokémon, however, beamed with delight.
Lapis took out the camera from his vest pocket. "Anyway, you left this at the lab."
"Oh, yeah. Thanks…I guess... I always keep forgetting something there." She brushed her hair back. "Um...what's your name...?"
"Lapis. Lapis Eurig."
"Lapis...what an interesting name."
He retorted. "Well, I think you can come up with a better adjective than 'interesting'."
"Excuse me? Are you insisting on a battle?!"
"Wh-What? No! Unless, you're asking for one."
She smirked. "Of course I do. Let's see what a Nuzlocke Trainer can do! Go, Dean!"
The Grass type leapt off her shoulder and landed on all fours. The two Pokémon grinned, ready to fight.
The delinquent scoffed. "You do realize that even if you beat me, I don't lose the challenge, right?"
Jade flashed a determined smile. "Oh, I know that. But I just want to humiliate you before you even catch your first Pokémon!"
Lapis looked at his tablet. He could see Dean's health bar and level as well as his Pokémon's. Huh, so that Treecko's level 5 and Zuli's level 7. This should be easy.
"Hey, quit looking at your tablet!" Jade scolded. "Just because of that, I go first! Dean, Pound!"
He ran towards Zuli and whipped his tail around, smacking his opponent in the face. The Mudkip took the damage well, which showed on the tablet.
"Huh?" Jade gasped. "That should have done more damage than that."
So she can't see the level difference huh? This match is so easy now! "Zuli, use Tackle!"
He dashed forward and knocked the Treecko off his feet. Dean tumbled backwards and rubbed his chest. His health on the tablet dropped to less than half in the yellow zone.
Aw yeah!
Jade refused to back down. "You can do it, Dean! Pound once more!"
"Zuli, Tackle!"
Both Pokémon lunged at each other. Zuli hit the Grass starter's tail, but the former prevailed by tilting his head up. Dean fell onto the grass, unable to move. The health bar fell to zero, and the Treecko's image disappeared.
Lapis whooped. "Hell, yeah!"
His starter gloated, "In your face!"
Jade returned her partner, struggling to hold back tears. "I...I'll get you for this, Lapis…"
She ran south, back to town. Although he won, Lapis felt a little guilty.
Zuli glanced at his Trainer, then the road. "I guess we got a little carried away. You like Jade, don't you?"
Lapis raised an eyebrow. "What'cha talkin' about? I totally don't."
With a smug smile, the Mud Fish Pokémon replied, "I can read the hearts of relationships."
"Pfft... Yeah, right."
Zuli rolled his eyes. "Anyway, should we head back?"
Lapis frowned. "I guess so. Back to Littleroot Town, then?"
An hour later…
Lapis and Zuli entered Professor Birch's lab. He spied Jade sulking on the second floor and the feelings of guilt returned. But the approaching professor distracted his feelings.
Professor Birch exclaimed. "Lapis, there you are! Seems like you gave Jade quite a battle."
"Yeah… I'm sorry if she's just a sore loser."
The girl glared at the Nuzlocke Trainer, her eyes still red.
The professor rubbed the back of his head. "Well, learning from defeat is how a Trainer grows. Except, I can't say that for you though. That's not your objective, is it?"
"'Course not, Professor."
"We'll definitely see if that happens." Professor Birch put his hands in his pockets. Then, he frantically frisked his body. "Darn it all! Where are those Poké Balls?!"
A small brown bag fell from above. Lapis grabbed it and saw there were five Poké Balls inside.
"Thanks, Jade!" her uncle shouted to the half second floor. But she didn't reply. "Oh well. She does need her sulking time. Now, go enjoy your Nuzlocke challenge!"
The two went outside and went straight to Route 101 to find their first Pokémon.
"Do you see anyone, Zuli?" Lapis called.
The Mudkip used his fin to sense for movement. "I think I'm getting something! Over there!"
The two looked north and saw a Poochyena eating berries from bush.
Lapis scanned the Dark type with his tablet. "Huh. She's just level 2. Oh well, I need this Pokémon."
The Poochyena heard the teen and ran towards the eastern forest.
"Damn it! Zuli, Mud Slap!"
The Water type ran ahead and stopped in front of her. She tried to run around him, but he used his hind legs to splash mud on her face. Blinded, she skidded and hit a tree, then fell dazed on the grass.
"Is she okay?" Zuli asked.
"Yeah, she's fine," Lapis replied flatly and threw a Poké Ball at her.
The ball hit the weakened Pokémon and she went inside. After three shakes, the Poké Ball emitted three stars. His first Pokémon catch was successful. On the tablet, the map of the region appeared. A red bar where Route 101 was appeared, signaling the catch opportunity has been completed.
Lapis looked at her stats. "So, this female Poochyena with a Mild Nature and the Run Away Ability. Not the best, but I guess it'll do."
Zuli mused, "No wonder why she tried to escape. What do we do now?"
"We should get to the Pokémon Center. There, I can heal the both of you and officially add her to the team."
"Sounds good to me, Loud Lapis!"
After fifteen minute run, Lapis entered the Oldale Town Pokémon Center and handed Nurse Toki his Poké Balls. A few minutes later, he got his Pokémon back and walked over to a couch by the television.
Lapis let out Zuli and his new Poochyena. She was much calmer and sat in front of the two.
"So, you're my new Trainer then?" she asked the teen inquisitively.
"Uh, yeah. Name's Lapis, and this is Zuli."
"Hi there!" the Mudkip greeted. "Sorry I gave you such a scare earlier."
She licked her paws. "That's all right. It wasn't your fault."
Lapis sweat dropped. "Right. Anyway, I'm doing this challenge where I need to catch the first Pokémon in every new place I visit and I have to send them away if they faint."
Poochyena tilted her head. "Challenge?"
"Oh yeah, here." He printed a card from his tablet and showed it to her.
"Ohhh… So this is called a Nuzlocke challenge…? I guess I'll give it a shot."
"Yay!" Zuli cheered. "Welcome to the team...um… What's her name going to be?"
Lapis opened his box of stones, fiddled inside, and pulled out a silver chain with a black stone shaped into an oval. "How about this one? Onyx."
She sniffed the stone, then the chain. "That looks good to me." Onyx accepted the necklace and shook her neck to make it fit.
"Now that introductions are done, let's train."
"Is he this intense?" Onyx asked her new teammate.
"Yeah, but I think it's because he's such a newb."
Lapis glared at the Mudkip, who chuckled softly. "Whatever, let's go to Route 101."
A few hours later…
Lapis and Onyx headed back to Route 103, as their training on Route 101 was no longer making any progress.
The boy sighed. "Your Tackle is getting better, Onyx, and you gained some levels. But your new move sucks."
The Poochyena bent forward and howled at the setting sun, startling him. "I think it's pretty useful, Lapis."
Her move scared the nearby wild Pokémon away, except for a Zigzagoon, who continued to look for ripe berries in the grass.
Guess it's a Zigzagoon then… "Onyx, Tackle!"
She charged at the Normal type and knocked him back. Zigzagoon retaliated with a low, sharp growl. Onyx bent her ears back, trying to negate the awful sound.
Damn it, a defense drop. Time to switch strategies. "Onyx, return! Go, Zuli!"
Zuli stood in Onyx's place, causing the Zigzagoon to growl again. Zuli gritted his teeth, but he handled the noise better.
Good, now this move will get me in the catching range. "Mud Slap!"
Zuli splashed mud into the Tiny Raccoon Pokémon's eyes. As he tried to shake it off, Zigzagoon kept growling, though his aim was off.
"Keep weakening Zigzagoon with Mud Slap!"
A few more hits to the body made Zuli's opponent stumble and pant heavily. Lapis threw a Poké Ball at the weakened Pokémon, but to his surprise, Zigzagoon escaped after two shakes. Now that the mud was off his face, the Normal type charged at Zuli.
"Oh no you don't! Go, Poké Ball!" Lapis threw the ball at his target's face.
This time, the ball shook three times, and three stars popped out.
Zuli breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Loud Lapis. I don't know how bad it would be if I got hit by that Tackle."
His Trainer shrugged. "I just needed to make sure you didn't faint, that's it."
The Mudkip became curious. "Are you not used to compliments or something, Loud Lapis?"
The teen rubbed his head. "Let's just say, no one gives a damn about me… Anyway, let's take a rest and name our new Pokémon."
"You bet!"
He returned Zuli and trudged back to the Pokémon Center in Oldale Town. The first day took a lot out of him. Once inside and Nurse Toki healed his Pokémon for what felt like the hundredth time, he walked over to the cafeteria and let the three out.
Lapis scanned his new acquisition. So, this Zigzagoon is level 4, has a Quiet Nature, and has the Pickup Ability. That will be useful, the Pickup Ability, I mean.
Zigzagoon looked at Zuli and Onyx, then at Lapis. "So...am I on a Trainer's team then?" he asked meekly.
The teen nodded. "Yeah. I'm Lapis, and this is Zuli and Onyx."
He showed the Normal type the Nuzlocke explanation card, and the latter gave it a good read.
"So, I'm here until I faint then, is that right?"
"Well, I ain't gonna to force that to happen. How about it, wanna join the team?"
Zigzagoon stared into Lapis' eyes. After a few seconds, he replied, "Sure. You seem kind of trustworthy."
"Open the box! Open the box!" Zuli screamed.
"Box?"
"It's his gemstone box," Onyx explained. "We're all wearing one based on our nicknames."
"I see…"
Lapis fashioned a yellowish stone with orange and brown stripes onto a bronze chain. He showed it to the Normal type. "Like this tiger eyes gemstone?"
"'Tiger Eyes'… Yeah, that looks fine with me."
After placing the necklace around Tiger Eyes' neck, Lapis address the three. "All right then. Let's finally get this Nuzlocke challenge over with."
Questions for the Chapter:
What do you think of Lapis' second interaction with Jade?
What do you think of Onyx and Tiger Eyes?
What Pokémon will Lapis catch next?
