Chapter 4:
Breath of the Wild Area
Location: Postwick
"Do you have spare clothes? Shellder Card? Ingredients for cooking?"
I looked through my Bag for the umpteenth time. Everything was in there. Of course, I certainly wasn't going to forget my Pokémon either, was I? "I just couldn't believe the day is here."
Mum wiped a tear from her eye. "Listen. I may never have been endorsed myself, so I want you to make me proud. Now, you go beat the Gyms and show Leon his boss! His reign of terror will come to an end!"
I wouldn't say reign of terror. I'd usually compare a reign of terror to someone like Lysandre, that madman just across the strait that tried to wipe out the population of the entire region just across the sea from us, but not Leon at all. He's just the strongest Trainer in Galar. "He's not a bad guy!" I said.
"Oh, silly me. Okay, good luck!"
I walked out of my house to see Hop waiting for me, Grookey on shoulder.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
I straightened my bobble hat. "I'm ready!
Location: Wedgehurst
"Take a gander at this country air," I said. "We won't be giving it a sniff for a little while."
Hop got a map up on his phone. "The Wild Area. The National Park of the Galar region. So many Pokémon to catch! I can't wait!"
"Then let's get down to the Train Station!" I told him.
"Wait!" I said. "Our Dynamax bands!"
"You don't need to worry," Sonia said, appearing before us. "Grandma Magnolia knew you two were excited, so I thought I would deliver them to you here." She gave us both white bands.
"We can Dynamax now!" I said.
"Well not here," Hop said. "Remember, we need to be in a Dynamax spot to activate it."
"Next train leaves in ten minutes," Sonia said. "We can't have you missing it!"
Location: Wedgehurst Station
The two of us walked into the Station where we scanned our Shellder cards on the machine. It plopped out some tickets.
"Here we are," I said. "Our ticket to adventure."
"I thought that was our endorsement," Hop replied.
"Our other ticket to adventure!" I shouted. "Let's ride the hype train!"
"Gloria!" Mum shouted as I was about to get on. She seemed out of breath. "You forgot this!" She gave my some…
"Camping Equipment?" I said. "Urgh. How could I forget this?"
"Now going on an adventure does not mean you will be staying in five star resorts the entire time."
"Actually," Hop said. "All endorsements get to stay in Motostoke's Budew Drop Inn the night before the opening ceremony."
"Well, aside from that. But you will need all of thi-"
We heard a whistle go off. "Love you Mum!" I said as me and Hop got on the train.
As the train chugged along the tracks and the environment sped by us outside the window, me and Hop discussed a bit about what was coming up.
"Hey, do you think we'll be able to do a Max Raid Battle?" Hop asked.
"Maybe," I said. "I just can't wait! So many Pokémon to see, battles to partake in, I just can't contain my excitement! Yeah!" I stood up and shouted. Everyone looked at me awkwardly. Embarrassed, I sat down again.
"Anyway," Hop said. "The Opening Ceremony isn't for a couple of days, so what do you say we spend some time in the Wild Area? It will get us used to Camping and we'll see many great Pokémon!"
I was down for roughing it… kinda. "Sure thing!" I said, looking out the window again. "Look out Galar, Gloria is coming!"
Location: Meetup Spot (Wild Area)
We exited the station and ran outside to see it; the Wild Area. Large lakes, trees that the internet seems to bash, Max Raid Dens and Motostoke in the distance were all right in front of us.
"Wow!" Hop said. "We're actually here!"
We saw many other Trainers running around with their Pokémon, doing training. "Well?" I asked. "What are we waiting for? Last one to that chunky tree is a Rotten Exeggcute!" I ran off.
"Hey! Wait up!" Hop shouted.
Location: Rolling Field (Wild Area)
I got to the tree, with Hop following me about 20 seconds later. (He was never a fast runner). "Do NOT surprise me with rubbish like that," he said. "Or I will- last one to that rock is a Slowpoke!" He ran off towards a line of boulders.
"Err, Hop?" I shouted. "I… don't think that's a rock…"
Hop made it there. "You didn't even try!" As he said this, the rocks started rising. It had a head and tail, and looked very angry.
"Hop?" I said. "Maybe run?"
"Sure!" Hop replied. "Where next?"
"No!" I shouted. "I MEAN RUN AWAY!"
Hop looked behind him. "It's an-an-…"
"ONIX!" We both shouted as it started chasing us.
Onix (イワーク)
#178
Rock/Ground Type
Rock Snake Pokémon
28'10" (8.8 m)
463 lbs (210 kg)
As it digs through the ground, it absorbs many hard objects. This is what makes its body so solid.
Me and Hop ran away from the rocky giant. "Wait!" I said. "I'll battle it!"
"That thing is Level 26!" Hop shouted. "And if Lotad gets knocked out, your other Pokémon have a Type disadvantage!"
"Then we'll split!" I said. "I run right, you run left!"
"Got it!" Hop said. "Three, two, one… now!"
We went our separate directions. I hid behind a safe looking rock whilst Hop ran the other way. Onix ran straight passed us. I got out from my hiding spot as did Hop, who was hiding behind a tree.
"I guess you won that race," I said.
"Yeah, the race to stay alive!" Hop replied, shaking a half eaten Berry out of his hair. "Sorry, the tree I was hiding in was home to a Skwovet."
We got a good look at all the amazing Pokémon available. "I think I'll try battling something a little easier," I said. I then saw it; a grey Pokémon with long ears.
Bunnelby (ホルビー)
#048
Normal Type
Digging Pokémon
1'04" (0.4 m)
11 lbs (5 kg)
It's very sensitive to danger. The sound of Corviknight's flapping will have Bunnelby digging a hole to hide underground in moments.
"Rookidee, go!" I shouted. "Use Peck!" Rookidee stabbed its beak into Bunnelby. Bunnelby then used Tackle back. "Now use Leer!" Rookidee then gave Bunnelby a nasty stare. Bunnelby tried using Mud Slap, but it didn't do anything. "Now use Peck again!" Rookidee stabbed Bunnelby once more, defeating it.
"You didn't catch it?" Hop asked.
"As far as I'm concerned, I only need one cute Pokémon with long ears on my team. Plus, THAT is what it evolves into." I saw a Pokémon that looked like Bunnelby, but bigger and with brown fur.
Diggersby (ホルード)
#049
Normal/Ground Type
Digging Pokémon
3'03" (1 m)
93.5 lbs (42.4 kg)
With power equal to an excavator, it can dig through dense bedrock. It's a huge help during tunnel construction.
Bunnelby -Lv 20- Diggersby
"Urgh, I don't blame you then," said Hop.
Location: East Lake Axwell
"Nice lake," I said, just as I noticed rainclouds above us. Immediately, some water started dripping from the sky. "Huh? It was sunny a moment ago." The rain started getting harder, so we had to run under a tree.
"The weather here can change at a moment's notice," Hop told me. "We can't just wait it out. We need to find somewhere to set up camp." Hop looked around. "The Pokémon seem to like the rain though." He saw some Oddish dancing about in the grass.
Oddish (ナゾノクサ)
#055
Grass/Poison Type
Weed Pokémon
1'08" (0.5 m)
11.9 lbs (5.4 kg)
If exposed to moonlight, it starts to move. It roams far and wide at night to scatter its seeds.
"Does that look like chuffing moonlight to you?!" I shouted, pointing at the sun behind the clouds. This scared the Oddish away.
"Woah, chill," Hop told me. "Like I said, we can't stay under here forever, so why don't we head for…" He found an area where it was sunny. It had an old stone structure. "Over there sound good?"
"Okay," I replied. "But we'll have to make a run for it. Ready? Go!" The two of us ran through the rain. We didn't even have raincoats (another thing I forgot!). I ran but tripped over a Pokémon. It was pink with brown arms.
Stufful (ヌイコグマ)
#094
Normal/Fighting Type
Flailing Pokémon
1'08" (0.5 m)
15 lbs (6.8 kg)
The way it protects itself by flailing its arms may be an adorable sight, but stay well away. This is flailing that can snap thick tree trunks.
"Go Scorbunny!" I shouted. My main Pokémon came out. "Use Ember!" Scorbunny kicked a fireball at Stufful. It took away half its HP.
"Hah! I think that Stufful has Fluffy to! If it wasn't raining, this thing would be done for right away!"
Stufful then surrounded itself in blackness and charged into Scorbunny for a lot. "That was Payback! Scorbunny, Ember!" Scorbunny hit Stufful with another fireball, defeating it.
"I gotta say!" said Hop, as we ran through the rainstorm. "You really know your stuff Gloria!"
Location: Watchtower Ruins (Wild Area)
We finally got to the Watchtower and thus, intense sunlight. "Finally," I said. "What do you say we dry off?"
"Already on it," said Hop, laying on the ground. We saw the Drifloon float blissfully above us.
Drifloon (フワンテ)
#124
Ghost/Flying Type
Balloon Pokémon
1'04" (0.4 m)
2.6 lbs (1.2 kg)
The gathering of many souls gave rise to this Pokémon. During humid seasons, they seem to appear in abundance.
I set up my tent. Even in boiling weather, it needed to be done. But I had my Pokémon to help me. Hop's were busy doing some training. "We won't cook anything fancy tonight," I said.
"Thank goodness," Hop replied. "I can't believe it. We're finally on our journey."
"And in two days…" I said. "We'll go to Motostoke. You know, if we're not eaten before then."