With nimble silent movements, I hurriedly dashed from shrub to shrub before hiding within the foliage. The slender black-furred tips of my ears poked above the leaves and listened for any sound of commotion. 

 

No noise. I’m clear. 

 

My paws pulled down some of the small branches to allow my black round eyes a peek at the surroundings. The dirt road where I fought that brat’s Squirtle laid right before me. 

 

Ok. No trainers yet or any wild Pokémon. I’ll keep moving. I need to find a decent human being to help Pidgeotto and also worthy of being chosen by Ho-oh. Not sure how that works though…

 

I jumped out of the bush, keeping close behind the shrubbery as I moved along the side of the road. I moved forward for a while before coming across my first target, or targets. I slipped into the bush and observed their potential for decency. However, I frowned. I couldn’t believe it!

 

A sense of deja vu came back to me as I watched.

 

“Go, Squirtle!” The same kid that threw a Pokeball at me the other day shouted, tossing a red and white ball onto the ground. The ball plopped open, and a blob of light spat out and materialized a much too familiar Pokémon.

 

“Squirtle! Squirt!” The light blue turtle called out, standing in a slightly leaning fighting stance. 

 

Hmmm. The Pokémon Center must be pretty good. I thought Squirtle would have been seriously hurt, but the guy looks good as new. Maybe even better? Did he level up? I wonder if they can see the blue screens? Dang. Should of asked Pidgeotto earlier. But now I’m certain the humans can help Pidgeotto. 

 

A young teenage girl in a yellow dress with her arms playfully behind her waist un-worriedly leaned over and looked at the brat and his Pokemon.

 

“Squirtle, is it? Okay! Go Oddish!”

 

I nodded my head in approval. Yes, yes. Girl, you get it! Type advantage! It’s not guaranteed, but the odds lean heavily in your favor.

 

I looked back at the kid in a clean white sleeveless shirt, who gritted his teeth. I guess he kinda learned his lesson, but I suppose he still has yet to catch another Pokémon.

 

“Squirtle! Close the distance, Tackle, now!”

 

“Squirtle!” The turtle Pokémon responded and charged in his usual awkward run.

 

“Oddish! Stun spore! Follow up with Absorb!”

 

“Od-dish!” The plant Pokemon shrieked in a high-pitched voice at the command from its trainer. Its leaves rattled in the air as it shook off a mist of sparkling yellow pollen at Squirtle.

 

“Squirtle, hold your breath, and tackle it! Hold it down and continue with Bite!”

 

Hmmm. Ok. The kid got some spunk. Maybe he knows what he’s doing?

 

Squirtle huffed in a deep breath of air before charging through the spray of pollen. 

 

“Oddish! Dodge!”

 

Too late. Squirtle rushed forward, leading with his shoulder as he slightly twisted and slammed right into Oddish with his elbow and shell.

 

“Oooodiiish!” The plant Pokemon squealed from pain as it shot backward, tripping onto its back and falling to the ground. The kid’s tactic was all too familiar. The next part, too! Oddish screamed as Squirtle bit off mouth chunks from the long slender green leaves growing out from its bulbous head. I gulped, holding my tail and feeling phantom pains from my last fight with Squirtle. I’m glad he didn’t bite off a chunk of my tail as it did with the longleaf on Oddish’s head.

 

“Oddish, no! How dare you, Squirtle! Hurry Oddish, use Absorb and heal yourself!”

 

“Don’t let it, Squirtle. Headbutt to the face! As hard as you can! Make it see stars!”

 

“Sqqquuirtle!” The water Pokemon yelled, lifting its head up high as Oddish glowed green and pulled away sparkles of light coming from Squirtle.

 

All I heard next was a BAM! And then Oddish went out cold. Sqirlte’s hard forehead knocked out Oddish. I guess Absorb takes time in real life. Otherwise, it should have been lights out for Squirtle.

 

“Stop! Don’t hurt Oddish anymore! Oddish! Return!” the girl in the yellow dress screamed, shooting a laser at Oddish and calling back her Pokemon into its Pokeball. 

 

“Good job, Squirtle! You did it!” the young teenage brat shouted. 

 

I admit he broke my expectations with the outcomes of this battle. I guess there are more than simply type advantage and attack moves. 

 

“Squirtle! Squirrrtle!” the Pokemon shouted and jumped up and down in glee. 

 

The young girl gritted her teeth before shouting, “This isn’t over yet! Go Bellsprout! Teach them a lesson! Use Vine Whip!” 

 

She took out another Pokeball and tossed it toward Squirtle. A scrawny plant Pokemon appeared out of the ball. It looked weak and fragile with its thin brown stem and exposed roots that allowed it to walk in a duck-like waddle on the ground. 

 

I think Bellsprout tried to wave its two green leaves, midways on its stem, in a threatening manner, but uh, yeah… I don’t think anyone was falling for it. Oddly, its beady black eyes on its small pitcher-plant-like head did glare with an overly hateful gaze. I think it was mad from its buddy’s beating.

 

“BEEELLLSPRROOOUT!!!” The assumingly weak plant Pokemon bellowed with a deep roar that shook the surroundings. 

 

The heck?! What’s with that Bellsprout!? Where did that carnal roar of a monster come from?!

 

The blaring shout surprised both Squirtle and his trainer. The two could not react in time as the plant Pokemon kicked out its roots, extending them out like whipping vines. The roots kicked off the ground sharply at Squirtle and right at his face. A sharp slap to the side of Squirtle’s face sent him twirling away. I didn’t know what level that Bellsprout was at, but it was definitely higher than Squirtle.  

 

“BELLLL!” It shouted, charging head-on towards Squirtle, who was pushing himself up from the ground. A red slap mark on the turtle Pokemon’s face bled from Bellsprout's earlier attack. 

 

Daaammmnnn. That Bellsprout kicks one mean Vine Whip! 

 

“Squirtle! Spray Bubble to hinder its sight!”

 

“Bellsprout! Stop and use Bullet Seed! Smash through!”

 

“Squirtle! You know what to do! Keep to the plan!”

 

“BELLSPROUT!” 

 

“Squirtle!” the water Pokemon shouted, spitting a thick torrent of bubbles at the Bellsprout.

 

Bellsprout followed commands and halted. “BELL!” The plant Pokemon pulled its light yellow pitcher-plant-like head backward and shot out a stream of seeds that sprayed out in a straight line and passed through the center of the foamy bubbles blocking Bellsprout’s sight. 

 

“BELL?” The plant Pokemon tilted its head, looking through the clearing of bubbles at the empty space where Squirtle should have been.

 

The plant Pokemon’s trainer shrieked in alarm, “Bellsprout! Watch out! On your left!”

 

A spinning shell whirled in a curve, sliding on the ground from behind the bubbles heading straight for Bellsprout. Squirtle spun his body in the withdrawn shell and used Rapid Spin to slam right into the plant Pokemon. 

 

“BELL!” The plant Pokemon bellowed in pain from the attack.

 

“Bellsprout! Get a hold of yourself! Grip onto that Squirtle’s shell and use Wrap! Stop it’s spin!”

 

“BELLSPROOOUT!” Its roots hurriedly tangled around the spinning turtle shell, stopping Squirtle’s attack. 

 

“Oh, no! Squirtle! Bite! Hurry!”

 

“Not this time! Bellsprout wrap around the top hole! Don’t let Squirle come out of its shell! Then use Sleep Powder!”

 

“Hurry, Squirtle! Get out! You have to bite its mouth close!”

 

“Squir! Squirt!” Squirtle struggled to push his head out of his shell, but Bellsprout firmly held onto the withdrawn turtle. 

 

“BELLLL!” the plant Pokemon screeched and sprayed a sparkling blue mist from its mouth at point blank right at Squirtle. 

 

“Squirtle! Hold your breath!” the teenage brat shouted, but alas. Bellsprout unraveled its wrapped roots around the shell, and Squirtle limbs slowly extended out, lost in a deep sleep.

 

Hmmm. I should get me a Pokemon that can use Sleep Powder when I return to being human; instant cure for insomnia!

 

“Bellsprout! Finish it! Vine Whip!”

 

“Squirtle! Snap out of it! Squirtle! NO!”

 

“BELLLSPRROOOOUT!!!”

 

The roots slapped Squirtle flying, bouncing on its shell a few times before stopping. Squirtle lay unconscious, sprawled out on its back. The battle was over. Squirtle’s trainer recalled him back into the ball before looking down at the ball in his hand and in a grateful tone, said, “Thanks, Squirtle, great job.”

 

I looked at the two with deep interest. I think they both have potential. I didn’t see any ridiculous orders. No blaming or taking out their emotions on their Pokemon. At least, for the brat. Can’t confirm for the young lady yet. 

 

The young lady dashed over to Bellsprout and jumped for joy.

 

“Bellsprout! You’re the best! You did it!” She then glanced at the teenage brat and said, “Ha! Pay up!”

 

The teenage kid gritted his teeth, grudgingly slipping his hand into his pocket to grab a couple hundred Pokedollars and handing them over to the grinning girl.

 

“Here 200 Pokedollars as agreed for our bet,” the kid unwilling said, shoving his clenched hands that were still clenching on the money and not letting go.

 

“Hhnnnnn,” the young lady in a yellow dress huffed and groaned, grinning while prying the money out of the teenage boy’s hand. “Thanks! You’re not bad. Did you just start your journey for Kanto’s Pokemon League?”

 

Definitely a virgin. I thought, seeing the brat’s bright red face that looked away from the girl’s compliment. 

 

He tried to glare back at the girl to hide his embarrassment. Yup, still a virgin. She took one of the Pokedollars worth a hundred and handed it back to the surprised brat. “Here, you took out one of my Pokemon. Take it and get stronger. We should battle again sometime soon. Want to exchange numbers for future battles?”

 

I bet it was his first time getting them digits. Aw. How cute. Go for it, buddy! 

 

The teenage boy didn’t say anything but bobbed his bright red face up and down. She giggled, and the two exchanged numbers on their Poke gadgets. 

 

I wonder if I can get me one of those. Poke gadgets, I mean! Not girlfriends, OK?! I had some. Ok, maybe a few. But as I was saying, I miss browsing the internet. I thought while my eyes gleamed curiously at the Poke gear.

 

Suddenly, a clamorous roar, more deafening than Bellsprout’s, shook the surroundings. We all jerked over and looked at the cause of the disturbing noise with fright.

 

“URSARING!” A hulking brown bear Pokemon with a large gold circle encircling his chest and belly shouted, but it seemed to direct more of its blaring anger at Bellsprout.

 

“BELL?!” Bellsprout bellowed back, wildly waving its green leaves in the air at Ursaring. He narrowed his eyes and death-glared back, super pissed off. 

 

“Why is there an Ursaring in Veridian Forest!?” the young girl shouted in disbelief. 

 

“URRRSAAAA!!” the angry bear Pokemon screamed.

 

I looked at Ursaring, unable to understand it. Oh, wait! Duh! I shook my head at my folly. “Pika?”

 

“I’LL KILL YOU, PLANT POKEMON!” Ursaring shouted again making a threatening Scary Face, and we all froze and shuddered.

 

Oh. Maybe I shouldn’t have changed over to the Pokemon Language. What’s his deal though? Why so angry at the grass types? I liked plant types. I liked Pokemon period.

 

Suddenly, Ursaring charged, launching itself straight at Bellsprout.

 

“Bellsprout! Look out! Damn it, this is too dangerous! Sleep Powder!”

 

“YOU DUMB BEAR! TAKE THIS!” Bellsprout shouted, shooting a blast of shimmering blue spores at Ursaring.

 

However, the bear Pokemon’s momentum launched it sweeping past the shiny patch of sleep spores. It blasted through and swiped its long razor-sharp claws in a downward slash and struck Bellsprout. 

 

“AHHHHH!” Bellsprout screamed in agonizing pain as the roots it lifted to block the attack were ripped and sliced apart. The Slash attack continued, cutting off half of Bellsprout’s leafy arms it used to protect its head. 

 

“NO! Return, Bellsprout!” the girl in the yellow dress shouted, recalling Bellsprout back into his ball. 

 

However, with no Pokemon left to defend them, Ursaring now glared at the duo of trainers. His mouth foamed and drooled as if berserk. The rabid Pokemon roared, “BRING BACK OUT THAT GRASS POKEMON! I WILL KILL IT!” It then charged at the young lady.

 

“Run! It’s coming after you!” the wide-eyed brat grabbed the young lady’s wrist, yanking her along with him in a mad dash to escape. 

 

“YOU WILL NOT GET AWAY! I’LL KILL YOU TWO INSTEAD! AND THEN CRUSH THAT GRASS POKEMON!” Ursaring roared, quickly closing in on them. 

 

Damn. Why do I always find myself in troublesome situations!? But this is perfect timing to use my new Move! 

 

“Dig!” I shouted, clawing up the earth and launching dirt flying behind me. Once I got my feet into the quickly deepening hole, I drilled through underground, ripping and shooting loads of dirt past me as I headed towards the Ursaring. 

 

“AHHH!” A blood-curdling scream shrieked into the air as the young lady who was slashed by Ursaring fell to the ground with a thud. Time was running out, and I dug in a flurry – swiping with all I had – scratching and kicking away dirt while heading towards the vibration of the fall. 

 

“NO!! GET AWAY FROM HER!”

 

I heard the scream of the brat, and I launched up from underground. The ground ruptured, blasting out dirt and rocks at Ursaring. AND ALSO ME! I lunged right at Ursaring’s legs and used Quick Attack to hopefully beat Ursaring’s downward strike of his slashing claws at the young man, who stood in front of the fallen lady. 

 

“Please make it!” I yelled, sending a flying kick through the air and right at the back side of Ursaring’s knee. Quick Attack hit first! I flashed like lightning, connecting my kick before the hulking bear could kill the brat. Ursaring collapsed to his knees from the forward momentum with a thud, shaking the ground. 

 

“URRRRR-AHHH!!!” The angry face of the rabid bear Pokemon jerked his head over and Growled at me. 

 

I gulped at the warping face of madness. However, I needed to distract the crazed Pokemon while the two human trainers escaped. “RUN, YOU FOOLS!” I screamed at them in human tongue, unfreezing their trembling bodies from a close brush with Death. 

 

Both were shocked, but the young lady was surprised even more, “It’s a talking Pikachu!”

 

“Not now! Run!” The young brat yelled, dragging the girl who kept looking back my way.

 

That dang girl! What good would looking at me do if you died?! But good job, kid! That will earn you some points with your girl! 

   

“URSA-RIIIIIING” The bear Pokemon bellowed, noticing my intentions, and quickly jerked back its giant body at the two that scrambled away.

 

“Oh, no, you don’t! Thundershock!” 

 

Jolts of electricity sparked dangerously from my cheeks, and I gritted my teeth, ready to start another battle. 

 

This won’t be easy. You owe me one, kid!