I looked at Gary with questioning and dubious eyes. 

 

Who the heck is this guy? Where is Gary?

 

Gary's nonchalant, high ego attitude vanished. I did a double-take. I had to. The person before us was anything unlike the guy earlier who whistled carelessly through the woods. His solemn face now took the predicament seriously, but he still looked unworried—not at all panicking. His years of experience as a professional trainer living through danger shined at this moment. It showed. He was oddly calm, given being surrounded by a group of Pokemon ready for a deadly pounce and strike. His confident demeanor and powerful aura eased my distress. I saw a different side to Gary. I almost didn’t recognize the changed man. 

 

The person standing in front of me was now the real Viridian Gym Leader, Gary Oak. Not that egotistical teenage punk who I loved and hated from the anime. 

 

“Hey, kid and Pikachu. I was too full of myself, but I will protect you at all costs. However, keep up your guard at all times. Protect your trainer, Pikachu. You should call out any other Pokémon you have, kid.”

 

“Pi - ka,” I snorted, meaning, “obviously.”

 

Charlie took Gary’s advice and firmly nodded with a serious face. 

 

“I will handle these two over here and have another of my Pokémon watch over you two. However, kid, you will face off against Pinsir and Duskull. This will be a good experience of the reality you will face going forward. Go! Scizzor! Keep to the side and only protect them if needed!”

 

A deep-red armored, praying mantis-like Pokemon flew out of the Pokeball and landed by Charlie’s side.

 

“Yes, Sir Gary! Come on out, Squirtle!” My trainer shouted, tossing a Pokeball at my side. Squirtle flashed into existence from a glowing blob of light that shot out of the ball.

 

“Squirtle! Squirt!” Excitedly shouted my once-enemy, now-comrade. 

 

“I know you’re still hurt, Squirtle, from the battle with Oddish. But I need you. Oh! And you might remember this Pikachu here. His name is Sax. He’ll be part of our new team. Please get along, you two, okay?”

 

The much-too-happy turtle Pokémon completely missed my existence. Squirtle flinched in surprise after turning and following Charlie’s pointing and saw me standing slightly behind him. Had it been any other time, I would have belly-laughed at the shocked and flabbergasted face that held traces of unwillingness and anger. 

 

But now was not the time to tease Squirtle. That would come later. Hehehe. 

 

I raised up my right paw and said hello. “Pika,” which means, “Yo.” We needed to cooperate right now.

 

“Squirtle! Squirtle! Squirtle! Squirt!” The water Pokemon complained, flailing his arms wildly at me. (By the way, Squirtle said, “You bastard! Did you fight and hurt Charlie when he tried to catch you!?”)

 

My thin eyebrows scrunched, annoyed that I didn’t have time to argue back; my eyes narrowed at a bigger problem.

 

I gripped the complaining Pokemon by the shoulder and leaped back, jerking away an even more complaining Squirtle. However, the now fear-filled Squirtle turned pale and complained no more. 

 

A pair of large and spiky silver horn-like pincers on top of Pinsir’s head nearly clamped around the shell of the unaware turtle Pokemon. He would have been cracked in half like steamed crab legs and served for lunch. 

 

The two jagged horn-like pincers snapped at the air where Squirtle once stood, sending out a sharp ringing metallic noise as they clinked against each other. 

 

“Squirtle! Are you OK?!” Charlie shouted with deep worry.

 

“Pika - Pi,” I said, adding, “Pi - Pi - Pika! Pika - Pi!” Which all meant, “He’s fine. Now go and protect Charlie! I got this!”

 

I shoved back Squirtle towards our trainer and lowered my body onto all fours. Squirtle complained and momentarily hesitated but ran back to guard Charlie and await more orders. I could now focus. It was battle time! My front paws touched the ground, and I immediately started off my attack! Sparks of electricity flashed dangerously from my cheeks. 

 

“Pi - ka - chu!” I shouted, zapping out jolts of electricity and striking Pinsir. His large metallic horns were a perfect target, acting like an ungrounded lightning rod. 

 

“Pin - si - ir - ir - ir!” The bug Pokemon repeatedly groaned in pain, shaking in an uncontrollable spasm. Suddenly, I jumped away, cutting off my Thundershock attack early. 

 

“Sax! Look out!” Charlie shouted.

 

Way ahead of you, buddy.

 

“Dus - kull!” The ghost Pokemon growled, shooting out red and purple rays from its eyes. My feet landed on the ground and skidded across the floor, sliding on the dirt from my leap away from the Night Shade attack. 

 

I wasted no time, halting my skid, ripping up the ground with my paws, and digging into the earth. Another ray of Night Shade shot at me grazing my tail as I slipped into the hole in the ground. 

 

Ow! Why is my tail always taking a hit!?

 

The attack left a strange cold burn that I ignored as I continued hurriedly digging in Pinsir’s direction. I exploded out of the ground underneath Pinsir, who was still focused on charging at Squirtle. His mistake! Dirt and rocks blasted and smashed on the underside of the bug Pokemon. My underground attack tripped the heavy-headed Pokemon, and it fell face forward onto the ground with a thud.

 

Pinsir cried out from the sharp pain, growling with anger as he tried to stand up. 

 

CHANCE! Ugh. But I’m going to have to wash my face after this!

 

Red and purple rays flashed through the air, rushing in a zigzagged line straight at me. 

 

“Sax! Dodge it!” Charlie exclaimed with alarm.

 

That damn Duskull is so persistent! Quick Attack! 

 

I sped off as the ray burned the empty ground where I once was. For now I ignored Duskull. My target was Pinsir! Pinsir kneeled on both of his rather thin legs, slowly pushing off the ground into standing. It was in my favor that his heavy horns and sizeable upper body weighed down on his skinny limbs. 

 

“Sax!? What are you doing?!” Charlie shouted. 

 

I turned my head midrun and gave a face of reluctance. Wait and see, Charlie.

 

I looked back into the pitch-black maws of a monster. Pinsir’s mouth was huge, taking up a good portion of his upper body. His teeth were like dull machete knives. Being ripped apart by the bug Pokemon would be a gruesome death. AND I was puckering up my lips to give this creature a kiss! Ugh.

 

I flashed in front of Pinsir who was midways from full standing. I looked into Pinsir’s triangle-shaped eyes, and it glared back into mine. I couldn’t believe I was losing my first kiss as Pikachu to this not-so-attractive insect Pokemon.

 

Here we go!

 

I braced myself and dashed in, using Sweet Kiss on Pinsir whose pincers narrowly missed my head. My soft lips touched the corner of Pinsir’s hard chitin mouth, and I gave the bug Pokemon a big smooch. I guess it must have been Pinsir’s first kiss too because the bug Pokemon blushed a bright pink and was seeing stars. 

 

Hehehe. Now it’s time!

 

I dashed over and ran toward Duskull, and Pinsir confusingly followed suit. 

 

“Sax! Use Thundershock!” 

 

“Pika!” I acknowledged, but when, I didn’t know. 

 

I used Quick Attack. I had to. I needed to close the distance now from the carelessly attacking Pinsir. I broke out of my quick sprint, sliding underneath Duskull, who shot rays of Night Shade from its eyes that burned my bottom and put him in the middle between me and Pinsir. My butt burned, but I was now ready to follow Charlie’s earlier command. 

 

But suddenly, I couldn’t use Thundershock. Duskull’s eyes glowed white and we made eye contact. It was like the ghost Pokemon looked into my mind and sealed off part of my brain that knew how to use my electric attack. 

 

“Pikachu! Thundershock, hurry!”

 

“Pika!” I shouted in alarm, shrugging and shaking my head—trying to tell my trainer that I could not due to the Disable attack from Duskull.

 

I leaped away from the chuckling ghost Pokemon that wore a skull on its face. He gloated from his handiwork. But I smirked back. He forgot about my kissing handiwork—the confused Pinsir, that is! The distraction gave a moment for the confused bug Pokemon to directly attack Duskull from the back. 

 

Pinsir’s set of large teeth glowed a yellow-green, opening wide and chomping down on Duskull's backside. A direct hit! The ghost Pokémon wailed in agony as half of its body was grounded inside Pinsir’s wide mouth and blade-like teeth. The Bug Bite ripped a part of a spectral piece on the ghost Pomemon’s back. 

 

“Squirtle! Water Gun! Blast away that Duskull then finish it with Bite! Sax! Quick Attack at Pinsir after Squirtle shoots Water Gun. Knock Pinsir away and keep it from Squirtle and Duskull!”

 

“Pika, Pika!” Meaning, “Aye, Aye!

 

Squirtle pulled back his head and his cheeks ballooned. The turtle blasted a torrent of water, smashing Duskull from the grinding jaws of Pinsir. The stream of rushing water collided and knocked Duskull hard against a tree. It tried to phase away through the tree behind it but failed. 

 

That was my cue! I lowered my body to the ground, kicking off the dirt underneath my feet flying behind me as I flashed into a rapid sprint. Closing in on the bug Pokemon, I leaped into the air. I spun, twisting my yellow-furred body and launching all my momentum into a kick right at Pinsir’s side. The bug Pokemon flew through the air, crashing onto the ground. 

 

Suddenly, my memories of Thundershock returned. I turned over and looked at Squirtle, who madly tore up the fainted Duskull. 

 

“That’s enough, Squirtle! Go help Sax finish off that Pinsir! Bubble!”

 

And Thundershock!

 

A barrage of rushing bubbles slammed into Pinsir. Electricity sparked from my cheeks before I zapped streaks of lightning at the fallen Pokémon. Pinsir bellowed one last mournful roar before fainting. Although our battles were over, the war was not yet done. 

 

“URSAAAA!” The bear Pokemon bellowed with frustration. 

 

His eyes oddly showed concern and remorse for his fallen comrades, but his hands were tied by facing off Alakazam and Blastoise. He stood in front of the arachnid Pokemon, Ariados, who struggled to stand. I didn’t expect the berserk Ursaring to be capable of anything other than rage and hatred. 

 

And it seemed both Gary and Charlie saw something unexpected in the murderous Pokemon as well. 

 

“Alakazam! Keep holding on! Telekinesis! Blastoise! Once they’re off the ground, blast them into the trees with a Hydro Pump!”

 

“Al - ah - Ka - Zam!” The psychic Pokemon panted in acknowledgment. His body was bruised and wrapped in parts of sticky cobwebs. 

 

No wonder. Bug-type attacks are super effective against psychic-type Pokemon. 

 

However, this was the end. The opposing duo glowed in a faint outline of blue light and floated into the air. Blastoise locked onto the two and blasted two powerful torrents of water from the cannons on its shoulders right at the gritting Ursaring and Ariados. 

 

The two streams of raging water converted into one massive swirling wave. Usaring’s eyes stretched wide. It was over. It should have been over! Hydro Pump sent Ariados and Ursaring crashing through multiple trees. The towering trees creaked as they fell over and shook the ground. Ursaring shrieked with a blood-curdling screech into the sky, seeing its fallen ally that bled from its ripped appendages. Its face darkened, warping with seething hatred as it cried tears of blood. And then the unthinkable happened; the bear Pokemon glowed a bright white light that soon stained a deep dark red. It was evolving, morphing–growing taller, wider, and more deadly. 

 

The light dimmed and faded completely away, revealing a strange bipedal Ursaluna with a large red circle on its forehead. It stepped forward with a heavy stomp that shook the earth and lowered its body, causing its thick matted fir to bristle against each other like clanking iron. Bloodmoon Ursaluna raised its massive, gleaming razor-sharp claw as it glared threateningly at all of us with its oddly black and normal colored eyes. 

 

With a blast of a bellowing enraged Hyper Voice–that knocked me and Squirtle tumbling down the dirt road–Bloodmoon Ursaluna charged, smashing through the fallen trees, and ready to tear apart everything in its path.