David left the city and headed back to Route 7.

He played with the pokeball the whole way back, millimeters away from pressing the iconic button on the front. The ball was heavier than he expected. When he knocked on it there was a hollow echo, but the weight made it seem full.

He was still circling the button with his finger when he passed the Saffron city sign and was dragged out of his trance.

“Want to have a Pokemon battle?” A young man spoke.

The man was a couple of years younger than David, sixteen or seventeen maybe and had gingery-red hair. While he tried to hide his eagerness and look calm, the Machop beside him was another story. It was leaning forward holding a fist in its other hand. David was shocked to see it had a tail. Did Machop have a tail in the games?

“Huh?” He replied intelligently.

“A 1v1 battle. I don’t have a license yet so this isn’t a challenge and there's no prize money.” The young man, most likely a late teen clarified.

David had to consider the offer. A rival battle was always how the games introduced you to your Pokemon. And flying type should have an advantage against fighting.

Wait, did the Pidgey know any flying type moves? Did the Pidgey know any moves? Were there even moves in this world?

It would probably be best not to jump in head first.

“I just got a Pidgey today so I am going to have to decline,” David said slowly, eyeing the eager duo.

Both the Machop and the teen deflated. The teen in particular had a very expressive face that was currently doing an impression of a kicked puppy.

“I would be interested in a battle in the next few days though? I’m staying out on this Route.” David hedged. He had no idea how to train Pokemon but battling was always the way forward in the games. A training partner would make things easier.

“Sounds great. Machop and I can train out here this week.” The teen got out quickly, a little drowned out by a happy bark from Machop. “I’m Fred by the way.”

“David. Sorry, I need to go say hi to my Pidgey but I’ll see you around.” David got a nod from Fred before he and Machop continued on into the city, leaving David in front of the League booth.

‘Wait, why didn’t he have a license? He was in his late teens.’

David was curious, but he had a more important thing to take care of. He started down the route again.

Soon he was back in the clearing which was still empty to his relief. He dropped his bag and finally pressed the button on the pokeball.

A bright flash left him furiously blinking his eyes. Little by little they cleared and the Pidgey appeared.

The bird Pokemon hunched down, wings slightly spread as her eyes darted around the clearing. Brown feathers covered her back and the joints of her wings, short spikes with even shorter hair attached. Her stomach and front was covered in creamy fluffy feathers. She opened her mouth and let out a low shrill as she hopped around on large taloned feet. When she finished rotating and found the clearing to be empty, she focused her attention on David. Who was doing the same to her.

She was small. Her head, long crest feathers and all, only came up to his shins when she wasn’t hopping. Her taloned feet were the same size as her body leaving the Pidgey looking unbalanced. The precision and speed of her hopping showed that those talons could exert a lot of strength.

Her eyes were sharp and David started to shift back and forth under her gaze. Then that feeling left and the Pidgey tilted her head to the side.

“Hi Pidgey, I’m David, your trainer,” David said, waving at the Pokemon.

The Pidgey just stared at him blankly.

What did he do now? He hadn’t thought past getting his Pokemon.

“Ehm. Would you be able to tell me what moves you have?”

The Pidgey looked back at him before squawking and throwing herself at him.

David dived to the side and let out a small yelp, not prepared at all for this. Why was the Pidgey attacking him? Was this why you always started Pokemon games with a battle? Where was the pokeball?

He’d dropped it.

David scrambled for where it lay on the ground, braced for a sharp beak and talons. He grabbed it and turned, fingers scrambling for the button.

“Huh.”

Pidgey had not dived for him. She had dived for his bag. With her beak she pulled open the drawstring at the top and dug into his last, slightly squished Oran berry.

“So you were hungry huh?” His hand holding the pokeball fell.

The Pidgey paused for a moment to chirp before digging back into the meal. She soon finished and went back to digging through the bag, but David knew there were no more berries.

“There’s no more there I’m afraid. I’m going to need some food soon too.”

The Pidgey turned back to him and let out a sorrowful squawk.

“How about we go looking for some berries?”

The Pidgey paused and he got that same sense as earlier, making him feel exposed. Then the sensation vanished and the Pidgey hopped over to beside where he was still lying in the dirt, one hand holding the pokeball by his side.

David picked himself up, closed the bag and started towards the stream. He walked forward a few steps before glancing back. The Pidgey hadn’t moved. David turned back towards her and beckoned.

“Come on, berries this way.”

The Pidgey didn’t move.

David tried everything. Whistling, clicking, even baby noises. The Pidgey just tilted her head to watch him. He got to the point where he was ready to physically pick her up. Then he remembered her talons.

“Fine! Just wait here,” David said, lifting his hands. He turned and walked the rest of the way to the stream and hopped over.

Whoops sounded. David flicked his head back around. The Pidgey was in the air, gliding towards him.

David watched as she drifted towards him, picking up speed. She passed him out at speed and pulled back, spreading her wings to awkwardly slow down and miss a tree. She shook herself before hopping around to regard David again.

“Right. I guess you want to fly.”

 

The Pidgey’s flights didn’t last long. After two more shaky flights and a particularly close call with a branch, she stuck to hopping. The Pidgey kept her wings tucked in tight from then on but they trembled whenever she shifted them. It seemed that flying took a lot out of her

David wanted to venture further afield than the day before, but he wasn’t sure if the Pidgey would be okay with that. To make matters worse, he’d left her pokeball behind in the clearing. He prayed that she didn't realize and run away. Instead they followed the river until he came to the rocks that marked the path to the Oran berry bush. He would collect the berries and take a windy path back.

However as they approached the right area, the Pidgey stopped hopping and let out a low squawk. She flexed her wings and twitched them.

“Want to do some flying again?” David asked, smiling at the tiny bird before continuing on.

Around the next tree the yellow plant Pokemon began to appear. They were a little closer to the berry bush this time, but he shouldn’t have any issue avoiding them. They were too bright to step on by accident.

Another squawk rang out from the Pidgey, but when he glanced around she wasn’t flying away or towards him. The Pokemon just sat there watching him.

David made it to the bush without trouble and started inspecting the Oran berries. Talking with the stall owners in the market had revealed some qualities that they looked for. He had taken the obviously ready berries yesterday but still he managed to pick another four.

The Pidgey nudged his leg as he gathered up the berries.

“Stop it, I know you’re hungry but give me a second.”

The Pidgey nudged his leg more insistently.

“Fine.” David passed a berry back to her with his left hand and cradling the remaining berries to his chest he pushed himself up.

He turned back to the Pidgey to chide her and to watch her eat. She was a Pokemon. Everything she did was a bit exciting even if it wasn’t always what he wanted her to..

It wasn’t the Pidgey. It was the large stalkless pitcher plant Pokemon.

“Oh shit,” David whispered and started to back up.

Drops of liquid fell from the Pokemon’s cavernous mouth and sizzled on the ground. A mouth big enough to swallow a limb David realized as he backed away.

The Pokemon’s eyes tracked him as he retreated. Leaves of all sizes surrounded its eyes and they shivered. The plant Pokemon compressed itself. David turned slightly, ready to run.

Quick as a flash, the Pokemon popped up and consumed the Oran berry David had placed on the ground beside it.

Unintentional or not, the Pokemon had accepted the offering. David kept his eyes on the Pokemon as he retreated until he was back at the tree.

A low squawk rang out as he reached it. He looked down to see the Pidgey waiting.

“You weren’t much help were you?”

The Pidgey stared up at him. David’s shoulder fell and he sighed. The magic was disappearing. The real world was coming back. Or whatever this world was.

“Come on,” He muttered.

 

Along the way back he found two interesting berries. One was a yellowy orange and shaped like a spinning top. The other was green with a white fur over it. Both were single berries on small bushes, low to the ground. He treated these with special care.

They seemed to be the right size to be ripe but he couldn’t tell really. He had left the foraging manual behindtoo  in his excitement with his Pidgey.

The Pidgey was curious and David felt her eyes on him but she didn’t bug him for any of the berries.

David’s hands were full so they headed back to the stream. He would need to find a small basket or bag he could take out on these trips. His bag was too heavy and too valuable to risk.

Back at the clearing, David got a surprise. There was a Meowth. Batting around his bag.

“HEY!” David shouted at it. It turned to look at him but didn’t move beyond that. After a second it dismissed him and went back to playing with the bag’s drawstring.

David looked behind him at his Pidgey, who had paused her hopping to watch the Meowth with him. She didn’t do anything to the yellow plant Pokemon but that was an evolution. Would this be his first encounter?

“Em. Go!” David said to his Pidgey, pointing at the Meowth. The Pidgey stared at him blankly. No, that wasn’t what you’re supposed to say.

“I choose you!”

The Pidgey turned her attention away from David and back to the Meowth. She didn’t move.

“Fine,” David said, frustration building as he placed the berries down. It seemed he would need to do everything himself.

He jumped over the stream, raising his hands above his head and tried to channel his inner businessman.

“AARARARARARGHHG!”

The Meowth shot up at the sound and fled, tail tucked close as it dived into the tree cover.

‘Huh.’

Maybe that man had the right idea with the Grimer.

 

-.-

 

His frustration level fell over time and only rose a little when he struggled the tent into place. It was easier than yesterday.

With the manual he identified the berries from today as a Figy and Rabuta berry respectively. There were specific ways to cook them listed in the manual, but he was hoping they were rare enough to sell for a high price.

He used the last of the herbs from yesterday and made a cold salad with the Oran berries. The Pidgey wasn’t interested in the herbs when he offered them to her so she got another Oran berry. David sat down ready to tuck in.

And paused. The Pidgey had abandoned her Oran berry and was pulling at the drawstrings of his bag. Where he kept the money berries.

“Ah ah ah,” David called, putting his plate aside and lifting the bag up. The Pidgey tracked it as he moved it. He stepped back to his food and placed the bag down beside him.

When it touched the ground the Pidgey hopped towards it.

“No!” David put his hand protectively in front of the bag. Then he pointed at the Oran. “That’s for you.”

The Pidgey stared at the Oran berry. Then back at David. She turned and hopped to the berry. David relaxed and bent over to pick up his plate. When he straightened, the Pidgey was in front of him.

She waited until she had his attention then bent forward and rolled the berry towards him with her beak. David picked it up as it rolled towards his feet, staring at the Pokemon. Pidgey pecked towards the bag.

“You - You want one of those berries?” David asked, placing his plate back down and reaching for his bag. He pulled it open and pulled out a berry. It was the Rabuta. The Pidgey had no reaction. He placed it back and pulled out the Figy. The Pidgey pecked forward again.

David placed the berry down on the ground in front of her and the Pidgey hopped forward and dug in.

“That was a trade. You just traded with me,” David whispered as he stared at the eating Pokemon.

“Just how smart are you?”