EVERYONE: Pokemon Journey: Indigo League

[Zadium]

Content Warning: Odd Swear Word

Pokemon Journey: Indigo League
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Spoiler: Chapter 1: Let's Go

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"Greetings trainers," Colton Goodshow said with an excited voice, speaking into the camera. "Next week, we will be kicking off the 25th season of the Indigo League. We are excited to see which trainer has what it takes to become the top trainer in Kanto. We encourage all trainers to sign up. Good luck!"

The camera panned over to Professor Samuel Oak, sitting with his hands clasped on the desk with a warm smile. "If you are a beginner trainer, you should have already gotten your invitation to my lab for this Friday. There will be a lot of hurdles in your Pokemon Journey, but I am hoping that I can help you with the first choice. I would advise you to come as early as possible. Until then, safe travels!"

That is in 2 days," Brandon said excitedly, taking out his invitation for the umpteenth time.

"Really? We haven't heard," teased Kelly, his older sister. She ruffled his black hair, in which Brandon swatted her hand away. They were seated in the living room, watching the evening cycle of shows.

Kelly Adams, the eldest daughter of Fred and Lisa was on the smaller side with long brown hair, freckles, and glasses. She usually was dressed in traveling gear but tonight, she donned a pair of red PJs, watching her brother with a small smile. She was currently traveling through Kalos but came back to see her brother off. She placed top 32 in the Indigo League and 32 in the Ever Grande Conference.

Brandon Adams, the youngest son was nearly the same size as his sister with black, shaggy hair with freckles but no glasses. Kelly and he have the typical sibling relationship, meaning that Kelly teases him a lot but he knows he can count on her for advice and help when he needs it. Whenever Kelly was battling on TV, he would be glued to the match, hoping to pick up any tips. He has been planning this journey for the last year, saving up money. He already has the essentials for traveling packed away in his backpack, which was sitting by his bed, ready for Friday. The plan is, when visiting Viridian City, he will stock up there. The only thing that he can't decide was which starter to pick. He can envision himself with all three starters, which doesn't help him. So his mind went to another question: What type of trainer does he want to be? He knows the more accomplished trainers tend to have a balanced team but even then, they all had their own battling styles. Does he want to rely on defense to win matches? Or would an offensive team be better?

"Earth to Brandon," Kelly chuckled, trying to get her brother's attention.

"Sorry," Brandon said sheepishly. "What were you saying?"

"I was asking if you were done packing?" his dad asked him, sipping a coffee.

"Oh yeah. I will stock up on necessities in Viridian City," Brandon answered.

"So what will you do tomorrow?" Fred asked, placing his cup down on the coffee table. "Your mother and I will be working all day."

"Don't worry Dad, I will watch him," Kelly said with a grin. Brandon just rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to the TV. He watched TV for a few more minutes before excusing himself to head to bed. He figured he could use all the rest he can get before Friday.

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Golden rays were beaming into his rooms as he stirred awake. He blinked his eyes a couple of times before getting up and stretching. He took a look at his clock and realized he slept later than he normally would. He quickly jumped into the shower before heading downstairs to make himself some breakfast, only to find Kelly sitting at the table with an egg sandwich made already. With a grateful nod, he sat beside her and began eating.

"So today, I am going over to Professor Oak's lab to see my Pokemon. I figured you would want to come along," Kelly told him, sipping her hot chocolate.

"Can I see the team you currently have?" Brandon asked, eating his sandwich.

"Of course," Kelly nodded. She put her cup down and looked over at her brother. "Look Brandon, I know you are nervous for tomorrow."

"Were you nervous?" Brandon asked, finishing his breakfast.

"You bet your ass I was," Kelly responded with a nod. "Every trainer is scared to start their own journey but just remember, you won't be alone. I will give you a piece of advice right now. Don't look at your Pokemon like they are tools. Treat your Pokemon like they are your family and they will battle that much harder for you, trust me," Kelly advised him. "It has helped me out of many tough battles."

"Except top 32," Brandon teased with a smile.

"Correct," Kelly nodded. "Glad to see you can still have your sense of humor."

"I appreciate the advice Kel," Brandon sighed softly. "I will be completely honest, I am terrified. I'm scared that I will fail."

"Brandon, look at me," Kelly said. Once he was looking at her, she looked him right in the eye. "Every journey is different. You can't fail because it's your journey. Sure, you will lose matches but that doesn't define how successful a journey is. Just stay true to who you are and trust me, you won't fail."

"Thanks, Kelly," Brandon said. He got up and placed his dish into the dishwasher. "How did you choose Charizard?"

"I just went with my gut," Kelly admitted with a chuckle. "Still can't decide huh?"

Brandon shook his head. "No."

"There is no right or wrong way to choose your first partner," Kelly advised again. She led Brandon from their house. "You will know once it hits you. Have faith, brother."

Kelly locked the door and began walking down the pathway towards the quiet streets of Pallet Town. Their house was a simple brown townhouse, with a white picket fence surrounding 2 gardens in the front. Brandon couldn't help but chuckle as he followed his sister. Kelly turned towards him with a curious look.

"I just thought of something. I know Mom and Dad were thinking of buying a house outside of Pallet Town because they wanted you to have your Pokemon at home. I think they have to know that I am about to start my own team," Brandon explained, walking through the empty sidewalk.

"I heard them talking last night," Kelly told him. "Looks like they already found a place. They are just waiting for you to start your journey before they close the deal."

"So they wait until we are gone before they move huh?" Brandon joked, as they finally got to the lab.

Kelly scanned her Pokedex and watched as the gate open. She leads Brandon up the stairs and knocked on the door. Brandon was looking around the place in awe, his eyes dancing around all kinds of Pokemon surrounding the lab. Finally, someone answered them.

"Welcome back Kelly," an aide said gently.

"Thank you, Derek," Kelly responded with a smile. "We are here to see my team."

"We?" Derek asked, not able to see Brandon.

"My brother," Kelly responded as Brandon stepped into view.

"Of course, my apologizes," Derek replied, opening the door. "You may enter. You know the way already."

"Thank you, Derek," Kelly said, stepping into the building, with Brandon behind her. Kelly led him through the right path, which eventually opened up to the backfields. A Swellow and a Pidgeot were racing through the sky, intertwining with each other, almost like they were sky dancing. In the far distance, he saw a horde of Tauros stampeding around the grounds, sand being kicked up in the air. He saw a Goldeen lazily swimming in a nearby pond, a content look on his face.

"A lot of trainers leave their teams here with Professor Oak to watch them as they journey through new lands," Kelly told him, leading him towards a small clearing. "Trainers who don't have space at their homes."

"Wow, this is awesome," Brandon said in awe.

"Just be careful alright? You can't pet any trainer's Pokemon without their approval, no matter how cute or friendly they are," Kelly cautioned him before letting out a whistle. Brandon watched in excitement as her Pokemon came rushing towards their trainer.

Charizard led the pack, landing beside his trainer and engulfing her in a hug. She was soon met by all her Pokemon. She knelt, hugged, and petted each one before turning back to Brandon, Butterfree settling on her right shoulder with Dustox on her left shoulder. Beautifly settled on her head with a content look.

"They sure are happy to see you," Brandon said, watching her Pokemon interact with their trainer.

"Normally, I am not here right now," Kelly said, scratching Butterfree on his stomach. "I wanted to show you that, even if you are scared, it is worth it."

"I can see that," Brandon said. He knew one day, this will be him. That thought calmed his nerves for tomorrow.

"Alright, everyone. It's great to see you guys," Kelly chuckled. She pulled out 5 Pokeballs from her belt, which got her team excited. They were about to meet more family members. "You guys ready to meet my current Kalos team?"

Her Pokemon all started talking at the same time, everyone nodding. Kelly grinned before releasing them. In front of them stood Quilladin, Eevee, Litleo, Vivillion, and Floette. Brandon had to chuckle when he saw Villian. When Vivillion opened her wings, Brandon saw her wings were pure white with black tips. Some gray spots appeared on her upper wings. A semi gray circle was present on her lower wings.

"I see you continued your tradition of bug/flying types," Brandon chuckled watching Vivillon fluttering around before she came over to Brandon. She watched him a moment before settling on his shoulder. "I love this color."

"She likes you," Kelly commented. "In the Kalos Region, Vivillion can come in many different patterns. It took me a while to find this specific pattern but I am glad I did find her."

"She is adorable. Would it be alright if I pet her?" Brandon asked.

"Go for it. She likes it when her head is rubbed," Kelly told him. She looked at her family. "Guys, this is Quilladin, Eevee, Litleo, Vivillion, and Floette. I hope you guys welcome them into the family."

Ninetales watched as Litleo came over to watch her. They stood there, staring at each other before Ninetails bowed her head and laid down. Curious, Litleo walked over to her and nuzzled her neck before laying beside her and promptly falling asleep.

Floette flew on her flower towards Dustox. Dustox fluttered around her, almost like she was dancing. Together, they fluttered around the group, engaged in their own little world.

Quilladin stood apart from the group, a little shy. Swampert and Charizard came towards him, which spooked him but soon they were standing around each other, chatting.

Eevee pranced around the entire group, really excited to meet everyone. She was drawn towards Gardevoir who gracefully allowed her to follow her.

Brandon watched them all interact. Brandon was still rubbing Vivillion's head and failed to notice Kelly and Professor Oak were talking behind him.

"How's it going, Kelly?" Professor Oak asked.

"It's going really well. I love Kalos," Kelly responded. "I have 3 badges right now."

"It's great that you took some time to see Brandon off," Professor Oak told her. "I know it'll mean a lot for him that you did."

"It's an important step. I couldn't miss it, especially since he is always there for me," Kelly said with pride. "And thank you for watching out for him."

"Of course. He's a good kid. I'm interested to see how he fares," Professor Oak remarked.

"So am I," Kelly said. "That's why I brought him here today. I hope that meeting my Pokemon will help him with some of his nerves tomorrow."

"Looks like it's working," Professor Oak said, watching Brandon running with Rhydon and Manetric.

"Good," Kelly said with a smile.

"So I heard your parents have found a new place," Professor Oak said.

"Yeah. Thank you for looking after them," Kelly said.

"It's my pleasure. I will transfer them after I get the go-ahead from you," Professor Oak told her. "Well, I do have things that need to be done before tomorrow. Good luck in Kalos Kelly. We are all rooting for you."

"Thank you, Professor," Kelly said sincerely. "For all the help you have given my family and me."

"Anytime Kelly," Professor Oak said, shaking her hand before returning to the lab.

Kelly stood there a moment, watching Brandon petting Eevee. She strolled forward to join in. Soon, all of them were having fun, completely forgetting about the time until the sun started to set. Kelly stood up, recalled her Kalos' team, said goodbye to her other Pokemon before leaving the lab with Brandon.

"Thank you, Kelly," Brandon said, stopping at the stairs to go to bed.

"Anytime Brandon," Kelly said, giving him a quick hug.

"I am less nervous about tomorrow now," Brandon said. "Well, good night."

"Good night Brandon," Kelly said as Brandon climbed the stairs to his bedroom. Brandon entered his room, closed the door, put on his pj's, and laid on the bed. He stared at the ceiling thinking about the next day before sleep overtook him.

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"Greetings," Professor Oak addressed the new trainers. "This will be the start of something new. I can't tell you how to complete your journey. I am here for are guidance and advice if you need it. The point of a journey is to find out who you are. Remember, there are no right or wrong choices during your travels. With that being said, can I have Chloe step forward please?"

Chloe, a young female stepped forward. She had her hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a tracksuit with a bag strapped to her side. Behind her, her parents smiled proudly.

"Chloe, you get first to pick. Who do you choose as your starter?" Professor Oak said as he released each Pokemon on the ground.

Charmander rubbed his eyes, wondering why he was woken up. He yawned before sitting down and began eating his food, eyeing the crowd with a curious look.

Squirtle folded his arms as he stood in front of the other two. He glared at the group, almost daring them to step forward. His glare slowly left his face as he realized the humans were keeping their distance right now.

Bulbasaur yawned as well before walking to her bowl of Pokemon food. She began chewing her food before she used her vines to try and steal some from Charmander. Charmander immediately got up and got into Bulbasaur's face but Bulbasaur wasn't backing down. Finally, Squirtle got in the middle and broke them up. Chloe couldn't help but smile as she knelt in front of Charmander.

"Hello Charmander, my name is Chloe and I will be traveling around Kanto to collect badges. Will you join me?" Chloe asked the Lizard Pokemon, extending her hand.

Charmander looked at the extended hand then back up to at the girl, thinking. Silence filled the room for a moment, everyone watching Charmander before he bowed his head and extended his claw.

"Well done Chloe," Professor Oak said with a smile. He presented Chloe with his Pokeball and a choice between 3 Poketchs and 3 Pokedex. She chose the red-colored Poketch, slipping it on her wrist before taking her dex and putting that into her pocket. She nodded to everyone before departing, eager to start.

"Sam, you are next," Professor Oak said with a smile.

A teen stepped forward, sweeping his shaggy hair from his eyes. He wore a pair of white khakis with a black t-shirt. His bag was also slung across his right shoulder. He had a scar running along his cheek as he knelt in front of Bulbasaur.

"Hello, Bulbasaur. My name is Sam and I will be traveling around Kanto to gain a better understanding of ecosystems. Would you be willing to lend me a hand?" Sam asked.

Bulbasaur eyed him carefully for a moment, as the silence fell upon the group once again. Finally, Bulbasaur nodded her head, indicating she accepted his offer.

"Well done Sam," Professor Oak repeated with a smile. He presented Sam with Bulbasaur's Pokeball and a choice between 2 Poketchs and 2 Pokedex. Sam chose the green-colored devices, slipped the Poketch on his wrist and the dex into his pocket. He smiled at everyone before departing the room as well.

"And that leaves Brandon," Professor Oak said.

Brandon approached Squirtle, who had his arms crossed and staring intently at Brandon. Brandon swallowed before kneeling and looking Squirtle right in the eye.

"Hello Squirtle," Brandon started. "My name is Brandon and I will be traveling around the Kanto Region to collect badges and compete in the Indigo League. It will be a tough road but I know together, we can make it. I can see that strength in you. Would you be willing to join me?"

Squirtle stared at Brandon, almost like he was studying the person in front of him. His eyes never strayed from Brandon's trying to find if he was the right trainer for him. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Squirtle nodded, and stood beside his new trainer, much to Brandon's relief.

"Another well done," Professor Oak said with a smile. He handed Brandon Squirtle's Pokeball and the blue-colored Poketch and Pokedex. Brandon slipped on his Poketch, put his dex in his back pocket.

"Thank you, Professor," Brandon replied. He adjusted his red hoodie before looking down at his new partner. "Are you ready?"

"Squirtle," Squirtle nodded.

"Perfect," Brandon said, walking towards the door. "Time to introduce you to your new family."

They stepped outside as the clouds started to roll in. Brandon sighed softly, as the air had that rain smell too. He was hoping his first day traveling would be a nice and sunny one. Squirtle, on the other hand, looked up at the sky with a grin. He welcomed the rain. Together, the pair began walking towards Brandon's house.

"We're home," Brandon said, pushing open the door.

"We're in the kitchen," shouted Fred.

Fred was on the bigger side, with broad shoulders and a 5 o'clock shadow. He had black hair with a sprinkle of gray showing. He usually wore plaid shirts with jeans but today, he was still in his PJs.

Lisa was the spitting image of her daughter. She had long brown hair, freckles across her nose, and wore slim glasses. She was also in her PJs this morning, sipping her coffee with Kelly and Fred.

"Hey guys," Brandon said, walking through the kitchen door. "I would like to introduce you to Squirtle. Squirtle, this is my mom, my dad, and my sister."

"A pleasure Squirtle," Lisa said, putting her coffee down and kneeling in front of Squirtle. "Please look after Brandon."

"Squirt, Squirtle!" vowed Squirtle.

"Thank you," Lisa said, standing up.

Fred came over as well and knelt. "Nice to meet you Squirtle. Best of luck out there."

Kelly was last, coming over to Squirtle. "Hey Squirtle. Good luck out there and thank you for choosing my brother. Please keep him safe."

"Squirtle," Squirtle nodded.

"Good," Kelly said, standing up. "Because I can't keep saving his ass."

"Har har," Brandon said then his eyes lit up. "Kelly, I challenge you to a battle!"

"Brandon, that wouldn't be a wise decision right now," Kelly sighed softly, knowing this was a possibility. She didn't want to let him down but she knew he wouldn't stand a chance against her right now. She can see his disappointment so she made him a deal. "Place in the Indigo League and after that, you and I will have a full battle."

Brandon perked up slightly at that. "You promise?"

"Hell yeah," Kelly said. "You better train because I will win."

"Not a chance," Brandon said with a smile. He leaned forward and hugged Kelly, Fred, and Lisa. "Well, I think we should get going."

"Brandon, if you ever need us, we are a call away," his mother said. She handed him a small goodie bag (snacks for him and Squirtle).

"Same with me," Kelly said. "Call me anytime if you need any advice, or if you just want to talk."

"Thank you guys," Brandon said gratefully. He hiked up his bag and looked down at Squirtle. "Well buddy, it's time to hit the road!"

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Thank you guys for at least reading this story. This is my first Pokemon fanfiction, so I am pretty pumped. My long-term goal is to have Brandon visit all 8 regions (the 9th region will be included once gen 9 is released). I am also working on a fan-made region as well, in case I happen to run out of regions, which is very unlikely.

Have a great day!

 

[Welkamo]

I really like this story so far! I haven't really read a whole lot of journey fics, but this one seems pretty good so far. I like the relationship between Brandon and Kelly; I always love healthy sibling dynamics.
--
I did notice a few grammar errors. For example, there were a few tense changes:

Kelly and him have the typical sibling relationship, meaning that Kelly teases him alot but he knows he can count on her for advice and help when needed.

The only thing that he didn't know was who he was going to pick. He could envision himself with all three starters, which doesn't help him.

--
I also noticed a few comma mistakes:
--

There will be a lot of hurdles in your Pokemon Journey but I am hoping that I can help you with the first choice.

"There will be a lot of hurdles in your Pokemon Journey" and "I am hoping that I can help you with the first choice" are two independent clauses (clauses that could stand on their own as two separate sentences) joined by the conjunction "but", so you would put a comma after "Journey

There will be a lot of hurdles in your Pokemon Journey, but I am hoping that I can help you with the first choice.

--

Kelly Adams, the eldest daughter of Fred and Lisa was on the smaller side with long brown hair, freckles and wore glasses.

"The eldest daughter of Fred and Lisa" is a nonrestrictive clause (a clause that isn't essential to the meaning of the sentence but still adds something to it), so you would put commas on both sides, not just one. Also, you can just say "glasses" and not "wore glasses".

Kelly Adams, the eldest daughter of Fred and Lisa, was on the smaller side with long brown hair, freckles and glasses.

--

Have faith brother.

There should be a comma after "Have faith", since the speaker is naming to whom they're speaking.

Have faith, brother.

--
Overall, I enjoyed this story, and I can't wait to see where it goes!

 

[System Error]

- That feel when you're forced to pick Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle when you're a beginner
- Well why wouldn't you wear PJs at night?
- How common are the TV matches, one wonders.
- So uh I know she didn't but with the wording it sounds like she chose Charizard directly
- This girl likes the butterfly and moth Pokemon, it seems.
- But what kind of Vivilion?
- Well I guess you don't have to be new to get a free starter
- That freaking feel when there's only three of each to choose from every year, what the hell. Utter nonsense, how are there so many trainers competing in the leagues then?
- These questions to the Pokemon seem rehearsed and coached, all derivatives of each other.
- So uh after all the buildup of Brandon wondering who to pick, he doesn't get a choice because of the above, and the problem of him deciding who to pick is never brought up again?
- She doesn't know how to go easy?

Well, it's a start, and props for not rushing too hard like a lot of journeyfics fall into. That said, it could stand to use a bit more description and going into things, like the choice dilemma above. It was a base thing sure, but it was dropped just like that. I also noticed a lot of clunky and awkward wording in a lot of places, and numerous typos to boot. JaT above mentioned a few, and I don't care too much to go over with a fine tooth comb myself at the moment. One that I will point out however that I noticed, it's Ninetales, not Ninetails.

Anyway, I'll keep an eye on this one. Keep it up.

 

[Zadium]

I really like this story so far! I haven't really read a whole lot of journey fics, but this one seems pretty good so far. I like the relationship between Brandon and Kelly; I always love healthy sibling dynamics.
--
I did notice a few grammar errors. For example, there were a few tense changes:


--
I also noticed a few comma mistakes:
--

"There will be a lot of hurdles in your Pokemon Journey" and "I am hoping that I can help you with the first choice" are two independent clauses (clauses that could stand on their own as two separate sentences) joined by the conjunction "but", so you would put a comma after "Journey

--

"The eldest daughter of Fred and Lisa" is a nonrestrictive clause (a clause that isn't essential to the meaning of the sentence but still adds something to it), so you would put commas on both sides, not just one. Also, you can just say "glasses" and not "wore glasses".

--

There should be a comma after "Have faith", since the speaker is naming to whom they're speaking.

--
Overall, I enjoyed this story, and I can't wait to see where it goes!

Thank you for the corrections I have gone and started to re-edit the chapter with grammerly. Hopefully, that should help

- That feel when you're forced to pick Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle when you're a beginner
- Well why wouldn't you wear PJs at night?
- How common are the TV matches, one wonders.
- So uh I know she didn't but with the wording it sounds like she chose Charizard directly
- This girl likes the butterfly and moth Pokemon, it seems.
- But what kind of Vivilion?
- Well I guess you don't have to be new to get a free starter
- That freaking feel when there's only three of each to choose from every year, what the hell. Utter nonsense, how are there so many trainers competing in the leagues then?
- These questions to the Pokemon seem rehearsed and coached, all derivatives of each other.
- So uh after all the buildup of Brandon wondering who to pick, he doesn't get a choice because of the above, and the problem of him deciding who to pick is never brought up again?
- She doesn't know how to go easy?

Well, it's a start, and props for not rushing too hard like a lot of journey fics fall into. That said, it could stand to use a bit more description and going into things, like the choice dilemma above. It was a base thing sure, but it was dropped just like that. I also noticed a lot of clunky and awkward wording in a lot of places, and numerous typos to boot. JaT above mentioned a few, and I don't care too much to go over with a fine tooth comb myself at the moment. One that I will point out however that I noticed, it's Ninetales, not Ninetails.

Anyway, I'll keep an eye on this one. Keep it up.

Thank you for the comment.

1) I did think about having multiple choices but figured for an authentic Kanto Journey, Squirtle, Bulbasaur and Charmander would be the ideal choices.
2) Speaking for myself, I don't put PJs on until I am ready to go to bed. Some people might wear PJs as soon as they get home. My thinking is that everyone would be different about it.
3) I should touch upon that in the story. I would imagine the league matches will be televised. I also imagine the local stations would televise some gym battles, or at least highlights. But thank you for pointing that out. I will have to address that.
4) Charizard was her starter. I figured Squirtle would be a good Pokemon for Brandon as he will have a different type of team.
5) That is different than a lot of the journey fics I have read. And I thought it would add to her personality.
6) I never did say which kind. I will have to go back and add that in. Thank you
7) The way I see it: Yes, I only focus on 3 trainers, but I would imagine there are more that come after Brandon, Chloe, and Sam. I would also imagine they breed enough to make sure everyone has one. In my mind, I also think that a lot of the out-of-region trainers would bring either their full teams or have 1-2 Pokemon with them when they start that Region's League.
8) I could put in different answers, but I was trying to go for how S/M/USUM had the Pokemon decide if they want to go with that trainer. Think I might have failed a little lol.
9) I will be honest. I did skip over that part. But instead of going back and changing it, I will add that to the story and include it later on. Thank you again for pointing that out
10) She could have gone easy, but most of her current team would be more powerful than Squirtle at this time. Also, it wouldn't be a good thing to battle right now. As much as Brandon wanted it, Kelly did the right thing. This way, a full battle at the end of the league will show how Brandon's journey went.

 

[Zadium]

Pokemon Journey: Indigo League

Chapter 2: On the road​

Rain began to sprinkle upon Brandon, who walked along Route 1. He spotted a tent upset up over a picnic bench ahead and quickly stepped inside it, getting out of the rain. He put his bag down near the picnic table and sat down, enjoying the small break. His feet were sore from all that walking and it felt great to relax momentarily. He rummaged through his pockets and took out a granola bar and began to munch on it. It had been almost 6 hours since he left home, walking along Route 1. It had been a peaceful journey so far, with the sun shining at the start of it. The sky turned grey a little while ago, threatening to rain before opening up. During those 6 hours, Brandon and Squirtle ran into a few Pokemon families but Brandon decided not to add to his family right now.

Speaking of Squirtle, Brandon returned his partner to his Pokeball earlier, allowing him to rest. They had gotten to know each other a bit but they still haven't gotten into an official Pokemon Battle yet. In fact, during his walk, he hasn't run into anyone, which surprised him a little. Mind you, the season doesn't officially start until tomorrow, so maybe trainers will be starting later. Brandon finished his snack and throw away his wrapper in the trash can. He looked outside and saw that the rain had died down, though the sky was still a grey colour. He stood up, fetched out his rain jacket from his pack before holstering it on his back. With a final look around the rest area, he stepped back out of the tent and resumed walking.

A couple of hours later and with the sun beginning to set, Brandon looked around for a suitable campsite. It took him 20 minutes to find one that was dry enough to start a small campfire. With a little work, Brandon set up his tent and had a campfire going. Squirtle was sitting on a log, watching his trainer cook food.

"So Squirtle," Brandon spoke up, boiling a soup on his stove. "Day one done. I think we did alright huh?"

"Squirt, Squirtle," Squirtle agreed.

"Sorry if you didn't get into a battle today," Brandon apologized.

"Squirtle, Squirtle," Squirtle replied, waving off his trainer.

"Thanks, buddy," Brandon said, finally sitting down beside Squirtle. He held two soup bowls and offered one to his partner. "Eat up. Tomorrow, we should start training."

"Squirtle," Squirtle replied, taking the bowl and spoon. He took a bite and his eyes widened.

"Yeah, I might not be the best cook around," Brandon said sheepishly, rubbing his head as he watched Squirtle's reaction.

"Squirt, Squirtle," Squirtle agreed, eyeing that bowl.

"Geez, thanks," Brandon said with a chuckle. "If you don't like it, that's fine. I can give you some Pokemon food tonight."

"Squirtle," Squirtle immediately nodded his head, giving back the bowl of soup.

Brandon got up and took out a can of food and poured that into a bowl and handed it to Squirtle, who took it and began to eat it. Brandon chuckled as he finished both bowls and put away the leftovers. He quickly cleaned up and sat back down on the log, enjoying the warmth of the fire. Squirtle sat beside him, also watching the flames before yawning.

"Time for bed," Brandon said, getting up and dowsing the fire. He crawled into the tent and his sleeping bag. Squirtle also crawled into the tent and took the spare sleeping bag and was out like a light within a few seconds his head hit the pillow. Brandon quickly followed suit.

Viridian City, a small city that flowers bloom year-round. A city that welcomed trainers throughout the season but who also enjoyed the quiet during the downtime. A city where citizens are friendly, helpful and a pleasant bunch. Brandon walked through the bustling streets, heading towards the Pokemon Centre.

"Hello, young trainer. How may I help you?" Nurse Joy asked kindly, as Brandon walked in.

"I was wondering if you can look over my Squirtle?" Brandon said, pulling out Squirtle's Pokeball.

"Of course," Nurse Joy replied with a smile. A Chansey came over and took the ball from Brandon and retreated into the treatment room. "It will take a few moments if you want to take a seat."

"Actually, I would like to register for the Indigo League please," Brandon stated.

"Sure. May I see your Pokedex for a moment please?" Nurse Joy asked. She took the offered Pokedex, scanned it and took the trainer card that was printed out. She handed the card to Brandon. "Here you go. You are officially registered. Whenever you use a Pokemon Centre, you can show this card and gain free accommodations for however long you need. Each Pokemon Centre will offer different amenities. For instance, we offer a free continental breakfast. If you want, we do offer practice fields, just on the west side of the building."

"That's awesome," Brandon said with wide eyes. This was new information, something that Kelly never told him. "May I book a room for tonight then?"

"Of course," Nurse Joy said, typing away on her computer. She handed him a room card. "You are in luck. You got the last room available. It is room 45."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Brandon said, pocketing the room card. At this time, Chansey came back with Squirtle's Pokeball with a soft smile.

"Looks like Squirtle is in excellent health," Nurse Joy said, handing Brandon his Pokeball.

"Again, thank you Nurse Joy and Chansey," Brandon said gratefully.

"Our pleasure. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," Nurse Joy said, bowing. "Good luck Brandon."

Brandon bowed before heading up to his room. He opened the door to a simple white room that consisted of a bed, dresser, desk, chair and a computer. Brandon put his bag down near his bed and jumped in for a quick shower. After his shower, took Squirtle's ball and decided to check out the practise fields.

Stepping onto the field, he saw the place was nearly empty. He picked on that was near the doors as he brought out Squirtle.

"Alright Squirtle, I said we would train today and this seems like a good time," Brandon told the Tiny Turtle Pokemon.

"Excuse me," a female voice spoke up behind Brandon. He turned around and saw a girl about his age, wearing a red flannel shirt with blue jeans. Her hair was put up in a ponytail. "I see that you are about to train yes?"

"Err, yeah," Brandon said, confused about the question.

"It might help if you have a partner," she said, pulling out a Pokeball. "Will you do the honours and have a battle with me?"

Brandon looked down at Squirtle, who nodded. Brandon then glanced at the new person and nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. I'm Brandon. I only have one Pokemon though"

"Hi, Brandon. I am Ava," She said with a smile. She pointed towards the field. "One vs One is fine. Shall we?"

"Let's go," Brandon replied, leading the way. He got on one side and Ava got on the other side. He knelt in front of Squirtle. "Squirtle, this is our first-ever battle. Doesn't matter if we win or lose. Let's just try our best."

"Squirtle," Squirtle said confidently. He walked onto the field and faced Ava.

"Eevee, it's go time!" Ava shouted, calling out a brown fox-like Pokemon. "This is our first battle. Let's give it our all!"

"Ev," Eevee nodded at her trainer and stepped onto the field, staring at Squirtle.

"You can have the first move," Brandon called out, being polite.

Ava nodded, then called out to her Pokemon. "Eevee, let's start with a tackle!"

"Squirtle, use tackle as well!" Brandon called out.

Squirtle and Eevee crashed in the middle of the field, throwing each other back due to the force.

"Squirtle, quick water gun!" Brandon called out quickly, trying to gain an advantage.

"Eevee, dodge it quickly!" Ava countered.

Squirtle quickly released a jet of water towards Eevee but at the last second, Eevee leapt to the side, the water gun missing its mark.

"Great job Eevee," Ava praised her Pokemon. "Now, let us go on the offensive. Come in with a tackle again!"

Brandon watched as Eevee bounded towards Squirtle with speed. He knew he had to think of something. He racked his brain but couldn't think of something. He was about to call out an order when his eyes landed on Squirtle's shell.

"Squirtle, wait for it," Brandon called out. He was waiting for Eevee to get closer. Just as Eevee was about to take the last yard, Brandon reacted. "Squirtle, spin around!"

"Eevee, jump and use Squirtle's shell as a launching pad!" Ava countered quickly, realizing what Brandon wanted to do.

Squirtle immediately turned around and felt Eevee's paws on his shell and watched as Eevee jumped over him. Without waiting for Brandon's call, he unleashed a water gun, hitting Eevee in the stomach. Eevee fell to the ground, soaking wet.

"Great work Squirtle," Brandon praised him. "Go in for a tackle."

"Come on Eevee. You can get up," Ava encouraged her friend, watching as Squirtle lowered his shoulder and connect with Eevee. Eevee tried to get up but was struggling.

"Eevee, you did a great job. Get some rest," Ava said, recalling Eevee. She walked over to Brandon and offered her hand. "That was a good battle. Thank you."

Brandon shook her hand. "Your Eevee was awesome."

"Thank you. She's my newest Pokemon," Ava stated, sitting down on the bench. "I'm still trying to figure out how to train her."

Brandon took a seat beside her. "That's the whole point of training. I'm sure you will figure it out."

"Your Squirtle was pretty good, though I noticed that he's still new to battling," Ava said.

"Yeah. We just started our journey yesterday," Brandon replied. "You are our first battle ever."

"Really?" Ava asked, her eyes lighting up. "Wow. I am honoured then."

"To be honest with you, I had no idea what training to do before you showed up," Brandon admitted.

"Glad I can help," Ava said, smiling gently. She stood up and stretched. "Well, it was a long day. I think I will retire for the night. Hopefully, we cross paths tomorrow but if not, I look forward to meeting you again sometime."

"I like the sound of that," Brandon replied, also getting up. "If we don't see each other tomorrow, we shall cross paths at some point down the road."

"Take care of yourself, Brandon," Ava said as she waved goodbye. She quickly left the field, leaving Brandon by himself. Shortly later, Brandon also left, to look for food.

Sitting down at a table in the Pokemon Centre, Brandon and Squirtle were eating their supper.

"Squirtle, you did great today," Brandon praised his partner, who was seated beside Brandon, eating his supper.

"Squirtle?" Squirtle asked, lifting his head curiously.

"I'm sure," Brandon said with a smile. "The fact that you acted without my command was great."

"Squirtle," Squirtle replied softly.

"Squirtle, the fact that you can think for yourself in the heat of a battle is awesome," Brandon told him. "In fact, I encourage it, as long as you listen to me most of the time."

"Squirtle!" Squirtle said, perking up, knowing that his trainer wasn't mad at him.

"That's the spirit," Brandon chuckled, finishing his supper. "Now, I have an idea on how to train you."

"Squirtle?" Squirtle asked curiously.

"First, we need to raise your endurance, so that you can stay in battles longer. I know today's battle was short but future battles, especially gym battles, will be more intensive," Brandon explained.

"Squirtle," Squirtle nodded his head.

"I want to build a strategy around using your shell," Brandon told him, still thinking. "Today, we were able to use it defensively and managed to pull out a win. I would like to try and use it offensively as well."

"Squirt," Squirtle said, also thinking. He trusted Brandon to come up with ideas but also knows if and when he saw an opening, he wouldn't hesitate to use it.

"Battles will be tougher going forward," Brandon told him. "Actually, not just battles. The road will be harder."

"Squirtle!" Squirtle said, a fire in his eyes, staring directly at Brandon.

"You're right, we will face it together," Brandon told him. "We got each other's back, no matter what."

"Squirtle!" Squirtle agreed with Brandon.

"Well, let's get some sleep. Tomorrow will be busy," Brandon said, finishing his supper. Soon Squirtle and Brandon walked up to his room and were immediately asleep when their heads hit the pillow.

A beautiful day awaited Brandon and Squirtle as they began to jog around Viridian City. They were greeted with warm smiles and greetings as they entered a trail that led into the surrounding forest.

For another fifteen minutes, they jogged down the trail as tree branches acted like umbrellas, providing them with shade. His lungs felt like they were going to burst, so he slowed down, Squirtle matching his speed. Finally, they decided to take a break and sat on a rock, drinking water and trying to catch their breaths.

"Nothing like a morning run huh?" Brandon said, wiping the sweat from his forehand.

"Squirtle," Squirtle nodded, plopping down. He drank his water and looked up at Brandon. Brandon chuckled and gave him his bottle.

"Let's head back," Brandon said, getting up.

"Squirt," Squirtle replied, getting up. He was tired but if his trainer wanted to run back, he will.

"Don't worry, we will just walk back," Brandon chuckled, seeing the look on Squirtle's face. He grinned when he saw the relief that appeared on his face.

They began to trek back to the Pokemon Centre in comfortable silence when a bush began to rustle. Curious, Brandon stopped and looked at the bush, waiting to see what kind of Pokemon would step out. He smiled as a Tangela wandered out but as soon as Tangela spotted Brandon, it quickly jumped back into the bushes.

Brandon smiled at the antics but decided not to run after it. It was obviously shy and didn't want to make it worse. He indicted to Squirtle, who was watching curiously by his side, to move on.

They finally got back to the Centre. Brandon jumped in for a quick shower before packing his stuff. He took another look around the room before leaving and returning the room key.

After stocking up at the Pokemon Mart, Brandon and Squirtle were ready to continue their journey. Brandon looked around but saw no sign of Ava. He figured they will meet up at some point through their travels. Brandon nodded at Squirtle as they began to walk on Route 2, heading towards Viridian Forest. Behind them, a curious Tangela followed.

 

[Welkamo]

So the journey begins! Brandon and Squirtle seem to be getting along well right off the bat, and we're even seeing Brandon begin to strategize using Squirtle's shell. Can't wait to see how his plans play out. While we've got characters like Ash and Pikachu, who didn't really get along at first, it's also nice to see trainers and Pokémon who, at the very least, sort of get along at the beginning.

I'm guessing Ava's going to be a recurring character, maybe even Brandon's rival, considering the story mentions Brandon wanting to find her and Ava mentions that their paths might cross.

"Thank you. She's my newest Pokemon," Ava stated, sitting down on the bench. "I'm still trying to figure out how to train her."

This line makes me think that Ava might serve as a foil to Brandon; Ava doesn't know what she wants to do on her journey or how she wants to train Eevee, while Brandon seems to have a clear idea of what he wants to do (collect Gym Badges, challenge the League, etc.). The fact that Ava has an Eevee, a Pokémon famous for its multiple evolutions, ties into this. It's an interesting approach to go with, because usually, I see the protagonist being the one without much of an idea of what they want to do. Having the deuteragonist (or just side character, depending on how much of a part Ava plays in the story) be the directionless one and the protagonist be the one with an idea of what they want to do is an interesting idea, and I can't wait to see how that plays out.

"Eevee, it's gone time!"

Typo here; "gone" should be "go".

He spotted a tent up head and quickly stepped inside it, getting out of the rain.

I'm a little confused. It would be one thing if he, say, found a Pokémon Center in the middle of the road and entered without much caution, but a tent? For all Brandon knows, it could be a stranger's tent, a stranger who doesn't want random visitors.

Also, this might be just a typo, but it should be "ahead".

Speaking of Squirtle, Brandon returned his partner to his Pokeball earlier, allowing him to rest. They had gotten to know each other a bit but they still haven't gotten into an official Pokemon Battle yet. In fact, during his walk, he hasn't run into anyone, which surprised him a little. Mind you, the season doesn't officially start until tomorrow, so maybe trainers will be starting later.

Tense inconsistency. The story seems to be mostly in the past tense, but at times, especially with descriptions, it shifts to present tense. When you establish the tense you're going to use for the story, you've got to be consistent with it. For example, if you use the past tense, everything (except for, say, things the characters say) is in the past tense, including descriptions. I don't know if my explanation is making sense, so I'll give an example of writing a story in:

Past tense:

Pewter City's biggest claim to fame was its Rock type Gym, where the Gym Leader Brock resided. Mary didn't know much about Rock types, other than the fact that they were weak to Grass types. She walked up to the Gym with Butterfrees in her stomach. Bulbasaur followed close behind.

"Bulbasaur," she said, "it's your time to shine."

vs present tense:

Pewter City's biggest claim to fame is its Rock type Gym, where the Gym Leader Brock resides. Mary doesn't know much about Rock types, other than the fact that they're weak to Grass types. She walks up to the Gym with Butterfrees in her stomach. Bulbasaur follows close behind.

"Bulbasaur," she says, "it's your time to shine."

Squirtle and Eevee crashed in the middle of the field, throwing each other back, clutching their heads.

This sentence feels a little awkward to me. It might be the "throwing each other back, clutching their heads" part. I would rework it to:

Squirtle and Eevee crashed in the middle of the field, throwing each other back. They clutched their heads from the force of the impact.

That Tangela at the end seems to be up to something... Could this be Brandon's first catch? Guess we'll find out next time. : )

 

[System Error]

- Adding to your family by separating families is always a jank thing
- LITTERING
- So he just knows how to start campfires, no reason given?
- And he can already understand his Pokemon?
- tfw oak sponsoring and dex demanding so the improverished dex-deficient can't go with just their cards
- Oh so this random girl gets to start with Eevee?
- That freaking feel when a Pokemon is already good enough to think for itself
- Brandon already showing signs of a prodigy in thinking this much this soon
- And an easy second Pokemon being set up

Progress! I may be a bit out of it right now though, so can't give general comments and these are probably a bit disjointed. But, looking forward to the next.

 

[Zadium]

So the journey begins! Brandon and Squirtle seem to be getting along well right off the bat, and we're even seeing Brandon begin to strategize using Squirtle's shell. Can't wait to see how his plans play out. While we've got characters like Ash and Pikachu, who didn't really get along at first, it's also nice to see trainers and Pokémon who, at the very least, sort of get along at the beginning.

I'm guessing Ava's going to be a recurring character, maybe even Brandon's rival, considering the story mentions Brandon wanting to find her and Ava mentions that their paths might cross.



This line makes me think that Ava might serve as a foil to Brandon; Ava doesn't know what she wants to do on her journey or how she wants to train Eevee, while Brandon seems to have a clear idea of what he wants to do (collect Gym Badges, challenge the League, etc.). The fact that Ava has an Eevee, a Pokémon famous for its multiple evolutions, ties into this. It's an interesting approach to go with, because usually, I see the protagonist being the one without much of an idea of what they want to do. Having the deuteragonist (or just side character, depending on how much of a part Ava plays in the story) be the directionless one and the protagonist be the one with an idea of what they want to do is an interesting idea, and I can't wait to see how that plays out.



Typo here; "gone" should be "go".



I'm a little confused. It would be one thing if he, say, found a Pokémon Center in the middle of the road and entered without much caution, but a tent? For all Brandon knows, it could be a stranger's tent, a stranger who doesn't want random visitors.

Also, this might be just a typo, but it should be "ahead".



Tense inconsistency. The story seems to be mostly in the past tense, but at times, especially with descriptions, it shifts to present tense. When you establish the tense you're going to use for the story, you've got to be consistent with it. For example, if you use the past tense, everything (except for, say, things the characters say) is in the past tense, including descriptions. I don't know if my explanation is making sense, so I'll give an example of writing a story in:

Past tense:


vs present tense:




This sentence feels a little awkward to me. It might be the "throwing each other back, clutching their heads" part. I would rework it to:



That Tangela at the end seems to be up to something... Could this be Brandon's first catch? Guess we'll find out next time. : )

Thanks for the replies The past tense thing does make sense. I am trying to keep it as present tense but it has been hard. (Sorry for the delayed response. Been busy last couple of days).

- Adding to your family by separating families is always a jank thing
- LITTERING
- So he just knows how to start campfires, no reason given?
- And he can already understand his Pokemon?
- tfw oak sponsoring and dex demanding so the improverished dex-deficient can't go with just their cards
- Oh so this random girl gets to start with Eevee?
- That freaking feel when a Pokemon is already good enough to think for itself
- Brandon already showing signs of a prodigy in thinking this much this soon
- And an easy second Pokemon being set up

Progress! I may be a bit out of it right now though, so can't give general comments and these are probably a bit disjointed. But, looking forward to the next.

Thanks for the pointers

 

[Zadium]

Pokemon Journey: Indigo League

Chapter 3: Decisions​

"Squirtle, water gun!" Brandon shouted.

"Caterpie, use string shot as an escape route!" The bug catcher countered.

Squirtle charged forward, unleashing a water gun attack. Caterpie countered with a string shot onto a branch and swung away from the water attack.

"Great job Caterpie. Now, use tackle!" The bug catcher commanded.

Using the momentum from the swinging, Caterpie launched itself at the turtle pokemon.

"Squirtle, wait for it," Brandon told him, watching the Caterpie. He waited until Caterpie was in range before issuing his next command. "Now, use your shell to stop the attack!"

Squirtle spun around, feeling the caterpillar pokemon smash into his shell. Understanding what his trainer was going for, Squirtle unleashed a close-ranged water gun, sending Caterpie flying.

"Great job Squirtle!" Brandon shouted. "Now, let's finish this with another water gun!"

Squirtle quickly aimed and fired at Caterpie, effectively ending this match.

"Caterpie, return," the bug catcher said, recalling his fainted Pokemon. He turned towards Brandon and offered his hand. "Your Squirtle is pretty cool. Thank you for the battle."

"Your Caterpie was cool as well. I wouldn't have thought to use string shot like that," Brandon praised the trainer while shaking his hand.

"Thanks. Well, good luck!" The bug catcher said, scurrying off into the woods.

Brandon decided to stop for a snack and sat down, Squirtle sitting beside him.

"Not bad for a second battle huh?" Brandon asked, taking a bite out of a pre-prepared sandwich.

"Squirtle," Squirtle agreed, eating half of the sandwich.

"Oh. I can't believe I didn't do this earlier," Brandon exclaimed, taking out his Pokedex. He scanned Squirtle.

"Squirtle, the tiny turtle pokemon. Water-type. When it retracts its long neck into its shell, it squirts out water with vigorous force," the voice chimes back.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle said proudly, after listening to the voice.

Brandon looked at the map on his Poketch. "Well, we have a choice to make. According to this map, we are about half a day away from Pewter City. We can set up camp or walk into the night and arrive near midnight. What would you prefer?"

"Squirtle," Squirtle replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Thanks, buddy," Brandon chuckled. He looked at the map again and then at their surroundings and decided. "We'll make camp shortly. Now, I have to find a spot."

Brandon got up and resumed walking, looking for a good camp spot. For the next few hours, he couldn't find one. The sun was starting to set when he finally found a decent spot. The only problem: Someone was already there. Brandon still approached the spot, hoping they could share it. He saw a green tent set up, with a stove and a pot set up near the fire pit. He saw an Eevee sleeping beside the fire with Ava sitting on a log. She looked up when she heard the footsteps, letting a smile grace her lips when she saw Brandon.

"Howdy," she called out cheerfully, inviting them into their campsite.

"Hey Ava," Brandon greeted her, sitting down. "Didn't expect to see you again so soon."

"Same," Ava laughed, offering him a cup of hot chocolate, which he readily accepted.

"Thanks," Brandon said, taking a sip. "I have a favor to ask,"

"You want to know if you can share the campsite?" Ava guessed.

"How did you know?" Brandon asked in shock.

"This is the only campsite around here," Ava chuckled. She got up and checked the pot. "To answer your question, yes. Yes, you can share the campsite, though you owe me a dinner at some point."

"Squirtle," Squirtle said, shaking his head amusingly.

"Squirtle seems to disagree,' Ava said, grinning.

"I'm working on it," Brandon responded to Squirtle, who just laughed. "Thanks, a lot Squirtle."

"I take it you just started?" Ava asked.

"Yeah. This is our third day," Brandon answered. "I think so far, we have done pretty well."

"That's good," Ava told him, checking on supper again.

"What about you?" Brandon asked.

"I competed in the Silver Conference last year," Ava told him. She began to dish out supper – mac and cheese – and sat back down.

"That's cool. Where did you place?" Brandon asked, taking a bite.

"Top 32," Ava replied. "I decided to take a year off and just travel, which is why I am here in Kanto."

"Do you plan on challenging gyms again?" Brandon wondered.

"I do," Ava responded. "I just needed time to figure out things."

"So Eevee isn't your first Pokemon?" Brandon asked, finishing his bowl.

"No. She's actually my newest Pokemon," Ava explained. "I left my team with my parents. Eevee decided to follow me to Kanto."

"If I may ask, why choose Kanto?" Brandon asked.

"It was the closest region," Ava shrugged. She collected the dishes and placed them in the makeshift sink. "This way, I am closer to home when I am ready to go back. You must be excited though. Your first gym match must be coming up."

"Yeah," Brandon said, getting up to help with the dishes. "Squirtle and I are training hard."

"Good," Ava said with a smile as she washed the dishes. "Challenging gyms isn't easy, though I don't think I need to say that."

"So I heard," Brandon replied easily, drying the dishes.

"Let me guess. An older family member?" Ava asked as she finished washing the dishes.

"Kelly, my older sister," Brandon confirmed. "She's currently in Kalos though she did come back to see me off."

"That's nice of her," Ava said, emptying the basin. She began to put away the stove. "To stop in the middle of her travels to come home. You two must be close."

"We're really close," Brandon replied, drying the basin. "I feel like I can talk to her about anything."

"That's good," Ava said, turning her head away from Brandon briefly, a look of sadness passing over her face. She immediately put a smile on her face as she finally sat down to rest. "Family is important."

"She taught me a lot," Brandon said, looking up at the sky. The sun had set, showing a clear, starry night. Beside him, Squirtle fell asleep. Brandon fetched a blanket and placed it over top of him.

"I see that she gave you a really important piece of advice," Ava said, watching Brandon with a smile on her face. "For many new trainers, they only care about winning. They only set out to collect the strongest teams they could."

"Kelly mentioned that to me," Brandon told her. "She said that a lot of her battles came down to willpower, something you don't get if you don't have a strong bond."

"Exactly," Ava nodded. "I can already see the bonds forming between you and Squirtle. That will go a long way."

"Thank you Ava for allowing us to share your campsite," Brandon said, fetching his sleeping bag. "It's been a long day. I'm going to turn in."

"Sounds good," Ava said. She got up and entered her tent.

Brandon settled down on the ground, next to Squirtle, and soon sleep overtook him.

"Come on Squirtle, only a couple of feet left," Brandon encouraged, running alongside Squirtle. The crisp morning air providing a nice breeze. They got up early enough before Ava and Eevee and went on their early morning run.

"Squirt," Squirtle said, jogging alongside his trainer. He was enjoying the quiet when he spotted what looked to be a pile of vines. At first, he disregarded it but something told him to look closer and sure enough, he spotted a Pokemon and ran towards it, calling out to Brandon. "Squirtle!"

Brandon looked around and saw what Squirtle was talking about. He ran towards the Pokemon, reaching it at the same time as Squirtle. He swiftly knelt to examine it, his eyes going wide. It was the same Tangela that he saw in Viridian City. He could tell he was poisoned and slowly succumbing to it. Brandon quickly scooped it up and sprinted back towards the camp.

"Good for.. what's happening?" Ava asked quickly, noticing the Tangela in Brandon's arms.

"Looks like he or she was poisoned," Brandon quickly explained, setting it down on his sleeping bag. He got his backpack and looked for an antidote. Finding it, he quickly sprayed it on the Tangela and sat back. "Squirtle found Tangela resting near a tree."

"That poor thing," Ava said, immediately began to make something to eat. "I have some soup heating on the stove."

"Thank you," Brandon told her. He quickly changed into his traveling gear and sat beside the Tangela. Curious about it, Brandon took out his Pokedex and scanned it.

"Tangela, the vine Pokemon. Grass-type. Hidden beneath a tangle of vines that grows nonstop even if the vines are torn off, this Pokémon's true appearance remains a mystery," the voice told him.

For the next few hours, Brandon sat by Tangela's side while Ava tore down the campsite. There was no improvement in Tangela's health, which worried Brandon. He kept looking at the map on his Poketch, trying to determine the best route. Should he go back to Viridian City or head to Pewter City? Which would be the fastest?

Ava, after checking on both Brandon and Tangela, suggested they should leave and head towards Pewter City. Brandon nodded and carried the vine Pokemon, keeping a damp cloth on its forehead. Still, there was no improvement in Tangela's health. Finally, Ava spoke up.

"You might need to catch it," Ava said, walking beside Brandon, worry on her face as well.

"I don't want to catch it without knowing if Tangela wants to come with me," Brandon told her.

"It might be the only way to save it," Ava pointed out. "For whatever reason, Pokeballs seem to slow down poisons."

"Really? I didn't know that." Brandon exclaimed, still watching Tangela.

"They have made improvements to Pokeball technologies over the years," Ava told him. "By catching Tangela, you might just save its life."

Brandon still wasn't sure about it but eventually saw the wisdom in Ava's words. He pulled out an extra ball and tapped the Tangela on the head and watched it get disappear in the ball. It wiggled a few times before it clicked, signaling that Tangela was now part of his family.

"I understand that might not be how you wanted to catch your first Pokemon," Ava said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But you did the right thing."

"I hope so," Brandon said, looking up. "Come on, let's get to Pewter City."

Pewter City, the small, quiet town that was nestled against Mt. Moon. Normally, it was a quiet town but with the start of a new season, there were a lot of trainers roaming the sidewalks, waiting to challenge the gym. Today was no exception, as Brandon and Ava sprinted down the sidewalk towards the Pokemon Center. They entered packed the building with Brandon immediately went to the counter.

"Nurse Joy, Tangela was poisoned. We've tried everything to cure it but we can't. Can you please help him?" Brandon asked, out of breath and putting the Pokeball on the counter.

"Of course," Nurse Joy immediately said, taking the ball and gave it to Chansey. "We'll do everything we can to heal it back. In the meantime, would you two like to wait in the waiting room?"

"Do you have any rooms available?" Brandon asked.

"You guys are in luck," Nurse Joy said, looking at the PC. "We have 2 rooms available. Would you guys like to book them?"

Brandon looked over at Ava, who nodded. "We will, thank you."

"Can I see your trainer cards please?" Nurse Joy asked. Brandon and Ava both handed over their cards and Nurse Joy quickly entered their information into the PC. She handed them their room cards with a smile. "All done. Rooms 365 and 364 are yours."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Ava said. "How long do you think we will hear about Tangela?"

"Unfortunately, I can't answer that right now," Nurse Joy replied a hint of sadness in her voice. "We'll do whatever it takes though."

Brandon nodded and stepped away from the counter. He looked at Ava, not sure what to do here. Luckily, Ava knew.

"Come on," Ava said, leading Brandon towards the stairway that leads up to their rooms. "We won't hear anything right now. We should go get changed and freshen up."

Brandon entered his room – which was brown colored with a bed, desk, chair, PC – and placed his bag near his bed. He quickly went for a shower and soon was ready to head back downstairs. But he wasn't ready for that just yet. He sat on his bed, thoughts swirling around in his head. His main thought was on Tangela, his newest Pokemon. He has complete faith in Nurse Joy but how did Tangela get poisoned like that? And will Tangela resent him for catching him without his permission? As these thoughts swirled his head, he heard a knock on his door.

"It's open," he said, still sitting on his bed.

"Hey, just wanted to check in," Ava said gently, stepping into the room. She was dressed in a blue flannel shirt with jeans. Her hair was again put into a ponytail.

"Think I will be alright," Brandon said, adjusting his red hoodie. "Just thinking about Tangela."

"Look, you made the right call," Ava said, sitting on the bed beside him. "No matter what happens, you saved his life."

"I know that," Brandon said quietly. "I just hope he will pull through."

"Nurse Joy and Chansey are excellent at their jobs. They will make sure Tangela will get the help it needs," Ava said, trying to cheer up Brandon. "Meanwhile, we have a whole new city to explore."

"We?" Brandon asked, looking at her.

"Yeah, we," Ava stated. "If it's alright with you, I would love to travel with you. You are a pretty cool guy."

"Umm, sure," Brandon replied, completely surprised by the request. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting that."

"Always expect the unexpected," Ava chuckled. "Now, come on. We have some things to do while we wait."

Brandon nodded and got up. He left his pack but grabbed his Pokeballs and locked the door. He followed Ava back downstairs but paused when he saw the phones.

"I'm going to call my folks if that's alright," Brandon said, pointing towards the phones.

"Sure thing," Ava said, following Brandon towards the phones.

Brandon punched in the house's number and within 3 rings his mom answered. She smiled when she saw her son.

"Brandon!" Lisa said. "How are things going?"

"Going good thanks," Brandon answered her. "We're currently in Pewter City."

"So you will be challenging the gym today?" Lisa asked. Behind her, Fred came onto the screen.

"Not today. Probably in a few days," Brandon told her. "Mom, Dad, this is Ava, a new friend."

"A pleasure," Ava said, nodding to them.

"Nice to meet you, Ava," Fred said, waving to her. "Glad to see Brandon has someone with him. You can call us Lisa and Fred."

"Thank you, Fred," Ava said. She stepped a little behind Brandon.

"So Brandon, did you catch any Pokemon?" Lisa asked her son.

"A Tangela. That's why we are at the Pokemon Center right now," Brandon answered.

"Oh, dear. What happened?" Fred asked his son.

"Not sure. Squirtle found it lying on the ground poisoned. Ava was the one who suggested I catch it," Brandon explained.

"Well, I hope Tangela gets better," Lisa said. She pulled out a tray of cookies. "Have you spoken to Kelly yet?"

"Not yet," Brandon said. "I will try her later."

"Wait a bit," Lisa told him. "She was about to enter some sort of cave at the moment."

"Sounds good," Brandon said. He got an idea. "Would you guys like to come to Pewter City and see my first gym match?"

"We would love to," Lisa said, smiling. "Do you know when you want to challenge it?"

"I'm thinking in a few days," Brandon said, thinking. "It all depends on how Tangela is feeling."

"Sounds good. Just let us know," Fred said. He looked over at the stove. "Looks like dinner is ready. Good luck!"

"Thanks, Dad," Brandon said, waving goodbye. "Love you guys."

"Nice to meet you, Ava," Lisa said before turning off the videophone.

"They are nice," Ava said, leaning against Brandon's chair. "And to invite them to your first gym match. Not many trainers would do that."

"I've always had that idea in my mind," Brandon said, getting up. "I was hoping Kelly would be around but I understand. Sounds like she's doing alright in Kalos."

"Have you guys had a battle yet?" Ava asked.

"Not yet. Kelly promised that if I place in the Indigo League, we will have a full battle afterward," Brandon said, walking towards the counter. "I want to check-in and see if there is an update on Tangela."

"Nurse Joy, sorry to ask again, but is there an update on Tangela?" Brandon asked hopefully.

"We have managed to isolate the poison," Nurse Joy told him with a smile. "With this information, we are confident that Tangela should be back to full health in a couple of hours."

"That's a relief," Brandon said, feeling a weight leaving his shoulders.

"Please don't let your Pokemon get into that condition again," Nurse Joy said sternly.

"It wasn't him," Ava said quickly. Nurse Joy eyed her, waiting for an explanation.

"We found Tangela poisoned underneath a tree," Brandon explained. "We did everything we could. Antidotes, food but nothing would break it. It was Ava's idea to catch him to help."

"I see. Sorry if I jumped to conclusions," Nurse Joy replied, regret in her voice. "You have a smart friend. If you didn't catch him, who knows what would have happened."

"So I have been told," Brandon said, a smile forming on his face.

"Come back in 2 hours," Nurse Joy told them. "We should have a definite answer by then."

"Thank you," Brandon said gratefully, leaving the counter.

For the next few hours, Brandon and Ava hung around the Pokemon Center quietly. They tried small talk but Brandon's mind was elsewhere understandably. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Nurse Joy called him over to the counter.

"Great news Brandon," She said with a gentle smile. "Tangela will make a full recovery."

"That's a relief," Brandon replied.

"Chansey," Chansey said, bringing out Tangela's Pokeball.

"Thank you Chansey," Brandon said, taking the ball. He bowed again before heading outside, Ava following. Once they were in a secluded place, Brandon brought Tangela out.

"Hello Tangela," Brandon said warmly. "Glad you are feeling better."

"Tangela," Tangela replied, shyly.

Brandon knelt in front of Tangela, looking him in the eye. "Look, I want you to have a choice. I caught you to save you but since you are now ok, I will leave the choice up to you. I would love it if you traveled with us but I won't make you. If you choose to leave, I completely understand. And please, don't think you owe me anything. I want you to make the choice based on what you feel."

Brandon stood up and backed away from the vine pokemon. He was serious. He wanted Tangela to make the decision. For Tangela's part, he searched Brandon's eyes, looking for anything that would tell him anything. Truth was, Tangela felt indebted to him but at the same time, he understood that Brandon doesn't see it like that. Finally, Tangela walked and stood by Brandon, choosing to stay with him.

"Welcome to the family officially," Brandon said, smiling down at him.

 

[System Error]

- Smart Bug Catchers?!
- Well I guess Ash doesn't have a monopoly on pointless dex scans
- Did Ava just ask to be asked out?
- Just macaroni for dinner? Find that unfilling alone
- Shoutouts to separating Kanto and Johto!
- And the bonds being mentioned, him getting this so soon
- Heh, like the shoutout to how poison doesn't happen outside of battle anymore.
- Very strange first catch and morality around it.
- Although then shoutouts to not just being able to use an Antidote or something
- I mean lots of trainers beat up Pokemon and catch them
- Suddenly they know Tangela is male while calling him an it before? How did they find out? Joy didn't tell them.
- Okay now I am thinking Ava was asking to be asked out with that bit just now about wanting to travel and why
- Are they just not thinking? It's perfectly logical how a Pokemon gets poisoned in Virdian Forest, home to a bunch of Weedles.
- Seems really fast to get from Pallet to Pewter
- Okay now they mentioned they tried Antidotes and food, but they didn't. It just says they sat there doing nothing but putting a damp cloth on it and hoping it improved,
- Well I guess Brock's ass is grass. HWEH HWEH HWEH.

Another chapter, and more progress. As expected he gets the Tangela, but we will never know the mystery of why it was following him in the first place! Or maybe we will, just being able to understand Pokemon seems to be a thing in this fic. And Ava joins the party, huh. Wasn't expecting that, at least not so soon. Thought she'd be the friendly rival, but hey. Looking forward to more.

 

[Zadium]

Pokemon Journey: Indigo League

Chapter 4: Reviving a Helix​

Brandon stifled a yawn as he sat up in the bed. It was still relatively early in the morning but something told him to get up. He looked around the room and spotted Tangela staring up into the orange sky. Curious, Brandon got out of bed and joined his newest Pokemon.

"Couldn't sleep?" Brandon asked Tangela, sitting down beside him.

"Tang," Tangela shook his head.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Brandon wondered.

"Tangela," Tangela again shook his head, not taking his eyes off the sky.

"I understand," Brandon said. "If and when you are ready, we are right here for you."

Tangela looked over at Brandon with a curious look. "Tangela?"

"You are a part of this family now," Brandon explained to the Vine Pokemon. "We will always have your back."

Tangela didn't say anything but the look in his eye told Brandon everything. Tangela wasn't used to having friends or a family, which is why he was shy around him earlier. Tangela has been alone all of its life, as soon as it hatched. What Brandon was telling him was new for Tangela.

"I understand we will need to earn your trust," Brandon said softly. "And we will."

"Tang," Tangela nodded and stepped back into the room. With another look at Brandon, he went to sleep in the chair.

Brandon smiled as he laid back down and soon joined them in dreamland.

"Anything you want to do today?" Ava asked, eating her breakfast.

"Maybe just sightsee?" Brandon suggested, sitting across from Ava at the table.

"What about training for your gym match?" Ava questioned.

"I'll do it later today," Brandon told her. "I want Tangela a chance to recover before training him."

"That is smart," Ava nodded approvingly. She took out a pamphlet and leafed through it. "We could always check out the museum."

"That sounds good," Brandon said. They quickly finished their breakfast and soon were outside the Pewter's Museum of Science. They (begrudgingly) paid the admission and were inside the packed place.

Brandon looked around in awe. He has heard of the place but he never had a chance to visit the place. According to the receptionist, there are two floors to this big place. The first floor held the fossils of different Pokemon from all over the world. The second floor contained a space exhibit, something he was looking forward to. Brandon brought out Tangela and Squirtle, while Ava brought out Eevee.

As a group, they walked around the first floor, looking at all the different fossils that had been discovered. Brandon stopped and stared at the old amber fossil, which is said to revive Aerodactyl, a ferocious flying Pokemon that terrorized cities, at least, according to the legends.

"This is cool to see," Ava said, looking at them all. "It's neat that this place has fossils from all over."

"Yeah," Brandon agreed, walking through the rows of fossils. "I wonder how they revive the fossils."

"For the larger ones, we have a lab on Cinnabar Island," a voice said behind them. "We can do smaller ones. In fact, there should be a demonstration if you want."

Brandon and Ava looked behind them and saw a tour guide, who had a warm smile on his face, though his eyes were telling a different story. Brandon, Ava, Tangela, Eevee, and Squirtle fell in step with the tour and were guided to a big spacious room. The walls were lined with bookshelves full of various books with a few machines near the back of the room. In the middle of the room was a table that had a fancy machine on it, with a female scientist standing behind it.

"Good morning everyone," the lead scientist said, her lab coat open, showing a white t-shirt underneath. She had on protective gear. "Today, we will show you a simple revival. I will need a volunteer."

Ava stepped forward, who then was guided around the table. She was given a lab coat and protective gear.

"Hello," the scientist greeted her. "What is your name?"

"Ava," Ava responded.

"Well Ava, I'm Sarah, the lead scientist for this lovely museum," Sarah introduced herself. She placed a helix fossil on the table. "Today, we will be reviving Omanyte. This species has been extinct for a long time, so we are doing what we could to preserve them. We try and revive one or two per year, to allow them to get accustomed to our lifestyle."

"Ok. What would you like me to do?" Ava asked.

"Once Omanyte is revived, he will have temporary blindness," Sarah explained. "I will be busy operating the machine. I will need you to keep Omanyte calm and relaxed. Can you do that?"

"Sure thing," Ava said.

"Now, folks, today is just a small demonstration of what we do," Sarah told the group while placing the fossil underneath a light. "With your continued donations, we can preserve many different types of Pokemon. So please, if you are able to make any donation, that would go a long way. And without further ado, let's revive Omanyte."

Sarah inputted some codes on the PC and soon a bright light was seen enveloping the fossil. As the light diminished, a yellow-shell blue tentacle Pokemon is seen. It began to panic, not being able to see anything when it heard Ava's voice.

"Hello Omanyte," Ava said softly. "I'm Ava. It's nice to meet you."

"Om?" Omanyte asked, focusing on the voice.

"You are in Pewter City," Ava replied, seeing Sarah indicting to keep talking to it. "You must be scared?"

"Om," Omanyte replied and began crawling towards the voice. He was slowly able to see shapes. Sarah nodded at Ava, telling her to keep talking.

"I'm currently touring around Kanto," Ava told it. "I'm excited to learn more of this region, to learn of its history."

Omanyte blinked its eyes and was finally able to see Ava. He crawled up her arm -which tickled Ava – and nestled on her shoulder. Ava chuckled and rubbed his shell. Sarah was watching the entire thing and made the decision.

"Go ahead," She told Ava. "He will be happy with you."

Ava smiled, took out a Pokeball, and tapped Omanyte on his head. It wiggled a few times before the ball clicked. Ava brought it back out as Brandon scanned it.

"Omanyte, Spiral Pokemon. Water/Rock type. This Pokémon is a member of an ancient, extinct species. Omanyte paddles through the water with its 10 tentacles, looking like it's just drifting along," the voice called back.

"Please take good care of him," Sarah told her as Brandon joined her. She turned towards Brandon. "Welcome young man. I take you are a friend?"

"Yes," Brandon replied.

"Sarah, if I may ask, why did ask me to help?" Ava asked, still a little confused.

"The work we do with revivification is groundbreaking," Sarah explained, powering down the machines. "We only do 1 revivification a year per Pokemon, to allow said species to get accustomed to our way of living. We are talking about Pokemon that have lived thousands of years ago."

"Right," Ava said, following along with the explanation so far.

"We also do one a year because we don't want to upset the current ecosystems," Sarah said. She mentioned for Brandon and Ava to follow her. "Normally, I would have one of my aides with me but today, he is on Cinnabar Island. The reason why I asked for your help is that I can see that you are a traveler, am I right?"

"I am," Ava replied.

"I am hoping that Omanyte will learn about the current world by traveling with you," Sarah explained, leading them up to the second floor. Brandon looked around the exhibit, which was a single room packed with models and explanations. In the middle of the room, though, was a moonstone, or a part of a moonstone. Sarah saw him looking at it.

"This moonstone originally came from Mt. Moon itself," Sarah explained, walking towards the display. "Legend has it that when Pewter City was first being built, some workers accidentally dug into Mt. Moon and disturbed the rock type Pokemon living there. There was a swift attack until a small tribe of Clefairy intervened and saved the workers."

"Oh wow," Brandon said, listening intently to the story.

"Yeah. Some details were fuzzy after that but somehow, Pewter City was able to obtain moonstone and has had it on display ever since," Sarah told them.

"So traveling through Mt. Moon will be dangerous?" Brandon asked.

"Not entirely," Sarah told him, leading him to a map on the wall. She pointed out the interior of Mt. Moon. "We have made improvements over the years to all of the cave systems in Kanto. For each cave, we have made a single route that extends safely through a mountain. Now, however, if you want to explore a cave, you can but you need certification to go deeper, where it gets more dangerous."

"That's what those colors are for?" Ava asked, looking at routes that were colored green, yellow, and red.

"Correct. The green routes are for the beginners," Sarah explained. "The yellow routes are for the more experienced cave explorers, and red is for the advanced explorers. It takes a while to gain access to the red routes, for good reason."

"So each mountain/cave system in Kanto has this?" Brandon asked, not seeing other places on the map.

"Correct," Sarah confirmed. "We don't have a map of those since we only deal with Mt. Moon here. But you can check on those maps in their respective cities. For instance, Cerulean City will have the interior map of the Rock Tunnel."

"That's awesome," Brandon replied. "Do I need a map to travel through Mt. Moon?"

"It wouldn't hurt but I do know we have an app for that," Sarah said, pausing for a moment. She took out her Poketch and searched for it. "Ah. Here it is. OKEL app."

"Do I need to install it?" Brandon asked. "And what does OKEL stand for?"

"Not really," Sarah told him. "I mean, we have a map at the entrance of Mt. Moon and the map app has a basic version, but it would be helpful since the app adds the interior maps for the other caves in Kanto. OKEL is the Kanto Explorer's League. A team designed to explore the depths of caves/mountains."

"That is pretty cool," Ava replied. "I believe Johto has a chapter as well, or something similar."

"Correct. The Johto Explorer's League," Sarah nodded. "Since Kanto and Johto are connected, it made sense to extend the team into each region. I do believe other regions have similar teams, but I am not 100% sure. Are you two taking part in the gym challenge?"

"Only Brandon is," Ava replied. "I'm taking a break from it."

"Well, Brandon I wish you luck," Sarah told him. An idea popped into her mind as she went through her clipboard, pulling out a form. "Since Ava got a partner, I think I will give you an option of a fossil as well. Currently, we only have an Old Amber on hand, but we might have more in the coming weeks. You don't need to decide right now but I can book you an appointment for our Cinnabar Research Lab since you should be heading there eventually."

"Oh wow, thank you," Brandon said, not sure what to say. "I will get back to you if that is alright."

"That's fine," Sarah told him with a smile. She handed him a card. "When you are close to Cinnabar Island, let me know. I will fly down and do the revivification myself."

"Again, thank you," Brandon repeated.

"My pleasure," Sarah said. She looked at her watch. "Well, I should get back to work. Good luck Brandon with your gym challenge and take care of Omanyte Ava."

Sarah nodded to them as she entered an "Employees Only" door. Brandon and Ava decided to head back to the Pokemon Center. Brandon was eager to start training while Ava wanted to get to know Omanyte better.

"Do you know anything about the gym here?" Ava asked, looking through the leaflet she acquired from Nurse Joy. They were back in the Pokemon Center, sitting on Brandon's bed.

"Only that the leader specializes in rock types," Brandon answered.

"That should make it easier for you then," Ava stated, sitting back in her chair.

"You should know -while yes type advantages are good- gym leaders are known to have strategies for them," Brandon pointed out.

"Good," Ava said, a smile on her face. "Glad you know that."

"You were testing me," Brandon stated, his eyes narrowing at her.

"Hell yeah, I was," Ava said, laughing now. "Even if I am the more experienced trainer between us, I just won't give away the answers. You have to learn things on your own."

"Makes sense," Brandon replied. He began to think. "I can't remember what Pokemon he used against Kelly though."

"Would that make it easier?" Kelly asked, watching him.

"No," Brandon immediately responded. "I'm glad I don't remember. It allows me to come up with a strategy freely, rather than come up with a forced strategy."

"From our battle, it seems like you have a start with Squirtle," Ava told him.

"Right," Brandon nodded. He took out his Pokedex and looked through Tangela's information. He saw that he knew absorb, bind and stun spore. "I still need to see how Tangela battles, or even if Tangela battles."

"You have some time to figure it out," Ava said, getting up and stretched. "I'm headed for a shower and going for a bite to eat. See you down there?"

"Of course," Brandon said. Once Ava left, Brandon jumped in for a quick shower as well and joined her for a bite to eat. He found himself wandering to the practice field and stepped onto the pitch. He pulled out Squirtle's and Tangela's Pokeballs and called them out.

"Hey guys," Brandon said, kneeling. "Tomorrow, we will be taking on our first ever gym. I realize this might be nerve-wracking but know this. We are in this together, no matter what."

"Squirtle!" Squirtle responded.

"Tangela," Tangela echoed though more timidly.

Brandon smiled at Tangela but didn't say anything. He figured he needed to show Tangela, rather than tell. "Let's try a little training before bed. Normally, we start the day with a small run but today was an exception. Actually, gym match days will also be an exception as well. Tonight, I just want to get a sense of your style Tangela."

"Tangela?" the Vine Pokemon asked.

"It'll be a practice match between you and Squirtle," Brandon answered him.

Suddenly, a white-bodied Pokemon with a pink-tipped tail appeared in front of Tangela, scaring the Vine Pokemon. Curious, Brandon brought out his Pokedex and scanned it.

"Mankey, the Pig-Like Pokemon. Fighting-type. An agile Pokémon that lives in trees. It angers easily and will not hesitate to attack anything," the voice called out.

"Looks angry alright," Brandon muttered, putting away his Pokedex. He saw a small group of people gathering around. At his side, Squirtle was about to step forward when Brandon halted him.

"I appreciate it Squirtle, but this is Tangela's fight," Brandon said, looking down at his partner. He looked back up at a frightened Tangela, who was trying to put distance between himself and Mankey. Mankey was content with just standing there, taunting the Vine Pokemon.

"Tangela, it'll be fine," Brandon called out reassuringly. "We're right behind you. You got this."

"Tangela," Tangela said in a shaky voice but he did stop moving, though he was still scared.

"Let's start with a bind attack!" Brandon shouted.

Tangela sent out his vines in a halfhearted attempt to grapple Mankey, who leaped out of the way. It began charging at Tangela, raising her fists.

"Tangela, dodge it," Brandon called out.

Tangela tried to dodge but Mankey came in with a scratch, sending Tangela rolling back a little. Mankey then proceeded to unleash a series of scratches on Tangela, wounding the Vine Pokemon.

By now, this battle had drawn in more people, including Forrest, the gym leader. He was about to call out a Pokemon when Ava spoke up.

"Let Brandon handle this," Ava told him. Forrest turned towards her but after a nod from her, he lowered his ball. Brandon sent her a grateful nod before addressing his injured Tangela.

"Tangela, you can do it," Brandon told him encouragingly. "I told you this morning we are all behind you, no matter what. I realize you might not have had that in your past, but you have to trust me when I say you do now."

Tangela sat up and stared at Brandon before shifting his gaze towards Squirtle, who was giving him a nod. Tangela looked at Ava and Eevee, who also gave him a friendly nod before turning his attention back onto Brandon, who wore that same reassuring smile. He felt a warmth spread throughout his vines as Tangela climbed back to its feet, glaring at Mankey. In the background, the crowd began to cheer Tangela on.

"I knew you can do it," Brandon shouted. "Mankey is fast, so we need to wait for a chance to strike."

"Tangela!" Tangela replied, focusing on Mankey.

Mankey sprang towards Tangela with its fists again, ready to strike again but this time, Brandon was ready.

"Sidestep and grab a hold of Mankey's right fist," Brandon commanded.

Tangela just barely sidestepped the attack, which momentarily shocked Mankey, and released a vine, wrapping Mankey's fist.

"Great job. Now absorb!" Brandon yelled.

"Mankey!" Mankey cried out, feeling some of her energy being drained as she desperately tried to break free. She began flailing her legs, which knocked Tangela back and releasing her fist. Super angry now, she began to get pumped.

"That looks like focus energy," Brandon muttered to himself. "We need to finish this fight quickly. Alright, Tangela, use stun spore!"

Tangela unleashed a series of an orange powder, hitting Mankey as she began to charge. At first, it didn't look like it worked but Brandon could see a speed drop.

"Now's our chance. Grab Mankey's arm!" Brandon shouted.

Vines encircled Mankey's arm as she tried to jab at Tangela. With a mighty effort, Tangela sent Mankey flying (and crashing) into the ground, ending the battle.

"Great job Tangela," Brandon said, coming over to the Mankey. He knelt and sprayed a potion on her. "And you battled well Mankey."

"Mankey," Mankey answered, looking sad.

"Why not join me, Mankey?" Forrest said, stepping forward. "You battled well and I could use that on my team."

Mankey looked up at the Forrest before she nodded. Forrest tapped a Pokeball on her forehead before it clicked as the crowd clapped for Tangela.

"Thank you Tangela," Forrest told the Vine Pokemon. "I love your fighting spirit."

"Tangela," Tangela replied.

"This Mankey is known around these parts," Forrest explained to Brandon and Ava. "Whenever trainers are training, she would drop in and challenge them, defeating a lot of the trainers."

"She's pretty tough," Brandon admitted.

"Thank you for stopping her," Forrest said, extending his hand.

"Actually, I think we should be thanking her, right Tangela?" Brandon said, shaking the man's hand.

"I take it that Tangela is a new Pokemon for you?" Forrest asked as the crowd began to disperse.

"Found it poisoned underneath a tree yesterday," Brandon explained. "I was going to train it a little before taking on the gym tomorrow."

"Ah, so you are a gym challenger," Forrest said smiling. "Well, I look forward to your challenge then."

"Well, I should go get Tangela checked out so he can battle tomorrow," Brandon said.

"Of course," Forrest nodded. He nodded to them before leaving the fields.

Brandon recalled Tangela and Squirtle before rentering the Pokemon Center. He quickly got his Pokemon checked out before walking with Ava up to their rooms.

"Thank you, Ava," Brandon said, pausing at his door.

"For what?" Ava asked, confused.

"For stepping in and stopping Forrest," Brandon told her. "That battle is what Tangela needed but we couldn't have done that without your help."

"Glad to help out," Ava said. She opened her door. "Good night Brandon."

"Night Ava," Brandon said, stepping into his room and closing the door. Within minutes, he fell asleep with his first gym match tomorrow.

 

[System Error]

- TANG. IT'S A KICK IN THE GLASS
- So they just have all this fossils lying around and have enough on-hand that they can just revive them to anyone randomly musing about them?
- Oh sure leave it to the random trainers to keep the million year old Pokemon calm
- Wait did she not get permission to do that? And they just let the random person who mused about reviving fossils and volunteered to keep it calm the Pokemon just like that? I have heard about stupid and forced ways of getting Pokemon, but that is pretty damn forced.
- Only thousands of years ago?
- And even so why would they entrust them to random trainers when they don't even know what kind of trainers they'll turn out to be
- Amateur mistake not being able to defend yourselves, workers.
- This is a neat system but it seems like an awfully complicated regional specific one for a region that only has two caves, maybe four but Seafoam is laughably remote and bypassable and Unknown Dungeon is laughably dangerous. And how do they even stop people from going where they're not governmentally mandated
- And just offering him the fossil too?
- And yet in Let's Go Brock's only goal is to be a type advantage demonstration bitch, and Brandon has two!
- And a sudden Mankey too. As if he needed the Gym to be any easier.
- Oh hey it's that guy from the anime who isn't Brock. Does amuse me that so many people are just casually watching.
- Oh I guess Forrest just gets to capture a Pokemon he didn't battle. What a douche.
- Why did he bother with the Potions if he was just going to use the Center? What a waste.

Well, progress. Two instance of trainers getting Pokemon they didn't really deserve, however! One of them's the Gym Leader though, so reason to hate the guy and cheer for the protagonist who didn't get one. Well, let's hope he gets his ass kicked next time.

 

[Greninjaman]

Question: Did you already plan out what you're going to do for the story, or are you doing this one episode/chapter at a time?
One last thing: could you share the teams of the main characters in spoilers? This way, people will be able to keep track of who has what.
Excellent work so far, by the way.

 

[Zadium]

Question: Did you already plan out what you're going to do for the story, or are you doing this one episode/chapter at a time?
One last thing: could you share the teams of the main characters in spoilers? This way, people will be able to keep track of who has what.
Excellent work so far, by the way.

Hello

Sorry for the very late response. I was busy trying to get caught up with all the gaming news from last week. I am a little behind of schedule lol.

I planned out the major points (for instance, a fishing contest in Cerulean City spoilers xD, or a bug contest in Fushia City) but for the in-between chapters, I am more relaxed. For instance, I knew I wanted Brandon to catch a Tangela before Pewter City, so I planned for it in Viridian Forest but I didn't plan on how he caught it. As for writing, I did have a nice rhythm going on. I would be ahead in chapters. So if I posted chapter 2, I would already be working on chapter 4 and potentially chapter 5 but I got sick for 2 weeks and then I got distracted with the gaming news, so now I am focusing on a chapter a week. If I manage to write 2 chapters, that is bonus.

I can definitely share the teams of the main characters. I will start to do that next chapter

Again, sorry for the late response.

 

[Greninjaman]

Don't worry about it.
I noticed on your first post that you are having Brandon visit every region. What made you decide to do that instead of swapping Brandon out and having each region have its own protagonist?

 

[Zadium]

I got inspired when I read a fanfic of the same main character going through 7 regions (Galar wasn't around when the fanfic ended)

 

[Greninjaman]

Will Brandon have traveling companions? Or are the other main characters traveling with him?

 

[Zadium]

Brandon will have traveling companions. They won't stay for all 8 regions, as I feel that would get stale.

A little tidbit: I never intended for Ava to become a traveling companion..

 

[Zadium]

So I realized I haven't posted in a while. I have been working on the story, so I will drop a few chapters before work. Enjoy


Pokemon Journey: Indigo League

Chapter 5: Rock Smashed​

---

"What time are your folks coming in?" Ava asked, eating a bagel.

"They said sometime in the morning," Brandon answered her. He chuckled. "Knowing my parents though, that could be late afternoon."

"That will give you time to train then," Ava suggested, sitting back in her chair.

"It does," Brandon agreed. He took a look at Ava. "Do you miss it?"

"Miss what?" Ava asked though she suspected she already knew.

"Preparing for a gym match," Brandon responded, also sitting back in his chair. Currently, they are seated in the trainer's lounge, waiting for Squirtle and Tangela to get checked out before his match. Around them, trainers were chatting eagerly, awaiting their time to battle Forrest.

"Yes and no," Ava answered. "Don't get me wrong. I love that feeling right before you get onto the field but at the same time, it does test you mentally."

"That makes sense," Brandon said.

"It feels good to just sit back and relax," Ava told him with a smile.

"You've earned it," Brandon said seriously. He was interrupted when he spotted the TV screen.

"Battle Fans! Get ready for the introduction of the Kanto Battle League, an official sanctioned Pokemon Battle Association event. For 16 weeks, your Kanto Gym Leaders will go head to head with each other, providing the fans with remarkable battles," A long black-haired caster said in a gleeful voice. He was wearing a Psyduck shirt. "We look forward to watching these battles! Until next time, stay safe."

"Kanto Battle league huh?" Ava asked. Around her, she can hear everyone talking about this announcement.

"That explains why Forrest caught that mankey yesterday," a male voice said. "Though I am surprised you didn't catch it."

Brandon and Ava looked behind them and saw Sam standing there. Sam wore a simple pair of khakis and a white top. Beside him, they saw Bulbasaur standing next to its trainer.

"Oh hey, Sam," Brandon greeted him.

"So why didn't you catch mankey?" Sam asked.

"Honestly, I don't know," Brandon shrugged. "It just didn't feel right, you know what I mean?"

"Not really but whatever," Sam replied. "Even though you already have 2 Pokemon that are great against Forrest, having that third would have provided you with an advantage."

"Maybe," Ava said. "But if the gym leaders are anything like the ones I fought, they will have counter-strategies against that."

"That's why you train," Sam shrugs dismissively. "And you are?"

"Sorry. I'm Ava," Ava introduced herself. "I'm from Big Town, in the Johto Region."

"I see," Sam said. He quickly sized her up, trying to determine if she was a challenge."So you are taking on the Indigo League then?"

"Actually, no," Ava told him. "I competed in the Silver Conference last year. This year, I decided to just travel and recharge."

"Why take a break?" Sam asked her, not believing a trainer would just willingly miss a year to get stronger. "Won't you be behind the curve for missing a season?"

"I said I am taking a break from gym challenges," Ava started, hands-on hip. "I never said I was taking a break on training."

"But battling gym leaders is training," Sam pointed out, still not understanding Ava's decision.

"Let's just agree to disagree," Brandon hastily jumped in, hoping to avoid an argument.

"Whatever. I'll see you around," Sam said before leaving the building.

"You alright?" Brandon asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Ava replied. She glanced around the trainer's lounge before looking outside. "If you want a spot today, I would suggest heading out now."

"Sounds good," Brandon said. He quickly got Squirtle and Tangela checked out before stepping onto Pewter's streets. The sun was just cresting over the already busy town, providing a nice orange glow to the morning commuters. Brandon was in awe as he slipped with the crowd of people. Overhead, he heard the cries of the pidgeys flying over the city. He spotted many small Pokemon walking along with their trainers and occasionally, he spotted bigger Pokemon as well.

Soon, Brandon and Ava found themselves staring at the stone building. Boulders lined up on each side, providing a path right towards the door. They could make out the "Pewter City Gym" sign right above the double doors. Brandon saw a line of trainers entering the doors, which caused him to sigh. He might not be able to battle today.

Brandon pushed open the doors to a very crowded lobby. The poor receptionist desk was overworked, though he was doing his best to get everyone a slot. The desk was located in between two doors that led to the field and to the stands. The room was a solid brown color, with benches and seats set up in a small waiting area, though at the moment, there are no seats available. Brandon joined the line as Ava stood along the wall, waiting. What felt like an eternity later, but was like twenty minutes, in reality, Brandon finally got to the front of the line.

"Good morning, may I see your trainer card please?" Dave, the receptionist, asked kindly.

"Sure," Brandon replied, pulling out his card and handing it over.

"Thank you," Dave said, taking it and swiping it. "Is this your first time challenging a gym?"

"It is," Brandon replied, slightly nervous.

"There are a few quick rules I will go over," Dave said with a kind smile. "First, every gym will have different rules for booking a spot. Here at the Pewter Gym, Forrest wants challengers to pick time slots. It's much easier to manage. Second, broadcasting matches is against the rules. Forrest recently changed it, so to not put pressure on new trainers. And last rule, it is required to be here 15 minutes before your slot. This way, matches can start on time. Understand?"

Brandon nods, trying to remember the three rules. Dave smiles, handing back Brandon's card. "We have very few slots left open for today. We have a 3:30pm, 4:45pm or a 6:00pm slots. If you prefer tomorrow. we do have more slots open."

"3:30 pm sounds good," Brandon replied.

"Let me set that up real quick," Dave said, typing away on his computer. It took a moment before he looked at Brandon, smiling. "All set. Your battle will be at 3:30pm today. Best of luck."

"Thank you," Brandon said, before turning around and leaving the line. He rejoined Ava. "Done. I will be battling at 3:30pm."

Ava looks at her watch. "Looks like you have some time to train then."

"A little. Don't forget that my parents are coming soon," Brandon pointed out. He led the way back outside.

"Are you nervous, since you have an official time?" Ava asked him, as they walked through the crowd.

"Right now, no. But that will probably change once I am on the battlefield," Brandon replied.

"It'll be your first gym match. Of course, you will be nervous," Ava told him. "Once you get past this match, the other matches should be easier to prepare for."

"Were you nervous for your first gym match?" Brandon asked her.

"You bet your ass I was," Ava nodded as they weaved through the crowd. "I started my journey with a Chikorita. I was naturally at a disadvantage against Falkner."

"Falkner?" Brandon asked.

"He's the first gym leader in Johto," Ava explained. "He specializes in flying types. And since Chikorita is a grass type, it was a tough match."

"How did you beat him?" Brandon asked, pausing at a red light.

"It wasn't easy but I managed to outsmart him," Ava answered. "You'll be fine though."

"Thanks," Brandon said before stepping into the road. He was about to say something when he noticed a familar red car. With a grin and a wave, Brandon followed the car into a parking lot. Once the occupants came out, Brandon gave them a hug.

"Ava, these are my parents," Brandon introduced them. "Mom, dad, this is Ava."

"It's nice to finally meet you in person," Fred smiled at her.

"Likewise Fred," Ava said, also smiling. "And hello Lisa."

"Hello Ava," Lisa smiled at her. She patted her stomach. "Is there a place to eat? We skipped breakfast so we can get here early."

"Come on," Brandon said, leading the way back onto the streets. He glanced back at his parents with a teasing grin. "You guys actually showed up early. I am very impressed."

"Well, we didn't have any kids to help get ready," Lisa retorted, a twinkle in her eye.

"Yeah, and we actually enjoyed hot water," Fred chimed in.

"Very funny," Brandon said, rolling his eyes playfully. They stopped at a noodle place and were seated at a table. "But honestly, glad you guys were able to get the time off."

"We decided to make this a vacation," Lisa said, sipping her coffee.

"Ah! That's why you guys are early. I knew there was a reason," Brandon said with a grin.

"Guilty," Fred said with a sheepish grin. He also was sipping a coffee.

Lisa chuckled and turned towards Ava. She smiled kindly at her. "Are you competing in the league as well?

"Not this year," Ava said, drinking a chocolate milk. "Decided to just relax and travel."

"That's always fun," Lisa said, nodding.

"She placed in the top 32 in the Silver Conference," Brandon spoke up.

"Ah. The Johto Region," Fred said, recognizing the name. "Are you originally from Johto?"

"Big Town," Ava nodded.

"Big Town? I can't say I have heard that place," Fred said, trying to rack his brain.

"It's a relatively unknown place," Ava replied. "But it seems like you know Johto pretty well?"

"Not the entire region but the main cities," Fred explained. "I used to work on the Pokemon Trade System back in the day, before it became streamlined."

"That's awesome," Ava exclaimed. "Is that where you two met?"

"We met in Celadon," Fred reminisced. "I had just gotten to the Pokemon Centre when Lisa walked in. She was wearing a blue top with white jeans. Her hair was swept to the left side. She just stood at the PC with a confused look."

"You actually remember what I wore that day?" Lisa asked, a little surprised.

"Of course dear," Fred chuckled. "The way you looked, so confused, so lost. I had to come over to help you."

"Yeah, my parents forced me into journeying around Kanto," Lisa told the group.

"You competed in the Indigo League?" Brandon asked. He never heard this story.

"I gave up after Brock," Lisa admitted. "I only continued to Celadon so not to disappoint my parents. It was actually after talking to Fred I got the courage to pursue my dream."

"That's awesome," Ava exclaimed. They paused for a moment as their meal was placed in front of them. "So what did you do?"

"I decided to go back to school and became a teacher," Lisa replied. "I'm still with the Viridian School District."

"Well done," Ava said. "What about you Fred? What do you do now?"

"I help out at Professor Oak's lab, working as the system administrator," Fred replied. He began to eat his noodles.

"Have you heard from Kelly?" Brandon asked, also eating his lunch.

"Actually, yeah," Lisa nodded. "After we watch your battle, we will be heading to Vermillion and take a flight to Kalos."

"That's great," Brandon said. He turned towards Ava, taking another bite of his lunch. "Kelly is stubborn, in a good way. If she wants to hunt a certain Pokemon, nothing will stop her from doing it. It took her like 6 days to find a Swablu in Hoenn."

"Oh wow. I heard they are hard to find," Ava said, impressed. She finished her bowl.

"They are, at least according to trainers," Brandon nodded his head, also finishing his bowl. "But they are pretty good if you train them right."

"Brandon, what time is your match?" Lisa asked, placing her bowl near the center of the table.

"3:30 pm, which is in a couple of hours," Brandon said, looking at his watch. He got up from the table, placing money on it. "What say we just spend that time just relaxing before your flight?"

---

A short while later, the party found themselves back in the now empty foyer of the gym. He was soon called to take the left door. Pausing, he turned back to his parents and Ava with a nod, he stepped through the door. He found himself in a well lit rock tunnel that leads right to the battlefield. With each step he took, his heart was thumping in his chest. His breath came in quick and an uneasy rhythm. He had to pause in the tunnel to take deep breathes. Finally, he stepped into the light and saw he was in a battle box. Along with the upper tiers, he saw a balcony for spectators, which included his parents and Ava. Beside them was a big screen that showed both Forrest and his pictures with 2 Pokeball icons underneath. He saw that the field itself has a bunch of rocks scattered throughout. He noticed that Forest was waiting in his box with a gentle smile at Brandon before nodding to a referee, who began to speak.

"This will be an official gym battle between Gym Leader Forrest and Gym Challenger Brandon Adams from Pallet Town," The Ref shouted. He was carrying two flags, one in each hand. "This match will be fought using a two-on-two single battle format and will be over when both of one side's Pokemon are unable to battle! Furthermore, only the challenger may substitute Pokemon. Understood? Great, let the match begin!"

"Squirtle, it's go time!" Brandon shouted, summoning his first partner. Underneath his picture showed a squirtle icon.

"Geodude, let's roll!" Forrest shouted as well, summoning a boulder-looking Pokemon with arms. Underneath his picture, a geodude icon appeared.

"Geodude huh? Let's see," Brandon said, pulling out his Pokedex and scanned the Pokemon. "Geodude, the rock pokemon. Rock/Ground type. Commonly found near mountain trails and the like. If you step on one by accident, it gets angry."

"Remind me to watch out for them," Brandon muttered to himself. He put the dex away and yelled to Squirtle. "Alright. Start off with a water gun!"

"Geodude, get behind a boulder!" Forrest shouted. Geodue literally rolled behind a boulder, using it to shield itself from the water gun. "Great job. Now defense curl!"

"Squirtle, get in closer!" Brandon countered, not realizing he was doing exactly what Forrest wanted him to. "Use water gun while running."

Squirtle rushed towards the boulder, closing the gap and unleashing a torrent of water guns, trying to hit the rock pokemon. Unfortunately, none of the water guns hit their target but did hit the boulders.

"Rock throw!" Forrest commanded, thrusting his hand forward.

"Geo!" Geodude cried out, and with a mighty punch, smashed the boulder he was hiding behind in the direction of the advancing squirtle. Squirtle, not expecting it, was pelted with rocks, stopping the advancement.

"Great work Geodude. Now, use tackle!" Forrest commanded.

"Squirtle, dodge!" Brandon cried out but it was too late. Geodude smashed into squirtle, effectively knocking squirtle out of the match.

"Squirtle is unable to battle. Gym Leader Forrest wins the battle!" The ref called out, holding up a brown flag. "Will Challenger Brandon bring out his next Pokemon?"

---

Up in the stands, Ava and his parents watched in shock. They didn't expect him to lose a Pokemon that quickly. Lisa turned towards Ava. "I thought Brandon was training?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it training," Ava pointed out.

"And you didn't bother to tell him?" Fred asked.

"Some lessons, Brandon will need to learn on his own," Ava shrugged. Lisa and Fred looked at each other but knew that Ava was right.

---

"Return Squirtle," Brandon said, recalling his partner. There was an x across squirtle's icon. "Tangela, you're up!"

The vine Pokemon materialized on the field. He looked around the stadium and saw that people were watching and he became very shy. Brandon tried to soothe him.

"Tangela, this is just like battling mankey," Brandon called out. "Just focus on geodude. You got this!"

"Geodude, defense curl!" Forrest commanded.

"Tangela, use absorb!" Brandon shouted.

Tangela's vines snaked out of his body and towards Geodude. But before they got to it, Forrest countered.

"Use sand attack!" Forrest shouted. "Then use rock throw!"

Geodude grabbed two fistfuls of dirt and threw them up in the air, causing a small cloud of dust and briefly obscuring itself, causing Tangela to miss. Suddenly, rocks began to be thrown through the dust cloud, pelting Tangela.

"Tackle!" Forrest shouted.

Geodude rolled forward and smashed into Tangela, throwing it back. All Brandon could do watch as Geodude began an onslaught of tackle barrages until Tangela fainted.

"Tangela is unable to battle. The battle and the match goes to Gym Leader Forrest," The referee declared.

Brandon was stunned. He blinked his eyes a couple of times, trying to register what just happened. He had just got thrashed, something he didn't think would happen. recalled his Tangela and walked towards Forrest, shaking the man's hand before turning to leave the gym. He saw his parents and Ava coming towards him but he held up his hands. "I'll meet up with you guys at the Pokemon Centre. I just need some time alone right now."

---

Brandon found himself sitting on a park bench as the battle flashed through his mind. He didn't expect that quickness, that speed and because of that. He felt like he let down tanegla and squirtle. That switched his thinking to himself. Was he capable of becoming a great trainer? He had the type advantage and still got his butt smoked. What does that say about him as a trainer?

"Thought I would find you here," a voice spoke, startling Brandon. Brandon looked over and saw Forrest sitting beside him.

"How?' Brandon asked softly.

"You aren't the first trainer to lose his or her first gym match, nor will you be the last," Forrest said, as a cool breeze sprung up. "For whatever reason, everyone seems to come to this exact spot."

"It is peaceful. A good place to think," Brandon replied, looking around the park. There were a couple of trees offering shade, but it was empty besides them.

"That was quite the match huh?" Forrest said, hoping to draw Brandon into a conversation.

"Match? More like a butt-kicking," Brandon answered him.

"Be grateful butt kickings are only a one-time thing," Forrest said jokingly but not seeing the smile, he became serious. "Look, everyone will lose battles. No one will ever win every single match. It's how you handle a defeat that determines you as a trainer."

"How so?" Brandon said, looking at him.

"Some trainers give up, some trainers will train harder," Forrest said, leaning back on the bench. "From the battle with mankey, you appeared to be alright. So what happened?"

"Wish I knew," Brandon sighed. "I just froze."

"Sounds like nerves," Forrest said, nodding and thinking. "If I may ask, what is your training like?"

"Still trying to figure that out," Brandon replied. "Right now, we do morning runs but that's about it."

"Ok. And how many battles have you been in, roughly?" Forrest asked.

"Including you, 3," Brandon replied after a moment of thinking. "One was against a bug catcher and the other against Ava."

"Ok. So I have to ask this. Why so few battles?" Forrest wondered. He was looking at Brandon. "From my experience, a lot of beginner trainers always seems to jump for a battle. But it seems like you are avoiding them."

"I... I actually don't know the answer for that," Brandon replied, his head dropping.

"Hey, nothing is wrong with it," Forrest hastily said. "But the more battles you get, the more comfortable you will be. And battles are a great way to try new tactics, new strategies. As for training, I can't tell you how to train. That is between you and your team, but might I make a suggestion?"

"I'm all ears," Brandon said, nodding his head.

"Endurance is good but you should also focus on other things," Forrest offered him some advice. "Stuff like releasing attacks quicker, or just attacks in general."

"I can do that," Brandon told him. He looked at his watch and got up from the bench. "Thank you for the advice, Forrest. I really do appreciate it."

"That's part of my job," Forrest said, smiling at him. He also got up from the bench. "I can't wait for your rematch. Have a great night Brandon.

"You as well," Brandon said before turning back towards the Pokemon Center, thinking about what Forrest just told him.

 

[Zadium]

---

Pokemon Journey: Indigo League

Chapter 6: A New Friend​

---

"Squirtle, water gun!" Brandon commanded, aiming towards the targets that were set up against a tree trunk.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle cried out and aimed for the lower target with his water gun. Unfortunately, it just missed the target.

"That's alright buddy," Brandon said, petting Squirtle on his head. "That's why we are training. Once again, water gun."Squirtle tried once again, but it still fell short of the target. Brandon scratched his chin, trying to figure out how to help Squirtle.

It was early in the morning with Brandon the only person in the practice field. He had got stomped in his first gym match yesterday, and so, like some sort of tradition, Brandon wanted time alone. Forrest had somehow found him and gave him some advice. Brandon returned to the center and immediately went into this room and soon fell asleep. Now, he is taking Forrest's advice and training.

"Keep working on it Squirtle alright," Brandon said before walking towards Tangela. Understandably, Tangela seems really bummed about the lose, so Brandon sat down beside him.

"Hey Tangela," Brandon said softly.

"Tangela," Tangela replied, though not looking at his trainer.

"Just so you know, the loss yesterday wasn't your fault," Brandon told him. "Ultimately, it's my fault."

"Tang?" Tangela said, cocking his head at his trainer.

"It's my job as a trainer to make sure you are ready," Brandon explains. "Something I failed to do. In all honestly, I was surprised at the speed of the battle." Tangela said nothing but is listening, feeling a little better.

"Instead of feeling bad, let's use it as a learning experience," Brandon suggests. "Now, instead of focusing on that battle, I want you to think back to that Mankey battle." Tangela nods, feeling slightly better. Brandon points to the field."What say we get some training in?"

Tangela gets up and proceeds to walk onto the field, Brandon following suit. "Alright. Let's work on your vine release. The quicker you can release them, the better the fight, I think anyways."

Brandon quickly set up more targets along a tree trunk. He pointed to them. "Let's try this. Aim for the targets but with each strike, see if you can release it a little bit quicker."

Tangela nodded and focused on the targets. First one, he reached halfway. Second and third attempts, same distance. Brandon watched while thinking. Finally, after the fifth attempt, Brandon called out to Tangela.

"Tangela, don't worry about speed for now. We should try and focus on your accuracy," Brandon said. "We will add these exercises to our morning ritual. Soon, you will be able to hit them."

"Hey there," a male voice called out behind Brandon, causing Brandon to jump in fright. Turning around, he saw a lad standing there about his age and height. He wore a blue beanie, with a red polo shirt and blue jeans. 'Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you. I just saw you're training and watched for a bit. Please don't take this the wrong way, but it seems you are a new trainer?"

"I am," Brandon said as Squirtle came walking over to Tangela and Brandon, Tangela hiding behind Brandon's leg. "In fact, I am training for a re-match."

"I see," the boy said with a kind smile. "I'm Saul, from Hau'oli City from the Aloha Region."

"Nice to meet you, Saul," Brandon said, extending his hand. Saul shook it. "I'm Brandon, from Pallet Town. These are my partners Squirtle and Tangela."

"Ever since we learned about gym battles, I always wanted to come to a league and try it," Saul said with excitement in his eyes. "Nice to meet you Squirtle and Tangela."

"That's pretty cool," Brandon said, smiling. "So you are here to take the gym challenge?"

"As much as I would love to, I can't right now," Saul replied. "I'm here to try and get Mantine Surfing popular here in the Kanto Region."

"I've heard of it, but never really seen it," Brandon told him. "I think the majority of the matches are in the south of Kanto. Cities like Fuschia, Seaform Islands and Cinnabar Island would be the ideal places to look."

"I've been told the same," Saul said, nodding his head. "I try to make it a habit to watch gym matches whenever I am in a city."

"Oh yeah. Aloha doesn't have gyms right? They have the Island Challenge, which sounds really cool," Brandon said. He looked down at Tangela and Squirtle. "That sounds like fun right?"

"Squirtle," Squirtle said, crossing his arms and pointing towards the gym's location.

"Yeah, you're right," Brandon said sheepishly. He was about to ask Saul something but then he remembered Forrest's voice about battling. "Saul, would you like to battle?"

Saul thought for a moment, before nodding. "I have three Pokemon but I can only use two if that's alright."

"That's fine. As you can see, I only have two myself," Brandon said, stepping into the trainer's box. Saul took a step into the opposite trainer box. "Ready when you are."

Saul nods as he unclips a Pokeball and holds it in his hands. Brandon looked down at Tangela.

"Yungoos, you're up!" Saul shouted, releasing brown and yellow Pokemon.

"Tangela, you got this!" Brandon yelled as Tangela stepped onto the field. Brandon took out his Pokedex and scanned the new Pokemon The voice chimed. "Yungoos, the Loitering Pokemon. Normal type. Its stomach takes up most of its long torso. It's a big eater, so the amount Trainers have to spend on its food is no laughing matter."

"That is accurate," Saul said, chuckling. He looked down at Yungoos, who was staring at Tangela. "Isn't that right Yungoos?"

"Yung," Yungoos replied, nodding his head but not taking his eyes off Tangela.

"You can have the first move," Saul shouted across the field. Brandon nodded before issuing his first command.

"Tangela, let's start off with stun spore!" Brandon yelled.

"Yungoos counter that with a tackle!" Saul cried out.

Tangela began to shake, releasing a sprinkle of orange powder towards Yungoos, who began sprinting towards Tangela. Yungoos ran through the powder, slowing down but still managed to knock into Tangela.

"Yungoos, use tackle again," Saul shouted.

"Tangela, sidestep the tackle and grab his tail!" Brandon countered.

Tangela was able to sidestep the slower Yungoos and wrapped vines around his tail. Yungoos quickly bucked, knocking Tangela back with an angry growl.

"A little advice, Yungoos doesn't like his tail touched, even from me," Saul advised Brandon across the field.

"Good to know," Brandon shouted back. "Tangela let's avoid the tail. Use bind to keep him place."

"Yungoos, sand attack!" Saul commanded. "Then tackle through the sand attack."

The image of Geodude attacking through the sand flashed in Brandon's mind. Without thinking, Brandon issued another order. "Wait until Yungoos comes through the cloud. Once you see him, wrap him up!"

Yungoos kicked up a sand cloud and proceeded to jump through it, only to land on the ground and immediately get wrapped into Tangela's vines. Saul was impressed.

"Impressive. It seemed like you knew I would do that," Saul said.

"Forrest, the gym leader, did that exact same move," Brandon explained.

"Well, dang. Looks like I need to come up with a different tactic," Saul called out before issuing Yungoos an order. "Yungoos, bite the vines and break free."

Yungoos began to chew on the vines, causing Tangela to cry out in pain, letting Yungoos free. Tangela backed up a little, trying to create some space.

"Tangela, you ok?" Brandon asked.

"Tangela," Tangela nodded, the vines retreating back into his body.

"Yungoos, you alright?" Saul asked.

"Yung," Yungoos nodded, advancing upon Tangela.

"Good. Let's go in for a tackle attack!" Saul commanded, thrusting his arm forward.

Just as Yungoos sprinted forward, he was suddenly halted, showing signs of paralysis. Seeing this, Brandon took adavantage of it.

"Tangela now's our chance. Wrap him up and use absorb!" Brandon shouted.

Tangela's vines snaked out and wrapped up Yungoos (careful to avoid the tail though) and soon was absorbing his energy and regaining it. Yungoos tried to struggle against it but his tiredness was evident.

"Yungoos, use tackle!" Saul called out desperately.

With a sudden burst, Yungoos managed to tackle Tangela, causing the vine Pokemon to stumble back, dropping his hold on Yungoos. Yungoos immediately followed it up with another tackle.

Tangela wobbled back before looking at Yungoos. He felt a surge of energy flow through his vines, expanding a little in size. Brandon observes the learning of a new move with a smile.

"Tangela, you learned a new move. That's awesome," Brandon said, flashing Tangela a smile.

"That would be growth," Saul said, also watching with a little pride. "It raises your Pokemon's attack and special attack. Which means we need to be careful Yungoos."

"Tangela, use growth again!" Brandon shouted out.

"Yungoos, keep your distance for now," Saul instructed his partner.

Tangela grew a little more in size as Yungoos keeps an eye on him. They continue to stare at each other for a few seconds before Saul and Brandon issued commands.

"Yungoos, sand attack!" Saul shouted.

"Tangela, get in close!" Brandon yelled.

As Tangela was moving closer, Yungoos kicked up a brief sand cloud and hid in it. Tangela had to advert his eyes and that let Yungoos the chance to move undetected to Tangela's side. Once he was in position, Yungoos sprang at Tangela, hoping to catch him off guard.

"On your left side Tangela. Grab and throw him!" Brandon shouted out.

Tangela stepped back, wrapped his vines around the midsection of Yungoos, and with a mighty heave, chucked him across the field. Yungoos landed with a thud and didn't get back up.

"Way to go Tangela," Brandon said, grinning at him.

"Yungoos, return. You did a great job," Saul said, a red beam recalling the fallen Pokemon. He unclipped a second Pokeball. "Alright. Pikipek, your turn to shine!"

Out of the ball came a black and white bird Woodpecker Pokemon, with a purple stripe down his head. Brandon took out his Pokedex and scanned it. The voice chimed back. "Pikipek, The Woodpecker Pokemon. Normal/Flying Type. It may look spindly, but its neck muscles are heavy-duty. It can peck at a tree 16 times per second!"

"Don't let the size of her fool you. She's much stronger than she looks," Saul said, rubbing her head affectionately.

"She's a different color than the one in the Pokedex," Brandon pointed out. "Tangela, come back. You did a great job. Squirtle, you're up!"

"She was hard to find but well worth the effort," Saul replied. Pikipek flew down on the ground and eyed Squirtle. "You can have the first move this time."

"Squirtle, use water gun!" Brandon commanded.

"Pikipek, dodge it and use echoed voice!" Saul yelled.

Squirtle unleashed a water gun aimed at Pikipek but Pikipek swooped above the water gun before opening her beak and let out a high-pitched voice, causing Squirtle to cover his ears.

"Great job Pikipek. Keep using echoed voice!" Saul shouted.

Pikipek continues to use echoed voice, causing Squirtle to cover his ears but each time, it seemed like Squirtle was taking more damage. Brandon had to stop Pikipek from using that move but how?

"Duck into your shell Squirtle!" Brandon shouted, hoping that his shell will provide some sort of cover.

Squirtle ducked his head into his shell to avoid to shrieking and found cover for it. Pikipek immediately swooped down, landed on the shell and began to peck into the hole. Squirtle responded with a water gun, hitting Pikipek, causing her to fly away.

"Pikipek, fly low and come in for a peck attack," Saul commanded.

"Squirtle, roll to the right," Brandon countered. "Fire a quick water gun!"

Pikipek flew low to the ground, her wings open. Squirtle managed to roll to his right quickly and got to a kneeling position before releasing a water gun, hitting Pikipek on her wing, causing her to crash into the ground.

"Squirtle, tackle attack now!" Brandon ordered, hoping to catch Pikipek off guard.

"Pikipek, return," Saul recalled the woodpecker Pokemon. He walked forward and extended his hand towards Brandon. "That was a good match."

Brandon recalled both Tangela and Squirtle before shaking Saul's hand. "It was. Thank you. Why recall Pikipek though?"

"This was just a training match," Saul explained, falling into step with Brandon as they entered the Pokemon Center and found seats in the trainer's lounge after leaving their Pokemon with Nurse Joy to get checked out. "And it's important for a trainer to know when to forfeit a match to save your Pokemon from unnecessary damage."

"I should remember that," Brandon said, storing that bit of advice in the back of his mind. "So will you leave Pewter City today?"

"Yeah," Saul said regretfully. "I would love to stay and explore the city but I need to get going. I'm actually waiting for the bus."

"Here, take my number. I would love to see you surf at some point," Brandon said, writing down his number and giving it to Saul. Saul did the same, handing Brandon his number. "What time is your bus?"

"Should be any moment," Saul said. He saw the bus down the street and got up. "Right on time. Good luck with your re match Brandon, and I look forward to battling you again sometime later."

"Thanks, and good luck with trying to get surfing popular here," Brandon responded, watching Saul walk towards the bus stop outside of the Pokemon Center. Soon, the bus was driving into the distance and was out of sight.

Brandon is sitting on the couch, waiting for Ava to come down. His parents booked a hotel room nearby. They are going to meet up later and discuss what will happen. Tangela and Squirtle are good to go and were resting in their Pokeballs, clipped to Brandon's belt.

Brandon began to doze off when Ava finally came downstairs. Brandon felt bad for leaving Ava and his parents, and as he got to the Pokemon Center late last night, he didn't have a chance to speak with them. He wondered if Ava decided to leave and travel on her own after that, but when she smiled at him, he knew the answer.

"Sorry about last night," Brandon said, rubbing his neck.

"Don't worry about it," Ava said, waving off his apology. "Trust me, every trainer tends to go off by themselves after their first loss. It's like a tradition."

"I still should have said something, or come back earlier," Brandon said.

"Did you learn anything on your own?" Ava asked.

"A few things, yeah," Brandon answered. He got up and followed Ava t to the door. "I had a match with a guy named Saul this morning."

"Then it was worth it," Ava replied, stepping towards the door. "How did it go?"

"It was fun but I learned a few things," Brandon said, following Ava. "In fact, I want to book the rematch for today."

"Have you figured out your training routine yet?" Ava questioned as her and Brandon followed the stream of people before veering off towards the gym.

"Kinda," Brandon said sheepishly. They had arrived at the gym and Brandon quickly booked a morning time."It's a work in progress."

"Good," Ava said with a smile. "As long as you start it, training will become easier after a while."

"Wait a minute," Brandon said, realizing something. "You knew I was going to lose."

"I didn't know you were going to lose, but I did know you would be in for a difficult fight," Ava told him, stopping in front of the hotel.

"And you didn't warn me?" Brandon asked, looking around for his parents.

"Remember when I said I wouldn't give you all the answers?" Ava asked him. When Brandon nodded, she went on. "This is one of the those times. You needed to learn the hard way."

Brandon thought about it. After a moment, he could see her point. "I see what you mean. Will you help me with coming up with training sessions?"

"Of course," Ava replied. She looked at her watch. "Your parents said to meet them at this time."

"And there they are," Brandon said, pointing them out. His parents are walking through the doors. Brandon went over and hugged them both. "Sorry about leaving you guys last night."

"Don't worry about it bud," Fred said. "Did you figure out what you needed to figure out?"

"I did," Brandon nodded.

"Good. Look, honey, we are sorry but we have to get going," Lisa said.

"It's alright. I have my rematch in about 15 minutes." Brandon said with a smile. Just then, Lisa's phone rang. She smiled when she saw who it was. She answered it, showing the face of Kelly on the other end. "Hello, Kelly."

"Hi Kelly," Brandon said, a wide smile spreading on his face. "How's Kalos?"

"Busy but good," Kelly said. In the background, she was sitting in a Pokemon Center. "How are you doing?"

"Doing pretty good," Brandon answered. He waved to Ava. "Kelly, this is Ava, a new friend. Ava, this is my sister, Kelly."

"Nice to meet you Ava," Kelly said with a smile. "Hope my brother isn't causing too much trouble."

"Brandon? Causing trouble? Haven't heard," Ava said in a teasing voice while Kelly laughed.

"I hear that. Brandon, mom and dad told me about your battle," Kelly said softly. "Tough break Brandon."

"It was a disaster," Brandon admitted. "But I am ready for my re-match."

"So soon?" Kelly asked, surprise in her voice.

"Yeah," Brandon said confidently.

"Just be careful," Kelly advised him.

"I will," Brandon said. "So did you find the Pokemon were you hunting for?"

"What makes you think I was looking for a Pokemon?" Kelly asked him, amused.

"The fact that you spent a week in a cave," Brandon pointed out. "We both know how much you love caves."

"Har har har," Kelly responded, a twinkle in her eye. "But, yes. I did find the Pokemon I wanted."

"Glad to hear it, Kelly," Brandon said sincerely. "I need to hand you back to mom and dad and get over to the gym for my rematch. It was great speaking with you again."

"Good luck with your rematch Brandon," Kelly said before being handed to her parents.

"Hang on a second Kelly," Lisa said. She turns towards Brandon and Ava, hugging them both. "It was fun hanging out with you guys. Good luck Brandon with your rematch and Ava, thank you for taking care of him."

"Good luck son," Fred said, giving Brandon a hug. He smiled at Ava. "And what Lisa said. Thank you for looking for him."

"Any time," Ava said with a smile as she and Brandon turned towards the gym, a determined look in his eyes. Together, Brandon and Ava entered the gym, with Brandon heading onto the field, and Ava heading up to the spectator's stands. Meanwhile, Lisa and Fred were still talking to Kelly.

"We're about to head out now," Lisa said.

"Stay," Kelly immediately said. "Stay and cheer on Brandon for his rematch."

"You sure?" Fred asked. "You know if we stay, we will miss the flight for today."

"I'm sure," Kelly said with a smile. "I love you guys. Just let me know how it turns out." With that, Kelly hung up.

Fred and Lisa quickly made their way towards the gym and sat down beside a surprised Ava, watching as Brandon entered the field.