It took around 2 hours for us to reach the city from the forest. We arrive just a little after noon. We had our pokemon be checked on the pokecenter and once they were returned we immediately went to eat. The kitchen in the pokecenter was free so we managed to cook our food there. In exchange for me preparing the main course she made a few quick desserts using berries.

“This is way better than what I cook. Why don’t you become my personal chef?” Ann seriously asked me.

“Yeah, no. I plan to challenge the gyms.”

“I am going to participate in a contest at the end of the month. Sunny and I trained a lot for this.” She said to me and then turned to her Pichu. “Sparkly, you will need to watch very closely what we do so you will be able to go into the stage with us.”

“Pichu!” She cutely responded.

“I plan on participating in one, eventually. And for what it is worth, I hope you manage to win.” I couldn’t say more because contests changed a lot from what I knew. The showing your pokemon part was all well and alive, along with a second stage where you had to battle but the problem was that rules would change arbitrarily between one contest and the other. It might be required that you use a costume at one contest but not in others. You might have to be part of the first stage presentation, like a pokemon showcase, but sometimes you couldn’t even give orders to your pokemon. I could admit that it helped in making things interesting for people watching but you couldn’t just dip your toes in that stage without some amount of preparation. Also, unlike badges, ribbons are pretty much international. If you reach a rank in the contest scene, you would be able to participate in contests of that rank pretty much anywhere in the world.

“Thanks. Also, what name did you give to yours? I saw you talking to him earlier.” She said as she pointed to my Pichu.

“Bolt. He liked it so much I didn’t even have time to think about any others. I just blurted it out by accident and he wanted it.”

“Pichu!” Bolt proudly said as he tapped his chest. He really liked the name. Also, he has a sweet tooth like Blaze and me. I am starting to see a pattern here.

“Good for you little guy. What are we doing later?” She asked, completely changing her vibe.

“I am going to Route 22. There are two pokemon there I want to add to my team before I go to Pewter to challenge the Gym.”

“Why don’t you challenge the gym here?” She asked me, really confused.

“Because the gym leader is not known for being reasonable.” The new gym leader was a young woman that refused to use anything but her strongest team. Her name was Bertha and there are a lot of calls for the pokemon association to take her out of her position. Can’t say I don’t understand why but the Viridian Gym already had a reputation of being the last challenge before the conference and the league. Also, as far as what is available online, she knows the difference between a gym battle and a no holds bar one. People are more than capable of earning her badge if they are good enough to earn 8 badges.

“If you say so.” She said, somewhat disinterested.

We finished eating, rested for about 30 minutes and then set out to Route 22. She didn’t need to come with me but I can’t stop her from coming.

Ann

This boy is strange. At least he will keep me from getting bored for a while. Also, he has to keep a watch on me because of that Raichu. Whatever that means. Sparkly is too cute for me to ever do anything bad to her.

It took a good hour before we exited the city but that is life as a trainer, at least if you are poor. Shouldn’t have used all my free money to get a cab to Pewter.

He sent out his two pokemon and now they are talking…Is that a pokedex? And is that his phone? Oh my Arceus. He is poor. He couldn’t even afford a basic Rotom phone and had to use those old podexes? He is probably going to challenge a gym, right? If he wins I will help him find a cheap Rotom phone.

Oh? A flock of Spearows. We are probably going to have to go around it. Wait, wait! “HEY!”

“Bolt, Fake Out! Blaze, Flame Burst!” He shouted. His Pichu suddenly dashed towards the flock and slapped his hand very hard, stunning them for a moment before leaving the way for the Chamander’s attack. It hit the Spearow that was in the middle and splashed on the others.

… And that flock just left. Aren’t Spearow supposed to be angry pokemon that fought anything? Oh that why. The leader is coming. “Hey, there is a big Fearow coming here. You should probably leave.” I shout to him

“That is kinda what I was wanting.” He shouts back. He is crazy. I need to call someone to help me. I don’t think I will be able to save him! Mom, Dad, Uncle, Grandma... I don’t have the contact of anyone or anything of Viridian. Please don’t die.

Stolen story; please report.

Why is his Pichu just walking toward the big bird? Why are they shaking hands and wings? Wait, where is his Charmander? Oh no, it is angry now.

“Now Blaze! Dragonbreath! Bolt, Charge!” He shouted. Suddenly the Fearow was hit by a purple flame from behind and became unable to move.

“Blaze, Smokescreen! Bolt, Thundershock!” He shouted again. His Charmander let a lot of black smoke out of his mouth into the face of the big bird and the Pichu fried it with a shock.

He called his two pokemon back… The Fearow is leaving, along with the flock. What the fuck just happened?

It’s been 10 minutes, what is he waiting for? Another flock of Spearows? Well, there is something coming here. It’s a bunch of Pidgeys and Pidgeottos. Guess they are his target now.

And he is just talking with them. Wait, he caught one? Why is he waving to me?

“I am going over there.” He shouted, pointing at a few trees at the distance. If he thinks I am going to be left alone here he is going to be disappointed.

I follow him for a few minutes until he reaches a small grove of trees.

“You should probably have at least one pokemon out to defend you, just for safety.” He shouted. I release both Sunny and Sparkly, just in case another bunch of birds appear.

“AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! COME OUT!” He shouts really loudly. He then crouches down and says something to his pokemon.

“MANKEY!” I hear various cries. Oh no! He didn’t! I need to get someone, now! Please don’t die.

I put my pokemon back in the pokeballs and run as fast as I can. It takes around 10 minutes until I reach the city. Once I see any adult I talk to them.

“Please, I need help. My friend is being attacked by a horde of Mankeys.” I say as I catch my breath. Turns out running can be just as exhausting as dancing.

“Where!”

“Back there. Near some tree, a little out of the dirt road.”

“Police? There is a kid being attacked by wild pokemon. A friend of his came running to the city to ask for help. I am just outside the city on Route 22. No, it’s not my kid. Monkeys.” The guy was talking on the phone with the police. I will need to ask for the number. I forgot the general one but having the local one is always better.

It only takes a minute until two police bikes arrive. There is a Jenny and an officer.

“Quick! Hop in and show where he is.” The Jenny tells me. I quickly jump on the bike and grab and hold her while pointing in the direction I just came from.

It takes around two minutes to reach the area because of the terrain and once we reach there we are all paralyzed in disbelief. There are half a dozen monkeys knocked out on the ground and he is battling another 10 or so at the same time and winning.

He was throwing stones around while commanding his pokemon and dodging, along with all of them. He even was using the Pidgey he just caught. It would sometimes pick his Pichu up and just drop it on top of a Mankey before using Gust of something to blow another one away.

I need to film this. I take my phone out and begin to record everything that is happening. When he turns around for a moment, I zoom on his face. Yep, that confirms it, he is crazy and his pokemon are equally as crazy.

“Why are you making that face?” The Jenny asks me.

“He is crazy. He and his pokemon are all smiling while they fight. He had made a flock of Spearows run away not long ago but it wasn’t even close to this.”

“Let’s keep an eye out, just to be sure.” Hearing that I let my two pokemon out. They might be useful.

10, 9, 8, the numbers continue to go down. He is not afraid of getting hit or fighting himself. There is no rule saying that you can’t fight a pokemon in the wild and he is fully taking advantage of it. Even when he tackled to the ground he quickly gets up and charges in, usually doing the same thing to another Mankey.

It takes 5 minutes until only 3 Mankeys remain. He completely retires himself from the fight and focuses on only commanding his pokemon. His Pichu Glows with electricity and discharges it on one of the Mankeys. His Pidgey sends a Gust of wind that sends another one flying. Finally, his Charmander launches a torrent of fire from his mouth but this Mankey actually manages to resist. He then throws a pokeball. It takes a moment but it seems like he caught it. Now he is running around…

“YEAH! WE WON! UHU! WE WON! WE WON!” He shouts as he runs around with his pokemon. When he sees me he runs in my direction and makes me join him. I am unable to resist him and my two lovely pokemon are also swept by his own. It is only once the officer Jenny gets his attention that I am able to break free.

“Boy, do you have anything to say to me?” She asks, very seriously. It takes a moment for him to process what is happening.

“Oh shit! They are still knocked out.” He says as he runs towards the Mankeys he just defeated. One by one he makes them eat a berry. It is enough to wake them up and make them run back to the trees. His pokemon even helped with that.

“No problem now, right?” He asked the Jenny once he finished.

“...You know your friend got so worried about you that she called us, right?” She said as she pointed to me.

“... You didn’t had to. They are just Mankeys, one that lives near a city. Didn’t you see how they could only attack in a straight line. It is very easy to dodge. I was expecting more than that. The report said that there was a full band of Mankeys here. That was just half of one. There wasn’t even a Primeape leading them” He said to me. I almost fainted from how casually he said all of that. I saw a Primeape once and they are scary. And what does he mean it’s easy to dodge? He was moving nonstop.

“Jenny, please take me back to the city. I think I am going to faint if I hear another outrageous thing come out of his mouth.”

“Can I get a ride to the pokecenter too? I don’t think anyone got too hurt but I want to have everyone checked before I continue training, especially the new guy. Put up a hell of a fight.”

I almost fainted upon hearing that. The last thing I remember was retrieving my pokemon and riding back to the city on Jenny’s bike. Several minutes later I was outside the pokecenter as I watched him send out all his pokemon, give them some berries and start training. That is it, I need to do something normal or I will go crazy. Sparkly, I had planned to let you watch it on the stage first but I am going to teach you how to dance now.