I was torn from my musings as Metagross suddenly stopped, sending me and my backpack flying face first into the dessert sand. For the thousandth time in my new life, I found myself agreeing with a certain edgelord space wizard. Sand was the worst. It was rough and coarse and irritating. And it was currently getting everywhere. Pulling my head out, I shot Metagross a withering glare mixed with a raised eyebrow.
It made noises at me that roughly translated as it not being allowed to go any further. Which could only mean that Papa had anticipated my master plan and given Metagross a distance limit! Curses! Foiled again!
Grumbling at my Papa's clear criminal mastermind level planning that totally was in no way just him being a semi-responsible parent, I turn to look for my backback. Only to freeze. Because standing next to it, sniffing away, was a Pokemon. Not just any Pokemon either, but the pre-evolved form of my absolute favorite Pokemon ever: Trapinch.
“Metagross, can you grab my backpack for me with Psychic? And please be slow about it? I don't want to scare that Trapinch away.”
A moment later, daw my backpack glow red before slowly rising into the air before floating over to me. Luckily, while spooked, the Trapinch didn't run. As soon as it was in my hands, I pulled a variety of berries out of my backpack and put them in a pile in front of me. Then I stood up and backed away slowly, putting a bit of distance between myself and the berry pile.
Then I sat in the sand and waited…and waited…and waited…
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Eventually, the Trapinch's curiosity and appetite overcame its caution and it approached the pile, sniffed it a bit, and then dug in. Meanwhile, I took the time to observe its flavor preferences. Bitter berries like Aspears were tossed aside after it tasted the first one, while it took particular enjoyment in sweet berries like Pechas. Which meant…Naive nature? Lower Defense but higher Speed? I hoped I was remembering that right.
As soon as it finished with the first pile, I made a second pile right in front of me, made entirely of Pecha berries this time. I didn't move away from this one, hoping it would be enough of an incentive to come near me. And so, a second round of waiting began…or not.
To my surprise, it approached the Pecha pile with almost no hesitation. I didn't touch it though, forcing contact at this stage could set back my process significantly… Instead, I once again waited until it was done before moving on to step three. I pulled out a single Pecha berry and held it out in my open hand.
“If you’d be willing to become my partner, to travel, train, and fight with me, I can give you not just plenty of sweet food in exchange, but plenty of strength too.” I spoke slowly, hoping it understood what I was trying to get across despite my stupid five vocal cords having trouble with certain sounds.
It stared into the yellow pupils of my eyes, before asking a question. I wasn't fluent in Trapinch just yet, but I got the gist. It was asking for clarification that I was offering food and power. I smiled back at it and nodded
“That's right, buddy. Food and power.” It nodded back at me in agreement before snapping up the Pecha berry as I pulled a certained Pokeball out of my pocket. Though it looked brand new due to how meticulously I had taken care of it, I had actually bought it about a year ago from a traveling merchant that had stopped by Agate. Well, Papa had bought it for me, but I had to forgo my allowance for months afterwards so it still counted!
And it had been worth it, too. Because it was my absolute favorite kind of Pokeball: A Cherish Ball. It had been my absolute favorite design in my pervious life and had even more significance for me in this one on account of my new name. It was a special Pokeball meant for my first partner. And as my new companion disappeared into the Cherish Ball, I felt my smile widen.
Because with this Trapinch by her side, Cherish Harmonia was gonna take the world by sandstorm.