Chapter 4

“I’ve never seen a city before,” Madelyn said as she looked at the unfinished buildings across from her. “I barely even knew what waited on the surface.”

Emerald watched the Fish Pokemon swim around the edge of the pond, obviously gleeful in jumping from one spot of water to another as it turned dark. After Madelyn’s injuries were healed at the Pokemon Center, they headed to Route 116 to catch more Pokemon. Emerald was dead set on catching another Pokemon before worrying it would be selfish of him to leave the Magikarp in her Pokeball without giving her a chance to speak.

He picked out a pond near the entrance of Route 116 to speak with his new catch. The area was mostly grassland with some forest to the side, stumps of trees a common sight. While speaking to Madelyn, Leif glared at the unfinished houses near them, eyeing with hatred the building projects.

From what Emerald could make out, the route used to be complete forest before much of it was clear cut to make room for Rustboro’s expanding city limits. It was obvious Leif hated knowing that more woodland was being destroyed for humans’ sake so Emerald kept his Pokeball in hand in case he did anything rash. When he wasn’t eyeing the Treecko, the trainer was speaking with the Water-type.

“Us Magikarp don’t have names,” she explained once released. “Most of us don’t usually survive very long so there’s little incentive for anyone to be remembered. We’re easy prey to just about anything.”

“Oh,” Emerald said as he sat on the bank of the pond. “I-I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yes,” she said as Madelyn looked up at him while half submerged. “I never even knew much about the surface. My entire life was water so I didn’t even think about seeing the surface one day. I just expected I’d die before ever seeing much of it.”

“Oh…” Emerald said. “So...do you like the fact I caught you?”

“Of course!” Madelyn said. “I really do! I’m glad and I can’t think of what’s better! Having those around me who won’t die, not dying soon myself and seeing so much more of the world than I thought I ever would! So thank you! You’ve made my life better.”

“Well…” he said. “I’ve never been told that before. No one’s ever said that I’ve improved their life.”

“You may be my first friend,” the Magikarp said. “I’ve lived a lot longer than my brothers and sisters. I even think I’m the only one of my siblings to still be alive. I didn’t think after living so long I would survive after I got that hook stuck in me.”

“Gee thanks,” he said. “It wouldn’t be fair of me to just refer to you as Magikarp. How about...Madelyn? You’re a girl...right?”

“Why yes!” she said.

Emerald smiled down at Pokemon before petting it’s back fin. After that he took out a bottle of fish food and sprinkled it down into her open mouth. The blue and red flakes disappeared down her throat. Emerald was happy at the sight she liked the food. He paid a decent chunk of money for it at the Rustboro PokeMart as they sold food specially made for fish species of Pokemon. He figured that if he caught the Magikarp there was no point in not taking good care of it. Emerald was having a good time with Madelyn before Leif called him back to reality.

“Hey,” he said. “We better go. It’s getting late and we should probably catch a Pokemon before it gets any darker. Due to relying upon the sun for strength, us Grass-types getting weaker when nightfall comes.”

There was a certain tension in his voice, a restlessness that Emerald recognized. Leif did not take a single second to look away from the housing projects near them. It was almost like he was barely able to control himself and just wanted a distraction before he’d do something rash.

“Yeah,” Emerald said before turning back to Madelyn. “Sorry...but you have to go back into your Pokeball for now.”

The Magikarp looked obviously sad before Emerald returned her to the Pokeball. After stowing away the fish food he put his bag back on and ventured further into the route. Leif felt a little nervous walking through the wilderness at night but most of that was relieved knowing he had such a strong Pokemon at his side. The pair looked around as they walked close to the edge of the forest that hadn’t been cut down. At first he couldn’t find any Pokemon, only some rustling in the grass around them.

“Tell me,” Leif said. “Why did you save that Magikarp? They’re useless, I know that much about them. And you said that humans are above Pokemon due to being more sentient.”

“Because…” he said. “Well...I just felt so sorry for her...if you can save a life and you don’t...know matter how small it is...you’re an accomplice to murder. At least, that’s what I believe.”

“Hmm,” the Treecko said. “So...are you saying you reject the prejudice taught to you by humans? Or...do you make an exception when Pokemon are in danger?”

“I-” Emerald said. “I don’t know. I just did what I felt was right.”

“Then you believe Pokemon lives are more valuable than most people give them credit for?” Leif asked. “Right? And what your taught was wrong?”

He shook his head, trying to find a way to brush off the question before Emerald’s attention was caught by a certain wiggling above him. He looked up to find it was a pinecone swaying in the wind. He shrugged at the sight of the object dangling from the tree branch before admiring how big it was. It was large enough to be roughly the size of Emerald’s head. Maybe larger.

“That’s not a pinecone,” Leif said.

“What?!” Emerald said. “Of course it is! What else could it be?!”

“A Pokemon,” the Treecko said. “And a deceptive one at that. Most anything that flies by it the Pokemon will eat up.”

“Oh,” the trainer said. “Is it powerful?”

“Um…” Leif said as he was obviously thinking. “Yes...it has enormous defensive power and a unique set of weapons at its disposal. Honestly there’s very few Pokemon like it.”

“Alright then,” Emerald said. “Bring it down.”

“What?” Leif asked.

“You heard me,” he said. “Take it off the tree so I can catch it.”

“But they’re hard to battle!” the Treecko said. “Why would you want to risk it?!”

“Because,” Emerald said, trying to think of what to say.

If I have a strong Pokemon with me and win lots of battles...maybe Norman will recognize me as something special. He thought.

“A Pokemon that’s both strong and unique is something I’d love on my team,” he decided to say. “Better than a typical Zigzagoon or Poochyena that are as common as dirt.”

“That’s not a good idea,” Leif said. “It-”

“I said,” Emerald said. “Bring. It. Down.”

The Treecko sighed before racing up the trunk of the tree. Emerald was surprised to see the Wood Gecko Pokemon able to walk up the bark without sliding any. After reaching the branch the overgrown pinecone hung from, Leif walked across the limb before it swung its tail down at the pinecone.

To Emerald’s surprise the pinecone was completely undamaged as it fell to the ground. As it fell, he found there was a thin strand of thread that wavered in the light of the setting sun. Emerald realized the pinecone was held to the branch by that fine thread.

It fell to the ground on its side lifelessly, causing Emerald to worry Leif had been mistaken. However, he was surprised to find the brown scales that covered its body began to writhe and move like the legs of an insect. It began to press the pinecone-like scales covering its lower half to pick itself up, sort of like a person pressing their hands on the ground to stand back up.

Once it erected itself Emerald was staring at a fairly simplistic but still odd creature while Leif climbed down the tree. To say it was just a pinecone with eyes would be correct but the oddity of how closely it resembled such an object was uncanny. It stood on top of a thin stub, its body hidden by the scales that normally covered a conifer seed. The only thing that Emerald could see beneath them was the two red eyes beneath the uppermost layer of scales on its body.

After finding the spike at the top of its head, Emerald’s eyes wandered down its form to find that its body was not naturally brown. Upon closer inspection the entirety of the creature was layered in brown tree bark. Emerald balked at the sight, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him, to find that when he looked ever closer what little of its surface wasn’t armored in bark was teal.

“Wh-what-?” Emerald said.

Stolen novel; please report.

“It’s called Pineco,” Leif said.

He arrived between his trainer and the odd Pokemon and took on a defensive stance.

“They resemble seeds that grow from conifer trees to hide from prey,” he said. “They were a unique part of the ecosystem in Petalburg Woods. They’re hard to take down.”

Emerald shook his head before taking out his Pokedex from his bag. He produced the device, pointed the glass eyepiece at the Pokemon and pressed one of the many buttons. A picture of the Pokemon popped onto the screen, this time fully teal, and Emerald began to read its data.

Apparently it was a Bug-type whose species was the Bagworm Pokemon. It was just as Leif said, they hung from trees before grabbing any Pokemon that flew by to eat. Pineco used their resemblance to pinecones to both hide from and be predators.

The reason they attached bark from trees to their bodies was for additional protection as it formed a thick shield. Pineco hung from and attached bark using glue naturally produced from their bodies. And just as Leif said, they were powerhouses of defensive power due to their naturally sturdy bodies only further fortified by bark. They also were able to use a unique set of moves ranging from spiked projectiles to using the glue as string.

“Alright then,” Emerald said. “Looks like a worthwhile catch. If it’s a hard catch then I’ll just have to use a better quality ball.”

He took out a Great Ball and threw it at the Pineco. Upon the capsule device tossed toward it, the Bug-type Pokemon immediately spun its body until it became a brown blur. The ball bounced off the Pokemon as soon as it made contact with the rotating creature.

Emerald was stunned at the sight as he found it unusual that a Pokeball wouldn’t even open upon touching a potential catch. Usually Pokeballs failed because upon swallowing the Pokemon they were undamaged enough to resist. Emerald had never heard of Pokeball simply bouncing off a Pokemon without the device even attempting to catch the creature. After it ceased spinning the Bagworm Pokemon then began to lift the scales growing from its body up, as if it were opening.

“What the-?” he said.

“Get down!” Leif shouted.

Emerald did as he said, dropping to grass beneath him. While he laid flat on his stomach he looked to see blue spikes emerge from beneath its scales. The Pineco then began spinning again before the several spikes it grew launched from its body. Leif deftly avoided the three projectiles that neared him, those same objects flying directly above Emerald as he laid down.

After the Pineco stopped spinning and the missiles were gone from its body, the trainer slowly stood up. He looked around to see the spikes it threw at them had not just pierced the trees beside Emerald but had bored through them. Holes in the trunks were left where they had shot through.

“That could have been me,” he couldn’t help but say.

“It’s Pin Missile is incredibly dangerous!” Leif said. “See...I told you not to bother it!”

“Darn it,” Emerald said. “I didn’t know it’d be this level of a threat.”

He began trying to remember what moves a Treecko could learn from quickly scanning its Pokedex entry.

“Quick Attack!” he ordered.

“But that’ll-!” Leif said.

“Just do it!” Emerald ordered.

The Wood Gecko Pokemon sighed in exasperation before racing at the Bug-type with full force. As it sped towards the wild encounter, Emerald dashed toward the Great Ball he’d recently bought. After picking it up he quickly examined it to find that the capsule was undamaged. His relief died upon hearing a shriek of pain.

He whirled around to find his Treecko had been repelled by the Pineco. After rushing at the Bug-type at full force, Leif was thrown backward as if pushed. Emerald was confused at first before taking into consideration what the Pokedex entry said about Pineco’s defensive capabilities.

It’s body is incredibly durable. He thought. Less like how most Bug-types are. Not squishy and soft, no. More like how a Rock-type Pokemon is.

As Leif stood back up, he found the Pineco was beginning to open up its scales again to produce more bluish-green spikes. After that, it closed its scales as it obviously prepared to spin again. Emerald felt fear run through him like never before, feeling his chances of safety threatened for probably the first time in his life.

“I’m sorry,” Leif said as he stood up. “I failed again. Both as a protector of the forest’s trees...and as your Pokemon. Emerald...if we die...you’re a terrible trainer…”

Emerald began to feel guilt well up in him as Leif turned to look at him.

“But a good friend,” he said.

He felt tears sting his eyes as the Treecko said that.

“No one else would have saved me after I was burnt alive,” he said. “And no one would have caught a Magikarp just to save its life. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone as kind as you.”

His words caused more tears to burst from his eyes, immediately running down his face. What Leif said was not just something that made him feel better. It made him feel like he was worth living, even if no one else recognized him as having value.

Somehow an idea followed after that. Emerald was confused as to how he could even think of such a thing. But it was a winning idea nonetheless.

“Leif!” Emerald shouted. “I know a way I can catch it! Use Pound!”

“What?” Leif asked. “But-”

“Hold your tail up against the Pineco just before it spins!” Emerald ordered. “And while it spins, don’t stop pressing against it! The Pineco may have more durability but you may have more physical strength!”

Leif nodded reluctantly before rushing forward. The Pineco just started spinning to gain momentum for its Pin Missile before the Treecko slammed its thick tail into the Bug-type. And just like Emerald ordered, he didn’t let up pressing against its rotating body.

The Treecko cried in pain as the Bagworm Pokemon spun against his tail. The appendage held against the spiralling creature was like a wheel grinding against a solid piece of metal, so the pain was probably immense for Leif. At first this did nothing but after a few seconds what Emerald thought would happen transpired.

The scales could no longer open up due to the Wood Gecko further bearing down on the Pineco. Just Emerald suspected, the strength of its body was no match for Leif’s. So instead the Pokemon began trying to charge forward into the tail of the Wood Gecko Pokemon. It was no longer just spinning to give momentum to its Pin Missile but using a full on Rapid Spin attack.

And it’s body started drilling into the ground as a result. With nowhere to go but forward, the Pineco’s unrelenting spinning into Leif’s unmoving tail caused it to burrow further and further into the soil. Now it was no longer standing erect but spiralling into the soil beneath it. After a moment, very little of the Pineco’s body was visible as only the top of its body including its topmost spike and red eyes could be seen. What little could be made out of its expression was utter confusion.

“Now it can’t spin to block the Pokeball because it’s stuck,” Emerald said with a smug grin.

Upon burying itself into the ground, Emerald tossed the Great Ball at the mostly ground immersed Pokemon. The half blue capsule bounced off its spike before opening up and swallowing the Pineco in a burst of light. The capsule closed to leave a drill shaped hole in the ground beside it before rolling back and forth.

Emerald could feel his heart creep into his throat before the Great Ball stopped moving after a satisfying click. He breathed a sigh of relief as happiness surged through him. He raced over to Leif and picked up the Grass-type Pokemon.

He found Leif panting in exhaustion as the side of his tail pressed against the spinning Pineco was thoroughly blackened. Emerald couldn’t imagine the amount of pain he must have endured or the determination it took to do such a thing. Emerald hugged Leif tight as the Treecko groaned in pain.

“You’re amazing!” Emerald shouted. “Just...just amazing!”

“You really...ugh...think so?” Leif breathed in between pants of pain.

“Of course,” he said. “Now...time to meet our new friend.”

He sat Leif down to let him rest as he opened the Pokeball. Emerging from it was the Pineco. It stared up at him with dirt covering most of its body. Now that knowledge of humans and their language had been downloaded into its mind, Emerald was ready to call him a partner.

“Hey,” he said. “So...sorry about that. Can you speak?”

It stayed silent for a moment, clearly examining Emerald.

“To be caught by a human,” he said. “I never thought I’d see the day. Usually your kind mistakes us for part of the tree too much to bother looking at us. Keeps us out of your clutches.”

“Oh,” he said. “So...you’re not enthusiastic about joining the team?”

“I am somewhat relieved, somewhat angered,” the Pineco said. “I don’t like my favorite spot for feasting on other Bug-types disturbed. But you humans were already doing that considering you were destroying our forest.”

“Oh,” Emerald said. “You...you saw that?”

“Saw it?” he asked. “I couldn’t help but observe it over the last few months. Us Pineco don’t move around much, not if we can avoid it. Dangling there for so long...I wondered when you were going to come destroy my tree as well. We Pineco...we see things most don’t. You learn a lot more the less you move.”

“Well,” Emerald said. “I don’t know what to say. I have nothing to do with that.”

“Hmm,” he said. “Well...doesn’t matter so long as it doesn’t affect me. In the wild, everyone does what they can to survive. I knew my time happily eating from above would come to an end once I saw you humans cutting the trees. So...I suppose you catching me was either a courtesy or inevitable.”

“So you don’t mind battling for me?” Emerald asked.

“Not so long as I am fed,” the Pineco said. “And don’t have to move around much.”

“I can help with the first but the second part is probably going to have to be compromised,” Emerald said. “What’s your name?”

“Us Pineco don’t have names,” he said.

“Then I’ll give you one,” the trainer said. “How about...Dangler? Like dangling from trees?”

“Makes no difference to me,” he replied.

“So you think you’ll be a productive team member?” Emerald asked.

“Well I’ll tell you one thing,” the Bug-type stated. “Us Pineco are not known for our speed or mobility. Not unless we use Rapid Spin. So...think about that. I’d like to return to my...Pokeball, I just learned it’s called. I find it rather comforting and safe.”

Emerald nodded before opening the Great Ball and watching the Pineco be returned in a flash of light. After that he gestured for Leif to follow him. The Treecko slowly stood up, clearly recovering from the pain it was still in.

“Where are we going now?” he asked.

“To become a high paid trainer!” Emerald said. “At the Rustboro City Gym is where they give out jobs to be trainers! If you don’t want to specialize in Rock-type Pokemon, to join them you start out as a grunt. You’re given a Pokemon they have on standby if you don’t already have one but if you already have a Pokemon you start out with a higher salary! And since I have two strong Pokemon already with me I’m on my way up!”

“Who is ‘they’?” Leif asked. “Who are we joining?”

“Oh,” Emerald said. “Team Mag-”

He stopped himself there. Leif’s expression went from curious to horrified. The trainer had almost forgotten who was responsible for destroying the Treecko’s forest. Leif looked as though Emerald had betrayed him. The trainer was petrified, frozen in fear. Not knowing what else to do, he grabbed the Treecko’s Pokeball from around his waist and returned him to it. He clutched the ball in anger, feeling he had used and manipulated his only real friend.